Raven looked at Quentin, and he just lifted his eyebrows. Damien wasn’t wrong.
“Fine,” Raven said, crossing her arms over her chest. “Who’s going?”
Damien swung around and pointed both forefingers. “Ranulf and Chase.”
The two males jumped up from their seats.
“Why us?”
“I don’t want to go.”
“This is not right.”
“Why can’t someone else go?”
The two had already expressed their distaste for Isabelle bringing danger to their doorstep. It wasn’t surprising that they didn’t want to go to Vegas to guard her.
Damien swept his hands in a slicing motion. “Enough. I can’t go. I need to be here in case Bram shows up. Bowden is with the vampires, and Kendall is with the cats. And I need Lachlan here on the computer. You already heard why Quentin and Raven are staying. That leaves you two. There will be no arguing. You understand me?”
“Yes, sir,” they both said and dropped in their seats. They looked like petulant children who hadn’t gotten what they wanted.
But Quentin was impressed with Damien. He had a softer heart than some alphas, but he knew how to put his sentinels in line.
A car came up the driveway.
“That’ll be Zane,” Damien said. He looked at Chase and Ranulf. “You two had better not slack off while you’re in Vegas. I know you’re excited, but Isabelle is a wolf-shifter. You took an oath to protect all wolf-shifters. And she’s my friend. If I find out you let her get hurt…let’s just say, you don’t want to know what I’ll do to you.”
Chase scoffed, “I can’t believe you would even doubt us.”
Damien turned his back to them and rolled his eyes.
“At least you get to be together,” Raven told them.
Ranulf and Chase grinned and bumped fists.
“Vegas won’t know what hit it,” Chase said.
This time, Raven rolled her eyes. “Please. You two are a waste of space.”
Ranulf raised a brow. “That’s not what you said last night.”
“Ohhh. Burn,” Chase said.
Quentin looked at Raven. She wasn’t embarrassed, nor did she give any other indication that Ranulf’s statement was true.
“Actually, I think you two just proved my point.”
The door opened, and Zane and Isabelle walked in.
“Things didn’t go as planned,” Damien said to Zane.
“Yeah, nobody seemed to know that there was a waiting period. I take it, Vance called you?”
“Yeah. We were just discussing the trip. Lachlan?”
Lachlan stood and handed Zane a piece of paper. “Your flight leaves at three forty this afternoon.”
“What, no private jet?” Zane asked.
Lachlan laughed. “It’s not in the budget.” He walked over and handed papers to Chase and Ranulf.
Chase narrowed his eyes at Lachlan. “Does this mean, you already knew we were going?”
“Yep. Kind of hard to buy your tickets if I didn’t know.” Lachlan’s mouth was twitching. It looked like he was trying really hard not to smile at Chase’s misfortune.
Chase opened his mouth, but Damien turned and shot him a look. Chased snapped his mouth shut.
“I take it Dumb and Dumber are going with us?” Zane asked.
Quentin bit his lip but couldn’t hold in his laughter. Zane always seemed to make him laugh. The cat had only been living with them a couple of weeks, but Quentin had already gotten used to him living here. Unlike the other new person in the house.
Damien sighed, as if he were in a room full of children instead of adult sentinels. “Yes, Ranulf and Chase are going with you. I’m not going to discuss why. My word is final.”
Zane held up his hands. “I wasn’t going to say anything. I’m fine with it.”
He looked back at Isabelle. Quentin saw the look on her face. She didn’t seem as okay as Zane was.
“Who’s going for the cats?” Quentin asked. Could you take a certain vampire with you?
“I don’t know yet. Vance didn’t say.”
THERE WAS A knock at Tegan’s bedroom door.
“Yeah?” Please don’t be Ram.
There were too many shifters and vampires going in and out of the bunkhouse all the time that she couldn’t clearly sense who was outside her room.
“Tegan, I need to speak with you,” her alpha said.
Her whole body relaxed, and she pulled open the door. “Yes?”
