by Unknown
His mate’s sweet hissing reached out to Viktor, and he knew he could not put off claiming Kai much longer. “Mmm…and what’s so bad about that?”
“I want to…oh…oh, Viktor…when you’re inssside me…”
Viktor’s blood turned into molten lava as he lost what little composure he’d managed to preserve. His mind became a frenzy of desire, and all he could think about was taking his mate, permanently marking Kai as his own with his seed. He fumbled at the nightstand, sighing in relief when he found the familiar tube of lube.
Viktor coated his fingers with a generous amount of the slick liquid and urged Kai to spread his legs farther. Licking his lips at the sight of Kai’s pretty pink hole, he vowed that one of these days he’d worship it with his tongue. Right now, he needed to be inside his mate so badly it hurt.
Viktor slipped his fingers, one by one, inside his mate, thrusting them in and out of Kai’s body. Mewling, Kai moved with him, fucking himself on the invading fingers. Finally, Viktor could no longer resist the sight of Kai’s passion, and he replaced his fingers with his shaft.
Slowing pushing inside, Viktor cursed at the sensations that overwhelmed him. Kai’s passage gripped him tightly, like a fist. Taking a deep breath, he struggled to remain still so that Kai’s body would have time to adjust to his length. Kai didn’t have such restraint though. He impaled himself on Viktor’s manhood, giving him a pleading look.
“Please, now…”
The dam keeping Viktor’s desire in check broke, setting his lust free. He growled as his forceful thrusts hit Kai’s prostate. His mate’s body writhed beneath him, Kai’s head thrashing on the pillows. The bed creaked when Viktor increased the pace, pulling incoherent pleas from Kai’s mouth.
Viktor continued to thrust into Kai’s hungry entrance faster and faster, harder and harder, until pleasure bordered on pain. His mate’s nails dug into his back, and Viktor reveled in the knowledge of having those small half moons upon his skin, marking him. Kai’s desperate pleas intensified with each second that passed.
No longer able to withstand the incredible pleasure, Viktor sunk his teeth in his mate’s neck. Sweet, hot blood invaded his mouth, and all of the sudden Viktor could feel Kai’s emotions passing through his mind’s eye. Kai’s fears, remorse, regret, and ecstasy entwined with his own, weaving a protective web around them. He saw flashes of a long forgotten past, images telling of a sorrow buried deep inside, memories of pain, hatred, and guilt. A slideshow of memories passed through his mind’s eye as his mind connected to that of his mate. Blood and pain, death and hatred, hurt and longing, so much emotion it overwhelmed him. For one incredible moment, flashes of their pasts, feelings of the present, and hopes for their future became one integrated thought as they came together in the most perfect orgasm of Viktor’s life.
Breathing hard, Viktor collapsed at his mate’s side, pulling Kai close. Emotions and sensations warred in his mind and body, the afterglow of orgasm mixing with the primal delight of having claimed his mate. His wolf rumbled in satisfaction, and Viktor squeezed Kai tighter to his chest. He’d seen Kai’s mind, and Kai had seen his. Nothing could possibly separate them now.
The same thing seemed to be on Kai’s mind, because he turned into Viktor’s embrace and gave him a serious look. “Well, then? Now you know who I am. Do you still—?”
Viktor brushed a lock of hair out of his mate’s face and smiled. “Shh…. You don’t have to take responsibility for what your family forced you to do.”
“But I—”
“You had no choice but to live the way you did, and I’m thankful for it.” Viktor softly caressed the nape of Kai’s neck in an attempt to calm his mate down.
“How can you say that? I killed people. I…” Kai shook his head violently. “Yes, Jamari and the others pushed me into it, but in the end, it was all me.”
Viktor silenced Kai’s words with another kiss. “It doesn’t matter, pretty. Not anymore. It’s all in the past,” he murmured against Kai’s lips as his mate melted into his arms.
Now, more than ever, Viktor wanted to make Kai understand how special he was, but they didn’t have time. Sighing, he hugged Kai tightly, wishing they didn’t have to face Sasha and the pack, wishing they could just be together freely.
