by Jessie Lynn
Ava was in tears by the time she finished talking, and she found herself wrapped in Marie's arms. She let Marie hold her while she cried for a little. Ava needed to for some reason. She felt like her soul was grieving for whatever it was that was gone.
Ed couldn't believe what he was hearing. She remembered pieces of Rafe and without knowing everything, the pieces she did know were scaring her to death. She didn't understand that Rafe's drinking from her wasn't meant to be painful. It was going to be pure pleasure meant only for the two of them. When he drank from her while he was making love to her, it would be unlike anything either of them had ever felt before. She would come to crave his bite just as much as he would crave drinking from her. Rafe already knew how much drinking from a woman while he was taking her enhanced both their climaxes. What he didn't know was that was nothing compared to what it would feel like with his mate.
How the hell could she remember Rafe in the first place? Ed had personally stripped Rafe from her mind. He knew there was no way he'd fucked up at that. Shit he did it to humans all the time, so why was she different? Unless it had to do with them being mates, but Ed didn't know how there was any way that would affect his wipe. No matter the reason, this was not good. Ava was suffering badly. She wasn't supposed to suffer at all. Rafe was supposed to suffer like hell for what he did, not her. Shit! Ed was just about to leave when Ava started talking again.
"I know this is going to make me sound even crazier than I already do, but I swear I'm being followed. I have no proof, but I can't shake the feeling of being watched. And I swear the same car has followed me to our street the past two nights."
Double fucking shit!!! Ed thought he was going to explode right fucking now. Time to go find out how in the holy hell Rafe knew there was something going on with his girl if he didn't know who she was. And if the danger he was referring to was the vamp that's obviously following her. He went back outside to see if the peeper, now dubbed stalker, was still there. If the vamp was, he couldn't leave till the sun started to rise. Sure enough, when he got outside stalker was still there, so he pulled out his phone to call Dom. He figured Rafe had been through enough, he sure looked like hell. Almost as bad as his mate. Man Ed was gonna feel bad about her hurting for a long time. Probably the rest of his ridiculously long ass life.
Dom and the others had finally managed to knock Rafe out. It'd literally taken them giving him a tranquilizer to do it. They had managed to get him back to his apartment above Lair and had restrained him for when he came to using the real chains and restraints Rafe and Michael had. Which looked like it would be soon by the way he was starting to pull at his restraints. Well his happy drugs sure as hell didn't last long. Everybody was starting to get really worried. If the drugs weren't keeping him under, they weren't too sure the restraints would do much good either. They all agreed that if Ed made Rafe lose his mate, or if she got hurt cause of him, they'd all find a way to kill that fucking demon. His phone rang and he snatched it up. He looked at the ID on the screen and breathed for the first time in days it seemed.
"You better tell me really good fucking news demon."
"It's not great news, but I'm at the girl's place. She's alive and she's fine, but there's a vamp I don't know hanging around here. Did any of you do that?" Ed said.
Dom almost threw the goddamn phone against the wall. Fuck! How had the vampire found her?
"That's what Rafe was trying to tell you dammit!" He yelled back at the fire eater he was seriously growing to hate. "No we didn't have her follow Rafe's mate. We found out she was following Rafe when he went looking for you to get you to tell him his mate's name at least."
"Why has nobody told me any of this dammit?" Ed yelled back at Dom.
"We've been trying to find your sorry meddling ass for four fucking days! I've had the packs all over the world looking for you."
"That's bull shit and you fucking know it Dom. I talked to one of your pack members two days ago and he never told me anyone was looking for me. In fact, he told me he would tell you he'd talked to me. He also told me that you knew about what Rafe did and you were one hundred percent behind me on it. That..."
"Stop right there Ed. I was never informed you were found. I have been trying to call you, why have you not answered my calls?" Dom asked him. There was way more going on here than they originally thought. "Who of my pack did you talk to?" Dom would personally rip apart whoever it was that had betrayed Rafe and therefore Dominic himself.
