by Roth
Lukian’s stomach tightened. This lunatic wanted to fuck his Peren, his lover, his wife. He had to fight the urge to vomit.
“I wasn’t sure she’d accept me. She’d turned down every man who’d ever asked her out and had never slept with a soul. As much as I wanted to be her first, I wanted more to know that she was my true mate. I bit the young one who caught her eye and watched as she took the man to her bed after that. His beast matured and he’d have been able to share his seed with her if I hadn’t stepped in.”
Lukian listened in disgust. This man…this thing…had purposely bitten another human to test compatibility? The man he’d done this to must have been Peren’s fiancé, Kyle, the one she’d felt so guilty about when she was with him.
“Did you kill him?” Lukian asked.
A sharp laugh answered his question for him. “Of course I killed him. He intended to make her his wife and impregnate her. I couldn’t risk that. Every human I’ve fucked has left me unsatisfied since the transformation. I long to have my dick in the one meant for me.”
It was Lukian’s turn to laugh. “She’s not meant for you…she’s my mate now.”
He felt a boot hit him square between the shoulder blades. “YOU FOOL! Of course she’s meant for you. I’m the reason it’s so. If I wouldn’t have bit her, she’d never have enough wolf blood in her to be your mate. I tasted bits of it in her when I attacked her, but the faerie was stronger. That’s how she survived, you know…she unleashed her magic on me and sent me scurrying away like a mangy dog. I would have come back and finished her had I not recognized the potential for her to be my mate.”
Lukian lifted his head and tried to turn to see the man. “How…why did you attack her to begin with?”
Another sharp laugh filled the room. “Because I wanted to wipe out Lakeland Matthews’ loved ones and let him know what it was like to suffer before I killed him. It was his pipe dream that turned me into this…yes…his dream and your blood, brother.”
Lukian froze. “Parker?” He let the name fall from his lips. Benjamin Parker had been the man Roi had replaced on the team. He’d been the one they’d assumed was dead all these years. Parker was right—he and Peren could be a match. Parker shared more of Lukians DNA than Roi did and the fact that he and Peren were a mated pair meant that the potential for Peren and Parker to be a pair was extremely high, almost an absolute.
Parker let out a laugh. “Yes, it’s me…Surprise, brother, I’m not dead.”
“Dr. Matthews? Is he dead?” Lukian asked, concerned for Peren’s father.
“Oh, I’m guessing that he’s combing the streets of New York City by now. I put a call in to him telling him that his daughter was being held overnight in a cell for disorderly conduct.”
Lukian let out his breath. Dr. Matthews was states away and safe. Peren was not. It didn’t matter that Parker claimed she was dead, Lukian knew better. His lover was still alive. He didn’t want to tip Parker off about Peren still being alive. The thought of him going after her again was too much for Lukian to bear. He fought to control his breathing and his body language. He didn’t need to raise Parker’s suspicions. Now, he just needed to buy his men time to get to him.
“So, what? Were you planning on killing Dr. Matthews and then convincing his daughter to fuck you and take you as her mate?” Saying the words was hard for him.
“No, I was planning on fucking his daughter first…making her my mate, then watching the look on her father’s face when he saw who she would be forever tied to. I wanted so very much to have him know that she carried my child in her.” He took a moment to laugh. “Ah, yes, ‘the crazy one who couldn’t stop the wolf from coming’… I’m sure the good Doctor would have loved to know that I was fucking his daughter . He would have died wondering if she would turn out like her mother. But now…now…I’m afraid that I’ll have to begin my search for a mate all over again. Seems like such a waste. She was quite the looker, too…rare indeed in a mate.”
Lukian let out a small laugh. His Peren would never let this man near her. She’d sense the danger he presented and flee. At least that’s what he hoped. He strained to draw in a breath. He had no doubt that Parker had broken at least two of his ribs. They’d heal within twenty minutes, but in the meantime, it hurt like hell every time he tried to move or talk.
