“I’ll be here.”
Nemmy and Caspius vanished. Marcella looked at Jason’s body and kneeled before him. “Jason, I know you’re fighting your change. You would have already turned if that wasn’t the case.” Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself to see if Ambrose’s talk worked as good as she hoped it did.
“Jason. I’m ordering you to turn back into your collector. You will not let your dragon have me all up close and personal with the stone floor. Now stop shaking and wake up.”
His red eyes flew open, and Jason let out a scream that made Marcella’s skin crawl. Those cat-like pupils came to look at her and blinked a few times. “Baby?”
Lowering further, she reached for his hands. “You’re doing great. Just take slow breaths, and we’ll go through this change together, okay?”
“My dragon, it wants to come. I can feel it.”
Trying her best to give Jason a smile, she tried comforting him. “I know, but you don’t have to worry. My orders override your creature. Your dragon has to obey.” She looked deep into his eyes to make sure what she was about to say sank in. “And it won’t appear unless I’m in danger or I will it so. That is my order.”
He shook his head, and she helped him to stand. “Marcy, it’s still here, though. My vision is red.”
“Yes, but this is as far as your dragon is allowed to show. You have nothing to worry about anymore. We’re going to be okay, Jason. You and I, we’re going to be great.”
A smile covered his lips, and he leaned in, pressing them against her. Breathing deeply, he pulled back. “Yeah, I don’t think that’s such a good idea. You taste really good.” His tongue traced up the side of her face, and she laughed, quickly wiping the wetness away. Jason seemed to catch himself and pulled back, confused. “Hey, where did those two angels go?”
Marcella sighed. “They left. Trust me, they weren’t too happy. I knew they wanted something. Nemmy threatened to hand me over if I didn’t meet with him. Jason, this isn’t good.”
“I won’t let them take you. None of us will. You have nothing to worry about. We’ll figure something out.”
God, she really hoped they could, but what? Angels were actually blackmailing her. What were the odds? Damn it. Where in the hell were her other men? She needed them here. Now.
Well, if she was stuck, it was time to make a new plan to go on top of her gazillion others. These angels might have come from good, but somewhere along the path, they had lost their way. No angel would do something like this. Nemmy was in trouble, but what happened if he turned fallen? Would he go to hell? He’d almost killed Jason. The odds weren’t looking good. Well, she’d worry about the details later. She needed a start.
First things first, she needed a title and a timeline for her new plan. Marcella let her mind run until the thought popped into her head, causing her to smile. It was perfect. She couldn’t wait to see it plastered across the wall with all of her other two-word, same letter titles. The thought was laughable, really. For some reason, she couldn’t help the habit. Once she’d started with “Luis’s Land,” she couldn’t stop.
“What are you smiling about? I’ve been watching you for the last twenty minutes, and you’ve been in a trance. Talk to me, baby. You have a plan, don’t you?”
Marcella looked up at Jason, feeling the smile covering her face grow. Oh, she had a plan all right, and she couldn’t wait to start. The battle, whether physical or verbal, between her and Nemmy was coming, but not yet. With him being one of the strongest paranormals she knew, she’d have to keep him in the dark until her plans of gathering all the supernaturals were completed. Then, when she had everything taken care of, she’d reveal her true self to him. From there, she’d leave it to fate.
Chapter 15
Dominic stared across the couch at his brother. Samael’s words hadn’t stopped circling around his mind since they were walking around outside of Luis’s land. He wasn’t that bad, was he? Surely not. Yeah, he liked nice things, and maybe what he’d said about the house they were staying at was a bit over exaggerated, but he hadn’t thought his master would take it personally.
“Donavon, do you think I’m shallow?”
His blue eyes shot to him and widened. “What?”
Dominic looked to the floor. “Do you think I’m shallow?”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Nothing. Forget it.” Dom stood and headed back for the kitchen. There sure as hell wasn’t anywhere else to go. Every room had more than one vampire crowded inside.
“No, wait. I’m serious. Who said you were shallow?”
