by Sabrina Rue
From the corner of his eye, he saw Harmony’s Mates stiffen as he got close enough to her to open a cut and clasp her hand with his.
“Thank you.”
Instantly, he’d transitioned to his home in the Daemon dimension to find relief from the scent of his woman, the drugging fragrance of her sexual need that turned him inside out.
Stepping beneath the cool water of his shower, he recalled her begging him to take her and punched a hole through the granite wall.
For days, Titus prowled his home, fighting the urge to return to her side, to take her until she couldn’t walk.
Reaching out to her made matters devastatingly worse, brought him into the aching, writhing body of his woman as she did what she could to satisfy herself with his name on her lips.
Then came the call from an Alpha in Russia. They’d been attacked. The Purists held their children hostage to coax the adults of the Pack into battle.
A diversion would help him cope with the separation from his Mate during the one time he should never leave her side.
Landing in the middle of the Pack compound, he waited. He wanted to fight, to kill, to appease his bloodlust since he could not appease his lust for Desiree.
Stepping from the shadows, more than thirty Purists surrounded him but Titus didn’t care that they’d laid a trap for the strongest Daemon.
“For your slaughter of your own kind in defense of these abominations, you have been found guilty. You are sentenced to torture and death.”
“Where are the children?” he asked no one in particular.
There was laughter around the circle and a female voice said, “They are long dead, Lord Titus. Worry for your fate, not theirs.”
He would rip their heads from their bodies.
His Mate was an empath and that made her ability to reach him unparalleled to any other being outside his own people.
As one who’d never experienced the effects of Mating, he was woefully unprepared for her to accidentally crash into his mind, screaming his name and begging him to come to her, to stop the burn.
It sent him to his knees, unable to draw his sword as the Purists converged on him, binding him in an iron net that scorched his flesh and sapped his strength.
Leaving part of his mind aware, he forced the rest into retreat. Partially to protect his psyche from the pain but mainly to block his beautiful, gentle Desiree from entering his mind during his trial.
Naturally, she intuited the power of the stone pendant he’d given her. By standing barefoot on the source of Daemon power and channeling her mental gifts into the stone, she easily broke through his barriers.
Devastated that she glimpsed what was being done to him, he never expected her to rally an army and arrive to save him.
Willing to die to save him. She would have if not for the Royal Guards Killian had assigned her.
Despite the battle training from the Kassis sisters, she was so focused on keeping him from experiencing one more injury that she didn’t look left or right as she made her way to him.
Now, he stared at her in the yard of the Texas Pack compound and his heart felt too big for his body. She was calm, confident, and powerful. He would make her more powerful every day they spent together.
It was his birthright.
Every Daemon made their weaker Mates, usually humans, stronger with their blood. Titus was capable of biologically changing Desiree.
As a member of the royal family, he could essentially infect her cells with his and force them to mutate. It bypassed thousands of years of basic evolution.
She would retain her abilities, her identity, as a Were but she would forevermore be closer to Daemon kind on a cellular level.
Waiting for the Daemons to process what they were being told, Titus took the opportunity to watch his Mate. She was coiled, ready to fight, prepared to execute the pair in front of her rather than allow them to hurt anyone she loved.
The male Daemon’s eyes glowed as he attempted to read the twins. The female was stiff, off-balance.
Harmony’s hostages had not been mistreated. Texas Pack kept them fed, clothed, and entertained for months. Breaking them down in small ways every day until they could decide how to rehabilitate them.
Juliette smiled. “Shall I help you figure us out?” Extending her wings fully, she hovered just above her brother.
Justice transitioned from one side of Titus to the other.
“It can’t be…” Arabelle gasped.
Laughing, Juliette disagreed. “It can be and certainly is. We have powers blended of Were and Daemon kind.”
Inkoshi hissed, “How is this possible?”
“Long story,” Juliette shot back. “Not really any of your business. What you want to think about is how we can help you.”
The woman yelled, “You can do nothing for Daemon kind!”
With a heavy sigh and a roll of his eyes, Justice quipped, “Actually, my sister finds Mates and I push her power to every corner of the Earth. It’s how Titus found Aunt Desiree.”
“I’ll ask you again, Inkoshi and Arabelle. Knowing these children have the Shaman gift of Were kind to locate Mates and the Daemon power to search the globe…would you kill them?”
Arabelle dropped to her knees. “Th-the prophecy…it’s a lie? How can this be? How can everything be so different than we were told?”
Kneeling beside her, Inkoshi said, “Get up. You will not be weak at the time of our death.”
Juliette giggled. “The time of your death? What?”
“Duh,” Justice told them. “We’re gonna see if your Mates are still alive. Hopefully, you didn’t kill them by accident because if you did, you’ll probably want us to kill you.”
Both Daemons fell forward, catching themselves on their hands in the grass. In shock, they struggled to get themselves under control.
The little girl sighed. “Well, come on. Stand up. I’m wearing a new dress my Dad got me and I’m not getting it dirty.”
Justice shook his head. “Show some excitement. You’re both several centuries old so finding your Mates would be awesome. Jeez.”
The Daemons stood shakily.
