by Bonnie Vanak
Darkness of the Wolf
Bonnie Vanak
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 1
They could kill him. Now. Or wait. He’d gone past caring.
No one would mourn his death. Guy Laurent was alone in the world. The thought made him ache. In his world of Draicon werewolves, anyone who used to know him thought he was already dead.
Huddled in a corner of his cage at the Savage Kingdom Zoo, he lay with his head between his paws. He stared at the steel bars prohibiting escape. Disguised as a real zoo, the facility was a prison for werecreatures who were forced into their animal forms during the day for unknowing human visitors.
A little girl licking an ice cream stopped before his exhibit as her mother sat on a bench feeding a toddler. The child looked upset. “Please don’t be sad, wolf.” She held out her cone. “You can have my ice cream.”
No one ever gave him anything without a price. But he still had a soft spot left for children. Guy loped toward the bars, wishing he could smile at her.
His keeper approached, knocked her hand away, sending her ice cream toppling. “Hey, you stupid kid, don’t feed the animals!”
The girl started crying.
A low growl rumbled from Guy. He glared at the demon and charged the cage.
Electricity zapped his powerful body. Uncaring, he pawed through the bars, wanting to hurt the demon for upsetting the child.
The little girl screamed. “Mama, the wolf’s going to hurt me!” Guy watched in pained bewilderment as she ran off. I was only trying to help you.
When would he ever learn that nothing good came of helping others?
The demon pressed a box on his belt. The Identi chip buried beneath Guy’s skin sent painful pulses through him. He yipped, shaking his head, trying to get rid of the agony.
Later, they came for him. In human form now, he was naked. Using the Identi chips injected into each werecreature, their demon keepers restricted their magick and forced all the prisoners into their human forms long after the zoo had closed.
The garrote around Guy’s neck choked him as they paraded him off to the shed. The demons stretched him out as they tied him to the punishment posts. The leather whip cracked through the air. Guy tensed. Salt on the whip’s silver studs ensured his wounds would scar.
A cold night wind whistled over his body as they dumped him into the cage after his beating. The winter chill infiltrating central Florida felt like needles stinging his shivering flesh.
“Rough day?”
At the sound of that familiar, deep voice, Guy raised his head and snarled.
“Come to finish off what the demons didn’t, Phoenix?”
The tall, dark-haired man standing before him raised every hair on Guy’s nape. Tristan was a Phoenix, one of the immortal Justice Guardians who oversaw all werecreatures.
“If I were, I’d have given you to the Draicon executioner instead of confining you here.”
“Fine. Now get the hell out of here. You’re blocking my view,” Guy muttered.
“How would you like to be free?”
Agony flared on his back. “I’ve been tortured enough today. Save it for tomorrow, when the demons get bored.”
“I never torture. Not my style. This is legit.” Tristan sat cross-legged before him.
“They told me the only way I’m getting out of here is in a coffin.”
“I have final authority here. How does visiting Île de Sanglier in the Caribbean sound?”
Wild boar island. “Why, they have a new zoo they want to display me?”
“You have a friend there. Bernard Belizaire. Bernard acts as a sort of resource coordinator for Draicon on the island and keeps tabs on everything that happens. He helped several Draicon packs settle on Île de Sanglier years ago. Recently, the oldest pack vanished.” Tristan’s green gaze met his. “They were slaughtered by Morphs.”
Guy swore softly. Morphs, former Draicon who turned to evil for greater power by killing a close relative, were their race’s greatest threat.
“The Quartermaines left the States, but their alpha, Dell, kept tabs on them. Dell wants Brianna, the youngest Draicon. She managed to escape, and make it to a Draicon safe house. Your job is to be a bodyguard for Brianna and help Kayla Morris, the woman hired to find and bring Brianna back to Dell. We need a Draicon who is a good fighter and will keep Brianna safe until her return to the States.”
“Why can’t Bernard do it himself? Or this Kayla person?”