“We still have to deal with the present, don’t we?” Kai softly inquired, echoing Viktor’s own thoughts.
“Yes, pretty, we do,” Viktor answered briefly. Stealing another peck, he got up from the bed and went to the bathroom. Returning to the bedroom with a wet cloth in hand, he cleaned himself and his mate before retrieving two outfits from his closet. His clothes would probably look ridiculous on Kai’s slender frame, but for now, they would have to do.
“Right now, facing my people is impossible,” Kai said with a frown as he swiftly dressed.
Already hating the clothes covering Kai’s body, Viktor agreed with a nod. “That’s true, pretty. But my father’s been a thorn in my side for too long. Once we take over the pack and get rid of the rotten apples, we’ll be fine. ”
Kai seemed to consider this for a second. The second passed, and Kai beamed, wrapping his slender arms around Viktor’s waist and hugging him tight. Yes, everything would be all right as long as they were together and no one would ever be able to part them. No matter what.
Chapter Four
They moved quickly and efficiently. In five minutes, Viktor had managed to secure the most important items in his house: the papers from his safe and a gun he rarely used. Kai also scanned the house and took a small, sharp knife from the kitchen, claiming he preferred to be prepared for anything that might happen.
Heading towards the broken alarm, Viktor attempted to fix it. After several failed attempts, Kai pushed Viktor away, smiling and muttering under his breath about incapable werewolves. It was endearing, and it made Viktor feel a little more optimistic about what he needed to do.
The garage door opened with a smooth sound as they climbed into Viktor’s blue truck. In spite of the fact that he preferred his bike as a mode of transport, Viktor did own a Chevrolet Silverado. He knew it wasn’t the beautiful sports car preferred by most, but it suited his needs. On this particular occasion, the Silverado proved to be particularly useful, especially seeing as his bike remained out for the count.
Reversing into the cool evening air, he realized the violent torrential rain from earlier faded to a drizzle. As they drove, the dented metal and broken glass of the buildings and vehicles around them reminded Viktor of how cruel nature could be. Ice pellets on the ground crunched beneath the wheels of the car as they drove over them. It was almost unnerving to see how the world practically disappeared under the onslaught of nature. Viktor had too much on his mind to really care about that.
His mate seemed to have lost himself deep in thought again, his eyes distant and vacant. “You were supposed to be my last kill,” Kai whispered almost inaudibly. The comment came so out of the blue that Viktor almost jumped in reaction to it.
“Jamari promised me that if I killed you, he’d let me leave the Guild. I have wanted to leave the Guild for so long it seemed like a dream come true, and I was so close to achieving it. But I couldn’t do it.”
Kai seemed so frustrated it made Viktor’s blood chill in his veins. His inner wolf knew that Kai had been a killer and didn’t care, but it didn’t change the fact that there were still things between them, things that needed to be talked about, sorted out.
“Are you sorry for that?” he whispered, unable to keep the hurt from his voice.
“Of courssse not. How can you sssay that? ” Kai’s gold-onyx eyes glared at him filled with heated fury, and Viktor’s inner wolf stirred, yearning to stoke a fire of an entirely different nature. Before he could act on the impulse surging within him, Kai’s shoulders slumped and his voice turned broken and dejected. “I jussst…I jussst wish thingsss were different.”
Yet again, Viktor found himself struggling to find words of comfort. Unlike in Flame’s case, they some
how came, flowing from the love he felt for his mate. “Kai, it’s all right. We’re together now. I won’t ever—”
“No! I’m not sssorry I killed him, Viktor. He murdered my mother and ate her alive when I wasss only ten. Did you know that? But now that Jamari isss dead by my hand, the whole Asssassinsss’ Guild will go againssst usss.”
Viktor suppressed a shudder, fighting the images brought on by Kai’s little speech. What the hell had his poor mate been through? He glanced away from the road and stole a small kiss from Kai’s sweet mouth. “We’ll find a way, pretty,” he murmured against Kai’s lips. “You’ll see. Let’s just tackle one problem at a time, all right?”
