RAFE'S LAIR

by Jessie Lynn

  Ava started beating and struggling against the man holding her. She had to get to Rafe. She didn't care at this point what he was all that mattered was that he was alive.

  "Let me go! I have to find Rafe." Ava yelled.

  Rafe heard Ava yelling and that brought him back into reality. He hurt all over and was covered in shit. He started digging his way out as he started hearing more voices. Sloan and Nate's were the closest to him.

  "Rafe can you hear me man?"

  Rafe managed to push a big ass piece of something off him and called out to them.

  "Whoever's got Ava upset better let her go now. I'm really not in a good mood here guys." Rafe grated out.

  Ava heard Rafe's voice as she saw his head start to peek through the pile of debris. The guys that had been digging looking for him went straight for him and finished pulling him out. They picked him up and started helping him limp towards her and the others. She was damn sick of people restraining her so she stomped on the foot of the guy that was currently holding her as hard as she could. She was quite sure it didn't hurt him in the least, but it startled him enough to let her go. The second he did, she ran straight for Rafe.

  Rafe saw Ava come barreling towards him and he braced for the impact. She jumped straight into his arms and held on for dear life. He buried his face in her hair and held her just as tightly. He felt her shaking so he kissed her neck and tried to pull back to look at her. He smoothed back some of her hair as he spoke to her.

  "Ava baby. Are you okay? Look at me beautiful. Are you hurt?"

  Rafe tried to lift Ava's face up to look at him, but she just shook her head and held on tighter.

  "Ava your scaring me tell me where your hurt baby." Rafe said getting really worried.

  "I'm going crazy Rafe. Tell me none of this really just happened. Tell me we're in bed and I've just been having a really bad dream about psycho midgets and vampires and devils on fire and buildings blowing up." Ava blurted out sobbing. She finally had enough and just broke down. She was allowed to dammit! She'd kept it together really friggin good up until now so she was allowed to have a break down now that it was all over. And if anyone didn't like it, they could just go to hell.

  "Shit!"

  Rafe picked up his mate and carried her outside to Dom's waiting car. Ed was in the front seat and he didn't look so good. Rafe gently put Ava in the car and sat beside her, immediately pulling her into his lap. He looked at Ed.

  "What the hell happened to you asshole?" He asked.

  "Oh you know nothin much, just decided it'd be fun to act like your own personal demon shield while you’re crazy ass sister thought you'd look much better with a few bullet holes in your chest." Ed replied.

  Ava squeaked and curled tighter into Rafe. He wrapped his arms around her pulling her closer into his chest and glared at Ed.

  "What? You asked." Ed exclaimed raising his hands in the air.

  Dom got in the car and looked between Ed and Rafe. Ava had her head buried in Rafe's shoulder and he was pretty sure she was damn close to cutting off his wind pipe she had her arms wrapped around his neck so tight. Rafe was glaring at Ed as he stroked Ava's back.

  "Are you fucking kidding me?" He exclaimed. "Are you two acting like children again? I swear I will kick both of you out of my car and you can find you own way home if you don't grow the hell up and stop this shit. I will not have you distressing Ava any more than she already is. Now stop so I can get her out of here."

  Ava lifted her head only a little. "Thank you." She said in a ridiculously small voice and buried her face back in Rafe's neck. She felt the car start moving and felt only a little better now that they were finally getting the hell out of here.

  CHAPTER 37

  Michael pushed himself up off the ground and made his ass get up and go after what he now knew was Rachel. He had to find out what the hell was wrong with her that made her start all this shit. Not to mention, he'd already lost her once. He sure as hell wasn't going to lose her again.

  Rachel ran straight for the car she had stashed just for this very reason. She knew Michael had been following her, but all she had to do was make it to the car and she'd be home free. She was coming close to the alley when Michael tackled her to the ground.

  Michael latched onto Rachel and tackled her, turning before they hit the ground to cushion her impact with his own body. He sure as hell felt the impact though, especially after being thrown off the damn building by her awesome little bomb. He may be really fuckin pissed, but he'd be damned if he let his mate get hurt. She immediately started fighting him even before they hit the ground.

