None met his eyes.
He stepped before Lucas. The Lycan’s gaze was focused on the wall behind Bla’Gar.
“Lucas…where is Seth?” Bla’Gar could hear the wild pounding of Lycan’s heart as the mutt swallowed. The stench of fear filled Bla’Gar’s senses as well as a dark, ever present concern. It would have pleased him if not for their current predicament. He seized Lucas’ neck in a tight hold, forcing the large wolf up onto his toes. “What. Happened?”
A wheezy cough wracked Lucas, “I don’t know! I only went out to get wood.” The clawed hand came out of nowhere. Lucas had Bla’Gar secured around the throat this time.
“Seth is mine!” Lucas growled low. “I would never have let this happen on purpose.”
Bla’Gar felt the claw draw blood. “Seth bit you?” He asked as if the hand on his neck meant nothing.
There was a haunted look in Lucas’ eyes. “I bit him.” Lucas narrowed his glare, his smoky gray irises turning a deep silver.
Interesting. The Lycan bite had power no other magic or science could master, the effect solely blessed onto the Lycanthropes. When the mating bite was given, the receiver—human, Lycan or other—would develop a deep inseparable love towards their mate. But Lucas... A gamma claiming the alpha? Perhaps there was a second hidden alpha among the pack all along. It was known that sometimes, when the current alpha failed in his duties, another would rise within the pack’s ranks. The question remained: would Lucas grasp this opportunity to rise above being a gamma or would he let it pass him by? Bla’Gar wondered if the mutt would need to be pushed closer to the edge of self preservation before Lucas’ own determination took control and drew his hidden alpha forth. When the claw’s grip lessened around Bla’Gar throat he asked, “Have you searched the premises?”
“We searched, Bla’Gar. Every fucking corner.” Lucas spat and snarled. Bla’Gar sensed the altered power pouring off the Lycan taking a more primal tone. Good, now to just push him a little more. Sometimes from the most desperate situations a leader was born.
“It’s like he vanished into thin air.” Lucas eyes glowed brighter, meeting Bla’Gar’s gaze head on. “Did you have something to do with this?” Knuckles cracked at Lucas’ side, his grip tightened around Bla’Gar’s throat again while muscle rippled, radiating heat, yet it seemed the Lycan was holding back.
“I almost wish I had,” he said under his breath.
“What?”
Bla’Gar cuffed the wolf’s hand away and stepped close, his nose almost touching ’Lucas’ chin. He looked up. “Do you honestly want to tell me you can’t sense what is happening to you this very moment? Don’t you feel the storm rising within you?”
Lucas stared back, mouth agape as he flexed and bulged his arms and chest. He appeared…lost. “No,” he replied, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“Stupid mutt,” Bla’Gar muttered and turned away.
He scanned the drawing room. The fire was nearly out, the coals struggling to keep what little life they had left. He could easily assess what had happened. Lucas and Seth had been in front of the fireplace when Lucas had left to get more logs, providing the perfect opportunity for someone to snatch Seth. There had been a struggle—that much was clear from the shards of broken vase on the carpet and the slaughtered side table. But no evidence of forced entry or exit.
Whoever it was must have had access to the house, for it would not allow any in without Bla’Gar approval…except one.
What bothered Bla’Gar most was that he could not pinpoint anyone who would want the alpha harmed. Seth’s pack was not valuable enough to be taken from him.
His thoughts immediately went to Raven. Closing his eyes, Bla’Gar remembered his pet’s lips kissing his, the soft hand holding his own. He had said a lot that night and hoped his honesty would play to his advantage. He desired his pet in his arms; safe, cherished and loved. Was that really too much to ask from a krypto? But his pet was also an Enforcer, and in Bla’Gar’s book, being a bit biased too, one of the best. Yet the twenty-four hour period had barely begun and to contact Raven now regarding Seth’s disappearance would be rather selfish. His Raven cared no matter what species you were. Still, he was not going to disturb Raven’s evening with his colleagues, even if it meant he wouldn’t see his pet again.
Scuffling behind him made Bla’Gar shake his head, dispelling the images; right now his and his pet’s happiness would have to wait. Seth was missing, and he was failing on his promise to Seth’s mother.
