by Jacey Conrad
“To the death?” Uncle Petyr asked once more as soon as Alexei calmed down.
Galina nodded her big wolf’s head.
Galina stared at Alexei, also in his wolf form. He was no larger than she, but he did outweigh her. Her coarse white fur bristled as they circled each other. “To the death,” Uncle Petyr cried out, and the entire assembly called out their agreement.
They wanted blood? That was fine with her; so did she.
Alexei snapped at her, his blocky head lunging at her front legs. Galina jumped back lightly, feeling out his speed. He snarled, snapping again. She lunged in return, nearly catching his front leg in between her teeth. She’d held back her speed, not willing to give away one of her strengths to him. Instead she pulled back, letting him think he was in control.
Alexei always made mistakes when he got cocky.
He rushed her, hoping to bowl her over with his superior mass, but Galina dancing out of his way, making a high barking noise as she did so. It was a taunt, a sound designed to humiliate at the same time it egged him on. She heard her brother growl with frustration and he leapt forward again, this time snapping at her hindquarters.
Instead of jumping away, Galina spun. Ducking her head low, she lunged at Alexei’s throat. He jerked back, pulling his head away from her. She kept at him, teeth closing on fur but nothing else.
Alexei rushed her, his greater weight bowling Galina over. She scrambled to her feet, feeling his teeth dig into her flank. Galina lashed out with a paw, smacking him in the head. Her claw grazed across his eyes and he jumped backward.
She hadn’t meant to hit him in the eye, but she would take it. Blood ran down her leg from the gash Alexei’s teeth had left on her. Galina tested her footing to make sure her leg would bear her weight, feeling relief when it did.
Alexei paced before her, rage vibrating through him. Galina watched him cautiously, knowing how dangerous he was in this state. His eyes held nothing but hatred when they met hers. She wondered when things had gotten so bad between Alexei and the rest of them. He’d always been a bully, but when had they missed the chance to help him? How had they missed the signs of what a monster he was becoming?
Galina felt a sadness spring up inside of her. It was too late to help him now, even if he would allow it, which she doubted. She had to end this—for Nik and Rina, for Andrey, for the family business.
She had to end him.
Alexei growled, then attacked. Rather than bracing for him, Galina rolled with it as he smashed into her. He fought to pin her, his teeth aiming for her throat. She turned her body to the side, closing her jaw around his foreleg and bearing down.
Her brother howled in pain. Galina kept biting, feeling the crunch of bone beneath her teeth. Alexei fell off of her, backpedaling to get away. She opened her jaw, the taste of Alexei’s blood filling her mouth. She wanted to spit it out but couldn’t.
They circled again, Alexei moving slowly. He did his best to not put weight on his injured leg. Galina suddenly wished it could have been different between all of them, all those years ago. Back when they were kids, before their mother’s death and Elena’s. She wanted to turn back into her human form so she could talk to him, tell him so.
But his gaze burned into her, and Galina knew that there was no going back. Alexei would never forgive her for this. He would kill her if he could.
She feinted on the side with his bad eye. He had to turn if he wanted to see her. Galina changed direction, only to find herself snout to snout with him. He slammed into her, ignoring the damage to his foot. She dropped to her side, off balance, knowing she’d made a mistake.
But Alexei’s teeth and claws didn’t cut into her. Galina looked and saw him snarling, his gaze pinned to Rina as she passionately kissed Viktor.
Galina used his distraction to her advantage. He leapt toward Viktor, intending to kill him, but she’d already guessed his purpose. Crashing into him, Galina brought him to the ground. Before he could get to his feet, she was on him, jaws closing around his throat.
“Galya! Stop!” Nik shouted. “You can’t kill him! He’s still our brother!”
Galina looked up at her brother from over the fur of Alexei’s neck. She relaxed her hold slightly. What the hell was Nikolai thinking?
Alexei pulled free, changing as he did so. Human again, he staggered to the pile of his clothes. Galina stared at Nikolai, wondering why he would interfere with the challenge.
“Galya, look out!” Irina screamed, jumping into the fight circle. Viktor threw his arm around her waist and hauled her back.
