by Dana Archer
“Because Lena is the center of your world.”
“And?” Devin raised a brow. “That’s how it should be.”
“I suppose, but it’s not a fate I can embrace. For me, the pride must come first. I can’t allow a female to distract me from my duties.”
“Your father was mated to his true mate, and he was committed to the pride.”
“True, but the world has changed since he was alive and so has our pride’s role in it.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Alexander goddess appeared to me right after I became alpha. She told me I had to remain diligent and strong because our family has been chosen to change the world.” Kade picked up the mangled yogurt cup and studied it. “I can’t do that if I have a female demanding my attention. I’ll be better off with a breeding partner.”
“A true mate makes a male stronger. Look at me. When Lena’s with me, I’m almost sane.”
“I don’t doubt that, but the goddess entrusted me with more than our family. The fate of all shifters sits on my shoulders. I can’t risk failure.”
“You’re not alone. Our pride might be small, but we’ll help any way we can.”
“I know.” Kade stood and tossed the yogurt container in the trash. “Come on. Let’s see if we can track down your mate before she shows up in Virginia.”
That was assuming she’d given Devin the correct address. If she hadn’t…
Devin clutched the stuffed jaguar tighter. No. He wouldn’t allow the thought to surface. He would find her. He had to.
Chapter 17
The elevator doors swooshed closed, offering Lena a moment of privacy. She slumped against the wall and pressed her fist to her chest, right over her heart. It ached as if she’d left a piece of it behind with Devin.
Sure, Devin’s kisses did things to her other guys couldn’t come close to achieving, even during sex. One of those wicked licks from his roughened tongue could tear down her self control. And his kisses…mind-blowing. Except for the biting part. Even remembering the pain didn’t dim the memory. The sheer passion he’d delivered made those few seconds of discomfort insignificant.
Devin tasted of sin, and his scent conjured images of all the naughty things they could do together naked. However, missing a man, who wasn’t really a man, just for the sinful promises he could deliver went way beyond normal for her. She was not a clingy woman. One man was as good as the next. Yearning for him was just a latent effect of the blood he’d shared with her. There. That was a logical conclusion, and one she desperately hoped were true. Otherwise, she was in big trouble.
Too bad she didn’t believe her rationalizations for a minute. She missed Devin. Plain and simple. And after this mess was over and Molly was safe, maybe he’d give her another chance. If she ever laid eyes on him again. Other than his pride name and the knowledge he lived in West Virginia, she wouldn’t know how to find him.
She couldn’t think about that now. More important matters needed to be secured. She dragged in a deep breath and hit the button for the basement.
Most billionaires would live in a penthouse of some high-rise, not below a less than reputable strip club. Only, Vader wasn’t a man. He wasn’t exactly sane either. Difficult and moody described him best.
He reminded her of a PMSing woman, but he had the claws to strike out at the world when it angered him.
She giggled, the lighthearted sound chasing away the desperation choking her.
Lena dragged her fingers through her hair and tugged at the knots. Her mind flashed to those moments back in the hotel when Devin had finger combed her tangles out, smoothing the locks with a gentleness few men showed.
She groaned. Everything circled back to him. She’d hoped her jumbled thoughts would ease once she was away from him. They hadn’t. On top of her ying-yanging emotions, a desperation she couldn’t quite explain had settled over her. She couldn’t help thinking she’d lose everything—her sanity included—if she didn’t return to Devin’s side.
The doors opened. The sounds of moans and grunting carried through the apartment. She grimaced. Great. Three o’clock in the afternoon and Vader was screwing somebody.
The creaking of the bed stopped long enough for Vader to yell, “Be out in a minute, lover. Make yourself at home.”
She ground her teeth so hard she feared the edges would wear down. A bottle of tequila and a broken heart had landed her in his bed five years ago. Ever since, he constantly reminded her of their shared intimacy.
