“You will be both, my female.” He took a step toward her. She took a matching one back. He stopped and glared at her. “That scar on your shoulder labels you as mine in the shifter world and my scent twined with your flesh gives me the right to keep you in your world.”
Her chest squeezed tight. The bitter taste of bile filled her mouth. He couldn’t be serious, could he? She peered past him to where Vader stood with Kade and a black-haired man she hadn’t seen before. Vader met her gaze then turned his back on her. Her heart sank. She slid her attention back Devin. A pleased, shit-eating grin was plastered on his face.
“What are you talking about?” The slight quiver to her voice betrayed her anxiety. She hated the tell but couldn’t hide it.
“The human government accepts certain…” He paused to run the tip of his tongue along his lower lip, the move drawing her attention to the fangs in his mouth. “They’ve made provisions for some of our baser instincts. One of those is our claim to those humans we’ve chosen to keep.”
“Why would they do that?” she whispered.
“Because nothing, not the person we’ve claimed or anything your government throws at us, will stop us from holding our treasured human close.” His heated gaze traveled over her body. “Besides, they know our instincts will demand we protect and cherish our human. Never harm them.”
“Really?” She raised a brow.
“Yes, really.”
His expression warned her not to challenge him. Wrong look. She loved a good dare. And this little verbal spat was exactly what she needed to end things between them. With the unexplainable pull she felt toward him, she needed to cut their ties once and for all.
She grinned and his confident mask dimmed. “So only you can hurt your pet, nobody else?”
A deep crease formed in his brow. “What are you talking about, woman? I would never hurt you and you certainly aren’t my…pet.”
“No, not your pet. I agree. More, your property, right?” She held up a hand when he opened his mouth. “The term doesn’t matter, I suppose. Don’t sweat it, Devin.” She tipped her head to the side and pursed her lips. “Bottom line is only my owner can hurt me. That’s what it comes down to. Am I right?”
“Never. Look, Lena, I don’t know where you’re getting this from but—”
“Oh, so you forgot the little detail of biting me during sex?”
He ran a hand through his hair, cursed under his breath. “I explained to you that I got carried away. Besides, I made it feel better—”
“You shouldn’t have had to in the first place. I agreed to fuck you! Not be your chew toy!”
Growls fell from his lips, the lips she still wanted to feel on hers. That annoyed her. She shouldn’t desire him.
He narrowed his eyes. “You’re looking for a reason to be angry. Truth is, you were so aroused you can barely remember it. Am I right, my sweet Lena? If I didn’t satisfy you well enough, you wouldn’t still desire me. And you do.” His grin returned. “I can smell it, see it in your eyes. You want me.”
“Whatever. It hurt. Aroused or not. But pain is all I’ve felt since I met you.” The confused look on his face bothered her, but she had to put an end to this. And she knew exactly what would do it. “But I guess it’s excusable.”
Silence stretched. She waited, knowing he’d eventually speak.
He didn’t disappoint.
“What are you talking about?”
There it was. The lead-in to her argument she hoped would kill the fascination—his and hers.
She shifted her gaze to Devin’s nose. Looking him in the eye while she said this proved impossible. “You assumed I was a kidnapper and kidnappers deserve everything they get, including getting attacked.” She held up a hand. “Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful to you.” She forced her eyes to his. “After you allowed that other guy to throw me a good twenty feet, you did kill him but in the process—”
“Don’t say it.”
His whisper could’ve been a shot to the gut. It pierced her the same way. She dropped her gaze to his white-knuckled hands. “In the process, you nearly gutted me.”
The words had barely left her mouth when Vader punched him. Devin’s body jerked and the power behind the wolf’s fist sent him flying across the room.
Vader followed him down, pummeling his face until something broke, the crack making her cringe. Devin returned the attack, an animalistic roar ripping from his throat. They rolled across the hardwood floor, smashing furniture in their path. The retro seventies apartment with its lava lamps, funky sculptures and artwork was ruined as the two big men fought in a fast, vicious fight that should’ve killed one of them.
