by Deja Black
“Thought this would be a nice place for you to sit and talk.”
Peter and Remi looked at each other first then at Caleb. “Yes, my Second. This is a wonderful spot. Perfect actually.” At the use of his title, Caleb presented himself, legs slightly apart, back rigid, fully Peter’s man now.
“Place the basket on the bench and come to us.” Remi was quiet as Caleb did as Peter requested. When he returned, Caleb stood silently before them.
Looking at first Peter then Remi, he bowed, his hair falling forward casting his face in shadow. Caleb was a friend to him from the first day Peter arrived in the Tolliver home, lost and afraid, to the day he gave his word, committed to his position as Peter’s Second.
Caleb was glorious this day, the day he would not only recommit himself to Peter he would also place himself in the hands and care of his Supruga, mate to his Korol.
Peter slipped his hand beneath Caleb’s chin, lifting his head to gaze into his eyes. Blue eyes observed him, waited until Peter decided what his next step was to be.
Peter’s hand drifted down to the collar of his shirt, tugged him over to him. He drew him close, allowed Caleb to breathe him in.
Remi waited. It was a lot to ask of him, familiar with the supernatural world or not, to step into the role of Supruga so soon. To charge him with caring for his coven, to be nurturer, provider, leader, to be his eyes and his protector. To sacrifice his own needs in favor of the needs of his people. They’d not discussed any of that, and here Remi stood, what Peter needed, what Caleb needed without knowing what that required.
After a moment, Caleb went to Remi, stepped within the circle of his arms, and breathed him in. He sighed as Remi ran his hands over his back, pulled him tighter against him, and sheltered him.
“Do you accept your Supruga?”
“I do, my Korol.”
Remi’s eyes found Peter’s and together they smiled when Caleb turned to face them both, his arm across his chest in the age-old sign of commitment.
“I knew from the moment I met you, Caleb, that our futures would be tied. I will care for you as Peter has, love you as my own family.” Remi’s words came from the heart, natural, the way it should be.
Caleb nodded, his eyes wet. They had a home now. All of them. Remi Devereaux had given them that.
“My arm, your law, Korol. Supruga,” Caleb said, his voice heavy with emotion.
“I’m sure Mrs. Dunham is waiting for your return. Better not keep her waiting.”
Caleb’s breath was heavy, but then his eyes sparkled with mischief, no doubt thinking of a way to needle the compound’s mistress.
Nodding at them both, he smiled and walked back toward the home.
* * * *
“A few days ago, I would have said that man told you what to do, that he was the Alpha to your omega.” Remi’s eyes followed Caleb’s progress.
“Funny your use of words. Things are never as they appear. Come, let’s sit and eat.”
When they had everything separated, the food on plates and their water bottles open, they sat in the warming sun and talked.
Peter breathed in, apparently gathering himself. “You are important to us, Remi. You are our home, not just me, but for the beings within me. You are the home for our coven.
“As Supruga, you are the balance. This is especially important as I am Korol and will have to reclaim my father’s coven soon with men and women who do not know me, only know fear and hatred.” He glanced at Remi. “I will need you by my side.”
Remi remembered his conversation with Kristoff, his need to be ready. “Like a marriage? A bonding?”
Peter looked back at him. “It’s that, but more.”
Those words again. “You’re the Alpha?”
“Yes, in a way. My family is from Russia. The word is more title than royalty. My father was a nelapsi, and he ruled a coven.” Peter waited for that to settle in.
“What is that?”
“We’re like our vampire cousins, but more. Where vampires are limited to the night, we may walk in the light of day. The nelapsi have a long history of terror and evil, used as the bogeyman to frighten children.” When Remi gave him a look to go on, he continued. “It is a past filled with horrors, one that my father did not agree with, and he wanted more.
“My father met my mother, a wolf, but never expected to fall in love with her. In secret, they dated, visiting during the day, sleeping together at night. And while that would have been fine in America, it was frowned upon in Russia.
“Old country, old rules. They were found out. Accompanied by a few trusted coven members, as well as my uncle Kristoff, they fled Russia to live and love beyond the threat of the coven.”
“Your father gave up his crown.”
Peter smiled. “There wasn’t a crown. A title, not a kingdom.”
“Okay, so he gave up his title.”
“Not exactly. By blood, he could never surrender his burden. The blood of the Romanoff nelapsi is old, so old it runs through each member of the coven. It is almost impossible to hide, so as long as he lived, he would remain the Korol.”
“But, he’s dead.” Remi thought for a moment, piecing facts together. “Is it possible that his coven is responsible for his death, your mother’s?”
“Yes, more than possible. But, they were too late. They had a child.”
“You.”
“Yes, me.” Peter’s look was wistful. Remi felt for the boy whose parents were taken from him. As a child, his parents had always been there, always giving their support. How terrible for Peter. To be so alone.
“How did they not find you? Not know where you were?”
“Well, I couldn’t take the form of the wolf or the nelapsi which meant they could not track the blood. But, that was not enough for there were those who knew Kristoff Dumanovsky was the brother of Lidiya Dumanovsky, the wolf that stole the heart of a Korol. They heard he traveled with his nephew but thanks to Aiden—”
“Dan’s husband.”
