He didn’t have a clue. Her half-bloods would eat Lucas alive. He was too nice, too clean-cut. They needed a leader who wasn’t just stronger, but was rougher around the edges. Her half-bloods weren’t just powerful, they played dirty. They needed someone who could keep up, and Lucas wasn’t it. She wanted to be with Carrick, but she wasn’t that selfish. As much as she detested some of the members of her Pride, they weren’t all bad, and none of them deserved to die because of her father’s stupidity.
Being around Carrick was feeding her anxiety. Thankfully, she spotted Abbey on the far end of the room. “There’s someone I need to talk to. Find Lucas and we’ll meet back up later.”
Carrick’s gaze found Abbey. “Fine. I’ll walk you to her. I need to find Lucas anyway.”
Out of instinct, she grabbed his hand as they pushed through the crush. She was already having heart palpitations from the amount of people and she’d only been here fifteen minutes. It was ridiculous. At least the sight of Abbey momentarily distracted her. To be honest, it shocked the hell out of her.
Abbey was beautiful, always had been. But tonight she looked like some kind of dominatrix goddess. It was crazy. She had poured herself into a pair of tight black leather pants and a halter top. Her blonde hair was tied in a tight ponytail, and the style called attention to her cerulean eyes and prominent cheekbones. On most women it would have looked like they were trying too hard, but on Abbey it was eye-grabbing.
“Wow,” Jillian said, lifting Abbey’s hand and spinning her around. “You’re super hot. I think I’m jealous.”
Abbey grinned. “If Quinn’s going to force me to mate, I’m getting a good one. And since I have to compete with these pure-blood bitch goddesses, I’ve got to bring my A game.”
“They’ve got nothing on you,” Jillian replied. And it was the truth. No one would think Abbey was a half-blood. With her long golden hair and tanned, fit body, she fit the lion stereotype to a tee. But if she didn’t nix the insecurity, she was going to get herself killed. Mating was serious business, and no one hesitated to eliminate the competition. Abbey was as strong as she was beautiful, but without her magic she was more vulnerable than Jillian liked.
“The whole thing is ridiculous.” Abbey sighed. “If Quinn was so hot to have us dirty half-bloods participate, he should have separated us from the others. We don’t have a chance.”
“Defeats the purpose,” Carrick interrupted. “The more pure-blood/half-blood mates, the easier the transition to combining the Prides.”
“And the more difficult it becomes for the Conclave to wipe us out. A pure-blood with full rights is not going to sit back while his mate is wiped out by the Conclave.”
“Exactly.” Carrick shrugged. “You’ve got to admire the way Quinn’s mind works.”
“So, wait,” Abbey said. “Is Quinn a good guy or a bad guy? I thought he was forcing you two apart.”
Jillian blew out a long breath. “It’s not that black-and-white. I agree with his end goal, but not the way he’s going about it. He is right about one thing. This is an opportunity to change things. But he should have come to us and talked options.”
“He can’t,” Carrick interrupted. “His role is to do exactly what his handler orders him to do. If he does anything else, they’ll kill him.”
“And if he fails?” Jillian asked.
“They kill him.”
“Nice job,” Abbey said. “Think I’ll go sign up.”
“So, let me get this straight. If I refuse to get with Lucas, the Conclave comes after all of us, even Quinn?”
“Pretty much.”
“Interesting.” Jillian’s mind was spinning. The Conclave had woven its web so intricately it was hard to keep up. She needed to get out of here, find a quiet place and think through everything. “I know you need to find Lucas. Get out of here. We’ll be fine.”
Her heart sank as she watched him disappear into the crowd. “This whole thing is a cluster.” She turned to Abbey and squeezed her hand. “Don’t feel pressured by Quinn. Find someone who deserves you. You’re too good for most of these lions. They’re pompous asses. There’s no reason to settle because of a Regulator with an inflated ego.”
Abbey gave her a quick hug. “This is why you’re my best friend.”
“And you’re mine. But I’m freaking out in here. Let’s go find our rooms.”
“Right behind you.”
