Destined Mate

by Katie Reus

  “Why’d you run from me when you were turned into a vampire?” If she’d fallen for a vampire and chosen someone else over him, he’d hunt the bastard down and kill him. Slowly. The sudden primal thought shook him but he couldn’t stop the rage flowing through his veins.

  Those pink lips parted in confusion. “Are you serious?”

  When he didn’t respond, she frowned and started to get up. He could see her internally pulling away from him.

  Withdrawing.

  “Forget this,” she muttered.

  Screw that. He didn’t want to forget what they were doing. He could get his answers later. Covering her body once again, he savored the feel of her underneath him. When it was obvious he didn’t plan to push her for answers, she melded to him once again. It soothed his inner wolf in a way he hadn’t thought possible.

  As their tongues danced, he reached back and gripped one of the legs she had wrapped around him. He wanted to feel more of her. Pulling back slightly, he sat up and unzipped one of her boots.

  Even though he wanted to take his time undressing her, he wanted to see her naked more. After he stripped off her boots, he tugged her pants down with unsteady hands. A curse built on his lips at his lack of control but he held it back.

  Meeting her gaze, he froze. Her eyes were no longer pale but dark and full of promises he’d been fantasizing about for years. “I want to taste you.” The words tore from him just as unsteadily as his damn hands.

  In response, she grasped the bottom of her top and tugged it over her head.

  All the air rushed from his lungs as she bared herself to him. No bra.

  His eyes tracked down her lithe body. Lean and very strong. Her arms and legs were muscular but not bulky. Different than when she’d been human. Back then she’d been softer and more delicate. But her breasts were the same…the light brown nipples hardened under his gaze. His mouth watered as he stared. He wanted to run his tongue around each areola and watch her writhe under his kisses.

  But first he wanted to taste something else. Hooking his fingers under the thin straps of her plain, black underwear he tugged them down her legs and blindly tossed them away.

  He couldn’t tear his gaze away from the dark strip of hair covering her mound. How many times had he buried himself between her legs? How many times had she called out his name as she climaxed? Angela cleared her throat, forcing his gaze upward.

  “You gonna stare all day?” Her voice was husky and sensual. And teasing. Just like he remembered.

  Even though things had been intense between them, she’d always been fun and relaxed in the bedroom. Willing to try anything.

  She’d trusted him once and he knew that’s exactly what she was doing now by baring herself to him. He’d given her his blood and now she was giving her body. She might consider this temporary but for him…this was only the beginning for them.

  Maybe Angela should feel embarrassed at her state of undress while Knox was still clothed, but she couldn’t dredge up anything other than desire as he stared at her naked body. His dark eyes seemed to devour her as they raked over her face and body. When they roved over her chest, her nipples peaked almost painfully. Everything about this was so familiar but yet not. It was still new and exciting considering how many decades had passed between them. She started to scoot back but then stopped herself.

  She wanted this. Even though there were many reasons to stop before this went too far, she didn’t care about any of them. If he wanted to kill her, he could have done so the moment he’d captured her. When he hadn’t thrown her to his men to be killed it had surprised her. Even more surprising was the fact that he’d given shelter to Natalia, another vampire. Considering how much he’d hated vampires when Angela had known him, it was hard to digest that bit of knowledge. Combined with the fact that he’d also just given her his vein—something an Alpha in his position would never do—she knew she could trust him with her body. Anything beyond that was crazy but for now she simply wanted to give in to her cravings. It had been over a decade since she’d been with anyone. She couldn’t remember the name or face of her last lover and here was a man who she absolutely knew could pleasure her. Things in bed had always been incredibly hot between them and since he didn’t plan to hurt her, why not take what she wanted?

  “Spread your legs.” His voice was deep and commanding.

  Maybe she should be annoyed at his almost arrogant tone, but all she felt was a slow burning heat lap across her entire body at the absolutely dominant note in his voice. She did as he said.

  “Wider,” he said as he leaned lower.