“I need you to start packing a bag.”
She was confused. “I’m sorry, but why?”
“You’re going to Las Vegas. You’re going to help Zane and Isabelle. They are going to elope in Vegas.” Vance explained the problem the two new mates had run into that morning. He looked at his watch. “Your flight leaves in a little over three hours, so you don’t have much time to get ready.”
Tegan went to her closet to look for luggage among her pile of clothes and other belongings. “How long are we going to be there?”
“The plan is for only overnight, but you might want to pack an extra outfit or two, just in case.”
She looked over her shoulder. “I’m guessing there will be no time for gambling or seeing a show?”
The corner of Vance’s mouth ticked up, but he shook his head.
“Do the Nevada Pride and Pack know we’re coming?”
“Yes, but unless you need them, they’re staying out of Las Vegas.”
The Nevada wolves didn’t live in Las Vegas itself because there were too many people, and it was hard to let your animal free to run and play. It was why the Minnesota shifters didn’t live in downtown Minneapolis. Not enough rural area.
“I’ll make sure you have their contact numbers before you get to the airport.”
“Thanks,” she said and turned back to her closet. “Am I the only one going?”
“No. Chase and Ranulf are going.”
Tegan didn’t know the wolves well, but it would be nice not to be the only one on sentinel duty. She had to eat and sleep sometime. “Okay, thanks.” She pushed aside a pile of old clothes she had sitting in the corner and found her small suitcase. “Yes! Success.”
She yanked the piece of luggage out of the back when Vance added, “Oh, and Reid will be going with you. I decided it would be helpful to have someone along who knows what they’re doing with computers.”
She turned to look at her alpha, but he’d already walked away.
A moment later, Reid walked in. “What’s got you so happy?” he asked her. “You’re looking forward to going to Vegas?”
At Reid’s words, she realized she’d been grinning when he walked in. No, I’m looking forward to going to Vegas with you.
She shrugged. “I don’t mind going to Vegas. And it’s only March, so it won’t be as hot as if it were July.” She got up from the floor and brought her suitcase to her bed. “How do you feel about going?”
“I’m already packed. I haven’t gone out of town for a long time,” Reid said as he sat on her bed.
Tegan went through her clean clothes, trying to decide what to bring. She made a quick trip to the bathroom to grab the essential toiletries. When she came back, Reid had flopped back onto her bed.
She grabbed the three outfits she wanted to take and stuffed them into her suitcase while Reid watched her. “Actually, this trip has come at the most opportune time.” She hadn’t planned to tell him anything, but he was lying there, silent and watchful, as if he were giving her the chance to talk about whatever was bothering her.
He raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”
“Yeah…” She winced. “I slept with Ram.” She opened one eye to see Reid’s reaction.
He lifted his head. “Really? How was it?”
She hadn’t known what to expect, but his curiosity was not it.
She finished packing and put her bag on the floor. With her luggage out of the way, she now saw that Reid’s T-shirt had ridden up, so there was a nice sli
ce of skin showing above his jeans, which were riding low on his hips.
“Tegan.”
She looked at Reid’s face as her face heated from being caught checking him out.
“Hey, you don’t have to be embarrassed. You’re not the first person to have sex with a vampire.” He laid his head back down.
Oh, thank God. He thought she was embarrassed for having sex with Ram, not for practically drooling over his abdomen muscles.
“I’ve often wondered what it would be like,” Reid said, staring at the ceiling.
Tegan frowned. “You have?”
“After Vaughn and Phoenix mated with vampires, I’ve often wondered if they have something special that we don’t have.”
Tegan eyed Reid’s patch of skin. She had the sudden urge to bite him. Right above his V. That way, any woman, vampire or otherwise, would leave him alone.
Tegan spun and plopped down on her bed and put her head in her hand. She felt a little like she was going crazy. Why the sudden possessiveness over Reid? He was her friend. Why did the sight of some skin turn her on? She’d seen him in the buff on countless occasions because, as shifters, it was hard not to see each other naked, and at the time, it had done nothing for her. Plus, she’d just had sex last night.