  "Rachel stop baby!" Michael grated out as he struggled to hold onto her.

  "Let go damn you!" Rachel screamed back to him as she continued fight.

  Rachel reared back and hit him square in the nose with her head. Michael's eyes blurred with the water now filling them from the pain, but he wouldn't loosen his grip on his mate. She was screaming louder now and if she didn't stop she would attract a whole lotta attention they didn't need.

  "Rachel if you don't stop this shit right fuckin now, I'm going to paddle your little ass."

  Hell he may even do it on principle for giving him this much grief. He was quite sure he had more than a few broken bones, and she just added his nose to the list.

  Rachel did not want to think about how hot that sounded. She had to remember she hated him. She had to remember that Michael didn't want her like she wanted him, no matter how hard she wished that wasn't true. He didn't need a mate and he wouldn't make time for one ever. She was quite sure he was going to take her into custody and then turn his back on her.

  "Hey what the hell is going on back here?"

  Fuck! This is exactly what he didn't need. Michael glanced up to see that the intruder was a cop. dammit! He whispered to Rachel.

  "Don't you dare make a scene baby. I'm warning you, I will add more to your punishment than a spanking."

  He released her, and spoke to the officer. "Nothing officer, we were just playing around. Weren't we baby?"

  Rachel scrambled up and immediately moved away from Michael. She had to put some distance between them. She was quite sure he could tell exactly how much he affected her.

  "Actually, we were having a fight. I don't want to press charges or anything, but I'd like to go home without having to deal with anymore tonight. If that's okay with you sir." She told the officer not daring to look at Michael. She could feel his eyes burning into her and the tension pouring off him. She knew he was already pissed and she just pissed him off even more by disobeying him.

  "You’re sure he hasn't hurt you?" The cop asked her.

  "Rachel." Michael growled in warning. His little mate would definitely pay for this one and he was going to thoroughly enjoy doling out her punishment. He knew it would take him all damn day too and neither one of them would be able to move afterward. There was no way she would be able to run from him then. Not that she would want to after he got his hands on her. He'd been waiting a long damn time to have her, to hold her.

  "No sir he hasn't hurt me. Like I said I just want to go home and deal with this in the morning after we've both chilled out."

  The cop nodded his head. "Alright you go ahead and go home; I'll make sure he doesn't follow you."

  "Thanks officer."

  Michael moved then. He went straight for Rachel, he was not about to lose her again. Before he got to her, the cop got in his face.

  "I suggest you back off son. I will take your ass in even if she doesn't want to press charges."

  "I'm not your fucking son; now get out of my way." Michael said trying to push around the cop as Rachel took off running.

  "You mouthing me?"

  Ethan came up behind the cop and tapped him on the shoulder. When the guy turned around, he smiled and tranced him. The cop shook his head to clear the sudden fog.

  "Who are you? What's going on here?" He asked

  "Well you and I were having a great conversation about
the night we just had over at the Meat Locker. And about how your secret is totally safe with me good buddy." Ethan said grinning like a fool and slapping the guy on the shoulder. "Dude those dancers you banged were fucking hot as hell. You are a wild man my friend."

  "Ethan you asshole." Michael turned the cop around and tranced the fool again. "Thank goodness we found you officer. We just saw a fight over on Elm. The guy was getting jumped by four guys and looked like he was in bad shape. He needs your help right away."

  "Shit! Thanks." The cop said taking off towards Elm calling for back up.

  "Man my story was better. You should have let me go with it. I wonder how long it would have taken him to fess up to his wife."

  "Did you ever think he might try to go after Dom for his dancers getting too friendly with the patrons?" Michael asked.

  Ethan tapped his chin. "Ooo your right that would have been way more fun. Dom would have torn him to pieces for fucking with his club."

  "And when he found out it was you who got the cop going, he would tear you apart too. Now that I think about it, I should have let you go with it."

