by Morgan Fox
“As you command,” Bianca said, casting her gaze out to watch the battle below.
Perched up on the roof of the clinic, Lilly marveled at the quick speed of the lycans, wondering if they had ever fought someone worthy. Even with their ferocious appetites for death and destruction in battle, she was sure they had never truly fought someone as strong as she. Her encounters with Dominic and Megan had proved them weak individually. Not even their supreme master, Sebastian could defeat her.
Lilly was too powerful.
These last few months had been practice for her, simple taunts and teases to see just how well the lycans fought and battled together. Discovering their resources was key. Learning them was just as important as destroying them.
Brie was the one who intrigued Lilly most. Soon all the cards would fall into place and she would have Brie in her grasps. Revenge would finally be hers, as well as the unborn child Brie carried.
“I want you to keep tabs on Ryder O’Laughlin,” Lilly said matter-of-factly. Her mind slowly unraveled the plan that lay ahead, forcing a smile to tug at the corners of her mouth. She dragged her tongue over the sharp tip of one fang.
“Mason’s cousin?” Bianca asked, cocking her head in Lilly’s direction.
The mention of Mason’s name had her gut twisting into knots. Her lover had been taken from her, and no matter how much time passed, she would never fully be healed from the pain Sebastian and his mate had caused her.
“Yes,” Lilly hissed, rounding to face Bianca, her tone softening. “I think he can be influenced with the right form of persuasion.”
Bianca’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you told me that Mason tried to convert Ryder once before and he wanted no part of your plan?”
Lilly smiled. “I did, but you have means that Mason didn’t have.”
Bianca arched a dark brow. “You mean the same way you…won Mason?” she said, obviously choosing her words wisely.
Smart girl.
Lilly licked her lips, enjoying a flash of memory. She remembered the night she seduced Mason, convincing him that she would forever be all he needed. After a long night of showing him exactly why vampires made better lovers, he agreed. Not to mention, her power was addictive and Mason wanted more of it, more of her.
Lilly dug a fang into her bottom lip, her body tingling with the memory of Mason’s hands upon her skin. “Yes, the same way I won over Mason.”
Bianca’s jaw clenched. “Any suggestion?”
Lilly gently ran her claw down the side of Bianca’s neck, down toward her breasts. Her finger slowed as it encountered the first button on Bianca’s black shirt. With the flick of her finger, the button popped off, exposing just a little more of her porcelain skin. Bianca gasped. Lilly grinned.
“You might want to try fucking him,” Lilly said menacingly. “I’m sure he’d find a tasty, willing morsel like you hard to resist.”
Bianca steeled herself. Her frame grew larger with a deep inhalation of breath. With a faint smile, she replied, “As you command.”
* * * *
Ryder’s neck burned as he sat in the front seat of the black Ridgeliner. His instincts begged him to turn around and glance behind him, but he knew the sensation blazing up his flesh was only Tiffany staring at him. Her gaze always did that to him, burned and tingled, charging his body with primal heat and awareness.
Damn.
He was always so turned on after a fight.
For several weeks he’d been watching Tiffany’s every move, hypnotized by her green eyes and womanly curves. She stunned him with her beauty and quick wit. She was sassy, but sophisticated. Her style was sexy, yet professional. She was incredibly different from any other woman he’d ever known.
From the first moment he’d seen her strutting with confidence on her way into the McCarthy legal office, he was hooked. His thoughts were consumed by a woman he couldn’t get enough of. Being this close to Tiffany was both intoxicating and nerve wracking.
Ryder’s need to be close to Tiffany, protect her was burning at the back of his mind like a natural panther instinct. He couldn’t explain it. All he knew was that nothing would stop him from keeping her safe.
Frustration blazed through him. He hated that he was so drawn to her, a powerful pull that he couldn’t deny.
However, Tiffany was off-limits. He was supposed to find his mate, a panther from his pack. As one of the leading trackers for his people, he was expected to breed, to continue his bloodline.
