Fanged Fury (The Adventures of Sydney Sedrick Book 3) (10 page)

The sound of a wolf clearing their throat interrupted our silent challenge. Not sure if the sound came from Blake or not, I turned my eyes away from Matt, but not my attention. My body was finely tuned into the wolf’s every movement, even though I wasn’t facing directly at him.

“Blake, this is the heir to the Mobile, Alabama, pack. Matt, this is my son, Blake.” Morris’ eyes shifted between the two heirs. By the pack leader’s tense stance, he expected a fight to break out.

Blake nodded once toward Matt. “Welcome to our home. I hope you don’t plan on staying long because we have business to attend. There’s no time to be dealing with the likes of you.”

The sexy blond laughed with menace. “Don’t worry, Blake. I won’t get in your way. I do plan on being here for a while, though.” Matt turned his attention back to me. My body flushed once more under his gaze.

My tongue darted out, moistening my dry lips. “Why?” I didn’t want the wolf around any longer than Blake did. I already had to deal with my reaction to Daire, which Blake didn’t know about. I didn’t need Matt around, further complicating matters. If I didn’t get my body under control, Blake would soon make the connection. He wouldn’t understand my reaction was completely out of my control; he wouldn’t be able to comprehend something was terribly wrong. I could feel it.

“Why haven’t you introduced me to your female guest? I can only assume since she’s not a wolf that she is the beloved Selected of the Americas.” Holding out his hand, Matt waited for me to place mine in his.

Without budging, I said, “Yes, I’m the Selected. I don’t appreciate your pack thinking it’s okay to make the trip to spy on and interfere with the Midwestern Pack’s business.” I wanted to take that outstretched hand of his. I ached to feel the heat only he could give me on my flesh, but I also wanted to slap that devilish grin clear off his smug face.

“I understand you have not been prepped in the ways of the wolves during your life as you should have been. I see it as an oversight of the local pack, to be sure, but I intend to rectify their mistake myself during my stay.” Matt dropped his outstretched hand and faced Morris.

Blake stepped in front of Matt, putting space between us. “Don’t even think you’re going to try anything with Sydney. She is my life-mate. If you make any kind of move, I’ll drop your dead body at your father’s feet myself.” Blake’s eyes blazed with fury. The veins in his neck pulsated as he readied to be struck.

It was my turn to interrupt the men’s parade of masculinity, although it made every sexual nerve in my body throb. “Knock it off, both of you. Matt, don’t come near me unless it’s for pack business. Blake, I want to go home.”

The men sat with their chests puffed out, reminding me of male peacocks doing their dance, trying to attract the females to mate. Morris stepped in the middle of them. None too gently, he pushed them apart. “Enough. Matt is here in our city as a guest. He will be treated as such. Matt, you will act accordingly. If there is information regarding pack activities you seek, then you will address either Blake or me. You will leave the rest of my family members alone. Is that understood?”

Matt crossed over to the far wall of the dining hall to pick up a black overnight bag from the table and swung it over his shoulder. “I understand, Morris. The sooner I learn what I need, the faster I can get out of this town. That is, unless I find a reason to stay. You know, I wouldn’t mind assisting with the bloodshed that will ensure fulfillment of the prophecy.” With that, he wiggled his eyebrows in my direction.

Blake jumped toward Matt but Morris stepped in front of him and grabbed his shoulder.

Blake shouted, “You stay away from her, or by the Moon Goddess, I swear I will beat you bloody.” Blake’s fingers began to extend into sharpened points. The golden hue of his skin began to turn dark, almost black.

“Blake, get your wolf under control,” Morris demanded. “Matt, quit antagonizing my son. If you continue, you’ll have the entire pack after you. You don’t want that.” Morris was beginning to lose his grip on the fragile control of his own beast.

Matt repositioned the bag strap over his shoulder. “Blake, my man, she is no such thing to you. You have not marked her as your life-mate, so that means she’s fair game to anyone of her choosing. I believe she isn’t as sure of your courtship as you, my boy.”

Without waiting for a response, Matt sauntered out of the dining hall. I could tell the moment he crossed the threshold of the pack’s front door because I no longer felt the scalding heat calling to my woman’s core. The only heat lingering in the air was coming from Blake, Morris, and Michael. The heat coming from all three of them wasn’t pleasant. A thick film of aggression coated the room, making me feel covered with it.

