Dog Eat Dog World: Limited Edition Bundle (Black Dog)

by Hailey Edwards

  Shivers dappled my nape when it hit me that I was holed up in a stone room, no way out except the way I’d come, meaning any enemy who located me held an automatic advantage. Nerves on edge, I groped around in the dark until I brushed an electric lantern resting in the far corner. The switch clicked under my finger and bathed the compact space in faint light that wouldn’t be obvious from the outside. The softness under me was a type of rugged outdoor carpet. Pillows lined the walls, and a blanket rested on a small crate acting as a pantry. Among the staples, I noticed a bag of pre-popped white cheddar popcorn. The generator Zed mentioned was anchored on the ceiling to conserve floor space, and a tablet had been mounted into a sort of frame above my head. I touched the black metal, dislodging a set of earbuds that dangled in my face.

  Testing a theory, I reclined on the carpet, pointing my feet toward the exit, and stuffed a pillow behind my head. Yep. The tablet was placed in the exact spot for a woman of my height to kick back and stream movies. Isaac had thought of everything. Except one thing… I pushed the power button, and a movie app popped up on screen. Nope. Scratch that. He had figured out a way to get Wi-Fi inside a bear cave.

  For once, when faced with a gift from Isaac, the wolf was undecided. This had been more her space than mine, and now it felt more mine than hers. After I pointed out there were other doodads mounted with no obvious purpose, she turned thoughtful. Odds were those gizmos were meant for Isaac, which meant he would join us here. That idea she found acceptable. We might suffer the occasional internal rivalry, but she would never say no to anything that kept Isaac in close proximity.

  Between the exercise and the excitement, I was beat. I switched off the tablet and tucked away the earbuds. Already my lids drooped, and not even the promise of a superhero movie marathon could keep my eyes open.

  Burnt metal and sweat teased my nose, and I blinked awake to find Isaac spooning me. So much for the wolf watching my back while I counted sheep. Then again, she was so smitten with our mate, she made her own calls about when to rat him out on his shenanigans. Her presence rested just beneath my skin, as near to him as she could get without us shifting. Luxuriating in his warmth, I had a hard time getting cranky over waking in his arms. My hips gave a wiggle as I nestled closer, and the hardness of his erection straining against his jeans pushed a quiet gasp past my lips.

  Inside me, the wolf squirmed as dueling instincts clashed within her. The feral heart of me wouldn’t settle until Isaac and I had cemented our mate bond. Touch was critical for wargs, and sex kept our wolves calm. I was getting petted and kissed each day, but that deeper hunger for the ultimate connection had yet to be sated.

  Isaac was known for his string of one-night stands, and so far, I fit in that category too. Maybe that’s what had her fur ruffled.

  “Dell,” he groaned, voice thick with sleep. “I’m trying hard to be good.”

  “You’re definitely hard,” I teased. “The good part has yet to be determined.”

  His lips found my neck, and he bit down until it stung. “Don’t encourage me.”

  “Did I ever tell you I was a cheerleader in high school?” I hadn’t been, but I would be willing to invest in a costume. “Give me an I. Give me an S. Give me an A—”

  Husky chuckles poured over my neck, and I shivered at his warm breath. “Do you like what I’ve done with the place?”

  “Honestly?” I arched my neck, since turning it was forbidden. “I can’t decide. I like it, but this was the wolf’s space more than mine. Obviously, she doesn’t have much use for the upgrades. She’s grumpy about that.”

  “Tell the wolf it’s only temporary.” He took my minor rejection without any apparent hurt feelings. “I wanted a safe place where I could hide you if things got bad, and I didn’t want you—human you—to go nuts if I had to use this place. Once this blows over, I’m happy to strip it down for her.”

  “There’s no way you could have managed this in three weeks when you’ve been playing nurse to me full-time.”

  “I like playing nurse.” His teeth grazed my throat. “And you’re right. I finished this before I joined Thierry in Wink.”

  The urge to turn my head and see his face pulled the tender muscles in my neck. “Tell me you weren’t thinking of prison-breaking me.”

  He didn’t disabuse me of the notion.

