I just wished I knew more about what to expect so I could be better prepared.
As it grew later, I found myself working out in the makeshift gym Mason and Daniel had built to suffice while the one my magic had destroyed was repaired. It was scary to think that something inside me—a power that I hadn’t known existed—had the strength to crumble the walls and bring the roof down. While my witch nature was now destroyed, it made me wonder whether the vampire traits I’d inherited through the conversion would be just as dramatic. We’d already tested my agility and reflexes and found I’d definitely gained extra advantages in addition to being a wolf.
The more I could learn about myself, the better.
The more I understood my new gifts, the easier it would be to help defend those I loved.
The new gym was inside a large shed that stood just within the tree line, at the edge of the house’s boundaries. With windows allowing daylight in, it was pretty basic in structure. What mattered was the large matted area for sparring and the machines that lined the far wall. A brand new treadmill, and elliptical, a variety of standing weights and a punching bag were enough to keep Pack members busy and in shape. We also kept two fridges in a corner—one with bottled water and sports drinks, the other, smaller one, with blood.
Those who used the gym didn’t blink an eye when Mason installed the cooler for me. They’d taken my conversion in stride, accepting me for me and not what I’d become.
It was for them that I wanted to train, honing my skills; so if challenged, I could protect them.
The room was empty when I entered it. Slipping my earbuds in, I quickly lost myself in the steady beat of my feet hitting the treadmill’s moving belt as I jogged. This was what I needed to quiet the anxiety in my body and mind.
Being idle had never been a good thing for me. It left too much time for doubts to creep in.
Sweat dripped down the center of my back, but I didn’t reduce the intensity of my workout. Even as my t-shirt clung to me, I simply stripped out of the clothing and kept running, my entire focus zeroed in on maintaining my heart rate.
I didn’t hear him come in. One minute I was staring off into space, and the next, Vlad’s smiling face filled my vision. Removing the earplugs, I slowed the machine, grateful for the chance to slow down. “Devlin here?” There was only one reason why my cousin would be here so late.
Nodding, Vlad flashed me one of his charming grins. “Yeah, I just left him at the house. Mason mentioned you were probably out here, so I thought I’d come keep you company.”
Even though I hadn’t told him where I was, it didn’t stop the amazement from hitting me over just how in-tune with me Mason was. I hadn’t even felt him checking in through our connection, yet he’d known exactly where I was. “Well, you caught me exercising. Not everyone can be as naturally fit as those two. Some of us have to work hard for it.” It was sometimes a sore point that Mason and Devlin seemed to have it so easy with keeping in shape.
“Hence, the attire.” Showcasing the black sweatpants and white sleeveless tank, it was nice to see Vlad dressed normal, even if it was in my mate’s clothing. “I thought maybe we could spar or something.”
Toweling off the sweet beaded across my brow, the idea sounded wonderful. “Perfect timing then, I’m game for a little hand-to-hand combat.”
“You’ll need to go easy on me, though. I’m not a bad-ass like you, so try not to bruise me, okay?”
His response earned him a snort from me. “Whatever. I’m sure you’re pretty bad-ass under all that eye-liner,” I teased.
With a twinkle in his eye, we faced each other in the center of the matted area, relaxing into a loose stance. “How about the winner buys the other dinner?” I asked.
“Courtesy of our uncle’s credit card, of course.”
“Naturally,” I agreed, laughing at how Vlad liked to mess with Devlin at every opportunity. Despite their differences, and the way they each complained about the other, there was definitely a closeness there—visible only to those who knew what to look for.
Bouncing on the balls of my feet, something inside me untwisted. Whether I’d wanted to or not, the challenge had left me kinked up and unsettled. Even knowing everything was okay and Paxton’s death had ended the contention, something was gnawing at my gut, something beyond the constant vigilance over the Master.
“It’s okay to hit me,” I lunged, jabbing at the air where Vlad had been standing. “I’m not going to cry.”
