“Oh, my God,” Trinity gasped, her hand rising to her mouth.
“Luc, what’s happened?” Ryder hurried forward. Lucien halted and shook his head when Ryder reached for his sister. “Let me see her, Luc. Let me help.”
For a moment Matthias was curious about the friendship that seemed to exist between these two, but then thoughts of friendship fled when he looked into the vampire’s eyes.
His pale blue gaze revealed a rage and a bitter desolation that would make a lesser man quail. “You can’t help her, Ryder. She’s been bitten by a werewolf.”
Silence fell over the camp, and Matthias felt the shock hit him like a wave, something that crashed over him and left a slow-building realization of the ramifications in its wake. A werewolf’s bite was lethal to a vampire. The victim suffered immense pain, hallucinations and delirium until their death, an event that occurred usually within ten to twelve hours after being bitten.
“How? Who?” He stared down at the woman in the vampire’s arms. Her skin was pale, almost alabaster. He could see the perspiration dotting her brow, the slight pull of her eyebrows, as though even unconscious she could still feel the excruciating pain of a werewolf’s poison spreading through her system. The vessels in her throat were slowly turning black, radiating out from the bite mark on her shoulder. Another wound was on her thigh, and one on her stomach. The blackening of the blood vessels was a visual symptom that showed the advancement of the toxin. He may not like Vivianne Marchetta overmuch, but he respected the vampire prime. It was a shock to see her so mauled by one of his kind. She was powerful, ruthless, and it was strange to see her in such a weakened state.
Lucien glared at Matthias. “She was getting out of her car when a wolf came out of nowhere and attacked her. She was ambushed.” He glanced over to one of the other vampires, who stepped forward, his arms raised to take his sister off his hands. He turned to face Matthias, his fists clenched. “Alpine has reneged on its deal with Nightwing.”
Matthias shook his head. “This is not Alpine’s doing, Lucien. All my guardians respect and honor that agreement.”
Lucien’s eyes narrowed to silver slits. “I told my sister it was a mistake to deal with the dogs, but she believed there might be some honor there, somewhere. She was wrong.”
“We didn’t renege on the deal. We have no quarrel with Nightwing,” Matthias said in a low voice. He needed to make the vampire see reason, or else he’d be fighting the clear need for retribution blazing in those cool, pale blue eyes.
Lucien smiled, showing his extended fangs. “I don’t care what pack the black wolf belongs to, I’m placing the blame at your feet. The lycans were allowed safe passage through Nightwing. No vampire was to be hurt.”
Matthias closed his eyes briefly in realization. Rafe had struck again. He sensed the vampire shifting position, and his eyes snapped open. He could see the battle waging within. This vampire wanted to kill.
“Rafe is the one who harmed your sister.” He moved so that his body shielded Trinity from the menace emanating from the vamp. “He is no longer alpha prime of Woodland Pack.”
Lucien’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, really? And who replaces the mutt?” He glanced around the gathered lycans.
“I do.”
“Ah, so not only are you the one who brokered the deal, you now run the pack associated with that renegade wolf.”
“He’s not associated with any pack,” Matthias argued. “He’s a stray, loyal and allied to nobody.”
“Well, that’s unfortunate. I demand justice for my sister’s death, and the blood of those responsible is a ripping great start.”
Matthias eyed the unconscious woman. She wasn’t dead yet, but it wouldn’t be long. He folded his arms. “Rafe is no longer in Woodland territory. We can help you track him down—”
Lucien held up his hand. “Please, you and I both know strays don’t survive for long, and quite frankly, I don’t think I can stomach any help from your kind.” He glanced around the group. “No, I believe that in this case, an eye for an eye should do the trick.” He tilted his head, eyeing Trinity. “Should I go for the wee little wolf you so obviously wish to protect? She must mean something to you. Not as much as my sister means to me, obviously,” Lucien surmised aloud, “but she could be a good start.”
Matthias’s eyes narrowed, and this time he stepped completely in front of his she-wolf. “You will not harm her.”
