Smart man. Nadine could see why he and her fated had much in common. “Are they all males, Mr. Kane?”
He gave her shake of his head then smiled. “Call me Kane. No mister. And to answer your question, yes, there are a few women coming along, bringing even more food, I’m guessing.”
“More?” What a feast.
“This is normal for us, ma’am,” he said, then looked between her and Marex. “You do eat food, don’t you? I was told you do, and that you only need to suck blood every couple weeks or so.”
Marex chuckled, kissed her cheek, and patted her butt before walking away. “I could use a drink.”
Guess she was in charge of answering the alpha. “Yes, of course we eat, but we can’t consume too much, or it makes us sick. And we don’t call it sucking blood, we eat or we feed.” Even though technically they sucked blood, it was a vulgar way of putting things, and she wanted to enlighten the leader.
“Oh, vampires,” he drawled, setting his boot on the foot bar down below. “Always sugarcoating to look fancy.”
She rolled her eyes with a smile, and walked around the counter to see if she could be of any help in the kitchen. Within the hour, more shifters had shown up, and when she spotted a woman coming in with a group of them, she quickly washed her hands to introduce herself.
The woman had waist-length black hair, striking blue eyes, an inch or so taller than Nadine, with a quietly commanding presence. When Kane walked past the woman, they merely brushed knuckles, but the sexual tension was palpable. Nadine guessed the raven-haired beauty wasn’t his mate, or else he would be free in his affection. Curious. Why the secrecy? Surely if Nadine could see it, so could someone else.
The woman slapped Seth on the back with a smile and greeted Reed with a hug. She wore jeans, a tight black scoop neck top, and a black lace choker around her neck. After Nadine had determined an opening, she approached the brunette with a smile.
“Hello.”
The woman appeared amused at Nadine’s approach, delicately crossing one arm over the other and looking her up and down. “Hi.”
“I’m Nadine.”
“Lila.”
A flash memory of Kane uttering that name this morning told her this was the same Lila. She tampered down a knowing smile. “I’m sorry to just spring up on you like this, but you’re the first woman I’ve been around in a while. All this testosterone makes me feel like I’m going to grow a mustache pretty soon.”
Her attempt at humor worked, and Lila smiled. “I know what you mean, but you get used to it.” Lila glanced behind her where Marex and Kane were talking, Marex with a glass of liquor in his hand, Kane holding a beer. “It’s like they’re old friends. Happened that quick.” She turned attention back to Nadine. “Who would’ve thought?”
“I think it’s easier to become friends when you share a monumental ideal, and finally have someone you can talk to about it.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Kane has his pack.”
“And Marex has his coven. Even so, it’s an extraordinary thing to find it in someone you have very little in common with. Someone you are conditioned from birth to despise. Marex has been trying for over a decade to make progress on this meeting alone. The fact he and Kane have finally met and are in sync with their ideas proves to me they were meant to do this.”
Perhaps Lila didn’t share Kane and his pack’s notion to unite with vampires in peace and prosperity, but at the same turn, didn’t seem totally opposed to it, or else she wouldn’t be here. Perhaps she was just protective and wary of Marex, since she didn’t know him. Nadine felt the same toward Kane, though that was changing every minute in his presence. He seemed sincere.
Lila cocked her head. “Let’s just hope it doesn’t get them killed.”
As if Nadine didn’t care about that? “Let’s do more than hope. I know I will.”
Feeling as though she and Lila weren’t going to be instant besties as their men had, she brushed past her, and went to help the guys set the table. Back and forth she went from the kitchen to the distressed dining table, putting out plates and cups, cutlery, pitchers of ice cold water and beer, and dish after dish of food. Indeed, by the time they were done, it looked like a king’s feast from a period movie. The only thing missing was a throne at the head of the table.
Nevertheless, when the time came for Kane to stand at the end and raise his cup, it certainly had a very Renaissance feel to it. Nadine was amazed. Shifters and a few vampires sitting down to a meal together. The entire moment had to be unprecedented, if not undocumented, and part of her wanted to get out her cell phone and record the whole thing, and seal it in time. She stood across from Marex, consumed with love and pride.
