“Good size,” Vince said. “Should keep her happy for a bit.”
“I can’t believe this,” Lucas said.
“Believe it. You did it.”
“I don’t need the constant reminder, okay? Bad enough I’ve got half the crew breathing down my neck. And Ian looking for a fight.”
“I guess we could blame you for his little breakdown last night?” Vince asked.
“Sure. I was there to end it though.”
Vince slapped Lucas on the back. “Let’s load this up.”
“You really think this is going to work?” Lucas asked.
“It’s the only thing we can do right now,” Vince said. “She’s going to lose her mind. She’ll either kill someone or herself.”
“Can’t we round up some junkie and let her have at it?” Lucas asked.
“She’s never killed anyone before. She doesn’t even understand her urges. If she kills someone she’ll end up killing herself out of confusion and guilt. I’m not… you’re not going to let that happen, Lucas. It’s your child.”
“Yeah, right,” Lucas whispered.
He saw the look in Vince’s eyes. This baby with Debbie meant more to Vince than he’d ever admit. Perhaps it was Vince’s way of making up for something he couldn’t offer the club. Their tough, fearless leader couldn’t provide the next in line through blood. That was a hard thing to take as a man.
Zayne clapped his hands together behind Lucas and Vince. “Let’s get it.”
Lucas went to the front of the deer and lifted it by its antlers. Zayne grabbed the back of the body and they carried it to Seth’s truck. Zayne closed the back of the truck and gave a thumbs up to Seth.
“What now?” Seth called out.
“To the club,” Lucas said. “Feeding time.”
“Delicious,” Vince said as he walked by Lucas.
Vince climbed on his bike and took off, Seth peeling out behind him. Lucas stood with his arms folded, shaking his head.
“What’s wrong, bro?” Cooper asked.
“Something’s off,” Lucas said.
“With what?”
Lucas looked at Ian as he walked to his motorcycle and got on it. “Everything. Something stinks in the air right now and I can’t figure out what it is.”
Ian’s motorcycle started and he took off. The roar of the engine cried out and faded away. Lucas stood and smelled the exhaust and the blood from the deer. Chief Charlie stood at his cruiser, making the call for another cruiser to come and wait for the tow truck.
“It’s just all this shit with Debbie,” Cooper said. “Not to mention the mess with the Reckingdune fucking around. You know?”
“I know, bro,” Lucas said. “It just has the feel to it. Like you want to keep checking over your shoulder. I mean, Vince has this look in his eyes when he talks about Debbie and I get why. Ian went off the deep end last night.” Lucas paused and looked at Cooper.
“I guess I’m part of the stink in the air, too,” Cooper said.
“Sorry,” Lucas said. “I shouldn’t have brought it up. Everyone is on edge. We need to have this meeting with the Oreno crew. We have to get this set up and get Debbie taken out of here.”
“Agreed,” Cooper said. “Let’s move.”
Lucas and Cooper walked to their motorcycles and put their helmets on. Lucas took the lead and rode back to the club. When they arrived, Seth had his pickup truck backed up to the backdoor. It still amazed, yet bothered, Lucas of what was about to happen.
Vince stood, commanding the scene. He ordered Seth and Zayne to carry the animal down into the basement of the club. Lucas followed with Ian and Cooper behind him. Once they were all down in the basement, Vince looked to the door where Debbie was hidden. He then pointed to Lucas.
“This is yours,” he said. “You understand that, right?”
“I get it,” Lucas said.
“Do you need help?” Cooper asked.
“No,” Lucas said. “Just bring it inside and then get ready for someone to clean up the mess.”
Vince nodded. He touched his face. “Ian, Zayne, Seth… you three head upstairs. Grab a drink. Cooper stay down here and help Lucas take that inside.”
Cooper nodded.
Lucas walked to the door and unlocked it. He opened the door and slowly walked inside. He smelled the air and looked around. Debbie sat on the edge of the couch, touching her stomach, gently rocking. Her stomach looked bigger than yesterday. It made Lucas’s stomach turn.
“Debbie,” Lucas said. “Are you okay?”