Desiree murmured, “Juliette and Justice wish to help you. To give you the one thing you need to make your life complete. If you try to harm them, I’ll rip out your throats and throw you back in your cells.”
Gasping, the pair nodded. Inkoshi replied quietly, “I don’t…dare hope this is anything more than a trick.”
Harmony huffed. “Weres aren’t assholes like that.”
Ryker whispered, “Mate…”
“I know. They’re just so fucking condescending.”
The female retorted, “It isn’t difficult to feel superior to…”
“Shut up. Not another word, Arabelle. I swear on my life that if these children are truly capable of finding our Mates, I’ll do everything I can to destroy our brothers and sisters who won’t listen to reason.”
“It’s a trick.”
“Perhaps. What if it isn’t?” He shook his head. “Be quiet and let us see. As Lady Desiree said, I find myself curious.”
Arabelle faced forward without a word.
Juliette landed in front of Inkoshi and held out her hand. “Normally, I don’t need to touch you but it’s a stronger connection.” Inhaling deeply, he put his hand in her smaller one. “Justice.”
Her brother held her shoulder and stared at the Daemon’s face. The children’s teeth extended, and the marks visible on the little girl’s back through her dress glowed a pale green.
“Ah. A little more, Justice.” Titus stepped forward and put his hand on the boy’s head. “Whoa! Talk about a power surge!” Juliette chuckled nervously and refocused. “There she is…”
Inkoshi hit his knees, his hand still in Juliette’s. A keening moan escaped him as he struggled to breathe, to remain upright.
“Yes. Isn’t she pretty? Titus, can you tell what sort of Other she is? Her coloring…it’s so similar to yours but I don’
t think Were.”
Moving his other hand to Juliette’s head, he smiled as the image appeared to him. “Shapeshifter. They all have my sister’s coloring.”
Juliette concentrated harder. “I…let me see if I can get her name. Oh! She feels me, I think.” Looking up and back at Titus, she said, “I-I’m kind of clumsy at this part still.”
“You’re doing great.” Desiree knelt beside her. “Let me help.”
Wrapping her arm around Juliette’s waist, she stepped into her vision with her. “She’s truly lovely. Hmm…Sara Powell and I think that’s Florida. Rest a moment and we can get a better fix.”
Inkoshi collapsed on the ground the moment Juliette released his hand. “The point of becoming a Purist was to do anything necessary to find our Mates. We’ve murdered in the name of that end for over a century. How many? How many of my people have been robbed of their other half because we were angry and ignorant? No, no!”
He sobbed bitterly and Justice sat cross-legged beside him. “A fresh start then. That’s always a good idea. My mom says every new day is a fresh start. Do you believe that, Inkoshi?”
Rolling to his side, the Daemon stared at the little boy. “I have no right to a fresh start, no right to attain forgiveness.”
“Do you want forgiveness?”
“How can I ask for such a thing?”
With a heavy sigh, Hope’s son said, “You’ve hurt a lot of people. Killed Mates and children, leaving devastation and grief behind you. It’s going to be up to you to help stop the people you killed with.” Justice shrugged. “Weres kill in battle. We kill to protect Pack. I doubt there’s a grown one of our kind without some sort of regret.”
Juliette said softly, “I’ve killed. In my rage, when I was held captive, I crushed a rogue Were’s body by throwing him across the room when he tried to restrain me. As he died, I saw his Mate. The shame…”
She swallowed hard. “Purists are proud of their kills, I’ve heard. Proud of the lives they claim with their swords. You’ve earned your guilt to this moment. Perhaps one day, you’ll also earn forgiveness.”
Turning to Arabelle, Juliette shook out her hands. “If you fight me, it will be harder. I don’t care if you don’t like me. I don’t like you either. However, to stop the dying, I’ll help you find your Mate if he’s still alive.” Tilting her head, the little girl gasped. “If…she is still alive.”
“Don’t…”
Juliette snapped her teeth. “You’ve run toddlers through with a Daemon broadsword and you think I care if your Mate is male or female? Shut up and give me your hand.”
The female hesitated and Inkoshi barked, “Stop it, Arabelle! What will it take for you to see?”
Thrusting her hand forward, she looked away and Juliette murmured as she took it, “What an ungrateful bitch you are.”
Harmony burst out laughing and Hope hid her face in Talon’s chest as she tried to muffle her own.
Justice started to get up but Titus said, “Rest a moment. I’ll give her the power she needs.” He placed his hand on the girl’s shoulder and said, “That was quick.”
“Yes. There she is…uh, that’s awkward. Not here.”
The members of Texas Pack stiffened and moved closer. “Oh, gods.” She dropped the Daemon’s hand. “It makes me unhappy that you’ll be so close. Seriously, this is horrible luck.”
Harmony walked closer and stared into Arabelle’s eyes. “No. It’s not luck at all. Your Mate is here in Texas Pack. It’s what drew you so close the day I captured you. You probably didn’t even realize.”
“No. It isn’t true.” Her eyes filled with tears.
Without looking away, Harmony asked, “Her Mate’s name, Juliette?”
“Angela Rivers. Rhonda’s little sister.”
