Sanibel Surrender Vampire Werewolf Menage (Fanged Romance Series Book Five) (9 page)

Up ahead, his eyes settled where the end of the bridge connected to Sanibel Island, Ail counted two Vampyr Vojaks waiting right next to the missing third Gryph. Across the street, he spied his brother and Heath misting in. Bane had his inked arms crossed over his chest, and he wasn’t happy. Neither was Ail. He noticed Bane remained in his most human form, keeping down his Beta Beast. Remarkably, with the exception of his claws and canines, Ail had done the very same thing.

“All’s clear. Scoot over, Molly.” he brought his big body in and gripped the wheel. “You okay?”

“I…can’t even begin…” Molly whispered hoarsely before she stiffened. “Those towering men there, who are standing on the side of the road and staring at us, who are they?”

He wasn’t supposed to out another faction, even to a mixed blood like Molly. Yet, tonight, the vampire race had let it all hang out, so it was on them. And if that leech from the Edison estate was going to keep chasing her, for whatever reason, she needed to keep up her guard until Jayce or Bane figured it all out. He shook his head in sad realization. From this point, Molly would
always
have to keep up her guard. It didn’t matter how many vamps the werewolves took care of for her, once the leeches got ahold of her scent, there would always be another one to take its place. “You are looking at Vampyr Vojaks,” he explained, tilting his head towards Bane as they passed. At that moment, Bane refused to speak mind-to-mind with Ail, instead, pointing his finger toward The Blue Pelican.

“Vampire,” she repeated, swallowing audibly. “What’s the Vojak part?”

“They’re, uh, vampire warriors,” he clarified. “Vojaks come from some of the purest lines of the vampire race. They cannot become warriors unless they’re born from warriors. Has to be in their blood, sort of speak.” Just like the Beta line and the Ruyters. “It’s not like signing up for the Marines or anything.”

“So…not only are there vampires in the world,” she said, and he could have sworn that her face had frozen solid, “but they have
warriors
?”

“Yeah. The Few the Arrogant,” he mocked, while making a right turn. “Soldiers, too, but they’re actually a few steps beneath Vojak’s Younglings. Cause Vojaks are
just that good
.”

“Why would c-creatures seemingly…I mean hypothetically so powerful, need warriors or soldiers?”

“To keep their race in line, that’s why. And there’s no hypothetical to it, Molly, every myth that you know of has a sliver of truth backing it.” As he took the next turn, he spied werewolves everywhere, lining the side road that connected the restaurant, The Blue Pelican, to its adjacent bed and breakfast. What any given passerby didn’t see were the buildings hidden by miasma that housed hundreds of Beasts.

“Every myth?” she asked disbelievingly.

“Pretty much. Well, I have yet to see a mermaid. I’m thinking they’re just shapeshifters clowning around with drunken humans, but, hey, hope springs eternal.” When Ail’s car breeched the miasma that kept the humans from entering or even seeing their property, he stopped in front of the largest building, where he lived. Molly spotted Heath Faden materializing right on the sidewalk in front of God and everybody. Molly made this strange sound in the back of her throat, so he checked to see if she was choking. “He’s one of the good guys, you know.”

“He’s…” Molly never managed to get the rest of her words out, her eyes blinking at Heath with the incredulity of someone waking up from a bad dream only to learn it was an ongoing reality. Closing her eyes fleetingly, she tugged Ail’s shirt over her knees, stretching it to cover her body, though he’d already seen the goods. So he took a long minute to remind himself that those goods were glorious and
off-limits
. Her fingers then reached her temples. “Something’s pressing on my forehead.”

Yeah, his compulsion was pressing on her again, to help her stay calm. “Probably a tension headache coming up, I’m feeling some tension myself.” Though in an entirely different head, ones only males had. “Stay right there, sweetheart, I’ll get your door.”

When Ail reached for his door, Molly asked, “W-where did your claws go?”

“They’re retractable.”

