by Laura Hysell
I frowned, but tried to do what Aidan had said. Embracing the power inside the dagger, I reached out my senses, struggling to feel what Aidan had described. I felt that same warning heat from the blade, but there was something else beyond it. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on that strangeness. It felt dark, almost evil. I took a deep breath, letting the magic wash over me. They moved closer, and I felt the minute differences. Three, Aidan had said. One was so full of evil, I shivered at the sensation. The other two felt dark, but nowhere near the same level of evil. I opened my eyes and looked at Aidan, nodding my head.
Thomas stepped into view a moment later with two other vamps. I immediately knew the evil one of the three. He stood back from the others, his eyes shifting from face to face. He was short, probably no more than 5’ tall. He wore all black, and had his thick black hair slicked back on his head. The evil coming off him was thick, and I had to mentally back away from the magic in the knife. It did little to ease the creepy sensation.
“It is good to see you again, Isabella,” Thomas said as he thrust out a hand.
I smiled and shook his hand, despite the deep scowl from Aidan beside me. “Thomas, it is good to see you as well. You’re the only vampire I would even think of saying that to,” I added.
He grinned and pulled his ever-present cigar out, holding it between his fangs unlit. “It’s almost like we’re friends.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Jared said softly, his eyes glowing golden as he stared at the vampires.
I touched Jared’s shoulder lightly, but he immediately shook me off and stepped back. Jed spoke, turning attention back to him. “I see you’re all under the contract’s spell,” he said simply. All three vamps shimmered slightly with the edge of magic.
“All vampires with us are under the spell. Neither Henri’s vamps nor Petrivian’s will have protection. It’ll make it easy to know friend from foe,” Thomas replied.
“Friend?” Jed said, his eyebrows raising. “You keep using that word. Friends don’t betray each other.”
Thomas frowned and shook his head. “Betray? What are you talking about?”
“I’m referring to your hidden spell in the contract,” Jed replied. “Good thing it didn’t work.”
Thomas looked confused, but the other two vampires didn’t. In fact, the vampire who reeked of evil looked angry. “What hidden spell?” Thomas asked slowly. He glanced at the two vampires beside him, lingering on the shorter man. “Marco?”
The short, evil vamp sneered at Thomas. “Just a precaution. You know if they get the chance, they’d slaughter us all,” he said, nodding toward us.
“A precaution. Setting a spell to kill me and ultimately unravel the whole contract is a precaution?” Jed asked with a chuckle that held no humor. “Not that we were surprised, dealing with vamps.”
Thomas scowled and pulled the cigar out of his mouth. “I swear I knew nothing of this when I negotiated things with you. When I give my word, I mean it. That may not mean much to you, coming from a creature of death such as myself, but that is the truth.”
Jed stared at Thomas for a long moment, before nodding his head once. “I believe you,” he said. Aidan mumbled something beside me that I suspected was Irish cursing, but otherwise kept quiet as Jed continued to speak. “Despite the betrayal, we have righted the spell. I met with Henri. We will enter the mountains through this hidden entrance that Petrivian has been using for supplies,” Jed said, holding a map out for Thomas to look at.
“I know the spot. We’ve been watching it for a while. Lots of humans in trucks going in and out,” Thomas replied, looking back at Jed. “Did Henri give details about the interior? That’s the part we don’t know.”
Jed nodded and flipped the map over and unfolded it, showing a vast array of tunnels and passageways crisscrossing underneath the mountain. “He did indeed. Petrivian will arrive an hour after sunset, here. It’s a long ways in, so we need to get in and clear as much of the path as possible. As soon as it’s dark, Henri’s vamps will enter the tunnels. You’ll need to bring your vamps in then as well. We’re counting on you to have our backs. Petrivian is the main target.”
Thomas eyed the map, pointing at notations here and there. “If this is correct, most of the vampires will be down for the day in these locations. The older and more powerful vamps could be awake, but if you can eliminate as many sleeping ones as possible, it’ll make everything easier.”
“That’s the plan,” Jed said, nodding.
