by Kym Grosso
He downed another shot and slammed the glass onto the stainless steel table, reflecting on his current state of affairs. He’d always known Gillian had existed, but he’d purposely left her alone. He supposed his stepmother had good reasons for leaving the pack. Between the loss of her husband and the loss of her tiger, she’d gone to great lengths to put distance between herself and New York City. He could have easily located his sister with one call, yet seeing the devastation Mirabel had suffered when his father died, knowing she’d never shift, he couldn’t bring himself to inflict that kind of pain onto his own sibling. A firm believer in fate, he was of the mindset that if it was meant to be, they’d find each other.
Jax thought it ironic that as the Goddess took one loved one from his life, she gave another, Gillian. Reminiscing about his father had been solacing, never having discussed his life and death with another person, let alone a family member. Even though he and Nick had been inseparable, the topic of his father had been off limits. The only thing to have been said about him was that Jax had loved him and that he was a great warrior. The detailed memories of his father teaching him to hunt, singing to him as a boy had been lost, buried deep, until his long talks with Gillian brought them to the surface. Having never known her father, she’d laughed and cried while listening to his childhood stories.
He’d wanted to stay with Gillian in New Orleans. However, his pack needed him to act as Alpha, to guide them through their loss. Their collective mourning resonated throughout every cell of his body. He had to settle his own mind for the sake of his wolves, as his torrent of grief was crushing them all. Coming back to New York City was unavoidable. The magazine wouldn’t run itself; his conglomerate was in desperate need of attention. As chief operating officer, Nick had taken care of day-to-day operations, and Jax loathed having to take action to find his replacement. That task would be easy compared to selecting a new beta, something he could not even begin to comprehend doing.
Leaving Gillian had been paramount to ensure her happiness. Newly mated, she and Dimitri required time alone, without her needy big brother in the wings. It killed him to leave her just as they were starting to connect, but as Alpha, he never questioned the validity of his decision.
Jax sighed, glancing at the beautiful women who pranced like peacocks around the bar. On any given night, he and Nick may have easily indulged, either alone or sharing a female. While they may have played the game, always honest about their status as non-mated wolves, Jax had at one time suspected his mate existed.
Kat Livingston, sister to the Lyceum wolves Alpha, had crossed his path one icy Christmas evening. She’d arrived at his private event with a mutual friend. Immediately, he’d taken notice of the mysterious striking woman, hearing her intoxicating laugh across the room. Introducing himself, he’d taken her hand in greeting. For a long moment, they’d stood silent, their eyes locked as the electric current seared their palms. The scent of her drove his wolf to howl for the one he’d thought was his mate. With haste, she’d broken the connection. She gave him a small smile and explained that she had to leave to get back home for the holidays. Nick interrupted but for a moment and when he’d turned back to see if he could get her contact information, she’d already left.
She’d gone to Philadelphia, implying to her brothers that he’d attempted to force a mating. Nothing could have been further from the truth. While he may have called Kat and her brothers, he never once sent his wolves after her. Disgusted with her antics and lies, Jax let it be, eventually making peace with Tristan.
Jax Chandler didn’t chase women. Quite the opposite, women chased him. Powerful and charismatic, the Alpha had no intentions of further pursuing the cagey female he’d met that snowy eve. He chalked up his wolf’s interest in her to a rare miscommunication and never gave it another thought.
As he poured his third glass, however, he wondered if maybe he’d been wrong to give up so easily. He sighed, thinking he must be losing his mind. The strain of his depression from losing Nick weighed heavily on his heart as he contemplated stepping down as Alpha. He fantasized about going off into the wilderness of Canada, becoming a lone wolf. It would be a struggle to get out of bed every morning, let alone continue to act as if everything was business as usual. By the end of the week, he’d make his decision. Above all else, he’d do what was in the best interest of the pack, even if that meant disappearing into obscurity.
As he brought the rim of his glass to his lips, he heard a scream from below. Often the elicitor of this response both in and out of the bedroom, he was attuned to the difference between sounds caused by delight, ecstasy or pain. This one was induced by terror.
Even though it wasn’t his responsibility to intervene, he set down his drink, honing in on the source of the ear-piercing sound. A crowd had gathered in the center of the floor. A woman, he presumed, had fallen to the ground, not necessarily unusual for a dance club. Her black-leather bondage heels were attached to long shapely legs.
His friend and owner of the club, Finn, peeled back the layer of spectators, allowing Jax to identify the owner of the gorgeous pins. Kat? Heart racing, he jumped to his feet, frantically tapping at the elevator door that led from his suite down to the main area. After what seemed like centuries, it slid open and he descended.
