by J. L. McCoy
“Fuckin’ hell,” Fitz drawled with a wide grin.
“Are those real?” Thatch asked.
“Nice,” Cage nodded his head.
“Damn, girl,” Zephyr smiled approvingly.
“Maybe she is worth the trouble,” Trigger stared hungrily as Archer, Dean, Hunter, Jameson, and Hagan all growled in unison.
“Put your shirt back on,” Archer rumbled.
“This is my favorite tuxedo t-shirt,” I scoffed, throwing it on the couch.
“I’ll buy you another one,” Archer argued tightly.
“It’s vintage, baby,” I raised an eyebrow at him, not budging on the issue. “You don’t fuck with vintage.”
Archer sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “So damn stubborn…”
“They’re just boobs, guys,” I rolled my eyes. “I’m wearing a bra.”
“My girlfriend doesn’t own bras like that,” Sayer leered.
“Stop staring at her tits and get on with it,” Jameson growled as he stepped up beside Archer.
Trigger smiled as he walked toward me, his eyes glued to my cleavage. “You ready for this?”
I took a deep breath and slowly blew it out then nodded my head. “Give it to me.”
He put one hand on my shoulder and rested the sharp blade over my heart. I stared down at the shiny metal and bit my lower lip as I prepared myself for the tremendous pain I knew was coming. Trigger glanced back and forth between my eyes and the knife. He was hesitating, almost like he was calling my bluff and didn’t fully expect me to allow him to actually stab me.
“Trigger?” I whispered, meeting his eyes on a deep breath. “Just do it.”
His brow furrowed momentarily before he shook his head and took a deep breath, shoving the knife in as he pulled my shoulder forward. Air expelled from my lungs like I’d been punched and I screamed out in pain as he drove the knife to the hilt.
Trigger took a few steps back and watched me with apprehensive fascination. “Say something,” he said softly as he stared at the blade in my chest.
“Crap! That fucking hurt!” I hissed as I felt my eyes involuntarily flicker black. Trigger’s eyes widened and Dean’s wolves murmured to each other.
“Holy shit,” Dean whispered as he stood and put a cautious hand on my shoulder. “Are you alright, toots?”
“Just peachy,” I growled as I wrapped a fist around the knife handle and quickly jerked the blade out. My heart jolted, restarting itself, and I cried out in pain as I dropped to my knees. “Fuck!” I shuddered. “I hate that fucking part!” I felt my muscle and skin start to immediately repair itself and I watched the wolves’ fascinated faces as they stared in awe.
“Incredible,” Dylan whispered as Archer and Dean helped me stand.
Within three seconds, I was fully healed and I wiped the blood away with my hand. “See?” I said to Trigger as my eyes flickered back to white. “Can’t die.”
“Jesus,” he smiled up at me with wide eyes, “You weren’t kidding.”
“So, can we talk now?” I asked.
Trigger smiled and held up his hands. “You’re okay by me, vamp. Any bitch that can take a hit like that and live to tell about it is aces in my book.”
Dean pulled a black bandana out of his back pocket and started cleaning the blood off my chest. Archer growled fiercely and held his hand out to Dean. “I’ll do that, wolf.”
Dean chuckled and handed Archer the bandana as he stared down at me. “You’re something else, babe. I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t the hottest thing I’ve seen in a long time.” I rolled my eyes at him and shook my head as I smiled. “There you go again…getting my dick hard,” he grinned.
“Dean,” I groaned as Archer threw the bloody bandana back at him with a growl. “Can’t you behave for one day?”
“Oh, I’m being a straight saint, toots,” he winked at me as he sat back down on the couch, “trust me.”
Thatch stood and spoke as he came over to Dean. “I’ve got the maps.” I pulled on my shirt and righted it as Dean studied them.
“What are you thinking, wolf?” Hagan said as he crossed his arms.
Dean flipped through a few images and glanced up at Hagan. “I’m thinking we stage an ambush,” he said as he turned the device around to show him the map. “There’s heavy forest surrounding the ranch and we can arrive before night fall and wait there. Once Skye exchanges herself for Nikki, we move in for the slaughter.”
