by Sedona Venez
“You brought that lunatic Mason into your house, leaving her open to his deception for twenty-two years.” He pointed his finger at her. “You made her vulnerable to Glen’s manipulation.”
Kara bristled. “What choice did I have? You don’t know Glen like I do. He’s evil. He would have raised her in a cage, treating her like an animal until she turned eighteen and ready to mate with Mason. I saved her from a life of hell.”
“Yet the very person you’ve been protecting her from has control of her. Isn’t that ironic?” Boulder responded.
She crossed her arms and widened her stance. “I did the best I could.”
Boulder looked at her icily. “Apparently, that wasn’t good enough.”
“Let’s back up a minute here. You’re not actually going to tell the New York Council the truth about her?” Torch asked Kara.
Boulder stepped forward menacingly. “Hell no, she’s not! She might as well declare open season on Infinity, and that’s not happening.”
“I’d never risk telling them everything. It’s too dangerous, but I have to tell them she’s Valkyrie. I really don’t have a choice now. Mason thinks she’s his mate and he won’t release her without a fight.” Her gaze slid to Boulder. “I’m just being honest.”
“That’s rich,” Torch spat.
She looked at him sharply. “Listen, wolf, I didn’t have to tell you the truth… but I did.”
Boulder looked at her icily. “The only reason that you told some of the truth is because you need us.” He deliberately left out for now. “But let me be perfectly blunt. I don’t trust you. Never did and never will.”
She jammed her hands on her hips, tapping her foot. “Guess what, Boulder? I don’t give a shit. We all have secrets.” She smiled, but it never reached her eyes. “By the way, does your little team know about your secret?”
Boulder didn’t flinch. The only person who knew about Azura was Torch. “Fuck off, Kara.”
Her eyes flashed angrily. “We all have secrets, shifter, so don’t you dare judge me.” She pursed her lips. “And yes… the Immortals do have powerful secrets. Maybe for once, you should listen.”
His mind raced. He didn’t know how, but Kara knew about his connection to the Immortals.
“Don’t worry, shifter. Your secret is safe with me. You’re my daughter’s true-mate, and as much as I hate to admit it, I know you’ll keep her safe and eventually make her happy. I feel sorry for anyone who tries to tear that mating apart.” She looked pointedly at Torch before sauntering over to sit beside Factor. She smiled, looking him up and down with interest before crossing her legs provocatively.
Factor shook his head and muttered, “Not going to happen, Valkyrie.” He slid to the other end of the couch.
She shrugged. “Your loss, wolf.” She looked over at Boulder. “My sources tell me Mason is working to unite the tigers under him as the first tiger king. He doesn’t have full support from the tigers, but he’s young, ruthless, and hungry—all traits that can move him into position. However, he’s missing one key thing… a strong mate to seal his rise to power.”
Torch laughed sarcastically. “This keeps getting better and better.”
Boulder snorted. “That’s not going to happen. She’s mine. He knows that.”
She looked at him coolly. “He has the support of Glen and Maxim. That’s all he needs to move forward with a mating ceremony. That’s where the Council comes in. When I tell them she’s a Valkyrie, they’ll do everything in their power to stop their mating. They’ll never allow Mason to have such a powerful ally.”
Boulder arched a brow. “You do realize that once you tell the Council about her, they’ll declare open season on her. They do not trust you, Valkyrie. They trust what they know. Valkyries are dangerous and must be destroyed.”
She laughed coldly. “They know better. I have lived unchallenged all these years. She can too.”
“Are you kidding me? Given time and opportunity, you and Infinity will be cut up into little pieces and sent to the Immortals in a shoe box,” Torch said sharply.
Boulder snarled. “No one’s touching my mate.”
Torch looked at him angrily. “Are you serious with this bullshit? Come on, Boulder. You know that if we get her out alive, she’ll never live in peace.”
Boulder ran a hand over his head with frustration. “I’m fully aware of that, but there has to be a way to get her out of this alive. And I’m willing to do anything to ensure that happens.” His face remained impassive when Azura whispered in his mind.