  “The alphas were right. You really did lose your mind.” Every scrap of it. “You can’t go around breaking people out of prison unless you want to end up in the next cell.”

  “Wolves aren’t meant to be caged, and neither are wargs. I wasn’t going to leave you there. Theo talked me into giving the wheels of fae justice thirty days to turn. One minute past midnight on the thirtieth day, I was getting you out, and damn the consequences.”

  Tightness spread across my chest, the sensation reminiscent of when wood glue dried on my hands and puckered the skin together. “You really do love me, huh?”

  “More than you can imagine.” Hot lips brushed my shoulder. “One day I’ll prove it too, and you won’t have to ask.”

  “Isaac…” I hadn’t meant for it to sound chastising.

  “I hurt you, Dell. I get that explaining my reasons isn’t enough to fix what happened. I’m going to make things right between us. I don’t mind the work.” The arm banding my waist cinched. “I’ve never had someone to take care of, someone of my own. I like it.”

  With those words, all was forgiven as far as the wolf was concerned. I was having trouble holding grudges too. “What news from down the mountain?”

  “The conclave representatives have arrived. There are eight of them. Four marshals from different regions, two Earthen Conclave agents, and two dignitaries. Plus Thierry.”

  “Why is she here?” I braced for the answer. “Do we know yet?”

  “One of the dignitaries is a magistrate from the Northeastern Conclave, Irene Vause. She requested Thierry for her security detail. Thierry had no choice but to come. She said she left instructions with a trustworthy friend who has access to the inmates through her own work to keep Theo supplied with blood. It’s not ideal, but at least he’s got someone watching his back.”

  I exhaled the breath I had been holding. No mention of the Morrigan. That was good news.

  “Irene Vause.” I rolled the name over my tongue as my head cleared. “That name’s familiar. She’s the magistrate who recruited Cam to the Earthen Conclave. She was in the Charybdis case up to her neck.” A prickling sensation fanned over my nape. “Why would a magistrate come all the way out here?”

  Magistrates were rumored to hide themselves behind barred doors for their own safety. They were usually estranged members of high-ranking families from Faerie. Maybe this one hadn’t gotten the memo. She had meddled in the Charybdis case, and now she was poking at the rift?

  “She and Cam are—I can’t say friends. I don’t know if magistrates have those. But Vause was good to her.” His voice softened. “They parted ways badly when Cam found out Vause knew her sister was alive all that time and never told her. I think she’s dug into the rift movement to try and mend fences by lending the power of her vote to Cam’s cause.”

  Vause. Cam. Thierry. Lots of power. Lots of cross-purposes. I wondered if the three of them had ever met in person or only knew one another from the periphery of one or the other relationship. “Do you think she suspects?”

  “She’s a magistrate. She has a network of spies and a reputation for being merciless.”

  The image of a spider toying with flies in its web popped into my mind. “What’s our exit strategy?”

  A grunt rose as he shifted his weight and checked the time on his watch. “It’s six in the morning.” He counted softly under his breath. “I’ve had four hours of sleep. That’s enough to tide me over.” His arm waved above us until his fingers smacked the lantern and turned on the light. Slowly and carefully we sat upright to avoid banging our heads on the ceiling or against each other. “Let’s get breakfast out of the way, and we’ll take the t
rail down the back of the mountain. The RV should be rolling out at eight. Cord made apologies for its malfunction last night, so no one should bat an eye when Zed removes it from the property. He’s going to meet us off Route 11 and give us a ride into town.”

  “What about the prince?” The odds of Enzo finishing up his spellcasting were slim thanks to their surprise arrival. “Where did he end up sleeping?”

  “In the cargo bay of the RV. We made him a nest of blankets and left him with food, water and a tablet with earbuds.”

  “That sounds fun.” Not.

  “He’ll survive. I don’t think he’s watched much TV, and like most teen boys, he’s fascinated by video games. I’m sure he’ll be fine for a few more hours.”

