Sylvia's Torment (Enforcers and Coterie Book 2)

by Veronica Del Rosa

  “Spill it. Girls night out?” Heather was practically bouncing on the couch. For a Goth she was quite energetic and bubbly. Then again, she never did like following rules.

  Her black hair was sectioned into two braids and fell down mid-chest. Her blunt-cut bangs hovered just above her heavily kohl-lined eyes. Today she wore a plaid skirt showing a healthy amount of slender thigh with a black blouse knotted between her breasts. While the look was very much 1990s, she wore it so well that no one complained.

  Folding her bare legs under her, Heather leaned forward, excited for information. Sylvia leaned back, keeping the gap between them. Derek stopped himself from interfering. He hated seeing her pull away from pack but knew it’d take baby steps for her to recover. She’d accepted hugs from both of them, a huge improvement.

  “Well, I’m going crazy cooped up day in and day out. I need time out. Has Life Blood opened up yet?” Sylvia asked.

  Heather squealed and clapped her hands. “Yes! They opened about two weeks ago. I’ve been dying to go. When? When are we going?”

  Sylvia chuckled. “Tonight. I want to go out tonight. It’s Friday, so it should be jammed full. I want to lose myself in the crowd.”

  “Just make sure you all keep a close eye on each other. I don’t want anyone truly lost in the crowd,” Derek interjected, concern for his whole pack and not just for Sylvia prompting his warning.

  Sending his senses out along the pack link, he located Nadia, Emma and Simone. None of them were currently patrolling, so he asked them to join him in the entertainment room.

  All three appeared promptly. While he’d asked politely, they knew better than to keep him waiting unless they had a damn good excuse.

  “What’s up, boss?” Simone asked as she strode into the room, her long legs eating up the distance. A bright red tank top showed off the freckles adorning her shoulders and arms and a loose flowery skirt swirled around her knees. Her bright carrot hair lay sleek against her head, a short cap accentuating her features. She flounced over to one of the couches and gracefully lounged on the arm, her legs swinging freely.

  Emma was fast on her heels, her speed making up for the lack of long legs. Derek smiled at the sight of her brilliant green hair, remembering the freak-out Isaac had had over it. Not only had she dyed it, but she’d also cut off almost three feet of hair. The style suited her, though. Her dusky brown skin glowed in contrast to the vivid colour and her brown eyes appeared to have flecks of green. The only other Enforcer in the group, she wore their uniform of a black t-shirt and black cargo pants.

  Sitting next to Simone, she dropped her head onto the other woman’s thigh, her steady gaze on Derek. Simone’s fingers threaded through Emma’s hair, a soothing, unconscious gesture.

  Nadia entered through the opposite door, coming from one of the bedrooms. She darted past him and made a beeline for the farthest chair from everyone. Her hair was mussed, eyes bright and a blush stained her cheeks. Straightening her shirt, she sat, nervous and on edge.

  Derek quirked an eyebrow at her and her blush was now a screaming red. She averted her eyes as she chewed on her lower lip. Her hand shook slightly as she looped a stand of blonde hair behind her ear. Hating to pry, he nevertheless needed to know why his Omega felt guilty. A discreet, deep inhale told him an interesting story.

  Davis’ faint scent lingered on her.

  Davis? He mentally sent to Nadia. She jumped, her eyes widening. Your personal life is yours. I won’t interfere as long as it doesn’t affect your job.

  Slumping into the chair, she relaxed slightly.

  The Omega’s happiness was paramount in a pack, and a good Alpha reinforced that. Most packs preferred the Omega to pick partners from the submissives. If a bad breakup occurred, then the other werewolf was transferred. Omegas were too important to lose. Sleeping with a Delta brought on a whole slew of new problems.

  If Derek had to transfer Davis, they’d have a gap in their power structure, one that might leave them vulnerable to other packs and create a power vacuum. Challenges would occur as the submissives vied for higher status within the pack. It had been over a decade since the last change in the pack structure, and he liked it that way.

  Honestly, though, who was he to talk? He was in love with his Beta.

