Werewolves Be Damned

by Stacey Kennedy

  Kyden cupped Nexi’s jaw, capturing her gaze. “Remember what you’ve learned. Act fast. Be brutal—”

  “Kyden.” She sighed and rolled her eyes, moving away from him. “I’ll be fine. Stop worrying.” She shoved him on the shoulder. “Get in there.”

  He hadn’t anticipated how hard this moment would be for him. A pull between the side of him wanting to protect her and the other that wanted to support her. Glancing at the front door, and on a deep breath, he used the power behind his muscles and kicked it.

  The old hinges broke under his force and dust flew up in the air. “Where?”

  Foley sniffed. “To the right.”

  Kyden rushed into the house, sensing Nexi on his heels, and suspecting that Foley came up the rear. He entered the living room, or what might once have been one, but now was a rundown square room, empty of all furnishings.

  Four wolves stood in front of the fireplace, fists clenched, and glared daggers at him. No doubt they’d heard the conversation outside and expected their appearance, which made Kyden wonder why they hadn’t acted.

  Why was none of these wolves feeling remorse? Or fear that the Council’s Guard would hunt them?

  One of the men stepped forward, and Kyden recognized him as one who’d killed the woman—the rustic looking one in need of a shower. “Get out.” He sneered. “You don’t belong here.”

  Kyden stopped at the entrance, and Nexi settled in next to him, Foley at her side. “You don’t belong in New York. You shouldn’t have left the Texas pack’s protection. The murder you’ve committed tonight is unforgiveable.”

  Silence surrounded him.

  The werewolves didn’t deny it, or even react to his statement, once again raising alarm. Kyden also didn’t like how the other two wolves—not involved in the crime tonight—looked at him with such disrespect. These werewolves weren’t typical, and he had no doubt if Briggs saw any werewolf looking at the Council’s Guard with such contempt he wouldn’t have the chance to say a word because the wolf would be dead.

  What had turned these wolves into coldblooded killers?

  Before he could ask as much, Nexi snorted. “Liar.”

  Kyden studied the wolves, as they once again showed no response. He thought it odd that these wolves were sticking together. They had rejected their own pack, but had remained protective of each other. Why?

  He stared at the clean-shaven one, wondering what would keep them so bound together. Why would they kill an innocent mortal without a purpose behind it? They weren’t defending their reasons or explanation their actions, they were staying stone cold silent.

  The secrets surrounding all this, as well as the deaths, and how the werewolves in the room stared again at Nexi bothered him. Twice now, he’d seen wolves more focused on her than on him, and that surprised him. Why was Nexi such a threat?

  Hot slivers of rage twisted through his body. “Eyes off her and onto me, wolves,” he warned.

  The rugged wolf slowly smiled. “Ah, but she’s so pretty, isn’t she?”

  That officially ended the conversation.

  Kyden slid his sword from his back, and heard Nexi do the same. Knowing he needed to act swiftly, since they were outnumbered, Kyden rushed forward and he met two werewolves dead on, while one slipped by him heading for Nexi. Concern engulfed him, nearly making him turn around to help her, but he’d be dead if he did.

  He trusted in her, and trusted that he’d trained her well.

  The first wolf pounced, and Kyden delivered a hard blow to his snout, sending him soaring back. He heard Foley’s low growl and the sound of teeth breaking flesh. Then he kicked out at the second wolf and angled his sword toward his chest. The moment the wolf dropped dead to the ground was the exact second he heard a loud thump, Nexi’s sharp inhale of breath, and in the corner of his eye he saw her tumble ass first to the ground.

  His coherent thoughts fled him, the concern for his own life didn’t hold nearly as much weight as it should have, and now, he only cared to kill the wolf that dared injure her.

  No one touched her.

  Unless they had a death wish…

  Nexi landed hard on her back with an oomph, and heard not only fists beating a body, but the roar of Foley as his teeth ripped through skin. She remained focused on the werewolf only inches away from landing on top of her. She kicked out hard with both legs, thrusting him back, and she sprang into action.