“No one.” Pulling out a chair at the small wooden table, Dominic sat down, resting his head in his hands.
“Okay. Well, let’s pretend you pulled the thought out of your ass. Shallow? Hmm.” Donavon walked over, joining him. “From what I’ve seen, you’re not shallow. Of course, I haven’t known you long enough, so I guess that remains to be seen.”
Dominic cut his eyes up. “Thanks. That makes me feel so much better.”
“It should because I wouldn’t lie to you. But I do have to ask one thing. What in the fuck are you wearing? The way you dress is a bit pansy.”
Looking down, Dominic took in his jeans and shirt. “How the fuck is this pansy? Jeans. Shirt. It’s pretty Goddamn basic if you ask me.”
Donavon stood and walked behind him. The shirt jerked up against his neck, choking him. Dominic jumped up and spun around, glaring at his brother’s smiling face. “T-Shirt or not, I bet if you were to go to the mall and buy it, the damn thing would cost a fortune. Do you always wear name brand?”
“What is your point?” Dominic snapped.
A laugh burst through the kitchen, and Donavon grabbed his stomach. “My point is this. You are around no one but us. When you’re around Marcella, I’ve noticed you match her. I bet those clothes aren’t Armani or Gucci. Why wear them now?”
Shrugging, Dominic sat back down. “I don’t know.”
“He does it because he’s superficial, shallow, like I’ve already said.”
Samael walked into the kitchen, smiling. Dominic glared and turned away from him. He so didn’t feel like getting into it with his master at the moment. Donavon let out another laugh and took his chair. “Bro, you let the mother of all fucking pansies upset you. Look at ol’ dude over here. He’s the fucking Goth Father. He wears more black than Wednesday from the Addams Family. Don’t sweat it.”
Samael stopped and tilted his head at Donavon. “This coming from someone who doesn’t even know how to match his clothes appropriately. Donavon, hasn’t anyone ever told you long-sleeved shirts don’t go with shorts?”
“Fuck you. I wear the long sleeves to cover my tattoos. Hasn’t anyone ever told you long hair went out in the eighties?”
“Hey, watch it. I have long hair, and his is the same length as mine.” Ambrose walked in, running his hand through his shoulder-length hair. His bangs fell forward, resting just below his eyes.
“You’re a vampire. You’re safe. Samael is not.”
“What in the hell makes me so different than Ambrose? I’m from hell. I can wear my hair however the fuck I want it. If you or anyone else doesn’t like it, I’ll burn you to fucking ash with my pinky finger.”
“Right.” Donavon widened his eyes sarcastically. “And I’ll sprout wings and blow fire out of my ass. Your threats are useless here.”
Samael growled. “I really do fucking hate you. Keep talking shit, and I’ll make your voice vanish just so I don’t have to hear you. That, I can do.”
Lifting his hand in the air, Dominic cut them off. “Enough. I didn’t want this to turn into a pissing match. How much longer before we leave? I want to get home.”
“Nightfall.” Samael made a glass appear. Dominic could smell the strong scotch clear across the table. The dark angel took a big drink and looked up at him right in the eyes. “Don’t get yourselves killed out there tonight. I’ve taken full responsibility for each of you,
and I don’t feel like explaining things to Marcella.”
“I can’t die,” Dominic said, not breaking his gaze from his master.
“What makes you think that?” Samael asked, smiling.
“The most that can happen is I’ll go back to hell, and Marcella will send you to come and get me.”
“You think so?” Samael’s fingers rubbed against the growth on his cheek, his evil smile still intact. Damn, that fucking smile was going to kill him. It said so many things without him having to say anything at all.
“She would want me back.”
“But what makes you think I would be the one to bring you back?”
“Because if you didn’t, she would summon me, and we both know you don’t want her to get busted by the big man.”
Samael took another drink and lowered the glass. “Dominic, I hate to bust the overconfident bubble you have going on, but Zepar wants you back. How long do you think he’ll wait? Even if you are Marcella’s leading knight and her mate, she still couldn’t risk your rescue until her plans are in place. How long do you think that could take?”
