He draped his body over her lifeless form, his tears falling onto her face as he lovingly ran one hand over where their unborn child lay cradled. With one final kiss to her cold, still lips, he turned and walked from the room.
Outside four of his guards waited. They entered the dining room reverently and flanked her body, two on each side. In complete silence, they humbly lifted her. When they began walking her outside, Gage moved to her head, gently cradling it in his hands. Together they carried her body outside to the wooden funeral dais which had been prepared for her during Gage’s vigil.
Gage assumed the role of officiate and stood in front of the platform. His guards stood around the stand, forming a circle of grief. They sang the death chant again wishing her peace and a peaceful passage into the next world.
Gage lifted his hands and recited the death prayer saying, “You have left this life, left behind your body, for you do not need it to return to the Fates. May they embrace you back into their fold. Welcome you, protect you on your journey into the Beyond.”
After another round of chanting, one by one, each male stepped forward in silence and placed a log under the altar. The final guard, Alvaro, held a lit torch. As he stepped forward, Gage met him, took the torch from the male, and turned toward Andrea for the last time. He said a final silent farewell to his mate and unborn child then lit the logs beneath her. The fire flared to life, consuming her body.
One by one, the others left with their heads bowed until only Gage remained.
Now alone, he allowed his grief to flood his body. The pain took his legs from beneath him, sobs shook his frame. He sunk to his knees in the grass, watching his heartmate return to that from which she had come; dust to dust.
****
Utterly miserable, Gage entered his home and sat at the kitchen table. His clothes, still caked with dried blood, were disheveled and reeked since he had not changed or showered in the three days since the funeral. Words alone could not express how deep his devastating sorrow went. His throat constricted and his eyes became hazy with tears. His stomach knotted causing a gut wrenching pain that made him curl over and heave.
He wept for his Andrea and the death of their future. The moment of her death took with it all his hopes, his dreams, and goals. His future taken by the same phenomenon that took her soul. In a single moment, he’d lost his heartmate, his child, his tomorrow.
Gage rested his head in his hands, elbows on the kitchen table.
“Sir?” Alvero tentatively approached and placed his hand gently on Gage’s shoulder.
Gage looked up. He knew his face looked drawn, he’d seen it in a mirror. He probably reminded the guard of a skeleton. Under his tear streaked eyes sat dark circles. His eyes looked sunken into the sockets, his shoulders slumped. He’d barely recognized his reflection.
“Have you eaten anything, sir?” the body guard asked him quietly.
Gage did not reply, simply shook his head back and forth one time before resting it back in his hands.
Alvero sat down across from him at the table. “Sir, I think we should talk,” he said motioning for Trace to join them from where he waited in the doorway to the kitchen.
Trace joined the pair, starting to sit in the empty chair to the right of Gage.
Gage’s head snapped up. “Don’t you sit there. That is Her seat.” Gage’s eyes pinned Trace with the fierceness of a lion.
Trace puts his hands up in surrender and bowed his head.
“Of course, sir.” He wisely moved around the table and sat in the chair to Gage’s left. Trace shot Alvero a wayward glance.
“Sir,” Trace said cautiously. “What should be done about the ball that was scheduled for tomorrow night?”
“I had completely forgotten about that.” Gage heard the defeat in his own voice, and looked from one guard to the other, hoping someone might have an idea. He couldn’t make decisions right now.
“Might I make a suggestion?” Alvero offered. Gage nodded his head once, giving permission for the guard to continue.
“Might I suggest you let Trace and I call your guests and tell them the ball and party have been cancelled for this year.”
Gage nodded his head once again, unconcerned about what they did. “That’s fine. I don’t care.”
“Very well. Trace and I will take care of the phone calls immediately.” Alvero pushed his chair away from the table as if to leave, but before he rose, Trace spoke.
“What about the humans?” asked Trace leaning forward his forearms on the table.
“I don’t care,” repeated Gage exasperated. “I just don’t care anymore.”