“I would’ve if I hadn’t moved,” Vlad responded, blocking my next punch. “You so don’t hit like a girl.”
“You can thank Mason and Devlin for that. They’ve trained me well.”
Throwing a few light strikes of his own, Vlad huffed. “He’s been holding out on me, then.”
“He’s not the only one. Come on, Vlad. I remember seeing you hit that punching bag when I stayed with you guys. You hit it so hard plaster fell from the ceiling.”
“Well, while you don’t hit like a girl . . . you still very much are one. I’m not too keen on getting beat up by one, either.” He continued to dodge my blows.
“Seriously, no holds barred. Don’t hold back.” When my request fell on deaf ears, I added in an extra incentive. “Think of me as a mini-Devlin.” And with that, Vlad let loose.
“I hope you remember to remind Mason when he growls at me for bruising up his girl that you asked for it!”
“You’ll need to touch me first!” I laughed, already noticing the change in our encounter.
My cousin might be many things, most putting him on the receiving end of sarcastic comments, but there was something about the way he moved, the gracefulness in his fighting, that left me wondering whether I’d also underestimated him. He seemed to have a natural ability to flow with the energy he poured into each calculated punch, his weight always evenly distributed. No matter how I came at him, he kept his balance, making it more difficult to knock him down as each minute passed.
“Now who’s holding out on who?” I gasped, my chest heaving from the extra exertion. “Who the hell taught you how to fight like this?”
“A man must have his secrets, Darcy,” he winked, only slightly out of breath. “Girls love a good mystery.”
“I don’t want to date you! I want you to teach me.” He’d make a great instructor. While Devlin and Mason, even Daniel, were thorough in their lessons, they were also bigger than me. With his leaner form, Vlad was closer to my own size and stature, and therefore the better one to show me how to use my body.
“You do?” Surprise flashed in his eyes.
“Heck yeah. Seriously, you need to come over more often.”
We continued to dance back and forth, each movement speeding up until we were a flurry of limbs, kicking and punching. It was exhilarating, endorphins dumping into my system and pushing me forward to see exactly what I could do. Letting go of thought, I embraced the pureness of the moment. It was incredible.
“Well done!” Moses called out from the door, disturbing my concentration. As I turned to see him enter, my guard lowered and Vlad’s head blow connected with my nose, spraying blood as something burst inside. I’d been on the receiving end of injuries before, but nothing beat the insanity that followed my simple nosebleed. The fight instantly stopped and I cupped my hands over my mouth, the red liquid pouring out rapidly.
“Damn it. I’m sorry, Darcy,” Vlad exclaimed, whipping his shirt off to hand to me. Scarlet droops fell onto the white material and it stirred the beast inside—my hunger roaring to the forefront with its demands for more. One moment I had control of myself. The next all I could see—feel—was the need for violence.
Without a word spoken, I threw the shirt to the floor, not caring that my blood still dripped, covering my chin. I didn’t care that Moses had raced forward out of concern. If I’d been in the right mindset, I would’ve screamed for them to run, that I wasn’t sure what danger was about to explode from me as my vampire nature took over.
Vlad b
ecame the object of my aggression as I threw myself at him, my hands curled into weapons as I pummeled him with everything I had. I wasn’t particular where I hit him either, raining down a flurry of punches that made it almost impossible for him to deflect. He instantly went onto the defensive, frantically blocking as he tried to reason with me. He knew exactly what had happened, and what my blood had triggered.
Moses should’ve known, but it didn’t stop him from reaching out and touching me.
That’s all it took as I swung around, forgetting Vlad as I attacked Moses Shay, Alpha of the White Rock Pack. With the ferocity that my hunger had ignited, I unleashed a savagery I’d yet to experience—one that immediately sealed my own death.
No one attacked an Alpha without dire consequences.
Mason’s love wouldn’t save me from this.
Devlin’s love wouldn’t, either.
