Untamed Winter

by Cassandra Lawson

  Rafe handed him his phone and seemed to struggle to get his temper under control. “She’ll regret her attitude soon enough.”

  “Let me give you some advice,” Richard began.

  “Why would I need advice from you, vampire?” Rafe scoffed.

  “I began my life as a slave,” Richard told him. “I was abused on a regular basis, and it didn’t inspire loyalty. The beatings became much less frightening over time. You need to find a better way to control your demon kitty.”

  “Don’t worry about my control over Kish,” Rafe snapped. “For now, we need a plan to get my mate out of the cougar territory.”

  “We could really use more fighters,” Richard mused. “We also need to throw everyone off our trail so they’re looking elsewhere for us.”

  “How do we accomplish those goals?” Rafe asked.

  “First, we send some jaguar and vampires, more expendable ones in case things go wrong, up north to attack one of the human settlements. Most can be made into feral vampires and join our army. A handful will need to survive to tell Connor what happened.”

  “So, you’re hoping the vampires in this territory will think we are further north because of that attack?” Rafe asked. “How can you be sure they’ll know it’s us? The surviving humans may not run to the vampires for help after the attack.”

  “I have another messenger in mind,” Richard said with a grin. “I just need to make a call.”

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Abram’s phone rang for the first time in weeks, meaning their communications were finally back up. The guards Connor had sent to help watch the entrance to the bridge had kept him up to date on the search for Richard and the other assholes who’d tried to take control of Treasure Island. The number calling wasn’t familiar to Abram, but he figured it could be the council testing the lines.

  “Yeah,” he snapped into the phone, walking toward the bridge, mostly because he had too much energy and needed to walk it off. Waiting made him edgy.

  “I see your phones are working again.” While Abram hadn’t spoken much to Richard in the past, he still recognized his voice.

  Richard had an arrogance Abram found similar to Roger’s. Roger had also believed himself superior to everyone else, thinking he should rule over everyone in their settlement. Abram suspected Richard wasn’t quite as brutal as Roger, but he wouldn’t be willing to bet on that. Roger had thoroughly enjoyed torture, especially the psychological aspects of it. It’s not that he thought Richard was above torture, just that he wouldn’t do it himself. That was a weakness in Abram’s opinion. The way Abram saw it, you couldn’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.

  “What the fuck do you want, asshole?” Abram demanded. He was always cruder around people like Richard who thought he was scum.

  “Do you have any idea who you’re talking to?” Richard demanded.

  Abram chuckled. After sitting around waiting for something to happen, he was edgy, and taunting Richard might push the bastard into action. Risky or not, Abram was willing to do just about anything to move things along.

  “I’m talking to the dickless little bitch who tried to take my island,” Abram replied in a bored tone. “Are you going to tell me why you’re calling or not?”

  This time when Richard spoke, he sounded much less in control. “I’m calling to offer you one last chance to align yourself with the new leadership in this area. If you choose to continue supporting Connor, you’ll lose. I have powerful resources at my disposal.”

  Abram snorted, deciding to drop the crude asshole persona. “That must be why you lost to an abomination like me. Yeah, I’m aware of what you think of me. Let’s not play this game. I already know you think my kind should be destroyed. I made the mistake of underestimating someone like you, and I have no intention of putting myself in that position again.”

  “And you believe Connor won’t betray you?” Richard scoffed. “Do you honestly think he’s such a beacon of morality that he won’t sell you out if that’s what it takes to protect his people? I won’t deny I was in favor of destroying your kind in the beginning. Since then, I’ve had a change of heart. I’m finding your feral vampires quite useful.”

  Abram’s fists clenched, and it was a real struggle to get his temper under control when he wanted to kill the bastard on the other end of the line. Torture wasn’t something he was completely against, but Abram didn’t have the stomach for torture inflicted on undead vampires infected with the new virus. The ones infected with the old virus had no memory of who they were when they woke up three days after dying. That wasn’t the case with the new virus. They often carried memories of who they’d been. Those memories would pop up at times, and he’d witnessed feral vampires weeping when they suddenly remembered Roger having them kill a loved one. He was an asshole and mostly heartless, but even he couldn’t stand to see a father screaming when he remembered killing his only child. It was beyond fucked up.