“It’s a good quarter mile between the tree line and that airstrip,” Hagan frowned, studying the image before him. “Are you certain we can get to them before they realize what’s going on and turn on Skye’s friend? The whole reason we’re doing this is to save her. If she dies, it’ll all be for naught.”
“She won’t,” Dean said seriously. “I like Nikki. She’s a good girl, from what I know of her the few times we’ve met. I’m not going to let anything happen to her. I’ll make sure to have a wolf dedicated solely to her wellbeing. He’ll go straight to her once we leave the tree line.”
“Nikki can’t be harmed any further,” I said softly as I looked up at Dean with tortured eyes. “She didn’t ask for any of this, Dean. Hell, she didn’t even know about vampires before a few days ago, as far as I know. She was kidnapped because of me, fed on because of me… The man you put on her has to be one of your best. Please, honey. I need to know she’ll be taken care of while I take care of that fucker Weston Ley.”
“I’ll guard her,” Dylan spoke up, “if my alpha consents.”
“You read my mind, cousin,” Dean smiled crookedly at him before turning to me. “Dylan’s one of my best fighters. He’ll make sure your girl is taken care of, babe.” I nodded my head and felt marginally better about the plan.
“So, how are we going to do this exactly?” Pádraig asked. “And how are you going to make sure that your wolves don’t bite us in the melee? Our kind hasn’t exactly been friendly toward one another over the centuries. You could use this opportunity to get rid of us as well.”
Several of my family members murmured their agreement and I looked up at Archer, concerned. His brow was furrowed a bit and I knew he was thinking the same thing. “Dean wouldn’t do that,” I said, standing. “He’s a friend…a good friend and a good man. I can’t believe you guys don’t trust him. He’s been nothing but good to us and he’s proven his friendship time and time again.” I scanned the faces of each member of my family as I addressed them. “Dean and his pack helped track down Amun when I was taken. Because of them, I was found in that East Austin basement and rescued. And did you forget what he did a few weeks ago? Zephyr, Primo, and Dean helped An Dilis and me look for Amun. Those are not the actions of a man or pack that wants us dead. We need to bury the old prejudices and embrace what could be a very beneficial and worthwhile friendship for both our species.”
Everyone was silent as they looked at one another. Finally, Dean stood up from the couch and addressed his wolves sternly. “The death of any vampire in this room is an automatic death sentence for the offending wolf. This is law. We will notify the rest of the pack tonight when we meet.”
“Yes, alpha,” the wolves said in unison, bowing their heads respectfully.
Turning to Pádraig, Dean raised an eyebrow. “Does that take care of your concerns, warrior?” Pádraig nodded his head and the tension evaporated from the room.
“Pádraig, Hagan, Quinn, and Hunter will be my team,” Archer addressed his children. “Lochlan will accompany Skye, so that means I need the rest of you working the club tomorrow night.”
“I’m going, too,” Jameson growled as he stood from his seat.
“Nay, Youngblood,” Archer shook his head. “I need you at the club working VIP.”
“Athair,” he argued, “you can’t expect me to just sit on my heels while you all risk your life. To hell with that! I should be there fighting beside you.”
Archer shook his head and sighed. As much as I wanted Jameson far away from battle and safe, I knew
he had a right to be there if he wanted.
“Baby,” I spoke silently to Archer, “you should let him come. He wants to fight for me and Nikki. Don’t take that away from him.”
Archer frowned, growling softly at me, and every head in the room turned to the two of us as we stared at each other. I knew I was testing the maker/child boundaries and needed to tread carefully so I didn’t piss off my father and mate. “I don’t want my son hurt, Skye,” Archers argued.
“He’s a damn fine swordsman and can kick some serious ass,” I frowned. “I trained with him for weeks. You have to trust him…Jameson can take care of himself.”
Archer’s muscle worked in his jaw as he considered my words. “I hope you’re right,” he said aloud before turning to Jameson. “Fine. You can join us, but I have one stipulation.”
“Anything, father,” Jameson said.
