“What the fuck are you doing in my apartment?” snapped Pia.
Christian didn’t seemed fazed by the hostility. He laughed. “You certainly have spirit. I can see why Andrew liked you so much.”
Her heart stopped. “Andrew?” she said. “What do you know about Andrew?”
“Well, isn’t this a keen little bitch,” purred a voice, icily. Pia turned to see a tall, blonde woman looking at her sardonically. She was beautiful with a voluptuous figure and cold blue eyes. “Not that I blame her,” the woman added. “He was a great lay.”
Christian growled and the woman quickly said, “But not as good as you, baby.”
Pia was confused. “And who the hell are you?”
“I am Agatha, his former mate.” The woman regarded her scornfully. “To think that he would stoop to mating with a lowly human after he had me.”
Pia was enraged. “I am not lowly, you bitch. And he didn’t stoop to anything.”
The couple seemed amused by her anger. “It is hardly surprising that he would stoop to this level,” said Christian. “After running like a coward, what honor can he have left?”
“Andrew is not a coward,” said Pia hotly. “I don’t know you, but I can tell he has far more honor than you do.”
Suddenly Christian sprang at her. He stared at her with his icy brown eyes, his face inches from hers. “Then let me tell you about myself. I vanquished Andrew. He was the leader of our pack, but obviously unworthy of that high position. I soundly defeated him and he fled, like some abject coward. What do you human say? Discretion is the better part of valor. We werewolves don’t have such beliefs. There is nothing worse than running from a fight. Andrew is lower than the lowest wolf. He is a dog, fit only to mate with humans and spend the rest of his life on the run!”
Christian’s teeth gleamed as he stared at Pia. Agatha came and touched him on the shoulder. “Come, my darling. Calm yourself. We need her alive.”
Christian leaned back. “Being with a pussy like Andrew has clearly taught you not to treat werewolves with the proper respect. Don’t worry, once I have finished with him, I will make sure that you get a good education on the way to behave around us.”
“Andrew is not a pussy,” said Pia. “In any case, we are no longer together. He left me some time ago.”
“Oh, you poor dear, is that why you look so sad?” Agatha looked at her pityingly. “Well, I have some good news for you. He hasn’t just fucked you, you know. You have become his mate.”
Pia was confused. “What does that mean?”
“He has imprinted himself on you,” said Christian. “That is why we need you. We are going to use you as bait.”
“Imprinted? You’re wrong. He left without saying goodbye. He wants nothing to do with me.”
“Oh my dear, if only that were true.” Christian looked at her with gloating pity. “In that case, you would have been able to lead a long life instead of having it abruptly extinguished.”
Pia swallowed. Christian’s casual tone as he threatened to kill her clearly showed his cold-blooded nature. She had no doubt that she was dealing with a psychopathic killer. “I don’t understand,” she said, trying to gather her thoughts. “How will he even know that you have me?”
“Oh, don’t worry.” Agatha smiled icily. “He’ll know.”
The pair kept a close watch on her as dawn broke. As the day wore on, they took turns watching her, only letting her get up to eat and occasionally use the bathroom. They didn’t bother tying her up, confident in their ability to silence her if she posed a problem.
As night drew, Christian said, “Well, I guess we were wrong. He clearly believes she is expendable. We should have known better – a coward like him would never risk his life to save his mate.”
“What are you going to do to her?” asked Agatha.
He shrugged. “Well, she is a comely creature. Let us have some fun with her first before finishing her off.” He looked at Agatha. “Would you like to go first?”
Agatha ran her tongue over her lips. “Don’t mind if I do.”
She was reaching for Pia when suddenly the door was smashed open and a dark figure bounded into the room. Agatha turned towards him and snarled, but before Christian could react, the figure had run up to him and hit him hard in the throat. Christian fell back and as the figure turned, PIa realized with joy that it was Andrew.
