by Sin
It was Maxim who scolded Terrance next, although his voice was nowhere near as calm as Vince’s had been. “Terrance, enough!”
“I have never disobeyed you or your father, Maxim, but I did walk by your side for the last two years and watched you think only of the one you found in the alley, broken and near death, wondering if she lived, and if you would know her if you saw her. She had been beaten so badly that you weren’t even sure what color her hair was, yet you knew that she was to be yours. Now that you have found her again I do not want to....”
Maxim screamed out a cross between a growl and a snarl. Vince slammed on the brakes and we came to a screeching halt. Vince looked at Terrance. “Get out.”
Terrance nodded and opened the door. Maxim jumped out too. I knew this was going to get ugly fast and it was all because of me. I opened my door and climbed out against my better judgment. Maxim stormed towards Terrance, and I ran around to put my body in front of Terrance’s. He was so much bigger than I was that he made me look like a child. He put his hand on my shoulder and spoke as soft as his deep voice would allow. “My Queen, do not anger him on account of me. I was wrong to disobey him.”
“Move, Rayme,” Maxim said.
The wind caught his hair and blew it back from his face. His dark eyes swirled with yellow and blue. They looked more wolf than human now. He looked past me at Terrance. He looked more hurt than angry, but I bet that his wrath would be the same regardless what his feelings were. I wasn’t about to stand by and let him punish a man who had my interests at heart.
“Maxim,” I said, putting my hand out and touching his chest. I took a step closer to him. He tried to side step me and go for Terrance. I moved quickly and pushed my body firmly against his. “Please Max, don’t.”
He looked down at me and something in his face changed, he looked angry now and it wasn’t directed at Terrance, it was aimed at me. “It’s true. All of what he says is true. I’ve been in love with you, or the idea of you, for two years now. When you showed me your leg, and told me how it’d happened, I looked up and saw the picture of the wolf on your wall, and I knew that you were the one, Rayme. I knew that you were who the spirits led me to. It’s ironic that the same night I figured that out and was so excited to announce it to the Lycan’s, I end up losing you.”
I stood on my tiptoes and grabbed the back of his head. I pulled him to me and didn’t give a second thought to the wolf trying to push through. I put my lips to his and let my tongue enter his mouth. I was greeted with sharp teeth to start with, then they slowly shrank back. Maxim’s arms wrapped around me, and he ended up having to bend down to me. It wasn’t the most comfortable kissing position, but we weren’t complaining.
The more I kissed Maxim the more I smelled Jovan’s cologne. I began to feel guilty about kissing Maxim. I was about to pull away when I was suddenly surrounded with a cool energy. It danced on my skin and soothed me. I knew that it was Jovan and that he wasn’t angry with me for Maxim.
Maxim pulled away slowly. He licked his lips. “I taste Jovan.”
My eyes widened. “You’ve tasted Jovan before?”
Maxim’s face turned slightly red. “Let’s just say that Jovan has been known to try to make the most of an opportunity, male or female.”
“You two had....”
He didn’t let me finish. “No, but he has been known to ‘plant one on me’ during ceremonies. We’re just supposed to kiss cheeks and be done, but Jovan always tries to … well, you know. I truly believe that he does it just because he knows how much I do not care for it. It is so very like him to push the envelope.”
I thought of Jovan being bi-sexual and wasn’t sure how I felt about that. It should have bothered me more than it did, but it didn’t. I laughed softly and hugged Maxim. “It’s weird, but I could have sworn that he was here with me, and that he wasn’t angry at me for kissing you.”
Maxim pulled my hair back from my face and tilted my head up more to him. He kissed me gently on each cheek and then smiled. “When you agreed to let us save your life, Jovan gave you his blood. He bit you once before, when he helped your leg heal, and that combined with his blood allowed him to share his essence with you, his power.”
I thought about what Maxim was saying. “Does this mean I’m an Omnimorpheleon now?”
