If he lost Nyx, he’d never live again. He’d exist. Nothing more.
“Does Nyx know you’re true mates?” Kade asked.
“No.” Anton was fairly certain she didn’t. Her jaguar, on the other hand, likely did. If Nyx had been a little older or more in tune with her primitive side, she’d understand what the urges she was experiencing meant.
“Then let her go now before you get any more attached to her. If Boris has his way, she’ll be mated off soon. Once she is, you’ll be free to serve out your commitment to the Council, and Nyx will be safe. Maybe not happy, but safe. Once she has a kid, the lure of death won’t tempt her as much either. She’ll have her babies to live for.”
Hands fisted, Anton fought the anger twisting through him. He wanted to hurt Kade for suggesting he let Nyx go. Only knowing Kade meant well stopped Anton from picking up their fight where they’d left off.
“If you’re not willing to run with Nyx, it’s the best solution for both of you.” Kade rested his hand on Anton’s shoulder. “I’ll leave with her tonight. You won’t ever have to see her again.”
“No.” Anton growled the word. He closed his eyes and fought to stay calm. Kade meant well. If Anton kept repeating that, he might convince himself. “There’s a celebration tomorrow for Brock. Boris mentioned on his way out that he plans on introducing Nyx to the other Council members. Nyx leaving before then would seem suspicious.”
“And after that?”
Anton walked to where Nyx’s jacket had been tossed. He ran his fingers over the rough, woven material. His shoulders slumped. No matter how he looked at it, there was only one fate for Nyx. Anything else would cheat her out of the life she deserved. “I’ll make her hate me. She’ll run. Find another man. Make some babies. Then I’ll make sure she never gets near me again.”
The roar of his lion echoed in his mind. The snarl of his tiger came next. Anton slammed the metaphysical door, blocking him from his cats before his jaguar could attack him for threatening to send their mate away.
He exhaled roughly. He was in for a battle of wills, but he had no choice. Once Nyx left him, he’d throw himself into work. As long as someone needed him, he’d continue living. The Council came first. Always.
Chapter 15
Even after showering, Nyx could smell Anton on her skin. Anyone who came near her would think she really did belong to him in a very primitive way. It would make for an awkward evening, not to mention an uncomfortable introduction to a new potential mate. It couldn’t be helped. Everything she’d touched this morning had belonged to Anton.
Now she walked so close to him, their sides touched. She couldn’t bring herself to put space between them. After being surrounded by his scent all night, she craved him. Besides, loose gravel covered this section of the path leading to the main part of the campus. The heels she’d chosen for tonight’s dinner weren’t made for uneven surfaces. If she stumbled, Anton could catch her.
“Why are we leaving so early?” Nyx adjusted her shawl, covering her bare arms. Good girls didn’t show so much skin this early in the day. “It’s barely midafternoon.”
“I need to stop at the library.”
“Working even on your day off?” She grinned. The man was dedicated. She had to give him that.
“I don’t get days off. There’s too much to do.”
Her smile dimmed. The stoic Anton was back. She much preferred the man who’d kissed her as if he couldn’t get enough of her taste. Maybe the sexy Anton would return before the night was over. His moods did change frequently. “I thought today would be an exception. This is supposed to be a day of remembrance for Brock.”
“The best way I can honor Brock is to work. He wouldn’t expect anything less.”
She glanced at Anton. He’d worn a dinner jacket and dress slacks. Even his shoes shone. He appeared ready for a night out. “Are we still going to the dinner? Or did you change your mind?”
“We’re expected at the dinner. You don’t skip events like this. I just need to stop at the library first.” Anton looked over at her. One eyebrow rose slightly. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“No. I was just curious.”
Anton nodded, then turned his attention to the path ahead of them. Nyx waited a moment for Anton to say more. Maybe tell her why they were going to the library. Minutes passed. He didn’t so much as look at her again.
Apparently, small talk didn’t fit his mood today. Fine by her. They had more important matters to discuss.
