by Kym Grosso
“You’re not my Alpha yet.”
“I will be,” he replied with confidence.
As he sent the text message, his spirits lifted. Whatever had stolen away Katrina’s magick, it had to be destroyed and he was one step closer to annihilating it. He glanced at Katrina, and his beast stirred once again. He knew he’d have to have her soon.
The truth. Today, for the first time, he’d heard it from her lips. One small step toward trusting her again. But first, she’d have to learn how to trust him, and he looked forward to teaching her.
Chapter Eight
“Quintus Tullius?” Jake asked.
“Right pocket.” Finn aimed at the shiny blue ball. He pecked at it, and it went careening into the hole.
“Tell me why we’re doing this again? I’ve been around Léo and let me tell you, he’s one badass vamp. If this guy made him, he must be a real prize.”
“I’m the king.” Finn fisted a hand into the air.
“Yeah, yeah. How is it that you make it every single time?” Jake smiled and shook his head.
“Because I’m the king.” The ginger beta eyed the billiards table, scouting his shot.
“Sure you are, big guy.” Although Jake was six-three, Finn had him by a few inches, his muscles bulging. “Look, I’m not saying we shouldn’t go but I’m just sayin’ maybe we should at least call Léo before we do this.”
“I only take orders from one wolf. No offense, dude, but it ain’t you. Jax wants to go see this vamp? I’m there. This pack has been through hell the past month and there’s no way I’m challenging him. Not happenin’. So you can either come with us or go back to New Orleans.” Finn rounded the corner, attempting to case a better view. He tilted his head and pointed to his next target. “One ball. Get ready to bow to the king.”
“You suck.” Jake took a swig of his beer and set it on the bar, watching his opponent sink another ball. “For the record, I think Katrina should stay back here.”
“You’ll get no argument from me. But Jax seems to have other plans.” Finn shook his head and chalked his stick. “Look, I know you’re friends with Kat, but this thing with her and Jax…”
“Red, let me give you a bit of advice. I think we both know what’s happening here between them. I can’t say I’m thrilled about how this is goin’ down, but I can say that number one, this mating shit…I’m going to run like hell if it happens to me. It’s messy, complicated stuff. You do not want to even try to understand it. And number two, you need to stay clear of Kat until they actually do mate, because until they do, Jax is going to be one possessive son of a bitch. Oh, but it will happen. The easy way. Or the hard way. I’m not willing to take bets as to when.”
“How the hell can’t he see what’s going on? And why the fuck did Kat go and tell her brother he was forcing a mating, when they are mates? It makes no fuckin’ sense. Orange stripe. Center pocket.”
“It sounds to me as though she went running to Tristan and then somehow this whole thing got blown out of proportion. She’s protecting Jax from something,” Jake noted. “But I can’t say exactly what’s going on.”
“Well, that’s a helluva way to do it. We all were confused because none of us had ever even seen her except for that one party.”
As the ball sunk into the leather catch, Jake rolled his eyes. “I refuse to call you King but you’re pretty damn good at this.”
“I’m the king all right,” Finn laughed.
“Kat’s not what she seems. Down in the bayou, she, uh, she just had a way about her. You know she paints. Sculpts too. She’s really talented. She started working with all the kids, teaching art clubs, giving back to the pack. I wish she’d stayed.”
“Sounds like maybe you like her. Did you guys ever…?” Finn left the question open ended and held the pool stick up suggestively.
“Fuck no. I mean, yeah, if she had wanted to, I would have, but no, we never got that far. And besides, things were already complicated enough for her. You know, she came back down to New Orleans with Luca. But nothing was going on between them at that point.”
“A vampire, huh?” Finn laughed. “Now, that’s interesting.”
“She’s all wolf. Trust me. I’ve seen her. I think she was just doing it to keep Jax away.”
“Well, it appears she has a mate now.”
“That she does.”
“One who may go down kicking and screaming.”
“Wait up. I don’t get that. Didn’t he call Tristan about her?”
