Jon moved up next to her, his amber gaze wide. “You saved my life.”
“Of course she did,” Roi said matter-of-factly. He leaned over her and pulled Peren’s shirt open. The cool night air on her breasts. She was more worried about the burning sensation that was growing in her chest than she was about her boobs showing.
She tried to reach up and see if, in fact, she was on fire. Roi caught her hands. He stared down at her with the same royal-blue eyes as Lukian and pushed her hair out of her face. He turned his head quickly toward the house and seemed to be listening to something that only he could hear.
“Lukian’s made contact. He’s in trouble,” he said, his voice low. He glanced over at Jon. “Shift and go get the others. You’ll make better time that way. Bring everything we’ve got in firepower and make sure Green comes with his medical supplies. Lukian is hurt, but he’s not the one I’m most worried about now.”
Peren knew without asking his concern was for her. “I’ll be okay. I’m a fast healer…always have been,” she said and coughed. Pain shot through her chest and she let out a small cry. “Wait? What do you mean by shift?
“Not the time to have this discussion,” he said, putting pressure on her wound. “Whoever did this made sure to use a silver bullet. That’s why you feel the burning. This strike has to be close to your heart. I don’t know how you’re talking and not dead. Green told us you don’t just have werewolf blood in you, but all fucking kinds of supernatural DNA in you. Every shifter I know of has issues with silver and I’m pretty sure vamps do too. Now, as for the Fae and lower-level demon DNA in you, I’m not sure how that reacts to silver.”
Peren lay there and soaked in Roi’s words. Vampires, Fae, shifters, demons? Every fiber of her being wanted to protest, but she knew what he was saying was the truth. Hearing it said aloud was hard. She closed her eyes and took a minute to try to accept the information.
“You’re a werewolf?” she asked awkwardly, unsure if she really wanted to hear him answer that.
“I can turn into a wolf, if that is what you mean. And before you ask, yes, I can lick my own balls when in shifted form.” Roi bent his head closer to her. “Rest now. Jon will look after you. I’m going to go get Lukian and kill whoever fucking decided to play games with us tonight.”
“My gut says you should wait for your team,” said Peren.
Jon gulped. “After having nearly been killed, I’m going to say let’s go with the little lady’s gut.” He yanked off his shirt and handed it to Peren.
She put it on and sat in stunned silence.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Lukian tried harder to reach Peren mentally. He failed. He did manage to reach his men telepathically, but it was a strain to do so. Roi was the only one he had an open link with. The bond between them had occurred because of the shared blood. The others he had to work at. He’d have a headache for a few days if he survived this, that much was sure—even if it wasn’t for the bump on his head.
Roi opened his mind to him, but let him in only enough to acknowledge him, then pushed him away. He’d informed Lukian that he and Jon were with Peren, but that was all. His reluctance to notify him of Peren’s status told Lukian that something was very wrong. He kept trying to reach Roi and Roi kept blocking him.
He yanked on the chains again. Someone had once told him of a lycanthrope that could regenerate severed limbs. He hoped this was true. He yanked harder and stopped only when he heard someone’s low laugh.
“Yank all damn night, you fool. You can’t get through them. Your lover is dead.”
Dead? Peren was dead?
No, he would have felt the loss of her. Their bond was stronger now and would only continue to grow with time. He stopped moving and listened to the voice again. He couldn’t get his body turned around to see who was talking, but the voice was familiar to him.
“It wasn’t my intent to shoot her. I wanted only to fuck her and claim her as my mate. The bitch got in the way of me killing the sniper.” A long sigh followed behind the man’s statement. “I’ve carried the memory of the sweet taste of her blood with me for over ten years. I watched from a distance, waiting for her to be of an age that she could accept me and mate with me. The time has come.”
Lukian’s stomach tightened. This lunatic wanted to fuck his Peren, his lover, his wife. He had to fight the urge to vomit. And what did he mean, shoot her? Peren had been shot?
No!
“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. The one who had gone missing.
“Did you kill him?” Lukian asked.
A sharp laugh answered his question. “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, asshole! She’s my mate now.”