He looked up at the sun and back down at me, answering my question. “Rayme, I had to bite you too, and there’s a good chance that you’ll shift during the next full moon. We don’t know for sure, but it would stand to reason that you’ve already been carrying my blood in yours for the past two years. You were destined to be my mate even before that, so there are higher powers at work here, Jovan and I both believe that you are a Lycan now.”
I couldn’t breathe. I felt like someone had set an anvil on my chest and then proceeded to hop up and down on it. Maxim pulled me close and I was sure that if he hadn’t been holding me that I would have passed out. I kept telling myself that I agreed to let them save me at any price, but now that there was a very real possibility that I might walk on all fours once a month, I wasn’t so sure it was worth it.
“Rayme?”
I reached for Maxim. “Oh, God, Max I might be a wolf.”
He let out a small laugh. “I know.”
It dawned on me that I was crying about being a Lycanthrope on the shoulder of their leader. I shook my head and wiped my face off. “So, does it hurt?”
“Does what hurt?”
“The change, does it hurt when you shift?”
He kissed my lips softly, and pulled back, cupping my face in his hands in the process. “Yes, until you learn to control your beast it will hurt.”
A nervous energy came over me. I wanted to jump, run, whatever, just so long as it involved moving. My skin itched and I brought my hand up fast. Before my eyes, fur sprouted over it as my fingers lengthened. Contrary to what Maxim had told me, it didn’t hurt, but I screamed all the same. He grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips. In an instant, it was back to normal.
“Ohmygod,” I panted.
Maxim looked down at me and smiled slightly. “You changed and the full moon isn’t here yet. Guess, you got a hefty does of Jovan’s gift too.”
He tried to kiss my hand again, but I pulled away. This was all too much, too soon. “Am I dead now?”
He looked stunned at first, but then he laughed. I didn’t find my concerns funny, but I let him go. “You want to know if you’re completely like Jovan. No, I don’t think so. You’re out in the sunlight and you’re warm. My guess is that your base form has remained human, but you can shift into whatever you like. Plus, I can hear your heart beating.”
“Jovan’s heart beats.”
Maxim stopped laughing and looked at me. “What?”
“Yeah, after we … umm … just trust me, I know that Jovan’s heart beats.”
Maxim didn’t ask me any more questions about that. He let it go. He did tell me that he’d not punish Terrance for telling me the truth. I was relieved, but I think Terrance was even more relieved. I glanced at the truck and saw that both Terrance and Vince were back in their seats, with their eyes forward.
“They’re loyal to you aren’t they?”
Max took my hand. “Yes, and they’re loyal to you now, too.”
“Maxim, I can’t be a Queen of anything, I’m a nobody. I wasn’t born into this, you were.”
He pulled my hand to his lips and kissed it gently. “You are my mate, my Queen, and I hope the mother of my children.”
“Children?” I was a little shocked by that being thrown in there.
“I’m not asking you to agree to that right now, I’m happy with you even wanting to be near me. I thought that being with Jovan would make you never want to be near me again. He’s well known for his ability to woo women. He’s never committed to one in all the years I’ve known him, but they still follow him around. It’s almost like once they’ve had a taste of Jovan, they can’t be happy with anyone else. He’s had a few commi
t suicide, you know?”
I stood there, shocked by what Maxim was telling me. Jovan was a playboy. I knew that, but somehow hearing it said aloud made it hurt more. I turned away from Maxim and headed back to the truck. He caught hold of my arm and turned me to him. “Rayme, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I said, trying to sound as convincing as possible. “I just want to get this over with. Vinnie was like a father to me, and Fawn was my friend.”
“Of course, come on let’s go.”
Chapter Fifteen
I sat on the curb with my now cold cup of coffee and watched the police hustle around the parking lot. Angie had put a closed sign on the bar door and had waited for me to get there before heading home to shower and change. She told me that a passerby had found the bodies near the entrance to my apartment building. They had been mauled. The police were blaming this on strays and had issued warnings all over the television and radio stations to be on the alert for a pack of wild dogs. Maxim had shifted uneasily when they mentioned this, but no one seemed to notice.
