by Raven Steele
“Nice conversation change, but I’ll bite.” Whatever had happened in Coast City, she clearly didn’t want to talk about it. Maybe one day soon I’d get her to talk about her friend that had died. It might help her heal.
“When we arrived at the Linchen Pack, we got into a fight with some inbreeders so they’d take us to their Alpha. A big burly fellow named Brutus. I think he’s in on the inbreeding. Anyway, he said they killed Luke’s brother over four years ago on Dominic’s orders. Luke didn’t believe he was dead.” I inhaled a hitched breath.
Lynx’s hand rose to her heart, even though she already knew all this, and Samira blinked slow and long. I think the news was just as upsetting to Samira as it was the rest of us.
“They showed us where they buried him. Luke dug up his brother’s grave, just to know for sure. He found some cross necklace Jake used to wear. After that Luke tried to kill one of them, then he took on their Alpha. I managed to get him out of there with only a few cracked ribs, but Luke disappeared the moment we got back to Rouen.”
“And you haven’t talked to him since?” Lynx asked, her voice full of sadness and tears in her eyes. Where Samira showed nothing, she showed everything.
I shook my head. “I’m worried about what he might do. I saw the look in his eye. He wants revenge.”
“He needs time,” Lynx said but phrased it as a question.
“He needs blood,” Samira said, startling us. “And somehow he’ll find a way to get it. We need to keep an eye on him. In the meantime, Mateo wants to meet with us as soon as possible.”
“What for?” Meeting with Mateo probably meant seeing Angel. My heart thudded in my chest. I briefly closed my eyes, remembering the last words Angel had ever said to me. “I ran to you, love. Never doubt my devotion.” I didn’t understand what he meant then, too tired and afraid to ask him, and I still didn’t want to ask. It might mean getting answers I couldn’t deal with yet.
“He said they have a problem,” Samira continued. “He doesn’t know who to trust.”
“He trusts you guys?” Lynx asked. “That says a lot. I didn’t think vampires trust anyone.”
I looked at Lynx and flashed a sly smile. “It’s only because Mateo has a thing for Samira.”
“He does not.” Samira’s voice was firm.
I narrowed my eyes at her. “You know, if I didn’t know any better, I’d guess you two have a history.”
She turned away, using her long hair to curtain her face. I wished she wouldn’t have. I wanted to know if it were possible for her face to redden.
“You do!” I said. “Do tell! I bet it’s terribly romantic and tragic at the same time.”
Without facing us, she said, “We leave in ten minutes. Try and get Luke to meet us there.”
She left the room, practically extinguishing the fire with her coolness.
Lynx leaned over and whispered across a narrow coffee table, “I think she still has feelings for him.” Her eyes flickered to the necklace she gave me, still around my neck. “It looks good on you.”
“I agree on both points.” After I texted Luke about the meeting, I stood and headed for the kitchen while texting Roma for a ride to wherever it was we were going. “Any of that cake left?”
“In the fridge.” She followed after me. “Since you’re eating cake, then I’m having cereal. I don’t care that it’s almost midnight.”
“As you shouldn’t.”
While I busied myself with pouring milk and cutting cake, Lynx also moved about the kitchen setting herself up with a bowl of cold cereal. Captain Crunch Berries. I sighed. What Luke would’ve liked.
I ignored the pain in my chest and turned around, just as Lynx slammed into me. Her cereal spilled all over me and she grabbed at the bowl. Her fingers caught in my necklace and it snapped from my neck. I sucked in a breath at the cold milk, now all over my shirt.
I glanced down. The pendant had fallen to the top of the crack between my breasts. Captain Crunch dotted my doused shirt.
“I am so sorry! I am such a klutz.” She grabbed some paper towels and blotted at the mess.
I grinned at her. “You just wanted to touch my boobs.”
She smiled in return. “You got me.”
She grabbed the necklace and held it up to her eyes. “Shoot. I think I broke the clasp.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s not a big deal.”
