Shame shadowed her expression. She turned away from him to the monitor. He followed her gaze to make out what was on the screen.
“Son of a bitch,” was all he said.
“I’m having Dani try to trace him to find out if he’s normal crazy or Sigma crazy.”
“Good. Have you talked to Rhys?”
Irina shook her head. “I thought you’d be better at telling him.”
“He’d get better details from you.”
The dismay sketched on her tired face was too much. She just confessed so much of her life, a part he had neglected to be a part of, and it had taxed her. Surely he can start acting like her mate and speak to Rhys on her behalf.
Dane leaned down and caught Irina’s chin in his hand, his thumb stroking her bottom lip. “What happened to us?” It wasn’t the first time he’d asked that question.
The surprise from his touch quickly turned to sadness. “The fact that you don’t know, Dane, is so much of the problem.”
It was the same answer every time. Instead of acting like he always did and storming out in anger because she wouldn’t talk to him, he leaned down and dropped his lips to hers. Her soft, warm lips opened in shock. She must’ve expected him to storm out, too. Instead, he used the opening to delve inside and lick at her tongue with his own. He still had her chin in his hand, but she didn’t pull away from him.
Hesitantly, she moved her tongue against his and he deepened their kiss. Which part of her body should he put his other hand on? Should he drop to his knees in front of her, or pull her up into him, or should he—
She pulled back suddenly. “I can’t do this.” She inhaled a shaky breath and finally met his eyes.
He considered her for a second before standing up. He did it purposely so the effect she had on him could be plainly seen through his shorts. A pretty blush stained her cheeks and he was tempted to beat his chest with pride. He still had an effect on her, and he could work with that.
Before he walked out, he leaned down to speak into her ear, letting his breath tickle her sensitive skin and make her shiver. “Not now, but soon, Irina.”
Chapter 4
Not now, but soon. It still gave her the shivers every time she recalled those words. Focus, dammit. For the hundredth time Irina drifted off in the middle of writing a sentence. It was Dane’s hard chest and promise-laden voice that was pulling focus off her writing. This time, she wasn’t assaulted by memories of the passion and heat they once shared, but by the hint of the fire that could still burn between them.
Great. She found herself with another steamy scene to write. Usually she approached them clinically, analyzing how each scene would play out, and how to describe each move. Tonight she didn’t trust her mind not to replace her characters with herself and Dane. Hitting “save” and clicking out of her latest novel, she decided to check her email again.
Oh wonderful, Lycabyter29 sent her a message.
Irina went cold; Lycabyter29 upped the ante. He’d been wanting to meet her, but she hadn’t replied to his last several emails. Now, he graduated to threats and this was a doozey.
Since you haven’t agreed to meet me, who should I approach first: your council or Sigma? By the way, how is West Creek this time of year?
Oh. Shit. Going to the council would’ve been a valid threat, but they’d have to figure out who she was. She used a pen name and posted only generic information. But they could definitely figure out it was her if they were told the author resided in West Creek. The Sigma threat? Meh, they were already targeted by Sigma and her books wouldn’t give them any more information. Other than piss off any Agents who were avid readers of hers.
But ultimately, she didn’t want any trouble to rain down on the pack, and especially not because of her.
Dane, are you with Rhys?
Yes.
She relayed the email and waited through the silence. Dane must be talking with Rhys. She was immensely glad Mercury’s mate forced her hand which made her tell Dane sooner rather than later. Although she wasn’t naïve or stupid, she wasn’t qualified to deal with her mysterious blackmailer. Now her reply would be backed by the strategy of the Guardians.
Tell him you’ll meet him as long as you get to pick the time and the place.
She typed the reply nearly verbatim and hit send. Maybe two minutes passed before her inbox lit up with Lycabyter29’s reply:
I expect the details within twenty-four hours. I’m sorry for the threats, my dear, but I was afraid you would dismiss my wishes.
Asshole.
She passed the info back to Dane who said they’d plan it out tomorrow and get back to him.
