by Vivi Anna
At the top of the stairs, a voluptuous, raven-haired woman wearing a micro-miniskirt and a tiny tank top met them. She smiled, and her full ruby lips spread into a feral grin as Garrick neared.
“Good evening, Mr. Blackthorn. My name is Malina, and I will be your escort. Fisher is very pleased you have come.” She wrapped her hand around his arm and led him along the side of a thin metal walkway that wound its way around a very large and open room. The room was packed with people, and though the music was loud, you could still talk above it. Garrick thought it made sense to keep the music from deafening everyone, since most of the clientele could hear a fart ten miles away.
As they made their way around the packed dance floor, the hair on Garrick’s arms rose. A familiar smell and feeling brushed against him like a cat to its owner. His nose twitched again. He felt a sneeze building in his nostrils from the clingy, spicy odor.
Grinning, Malina glanced up at him and noticed his twitching nose. “I am available, if you like. Fisher will offer me to you, as a sign of good faith.”
He looked down at her, gazing at the ample breasts that bounced freely under her tank top, and the long curve of her muscular legs. At another time, he would have taken her up on the offer, but tonight, he did not feel the desire to take her. She was his usual taste, but for some reason, he wanted something different.
“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll pass tonight.”
“Suit yourself.”
She led them around the room to an upper guest area that had been thrown together with a few good sofas, a table, and a slew of werewolves lazing about. Fisher sat in the middle, among his pack. Two voluptuous women sat on either side of him, with their hands resting eagerly in his leather-clad lap.
He smiled as they neared, his perfect white teeth flashing at them. “Garrick. Good to see you, man.”
Garrick nodded to Fisher, eyeing the other men surrounding him. Two large men stood behind the sofa, and two others flanked Fisher.
Untangling himself from the women, Fisher shooed them away. They pouted but left, climbing down the metal stairs and disappearing in the throng of clubgoers. Fisher motioned toward the vacant chair.
“Please sit.” He snapped his fingers at one of the two men behind him. “Get our guests some drinks.”
Garrick sat down on the offered chair, Tommy and Smith stood on either side, and Puck leaned on the railing, ready for trouble.
“What do you want?”
Fisher put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it. As he blew the smoke up, he gestured to Garrick. “I want what you want, man. Peace between our packs.”
“There is peace, or haven’t you noticed that no one has been gunned down in nineteen months?”
Fisher chuckled. “True. Corin was an egotistical bore. He ran the pack like his own personal war machine.” He ran a hand through his long blond hair. “But what I speak of is eternal peace, a union of our two packs. One pack, one law.”
Garrick sat back in the chair and casually spread his legs. It was meant as a gesture of boredom, an insult. “And who will lead this pack?”
Fisher grinned around his cigarette and leaned forward. “Well, it would be obvious, I thought. I’ve been alpha of my pack for many years, Garrick. You’ve only recently acquired yours. If it’s a matter of experience, then I think there is no question who should lead.”
Garrick nodded as if considering Fisher’s words. He glanced up at Tommy and shrugged his shoulders.
“Of course, you would become my second-in-command. You’ve proven yourself a fierce fighter, a cunning negotiator as a regulator and the Keeper of Secrets. Your talents would not go to waste, I assure you.”
Garrick gazed at Fisher and nodded. “Sounds like a real good offer, Fisher, but why would I agree to be second, when I’m already first?”
Leaning back on the sofa, Fisher smirked. “I have many things to offer, Garrick. We have an abundance of women in the pack -- something I hear is dwindling in yours. One day, you might want to find your mate, make babies, live eternally ... and all that shit. I could help you with that ambition.”
Garrick didn’t like the way the conversation was going. Fisher had too much information on the status of his pack, and evidently someone was bitching. The familiar odor floated to his nose again; this time it was stronger, more compelling. He flinched, shook his head, and glanced toward the metal ladder.