Devin’s claws swiped Vader’s side. Blood sprayed. The wolf didn’t flinch, instead he increased the intensity of the battle until she couldn’t follow their movements. They slammed into the gun case. The metal chest that stood as tall as a man flipped and pinned Devin’s legs.
Time stood still.
She watched helplessly as Vader’s clawed hand tore across Devin’s stomach. Another arc of red spewed over a Vader’s face. Devin groaned. The sound twisted her gut. She couldn’t take it anymore and ran forward. Kade pulled her into his arms before she reached Devin.
Kade held her firmly, arms banded around her waist. “Stay out of this, human. You’ll only succeed in getting yourself killed. Then Devin will completely lose it.”
She squirmed anyway, desperate to get to Devin’s side. Another roar rang out. Devin shoved the heavy case off him and staggered to his feet. Vader leapt on his back and Devin fell to his knees with a partially shifted wolf gnawing at his shoulder. A chuffing sound fell from his bloody lips. He was hurt. Lines of pain etched his face. She had to help him, but Kade’s grip never lessened. He even sighed as if her struggles were nothing but a nuisance.
Lena gave up trying to break Kade’s hold and screamed, “Stop!”
Amazingly, they did. Both men turned to look at her. Devin glanced from her face to the man holding her and growled with long, wide fangs bared. Kade released her and stepped back. She was left standing there, more confused than ever.
Devin pushed up and advanced slowly, no sign of pain in the graceful way he moved. A predatory glint darkened his eyes. With blood and sweat coating his muscles, he looked wild. Untamed. His gaze locked on her and she got the impression she’d been labeled as his prey…or maybe the prize he’d won. Either way, the careful stalking sped her pulse. She held up her hand and matched his steps backward. He stopped, a hurt expression stamped on his face.
“Please don’t.” She pleaded with her eyes, hoping he’d see her confusion and give her space. Seeing him hurt stirred up too many emotions, none of them ones she knew what to do with. “Although I’ve known about shifters for a while, I obviously don’t know the rules of your world. What I do know is that I’m not marrying or getting involved with any man who treats me like an object. I’d rather die first.”
Devin closed the distance between them, ignoring her outstretched arm. He tipped her chin up with blood-coated fingers. “Please, love, don’t say stuff like that. Let’s go somewhere private and talk.”
She pushed his hand away and scrubbed at the wetness on her jaw. The sight of him covered in the evidence of the fight bothered her. She might not want to be his property but she didn’t want him hurt. Ever.
“You’re all sweaty and bloody. Go get cleaned up.” She stepped away from him before she gave in to the desire to tend to his cuts. After grabbing her stuffed jaguar, she picked her way through Vader’s trashed apartment.
“Lena?”
She glanced at Devin over her shoulder, worry still simmering in her gut, but the first stirrings of arousal sparked too. His breath came in pants, chest heaving and drawing attention to the muscle packed onto his frame. He looked powerful. A male in his prime. God, he appeared capable of taking on the world… Or loving me all night, her naughty mind added.
“We aren’t over, woman. That’s my promise to you.”
She rolled her eyes to hide how the heat of his vow affected her. “There is no we. We are not a couple. There is Devin and there is Lena.” She pointed first at him then at herself. “Separate entities. No we.”
His rough laugh made her womb clench. Her cheeks heated. If what Vader said about a shifter’s sense of smell was true then every man in the room would know she was wet for Devin.
“There will be. When I’m done with you, you’ll never want to leave me.”
She stared at him. Unable to come up with any sharp retort, she huffed out a frustrated breath and retreated to Vader’s bedroom.
With the door closed behind her, she touched her jaw. The heat of Devin’s fingers still lingered there.
She feared he was right and that terrified her.
* * * * *
The male Lena had run to instead of staying with Devin got right up in his face as soon as the door closed behind her.
“You attacked her? What were you thinking? You could’ve killed her!”
