by Dia Cole
“Does she have Mira?”
“No. Mira’s… s-safe in the panic room.”
Relief swept through me. At least Mira’s okay. But what about Ty? “Brother, what’s wrong? Are you injured?”
He didn’t respond.
The trail of crimson led straight into the formal living room. Bracing myself for anything, I rushed through the door.
Three bloody human corpses lay in the center of the room with dozens of knives sticking out of their bodies. I didn’t recognize the two males, but I did recognize the female with blood-covered gray hair.
Rachel.
Damn the fates. Grief and rage churned inside of me at the sight of the blades embedded in her eye sockets, ears, chest, and abdomen. The housekeeper had been with us for only a few months, but in that time she’d proved to be loyal and competent. She didn’t deserve this.
The older woman’s mouth was open as if she’d begged for her life until the end. Not that begging would have done any good. Tasha drank the pain of her victims down like vintage wine.
Speak of the devil. Tearing my gaze away from the carnage, I looked over at the tall female reclining on the chaise lounge. Her skintight gold satin dress matched the color of her eyes and the long hair cascading down her back.
Tasha looked up at me with a wide smile. “Ah, my prodigal consort has finally returned. Come over here and try some of this.” She held up the plate of beef bourguignonne she was eating. “It’s so delicious, I almost regret killing the humans who brought this food.”
Well, at least I now knew who the dead males were. I shook my head as I looked over at the pile of bodies. Their only mistake had been delivering food to the wrong house at the wrong time. “Why did you kill them and my housekeeper?”
Tasha’s yellow eyes glinted under the light of the chandelier. “The males were just in the way. That stupid female tried to keep me out of my own house and then refused to answer any of my questions. I couldn’t even compel her to talk.”
“It’s my house,” I said, gritting my teeth. “And Rachel was deaf.” Despite her lack of hearing, communicating with the housekeeper hadn’t been a problem. She’d read lips perfectly, but her deafness would’ve prevented Tasha’s mind control. My throat tightened. The poor woman’s last moments on earth must have been horrific.
“Oh,” Tasha said, sliding off the lounge chair with all the grace of a jungle cat. “Well, I didn’t know.” She set her plate and fork down on the closed lid of the grand piano and brushed her hands together. “No matter. She’ll be easily replaced.”
I fisted my hands, battling hard to suppress my rage. Anger was what Tasha wanted. I’d learned decades ago that staying in control and hiding my reactions was the only way to disarm her.
“Don’t be upset at the mess. I’ll have someone clean it up,” Tasha purred, sashaying toward me. It was obvious she wore nothing under the gold dress. Her stiff nipples pressed against the fabric and the twin slits up the sides of the gown parted with each step, revealing most of her thighs.
The sight of all her tawny skin on display along with the pheromones wafting off her had me taking a step back.
She’s going into heat.
At nearly a hundred years of age, Tasha’s cycles had become irregular. To my knowledge she hadn’t gone into heat since Mira’s birth. Why is she here instead of mating with the unclaimed males at Winterhaven?
“I’ve missed you, my consort,” she said reaching out to touch my face. In human form, the top of her head only reached my chin, but in her massive hybrid form she’d tower above me and every other Lykos in existence.
“I’m not your consort, Tasha. Why are you here? We made an agreement.” She’d promised never to come here. Never to see Mira.
Tasha’s eyes flashed. “I’ve decided to renegotiate the terms of our agreement.” She licked her lips and walked around me the way she often circled prey. “I will free you from the silver—” she pointed down at my wrists “—if you give me what I desire.”
“And what’s that?” I asked, despite the sinking feeling that I knew exactly what she wanted.
“A son,” she said in a husky voice. “An Alpha male. One with your silver hair and our combined power.”
Every muscle in my body stiffened. I’d never willingly give this psychotic female another child. Keeping my expression neutral, I said, “You already have an Alpha male son.”
“Tyberius is a poor excuse for a Lykos,” she snarled. “Speaking of—” She clapped her hands together. “Bring the bastard in here.”
