Lady in Black (Drekinn Book 6)

by Jana Leigh

  Victor nodded. “Let’s tell the others, and then we will call the meeting, there is no other way, rip off the Band-Aid and let the wound heal for now.”

  *****

  Sabrina and Trina walked out of their room after they had finally had a good night’s sleep. So far they had found nothing—like zero—and it didn’t make sense. The people of this town knew something, they were just afraid to talk to her. When they had gone out yesterday, seriously you would have thought the town had closed down. Nothing was open, the store, the restaurant, they had been lucky the room service actually was still functioning. Apparently the storm had caught them off guard, at least that is what the lady at the desk said.

  The snow was still falling, but they were determined to find out something, even if they had to knock on doors to talk to people. Someone here had to know something, the lady at the desk claimed not to know how to get to the old training camp, which according to their notes was known to locals as the Gevaudan farm.

  “Hey, the diner is open.” Trina grinned and looked at Sabrina who was already walking that way. Apparently, when there was nothing else to do, everyone went to the local diner.

  The two women trudged across the snow packed street to the lit up eatery. When they stepped in both women shivered a little. Damn, walking across the street in this cold weather almost froze them to the bone.

  “Hey, darlins,” said a woman who looked exactly like a redheaded country western star. Sabrina blinked, yep, she was wearing a pair of jeans with rhinestones on the back, a button down shirt that had rhinestones on the pockets, the buttons, and even the cuffs of her shirt. She was completely blinged out—it was awesome. “You just grab a seat and I will be with you in a few minutes. Grab a menu, the storm has filled up the place and I am by myself.”

  “‘Kay,” Trina said and moved to the back in the corner where a booth was that they could claim. At least it had a good view of the whole diner so they could see what they were dealing with. Everyone was wearing heavy jackets and flannel shirts with jeans, so it wasn’t like they had much to look at. The only thing both of them caught onto was the place was full of shifters, all kinds of shifters, too many for them to sort and name.

  Once they were seated, Sabrina leaned over and whispered, “Okay, we hit the waitress first and then see who else we can talk to. Someone in the place has to know the camp.”

  Trina nodded and then grinned at someone over her shoulder. “There was like totally a fairy who tapped all the guys in this place with a gorgeous wand. Seriously, none of them may be our mates, but I wouldn’t kick them out of bed for eating crackers.”

  Sabrina laughed and rolled her eyes and then looked over her shoulder to see whom she was talking about. Four more men had entered the place and Sabrina grinned, yeah they were handsome, and they were huge. She squinted her eyes and then took a deep breath—they were shifters, shit.

  She turned back around and then glared at Trina who was looking at the men with lust in her eyes. “They are shifters too,” she hissed and Trina sat up straighter.

  “No shit,” she whispered back.

  “No shit, this whole diner is full of them,” Sabrina said and then she felt the tingle of awareness flow over her as the men moved closer. It wasn’t the same as she had felt while driving. This was more like her bear was telling her they were kindred spirits. One of them had to be bear.

  She felt a bump at her back and knew they had sat right behind them. Great, if they were shifters they would know soon that so was she and Trina. She sucked in a breath and waited. Nothing happened, so she looked over her shoulder and saw the men were sitting silently and stiffly. Yep, they knew.

  “Okay, darlins,” the waitress said, bustling to their table then pulled out a little pad. “What’ll ya have?”

  “Uh, coffee and French toast,” Trina said and Sabrina nodded indicating the same thing.

  “Do you by any chance know where there is a map of the area for hiking?” Trina asked, that is what they had planned on using as their cover, being hikers.

  The woman laughed loudly. “A map? No, darlin’, there is no map, mostly because the hiking here is a bit treacherous. With all of the terrain changes over the years, this town is mostly tourist trade, the shops downtown and the lookout places to take pictures and everything else on the way up to Estes Park. There are river campsites a few miles up the road, but right now, I wouldn’t recommend it, the weather is being squirrely and seriously, I would not recommend wandering off anywhere, you could get lost in the woods. The national forest is on one side of town and the other is privately owned.”