Debbie looked at Lucas. Her face was pale. “If I rock, it stops moving. It’s the only way it stops moving. I haven’t slept yet. I can’t stop… I smell something.”
“Debbie, I need you to listen to me,” Lucas said. “I’m going to help you to your room. I need you to stay there for a minute, okay? I have something to give you. Something that will help with all this.”
“I can’t move off this couch,” Debbie said.
“Yes, you can. I’m going to help you.”
Lucas walked to the couch with gentle care. He showed his hands as though Debbie had a gun pointed at him. The last thing he wanted was Debbie to lose control of herself and do something stupid or dangerous. He touched her shoulder and Debbie put a hand to his hand and squeezed.
“It’s okay, I’m right here,” Lucas said. “Let me help you now.”
Debbie rocked and started to start. She let out a whimpering cry. Lucas felt her trying to sit back down. He put a hand to her stomach and felt the life inside her moving all around. It made Lucas shudder with fear. He wasn’t afraid of anything, but this, this life in Debbie scared the hell out of him.
Debbie looked at Lucas. “It’s stopped.”
“Good,” Lucas said. “It knows I’m here then.”
“Oh, Lucas.”
Before Lucas could move, Debbie leaned up to him and kissed him. Her lips were against his and her height didn’t require her to move to her toes like Leah’s did. The kiss lingered, lips to lips, leaving Lucas wondering what to do. He didn’t want to kiss Debbie but there were urges between both of them…
Lucas pulled away. “Not now.”
“I need…”
“I know what you need. I have it. Walk to the bedroom.”
Lucas realized how his words sounded. A second later he smelled the desire coming from Debbie’s body. He felt bad for her for a second, being so swollen and so desperate. Lucas walked Debbie to the bed and helped her to it. She grabbed his leather and pulled, leaning back. Lucas hurried to put his hands to the bed on catch himself before touching Debbie’s body.
“Do it, Lucas,” Debbie said. “Make it feel like it did that night. Oh, that was the hottest night of my life.”
“Stay here,” Lucas said.
He got out of the bedroom and shut the door. He made fists and closed his eyes, shaking his head. What a fucking mess.
Lucas went to the front door of the secret apartment and opened it. He nodded. He and Cooper then lifted the deer carcass and carried it into the apartment. They put it right on the floor and stared down at it.
“This is crazy,” Cooper said.
“It’s fucked up,” Lucas said. “But it has to be done. Go get Vince and get everyone gathered in the conference room. This has to end. Now.”
Cooper gave Lucas a punch to the shoulder and left the secret apartment. When the door clicked shut, Lucas set his sights to the bedroom. Lucas opened the door and looked at Debbie. She sat, rocking, holding her stomach.
“Debbie,” Lucas said. “You can take care of those urges now. There’s no way I can explain it. You just have to trust your body right now.”
Lucas watched as Debbie’s nose began to sniff the air. She stood from the bed and walked out of the bedroom. When she saw the deer carcass on the ground, her eyes lit up. Her mouth began to move like she had food in her mouth. Debbie moved to her knees and looked like a confused, hungry animal.
That was all Lucas could handle to watc
h. He jumped over the counter and left the secret apartment, locking the door behind him. He touched the door and shook his head.
What if the same thing would happen to Leah?
*
Cooper sat at the bar and had a drink. The first shot of whiskey was okay. The second shot better. The cold beer tasted even better as he sat between Seth and Ian. The club was active with members of Full Moon Mercy. Some were drinking. Some were shooting pool. Some were playing darts. A few had cleared out a spot in the one corner and were having fights. It was noisy, but that didn’t chase away any of Cooper’s thoughts.
He looked to his right and saw the blank stare of Ian as he stared straight ahead. He lifted his bottle up to his lips like a robot. Whatever Ian had rolling through his body was pretty nasty shit. It was cutting through skin and muscle, right to his soul.
To his left, Seth looked jittery.
“Freaked out?” Cooper asked as he knocked his beer bottle against Seth’s.
“Not at all,” Seth said. “Just business. We get hungry, too.”
“Yeah, we do. That poor girl down there has no idea what the hell is happening to her.”
“She’ll be fine,” Seth said. “Lucas will take care of her.”