  Alphas generally took a submissive mate. Why? Damned if he knew. Some nonsense about an easy personal life so mental energy was channeled into the pack, not the relationship.

  Fuck easy.

  He wanted a mate who’d call him on his bullshit and stand up to him. One who’d walk beside him, not behind. A strong mate who understood the demands of his job. A woman comfortable with teasing him.

  He wanted Sylvia.

  “All of you now have the night off.” His voice rumbled through the room.

  Heather jumped from the couch dancing a little bump and grind, her skirt riding dangerously high. She was the lone woman showing a favourable response to his words. The others, except Sylvia, had varying degrees of confusion.

  “What do you mean?” Emma asked, her head still resting on Simone’s thigh.

  “All of you, along with Julia, are going to Life Blood tonight. Sylvia needs time out of here and wanted a girls night out. So everyone look out for each other and have a good time.”

  Simone and Emma both straightened, excitement now colouring their expressions. Giddy, happy voices mingled together as they discussed with Heather what they’d wear, what drinks to try and whether or not to get into a bar fight. Heather was all for it while Simone was more hesitant. Emma egged them both on.

  Sylvia looked on in amusement, and Derek realized this would help her. Time with just the women, time to talk and sort out some emotions, would do her a world of good.

  Nadia chewed her fingernail, giving no real indication as to how she felt about a night out. Generally, she’d be the amused one, the mother hen riding herd on her crazy, exuberant chicks. This situation with Davis needed to be settled. He couldn’t have his Omega off-kilter. They continued to struggle with the recovery of the past few months.

  “Ladies, I’ll leave you to discuss your wild night out. Nadia, I have some issues to discuss with you. Please come to my study.”

  None of the other women looked their way. As the Omega, she regularly had personal talks with Derek. Together, they kept the pack healthy and strong, although poor Nadia had pulled more than her fair share recently. If she’d been a weaker Omega, their pack would’ve self-destructed.

  Derek left the room without glancing back, as he expected obedience.

  Using his natural speed and grace, he reached the bottom of the stairs quickly, and moments later, he was in his office. Dropping into his chair behind his desk, he waited for Nadia.

  Forest landscape paintings on the wall soothed him. Two black leather couches faced each other, long enough for his tall frame. Bookshelves contained knickknacks, each holding special meaning, several of them gifts from Sylvia. Derek sat behind his solid cherry wood desk. Paperwork separated in tidy piles. He rolled the padded office chair in closer, rested his elbows on the desk and waited.

  With slow, hesitant steps Nadia entered. Derek smiled gently at her. The Omega and Sylvia were the only ones who saw the softer side of Derek. Both had a special place in his heart, although for different reasons.

  “Sit, please,” he said as he strived for calm. He hated seeing Nadia upset and uncomfortable. Her emotions could spill over to the others and cause more damage than his temporary instability.

  She floated into the room with innate grace and bypassed the couches, instead settling on one of chairs that faced his desk. Fingers laced together in her lap, she stared at them and avoided his eyes.

  “What’s up, Nadia? As I said, your relationship is your business as long as it doesn’t interfere with your work. Why are you still upset? Has he done something? I’ll break his leg if he’s hurt you.”

  Her eyes flew to his as she shook her head. “No, of course not. Davis is a sweetheart. Really. It’s
just that…you’ve heard the rumours, right?”

  Derek sighed. He knew exactly which rumour she meant. While Davis had more than his share of women throwing themselves at him, he never indulged. As chaste as a virgin sacrifice. Some thought he was gay, others figured he had a tragic past, and the third group assumed he’d found his lifemate but couldn’t claim her.

  Whatever his story, Derek never pried. Some pain couldn’t be shared, only endured.

  “Of course I have. What of it?”

  “I think…I think I love him, but I’m worried. There’s no lifebond between us. I know women can mate without it, but I know most prefer to wait until it happens.” She shook her head, blonde hair trailing across her face. “I don’t care though. I want to be with Davis.”

  “Okay, maybe I’m missing something here. Why would that upset you? You’re with him. I have no issues with you two together. So what’s distressing you?”

