He came to stand behind her, his body pressing against hers as he held on to both her wrists, lifting her arms into a position to the side of her head. His leg went between hers, guiding them into position. “Start here,” he whispered. “And now swing, toward that post.” She was frozen, motionless, his breath on her neck distracting. Her body pressed back against him of its own accord, and he let go of her arms and stepped back as if burned. “You need to fucking focus.”
Damn, his control was infuriating. Yes, they’d agreed to keep a distance, but how could he switch from being hot lover to all business like when he needed to? “So what is it? It’s okay to be all amorous when the time is right, and at other times, I’m supposed to go all cold as if nothing happened between us? Why don’t you give me a timetable, so I know what times of the day you’ll be in asshole mode—”
He lifted a finger toward her face. “Seriously, Veronica, you’re really—”
“Pissing you off? Nothing new there, Leke. What is it? You didn’t let off enough steam last night?”
His lips twitched, and it was obvious he was trying to control his smile. He could go fuck himself. And why the hell was she getting worked up over him? Had she forgotten that he was the one who turned her? From now on, she’d stick to what they agreed and stay away from him, even if only to prove to herself she could.
He turned his back and moved to the other side of the fencing to pick up his shirt from a pole. After shrugging into it, he pulled his mobile out of a backpack on the floor. As he spoke into it, it was difficult to make out the words, but she presumed he was on the phone to Fry. She tried to ignore him as she went to the middle of the training area with the sword. Holding the weapon as he taught her to, she swung it from side to side, as he had been doing when she arrived here. She got used to the feel of it fast. When she paused, he was staring at her, something close to admiration on his face. She turned away from him and continued to practice.
Was he still there? Don’t look back. She kept her back to him for what must have been close to an hour. But eventually, sweaty and exhausted, she stopped. And now she could not resist it. She turned and did a double-take. Leke stood with some goateed bloke. What the fuck? How long had the new guy been there, watching her swing the sword like a maniac?
Leke approached her, followed by the other man…she sensed he was a shifter. “This is Junaid,” Leke said. “He’s your teacher.”
“Teacher?”
He indicated toward the pile of swords. “You wanted to learn, didn’t you? Junaid manages a zone in Eclipse, but he’s also one hell of a swordsman. He’ll also teach you martial arts that involve no tools. In fact, that’s what you need to focus on, because you can’t go into every situation with a weapon.”
She shrugged. “All right, then.” The Junaid guy was hot…dark-skinned, tall and muscled…but the idea of being taught by him did not excite her.
“Good. I will arrange for a collection of weapons to be delivered to your room for your personal use, and Junaid will introduce you to each one. He will train you for two hours every morning in the training center. The rest of the time you will use to practice what you have learned.” Leke’s face was tense as he stared down at her. “Make sure you focus. Junaid is doing you a favor…there’s plenty of other shit he could be getting on with.” He lowered his voice, so the shifter couldn’t hear. “When we go after Rasmus, you have to be up to the mark.”
He then walked away, without giving her a second glance.
“Shall we start?” asked Junaid.
“Sure.” She tried to drum up enthusiasm. Whether it was Leke who taught her or this shifter Junaid, the vampire was right about one thing. Rasmus was dangerous, and she needed to be at her physical best when they went after him. While Leke tried to trace him, she was not going to waste time.
Especially now, because whether or not she liked it, the blood she drank had given her the strength to train…she was determined, more than ever, that the bastard wolf would not get away with what he did to her.
CHAPTER TWELVE
* * *
I WANT TO SEE YOU.
There was no name attached to the text message, and Veronica didn’t recognize the number. But she could guess who it was.
Rasmus? Is this you?
Her phone rang immediately after she sent the reply, someone calling from that same number. When she answered it, her voice was hard. “What do you want, wolf?”
“You know what I want. I want to see you.”
“You think I’m stupid enough to come and see you?”
“I only want to talk. We can meet in a public place.”
“Where?”
“Where we met last time. Outside the Blood Zone.”
The fact it was a safe place to meet made her consider his offer. But what would she tell Leke? Why the fuck should I tell him anything?
Since that night they were together, he’d treated her as if nothing happened between them. And it had been two weeks since she started training with Junaid, but he hadn’t checked in on her progress. Not once. In fact, whenever she was in the training area, she would listen out, in case he came down for one of his daily sessions…but no, he stayed away, and she didn’t have to be a genius to know it was deliberate. “See you in an hour, Rasmus.”
Since she arrived here, she hadn’t left the mansion alone, and it was about time. She got on with the horde members when she did meet them, especially Fatima, who might have become a friend under different circumstances. When they asked why she spent most of her time in this room or the training area, refusing their regular invitations to join them in the hall where they gathered for social activities, she always mumbled some excuse. The truth was that leaving here would be hard enough after what happened between Leke and her, and she didn’t need to make friends who would hold her back. The hatred she had for their kind would protect her…from the horde and its leader.
