by Raven Steele
“Tell them to fuck off.”
I looked back at Marge. “Don’t mind him. It’s been a rough night.”
“And we’re sorry for that.” One of the male shifters stepped forward, his face apologetic.
“There’s a cabin about two hundred yards that way.” I pointed to our left. “Crash there for now. When things settle down here, we’ll come talk to you.”
They nodded and walked away, eyes downcast and shoulders slumped. They’d lost a lot tonight.
I smoothed back my still-wet hair and asked Samira, “How’s Lynx?”
“She’s awake but has a nasty headache.” She looked around. “Only the dead remain.”
“How many vampires died?”
“Five.”
I sighed and shook my head. “Give Mateo my condolences. We owe the Nocturnas big time.”
“They will make sure the debt is collected.”
Her warning sent a cold chill up my spine. “Do you think we won? Is it over?”
“Not even close.” She walked past me into the house.
Damn her and her pessimistic attitude. That was my job.
With the injured being taken care of, I headed inside to check on Luke. Angel stopped me at the door.
“Are you leaving?” I asked.
“I was looking for you. Is there somewhere we can talk in private?”
I shifted my weight. “Sure. Follow me.”
Other than the basement, Dominic’s old office was the most insulated room in the house. I opened the door and let Angel pass. It felt weird to be in here as the new Alpha. I would definitely have to get rid of this space. There were too many bad memories, too much bad juju here.
“Thanks for your help tonight. You didn’t have to come.” I closed the door behind him. “Although I’m glad you did. You’re racking up too many fav—” I turned around, nearly running into him. I sucked in a breath.
“Yes I did.” He stared down at me with intense eyes. “I pursued those creatures, the ones you call Hydes.”
I stepped back until I was pressed against the wall. “Oh yeah?”
“We were in the middle of battling them when all of a sudden, they stopped and sprinted into the forest. Like someone had called them with a dog whistle.”
“Where did they go?”
“There was a semi-trailer waiting for them. Down the road on the east side of the mansion. It bore the Bodian Dynamics emblem.”
I puffed air out my nose. “Doesn’t surprise me.”
He reached into his pocket and handed me a vial. “Give this to your most injured. I offered it to Luke but he refused.”
Closing my fingers over it, I looked up at him. Dried blood coated his hair line from an injury mostly healed now, and parts of his clothes were torn. “Why are you so kind to me?”
He moved closer to me until there was only an inch of heated air between us. He searched my face, pain etching the greens of his eyes. “Because you deserve every happiness in this world, and I want to give it to you. What you have with Luke, you need it. But one day, you will want a love that will burn right through you, consume every breath you take, ignite every beat of your heart. I will know when that time comes, and when it does, I will find you. And I will claim what is mine.”
He leaned over and brushed his lips against mine, just barely, but enough to send a searing heat throughout my body unlike anything I had ever experienced before. It burned straight to my core but also to my heart, making me gasp.
I said nothing as he left me alone, stunned. Had Luke not been on my mind, I might’ve gone after him. But … Luke. He was the man waiting for me to be by his side.
I headed upstairs, my legs weak, but I blamed it on being exhausted. The doctor was with Luke, removing a bullet from his stomach. He wore jeans and a cut-off shirt. A long mullet growing out the back of his neck made me laugh. The great thing about shifters is we didn’t need to worry about sterile environments like humans. Or doctors that wore lab suits to look professional.
When Luke saw me, he lowered an almost empty bottle of whiskey from his lips and smiled. “I feel better already.”
Warmth flowed right through me, and I dropped to his side. He grasped my cheeks and pulled me in for a kiss. The deep kiss lingered until the doctor cleared his throat. I pulled back and looked up at the doctor. “How’s he doing?”
“He’ll live. I already removed the bullets from his leg. This is the last one. He’s a strong son of a bitch.”
I grabbed Luke’s hand. “He totally is.”
Luke hooked his fingers into the top of my pants and tugged me closer. “I know what would make me feel better.”
“You’re drunk.”
“No.” He growled and it rumbled through his chest. “More like hungry.”
He yelped when the doctor tugged at his flesh. The doctor held up a bullet a second later, smirking. “Got it.”
“Thanks, Doc,” I said. I forcefully grabbed Luke’s hand from where he had wrapped it around my side and placed it on his chest. “You need to rest. I’m going to help the doctor with the other injured.”
Luke pretended to pout, but he blinked, his eyelids growing heavy.
“Sleep well,” I said and kissed him.
While the doctor gathered his belongings, I walked into the hall. I spotted Mateo with his arms around Samira. It was the kind of embrace only lovers shared. Maybe there was hope for Samira after all. She deserved love.
To maintain her privacy, I stepped back into the room and announced loudly, “I’ll be next door.”
This time when I stepped out of the room, the hallway was empty.
I found Lynx in a room, sitting up in bed. She held a washcloth to her face, wiping off blood, while she looked into a hand mirror.
“How are you feeling?” I lowered onto the bed next to her.
“Like I’ve been electrocuted. It’s a strange sensation. My body’s still tingling.”
