BloodSworn
Page 28
A breath exploded out of him in understanding, and a painful hope filled his chest. “But you would be giving up everything…again.”
Trina tightened her grip. “Not everything. I would still be your concubine. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Merrick swore his heart stopped for a second as she dangled everything he’d ever wanted before him. “And that would be enough for you?”
Trina cast him a secretive smile that made him hard just looking at her. “Are you kidding? The pack will keep us both so busy we’ll probably never see each other.” Then she hesitanted, biting her lip. “I know our deal was only for two weeks.”
A squeak escape when Merrick straightened, drawing her up with him in a hold so tight that it cut off her air supply. “I never had any intention of letting you go.”
Trina squirmed against him, relishing the way his body reacted to hers even under the circumstances. “Why do I have a feeling that you decided that long before our deal was ever struck?”
His look gave nothing away. “You were mine the minute you stepped on my property. It just took you a while to figure it out.”
He slowly released her, tracing the red highlights in her hair. “What do you need me to do?”
Trina smiled a little wickedly. “First, you need to put on some clothes. Not that I don’t enjoy it, but you sure do know how to ruin a girl’s concentration.”
Merrick’s grin said she was going to pay for that comment later.
A girl could hope.
She watched him dress, enjoying the flex of muscles in his ass when he bent to pull up his pants, growing a little lightheaded at the display. Trina turned away and tried to remember how to breathe.
And stopped short when she saw Glenda’s body. It saddened her that the doctor had died by her hands. The woman was probably brilliant, but she’d let her fear steal everything from her.
Then her mind kicked into gear. “Glenda created a serum from my blood that knocked me on my ass. There was some left in the syringe. Drew said it kept everyone out of his head, so no one should be able to read if I’m alive.”
Trina hurried back to the room and went to the side table. She pawed through the surgical tray, avoiding looking at the metal slab were she woke tied down and helpless. Her blood still stained the floor.
When she found the serum, she turned and hurried to the door, almost running smack into Merrick.
He stared at the steel table unblinkingly, his expression so stark she’d swear he had been the one taken. She touched his chest, drawing his attention toward her. “It’s all right. You made it in time. I’m right here.”
Merrick snagged her hand, reeling her in closer as if he couldn’t stop touching her to convince himself she was alive. Trina snagged the door and shut it behind her to block his view. She fingered the syringe. Without giving herself time to hesitate, she shoved the needle into her thigh. She could at least spare Merrick this.
Still weak from the last dosing and her recent injuries, the serum hit her faster than she expected. The strength drained out of her legs, and she slumped against the warm comfort of his chest.
“Trina?” Merrick caught Trina up in his arms as she crumbled. A syringe fell from her fingers, and her eyes slid closed. Her breathing slowed, nearly stopped. She was a dead weight in his arms.
Seeing her that way destroyed his control and memories flashed back to seeing her lying motionless underneath the body of the dead vampire, her blood pooling beneath them. He had to remind himself and Beast that she was alive. It didn’t help. He cradled her to his chest, devastated to see her so still.
If things had been any different, this would have been his future. Merrick walked down the stairs and outside, never once taking his eyes from Trina.
The fighting had stopped, the vampires knowing the instant their King had died when the blood connection between them had been severed. Any loyalty to the old king had vanished.
The vampires would be in turmoil for the immediate future until a new king was selected. He saw a number of vampires linger, taking note of the body he held.
They quickly vanished when they confirmed that the last BloodSworn witch was dead.
The car was waiting for him. No one said a word as he settled in the back seat with Trina cradled in his lap. Weston sat behind the wheel and drove them to the Den.
“Should I take you around back?”
“You know?” Merrick stared at the mercenary a little closer. If he hadn’t been holding Trina, he would’ve never guessed the ruse.
Weston shrugged. “If your mate had died, we would’ve never seen you again.”
* * *
“Not many can say they missed their own funeral.” Eden stopped at her side. “It was a beautiful service.
Trina shivered. “It’s creepy.”
Judith and Weston were in beds next to each other, bickering as they had for the last week. Each demanded to return to duty, but the spells and silver bullets had slowed their healing. They had one more day before she could release them.
That was if they didn’t murder each other first.
Or if she got to them before that.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” Eden gave her a doubtful look, indicating the infirmary. Like any other witch, Eden couldn’t believe that Trina would stay with the shifters instead of returning home.
Trina didn’t understand her sister, but she knew one thing…she’d come when she needed her the most. “I belong here.”
Eden nodded as if the answer made sense to her for the first time. “They will keep you safe.”
An awkward silence filled the space between them. “You could visit,” Trina nodded toward Drew, “in the pretense of training the new pack Familiarian.”
Eden stared at her then looked to where Drew sat talking with the first recovering CreedMark patient. “It could take a while.”
Trina repressed a smile. “He has some raw talent, but no training at all. It could be a long while.”
Eden avoided her gaze. “You always were the brave one, the daring one who would risk everything for what you thought was right. I was always jealous of you.”
