Emily's Story (28 page)

Nicolas’ body was still missing and the clans had called off the official search.

Two weeks after Emily called the wolves, Patricia came to the cabin on four legs and silently requested Emily place her hand on her barely visible stomach bump. The baby rolled beneath Emily’s startled fingers. Her soul began to melt.

Patricia gave birth to another girl. Sheeann was a miracle. Emily watched when the small cub opened her eyes for the first time and then again when she first shifted to wolf. The child brought joy to everyone. The wall around Emily’s heart crumbled slowly and the pull of motherhood put her on constant edge.

It took her another month to speak with Brandt even though he already knew. He only waited for Emily to make peace with the decision. This would be the single hardest thing either of them had ever done.

Brandt kept his hand wrapped securely around Emily’s. During the past few days, he refused to let her leave his sight. Cheri planned to meet them in Dallas and stay at their hotel. Emily would go to a different location with Dr. Stevens.

Patricia would accompany Emily while Cheri controlled Brandt. When the doctor arrived at the hotel, his fists pumped tight as he fought his rage. His ferocious scent filled the room.

Cheri did her job. Brandt knew what she planned but his cry of anguish echoed through the room and he resisted. It didn’t matter. She was vampire and he couldn’t win. Finally, she lowered his unconscious body to the floor.

Amber eyes looked to Emily. “Go, I will make sure he is okay and won’t let him suffer while you’re gone.”

Frozen, Emily’s tears ran freely. She couldn’t take her eyes from Brandt.

Dr. Stevens spoke. “It will be easier once you are separated from him. You will be away no longer than three days. We will discuss the specifics once we are at the clinic. It’s time for us to go.”

Emily walked to Brandt and knelt by his side. Her tears fell on his face and she softly kissed his lips. “I love you.” She rose to her feet and didn’t look back. Patricia and the doctor followed.

When Brandt woke he unsuccessfully tried to fight Cheri again. Oblivion took him into the black hole, Emily’s name on his lips.

Two days later, Patricia entered Cheri’s suite.

“She’s in their room and barely speaks. She’s asked that I leave her alone.”

“Brandt should awaken soon.”

A crash from the bedroom stopped her next sentence. She pulled Patricia back from the path to the door.

More beast than human, Brandt tore the door behind Cheri from its hinges. The door to his and Emily’s suite was propped open. Against every demand from his wolf he stopped. His sensitive ears easily heard the gut-wrenching sobs coming from within. Taking deep breaths for control, he finally entered. She lay curled on her side, facing away from the door. Her entire body shook with her cries. Her grief carried him to the bed.

Her scent, the scent of a she-wolf with child released his pain in wave after wave of protectiveness. He gathered her into his arms and held her while her sobs continued. This was the moment that scared him the most. He had worried his fury would explode but now that he was here, he only felt love and overwhelming peace. He let it go. His alpha power ignited and traveled through her body. After several minutes he carried her to the bathroom. She didn’t resist but she wouldn’t look at him. He put her on her feet and removed her clothing. After adjusting the water temperature he cradled her body and stepped beneath the spray; the same spray that once brought pain and terror. He let the water cascade over them keeping her head pressed against the crook of his neck. Her crying subsided but her body continued to tremble. Finally, he set her on her feet and began to wash each inch of her beautiful flesh. She kept her eyes closed allowing him to remove the lingering scent of Dr. Stevens and Patricia from her body. They bathed her before their return.

He placed Emily’s arms around his neck and then used his powerful muscles to lift her placing her back against the shower wall. His hands went to her thighs, pulling her legs around his waist. In one swift move his body sank deeply into hers.

Shocked blue eyes opened and stared into his. He clenched his jaw but kept his body motionless, buried deep inside hers. At last his mouth came down, demanding her lips part. He poured every ounce of passion into the kiss.

For two days, grief had crushed Emily’s spirit. When the doctor said she was pregnant it meant nothing. She was isolated and trapped inside a cage like the one which held her for nineteen years. The only difference being this cage was in her mind.

Brandt’s touch did not break the bars of the misery. The water did nothing. The soap could not wash away her shame. She could not meet his eyes.

Then his erection entered her in one hot and burning stroke. The shock caused her eyes to open. Obsidian black looked back, no hatred, or revulsion but pure infinite love.

His body moved, stroking her cold depth warming her heart. Slow methodical pressure inward and then out. His mouth traveled from her lips, down her neck and then closed around a nipple adoring it with his tongue. He sucked gently then moved to her other breast repeating the caress. His hips suddenly stopped their steady pressure and his eyes again captured hers.