Lucien pursed his lips. “Hmm, perhaps you’re right. I mean, my sister is a vampire prime, after all, and this one,” he gestured to Trinity, “well, she’s no vampire prime.” The vampire nodded. “Yes. Not adequate recompense.” He smiled. “Ah, I have it. I’ll just kill a prime.”
The vampire’s eyes flashed red as he launched at Matthias, but before he could react, a tall, familiar figure dived at the vampire. They both fell to the ground.
“Zane,” Matthias yelled, but before he could pull his guardian off the vampire, he heard a crack of bone. Zane roared as his arm was twisted behind his back, then groaned as Lucien sank his teeth into his neck. “No!”
He sprang at the couple struggling on the ground, pulling his friend’s now limp body away from the vampire. Lucien bared his teeth, ready to attack again, but Ryder blocked him, pushing him back.
“That’s enough, Lucien,” Ryder yelled, struggling to hold the vampire in check. “Lucien, enough!”
Matthias knelt on the ground, holding his friend in his arms as Zane made a guttural gurgle, his throat torn. Zane’s hand lifted, and Matthias caught it. “I’ve got you,” he whispered, a combination of panic, rage and horror swelling inside as he held his friend. So much blood, the skin torn. He blinked back tears. Zane’s lifeblood was slowly seeping into the soil.
Trinity raced to his side, her expression horrified as she pulled off her jacket and pressed it to the wound in Zane’s neck in an attempt to stem the flow of blood. Matthias choked back the burning emotion that made him want to tear the vampire to shreds. He glanced around. The vampires all glared, fists clenched, teeth bared at the group. They were outnumbered, they were surrounded by lycans whose bite could mean their deaths, but Matthias read their lethal intent. They didn’t care. They were hurt, they were enraged and they wanted blood. The Woodland and Alpine guardians shifted forward, their teeth bared as they growled softly. Nate’s fists were clenched, his chest rising and falling with his raging emotions. Matthias understood the need to spill blood on behalf of Zane. He felt it, too.
If he attacked, it would be a bloodbath. He couldn’t let his emotions risk the lives of the pack who’d chosen him to lead them.
He gazed down at Zane, sadness slowly attacking the anger as the light in his friend’s eyes slowly faded. He glanced up at Lucien.
The vampire snarled. “I still believe a debt is owed,” he rasped.
“I believe the debt has been more than paid,” Matthias gritted. He glanced around. His pack was closing in. He still had to take their measure, still had to build that relationship. If he told them to back off, would they? Or would they ignore his instructions? The number of fatalities would rise, depending on how he handled this. His gaze landed on a shadowy figure in the back, the flames of the campfire reflecting off sunglass lenses.
“Dave.”
The witch pursed his lips, then stepped forward, the crowd parting silently. He halted next to Ryder.
Lucien’s eyes narrowed. “You keep questionable company, witch.”
Dave smirked. “You haven’t met my sister, have you?” He turned his head to face Matthias. “What?”
“Is there anything that can be done?” It galled him to ask on behalf of the vampire, but he needed to prevent a massacre.
Dave lifted his thumb, rubbing it against his lip. He stepped toward the vampire holding Vivianne, and Lucien blocked him. Dave sighed in exasperation. “Your sister isn’t dead yet,
is she?”
The vampire frowned. “No.”
“So there’s still a chance you can save her.”
Matthias’s eyes narrowed, and the lycans turned to each other, frowning.
“There is no cure for a werewolf bite,” Lucien pointed out.
Dave held up a finger. “No known cure.”
“What are you saying?”
“Nature prefers a balance. Life, death, morning, night. Up. Down. Where there is a poison, there must be a cure. You just have to find it.”
Lucien pointed to Vivianne. “My sister has only hours to live—where do you presume I’ll find this unheard-of cure?”
Dave shrugged. “No idea. But you can delay her death until you do find it.”
Matthias gently laid Zane on the ground, then rose to his feet. That sounded...unnatural. “How?”
