Entangled

by Olivia Stocum

Kendra screamed again.

  “I said close your eyes,” he growled.

  “It sounded like a request, not an order.”

  He kicked the head away from a body that was searching blindly for its missing piece. The skull disappeared into the darkness beyond the headlights. Alessandro said something in Arabic that she’d heard from him before. It must have had to do with women and their inconsistencies.

  One of these days she was going to teach that man a lesson. But not today. Nope, not today. Right now she just needed him to keep her alive.

  “I have to get you out of here,” he said. “Hold on.”

  Her stomach lurched as she was carried too quickly away. His movements were very smooth. She felt like she was floating. Kendra looked over his shoulder and saw the pack descending. Vesper was a living shield, keeping zombies away from Nick while he picked others off with his rifle.

  Alessandro stopped on a hill across the quite winding road. The wolves were driving the zombies back into the forest. They dispersed into hiding just as a compact came innocently buzzing by.

  “I sense a tabloid headline in the making,” she said.

  “Where do you think the headlines come from?”

  “At least no one believes them.”

  “Most don’t believe them,” he said, setting her down.

  Everyone was gone, including Nick and Vesper. She shivered and nestled into Alessandro. Good thing he was still warm enough not to chill her. He rubbed her back.

  “Now what?” she asked.

  “We hope the Rover is in working condition.”

  “And if not?”

  “I call for a car and tell them we hit a deer. Then I tip anyone involved while you smile like they were the ones who just saved your life. They won’t be able to resist that.”

  “Well, okay then.”

  He scooped her back up and walked through snow back to the car. The headlights on the Audi were beginning to dim as the battery died. He set her down and then slid into the Land Rover, Kendra sticking close to the door, glancing around just in case there were any stragglers. The passenger side window was broken and there was a dent in the hood. The engine started without any problems.

  “Get in,” he said.

  “But Nick and Vesper?”

  “I’m just making sure it runs. We’re not leaving them.”

  “Oh.” She went around quickly, feeling vulnerable. Alessandro swept tempered glass off the seat for her and she got in.

  He blasted the heat, what good it did with a broken window. As they pulled out, she wondered if she should text Nick to let them know they’d be right back, but she was worried he might think it was vitally important and risk himself to check the message so she held off and hoped for the best all around.

  Alessandro pulled a U-turn on the silent road, Kendra grabbing the door for support. They headed back.

  “I think the steering and breaks work,” she said, still catching her breath. “I am not cut out for this.”

  “I know.” There was something final about his words.

  “What are you thinking?” She stopped, knowing what he was thinking. “No, we’re not separating.”

  “We might not have a choice.”

  “But what happens, you know, if you’re gone for more than a few days?”

  He smiled grimly. “You’ll have a desperate, hungry husband on your hands when I get back.”

  “But what about...” She touched her scars. “I don’t think we can be apart for more than a few days.”

  “I won’t stop loving you.” He looked offended. He pulled the car off to the side of the road and they sat there with the engine running and hot air blasting.

  “No. I mean, what will you do?” she said.

  “I will survive. I always do.” He smiled but it was forced.

  “Without my blood.” She didn’t know what to say. What would she do without that connection between them? What would he do? What if he didn’t come back because he was dead? Dead, dead, that was. “No. I’ll go crazy.”

  He reached over, touching her hair. “No more than any worried wife. No, distance will make it so that you are no longer aware of my needs.”

  But did she want that? “I rather go crazy with you than without you. And what do you do when you haven’t had me?”

  “Feed very well before I see you, and then get you alone and in bed as quickly as possible.” He smiled, and this time it was genuine.

  “You’ll need more than that.”

  “Which is why I’ll be well fed first. You’ll be fine, habibti.”

  She couldn’t believe they were even considering this.

  “No,” she said in a last ditch effort to change both their minds.

  “We can’t do this anymore,” he said, using his smooth as honey voice now. “I need to find him.”

  “And where do I go?”

  He pulled out his phone. “With Danielle.”

  “Mortals aren’t exactly allowed there.”

  “If Lothar wants Theron, which I know he does, then we’ll have to get him together. If Lothar and I both go he’ll meet us gladly.”

  “Then you take Lothar away from Danielle, and me away from you. The two of you will both be weaker without us.”

  He sent a text. “We’ll see,” he said.

  “Stubborn,” she muttered.

  Alessandro leaned in, kissing her. She went ahead and kissed him back before continuing the argument. It felt too good to pass up.

  “I’m not leaving right this second,” he said.

  No. He would feed tomorrow, have her, and then leave.

  “I’m going to be sick about this,” she said.

  “You can’t get sick unless it’s psychosomatic.”

  She frowned over that one. “I can’t?”

  He shook his head.

  “If we’re not together then your essence will wear off.”

  “I am three thousand years old. My essence within you is strong. It would take years, if ever, to fade.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Why else do you think I warned you that it was too late? I won’t force you to be with me, but we are linked either way.”

  “Okay. Good.” That made her feel a little better, knowing she wouldn’t lose their bond if they were apart. Still, what if he didn’t make it back to her? What if Lothar didn’t? How would Danielle survive?