“He did, but I think he just wanted to see her again. Then all these allegations got stirred up and you know how that story ended. It was a serious no go after that. The man didn’t skip a beat. It’s not like he’s pussy deprived. He’s an Alpha. More women after him than he knows what to do with. Some who aren’t going to be very happy when they find out about Kat.”
“I guess she’s not going to go over too well with his pack,” Jake surmised.
“Like a lead fucking balloon.” Finn pointed to the eight ball and smiled. “Hearts are going to break. Maybe some heads. Before it’s all said and done, I think you can expect a fight. I mean, not only do some of these women think he’s theirs, well, they just don’t like Kat after what happened. It’s messy.”
“Good times ahead.” As the black ball disappeared, Jake held a congratulatory palm up in the air. “One of these times, I will win, you know.”
“Ah, but for now…” Finn smiled and slapped his opponent’s hand. “Crown me, baby.”
“I’m gonna warn ya, I’m not going to let anything happen to her. It’s why I’m still here. And as for Jax? Yeah, I busted his balls down in New Orleans. But after what happened to Nick, seeing the Alpha fight…” The memory of watching Nick die washed over Jake and guilt settled in his gut. “The bottom line is that whatever these things are, they came after him too. No way am I leaving him hangin’ either. I’ve seen a lot of shit over the years. Witches. Magick. Demons. But Jax is tough. He’s got this.”
“I appreciate your support.” Jax rounded the corner, a small smile crossing his face.
“Hey now, don’t go getting a big head.” Jake rolled his eyes.
“You just remember who’s Alpha and we’ll get along fine.”
“You take care of Kat and we will,” Jake responded, the smile gone from his face.
“You like her?” Jax picked a marble ball up off the table, tossed it in the air and caught it.
“I do like her. She may not be my mate but she’s my friend.” Jake eyed the confident wolf. His commanding presence thickened the air, his power rolling off him in waves. “We do this together. I don’t want her hurt.”
“Don’t get in my way, my friend. Like I said, just remember who’s Alpha and all will be well.” Jax set the orb on the table and rolled it forward.
“You don’t get what she is to you, do you?” Jake pressed.
“Katrina?” Jax paused and smiled. “There’s something between us. She told me she was trying to protect me. That I’m her mate. These things, the demons…they told her if we mated, I’d die.”
“I knew there was some reason she’d gone to Tristan.” Jake said. “But let’s say they told her they’d kill you, why would she believe these things?”
“Good question. Tell me, Jake. If you were an Alpha, what would you do?” Jax posed the question rhetorically and continued. “I’d like to think she was scared. They only abducted her for short periods of time, never long enough for Tristan to notice she was missing. It’s not like she’s a child. She goes weeks at a time without seeing him. Eventually when she tells him what’s happening, she has no proof. To be fair to Tristan, without evidence, this can be a difficult situation. Does he divert resources to a crime where there’s no evidence except for maybe her bruises? But even then, she’s shifted, healed. As it is, Katrina’s finding it hard to grasp what’s happening to her.”
“She’s alone,” Jake added.
“Or she perceives she’s alone? Doesn’t think Trista
n believes her.”
“They threaten her and go through with it.”
“Yes, they steal her magick. So then when they threaten me?”
“She believes they’ll go through with attacking you,” Jake concluded.
“I think that’s exactly what happened. Think about this. If they’ve threatened to kill her only potential mate, she’s going to do what she has to do to protect me. Of course this gets tricky. Does she know for sure I’m her mate? No, but she suspects it. Same is true for me. Do we absolutely know yet? No, but sometimes our instinct is all we have. Would you risk the life of your mate even if you didn’t know for sure? I wouldn’t. So now we have some decisions to make. Mating is serious business. To deny one’s mate, it can be done, but not easily.”
“Hey man, I’m not mated, but Dimitri? Logan? It was pretty intense. I’ve never seen a wolf deny their mate. So if that’s what you are looking to do, I can’t help you there. And honestly…” Jake blew out a breath. After everything that had happened with Nick, he felt indebted to Jax. The Alpha had suffered a great loss to help his own pack. “I think you need to explore this thing with Kat. I won’t lie, I care about her a lot. But she’s not mine. And denying her as yours, I think it could hurt you every bit as much as it would hurt her.”