  For a brief moment panic set it as she started analyzing what they were doing. She began to squeeze her legs together, but lightning fast, he was between them. He pressed a gentle hand against her inner thighs and she shuddered.

  Slowly he dragged a gentle finger along her slit. He moved up and down, barely touching her, but she knew he wouldn’t be teasing her for long. She could see it in his dark eyes.

  “You’re wet,” he murmured.

  Angela nodded mainly because she didn’t trust her voice.

  “For me.” Not a question.

  Again she nodded.

  “Say it.”

  Since when had he become so talkative? She didn’t want words; not now.

  His hand stilled and her inner walls clenched for him. “Say. It.”

  “You’re very bossy,” she murmured.

  He started to move away and her heart jumped in her chest. She didn’t want him to go.

  “I’m wet for you. Only for you.” The words tumbled out so fast she didn’t have time to think about being embarrassed.

  A small smile curved his normally hard lips. He continued stroking but this time he inserted a finger inside her.

  His movements were slow, unhurried, and deliciously torturous. He definitely knew how to use his hands and she was thankful some things hadn’t changed. She tightened around him, wishing it was more than his finger.

  As he moved his finger in and out of her in a perfect rhythm, he leaned forward a fraction. “I want to kiss you here.” He nodded between her legs.

  “Okay.” It surprised her he’d even asked.

  He smiled again as he looked down at her. A small, knowing and completely intimate smile that made a strange warmth curl through her as he assessed her. “Perfect,” he murmured. With the same attention he’d paid to her mouth earlier, he swept his tongue and teeth over her lower abdomen.

  Knowing what was coming, her stomach muscles tensed in anticipation. He added another finger and buried them inside her. Instead of moving them, he remained still. Her inner walls clenched around him and she lifted her hips, trying to force him to stroke her.

  As if he understood her frustration, he lightly chuckled against her. The action tickled her most sensitive bundle of nerves. She fisted the bedcover beneath her in an effort to ground herself.

  He didn’t give her the chance. Using his tongue, he parted her folds and began his assault against her pulsing clit. The teasing, flicking action was too much.

  She’d been primed before he’d completely stripped her. Had known exactly what was coming. The memory of him had embedded itself deep in her psyche. After years of fantasizing about him when she touched herself, she was finally given the real thing.

  For a moment she tried to control herself but gave in to the impulse and let go. Arching her back, she cried out. His name fell from her lips and as soon as it did, he growled low in his throat.

  As she started to crest, he began moving his fingers again. The combination of his mouth and fingers proved too much. An explosion of colors flashed in front of her eyes for a split second as the climax rushed over her.

  It hit her hard and fast. Like a rush of cool spring water it rolled over her with almost violent intensity until she collapsed against the covers.

  When he raised his head a primal expression covered his sharp features. It was definitely possessive. She wasn’t sure what to make of it.
Wasn’t even sure what it meant or what she wanted it to mean.

  He opened his mouth to say something, but she’d never know what. The door flew open with a bang and panic jumped inside her. She covered her breasts and started to grab the cover underneath her in attempt to hide but Knox moved over her, blocking most of her body.

  Knox whipped his head around but didn’t move off Angela. He didn’t want anyone seeing what was his. Alaric, his second-in-command, froze when he spotted them. His eyes widened with unabashed shock.

  “This better be important,” Knox growled as he tried to contain his anger. Someone better be dead or dying for an interruption like this.

  Alaric snapped to attention. “We’re under attack. Vampires. At least fifteen of them.”

  He looked back at Angela, his eyes narrowed and the accusation on the tip of his tongue. “Did you know about this?”

  Angrily she shook her head. “No. I swear. But they might be here because of me. My tribe leader…wants me. If he thought I was in trouble, he might come after me.”

  The thought of another male trying to claim Angela made him see red. Still hiding most of her body, he turned toward Alaric. “Make sure everyone’s ready. I’ll meet you downstairs in a minute.”

  As soon as the door shut behind him, he moved off her, giving her room to breathe. And if he was honest, he needed the space. He could still smell her lust and desire.