Donavon’s hand slapped against the table. “Yeah, bro, I think it’s best if you don’t bite the dust anytime soon.”
Samael laughed and took another drink of his scotch. Dominic tore his eyes from the glass. For the first time since he knew they were going to the fight, fear took over. What would happen if he got killed? He’d never been taken out before, but it was known to happen. Fuck. What a reality check.
* * * *
Ambrose watched the hours tick by on his Rolex. Sunset was quickly approaching. The majority of his vampires were already awake and waiting. The rest would be getting up any time now.
After Samael and Dominic’s little quarrel, the room had gone into silence and remained in that state. Everyone seemed to be going over their thoughts, and he wasn’t any different. There were too many “what ifs” that plagued his mind. What if he died? What then? Would Marcella bring him back? If she did, would he have to be reborn again or could she just stick his soul in another body? Would it be a dead body? Damn, he really needed to ask her how that worked. That way, if something ever happened, he’d be prepared.
“Ambrose, get the vamps ready. We need to head out in about ten minutes.”
He looked over at Samael and closed his eyes. Through his mind, he let out a call. It wouldn’t matter if the vampires were sleeping or not, they’d know of his need and follow his command. That was the beauty of being their master. Gwyn had gotten it wrong when she’d declined Marcella’s invitation. She had thought that since Marcy would be their queen, she’d ultimately lose power over them. That wasn’t the case at all. His servants still knew their place.
“They’ll be down shortly.”
“Amazing,” Donavon whispered. “They can hear you when you talk to them like that?”
“Yes.” Ambrose leaned against the wall and watched as the majority of the men paced.
“Can you make them do things? Through your mind, I mean.”
Shrugging, Ambrose looked at him curiously. “I’ve never tried. I’m assuming it wouldn’t be too hard, but I wouldn’t disrespect their free will by attempting it. Why?”
“Just wondering. That’s all. So I hear you have one hell of a bite. That true?”
Ambrose laughed. “Maybe. Need I ask who told you that?”
“No, I wouldn’t tell you, anyway.”
Nodding, Ambrose smiled bigger. “Do you want to find out? We can go into the room real quick. You might enjoy it.”
Donavon’s gaze shot to Dominic, which made him burst into laughter. The wolf shook his head slowly. “No. I think I’ll take your word for it.”
“You sure? Your brother likes it.”
Dominic looked over and lounged back on the couch. The smile he radiated was one Ambrose knew well. They were all for fucking with the new guy, even if he was Dom’s kin. “Yes I do,” Dom said. “Very much so.”
“You mean you let him bite you? Like, on the neck?” Donavon’s lips parted while his gaze went back and forth between them.
“Oh, yes. But it’s been a while. We might have to change that when we get back to Marcella. You down, Ambrose?”
“Always.” Ambrose threw a look to Donavon, who quickly stood from the couch to stand behind it. The fear he could sense coming off of the wolf made him want to die laughing.
“You two are fucking something else. Samael, bro, tell them that shit’s not normal.”
The dark angel threw Donavon an annoyed look. “You think they give a damn what I say? I just wish they’d shut up and stop talking about it. Knowing our queen will be involved is not something everyone should be hearing.”
Ambrose waved his hand through the air. “And now no one besides us shall remember anything concerning Marcella.”
“You just…?” Donavon pointed from him to the vampires.
“Yes, I just wiped them clean. Now enough talk. I believe it is time.”
As the remaining vampires came down the stairs, Ambrose walked to stand beside the other leaders in the room. Silence. No one said a word as Samael led the way out of the house. Whether this fight was going to go as planned wasn’t certain. Ambrose knew the role he and his servants were meant to take. He just wasn’t sure it was going to be enough. Even with as powerful as he knew all of them were, their special gifts were practically useless.
Samael stopped before everyone began loading into the SUVs. “I’ll pull the main car around the front of Luis’s house. Donavon and I will see what we can accomplish with the story we made up. From what I’ve been told about the alpha, I doubt he’ll buy it, but it’s worth a try.
