“Claudia.” James touched her cheek. “I have to do this. Please stay in this room. Don’t let anyone in, not even room service.”
Claudia nodded. James stood and she heard the sound of him shuffling to pull on his clothes. She followed more slowly, not really paying attention to what she put on. She was too busy watching James. When they were fully dressed, he went to a private door. He glanced at her to double-check she had all her clothes on. Claudia quickly rearranged the bed and nodded to him. James opened the private door to a second, closed one. He knocked and it didn’t take long before the sound was answered. The man could only be James’ brother.
“Roark,” James said in greeting, confirming her deduction as he gave the man a hug. The two brothers had the same look to them, though Roark was slightly smaller in stature and had waist-length, dark brown hair. His leather pants and tight crimson shirt gave him the air of a rock star.
“Yeah, yeah, I already know you. Where’s the girl?” Roark asked cheerfully. His dark eyes fell on her and his grin widened. “Ah, there she is! Welcome to the clan, Claudia!”
James looked into the other suite, “Where’s Ian?”
“Downstairs scouting,” Roark answered. Claudia stood still, frozen in place as the enthusiastic man came for her. His arms spread wide and she stumbled back from him. Roark stopped, his smile fading as he looked at his brother.
“She’s scared of me?” Roark asked. “I thought you told her about us.”
“I did.” James looked at Claudia. “What is it?”
“He was with Meghan. Long brown hair. I felt the same feeling I do now.” Claudia continued to back away. Though she did not recognize his face from her vision, the feeling she had was unmistakable and overwhelming.
“What?” Roark gave a small laugh. “She’s joking, right?”
“I don’t believe so,” James said. Then, to Claudia, he insisted, “You have to be mistaken. Roark would never conspire with Meghan. Besides, you just had the vision. Roark couldn’t have made it here so fast.”
Claudia looked from brother to brother, still not trusting Roark. Unconvinced, she whispered, “If you’re certain.”
James looked from Claudia to his brother. There was much he wanted to say to her but right now he had more pressing concerns. Besides, what could he tell her? There was something in her eyes that told him she no longer blindly trusted his words. The truth was, he had been surprised she’d trusted him so readily before.
“I swear to you, Roark is a friend, Claudia,” James insisted. “Your feelings must be confused. Either that or you felt him as one of the clan. You can trust him.”
When Claudia looked at him, he felt as if he’d been kicked. “I’m not sure I can trust that. I know what I felt.” She shook her head. “And at the same time I’m not sure what I felt.”
“Jame—” Roark began.
James recognized the teasing in his brother’s tone and instantly stopped him from continuing. “No, Roark, now isn’t the time.”
“You’re right.” Claudia lifted her chin, her eyes narrowing as she rubbed her temple. He wanted to go to her, to soothe the obvious headache starting anew. “Now is not the time. She’s preparing to leave the show. If you wish to stop Meghan from killing again, now is it. Meghan drinks in a bar or restaurant with another like her. Dancers in red Vegas-showgirl-style costumes are sauntering around, kicking their legs in time with fast music.” She met James’ gaze. “She’s picked her victim—a hooker in a black slinky dress and too-red lipstick. When the woman leaves, they plan to follow her.”
James knew what he had to do but a large part of him wanted to stay with Claudia, to comfort her, help her and convince her that he was worth trusting.
James? Roark said through their mind-link. She is right. We need to capture Meghan.
She’s still upset, James answered.
Deal with your lover later, after the threat is gone. I’m sorry, brother, but if she doesn’t make it, we’ll lose our only link to Meghan and if we don’t go now, the bitch is sure to kill again.
James nodded. Meet me in the hall.
Be quick. Roark left through the door to his own suite.
“You should get going,” Claudia said. “I know how important her capture is to you.”
“We’ll talk when I get back. Don’t open the door unless you hear me knock three times and tell you my name.” James didn’t want to leave her like this. Why hadn’t he talked to her in the car after hanging up with Roark or before they’d made love? Even as he wondered, he knew the answer. It was the same reason he didn’t say the right thing now. He wasn’t sure what the right thing was.
