To Love a Shifter: A Paranormal Romance Boxed Set (44 page)

Instead of answering him, she said quietly, “I need a favor, Alessandro.”

~~~

Lyccan Hall was bustling with activity when they arrived. Numerous curious glances went their way as they entered. It wasn’t long before what she secretly feared did happen.

A Lyccan wolf-whistled – and of course it truly did sound like a wolf – at the sight of her. “Domenico Moretti’s Delilah,” he sneered. “I wonder how great you are in bed that you turned the Moretti prince into your sex slave.”

Misty gasped. But before she could answer, Alessandro was pulling her past the other Lyccan. As they went further and further in, the insults became more and more offensive until Misty was literally shaking in her effort to control herself.

Where’s your puppy?

Have you chained Domenico Moretti to your bed? Is he a good little pup fit to lick your feet?

Do you ask him to “roll over” for some kinky fun? How about asking him to let another man fuck his ass? Wouldn’t that be fun?

She so badly wanted to fight with all of them, but she couldn’t, not when Domenico’s own brother wasn’t saying a word in his defense. Alessandro did not even appear bothered. Inside the office reserved for the Moretti pack, Alessandro quietly asked all the others to leave.

When they were alone, she burst out, “Why didn’t you let me answer any of them? They all need a good swift kick to the backside if they thought they could get away saying things like that about Domenico.”

Alessandro said gently, “But they can.”

She whitened. “What do you mean they
can
?”

“It’s been like this since you were gone.” Alessandro gave her an apologetic smile. “For a while, I blamed you even. The first months were the most difficult. I couldn’t understand why Domenico wasn’t beating them all up. I thought…” His lips twisted. “I thought you made him weak. I thought he was weak.”

The pain Alessandro’s words caused was so great she almost doubled over because of it.

“For a time, we didn’t even talk. I couldn’t bear to look at him. I hated seeing him so fucking weak.”

The tears started to fall. She couldn’t bear imagining how Domenico felt when he heard all those insults. Why was he letting them get away with it? Why?

“And then I fell in love, the same way my brother fell in love with you---”

“Alessandro---” She suddenly wanted to cover her ears.

“And that was when I understood. All of this…” Alessandro inhaled sharply. “It’s simply meant to atone for what he did to you.”

A cry of pain escaped her. She couldn’t stop it, and she couldn’t keep herself from crying because now the images became even more vivid. The Lyccans whom Domenico had spent his entire life protecting had turned their backs on him so quickly it had to have hurt him.

They were looking down on him – Domenico Moretti, the proudest man she knew – simply because he chose to love her.

She had been wrong.

He wasn’t weak because of her.

He had
chosen
to be weak for her.

“I never wanted him to do this.” She couldn’t control her sobs and she cried harder when Alessandro pulled her in his arms.

“I know, Misty.”

“I don’t want him to be weak because of me.”

“And he isn’t.”

She looked up at Alessandro in distress. “How can you say that?” she cried out. “Look at what happened earlier during the meeting. That little worm would never have been able to speak if---”

“Listen to me, Misty.” Alessandro waited until his sister-in-law --- and that was  how he would always think of her, whether Misty and Domenico were married or not --- raised her gaze to meet his. “He’s not weak because of you. He’s stronger.”

She started to shake her head.

“Misty, it’s true. That was what I thought before, too, but this is Domenico, remember? He never does things easy. Everything has to be complex and layered with mystery.”

She couldn’t stop herself smiling a little at that, knowing that what Alessandro said was true.

“This was his way of making up for what happened last year. He wants everyone to see his suffering – the same way they saw you suffer. But…none of what they say or do really affects him, Misty. And that’s because he draws strength from the fact that he loves you. He’s happy with every day that he’s able to prove that he loves you. Because he thinks…he thinks by punishing himself it’s the only way he can win you back.”

She couldn’t stop crying after that.

“Did you enjoy your time with the family?” Domenico was the first one to speak after leaving the Moretti compound and he did so only after they had crossed the portal leading to the Midways.

Throughout dinner, Misty had appeared subdued, unable to meet his gaze. And when she did, she looked unbearably sad. It made his heart clench. Perhaps she thought he was weak, too? If she learned of how most Lyccans belittled him now, would she be disgusted? Would she understand why he had allowed such things to happen?

He wanted to ask her so many questions but somehow he couldn’t, the words stuck in his throat. Fear was an emotion that he hadn’t been acquainted with until Misty came into his life. Now, he feared so many things and most of it had to do with losing her.

Even now, he had feared hearing her reject him, which was why it took him so long to think about something
safe
to talk to her about.

“Misty?”

She glanced up at him, as if surprised that he was talking to her. “I-I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I was thinking…I…what were you saying?”

Domenico’s fists clenched.
What was she thinking? Was she thinking how best to completely free herself from him? Did she truly prefer Lysander Allard to him?

His face hardened. “Nothing.”

He was furious,
Misty realized with a sinking heart. “Domenico---”

“Just tell me when I’m boring you. I can shut up if you tell me to.”

She let out a little cry of pain when she realized how he had misunderstood everything. “It’s not like that. I was really thinking about something.”

“That’s your best excuse?” Domenico didn’t bother keeping the disgust from his voice…or even the frustration and bitterness. Was there truly no hope for them? Was it really better for him to let Misty go?

And because he was concentrating too hard on Misty, it took Domenico a few seconds later than usual to realize that they were not alone. The Midways might be perennially silent these days, but it was a silence born of a past that was long gone. The silence was never stealthy, as if concealing danger like now.

“Wh---” Misty was suddenly thrust behind Domenico just before he shifted and took the bullet that was meant for her. “Domenico!” But already his body was pushing the bullet out, the wound healing. He snarled, and she whirled around just in time to see men half-crawling, half-running towards them until they formed a threatening circle around her and Domenico.

