by BE Kelly
Gray had been going stir crazy not working. She knew that he didn’t have to and that they were set financially but she also knew that his work was important to him. It gave Gray purpose to have his business to run and she hoped that sooner or later, he’d find a way to open up an office in Canada. For the time being, Gray was keeping himself busy around their new cabin, building a sunroom, and finishing the nursery. He promised Kaiah that he was all right but she could feel his worry. At least having him around twenty-four, seven gave her peace of mind. She knew that he’d never let anyone—shifter or hunter—get close enough to touch her, Ash, or the twins.
Gray’s cell phone buzzed and he rolled over from her to answer it. He probably believed she was sleeping but she had spent most of the night awake. She couldn’t get her mind to quiet and that had her worried. When she was anxious like this it usually meant that something was going to happen—usually something bad.
“Lo,” he asked in his growly, sleepy voice. Kaiah sat up and cupped her belly. Gray sighed and put the call on speaker. “It’s Rios and Trace,” he whispered. She loved that he let her in on everything, not keeping any contact between him and his club a secret from her. She nodded and leaned against his shoulder.
“Sorry to wake you guys,” Trace said. “But we have news that involves you both.”
“Both of us?” Kaiah asked.
“Yeah,” Rios said. “Aylen sends her love and wants to know how you’re feeling.”
“I’m good. The morning sickness has passed, thank God,” she whispered.
“Glad to hear it,” Rios said. Kaiah could tell by his tone that they didn’t call in the middle of the night to ask how she was feeling.
“Why are you calling?” Gray asked, seeming to pick up on their unease too.
“Nix and Husk were by here earlier this evening,” Trace said. Kaiah remembered the shifter brothers from their time on the run. They had stayed at their father, Akin’s place. She would always be grateful to them for putting them all up when she and Aylen were on the run from the hunters.
“What did they want?” Gray grumbled.
“To let us know that the hunters are breaking their treaty,” Trace said.
“Shit,” Gray barked into the cell. “What the fuck are they planning now? Do we trust Nix and Husk or do you think they are up to their old tricks?”
“They better not be up to any fucking tricks,” Rios grumbled. “They are out with our little sister and I’ll beat their asses if they try anything.” Kaiah stifled her giggle at the thought of her brother-in-law being an overprotective big brother.
“Poor Wren,” she teased.
“Yeah—she’s old enough to take care of herself,” Trace said. “She’s been doing it all her life, man.”
“I know but something about those two with Wren just pisses me off,” Rios growled.
“Can we get back to the reason for your call?” Gray demanded. “What do the hunters breaking their treaty with Perdition have to do with us?” Kaiah snuggled against his chest, trying to give him as much comfort as she was taking from him.
“They want Kaiah,” Trace almost whispered in the other end of the call. “The hunters have some fascination with Kaiah because of her abilities as a seer. They want to turn her.” Kaiah’s gasp filled the bedroom and Gray wrapped a protective arm around her body, cupping her belly.
“They’ll have to go through me to do it,” he shouted. “No way are they getting their hands on my family again.” She looked up to see the determination mixed with fear in his eyes. She hated that he was going to have to deal with the hunters again especially now that they had settled into such a happy place in their lives.
“They don’t know where you are. Aylen has seen them coming here, to NOLA,” Rios said.
“So, what do you suggest we do?” Kaiah asked.
“Stay put,” Trace ordered.
“And what? Sit here and wait for those fuckers to show up on our doorstep?” Gray shouted. Kaiah reached for his hand, pulling it against her body.
“I’ll see them coming,” she assured but she knew that her visions had been spotty at best lately.
“We don’t know that Kaiah,” he chided. “You haven’t been seeing everything lately.”
“Yeah—the pregnancy did that to Aylen too. The baby seemed to drain her abilities for the first few months,” Rios said. Kaiah knew that Ay’s gifts returned some during her third trimester. She was close to starting the last leg of her pregnancy being almost six months pregnant.
“Hopefully they’ll be back soon. I’m starting to see more with every passing day,” she assured. “I’ll see them coming.” She wanted to be as confident as she sounded but she wasn’t. Kaiah hoped that Gray didn’t hear the uncertainty that she was feeling.
“For now, I’ll want you both to check in daily,” Trace ordered. “If you don’t, we’ll know something is up. I’m sending a couple of guys up to help guard Kaiah.” Gray seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and Kaiah knew that he worried he wouldn’t be enough to keep her, Ash, and the twins safe—but he would be. Gray was enough for her and her boys—that much she knew for sure.
“Will do,” Gray said. “And thanks for the back-up, man.”
“Not a problem,” Trace said. “We’ll talk more in the morning when I can get more information from Nix and Husk.”
“Yeah—when they’re done with our fucking sister,” Rios teased. Kaiah giggled at Trace’s growl of displeasure.
“Talk to you tomorrow,” Gray agreed and ended the call.
“You all right?” Kaiah asked him. He gave a slight nod and she worried that her old wolf wasn’t going to be okay until this was all behind them. They needed to catch a break but she was sure that wouldn’t happen until she was what the hunters were looking to turn her into—half shifter, half seer—just like her sister.