Free will is the key to setting her free.
Boulder’s eyes narrowed on Kara. “So you’re telling me that you don’t know of a way of saving Infinity without going to war?”
Something shifted in her eyes before she gave him a blank stare. “No.” Her voice croaked before she cleared it loudly.
Boulder smelled her deception.
Azura laughed coldly. The Valkyrie lies. She wants Infinity to find the nine to unlock the curse of her sisters. Do not trust her.
Kara stared at him with narrowed eyes. “All I can say with absolute certainty is that you are her balance and stability. Without you, her dark side will twist and manipulate lies to reality. Do not let that happen.” She paused as if weighing her words carefully. “She will also need your acceptance of what she is… and eventually she will give you her love and trust.” She looked down impatiently at her buzzing phone. “It’s show time. The New York Council is convening an emergency meeting.”
She tapped out a text. “I just sent you the address, Boulder. Meet me there.” She stood up, tilting her head at him with respect, then rolled her eyes with exasperation at Torch.
“Have you told us everything?” Boulder asked sharply.
She marched toward the elevator with Wyatt by her side. Stepping in, she turned on her heels, looking at him coldly. “I told you what you need to know. Everything else will be revealed in due time.” She smiled icily before the door slid closed.
CHAPTER 9
Colorado… Saturday
“Shit. Shit. Shit,” I muttered while pressing trembling fingers to my temples to ease the throbbing migraine.
Exactly how long was I asleep?
My sleep-fogged mind processed the fact that this was most definitely not my master suite. It was some over-the-top lavish nightmare. My stomach heaved as if I had a massive hangover.
Did I pass out after some wild party in Manhattan?
The cool air kissed my bare arms, making me shiver. And why was I wearing this horrible black silk slip dress?
Scrambling off the massive bed, my legs wobbled as a wave of dizziness buckled my knees. Bracing my hands on the carved mahogany headboard, I tried not to panic, but all that went straight out the window when I smelled the odd chemical smell that lingered in the air.
What the hell is that smell?
I pressed an unsteady hand onto my stomach as a wave of nausea swept through me. Cautiously, I put one bare foot in front of the other, inching along the wood floors, willing my lethargic legs to move with haste. It wasn’t happening. Gritting my teeth in frustration, I took baby steps as if I were learning how to walk for the very first time. My toes tingled as I inched along the wood floors, heading toward the light of the picture windows. My memories were so fuzzy and fragmented that I couldn’t sort through them quickly.
Is this a penthouse suite I decided to crash at after my concert?
No, that wasn’t right. My mind latched onto the last thing I remembered… stepping off the stage and getting into a confrontation with… someone… My mind raced. I bit my bottom lip worriedly. Oh God, why couldn’t I remember? The more frantic I became, the worse my migraine got.
I pulled my bra-length, jet-black hair away from my face, trying not to panic as I clung to things I knew were facts.
“My name is Infinity,” I recited repeatedly. “I’m twenty-two. Kara is my pain-in-the-ass mother, who is probably
frantic and out of her mind with worry because I didn’t come home last night.”
I snapped my fingers with happiness when I suddenly remembered something else from the concert.
“Torch—I got into a confrontation with that rude wolf-shifter.”
I sighed with relief. My memories were fractured and broken, but I was damn proud that finally I remembered something. Finally making it to the French doors, I pulled them open, sighing with relief when a fresh burst of cold, crisp air poured over me.
“Oh hell! Infinity, you’re definitely not in New York anymore.”
My eyes widened at the view of the snow-capped mountain surrounding a valley. This was wrong—very wrong.
Staggering backward, I made a beeline for the floor-to-ceiling glass doors that separated the master suite for privacy. Pulling the door open with shaking fingers, I entered a marble-floored hallway that secluded the bedroom from the rest of the suite. Slowly I walked along the hallway, entering directly into a lofty living room with soaring ceilings, twin fireplaces, and wide plank floors.
“Oh fuck no. This is definitely not right.”
