My brow furrowed. “Honestly? I don’t know. He’ll probably want to get back to his own people and prepare them for when this war spreads out across the country.”
“You don’t think the Master will focus his attentions solely here?” Zane asked. I could almost see his thoughts turning over and over, pondering the possibilities.
“I think it would be unwise not to assume the worst. Which leads me to the next question, how prepared are your Enforcers for full-scale exposure of our community to humans? This could get ugly, fast.”
It was Devlin who answered. “I’ve trained them for this exact thing, but preparing and implementing are two separate things. I’m confident we can keep it under control.”
“If it escalates quickly, we may need to bring in additional help. We may need a connection within the human police force that can assist. I just hope it doesn’t come to that. The less they know, the safer we can keep them.”
The exposure of our community, and the danger within, was always a threat at the back of each Supernatural leader’s mind. The Council had established protocols that were then passed on to the Enforcers. Even as Alpha, I made sure Pack members knew to exercise discretion when interacting with humans.
Something like this, however, had the potential of blowing the lid off the secrecy of our world.
“Hope for the best,” Darcy murmured.
“While we prepare for the worst.” I finished, inwardly smiling over how in sync we were.
“I’ll make sure to pass this on to everyone, then.” Devlin was a leader within the Enforcers, ensuring the wishes of his king were followed and obeyed. “We’ll be ready.”
“So, again. What’s the plan? Find out who the Master is, what he wants, and where he’s located?” Darcy counted off on each finger as she spoke each phrase.
Energy simmered within me as a plan started formulating. “Finding him is priority. I want him out of Daniel. Something tells me we’ll find out soon enough what he wants. I got the impression he took great pleasure in taunting me during the challenge.”
“We’ll start sending teams out on patrol, scouting out possible leads. We’ll also need to heighten security around the mansion. We’re housing a lot of people and we’d be foolish not to expect a direct attack, here,” Zane added, tapping a slender finger across his lips.
“Add me and Wade to that schedule, as well. Once everyone wakes up tomorrow, I’ll ask for volunteers. I’m grateful for your hospitality, Zane. We’re prepared to help in any way.” From the corner of my eye, I saw Darcy yawn, signaling the buzz her drink had given her was swiftly fading.
“I’ll have a list for you by late morning. It won’t hurt for us to both go out and see what we can find.” It didn’t surprise me that Devlin was feeling that same driving need to do something as I was—the impatience dancing inside me, keeping my wolf constantly riled up and on the ready.
Speaking of which. “I’m good with starting, now.”
“And I’m good with you starting once the sun is up and you’ve rested,” Darcy interrupted, resting her hand on my forearm, gently. “It can wait a few hours. Everyone is safe for the moment. Wade will be back soon. I’m sure Devlin already has people out looking, so they’ll report in if they uncover anything.”
When I let out a pent up hiss between my teeth, she smiled. “Sleep now, so you can devote your entire focus and energy after.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Devlin agreed.
While there was nothing I wanted to do more than go out and address this current threat immediately, I also knew enough to recognize the common sense in my mate’s suggestion. “Then let’s go to bed, sweetheart.” Standing up, I offered my hand to assist her.
The look on her face was priceless. “What? You’re not going to argue with me?” Judging from Zane and Devlin’s expressions, they’d expected some kind of resistance, too.
“I’m not always bullheaded. I can compromise.” Kissing the tip of her nose, I squelched the rising concern that I was somehow forgetting something and, instead, wrapped my arm around her waist.
“I’ve had someone prepare your usual suite.” Zane smiled, rising to his feet along with Devlin. The meeting was over; and while there were still a lot of unanswered questions, at least we had a direction.
“Let me know if you hear anything new. Sleep can wait if we have a lead.” I eyed them sternly.
“Rest. Something tells me we might not get that luxury in the near future.” Zane’s final words felt ominous—almost prophetic as he ushered us toward the door.
I didn’t answer. It was like he’d taken the very words out of my mouth—out of all our mouths.
