King Of Me (Pernicious Red Book 1)

by Natalie Bennett

  She heard the sounds of the pack up ahead and knew they had chosen the right path. Something inside of her was urging her to run faster, to catch up. She pushed herself to run forward and go faster. Trinity kept pace with her perfectly. Something was happening, she could feel it. Was this what Ryker meant? She wasn’t winded at all; in fact she loved it. A howl went up from further ahead and the wolves still weren’t visible but something was definitely happening to her now.

  Her vision seemed to becoming clearer with each push forward, she could hear a million times better, the smells of the outdoors and the awareness of her surroundings was amazing but something primal seemed to be stirring to. “Do you feel different!?” She asked Trinity as they ran. “I feel amazing!” Her friend answered her. The sun was steadily rising now and the sky looked beautiful. The humidity wasn’t bothering her at the moment.

  She finally saw the wolves up ahead in the distance running together in some kind of formation. She didn’t want to mess up whatever they had going on so she pulled back and found she really didn’t want to, whatever was inside her was telling her to move forward. She pulled back anyways. Trinity had to jog back to her having not seen her slow down. “That was amazing.” Her friend excitedly rushed out. Her senses were still on the boost they got from the fast paced run.

  They stayed behind the rest of the way and looped back to the house. The pack split and headed in different directions as they headed inside. She went straight to shower. As she waited for Trinity to shower herself someone knocked on the door. Pulling the door open she traveled up the body of Ryker and her eyes landed on his sexy smirking face. “How was it?” He asked. “I liked it.” She smiled at him. “Good, come down to eat.” He turned and made his way down the hall.

  “You two would be a hot couple.” Trinity said walking into the room.

  She made a face at her. “Never say that again, let’s go eat.”

  They went to the dining room that as usual had a buffet styled breakfast table set up. They loaded up plates and took seats at the long table. Samantha was across from her and sneered at her. She didn’t know this girl from a hole in the wall but she didn’t like her, in fact she had an intense urge to launch herself across the table at her. “What is your problem?” She snapped. “You want what’s mine.”

  Someone had insecurity issues. “I most definitely do not want him.” The girl shrugged. “It’s okay; he would never go for someone like you.” Samantha eyed her up and down and made a disgusted face as she spoke. She didn’t know what caused her to react the way the she did. She lunged from her chair and grabbed Samantha by her throat. “I don’t know what your deal is but I’m tired of it, I don’t want your boyfriend so I suggest you stop with your catty bullshit.” The girls eyes had gone wide and she nodded frantically. She shoved her knocking her backwards onto the floor.

  She sat back down and went back to eating like she didn’t just grab the chick by her throat. “That was pretty kickass Red.” Trinity said chewing a bagel. “That was your wolf.” Ryker said entering the room. “You just watched her do that to me?” Samantha genuinely looked hurt by this. “She’s your alpha Sam, you have to respect her.” She didn’t respond instead she left the room without looking back. “Can you feel it?” Ryker asked with little concern for the girl. “You’re not going to go check on your girlfriend?” She asked instead of answering him.

  “Sam’s not my girlfriend Red.” He and the girl were always all over each other. “But you said..” He cut her off. “I said I have Sam, as in Sam is there for my needs.” She just gawked at him. What an asshole the girl was crazy about him. “Yeah, I still feel it.”

  She didn’t want to dive into that problem so she changed the subject. “Good, when your done meet me downstairs, both of you.” And as always he left the room without another word.

  They finished eating not filling up if they were just going to train and headed to the large in home gym. “Tink, over here!” Jackson yelled from across the room. “Maybe we should switch?!” She yelled out as a question. Jackson shook his head no. “Here’s hoping I don’t get my ass handed to me.” Trinity sighed heading to Jackson. She felt the same as she went towards Ryker. She redid her ponytail to make sure it was tight and met him on the mat. She took a breath to clear her head and get ready to try and not roll around on the floor like an idiot today.

  That didn’t work out so well for her the first twenty minutes. He kept getting her down. The wolf inside of her, if that’s what it really was, was getting irritated so instead of blocking it she took another breath and let it do whatever is was trying to do. As Ryker came at her again she dodged around him with ease and grabbing one of his arms using strength she didn’t know she had she took him down. That’s when the real fun began.

  She was actually holding her own now, whatever it was made her quicker, stronger and more alert. It also made her very aware of whatever cologne he had on, his amazing body and his overall sexiness. That was starting to distract her. Had he always been so attractive? She heard Trinity and Jackson tussling across the room but she didn’t want to break concentration. Ryker moved and grabbed her from behind she used the motion to push back against him and they both fell.

  She was getting a little exhausted after another few rounds of this. When he came at her again to take her down she dodged and round housed kicked him off the mat. Trinity and Jackson burst into laughter. Ryker bounced back and full on tackled her as she was laughing herself.

  They went down with him landing on her. He had his signature smirk as he looked down at her. She looked up into his eyes and the warm feeling tripled, he stopped smirking and just looked down at her.

