Savage Yearning (Corona Pride Book 1)

by Liza Street

  Laura stepped away, closer to the cave, closer to Dristan. He needed her—she just knew it. Too much time had passed, and he should have come out by now. At the very least, she should have been smelling smoke from his gasoline fire, but all that filled the air was the acrid-sweet scent of the dynamite.

  “Don’t move,” Marlana said, raising her voice.

  “I have to go in,” Laura said. She took another step toward the cave.

  “How are you doing it?” Marlana demanded. “Are you disloyal to the Corona Pride? I should have you restrained—”

  “It’s the mate mark,” Nina whispered.

  “The what?” Marlana and Laura’s parents said at the same time.

  Laura didn’t have time to waste listening in, but as she stepped into the cave, she heard Nina explain, “I read about them in the shifter forum. Mates who bear the mark can disobey an alpha to protect their loved one.”

  So that was it, Laura thought as she stepped into the cave. The marks—the physical representations of their love that she and Dristan had exchanged just hours ago—were giving her the strength to save him now.

  The outrage, the murmurings, the noise of her family and pride all faded to the background. She stripped off her clothes and shifted into her lion form, ready to defend Dristan, no matter what it took.

  Twenty-Three

  Now that she was in the cave, she could smell the gasoline. Dristan must have poured it, but why wasn’t he lighting it?

  Fear jacked through her body. If something happened to him, she didn’t know what she would do.

  The fear wasn’t her friend right now—it would only cloud her judgment. Right now, she had to evaluate the situation and think like a Guardian.

  Gasoline. Dristan. Blood.

  Dristan’s blood? She couldn’t be sure. Ignoring the way her anxiety made her want to rush forward, she instead walked slowly, as silently as possible.

  The situation called for stealth. Obviously something had happened to Dristan—that was a given, because there was no fire and he hadn’t come back yet. The real questions were what had happened to Dristan, and how Laura could save him.

  Because she would save him.

  Her paws were soft, silent on the cavern floor. She passed the cages where Juan and the humans had been kept. The scents of gasoline and Dristan grew stronger, and she knew she was close.

  A doorway yawned in front of her, splintered and smoldering wood in piles around it. This must have been the door Agatha had destroyed with the dynamite. Thick, sweet scents of the explosive filled Laura’s nose, but she could still scent gasoline, and Dristan. The gasoline around the smoldering wood caused fear to spike through her.

  She peered around the edge of the doorway, trying to see inside the room. It was even darker in there.

  She could make out three forms—one large, the size of two men, and two smaller, normal-sized forms.

  The larger form split into two, and Laura held back a growl. One of them was Dristan.

  The vampires were feeding on him.

  He wobbled on his feet for a second, before one of the other forms stepped forward, pulling him into what might have looked like a loving embrace, but was actually predatory.

  She smelled blood—the blood of her beloved.

  She wanted to go in there and rend the vampires limb from limb, tearing out their throats with her powerful jaws. But she’d battled those vampires in the woods, and she knew she didn’t stand a chance against a group of them. Not alone.

  Stepping backward as silently as possible, she climbed up on a large, natural platform that jutted from the edge of the cave. From there, she knocked a stone to the ground, where it clattered. The sound echoed in the damp cavern.

  A half-second later, one of the vampires came to the doorway. Laura sent another stone to the ground. She leaped before he could look up at the platform where she’d stood.

  Landing on him, she sank her claws into him, piercing clothes and flesh. She caught a whiff of Dristan’s blood, and her rage heightened.

  His hands came around her throat. He squeezed with so much power. Laura struggled for breath. Don’t pass out. Unable to think, unable to plan, she acted on pure instinct and kicked hard with her hind legs, flinging him away from her. He landed on the ground and she leaped, shredding his throat with her claws.

  He’d barely turned to dust when the other two vampires came to see what was going on—as quiet as Laura had tried to be, the sounds of the fight and the scent of blood had likely gotten their attention. Laura didn’t give the first one a chance. Just as he looked about to spring, she gave a lion’s scream and tackled him.

