Watching Out For Fangs (The Cloverleah Pack Book 7) (9 page)

Vadim waited until Josh had carefully released his teeth, stayed patient as Josh licked the wound closed, cleaning up every trace of blood. But as soon as Josh’s had finished Vadim struck hard and deep, his own fangs slicing through Josh’s skin like a hot knife through butter. A primal sense of possession filled Vadim and as he sucked on Josh’s life giving blood, he was determined that the mating mark he left would be deep and as clear as a tattoo. Josh screamed just once, “Fuck, yes,” and Vadim felt the cock still buried inside of him twitch, grow bigger and pulse over and over again. Clearly losing the battle with holding himself upright Josh slumped, covering Vadim’s body with his heat. Vadim continued to feed, the uncommon feelings of contentment and peace filling him as thoroughly as the bliss he had experienced just moments before.

Sucking lightly and only taking small sips so as to prolong the sensation, this time it was Vadim who held his lover. For some reason his fingers wouldn’t stop moving of their own volition, slowly running down the muscles that framed Josh’s spine, twirling circles at that sensitive area where Josh’s ass muscles swelled giving the man such a seductive shape, and then back up again to trail across Josh’s broad shoulders and the nape of his neck, partly covered by shaggy blond hair that wasn’t much darker than his own.

Josh’s own hands were resting lightly on his shoulders, stroking carefully as if Josh was afraid of disturbing Vadim while he was feeding, his cock softening but still wedged tight in Vadim’s body. He appeared totally relaxed, and Vadim dared to hope, satisfied. Never had wanting to please another person mattered to Vadim as much as it did in that moment.

Finally Vadim pulled his fangs from Josh’s neck, taking care not to rip the skin. He pulled back just enough to view the impressive teeth marks he had left as a mating mark, noting an unusual foreign presence in his head. It wasn’t annoying or intrusive, it was just there, where nothing but his own thoughts had been before.

Had they…?

“Yes lover. I didn’t think it would happen with us, but it seems we’ve been blessed by the Fates,” Josh said out loud, and yes that was a satisfied smile on his face, as he rolled slightly, laying on his side, but still pressing every inch of his body against Vadim’s.

“We have a mind link.”

Vadim was stunned enough to state the obvious. That had been one of the many things he had thought about when he had been trapped in that cell under the coven. Vampires who mated with other vampires nearly always had a mind connection, but when Vadim knew his mate was a wolf shifter, he figured it wouldn’t happen. Maybe he should have paid more attention to other couples while he had been living with his own kind. After all, he and Josh weren’t the first mixed species mating in existence and it wasn’t likely to be the last. But vampires traditionally mated with humans or other vampires.

Shifter/vampire matings were extremely rare because the two species hardly ever came into contact with each other. In his entire life Vadim had only had sex with one other wolf, a little submissive creature centuries before, in the days soon after he first came into his powers. It had been nothing more than a quick fuck in a forest somewhere – nothing memorable about it at all. But as Vadim’s thoughts raced through his head, he couldn’t think of one other vampire that he was aware of, that was mated to a shifter.

“I had thought because I was a beta, and you weren’t a shifter, that we wouldn’t get it. All of the other mated couples in the pack have got one, but in every case at least one of the pair is an Alpha, so that was to be expected. Maybe there’s a spot of Alpha genetics in your family tree. Some shifter lurking in your blood somewhere?”

“I’m a pure vampire, one of the oldest living in existence,” Vadim growled before he caught on that his mate was teasing him. His mate. Wow. That stumped him for a moment. Even though Vadim had bonded with him when he had healed Josh so many days before, he hadn’t believed at the time it would ever be possible for the two of them to be sharing a bed together, let alone both of them sporting huge, deep mating marks. He should probably thank a couple of wayward Fae for literally saving his life.

Vadim rolled over, so he could face the man he was tied to for life. He knew if he left then Josh would die, and he would never let anything like that happen.  Blue eyes, so intense, captivated him all over again and somehow he knew in that wreck he called a heart, that Josh wasn’t going to be like anyone else he’d ever been remotely close to and it was that thought that set up another tiny flutter deep inside of his chest. Unnerved, for a totally different reason this time, he caught Josh’s head in his hands, and dominated the young man’s lips. Too much thinking clearly wasn’t good for him and a short make-out session followed by another nap seemed like a far better idea than wondering what his heart was doing.

