Dance with the Devil

by Angela Dennis

  He laughed, rolling her beneath him. “The part where I get to do this—” he tasted her lips, “—anytime I want.”

  “I see.” She wrapped her arms around him. “You’re right. That is a pretty good part. What about the part where I tell you I love you?”

  He froze, pretty sure he’d heard wrong.

  “What?” She grinned. “Was I not supposed to say it?”

  Holy shit. She meant it. He grabbed her hands, pinning them above her head as he kissed her. “Say it again,” he ordered. He wanted to hear it a thousand times.

  “I love you, Carrick. Being with you is worth it. Whatever it takes.”

  “I love you too,” he said between kisses. “I think maybe I always have. You’ve been in my head since that day you showed up outside my bar.” He released her, running his hands down her sides. He wanted to do more, but her injuries were too fresh to risk reopening. So he stripped off his clothes and settled under the covers with her, holding her as close as was humanly possible as she drifted off to sleep. She was his, and he’d cherish her forever.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The next few hours passed far too quickly. Jillian opened her eyes, snuggling into Carrick’s arms. The nap had been a godsend. She was no longer reeling with emotions and tripping over her own feet as she tried to deal with them. Now, at least, she was far enough removed she could get some perspective.

  “I don’t want to leave this bed,” she said as she rolled on her side to look at Carrick. “Can we stay here forever?”

  He grinned and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I wish. But I’m pretty sure Quinn is on his way here. I can hear his footsteps in the hall.”

  “No. Anyone but him.” She rolled onto her back and threw her arms over her eyes. But Carrick was right. Now that she was paying attention, she heard it as well. “Can’t he just leave us alone for a few more hours?”

  “Then he wouldn’t be Quinn.” Carrick gave her another quick kiss, then jumped to his feet and pulled on his jeans. He tossed her a shirt. “Put this on; he’s almost here.”

  She sat up and pulled on his shirt. It swallowed her, hanging below her knees as she stood. Surrounded by his scent, her beast purred, rubbing against the surface. Jillian closed the distance between her and Carrick. Wrapping her arms around him, she pressed her face against his bare chest. A few seconds later, the door flew open, and they turned to face Quinn.

  “Change in plans,” he said as he stepped into the room. “I had to notify the Conclave about Reginald. They’re sending a representative to pick him up in a few hours. If they get here before the two of you complete the Claiming ceremony, they might interfere. We’d have to kill them.”

  “Hello to you too.” Jillian pulled away from Carrick and sank onto the bed. “If we kill a representative of the Conclave, they’ll have a valid reason to come after us. We’ll never get the backing of the other Prides.”

  “Exactly.” Quinn tossed her a brown leather bag. “So, we do the ritual now. You’ve got thirty minutes to get ready. I’ve already spread the word.”

  Dumbstruck, Jillian stared at the bag in her hand. “You’re serious.”

  “If you want to go through with this, it’s the only way,” Quinn replied.

  “Then we’ll do it.” Carrick walked to Jillian. He cupped her face in his hands. “Don’t freak out. I know this isn’t how we planned it, but it’ll be okay.” He gave her a quick kiss. “I have to go with Quinn to get ready. I’ll stop by Abbey’s rooms on my way, and send her to help you.”

  Jillian nodded. He knew her so well. She was freaking out. She was supposed to have time to prepare, to wrap her head and heart around what they had to do, what it meant.

  “Jillian?”

  She jerked her gaze back to his.

  “I love you, and you love me. That’s all that matters. We’ll shove the rest into place.” He pulled her against him, kissing the top of her head. “This is just part of it.”

  She clung to his words like a lifesaver, knowing he was right. She placed the leather bag on the bed, then slipped her arms around his waist. “I’m okay,” she whispered against his chest. “I just don’t like surprises.”

  “The clock’s ticking. Let’s go,” Quinn interrupted.

  Jillian gave Carrick a gentle shove. “I’m good. Go.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Positive.” She forced herself to smile.