Suddenly exhausted, but not yet ready for bed, Irina found herself wanting to watch television. An empty, simple show she didn’t need to use many brain cells to follow. While she could watch on her computer, she sat there for work all day. Deciding to head to the lodge and keep up her streak of interacting with people, Irina strolled out into the night.
It would’ve been nice to have the TV all to herself, but as she neared the lounge she sensed other shifters had beat her to the tube. Entering the room, two surprised young males looked up from the couch.
“Hey, Irina.” Ronnie raised his beer in greeting.
Irina smiled warmly at both males. When she first met Ronnie, he smelled human. But like his sister, Bennett’s mate Sarah, he’d been exercising his wolf and was developing a stronger shifter scent.
Parrish gave a little wave and she nodded back. Today, she’d actually downloaded a few programs to learn sign language, but if Ronnie stayed then he could help interpret.
“I’m looking for some mindless entertainment, gentlemen. What are you watching?”
“A movie where lots of shit blows up.” Ronnie took another swig while Parrish got up to get more popcorn, grabbing a bowl for her, too.
He was filling out nicely, turning into a fine young Guardian. Irina could tell he was still holding back in his training from the slouch in his shoulders, the way he reverted to curling in on himself. She didn’t doubt that Dane would get him to invest himself completely.
“Sounds perfect.” Irina folded herself into the recliner, munching on popcorn.
Sometime during the first movie’s sequel, or prequel, or whatever installment they were on, Irina must’ve drifted off.
Was that whimpering?
Her eyes floated open, but she made no sudden movements. Ronnie must’ve headed to bed, but Parrish was passed out on the couch, eyes rolling behind closed lids. Sounds of distress were coming from between clenched lips.
“It’s all right, Parrish,” Irina spoke softly, not knowing what to expect from the distraught male. “You’re safe now.”
Another whimper and Parrish twisted from side to side.
“Parrish, you’re safe now. You’re with the Guardians.”
Irina sat up, leaning forward, not moving from the recliner. The chair rocked forward with a tiny squeak. Parrish shot up from the couch, flying toward her. Irina didn’t have time to dive out of the way and with a yelp she was flung out of the chair onto the floor. On her back beneath him, she stared up into Parrish’s unseeing pale-blue eyes. His hands were wrapped around her neck, not quite strangling her, but close. Her hands gripped his wrists and a calm settled over her. The boy was strong, but so was she, and instead of using her strength to throw him off, she decided to keep trying to bring him out of the dream world.
“You. Are. A. Guardian,” she said forcefully. “You are not a victim.”
Parrish blinked rapidly, his gaze going in and out of focus. Maybe her approach was working.
The instant Irina scented her mate, Parrish was yanked off and thrown back onto the couch. Dane jumped on top of him, pinning the flailing youth down.
“Parrish!” Dane gave the male’s face a little slap, forcing Parrish to fully awaken and focus.
Parrish went still, his eyes darting from Dane and around the room until he saw Irina, sitting up on the floor. His face cr
umpled and a mournful cry erupted from his mouth before he clamped it shut. His eyes pleaded with Irina in apology since his arms were still pinned by Dane.
“It’s all right, Parrish, I understand.” She reassured him, rising to her feet. “Dane, I think he’s back with us now.”
Dane was still lasered in on Parrish, but Irina’s words got through to him and he eventually released the boy, eased back, and kneeled down in front of him. Parrish’s hands flew and Irina cursed herself again that she had no idea what he was saying.
When the flurry stopped, she waited for Dane to fill her in. Instead he just turned to her. “Are you okay?” When she nodded, he stood and held a hand out to Parrish. “I’ll take him to his room and talk to him. Why don’t you head back to the cabin, get some rest?”
Shock floored Irina. All she got was “are you okay?” Yes, she was, but she was his mate and she had been attacked. And then she was dismissed? Clueless fucking male.
“Of course, Master Bellamy,” she said curtly. Irina spun on her heel and stalked out of the room.
