Cracked

by Vanessa North

  “Ahne, sure. She is my friend.” Lukas smiled, showing sharp teeth. “You would be my friend too, little wolf?”

  Gerard snarled, moving to place his large body between Sarita and the strange creature. “She is not your friend, Blood-Drinker. And neither are any of the rest of us. Go back to the Krönen and tell her that her friend met no welcome here.”

  Suddenly Lukas’s odd beauty seemed stale and brittle. He leaned to the side, looking around Bear with a leer. “I hope you will see the vessel again. I should very much like to demonstrate how it is used. I could make it delicious…for you.”

  With a snarl, Gerard lunged at Lukas, but he had turned already, fled into the night.

  “If you ever see a person who looks like that thing again, you find me,” Gerard snapped at Sarita. Angelo ran a comforting hand down her arm.

  “What was he? Is he one of the First Blood?”

  “He’s the Ahne’s servant. Ahne isn’t her name, it’s more like a title. Italove, you are going to have to tell me all about this bowl you made.”

  “It’s just a bowl with a fluted lip and a slice cut out of it.” She shrugged. “It’s kind of odd, but it’s just a piece of glass, Bear.”

  “It’s more than that. Dammit, Ita. How long have you been in contact with the Blood-Drinkers?”

  “I didn’t know that’s what they were. The lady—Ahne—called me about a month ago, told me what she wanted, emailed some photos. I made the bowl, but then it broke, so I remade it. She paid top dollar for it; it seemed really important to her. I told her I wasn’t a glass expert, but she didn’t seem to care. She wanted me to make it.”

  “Yeah, she did,” Bear snorted. “Of course she did, she’d like that. Angelo, Ita, come with me. Mac, see Kathy gets home safely.”

  After stopping in the field along the way to gather their clothing, Gerard led Sarita and Angelo to the room he’d been sharing with Mac. He pulled out his computer and loaded a photo on the screen that showed a bowl like the one Sarita had made. He pointed at the sharp edges of the fluted lip where it split.

  “This? What you made looked like this?” he asked quietly.

  “Yes.”

  He pulled up another image, an old cave painting from the looks of it. It showed a tall, pale woman with long, white hair—so pale, she looked almost like Sarita’s mother, the Albina. The pictured woman was drinking from a bowl similar to the one Sarita had made, while a male servant held it out for her. The servant in the image was clearly enjoying his job if the erection that was nearly as long as his arm had anything to say about it.

  “Some sort of loving-cup?” Sarita asked, trying to parse the heavily stylized imagery.

  “Look more closely—the man isn’t just holding the bowl.”

  The notch on the bowl’s side was settled into the man’s wrists in such a way that it pierced the skin, opening the vein and allowing the blood to flow into the bowl, and from there into the woman’s mouth.

  With a shudder of revulsion, Sarita pushed the computer away.

  “They’ll use it to do that? To drink blood?”

  “Yes. In elaborate ceremonies when they want to keep the wounds open or more than one of them drinks from the same person, they use the bowl rather than drinking straight from the source.”

  “When he said he wanted to show Sarita how it was used…” Angelo snarled.

  “Yes, he meant they wanted to drink from her.”

  Angelo’s teeth and claws shifted. “Over my dead fucking body.” His wolf was trying to push to the surface, but he kept a grip on it.

  “What happens when they drink from someone? Can they turn them into what they are?” Sarita’s voice was both puzzled and fascinated.

  “No, like us, they are born as what they are. They don’t change people into what they are. They manipulate them into willing servants, a handy little snack to keep around. They use them for their blood, for sex, as convenient toys. They enthrall them so that they don’t want anything else. And they use them like this until they die. That’s what they want from you, Sarita. They want you to be a plaything for them to use, to show off their power. And if you’re in their thrall, you can’t go about setting the Mother free.”

  “So wait, they want me? Or they want to prevent me from completing my task?”

  “Both, Italove. You’d be a status accessory in their culture. An Usher of the wolves, bent to the will of the Ahne.”

  “Kathy…” Sarita frowned. “Is she going to…?”

