by Zoe Winters
Milo returned with saddlebags for Noah. “I’ll wait downstairs for you guys.”
When the door shut, Noah went through the clothing the pack had brought him and tried everything on to determine what would fit best, what he could move and fight in if necessary and then put the chosen items into the bags.
“You’re awfully quiet,” he said. Sydney hadn’t spoken a word since they’d left the lobby.
“I’m just thinking. I feel bad about everything they’re leaving behind.”
“They’re taking their lives. It’s leave and live or stay and die.”
“We don’t know they’ll live. We don’t know we will.”
“I know we will.” Fate couldn’t be that cruel to bring her to him against all odds only to take her away again. He wouldn’t allow it to happen.
When they were packed, Sydney gave the room one last look. “I kind of liked this place. Even though I knew we were never staying.”
Noah led her down through the lobby one more time. The metal was playing again. Milo had been kind enough to explain immediately after the fighting why that music played and why it had been so loud.
He would have been angry when the music had gone up to piercing decibels, but the beat had energized him, made him faster, caused him to fight harder.
“Someone pack that music,” he shouted as they headed toward the back door.
“On it!” Rafe shouted.
Milo stood beside outside next to the bikes.
The beta got on one of them and tossed a set of keys to Noah for the one beside him.
“And what about me?” Sydney asked.
“I thought you’d just want to ride with Noah.”
“You thought wrong.”
Noah laughed and shrugged. “You may as well teach us both at the same time.” In truth, he was grateful she wanted to learn. It would make him feel less awkward learning something he should have been able to do when he was fourteen��and would have been able to do if not for being imprisoned.
Milo turned to Sydney, “Would they have any idea where you might be going? Where home is?”
She looked like a spooked animal. “I was betrayed by someone, and they knew where we were from. What if they’re waiting for us when we get home? They’ll know we can’t travel during the day. What if they attack our families?”
“Don’t they have wards and protections?” Milo asked.
“Yes, but they tried to keep magic and technology usage to a minimum to stay off the grid so as not to attract the humans. I don’t know how heavy their security is, how many people the city would send, and if they can defend against it. Stupid sunlight! I wish I wasn’t a vampire.”
“We’ve got about five hours until sunrise. We need to get on the road and travel as far as we can,” Milo said. “Then I’ll go back and meet the others halfway to make sure they followed the trail. Where we heading?”
“Do you know where Cary Town is?” Sydney asked.
The beta laughed. “Do I know where Cary Town is? Everybody knows about Cary Town.
“Yes, but do you know where it is?”
“General vicinity. From there I’m sure you can tell me.”
Sydney looked doubtful. “I only left once. I was running away. My dad can be overbearing and overprotective.”
“You mean your sire?”
“No, my dad. I was born, not turned.”
Milo’s eyes widened. “Your dad isn’t Anthony Burgess is he?”
“That’s him.”
“We had the vampire princess with us this whole time, and we didn’t know it. The pack probably wouldn’t have complained about a vampire alpha if they knew your lineage. Vampire or not, royalty is still royalty. It wouldn’t feel shameful, at least.”
“It’s not as regal as you might think these days. Cary Town has broken down. There’s just him, my mom, and a few other vampires and human mates they’ve captured over the years. Noah’s old pack is there. There’s a cranky old sorcerer and a werecat in the woods. And some vampire that doesn’t talk much to my dad, but he lives with a guardian in the abandoned church. And that’s Cary Town now. Otherwise it’s a ghost town. Hardly worth visiting.”
“Are there lots of wild places to run?”
“Yeah, I guess. I haven’t been out very much.”
Her description made Noah miss home. He still remembered the smell of the woods. He’d been too young to realize yet how much the world was changing for the worst and all the things he was about to lose. But no matter how deserted Cary Town had become, he couldn’t imagine the caves his dad’s pack lived in had changed much. Or the woods for that matter. The more deserted it was, the better, in his opinion.
“We need to get on the road,” Noah said. “I’m sure when we get close I’ll pick up a familiar scent.”
Milo gave them a crash course in motorcycles. After a few false starts and one minor crash, they took off and rode for hours. Noah followed Milo until he was more confident with the bike. Then he took the lead. With one long stretch of deserted highway it was no great mystery which direction to go.
After a considerable time on the road, Sydney pulled out ahead and over to the shoulder. Noah and the beta came to a stop beside her.
“Is something wrong?” Noah asked.
“I can feel the sun coming soon. It’s hard to explain. I didn’t feel this way before because I was always too tired to notice. We need to start looking for a place for me to sleep for the day. There was a deserted farmhouse we stayed in on the trip down, I don’t think it’s very far from here.”
“We’ll follow if you want to try to look for it,” Noah said.
Sydney nodded and started her bike back up. They followed her several miles until she took an exit and went down more deserted road. And then, looming in front of them, was the farmhouse surrounded by acres and acres of land with some woods behind it. Great, he could hunt something before they had to get back on the road again.
They pulled their bikes into a dilapidated barn.
“I’m going to head back to meet the others,” Milo said.