Pack law dictated that any assault against an Alpha—justified or not—would be answered the same. My results would be swift and precise. Depending on the generosity of Moses, he may give me a chance to explain, but that was solely within his right.
None of this mattered as I silenced the small voice of reason in my mind, ignoring the sudden scream from Mason as he realized something had gone drastically wrong.
Even as Moses began fighting back, his own hits weakening me, the vampire part of me refused to release its control—even to my wolf. Shifting would’ve given me some semblance of control. She knew this was practically a death sentence in the making, but the bloodthirsty predator inside me intensified its onslaught.
Sooner or later, a killing blow would be made.
Mine or Moses.
“Darcy!” Mason yelled, breaking through the door and rushing toward me, Devlin close behind with a look of fear covering his features. “Stop!”
“I couldn’t get her to,” Vlad responded.
“She won’t answer to reason, Mason,” Moses added, his face sweating as he continued to block my advances.
Their comments surprised me. In the short time since the fight had escalated, I couldn’t remember hearing either of them talk. The only thing clouding my mind was the need to keep going, to kill anyone who dared stop me—even the one I called mate, as he pushed himself between me and Moses, effectively causing me to stagger backward and give them both the room they needed. Devlin’s iron-like arms wrapped around my body, blocking me from throwing any more punches. Instead of calming me, this infuriated me more as I bucked back and forth, struggling for a chance to break free. Kicking my leg out, it connected with Mason’s groin, causing him to double over.
“Darcy,” he groaned, desperate to push past his own pain. “Stop!” He ordered, the full weight of his authority washing over me. It was like water running off a duck’s back, however. I was beyond even his commands, as I twisted in Devlin’s arms, screaming for him to release me.
“Blood, she needs blood!” Devlin yelled, squeezing me tighter in his embrace as if the pressure would weaken me.
I felt crazed, savage. It would take much more if he was hoping to subdue me. “Let me go and I’ll have all the blood I need,” I roared, surging toward Moses, who was helping Mason stand.
From the corner of my eye, Daniel returned from the fridge, his arms filled with cold baggies. Handing one to Vlad, the young vampire tore the top off with his teeth, before bringing it up to my mouth. Some of it had sprayed onto his lips, the sight of the droplets whipping my thirst into a higher frenzy.
I didn’t care where the blood came from. The only thing I knew was if I didn’t get it, I would tear each and every person within my reach to pieces. My hunger was larger than anything I’d ever experienced.
It consumed me, opening its brutal jaws to swallow me whole.
“Wait!” Vlad thundered, ripping the baggie away from my face and throwing it to the ground. “It’s tainted!”
This grabbed everyone’s attention, even mine. “What do you mean?” Mason demanded.
“It doesn’t taste right. There’s something in it. Something that just tugged hard at my senses.” Stepping back, Vlad’s eyes flashed darkly.
“Then drink mine,” Devlin said, tearing at his wrist with his fangs before shoving the opened vein in my mouth. The moment his blood touched my tongue, the chaos stilled, giving me the high I’d been craving like a junkie. Bagged blood was one thing, but when it came from the source, it came uncontaminated and filled with undiluted power. It was like a magical elixir that cured everything in its wake, and as I greedily fed from him, sanity returning with each mouthful.
The more I drank, the calmer I felt. The less I resisted, the looser Devlin’s grip around my body became.
Clutching his wrist, I closed my eyes and swallowed. As each second passed, I became more and more like myself. Then, when I realized exactly what I’d done, I stopped, mortified.
Without wiping my mouth, I looked beyond my mate to the one who now held my future in his hands. “Moses, I . . .” There were no words to be found.
The gravity of the situation filled his eyes. “You were not yourself.”
“I’m so sorry.” Even that didn’t seem enough.
“Moses, please,” Mason began, but Moses cut him off, raising his hand to silence him.
“I am not your enemy, Mason. Or yours, Darcy. While this is disturbing, I know you meant me no harm.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Pack law states . . .”