Marex was positioned next to Kane and therefore was at Kane’s left when the leader started a speech. Before doing so, he slapped his hand on Marex’s right shoulder. “Brothers, sisters, I look around with severe pride in what we are achieving in this moment. I thank each of you for standing by me, and welcoming Marex, Nadine, Brogan, and Jean-Luc. Marex. Right now, my friend, we are simply two of a kind, but I know, with time and talk and a lot of bare-knuckle fighting, there will become three, ten, twenty, a hundred, by God a thousand of a kind one day. I hope we live long enough to see it. And maybe one day you and I will address many tables like this in a room so ginormous, we’ll have to shout for all to hear.”
Nadine couldn’t help it; gazing at Marex, she got a little choked up.
At Marex’s appreciative, single nod, Kane raised his glass higher, and everyone picked up theirs and did the same. “To peace!”
“To peace!”
“To friends,” he added.
“To friends,” they echoed.
“And no mercy to any motherfuckers that get in our way.”
Everyone laughed, cheered, clanked their cups, and drank.
Once the eating began, conversations were put on hold. But after the second round of beer and wine being passed, discussions became livelier, and she saw Brogan and Jean-Luc laughing at the end of the table, even flirting with a couple of the other young women that’d joined the dinner.
Marex and Kane were once again caught up in their own chat, and after a small plate of food, Nadine was full, getting a little tipsy on the wine.
Lila was not sitting to Kane’s right as Nadine had assumed she would be. Reed was there, proving he was Kane’s second, and actively participated in the talk between his leader and Marex. Lila sat to Nadine’s right, but she hadn’t said much to her while the food was passed down, other than asking if she wanted butter for her rolls.
Nadine was disappointed they hadn’t found a rapport.
Just then, Lila looked over, staring at Nadine’s profile long enough for Nadine to feel a bit discomfited.
“What?” she finally asked, meeting Lila’s direct gaze.
“You’re Marex’s mate, right?”
“Yes. Well, the technical term is fated, but it means the same thing as mate.”
She leaned in, whispering, eyes narrowing. “I envy you.”
That was surprising to hear. What exactly was there to envy? She and Marex were on the run, with targets on their back, virtually no money, and a future very well unknown ahead of them. “Why? I would argue there is little to be envious of. I doubt I need to explain our circumstances.”
“No, you don’t. I’m well aware.” Lila spoke with a softness, a pity in her tone, suggesting she didn’t want anyone to overhear her. “But you have him. You can stand by him with your head held high. Love him, fuck him, and go wherever he goes, and no one will care, no one will stop you from being with him, and pursuing your wild dreams of unity. I envy that. And your fearlessness. Your mate’s ideals will probably walk you straight into death’s arms, but you would have it no other way. I see you look at him, and him look at you, and it’s not very different from how our mated couples look. Hungrily. Desperately. With reverence. With heat. It’s fucking kinetic, in a way.” Without breaking eye contact, she took a sip of wine,
then carefully set it down.
Ah. So there was a story behind Kane and Lila. She knew it when she saw that briefest moment of contact between them. Since then, they hadn’t exchanged so much as a word, but the sexual tension continued to scream. Nadine glanced at him, then back to Lila. “Why can’t you be together?”
Lila looked down, mouth moving as though she were debating to share. “Because…because I belong to someone else. That’s why.”
Yikes. That was a huge no-no in the shifter world. And also…not possible? Once they mated, they mated for life, much like vampires. Emotions and sexual need for another was unthinkable. How could she have a mate and be cheating on him with Kane? “I’m sorry for my ignorance,” she whispered, covertly checking to see if anyone had found interest in their exclusive conversation. “I thought shifters could only have one mate.”
Lila sighed, toying with the lace choker around her neck, like it was a leash. “That’s true. But my…husband is not…he’s missing. He’s been missing for over a year. You see, we’re mated by marriage, not by scent. He’d long given up in finding his, and my parents wanted me in a strong pack. When he claimed me, I didn’t have much of a choice, not without a mate to fight for me. That’s how it works for our kind.”
