by Louisa Bacio
At that last comment, her cheeks pinked up, as if she realized she’d been gone for too long, and she’d made her family worry about her. Nick had just about given up hope finding her alive.
“You know what? I don’t think coming here was a good idea. Why don’t I leave, and you’re free to do whatever or whomever you want?”
The moment that Nick said those words, something froze within his chest. He knew it couldn’t have been his heart, because as a vampire, it no longer beat, right? Perhaps it was that residual memory of pain, kind of like a person who loses a limb and they still have the phantom itch.
Except for him, that itch equaled Silver. She symbolized the last of his humanity. Without her, what would happen to him? Would he fall into the habits of the rogue vampires, killing randomly and at will—not giving a damn about life since he no longer lived?
Fresh pain flashed across Silver’s face. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her, but staying with her and forcing her to be with him, that was a sort of enslavement, right? Or was it love? If he truly loved her, would he make her choose between the two of them?
She took a step toward him, as if to reconcile or to ward off a final goodbye, and that bastard Viktor pulled her backward, her body going flush against his oversized chest. Jealousy flared up within the pit of Nick’s belly, and sharply his fangs extended. He withheld a growl that threatened to burst from his throat. Look at him, already.
“Nick, I don’t want …” Silver said, extending her hand out toward him.
She always worried about him, but in this instance what would be the best for her? If he was a wolf, one of her kind, Viktor could give her so much more that Nick couldn’t: security during all hours, even the daylight, and the possibility of children. Any future offspring of Nick’s were as dead as he was.
No soul. No life. No death.
“Let him go,” the bastard said, loud enough for Nick to hear. “He’s made his wishes clear. It’s time to move on.”
Of course, he’d come from that point of view. Maybe it was time for Silver to return to New Orleans. And what? They could hide in hellholes during the day, and only travel at nighttime? Been there, done that.
The wind whipped up, screaming through the forest and sending a chill deep into Nick’s bones. Silver shivered where she stood, and he wished to all hell and back that he could be the one to warm her tonight. She was the only person left in his life that remembered him, the real him, as a human. Sure, Trevor, Justice, and Lily had met him in his prior days, but none of them could say they truly knew him. And the people from his previous life like his former roommate, those vampire hunters who didn’t differentiate between those evil and those good? To them, a vampire was evil no matter what. They didn’t bother to ask soul-searching questions. If they saw him now, and recognized who and what he was, they would simply jam a stake through his heart and go have a drink over his undead body.
“Please stay tonight, at least,” Silver said, tears glistening in her eyes. “You’ve traveled all this way, and you need to rest. Plus, I’d like to catch up, learn what’s happening at home. It’s been too long.”
“Silver, it would probably be better if he left now. We don’t know how the rest of the tribe is going to act,” Viktor said.
She pushed back on his chest, knocking him off balance. “You don’t get to tell me what to do. We’re not mated. If anyone has more of a relationship here, it’s Nick and I. You and me? We haven’t done anything yet. There’s that potential there, but we haven’t crossed that line. And if you want something to happen, then you’ve got to let me be myself.”
At her ferocious response, Viktor glared at Nick, as if he had done something to instigate the confrontation. Nick held up his hands. “Whoa, there. I didn’t do anything. One thing you’ll learn about our girl Silver here, though, if she wants something, she’ll take it. And there’s no stopping her. How do you think I felt when she told me she was leaving New Orleans?”
At that comment, Silver offered a slight smile, one that reminded Nick of her at the age of twelve, right before she was going to get into trouble with something.
“Want to meet my dad, Nick? I know that you have to be curious about the sire of Trev and I.”
Another failure. Perhaps it would be better for him to leave before he got further into the pack. Things with Silver’s dad could go bad very, very quickly. He felt protective toward his lover, and after seeing the lifetime of hurt Silver had endured, it would be impossible to face one of the people who caused it.