Shake it off, Tegan.
She turned, putting a knee up on the bed.
“So…how was it?” Reid asked again, meeting her eyes.
“Honestly, it was…meh.”
Reid grimaced. “Meh, huh? That’s kind of a bummer.”
She shrugged. “I suppose.”
“Is this why you want to leave? So that you don’t have to face Ram?” Reid picked his head up again, his face showing concern. “Are you afraid he’s going to do something bad, like force you to have sex again?”
Tegan actually laughed at this. “No. I don’t get the vibe from him. And I think he was as unimpressed as I was. Maybe you’re right. Maybe there is nothing special about having sex with us.” She gasped facetiously. “Or maybe there’s nothing special about having sex with me.”
Despite her joke, Reid got up on one arm so fast, she almost jumped.
He put a hand on her cheek and met her eyes. “Tegan, if a male had sex with you and doesn’t enjoy it, that’s on him. There are some men who would love to be with you.”
A flash of heat flared in his eyes. It only lasted a second, but it was enough for her to feel a pull between her legs, and within seconds, her bedroom was filled with the slight scent of her arousal.
“Fuck,” Reid whispered but didn’t move. “How could any man not get hard at the smell of you?”
She didn’t answer because it seemed like a rhetorical question. Yet his words took a second to sink in, and Tegan looked at his crotch.
While she’d seen Reid naked plenty of times, she’d never seen him naked and hard. He was practically bursting from his jeans.
She wanted to touch him.
Without warning, Reid jumped up from her bed. “I don’t think so.”
She was still staring at his crotch, and she had to force her eyes up to his. “What do you mean?”
“You,” he said as he covered himself, “can’t touch this until you’re sure it’s what you want.”
Tegan felt like she was in the twilight zone. “I don’t understand. I’m so confused.”
Reid got down on his haunches and grabbed her hand. “You want me,” he said. The corner of his mouth ticked up. “And you don’t know what to do about it.” He squeezed her fingers. “It’s okay. I’ve been waiting for over five years. I can wait a little longer.”
“You’ve been waiting for me?” she squeaked out. How did I not know this?
He reached up and pushed her hair behind her ear. “Yeah, Angel. Can’t you tell?”
She leaned closer, putting her nose on his neck, and inhaled. God, he smelled like the jungle and sex, and she felt it when he groaned.
She wanted to taste him.
Again, he quickly backed away.
She stared at him in wonder. “Can you read my mind?”
Reid laughed. “No, Angel. I just know you really well.”
That was the second time he’d called her that. She kind of liked it.
“Why won’t you let me touch you?” she asked him.
“While I love that you came and slept with me this morning, you just had sex with Ram less than twenty-four hours ago. I’m all about supporting you in whatever you do and decide to do with your life. But I don’t share.” He shook his head. “When you decide to lie down and open those sweet legs for me, I’m going to be the only male between them.”
Holy shit. She needed a fan and new underwear.
“Fuck, babe, you make it really hard to say no to you,” Reid said with a smile.
“Reid, Tegan…you two ready to go?” Saxon yelled from down the hall.
“Be there in a second,” Reid yelled back. He stood up, kissing her on the forehead along the way. “Come on, Angel. Let’s go.”
ISABELLE, ZANE, CHASE, Ranulf, Tegan, and Reid followed the bellhop into their three-bedroom suite at one of the major hotels in Las Vegas.
“Holy shit,” Zane said. “No wonder we couldn’t afford a private jet.”
Zane was right. The suite had to have cost a fortune.
“Would you like a tour?” the bellhop asked.
Isabelle exchanged looks with everyone else. It seemed like they all just wanted the human gone, so they could discuss things.
“No, thank you,” Isabelle said.
The bellhop nodded. “Please call the front desk if you need anything.”
