by Scott, Talyn
Sayer couldn’t argue with that. Growing up in a breeding camp wasn’t something he wished on his worst enemy, until now. “I’m told the mad scientist is now dead,” he muttered absently, “killed in Fort Myers.”
“You’re a freak of nature,” Tare continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “Volatile and easily enraged, this world doesn’t need your kind prowling the streets and reproducing.”
Still wasn’t making sense. But he refused to ask what made this vampire the judge, jury, and executioner of Habaline mixed-bloods everywhere. Tare’s adrenalin was spiking and now wasn’t the time to push. “So long as you’ve got it all worked out,” Sayer said, settling on the bare mattress making up his bed. Imprisoned by a lunatic with a hard-on for killing those of his kind, what more could he ask for? He hadn’t scented his Azure anywhere close by, so he didn’t think she was a captive here, and he refused to ask Tare about her. Why give him any more ideas where she was concerned?
“Habalines pack hunt. More of your kind – those mixed that shouldn’t be – will come out looking for you. You are bait.”
Creatures had called Sayer worse. “I belong to the North American Werewolf Pack. All members voted me in, accepted me with open arms when I was freed from a breeding camp in Scotland.” He’d spent the first twenty-one years of his life fighting an isolated, lonely existence. When he finally found his female, vampires knocked Sayer off course before he could sink into her, claiming her for all time. I will get back to you, my blessed Azure with the golden eyes.
“I always say werewolves are fools. Think with their dicks and brawn on most occasions.” Tare tacked on, “Scarcely with their brains. You stand before me proving that. They should have put you down.”
Sayer wouldn’t continue this conversation unless his life truly depended on it. He had to maintain what was left of his health for Azure’s sake. Get to her when the moment presented itself. And arguing with the deranged was dangerous for one’s health when in a weakened state. I need to feed. “Perhaps you are right,” Sayer said softly, leaning against the wall, sensing the minute vibrations, which further indicated an unsound structure. Wobbly prisons didn’t make for good cages, especially for abominations such as aliens.
Tare gave him a hard look before turning on his heel and speaking to Collin in a rare, Slovakian tongue some vampires adopted. However, Sayer’s alien side translated most languages easily. Tare said minimum food and water, but no blood. They’d maintain his weakened state. Typical. Food he hated. Blood he longed for. So, considering the painful burn on his face, things were going to get worse, especially if they decided to spend more time torturing him in their lazy way with their tire irons.
His captors walked away, locking mechanisms sounded in their wake, leaving him alone in a grey existence. One fabricated to look ancient, but Sayer was too smart for that. They had made this prison recently, and it was an embarrassment at that. He was also too smart to believe he was bait for other Habaline mixed-bloods. A stupid ruse he couldn’t accept as true even if he tried. So exactly what were they after? “By God, Azure, I hope it has nothing to do with you.”
Outside the prison cell, Collin gave Tare the look. “And do you really expect he fell for that?”
“Yes, indeed,” he replied with a flush of anger. “Why are you now questioning my causes?”
“What was it to you that I wanted to claim her?”
“I know your Bride died centuries ago, just as mine did.” In an attempt to save Collin’s Bride, vampires made the female Undead. A human turned vampire – created, not born of the Species. Through the secret process, she became insane, arising and killing everything within her immediate radius until Collin himself had to deliver final death. He still wasn’t over it. Never would be. “There are circumstances which I am not at liberty to discuss,” Tare said as if that settled things.
It didn’t. “I stand by my earlier declaration. The Habaline named Sayer wasn’t hurting her,” Collin said, stabbing his finger at the iron door sealing Sayer inside his cell. “Neither was that werewolf we beat within inches of his life. What exactly are you saving her from? What good comes of getting between Beasts and their mates?” He shuddered. “How’s that going to work out in your favor in regards to her?”
“Why are you insisting this is solely about the woman?”
