by Tate James
“Kitty Kat,” he groaned as I made my way into the bathroom with shaking knees. “Come on, you need the magic boost.”
“No, fuck you!” I snapped back, like the really mature twenty-one-year-old I was. God, that was something to get used to, suddenly jumping from nineteen to twenty-one in the space of days.
Storming into the bathroom like I wasn’t about to collapse in an exhausted heap, I slammed the door behind me and turned on the water.
Water pounded down, steaming up the bathroom, but I needed a moment to catch my breath, so I sat my ass down on the side of the tub. My mind was reeling with this new influx of information, and I was stinging with the knowledge that both Caleb and Austin had relevant information that they’d chosen not to share with me.
But why? Did they not trust me enough?
Fucking hell, these were two guys that my stupid, trusting subconscious had chosen to be my forever companions, and they had been keeping some huge ass secrets.
How was I even supposed to get past this? Obviously it was impossible to change the past, but I couldn’t just forgive and forget something of this magnitude so damn easily.
Ugh, why couldn’t I have it easy and be a damn human?
When I eventually dragged my butt out of the shower, my skin was pruning a little and I was quivering with exhaustion. Also I was seriously wishing I had taken Caleb up on his offer to help soap my back because the small energy exchange Austin had given me wasn’t nearly enough.
“Vixen!” Cole barked, as I stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in Master Yoshi’s bathrobe. My clothes had been pretty covered with Austin’s blood, and I shuddered at the thought of putting them back on again, so this was as good as it got.
“Cutie, when did you get here?” I asked through a yawn, and he wrapped me in a huge hug.
“We took the Omega chopper as soon as you sent the address. Well, we were sort of already on our way, but the address helped.” He huffed and held me tight.
“How do you mean?” I puzzled, not sure if it was just my fuzzy, tired brain not making sense of things.
“Ah, Wes tracked your phone, so we knew what general direction you were heading in,” Cole admitted, and I nodded against his chest. It made sense, and I expected nothing less from Wes.
“Are you okay, love?” River asked softly, and I pulled back from Cole’s chest to look at him.
“Yeah, fine. This was all Austin.” I waved a hand at the mess of blood and runes all over the floor. “Did he and Caleb fill you in?”
The twins were both at the little kitchen table with Wes, and both looked like they were in sour moods. No doubt River had been reading them the riot act before I had gotten out of the shower. Damn right, too; they both fucking deserved it. Secretive bastards.
“They did, and I think we can discuss it further when we get back to headquarters. Are you okay to head back? Or do you need...” River cocked his head in question, his golden eyes full of concern, and I shook my head.
“I’m fine, yeah; let’s head back. I just need to find something other than this robe to wear. My clothes are gonners.” I cringed at the thought of putting the dried blood–encrusted garments back on, even though it was becoming almost like a fashion statement for me these days.
“Here, I found these in the closet,” Wesley piped up, handing me a pair of sweatpants and a hoody. “I figure they might work? At least it has to be better than a bathrobe, right?”
“Thanks, Wes.” I smiled gratefully, taking the clothes from him. “I’ll just be a sec.”
I quickly retreated into the bathroom once more and dressed in sweats that were way too big for me, but easy enough to tighten with the drawstring. My reflection in the mirror showed me just how drawn and exhausted I looked, but it wasn’t even half of how bad I was feeling. Damn stubborn pride.
It didn’t feel right accepting any sort of sexual contact from Caleb when I was this mad at him, though, and Austin sure as shit made it seem like a chore. Of course, River and Cole were here now, and Wes... but I was just tired as shit and not in the mood.
“Ready,” I announced, leaving the bathroom again with my wad of bloody clothes in my hand. “Please tell me we can take the helicopter back? That was a long ass drive down here. Maybe I can come back for my car another day?”
“Of course we can, love. I’ll arrange for your car to be driven back to base.” River nodded, giving a tiny lip-twitch of a smile but tucking my hand inside his own as he led the way out of the apartment. “We have a lot to discuss when we’re back. A lot.” His glare speared the twins, and they both dodged his eye contact like naughty puppies.