“Get dressed and go into town. Bruce, Niko go cruise the super bars, find out what you can. Méric…” Bla’Gar paused, furrowing his brow. The Lycan seemed to be the only one not rattled by their alpha’s disappearance. “You’re not concerned?”
Méric raised his eyebrows. “About a pup?” The arrogance in Méric’s tone soured his words. “I say good riddance… Who wants a useless alpha any—”
Before Bla’Gar could act, Lucas had Méric in a ruthless hold and slammed him hard into the wall. Blood and raw tissue gushed from the back of Méric’s head, splattering across the white like an explosion of red paint and continued to run jagged streams down the surface.
“You are welcome to find yourself another pack…that is if they will have shit like you!”
Méric growled as Lucas deliberately slow-clawed his nails down the left side of Méric’s face, leaving deep gashes that quickly filled with blood.
Everyone knew Méric despised Seth, labeling him too weak to be an alpha. It was not that Seth was weak, more the fact that his father had passed away before the pup was even born, leaving a gaping hole in Seth’s education. Seth’s mother had attempted to teach her pup as much as she could and had enlisted Bla’Gar’s help. He’d tried to fill the void but feared he’d failed. There was still too much he did not know regarding Lycans. In the end, Seth had become too attached to his mother, leaving her death to have a devastating effects on the young alpha.
When Seth had reached sixteen, he hadn’t grown as most alphas would. Bla’Gar had never expected him to be a big bulking Lycan, but he had at least hoped he would put on more muscle mass, if not height. Now, at twenty one, the poor pup would never gain full alpha status, becoming more the omega of the pack.
Méric stumbled as Lucas let go and took a step back. Blood still dripping from his face while he gained purchase.
“Let this be a lesson to you,” Bla’Gar moved past Lucas, anger liquid hot in his veins, “and a warning. Your words regarding Seth—you did not just insult him, but me as well. I care for that pup like he is my own.” Bla’Gar peered at the gashes, oozing with blood, knowing that, if Lucas was turning into an alpha, the wound on Méric face would brand him for the rest of his life. A scar made by an alpha with the intent to mark another Lycan as untrustworthy would never heal.
“Go. Fix your face, then I want you down in the sewers, working The Black Market. Find me whatever information you can. However, if it’s no concern to you then don’t bother to return, but bear this in mind…” Bla’Gar grasped a fistful of Méric’s hair, jerking him up and pulling him forward so they were now looking into each other’s eyes. “I will find you, and I will make sure not even bacteria have a morsel to decompose when I’m done with you.” Bla’Gar released his hold, dropping Méric to the carpet.
As Méric stumbled out of the room, Bla’Gar turned to see Niko and Bruce watching them, sending a final pulse of rage surging through him.
“You’re still standing here?” he roared. His black suit popped like a balloon, displaying his blood red skin. He twisted his neck and stretched his arms above his head, trying to ease his muscles after being confined. It stunned Bla’Gar how his anger towards Méric produced such strong emotions, causing even the bone-like spines on his back to spring forth. Did he really see Seth as his kin? Did he care that deeply for the pup? The reason he still kept his promise to Seth’s mother, because she had offered up her soul to him; in return Bla’Gar would look after the pup. Protect him till he
has someone to protect, were her exact words. Her soul was now bonded as the entity of the house. But Seth had no knowledge of this or the pup would never overcome the loss of his mother.
Bla’Gar sensed eyes on him, and immediately knew whose and to where or rather at what body parts he was staring.
“Niko, move your ass.”
But he didn’t bolt. The pup was pastel pale with eyes like twin moons.
Bla’Gar wasn’t sure what scared Niko more, his demonic appearance or the fact that his anatomy was a little more than what humans were used to. “Move! Now!”
Bruce reached for Niko’s hand and pulled him towards the stairway.
Bla’Gar sighed, which in his demon form, sounded more like a deep growl.
“You should have taken charge as the second closest in command,” he rumbled over his shoulder to Lucas. “You should have had the pack venturing into the city the moment you returned back from searching the grounds.”
“Why, Bla’Gar? I’m not alpha. I’m not beta. I am—”
“You have the potential to become alpha, Lucas!” Bla’Gar turned, raising his tail and cracking it across Lucas’ face. The Lycan was flung backwards and crashed into the other side table.
