by W. J. May
Instead, I gave in to my weakness, the possessive nature of the wolf inside. The bitter taste of rejection brought back terrible memories of Naomi, and with it, all of the pain and rage that I’d suppressed for so many years. I flew into a jealous rage and committed the most horrendous act of my existence.
After all this time, I still cannot believe you do not recognize me, the monster behind my eyes. I murdered your family and made you a werewolf. Words won’t express my regret. I never imagined that I could take the life of someone I so loved.
You may hate me, but I assure you, I have hated myself more than you can imagine. I will never forgive myself for what I’ve done.
I need you to know that I would beg your forgiveness, if I thought it would earn me even a little. There is nothing I can do. I know this.
I have altered my will to leave you everything except a small trust fund set aside for Zoey, should she ever accept it. I’m sorry, Alexa, because I know I am your worst nightmare come true.
I never deserved your loyalty.
Love Sincerely,
Raoul
It couldn’t be true. It just couldn’t be. No, not Raoul. Of all of the werewolves in the world, please God, not him!
When I collapsed against Arys, I was overwhelmed with anger, pain and shock. I sobbed but failed to identify the rage-filled shrieks as mine. My fangs and claws appeared instantly, and I scratched at the floor, pulling uselessly to break free of Arys’s strong embrace. Snarls and growls became part of my cries as I screamed in a wordless wail.
I lost all sense of reality as I reacted to everything that I’d just learned. I wanted to kill, but my victim was already dead, which fueled my agony in the worst of ways.
Raoul should have bared his throat for me. I should have torn through his hot, living flesh in search of retribution. I felt hate in a whole new way, and I knew that I’d never truly hated before.
The power between Arys and I rose in a sudden storm, fueled by my rage. He’d wanted me here to keep me from harming myself or someone else. I so badly wanted to. At home, it would have gone very horribly wrong. I wanted to become absolute destruction.
I fought against Arys, but he held tight. I lashed out with a good right hook, and we both stopped grappling and stared at one another. Blood welled up from a cut on his lip, and I felt both shame and excitement.
“Arys, I’m sorry. I don’t know how to control this.”
My words were inaudible to me, but he nodded in understanding. “Go ahead and let it out. I’m here.”
Tears rolled down my cheeks, and I took a long shuddery breath before licking the blood from his lip. The tiny drop shifted my frustration and pain into another outlet.
I tore his t-shirt using clawed fingers. I couldn’t stop there once his well muscled chest was bare before me. The urge to hunt, to kill, drove me as I took him down like prey, naked beneath me.
Our lovemaking was anything but loving. It was rough and raw. I released all of the pain that would never truly go away. I couldn’t shake the thought of Raoul taking my mother’s love and life. I shook with the need to tear him apart myself.
At some point, I sobbed again, and Arys accepted the angry energy admirably. I’d never felt so vulnerable, and yet I knew this was safer, here with my dark vampire. He readily accepted the tornado of my emotions and the physical assault that I launched. Shaz couldn’t witness this side of me. The very thought was frightening.
The energy that we created was stronger than before but was also somehow easier to control and direct back to the natural elements. Not a single thing went awry. Talk about progress.
For hours after the sun rose, we lay together in his giant, fluffy bed. The TV on the antique bureau was on low. I stalled, unwilling to go home because that meant showing the letter to Kylarai and making everything real all over again. This was something that I had to share with those close to me. Otherwise, it was going to eat me alive.
When I finally did leave Arys’s, I hit the drive-thru for coffee before heading to the little park just off the highway. I loved that park, with its full bridge over the pond and the fountain in the middle.
I walked around the large pond to the bridge. People sat near the playground or went in and out of the tourist office, but the bridge was all mine. I sat down so that my legs hung over the side with my arms crossed against the railing.
I read that damn letter over and over, feeling something different every time. I briefly toyed with the idea of letting it flutter from my hands to the water below.
I cursed aloud, a vent that had nothing to do with vampires or werewolves and everything to do with human nature. I ranted and raved my confusion and dismay to Raoul as if he could hear me because I feared that I’d lose my mind if I didn’t let it out.
In my time on the bridge, staring out over the park with my half-consumed coffee, I gave voice to the betrayal and disappointment inside, but no forgiveness. That mercy escaped me. I wept hot, salty tears that carried no trace of blood, just the pure cleansing release of my sorrow. I could not shake the insane anger I felt over the fact that Raoul was dead and, with him, the final confrontation I desired.
The conversation with Kylarai was easier than I’d anticipated. I handed her the letter and watched her grey eyes grow misty. After a long silence, she choked out, “Are you ok?”
I shook my head no, because I wasn’t, but forced a bitter smile anyway.
“Oh, honey.” Her arms went around me, and I allowed myself to soak up her sisterly affection. I didn’t realize how bad I’d been craving the comfort of pack, of family.
Kylarai and Shaz had been my family for several years, but now they felt like so much more. The knowledge of why my mother died did nothing to make me miss her less, though it did bring everything full circle by answering the question that I’d carried for years.
