by Missy Jane
“And your ex-wife?”
“I don’t believe she is with him any longer, which is cause for concern.”
I tried to ignore the small bite of jealousy.
“Because he might’ve hurt her?” I asked, trying to make my voice as neutral as possible.
“No, because she will no longer slow him down. Tell me, Alexia, have you ever encountered an alpha wolf in animal form before?”
I couldn’t even voice my response as the image filled my mind. I just shook my head.
“I have. And you should trust me when I say it’s not an experience I look forward to repeating.”
I nodded in agreement as he took my hand.
“Good. Then let us be off, and pray Bjorn bought us a decent lead,” Andor said with more enthusiasm than I could muster.
He pulled me after him as he began to run. I didn’t look back, but I could’ve sworn I felt the hot breath of an angry alpha werewolf on my neck.
***
I woke to the sound of rain on the leaves of the canopy above us. It was nearing dusk, but the light had long ago left the floor of the forest where we hid. Andor was standing nearby, keeping watch as I slept. I felt guilty about it. He was able to last much longer on watch than I was. He told me not to fret and I tried not to.
I rose slowly, trying to be as quiet as possible. Stretching, I turned around to peer into the surrounding trees, but my human eyes couldn’t penetrate the deep shadows. I felt Andor near before he took me in his arms. He held tight for a moment, before releasing me as I turned to face him.
“Feel better?” he whispered.
I was still exhausted, but now felt as if I could run again.
“Yes, thank you. I’m sorry we had to stop.”
“Don’t be. You cannot hope to keep up with an animal such as I.”
I hated to hear the bitterness in his voice for something he had no control over. It made me feel guilty for ever holding it against him.
“You’re not an animal, Andor,” I replied, trying to discern the look in his eyes, but the light was too weak.
He said nothing for a moment, just gave a slight grin and shook his head.
“Perhaps. When I’m with you I feel more human than ever before, but there is still an animal inside of me, Alexia. Never forget that.”
I opened my mouth to speak when he became very still. I recognized it as a sign of warning and slid my hand to my gun. Andor sniffed the air almost imperceptibly, before turning around to face behind us. I heard nothing, no footsteps, no breathing but my own. Then a voice straight from my nightmares.
“Andor Olavson. Why is it you run from me now, old friend? Have I done something to warrant such action?”
He sounded amused, but there was an undercurrent of malicious intent. I shivered at the sound and placed my hand on Andor’s back without conscious thought.
“Sandulf. I must admit I was not expecting to encounter you on my journey through these woods. To what do I owe this honor?” Andor asked, sounding a hell of a lot more respectful than I would have.
I kept my mouth shut by a sheer force of will. Inside I was screaming in terror. Andor reached back and clasped my fingers, giving me a reassuring squeeze.
“Honor indeed. You bring Death among your people, Andor. I must say this is most unexpected.”
I was beginning to hate my nickname.
“She is only death to those who ask for it, Sandulf.”
“Why is she in my lands?”
“We are leaving.”
“That doesn’t answer my question, fugol. Tell me why she is here with you now.”
“I brought her to see my former home. We are now returning to hers.”
“Fugol?” I mentally asked.
I was trying to be invisible, but my curiosity got the best of me and it slipped out.
“A name meaning bird in an older Germanic language. He is attempting to insult me.”
Sandulf began to pace in front of us until Andor’s body no longer blocked my view of him. I couldn’t make out details in the dark, but his restless pacing reminded me of a caged animal. A huge caged animal. He stood a bit downhill but I judged his height at easily six and a half feet. His long dark hair flowed to his waist in loose curls that would’ve looked feminine on anyone else. The only detail I easily made out in the dark was the color of his eyes. The ice-blue orbs seemed to glow as they glared at us.
“What brings you to this part of the woods, Sandulf? Am I to believe you were just passing through?” Andor asked.
Sandulf stopped pacing and stared at him.