“Gray,” she whispered. He tossed his phone onto the nightstand and pulled her against his body, settling them both.
“Yeah,” he breathed.
“Turn me,” she murmured.
He sat back up and looked at her like she lost her damn mind. “No fucking way,” he shouted.
“If you turn me they won’t have a reason to track us down. It’s what they want—me to be like Aylen. I’m not sure why but they won’t stop coming for us until I’m half wolf and half seer. It’s in my blood, you know that. I just need you to finish the job. Turn me,” Kaiah begged.
“Not going to fucking happen,” Gray said. “I don’t care who’s coming for us—I won’t do it. You aren’t going to become someone else just because some asshole hunters want it to happen. We’ll stand our ground and fight but I won’t turn you, Baby Girl.” Kaiah new that fighting with Gray would get her nowhere. She could see his mind and knew that he wouldn’t budge on the matter and she could feel him shutting her out. “Besides, I bit you already and nothing happened, Baby Girl. Who’s to say that if I did that again, you would turn?” Gray asked.
He had a good point. He had bitten her and drawn blood. According to Ringer, that was exactly how he was turned but she had no idea why it hadn’t worked on her.
“We can try again,” she said. “Just give me a chance—”
“No,” Gray barked. “We’re done talking about this, Kaiah,” he ordered. She nodded and settled back into his side, giving up the fight—for now. She knew that sooner or later; trouble would show up on her doorstep and Gray would have no choice. She’d become the shifter she was born to be and there would be nothing that either of them could do to stop it from happening.
The End
I hope you enjoyed Gray and Kaiah. A part of their story will continue in Perdition Book 4! Now, buckle up for your inside sneak peek at Daddy Wolf’s Little Captive (Silver Wolf Shifters Book 2).
Nomad
Nomad pulled his bike into the parking lot at Tito’s and parked in the back corner. It was where he agreed to meet his contact and keeping him waiting wasn’t an option. It was the only way he’d be able t
o put this shit show behind him.
“You Nomad?” a man asked, stepping from a black pick-up parked a few spots down. He took a drag off his cigarette and the dim light gave away some of his profile. Nomad didn’t recognize the guy but that didn’t mean anything. He could have met him in another lifetime that he had spent years trying to forget. It was something he wanted to put behind him but his days of being involved with his old gang seemed to keep catching up with him. He wouldn’t go back though. There would be no way he wanted to go back to that life and if he played his cards right, this would be his last run, and then he’d be out.
“I’m Nomad,” he growled.
“You come alone?” the guy asked.
“Yeah,” Nomad admitted. “Listen, I’m not one for questions, so how about we get right down to it?” he asked. The guy chuckled more to himself than Nomad, took one last long drag of his cigarette, and tossed it to the gravel lot.
“For someone not calling the shots, you’re awful bossy, man,” the guy taunted. “You know what to do next?” he asked. Nomad sighed and nodded. He knew exactly what he was supposed to do next. Nomad was supposed to deliver the envelope, that the guy was about to hand him, over to his next contact but that wasn’t going to happen. He’d hand the envelope over but to his detective buddy who was waiting back at his place. What the poor sap standing in front of him didn’t know was that Nomad had gone straight some time ago and was working with not only the local authorities but also the Feds to bring down scumbags like the one who was invading his personal space right now.
“I’m sure I don’t have to remind you what will happen if this falls into the wrong hands, Nomad,” he said. His voice was a low rumble brimming with every mean threat he looked capable of making good on.
“Nope,” Nomad said. “I’m fully aware of the consequences.” He was too. He had spent almost ten years paying for his last run-in with this gang. He was stupid enough to believe that he was a part of something bigger than himself. He thought he was joining a group of shifters, a pack of his brothers—his family. Instead, he found out that they were just using him to further their agenda. He became a part of a crime organization that didn’t give a shit about him. They only cared about their bottom line and moving the women they were trafficking without interruption to their timeline. He was a fool and ended up behind bars for most of his twenties. Nomad had given up so much and now, he was working to bring down the same gang who stole those years from him. Getting caught again wasn’t an option and neither was letting the gang continue to ruin lives.
“Great,” the guy said. “I’m sure you’re anxious to be on your way.” Nomad took the envelope and started back to his bike.
“Hold up, Nomad,” the guy called after him. He turned back to find the asshole pulling a sexy, sleepy blond from the back seat of his king cab. “You’re forgetting this,” he said, shoving her at Nomad.
“Wait—what?” Nomad questioned, catching the stumbling woman as she fell into his arms. “This wasn’t part of the agreement,” he shouted after the guy who was quickly climbing into his pick-up, slamming the door on Nomad’s tirade of questions.
“Where—where am I?” the blond stuttered. She tried to take a step back from him but stumbled and he pulled her back against his body. “What are you doing? Who are you?” she asked. Nomad watched as the pick-up pulled out of the gravel lot and sped away leaving him with the envelope and sexy blond, to boot.
“Name’s Nomad,” he offered.
