by Aline Hunter
No amount of prayer eased his conscience. Nor did reassurances that he had done what was necessary.
Moses had hoped when the shifters attacked the vans armed to destroy them they would inadvertently end his misery, keeping his shame a secret. Now he knew he would die with the truth revealed, outed as who and what he was.
A murderer.
And murderers, as all Christians knew, burned for an eternity in hell.
Ava’s lids dipped and she shook her head again. When she opened her eyes she gazed at Caden. There were no tears. They had all been shed when he’d come home several days after the murder to find the decomposing body of his wife on the kitchen floor.
“How can I know you’re telling me the truth?” he asked quietly. “How can you prove this isn’t just another lie or trick?”
“I can’t.” She struggled to remain awake. “But if you’re willing to listen you can find out for yourself. No one here means you harm. They need you as much as you need them.”
“I’m not sure about all that but I’ll listen…for a price.” Caden’s steely gray eye narrowed as he turned from Ava and studied Moses, who kept his chin to his chest. There was more than death promised in that stare and the raw intensity forced her to look away.
“He’s yours,” Diskant said, his voice uncharacteristically deep and reflective. “The first person to suffer a loss is always the one given the first option to exact punishment. That’s our law. No one here will dispute it.”
Identifying the cause of Diskant’s shift in mood, Ava placed her hand over his heart and thought, No one can hurt me now. You’re here. We’re safe. It’s okay now.
And I intend for it to stay that way. I’ll never put you in harm’s way again. Not for anyone or anything.
Diskant had walked across the room toward the stairs when Caden’s low growl stopped him. “I want your word. I’ll listen to whatever you have to say and if the information is solid enough I’ll answer your questions. But in exchange you hand him over. Once the gloves come off he’s mine to do with as I please.”
Ava huddled into Diskant’s chest and lifted the protective mental barriers that kept Caden’s emotions—as well as Moses’—from washing through her. Her part was done. She’d promised to help the pack and now it was up to them to take what information she’d provided and use it to their advantage.
“He’s yours,” Diskant repeated and resumed his trek, calling over his shoulder, “No matter what happens from this moment forward, you’ll decide how he goes. I give you my word.”
* * * * *
“Thank you for choosing Delta. Enjoy your flight.”
Thomas accepted his ticket, nodded to the attendant and began the short walk down the narrow hallway littered with chatty passengers. When he reached the plane and was directed to his seat in first class, he pulled a box from his pocket before he placed his suitcase in the overhead compartment and sat down. People filtered past but he didn’t pay them any notice. His mind was on one thing and one thing only.
He opened the lid, revealing the key to his future. The locket shone as the overhead lighting struck the surface, the engraved lines prominent. A shadow fell over him, and he looked up at the attendant smiling down at him.
“Is that a gift for someone special?”
He returned her smile, closed the box and sat back. “You could say that.”
The second influx of passengers began boarding and when she turned to greet them Thomas gazed out the window and stared at the plane landing in the distance.
For years he’d existed in Ava’s shadow as the brother who could never do as well as the younger child—the consummate fuckup and deviant—while she was lavished with praise and adulation. It probably stemmed from DNA and genetics. After all, how much could you love a child if he or she wasn’t truly your own? Obviously not all that much.
If only her parents could see her now.
Even after he’d read the file he couldn’t believe that Ava was attached to a shifter—a goddamn werewolf—of all things. It seemed absolutely improbable, but in light of everything else, not impossible. Their parents had always been quirky, their habits perpetually secretive.
“Excuse me.”
Thomas turned from the window toward the brisk voice and found himself face-to-face with an obese man dressed in an expensive business suit. His rounded belly nearly made contact with Thomas’ shoulder as he struggled to put his carryon in the overhead compartment, the unsightly swell jiggling as he strained.
So much for the daydream he’d had of a beautiful, educated woman taking the empty seat beside him.
The oversized man eventually got his eggs in a basket and plopped his wide girth into the adjoining seat. He squirmed a bit, ensuring his weight distributed evenly, Thomas assumed, and went for the suitcase he’d placed on the floor. His heavy breathing reminded Thomas of a taxed pig, forced to make a run for it just prior to the slaughter.
“Can I get you anything to drink?” The attendant was forced to lean over the man seated in the aisle when he grunted and told her what he wanted. Then she turned to Thomas.
“No, thank you.” Thomas tried to provide a smile but produced a thin grimace instead.
A heavy vibration pulled his attention from the attendant and he lifted his hips to pull his cell phone from his pocket. The name on the small screen changed his grimace to a grin. Well, surprise, surprise. He pressed the small red key and waited until the phone shut off before sliding it back in his pocket.
There was no way for Aldon to know what he had, although now Thomas understood the strange man’s—the vampire’s—interest in him. It was rather fucked up, in retrospect. The bet he’d placed during a lengthy card game with Aldon had forced him to steal the locket from his unknowing sibling and sell it to Craig Newlander in the first place.
Serendipity was indeed alive and well.
