by Sabrina Rue
The Wolf who prowled inside her didn’t care.
CHAPTER TEN
Two weeks later…
Desiree’s Heat finally let her return to normal life twelve days later and she was practically hysterical with her need for her Mate.
Appearing upstairs on a morning where most of the Pack was out, she was stunned to find out from Harmony that Titus had left the property the day she went into seclusion and hadn’t yet returned.
“He said being so close was dangerous for all of us. There were Packs who needed help and he felt it would keep his mind distracted enough not to attack you in the basement of your brother’s house. His words.”
Meeting Harmony’s eyes, she ground out, “O-okay but he needs to be here now. I’m tired. So fucking tired…”
She stumbled and Harmony supported her as they walked through the house to Desiree’s room. “Right now, you’re going to get more sleep because your body is wrecked worse than any Were I’ve ever seen. Is Heat always like this for you?”
“Yes. Always.” She was lowered to the bed and collapsed against her pillows with a groan. “I’m going to reach out to Titus. Tell him to come to me when he arrives.”
“Of course. Sleep, Desiree. Your mom will be back in an hour.” Harmony covered her and left, closing the door softly.
Tears slipped into her hair as she shut her eyes and reached out for her Mate. Throughout her Heat, she’d occasionally done the same and had to use everything she had to get her Wolf to break the connection.
Humiliated at her weakness, embarrassed by the thoughts and images she’d sent him at her worst, Desiree re-established the connection with more than a bit of shyness.
Apparently too tired to communicate effectively, she decided to rest for a while and try again when she woke up.
* * *
It was dark when Desiree opened her eyes. Her body hurt but that wasn’t what made her frown.
Clearly, she’d slept hours since returning to the main floor of the Texas Pack house. There was no presence of her Mate.
Dragging herself into a sitting position, she scrubbed her hands over her face and raked her fingers through her hair.
“First, shower and get your shit together.”
Making her way to her attached bath, she handled the basics and showered the stale sweat off her body from her last morning of Heat.
Once she was dressed in leggings and a t-shirt, she took stock and determined she felt slightly better physically. Her system needed fuel to get back online so she walked across the house to the kitchen.
Smiling, she took out several containers with her name on them in her mom’s handwriting. Cold salads, sliced meats, cheeses, fruit, and custard waited for her and didn’t need to be reheated.
Redbird Blackwell thought of everything.
She poured a big glass of orange juice and quickly consumed every bite. Her Heats destroyed her muscles and stressed her bones every time. Only food and rest would put her on her feet again.
Food would have to do because she was done resting.
After she was done, she washed everything and returned to her room. Sitting cross-legged in the center of her bed, she calmed her mind.
“Titus.” She pushed at their connection and was stressed to find only darkness. “Titus!”
For hours, she searched for him, called for him, traced the thread that had connected them from the start. Just before dawn, she used the cell phone he’d given her and sent several messages that couldn’t be delivered. Calling his number went immediately to voicemail.
Beginning to worry, she walked outside and stood barefoot in the grass. Concentrating as hard as she could, she wrapped her fingers around the pendant and pushed all her power into a connection with her Mate.
Titus was screaming in his mind.
She looked through his eyes at bright lights, a dingy room, dark chains around his wrists that burned his skin, and a table covered in bloody tools. He was breathing normally, making no sound, but he was screaming inside his mind.
Glancing down, she took in the state of Titus’s body. He wore nothing but briefs, leaving most of his flesh bare. The skin had been beaten from his chest and abdomen, the tops of his thighs.
He was covered in his own blood and in excruciating pain. A heavy chain entered his peripheral vision and just before it made contact, she glimpsed a Purist tattoo on the back of the attacker’s hand.
Gasping from his pain, she growled into his mind, “I’m coming for you, Titus. I’m coming to get you.”
Desiree…no!
The connection was broken and she collapsed on her knees in the grass, vomiting violently as her mother ran from inside.