  Right then, a hand gripped the wolf by the leg and Kyden threw him against the wall. The wolf appeared dazed, shaking his head. Nexi, in fact, didn’t mind the help, because it gave her leverage. Not hesitating, she lunged at the wolf, while the other wolf charged Kyden.

  Nexi met the wolf running at her dead on.

  She was ready.

  His skill was nowhere near the level of Holten’s, and even Holten wasn’t all that hard to defeat. No matter how hard this wolf tried—and he surely tried—he couldn’t sink his teeth into her. In a desperate attempt, he shifted then lunged with his fist aimed at her face. She smashed her palm against his jaw propelling him backward, and not hesitating, she swung her sword toward the base of his neck.

  The man appeared shocked.

  Time slowed.

  He blinked.

  His mouth opened.

  Then it all went blank.

  With a heavy thud, his body fell heavily to the ground. Nexi gulped deeply, staring at the pool of blood beneath him, not sure how she felt about the whole thing. Definitely gross, that much was clear-cut. Before her eyes, the body, his head, along with every speck of blood vanished.

  Turning to the fights around her, she noticed Foley standing over the body of a dead wolf, his mouth lay open and blood dripped off those very sharp teeth. He gestured to the body, and Nexi stepped up and stabbed the wolf’s side.

  Once the body vanished, Foley glanced up and snorted a totally feral sound.

  Nexi smiled, patting his head. ”Good wolf.”

  Foley gave a soft growl.

  She turned to the last fight, and Kyden had clearly taken care of one of the wolves because only one more remained. Now, though, the werewolf had shifted into his human form, and he’d obviously been trained in martial arts.

  His combat skills were impressive.

  Too bad for him, it didn’t much matter. The ginger haired man didn’t stand a chance in hell of defeating Kyden. Every hit the man offered, Kyden blocked it easily, and it appeared almost effortless.

  He was delicious.

  The importance of the situation faded from her mind as her focus zeroed in on each bulging muscle, admiring the gracefulness of Kyden’s skilled moves. No matter how inappropriate this was—and it was completely inappropriate—arousal stirred within.

  Unable to stop herself, she put a voice to the sensual energy simmering through her veins with a sigh. Kyden’s head jerked toward her and his eyes flared, as he drank in her reaction to him.

  In the moment of distraction, the wolf high-kicked Kyden in the head, sending him stumbling back. Kyden slammed into the wall before he found his footing, groaning deep. His jaw clenched and his eyes became intoxicatingly focused as he stepped forward, full of purpose. “I have better things to do than play with you, wolf.”

  With a speed so shocking Nexi could only gape, the wolf was dead. Apparently, Kyden enjoyed fighting and he had drawn out the moment, because he had killed the wolf so quickly she couldn’t come to any other conclusion.

  Once the body vanished, leaving only an empty house around them, Kyden’s gaze caught hers. “Go, Foley.”

  Foley shifted into his human form, settling in next to Nexi with a laugh. “I’ll be in contact if anything else develops in New York.” Then, without another word, his deep laughter followed him out of the house.

  Nexi found herself speechless, unable to take her eyes off Kyden. He strode forward with purpose and intensity she’d never once seen from him. Holy hell, he had never looked sexier.

  On his way across the room, he dropped his kilt, and in two
giant strides, he pressed her against the wall. She gasped out loudly as his fingers dug into her thighs, but he stole the sound with a fierce kiss. Molding her legs around him, he ground against her, positioning himself directly against her regions south. She hadn’t dry-humped anyone since high school, but with Kyden rubbing himself all over, this wasn’t awkward like she remembered.

  This was hot.

  With every sharp turn of his hips, a raging spark flared within and sent quick flashes of sizzling heat blazing through her senses. He nudged her head to the side and consumed her neck as if he was starving—hungry for the taste of her flesh. She gripped his shoulders tight, struggling for breath from his intensity.

  Instinctively, she moved with him, and he growled a warning.

  She heard his message loud and clear. She wasn’t to control any of this. Tonight was for him to take what he needed, what he desired. He craved her body with a fever pitch and the control he’d managed was now gone. Kyden was dominant, and undoubtedly, he realized this was the only time she allowed all that testosterone to be unleashed, since it spoke to her very hormones.