“I promise I’ll fix it,” she vowed, slipping it into her pocket.
I held out my hand. “Seriously. Don’t feel bad. I can just buy a new chain. I’m getting paid by the pack now, so I can afford it.”
“I’ll buy it.” She threw away the towels, not giving up the necklace. “I broke it, I’ll replace it.”
“Alright.” My shirt clung to me, sticky and cold. “But don’t take too long, or I might not find my fulfillment.” I winked at her and a flush spread up her face. Jeez, it was just a mistake. “It’s okay, Lynx. Really. It was my fault, too.”
Samira appeared in the doorway. “I’m leaving.”
“Without me?” I asked.
She stared at me.
“I need to change my shirt.” I shoved cake into my mouth while I ran to my room to change. By the time I returned downstairs, Lynx had just finished cleaning the rest of her mess. “Let’s go meet with some vampires. Do you want to come, Lynx?”
Samira’s head snapped my direction at the suggestion.
Lynx laughed nervously. “No, thanks. You guys go do the superhero stuff. I’m good here.”
Samira opened the back door. “We will take my car.”
I scowled. “No way, I’ll just get it dirty somehow. Besides, I already texted Roma.” My phone pinged, right on time. It was like Roma knew we were talking about her. “She just pulled up.”
“Why?”
“Because I like her, and I think she might be able to help us one day.” I walked toward the front door. “It’s good to have a powerful witch on our side.”
“Is she?” Samira followed close behind me. The fact that she didn’t argue about taking her fancy car meant she was intrigued.
“I think so, but that’s what I want help figuring out. I think there’s more to her than we know.” I kept my voice low, striding down the front walkway. When Roma waved out the front car window, I waved back.
Instead of getting in front, I slid in back with Samira.
If Roma was nervous having a vampire in the car, she didn’t show it. Samira hadn’t had many interactions with Roma, but you’d never know it with the easy, affable way Roma acted. She kept the conversation with Samira surprisingly simple and even went as far as offering Samira blood.
“You keep blood with you?” Samira asked, mildly amused.
“In a town like Rouen, it’s best to be prepared. Blood can be traded for many things.”
“Like what?” I asked.
“My life, for starters.”
I think Samira smiled at that, or maybe she was flinching at the fly that wouldn’t stop buzzing near our faces.
Not long after, Roma pulled up to the address Mateo had given Samira. It was on the older side of town where businesses were obviously struggling to stay afloat. The one we wanted was called, “Chuck’s Butchery.”
“I’ll wait here,” Roma called as we exited the vehicle.
When we were a safe distance away, Samira said to me, her voice low, “She does have power.”
I elbowed her. “See? I told you.”
“Don’t touch me.”
“Sure thing, Sammie.” I opened the door to the butcher shop. A strong aroma of cow’s blood struck my senses. Not entirely unpleasant, but it appealed to my wolf more than it did me.
Samira walked through the small darkened lobby meant for customers picking up their meat and passed a door. I followed her down a long hallway, noting the sudden temperature drop. At the end of the hall, she opened another door and moved into a large room that looked more like a huge refrigerator with white walls, frost clinging to their sid
es. Slabs of meat hung from hooks on the ceiling. Florescent lights illuminated the large space.
“Why are we meeting here?” I shivered and not because it was cold.
Samira had stopped in the center of the room next to the bottom half of a pig.
“It’s well insulated and it smells. Easy to hide shifters and vampires,” Samira answered. “Is Luke meeting us here?”
I checked my phone. “He never responded, so I guess not.”
“That’s too bad,” a deep, smooth voice said.
My body betrayed me and melted at the familiar sound.
Angel.
Chapter 9
Mateo appeared behind Angel and came to stand in front of Samira. Instant tension between them swelled within the room. Only an intense, shared past could cause that. I don’t know how I missed it before.
“Thank you for coming.” His words were for both of us, but his eyes were only for Samira.