Kai turned his surreal black and gold eyes on him and smiled gently. “Yes. One problem at a time.”
* * * *
Even as he smiled at his mate, Kai knew Viktor was being naïve. Problems didn’t disappear just because you willed them away. Things wouldn’t be all right if you simply told yourself they would be. Viktor would soon see that for himself.
Kai hated lying to Viktor, but he had no other choice. He wanted to help Viktor ensure his position in the pack and then he could disappear and leave Viktor’s life forever. He hated the thought, but in the end, it would be in Viktor’s best interest. He would treasure his memories with his mate forever. Memories. A few hours together, one night of love, a few stolen moments of passion never again to be experienced. Perhaps Viktor would even believe their connection had only been a lie, that Kai wasn’t even his true mate.
Something inside Kai rebelled against the thought. He wanted Viktor to know how he felt, to at least acknowledge the fact that Kai did indeed care about him. It was foolish and immature, but Kai couldn’t help it.
“Viktor?”
“Yes, pretty.” Viktor looked away from the road to give him a concerned look. “What’s wrong?”
Kai opened his mouth to finish his confessions, but found that he could not. “Nothing,” he said instead. Declarations of love would be pointless. The end result would be the same and digging deeper into emotions could only make the heartache worse. He gave Viktor another small smile and concentrated on just taking in his mate’s presence. He would dwell on the pain of separation later. For now, he would just live these few hours he still had at Viktor’s side and ensure his mate found his rightful place in his pack. He would worry about the rest later.
* * * *
The rest of the journey was silent, the city fading as they reached the edge of it, heading towards the grove. At some point along the way, Kai leaned his head against Viktor’s shoulder, his pale hands tracing invisible patterns on Viktor’s thighs. Viktor took advantage of Kai’s closeness to sneak light soft kisses onto his skin, still marveling at how cool it felt beneath his touch. It was a reminder of the difference between them, a reminder of the many things they still needed to fight. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered but the fact that they were together. Besides, he looked forward to making Kai warm.
All too soon, they arrived at the edge of the forest that shielded the pack land. Viktor didn’t know if his father would still be there. Taking into account the sudden rain, he suspected his pack had probably opted to shift and find shelter somewhere in the neighboring caves. Such places were abundant in the forest, and Viktor hoped he wouldn’t have too great a difficulty getting the pack together. He needed to have everyone present to confront his father.
Kai’s voice interrupted his train of thought. “It’s really beautiful here,” he noted as they climbed out of the vehicle.
Viktor nodded, a smile spreading on his face. “It is. I love to spend time around here, alone, when the rest of the pack isn’t around.”
Kai grinned cheekily at him. “Alone until now.”
Viktor leaned over to steal a kiss. “Yes. Until now.” Reluctantly separating their bodies, he made a conscious effort to focus on the issue at hand. “It’s this way.” He pointed in the direction of their meeting grove, gesturing for his mate to follow. Kai did, moving soundlessly behind him. Viktor felt grateful to know that his mate could defend himself if need be.
They remained cautiously silent after that, knowing that the area could be teeming with enemies. Viktor stopped when he heard sudden movement coming from the direction of the grove.
A black wolf emerged from the bushes, fur stained with blood, bearing signs of violence. Kai tensed, readying himself for attack, but Viktor shook his head in denial. Viktor would know this black wolf anywhere and this was not an enemy.
As expected, the black wolf shifted, the magnificent animal gradually turning into a tall, muscular African American man. Viktor frowned at the sight of the wounds covering Flame’s body. He had a sinking suspicion that he knew what caused them.
Before he could ask, Flame started to speak. “Viktor, they know. They know you escaped. Somehow they found out I helped you.”
Viktor felt anger rise in his chest at the confirmation of his suspicion. “Not to worry,” he answered, his voice a low growl. “They won’t be a concern for much longer.”
A gentle hand on his shoulder stopped him in his tracks. “Viktor, they’ll be expecting you to come,” Kai pointed out in protest. “It’s too dangerous!”
