Expecting Darkness

by Mandy M. Roth

  “It is a pleasure to meet you,” he said, staying close to her. He sniffed the air, his eyes widening. She realized he was only slightly shorter than Searc, putting him around six-three. “Searc speaks of you often.”

  “He does?” she inquired.

  “He rarely shuts up about you whenever we get on the subject of hot chicks,” said another man, this one entering the hall from a room a few doors down. His long black hair had a streak of silver in it. She wondered if it was natural or if he had it done on purpose. Either way, it suited his Goth ensemble. He fit the bill on what most humans would think a vampire looked and dressed like.

  “Shut yer trap, Blaise,” snapped Searc.

  Blaise lifted a brow in challenge and pushed past Searc, taking Jessie’s hand from Daniel and spinning her around to face him, her back now to Searc. “You are really fucking hot. I get his obsession with you now.”

  Searc growled.

  Jessie blushed.

  Blaise winked.

  “Oh look, Blaise is close to being killed by Searc—again,” said another man, coming in from the opposite end of the hall. This man had a distinct French accent. She’d thought she’d detected a faint French accent off Blaise, but hadn’t been sure. There was no denying it on the new guy, whom she recognized as Auberi from his photo. “Why am I not surprised?”

  Jessie grinned, and then looked to the wall at the photo of him naked with a tray before him. She glanced back at him to find he’d followed her gaze. A mischievous grin spread over his handsome face and she had to wonder if every man on Searc’s team was not only a hunk, but oozed sex appeal naturally or if they worked at it.

  So far, it seemed pretty natural.

  She’d been around vampires all her life, and while a large number of her father’s men were sexy, they weren’t all tens. A lot were, but some were just sixes or sevens. So far, all of Searc’s buddies were hard tens.

  Jessie wasn’t sure how much more male testosterone she’d be able to handle. Already she walked around in a constant state of need with Searc around. The newcomers weren’t helping.

  Two men whom she’d not seen on the wall of shame strolled down the hall, walking side by side and close, even though the hall was massive. They shared a look and then they both smiled at her.

  Searc put his hands on her shoulders. “Jessie, the man on the left is Malik, and the other guy is Boomer.”

  “Boomer? That is an interesting name,” she said, smiling at the man who was as dunked in black leather as Blaise.

  He waggled his brows. “It’s Miles, but the nickname Boomer stuck.”

  She tipped her head. “Explosives expert?”

  His eyes widened. “Yeah. Great guess.”

  Malik grunted. “Especially considering he still has all his fingers.”

  She laughed.

  Blaise shook his head. “Oh no you don’t. No thinking they’re good looking. They’re cat-shifters. Means they’re ugly fucks who always smell like cats. I bet they shed too.”

  Jessie stared past him at the men and then leaned back. “Are you seeing the same two guys I am? They are anything but ugly. I’m starting to think something is in the water here at PSI to make you all tall, sexy alpha males.”

  Searc drew her back against his powerful frame so quickly that she gasped. He rubbed himself against her, reminding her just how male he was as his cock hardened against the top of her ass. Gulping, she remained perfectly still.

  The men around them laughed.

  Auberi lifted a hand. “He just marked his territory. Adorable.”

  “He’ll be a shifter by the end of the night at the rate he’s going. He’s just shy of pissing on her leg there,” said Boomer with a grin. “Don’t know why he’s worried. I’m mated. He’s only got four other dicks to be worried about here.”

  Malik took a deep breath. “Smells as if he more than marked his territory there.”

  Searc held her tighter. “We should go.”

  “I thought I was going to be seen by your doctors here,” she protested.

  “Och, changed my mind.”

  Daniel chuckled and eased her from Searc’s grasp. “Come. The clinic is this way. Searc will want to have words with the others.”

  “By words you mean threaten them,” she said.

  Daniel nodded.

  She sighed. “He’s really a lot like my father.”

  “Is that good or bad?” asked Daniel.

  She turned and narrowed her gaze on Searc. “Would you want to be attracted to someone who reminded you of your mother?”