“Bloody hell, you’re not going to let him go, are you?” Viktor asked. As he backed away from her, Nick stood in front of her, without moving forward.
A charge fueled the atmosphere, and Viktor let out the growl that Nick had been holding back. He stepped to the side of Silver, and morphed into his werewolf form, his clothes ripping off and falling to the forest floor beside him.
Good lord, he was a beast, with thick, slick black hair and devilish eyes. Hatred glared at Nick, while Viktor bared his teeth. Saliva dripped down from his snout.
Instinctively, Nick flashed his fangs, crouching down into a fighting stance, and growled right back.
Laying a hand on the back of Viktor’s neck, Silver soothed the savage were. “It’s all right. There’s no harm that’s going to come to me.”
He glanced up at her, calming beneath her touch, then turned and ran into the woods. Nick knew it wouldn’t be the last he’d be seeing of that creature. He didn’t know if he should hope for a truce or a battle.
“That guy needs to learn to lighten up a bit,” Nick said.
And just like that, magic happened. Silver laughed. Her happiness floated through the air and the pain constricting Nick’s heart dissipated, with joy replacing it. How she brought him to life like no other person could.
“Come now,” she took his hand. “Let’s go into the encampment, and I’ll introduce you around.”
“I’m a little afraid of their reactions. Does the Pack have much interaction with vampires?”
“We’ll find out, but I’m sure it will be all right. My father is leader of the Pack, and I’m his daughter, which affords me certain licenses.”
“Ah, playing the nepotism card, are you?”
“Well, it’s gotta be good for something. That, and the twenty years dear ol’ dad was absent from my life.”
Before they moved on, a powerful desire overtook Nick. He paused, and brought Silver toward him. He glided his hand down the length of her silky silver hair, momentarily thinking about that connection of Silver petting Viktor, then pushing the thought out of his mind. Her large blue eyes grew even wider as she realized what he was about to do.
“I’m sorry. It may not be the right time, but I have to.”
He took her mouth, softly caressing her lips first, questioning the rightness of what they shared. She sighed, leaning into his body, and her so-familiar scent filled his senses, overtaking him, and his reason. His kiss grew more passionate. Sadness overcame him. She felt different, almost foreign.
Damn. She was his first. Forget this shit about leaving her for Viktor, for another man. He deserved her. He deserved some of this magical happiness.
Tongues twirled in a choreographed union. They’d been here before, so many times, but something about this time, this coming together after the time apart, ached that much sweeter. She fit his body perfectly.
His cock roared to life in his jeans, and he shifted aside so she wouldn’t feel him plowing into her pelvis. He didn’t want to scare her off. Right now, he’d be willing to take what she offered. He wanted what they’d had in the past, but he didn’t know if that relationship even existed anymore.
Finally they broke free, and Silver’s chest heaved as she took in deep breaths. “Missed you,” she said.
“And I, you.” He leaned down, and kissed the tip of her nose. “An
d I, you.”
A wolf howled in the distance, and a shiver danced up Silver’s back.
As they walked the rest of the way to the encampment, Silver watched Nick out of the corner of her eye. Having him here with her came naturally. True, he was a city boy all the way. He’d probably hate so much great outdoors, but she didn’t realize how much she really did miss him until she saw him again.
Silver wondered what the hell she’d gotten herself into. Trev, Law, and Lily made a threesome look so easy. Yes, it was Lily who came into the existing relationship, but Silver still had hope. Maybe there was a way she could keep Nick, and also have Viktor.
She was attracted to both of them, and the minute she saw Nick she didn’t doubt she still loved him. She couldn’t believe it had been so long since she’d been in his arms. The urban-musty smell of him mixed with the natural wilderness absolutely turned her on. Although she’d wanted Viktor, something held her back from getting fully physical with him. She hadn’t made that break with Nick, and guilt plucked at her conscience whenever she thought about moving on. But with both of them here, in such close proximity, Silver could hope.