  His phone chimed, followed by hers. She checked. It was Danielle.

  Can you get to Paris? We’ll have a jet waiting when you arrive.

  I can stay with you? Kendra texted back.

  Lothar said so.

  She glanced at Alessandro. Paris. Yes, they would be there. Kendra sent out another message. You do know what Alessandro plans on doing, right?

  He and Lothar are working on that now.

  He wants to go after Theron with Lothar.

  There was a pause before she continued. Just get here where you’re safe.

  Kendra sat back, her stomach aching in earnest now. What was that smell, anyway?

  Cautiously, she looked out the window, and then wished she hadn’t. There was a dead body not three feet away. How had she not noticed that before?

  “Oh, my God.”

  What had Alessandro said about how she wouldn’t get sick, but the smell. Yeah. She was aware of it now that her adrenal levels were dropping. She needed to get out of the car but she sure as hell wasn’t going that way.

  She grabbed Alessandro’s sleeve. “I need to get out.”

  He frowned, assessing her appearance. She didn’t have the time to wait for him to figure it out.

  “Unless you want me to upchuck all over you.”

  It took him another moment to catch up while he sought to mentally translate her slang.

  “I’m going to puke,” she said.

  It took him less than a second to get out. She warded him off when he reached for her.

  “No sudden movements, please.”

  Kendra stumbled to a body-fre
e zone and lost her dinner, aware of her new husband behind her. Her immortal husband who didn’t do things like upchuck all over the pavement. This was not her idea of a honeymoon.

  He knelt down next to her, brows lifted in question.

  “Smell,” she said, panting. “So, what’s the torture? You guys decide?”

  He sighed. “Are you done?”

  “Yes, I think so.”

  He helped her up. His chin lifted subtly as he scanned the forest. She immediately moved behind him.

  “It’s okay. It’s Vesper and Nick.”

  She looked around, but her night vision was nothing compared to his. “Are they okay?”

  “They seem to be. The other werewolves are waiting for us to leave, then they’ll bury the bodies in the forest.”

  Now that was just gross. “Eww.”

  Nick returned, Vesper, still a wolf, lingering behind. She growled at Alessandro as if in automatic response. He ignored her.

  “They have been,” Nick mimicked Vesper’s accent, “dispatched. The wolves will clean up after us.”

  He seemed fine, not even out of breath, or puking. Actually, he seemed kind of excited. Bright eyed.

  “You liked that,” Kendra said.

  He went to the back of the Rover and put away his gun. “I didn’t not like it.”

  He was crazy. “And you think I’m nuts,” she muttered.

  Nick glanced at Alessandro but refrained from comment. He grabbed his bag, probably so Vesper could dress. Werewolves didn’t care about things like nudity as a general rule, but it was cold out.

  “Your car?” Nick asked.

  Alessandro shook his head. “Looks like we get to share.”

  “Great, and I thought zombies stunk.”

  Alessandro seemed amused by that.

  “What was that about?” she asked Nick.

  “Oh, I forgot,” he said in a tone that suggested he had so not forgotten. “You can’t smell him as he really is.”

  “Matter of opinion,” Alessandro said.

  She had no idea what they were taking about.

  “To humans,” Nick said, “vampires smell like the pheromones that draw you to another person, particularly the opposite sex.”

  “Yes, I know. And to werewolves?”

  He looked at Alessandro, eyes dark. “We smell past the hormones, to what’s underneath.”

  What was underneath?

  “Old blood, rotting away in his veins,” Nick finished without any prompting. “And some of it is yours.” With that pleasant bit of information he walked off looking proud of himself.

  She shivered. Her husband was a walking corpse, kept alive by a curse and the blood of other people. Including hers. And she was sleeping with him.

  He sensed her unease. She sensed his.

  “I’m all right,” she said out of reflex, rubbing her arms. “Really.”

  He felt distant, wasn’t even reaching out to touch her physically. That was the breaking point. “Okay, fine. Dead body parts flinging themselves at my feet, you running off to get yourself killed, or whatever. Nick hates me. And now you won’t touch me.” She wiped her eyes. “But fine. Forget about it. I’m totally fine.”

  With a sigh he came forward, wrapped both arms around her, and pulled her against him. She tucked her arms around his waist.

  “I didn’t know if I should touch you.”

  He smelled good to her, and that was all that mattered. “You should definitely touch me. It’s the whole thing about you leaving.”

  “I can’t take any more risks with you, habibti. According to Lothar this has been the first zombie outbreak globally in the last week. He’d been plagued with them a month ago.”

  “So, no chance of this being a coincidence, huh?”

  “Not likely.”

  “How’s Theron doing it, anyway?”

  “How do Lothar and his beta wolves keep up a constant global vigilance? How did I keep track of my mines without leaving the monastery?”

  “It’s a small world thanks to the Internet?”

  “And thanks to anyone he might have in his employ. It’s ridiculously easy to buy mortals.”

  “Now that part doesn’t surprise me in the least.”

  “Zombies can be created easily. All you need is one caged up somewhere.”

