"I've been waiting for this for so long," she told him.
Adrian slid his pants over his hips. Liliana's new eyes widened as she stared at his thick erection. He leaned down, taking her mouth in his, pulling at her clothes, removing them quickly.
"I've been waiting just as long."
"Take me now," Liliana demanded.
Adrian slid over her, kissing her intimately as he eased inside of her.
***
The sun's rays beat down on Cass as he rubbed his itchy, tired eyes, rousing from the sleep he'd drifted into while awaiting Katerina's return. He glanced around, his vision clearing. His heart sank at the realization—she'd never come home. She'd stayed with Adrian. He raised himself, his chest tight. Should he go there, barge in, risk killing Adrian and devastating her? Should he wait for her to return tonight? Did she choose Adrian over him?
As the thoughts riddled his mind, his fists clenched and his fangs extracted. He could feel the shift coming. Hold it together. Don't know what's happened yet.
Alex opened the front door. He stared at Cass in surprise.
"You slept out here?"
Cass nodded, taking breaths to calm his escalating anger.
"She didn't come home?"
Cass could hear the tension in Alex's voice. He shook his head, rubbing his hand through his hair. "Did she call you or text you?" Cass asked.
"No. I figured she would've had a heart to heart with Adrian and then come home. Maybe it got late and she couldn't leave because of sunrise."
Cass released his fists. "Maybe."
Alex looked at him nervously. "What are your plans?"
Cass knew what he wanted to do—rip Adrian's throat out and bring his mate home, but he needed to keep his thoughts rational. He started to answer and stopped when his phone dinged.
Katerina.
He pulled his phone from his pocket. His heart sank again when the screen read Logan's name.
"Hey, brother."
Cass could hear the stress in his voice. "What is it?"
"I know this is a bad time, but I need you back here. The Council and I have agreed to do the injection tonight. I'll need you here to protect the pack and take care of affairs in case something happens."
Damn. He didn't want to leave without knowing what was going on with Katerina, but Logan's underlying concern couldn't be ignored.
Cass sighed. "I'll be there in a few hours."
He pocketed his phone and turned to Alex. "I have to return to Colorado. Logan is taking the injection tonight. I'll be filling in for him while he's under and will have to stay if the injection fails."
The thought of something happening to Logan made his skin tighten. His brother and his mate were both in difficult situations. It was going to be an incredibly rough night.
Alex nodded. "I'll call you as soon as she returns. I'm sure it was a difficult night for her and she had no choice but to stay."
Cass gave a half-smile at Alex's attempt to soothe his concerns.
"I hope that's all that happened."
***
Liliana stroked Kayci's hand through Adrian's hair, holding him steady as he drank from her. He leaned back, licking his lips, staring down at her with adoration. She ran Kayci's hand along his cheek.
"There's nowhere else I'd rather be right now than in your arms."
Adrian leaned down, giving her a passion-filled kiss. His hand ran along Kayci's bare thigh.
"I hoped you'd come back to me. I love you, Kayci."
Kayci?
Please stop. He doesn't love you. He'll figure it out. He'll know it's not me. He doesn't deserve what you're doing to him.
Clearly, he can't tell the difference now. What makes you think he'll figure it out later? By then, you'll be gone and I will have had time to perfect being Katerina Salvitto.
"I love you too." With Kayci's lips, she leaned forward, kissing Adrian softly. "We should leave Naples. Go somewhere else, just us. Get away from all that has happened here."
Adrian held Kayci's face in his hand, rubbing her cheek with his thumb. "You really want that? What about the Covenant?"
"Thorne or Vladimir can handle it. It's not as important as you are to me. We've been through so much. We need this. I need this. I want to focus on us and only us."
Adrian stared down at Kayci's face, studying her. There was something different in her eyes. She'd clearly been through a lot in the last two months. Had his absence truly pushed her into the hands of another man, made her want to leave behind the Covenant? She'd changed during his absence. Perhaps she did need this time away with him to rebuild what they'd lost. To feel safe from anymore threats.