  Trina nodded. “We already heard that, but someone said there were homes being built here as well.”

  “Oh sure, but that is on the private land. Those houses are already bought and paid for. But if you hang around long enough for the snow to clear, you will be able to take the drive up the rest of the canyon, it is beautiful,” the waitress said. “Coffee coming up.”

  She bounced away and Sabrina looked at Trina with wide eyes. This was going to be like pulling teeth apparently. The locals didn’t trust outsiders.

  A deep voice from behind her said, “They aren’t gonna tell you anything unless they know you are someone they can trust.”

  Sabrina turned and stared at the man behind her who had decided to speak.

  “And how would we go about earning their trust?” she asked.

  “Blood test,” the man said and Trina snorted.

  “Seriously, people come here and ask to have their blood tested so they can hike the area?”

  The man turned more and said, “No, shifters come here because they know it is a safe place, and if they aren’t Ulfer, they prove it by giving their blood, or their verified family tree.”

  The entire place went silent, even the waitress who had been chatting with a few customers at the counter.

  *****

  Ari was rolled into the conference room where all of the leaders of the Drekinn Pack were waiting and pacing, all of them. Since Kade and Hope had figured out they were siblings, the others had been talking and thinking. All of them agreed they felt some type of connection to each other, but they had all just put it down to the situation.

  Pilar and Phillip were both a little shocked about Hope. They said they had known part of what they were supposed to do, just not this. They had assumed they were supposed to get the Council reinstated in order to defeat the Ulfer, but this something more going on they had no clue about.

  Vivi, Brenda, and Shelly, along with their mates, followed, all looking grim, all looking resigned to telling them what they wanted to know.

  Victor held his hand up before everyone could pounce on Ari and said, “Before we start, let us say what we have to say and then we will answer your questions. Trust me, you will understand a little more when you hear what we have to say.”

  “Trust?” Calli snorted and glared at her father. “Seriously? You have been lying to us for years.”

  “Young lady,” Vivi snapped.

  “Don’t,” Calli yelled. “Just don’t.”

  Vivi sighed and then looked down to the ground, she had submitted to her for the first time in Calli’s life, her mother had submitted. WHAT THE FUCK?

  “Sit down and let us talk,” Victor ordered and Kade nodded as he looked each of his friends in the eyes. Silently, they walked to their places and sat down. Ari was settled right in between Victor and Vivi.

  “As you all know this is Ari, he is a member of our pack, which we thought was in hiding with the rest of our pack. Whom we assumed were safe, at least what was remaining of it,” Victor said.

  “What was your pack?” Calli snapped and everyone looked intently.

  “The Denver Pack,” Victor said softly and the room was stunned.

  “Excuse me?” Kade whispered.

  “We were all, and still are, members of the Denver Pack,” Victor said.

  “But how…” Cherri started.

  “The Wars, you all kn
ow how they ended,” Victor said. “What was left of the Denver Pack went into hiding until such time as the children of the Chosen were grown and ready to finally take their place.”

  “Okay, now hold the fuck on for a second,” Rissa snapped. “Do you wanna expand on that just a little please.”

  Brenda whispered, “You know what it means, honey.”

  Rissa’s eyes grew wide and she looked at Calli and Cherri who were also grasping what they were being told. It was Cherri who said it out loud though.

  “You are not our real parents,” she said.

  “No,” Shelly whispered and Rissa sucked in a breath.

  Calli narrowed her eyes at Vivi and then said something that shocked the shit out of all of them. “Doesn’t matter,” she said firmly. “You are our parents, from everything I have read the Chosen were close, they depended on each other and we had their love, they wouldn’t have sent us with someone whom they didn’t think would love and care for us. They were right, you did love and care for us, just like you would your own child. Therefore you are our parents and I will continue to respect and treat you as such.”

