The Embers of Phoenix (The Inferno Pack Book 1)

by AJ Blackburn

  Inside we quickly drop down two flights of stairs, the warehouse is like a fucking Tardis. It just looks like a normal factory warehouse on the outside, but these stairs descend further into the earth than I would have thought possible.

  “I was expecting at least a few guards,” Josh says.

  “So was I.” I keep my hearing focused on every noise, but there are hardly any, and the rank smell of bleach is overriding anything else.

  “Here.” Josh stops at a door. “I can pick up the slight smell of wolf, but it isn’t Phoenix.” He jumps up and grips the top of the door frame and peeks through the tiny pane of glass. He drops back to the floor and looks at me, his face a little paler than it was before.

  “There’s a wolf in there alright, male by his size. Locked in a steel fucking cage, three paces long, four at most. He must have scented us or heard us because he just looked right at me, then dismissed me by putting his head back on his paws.” Josh looks…spooked, not a look I see on my Beta often.

  “What’s wrong, Josh?” I ask him.

  “If they have a male wolf locked up like that, then what are they going to do with Phoenix? It’s that thought that has me rattled. And where is she?”

  We try with everything we have to get the door open, every ounce of strength, but it doesn’t budge. The door seems to have something on it, or embedded into it maybe, that weakens our attempts. We can’t try for as long as I’d have liked. Phoenix isn’t in this room as the only other cage Josh saw is empty, we have to keep going to find her. I promise the wolf that I’ll come back. Whether he hears or cares, I don’t know.

  We searched the entire building, there is no trace of her here. There isn’t a trace of anyone, except for the broken wolf and we can’t get to him. We have no choice but to head home and rethink what to do. Ember is going to blow a gasket.

  “Baby, you are going to wear a hole in our solid wooden floor.” I know Hunter is going for light heartedness, but I just can’t get on the happy train with him.

  “He hasn’t been in touch yet. I can’t just keep doing nothing, Hunter. I’ve screamed inside my head, there is no connection; nil, nothing, empty, but I also know she is still there.” My frustration is making my words clipped and sarcastic, and I know I shouldn’t be. Hunter is only trying to help me.

  “Your dad will keep us updated. He's said he is watching the warehouse. He will let us know as soon as he knows something. Come to bed, baby. I need to hold you.” Urgh, he is using that tone that always gets him his own way. I reluctantly give up my miles of pacing and climb into bed. I’m immediately enveloped in strong arms and pulled flush against a hard chest and abs. He nuzzles into my neck.

  “That’s better, my little wolf.” My erratic heart rate starts to steady and matches Hunter’s own relaxing beat.

  Ryder and I move as quickly through the woods as we can. I mean, I'm good at stealth, but Ryder is right fucking next to me and I still can’t hear a sound from him, not even his breathing. That day by the river he had most definitely let me know he was coming. If he had wanted, he could have jumped on my back, and I probably still wouldn’t have heard him.

  “We are being followed,” I whisper to him, but I keep my eyes forward.

  His hand grips mine tighter. “I know, just don’t look back or around for them. Make them think they have the upper hand. We just need to make it to the town, they won’t target you there, too many people,” he whispers back.

  “Don’t you think we can take them?” Now that the wolfsbane is all out, my shoulder has healed quickly. I’m chomping at the bit to give these fuckers a taste of their own medicine. Ryder smiles at my question.

  “I’ve no doubt you could take them on, all on your own, but they will have more than just aconite laced bolts on them. They want you, Phoenix, and they don’t want you dead. I’m not willing to find out what it is they want you for. When we can get your Father here and more wolves on our side, then you can rip out the throats of your enemies, pretty wolf, or should I change that to savage wolf?” He chuckles low. Yeah, I might be savage, but I prefer ‘pretty wolf’, not that I’ll admit it.

  “You seem to know an awful lot about me,” I slit my eyes at him.

  “Who doesn’t know about the Alpha family of the Inferno pack. I may be a lone wolf, but I stay alive because I know all about the surrounding packs,” he smirks at me.

  We make it to the road that leads to the town. It is only a small town, more of a village really but there are a few little clothing shops and, my God, take outs. As much as the rabbits were nice, there wasn’t much meat on them. Shit, someone give me a pizza or three. Ryder does just that. Luckily, he is a lone wolf who thinks ahead, he had cash stashed at his stop off cave.