Their red eyes and fangs told Misty what they were, even though it was her first time to see their kind up close. She got a sick feeling inside her stomach just looking at them, a mixture of fear and disgust. They reeked of evil, and although she was scared she didn’t want to cower behind Domenico. Misty could feel him tensing as she forced her way back to his side. If he could contact her telepathically he would be shouting at her right now.

“Surprised to see us, Lyccan?” the vampire crooned. His features were sharp and cruelly beautiful, and Misty could see why some women would willingly become his victims. Or at least women who were as depraved as this vampire was.

“Did you think the Midways were for you alone?”

Misty could feel Domenico gathering his strength, preparing for an attack. His side touched her calves, his tail brushing against her skin several times, as if comforting her.

They were outnumbered. She had counted twelve vampires and there were just the two of them. Misty doubted that Faeries would suddenly appear to give them aid since their race tended not to leave the realm after dark.

“This world is no longer yours – just as your pack left you to
rut
until you die.” The vampire cackled. “Did you get that?
Rut
until you die?”

Was it a good thing or bad thing that vampires apparently had a lame sense of humor? And why was she even thinking about it when she was in a life-or-death situation? Misty felt the stirrings of panic inside her, and she swallowed, knowing enough of vampires to try to keep her fear in control because it was what they thrived in.

Concentrate,
she told herself. This was what she had spent sixteen months training for.

The vampire’s red eyes flashed as they landed on Misty. “Don’t worry, human. The Master does not want you dead.”

She lifted her chin. “That’s too bad since I want all of you dead.” And with the element of surprise on her side, she let loose the throwing stars she always had with her. Like all the other weapons of Faeries, the throwing stars were forged of steel dipped in the blood of the race’s fallen heroes. They were the only ones that non-Faeries could not heal from and represented a gift of trust from the race. Milo had also said it could be her greatest weapon since she did not have the stamina or the killing instinct to really wield a Faerie sword.

The throwing stars struck its targets, hurtling through layers of flesh, muscle, and bone and killing the vampires instantly before finding its way back into her hands.

The vampires let out a keening cry, and their leader hissed, “Forget about what Master said. Kill them both!”

Her body went taut, preparing for the hurt that was sure to follow. There was no mercy in the vampires’ eyes, not even a semblance of a soul. She was scared, terribly so, but a part of her realized that she was more scared for Domenico than for herself.

The circle of vampires started closing in on them.

“I’ll think that through if you’re smart,” a light cool voice warned from the darkness.

She jerked at the unexpected intrusion, the hairs standing up on her nape.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Three young men came out of nowhere, landing on a pouncing position on the ground. Fangs flashed in the darkness, sending the vampires into a disoriented frenzy.

Domenico relaxed at the sound of that voice, recognizing it immediately. If Riyu Delicazzi was around, then it was a given that his two lieutenants, Luka Georgiades and Stefan Mancetti would also be there. He turned his head slightly, and he saw that the three had formed a triangle offense around the circle of vampires. It was a well-known position that Caros favored when going into battle, one that left no enemy within the triangle breathing.

Misty heard Domenico’s fangs snap. She looked down at him in confusion, just in time to see him growl. It was low, loud, and menacing, sending shivers up her spine. But there was no time to think about it anymore as the growl acted like a signal.

The three new strangers launched themselves at the vampires the same time Domenico went on attack.

A vampire ran to Misty and she let loose another throwing star, but it only grazed the vampire’s face. Her heart screeched in fear, causing her fingers to fumble and dropping her other weapon to the ground.

When she looked up a split second later, the vampire was practically flying towards her, too fast for Misty to catch her other throwing star.

She kept her scream locked inside her, not wanting to distract Domenico. Misty started backing away, tripped on her own feet, and her mouth opened in silent horror as she felt herself falling backwards.

The vampire’s fangs were inches away from her throat when a blur of black crossed her vision, Domenico throwing his weight on her attacker and they tumbled to the side of the road.

“Domenico!” Her hand shot up to catch her throwing star and she hurled it forward, aiming for her attacker, who was now struggling against Domenico. The throwing star sliced the vampire’s neck open, and Domenico finished the job, his claws dismembering the vampire’s head.

A pair of hands grasped her from behind, and Misty only stopped struggling when she realized that it was one of the Caros helping her up to her feet. “You okay?”

“Relax. I’m on your side.” The savior was nothing but a teenage boy, his attractive features made sexier by the wicked gleam in his eyes. He bent down to kiss her hand, just in time for her to see another vampire coming for them.

Misty didn’t even pause to think. She grabbed the dagger in the boy’s hand and threw it, the knife slicing the vampire’s skull neatly into halves.

The boy turned around, his eyes widening as the vampire fell to the ground. He looked back at her with eyes filled with admiration. “My heart, be still.”

The flirtatious words, uttered at such a setting, calmed her. Misty even managed a smile as she picked up the throwing stars from the ground. Magic enabled them to return to her hands after hitting its target but not when it hit something accidentally---like the floor.

Misty managed to kill another vampire before the battle ended, with heaps of dead vampire bodies littering the road. Everything became hazy as she watched Domenico shift back, uncaring of his nudity as he spoke with the three young men who had helped them. As they started piling the bodies into a pyramid of the dead, her vision became blurrier and when they lit a fire to burn the bodies, Misty realized that even though she had kicked ass big time tonight, it did not free her from being human.

She fainted.

