by D. M. Shane
So help me, if I ever found the motherfucker who did this….
If I didn’t calm down, I risked shifting right here and now. I couldn’t let that happen or I could accidentally wake my mate, and she’d already experienced enough terror in her short life. With one last horrified look, I covered her up and stepped away from the bed. Then I turned to light the fire, hoping it would ward off the spring chill still left in the air.
And the sooner I could burn the soiled clothing, the better. I fell to my knees and watched with great satisfaction as the flames ate up the fabric, taking the fetid stench of Kane West with it. As I sat there, thoughts of Ryker Slade and his cruelty lodged in the forefront of my mind and my stomach roiled again. I’d long since suspected he was dead. But if I ever found out he wasn’t….
I couldn’t even fathom the pain and terror Aislin must have endured at that bastard’s hands. She was a child! It was barbaric. No wonder she was so prone to panic. Surviving something so heinous would scar anyone for life. Even the best memory block couldn’t wipe away everything entirely, especially something so traumatic. There were always residual bits and pieces floating around, popping up when least expected.
I shut the bedside lamp off, closed the blinds, and left her to rest. Gideon waited downstairs in the kitchen with a fresh mug of steaming coffee for me. It was nearly six in the morning, and Aislin would probably be up in just a few short hours. No sense in going back to sleep now. I couldn’t stomach coffee, however, or anything else.
“What’s wrong?” Gideon asked, noticing the distress on my face.
I paced over to the window and stared out at the pinks and purples crisscrossing the sky as the sun peeked over the horizon. On any other day, I’d marvel at the beautiful sight. Not today. I tried to gather my thoughts and regain some sense of composure before speaking.
“It’s true, Gideon. All of it. Every bit.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Scars. She’s covered in them. Her clothing reeked of Kane, so I cut them off and tossed them in the fire. What I saw when I removed her clothes… fuck. I can’t unsee that.” I choked on my words, gagging on the lump lodged in my throat.
“What did you see?”
“Everything. Dammit. Scars from neck to hip down one side, just like the article described. Cut after cut. That son of a bitch, Slade, he tortured a little girl! A child!” I may have been one tough bastard, but there were just some things even I couldn’t stomach. As immortals, we cherished children. Anyone who could do this to a child deserved a slow, painful death.
Gideon joined me at the window and placed a hand on my shoulder. “How do you know it was him?”
“The sadistic fuck signed his work. He carved an R right into her hip,” I said through gritted teeth, and Gideon gasped in disgust. “You know the mark as well as I do. They don’t call him the Blade for nothing. Jesus, Gideon. It’s fucking barbaric!” I slapped my hands on the counter and leaned over the sink, feeling like I was about to vomit.
“Fuck.” I could feel Gideon’s ire as if it were my own, my wolf feeding upon his rage and becoming even more outraged with every second that passed.
“Yeah.”
“Listen, Arkken, she’s safe here. No one knows she’s here, except maybe Kane if he survived. He won’t be able to step one foot back in the compound. I already alerted security anyway. Let’s hope he doesn’t know who she is, but if he’s seen the scars.…” Gideon left that last bit unspoken. “There’s not much we can do right now. Let her rest. You as well. Better yet, go for a run and blow off some of this steam pouring from your ears. I can send Sara to watch over her.”
“No. I’m not leaving her. She’ll need a familiar face when she wakes. Not that she trusts me anymore. I’m sure we ruined that last night.” I slapped my brother on the back, dismissing him, and headed for the stairs.
“Her bags are in the den. I’m going home to see my mate, but we’re not done talking about this,” Gideon said as he walked toward the front door. “Call me later.”
I hesitated at the bottom of the stairs. I couldn’t make myself go back up yet. Instead, I went back to the kitchen, where I stared out the window, watching the children playing down in the commons. I bristled at the thought of anyone harming them the way Aislin had been hurt. I would kill anyone who dared try.
Back upstairs, I set water and painkillers on the nightstand and then took her bags to the closet. I pulled my boots off and tossed my soot-stained clothes in the hamper before donning a fresh outfit.