  After picking up the pizza we head straight to the Inn that we have decided to stay in. Ryder’s thought is that if we are acting like normal human’s, it will make it harder for the hunters to attack. Being around people again opens that ache I feel when I think about how much I miss Ember. But I know that I need to keep her safe, and the further away from the danger she is the happier I will be. Dane’s not stupid, I know he will leave her at home when he comes to find me. Then there’s the selfish side of me that is thinking about pizza, a bath, a hotel bed, and Ryder.

  Settling into the room at the Inn, I practically inhale my meat feast pizza and portion of cheesy chips, washing it down with an ice-cold drink. Fucking delicious.

  Mouth stuffed with pizza I notice Ryder looking at me. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?” I ask around the food in my mouth, you know all lady-like and that.

  Ryder’s face changes from shocked to a beaming grin. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a girl basically inhale pizza before. I’m amazed. It’s so much more refreshing than the usual, oh I’ll just have a salad, need to watch my weight girls that I’m used to.”

  “No way, girls actually say things like that?” I ask in wonder, then stuff more pizza in my mouth. It’s fucking orgasmic. I’d wandered into the woods over a week ago now, this was the first real food I’d eaten. It doesn’t really feel like a week though because I was unconscious thanks to the wolfsbane for a lot of it. Ryder just chuckles at me and shakes his head, biting into his own pizza. He had come up with the strange notion of just getting one to share. I’d laughed at it, until I'd realised he’d been serious when asking.

  I shower after food, taking my time scrubbing all the dirt off me. Washing my hair three times, before smothering some conditioner into it. I twist it up onto my head and decide I’ll run a bath too.

  Watching the steam swirl into the air, I let out a long breath and relax back into the hot water to soak my aching muscles, going through the last week in my head. I’ve gone from enjoying Ember and Hunter’s mating ceremony to now lying in a bath in an Inn with a lone wolf. All I want to do is jump his bones every time he looks at me. A bunch of hunters are on my tail, for reasons I don’t know, other than I’m the daughter of the Inferno packs Alpha. I know it shouldn’t, but a little thrill runs through me. I do so love a dangerous adventure. Thinking again back to Ryder though makes my sex clench together. A fantasy quickly forms in my head of him coming into the bathroom, shirtless of course, twisting his hand in my hair and his mouth coming down, roughly possessing mine. His hand would then dip into the water and run down my body before circling around my clit. I let out a moan as my own hand does exactly as I’m imagining, I snap my eyes back open. Oops that was a little loud, I waited listening, cringing.

  “Phoenix?” Ryder’s voice comes from the other side of the door. I feel my cheeks flush. Dammit, of course he heard me.

  “Yes,” I answer sweetly, that damn chuckle sounds back at me. “I’m coming in a minute.” Oh God, I realise what I’ve said right before I hear him laugh aloud this time. “No! No! Nope, I didn’t mean…oh for fuck sake boy, you know what I mean!”

  “Yes, Phoenix, I’m sure I know what you mean, and you better not be coming in that bath without me being there, you minx.” Cou
ld I have been any more obvious? This Inn room is tiny with paper thin walls, like he wasn’t going to hear me. I climb out of the bath and dry off, wrapping the towel around me. I walk out of the bathroom. I’m just going to act casual, pretend that I wasn’t thinking about him in the bath with me. His ego will just explode, I’m sure of it. I am so ready to snuggle into bed now too, but are we sharing it? I didn’t mind at all, but would he? Own your shit, Phoenix. So, I set my shoulders back and just ask.

  “Are you coming to bed?” Okay so I probably could have worded that a little better.

  “Do you want me to come to bed?” His eyebrow raises in a dare.

  “Don’t answer my question with a question, it’s annoying as fuck. But yes, I do want you to.” I’m already heading down the dirt road so I may as well go all the way. “We, you know, don’t have to do anything. Like, well yeah, that...” I punctuate what I’m so eloquently trying to get across by gesturing to all of him. So now I’m referring to all of him as sex, this is just great. So much for owning your shit, Phoenix.

