by Leah Blake
“He’s a bloody killer,” Khor groused.
Raul’s piercing blue gaze panned to Khor. “Why don’t we give him a chance, hm? Or are we no better than the hunters? Do we deal justice without a trial like they do?”
“No,” a few men muttered. No one was pleased that Raul was taking Nico’s side.
“Keep that in mind next time you start causing unnecessary tensions. I chose each and every one of you sitting here because you are honorable and strong. Don’t make me regret my decisions because of something that neither Nico nor Mikhail have control of. Now, if I catch any of you threatening your level of trust again, the consequences will be greater than this warning. Do I make myself clear?”
Nico caught every head nod, accompanied by a few mumbled “yeahs.”
“I expect everyone to show our guest that we are not monsters. Your personal distastes for him are put aside. He needs to see who we truly are. Don’t give him an excuse to cling to falsities.”
Another round of agreements were muttered.
Nico gave a small nod of thanks to Raul before the wolf and his vampire headed down toward his suite. Nico didn’t bother to cast the guards a look before he chased after the couple.
It was Victor who paused and turned to him, his violet eyes gauging him curiously. Raul, of course, followed his mate’s lead.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” He readjusted the plate on his arm as he slowed his fast-paced chase. “Actually, Victor, I was wondering if you might be willing to speak with Mikhail.”
“Why?” Raul asked.
Victor rested a hand against Raul’s chest. Nico stared in amazement as Raul’s fierce gaze softened into adoration as he turned his attention to his vampire.
“He told me some things a little while ago. About the deaths of his brothers. They were killed by lamabra, but he said a vampire was there, too. He thought the vampire had accosted him, although I think he was saving him.” Nico sighed. “He pursued a hunter’s life based on the misconception that the vampire hurt him. I was hoping that maybe, Victor, you could shed some light on any doubt he might have.”
“Of course. I need to discuss some things with Raul at this time, but I will come by in an hour.” The corner of Victor’s mouth lifted. “I’ll be happy to speak with him.”
Nico returned to his room, a sense of relief settling in his mind. The tension running along his body dissipated the moment his eyes landed on Mikhail’s curled figure in his bed, a sheet covering him from the waist down. His dark blond hair stood up at different angles, bringing a smile to Nico’s face. His little mate. Sure, he had some nice muscle, but he was still small, a man Nico could cradle and protect and love.
He lowered the plates quietly to the table, pondering his thoughts. He cared for the man, that was a given. He cared perhaps more than expected for having officially met him less than a week ago. Then again, things worked differently in their world compared to humans. Falling in love with one’s mate within a matter of days was expected.
He didn’t love Mikhail yet, but he certainly was on the fast track to that point. He’d seen a broken man who found strength behind the badass hunting gear and smartass comments. He’d held that broken man for hours, showing him how real, honest strength felt and the support it could provide. He hoped that Mikhail would wake up and not ponder his given “one night” with Nico, but rather see through a clear mind that his one night was nothing more than a purge of the past and the foundation to move ahead.
With Nico.
Silently, he went to the bedside and gazed down at the beautiful man. The scrapes on his back had crusted and scabbed, the two larger wounds still covered with gauze. His cheek was marked with red lines from his pillow, having flipped over while Nico was getting food. He was curled in the fetal position, hugging his pillow and knees tucked into his body. A ghostly wave of goose bumps covered his skin.
Nico pulled one of the blankets from the foot of the bed up to Mikhail’s shoulders. Mikhail didn’t move. Good. The man needed some sleep. As for him, he needed a run, followed by a hot shower.
Storme and Marco came around the corner as Nico slipped out of his room. He bit back a groan, half expecting his two friends to hammer into him about Mikhail. Instead, Storme clapped his shoulder and tipped his head toward the closed door.
“How’s he holding up?”
“Pretty well, under the circumstances,” Nico said.
“Heard some of the guys hounded you about him.”
Nico shrugged. “To be expected.”
“You headed out?” Marco asked.