  “That is up to her, isn’t it?” Gerard sighed, scrubbing one gigantic hand across his face. He looked from Sarita to Angelo. “We need to step up protection on both of you. Angelo, they won’t hesitate to use you to get to her.”

  “Bueno. I can protect myself, but I won’t say no to a bodyguard if it helps keep Sarita safe.”

  Sarita, reach out to your dad for me. Gerard put the thought into her mind.

  Daddy, we need you.

  Be right there, Littlebit.

  A few moments later, Jack strolled into Mac’s room. He read Sarita’s concerns instantly. With a decisive nod, he started giving orders.

  “Sarita, Gerard and Mac will accompany you everywhere. Angelo, brother, I hate to curb your movements, but while you’re here…”

  “No, no. No apologies. I’m with my mate. We’re stronger together.”

  “What about Kathy?” Sarita asked, glaring at her father.

  “Kathy can protect herself,” Jack snarled.

  “You should be ashamed of yourself.” Sarita’s voice was small and cold. “You and Mom both.”

  “Littlebit…”

  “No, don’t you Littlebit me. I’m not a child. I’m a grown woman, a grown wolf, and from what I can tell, the only member of our family capable of acting like it. Kathy has suffered enough for her secrets, and we can’t do this without her. You will forgive her, or you’ll answer to me about it.” Eyes flashing, Sarita pointed imperiously at the door. “Go now. I don’t want to see you or Mom again until you’ve fixed this. It’s gone on too long, and I’m done with it.”

  Jack looked startled and flustered as he stared at his daughter. He looked to Angelo, who simply shrugged. Gerard was no help either. He opened the door for Jack with a shrug.

  “I am the Guardian of this pack.” He scowled as he walked toward the door.

  “And I’m the Third Usher. Deal with it. Fix things with Kathy.”

  When Jack was gone, she expelled a breath that she didn’t realize she’d been holding. She didn’t stand up to her parents like that, ever. Her mate smiled at her, and her Guide put a huge hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently.

  “Good for you, Italove,” Gerard rumbled. “That was necessary, though I’m sure it was disquieting.”

  “A little,” she admitted. “I’m beginning to see why people have treated me like the Omega. I’m not going to hide that part of me anymore.”

  “Good,” Angelo said, a fierce grin on his lips. “Querida, you are an alpha wolf. You own all that ferocity—don’t hide it out of an effort to be polite. We need that part of you in charge now.”

  Gerard smiled. “Mac’s left Kathy in her room. I think your dad is there, Italove.”

  “We’ll be going too, then.” Sarita smiled, “Do you think we can walk the eighteen steps to my door without a bodyguard?”

  “Yes.” Gerard winked, opening the door again. As Sarita and Angelo swept out, Mac arrived. He took Gerard’s face in his hands and kissed him hard. Sarita recognized this as a desire to push away the negative feelings the encounter with the First Blood had cultivated. She felt it too—a need to make herself forget the cold that had run down her spine when she realized what the bowl she’d made would be used for. Sarita wished she hadn’t sent it already; she wanted to smash it. As the chill worked its way
through her, she grabbed her mate and pulled him close, needing to breathe his scent and feel his warmth. Roughly, he pushed her down the hallway toward the suite, needing to get her inside before this thing that was welling up in them burst. The door slammed behind them as he turned her and pushed her up against it.

  “Block it out,” she whimpered, biting his lip, trying not to understand why she needed to taste blood, to know she was leaving a mark. With a growl, he tugged her shirt off over her head, mouth descending, rough and hard, upon one perfect breast before he started pulling her pants off her legs.

  “Faster, I need you naked, faster,” he growled, and ripped what was left of her clothing from her body.

  Hands shaking, she managed to get his pants pushed down to his knees before she dragged him down to the floor with her. He took her fast and rough, instincts telling him what she needed. He braced his hand on the door behind her as he thrust into her, not caring that it would be shaking loudly if anyone walked by outside. This was both possession and exorcism, as if it could purge their souls of the fear they’d felt. Teeth bared, he pressed a series of blistering wet kisses along her collarbone, dragging the sharp tips across her skin until she snarled up at him, craving making her voice hoarse.

