Act of Submission

by Mandy M. Roth

  Auberi winked. “He’s lying. I’m not really a friend so much as a work colleague. Most of the time he can’t stomach me or my kind. But then you came along and it would seem the kitty has had a change of heart.”

  “Auberi,” warned Boomer.

  Auberi shrugged. “She senses the vampire in me, but she doesn’t understand what she’s smelling. I was trying to lighten the mood.”

  Haven settled slightly. She tipped her head, still holding on to Boomer for dear life. “You’re a vampire?”

  She wasn’t sure what she thought a vampire would be like, but Auberi didn’t fill the bill. She’d always grown up believing they were like the old black and white movies. The ones where the vampire looked more like a giant, walking and talking bat than a human. Nothing about Auberi said bat. The guy was gorgeous.

  “I am,” replied Auberi. “And I’m told you are as well, at least to a certain degree. Enough that my help was sought.”

  She tugged at Boomer, needing to hear the words from his mouth. “Am I?”

  “You are. Small amount, but enough that Auberi’s skill set might come in handy,” said Boomer, something off in his voice. “He didn’t hesitate to come when he found out about you.” Boomer lowered his gaze. “There is more.”

  Auberi squared his shoulders. “You are sister to Harper Carey?”

  “I was, yes,” she said, tears wanting to come. “He’s why I came here.”

  Boomer held her hand tighter. “She came to avenge him.”

  “And you believe him dead?” asked Auberi.

  “I know he’s dead. I saw the murder scene. I smelled his scent there,” she said, this time giving in to the tears. Harper’s smell had been all over the area and the memory was burned into her brain.

  Boomer pulled her into a hug and then kissed the top of her head. She clung to him as if he were a lifeline. Without him, she wasn’t sure she’d hold it together. The irony of seeking comfort from the guy she’d first come to assassinate wasn’t lost on her.

  “And you believe that one holding you killed your brother?” asked Auberi, his accent thickening. Now he was sounding more and more like what she thought a vampire would sound like.

  “Yes.” The word no longer held conviction. Honestly, she wasn’t sure of much anymore. “I mean, probably.”

  Auberi grinned. “Yet you seek comfort from him.”

  “Stop,” said Boomer, his arms hugging her tighter, giving her much-needed support.

  “I am merely pointing out that she knows deep down her brother is not dead. That you, her mate, did not kill him,” said Auberi, his movements so oddly alluring, as if in another life he'd been a dancer. “The vampire in her knows death, it understands it, it is one with death. It knows it did not smell her brother’s death at the scene, but rather, it smelled the death of many others—and caught the scent of her brother’s presence.”

  Confused, Haven pulled away from Boomer somewhat. “What do you mean, Harper isn’t dead? Boomer killed him. Boomer and his friends attacked my brother because of what he is and that they tore him to tiny shreds.”

  Auberi offered a caring look, yet it felt oddly cold to her. Was it because he was a vampire or was it just the way the man was? “Do you know what Boomer does for a living?”

  “He’s some sort of mercenary for hire. He gets paid to go out and kill men and women working for the government. Those who are trying to help keep supernaturals in line while protecting humans,” she said, reciting what she’d been told almost verbatim.

  Boomer baulked. “Say what? Who the hell told you that?”

  Auberi laughed. “I believe this young one was fed a good deal of lies. Someone, Haven, spun the truth to suit their needs. In reality, Boomer, his team, and even my team, work to police supernaturals and try to protect the human race.”

  Her brow furrowed. “Then why attack my brother?”

  Auberi moved to the side of the room and he bent, withdrawing a folder from a laptop bag. He handed Boomer the folder first. Boomer opened it and flipped through the contents. When he closed his eyes, she felt his pain, his sorrow, and she knew it was for her.

  “Tell me,” she demanded.

  He looked to Auberi. “She’ll hate me and she’ll think I’m lying to her.”

  Haven snapped her fingers in front of Boomer’s face, gaining his attention. “No, she won’t.”

  With a long sigh, Boomer lifted one photo from the files and held it up for her to see. “Is this your brother?”

