Beneath a Blood Moon (39 page)

“He did exactly what he threatened. He yanked Seattle’s pack right out from under my ass. It’s not the first time he’s done it; he took over temporarily right after Mary’s death to buffer me from the pack. Then, he did it with the pack aware he was going to. This time, he just went and did exactly what he wanted as usual.” Sighing, my mate relaxed on the couch, closed his eyes, and stretched his legs. “It hurt because every instinct I have as an Alpha is to keep my pack secure. Even allowing him to do it, I couldn’t help fighting it. So, instead of a painless transition, I got my ass handed to me.”

I frowned, and because my wolf had calmed, I followed her lead. “It happened so fast.”

“That’s Desmond for you. He doesn’t draw things out. Quick and painful as hell is his preferred method. He was right, though. With the pack in flux, I couldn’t ward him off long enough for them to help me. By the time they realized I was in trouble, he already had me. Desmond has quarantined me with you, and knowing him, he’s going to make them sit and stew, wondering if he killed me taking over the pack. If they think about it, they’ll know he hasn’t. He has a very aggressive sense of pack justice. Whoever came to the door was probably told to keep their mouth shut, and it’s damned difficult to disobey direct orders from Desmond.”

“Quarantined,” I echoed, my wolf growling at the thought of us being treated like we were diseased. “What do you mean by pack justice?”

My mate cracked open an eye and smiled at me. “Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, darling. Maybe they didn’t mean to drive you so far, but they did. The bastard is projecting a sick amount of pleasure and satisfaction in my direction. Unless I’m mistaken, all you’re getting is a healthy dose of affection, probably from Wendy, as Desmond’s having far too much fun being a sadist. He’s projecting echoes of it in my direction so I know he’s keeping his word.”

My wolf was basking in the odd source of warmth, which blanketed me when my mate wasn’t touching me. “Oh. Will he hurt them?”

“The only ones you have to worry about tonight is you and me, Sara,” my mate growled. “And I seem to recall it is my duty to feed you tonight, by hand, morsel after morsel, as though you were a Roman Empress and I your slave. You’re going to need a lot of energy for what I have planned for you. By morning, you’re not going to have a single doubt how much I want and need you. And who knows, maybe I’ll show that insufferable Dustin I know far more than he thinks I do. Maybe if you’re really lucky, I’ll dig out a couple of my ties,” he said, narrowing his eyes as he took his time looking me over from head to toe. “I’ve had this urge to catch and tie up a certain stripper ever since I first saw her. My wolf wants to hear you moan, woman, and so do I.”

Had anyone else suggested such a thing to me, it would’ve frightened me, but the idea of Sanders taking control sent my wolf into a lustful frenzy. I trembled, fighting off her need to grab him and put an end to his teasing. Breathless from the effort of staying still, I asked, “And what do you intend to do with the stripper once you catch her?”

“Anything I want. Tonight, I think I’ll just worry about making you feel beautiful, wanted, and desired, and crushing any doubts you might have rattling about in that pretty head of yours. I’ll be forced to enjoy every moment of it. It’s a terrible price to pay, but I’ll suffer for the cause.”

My wolf wanted him now, and no longer able to resist her desires, I crawled onto my mate’s lap, staring at his throat. He took hold of my chin, tilted my head up, and kissed me. Grabbing hold of me, he sat up, twisted, and lowered me to the couch, all without his lips leaving mine. When he finished with me, I panted to catch my breath.

“Not yet, darling. Soon. If I don’t feed you first, you’ll surely fall asleep before I’m finished with you, and that simply won’t do. Maybe I can’t take away your memories of earlier tonight, but I’ll replace them with so many good ones they won’t matter as much. Tomorrow, the day after, and the day after, I’ll do it all over again. I’m going to do my damned best for the rest of our lives to make sure I never give you a reason to ever go away.” He smiled at me, pressing his thumb to my lips. “We Fenerec can live a long time, so prepare yourself, Sara.”

Chapter Twenty

My mate’s growls woke me, and grumbling a protest, I snuggled closer to him. Filling my nose with his scent, I relaxed when all my wolf could detect was mild annoyance.

