by Moxie North
He’d arrived at the head of Clan Odal’s mansion and was met at the door by Beau who pulled him into a hug. When he released him, Kellan saw that Beau’s eyes were huge. “You’re mated?” His question was incredulous.
Eden had walked up behind him and slipped her hand inside his. This move made Beau start laughing. “You and a bear! I love it! Congratulations, man,” Beau said, giving him another hug then giving Eden a quick kiss on the cheek. The impulsive gesture made Eden blush.
“At least something good is coming out of this,” Kellan replied.
“Man, I have your back. And it may not seem like it, but I think my dad knows it’s not you. He’s in a hard position. Just be honest and know that you’d never do something like this if you weren’t under some other influence. Hey, look at me,” Beau urged. “You’re an honest man. You know your heart, and you know your honor. Don’t let a lapsed memory make you think that’s changed.”
Kellan nodded at his friend and followed him into the room. Normally, Kellan was great at speaking to groups. Especially if it was on a topic he was confident about. This, however, was different because it wasn’t just him on trial. Now it was Eden too. They were a matched set in the eyes of the Kindred. Any shame on him would be hers too.
“Mr. Huntley, we are convening this meeting of the Clan’s elders and our corporation’s executives to ascertain what, if any, involvement you had in the missing Clan funds,” Ritch started, throwing Kellan a bone with his remarks.
Kellan looked over at his mate who was leaning against the wall. Her eyes were fixed on him and he saw her pride in him. Even in this situation she saw him for the man he was. Clinging to that, he turned back to Ritch.
“I’m willing to answer any and all of your questions to the best of my ability. This is a grievous act against the Clan and those that are responsible need to be brought to justice.” Kellan was proud of how strong his voice was.
“We are glad to see you up and around. The doctor at the hospital said it was touch and go. He also said they discovered what you had ingested,” Ritch said from his seat.
Kellan noticed that he didn’t say given, or forced to take, he said ingested. “Yes, my mate,” he said with a pause as that fact sunk into the faces around the table, “and her security company tracked down a government truth serum that has gone missing. It matched the chemical compounds the hospital found in my bloodstream.”
“So you were given a truth serum? Isn’t that convenient,” one member said snidely.
“No, it’s not convenient as it also erased my memory of any events that lead to the theft. I have memory gaps going back almost six weeks.”
Another member leaned forward, an older woman that everyone turned to when she spoke, “And you didn’t tell anyone about these memory lapses?”
“Honestly, I was worried I had a brain tumor. Something logical that would explain the gaps and fuzzy memories. It wasn’t something I was ready to face yet.”
“Part of the human condition, I suppose,” the woman remarked. Kellan could swear her smirk wasn’t meant as cruel. She seemed to be enjoying the tension in the room.
“Either way, I didn’t have a confirmed reason for my lapses. So I kept it to myself.”
There was silence in the room as they all stared at him.
“Eden, King of Clan Rekkr can confirm that Kellan was drugged?” Ritch continued.
Eden pushed away from the wall and approached the table, but she kept her distance from Kellan. He knew there was a reason behind it and was sure there was something playing out he didn’t understand.
She crossed her arms and said, “The drug in question was scheduled to be destroyed. But when it came time to carry out the orders, it was missing. Based on the information from King’s contact, the drug allows someone to suggest actions to the person that’s consumed it. It doesn’t work immediately; a person’s internal convictions and ability to reason are still there. The drug causes confusion, and over time the subject can follow basic instructions. They also have little to no memory of the events or the requests that have been made. Originally, it was to be used on sleeper agents. They’d lie in wait until they were activated. It was a simple idea, the people exposed to the drug would be unaware of their actions.”
A man from the table closest to Kellan glared at her. “Isn’t that convenient that the side effects of this drug are precisely the symptoms Mr. Huntley is saying he experienced? What if he knew about this drug before and it’s all part of the plan?”
“Maybe it’s similar because he was dosed. The doctors couldn’t account for the metabolites in his system. I hardly think anyone would risk death for money, especially someone who has been so loyal to Odal for so long,” Eden said, clearly trying to hold back her anger.
“Then you don’t like money,” someone else said from down the table and laughed.
“Ritch, I should have said something sooner about my memory issues. But I wasn’t failing at my job. Every morning my desk, my files, and my computer were all in order. I had no reason to believe that anything else was happening. I can honestly say I didn’t even notice some of the missing time. It was gone, my memories connected from what I could remember and nothing was out of place. It didn’t seem important. I’ve worked for the Clan for years. My best friend helped me get this job. I respect the Odal Clan and would never steal from any of you. It’s not just money, it’s the future of your Clan. Every child born into Odal can rely on the system and fail-safes you’ve created. I would never willingly jeopardize that.”
Kellan could feel Eden’s eyes on him and he took strength in it.
“Eden, are you sure you’re not just defending Mr. Huntley because you’re now mated?” Ritch asked, his eyes narrowing.