Being a high-level figure, Ryder was used to getting what he wanted, and regardless of the consequences, he wanted Tiffany. At the moment, she was all he could think about.
I only need one night.
His cock suddenly flared with life. The thought of her legs wrapped around him as he pressed inside her warm, wet, and welcoming body sent a million jolts of electricity to every nerve ending inside him. He shifted in his seat and groaned. The towel did little to restrict his hardening cock, making him uncomfortable. Ryder rolled his eyes, growling.
To have an erection while sitting next to Zane didn’t sit right with him. Especially since his senses were overloaded thanks to Tiffany. Inhaling deeply, her sweet scent filled his nostrils.
“How much further?” Tiffany asked, sounding exhausted.
“Maybe ten minutes,” Zane replied.
Ryder wasn’t a jealous man, but feeling the connection Zane and Tiffany shared was burning a hole in his gut. He found himself unable to control the bile that ate at the back of his throat. Even if he couldn’t see it, he could scent Zane’s attraction to her.
Shit. He knew Tiffany felt something for the doctor as well.
The idea that she would need another man to protect her had his claws lengthening.
However, that changed nothing in regards to his own desires. Tiffany was a single, available woman in his eyes, and he’d have her even if he had to exploit the fact that she was alive because of him. He’d figure out later how Zane was able to heal her so fast. He figured it was vampire blood, but he couldn’t sense anything different about the way Tiffany smelled. Her powerful signature was still the same. She possessed an energy that left him ravenous and needy, one of the many things that drove him wild.
“I need a shower,” Tiffany announced from the backseat and he could’ve sworn he heard Zane groan at the same time he did.
The idea of her wet, naked body pressed against him engorged his cock even further. His jaw tightened as he willed his shaft to settle down.
There was something so alluring about seeing her gorgeous body bare and covered in soap, lathering up every delectable curve. No wonder his cock wouldn’t behave.
“I know Reyes’s place well. There’s several rooms open on the second floor. I’ll take the one in the back. You guys can fight over the others.”
Ryder twisted around in his seat to get a better look at her. She sat with her arms folded over her chest. Dirt covered her knees and hands. The hospital gown she wore was stained with grass and soot. There were tears in the material at the shoulder. The fabric folded forward, revealing her sweet, creamy, white flesh. His heart thudded loudly in his ears.
He swallowed hard, his mind ablaze with a raw panic that churned like acid in his belly and throat. “When did that happen?” He arched his chin and glanced at the torn clothing.
She followed his gaze, looking down and then quickly back up. “Don’t worry about it,” she told him, shrugging off his concern.
He didn’t respond well to not being answered, nor did he like the fact that she simply felt inclined to brush him off. As a tracker he was very good at bullying people for information. He really didn’t want to have to resort to that with Tiffany.
His gazed locked onto hers, pointing at the spot in question. He repeated, “When did that happen?”
Tiffany gave a shy smile, her eyes shifting to glance out the window of the truck. “Really, Ryder, it’s no big deal.”
His chest filled with a deep gulp of air. “Then why not answer me
?” His tone was becoming gruff, and he couldn’t help it. He knew he wasn’t going to like the answer. Why else would she not tell him?
“Because she doesn’t want you to feel bad, moron,” Zane murmured. His gaze shot to Zane. “You did it when you started to shift.”
Ryder’s gut twisted, and his head snapped back to look at her. His eyes were wide. “Is that true?” His heart raced.
Tiffany frowned. Her eyes filled with forgiveness, a forgiveness he didn’t deserve if he truly did hurt her.
“Yes,” she said softly. “But I’m okay.” She leaned forward and placed her hand on his shoulder. “I know you didn’t mean to do it.” She smiled. “You saved me, Ryder.”