  The other vampire landed on her back. She was sandwiched between them. Teeth or claws ripped into her side, but she let the pain fuel her anger and desperation. She would save Dristan, and no alpha or vampire was going to stop her.

  Fighting through the pain in her side, Laura bit down on the throat of the vampire she’d tackled. Old blood, roses. A moment later, dust.

  The other vampire was still on Laura’s back. Laura tried flipping him away from her, kicking backward, leaping up, spinning around in the ways she’d practiced during her training. Nothing worked—the vampire had locked his arms around her shoulders with inhuman strength.

  A sharp sensation in her neck.

  His teeth. He was biting her.

  With another scream, she did the only thing she could think of, and reared up on her hind legs. The vampire rose with her.

  She allowed herself to do something she’d never done before—she fell and landed on her back.

  The force of the fall dislodged the vampire. Her neck stung, and sharp pains coursed through her side near her ribs. But she was free of it, for now. She spun, searching for it, but all she could see were dark shadows.

  The vampire was going high, just like the vampires had done in the woods. She waited, staring straight ahead, for a shadow of movement.

  There.

  She leaped, making contact, bringing the vampire down. No hesitation—she bit into its throat. Seconds later she was spitting dust.

  A groan came from the other room.

  Dristan.

  She rushed into the room, wincing at the pain in her side, sharp and fierce. Dristan lay on the ground, his eyes closed.

  He was breathing, though. She could hear his dull heartbeat, hear his faint breaths.

  The room was lined with boxes. Coffins? She gave a snort of surprise. Vampires really slept in coffins? She sniffed one of the boxes and caught the scent of that old blood, dusty and sweet. Yes, it seemed they did sleep in coffins, or at least light-tight boxes, whatever these were.

  Dristan had managed to spill more gasoline along the edges of the boxes. Three were open, which matched with the vampires who’d been feeding on him. The rest, closed, likely full of the undead. Laura stifled a growl.

  She returned to Dristan’s side. With her teeth and paw, she pulled the box of matches from his pocket. It would be easier to shift and start the fire herself, but it would take too long, and as a human she would be more vulnerable and less able to protect Dristan. She gave Dristan one raspy lick along the side of his face and willed him to wake up. Please, Dristan. Please.

  His eyes cracked open. Laura nudged the matches against his hand.

  He nodded, slowly. He sat up on his knees, one hand in front to brace himself on the floor until he gained his balance. Tried to pull out one match, dropped it. Pulled out a second, but he didn’t have a good grasp and lost it as soon as he tried to strike it on the box.

  Laura shot worried glances at the boxes lining the wall. Nobody had come out of their coffins yet—only those three vampires had been awake—but there was no telling how much time she and Dristan had, or what kind of magic made a vampire wake during the day. A sensation of danger? Sounds? Scents?

  The match caught. Dristan grinned weakly at her before tossing the match in the direction of the coffins. Flames leaped to life with a whoosh.

  Drista
n struggled to stand up, and Laura realized with another flash of fear that they’d have to get out of the room fast or risk getting caught in the fire. It was already hotter than hell, and getting harder to breathe. She nudged Dristan, offering him her weight to help him walk.

  With the pressure of his hand on her shoulders, they hurried out of the room. Dristan wobbled, unbalanced. Woozy from the blood loss, probably. Laura had to get him out of there before he fainted.

  They reached the doorway and finally they were out of the room and into the long tunnel of the cave. She wished they could have barricaded the vampires into the room, but there was no time to move stones.

  The walk through the cavern seemed to have doubled in length. All Laura could do was nudge Dristan when he paused, urging him to go faster.

  Then light. Outside, her pride was waiting…or maybe it wasn’t. How long had she and Dristan been inside? Had Marlana ordered everyone to abandon them? Nothing would surprise Laura at this point.

  When they emerged, the pride was still there, alert.

  Laura shifted to human, because Dristan wasn’t in any condition to speak. “Please, get him some water. They were…” She gestured to his neck. The bite marks had already healed, but blood had dried on the collar of his shirt.

