The Mystic Wolves (26 page)

“Of course I am, only a fool would pass by the opportunity to tap into her power. She will be the weapon I use to crush Zane and take over, the people flocking to follow her cause after she reveals how her beloved mate was slaughtered by the vampire king.”

“You’re mad,” he bellowed, tugging again on his restraints. “You greatly overestimate the influence I hold. Again, killing me will only fuel her anger, ensuring she’ll never help you—sire or not. You may be able to compel her mind, but you will never govern her heart.”

“Enough!” It was the only warning I had before I felt razor sharp teeth pierce my skin, latching onto my neck, and the immediate draw of blood from my artery.

Avery’s body hardened and I soon found myself lost in the erotic sensation of his feeding. I tried not to moan, but it only made me sound louder. I tried not to let my hands wander, but I found myself reaching behind for any part of him I could.

I felt myself growing weaker, and made one more attempt to break free, knowing it was my last chance, Remembering Daniel’s instruction I slammed my head back, hitting Avery with such a force, it broke his connection with my neck, causing him to temporarily let me go.

Dropping to the floor, I let my wolf rip free, rushing to the forefront. Fur rippled over me as I rose on all fours. There was no joy in the change, no sense of wonder at the prospect of a run under the moon.

I snarled—my lips curling back from my teeth, and I felt my hackles rise. My ears flattened against my head, and a strand of saliva dripped from my jaw. I lunged forward, aiming for the vampire’s jugular.

Using his supernatural reflexes, he dodged my attack, and with a disappointed tone, chastised me. “Come now, there’s no need for this. Be a good doggy and change back.”

I paced, looking for a weakness to take advantage of, all the while never giving him access to my mate. We tested each opening I found, but the vampire was strong and not easily fooled. Knowing time was of the essence, we faked a leap to the left, twisting at the last moment, and caught his shoulder in between my teeth. The bitter taste of his blood flooded my taste buds and I clamped down hard, shaking my head back and forth as chunks of flesh came away in my mouth.

This caused a reaction from my enemy, his fangs fully descending, and he flew at me, his hands curled into claw-like weapons.

I was ready though, springing off my hind legs, and we collided in midair. I could hear Mason yelling, trying to distract Avery.

Sharp fingernails gouged into my side, and I felt my blood begin to flow. I didn’t focus on the pain though, and instead snapped harder with my own fangs, narrowly missing his throat.

He tried to wrap his arm around my center, but I twisted and turned again, wrestling him onto the floor where I finally got him pinned, and moved in for the kill.

I saw something move out of the corner of my eye, and noticed of Avery’s minions had entered the room.

My focus shifted, and seizing the opportunity, Avery lunged forward. He latched back onto my throat, drinking in mouthfuls of blood, intent on continuing my transition.

I felt myself divide from my wolf, and could hear her howl from the looming weakness. We couldn’t keep united, and I changed back.

I raised my hands up and tried to pry Avery off me. Lifting my knee, I attempted to connect with his body. I hit him and he paused for a moment. I drew in a steadying breath and commanded myself to stay awake. If I could distract him from feeding more, I’d be able to heal and replenish—not completely, but enough to keep fighting.

Worried about the new arrival, I glanced in his direction just in time to see him disintegrate before my eyes. Without warning, the weight holding my body down disappeared, and I suddenly showered with ashes. I screamed, finding myself free, and I scrambled to protect myself from the new threat.

But there was no threat.

Devlin, bloodied and barely able to keep himself standing, threw me a weary grin before he dropped to his knees, a makeshift stake clattering to the floor beside him. A quick glance over his body told me he was already starting to heal, but the blood loss was making it a slow process.

Tearing at my wrist, blood beginning to drip, I knelt beside my friend and protector to offer him freely what he needed. I begged him to drink but he stubbornly refused, muttering about blood oaths and honor. I tried holding the gash over his mouth, but he turned his head, still too weak to move and sit up.

I looked over at Mason, concerned. I had a vampire on the verge of passing out from blood loss, and a werewolf chained to the wall by silver. I couldn’t help either, and I slumped back onto my bottom to think.

Mason’s weary voice finally offered the solution. “Have him remove the chains, Darcy. They’re vampire created so he can break the spell on the locks. Then drag him over here so I can feed him. With the silver no longer touching my skin, I’ll heal quickly.”

As I went to move, I heard Devlin begin to chant the needed words, and the manacles holding Mason popped open, allowing him to drop to the ground.

I rushed over to the weakened vampire, and dragged his heavy body over to where Mason lay.

Mason moved slowly, and I helped him with Devlin’s dagger when he had difficulty ripping his skin. Placing his wrist over Devlin’s open mouth, he leaned in and whispered his gratitude. The sharing of blood with supernatural being of extreme power was not usually done because it provided the receiver with a potent boost in abilities.

This wasn’t a gift given lightly. I knew Mason felt bound to honor the one who had saved my life, and in turn saved his.

As we two watched Devlin, he lashed out suddenly and took a death grip on the offered wrist. I could see the giant gulps of blood he was taking. Mason lay down completely, and I worried the feeding was going too far.

With a swirl of his tongue, the now recovering vampire sealed the wounds and released Mason’s arm. Both men lay side by side, and I pulled my knees in tight, waiting for them to become more aware. It was always fascinating to me, watching the healing process of others, and sooner than I expected, I saw Devlin slowly sit up and look around.

He must have noticed my lack of clothing, the change shredding what I’d been wearing, and he gave me his shirt. It was incredibly large, coming to just above my knees, but I was grateful to be covered again. After everything that had happened, I felt a little vulnerable.

“You doing okay? In one piece?” Devlin asked. He checked me over vigorously, turned this way and that before he was satisfied. “Remind me when this is over I need to beat you for getting me into these situations.”