“Darling! What’s wrong?” Redbird dropped beside her and blotted her mouth with a handkerchief she took from her pocket. “Tell me what’s happened.”
“Titus. He’s been captured.” Forcing herself to her feet, she screamed, “He’s been taken by Purists. They’re torturing him.”
“Oh, god no!” Redbird took her hand and pulled her into the house. “Ryker! Jax! Harmony!”
In her brother’s study, their mother shoved her into a heavy leather chair. Desiree rested her elbows on her knees, watching as her tears fell to the hardwood floor.
There was sound but it was muffled, people in the room but she didn’t look up. Harmony knelt in front of her.
“Desiree. Look at me.”
The ferocity of her emotions made her shake. She knew her Wolf held more control at the moment but her Alpha didn’t even flinch.
“You will not leave me behind, Alpha.” Her voice was barely human.
“Listen to me. We’re going to get Titus back but I need you stronger, I need you trained right now.” Harmony lifted her palms and held them near Desiree’s cheeks. “It’s going to be a lot but I need you to take it all. Everything up until I came here. You have the foundation from my father, from my childhood, but my time running is the real training it’s going to take to get him back. Do you understand?”
Ryker said, “Harmony, wait…”
With a growl, Desiree pressed Harmony’s hands firmly to her face and took every minute of her Alpha fighting, scratching, clawing to survive. Absorbed her humiliation, her losses, her pain. Felt every injury she’d sustained and every life she’d taken.
Drank it down and down and down, letting it settle into her core.
In the psyche of her Alpha, there was far more seething anger than there had been in the mind of young Juliette.
It was the rage of a grown half-breed warrior who’d buried her younger brother’s decapitated body, carried the eviscerated corpse of her little sister who’d been laughing hours before.
The wrath of a woman who interrogated her hunters and killed them again and again.
Harmony offered the madness of her life on the run to her Second as a weapon and Desiree took it from her willingly to save her Mate.
Her own body absorbed the fights, the running, and the slaughter. Holding it close to herself, she released her Alpha’s hands with a smile she knew was probably terrible.
“Thank you, Harmony.”
She stood and walked past her brother and his Second to her room. Uncaring who appeared in the doorway, she stripped her t-shirt and leggings away to dress in fighting leathers her Alpha had gifted her to protect her in battle.
Not that anyone ever truly expected Desiree to go into battle.
They clung to her skin but weren’t restrictive. They were strong enough to resist teeth and claws but gave her free range of movement. Pulling riding boots up her calves for additional protection, she threw open the chest at the base of her bed.
Redbird gasped from beside her. “Desiree…weapons?”
“Made for me, shaped to my hand. I asked Talon to have them commissioned by his weapons maker before we left the West Texas compound.” She smiled grimly. “I had no idea why I wanted them at the time, but he fulfilled my request and I’m grateful.”
Turning to the r
oom, she asked briskly, “Is Hope still here?” Harmony nodded once. “Excellent. I also need to borrow a little boost of power from Justice for a couple of minutes.”
Reaching into the trunk, she removed two deadly pistols and high-caliber ammo that she strapped to her thighs.
“As Harmony explained, ripping out the throat or severing the spine of a Daemon won’t kill them but it certainly slows them the fuck down. That’s all I’m going to need. Going to require some target training.”
Throwing more supplies into a slender pack, she slung it over her shoulder and walked through the house, zipping up the sleek jacket over her sweat-wicking t-shirt. She tucked her necklace safely inside.
In the side yard, she waited for Hope as she attempted to settle her system from everything she’d taken from the female Alpha of her Pack.
While she didn’t regret everything Harmony had given her, she knew she would need to file much of it away in her mind once she had Titus with her again. Her nature couldn’t walk around with the brutality her Alpha had lived through on a daily basis.
She could play the part of a badass and she would but nothing would ever truly make her as well-trained and put together as Harmony.