  Vivi made a small noise, nodded, and then mouthed, “I love you.”

  Calli nodded and turned to her friends. “You know I am right.”

  Rissa sighed. “Yeah, but I was hoping to at least get to scream and throw a little bit of drama around, I have become too tame lately. I blame Simon, he is taking all my fun away.”

  Brenda grinned and said, “You can yell at me later.”

  “You are on.” She sighed and then glared at her mate who was rolling his eyes.

  Ari sighed loudly, looked at Victor, and said, “I will take it from here.”

  Victor nodded and sat back to listen.

  “The Chosen and the Senate discovered the prophesy they thought was complete—wasn’t. They were missing someone, and because of that, when the Wars started they were not ready, because they were not complete. The Chosen Prophesy was built on a thirteen month calendar not a twelve month one, so they missed one of the Chosen from being seated. The only thing they had was the knowledge their children could possibly be able to help, overcome, and win the war for them.”

  “How is that?” Kade asked.

  “Your powers, all of you have latent powers, which not many other shifters or magical people have, they have been suppressed for your safety and although they are still there and can be tapped into a little, they are not full strength, and they will not be full strength until you have all reunited. All of you, the children of the Chosen are special, your parents were powerful, they were given gifts beyond all others. However, the Rogues were aware of this, and they were also aware of the prophesy and tried to destroy it, so in order to protect the true prophesy it was hidden, and the only one who knew its existence was the final person of the Council, whom they never found,” Ari said.

  “If they never found him, then how the hell are we supposed to do anything? You said yourself, it is the children of the Chosen, one of the Chosen was missing, and so therefore, we don’t know who that could be,” Calli said.

  Ari nodded. “The books have the clues, it’s why they are so important. The pack knew the Chosen had left the clues in the books, and because of that, we hid them, some of them have been found, but the people they are holding captive know where they are, all of them. We need to get them out. We also need to find the rest of the children because without them, we will not defeat the Prentiss. The Chosen Wars were not a failure; they were necessary to protect you and the others. The Chosen knew this and sacrificed themselves because of it.”

  “You lost me again,” Pilar said. “Phillip and I were asked to keep the secret of the Chosen’s descendants, we did, and we began rounding them up to bring them together. Just like our book instructed us to do.”

  Ari nodded. “Yes, your father was the protector of the children, and because of that—you were given the power to bring them together.”

  “Who are the ones they are holding?” Kade asked and Vivi sucked in a breath.

  Victor cleared his throat and said, “For years we have been under a protective spell which masks us, our mates, and those we protect. In order for nothing to draw attention to us, we had to do what had to be done, which meant we separated. We were asked to keep Calli, Rissa, and Cherri as a couple right under the Prentiss’s nose. In order to do that, our mates had to leave us.”

  “Your mates are the ones that were captured?” Kade asked.

  “Along with the other Enforcers that were guarding them and several other members. We were on our way here to join you.” Ari nodded.

  “You gave up your mates for us?” Rissa said, sniffing.

  Brenda nodded. “Of course we did, we needed to make sure you three were safe.”

  “Why us three?” Calli asked.

  Then Ari dropped the bomb that floored them all. “Because as children, you three were connected, it was obvious, even though you weren’t siblings, when you were together your powers were stronger, they are like a beacon. Together you’d draw all the others closer to you without knowing it. So by keeping you together, the rest will come, all of them. It is a matter of time, especially when you go to the right place.”

  “The right place?” Calli asked.

  “You have to go home, there the spell is the strongest,” Ari said. “It is why we were coming, to let you know they have already made sure that the spells remained in place and are preparing for our arrival. You are to resurrect the Denver Pack and finish what your parents started.”