Trina shook her head, poleaxed by the unexpected confession. “I thought you blamed me for not being able to protect our parents. I didn’t want to let you down, too. You were the perfect daughter, the best witch. I could never live up to you.”
Eden turned to face her, the earnestness in her eyes so painfully that it hurt to see. “I never blamed you for what happened. I couldn’t have been more proud that you’d survived. Had it been me, I would’ve died that night. Even if by some miracle I had survived the attack, I would’ve never had the courage to live in the outside world without magic the way you did and thrive.”
Eden gave her a tentative smile then quickly walked away as if embarrassed by her emotions. Dorian squeezed her hand. “Thank you. For everything.”
Trina watched them leave with more hope than she’d felt in ages. She wandered to where the CreedMark room used to be. The wall had been knocked down, the whole room repainted to add colors, and decorated with pictures of large animals in the wild.
It no longer smelled of failure and fear.
The youngest patient had awoken yesterday, while a few of the others were showing signs of waking as well. The tests were underway for the inoculations. It would be weeks, months yet, but there was hope.
A roar echoed down the hallway, startling her so badly she jumped.
Beast.
Trina took off running, fear nearly swallowing her as she rounded the corner. She skidded to a stop when she found Merrick waiting for her in beast form. The humongous hallway felt dwarfed by the lion. “Damn it, Merrick. If you need me, use the intercoms like everyone else!”
Those large claws tapped on the granite when he pawed the ground, and he snorted at her.
Trina backed away, laughter bubbling up her throat. “Don’t you dare.”
Another roar spilled out of his mouth, and he leapt forward.
He brushed his shoulder against her side, guiding her up the stairs. That tail of his curled around her arm, the soft brush of fur causing her to shiver.
When she veered away, she felt the wicked nip of his teeth on her ass. The pinch startled a yelp out of her, and she swatted at him. “Bad kitty.”
The lion’s lips curled up as if smiling, flashing all those teeth at her, and she backed away. Beast crept forward again, and Trina shot down the hallway.
The soft breath of air on her neck made her shiver. Just when she neared the safety of their room, strong arms caught her about her waist, sweeping her off her feet and into their bedroom.
“I’ll always need you.”
The kiss scrambled her thoughts, and she pushed him away after a bit. She tried not to think about him being naked or the way his body reacted so willingly against her. She was already having a hard enough time remembering that she was supposed to be doing something. She cleared her throat. “Don’t you have work?”
His mischievous smile made her heart skip a beat. “We’re playing hooky today. Victor is learning the ropes and has the reigns.”
She fluttered her lashes up him. “Whatever will we do all day?”
“I think we can figure out some way to keep busy.” Merrick tossed her on the bed, and a burst of laughter escaped when he landed next to her with a bounce. His fingers gently brushed her face then proceeded to kiss her as if he never intended to stop.
The End
Sneak Peak
Electric Storm
A commotion at the other end of the room erupted. The boy. She knew it even before she saw his face. Five women surrounded him, heckling and caressing him. He stood there, a frozen smile plastered in place, tolerating the touch. Tolerating but not enjoying.
Then he flinched. His smile became strained, the women’s laughter more wild. The boy’s eyes hardened but he kept still, enduring the obscene fondling and cruel taunts.
She scanned the crowd. A few people snickered at his discomfort, a few looked away, pity leeching the life from their eyes. But no one protested.
Then the man who had accompanied the boy stood to his full height. The muscles of her back loosened, and she eased back into her seat, unaware she’d half risen to her feet. The big man would keep him safe. But instead of rescuing the boy, the Ogre turned his back and pushed his way to the bar.
A lump grew in her throat at the unwanted attention the boy endured. Memories of similar situations from her past cut into her mind, blurring reason until fury burned along her face.
Stillness settled inside her, burying everything but the need to do something, the need to prevent the past from repeating itself. Before she knew what she was doing, she moved.
The closer she came, the more she sensed his unwillingness and his resignation. She stopped outside the circle of women. Their gazes collided. Recognition sparked, and his gaze latched on to hers.
Pleaded.
It was a mistake coming here tonight, but she couldn’t leave without knowing he’d be safe. Couldn’t stop herself from rescuing him.
“He’s mine.” She reached through the circle of women, clamped down on his wrist and pulled him to her side. He came without a word of complaint, his head lowered, a small smile on his lips that barely lasted a second. His body trembled slightly before he controlled himself.
“What do you think you’re doing?” A blonde in strappy, three-inch heels stepped forward, drink in hand and a determined expression on her face. A woman who always got what she wanted.
Raven wasn’t impressed. “We’re leaving.”
As she turned, herding the boy in front of her, the woman’s talons dug into her arm.
Reacting on instinct, Raven spun and thrust out her palm, slamming her hand into the blonde’s chest, releasing some of the pent-up power that swirled inside in response to her anger.
The impact lifted the woman off her feet. She sailed over the table, one heel flying. Her mouth dropped open in moue of surprise, while her drink spun and sprayed her friends.
Conversation slowed, people turned. No one touched the woman as she staggered to her feet. Raven braced herself and scanned the crowd.
No one stepped forward to detain her or the boy.
“Is there a problem?”