I tentatively placed a hand on Blake’s biceps. He was facing the window while regaining his composure. Tugging on his arm, I witnessed the last of his transformation from wolf to human as his elongated jaw shortened while his extended teeth retracted back into his jaw.

A warm hand covered mine. Blake met my eyes as he said, “Sydney, I think taking you home would be for the best.”

Blake looked emotionally beaten. Guilt paralyzed me as I realized my involvement was a large part of his demeanor.

“Blake, don’t listen to a word that wolf says. You know he’ll do anything he can to get under your skin. He picked up on your feelings for me. He used it to get at you, that’s all. Everything will be fine, you’ll see.” I tried to reassure Blake that no matter what, he would have my support. I wouldn’t let him down.

Uncertainty flashed in Blake’s eyes. “Sydney, I smelled your reaction to the wolf. Everyone in the room did. Your scent was off somehow. I’ve smelled your desire before. What I smelled the instant you saw Matt was stronger, but tainted.”

Blake’s eyes still held amber hue of his anger, and his tense posture and stiff muscles made him appear that he was ready to tear someone’s limbs from their body.

“Blake, I’m telling you not to worry about it. I don’t know why, but something is definitely going on with my body. I don’t know if my Selected senses are changing or what, but believe me when I say I don’t want anything to do with that man.” The more I said it, and the farther I was away from Matt, the more confidence I could put into the words I spoke.

Grabbing me in his arms, he held me close.

Morris coughed. “Son, Sydney, we’ll talk about these latest developments tomorrow. I want to spend what’s left of the night with my family. I’ll see you both soon.” The pack leader strode out of the dining hall, his body and movements stiff, followed by the wolves standing watch while Matt demanded an audience with the pack.

Once we were alone, Blake said, “Sydney, I love you. If you’ve got something going on then I’ll do whatever you need me to help you figure it out, but right now I think my dad is right. We should get going. It’s been a really long day.”

After saying goodnight to Michael and to say hi to Bri for me, together Blake and I climbed into his car. He cranked the heat while I turned the seat heater setting on high. Nothing beat the burning heat on my back and legs. “Blake, what did Matt mean when he mentioned the prophecy?”

Blake continued to drive in silence for a few blocks before replying. The way he struggled in deciding which words he would use concerned me.

“Sydney, the prophecy is complicated, but I’m sure the mangy wolf doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

The way he scoffed at my question made me unsure Blake was telling me everything he knew about the prophecy. “But Matt said something about blood-letting. He said he’d enjoy being a part of that. What did he mean, Blake?”

Blake groaned in frustration as he pulled into Aunt Judith’s driveway. He came into the house, shutting the door behind him. It was late but I knew Aunt Judith was spending the night with Meredith so we didn’t have to worry about being quiet.

I dropped my purse onto the counter next to the door before hanging up my coat. We went into the kitchen. Blake waited while I heated water to make hot chocolate.

When the water boiled, I poured it into cups loaded with chocolate drink mix. For good measure, I topped them both off with colored mini-marshmallows.

“So, are you going to sit there brooding all night, or are you going to tell me what you know about the prophecy? I want to know what Matt was talking about, Blake.” I was done letting people walk over me. If Blake wanted me to help the pack locate the rogues, then I wanted the relationship to be mutual, not just me give and them take.

“Sydney, I think you could do well with taking your own advice. Matt was saying stuff on purpose to get under both of our skins. It looks like the bastard succeeded.” Blake stared into his mug as he took a healthy swallow of the tasty chocolate goodness. When he put the mug down on the table, I peered up at him from my own mug and then we started laughing, hard. I hadn’t laughed so hard in a long time.

A ring of dark foam covered Blake’s top lip. He was oblivious to how silly he looked. I went to the counter to moisten a kitchen towel. I turned to go to Blake but he stood right behind me, no longer donning a chocolate mustache.

“Blake, we should probably call it a night, don’t you think?” Inching to my right to get out from between Blake’s arms, I slid my body against the solid surface, attempting to avoid grazing my body against the front of Blake’s.

His left arm shot out, pinning me in place. “Sydney, it has been a long day. Would you like me to tuck you in?”

The sensual promise of Blake’s lovemaking sounded like bliss. Who was I to deny myself the pleasures from a man who I knew loved me?