  Chapter Five

  The sexual tension in the room was becoming heavy. Hope’s scent was driving him wild, and Gio was making him hard just by looking at him. Mak had been with men before, but he had never felt the instant attraction to another male or female before them. They may have had a shaky start, but for them, it was supposed to be this way. The three were unique, each of them had come from a strong line, and each of them had tremendous powers. They were not going to be the Alphas of a pack, they couldn’t, they were going to be the key to winning the war, but they needed to be mated first.

  “I have to kiss you,” he growled and pulled Hope into his arms, swooped down and kissed her surprised mouth. He didn’t give her a chance to protest and since her mouth was already open, he took advantage of it. Mak explored her mouth aggressively, making sure she knew who was in control. Hope was special and just as strong as he was, Gio was too, but Mak would be in control in the bedroom. Well, as much control as he could have with three strong magical people in a relationship. It was going to be a wild ride.

  “Baby, we need to talk for a minute,” Mak growled against her skin.

  “Really? Now?” Hope said, moaning in frustration.

  Hope pulled back a little and nipped his lips. Gio, who had been standing slightly back, took advantage of their break, turned her in his arms, and kissed her just as aggressively. Hope was feeling very unbalanced. She had always been in control of sexual situations; with her mates, she knew she wasn’t going to have that luxury.

  “Wow,” she whispered against Gio’s lips and smiled. “I wish we would have known this sooner, it would have made things a lot easier, maybe I would have been nicer.”

  Gio laughed and pulled her shirt over her head. Hope was wearing a red lacy bra, and both of her mates growled in appreciation. “If I had known you were wearing this under your clothes all this time, it would have made me think harder about waiting through that meeting, we could have stolen you away.”

  Mak reached around, unbuttoned her jeans, and pushed them slowly over her hips. She was wearing a matching thong and a whole new set of growls erupted in the room. Mak kissed his way down her spine, then cupped her ass and kissed each cheek while Gio pulled her bra over her breast, and began sucking her nipple in his mouth. She had never felt like this before. Having two men touching her and kissing her was a completely new sensation.

  “Oh my gods, you guys are gonna kill me,” she whispered.

>   Her men chuckled against her skin. Gio and Mak pushed her until she was sitting on the bed they had just discovered in the room they were given. Gio continued to fondle with her breasts, as Mak knelt in front of her and licked her through her panties. He groaned, and pulled it to the side, smiling when he saw her glistening folds. She was soaking wet from arousal.

  “I am gonna eat you until you scream and then I am gonna fuck your sweet, little pussy,” he said firmly.

  Hope leaned back a little further and gave him all the access he needed. She wanted them both so badly she could scream. Gio reached down, used one hand to pull her folds apart, and rubbed her clit as Mak swept his tongue from back to front across her slit.

  “Come on, baby, give him your cream,” Gio whispered in her ear. “How does it feel having him between your legs and me at your breasts? Does it make you wet?”

  Mak chuckled against her when she clenched while Gio spoke to her. “I think our little mate likes to be talked to. This is going to work out fine.”

  “Oh really, I already know you like dirty talk, baby, don’t I? You like it when I whisper in your ear while I play with your nipples, you always did. How about when I say, I want to see Mak sink his long, hot cock into your pussy? I want to see your juices pour over his cock, and when he pulls out a little, I want to lick his shaft before he plunges back into you,” Gio whispered.

  Mak pulled back and looked up. “Fuck me, that is making me hard.”

  Hope groaned and nodded. “Please.”

  “Well, why don’t we see what we can do about that but first, baby, you need to come. I love your ripe little nipples. I love it how when I pinch them just a little they spring up and beg me to suck on them. Do you like that, when I pinch them?” he said, pinched one nipple and twisted it a little, then pulled it out and let it go making her breast bounce a little. The vibrations made her squeak. He did the same to her other breast.

  Mak took advantage of her arousal and inserted two fingers into her opening, thrusting hard and quick, making her gasp. So many sensations, all at the same time were overwhelming her. Hope could feel her orgasm building.