Lukian snorted and hid his laugh under a cough. Whatever it takes to keep you on a leash.
Where are you now?
Lukian glanced around. Somewhere the Addams Family would be happy to call home. Also called Peren’s home.
That bad?
Words wouldn’t do it justice. Dr. Matthews isn’t here. Have Green reach out to his contacts and see if anyone has spoken to him.
Will do, Captain. Be safe.
You too.
“I don’t understand,” Peren said, appearing confused and breaking Lukian’s mental connection to Roi. “I thought my dad would be here. We meet every Saturday morning for breakfast. He’s been insistent on it since I was a child. My stepmother tried to get him to change the day, but he wouldn’t hear of it. Saturday mornings were our thing. They’ve always been our thing.”
“Stepmother?” Lukian had lost touch with Dr. Matthews shortly before Peren’s birth. He didn’t know he’d remarried.
Peren stared past him at nothing in particular. “I never actually knew my real mother. My father talks about me being a blessing, a miracle, but I think I’m a curse. I guess there were years of infertility and then finally, I came along. But she died during childbirth. I live with that knowledge everyday.” She closed her eyes a moment. “My father remarried five years later. Susan was a wonderful mother.” He could sense the dread and feeling of mourning pass over her. “She died when I was ten. She was murdered.”
He fought the urge to say that he knew of the murder, that he’d picked up on her memories of it in the woods outside of the bar. She didn’t need the added stress of knowing he’d been privy to vital details of her life prior to her actually sharing them with him. Besides, the information that her biological mother passed away during her birth was news to him, so he wasn’t lying. He went to put his arm around her, but she continued talking. He wanted to cover her full lips with kisses and had to control himself to allow her to express her thoughts.
“Yes, Father is always on time. I generally come out here to the main house to meet him. My apartment is too small to entertain in and he loves to put on a show, even if it’s just the two of us.”
Her apartment?
He looked around the large kitchen and felt it then. Dread, death, despair, rage, and most of all, hate. These feelings had to be emanating from somewhere and from someone. He knew it wasn’t Peren—she was too worried about her father’s sudden disappearance to be projecting anything but concern. The feelings hit him stronger and he searched for the direction they were coming from—east.
“Peren, honey, what’s in the other sections of the house? Are you sure no one lives there?”
Her look of bewilderment told him that no, she didn’t know that someone was there. Maybe he was just picking up on old scents and memories imprinted on the home, but something felt off.
She took hold of his hand. “There is no one here. My dad doesn’t leave the main wing when he’s home. And we have limited house helpers. None of them go in the other areas. I think they’re scared of the older sections. Come on. I’ll show you around to set your mind at ease.”
Chapter Thirty
Peren followed behind Lukian as he wandered through her childhood home. He led, and she followed. It was odd at first, but he seemed like a man on a mission, so she went with it. She trailed close behind him. His musky scent blew back at her lightly as he opened the door to the east wing and she felt her knees weaken.
Why am I so drawn to you?
“Because you are my mate, my one true partner. You are mine forever, Peren,” he said, looking over his shoulder at her, his blue gaze smoldering with desire.
Forever.
She let the thought of that float around. She’d believed that what she had with Kyle was special, she’d assumed that he was the one—her forever. Walking behind Lukian and looking at the way his sweat-soaked shirt clung to every ripple, wanting to tear his clothes off and let him use her any way he wanted, she knew that she’d never had this with Kyle. She touched Lukian’s back lightly. He turned to her and smiled. Sex with him had been earth-shattering, but she couldn’t rely on just sex the rest of her life. She needed more and believed that he would too, someday. She’d only just met the man. Forever seemed so strange to even consider with him, yet that was exactly what she wanted.
Forever.
Lukian faced her and pulled her close. “Never doubt how I feel about you again, never. Do you understand you are my mate, the only one I have ever taken? The only one I’ve ever given my seed to. The only woman I’ve ever claimed and the only one I even can claim. It is for life, Peren.”
“You talk about us like we’re animals,” she said, half joking. Mate? Lukian had referred to her as this on more than one occasion. That wasn’t a standard pet name to call your significant other.
She remembered the wolves in the woods and Lukian’s lack of surprise at them. Nothing had shaken him. There were times he seemed so alpha, so incredibly in control, that he felt almost animalistic to her. Why was that? Was he like what had attacked her in the woods and also when she was ten? Was he more than simply a man? And then there was Melanie and what she said happened during sex with Lance—that he’d changed partially into an animal.
“Lance…can he…do anything special?” She was having a hard time coming out and saying “change into a beast.”
Lukian tightened his grip on her arm. He bent his head, trying to kiss her, but she pulled away. She needed answers, not distractions. He apparently thought differently. He twisted her around and pushed her firmly against the wall before she had time to soak in what was going on. His hand went up her shirt. She gasped as he brushed over her hardened nipples.
The hard edge of his jawline held her attention. She reached out and traced the edges of his chiseled frame. His neck muscles tightened as she leaned up to plant tiny kisses on him. He pushed her hands back against the wall, effectively rendering her useless. She wanted more from him and growled in frustration, making him laugh.