“Do not tempt my anger, fugol. You do not want your human to see which of us is the stronger animal.”
“Sie ist unter meinem Schutz.”
Sandulf laughed, a short bark very near a growl. I tried to remember my German but high school was too long ago, and I barely knew it then.
“She is under your protection, eh? Are you willing to die for her, fugol?”
I slipped my gun from the holster as silently as possible, knowing he’d hear it anyway.
“I don’t wish to fight you, Sandulf. It would prove nothing. Tell me what you want,” Andor replied.
I had my gun in my hand but with his pacing I couldn’t get a bead on the alpha wolf.
“I want your precious human, Andor. I have questions for her. You’re welcome to come along of course, but she has no choice but to come with me.”
“Ask your questions here, wolf. We can resolve your curiosity and be on our way.”
Sandulf growled at Andor, and I was able to determine his position. I wanted to let Andor know I had silver bullets, but I wasn’t sure if I would broadcast to Sandulf as well. We’d never gotten around to blocking out shifters of Sandulf’s ilk.
“Is this human worth more than your life, fugol?”
“She is worth much to me, Sandulf. Will my life be the payment for her passage through your lands? Have you forgotten your debt?”
Sandulf howled, the sound making me gasp. I was trembling in fear, not only for myself but for the sacrifice Andor was implying.
“I forget nothing, fugol. A life for a life? Is that your wish? Think on it before you reply, Olavson, for once the deal is made there will be no going back on it.”
Sandulf came close enough for me to see the sneer on his face and he sniffed the air around us. He was a ruggedly handsome man, with a day’s growth of stubble on his strong jaw and a scar across one thick eyebrow.
“And I see you have not mated with this human female. There will be others, Olavson. There are always others. Any woman you wish for could be yours.”
“A life for a life, Sandulf. The deal is done.”
Sandulf looked into my eyes with a ferociousness I’d never before encountered. “So it is. You have two sunrises to leave my lands, Death. Your bird has bought your passage with my debt to him. After the second sunrise I proclaim the debt paid in full and if you are still in my lands I will hunt.”
“We will be gone by then, Sandulf. You have my word,” Andor replied.
Sandulf made an abrupt jerk with his head in agreement before he turned and ran off. His departure was so quick I barely saw it. If not for my accelerated heartbeat and Andor’s sudden death grip on my hand, I might’ve doubted he’d ever been there. I holstered my gun and turned to look at Andor. He was looking the way Sandulf departed, but then turned to me.
“We must go, quickly now.”
We turned and began to run in earnest.
Chapter Sixteen
As the second sunrise began to top the buildings of Circe, we ran through the streets as fast as we could. We hadn’t stopped much in the time allotted us by Sandulf, and we were both exhausted. But every time I felt my energy waning, Andor would lift me into his arms and continue to run with barely a pause. I tried to protest the first time but he silenced me with a look. After that I learned to relax and take the reprieve he offered. He offered to sprout his wings to save time, but just the thought of flying made m
e nauseous. He set me on my feet for the last time as we entered the city, my time running out like the sands of an hourglass. I wondered if Sandulf had been tracking our exit, and knew Andor would be aware of it. I was afraid to ask.
I was sure of our destination until I saw the wall looming before us and Andor made an abrupt turn into the red zone. I thought about pulling away from him and running through the checkpoint, but he held my hand in a death grip. We soon came upon the entrance to Animal Menagerie and Andor pulled me inside.
“Will this be safe?” I asked for more than one reason.
Andor didn’t know about my previous exposure to the place, but he did know my personality. I assumed he’d run the possible scenarios through his head without me having to spell it out.
“This is neutral ground, Alexia. Though we’re not officially out of shifter lands, while we are inside the Menagerie, we’re also not ‘in’ shifter lands either. Sandulf can do nothing within these walls, and we’ll have time to rest before entering Georgetown.”