  He hooks a finger at me. I gulp, all flustered and flapping about what I’m saying. What the hell is wrong with me? It’s normally me having this effect on others. “Come here, pretty wolf.” My heartbeat kicks up at his sensual tone. He’s no longer playful, he is dominant. Demanding. My feet move of their own accord. I reach him and raise my chin, meeting his dominance, but I grip my towel a little tighter.

  “Yes,” I breathe out, my heart trying to punch its way out of my chest as I look directly into his entrancing eyes.

  “On the bed.” His green eyes hold mine, daring me to disobey.

  I move to get on the bed, slowly. The bastard grabs my towel from me. I stop there, mid stride. Butt. Ass. Naked.

  “On the bed, my pretty wolf.” His tone has turned hungry. Raw. I normally don’t fold so easily, but his voice rings with power, it makes me want to obey him. I’ve never obeyed anyone fully before. Yeah Jordan, I might have let him be a little dominating, but he always knew he was never in full control of me. So how is Ryder having such control over me?

  I sit on the edge of the bed and look him in the eye while crossing one leg over the other. A thrill suddenly rushes through me as I watch Ryder, like a predator who has cornered his prey, triumph spreads across his stunning features. I wonder what punishment I’ll get if I tease him a little more.

  “I’m on the bed.” There is a challenge in my sweet voice. Now this is more like me. However, he raises an eyebrow at me and my teasing falters. Maybe I don’t want to know what the punishment will be after all?

  “You can get that hot arse of yours on the bed properly, or I’ll colour it pink with my hand, pretty wolf.” A nervous, excited giggle bursts out of me.

  “Yeah right, big boy. Keep dreaming.” I make the mistake of taking my eyes off him as I roll them. Abruptly I’m flipped onto my knees and a hand comes down hard onto my arse cheek. A squealed moan shoots out of my lips. Fuck if that sting doesn’t feel good. Wetness drips from me. I try to squirm out of his hold, but he grips my hip tight, and his hand runs softly over the sting he just left. My body shudders. “You fucking wanker. How dare you.” I try to exclaim.

  His hand smooths up my back and grips my damp hair, pulling me up flush against his chest. He still has his clothes on. I feel his jeans rub against my arse with the strain of his erection. How rude of him, why isn’t he naked already? That erection could be in me right now. I rock my hips back against him, my need throbbing. His lips brush my ear, his stubble scratching my jaw as he speaks.

  “Oh don’t you pretend you don’t love a little spank, I can smell how turned on you are right now, and if I do this...” The hand not gripping my hair, trails down over my stomach, down to my quivering pussy and another moan escapes my lips. Then his skilled fingers run through my wetness, making my moans turn into a pant as he flutters over my clit. “Yes, dripping wet, just as I thought you would be.” His voice exuded with satisfaction.

  “So, are you all talk and no action?” A chuckle vibrates through his kiss, as his lips and teeth trail down my neck, over my pulse.

  “Phoenix, I don’t plan on rushing this, just the opposite actually. I’m going to explore and savour your body. I plan on making you cum, over and over, before I fill you with my own hot cum. Then I’m going to do it again and again. You won’t be sleeping much tonight, baby.” With that he releases my hair and pushes me back on the bed, flips me onto my back and bends my knees up. I keep them locked together though. My defiance hasn’t totally deserted me, yet.

  “I don’t think so, baby. Spread them.” His eyes sparkle with need and hunger. Hunger for me, and fuck, that is just making me want him more. Letting go of the last shred of defiance, I obey him. I’m rewarded with his hot mouth working its way up my inner thigh. I grip the headboard behind me, squirming under him, trying to get closer. But there’s no rushing the arsehole. He nips the soft skin at the top of my inner thigh and I let out a pleading moan. If he doesn’t hurry up he’s going to have me cuming before he even touches my pussy. Then his tongue slips along my slit. I see stars. He works his tongue in and out of me, plunging his hot tongue as deep as he can, his powerful hands hold my legs apart. Oh. My. God. I didn’t know being eaten out could feel so fucking amazing. My breathing starts to get faster as he pushes me closer and closer to the edge. Then he starts suckling on my clit and two fingers roughly drive inside me. I explode. I’m going to see stars for the rest of my freaking life at this rate.

