by Jo Penn
* * * *
The afternoon went well, Deakin felt. He’d really enjoyed spending time with his siblings and getting to know Vicus’s more also. And it hadn’t been as crazy and chaotic as he’d thought! Maybe that was because Vicus and some of his siblings kept everything organized and smoothed over any little incidents, like Jaden performing his latest musical number and causing a dozen crystals in the chandelier to explode. Or when Nessa climbed up the wall to see a painting better. Both incidents could have been disastrous, but Lacy handled them well, surprisingly so did Deakin’s eldest brother, Neville.
What hadn’t gone well was Ran. Something was up with his gorgeous wolf and Deakin, never one to be backward in coming forward and sorting things out, immediately stormed over to where Ran slept on a sofa as soon as his siblings had vacated the premises.
“Wait, wait!” Luka jumped in the way, holding up his hands as though that would stop Deakin.
“You! I know you and Ran think you have some sort of wolfy connection now, but he’s my mate, mine, so don’t go getting in the way—”
“Yeah, I know he’s yours so just chill your jets a moment.” Luka leapt to the right when Deakin tried getting past him. “Trust me, I’m the interspecies relations officer.”
“Luka is correct, livlig. When Ran requires rest, we are to let him without interruption.” Vicus took Deakin’s hand and drew him back. “Why are you annoyed with our little wolf?”
Deakin pressed his forefinger into Vicus chest and twisted a little, aggravated. “Don’t tell me when I can speak to my mate, either of you.” He waved his forefinger at Luka, narrowing his eyes. “You may be a hot wolf, but I’ve got my own, so all those pheromones and sexiness just don’t work on me. And you!” He stabbed his finger into Vicus’s solid, fabulous chest, got distracted and sighed. “Yeah, you…”
“I will take our mate to our apartment.”
“Before you go, Vicus.” Sebastian smiled at Deakin. “First, it is normal to feel territorial and possessive of one’s mate, Deakin. Go with what you feel but remember, taking care of your mate is most important. Second, Vicus, I need to spend more time with Zander.”
Deakin’s brows shot up as his normally very level, calm Avenger mate snarled, curling his top lip back and exposing huge frigging fangs.
“Leave it, Sanchez.”
“Vicus.” Sebastian returned the snarl with one of his own. “I will go over your head to Lacy.”
“I heard that. And, yes, I will arrange for Zander to come to you tomorrow.” Lacy snapped her fingers at Deakin. “I will have the housekeeper and the office manager draw up a schedule for you. Expect an induction tomorrow, little brother. Now, get your wolf mate sorted before I smother him with sisterly love, because, man, does our little wolf need it! Sebastian, best to come with me and help me settle Zander and Vic. Get your teeth back in!”
Deakin stood stock still. He knew an alpha female when he encountered one and was smart enough not to make any sudden moves. Even when she tapped his cheek and kissed his forehead, leaning down to do so. Man, she was gorgeous and smart and had it all, and scary as all get out, as Ran would say.
Thinking of Ran, he did a quick duck and weave and rushed to his mate. Only to find another creature there.
“No! No, no, no! Vicus!”
Deakin was surprised how fast the Avenger moved, again, and blinked up at his other mate, whom he was falling so very hard for. And why did everyone want to be close to his wolf mate?! It was so annoying at times, especially when Deakin was receiving no attention and very little of his mate’s time, what with the ill wolf spirit, the wolf training, sleeping, and having a new mate!
“I will take my mate—”
“Mine! Mine, mine, mine!” Deakin growled, side stepping Vicus and pouncing on Ran, awaking his wolf. “Ran.”
Immediately Ran’s arms surrounded him, bringing back the warmth to his soul, the peace to his heart, the happiness to his life. Gods, Deak needed his Ran…and his Vicus. He felt so much for them both.
“Easy, Deak,” Ran murmured, petting in soft, tired strokes. “What’s wrong?”
Deakin felt tears overflowing. He meant to be strong, meant to give Ran some time, but the more he was without the close contact he was so used to, so needed, the more he was unsettled, frantic, and scared of losing his wolf.