His throat felt dry. In that instant, his surroundings seemed to close in, suffocating him. His stomach burned and his heart thudded with the nightmarish memory from his past. His beast had done this before, harmed someone he cared for, and it had ended horrifyingly wrong. Ryder had killed his childhood friend. He swore then that it would never happen again. Not if he had a choice.
How could I have been so careless?
From now on, he would guard Tiffany from a distance. It was the only way he could guarantee her safety, from the vampires and himself.
He shrugged her hand off his shoulder as he spun back around in his seat. Suddenly, he hated the fact that he was so physically close to the woman he wanted, desired. She was to have been protected, and he could’ve killed her as the rage from his beast crippled his mind. He didn’t even remember hurting her. He only remembered his need, and the clawing of his panther at the back of his brain, commanding him to fight the vampires.
* * * *
Tiffany stepped into her room, locked herself inside, and sighed. Leaning against the large wood door, she marveled at the space surrounding her. No matter how many times she’d visited Reyes’s estate, she’d never quite got used to how oversized and spacious everything was. The lycans she had come to know and care for since falling under Sebastian’s protective custody were all massive in size, six foot plus and with frames broader than any human she’d ever known. They screamed power and strength, and for a long time that was all she needed to feel safe.
Now things are different.
The lycan world she was a part of was nothing like the one she’d been forced to leave as a young girl. Her people were under attack by a vigilant group of hunters, seeking the power source of her kind. Most supernatural creatures knew very little of the magic harnessed by her people. If the power source was taken, the energy and magic could be used to do unspeakable acts and destroy everything in its path.
What no one had bothered to share with Tiffany, until she was being ushered into the protection of the lycans, was that she was the power source, or better yet, the chosen one.
Every 500 years a female witch was gifted with the magical powers that became the energy source that fed her kind, acting as a core for all magical energy. With Tiffany, the selection had been a tremendous shock since she wasn’t even a full-blooded fey witch. Her father was human and killed by hunters before she was five years old.
In all the history of her people, never had anyone been chosen that wasn’t one hundred percent fey. As she thought back to her sporadic magical ability, she wondered if her mother had been mistaken about her. Then again, she did share a special link with Brie McCarthy, the Werewolf Princess, that no one but Sebastian knew about.
How the connection had been formed, she didn’t quite know or understand, but what she did know was that it was the most powerful feeling she’d ever had. Brie felt like an anchor, keeping her grounded. When Brie killed Mason Levi, it had been Tiffany’s magic Brie possessed, ending his life with an abundance of magical energy. During that time her power had been depleted, her body rendered useless, and it wasn’t until Brie had ceased to use the magic that Tiffany was able to function again. Had Brie used any more of her magic, Tiffany would surely have died. That was the moment Tiffany discovered the connection between her and Brie.
Brie’s pregnancy only managed to heighten their powers. The entire experience left Tiffany scratching her head for answers and more nervous than ever that she would never truly harness the magical energy a true power source should. Her ability to focus in on her magic was shaky at best.
When she would actually learn how to draw on the power from deep within her, without losing that connection, was beyond her.
Another thought she had swirling around in her head was if Brie had the ability to pull energy from her, then why couldn’t she pull energy from Brie? Judging from the power that thrived inside Brie, Tiffany could’ve easily annihilated those vampires who’d attacked them earlier with the flick of her wrist. Why wasn’t she able to lock in on Brie’s magic? Was it because Tiffany was part-human?
She really had no idea, and after numerous discussions with Sebastian, neither did he. She was at a loss. Perhaps it was time to reach out to her people and find out if anyone could help her understand her powers and what exactly she was supposed to do with them.
Tiffany moved deeper into the room, sat on the edge of the bed, and picked up the receiver to dial Sebastian. He would want an update from her as soon as possible. Now that Brie was pregnant, her safety was even more important. It wasn’t just Tiffany’s life that could be lost if she were captured, but Brie and the baby’s as well.
She chewed on her nails, waiting for Sebastian to answer.