She’d tried to make it work. Vader had seemed so attentive at first. He’d acted as if he’d wanted her, hadn’t even minded when she’d said no to more sex after the first few weeks. Little had she known it was because he’d slept with the wrong Burnett and felt guilty.
Lena walked across the cavernous room to the inviting leather sofa in the far corner. A TV hung on the wall with a bra dangling precariously from the corner. A ripped condom wrapper was tossed on the end table. And a lacy red bikini lay discarded on the floor.
She kicked the panties into the corner and sat without hesitation. Vader never dirtied his furniture or his personal bed with the many women he brought home. He had a separate room dedicated just for meaningless sex.
Her ex-fiancé, Rick, had introduced her to Vader. They’d both worked on her stepdad’s task force. She’d learned a lot about the secret world of nonhumans when her mother fell in love with Steven Burnett.
Some days she wished her mom had never met the hardened federal agent, but the love in their eyes whenever they’d glanced at each other was enough to make any girl sigh. She’d envied her mom, and the longing for a love as deep as her mom and stepdad had shared had set Lena down a path she wished she’d never taken. A decade later, all she had to show for it was a lot of broken dreams.
She pushed away thoughts of her parents. Otherwise, the tears would start. She didn’t have time for them. Later. Breakdowns needed to happen when she was alone, not in front of a wicked wolf who’d use it as an excuse to comfort her. Not happening. Vader’s idea of consoling her would likely involve something naughty. Just because their relationship never made it past the two-month mark didn’t mean he still didn’t try to get in her pants.
She studied the big bed visible through the open door to Vader’s bedroom. When she’d woken up there five years ago, he’d informed her she was the first female he’d ever taken to his own room. After she’d ended things, he’d sworn he’d never let another woman between the sheets. Five years later, she was still avoiding him.
The other bedroom door opened. Vader emerged from it looking sated and relaxed. His hair stood in jagged spikes, no doubt from the Barbie-shaped girl clinging to his arm. The black robe he wore showed an impressive chest and the edge of his inner thigh as he walked.
He was shorter than Devin, although not by much, but the muscles layered on his body were as thick and stacked as Devin’s. Vader was by far one of the sexiest men she’d ever met. As she looked him over, she felt nothing—no lust, longing, or curiosity over what it would feel like to love him again.
The only thing bothering her was the stupid ache in her heart and the compulsion urging her to return to Devin.
Vader ushered the blonde, double D-cup sex toy out the door without bothering to retrieve her panties or bra. The woman tried to steal a kiss. He gripped her by the shoulders and set her in the elevator.
“You know the rules, Betty. No kissing allowed.”
He’d kissed Lena the night she’d ended up here. Over and over he’d claimed her mouth, twining their tongues as if he’d meant to crawl inside her, but his kisses didn’t come close to the dirty, raw ones Devin handed out.
Vader grimaced once the elevator door closed.
“Let me get a shower. I hate smelling females on my skin.”
He’d made similar comments before. She’d never given them much thought until Devin had flipped out over the scent of her makeup.
“If you don’t like how they smell, why sleep with
them?”
Vader walked toward the bathroom with a swagger she couldn’t help but appreciate. “It passes the time.”
“What? Are you waiting for the right woman to come along?”
“Something like that.” The door closed with a soft click behind him.
She shook her head. Five years had passed since their pathetic attempt at a relationship. Some days she doubted everything she thought she knew about him and why they hadn’t worked. It certainly wasn’t because of lack of lust. They’d both felt it, but hadn’t acted on it after they’d called it quits. Of course, her lingering desire for Vader seemed to have finally fizzled. Thank goodness. She couldn’t deal with it on top of what she felt for Devin.
Vader emerged in a cloud of steam wearing a pair of loose sleep pants that hung low on his hips. Strands of wet hair replaced the sex-tousled look he’d worn a few minutes ago.
He grinned at her with such genuine happiness it tempted her to match it. She did, unable to resist. He motioned to his bedroom. “Are you ready to pick up where we left off?”