Staggering over to the huge mahogany door, I turned the knob. It was locked from the outside. Locked?
What. The. Fuck?
I banged on the door with the heel of my hand. “Hey! Open the damn door. Kidnapping is a crime.” No response. I jiggled the knob. “I know you hear me. I can hear you breathing, pervert. Believe me, when I get out of here, I’m pressing charges.”
My stomach heaved. God, I felt sick like I was on the verge of passing out. Sluggishly, I padded over to the plush sofa, sitting down at the edge with my head between my legs. Okay, calm down and try to remember. How hard could this be?
I exhaled, breathing through the brain fog as bits and pieces of my memories floated back. Crazy Vampire Collective threatened to kill me. Wolf-shifters hired by Mom to protect me. A hot and heavy make-out session with Boulder aka Big Red. Argument with Torch—the ultimate asswipe and business partner of sexy Big Red. Performing at my concert—which was absolutely fucking amazing, then…
My breath hitched and chest tightened.
How could I not remember anything after that? The only time in my entire life that happened was when I dove deep into a Rejuvenator binge that almost ruined my life. There was no way in hell that happened. I kicked that drug habit months ago.
The doorknob jiggled. My frantic thoughts screeched to a stop. Sitting up slowly, my eyes narrowed on the door as it swung open, slowly revealing a tall, lightly tanned woman with long brown hair and the most amazing blond highlights I’d ever seen. Smoothly, she stepped into the doorway with two beefy men flanking her sides, who were both giving me menacing glares.
My fists clenched. I’d seen these men before, but where?
The woman smiled widely like some damn beauty contestant. “Good, you’re awake.”
Her smile made me very uneasy. “Why the hell are you smiling like that?” I hissed with eyes glittering with frustration.
The men stepped forward, growling at me like savage animals. Others? What the hell? I scooted back against the sofa with a wildly beating heart. Oh shit! They were going to kill me.
The woman exchanged a look with the two men. “Matt? Parker? Will you stop? You’re scaring her. Shit, you’re scaring me too.” She shoved them out of the suite. “Get the fuck out.” She tried to slam the door in their face, but the one named Matt held it open easily before saying gruffly, “We’ll be right out here if the Valkyrie gives you any trouble.”
I looked at him, frowning. Who in the hell was he calling Valkyrie?
The woman rolled her eyes. “Yeah, okay, good to know,” she responded while slamming the door sharply. She pressed her back against the door with a sigh of relief. “Don’t mind them. Enforcers tend to have more muscles than brains, hazards of genetics gone horribly wrong.”
She was funny, but I was in no mood for being friendly. Psychos were holding me captive.
“Who the hell are you?”
The woman smiled even wider, making her pretty face look even younger as she swiftly walked over to me.
“Skylar. I’m the Alpha’s personal assistant. I was summoned to keep you company during your stay.”
I blinked at the crazy woman. She was treating me as if I were some celebrity guest at a palatial beach resort. I leaned forward, ready to kick her ass.
“I’m not sure what the hell you think is going on here, but as far as I’m concerned, this is kidnapping. Now, I don’t know who this Alpha is and frankly, I don’t give a shit. I want my clothes and a car to drive me back to New York. Right now!”
Skylar’s eyes clouded over with concern. “Kidnapping? Oh God, you’ve got this all wrong. Mason’s your mate and he brought you here to recoup. You know… to get away from the stress of the…” She paused, twisting her hands anxiously before whispering, “Incident.”
I stared, confused, trying to digest the situation. It was as if she were speaking a foreign language and I didn’t understand a damn word coming out of her mouth. However, one thing I was absolutely certain of—Mason was not my mate.
“What incident?” I wracked my brain and came up with absolutely nothing worthy of being called an incident.
“Maybe we should start with something simpler like a little bit of information about my pride.” Skylar smiled nervously. “My Alpha is Rafe Degrassi. He’s a tiger-shifter and Mason’s father.”