  Knowing exactly what he wanted, she relaxed in his arms. Kyden groaned deep in approval and took her mouth again as roughly as a predator might. He had her pinned against the wall—forcing her to grasp the difference in their bodies, to appreciate the size of him, the strength he carried, and she did. She felt tiny in comparison as he forced her thighs wide, moving quickly and forcefully to satisfy his urges.

  He encased her bottom in his tight grip and angled her hips to intensify the sensation. Her breath became raspy and quick. He called for her release, demanded she finish with him. Not because he worried over her pleasure—oh no—she read clearly in the low grunts he made this was because he wanted to know he controlled her.

  Right now, he did.

  She panted against his mouth while his kisses became urgent. His groans deepened as his movements became harder, faster. And she was flying right alongside him. Each turn of his hips sent glorious sensations all the way down to the tips of her toes.

  “Give in to me,” he murmured.

  As if he was in control of her body, she responded. The wave of pleasure roaring inside of her broke. Her muscles clamped down, gripping the very edge of her climax, and he smacked her bottom. “Now.”

  Screaming against the intensity burning inside her, she released the strong hold unleashing her climax. She bit down on his shoulder, attempting to quiet her loud roars just as Kyden trembled. He grunted a low masculine sound—one she became instantly fond of—as his body erupted into shuddering convulsions.

  At some point—she couldn’t tell how much time had passed—her mind decided to work again, and she noticed Kyden’s head was buried in her neck. “Well, that was certainly not what I planned to happen when I walked into this house.”

  Kyden breathed heavily against her skin, fluttering her hair, then he backed away. The fire she had spotted in his eyes dimmed now. “Fighting. The adrenaline. It excites me.” He hesitated, then added with his devilish grin, “You might want to refrain from giving me sexy-as-hell looks unless we’re in a proper place to indulge ourselves.”

  “Yeah.” She chuckled. “No kidding.”

  Note to self: wear that look more often.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The knock at the door had woken Kyden. He glanced down at Nexi as he slipped into his gear. He preferred to stay in bed with her. Give her another round of the treatment he offered her last night, as well as receive what she’d given him with those talented hands and mouth of hers, but a knock at the door meant trouble.

  Once dressed with his scabbard settled around his chest, he looked down into Nexi’s placid face. Whoever was at the door could wait a moment longer, trouble or not. He slid a piece of hair off her face but she didn’t stir.

  Her beauty astounded him…

  Another knock sounded at the door, snapping him away. Two knocks meant urgent trouble. Leaving Nexi sound asleep behind him, he hurried to the door, and once he opened it, he found Finn. “What’s up?”

  “Briggs came through with the lead,” Finn said, voice tight with concern. “Is Nexi coming?”

  Kyden shook his head, as he stepped out into the hallway and shut the door quietly behind him. “She’s sleeping.”

  Nexi might be burning with hells-fire at him for not waking her, but the lead might turn up nothing, so why not let her rest. Besides, she looked peaceful. In the chaos that happened to be her life, if he could give her some reprieve he would, whether she liked it or not.

  He started down the hallway with Finn matching his stride. “What’s the lead?”

  “Briggs found a member of the Texas pack in New York.”

  Kyden exhaled, hoping this would give them some answers. He hated the dead end he currently faced. He had no explanation for why Nexi’s family had been murdered, why wolves were killing in New York City, or why a vampire had vanished in Salt Lake City. Most of all, he had no idea if they were all connected, or were random events.

  From experience, he knew all these events could be a coincidence. He’d seen it happen before. However, he couldn’t overlook the fact that the first werewolf death was at Nexi’s family home, a supernatural hidden in the Earthworld. Yet, at the same time, if her family was the target, why did the other killings still happen?

  That was the biggest flaw to that theory.

  He craved to end this assignment, help Nexi find that final werewolf who killed her family, then this could all be over for her. Frustration tightened his muscles, knowing at the moment he was powerless to settle her life.

