by Dia Cole
The sight of his healed legs eased the last of my anxiety. For the first time in hours, I could breathe easy. Everything will be okay.
Gabriel’s strained expression disappeared and his complexion returned to a healthy bronze color. He stared up at me in awe.
Snow crunched behind us.
I whirled around to find a burning zombie shambling our way.
Gabriel jumped to his feet, but I’d already hurled the piece of rotor I’d been holding at it.
The flying metal sheered off the top of the zombie’s head and embedded into the wall of the hotel with a loud thunk.
Gabriel gaped at the downed zombie and then at me.
“What?” Feeling self-conscious, I brushed off my furry thighs and rocked back to a standing position.
My fierce mate shook his head and did something I’d rarely seen him do—he laughed.
11
Gabriel
I tried to find a comfortable position on the bench seat and failed. It, and the wood picnic tables that filled the top floor of the ski lodge, hadn’t been build for a male my size.
Keeping my gaze on the doors that led into the large open eating room, I dug a splinter out of my elbow. It’d been hours since we’d finished our sweep of the ski lodge and the hotel next door, but we couldn’t let our guard down. Especially now that we knew there were bigger threats than zombies out there.
The memory of that woman yanking the chopper out of the sky made me curl my hands into fists. That kind of strength was unprecedented among humans, or zombies or whatever she was. Although we’d destroyed every undead thing in the vicinity, the sooner we headed back to Sanctuary the better. Unfortunately, no one else seemed to feel the same urgency.
Over by the food service counter, Mason calmly tended the group of exhausted-looking human survivors. Most of them slept or lay dazed on the floor.
Havana, who’d shifted into human form and donned Liam’s flannel shirt, also sat on the floor humming a lullaby. She reclined against the ledge of the large stone fireplace with the three children huddled around her.
Havana definitely had a way with kids. Even in sleep their small faces were turned up to hers. All in all, the babes didn’t appear too scarred by their near-death experiences.
I, on the other hand, was still trying to choke down the fact that I would’ve died if Havana hadn't rescued me. It was humbling as hell to know I owed my life to my female. The female I swore to protect.
“We both owe her our lives,” Liam corrected from the table on the opposite side of the room. “Did you know Havana could do a hybrid shift?”
I shook my head. “Until now, I thought only the Originals could do that.”
“And until a week ago we thought Alphas were born, not made.” Liam nodded toward our yellow-eyed mate.
I bristled at the reminder. Havana was defying everything we’d ever assumed to be fact about our species. It was unsettling. “We need to talk to Mason.” Surely the doctor would have some insight into this new development. “He’s been with those humans long enough.” I started to stand.
“Patience, brother. They need medical care.”
I huffed, glancing over at the ragtag group of humans. There wasn’t one strong fighter among them. “Why would Nathan stay and protect that pitiful bunch? He should have left them and gotten his daughter to Sanctuary.”
Liam adjusted the babe sleeping in his arms. “Maybe he thought it was too risky to move Mira with those super zombies out there.”
I grunted, conceding his point. The fact that we hadn’t found a single survivor in the hotel underscored how dangerous the situation had been. If Mira had been my daughter, I wouldn’t have wanted to risk her life either.
I studied the little Alpha female curled in my mate’s lap. She was a fey thing with her silver-streaked hair and her large golden eyes. Eyes like my infant niece. A phantom blade twisted my gut as I wondered what Isla would look like if she were still alive.
As if feeling my gaze, the little Alpha female opened her eyes and looked over at me.
I bowed my head in respect.
Mira ducked behind the long dark curtain of Havana’s hair and shook the leg of the large male sprawled out next to them. “Daddy, the scary guy is looking at me.”
“Let your daddy rest,” Havana gently chided.
“Sorry,” the little girl said looking crestfallen.
Havana patted Mira’s back. “Don’t worry, love bug. He’ll be up soon. Go back to sleep.”