The room fell quiet. Deakin lost track of how long he lay in his mate’s arms. With Ran, this close, he felt nothing but quietness. Ran was simply peace. Strange, Deakin had never thought about that before, how he calmed down when Ran gave him all his attention, when he was pressed against his wolf, breathing in his unique smell and feeling his warmth.
Finally, it sunk into Deak that along with Ran, he was feeling and smelling Vicus. How long his other mate, his big, stunning mix of creature-type Avenger had been holding, cuddling, him sank in. How quickly he had grown accustomed to the feel, smell, and sensation of his Vicus. He wouldn’t be without him now, couldn’t be. But at the same time he felt like he was losing Ran and was torn between the two.
“We are yours, forever, my mate.” Vicus nudged the back of Deakin’s head with his face. “Ran sleeps. Let us take our mate to bed and let him rest.”
“I don’t want to lose him,” Deakin whispered, scared.
“You will not. We will protect, love, and keep our wolf.”
Something settled inside Deakin. His Avenger would do that. He kept his word and didn’t just say things. “Okay. I drive him a little crazy.”
“No, he adores you. I see it clearly. Often you will hear creatures say how particular felines are, and truly, we can be, but wolves, they only choose those special to be close to, and they never let go, no matter what. Right now we must take care of our wolf and he will return this tenfold when recovered.” Vicus nuzzled Deakin’s cheek. “Did he not show you how he cared with sweet gestures, and following you about like a puppy?”
Deakin sighed, smiling at the memories. “He did. He remembers everything I like, even the dumbest thing I may have mentioned, and somehow makes it the most special in the world. He didn’t complain and just knew what I wanted and needed, though he does like to watch me get worked up.”
Deakin trailed Vicus upstairs to their apartment, his mate carrying their sleeping wolf, who didn’t do more than snuffle in his sleep and nuzzle Vicus with his cute little nose at being moved. For some reason all of this just made Deakin irritable. He snapped and grumbled at Vicus when the big male ordered him to strip off and climb into his own bed with Ran, and got down right catty when Vicus began removing Ran’s clothes.
“Lay down with our mate.” Vicus’s tone had edged towards ordering with firmness.
Jerking off his clothes till he only stood in his bikini briefs, Deakin sulkily slapped Vicus’s hands away and removed Ran’s clothes himself before wrapping himself around his mate and snuggling under the thick goose down cover and soft sheeting.
“Where are you going?” he asked drowsily.
“I have things I must attend to. I may be gone most of the night and tomorrow. This will provide you with time to reconnect with Ran and settle in more here.” Vicus pressed a kiss to his temple. “Too many changes at once unsettle you, Deakin. I understand this and will give time. But remember, Ran is my mate also. We are together, a mateship, excluding no one.”
“I haven’t excluded you,” Deakin said grumpily. “Ran has, to both of us.”
“Ran is dealing with a lot at present, as are you…and to be honest, this is an adjustment for myself also.”
Deakin frowned and turned so he could see Vicus. A sudden unsettled feeling stirred inside him.
“Is having me too much?”
Vicus sat on the edge of the bed. “Like most paranormals I have wanted my mate for a long time. Mates are fated. We fit perfectly, are in sync—soul mates. Not everyone accepts Avengers. Some creatures scurry away, others are fearful, while most are wary and prejudiced. While Avengers serve a purpose, paranormals know my kind are stronger, f
aster, and above the law. We deal in justice and eliminating threats. Not everyone can accept this. Mates do. They see past to who is inside. I want you, you are mine. I cherish everything about you.”
Deakin nodded, feeling a measure of pain for Vicus, though also having a sense his avenger mate was not actually bothered by others’ thoughts and impressions of him.
“You have us, and your family,” he said quietly. “And my chaotic, insane one now also. I have also seen you with that Urian, Enforcer Drax, and some of the other leaders around Milson Valley. They aren’t scared of you. In fact, they seem to think of you as one of theirs and want you protected by sending backup for this mission you’re going on but not telling me about.”
Vicus gave one of those rare flashes of a smile. It made Deakin want to crawl into the big male’s lap and beg.