I still couldn’t believe that Fawn and Vinnie were gone. The detective that had interviewed me had told me that Angie had identified their bodies already, and had suggested that I leave it at that. “You wouldn’t want to remember them this way, trust me,” he had said.
I was surprised that Vinnie had listed me as his emergency contact. I knew that he had no family left, but I still felt honored that he’d chosen me. Maxim had already called and began making funeral arrangements for Vin. He had also told the police detective that he would cover the cost of Fawn’s services as well, regardless of what her family decided on. It was a generous offer, but it was a burden that I didn’t think he needed to take on.
Maxim sat down next to me on the curb and put his arm around me. “When they’re done with the bodies, they’ll be picked up. The funeral home will call and let me know when the services will be. Fawn’s family is too upset to deal with this right now, so they are leaving it in my hands. I’ve spoken with her mother and I’m having her family flown in tomorrow morning.”
“How’d you get a hold of Fawn’s family?” I asked.
He nodded in the direction of another detective who had arrived shortly after us. “Kenston, is one of my people. He put me in touch with her family.”
“Max, I can’t let you do this. This is too much. I keep thinking that I’m going to wake up and find that this has all been a bad dream. People like you didn’t exist in my world and I was happy in my ignorance.”
He pulled me close to him. “This happened because I didn’t kill Dag two years ago when I should have. I’d suspected that he’d been the one recruiting kids off the street and turning them into Lycans, but I didn’t have any proof. I called my father to discuss it with him. He was murdered twenty-four hours later.”
I didn’t even want to think about Dag’s involvement in my attack. I hated him enough without adding that to it. I’d never wanted to kill a person before, but I was willing to make an exception for him.
“This isn’t your fault, Max, and I can’t let you pay for all this.”
“Rayme, money isn’t an issue for me. Let me do this, please. I have to.”
Chapter Sixteen
“Tell me again how you managed to convince Vince and Terrance to stay behind.”
Maxim glanced over at me as he drove. “Vince was easy. I just told him to find Angie and watch over her. Terrance took some convincing. I think we’ve found your personal bodyguard. I was going to select one at our announcement dinner, but I think both you and Terrance have already done that for me. He’d give his life for you, and he’s an excellent warrior. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
“Wait,” I asked. Trying to follow the conversation, but getting hung up on his customs. “What announcement dinner?”
“You don’t have to worry about that now. I’ve put it on the back burner, indefinitely.”
I glanced out the window and watched the last of the day’s sun setting. The more I thought about what Maxim had said, the more it seemed to eat at me. I tuned back to him. “Uncle, tell me about the dinner.”
Seeing him smile warmed my heart. I wanted to touch him, but I was a good girl and kept my hands to myself. He glanced over at me and took a deep breath in. “Well, it’s customary for a leader to bring his bride-to-be before his pack so that they can see her, welcome her, and learn her scent.” His eyes darted away slightly at the mention of them learning my scent. Sure, it was a little odd, but not much surprised me anymore. “I would have had you sit by my side and greet the Lycans, and then....” He stopped suddenly.
I touched his leg. I know, bad girl, but I couldn’t resist it. “And, then what?”
“Then we would have retreated to our private chambers and I would have made love to you. We would then return to the Lycans so that they would now associate your scent with mine, thus cementing our bond and making you my mate, my wife … in the eyes of the Lycans at least.”
“Wait, you said it’s customary for leaders to bring their mate before their pack, but when you talk about us you say Lycans as if it’s more than just a pack.”
Maxim pulled the truck over on the side of the road and put it in park. He reached out and took my hand in his. “There are hundreds upon hundred of packs in the Lycanthrope community. Each one has a leader, an Alpha. There is one person that is the head of all of the packs, regardless of the pack’s breed.”