“Lukian.”
“I need to check something and then I’m going to do everything you want and more,” he said, moving to take a step back from her. “And we can have a nice long talk then. I promise.”
The strongest urge to bite him again came over her with such force that she was powerless to do anything but obey. She sank her teeth down into his shoulder blade. The bite was hard enough to get his attention, but not hard enough to draw blood. Stunned at her actions, Peren dragged her mouth off him and gasped. “Ohmygod. I’m so sorry.”
She couldn’t believe she’d attacked him that way—again. Lukian looked stunned but not disgusted at her behavior. The growing bulge in his pants told her exactly what he thought of her theatrics. He was turned on.
Why didn’t he see her as a freak?
She saw herself as one.
He adjusted his cock through the front of his pants, groaning, his gaze going to her chest. “I want to fuck you, but now isn’t the time.”
“Do it. Fuck me,” she said, shocking herself with her frankness. The scent of his sweat, the closeness of his body, was proving to be more than she could handle. She moved to run her fingers into the top of his pants and he grabbed her wrists gently. She pulled her hands back toward herself, bringing his with hers. If he didn’t want her touching him, that was fine, she’d think of something else.
She drew his hands toward her waistband and eased it down gently. He began to pull away and then gave in to his need to touch her. His thick fingers darted quickly between her thighs and found her moist and ready for him. In a sudden fury, he was pushing against her, pinning her body to the wall. He continued his sensual assault on her silken channel, causing tiny moans to escape her throat. Each thrust left her juices soaking the both of them, running down his hand and her inner thighs.
Lukian lifted her off the ground, keeping her pinned firmly to the wall, as he continued fingering her. She had no idea how he’d managed to get his pants down and didn’t
care once she felt the head of his cock pushing into her. The world around her faded away, leaving only her and Lukian. He rammed himself into her with such force that a picture fell off the wall and onto the floor. A low purring noise erupted from deep within her.
Lukian’s thrusts came faster and harder. Her body struggled with something great, wild, overpowering. She tried to keep it deep within her, but her abdomen tightened and her body clenched tight around his rigid cock as he brought her to her peak. The orgasm unleashed the animal within her and she felt detached from herself as she bit down hard on Lukian’s shoulder. Coppery, sweet-tasting fluid ran into her mouth. Lukian let out a growl that matched hers. She was faintly aware of a deep pressure above her right breast and of the added girth between her legs. None of that mattered. All that mattered was the pleasure washing over her. He made her feel alive. And he made her feel safe.
Chapter Thirty-One
Lukian held his mate’s hand as they walked down another of the darkened halls of her childhood home. He’d planned to take her back to the safe house and discuss everything in detail with his men, but he’d gotten lost in lust and had taken Peren again. He’d never get enough of her. He knew that.
Right now he couldn’t shake the sensation that they weren’t alone in the giant, neglected home. The wolf in him wouldn’t let him simply leave without searching the entire estate. He had to be sure. His inner alarms sounded as he caught the scent of another shifter. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. This was not a member of his team. He’d spent decades with these men, and he knew their scents well.
Peren stopped moving behind him. He wasn’t sure if she realized it or not, but she was sensing the intruder too. If Green’s findings were correct, then Peren would be more adept at tracking things than he was, once she acknowledged her powers.
He felt her reaching out to him with her thoughts. She was concerned for him and wanted him to contact the other men in his unit. He grinned, proud of his mate. She’d picked up on the fact they were a tight military unit right off the bat. Most people thought they were old college buddies. She was a smart girl who followed her instincts.
He moved down the darkened hallway, then turned and motioned for Peren to halt. He didn’t want her following him into a trap. He couldn’t bear the thought of one hair on her head being harmed. He loved her too much to let anything happen to her.
I love her?
As he thought more on it, he knew it was true. She was his mate. Nature made sure he loved her and he was damn thankful for that. Now that he’d claimed her, she was his, in every sense of the word. If she rejected him when she learned the truth about what he was, he’d still walk by her side, still follow close—even if in the shadows. She was his now and forever. His to love and protect. And his to watch over.
He prayed she’d accept him, because if she didn’t, someone in his pack could issue a challenge to not only his rule but her as his mate. A challenge among most political decision makers meant elections or debates. A challenge among shifters meant someone died.
He would die before he allowed harm to befall her, and he’d gladly give up his throne if it meant keeping her.
“Stay put, my sweet,” he said.
She nodded as he went in search of the other shifter scent he’d picked up on.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Peren hated the idea of standing around and doing nothing while Lukian went ahead without her. He didn’t have to tell her that something was very wrong in the house, she felt it too. A sense of dread had fallen over the entire place shortly after they’d finished making love. The house often took on an ominous vibe, but this was more than that. It was scary now, and she’d never been scared in her childhood home before.
It’d been ten minutes since he’d vanished down the long corridor, and time felt like it was standing still. She had to take a moment to relax her breathing and focus on what was going on around her. The strongest urge to look out the window came over her, and she gave in to her gut. She moved over toward the window and stared out into the dark night. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust.