  Marlana’s icy blue eyes flashed with indignation. She spoke, using her alpha voice. “Kneel, Laura.”

  Marlana’s power washed over her, and she couldn’t have remained standing if she’d tried. She fell to her knees. She was still naked, and the pine needles and rocks on the ground dug into her skin.

  “Did you set the vampires on fire?” Marlana asked.

  “Yes.” Laura sent a glance to Dristan. Rafe and Fraze had helped him to the ground and were helping him drink from a water bottle.

  “You were injured,” Marlana said, walking around her. “You risked your life by going in there alone, and perhaps worse, you risked my wrath. But I see you’re still under my power, provided your mate isn’t in danger?”

  Laura nodded.

  “Do you swear that you haven’t changed your allegiance to another pride or alpha?”

  “I swear,” she said. “We’re still members of the Corona Pride, and we don’t have any desire to change that…as long as you treat Dristan and Fraze as full members of the pride. Stop punishing them for what their parents did.”

  “Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do.”

  “I’m not,” Laura said. “I’m saying what you should do, if you want us to stay.” She looked around at her family, friends, and even the pride members she’d never really liked. “I love it here, and Dristan does, too. But sending him into danger like you did—I don’t want to be in a pride with an alpha who does that, and I’m pretty sure nobody else wants that either. We’re not going to challenge you—that’s not how I’d do things. I’d just leave everyone I love behind, and start somewhere else.”

  Marlana shook her head. “You’ve got a lot of nerve. I should banish you.”

  Laura’s mom gasped, a breathless no, but Marlana ignored her.

  “I’m not heartless,” Marlana said. She turned to address the pride at large. “And I’d like to think that when someone points out a mistake, I’m a big enough alpha to acknowledge it. It’s true—I was punishing Dristan as much as I was punishing Laura. It was rash, though, and wrong. I lost my temper.”

  The pride was silent. Laura could hear the wind in the trees, and she shivered.

  “You can get up, Laura,” Marlana said. “Someone get her clothes. I’m going in with anyone else who will volunteer to see if there are any vampires left.”

  Laura stood up. After shrugging on her clothes, she rushed to Dristan’s side. He smiled up at her. “We did it.”

  She nodded, then kissed his scruffy cheek.

  Laura’s mom walked past to help Marlana investigate the cavern. She lightly touched the top of Laura’s head, resting her hand there for the barest of moments. “I hope you can forgive me…and Marlana.”

  It was a tall order, but Laura nodded. They had a lot of talking to do. Truth was, she’d missed her mom, missed having a good relationship with her. It wouldn’t be easy to forgive, but Laura was willing to try.

  And Marlana—as she strode into the cavern, she turned and gave a small smile to Laura. Could she really change? Could she be the champion Laura used to look up to? Laura didn’t know, but at least this was a start.

  Epilogue

  Dristan wiped down the deli counter one last time. Someone knocked on the door. “Sorry!” he called out. “Closing early today!”

  The knocks came louder. Obnoxious people. He rushed to the door and opened it, his finger already pointing helpfully at the closed sign.

  Rafe and Frasier stood there, grinning like idiots. Mateo and Justine stood a ways behind them, apologetic smiles on their faces.

  “Ready?” Frasier asked.

  “Hell yes, I’m ready. How’s Laura? Is she nervous?”

  “She’s good,” Justine said. “Just waiting on you.”

  Dristan looked at his phone. “But it’s not time yet.”

  “Can you blame her for wanting her mate with her beforehand?” Frasier punched his shoulder. “Come on, dude.”

  If Laura was eager for him to get there, it meant she must be a nervous wreck.

  “Okay, okay, let’s go. You guys have room for me?” He’d walked to work this morning, thinking he’d have plenty of time to walk home and get to his Jeep before driving to Marlana’s.

  “Plenty, if you don’t mind squishing in the back with Mateo and Justine.”

  Dristan eyed them. “No hanky panky while I’m back there, okay?”

