by Aline Hunter
“I need to be clear,” Trey said, striding into the room. “If you want the position, you have to be ready for what comes with being a Beta. It can’t be done half-assed.”
“I don’t do half-assed,” Zach grumbled, rising from the couch.
“Are you sure you’re up to this?” To keep the pack balanced Zach would have to cage his grief. It was all about stability and management. “Can you honestly tell me you won’t buckle under pressure?”
The male’s intense gaze didn’t falter. “I need this,” he rasped through clenched teeth. “I have to have a reason to wake up each day. I…” He exhaled through his nose, a tic visible in his jaw. “Katie wouldn’t want me to follow her to the grave. My existence—her memory—keeps her alive. I won’t let her be forgotten.”
“Is that how you do it?” Trey didn’t want to be cruel by asking but he was curious. Most males would have withered and died after the loss of their mate. “Is that what’s kept you going?”
“I’m not sure.” A bit of the tension left Zach’s face. “I ask myself the same question. I can’t explain it.”
There has to be another mate for him.
Such a thing was rare but it had been known to happen with shifters and humans if the third stage of the bloodbond hadn’t been established. Zach had to know it. The male wasn’t a young cub.
He’d been around, seen a lot of things.
And he’d endured the worst loss imaginable.
Zachery Taylor didn’t appreciate the way Trey looked at him. Hell, he didn’t appreciate the way the pack did. He loathed their sympathetic glances, hated the way they whispered behind his back. He knew what they were thinking and it pissed him off.
Katie couldn’t have been his mate. He’d have died if she had been.
So far from the fucking truth.
A familiar pain lanced his chest. He thought about Katie every minute, longing for her touch, wishing for a trace of her sweet scent. He’d gone through the second bloodbonding stage with her, had been ready to put a permanent stamp on their union. If he’d been smart he’d have pushed for the third as well. She wouldn’t have survived the explosion but at least he could have joined her in the afterlife.
He hated memories, especially when they took him back to the night she’d been killed. Yet they rose unbidden, plaguing him with torment. The moment her life had been taken he’d felt it. The sensation had been like an amputation of his heart, an invisible enemy punching through his torso and ripping away the most vital part of his soul. He’d fallen to his knees, stricken by the blow.
But somehow—someway—he’d managed to make it to his feet.
At first his pain had kept him strong.
He’d wrapped the feeling around him like a blanket, using it as a weapon. He wasn’t sure when things had changed, failed to notice the shift in his beast. The animal was the reason shifters dwindled away and died following the death of a mate. At first his wolf wanted to do just that. It told him to find a place to rest and never get up again. The man, however, had wanted to kill the people who’d taken Katie from him. Over time the wolf’s gloom had eased.
Why? He didn’t understand it.
Even worse? Each day became a little easier.
He wasn’t sure he liked that.
“I stayed after you left,” Zach said. Instead of lingering on Katie’s memory, he got to work. Trey wanted to see what he was made of as a Beta. This was his opportunity to show the Alpha what he could do. “The pack has calmed substantially. They’re mystified by what they saw, which is why they’re willing to listen. Most of them have never seen anything like Aldon before.”
“Did Diskant tell you everything?” Trey questioned.
“Yes.” Zach hadn’t wanted to believe it but he’d seen Aldon with his own eyes. With a creature that powerful Diskant didn’t have to sugarcoat the issues the pack faced. “I know what’s coming.”
“And you still want to be my Beta?”
“I do.”
As the second wolf in charge he’d be privy to information. He wanted to be the first in line to kill Shepherds when they returned. And they would return, coming back to New York with reinforcements. To him Aldon was merely an afterthought. He didn’t care about Trey’s mating or any of the rest. He wanted to feast on the blood of his enemies, watch the life drain from their eyes.
“Nathan will eventually return.” Trey rubbed the back of his neck. “When that happens you’ll have to step down. Are you willing to do that?”
Oh yeah, he was willing. But not for the reasons Trey expected. “Yes.”
