Rise of the Alpha

by Jessica Snow

  Akiko shrugged. “I’m looking, reaching out to some of my Asian contacts, but succubi are very rare. My best advice would be to evacuate those that the succubus hasn’t corrupted, but that could be . . .”

  “Impossible,” Magnus said. “The Kenai are already breaking down, and this is the Aklarks’ homeland. We’ll see what we can do. I hope you’ll have more information later.”

  “I’ll try my best. In the meantime, you need to protect yourselves. Keep your link as strong as you can,” Akiko replied, closing down the video line.

  Magnus sighed and looked at Kristina. “This could be a time to cut and run.”

  “But you’re not the kind to cut and run,” Kristina replied. She bit her lip, then leaned into Magnus, laying her head on his shoulder. “I sensed it when we met. You’re not shifty.”

  “No . . . guess I’m not,” Magnus said, his hand stroking her shoulder idly. “You know . . . your catching Ben’s arm was one of the sexiest things I’ve seen.”

  Kristina blinked, surprised. “You think my being strong is sexy?”

  Magnus turned, smiling at her. “Of course I do. You’ve got a thing for Lycans, huh? Well, I’ve always had a thing for bigger girls, strong women. But more than that, I think you’re very beautiful.”

  Kristina gulped and lifted her chin to look Magnus in the eyes before they leaned into each other, their lips meeting tentatively at first, then more strongly. This wasn’t like their first kiss, fueled by the sounds of others, or the crazed passion that Magnus had been driven by the night before. This was a real first kiss, a kiss that came from two people who were exploring a connection that they felt deep in their bones but was still unfamiliar.

  Magnus’s lips traveled down Kristina’s neck, tasting and licking at her lightly bronzed skin, and she moaned, throwing her head back and pulling him in. His lips were hot fire on her skin as he pushed her back into the sofa, devouring her as his hands found her breasts, rubbing and massaging the heavy mounds through her shirt. Kristina moaned as Magnus laughed against her skin. “What?”

  “Sharing, linking with you, I remembered more of last night,” Magnus said, amused. “Too bad you’re wearing a bra tonight.”

  “Well, you’ll just have to take it off me,” Kristina teased. “I’m sure you know how.”

  Of course I do.

  Mmm, so is this how I get to feel linked sex?

  Kristina was thrilled as she felt a queer doubling of her mind and she started to see through two sets of eyes, two hearts, and two bodies. Her pulse raced as Magnus unbuttoned her shirt and unhooked her bra, kissing down her throat to her collarbones before stroking her breasts in his hands, powerful but sensitive at the same time.

  He knew exactly how soft and how rough she liked it, her body rising as his fingers found her left nipple and his mouth found her right, his teeth scraping lightly, warm heat flooding the space between her thighs and making her groan. “Magnus . . .”

  Nothing but a wave of hot emotion rolled over their link. Magnus was beyond words as he feasted upon her huge breasts, his body rising in desire as she stroked his hair, pushing into his amazing tongue and teeth.

  She felt a tremor deep inside her as Magnus kissed lower, her eyes going wide as he licked her soft stomach before dipping his tongue into her belly button. “You’re . . .?”

  “You want it, and I like doing it,” Magnus said with a grin as he undid the waistband of her jeans and pulled them off. Kristina was so stunned she was barely able to get her hips up off the couch to help Magnus as he exposed her pussy to the light. Kristina watched in wonder and fear as Magnus slid off the couch, pushing her knees apart and kissing her inner thighs.

  She’d never felt a man kiss her like that before. All of her previous lovers had been strictly no oral. Now, the sexiest man she’d ever known was kneeling on her living room carpet, holding her knees apart before he suddenly sat back, pulling his shirt over his head and showing her his lean, chiseled body. “I know you like that.”

  Kristina nodded, lifting her right breast to her mouth and sucking on her own nipple, feeling both the electric tingle of her nerves being set on fire but also the wave of increased desire from Magnus as he watched before he leaned forward and his long tongue stroked over her pussy lips. Kristina moaned around her nipple as a feeling she’d always wanted but never felt before rippled through her body, her eyes fluttering as Magnus traced her lips with the tip of his tongue before sucking on her labia softly.

