She managed to get Dexter’s attention, breaking his hold on Marcus. That plus the laughter dissipated the tense energy that was building in him. Dexter cast a glance at her, then sped up enough to get in front of Marcus, leading the way back to the ranch.
So much for riding off into the sunrise together.
“That guy is an asshole,” Tessa said.
Marcus laughed again. “How do you know?”
“You could have crashed with him distracting you like that.”
“Your concern for my well-being is touching.”
“I don’t give a crap about your well-being. A crash wouldn’t even kill you, but it could kill me.”
Again, her words were saying one thing, but her body told him another story. When she said she didn’t care about him, her heartbeat picked up and her voice changed pitch. She was lying. Which meant she did care.
At least a little.
“She’s perfect,” his dweller thought at him. “Make her one of us. Start your pack—for real.”
Marcus growled at his dweller.
“I won’t let anything happen to you,” Marcus said.
“I’m not afraid to die. I just don’t know if he has enough fuel left in his tank to kill me properly.”
The thought of Tessa’s body being consumed by flame…would absolutely set Marcus off again. He shoved it from his mind.
It helped that she wrapped her arms around his neck again to hold on. Her legs were so tight around his waist that he could feel her core pressing against his bare stomach.
He shouldn’t be thinking about that, either.
He wanted to hold her, too, but knew she’d kick his ass if he tried. This might be the last opportunity he had to be close to her. The thought brought another low rumble from deep in his throat.
“Enough with the growling, already,” she said. “I get it. You’re the big bad wolf. But I’m Little Red and the Huntsman all rolled into one. Never forget that.”
He threw his head back and laughed, grateful they were on a straight stretch of road. When he dared a glance at her again, she was smiling.
Dexter chose that moment to hit one of the sonic emitters Vaughn had built into their motorcycles. It was out of range for human perception, but Marcus heard it loud and clear. He winced, head throbbing as the noise cut through his brain.
His dweller shouted, “Rip off his head and—”
“Not now.”
Marcus was having enough trouble focusing with Tessa’s proximity and the fucking noise Dexter was throwing at him.
“What’s wrong now?” Tessa said.
“Sonic emitter. The boss is reminding me of my place.”
She probably thought Dexter was some incredible genius who used his tech to force Marcus to work for the Blades. Vaughn had never intended for that device to be used against Marcus, though.
“I guess I was wrong about him.” She briefly turned so she could look ahead of them. “He’s an uber-asshole.”
She didn’t smile. Marcus did.
Dexter switched off the piercing sound as he turned down the drive that led to the ranch. Marcus followed.
The gate swung open as they approached, then closed silently behind them. The drive parted—one paved road leading up to the front of the house and another circling to the converted barn out back that served as their garage.
Marcus wanted to take Tessa straight to the house. To give her a chance to eat, rest, shower, and change. There were plenty of clothes in her size in storage that would fit her. The Blades kept all the outposts well stocked in case anyone needed to switch sites.
Then again, Marcus had plenty of T-shirts she could wear. He loved the thought of providing for her—and knowing that his scent would be all over her now.
The main house came into view as they neared the barn. Tessa snorted when she saw it.
“You Blades have it rough,” she said.
“Wait till you see the sublevels.”
She leaned back enough to glare at him. “You know I already hate you, right?”
Marcus let out a little laugh and leaned closer. “You know I can tell when you’re lying, right?”
Her eyes widened, then her frown returned in full force. She could fight it all she wanted. He knew she was just as drawn to him as he was to her. Even if nothing came of it, knowing how she felt soothed him.
Dexter drove into the barn as the doors opened—again automatically, thanks to Vaughn. Marcus followed, slowing down as they passed the two normal high-end cars that they only used for their rare mundane trips to town.
Tessa couldn’t see the sloping ramp that had lowered from the floor, leading into the real garage a level below. She sucked in a breath and leaned closer, wrapping her arms around Marcus’s neck as they descended.