“Because it is,” he answered without hesitation. “Lie to everyone else, mind you, but, not to me.” Collin’s irises were bleeding into his whites the way incensed vampires do. He tried to blink them back, but it was of no use. “We are brothers. Everything you say is contrary to what you are doing. Relations or not, has it ever occurred to you that I risk my life daily when in your presence? Refer to the mastermind behind these sick breeding camps as a lunatic all you want to. You walk that line. You,” he said fiercely, getting in Tare’s face, “make enemies where there should be none.”
“In your youth…”
He cut him off, and demanded, “Rephrase that. I’m more than one hundred.”
“Live to be seven hundred and still hope to find good in everything. It doesn’t work that way. There is no good inside that creature.” Tare nodded towards the enclosed cell. “None.” He lowered his voice. “Collin, there’s no shame if this isn’t the life you’re meant to lead.”
“Helping others? But I can’t say that’s what I’m doing, now can I?” Collin said, still thinking the woman, Azure, had everything to do with his brother’s erratic behavior. “There’s a difference between bravery and foolishness. I won’t wait another moment to be ambushed. If this Sayer truly belongs to the North American Pack, he’s being hunted as we speak. Their Alpha is known to be ruthlessly feral; killing his own if the need arises. And he has done so numerous times. His Alpha Beast is the most cunning predator of all, more so than his father’s, and I won’t put myself in Jayce Jordan’s sights. Graves are cold. Life is warm.” He enunciated every word. “I want to live it.”
“If you are so unhappy,” Tare said wearily, “then go back to London.”
“If you are saddened about my leaving,” he countered, lifting his determined eyes to meet his brother’s, “then tell me about Azure Malloy. And this time, you’re to leave nothing out.”
Heath used the auto’s GPS to locate Azure’s address. Gage rolled her name around on his tongue, wondering if she belonged to him. With his thumb, he tapped the e-reader sitting in the palm of his hand, flipping through her various books. Smiling to himself, he had to admit that he loved her collection. If there were anything that Gage could make out about this female, Azure would desire a taste of the exotic or already enjoyed it. If she were his, whomever she was with would have to go find someone else, and she would have to come to his bed. According to the rumblings from his Beast, she would be there before she took her next breath.
“This place is quite old,” Heath said after pocketing his phone. “But it has its charms. Hopefully, the female does, as well.”
Gage handed him back the handy device, which unlocked the password on her e-reader. “I can’t believe you didn’t think I could unlock it with my powers.”
“Oh, you and I could have unlocked it easily. Problem is keepin’ the intel intact. Our magic has a tendency to erase information. Human technology is advancin’ rapidly, and in the process, it’s becomin’ a bit too sensitive – easily destroyed.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He reached for the door. “Who was on the phone just now?”
Heath studied Gage’s ears. The blood flow had stopped an hour ago, but in the process, had clotted inside his ear canals, making it hard to pick up sounds he was accustomed to hearing. “Jude. Said pack members found Sayer’s Mustang still parked on the west side of the location we sent him to for the charity gala. We’ll pull it apart bumper-to-bumper when he gets it here. With the way he drives, he’ll be city-side within the half hour as long as he doesna have to stop for cops. He scents Sayer and a female mixed-blood,” he said pointedly, “was inside, but not recently. Doesna sce
nt anythin’ else, but I’m havin’ him come here to scent this place. Put the obvious together. No doubt, she was with Sayer. We need to question her.”
Gage tensed, sniffing the e-reader for the hundredth time. “I smell heather. Undoubtedly, she’s Scottish decent. Can’t tell how much, though, just as I can’t tell if she’s mine,” he said with utter frustration. He’d only caught her arousal from far away. “Wait. Did you say a Mustang? Blue?”
“Yeah, it’s a deep blue.” He twisted in his seat, staring at Gage head-on. “You saw it last night.”
“Bits and pieces. God, they hit me harder than I thought. It was parked on a street, but I can’t remember the name.”
“They must have been tuppin’ in that car, and you scented her. Damn.” Surprise washed his features. “Sayer lifted your female’s skirts.”
“But I was in the clubbing district.”