The double doors on the other side of the room opened and two of Tasha’s Enforcers dragged in Ty. I immediately recognized the nearly seven-foot-tall auburn-haired giant as Liam and the heavily muscled dark-haired male with the eye patch as Gabriel. We’d trained together as boys until Tasha decided to make me her consort. The other males had gone on to become Tasha’s deadliest assassins.
“Drop him there,” Tasha said, pointing to the floor.
Gabriel and Liam dumped Ty in front of his mother and then moved to stand on either side of her. Their gazes briefly flickered to the dead humans in the center of the room, but neither of their expressions changed. Obviously, they were used to seeing Tasha’s handiwork.
By Ty’s bruised and bloody face, it looked as if he’d been beaten within an inch of his life. Thank the fates that his chest still rose and fell. The silver shackle around his throat must’ve been preventing him from shifting and healing. “Ty? Why did she attack you?” Sweat beaded my forehead as a horrible thought entered my mind. “She hasn’t figured out our plan, has she?”
Ty’s eyelids fluttered. “No. She knows nothing. She demanded I tell her where Mira was… I refused.”
“Thank you,” I said, overcome with gratitude. Then I turned to glare at Tasha. “I can’t give you what you want, but I know of several Alpha males who—”
“No!” Her roar was so loud it shook the walls. “I want you.” She approached me again and reached her hands up to cup either side of my face. “I’ve always wanted you, Nathan. From the first day I saw you as a little boy I knew you were mine.” It was impossible to look away from the madness in her eyes. “Mate me,” she ordered, her voice ringing with Alpha power.
But she couldn’t compel me and whatever she saw in my face had her gnashing her teeth in frustration. “Fine. We’ll have to do this the hard way.” She stalked over to Rachel’s body and ripped one of the knives out of the woman’s skull. Then she prowled over to Ty. “I know you and Tyberius have always been close. It’s a shame he will have only you to blame for his pain.” She lifted the blade over her head and started to bring it down over her son.
“Wait!” I shouted. I knew she’d never kill Ty, but she’d carve him until he’d wish for death.
“Yes,” she purred, holding the knife airborne.
As I desperately tried to think of a solution, someone knocked on the front door.
Shit. What now?
“Answer it,” Tasha said to Liam.
“No! I don’t want any more dead humans in my house,” I said, stepping in front of the giant. “Move back,” I growled, using enough compulsion to remind him that I wasn’t someone to be fucked with.
Liam took a hasty step back.
I strode out the living room door, closing it behind me. Then I yanked open the front door and stared down into the one face I wanted as far away from the Beast as possible.
Vana.
No. No. No.
My beautiful female was soaked to the bone and wearing a long black coat. Her brown eyes glinted with sinful promise as she licked her lips. “Hi, sexy stranger. My car broke down and it’s raining. Can I use your phone?”
“Didn’t you get my text?” I couldn’t help the accusation in my voice.
She blinked, clearly surprise by my tone. “N-no. I forgot to charge my phone. It’s dead.”
Hyperaware of the danger we were in, I stepped out onto the front step. “You shouldn’t be here.”
<
br /> “But it’s Sunday,” she said softly.
“Nathan, who is it?” Tasha demanded from the living room.
“No one,” I shouted. I needed to get rid of Vana and fast.
Vana’s gaze narrowed. “Who’s that?”
“Mira’s mother. You need to go.” If Tasha sensed my relationship with Vana, she’d brutalize her to death in front of me. I couldn’t let that happen.
Vana gasped. “I thought she was dead.”
If only. I could hear the living room door opening. Damnation. Tasha’s coming. I gave Vana a panicked look. “Go. Don’t come back here or try to see me or Mira again.”
The heartbroken expression on Vana’s face gutted me.
“Why are you wasting time talking to that human trash?” Tasha asked, looking over my shoulder.
I moved, trying to block Vana from her view. “Her car broke down and she wanted to use the phone.”
“Invite her in then,” Tasha said. “She could be… amusing.”
Oh, fuck no. Forcing an affectionate look on my face, I turned to the Alpha female. “No. I want you all to myself.” I pulled her in for a quick kiss.