  Working together, we ate a simple breakfast to give me the calories required to compensate for all the energy my body was burning while healing itself. After we cleaned up and tidied the cave, we left, traveling in the opposite direction from Stone’s Throw. The deer trail we hiked took us on a roundabout tour of the property Isaac had purchased for us. Though the wolf was grateful to be out in nature, her inability to pad around and sniff while wearing her own skin dampened her spirits. She was nearing depression by the time we reached the road. I couldn’t hop in the cab of Tallulah, Zed’s vintage pickup, fast enough.

  “Here.” Zed placed a bag of jerky on my lap. “Figured you could use a snack.”

  “Aww.” I rested my head on his bony shoulder. “You do love me.”

  He grunted in response.

  “Is the RV in position?” Isaac fastened his seat belt, I think to cue me to do the same. “How’s Tiberius holding up?”

  “Yep. Moore gave me a heads-up about ten minutes ago. The RV is parked in the add-on. The prince is still in the storage compartment. He mumbled something about pissed-off birds and villainous pigs.” He shrugged. “Some kind of game he’s playing, I guess.”

  “Weird game.” Mad birds and evil pigs? Who came up with this stuff?

  Clearly the reference had meant something to Isaac, because he sighed and shook his head at us both.

  “Don’t huff at me, mister.” I jabbed him with the end of my jerky. “Not all of us are geeks.”

  “I know,” he said, stealing the jerky and taking a bite, “but I love you despite your allergy to technology.”

  “Aww.” I cuddled against him until he softened, then snatched back my jerky. “And I love you despite your poor self-preservation skills. Taking food from a wolf? Do you want your hand gnawed off at the wrist?”

  “I can help with that if you do,” Zed injected casually with a tiny flash of teeth.

  “I appreciate the offer, but I’ll pass.” Isaac wiggled his fingers. “I need these to earn a living.”

  Right then I was thinking of other reasons he needed his hands. Bad wolf.

  One of the best things about having a feral other half was the ability to blame her for all my primal urges. Mostly she just rolled her eyes and accepted the fault. People made no sense to her, not even me. How two such contrary personalities coexisted amazed me at times, but we fit. I tempered the wildness in her, and she scuffed the civilized veneer off me.

  After a twenty-minute ride, we arrived at the auto repair shop. A hand-painted sign hung over a concrete block structure read Moore Bang For Your Buck Auto Repair. The addition hugged one side, all gleaming steel and corrugated ripples. Its red, white and blue powder coating complemented the building’s fresh paint job. It was all very patriotic. It also made me wonder if the paint had been on sale. “If Moore gets any cheesier, his head is going to turn into a block of cheddar.”

  Across the pitted lot, Zed’s sign hung at an odd angle. A simple Junkyard had been written in what looked like black permanent marker across a two-by-six he had lifted from my scrap pile, if the daub of red paint was any indication. That was the color I had used to mark lumber slated for construction on Abram’s clinic.

  “It’s simple,” I told him. “I like it.”

  “It don’t get better than free,” he agreed, grinning.

  We rolled into the garage, and Zed gestured for Moore to lower the bay doors under the pretense of locking up for their lunch break. Isaac climbed out and reached for me. I stuck out my tongue at him and slid the other way into Zed’s arms. My mate huffed a laugh and slammed his door. I was mid-raspberry when he jogged around the rear of the truck, sank his fingers in my hair and put my tongue to good use.

  “Gack.” Zed turned me loose and stumbled back, wiping his arms. “Don’t do that while touching me.”

  I nipped Isaac’s bottom lip then faced my disgruntled friend. “Oh, come on. It’s not that bad.”

  “You’re not the one having to watch it.” He dusted his hands like that might get rid of the love cooties. “You two should stop playing tonsil hockey. You know where that leads.”

  My brain, prone to wandering, drifted off imagining all the places it might lead. Next week.

  “Ugh.” Zed waved a hand in front of my face. “This is no time for a dream sequence. Plus, you’re drooling. Show some self-respect, woman. The sex is not that good.”

  “There has been no sex,” I corrected him. “That’s the problem.”

  Understanding dawned, and he mumbled about mating heat.

  “Isn’t this the part where you defend my prowess?” Isaac palmed my hip, eased his hand under the hem of my shirt and rubbed his thumb in tingle-inducing circles over my bare skin. “Or at least snap at him for insulting good sex in general?”