The fact that Veryl knew all of this wasn’t lost on me. I debated on whether or not to call him. As soon as the sun fell, I dialed his personal number. With the pain so fresh, I had to call.
“So, he told you.” Veryl didn’t sound in the least bit surprised. “He had said that he planned to.”
I bit my lip so that I wouldn’t say anything to him that I’d regret. “Veryl, I need to know more about Raoul. You’ve known he was the one that attacked me all this time. Why not tell me?”
He took a moment before answering, and I knew he was weighing his answers. “Alexa, there is much that I must keep quiet for a reason. I’m sure you understand. However, in this case, I worried about your well-being.”
The wheels turned in my brain as I tried to put it all together. “My well-being? How long have you known about me? I’m guessing it’s been much longer than the last five years I’ve worked for you.”
“Of course. Raoul atoned for what he’d done by taking you into his small town pack. He was to keep you safe as you developed into womanhood.”
And, as my abilities developed. I could almost hear the unspoken words that he wasn’t saying.
“You knew I could work energy.”
“Everyone can work with energy if they choose, Alexa. You were born conducting it, natural. That ability in a werewolf is priceless, of course I was interested in you.” His firm tone held no placation. He remained the practical businessman.
I felt burned that he had kept me in the dark, ultimately for his own purpose. Though Raoul hadn’t been the ideal role model, Veryl had ensured that I’d been safe through my first difficult years as a Were. None of this was really Veryl’s fault. It was Raoul’s.
“Can I ask you why you didn’t just kill him after he murdered my family?” My hands were sweaty as I tightened my grip on the phone.
“Those decisions are never the same for each situation. It was an isolated incident. And like I said, he and I struck a deal.”
Business, like everything, my fate was just business with Veryl. Did that vampire ever make decisions based on emotion or instinct? Was he always straight practicality?
; “A deal? He killed my family in a fit of rage and almost killed me as well.” Bitterness was hard in my voice, but I knew he wouldn’t react to it.
“He didn’t… and now, he’s dead.” A short pause as he spoke quickly to someone in the background. “What do you want to hear, Alexa? I am sorry for the loss of your family, but I made the choice that I felt best at the time.”
I sighed. There was no point in taking out my undying resentment for Raoul on Veryl. That wouldn’t earn me anything. I couldn’t blame Veryl for treating it like he would any other situation. He wasn’t personally involved.
“Nothing. I’m just having a hard time handling this.” There, I was honest. I couldn’t see any reason not to be. “I think I need a few days to myself before I’ll be any good to you.”
“Take as much time as you need. And please, let me help with any expenses involved with this whole situation.”
I thanked him for his offer and said that I’d see him next week. After hanging up the phone, I sat on the edge of my bed and hung my head in my hands. I probably would have cried if I’d had the tears left to do so.
As it was, all I wanted to do was spend time alone in my room. I couldn’t recall the last time I’d been all alone with nothing but my thoughts and quiet contemplation. Unfortunately, life altering news had brought me to this moment of solitude.
How in the world was I going to come out the other side of this? I felt trapped in the middle of a problem with no solution. My solution had died with Raoul.
Epilogue
Life passed one day at a time. I struggled to accept the truth about my past. It was hard to move on. I’d gone from a delusional teenager with hearts in my eyes to a mid-twenties power hungry wolf with a new appreciation for the dangers of love.
Arys and I continued to discover the delicate balance of our bond. As trying as it may be, it isn’t without benefits. After more than three centuries, he sees the sun through my eyes. While we have managed to control our conjoined power, the effort remained a challenge, to say the least.
Compared to Arys and me, Shaz hadn’t adjusted any better to the link, but he accepted that it isn’t going away. My heart belonged to Shaz like all of me that is wolf, but the root of my own personal power longed for Arys as if we’d always been a part of the same flame. It was complicated. The frequent dreams about Raoul didn’t help the confusion.
After postponing our date night for almost two weeks, Shaz and I went out for the classic dinner and a movie. It was amazing how something as mundane as a real date could mean so much to me.
We asked Kylarai to join us for a run, but she just smiled and said that she’d agreed to help Kale nail a target. I’d asked her if “nail a target” was code for anything and received a nice open handed slap on the arm. A blade between the ribs hadn’t been so bad for Kylarai.
Outside, in the dark of night, I saw a black wolf framed by trees in the field. A sliver of moonlight cast a soothing glow, and I was sure my keen eyes were not playing tricks on me. When I blinked, the ghostly wolf was gone.
I sensed Shaz’s welcome approach and turned to admire his form as he stripped. Upon reading the letter from Raoul, he had responded with a fury to match my own. I felt amused that he, too, wished Raoul was still alive to take the beating that he deserved. Slowly I would learn to live with Raoul’s confession. It was a betrayal I never expected to get over.
I gently scraped my fingernails along Shaz’s firm shoulders, down his chest to his navel. He shivered in response, and I licked my lips invitingly.
