Raining Kisses (The Opeth Pack Saga Book 2) (15 page)

“Ahem.” Selene crossed her legs and swirled her glass of wine.

Nicholaus stomped into the kitchen. “And why does everyone think they can invade my liquor collection?”

The male lifted his head and blinked. “You have a nice liquor collection. That’s why. I’ve yet to find your cigars. You do fit in with our pack.”

“They’re over by the bed.” Nicholaus shook his head. “Again, who the fuck is this jackoff, Selene?”

“This
jackoff
as you so put it, is your new Alpha. Nicholaus, meet Józsi, Opeth Pack Alpha.”

Nicholaus didn’t know whether to be pissed, feel humble, or groan. “Fine. You’re the new Alpha of the Opeth Pack. I have no pack.”

“The Opeth Pack doesn’t turn away from those who belong to it. So no, you can’t pull that
I have no pack
bullshit. Been there, done that shit already. Feel me?” Józsi set the port glass down on the granite counter by the sink and crossed his arms over his rather impressive chest. He was very well defined, and if Nicholaus were anyone else, he’d probably tremble in fear.

Selene smirked, appeared bored by the obvious male posturing. “He already tried that.”

“Oh,” Nicholaus groaned. “Lukina and Ilona must have corrected him.”

Józsi retrieved his glass, took a sip of wine. “Indeed. I’m not fond of it. I fucking hate being put in this position when I know so little, Nicholaus. But our coming together must be done.”

“That’s your problem, not mine.”

“You are correct. Ass. But your problem is that you left your fucking mates with a god damn murderous bastard.”

Nicholaus’s eyes widened. He so did not want to have this discussion. His jaw ticked. “So? She threw me away. She abandoned me.”

“Because you abandoned her!” Selene stood and pushed away from the couch, shoving her way past the overbearing alpha of her pack and into the open space by the patio. She turned on one heel, her shoes clicking loud against the concrete floor, and growled back at Nicholas. Flames of ire filled her piercing green eyes. “You stupid fucking males of this pack irritate the hell out of me!” She threw her hands up and tossed her glass carelessly into the air.

It landed on the concrete and shattered, then reassembled itself as though it had never been tossed in the first place before it flew back into her hand. She stalked to the counter and all but slammed it down before Józsi.

“Fill this, Józsi.”

Józsi nodded and took the glass from her. He topped it off and set it down on the counter.

Selene strode across the room, nearly running into Nicholaus.

Putting his hands up for defense, he took a step back. “Wait a minute here. I’m—“

“Just another damn moronic Opeth Pack male. So quick to disappear when things get complicated. You infuriate the women of this pack!” She knocked back her wine, wiped her mouth and glared, her brows furrowing together tightly.

Her eyes glowed red and gold. Power washed off her in smoky hues that crawled up his skin. How Józsi wasn't affected remained a mystery but Nicholaus knew better than to fuck with the pack witch. In the hierarchy, she held things together, kept the pack aligned with their goals and guided them toward a natural path.

Even though she only came up to his chest, Nicholaus still felt a large power brewing beneath the surface of her emotion. Hell, for all he knew, it was backed by her emotion.

“I did what I had to.” He closed his eyes and looked away.

Józsi narrowed his dark blue eyes. “So did I. And I was wrong, Nicholaus. I can’t expect you to understand any of this god damn prophecy shit. Really, I can’t. I think it’s bullshit.”

“You’re god damn right it is.”

Selene glared at both of them. “You left her to die, Nicholaus.”

“I did no such thing. If she wanted to be with that fucker then she should be.” Nicholaus’s shoulders tensed. He sensed a charge in power across the air, something skittering his way.

Selene took the glass from Józsi. “And what of Katarina?”

Nicholaus scoffed. “I’m sure Savas will be persuaded to spare her life.”

Józsi crossed the distance between them and before he knew it, Nicholaus ended up on his back on the hard concrete floor with the air knocked out of his lungs and a pair of hands holding him around his biceps. The icy stare he received only added to the chill currently doing the mambo over his nerves.

“Wrong answer,” Józsi snarled.

Nicholaus couldn't move. The other male didn't outweigh him per se, but he'd been forced into a defensive position he couldn't do much from. “God damn it!” Glancing at Selene, he saw tears falling from her eyes. “She’s no longer my responsibility. She apparently promised Savas she'd take over as their pack healer! And she told me to fuck off and leave!” He spat blood on the floor, then cursed himself for forgetting he was in his own loft.