"Where would you like to go?"
"Do you have a favorite place?"
His eyes shifted. Liliana could see his thoughts forming. She put Kayci's finger to his lips. "Don't tell me. Let it be a surprise, just as long as it's far away from here."
"It is. It's remote and beautiful. You'll like it there."
Liliana smiled up at him. "Perfect."
***
Cass stepped out of the SUV, his chest so tight it ached. It didn't feel right being this far from his mate. The day had turned to night and he still hadn't heard from her. He wanted to give her more time to take care of what she needed to. Surely, she'd want to come home, change, shower, clean up, hunt. She'd likely want time alone to deal with the emotions of letting Adrian go. Would she have wanted him there to soothe her? Did he make a mistake leaving her? What if she had chosen Adrian over him? A lump swelled in his throat. He couldn't let those thoughts in. She's your mate. Yours. She loves you. He'd give her more time before calling. At least, he would try to, if this growing, nagging feeling in his chest would let him.
He entered the McCabe homestead and some relief came to him when his nephews perked up from their video game on the couch, dropped their remotes to rush to greet him. He leaned down, ready to give them their usual playful greeting in return, one nephew dangling from each arm, laughing excitedly from their little bellies. He set them down gently and patted their heads.
"Where's your father?"
"In his office with the Councilmen," Whitaker told him.
"Thanks, pup. Enjoy your game. I'll see you both later."
Cass started to stand, but Whitaker tugged at his arm. "Is Daddy going to be okay?"
Cass' chest tightened at the worry in his little dark brown eyes. "Your daddy is a very strong wolf with a very strong spirit. If there is a fight to be had, your daddy will fight to survive it."
Cass patted both of them on their shoulders. "Go play and don't worry yourself about our affairs."
Whitaker nodded, smiling. His nephews' feet pattered across the floor.
Cass entered Logan's office to find five of the seven Council members as well as Logan seated at the small, round conference table in the left corner of the office.
"Cass, join us." Logan waved him over.
Cass took an empty chair between two gray-haired Councilmen.
"We're discussing the details of your leadership should the injection fail."
Cass' skin tightened. He swallowed the lump in his throat. Hiding his emotions, he nodded. "What have I missed?"
Chapter 24
Liliana kissed Adrian before letting go of him. "I'll go home and pack. I'll let Alex know we'll be leaving and for him to manage the store while we're away. I won't be long. I'll come back here as soon as I'm done."
"You sure you don't want me to come?"
"I'm sure, my love. I need the time to get my affairs in order and to tell Thorne we'll be gone for quite a while. I'll get everything ready and rush back here as soon as I can."
My love. That was new. Not something Kayci had ever called him. Surely, that would grow on him. Adrian's expression grew serious as he remembered who may be waiting for her at her house.
"Is Cass waiting for you?"
"I hope not. I hope he returned home when he realized I wasn't coming back."
Her
tone surprised him. Had she developed resentment toward him so quickly? Did she feel taken advantage of by him? Had he seduced her? His jaw tensed at the thought of him touching her.
"I should come. If he's there, it'll give me great pleasure to remove him."
Liliana shook Kayci's head. "Don't worry yourself. I'll have no problem removing him myself." Liliana gave a wicked smile. "I like hearing you talk like that though. I like knowing how much you want me. Keep those thoughts going until I return. I'll see you soon." She winked as she stepped out the door.
I truly don't know what you see in that mountain-loving wolf. Adrian's as incredible in bed as I imagined.
You're pure evil, Liliana. He thinks he's making love to me! He doesn't want you. He'll find out it's not me and when he does, you'll break him. What you're doing to him is worse than anything you think I've done.
Poor Katerina, you won't have to suffer through this much longer. I can feel you fading as we speak. Soon, you'll be gone. I do admit. I'll miss our little quarrels. Now, time to visit your cousin, Alex. Any trouble from him and, unfortunately, he'll have to be silenced.