Maybe she could have her vampire, and wolf, too.
Chapter Eleven
Since it was later in the evening, Silver knew some in the Pack would have turned in already for the night. A few, including her father, should be around the campfire, telling stories.
A scattering of voices and laughter greeted their ears as they neared the area. The light tossed up an orange-amber glow, bathing the area in a warmth Silver hoped would symbolize their welcoming of Nick.
The instant they were seen, the conversations petered out, and everyone turned toward her and the stranger at her side. Her father stood, stepping in front of his mate Sheba, automatically moving to protect her, just like Viktor had done with Silver.
She held firm to Nick’s hand and gave it a small squeeze, and cleared her throat. “Dad, I’d like you to meet Nick, a friend from home in New Orleans. He came to see if I was all right.”
Her father glanced between the two of them, then down at their clasped hands, taking in that maybe they were more than friends.
“Welcome, son. It’s nice to know my daughter has someone to look out for her in the big city.” He held out his hand in greeting.
Nick hesitated, then dropped Silver’s hand, and took Nathaniel’s instead. As her father grew closer, his eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared out, as if he’d caught a whiff of something.
“You are not human, and you’re not wolf. What are you?”
“Vampire.”
A rumble of protest began from the others around the campfire. Nathanial held his hand out to them, signaling for them to settle down.
“Is there any reason why I should fear for you being here? Do you mean to cause any harm to my daughter or my Pack?”
“No, sir,” Nick said, glancing downward and slumping his shoulders forward in deference to her father’s position within the tribe. Without even knowing the customs, he’d automatically showed respect for Nathaniel, and the situation.
“Good. As I said, it’s nice to have someone so strong looking out after my daughter. Come, join us.”
As easy as that, Nick was let into the inner circle. Silver knew his position was not quite that simple, but within the Pack, the small gestures meant a lot.
“I thought Viktor had set out to meet you, dear, and now you come back with this man,” Sheba said, her eyes batting innocently. “Whatever happened? And where is our wolf warrior?”
“He decided to go for a moonlight run,” Silver said. “He’ll be back.” Then she’d have to face some tough decisions. For one, where would Nick sleep tonight?
Now that she had a moment to sit and gather her thoughts, Silver watched Nick. His cheeks pulled in gauntly, and dark bags lined underneath his eyes. The skin on his hands pulled tight. Damn it. He was dehydrated. She hadn’t asked any questions about how he’d come out there, and odds were the trip had taken its toll.
She needed to feed him.
* * * *
Viktor didn’t go far. He ran, letting off steam, but quickly wanted to return to keep an eye on Silver, and Nick. She’d warned him about a suitor back home. She’d left out the part about him being an undead. The encampment had become a fucking revolving door of uninvited visitors. First, Silver had shown up, which hadn’t turned out all that bad so far, and then this piece.
He stopped by his cabin, changing into a new set of clothes, and reminding himself to return to pick up the remains of his last outfit later. It had been a long time since he’d shredded clothing while shifting at an inappropriate time. Seeing Nick approach Silver, though, had pissed him off.
Rather than heading to the common area from the front, he circled around back, checking out the layup first. If he was lucky, maybe Nathaniel had already killed the bastard.
Through the clearing in the trees, he saw Silver lean in close to Nick and whisper something in his ear. He didn’t need to know what she said, but the other man nodded.
They both got up, Nick clasped Nathaniel’s hand, and they headed toward the cabins.
Too bad it wouldn’t be his lucky day.
* * * *
Hunger gnawed at his belly, and he counted how long it had been since he’d last fed. It wasn’t not like he wanted to drink from one of the Pack. He was sure that wouldn’t go over well. They already had issues with him being there. They were twenty miles from the nearest town, with some camping sites closer. He needed to wrap up this little soiree and head out there if he was going to find some sustenance tonight.