“So they couldna wait ‘til after the event,” Heath offered quietly, “Stopped for some hot and heavy on the way.”
“What are you thinking? There’s more. You took him under your wing after we rescued him. Is he dangerous? He is part Species. They’re known not to breed well with Habalines.”
“Sayer has seen too much evil in his young life. But dangerous? Not to a lass, no,” Heath answered with conviction. “It’s just that he’s never been with a female before, a virgin in every way, so I’m surprised with this turn of events. That son of a bitch who kept them imprisoned wouldna allow the males to tup the females, unless they were purebred Habalines, bastard refused to take chances on a weaker army. As of late, we tried to set him up many times, get him over this particular hump, but he sent the females away after feedin’. Many of the human females came on aggressively, clawin’ at him in their sexual way. In their defense, he is a fine lookin’ lad. So he made them think that he tupped them and sent them on their way.”
“Ah, but that still doesn’t tell me why he suddenly changed his mind with her.” He nodded towards Azure’s house on the corner.
“Maybe she’s his.”
“But he’s mixed.” Gage wasn’t thinking clearly, so he backed out of that statement. “He either claims her from want or his Were bloodlines are strong enough…”
“That she’s his celestially, by his Beast’s rights, just as she may be yours.” Heath looked down, reading an incoming text. “Bane says this address is not on his unmated females list, nor is the name Azure Malloy.” He pointed to the e-reader. “Good thing she left that behind since we didn’t follow her from Sayer’s apartment.”
Though she obviously didn’t leave it on purpose, Gage had found it under a bar stool next to a studded condom still safe in its wrapper. He ran a hand over his pocket, sensing the circular object, wondering whom she was going to put it on. That thought veiled his vision with a red haze belonging solely to his Beast. Settle down, he spoke inside his head. A resounding growl shot back, thundering until he thought his cranial fracture widened. Incredible pain shot through his body, causing him to shudder.
Heath tensed against the growl, fighting to tamp down his own Beast’s response. “Gage, as we discussed earlier, doona mist thinkin’ it will speed things along, even if we’re attacked. I’ve got four guards comin’ up now, anchorin’ the place while we search. Situation’s under control got it? Canna mist with a head injury like that, you might arrive somewhere with a few body parts short.” The precise reason they were driving around in a blacked-out SUV in the first place. “Not good if what’s missin’ happens to be the important stuff, yeah?” He finished his fourth bottle of water in fifteen minutes. So did Gage. Whether she was Gage’s female or not, their mission was to protect her as well as find out what happened to Sayer. “It’s dark enough, if any humans catch me, I’ll wipe their memories. As we speak, Bane’s findin’ out everythin’ there is to know about Azure Malloy. You know how quick he is about it. We’ll piece this together tonight. You head in the house, Gage. In case you can’t hear, there’s no one home. I’ll signal you after I mark the place.”
Marking in the way males do in highly populated areas, they were denoting Azure’s territory as their own. Pissing circles around her tiny perimeter to keep all other immortals at bay – such as asinine vampires. Not many were stupid enough to mess with a werewolf’s mate. So this, along with posting a guard on her, would help keep her protected until she was claimed by mates and bodily marked. They’d been forced to implement new safety procedures since Renee, Tatum, and Rebecca had been abducted. Mistakes wouldn’t be repeated, especially concerning their women. Now, instead of giving female mixed-bloods the privacy they needed and certainly deserved, they watched them like primordial hawks, readying to take down anything that threatened them. Hopefully, all actions were stealthy preformed without the ladies becoming aware.
The guards were in position, so they left the vehicle. Gage refused to be embarrassed for following Heath’s lead or needing backup. He would do anything to find the underlying cause of two mysteries that had suddenly become one. If extra Weres were required until he healed, then so be it.
First thing Gage noticed was that some asshole had painted a local gang symbol on the sidewalk in front of her house. By the looks of it, it was fresh, probably done before dawn. He entered the walkway splitting the postage-stamp-sized yard and noted a for sale sign. After ascending three rickety steps, he waved his hand over a thirty-year old lock and stepped inside. Not bothering to shut the screen door since there wasn’t one to begin with.