Chapter Eleven

Josh lightly gripped Vadim around his slender waist as the vampire wove his bike through the streets on the short distance to the pack house. The two men had enjoyed a quiet leisurely breakfast, before almost coming to blows when Vadim realized Josh preferred his bike as transport and he expected Vadim to ride behind him. Josh stuck to his guns right up until he saw the avid excitement on Vadim’s face when the vampire saw his Softail Deluxe gleaming in the garage. Vadim’s assertion that he would have to get one of his own the moment he got access to his funds, reassured Josh that they had found something else in common and he didn’t give it a second thought as he threw his mate the keys. One scorching kiss later and it was only the thought of upsetting his Alpha that stopped Josh pulling Vadim back to bed. He climbed on the bitch seat instead.

With Josh’s instructions through their mind link, Vadim pulled up at the big house within minutes. There was a definite sense of reluctance in the vampire, who didn’t make a move to get off the bike. Josh ran his hands under Vadim’s borrowed jacket, trying to soothe the tension he felt there.

What’s wrong?

Not sure a vampire’s going to get a good welcome in your pack, babe – not with what happened last time.

They’re my pack. You’re my mate. You’ll be accepted.
Josh had no doubts on that score. He knew that Kane and the others had worked around the clock to find out all they could about Vadim and the Atlanta coven well before Aelfric and Fafnir took matters into their own hands. They might not like the idea of a vampire in the pack, but every single pack member would still be staunchly loyal to Josh’s mate.

Vadim half turned in his seat, looking at Josh as though he didn’t believe him.
It’s honestly that simple?

Josh nodded. He didn’t want them having this conversation verbally because he knew his pack members were already listening in – it wasn’t a malicious thing – it was just wolves had good hearing and could be nosy when they were bored.

They were going to send in enforcers and all sorts to save you, when they knew what had happened to you. We protect our own and you’re pack now.

Vadim snorted and his lips turned up a fraction which was as close as Josh was likely to get to a smile. As Vadim’s heated eyes dropped to his mating mark, the wife beater Josh was wearing hiding nothing, Josh planted one foot firmly on the ground and slid off the seat, holding out his hand to his mate.

“Come on, Mr. One-of-the-oldest-vampires-in-existence. Let’s meet your new pack.”

“I call you babe, and that was the best you can come up with?” Vadim slid of the bike with his own effortless grace and took the hand offered to him. The two men walked slowly up to the porch.

“I wasn’t sure what to call you,” Josh said as his mind raced with cheeky possibilities. “Fang boy, or sucker didn’t sound very respectful, even if I did mean it as a term of endearment and I’m sure if I called you sweetheart outside of the bedroom, you’d probably deck me.”

Vadim stopped them just in front of the door, spinning Josh around to face him. Leaning forward he whispered, “You can call me anything you like, so long as it means you’re mine.”

Vadim’s soft breath teased his ear and just like that Josh’s cock was rock hard again. The heat in Vadim’s eyes suggested the two men were on the same wave length and that was enough for Josh. Grabbing Vadim’s head, he pulled the vampire down the short distance he needed to get a solid fix on those hard lips. From his very first taste, Josh knew he would never tire of kissing his mate.

The two men slammed together, not a breath between them from chest to thigh. Vadim grunted and then shoved Josh up against the wall, his hands moving everywhere he could reach. Not that Josh was doing any better. He wanted to crawl under Vadim’s skin. The urge to turn and present his ass for the pounding it had been longing for overwhelmed him…breath quickening, cock leaking, skin flushed as though he was in a sauna, Josh just fucking wanted, and he wanted it now.

“Josh? Josh. Josh!”

Ha? How could Vadim be talking to him when they had been lip locked in a most delicious fashion.  Vadim gave a tiny shake of his head and his eyes indicated left. To where Aelfric was standing, and damn if the sexy prince didn’t have his arms crossed and a pout on his face.  Even the man’s booted foot was tapping on the porch.