“You had to marry him? Couldn’t you just be on your own? Why the forced marriage?” She certainly gave the impression she could take care of herself.
“It wasn’t forced. We always have a choice, Nadine. It was just the wiser choice. A female shifter without a family is practically worthless. It’s who we are. We’re the supporters, the nurturers, and there are fewer of us than there are of males. A lot like humans, the ratio is three to one for males to females. To turn your back on one is to turn your back on all. At least, when it comes to an alliance. Besides, my alpha wasn’t that bad. Some are definitely worse.”
“Is—?” Nadine glanced across the table to make sure the female across from them wasn’t listening. “Is he your mate?” she asked, referring to Kane, of course.
Lila huffed. “No. I wish. If he was, things would be very different. We know by smell, you see, and we knew right away. But that doesn’t stop the desire. Especially since my husband doesn’t seem to be coming back. I’m leading my pack for now, but eventually an alpha male will have to take his place.”
“You think he’s dead?”
“We’re all starting to think that now. No way would he be gone this long. One day he went out to check on our supply shipment. He never returned. Our man at the docks never met with him, and no one has come forward with information on where he went between our home and the marina.”
Gods, how awful. Nadine’s heart went out to her. She wanted to reach out and hold Lila’s hand but for one, that would give away their heart to heart to the others, and second, she was too sensitive to the touch. “What will happen if you never find him?”
“The carnal claim rule comes into play. Meaning the top males in our pack will fight for the position of alpha. Or another from a different pack can challenge our males for it. Anyone can.”
Hope sprung for her. “Including Zander?”
“He could, but he never will.” She dared to glance back at the alpha, who’d just broken into a hearty laugh, showing off his many brilliant white teeth. “He’s holding out for his true mate.”
“But…the way you looked at each other, when you first walked in. I saw how he looked at you, Lila. He loves you.”
That didn’t seem to be a surprise. “That may be true, in a way, and he may want me, lust for me, but he’d never abandon his pack and leave Louisiana for a female who isn’t his mate. It’s not meant to be. When he’s in the area, he calls, and I come to him, and we ease the loneliness for a little while. His pack is indifferent to our hook ups, but I have to keep it a secret from mine. No matter what the circumstances, it’s a betrayal to my husband. Kane understands that as well. Though I do appreciate your sympathy, I don’t want you to feel sorry for me at all. I just wanted to express that if I came off as a bitch earlier, it was because of cold, plain jealousy that you have something I don’t. Nothing personal.”
It was in Nadine’s nature to cheer others up. After all, she’d had her share of depressing, sorrowful, uncertain times with her fiancé’s murder, and getting to Marex in time before he was to be executed, but she could share that another time, in private. “Look. Know your worth. You’re a stunner, with brains, and obviously a strong leader. It’s easy to see just from those qualities why any alpha male would want to claim you for his own. If finding your mate isn’t a viable option, and you can’t have you-know-who, then take the next best thing. But take it, Lila. Pick the ones you want fighting for you, don’t let the males decide. You can do that, can’t you?”
Lila’s gaze moved around as she thought. “You’re right. I can choose who has the right to fight for alpha. I just haven’t wanted to because I’m afraid of the outcome, but I shouldn’t be afraid, should I?”
“Never. Or else your next husband could see as it as weak, and I know your kind is allergic to such a view.”
Lila laughed softly. “True.”
“By the gods, just from what I’ve seen, there are plenty of hot male shifters to choose from,” she gushed, making Lila laugh more. “I’m guessing if you cast a wide net, your chances of bringing in someone as…alluring as Kane are very good. You might even find your true mate. Isn’t he worth doing everything you can to find him, now that you have a chance?”
“From what I heard and what I’ve seen, yes, it’s worth it.” She patted Nadine’s knee. “Thank you.”
Satisfied she’d bolstered the woman’s confidence, she sipped her wine. Marex glanced over with a question in his eye, but Nadine just winked at him.