  When he faced her again, she was shaking her head at him, as if she knew what he was going to say. “No way. You are not leaving me here. I can help you. If they came for a fight, they won’t play fair.”

  “Neither will we.”

  “Let me help,” she pleaded. “I don’t want any blood spilled on my behalf.”

  Either he trusted her or he didn’t. Knox could see the challenge written clearly in her eyes. After what they’d just shared, he couldn’t leave her behind. Knew he’d regret it if he did. Biting back a curse, he shook his head. “You stay close to me and you only get tranq guns.”

  “Fine,” she said through gritted teeth as she began gathering her clothes.

  More than anything he wanted to finish what they’d started but they obviously still had more to talk about. And with a bunch of vampires invading his land, someone was going to pay.

  Chapter 4

  Angela tucked the tranq gun Knox had given her into the back of her pants. She wasn’t going to use it against her own tribe members. “This whole situation is incredibly stupid,” she whispered.

  Knox didn’t respond. Instead his jaw clenched as he maintained his immobile stance by one of the giant oak trees on his expansive lawn.

  “I should just walk right out there and show Titus that I’m okay.” But when she started to move from her position, his hand snaked around her waist.

  He tugged her close then pinned her back against the tree. “We don’t know if these are even your coven members. It could be a bunch of rogues. You. Stay. Put.” His words were barely above a whisper but still had a deadly edge.

  She bit her bottom lip. That was possible but not likely. The odds of a bunch of rogues showing up on his doorstep the day after she’d stormed the place…she didn’t buy it. Vamps and werewolves might not like each other but unless provoked, neither side wanted a war. She shook her head. “I really don’t think—”

  He placed a finger on her lips then touched his ear with his free hand. Keeping still, she listened, too.

  There was a slight movement from the surrounding forest. One of Knox’s men had seen more than a handful of vampires on their video cameras so she guessed the vampires were a lot closer now. Without any wind tonight it was hard to scent anyone, but Angela could. Just barely.

  She could always sense her own kind, even when she didn’t want to. And they were nearby. She could hear the faint rustle of their movements.

  Instinctively her entire body tensed. Moving to the side, she crouched next to Knox. Whatever happened next, she just hoped there was no bloodshed. Vampires and werewolves had been living in relative peace for the past decade but before that…the wars between them had been vicious. Brutal. No sane being wanted a repeat of that. If anything happened tonight, it could fracture their already tentative alliance. And with a formal peace treaty about to take place in a couple months, it could ruin everything.

  Taking a chance, she peered around the tree. She could see the faint outline of eight vampires moving to the edge of the trees. Thanks to being a day walker, she had the unique ability to read heat signatures of her own kind. Unfortunately it didn’t extend to other beings.

  “Eight of them. At least. Six males. Two females. There will be more waiting deeper in the forest, though.” She knew her tribe well enough and since Knox’s second-in-command had seen fifteen on their video feed, she had no doubt there were more in hiding.

  “You’re sure?” Knox murmured.

  “I can see their heat signatures. They’re about to breach the forest line.” As she eyed them, she realized they weren’t alone. One of the males was dragging someone. A female maybe. She could just make out the smaller, feminine outline but she couldn’t read the signature. “I think they have a hostage.”

  “One of us?” he growled.

  She knew that not all his wolves had been accounted for but that could mean nothing. If one of his pack got hurt because of her, she’d never forgive herself. “Maybe. Maybe human. I can’t tell until I get closer.” They were still about seventy yards away.

  As they strode past the tree line and onto the lawn, Knox stood and over a dozen of his pack emerged from the inky darkness. Some came from the direction of the house, others from the trees but it was almost as if they appeared out of nowhere. Above them the moon and a few stars illuminated the land but that was it. He’d killed all the lights in the house and surrounding area. Not that it really mattered. They all had excellent night vision.

  “Stay put,” Knox murmured before heading out with the rest of his pack.

  She bit back a snort and waited until he was a few yards in front of her then followed.