A tall, lithe, gorgeous woman stood at the top of the steps. She didn’t look at Garrick as she passed his chair. Fisher held out his hand to her, and she took it, allowing him to bring her down to his lap. He ran his hand up and down her back and smiled.
“You see, I have lots to offer a man like you.”
Garrick nearly swallowed his tongue as he eyed her. She was still the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Her body was svelte and toned, and her skin glowed as if it had been kissed by the sun. Completely different from before, her auburn hair was short and spiky, accentuating a perfectly tanned, angular face.
He remembered her eyes the most. Emerald green ... and flashing like polished gems. She was just as he remembered her.
“Hello, Garrick.” Her voice, cool and cultured, sent tremors up and down his body.
“Hello, Olivia.”
Chapter Three
Olivia had known the moment Garrick stepped into the club. She’d felt him as he ascended the steep metal stairs and rounded the room on the walkway. She didn’t have to look up to know he was there. She could feel his heat rubbing up against her, and the sultry way he smelled -- like fresh-cut grass in the heat of the summer -- sent delicious shivers down her spine. Always she felt his presence, like a tingling over her skin and a heated ball of lava in her belly.
She watched him now, and it took more strength than she’d expected to keep from jumping over to him and nestling into his lap. His hair was a little longer, wilder even, but just as sexy as before. His clothes still fit snugly over his powerful frame, but the bulge under his jeans caused her eyebrows to lift. Maybe he was feeling her, too. Maybe he still remembered what they felt like when together.
The last time she’d seen him, he was standing beside his back porch, covered in blood, with a dead man at his feet. He’d yelled at her then. Told her to go and never come back, even though he’d known she would need him. And when the full moon had finally arrived, he had not been there to comfort her. He’d abandoned her at a time when she’d needed him the most.
When the change had overwhelmed her, she had been alone. Alone to try to understand and deal with the excruciating pain. Alone to hunt, when she had no clue how to kill. It had been the most unpleasant and grueling time of her life, and he had never come to aid her, even when she’d called out to him in the middle of the night.
She hated him for that.
Fisher chuckled and snuggled his hand against her ass. “I see you know each other.”
Olivia wanted to flinch from the intimate contact, but wouldn’t, not in front of Garrick. She wanted to see if it bothered him, if he still had feelings for her. She needed to know for sure, so she could use them for her own purposes.
Garrick glanced down at Fisher’s hand. It was brief, but she saw his pupils dilate in anger.
“Yes, we did once,” Olivia purred, eyes on Garrick.
Garrick smirked and shook his head. “Did we? I don’t remember.”
The barb hurt, but she pushed down her feelings and continued to stare at him. He looked cool and unruffled, but she could see how his jaw clenched. She’d seen that look of concentration before, when he had ripped off her shirt and taken her on his living room floor nineteen months ago.
She couldn’t sit there any longer, without either ripping his clothes off or ripping his eyes out. She’d be damned before she let Garrick see her bristling. She’d shed her tears for him. Tears of loss and tears of anger. She wouldn’t give him any more. He’d already taken too much.
Smirking, Olivia turned and leaned down to press her lips to Fisher’s mouth. He d
eepened the kiss as his hand squeezed her ass. She pulled back and ran her hand through Fisher’s hair. Turning back to Garrick, she stood up.
“I’m going to dance, love. There’s nothing to interest me here.” Not looking at Garrick, Olivia walked back to the stairs and descended into the gyrating crowd.
Garrick tried not to watch her go. It was difficult, as her delicious spicy scent enveloped him, crushing him in its sensual grip. The jeans she wore accentuated her incredible ass, and as she swayed past his chair, he couldn’t help but peek. It had been incredible before, but now the sight of her perfectly round bottom nearly did him in. He could feel his cock grow hard with desire. The woman was lust personified, and it took everything he had to stay in his chair. He ground his teeth and swallowed down the saliva pooling in his mouth. In his mind, all he could envision was Olivia straddling his lap, his cock deep inside her hot, wet cunt, and his hands filled with her perfect pert breasts. His fingers twitched in his lap, as if the startling memory triggered their response.