Claudia nodded. “Good luck finding her.”
* * * * *
“She smells of you,” Roark eyed James from across the elevator. It had taken them ten minutes to get one to stop on their floor that had enough room to carry them down. Oddly, when a free elevator finally came, it was empty and they were left alone. “Though she doesn’t seem too charmed by you at the moment. I told you that you were too serious. You need to loosen up, show her the fun side of James—if you have one. Do you have a fun side, James?”
“This elevator has security cameras,” James answered, motioning up. “You should be quiet. Someone can probably hear you and I won’t stop them if they try to have you thrown into an asylum.”
“Do they even use asylums anymore? Isn’t there a more politically correct term for them now?” Roark chuckled. “I might have done the same in your position if a pretty little thing like that attacked me in lust during her changing. Did the kitty have claws?”
“Leave me be,” James grumbled.
“I take it you have not told the king about claiming a woman for your own?” Roark continued.
“Don’t make me tell your mate what you are saying.” James gave a small smile when Roark snapped his mouth shut. The elevator dinged and opened, ending all conversation. People stepped on for the ride down and all became quiet. When they finally reached their stop, the doors opened, revealing the first floor.
“Ian should be down here already watching for her.” Roark pulled out his phone. “I’ll call him. I don’t want Meghan detecting our thoughts. There are several restaurants and clubs along the north side. I’ll look there for dancers in red. You check the other side.”
James glanced up at the high ceiling, to where Claudia waited in the suite. He’d ordered her to lock all doors and not do anything that would require her opening them—like calling the hotel staff or room service. Hopefully Meghan would be too busy fighting him and his brothers to hunt or even detect a turning human in the middle of a fifty-story hotel.
Roark took off across the lobby. James moved in the opposite direction. He heard music and laughter, the kind often associated with bars. This had to be it. Tonight would be the night he caught Meghan and ended her reign of terror forever.
* * * * *
Claudia paced the floor, debating whether or not she should stay in the posh suite doing nothing. She didn’t trust Roark, though the fact that he was James’ brother caused her to doubt her judgment. The feeling she got when he was near was too familiar to the sensation she’d gotten when she’d had access to Meghan’s mind.
Working alone all day with computers didn’t exactly create a superhero. However, if she only had a few days to live, she was going to do something with those days. At first, she’d considered running away from the whole lycan thing, but when she thought of James, of his touch, she couldn’t do it. If these were to be her last days, they’d have meaning.
Besides, who was she kidding? She couldn’t leave James, no matter the circumstances. Too much of her heart was wrapped up in him and that scared her. What if he didn’t feel the same way? They never talked about such emotions.
She tried to watch television but her mind couldn’t concentrate. Then she tried to focus on Meghan to see what the woman was doing, hoping for some kind of hint as to what happened downstairs when the brothers confronted her.<
br />
No matter how she tried, she couldn’t get a link to Meghan’s thoughts. Suddenly three knocks sounded on the door. Claudia jumped, instantly recognizing James’ signal. Crossing to the door, she hesitated. “Yes?”
“It’s Prince Ian, James’ other brother. He sent me to check in on you,” a voice from the other side said.
Claudia reached for the lock, only to pause. “Where’s James?”
“In the lobby with Roark. He said to tell you he sent me and to knock three times. Can I come in?” Claudia glanced at the door adjoining her room to the brothers’ suite, wondering why he didn’t come through that door instead. “All right.”
Claudia pulled open the door slowly. The man in the hall had the same features as James, with dark eyes and long hair that looked very much like Roark’s. He smiled, a charming, easy expression as he stepped inside.
“Did you say you were a prince?” she asked. “Or is prince your first name?”
“He hasn’t told you?” Ian chuckled. “We’re all three of us princes—James, Roark and I. Though I am the oldest and next in line to rule.”