  “Can I take your silence to mean you’re considering my offer?” Richard asked.

  Abram was considering the many ways he’d like to make Richard scream. “You make some good points.”

  “Why don’t we meet in person?” Richard suggested.

  “So you can kill me?” Abram asked with a laugh.

  “You’ll bring your guards, and I’ll bring mine,” Richard told him. “I want you as an ally. If I have you on my side, I may have an easier time convincing the council not to intervene when we take over.”

  “Fine,” Abram replied. “I’ll meet with you.”

  “Excellent!” Richard exclaimed. “I’ll send you the details.”

  Richard ended the call without waiting for a reply.

  “Are we really going to bargain with Richard?” Paul asked, trying to keep from spitting.

  “Not in this lifetime,” Abram replied. “I need to tell Connor what’s going on.”

  Paul laughed.

  “What are you laughing at?” Abram asked with a scowl.

  “You being buddies with Connor,” Paul told him.

  “We aren’t friends,” Abram assured him. “Connor would put a stake in my heart without a moment’s hesitation if I give him an excuse. We’re both being practical.”

  “Bullshit,” Paul spat out. “If you didn’t respect the vampire on some level, you wouldn’t call him now. You’d just go with whatever plan you’ve already settled on.”

  As much as Abram hated to admit it, Paul was right. Still, he wasn’t ready to admit it. “I’ll have a better chance of killing Richard with Connor’s help.”

  “Whatever makes you feel better,” Paul said with a laugh.

  Ignoring his friend, Abram called Connor.

  “Can I assume your phone is working again?” Connor asked by way of greeting. He never did the polite greeting, something Abram respected since he wasn’t big on it himself.

  “They are, and my first call came from Richard,” Abram told him.

  “What did he want?” Connor asked.

  “To offer me a place in his rebellion,” Abram replied. “He claims to have had a change of heart about my kind.”

  Connor laughed. “And he really thought you’d buy that? Richard isn’t exactly stupid.”

  “You’re right,” Abram mused. “He talked me into meeting with him.”

  “Why’d you agree?” Connor asked.

  “Maybe I’m planning to switch sides,” Abram taunted, mostly to see what Connor’s reaction would be.

  “I don’t have time for games today, Abram,” Connor told him. “I assume you’re calling to see if I’ll send people with you to your meeting.”

  “That was why I originally called,” Abram admitted.

  “But that’s changed?” Connor asked.

  “I figured this was a trap Richard was setting,” Abram began. “He’s got to be pissed about me blowing up the bridge and preventing him from taking Treasure Island.”

  “Without a doubt,” Connor agreed. “A trap would make sense. I assume you want to
turn the tables on him.”

  “I did, but I got to wondering if I’m being too arrogant,” Abram explained.

  “Probably,” Connor told him, “but go on.”

  “What if it’s just a diversion? He figures, if he gets me away from Treasure Island, he can try to take it again.”

  Connor was quiet for a moment. “Treasure Island has a lot to offer, and I doubt Richard believes you’ll have a change of heart about working with him. What’s your plan?”

  “Can you send extra guards here in case he attacks?” Abram asked.

  “Not many,” Connor admitted. “We’re spread thin with the search, and everyone is already working extra shifts. I’ll send what I can.”

  “As much as I want to go to that meeting with Richard and see if I can end all this, I’m going to stay here. Protecting Treasure Island is more important, and I’m the only one I trust to blow up the bridge if it comes down to it.”

  Connor chuckled. “I hate to say this, but I’m starting to like you, Abram. You’re crazy and more than a little sadistic, but you aren’t stupid.”

  “Fuck you,” Abram spat out, not ready to admit to having any respect for Connor.