“He’s got his eyes elsewhere, bro.”
Seth shrugged his shoulders. “Not my problem, is it?”
Cooper was taken back a little. “Where’s Vince?”
“Went for a ride,” Seth said.
“We were supposed to meet today.”
“I don’t know,” Seth said. “Go find him yourself.”
“Whoa, bro…”
Lucas came into the club. His hands were balled into fists and he looked angry as anything. Cooper turned to put an arm out to stop Lucas to check on him. He approached and when he got close enough he brought a fist back.
“Shit,” Cooper whispered.
Lucas was going to punch something… or someone.
To Cooper’s shock, Seth jumped up off his barstool and huddled back a few feet. Lucas’s fists came down against the bar with hard thud.
Cooper looked at Seth. His face was pale and he was shaking.
Something’s not right there…
“You okay?” Cooper asked Lucas.
“Where’s Vince? I want to get this sorted out right now.”
“Seth said Vince isn’t here.”
Lucas looked at Seth and Seth hurried to put his hands up. “Don’t look at me, Lucas. I don’t know where he went. Okay?”
Cooper again noted how afraid Seth looked.
“Fuck it then,” Lucas said. “I’m out. I’ll be back later.”
Lucas walked by Seth and Seth jumped like Lucas was going to hit him.
“Christ, Seth, what are you so afraid of?” Cooper asked.
“Nothing,” Seth said. “He’s just in a bad mood.”
“You’re acting like you did something to him.”
“Fuck off, Cooper,” Seth said. He grabbed his beer. “You saw what happened with him and Ian. I’m not getting in the middle of that kind of shit.”
“What’s that, Seth?” Ian asked. “I’m right here, listening.”
“Nothing,” Seth said. “Sorry, okay? I woke up this morning with a beautiful, naked woman ready to throw down and I got dragged away.”
“Still carrying a stiffy then?” Cooper asked.
He laughed and Ian joined in.
“Yeah, fucking laugh. I’m going back there soon to finish what I started.”
“Good luck,” Cooper said.
Seth sat back down and finished drinking his beer. Cooper couldn’t help but keep his eyes moving between Seth and Ian. These were two shifters with some serious stuff going on. Cooper sensed both guilt and regret, but he wasn’t sure who felt what.
A few minutes later Lucas emerged from his room with Leah behind him.
“Going to jump again?” Cooper asked Seth.
“No,” Seth said. “I’m going to leave.”
Seth hurried and charged out of the club.
Cooper watched and nodded. Maybe Lucas was right. Maybe there was something very wrong in the air.
12
Leah hated being alone and she hated hearing the noise in the club. All she could think about was Lucas and what had him moving so fast. Of course it involved Debbie. Everything in Lucas’s life would involve Debbie, and Leah couldn’t do a damn thing about it. Even if she wanted to leave and step away from Lucas, she couldn’t. Someone was after her. She knew it. The most logical person would be Richie, the guy who left her for dead the night Leah met Lucas. Richie had wanted to kill Leah and then himself in some kind of sick and twisted romantic gesture, but Lucas had shown up as a wolf to stop it from happening.
It seemed logical but Leah couldn’t imagine Richie being that stupid. If it was Richie, Leah almost felt bad for him. Lucas would tear him apart, not letting him have a chance to live for a second time.
It wasn’t just the idea of being watched and wanted, it was the feeling. That feeling Leah had when she was in her apartment was terrible. When she left the apartment to get into her car, it was like someone had stuck razors to every one of her nerves. She never shook so hard in her life. She never feared for her life so badly before. Not even the night Richie had the gun and wanted to kill her. Even after leaving the apartment building, it took a few minutes for her body to calm down and start to feel safe. The truth was that the only time she felt truly safe was when she was with Lucas.
Leah paced the room that smelled of Lucas as long as she could. She then sat on his bed and waited. Touching the covers made her think of the first time she was in the room with Lucas. How she touched him. How he touched her. The connection between them. The way he made her feel, even though she knew the darkest secret of his life.
When the door opened, Leah stood up and was ready to lunge into Lucas’s arms. He stormed into the room and looked mad.