  Magnus . . .

  Enjoy it.

  Kristina leaned back, letting her body be washed over by the pleasure of Magnus’s long tongue sliding into her pussy, lapping at her wet folds and turning her body into molten fire.

  Magnus’s tongue found every spot inside her as she ran her hands through his hair, urging him on to lick deeper, faster. Again and again, his long tongue stroked inside her pussy, coating his tongue and face with her juices. Kristina moaned as he licked higher, finding her clit and circling it with his tongue before sucking on the stiff nub. Her body exploded, and she ground her pussy into his face as her body quivered on the edge of coming.

  “Please, Magnus,” she begged as he kept her trembling, and over their link, she heard him chuckle.

  Of course.

  Magnus nibbled on her clit, the electric scrape making her body explode as she came, calling out Magnus’s name and covering his face in her fluids. She bucked and writhed, her body shivering as Magnus held himself still, holding her legs open as he let her feel the waves of emotion that coursed between them.

  Kristina sagged to the couch as her orgasm faded, and she took a deep, shuddering breath. “My God . . . is that what it’s like?”

  “It can be—” Magnus started, but suddenly, the front door of Kristina’s house burst in, and he sprang to his feet as Kristina twisted, trying to see what it was. It took her a moment. He didn’t look the same since he was already going through his change.

  “Ben!”

  Chapter 17

  Sometimes, what saves us isn’t our skill, and it isn’t preparation or strength.

  Sometimes, we’re saved by pure luck.

  That’s what happened for Magnus and Kristina when Ben Stormstout burst through her front door. It was always Kristina’s habit to put her jacket on a hook next to her front door whenever she came in, and that night had been no exception. In fact, there were two jackets hanging since Magnus had put his borrowed leather jacket next to hers.

  It was this leather jacket that saved them as Ben, going through his change, burst through her front door. His violent entrance was so chaotic that it set the jackets flying, with Magnus’s bomber jacket landing on his head while Kristina’s lighter jacket landed at his feet. Ben’s feet slipped out from underneath him, and he went flying, landing on his back.

  He was only down for a second at most, but it was enough for Kristina to scramble off the couch and run for the back door, Magnus hot on her heels. They knew if there were any chance for them to fight Ben, they had to get outdoors, where Magnus’s speed and agility could counter Ben’s greater strength.

  Kristina jumped first, bursting through her back door as she triggered her own change, her mind shutting down for the few seconds that she was used to as her body rippled and grew. When she opened her eyes again, she was taller, nearly ten feet tall, and broad, her eyes sharp and her ears more sensitive than anything technology could develop.

  She saw Magnus roll as the last remnants of his jeans clung to his fur as he crouched, his ears up and his snout curling in a growl even as Ben burst through, tearing an even bigger hole in the back of Kristina’s house.

  You’re still here?

  Kristina could hear the change in Magnus’s voice, but it was still him, and she growled back. Here.

  We work together. Your strength, my speed.

  I’ll follow you to hell if you want me to.

  Magnus’s reply was a wave of emotion as he sprang at Ben, his claws already extended. Ben roared back, a scream
that had made more than a few enemies quiver in fear even before the fight had properly begun.

  Ben swung back, but Magnus wasn’t there. Somehow, in midair, he’d twisted his body, his paw pulling back and his body sliding to the side so that he slashed at Ben with his teeth, opening up a six-inch-long gash in Ben’s right shoulder. Ben roared again in pain and fury, but Magnus was already out of reach, dancing and growling, his eyes glowing in the darkness.

  Steam rose from their mouths as the two of them circled, and Kristina saw her opening. She charged Ben, swinging her own paw as Ben’s attention was diverted, and she caught the older, larger bear in the head, jerking it to the side and ripping four massive furrows in his flesh. Ben was ready, though, and his left paw swung at an angle a regular bear’s arm shouldn’t have been able to move, catching her in the chest and sending her flying. Kristina tumbled through the air, somersaulting twice as she felt her sternum crack under the force of the piledriver paw.

  Hitting the ground, Kristina groaned in pain, and Magnus was there. You okay?