“These tunnels converge,” Thomas said, pointing. “This spot will be dangerous. You’ll want to be past here before the rest of the vamps wake up. If this is where Petrivian will arrive, it will be the most heavily guarded. Where is Henri meeting you?”
“Here,” Jed indicated on the map.
Thomas nodded. “Makes sense. Henri will want to confront Petrivian himself. You need to let him,” Thomas added quietly. “We will be here and here. As soon as Petrivian is dead, there will be chaos. Newer vamps depend on their maker. Without him, they’ll be confused. Some may die.”
“Die?” Jed asked, his eyebrows raising.
“It happens to newer vamps sometimes when their maker dies, and Petrivian has been busy making a lot of vamps. He didn’t delegate either, so most of them are from his direct line.”
“Interesting,” Jed mused, and I could see the wheels turning. Killing the older vamps had even more benefits.
Thomas straightened and fiddled with his cigar. “Tomorrow night, it will be over. In some way. Just make sure Petrivian dies.”
“Oh, believe me, he is our top priority,” Jed replied.
“Until tomorrow.”
The three vampires turned and disappeared into the night. The other Pack delegates immediately left, not having said a single word. The twins and Jed moved to follow them, but Aidan and I both stood our ground. One of the vamps had stopped and was now returning toward us. Thomas. “Was there more?” Jed asked in surprise as the vampire sped back into view, stopping before us.
Thomas nodded and looked at me pointedly. “Henri will try to reclaim you,” he said. “You should stay behind.”
“Stay behind? Not you too, Thomas,” I said exasperatedly.
He frowned, then shook his head and smiled. “I forgot who I was speaking to. You have no sense of self-preservation.”
“I have plenty, but that doesn’t change things. I have to go.”
“Be careful of Henri. You know his power, and I guarantee he has been doing everything he can to grow stronger. He will be at the height of power.”
“What about Petrivian? He’s our target.”
“Petrivian is even more powerful,” Thomas said softly. “But Petrivian doesn’t have a personal interest in you.”
“Point taken,” I said, heeding his warning.
Thomas glanced at Jared and Aidan on either side of me. “Be careful of anyone seen with you. Henri will most definitely target Mark, but he’ll go after anyone he sees attached to you.”
“Well, I guess you’d better stay far away from me,” I said, winking dramatically.
“This isn’t a joking matter.”
I sighed and looked at Jared, who was scowling deeply and fingering the shotgun. I then turned to look at Aidan, who had his full attention on the vampire before him. The ring on my finger suddenly felt heavy as I twisted it around my finger. “I know, Thomas,” I replied softly, looking back up at the vampire. “Thanks for the warning. I’ll be careful.”
He nodded and bowed. “My Queen,” he said softly before disappearing in a blur of speed.
The enormity of the situation seemed to settle on my shoulders, weighing me down. A cold sweat broke out across my skin. The life of all those I cared for was in danger. We knew the risks going into a vampire lair, just as we knew the risks joining forces with vampires. Aidan put an arm across my shoulders as he began humming an Irish battle song. I let him lead me back to camp with everyone else while my mind raced. What were we getting ourselves into?
I felt the pull of the Pack, sensing the vastness of it since Jed had taken over leadership of everyone. Would it be enough? I didn’t know the answer, but I knew we didn’t have a choice. The longer we waited, the more powerful Petrivian grew. It was now or never.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
We returned to the darkness of camp in silence. Mark met me immediately, and I knew that he sensed my distress. I smiled weakly at him and let him fold me into the comfort of his embrace. After a brief embrace, I pulled back to look at him. Aidan had walked away, his song still humming inside my mind, reminding me I needed to talk to Mark about that continued connection. Jared stood nearby, staring at the ground, but obviously waiting for something. I nodded toward Jared, and Mark nodded as we both turned.
“Need something, Jared?” Mark asked, his arm still around my waist.
Jared took a deep breath and looked up at us. His demeanor was calm, despite his wolf-gold eyes. “I just wanted to congratulate you,” he said in a rush, his voice cracking briefly. He cleared his throat and continued. “I love you, you know that. You’re my best friend, and I think that’s the hardest part. I don’t want to lose you.”