Tristan’s jaw tightened. He admitted he can’t protect her from Morphs. He has a rare condition and his senses, especially hearing and smell, are failing. Kayla lacks Draicon powers. S he’s been hired because Brianna only trusts female. If you do this, you can go free.”
“And you’re offering me this out the goodness of that black ice you call a heart?”
His windpipe compressed as Tristan squeezed a fist, clutching nothing more than air. “Watch it, wolf.”
Tristan released him. Guy rubbed his aching throat.
“And why should I trust you when you put me in here?” he demanded.
“You’re here because you killed your pack alpha.”
“I’m here because of Anne. I warned her Simon was turning evil and I was going to take him out. So she told Simon. He went after me…I killed him, and then Carl, Simon’s beta, took over. Carl got leadership and I got prison.”
He’d foolishly warned Anne to keep her safe, failing to see her blind loyalty to their leader. He should have known better than to put a woman’s needs before his own.
Tristan stood, shadowing Guy with his tall body. “Because you saved the pack by killing Simon, you’re here instead of six feet under. You knew the rules. You should have told Carl, who would have alerted the Kallan to execute Simon. The Kallan is immortal and the pack would have respected his authority. Instead, you killed Simon and nearly involved your pack in a brutal war over who believed you and who didn’t. You’re a rogue who can’t follow orders.”
“And you think I can follow rules now?” he taunted. Damn, he still had freshly bleeding stripes on his back to prove otherwise.
“I’m giving you this chance to see if you can.” The Phoenix flashed him a dark smile.
Freedom. So close he could taste it. Guy squeezed his aching fists. “I’ll do it. What about the Identi?”
“It stays in until you deliver the girl to Dell. A little insurance in case you take a detour.” Tristan looked impassive. “I’m deactivating it, but in five days starting it up again unless you deliver the girl.”
The thought of the chip still buried inside him rankled Guy. He took a deep breath.
“Just remember, deliver Brianna to Dell or you’re back here. And you won’t leave until you’re in a coffin.” Tristan paused. “When she shows up tomorrow, go easy on Kayla. She usually avoids Draicon.”
“Sure, I’ll take it easy on the human.”
Tristan smiled. “I never said Kayla was human.”
“What the hell is she?”
“Your destiny.”
Fear and rage roared through Guy. “The hell with destiny, Phoenix. I’ve spent thirty years locked up because a woman betrayed me. You call that my destiny, too?”
“Kayla isn’t Anne, Guy. She has no pack loyalty.”
Guy shook his head. “Every wolf for himself.” “We’ll see,” Tristan murmured as he vanished.
Chapter 2
Kayla Morris didn’t scare easily. She�
�d endured her father’s execution, her pregnant mother leaving and her alpha throwing her into the human world.
She thought nothing could faze her. Not until she walked through the gates of the Savage Kingdom Zoo.
Draicon senses long abandoned flared to unwilling life. This wasn’t a zoo, but hell for werecreatures.
A man wearing a crimson jumpsuit swept trash into a dustpan. She saw his eyes flash deep red. A Century demon. They enjoyed tormenting others.
Only the most savage were imprisoned here. How could she work with such a wild beast?
No choice. She desperately needed the forty thousand dollars promised upon delivery to save her business from creditors. Guy Laurent was part of the deal.
Kayla wiped her sweating palms against her jeans. With a black band, she bound her brown curly hair in a tight ponytail. Assuming the indifferent expression that protected her against the world, she steeled herself.
No matter how savage this Draicon was, she could handle him.
When she reached the wolf exhibit, the cage was empty. But the lingering scent caught her attention. It was nothing like she’d ever experienced, deeply masculine mixed with a delicious fragrance of sage and pine. It was heady and she breathed it in, feeling her body surge unexpectedly. It felt like a high-octane sexual cocktail.
She didn’t consider herself a Draicon anymore. But her long-dead wolf senses charged to life with one inhalation.