  She reached up and jerked him down to her and pressed her mouth to his. Faster than she could blink they were kissing hard and deep, she grabbed him and pressed him into her. “Whoa, what the hell?” Trinity’s voice snapped her out of her hot zone. What the hell was right, what was she doing and what just happened? She shoved Ryker off of her. “I’m sorry; I don’t know what that was.” He pulled her up off the floor. “It’s your wolf, were supposed to be together.” She shook her head this could not be for real. “I can’t do this right now.” She ignored him calling her as she took off out of the gym.

  She was halfway to her room when Trinity caught up with her. “Red, its okay it was a kiss.” She was on the verge of tears as she looked at her best friend. “It’s not because of the kiss Trin, it’s that they’re telling the truth. We really are hybrids and we’ve been killing our own kind for years.”

  Chapter Six

  She spent the rest of the day in their room not bothering to come out for even food. Trinity stayed with her after she had cried with her over what they thought was their life. All those lycans and vampires she killed because of people using her for their own selfish reasons. The lycans weren’t bad they just reacted to a group of hunters trying to kill them and hunting them down. Who wouldn’t fight back, same with the vampires it broke her heart and hurt.

  She loved the guild she had a few friends there, she wondered now if they had even sent anyone to look for them. They were responsible for their parent’s demise. They were teaching them to hate based off lies and made up facts it enraged her.

  It was dark in the room when a soft knock woke her up. Trinity was asleep on her bed beside her. She stretched and opened the door to Ryker standing there.

  “Can we talk a little bit?” She glanced at Trinity and nodded stepping in the hall and shutting the door so as not to wake her.

  He had her follow him to his room where he shut the door to give them privacy. She sat on his bed and waited for him to say something. “Are you okay Red?” He had softness and what sounded like genuine concern in his tone. “How can I be, how can you even want me here Ryker?” She shook her head and glanced down.

  “Red, you can’t help how you were raised, or what they did.” She knew that already but it didn’t bring back anyone she had hurt.

  “Did you know my dad, or Tri
nity’s?” He sat next to her now on the bed. “No, I heard of him and of you two early on though.” She nodded quietly. “So, what now does this change anything?” He looked at her for a minute. “What is your wolf telling you? Your vampire side will awaken fairly soon.” She wondered what that would be like. “How do the two urges mix together?” She pulled her bare feet up onto his bed and got comfortable. “They pretty much merge as one and it’s just like all of their instincts combined into one, in your case with your human side to.”

  She sat for a minute processing this. “About the kiss.” Ryker started to say but she cut him off. “I know, I’m sorry I have no idea where that even came from Ryker. I won’t do it again, I hope.” He scooted closer. “I want you to, it’s in our nature, and you’re not going to be able to hold off forever, it’s what we are. It’s going to be worse for me and you, Trinity and Jackson to.” She raised her brows. “Is this some ploy to get in my pants, and Trinity and Jackson?” He laughed lightly climbing on the bed and positioning himself beside her.

  “No, I would love to get in your pants Red, but that was the truth, and yeah those two are supposed to be together.” She stared up at the ceiling not really knowing what to say. “Why?” She finally asked. “Why what?” She turned on her side to look at him. “Why are you telling me that Ryker is this just so you can get laid?” He turned his head and raised his brows now. “Red, I have a whole pack and state of lycans and hybrids that would love to get in bed with me, I’ve been attracted to you ever since I saw your picture two years ago. You’re gorgeous Red and you’re not some stuck up chick.”

  She raised her brows back. “So, because I’m gorgeous as are a shit load of others and I’m not stuck up I’m a go for you?” He looked up at his ceiling. She couldn’t believe how normal this felt to just be in his bedroom talking like they were the best of friends. “No one looks like you, you’re special and what I said before about you not having a brain. Your smart and you are a good person. I just know.” She studied his profile In the dim lamplight of his room. He was so amazingly good looking.

  Being here in his bed and breathing in her scent was doing nothing for her body at the moment she was growing needier the longer she lay there. She wasn’t against one night stands and she couldn’t have a rule for not sleeping with something she was. She wondered if Ryker would be down. They didn’t personally know one another really at all. She groaned, what was she doing? “Red.” She looked at Ryker and he looked back at her, his milky colored eyes unblinking. She knew lycans and vampires did this all the time but this was still someone she had to be around afterwards.

  “What do you wanna do?” Screw it, you only live once right? She didn’t hold back and leaned over to him and kissed him. He responded immediately kissing her back. She grabbed his shirt and tugged it over his head. She ran her hands up his arms and let go as he tugged her own shirt off. She ended up on her back and he quickly removed her pants and underwear. This was crazy and really fast but she wasn’t worried about that right now. She removed her bra and tossed it to the side.

  Ryker stared down at her and swept his eyes up her body. “Red, you’re beautiful.” She smiled and leaned back on her elbows. He pulled the rest of his clothes off and she looked over him. He looked amazing, everywhere. He grabbed a condom from his bedside table and quickly put it on. Glad, he was safe she was not trying to have babies anytime soon. He leaned in and kissed her deep and slow why he ran his hands up her legs and over her thighs.