“Not on your life.”
He sauntered across the massive room, which was as long as the remodeled warehouse upstairs, but stopped after a few feet. He lifted his head and sniffed before locking his gaze on her. “Did you tangle with a cat, lover?”
She snorted and unconsciously pressed her hand to her stomach. “You could say that.”
A moment later, he was by her side. He shoved up her shirt and cursed a string of vicious death threats in a voice slurred by the huge canine fangs filling his mouth.
Devin’s cat teeth were nicer. She inwardly groaned. Why did she immediately think of him?
“What happened to you?”
“Colonel Malory betrayed us. He struck some deal with the Shifter Council and sold Molly to a bunch of lion shifters. I got caught in the middle of the fight.”
Claws punched from Vader’s fingers. He dug them into the cushions on either side of her. “Colonel Malory did what?”
“You heard me.”
“Explain everything, Lena. Now.”
“I will, but let me make this clear. If you think to betray us too and take Molly, I’ll fight you.” She leveled her hardest glower at him. “I’ll kill you if I have to. Molly will not live out her life in one of those horrid confinement facilities.”
“Never.” He leaned forward, and his hazel eyes filled her vision. “Those places will be shut down if it’s the last thing I do.”
She held completely still as his enraged growls and hot, minty breath bathed her face. Her stomach churned. Not once in all the years they’d known each other had he ever frightened her. Until now.
Finally, he sat back, breaking the tense moment, and made a rolling motion with his hand. “Start talking.”
“A bunch of lion shifters came after Molly.” She explained about her mom’s suspicions, and the promise Lena had made to her stepdad—protect Molly at any cost.
A haunted look settled over Vader’s face. “So where is Molly now?”
“With Gwen. Another set of shifters showed up. Both groups fought. It gave me the distraction I needed to get Gwen and Molly away from them.”
“Distraction? What did you do?”
“I got in my car and made enough noise that they’d hear me and chase after me, not Gwen and Molly. It worked. The survivors followed me and Gwen slipped out the back with Molly.”
Vader gripped her arms and gave her a little shake. “You crazy woman! You turned yourself into bait. What were you thinking?”
She straightened her spine. Why did everyone accuse her of being crazy? She’d done what she’d thought was right at the time.
“I was thinking I didn’t want some shifter to kidnap my five-year-old sister!” She leaned forward and glared at him. “They want to mate her off. Not even give her a chance to fall in love. Can you believe that?”
“Unfortunately, I can.” He shook his head, disgust and anger darkening his eyes. “Molly wouldn’t be the first female turned into a breeding partner without her consent.”
Her shoulders drooped, and she leaned against the back cushions of the sofa. “I hate shifter culture.”
“Sometimes, so do I.” He shoved her shirt higher, ripping it, and traced the claw mark on her belly.
His brows furrowed. He pressed his nose to her stomach and sniffed. Her cheeks heated with the complete invasion of her privacy, but Vader didn’t understand the meaning of a personal bubble. She gave up years ago trying to get him to back off. He’d just hold her hands out of the way and sniff her or rub his cheek against her skin despite her protests. He never hurt her so she allowed him close as long as he kept his hands away from her private areas.
“He licked this.”
As if she needed him to tell her. She’d been there when Devin had laved the wounds and sent her body into meltdown.
“Yeah. He gave me blood too. He said…”
She debated whether or not to say anything else about the injury. No. With the protectiveness Vader had always shown toward her, it wouldn’t be a smart move. He’d attack Devin. It wouldn’t matter if her wound had been accidental or not. Vader would have Devin’s blood.
She settled on a partial explanation. “He said my organs got pierced.”
Vader stood and walked to the table at the far end of the couch where a picture of a pretty young woman sat, the mate he’d never gotten to claim. Lena knew the story of her short life by heart. He’d used it to justify his crazy possessiveness. The human girl had been captured and sold to a research facility like the one Molly had been imprisoned at. And died there.