Garrick stared hard at Fisher, but he just grinned back at Garrick and leaned lazily against the sofa back. It was obvious that Fisher knew what Olivia was doing to him. He glanced around at the other men, knowing they could smell his arousal, the adrenaline pumping in his veins and sweat trickling down his back.
He needed to get out, and fast. He couldn’t let Fisher know how wired he was. He couldn’t let on that Olivia was his greatest weakness. The hardest thing he had ever done in his life was push her away. She had been everything he’d ever wanted in a woman, in a mate, but he’d scorned her. It had been for her own protection. He wondered if Olivia had told Fisher about them. Obviously, Fisher was aware that they knew each other, but Garrick wondered if he fully understood the situation. Did Fisher know he was the one who’d turned her? For Garrick’s sake, he desperately hoped not.
A hulking man finally arrived with the drinks. Garrick took a glass and downed the alcohol in one quick swallow. It burned all the way down, but at least it took his mind off his throbbing dick. He set the empty glass down with a sharp crack on the table and stood.
“This meeting is over.”
Fisher’s eyebrow rose in query. “Think about my offer.”
Garrick didn’t answer, but turned and marched back the way he had come. Tommy, Smith, and Puck followed him out without a word. He didn’t look down into the mass of people, but he had a distinct feeling someone watched him the entire time it took to go round the room on the metal grates. They descended the stairs quickly and charged out of the door. When they were back on the street, Tommy moved up beside Garrick.
“Wasn’t that ...?”
Garrick nodded. “I thought she was out of the country, Tommy.”
“She was. I swear. She quit her job, vacated her apartment, and went to Spain eighteen months ago.”
“Well, obviously she’s back, and has been back long enough to integrate into Fisher’s pack.”
Tommy put out his hand in defense as Garrick rounded on him. “Whoa, you wanted me to make sure she left, mate. You didn’t say anything about watching to see if she came back.”
Garrick sighed and ran a hand over his face and through his hair. “You’re right. Sorry, Tommy.”
“No problem, boss man. I know how it is with women.”
“Yeah, it’s just that this one is very different.”
When they reached the car, the driver was already out and holding the back door open for them.
Garrick stopped and glanced over his shoulder at the club. He clapped Tommy on the back. “Hold the fort. I’ll be right back.”
Tommy yelled after him as he strode quickly across the street. “You’re in over your head, mate. Remember who she belongs to now.”
Garrick pushed his way through the packed dance floor. Following the scent that teased his senses, he made his way into the throng of sweating, gyrating bodies. Reaching the center, he used his keen eyes to finish tracking. He spotted her standing only a few feet away, unmoving and staring at him, her gaze flashing like green fire.
He pushed his way through the crowd as she turned and moved in the opposite direction. He swore under his breath as the momentum of the dancing mob caused him to lose her in the crowd. Clenching his jaw, he closed his eyes and raised his head, scenting the air. Quickly, her scent floated over him, and he turned toward the smell, opening his eyes. She had disappeared down a narrow hallway, likely leading toward the washrooms.
Raging desire flared in his body again, and Garrick pushed through the crowd, oblivious to the shouts of protest following in his wake. He cared for one thing ... finding Olivia. Nothing else mattered.
He marched down the hall and turned the corner that led to the bathrooms. Her scent was becoming stronger, heavier, wrapping spicy tendrils around his body. Two women smoking weed hovered around the closed door. They quickly hugged the wall when he swept by them and pushed open the door to the ladies’ room. There were two other women at the sinks, fixing their lipstick. When they noticed him in the mirror, both packed up their purses and rushed out. Only one woman remained.
Olivia leaned on the counter, staring wide-eyed at him in the mirror. He could hear the ragged intake of her breath each time she sucked in air. Her hands gripped the porcelain sink, and he could see how white her knuckles were.