With a howl of rage, Agatha launched herself at him, sinking her nails into his body. Andrew managed to grab her throat and keep her bared teeth away from himself. Pushing her back, he kicked her powerfully, sending her crashing across the room. But he had turned his back to Christian too soon. Leaping upon him, he sank his long teeth into his shoulder.
Andrew cried out in pain. Christian prepared to bite into his neck, but at the last minute. Andrew succeeded in getting a grip on him and throw him over his shoulder.
“So you have finally decided to show yourself, coward.” Christian’s face was twisted in anger as he rose slowly to his feet.
“You beat me once, but we both know it wasn’t a fair fight,” Andrew snapped, wiping the blood from his shoulder.
“Still making excuses, like a fucking coward.” Agatha’s voice was shrill and angry.
Andrew looked at her. “Wasn’t it you, my supposedly loyal mate, who poisoned my drink and made me weak? I don’t need lectures in cowardice from a cheat and a whore.”
“Kill him!” shrieked Agatha. “Kill him now.”
Christian launched himself at him and the two traded powerful blows as they wrestled across the room. Pia watched helplessly, knowing she was powerless to help. At last it looked as if Andrew was getting the upper hand, holding Christian by the throat as he struck him powerfully across the face. Realizing that her lover was losing, Agatha desperately took the poker from the fireplace and, sneaking behind Andrew, hit him hard on the head. He was shaken and loosened his grip on Christian who took advantage and kicked him in the stomach.
Pia realized that if she didn’t do something, Andrew would die. Picking up a vase, she hurled it with all her strength at Agatha, hitting her on the side of the head. She crumpled unconscious to the floor and Andrew used the distraction to fell Christian with a strong upper cut.
As Christian lay semi-conscious on the floor, Andrew rushed to Pia. “Come on, we have to get out of here,” he said. Taking her hand, he led her out of the flat and down to his car. Quickly putting her in, he accelerated the Porsche away.
Chapter Six
Soon they had left London behind. “Who on earth was that?” asked Pia as soon as she had recovered her breath.
“Christian, my sworn enemy.” Andrew looked grim. “Look Pia, there is a lot you don’t know about me.”
“Yeah, you’re a werewolf, I figured that out,” said Pia wearily.
He looked shocked. “How did you know?”
She sighed. She just didn’t have the strength to get into all that now. “Let’s just say I come from an interesting family that is familiar with such things.” She looked at him. “Tell me about Christian.”
Andrew thought for a minute and then spoke. “You know I am a werewolf. Well, we werewolves have packs and I was the alpha – the leader – of mine. That was until I was challenged for the leadership by Christian.”
“You lost to him?” Pia said gently.
“I wouldn’t have but for treachery of the person I loved and trusted above all else.” Andrew looked furious as he remembered.
“Agatha?”
He nodded. “She was my mate, who ruled the pack with me in peace and harmony – or so I thought. But unbeknownst to me she had been seduced by Christian. On the day of the fight, she gave me a portion that made me weak. I was easily defeated by Christian who became the new alpha. Unsurprisingly, his first order was for my former pack to kill me. I was forced to flee and have been hiding ever since.”
The car drew up to a cottage. “We will be safe here,” said Andrew, getting out of the car.
It was
a pretty house, thought Pia walking with him to the door. It could have been the place for a romantic getaway, except we have killer werewolves after us, she reflected.
They entered. The place looked comfortable, and reasonably tidy given that it had been maintained by a werewolf. “This is where I used to stay,” Andrew explained.
“Yes, after you left me without saying so much as a goodbye,” snapped Pia.
“I’m sorry, Pia.” Andrew seemed genuinely contrite. “I saw the horror in your eyes. I knew how you truly felt about me.”
Pia shook her head. “No, it wasn’t … horror. Well, not exactly.” She told him what happened to her parents and the pain the long repressed memories had caused her.
Andrew nodded. “Yes, they were called the Knights of Odin – a Scandinavian organization that hunted and killed werewolves without mercy.”
