Primal Instinct

by Ally Parker

  Darius lifted his arm, dangling a leaf of paper. Jaxx’s vision swung by and did a double-take at the embossed wolf and moon seal of their council. Since when did the council start using damn vampires for shifter business?

  “Something’s not right. Be prepared.” Saint sent through their connection.

  Cade walked over to the guard and snatched the paper out of the vampire’s hold, reading it. “The council has ordered us to cease questioning and hand over the female to the council representatives.”

  From beside him, Kenzie tensed.

  “On whose authority?” Saint walked over, taking the notice and examining it. “Interesting.”

  He sniffed the document.

  Saint’s sharp gaze shot to Darius. “Who gave you this?”

  The vampire at the front launched forward. “I have orders from the high council itself. Hand the female over, or we have instructions to obtain her by any means necessary.”

  “Shit!” Jaxx cursed. Shifters were strong, but with at least twenty council vamps fanned around them, they were outmanned and outgunned.

  His alpha blew out a breath and swept his arm toward Kali. The vampires strolled forward, picked up Kali, and walked out into the darkness. Saint shot a gaze toward Flynn and Hunter, jerking his head toward the door. “Follow them and report back what you find.”

  Jaxx cleared his throat. “Something isn’t right.”

  “Indeed,” Bastian agreed. “I’ve never seen the council involve itself with something as insignificant as a lone she-wolf.”

  Saint looked troubled, and that never ended well. His voice low, he kept his gaze trained on the open door the vampires had taken Kali through. “We have to get back to the den.”

  Bastian’s gaze zeroed in on Jaxx. “There’s still the matter of payment.”

  Of course, there was. Jaxx squeezed Kenzie. “Go with the others to the SUV; I’ll be out in a minute.”

  She lingered in his arms before pulling away and strolling out the door. Once he was certain Kenzie was in the safety of the car surrounded by pack, he approached Bastian.

  Holding out his arm, he said, as per tradition, “Take what I give freely.”

  Revolt churned in his stomach. Giving blood to a leech was taboo. Shifter’s blood held power, and no shifter wanted to give the vamps more strength than they already had. Bastian licked his lips.

  Jaxx suppressed a shudder, feeling like Christmas dinner. “Don’t even think about licking me.”

  It would hurt without the numbing properties in Bastian’s saliva, but he’d be damned if he’d let the vamp lick him like some damn lollipop.

  Bastian nodded. “As you wish.”

  The vampire bit down, and Jaxx gritted his teeth as Bastian drew on his wrist. Each pull weakened him, but it was the price Bastian had demanded, and for Kenzie he would pay anything.

  “What’s wrong?” Kenzie’s voice whispered in his mind like a soothing balm.

  Reluctantly, he threw up a barrier and did his best to shut her out. Bastian, the greedy bastard, was going to suck him into a husk. Jaxx’s knees started to buckle, and his vision dimmed. Bastian pulled away. The room spun, and Jaxx swayed where he stood. He shook his head to clear the darkness and staggered to the door. Somehow, he managed to make it down the steps. Falling to his knees, his vision fuzzed on the edges.

  Weakness was a hard pill to swallow; he was just glad it wasn’t for nothing. Knowing Ava’s possible location was a big win. All they had to do was make it there before she was moved or outlived her usefulness. He shook his head and blinked rapidly.

  “Keep it together,” he whispered to himself. They still weren’t out of danger.

  Teetering off balance, Jaxx fell to the dirt. It just looked like he’d be keeping it together from right there on the ground.

  18

  “Jaxx!” Kenzie yelled.

  She pulled from Cade’s grip. “Damn it. I told you something was wrong.”

  Running toward Jaxx, she skidded on the pebbled ground and dropped to her knees. What the hell had happened? He was fine when she’d left him not even five minutes ago. “Open your eyes, damn it, and tell me what’s wrong.”

  She searched his body for injuries, her gaze catching on red and angry lumps on his wrist. She sucked in a breath. “Who did this?”

  Fang marks. Blood slowly dripped from the area. His skin lacked its normal golden hue, looking rather grey. With shaky fingers, she checked for a pulse. Kenzie held her breath and didn’t exhale until the pound of Jaxx’s slow and steady heartbeat thudded under her fingers.