  Justine smirked and kissed Mateo on the cheek. “But I have good memories of Rafe’s SUV.”

  Rafe groaned. “I told you two that was not okay.”

  Mateo just laughed.

  Dristan went inside to swipe an apple off the counter. To his surprise, Rafe followed him.

  “What’s up?” Dristan asked.

  Rafe looked at him, his gaze even, but his eyes searching. “You love Laura?”

  Had Dristan misread something? Rafe sounded jealous—had he been in love with Laura this entire time, too? Carefully, Dristan answered, “Yeah. Why?”

  “I’m just wondering how you know. If it’s real.”

  Dristan stared at the apple in his hand. This conversation felt like it was coming out of nowhere. “I don’t know, man. I just know. It’s unshakeable.”

  Nodding, Rafe said, “I want that. I think I already might have that.”

  “With Laura?” Dristan’s voice was sharp.

  “Easy there,” Rafe said with a laugh. “Not with Laura, no. There’s someone else.”

  Before Dristan could ask any questions, Frasier pounded on the door. “Come on, sweethearts! Time’s a wasting!”

  Looking determined, Rafe said, “Not a word to the others, okay?”

  Dying of curiosity, Dristan nodded. Then he locked up the deli. He and Rafe climbed into Rafe’s Pathfinder, letting the exchange of friendly insults surround him in a comfortable cloud. The drive to Marlana’s wasn’t long, and soon he was out of the car, crunching across the snow-covered drive, and opening the mansion’s front door. “Laura?”

  “In here,” she said.

  He rushed through the house and into the music room. She stood next to the piano in black slacks and a green top that brought out the color of her eyes. She looked both amazing and dangerous. His woman was a bad-ass motherfucker who’d gone against their alpha and battled vampires to save him.

  “You look great,” he said.

  “Thanks,” she responded, but she looked glum.

  “I brought you something.” He held up the apple he’d brought from the deli.

  “What?” she said, giving him a strange look.

  “And something else,” he said, lifting up his shirt.

  Laura’s expression got stranger. “Dristan, my ceremony’s in, like, five minutes.”

  �
��Hang on,” he said, grinning. He lifted his shirt above his heart, and pointed to the bandage. “My first tattoo.”

  “Holy shit,” she said. “What is it?”

  “See for yourself.”

  Laura gingerly lifted up the bandage, revealing the design he’d come up with, just for her. An apple over his heart.

  She smiled up at him. “It’s gorgeous. Great design. You don’t think some of the guys will give you crap for having a ‘girlie’ tattoo?”

  “Don’t know, don’t care,” he said. Taking her hands, he added, “I don’t care how cheesy it sounds, Laura. You’re the apple of my eye.”

  “And you’re the apple of mine. Ha, you’re right—it sounds super cheesy.”

  “Doesn’t matter. It’s just for us. So, are you ready for this Guardian thing?”

  She closed her eyes, her face looking sad all of a sudden. She didn’t respond, but touched a few keys on the piano, finding the melody to “The Sound of Silence.”

  “Laura?” he said.

  She looked up. “Do you think I’m doing the right thing?”

  “I think this is what you’ve always wanted,” he said.

  “Until…everything changed. You, me. Marlana, betraying you.”

  Dristan pulled her into his arms. “I think your position with the Guardians would only make this pride better. But if you’re worried about it, you don’t have to go through with this. Marlana will let us stay in the pride, regardless.”

  Laura looked up at him, her green eyes shining. “I still want this. It’s just—I want to make sure I’m doing it for the right reasons.”

  “Do you want to protect our pride?” Dristan asked, echoing the words of the Guardian ceremony.

  She gave him a wavery smile. “Yes.”

  “Do you promise to uphold the orders of your alpha, to the best of your ability?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you promise to consider the needs of all members of the pride, young and old, dominant and submissive, male and female?”

  “Yes.”

  He leaned forward and touched his lips to hers, tenderly, reverently. “You’re going to make one of the best Guardians this pride has seen. I love you, Laura.”