Nyx opened herself to her jaguar, drawing on her cat’s senses. No shifters walked in the woods around them. This would likely be the most privacy they’d share all evening.
“I was hoping we’d be able to sit down and talk about Bianca.” Nyx studied Anton’s profile, watching for any signs of emotion. “If we’re going to find out what happened to her, I need to know what she was to you, if you got along, what you talked about.”
“Bianca was my secretary. We got along…mostly. And we talked about work.”
His expression didn’t change. The word “mostly” triggered her instincts, however.
She narrowed her eyes. “Mostly? What do you mean, mostly?”
“I mean, mostly. When she showed up for work, she was the perfect secretary—quiet, respectful, hardworking, and she anticipated my needs. I never had a better secretary.”
“Better than me?” The question was out of her mouth before she could stop it. The jealousy Anton’s praise sparked couldn’t be denied, however. Of course, she had no reason to be jealous. Must be her ego. She did like to be the best in everything she did.
Anton exhaled slowly. Dramatically. “This is our fourth day on the job. We haven’t even had a chance to work together.”
Had it only been four days? She felt as if she’d known Anton forever. Despite his moods, they clicked. “Sure we have. At the library.”
“You copied text from a book. I read from another. That’s not working together. That was sharing the same table while doing two separate tasks.”
His words cut her, but she couldn’t argue. They had worked on two different things. In silence. Much like they shared today. Perhaps clicking was a bit of an exaggeration. Still, she felt comfortable with Anton. That counted. “True, but now we have a common goal. Bianca. So let’s talk about her. How could she skip work when she lived in the same house as you?”
“She lived in my house, but I didn’t control her. Once we finished working for the day, she did her own thing. I did mine. Some days, she’d leave and not come back until late the next morning. Or the following day. That’s why I wasn’t concerned when she didn’t show up that last time. It never even crossed my mind she’d disappeared or was in trouble.”
“When did you finally question it?”
Brow raised in mocking glare, Anton glanced at her. “Didn’t the rumors mention that?”
Nyx clenched her jaw. “Rumors are dangerous. Didn’t you preach about that last night?”
“Yes, I did. I’m glad you listened.” Anton’s mouth quivered as if he was fighting a grin. “On the fourth no-show morning, I called security and asked them to find Bianca so I could fire her.”
“Because she didn’t show up for work?”
The slight grin on Anton’s mouth disappeared. His lips thinned. A tic formed on his jaw. “While she’d been gone, I learned she betrayed me. I’d planned to fire her, then charge her with theft.”
Nyx considered her options. No matter how much she wanted to believe Anton was one of the good guys, she had known him only four days.
“She stole from you?” Nyx used the most appalled voice she could muster. “What did she take?”
Anton glanced at her before facing the path ahead of them. “Obviously, you’re not paying enough attention to the rumor mill if you have to ask.”
Caught. Nyx bit her lip. “You warned me not to believe everything I heard.”
“So you’d rather test me to see if my version matches the rumors?”
Nyx focused on the path before her. The pebbles had ended. Asphalt covered the path. They were getting closer to the main part of the campus. She stopped. She didn’t want to risk running into someone before she and Anton finished this conversation. “I want to help you, Anton. I do, but you made a very good point a few minutes ago. We’ve only known each other a few days.”
Anton used the edge of his hand to lift her head. “Every founding father wrote a contributing book to serve as our first laws. The one written by the first Alexander went missing before the first Council meeting could be held. I’ve spent years searching for that book. Nearly my entire life. My investigator found it a year ago and followed the instructions Bianca gave him. Instructions I didn’t approve of or know about until it was too late. Instead of telling me the book was found, she diverted it to a buyer, who has since disappeared with it again.”
No anger tinged his words or twisted his expression. He could’ve been telling her the weather forecast for the coming week. She didn’t buy his calm demeanor. “And that didn’t anger you?”
“Of course it angered me. I didn’t understand why she’d betray me.” Anton dropped his hand. “I’d planned to ask her, but I never got the chance. Security searched but didn’t find her. Anywhere.”