“I will not be invoking Pack law here, tonight.”
“But why?” Even Mason was confused. He was geared to defend me—everyone was—yet Moses had instantly diffused the impending judgment.
“Because Darcy was not acting as herself. Devlin, taste the blood and see whether what your young charge says is true.”
Releasing me, Devlin did what he was asked, ripping open the blood bag and taking a small sample. One tiny mouthful and he spat it out. “Your supply has been compromised.”
“Is this what caused Darcy’s aggression?” Moses asked with more patience than I deserved.
“While she’s had some issues with blood lust, this would definitely do it.” The fact he answered so honestly, without reservation, seemed to settle the matter for Moses.
“Then I find no fault with her.” Stepping toward me, he spread his arms, welcoming me into his forgiving embrace. “You’ve endured too much for me to hold this small thing against you.”
“This is no small thing, Moses. I attacked you. If given a chance, I would’ve killed you,” I whispered as tears filled me eyes.
“But you didn’t. Be still. We’re okay.”
“I beg to differ.” A new voice declared, interrupting the tender moment that helped ease the weight I felt pressing on my chest. “The situation is far from okay.”
“This doesn’t concern you, Michael,” Mason answered, addressing the Silver Canyon’s Alpha.
“Oh, I believe it does.” There was a smug look of satisfaction on his face as he came closer, members of his Pack following behind him. “I know I’m late, but I have a message for you.”
Keeping annoyance from his voice, Mason shook his head. “It can wait until tomorrow. We’ve had enough drama for one night.”
“Mason, it’s only just begun. The Master says hello and unlike Paxton, I won’t be so easy to kill. I challenge you as Alpha.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Mason
“You’re kidding me, right?” Darcy blurted out, the first to reveal her astonishment. Michael gave her a withering look before dismissing her completely.
“We’ll discuss this tomorrow,” I answered, instinctively stepping in front of my mate to protect her.
“No, we’ll talk about this, now. Your sins against me and mine are grievous, Mason. I’m here to see you are brought to justice.” The smile that spread across Michael’s face was disturbing.
“You want to talk about offenses? Don’t get me started about how your daughter was a constant threat to me and my wife.”
The room erupted into chatter as everyone began yelling over each other. It was ludicrous to believe Michael held me responsible. Even by his own account, he’d disowned her at her trial by the Council. He hadn’t even showed up to give her support, yet here he stood, pretending to play the wounded father.
“While I’m sorry for the loss you feel,” I replied, carefully choosing my words. “You have no right to come here with your accusations.”
“I don’t? I’m the grieving father and Alpha. It’s well within my rights to avenge her death. Be thankful I don’t challenge that bitch you call a mate. Don’t think I don’t know it was her who sent my poor Amber into the afterlife without the proper rituals.”
“It was Amber who brought her demise on herself. She teamed up with the Master and possessed me,” Darcy retaliated from behind, her voice full of indignation. “She was not the victim in this.”
“Shut your mouth, you filthy blood whore,” Michael roared, moving as if he’d go through me to her.
“Speak one more word to or about my mate, and I’ll send you to spend an eternity with Paxton,” I growled, fully intending on following through with my threat. “You came here. You issued a challenge. Grieving or not, I won’t allow you to show your disrespect here.”
“Then stop me, you sniveling bastard. Quit hiding behind your principles and sense of pitiful honor. You killed my daughter. Face me like a man.” Michael took another step toward me. “Here and now.”
“You know, I’m getting a little tired of fools thinking they can dictate my life. You and my father thought you could control me by forcing me into a betrothal with Amber. It was by the grace of God that I was able to dissolve that arrangement. In all the years I knew her, Amber never once showed me the error in my refusing her. Up to her last breath, she was a manipulative psychopath.” I knew my words hurt, but I was tired of biting my tongue. Michael deserved to know the truth about who he was defending, even though my suspicions whispered he already knew his daughters fatal disposition.
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