Reclaimed (Wolf in Exile Part 4): Werewolf Shifter/Vampire Paranormal Romance

by Amber Ella Monroe

  Kalena swallowed. “He lied to me when we met. And yes, the resemblance between the brothers is startling. I’m wondering how I couldn’t remember.”

  “It’s likely that Gavril gave you the drug while you were dating him. You wouldn’t have known it.”

  Kalena gasped. “I would’ve known. Isn’t it administered by injection only?”

  “Says who?”

  “Oh my God.”

  “Don’t panic. You’re fully cured anyhow. Lucky you.”

  Kalena frowned. “But my memories were taken away from me.”

  “You can get them back. Most of them anyway.”

  “How?” Kalena sat upright in the chair.

  “The same way Gavril had them extracted from you earlier,” Danika offered. “But vampires don’t bargain lightly.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “They’re of the mindset that everything must be bargained for. It’s how they’ve flourished throughout their existence. Some of the same negotiating techniques were instilled into shifter society when we first came under the laws of UCON, our ruling organization. Before then, the only sure way a shifter got what he wanted was to fight…and sometimes kill for it. That’s still done, as you’ve witnessed, but UCON has cracked down on those practices a lot more now that they enforce secrecy and the laws of our kind.”

  “How do you know so much?”

  “I told you. My dad was an Alpha. I’m expected to know this stuff, even though I will never lead a Pack.”

  Kalena shook her head. “Well, I don’t have access to all my money so I have little to bargain with.”

  Danika chuckled. “Money isn’t what impresses vampires the most. If you follow through with this, you stand to lose more than you might gain. You would risk your humanity. You could die or be turned.”

  “Turned?”

  “Exactly. Just like before, it would require extraction of blood. It’s up to you if you’re willing to pay that price or not to have all of your memories back.” Danika grinned. “Humans cherish their memories so much, don’t they? I understand, but your curiosity seems so great that you would even welcome back the bad memories. Am I right?”

  “How do you know a vampire could help me get the rest of my memories back?” Kalena had to ask.

  “From my understanding, that specific skill is gained whenever a vampire is turned by another. You just have to be weak enough or willing to let them in.” She bit at a stray nail on her thumb. “I’ve also done it before.”

  Kalena felt her eyes widened. “Care to elaborate?”

  Danika frowned. “In the years following my mom’s death, I often sought out vampires to drag memories from me about when I was just a very small child and my mom and dad were still living together and very much in love. My dad never kept a lot of pictures of her. Decades go by, and even us shifters forget the minute details sometimes. Especially when we haven’t neared our prime yet.”

  “Oh…”

  “Can you handle those memories? About you and Gavril?” Danika asked.

  “I don’t know whether I can or not. But I have a right to know what happened to me. I want back everything that Gavril took from me.” Kalena rose from the lounge chair. “Where can I find a vampire that can help me?”

  Danika held up her palms, sheepishly. “I’m already in enough trouble as it is. I’ll catch you later and we can talk about it more. Maybe at dinner time before I head out to a party.”

  “Wait!” Kalena placed her palm on Danika’s shoulder. “If my memories could help Thane put Gavril away for good, wouldn’t you want to help me for that reason alone?”

  Danika’s gaze shifted downward as she contemplated the question. She then pulled a card out of her back pocket and handed it to Kalena. “Invite only party. There will be vampires. If you can get someone to drive you out, then come if you dare.”

  Danika exited the room just as quietly as she had entered.

  Kalena glanced down at the blood-red invite with only a set of coordinates written in black on it. She stood in silence, looking at the shelves and volumes of books before her until she realized they obviously didn’t contain the answers she sought. As she turned to head out of the library, she knew she had already made her decision.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “I’ve got a reservation here tonight with a friend,” Thane told the human greeter at the door of the restaurant.

  “Your name, sir?” the greeter inquired.

  “Thane Silex.”

  There were two hybrid guards standing on either side of the greeter. They eyed Thane suspiciously as the greeter checked the guest log.

  “You’re not listed,” she said.

  “Impromptu meeting,” Thane replied.

  “Let me have the name of your guest,” she demanded.

  “Tor.”

  The name had barely left his lips before Tor opened the velvet curtains leading to the restaurant’s main area and stepped out. The guards and the greeter instantly fell back.

  “Welcome, friend. I’ve been waiting.” His face was slightly flushed, which only happened when a vampire had just finished a meal.

  “Hello, Tor.”

  Tor led him to a private area of the restaurant, a small section cornered off by folding screens. The table was already set, complete with gold plates and utensils and silk linens. The champagne glasses were chilled but empty before the server popped the cork and filled them. The waitress finalized the selections and then they were left alone.

  Tor was at least five hundred years old, but he’d spent a good part of his existence in voluntary deep slumber. His blackish-blue hair was slicked back with a light coating of gel. He’d been made when he was still young, twenty-five to be exact, and was one of the older vampires in existence. Luxar, who was not currently in voluntary slumber, was likely the oldest. Tor’s coven was the only one made up of both purebred vampires and hybrids, but then again, the man had always been unique in his ways. He was known by all as the vampire who would not accept a position as one of UCON’s Heads because he preferred his privacy.

