Dmitri

by D'Elen McClain

  Nikka moved without conscious thought and had Dmitri’s wrist within her jaw, pressing into his skin with her sharp teeth. She didn’t see the vampire move, but suddenly with no apparent difficulty, Nikka was on her back and his own sharp teeth at the thick fur of her throat.

  “Shift.” Vampire power poured over her.

  It wasn’t the same power as her alpha, but she didn’t even try to fight her body’s change to human. He grabbed her hair, holding her head still while running his teeth along her throat with slow strokes. He pulled back and gazed deeply into her eyes. Slowly, his mouth lowered, warm lips pressing against hers. His fingers loosened only slightly as he deepened the kiss, molding his mouth to the outline of her lips. His tongue slid past their trembling softness and licked the inside of her mouth.

  His taste… incredibly erotic… perfect.

  Mine.

  She tangled her hands within his long hair, pulling him closer, feeling his erection against her heat. He released her hair and slid his hands across her flesh until they covered her naked breasts. An undeniable ache pulsed between her thighs and she purred.

  He rolled so she lay splayed over him, his clothes the only thing keeping them apart. Nikka couldn’t get enough of his mouth. The kiss continued as did his skillful hands. Her nipples tightened and she growled deep in her throat when he didn’t touch them quickly enough.

  Pulling his lips away, amber eyes consumed her. He slid her body upward, taking a stiff peak within his mouth. His tongue lathed her aching nipple, making her gasp for air. His low chuckle vibrated along her sensitive nerve endings and she arched her back wanting more. He switched to the other nipple, giving it the same attention. Nikka was past caring that they were lying on the forest floor, she wanted Dmitri to take her fully—claim her, take her blood.

  His loud groan startled her. “We must stop.” He placed slow kisses on her breasts and scooted her back down his body so her head rested on his chest. His deep, haggard breathing did little to soothe her raging need. She moved her arms to his broad shoulders and squeezed, fighting the overwhelming urge to bury her teeth in his flesh.

  “I am not some young teenage boy with uncontrolled hormones, though you make me feel like one.” He rested his lips against the top of her head and ruffled her hair with his breath. “You haven’t left my mind since the first time I saw you. My dreams are filled with you.”

  Nikka lifted her head so her chin propped on his chest. Intense amber eyes reflected her own strong need, the throbbing ache for fulfillment.

  She smiled.

  Chapter Eleven

  She loved his voice, his words, his body—everything that made him her vampire. He slowly rose to his feet, lifting her at the same time and standing her before him.

  “I’m taking you back to your cabin.”

  She frowned.

  “It’s hard for me, too, but it’s the right thing to do.”

  Nikka violently shook her head, but he stopped her, bringing her chin up so she met his eyes.

  “Yes.” His lips brushed over hers, moving to her jaw before rubbing his scruffy chin across her cheek.

  Pure need dripped from his voice. “Shift or I cannot walk away from you.”

  She stubbornly refused until his powers sparked again. Giving in, she sauntered beside him on four legs, brushing against him every few feet. She wanted her scent to saturate his skin and clothing. It was her way of marking her territory.

  His smile flashed, he knew what she was doing, but he didn’t stop her. “I need your help with Talya.”

  Another growl rumbled from Nikka’s throat. She didn’t want him talking about the hell cat.

  “I agree. I told her as plainly as possible that I wanted nothing to do with her. I thought she finally understood. On the way back here, riding in the truck, I felt her eyes on me and turned. No one that age should carry that look.” Dmitri shuddered and glanced down at Nikka. “She terrifies me.”

  His words broke the spell of jealousy and Nikka’s cat laughed inside her head. A big strong vampire was afraid of a small three-legged she-cat. It was almost as if Dmitri read her mind.

  “Do not laugh. I don’t know what else to do.” He sounded desperate.

  Nikka couldn’t convey her thoughts, but she did know what to do. It was drastic, but if Talya didn’t back off it was inevitable.