“How could she just have disappeared?” Nyx scanned the woods. “The campus is large, but aren’t the borders patrolled? And the main gates? My driver had to jump through hoops to gain access even though I’m Boris’s niece.”
“An electric fence runs the perimeter of the campus with cameras monitoring it, and the gates leaving here require a badge along with a retinal scan to open. The guards search the cars and all baggage. There’s also a record of everyone who leaves, just as there’s a record of who enters. Bianca never left the campus.”
“If she didn’t leave and isn’t hiding somewhere on campus, then she had to have been murdered.” Nyx frowned. Her conclusion was the only one she could come to, but it didn’t make sense. “But where’s her body? With the number of shifters living here, there’s no way to hide it. The stench of death would give its location away.” She glanced at Anton, who watched her with a carefully neutral expression. “I’m assuming there wasn’t any sign of the ground being disturbed either.”
“Correct. Security combed the campus. No evidence of a burial or murder.” Anton dipped his head on another long sigh. “But we can’t assume she wasn’t murdered.”
“What do you mean? Death leaves its mark. You told me that.”
“Yes.” The solemn tone he used drew her gaze to him. Uneasiness tensed his features. “But there’s a drug available to Royals that’ll eliminate scents. Depending on the dose given, the scent associated with our animals can be nullified or all scents can be masked. It’s possible Bianca might’ve been injected with this drug, then killed.”
“How does this drug work?” She’d never heard of such a thing before.
“Molecular modification and magic.” Anton smirked. “Modern-day witches work for the human government. Some are extremely intelligent. In this case, Royals have benefited greatly from their discovery. Our women and children need the obscurity this drug offers. They’re often targeted in trafficking rings or outright killed by our enemies to hurt their mates and fathers.”
A tiny sliver of doubt worked its way through Nyx. Was she wrong to trust Anton? She focused on his eyes. Nothing showed in them. After a millennium of life, no doubt he could lie easily. Her uncle was an expert after living half that time. But then why had Anton told her about this drug in the first place? “And as a Royal, you would have access to this drug.”
“Yes, I have some in my bedroom, actually.” Anton rolled his shoulders.
Nyx turned away. She couldn’t look at Anton. When she did, she wanted to go to him and step into his embrace. The power he held over her swayed her. She couldn’t help but wonder if it was blinding her from the truth too.
The softest rustle of clothes warned her of Anton’s approach. She didn’t move or tense as he stepped behind her. Instead, the tension in her muscles eased. He settled a hand on her shoulder. “I didn’t kill Bianca.”
She glanced over her shoulder. “It doesn’t look good.”
“I know.”
“Can anyone confirm seeing you the night she disappeared?”
Anton shook his head in answer. “Nobody visits me.”
There was hurt in his eyes. His comments to his pride leader about Kade not visiting him made sense now. So did his reaction over the possibility of her quitting and moving out.
The most feared member of the Council was lonely.
She covered her face and took slow breaths. The clutch bag hanging off her wrist banged into her chest. She didn’t care if the metal clasp bit into her skin. She was a wreck. The emotions swirling within her left her agitated. Her heart believed Anton. Her mind, however, questioned the gaps and coincidences.
Anton turned her body and slid one hand to cradle the back of her head and settled the other at the base of her spine. “I have never killed or hurt an innocent.”
“Bianca wasn’t innocent.”
“True, but I didn’t learn the truth until after she disappeared. Before that night, she never gave me a reason to doubt her.” He bent close and brushed his lips over her cheek to her ear. “Unlike you.”
Her heart beat harder. She couldn’t stop the telltale sign of guilt. She hadn’t been expecting Anton to accuse her of anything now.
“What game are you playing, Nyx?”
“I’m…” The words wouldn’t come out. This wasn’t a game. Never had been a game. But that didn’t mean Anton wouldn’t have lost.
“You are.” Anton flexed his hand on her backside. “Don’t lie to me.”