She averted her gaze. “You said it was important.”
“It is.”
Angel hadn’t stopped staring at me. I maintained eye contact for as long as I could before finally looking away when it became too weird. Angel didn’t seem the least bit uncomfortable.
“We have a problem with Scorpion’s Breath,” Mateo finally began, after he got an eyeful of Samira.
“Your problem, not ours,” Samira said.
His brows drew together, but not in anger, more of frustration. “I know, and I’ve tried hard not to involve you, but it could become your problem. After Dominic’s death—” He kept his gaze away from me. “—we had to look for other distribution means. So far, we haven’t had any luck.”
“Again,” Samira said, “your problem. You should know how I feel about selling drugs to humans.”
My eyebrows lifted, and I met Angel's gaze. He seemed surprised by the comment, too. These two definitely had a past.
“Regardless of our differences,” Mateo answered, his voice laced with sudden malice, “I thought it would be expedient for you to know we had a large pallet of Scorpion’s Breath stolen from us a week ago. Some of the men from our crew are also missing. We questioned everyone and firmly believe it wasn’t one of ours.”
“You could have texted me this information.” Samira’s face didn’t betray any emotion.
“Now that we know what Dominic really wanted the drug for, we are concerned of it falling into the wrong hands again. We do not want supernaturals harmed.” His wide eyes bled desperation.
“Here’s an idea,” I said. “How about you just destroy the drugs altogether? It’s been more trouble than it’s worth.”
Mateo glared at me, which coming from a centuries-old vampire, was a sight to behold. I had to fight the instinct to cower.
“I cannot abandon my work. Within a few years’ time, if my drug does what it’s supposed to do, supernaturals could be in a position to rule over humans peacefully.”
I glanced at Samira, then back to Mateo, stunned. “You’re with the Principes Noctis?”
“No,” Mateo said quickly. “We are not with them. Our way is different. Our way is peaceful. We will not take over humans by force.”
Samira’s fingers curled into fists. “You may not be taking them over physically, but you will be mentally. There could not be a worse fate. I wish you wouldn’t do this.”
His hands mirrored hers. “Could I have a minute alone with you?” His gaze shifted to me, giving me a pointed look.
“Oh, I guess that’s my cue. Sure, I’ll leave, even though I was just starting to get comfortable having the ass end of a pig next to me.” I huffed, rolling my eyes as I left the room. I headed back into the hallway, not realizing Angel was behind me until we reached the dark lobby. He swiped the hair away from my neck, and I felt his hot breath against my flesh.
“You smell so good,” he whispered, giving me chills, the good kind, across my skin.
I took a step away so that I couldn’t feel him at my back. “Don’t do that.”
“But you enjoy my touch.”
“I don’t.” I couldn’t look him in the eyes.
He collapsed the space between us so fast, I gasped. “Look at me.”
I reluctantly stared up into his dark green eyes. They drew me in and made me want to melt into him.
“Don’t ever lie to me.”
I gulped at the fierceness of his words. I tried to take a step away, put some space between us, but my legs wouldn’t move. “Are you always this intense or just with me?”
He cocked his head to the side in confusion. “You are special. A rarity among supernaturals. Surely you know this?”
I kept my expression even and chose my next words carefully. “And what is it you do with rare things?”
The lines between his brows deepened. “I protect them much like I would a priceless Van Gogh painting. In the wrong hands, you could be a terrible weapon.”
“Are you saying your hands are the right ones?”
“My hands know how to treat precious things.” He moved his hand up slowly toward my face, as if not to startle me. His fingers traced my cheekbone. “I take great care of rare jewels.”
“I’m with Luke,” I blurted. I needed him to know this. Or maybe I just needed to remind myself. Even though Luke wasn’t talking to me at the moment. But that was a whole other issue altogether, and not relevant right now. Shut up, I told my brain.