  “What happens when he finds his lifemate? What then?” she whispered, and the pain she revealed made him wince. “He’ll leave me, and I’ll have to watch him with her.”

  “And what if he never finds her? Instead, you lose the time you could’ve had with him. Life is full of uncertainty with no guarantees. Why waste happiness worrying about what-ifs?”

  She nodded slowly, but he could see she didn’t believe him. “I suppose.”

  “Nadia, I know the pain of loving someone and not having them. I’ve loved for thirty years, waiting for the right time. You can’t wait for the perfect moment. You need to make it. Take the happiness you can have now, and fuck everything else. Life is full of pain and sorrow. Don’t make it worse by denying yourself.”

  Nadia’s eyes grew round with surprise. He hadn’t meant to blurt out anything about his unrequited love. He didn’t want her suffering the same way he had, though.

  “I understand, Alpha.” Quiet joy infused her words. “I’ll take your advice. Is it alright if I spend some time with Davis before tonight?”

  “Of course. Go, have fun.” He waved her away.

  She walked out and closed the door behind her. If only his problems were so easy to solve.

  As the Alpha, he could’ve forced Sylvia to accept him as a mate and manipulated her into submission. In the early years, he could’ve taken advantage of her inexperience before she’d learned control of her wilder side. Before she’d discovered how to stand up to him.

  She would’ve resented the dominance play and come to hate him for it.

  Better to yearn for her than have her hatred.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Pounding music, rhythmic and enticing, drifted from the unassuming building. The entertainment district of Toronto boasted hundreds of attractions from nightclubs to theatres, boutiques to sporting events and everything in between. Flashing signs and exotic artwork caught the eye and imagination, beckoning the masses to enter. Life Blood was one of the rare few that didn’t bother. This establishment didn’t want the masses and certainly not the gawking tourists.

  Sitting on a corner lot, the large structure boasted more square footage than the other nearby clubs and strip joints. The exterior was painted a dark blue with a giant mural of a forbidding forest sprawled across the walls, out of place with the surrounding buildings. In the evening darkness, several eyes glowed within the trees, surely a trick of the light. The sole entrance: a single door manned by the bouncer. No windows and no other doors marred the surface of the building.

  The music helped to calm Sylvia’s nerves and drown out the fears slithering through her mind. She was with friends, others trained to watch for danger. Safe and protected. She needed to believe that.

  Staring at the vaguely ominous building, she ran damp hands down her thighs, pretending to smooth wrinkles from her black pants. Once the moisture disappeared, she adjusted her leather corset, making sure her breasts hadn’t escaped. One last finger comb through her red hair, shaking the strands into a silky mess, and she declared herself presentable.

  After taking a deep breath, she smiled widely at her friends and linked her arms with Heather and Simone. Nadia watched their back while Emma and Julia were in front, their smaller bodies no less deadly. Ozone tickled her nose, indicating Julia had a spell or two currently active.

  Strolling to the front door, they waited while the bouncer vetted them. This was a club for the preternaturals, and they didn’t welcome humans with open arms. Not unless they had an escort and even then, it was iffy. Things got hairy when the other races dropped all pretenses at being fragile, and bar fights were common. In fact, they encouraged it as it allowed the near-immortals to blow off steam.

  “Werewolves and one mage,” Emma informed the impossibly gorgeous bouncer.

  He grinned, showing off his gleaming white teeth. A light scent of hazy rainbows flowed from him. A Fae. Not too surprising, as they owned several of the clubs in the city. Something about the near orgies and lack of inhibitions drew them, wanting to revel in the abundance of emotions.

  “Prove it,” he leered at them, obviously hoping they’d shift, which meant removing their clothes. While werewolves didn’t have much of a hang-up over nudity, they didn’t get naked for someone else’s amusement.

  Julia muttered a few words, some which questioned his parentage, before tossing a magical bolt at the Fae. His glamour shimmered and faded for a moment revealing his true face. Underneath, he was handsome, just not impossibly so. Why he felt the need to glamour himself, Sylvia could only guess. Compared to the other races, he was off-the-charts hot, as were most Fae. From what she’d seen, there seemed to be two categories with them, damned good looking or downright ugly.