“Are you saying their killing was justified?” asked Pia angrily.
“No, of course not.” Andrew put his hand on her shoulder. “There were plenty of werewolves who did bad things. You met a particularly bad one just now. But not all werewolves are like that.”
Pia looked into his eyes and knew he was right. “There is something else, they said something about you imprinting on me.”
Andrew sighed. “It was one of the reasons that I stayed away. I was hoping to protect you. The truth is, I love you, Pia. Not as humans do, but with a special bond that exists only among my kind. You are a part of me. You are a part of my soul.”
She thought that was the most romantic thing that she had heard. “Thank you,” she said. “You saved my life – again.”
Andrew got up and paced around the room. “You would not have needed saving if I hadn’t put you in danger in the first place. I have got to figure out how to deal with Christian. He will not rest till both of us are dead.”
“Look, let’s have some dinner and rest. We can try and come up with a plan tomorrow.”
He nodded. “Yes, that’s good idea. I have some pasta in the fridge.”
After a rudimentary meal they headed to bed. Exhausted by all that had happened, they both fell into a deep sleep. At least here there was no chance of them being disturbed, thought Pia as she closed her eyes.
How wrong she was.
Chapter Seven
She opened her eyes and realized that there was another person in the room. Intuitively, she knew that it was a werewolf. Andrew was also up. Snarling, he leapt from the bed. But other werewolves were coming through the open door. Soon there were about six of them in the room.
“If you mean to kill us, many of you will die tonight!” cried Andrew.
“Easy, Andrew.” The first werewolf raised his hand. “We come in peace.”
Andrew recognized him. “Stefan.” Aren’t you here to kill me?”
Stefan shook his head. “We have been trying to find you. The pack is in trouble. Christian has changed many of the rules you put in place. The wolves are being forced to do many bad things, things that you never allowed. You need to come back.”
“Come back?” Andrew laughed. “Haven’t all of you been ordered to hunt me?”
“We were,” admitted Stefan. “But we know that what Christian is doing is wrong. He had taken your mate. He is ransacking villages, killing humans. Come and face him, Andrew. Become our leader once more.”
“Face him?” Pia was alarmed. “He could kill you.”
“I am more than happy to face him,” said Andrew, grimly.
“But he defeated you once before,” she said.
“Only because Agatha poisoned my drink.”
Stefan nodded. “There were rumors that this is what happened. Of course, they denied it. We couldn’t believe that a werewolf would stoop to that level. She was our alpha, your mate. But then when we saw the degenerate things they did together, the thing they made the others do – we knew something wasn’t right. Please Andrew, come back and save the pack.”
“But what about the others? Hasn’t Christian ordered you to kill me?”
“Most of the pack has rebelled against him, save Agatha and a few others. If there is any problem, we will deal with them.”
“Good,” said Andrew. “In that case, I will deal with Christian and put an end to his evil once and for all.”
“When?” asked Stefan.
“This evening,” said Andrew, after some thinking. “I know where he will be. I want some of you to go there and carry out a reconnaissance of the place.”
“Got it,” said Stefan.
“For now, let us rest,” said Andrew. “We will need all our strength to deal with Christian.”
He took them out of the room and came back a short while later. “Where are they sleeping?” asked Pia.
“In the living room,” said Andrew. “Werewolves are adept at sleeping rough. Later today, I shall face my greatest enemy.”
“But first, there is someone I want to visit,” said Pia
Later that day, after a hearty breakfast, Andrew sent some wolves to spy on Christian. They suspected that he would still be at Pia’s place. After that, at Pia’s request, they drove about an hour’s south till they pulled up to a large estate.
Andrew looked quizzically at her.
“My aunt’s place,” said Pia.
They drove up the stately driveway and found themselves before an ornate door. A thin old lady with wispy grey and a stern gaze opened the door after they had rung the bell.