  I’ll heal. Take him!

  Magnus darted in again, slashing at Ben’s left leg and ripping another gash in the muscle. Kristina could feel her bones knit as Ben wheeled back toward Magnus, barely missing him with his own teeth.

  As Kristina gasped, letting her body heal, she watched as Magnus and Ben fought in something like a dance. Magnus would dart in, slashing or clawing at Ben, using ballet like moves and his Lycan sense of balance to avoid Ben’s powerful swipes and jaws.

  The logic was simple. Magnus had to wear Ben down, to bleed him deeply enough and greatly enough to drain his strength before Ben could land even a single powerful blow. It had been the way of combat between Lycan and bear for centuries, since the first Lycans had come to North America and the two groups had discovered each other.

  Magnus charged again, but this time, Ben was ready. He’d fought Lycans before and anticipated Magnus’s maneuver. His paw caught Magnus in the ribs, sending him tumbling, a shriek of pain coming from his mouth even as Kristina felt him cry out over the link.

  She was on her feet in an instant, charging at Ben and body-checking him, sending him flying into her house and breaking through the wall of her bedroom. She pounced after him, landing all of her now nearly one ton of weight on Ben’s body, swinging a paw to try and tear his head off. You will not touch my mate!

  She got a single swipe in on Ben before his larger arms and more powerful body sent her flying, half in and half out of the wreck that was her house, landing on top of her and searching for her throat. Kristina struggled to hold him off, but he was stronger, and her chest still hurt from the first blow he’d given her.

  Slowly, inexorably, Ben’s jaws neared her throat, and she was nearly resigned to her fate when Magnus came out of the darkness, not in his Lycan form but in his human body, augmented with as much of his Lycan strength as he could. He jumped on Ben’s back, his right hand seizing Ben by his upper teeth even as he pushed on the back of his neck with his left forearm. Kristina watched as Magnus twisted, desperate to turn Ben’s teeth away from her body, applying more and more pressure until, with a crackling snap, Ben’s neck broke.

  Ben tumbled off her, Magnus rolling with him, but the damage was too much. He started shifting, rippling as he quickly reassumed human form, his body shrinking even as Magnus knelt, trying desperately to save him.

  “It’s . . . too late,” Ben rasped, his hand twitching but unable to reach up to stop Magnus. His breath was labored, and Kristina knew what had happened. His spinal column was broken, his nerves destroyed. Magnus hadn’t known it, but his twist had destroyed the part of an Aklark’s brain that controlled not only their automatic nervous system, but also their bear.

  “Ben, I’m sorry,” Magnus said, letting up. “What can we do?”

  “Kill Pauline,” Ben said, tears trickling from the corner of his right eye. “Kristina can do it, female Aklark strength with male Lycan spirit.”

  “We’ll take care of it,” Magnus swore, taking his hand. “And the Aklark?”

  “Tell Edward . . . tell him I’m sorry. I may have been under Pauline’s influence, but I killed my own wife. Tell him—” Ben said, but before he could finish, he started convulsing, his lungs finally realizing they weren’t getting signals from his brain anymore and shutting down, his heart following a moment later. He jerked spasmodically twice, and then a third time before dropping back, dead.

  Kristina shifted back to human form, kneeling next to Ben’s body and closing his eyes. “May you find peace in the next life, Ben Stormstout.”

  Magnus’s body ached as he got to his feet, looking at Kristina, who was also naked, but there was no sense of victory, no sense of triumph. “The job’s not finished,” he said, his ribs still aching and his heart still pounding in his chest. “Pauline’s still out there.”

  Kristina, whose own chest still ached, nodded. “He said it’s my job.”

  Magnus hummed. “We’ll both go. Even if he was telling the truth, I’ll have your back.”

  Kristina nodded and sighed. “You ready, then? We need to change if we’re going to find her. Any idea where she’d be?”

  Magnus nodded, squatting down. “She was using his house. Odds are, she’ll be there still.”

  Kristina nodded and closed her eyes again. Her bear was tired, though, and it wasn’t ready to come out.

  Time to hibernate, it’s too cold.

  No. It’s time to fight.