  “I’m glad you could make it,” Tor said. “I thought UCON would have held you up.”

  “And I thought I would be at UCON longer than a few hours,” Thane said.

  “What happened?”

  “There was a discussion and then I was stripped of my title.”

  “Stripped?” Tor held his head back and laughed. “Is that what Luxar is up to these days…stripping titles?”

  “I hardly find it funny,” Thane replied.

  “Luxar’s decision amuses me, considering the fact that you are the only one fit to lead ShadowRock at this point.”

  “They named Brant as interim Alpha. He’s fit to lead. In fact, I would have named him myself if it’d come down to that.”

  Tor lifted his champagne glass and tossed the liquid down in one gulp. “You will reclaim your Pack. Interim means this is only temporary.”

  “And if I don’t? What if this is the way things are meant to be?”

  “Then it’s meant to be,” Tor chimed.

  “What about our agreement?”

  Tor lifted a brow. “What about it?”

  “If I no longer hold the Alpha title, does that mean we can cancel this bargain for my firstborn daughter?”

  Tor grinned. “Is that why you were so quick to step down? Because you want to cancel our arrangement?”

  “I had two choices. The woman who I plan to mate or my title. I chose my mate,” Thane said. “In either case, I’m a man of my word, but just so you know, the title of Alpha may not be in my future anymore.”

  “I didn’t agree to this arrangement with you because of your title. It’s your bloodline that I’m most interested in. My end of the bargain is complete. Danika Silex is now at your estate from what I’ve been told.”

  Thane nodded. “She is.”

  “Then tell me that you still plan to uphold what we agreed on…”

  “I will, but I can’t promise hap
py endings. When it comes time, you will do the courting. If you fail to gain her interest, well then, that is on you.”

  “Deal.”

  “You’re confident?”

  “Confidence is in my blood, but I’m merely asking for your permission to solidify the union…after she’s reached her prime, of course.” Tor passed his hand across the table and they shook on it. “I may look young, but I’m still old-fashioned in my ways.”

  “Deal.” Thane lifted his glass and drank the crisp, smooth champagne. “A Council Head was killed during the raid on Gavril’s compound.”

  Tor frowned. “Who was it?”

  “Upir. I was almost certain I would be blamed for it until Luxar admitted that Upir was involved in some salty side dealings. Upir’s money trail led them to Gavril’s bank account.”

  “Oh, now that’s interesting.” Tor sat back in his chair. “I never trusted Upir, yet I never entirely trusted many purebred shifters. Except for you and a handful of others.”

  “I’m going to join in the hunt for Gavril. Too much time has been wasting away.”

  “Need more help?”

  “I have no chains binding me anymore. I’ll take responsibility going forward. Plus, your price is likely to be way too high. While others would be satisfied with cash or property, your requests aren’t tangible like that.”

  “What can I say? I value life and legacy more than money.” Tor linked his hands together. “May I assume you will take your mate soon?”

  “You may not assume anything. Times are difficult, as you’re aware. Plus my mate isn’t shifter or vampire…she’s human. A human that may not understand our customs.”

  Tor sat back in his chair. “I’ve waited this long…”

  CHAPTER SIX

  “Are you sure about this?” Tracy asked as she pulled out of the driveway of the ShadowRock mansion.

  “Yes, please, let’s just go before Anna sees me,” Kalena said.

  “Anna and everyone else are probably asleep at this hour,” Tracy said, pulling out of the gates onto a gravel road leading out to the main highway. “I can’t believe I’m letting you talk me into this. Thane will have my ass.”

  “I’ll take care of Thane if and when it comes to that. Besides, why would he want to continue this relationship with me after I’ve been with his brother? I’ll leave soon, but not until I find out what really happened. Can you just drive me there and agree that I owe you one?”

  “You can start by promising to make me some of those top-notch brownies you used to bring and share in the breakroom at Silex.”

  “I’ll make a dozen just for you.”

  They were on the main highway before Tracy spoke again. “I wish I had pushed more about that boyfriend of yours, but I was so busy. I had Thane’s assignment during the day, and to keep my dad happy, I was studying at night. Plus I didn’t want to appear too nosy. You and I had just met.”

  “It’s okay. I withheld things from you because it seems he and I didn’t have a relationship to begin with. Just sex. But I agreed to it. I must have known nothing would come of it. Either that, or I lost my memories while I was still with him.”

  “Well, don’t kick yourself in the head over it. I’m not the settling down type, and I’ve had a couple of relationships like what you described. I felt pretty much the same way you did.”

  Kalena frowned. “Yeah, but I bet they were never as toxic. Your life wasn’t on the line.”

  “Gavril will get what’s coming to him. I’m sure.”

  “This is why I need your help. Danika said a more powerful vampire could dig deeper.”

  “And she told you about the possible consequences of letting a vampire have that much of your blood, right?” Tracy asked.

  “Death or the chance that I might turn into one.”