“When they call you the King, they really mean the King don’t they?” I asked. He shrugged and nodded his head yes. I tried to let it all sink in. It was a little overwhelming. This was too much. I couldn’t live up to a King’s expectations. I couldn’t even keep a struggling actor/model happy. Trevor and I had had more trouble in our two-year relationship than I cared to think about. I wasn’t worthy of Maxim, or Jovan, for that matter. I was out of my league and I knew it. I pulled my hand out of his and turned towards the window.
“Rayme?”
“This isn’t going to work. I’m not cut out for this,” I said, wringing my hands together to try to keep my nerves under control.
“We’ll get through the change. I’ll be there with you, so will Jovan.” He rolled his eyes as he said Jovan’s name.
I shook my head. “No, you don’t get it. It’s not just that, it’s all of this. I can’t be your significant other. You need to find somebody worthy of you. I can’t be your Queen--I can’t be your anything.”
“It’s a little late for that. I shared my blood with you two years ago, and started the process. When I bit you, I finished it. What I did is even more binding than the announcement dinner. We are already a joined union. The blood of the wolf runs through you. You saw proof of that when your hand changed, and I could smell my scent all over you when it happened. You are already my partner, whether you choose to accept it or not. I can never take another. I will never be allowed to mate with a woman so long as you are alive. In the eyes of the Lycans you are their Queen and my mate.”
He moved closer to me and put his hands on my shoulders. He tried to pull me closer to him, and I did my best to hold back. He was a little more persistent than I thought he’d be and ended up face to face with me. His lips touched mine and I felt a sharp pain in my back, and then another in my chest. A flash of cold air surrounded me and I pulled back away from him. “Jovan!”
Maxim looked like I’d slapped him. He jerked away from me and grabbed the steering wheel. “We have a moment together and you throw him in my face. I’m trying to get used to the idea of sharing you with him, but you’re not making it easy on me. I’m not a man who shares well, Rayme.”
Another pain ripped through my chest. The cold energy around me dissipated quickly. I clutched my chest and Maxim grabbed me. “Rayme?”
“Jovan … I think something’s wrong with Jovan.”
Something moved over Maxim’s face. He slammed his foot down on the accelerator and we sped off towards the cabin. I grabbed his arm. “What’s wrong
with him? Oh, God, I can feel him dying.”
“He’s already dead,” Maxim said coldly. “He’s been dead for centuries. He just has the luxury of still being able to walk around.”
I screamed out as I felt the last of Jovan’s power tear away from me. “Jovan!”
Chapter Seventeen
I beat Maxim out of the car. He snatched me up around my waist and lifted me off my feet. “Rayme, no, let me go first.”
I fought with him to put me down. He set me back behind him, and put his arm out to keep me from running past him. He rushed into the cabin, followed close behind by me. We ran through each room, looking for signs of Jovan, there weren’t any. Maxim went into the master bedroom and sniffed the air. He pushed past me, ran down the hall, and out the back door. I ran behind him, he was faster than I was, and pulled ahead of me quickly.
He ran towards the edge of the property, where the woods butted up against the water’s edge. Maxim disappeared into the darkness. I followed him in, and found him bending down on the ground over something. He put his hand up. “No, Rayme, stay away. You don’t want to see this.”
I pushed past him and covered my mouth to hold in my scream when I saw Jovan’s body. He had two stakes rammed into his back, and two more lying on the ground next to him. There was blood everywhere. His naked body was covered in it. Maxim tried to pull me back from Jovan, but I refused to move.
“Dag’s men must have struck before Jovan was up for the night. There’s no way that they could have taken him if he was awake. He would have shifted and destroyed them all, but in vampire form … in broad daylight, he didn’t stand a chance,” Maxim said softly, his head bent down. He looked at the sky, slowly. “They were hoping that there would still be enough sun out to burn him, they were wrong. My guess is the forest protected him from being ashes, but I can’t say that it did him any favors.”
“Get them out of him!” I screamed, pointing at the stakes in Jovan.
