Twice Cursed

by Marianne Morea

  As to keeping things at home status quo, Mitch and the boys would keep Parr in check. Sean doubted anything overt or premeditated would happen, not in the time he planned to be away, and certainly not after the way he’d dealt with the tracker. Parr might be many things, but he wasn’t stupid, and he had to know Sean’s hunters would be on high alert.

  With accusations fresh on his heels, Parr would lay low, but not for long. The ruse of gathering intelligence was the one cover Parr would buy, and if he proved himself more foolish than Sean or Mitch anticipated, perhaps this trip would then rid the supe community of two evils, one as cunning as the other, and both just as parasitical.

  It had taken the better part of the day to tie up loose ends at the compound, with Sean’s inner wolf gnawing at his gut every moment he was delayed. However much he wanted to just dump everything and run, his conscience would never allow it. Being the Alpha came with price tags, and putting the concerns of the pack before his own wants was one of them.

  Clouds covered the night sky, obscuring the moon. The air was both cold and heavy; a sure sign snow was on the way. However, a winter squall wasn’t the only storm brewing. Sean’s entire body reacted when Lily’s visions filtered through their mind link, and the violence of the attack wasn’t the only thing to cause his hackles to rise.

  Lily had said that something wasn’t right, and as usual, the woman’s intuition was dead on. He sensed it too, but the images and emotion he’d read were not firsthand. They had been compromised, slanted through no fault of her own, by Lily’s knee-jerk reaction to what she had witnessed. Understandable, of course, considering how horrific the images, but he needed to make his own evaluations.

  Based on the severity of the situation, and the violent, not to mention, overly conspicuous nature of the attacks, it was curious that vampire adjudicators hadn’t yet moved to have the rogue destroyed. When it came to policing their own, vampires were the Nazis of the supernatural world. In the grand scheme of things, they had the most to lose. Aversion to daylight and subsisting on human blood limited their ability to coexist with humanity. But for thousands of years they had managed to do just that, with only a few rogue instances giving birth to folklore and legend, and eventually Hollywood’s fascination with their kind.

  It had taken vampires years to recover from Vlad Ţepeş and his little hiccup in history, not to mention Elizabeth Báthory and her penchant for bathing in virgin blood. The advent of modern science and the industrial revolution almost won them back their anonymity—that is until Irish novelist, Bram Stoker, rekindled the fervor. His gothic melodrama, Dracula, had paved the way for countless stories of romanticized vampires, forever fighting against their base nature in search of love and redemption.

  This new depiction presented a double-edged sword for the vampire council. Newly created vampires bought into the idealized hype, finding the dangerously romantic role intoxicating enough to try to live it outside the boundaries of their kind. Sean had heard stories of how tribunals had tripled in the last few decades alone, as adjudicators tried to keep rein on the havoc triggered by the new guise. The situation forced the council to reevaluate some of its ancient laws. He chuckled, shaking his head.

  Tell me about it.

  Truth be told, Supes were no different from any other society of beings on this planet. Either you adapted, or you died. Period. He just wished Parr and his flock of sheep would see it that way. Sean exhaled. No, Parr knew it all right; he just twisted it for his own gain. Perhaps the Vamps had it right. No questions. No quarter. No second chances.

  The Westside Highway was a deserted straightaway, tempting Sean to blow through the traffic lights once he reached 57th street, and speed south toward Jane Street. He could almost smell her, and the thought of how close they were shot jolts of anticipation into his groin. The idea of waking her with telepathic foreplay, and having her wet and waiting for him when he got there made his cock jerk, but he’d had enough of the Werewolf version of phone sex. He wanted Lily in the flesh, warm and willing and in his arms. Just ten more minutes…

  The small-intertwined streets of lower Manhattan were a nightmare to navigate, but he managed to keep his focus on driving instead of on the promise of Lily’s warmth. He wound his way around Abingdon Square, craning his neck at the postage-stamp sized area the city deemed a park.