“Pia!” She looked delighted to see her. “How nice to see you.” After they had kissed, her gaze fell on Andrew and she took a step back in dismay. “What on earth …?”
“What’s the matter, Aunt Tina?” asked Pia, looking angry. “You look as if you have seen a ghost.”
The old lady backed away, white with fear.
“Or could it be that you have seen a werewolf,” asked Pia.
Her aunt stared at her. “You know…”
“How could I? You told me werewolves didn’t exist.” Pia looked angry.
“I did it to protect you, my dear.” Aunt Tina pursed her lips. “You better come inside. But that thing stays outside.”
“Either we come together or we don’t come at all,” said Pia firmly.
“Oh, all right.” The old lady finally relented. “Come on in.”
She didn’t say a word as she ushered them, save for ordering the maid to serve tea. When the maid had left, Aunt Tina gave them a frosty look and said, “Well, my dear, it’s good to see you after so long. Though I must say I didn’t expect you to bring an animal along when you came.”
“Andrew is not an animal,” snapped Pia. “And I thought you said that werewolves didn’t exist.”
“I said that to stop you doing the same crazy things that your father and mother did and end up getting killed,” said the old lady impatiently.
“So it is true … the Knights of Odin, the killing of werewolves?”
“My dear, you know how traumatized you were by your parents being killed. It was better for you to forget it ever happened and just get on with your life. After all, the chances of you bumping into one in England were close to nil.” Aunt Tina glanced at Andrew. “Or so I thought.”
Pia decided to explain everything that had happened upto that point. Aunt Tina looked horrified. “He has imprinted on you? And you had sex with a werewolf? I haven’t heard of anything so disgusting in my entire life.”
“Well, I didn’t know he was a werewolf when I slept with him,” said Pia defiantly. “Not that it makes a difference now.”
“Pia, I forbid you from seeing this creature!”
Pia sighed. “Aunty, I think we both know I’m not going to do what you say.”
“You need to get a grip on yourself.” Aunt Tina glared at her. “As if getting involved with a werewolf wasn’t bad enough, you have got yourself caught in some internecine conflict.”
“Believe me, I would do anything to keep Pia out of this,” said Andrew. “But there is nothing I can do.”
&nb
sp; “Remember, dear, there is no such thing as a good werewolf,” said the old woman, giving Andrew a venomous look. “One is just as bad as another.”
“That is not true!” exclaimed Pia hotly. “Andrew saved my life.”
“Don’t be stubborn,” said Aunt May. “Listen to me at least this once. Leave this problem. I will find someplace where you will be safe.”
“I’m not leaving Andrew,” said Pia firmly.
The old lady sighed. “Wait here,” she said finally. She came back in a few minutes with an old chest. Setting it before them, she opened it to reveal an antique dagger. “You’re just like your parents, so I know you won’t listen to what I have to say. At least take this.”
“What is it?”
“Conventional weapons can’t kill a werewolf – only a bullet or knife made of enchanted silver. This was your father’s dagger. Keep this – at least you will be able to protect yourself.” Pia took the dagger and gave her aunt a hug.
As they walked to the car, Andrew said, “Your aunt is a riot, isn’t she?”
“Don’t be too hard on her. She was probably brainwashed by my parents. And she does care for me.”
“She does.” Andrew stopped and looked at her. “And so do I. Pia, if I don’t make it, I want you to run. Use the dagger if you have to and get away.”
Pia squeezed his arm. “You will make it. You will win, I know it.”
They got into the car and headed back to Andrew’s cottage. The pack members he sent on reconnaissance were waiting for him when he got there. “You were right,” they told him. “They have established themselves there. They are still trying to find you.”
“How many wolves does he have with him?” asked Andrew.
“About 30.”
Andrew pursed his lips. “They outnumber us. No matter. We will move in at dusk.”
Stefan nodded. Pia felt a cold chill. Would this be the last sunset she and Andrew would ever see?
Pursuit: A Bad Boy Romance Page 46