“Then I guess…” Trey lowered his arm, crossing to him. “It’s official.”
Zach took the hand Trey offered, shaking firmly.
He’d do what he had to, be the Beta the pack needed. In the meantime he’d continue collecting all the information he could, storing it away. The wolf snapped its teeth, squirming under his skin. With effort he made the beast subside. That was his ability, his gift. Like a mask that never slipped out of place. He could control emotion, use it to his advantage. Trey didn’t know what Zach had in mind. The Alpha wouldn’t, either, until Zach let him in on his secret.
A vision of Katie’s face floated before him—beautiful, sweet. Perfect.
He wanted to growl but didn’t. He’d gotten what he needed.
With addresses and names he’d finally be able to leave New York and start hunting.
When the time came, he was going to kill them all.
One by fucking one.
Chapter Eighteen
Sadie woke but didn’t open her eyes. She studied her surroundings using her other senses, her nose homing in on Trey’s scent. The rhythmic ticking of a clock sounded like a drum, voices drifting to her ears from the other end of the house.
She and Trey were alone in the bedroom.
It was safe to reveal that she’d finally healed.
Warmth spread through her, a love like no other speeding the beat of her heart. Trey rested in the chair, his chin nestled against his chest. He was too large for the furniture, his long legs sprawled out. Shadow spread over his chin and jaw, the dark circles under his eyes proof of his fatigue.
Flexing her muscles, she assessed her injuries.
No pain. Zero stretching in her torso. The wounds had closed and mended.
Sleep was just the thing she needed.
How long was I out? A day? Two possibly?
She didn’t want to move and disturb the peace but she knew Trey would want to know she’d finally come around. Her limbs were shaky but as always they adjusted quickly, allowing her to peel back the comforter. Trey’s eyes shot open, his face brimming with alarm. Then he saw her and his brows relaxed, relief smoothing his features.
“Hey stranger,” she murmured, rising to a seated position.
“Don’t move.” Trey jumped from the chair, hurrying to the bed. He ran trembling fingers down her cheek, his eyes drinking her in. “Take it easy, darlin’. Do you need more blood? Do I need to get anything for you?”
His sincere concern melted her.
“Trey.” She captured his hand with hers, pressing her face to his palm. “I’m fine.”
“Your chest closed yesterday.” He tried to hide how nervous he’d been but she could see past the image he tried to project. “I thought you’d wake up but you didn’t.”
Yesterday? “How long have I been asleep?”
“Two days.”
Shit. That was two days too long.
“What happened with the pack?” She hated shoving him to the side but she needed to get out of bed. There was a lot to do. If things had gone badly they needed to discuss where they were going to go. “What did they decide?”
“Should you be getting out of bed so soon?” He balked at the idea of her getting on her feet, trying to still her by grasping her arms. “Don’t you need to take it easy for a while?”
“I’m not human,” she reminded him, swinging her legs over the edge of the mattress. “An
d I’m not a shifter.”
Her rate of recovery was better than others’. That’s why vampires used healing caverns. There they could sleep off their wounds. All they needed was an ample meal and a good rest. She’d been shot, stabbed and nearly had her head sliced off. None of those things had put her in the ground. It’d take more than Aldon’s claws to keep her on the sidelines.
Spying her bag on the dresser, she rose. “Tell me about the pack.”
“Sadie…” Trey growled.
She stopped, lifting her head, really looking at Trey. The poor man had been through hell. Getting dressed would have to wait. He needed to be comforted and reassured. Winding her arms around his neck, she pressed her chest to his. The heat from his body radiated against her, the hands he placed on her hips were almost painful as he snatched her closer.
“I told you,” she skimmed her lips over the deep hollow of his throat, “I’m fine.”
