Wolf Games: Severed Fates (The Vampire Games Book 6)

by Caroline Peckham

  ALSO BY CAROLINE PECKHAM

  THE VAMPIRE GAMES NOVELLAS

  A GAME OF VAMPIRES (SERIES PREQUEL)

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  THE VAMPIRE GAMES: SEASON 1

  V GAMES

  V GAMES: FRESH FROM THE GRAVE

  V GAMES: DEAD BEFORE DAWN

  THE VAMPIRE GAMES: SEASON 2

  WOLF GAMES

  WOLF GAMES: ISLAND OF SHADE

  WOLF GAMES: SEVERED FATES

  THE RISE OF ISAAC SERIES

  CREEPING SHADOW

  BLEEDING SNOW

  TURNING TIDE

  WEEPING SKY

  FAILING LIGHT

  THE RISE OF ISAAC NOVELLAS

  FALLING FIRE (PART ONE)

  FALLING FIRE (PART TWO)

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  Published by Caroline Peckham 2018

  Copyright 2018 Caroline Peckham

  All rights reserved

  Caroline Peckham has asserted her right under the copyright, designs and patents act, 1998, to be identified as the author of this work.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Wolf

  games:

  Severed Fates

  CAROLINE PECKHAM

  Jameson

  “Inside outside USA, inside outside USA. Everybody loves surfing, surfing USA-A-A,” I sang at full pelt as I rode a wave on a rental surf board. Emerald green. What a colour.

  Nadine, Mekiah and Reason sat under a large umbrella, propped up in the sand on the pristine African beach. Ulvic was on a towel beside them, bare-chested, gleaming with sunscreen. I waved to everyone, but Ulvic was the only one to return it, smiling from ear to ear. He was wearing black leather gloves, which was plain weird. But he always had been a bit of an oddball.

  My pack had been a total bore since we'd arrived in town. I was celebrating to the max. Apparently Ignus Helsing had done some memory-removal fun on me during my time in the V Games. So I didn't have to remember the horrors of what I'd probably been through. Suited me just fine. I didn't fancy knowing what those games were like anyway. Ulvic said there'd been a breakout and Ignus and his parents had gotten killed in the aftermath. Crazy shit. Glad I wasn't a part of it, or I didn't reckon I'd still be breathing.

  The rest of our pack had stayed home, not fancying the holiday. Ulvic said I was owed some rest and relaxation. But that didn't explain why the wolves who had come were being so moody all the time. Even Nadine, who'd been the life and soul of more than one party, had a look on her face like a slapped cat. She wasn't even sunbathing, showing off that hot bod of hers. Mighty shame.

  And why the hell had Emerico passed up the opportunity to come? He loved partying almost as much as I did.

  I rode the wave all the way to the shore, jumping into the shallows and snatching up the board under my arm as I jogged up the beach.

  “Who wants a go?” I dumped the board at their feet and sand sprayed onto Reason's pale toes. She tucked her knees higher to her chest, avoiding my eye.

  “Mekiah?” I flopped down, wedging myself between him and Nadine, getting them all wet.

  Mekiah huffed a sigh and Nadine looked like she was about to cry. Sensitive much?

  Ulvic stood, throwing a bit more shade over us as he arrived.

  I nudged Nadine. “What's up? I feel like I'm missing something here.”

  She shrugged and I glanced up at Ulvic, pulling a face. He eyed the rest of the pack, a frown gripping his features.

  “Grab us some ice cream, will you? It's a hundred degrees out here.” Ulvic handed me some money, ushering me up.

  I sprang to my feet, jogging toward the truck parked up at the edge of the beach. As I ordered everyone's favourite from Nadine's raspberry ripple, to Mekiah's pistachio and my own rum and raisin, I glanced back at the group. Ulvic was crouched down, talking to them with a serious look on his face, and when I returned with a mountain of cones in my hands, everyone seemed a lot chirpier.

  Nadine was finally smiling. “I'll have a swim, I think.” She stood, pulling off her black tank top, revealing a barbie pink bikini. Drool. That's what I was talking about.

  I gave her a flirtatious smile, unable to help myself. She rolled her eyes, dropping her khaki shorts and walking out into the water.

  “Shit, did she get hotter?” I handed out the ice creams, propping Nadine's cone up in the sand.

  Ulvic sat beside me, licking his bubblegum-flavoured ice cream. “You can always pair bond with her if you want,” he teased.

  I laughed. “If she keeps walking around in that bikini I might have to think about it.” I wasn't the type of guy to get tied down, but sometimes I was tempted by Nadine. I knew it would be the end of us though. And it would just make the pack dynamic awkward as shit after I lost interest. Still...

  I turned to Mekiah who was smiling. Kinda looked creepy on him. He wasn't much of a smiler. In fact, if anyone was gonna stay behind on this trip, I imagined it would have been him.

  “You alright, bro?”

  “Just fine,” he said, munching on his cone.

  The rum in my ice cream tingled my senses. I fancied some real rum. Luckily for me, I had some in my bag. “So are we going out partying tonight?”

  “Sure, where do you want to go?” Ulvic asked.