  With one last kiss, he disappeared through the door with Quinn. As the door closed behind them, Jillian turned to the bed. She picked up the leather bag with reverence and slowly pulled open the cords that held it closed. Inside lay the jewels that had been worn for centuries by the female Alphas. For a few moments, all she could do was stare. These objects cemented in her mind that this was really happening. It was so surreal. She’d gone from the runaway prodigal daughter of the Pride to becoming their leader. Even in her wildest dreams, she could never have imagined this.

  It didn’t feel right to leave the bag unprotected, so she took it with her into the bathroom. She turned on the shower, turning the knob until the water streamed through the small space. She stepped beneath the stream and let it pour over her aching muscles and through her tangled hair.

  Everything had happened so fast, she had barely had time to deal. A part of her was glad Quinn had to turn her father over to the Conclave. At least his blood wouldn’t be on Quinn’s hands. If the Conclave decided to execute him, she wouldn’t shed any tears. She stepped from the shower. Quickly drying off, she wrapped herself in a towel, picked up the leather bag from the counter and stepped into the bedroom. Abbey and Gareth were waiting.

  “So, you’re going through with this?” Abbey raced to her side, catching her in a quick hug. “Quinn gave us this.” She motioned to the bed. Stretched across it was a thin, purple-hooded robe, embroidered with gold. “What are you supposed to wear underneath?”

  Gareth grinned. “Not a damn thing. She’s got to be able to shift at will for the ceremony. Clothes would just get in the way.” He motioned to the bag. “That’s all she’ll be wearing.”

  Abbey’s eyes widened. “There must be more to the ritual than I thought.”

  “There is. Quinn gave me the lowdown so I could help.”

  Abbey turned to Jillian. “You okay with all this?”

  “Not really. But I’ve got the two of you and Carrick. I can handle it.” Jillian joined them by the bed, taking both their hands. “You’re my best friends. There’s no way I could do this without you. I want you front and center, so the Pride knows how important you are to me. The next few months, maybe years, are going to be hell. I want to make it clear to them you’re under my protection. They mess with you, they mess with me.”

  Abby grinned. “I love you too, Jillie. Tell me where you want me, and I’ll be there.”

  “Same here,” Gareth said.

  “No matter what happens, we’re sticking together. Like always.” Jillian moved to the mini-bar and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. Pulling three shot glasses from the shelf, she filled them to the brim. “Let’s toast,” she said, giving them each one. “To friendship.”

  “To friendship.”

  Together, they tossed back the liquor in one swallow. Jillian grinned, slamming her glass down. “Now let’s get me ready. I look like hell.”

  Twenty minutes later, Jillian stepped out into the hall, flanked by Abbey and Gareth. The silk robe swirled around her naked body unhampered, except for the gold cuff that decorated one bicep and a matching one high on her opposite thigh.

  They wandered the empty hall until they reached a large steel door. There were no door handles, no way to open it. She turned to Gareth. “What now?”

  He stepped forward, taking her hands. “I’m proud of you, Jillie. I’ve never met anyone as strong as you. You’ve got this. And we’ve got your back. When you’re ready, call your beast until she’s just below the surface, then place your hands on the door. It’ll open.”

  Jillian stood on her
tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Let’s do this.”

  She closed her eyes and reached deep inside where her lion lay waiting. The beast was trembling with anticipation as Jillian drew her to the surface, so close that she was moments from splitting through her skin. Jillian’s palms tingled with their combined magic as she laid them upon the steel. There was a loud click and the monstrous door slid open.

  Inside was a narrow dirt corridor leading down into the earth. It was too small for a human, but just the right size for a cat. Jillian glanced back at Gareth. “I can’t shift. What about the robe and jewels?”

  Gareth shook his head. “Don’t worry. They’re magic. They’re a part of you now, at least until the ceremony is complete. They’ll be with you when you shift back.”