“Vixen, you need to call Vali,” Cole advised me, handing my phone to me from where it must have dropped sometime during the mess that was Austin’s almost-death. It had little flecks of blood on the screen that I obsessively needed to scratch off with my fingernail before I could use it.
“He almost dragoned out and flew here himself. Maybe just let him know you’re okay?” Cole looked torn between wanting to be annoyed at his brother’s extreme reaction and impressed that he clearly cared.
“I’ll shoot him a text and call tomorrow. I’m wrecked,” I admitted, tapping out a quick message to assure Vali that I was totally fine and there was nothing to be concerned about.
Austin led us out the back door so we didn’t have to all troop through the tattoo shop, and I saw the guys had left a car waiting. There weren’t enough seats for all of us, so I willingly crawled into Wesley’s lap and curled up with his arms around me.
A sigh of relief rushed through me as the little, electric tingles of magic kicked back into gear wherever our skin touched, so I slipped my hands under his hoody to increase the contact. He must have either felt it or sensed what I was doing because he did the same thing to me, and my skin shivered in delight.
“It’s not far to the airstrip, but sleep if you want. I can wake you if I need to,” Wesley murmured in my ear, and I nodded sleepily, already halfway closing my eyes and snuggling my face into his neck.
As I drifted to sleep, I felt his strong fingers stroking little patterns up and down my spine, infusing my body with the magic it needed to recharge and just generally making me feel loved.
17
COLE
Hands stuffed in the pockets of my jeans, I waited patiently for the warden to unlock the gate and usher me through. When he finally did, I simply nodded my thanks, not bothering with unnecessary niceties. Words were so overused these days they were losing their meanings.
“Just through here,” the portly man said, unlocking another door and holding it open for me. “A guard will bring the prisoner through in a few, and when you want out, just knock on the door. Clear?”
“Clear,” I responded, my tone clipped and gruff. There was a table in the center of the room with a chair on either side of it. I didn’t sit, though. My dragon was enraged, pacing within me and clawing to get out. It was all I could do to maintain my human shape when I was this worked up. Still, I’d much rather this be me than Vixen.
Seconds later the door reopened, and a haggard, old woman was ushered in. She was in the standard prison-issue uniform, and her hands were shackled with handcuffs, which the guard attached to the bar down the center of the table.
“Who the hell are you?” She sneered at me, showing yellow-brown teeth that I swear took all of my self-control not to smack out of her disgusting face. People like her didn’t deserve to live, in prison or not.
“Irrelevant,” I snarled, unable to keep the fury from my voice as I eyed the woman who had broken my Vixen as a child. How anyone could do what she had allowed to happen to my girl... My fists curled, the knuckles popping and stretching as my dragon claws threatened to protrude.
“I came for information. You’d be wise to give it over.” My tone accepted no negotiation on this point, and her eyes widened as she stared at my flexing fists.
“What do you wanna know?” she asked, not taking her eyes from my hands but paling noticeably. G
ood. I wanted her afraid.
“You took something that didn’t belong to you. A ring.” I wasn’t asking; I was telling. “You’re going to tell me where to find it now.”
Her gaze darted up to my face as I stood, towering over her, and a small smile pulled at her wrinkled mouth.
“Boy, I’ve taken a great many things that didn’t belong to me. It’s part of the reason I’m here, you follow?” She looked at me with narrowed eyes. “You going to need to be more specific.”
Ice shot through my blood, and I knew my dragon was riding close to the surface. This mention that she was in jail for theft only served to infuriate me further. The slippery bitch had managed to weasel her way out of a much more serious sentence for child abuse and underage sex trafficking, but luckily the prosecutor had managed to slap her with a series of lesser crimes of theft and assault that had compounded to a life sentence anyway.
