by V. Vaughn
I sniff and take a deep breath to stop my tears. My voice gains strength when I ask myself, “Where is that warrior now, Kelsey?” Steely determination to escape takes hold. Crying isn’t going to help me get back to Val, and I need to think clearly if I’m going to survive this. I now know for sure the hunters Caitlyn belonged to are the ones keeping me prisoner, and based on what the man just did to Linda, I don’t think he’ll be showing me any sympathy. I have to find a way to get free, because I can’t count on the Ouellettes finding me in time.
The metal bars of my cage are ice cold on my fingers as I inspect the connections with my touch to see if I can break any loose. Unfortunately, it feels as if they’re soldered, and after I check the entire crate, I realize I won’t be getting out on my own. I blow warm air on my chilled hands as my shivering returns. Glancing up, I make out the top of my cage, and the metal is hard on my palms as I grip it with force to begin a version of pull-ups in an effort to stay warm. Even though I can’t speak telepathically with my true mate until I’ve been changed, I talk to him in my head anyway. I’m coming back to you, Val. Grunts escape my lips as my biceps flex, and I picture my bear within. I draw from her strength because I plan to survive.
Chapter 3
Nadia
Caitlyn’s squinting eyes tell me she’s pissed off. I bounce on my feet in the sparring ring and deliver a solid kick to her thigh. I have to be careful because she’s human, but I want her to feel enough pain to fight back. She stumbles a bit before she rushes at me. I let her connect with a punch before I dance away to see what she’ll do. Her fighting skills are wild, and I wonder if she got any training. Even though she’s rough, she’s tenacious, and she comes at me with a straight kick that is so amateur I can’t help myself. I grab her foot and flip her onto her back.
She lets out a loud grunt and doesn’t get up. “I suck.”
I gaze down at her. “Yeah. You do. But you won’t when I’m done.” I reach a hand down and hoist her to her feet with ease.
Caitlyn pushes a loose strand of hair back. “I don’t know why you’re teaching me to fight. It’s not like I can ever win against any of you.”
I shrug. “Got anything better to do?” This isn’t about making her a warrior. It’s about giving her the courage to go after what she wants in life. Whatever it may be. Because right now Caitlyn feels as if she doesn’t fit in anywhere, and I know how depressing that can be.
She scowls and lets out a sigh before she says, “Fine. What’s next?”
I take her over to the punching bags and teach her how to do some basic kicks. For the most part, we’re ignored by everyone else in the gym. But when anyone throws a disapproving glare our way, I flash my teeth to remind them I’m polar bear and could wipe their smirk off their face permanently.
To keep Caitlyn out of trouble, René said he could find things at the gym for her to do in the afternoons, and after lunch, I bring her to the retail section to inventory the items. T-shirts are soft on my fingers as I drag my hand down a stack. I recall how out of place I felt when I first got to Maine and was ostracized for attacking my ex-husband’s true mate. Annie De Rozier, the Prima of my clan, reached out and offered her friendship, and I’ll always be grateful. Without that kindness, I might not have found a way to give up my feral tendencies and let my compassionate human side come out. I think Caitlyn needs me to be that person for her. I ask, “Want to come over to my house tonight and hang out?”
Caitlyn frowns. “Why?”
“René is going out with the guys, and it’s my chance to watch a chick flick.” When she doesn’t respond, I add, “I make the best nachos you’ve ever tasted. Tons of cheese, sour cream, and guacamole.”
“Really?” She scans my thin frame. “I thought you were all about healthy eating.”
I chuckle. “Before a workout, sure. But afterward? No way.”
“Margaritas?”
“Of course.” I smile because a little alcohol might help Caitlyn open up to me. Spending time in her head when I was sucked through a portal and into her body makes me think she belongs in this clan, and I’m going to do my best to help her see it.
“Deal.”
“Great. I’ll see you later.”