  Searc cringed.

  Daniel laughed. “No, but my mother was not the most pleasant of women.”

  “I’m fine with having the hots for someone who reminds me of my mother,” said Blaise.

  Jessie’s eyes widened as she laughed. “Eww.”

  He grinned and then winked to indicate he’d been joking.

  Daniel continued to lead her down the hall and she glanced in at the various rooms, wondering just how big the place was. He walked her through a set of double doors and then took a right, going into a large lab-looking room.

  Instantly, Jessie froze. Fear raced up her spine and she tried to back out of the room.

  Suddenly, Searc was there, behind her, wrapping his arms around her gently. He kissed the top of her head. “I’ll be here with you the entire time. Yer safe, lass.”

  She put her hands over his and realized they were both now hugging her stomach. It took her a second to get control of her fear and realize she was at PSI, somewhere safe, and with Searc. He’d never do anything to hurt her, and he’d not let anyone else harm her either. The answers she was seeking might be found by way of testing, and fearing it was silly.

  With a nod, she stepped out of his embrace and faced him. She touched his scruffy cheek. “Go with your men and discuss whatever it is you operatives talk about. I’ll be fine here. I promise.”

  He looked pained at the idea of leaving her. “Jessie.”

  “Searc, go ahead. I’m sure they want to be briefed by you and that you need to hear anything they have to say. Plus, I’d like someone to check in on my father and what happened with Islay.”

  He nodded. “I will. But I do nae want to leave you here alone.”

  “What am I, chopped liver?” asked a handsome man she recognized instantly from meeting him more than once while at her friend Meena’s home.

  She smiled wide. “Labrainn!”

  He grinned, his long dark red hair down today. He didn’t look his age at all. He barely looked thirty but she knew better. “Jessie, lass, it’s guid to see you again.”

  “What are you doing here?” she asked, glancing around.

  He glanced at Searc. “Much has come to light and the information needs to be shared at once.”

  Jessie’s gut tightened. “Is Meena okay? What about Rose?”

  Labrainn nodded, but something was off. “My granddaughters are safe and well.”

  He was leaving something out.

  Jessie spun and faced Daniel. “He’s lying. Searc will keep things from me because he thinks he’s keeping me safe. But you, you’ll tell me the truth, right?”

  Daniel sighed. “There was an attack last night at the university.”

  Jessie cupped her mouth. “Was anyone hurt?”

  “Meena was, but she’s fine now,” said Labrainn. “More than fine from what I’m told. I’ve nae seen her yet. She’s with Bhaltair.”

  Jessie lifted a brow at that. She’d known Labrainn all her life and knew he’d never permit Meena to be out of his line of sight if she was hurt. The harder she thought on it all, the more it all seemed to click at once. She gasped. “Holy crap, Bhaltair went and did it, didn’t he? He claimed Meena.”

  Labrainn seemed surprised by her outburst. “Aye, but how did you know they were mates?”

  “I’m pretty sure everyone but them realized it,” she said.

  “I dinnae,” he said, puffing his chest out.

  She
laughed and went to him, hugging him tight. “Because, like Daddy, you don’t want to see things like that. It’s part of your fatherly and grandfatherly code or something.”

  He hugged her back and stiffened, his gaze hardening on Searc. “Yer watching her with a keen interest. Be gone. Yer nae needed now.”

  Jessie laughed harder and eased out of Labrainn’s embrace. “You and my father argue something fierce, but it’s funny you pick up where he left off—worrying over a man near me.”

  “Yer too young for him,” snapped Labrainn.

  Jessie smiled. “Name one person he’s not too old for.”

  Labrainn grunted. “Fine. I need words with him. I came here with Dr. Sambora. He’s running additional samples the cleanup crews found at the university and, well, there are other things he needed to look into.”

  She stiffened. “Have you talked to my father?”

  He glanced nervously to the other men. “Aye. Allow the doctors to look at you. Yer father is fine.”

  “What of Islay?” she asked. As much as she’d feared him as of late, she didn’t want him dead.