Tiger.
He broke through the wall of people who circled the small group. Broad shouldered, lean but roped with muscles, he easily drew attention to him and it had nothing to do with the elegant clothes or wildly untamed mane of hair. The combination should’ve looked ridiculous but only succeeded in making him appear all the more dominant.
It gave him a dangerous air. An aura of bored arrogance seeped from him, but Raven knew differently. Power thrummed beneath his skin at his annoyance for being disturbed. The beast roamed close to the surface even in his human form.
“No, sir. The lady here claimed me, and Miss Jackie objected.”
“A challenge?” The tiger’s eyes sharpened in the muted light, his attention never leaving her face. He brushed against her shields, then shoved against them as if surprised to find resistance. The intensity increased, seeking a weakness. Her eyes narrowed. Usually only vampires or very powerful alphas had such strong mental ability.
Protocol dictated certain rules, and he broke them by probing her without permission. They both knew it if his sudden, impudent smile was anything to go by. If he pushed harder, she’d retaliate. She refused to let him enter her mind, refused to let him harvest all her secrets. It was too dangerous for either of them.
When he persisted, she twisted a strand of energy around his shields, using tremendous control to surround him instead of breaking through. Then she slowly tightened her hold. She let it rest there, let him feel her perusal, the threat. Her fingers trembled. Her stomach flopped like a fish out of water. It took everything she had to hold back more power and ignore the dangerous lure to crush the threat.
Then his aura fluctuated, rubbed against her own shield in a way that sent a shiver down her spine in a very pleasant way. Her blood heated, and she could almost swear she felt a purr from her core. From the startled look and the aroused flush to his face, the reaction wasn’t something he’d anticipated either.
Then he relented and retreated, bowing slightly in deference. “Please forgive my rudeness. I’m Jeffrey Durant, manager of Talon’s.”
She reeled in the string of energy, suppressing the unholy need to curse. A formal greeting. Rules of the pack dictated she reply in kind, supply her name at the very least, and the bastard knew it. She had to work with shifters. She couldn’t piss in the pond just because she didn’t want to do something. “Raven–”
“Do you know who I am?” Like a yippy little dog, the blonde charged forward, red blotches of anger coloring her face. Her eyes shimmered a yellowish-green with her emotions, but quickly reverted back to mud brown.
Part shifter.
A weak one.
Most males could shift no matter what percentage of animal DNA they possessed, but the women had to be at least half shifter for their animal to take form. That meant Raven could take this little dog.
Raven adjusted her stance, keeping the kid at her back and met the threat, damning herself for being a sucker. “I don’t give a shit. I know all I need.”
“Oh, do tell.” The rumpled blonde crossed her arms and smirked. “This should be good.”
“You’re too weak to be a pure blood. Not even quarter, if I had to guess. You surround yourself with people who are weaker so you have someone who looks up to you. You enjoy abusing the very people you’re supposed to be protecting.”
A fist flew at her face, and Raven caught it mid-air. Anger allowed her to easily lower the blonde’s arm. She lifted her chin, relieved to know she’d guessed right. If
the woman had been a true shifter, her jaw would’ve been crushed. “Are you issuing a challenge?”
A slight murmur went through the crowd. It was the only thing she could think of to get them out of there fast. A challenge meant more than possession of the boy, it meant pack position and a fight to the death. Jackie would die. Raven would see to it. Although she relished a certain poetic
justice if she let the little wolf live. It would force the bimbo to the bottom of the pack, where she’d have to earn her place in the hierarchy. And something told Raven it wouldn’t be so easy to step over the very people she’d been treating like servants.
Fury darkened the woman’s eyes, the brown splintered and specks of yellow appeared, then vanished as fast as they came.
“No.” She spit out the one word, a promise of retribution for this humiliation dancing in her eyes.
Giddiness trickled through Raven. Her unique gift remained secret. She’d been foolish to risk it over a boy. The need for fresh air pressed heavily against her, effectively caging her without the use of bars. She faced the tiger and raised a brow, doing her damndest to exude a calm she wasn’t feeling. “Then I believe I’m free to leave?”
A charming smile curled his lips, but the intent stare reminded her of his animal form. He was hunting.
And she was his prey.
“There’s no rush.” He edged closer.
Raven countered quickly, pulling the boy close to her back. “Nor is there a reason to stay.”
The beautiful way he moved drew her gaze, hypnotic and beguiling.
“Except to get to know one another.” The tone of his voice was deep and soothing. So inviting. The beasts at her core inched forward in curiosity.
A movement in the crowd snapped her to attention. The Ogre. Then the tiger’s words registered, leaving a trail of cold in its wake. Clever kitty. She’d bet he lulled many people the same way, using that luscious voice, subtle movements and just the lick of wildness to lure them to him.
“I think not.” Though she tried to rein it in, power burned along her arms at the thought of being held against her will. The beasts retreated, leaving all that power behind along with the dangerous urge to release it. The leather she wore usually protected those nearest her, but direct touch couldn’t mute the effects. Not even wearing gloves kept those around her completely safe when her dander was up.