“A sapphire ring with an intricate gold setting. You took it from a little girl with fox-red hair.” My heart cracked at the thought of little seven-year-old Kit in the care of this vile creature.
“Ah, that little bitch,” Suzette spat, and her lip curled with a snarl. “More trouble than she was ever damn worth.”
My palms slammed down on the table with a bang that echoed like thunder, and I let my eyes meld with my dragon. Fury vibrated over my skin, and I let Suzette see in my eyes just how much shit she would be in if she didn’t answer me.
“The ring,” I snarled. “Where is it now?”
“R-Richard,” she whimpered, finally seeming to comprehend the danger she was in with me. “I left everything in my safe, and my boys said that Richard’s men came and cleaned it out. Held a gun to their heads and made them give over the combination. Said they were collecting a refund.”
“If you’re lying to me,” I growled, leaning in close. My eyes must have totally dragoned out as the room was in infinitely sharper focus than it had been a few moments ago.
“I’m not! I swear!” The pathetic excuse for a human began sobbing, and the distinct, acrid smell of urine reached my sensitive nostrils as she pissed herself.
“You’d better pray I don’t need to return here,” I threatened, turning and banging on the door to be let out. The woman said nothing as I left the room, and I stalked down the prison corridor with anger riding my every step.
How the fuck was I going to tell Vixen that the ring she needed for full control of her powers was in the possession of the man who had abused and traumatized her for two full years as a kid?
Richard Liath. Also known as Mr. Gray.
18
KIT
When I woke again, it was to the comforting smell of linen and feathers, and a smile crept across my face before I even bothered to open my eyes.
“What are you smiling at?” Wesley whispered, his breath feathering across my lips, and I knew he could only be inches away from me.
“I love waking up like this,” I whispered back, still not opening my eyes but not trying to hide my smile either. “I think I might need to start requesting cuddle buddies every night.”
Wesley had his arms around me, and one of my legs was hitched up over his waist. It was comfortable and warm and just downright cozy.
“I have no doubt the guys will be on board with that idea.” He snickered. “So long as I get dibs at least once a week.”
“Always,” I cracked my eyes open, and met his clear, blue gaze. Without his glasses obscuring his eyes, it always startled me just how blue they really were. “You look so different without your glasses,” I commented, stroking a lazy finger down the side of his face.
“Good different or bad different?” he asked.
“Neither. Just different.” I smoothed the tip of my finger across his eyebrow, then down his nose, like I was memorizing his face by feel.
“I was thinking I should start wearing contacts again. Just haven’t had a chance to see the optometrist with all the madness lately.” His soft lips curved into a lazy smile, and I smiled back.
“Why contacts?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“So my glasses aren’t getting in the way when I do this.” He leaned forward, closing the gap between us and kissing me. Butterflies erupted in my belly once more, and I tried not to pounce on him as he kissed me gently and deliberately.
“Hmm, that seems like a fair enough reason,” I murmured when we did finally separate from one another.
“How are you feeling?” he asked in a more serious tone. “You still look a little tired.” He swiped a thumb under my eye where there were undoubtedly dark circles. It was partly just due to how pale I was; the damn sleep bags showed up so easily.
“I could probably use a little extra magic top off, but it’s nothing I couldn’t fix with more sleep, I imagine.” I grinned and licked my lips. “Unless...”
“Well, I mean, it does seem only logical. After all, it takes nothing from us. I’ve consulted the guys, and they all agree that when they’ve, um, assisted in your recharge, they’ve suffered no side effects to speak of.” He had slipped back into scientific Wesley, and it really did just make me want him even more, if that was possible.
“You know, you’re a lot more confident about this than I gave you credit for,” I observed, running my hand down his naked chest and admiring his lean, muscled frame.
“Sweetheart,” he chuckled. “What do you take me for? A virgin?”
I paused, looking up at him and cocking my head in curiosity. “Are you?”
He grinned, but his only answer was to pull me back to him for another kiss. This time he wasn’t so gentle, and when my mouth opened to allow him access, he took charge.