It seemed like they walked forever down the narrow chamber that led from the central meeting room. The place needed a map. They passed an underground swimming pool, a Jacuzzi and hot tub, an elaborate family-style kitchen. Finally, the hallway stopped in front of a steel door. Two lions sat on high-back chairs on either side, a male and a female. One was a pure-blood, the other a half-blood.
“You look like gatekeepers,” Jillian said. They didn’t smile.
When the half-blood woman stood, Jillian realized she knew her. “Kate, it’s been years.”
“True.” Kate blushed, even as she made sure to bow her head in submission. “I’m surprised you recognized me.”
“She’s a freak like that,” Abbey interrupted. “Never forgets a face.”
Kate smiled, handing Jillian three sets of keys. “Your rooms are ready.”
“Why three sets?” Jillian asked. She’d assumed she’d be alone.
“We had to put three to a room. There are too many of us not to,” the woman replied. “You’re sharing a suite with Abbey and Gareth.”
“Abbey and Gareth?” Jillian repeated.
Kate hesitated. “Was there someone else?”
“No. I was just surprised Quinn let you put a guy in my room.”
Abbey looked absolutely livid. It was going to be an interesting three days.
“Quinn made the room assignments. Besides—” she shrugged, “—rules are made to be broken. Especially by Regulators.” She handed them the keys. “It’s the last one on the left. Let me know if you need anything.”
Quinn had a conquest. And a pretty one at that. As much as Jillian wanted to warn the other woman off the Regulator, she kept her mouth shut, grabbed the keys and walked through the doorway. Being down here, going to her room, it was becoming all too real. Hands trembling, she pushed open the door to the suite.
The foyer was large and opened into three hallways. The kitchen and living room were visible through one, the bedrooms through the others. Moving down the hall to one of the whitewashed wooden doors, she pushed it open and stepped inside one of the bedrooms. At least the bed looked comfortable. She fell on top of it, her bag tumbling to the floor.
“Don’t even think about hiding in here.” Abbey jumped on the bed beside her. “Your man candy is next door, anyway. He won’t let you.”
Jillian groaned. “Next door?”
“Oh yeah. He was right behind us.” She grinned. “That’s not the best part.”
Jillian rolled over to face her. She was pretty sure she didn’t want to hear the rest.
“Quinn and Lucas are his roomies.”
“Oh crap.” Jillian buried her face in the covers.
Abbey pushed her onto her back. “You didn’t think it was going to be that easy, did you?”
“Nothing ever is. Carrick talks a good talk, but he’s not thinking. He wants me to give up being Alpha and let Lucas and his mate rule the combined Pride. It’ll never work. We’d be starting a war we couldn’t win. Lucas isn’t strong enough to pull the Pride together, even with Carrick and I backing him. I might as well hand the Pride over to the Conclave myself.”
“Then make Carrick be your Alpha. Mate with him, and the two of you take over the combined Prides.” Abbey plopped on her back beside Jillian. “I knew Carrick was a half-blood after about five minutes. His magic is too strong not to be.”
“He’ll never do it. He wants Lucas to rule.”
“Then he loses you. If he has to pick between the two, he might surprise you.”
Jillian closed her eyes. She had no idea what the right decision wa
s, and having another option wasn’t helping. “If I don’t mate with Lucas, the Conclave will come down on us hard. I’m not sure it’s worth the risk, even if Carrick agrees to be my Alpha. The Conclave could wipe us out.”
“I’d like to see them try.” Abbey rolled off the bed. “You missed a lot, Jillian. Your father got paranoid after you left. He started training an army. We were all put through our paces. Everyone in the Pride, even the weakest, can fight.”
“Are you saying you think I should bond with Carrick and declare war on the Conclave?” Jillian sat up, unable to believe what she was hearing. “What if we lose?”
“If you give in, we already have,” Abbey replied. “I don’t care what Quinn has planned. The Conclave will take your submission as weakness. Combining with Anthony’s Pride gives them exactly what they want. Our half-bloods will mate with pure-bloods, and their children’s blood will be even more dilute, closer to pure-blood. It’s just an easier way to get rid of us, bleed us out of the Prides.”