“Absolutely not. I believed Kellan to be the unwitting pawn, sorry, honey,” she said, turning to him briefly before continuing, “before I heard the mating call. I stand by my initial assessment. I believe there was a circle of conspiracy around Kellan that he wouldn’t have been able to notice. A random person he comes into almost daily contact with is anti-Kindred. She knows he works for you, and didn’t hide her feelings about how he was a traitor to his species. That has to be part of this.”
Ritch nodded. “Kellan, Eden, could you please give us the room?”
Eden nodded and Kellan did also, he caught the eye of a few people around the table that weren’t looking daggers at him and then they stepped out into the foyer where Zion was waiting.
“Well?” he asked.
“They’re deliberating or something, but then you probably already knew that,” Kellan remarked.
“I did, but I was being polite,” Zion said with a shrug.
Kellan turned to Eden who was standing close to him, providing him with a connection even though they weren’t touching, he asked, only half joking, “So if they want to lock me up tonight?”
“We fight,” she said simply.
“Be serious, Eden.”
Zion snorted. “She is.”
“You’re not getting hurt over me. If they don’t trust me out there then I’ll stay here, or wherever they want.”
“Fuck that,” Eden said and her eyes flashed silver.
“No, Eden, I’m not going to run. I didn’t do this, at least, not willingly. I need to be here to fight for my name. If not for myself, then for you. I can’t be someone you can’t be proud of.”
Eden turned towards him and put her hands on his face. “I am proud of you. You survived an assassination attempt. You stood in front of a room full of angry Kindred and spoke confidently. I couldn’t have been prouder.”
Kellan let out a breath. “I have to say, it’s not bad having a mate that looks at me the way you do.”
“Get used to it,” she said, giving him a peck on the lips.
The door to the room swung open. “Mr. Huntley?”
Kellan and Eden returned to the room. Everyone was in the same positions, with Ritch standing at the end of the long table.
“Mr. Huntley, although the situation is far from resolved, we have made a temporary decision. You are free to go, assuming that you and your mate will be staying in New York. The investigation can continue and you may be called upon to answer any questions our forensic analysts may have. They are going over the records. I will let you know that there is security footage missing, or at least we believe it is. The feeds have been tampered with, but the video is still there. That is part of the current investigation.”
Kellan nodded. “I won’t be leaving New York until my name is cleared and Clan Odal has the justice they deserve.”
The little old lady at the end of the table nodded and smiled. It gave him the feeling he had at least one other Odal on his side.
“Then that is all we have currently. Please make sure you’re available if called upon,” Ritch said finally.
“Of course, thank you all for your time.”
Kellan didn’t really want to thank them, but he realized this was as much a political dance as it was a pseudo-criminal trial. Now he just had to prove his innocence beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Chapter 19
“I think that went well,” Zion said from the driver’s seat.
Kellan almost laughed. “You think so?” He was sitting in the back seat with Eden curled up against his side. Once they were out of the mansion she hadn’t let him go.
“You’re still alive, aren’t you?”
“For now,” Kellan said. Eden didn’t seem to like their joking and she let out a growl to show it.
“Hey, no shifting in the car, it’s a rental,” Zion mocked.
“Unlike some people, I can control my shift,” Eden shot back.
Chuffing sounds came from the front and Kellan saw Zion’s face in the rearview mirror. His eyes and nose had morphed over into a bear, his snout and eyes were huge in the reflection.
“See, that just proved my point,” Eden mocked.
Kellan watched Zion’s face shift back and the big man laughed. “You need to shift and run, you’re getting cranky,” he shot back.
“Later. Claws are great, but against humans, I like my other skills to be available.”
“Kellan, has Eden told you she’s a dead shot? Almost as good as Luca.”
“Luca?”
Eden laid her head on his chest. “KSI member, former sniper, our resident scary guy.”
“Wait, Zion isn’t the scary guy?”
Zion’s head shot back and he let out a loud barking laugh. “Compared to Luca? I’m a pussycat.”
“Shit,” Kellan said, not believing it for a minute.
“He’s taking over my pop star duties while I’m here,” Eden explained.
“I bet he’s loving that,” Zion said, amused by the idea.
“I’m going to have to go back, if she’ll have me,” Eden said as a side thought.
“Back to LA?” Kellan asked. It was one of the things that had been in the back of his mind. They were on opposite coasts. He liked his job and his parents didn’t live too far away. But what was he going to do if he didn’t live in New York?
“I don’t know. I was going to. I was just waiting for the drama to blow over. I assumed I was going back, before. Now, I don’t know,” she said sighing.
Kellan felt a weight in his chest. His mate was hurting and it manifested itself physically inside him. He wanted to fix it, but didn’t know how. Even if he offered to move to Seattle, she was still on the road all the time.
Placing a kiss on top of her head, he reminded her, “I think we have some time before we need to make any hard decisions.”
Eden snuggled deeper into him and he held her tight. Giving her some measure of comfort gave him a sense of well-being. He could almost feel her cheering up.
Back at the apartment, Zion offered to go out for dinner leaving Eden and Kellan to sit on the couch, both lost in thought as the TV flickered in the low-lit room.