She palmed her forehead, muttering something about his claws being convenient, like an ever-ready pair of scissors or a trusty switchblade. From there, she bent down, rummaging on the floorboard. He knew what Molly was after - her fancy underwear.
Women.
He’d never figure them out. If he nearly died, he wouldn’t be thinking about his underwear. In fact, it was a rare moment if he ever wore them, since they ended up in irritating snags around his tribal inflixx. Molly’s underwear, on the other hand, he’d be dreaming about, but it wouldn’t be on her body. Nope, Ail pictured the fancy lace all shredded by his claws and strewn across the floor of his bedroom, in a sign of total submission. Yeah…

Heath beat Ail to the passenger’s side of the car. The highlander appeared almost frantic, his face a mask of concern when he opened the door. With a yelp of shock, Molly’s ass smacked the solid corner of the sidewalk. She screeched, “Oh, that’s gonna leave a mark on my lily-white, like,
forever
!”

“What the bloody hell, lass?”

As she stared straight up into the moon, Molly went on with her muttering, saying something about cursing her very birth. Ail couldn’t listen to save his life. The blood had drained entirely from his brain to his most favorite part of his body, further stiffening it. No matter how much Ail adjusted himself, he found no relief. The streetlight was illuminating Molly’s secret thatch of blond curls. He licked his lips, accidently slicing the tip of his tongue on his right canine. Yeah, his tongue was getting longer in the werewolf way.

In the meantime, Molly realized her skull hadn’t quite crashed down since Heath had caught it. And he hadn’t let her go, was still cradling her head, rubbing thumb circles over Molly’s left temple in a proprietary way.
Dude, she’s married.
Looking was bad enough, but touching her in that way…“Good save on her skull, Heath.” He tried to catch the highlander’s attention, bring him out of his wolfy lust. “Did you see my action on the causeway? Took down two Gryphs, not that I’m counting, but I think Rock seriously exaggerated their potency.” He might as well have been talking to the wind with Molly and Heath acting as if they were star-crossed lovers, while they ignored his ass.

“T-thank you,” Molly squeaked at Heath, now realizing the only article of clothing she wore, Ail’s shirt, had flipped up, exposing the length of her body to the undersides of her breasts. Funny, the highlander just seemed to realize it himself. So Heath, taking heart, yanked down the shirt, which made Ail a bit melancholy. After all, when was he ever going to get another look at
that
again? Gingerly moving her arms, Molly gripped the shirt’s hem, holding it in a death-grip. This made Ail even hornier, imagining prying her white-knuckled fingers open with his canines, while she moaned for
more
.

“Give yourself a minute, lass, take deep breaths.”

She whispered back, “Someone upstairs must really have it in for me.”

Heath nodded. “Mayhap not some
one
, but I’m thinkin’ you’ve crossed the wrong creature.”

“So…could things get worse?” she asked, looking between Heath and Ail.

“No,” Ail lied.

Heath sighed. “Definitely.”

“That’s…wonderful.”

Heath laughed. “Ah, sarcasm doesn’t suit a bonny lass, such as yourself.”

Tossing her long hair from her face, Molly flattened her hands against the cobblestones and pushed herself up to a sitting position, testing the waters. Heath slid his hand from her head and supported her shoulders. She appeared fine, although humans and mixed bloods had a tendency to get sore after falls and
particularly
after a good night of…he had to stop thinking that way about Molly.

Suddenly, Bane misted in next to her, lifting Molly to standing. “After showing off your impressive driving skills, you flattened out on a sidewalk?”

With reddening cheeks, Molly replied, “In my defense, I was preoccupied with gathering what little clothes I have left.”

Ail saw Heath pick up her underwear and stuff it in his pocket. Why hadn’t he thought of that? “I’ll find you something else to wear from my place,” Ail offered.

“Clothes aren’t concernin’ me,” Heath interjected. “We still haven’t seen the lass walk. Mayhap she needs a doctor’s attention.”

“Stop talking all around me like I’m a child,” Molly snarled, straightening her shoulders. “Sure, it’s been one hell of a night, but I’m not that fragile.”

Ail’s hands fisted at his sides, Molly was only partially right. Mentally, she wasn’t fragile in the least. However, physically, she was way past fragile, dangerously vulnerable. Ail couldn’t imagine all the painful things a vampire could do to her,
would
do to her, if given the opportunity.

When he saw a tear slip down her cheek, his werewolf wanted to comfort her, pat her face dry and make her pain go away.
She’s not ours,
he roared back at the Beast when it made another attempt at transformation.

“Okay, Molly,” Bane said in that soft tone he set aside for females, throwing all kinds of soothing compulsion her way. “I still have to ask. Can you walk, anything messed up enough to need a doctor’s attention? Dru’s only a phone call away and my brother, Mason, is now practicing medicine.”