“Have you eaten tonight?” Alvero asked changing the subject. Gage shook his head. He hadn’t been hungry since...
“How about if I go get Red for you, sir. You always enjoy her.” Trace offered with a hopeful grin.
“I can’t see her,” Gage replied shaking his head. “The last time I fed from her it was with Andrea.”
“How about if I find someone else for you to feed from?” volunteered Alvero. “You must eat something. You need to keep your strength up.”
“Why? If I don’t feed I’ll die, then I can be with my Andrea again.” Gage shot the guard a sharp look. “What’s there to live for?”
“Revenge,” Trace answered without hesitation.
Gage’s eyes snapped to Trace. By the Fates above, the guard was right. His eyes widened as his nostrils flared.
“Yes,” said Gage slowly, his voice as hard as stone. “Revenge.”
Gage sat up a little straighter. The past few days had been a blur of sorrow and despair. He missed his heartmate, missed her touch, her laugh. Missed the mischievous twinkle in her eye when she teased him.
All that was gone from his life now thanks to that bastard Stephan von Haas. That male had come into his home, accused him of conducting a hunt club, and added injury to insult by killing his mate. He needed to pay for his transgressions, and Gage was just the male to dole out the punishment.
His brows furrowed, lips tightened into a line before he continued. “Bring me a human who is hardy. I want one who is healthy, full of life, who can give me the energy I need to plot my revenge on that sonuvabitch von Haas.”
“At once, sir.” Alvero nodded and left the room, purpose hurrying his strides, as he went to fetch one of the humans from below.
A slight smile appeared on Trace’s face when Gage licked his lips. He could almost taste the revenge. A plan for retribution began to form in his mind. All too soon he would have a plan, a purpose to his life once again.
Chapter 27
Stephan lay in his bed under his red satin sheets. He rolled onto his back, laying one arm across his forehead, his eyes opened wide. Like a scene from a horror movie flickering on the big screen, every time he shut his eyes, he saw the pregnant female fall in slow motion and become impaled upon the sword. It was not just the sights which kept him awake but the sounds of that night, playing over and over again like a stuck record in his head. He hadn’t slept in days. The few times he drifted off dreams of what had happened plagued him.
He turned his head and looked at Kat who lay sleeping beside him with her hand tucked under her cheek on her pillow. He gently brushed a golden curl from her face as she nuzzled into the pillow. He looked down and smiled, but the smile faded quickly when the fear crept back in.
He knew Gage’s threat to take from him all that was dear was a promise. He couldn’t imagine anything more dear to him than the woman lying beside him. She meant everything to him and he worried that Gage would find a way to take her from him. As he watched her chest rise and fall with each breath, anxiety, the likes of which he’d never experienced before, gripped him tighter, like a hand gripping his heart, squeezing until it could not beat anymore.
He rolled toward Katrina and drew her into him. Holding her close, he breathed in her honeysuckle scent, trying to absorb her very essence so he would never lose her.
****
Gage sat
in his office, across from Trace and Alvero, plotting a strategy of retribution.
“You know,” said Trace, “tit for tat is the best revenge.”
Gage raised an inquiring eyebrow at him, encouraging him to continue.
Trace crossed one ankle onto the opposite knee and continued. “We need to find out if von Haas has a heartmate.”
Thoughts of the night they met after the ballet flowed through Gage’s mind. “When I first met him, he accompanied a female, a human. He seemed rather fond of her. Nicholai Peterhof, might know who the woman is.”
Alvero leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. “But if Nicholai knows von Haas, then don’t you think he would be reluctant to give up the information?”
“I suppose you are right,” Gage agreed. “If we knew where von Haas lived, we could watch the place, take the woman. If Nicholai knows von Haas, perhaps he would know where the bastard lives.”
“We could force Peterhof to give us the information,” suggested Trace rubbing his hands together as if anticipating the techniques that would be needed to force Nicholai’s cooperation.
“I don’t like that option, unless it is our last resort. Nicholai was kind to Andrea. I don’t want to hurt him.” Gage pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yet still, we need more information on von Haas.”