  GPS had him bear left off 8th Avenue. “Finally,” he thought, and turned the car onto Lily’s street. Searching for a parking space, he raised an eyebrow at the treelined sidewalks and quaint cobblestoned street, surprised to see neighborhood shops nestled between the buildings, and a charming corner bistro with its colorful awning and café seats. He smiled to himself. New York might be a concrete jungle, but leave it to Lily to find a place of beauty nestled within its madness.

  Forewarned, he wasn’t surprised that parking was practically non-existent, so he rounded the corner again; pulling instead, into one of the city’s many 24hr parking garages. Talk about a racket.

  “How long you gonna be, Mac?” the attendant asked, handing Sean his claim ticket.

  “A few days, and I’ll probably be in and out a lot,” he answered, handing the man his keys and a fifty-dollar bill. “Park it short if you can. Traffic here is bad enough, and I don’t like to wait if I can help it.”

  The attendant took the money, stashing it in his pocket. “You got it, chief.”

  Like everywhere else, money talked, and with a nod, Sean walked out of the garage, turning left to head the two blocks over toward Lily’s place. The street was deserted, not a sound except for a few stray cats, at least he hoped they were cats, but considering the fabled size and prevalence of New York City rats, he wasn’t so sure.

  The sky was almost completely devoid of stars, and the glare from the streetlights cast a garish sheen across the dirt-splotched sidewalk. His footsteps echoed in the dark quiet, and combined with sound of sirens in the distance, gave the night a certain film noir quality.

  He crossed the street and stepped up onto the curb in front of Lily’s red brick walk-up. Glancing up, he watched a female silhouette pass behind lace curtains on the top floor, and his body hardened.

  It was her.

  Squelching an overwhelming urge to scale the fire escape, he pushed his way through the building’s street entrance only to find the inside door locked.

  Peering through the glass, his fingers closed around the doorknob, leaving dents the dull brass. With a low growl, he considered crushing the lock, but didn’t. He pulled his hand back, digging his fingers into his palm, instead. She was so close.

  His eyes scanned the tenant list for her name, but the door clicked open before he even unclenched his fist. She knew he was here. Anticipation flooded his body with adrenaline, and he took the stairs three at a time, his blood pulsing through his veins.

  Lily’s scent thickened in the air with each step, sending his inner wolf to near madness, shredding his tenuous grip. He rounded the top landing, and there she stood, waiting for him in the doorway with a ready smile.

  “Sean…”

  Her words cut off along with her breath, as he threw her over his shoulder. Without missing a step, he slammed the door with his foot, ignoring her protests as he headed down the hall in search of a bedroom.

  “Sean…” she tried again, only to be silenced with a savage kiss. With another low growl, he pushed the bedroom door open and deposited her on the mattress, sliding himself along her full length.

  He kissed her more, his fingers slipping beneath the front of her robe, her bare skin silky and warm beneath the flat of his palm. Lily shivered as his hand traveled across her belly, searching out her full breasts. He teased her, cupping the full weight of one in his hand, his thumb grazing the ridge of her taut nipple. Her breath hitched in her throat, and the sound jolted straight through his groin.

  “Open for me Lily,” he said, his voice deep and rough with need. He squeezed her breast, rolling her nipple between his thumb and forefinger while devouring her
mouth with another kiss.

  Her fingers fumbled with the knot on her belt, but the soft cotton refused to budge. Her moan of frustration was answered by a smooth, seductive half grin as Sean tore the fabric in two and with a single twist.

  He pushed the front edges of her robe apart, exposing her naked flesh. A warm flush crept its way across her creamy skin, from her bare thighs to her throat, staining her cheeks with desire.

  Sean’s nostrils flared at the scent of her wet arousal, and he half moaned, half growled, rolling her onto her stomach and ripping the rest of her robe from her body. He could wait no more.

  Lily read his urgency and came up on all fours, her hair splayed across her back, arching and pushing her swollen sex toward him, hearing his sharp intake at the wetness glistening between her legs.

  Sean grabbed her hips, grinding himself against her, his cock throbbing as he rubbed himself across her slick entrance. Leaning across her back, he cupped her breasts, rolling her nipples again, before trailing one hand down over her chest and belly and delving his fingers into her moist cleft. His thumb circled her taut, swollen nub, her juices dripping.