“At least you’ll be alive.” Jillian leaned forward, her head in her hands. “No matter what I pick, there will be consequences. Lucas is the lesser of the two evils. I can’t start a war. I won’t have the Pride’s blood on my hands.”
“You’re wrong.” Abbey shook her head. “The Claiming lasts three days. Take them and really think about what you’re doing. The right choice is gorgeous, ballsy and can lead our Pride against the Conclave. You could give us a chance at freedom. Even that chance is worth the risk. Even though we have pure-bloods in our Pride, we’re less than second-class citizens under the Conclave; we’re treated like vermin. A war is the only thing that’s going to change that.”
“She’s right.” Gareth stepped into the room. His skin was flushed, and Jillian could hear his heart racing from the bed.
“See. Even Gareth approves, and he’s a pure-blood.” Abbey grabbed Jillian’s hand, squeezing it. “Promise me you’ll at least consider it.”
“Promise.” She owed them that at the very least.
“Good,” Abbey said with a quick clap. “Enough of that.” She glanced at Gareth. “Looks like you’re bunking with us.”
“Yeah.” He shifted uncomfortably. “That’s unexpected.”
“Don’t worry. We won’t put a hitch in your get-a-long.” Jillian grabbed her bag, unzipped it and began digging inside. “I need something sexy.”
“Got it.” Abbey raced from the room. She came back clutching a black corset.
“Don’t you think that’s a little too dominatrix?” Jillian grabbed the corset from Abbey’s hand and examined it.
“Seriously?” Abbey shook her head. “It’s a Claiming, and you’re the Alpha. And nothing says Alpha more than cleavage and black leather.”
“I’ll be in my room.” Gareth tried to move toward the door, but Abbey grabbed his arm.
“Hang on,” she said. “I brought something else.” She disappeared, then returned with a carafe of coffee in one hand and three cups in the other. Moving to the dresser, she plopped the cups on the wood with a sigh. “Drink up. Tonight’s an all-nighter.”
Jillian shoved herself off the bed and eagerly grasped the cup of black gold. “This is new. I figured you’d come back with liquor.”
“Nope.” She grinned. “Then you’d call me an alcoholic again and we’d fight. I don’t want to have to hurt you.”
Gareth snorted. “God forbid.”
Jillian ignored him. “Define all-nighter.”
“You know. Party till the sun comes up.” Abbey paused. “Does that even apply when you’re underground?”
“The world doesn’t stop just because we’re six feet under.” Gareth settled on the ottoman in front of the bed. “We’ve got an hour to settle in. After that, we’ve got four hours to pick a partner. If you don’t find one, Quinn will give you one.”
“You’ve got to be freaking kidding me.” Abbey slammed her cup down so hard the thick wooden dresser trembled. “He’s not my pimp. Besides, he can’t pick all of our mates.” She turned to Jillian. “No offense.”
“None taken,” Jillian replied.
Gareth drained his cup then stood. “I’m going to change clothes. Unlike the two of you, I have to take this seriously.”
Abbey growled, her hand trembling around her cup. “You don’t have to do anything. You just want to get into your redhead’s pants.”
Gareth lunged, his beast rippling beneath his skin. Abbey wasn’t quick enough. He slammed her against the wall, a hand around her neck.
For a moment, Jillian almost interfered. But the tension between them could ignite a volcano. If they didn’t deal with it, they were going to kill each other.
“You think you’re so smart,” Gareth hissed. “But you don’t know anything.”
“Let me go,” Abbey demanded. “Last warning before I kick your ass.”
He dropped her. She slid down the wall and landed with a thud.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Abbey stared at him, eyes wide. “Either she’s your mate or you’ve gone completely nuts.”
“She’s not my mate.” Gareth grabbed his coat from the chair.
Abbey leaned forward, grabbing him by the ankle to keep him from leaving. “We’re your friends. Talk to us.”
“She’s my sister.” Gareth crossed his arms, not meeting her eyes.
Abbey and Jillian shared a mutually confused glance. Gareth’s parents were the strongest mated pair in the Pride. They had conceived Gareth during a Claiming and never looked back.