"I haven't answered any calls because I haven't received any asshole. And the guy was one I haven't seen before. His name was Fred, or Frank, hell I don't fuckin know. If I saw him, I'd know him." Now Ed was fucking pissed. What in the hell was going on here? "Look Dom, I'm staying here at Ava's until the vamp leaves, I won't leave her or Marie alone to fend for themselves just in case. I don't know what the fuck is going on, but I can't leave these girls undefended now. They know nothing so their sitting ducks man. Rafe can get pissed at me all he wants..."
"No you stay with them I agree. I will keep Rafe calm for now. But Ed I'm telling you now, he can't go much longer without her. He's paid for what he did more than you or I can know. Tell me you have a way to ease him back into her life." Dom told Ed.
"Look from what I've seen of Ava tonight, she can't take much more of this either. I'm going to figure out how to get her back to him. But Dom, somethings up so neither one of them are safe, even if their together."
"I agree, but once we have them together, it will be far easier to keep them both safe. Rafe will insist on keeping her here at Lair where he knows even if he fails, whatever will have to get through all of us before it can get to her."
"You better be right about that wolf."
"Haven't you heard demon, I'm the alpha. I'm always right."
"Sure whatever you say alpha, I'll check in in a few. You keep Rafe from doing something stupid again."
"I will expect to hear from you every few hours." Dom hung up with Ed without another word.
Dom looked at Rafe again and finally felt a little ease. Ed hadn't run away, he'd gone straight to Rafe's mate. And whether he meant to, or not, he'd given Dom her name. Ava that was a very pretty name. He went over to Rafe and knelt down in front of him. Rafe was starting to move more and make noises. His head still hung limp on his shoulders, but he looked like he was trying to lift it. Dom could see the flex of his arms and legs too. He was already coming to, and at least Dom had some good news to give him. Hopefully it would help keep him calm until they could reunite him with his mate.
"Rafe can you hear me?" Dom asked him.
Rafe heard Dom talking to him. He was so damn groggy; he couldn't understand what he was saying at first. He tried to move his arms to rub some of the grogginess out of his head, but he couldn't. His head felt heavy when he tried to lift it in the direction of Dom's voice. What the hell? He was chained to a chair. How the hell did he get here? He started focusing more on what Dom was saying; still trying to move his arms and legs.
"Rafe can you lift your head? Can you look at me my friend?" Dom could tell Rafe was coming around. Good. He didn't want Rafe to be out of it in case something happened. He would never forgive them if he weren’t able to function because they had drugged him. "Rafe look at me."
Rafe was slowly coming back into reality and was starting to remember what happened. They had shot him with something cause he'd completely lost it when Ed disappeared. Yeah he didn't blame them for that. He didn't like it one bit, but he didn't blame them for doing what they had to calm him down. They had been out in the common part of the club, no telling how many people saw him freak out. Seems he was doing that a lot lately. He really needed to stop. Well he could if Ed would stop fucking around and just let Rafe go to his beautiful.
"Dom untie me right now." He said. His voice was hoarse from the drugs.
"I will soon my friend. I want you to listen to me for a minute first."
"Now Dom! Let me go right fucking now!" Rafe started to pull at
his restraints harder. He could feel the cuffs and chains digging into his wrists and arms. "Dom I will break these chains if you don't untie me now, and when I do I'll be even more pissed than I am now."
The others came back into the room after hearing Rafe yelling at Dominic. Marcus had another syringe in his hand, ready to knock Rafe out again. Dom held up his hand and shook his head to stop him when he started coming closer. Marcus looked like he was going to argue, but nodded his head instead. Rafe had his head up and was trying to focus on Dom at the same time he was trying to get free.
"Her name is Ava Rafe." Dom simply told him.
Rafe stopped. "What?" He wasn't quite sure what Dom was talking about. He couldn't be talking about Rafe's mate. Could he?
"Your mate Rafael. Her name is Ava and she's safe. Do you understand me Rafe?"