“You will give Skye your blood and teach her how to heal,” Archer said, crossing his arms over his chest. “If anything happens to you, I need someone able to heal you. Besides, two healers are better than one. With the eight of us there plus the fifty odd wolves, going against over two hundred Dark, there’s bound to be some injuries. We’re going to need every advantage we can get.”
“You got it,” Jameson agreed, his emotions telling me he was itching to kick some Dark ass.
I chewed thoughtfully on my bottom lip. Taking Jameson’s power would give me a total of four, not including my own. I could feel my powers of empathy waning already, but it wasn’t disappearing fast enough for my likes. I was already overwhelmed with the powers I currently had and wondered if taking Jameson’s healing blood would push me past my limits. I sighed and pushed the thought out of my head. It didn’t matter. I knew I’d do anything I needed to do to help get Nikki, and everyone fighting for her, home safely.
Dean glanced questioningly at Archer. “You said one of your most powerful assets against the night walkers will be escorting Skye? What can he do?”
Archer smiled mischievously and motioned for Lochlan to come forward. “Show them, dheartháir.”
I had no idea what Lochlan’s Divine Power was and I sat riveted as I watched. Lochlan smirked at the wolves before holding his palms up in front of him toward the ceiling. “An’ God said ‘let dere be light’,” he said right before a huge beam of heat and light came out of the palms of his hands. Dean, the wolves, and I all jumped back in shock as our eyes grew wide. We stared disbelievingly at the ceiling as we watched him illuminate it. Just as quickly as it started, it disappeared and Lochlan lowered his hands, dusted them together, and smiled.
“And there was…” I finished the biblical quote as I stared at him in wonder. “Is that UV light, Loch?”
“Aye,” he grinned as he went back to his seat. “I fancy me’a solar panel. I absorb and distribute as needed.”
“Holy crap!” I laughed excitedly. “You’re a one man army! Dark Ones will sizzle tomorrow night.”
“Fuck yeah!” Trigger grinned, nodding approvingly over at Lochlan. “Now we’re talking.”
Archer smiled crookedly as he looked at Dean. “I figure Lochlan can light them up as soon as Nikki is free. That’ll hopefully buy us enough time to get there.”
Dean gazed thoughtfully at Lochlan and then me. “This just might work,” he said, tapping his index finger to his full bottom lip. “As long as you keep frying those bastards while we attack, I figure our hit count will be high and casualties low.” A slow smile spread across his lips and he turned to his wolves. “Trig, Cage…I want you two guarding Lochlan at all times, got it? He’s our ace in this game.”
“You got it, boss,” Cage nodded.
“We’ll meet here at six tomorrow evening and ride out to Mesa Ranch together,” Archer said as he stood. “That’ll give us plenty of time to scout the area.”
“Sounds good,” Dean said as he stood as well. “They may have humans at the ranch acting as their eyes during the day. We need to carry as many people as we can in as few vehicles as possible.”
“Aye,” Archer nodded with a smile. Dean and Archer gazed at each other silently for a moment before Archer stuck his hand out. “Tomorrow, we fight.”
Dean glanced at his hand a moment before accepting and shaking it. “Tomorrow, we kick their fucking asses,” he grinned.
Chapter Twenty-Two
After walking Dean out and bidding him and his wolves goodbye, I sat down on the couch with Archer and watched him drain a glass of cold blood.
“You okay, cion?” he asked gently as he put his arm around me.
Sighing, I cuddled into him. “I’m just anxious about tomorrow,” I admitted as I listened to his heart’s slow, comforting song.
We were silent for a while, each lost in our own thoughts, as our family piddled around in the kitchen. After a few minutes, Hagan came to stand in front of me and put his hands on his hips.
“Alright,” he rumbled, “Get your ass up, Morrison. We’ve got to get you ready for tomorrow.”
Frowning, I gazed up at him questioningly. “What do you have in mind?”
“We need to work on your teleportation skills, for one,” he said, crossing his arms as he stared down at me. “And two, you need to feed from Jameson and get a handle on healing.” I looked up at Archer to see if that was okay.
“Go ahead, baby,” he smiled tiredly down at me. “I have some stuff I need to take care of in my office. Come and find me when you’re done.” Leaning over, I leisurely kissed his lips and told him I’d see him soon.
