by B F Worlds
Rosa studied the other woman's face for a clue to what she was thinking. It was a futile attempt. She had never seen the vampire's expression twitch and was beginning to doubt if the other being was capable of feeling anything. "Alright Pru, I'll put you on speed dial. Is that it?"
"You seem very keen to get rid of me."
"You snuck into my basement. A few people upstairs might be upset knowing a vampire snuck into their home. Oh, and our alliance is supposed to be secret. Can't forget that."
"I have a standing invitation."
"Once! I invited you in once. I don't remember giving you a key."
"And that is all it takes. In vampire culture, one only allows one's closest friends into their residence and its very rude to deny them access thereafter. I did warn you that it would be very prudent to study some."
"I'm not one of your students, Principal."
"But I could teach you a great many things."
Rosa snorted loudly. "Yeah, wow. I'll give you some credit there. That was the smoothest line I've heard in awhile, but we both know you're all bark and no bite."
"I assure you, I have plenty of bite." Pruella opened her mouth and her incisors extended, sharpening into two needle thin points.
"Don't you have a house full of humans who willingly feed you? I don't know why we keep playing this stupid game."
"Comparing them to you is akin to......." She closed her eyes, tapping a finger against her thigh as she thought. "Akin to tofu and prime steak. The first sustains you, may even be the healthier option. But the second is so much more...rewarding."
Rosa shuddered. "You know, you are the only woman who creeps me out when she says she wants to eat me. Don't get any funny ideas. My daughter will check on me if I'm down here too long."
"Then we'll both go up. You can invite me to dinner."
"Don't think so. Goodnight Pru." Rosa turned her back on her and unlocked the door. As she pushed open the door, a faint whoosh of air lifted the hair off her shoulders. She didn't bother to turn around to check what it was. Past experience told her the vampire had made its exit.
-
The next day, Franklin lifted the ban on their informal house arrest and allowed them back to school. Viktoriya would have loved to believe that it was a sign he had loosened up, but one of the Guards informed her that Pruella's runners had dropped by with the principal's concerns about their well being. She didn't dwell on it too long. She was anxious to see her third mate and would take any excuse that brought them together.
Rachel was apparently just as eager. She threw herself at Viktoriya with enough force to knock her off her feet, but Dean was there to hold them up.
"Gods above," Rachel sighed squeezing her tight enough to make Viktoriya wince. "I was so worried about the two of you. When my mother came home from talking with Franklin, she went to the basement and started grumbling over her knife collection. It was really scary! Leo kept whining at me to make dinner and the rest of the house was looking at me with the pussy cat eyes-"
"Pussy cat eyes?" Dean interrupted.
In answer, Rachel tilted her face up. Her green irises widened as the pupils shrunk, a wet gloss making them shine as she stuck out her bottom lip. Dean felt her insides turn to mush. "That is… dangerous."
"I know! Can you imagine over a dozen gazes like that fixed on you? It is impossible to say no. I spent the whole night slaving over a hot stove and then I had to growl and pull ears to get them to clean up after themselves. It was literally herding cats!"
Viktoriya shook with muffled laughter, squirming out of the smaller girl's painful grip. "I missed you Red."
Rachel reached up and pulled her down to brush a series of quick kisses against her lips. "I. Missed. You. More!"
"Missed you most," Dean chimed in and the other girls burst into giggles. Dean noticed they were still standing in the middle of the hallway and gently guided them over to the lockers. "Honestly, what I missed was being outside. Not that I am. I've spent more time between four walls in the past month than I have in my entire life." She shivered, a frown turning down her lips. "I need trees, open air. My wolf, animal, whatever, is going stir crazy."
Viktoriya looked at her worriedly. "It's only been less than two weeks since you changed."
"Vikky, the animal always wants out. It's a struggle everyday to stay in my own skin, to keep control of my mind. It's only gotten worse with the hunter attack. It's on edge. It can feel something's wrong and it's making me antsy."
"There's nothing to worry about," Viktoriya soothed. "We defeated the hunters and Franklin will find out what they were doing here. What you're probably feeling is the left over battle high."
