by Katie Reus
“She told me that she didn’t even know of my existence until she stumbled across a grimoire one of her ancestors kept, detailing about my stasis. I was put in stasis to protect me from you, supposedly.”
Aiden’s jaw clenched. “Did you see the grimoire?” Almost every witch, or at least true, practicing ones, had a grimoire. Their textbook of magic spells.
She nodded. “Yes. It’s old and I guess it could be faked, but the power from the book was real and . . . I recognized the writing. Her ancestor worked with my mother occasionally.”
“And it just stated that you were being protected from me?”
She nodded again, her expression pensive.
“Your parents might have thought they were protecting you from me. They sent assassins after me after our bonding link broke. I didn’t understand why, considering you were supposed to be dead.” He’d assumed their hatred just ran deep. But maybe they’d wanted to kill him before bringing her back from stasis. It made sense.
She didn’t comment, but he could see the wheels turning in her head. “What did you do to their assassins?”
The fact that she was asking meant she believed him. Or was at least humoring him. “What do you think?” He’d sent their heads back in a box.
Her frown deepened as she rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling. “Magda brought me to the United States because she wanted to give me the chance to get vengeance on my parents’ murderers. She didn’t ask for anything in return and told me it was because her ancestors owed a great debt to my ancestors. That much I know is true—the ancestor part. She obviously wanted me here for a reason, but I don’t think it was to see you.”
“Why were you at that club?” There had to be a reason, and if they knew why maybe they could figure out the mystery of this witch’s endgame. Because Aiden had no doubt she had one.
Larissa rubbed a hand over her face. “To meet someone who knew more about, well, you. Supposedly.”
“Why wasn’t she with you? And where have you been staying?”
She turned to look at him. “We were staying in separate rooms at a five-star hotel in Winston-Salem, but she said she had other business to attend to. She sent two vampire escorts with me though.”
Aiden snorted. One of them had tried to take Larissa from him. Yeah, that witch was going to pay. Even thinking about that made his wolf claw at the surface. “What else do you know about her?”
Her gaze turned shuttered, as if she was embarrassed. “Not much. I . . . didn’t know how to investigate her. All my old coven members are gone. I don’t know how to use a computer and those cell phones are just confusing. I didn’t have anyone to call anyway.” The sadness rolling off her was too much to bear. She looked away and he realized how exhausted she was.
Shit, she needed to feed. “When’s the last time you fed?”
Pinning him with an unreadable stare, she watched him for a long moment. “I’m fine.”
So she was basically rejecting his blood when it was clear she was hungry. That knowledge pierced him. Deeply. He knew that if he pushed her he could get Larissa to take his vein. But he didn’t want to force the issue. No, he wanted her to come to him. “Do you want to go upstairs? There are different bedrooms to choose from.”
She shook her head, the firelight playing off her delicate features. “I’d rather sleep right here. It’s so warm.”
Unable to find his voice, he nodded and grabbed one of the thick blankets from the back of the couch. Kneeling next to her, he placed it around her body, tucking the edges around her. He didn’t want to cover more of her, especially when he was very aware of the way she was watching him. Her gaze was heated, roving over his chest in a way that made his cock harden even more.
When she met his eyes, his breath caught. He could tell she was tired, but she was also turned on. Because of him. Though he’d locked down their bondmate link as much as he could, the thread of need she put off was unmistakable.
“Can I ask you something?” she whispered.
Throat still tight, he nodded.
She licked her lips once, drawing his gaze to their fullness. “Will you kiss me? I want to see if it helps me remember.”
His cock pressed against his jeans at the question. Hell yeah, he’d kiss her. “Where do you want me to kiss you?” he murmured.
It took a moment for his meaning to sink in, but when it did, her face turned scarlet. “You are such a brazen shifter.”
Reaching out, he ran his fingers through the dark strands of her hair fanning out over the throw pillows. “Is that a bad thing?”
She laughed lightly. “No. I can see why you would have caught my attention. I’m surprised I didn’t try to teach you a lesson though. I feel like you might have annoyed me with your brashness.”
He let out a loud bark of laughter at her honesty. “I did annoy you. And you did want to ‘teach me a lesson in humility,’ as you put it.”
Her eyes widened. “What happened?”
“This.” Covering the short distance between them, he kissed her. Aiden tried to tell himself to be gentle, to ease them both into it, but it was like he’d been doused in kerosene and once their lips touched, the match was lit.
Flicking his tongue against hers, he shuddered at the familiarity, at the female he’d never gotten over. She tasted like heaven. Like his. He kept his hands on either side of Larissa’s head, buried in the blankets because he didn’t trust himself to touch her.
She had no such control. Larissa shoved her blanket out of the way and gripped his shoulders. Her fingers dug into his skin as her tongue and lips danced with his. She groaned into his mouth, her desire palpable. God, how he wanted to touch her, to stroke her everywhere, to relearn every inch of her sweet body. Somehow he managed to stop himself. His claws unsheathed, shredding through the blankets as he maintained some control.