  "Whatever asshole. You'd miss me and you know it. What the hell are you doing over here anyway?"

  "I was going after Rachel and had her too before that fucking cop got in the way."

  Ethan's jaw dropped. "Wait! What? You mean Rafe's sister Rachel? Dude she died with their parents in the crash. You sure it was her and you didn't hit your head or something?"

  "Did Rafe not tell you?" Michael asked curious now.

  "No man. I helped get Ed in Dom's car and saw you take off this way. After Rafe got Ava in the car with him, I came to make sure you were good."

  "Fuck! What's wrong with Ed?"

  "Dumb ass thought it'd be fun to get shot the hell up and then lose control of his human form in front of Ava." Ethan told him. "How did you not know any of that? You called for backup didn't you?"

  "I was on the roof when the bomb went off and got thrown off the damn thing. I went after Rachel when I saw her as soon as I could move. Are they okay?"

  "Damn. Yeah they're fine. Ed will live, although I am so gonna give him shit for losing his form in front of Ava. You think Rachel was trying to kill Ava and Rafe?"

  Michael shook his head. "I don't know, but I intend to find out when I find her." Michael looked at Ethan. "Tell Rafe I've gone after her and I'll find out what the fuck is wrong with her."

  "Dude come back with me and we'll figure out a plan and we'll all help. Rafe can take her to trial if she's guilty."

  Michael slammed Ethan into the wall baring his fangs. "She will not go to trial and I will not let any of you near her. Do you understand me? I will kill you if I even think you’re coming after her."

  "Holy fucking shit! Is she yours?" Ethan asked.

  Michael was a crazy mofo anyway, but he just went all vamp mate crazy at the mention of Rachel going to trial. Well paint him blue and call him Papa smurf. Wasn't this some shit? First Rafe finds his mate and now Michael had his all along. They just thought she was dead. That did explain some of why Michael was so fucked up actually.

  Michael slammed him back into the wall again. "Do. You. Understand. Asshole." Michael asked again right in Ethan's face. He didn't want to have to kill the shit head, but he would if he threatened Rachel's safety again.

  "Yeah I got ya man. Your mate is off limits. No prob. What do you expect me to tell Rafe though?"

  "You tell him I'll take care of her." Michael said and took off to find the only woman he'd ever loved.

  "Riiiight. This has got to be the most fucked up year ever. Good luck dude. Better you than me bro." Ethan said to the back of Michael's retreating form.

  CHAPTER 38

  Rafe carried his still shivering mate into their room and laid her down on their bed. She stayed curled in a tiny ball. Shit she was still in shock. She hadn't said another word after they left the warehouse and he was growing more worried about her every second. He brushed her hair from her face and kissed her head. He needed to get her calmed down so they could talk about what she'd just seen. He needed to make sure she wasn't afraid of him. And he had to make her understand what they were to each other and what he was before he lost her for good.

  "Every thing’s okay now beautiful. I'm going to draw you a bath and I'll be right back to help you into it." Rafe told her as he started to move away.

  Ava jumped up and reached for him. "No don't leave me alone! Please she could be here and she's crazy. She'll hurt you. She'll make them kill you. We have to do something."

  "Ava, baby come here." Rafe said pulling her into his arms to get her to stop. "You’re safe. I swear I won't let anything happen to you beautiful." Rafe said.

  Dammit Ava was more freaked than he thought. She was breaking his heart and he was about to lose it too if he didn't get her to relax soon so he could hold her. He picked her back up and carried her into the bathroom with him. He sat her down on the side of the tub and reached over to start filling it up. Rafe found some bubble bath and salts and poured them in, then turned back to Ava and started helping her out of her clothes.

  Ava grabbed onto Rafe's arms to stop him. "Rafe are you even listening to me? She doesn't want to hurt me, she wants to kill you. We have to make sure she can't get to you again! She'll get them to take you away from me, Rafe. Please we have to do something. It's not safe for you here."