“If I really must spell it out for you…” Bla’Gar strode to where Lucas lay between the broken pieces of wood and picked the mutt up by the throat. “You are so close to your maturity.” Bla’Gar knocked him against the plaster. “I honestly thought you would realize what is happening to yourself… Maybe Méric was right. Mayhap this pack is broken.” He released the wolf and marched from the room into his study.
He gripped the office desk, chest heaving as he attempted to control the fury within, and hurled the wooden furniture away. Papers scattered, falling like autumn leaves as random ornaments clattered onto the wooden floor. He cared nothing for their value.
Seth’s disappearance was deeply troubling—every second the pup was missing could mean the difference between life and death. This strange new affection that rose in him for the little mutt was definitely not desired and strangely confusing. Either Bla’Gar had been spending too many years in the human realm and it was having an effect on him, or…the rumor was true. Perhaps, I never lost my humanity in Hell. A demon only felt affection towards their pet—it was the reason they could love them from the first moment they laid eyes on them. The old saying of our pets are our very hearts was never truer. A Demon’s pet was their heart, the only entity that could bring forth their humanity again—our most precious possession.
Bla’Gar grunted and considered how most of the legions slaughtered their pets on sight, knowing them to be a weakness. Bla’Gar was not one of them.
He knelt on the floor and smashed a fist through the floorboards. He sliced open his left forearm with the talons of his right hand, then reaching under the floor and ripped out a handful of axons. The house shook in agony from having her nerves severed. Sorry, Carrie. But I must for your pup.
He held the bundle over his own exposed nervous system, watching carefully as two of the axons connected to his own median nerve. His mind almost instantly flooded with the house’s memories.
Filtering through them impatiently, he saw a glimpse of his Raven in the wingback chair. It made Bla’Gar halt his search, clawing onto that souvenir. His pet clasped the arm of the chair, biting on his own knuckles as he came in Bla’Gar’s mouth. But the remembrance also held a bitter end when it flashed forward, showing Raven’s pained confusion when Bla’Gar commanded him to leave.
It was for your own safety, my love. I am so sorry.
He shook his head, shifting older recollections aside for fresher ones.
Embers crackled and the fire hissed. Before the massive fireplace was a most breathtaking sight. Seth was naked on all fours, back arched and ass out in offer to Lucas. The larger wolf dragged his tongue across Seth’s hole, making him quiver. He growled and, in one swift movement, the mammoth wolf grasped Seth’s arms, pinning them against Seth’s back. Lucas mounted and plunged deep inside him, forcing Seth’s head down to the carpet as he breached him with his fat cock, covering the pup with his bulk.
Seth whimpered as Lucas pushed in the last couple of inches, a trickle of blood seeping from his hole by the forced stretch. “I’ve wanted you for so long, Lucas.” Seth’s voice was soft, laced thick with emotion.
Lucas grunted, slowly pulling out. “This what you want, little puppy?”
“What I’ve always wanted. You inside me, owning me, m-marking me. Yours.”
Lucas stilled, his skin coated with perspiration, he brought his lips close to Seth’s neck and filled him again. “If I do this, its forever. Be fucking sure of what you want.”
“Lucas, it is not I that should answer. I do not want you to feel that I forced you, or that you are obliged to by your allegiance to me as your alp—”
“That will be my burden to carry,” Lucas growled angrily. The Lycan knotted his fingers in Seth’s hair and pulled the poor pup’s head to the side so his neck was exposed.
Bla’Gar expected the Lycan to complete the deed but was taken aback seeing Lucas kissing Seth’s neck instead. It wasn’t attractive. It was rather vicious the way the mutt fucked Seth and mauled his skin. Yet there was a tenderness in Lucas’ hands. He wasn’t pulling Seth’s hair, just gently holding on to it, the other roaming along Seth’s side, unhurriedly exploring the alpha’s skin. As was Lucas’ thrust—a slow in and out—and with each breath, Bla’Gar knew Lucas was slowly driving Seth to desperation. The way Lucas played Seth’s body was brutally gentle and had him hanging on a fragile edge.
“Please, please,” Seth cried.