“Sweet dreams and sleep well.”
I didn't have the heart to reply that those were now things of the past.
Chapter Five
Darcy
Two steps inside the suite and all thoughts of resting under the covers of the massive king size bed before me disappeared. Mason led the way into our temporary bedroom and, although his ash-smudged shirt hid it, I could only imagine the tension he carried in the knotted muscles beneath.
It was in the way he walked. To any other observer, he appeared normal, his posture straight and confident. But I knew better—I knew him, and it would take more than laying down on the soft mattress and closing his eyes for those muscles to relinquish their vice-grip over him.
I watched him openly; aware that he knew I was studying him. Neither of us had spoken since leaving Zane’s office. Mason’s exhausted sigh was the first sound to breach the silence as he settled at the edge of the bed.
“Something tells me if I lay down, I’m not going to want to get up.” He groaned, scrubbing his hands over his face. “Is it selfish that I just want to crawl under the covers and sleep for a month? I think the frequent shifting has finally sunk in.”
His gaze caught mine and in his soft blue eyes I found his need. “I don’t think anyone would fault you.”
Slowly I slipped his shoes off, removing his socks and tossing them toward the carved dresser that held spare sets of clothing for us. In maintaining rooms here at the mansion, Zane had requested we stock it with whatever would make our visits comfortable. I couldn’t help but wonder at his incredible foresight, especially considering the fire had consumed most of our belongings.
I didn’t care about the material things in life. Everything I cherished was safe and secure under this one roof.
Everything I loved sat in front of me, waiting patiently to see what I’d do next.
“You don’t have to do that, sweetheart. Let’s just try and get some sleep. The sun will rise soon and things will get busy. All I can focus on right now is holding you in my arms and simply breathing you in.”
“I smell like smoke,” I murmured, ignoring his request when he stood.
As my fingers rested lightly at the waistband of his pants, his hand briefly covered mine. “That’s not what I meant,” he whispered.
He didn’t stop me as I helped him out of his sweats. He was still like a statue when, a few seconds later, his t-shirt was stripped from him and the grey fabric joined the rest of his clothes on the floor.
Mason knew better than to argue with me.
“Do these bother you?” I asked, faintly tracing my fingers over the scars covering his chest. They’d healed well enough, but I was more concerned over his memories in receiving them than whether his vanity had been bruised.
Shrugging, Mason glanced down. “Not really. It’s just skin. In time I’ll forget they’re even there.”
He seemed so cavalier with his answer, so brave. I knew what it had cost him—how close he’d come to losing himself completely. He truly was a miracle to me. “I’ll make her pay,” I promised, anger flaring in my voice suddenly.
Mason cupped my hands with his and brought them slowly to his mouth. The touch of his lips sent shivers through me. “How about we talk about that tomorrow? I’m standing here in my boxers and all I can think about is why you aren’
t naked.”
His comment made me blush and silently I chided myself for getting off track with my plans. “Because it’s not important how I’m dressed right now,” I answered, winking coyly.
“I beg to differ, sweetheart.” He was already pulling at my jeans.
“Let me do something first; and if you’re still able, you can have your way with me, afterward. Deal?”
Suspicion flooded his features as his eyebrows rose. “I assure you, whatever you’re about to do, I will always be able to.”
“Lay down on the bed, then. On your stomach.” My lips twitched from trying to hide my smile. I could see his curiosity was piqued, but he didn’t question me any further; instead, he did what I asked.
“Be gentle, Darcy,” he chuckled; his voice muffled as he lowered himself and let out an exaggerated groan of satisfaction.
“And to think I haven’t even touched you yet.” Slipping off my own shoes, I climbed up after him and straddled his hips. While we both knew tonight would end with a glorious round of sex, right now my sole focus was massaging out his rock-hard muscles.
“Darcy? I’m pretty sure this works better if I was on my back.”
I didn’t answer. Instead, I let my fingers do the talking, my thumbs adding just the right pressure between his shoulder blades.