“Yes, you met him during that very interesting game with Sammy.” Peter’s eyes narrowed.
Remi coughed. “So, Aiden.”
Peter shook his head. “Aiden is a Sandman.”
“Wait. What?”
“Ah. You didn’t know about them, did you? Well, neither did we. The Alpha did, but the rest of us? We were just as surprised as you are right now. Anyway, one of the amazing talents of a Sandman is his ability to blur reality. Aiden can visit humans in their dreams and influence their thoughts. He can sift between their daydreams and unconscious thoughts and hover there, implanting his own thoughts and desires. Aiden uses their mind as a weapon and a shield. We are all grateful he has a mate who helps to keep him from the darkness. It’s because of him that I’ve remained hidden so long.”
Remi’s brain was going to explode. Wolves, vampires or nelapsi, and sandmen. What next? Lions, tigers, and bears?
“So, he cloaked you. Like something out of a sci-fi movie?”
“Yes, but someone had interacted with me enough in one of the classes to remember a young man whose last name was Romanoff.”
“And the ball starting rolling.”
“It did, and to get my attention—”
“They killed Dr. De La Cruz.”
“Yes. They connected the dots, left messages and found others.”
“The second killing?”
Peter nodded. “They’d found what they were looking for in Mark’s home. A picture of me. That is what they used to find me at the gallery where they brought me a blood slave. The scent and the human’s vulnerability.” Peter looked down and away, but not before Remi saw his regret. “The nelapsi saw him as prey. Alonya’s challenge had the wolf fighting for dominance. All of it together was enough to cause a schism.”
“And this resulted in the beast I saw earlier?”
“Yes, a monster who lacked control.”
Remi needed a drink, something stronge
r than the bottle of water he gripped tightly. He took a big gulp.
“Alonya Romanoff wants to be Korolova. I want to give her the title and for her to leave and take all of my father’s people back with her to Russia.”
“But you can’t.”
“No, the blood has awakened now, and they will not follow her completely unless I am dead. She needs to kill me in order to claim the coven.”
“That won’t happen. I won’t let it.” The thought alone froze the blood in Remi’s veins.
“Neither will I.” Peter smiled. “I value my life, but, for me to defeat her, I have to be able to command a form, not simply erupt into one as I did earlier.”
“A form?”
“I’m not quite sure how to explain it. What you saw earlier was only a part of it. With our connection, I believe I can show you the rest.” Peter looked at Remi for a long time. “But, you’d have to trust me.”
Remi considered Peter’s words. Trust him. He’d had no idea someone like Peter existed for him, someone who made him drop everything, change his whole world. He’d never felt anything like this, this need to be someone Peter depended on, trust in.
“Do you trust me, Peter?”
Peter’s faced glowed, and those green eyes brightened. “Yes, Remi. I trust you.”
“Then do whatever you need to, baby. I’m here.”
Remi watched as Peter thought for a moment, then nodded.
“Okay. I’m going to try something.” Standing, Peter gripped Remi’s hand and pulled him up with him.
Remi would never get over how strong Peter was or how much that turned him on. Standing in front of Peter, his heart raced as he waited.
The first thing Remi noticed was the way the air around them changed. Shimmers of electricity sparkled around them as Peter stood before Remi with his eyes closed, his lips pursed together. Suddenly, Peter’s eyes opened, and they were no longer green or blue. They were dark red and glowing.
Remi stayed stock still. He wanted Peter to trust him, to believe in what they had. So, he took a few deep breaths, relaxed his hands, shook out his fingers and waited.
Then Remi saw the shimmers dancing around Peter increase and lengthen flowing away from his lover down into the earth. The ground around Remi’s feet shifted. He looked down to see white bands of energy rise up around his legs, over his waist, around his chest, and up between him and Peter. They twisted and bent, pressing against him, sliding along his skin.
Nervous now, Remi called out, “Peter?”
Peter smiled, that look so far off. So, not his Peter. “Mate.”
Then, the energy that flowed all around Remi went into his body.
Remi was more, so much more. Electricity raced through him, touching every part of him, turning him one way then another, searching.
It was like being caught in a storm, unable to do anything as the rain of energy poured over him. He felt more than heard the chanting of mate in his soul before something inside him was gripped and held then pulled forward.
That something was what Peter needed, and Remi would give it to him.
Take what you need Peter.
And Peter did.
The next thing Remi knew, he was opening his eyes, his hands gripping the warm furry body of a wolf, a huge silver wolf with luminous green eyes.
“Peter.”
That huff of air before the long strip of tongue licked his cheek told him all he needed to know.
Peter was magnificent, his wolf muscular, huge. He nudged Remi, forcing him to stand, and Remi struggled to his feet.
“Little weak here, Peter.” He moved as Peter wanted him to and when he stood, he was able to see how beautiful Peter was. “Damn.” Nothing could have prepared him for this—not even hearing the stories at his grandmother’s knee.
Remi closed his eyes and opened them again, trying to see if what he was witnessing was real. Reaching out, he gasped when Peter’s head nuzzled his hand, and he felt the energy they shared.