She picked up her bike keys and helmet and then headed into the corridor. After her fingers and retinae were scanned, she walked through the door and out of Leke’s quarters. There was nobody around, which meant the horde was out on some mission, so she made her way to the underground car park. She got on her bike and when she reached the steel doors, she held her hand out to be scanned. Thank fuck, it activated at her touch and rolled open. At least getting out of this place was easier than getting in.
She would meet the wolf and return before temptation struck. Drinking from Leke had given her a boost, but the blood lust was returning. During each training session with Junaid, she experienced increased weakness, but if he noticed, he said nothing. And she hid what was going on from Fry, because he was sure to spill his guts to his leader. If Leke offered his blood again, she didn’t know if she could refuse the allure…
At the main gate, the guard checked over her shoulder, as if he expected Leke to be there or something. “Do you have permission?” he asked.
“I’m not a damn prisoner.” Again, that glance over her shoulder as he took a device from his pocket. “I’ll just clear it with the leader.”
“Will you now? Look, mate, I came here of my own accord. If you waste my time, I’ll make sure the leader knows—” Yes, she wasn’t a prisoner, but the horde leader treated her as if she needed looking after. In fact, it was pretty opportune that Rasmus called, giving her the push she needed to get out. Perhaps some time outside the mansion would help clear her head and get rid of some of this confusion about Leke.
“Well, it’s true he hasn’t mentioned any restrictions on you,” the guard mumbled.
“Good. Now get those fucking gates open.”
He did as she asked, and she drove straight through before he changed his mind. Getting out of the forest was easy enough, because there was a path that led straight to the main road. She cranked up the speed, loving the feel of the wind against her.
Before long, she was at the river crossing that led to the island where Eclipse stood. She drove on to the underground vehicle sec
tion of the ferry and then waited. It didn’t take long before it moved, because due to the popularity of the venue, there were constantly customers crossing the river. As the ferry crossed to the other side, she became impatient. What the hell did Rasmus want? Whatever it was, it was time to meet him, because she needed to know what the hell he was up to.
When the ferry stopped on the other side, she nearly hit a vehicle in her haste to get to Eclipse. At the venue, she drove along the wall until she reached the gate that led to the Blood Zone. She parked her bike just inside and waved away the valet who approached. “I don’t plan to stay.”
She stood a small distance from the queue, far enough for privacy but close enough so the werewolf wouldn’t try anything.
“Veronica?” She turned to face Rasmus. He’d brought Edge with him again, as if he needed backup. His heated gaze raked over her. “You’re keeping well, I see. How’s it going with the horde?”
She shouldn’t have been surprised that he knew where she was staying, considering the time she’d been at the mansion. “Why did you want to meet, wolf?”
“To know if you’ve reconsidered my offer. Being with the horde and reporting to a leader doesn’t suit you, Veronica. I’m offering you a partnership. We lead my pack together.”
She glanced at Edge, but his expression betrayed nothing. “And how will your wolves feel about that?”
“They do as I tell them. As for you, you’re not the type to be led, which is what Leke will want to do if you stay in his mansion. You’ll never have freedom if you join them.”
“Who says I’m joining them?”
“You’ll have to join someone sooner or later, so you might as well join us.” He paused. “I’ve got some powerful human organizations coming over to my side.”
She scoffed. “Human organizations going over to a supernatural? One who’s been turning their kind? I’ll believe that when I see it.”
“You don’t get it. There are powerful groups that want out-and-out war between supernaturals and humans. Get it over and done with.”
“You mean profit from the upheaval?” That was how conflict worked, didn’t it? A few powerful people instigating it and then gaining power and money through other’s misery.
“Whatever. In any case, there are human organizations hankering after warfare. Some of them include your uncle’s associates who are not pleased with the attack that non-humans launched on him.” His lips stretched back in an attempt at a smile, but it turned into a snarl. “Those groups are willing to join me for as long as it takes to create disharmony.” When she shook her head in disbelief, “The Association is one of them.” That made her pay attention. “Yes. Leke’s horde was stupid enough to steal secret files from the group. First, he goes with his friends to attack your uncle, a damn mob boss, and now he targets the Association.”
That organization had a huge following, and its members followed it blindly, adhering to its strict regulations and prescribed puritanical lifestyle. Yet, from the meetings that its leaders used to have with the mobster James and his associates, she knew it had close ties with criminal elements. And it had publicly declared its distrust of supernaturals, using them as a tool to spread fear and hate among its followers, gaining even more control over them. And she didn’t doubt that if it could spread disharmony, it would support Rasmus with whatever he had planned. “You’re an idiot, wolf. Once the Association has used you, it will turn on you.”
He smirked. “You think I haven’t thought of that? Supernaturals refused to join me before, but once they are under attack from humans, they’ll have no choice but to fight. When it comes to groups of powerful supernaturals against organizations such as the Association, I know whose side I’d rather be on.”
“And you’re telling me all this…because?”
“So you know that your only option is to join me. When warfare happens, the humans will turn against Leke, but the supernaturals won’t be on friendly terms with him, either. He’s been working for the government, Veronica, and has even taken out non-humans for it. I don’t want you going down with his horde.”