He’ll be up soon… A low growl escaped my lips. I’d be happy if Mira’s father never woke. No matter how Havana had assured us she no longer had feelings for Nathan, I knew better. Before she’d learned how to block her thoughts from us, I’d shared her memories of Nathan and been shaken by the overwhelming love she’d had for the male. Even now she wanted him near and I’d caught her reaching out to touch him several times.
Fuck. What does that mean for us?
“It means nothing,” Liam said, picking up my thoughts. “Trust her. If she said he’s in the past, believe it. Besides, she’s claimed us. We’re bonded for life.”
I snorted. “Or until she breaks the bond.” Just as the Lykos female claimed her mate, she could unclaim him. It didn’t happen often, but when it did it was devastating to the unclaimed males.
Liam frowned. “She’ll never do that. We’re family.”
Since when had the deadly Enforcer become so naïve? “You’re deluding yourself. We’ve been together for all of a week. She’s been in love with Nathan for much longer. Do you really think she’ll choose us over him?” My heart ached as I answered the question myself.
“Can you just for once stop being Mr. Doom and Gloom? Let’s be thankful that we’re here and we’re all alive.” Liam dropped his chin to plant a kiss on the wispy hair of the infant sleeping in his arms. Since discovering the babe hadn’t died in the crash, Liam hadn’t put her down.
Seeing the assassin turn into a ball of mush over an infant was as disconcerting as discovering my mate could take an all-powerful form. I shook my head wanting the world to go back to making sense.
The infant cooed and shifted in Liam’s arms.
I studied the babe through narrowed eyes. Havana and Liam had been sure she’d perished in the crash, but the infant had roused minutes later. Mason concluded that the babe had only been knocked unconscious. Strangely enough, the doctor hadn’t found a scratch on her. Her brothers had also emerged from their close brushes with death injury-free.
I turned my attention to the two boys sleeping near Mira and my mate. The resemblance of them to their mother was uncanny. I scowled. Their mother had nearly killed me today and their father had nearly taken out an Alpha male. That shouldn’t be possible. No doubt, Havana would insist on bringing them, and all the other humans, back to Sanctuary. Fuck. I didn’t like it. Not one bit. I scrubbed a hand over my face.
My mate’s sweet scent enveloped me. I looked up to see Havana, standing next to my table. She laid her hand on my shoulder. “What’s wrong, Gabriel?” Her presence eased my agitation and soothed me in a way nothing else ever had.
Forcing a smile I said, “I’m eager to get back.”
“I am too.” She slid in next to me on the bench. The warmth of her thigh felt welcoming against my leg. “At first light let’s check the parking lot for vehicles that can make it up the mountain. There have to be some with tire chains. We’ll all go up in a caravan.”
Fuck. Just as I suspected she wanted to bring all the humans with us. “I don’t—”
She interrupted me. “I know you don’t like it, but you will have to deal with it, Gabriel. These people need our help. Once we get everyone settled at Sanctuary, I’m going to Sunridge. There may be other survivors in there and—”
I’d stop following the conversation as soon as she’d mentioned going to town. No way. I glanced out the closest window. “It’s too dangerous. We don’t know the situation over there. There could be hundreds more reanimated
and—”
She raised her hand to cut me off. “That’s why I’ll be going there alone.”
“Over my rotting corpse.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Don’t argue with me. I can become the monster werewolf—”
“It’s called hybrid form,” I corrected.
She rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Zombies don’t bother me when I shift into…that thing.”
Does she not understand her power? “In that form you’re nearly indestructible.” Realizing the truth of my words, my worry over her going into town faded.
“Nearly?” she said, rubbing the back of her shoulder.
“Your only real threats are decapitation, complete incineration, and penetrating objects.” It sounded like a lot, but when the hybrid could regenerate any other injury and were rumored to be immortal, it wasn’t.
“That’s a shame. I do so enjoy being penetrated.” Her eyes glinted. She cast a quick look over at the sleeping children and slid her hand under the table to cup me.