  Last fight nearly got us killed.

  One more. Then you can hibernate all you want. This is for our mate.

  At that, her bear awakened, and she felt the instant her mind faded out, only to come back when she was larger and stronger, and despite the pain in her body, she felt better.

  She opened her eyes to see Magnus in his wolf form, his eyes glowing as he looked at her, his tongue lolling out as he panted. His ribs must still be aching, and it took her a second to re-establish their link.

  Hey, are you okay?

  Magnus nodded and turned his head, heading toward the woods. It’ll be easier for us to go through the woods. The snow’s packed, and we can make good time along the game trails.

  He started off at an easy, loping lupine trot that ate up the ground, Kristina following behind him. How are the ribs?

  Not too bad, Magnus replied. Actually, most of the pain is from my change. I prefer to spend at least a few hours in a form before switching back and forth.

  Well, if it helps any . . . you’re one sexy wolf.

  Magnus chuckled and glanced over his shoulder at Kristina, his mouth stretched into what could only be called a wolfish leer. After Pauline’s finished . . . I’m going to show you just what I can do in my wolf form. Because if you give me half a chance, I’m going to mount a bear.

  Kristina chuckled. Go for it.

  Magnus soon picked up the pace, the three miles disappearing in just minutes as they approached Ben Stormstout’s home. The lights were on this time, and they could see Pauline inside, quickly packing. Guess she figured out what happened.

  Succubi probably have some sort of link with their victims, Magnus replied. Come on, I’ll drive her out the front, and you take care of her there.

  Kristina nodded, ambling out to the front of Ben’s home. The lights in the rest of Container Village were barely visible through the line of shrubbery that Ben had planted, and she noted the beauty of the night sky above. It was a proper Canadian winter night, and while they were too far south to see the Aurora Borealis, Kristina knew just how far she’d have to go to see it again.

  In the few moments that she had, she wondered what would happen once Pauline was defeated or run off. The Aklark were now leaderless, and the Kenai were in shambles. Was her homeland now so tainted that there was no redemption possible?

  Her questions were driven from her mind as from the back of the house, Magnus lifted his head to the sky and let forth a long, sonorous howl, the howl of a Lycan on the hunt. Even Kristin
a’s hair was raised on end as the notes rose and fell in an ancient language that predated the written word by millennia. For the first time, however, Kristina could understand the words themselves, born of instinct and carried over her link to bloom in her mind.

  Here I am. The bringer of death, the harbinger of your doom. Honor alone compels me to give you this single warning. Prepare yourself.

  The reaction from both Pauline and from the Container Village was immediate. She heard doors burst open as Aklark heard a Lycan voice so close to their village, a direct violation of the century-long treaty between their peoples, while inside, Pauline ran. Kristina raised up on her back legs, her paws ready as Pauline burst forth through the door, her eyes wide. She skidded to a stop when she saw Kristina, and her face twisted, the supernatural beauty being replaced by the demon that was inside her.

  “Out of my way, bear,” Pauline growled as she walked down the steps. “You cannot hurt me.”

  Kristina’s only response was a roar of combat as she swung her paw for Pauline’s head. Pauline was fast, though, and Kristina noted as she pivoted that Magnus was right . . . she didn’t leave footprints on the snow.

  Kristina pivoted, her claws catching Pauline in the shoulder and knocking her to the ground, but there was no blood, no damage to her other than moving her off her feet. Kristina pounced, pinning Pauline down and trying to bite her, but again . . . there was no damage.

  Magnus! It’s not working!

  I’m coming!

  Kristina expected Magnus to go around the house, or maybe through it, but instead, he leapt over the whole house, landing between them and the road and wheeling on his back legs even as a more chilling sound came to Kristina’s ears . . . the sound of other Aklark approaching in bear form.

  I hear them too, Magnus said, wheeling to face the new threat. You keep trying. Rip the bitch’s head off if you have to!

  Kristina darted her head down, hoping to do just that, but Pauline got her hands up, her fingers now transformed into sharp claws that raked her face, the blood immediately flowing into her eyes and blinding her. Kristina reared up, keeping Pauline down by sheer mass only as she howled in pain, unable to see.