Rouen Chronicles Box Set

by Raven Steele

  There was a collective gasp from both sides and several voices spoke out at once. Luke snuck up behind me. I could feel his body heat warm my back.

  He whispered, his breath blowing across my neck, “This isn’t good.”

  I ignored him and stared straight ahead, curious to see what the Greybacks would do.

  “We don’t want to be Silver Claws,” Christopher growled.

  Dominic leaned toward Christopher’s face. “Then beat me.”

  Christopher glanced at Raphael, who looked just as furious. They nodded their heads at each other in agreement.

  I mentally rubbed my hands together. This was going to be a great fight. Though Dominic would probably win, he would still receive at least a few good hits fighting against two potential Alphas. Just the thought of seeing his blood spilled made my tits hard.

  “Calm down,” Luke hissed from behind.

  I elbowed him away.

  Christopher and Raphael moved side by side. Both of them tore off their shirts, revealing abs I could’ve washed my clothes on. Dominic did the same, his expression emotionless but his eyes were cruel and cold.

  “Watch his left hook,” a Greyback woman cried to Christopher and Raphael.

  Dominic glanced to her and grinned wickedly. “I’ve learned a lot since you last saw me fight, Mary.”

  As the three circled each other, both packs crowded against the edges, all anxious to see who would win. Flickering flames cast dancing shadows across the arena, illuminating nervous faces. Angry snarls. Terrified eyes. All of them came at me fast. Snapshots of fear and fervor. That, mixed with the smell of fear and sweat, agitated my senses. I sucked in a breath just as my legs grew weak. Luke steadied me from behind, wrapping his hand around my stomach possessively.

  I leaned into him for support, but didn’t dare move. I had to see Dominic fight. Maybe I could spot a weakness I could use against him later. I closed my eyes tight, then opened them again, ordering my vision and mind to clear. I needed to be focused right now.

  Christopher shuffled toward Dominic and swung a lazy fist. Dominic easily dodged it. Just a test.

  “I should take my time with you two,” Dominic said to Christopher. “What your Alpha did to me was barbaric. Too bad I have other plans tonight.”

  Raphael jabbed two quick punches at Dominic’s face, but Dominic ducked his head to the side so quickly, it looked like Raphael had swung at air.

  Christopher didn’t respond. He circled behind Dominic, communicating silently with Raphael. They meant to trap him and attack at once.

  “The Greybacks have been a thorn in my ass long enough,” Dominic said. His expression remained even. He didn’t seem to care he was being cornered.

  Christopher kicked forward. His foot should’ve connected with Dominic’s back, but Dominic appeared a foot away. He moved again when Raphael attempted to kick him, too.

  Snarling, Christopher opened his mouth, elongating his fangs. Raphael did the same. Claws came next.

  Dominic checked the time on his wristwatch and sighed. “If I'm not home by midnight, I don’t get laid. Speed it up, boys.”

  All at once Raphael and Christopher rushed Dominic, roaring hate-filled battle cries. I thought for sure they’d collide into Dominic, but before I could inhale my next breath, Dominic slammed Raphael into the ground. Then he spun a back kick into Christopher’s jaw. Christopher spun in the air and hit the ground hard. My body trembled at the ferociousness of it. Luke tightened his grip on me.

  But Dominic wasn’t finished. He produced a silver dagger from behind his back and with one quick motion severed Raphael’s head from his body. Dominic picked up the head by the hair and stalked over to Christopher, leering over him. Blood poured from the bottom, leaving a trail darker than the black sky.

  Christopher looked up at Dominic and opened his mouth, probably to beg for mercy, but Dominic didn’t give him the chance. He slammed his heeled boot into Christopher’s skull. The sickening sound of bones shattering filled the air.

  Dominic stomped again, this time splitting the skull wide open, and soft grey brain matter squished under his boot.

  I turned away and buried my head into Luke’s shoulder. Cries of terror pierced the night. Some of them coming from our own pack.

  Dominic held up the bloody head and screamed. “You are mine! Do you hear me? Every last one of you now belong to me!”

