by Reus, Katie
His eyes widened as he turned to stare at her. “Are you clucking at the Alpha of New Orleans?”
She clucked again and then giggled kind of manically.
He’d never seen this ridiculously playful side of her before, not fully. And he liked it. Despite the tension that seemed to live in his shoulders, he couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face.
“Is King turning down a challenge?” Marco, one of his youngest wolves, walked out of the shadows in human form, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He was a warrior, not a beta, but he wasn’t challenging King.
“I’m pretty sure he did.” Aurora’s grin was infectious.
Sighing, King stripped off his jacket and tossed it to Marco. “Let’s do this.”
“So what’s the challenge?” Marco asked.
“It’s not actually a challenge,” Aurora said as they started across the lawn where various shifters were patrolling or just relaxing. “He’s just going to deflect my lightning bolts with his magic sword to blow off some steam.”
Marco let out a low whistle. “Oh, hell yeah. The whole pack will want to watch this. I’m gonna take bets on how many he can hit.”
“You gotta do better than that,” Aurora said. “It should be more along the lines of how many he can hit per minute. Otherwise that’s just sad because you know he’s going to hit all of them.”
“I’m right here!” King said, even as he fought another grin. When he was around her, he felt decades younger. He didn’t have the weight of his people, his city, on his shoulders. He was just King.
By the time they strode to the middle of the yard, at least twenty wolves had gathered on the lawn, some drinking beer, some eating, others in full tactical gear.
He withdrew his sword from his back sheath. “Let’s get this over with,” he muttered.
“That’s a terrible attitude,” Aurora said as she slipped off her sneakers.
He frowned, wondering what she was doing.
But then she started glowing, and her wings shot out of her back. He heard a faint ripping sound and realized she’d ripped her sweater. Clearly she didn’t care, going by the grin on her face.
He stared in awe, unable to stop himself as pale blue fire licked over her entire body and she lifted into the air on wings of the same pale fire. She really was the most stunning thing he’d ever seen in his hundred-plus years on this earth.
The only reason he didn’t care that he was staring so boldly at her was because he guaranteed every other pack member was staring at her as well. It was impossible not to. She was goddamn perfection.
He unstuck his tongue from the roof of his mouth and found his voice. “So when do we—”
She flapped once, hard, and a bolt of blue lightning shot straight at his face. He dodged to the side, lifted his sword and slammed into it.
The power of her lightning ricocheted into him, straight to his core. But it didn’t hurt. If anything, it rejuvenated him, made him feel as if he could take on an army all by himself. He’d had his sword for close to a hundred years and thought he knew everything about it. But in that moment, he realized his sword was soaking up her power as well. Holy shit. He hadn’t known that was possible.
She shot at him again. He dodged, this time swinging at it as if his sword was a baseball bat.
Her lightning bolt sparked in the air, creating a beautiful shower of blue and silver before his sword sucked up all the energy.
“You’re pretty good,” she called out and shot three bolts at him at once.
It said a lot about what she thought of him that she thought he could take on her lightning. Because he didn’t think she was holding back. He was glad—he never wanted this female to hold back from him. He wanted all of her, every authentic bit.
He twisted and turned, slicing each bolt of lightning she threw at him.
It was a deadly dance between the two of them and he wondered what would happen if he missed and her fire slammed into his chest instead. It was something he didn’t plan to find out. He was an Alpha wolf but he wasn’t immortal, and he’d seen her bolts of lightning take down an Alpha dragon. Of course he had taken down multiple Alpha dragons himself.
Around them, everyone else faded away as he danced with her, slicing and jabbing at bolt after bolt. His sword ate up the power, singing with pure pleasure with each strike.
Finally, she threw her head back and laughed, her wings flapping beautifully in the night air. Her long chestnut hair blew back in soft waves. She looked like a warrior goddess as her feet touched the grass once again.
Sweat rolled down his back and neck as he grinned at her. He felt like a teenage pup as he stared at her, but he didn’t care.
When he looked at his pack, most of them were staring at the two of them with wide eyes. He frowned. “What?”
“I think you broke some personal records,” Delphine called out. “I’ve never seen you move so fast! That was incredibly impressive.”
He took a couple mock bows and everybody started laughing, a few clapping and others wolf-whistling.
Aurora approached him, her wings still bright as she pulled them tight against her back. He loved when she let them free, when she allowed herself to be everything she was meant to be. “How do you feel?”
“Incredible,” he said honestly.
Her grin grew even wider. “Good. Then my job here is done. I’m probably going to head home and grab a shower. I just wanted to make sure…you were okay.” She murmured the last part subvocally so only he could hear.
He appreciated it. He was Alpha, had to appear indestructible. It was strange to have someone worry about him the way she did, but he liked it. She would make an incredible Alpha’s mate. Hell, would be an incredible Alpha.
He held out a hand and clasped her forearm like he would one of his warriors. He thought of her as so much more than that, but he respected her on this level as well. And he wanted her to know it.
She clasped his forearm as well and nodded once at him. “Anytime you need to practice, let me know.”
