by Jane Godman
“Was it Oscar?”
He nodded. “He was traveling across a vast area, so no one else was picking up on the similarities. And it was in a time before there was any coordinated police activity. But I knew it was him.”
“What did you do?”
“He’d used up his only chance with me. I hunted him down and killed him.” Sebastian’s face was grim. “He was an Arctic werewolf, so it had to be done under the light of the midnight sun. When I caught up with him, I finally avenged Mya’s death, as well as those of his other victims.” He held on to her as though he planned to never let her go. And she hoped that was true. “I’ve never told anyone this story.”
“I’m glad you told me.” She glanced at the clock on the bedside table. “There’s only an hour before you have to leave for the airport. When I came into the room, I propositioned you. Are you going to bite me or not?”
* * *
“You have to give up being human.” Sebastian was trying to convey the gravity of the situation to Cindy.
“It’s overrated.” The feel of her lips against his neck was a delicious distraction.
“Once you accept a werewolf bite, it can’t be reversed.”
“I’m very single-minded. Once I decide something, I stick with it.”
“There’s a world of mythology to being a werewolf.” He couldn’t help himself, her enthusiasm was infectious. “Maybe you should spend some time learning what you would be getting into.”
She kissed the corner of his mouth. “I’ve been around you guys for the last four years. You’d be surprised at how much I’ve picked up. Especially from listening to Lowell.”
“It’s a huge commitment, not something to be rushed.” No matter how much we might want it. And Sebastian was surprised at the depth of his wanting. He ached to snatch her up into his arms and press his canines to the tender spot where her neck and shoulders met. “I want you to be sure this isn’t all about saving the brotherhood.”
Cindy gave him a pitying glance. “Do I look like a superhero?”
“I will be back in a day or two. If you still feel the same way then”—he drew her into his arms—“I’ll bite the hell out of you.”
She squirmed against him. “Is that a promise?”
“It’s more than that, Cindy.” He tilted her chin so she was forced to look up at him. “It’s a solemn vow.”
“I won’t change my mind.” She pressed her fingers to the special place where a bite would mark her as his mate forever. Where his teeth would pierce her flesh and transform her into a werewolf. “Do it now.”
He looked into her eyes and saw it all. Everything he had ever wanted. What the hell was he waiting for? He was on his way to an encounter that was likely to bring him face-to-face with the werewolf god of destruction and the bounty hunter who had sworn to destroy all werewolves. Neither of them wished him well. Why not grab this chance at happiness with both hands?
“Not here.”
He led Cindy out of the house and across the extensive gardens to the woodland beyond, halting in the darkest place he could find. High above them, green garlands of leaf and branch formed a protective canopy, almost shutting out the freckled blue of the sky. Drawing Cindy down beside him, he lay on a bed of moss, breathing in the scents of pine and loam as he slowly removed first her clothes then his own.
“How quickly does it happen?” Cindy asked.
“I’ve heard all sorts of stories.” He smoothed her hair back from her face as he spoke. “Timescales seem to range from minutes to days. But one thing seems to be for sure, Arctic werewolves are different from all others. For some reason, we have the fastest transition rate.”
“Good.” She caught hold of his hand, kissing the inside of his wrist. “I want it to be fast.”
He smiled. “I won’t hurt you.”
“I know you won’t.”
Her expression was apprehensive, but he could see that she trusted him. He moved closer, and she gasped as he parted her legs and bent his head between them. His lips brushed her sex in a kiss as gentle as a sigh. Cindy relaxed, lying back on the cool ground as his tongue swept over her in long strokes. He paused to flick her quivering clit until she was squirming wildly, before resuming a leisurely exploration of the folds of her sex. He licked just inside her vagina, then drove his tongue deep inside in a hard, stabbing movement. Cindy gasped out his name, and he repeated the action over and over. Within minutes she tensed, her thighs quivering and her back arching. She cried out as she came, clinging to Sebastian’s shoulders and shaking all over.