  Voices quieted down until there was only whimpering.

  The Scorpion’s Breath betrayed me. The horror of what I’d just witnessed punched a hole right through the drug’s protective barrier on my emotions. It ripped open a chasm in my heart so wide that I thought the never-ending blackness would consume me.

  I sucked in tiny sips of air and clung to Luke. Memories, raw and powerful, thundered through me, especially ones of Ryder. I saw and heard every laugh, every twinkle in his eye. But each smile was followed by lightning flashes of the wounds that had been inflicted upon his body. Because of me.

  I was death now. Cold, selfish, and heartless.

  I gasped, struggling to stay upright. Everything around me spun. Darkness tore at the edges of my vision, and I wanted to give in to it.

  “Briar?” Luke bent down to look into my face.

  I pulled away; I didn’t deserve Luke’s concern. His lips pressed into a thin line and he pulled me back to him. He put his arm around my shoulders and began shoving his way through the crowd, leading me through it. Faces blurred and I stumbled, but Luke held me steady.

  Dominic was speaking again, barking out what was to happen next. I could barely hear him over the roaring in my ears.

  Luke guided us away from the group and into a grove of trees where we were out of view. Wrapping both of his arms around me, we slumped to the ground, and he held me as my whole body trembled.

  “Breathe,” he whispered and ran his hand down my back over and over. “Just breathe.”

  I focused on his words and the sound of his heart drumming a steady beat within his chest. He continued to speak soothing words until my pulse slowed, and my body stopped shaking.

  The sound of a car’s engine coming to life had me sitting up, alert and looking around. I’d forgotten where I was until now.

  “Look at me,” Luke said.

  I reluctantly faced him, but when I saw the worry and genuine concern in his piercing blue eyes, I lowered my gaze. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

  “Shhhh …” He pressed a warm palm to my face. “You need help, Briar.”

  I closed my eyes, trying to grasp a wisp of the Scorpion’s Breath that should still be breathing through my veins. “I just need to sleep.”

  “You need more than that.” He pulled me to his feet. “Everyone’s leaving. I’ll take you home.”

  “I can ride my own bike.”

  “No.”

  I started at the sharp tone of his voice.

  “You can make a scene, throw a fit, whatever you want, but there’s no way in hell you’re getting on that bike.”

  I nodded and the tightening in my chest loosened.

  Luke waited until Dominic and most of the pack left before he pulled me out of the trees toward his bike.

  “Can you hold on to me?” Luke handed me a helmet.

  “I won’t let go.”

  “Neither will I.” His eyes met mine and the depths of them seemed to go on forever. I could get lost in that inviting darkness.

  After he swung his leg over the seat, I joined him and wrapped both arms around him. I rested my head against his back and closed my eyes. He waited until the last of the cars drove away before following after them, driving at a slow pace.

  Luke had been right about one thing. I did need help. Part of me wished I was strong enough to seek it out, but after what I saw tonight, Dominic splitting open someone’s skull, I knew I couldn’t fight him on my own. I was too weak, too emotionally fragile to face Dominic without the sting of the Scorpion’s Breath to back me up. Even with it, I might not be strong enough. />
  I just hoped that after Dominic was dead, there would be something left of me to save.

  Chapter 31

  The next day my body felt numb and brittle. I hadn’t been able to sleep as I had tried my best to avoid the last vial of Scorpion’s Breath, but before the sun rose, I was shaking so badly, that I finally gave in. Just before its calming effect washed over me, I admitted I was in over my head.

  A few seconds later, I didn’t care.

  Back at Fire Ridge, Dominic wanted the place spruced up for when the Greybacks arrived later in the day. He demanded that the entire house be cleaned top to bottom and the backyard shed of all overgrowth. He definitely wanted to impress them, but I didn’t know why.

  By the end of the day, we were prepared and just in time, too. As the sun set, they came in rumbling and rusty trucks. They even brought their young, which was uncommon. I had a feeling Dominic had ordered the shifters to bring them, probably to see how big his new pack was now. He was watching them intently, filing out of their vehicles one by one, like he had plans for their futures already.