“That was some serious magic you used out there.”
She lowered the washcloth and stared at her hands. “I don’t know where the power came from. It scared me.”
I rested my hand over hers, debating on whether or not I should tell her about what Cassandra had said. Instead, I said, “I think there’s something special about you, more so than even you know. Maybe you should look into your family’s history. See if anyone was able to do the same as you.”
“That’s a good idea. I will. I really want to understand what happened.”
“I’ll help you.”
She smiled, her green eyes sparkling beyond their watery depths. “What about you? I was so worried when I saw that thing pull you into the sky.”
“I survived, but Vincent didn’t.”
“Does that mean you’re Alpha?”
I nodded, straightening my shoulders. “Yes.”
“As it should be. You’re going to make a great leader.”
It was my turn to smile. “I hope so.” I patted her hand. “Get some rest. I’m going to go help others.”
“Okay. Thanks for checking in on me.” She snuggled into the bed and closed her eyes.
After I left her room, I hurried to the others, starting with the severely injured. I used Angel’s saliva as inconspicuously as I could to heal them. The doctor was stunned by many of the quick recoveries.
As the night wore on, all that was left to do was attend to the dead, something I had been trying to avoid. We hadn’t even finished the last funeral. And if I couldn’t take care of our dead, then I didn’t deserve to rule. From here on out, I needed to start acting like an Alpha. My life wasn’t mine anymore. It belonged to the pack.
Chapter 39
Four weeks passed. Physically our pack healed, but it would take much longer for us to heal mentally and spiritually. Three nights after the funerals for all our fallen, I was made pack Alpha. I vowed that night and in public to help each and every member of our group become more powerful. Inside. It wasn’t about becoming a stronger pack. We had en
ough strength. It was about becoming a better pack.
After everything was settled, I ordered a three-week break from all pack duties. Funds were made available for anyone who wanted to leave on vacation. Because Vincent had died, all his money, along with the pack’s, was awarded to me. I would use it only to help others.
Marge and the other Linchen members were allowed to join our pack provisionally. They eagerly accepted. Marge was a good addition to our group. Her crude humor and ability to hold a drink reminded me of Jerry. Others agreed.
I left Fire Ridge three hours ago to pack, leaving Gerald in charge for the next few days. I couldn’t have left it in better hands.
“I still can’t believe you’re leaving,” Lynx said from the doorway of my room. She looked much better than she had a couple weeks ago. Color had returned to her cheeks and she even looked physically stronger, but I wasn’t sure how that was possible.
“It’s only a week.” I placed a summer dress into my overnight bag, even though I hoped I’d never get a chance to wear it. Not if I had my way with Luke, which I fully planned on.
She pretended to pout. “What will we do without you?”
“Find a way to get Samira drunk again, and I bet you’ll have the time of your life.”
“Already thought of that. Cupboard is stocked.”
“Damn.” I grinned. “I really want to be here for that.”
“There will be plenty of times for us to get her drunk together.”
“Who are you getting drunk?” Samira asked behind Lynx. The sun must’ve just set.
“Your mom.” I winked at Lynx who moved further into the room, grinning.
Samira followed her. “My mother died in 1308.”
“Must be your dad then.” I zipped up the bag.
She frowned in her Samira-ish way. “You’re making a joke.”
I hefted the bag onto my shoulder. “I’m going to miss you, Samira. Take care of Lynx and if an owl shows up with a letter, shoot it.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
Lynx laughed and gave me a hug. “Take care.”
She stepped back. Samira and I stared at each other. I raised my hand. “High five?”
She hesitated. “It’s strange, but I’ll comply.” She slapped my hand.
I looked at each of them, my expression growing serious. “Before I go, I want to give you each something.”
Lynx clapped her hands. “I love presents!”
I twisted the ring off my finger and handed it to Lynx. “This was given to me when I was found by the side of the road after my pack…” I cleared my throat, sudden emotions crowding my chest, “my family, was murdered. The bird on it always reminded me that one day I would be free from my curse. A curse, I now realize, I placed on myself when I became obsessed with revenge.”
“Thank you,” she whispered and slipped it onto her middle finger. “I love it.”
“Whenever you look at it, Lynx, I want you to remember that you can be free too. Whatever hold you think your mother has on you, you can choose to walk away. Don’t let their actions define who you are.”
Her eyes teared, and she smiled kindly. Before I got too choked up, I turned to Samira.
“I don’t like jewelry,” she blurted.
“Good, because that’s not my gift.” I bent over and reached under my bed until I felt the small chest. I pulled it out and straightened. “It’s something I know you love. Blood.”
Lynx wrinkled her nose.
Samira leaned back, like I was holding a dead animal. “What kind of blood?”
“The blood of a unicorn.” I held it toward her.
“Impossible. They are extinct.”
I laughed. “I’m just shitting you. It’s the Abydos. I figure if I can trust you with my life, I can trust you with this. Do you think you can find a place for it at the Ames de la Whatever?”
“How long has it been unguarded?”
“I just brought it here so you’ll want to get it there soon.”