Parker didn’t give him a chance to voice his concerns. He leaned over him and whispered in his ear. “We met, you know…Peren and I. We dated. She liked me and was interested in me. We came close to having sex once, but it was too soon after the disappearance of the other for her to commit and I didn’t want to raise her suspicions by pushing the issue with her. Hiring you to bring the team in was an excellent a plan to blow your cover and for me to get one quick fuck.”
His words stung Lukian’s ears. It had been a trap from the get-go.
Chapter 15
“How the hell did she survive that?” Jon asked with the slightest hint of a southern drawl. He stood there staring at her in disbelief as Green bandaged her shoulder .
“Is this really necessary?” she asked softly. The men surrounding her stopped suiting up in full combat gear and just looked at her. She watched as they all put matching headsets around the back of their heads and requested confirmation on being heard.
These men were serious and she knew that they would die to save Lukian. The littlest one, Jon, seemed to be warming up to her. No surprise there. She had taken a bullet that would have been fatal for him.
She looked down at the spot Green was bandaging. He’d managed to extract the bullet with almost no effort. He’d cleansed her wound and then waited. The burning stopped and was replaced by a cool, tingly feeling. Green monitored her body temperature and determined that she was healing her wounds internally first. He’d quickly explained how lycanthropes heal themselves versus how vampires and fairies do it. Then, he’d scolded Roi for having told her of her genetic make-up before going on to confirm that she’d be alright.
The tall buzz-cut blonde, Lance, pulled a black cap over his hair and looked at Peren. She could see what had appealed to Melanie. Lance was a good looking guy, but there was something about him that she couldn’t put her finger on. He gave off a vibe that didn’t make her feel entirely comfortable around him. She wondered if it was concern for Lukian, or his dislike for her.
The men began to talk amongst themselves. They determined that Roi would lead a team in, consisting of Wilson, Lance and himself. They would attempt to take out any hostiles, then Green and Jon would follow close behind. Roi bent down and touched the top of her head.
“We’ll get him out…I promise.”
“I know,” she answered softly.
Lance stepped forward. “Sir, with your permission, I’d like to swap out with Jon.”
All eyes fell on him. Peren watched as Green and Roi exchanged glances. Green nodded his head. Roi agreed to allow the change and did something she wasn’t expecting. He hugged Lance.
* * * *
Lukian laid in the darkened room and thought only of Peren as he tried to free himself from his chains. He needed to know if she was alright. His eyes drifted shut and he tried again to connect with Roi. This time Roi answered his call.
Brother, tell me of my mate.
Lukian felt that Roi’s mood had improved and Roi pushed tranquility out at him. She is well. She is safe now, I promise you that.
Lukian exhaled and let relief sweep over his body. It did not matter now if he survived, as long as Peren was okay.
Brother of mine, should anything happen to me…
Roi attempted to ease his pain, but he knew the code of the were as well as Lukian. If Lukian were to die, his mate would be left unclaimed. Any surviving brothers that were unwed would need to step in and assume Lukian’s role. It would be the only way to ensure Peren’s survival in the were community. Roi had been the only choice for this honor prior to Lukian’s discovery that Parker was still alive. Now, Parker would be considered the elder brother and he
would be given first rights to Peren. It would not matter that he’d been the reason for Lukian’s death. Parker would also be entitled to assume the role that Lukian had been hesitant to accept all these years—Wolf King.
Roi…there is another…Lukian was seized with a migraine so severe that he felt the blood beginning to fall from his nose and the invisible cord that bonded them together crumbled. He would not be able to reach his men telepathically for a few more hours. He’d strained himself trying to find out about Peren and used up too much of his energy.
Chapter 16
It’d been over an hour since the men had taken off in search of Lukian. Peren sat quietly in the van and listened to the talk coming from Lance’s head piece. He’d turned it down in hopes that she wouldn’t be able to pick up on it, but as nervous as she was she could have heard it a mile away. So far, a thorough search of the grounds had revealed nothing. They had concluded that Lukian must have been moved. Peren wasn’t buying it. She still felt him here.