Behind me, Vana let out a choked sound. I didn’t dare take my gaze from Tasha’s. Will she buy my sudden interest?
Tasha smiled against my lips. “Fine then.” She pulled away and nipped my ear. “I’ll be waiting for you in our bed.” Then she turned on her heel and headed to my bedroom. I could only hope to the fates that Rachel had cleaned the room and changed the bedding while I’d been away. If Tasha caught even a whiff of Vana’s scent on my sheets…
Vana’s sob had me twisting around. “I thought you… me…” she gasped.
The tears gathering in her eyes ripped me apart. But I couldn’t waver. Tasha’s visit meant that Vana wasn’t safe anywhere around me. I knew if I told her the truth, my courageous female would want to go head-to-head with Tasha. And she’d become yet another of the Beast’s victims.
I can’t let that happen. As much as it hurt, I had to make Vana think we were over. It was the only way she’d leave and not come back. “You meant nothing to me.” I forced a cold laugh, before slamming the door in her face.
My eyes burned as I rested my head against the door. Please wait for me, my little wolf. Three months. I just needed three months to take down Tasha. Then we could be together for the rest of our lives.
“Nathan, I’m waiting,” the evil bitch called from down the hallway. “And I’ve brought my favorite knife.”
“Coming.” I rushed into my study and poured a shot of wolfsbane-spiked bourbon. Tasha was too powerful to be drugged to sleep, but I wasn’t. I stalked into my bedroom and found Tasha sprawled out naked on my bed.
Steeling myself for the suffering to come, I knocked back the glass in one swallow. “What did you have in mind, my Alpha?”
The Beast grinned and raised her knife.
Claiming Her Mates: Book One
Three Lykos shifters swore to protect Havana. But who will protect them from her?
With everyone bailing on my holiday party, I didn’t think the night could get any worse. Then three scorching hot men storm the club and demand I come with them. Thinking they’re cops, I run only to discover the flu vaccine is turning people into monsters.
Now my survival depends on Mason, Gabriel, and Liam. I should be terrified of their glowing eyes and the way they destroy any threat in our path, but all I can think about is claiming the fierce men as my own. All three of them…
One problem.
My ex has threatened to eviscerate any man who touches me. Too bad the deadly Alpha male isn’t here. He’ll rue the day he broke my heart and ordered his three gorgeous friends to rescue me.
1
Havana
“What do you want for Christmas, you naughty girl?” asked the middle-aged man leering at me. The light from the dusty chandelier reflected off the gold band on his left hand, temporarily blinding me.
He probably told his wife he was working late. Ugh. Years of playing my seductive role prevented me from curling my lip in disdain. Instead, I continued undulating to the beat of the dance music being piped into the small red velvet VIP room.
“Come on, you can tell me,” the man insisted, stroking his Santa-like white beard.
I should’ve been coy with my answer, but the truth sprang from my lips before I could bite back the words. “Someone to share it with.”
The man blinked up at me with blood-shot eyes.
Great, Vana, why don’t you just kill the mood? Trying to salvage the moment, I tossed back my hip-length black hair and winked playfully. “Is that someone you?” With a practiced flick of my fingers, I slowly removed my silver-studded black top and tossed it to the man.
He tried to catch it and missed. The tiny scrap of material slithered to the blood-red carpet as he fixed his gaze on my swaying bare breasts.
“Have you been a bad boy this year?”
“Y-yes,” he stammered. His eyes glazed over as he swayed in his seat.
He must be trashed. Good. A drunk and his money are soon parted. Throwing club rules out the window, I stepped down from the small raised platform I was dancing on and approached his chair. “Then you need to be punished.”
“Yes, Mistress Robin,” he gasped. Unlike most of the club patrons intrigued by my dominatrix persona, this one seemed truly snared by the fantasy. For the right price, I was happy to indulge him.
I cast a furtive glance at the camera nestled at the base of the chandelier. In the past, Max, the club owner, might’ve skinned me alive if he’d caught me doing a little extra on the side. Now he’d only ask for a percentage.