Full-spectrum bulbs set into the ceilings illuminated every inch of the sublevels at the ranch. The walls were smooth white, reflecting the light so pristinely that it was easy to spot anything out of place on their surface. The floors and ceilings were the same.
The ramp led into a large garage. Four motorcycles and two vans filled the space. They were all jet black, with no markings—aside from the energy conduits built into their surfaces.
The vans had tinted windows so it was impossible to see inside, even for dwellers with heightened senses. Something about the alignment of the molecules. No matter how hard he tried, Marcus only understood half of what Vaughn ever said.
Vaughn—who was standing in the garage waiting for Marcus, as usual. But with Porter.
Not so usual.
Vaughn was holding a stack of black clothing and glancing back and forth between Porter and Dexter—who was still sitting on his motorcycle. The whole situation must be making Vaughn really nervous. He looked over at Marcus, as if searching for help, but then noticed Tessa and frowned.
Great.
Marcus kicked out the stand for his bike and killed the engine. He stood, lifting Tessa from the bike as he did. The moment she was clear, she shoved against his chest. He humored her and set her down. She took a few steps away from him, keeping her distance from the others as well.
“Nice place—” She froze mid-snark.
When she caught sight of Porter, her expression completely transformed. Even her posture changed—her guarded stance relaxing. She looked stunned.
Her eyes widened, then filled with tears. She smiled and took a step toward him.
What the hell kind of chemistry did they have going on?
Porter’s scent changed. The slight mustiness he put off growing stronger. It seemed like it was coming from everywhere. Maybe Dexter was putting it off, too?
Marcus didn’t dare let himself try to keep her from going to Porter. Not when they were standing so close to Dexter—who was always armed with silver.
Dexter threw his leg over the back of the bike and walked to Porter’s side. Tessa didn’t seem to even notice him. She was too fixated on Porter.
Her voice was weak and thready when she spoke. “Brock?”
“Interesting,” his dweller thought.
“I would have gone with, ‘What the hell?’”
Dexter took off his helmet. Tessa finally noticed him. Her gaze flicked back and forth between the two identical men.
She looked like she’d been slapped. Her shoulders crumpled forward as she sucked in a stuttering breath. She shook her head, hard, then stepped back again—toward Marcus. He took a careful step closer, letting her feel him at her back.
Talking about their brothers, they had both stirred up ghosts. Porter and Dexter must resemble Brock, although that baffled Marcus. She looked nothing like them. Either way, he doubted Brock had been a twin.
“My mistake,” she said.
His heart pounded as Marcus felt her pain. If he thought he’d seen Danny, even for a moment…
Marcus dared to reach out to her, resting his hands on her arms. She didn’t pull away.
Yeah. She was hurting.
“Okay…” Vaughn d
ragged out the word, a bewildered look on his face as he glanced around at the others.
He turned to Tessa and forced a smile. “Welcome to an uncomfortably awkward moment. I’m your host, Vaughn.”
She actually let out a little laugh. Marcus would have to thank Vaughn later. Her reaction seemed to thaw Vaughn a little and his smile became more genuine.
“Tonight’s interlude features a surprise double-appearance by our fearless leaders—and I do mean that literally. These guys are cooler than a pair of disturbingly symmetrical ice cubes. Putting the ‘us’ in ‘Janus’, it’s Porter and Dexter.”
He pointed at them with his pile of clothes.
Tessa laughed. Even Marcus let out a chuckle. Porter and Dexter didn’t look amused. Vaughn edged away from their matching glares, approaching Tessa with his offering of clothes. He took off the top item—a pair of cargo pants—and handed them to her.
As she slid them on, he handed a fresh T-shirt to Marcus. Marcus quickly pulled it over his head. He didn’t miss how Tessa’s gaze lingered on his abs as his shirt settled into place.
“And our returning favorite, Marcus Lowell.” Vaughn held up the last item in his pile—a long-sleeved, button-up shirt.