“She’s your responsibility, Nicholaus. I smell the mark on you. They drank from you. Did you drink from them?”

“No.” He shook his head. Standing, he braced himself against the wall.

“You let them only do half the bond?” The furiousness of Selene's voice raising startled even the male pinning him against the ground.

What was he supposed to say? Oh hey, the truth was awfully convenient here. “I was forced into the bond. Of course I drank from them both. I keep telling you, I want nothing to do with this. I don’t want them, you or anyone. Just leave me alone.”

Józsi dropped his magic and appeared as a very large wolf standing before Nicholaus. Those icy eyes glowed with rage. Saliva dripped from teeth and the scent in the room quickly smelled of death and blood. Bright silver fur ruffled around the wolf's neck.

“Józsi, you don’t want to do this.”

I do. You need to respect pack law.
The words spoke were steady in Nicholaus’s head.

Who the hell was this wolf to think he could boss him around? He'd left the pack, left his mates and all that shit behind for someone else to clean up. If Krys wanted to be a healer for another pack, she should have that choice and she certainly showed it when she sent him away. “Fuck pack law! I don’t give a good god damn about pack law. I am not like the rest of you!” Nicholaus ran around the wall and reached for the knife he kept on the nightstand. Raising it above his head, he stared straight at Józsi and realized he had just enough time to drop the knife.

Józsi had cleared the distance and pinned Nicholaus against the wall.

Jaws snapped at Nicholaus’ face.
You’re a bastard like the rest of us but you don’t get a pass anymore!

Sweat broke out on Nicholaus’ forehead. “Kill me.”

And let you abandon them forever? I don’t think so. You need to learn the same fucking truth I did. There are more important issues on this planet than fucking prophecy, than our stupidity.

“Józsi, get up off him.”

"Like what?"

The wolf snarled. He became a man again, still pinning Nicholaus to the wall hard enough that a little extra force would start breaking drywall.

Nicholaus glared at Selene. “Stay out of this, witch. This doesn’t concern you.”

Selene disappeared and reappeared in front of Nicholaus. Shoving Józsi out of the way, she raised a hand. Her palm landed across his jaw hard enough to make Nicholaus’ head slam into the wall and dent it. “You asshole!” she shouted. “This is pack business. I am the pack witch. It concerns me and my children!”

She'd moved faster than any wolf he'd ever seen. Faster than Les, definitely stronger, at least magically, than any other wolf he'd known, he'd be right to fear her. That would explain why his heart beat double time with her standing so close he could smell her unique scent and Marco's bond.

Pain radiated throughout his entire body, stunning him momentarily. She’d slapped him with more than just her hand that was for sure. His body still shook and admitting he wasn't afraid would be the ultimate lie he'd told himself today.

Almost.

Selene stomped off toward the island in the kitchen, retrieved her glass of wine and swallowed a large amount. She set the glass on the counter. “More, Józsi.”

Józsi grumbled and padded over to the counter. “We’ve nearly finished the bottle.”

“She loves you,” Selene pointed a finger at Nicholas. “They both love you. You’ve turned your back on them. Again! Forget the pack for a moment, Nicholaus. You’ve turned your back on your lovers. The two people in this lonely world that would die for you. Literally. And Krystyna is proving that right now while she sits with Savas, waiting in fear. Trembling with the knowledge he will rape her again, you selfish asshole.”

“He didn’t rape her.”

“You didn’t let her finish, did you?” Selene narrowed her eyes.

“How do you know any of this?” He shook his head no. “If that was the case then why did she send me away? Why did she scream for me to let her handle it? And how do you know about that? You weren’t there.”

“I’m a witch. The Opeth Pack is my family and I have shared blood with all of you. I know just about everything that goes on even though I don’t like it. As for her response to you, you fucked up with them, Nicholaus. Just as bad as this moron.” she waved a hand toward Józsi

“She’s right.” Józsi walked past Nicholaus. He flicked his cigar cutter open and closed. “In here?”

At least Józsi' voice returned to some semblance of calmness. Was this what they were talking about? Alpha flying off the handle… “No.” Nicholaus lowered his head and let out a breath. “In the closet.”