"She's here? Let me go I have to hold her!" Rafe wasn't even sure he heard right. Ava. Dom knew her name so they must have found her. He couldn't let her see him tied up like this; she would be even more frightened of him than she already was. "Dammit Dominic, let me go!" Rafe was really pulling at his restraints now. He broke the chair's back and that gave him more slack in the chains to get more leverage.
"Rafael, stop now and listen to me. I do not want them to sedate you again now stop!"
Dom was physically holding Rafe to the chair now. He could feel Marcus and the others behind him. Sloan wouldn't let them do anything unless Rafe managed to hurt Dom. Dom wasn't about to let that happen though so it didn't matter. Yes, Rafe was stronger than he normally was, even after being drugged, but he knew his friend was still in there. And he knew he could reach Rafe.
"Ava is not here. She will not see you like this. She does need you, so you need to pull it together and listen to me. Are you listening to me Rafael? "
Rafe knew Dom meant business. He only used Rafe's full name when shit was serious. Dom was the only one allowed to use it period, and really, Rafe never allowed him to do it. Dom being Dom just did and there was nothing he could do to stop him.
"Rafael answer me." Dom told Rafe again. He knew Rafe was listening, Rafe just needed to acknowledge to himself that he was listening to Dom.
"Yes I'm listening to you Dominic. How do you know my mate's name if she's not here? Where the hell is Ava then?" Ava. His beautiful's name was Ava. He finally had a name to call her other than mate or beautiful. She would always be his beautiful, but now he had a name for everyone else to call her. He would kill anyone who called her beautiful that was his alone. She was his alone. Thinking of her was bringing him back to life. He was more coherent already. He lifted his head and really looked at Dom finally. Dom gave him a big wolfish grin.
"There you are my friend. I know your mate's name because Ed told me whether he meant to or not." Rafe started to move more and lose his focus on Dom. "No, stop Rafael. You listen to me." Dom paused a minute to make sure Rafe did as he said again. "Ava is safe at home with her friend Marie. Ed went straight there when he realized you were telling him the truth. He will not leave them alone. Now I need you to come to your senses. Ava needs you to come to your senses."
Hearing Dom tell him Ava needed him made him sit up straight and force the drugs out of his system. Shaking his head and looking Dom square in the eyes he told him. "My mate needs me Dom, you need to let me go and take me to her." Dom just smiled at him again.
CHAPTER 17
Rafe would be okay. His good friend was back with them and ready to do whatever he had to save his mate. To bring her home for good. Looking over his shoulder at those closest to Rafe now gathered behind him he said.
"Sloan, Marcus help me untie Rafe."
Sloan moved to help immediately, Marcus looked at him and was about to argue. This was why Dom hated dealing with vampires. His wolves knew to move when he said to, vampires wanted to second guess his decisions and question him on everything.
"Marcus I do not like repeating myself. If you have a problem, then you can leave and let us deal with this. Rafe does not need those who do not truly want to help him." It was a low blow and Dom damn well knew it, but he didn't have the time or the patience to fight with the vampire.
Marcus narrowed his eyes at the fucking wolf who thought he could come in here and take the fuck over.
"You have no fucking clue what I have done and will do for my friend, my fellow vampire wolf." Marcus started to move to Rafe's side and stopped mouth hanging open. He looked at Dom, then Ethan, and then to Sloan. Nate wouldn't understand, he was way too young. Michael was already at Rafe's side releasing him. He was saying something to Rafe as he did. Holy shit!
"Easy Rafe. Take it easy my man I'm getting you outta this, just hold on. I'll help you get to your mate; I won't let them keep you from her anymore. Just give me a minute to get you outta this." Michael was saying to Rafe.
Everyone thought Michael was either crazy, or just seriously fucked. No one had ever tried actually talking to him though. Except for Rafe. The elders thought they could control him, that's the only reason they nominated him to be an enforcer. They thought because of his family, he could be easily manipulated. Too bad they were seriously fucking wrong. Nothing or no one would control him no matter what they thought they had that they could hurt him with. Michael was fucking floored when he passed the trials. That is until he found out why.