  She was not in the mood for foreplay she just wanted him. She grabbed him and guided him to her entrance. “You sure?” He asked. She nodded and he slowly pushed inside. He groaned and she moaned as he came in and she let herself adjust to the feel of him. “Red, you’re so tight.” He said lowly. He began to move after that slow at first and then quicker. She had to admit it was pretty damn good. She was building slowly after maybe five minutes and he went faster he caught her scream with his mouth as she came and he followed a few minutes after.

  They lay there after that for a few minutes in silence. “That was amazing.” He said breaking the silence. She nodded her head in agreement. They had sex again less than twenty minutes later before he pulled her to his chest and they fell asleep together. The next morning when she woke she didn’t know how to feel or what to say. “Hey, it doesn’t have to be weird between us Red.” Ryker softly placed a kiss on her shoulder. She smiled and nodded relieved he wasn’t going to start acting funny towards her.She needed to get back to her room and shower but she knew others in the house were wide awake by now. “I don’t care if they know or who. They’ll find out eventually anyways.” Ryker said as if reading her mind.. “Did you read my mind?” She asked him. “No, I have to touch your head like I did the first night you were here.” She nodded and got up to leave his room. He kissed her softly before she left.

  Chapter seven

  She and Ryker had a much different relationship after that. Trinity on the other hand ignored Jackson like she was a brick wall. She and Ryker were openly affectionate to one another and they had sex twice in the following two weeks. She didn’t know what to make of it but her wolf was wide awake now and part of everything she did or decisions she made. It wasn’t a relationship of love or anything like that yet but she considered him her best friend though outside of Trinity and she got to see the other side of him. He was smart and funny and very sweet to her. She had no idea how they could be this close in such a short amount of time.

  Samantha was livid and understandably hurt but Ryker swore they were never together and he didn’t like her the way he did her. Jackson, Frankie and Alice all became good friends of her and Trinity’s. Actually they didn’t really talk to anyone in the house besides them. They continued training and she was proud to say she was back at her game and what she well known for, taking down vampires, lycans and now hybrids. Yet, her vampire side wouldn’t awaken and her wolf seemed restless like she was looking for something.

  “I just feel like something isn’t right.” She expressed to Trinity as they made their way to the back patio. “I didn’t know how to explain it but I feel like that to.” Her friend sighed. They had become antsy. Ryker was frustrated she couldn’t shift yet and so was Jackson. She smiled at the trio of new hybrids that had shown up last week. Janice, a raven haired beauty with pale skin, Lolita, a brunette with a sleek longer bob and Yazmin, a curvy gorgeous dark mocha skinned girl.

  Instead of the usual friendliness she got from them they gave her fake smiles and looks of disdain and they walked inside after giving Trinity the same treatment. “What the hell was that about?” Trinity asked. She shrugged wondering the same thing. She hadn’t done anything to offend any of them that she knew of.

  She sat outside with Trinity for awhile before deciding to head back in it was evening and she was ready for bed anyways. “Hey, we were gonna swim for a little, you wanna join?” Ryker asked them as he stood shirtless and in swim trunks. She eyed his body and smiled when he smirked. “Nah, I’m gonna crash.” She looked at Trinity. “I’m with her, thanks for the invite.” He nodded. “Can you at least sleep in my bed then?” She smiled again and nodded. He gave her a soft kiss before heading to the back where the pool was.

  “Can I talk to you for a sec.” Jackson asked Trinity now. Her friend gave her look but ultimately went off with him to talk privately. She went to Rykers room and settled into his bed after stripping down to her bra and underwear and wrapping a robe he had gotten her around herself. It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep.

  When she woke up again the room was still dark but she heard laughter from outside. Glancing at his bedside clock it was almost two in the morning. She stood from the bed and went to his French doors. She was instantly pissed off. He was down there with Janice in the water way to close. Her wolf reared up inside of her fueling her quick anger. She didn’t even put her clothes back on she threw open the french doors. Ryker looked up from the water where he was in front of Janice who also looked up and gri
nned.

  “Having fun?” She gave him a pointed look. “Red, it’s not like that.” She just shook her head and went back into the room and pulled her shorts back on. The door flew open not even a full two minutes later. “Red, wait, talk to me. Why are you mad?” Ryker gently took her arms and faced her. “Are you seriously asking me that Ryker?” She shook him off just for him to wrap his arms around her. “Red, we weren’t doing anything, or I wasn’t doing anything. I know I don’t have great boyfriend stats from what you saw with Sam but I would never cheat on you Red.”

  She looked up into his face. “Boyfriend?” He grinned showing his beautiful smile. “I’m all yours Red; I think we should have the titles. I really wasn’t doing anything. I know she likes me Red but I’m her alpha it’s partly natural. I don’t entertain it. Besides she’s not you.” She felt her anger residing and felt silly and a little embarrassed now. She stretched up and gave him a kiss he quickly deepened.