  “Danny will be in charge of the guards I send,” Connor began. “Try not to be too much of an asshole when he gets there.”

  It was Abram’s turn to chuckle. “I promise to play nice with Danny boy.”

  Connor ended the call without responding. The message from Richard came through, and he forwarded it to Connor even though he wasn’t planning to meet with Richard. If he had to guess, he’d bet Richard would schedule the meeting far from their encampment. At least, this would give Connor one area he didn’t need to search.

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  To say his brother was pissed would be the understatement of the century. Cam suspected that was why he and Zane had been told to accompany Jase to the cougar territory to meet with Cord about Vexx. Jase seemed to be the only one surprised that they’d been ordered to go there after telling their father about his confrontation with Vexx. Max had not been happy. From what Cam could tell, it had started out well. Max had been thrilled to discover Jase’s mate was Cord’s daughter and old enough for Jase to claim her immediately.

  That had all changed when Jase had refused to claim the female or to even discuss the possibility of claiming her. Even after their father had reminded Jase of his responsibility to the clan, Jase had refused. While Cam hadn’t witnessed the confrontation, every shifter in their clan had heard it.

  Cam never thought he’d see the day when his brother refused to follow the rules of their society. He’d found his mate, and the rules said he should claim her immediately. Jase hadn’t pushed Cam to claim Claire because Claire was a vampire and didn’t understand those rules. In Jase’s opinion, it would have been unfair to force Claire to behave like a shifter.

  Jase’s refusal to claim Vexx didn’t make any sense to Max, but Cam understood why Vexx’s deception was so hard for Jase to get over. Not only had Vexx refused him, she’d made him look like a fool. His brother’s anger would fade, but Jase needed time to process everything. It had only been two days since his confrontation with Vexx, and Jase was still working through a complex mix of emotions.

  “Our father is a real bastard,” Jase muttered. That wasn’t the only insult Jase had come up with on the trip over.

  Cam was trying to keep his amusement hidden for fear Jase would beat the hell out of him.

  “You know what I think?” Zane asked, never one to exercise caution.

  “No, and I don’t want to hear what you think,” Jase replied, clearly trying not to sound annoyed.

  Ignoring him, Zane continued, “I think you should just get over it.”

  Jase stopped walking to glare at Zane, no longer in the mood to be patient with their youngest brother. “Get over it? You think I should just get over being lied to because my mate doesn’t want me?”

  “Yeah,” Zane said with a shrug. “You tried talking to our father about this, and what did he say?”

  “He said to get my ass over here and make sure she’s not in heat yet,” Jase grumbled.

  “I’ll bet he said more than that,” Cam added with a snort. “In fact, I heard him say a lot more than that.”

  Jase glared at him.

  “I wasn’t there to hear it like everyone else,” Zane began. “But I bet he told you, if she’s still in heat, you need to fuck her and mark her. Even if it weren’t for the fact that our father needs one of us to take a shifter mate, he’d tell you to do this because she’s Cord’s daughter, and you taking his daughter as a mate will strengthen our alliance. This is a smart move for our clans.” It was a surprisingly logical argument from his brother.

  “I’m well aware of that,” Jase ground out. “So, you think I should do this out of duty?”

  Zane shrugged. “That’s part of it.”

  “How did you feel when you were being pressured to impregnate a female chosen for you?” Jase asked.

  “That’s not the same,” Zane insisted, waving off what he’d said. “You want to fuck Vexx and mark her. It wouldn’t feel like duty while you were doing it because she’s your mate. I’ll bet it feels unnatural being away from her, so I don’t get why you’d fight this.”

  “He’s right,” Cam agreed, putting his hand up when it looked like Jase was going to lunge at him. “Before you kick my ass, listen to what I have to say. You want her, and she’s your mate.”

  “Exactly! Why are you fighting it?” Zane asked. “Things started off rocky for me and Lexi, but fucking her and marking her made a huge difference. It was the right thing to do, and it made the other stuff easier to deal with.”