  “Bite me.”

  She didn’t have to ask twice. His teeth nicked the edge of that sensitive bone as they buried in her shoulder, and her orgasm crashed over her as she dragged his hand to her lips. When she’d stopped shuddering long enough to drag a breath into her lungs, she marked his hand, dragging, tearing, forcing him over the edge with her, his ecstasy flowing from her bite. Tears flowing, she pulled his head down, cradling him to her chest as his shout filled her ears.

  “Did I hurt you?” he murmured into the softness of her skin.

  “No.” She shook her head, wiping at the tears. “Yes. But I needed it.”

  “You’re crying, querida.” He braced himself on his elbows, looking down at her.

  “That man. Lukas. He scared the hell out of me,” she whispered.

  “Me too.” He brushed the hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ears.

  “You didn’t look scared.” Kissed his chin.

  “I grew up a smart kid in a rough Xicano neighborhood in L.A. in the ’60s and ’70s. I haven’t always had the easiest life, querida. I learned a long time ago to keep fear off my face, replace it with disdain.”

  “Neat trick,” she mumbled.

  A brittle laugh exploded from him. “I’m surprised you of all people couldn’t feel my fear.”

  “I probably thought it was my own.” She yawned, stretching her arms up and wrapping them around his shoulders.

  “I love you.” He said it as if she didn’t know, as if she couldn’t feel it, but she took it in with greedy ears.

  “I love you,” she answered, needing to say it as much as she needed to hear it.

  “Let’s go to bed.” He stood, pulling his pants back up as he reached for her. The kiss he gave her filled her with a steady, throbbing joy as she took his hand and led him back to the bedroom—locking the door against anything that might go bump in the night.

  Chapter Ten

  Sarita had never been in the conference room before. Angelo squeezed her hand as he gestured her through the door, Mac and Gerard following. Her family, minus the twins, of course, was there, even uncle Ted had come up from Maryland. Graham and Ellen were there, Kathy sitting between them, and Annie perched at the end of the long conference table, gesturing madly while talking to Fionn. Around the table, pack representatives serving in the national wolf government had taken seats.

  Sarita sat down next to Mac, while Angelo went to speak to Graham. Biting her lip, she watched the two men greet each other, their wolves tightly controlled. She knew her mate had been worried about this conversation. Graham was a big part of his desire to avoid re-affiliation. A tightness in Graham’s expression hinted at his own wariness. She watched, trying not to intrude on Angelo’s thoughts, as both men relaxed, and finally Graham stood and embraced Angelo.

  Intrude? Love, you would never intrude Angelo teased as he made his way back to her side.

  Mac and Gerard had been her constant companions since the night of the full moon. They brought her coffee in the morning, or took her to the cafeteria to get it herself, and stayed with her while she worked, not even complaining about the smells of her photo chemistry. Mac had rigged up a security system on the door to her suite. He’d set the alarm to ring in his own room just down the hall should Sarita’s door open without her disabling the system. A few days before, the Ahne had called and left her a lilting message of thanks for the beautiful vessel, with an invitation to visit and witness a ceremony sometime. Sarita shuddered at the memory of that cold voice and veiled threat.

  “Hiya, Littlebit.” Her uncle Ted stood over her. She grinned, standing to hug him. “Congrats on your mating. Angelo is a fierce wolf.” He winked.

  “Thanks, Teddy.” She squeezed his hand. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  “How’s Kathy?” he asked, looking down the table toward the little wolf. Sarita saw something in his expression, remembering Angelo had mentioned Ted and Kathy had been close before “the betrayal” as her parents insisted on calling it. Melodrama much?

  “C’mon, come say hi. She’s been so lonely for such a long time.” Sarita pulled her uncle over to Kathy. “Hey, Kath.” She smiled, “Ted was just asking after you. I thought he should come say hello.”