  By their appearance, they didn’t look happy about the merge, but they understood they didn’t have a choice. It was too late to do anything differently. The crowd was so big, Greybacks huddled together on one side, that we filled the whole backyard, all the way towards the woods. It was a good thing we’d cleared the yard.

  I wondered how Dominic was going to manage them all. A pack this big would require a firm hand, something he looked all too eager about. I just hoped I killed him before there was any real trouble.

  After we were all gathered, Dominic stood before us all, scanning the crowd with a growing smile. “Welcome to Fire Ridge, Greybacks. Welcome to your new home. You are always welcome to stay here or come and go as you please. We share with you willingly. We want …”

  This was the point in his fake speech where I tuned him out. I slowly slid my phone out of my pocket and, after making sure no one was looking, began to play an app where I had to match rows of colors. I found it the other day and was already addicted.

  I wasn’t sure how much time had passed when Jerry elbowed me. “Eyes up. It’s almost over.”

  Shoving the phone into my pocket, I looked up just as Dominic said, “These are your new brothers! Embrace them as you would a long-lost sibling!”

  We all turned to each other; two packs staring each other down. It was Jerry who made the first move, which didn’t surprise me. He filled the gap and shook hands with the closest shifter. He did the same to another, greeting them as if they were friends. Soon, others joined in.

  “Tonight, when the sun sets, we will have a real party to make the deal official!” Dominic grinned, showing his entertainer face, then stepped off his platform to shake hands with the shifters.

  No one cheered, but at least people were introducing themselves to each other, which was huge. These packs had been rivals for decades. But the Alpha ordered it, which meant they had to follow.

  Dominic caught my eye and motioned me off to the side. I grabbed the others on his security team: Heather, Terrence and Tubby, whose real name I’d recently found out was Leroy. We separated from the packs as they began to talk and drink. I’d taken my last vial of Scorpion’s Breath hours ago, and I was beginning to feel the effects of it slowly fading away, leaving me alone.

  Darkness had come, its kiss chilling my flesh. Two bonfires were lit, chasing some of the night away. Several shifters huddled around them.

  “Make sure everyone stays cordial,” Dominic said to us. “I can’t risk this not working.”

  Terrence eyed the large group warily. “It will take time.”

  Dominic shook his head. “It can’t take too much time. The whole point of merging the packs was to get the Nocturnas to use us as their only provider.”

  “Weren’t they already?” I asked.

  “Mateo, that bastard, changed his mind. He let me know the day I was rescued.”

  So that’s why Dominic was in such a hurry to take over the Greybacks.

  His nostrils flared. “Now he won’t have a choice. There’s not another pack with our resources within two hundred miles. I’m meeting with him next week to seal the deal. I can’t have anything go wrong.”

  I groaned inwardly. Something must’ve happened with the Nocs. I had a feeling that something had to do with me. The thought of going to see Angel had my blood simmering hot. The Scorpion’s Breath definitely wasn’t lasting as long as it used to. I wondered if Angel had anything stronger.

  “It won’t, sir.” Heather’s voice was full of confidence. “We’ll see to it.”

  “You better. I have big plans for our pack that are going to change everything.” He hesitated like he wanted to say more. “In the meantime, I want the Greybacks made as comfortable as possible. Set them up with high salaries, give them good jobs if they need it, whatever it takes.”

  “Everything is already full,” Terrence said. “If we start handing out jobs, we’re going to have to take them from our own pack. No one will like that.”

  Dominic’s eye twitched. “This isn’t hard. Start going into neighboring cities. Get the pack more money, get us some jobs, even if that means you rid some humans of theirs. We are the power now. No one will dare stand against us.”

  “So true.” Leroy’s excitement was palpable.

  Terrence’s Adam’s apple moved up and down, and he nodded, but I could tell by his pale complexion that he didn’t like it.