A few minutes later, Hope appeared with her children and Mates in tow. “Desiree!” Harmony’s gentler twin came directly to her. “Tell us what you need.”
“I need weapons training, Alpha. I need you to focus on everything you’ve learned about hitting what you aim at and let me borrow it.”
Frowning, Hope asked, “You’re planning on going into battle yourself? But you’re not…”
“I just downloaded Harmony’s life after your parents died. I’m trained. More than most Weres, I imagine. I need to take out spinal cords quickly. I need them to go down and even with training, I won’t have the physical strength to rip out their throats. I need to be able to use a high-powered round to do the job.”
“I’ll go with…”
“You will not and neither will your sister or any of your Mates.” Her voice was hard. “I will not put your Mate-bonds in danger to protect my own. I already have a plan. Will you share your knowledge with me, Hope?”
The brunette nodded. Desiree took her hands, placed her palms on her face, and went through the nightmare of Hope’s fight for survival.
Agonizing physical pain of her delivery sent her to her knees in the grass but she didn’t release Hope’s hands. The internal bleeding she’d suffered and constant hurting made it harder to focus on her skills but Desiree took it slower than she had from her twin.
Up until Hope’s fight against dozens of rogues when she first met Talon, she went through every target practice, every gun battle where she came out unscathed, and then she let her go.
Bracing her palm on her thigh, Desiree took several deep breaths. Without looking up, she said softly, “How you continued to move at all much less run and fight with that pain, I don’t know.”
Getting carefully to her feet, she pulled the pistol at her side, sighted a knot in a tree more than a hundred yards away and pulled the trigger.
“Thank you, Hope.” Holstering the weapon, she looked at Justice. “I need to call someone. I know his name and what he looks like but I didn’t touch him so I can’t reach him myself.”
“Juliette has longer reach but I have the power she needs.” The little boy nodded. “Give me a minute to gather some extra juice.”
He slowly pulled from the ground beneath him. A minute later, he held two spheres of shimmering green light in his hands.
“You’ve gotten better while I was away,” she told him with a smile.
“Juliette said she had a bad feeling a few days ago so I practiced. Take her hands, Desiree.” She held hands with the little girl. “Picture the person you met in your mind. As clearly as you can. What’s his name?”
“Killian. He’s Lucian’s bodyguard.” There were several gasps but she didn’t look at the others. “He might not be able to help me himself but he can find me Daemons who can.”
She stared into Juliette’s eyes and showed her Killian as clearly as if he was standing beside them.
Justice pushed the spheres against his sister’s back and her wings unfurled as her eyes glowed and her teeth extended. She absorbed them and emitted a low growl. Her hands got hotter.
Suddenly, there was a swirl of smoke and sparks. A shirtless Killian, his wings at their full width, held his sword in a fist. The beautiful Daemon who’d pushed her into Heat was at his side.
“Lady Desiree!” Killian stared at everyone gathered and released a low growl. Seeing Juliette made him stumble back a step. “A winged Were!”
“Darling, let me do the talking for a minute.” She smiled at Desiree. “I’m Una. I apologize for not realizing you were nearing your Heat when I arrived at my uncle’s home.”
“It’s okay. Titus was taken by Purists.” The couple both seemed far more ferocious instantly. “He’s being tortured and has me blocked. I need to get to him. Help me and I’ll do the rest.”
Killian said sharply, “Titus is a member of our royal family. It’s our duty to guard him. We swore blood oaths, Lady Desiree. A moment.”
Stepping back, he braced the tip of his sword in the dirt and closed his eyes. It started to glow brightly and within moments, armed Daemons started arriving. Winged Daemons were transitioned in by their wingless brethren.
Five minutes later, two dozen Daemons stood behind Killian. They stood at attention, in absolute silence. It was impossible to determine their ages. Every single one of them was beautiful.