He nodded because he couldn’t find his voice at the moment. As he looked into her eyes, he found himself wanting that future he dreamed of with her.
A future with her as his mate.
Chapter 24
Rhys raced across the grassy incline, his heart in his throat.
Blood.
He scented blood. A lot of it. Too much. And he recognized that scent, though he wanted to deny it as he reached the top of the hill.
He scanned the valley below. Green, lush grass as far as the eye could see. His sister was there…somewhere. He sensed it, but couldn’t see her. Couldn’t see Eilidh.
He was supposed to have met up with her earlier but had blown her off. For what? He raged at himself, his selfishness, as he called on his dragon, letting his clothing shred as his beast took over.
He launched into the air, the tatters of his clothing falling behind him as a burst of thunder rolled across the darkening sky. The thick scent of impending rain hung in the air, sharp and crisp. No! He needed to follow the scent trail before the rain washed everything away.
On a surge of power he swooped downward, his wings making the grass ripple underneath him like the ocean.
Faster, faster he flew until he passed the valley and over a copse of trees. The scent of blood was heavier here.
Behind him he heard rain starting to pound into the earth. He flew harder, as if he could outrun it, scenting his sister somewhere far below him.
He swooped downward and followed toward the side of the mountain, rage already boiling hot inside him. The blood was too strong. The scents all wrong. His brain refused to accept what he was smelling.
But he knew. Death. Thick and cloying.
As he approached the side of the mountain his dragon eyes caught on a small cave opening near the bottom of it. He arrowed downward, scanning for any signs of life.
Rain started splattering against his wings, pelting him harder and harder until th
e rain turned to hail, slamming into his back, wings and tail as he landed. The hail rocks rolled off him until he shifted to his human form.
Ignoring the huge rocks that slammed into his back and arms, he raced toward the cave opening.
As he breached it, he stumbled, staring in horror.
“No,” he whispered. No, no, no.
Bones. Dragon bones. And blood, splatters of it. Everywhere. Eilidh’s blood, he was certain of it. And even if he hadn’t been, this was his sister. These were her bones. Someone with powerful magic had done this—it was the only way possible that Eilidh was now mere bones.
The walls of the cavern shook and he realized he was screaming, roaring with the rage and grief of her death. Her murder. He couldn’t stop roaring even as rocks started falling down on his head. Couldn’t stop the red-hot agony bursting inside him as the need to kill nearly overwhelmed him.
Whoever had done this would pay with their life. With everything inside him he vowed that he would make them suffer excruciating agony in this life or the next. Eilidh would have her justice.
Rhys’s eyes snapped open with a start but he knew where he was. Knew he had been dreaming. Or remembering, more accurately. A nightmare he couldn’t outrun no matter how hard he tried.
Because it was real. And it had been his fault.
His heart was an erratic, wild beat in his chest as he pulled Dallas a little closer to him. She had her back nestled against his chest as he curled around her. He wanted to stay right where he was, but something was tugging at him.
Pulling him away from the warm bed with the warm female who’d gotten under his armor.
Rhys slipped out of bed and pushed down the feeling of guilt as he got ready to leave. He wasn’t doing anything wrong, he simply didn’t want to wake Dallas. But he didn’t like the thought of leaving her, regardless.
He pulled the covers over her so she’d stay warm and gave her one long look, drinking in every inch of her peaceful face, the way her dark hair fell against the pillow and sheet. He’d be back soon, he promised himself. He just needed to do this now.
Willow stirred in the doorway, lifting her head. He held a finger to his mouth and he swore that dragon was a little genius because she simply nodded as if she completely understood him. He was already naked so he strode outside and called on his camouflage, but not before telling Willow to stay put. When he did, she sat up straight like a sentry and guarded the open door.
Once he was camouflaged, he shifted to his dragon form and took to the skies. He’d put off hunting Catta only because he thought that crest would lead them to her. And maybe it would eventually. But something about that house of blood and death was calling to him. He flew easily, the skies quiet at four in the morning. He spotted a couple dragons far in the distance, recognized their colors and stuck to his own path.
He circled the house with dead grass and the stench of death roiling up from it, then landed. The brown grass crunched underneath his paws before he shifted to his human form. He kept his camouflage wrapped around him because he scented one wolf nearby, likely watching the place at King’s orders. He wasn’t doing anything wrong but he didn’t feel like asking for permission.
Instead of going inside, he slowly circled the house, searching for… Something. Something was bothering him. It was at the back of his mind but he couldn’t put his finger on it.
He circled once, twice, three times, and on the third loop he caught a vaguely familiar scent through the stench. And that was when he realized what was bothering him. One of the scents underlying everything almost reminded him of Dallas. But not that sweet, pure quality of hers. It was more like a familial type of thing. The way he’d been able to sense that Javier was related to Bo and Cynara.
But that didn’t make sense, did it?
He inhaled again and this time couldn’t catch the scents, as if they’d been lost on the breeze. Or maybe he’d imagined it altogether. But he didn’t think so. He also didn’t know what to do with this knowledge.