“Lucas, what’s wrong?”
Lucas slammed the door shut and walked to a dresser. With barely any effort, he threw the dresser to the ground. Leah feared he was going to shift. In her mind she told herself that if Lucas did shift he would be able to control his emotions and actions around her. He’d done it before. Leah came up behind Lucas and touched his shoulders.
When Lucas spun around, Leah let out a cry. Lucas’s eyes flashed a deep yellow but only for a second. He then grabbed Leah by her arms and stared at her.
“Lucas,” she whispered. “You can tell me anything…”
Lucas shook his head. He then pulled Leah to him and began to kiss her. The kiss was instantly hot, his tongue exploring her mouth with a fury of passion and need. Leah jumped and wrapped her legs around Lucas, wanting him as bad as he wanted her. Lucas held her tight and carried her to the bed. Once they were on the bed, Lucas’s lips touched and kissed her everywhere. He kissed her lips then down her neck and up to her ear. When he stopped, he breathed heavily into her ear. It tickled her and turned her on at the same time. His hands were ravenous, pulling up her shirt. When one of his strong hands forced under her bra and cupped her breast, Leah let out a cry. Lucas squeezed too hard, but Leah didn’t protest the pain.
Lucas pressed his nose to her neck and drew a line up to her lips. He thrust at her, the thickness between his legs already hard. He kissed again, this time gently.
“We have to get out of here,” Lucas said. “I don’t want to be here right now.”
Leah nodded. She touched Lucas’s face. “Take me wherever you want, Lucas.”
“Oh, baby, soon enough,” Lucas said. “Soon enough, you’ll be with me forever.”
He kissed her again and then moved from the bed. Leah sat up and began to fix her bra and shirt. Her nipples were aching for Lucas and the rest of her body was desperate for him.
“Is it safe out there?” Leah asked.
Lucas offered his hand. “You’re always safe with me. Do you have work today?”
“Yes. I was going to call in. I didn’t know how lo
ng you’d be.”
“Go to work, Leah,” Lucas said. “You’ll be safe there. I’ll make sure someone watches the place.”
Leah wanted to shake her head. She didn't want to go to work. She didn’t want to have to see all those poor people waiting for death. There was a time when working at the care center felt good. Leah convinced herself she was giving the elderly the best chance to enjoy their last days, months, or years. But the stink of death lingered everywhere and seeing death almost everyday made her feel so close to it. It made her afraid to open to anyone… except Lucas. She had subtle of not only wanting to be with Lucas, but to be like Lucas. But she didn’t know if Lucas could live forever. Sure, he could die. Everything could die. The question was, would time kill Lucas?
“Let’s go,” Lucas said.
He took Leah by her hand and left the room. Leah soon saw the crowd of bikers at the bar and in the club. She had a feeling deep within herself that they were all shifters. One of the men seemed to jump up in a hurry and rush away. Lucas walked without saying a word to anyone. Leah did the same and tried to keep her eyes from meeting with anyone else’s eyes.
Once outside, Leah took a breath and felt better. It was a strange feeling because even though she felt better she didn’t feel quite as safe. A pickup truck started, causing Leah to jump.
“Nervous?” Lucas asked.
“Sorry.”
The pickup truck sped away.
“Do you know him?”
“That’s Seth,” Lucas said. “I’m not worried about him. Heard he found a woman last night. Probably rushing back to her to enjoy himself some more.”
Lucas put on his helmet and Leah put one on her head. She sat behind Lucas, slid her arms around him and finally felt comfortable. The motorcycle came to life and Leah started to appreciate the sound. The roar of the engine, the feel of the wind rushing, it all made Leah feel alive.
Through the streets of Mercy, Leah knew with each passing minute, they were getting closer to her apartment. She didn’t know if Lucas was going to stay while she changed. She didn’t know if he was going to give her a ride to work. Even then, he would have to leave.
A traffic light ahead was red and switched to green. Lucas hit the throttle and the bike sped up. As they went through the intersection, Leah let out a cry as she saw a beat up car flying right toward them. At the last second, Lucas cut the bike to the left, allowing the car right next to them. Lucas put his hand out and gave the middle finger.
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