“I need a run. Burn off some of the frustration from the guys.” Nico forced a small smile. “I get their concern, but I honestly don’t think they have a thing to worry about.”
Storme chuckled. “Well, if they don’t, they’ll learn that soon enough. Their fucking ’tude toward you is off the chart. Unacceptable.” He motioned toward the long corridor leading to a side entrance. “Would you like some company?”
“Sure.”
“Great!” Marco grabbed Nico’s arm and hauled him down the corridor. His wolf panted, the beast pushing through until he began the fluid shift from man to wolf by the time they leaped off the stairs into the sunny day.
“Last one to the north side gets a tofu burger for dinner.”
* * * *
A faint whisper of disappointment escaped him when he woke and found the bed empty. For a long moment, he lay beneath the blanket that covered him to his neck, inhaling Nico’s scent. Had the wolf covered him up? He held on to that small fantasy as he carefully rolled onto his back. A quick look around and he concluded he was alone in the room. Two plates of food rested on the small dinette table, two beers beside the plates. His stomach growled at the sight.
As the sleep wore off, Mik climbed to his feet, stretched his arms over his head, and searched the room for Nico. There was no sign of the wolf except for the culinary evidence. He took a few minutes to brush his teeth and rinse the dried tears from his face.
Tears.
When was the last time he had cried? When was the last time he let someone see him cry?
“Damn man was right, though.”
Mik stared at himself in the mirror for a long while. The copper tones of his eyes appeared brighter. His face less drawn. His shoulders relaxed. Inside his soul, he felt as if the universe had finally been lifted, leaving him lighter than he had felt in a long time.
He grieved his losses in Nico’s arms. The loss of his brothers—no, Ethan and Carson—and the loss of himself.
A gentle rap at the door tore him from his thoughts. He caught the excited half-grin that crested his mouth before turning away from the mirror and hurrying to the door.
“Nico…” he greeted, pulling the door open. His eyes went wide and his smile flat-lined. He hopped behind the door, covering his naked body from Victor’s amused gaze. “Shit. Um, hold on.”
Mik closed the door and rummaged around the room until he found a pair of shorts and T-shirt. He hobbled into the shorts on his way back to the door, and tugged the shirt onto his arms as he opened the door and forced a smile. His damn face was on fire.
Victor’s brows lifted. “I can return later.”
“No. I just thought…well…”
“I understand.” Victor smiled, motioning to the open door blocked by Mik’s body. “I can come back.”
Mik rubbed his forehead and stepped aside. “I’m sorry. I just woke up. Come in.”
Victor nodded his head in thanks and slipped through the door, coming to pause a few feet away. Mik closed the door and secured the lock before ruffling his mussed hair. He tried his hardest not to stare at the vampire. God knew he didn’t need Raul hauling his ass to a prisoner cell for gawking over his mate.
It was hard, until he pictured Nico.
“Um, should I offer you something? I don’t know what Nico keeps here. Do you even eat or drink?” Mik cringed when Victor chuckled. The sound was calming and mus
ical, at his expense he assumed. Mik clasped his hands together. “I don’t know vampire customs. Sorry.”
“No need to apologize. I need nothing at this time.”
To his utter embarrassment, Mik’s stomach growled again. Victor laughed and motioned to the table. “Why don’t you eat? I’m certain Nico wouldn’t wish for you to eat cold food.”
Mik shuffled to the table, unable to keep from casting the vampire glances until he sat. Victor took up the chair cattycorner to him.
“I’ve been following the rules, you know. I haven’t done anything wrong.” Mik slid a plate closer to him, but couldn’t find interest in the decadent-smelling meats. “I know I’ve been causing issues among the guys here, but I’ve stayed clean.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Mik couldn’t help but admire the strange, gothic style of clothing the vampire wore. It was a perfect fit for the eloquent and elegant creature.
“Um, so, I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I gathered that from the first time you opened the door.” Victor held his gaze. “Where is Nico?”
Mik shook his head, choosing to start with a thick slice of roast beef. “I don’t know.” He tried a piece of the meat. “He couldn’t have been gone long. The food’s still warm.”