Molly shook her head no. “I don’t need Dru or Mason. Don’t treat me like I’m going to fall apart!”

Ail let his gaze skim her body, thinking he was the only one falling apart. If he ever saw Molly at a future family function with her husband…

Bane’s head snapped up, inquiring mind-to-mind.
Ail, I scent your distress, did you get hurt?

Nope.
He took a few steps back.
Just don’t stick Molly with me anymore. She cannot bunk in my place, not even for the night. Okay?

She doesn’t need to,
Bane replied. He turned to Heath, raising a brow. “Bren just headed to Scotland with your brother Jude. He wants a chance to visit with Rebecca and his newborn nephew before Tatum has the baby. And, no matter how much security surrounds her, Jayce refuses to leave Tatum’s side until Bren returns. I cannot blame him for that; I’d do the very same thing. Still, I have to take over Jayce’s duties, coupling them with my own. My question is – can you handle
this
?” he asked significantly.

“Aye,” Heath said simply. “After what happened tonight,
this
has to change.”

“Just what I want to hear,” Bane said to Heath with relief. “Take Molly home. Ail’s coming with me.”

Ail didn’t bother stifling his groan, “I have other plans, man.”

“Doesn’t matter, little bro, the vampires have already called for an emergency Joint Faction Meeting.” Bane rubbed the tension from his neck, his jaw knotting in that this-means-trouble way. “You took out two Gryphs - one’s dead - and the Dynasty Empire has sent the Vojaks after an explanation.”

“Okay, lass, I know you have a lot of questions, but let’s discuss them inside, shall we?” He led her to the double doors, marking the main entrance of the tallest structure, and waved a hand over the futuristic locking system. Voila, they were inside her new building without needing her card key.

“Oh, I have only a million plus one, and I intend to ask each question.” Molly rubbed her throbbing elbow, figuring that she must have banged it on the sidewalk pretty hard. At least it wasn’t her head. “Uh, by the way, thanks for catching my noggin, Heath.”

“Is that all I caught?” There was a smile threading through his voice. “Your noggin, that is?” With one arm still anchored around her torso, his other hung loosely at his side. Corded lines shadowed his muscular forearm, the olive skin covered lightly with black hair. At his wrist, he wore an etched, platinum cuff.

“Well, that and a glimpse of my privates, but that wasn’t my intention. I’m not the typical flasher. However my sister, Renee…it doesn’t matter. That’s neither here nor there, and I tend to ramble when I’m freaked out of my ever loving mind.”

“No one thinks you’re a…what did you call it?”

“Flasher.”

“Hmm,” he replied, sounding as though he never before heard such a common word. “Ramble all you want, though, tis better to release your stress the best way you can. Don’t leave it to fester, lass.” They veered left, passing what looked to be a small living area with oversized chairs and a mammoth flat screen. She must have missed that when coming in last night. “And I’ve met your sister Renee,” he added softly, she’s a fine gal.”

She forced a laugh. “Fine gal or not, I think Renee has some explaining to do about her husband. Or if she’s in the dark, I have something terrible to tell her.” Molly braved another peek at him.
Yep, he was just as she remembered. Hair so black that some strands appeared blue was fixed at his nape in a loose, sexy ponytail. His jaw, covered by the sexiest stubble this side of Georgia, was hard, chiseled.
A man’s jaw
. She followed the line of his straight nose, moving along bronze-dusted skin, and met silvery eyes.
Truly unbelievable
. The contrast between those fantastical eyes and his dark features was eerily beautiful. His irises, catching the overhead glow of the corridor lights, glittered like…
What was that?
She could have sworn that she saw movement behind Heath’s eyes. Similar to Ail’s…

Heath inhaled sharply, sliding a sidelong look her way. “I must confess - I protected you this night and many others like it. Not about to hurt you now, I think I proved that quite well last night, when you were beneath me.”

“Thanks,” was all she managed to say. “I mean for helping me not the…you know.” His lips twitched, but he said nothing. Then she realized something. “I don’t have my purse.”

“Not a problem. We’ll get it.” Heath brushed past her and opened her new condominium with another wave of his hand. On any other day, Molly might ask him how he managed his magical breaking and entering. But she had other questions that were more important, and she didn’t know how many Heath would answer before leaving.