  Labrainn didn’t answer as he walked past her in the direction of the door. That in itself was telling.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “For fuck’s sake, Searc,” snapped Blaise. “You’re about to wear a hole in the floor. Sit down and relax. She’s fine.”

  Unable to stop himself, Searc looked out the door to the conference room for the tenth time to be sure Jessie wasn’t out in the hall in need of him. He’d have heard her if she was, but that didn’t stop him from looking, just to be sure. She wasn’t out there.

  Jessie had been in with the medical staff for nearly an hour and with each minute that ticked by, Searc found it harder and harder to focus on anything the men were discussing.

  “Searc, sit,” snapped Labrainn. “Yer making me sick to my stomach with all the back and forth and forth and back. Enough already. The lass is fine.”

  Labrainn was right. She was fine. Searc knew as much. With a grunt, he took a seat at the conference table.

  Daniel looked to Labrainn. “So, you’re telling us there was an attack on campus last night?”

  “Aye,” said the vampire. “I wasnae first on the scene, my dumbass son-in-law was, as was my second and a man who works under me with the Para-Regs.”

  Blaise grinned. “Still not feeling the love for Stamatis?”

  Stamatis was Labrainn’s son-in-law. The two had been sworn enemies before Labrainn’s daughter Megan ended up mated to Stamatis. That had been hilarious for the first ten or so years. Things had basically leveled out for the most part now, though the two did rib one another endlessly. And it seemed they’d found a common goal of keeping Labrainn’s granddaughters from dating, so they’d actually bonded to some degree now that the girls were older. Searc didn’t think for a minute that Stamatis and Labrainn would ever see eye to eye about Stamatis being mated to his daughter.

  Labrainn leaned forward in his chair, a hard look on his face. “From what I’ve been told, my granddaughter was gravely injured last night.”

  “How is she now?” asked Auberi, pushing off the wall he’d been leaning against and taking a seat near Labrainn.

  “Bhaltair healed her fully,” said Labrainn, something off in his voice.

  “Jessie was right then?” asked Searc, desperate to hear from a master vampire what he thought of his loved one being mated to his second. “Yer second is yer granddaughter’s mate?”

  “Aye. My wife spent the morning convincing me they needed time together nae me over there hovering.”

  Daniel laughed. “I think Aine is right.”

  It was well known through the supernatural community that Labrainn had mated a powerful Fae. Aine kept him on his toes nicely. She was good for the vampire. Full of life, love, and laughs.

  Much like Jessie was.

  Searc locked gazes with Labrainn. “Do you hate Bhaltair for mating to yer granddaughter? Do you no longer trust him as yer second?”

  Labrainn worried his jaw a moment and then shook his head. “I hate the idea of any man touching my granddaughter, but I do nae hate him. Bhaltair is loyal and I trust him nae only with my life but that of my granddaughter’s as well. If I have to admit it, I’d trust no other with her. He’s the right man for her.”

  “Asking because of Meena or asking because you’re head over heels for Jessie and are fairly certain Cormag is going to have your balls put in a jar?” asked Blaise, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

  Labrainn grinned. “’Tis no secret how you feel for the lass. Bhaltair mentioned to me once that you speak of her often. And there is the fact that we all smell yer claim upon her. You did it? You claimed her?”

  “Aye,” said Searc. “And I’m fairly sure her father will make my wedding day also be the day I die.”

  Labrainn laughed and tapped the table. “I managed to refrain from killing Stamatis and you know what a hell-raiser he was. Cormag will come around eventually. Though you’ll be sore until he does.”

  “Holy shit,” said Blaise. “I can’t believe you did it.”

  “From Searc’s expression, he’s a bit stunned too,” said Daniel, drawing a round of laughs.

  “I vote we get some drinks and celebrate,” said Blaise. “We can go to the bar down the street. That way when the tests come back in, we’re right here to get them. Who is in?”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Blaise leaned back in his chair so far that Searc wasn’t sure how the man didn’t fall flat on his ass. He sipped his longneck beer as he glanced out at the dance floor of the bar that catered to PSI operatives. His gaze was on Jessie as she leaned over the jukebox of the dive bar that was just down the street from PSI. “Her father trusted you to watch over her? You? He knows you, right? Kind of like inviting the fox into the henhouse, isn’t it?”