“Why do I get the impression that you waited until the last possible moment to call me?” Sebastian had a way of making her feel like a scolded child. His big brother, protective mentality was a blessing and a curse.
“We made it to Reyes’s, and I’m finally alone,” she said plainly, not bothering to respond to his obvious annoyance with her.
“Are you okay?”
She inhaled deeply. “Yes.” She knew he’d see right through her lie. His silence proved it, and she immediately felt guilty. She confessed, “No, I’m not okay. There’s something wrong with me.”
Sebastian’s voice remained calm, but she could feel his concern even if he was trying to conceal it. “What do you mean?”
“I’m not really sure how to explain it,” she said, placing her hand on her forehead, pushing back the hair that had fallen into her eyes.
“Try,” he said gruffly.
She hesitated a moment, figuring out the best way to describe her wonky and strange connection to Zane and Ryder. Honestly, she didn’t know what to make of it. Everything inside her felt out of whack like her magic had gone on the fritz or that something else was controlling it.
“I think I need to speak with my mother.” Maybe she can shed some light on my magical conundrum.
“It’s too dangerous.” His tone was matter-of-fact, but she could also hear a hint of sympathy.
“I know, but my magic is changing, and the connection to Brie has me nervous. What if what happened tonight happens again?”
She realized she hadn’t told him everything as Sebastian asked, “You mean the vampires?”
“No. My magic failed me. It just stopped working. I couldn’t stay focused. If it weren’t for Ryder, I’d be dead because there was no way I could’ve saved myself.” Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. Her vulnerability scared her more than the vampires. “I’m too weak, Sebastian, and I don’t know what to do.” A wash of panic welled up in her chest.
“First, I want you to breathe and relax. You’ll be safe now that you are at Reyes’s estate. I’m going to have you brought to me.” She tried to argue, fearing that she would be captured the moment she was no longer in her current surroundings, but Sebastian must have figured she would as he quickly added, “You will be escorted by Zane, Ryder, Dominic, Megan, and Reyes. Nothing will happen to you under their care.”
The vision of a hundred vampires spilling down the hillside of the clinic filled her mind. Even though the five of them were exactly who’d she’d choose to protect her, her nerves were still burning a hole in her belly. “Are
you sure it’s a good idea, Sebastian? I mean, what about Brie?”
She could hear a smile in his voice at her concern for his mate. “Brie will be fine. She’s actually the one insisting that you come to McCarthy Ranch. She and I both want you here. Once you arrive, we can figure out what’s going on with your magic.”
His words should’ve eased her mind, but they didn’t. “Okay,” she replied, doing her best to ignore the erratic beat of her heart.
“Now tell me about Zane and Ryder. Have either of them questioned you about the vampires?”
“Zane’s very curious about me, and I think he saw me use magic at the clinic.”
Sebastian didn’t speak for a moment, but then finally told her, “You can tell him you’re a witch. Just don’t tell him anything else. It’s too dangerous for others to know anything about you, and we certainly don’t want anyone to learn about your link to Brie.”
She couldn’t agree more. She could only imagine what the lycan enemies would do if the truth were discovered. Being labeled the power source for her people was bad enough, but being the only person who could destroy the life of the lycan leader was something else altogether.
If her magical issue only affected her, she would say fuck it and do what needed to be done, but it didn’t. It included Brie, and she would never hurt her, the baby, or Sebastian. They were her family, and nothing would ever change that.
In addition, Sebastian was the one person who could put a stop to the lycan virus that could easily ravage and destroy the conscious mind of a healthy lycan in a matter of days, making them mindless warriors for the vampire queen, Lilly. One bite could send any lycan or were-animal down a path there was no cure for…except Brie. Brie’s magic had healed Sebastian, and Tiffany believed that her healing ability had everything to do with the power source of her people. That magic was likely the connection that joined her with Brie.
How or why the bond had been formed to begin with still left her rattled. At present, Tiffany had more questions than answers, and that was driving her mad.