  In quick time, Kyden, with Finn in next to him, entered the Council’s Foyer, and he discovered Briggs waiting by the portal. Kyden noted the tight set of Briggs’s jaw and that brought a bit of hope. “I take it this lead is good.”

  Briggs inclined his head. “It’s solid.”

  “Glad to hear it.”

  Once he reached Briggs, Kyden kept his mind blank so Briggs could carry them all to the New York location, as he opened the portal’s door. The second Kyden followed Briggs through, with Finn right behind him, the bright light flashed before his eyes.

  Within seconds, Kyden inhaled the exhaust from the busy cars around him, as his boots stood atop a sidewalk. He stepped away from the large dumpster they had arrived behind, then he glanced in front of him, as the sun shone down from the mid-afternoon sky.

  Confused, he turned to Briggs. “Our lead is at a church?”

  Briggs shrugged. “You got it.”

  Thinking it an odd place for the werewolf to go, Kyden followed Finn and Briggs as they crossed the street. When they headed up the church’s stairs, the bell rang high above them in the tall, enclosed tower.

  Once at the large wooden doors, Briggs entered the church and Kyden stayed right on his heels, instantly surrounded by dozens of candelabras reflecting a glow off the large arched windows. Rows of pews filled the church and in the second row sat a sobbing werewolf.

  Glancing at Briggs with an arched brow, he received a shrug, then a shove forward, as well as two smirks from his so-called friends. Kyden shook his head; of course they’d send him in to deal with a crying man.

  Approaching the pew, he studied the man who had a head topped with brown hair, which was buried in his hands as his entire body trembled. Kyden stopped next to the pew and when the werewolf didn’t acknowledge him, he cleared his throat. “What’s your name?”

  The man raised his head with tears soaking his face. “Calder from the Texas pack.” He glanced over his shoulder, spotted Finn and Briggs before he looked to Kyden. “Go on, kill me. I have nothing to live for anyway.”

  Kyden glimpsed over at Briggs, and noticed that even he was regarding the wolf strangely. The man’s behavior seemed all wrong. The wolves Kyden had met so far had showed no emotion or guilt, and Calder was a broken man. “All right. Start talking.”

  “I’ve gotten myself into a situation.” He wiped his tears and su
cked in a breath, gathering himself. “After a new alpha took over our pack, which left the pack divided, a group of us made a plan to leave.”

  He leaned against the back of the pew, sending it squeaking beneath him, as he added, “My brother left our pack in Texas so I went with him, feeling it was the right thing to do. I hadn’t known taking innocent mortal lives would be included in that plan.”

  Kyden heard the meaning in Calder’s statement. “You haven’t been involved in these recent string of killings?”

  Calder shook his head. “I refused to kill.”

  Kyden had a moment of relief looking at Calder. At least all werewolves hadn’t up and gone mad. This gentle wolf, one against such cruelty, showed typical wolf behavior. He believed Calder, and didn’t doubt that the wolf simply didn’t know how to get out of the mess he’d gotten himself into. Also, that Calder had no part in the brutal deaths Kyden witnessed.

  He looked at Briggs then, and Briggs jerked his chin in agreement, obviously reading Kyden’s line of thinking. To Calder, Kyden said, “You have the chance to redeem yourself. Tell us everything you know and Briggs will help you either return to your pack—if they’ll accept you—or will find you a new pack.”

  Calder’s eyes widened before he glanced over his shoulder at Briggs. “I’d be offered forgiveness?”

  Briggs’s amber eyes were stern. “You tell the truth, and your honesty will prove your loyalty to the wolves. That’s how you’ll gain forgiveness.”

  The wolf looked down to his lap, and at his soft nod, Kyden asked, “Where are the rest of the wolves involved in this?”

  Calder lifted his head, shaking it. “I don’t know. The wolves keep on the move and I haven’t been with them for days. The last time I saw them they were staying at the Radisson, but I can promise you they won’t be there now.”

  “Hrmph,” Kyden muttered.

  Briggs growled, a low rumble, then he asked Calder, “What are the werewolves after by committing these murders?”

  “Full destruction of the packs.”