The Embers of Phoenix (The Inferno Pack Book 1)

by AJ Blackburn

  “Yes, Hunter, that will be great. Thank you.”

  As we walk back through the woods to our log cabin, Hunter makes a few phone calls to the Galaxy pack. Gareth first and then to Richard his computer savvy friend. I’m sure Phoenix had some fun with Richard before, or was that Riley. I can’t remember, maybe it was both, or neither, I lose track. The hussy. And thinking of the hussy makes me want answers. Hearing my phone beeping in the kitchen I make my way though and flip on the kettle as I grab it off the hardwood sideboard. Six missed calls. That’s weird, all off an unknown number. I rarely use my phone, as everyone I know I can just mind mingle with. The phone rings in my hand.

  “Hello,” I answer, sounding a little suspicious.

  “Fuck sake, cow bag! How long does answering your phone take, I was just planning to contact the Pope, he might have wanted to speak to me.”

  “Phoenix? Is that you?” I asked in disbelief.

  “No shit, Sherlock. Who else is it going to be?” My sister's sarcasm comes through the phone.

  “Are you okay? Where are you? What happened to you? Why can’t you talk to me telepathically? Christ Phoenix, we have been worried sick about you! The hunters said they had you!” My voice gets more high-pitched as I go on.

  “Wait. What? The hunters? No, I’m fine, I had a brush with one but Ryd... urm, but I got away. My shoulder was just sore. What do you mean they said they had me?”

  I explain about the email, how Dad had gone out and searched for her. About the caged wolf, everything. She listens intently.

  “Where are you, we will come and pick you up.” I tell her.

  “No....no you can’t. Ember, I’m still being followed. I need to take them on a merry chase until they get bored. I didn’t want to ring you in case it put you in danger, but I had to hear your voice. I’m safe Ember, I promise you. Please, you have to trust me.”

  “Who is with you?” I ask.

  “W…what do you mean?”

  “Exactly. What. I. Say. Who is with you, Phoenix?” Phoenix sighs into the phone at my punctuated words.

  “You’re a bitch, you know.”

  “Why, because I know when you are hiding something from me?” I can’t help the smile that creeps into my voice. “What’s his name?” Happiness is buzzing through my veins at hearing my sister's voice.

  “Ryder,” she begrudgingly tells me.

  “Ooo, I like it. Sounds sexy. Right, Phoenix, I’m trusting you. But you ring every day to check in, I mean it. And fix what you broke with the mind mingling. No one can get through to you, you have glitched it somehow.”

  “I will, I promise. And Ember, please tell Dad I’m okay, and not to go searching again. They are fucking with you. I mean, really, you think they could catch this sexy arse? I’m far too good for that. Bye, Embs. I love you.” She hangs up. Emotions crash into me, wave after wave, but most of all relief. I’ll admit I’m a sobbing mess when Hunter comes into the kitchen. He gathers me against him.

  “Baby. Baby, it’s okay, we will find her.” I quickly pull myself together and tell him about the phone call. He just kind of looks at me, there is this strange expression on his face. Kind of like he wants to smile, but also strangle someone at the same time.

  “Hunter?” I ask a little wearily.

  “We have been running around, flapping, and thinking she was strung up somewhere or worse, and she’s with some guy! Obviously fucking him, completely oblivious to it all?” My smile just carries on spreading across my face. “Don’t laugh at me Ember, your sister drives me insane. Literally, in-fucking-sane.” He is even using elaborate hand gestures now. The giggles are coming, I can’t stop them. “Arrrghhh.” His arms go flying in the air, like a total drama queen. In this moment he could give Phoenix a run for her money in dramatics.

  “Are you going to stomp your foot too?” I laugh. “Look she’s safe, she promises she will be careful and that she will be back soon, after she has lost the hunters.”

  “Ember, what if she doesn’t lose them though? I know she is trained well, but not to outwit hunters, with alchemists helping them, I might add,” he states matter of fact.

  “Okay, you have a point, but I can’t get hold of her until she rings again, not unless she fixes this.” I tap my head. “When she rings tomorrow, I’ll tell her to come home. Or we will go to her.” He seems to be placated by this. “Give me a second while I tell my dad about the phone call.” Hunter waits patiently while I relay everything through telepathy. I wince a little when Dane’s voice booms in my head with anger, it soon subsides though knowing that Phoenix is alive and not with the hunters.