~~~

It was weird to wake up without  disorienting thoughts. If anything, Misty felt that she had been sleeping every day of the past sixteen months and it was only now that she had finally woken up. Everything was so much clearer. She knew what she had to do now.

“Domenico?”

No one answered, but she wasn’t afraid or even nervous. Domenico would always look after her whenever she couldn’t look after herself. She took her time studying her surroundings. The room she was in was the definition of elegance, decorated in tones of lavender, cream, and dark grays. She also noted the steel bars on the window. It was, in a nutshell, a beautiful cage.

Someone knocked on the door and in came a familiar-looking boy with ash blond hair and violet eyes. It took her a while to realize he was one of the boys who had helped them fight.

He bowed slightly, and the way he did so with such elegant flourish impressed Misty. He was still in his teens and yet next to him she felt like she was the one terribly gauche. “It’s good to see you awake, Princess.” He reached for the intercom mounted on the wall, murmuring something in a language she couldn’t recognize. After the call, he faced her again, and his every move was flawless, reminding Misty of a young English lord.

He smiled.

A young English lord with fangs, that was.

“My name is Luka Georgiades. I am one of the representatives of The Brethren. You have heard of it?”

She nodded. The Brethren was the Caros’ equivalent of the Lyccan Council, the governing body of their race. “Where is…my husband?” The words felt extremely good to say, like a long-missed melody that made her heart whole.

There was the smallest pause, and Misty knew that her words had surprised him. But the younger man – Luka – quickly recovered, saying, “I have already instructed the servants to inform him that you are awake. He had to leave your side to brief your…escort.”

She frowned at the second pause, not understanding why having an escort had suddenly brought a twinkle in Luka’s eyes.