“I looked him up on the internet,” offered Alvero. “He owns several businesses, but none of them are here in Vegas. I wonder why he is here.”
“That’s a good question.” Gage tapped his lips with his index finger, thoughtfully. “I wonder…just why is he here?”
Trace shrugged. “Maybe he just came to see the ballet.”
“Huh, I don’t know…Maybe.” Gage looked pensively at the two guards and stroked his hand down his face. “Something seemed familiar about the woman he took to the ballet. I could have sworn I knew her from somewhere. Give me time, maybe I can figure out where I’ve seen her before.”
“Perhaps she is from Vegas. Maybe that’s why Stephan is here, to see her.” A hopeful expression lit Alvero’s face.
“Hmmm.” Gage stroked his chin. “I guess that could make sense, if she lives in Vegas he could be here to see her.
“Perhaps I recognize her because I have seen her around town. But where? How do I know her? Maybe I’ve seen her at a show.”
“Oh, yeah.” Trace suddenly reached into the pocket with a look of concern on his face. “I’m hesitant to mention this, sir, but the maid found something when she cleaned your room this evening.”
“What is it?” Gage snapped, perturbed by the change of subject. He didn’t have time for any nonsense. He had more important things to think about like finding the human and exacting revenge.
Trace withdrew his hand from the pocket black pants. “It’s two tickets. I think perhaps Andrea planned to surprise you by taking you to a show.”
Tears pushed into Gage’s eyes, and he quickly blinked them away. Grief had no place within him, revenge and anger were now his emotion of choice. “Tickets to what?” he muttered.
Trace looked down at the tickets in his hand. “To the show Desire, at Reaper’s. They’re for Friday night.”
Gage shook his head. As if he would want to go without his Andrea. “I don’t want to go. You can have the tickets, Trace. Why don’t you and Alvero go? You two have helped me much during the past days.”
Alvero looked at him, brow furrowed over his eyes. “Are you sure? Wouldn’t you like to go? Perhaps it could take your mind off of everything for a little while.”
“No. Sadly the only thing that show will remind me of is the last time Andrea and I were there.” His mind replayed that evening, how Andrea touched him making him feel every bit a desirable male. He smiled remembering how he created a mental cloak to hide them from prying eyes as she whispered in his ear to think of the blonde dancer while she excited him.
Suddenly his eyes went wide with realization. His head snapped up. “I know who she is.” His voice, loud with excitement, caused the guards to jump.
“You know who ‘who’ is?” asked Alvero.
“I know who the woman is…von Haas’ woman. I know how to find her. I-I know where the woman works,” Gage stammered with enthusiasm. For the first time since losing his heartmate, he felt a moment of happiness.
Chapter 28
Katrina slid into her jacket and walked down the fluorescent lit hallway, the lights glistening off the polished linoleum. As she reached Reaper’s side exit door, she thought about Stephan. It had been more than a week since the incident, and he had been very stoic and sullen. He’d not spoken with her again about the accident, she believed in an attempt to ease her concern. However, the lack of dialogue gave Kat’s mind the opportunity to contrive her own version of what might be going on in Stephan’s head.
She imagined him riddled with guilt over what happened, and she could not ease that remorse, because he would not discuss it. It broke her heart to think of him suffering and not be allowed to console him. The thought of how he must be hurting brought tears to her eyes.
A noble, honorable man, he would not have purposely caused the death of an innocent. Her heart ached to comfort him. He was being strong for her, when it was she who should be strong for him, lifting him up. She rested her hand on the door latch and took a steadying breath, wiping the tears from her eyes with the back of her other hand.
She wanted to be calm and collected when she greeted her chaperone for her ride home. She hoped Stephan would be waiting for her in the alley, but lately the chaperone duty rotated amongst the Alphas, so she wasn’t sure exactly who would be waiting for her. She just hoped it wouldn’t be Demetri. He scared the hell out of her with his powerful presence and glowering looks.