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 hadn’t 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’s 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. His dream and your blood, brother.”
Lukian froze, understanding why the man’s voice sounded so familiar. “Parker?”
Benjamin Parker was 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 Lukian’s DNA than Roi did, and the fact that Lukian 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 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 with those sluts she calls friends. And we all know how much he loves her. I mean, the man broke the rules and brought his work home with him, only for his first wife to inject herself with the same serums he helped to create—sure, he claims he didn’t know she’d do it, but really, he had to see it coming. The crazy woman wanted a baby that bad. Bad enough to make herself a monster. I read all about it in his journals. Interesting reads.”
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. 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 h
is 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.”
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. I didn’t want to raise her suspicions by pushing the issue with her. Hiring the Immortal Ops through various shell corporations and senators I bribed was just one more step in my end game. I wanted you to see me mate her. I wanted you to know she was supposed to be yours, but that in the end she ended up mine. And that was going to be the last thing you ever saw. But the bitch stepped in the path of my bullet.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
“How the hell did she survive that?” Jon asked as he stood there staring at her in disbelief as Green bandaged her shoulder.
“Is this really necessary?” she asked melodiously.
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.
Jon seemed to be warming up to her. No surprise there. She had taken a bullet that would have been fatal for him. She glanced 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 shifters heal themselves versus how vampires and Fae do it. He then had to explain what a Fae was to her. Turns out it was someone with magic. She had quite a bit to learn about supernaturals, but right now she was only worried about Lukian.
Lance pulled a black cap over his hair. She could see what had appealed to Melanie. He 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.
Roi stepped forward. “Wilson and Lance are with me. We’ll go in and eliminate any hostiles. Jon, you follow Green as soon as he gets Peren to the van. Secure the location. If you see anything moving that isn’t us, shoot it.”
“Be careful,” she said, sitting up against Green’s protests. “And bring Lukian back safe and unharmed.”
Roi nodded. “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.”
“Why?” asked Roi.
Wilson chambered a round in his weapon. “I don’t give a shit who does what—can we get a move on this?”
Roi nodded. “Jon and Lance switch out.”
*
Lukian lay 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 all right. 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, should anything happen to me…
Nothing is going to happen to you so shut up.
Roi…there is another… Lukian was seized with a migraine so severe 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 Thirty-Six
It had 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 headpiece. 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 toward 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, brothers after all, and that is a hard bond to break.”
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.
*
Thaddeus Green watched the young one jump from the moving vehicle and had to hold back a smile. His instincts said to let her go. Allow her to do this. She would make a great queen to stand by Lukian’s side with the wolves. When her mind was set on something, she went for it, no questions asked. Her composition was intriguing to him as well. 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.
Green also found himself liking Peren because of her friends. Melanie in particular. He had unintentionally found himself reading Melanie’s thoughts as they prepared to follow Jon back to aid 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 Green pack up his supplies, surprising him with her knowledge of what he’d require in his bag, and then she’d 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 Fae blood, and he wondered if in fact she possessed any magical skills that she was most likely unaware of. It was obvious 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 decades 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 shifter’s child to term. It had been a hard life lesson, one he did not care to repeat.
No matter how much he wanted a family, it would never be. 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.
“I’ve lost radio contact with the men,” said Lance, a worried look on his face.
Green sighed. “I’ll go shadow Peren, even though my gut says she’ll be fine. You should find Roi and the others.”
“Will do,” said Lance, something off in his voice. “Green.”
“Yes?”
“What do you think of Melanie?”
“Odd time for that question, isn’t it?”
Lance met his gaze. “If something happened to me, you’d look out for her, right?”
Green wasn’t sure what had prompted the question, but he nodded. “Of course I would.”
“Good.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Peren made her way quietly through the kitchen and in the direction of the east wing. The doorbell rang and made her jump. She soothed 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.
She peeked out the side window and was shocked to see Ben, one of the men Mel and Missy had fixed her up on a date with, standing there. She’d been horrible about returning his calls. What was he doing at her house? He had shit timing. Worried he’d get hurt in the commotion, 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.
Immortal Ops: New & Lengthened 2016 Anniversary Edition Page 12