“Oh.” Józsi walked into the large closet and pulled out the piano wood humidor. “La Viña. I like these a lot.”

“Me too.” Sharing cigars with the alpha of a pack he'd all but turned his back on seemed like a good fucking idea. Especially when he'd almost been killed three times in less than twenty-four hours. His life was turning out like shit with all this prophecy bullshit.

“Smoke?” Józsi popped his head out of the closet.

Nicholaus sighed, shrugging his shoulders. “Sure. Fire two up.”

Selene let out an exasperated sigh. “Do you understand just what it is you have, Nicholaus? Just how precious the gift they’ve given to you is? Honestly?”

Nicholaus watched Józsi patiently light the foot of the cigar not one, not two but three matches, slowly concentrating on the task at hand before Selene continued. Once he was satisfied, five minutes later, he handed the cigar to Nicholaus.

He promptly cut the cap and took a puff, letting the smoke billowing around his head provide him with clarity before he answered Selene's question. He’d been so alone over the last twenty-five years. Hell, he’d have killed just to have someone to smoke cigars with once or twice a week. Or drink fine scotch. Or just to talk to. But it hadn’t happened. He hadn’t met anyone in Albuquerque, other than random people who crossed his path daily. That wasn’t true. He’d met plenty of people, but hadn’t actually followed up with any of them. One of the project developers for the lofts was a cigar smoker. And a scotch drinker. And a wolf.

“And do you understand this
thing
inside me, Selene?” He waved a hand in front of his body, “This thing inside me is a tool used to murder and devour. It doesn’t stop. It doesn’t get satisfied with just one life or a few. It—”

“Serves a purpose. You keep forgetting all the ones you’ve killed—”

“Are you fucking serious?” He set a hand on the counter, gripped it hard. “I hear them screaming loud every time I close my god damn eyes, Selene. They don't stop.” He set the cigar in a nearby ashtray.

“The voices of the guilty always try to make amends when they know they’re wrong. They will always scream because they know they are wrong. You simply learn to tune it out.”

Nicholaus rubbed his face, pressed his fingers into his temples in an attempt to ease mounting pressure. “How?”

“Your lovers will guide you, Nicholaus.” Her voice had softened. “Trust me.”

Oh sure, trust the pack witch who…well she’d abandoned the pack and then came back. Just like Józsi. They weren’t dead, weren’t worse for wear but neither of them looked happy.

Józsi surely looked the part of regal Alpha, albeit the confident expression he wore betrayed his aura. The intensity in his gaze held true, but the worn look on his face showed just how tired he was.

“You can’t be alone forever.” Józsi took a long puff on the cigar and let smoke curl around his head.

Nicholaus picked up his stick, took a drag, exhaled the smooth cocoa tasting smoke and looked at the ground. “I’ve been alone for so long.” He drew another puff, inhaling the cigar, he tasted the coffee flavors of the tobacco. The cloud of smoke circled his head and dissipated.

“You never had to be.” A female voice called from the door.

Jerking his head toward the door, Nicholaus stood, cigar in hand. “Katarina?”

The sound of heels clicking against the concrete floor echoed throughout the loft. Nicholaus took a few steps around the corner and nearly fell down when the tiny redhead smashed into him.

“Where have you been? You fucking asshole!” She buried her head into the crook of his shoulder before wrapping her arms around him.

“Are you okay?” Nicholaus ran a free hand over her upper body and down her legs. Stopping to squeeze an ass cheek, he snickered. “You feel fine.” Smelling her, he searched for the unclean scent of forced sex.

He found none and breathed a sigh of relief. Holding her back at arm’s length, he handed his cigar toward Józsi. “Here, take this.”

The other male complied.

Tears slid in a steady stream down Katarina's perfect face, igniting the pain in his heart all over again. He wrapped both arms around her and pulled her to him.

“Selene wasn’t kidding, was she?”

The curious look on her face said all he needed to know. Katarina stopped sobbing and pushed away from him. Looking into his eyes, she wiped away a few more tears.

“How did you escape?”

She wiped her nose and sniffled before brushing strands of hair from her face. “I didn't. Krystyna insisted to the general that I needed to deliver a message to you.”

Which meant they were bringing the fight to America. Great. He inhaled slowly, let the breath out just as fast “What?”