  Jaxx’s hand shot up, his fingers curled around her wrist, holding it steady. “I’m fine.”

  But he didn’t sound fine; he sounded weak. “Shhh, it’s okay. Save your strength.”

  Pulling her arm to his nose, he drew in a breath and released her. A second later he cracked an eyelid. “Little wolf.”

  “Other than your wrist, are you injured anywhere else?” Clearly, a vampire had fed off him. Apparently liking the taste of Jaxx a little too much. But, who? Bastian? Or someone else? The thought of someone’s teeth in Jaxx’s skin, sucking on him, made her gnash her teeth together.

  Cade’s presence burned into her back. “Ole Jaxx will be fine.”

  Kenzie’s head snapped up, and her eyes widened. How could Cade say that? “Are we seeing the same thing? He can barely stay conscious.”

  Saint’s SUV started. Headlights shone on the area, and Kenzie could see the edges of Jaxx’s wrist knitting together. While the area looked a little ravaged, the blood had slowed.

  “Is everything okay?” Saint asked.

  “No.” She shook her head. Jaxx was far from okay.

  At the same time Cade responded. “Oui.”

  Yes, my ass. Ignoring her completely, Cade huffed out a breath. “It’s nothin’ we can’t handle. Jaxx just needs a minute.”

  Saint nodded, and before she could argue, the car was thrown in reverse and tore down the drive.

  Unbelievable!

  She glared up at Cade. “He needs an ambulance, not a frickin’ minute.”

  Jaxx’s hand fluttered along the ground. She latched on and clutched his noticeably cool fingers.

  Cade strode closer and crouched. “He’s lost some blood. Nothin’ a couple of steaks won’t fix.”

  Right. Meat, the universal cure all for shifter ailments. Her senses, hyper-alert since the attack, scanned the area. No threat lurked that she could tell, but they still needed to get out of there. Who knew if those vampires would come back?

  “Jaxx, can you hear me? We have to get out of here. It’s not safe.” He groaned and squeezed her hand.

  “Here. Let me.” Cade hefted Jaxx in a fireman’s hold and carried him to the other SUV. She bit the inside of her cheek. Seeing Jaxx lifeless, all of his presence completely gone from her mind, worried her more than she thought it would. Opening the door, Cade laid him on the back seat, and Kenzie rounded the other side of the car, opened the door, and maneuvered herself so Jaxx’s head was resting on her lap.

  “I’m sorry Jaxx; this is my fault.” She stroked her fingers down his arm. She might have been confused at her feelings and the connection they shared, but one thing was certain—she cared for Jaxx and would open a world of pain on anyone who thought to hurt him.

  Cade slid behind the wheel. “Cher, this is Bastian’s doing, not yours.”

  Her gaze shot to Cade. “Bastian?” So it was the male. But why would Jaxx allow himself to become so weak?

  “Cade,” Jaxx growled. The low pitch of his voice couldn’t be mistaken for anything other than a warning.

  Cade clenched his jaw shut and turned on the ignition.

  Jaxx was meant to pay Bastian. In blood. Cade’s arm shot out to rest on the passenger’s headrest as he reversed the SUV and sniffed the air. Kicking the car in drive, he said, “Jesus! It’s still bleeding. Damn fangers.”

  “Lick the wound. Your saliva has healing properties.”

  She swallow
ed hard, processing everything Jaxx had done for her. “Do we have any water?”

  Bending down, she licked his wound, the tang of copper filling her mouth. They would have to replace his fluids quickly.

  “In the compartment behind the seat.” Gravel spun as Cade drove up the road.

  “Jaxx, I’m going to reposition you. I need you to drink some water, okay?”

  He grunted in response. With her help, Jaxx lifted to a semi-sitting position. She cracked the water bottle and carefully placed it to his lips. “Just little sips.”

  It became obvious Cade wasn’t one for talking as the minutes dragged into hours, and he didn’t offer any conversation. It gave her time to think. So much had happened in such a small amount of time. She glanced over at the man who had steamrolled into her life, his head resting on her shoulder, appreciating that even in his injured state he made her pulse leap.