When I’m in the doorway, she calls out, “Nadia?” I glance over my shoulder at her. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” I contain my smile until I’ve walked away. It was only a couple weeks ago I didn’t want to be here either, but then I met my true mate. René has become my reason for living. I’m not sure what destiny has planned for Caitlyn, but I’m proof happiness can find you if you let it.
After I’m done for the day, I swing by the grocery store. Jurgen, Caitlyn’s guard, took her home, and he’ll drop her at my house around seven. A bag of tortilla chips rustles as René helps me unload my bags I’ve brought to the kitchen. When he pulls the bottle of tequila out, he says, “Maybe I should stay here with the women.”
“You really want to watch a romantic movie?”
He cocks an eyebrow at me. “Maybe not. But I see why you bought tequila.”
I chuckle as I take the bottle from him. “Very funny.”
“You’re doing a nice thing, Nadia. But there’s more to this, isn’t there?”
“We know Caitlyn can tell us a lot about the hunters and how they operate, but she doesn’t trust us yet. I think she needs to understand she’s a Ouellette and this is where she belongs.”
“But she’s human. What makes you think she should be here?”
“When I was in her body, it was clear to me that she didn’t want to be a hunter. This is where she grew up, and I think she needs her family.”
René grabs my hips to pull me against his body, and I fiddle with the pull tab on his sweatshirt as he says, “And maybe she’ll discover her true mate too?”
“Maybe.” His scent is intoxicating, and when I inhale it, my insides begin to melt. “Look at her twin. Kelsey found hers and can’t wait to be changed.” I tug on the zipper of his hoodie to lower it, and I slide my hand inside to place it on his firm chest. His breath hitches, and a low growl rumbles from his chest, letting me know he’s turned on too. As his heart beats against my palm, the warmth of his love travels through me. I know I’m being the sappy girl I never thought was in me when I ask, “Wouldn’t it be great if everyone could be this happy?”
René leans down, and before he kisses me, he says, “It would.”
Every cell of my being answers the call of our connection, and the cotton of his shirt is a weak barrier as I yank and rip it off him. René is just as hungry for me, and he tears my top down the middle to peel it from body. Cool air makes my sensitive nipples harden, and I crave his touch. But René’s got other ideas, and he turns me around before he shoves me against the counter. The hard edge digs into my stomach as he presses his thick erection against my butt, and he nips at my shoulder.
I can’t resist my bear’s need for control, and I squirm back around and push hard. René chuckles, and while he relents, he fights me with enough strength that I have to work to get him against the opposite counter. I growl as I extend my claws and slice down the front of his pants with just enough force to only cut the material of his sweatpants.
He flinches back. “Damn! You’re dangerous.”
I chuckle as the material falls around his ankles, and I grab his hips to brace myself while I lower to my knees. I drag my tongue up his length and gaze at him as I flash my fangs. “You better hope not.”
René thrusts his hips as his chest rumbles with his bear’s approval, and I suck him in. My jaw widens to accommodate his thickness, and his thighs tremble as he loses himself to the pleasure of my warm, wet mouth. He groans and pulls my head back. “Babe.”
I lick my lips as I stand and back away slowly when I see the feral need in his eyes. René pounces on me and returns me to my position of being bent over the kitchen counter. He reaches between my legs and pushes his fingers inside of me as he leans over my back. His br
eath is hot on my neck as he says, “You like my cock in your mouth, don’t you?”
“I do.” I squirm on his hand as he pumps his digits in and out of me.
“What else do you like, Nadia?”
“This, but I want more.”
“More what, babe. Say it.”
“I need your cock inside me.” I let out a small whimper when he stops moving his hand. “Fuck me, René. Make me--” I gasp as he slams into me and pounds my hips against the granite countertop. “Yes.” My bear growls in appreciation as my mate drives deep.
When my orgasm threatens to shatter me, René slows, and his weight is heavy on my back as he leans over me to say, “Mine.” His teeth puncture my shoulder, and the scream I let out is muffled by the overwhelming ecstasy that takes me. His hot seed fills me, and the threads of our bond thicken with the commingling of his venom and my blood.