He knew Marcus didn’t normally like his scars to show around strangers. Tessa didn’t feel like a stranger, though. Marcus wanted her to see his scars. He wanted her to know how far he’d go to protect the people he claimed. No, loved. The people he loved.
His dweller chuckled. “There is no difference.”
“I don’t even… We just met.”
“As if that matters. Some things are inevitable.”
Marcus shook his head, refusing the shirt. Vaughn’s smile faltered for a moment.
Draping the shirt over his arm like a waiter might with a towel, Vaughn bowed toward Tessa and said, “And with special guest hunter, Tessa Rhodes.”
Her smile vanished as she backed away from them all. “How the hell do you know my name?”
Vaughn’s mouth opened and closed as he looked from her to Porter and back again. Porter smiled while Dexter maintained his neutral stare.
“We think you’ll find the Blades of Janus are very resourceful,” Porter said.
Another tremor passed through her and her lips tightened. There was something going on between that pair. Something Marcus didn’t like. He stepped toward her, but she backed away. Porter held up a hand to warn Marcus to stand down.
“Forgive us for our lack of manners,” Porter said. “We’re not used to having guests.”
“The word ‘guest’ implies I’m free to leave,” she said.
Porter’s smile intensified. “Of course. But you’re also free to stay for as long as you’d like.”
That caught Marcus by surprise. Why would Porter make that offer? Unless…he was thinking of asking Tessa to become a Blade.
It would be perfect. She would have all the resources she needed. Marcus could keep her safe. They could live together, fight together, sleep together… He didn’t let his mind go too far down that road.
Dexter had shifted his stare to Marcus. He chafed under the challenging gaze. His mind flooded with images of ripping off Dexter’s head. It would be so easy…
Except his imagination wasn’t as strong as his memory. If he closed his eyes, he could still see Dexter seeming to almost fly around the room where Marcus’s family had been killed, silver swords cutting through the four werewolves who were responsible.
Marcus shouldn’t hate Dexter. He didn’t want to. But his dweller had other ideas.
“Come on in,” Porter said. “Let us show you around.”
Tessa crossed her arms. “Mind if check out the armory first? I’m feeling a little light.”
Porter reached into one of his pockets and pulled out the smallest model of stingray they had. It was almost completely hidden in the palm of his hand. He held it out to her.
All she did was lift an eyebrow. “What is that itty bitty thing?”
“If I may?” Vaughn stepped forward and picked it up, then walked over to Tessa. “This ‘itty bitty thing’ is a stingray. It’s capable of disrupting the electrical signals—”
“It stuns dwellers,” she said. “Yeah, Marcus mentioned them.”
Vaughn frowned. “It can do a hell of a lot more than stun. And it doesn’t just work on dwellers, so you might want to be careful with that.”
“How do I adjust the settings?” she said.
Vaughn looked to Porter, who nodded. After fiddling with it for a moment, Vaughn handed it to Tessa, then pointed out the controls.
“Slight buzz to fricassee,” Vaughn said. “Here’s the safety.”
She immediately set it on maximum and toggled off the safety. Pointing it at a blank wall, she pulled the trigger. A bolt of energy shot out of the business end of it. What looked like a swirling ball of blue plasma hit the wall, rippling over the surface briefly before stuttering out when she let go of the trigger.
The surface of the wall was blackened, the metal melted in the center of the blast all the way through. Even the concrete behind it held a crater.
“I guess it’s true when they say that size doesn’t matter.” Tessa slid the stingray into one of the pockets of her cargo pants.
“Put the safety on first,” Vaughn said. “And set it at its lowest level.”
“Why?” she said. “Marcus said these things hold their power well.”
Vaughn let out an exasperated breath. “It’s standard procedure.”
Tessa pulled the stingray back out and showed it to Vaughn. She’d already toggled the safety back on.
“But the intensity—”
Porter cut Vaughn off. “Ms. Rhodes isn’t familiar with our safety protocols.”
“I’m not a Blade,” she said. “I don’t follow your protocols. But thanks for the ray gun.”