Devin squeezed his eyes shut. It didn’t stop the memory from replaying. Lena falling, not getting to her in time. The fight, the rage and seeing the betrayal in her eyes. The scent of her fear filled his nostrils. Her pained cries echoed in his ears. And the blood…oh gods, the blood. So much. All his fault. His heart skipped a beat as he acknowledged how close she’d come to dying.
“I wasn’t thinking. This shit with Molly hit a little too close to home. All I saw was a human who I thought sold a cub to a monster the way my nanny sold Mira.” Devin opened his eyes and met the wolf’s gaze. “I blacked out. I didn’t mean to hurt her. She got in the way.”
The wolf royal backed up and scrubbed a hand down his face. “So how did you go from thinking she was a criminal to mating her?”
Devin advanced on him until they were face-to-face. “It’s none of your goddamn business. That female,” he waved toward the other male’s bedroom, “is mine. You come between us and I’ll rip your goddamn throat out.”
“I don’t have to. Lena came to me.” A sneer spread over Horace’s face. “And when she does the next time you piss her off, I’ll welcome her with open arms. It’ll take a lot more than smelling your stench on her to stop my dick from rising.”
He lunged at Horace and Kade shoved him back. Kade looked over his shoulder. “Enough, Horace. Devin is right. Stay out of this.”
A flush stained Horace’s cheeks and the scent of embarrassment hung heavy in the air. “Don’t call me by that gods-awful name.”
Xander pushed away from the section of the wall he’d been holding up. He brushed a hand over his favorite tee with its advertisement for Jazz’s garage. Splatters of blood dotted it. “Why little cousin? Horace Vladimir Winchester is a good, strong name. Our pappy would roll over in his grave if he heard you say that.”
Horace cringed. “It’s not when you’re a wolf trying to fit in with humans. Lena’s stepdad gave me the nickname, Vader. It stuck. That’s what I go by now.”
“So you know Lena from working with her dad?” Devin asked.
Horace—Vader now—gave him a scathing look as he blatantly let his disgust show. Claws sprang from the male’s hands and blood dripped from where he impaled his own palms with the sharp talons.
“Yes, Lena and I are close.”
Devin watched the other male pace, his strides quickening with each loop around the bar, and an ugly suspicion grew. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Vader pivoted and took a threatening step forward. “It means she’s important to me.” He closed his eyes, a shudder racking his body. “I will not allow any male to keep her unless she’s willing.”
Devin advanced on him. “Like hell. I am keeping her. Nobody’s going to stop me, including Lena.”
Kade stepped into his line of sight, didn’t touch him, but his tense body suggested it took a lot not to. Devin raised his chin and waited for the lecture.
“That woman of yours is no submissive, Devin. She will not tolerate your domineering attitude or blindly fall into the role you think she should fill.” Kade fisted his hands and took several deep breaths. “You keep acting the way you just did, you’ll push her right into another male’s arms. That what you want?”
“No, that’s not what I want. I need to be able to breathe her in. I’m addicted to her scent.”
Vader cursed. “You want her for how she smells? That’s a hell of a reason to want to mate her.”
Devin stepped to the side to get around Kade but his pride leader moved with him. Devin glanced past him to focus on the wolf. “It’s the only reason I need.”
A tic developed along Vader’s jaw. “You love her?”
“What does love have to do with mating?”
Vader chuckled. He ran a hand through his sweat-soaked, bloody hair. “What indeed?”
His pleased look bothered him. Devin glanced from the male to the door blocking him from Lena. Beloved human or not, Vader would make a play for her. The wolf had no problem with the concept of mating for breeding purposes only. Hell, he’d never even met his chosen mate. He’d been promised Tabitha at birth so he’d wanted her. It didn’t take much to imagine he’d do the same with Lena and mate her only for the pups she could give him.
He turned toward the bathroom and called out over his shoulder. “Keep that dog away from my woman. I’m going to get a shower.”