“What in the world are you talking about?” I stood up, fighting the woozy feeling from standing up too quickly. “Mason’s a tiger-shifter?” My voice cracked annoyingly. “And you?”
“Tiger-shifter. Well… hybrid tiger-shifter." She smiled with embarrassment. "Half human, half tiger.” She grabbed my elbow, gesturing to the sofa. “Please, Infinity, sit down. You look like you’re about to pass out.”
“This feels all wrong.” I jerked my arm away, fighting the odd wave of dizziness stubbornly. “Mason is an orphan from the Fire and Ash war just like me.”
She looked at me sympathetically. “No, he’s not, Infinity.” She extended her palm to touch my clammy forehead. “You’re running a fever.” She pulled out her cell. “Bring up the broth now,” she barked into the cell with gold eyes widening with concern.
I plopped down onto the sofa tiredly, my mind racing a mile a minute. How could I not remember coming here? Then something awful occurred to me that caused me to yank at my hem. “Who dressed me?” I swallowed nervously at the thought that I might’ve been sexually violated.
Skylar’s eyes widened. “The servants dressed you.” She sniffed the air loudly. “And you are most definitely still a virgin.” She looked at me with sad eyes. “We would never hurt you, Infinity. Mason would kill anyone who did. He loves you.”
I snorted with disbelief, knowing all too well the only person Mason loved was himself. “Let me be the judge of that.” Pointing over at the door, I looked at her accusingly. “That door was locked. Why?”
“Mason didn’t want you wandering out before he explained everything.” She wrung her hands worriedly. “Members of the pride are not exactly happy that you’re staying here. That’s why Mason put you here in your own private wing of the mansion. You know, just to ensure that you’re comfortable and safe.”
“Uh-huh,” I responded distractedly. In other words, the tigers were plotting to kill me in my sleep. I scanned the oversized corner living room slowly, wondering about the probability of escaping through the French doors that opened onto the terrace, and then I remembered the suite was at least five stories high. I would break my damn neck just trying to get to the ground floor.
Already in defense mode, I moved quickly, gathering enough information to get me out of this mess. “And exactly where am I?” I snapped.
“Colorado” She looked at me patiently. “At Degrassi Creek. That’s the name of our compound. Most of the pride lives behind its protective walls.” She licked her pouty lips
anxiously. “Look, I know what you’re thinking, but don’t even think about escaping. The enforcers will chase you down and kill you. They resent your presence so much they don’t care about the repercussions of defying the Alpha or Mason.”
My throat felt parched as I tried to process all of this information. “Okay, stop.” I held out my hands defensively. “I get that they hate me for some reason.” I forced myself to smile. “So why don’t you just help me escape? Then you and your happy little pride can rejoice that the evil human is gone,” I said sarcastically.
She gave me a puzzled stare. “Where will you go?”
Rage bubbled to the surface. “Back home to New York!”
Skylar took a big step away from me with wide eyes.
My head pounded from the sudden, raging migraine. I took a calming breath. There was no way I’d be able to convince her to help me if I didn’t get my emotions under control. So I used another tactic. The calm, cool, and collected persona I used for dealing with slimy music industry executives and concert promoters who attempted to cheat me out of my rightful profits.
“Think about it, Skylar. Why would I voluntarily come to a compound filled with tiger-shifters?” My lips pursed with displeasure. There was no way in hell I would come here voluntarily, especially not with Mason. He was not exactly my favorite person right now. Not after my lawyer exposed his one-man coup to take over my life and finances.
She looked at me serenely. “Because he’s your mate.”
I threw my hands in the air. There was no rationalizing with her. She was like some brainwashed psycho. “Where’s Mason? I want his ass front and center right now!”
She sat down at the edge of the sofa. “In a meeting. The pride is in an uproar over the fact he brought you here. They think you’ll bring trouble to the pride.” She patted my knee. “But when they find out about the trauma you’ve endured and that you’re Mason’s mate, they’ll all calm down, and then we can all go back to business as usual.”
My mind disregarded everything she said except for one thing. “What trauma?”