“Jared, you’re not going to lose me,” I said softly.
“I was talking to Mark,” he joked, suddenly easing the tension. “Wow, Izzy, not everything is about you.”
I laughed and grabbed Jared, pulling him into a hug. “Ass,” I said, squeezing him before letting go and backing up. Mark grabbed him next, pulling him into a rough man hug.
Jared smiled and the gold in his eyes receded until they were back to normal. “In all seriousness, I really am happy for you two. It’s not easy, but I can see it now. How happy you two are together, and how much a part of each other you really are. You move together, like you’re one person. It’s weird to watch, and it makes me a little jealous. I want that.”
“You’ll find it,” Mark said, his arm wrapped back around my waist. “I know you will.”
“As long as we make it through the next couple days,” Jared retorted. He winced and looked down at the ground. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. We’ll make it, and we’re gonna win.”
“Of course we are,” I said, even though I didn’t really believe my own words. Fear had taken hold of me once more, and I felt it like a blade running down my back.
Mark tightened his grip on me kissed me tenderly on the temple. “We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Better get some rest.”
Jared nodded and bid us goodnight while Mark led me toward our tent. My stomach growled, and I realized I hadn’t eaten since breakfast. Mark had already accounted for that fact and had a simple meal ready in our tent. I smiled and sat down to a simple cold meal of sandwiches. We were trying not to attract notice, so all sound was kept down, and no fires or lights were used at night. Since most of us were werewolves who could see well at night, the lack of lights wasn’t a problem. Cold meals were unfortunate, but it was doable. Some of those who had stayed in wolf form hunted, eating wild game. As a wolf, that was acceptable. As a human, most preferred cooked meat.
We finished our sandwiches in silence, the coming battle on both of our minds. Mark cleaned up the tent, organizing our few belongings. We had weapons and scraps of armor. Tomorrow, we would all be dressed with shifting in mind. A few pieces of armor I was going to wear dated back hundreds of years, and were specifically designed to work for shifting from human to wolf form and back. They were surprisingly lightweight and would work well against knives and teeth, but they didn’t look promising against guns. Mark, being one of the few who could hold a half-shifted form, had a bullet-proof vest fitted for his larger wolfman form. This had been blessed, like most of the armor and weapons we carried.
Mark undressed and pushed our blankets back, settling on top of them wearing just a pair of shorts. He eyed me, where I sat still fully clothed. I removed the leather jacket and my shoes, but stopped there. He propped himself up on one arm, and I could see the worried look on his face despite the darkness. “Izzy,” he said softly. “Just come to bed.”
I nodded, because he was right. Fretting over the coming day wouldn’t solve anything. Jed had a plan in place, and I needed to trust that my Alpha knew what he was doing. Still, a thousand worries plagued me. “I love you,” I said softly.
Mark sat up all the way and scooted toward me, touching my cheek tenderly. “I love you too. We’ll be okay. Don’t worry.”
“If anything happens…”
“Shh, don’t talk like that.”
“But, Mark, there are so many things I haven’t said.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“I can hear Aidan in my mind still,” I whispered, the words coming out as little more than a breath. “I don’t know what it means, but we can still speak to each other. I can sense his knives too, like my own.”
“All the time?”
I shook my head and looked at his face, trying to judge his expression. He was frowning, but he didn’t look angry or concerned. “No, it’s more that we can easily reach out and speak to each other. He’s not stuck in my head, like before.”
“Well, that could come in handy,” he said.
“What?”
“Well, tomorrow, for starters. If you two go different directions, you can still communicate. He’s human, after all, and not linked to the Pack.”
I felt the tension drain from my shoulders and I leaned toward Mark, laughing and crying at the same time. “How can you be so positive about everything?” I asked as he wrapped his arms around me.
“I almost lost you forever. I almost lost myself. It puts things in perspective. It’s not easy, but I’m trying really hard to keep calm and not let things get to me. Especially my jealousy. It is a fierce thing, my dear,” he said softly into my ear.