“You are very astute, my feisty sprite. I will be safe and return once I have dealt with this threat to our mateship and family.”
“Hmm, that doesn’t mean I won’t be worried, and Ran will probably end up feeling guilty.” Deakin frowned and pulled Ran closer. “He tends to follow his mate, normally me, so I will just keep a close eye on him.”
Vicus scowled. “The guards will not allow him to wander. If there are any concerns, inform Eber immediately. Rest, my mate.”
So ordered, Deakin watched his big, bossy Avenger leave the room and sighed with a bit of sadness and contentment. Contentment that he was holding his mate in his arms close, and that Ran would be safe. Sad that Vicus was going and he would miss him. He also felt it was unfair that creatures judged Vicus for who he was and what he did. He was born an Avenger. He had a specific duty, one that protected creatures, yet he was feared, revered, and in some ways, isolated.
Ran burrowed his nose in Deakin’s neck. “Let’s snuggle, then I’ll let you label me again.”
Smiling, Deakin removed his glasses and did what Ran suggested, snuggling under the blankets wrapped in each other’s arms. It was a rare moment when Ran allowed Deakin to cuddle for more than a few moments so Deakin would make the most of this. Falling asleep, he dreamed of labelling “mine” over every inch of both mates.
Chapter Six
There were just over fifty Renegades sneaking into the Valley. How they expected to get away with that amount in one go, Vicus could only conclude they were arrogant and complacent. Otherwise, they would have noted the increased soldier patrols, the Enforcers keeping track of them, and how the last group to get into the Valley and attack the Sanchez Compound were dealt with effectively, and harshly.
That time it was a show of force and dominance, which had been wiped out by the Sanchez and Starters pack soldiers. Vicus had gotten in on that fight, pissed off he had been sent on a wild goose chase to get him away when the infiltration had happened. He’d caught on quickly and arrived in time to assist.
Now he was watching creatures slink in through overgrown bushland in the far east of the Valley. They weren’t taking particular care to cover their tracks or keep their presence hidden, so that showed carelessness and arrogance to Vicus. He would certainly use that to his advantage.
“We capture them and interrogate,” Lord Baron Sanchez, Sanchez pride Enforcer and fucking big tiger, whispered close in Vicus’s right ear.
Working with others was not one of Vicus’s virtues. In fact, he often found it irritating, and though he actually liked Baron, the tiger was always direct, very straight to the point, and didn’t take any shit. Plus he was the best pool player Vicus had ever had the pleasure of competing against. Working with the bossy, know it all, smartass, snappy shit of a tiger was working Vicus’s last nerve and frayed his patience.
Curling his top lip, he hissed at the man. “Well, go and fucking capture them. I’ll scout ahead.”
Baron just smirked. “Fine, but you take backup. That was the agreement.”
Giving a sharp nod, Vicus pointed to the best soldier with them, a bear shifter from the Starters wolf pack, and began leading the way through the undergrowth and overgrown foliage. He stopped two hundred meters away and gave hand signals, the bear nodding he understood and silently disappearing to the left into the thick bushes. Vicus stripped off, stowing his belongings in a secure place, and shifted into his falcon.
He didn’t take to the high skies, instead he glided low from tree to tree, branch to branch, scouting and scenting, keeping an eye on Baron and his crew and the bear with him who was lying beneath an overhang at the opening of a cave watching all four sides and getting a good view of who may be trying to enter the Valley. While it may be easier for creatures to sneak in via the highways and roads, even the private airstrip a few miles outside of the city limits, they’d be picked up fast with the number of soldiers always patrolling. One may get through, like the assassin, as it’d be much easier to cover their tracks than large groups. But it was the large group that needed to get in to do some real damage and take on the local pack, pride, and witch and wizard coven.
So they’d sneak in, like this group that Baron and his crew easily surrounded and disarmed.
If he had been in his human form, Vicus would have frowned. Too easy to surround and disarm. Most didn’t just lie down and give up their weapons without a struggle, they gave a bit of shit, fought if they could, and at least tried to escape.