Don't touch him!
"Owe!" Liliana reached Kayci's hand to her head where the sharp pain was slowly receding. "I think it's time for another dose of that potion."
Cass…
Liliana stopped in the common room, pulling the bottle from her bag. She took a swig. When silence ensued, her wicked smile grew.
***
Cass leaned uncomfortably against the wall of their new medical and control room as the hematologist, Dr. Lane, strapped Logan's wrists around the cement pillar and secured them. He patted Logan's shoulder.
"This is for your own good. A normal hospital bed wouldn't have been enough. I'm about to inject you with a serum derived from the blood of a strong vampire sorceress. Even though the serum has been created to absorb into your werewolf DNA, the process will still be quite painful. You'll surely shift and temporarily lose self-control."
Logan nodded. "I understand, Doctor. Do what is necessary."
Logan's eyes met Cass'. Cass could see the fear deep in them. He knew his brother well enough to recognize it, even though he'd seldom seen fear in him. Cass' own emotions were a brooding storm, unsettled and volatile. The nagging ache in his chest was growing worse by the minute. Without having felt it before, he couldn't put his finger on the cause. He chalked it up to his own fear and insecurities about Katerina not contacting him and Logan's injection.
Why hadn't she called him? His mind was taking his thoughts into an area he couldn't go, not right now. He needed to be there for his brother and his pack. He shook the agitating thoughts from his mind and returned his attention to Logan.
Dr. Lane placed a smooth, solid piece of wood between Logan's teeth. Logan held it steady as Dr. Lane filled the barrel of the syringe. Logan's eyes remained fixed on Cass as the syringe needle penetrated his skin. Logan's eyes squeezed closed. Cass knew the serum was now working its way through his veins. The pain was just beginning.
A low grumble flowed from deep within Logan's stomach and escaped through his open mouth. He bit down on the wood as surely the pain was now spreading through his body. Logan's expression grew dark, his nostrils flared. Cass could see the hair growing on his skin. The shift was coming.
Logan's eyes widened, his pupils fully dilated. His eyes stared directly at Cass, but there was no emotion there. He'd turned predator. The low grumble increased, becoming a growl ripping through the room. His body lengthened, claws extended, fangs extracted and then a howl pierced Cass' and Dr. Lane's ears.
The wood dropped from Logan's mouth. The predator determined to escape his shackle, squirmed viciously. Cass' muscles tensed, he moved forward, prepared to restrain Logan if necessary.
Blood and saliva developed at the corners of Logan's mouth. His fangs were biting into his lips as he yanked and writhed to be free.
Cass' eyes transitioned, focusing in on Logan. His alpha instinct rose instinctively.
"Logan. Calm yourself," his voice boomed.
Logan's ears twitched, his instinct hearing the alpha's call. Logan's growls waned and his body slowly settled.
Cass could see clarity filling Logan's eyes. Sweat beamed across his mostly hair-covered face. A rough, broken voice escaped his lips.
"The pain…there's so much."
Cass lowered his voice, attempting to soothe. "I know, brother. Don't let it control you. Focus. Control it."
"I'm not as strong as you are."
"The hell you aren't." Cass' voice raised, his alpha instinct rising once more. "Control it," he demanded.
Logan's head tilted back as surely another wave of pain coursed through him. Cass kept his eyes fixed on Logan's.
Logan's pupils constricted, gradually taking on their normal appearance. His fangs pulled out of his lower lip. Blood poured over his lip and chin, dripping onto his bare chest and the tile floor. As his hair and claws receded, his legs gave out. His naked body slumped to the floor, panting.
His head fell forward. "When does it end?" he murmured.
"Soon," Cass assured him.
Relief swept over Cass as he recognized the signs that Logan's body had accepted the serum just as his had. He squatted down in front of Logan, placing a hand on his shoulder. "The worst is over, brother."
The aching, nagging sensation he'd been battling in his chest hit him like a tidal wave. He released Logan's shoulder, catching himself from losing balance. The sound of her voice rang through him. She was calling to him. His instinct rose, pounding in his chest and ears.