“A prince?” Claudia gave him a skeptical look, sure he was messing with her. “Right.”
“I can see why James is taken with you.” Ian reached for her face. Claudia stiffened until she realized he only meant to kiss her cheek. Brushing his lips against her, he paused, taking a deep breath. “My apologies. James is more than taken with you. He’s laid claim to you.”
Claudia reached for her neck, where James had bitten her while they had sex. She wondered at the strange look Ian gave her. “I’d offer you a drink but I don’t want to run up James’ bill.” She put distance between them, slowly making her way across the room.
Ian laughed. “His family is richer than a sultan and still he lives like a man on a budget.”
“Well…” Claudia began to defend James.
Ian chuckled harder. “I have a drink in my room. Be right back.”
Claudia nodded, for some reason feeling sick to her stomach. “All right.”
Ian unlocked the door to his suite, stopping to look at her. “He will defiantly be very sorry to lose you.”
That shocked her and her mouth worked several times before she managed to say, “Ah, I suppose. But we haven’t spoken of it. I have a week before the full moon.”
“Oh, he wasn’t talking about your transformation,” a female voice said from inside Ian’s suite. “He was talking about James losing you tonight.”
“Meghan,” Claudia whispered, knowing who was inside as sure as she knew her own heartbeat. Her nerve endings tingled, pulled toward where the woman appeared in the door. On Block Island, she didn’t have time to see her attacker fully before getting abducted. Meghan’s evilness marred her perfect beauty. Her amber eyes, darkened with eyeliner, glowed with all the mysterious power of lycan and woman. Silky smooth, jet-black hair fell around her shoulders, framing her full, red lips and oval face.
Meghan laughed. “Hi, little one. Mommy’s home!”
“Ian?” Claudia looked at James’ brother.
“Sorry, not Ian.” Meghan pretended to pout. “Randall O’Connell, did you tell Claudia you were a prince? Shame on you. Tell her the truth. She should know how easily you duped James into believing you tracked me for him. Tell her how we laughed as you called to report on me from my bed.”
“Randall?” Claudia shivered. He wasn’t James’ brother?
“I am your prince,” Randall answered, trying to slip his arm around Meghan’s waist. She dodged his advance, coming toward Claudia.
“You are the one I sensed with her, aren’t you? It wasn’t Roark,” Claudia said.
“That’s the O’Connell clan you’re sensing. They all feel the same, don’t they?” Meghan giggled.
James, come back. Please come back. Claudia bit the inside of her lip, trying to force a calm expression to her features.
“Oh, sweetheart,” Meghan shook her head, clucking her tongue in mock concern. “Your mind-link isn’t developed. James can’t hear you yet. But I can. How do you think I knew about the three knocks to get in? I’ll admit, I can’t see everything but I see more than enough in your mind. You’re not very guarded, but one can’t expect control from one so young. And I must thank you, my daughter, for sending me those helpful images of where you were. Of course you didn’t know you were doing it, but thanks all the same. You make it very easy to elude capture. Almost too easy. There was no fun in being chased when you know where your pursuer is at all times.”
“But tonight you will have fun, won’t you, darling? I mean, that’s why you allowed the brothers to find you. To show them how powerful you are and elude them again.” Randall tried to put his arms around Meghan, this time from behind. She rolled her eyes in annoyance, making sure though that he could not see her expression.
James! Claudia couldn’t help her thoughts. James, please come back to the room. Come back.
“Stop it!” Meghan yelled, her face twisting into a snarl. “Quit calling for him. He won’t come to save you.” Then, regaining her composure, she took a deep breath, again smiling. “Oh, Claudia, don’t look so worried. I’m here to take care of you. I can smell he’s laid claim to you, but was that really fair of him? In your condition? You should at least have options between your thighs before you commit to one lycan.”
“Laid claim? I don’t know what you mean but I won’t help you. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?” Claudia tried to inch away from the woman, keeping the door to the hallway in her peripheral line of sight.