“I’m flustered. I’m not accustomed to men holding me like this. Or kissing me the way you did last night.” Which was true. Anton was unlike any man she’d ever met.
“Did you enjoy kissing me?”
“Yes.” Nyx slipped her fingers between the buttons of Anton’s jacket and rested her fingertips on his stomach. A shiver of awareness ran down her spine. The man was sleek and powerful. Naked, he’d be a sight to behold. “I’m attracted to you. It’s messing with me.” But it was the softer emotions, the ones that wanted to ease Anton’s loneliness, that ripped her heart open and made her question everything.
Anton tipped her head back and brushed his lips over hers. She sighed with the gentleness of his touch, and he slipped his tongue past her lips. His sensual kiss warmed her belly and her heart.
Nyx closed her eyes and arched into him, letting him support her completely. It was instinctual. The way he held her urged her to give herself to him. She wanted to. Every inch of her body screamed for his possession. She’d never felt anything like this. As if Anton held her in his thrall. He could do anything to her. She’d welcome it too. As long as he touched her, she’d be content.
At peace.
A small whimper escaped her. She stood on her tiptoes, needing to be closer to him. Never letting him go.
On a low groan, Anton pulled her flush and deepened the kiss. Their tongues twined in a slow, rolling dance that left her trembling inside. It was beautiful and sweet. She felt treasured. It wasn’t enough.
She tried to quicken the kiss, urging him to devour her like he had last night. Anton nipped at her bottom lip, tearing a squeak from her. In the next heartbeat, he sucked on the lip he bit, soothing the small sting. Each pull of his mouth connected with her lower belly. Need spiraled. She squirmed.
“Anton.” She managed to get his name out.
He took her mouth again, asserting his lead. He would be in charge. Not her. She sensed his intent with every move he made.
Stroking his hands over her back, he worshipped her mouth as if he wanted to savor her taste. The tenderness was too much. She couldn’t resist Anton. Nyx clasped her shaky hands behind his neck and pulled herself higher. The moment she did, Anton eased back.
No! She wasn’t ready. S
he’d crawl inside him if she could. Then he’d never be lonely. She’d be with him always.
His firm hands on her hips stopped her from trying to steal another kiss. “Our attraction is messing with your head because you came here with the intention of betraying me. Now that you realize I’m not the brute everyone says I am, you feel guilty.”
Not a question. Anton phrased it as a statement.
He knew.
She licked her lips. Anton’s flavor left her light-headed. “I’m not going to betray you.”
“You were planning on it, though. Weren’t you?”
She sighed and glanced away.
He turned her head back to face him. “Weren’t you? You came here under the guise of wanting to be my secretary so you could betray me.”
“Yes. I did.”
Anton clenched his jaw. Tendons stood out in his neck. His hold on her hips never tightened, however. His thumb brushed against her skin in a soothing caress. “Boris ordered you to do it.”
Had Boris ordered her? Or had he merely presented her with a series of reasons why Anton should lose his seat on the Council? She wasn’t sure. She only knew she’d jumped at the chance to come here. “Boris wants you removed from duty before you can become the eldest Council member.”
Anton shoved away from her.
Without his warm body pressed to hers, the cool air chilled her immediately. A shiver ran through her. She didn’t bother warming her core temperature. It’d be better if Anton associated her trembling to the cold instead of the loss of him.
“But I won’t help Boris. Not any longer. I didn’t realize what the lifetime rules meant for you.” Unable to look into Anton’s eyes, she glanced at the ground. “I didn’t realize a lot of things.”
“Like you didn’t realize Boris would send a male to his death.” Anton lifted her chin. “Because he did. Boris knew exactly what would happen if I stepped into a situation where a female—any female—was being threatened or hurt. Killing to protect an innocent isn’t murder. What I did to Harvey isn’t murder. If it was, I would’ve been arrested already. I didn’t hide what I did. I called security immediately.”
Forbidden Mate: Shifter World: Royal-Kagan series book 8 Page 14