  Ava was starting to get hysterical again. Rafe wasn't listening to her and that crazy midget was out there somewhere. Ava couldn't bear the thought of something happening to Rafe again. This time they might not be so lucky and get away. She could feel her heart start pounding again and tears burning her eyes.

  "Ava stop. Look at me baby." Rafe said grabbing a hold of her face. "Nothing is going to happen to me beautiful. I promise you. We're both safe now." Rafe kissed her forehead again. "Baby let's take a bath and just relax a little. We'll both feel much better after we do."

  "You'll stay here with me?" Ava asked.

  "Oh yes beautiful. I'm going to hold you the entire time okay."

  Ava bobbed her head yes and lifted her arms to let him take off her shirt. Rafe shed their clothes fairly quickly, picked Ava up, and stepped in the huge tub settling her back against him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close resting his cheek on the top of her head. When he felt her body relax against him and she gave a contented purr he kissed her temple and picked up the soap and started washing her.

  "Ava? Baby we have to talk about what just happened earlier."

  "You have a crazy sister that wants to kill you and there's apparently some cult League thingy that wants in on the action. What else is there to talk about?"

  Rafe smiled. Chuckling he picked up one of her legs to wash it. "No baby that's not totally what I want to talk about and you know it."

  Ava grabbed Rafe's hand to stop him. "There has to be an explanation to what I saw Rafe. You can't expect me to believe that vampires actually do exist."

  Rafe sighed this was not going good at all. Ava was in denial of what she saw and he really didn't know how to ease her into the truth. He decided the best thing to do is just throw everything out there and hold on tight to her while she processed it all. Then pray he didn't lose her afterward. Taking a deep breath, he jumped in.

  "My name is Rafael Di Luciano and I was born in Verona Italy in 1652. My parents were Ricardo and Elena Di Luciano and they were nobility at that time and governed our lands until we moved here to the States after my sister was born. We have a beautiful villa still there today, though I haven't been back since I lost my family. I had a younger brother Roman and you met my sister Rachel."

  Rafe rinsed Ava's soft skin savoring the feel of her delicate weight leaning against him. He was paying close attention to how she was handling this news. So far, she stayed resting against him letting him gently wash her. He waited to see if she would say anything yet and when she didn't. He continued.

  "My family have always been vampires, thoug
h back then we weren't feared and didn't have to hide what we were. I didn't know my grandparents so I can't tell you what they were like. Their caravan was raided while they were traveling and my grandfather was caught out in the daylight. My grandmother died shortly after. But from what I don't know. I can tell you my family goes back farther than written records, though most of our linage has been lost over the years. I do know that my grandmother was human and that's why she was able to survive the sun. But from what I know most of us are born vampires."

  "Only pieces of the stories you've grown up hearing are true. Yes, a vampire can turn a human, but it is very difficult and isn't attempted often. There are more of us than you might think and I've only met very few who were once human in the many years I've been on this earth. Obviously, we can't go out in the daylight. Although the older we get, the more we can tolerate some sun. We do have to drink blood, but we don't have to kill to do it. It is actually against the laws to do so and again the older we are, the less we have to do it."

  Ava stopped him then. "I saw you eat real food though."

  "Yes, but real food as you put it, can only partially sustain us though." Rafe waited for her to say something more.

  Ava was trying to make sense of all this. He expected her to believe that he was over three hundred years old and that he was a real vampire. That his whole family are vampires except his grandmother that he never knew. This had to top the cake of crazy ass shit happening to her.

  "Like I said we have laws to keep everyone safe, humans and supernaturals alike. We don't kill as a general rule. But like there are some humans who enjoy killing, there are those of us who start too as well. We have officers if you will who watch over our people to stop those that do."

  "The League." Ava said.

  "Yes the League."

  "And your apart of this League?"

  Rafe pushed some of Ava's hair to the side bringing her closer to him. He needed to be surrounded by her sweet scent as he faced this part of his past again. He brought one of her hands up to his mouth and kissed it. Saying his next words against her fingers.