What’d I do? Dane had no idea why Irina was irritated with him. He had pulled a crazed young Guardian off her, and she was angry with him. She’d handled herself beautifully against a distraught kid who was lost in a dream world. Now he wanted her safe at the cabin so he could tend to Parrish.
Resting a hand on Parrish’s shoulder, he shuffled to the boy’s room with him. Before they even sat down on the bed, Parrish was already moving his hands.
She has my mother.
Fuck. No wonder the kid was messed up. He was rescued from Madame G while his mother still suffered.
But my mom, she— Parrish dropped his head into his hands and scrubbed his face, deciding if he should keep going. She doesn’t tell Madame G the complete truth.
The fear and trepidation Parrish gave Dane was humbling. The kid was afraid he was snitching on his own mother, whether it was by telling the Guardians she was responsible for the inside information Sigma had or by risking his mother’s safety by telling them she was misleading Madame G.
Dane squeezed Parrish’s shoulder. “We’ll protect your mother’s secret.”
Parrish’s grateful sigh and hanging head didn’t slow him down long before he signed again. Madame G suspected my mother wasn’t giving her accurate information so she…she’d try to get the visions out of me. But it doesn’t work like that. Seers don’t duplicate visions.
Interesting. So little was known about seers. The council probably had some squirreled away, but otherwise Dane had never come across any.
“Tell me what happened. From the beginning.” Dane hoped Parrish was ready to talk.
We lived up north, in the same area as the council. About fifteen years ago, my mom started getting visions of change sweeping our species. And not just our species, but vampires as well. It bothered the council, but they encouraged her to just keep presenting them with the information she was given.
Change. It made people do stupid things. Dane could see change happening within their species and the council should’ve, too. Shifters and humans had been mating for years. It wasn’t a stretch to think that shifters and vampires would begin to mate. Or at least mate openly without fear of repercussions from either governing body. The younger generations didn’t want to live among war and conflict. When technology improved in synch with the “keep calm and smoke weed” era, both species found they wanted to be free in how they lived and loved.
My family was sent to this area since Mom’s visions centered around West Creek and Freemont. The council thought it would help define her premonitions.
“But you were captured?”
Parrish bobbed his head, swallowing hard and fighting tears. My dad was killed in the attack. Madame G allowed me to be with my mother until she could use me against her.
Meaning the kid’s mom could hold Parrish and console herself with the need to protect her young, not allowing the devastation of losing a mate destroy her. And once her visions returned, then Madame G could use Parrish to force his mother’s compliance.
“You were raised in their compound since you were two?” Dane couldn’t believe the kid still had a sane bone in his body.
It wasn’t bad until the last few years, just really lonely. Mom fed Madame G enough of her visions to keep her satisfied. Until they couldn’t find Sarah and kill her.
“Does your mom know why they wanted Sarah dead?”
Bennett’s mate had been targeted by Madame G much of her life. When Sarah moved to West Creek to live in isolation, Sigma still found her and if she hadn’t met Bennett first, they very likely would have succeeded in killing her. Even after faking her death and changing her identity, Sarah still had to live in isolation, never venturing into town or talking with her parents.
It hadn’t made any sense to the Guardians that Madame G wanted Sarah dead because she was a hybrid. Her brother had the same blood flowing through his veins, yet he wasn’t targeted. In fact, the brother and sister were half human, they weren’t true shifter-vampire hybrids. Madame G preferred to study and play with her prey, but Sarah she wanted killed outright.
While Dane was musing, he noticed Parrish fidgeting, his agitation growing.
“Whatever you tell us, Parrish, we will protect you and try to help your mother.”
The boy calmed down. Mom doesn’t give Madame G full details, or she alters them. Like many premonitions, the future can be changed based on the actions of those involved. In Sarah’s case, she wasn’t the hybrid my mom dreamed about, but a way to distract Madame G from the true hybrid.