When we can both think again, René lifts off me, and I turn to press up against his chest. He sighs as he cups my bottom in his hands. “I love you more than I could have ever imagined, Nadia.”
“I know.” I grip his firm arms and kiss his chest over his heart. “I feel the same way.” I step back. “You need to get ready to go out.”
“Yeah. Let’s go see what we can do in the shower.”
I chuckle as we make our way to the bathroom for round two.
While René shaves, I work in the kitchen. My knife taps on a cutting board as I chop up leftover chicken, and I recall how the first few nights I was in Canada, my next-door neighbor and new friend Abby hung out with me at night. She made me feel welcome, and I hope I can make Caitlyn feel the same way. I’m surprised when René comes to the kitchen still wearing a towel, and when I glance at him, his expression is serious. He says, “Kelsey’s been kidnapped.”
“What?” The blood drains from my head as I think about the human girl who hasn’t had a chance to change, and recall how weak her sister, Caitlyn, was in the gym today compared to werebear. She’s so vulnerable. I ask, “Hunters?”
My mate nods. “Rachel says she was compelled in some way to bring Kelsey out of our territory, and it wasn’t until after her daughter was thrown into a van and taken away that Rachel’s mind cleared and she realized what had happened.”
I imagine Rachel’s pain now that she’s aware of what she did. Only one thing can compel that kind of betrayal. “That sounds like witchcraft.”
“I agree. I’m going over to Jean Luc’s to form a plan.” He lifts his towel to wipe at the moisture on his face. “I think you should still entertain Caitlyn. At least I know she’ll be safe with you.”
I scowl at him. René may be in charge of the Ouellette warriors, but I don’t want to follow his order. My bear wants to jump to action to help find Kelsey, but before my growl escapes, it hits me that René is right. While I want to trust Caitlyn, I’m not stupid enough to believe she’d be true to the Ouellette clan if tested. She needs to be watched.
“I’ll keep you in the loop,” says René as he walks toward the bedroom to get ready for his mission.
I barely have time to process the idea of babysitting when the sound of Jurgen’s truck crackling over the gravel driveway announces Caitlyn’s arrival. I take a deep breath and call on my days as the spokesmodel for Arctic Ice vodka. I’m going to need my acting skills in a big way, because I’m about to pretend nothing is wrong while my warrior instincts scream to go fight.
I open the door with a big smile for Caitlyn. “Come on in. I was just about to break open the tequila.” I glance at Jurgen, who I’m sure knows about Kelsey and will be rushing off with René for the rescue mission. “Want a drink before you go?”
He plays his part in the charade well when he says, “Better not mix that with beer. I’ll pass, thank you.”
René’s feet thud toward us, and I turn to give him my attention as I speak in his head. “This is killing the warrior in me to stay back and babysit.”
“Think of it as training for motherhood.”
Whoa. Does he think I’m going to give up being a warrior once we have children? A low growl rumbles in me. “Maybe you’ll be the one staying home.”
René raises his eyebrows at me. “We’ll talk about this later, Nadia.”
You bet we will. Since Jurgen is practically tapping his foot with his sense of urgency, I don’t bother to reply to my mate. René leans in and gives me a quick kiss I’m too annoyed to return. He says, “I might be late.”
I nod as I shove my bear down from her need to emerge and show René I’m not the stay-at-home-mother type. “Have fun.” I paste on my best model smile that Caitlyn can’t see and let my fangs extend for a moment before I catch myself. I realize my anger is not something my mate should be thinking about as he prepares for an important mission. My clarity surprises me, and I shake my head as I reach for René’s shirt to tug him back for a better kiss. “I’m sorry. I love you, René. Be safe.”
“I love you too.”
An odd emotion wells up in me. It’s more than love, and it occurs to me that I just put my mate first. Huh. Who’d have ever thought I’d become someone who could do that? I smile to myself as I realize I’m happier than I have ever been and I finally have a future to look forward to.