  It was Harper, and he was standing with a tall, buff, blond man she’d seen at the animal clinic she worked at just days before the emails and phone calls started. She nodded and reached for the picture. “That’s Harper! And that man with him came to the clinic I was doing my rotations at. He was strange. Didn’t have an animal with him or anything, but lingered around, staring at me before taking off.”

  Boomer closed his eyes, looking pained as he touched the photo. “The I-Ops will need told about this.”

  “Why?” asked Auberi.

  Boomer tapped the photo, at the blond. “We know him. Well. I-Ops need phoned. Right away.”

  Auberi shook his head. “They’re all out of reach right now. And to be frank, he’s not the problem. Harper is. Harper is the one who did what you see in those files.”

  Haven snatched the files from Boomer’s hands and began leafing through them. She touched the back of her hand to her mouth as she saw the devastation her brother had caused. There were countless photos and reports on humans being killed—slaughtered by Harper. And then she saw it, a picture of her brother in partial shifted form, but he looked different from what she remembered. He looked almost vampire-like.

  She gasped. “Ohmygod, what did he do to himself?”

  Auberi exhaled. “He has aligned himself with some bad men, Haven. Men who are engineering a race of super soldiers. Men who want to see humans as blood slaves to a master race of supernaturals. Your brother is part of that. He’s killing innocents at an alarming rate. We’ve been on his trail for nearly a month now. I believe those pulling his strings found out and that is why you were fed lies about the PSI-Ops.”

  “PSI-Ops?” she questioned.

  Boomer lifted his hand. “It’s what we are. Paranormal Security and Intelligence Operatives. Auberi is one too. Part of the Fang Gang, though.”

  Fang Gang?

  She gave Boomer a pointed stare. “You have something against vampires?”

  Boomer’s lips drew back. “Nope. Not a thing. Love ‘em.”

  Auberi burst into laughter. “This is almost too good to be true.”

  Haven wanted to laugh as well, but the reality of Harper’s crimes hit her hard. “My brother is a killer.”

  “He is,” said Auberi.

  “I don’t think we need to keep pointing that out to her,” pushed Boomer, his hand finding Haven’s. “She’s been through enough. She needs to rest.”

  “She needs to be moved to a secure location,” said Auberi, shaking his head. “Intel has turned up information regarding Pierre Molyneux’s interest in her. If we are correct, he will try to breed her. Females with enough vampire in them to be a threat and still be able to reproduce are extremely rare. She’s a gem to him. Knowing Pierre, he’ll probably put her through a series of tests first, to deem she is indeed worthy. We believe she was sent here as one test to see if she was strong enough to kill PSI-Ops. My guess is this is all part of that sick bastard’s game.”

  “She isn’t going anywhere!” shouted Boomer, jerking Haven as he did.

  She gasped and then moved to her knees, her hands finding the man’s jawline. “Boomer.”

  He kept glaring at Auberi, the violet in his eyes intensifying.

  “Miles,” she said, this time gaining his attention. She shook her head. “I’m not leaving your side right now. I can’t explain why. I just know that no one is prying me off you. Okay?”

  “Haven,” said Auberi, a tired note to his voice. “I know Pierre well. Very well. He
is sick and twisted. He will pit brother against sister. He will make you question your loyalties. And if I’m right, he has a hunch about you. He has always gotten them.” Auberi switched his focus to Boomer. “I’m guessing he knows deep down she’s important to you. He might even know she’s your mate. My maker could do much the same thing. It’s not totally unheard of for a vampire to have this ability. For over a year now Pierre and those he aligns himself with have been at least one step ahead of us. Somehow they’ve figured things out. Things we have yet to scratch the surface of.” He glanced sadly at Haven. “That was why he sent you to kill the man. He wanted to break your spirit and your mind. You’ll be easier to control that way. The perfect pet for his collection. And he’ll give you some stupid god name. He’s big on those.”

  “I wasn’t aware you knew Pierre personally,” said Boomer, his gaze on the vampire.

  Auberi swallowed hard. “We share a maker.”

  She wasn’t entirely sure what they meant, but she’d seen TV shows that centered around vampires and the vampire world. More and more the mythos on the shows was sounding spot on. Haven cleared her throat. “So, he’s like family to you?”