“Stingray,” Vaughn said. “And it’s common sense as well as protocol. Walking around with it on high is dangerous.”
“Only for the things I point it at.” She glared at Marcus while she spoke.
“Another challenge.”
His dweller seemed to like it when she challenged him. That was a change. It still wanted to rip Dexter’s head off and gauge out his eyes for the challenging stare Dexter was casting Marcus’s way.
“We can go over protocol later,” Porter said. “Right now, we have a rather important debriefing. We hope you won’t mind joining us, Ms. Rhodes?”
“Tessa,” she snapped. “I can’t stand that other name. Call me Tessa.”
“Of course.” Porter typed in his code and placed his palm on the scanner that controlled the door to the rest of the sublevels. The door whooshed open, and he and Vaughn filed through.
Tessa cast a look at Marcus. He couldn’t tell if she was being wary of him or making sure he was going to follow along. He nodded briefly. Her lips tightened again, but she turned and followed the others.
She was looking to him for reassurance. Feeling lighter, he started toward the door.
Dexter caught Marcus by the arm and swung him around, slamming him into the wall and pressing an elbow against his throat. His dweller let out a howl, scratching at Marcus’s insides, pushing him to change and claw out Dexter’s heart.
The air thickened with the scent of silver as Dexter drew a knife. Marcus felt it hovering near his stomach, ready to disembowel him.
He could sprout claws and rip out Dexter’s guts as well. The thought was tempting, but that would leave Tessa alone. Marcus wouldn’t do that to her.
“Whatever you think is going to happen with this hunter,” Dexter said, “it isn’t. Do you understand?”
Marcus growled. No one would stand between him and Tessa. Not even his alpha.
“She called you alpha.”
Now was not the time to give fuel to his dweller. Even if it was right.
“Do you understand?” Dexter bit out each word, right in Marcus’s face.
“Yes.”
Instead
of letting up on him, Dexter pushed harder with his elbow, cutting off Marcus’s air. The normally placid expression on Dexter’s face was twisted into the closest thing to anger Marcus had ever seen. Dexter must really think that Marcus was out to start his own pack.
“Or he wants to claim her for himself.”
Marcus was glad for the lack of air. It helped stifle his growl.
Dexter gave one last shove with his elbow. Marcus heard the bone in his neck snap, felt his trachea collapse.
If he’d been human, Dexter would have just killed him. But Marcus wasn’t human. And if Dexter really wanted him dead, all he would have had to do was stab him with that sword.
“We’re warning you, Marcus. Stay away from Tessa.”
Dexter shoved Marcus to the ground, stepping over him as he coughed and retched, clawing at the floor while his body repaired itself.
Chapter Eleven
Tessa stayed alert as Porter led them down the pristine white hallway. She was pretty sure she’d just heard somebody get slammed against the wall of the garage. Since she didn’t hear screaming as someone was torn to pieces, Marcus was probably having what passed for a “friendly conversation” among werewolves—letting the boss know exactly what Marcus thought of the stunt Dexter had pulled back on their bikes.
Hoverbikes.
She focused on her environment, looking for more of the Blades’ super-advanced technology. The walls and ceilings were almost completely smooth, except for a few vents near lights built into the surfaces. Only the floor showed signs of use, with a few scuff marks here and there. She could see the outlines of a couple of doors, but might have missed them if it wasn’t for the keypads and scanners next to them.
When she’d been piling it on Marcus at the junkyard about Blades being divorced from reality, she’d had no idea how right she was. Between the hoverbikes and this, she felt like she was on some sort of spaceship. Knowing what she did about dwellers, the thought was unnerving.
Footsteps were approaching from behind. She looked over her shoulder to see Porter’s twin smiling at her.
Dexter. He looked pretty happy for a guy who’d just faced down a werewolf.
Where was Marcus?
The twins were so creepy. The only difference she’d been able to detect was that Porter seemed to radiate a bit less malice than Dexter. Both men looked like they could rip her apart with smiles on their faces. Identical smiles that never reached their eyes.
Pack Page 11