“Sweeeeet mercy,” Mason hissed, his jaw clenching. Easing up, I set into a steady rhythm and his body gradually began yielding beneath my touch. There was no time to marvel at the incredible physique of my mate, to explore the body that resembled the chiseled form of Greek gods made famous by artists’ centuries ago.
The energy flowing between us, the soothing give and take that came from our bond, helped strip away the tightness and strain from weeks of carried burdens. Each weight melted away, and it didn’t take long before his steady breathing gave way to gentle snores.
Mason rarely asked for anything. Everything he did, he did for others. With each restful inhale and exhale, the rigid lines that seemed etched across his brow softened, until all that was left was the roguishly handsome face of the man I loved.
I was a big believer that there was a time and season to everything—for loving appreciation and decadent worship—and those quiet moments where it was possible to be still and know in that second, it was okay to lower your guard and simply be.
If there was no other gift I could give my mate, I was grateful it was this one I could offer.
“Mission accomplished,” I murmured, smiling at how easy it had been. Carefully lifting my leg over his body, I snuggled into him, relishing the way the heat from his body instantly enveloped me.
All was well, at least in the confines of this suite.
Closing my eyes, it was the memory of Mason’s smile that eased me into sleep.
****
I felt his distress, first—the crushing, almost suffocating force that coated our mating bond and jolted me awake. Something was wrong, seriously wrong, and I half expected to find danger exploding around us in the bedroom.
Instead, our surroundings were still, the faint light from the approaching dawn filtering between small gaps in the curtains. Everything looked the same as it did hours earlier.
No, what had disturbed my sleep was Mason, thrashing and moaning softly below his breath, his teeth gritted tightly as he snarled at whatever horror he was engaging in his dream.
Sweat glistened over his skin, drenching the sheets, his muscles taut and rigid. Pressing my fingers hesitantly over his arm, the heat radiating from his body made him almost too hot to touch.
“Mason.” When he didn’t respond to my careful nudging, I attempted, again. “Mason, wake up. You’re dreaming. It’s not real.”
He groaned long and loud, pain filling the air as his face scrunched. Arching his back, he bucked violently up off the bed and I knew, without peeking through our link, what kept Mason from freeing himself.
Taking a stronger grip of his arm, preparing myself for an aggressive reaction when I shook him, it was my turn to gasp when he dragged me, unknowingly, into his mind.
It was viewed as a blessing—the way mated couples could share their thoughts and feelings with each other—glimpsing into those more intimate recesses and experiencing a connection at a soul level. It had brought so much joy over the short time we’d been married—cementing our relationship and making us closer, because it gave us insight.
However, this was something much darker, more insidious, and despite my previous eagerness to never shrink away from what Mason chose to reveal, this threatened to completely shatter my heart.
I’d been given a slight look once before, when he’d inadvertently linked with me during Helena’s torture session. What I’d felt there had been brutally clear—leaving me physically injured as I’d assumed his pain and afflictions.
The onslaught had caused me to pass out, but this . . . this went beyond that.
The nightmare tormenting Mason now felt a thousand times more overwhelming and personal. There was a reason why I hadn’t been able to reach him and pull him out.
Daniel’s face appeared from the darkness—his once handsome features twisted and contorted into the sadistic grimace of a killer—hell-bent on exacting agonizing blows. Unable to move, Mason was left to thrash against his restraints as his best friend struck him, blow after blow, without mercy.
Flesh sizzled under the white-hot blade pressed repeatedly against his skin.
Hands and feet burned from the silver stakes impaling them, blood seeping from wounds that couldn’t heal.
“I will destroy you, piece by piece.” The malice in Daniel’s voice sounded foreign. Bending down until his soured breath brushed over Mason’s ear, it was difficult to accept this was the same guy who’d sworn allegiance to his Pack brother, forever. “And once I’m done, I’m going to do the exact same thing to that whore you call a wife.”