  Lily gasped, moaning and grinding herself further into his hand. Sean’s inner wolf snarled, its need to dominate, to take its chosen mate overwhelmed him. Gripping both her hips, he dragged Lily up and back, driving his thick, corded cock into her wetness. Her cries turned to moans of pleasure as he thrust, pushing his engorged member deeper and harder.

  His body shivered, every muscle taut and hard, pulsing along with his cock. He pulled back, and ignoring her protests flipped her onto her back, impaling her with a single stoke. He rode her hard, lifting her legs to delve even deeper. Lily’s body trembled, slick against the rock hardness of him, her thigh muscles burning and straining to hold on as he thrust harder and faster.

  Sean’s upper and lower canines descended, hurtling him toward the edge of sanity. He needed her in submission, his alpha female, his wolf-bitch. With a feral growl, he flipped her onto her stomach and pulled her hips back, driving himself into her again and again, his cockhead swelling to near bursting. He bit down on Lily’s shoulder just as he had before she’d left, his body shuddering in climax and his inner wolf snarling in unleashed conquest. Lily threw her head back in a swirl of pain and pleasure, her inner walls convulsing in time with Sean’s release.

  Time stood still for a moment, neither daring to move until the last waves receded and they slumped forward on the bed, panting and sweaty.

  Lily pushed her hair back from her face and peered up at Sean from behind her shoulder. “I guess this means you can’t live without me, huh?” she said, kissing his fingers as they came up to stroke her cheek.

  “You could say that,” he answered, his voice still rough and growly. He pulled back, trailing his fingers down her damp back and smacking her butt as he withdrew.

  “Hey!”

  “You didn’t seem to mind my smacking that part of you a minute ago,” he said with a grin.

  “That’s completely different.”

  “Hmmm…and here I thought you liked it rough.”

  “Me? You’re the one doing the caveman impersonation, throwing me over your shoulder like a sack of grain. What’s up with that, anyway? Did you really think I was going to turn you down?”

  He smirked, tucking a piece of stray hair behind her ear. “I told you I was on the brink.”

  “Brink? That’s the understatement of the decade. Is this what I have to look forward to every month?” she asked, tilting her head a bit.

  Sean looked down at Lily’s fingers as she absently traced the pattern on her duvet cover, a sexy smile spreading toward the corner of his mouth. His gaze flicked back to hers. “Only if you want it to be.”

  Lily laughed, giving his shoulder a gentle shove. “Ha! Typical male answer.”

  “So, you’re saying you didn’t enjoy yourself?”

  Lily’s face pinked, and the color was glorious against her creamy complexion. She was tough as nails, but he loved that he could still make her blush.

  “No, but…”

  Sean’s lips silenced any further reply. He broke their kiss, resting his index finger over her lips. “Shhh. I missed you. Let’s just leave it at that, okay?”

  His initial urgency for her had ebbed, however, as Lily looked at him, one glance told him her antennae were up and pointed his way.

  “What’s going on, Sean? There’s something you’re not telling me.”

  He blinked, but didn’t answer. Damn that mind of hers.

  “Sean…”

  If he told her there had been an attempt on his life, she’d be gunning for Parr before he even finished speaking. Not that he could blame her though, not when he’d do the same. Like it or not, the attack had actually bought them some time. Time for him to be here, with her.

  “Lily, it’s nothing, just Parr grasping at straws. He tried, he gambled and he lost. Nevertheless, I took care of it, and now he’s off somewhere licking his wounds. Trust me, his miscalculation cost him, and he won’t be trying anything else for a while. I’m here now, and Mitch has everything under control, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

  “If you say there’s nothing to worry about, then how can I argue? Parr tried a different approach…okay. What kind of approach? Is that why you were in wolf form for days, or can’t you tell me?”

  “Lily, I’m tired, that’s all. Having to deal with Parr, while at the same time trying to keep a lid on my libido, is just exhausting. Of course, I feel a whole lot better, now,” he said, rubbing his knuckles over the swell of her breast.