My shaft hardened on contact. “What are you doing, princess?”
“Making sure you’ve recovered from your injuries.” She slipped her fingers through one of the jagged tears in my jeans and brushed them against my stiffening flesh.
Lust blazed straight to my groin. I fought the urge to thrust against her hand. As much as I craved her touch, this wasn’t the time or the place. “I’ve made a complete recovery.”
“Have you?” She tightened her grip, making me groan.
I reached down to push her hand away, but somehow ended up folding my hand over hers.
She stroked my shaft from root to tip.
My eyes nearly crossed. Fuck. All thoughts of stopping her erotic play were replaced by the desire to haul her onto the table and mate her.
I must’ve been telegraphing my thoughts because Havana let out a husky laugh. “I don’t think so, baby.” Giving me a teasing smile, she pulled her hand away. “I think you’re in fine health.” She looked so fucking beautiful with her skin flushed, and her nipples pebbling against the fabric of Liam’s shirt. The sweet scent of her desire fogged my brain.
“It’s only right that I check on your health too.” I clasped her thigh under the table and ran my hand under the hem of the flannel shirt.
Her beautiful ruby-red lips parted when I reached the apex of her thighs. She stiffened, but didn’t object when I slid my fingers inside her.
I loved how hot and wet she was.
She let out a low moan and tried to trap my hand between her thighs. “W-we shouldn’t. The children.”
“They’re sleeping like you said.”
She licked her lips. “But the others.” She glanced at Mason and Liam who were staring at us with hungry expressions on their face. It was obvious they sensed our rising passion.
Fuck them. This is my time. “Let’s go somewhere private.” Any of the empty rooms in the hotel would do. Hell, I’d mate her out in the snow as long as I got her all to myself.
“I-I don’t know.” Havana looked over at Nathan’s sleeping body.
“I think you do.” Pressing her thighs open with my palm, I found her clit and worked it until her eyes glazed over.
Her breath came in jagged pants. Her legs trembled, and I knew from the pleasure thrumming through our bond she was seconds from orgasming.
Not so fast. I yanked my hand away.
“Gabriel, please,” she gasped, her fingernails digging into the wood bench.
It was time to reassert my sexual dominance. “Come with me, princess.” I stood and offered her my hand.
She took it.
Excitement mounting, I all but dragged her out of the room. Before closing the doors behind us, I mentally called out to Liam, “Keep watch while I’m gone. We’ll be back soon.”
“Not too soon, I hope.” His amusement came through our bond. “Be sure to pleasure our mate.”
I looked down at Havana. “Oh, I will.”
12
Havana
Anticipation wound through me as I followed Gabriel down the lodge stairs. I couldn’t wait to get him alone and finish what we’d started.
Gabriel set a fast pace, and I struggled to keep up with him as he raced out the front door.
The cold night air was refreshing after being holed up in the top floor of the lodge. Even with the windows open, the smell of unwashed bodies made me nauseous. I really had no business complaining as I probably stank worse than anyone else. My hasty cleanup with some paper napkins and melted snow hadn’t removed all the blood and zombie goo covering me.
Gabriel didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. Sexual need wafted off my fierce warrior in waves. Giving me a wicked grin, he tightened his grip on my hand and pulled me toward the hotel entrance.
What a sight we would’ve been to any of the human survivors who might’ve glanced out the window—both Gabriel and I, barely clothed, walking barefoot across the snow. It was a good thing I’d compelled the survivors to be calm and ignore anything strange or unusual.
Although I felt guilty about using compulsion on them, it seemed justifiable. The calmer they were, the quicker Mason could treat them and the faster we could get to Sanctuary. I only wish I could similarly justify the compulsion I’d used on Nathan.
Unease swirled in my chest as I remembered how I’d forced Nathan to accept my claim. Just because I’d compelled him to save his life didn’t change the fact I’d stolen his free will.
I let out a deep breath and watched it fog the icy night air. Even though Nathan had treated me like crap and broke my heart into a million pieces, he’d never mind-controlled me into being with him. I’d done that and more.