As Silver chatted, the vein in her neck throbbed. His eyes focused on the pulsating lifeblood. He’d had her so many times in the past, and he could remember the way she tasted. Rich, with a sweet undertone. With her change in diet, he wondered if her flavor would change at all. At the memories, his fangs extended, and he passed his hand in front of his mouth, hoping to hide them.
“What are you doing, vampire?” Viktor asked, stepping out of the darkness and between him and Silver.
“Nothing,” Nick lisped. Damn, he needed to get the hell out of there. To feed in the immediate future, but more, to go back home. He’d come to make sure Silver was all right. Obviously, she was. This big lug of a werewolf could protect her plenty. What did Silver need Nick for? If anyone, Nick needed her more—to feed. He needed her blood.
What a fucked-up healthy relationship they had.
“Nick, are you all right?” Silver asked, pushing Viktor aside.
The minute she got a look at him, she knew. “How long has it been since you fed?”
“A while,” he responded.
“How long? Tell me. You’re drooling as you stare at my neck. We both know it’s no good if you go past a certain point. You can lose control.”
“A week.”
“Because you’ve been on the road, and I know you haven’t wanted to hurt anybody. Hadn’t wanted to drain them, or leave them for dead.”
“That’s right.” She knew him way too well.
“Come on.” She grabbed his hand, and he was amazed at her strength. Although she wasn’t a petite woman, she was far stronger than her size indicated.
He stalled, looking at Viktor over his shoulder.
“Hell no,” the other man said. “Not going to happen.”
Silver stuck out her index finger, thumping it against his chest. “You don’t get to tell me what I can do. And if he needs me, I’m here. If he needs to feed, then I’m here for him. Do you get it?”
Nick had to hand it to the big guy; he didn’t flinch or anything. He stood his ground and let Silver have her say. His eyes flared wider—that was his only tell of emotion.
“Fine, if you want, but you’re not going alone. I can’t risk that blood drinker draining you dry,” Viktor said.
&nbs
p; “He’s never done anything to endanger me in the past,” Silver said.
Viktor crossed his arms, indicating that on this issue, he wasn’t moving.
“Can I say …” Nick tried to interject.
“No,” Silver rejected quickly. “You don’t have a say in this issue. All you’re going to do is feed before you fall flat on your ass, or end up attacking someone else in the Pack, and we have to kill you in retaliation.”
He flinched beneath the directness of her words. She did have a point, though. And now that he knew blood was coming, he literally heard the blood pumping within her veins. And damn, that of Viktor’s, too. The last he wanted was a piece of that big, hairy canine.
As if he knew exactly what Nick was thinking, Viktor let out a low growl.
“You don’t really need to do this,” Nick insisted as they entered her home. The environment smelled like Silver, and he caught the scent of another female.
For being out in the woods, he was amazed at the quality of the craftsmanship. He ran his hand down the wall, feeling the solidness. A good winter storm could blow through here, and huff and puff, and nothing would blow down.
“Viktor’s in charge of building the dwellings,” Silver said, watching Nick’s movements. “He’s got quite a talent, doesn’t he?”
“Oh yes, he does,” Nick said, his gut twisting up in knots. What couldn’t the guy do?
Once ensconced in Silver’s cabin, she led Nick toward the bedroom. Viktor followed them without a word, but his presence very much permeated the room.
“You are going to stay out here,” Silver said, placing her hand against his chest and pushing him out into the living room.
He growled in response, but didn’t go any further. He glared at Nick. “If you’re in there for too long, I’m coming in, and no funny stuff either, or …”
“I get it, you’re coming in,” Nick finished for him.
The guy didn’t let off a smile, or anything. Then again, it made Nick think what he would do if he was the outsider left isolated from the master bedroom while his mate went elsewhere with another man. Worse, not even the same species—in this case, a werewolf. He’d be on edge himself. He was lucky Viktor was controlling himself as much as he was. Although Nick possessed extra-human strength, with the added weight, height, and Others senses of Viktor, he easily pummeled Nick.