“My lips are worshiping the breasts that our child will suckle.” He gently moved a wet lock of hair from her eyes. “Look at me Emily. You are my world and this child is ours. Our cub will never suffer like his mother did for nineteen years. We will raise our child in love and gentleness. I demand everything from you, right now. Love me and don’t ever let go.”

Her arms tightened and her body responded to his words. They broke through the ice and pain surrounding her heart. Soft luscious lips met his.

He sank deeper into her body, taking everything. His hips rocked slow and steady until she answered his call. When her mate scent finally ignited, his gentleness gave way to his beast. His hips flexed faster and faster, his teeth sought her shoulder and once more he staked his claim on the beautiful woman that now carried his child.

When the water finally grew cold they went to bed. He wrapped his body around hers and sought her breast, cupping it gently with one hand. His other hand found her flat stomach where their child now rested and he splayed his fingers over the warm flesh. His voice was husky in her ear, “Mine.”

***

The scent of the forest surrounded them. They sprang over broken limbs and ducked beneath low hanging branches. A not so gentle nip at her flank caused her to turn sharply and extend her teeth in Brandt’s direction trying to grab his front leg. He was able to twist and tackle her. They rolled in the pine needles and he shifted to human. Her blue wolf eyes appreciated his muscled biceps and powerful legs holding her in place.

“Change my love.”

It was a command she couldn’t resist. Human arms closed around him becoming the perfect match for his. “I love you.”

He tightened his hold and sniffed her neck, inhaling her scent. He could feel wetness on his chest and looked down at her beautiful breasts. Milk leaked and dampened his skin causing him to rub sensually against her. “Our son will need his mother soon but I need her more right now.

“Then stop talking and do your worst.”

His laugh was a husky growl. “My worst will make you scream and your moans will echo through the trees.”

Blue challenged black, “I’m waiting.”

“Mine.” he said before his lips claimed hers.

***

South America

The room was dark only a small sliver showed through the solid door that kept him imprisoned. Chains, attached to his arms and legs secured him to the wall. He was barely able to lie on the floor.

A putrid bucket for waste sat next to him but he had not eaten in weeks or drank water in days. He no longer needed the bucket. His body; filthy with lice skittering through his shaggy hair, and blood crusted on his skin was wasting away.

He was dying. Lack of food and water---torture, and the loss of his pack had finally taken away his will to live. The next beating would be his last.

When he arrived in hell, he swore he would take cats with him before he died but that was no longer possible. Revenge couldn’t hold back his pain; grief was no longer important. He gave up but knew his friends would take retribution for the murder of his family. Darkness descended, he hoped this was death.

Light entered his cell then shadows quickly replaced it as the door closed. His mind was cloudy but he knew this was his last moment on earth.

Did he have a burst of energy to fight one last time? He didn’t think so.

The steps approached. They were soft, coming closer than usual. Maybe they thought him so near death it no longer mattered. A body knelt beside him. The cat was inches from his hands.

Fuck yes; he would finally take one with him in death.

Every last bit of alpha’s power roared through his body. Coming to his knees he wrapped his hands around the throat of his enemy.

So weak, where once he could twist off a head, this death would take longer. He swore he would squeeze every breath of air from the cat’s body.

He wanted to see the eyes that would precede him in death. His wolf gaze took over and through the darkness he pulled the dying man closer.

Panic filled green spheres with black cat irises stared back. Small hands came up to clasp his, Zenya.

A female cat he met once before he landed in hell. Shock loosened his grip.

Terror stared back and she sucked air sharply into her lungs. Her throaty words barely made it past her lips. “Amy sent me.”

His fingers loosened more. His rasping words growled into her ear. “Helping me won’t save you. I will kill every cat alive.”

She was now taking long deep breaths but her eyes never wavered. “Fine Nicolas, but kill me when you don’t need me anymore.”

“That can be arranged.”

Fang Chronicles: Zenya’s Story due out 2013

Author’s Note

As with all my books there is a team of people who are with me during my publishing journey. Special thanks to my mom and Linda, you always make me better than I really am. Fantasia Frog Design is responsible for my amazing cover. You are simply incredible and it’s my favorite though I haven’t seen the cover for book III yet. To the wonderful tribe I belong to on Triberr “Steamy Sexy Sensual Romance” You ladies rock. To everyone who read Amy’s Story, left a comment on my blog, review on Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or All Romance eBooks thank you for inspiring me to write. Denise at BlogHer; you always making me feel special and you are an awesome lady.

I invite readers to visit me at
http://fangchronicles.wordpress.com
for the latest news on my world of fangs or email [email protected]. If you are willing to take a chance and read something different by me, I also write under the name Suzie Ivy about my day job as a midlife police detective.

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Fang Chronicles: Book I

Amy’s Story

By D’Elen McClain

Available in eBook and print editions at your favorite online bookstore