  Auberi nodded.

  “I’m sorry,” said Boomer, sounding genuine. “That can’t be easy.”

  “Knowing a man who should be a brother to me is an egotistical, sadistic son-of-a-bitch bent on world domination?” asked Auberi, before shrugging nonchalantly. “Just another day in the week.”

  Haven cracked a partial smile at his attempt at humor. “Hey, I just learned my twin is in cahoots with your blood brother. So I guess we can join the dysfunctional families ‘r us club.”

  Auberi winked. “Guess so. I’ve seen your test results. Let yourself be recruited by PSI and you can join the Fang Gang.”

  She laughed.

  Boomer grunted rather loudly. “No. She will not be joining you all.”

  Auberi touched his lip and pretended to be shocked. “Stunned. I’m just stunned.”

  Haven laughed more, feeling at ease with the man.

  “I tolerate him only for your sake,” said Boomer. “And, Auberi, thanks for the kitty litter, jerk off.”

  Auberi put his hands on the footboard of the bed and beamed. “Payback for the copious amounts of sunscreen you lot sent us.”

  “I wasn’t in on that,” said Boomer as he chuckled. “But had I known I’d have pitched in.”

  Her face muscles began to hurt from all the smiling she was doing. It had been a long time since she laughed. A long time since she found anything remotely funny. The banter between the men was lighthearted and much needed.

  “I have a question,” she said.

  Auberi offered a coy expression that bordered on super sexy. “Just one? Come on, my sweet, you can do better than that.”

  “Hit on my woman again and we’ll need a portable vacuum to get all your bits cleaned up out of here after I stake you,” warned Boomer.

  Auberi snorted. “The kitty is angry.”

  “Kitty?” asked Haven, and then recalled seeing Boomer partially shifting forms. “Jaguar?”

  He nodded. “I prefer panther.”

  “You would,” spouted Auberi. He looked to Haven. “Beautiful, ask your question of me.”

  She’d nearly forgotten her question. “You called me Boomer's mate,” she said, edging closer to standing up. “Why do you keep saying that?”

  Boomer touched her chin and then kissed her forehead lightly. “Rest now.”

  “No. I want to know why Auberi keeps calling me your mate,” she said, holding her ground. Her mind raced as she thought about the animal world. A world she was very familiar with. As it all lined up in her mind, she sucked in a huge breath and then plopped onto her bottom on the bed. “Holy crap.”

  Boomer offered a half-grin. “Surprise.”

  She stared him over. “Mother Nature set me up with Goth boy?”

  “Hey, I got a part-vamp,” he said, before lifting his hands and attempting to appear innocent. “Which I love. Love vampires. Love them.”

  “If the two of you are well, I’ll see myself out,” said Auberi. “Corbin and I have a few details to discuss.” He paused at the doorway. “I spoke with James already, but you should know, I recommended Haven be given weekly blood transfusions to help her. That should handle her cravings and keep the boogie man at bay. And, Kitty, don’t take her out into full sun for long periods.”

  “I won’t,” said Boomer softly. “And she won’t, either.”

  “He’s fierce. Sexy, isn’t it?” asked Auberi, licking his lower lip, tipping his head in Boomer’s direction as he spoke to Haven.

  Haven couldn’t hide her laughter at the look on Boomer’s face. She found herself easing off the bed and pressing herself to him, a man she’d only just met, yet felt she’d known a lifetime. From the moment she’d laid eyes upon him, she’d been fighting a baser pull to him, like a magnet. She didn’t want to fight it anymore. Didn’t want to keep the hate and rage she’d been holding onto. Not now. Not when all the truths she thought she knew fell to pieces around her.

  “Miles.” She rocked his body, forcing him to move too. “Stop. He’s just trying to get you going.”

  “The shifters are always so easy to bait.” Auberi chuckled as he left the room, singing some song in French as he went.

  Haven glanced up at Boomer and expected questions, conversation, something. She didn’t expect what she got. His lips crashing down onto hers. The kiss went from zero to sixty instantly and she clung to him, needing what he was providing—comfort.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Boomer couldn’t stop himself as he ravished Haven’s mouth. He’d been so worried about her. So afraid she’d reject him and send him away that he’d not been able to contain himself when she’d touched him. Knowing he’d not killed her brother lifted a huge weight from his shoulders. The shame he’d felt for an act he hadn’t been sure he’d even done had been massive.