“Ambrose, you and Dominic park down by the trail that borders the far side. Wait for my signal. When you feel it, come.”
Dominic held his hand up, making Samael pause. “Wait, what do you mean, feel it? We never talked about that part.”
“Trust me. You’ll know when it happens. Now, load up.”
A group of vampires climbed in the SUV Ambrose would be driving while the remaining ones piled into Dominic’s. Samael, Donavon, and Aaron loaded into the first one. Their faces held no emotion, but Ambrose couldn’t help but feel their excitement. Excitement, not fear. He almost couldn’t believe it. Were they not worried at all? If they were, he sure as hell didn’t pick up on it.
* * * *
Donavon watched the headlights from Ambrose and Dominic’s SUVs beam from behind them as they headed down the road Luis lived on. He was just a few miles away, which only gave him a short amount of time to reel in his thoughts. Knowing within minutes he’d be faced against his alpha made Donavon’s mind race.
For so long, Luis had pushed and taunted him to fight. There was no question whether the man was a good fighter. Donavon knew he was. But he was better, and his alpha knew that. There was only one problem concerning the fight, and that was the fairness. It wasn’t uncommon for shifters to fight dirty when their leadership was threatened. But how far would Luis go? Donavon was afraid he already knew the answer.
Turning around in the front passenger seat, he watched the men turn off onto the dirt trail leading through the brush. Previous vehicles had been through there, but with as high as the grass was grown between the old tire marks, Donavon had no doubt the men were going to have a hell of a drive.
“How do you feel, newbie?”
Giving Samael a grunt, Donavon turned to face the driver. “As good as it gets. Why? You having second thoughts?”
Samael raised an eyebrow at him. “Hell no. I live for this kind of shit. What about you? You ready to run back to Mama?”
“I don’t know who my mother is, asshole. Even if I had one, no. This is what’s best for us. For Marcella. She needs more followers, and I know even though the pack is a rough bunch, they’ll love her. Hell, most of the foundation already does. They weren’t sure how to take to her at first, but after she started feeding them, they were putty in her hands.”
�
��Shit, she fed them?” Samael rolled his eyes. “Great. That’s the problem with you animals. You get fed one good meal, and you’re like strays.”
Aaron leaned forward, wedging himself between them. “Two words, demon fucker. Fuck. You. I’m not a damn dog.”
Samael pulled over to the side of the road, his face blank. Donavon watched as he slammed the SUV into park and turned to look at Aaron. “Demon fucker?”
Silence filled the interior as Donavon looked back and forth between the two. From the looks on both of their faces, he wasn’t sure what in the hell was going to happen.
“That’s what you said, right? Demon fucker?”
Aaron only hesitated for a moment. “Damn straight.”
Samael burst out laughing. “Demon fucker? That’s priceless. You know what, wolf? You have balls. I think I like you.”
“Do you want a kiss, or can we go fight now?”
“Yes. Let’s go kick some ass. You can kiss me if you make it out alive.”
Aaron groaned. “Remember those two words. Don’t make me repeat them, you sick fuck.”
Donavon laughed and watched as they started going. Within seconds, they were pulling into the drive. By the time they were in front of the two-story house, their car was surrounded by men. Men who just happened to be heavily armed and who looked ready to blow someone away.
Donavon made his voice low. “Everyone out, slowly. Aaron, you stay by me.”
The passenger-side door was jerked open. It wasn’t much of a surprise when the man’s jaw dropped open. Donavon didn’t know Jake too well, but enough to remember his name, and to know he was a hell of a ways from home.
“Arizona? We heard you skipped town. We all came in from Houston to take you out.”
“I did skip. Luis around?”
“Naw, man.” Jake looked at the surrounding men and stepped back from the door. “He’s in town, meeting with the alpha of the Austin pack. Listen, man, we don’t want no problems. The only reason Marcus brought us is because Luis has been saying you wanted to take over someone’s role. That ain’t true. Is it?”
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