  “Don’t piss off a Mage Enforcer, asshole.” Heather sneered at him before pushing him aside. Sylvia, her arm still linked with Heather, followed her inside.

  The music throbbed and pulsed, beckoning Sylvia to the dance floor. Bodies writhed, jumped and slammed, uncaring of who was next to them. An assortment of clothes and lack thereof adorned the masses. Body paint and glitter seemed de rigueur for the women while the men preferred leather pants or dark jeans with bare chests. Here and there, she saw men wearing military gear from time gone by. One was in full Roman armour including the Imperial helmet and paludamentum. She briefly wondered if it succeeded in getting him laid – probably – before dismissing the thought.

  Envy needled her. She couldn’t imagine being so carefree and blithe again. A part of her would always search the crowds and wonder which shadow hid her enemy. Enforcer training had drilled paranoia into her. Now it reached new heights.

  Eyes skimming the area, she marked the bar’s location to the right with its occupied stools. A large mirror running the entire length of the bar reflected the insanity of the dance floor. Housed in racks under the mirror were bottles of alcohol from every location in the world, along with a few from other dimensions.

  Several poisons, both common and exotic, were also available. Since alcohol had such little effect on most of the races, they experimented with poisons instead. As the body processed and recovered from the poison, the user experienced death, if for a few seconds.

  Sylvia shook her head, not wanting to dwell on those bored with their existence. She had enough problems of her own. And right now she wanted to forget them. Pretend she was a normal werewolf out to have a good time.

  “Come on, I want to dance!” She didn’t wait for an answer. Heather and Simone would follow.

  Pushing her way into the crowd of half-naked, nearly naked and fully naked bodies, she spun around to face the other two. Heather was in full Goth gear: spiked collar on her throat, black t-shirt ripped strategically, short black skirt skimming her butt and thigh-high leather boots with six-inch platform heels. Her jet-black hair was loose, flowing down her back, setting off her pale white skin. Already several men, and a few women, gawked at her.

  Heather wasn’t the only one the crowd sized up. In a room full of gorgeous, half-naked women, Sylvia and her friends stood out. Their confidence a
nd ease in a crowd of rowdy immortals spoke of their own personal power.

  Some, though, eyed them as possible bar fight material. A small, vicious part of her relished the thought of a no-holds-barred, make ’em bleed brawl.

  Giving a tight, ferocious grin to the nearest contenders, a giddy thrill coursed through her as several backed away. First point to her then.

  Back down from a werewolf and expect to get bitten later on, she thought as she picked out her potential targets. She had proven her dominance to them, and they had shown their weakness to her. Keeping a wary eye on those close, she shifted most of her attention to the women with her.

  Simone had on a tiny purple camisole paired with a short flowing skirt and strappy sandals. Her freckles covered every inch of exposed skin, enticing men to touch. She moved her hips, causing the skirt to flare, and showed off even more freckles. Throwing her head back, Simone laughed as the beat took her.

  Emma, surprisingly, wore a summer dress. It was rare for her to wear anything but the Enforcer’s uniform. The skirt swirled around her legs, lovingly caressing caramel skin and the emerald green complimented her bright green hair. Stilettos adorned her feet and the slim heels gave her height, although she was still a head shorter than Sylvia. She moved gracefully on the floor, swaying and spinning in time with the music.

  Julia was more subdued. Her gold- and red-streaked brown hair was captured in a high ponytail and showcased a pretty face devoid of any makeup. Earrings winked and twinkled in the low light. A thin, burnt-orange sweater paired with black skinny jeans showed off her curves as she twirled and shimmied. No wonder she’d attracted Jackson. Beauty and intelligence.

  Sylvia lifted her hands above her head, grinding to the music, her hips undulating. Lowering one arm, she made the come-hither motion to Nadia. The other woman had an unconscious sexiness about her, a roll of her hips that caused men to drool. Sylvia smacked one of the men as he tried to grab for the Omega.