  Finished with telling my dad to take the pack off high alert is a relief, I saunter up to Hunter and smooth my hands up his solid chest.

  “So, now we have nothing to worry about. How about we use our time a little more…productively?” I wink at him. Stepping back, I begin to seductively strip.

  “I like where this is going.” He grins and starts to frantically strip. A wicked grin spreads across my face, right before I shift. I’m a red blur darting through our cabin and out into the woods.

  You sneaky little wolf. I’m coming for you. I suggest you run. And fast.

  I just laugh into his mind.

  Ryder hadn’t been kidding when he said I wasn’t going to get much sleep. Jeez I’m sore, the good kind though, when you know that you’ve been taken just right.

  “You’re grinning again,” Ryder says as he puts tins of soup in the trolley I'm pushing.

  “Am I?” I grin and he chuckles, before he comes up to me, and inhales my scent then growls.

  “You smell like sex. And it’s making me hard,” he rumbles into my neck.

  “One, please don’t bend me over the trolley, it has wheels and just wouldn’t work. Two, I don’t think humans are all that voyeuristic and you might shock them. Three, make sure you tuck that beast up, I don’t want the girls checking you out and seeing that you have one long schlong. They might want you even more than they already do.” I pat his chest and peck his lips, then sway my arse away from him, pushing the trolley past a bunch of teenagers like the fucking Goddess I am. He jogs to catch up, and the girl's knees nearly buckle. He shoots them a roguish half smile and all five of them turn into red-faced giggling children. I roll my eyes and snort out a laugh.

  “You just had too, didn’t you?” He shoots me one of those seductive smiles.

  “Dude, I’m immune, that shit doesn’t work on me.” I go to pick up some pasta and let out a little squeak as he grabs my arse and spins me flush against his body. He leans down and nips my ear.

  “Are you sure? It doesn’t smell like you are immune, baby.” Urgh the bastard. “Put those teeth away, pretty wolf, or I might just see who in this shop is voyeuristic.” He winks and let’s go of me, before picking the pasta up and putting it in the trolley. Looking past him, I see his fangirls following not far behind. Face-palm comes to mind.

  Finishing our fun shopping trip, without getting naked, we hop into Ryder’s rental car and set off. “Where are we going?” I ask, opening the pack of mini rolls. Mmm, cake and chocolate equals happy, happy me.

  “We are going to another stop off and try to lie low for a few days. Hopefully, lose the hunters who are after you, then get you back to your pack.”

  I want to ask him what he will do when I go back. I don’t understand why there’s a quick slice of pain in my chest when I think about going back and him not coming with me. The feeling is new to me. I’m just presuming it’s because I'm having so much fun. Yeah, that’s what it is, there’s totally nothing else it can be anyway.

  Two hours later we arrive at a beautiful little thatched cottage in the middle of nowhere. That suits me fine. It’s cute with its white walls, small windows framed in black, well-kept garden with a hand built stone wall around it. Completely and utterly inconspicuous. There is no way you would look at it and think a wolf hid out here.

  “Clever, very clever,” I muse aloud.

&nbs
p; “Wait till you see out the back.” He winks at me.

  Yeah, the back is a whole other story. It’s a training ground come torture play area. Climbing walls, sparing spaces, huge logs strategically placed for some kind of work out that I don’t want to find out about or participate in. Ropes hanging from tall trees, in fact I don’t want to participate in any of it, I’m all good.

  “I’ve decided I don’t want to play anymore.” I deadpan. Ryder laughs out loud at that one.

  “When did you last spar?” He enquires seriously.

  “A few days before you came stalking me,” I quipped back.

  “Too long ago you mean. We will do hand to hand first, then wolf to wolf.” I don’t like his tone, he’s too serious. I roll my eyes, no way am I sparing with him. It would just turn into some hot steamy sex game. Next thing I know he’s pulling me toward the sparing area. Oh fuck, he really means it.