Aislin twitched on the bed, lost in the grip of a nightmare. Words slipped incoherently from her lips and her fists gripped the sheets as they tangled around her. I sat carefully on the bed next to her and placed a hand on her forehead, letting my mind drift into hers, trying to see what she saw. I still couldn’t bypass the memory block.
A vision of flames pierced by a child’s scream filled my head. Willing the flames down, I sent soothing images of the tide cresting over the beach into her mind. Slowly, her body stilled under my touch, and the lines on her face relaxed.
Satisfied, I crossed the room to the soft leather chair by the fire and sat down. Leaving the lamp off, I sat in the darkened room with nothing but the warm glow of the fire for company. With the shades drawn, the room would remain dark even as the sun rose in the sky. Soon, my mate’s easy breathing and the crackling of wood as it burned were the only sounds, giving the room a tranquil feel.
I wouldn’t leave her. My wolf wouldn’t let me even if I tried. It demanded I keep watch, so I did.
10
Arkkadian
I bolted out of my chair at the sound of Aislin’s scream. I hadn’t realized I’d dozed off. Aislin sat upright in my bed, eyes wide, fists clenched, screaming hysterically about glowing green eyes. Drenched in sweat, tears streamed down her face. I went quickly to her side, but when I touched her shoulder to soothe her, she erupted into more fits of terrified screaming.
“Get off me! Get off! I said no! Please!”
I jerked away, unsure how to help her. Then the realization she was having a night terror struck me. Her eyes were open, but she wasn’t awake, so I backed away from the bed. Touching her would only make it worse. The only thing to do was ride it out and wait.
Aislin screamed for nearly an hour before finally slouching back down onto her pillow, sleep once again claiming her. I was nearly at my wit’s end before the terrors finally ceased. Once she settled, I used a cool, damp cloth and gently wiped the sweat away from her body. She stirred slightly but didn’t wake. When I finished, I carefully pulled the covers back up. She’d kicked them off with all her thrashing about on the bed. I did my best to avoid looking at the scars. Doing so would only stir up more anger.
Though exhausted, I knew sleep wouldn’t come for me again. I put more logs in the dying fire and stoked it back to life. Even in the middle of May, it still got a little chilly up in the mountains.
Leaving Aislin to rest, I sought the comfort of a hot shower where I could wash off the rest of the fire’s stench that still lingered upon my skin. My muscles ached from the stress of last night, and I welcomed the relaxing heat, letting it soak into me and soothe my weary soul until the water ran cold once more.
My heart hurt for my mate. All the things she’d endured in life, all the things she’d been deprived of… all because of a sadistic tyrant who murdered his own flesh and blood. Over a centuries-old fit of jealousy Aislin’s parents had nothing to do with. The knowledge left my soul feeling bruised and tortured.
Pulling myself out of my thoughts, I toweled off and padded naked through the bedroom toward my closet without a second thought. Nudity was common among immortals. We thought nothing of stripping in front of others when shifting for a run or even walking naked through the compound on the way home. For us, it was just an everyday part of life.
Halfway across the room, a startled gasp caught my attention. Aislin sat upright in bed with a look of pure shock on her face. She quickly
averted her gaze and yanked the covers up to her chin. Her cheeks pinked up, and she tried to hide her face.
“You’re awake,” I said with a smile, though she cowered away from me. “I’m sorry, please excuse me and I’ll put on something more decent.”
I wandered nonchalantly into my closet and donned the usual black t-shirt and jeans before walking barefoot back into the master bedroom. Aislin was shaking so I refrained from approaching her. Her embarrassment had quickly turned to fear. Couldn’t say I blamed her. She was in a strange place with a strange man after witnessing her best friend’s murder.
“Where am I?” Her voice was laced with alarm as she looked wildly around the room.
“Safe,” I told her.
“Please tell me where I am! And where are my clothes? Why am I naked? Oh, God! Oh, God!” She lifted the covers and looked down and then back at me. “Did you—? Did we—?”
As the questions exploded forth, the look on her face changed from bewildered to terrified. She would think that. What woman wouldn’t in her situation? It was plain to see Aislin had little control over her emotions. They were like a bright flashing beacon screaming, “Here I am!”