Galina caught sight of Alexei with a silver knife in his hand, just like the one that had been used by Maksim at the hotel. Mama Yaga’s voice flashed through her head. “If you are pierced with silver again, you will not heal.”
Galina felt her leg muscles bunch in a powerful predator’s twitch. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Andrey was lunging at them, trying to interpose himself between her and the knife. Konstantin was shouting, his hand going inside his jacket for his gun.
She leapt forward, feeling something hot zip past her fur as she did so. Galina saw a red hole open up in Alexei’s forehead, and then she was crashing into him, two hundred pounds of pissed off she-wolf bearing him to the ground with her teeth in his throat. Without hesitation, she ripped upward, tearing through flesh and muscle. Hot blood slapped her muzzle.
She spun, claws digging into Alexei’s shuddering body. Irina stood, gun in hand, staring down at her brother with a grim expression. Her sister’s eyes were hard, like chips of smoky topaz. Irina had shot Alexei, right between the eyes. No hesitation. Kon was right. She was a hell of a shot.
There was a moment of quiet before pandemonium hit. Alexei’s loyal followers pulled weapons of their own, or burst into the clearing on four paws. Galina met them head on, Andrey, as a great black wolf, by her side. Konstantin and Nik were also there in wolf form, snapping and tearing at anyone foolish enough to threaten their pack.
Viktor had also changed, but he stayed close to Irina, who now had both of Viktor’s guns. The Rom contingent fought at their leader’s side, while those without an immediate interest sat back and watched the carnage.
Galina slammed into one of Sergei and Alexei’s lackeys, a dun colored wolf with all of the finesse and initiative of sponge mold. He bared his teeth, dewlaps rising over his fangs. She snarled back, head dipping down so she could bite at his hindquarters. They rolled in a flurry of snapping jaws and growls.
Galina saw her opening and went for it, her jaws closing on his exposed stomach. Thick blood filled her mouth, meaty and smoky and hothothot. She heard the pained whine he gave before she ripped him open.
Andrey raced past her, his eyes on Maksim. The younger man scrambled away, still in human form, but that didn’t keep Andrey from bowling into him. The Circle echoed with Maksim’s sharp scream as he disappeared beneath a wall of black fur.
Another wolf, a large grey, stalked her, eyes watching her for any sign of weakness. But before he could lunge, he collapsed to the ground, a bullet wound staining the fur over his neck. He flopped over in a burble of red. Galina threw a lolling grin of thanks at her sister, and then looked around for her next opponent. This wolf she recognized as Timur, the man who Alexei had sent to attack her in the parking garage. Irina was taking aim at him, but Galina slashed him across the throat before her sister got a shot off.
There were more, so many more. And Galina’s pack took them all, until all was left was a pile of furry bodies on the ground and the quivering exhalations of the dying. The other wolves, both on two and four feet, were backing away, heads lowered, hindquarters nearly dragging the ground, tails quivering and tucked between their legs. The fight was over. Galina made sure none of her pack was injured, relieved to see no one was.
Uncle Petyr stepped into the circle, careful not to walk on any of the bodies. He stood next to Galina, resting a hand on her furry back. “By right of challenge, I proclaim Galina Sudenko the new head o
f the Sudenko family.”
They waited a moment for objections. Galina looked around at the faces of the other families and saw shock and awe and a burgeoning respect. And a little bit of fear there too.
When no one dared to raise an objection, Galina tilted her head back and raised her wolf voice in a howling ululation of triumph. After a moment, Andrey, Nik, Konstantin, and Viktor joined in. And Irina lifted her guns in the air, yelling, “This is what you can accomplish when you stay in a form with thumbs, bitches!”
25
Hot Water
GALINA HAD TURNED THE Volk Organizatsiya upside down. She was the first female to ever run a family. The last week had been spent having meetings, cleaning house, and consolidating her power. After the carnage at the challenge circle, most of the other families were content, at least for now, to wait and see where she led.