“It’s too early to get up,” I mumbled. “Go back to sleep.”

“Good morning, Sara,” Desmond said, and his amusement irritated a growl out of me. “You need to get up. It’s ten.”

Two hours of sleep wasn’t enough to function, and thanks to my mate’s enthusiasm, I was sore and achy from head to toe. “Why do I have to get up?” I whined.

“I require your mate for a phone call, dear.”

“So bring him one of those fucking portable phone thingies, hand it to him, and go away so I can go back to sleep.”

“I believe cell phone is the term you’re looking for. Unfortunately, it’s a conference call.”

“Unacceptable,” I declared, and while my mate stretched and yawned, I wiggled under the blankets so I could nuzzle his throat, making contented noises. “It is sleep time, not social hour. Social hour is at eight, which means I don’t have to be awake until four. Go away.”

“I don’t think I can tell the Shadow Pope you’re unavailable to talk with him because you’re too busy sleeping.”

I tensed, whining at the thought of having to deal with the Inquisition, the Shadow Pope, or anyone related to our business in New York. Shame over what I done at yesterday’s party welled up, and I shook. Sanders rolled, gathering me close, and held me.

“Shh, Sara,” he soothed. “You have nothing to worry about, darling. I’m not going to let anyone do anything to you.”

I felt the bed shift as Desmond sat on the edge near me. “His Eminence fully intends to dress my Third down for the events leading up to last night, and I thought you’d want to at least have a chance to say your piece, Sanders. I kept him as my Third instead of shuffling the pack structure around, planning for when you do manage to take the pack from me. I’m unashamed to confirm I have you two so locked out of the rest of the pack bonds they can’t sense either one of you. This has caused a certain amount of panic and dismay among them. If you’re lucky, you’ll also get to hear me reprimanded for taking over your pack without his permission.”

“You still haven’t told them I’m alive?” Alarm laced my mate’s voice, and he lurched upright, clinging to me so I wouldn’t fall. I growled, snatching at the blanket so I wouldn’t flash Desmond.

“Why would I do that? Each and every one of those mongrels deserves it.”

“Desmond,” my mate whined in protest. I twisted around, baring my teeth while growling at our Alpha.

“Sara, don’t make me put you in your place,” Desmond warned, his eyes glinting yellow.

My wolf, tired of being pushed around, tired of being treated like the lowest rung on the totem, refused to back down, forcing a snarl out of my throat.

“When you figure out where her place is, do let me know,” my mate murmured. He circled his arms around my chest and pulled me against him, ignoring my growls. I twisted around and clamped my teeth onto his chin.

Hissing in pain, my mate remained still until I released him. “Vicious little beast this morning, aren’t you?”

“You’re supposed to be sleeping with me, not talking,” I grumbled.

“Again? You’re insatiable,” he replied, and his scent sweetened with his amusement and pleasure.

While I hadn’t meant it like that, I had no complaints, and while my wolf was more than satisfied, I turned my attention to his throat.

Desmond coughed. “Phone call.”

“More sleep, less talk,” I replied, licking my lips as I contemplated how hard I wanted to nip my mate. It wouldn’t take much to reignite his interest in me, but between me and my wolf, we had figured out the harder we bit him, the more enthusiastic he became.

“Come on, you two. I promised I’d call in.” Desmond checked his watch. “In less than five minutes, actually. Throw on some bathrobes, come to the dining room, and let’s be done with it. Then you can go back to sleep. I will not accept no for an answer. March, both of you.”

Sanders wrinkled his nose. “There will be bodies if anyone makes Sara cry.”

“You may have to wait until we go hunting the witch and rogue Fenerec for that satisfaction. Considering the witch is partially to blame for this situation, she should prove satisfying prey for you.”

I growled, pointing at the doorway, “Out.”

“Five minutes,” Desmond replied, hopping off the edge of the bed. “I will come in here and yank you both out of bed by your ears if I must.”

“He really will,” my mate warned, grumbling curses. Once Desmond was gone, Sanders escaped from the blankets and got out of bed to grab one of the two bathrobes lying on the floor. He tossed the other one to me.