“No, we didn’t. Please calm do—” I started, but she cut me off.
“Don’t tell me to calm down! I want to know where I am!” Her face turned scarlet. She’d gone from afraid to angry as quickly as she’d gone from embarrassed to afraid. Her swiftly changing emotions were surely a product of all the trauma she had endured in her life, and she wasn’t coping well with any of it.
“As I was trying to say, you are safe. You were asl—”
“Answer me! Where are my clothes? Did you fuck me?” she screamed.
“I told you we didn’t. That’s not my thi—”
“Tell me!”
I closed my eyes and pinched my nose in annoyance. Patience, Arkkadian, patience. She was afraid. Normally, I didn’t tolerate such behavior, but I was willing to give her a pass considering the circumstances. Sometimes fear made one do or say things they normally wouldn’t, and she carried that fear in spades. I let out a long sigh before I spoke again.
“Rule number one around here. Be respectful. Now, I would answer you if you would stop overreacting long enough to let me finish a sentence.” My voice was dangerously calm as I let the Alpha side of my nature slowly seep into my tone.
“Fuck you! You took me from my home! Fucking asshole! Take me back! Take me back now!” The more she screamed, the shriller her voice became.
That’s it. I finally had enough. I paced over to the side of the bed and leaned over her so we were nose to nose, eye to eye. Scowling at her, I made it a point to inhale deeply and let it out slowly, with emphasis. The muscles in my jaw ticked as I clenched my teeth. If she wanted to be childish, I was going to let the Alpha come out to play. She needed to know exactly who was in charge here.
“Stop.” I spoke with deadly authority, and she stilled at my command. Her mouth opened and quickly shut again, words failing her. “Rule number two. I’m in charge. If you weren’t so disrespectful, I would have gladly explained the situation. I know you’re scared, but I will not tolerate that kind of behavior in my home or there will be consequences. I will not hesitate to take you over my knee. Do you understand?”
“But…” she stammered.
I let out a small growl, and the link between us resonated with brazen authority. I knew she felt it because I did, too. Her eyes widened and her body went rigid as it recognized its Alpha.
“Do you understand?” I repeated. I let the full power of the Alpha fill the room around us, and the air thickened with unbridled tension. I let it ferment until everything I’d said sank into her.
“Yes,” she finally mumbled, instantly dropping her eyes, instinctively submitting to me and shrinking in on herself. I didn’t think she was even aware she was even doing it.
“I burned your clothes. They were torn up, covered in vomit, and they reeked of that bastard who attacked you. Your belongings are in the closet, and there are fresh towels in the bathroom. I suggest you collect yourself and make use of them. I’ll see you downstairs when you’re ready to apologize and discuss things in a more civilized manner. This is a warning. Next time I won’t be so lenient.”
I left her sitting there with her mouth agape as I turned on my heel and walked out the door. I closed it firmly behind me before taking a deep, cleansing breath. I’d expected her to test me. I’d expected an outburst. I’d expected the anger. What I hadn’t expected was how much it would affect me. How much it would make me yearn to punish her and make her submit to my authority. How much I wanted to kiss her. How much her defiance turned me on.
How hard it made me.
I thought about my mate as I leaned back against the bedroom door, and how I needed to tread carefully with her. Things would have been so much different if she’d been raised with the Pack. So much easier. She’d been dealt a hard life, and it had left her high-strung, prone to panic, and quick to anger. I’d say she was a clear case for post-traumatic stress disorder, honestly.
Such disrespectful behavior, however, was never tolerated from a Pack member, and anyone else would have received punishment for that outburst, but none of them had ever experienced the trauma she had either. The wolf inside me prowled, ready to bond. The beast wouldn’t be satisfied until it came to fruition, but it would just have to wait. Aislin’s comfort and safety took precedence above all else.
The sound of her sobbing floated through the door, and the instinct to protect her surged forth again. But I couldn’t walk back in there. She needed time to process, and I needed time to cool down.