I had a lot going on. I needed to get to the bottom of what was going on with my aunt, why I was turning into a lust-crazed loose woman, but I knew it was too late to do anything about such matters for the night. In my eyes, my Selected obligations were met for the evening since I’d attended the werewolf pack’s meeting. Now it was time to reward myself for my good deeds.

“Blake, I would love for you to tuck me in. Why don’t you go ahead to my room? I’m just going to make sure the house is locked up for the night.”

Blake’s eyes went wild. He knew my intentions. The temperature in the room soared as the flames of his desire were fueled by the scent of my body quickening with need. The folds between my legs grew swollen, aching for Blake’s touch.

He growled with satisfaction as his lips slammed against mine. He thrust his tongue deep into my mouth. Our tongues danced along each other’s. The moistness of his mouth only made me wetter down below. I could feel my panties dampen with need.

“Now, Blake, right here.” I didn’t care that we were in the kitchen at Aunt Judith’s. She didn’t plan on coming home for the rest of the night.

For all I cared, Blake could have me naked out on the snow-covered front porch and I wouldn’t be happier.

Chapter 8

Blake scooped me up with one arm and swung my body in the air while he braced my legs under his other arm. As he twirled us around in a circle, I felt happier than I had in a long time. I let out a whoop of joy. Blake gave me a giant toothy grin, reflecting just how I felt.

“I love you, Sydney. You drive me insane.” Now it was my turn to smile.

“You do the same to me, my fine wolf.” I’d never told Blake how I truly felt about him because I feared he’d hold it against me. I didn’t want to give him more ammo on the life-mate issue than he already had.

Blake’s eyes gleamed with desire. He leaned his head down toward my face as he skillfully used my feet to push the kitchen door open. Heat radiated between us as his lips pressed against mine. He fueled my need for him to press his hot flesh against me when his tongue slipped from his mouth, tracing first my top lip, then my bottom, leaving a moist trail in his wake.

A groan of desire escaped him as he carried me up the stairs to my bedroom. When the excruciatingly long trip was over, Blake threw me on the bed. Before I could lift my head to see what he waited for, his body covered mine. His lips returned to continue their onslaught on my senses.

I lifted my center against his erection, causing him to growl with pleasure. Blake reached a hand between our bodies, cupping my mound as he caressed me. Sliding his face downward while lifting my sweatshirt up, he hovered his mouth over my bra. My nipple peaked when the heat of his breath blew across the thin fabric.

Blake held up a finger in front of my eye. I watched while the finger pad elongated and his nail grew into a sharpened point. My eyes went wide as he brought his wolf claw down to the material between my breasts. With a quick swipe, my bra sprung apart, baring my flesh for him to feast his eyes on.

“Sydney, you are so beautiful. Just gazing upon the perfection of your body makes it difficult for me not to spill my seed right in my jeans.” After he spoke, Blake placed his warm mouth on my now pert nipple. Tugging and sucking the nub into his mouth, he moved his hand down to unfasten the button of my pants.

I ran my hands through his dark, thick hair, reveling in the sensation of its silken strands while my eyes closed.

“You know, Matt has a point,” Blake said as he shifted from one breast to the other.

I rolled my back against the pillow. “Oh yeah, what point would that be?”

Not wanting him to stop his administrations with his mouth—I wanted to get him over his sudden talkative mood—I reached my arm down between us. I caressed the long shaft that bulged against his jeans.

Blake threw his head back and ground our midsections together. “Sydney, you are going to be the death of me, I am sure of it.”

Opening my eyes, I gave Blake my best innocent face. “Who, me?” Then I unsnapped his pants. Shimming them down a few inches, I skimmed the top of Blake’s boxers with the tip of my finger. Meeting the heated bulge of flesh reaching out for attention, a breath caught in my chest.

His hips bucked at my touch as he growled deliciously.

“Sydney, I must have you. I don’t think I can wait a second longer. Are you ready for me?” Blake’s breathing was ragged with desire.

“Yes, my wolf, I’m more than ready for you.” I smiled demurely as he stood above me, pulling his shirt over his head. He threw the clothing unceremoniously to the floor. Before I knew it, his lips were on the skin between my breasts. Blake trailed his tongue lower, tracing the sensitive skin over my ribs. My body ached to have him inside of me.

I had to admit, sex with Blake in the storeroom had been exciting. The reality of Blake making love to me on the comfortable bed covered with plush pillows was beyond any sensual dream I could have created on my own.