Remi didn’t know what to think. He’d helped this to happen, this magical creature before him, a part of his very soul.
It was the greatest moment he’d ever known.
And then, the phone rang.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Remi arrived at the scene where a solemn Kaden awaited him. When he was able to get past the cars, the vans, and the news crews with reporters—and their ilk who’d all sniffed out a possible story—he stalked toward the scene. Kaden attempted to intercept him before he was able to get any closer, which only alarmed Remi. Before either of them spoke, though, the coroner waved him over.
On the wet cement lay a body so like Peter they could have been twins. Ice-cold terror whipped through him nearly buckling his knees.
Just when he felt himself beginning to panic, he felt a calm wash over him. Peter.
This was new.
When he was able to breathe without fucking hyperventilating, he saw the words carved into the brutalized naked form stretched out on the ground, the lack of blood stark in its absence. Nachinayetsya novaya liniya.
“Another message?”
“Yes. I sent a text to Trevin.”
Remi turned back to the body. “What’s it say?”
“A new line begins.”
Remi thought back to Peter’s words earlier. “It’s a message for Peter.”
“You know this how?” Kaden asked. He reached through his bag looking for his camera, Remi assumed.
“We talked.”
“And now?”
Remi wasn’t sure what to say, how much he to reveal. Hell, he was still reeling from all of this himself.
Kaden waited, but when Remi didn’t continue, he went on. “So, maybe not right now.” Kaden looked around them and back to Remi. “Okay, but later we definitely need to iron this out. As for your guy, we had eyes on his gallery opening last night.”
They’d discussed Remi staying close to Peter, but it made sense there would be others. Serial killings would soon bring in the FBI, and in an effort to head that off, all stops would be pulled, so more eyes, yes.
But, what had they seen? Was there anything there that would reveal Peter’s secrets? It was best that Remi remain calm and see what happened.
Kaden detailed the events at the gallery and a woman who approached Peter with a man on a leash.
“Maybe some type of bondage thing, a way to draw publicity? But, at an event like that, the need for that type of attention just doesn’t make sense. One of her guys tossed him at Peter, and there were some words, but no one heard them.” Remi waited while Kaden continued. “She left, and Peter, too.”
“And, you were going to tell me this when?” And why hadn’t Peter said anything?
“Hey, point is I am telling you now and I think this has something to do with it. What are you going to do?”
Remi didn’t hesitate. “Protect what’s mine.”
“Thought you’d say something like that. I’ll call in what we know. Do you need me to go with you?”
No, he didn’t need Kaden seeing anything. Keep it contained. Keep his lover’s secret safe. Protect the coven. That was his job as Supruga, one he’d handle.
Remi pulled his jacket close and strode back to his truck trying to shake off his fear, grateful this wasn’t Peter lying carved up and discarded on the pavement right in front of his home. His lover was safe in the Tolliver compound.
“No, I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
He drove fast, heading down I-64, then picked up Gene Snyder Freeway as he sped out toward the Tolliver compound. They were going to have a future, one where he would be Peter’s Supruga, his balance. Shit, Remi’s stomach turned when images of Peter’s doppelganger flashed before his eyes. They’d wanted him to see the body, he was certain. Alonya knew he wouldn’t be far from the case, had all along.
He needed to get back. Using his voice call, he dialed Peter who picked up after the first ring.
<
br /> “Love.”
“God, Peter. It could have been you.”
“But, it wasn’t. I’m here, Remi. My Supruga, I’m here, and I’m safe. I’m sorry about the person who died, but I’m warm and alive and waiting for you to come home to me.”
“God, Peter. I’m on my way. I’m turning down—”
The car came out of nowhere.
Bright lights blinded him, then life went black. There was a moment when he awoke to see hands extracting him from his truck before his eyes closed again.
She was beautiful. He saw a black leather skirt and a barely there blouse, long legs and wet red lips—lips that she licked while grinning happily at Remi.
“My, my. You’re a tasty one, aren’t you?”
Tasty? He tried to focus on that, but his vision was cloudy, his consciousness wavering. Her tongue wiped away the red. Blood. It was blood.
But Remi lay there in a haze, like swimming through syrup.
“I had to find out what intrigues the abomination. What makes you so special, human, that Alexi’s twisted offspring wants you?”
Remi’s eyes drifted closed, then opened, and he took in the two very tall, very striking men flanking her. Alonya.
This had to be the woman who wanted to kill his Peter, to take over a coven he didn’t even want?
Her laughter scraped along his bruised body, plucked the musculature of his sore frame like a broken violin.
Her smile was gentle, though. Pitying.
“You are indeed a pleasure.” She was closer now, crawling over him like a spider. He was desperate to move, but he had no control over his arms, his legs. The heaviness settled over his body again, and he drifted away, tired and worn.
Remi had no idea how much time had passed. Hours? Days?
“Hush, hush, sweet human. I do love the way your skin pebbles when you are afraid. Such sweetness.” A tongue whipped across his skin, slid along the V between his pecs. Remi’s eyes opened again. She was there, her eyes roving over his body.
He was weaker than before and thirsty, so thirsty. He coughed, ran his tongue over dry, chapped lips.