  He lifted her off the bed, his lips still locked with hers. It was wrong. He knew as much. She’d had a lot thrown at her in a short period of time. He didn’t know much beyond she was trying to avenge her brother’s death and that had blown up in her face. It should have bothered him, the not knowing more details, but he didn’t care about them. Sure, he wanted to know her life story, but right now, he wanted her on a basic level. One that didn’t involve words.

  Her scent washed over him and he found himself wanting to be covered in it. He wanted to strip her bare and rub himself against her. It was a very cat-like thing to want to do. He didn’t care. His beast and the man were in total agreement.

  Mine.

  Boomer grabbed her wrists, and the fierce need in him to dominate his mate took hold. He had to be in charge. He had to set the pace. There was simply no other way around it. He skimmed his hands up her body, over her slender shoulders and then down her sides. He bunched the front of the scrubs she was in and continued to go at her mouth, savoring the taste of her lips on his.

  Her hands seemed to mirror his own, grabbing for whatever clothing she could find upon him, tugging at it, moving it, and running her fingers over his exposed skin. Her actions spurred him onward. He bent and eased his fingers into the tops of the pants she had on. The scrubs were such thin material that they were barely there. He could shred them with ease, but he didn’t. Scaring her wasn’t an option.

  Boomer locked gazes with Haven, the man in him demanding he pause to be sure she was willing to receive him. He searched her eyes for a sign. Any look that would tell him she wanted what was about to happen.

  When she unfastened the front of his pants and took hold of his erection, he took that as a go. The minute her fingers wrapped nearly all the way around his cock, Boomer shook, the need to come great. He took a deep breath and caught her wrist gently, his mouth breaking from hers a moment. “I’ll come if you keep touching me.”

  “Oh,” she said, her eyes wide. She licked her lower lip before setting her focus on
his cock. She ran her thumb over the silver studs in his shaft. “Your penis is pierced. A lot.”

  He nearly laughed at her wording. He had a ladder piercing with six barbells in it. They ran along the underside of his shaft. “Yes, my cock is pierced.”

  “Doesn’t that hurt?”

  “Yes, especially since I have a natural-born allergy to silver.” He placed his hand over hers, showing her how he liked to be stroked. Each time she ran her hand up and down his shaft, Boomer fought the urge to release.

  He grabbed her hand and paused. “Haven, does the silver hurt you?”

  “No. Not at all.”

  She slid down somewhat on the bed, her gaze getting closer to his groin. She was clearly making good on her threat to kill him. There was no explanation as to why she was submitting him to this sort of sweet torture. Her lips puckered a second before she licked the head of his cock.

  Holy hell! She looked like she was doing something as innocent as licking an ice-cream cone, not driving him to the point of nearly losing himself and his seed all over her face. Did the woman really have no idea what she was doing to him?

  Boomer jerked in place. “Damn! I’ll come. I want to come in you, Haven.”

  She nodded, her focus on his cock still. “If the silver burns you, why do you have so many piercings? Your ears? Your lip? Your penis? Am I missing some?”

  “You are. I have more.” He stiffened, wondering if the truth would chase her away. He couldn’t lie to her. “I like the pain. I get off on it.”

  Bewilderment crossed her face. It was replaced quickly by something akin to sadness. He didn’t want her pity. He just wanted her.

  “Haven.”

  “Miles,” she returned softly, and even her voice made him want to come. She licked the top of his cock again and then planted tiny kisses on each of his cock piercings. Looking up at him, she smiled softly. “Maybe someday that won’t be the case. Maybe someday you’ll find pleasure from pleasure.”

  He already was with her. She was being so very gentle with him and he had never been hornier. Never wanted to fuck so bad in his life. And he wanted to do the unthinkable. He wanted to spend his seed in her. Something he’d fought hard to never do to another—even when many sexual choices had been out of his hands. But he wanted to spill himself into her. He wanted to know his cum bathed her womb. That she could possibly carry his child.