Lena sighed, the empathy she always felt for him rising, but she resisted the urge to comfort him. It never did any good. They’d beaten the subject to death. She understood why he was protective. She hadn’t even minded it at first. When it got to the point where she couldn’t even open the front door without him by her side, she’d ended things.
He traced the edge of the frame before placing it facedown on the wood, a first. She’d watched him stare longingly at the picture for hours. She wasn’t sure what to make of his actions.
“You stink,” he said without looking at her.
She rolled her eyes and snorted. “I’m hearing that a lot lately.”
He glanced over his shoulder, a question in his eyes.
“Devin told me that I smelled too after I put on makeup.”
“Aww…” Vader nodded. “Devin Moore.”
An odd look passed over his face. Jealousy? He blanked his expression before she could be sure.
“I haven’t seen him in ages. No wonder I didn’t recognize his scent.” Vader swept his gaze over her body. She squirmed under his heated regard. “I guess I missed another chance at happiness.”
“Please, don’t give me any lines. I’m in no mood.” She propped her elbows on her knees. “I need your help. Gwen and Molly are at Maggie’s lodge. I’m worried. The lion who cornered us said his pride leader paid three million dollars for Molly. They’re not going to let her go without a fight.”
She turned her pleading gaze on him. “I can’t protect her from them, not on my own, and I don’t trust Shifter Affairs. Molly”—Lena paused, considering her words—“Molly wasn’t acting quite…normal when Gwen left with her.”
“So, I’m good to use in a fight but not to take back to your bed? Have you forgotten how good we were together?” He grinned, tiny fangs peeking below the line of straight teeth. “If you give me another chance, I’ll remind you and prove that I’m better than Devin.”
Openmouthed, she stared at him. Considering she and Devin hadn’t had sex yet, there’d be nothing to compare to. If Devin’s kisses were any indication, however, he’d be amazing in bed. “There will be no comparisons.”
“So I am better than him, huh?”
“I am not discussing bedroom gymnastics with you.”
“Would you rather act them out?”
“No, get your mind out of the gutter
for once. You would think after just having sex you’d be sated enough not to want to jump back into bed.”
“Those women don’t mean anything to me. Nothing compares to having my female beneath me.” He took her hand, despite her attempt to avoid his grasp, and rubbed her knuckles. “I don’t care if you smell like a cat. Once I bite you, you’ll wear my scent.”
“Bite me?” She yanked her hand away and scrubbed it on her shorts. “No, thank you. One bite is plenty.”
“Wait a minute. Devin bit you?”
She rolled her shoulder. “Yeah. It really hurt too.”
Vader tugged the neck of her shirt down. He studied the mark for a moment then turned angry eyes on her.
“Are you trying to get me killed?”
Not waiting for an answer, he ran across the room, threw the locks on the door, and slid a gun case in front of it. That done, he pivoted on his heel and stalked toward her. Her heart raced, but she didn’t run. She’d learned her lesson. Never run from a predator unless you wanted them to catch you. She didn’t want Vader to catch her. Ever.
“Answer me, woman. Are you trying to get me killed?”
“Of course not.”
His legs brushed her knees. He leaned over her, hands planted on the back of the couch on either side of her head. The derisive look he wore frightened her more than scathing words ever could. She pressed her back into the cushions and held her breath.
“Could’ve fooled me. It won’t take long for your mate to track you down. He’ll be possessive and will try to rip my throat out when he finds you here.” He bent so close their noses touched. “I’ll be forced to fight your male. Is that what you want?”
“There’s no way he can track me. He didn’t see me leave. I took three taxis and a bus on my way here. I’m not stupid.”
He pushed away from her. “Honey, those cats rubbing along the insides of your limbs aren’t there as an accessory. They’re your link to your feline mate. I know Devin’s cats are a bit wild, maybe a little loony, but aren’t they upset at all that you ran from him?”
Lena stared in confusion at Vader for so long, his brows scrunched.