  Jase clenched and unclenched his fists. “What’s going on between me and Vexx is nothing like what you and Lexi dealt with.” His attention shifted to Cam. “It’s not even the same as what you and Claire went through because Vexx knows what she’s doing by refusing me. Claire didn’t understand what it meant to be your mate.”

  “You’re right,” Cam agreed. “I think there’s more to this.”

  “Is it because you think she doesn’t want you?” Zane asked, placing a hand on Jase’s shoulder.

  Jase hesitated before letting out a frustrated breath. “Why else would she do this?”

  “I don’t know,” Zane admitted. “I can see why this would hurt you.”

  “This goes beyond my hurt feelings,” Jase told them. “What kind of asshole would force a female to accept him as her mate? We were ready to kill Cord for trying that with Quinn. What does Max expect me to do? Mark her against her will?”

  “So, you’re afraid you’ll be forcing her to take you as her mate?” Cam asked, realizing his brother’s issues with Vexx were more complex than he’d guessed. This wasn’t just about Vexx’s rejection injuring his brother’s pride. Jase was in an even more difficult position, where he felt the desire to protect his mate from himself. Cam could understand his brother’s dilemma.

  Jase nodded.

  “Maybe you should let her explain what happened,” Cam suggested.

  “If she says she doesn’t want you, then you can back off, but maybe she has a good reason for what she did,” Zane added. “I still don’t think it makes any sense for her to not want her own mate.”

  They were nearing the homes where the cougars lived when Cam saw a female with red hair, who he assumed was Vexx. She was tiny, and Cam could see why Jase would have assumed she was younger. If she could really mask her scent, it would be easy for her to pretend to be little more than a child.

  Jase’s nostrils flared as he scented the air, confirming Cam’s suspicions. His brother’s eyes were locked on Vexx, who stared wide-eyed at Jase for just a moment before turning and walking away.

  “She seems happy to see you,” Zane teased, quickly dodging Jase’s fist with a laugh.

  Cam was confused by her reaction since she’d looked at Jase with longing and regret. He got the impression she wanted to talk to
Jase, but she’d panicked.

  Cord’s shout cut through the air. “Vexx! Get your ass back here or you will seriously regret it!”

  Jase stepped away from Zane, stalking toward Cord. “Don’t talk to her that way.”

  Cord grinned. “Feeling a little protective of your mate?”

  “Fuck you,” Jase spat out.

  Rather than looking angry, Cord laughed. “Can I assume you couldn’t stay away from my daughter?”

  “This is the last place I want to be right now. My father ordered me to come here, so I’m here,” Jase snapped.

  The sharp intake of breath drew all their attention to Vexx. Cam was amazed he’d missed her scent. It wasn’t just a matter of her hiding that she was in heat; she seemed to have no scent at all. She stood facing them, looking stricken for only a short time before lifting her chin and meeting Jase’s gaze. “You don’t have to be here.”

  “Actually, I do,” Jase told her. “Apparently, I don’t get time to come to terms with your rejection. I just have to traipse back here and pretend it never happened. I don’t seem to have any more choice in the matter than you do.”

  Vexx glared at him, her composure slipping and her scent moving around them. “I’m sorry I hurt you. It wasn’t my intention, and I can see why you would prefer not to claim me as your mate. I’ll make it easy for you by being the one to refuse to be marked.”

  Vexx turned to flee and nearly ran into Winter.

  “Vexx? Are you okay?” Winter asked.

  Simply shaking her head, Vexx walked away. Cam suspected she was trying to get whatever power she used to mask her scent back in place. Every unmated male was staring at her with clear intent.

  “Go after your mate,” Cord ordered Jase. “Find her and claim her. Don’t listen to that nonsense she just spouted out.”

  “If she wanted me, she wouldn’t have run,” Jase argued, refusing to back down when Cord glared at him.

  “You hurt her feelings,” Zane accused.

  “What about my feelings?” Jase asked. “She ran the second she saw me.”

  “But she came back,” Zane argued.