Frustrated, he walked around the rest of the property again, even though he knew there weren’t clues just lying about. Once he was done, he eased open the front door, which was still unlocked.
The moment he did he saw a shadow drop from one of the oak trees near the front of the property.
Damn it. He’d hoped he’d be able to get inside unnoticed.
“Show yourself,” the female voice called out.
He strode down the stairs, and it took a moment until his eyes caught on the slim, lean figure who’d moved to hide near another tree. A wolf. Delphine, he thought her name was. Her long braids were pulled back into a tie, she wore black pants, a long-sleeved black T-shirt, and her pale amber eyes glinted brightly against her brown skin.
Sighing, he let his camouflage fall.
When she spotted him, she frowned and strode forward, crossing the distance between them. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m honestly not sure,” he said, knowing she would smell the truth.
She frowned at him. “I was informed that you and Dallas found this place. Why are you back?”
“I couldn’t sleep tonight and…I don’t know. I thought maybe we missed something. I heard that King and his trackers haven’t found the witches and it’s bothering me.” That dream had woken something inside him. He could feel it on the edge of his consciousness, if only he could figure out what it was.
Her jaw tightened and she nodded. Not like he needed the confirmation—King had already told him—but very clearly Delphine was frustrated too.
“Did you bring any clothes to change into?” she finally asked.
He shook his head. “I wasn’t planning on being here long. I just thought maybe if I could catch the scent, I’d be able to track it.”
“If our trackers couldn’t find them, then you won’t either.” Her tone was matter-of-fact.
He snorted because wolves were just as arrogant as dragons, it seemed. “Maybe, maybe not. But I’m not interested in some sort of pissing contest. I just want to find out who’s responsible.” Again, she would scent the truth rolling off him.
And his words seemed to satisfy her because she nodded in approval. “Go ahead and go inside. We’ve already removed the bodies. Just don’t touch anything.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “You’re sure?”
“I’m one of King’s lieutenants. Of course I’m sure. Unless there’s a reason I shouldn’t let you in there?”
He grinned and shook his head. “No. If I find anything, I’ll tell you.”
“We’ve combed over the place, just FYI.”
“I figured. I don’t expect to find anything.” But he still wanted back in there nonetheless. “Did you guys find out who the humans and vampires were? Notify their families?” That was a hell of a thing, not knowing what had happened to a loved one. He wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
“We’re working on it. It’s a process.”
“We’ll catch who’s behind this,” he said.
“We?”
He lifted a shoulder and turned back toward the house. “I’m including myself in that.”
She muttered something to herself about dragons but he ignored her as he hurried up the steps and pulled his camouflage on once again. He didn’t doubt that the wolves had searched the place, but he still liked being covered in case there were random cameras inside. Inside the foyer, he paused and looked around. It was the same as before—empty.
Still, people always made mistakes. He started on the bottom floor and quickly realized that the majority of this house hadn’t been used for anything recently. Just the bathrooms, but even the kitchen didn’t appear to have been utilized. Everything gleamed as if it had been cleaned within an inch of its life. No, all the scents came from the direction of that room. Whoever had used this house had used it for one purpose only.
He headed down the small set of stairs once again, and even though the bodies were gone, he could still see them in his mind as he stepped onto
the cold concrete floor.
Though he knew it wasn’t possible, he swore he felt fingers dancing up his feet and calves, the evil remnants left in this place scraping against his skin. Wanting his blood. Wanting him.
The scents down here were far more complex, the blood and death not as strong as it had been before, and he was able to sift through other scents more easily. Once again he caught that familiar scent and this time it didn’t disappear. He inhaled deeply and tried to figure out what was bothering him. It almost smelled like Catta, but not. He couldn’t figure out if his mind was playing tricks on him or if perhaps he wanted to smell something that wasn’t there.
After ten minutes, he decided to call it a wash and leave. There was nothing new to be gained at this point.
Once he was outside, he let his camouflage fall so that Delphine could see him, and shifted to his dragon. The sun still hadn’t risen and wouldn’t for another hour, he guessed. The flight back to the house didn’t take long, but when he landed in the yard he found Dallas sitting out there, a cup of coffee in one hand and Willow lying lazily at her feet as she petted the dragonling’s head.
Dallas gave him a neutral look as he shifted back to human and strode toward her. “Is everything okay?”
He wasn’t going to lie to her. “I went back to the house. I couldn’t sleep and… I don’t know why exactly. I almost felt like I was being called there.”
“Did you find anything?” Her expression thawed as she spoke. Maybe she’d thought he’d left for another reason. There wasn’t much that could have torn him from her bed, something he thought she understood.
“No. I don’t think so. Just a lot of different scents.” He was tempted to tell her that one of them reminded him of her, but didn’t want to insult her, and wasn’t sure what it meant anyway. So he sat next to her and she quirked an eyebrow. “What?” he asked.
“You’re just going to sit out here in the buff?”
He laughed lightly and shrugged. He hadn’t even thought about it. “I can go put some clothes on. Or we can just go back to bed and you can take all yours off?”