Night drifted down, easing his sensitive vision. He didn’t need a flashlight. His Beast preferred the darkness where things were clear, crisp, and well defined. He inhaled sharply, pulling in mildew – typical for older residences in Florida – and her. His cock stirred in response, so he pushed the heel of his hand over it, grinding the zipper against the hard, bare flesh found underneath. “I need release,” he groaned aloud, but kept moving, quickly becoming familiar with the layout of her home. Whether she was his or not, she deserved better, but he had to admit this place was quaint. Held a charm most residences worth millions didn’t, especially his. “Who are you Azure Malloy?”
Thankfully, her environs and its accompanying aroma told him that she lived here alone. But that information didn’t calm the Beast. His werewolf stayed uneasy, pacing back and forth behind his eyes, making it difficult to keep it at bay while in so much pain. Gage released it half way, allowing a moment of mid-trans so they could have a break.
Three breaths in, one slow breath out. Such relief. Three slower breaths in, his werewolf held the last a long moment, and then one relaxing breath out. Canines lowered, sliding over his bottom lip. Dripping. Dripping. Dripping. For her. Claws erupted from Gage’s fingertips. One ripped a hole in his trousers, where he rubbed absently. His werewolf wanted her in its den. Not here. And what did that say? Did Azure belong to it? Or did it just want her? He shook his head since his Beast had never wanted a female until now.
Floorboards were creaking underfoot before reaching the only tiled floor located inside a Florida room. The moon’s first rays speared through the vertical blinds, hitting a neatly made twin bed, though he could scent that she slept there recently. As he lowered his face, sniffing the pillow, a thin coverlet, and a neatly folded nightgown, he realized Azure slept there instead of inside either of the two bedrooms off the tiny hall. He swallowed hard. One flimsy latch kept the back door shut, but not tightly. Humans were even more vulnerable when they slept, and Azure did so in what was essentially a glorified porch. Why would she expose herself in this room? He shook off that line of thinking because she was now under the protection. A Were would be watching over her around the clock until she was claimed. At that thought, a grumbling warning rolled through his chest.
Interesting.
While dragging his hand away from his zipper again, he passed through her kitchen, certainly the heart of the house. The love was there alongside the aged ugliness. Faded avocado green cabinets and a scarred laminate counter lined three walls.
No microwave, but the stove looked as though it might work when it felt like it. A ceramic Italian chef stood on the counter by a corded phone, glaring at his intrusion. Gage glared back, studying the tiny, dusty chalkboard it held. He swirled his knuckle through the cloudy residue and left her a message.
A hint of what was to come this very night.
Chapter Seven
Azure waved goodbye to Nick, slipped her key into the lock, and gave it a good shake. She needed to use the graphite lubricant her mom had kept handy. After her mother had succumbed to breast cancer, she hated coming here. Never in a million years did she think she would have to stay inside these walls. But this was the only logical choice after Will dumped her. The deed was free and clear, left to her since she didn’t have siblings that she knew of. And with the minor utilities she paid, her nest egg was growing. Before closing the well-worn front door, she shook her head at the weathering for sale sign stabbed into the front lawn, mocking her. If only the house were sold before the economy took a dump, then she could have used the funds from the sale, and her lifelong savings to buy a decent condo or coach home near the beach.
She kicked off her shoes and placed her keys atop a green, shabby foyer table. Not a dime would go to fixing this place up unless she was sure it would pay off, and going by this neighborhood, her realtor refused to make any promises. So everything stayed the way it was, and she had finally learned to live with it. But sometimes, she wanted hot water when she took a shower. And during those reckless moments, when she scrubbed her favorite French-milled soap over her tired skin, she thought of Will backing Elise against his shimmering, shower wall. The one with the multi-heads set on massage pounding their bodies with scalding water – the way he used to do with Azure. And she had herself a good cry. Angry with him for leaving her, but more frustrated with herself since she was still thinking of him.