Surprising him, she wrapped her entire body around his, pushing him until he was flipped flat on his back on the blankets. If he’d wanted to stop her, he could have. But there was no way in hell he’d stop this. The moment her legs settled around his waist, she pulled back, her eyes wide with surprise. Breathing hard, she stared down at him. Her dark hair fell around her face and shoulders, spilling onto his chest. She looked unsure as she sat there.
Moving slowly, carefully, he slid his hands up her covered thighs, over her hips, and around her back until he reached under his sweater and her top. Barely grazing her bare back, he stroked her soft skin. Feeling her like this soothed the darkest part of him, making his wolf go completely still as he watched her. “What are you thinking?” he asked quietly.
She bit her bottom lip then answered. “I want you. Badly. My whole body aches for your touch in a way that terrifies me since I don’t know you. Or remember you. And it’s not just because I’m turned on for anyone. Deep down I know that only you can satisfy me.”
His inner wolf growled at that. Damn straight he was the only one who could and would satisfy her. “But?”
“I don’t think I’m ready for that. Everything is so different in this world. With the Internet, those small cell phones, the mass use of credit cards . . . It’s just too much. I’m probably not making any sense, but . . . I’m having a hard time adjusting to all these changes and with you, here, now, and me having no memory of you even if my body clearly does . . . Okay, I’m rambling and likely sound crazy. What I’m trying to say is that it would be easy to jump into bed with you—I want to—but I just don’t think I can handle anything else now. Especially not sex.”
He breathed out a sigh of relief. She wasn’t rejecting him, just the situation. That, he could deal with. “I’m not pushing for anything you’re not ready for, sweetheart.”
She jerked slightly at the endearment, but gave him a soft smile.
He cupped her cheek, pulling her back down to him. She didn’t resist as he lightly brushed hi
s lips over hers, savoring her addictive taste.
When she sat back up, her indigo eyes were a brighter blue, almost electric.
Turning their bodies so that she was stretched out on the blankets and pillows, he pulled the throw back up over them and tucked her close against his chest. He might want sex, but he didn’t need it. He just needed her in his arms. Alive. “I know you’re exhausted. Get some sleep and in a few hours I’ll talk to my pack about finding out everything we can about Magda and your coven. We’ll find out everything about everyone you used to know.”
Sighing into his chest as she wrapped an arm around his waist, she snuggled closer. “Thank you, Aiden,” she murmured.
Hearing his name on her lips just about undid him as much as the way she was burrowing up to him. He tightened his grip and closed his eyes as he rested his chin on the top of her head. Never in a thousand years had he imagined Larissa would walk back into his life, but now that she was here he was holding on for good. Only when he was certain she was asleep did he allow himself to doze too.
Chapter 8
Larissa’s eyes snapped open in the darkness. The fire was out and the blinds were closed, but with her heightened senses she could easily see in the dark. Aiden stood next to the fireplace, his hand on the switch he must have just flipped off. The room was still warm, but something was wrong.
He now wore a sweater and had boots on. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t heard him get up. He looked tense as he held a finger to his lips. She nodded, listening for whatever had woken them. Sometimes it wasn’t necessarily a sound, but a sixth sense that all beings had. Vampires and shifters were just tuned in to their animal sense more than humans. Right now, she knew they weren’t alone.
She tensed at a creak from upstairs. Slowly, she rose from the blankets and moved to the opposite side of the stone fireplace from Aiden. Without making a sound she retrieved one of the sharp metal pokers. Even though the thing was gas and the pokers for display, they were real.
Larissa wasn’t even close to being in her top fighting shape and didn’t mind an extra weapon on hand. It was a stark reminder that she needed to feed. Soon. She should have just taken Aiden’s offer before they’d gone to sleep. Well, he hadn’t asked, but he’d implied. But she’d known what would happen if she’d fed from him. He would have been inside her in less than a minute. She wasn’t even sure how she knew that, but it was true.
Aiden started to make a movement with his hand when a blur of motion from the entryway snagged Larissa’s attention.
Three masked vampires stood there, staring at the two of them. She could easily tell they were vamps by their glowing eyes. Something was off about their gazes though. They were too bright, unnatural even for a vamp. It was weird they were wearing masks though.
Tensing, she prepared for a fight. Another appeared behind them, then another. Even with the black face coverings it was clear they were all males.
A surprising burst of dread popped inside her. Taking on five vampires under normal circumstances was no problem for her. But she’d been easily tackled by Aiden in the forest. Even now her hands slightly shook. After so many years in stasis and little blood to nourish her since she’d woken she was surprised she was even this strong.
“Do you idiots know who owns this cabin?” Aiden said defiantly. He took a few steps forward, purposely moving in her direction so that he stood in front of her.
The subtle action touched her.
One of the five stepped forward, letting his claws unsheathe. “Kill the male,” he growled low, his voice unnaturally deep and guttural.
Hell no. The overwhelming urge to protect Aiden rose up inside her. Without pause Larissa hauled back and hurled the metal poker at the closest vampire. It shot toward him with impossible speed. Before the masked male had a chance to move, it embedded deep in his chest, puncturing all the way through his body. Blood spilled out of his open mouth as he fell to his knees.