  “Er- everywhere? Let's make a scene like we used to.” I grinned, finishing my ice cream in a few more bites and dropping back onto my elbows. My eyes were drawn to Nadine in the sea, the sun sparkling on her olive skin. Hot. With a capital H-O-and T.

  I cast my eye around for my backpack, dragging it closer. This moment called for some music. I'd bought a new iPod in town. Apparently I'd lost mine during my V Games ordeal. Mercy Helsing probably needed some decent music in her life anyway. She was no-doubt drowning in sob city over what had happened to her parents. Sucker. Fortunately for her, I had plenty of blues installed. Bet she was digging into some of my Curley Weaver tunes right about now, crying her heart out.

  I took the bottle of rum from my bag – courtesy of the hotel bar thank you very much. We were staying in a seriously high class resort. Free food, drink and spa treatments included.

  I sipped the rum, dropping my iPod beside me as I blasted out The Beach Boys on my brand new mini speaker. Ulvic was being overly generous on this trip, so I reckoned I'd been through some bad crap. He was a bit of tight arse most of the time. And it made me wonder if he'd always been this loaded.

  We laid on the beach until the sun set. Nadine's ice cream had melted by the time she returned from the sea, emerging from the waves looking like a Bond girl. Most of the guys on the strand were staring at her, myself included.

&nbs
p; The rum was making my thoughts a bit fuzzy. As she walked up to me, I could have sworn her eyes were as green as jade. I blinked away the vision as she dropped down beside me, snatching the rum. She swallowed two hard-core mouthfuls before she looked at me. Her eyes were their usual chestnut. Maybe it'd been a trick of the light.

  “So are we going out?” she asked.

  I nodded. “Hell yes we are.”

  *★*

  I fell face first onto the king size bed with a drunken groan. It was nearly three in the morning and I'd danced my arse off celebrating my freedom. Which felt weird, considering I didn't remember being a captive. But hey, who was I to pass up an opportunity to party?

  Nadine followed me into the room, singing some pop song I didn't recognise. Maybe it had been released in the last month. Maybe I didn't care. Never had been one for modern music.

  Ulvic hadn't been entirely frivolous on this trip. Mekiah and Reason were sharing a room, as per usual. And I was bunking with Nadine. Not that it bothered me. I never overstepped the mark with her. But those boundaries seemed kind of blurry tonight, especially under the influence of alcohol. Sharing a room with her was the only reason I hadn't tried it on with the local talent and brought a blonde or two up to bed. Or a redhead. But there hadn't been any in sight at the club, even though I'd found myself searching. Sure they were my type, but I didn't normally go hunting for them...

  Ulvic had his own room. Maybe I could have asked him to swap for the night if he hadn't been a total bore and gone to bed early. Had to 'make some calls' apparently. More like he had to ring his new boyfriend. Someone called Rockley Jones. Course, he hadn't actually said he was his boyfriend. But when Ulvic was being cagey, it usually meant he was sneaking around with a new squeeze.

  I rolled onto my back and the ceiling spun in circles. I laughed softly, dragging myself up to a sitting position.

  Nadine glanced at me, her singing muted at last. She had a strange look in her eyes, like the smile on her face wasn't what she was really feeling.

  “You alright?” I asked.

  She nodded, moving closer, swallowing. She shut her eyes on a sigh then leaned down, lips parted as she pressed them to mine. My Adam's apple bobbed. I froze, unmoving in the kiss, not encouraging it, but not stopping it either.

  “Er...Dina?” I said against her mouth. “We've had a lot to drink.”

  “Ulvic thinks we should pair-bond...” She climbed on top of me, straddling my hips, her slinky red dress riding up over her thighs.

  A siren went off in my head, but the rum dulled it. And the six tequila shots. Oh and that flaming sambuka...

  “He's been harping on about that for years. We don't have to do what he says.” I laughed, but she didn't. Her eyes glistened and my brows pinched together. “Dina?” She silenced me with another kiss. Her lips were soft and full. A dreamy part of my mind liked the sensation. Alcohol was like an anti-celibacy drug when it came to me. Made me horny as hell and forget my own morals. Not. Good.

  Nadine pressed me down and I slumped back onto the bed, bouncing lightly against the mattress. I rested my hands on her hips, chuckling again.

  “Stop it,” I groaned. “You're like my sister.” She pursed her lips and I gave her sideways grin. “Alright, maybe my step-sister.”

  She tilted her head, frowning. “This would be much more amusing if-” She halted mid-sentence, seeming choked.

  “If?” I quirked up a brow.

  She shook her head on a sigh, dipping low and pinning my wrists to the sheets. Silly really, I could have knocked her off if I wanted to. But I played along, letting the alcohol take the reins.

  A small voice in the back of my head whispered that this was a bad idea. But it wasn't the first time I'd made a stupid decision when it came to a girl.

  “I don't do relationships,” I murmured.

  She dropped her mouth to my ear, her soft hazel locks falling over my face. She smelt like raspberries and the smoke machine from the club. “Ulvic might not give you a choice in that.”

  I laughed again, my chest rumbling beneath her. “Yeah right. I'd just tell him to go shove it.”