A couple of layovers and he would be in a safe place in Mexico. The money he’d obtained from Ava for the cabin would allow him to live comfortably until he could put the locket on the market and wait until the highest bidder claimed their prize. Afterward he would take his fortune and relocate to a place he would never, ever be found. For once he would have the chance to start over, to live the good life, to become an important person who people turned to.
The captain’s voice came over the intercom and he relayed the weather they were due to pass through and the expected arrival time at their destination. Placing the locket inside his empty pocket, Thomas relaxed in his seat, closed his eyes and began dreaming of his bright, happy future.
Epilogue
“Hurry up with those drinks, slacker.” Ava swatted Brett with the hand towel she’d swiped from beneath the counter, landing a blow directly to his left ass cheek, and a warning growl echoed in her head.
Haven’t I warned you about touching other males, mate?
Ripping her attention away from the friend standing beside her, she met the lethal stare of the imposing eye candy who rose from his seat amongst his newly acquired pack and started stalking her from across the club.
Technically I didn’t touch him.
Even across the distance she could see Diskant’s annoyed scowl. It was close enough.
Brett unknowingly interrupted their conversation, unaware that he was in the line of fire. “Since my best bartender left me high and dry and I’m the lone slinger, I’m afraid you’re just going to have to suck it up.”
“Okay, if you say so,” she responded quickly and stepped from the bar, rushing to intercept the two hundred-plus pounds of possessive Omega striding in their direction.
It was still difficult to believe that only two weeks had passed since Diskant had ascended to Alpha, taken control of the pack that he’d been born into and assumed responsibility of the wolves who’d decided to stay behind instead of continue forward with Trey to eradicate those responsible for cutting their numbers in half. A lot had changed in such a short span of time, in ways she never would have believed possi
ble a month before, and it was only the beginning.
I should take you over my knee and tan that pretty little ass of yours in front of everyone. If I didn’t know better I’d say you’re intentionally provoking me.
I’m not provoking you, Neanderthal. And you wouldn’t dare.
They met halfway, a collision of groping arms, eager hands and hungry mouths. That saintly attribute referred to as modesty had long since fled, replaced by a hunger she couldn’t—and didn’t want to—control. When Diskant touched her there was nothing else. She had no pride, no restraint, no concept of right and wrong. He centered her, grounded her and provided all of the things she needed even when she wasn’t sure what they were.
Diskant groaned. You’re driving me mad.
His large hands cupped her ass, kneading the globes. He lifted her and she wrapped her legs around his waist, grinding against him, turned-on by the feel of his fully erect cock pressing against her. Damn if she didn’t want him here and now. She didn’t care who saw, who watched. This man was all hers and she wanted everyone to know. There would never be another for him just as there would never be another for her.
“Good lord, Ava.” Delmar’s deep, disapproving voice broke through the sexual haze. “Get a fucking room.”
Diskant pulled away and nailed the bouncer with an annoyed look. Then he turned, striding back to the booth, keeping her trapped in his arms. She heard the chuckles of the pack as she approached. They teased her with familiar taunts, displaying the camaraderie they shared. They were more than a unit, their connection far stronger.
“They’re here,” Nathan said in a tone that was anything but joking, causing the group to quiet down.
Diskant turned and lowered her to the ground, allowing Ava to see Trey, Emory and the wolves accompanying them. There were over a dozen of them, some of whom were males who had lost their mates in the explosion. Their expressions were grim, lines creasing the outlines of their mouths, jaws and chins shadowed by thick stubble. Caden brought up the rear, remaining close yet apart, just as he had since he and the pack had come to an understanding, struck a tentative truce and bartered an agreement for his aid in tracking down the Shepherds responsible for his wife’s death.
Ava’s gaze unerringly drifted to Zach. Long gone was the playful shifter who’d snatched Katie by the waist and whispered sweet promises into his mate’s ear. She felt his pain, his anguish, and she intuitively reached out with her mind and the pack connection, soothing him though he wasn’t aware of it, calming the wolf and providing some small semblance of peace. His stern frown eased and he paused for a moment, no doubt stunned by his reversal in feelings.
I wish he wouldn’t go. The thought went out before she could stop it, her connection with Diskant so strong it was almost impossible to completely shield herself from him.
You’ve helped him survive the first two weeks. Diskant wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. It’s up to him to decide if he wants to give life another chance.
The notion didn’t bring her comfort but then, not much did the last few days. Although the pack was out in force, the meeting at Liminality was a final farewell to their former Alpha. Tensions continued to run high and all of them were on full alert. She chanced a glance at the bar, feeling the weight of Brett’s stare. He was studying all of them closely while wiping down the counter. The tray with their drinks was ready, perched at the empty serving space.
Standing on tiptoe, she kissed the hollow of Diskant’s throat. “I’m going to get the drinks.”
“Don’t get too close to the warlocke.” Diskant’s low grumble in her ear made her smile. “You don’t want the night to end in a brawl, Pinkie.”
She laughed, warmed by the verbal display of possession and dominance. The slap he delivered to her ass as she walked away caused her to hiss and nail him with a look that promised payback. He grinned, those full lips curving at the corners in a manner she adored.