  Tracy nodded. “Yeah, that’s why this sort of stuff is never done unless you absolutely trust one of them. You’d better be glad that our Pack is on good terms with this particular coven, or else I wouldn’t be headed there. Because of my family’s medical ties and the amount of information we’ve come across over the decades, it’s forbidden to allow any vampire to drink from us. There aren’t many wolves left who give freely, but there are enough of them to keep the vampires happy and deter them from pursuing the unwilling. I hope Danika hasn’t gotten herself entwined with this practice either. It’s not something the Silex family is known for.”

  “Danika left an hour ago. I saw her get in one of the limos with a guard,” Kalena said.

  “Back before she was captured, Danika and her friends had always been known for rolling with vampires, so I’m left to wonder about her.”

  “Well, she’s gone through some things. The death of her parents. Her capture.”

  “Listen…when we get there, I’ll scout out Danika. She can help us weed out the stronger ones or at least lead us to the right place.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Not even an hour later, Kalena and Tracy had found a nook right next to the bar. The clubhouse, which resembled an old abandoned warehouse on the outside, was filled almost to the max with bodies. Mostly vampires and their consenting human followers, but according to Danika there were a fair number of shifters and hybrids in the place, too.

  Danika had greeted them at the door as soon as they’d arrived, but like any other teenager, she’d dispersed shortly after, with two young hybrid males and two of Thane’s guards following closely behind her. After being locked up in a room for months, who could really blame her? The girl seemed unbothered by the recent events and her near death experience, but Kalena had to remember that Danika wasn’t a human at all.

  “Dude…” Tracy leaned across the table to gain Kalena’s attention. “I’ve spotted at least ten hungry-looking vampires staring at us. It’s creeping me out. Either you’re going to put on the band so we can do what we came here to do and then leave, or not. If not, let’s bounce.”

  “Okay, okay.” Kalena fidgeted with the wristband on the table. Vampires played by rules here. Blood wasn’t exactly a free-for-all in this establishment. Only those wearing a neon yellow wristband had given consent to be approached for blood. According to Danika, verbal agreement was also needed to feed.

  Apparently, these parties were common in the vampire world when feeding from the general human population wasn’t feasible.

  Kalena fumbled with the band but managed to secure it around her wrist.

  “From what I hear, the younger vamps need more of your blood than the older ones. Keep that in mind when you choose,” Tracy said.

  “Like I can tell a twenty-year-old vamp from a two-hundred-year-old one. Can you?”

  “Not really. Most don’t know how powerful a vampire is until it’s too late…right at the moment when they begin to consume your blood.”

  Kalena shuddered as she thought back to how Tomas had extracted memories from her with such ease. Was she a complete fool to want to go through this again only because she wanted to know the entire truth and not just some of it?

  “And one’s headed our way right now,” Tracy said. “I’m not surprised. They always go for the humans first.”

  The fact that Kalena would identify more with Thane’s people than with humans if she continued to take the DNA was only just settling with her. She was cured of the ailment caused by D996, so that meant no other doses were medically necessary.

  Half a minute after Tracy had spoken, a dark figure appeared beside their table.

  “Hello. You’re new here,” were the vampire’s first words.

  Kalena lifted her gaze slowly, craning her neck slightly to take in the full length of him. He looked like any other man, but her newly developed instincts already confirmed that he was far from ordinary. The way he stared her down with hunger should have had her running in the opposite direction, but she wanted something too badly—her memories back.

  “I am,” Kalena answered.

  “As well as your frie
nd,” the vampire declared, glancing at Tracy.

  For the first time since she’d met Tracy, Kalena noticed that her friend was speechless. She pressed her lips together and nodded her head in answer to the vampire’s observation.

  “The presence of and color of your wristband tells me that you’re game for a little fun,” the vampire said.

  “Kind of.”

  “As do the recent extraction marks on the left side of your neck,” he added.

  Kalena gasped, and her hand went up to stroke the side of her neck where Tomas had taken her blood. “I didn’t know they were still there.”

  “With your human eyes and the weaker eyesight of the wolf, the marks aren’t detectable. But they are there, and I can tell they are recent,” the vampire replied.

  “I’m going to get right to the point with you,” Kalena said, staring the vampire right in the eye. “I’m not here to offer my blood freely. I want something in return.”

  The vampire grinned. “What is that?”

  “My memories.”

  “Your memories?” He leaned against a wood beam next to their table and propped one ankle over the other. “Well, what happened to them?”

  “I was given a drug. I can’t discuss it fully. I just need them back.”

  “How far back?”

  “Months. Maybe three or four,” she said.

  “Hmmm.” The vampire narrowed his gaze. “That’s going to cost you a lot of blood, but I’m not complaining.”

  “Just as long as you don’t kill me or turn me. And I want my friend with me when you do it.”

  “Of course, you’ll need a friend. You’ll be as weak as a fly when I get through with you, but please don’t take that as a negative. We rarely take as much as you’re offering. On any other night, it would take me three feedings to get what you’re suggesting right now. It’s against UCON’s laws to kill a willing host. Therefore, I will need your consent to turn you if you don’t pull through.”

  “No,” Tracy finally blurted out.

  Kalena swallowed down her apprehension and met Tracy’s gaze. “I have to know.”