Though it felt as if time stood still, everything happened in mere seconds. As the male started to fall forward on his face the rest of the vampires moved into action in a blur of motion.
Letting her claws unsheathe, she launched herself at one of the vamps. In her peripheral she saw three vampires converge on Aiden. In seconds, he changed forms, going completely wolf. He was such a beautiful lupine shifter, but she had no time to admire the shining white coat of fur as she dodged a blow to the face from the advancing vampire.
Jumping onto the nearest couch, she used all the strength in her legs to spring up and over the male. It took more energy than she’d expected, but adrenaline surged through her. No one threatened Aiden. No one.
Midair she twisted, coming back down with her claws at the ready. Using them like blades, she sliced into the male’s neck on both sides. She cut through tendons, cartilage, and bone until she completely severed the head. She easily dodged the arterial spray, having killed this way many times before. Though the male she’d stabbed with the fire poker earlier appeared dead, she wasn’t taking any chances. She tore the metal rod from his back, pulling it the rest of the way through his body, then ripped his heart out with her hand.
There were generally two ways to kill supernatural beings. By taking their head or their heart. Even though the poker had likely shredded this vamp’s heart, she was making sure everyone here was truly dead.
Behind her she heard an angry snarl and a cry of pain. Turning, ready to defend Aiden, she stilled to see him standing over three headless vampires. Her eyes widened. He killed fast. He was much younger than she was, but incredibly powerful.
We head upstairs, now. She jumped back, stunned at his authoritative voice in her head.
“Was that you?” she demanded.
Yes. Come on. I don’t know if there are more vamps nearby but we need to pack a small bag and get the hell out of here. This place isn’t easy to find and I don’t think they followed us. Which means you might have a tracker on you.
Though she wanted to question him, he was right. They needed to leave. Following him as he loped up the stairs, she was awed by how graceful he was even as such a huge animal. Once they reached the top of the stairs, he shifted back to his human form with a grunt of discomfort.
She tried not to stare at the way his perfectly sculpted backside flexed as he hurried to the nearest bedroom. Inside she could scent a lemon cleanser and other subtle cleaning products with a lavender undertone. He went straight for one of the closets and grabbed clothes big enough for him and a couple of things for her. The thought of wearing another female’s clothes was odd to her, but right now she didn’t care.
Once he’d shoved the handful of clothes into the bag, he turned. “Strip.”
Surprise more than fear ricocheted through her. “What?”
As if he sensed her automatic resistance, he frowned. “We need to get rid of your clothes if you’ve got a tracker on you.”
Right. Nodding, she ignored his heated gaze as she lifted his sweater and her top off. It annoyed her that he wasn’t even pretending not to watch or giving her the illusion of privacy. No, this male with all his arrogance wouldn’t do that. Feeling strangely modest, she turned her back to him and slipped her jeans and panties off.
When Aiden let out a soft growl she looked over her shoulder at him. His eyes blazed like a dark flame. Damn him for watching her like he had every right in the world. She started to ask him for new clothes, but he frowned and narrowed his gaze on her upper right shoulder. “What is it?” she blurted, trying to peer at her shoulder.
In the span of a heartbeat he covered the few feet to her. Placing one of his big hands on her shoulder, he leaned down and let out a vicious curse.
Feeling his anger through their bondmate link, she went cold. “What is it?”
“That bitch inked you. This is why I hate witches,” he muttered. “I could be wrong, but this is likely how she tracked you. T
he tattoo is small, and from its position below your shoulder blade there’s no way you’d be able to see it unless you were staring at yourself with a couple of mirrors.”
She hadn’t even known about the tat. “We don’t even know it was her. How would she have . . .” Larissa trailed off as Aiden gave her another look. “She did it before she woke me from stasis.” It was the only thing that made sense.
Aiden nodded and let his hand fall from her shoulder. He swallowed hard as she turned to face him. “We need to cut it out.”
It would hurt but Larissa could deal with the pain and her skin would regrow. Anything to get the ink off her. If Magda had done this to her, she was definitely going to pay. Feeling more like herself since she’d woken up, Larissa turned her back to him once more. She tensed, all her muscles tightening. “Cut it out. Use your claws. Do it quick.”
The tip of one of Aiden’s claws grazed her skin, whisper soft. He sucked in a ragged breath and she braced herself for the pain. Instead of slicing agony, she heard his claws retract.
She swiveled to face him. “What’s wrong?”
His jaw clenched tight. “I can’t hurt you.”
In that moment she wanted to kill whoever had stolen her memories of this fierce male. The fact that he couldn’t do this to her told her so damn much about his character. She hated herself for not remembering him. Without pause she reached back and ripped away a chunk of her skin with her own claws.
Tears burned her eyes as she tore it away. Aiden cursed again and she felt the pain from their link travel through to her. She ignored it and turned around. “Did I get it?” she rasped out, the wound stinging like fire.
His fingers gently wiped away blood as he inspected the raw area. “It’s gone.”