“What do you want?” she growled.
Garrick moved behind her. Before she could say another word, he wrapped his arms around her body and pressed himself against her back. Heat seared him, and he nearly cried out from the shock of it. But he didn’t let go. He couldn’t.
Closing his eyes, he buried his face in her hair and sniffed deeply. The glorious mixture of her scents nearly brought tears to his eyes. He had been starving and had now come across a bountiful buffet. His stomach flipped over, and his muscles tightened with desire. He couldn’t rein it in for much longer.
“Let me go.”
Ignoring her words, he opened his mouth and nibbled on the back of her neck. The sweat on her skin tasted as sweet as wine. He trailed his tongue over her skin and up her neck. He felt the frantic beat of her heart under her flesh. He could hear the rush of adrenaline through her veins and could taste her lust on the very tip of his tongue. It was ambrosia to his senses, and he rolled his eyes back in ecstasy.
“I said, let me go.”
He could hear a quaver in her voice, hinting at her anger and her longing. What he didn’t expect was the powerful elbow in his stomach ...
The impact pushed him back, and she was able to turn around to face him. She raised her hands up to strike. If he advanced on her again, she would not hesitate to punch him. With her increased strength, he would think twice about touching her again.
She stared at him in anticipation as he rubbed his gut and watched her. His gaze was black with desire and hunger, and she could smell his lust. It was pungent and overwhelming in her nose. Her head nearly swam from the overpowering effect it had on her.
He straightened up and smirked. “Nice move.”
“Come any closer, and I swear I’ll claw your eyes out.”
He shook his head and stepped back to lean against the stall door behind him. He tilted his head and eyed her cautiously.
“When did you get back?”
“Does it matter?” She would not let him soften her. He asked only because it had caught him off guard, not because he cared.
“I suppose not, as you’re here now.”
“That’s right. I am here.”
He nodded his head understandingly. Although, Olivia doubted that he truly did. If he really understood what she was doing, he would kill her. It was something she was sure he would soon wish to do.
“Liv ...”
She put her hand up to stop him. She didn’t want to hear anything he had to say. Couldn’t hear it, even if he spoke of what they used to have, since the memories meant nothing to her now.
“Save it. There’s nothing you can say to me that will make a difference. Nothin
g.”
Garrick pushed off the door and took a bold step toward her. Slowly, he looked her up and down, as if memorizing her every feature. “Your words say one thing, Liv, but I can still smell your desire for me. You want me just as much as I want you.”
Olivia sneered. “It’s purely hormonal, Garrick. It means nothing except that after you leave, I’ll go home with Fisher and fuck him till I’m sore and raw.”
Clenching his jaw, he nodded, then turned on his heel, slammed open the bathroom door, and stormed out in a heat wave of fury.
Shaking, Olivia lowered her hands. She backed up against the counter for support. Her legs were shaking furiously, and she didn’t think she could stand for much longer. She clamped her eyes shut against the wave of tears that threatened to fall.
She had wanted this confrontation and had known it would come eventually. But she hadn’t been prepared for the raging hormones that coursed through her body. He was still perfect to her. The way he moved, smelled, tasted -- everything came back to her in a flood of desire. She clenched her hands into fists, trying to erase the feeling of his flesh, the way his muscles bunched under her fevered touch.
She had to find a way to suppress her feelings, her thoughts, and her memories if she was going to succeed in her plans. Garrick was going to pay for his sins. Pay for abandoning her when she had been the most vulnerable -- the first time she had turned into a predator of the night ... a werewolf.
Chapter Four
Garrick didn’t want to call a meeting, but he knew that for the sake of the pact, he had to. He hated meetings and, so far, had held only three of them since taking over as alpha of the pack. The first one, naturally, had been right after Corin’s death, to let the group know he was now in charge and what to expect from him. The second was to oversee and give his blessing for the marriage of two pack members. Now the third ...