Even the supernatural community was afraid of him. As far as he knew, nobody liked him and that was fine with him. Until it came down to him not being an enforcer. He was pissed when he thought it would come down to a popularity contest. He had given up hope and resigned himself to losing the only thing that mattered to him. Until the mighty Rafe came up to him and asked for his help on a routine assignment. The golden boy of not only the people, but the Fates as well.
The elders never wanted Rafe to be nominated apparently. They knew he would always serve the people and never do what the counsel wanted if it harmed his precious community. Michael was going to tell him to go fuck himself like he did everyone else. He was tired of the petty bullshit. Michael had started to tell Rafe where he could stick it till the vamp got in his face and told him exactly where Michael could stick himself with the biggest grin on his ugly mug. Then Rafe had turned and walked knowing Michael would either follow, or he wouldn't. Rafe had called over his shoulder at Michael "The address is in your satchel. See ya there."
Michael really wasn't going to go. He'd even talked himself out of going several times. He had made his decision not to go finals and still he found himself at the address Rafe had given him when he had been heading to his favorite pub at the time. Michael got off his horse carefully checking to see what was going on all around him. He walked to the house; hand on his sword ready for anything. As soon as he stepped up on the porch, the door opened at the same time Michael had his sword out ready to decapitate the dumb ass opening the door like that.
Rafe had stuck his head out grinned a big shit eatin grin and told him to put the damn thing away. Then he turned around and for the second time that night walked away from Michael expecting him to follow. Which he did cause by this time he was just too damn curious not to. Rafe walked into a large living room and started introducing Michael to his family. Rafe hadn't needed his help with anything; he'd tricked Michael into having dinner with Rafe's family. At first, Michael was pissed until Rafe's parents showed genuine interest and concern for him. Rafe's younger brother and sister acted like star struck kids, which they were.
After that first night, Rafe's parents had personally invited him to several family functions. Hell, they practically adopted Michael. Rafe's parents being very influential vampires in the supernatural community started campaigning for Michael while they were campaigning for Rafe. When the trials were over Michael was with Rafe and his family when they got the news of who passed. Michael was floored to find out he was a League enforcer along with Rafe. Rafe's family celebrated both their successes. Later when Rafe was given his own team, he specifically asked for Michael. Michael knew everyon
e gave him shit about his choice, but Rafe had never changed his mind.
"Alright man just go easy, let's get you up slowly." Michael said to Rafe wrapping his arm under Rafe's and hauling him to his feet.
"Michael is she okay? Do you know where Ava is?" Rafe knew Michael wouldn't lie to him about it. After everything they had been through, he trusted the other vampire with his life and no matter what anybody else said, with the lives of the other League under his command as well.
"I don't know where your mate is yet, but I swear I will help you find her."
Michael looked up at the others gathered around Rafe. They all wore the same shocked expression. Of course, they were shocked. Rafe and his family were the only ones that looked past all the bull shit and bothered to find out that Michael really did have feelings and a heart. Go figure. He looked at each of them and told them.
"Either help me get him moving or get the hell out of my way."
Dom was the first to move and the others were right behind him. They managed to get Rafe over to a comfortable chair and got him drinking water. He was starting to act less drugged already and that made Michael not worry so much. Rafe finally looked up at them and talked.
"Somebody better start talking now." Rafe looked at the vampires and werewolves he considered his friends and prayed they would tell him good news. "Dom you said Ed is with my mate and her friend. Why doesn't he feel comfortable leaving them?"
"They are being watched by the vampire that was following you."
Rafe snapped his head back up. "What!" He tried to stand and almost fell flat on his damn face. Thank the Fates Michael was still by his side and caught him as he started going down. "Fuck! What the hell did you give me?" He asked no one in particular.