  “We have one of your she-wolves! Release our females!” A loud male voice boomed through the night air. Angela immediately recognized Titus. He rarely left the coven but he was almost as old as Knox and she knew he was just as powerful.

  She couldn’t let this escalate. Brushing aside the knowledge that Knox would be pissed, she used all her lower body strength and propelled herself toward her tribe members. Behind her she heard Knox curse but ignored him as she flew through the air.

  Thankfully she had speed on her side.

  As she slid to a halt in front of the approaching vampires she had to contain her anger at their presence. He hadn’t been willing to help her before. “What are you doing here?” she directed the question to her leader.

  Still holding the struggling woman by the neck, Titus’s green eyes narrowed to slits. “To bring you and Natalia home.”

  “You know Natalia came here of her free will. She told me, you knew.” She spat the words, not caring that she was disrespecting her leader.

  “I didn’t think you’d follow the traitor,” he said quietly. There was a hint of something she’d detected from him before. Possessiveness. For her. And she hated it.

  “So you’re here for me, not her?”

  He flicked a glance at the rest of his warriors. “We are here for you.”

  But they weren’t. Her coven didn’t give a shit about her. Most vampires were hardwired that way, usually because they’d been self-serving humans before they’d been turned. But Titus wanted to mate with her. She’d thought he’d gotten past that since she’d told him no about a hundred times.

  Around them she could hear the wolves growling and growing restless but she kept her focus on Titus. She couldn’t afford to be distracted. “You can see I haven’t been harmed. I broke into this pack’s house and they’ve treated me as a guest.” Sort of true. She’d been trapped in Knox’s room, but the more she thought about it the more she reali
zed he wouldn’t have let anyone shoot her. The possessiveness in him that she’d witnessed less than an hour ago was just as strong—if not stronger—as it had been when she’d been human. “Let the she-wolf go and I’ll go with you.”

  Behind her she heard Knox growl low in his throat. He placed a hand on her shoulder and when he did, Titus’s eyes narrowed even more dangerously.

  “You’re not going anywhere, Angel.” Knox said her nickname seductively and no doubt intentionally to piss off her leader.

  Ignoring him, she stared at Titus. “I am not a prisoner. Please let her go. This has gone too far. You can see I’m unharmed. Anything you do against this pack now will be an act of war.” Her heart pounded wildly as she watched his hand tighten on the woman’s throat. All he’d have to do was extend his claws and rip her throat out. If her people shed the first blood tonight, it wouldn’t end here. A new war would erupt and she didn’t think either of their kind could stand that type of staggering loss. They were dwindling in numbers as it was.

  “I’ll let her go if the wolf fights me…for you.” His voice was full of pride and she realized this wasn’t about her. He’d come to get her, sure. But this was about saving face in front of their warriors.

  “This is stupid. I’m not anyone’s to fight—”

  “Deal,” Knox said behind her. Before she could respond, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back tight against him.

  Angry at his response, she looked up at him and started to protest but he crushed his mouth over hers. The kiss wasn’t light or sweet but hard and claiming. Anyone watching would recognize that he meant to mark her as his. She felt his possession straight to her toes and he wasn’t even bothering to hide his scent of desire. It was potent and as overwhelming as the man himself, wrapping around her like a shroud.

  And she didn’t fight him. When a moan started to build in her throat, he abruptly broke their connection and thrust her into Alaric’s arms. “Keep her by your side.” His voice was rough and uneven.

  She wanted to try to stop him but was too numb to move. A fight between two leaders usually meant one thing. They wouldn’t stop until one of them was dead. It all depended on the final victor, but neither species was known for showing mercy. When this was over, only one of them was walking away. She couldn’t deny to herself who she wanted the victor to be. Titus was okay as far as tribe leaders went. Immediately after she’d run from Knox she’d been on the move for about forty years, never staying in one place very long. Then fifty years ago Titus had given her shelter when she’d needed it but she had no loyalty to him. To any of her coven.