“Older or younger?” Abbey was never one to beat around the bush.
Gareth shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. She’s blood. My father left her unprotected. One of the dominants in her Pack almost killed her.”
“So you brought her here,” Jillian said.
“I got Quinn’s permission. He’s the only one who knows.” He leaned against the wall with a sigh. “I wanted her here for the Claiming. She’s damaged, scared of her own shadow. She needs a mate to protect her. I can’t do it.”
“What do you mean, you can’t do it?” Abbey demanded. “She’s your responsibility.”
Gareth glanced at Jillian for help, but she didn’t have any to give. “I’m running out of time. I have to find a mate.”
Jillian moved to the edge of the bed. There was only one reason he would be under that much pressure. “What’s wrong with your father?”
Gareth dropped his head, strain evident in the lines of his body. “He’s dying. A few years ago, he intervened in a fight for Reginald. Got shot with silver and they couldn’t get it all out. It’s been slowly poisoning him. The doctor says six months at most.”
Jillian’s gut clenched. As the oldest male, it was Gareth’s right to take his father’s place in the family hierarchy. But he had to have a mate. All of his brothers had taken wives years before, so if he didn’t find one during the Claiming, he’d lose his birthright.
“Damn it. I didn’t know.” Abbey leaned against the wall. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
He shrugged. “Thought you might sacrifice yourself for the greater good, or find someone else to.”
Abbey’s eyes narrowed. “I wouldn’t mate just to save your ass.”
“Yeah, you would.” Gareth stared her down. “That’s how you’re built.”
Jillian glanced between them. Something had happened while she had been gone. She wasn’t sure what, but had every intention of finding out. Thankfully, just as she was trying to find an appropriate way to extricate herself and allow them some alone time, someone knocked on the door of the suite. She glanced at the clock, realizing they had run afoul of Quinn’s timeline.
“I’ll get it.” Jillian stumbled off the bed, lunging toward the bedroom door before anyone could stop her. She stepped into the hall, pulling the door closed to give them some privacy. She didn’t know what was going on, but the sparks between them were unmistakable, and sparks needed to be fanned to burst into flames.
She walked down the hal
lway to the front door. It was open and Carrick stood at the threshold. She studied him for a moment. She could see the cut of his abs through the thin material of his T-shirt. He looked edible. The brand on her hip burned as sweat beaded on her chest and forehead, her body trembling with barely controlled desire.
She glanced at her jeans and sweater. She’d have to change before they joined the others. “You’re not allowed in my rooms unless I invite you,” she said as she moved toward him.
He grinned, his eyes lighting with humor. “So, invite me.”
“Nope. Not yet.” She stayed just out of reach. “I need some time to think.”
A growl rumbled deep in his throat as he stepped over the threshold. “Invite me in.” He moved toward her and wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her to him. “I want more time with you.”
Drawn to his warmth, she leaned against him, her breasts pressing against his chest. She only meant to stay for a second, but she got distracted. Somehow her hands began exploring the lean muscles of his chest, smoothing across the length of his thick forearms to trace his strong biceps. A part of her knew she should stop, but her self-control had just belly-flopped out the nearest window. Before she knew it, her arms were wrapped around his neck and she was pulling him closer.
He responded in kind. Wrapping his hands around her waist, he turned them so his back was to the wall, then, leaning down, he tasted her mouth. Overwhelmed by the sheer taste of him, she grabbed him by the shoulders and deepened the kiss. An inhuman growl echoed across the room as he grabbed her ass, grinding her against him so she could feel every throbbing inch.
Then reality came crashing down. At least, hers did. She pushed him away and stepped back. “I need to get dressed. If we don’t join the others, Quinn will come looking.”
“Let him.” He grabbed at her, but she danced out of his grasp. “I promised Lucas that if I couldn’t get you to change your mind after tonight, I’d stay away.”
She walked toward the bedroom, his words making her feel sick. “Such a good brother. How does Lucas feel about you trying to get in my pants?”
“He understands. The situation is…regrettable.”
Dance with the Devil Page 10