  What about werewolf venom, she wondered? Could he have a few werewolves somewhere? What were the chances of Nick being the only one who had thought of killing vampires with bullets coated in werewolf venom?

  Nick returned with Vesper, who was dressed now in lace bell-sleeves, black leggings, and four inch heels that made her taller than Nick. Vesper showed her teeth, fangs out and visible as she went around to the passenger side door.

  “I’m driving,” Alessandro said. He went into the trunk of the Audi for their bag.

  “The hell you are,” Nick responded.

  “I have faster reflexes.”

  “You already wrecked one car.”

  With a growl, Vesper stalked around and walked right between them, both men taking a step back. She was eye-to-eye with Alessandro. “I’m driving.”

  Nick shook his head but she shot him a glare that stopped him cold.

  “The mission is to keep the mortal alive. You two can finish your pissing match later.” She got in and started the engine.

  “I wouldn’t cross her,” Nick advised.

  Alessandro hissed at him. Vesper growled.

  “This is going to suck,” Kendra said.

  Alessandro stowed their bag in the back, Kendra going to him. He glanced up, reading her look, and then hooked his arm around her shoulder. “It’s okay. This way at least I can keep you warm.”

  “Maybe it is better she drives, then.” Kendra lifted her chin and he kissed her once.

  She got in back, noticing the way both Nick and Vesper looked as Alessandro followed. Like smelling the milk to see if it was bad.

  Kendra scooted closer to him and he tucked his arm around her. Cursed or not, he was hers. Nick eyed them through the rearview mirror but she ignored him. Off they drove in complete silence. Vesper wasn’t even talking to Nick. It seemed her brother-in-law wasn’t as dominant as he liked to think he was. His alpha female had certainly taken charge easily enough.

  “Can you mask your stench, vampire,” Vesper said.

  “I can,” he said blandly, as if what he really meant was, I won’t.

  How many hours were there until morning? No point in playing any car games. Punch Bug might get someone blasted right out of the car.

  Kendra rested her cheek on Alessandro’s shoulder and settled on praying for morning to come as quickly as possible.

  She felt his hand in her hair, tugging here and there as he toyed with it. She tried to close her eyes but she wasn’t lucky enough to sleep. Her mind was restless. She was living in a monster movie and she was the heroine, but all she really wanted was to be alone with Alessandro. Anywhere. As long as they were safe.

  She realized she had another question for him, but she couldn’t say much in front of Nick and Vesper. Or anyone, really. They talked about his past, her fears, and their future. Did they talk about anything normal? Should she be worried about that? She needed to stop freaking out. What were they supposed to do anyway, talk about the weather in the south of France?

  She took out her phone, switched it to vibrate, and then sent him a text. Set your phone to vibrate.

  His phone chimed and he got it out, eyeing her. Of course he knew it was from her.

  They’re going to know anyway, he sent her.

  Humor me.

  His phone hadn’t made a sound that time, so he must have done as she asked.

  Morbid question for you.

  His lips pursed. I think I can handle it.

  What happens to me if you die?

  I won’t die.

  Hypothetically.

  I’m very hard to kill.

  What if Theron has werewolf venom?

  You are thinking about
this entirely too much.

  Please, tell me.

  He sighed. I will remain in you.

  I wasn’t talking about blackheads here.

  You will live a long time, and eventually die after your organs age.

  You’ve seen this?

  I have known vampires with mortal mates. And I’ve known those who have been separated from their mates. What else does one do over thousands of years but learn?

  You learn, yes. I knew that. You’re a smart boy.

  His honey eyes slid in her direction.

  I’m freaking out again. No chance of a snack, right?

  Absolutely not.

  Sex?

  He cracked a smile over that one. Sure, we’ll just have Vesper pull over and make an orgy out of it.

  No, because you’re not getting anywhere near Vesper.

  Because of her fangs or her body?

  Her brows came together. Both.

  The answer is no either way, habibti.

  Just saying.

  She settled her cheek against his shoulder again, her phone in her hand just in case she needed to talk to him.

  Chapter Twenty

  “You can’t do this.”

  “I do not have choice.”

  “Then wait until after the children are born.”

  “You’ll need to stay here with them anyway.”

  “We’ve hunted together for fifteen years. You can’t do this without me.”

  Lothar touched her face, brushed her hair off her forehead. “Once Kendra is here, outbreaks will start again. Is only matter of time before people begin worshiping aliens and looking to heavens for mothership.”

  She made a face. “I know,” she admitted.

  “I cannot risk any more deaths, mortal or werewolf.”

  “You’re the High Councilor. You’re supposed to stay here.”

  “But this is personal, Darling.”

  “And it’s just as much about me as it is about you. I was there that day too.”

  “But you did not kill Theron’s son. I did. Besides, you cannot fight at all.”

  She wouldn’t be able to shapeshift until after the babies were born. “I don’t like it.”

  “I do not like either, but needs to be done.”

  “Does Alessandro know where to find Theron?”

  “No one knows where to find him but is safe to assume he will find us.”

  “Do you have enough back up? Theron has all kinds of it.”