“I never said I planned to deny her. But what Finn said is true. My pack, they’ll resist her. She’ll have to earn her way. I cannot do this for her.”
“Kat’s strong. You need to give her a chance to show you what she’s made of.”
“It’s true she has Alpha blood in her veins. I suspect she’s every bit as difficult as my sister.” Jax gave a small chuckle.
“Yeah, well, Gillian doesn’t really do submission.” Jake laughed.
“She’ll fight me on this.” Jax smiled as if he’d enjoy finding out if she’d submit to him. “But I cannot compromise who I am.”
“If you’re worried about her ability to establish rank, she’s tough. It’s not like she didn’t take out a few wolves in New Orleans and that wasn’t even her pack. You already said it all. She’s Alpha born.”
“We need to discuss Quintus. You must let me deal with him tonight, do you both understand?” Jax changed the subject abruptly. “It concerns me that he’s tasted of Katrina. He’s deadly. Could kill both of you in a blink. Don’t fuck with him. Stay close to me and keep your dick in your pants. This place,” Jax paused, a serious expression washing across his face, “it’s dark. Seductive. Everything Quintus enjoys. Remember at all times that this is the vampire who created Léopold. Whatever happens, do not engage with him. Follow my lead, even if it is in opposition to what you believe is right. I’m not your Alpha, Jake. But I will send you home if you challenge me tonight. I’d prefer not to send you home in a body bag.”
Jake nodded, hearing Jax’s words, surmising that the Alpha had had previous interactions with the dangerous vampire.
The sound of footsteps in the hallway alerted Jake to Katrina’s presence, and his eyes locked on Jax, who smiled with his typical cool confidence. As she rounded the corner, all attention went to the radiant she-wolf.
Chapter Nine
Katrina contemplated what had happened in Jax’s office. Having told him the truth, she finally felt free. She wasn’t certain he’d believed her but it didn’t matter. For the first time in years, hope penetrated her thoughts. She considered how he’d blasted her with his energy and then denied it. The sensation had left her invigorated yet confused as to what had really occurred.
His seductive interrogation rocketed her into ecstasy, but when he’d withdrawn, she’d been disappointed. Although she’d always known that her actions would have long-term consequences, she still wasn’t prepared for the distance he tried so hard to put between them. Her wolf couldn’t accept it, and even though she’d spent so much time avoiding Jax, her thoughts were consumed with the Alpha.
Conflicted, she prayed that what the demons had told her wasn’t true. Could they have lied to me about Jax? Why do they care if I mate with him? There was no denying that being intimate with the Alpha had supplemented her own magick. Feeling energized, she was ready for whatever battle lay ahead.
Quintus. In truth, she’d never expected to see him again. The captivating vampire had treated her with both compassion and respect during their short time together. When he’d bitten her, she’d come undone but in spite of her induced state of arousal, he’d never taken advantage. With her blood in his veins, he recovered within minutes.
She recalled the dizziness that ensued as he transported them out of their prison. It’d been the only time in her life that she’d experienced materialization, the intense magick overwhelming her body and mind. A kiss to her forehead was all she remembered when she later awoke inside her condo. It was only afterward that she’d discovered how deadly the ancient vampire truly was, and she considered herself lucky that she hadn’t ended up dead.
Katrina scanned her elegant guest bedroom, appreciating how opulent Jax’s lifestyle was in comparison to hers. It wasn’t as if she didn’t have money. On the contrary, she’d been gifted a considerable trust. But not wishing for unwanted attention, she’d chosen to live modestly. Her simple two bedroom condo in the city had always been enough for her, and when she moved to New Orleans, she took up residence in an apartment in the French Quarter situated over her newly renovated art gallery.
As she turned off the light, and went in search of Jax, butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Katrina couldn’t be certain the kindness Quintus had shown her still existed. Or perhaps he’d be utterly ruthless, the stone-cold killer his reputation portrayed him to be.