Lance leaned over and started the van. Peren felt her insides twist into a knot. She knew that Lukian was still here. She didn’t know how or why, but she knew. She moved towards the door and put her hand on it.
“I know what you’re thinking and I wouldn’t suggest doing it,” Green said, in his mild mannered voice. “Roi will find the Captain; do not doubt his skills or loyalty to Lukian. They are, after all, brothers and that is a hard bond to break.” He looked at Lance as he said it.
Brothers? Roi’s eyes…oh and Roi’s werewolf thing. Thinking of all of this could have easily pushed her over the edge, but she knew that it didn’t matter what Lukian was, she loved him.
Peren smiled up at Green and tried to appear weak and meager, but he wasn’t buying it. She shrugged her shoulders and went with her gut instincts. She opened the door of the moving van and leapt out. The pavement came upon her fast and she rolled to avoid getting hurt.
* * * *
He watched the young one jump from the moving vehicle and had to hold back a smile. Green had known many women in his life, but none had ever caught his fancy like this Peren. It wasn’t so much that he wanted to fuck her, although he wouldn’t mind that either, it was more her tenacity. When her mind was set on something she went for it, no questions asked. There was also the fact that her composition was intriguing to him. He’d never encountered someone with DNA quite like hers and wanted to take a closer look at her. He wanted to help her unlock the keys to her strengths and powers. He wanted to monitor her every step of the way and document his findings.
The scientist in him had always repelled women. They thought of him as cute, smart and witty. Rarely did they think of him as sexy. The only woman who had ever viewed him this way was Peren’s young blonde friend, Melanie. He had unintentionally found himself reading her thoughts as they prepared to follow Jon back to aide Roi and Peren. She was still shaken by her experience with Lance. It had been strictly a sexual attraction between the two of them, or at least on her part. He knew Lance well enough to know that Melanie was the type of woman he’d fall for.
Melanie had helped him pack his supplies up and given him a tiny hug before he left. He picked up on how attracted to him she was and how much she regretted not hooking up with him to begin with. She smelled of old faerie blood and he wondered if in fact she possessed any magical skills that she was most likely unaware of. It was obvious that she had received the faerie gift of seduction but, other than that, he wasn’t sure what she’d gotten. Most humans had no idea if anything supernatural ran in their family. These were not matters that were discussed at dinner tables.
Green’s mind wandered back to Melanie’s long blonde locks. He wondered how it would feel to be running his hands through her hair while he fucked her. Fucked wasn’t a word he used often, but it was what he wanted to do to her. He’d make love to her after that, but first he’d need to release himself. It had been close to fifty years since he’d had sex. The last woman he’d been with, he’d been in love with. She had died during childbirth—that’s how they knew that a human could not carry a were’s child to term. It had been a hard life lesson, one which he did not care to repeat.
He looked over at Lance as the van came to a stop. Lance was the closest thing he had to a brother. They shared the same strain of panther DNA and he would miss him greatly when he was gone. He hoped that his baby brother was truly up for the task he’d volunteered for. “It is time, my friend. Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked.
Lance looked over at him and nodded. “Yes sir, I’m ready. Are you prepared to step in and care for Melanie when I’m gone?”
“I am, brother.”
Chapter 17
Peren was to the house and in the front door before they had time to stop the car. She had listened closely for the sounds of the brakes and of doors slamming before heading in. She made her way quietly through the kitchen and towards the east wing. The doorbell rang and made her jump. She calmed herself down when she thought about how absurd it would be for whoever had taken Lukian and shot her to bother with ringing the doorbell.
Silly girl…she thought to herself as she walked towards the door. She peaked out the side window and was shocked to see Ben, one of the men that Mel and Missy had fixed her up with, standing there. She’d been horrible about returning his calls and she suddenly felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She opened the door and smiled up at him.