Zane shut the door behind the man, and the six of them exchanged looks and then took off running in different directions with grins on their faces. Sure, they were there for a reason, but it didn’t mean they couldn’t enjoy their accommodations.
They all ended up outside in the back of the suite.
“Holy crap, we have a pool,” Isabelle said.
“And a putting green,” Chase added.
“This place is awesome,” Tegan said. “I want to live here.”
Ranulf put a hand over his eyes to block the sun. “So, who is sleeping where?”
“We’ll take the master suite,” Zane said, pointing to the two of them.
Chase raised an eyebrow. “Who died and made you alpha?”
“No one, but I’m the groom, and this is my bride. It only makes sense that we get the master suite. Plus, the other two rooms each have a bathroom, so no one needs to share.”
“Okay then, who is sharing the other two rooms?” Ranulf asked.
“Tegan and I will share,” Reid said.
Tegan looked at Reid and licked her lips. Too bad Reid missed the look she had given him.
“So, you’re saying, the two of us have to share?” Chase pointed to himself and Ranulf. “What if I wanted to room with Tegan?”
“Not happening. Ever,” Tegan said, and Isabelle laughed.
“What’s the big deal?” Zane asked. “You two are butt buddies anyway.”
Chase took a step toward Zane with his fists clenched, and Reid stepped in between the two males.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Reid said. “Let it go.”
Reid was probably used to Zane and his sarcastic comments since they lived together. Or they had until Zane went to stay with the wolves.
“Theoretically, we’re going to be sleeping in shifts anyway, right? So, when you’re sleeping, Ranulf will be on watch. You don’t have to share a bed with a dude.”
Chase frowned. “I don’t care about that. Although I do prefer sleeping alone. I’m offended that he thinks I would date someone like Ranulf. I am clearly out of his league.”
Ranulf punched Chase in the arm. “Fucker. If we were gay, I would be the one out of your league.”
Chase pretended to throw hair over his shoulder. “In your dreams.”
“Hey, hey,” Zane said. “It’s settled. Isabelle and me, Reid and Tegan, and Chase and Ranulf. Okay? Okay.
You four can fight over which rooms you’re taking.” He picked up Isabelle’s hand. “But, right now, we’re going to get some rest before we head to the chapel tonight.”
Oh, thank God. Isabelle was tired. The flight had been three hours long, and despite not sleeping much last night, she hadn’t been able to get comfortable on the plane. Too much noise and too many smells. It was not an ideal place for a shifter to get rest.
When they reached their room, Zane shut the door. “Sleep or shower first?”
“Shower.” She always felt gross after getting off an airplane.
“Okay. You go ahead. I’ll grab our bags from the entrance.”
“Would you mind handing me my shampoo and conditioner when you come back?”
“No problem.”
Zane left the room, and Isabelle went into the big bathroom. She could get used to having a bathroom this luxurious.
She removed her clothes and threw them into a pile on the floor. She wouldn’t be wearing them again until they got washed. She’d have to look into the hotel’s laundry accommodations.
She’d just gotten under the hot spray when she heard Zane come in the bathroom. While she waited for him to find her stuff, she got her hair wet. With her head and ears under the water, she yelped when she felt something cold hit her arm. She backed her head out and reached for the object. It was one of her bottles, and she took it from Zane.
He chuckled. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Isabelle pushed her sodden hair from her face and wiped the water away with her free hand. She opened her eyes to see Zane, naked, standing in front of her.
“What are you doing?”
He looked baffled. “Showering.”
“You couldn’t wait until I was done?”
He shrugged and looked like he was trying not to smile. “We were told to do everything together.”
She swiped the second bottle from his hand. “I don’t think they meant showering.”
He tilted his head. “Do you want me to leave?”
She scanned his body and really looked at him for the first time. She hadn’t seen him without clothes for two years. His chest was peppered with light-brown hair, and she could be wrong, but it looked like he’d gained more muscle. When she reached the area between his legs, she felt an answering clench between hers.
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