“What did you expect? She’s a magnet for trouble,” Mason’s voice came in a soft groan. His eyes were opened, and I rushed over to help him stand.

“What do you mean she’s a magnet? I thought trouble was her middle name,” a voice from the door joked, followed by a cough. We all looked over and found Daniel leaning against on one of the shelves, rubbing his head. “What the hell happened? One minute Mason was telling me we were leaving, and the next I woke up shoved in a closet.”

“It’s a long story, but before you all get started, can we do this at home?” I looked to the men, hopeful. I was rewarded with a resounding yes, and we slowly made our way back up the stairs.

Mason needed a little help at first, but as we got closer to the main floor, he took control. He was the Alpha, and despite his ordeal, he had an image of strength to protect.

I was amazed to find dead bodies as we exited the house. I’d assumed Avery’s minions would all be vampires, but he’d managed to also recruit humans. Some of the Enforcers had begun the clean-up and removal process.

Mentioning to Mason he’d join us later for a debriefing, Devlin quickly gave me a hug and I thanked him before watching him climb on his bike and drive away. I had a lot of questions for him, and I wasn’t going to rest until he answered them.

“You ready?” Mason’s arms wrapped around my waist, and I rested my head on his shoulder.

I nodded, eager to put this behind us. I climbed into the SUV, and didn’t look back.

By tomorrow this would all be in the past, and as I looked at Mason, anticipation for the future grew. Yeah, things could only get better from here.

Chapter Twenty

The flickering of the candlelight caused soft shadows to dance around the room. The night had been complete perfection, and as I watched Mason push his plate away with a look of satisfaction across his face, I deemed the dinner a success.

It’d taken a few days to get everything squared away, the business of Avery and his attempt to overthrow Zane finally put to rest. There had been countless meetings, the bouncing back and forth of ideas between leaders, precautions put into place with the hope of preventing something like this in the future.

Mason didn’t hold out much hope, believing there would always be someone with more greed and pride than common sense. He believed in the alliance, and it was stronger than ever. The events hadn’t turned him bitter, if anything he was more determined to protect his pack.

Smiling across the table, I couldn’t help the sigh of relief I let out. I’d been able to smuggle him away from everything for a night of pampering like I’d wanted. At first, my plan had revolved around him, making sure he knew he was supported and loved, but as the night progressed, the focus rested on both of us. We were a couple—there wasn’t one without the other.

“So, did you enjoy the dinner?” I glanced over at his empty plate. It seemed silly to ask because there were a few moments where I wondered if he’d pick up his dish and lick it clean. It was something he would do, especially when he was in a goofy mood.

“It was delicious, Darcy. I enjoyed every mouthful. In fact, you need to tell me your secret.” There was a twinkle in his eye, and I blushed.

Please tell me he didn’t figure it out,
I thought. “What do you mean?” I spoke aloud, chewing on my bottom lip.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but I swear this tasted just like the chicken fettuccine from Mama Alder’s Kitchen. How’d you manage that?” Dipping his finger into the remaining sauce, he swirled it around his plate before licking it off his finger. “I can’t get enough.”

I could feel the heat on my face, and prayed the light from the candles would hide some of my embarrassment. There was no fooling this man, and I avoided looking him in eye.

“Well … you see …,” I stuttered, trying to explain how I had no other choice than to quickly order out, the meal I planned was burnt to a crisp, and now lay hidden in the trash bin outside.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. It doesn’t matter where it came from—it’s the thought that counts. You did an amazing job, so thank you.” He took one last sip of his drink, emptying the glass before rising to his feet. Walking over to the counter, he turned up the soft music I had playing, and standing before me, extended his hand. “Would you dance with me?”

Tingles erupted over my skin, my heart beginning to race as I looked up into the face of the man I loved. He was breathtaking, his masculine beauty still causing an affect. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be than in your arms.”

The smile he offered melted my insides, and he pulled me up into his embrace as we slowly began to move back and forth to the sound of the melody. I loved the intimacy of the moment—the closeness, and how our bodies seemed to fit just right.

“Sorry about dinner. I worked so hard and wanted everything to be perfect.” I rested my head against his shoulder, murmuring into his shirt. “One day, I’ll be able to cook a meal to completion without Daniel needing to run in with a fire extinguisher.”

Mason chuckled, and I felt him tighten his hold as he bent his head forward to whisper near my ear. “You’re wrong, sweetheart. Tonight was perfect, but not because of dinner. You’re the reason, and this is what makes it wonderful—being able to talk with you, touch you, and hold you close. You’ll always be the best part of my day and why I look forward to the rest of our life together. With you by my side, I have it all.”

I brought our bodies to a stop, a feeling of wonder filling me. “How do you do that? Speak the words in my heart so beautifully. I love you, Mason, and there’s nothing more I want than to be with you. You’re my forever too—my happily ever after.” I stretched upward and placed a kiss on his lips.

“You know there is one thing that would make this night flawless, something that’s been regrettably missing.”

“Did I forget something?” I peered into his eyes, unsure if I understood what he meant.

“Dessert.” He started at me hungrily, but the look was wasted.

“Oh, no. It’s actually the one thing I didn’t burn! Let me go get it so you can taste it.” Without thinking, I began to pull away, and was promptly stopped by his hand tightening around my arm.

“I believe my dessert is right here, and you’re right. I’m definitely going to taste and savor it.”

Crushing his mouth down, his tongue swept past my lips and began to move slowly with mine, the gentleness of it becoming my undoing. My body felt like it was dissolving, as fire rushed through me, setting my insides aflame. I grabbed hold of him, using his strength to keep me from falling and I reveled in the feeling of security I found. He was mine and I was his—both the keepers of each other’s hearts. I trusted him completely, and I submitted to his lead.