“What do you want from me?” she whispered. God, she sounded scared and he hated being put in this position. He was told he’d be delivering a package but Nomad never imagined it would be in the form of a sexy, curvy blond.
“I don’t want anything from you, Sweetheart. Today’s your lucky day because I’m going to let you go.” Nomad released her arm and she stepped back from him, looking him over like he had lost his mind.
“You can’t do that,” she spat. “They’ll find me and when they do, they’ll kill both of us. You can’t let me go, I need your help,” she begged.
“This is me helping you, Honey,” he promised. “Trust me, you don’t want to get tied up with the guy who just dumped you into my lap. He and his gang are bad news,” Nomad said.
“I’m fully aware of what they are capable of,” the blond assured. “If you don’t deliver me, they will kill my sister and I can’t let that happen. All of this will be for nothing if you let them do that.” Nomad looked her over like she lost her mind. Was the sexy bombshell begging him to turn her over to be sold to the highest bidder?
“I can’t do that, Sweetheart,” he said. “If I do, you’ll be auctioned off to the highest bidder and that’s where things will get ugly for you. How about you just take a minute to calm down and think this through,” he offered, reaching for her arm.
She pulled her elbow free from his grasp, “I don’t need to take a minute or calm down. You’ve got to deliver me or they’ll kill my sister. Are you listening to me?” she shouted. Nomad quickly looked around the half-empty lot, not wanting to draw any unwanted attention to either of them. He needed to get back to his place and meet his contact or there would be hell to pay.
“Fine,” he spat, looking her over. She wasn’t wearing much in the way of clothes and he wondered if that was her choice or if she had been dressed to sell at auction by the sleaze bag who dropped her off. “Let’s go, Honey,” he said, tossing her his helmet. “Hope you’re stable enough to hold on because I’ve got a little time to make up if I’m going to make my meeting.”
The woman pulled his helmet on and strapped it under her chin as if she had ridden a bike before. “Name’s not Honey or Sweetheart,” she sassed. “It’s Lilith.” She threw her leg over his bike and waited for him to jump on. Yeah—Lilith wasn’t going to like their next stop but he was going to keep that little bit of information to himself. He’d let his contact on the force handle the sexy blond because as far as he was concerned, he was out and no one—not even the vixen on the back of his bike would change his damn mind.
Lilith
Lilith Mercury wasn’t sure how she had gotten from the warehouse to being thrown up against the hot biker she now had her arms wrapped around, but here she was. Those asshole shifters had her little sister, Willow and there would be no way that she’d walk away from this mess now. She made a promise to her sister that she’d find a way to get her out of that damn warehouse where they were keeping her. They weren’t just holding her sister but at least fifty other women and some of them looked young enough to be considered jail bait—not that it mattered to the assholes holding them for auction. It was her turn to be sold off to the highest bidder and if she didn’t do as they directed, they’d kill Willow.
She could endure just about anything to guarantee her sister’s safety—even let some disgusting retribute use her body for sex. Willow was only twenty and thinking about any man putting his disgusting hands on her baby sister made her sick. She had been taking care of Willow for almost five years now since their parents died. She was twenty-one when they were killed by a drunk driver and she didn’t even think about whether or not she should step up and take care of her little sister. She moved Willow into her crappy one-bedroom apartment and for the most part—they were happy. Her sister was even trying to work her way through college which was something that Lilith had dreamed of doing for years now. But taking care of her sister trumped her plans and goals and that was fine with her. There would be plenty of time for her dreams once Willow got settled. She was happy, for now. She had control over her life that she craved and was good knowing that she was in charge of her destiny.
At least, that’s what she thought. About a week ago, Willow convinced her to “live a little,” and go with her to a night club that had just opened in town. She told her sister that her clubbing days were long over, at twenty-six, she was content with staying in and catching up on her favorite TV series. But, Willow was persistent and before she knew it, Lilith was dressed in her
black leather mini skirt and an almost see-through tank top, dancing in a crowded bar with guys grinding up on her, asking her if they could get her number. She’d smile and shake her head but she had to admit, she was flattered that the younger men in the club seemed interested enough to at least ask.
By the end of the night she was sweaty, exhausted, and more than ready to head home for a shower and her comfortable bed. But, that never happened. She wasn’t sure what happened because the last thing she remembered was standing by her car with her keys in hand, telling Willow that she had a good time despite her earlier protests. Her sister had said something smart about her being a spinster and then darkness—nothing. She and Willow woke up in side by side cages in a dark, musty warehouse, scared out of their minds.
It felt like they spent years caged up in that place and not just days but when the guy who seemed to be in charge of the whole operation picked her to be sold off next, Lilith told him to go fuck himself. That’s when one of the other slime balls informed his boss that she and Willow were sisters and he got the brilliant idea to use her little sister to help make her more compliant. Lilith had no choice but to do as they asked and she didn’t believe for one-second that they’d make good on their promise to let Willow go if she was a good girl and behaved. She did believe that they were quite capable of following through with every threat that they made and when the man in charge promised to kill her little sister after he let his guys have some fun with her, she didn’t question his validity. He’d do it and that left her with no choice but to obey and pretend to be the good girl they demanded her to be.