Collateral damage, essentially. “Why was sacrificing Sarah’s life better than leading Madame G to the true hybrid? And is the true hybrid Sarah’s aunt, Agent X?”
Rhys’ face, when Dane found him after that little fact was discovered…the male had been completely still, but his face…Dane still didn’t know what emotion to use to describe what Rhys had been feeling. The male and the formidable Agent had a short history, but it was peppered with conflict. Dane suspected why neither Rhys nor Agent X were ever killed in their confrontations, and he couldn’t imagine what his fellow Guardian must be going through now.
Mom doesn’t want anyone hurt, Parrish rushed on, defending his mother. We tried to direct Sarah to Bennett and this pack so she could be protected.
“How?” Dane cut in.
Hesitantly, Parrish signed, We could talk to Ronnie.
“You’re the voices in Ronnie’s head?” Dane asked incredulously. The boys were close; how did Parrish hide that fact from Ronnie?
For a while, but Madame G damaged much of my ability to speak mentally when she suspected my mother and I were teaming up against her.
“Okay, all of this was done to keep Madame G from finding out Agent X is the hybrid they’re looking for. Why?”
The hybrid is destined to complete a task, one that will set off a string of events that will herald much change for the shifter and vampire communities.
“What is the task?”
To destroy Madame G.
Chapter 5
It was the dead of night when pounding on the front door woke Irina. She knew immediately when she awoke that Dane wasn’t home yet. After Parrish’s revelations the other night, Dane and Rhys had been in intense discussion. They had headed deep into the woods to talk with the protection of nature surrounding them.
Reaching the door, Irina knew who was on her step before she opened it. “Dani? Is everything all right?”
The woman’s chocolate brown eyes were alight with worry, and she held a blanketed Dante in her arms. “I’m sorry, Irina. Dante hasn’t been feeling well for a couple days and now he’s spiked a high fever. Doc Garreth was helping us, but said if his temp ever got over one hundred and three, we need to take him in. It’s one hundred and four and the medicine isn’t helping, and he’s just so lethargic.” Dani rushed out the explanation, rocking the baby in her arms. The panicked mother was going to bolt into town any moment.
She obviously came for help, and while Irina was more than willing to assist Dani and her young, she couldn’t imagine what she would be good for other than calming the young, new mom down.
“Mercury’s still out of town on a mission and so is Bennett. Everyone’s gone and I can’t risk going into town alone, especially not with Dante. We might be spotted by Sigma Agents or recruits. I didn’t ask Doc Garreth; he hasn’t gone to town since he came here. You can fight, right?”
Irina raised her eyebrows, impressed yet again at the choice Mercury made in a mate. Most shifters saw her as a Guardian’s gentle mate who wore sundresses and maintained a quiet demeanor. If they knew her tragic loss, then they assumed she was a broken mess coasting through the rest of her long life. That part might be accurate, but the rest…not so much.
Irina had fought and trained alongside her husband for centuries, and just because she never went on missions, or took to field work, did not mean she was defenseless. Far from it and Dani just reminded her of that.
Irina stepped out, closing the door behind her. “You drive.”
Dane sat in the passenger seat while Rhys drove, crushing his own right foot into the floorboards, willing the SUV to go faster. Rhys maneuvered through the empty streets, aiming for the Freemont Hospital where Irina and Dani had taken Dante.
When Irina announced she was going to town with Dani to take the baby to the hospital, Dane didn’t think much of it. Irina had been a mother herself, albeit for a short amount of time. Her presence would comfort Dani, while Irina eased back into their world. He and Rhys returned to the lodge, planning to go to town to meet up with the females, just in case.
Parrish had met them at the door to the garages, signing furiously. Get to them, before they do.
Not taking time to question the boy on who “they” were, the two males left Parrish standing in the red glow of their taillights as they flew down the road. Dane reached out to warn Irina mentally, but she informed him they had already left the hospital and were heading into West Creek. Dane and Rhys rushed to meet them before they met up with any trouble.
The Sigma Menace Collection Page 52