Sebastian kissed her breasts, transferring her own juices from his mouth to her flesh as he moved over her. Reaching for the condom he had placed beside his clothes, he quickly sheathed himself. Pushing her thighs wider with his hips, he positioned himself at her entrance. Lifting her knees apart, he pushed them back almost to her shoulders. Finding her open and slippery, he groaned as he shifted his hips and pressed his tip into her. She was so wet that he drove his whole shaft straight in. Long and hard and deep and wonderful.
The passionate firestorm between them demanded hard and fast. As her body bucked beneath him, he thrust in and out with such force that it was both pleasure and exquisite torture. He fucked her so hard that their bodies slammed noisily together. He picked up the pace even further, and Cindy wrapped her legs around his waist, clenching her muscles in time with his thrusts to draw him as deep as she could. His breath came in hot gasps and the muscles in his back tensed under her fingernails. As he rammed himself wildly in and out of her, the exquisite friction heated her until Sebastian felt like he was driving into a furnace.
He reached beneath her to grip her buttocks and lifted her so that he could open her further. A tormented groan escaped her. His thrusts became frantic in response, pushing them both further and harder. His lips silenced her cries. Every cell in his body sizzled as her internal muscles began to spasm around him.
It was time.
His canines lengthened as he shifted. Cindy’s body convulsed as her orgasm neared. As Sebastian sank his teeth into her flesh and tasted her beloved blood, fire and energy engulfed him. It wrapped itself around him, in him, coursing through him, exploding over him.
Cindy cried out as he impaled her with his teeth and she got her wish as her own release overcame her and she shifted with him. He continued to drive into her wildly, mindlessly, his cock pounding into her, keeping the sensations washing over her until he released her and their bodies came to a shuddering standstill. Even then, her muscles continued to spasm around him in a series of delicious aftershocks.
Minutes later, the two wolves separated. Panting wildly after mating, they paused before taking off and running through the woodland. The male was much larger and stronger than the female. Beside his powerful, muscular frame, she appeared slender, almost fragile. Her coat was several shades darker than his, and her eyes were blue. When they paused, she crouched low, rubbing her face against his muzzle. The male stood proud, graciously permitting this gesture of subservience.
He tilted his head and gave a single, triumphant howl. He was claiming her, telling what her human already knew. They were together at last. Now, and forever.
* * *
The raised voices could be heard from every corner of the house.
“I am not letting you do this. You’ll be torn to fucking shreds.”
Samson’s roar echoed around the enclosed space of the hall as he lunged toward Sebastian, making a grab for the other man’s bag. Although Samson was bigger, Sebastian was lighter on his feet. He sidestepped the swipe, causing his friend to lose his balance and stagger into the wall. Samson’s cursing increased.
“You can’t stop me.”
“Like fuck I can’t.”
Wilder, who had hung around drinking coffee with Valetta and had been about to get into his car, sprinted back into the house. “What the hell is going on?”
“Ask him.” Samson pointed an accusing finger in Sebastian’s directio
n. “Ask about what he is planning to do once he gets to New York.”
Cindy had emerged from the kitchen and had a clear view of what was going on. Valetta stood next to her. Hendrik had been upstairs and was now standing at the midpoint on the staircase observing the scene below. Although she watched the interaction between the three brotherhood members, she was conscious of him. He was a silent stranger in their midst even though this was his house and he looked like their close friend.
She pressed a hand to her neck, touching the tender place where Sebastian’s teeth had broken her flesh. It was hidden beneath the scarf she had wrapped around her throat when they returned to the house. The most momentous occasion of her life had taken place less than an hour ago. She had made the transition from human to werewolf. It wasn’t exactly a minor thing. Now, because of what was happening within the brotherhood, it was as if it had never happened.