Dean wasn't convinced, but she only had a feeling to back her up. "Maybe…"
"Listen to her," Rachel said. "Besides, we have more important things to worry about. Like, homecoming! It's a month and we haven't planned anything!"
The two taller girls groaned and Rachel slapped them both on the shoulders. "Don't be like that! I know you two social caterpillars have yet to awaken to the joys of communicating with other people, but we're the talk of the school. Homecoming is the perfect opportunity to put us under the spotlight so the rest of the student body can drown in their envy when I walk in with both of you on my arms."
Dean leaned down to whisper in Viktoriya's ear. "She called us caterpillars. I think we should be insulted."
"I'm insulted."
"Girls," Rachel hissed. "Please? Pretty please? I know its a human thing-"
Viktoriya put a finger on her lips. "We're messing with you Red. Of course we'll go with you. Right Dean?"
"Sure. Just tell me what time to show up."
"You two are the best!" She hugged them again but quickly let go under their protests. "Don't worry, I'll handle everything. Oh, is there a color either you prefers?"
"Black," Dean and Viktoriya echoed at the same time.
"Hey man, chill out!"
The yell drew the girls attention to the end of the hall where Kyle had a boy half his size pinned against the lockers. The wolf looked a second away from ending his victim, the snarl on his face exposing elongated canines. A lurid purple bruise darkened the right half of his face, the eye nearly swollen shut, and his lower lip was busted. When he spoke, his voice was low and deadly. "What the fuck did you say to me, meatbag? You think you can walk on over me? Huh? I'll break your fucking neck!"
"That's not good," Dean whispered.
"Really not good." Viktoriya sighed and handed off her bag to Rachel. "I have to stop this before it escalates. I swear, he is such a pain in the ass."
She stomped over to them, taking up post a few feet away, her hands planted on her hips as she fixed her most disapproving frown on her face. "Kyle, that's enough."
He turned to face her but Viktoriya didn't feel his eyes focus on her. He couldn't be seeing her because, no matter how hard they'd fought in the past, he'd never look at her like that. Like she was the enemy.
He was on the verge of a change and she was terrified that he would actually do it. "Kyle," she whispered softly. "What are you doing, Kyle? You don't want to hurt that kid. Let him go."
"Yeah man," the boy squealed. "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean nothing!"
Kyle angrily slammed the boy against the lockers before he released him. The boy quickly scrambled away, but the wolf didn't notice. His eyes never left Viktoriya. "What did I tell you about giving me orders Volkov?"
"Kyle-"
"I give the orders!" he ground out. "I will be alpha and I don't care what Franklin says, I don't need you to make that happen. I don't need the Guards. There are plenty of wolves who will follow me!"
Viktoriya glanced to the sides and noticed more and more people paying attention to them. "Will you shut up!" she hissed. "You can't say that stuff out loud, you idiot."
"You think you're so smart, don't you? Strong, smart, loyal, the perfect wolf. Well, I've got news for you Volkov. You aren't any better than the rest of us. If i
t wasn't for your father, no one would give a fuck about you!"
Viktoriya was about to respond angrily but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. Dean met her eyes and shook her head, silently telling her mate to back off. "Class is starting soon. We should get moving Vikky."
Kyle sneered at the darker girl. "Yeah, listen to your rogue Volkov. Wouldn't want to let that 4.0 drop. I got better things to do than to deal with the two of you." He stormed away, throwing aside anyone in his path.
"That is a disaster waiting to happen," Dean muttered. "Something needs to be done about that boy."
Viktoriya nodded. "I'll talk to Franklin tonight."
Dark eyes watched Kyle's stiff back shrewdly. "That might not be soon enough."
"You think? I can talk to him after first period-"
"Viktoriya, do not go anywhere near him." Dean winced and brought her hand up massage her temple. "Something's put him in the wrong frame of mind. He's like a rabid dog."
Viktoriya frowned. "If he's dangerous, I can handle it. I'm not helpless Dean."
"I don't doubt that, but I still want you to stay away."
Above them, the one minute bell rang. Rachel appeared next to them. "Come on girls. Time to get a move on."