The fierce growls rolling from the most powerful Were made the Daemon step back.
Desiree put her hand on Titus’s arm and he learned that Rhonda, the head of Harmony’s protection squad, had worked closely with the Alpha since her arrival at Texas Pack. Her younger sister had joined the team since Rhonda and Harmony were mentoring her.
“Well. This is going to be interesting,” Jax offered. “By interesting, I mean really fucking unpleasant.”
Titus addressed the two Purists. “You need to remain in your cells until we can determine how to proceed. The Purist element must be dealt with carefully. I’ll send someone to guard your Mate, Inkoshi.” To Arabelle, he said, “Trust me, your Mate is just fine.”
Strangely docile, the pair stood and walked to the door of the small iron prison. Steele escorted them and the sound of the massive metal door sliding behind them was loud in the quiet afternoon.
Desiree turned and jumped at her Mate. “I’m starving.”
Holding her tightly, he said, “You’re always starving. What would you like? I’ll get you anything you want…”
“Are you kidding? Mom’s chicken fried steak. I dreamed about it last night.” She gave him a smacking kiss and added, “Let’s eat and talk all this crazy out.” She dropped to her feet and he watched her take the twins’ hands. “You two kicked ass.”
His Mate walked to the house and he wondered how much time needed to pass before he could whisk her back to their home.
He needed her again and from the way her Wolf glowed, Desiree was doing her best to hide how much she needed him.
Really, being Mated took a lot of time and energy…and he couldn’t wait to get back to doing the work.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Several weeks passed and Desiree focused on working with Titus and the children to find the oldest members of Texas Pack the Mates that had eluded them for so long.
Every week, the Kassis twins were transported to the main Pack headquarters as part of their tutelage with her beloved. The training was excellent for Desiree as well.
In the time since her Mating, it was discovered that the Shamans of Were kind had an unknown blind spot.
With intense concentration and a great deal of time per commission, they could locate Mates of Were blood and some humans.
However, if a destined Mate came from another of the Others, their Shaman gifts could not detect them.
Since they belonged to Texas Pack, they used them to test and hone their abilities in Mate location. Those under the age of thirty were told to wait. There were too many Wolves who were Talon’s age and older who had a greater need.
Where it once took a Shaman hours, even days, to find a Were’s Mate, their foursome could find them in minutes.
Titus started work on their home three miles from her childhood home but she wanted a building nearer the compound to see Pack seeking their other halves.
Separate from the house where her family lived but close enough to guard, Desiree created a warm and inviting space to see their visitors with her mother’s help.
Not all were pleased with the presence of Titus and the children who clearly possessed powerful Daemon traits. The older among them were particularly biased but her Mate assured Desiree it was understandable.
None of that made any difference to her.
“You will respect my Mate, my niece, my nephew, and my home or you can go back to the Shaman who wasn’t able to help you.”
Palm flat on the desk, she leaned toward the man on the other side. “I don’t give a single damn which you choose. There are dozens waiting behind you to experience the joy, the relief, we’ve brought to nineteen members of our Pack. Be one of them or get the hell out.”
The man was probably three decades older than Talon but he was still a male Were with too much pride and a quick temper.
“How dare you, little girl! If your father was alive…”
Leaping to the top of the desk in a crouch, Desiree grabbed him by his shirt. “Don’t. You will not use my father to excuse your bigotry. You’ve waited almost a century to find your Mate without success. If she lives, the four of us can find her. If you want us to find her, I suggest you sit down and show some manners.”
Shoving the male away from her desk, she read the paper and held it out. “The name of your Mate. Her human husband died many years ago. She has several grown children. Your Mating will extend her life substantially. My niece found her despite you calling her evil. Take your name and get out.”
He reached out with a shaking hand and took the information. He looked at each of them, nodded, and left.
“For a stubborn old fool, that was as close to an apology as we’re going to get.” Desiree jumped to the floor and stroked her hand over Juliette’s hair. “You don’t have to reward them for bad manners…”
“A gift is not a gift if it isn’t freely given. It’s about more than his happiness. That’s part of it but, not all. The woman, she’s dying of a condition that doesn’t plague Were kind. His blood will help her live and her children love her very much.”
“You’re an incredible being, Juliette.” With a shake of her head, she announced, “Let’s take a break. I need food.” Raising her face, she stared at her Mate. “I’m sorry, Titus.”
“No, my love. There’s no need for you to apologize.” He kissed her temple. “Let me feed you.” He ruffled Justice’s hair. “Take your sister on ahead. We’ll be right behind you.”
The boy high-fived them both and winked out with Juliette.
Titus rubbed his hand down Desiree’s back. “Let’s walk back so you can get some fresh air.”
“That sounds amazing.” Outside, she nodded to the Weres assigned to guard them and the members of their Pack in search of their soul mates. “We’ll be back soon…”
One was a woman who’d been friends with her mother since they were children. She told them cheerfully, “Take your time, sweet girl. I’ve waited seventy years for a little hope. Time for you to breathe, eat some lunch, and love your Mate is no hardship to us here.”
Tearing up, Desiree whispered, “Thank you, Aunt Maliah. We’re going as quickly as we can.”