“I don’t care,” Viktor snapped. “This ends now.” The werewolf winced at the shadow of hurt that passed through his mate’s eyes. He took Kai’s hand, squeezing it gently. “I have to do this. For me, for us, for Flame, and for the pack. Please, beautiful…”
Kai nodded miserably. “Okay, then. But I’m going with you.”
They walked in silence, back the way Flame had come. The black werewolf joined them on their path, thankfully keeping any comments regarding Viktor’s decision to himself. Viktor only hoped he’d made the right choice and wasn’t leading them all to certain death.
All too soon, Viktor heard the familiar sound of wolf paws against the forest floor. The sound stopped as the two groups met. The pack of werewolves—his pack—shifted one by one into human form, giving the trio looks that varied from outright disdain, to fright and pity.
“So, the prodigal son returns,” Sasha noted, a smug smile on his lips. “I see you’ve taken to hanging out with rogue assassins.”
“And I would wonder, Sssasha Petrovic, how you would know that I am asssasssin in the firssst place,” Kai hissed at the Alpha before Viktor even had a chance to answer.
Kai looked completely cool and composed. However, Viktor could read Kai’s anger in his demeanor and voice. He suppressed a grin, pride swelling in his chest at the evidence of his mate’s loyalty and strength. Even so, he knew that this was his fight, and he couldn’t allow Kai to interfere.
“Let it be known this day that my father, together with Jessica, arranged my assassination in the most dishonorable of manners,” he boomed, his voice so loud in the silence of the forest it seemed almost deafening. “I only managed to defeat his vile ploy with my mate’s help. This stops here, now!”
No one even attempted to challenge his claim. Viktor had no reason to invent such a terrible fact, and they all knew it. Sasha himself didn’t even try to deny it. Instead, he spat at Viktor’s feet and proceeded to point out the connection between him and Kai. “Viktor has shamed the pack! You heard it yourself. He is mated with this man, with this thing. We cannot bear this abomination.”
Sasha’s assessment of their relationship apparently bothered Kai, because he immediately took hold of Viktor’s hand. “What is it that bothers you?” Kai slyly asked. “The fact that I am male or the fact that I am a snake? Or perhaps you are simply jealous at your son’s good fortune?” He grinned as he plastered his body to Viktor’s side. Viktor shuddered as he felt a hint of a forked tongue playing on his skin. He knew it was just a game, something Kai did on purpose to bother Sasha. Still, that didn’t mean he himself was not affected by it. He fought to keep a straight face, to maintain control over the beast that urged him to take possession of his mate.
Kai’s little show actually worked. Sasha took a
deep breath, seemingly unprepared for Kai’s defiance of him. “You little…I’ll take great pleasure in skinning you alive.”
Kai just laughed at the Alpha’s anger. “Perhaps you think you are a better fighter than me, then…” Kai licked his lips, a hint of fang shining in the moonlight. “I will take great pleasure in showing you how mistaken you are.”
Viktor shook his head in his mate’s direction. This was getting out of hand. Kai could handle himself in battle, but the fact remained that Viktor needed to deal with his father. “No! This is my fight, Kai!” Turning his attention to Sasha, he smiled crookedly and asked, “Isn’t that right, father? Isn’t it high time that we settled this?”
Sasha scowled, apparently not thrilled with the idea of facing Viktor in a fair fight. In an instant, his expression immediately shifted to carefully-engineered disdain. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You are not worthy of such a thing, Viktor. This outrageous mating”—he spat the word as if it were poison on his lips—“the union you have chosen with this cursed creature is only evidence of a fact I have known to be true for quite a while now. I am ashamed to say this, since you are my son, but you have no place in this pack, Viktor.”
“I am ashamed of having a father who is such a coward that he will refuse an outright challenge,” Viktor said, not missing a beat. His father’s insults stopped affecting him a long time ago. “All of you, is this who you want for a leader? This is your pack, not his.”
When silence met his words, Viktor simply shrugged. He did not really expect the pack to go against its Alpha. Even if the Alpha’s orders were abusive or wrong, werewolf nature would keep others from acting. The members of the pack wouldn’t see their leader’s abuse as permission to question the leader.