I had no choice but to agree since I didn’t have a better plan. He pulled me through the loosely guarded entrance without a single glitch and led me to an area I’d avoided like the plague on my previous visit, the Pleasure Caves.
Animal Menagerie was set up like a group of nightclubs housed in a single large building. There was something for everyone within those walls. The Pleasure Caves were a group of rooms designed for discreet trysts among the customers, human and animal. Set up like a hotel, each room boasted a king sized bed, mirrored walls and a private bathroom. I’d heard some of them were even designed to cater to various fetishes. Because of the diverse clientele you never knew what you might find waiting in one of those rooms.
Andor got a room, while I tried to look everywhere at once. I felt eyes on me from all directions. Can we say paranoid? Oh yeah, I was freaking out. I barely noticed as Andor pushed me down a dark hallway and into a room. I turned on every light in the place, even the red one above the bed, and dropped my bag on the floor.
“Now what?” I asked.
I heard the fatigue in my voice and marveled that I was still upright.
“Now you rest and I’ll keep watch.”
“I know you’re tired too. Don’t you think its safe enough for us both to get some sleep?”
He seemed to consider it for a moment.
“Perhaps. However, I don’t think we would rest if I joined you in bed, Alexia, and you need it. Take a shower then sleep. I’ll wake you in four hours to take my own rest.”
It was a sign of my fatigue that his words only ignited the slightest spark within me. I really was tired. Rather than argue, I dragged myself into the bathroom to shower. Washing my hair was a feat to be proud of and I leaned against the wall once finished. The cold water startled me, and I realized I’d fallen asleep standing. I got out, threw on a shirt and somehow found my way to the bed. Andor watched me slip between the sheets without a word.
I woke to the sound of someone pounding on the door. I would’ve sat up but a steel band held me in place. I looked down to see it was Andor’s arm, as he lay behind me.
“It’s not for us,” he said.
I listened and realized he was right. The pounding wasn’t on our door. I settled back and tried to relax, but the very presence of Andor behind me kept me tense. My eyes slid to the clock beside the bed and I saw I’d slept less than three hours. My body was exhausted but my mind wouldn’t shut down.
“I thought you were going to keep watch.”
He chucked. “You looked so cozy, I couldn’t resist the temptation to join you. By your snoring I knew you wouldn’t wake easily but I’m a light sleeper. Nothing will harm you while I’m here.”
“I don’t snore,” I protested as my eyes began to drift closed.
“I beg to differ. I’m surprised no one pounded on the wall in protest.”
I began to wiggle out of his arms with the intention of turning to argue face to face. His grip on me tightened and he pressed a kiss against the back of my head.
“Just relax, Alexia. The morning will come too soon as it is.”
Knowing he was right didn’t help. I stopped struggling and began running over the laboratory’s blueprints in my mind. Soon, I was fast asleep.
Deep bass drum rolls woke me. For a moment, I just lay there, trying to remember whose bed I was in and why. It came to me slowly and I realized I was lying in Andor’s arms. I felt the movement of his breathing against my back, his warmth seeping through my shirt. The last thing I wanted was to get out of bed and away from his arms, but we had a schedule to keep. The Annual Conference of Human Scientists was beginning that day at Castor Laboratories and we had to sneak in.
As soon as I moved, I realized he was awake. His arm was still around my waist, his hand resting beneath my breast. I placed my hand in his and moved it up as I pressed back into him.
“Alexia,” he whispered, and it made me smile to hear desire in his voice.
“I know, we don’t have time,” I whispered back, not even trying to hide my disappointment.
“Soon. This will be over and I’ll spend hours worshipping you as you deserve,” he replied before suckling the back of my neck.
It sent a shiver up my spine and made me gasp. His hand squeezed my breast through my thin T-shirt and his leg settled between my thighs. I realized he was naked and moaned my approval.
“We truly don’t have time for this,” he whispered as he slid his hand beneath my shirt.