Was he telling the truth? It shouldn’t have concerned her, but the idea of Leke in danger…it caused a tight sensation inside her chest. She needed to warn him, but first, she had to have it out with the wolf. “Before I answer, I need to know one thing.” Her gaze flitted between both the wolves. “Why did you attack me in the car park that night? The truth, Rasmus.”
Edge’s mouth tightened, and he wouldn’t meet her eyes, but his pack leader remained his cocky self. “After the Association approached me with a proposition to instigate conflict between supernaturals and humans, I thought turning a few more powerful humans to my kind wouldn’t hurt—”
“You bastard!”
The wolf didn’t look embarrassed, not in the slightest. “Like I told you last time, I’m unmated, and I thought changing you would serve a dual purpose. I didn’t intend to hurt you so bad. It’s just that…once I started biting, I couldn’t stop…you tasted so damn good.” He was sick in the head. She’d thought he was dangerous, but he was a damn sociopath. She bared her fangs and stepped toward him. “I wouldn’t do that, Veronica.” He glanced at the Blood Zone entrance. “Attack me here, and the guards will be on you in a shot.”
The place that kept her safe meant she could not touch him, either. “I will never join you, asshole.” Something flickered across his face…disappointment? “And the next time I see you, you’re dead.”
“Before making a decision, you should consider everything I’ve told you. You’re an intelligent female, and after you’ve thought it over—”
“Read my lips, Rasmus. No fucking way I’m joining you.”
“If you ever change your mind, you’ve got my number. But don’t bother trying to get the horde to trace me. They’ll never find me through it.”
And with that, he walked away. Damn, it was so fucking frustrating, watching his smarmy face as a valet brought his Ferrari to him. She could do nothing but watch as he blew her a kiss before getting into the vehicle with Edge and driving through the gate.
IT WAS NOT GOOD NEWS.
Leke sat in the underground hall with his horde, his eyes on the information that Fry had sent to his device. “You mean to tell me that all this time the Association has been aware that we stole its files?”
“Yes.” Fry’s face was grim. They’d been in this damn hall for over two hours now, going through one set of bad news after another. Tailing Edge had led the horde to an office where they’d intercepted information from a laptop, uncovering a connection between the Association and Rasmus. It made no sense. That human organization hated supernaturals—had declared them abominations. “It appears that before then, the organization had already approached the wolf.”
“Let me guess…because they have a common interest? Conflict between humans and supernaturals?”
“That’s my best guess, too. And it aligns with what we got out of the Association member.”
Leke should have paid closer attention to the Association after obtaining those documents, instead of assuming they’d got away with it.
But Veronica had taken over his mind.
As promised, he kept away from her over the past two weeks, but he missed her like fuck. Since that night in her bedroom, all he could think of was getting close to her again…but it was a bad idea. They both needed to focus on getting to Rasmus, and the last thing they needed was complicating things just because they could not keep their damn emotions under control.
Control…something he had excelled at, but an ability developed over decades was proving useless when it came to her. Was she training at the moment, or was she in her room? She had taken to martial arts and sword-fighting like a pro, and even members of his horde were impressed by her progress. But she had returned to refusing blood, and Junaid mentioned the other day that she was not as strong as when they first started the training. After taking blood once, it should have been harder for her to tur
n away from it, but she had the resolve to manage it.
He pulled his attention back to the meeting. Fry had carried out one hell of a job, and over the past few days, had arranged for a lower level member of the Association to be tracked. The organization’s followers led pious lives as dictated by their leaders, which involved celibacy before marriage. When this particular member was approached by a beautiful woman in a bar, he had no idea he was being set up, and it only took a few drinks before he spilled his guts on what he knew.
“What about the local criminal elements?” Leke asked. “Are any of them involved?” He would be surprised if they weren’t, considering the assault on James’ home.
“There’s no definite information yet, but we should assume they are…so we can prepare.”
“Did the phone records bring up anything?”
Fry shook his head. “Our tech team has been unable to hack their communication systems. And the information on the lower level Association members has brought up nothing.”
Leke looked at the information on the device before him, and his instinct kept directing him toward Edge. Tailing him had already uncovered one of Rasmus’ hideouts, and now it had led to links between the Association and the wolf pack leader…conveniently, they’d also discovered encrypted messages showing that the organization was aware the horde had stolen its files.
What was going on, if it wasn’t a trap?
The wolf’s right hand was human before he was turned by Rasmus. In his case, it wasn’t to save his life, but to force him to join the pack. Did he resent his leader? A glance over Edge’s background showed he was not a violent being…even though he oversaw Rasmus’ ventures, he did not get involved with the hardcore work. “Edge is the only lead we have at the moment, so contact him,” he told Fry. “Ask him if he would turn informant.”
For a moment, Fry didn’t speak as he glanced around the table. “Why would he do that?”
Bitten And Twisted (Blood Moon Book 3) Page 11