A tall, redheaded man, wearing an Italian business suit, strode toward her. Victor, head demon for this noxious place.
She raised her hands to show she didn’t carry a weapon. Demons always were suspicious. “Kayla Morris, here to pick up Guy Laurent.”
“Sign here.” Victor thrust a clipboard at her.
She signed. Paperwork and red tape. The demons were infamous for it.
Victor whistled and an overweight demon wearing a red jumpsuit pulled on a chain, leading a sullen man out of a small shed. The chain was attached to a collar around the man’s neck. Shackles laced his wrists together. His shaggy, dark blond hair was clean, but three day’s of dark bristles covered his hard jaw. A loose orange jumpsuit, the type worn by Florida state prisoners, covered his tall body. His feet were bare. He did not look up, but kept his head lowered.
Guy Laurent.
His scent drifted over to her, filling her once more with that delicious tingly feeling.
Clutching a thick nightstick in one hand, the demon pushed Guy roughly toward her. “Here’s your new mistress, dog.”
A barely perceptible growl rumbled from Guy. The demon’s eyes glowed red. “You’ll pay for that.” He raised his stick toward Guy.
“Stop that,” Kayla ordered. She gestured to the restraints and the chain. “Take those off.”
Victor’s eyes widened. “He’s a dangerous, savage wolf.”
“Take. Them. Off. Now.”
The demon shrugged. “It’s your head. Or throat. He usually goes for the throat.”
The shackles fell off as Victor snapped his fingers.
Guy advanced toward her. Two feet away, he stopped and raised his eyes. Burning with rage, they were a brilliant sea blue. Kayla recoiled. His nostrils flared. He moved closer to her, closed his eyes and inhaled.
Damn, the wolf was sniffing her?
Judging from the interest in his now-opened eyes, he liked what he smelled.
“Kayla,” he rumbled.
Oh, dear heavens, that sultry, deep voice. He said her name as if he liked the taste of it on his tongue. As if she was chocolate melting in his mouth. She could almost feel the soft scrape of his tongue against her skin as he kissed and licked his way down her body….
A flush ignited her cheeks. Embarrassed at her wanton thoughts, Kayla looked away.
“You’re a Draicon,” Guy said softly.
Scowling, she whipped her gaze back to him. “Not anymore. I don’t do magick, don’t shift and I don’t like werewolves.”
Interest faded in Guy’s gaze. He began to rub the bleeding circles on his wrists. Kayla winced at the angry cuts.
“Those look nasty. You’ll need something for them.”
He gave a short laugh. “They’re nothing. I’ll heal—I just need fresh beef to juice up my energy levels.” The Draicon gave her a slow smile. “Or sex. Want to volunteer?”
“You’ll have to settle for a Big Mac.” Kayla studied his prison uniform. “We’ll never make it past airport security. Do you have any other clothing?”
“I have a suitcase filled with designer suits, can’t you tell?”
Suddenly a black duffel bag appeared at Guy’s side at the same time new clothing covered his body. He now wore a forest-green T-shirt molded to his muscular chest, and faded jeans. The jeans showed off long, athletic limbs. On his feet were sturdy hiking boots.
Wow. The clothes emphasized his sexiness. Bad boy all the way, laced with smoldering heat.
“Thanks, Phoenix,” Guy muttered, then narrowed his eyes at Kayla. “I need to get the hell out of here.”
But even as he started forward, she saw the sulking demon raise his club toward Guy’s head. The damn snake. Kayla scissor-kicked his midsection. The demon reeled backward.
“Next time I’ll aim much lower,” she warned.
Guy gave a deep, amused chuckle. They left, but at the exit turnstile, Guy hesitated. Sweat broke out on his face. Fear flashed briefly in his blue eyes as he stared at the red exit sign.
Kayla glanced at him. “What’s wrong?”
“Let’s go,” he muttered.