“You’re sexing up the pack, with all the grunts and slurping going on,” Aelfric said as sternly as only the prince of the Fae realm could. “Get your asses in here so we can get this meeting over and done with. I want to take my mates home. Jax won’t fuck me or Fafnir over Kane’s couch. Apparently the Alpha gets pissy about it. So move your asses.”

Oops. Josh knew his face had gone bright red and he slowly let his hands drop from Vadim’s body. Vadim didn’t seem to have a blushing gene, but he did look a little uncomfortable. The two men hurriedly straightened up their clothes and followed Aelfric into the house where the other men were waiting, most of them grinning broadly.

Taking hold of Vadim’s hand, Josh led him to Diablo and Griff who were closest to the door, then Dean and Matthew, Troy and Anton and then Kane and Shawn, trying not to sound too cocky as he introduced his mate. Everyone had a smile and a handshake for the vampire and Josh could tell Vadim was relaxing slightly. The enforcers were probably out patrolling the territory, but Josh knew it was important for Vadim to feel at home with the inner circle. He could meet the others later.

“Congratulations on your mating,” Kane said, smiling broadly. “I take it you have chosen to stay, now you’re here, Vadim?”

“I have,” Vadim said and Josh wondered at his mate’s formal tone. The blond vampire shook hands with Kane and Shawn, but walked over to where Jax sat with his Fae mates on either side of him. Vadim gave a stiff bow as he addressed the three men.

“I owe you my life for coming to me when you did. Should you ever need a favor within my power, please consider it done.”

“So deliciously formal,” Fafnir laughed, clapping his hands, then holding it out for a shake. “And so unnecessary. Your words are appreciated, and the favor noted, but know this…you break Josh’s heart and I will have no problems laying a curse on you.”

Vadim looked uncomfortable at that, but he managed a terse, “Understood,” before Josh pulled Vadim towards the only empty couch. Josh looked around for Tobias who would normally share a seat with him but the man was sitting cross-legged on the floor. “Saved it for you two,” the dark-haired wolf said with a wink. “I know how you mated pairs have trouble sitting apart.”

Josh didn’t think his face was ever going to lose its red tinge, but he sat down hurriedly, pulling Vadim beside him. There was no way he was going to sit on Vadim’s lap like the other couples, but he did want to keep his mate close. Surprisingly it was Vadim who spoke first.

/~/~/~/~/

“Alpha Kane, thank you for your best wishes.  Please know I did my best to keep the Atlanta coven from bothering you but as you already know, I was unsuccessful in my efforts. My mother is now working behind the scenes to try and stop Ermine from doing anything stupid, but she has limited power in her position and Ermine is not known for his common sense.  She mentioned to me some days ago, that the Atlanta pack’s determination to secure your Omega is bordering on the insane and I fear the coven may become further involved, to the point of an all-out attack.”

“We’ve been keeping an eye on the situation in Atlanta and North Dakota,” Kane said. “But perhaps, you could tell us why a coven got involved with a pack in the first place. Usually both groups would keep to themselves, and from what we could tell, both pack and coven have lived in peace for a long time.”

“Your information is correct.” Josh’s hand rubbed reassuringly over his thigh, and Vadim dropped his hand to cover it, grateful for the show of support. He had always lived as an honorable man, and had no intention of sharing coven secrets, but he would do what he could to help the men who cared about his mate safety.

“Three years ago Ermine took a new wife and for some ridiculous reason, promised her land that is currently in the pack’s territory. She saw it, wanted it and sucker that he was, Ermine said he would make it happen. The pack and coven have been negotiating for some time, bickering over changing territory boundaries. But then the late Alpha Morgan got fixated on the idea of having his own Omega, and Ermine offered manpower in exchange for the garden. The new Alpha seems happy to go along with the arrangement. I am guessing you know the rest.”

“A garden? I’m being threatened by a coven because of a fucking garden?”  Dean sounded disgruntled and Matthew soothed him softly.

“The
Rose Gardens
,” Vadim emphasized slowly. “They are a big deal in Atlanta and Ermine’s trying to keep his wife happy – apparently she’s pregnant, and none too happy that I killed Stephen.”