Katerina.
***
"Let's see which key it is." Liliana shifted through Kayci's keys until she found the right one and placed it into the door lock. "Uh, huh. This one."
Now, let's see if anyone is home.
Please don't hurt him. He's done nothing wrong. He's a good man. Just go, take my body. You have what you want. No need to hurt him.
Alex popped his head into the living room, his body following behind it. "Where've you been?"
"With Adrian," Liliana replied.
Alex's expression grew serious. "How'd he take the news?"
"Hmm, well, I guess I have some explaining to do. I didn't break up with Adrian."
Alex's head tilted. "You didn't?"
"No. I want to be with Adrian, not Cass. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm a fool. When Adrian returned, I realized how much I'd missed him, how much I need him in my life. Cass isn't right for me. He's wrong, I'm not his mate. I can't be. I love Adrian."
Alex's brows pinched inward. "But you and Cass…are you sure about this? I thought…are you feeling all right?"
"I feel fine. I'm actually going upstairs to pack. Adrian and I are going on a trip together. Going to get away from here for a while. We need the time together."
Alex stared at her, confused. "I thought you and Cass were taking time after…Kayc, are you sure you're feeling okay? The dark magic you used last night might be affecting you."
Liliana huffed. "I'm fine, Alex. Stop badgering me. I'm going upstairs to pack. Think you can handle running the store while I'm gone? I don't know when Adrian and I will return."
Alex nodded, still staring at her with furrowed brows. "Sure. Yeah. Go pack. I can handle the store. Glad to see you worked things out with Adrian."
Alex watched as Kayci disappeared up the steps. He waited for her bedroom door to close. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and walked out the front door onto the porch. He searched for Cass' number and dialed.
"Where is she?" Cass asked, concerned.
Alex lowered his voice. "She's back home, but something isn't right about her. You need to get back here."
"I heard her call to me. I'm already on my way. I took a private flight with one of our own contracted pilots. I'm driving now. Won't be much longer before I'm there."
Alex glanced behind him, ensuring his conversation was private. "There's more. She says her and Adrian are l
eaving on a trip. She seemed enthusiastic about the trip and being back together with Adrian. That's contradictory to what Kayci told me when she got home. She told Elise and I you marked her and admitted she loves you. She had full intentions of telling Adrian the truth. I don't know if she's under an infatuation spell or what, but something isn't right."
Cass growled through the phone. "Delay them until I get there. Call Thorne. He'll help."
"I'll call 'em. See you soon."
Alex flipped through his contacts and dialed.
"Thorne, it's Alex."
"What can I do for you, nephew?"
"It's Katerina. She didn't return after releasing Adrian last night. She just got home now and something isn't right about her. She says she wants to be with Adrian, that Cass isn't her mate, that she's leaving with Adrian on a lengthy trip. That's not what she told me when she arrived home. Cass marked her. She accepted him and told Elise and me she loves him. Cass is on his way and asked me to call you for help in delaying her."
Thorne paused, clearly thinking. "Do you sense magic? Is she possessed by a spell?"
"I didn't sense anything when she came home. Magic can be cloaked with potions. She doesn't seem herself, though. I gotta go. I hear her coming. Get here quick."
Alex clicked the end button just as Kayci stepped out the door onto the porch.
"Who was that?"
Alex turned to see Kayci's gray-blue eyes staring at him inquisitively.
He held up the phone and waved it in his hand. "Thorne. I gave him a call to let him know about your trip. He's stopping by to go over Covenant details so he can take care of things while you're gone."
Liliana leaned against the house. She pouted her lips, studying Alex. "That was nice of you."
Alex shrugged. "You know me. I like to help when I can. Think we should call a Covenant meeting and let everyone know you'll be gone for a while? I know we'd all like to see Adrian before you two take off."
Dark and Beautiful Nights (The Vampire Covenant Series Book 3) Page 18