  Dmitri left her at the edge of the clearing in front of the cabins. She couldn’t help twitching her tail at him as she walked to the cabin door. Shifting, she grabbed the handle and pulled the door open. She looked over her shoulder, but her vampire was gone.

  Nicolas, Vorlyk, and the entire clan waited inside.

  ***

  Keeping his pack safe was Nicolas’s biggest concern. He had the fewest pack numbers, but the most children—three babies and two young boys. He wanted nothing more than to return to his own home in the Ohio Mountains and give his pack a safe place of their own, but that was currently impossible.

  War followed his pack.

  Nicolas was accompanying Vorlyk to the nightclub so the vampire could read the captured cats’ minds. Dmitri would stay here and watch over both packs. Esta and Nikka would also stay behind, though Aster was going to the club.

  Nicolas was concerned about Dmitri. He would swear the vampire was hiding something. It surprised him greatly that Dmitri wanted nothing to do with the two enemy cats. It was as if just the thought of them terrified the deadly vampire. Besides the nightclub, the longtime safe haven for all beastkind, little was known of Dmitri and his bears. Nicolas only knew Dmitri had some kind of past with Cheri, Brant’s liege, but other than that, the Russian vampire was a mystery.

  The Kodiak was another enigma. At the meeting earlier, they’d also discussed an invasion into South America—who would go and who would stay behind to protect the children. The Kodiak insisted on staying with his liege, the two of them unified in not being included in the major battle. For an alpha of any kind, it was strange. The bear remained stoic as they planned the invasion into enemy territory. Nicolas felt that both The Kodiak and Dmitri were hiding something.

  Nicolas mentally shook himself, letting his concerns slip away as he spoke to his pack. “Our clan is remaining here. Vorlyk and I feel the children are safest in bear territory. This doesn’t mean we will sit idly by and let the enemy control our lives. With the help of the southwest and northwest clans, we plan to attack our enemy in their own backyard. We are five vampires strong and our own she-cats have taught us how to fight the beastkind enemy.”

  He stopped talking, giving time for his words to sink in. His mate’s unease clenched at him through their bond. He’d promised her not to leave while she was pregnant. His promise no longer applied and he would be in this fight. Vorlyk was needed for his ability to read minds and Amy would be coming from the Southwest clan for her ability to communicate mind to mind with the different packs, including the enemy cats. Three vampires and one hundred beastkind would end this war. He’d already chosen Esta and Aster to go. Honey, The Kodiak’s second, was staying behind. Honey’s place was by his mate’s side until their child was born.

  They didn’t have a definite time of departure and it would depend on the information Vorlyk extracted from the two cats at the club, but they could not wait much longer.

  Nicolas turned to Vorlyk. The vampire’s eyes remained their natural color, though the vamp was obviously on edge; the entire pack could feel it.

  His young voice held an inner power and strength that calmed them all. “Nicolas rescued most of us from South America, making you his pack. Though you have lived through unspeakable horrors, we are not bloodthirsty. We would live in peace if we could. Unfortunately, it’s not the world around us. Nicolas has my consent to choose who comes with us to fight. Some may not return. Many of our enemies will die, far more than the losses we will suffer, because we have more to live for.”

  Vorlyk stopped talking and Nicolas once more looked around at the people he loved. “Vorlyk and I leave for
Dmitri’s club to interrogate two enemy cats and find out what we can. Think about whether you wish to stay behind and protect our pack or if you wish to fight. I will speak to each of you privately and hear your decision, though I will make the final call.”

  He turned and walked into his room. He didn’t need to look behind him to know Zenya followed.

  “I wish to go with you to fight,” she said as soon as the door closed.

  “No.”

  Anger boiled into fury, her eyes glinting, but she surprised Nicolas by keeping her tone level. “It’s my right and I’ve worked hard in training.”

  He looked at his mate, the other half of himself. He was selfish because he wanted her with him, but he knew that was not what was best for their pack. “Our clan will be at its most vulnerable while we are away. You, the mother of our cub, will fight to the death protecting Jaime Ivan and the other babies. Your control over our pack gains strength each day. You will stay behind and keep the others strong.”