Times were tough for everyone. Strip clubs included. Case in point, this guy managed to secure a private dance from me for a mere seventy bucks, something that would’ve been unheard of before the canine flu hit this past spring. But global pandemics had a way of changing things.
I leaned over the man, my nipples grazing his rumpled tweed vest. “It’ll cost you.”
“I have money.” He reached into his olive dress pants pocket and pulled out a worn leather wallet with trembling hands. “How much?”
I arched an eyebrow. “How much do you have?”
He opened his wallet and out fluttered several receipts.
Sadly, it looked like he had only a handful of twenties, but it was better than going home broke. “That works,” I purred. I wouldn’t have sex with him, of course, but men like him weren’t after that anyway. Years ago, my mom explained some men get off as much on pain and humiliation as they did pleasure. Ah, the joys of having a stripper mom. While other kids were learning how to ride bikes, Mom was giving me crash courses in the various ways to seduce men. Big surprise I ended up at the same club where she used to work.
The man swallowed hard, sweat dripping off him as if he was in a sauna. “Take it all.” He pushed his wallet at me.
I found myself staring at a family photo. Gathered in the arms of a heavyset woman were three young children. I couldn’t help glancing between the professor and the photo. Why isn’t he home with them? Hell, if I’d had kids there’s no way I wouldn’t be with them right now. With a pang, I remembered the big amber eyes of the little girl I’d used to nanny for. I miss Mira so much…
Her father’s handsome face flashed in my mind and my throat tightened. It’d been three months since Nathan shattered my heart, but the pain was still fresh. Trying to put my ex out of my mind, I flipped past the photo and found the twenties. Mentally tallying the money, I pulled out the folded bills and slid them into the top of my thigh-high stiletto boot. A genuine smile tugged at the corner of my lips, it was a better haul than I’d anticipated. “Take off your clothes, Dr. Sullivan.”
He gaped at me for a moment.
I tossed his wallet back at him not bothering to explain that I’d seen his Southern Arizona University ID badge inside. “I said, take off your clothes. Now.”
He jumped to his feet. “Yes, Mistress
Robin.” He gazed up at me adoringly.
My five-foot-ten height plus my seven-inch stilettos ensured I towered over nearly everyone I encountered, including the professor.
He fumbled with the top buttons of his oxford shirt before realizing he needed to remove his vest first.
“Fold your clothes and place them over there,” I instructed, pointing at the side table that in better days held ice buckets filled with Cristal. Now a bottle of drugstore champagne swam in a plastic tub of melted ice.
He practically tore off his vest and shirt. As he unbuckled his belt, he turned to face me. “I’ve never done this before.”
I made a noncommittal noise. Right. That’s what they all say. Finally noticing his bare torso, I inhaled sharply. What the hell? Black veins covered the man’s flabby arms and a portion of his silver-haired chest. I’d seen some strange-looking tattoos over the years, but nothing like that. Unable to help myself, I asked, “What’s going on there?”
The man looked down and paled. “My God. Those weren’t there this morning.” He gave me a frantic look as if I had the answers.
I backed up a step studying his bloodshot eyes, pale skin, and sweaty face with new eyes. He’s not just drunk. “You're sick.” And that meant I needed to get as far away from him as possible. I’d never heard of the canine flu causing dark veins like that, but you don’t mess around with a bug that killed a quarter of the world’s population.
He raised his hands. “I’m not. I just got the canine flu vaccine yesterday,” he said, mentioning the coveted shots the CDC had just rolled out. “I-I don’t feel so good.” His knees buckled, and he fell back into his chair.
Shit. “I’ll get help.” Max will know what to do. I turned to grab the curtain.
“No. My wife. She can’t find out…” he gasped sliding to the floor.
Damn. If the guy passed out in my VIP room, I’d never hear the end of it from the other girls. Especially Jess. That nasty redhead would love to get one over on me. She’d been downright venomous since I reported one of her stupid pranks to Max. Who the hell coats the stage steps with baby oil? Seriously. I’d taken a nasty fall and probably fractured my spine, not that I could afford to get my aching back looked at by a doctor.