  I’m vaguely aware he is stripping as I’m spiralling down from my intense orgasm. I’m riding my very own cloud nine, blissfully. Then his ripped body is hovering over me. He hooks my legs in the crooks of his elbows and pushes an inch of his huge cock into me. I grip his forearms, grounded suddenly from my cloud. He’s so fucking big.

  “Take it all, pretty wolf.” Jeez, I don’t think it’s all going to fit. He pushes again, the burn of stretching for him pushes me close to cuming again. He inched his way in, right to the hilt. Stuffed, that’s what I am. Stuffed full. But hell, it feels fucking amazing. His green eyes are locked on mine as he slips back out and then in, harder this time. He groans as my pussy tightens around his solid length, my fingers bite into his powerful arms.

  “Fuck, Phoenix. I’ve wanted to be right here since I first scented you.” He slips out then back in harder, pushing deeper. “You smell intoxicating to me, like lotus flowers and crisp fresh waterfalls.” He picks up speed. My eyes nearly roll in my head. “I had to find you. I had to have you.” I can see how hard he’s trying to hold onto his control. I want all of him, I want the pure raw power that is this male, Ryder. I release my hold on his arms, running my hands up his back to his shoulders, then I run my nails back down that muscled back.

  “Then have me.” With my words his control snaps. He is slamming into me, and I’m trying not to scream in pleasure. It isn’t long though before I’m screaming as I drench him in my juices. Before my breathing has even returned to normal I’m flipped over and I grab the headboard again as he rams in deep, pushing me up the bed.

  “Oh no, pretty wolf, you aren’t getting away.” He grabs my hips and pulls me onto him. I’m not even sure of the noises coming out of me now. I’ve never been so filled and fucked in my life; I have been seriously missing out. I feel him start to swell even more inside of me, and his fingers assault my clit.

  “Cum, Phoenix. NOW!” He swells, driving deep, then stills as I soak him in cum, and he fills me with his.

  I’m done. I just kind of flop onto my front. Ryder comes with me and rolls, so we are on our sides and he is spooning me, his cock still twitching inside me. I’d normally get up and leave right about now, but I couldn’t walk, even if I wanted to.

  “So, they lied? They don’t have Phoenix. But they have a different wolf there? Maybe they have her someplace else? Did you check the entire building?” I was firing questions at Dane and Josh. They'd arrived home half an hour ago. Without Phoenix. “Who is the wolf that’s ther
e? Are they from any pack we know? I don’t know of anyone missing, do you? Did you try everything to get them out?”

  “Ember, please breathe. I can’t keep up with your questions. Yes, we tried everything. We couldn’t budge the door, not even with our strength combined. Phoenix wasn’t there, there wasn’t even a trace of her scent. So yes, they either lied, or they have taken her elsewhere, but I have no idea where else they hold their captives. I’m trying, baby girl. I promise. I don’t know why they sent the damn email!” I look at him, his eyes are pulled down by heavy black bags, there are lines of stress on his forehead and his mouth is tight. He looks exhausted. I suck in some of my anger. I'm not being fair, my father hadn’t taken her. With that thought, I deflate like a popped tire. I take in a deep breath. My sister is a fighter, I know she isn’t dead and that’s what matters right now. If she isn’t dead then we can find her.

  “So, you say the door wouldn’t move?” My voice has calmed down.

  “No, it was like we were weakened every time we pushed, pulled, hit and kicked it.”

  As Josh relays what he saw in the room with the wolf, and about how the wolf behaved, my stomach sinks. Who could be so cruel and twisted? It takes a lot to break a shifter, but to break their hope too is something else. Whatever happened to the wolf makes my heart hurt for him, it doesn’t matter who he is. Hunter’s arms come around me, sensing how I’m feeling through our bond. “I feel for him too, beautiful. But we will get him out, and we will find your sister.” He kisses my cheek and turns to Dane. “We will all go out this time. I will contact my old pack and inform them of the situation also. I’m sure Gareth, their Alpha, will send help. Did you say the letter about Phoenix came as an email? A friend of mine is computer savvy, he will be able to trace it back to where it was sent from, if you like?”