“A suspension spell will halt the toxin from spreading any further, put her into a deep sleep so she doesn’t feel any pain and then we can lift the spell when you find the cure.”
Lucien frowned.
“It’s like putting her on pause,” Dave clarified.
Lucien considered it for a moment, then nodded. “Do it.”
Dave leaned forward. “You will owe me a debt.”
Ryder’s eyes widened, then he leaned forward. “Not a good time, Dave.”
Now Matthias understood Ryder’s remarks from before.
The witch smiled grimly. “I disagree. He just killed a lycan because he thought Matthias had defaulted on a deal. So he values a promise.” Dave folded his arms, the leather of his jacket creaking with the movement. “So do I.”
“Why don’t I just kill you now?” Lucien queried silkily.
Dave chuckled. “You’re welcome to try, but then that won’t suspend the toxin in dear sis over there.”
“What do you want?” Lucien asked impatiently.
Dave shrugged. “A simple favor.”
“What?” The cold tone suggested the vampire was fast losing patience.
“Don’t know yet. I’ll bank it. But at some time in the future, when I ask a favor of you, you will grant it.”
Lucien pursed his lips, and Matthias again sensed the anger radiating from the vampire.
“Come on, tick tock. Your sister’s not getting any younger,” Dave pointed out.
“Fine. You have a deal. Now do the spell.” Lucien stalked over and gently took hold of his sister’s limp form, and held her close to his chest.
Dave placed his palm on Vivianne’s forehead and bowed his head, murmuring words in a language Matthias couldn’t understand, although he could feel the power in the air, like the electricity in the wind before a storm hit.
After a few minutes, Dave lifted his head.
“Now what?” Lucien asked, frowning.
Dave smiled. “Now we leave.”
He started walking off into the darkness. Lucien glared after him for a moment, then turned to Matthias. “All access to Nightwing for any lycan is revoked.”
Matthias glared right back. “Consider Woodland a no-go zone for vamps.”
He watched as the vampires retreated into the darkness. They made no sound, left no prints. Only Zane’s body on the ground and the grim expressions on the lycans showed any evidence of them having been there at all.
Chapter 25
Trinity stood at the mouth of the tunnel, surveying the temporary structural supports. The engineers had cleared the den for activity, and in the ten days since Zane’s death, her mate had kept himself and his pack busy.
The rubble had been cleared, extra supports were erected and repairs were being carried out. Matthias had set up a makeshift first aid station with the supplies Ryder had sent through, but was now overseeing the construction of an infirmary within the den. Since Lucien Marchetta’s visit, he was determined to care for his pack. As well as the infirmary, he’d ordered Dion to organize appropriate training sessions for all pack, from the elders right down to the pups. Guardians were on a roving security detail, and the border between Woodland and Nightwing was heavily patrolled. It wasn’t all doom and gloom, though. Matthias also ensured there was plenty of playtime for the children, and he encouraged the family units to share some quality time.
She sighed. She knew what he was doing. He was making sure his pack was occupied, building for the future and ensuring their defenses were strong in a way Rafe had never done. And by keeping his pack busy, he distracted himself from the death of a good friend.
Jax came barreling up out of the tunnel, squealing with laughter as Matthias caught him and lifted him to perch on his shoulders. Trinity smiled. Jax always managed to bring a smile to Matthias’s lips, even in his darkest moments. And her lycan still thought it wasn’t cold enough to wear a shirt. She eyed his glorious chest. Not that she was complaining.
“Hey, you two,” she said, reaching up to kiss Matthias on the lips. She chuckled when his hand threaded into her hair to hold her still so he could kiss her thoroughly, and she leaned into him.
“Get a room, you two,” Dalton called as he walked out of the tunnel, the rest of the pups running and skipping behind him.
She pulled away from him and glanced at her friend. “What are you doing?” Jax held out his arms and leaned forward, and Trinity caught him as he slid from Matthias’s shoulders.
“The elders are giving the juveniles a history lesson, the adolescents are helping with the den setup and I am taking the pups out for a run down to the river. We’re going to catch some fish stock for winter.”