  So many emotions played across her face. Without argument, she took a step closer and melted into his arms, wrapping him in the warmth only a mate could provide. He needed this… needed her so much.

  War was hell.

  Chapter Twelve

  When he’d left Nikka, Dmitri flashed to his house and worked in his home office, his little she-cat tickling his mind. The pressure in his head had all but vanished when he touched her. He wasn’t sure how she did it. Even The Kodiak didn’t soothe his beast like Nikka did. The crimson haze that stayed just under the surface receded, and for the first time in decades, Dmitri had hope.

  And hope was far scarier than living with the ticking time bomb of his curse.

  His thoughts turned to the prisoners at his club. He waited impatiently for the information they needed. Dmitri knew if he saw the two cats again, he wouldn’t be able to control his need for vengeance. There was nothing he wanted more than their blood covering his body and further darkening his soul. The more he thought about them, the more his head pounded and his urge to kill heightened. Fuck, he needed Nikka’s calming peace, but he couldn’t allow her to see him like this.

  His hands began shaking and red pools of wrath closed in—he was losing the battle. Before the darkness completely took over, he flashed to The Kodiak’s home. Seething rage swirled, and with only his eyes, he pleaded with the great bear, speech completely beyond him.

  The Kodiak went to his knees and the strong, impossible bear freely gave Dmitri his blood, calming his liege’s quest for death. The bear knew what could happen if Dmitri’s beast won. He’d seen it and almost didn’t survive.

  The redness faded and Dmitri was finally able to take a deep breath. “I don’t know how much longer I can control it.”

  “I fear you fight the impossible, my liege.” The gruff voice of The Kodiak was unusually quiet as he gazed at Dmitri.

  Dmitri looked deeply into his friend’s eyes, sadness clenching his soul knowing he would fail his clan. “Then we must speak with Cheri and end this.”

  The Kodiak’s eyes went dark with anger, but he used his power to release a soothing alpha energy throughout the room. “No. The woman could be your salvation. The beast quiets when she is near you. I feel it and through her link to you, it calms my beast, as well. This has never happened before.”

  Dmitri gazed at The Kodiak for a long time before responding. “You are the mightiest of beastkind, but even you, my friend, could not kill millions. My curse is death. It has never been a gift. Can we risk the lives of everyone based on a tentative familiarity my beast finds with this woman?”

  Great rumbles of laughter left the giant bear’s throat, causing Dmitri to think him insane.

  When The Kodiak could finally form words, his eyes continued showing his mirth. “I have never heard passion, or the undeniable need for the female written on your face, described as tentative familiarity. You lie to yourself, my liege.”

  Dmitri sat down abruptly, leaning back against the large couch with a groan. “I can’t get her out of my mind. She haunts my dreams and has my stomach in knots. I have felt more like a lovesick boy than a ferocious vampire since she entered my world. She makes me forget vengeance and guilt. She calms me in a way even you cannot. But…” He looked at The Kodiak, “the risk might prove too great.”

  The Kodiak paced while he spoke. “You just told me Cheri needs to end this.” He stopped and looked directly at his liege. “You may be the only chance we have of overcoming our enemy. Maybe you could use what you are as a gift instead of fighting it. I’ve always felt you could control it, but you run from the power you hold. You are no longer the fractured man who showed up in this territory so many years ago. There is not a single bear…” A slight grin tipped his lips into a semblance of a smile, “male or female who would not follow you into death. I’ve felt your turmoil while you’ve tried to distance yourself from this she-cat. It’s time you stop running.”

  Dmitri closed his eyes, a deep weariness seeping into him. He was so tired of fighting a battle he never thought he could win. He never understood why Cheri saved him. He left The Kodiak’s home and returned to his own, his thoughts dwelling on the earlier meeting with Vorlyk and Nicolas. One vampire had to remain on Dmitri’s land at all times. Dmitri volunteered. Every basic need inside him wanted to lead the fighters. The other clans had no idea the consequences if Dmitri went to war. The only thing that made Dmitri’s internal battle sufferable was Nikka and his growing need to have her close.