  Lily chewed her bottom lip. He could see the wheels turning in that head of hers, but at least there was no steam coming out of her ears. Not yet, anyway. The only steam he wanted tonight, was the kind generated between the sheets.

  She lifted her hand, resting her palm against his cheek, and a familiar prickle danced along their shared mind path.

  Lifting one eyebrow, he gently took her hand from his cheek and held it in his. “Don’t you trust me?” he asked, sending her a mental kiss, while at the same time redirecting her out of his head.

  “Of course, I do, but…” she said, hesitating.

  “Then leave it, Lily,” he told her, linking his fingers with hers. “We’ll both be back in Maine soon enough, and you can have full access to the files, both in my desk and in my head. Right now, we need to focus on what you sense here. If it seems familiar, like you say, then perhaps there’s a connection to the Compound. Vampires are no joke under the best of circumstances, and I want you sharp. No distractions, not even me. Even a Weres accelerated healing is no match for a full on vamp attack. You’re still human, Lily, and that makes you completely vulnerable.”

  She considered him for a moment. “Jack said the vampire council would consider me a Were, regardless of the trace amount of Jerard’s blood in my system. He thinks I’ve put us in a precarious position, working with the police on this case and all. Is he right?”

  Sean let go of her hand and sat up, running his fingers through his hair. “Technically, yes. However, you are also the alpha female. I took care of that before I left the compound.”

  “Took care of it? How?”

  He flashed a sheepish grin her way. “Since we’re talking in technicalities, I basically took back what was mine. I disbanded the council and took back the traditional role of alpha, naming you as my mate. That should give you enough status to circumvent any trumped up legalities the vamps might throw at us.”

  Lily sat up as well, hooking one leg under the other. “Wait a minute, disbanded the council? Why? Is this because of me? Does this mean the debate over my acceptance by the pack is over?”

  “Technically yes, but in reality, no. I threw a gauntlet down, literally, telling Edward if he wants to challenge me as Alpha, it would have to be done old school.”

  Technicalities. The word was starting to get on her nerves. Lily exhaled, her eyes narrow and questioning. “What does that me
an?”

  Sean shifted on the bed, lifting Lily’s hand to his mouth and kissing the tips of her fingers. “It means simply, if Edward wants to be Alpha he has to fight me for it.”

  Lily burst out laughing. “Fight you? Oh brother, how quickly did he turn tail and run?”

  Sean smirked, shaking his head. “He’s got a good poker face, but I think my dictate made everyone think twice about the prospect, Edward included. He’ll never agree to a blood arena, especially not when the rules state it’s a fight to the death.”

  Lily’s eyes widened, and she swallowed hard. “You didn’t mention the fight was to the death. That son-of-a-bitch is sneaky, and he’ll cheat anyway he can. I don’t like it, Sean. Not one bit,” she said, shaking her head.

  Now it was his turn to laugh. “What’s the matter, do you doubt my abilities? Where’s your faith, alpha girl?”

  Lily shot him a dirty look. “I don’t doubt you. What I doubt is your hunter’s intel, and their ability to flush out Parr’s con before you end up dead.”

  Slipping his arm around her waist, he pulled her to standing. Leaning down, he kissed the tip of her nose. “That’s what I have you for, my beautiful stealth weapon,” he said with a grin. “No one can get in and out of people’s heads like you. They won’t even know what hit them.”

  Lily leaned back, searching his eyes. “My abilities aren’t exactly state secrets. They all know what I can do, and I doubt they’ve forgotten my little display in the war room. Don’t you think they’ll expect some kind of telepathic surveillance? I wouldn’t put it past them to plant false information just to throw me off the scent.”

  He shook his head. “Edward is cavalier, and overly confident. If he thinks you’re still exiling yourself in New York, he’ll believe he has us at a disadvantage. They know what you can do when you’re close by, but none of them know about your long-range capabilities.” He waggled his eyebrows and kissed her mouth hard. “But enough about that. I’m hungry, woman! Then after you feed me, I’ll throw you over my shoulder again and show you just how caveman I can get.”