The pups jumped up and down and cheered, and Trinity smiled. She didn’t think there would be many fish caught with the racket the kids were making, but they would have some fun, and get some fresh air before the snows came.
“Me, too,” Jax cried. “I wanna go, too.” He kicked his legs until Trinity gently dropped him to his feet.
“Fine, but do exactly as Dalton tells you, okay?” she said, grinning.
“Catch me something, Jax,” Matthias said, ruffling the boy’s hair. Jax looked up at Matthias, and the look of hero worship on the little boy’s face was unmistakable. She smiled. The last two nights he’d actually slept the night through, without any nightmares. She and Matthias had thoroughly enjoyed catching up on some much-needed sleep.
“Okay, Matt,” Jax cried, running off after Dalton, who looked like the Pied Piper marching out of town with the children.
Trinity folded her arms as she watched the boy run off. Matthias slid his arms from behind, and nuzzled her neck.
“What’s bothering you?” he asked softly, as though sensing her disquiet. She folded her arms on top of his, relishing their rare moment of solitude.
“We lost so many of our pack,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Poor Jax. He’s lost his father as well as his mother in such a short time, along with some of his friends.”
Matthias rested his chin against the top of her head. “Every time I think of that day, when we were pulling everyone out, it makes me want to fight Rafe all over again.”
Trinity took a deep breath. “Jax is going to need a lot of care and attention, a lot of love. When I lost my mother, it was hell, but at least I still had my father—in a way. When Dad—” She hesitated. She still had trouble adjusting from the long-held belief of her father’s suicide to the new discovery of his murder. “When Dad died, I felt like that mountain could swallow me whole, and nobody would notice.”
She closed her eyes at the memories of lurking in a tunnel to watch her pack eat their evening meal in the great hall, not even noticing she wasn’t there with them. Sitting in the dark den, realizing she had run out of batteries for her light, and not having the faintest idea of who to approach for new ones. “I don’t want that for Jax. I realize that Rafe is responsible for so much—not just
for my father’s death, but the way he guided the pack in treating me. He set the standard. I think it’s up to us to set a new standard.”
Matthias turned her in his arms, his finger lifting her chin so that he could meet her gaze. He smiled gently, his expression tender. “I want us to adopt Jax, too,” he told her, his lips curling as she smiled. Warmth flared inside her at his words. This lycan was amazing. He had no idea how much he’d already done to help heal her pack. The care he took to protect, to defend, to ensure the safety—it was already so much more than they’d had in a generation. He brushed his nose against hers. “You’re right. I want him to feel love inside his pack. Our pack.”
“Oh, thank you, Matthias.” She stood on tiptoe to pepper his face with kisses. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. You won’t regret it, I promise.”
He chuckled, and she realized this was the happiest she’d seen him since Zane’s death.
She glanced about the clearing. Dalton and the pups had left them, and the rest of the pack were working in the den. She pulled her shirt out of the waistband of her jeans, and toed off her boots. “Let’s go for a run,” she suggested. She tugged the shirt over her head.
Matthias’s eyebrows rose. “What?” His eyes watched her movements, gleaming golden green in the sunlight.
She grinned up at him, wanting to give him some fun in among the work. “You know what they say about all work and no play.”
Matthias arched an eyebrow. She dragged her jeans down over her legs, standing before him in only her bra and panties.
His hands dropped to his belt, and he slowly unbuckled it, toeing off his boots. His eyes meeting hers, he slid down the zipper of his trousers. Her teeth sank into her lip as he slowly peeled back the opening of his pants, the muscles rippling from his shoulders down to the waistline of his trousers and beyond, and the golden V of skin revealed by his opened fly making her fingers itch to touch him. She’d learned that not only did he not wear a shirt, he also liked to go commando. She reached behind her and unhooked her bra, letting it drop to the ground. His eyes flared with heat as he surveyed the swell of her breasts, and she quickly slid her underpants down, stepping out of them. She waggled her eyebrows.
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