  Dominic walked away with Heather, while Terrence turned another direction. I searched the crowd for Luke, wondering if he would notice if I left. I really wanted to see Angel. I spotted Luke across the lawn talking to a few of the Greybacks, but his eyes kept flashing to me nervously. I gave him an encouraging smile, deciding to wait a little bit longer before sneaking away.

  After talking for over an hour, the two packs began to relax, and I couldn’t see Luke anymore. I circled to the front of the mansion where I hoped to find a bike not in use, but my uncle stepped out of the shadows, startling me.

  “Where are you going?” he asked. He was working his mouth and avoiding eye contact.

  “Out.” I narrowed my eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  “Out where?”

  “Just out.”

  “Can I take you home?” he asked.

  “Uh—”

  “I have something to show you,” he said quickly, “and I don’t want to do it here. It’s important.”

  I groaned inwardly, really wanting to see Angel. “And it can’t wait until tomorrow?”

  He shook his head. “It’s life and death.”

  My hands were shaking as I slid into the passenger seat of my uncle’s car. I tried to get more out of my uncle, but he wouldn’t say a word about what was so important. If my thoughts weren’t obsessed with trying to get to Angel, I might be nervous about what he was going to show me.

  My phone buzzed. I glanced down at the lit up screen. A message from Angel read: I haven’t seen you for a while. Are you alright?

  I texted back: Feeling much better but I may have to visit you soon. I knew he'd read between the lines.

  A few seconds later: I am more than your drug dealer.

  I paused, thinking about his words. It was true, he was more than my drug dealer. The first person I’d opened up to, really. I responded: You're right. You're also the cheapest therapist I've ever had. You should work for the state.

  My uncle glanced at me sideways. "Everything okay?"

  “Yep.” I slid my phone back into my pocket and smiled. He pulled into the driveway of my house and chuckled.

  "You must be talking to Luke. If you haven't noticed, the shifter is in love with you."

  I laughed out loud. "Love? That's a stretch."

  "He cares a great deal for you."

  "Maybe." I opened the car door before the conversation continued any further. “I can’t be here long.”

  “You won’t.” He opened his door and got out, grabbing a b
riefcase from behind his seat. “I’ll show you what I must, then you can be on your way.”

  "What's with the case?" I tilted my head towards it. I'd never seen it with him before.

  He didn’t answer me, he just stepped in front of me and opened the door. He stood aside, motioning me forward. I stepped into the room and froze. Luke, Samira, and Lynx were all sitting in the living room. They were looking at me as if they had been waiting all night for me to arrive. Their expressions were grim and serious, as if someone had just died.

  “Is something wrong?" I glanced back towards his car, having the sudden urge to flee to it.

  My uncle stepped in behind me. I’d have to push him out of the way to get out. So I took another step into the house.

  He closed the door behind him. “Have a seat, Briar."

  I rolled my shoulders back and cocked my head side to side. “You guys are kind of weirding me out right now. I think I'm just going to go to bed."

  “Sit.” Luke stood up, his voice commanding. He softened a moment later. “Sit next to me, please.”

  I swallowed and crossed the room to him. I sat down, with him sitting very close to me. His hand landed on my thigh. I wanted to lean into him but the air was thick with unspoken tension, so I sat at the edge of my seat awkwardly. His face was serious, but he drew circles into my thigh with his thumb.

  Lynx was opposite me, fidgeting with a stress ball in her hands and my uncle sat next to her on the couch, placing the briefcase on the floor at his feet. Samira stood near the fireplace with her usual dead face, and she wasn’t looking at me. My uncle was the only one who looked upon me with compassion.

  That’s when it dawned on me. I sprung up from beside Luke. “Oh, hell no. This is not an intervention!”

  “We just want to talk.” Luke pulled me back down and rested his hand on my knee, squeezing it lightly. “Just a simple conversation.”

  Samira finally turned towards me. “We are concerned for you.”

  “You’re concerned? Since when?”

  “We’re all concerned,” Lynx interrupted. “We love you.”

  I folded my arms. “I’m fine. So I got high a couple of times. What’s the big deal?”