“Okay.” Noah watched Milo disappear down the road, then he followed Sydney into the farmhouse, his senses on high alert for any other squatters. But it was deserted just like she’d said.
Chapter Ten
Sydney was beginning to question her own judgment. What madness had overtaken her to make her think this was a good idea after the last time she’d been here?
But she knew the place. It was secure enough. And if Noah slept on the bed, he had a view outside the large picture window. No one could sneak up on them here.
“Sydney? You okay?”
“It’s hard to be here.”
“Did you know he planned to turn you over to them when you were here the last time?”
She nodded, staring at the closet as if it might come to life and devour her. “It’s just… not good memories. And it makes me think about him, and then I remember killing him. I wish there had been another place, but I knew this was safe.”
Noah pulled her to him and held her close. “You’re safe with me.”
Of course she was safe with him. She’d never once doubted it. Not since she’d known who he was, at least. Before that it had been iffy.
Given his captivity, maybe someone else would have doubted him, worried that place had changed him and made him dangerous. But the way he looked at her and protected her now was the same as when they’d been kids. Whatever had changed in him, that was one thing that remained constant.
The red glow of the sun started to peek over the horizon. She’d felt dawn screaming inside her brain louder and louder, but she’d ignored it while trying to deal with the farmhouse. She had to tell herself repeatedly that she wasn’t crazy. This place was a known element, and they hadn’t had time to be picky with sunrise breathing down their necks.
She jumped into the closet before the first ray of light could touch her skin.
“Sydney?”
“Yeah?”
&nbs
p; “Is this going to be a safety risk every day? You leaping out of the way of the sun at the last minute?”
She managed a weak laugh. “No. I felt it coming for a while. I was just being a spaz. I’ll listen to the yelling in my brain more next time.”
“Good to hear.”
The springs of the bed depressed as Noah sat down. His boots hit the floor, and then she heard the whisper of clothing that followed. When the sun got higher, she’d have no choice but to sleep, but she wished she could be out there snuggled with him. A couple of minutes later, a furry wolf body curled up next to her.
“Do you think we’ll ever sleep with you in your human form?”
Not that she was complaining. It felt safe and peaceful and made her nostalgic for simpler times when she hadn’t yet understood how dangerous the world was. As a child she’d woken many times with the wolf beside her.
Noah would play in the sun during the day with his friends, but he’d always be right there next to her after sunset.
He snorted in reply. Soon after, the power of the sun claimed the last of her energy for the day.
When Sydney woke, Noah was still curled around her snoring and twitching, deep in a dream. He’d no doubt become as nocturnal as she was from the way they’d scheduled his sleep and active times during his captivity.
She stayed in the dark closet, afraid the sun might still be up. After several minutes, she poked Noah in the side. He growled, nipped her lightly, then laid back down.
Sydney jabbed him harder. “Noah, wake up. I need you to check and see if the sun is down yet.” Like she wanted to stay in this awful closet a minute longer than was necessary.
He grew more alert and went to check things out. A few minutes later, a naked Noah stood with the closet door open.
“It’s safe. Sun’s down.”
Well, she could see that now with the door open.
He helped her up. She hated this closet. It had a weird smell she couldn’t decipher and didn’t want to think too much about. She worried some dead thing was buried beneath piles of moth-eaten clothing in the corner.
It had been deserted for ages, and she hated the idea of mice and other assorted creatures crawling over her as she slept. Only one more night until the moon would begin to wane, then hopefully she’d be sleeping for the rest of her days in a nice normal bed.
Sydney licked her lips at the sight of him. “When will the pack be here?”
“They’re here already. They’re on the other end of the house.”
It was wise that they’d stayed so far from her and Noah. She couldn’t imagine he’d be very sane and rational if he scented or sensed someone near his mate when she was so vulnerable.
“Can they hear us?”
“Probably.”
“Oh.” There went that idea.
But Noah didn’t seem as upset by the potential for eavesdropping as she did. “They’ll get over it,” he said.
“But… I don’t think…”
His eyes flashed gold. “You’ll get over it, too. Besides, you need to feed.”
Noah had removed most of her clothing when she put a hand over his. “I can’t with them in here.”
Annoyance flitted over his features, and he disappeared down the hallway. Sydney didn’t care. Let him pout if that was how he was going to be about it. He might be just fine screwing with a bunch of people within hearing range, but she wasn’t. She wasn’t even sure if her aversion was normal for a vampire. It definitely wasn’t for a wolf.
He returned several minutes later. “They’re gone. I told them to go outside and hunt without me. They’ll be too pre-occupied running to care what we’re doing in here.”
She was still irritated, but when he pulled her against him and his warm body pressed against hers, her irritation started to melt. As he trailed kisses down the side of her throat and over her breasts, it melted a bit more. And when he pushed her back on that awful old bed whose history she didn’t even want to guess about, she didn’t care anymore.
Noah nudged her legs apart, and she gasped when he drove into her. He stilled, cradling her in his arms. “Am I hurting you?”
“No, I’m okay. You’re just so warm, it’s always a shock.”
“Eh, a few hundred years, you’ll be fine,” he joked.