Delmar was shaking his head as she crossed the room but his good-humored smile was intact. The club was crowded, the floors flooded with people. A majority of them were human patrons but, as was the norm, there were also shifters.
Directing her attention to the top floor, she saw the prides seated at their usual vantage point high above the world. One in particular lifted his glass to her, his green eyes luminous across the distance. Kinsley had managed to bring the cat shifters together, vowing to aid Diskant in his transition to Alpha. It wasn’t an easy feat, however. The cat breeds didn’t care about any other shifting race aside from themselves. With the exception of Kinsley, they were an extremely arrogant and elitist group.
Are you calling me an elitist, Ava mine? She could have sworn she heard Diskant chuckle the thought. The nosy bastard.
She grinned but didn’t turn. If the shoe fits.
You’re so going to pay for that. As soon as I get you home I’m going to tie you to the bed and torture you until you swear to treat me as I deserve.
The thought made her wet, so hot it was difficult to breathe. He would tie her to the bed and cover every inch of her body with kisses and warm licks, among other equally delightful, pleasurable things.
Get the drinks and hurry back. It’s too distracting when you’re not at my side.
The spring in her step had nothing to do with the command but the desire to be near him, to hear, smell and touch him. Being apart from Diskant in any capacity was hell, something neither of them enjoyed. For the last two weeks she’d gotten a crash course into what it meant to be an Omega, an Alpha and the mate to one of the most important shifters in the city. They remained locked at the hip, completely inseparable with the exception of times when he met with Alphas who demanded a private audience.
Private. Now that was a laughable notion.
If only the Alphas knew that she was privy to everything, able to hear not only their words but their thoughts. It didn’t matter if she was in another room, another vehicle or another location. If she concentrated, her mental connection with Diskant was so strong they could communicate even if they were miles away from each other.
Brett glanced up as she approached but promptly went back to cleaning the bar. She didn’t pry into his head, able to sense his displeasure at her present company. When she’d ventured to the club with Diskant to quit her job a week before Brett had been stunned and demanded to know what in the hell was going on. She’d since learned that he wasn’t exactly human. She’d come clean with him in a very strange, very surreal conversation. Their friendship had been strained ever since, no matter how many times she tried to reach out to him.
She stopped at the counter, studying the drinks on the tray. The weight of the mugs wasn’t a problem but with her small size someone might notice and wonder what she was eating for breakfast nowadays.
“JT!” Brett barked and stopped cleaning.
“Boss?” JT walked from the other side of the bar, wiping his hands on the towel at his waist.
Brett grasped the tray and shoved it into JT’s chest. “Take this to booth twelve.”
As JT scuttled off she placed her elbows on the counter and tried to make conversation for the second time. “Thanks.”
Brett’s response was a grunt, a nod and the presentation of his back as he turned to the backdrop and pretended to busy himself by cleaning the shelves. Nope, he was still unhappy with her.
Releasing a dejected sigh, she’d turned to make her way from the bar when a flash of blonde snared her attention. The woman was standing near the hallway to the restrooms, dressed from head to toe in black, and her gaze was riveted across the room. Recognition struck, taking Ava back to the alley, the smoky sky and the angelic face that stood over her as Nathan cradled her injured body in his arms. Ava followed the direction of the woman’s stare until her eyes rested on Trey and Emory. She wasn’t aware she’d started walking toward the woman until she heard Diskant in her head, angry and afraid.
Stop, Ava mine.
She didn’t listen, continuin
g forward. If she meant me harm, she would have killed me in the alley.
At least wait for me, don’t approach her alone.
She could leave if we do that. You weren’t exactly nice to her after what she did for me, if you recall.
A string of curses sounded in her mind and she knew Diskant was tearing a path through the crowd. She moved faster, pushing aside the people in her way until she stood at the side of the tall, beautiful creature with eyes so pale they seemed translucent. Those ice-blue eyes turned until they were no longer focused on Trey and Emory but rested entirely on Ava. Their gazes caught, blue on blue, a merging of mind and wills occurring as their telepathy flared and touched. Then Ava felt the woman’s power, recognized it. She’d known she was a vampire, had listened as Nathan recounted the story of her rescue to Diskant after the Shepherds attempted to finish what they started outside Dougan’s.
Ava hadn’t known she was also something more, something different.
Do you feel it, sister kind? the vampire mused. It is how you were given the ability to read and communicate mentally, how it flourished inside you.
Ava’s heart started racing, the crazed beating painful inside her chest. “Magic?”
After a fashion. Your parents were descended from mages.
“Mages?”
The vampire clasped her forearm in a soft grip, her fingers silky smooth. Allow me a parting gift.
There was no way to describe what happened next.
One instant Ava wasn’t aware of the significance of her parents’ lineage. The next she understood everything as an instantaneous burst of information was passed along, absorbed and processed. Extrasensory perception was a white mage trait, something that was passed along through the generations. It was stronger in some than others—ranging from what people referred to déjà vu to full-blown telepathy to telekinesis—but was always present. Her parents’ gifts manifested and were made more powerful in her by the genes that passed along the trait.