“You have no idea how petrified I’ve been.” It almost sounded like an accusation. As though she’d made him suffer on purpose. “I could see you breathing but you didn’t move. Not even when Diskant came to talk to me. You just kept sleeping. You’ve been in the same position. You didn’t even shift your arms and legs. Every hour that you didn’t wake up I thought…” His fingers dug into her skin, his body shaking hard. “I thought that maybe…”
“I might not wake up at all?” How could she not love him when he was like this? There were no barriers, no lies. He was like an open book, revealing everything. “I’m sorry. I should’ve told you what to expect. A healing sleep is just that. We don’t wake up. That’s why we have to do it in a safe place.”
“Is that what the caverns are?” He’d stopped shaking, gaining a hold of himself. “The place you heal?”
The fragrant aroma of his blood tempted her. She tried to stifle her hunger, pulling her head from the enticing curve of his throat. “Yes.” But she couldn’t return to the caverns. Not until she knew what Geneva was up to. She put away that concern, fixated on the here and now. “Tell me about the pack.”
“They had a lot of questions.” Nuzzling the top of her head, he said, “Some of them I could answer. Some of them I couldn’t. When I told them about Aldon they responded better than I expected.”
“You told them everything?”
“I did.” His fingers drifted from her hips to her lower back, his touch leaving behind a fiery imprint. “Diskant thought it was best.”
“What about Leigh? Did you tell them about her?”
“I didn’t think I should but I told them about her. They aren’t pleased but they adore Nathan. With everything going to shit they want him to come back. They’re willing to give Leigh a chance if she and Nathan agree to the same terms we did.”
“The same terms?” she echoed despite knowing precisely what he meant. “They’ll kill her if she pisses them off?”
She could live with a target on her back. Unfortunately Leigh wasn’t as capable of protecting herself, not until she learned how to control her magic. Maybe it would be best for Leigh to stay where she was, out of reach of the pack and Aldon.
“Yes,” he answered softly, pacifying her.
There wasn’t much else he could do, really. She’d never like placing Leigh in harm’s way. Trey was smart enough to know he couldn’t change her stance on the subject.
“What do we do now?”
“We call another meeting.” His shifted his feet, rocking her side-to-side. “They want to meet you. You’ll have to answer the questions I couldn’t.”
More questions. More answers.
What she wouldn’t give for a mental health day.
“I’ll do my best.”
She had a lot of knowledge but she wasn’t a vampire dictionary. As much as she knew about white mage vampires she knew just as little about black mage ones. Her kind avoided their counterparts. The Fallen were dangerous and unstable. Aside from killing a few she’d done her best to avoid them altogether.
Think about all that later. Enjoy the moment while you can.
Silencing her worries, she just let him hold her, taking him in. His hard body felt substantial against her, strong and proficient at delivering damage. But when he held her like this—gently, reverently—she knew he was far more than he seemed. He could destroy walls with his fists yet those same hands were tender with her. His fingers were capable of working her body like the strings of a guitar.
How could I ever have thought I could hate him? If he keeps this up, I’ll happily wrap myself around his little finger. I’ll be his to command. A hot lick of heat slithered from her stomach to her pussy. Or maybe I’ll wrap my entire body around his. See how many positions we can figure out.
“Damn,” he growled, rolling his hips. “You are feeling better.” He took a deep breath, drawing in the air. “I love the way you smell when you’re turned-on.”
“I should probably take a shower.” She’d have to face the members of the house soon, as well as the pack if her hunch was right. There was no way she was doing so in nothing more than a shirt and panties. “I need to change into my clothes.”
“Later,” he expelled in a rush, pushing her back so he could dip his head.
Their lips met in a kiss wild and wicked. The hunger she’d tried to smother returned, creating an itch at the back of her throat. She rotated her tongue around his, flicking the tips together. Her gums tingled and her fangs descended. His pulse beckoned, thrumming in her ears. The spicy and alluring scent of his blood called to her, she could almost feel the warm liquid splashing over her tongue.
He tried to take her to the bed, bending her back.
Not so fast.