Chapter Fourteen
Lena pivoted at the sound of the door opening. Devin entered, closed it behind him and leaned against the wood. His hungry gaze traveled over her body. She returned it and greedily took in every delicious inch of his powerful frame. He wore only a pair of exercise shorts, hung low on his hips. His bare chest showed no sign of his tussle with Vader. No wounds. No bruises. Nothing. Had she not witnessed it, she never would’ve known he’d been in a fight.
She’d always thought Vader attractive—still did actually—but a single glance from Devin set her on fire. Fresh from the shower, a few droplets of water dripped from his towel-dried hair. She followed the path of one as it slid over his shoulder, down a heavily muscled pec to his well-defined abs. The ridges there intrigued her and so did the flat, dark discs on his chest. She licked her lips as she imaged nipping them until they pebbled. She hadn’t gotten the chance to explore him earlier.
She let her gaze travel over him head to feet and accepted the truth. Despite everything, this man meant more to her than a casual lover. Yes, his attitude and ownership rant annoyed her but watching him fight Vader brought one fact to light—she didn’t want to lose him. She wasn’t actually sure she wanted to keep him but she simply didn’t think she’d survive knowing Devin wasn’t somewhere in the world, happy and safe.
“Hey, baby.”
Her womb clenched at his low drawl. Dangerous, that’s what her attraction was to him. And unexplainable. It was as if there was some unseen tether pulling them together. With every heated look the man directed her way, the cord shortened.
She cleared her throat and forced her eyes from the bulge in his pants. “What are you doing here?”
“You told me to get cleaned up.” He shrugged. “I did.”
“Did Vader tell you about Molly?”
He nodded absently, his eyes focused on the hard nipples threatening to tear her shirt before traveling down to her feet. He reversed the direction he’d taken, his gaze leaving a burning path, before meeting her eyes. “Kade is arranging a private jet to fly us there. He’ll let us know when it’s time to go.”
She let out a relieved breath. “Good. I tried Gwen’s cell again. No answer. So, I called Maggie but Gwen and Molly haven’t arrived yet. She’ll call as soon as they get there. She said the recent bout of rain has made travel difficult. Maybe they got stuck. Flat tire or something.”
His unblinking stare unnerved her. Heat crept up her neck. Nervousness replaced the budding desire. She crossed her arms over her chest. “After we get her back, I’m not letting Molly stay with your family. I don’t like how
you treat women. We are not objects to own, no matter how many damn claims you lay on us.”
She waited for a reaction. Didn’t get one. Those hauntingly beautiful eyes simply watched her. She shifted uncomfortably and planted balled fists on her hips. “So why are you still in here with me? Didn’t I make myself clear? I don’t want to be yours, not your mate, wife or your damn favored human.”
Her outburst didn’t upset him either. The raw sexual heat never left his eyes. “Beloved human.”
She frowned. “What?”
He licked his lips. “The term is ‘beloved human’. Means you’re treasured, placed above all others. And you are, Lena. You’re special to me. I’ll always be drawn to you. Need you.”
A wave of warmth flowed through her. She tugged at the hem of the black t-shirt Vader had lent her after destroying hers. She’d tied the excess in a side knot but couldn’t do anything about the wide neck. It slid down one shoulder and exposed Devin’s bite. Although it felt better not to have the material rubbing against it, embarrassment rose. The scar throbbed now that she was in his presence. She yanked the shirt, covering the bite, and peered at the plush black carpet.
“Please don’t hide my mark. It looks beautiful on you.”
She snorted and glanced into his eyes. Sincerity shown there. He couldn’t be serious, could he? She dismissed his comment with a small shake of her head. Beautiful? Scars couldn’t be beautiful. “It looks like a big cat gnawed on me.”
Devin advanced on her, chin lowered and muscles coiled, as if ready to pounce. The predator stalked her and the forceful glint to his eyes warned her not to run. While part of her wanted to turn tail and flee, she locked her knees. Escape wasn’t an option.
He stopped, a foot separating them. “I asked you to be my mate.”
She blew out a strained breath. How many times did she have to say this? Apparently one more. “I don’t want—”
Beautiful Mistake: 2 (Royal Pride) Page 19