This wasn’t Daniel. These weren’t his horrifying words.
This was the Master, whoever he was, morphing into Mason’s sub-conscious.
“Do whatever you want to me. I’ll kill you before you ever lay a finger on Darcy.”
“You mean, like this one?” A loud snap rang out as Daniel broke his prisoner’s finger. “Or this one?”
Mason knew it wasn’t his best friend—deep down he could rationalize what he was seeing. Unfortunately, pain was making it nearly impossible for him to keep doubt from rearing its ugly head.
Awake, Mason knew, in his heart, the truth.
Trapped within sleep, he waged war with that uncertainty.
“Wake up!” I screamed, hoping he could somehow hear me now that I was inside his mind. “Mason!”
“Darcy?” he groaned, not sure whether he could believe he’d heard my voice.
“I knew the bitch liked to watch!” Spittle flew from Daniel’s lips as they maliciously curled.
“This isn’t real. Let go, Mason. Come back to me. None of this is real!” The edges of the room started crumbling, fading away into darkness.
“Oh, I’m very real, Alpha. I’m everything you should be afraid of.” Daniel rammed another silver stake into Mason’s thigh, bringing the dream back into focus.
Lowering my voice, I blocked everything else out. “Ignore him. Ignore the pain. Focus only on me.” Pure love blasted out through me into my mate. “Focus on that.”
Suddenly, Mason released my mind and I found myself back in bed, draped over his body with tears spilling down my cheeks. There was also a firm block placed within our link, preventing me from returning.
“Oh, Mason.” I sobbed, my heart hurting over what I’d witnessed. He presented such a strong façade to others—the perfect example of what a leader and Alpha should be. He’d shown me how he felt about things, but never this depth. There was so much he kept hidden, even from me.
“I didn’t mean for you to see any of that,” he murmured, his arm wrapping around me.
“Is that what you dream?” I asked incredulously, kissing his heated skin
as if I could somehow remove those memories with my lips.
He shrugged. “Usually it’s Helena; so Daniel was a new addition, tonight.”
I kept repeating it like a mantra, but I needed to hear his acknowledgement. “That wasn’t real. You know that, right?”
“I do. It doesn’t make it feel any less real, but yes . . . it was just a dream.” A residual tremor pulsed through him.
“We’ll save him, just like you saved me.” Total conviction filled my statement.
“We will. I won’t stop until Daniel’s back home where he belongs.” As each moment passed, the heavy, oppressive sensation that had permeated the room lifted. “Darcy?”
“Yeah?”
“I need you.” Three short words, but within them came a quiet plea. It wasn’t just my body he needed, but something else to further ground him.
“You have me.” Rolling onto my back, Mason wasted no time in stripping off the clothing I still wore and his shorts.
Any barrier between us quickly melted away, his heated gaze holding mine.
It was just me and him—no one, nothing else, existed.
“I need you,” he repeated, eyes closed as he joined our bodies in one graceful move. “I’ve never needed anyone more.”
“I’m right here, Mason. I’m yours.” My fingers tangled in his damp hair and I pulled his mouth toward mine. When he released a guttural groan, increasing the passionate intensity of the kiss, my toes curled against the sheets.
He made me burn with each controlled roll of his hips, stoking the fire building between us. Nails dug into his shoulders, my own back curving as I desperately tried to deepen the intimate contact.
Every nerve ending seemed to sizzle and I knew the precise moment when Mason chose to let go and bury himself wholly into the incredible energy our bodies were creating. This was what he needed—what we’d both been craving.
“I want . . . I need you to . . .” Mason’s words came out staggered. He didn’t need to finish his sentence. I knew what he was about to say—an image of me feeding from his neck flashing in my mind. It was still something new for us; and while we didn’t always share blood during our lovemaking, I understood where his request came from. While the rest of his world was spinning out of control, giving me this . . . he drew strength knowing that he was taking care of me.
Last Wolf Standing (#7, The Mystic Wolves) Page 5