She wasn’t as strong as she should have been but he was being so cautious with her that she easily wriggled free. With a quick glance to make sure the door was closed she sank to her knees. He wasn’t denying her this again. She’d fantasized about it for too long. Next time he could do whatever he pleased. Right now she was taking what she wanted for a change.
Trey tensed, his eyes forming into thin slits. “Careful,” he warned, words rumbly. “You might bite off more than you can chew.”
“I hope so.” She popped the front of his denims open and lowered the zipper. He had gone commando, had nothing but bare skin to greet her.
Excellent.
“Sit down and lay back,” she ordered, tugging at his pants. He’d forgone shoes so undressing him wasn’t going to be difficult. “You’ll like this.”
And so will I.
It wasn’t in Trey’s nature to submit but when Sadie looked at him like that—with lust and hunger in her gaze—how could he possibly say no? He plopped down and scooted back, allowing her to remove his jeans. With a snarl, he ripped his shirt over his head. He’d waited so long for her to wake up, fearing she never might. When she finally did so he’d meant to be courteous, seeing to her every want and need.
He’d never expected her to get aroused.
The succulent scent of her pussy was a sexual stimulant, making his cock go rock-hard. The wolf was also eager for her, longing for her touch. He didn’t care what she did to him so long as she kept her hands on his skin, her body in contact with his.
I’ve wanted to do this for so long.
Sadie’s thoughts were easier to hear, sometimes coming out of nowhere.
In her sleep, when she dreamed, he picked up fragments from her mind. Strange images and impressions. When the dreams were good she felt elated, flying on a constant high. On the other hand when her dreams were bad she felt desolate and empty, her sadness a nightmarish tomb.
Her palms brushed his inner thighs, obliterating rational thought.
He sank back in the pillows, making sure he stayed upright so he could watch. She ditched her shirt, ripping it open, sending buttons flying through the air. Her bare breasts bounced, ripe pink nipples pebbled and hard. Before he could enjoy the visual, she’d lowered her head. Her lips breezed up one of his legs, her breath cool on his skin. Her
hair cascaded over his thigh, the blonde strands a stark contrast with his darker complexion.
He fisted the comforter to stop himself from reaching out for her. “Sadie.”
She tisked at him, gazing up and meeting his eyes, flicking her tongue over his flesh. Her fingers carefully squeezed and massaged his sac, using just enough pressure. Her irises lightened, turning sky-blue. His gaze went to her mouth. Her full lips were parted, her tiny fangs visible. His wolf snarled and his claws lengthened. He itched to feel her hot little mouth wrapped around his cock, drawing him deep, sucking him down.
“Tease me now,” he warned, fighting to breathe, “and I’ll tease you later.”
Amusement lit her face. “Is that so?” She slid the tip of her tongue from the base of his cock, gliding it all the way to the crown.
“It’s a fucking promise, mate.” He’d show her how it felt. She wouldn’t like it much. He’d see to that. “I’ll keep you on the edge for hours. You’ll be begging me to make you come.”
“In that case…”
She took him into her mouth, lips parting and making way, her tongue cradling the underside of his dick. Then there was suction, the most intense pressure imaginable. His eyes rolled back in his head, the comforter ripping to shreds as his claws tore through the material. He pumped his hips, feeling the softness at the back of her throat. She compensated for what she couldn’t do orally, working the base of his shaft with her hand.
His sac tightened and his cock pulsed. She moaned, the vibrations almost enough to send him hurtling over the precipice. Since the comforter was ruined he had to make do with destroying the bed. He sank his fingers into the soft mattress, determined to let her finish.
“So good.” Her voice flowed through his mind. “I knew you would be.”
He groaned, grinding his teeth. Why did she have to go and say that?
Son of a fucking bitch.
The pressure in his balls built, his entire body quaking. He wasn’t going to be able to hold off. He’d waited too long to see her like this, worshipping his cock with her mouth, enjoying the act as much as he did. His wildest fantasies weren’t shit. The real deal was so much better, so much fucking sweeter. With a plunge of her head, she took him all the way to the back of her throat and swallowed.