Jax raked his fingers through his hair, second guessing what he’d thought to be true. It made no sense that Kat would return to New York City. Why would she come here again after telling her brothers that I was trying to force a mating? If she wanted to see me, why wouldn’t she follow protocol, letting me know she’d arrived?
The heavy metal doors slid open and he yelled over to Finn, attempting to catch his attention. His commanding presence registered with nearly every soul in attendance, the crowd parting as he stalked toward the injured female. The music ceased and the house lights shone brightly, illuminating the floor as if it were daylight. An eerie sense of calm followed, soft chatter resounding throughout the club.
Jax pulled out his phone and tapped in 911. Taking sight of Finn holding the woman in his arms, he intervened.
“What happened to this female?” Jax asked, his booming voice reverberating over the hushed whispers of the patrons.
“I don’t know. She’s out cold. Must’ve slipped.”
Jax knelt, carefully cradling her head.
“Get these people out of here,” Jax ordered.
Finn quickly ushered people toward the door, emptying the area.
Jax studied the female’s face, recalling the contours of Kat’s profile. While the woman appeared familiar, her hair was blond. Her scent registered neither human nor wolf. Although she looked similar to the woman he’d met long ago, he wasn’t a hundred percent certain she was who he’d thought she was. His concern lifted as she began to awaken, her eyes fluttering open.
“Kat, sweetheart. Are you okay?” he asked softly.
His caring tone of voice surprised him, but his expression remained impassive, as he was well aware that other pack members were watching. Her blue eyes caught his, a look of confusion on her face.
“Who’s Kat?” she responded. Clutching at her belly, she moaned. “Help me.”
“I’ve got you,” Jax told her. Perplexed, he shook his head. It was unusual for his first instincts to be wrong.
Whether it was due to the death of Nick or finding Gillian, Jax Chandler didn’t know, but he considered that for the first time in his long life, he’d been thrown off his game. Never one to second guess his decisions, he committed as the emergency workers arrived. As they strapped the beautiful stranger to the gurney, he rose to his feet. With a nod to Finn, he proceeded to follow them.
“I’m going with her,” Jax declared.
“Sorry sir, only family.” The paramedic, a human and unaware of his status, attempted to hold him back with an arm.
“She’s my wife.” As the lie slipped from his lips, he saw Finn’s jaw drop. He glared at his friend in warning not to reveal his identity. Regardless of whet
her or not she was Kat, his wolf urged him to go with her.
“Jax,” Finn called. “You need me to go with?”
“No, I’ve got this,” Jax said, his voice wavering.
Even though his gut told him not to go alone, he couldn’t bring himself to ask for help. While he was close to Finn, it felt wrong to have him go as if he was replacing Nick. No, it was Nick’s place to travel with the Alpha, to be at his side.
He paused, catching Finn’s concerned gaze and stepped into the ambulance, taking a seat next to the fragile-looking woman who lay motionless on the stretcher. The doors slammed shut, the emergency vehicle’s sirens blaring into the night as it sped off toward the hospital. Jax was startled as her fingers reached for his. He glanced to their joined hands, hoping he’d done the right thing.
“Don’t leave me,” she whispered, her eyes closed.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he promised.
“No, Jax. You aren’t,” she responded.
As the blade sliced into his thigh, he hissed in pain. Shock and confusion played across his face. The woman on the gurney flickered in his vision like a hologram. As the poison pumped through his heart, he succumbed, wishing he’d never come back to New York City.
The Immortals of New Orleans
Kade's Dark Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 1)
Luca's Magic Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 2)
Tristan's Lyceum Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 3)
Logan’s Acadian Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 4)
Léopold’s Wicked Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 5)
Dimitri (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 6)
Jax’s Story (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 7) Coming Spring 2015
About the Author
Kym Grosso is the award winning and bestselling author of the erotic paranormal romance series, The Immortals of New Orleans. The series currently includes Kade's Dark Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 1), Luca's Magic Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 2), Tristan's Lyceum Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 3), Logan’s Acadian Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 4), Léopold’s Wicked Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 5) and Dimitri (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 6).
In addition to romance, Kym has written and published several articles about autism, and is passionate about autism advocacy. She also is a contributing essay author in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Raising Kids on the Spectrum.
Kym lives with her husband, two children, dog and cat. Her hobbies include autism advocacy, reading, tennis, zumba, traveling and spending time with her husband and children. New Orleans, with its rich culture, history and unique cuisine, is one of her favorite places to visit. Also, she loves traveling just about anywhere that has a beach or snow-covered mountains. On any given night, when not writing her own books, Kym can be found reading her Kindle, which is filled with hundreds of romances.
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Social Media Links:
Website: http://www.KymGrosso.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KymGrossoBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KymGrosso
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/kymgrosso/
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Epilogue
The Immortals of New Orleans
About the Author