  She couldn’t deny that ever since she met Jaxx, he had put her needs before his own. From the humblest gestures like offering reassurance either via the connection, or through his touch. He had helped her more than he knew. Having that kind of support—that person to keep her grounded—wasn’t something she had experienced… ever. He’d risked so much for her. Sweeping some hair off his forehead, she said for his ears alone. “You’re a dangerous man, Jaxx.”

  In more ways than one. She bit her lip. If she didn’t watch out, a man like Jaxx could ruin all her plans for freedom, and her heart just might yearn to be held prisoner by Jaxx Reynolds.

  “Never to you,” his voice whispered through their connection.

  She tensed. His eyes were still closed, face relaxed. It was the first time she had sensed his presence since before he’d collapsed. Blowing out a breath, she told herself that had to be good sign, and some of the tension left her shoulders. If Jaxx was well enough to get back inside her head, then she better move her thoughts to safer waters. Like her sister.

  The knowledge of Ava’s location was a shining star in her mind. Shaking her head, she still couldn’t believe all this time Ava was being kept right where it all began. A part of her wanted to kick Cade to the curb and head straight to the warehouse. Logic was the only thing stopping her. First, Jaxx was injured. Second, she didn’t think she’d survive going a round with Cade, and third, breaking into the warehouse blindly would be risking not only Ava’s life but her own. After everything they’d been through, they deserved a lot more than pushing up daisies. By now, Doctor LeRoy would know something had gone wrong. Too much time had passed for Kali to report in. That knowledge upped the stakes.

  Shifting in her seat, she cleared her throat. “Now that we have Ava’s location, what will happen?”

  Cade’s large shoulders rolled up. He glanced in the rearview mirror, his gaze connecting with hers. “Won’t know till we regroup.”

  She waited for him to elaborate, but he didn’t. Sighing, she offered Jaxx another sip of water before easing back into the seat. Witnessing how Bastian controlled Kali was more than a little unnerving and made her wonder what vampires normally lived off. Surely not shifters. “Are shifters and weres one of the normal food groups for vampires?”

  Cade snorted. “Non. Vampires get an extra hit from our blood. Any chance to get their hands on some, they will.”

  “Right. Good to know.” Prudent information she would do well to remember.

  Turning into what was becoming a familiar street, Cade pulled into the drive and thumbed the code for the gate. A moment later it opened, and they made their way toward the house. Flynn met them at the back entrance. Cade parked the SUV and Flynn opened the back door, his head leaning in. “Jaxx can ye walk, lad?”

  Jaxx’s eyes remained closed. “I can run laps around you, my friend.”

  Cade snorted, and despite how standoffish he came across, she couldn’t mistake the relief on his face. “Ain’t you meant to be trailing those bloodsuckers?”

  Flynn’s lips dipped downward. “Aye, we were. They spotted us, and we had a wee little altercation with them. Hunter was injured, badly. So we returned.” A worried look flashed over his face, and he cleared his throat. “I thought you might need a hand with Jaxx; he wasn’t looking too good last time I saw him.”

  “I’m fine,” Jaxx insisted.

  For the first time since he had fallen to the ground at Bastian’s, Jaxx opened his eyes. He moved to inch out of the car and paused, swaying. Kenzie’s hand went out to steady him, and Cade wrapped an arm around his bicep.

  Jaxx licked his lips. “I just need a minute.”

  “Jaxx you’re not fine. Let the men help you, for Pete’s sake.” Was the man crazy?

  He grunted but didn’t argue. Cade helped him from the car, and Jaxx wobbled on his feet.

  “Steady, lad.” Flynn spoke, moving Jaxx one step at a time toward the back entrance. “We should get the lad to the infirmary so Cadence can cast an eye over him.”

  Kenzie slid the door open and stepped inside. The home was impressive. She blew out a breath and barely had enough time to take in what must have been the living room, with a large television hanging on the wall and a lovely fireplace on the opposite side of the room, before she was searching for the exit to the sublevel.

  It dawned on her that while she had briefly explored the lower level, she hadn’t stepped foot into the main house. Biting her lip, not sure where to go, she hesitated.

  “Go to your right to the end of the hall.” Cade’s voice directed her from behind.