  If it had been anyone other than Gareth, she wouldn’t have believed it. But Gareth wasn’t one for flights of fancy. If he said it was true, it was. So she gave her beast free rein. The lioness exploded to the surface. The shift soothed her, made her feel more whole.

  She prowled through the darkness until they were deep beneath the earth. Eventually, the tunnel spilled into a large cavern. As she stepped inside, firelight danced around her from the bonfire in the center. She moved across the room, her paws sinking into the dirt. As her eyes adjusted, she was able to make out two figures beside the fire. She purred, tail twitching as she gazed upon her mate. The cat didn’t want to wait. She wanted him now.

  In cat form, Quinn moved in front of her, stopping her from reaching Carrick. She bared her teeth and hissed. He nudged her with his muzzle, moving her back. Although she was furious, she did as he asked. Quinn began to shift from side to side, his body slowly transforming until he was human again. She’d never seen anyone shift so effortlessly. It was incredible, and, to be honest, she was a little jealous.

  Sitting back on her haunches, she wondered if she was supposed to shift. Quinn walked to the altar on the far side of the fire. Made of rich mahogany, it stood at waist level. On the top, surrounded by candles, were two crystal goblets, a thick purple-and-gold cord and a whittled piece of birch.

  Quinn extinguished the bonfire with a sharp wave of his hand. He murmured an incantation and lit the hundreds of candles that had been placed inside the walls of the chamber. The members of both Prides stood beside the flames. In their cat forms, they had been divided into two groups, one on either side of the cave. Jillian’s Pride stood near the front, Carrick’s in the back.

  “The ceremony begins now.” Quinn clapped his hands and the walls shifted around them, closing off the entrance and trapping them inside the cavern. “Together we will witness the Claiming ritual of your new Alphas. We are here to consecrate their union and celebrate their pledge both to each other and to the Pride. When these doors reopen, not only will Jillian and Carrick have become one, but each of their individual Prides will be joined under their leadership.”

  Quinn retrieved the piece of birch and motioned for Jillian to follow him. He positioned her a few feet in front of her Pride. Stepping back several feet, he crouched, drawing a wide circle that encompassed both her and her Pride.

  He moved to the other side of the cave and repeated the ritual with Carrick and his Pride. Jillian closed her eyes, absorbing the rioting emotions running through her Pride and the magic flowing through the room. When she opened them, Quinn was standing in the place where the circles intersected.

  He walked to Jillian’s side. “Do you willingly take the blood of the Pride into your body, the future of the Pride on your shoulders?”

  Her roar echoed through the cavern like thunder.

  Quinn bowed before her, then, rising, dumped the contents of the goblet onto her head. Red wine, thick as blood, and symbolizing the same, ran in rivulets down her forehead. She closed her eyes and lapped the excess with her tongue, unwilling to let any fall to the dirt. She could hear Quinn repeating the ritual with Carrick. When she opened her eyes, Quinn was motioning her forward into the intersecting circle. Face-to-face with Carrick, she nuzzled him, letting the liquid flowing across his fur mix with hers. They lay together in the dirt, cleaning one another’s fur, absorbing the symbolic blood of the other’s Pride. When they had finished, they stood and faced Quinn.

  “Change,” he ordered. “All of you.”

  Magic saturated the air as shifter after shifter transformed into their human form. Panting, they stood before Quinn, the Pride members in their golden robes, Jillian and Carrick in matching purple.

  “The Fates have spoken, linking these lions together. No one can stand in the way of their destiny.” Quinn picked up the purple-and-gold cord from the altar. Turning back to them, he held out his hands, palms up. Jillian placed her right hand in his, Carrick his left. Quinn bound their wrists together. “Your bond is critical, both to yourselves and to the Pride. Never forsake it, but nourish it so that it will grow. This is the way of things.”

  Leaving them bound together, he retrieved the second goblet from the altar. Returning to them, he held the goblet above his head. “This is the blood of your combined Pride. By drinking it, you swear an oath to each one of your Pride members to uphold Pride law, protect them with your life and rule them with compassion.” He handed Jillian the cup. She took a long drink, then handed it to Carrick, who did the same.