Dean’s getting really tired of being treated like a piece of property,
Josh explained silently and Vadim gave Josh’s hand a light squeeze in thanks.

“It was a fair kill. Bastard should never have tried to come here under false pretenses in the first place,” Jax snarled.

Vadim twitched uncomfortably. Despite the eventual outcome, he would never forget he had been a patsy in his brother’s scheme. He decided a change of subject was in order.

“The good news is that you shouldn’t have any problems with the North Dakota pack, at least in the near future. I went in and spoke to them on the way home. With no familial relationship between the two packs anymore, the new Alpha took my warning seriously and will lay low for now.”

Well, that seemed to have got everyone’s attention. There was stunned silence and Vadim fought not to fidget, but he had to admit he was out of his element dealing with a wolf pack. Vampires he knew about, humans he had heap of experience with, shifters had a different way of thinking that was almost foreign to what Vadim was used to. Only Josh’s steady presence kept him calm. It was Kane who recovered first.

“I probably don’t want to know what you did or said,” the handsome Alpha said gravely, “but you have our thanks. So the situation as it stands now is what, one pack and possibly one coven in a co-joint attack, both after Dean?”

Vadim thought about it and then shook his head. “From what I learned, your biggest threat will come from the coven. The wolves are worried about the powers you have among your members and they want them for themselves but they are too cowardly to actually confront you all. Personally I think the new Alpha is manipulating Ermine to stage a full scale coven attack – that way vampires become cannon fodder and the pack would secure the Omega, without any loss of shifter life. It’s not a dumb idea from a pack perspective and Ermine is arrogant enough to think he can pull it off.”

“It does make sense, but I fail to see how decent a leader Ermine could be if he is prepared to lose the lives of his coven members just for the sake of a piece of property, no matter how pretty it is.” Kane sounded skeptical, but then Vadim knew his brother far better than the wolf shifter did.

“Ermine became Regent because I gave up the position and he was next in line. He’s never had to use brains or strength to keep his job and his wife, Lorraine, can get quite nasty when she doesn’t get her own way. He’s arrogant enough to think he can succeed, despite their previous efforts, and whether Lorraine is pregnant or not, the power she has over her husband can’t be ignored.  If it was just Ermine, he probably would have given up by now, but Lorraine won’t let him.”

It seemed all of the men in the room were busy thinking about what to do next as silence fell across the room again. Vadim looked at Josh who had sat silently by his side. Josh gave him a quick smile, but seemed to be thinking just as hard. Vadim preferred to be more proactive, he wasn’t one for sitting around and pondering security decisions. Personal decisions might leave his brain running around in circles for days, he could admit that to himself. But strategy and security were in his blood, especially when dealing with other vampires.

“You don’t want a coven coming here,” he said when no one seemed to want to break the silence. “Ermine honestly would risk the life of every able bodied man and woman in the coven just to secure some extra territory for his wife, but vampires don’t travel with donors unless they’re mated. Your human population here could be at risk. You need to take the fight to Atlanta.”

“We’re well protected here, and we have the added bonus of knowing the area.  We don’t want anyone in town being hurt or caught up in this, but we don’t know the city well enough from a strategic point of view. If word gets out we’re there, we could have pack problems as well. All wolves are bound by shifter law to declare themselves if they go into someone else’s territory. Any sneak attack would have to be fast, with a flawless exit plan.” Anton spoke quickly and decisively, clearly used to getting in and out of tight areas.

“Vampires are all about politics aren’t they, rather than straight out fighting? Is that where you are going with this?” Diablo said.  “You don’t think a straight out fight as such is the answer?”

“You’re exactly right and knowing what I do about my brother, I do have a plan. I’d like to propose that I return to the Atlanta coven, with my new mate, and threaten to take over the Regency, as is my right as the oldest male D’Arcy. Now I am mated, it would be logical to other vampires that I want my position back. I have a fair bit of support within the coven already, but more importantly, Ermine knows that as well. I am hoping it will be enough to get him to back off. Ermine lives for the money, power and prestige of his position, as does Lorraine. A threat like that could be enough to convince him to leave the Cloverleah pack alone.”