  Sheepishly, Ted looked down at his feet before looking back up at his old friend. “Hi,” he whispered. There was an undercurrent of tension in his expression, and Sarita realized he was tapping their long-severed connection. Ducking her head, she turned to walk away, taking one last look over her shoulder.

  Kathy’s troubled look disappeared, and she smiled at Ted with genuine warmth. “Hi. Thanks.” Then she grew quiet again, but they maintained eye contact as they conversed silently. The expression on Ted’s face as he leaned closer to Kathy made Sarita feel like she was trespassing.

  “That was good of you,” Mac said quietly. “I’m sorry I treated her badly when she first got here.”

  “It’s okay, Mac. She knows you care now. Did you make a link with her?”

  “She is as my little sister.” He smiled, “She opened herself to me. I’m not worried for you. I trust her.”

  “She could have been lying.” Angelo looked carefully at the younger man.

  “Yes. I suppose she could have been. But I chose to trust her, because Gerard and Sarita do.” Mac leveled an icy glare back at Angelo.

  “Good.” Angelo grinned. “I trust her too. Goddess help me, but I do.”

  Fionn moved to the front of the room, scratching absently at the back of his head. In spite of his years of prominence in Were politics, he still seemed like an awkward boy at times. It was part of his immeasurable charm, the way he put people at ease.

  “Hey, everyone, thanks for coming.” His voice resonated throughout all of them, and their attention was immediately riveted. “A few nights ago, while we ran under the full moon, a First Blood approached Sarita and her mate, her friends, and her Guide on the outskirts of the Amazon compound.” As murmurs broke out around the room, he held up his hands in a placating gesture. “For now, we are treating this as a family matter, an Amazon matter. However, because Sarita’s task is important to wolves as a whole, we want to make you all aware of it, and we want to ask for cooperation—should anyone among your packs have contact with the First Blood, please let Jack Murphy know. As the Guardian of the Amazon Pack, he’s responsible for Sarita’s safety.”

  The wolves around the table nodded, several of them pulling out cell phones to send rushed messages to packmates.

  “Okay, that being said, I’m going to have Bear, Sarita’s Guide, update us with what he’s learned. Gerard?�
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  Bear stood, stretching slightly, his enormous chest puffing out and his hands clutching the top of his chair.

  “The Ahne and her servant are attempting to make inroads with Sarita,” he rumbled. “They want to enthrall her so that they can feed on her and keep her from being present at the time of the eclipse. The eclipse is just a few months away, we need to watch with vigilance between now and then. Once the Mother is released, She can protect Her own against the Blood-Drinkers. Until then, Sarita’s protection is my only concern. Sarita has a schedule of showings at galleries in New York, D.C., and New Orleans. While we’re traveling, we will be dependent upon local wolves to help conceal her movements.”

  “And me,” Kathy interrupted. “I can be a decoy.”

  “We do not demand that of you, Kathy Kirk,” Gerard said, meeting her gaze steadily as his voice took on a ceremonial gravity.

  “But I volunteer. It’s the least I can do to repay the Murphy family for the—” her eyes flashed a hint of her wolf “—kindness they have shown me. Sarita is perhaps the only true friend I have. I want to protect her. We’re roughly the same size. We’re both more or less gray wolves, and I can color my hair and pass for her from a distance. And I can lie to a Blood-Drinker even as they have their lips to my throat. Not everyone in this room can. Maybe not anyone.” Her eyes fell. “Please.”

  “Very well.” Annie stood, purring. “It’s done. Kathy will serve as a decoy.”

  Gerard nodded before turning his face to Fionn. “I’ll take Sarita, her bodyguards, Kathy and her own guards to speak privately. If you’ll excuse us.”

  “Of course, Guide, thank you.” Fionn waved them out.

  Sarita wasn’t surprised that her uncle Ted followed them from the room, taking Kathy aside. She snuck a glance at the two of them, foreheads pressed together, the scent of their wolves thick between them. Suddenly, the reason her uncle had never mated was clear. It wasn’t that he’d never found his mate, he’d just never claimed her. Heart breaking a little for them, she blushed and looked away again.