“Well, you’re doing a good job of hiding it,” I replied as I leaned back and traced a finger across his jaw, feeling the rough stubble on his chin.
He turned golden eyes on me and growled before pulling me down onto the blankets so he was on top of me. “Not as good as you think,” he said as he bent his mouth to my shirt, using his teeth to pull up the hem. He kissed my stomach, gently nipping me with his teeth. I shivered at the sensation as he did it again, working his way up my stomach, pulling the shirt up slowly using only his teeth. “I’m just channeling my emotions.” With those words he pressed his body against me, pushing his hardness against my thigh.
“Channeling your emotions,” I repeated, raising my eyebrows. “Anything I can do to channel those emotions harder?”
Mark growled and sat up, straddling me and holding my legs tight with his own. He grabbed my shirt, running a finger down the middle of it. “How much do you like this shirt?”
“Well, Jared really likes it,” I purred.
Mark’s eyes flashed, and he tore the shirt in half with one quick move. I wasn’t wearing a bra, much to Mark’s delight. He grinned and moved his hands to my pants, slowly unbuttoning them and sliding them down until I was lying naked before him. He straddled me once more, holding my legs tight together while he ran a finger slowly across my shoulders, then down the center of my chest, below my breasts and across my ribs. He repeated the motion with his other hand, then leaned forward until his face was inches from my own. His eyes were gold and I sensed an underlying fear in his gaze. It was more than jealousy. He was afraid for me and what tomorrow would bring, just as much as I was.
“If anything happens to me,” he began, and I pressed a finger to his lips.
“I thought we weren’t doing that,” I said.
He growled and shook his head. “There are other men willing to take care of you here. If something happens to me, I want you to go on living your life. Jared would take care of you. So would Aidan, I think,” he added, frowning.
“If you die, I die,” I replied. “There will be no going on.”
“Don’t say that!” he said angrily.
“Well, then don’t die. I can’t have you going into ba
ttle thinking like that.”
He stared at me, his eyes glowing as though they had a light of their own. “Give me something else to think about,” he growled.
I reached my hands up to his waist and pushed his shorts down. Some of the wind had obviously gone out of his sails. His arms shook, and I realized he was just as scared as I was. He just showed it differently. “Channel those emotions,” I murmured as I took his face in my hands and kissed him.
He kissed me back, but I could tell he wasn’t being sidetracked yet. I ran a hand down his chest, and lower, feeling his body twitch at my touch. Still, he wasn’t responding like normal. “Mark, please, stop thinking and just kiss me.”
“I can’t lose you,” he whispered.
My anger flared immediately. “It’s okay for you to say things like that, but not me,” I said, smacking him on the chest. He didn’t move, didn’t flinch, just stared at me. “I thought we were going to distract each other until we fell asleep with exhaustion. I’d much rather do that than cry and fight.”
He closed his eyes lowered his body to mine, pressing his face into my hair and sniffing deeply. I could feel him fighting with himself, just as much as I was. “I’ve been able to keep busy and distracted. Now…”
“We need sleep,” I said, pushing him away.
He growled and rolled away. “Fine.”
“Well, you don’t seem interested in me right now,” I retorted angrily, picking up my torn shirt and waving it in his face. “I bet Jared would be interested in me. You know, Aidan still hasn’t found himself a woman to fuck since he became human. A big man like that...”
That was all I needed to say. Mark grabbed me and pushed me back down, his mouth finding mine in a fierce kiss. “Damn woman,” he growled, but he was smiling now as his hand ran down my thigh, pushing my legs apart.
“I could call Aidan here right now,” I murmured.
Mark laughed and ran his lips across my neck, trailing kisses across my body. We didn’t speak after that as we lost ourselves in each other. Mark was fierce and passionate, fueled by anger, fear, and desire. I embraced my emotions as well, channeling them into fierce lovemaking. It was wild and intense, and afterward I settled myself in Mark’s arms, finally exhausted.