A diversion? Quite possibly. It wasn’t like the Renegades hadn’t tried that trick five hundred odd times before and occasionally, it even worked. Like using a High Council aide to forge documents that would send Vicus out of the Valley when the Renegades struck in force at the Sanchez Compound.
Continuing to scan the Valley while analysing the Renegades’ behavior and what they could have planned, Vicus took his time studying everything, his ever flicking eyes picking up every detail, his paranormal enhanced sight and hearing missing nothing. Such as Baron getting sick of a whiny Renegade and knocking him out with an elbow to the face while issuing orders. Even doing that, Baron was searching for Vicus and keeping a close eye on his surroundings.
Hmm, the tiger didn’t like the feel of this either.
Never one to linger, Vicus shot straight up in the air and flew with speed, swooping the top of the trees and going further afield. In the distance he could see Milson Valley Alliance soldiers—those who reported to the Alliance here formed by pack, pride, and coven—searching in human and animal form on their usual patrols, and off in the distance there was a light, brief, like a reflection caught off glass or shiny metal.
Vicus grinned internally, cocking his head as he heard from hundreds of miles the faintest click. He flew with amazing speed towards the flick of light, his eyes honed in on prey, turning at the last minute before the bullet sliced him cleanly through the heart.
“Good shot, asshole.” Vicus shifted mid-air and landed on top of the sniper, snapping the creature’s neck and tearing out his throat with a lion paw.
“Get the Avenger!” a big creature snarled, picking up a rifling and shooting, littering the small hidden campsite with bullets. The creature didn’t care who was hit, even his own people, apparently.
With no weapons but his own lethal lion claws and fangs—and the large knife he swiped from the sniper he’d just killed—Vicus became the very air around those converging on him, sliding away with a speed no one could track and appearing behind them to snap necks, and in front of them, tearing out hearts with claws, punching, kicking, and using his fangs.
It was an unfair fight, one against twenty-two. Vicus somersaulted over the last Renegade he easily disabled and left to slump on the ground as he landed in front of the one who had caused his mate a great deal of harm, grief, and running. Not stopping to chat—he had nothing much to say to Titus McCracknel—he grabbed the man by the throat, liking that his claws penetrated deeply, and tossed the now empty of bullets rifle away before twisting the man’s arm and snapping it in three places. He ignored the screams and gurgles of pain and was satisfied when the wolf showed his terror at seeing his death in Vicus’s eyes.<
br />
“W-wait! I can get you money—”
Shutting off the babbling with a word, care of his wizard magic, Vicus sunk into Titus’ mind, discarding what he wasn’t interested in, finding what he wanted to know about the Renegades with Titus, their plans, and most importantly, what happened in that basement ten and a half years ago. What he saw made Titus’ last minutes of life excruciating.
* * * *
Scratching his chin in contemplation and shooting the big Enforcer a quizzical look, Ran shrugged and looked around.
“Yeah.”
“Good. Most paranormals have a gift or two of some sort.” Drax pointed at Deakin, who was seated beside Ran in the large Sanchez Compound training ground, which reminded Ran of a college sporting field, except these creatures used weapons to compete, deadly ones. “Sprites have the universal gift of little bolts of electricity that they use to shock others in self-defense or to stir up shit.”
Ran glanced at his mate and smiled slowly. Deakin wasn’t paying any attention to what Drax was saying, far too busy staring at all the big soldiers training in the arena. Behind his black-rimmed glasses, Deak’s soft blue eyes were wide, his mouth hanging open a bit, and he was jittering about on the bench seat.
“Pup, attention back to me. I won’t even bother trying to keep your sprite’s attention.” Drax didn’t sound bothered by it. “Shifters have the ability to shift into their animal and generally we are given another gift. Some have multiple, some don’t have any. Though I don’t have the gift of identifying what others have, by studying and paying attention to creatures I can usually pick up on what they can do. You have a gift, Ran. As your wolf spirit settles and grows strong again, your gift will grow in strength also. And as it’s an uncommon one, will be needed, especially during these times with Renegades and unrest.”
Ran could sort of see that. “Okay, but I’m not going around hugging everyone. That’s just lame.”