She carefully accepted it. Watching it leave my hands made me feel like someone had removed the hundred-pound weight that had been stuck on my back for years. I breathed my first freeing breath.
“We would be most honored,” she said. “I’ll deliver it straight away, and I will keep knowledge of its existence limited.”
“I trust you.” I looked at each of them. “You guys are the best. Thanks for being there for me. I don’t know how I could’ve survived without you both.”
“The danger isn’t over,” Samira said. “We still don’t know who is behind all the missing drugs and the creation of Hydes.”
I nodded. “Well, at least Vincent and that weird smoke monster are gone. I never want to see that thing again.” I shivered.
“Perhaps,” Samira said in a quiet voice.
“No more scary shop talk,” Lynx said. “You are going to have so much fun with Luke. Give yourself a much needed break.”
“I hope so.” The sound of a bike’s engine echoed from outside my window. “He’s here.”
Lynx and Samira followed me outside. I gave them a final goodbye on the porch, surprised by the ache I felt in my chest. I truly would miss them, even being gone for a short time.
I jogged down the steps to Luke. He wrapped me into a tight hug and nuzzled the sensitive space between my neck and shoulder. He nipped at it playfully. “I can’t wait to get you alone.”
“Drive fast.”
He growled hungrily and handed me a helmet.
As soon as it was on, I joined him on the bike, snaking my arms around his hard abs. I slipped my hands up under his shirt just above his pant line.
He groaned. “This is going to be a long ride.”
As we pulled away from the driveway, I glanced back at the house. Lynx and Samira stood in the front window waving goodbye. Well, Lynx waved. Samira just blinked.
When I’d first arrived here, I never planned on staying. I never planned on making friends. But here I was. A shifter living in a house with a witch and a vampire.
And I couldn’t be happier.
Epilogue
THE PHOENIX
* * *
I leaned back against the plush armchair, my face warming from the lit fireplace in front of me. Stretching my long, naked muscular legs, I admired my male form for the tenth time. It may be my best creation yet, thanks to Briar. Killing three Alphas and becoming a full Komira had fulfilled her role in the prophesy of the sun, the moon, and the stars, thereby giving me the power to transform into many forms. But I doubted I’d switch much from this beautiful specimen. He was too perfect: chiseled chest, corded abs, and tall, nearly seven feet. The body reminded me of the men in my village centuries ago. Very few dared stand against us.
Briar had done a fantastic job. I smiled to myself as a ran my large palms across my bare thighs. She was so strong, just like I suspected when I first saw her. I felt some regret about Vincent’s death, however. He had been a loyal servant, maybe one of the best. I was sorry to see him go, but his death was not in vain. His sacrifice brought me one step closer to raising Trianus from the underworld. The thought of him in that dark, cold place made me growl low in my throat.
So many would suffer for the harm they caused him, caused me.
I ran my large hands up my bare chest, enjoying every tight hill and valley. Everything was going according to planned. Wheels were in motion and nothing could derail them now. Though they would try. Samira would be especially challenging, but, in the end, even she will fall into my hands. Destiny will not be ignored.
I had something special in store for her, a deal she couldn’t refuse.
It was time the world met the real Samira.
* * *
***
* * *
Want to receive a text update when the next book in the Rouen Chronicles is released? Text AVA RAVEN to 474747.
A storm is coming. You won’t want to miss it!
***
And now it’s t
ime to introduce you to Samira in A Vampire’s Bane, the next book in the Rouen Chronicles series. I hope you enjoy her as much as we do!
***
A Vampire’s Bane
Chapter one
* * *
Thick and muscular but lithe as a jaguar, the vampire strode down the street with the confidence of a lion. His hurried, lengthy steps echoed off the dilapidated buildings around him and rats scrambled to clear the area or faced the unfortunate squish under his unruly shoe. From where I stood, perched on the rooftop above him, I could see the glow of his silver eyes.
He yanked open the door of the large warehouse across the street. It squealed in protest and banged against the back wall as he disappeared inside. I refrained from rolling my eyes at his unnecessary clamor; vampires were only noisy like that when they wanted to feel important.
Briar and I were following the same vamp I’d seen at Sinsual the night I met her. I’d kept an eye on him after that night, never finding anything too interesting except that he distastefully drank from humans in a more public manner than I was comfortable with. After Silas died, the vamp had disappeared, only to reappear again nearly a week ago at the same club. This time, something about him had set off my radar like a demon rising from the grave. He was trouble and now, I was determined to find out what kind.
A slight breath of wind, cold and invading, brushed the base of my neck. The temperature of its invisible touch was too cold for this time of night. I glanced behind me and surveyed the dark rooftops in the distance. Someone was watching us. I was as sure of it as I was the number of times Briar had adjusted her bra.
“Why do you keep looking behind us, Sammie?” Briar whispered. “The action’s down there.”
Her gaze dropped to the parking lot thirty feet below us. The sliver of a moon barely illuminated the large moving truck as it rumbled toward the big warehouse. We had been perched on this small spot of roof across the street for nearly two hours. The vampire had come here every day this week. Tonight, we were going to find out why.