He lowered his head slightly in acknowledgment. “I understand you’d prefer to be with your own kind, but sometimes it’s the forbidden fruit that tastes the sweetest.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, feeling the tension between us heighten. I imagined the way he might handle fruit, with just as much gentleness, or roughness, as it would require. His pupils dilated, as if he could read my thoughts.
I finally gathered enough strength to step away from him. Angel didn’t react, but his eyes stared intently into mine. I inhaled a shaky breath. “One of these days, I’m going to take you out, as friends, and get you drunk. I’d love to see that mask of refinement fall away.” I smiled at the thought. “I’ll teach you some swear words and, hell, maybe we’ll go toilet papering. Is that still a thing?”
“Toilet papering?”
I ignored him and motioned my head back toward the meat room. “Hey, so what’s with Samira and Mateo? How do they know each other?”
Angel straightened and seemed to let go of some of his attention on me. “I don’t know much. Mateo doesn’t like to talk about it, but every decade or so, I hear him speak of her. There’s a great fondness in his voice when he does.”
“When did they meet?”
“Fourteenth century, I believe.”
“Holy shit.” I couldn’t wrap my mind around vampires’ lifespans sometimes.
“They parted about five decades before I met Mateo. It was a time when vampires still lived in great covens, their maker at the head of the house.”
“I’ve never thought about her maker before. What was he like to create something as badass as Samira?”
His expression darkened. “Korin is not someone you want to meet. He is the only being on this earth Mateo is afraid of.”
“Where is this Korin?”
“Far away from here, and we should hope it stays that way. For all our sakes.” Angel cocked his head. “Mateo is calling us back.”
I moved to walk through the door, but he blocked me. “If you desire Luke, I will respect your wishes. And I agree he is good for you. He will teach you to trust again. So I will not fight him for you. For now. But know that I will protect you, with my very life, if necessary.”
The lump in my throat was so thick, I couldn’t breathe. I looked up into his eyes. “I don’t deserve you. Your friendship means a lot to me.”
I’m with Luke, I’m with Luke. I repeated the words over and over in my mind.
His eyes darkened and his hand moved so suddenly, I didn’t notice it until it was already clasped behind my neck, pulling me up to him. With a fire i
n his eyes that burned right through me, he kissed me. It was possessive and demanding, and if he hadn’t been holding me up, it would’ve brought me to my knees.
He didn’t care that I was with Luke right now. I belonged to him.
Before I could push him back, he let me go. Smirking, he wiped his fingers over his lips and strode away.
I stared stupidly after him as he disappeared into the back room where Mateo and Samira waited for us to return. What just happened? It wasn’t just the kiss that had surprised me, but something else. A rush of familiarity, strong yet elusive, had touched my soul so quickly, I might’ve questioned if it really happened. But I couldn’t deny the way my body and mind felt as if it had been kissed by time itself.
Holding a shaky hand to my heart, I breathed in slow and steady. Whatever had just transpired, I couldn’t entertain it. I wanted Luke and always would.
I returned to the cold meat room determined to stay focused. I couldn’t let Angel get to me. Not now. Not ever.
Samira and Mateo stood with plenty of distance between them. The tension was still there, but it had changed from anger to…was that sexual tension? I met Samira’s gaze, but she averted her gaze. Yeah, I know you want him, Sammie. I suppressed a laugh and asked, “So what’s the word?”
“For now, we will put our operation on hold, but just until we find out who is stealing from us. Whoever is doing it can’t have good motives. I fear they may want to continue Dominic’s work.”
“Who would want to do that?” Angel asked. He was no longer staring at me. Good.
Having already thought about this, I said, “It could be one of Dominic’s fans within the pack. Someone like Heather who also saw what he was doing. I wouldn’t put something like this past her, but,” I hesitated, “she’s not too bright, so I think she’d have to have a partner.”
“What about Lilith, Dominic’s lover?” Samira asked.
I shook my head. “Definitely not smart enough, but she’s probably powerful enough to get the drugs out of your facility without anyone knowing.”