Sydney giggled. When he got within range of her fangs, he nuzzled the mark he’d left on her throat. She turned her head and bit over the claim she’d left on him. A growl erupted from his throat.
She smiled against his skin. This time when she fed, she tasted something new. Contentment. Happiness. Love. When he reached orgasm, the taste of his blood grew richer, and it triggered her own release.
Afterward, they laid tangled together, neither eager to go anywhere.
“The old train station was a lot nicer,” Noah commented.
“Yeah, well you were the one who just had to do it now.”
Noah rolled his eyes, and got up. “You would have fed and jumped me like a crazy animal. You know you would have.”
Sydney took in the view as he turned away and stretched. That perfect olive skin, muscles rippling as he moved. Yeah, she would have.
The only thing that marred his perfection was that stupid black number tattooed into his upper arm.
“I’m so angry those monsters put a number on you, like you were some thing they were tagging and keeping in a box.”
“I was some thing they were tagging and keeping in a box,” he said, staring out the window. The moon suddenly moved out from behind the clouds and Noah leapt out of the way of the light.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Yeah. I’m just not sure if I’ll shift when the moon hits me if I haven’t eaten first. It’s still a full moon. I have less control right now.”
“No. I mean… from everything.”
He glanced down at the number on his arm. “Sydney, if you’re talking about this, I’d planned to cover it with another tattoo when I got out. Most pack leaders have one, anyway.”
Sydney hadn’t realized at the time that Shira’s snake tattoo held any significance beyond her just wanting to look like a bad ass. But none of the other wolves had any tattoos that she’d noticed.
“Only an alpha can have tattoos on their arms. It’s how visiting wolves know immediately who’s in charge. It’s been a tradition in wolf packs for hundreds of years.”
“If you’d always planned to get a tattoo to cover the number, does that mean you always planned to lead a pack?”
Noah shrugged. “I figured I could get away with it in my dad’s pack. It’s not like he’d kill me for it, and he’d understand why I did it. And if I couldn’t handle living with them without being in charge, I thought I could just be a lone wolf. I assumed that might happen, anyway. The tattoo thing is a pack law in most packs. If you’re not in a pack, it’s not an issue. In the end it means a wolf that becomes an alpha either has to stay an alpha, die in a challenge fight, or become a lone wolf. Once you take on that mantle of leadership, you can’t ever follow inside another pack again. It’s a big responsibility.”
A rock hit the window. “Get dressed and meet me outside,” Noah said. He’d shifted to alpha mode. She didn’t much care for him barking orders at her, but he was under too much pressure to start a petty fight right now.
And yet… “So you can run around like that but I can’t?” Sydney asked.
“Or be naked. I don’t care. I assumed that would be an issue for you.”
He assumed right. Noah disappeared again down the hallway, and Sydney started for her clothes. But then she stopped. He thought she was some prissy little vampire princess who couldn’t handle public nudity. He was one hundred percent right about that, but once the stubbornness took hold, the logic went away, and she’d be damned if she’d prove him right.
She let out a growl and said, “Screw it.”
Chapter Eleven
Noah was surprised when he didn’t immediately shift under the full moon. It was the first
opportunity he’d had to test how he reacted to a regular full moon on an empty stomach. The blood moon had only been for the first night. Tonight it was a regular yellowish-white light hanging in the sky.
With Sydney having fed and weakening him, he’d been sure he would change to his wolf form. But he hadn’t. The moon urged him to, tempting and teasing him with the warmth that felt like sunlight. The wind whispered to him to run and hunt. He smelled and heard rabbits scurrying away in the fields.
Milo waited for him outside the bedroom window.
“Hey, I’m sorry if I interrupted something in there,” he said, now sheepish about the rock throwing.
“You didn’t. I would have ignored you.”
The beta chuckled uncomfortably. “I just wanted to let you know we found a lake to bathe in if you want to get Sydney—”
“Let me stop you there. There is no way Sydney will be up for public bathing.”
“Somebody talking about me?”
Noah spun to find his mate without a stitch of clothing, an impish grin on her face.
“Hey Sydney, there’s a lake about a mile south of here if you want to clean up,” Milo said.
“Oh yes, that sounds wonderful.”
He arched a brow at Noah as Sydney blurred in the direction he pointed. “I think you underestimate her,” he said.
“I had to make everybody leave so we could…” Noah waved his hands around, not sure how to phrase it. He didn’t want to be crass about his mate, but he also didn’t want to sound like some romantic sap, either.
Milo clapped Noah on the back. “She’s all right. We like her. I didn’t think the pack would go along with a vampire as part of an alpha pair, but I’ve been wrong before. I also let it slip that she was the princess. I think that helped. You coming to the lake?”
“I’m going to hunt something first.”
The beta nodded, then shifted and ran in the direction Sydney had blurred.
It was a testament to how strong Noah’s instincts were about these wolves that he wasn’t even slightly worried about Sydney being alone with them. He knew they wouldn’t attack her. He also knew she could outrun them now, and given how strong she’d gotten with his blood, he had no doubt she could hold her own. Wolves were agile, but they didn’t come close to the way a vampire could blur so fast they became a solid band of energy, barely detectable as a unique person-shape.