Outside the rain poured down like a banshee and she wished she’d chosen to wear jeans instead of a skirt and light blouse. As she stepped free of the door an arm wrapped around her waist like an iron trap, pushing the breath from her body. Instinct kicked in, and she thrashed her legs wildly, struggling to free herself to no avail. Self-perseveration sent her skull careening into the attacker’s nose.
Pain shot through Katrina’s head, but it had the desired effect. She heard the nose break on impact and the assailant dropped her. Kat collapsed in a gasping heap in the alleyway, her hands and knees scraped by the hard asphalt. The punishing drops of rain stung her exposed skin, as she crawled away and fought to regain her breath.
A hand clamp down around her ankle. Its bite flexed her bones and twisted, then pulled her backwards. She grasped at the asphalt, looking for purchase. The pebbles on the hard pavement ground into her hands and legs as she was dragged back. A piece of broken glass sliced deep into her knee. The pain sharpened her senses. As adrenaline rushed through her body, her fight or flight instinct kicked into fight mode.
Kat turned onto her back and kicked the attacker with her free leg. Her heel connected with his broken nose, sending blood spraying across her leg. He tightened his grip on her injured leg, and Kat screamed in agony. She knew he intended to break her bones. She kicked again with the free foot. This time her attacker turned his head so his eye socket took the blow. Her leg, firm from years of dancing, gave a solid blow to his face, and he finally released his grip.
Kat scrambled away from him doing a backward crabwalk into a wall. Suddenly the barrier retreated, faded away from her back. Confused, Katrina looked up taking her eyes from her attacker. The hard rain caused her eyes to narrow and made it difficult to discern the features of the dark figure that stood behind her. Panic coursed through her body. Another attacker! She knew she couldn’t take on two.
Then the figure stepped forward into the light provided from the small bulb outside the door to Reapers. Through her squinting eyes, she realized Demetri stood behind her. Relief pulsed through her veins in time with her beating heart.
In one swift motion, too quick for Kat to follow, Demetri scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the H3. He opened the door and tossed her on
to the back seat.
“You’re injured,” he said looking down at her ankle and bleeding leg, his fangs extended.
“Get me out of here.” Tears streamed down her face along with the raindrops. She looked him in the eyes, trying to implore him to do as she said. A stoic face met her plea. No emotion, no sympathy.
Kat blinked and her rescuer disappeared, the door to the car closed. Kat looked around, confused. She saw a blur of motion through the rain-soaked windshield, heard the squeal of tires on hot asphalt, then the world became still, silent.
A shadow appeared at the door just before it ripped open. Kat screamed. Demetri’s presence filled the car when he climbed into the back beside her.
“Let’s go, now,” pleaded Kat in a shaky voice, still sobbing.
“There’s no reason to rush,” Demetri informed her. “The male who attacked you is gone. He got into a van while I was putting you in the car. I tried to run after him, but I didn’t want to leave you alone in case there were others.”
He grabbed her leg.
“What are you doing?” demanded Kat.
“Hold still you’re injured.” He looked at the bleeding wound on her leg and clamped his hands down on her leg, one on her thigh the other on her calf to pin her leg to the seat.
Kat’s panic returned as the large male manhandled her. She struggled to no avail, grabbed the back of the seat trying to maneuver away from him. Her breathing quickened.
“I’m going to close the wound,” he announced as his fangs extended.
He bent over her leg and licked at the wound. The healing agent in his saliva sealed the injury before her eyes. Her heart raced, not knowing if he would stop once the wound was healed or if bloodlust would overcome him and he would drink from her. Her breath left her lungs in heavy quick rasps.
Demetri looked at her with hungry eyes, eyes that pinned hers, his dark, penetrating stare pushed into her mind. Kat felt the world sway. Blackness tunneled in and she fell into the dark abyss as she vaguely heard a deep voice say something about hyperventilating and sleep.
Alpha Mine (The Alpha Council Chronicles) Page 18