Stifling a groan, I wrapped myself in it, hissing at my sore, stiff muscles. “How the hell can he be so awake?”

My mate laughed. “I have my doubts Wendy kept him awake until eight in the morning.”

“His loss.”

“Enjoyed it, did you?” Smiling, he scooped me up and kissed my cheek. “Seeing you’re wincing just putting on your robe, I shall spare you the indignity of waddling out to the living room. Don’t worry, my dear. Being the lovely Fenerec you are, you should be fully recovered by this evening so I can ravage you again.”

“Promise?”

“As soon as we’re back at the hotel tonight, I promise I will have my way with you. It’ll be difficult to top last night, but I’ll try.” He smiled at me, bounced me in his arms to adjust his hold on me, and carried me to the dining room.

“So, your lady can’t walk on her own this morning?” Desmond asked, arching a brow.

“Forget walking, she had enough trouble getting into her robe,” my mate reported, smirking his satisfaction.

“How late were you two up?”

“I make no promises we won’t snap and snarl at people on the phone,” my mate replied. “Can we do this in the living room? Couches are more comfortable, and in this room, I feel like one of us needs a crown and we should have servants. I’m pretty certain Empress Sara would force us to do menial tasks. This place is really excessive.”

“There is a reason it’s the hotel’s most expensive suite, Sanders,” Desmond replied, scooping his phone up and pocketing it. “Living room it is.”

I ended up stretched on the couch with my head resting on my mate’s lap. Desmond sat on the armchair nearest to us, set his phone on the coffee table, and dialed a number, enabling speakerphone. When the operator answered, he said, “Topside, please. It’s Desmond.”

“Connecting.”

“Good morning, Charles,” the Shadow Pope said. “I have Joseph, your mate, and Chrissy on the line, along with Dustin and Holly. Wendy has mostly filled me in, although she has been remarkably quiet regarding certain key points. Joseph and Chrissy are convinced you killed their Alpha taking over Seattle. Why might this be?”

Desmond put his finger to his lips and glared at my mate, who looked up at the ceiling as though pleading for patience before acknowledging our Alpha with a nod. “Ah, Matthew Sanders. He put up a fight.”

The Shadow Pope sighed. “You’re toying with me, aren’t you?”

“Would I do something like that? Preposterous. Maybe I just wanted to take over Seattle’s pack for the fun of it.” Desmond replied, shaking his head. “He’s alive, and until I determine that the rest of the pack has learned their lesson, he’s my hostage, as is his mate. They’re quarantined and will remain so until I’m satisfied his mate won’t be targeted again. I will not tolerate any more interference with their pairing, unless you really want a Fenerec as cunning and strong as Sanders going completely wild. Should another incident like last night happen, I doubt I’ll be able to control him. I’d be forced to kill him, which is the last thing I want. Without full support and cooperation from the pack, which he currently does not have, I would not be able to contain him without it turning into a lethal conflict, one I would win.”

I tensed, my eyes widening at the thought of them killing my mate. Sanders rested his hand on my throat and massaged me until I relaxed under his touch.

“I see. While Wendy explained Miss Madison attempted suicide last night, she did not fully explain the circumstances leading to this or the severity of her injuries.”

I bit my lip, closed my eyes, and buried my face against Sanders’s stomach, trembling at the reminder of what I had done. What I didn’t understand was why the Shadow Pope was pretending he didn’t know the details; I remembered Desmond and Dustin talking to him the night before.

“I think Dustin is the best to explain the severity of what happened last night,” Desmond replied.

“Of course, Mr. Desmond,” Dustin said, his voice quiet. “She drowned, Your Eminence. Judging from the state of her body after I pulled her out of the ocean, she succumbed to hypothermia before submerging. Had she been human, she would have been declared dead by the time we got her on the shore. Her mate’s stubborn determination saved her, barely. He performed CPR for approximately five minutes before she responded. Mr. Desmond, at my recommendation, forced her to transform from human to wolf and back again to facilitate her recovery.”