“Can we just calm this down?” Wilder stood between his two friends. “Sebastian is going to New York to interview these computer geeks who have ripped off one of the world’s biggest technology companies. It might not be everyone’s idea of fun, but it’s his job. I don’t know what you’re getting so heated up about.”
Samson’s expression was incredulous as he turned to face Sebastian. “You didn’t have the decency to tell him the truth? You kept that myth going?”
Sebastian’s expression became mutinous. Cindy had seen that obstinate expression on his face before. There was no reasoning with him when he was in this mood. “I am going to interview Chadwick and Fenk.”
Samson snorted. “Now tell him the rest.” He swept an arm around the hall encompassing Cindy, Valetta, and Hendrik. “Tell all of them.” When Sebastian remained stubbornly silent, Samson laughed. “No? I’ll do it for you. We know he has this crazy theory that Chadwick and Fenk are Chastel and Fenrir . . . it must be true, just think about the initials, guys.” His voice dripped sarcasm. “So he plans to confront them with it.”
“Is this true?” Wilder asked.
Sebastian hunched an impatient shoulder. “Why not? I’ll be there anyway. This way I get to look them in the eyes and see how they respond.”
“Samson is right. If these two are Fenrir and Chastel, even if they are a cover for those two evil maniacs, they’ll rip your fucking head off.” Wilder had stopped being reasonable and was firmly ranged on Samson’s side.
“Maybe I’m tired of playing safe,” Sebastian said.
“Tired of being alive, you mean.”
“Do you know what? I’m done with having this conversation.” Sebastian hauled his bag onto his shoulder. “We’ve been over and over this and there’s nothing more to say. You’ve both made your feelings clear. If I take this fight to Chastel, it’s mutiny.” He held a clenched fist at shoulder height. “Guess what? This is the start of the revolution.”
“Don’t joke about it. Don’t you dare.” Samson was growing increasingly heated.
“Just because you’re too chicken shit to do anything—”
Samson’s fist shot out lightning fast and a trickle of blood ran down from Sebastian’s lip to his chin. Sebastian wiped it away with his thumb, staring at his friend in disbelief.
“No member of the brotherhood has ever struck another in anger.” Wilder’s voice trembled with shock.
“Maybe we no longer have a brotherhood.” Sebastian spoke through lips that were already starting to swell.
Cindy darted forward, placing herself between the two men as she read retaliation in Sebastian’s eyes. “That’s enough.” She turned to Sebastian, placing the flat of her hand against his chest. “If you don’t leave now, you’ll miss your flight.”
He looked over her head at Samson and Wilder, conveying a message to them with his eyes. This scene was all played out. There was nothing more they could do here.
“Let him go.” Wilder’s voice was husky as he caught hold of Samson’s arm and drew him back, allowing Sebastian to leave unhindered.
Cindy watched Sebastian as he got into his rental car and drove away. When she turned back into the hall, Samson, Wilder, and Valetta had gone into the kitchen. Only Hendrik remained where he had been throughout the altercation. As though frozen to the spot, he stared down at the point where Sebastian had been standing.
Although his face was in shadow, Cindy could see the golden gleam of his eyes. Hendrik—the real Hendrik—would not have allowed that scene to unfold without attempting to diffuse the situation. He cared too much about the brotherhood and its individual members. He’d have tried to smooth out the hostilities, would have gone after Sebastian, found some way to make this okay.
This representation of Hendrik didn’t get it. Or maybe he did, and the fight between Sebastian and Samson appealed to him. His head was tilted slightly to one side as though he were listening to a voice only he could hear. As Cindy watched, he gave a tiny nod as if of satisfaction, and retraced his steps back up the stairs.
Chapter Eleven
Sebastian stepped from the plane into a rainy New York evening, but nothing, not the weather, not his swollen lip, not even the thought of challenging Chadwick and Fenk, could dim his euphoria. Cindy loved him. She loved him so much she had accepted his bite and become a werewolf. If only they had been able to celebrate with something more than a quick run in the forest. Maybe once this nightmare was over . . .