I’d bound him to me forever. No scratch that, I’d bound him to me and my three other mates forever. My palms began to sweat as I considered how they, and he, would react to that knowledge.
I looked up at Gabriel.
He clenched his darkly stubbled jaw as he steered me through the doors of the hotel. All evening he’d been worrying about Nathan.
Gabriel will lose his mind when he finds out what I’ve done. Inwardly cringing, I stumbled on the hotel carpet. Earlier, Liam had lit a fire in the large fireplace across from the hotel’s front desk. The flickering flames seemed to be admonishing me. I should have told Gabriel that I claimed Nathan.
Gabriel stopped and looked back at me. “Is everything okay?”
No. I took a deep breath. “Yes.” Spying a sign over his shoulder, I said, “Would you mind if we took a detour? I’d love a swim in the pool.” It was a delay tactic and he seemed to sense it.
He arched one dark brow. “A swim?”
“To clean up a little.” I motioned down at my body. I’d been tempted to take a dip in the pool earlier, but there hadn’t been time.
Gabriel slowly nodded.
We changed direction and headed through the door near the elevators. It led straight into a long rectangular room. Although it was pitch-black in there, I could see the indoor lap pool surrounded by lounge chairs perfectly well. I could also see that in the far corner was a kidney-shaped Jacuzzi that looked large enough for a kindergarten class.
Trying to decide between the Jacuzzi and the pool, I inhaled deeply. The bleachy odor of chlorine brought back childhood memories of summers swimming in the pool at the trailer park.
“Come on,” Gabriel yelled, diving into the pool.
I glimpsed his gorgeous ass before water splashed me in the face.
Laughing, I pulled off Liam’s shirt and dropped it on top of Gabriel’s discarded pants. Then I walked around to the other side of the pool and slowly descended the steps.
The wet caress of the icy water felt amazing against my bare skin. After wading in neck deep, I plunged underwater, submerging my face and hair. When I came up for air, I felt clean for the first time since yesterday’s shower.
Something grabbed my thigh. I froze and looked across the pool at where I’d just seen Gabriel. Oh, Jesus. Is there some
thing in here with us? My heart pounded as images of waterlogged zombies filled my mind.
Gabriel surfaced next to me. “Boo!”
“Ah!” Giving him a dark look, I splashed water on his face. “Don’t scare me like that.”
He narrowed his gaze in challenge. “Or what?”
“Or I'll remind you who’s in charge.”
“Oh, really. And who is in charge?” Although his expression was teasing, there was an edge to his tone.
“Me,” I replied, swimming closer to him.
“Are you sure about that?” He ducked into the water.
“Gabriel…” I backed up toward the shallower end of the pool trying to track his movements. Suddenly, I was scooped up and thrown into the air. I landed in the center of the pool with a loud splash. Spluttering, I surfaced. “Stop it!”
Gabriel swam up to me. “So who’s in charge, princess?” he asked again in a silky voice.
“I—”
“Wrong answer.” Gabriel picked me up and threw me into the deep end before I could finish my sentence.
Water filled my eyes and nose. I coughed and gave him a death glare. His behavior was ridiculous. “That’s it. I’m never swimming with you again.” My threat might’ve been more intimidating if I weren’t treading in water with my feet unable to touch the bottom of the pool.
“I’ll behave if you just admit that I’m in charge.” His lips curled up in a half smile, but I could tell that there was more to this than him teasing me.
He’s testing me. I didn’t know much about wolves, but I knew they were always fighting to be top dog. Gabriel wanted to assert his dominance over me. Fuck that. In a flash, I shifted into the monster werewolf. My clawed feet hit the bottom of the pool as my furry chest rose far above the waterline.
Gabriel gaped up at me.
Being careful not to slice him to ribbons with my sharp claws, I picked him up and held him up over the water.
“Now who’s in charge?” I brought him in for a close-up of my daggerlike fangs.