  “Wellllll.” Leaning back against him, I fought to keep my voice from cracking. “It was just the one time, and we were kind of rushed, but I’m sure next time will be better.”

  His growled response rumbled through my spine, and I melted against him. Sex was nice and all, don’t get me wrong, but this was the best part. Isaac wants me. He’s being all possessive in front of other males. I’m not some late-night hookup or pity boink. He really, truly is mine.

  The wonder of that hadn’t yet lost its sparkle, and I hoped it never did.

  “One week.” He nipped my ear. “Then I’ll show you better.”

  Suppressing my grin, I spun in his arms. “I’ll be counting down the days.”

  Isaac reached into his pocket, removed his phone and tapped a few buttons before sticking his calendar in my face. Seven days from now, he’d made a note that read Clear my schedule.

  The seriousness of his expression begged me to tease him. “Is it a bad sign that we don’t even have a sex life yet, but we’re already scheduling our couple time?”

  He shot me a flat look that promised sensual retribution. In about one hundred and sixty-eight hours, each of which I was certain he would track down to the last second.

  “So. Zed.” I forced my attention away from Isaac’s molten stare. “We’re all set?”

  “There’s no reason to wait. The original plan is shot to hell.” His gaze tagged the small windows cut into the bay doors. “Give us an hour for lunch. Job’s around here somewhere. We’ll eat, make with the magic, and then get you on the road.”

  “How much of the prep work did you guys manage?” I hadn’t asked during our hike. I hadn’t had the breath for conversation.

  “I set a quick-and-dirty tracker with a direct line to our security office.” Isaac ruffled his hair with his hand. “It’s not pretty, but it’s bathed in an anti-magic field, so it should operate independent of Enzo’s spell. He could cast remotely.” He sounded like he begrudged the witch his advantage. “All his prep got done.”

  “How does the invisibility work?” The RV had been visible on its way here, or the charade would have been a waste of time.

  His expression shifted to one of reluctant admiration. “Remember the aer póca in Faerie?”

  “Hard to forget releasing a death goddess back into the world.”

  “Enzo encapsulated the RV in a similar working. In addition to the obfuscation spell, there are added magical buffers that will urge other drivers to stay out of our
lane and away from the vehicle itself. A person’s tolerance for magic will determine how responsive they are to the suggestion, so coverage will be hit or miss. We’ll have to stay vigilant.”

  “Not what I want to hear when the hitting and missing involves me in a vehicle driving at a high rate of speed.” I considered the problem of an RV going invisible in the middle of the road. “Does the add-on have any type of doors?”

  “It has garage-style doors for use in case of inclement weather,” Zed supplied, showing he followed my line of thought. “One set in the front and one in the back since it was designed to hold RVs, watercraft and other large toys with minimal maneuverability. That way we can hook the pickup to a trailer and drive forward when backing out is too complicated.”

  “Excellent.” I all but rubbed my hands together. “Then how about you make a show of locking it down for your lunch break too? Start with the back door, and we’ll roll out the front. Once you secure it, as far as anyone knows, the RV is locked in and waiting on a tech from the company or a tow. All we need is a week. That’s believable, right?”

  “Considering we have the facilities to house it, and several others on loan, we can spin that story. I’ll be sure to let the alphas know, in front of our esteemed guests, that it will be in our safekeeping awhile longer. I’ll blame the company, and no one should give it another thought.”

  “Can we reach the add-on without exposing ourselves?” I hadn’t noticed any connection to the structure, but we had come in at an angle, so it was hard to tell.

  “Right this way.” Zed guided us to a dinged-up door covered in flaking rust. “Ladies first.”

  As it turned out, being a lady and going first sucked at both ends.

  Chapter 16

  A purplish blur barreled into my chest, and I shot backward into Isaac’s arms. An electric charge blasted through me into him, the worst static shock ever, and I tasted ash on my tongue. Zed slammed the door between the garage and the add-on shut then shucked his clothes and hit his knees. The change swept over him with painful slowness, giving me enough time to gather my wits and swallow the burnt aftertaste. “Isaac?”