My leg was already hooked over his waist, so it took little to no maneuvering at all for him to turn us so that I was on top and straddling his rock hard cock while he kissed the shit out of me.
“You remember that time I walked in on you and Caleb?” Wesley murmured, leaving my lips and kissing down my neck. Pushing up my borrowed sweatshirt, his hands smoothed up the sides of my rib cage until he reached my bra. It had only been a little blood splattered and I’d been able to rinse it out during my shower at Master Yoshi’s apartment, but now that I’d been sleeping in it for god knows how long, it was uncomfortable as shit.
“Um, yeah?” I gasped as his teeth scraped down the curve of my neck, and I ground my hips into his a little harder.
“You have no idea how badly I wanted to swap places with him. It’s all I’ve been able to think about for the last week.” He sucked a little patch of skin into his mouth, sending tingling shivers racing through me even though I knew it was leaving a mark. “And then when River interrupted us...”
“He’s got a talent for that,” I chuckled. As frustrating as it had been for River to interrupt my first real makeout with Wes, I also freaking loved when River was watching me. Fucking Christ, I was turning into a nympho.
Wesley pushed my sweatshirt up further, and I stripped it off, leaving me in my bra and borrowed sweatpants while half lying on top of Wesley, who wore nothing but a pair of tightly straining boxer briefs. My hands ran down his smooth chest, tingling with magic everywhere we touched, and he made a low noise of encouragement as my hands slid over his surprisingly toned stomach.
“You kill me, sweetheart,” he muttered, flicking the clasp of my bra open and tossing the garment aside.
“How so?” I replied, meeting his eyes with a flirty grin.
“Because,” he replied, cupping my breasts in his hands and eliciting a breathy gasp from me, “I was supposed to let the others know as soon as you woke up.”
“Mmm, so? We could still be sleeping.” I moaned a little as his fingers rolled my nipples and my belly quivered.
“Except you’re not.” Austin’s voice snapped somewhere in the direction of the door, and I froze.
Surely I was imagining that. Our luck couldn’t be that bad.
“The dragon can hear you, so everyone knows you’re awake.” Austin’s voi
ce wasn’t going away, despite my mental prayers that it would, and Wesley’s annoyed face confirmed it for me. I wasn’t imagining things. God fucking dammit!
“Seriously, Austin?” I snarled, looking over my shoulder at him leaning on my doorframe. “You couldn’t have just given us a few minutes of privacy?”
“No. I couldn’t. Move it into the living room; Alpha has news.” Austin held my angry glare, and my eyes narrowed. The earlier revelations of his and Caleb’s abilities to keep secrets had not escaped my memory, and seeing his dickish face was bringing that anger right back to the surface.
“Sorry, sweetheart,” Wes whispered. “I should have stopped sooner.” His hands were still closed over my breasts, hiding them from the view of our surly team member who seemed to have no qualms about maintaining my modesty. Well, fuck him, then.
“Not your fault, Wes.” I leaned back down and kissed him soundly. “To be continued... again.”
Swinging my leg over him, I very deliberately got out of bed on the side that was facing Austin, and planted my hands on my hips.
“A little privacy to get dressed, if you don’t mind?” I arched a brow at him, fully aware that I was being a brat, given my naked breasts were out and proud and my borrowed pants were riding dangerously low on my hips.
Austin’s burning gaze dipped to the exposed skin of my body, and for a tense moment, no one spoke.
“Aus, stop being an asshole,” Wesley muttered from the mess of bedding. “Just fucking leave, and we will be out in a sec.”
Austin took his sweet ass time returning his gaze to my face, and when he did, it was with an odd, almost pained expression. “Fine. Two minutes.”
He turned and left the room but didn’t bother closing the door behind himself. Asshole.
“Okay, let me get this straight,” I processed the information aloud. “The ring that Vic told Vali about, the one that all Ban Dia require in order to access and control their powers, that ring... you’re saying that Mr. Gray has it?”