Lucas didn’t hold back, he flipped to sit on his ass, pulling Seth with him. He slowly rested his back to the rug. Seth peered over his shoulder at Lucas, grinning, a feral look of hunger in his eyes, before twisting around, pulling a groan and a shudder from Lucas. Seth’s eyes glowed emerald, his canines had erupted, midnight dark fur sprouting from his sideburns and chest. Seth anchored himself with his hands on Lucas’ pecs, hesitantly leaning forward. The angry red mark on his neck from Lucas’ vicious kiss was already beginning to fade.
Seth licked his lips and whispered, “May I kiss you?” His gaze fixated on Lucas.
Bla’Gar had to smile at Seth’s docile way of requesting things. Lucas palmed Seth’s butt cheeks, his claws extended and biting into the pale flesh.
“Please,” Seth begged, his lips inches from Lucas’. Tongue pushed out like the panting puppy he was.
The larger wolf gave a low growl as permission.
Seth’s kisses were slow and sensual, which Bla’Gar knew was different for the beast. When Bla’Gar and Lucas had fucked, they did but one thing. Fuck.
Seth rocked his hips, his bottom dimpling as he clenched, bearing down, and providing extra friction. Each small movement seemed to test Lucas’ control. Lucas snapped with a snarl and dug his claws deeper into Seth’s flesh. Bright blood ran down Seth’s leg as Lucas started pounding into him, hard and fast. Seth gasped and panted while Lucas’ hand worked his pup’s cock.
Lucas grunted, lips retracting as he displayed his canines, and Bla’Gar knew the wolf was in climax. Fisting the blond curls, Lucas arched off the carpet and bit into Seth’s throat. He went limp above Lucas, arms hanging at his sides, blood dripping from his neck, down his chest, ass flexing as Seth’s own climax rippled through him. The mating mark was the other scar that would never heal on a Lycan.
The gentleness of Lucas’ way; unlatching his canines from Seth’s neck and gradually bringing Seth to rest against him, his arms wrapped protectively around his mate, pleased Bla’Gar. The frosting on the cake, the chaste kiss Lucas laid against Seth’s head.
“Will always protect you, my little alpha.”
Bla’Gar now understood the haunted look in Lucas’ eyes earlier; to just have made that promise and have it broken. He watched as Lucas gently lifted Seth in his arms and laid the sleeping pup on the cabriole couch.
<
br /> Lucas tilted Seth’s neck and inspected the wound, leaned forward and lapped at it till the bleeding seemed to stop. Lucas moved further, continuing to clean up the blood and semen with his tongue, from Seth’s chest, down the abdomen and to his cock.
It was intriguing to witness the intimate act of aftercare. This sort of cleaning signified the promise of devotion a Lycan would gift to their other. It surely was different than a demon claiming their pet.
Bla’Gar had allowed the memory to play out without forwarding to the crucial moment Seth was taken. He wanted to be sure why Lucas claimed Seth, it had only been three weeks since he’d pushed them together. How could Lucas simply fall out of love with him and choose the alpha? This could not have been enough time to establish a strong enough bond for Lucas to claim Seth. The why remained unanswered.
Lucas rose, glanced at the fire and turned, advancing to the front door. It had barely shut behind him when the fire hissed its demise. Even in the memory, Bla’Gar could feel the chill when the room’s temperature descended to ice. Bla’Gar turned his gaze to Seth, the pup’s breath a vapor from between blue lips.
It came as no shock that the memory was so profound, that he could experience the rise and fall of temperature along with it. But this was not the kind of cold associated with the elements, this was the cold of the dead. Preternatural beings feared little except the icy fingers belonging to Death. For once any felt its touch, it could never be forgotten.
The fire hissed again, spewing black tar that dripped down the screen door and seeped onto the carpet. As if it had a life of its own, the sludge grew in size, bubbling as it went.
Death appeared in many ways, but Bla’Gar had only seen Death once and hoped he would never again.
The puddle of inky tar formed a peak in the center. An arm emerged, reached out and grasped hold onto one of the couch legs. Thin and reedy, so emaciated Bla’Gar could see the tendons and veins prominent under the skin, there was no muscle between membrane and bone.
This was not Death.
Neon White Season One: A Tooth, Claw and Horns Chronicle Page 10