“Doyle,” Hagan called out as we passed the kitchen, “grab a couple bags of blood and meet us downstairs.”
“Aye,” he answered, walking over to the fridge.
“I don’t think I’m going to be able to teleport,” I sighed as Hagan and I walked down the basement steps.
“I’m going to make you…one way or another.”
Coming to a stop on the practice mats, I frowned up at him. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
“Too bad, little warrior,” he smirked down at me.
I heard footfalls on the steps and glanced over at Jameson as he made his way down. “What’s the blood for?” he asked as he tossed the bags to Hagan.
“You, dheartháir.”
Jameson stared at him blankly for a second before understanding dawned on him. “Dhuine,” he sighed. “This is going to hurt, isn’t it?”
Hagan raised an eyebrow at him and glared. “Would you not do anything to help your deirfiúr?”
“I would do anything for her,” he raised his chin, his face deadly serious.
“Good,” Hagan smirked as he jerked his head toward me. “Feed the girl, teach her to heal, then we begin.”
I watched Jameson closely as he crossed the few feet to me. His thoughts told me that he had no problem being Hagan’s guinea pig, but he had some small reservations about giving me his blood. Blood sharing between vampires was a sacred thing and Day Walkers only partook in the practice during their marriage ceremony to another vampire or during mating. Jameson bit me during sex a few times when I was human, but I’d never had his before. This was a big deal to him and he was worried about what it would mean for his heart. He was working hard to get over me and didn’t want the experience to hurt him further.
As soon as he stopped in front of me, I cupped his cheek with one hand as I gazed up into his eyes. “We don’t have to do this if you aren’t comfortable with it,” I said gently but seriously. I didn’t want him doing anything he didn’t want to do, Archer’s orders be damned. Jameson and I would have to live with the repercussions of this feeding, not anyone else, and in my opinion, that gave us final say.
“I want to,” he whispered as he tucked a stray piece of my hair behind my ear and smiled sadly. “Just be careful with that venom, love. My heart won’t be able to handle you.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He sighed in return and wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him. “Ready?” h
e asked softly in my ear. I nodded my head as I pulled back.
Jameson offered up his wrist and I placed a gentle kiss on it before I sank my fangs in. His blood pooled slowly in my mouth and I sighed as soon as it hit my tongue. Jameson hinted of fine Irish whiskey and I groaned as I swallowed greedily. I hadn’t fed all day and, as I drank from him, I realized I’d neglected to feed the night before as well.
His blood wasn’t flowing fast enough for my needs and my breathing increased as my bloodlust took hold. I was ravenous and needed more…much, much more.
“When is the last time you fed, love?” he asked as he gazed down into my eyes with concern. I shook my head, unable to answer and unwilling to pull my fangs out. I was fighting for control but it was a losing battle.
Jameson gripped the back of my head with his free hand as he pulled me closer to him. My eyes watched as he tilted his neck to the side, offering his thick vein to me, and I whimpered as I pulled my fangs out of his wrist and eagerly struck his neck. The blood poured quickly into my mouth and I swallowed fast as Jameson fought off a moan and melted into me. I tried my hardest not to give him too much venom as I fervently fed on his lifeblood.
Three mouthfuls in, the tips of my fingers started to tingle and I tracked its course through my body with fascination. First the tingle traveled to my heart and then burst down my legs, up my spine, and settled warmly in my head. As quick as it came, it was gone and I took one final mouthful of blood before I pushed Jameson away from me and flashed to the far corner of the room. I needed to get control over my bloodlust and fast before I went back for seconds. I watched as Jameson blinked his eyes a few times in an attempt to rid himself of the haze that came with my bite.
“You alright, Morrison?” Hagan asked as he came to stand in-between Jameson and me, crossing his arms over his chest.
I held up one finger as I licked the delicious blood from my fangs and lips. “I will be,” I breathed as my eyes found Jameson again. “Sorry,” I apologized to him. “I didn’t mean to lose it on you.”
“S’okay,” he drawled dazedly as he sat down on the mat with a smile. “Your bite is something else, love.”