"Yes." Viktoriya put a finger in Dean's face. "I will stay away from Kyle, but only because I don't want to escalate this on school grounds. It is not because you said so and this conversation isn't over." With that she stormed away, snapping her bag out of Rachel's hand.
Rachel snickered quietly. "You're in the doghouse."
"Is it so wrong that I don't want her in danger? Either of you?"
"No, but she's the daughter of a commander.There's no way she's going to sit back and let herself be protected. No way in hell."
The taller girl threw an arm over her mate's shoulders and started walking them down the hall. "Doesn't mean I can't try."
CHAPTER 25
Dean shut her locker just in time to see Kyle round the corner of the hall. The bell had already rung and the way he was heading didn't lead to any classes.
He's up to something but I shouldn't get involved. Class starts in less than a minute and I've missed enough lessons as it is because of Franklin's tantrum. Plus, I'm supposed to be a submissive. Leave it alone Dean.
Her animal was growling and snapping in her mind, unwilling to let it drop. If I leave it alone, Viktoriya might try to deal with it. That sent the beast into a tantrum. It slammed its body against her mind with enough force to give her a headache. She raised a hand to massage her temple, but the gesture didn't ease the pain at all. "Would you give it a rest?" she yelled in frustration.
NO!
Dean flinched from the shout, her head swiveling to find the source. The hallway was quickly clearing and none of the lingering students were facing her. "What the hell?" she asked, bewildered.
GO AFTER THE BOY!
It had to be in her head, but that didn't make any sense. The only ones in her head were her and-"Oh no."
The animal slammed harder against her mind. AFTER HIM. BEFORE HE ATTACKS OUR MATE!
"You can't talk. You can't-"
NOT NOW. AFTER THE BOY. MOVE!
Dean groaned as the pressure in her head tripled. "Can you QUIET DOWN!? My brain feels like its going to melt out of my ears."
THE BOY!
"FINE! FINE, YOU SON OF A BITCH! WE'LL GO AFTER HIM!" Growling under her breath, she threw her bag in her locker, slammed the door, and ran after Kyle.
-
She caught up to him at the edge of the parking lot. "Kyle!"
He paused at the sound of his name and turned around to face her. "What the fuck do you want?"
"Look, Kyle-"
"You know what?" He dropped his bag and stepped closer. "This is all you fault."
Dean eyebrows rose at the accusation. "What?"
"When I think about it, shit started going south the moment you showed up. Everything was smooth sailing until Franklin brought home the stray. My life was clear cut and simple. I marry the Volkov bitch and become alpha, then-"
"Hold on," Dean interrupted. "What did you just say?"
Kyle scoffed. "Yeah, you wouldn't know. All the shit about Franklin grooming her for commander? Bullshit. He was only trying to condition her to be a bride for me. His handpicked alpha pair. Me, the good little soldier he could be sure would follow his orders even when he was a hundred miles away ruling the continent. Viktoriya was my way in with the Guards. Those bastards are like a cult and the Volkovs are their gods."
"You were going to use her..."
"Franklin had Viktor for his commander and when the man died for him, it guaranteed their life-long loyalty. Viktoriya, well, it's like she's a princess and they're her knights in mangy fur. They'd follow me if she said so and if I fucked her, they'd follow our kid. And she's so desperate to prove herself. I bet you if Franklin promised to make her commander, she's drop to her knees right the-"
Dean's arm moved before she could think, her fist hitting his jaw hard enough to make him stumble backwards. Kyle laughed, rubbing the bottom half of his face. "That's a pretty good hook you got there rogue."
She shook her hand out. "That's a pretty hard head you got there asshole."
"Funny…not funny enough to save you. That's a challenge and I'm within my rights to kill you."
"And I'd be doing the world a favor if I killed you. What the hell is wrong with changers that the worse kind of people always end up in charge and the good people get sacrificed for your stupid ambitions?" A hand went to the side of her face to massage her temple. "I've had enough of this."