With the most delicate touch, he traced the line of my jaw before nibbling ever so softly on my lower lip. His white blond hair fell across my nose, and I giggled in that girlish way that I so despise. Naked with him felt so right.
“Before or after?” His whisper tickled the inside of my ear so that I had to rub the feeling away.
“After, otherwise you’ll say you’re too tired to run. Again.” I gave him a playful shove and turned away to embrace the change to wolf.
Before I could shift, his arms snaked around my waist. I gave a small squeal and fought back by reaching behind me to the ticklish spot in his side that made him come undone. He released me immediately, and I turned to continue my assault with both hands.
“Alexa!” He tried to sound mad, but it didn’t come out that way. “Ok, ok, have it your way.” The desperation that comes from being tickled made his voice high on the last two words, and he grimaced.
Unable to resist such a cute expression, I pulled him close for a heart melting lip lock that I knew would get him panting. He tasted of mint and smelled of wolf.
“You little tease,” he called as I walked toward the field beyond the back gate. “I can’t wait to sink my teeth into you.”
I paused long enough to tap my bare bottom in invitation. He answered with a growl that added a spring to my step.
I ran and leaped, arching my body, gracefully becoming wolf in midair. Though it may have had the finesse of Hollywood graphics, it took Shaz and I almost three years to perfect the move. I couldn’t count the number of naked spills in the dirt that we’d both taken.
As I’d anticipated, Shaz was only a few seconds behind me. His paws kicked up dirt as he scrambled to catch up, and I poured on the speed as we raced to our tree.
I knew I had to go forward regardless of mistakes and lessons learned the hard way. Though life would be a lot simpler without the drama, power, and bloodshed, I have a sneaking suspicion that’s not about to end anytime soon.
Check out TrinaMLee.com for news and information on the next book in the Alexa O’Brien Huntress series, The Wicked Kiss.
About the Author
Trina M. Lee was born in Edmonton, Alberta Canada. Writing fiction since childhood, a fascination with the supernatural developed in her early teen years and an immersion in paranormal fiction began. Trina enjoys hearing from readers and has an active social media presence.
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Book 5
Venom
(A Night Roamers Novella – Slade and Chelsey’s Story)
By
Kristen Middleton
Copyright©2014 Kristen Middleton
www.Maeidesign.com
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without express written permission of the author.
This eBook is licensed for your enjoyment only. It may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this with others, please purchase additional copies for each individual. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or if it was not purchased for your use only, please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Prologue
The music in the club was beginning to give her a headache, but Melody ignored it. She was about to go to an after-party with the band members of Venom, who’d just finished their last encore at Club Nightshade. She was also pretty confident that if she played her cards right, she’d be in the lead vocalist’s arms before dawn.
Slade.
Just thinking about him made her tingle all over. Damn, the guy was hawt and had a voice that made her want to jump his bones. With those hypnotic green eyes and that sexy infamous half-smile of his, she knew she wasn’t the only girl lusting after him in the club. But she’d definitely mastered the skill of flirting and had eventually gotten Slade’s attention. She’d done the pouty lip thing and made sure he’d gotten an eyeful of cleavage, dancing as close to the stage as possible, twerking with her girlfriends unt
il every guy in the club had been drooling. It had obviously worked, because she’d gotten a note from one of the waitresses with an invite to some party being hosted by the owner of the club, complements of the band. Thankfully, she’d gotten a fake I.D. the week before or there was no way she’d have been able to step inside of the club, let alone party with the band afterwards.
Leaning forward, she applied another layer of dark cherry gloss to her lips, and then fluffed out her long blond hair. She stood back and smiled, recalling how Slade’s eyes had been transfixed on those same lips. Obviously, he liked the rich crimson color.
“You ready to go, Melody?” asked her best friend Taylor, who was frantically texting someone on her phone. “It’s getting late and I told Ricky I’d stop by after we left the club.” She looked up and giggled. “Booty call, baby.”
“What about us?” asked Veronica, looking pissed. “I thought we’d agreed that I was staying at your place tonight, Taylor?”
“You’re welcome to wait in the car. It won’t take long,” she replied. “He’s like a jack-hammer.”
Melody and Veronica looked at each other, and then burst out laughing.
Taylor bit her lower lip. “Actually, now that I think about it, I’m not in the mood for thirty seconds of Ricky. You know, I’d almost rather go eat somewhere. We could go back to that diner up the street. Remember how awesome their food was last time we went?”
Veronica’s eyes lit up. “Ruth’s? Girl, I’m starving. Let’s do it.”
“Uh… sorry. I can’t, guys,” said Melody. “I’m meeting someone.”
Taylor raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean? Who?!”
Melody stared at her side-view in the mirror, sucking in her stomach and thrusting out her chest. She was glad she’d worn her new leopard-printed pushup bra with the matching thong. She wondered if Slade liked animal print. “Wish I could tell you, but it’s kind of a secret.”