I’d foregone panties after my shower because digging them out of my bag seemed like too much work. I was suddenly very happy about my laziness as his hand rested on my naked hip and I felt him press his erection against my ass.
“I don’t need finesse, Andor. This can be a quickie,” I said with a breathless laugh.
He made a low sound like a growl before I felt his fingers comb through the curls between my legs. I gasped as he slid a single finger in to test my readiness and I opened my legs more.
“Next time—”
“Yes,” I agreed as I began to wiggle against him.
I felt his hand between our bodies as he positioned himself and held my breath as I felt him prodding. He slid in and I closed my eyes, moaning his name.
“Oh, sweetheart,” he gasped as he settled inside me fully.
He began to thrust slowly at first before settling into a rhythm similar to the drumbeat pulsing outside the room. I reached back and gripped his thigh, encouraging him with moans and thrusts of my own. He began to move faster, making me gasp in pleasure. I felt his hand reach between my legs again, and he began to rub in small, determined circles, bringing me closer to climax.
“Oh, Andor,” I gasped, my orgasm building.
He thrust even harder and faster, while rubbing in the same steady rhythm until I felt the spark inside me ignite and explode. I screamed his name while digging my nails into his thigh, and felt him tense and bite the back of my neck. I felt a second orgasm shoot through me and Andor’s seed filled me with its warmth.
“Alexia, oh, my sweet,” he murmured against my skin, holding me tightly to his chest.
We both lay panting, and I fought the seductive pull of unconsciousness. All I wanted to do was fall back to sleep in his arms and forget everyone else. I was tired of the running and the worries. I wanted sleep after the amazing bout of sex. I felt Andor’s arms wrap around me as he rolled me onto my back and leaned over me. One hand threaded through my hair while the other held onto my hip and I looked into his blazing eyes.
“Next time will be better,” he said.
I grinned and stretched my arms to wrap around his neck.
“Any better than that and you might kill me,” I replied.
He smiled back before kissing me senseless and slipping out of bed. I sighed in disappointment, though I admired his naked ass when he walked to the bathroom.
We dressed and readied to leave, barely speaking. I don’t know what he was feeling and I was shielding my th
oughts as hard as I could.
We might die today kept running through my head like a mantra, and everything I did to keep it out failed.
“Are you ready, sweetheart?”
His question pulled me from my melancholy thoughts and I nodded. We grabbed our bags and headed out the door. It was nearing midnight and the Menagerie was packed. Andor grabbed my hand as we threaded through the crowd to the Georgetown exit. I watched his back to keep my eyes from noticing the staged acts going on around us. It kind of worked. I only saw the various sexual acts in wire cages from the corner of my eye.
The exit was in sight when Andor stopped so suddenly I walked into his back. I was about to ask what was wrong when I looked over his shoulder and saw for myself. There was a line of five shifters standing in front of us, blocking our way to the exit. I tried to remember how many Andor claimed he could take alone, as I moved my hand toward my gun.
No one appeared to be talking, but I felt the tension in Andor’s grip on my hand. The music seemed too loud and I vaguely wondered if my ears were bleeding. I slipped my gun from the holster and held it between our bodies, out of sight from the shifters before us. They still hadn’t moved or spoken, all eyes trained on Andor.
“They want to take us to Sandulf,” Andor said in my mind. Then it dawned on me he’d been speaking mind to mind to the other shifters.
“Should we go?” I asked, though my vote was a definite no.
“No,” he confirmed. “We’re on neutral ground, but if we go to him he will say we failed to leave his territory in the time given. No, we’ll have to fight our way out of here. We’re lucky he chose not to come himself.”
“How many did you say you could take on your own?”
“All of the ones in front of us, but I don’t know how many will come from the crowd.”
“I’ll watch your back. I have silver bullets in here. I take one down and the others will think twice about interfering.”
“I hope you’re right. Once I start, I won’t be able to help you until I’m down to one or two.”
“Don’t worry about me. I might be only human, but my bullets pack a punch.”