  “Why do you want to do this, I’m only going to beat your arse you know?” Total fucking bluff, he’s going to hand my arse to me, big time. “Why aren’t you talking to me, Ryder?” I'm getting a little nervous, not going to lie. He is well over six feet of bloody steel. I'm a teeny tiny blimp next to him.

  “You can defend yourself or you can go down,” he taunts, shrugging at me, nonchalant and relaxed.

  “Fine. You asked for it.” I take up a fighting stance, and hook my finger at him. From the sparkle in his eyes, he thinks that is highly amusing. Or I’m highly amusing to him most likely. Wanker. He comes at me fast. Dodging every blow I try to land on him. One flat palm to my chest and I fly through the air and onto my arse. Yay, this is going to be so much fun. Not. I get up, dust my arse off and go at him again. This time I‘m done talking and trying to sass my way out of it. He wants a fight then he’s got one. My rage simmers, but I hold the reins on it, just about. Ryder keeps shouting instructions at me. I can’t hear him though, I’m too busy looking for an opening. I duck as he comes at me high again, I can do this and he thinks I can’t. I swing my right leg along the ground, he jumps to miss my hit, just as he was meant to. I'm back up before his feet touch the earth, the point where he hasn’t yet regained his balance. I kick out and catch him in the solar plexus, he flies backwards and hits the ground. Hard. I follow him and straddle his chest pinning his powerful arms above his head.

  “Beat that bitch,” I challenge, one eyebrow raised. Heat leaks from his eyes. Yeah, I knew where this was going before we started. In the split second I relax my grip on his arms, I find myself flat on my back. The damp grass soaking my clothes, and my wetness dampening my panties on the inside too.

  “You little minx. You have some hidden talents.” Ryder’s seductive tone is oozing out of him.

  “I thought I’d already proven that to you.” I wink. “I have more too.” My sexual implication works just as I planned. His mouth consumes mine, and I’m soon another panting sweaty mess underneath him. How I ever thought Jordan was good I do not know. This male above me was created for this. We make it from the wolf's play area to the cottage somehow, the kitchen specifically. As our mouths lock together again, my hands fumble with his fly. Then I’m gripping his hard shaft and pumping him, slowly, my grip tight. He grunts with pleasure into my mouth. I pull away from his bruising kiss and before he can claim my mouth again I drop to my knees. He lets out a moan just anticipating my mouth wrapping around him, his fingers lacing through my hair and pulling it free from its tie, he wraps his fists in it.

  Still pumping him agonisingly slowly, I look up at him, and slap on my most pleading face. “Can I suck your cock, please?” And just to add to the tease I bat my eyelashes a few times.

  “You are a teasing fucking minx, you know that right?” I grin in answer to him and lick the head of his pulsing cock. “Fuck, Phoenix,” he moans my name. I swallow him down, my throat constricting around him. He’s so big I can’t fit him all in my mouth before he bumps the back of my throat. His hands pull harder on my hair, guiding my mouth up and down his length as his hips move, fucking my mouth. I lick and suck and tease him the whole time with my tongue. My hand cupping and massaging his balls till I hit his sweet spot. It’s his undoing, moaning my name again he pumps his hips faster, then stills as he cums. His body shuddering as I swallow it all down.

  Pulling me to my feet he looks at me through hooded, sex glazed eyes. “You are amazing.” Then he’s burying his head against my neck and holding me there. Damn, I think I’ve broken him.

  “Yeah…I know I am,” I reply and he chuckles.

  After seeing to my needs, he carries me to the cute little bathroom and runs the bath, lowering me into the hot water. I feel like the Goddess I thought that I was in the supermarket earlier.

  “This bath isn’t big enough for both of us.” I pout at him. He smiles down at me.

  “No, it’s not. I’m just going to wash you, and I’m going to put you to bed. Then I’m going to make you some food.” He lists off as he rubs a sponge over my legs. Where had he come from? Why was he here looking after me? No one has ever treated me like this. It’s unnerving. I swallow down my overthinking and smile at him. I’ll just go with it while it lasts.

  Lying in bed later I snuggle against his broad chest. I run my fingers lightly over the hard ridges of his abs while watching the path my fingers make and Ryder plays with my hair. “I’ve been wanting to ask...” I feel like bottling it now I’ve let the words out, but I need to ask. I’d wanted to since I first saw the tattoo on his shoulder.