Kyle sneered at her. "You pissed at the world? Boo hoo. A lot of people get dealt shitty hands. You see this?" He pointed to the bruises on his face. "I went on patrol with the Guards. To prove to them, and myself, that I could hang in there. That I could lead them, even without the Volkov name. Bastards laughed at me, said the Freewood name didn't mean a damn thing to them. So I challenge the first one who spoke."
"And got your ass kicked from the looks of it."
"Yeah, I did. Said they'd never follow a pup who didn't know his mouth from his ass for all the shit he talked."
Dean couldn't help the laugh that slipped out. Kyle glowered at her and that only made her laugh harder. "Yeah, laugh it up," he bit out. "But the fact is, I need that girl. I would have her too, if it wasn't for you. And you just gave me the perfect excuse to get rid of my headache."
She cracked her knuckles. "It's funny. I was just thinking the same thing."
Kyle tensed but she didn't wait for him to attack. She ran forward and tackled him, lifting him a clear off the ground before slamming down with as much force as she could manage. She was surprised when a blow to the chest knocked her off, but she rolled with it and landed back on her feet. Kyle jumped to his feet, eyeing her suspiciously. "You aren't a submissive. They don't attack like that."
"In a fight, you don't talk. You fight."
"True." Dean rolled her eyes as he began to circle her. What does he think this is, a playground brawl? She stayed still, changing her footing to keep her front turned toward him. When he approached, it was hesitant. He threw several light punches to test her reflexes and she brushed them aside easily, waiting for him to drop his guard.
Her chance came when he over launched one of his swings. The extra power carried him forward and Dean seized the opportunity. Instead of deflecting it like the others, she grabbed his wrist and yanked him forward, disrupting his balance. Keeping a grip on his wrist, she punched him in the nose, knocking his head back. She kept it up, pulling him forward while knocking him back, until she felt his legs shake. Then she drove her fist into his stomach.
Kyle groaned and fell to his knees, doubling over his midsection. Dean took a step back before spinning into a kick. Her heel caught him against the side of his head, making his whole body spin before he hit the ground. Just to be sure, she placed a final kick to the back of his head, satisfied when she heard the distinct crack of b
ones breaking.
"I've got a question for you genius." She used her foot to turn him onto his back. Kyle's face was barely recognizable under the blood and bruising, but she could see his eyes focus on her when she leaned over him. "Viktoriya's got a second mate. What were you going to do about her? Were you planning on knocking her off, just like you tried to do with me?"
"Who...are...you?" he wheezed between breaths.
"No wonder she was so terrified when she thought Rachel was her mate." Dean reached down, pulling his head up by his hair. "All she told me was that she was worried about some of the wolves but I bet it was you, wasn't it? You threatened her back then, just like you tried to do with me. Didn't you?" When he didn't answer, she slammed his head on the concrete. "Answer me!"
THREAT! KILL HIIM!
Kyle whimpered in her grasp and turned his head, exposing his throat. Her animal subsided with the submission and Dean's headache retreated, allowing her to think. I have Franklin's blood pinned to the ground in the school parking lot. What the hell am I doing?
She dropped him like he burned and took several steps away. Kyle laid unmoving, his chest heaving as he struggled for breath, his eyes unwillingly to look up on the chance their gazes would meet. What have you gotten us into beast? she scolded the animal lurking in her mind, but in one of its rare moments, it was silent, retreating into her subconscious.
It's not like I can take any of this back. Might as well make the most of it. She stood over him once again and placed her foot on his chest, pressing down until he looked at her. "I don't care about your pack. Stay away from my girls or next time, this won't end with bruises."
Kyle nodded stiffly and she released him. Dean looked at the sky, contemplating what she would do next. No more than twenty minutes had passed. It was too late to make it back to class but should she skip the rest of the day? Maybe she could spin this some way that didn't make her look suspicious.
"Fat chance." No, better to let he chips fall where they may. Besides, if she disappeared, the girls would worry over her. So that's settled, but now what do I do about Kyle? I can't just leave him here. She briefly considered calling Dugen to get him some medial attention, but shrugged her shoulders. "I didn't hit you that hard. All you need is a quiet corner to sleep in."