I threw my head back, anxious for him to take my pants off. I wanted him to have his way with me. Reaching between us, I pushed the tops of my jeans down to give Blake easier access, burning to feel his touch.

Blake took the hint. Hovering over my body, he helped unclothe me until all that remained was my stark-white bikini panties. Okay, so I’d planned to appear homely when Blake picked me up so as not to stir his desire. Silently, I sighed with relief that I had grabbed a sexy pair of panties. Nothing was worse than a man seeing a woman naked, clad in her ‘it’s laundry day’ briefs.

Stepping to the floor, Blake quickly removed the rest of his clothes, then eagerly returned to the bed. The light coming through the bedroom window from the waning moon haloed Blake’s body in a soft glow, highlighting the lines etched into his arms from his muscular frame. I reached up, placing my hand behind Blake’s neck. I urged him down on top of my body.

His lips crashed against mine, separating my lips with his tongue.

Forcing my legs apart with his knee, Blake positioned the tip of his shaft at my moist entrance. He deepened our kiss as he drove deep inside my core. With our lips locked, our bodies rocked together in a passion I’d never experienced in the past.

Blake broke our kiss without interrupting the intimate rhythm of our bodies then placed his lips on my neck as he continued to grind against me. Tension began to build in the lower portion of my abdomen. He licked his tongue along my jaw as he drove the length of him in and out of me. The pressure continued to build until Blake threw his head back, letting out a deep groan of sensual bliss. Bright neon stars erupted in my brain as I let out a cry of release as my body reached climax along with Blake.

Small quakes continued to wrack our bodies as we lay in bed, reveling in the afterglow of our lovemaking. Blake edged my body against the length of his. I snuggled close. Opening my mouth, I hesitated to ask the question that plagued my mind, not wanting to ruin the moment.

A rumble sounded from Blake’s chest before he said, “My love, you have something to say?”

Smiling with a warm heart, I acknowledged Blake knew me better than I thought, then said, “Blake, I get the suspicion you’re holding back from me.”

His eyebrows raised in disbelief, making us both break out with laughter.

“No, obviously I don’t mean you hold back sexually. Sometimes, I get the feeling when we’re around other wolves you’re withholding information from me. Blake, that’s a problem.”

Blake traced the length of my body with the tips of his fingers, leaving a blazing trail of heat along their paths while he thought over how he wanted to respond. With a deep breath, he said, “Sydney, there will always be the communication bond between the wolves. That’s how our pack communicates.”

His answer didn’t appease the reservations weighing heavy in my chest. “Blake, that’s not what I meant. I know you will always have that link with the wolves, but what did Matt mean when he said he’d like to be the one to spill blood to fulfill the prophecy?”

Blake sighed, then leaned his head back against the pillow while closing his eyes at the same time. His lack of a response caused my heart to clench with self-doubt. Blake could be intimate with me on a physical level, but the vibe my Selected senses gave told me he was definitely holding out on me.

I nudged him in the chest. “Blake?”

He took another deep breath in. “Sydney, speaking of the bond, my father is calling me back to the pack house.” Leaning toward me, Blake placed a quick peck on my hairline before turning to get off the bed.

Grabbing his arm, I said, “Blake, you’re just going leave?”

Blake remained silent as he searched for clothes, putting them on as each piece was found. I leaned against the wooden headboard covering myself with the sheet. Up until that moment, Blake had assured his love for me. He had a way of making me feel like the most important woman in the world.

Watching him silently put his clothes on, I realized he really was going to leave without soothing my fears. A lump formed in my throat. I swallowed several times to ease the knot while I struggled to hold back the tears.

He came over to sit at the edge of the bed. “Sydney, I have to go. My father said there’s been more trouble with the Mobile wolf, Matt.” Blake spoke the name with venomous hatred.

I nodded. “Okay, go. I know you have to deal with pack stuff. I mean you are the heir and all.”

My damn chin began to quiver despite my internal battle to hold it in, at least until I was alone.

Blake leaned in, placing a hand on each side of my face. “I can’t tell you how bad I want to stay here, with you. I want nothing more than to hold you all night long. But there are times when I have pack business that will keep me from you. Don’t worry, I won’t be long.”

The confidence in Blake’s words spurned my ego. “You know what? Don’t bother coming back tonight unless you’re ready to tell me what you’re hiding.”