“Umm…Hi…I wasn’t expecting to see you,” she said. She didn’t want to come out and say what bad timing he had.
Ben’s lips curved into a thin smile and his crisp blue eyes glistened. She’d always loved the blue in his eyes. Lukian’s eyes were similar, but a much richer blue. In fact, Ben’s hair was similar to Lukian’s. Thinking of Lukian made her stomach tight. She needed to find him, but first she needed to get Ben out of harms way.
“Peren, hi…sorry to barge in on you like this, but I felt so bad for missing your birthday that I had to stop by the minute my schedule allowed.”
He was a sweet man and she felt bad for having to be so short with him, but fear for Lukian’s safety left her no choice. “Now’s not really a good time, Ben. Do you think it’d be alright for me to call you later in the week?”
His blue eyes locked on hers and she felt her body growing warmer. He took a step in towards her and forced her to back away from the door. “Peren, I drove over an hour from the airport just to see you. I’m not asking for much of your time. A quick drink and permission to use your restroom would be much appreciated.”
“Of course, I’m sorry, I forgot my manners.”
She backed up and allowed him to enter. The faintest hint of musk moved past her nose as he walked by and her legs tightened. Her body reacted to his presence, but her mind and heart were focused solely on Lukian. Ben turned to her and smiled, innocent at first, then sexy.
His black turtleneck and black dress slacks made him look like he was ready to head out on the town. Peren looked down and noticed the mud caked to his boots. Boots? Who wore black boots with their dress pants? Ben noticed her staring down at his boots and coughed.
“Sorry for the mud. I parked my car down at the end of the drive. The gate was open slightly, but not enough for my car to fit through, so I had to walk up. I must have stepped in a few mud puddles on the way.”
Peren shrugged her shoulders and headed towards the kitchen. She headed straight for the liquor cabinet to fix him a martini so she could send him on his way as fast as possible without alerting him to what was going on. With all the talk of werewolves and vampires, she knew that if the police were called in it would be bad.
* * * *
Ben watched Peren’s tight ass as she walked towards the kitchen. He still couldn’t get over the fact that she’d survived the gun shot. He really had never intended on shooting her. He just wanted to eliminate the rest of the I-Ops team. He could hardly contain himself when he saw her running towards the house. She was alive, she would now be his mate.
&nb
sp; Going to his contact in the Government had proved to be a good decision. Bringing the Immortal Ops in and having a chance to wipe out the very group responsible for his condition was genius. Letting Lukian have a taste of Peren hadn’t been on the agenda, but he could revel in the fact that Lukian would die knowing that it would be Ben’s dick buried deep in Peren every night, not his. It was his right, once Lukian was dead. He’d not only get Peren handed to him for the taking, but he’d also get the entire were community to call him King.
His cock was hard and burned to be deep inside her. It always was when he was around her.. He knew that her pussy would be tight, everything on her was. He also knew that he could fuck her extra hard. She would heal whatever damage he inflicted. His mind raced to the possibility of locking her away and using her as his own personal sex slave. If it came down to it, he’d do it.
He moved up closer to Peren and watched her tiny waist as she dropped an olive in his glass. He had to fight the urge to bend her over the edge of the kitchen counter and fuck her right there. She still wanted him. He could smell her desire for him. He wasn’t kidding himself though. He knew that her desire was really for Lukian and the fact that he carried so much of Lukian’s blood in him now made him just as appealing to her.
She turned to him and smiled. Her wide full lips called to him. He wanted first to feel them pressed against his and then he wanted them wrapped around the bulge in his pants.
* * * *
Peren turned to hand Ben his drink and found him staring at her in the most peculiar way. She knew that look on a man’s face. They got the unrefined look when they wanted sex. She’d gone out with Ben three times and had never noticed him looking at her like that before. They’d come close to having intercourse once, but thoughts of Kyle had made her flee his home crying.