Kellan was thinking about his mate. He should be thinking about how to clear his name, and he was, but his mate suddenly seemed like a greater priority. He had to hope that the truth about what happened to him would become clear, that someone would confess, or that any kind of information that would back up his claim would come to light. It just had to. The universe wouldn’t give him such an amazing woman just to have him locked up for a crime he didn’t commit. That would make him doubt Eden’s Great Mother influence if that was the case.
They both looked to the door when Zion returned. He had pizza boxes in one hand and a case of beer under his arm.
“I got it,” Kellan offered as he stood up to help Zion. The men dished up the pizza and brought the cold beer to the coffee table. The three ate in silence as they all kept their thoughts to themselves.
“I’m going to bed. Door’s locked, I installed some temporary cameras in areas I didn’t think had enough coverage. Building management okayed it with King.”
“Thanks, Zion,” Kellan said, reaching for the man’s hand.
Zion grabbed his hand and said seriously, “I’d appreciate it if I wasn’t woken up with any more yowling.”
A low rumble came from Eden. “I – don’t – yowl.”
“Bullshit, you don’t.”
Zion left and Kellan squeezed Eden as he smiled. She didn’t yowl. She growled. It was hot and turned him on.
“Ready for bed?” he asked.
Eden nodded and they cleaned up before heading to their room. Kellan liked that he already thought of it that way. It was their place. A safe place to be themselves. He wondered if they would have that same feeling somewhere else. In his apartment, in hers.
As the door closed behind them, he walked up behind her and curled his arms around her waist. She turned around in his embrace and circled her arms around his neck.
“Kellan, we shouldn’t,” Eden tried to whisper before his warm, very determined and sinfully sexy mouth closed over hers, quieting her protests. In spite of her misgivings, she kissed him back, fingers spearing through his wonderfully thick hair as she drew him close to her body. Her mind was so busy, she’d been thinking through all the scenarios, trying to plot out the most logical solutions to their varied problems. She was tense and her animal wasn’t settled. She also didn’t want Zion to come knocking at the door. Not that she really thought he would.
“Just be quiet,” he whispered back, he grinned at her before resuming their kiss, kissing her more deeply this time. She had to laugh and his palm quickly covered her mouth. He shook his head, mirth and desire lighting up his warm brown eyes.
“You say that like I have control over it. You make me burn and I’m lucky I don’t wreck the furniture.”
“That sounds totally hot, we should do that. We can just bill it to Ritch, right?”
“I’m sure that wouldn’t go over well,” she said, tipping her head back as Kellan kissed his way down her jaw and found the cords of her neck. He placed a hot wet kiss over the pulse he found there.
“I––,” she gasped, arching against him as his hands cupped her breasts through her shirt before swooping down over her ass to lift her up. The action made her throw her legs around his hips. Her eyes flew open as his cock nudged at the moistening juncture between her thighs. “I don’t think I’ve ever been picked up like this.”
Kellan grunted. “Then I’ll do it more often. I like the idea of being able to pick you up and take you where I want you.”
“Well, in that case, as long as I’m not working, you have my permission to pick me up whenever you want.”
“I can’t wait,” he groaned. He squeezed her breasts while sucking on her throat. She sighed and clung to his shoulders. She couldn’t help but rub her pussy against the ridge in his pants. Her pussy went wet just thinking about his cock and how good it made her feel.
His mouth collided with hers, cutting off her shocked whimper. Her nails dug into the cloth of his shirt, her pussy rubbed against his crotch as she rotated her hips. Kellan was walking them to the bed and she felt herself fallin
g as he laid them both down on the soft mattress. His mouth was back on hers and she opened under him. She felt him tug the tie out of her braid and detangle her hair so that he could spread it around her.
Kissing Kellan was never going to be wrong. Having his hands on her ass was right. The same went for his cock rocking against her, tragically still protected by the clothing separating them. It was the best feeling in the world. She pulled her shirt off and then helped Kellan remove his. They both managed to get their pants and undergarments off in record time. Eden wanted the heat of him against her; thinking about their future and how uncertain it was left her feeling cold. Kellan was the fire inside her that could brighten her dark mood.
She moaned his name. He smiled then whispered, “I don’t know where we’ll end up, but as long as I can look into your eyes, I’m home.”
Eden felt the same way. That amazing feeling would pass over her and focus between her legs. It was almost embarrassing, but then again, she didn’t really give a fuck. If other Kindred knew she was hot for her mate, they would know to keep their eyes and hands to themselves.
He lowered his head, and sucked a nipple into his mouth. “Kellan,” she hissed before her own hand flew to her lips to muffle the rough sound of her pleasure. Eden wasn’t a prude or embarrassed, but if she could keep it down a little then Zion, and probably the neighbors, would get a better night’s sleep.
Eden sighed deeply and closed her eyes as she held his head to her breast. The sun had just set and the last glow of the evening was passing over the window, the streets lights and neon made the city glow. She was entranced by the play of light outside the window for a moment before turning back to Kellan. He went on to suckle at her other breast.