Blake’s expression contorted like I’d just slapped him in the face. “Sydney, don’t be foolish. I told you I’m not hiding anything from you.”

My temper continued to rise.

“Matt mentioned blood for the prophecy. Whose blood, Blake?” I held the sheet closer around my body, feeling vulnerable.

Ruffling his hands through his hair, he turned toward the door to leave. “Sydney, I’m done with this conversation. The pack bond is crackling like crazy. I have to go.”

Without another word, he left.

I sat silent in bed listening to his heavy footsteps on the stairs. My heart sank at the sounds of him closing the front door of the house.

Blake was hiding something. It involved not only my part in fulfilling the prophecy, but something about blood. The question was, whose blood needed to be spilled?

Mine?

After locking up the house once I heard Blake’s tires crunch on the snow, I spent the night tossing from side-to-side. Sleep proved elusive. Blake never came back even though I’d half-hoped he would. Images of Matt swirled around in my thoughts. The wolf had Blake’s pack in an uproar. Matt’s arrival may mean more than Morris led on. Morris taking Michael away from watching over Brianna seemed overkill just because the Mobile, Alabama, wolf showed up.

I rolled over onto my side. I put my hand under the pillow Blake had used. The warmth of his body no longer lingered on the soft cotton sheets. Further under the pillow, my hand hit the corner of Grandma’s journal. I gave up fighting for the quest of sleep, switched the bedside lamp on, and read.

Being enveloped in the world of the Others is not a simple way of life. My dear granddaughter, life as the Selected is both a blessing and a curse. You will be a politician with great power. With that power come enemies who will attempt to take it from you, or they will try to manipulate your emotions to use you as their own weapon.

Take caution with all.

Searching for answers regarding both of the prophecies led me to strange realizations. I uncovered a key ability in being the Selected. Consuming vampire blood will allow you, as the Selected, to read human minds. At the time of my writing this to you, I have only experienced this phenomenon once. The occurrence was purely by chance. I will not bother you with the details of how I came by consuming the blood of a vampire. Just know that he was quite strong.

Vampires have human servants who care for them during the daylight hours. Kieran’s coven is no different. On occasion, I have spent my nights with the vampires, having been awoken surrounded by their
humans. After one especially long night with the coven leader, I began to hear things. At first, what I heard made no sense. I feared I was hallucinating. After listening intently to the sounds, I realized they were the voices of the humans guarding the coven house.

Granddaughter, should there ever come a time you seek information about the coven or the vampires’ intentions toward you, listen to their humans. Addicted to vampire blood, the humans will do anything, including selling their own children, to appease the vampires. They would sell their souls to bring notice upon themselves. From personal experience, do not befriend human addicts. The blood addiction is a very powerful one. In fact, it lasts forever. Selecteds aren’t susceptible in becoming blood dependant.

After reading about Grandmother’s discovery, I closed the journal on my lap. Sitting there, still wide-awake, I turned the lamp off. The stars twinkled through the window as I closed my eyes. Grandma had given me a great idea. Well, I wasn’t sure how great the idea was, or how safe, but I didn’t see any other options. I had to find out about the prophecies. One question Grandma hadn’t answered was,
If
I consumed vampire blood, would I be able to hear only the thoughts of the humans who have consumed the same vampire’s blood, or could I hear any human’s thoughts? I’d have to test the blood consumption limits.

As I finally dozed off, I struggled with whose blood I would seek. Kieran had supplied me with a vial of his blood in the past for emergencies. After an overeager rogue vampire infected multiple sites on my body from taking my blood, Kieran had sliced his tongue open and dripped his own blood into my mouth to help me heal. I couldn’t recall hearing any particular human’s thoughts, but considering the situation, I’m not sure my mind functioned clearly enough during the rescue that I would have recognized the sounds for what they were. Another option to obtain vampire blood could be from Daire.

My body reacted to the thought of the gorgeous, dark vampire who promised steamy sex with the merest nod of my consent. I resigned myself to asking whichever vampire I ran into first. I was sure Daire was old and powerful, just as I knew Kieran to be. Information, that’s what my new mission was. I needed to find out exactly what the vampires wanted from me. I also needed to know how they intended on getting it. Maybe, just maybe, the vampires would also know details of what Matt implied regarding the wolf prophecy. My now moist sheath clenched with a new vigor of need from imagining Daire standing in his well-tailored suit, promising ecstasy. I had to find out what the heck was going on with my body, too.