On the opposite side of the yard, several dozen male Weres and a few of their female fighters stood behind Ryker. All of them were filled with tension. Several were struggling to control their Wolves.
Killian raised his hand. “We would never harm your Pack, Alpha. Lady Desiree is the Mate of our only blood Prince on this world.” There were murmurs among the gathered Daemons. “Rescuing him and keeping her safe is our sworn duty as members of the Royal Guard.”
Una smiled. “They’re like…the Secret Service. I’m like the DEA. They follow the book and I get my hands dirty. Sometimes, just for fun.” Several of the Weres closest to the front stumbled and two went to their knees. “Sorry! Sorry, I’m cranking it back! Fuck!”
“I like this bitch,” Harmony said. “I’m going.”
“You are not!” Desiree shouted. “You’re pregnant as is your sister. You and your Mates will stay here.” She gestured at the rows of Daemons wearing intricate fighting leather. “I’ll be fine.”
“I want to play, too!”
“Have the kids and you can play, Alpha! Not this time.” Desiree smiled. “Thank you for your knowledge.” Going down on one knee, she took Justice and Juliette’s hands. “Isn’t it wonderful to see so many who represent the other side of who you are?” They nodded. “When Titus is safely back with us, we’ll make time for questions.”
“You need to find him…” Justice gathered more Earth energy and walked over to Una. “I can’t give Desiree the power but Titus said it’s safe for other Daemons.”
“It is,” the stunning fighter said with a smile.
“Desiree was so stressed when we called for your Mate that she accidentally sent me what she’d seen when she tried to find Titus. I want to show you.”
“Clever little thing, aren’t you? Hit me with it.”
She put her hand out palm up and he slammed the energy into it. Her body took it instantly and her eyes glowed as Justice shared what Desiree saw.
“Those bastards are going hard.” Blinking, she added, “Thanks, kid. We gotta talk when I bring your…aunt?” He nodded. “I’ll get her and Titus back safe and sound.” With a wink, she turned to Killian. “You’re gonna be pissed, baby. Prepare yourself.”
She slapped her palm against her Mate’s chest and he roared. His eyes glowed brilliant purple and his wings flapped once violently.
“They die.” Looking over his shoulder, he ordered, “Lor
d Titus is being slowly flayed. You know the sentence for drawing blood of a member of the royal family.”
At the same time, the Daemons drew their swords.
“You will follow Una. Havoc can find his exact location.” Gesturing to the soldiers, he ordered, “Caspia and Medina. You will guard our Lord’s Mate with your lives. I would ask her to remain here but I can see from her expression she will not. Once we’re near Titus, no males must get near Lady Desiree.”
Havoc was the name of Una’s sword. She watched in awe as the gorgeous blonde held the hilt in both hands. Caspia and Medina put their hands on Desiree’s shoulders.
Then they yanked her from Texas Pack compound in the normal world and charged through the Between toward Titus.
Desiree’s Wolf wanted nothing more than to rip and tear.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The second her feet touched solid ground, Desiree drew both pistols and sighted the figures in robes around the cavernous room closest to her Mate bound in the center.
There was no warning given.
There was no mercy shown.
Without an instant of hesitation, she shot two Daemons in the neck who were beating Titus, her Mate, with what appeared to be iron chains. She almost decapitated them but knew they weren’t dead.
Unlike them, she hadn’t come armed with iron.
The Daemons on either side of her jerked their gazes to her with sharp gasps but she didn’t look at them or explain herself.
In a voice that was filled with her Wolf, she screamed, “Get away from him! Don’t you fucking touch him!”
Walking across the room, she didn’t guard her own back. The warriors Killian had assigned her could do that. Blood from her left and right splattered her face, her clothing, but she didn’t pause, didn’t waver.
All she cared about was getting to the beaten, bloody, and still upright figure of her Mate. Again and again, she fired the explosive weapon, incapacitating robed Daemons who transitioned around him, trying to get to Titus before she could.