  Following his instructions, she passed the leather chairs and moved toward the hall, her boots clipping on the wooden floors. She passed framed pictures, some men she recognized, some she didn’t. Focusing at the end of the hall, she saw nothing but a brick wall.

  “Where now?”

  “Tenth brick up and four to the right.”

  She followed his instructions, fumbling for a lever of some kind. Her fingers slid over a small crevasse.

  “That’s it, cher, now press it.”

  A moment later the wall disappeared, unveiling a staircase lit with candles. One step at a time, she made her way deeper underground. Twin fire pits sat at the end of the stairs. Now, this she did recognize. Feeling a little more confident on where she was going, she turned to the left and made her way through the halls until she came to a familiar door. After a quick knock, Kenzie entered the medical room, finding Cadence hovering over Hunter and adjusting his IV line. She glanced over, her smile dimming as she looked Kenzie over.

  “Are you hurt?”

  “It’s not me.” She shook her head. “It’s Jaxx.”

  Cadence rounded the medical bed. “What happened?”

  As Kenzie gave her an update, Cadence buzzed around the room, gathering supplies. The she-wolf opened a door tucked away in the corner of the room, and Kenzie followed. From in the room she heard the door open, and scented Jaxx, Cade, and Flynn.

  “We’re in here,” Kenzie said as she moved out of the way.

  “Put him on the bed.” Cadence moved to a fridge and pulled out a bag of blood. Moving with a proficiency only experience could give her, the female set up the line and left it hanging on the IV pole. Within minutes Jaxx was hooked up to the blood.

  “He’s going to be fine. By morning, I’d say he will be looking a hell of a lot better.”

  Cade crossed his arms beside her. “How is Hunter doin’?”

  Moving from the room, Cadence eyed the too-still male. “He’s been a bit touch and go, but if we can get him through the night, I have high hopes for him.”

  The door clicked closed, and Kenzie moved toward Jaxx. More guilt added to the little guilt party raging inside her. Hunter might die, and Jaxx was hurt—all in the name of her quest to save Ava. She just hoped it wasn’t all for nothing.

  Saint pinched the bridge of his nose and glanced at his caller ID. Heart pounding, he cursed. Damn it, why was a council member calling him at barely six in the morning? Drawing in a breath, he answered. “Saint speaking.”

  “Saint,
I’m glad I caught you. I wanted to talk to you discreetly about our arrangement.”

  Recognizing the voice as Saul Wolf, one of the council alphas, Saint blew out a breath. “Is there a problem with what we agreed on?”

  The flint of a lighter sounded, and the distinct draw on a cigarette breezed through the line. “No, no, your beta will be safe. When the rest of the council sees the picture, it’ll be discredited quicker than a shift on a full moon. It’s all in the report.”

  His shoulder muscles relaxed, knowing Jaxx was safe from the council’s wrath. One less thing on his ever-growing list of things to worry about. “What of Ryker?”

  Saul huffed out a breath. “We are hunting him now. You were right. No one had any knowledge of a call to pull in a she-wolf named Kali, or otherwise. Ryker will receive a fine, his position on the alpha council will be suspended, and depending on investigations, Dark Falls might need a new alpha.”

  Leaning back in his chair, Saint tried to summon up guilt, but as he stared at the monitors and remembered the attack from Dark Falls, he found the emotion simply not there. “Thank you, Saul. I can assure you I will keep my end of the bargain.”

  And the women of his pack would stay safe. In fact, soon they’d be growing in numbers.

  “That’s why I’m calling. I know we agreed you’d take Annika under your protection in a month, once everything was organized, but there’s been a change of plans. We might need her to go into hiding sooner.”

  Pain laced Saul’s voice, and Saint could only imagine what a hard decision this must be for the both of them. “Your sister will be safe under my protection. The council will never find her, though we’ve had an incident, and it’s too big to keep under the radar.”

  A chair creaked through this line. “Tell me.”

  Closing his eyes, Saint told Saul every sordid detail about Delmac and what he’d seen, conveniently withholding the fact Lucas was Mackenzie’s maker. The damage was done, and she was mated to his beta and a part of Shadow Moon. Other than the small matter of finding her a mentor, there was no reason to bring any more risks of harm to his pack.