  He wanted her lips pressed to his and her soft, smooth skin beneath his fingers. The unique combination of cat and woman imbedded within his bloodstream caused a craving far more powerful than blood. This was the worst possible time to involve his heart with a woman, but it was out of his hands. Maybe The Kodiak was right, but Nikka becoming his mate would pose many challenges. Part of him didn’t care, but the other half wanted her smiling every day for the rest of their lives. What he didn’t want was a look of horror on her face when she learned what he truly was. She needed to know before she made her decision. He feared his was made.

  Walking into his office, he turned on the light and immediately noticed the single flower lying on his desk.

  “Damn insufferable cat.”

  Talya hadn’t taken what he said to heart and she was not giving up. He tossed the offending flower into the trash, refusing to dwell on the problems the young female caused. The numbers on the page he’d picked up blurred with thoughts of Nikka’s naked body. Then his mind shifted to thoughts of the following night’s funeral. Sadness, vengeance, and hatred pinched at his soul looking for a way to break the steel barrier he’d put up long ago.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Five hours after the sun’s rays dropped behind the highest mountain of the territory, bear and northeast clan members walked to the final resting place of the fallen. It was high in the mountains surrounded by tall trees and thick woods cleared from the middle where the dead came to rest. Six bears carried Rufus’s body on a ceremonial wooden pallet and laid him on an elevated pyre. Vorlyk and his clan stood silently by as the bears paid their last respects to their fallen brother. Rufus had spent most of his time at the nightclub, but when he was home, he’d gained the respect of Nicolas’s pack by warm greetings and offered friendship. He’d also died protecting Talya and he would forever be a hero in the eyes of the northwest clan. The soft sobs from his mother filled the clearing, her grief as powerful as any mother who loses a child.

  The Kodiak approached the body and laid his hands on Rufus’s human face. Power rippled across the large clearing, casting a glow around The Kodiak and his dead comrade. It was a strange and unusual energy that the cats and wolves had never experienced. They were stunned when Rufus’s human body shifted to bear.

  It was completely unexplainable, but no one could doubt The Kodiak’s power. The giant bear possessed control over the dead. It made the wolves and cats uneasy, but they also realized that the entire bear clan accepted them as friends, not j
ust allies, and it was a great honor for them to see the mighty strength of their alpha.

  One at a time, nine bears stepped forward and severed a claw from their fallen friend. Each one strung it on a necklace, which held other shriveled knuckles and claws. The Kodiak severed the last toe. After placing it on his own necklace, he shifted to a thousand pound Kodiak bear and let out an ear-splitting roar. The others of his clan shifted, their thundered growls rolling into the darkness.

  Nikka shivered and remained in total awe of what she witnessed. She was glad the bears didn’t wear their death reminder around their necks each day. Just watching them sever the digits was bad enough. The difference in their species was never more apparent than at this moment.

  Like the wolves, they burned Rufus’s body, ending their ritual. Dmitri lit the pyre and they all stood by and watched the body turn to ash. As powerful and soulful as the funeral was, Nikka was relieved when they went back to their cabin. Death was a painful reminder of their mortality.

  During the following days, Talya remained taciturn toward everyone. At times, Nikka feared what the young she-cat would do. Her mood swings often became borderline violent and Zenya was requesting her help less and less with the babies. There was something much deeper going on within the she-cat’s psyche, but Talya refused all overtures for help.

  Nikka was exhausted with all the uncertainties—the coming war, Talya, no true home, and then there was Dmitri. She met him in the woods each night. He never invited her home, but they roamed his territory enjoying each other’s company. His mood was always intense when they approached each other, but after a few minutes, his stress eased. She loved their quiet walks, though she longed to communicate and ask him questions about himself. When her frustration peaked, she’d concentrate on his scent and the thrum of energy that surrounded him and engulfed her when he was near. She craved more, but she was afraid to break the spell. She was afraid he didn’t want her as mate. She could always feel his inner turmoil and it terrified her.