Irina had also finagled the jewelry shop she had run for Papa for herself. Galina was more than happy to give it over to her sister, so long as Irina offered her a deep discount on the lovely custom pieces she designed.
There was still so much to do. But Nik was beside her, serving as advisor. He was actually getting to do more than clean up Alexei’s messes and he seemed truly happy for the first time in ages. For that alone Galina was grateful.
Andrey had booked them a penthouse suite in the finest hotel in Seattle as a present to both of them. They had the whole weekend to themselves with orders only to be disturbed in the event of the Apocalypse. They didn’t even have to get out of bed if they didn’t want to.
She planned to test that theory. But first, she wanted a nice, hot bath.
Galina breezed into the suite with barely a glance at the opulent furnishings and finishes and headed straight to the bathroom. “Order us something to eat, would you please?” she asked Andrey as she threw off her clothes.
The tub was a huge clawfoot monstrosity that could easily fit three people. She filled it with scalding hot water, ready for a nice long soak. Inspecting the sample bottles of bath unguents and gels, she found a rosemary mint scented bubble bath and dumped that in to the frothing water. Then she stepped in, not even waiting for it to completely fill.
Sinking into the steaming water, Galina sighed in contentment. Irina was safe, Viktor was alive, and Andrey was here with her. She was head of the Sudenko family. Things had suddenly gotten so much simpler. She smiled, resting her neck against the cool edge of the tub.
“Food will…” Andrey began, trailing off when he saw the pale expanse of her skin beneath the bubbles and water.
Galina cracked open her eyes with a sly smile. “Join me?” She extended her hand to him.
Andrey stripped quickly. She watched, a lascivious grin crossing her face. He was utterly gorgeous: all dark hair, silvery eyes, and strong muscles. The long muscles in his thighs flexed as he stepped into the tub. His lean hips sank below the water as he lowered himself slowly into the bath.
Galina ducked beneath the water, slicking her hair back before popping up. As the water level rose to the top of the tub, she reached around Andrey to shut off the tap. When she did so, he kissed her wrist, tonguing the underside of it gently. She slid forward, wrapping her legs around his waist.
Andrey lowered his dark head to hers, his lips tracing her jawline from just under her ear to her chin. Galina sighed, running her hands down the flat planes of his chest. Her head dropped back and Andrey pressed hot kisses down the length of her throat.
Galina dug her fingers into his hair as his rumbling growl sent a rush of heat racing through her. Andrey nuzzled her breast, taking a nipple into his mouth. He kissed the hardened peak, swirling his tongue over it until she gasped and tightened her thighs around his waist. “Mmmmm,” she hummed in pleasure.
He hitched her higher up so his mouth had easy access to both breasts. Galina sucked in her breath, her mind spiraling into a lust-filled haze. “Have I mentioned how much I appreciate your mouth?” She gasped, feeling her pussy twitch in needy spasms.
Andrey slipped a finger inside of her, teasing her moist folds. Galina dug her fingers into his slick shoulders. “You could stand to mention it more,” he said with a grin. He worked another finger inside of her, scissoring her open until she was aching with need.
“I wouldn’t want you to become complacent,” she said, and then kissed him deeply. All she wanted was sensation and the feeling of him inside her, filling her up. The masculine scent of him mixed with the rosemary and mint of the bath made her senses reel. The hot water and Andrey’s hotter hands made her flush with the heat of desire.
She needed him like she needed the air she breathed. The bathtub was her entire world, with Andrey at its center.
“Oh, really?” he asked after she let him up for air.
When he removed his fingers, Galina squirmed against him, chasing after the pleasure he’d denied her. He lifted her up, his hands spanning her waist, and guided her down on his cock. She cried out in mindless pleasure as his shaft speared her, but when she tried to grind down on him, to take him deeper, Andrey held her still.
She made a mew of distress in the back of her throat. His strong arms kept her where he wanted her, allowing him to control the pace he entered her. “Andrey,” she whispered, fingernails scoring lines on his shoulders, wanting him to move faster. “I can’t…”
“You can. And you will,” his voice dark with lust. There was the command of an Alpha behind his words.