  “What is it, pretty wolf?” His voice sounds sleepy and content, my heart flutters a bit. Groan, I’m being such a girl lately.

  Fuck it. “Your tattoo? Is it a Phoenix?” The words tumble out of me.

  “I wondered how long it would be before you would ask about it.” He kisses the top of my head, then moves to sit up and turns his back to me. Yup, it is a phoenix. It has tribal like flames that lick up its body, its wings are spread wide and its head is raised upwards. It’s beautiful. I trace it with my fingertip, and he shudders under my touch.

  “When did you get it? The work is amazing,” I ask him.

  “It’s not a tattoo, Phoenix. It appeared ten years ago, when I turned eighteen.” My finger stills. Is he saying this is an Anima Dilectus mark? Basically meaning, mark of a soulmate.

  I feel the blood drain from my face, and I’m not sure, but I think my heart stops before it starts to gallop in my chest. My mind is reeling. My body is frozen. Ryder turns slowly to me, his eyes serious.

  “Phoenix, you need to breathe. In and out, focus on me. You are about to have a panic attack otherwise, and you don’t need to. I’m here. And I’m not going anywhere.” He holds my shoulders and rocks me a little, I start coming around from my momentary panic attack. Phft who the fuck am I kidding, no I’m not! My mouth opens, but no sound comes out and now I’m opening and closing my mouth like a fish out of water. Attractive. I take a deep breath. Looking down at my hands, Ryder’s hands lower from my shoulders to take hold of mine, stopping my frantic wringing of them. He repeats, “I’m here Phoenix.” His face and words are so sincere it nearly makes me believe him. I want to believe him.

  “It must be someone else called Phoenix.” Denial, I was seriously going with denial right now? Oh, I’m just fucking great. Ryder just looks at me like I have sprouted snakes for hair and shakes his head at me.

  “It’s you, Phoenix, I know it is. I knew from my first scent of you, but I also don’t think we are complete yet. Someone, or possibly more than just one, is missing. Can’t you feel it too?” Great now he has certainly lost the freaking plot! No, I bloody can’t feel it. Hell, I didn't think I would have one mate, now he’s implying I have more than one.

  “I don’t have a mark!” I blurt out, well I kind of just shout it in his face, to which he just blinks at me.

  “Do you believe in them? Have you ever believed that you have a mate out there?” How is he so calm right now?

  “No,” I answer him honestly. “I’ve never been drawn
to, or felt a pull to anyone. I figured I was broken, or they were already dead.” I’m trying to breathe, like he said, very deeply.

  I look at him; his gleaming green eyes, dark styled hair, his groomed stubble that matches his hair colour, tanned skin, ripped body. Shit, if he is my mate someone up there sure loves me, to send him to me. I’d hit the jackpot, which is just more evidence that it can’t be true. I’m not this lucky.

  “Ryder, I…I don’t know how to process this right now. I thought I was destined to be alone and now…you are saying you’re my mate.” I shake my head from side to side.

  “I’m saying I’m…” he trails off, seeming to consider his words carefully. “Yes, Phoenix, that is what I’m saying, but I’m not expecting you to accept it. I understand you need time to adjust and figure out how it works.” Dammit, he is just too good.

  “It will take me some time.” I didn’t want it to take me any time, but it would. I’m not prepared for this, this commitment, this undying loyalty to another person. I so desperately want it, but I just can’t right away. What if I let myself fall for him and he leaves? Or he gets killed? Yeah I know my issues are messed up, but having no attachment has always seemed the best way to keep myself safe.

  Take as long as you like, my pretty wolf. Like I said I’m not going anywhere.” With that he kisses me. Now this I can get on board with. This is easy.

  I doodle with my finger over the mark on Hunter’s ribcage; an intricate yet abstract swirl of red and amber flames with embers fluttering around it, looking like a golden galaxy of stars. It’s beautiful. I remember seeing it for the first time. I was awed by it. It symbolises that I am truly his. As does the bow and arrow running under my left breast and straight over to my heart. It looks like it’s made out of feathers with more hanging off the arrows, it symbolises that he’s truly mine. He hums under my fingers. “Morning.” I kiss his shoulder.