I watch René leave before turning to Caitlyn. I take in the woman who is almost identical to her sister, Kelsey. I could kill either one of them with a quick swipe of my paw to slice open the jugular. The crying Kelsey I remember talking to Jean Luc when we suspected she was a hunter is no match for her captors. A shiver runs down my spine as I wonder if Caitlyn is about to suffer another blow when the twin she just met dies at the hands of the men whom she used to work for. The tequila bottle is cool in my hand when I grab it and say, “Margarita time. Ready?”
Caitlyn says, “I thought you’d never ask.”
Chapter 4
Tally
Hot tea warms my chilled fingers as I sit curled up on Bella’s couch. Kimi, Leanne, Lucian, Bella, and I are trying to get information from Victor Veilleux. The energy needed to keep Victor in human form is draining, but I ignore my weak state as we talk to the man Kimi thinks has answers. I gaze at the ex-alpha with his jet-black hair and vivid-green eyes. His cheekbones are prominent, and under his formal shirt and dress slacks is a smoking-hot werebear who was just as sexy when he was alive. Of course his cocky attitude still exists too.
Victor swirls scotch in a glass as he leans back in a comfortable overstuffed leather chair that would fit nicely in a masculine-themed study. He says, “The hunter problem has gotten out of hand because of peace-loving alphas like the Le Roux and Ouellette.” He sighs as he gazes at me, and I scowl while anger simmers in my veins. “The only way to win is to kill them first”--he flashes a smile full of white teeth--“and ask questions later.”
My feet thud on the floor as I move to perch on the edge of the couch, and my teacup rattles in the saucer when I place it on the coffee table with more force than necessary. I glare at Victor as I force calm through my body. As much as I hate it, I need to stay in Victor’s good graces if I’m going to get the information we need. “Can you tell us who was behind the portals?”
Victor scans my body with his gaze, and a slow smile forms on his face as if I’m a delicious steak he’s about to cut into. He grins to reveal his fangs. “I see the appeal.” He runs a finger down one of his fangs slowly and hesitates at the razor-sharp point before he says, “I’ll bet you’re a feisty one.”
Bella lets out noise of disgust. “I suppose you don’t get much sex in hell, but if you want your chance for one last roll in the hay with Lily, it would be in your best interest to answer our questions.”
Kimi’s deal with Victor is to let him have twenty-four hours on earth with his true mate in exchange for information. He snarls at Bella before he says to me, “A man who goes by the name Sinclair has created a network of hunter groups he calls the Eradicators. He’s smart.” The chair creaks as Victor shifts his weight. “He’s studied the efforts of mu
ltiple groups and created more effective systems over the last year.” He drains his drink, and his eyes flash with something beyond evil as he holds it out toward Kimi. “My throat is a bit parched.” His tongue swipes over his extended fangs, and he growls out, “It’s hot down there.”
I don’t break our gaze, but I can imagine the sparks coming from Kimi as liquid splashes in Victor’s glass while she refills it. He takes his time sipping more scotch before speaking again. “Sinclair formed an alliance with a coven of gypsy witches.”
This makes sense to me, considering they’re using black magic. When a witch gets cast out from a coven, they have no place to go, and many live a transient lifestyle. It isn’t uncommon for the outcasts to find each other and band together.
Victor says, “They have a better understanding of what werebear can do now. Although they seem to think a clan without a witch makes them weak.”
Kimi says, “As I recall, you used Tokala to your advantage every opportunity you had.”
“Yes.” A low rumble comes from him. “But he couldn’t keep me alive, could he?”
Victor died saving Sierra, the mother of three of his children, from the evil of his medicine man. When Victor’s wife, Lily, took over as temporary leader of the clan, she denounced Tokala, blaming him for Victor’s death. But Tokala was pardoned months later by the new alpha, Tori, and has been seen as a valuable asset to the Veilleux clan since. Although I have my doubts. I ask, “Is Tokala associated with the coven?”
Victor growls. “Tokala is nothing more than an old, weak man. He knows my daughter gave him a gift letting him come back to the Veilleux. He’s grateful and loyal.”