Galina’s brain snapped to attention, her own Alpha will aroused. She pushed against his chest, arching over the arms that held her. Her wet skin made it hard for him to hold her and she slid from his grasp.
Andrey was after her in a second, his hands slipping around her. One hand nestled in the hair at the nape of her neck and Galina snapped her teeth together. “Let go,” she commanded in her own Alpha voice.
His forehead pushed against hers as they fought each other in a battle of wills. Galina was even more turned on than she had been before, her body aching with the need for him. But she wasn’t going to relent. Andrey would have to work for her surrender.
Water sloshed out of the bathtub as their bodies clashed together and then apart. Galina bit at Andrey’s lips as he tried to kiss her. He growled, his fingers tightening against her scalp. He stood, dragging her up with him.
Galina snarled at Andrey, but followed his lead, knotting her fingers in his hair and yanking his head backward. Now it was his turn to bare his teeth, his eyes glowing silver. He grabbed her in his free arm, lifting her up and stepping out of the tub. His other hand tightened around the back of her neck.
She swung in his grip, wrapping her legs around his waist and trying to throw him off balance. A deep growl rumbled out of Andrey’s chest and Galina’s pussy clenched in desire. Her fingernails scraped at his scalp as she felt his cock twitch against her belly.
Andrey walked forward, despite the painful angle Galina held his head at. Before she could do anything else, he slammed her back against the wall. His hand at her neck kept her head from striking it, but it still hurt. Her grip on his hair loosened in surprise.
His mouth slanted over hers, hard and bruising. His kisses left her empty and aching. She thrust her tongue into his mouth, tangling it with his as their teeth clacked together. Galina felt his hands move from her waist to cup her ass, spreading her open. His lips swallowed her moan, all the while demanding more and more from her.
Galina became a creature of pure desire. She didn’t think about right or wrong, about family, about Alexei’s death or the family business. She couldn’t. All of her focus was bent on one thing: Andrey and the way he was making her feel. She wanted his cock inside of her, his hands on her body, his mouth everywhere and she never wanted him to stop making her feel the way she felt right this minute.
He shifted her body slightly so that he was lined up with her entrance. Andrey entered her with one smooth thrust, making her cry out into his mouth as he buried himself in her up to the hilt. Galina clutched at his
shoulders spasmodically, her thoughts blowing apart like a nuclear blast as his tongue in her mouth matched the rhythm of his cock thrusting inside of her.
Andrey pulled his head away from hers, his eyes hooded as he watched her. His strong fingers kneaded into the flesh of her ass, pulling her cheeks further apart. Everything he did felt incredible. It was like she was one giant string, and Andrey knew just how to pluck it.
His eyes watched her, intent on her face. Galina had no idea she could ever feel this way. She’d had sex before, but never like this. This went beyond sex, into another realm entirely.
Andrey changed the angle of his thrusts and everything turned to heat and light inside of her. She cried out with each stroke as his cock bumped against her g-spot. She stared at him, seeing his face alight with a kind of lustful determination at seeing her so undone.
Galina felt her orgasm building inside of her, spiraling around her pelvis and up into the base of her spine. She rocked her hips against his, reveling in his strength and power.
Andrey quickened his pace. His voice was hoarse with need as he ordered. “Say. My. Fucking. Name.”
Galina leaned her head against the wall, unsure if she could even form words. But she would try. He slammed his hips into her again, making sparks shoot through her entire body. “Andreyev,” she gasped. “Andreyev Lupesco.”
“And who am I?” he growled.
“My match.” Her eyes rolled back in her head at the pleasure he was giving her, striking her g-spot over and over. “My mate.”
“Damn right.”
He kissed her deeply, smothering her scream as her orgasm slammed into her like a meteor hitting the earth. His own followed soon after. Galina clung to him as his release coursed through her.
Andrey carried her over to the bed. Galina was still wrapped around him, shivering from the aftershocks of her climax. She felt like she had been taken apart and remade into something better, stronger. She couldn’t explain it; all she knew was that she would follow this man into the fires of Hell and back out again if it meant having him in her life.