I plopped down in my leather chair and propped my feet up on my desk as I turned on the news. According to the latest report, the building that housed the bar and Aislin’s apartment burned completely to the ground, and only two unidentified bodies had been found within the charred debris. Over the next few hours, while I waited for Aislin to come out of hiding, the story played on an endless loop. They had found no other bodies, which meant Kane had likely survived. That didn’t bode well for our current situation, and once again, I was angry with myself for not ending him. But had I done so, I very well could have endangered all of us.
My ears pricked when I heard the door upstairs finally open. I turned off the television and went out to greet her, stopping to lean against the doorframe of the den to wait. My breath caught in my throat as I watched her descend the stairs. She’d showered, and her damp hair hung loosely around her shoulders in waves. Her outfit hugged her curves in all the right places. She was a beautiful sight to behold. Hints of cinnamon and vanilla wafted down the stairs, causing an instant tent in my pants. I didn’t even try to hide my attraction.
11
Aislin
The sound of flowing water nudged me into an exhausted consciousness. My head felt like an angry woodpecker had taken up residence inside my skull. Pain came in bursts with every tap tap tap of his pointy little beak. My body ached. My wrists and ankles smarted under the bandages. I opened my eyes to a room I didn’t recognize and hurriedly sat up.
Before I could take stock of my surroundings, the door to my left opened and Arkkadian walked out. Naked. Holy fuck! I barely registered the covers falling to my lap.
I was rewarded with a glorious view. The man had the body of a god. The heavenly scent of cinnamon and cloves filled the air and went straight to my core, turning my insides to liquid. Fire bloomed down low, and the slow burn of arousal took me by surprise. This wasn’t right. I barely knew the man. This shouldn’t be happening. My reaction mortified me. I wanted him, but I didn’t want to want him. None of this made any sense.
In the seconds that followed, I took in every splendid ounce of tanned, bare skin from his six-pack abs and hard-toned muscles to his... Was that his…? He was huge. And hard. Rock fucking hard. I didn’t realize I’d gasped out loud until he turned my way. His nakedness had caught me completely off guard. That slow-burning fire
deep down in my core warmed my skin as lust wildly suffused every muscle fiber and nerve ending from my head to my toes.
My eyes slowly drifted upward to his gorgeous, hard-as-steel eyes. Did we…? No, no way. We hadn’t, had we? Surely, I would remember fucking a god. With a body like that…. Embarrassed, I yanked the covers back up over my body. He disappeared into the closet with a smirk on his face, and then the events of last night came crashing back. Panic and anger returned, instantly drowning out the last moments as if they’d never happened.
When Arkkadian returned, I flung a barrage of questions at him and swiftly angered when he didn’t answer me fast enough. My shouting at him only resulted in a harsh reprimand. And then he’d left the room. I was momentarily dumbfounded. I couldn’t decide what angered me the most, being scolded or being dismissed like an errant child. Or maybe it was the fact that I’d become aroused by a complete stranger, my body’s reaction traitorous. I barely knew the man, but that didn’t stop my body from wanting something it shouldn’t.
“Dammit!” I screamed out all of my frustration into the empty room.
Then suddenly remembering my nakedness, I yanked the covers off. I’d already checked once, but I wanted to be more thorough now that Arkkadian was no longer in the room. I couldn’t remember anything after we’d left the apartment, so anything could have happened. He said we didn’t, but… Oh, thank God! The sheets were clean, and I still had my panties on. Relief washed over me.
I took the proffered painkillers from the nightstand, hoped it would quell the throbbing in my head, and climbed out of bed. Both of my bags were on the floor of the closet, my boots and sneakers set neatly beside them. I sat down cross-legged on the plush carpet to inspect everything. I’d shoved whatever I could in my bags in my haste to pack last night.
When I pulled the navy-blue cashmere sweater out of the bag, the one that Paige had given me, I spotted the framed photo of her and I in the bag. I didn’t remember grabbing it. Beneath it was the photo of Carter and I. Reality came crashing back as I stared at their faces, and I lost it. The two people I loved most in this world were no longer alive. Carter, lying dead on the filthy ground in the alley. Paige, crumpled on the floor, her blood pouring onto the hardwood. The thought of their bodies lying there cold and lifeless nearly made me wretch. They’d been tossed like pieces of trash with no regard for the beautiful lives being snuffed out.