“Ah, sweetie, you don’t really have a choice. You’re mine. I made you.” Meghan’s eyes narrowed. “And you are going to continue to help me. I don’t need your permission or even your willingness.”
Claudia made a run for the door but Meghan was too fast. She darted in front of her, blocking the way.
“I was going to let you live initially, but now that James has laid his mark on you, I think this will be the best purpose to your new life. Let him wonder if you would have survived the changing. When I kill you, James will know he failed.” Meghan laughed. Randall moved to block the door leading to the adjoining suite. “Let him know he failed again.”
“You will be brought to justice,” Claudia said, though she wasn’t sure it was the truth.
“Oh, isn’t she adorable, Randall? So innocent. I almost hate to get rid of her.” Meghan shook her head as if disappointed.
“We could keep her. Turn her to our cause. There is no need to kill her,” Randall said.
“She’ll never join us. I can see too much of her spirit, all good and light. It makes me sick to even feel her. I’d kill her just to get those feelings out of my body.” Meghan visibly shivered.
Claudia looked at Randall in hope of salvation, but those thoughts were soon crushed when Meghan answered, “Do you want to fuck her so badly, Randy? Maybe if you beg me, I’ll let you stick it to her.”
Randall shook his head in denial. “The princes will already seek my head for my betrayal. I’ll not desecrate their woman and add to my crime.”
“You still fear them? You should fear your queen,” Meghan spat out.
“I worship you, you know that,” Randall argued, “but…”
Claudia ran for the balcony, the only other exit in the hotel room. She wasn’t sure if there would be a way to climb down or even over to the next room, but she had to try. To stay would mean her death and she wasn’t ready to go. Not yet. If what they said was true, if James had somehow laid claim to her in a way the other lycans could tell just by being near her, than she had a big reason to live. Maybe he did care for her more than just a lover. Maybe there was hope. Her heart told her there was.
“Bitch!” Meghan screamed.
Claudia heard footsteps pounding on the carpet behind her. Blood pumped in her veins, filling her with desperation and fear. She grabbed on to the glass door, jerking it open so she could get onto the balcony. But her plan for flight wasn’t well though
t-out and she ended up closing a door she couldn’t lock from the outside.
The glass was no match for Meghan’s fists. The woman’s face shifted and Claudia screamed. Fangs grew from Meghan’s mouth as her nose elongated. Fur sprouted by her eyes and the morbid sound of bones breaking punctuated the air. The lycan woman fell forward, her flesh rippling as she completely changed into a large wolf.
Claudia had known what lycans were, but to see it for the first time nearly made her heart stop. Instead of landing on all fours on the concrete balcony, Meghan landed on Claudia. Claws dug into Claudia’s arms, ripping her flesh. Instantly, she lost her footing and stumbled back, surprised by the lycan’s massive weight. She pushed Meghan to get her to let go but, as her back hit the railing, she knew it was too late.
Her body flipped over the side. Meghan’s claws let loose and the night was pierced with her evil laughter. Bloody images filled Claudia’s head as the wind rushed past her head. As she fell, her flesh prickled as if thousands of glass shards passed through her. The bloody visions left her, only to be replaced by one that was much worse—the look of the sidewalk speeding toward her plummeting body.
Chapter Six
Oh, lover boy, Meghan’s voice echoed in his mind. The taunt was followed by a graphic image of Claudia falling from the high-story balcony.
“Claudia,” James gasped, feeling a rush of fear rippling through him. As suddenly as it came, it disappeared, leaving an emptiness so terrifying he thought he was dead. He looked at his brothers. The elevator seemed to go too slow but he couldn’t make it climb to his suite’s floor any faster. He and his brothers had gotten on it only seconds after James felt Claudia call to him in fear, begging him to come back to the room, to save her. He tried to answer but had no way of knowing if she could hear him. Grabbing his chest, he panted for breath.
Call of the Lycan Trilogy Bundle Page 23