Voices filtered through the hallway, and she caught her name on Jax’s lips. Committed to her sworn honesty, she’d never lie to him again. She’d admitted the vampire had tasted her blood, and she’d known it would draw the Alpha’s ire. She couldn’t be sure if he was jealous or if he simply thought less of her for feeding Quintus, but she refused to be ashamed of what she’d done; she’d survived.
As expected, their conversation quieted as she entered the billiards room. Although she was aware of both Finn’s and Jake’s eyes on her, Jax was the only one who commanded her attention. His black t-shirt hugged his contoured pecs, jeans hung low on his hips. Katrina noted how his typically Nordic blond hair had darkened to a light shade of brown. Unconsciously, she fingered her own locks, reminded of the power of the demons and how they’d changed her.
Her eyes went to his lips, which curled up in a sexy smile. Confident and casual, Jax was sex personified. The Alpha’s gaze upon her skin made her feel as if she wasn’t wearing any clothes. She brushed her palms over her white tank top, assuring herself that she was dressed. The memory of what he’d done to her in his office flashed in her mind. She struggled to thwart her arousal and crossed her arms over her chest, hoping to hide the hardened peaks that strained against her bra.
Jax approached, his expression serious and sensual. As he reached for her hand, his touch seared her flesh. He brushed his lips to her cheek, and she closed her eyes, inhaling his masculine scent. Acutely aware of the rush of his power, she accepted it, reveling in his strength.
“You ready to go see Quintus?” Katrina heard him ask, his breath on her ear. Her chest rose slowly and she attempted to focus, to shake the desire that Jax incited.
“I’m not convinced he can help us,” she responded, avoiding his question. As he stepped away from her, Katrina bit her lip, anxious about seeing the vampire.
“If there’s one thing I know, it’s that if Quintus was bested by these things, he’s going to want revenge. And I can sure as hell guarantee that he knows more than we do.” Jax brushed a hand over his hair, certitude in his eyes. “Stay with me. Understand? You belong to me in this place.”
“But I… it’s not true,” she refuted him.
“You’re under my protection, therefore you’re mine. Do not give him any indication otherwise.” Jax took out his cell phone and tapped against the glas
s. “Cael’s got the limo ready.”
Mine. Katrina’s face heated as he said the words, her emotions already turbulent. He hadn’t acknowledged her as his mate, but as his hand grazed the small of her back, she saw the smile on his lips and her heart caught. Jax Chandler was a force unto himself, one that, try as she might to control his influence on her, she was struggling to contain. Drawing on her inner strength, she steeled her nerves. Not convinced she belonged to the cunning Alpha, she’d hold her own in the presence of Quintus. If he truly held the keys to her freedom, she’d play the game to discover his secrets.
As they pulled into Central Park, Katrina struggled to see where they were going. Of all the places in the city, she couldn’t fathom how Quintus could remain undetected in one of the most vibrant sections of the park. The driver opened the door, and in silence they exited the car. Although it was nearly midnight, and the crowds had long since dissipated, she sensed a few stray humans roaming the grounds.
The limo’s headlights flashed off, and Katrina adjusted her vision. The Angel of the Waters stood majestically guarding Bethesda Terrace, the reflection of the moon in the rippling lake. Katrina peered down the stone staircase, its arches leading into tunnels through to the fountain. In the safety of daylight, she suspected not a soul would give the area a second glance except to marvel at the beauty of the attraction.
Jax held a finger to his lips, silencing their small party. He stilled as they came up to a large stone pillar. A carved owl had been etched into its center. The three-dimensional bird stood proudly as if it could come alive at any moment. Small bats on either side kept company, their ominous blank eyes staring out onto the trespassers.
“Remember what we discussed,” Jax told them, reaching his hand behind the chiseled figure.
As his fingers entered the recess, Katrina’s pulse raced in anticipation and she inhaled deeply, attempting to slow her heartbeat. Her eyes darted to Jake and back to Jax as a small glow the size of a firefly appeared. A grinding rumble commenced, the pillar cracking wide open, revealing a staircase.