“He might be out for a run. Wolves enjoy the freedom of a hard run. It helps burn off excess energy.” Victor crossed one leg over the other and folded his hands over his knee. Mik couldn’t get over the guy’s grace. “I understand you had a difficult morning.”
Understatement.
“Trying might be a better word.” Mik sighed. “This hasn’t been easy.”
“When there is something at stake, it usually is not easy. You have much to gain, and much to lose. Misunderstandings can cause precious time to be lost, never to be regained.” Victor dipped his head a hair, but his expression spoke volumes. “I know from my personal experience. Raul and I suffered two decades of separation due to a misunderstanding, albeit more complicated.”
Mik gaped. “Seriously?”
Victor nodded again. “Yes.”
He didn’t press the vampire for details, but he understood the significance of this small detail of his personal life. The vampire was opening up to him, trying to extend an olive branch, and Mik was tempted to accept it.
Why shouldn’t he? The guy helped keep him alive.
“Your past is well known to me. Mallouch kept a detailed log of hunters who could potentially pose a great threat. You were among that list, as were all of Jude’s recruits. I know about the deaths of your brothers at the hand of a lamabra. It may be little consolation to you now, but that creature was killed by the vampire who saved you.”
Mik stared at Victor. A faint ringing started in his ears and his head became light. He pressed the heel of his palm to his forehead and gave his head a small shake.
“You’re not doing any of that mind control stuff, are you?” Mik asked.
“No. I was clear that I do not interfere with free will.”
“I’m sorry. I’m just feeling a little…woozy.” No, the fact that his past was known to this particular vampire left him unsettled. His documentation was supposed to be classified. “You said the lamabra was killed? When?”
“The night your brothers died. Mallouch assigned a special task force to hunting the lamabra. A vampire by the name of Cullen had tracked the lamabra that night and managed to kill him before he could kill you. Your injuries were severe. You had lamabra poison in your body. Although vampires can feel the essence of the poison, it does not harm us. You had lost so much blood. Cullen couldn’t suck all of the poison from your vessels without killing you. He did the only thing he could do to save your life. Patch up the worst of your neck wound and urge you home.”
Victor swung his leg back and forth. His calm was addicting.
“We are not all bad, Mikhail. But, I am not one to try and convince another to see what he does not want to see. Look around you and see for yourself that your perceptions of us are sorely mistaken. Raul has created a gem in Shadow Creek. It is a place where paranormals can be themselves without fear. If you are looking for something, you will find it. Be prepared if it is not what you were expecting.”
“You are not what I was expecting.”
Diarrhea of the mouth seemed to be a side effect of Victor’s presence. Mik’s face heated again and he looked away.
“I don’t get it. Being here, talking to you and Raul, spending time with Nico, I don’t get it. I feel like I’ve been thrown into a rabbit hole.” Mik shook his head. “No. Launched. Or catapulted. Everything I’ve heard, everything I’ve seen, everything Jude has taught us feels like…” Could he admit it? To Victor? When he looked up at the vampire patiently waiting, watching him with nothing but a warm, friendly, and understanding gaze, doubt escaped him. “A lie.”
The vampire lifted one gently-sloping brow.
“I’m sitting here talking to the vampire who is supposed to be the most dangerous, destructive creature on the planet. You smile. You laugh. I don’t see that destructive nature. And Raul. He’s a beast, yet I’ve seen nothing but a pure sense of leadership and genuine concern for those he oversees. Everything I’ve experienced in the last twenty-four hours has been nothing like I expected.”
“It will continue to be such, since what you have been told and taught is far from the truth of what actually is. As with you, Mikhail, most hunters refuse to see their wrongs in the way they perceive us because they are desperate to hold on to a reason to do what they do. Your reason was for your brothers, or possibly for yourself. Your anger blinded you to the truth.” Victor leaned toward Mik a few inches, but it was enough to inject enough calming power that Mik relaxed completely into his chair. The vampire sure had a way about him. “I do not doubt your good heart, Mikhail. It was led astray by a sequence of events you had no control over. That has changed. Your life from this point on is in your hands. Raul gifted you a chance to change and find happiness with Nico. It is a generous gift. You will be protected from Jude should you decide this is where you want to be.”