She made out two shapes near the edge of the property. They were moving with great speed along the inside of the wall. Darkness was their only cover, and Peren had no trouble seeing in the dark.
She glanced back down the hall in the direction Lukian had disappeared. If these men were trying to flank him, they would succeed if she didn’t step in. Warning him felt wrong—as if yelling out might get him hurt. No. She couldn’t do that. She knew she was disobeying Lukian’s orders, but she’d never been much for authority. She moved against the wall and walked quietly to the first room she came to.
She opened the handle and slid quietly into the room. She moved with a stillness that caught her by surprise. The window opened with a bit of effort on her part. She climbed out slowly, covering the distance to the fence in less than a minute. That sort of speed was unheard of for humans, and she knew it. The more she thought back about her life, the less human she began to feel.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Lukian tried to lift his head. It felt as if he was smuggling bricks in it. Someone had caught him off guard and managed to get the drop on him when he’d entered the lowest level of the large home. That had never happened before, and he was curious as to how it happened at all.
Opening his eyes, he found himself staring at a dirty, bloodstained concrete floor. His wrists were chained behind his back. He tried to move his legs up and discovered his ankles were shackled as well. The more he yanked on the chains in an attempt to free himself, the more he knew they were silver-plated. Any other material he could have ripped apart easily. Silver was his weakness—as was the case for most shifters. It was one of the few things that could kill him.
His mind raced and he tried to get a bearing on where he was. His surroundings still smelled of the Matthews’ estate, yet the dark cell he was in looked nothing like the rest of the house. He thought of Peren and sniffed the air, trying to catch her scent, but failing. He hoped it meant she had listened to him and stayed where he’d told her.
The odds of whoever had done this to him going after her next were great. He tried again in vain to free himself from the chains. Each attempt only made them cut deeper into his skin. If he wasn’t careful, they would cut right through his body. If it meant he could save Peren, he was willing to risk life and limb.
Peren, get out of the house! Get to the safe house! Get to my men! Go. It’s not safe here!
He tried to reach Peren with his mind. He had told her that she could hear him in time. He prayed that she was ready for that.
*
Peren stifled a giggle as she stared down at Roi lying on the ground. She hadn’t meant to be as aggressive as she’d been, but then again, she hadn’t realized it was him when she’d leapt out of the tree to try to bravely protect Lukian. Jon, who was with Roi and who had been the second figure she’d seen from the house, hadn’t stopped laughing yet. He pointed at Roi and laughed more, no sound coming out.
Roi glared up at him and growled. Jon stopped laughing and put his hand out to Roi, helping him up in the process. Roi socked Jon in the gut and then gave Peren a hard look.
Peren offered a sheepish smile. “Sorry.”
“You got the better of me. Looks like the captain did right in picking you,” he said, smiling back at her. “You’re not bad on the eyes either.”
“Yeah…you’re not too bad, for a girl,” Jon said with a wink.
“Where is Lukian?” asked Roi. “And what the hell were you doing in a tree? Does he know you were up there? He did find you, right?”
“He did,” she confirmed. “He’s up at the house.”
Jon’s brows met. “Why are you out here in a tree then? He’s mighty overprotective of you, ma’am. I don’t see him letting you go off into the night to climb trees for fun.”
“Actually, I was supposed to stay in the house where he left me. He gave me strict instructions to
remain there while he went to check out something that was bothering him.”
“You listen well,” added Roi with a snort.
“Thanks,” said Peren, grinning. She was about to add more but stopped. A sinking feeling came over her. Something was wrong.
Lukian!
Her gaze snapped to Roi. “He’s hurt.”
“What?”
“He’s hurt,” she repeated.
“Who is?” asked Jon.
Peren touched her stomach lightly, the sinking feeling growing stronger with each passing second. “Lukian. He’s hurt. I know it. I can feel it.”
“Shit.” Roi moved in closer to her. “You need to stay here with Jon. I’ll go find the captain.”
“I’m not staying out here. I’m going with you. He needs me.”
Ignoring her outburst, Roi stared over her head at Jon. “Keep her out here and keep her safe.”
“Will do,” said Jon, talking as if she didn’t get a say in the matter.
Roi looked faraway in thought for a moment and then touched her arm gently. “I’ve contacted the rest of the team. No one can reach Lukian. Lance and Wilson are close. Green is with Melanie and Missy. They’re safe.”
He hadn’t called or radioed anyone, so she wasn’t sure how he’d contacted the other men. She was about to ask when a red dot appeared on Jon’s head.
“Get down!” yelled Roi, his body seeming to suddenly move in what felt like slow motion to her.
Peren threw her body toward Jon. In an instant, she was on him, knocking him to the ground. At the same second, it felt as if someone rammed a hot poker through her upper back.
Roi grabbed her and yanked her off Jon. The next she knew he had dragged her into the woods and behind a large brick wall that had been erected to add privacy to the property.
Immortal Ops: New & Lengthened 2016 Anniversary Edition Page 11