When they reached her car, Guy placed his bag in the trunk and then inspected the cooler she’d packed. He fished out a jar of peanut butter and a raw steak wrapped in plastic. His dark brows shot up.
“That’s for me,” she told him, snatching the peanut butter. “I don’t eat meat.”
She dug out another steak. She unwrapped both, placed them on a plastic plate and handed it to him. “Century demons aren’t known for feeding their prisoners.”
Guy cleared his throat. “Do you have a knife and fork?”
After she handed him utensils, Kayla sat on the back bumper, digging into the peanut butter with a spoon as Guy sat on the backseat. She’d been given cash for expenses, and bought Guy the most expensive steaks she could find. Kayla knew the kind of hunger that could drive a Draicon mad, the kind that gnawed at your empty stomach. She knew it because she herself had felt it days after her alpha kicked her out of the pack.
Gravel crunched beneath his boots as he got out, put the empty plate and utensils in the cooler. Kayla licked her spoon, caught him staring.
“What?”
“You have peanut butter on your lip,” he murmured.
“Oh.” She ran her tongue over the spot. His nostrils flared.
A dark sexuality clung to him. She breathed in his alluring masculine scent, troubled by her own wildness surfacing. Peanut butter clung to her finger. Against the logic that usually guided her, she touched her finger to his mouth. “Try some.”
Kayla barely recognized her voice’s sultry pitch. Guy’s eyes darkened. He ran his tongue around her finger, swirling around the slender digit.
She bit back a moan, closing her eyes as he suckled her finger. Very lightly, he nipped it.
With a slow pop, he released her. When she opened her eyes, the wild look on his face made her breath hitch. Her inner wolf responded, snarling to mate.
This was a huge mistake.
Kayla put the jar away. “We should get on the road,” she advised, hoping he didn’t hear her rapidly pounding heart.
“What about dessert?”
Mercy, what an infuriating wolf. Dimples dented his lean cheeks. He had a very sexy grin.
“All I have are breath mints.”
“That’ll do.”
She bit back an exasperated mutter as she dug into her backpack and handed him a few. Crunching the rounded white tablets, he sighed with pleasure.
“Thanks,” he murmured. “Now I’m ready.”
Shock and pleasure collided together as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
Chapter 3
Kayla had been kissed before, but never like this.
Too startled to pull away, she remained immobilized. His kiss was leisurely, sipping at her mouth. The heady taste of him filled her senses as he licked her bottom lip. He slid his hands around her nape, massaging gently. Kayla wrapped her arms about him, trying to get closer as her mouth opened under the insistent pressure of his. Guy slipped his tongue inside. Startled, she recoiled a little. He made a crooning sound, and she leaned into him. She never knew a kiss could be so intriguing and sensual, as if his tongue caressed every inch of her body.
He drank in her mouth, his tongue stroking against hers. Something more meaningful sparked between them, a connection her long-dead instincts hammered to acknowledge.
Guy seduced, teased and enticed, leading her deeper into an erotic dance. Kayla knew the dance would end with him on top of her, pushing into her body in a much more intimate joining. The wolf inside her howled to mate.
The unsettling thought of finally giving her body to a more powerful male made her see reason. Kayla pulled away. He seemed reluctant to let her go, but stepped back, his breathing slightly ragged.
“You taste like fresh air and sunshine,” he murmured.
“What the hell was that for?” Kayla demanded.
“Darlin’, I’ve been locked up for a long time. What else did you expect me to do when I see a beautiful Draicon?”
“I’m not Draicon, so keep your paws to yourself. I’m not interested.” It was a lie. Her body was soft, open, the space between her legs wet and swollen with need.
His nostrils flared. “Your scent tells me that’s a lie. Who are you if not a wolf?”
“I’m the one you won’t be kissing again. Get it?”
Guy gave her a long, thoughtful look. “I doubt it,” he murmured.
Spending five days with him on this assignment might prove more than she could handle. Kayla steeled her spine. Boundaries. They both needed them.