  Auberi grinned as he took a drink of bourbon. “Do you think he realized she wouldn’t return to him pure any longer?”

  Searc eyed his friend. “I couldn’t stop myself. It felt natural and right to claim her.”

  Malik and Boomer were currently still at PSI, in contact with their home office. It had been Malik’s suggestion that the rest of them step away and take Jessie while the tests ran. He’d been right. Pacing the halls had gotten Searc nowhere.

  When Blaise suggested they go for drinks at the bar near the Crimson Ops PSI division, Jessie had leapt at the offer. She’d also refrained from drinking since they’d arrived, opting for fruit juice instead. Searc had been pleased by that as he’d nearly told her no alcohol when they’d arrived, as if he had any say over the matter. She was old enough to legally drink, yet he didn’t want it touching her lips.

  She’d been selecting songs for a few minutes and he glanced at his teammates, having explained to them already that Cormag was concerned for Jessie’s safety. “Was I wrong to bring her to PSI? The male witch seems to think she’s expecting. But she cannae be, can she? She’s not been intimate in such a way with anyone. I’d sense the lie on her if she was.”

  “No. You weren’t wrong to bring her in. Our people can help figure out what is going on,” said Daniel. “Has Cormag returned your calls tonight?”

  Searc shook his head, concern for his maker weighing on him heavily. “I would have thought he’d have checked in on Jessie by now. He’s nae done so.”

  Daniel watched him. “I can have a detail sent to his home to check in on him.”

  “Thank you,” said Searc. While Cormag was a formable opponent, he was worried for Jessie and that could make him vulnerable. Then there was the fact that Islay had betrayed him in some manner. Had others within the vampire den also turned against Cormag? Could he have been overthrown in the last twenty-four hours?

  “I should go to him,” said Searc, glancing at the door. “Jessie will never forgive me if I permit something to happen to her father.”

  Daniel lifted his phone. “I’m sending a team to Cormag’s home. Your place
is here, with her.”

  Jessie began to sway to the music currently playing and Blaise lost his balance in the chair, falling backward and landing flat on his back. Impressively, he held his beer upright, keeping any from spilling any.

  Searc stood and glowered down at the man. “Serves you right for staring at her arse.”

  Blaise flashed a wide smile. “It’s a great ass.”

  Auberi’s laugh was loud enough to draw the attention of most of the people around them. Searc began to regret his decision to bring Jessie to the bar. He’d hated seeing her fret and worry in the waiting area at PSI and she’d been scared to be in the exam rooms without him.

  He couldn’t blame her. After what he’d seen in her mind, something horrific had happened to her. He planned to kill all involved. They would never harm another again.

  His attention went to her and he found he couldn’t rip his gaze from her ass as she swayed it to the music, her back still to him. His throat felt dry and he downed the remainder of his beer, watching her hips move seductively. Blaise was correct. She had a great ass. And it was an ass he could stare at for eternity.

  Mine.

  He grinned.

  His cock hardened and he adjusted it through his jeans, drawing another round of loud laughs from Auberi. He flipped him off. “Yer a bag of dicks. Fuck you.”

  “Okay,” he said, licking his lips. “I go both ways.”

  Daniel grinned at the comment before placing one arm up and over the back of the booth seat. He sipped his wine with his other hand, looking far more amused with everything than he should. He also appeared very out of place in the dive bar. It was comical.

  Jessie approached, and Searc noticed she’d drawn the attention of most of the males in the bar. His vampire scratched at him, wanting out. Wanting to kill all who looked at her. She was his.

  She stood over Blaise who was still on the floor, still holding his beer upright. Jessie eased his beer from his hand. She set it on the table and shook her head at the man, one hand going to her hip. “Why on earth are you lying on the floor?”