  She lifted her head, her eyes shining, her expression faintly sad. She dropped her mouth to mine and I wrenched my wrists from her grip, locking my hands around her hips. Well if we were going to do this, we were going to do it on my terms. I grinned at her, but she didn't seem to get the message, planting her hand on my chest to keep me down. She was Werewolf strong, but I was an Alpha. Always had the upper hand when you were me. She dropped lower, tugging my shirt up and running her mouth over my chest, moving down onto my hardened abs.

  I sighed, cupping my hands behind my head. Well I suppose she could take the lead this once.

  She travelled lower, her kisses like fire burning across my stomach. Her hand moved swiftly over my waistband, unbuttoning my jeans.

  Something stirred inside my gut, something foreign and nagging. I frowned, ruffling my hair as I tried to work out what the feeling was.

  I breathed in as Nadine slid her tongue over the hair below my belly button, then she paused. Her hand was moving south. And I wouldn't have complained if there hadn't been one, huge glaring problem. And not the huge kind of problem I'd been hoping for.

  “Er...Jameson?” she questioned awkwardly.

  I propped myself up on my elbows, gazing at her through my drunken haze. I reached down, sliding my hand into my boxers. Oh no. Oh shit. This was not good. And I had to triple check to be sure it was actually happening. Because this had never happened to me before. Ever.

  Heat rolled up my neck. Nadine bit into her lower lip, then her eyes darkened and she knelt up.

  “This is about her,” she breathed.

  “Who?” I asked, confused. And what the hell was going on with me? Nadine was hot as hell and it was a no-go downstairs.

  Come on Junior, it's time to shine!

  Nadine shuffled backwards, getting to her feet. Her lips seemed stuck together as she turned away.

  “You don't want me,” she said firmly. Not in a mopey chick way. Just as a statement. As if she'd known it was true before she'd walked into this room.

  “Dina, you gotta help me out here.” I scrubbed the back of my neck, confused as hell.

  She turned toward me, her gaze dropping to my crotch.

  “Not like that.” I forced a laugh, but it was obvious I wasn't amused. Or remotely okay with this situation. But shit, I was weirdly relieved. Was I really not that into Dina? Or was something else going on here?

  “Who's her?” I pressed, shuffling toward the end of the bed. Mentally, I was swearing at my cadet for letting me down. Maybe it was the alcohol? Though that had never been a problem before. Crap, was I getting old?

  You're immortal, bro. That includes your-

  “It doesn't matter,” Nadine cut across my thoughts. She combed her dark hair with her fingers, gathering it to one side of her neck.

  “Is this about the blonde chick I was dancing with at the club? Because I've already forgotten her name. And her face. And I can't even say for sure she was blonde. Or a chick.”

  Nadine gave me a sad smile. “Yeah...her.”

  “We can try again.” I reached for her, but she stepped away.

  “No,” she said firmly, then yawned broadly. “I'm tired. I just wanna go to bed, Jay.”

  “Yeah...” A yawn rose in my throat in response to hers. “Maybe you're right.”

  I stood, walking past her into the en-suite and shutting the door. I eyed myself in the circular mirror above the sink. I looked seriously tired, but that wasn't what trapped me in my own gaze. That strange feeling stirred in my gut again, telling me something wasn't right. But it was more than just not right. I lifted a hand, pressing a heated palm to my chest. My heart beat a pounding tune beneath it.

  I frowned at myself, trying to work out what was wrong. And with a strange kind of clarity, I realised something was missing. Like a chunk had been carved out of my heart. A hole was left in it
s absence, crying out for the piece that had once fit into it.

  Yeah...or you're just drunk, bro.

  I splashed my face with water before brushing my teeth, trying to fight the strange feeling away. Nothing was wrong. Maybe I missed the rest of my pack a little, but we'd be home soon. It wouldn't be long before I saw them all again.

  I headed back into the bedroom, the lights dimmed low. Nadine was tucked under the sheets, her toned arm on show above the covers. She didn't stir as I slid in behind her. Not until I jabbed her in the ribs and made her roll over to face me.

  “What happened to me, Nadine?” I whispered. “Was it bad? I don't feel right.”

  She shifted closer then slid her arms around my shoulders, holding me close. There was no more sexual tension writhing between us. This was a pack thing. A wolf resting its head on its pack member's shoulder.

  “I don't know,” she breathed in my ear. “But you'll be alright. I promise.”

  I wrapped her in my arms, sleep dragging at me. The heat of her presence stilled my frantic heart. Maybe she was like a sister to me, after all. Who knew? I'd probably figure it out in the morning.

  Cass

  Silas didn't let me leave my room all day. I was losing my mind. And with each hour that passed, I feared more for my baby. How many days would it be before he came for me? To do his vile experiment that would replace mine and Jameson's child with his own? I was disgusted with him. And I'd spent most of the night wide awake, thinking up ways to kill him. For all the good it did me. He had me under the Werewolf obedience curse now. I couldn't fight him no matter how much I wanted to. All it would take was one word from his mouth to stop me.

  Morning slid into existence, but no one came for me. The four walls I was contained within were taunting me. Plain, white, dull.

  The door eventually opened, jolting me up from where I'd been laying on my bed.