  Taking back the goblet, Quinn turned to the Pride. “If any of you challenge their position as Alphas, say so now.”

  There was only silence. Jillian drew a deep breath. It was almost over.

  “Your Pride is now one. May the Fates protect you and keep you from harm.” Quinn crouched and smoothed away the lines that separated the circles, making them one. Rising, he turned Jillian and Carrick to face their new Pride. “Alphas, I give you your Pride.” Quinn partially shifted, and, with an elongated claw, slashed through the ropes that bound Jillian and Carrick. “Pride, I give you your Alphas. May their bond be solid and their rule be sound.”

  Thunderous applause exploded throughout the chamber. Jillian slid her arm through Carrick’s and looked out over their new Pride. It was weird, considering what they’d been through, but she’d never been happier. For the first time in her life, she felt like she belonged, like she’d found her purpose. Carrick was right. She’d be a damn good Alpha. She’d been born for it, and for him.

  About the Author

  Angela Dennis lives outside Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband, son and a sheltie with a hero complex. When she is not at her computer crafting stories, she can be found feeding her coffee addiction, playing peek-a-boo, or teaching her son about the great adventures found only in books.

  You can visit Angela at her blog angeladennisauthor.blogspot.com. She loves to hear from her readers, so find her on Twitter for a chat using @angeladennis.

  Look for these titles by Angela Dennis

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  Don’t miss the Shadow Born series by Angela Dennis

  Redemption lies beyond the veil between truth and lies.

  Shadow Born, Book 1

  After witnessing her husband’s brutal murder, Brenna Baudouin lost control of her Shadow Bearer powers and wreaked havoc on her home world. Her penance: one hundred years policing hordes of supernatural misfits that spilled onto the Earthly plane after a cataclysmic war.

  She’s on a routine exorcism run when she learns she’s been assigned a new partner. But there’s something about this Shadow Bearer that sparks her suspicions. Particularly when people closest to her start turning up as piles of ash.

  Gray Warlow holds tight to the glamour that allows him to get close to the woman on whom he plans to wreak vengeance for betraying his people. Yet as he skillfully manipulates his way past her distrust, he begins to see her not as the heartless monster he was led to believe, but a strong, vulnerable woman.

  As they work to put together the pieces of a killer’s macabre puzzle, an attraction dee
per than blood and bone flares between them. And they must reveal their deepest secrets to avoid becoming the final targets.

  Warning: A thrill ride of supernatural proportions. Contains violent battle scenes, nail-biting suspense, crazy hot sexual tension, and enough twists and turns to make your head spin.

  If you loved this book, then you’re sure to love this Samhain favorite as well!

  It might be love. If they don’t kill each other first.

  Lone Pine Pride, Book 5

  Siberian tiger-shifter Dominec Giroux doesn’t play well with others. Horribly scarred by the Organization scientists who killed his family and tried to turn him into their pet assassin, his sanity has been hanging by a thread ever since his escape.

  His one reason for living—revenge. But when he snaps during one of the shifters’ strikes against the Organization and goes on a killing spree, it doesn’t go over so well with his pride mates.

  As the only female lieutenant in Lone Pine Pride history, Grace Calaveras has a lot to prove, and a lot on her plate. The last thing she needs to deal with is Dominec’s brand of crazy, but until she can get him under control, she’s his babysitter.

  It would take a miracle for these two to find common ground, but when they’re sent on a mission that could impact the future of every shifter in the world, lioness and tiger form an uneasy alliance…and unleash an attraction that could be their salvation. If it doesn’t destroy them both.

  Warning: This book contains a scarred, brooding tiger with an unconventional approach to romance, a feisty, flirty lioness who doesn’t know how to quit, love triangles, secret missions, and rooftop kisses hot enough to melt the Montana snow.

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  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.