“I do.” Again, the words spilled out without a second thought. An admission to both Victor and himself. “I want to be here. I know it’s ludicrous, since less than a week ago I wanted to kill shifters and vampires. I don’t grasp it, but I know what I feel.”
“You are dealing with the paranormal world. Sometimes things don’t follow your human logic. Simply listen to your heart and follow its lead. You will end up right where you’re supposed to be.”
Mik instinctively glanced over his shoulder to the empty bed with its ruffled blankets and twisted sheets. Lying in Nico’s arms had been pure heaven. He never wanted to leave. He could stay curled up against the big wolf for days and never regret a minute of life missed.
Yes. It was crazy. Fucking nuts, actually. The wolf had a way about him that gave Mik permission to forget his past and live the way he wanted to.
Free.
With Nico, though. He’d have to be with me.
When he turned back to Victor, the vampire wore a contented smile. No fangs, just perfect white teeth framed by pink lips.
“May I ask you a question?” Mik asked.
“Of course.”
“The lamabra. They were supposed to have been eradicated. Why is there a surge if only a vampire can create them?”
“Ahh, I see. You suspect the vampires are creating monsters again.” Victor shook his head, a slight, ghostly motion that dropped his pale blond hair over his eye and the side of his face. “A monster created monsters, and the creator has been handled appropriately. Between Raul’s guards and my guards, we are hunting them. We do not want harm befalling innocents any more than you.”
Mik narrowed his eyes. He didn’t miss Victor’s claim to having guards of his own. He didn’t miss the hint of authority in his statement either. Wheels turned in his head at the possibilities.
“How many are there?”
“Twelve.
There are nine left.”
Mik’s eyes narrowed further. “You’re trying to tell me something without saying it.”
“Your”—Victor made a nonchalant twirl with his hand—“olive branch.” Victor stood up and gave Mik a short bow. “I do not doubt you will figure it out before the day’s end. I am sure Nico will bring you about and show you what Raul has built and how those who reside here live. I must be on my way.”
Mik didn’t take his eyes off the man. He didn’t say a word until Victor opened the door. “Hey, Victor.”
Victor glanced over his shoulder.
A timid smile came to Mik’s mouth. “Thank you.”
“Do not thank me, Mikhail. Thank your mate by staying true to yourself.” Victor touched a single finger to his chest. “To your heart.”
The door closed.
The click resonated in Mik’s ears, touching the warmth deep in his gut. Victor came and Victor left, but Mik felt as if in those precious moments of their shared conversation, he had shed the overbearing skin of the person he had become that he did not like. The hate and anger he kept pent up inside of him for so long left a sickening residue along his mind. He didn’t want that anymore.
Victor was right. He needed to stay true to himself. The real Mikhail.
“Letting go of the past has been easier than I thought. It’s the consequences that are about to haunt us.” Mik poked at his half-eaten roast beef. “We’ll deal with them because this is where I want to stay. This is where I feel my heart belongs.”
With Nico.
Chapter Fourteen
Nico returned to an empty room and a note beside a half-eaten plate of food.
Cael brought me to his office. Be back soon.
Snagging a chunk of meat from the plate and popping it into his mouth, Nico stripped out of his sweat-stained clothes and tossed them into a laundry bin on his way to the bathroom. The run succeeded in releasing tensions and anger, leaving him feeling refreshed and ready to conquer the world. It was nice to have Storme and Marco flank him as they raced from one end of the property to the other. Cooling down in the creek soothed the ache in his muscles, but did nothing to ebb the hard-on he developed from thinking about Mikhail. Marco enjoyed pointing it out. Storme chuckled at the jabs. Neither were displeased with Nico’s situation, and that let him breathe easy.