After dinner, and the monumental task of cleaning up, most of Kane’s crew left for the evening. She said goodbye to Nadine, wished her luck, and asked for an address so she could have someone to write to while they were on the run for the lives. Lila had readily given it, telling her she’d keep her informed on the progress of her “alpha search.”
Brogan and Jean-Luc claimed cabin fever, and told them they were going aboveground for a few hours to get some fresh air. Kane left, declaring he had something he had to personally take care of, and Nadine knew he meant Lila. Chase had changed to shifter form to take Tony’s place as first guard, and Reed took Seth’s place as second while Seth went shopping for more supplies and food.
The silence was welcome as she finished washing a plate and setting on the drying rack. She found another cup to wash. Marex was suddenly behind her, sliding his hands along her hips, and pressing his erection between her cheeks. She dropped the cup in the water, moaned, and arched into him.
“We’re alone,” he crooned in her ear.
Heedless that her hands and forearms were wet, she reached back and grasped his nape as he nuzzled her neck and shoulder. “I know.” How much time they had wasn’t known, but it didn’t matter. His hands cupped her breasts, fingers digging in as he caressed them, before shoving them under her blouse, his calluses scraping her sensitive nipples. She let out a cry, loving the rough feel of his hands, their masculine strength kneading on her breasts. He began teasing her nipples between his forefingers and thumbs, making them ache and harden.
Panting, thrills of pulsing pleasure shooting to every nerve, she bent over, submerging his hands and her breasts in the warm water. Marex read her without asking, giving a short moan as he hastily hiked up the long skirt to her waist with one hand, sloshing water and soapsuds on the floor. Because she didn’t have any clothes with her, she’d had to forgo panties again, and it made it oh so easy for him to—
“Ah!” Her cry echoed through the space as he plunged his cock inside her, bucking hard and vigorously. Her wet hands groped for faucet, the only thing she could grab on for purchase. She didn’t hold back any cries or screams with every plunge of his hips, and Marex didn’t bother smothering his groans.
It was wonderful to make
noise, to make love, and make her fated beg for more.
* * *
By the time Zander returned almost two hours later, they’d taken full advantage of their alone time. Twice more. Nadine was practically stoned with satisfaction as she lounged on the sofa, reading a book she found being used to stable the coffee table. In contrast, Marex had decided he wanted to start writing down his ideas and thoughts as he’d done before, sitting at the large dining table, focused, his hand moving quickly with the pen.
“Well, this is quite the scene,” Kane remarked, tossing keys in a bowl by the door. “I fully expected to walk in on you two in each other’s arms.”
“They were,” called the voice of Reed, who’d been manning the steel door. “Three fucking times! Literally!”
Biting her bottom lip, Nadine continued to read the novel while Marex didn’t even pause on his writing.
Kane chuckled, taking off his jacket. “I have good news.”
They looked up at him.
“I found your man. Fitz McEvoy.”
Marex dropped pencil and pushed off the bench. “That fast?”
“Like I said vampire, all I needed was a name.” He tossed the jacket over the back of a chair. “Word is he’s still in New York, but it’s hard to say where exactly he’s living, which might not matter since I got a phone number.”
“That’ll do.” Marex took the piece of paper Kane handed him. “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
Marex walked over to her, looking down at the paper, then meeting her gaze with an expression of concern. “I need to talk to you.”
She got up and followed them to their bed, sitting down on the edge, and he took a chair and sat down in front of her.
She waited for him to collect his thoughts, wondering why he seemed conflicted.
He tucked the sticky note in his front pocket, then cupped her right hand in both of his, searching her eyes. “You’ve been in danger from the second you started seeking me out, and even more so since we met. And I love you fiercely for it, for your fearlessness, and determination to find me, save me, and run with me. What I feel for you already is so overwhelming, it’ll take me a hundred years to express just a fraction of it.” He dropped his gaze, shaking his head. “I had no idea the emotions for a fated would ever be this strong. Sometimes I think I’m not man enough to deserve it, to handle it, the way I should.”
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