When he had exited the airport and found a cab, he checked the information he had on Fenk. A number of Sebastian’s informants had given him the same warehouse in Dumbo, Brooklyn, as the address of both Fenk’s home and office. Sebastian had double-checked with Odessa. Alexei, the COO of her company, Santin Creative, had confirmed the location of Fenk’s New York base. Alexei had also passed on a warning. Fenk was not the most welcoming guy when it came to visitors.
That’s okay. This won’t be a social call.
The light was beginning to fade, the sky turning to gunmetal gray, when his cab pulled up opposite the restored building. This was a seriously expensive renovation, all steel and glass with golden light pooling onto the sidewalk, and a uniformed doorman standing to attention outside the impressive entrance. A warehouse with a doorman? Beneath the uniform, the guy’s muscles bulged. Whatever was inside this building must be worth protecting.
“I’m here to see Mr. Fenk.” Sebastian tried the direct approach as he spoke to the doorman.
“Is he expecting you?”
“I’ve contacted him a few times about an article I’m writing.”
The doorman smiled. It wasn’t an unsympathetic expression, but it told Sebastian what he needed to know. There was no way he was getting past this guy. “Sorry.”
He walked away, rounding a corner so he could view the building from a different angle. It was difficult to see a way in. The exterior was bland, modern, and shiny. There were no features that would help him if he tried to climb and gain access through a window. He couldn’t see any entrance other than the one at the front. No storage facility, no basement, no boiler room. Each resident had a garage in a separate, detached block at right angles to the main building. No help there. There was no underground parking lot.
No, the only way in was through the front entrance. Which meant he was going to have to find a way to deal with the muscle-bound doorman.
Deciding he didn’t have time for subterfuge, Sebastian weighed his options. Shifting in a built-up environment was always hell. He needed to find somewhere to stow his bag and stash the clothes he was wearing. If he didn’t, he’d shift back and be wandering the streets of Brooklyn naked as a newborn lamb . . . but considerably less meek, mild, and innocent in appearance.
There was a narrow passageway between the garages and the main building. It wasn’t an ideal place to shift, but at least it was hidden from view. Sebastian shrugged out of his clothes and placed them inside his bag before hiding it behind a dumpster.
Shifting was one of his greatest pleasures, but it shouldn’t be done in a setting such as this. For Sebastian, the idea
l place to shift was in a land of ice and snow with the midnight sun warming his flesh. If that wasn’t possible, he at least hoped for trees to shield him from prying eyes and grass to run free. Bricks and grime? Not the perfect place for a proud Arctic predator. He was out of place here. Wolves and cities didn’t mix. But sometimes there was no choice.
Shifting came as easily and naturally to him as breathing. He relaxed his muscles, remembering his wolf shape and, within seconds, his human was gone. In place of the man a muscular pure white Arctic werewolf dropped to all fours. Stretching his limbs and testing his voice in a low, rumbling growl, the wolf looked around with keen gold eyes. So far, so good. No one had seen him shift. He didn’t have to kill any witnesses.
He was like a streak of white lightning cutting through the evening gloom. No one was around as he sprinted toward the front entrance of Fenk’s building. The doorman’s eyes widened in alarm as he saw the huge animal approaching him and he stepped backward into the lobby, one hand flailing as he fumbled for the reception desk behind him. Sebastian guessed he was reaching for a panic button and hit him full in the chest with both front paws before he could touch it. The man toppled backward, his head hitting the tiled floor with a resounding thwack. He didn’t move again.
Shifting back, Sebastian moved fast. Once he had dragged the doorman behind the desk, stripped him, and relieved him of his key ring, he searched around for somewhere to hide him. There was a closet behind the reception desk. After a quick check through the keys on the ring, Sebastian found one that opened the door. The closet was filled with mops, brushes, buckets, and cleaning products. After some creative maneuvering, it also contained an unconscious naked man.