His Dark Embrace

by Verika Sloane

  “I see. Paying it forward.”

  “Only if he chooses to. He’s likely just considering it because the next Centurias is near.”

  Kimber looked him over. “The Centurias?”

  “Every one hundred years, the vampire elite gather for it.” He moved away to look out the window. “To achieve Tanaka’s alliance would be monumental for someone like me. No pürblood has never climbed as high in as short a time. If Tanaka and I align, it would mean, eventually, that I could include others who would never have stood a chance of rising in status without one of us on the inside. Like most of the world’s top one-percent in every species, it’s the same old ideas, same circle of people, the recycled ways. I don’t want to implode the vampire underworld by any means, but I do feel it needs…”

  “Change?” she offered.

  The energy in the room had become too heavy. “More like…fresh blood, if you will.”

  How many of his kind of grew lethargic with life because they were bored with an endless existence after two centuries? How many envied humans because their lives were constantly on a tether? If humans were fortunate enough to live long lives, they had to pay the price by losing their youth. Regardless, most of them didn’t waste what time they had. He couldn’t say the same for vampires.

  “How badly do you want this?” Kimber asked.

  He felt vulnerable having shared his deepest wish and secret motive, however superficial or unrealistic it might’ve sounded. He turned from the window. “It’s dark. I need to get you home.”

  She nodded, appearing thoughtful, and went to the door.

  He shouldn’t have told her. A shiya from the country could never understand the dreams of a vampire from the city.

  Shain was right behind her, when she abruptly turned around and said, “I want to go away with you.”

  His heart tripped at her words. “What?”

  “A hotel, a cabin, a treehouse, whatever, just anywhere we can be together for a few nights.” Her face contorted with insecurity at his silence. “What do you think?”

  Alone with Kimber for a few nights instead of a few hours? Gods, yes. For him, the logistics would be easy; for her, not so much. “You already know what I think of this idea. But what about—”

  “Don’t worry about how I’ll get away. I will.”

  He smoothed the pads of his thumbs on her soft cheeks. “I’ll take care of everything. All you must do is pick the date and show up.” It was on the tip of his tongue to ask what brought this on. Maybe talking about her restricted life back home spurred a need to seize her freedom while she could. And her pleasure.

  An hour later, Shain reluctantly dropped her off somewhere near her pack sisters’ rental home.

  After a long, passionate kiss, he said, “You trust me enough to go away, but not enough for me to know where you’re staying?”

  She sighed. “Why do you need to know?”

  He opened his mouth, but couldn’t give a valid reason. He wanted to know, was all. “I just wish I didn’t have to drop you off on the street. It’s not gentlemanly.”

  “We can’t get careless now so you can feel like a gentleman.” She smiled, leaning in, whispering, “You need to think like a patient wolf.”

  He kissed her again. Her smile made him do that.

  When she drew back, he was clenching his jaw and gripping the steering wheel. “Gods, I can’t wait until I have those nights with you.”

  Her eyes flashed yellow. “Neither can I.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Kimber had a plan.

  Would it work?

  The only way to find out was to make it happen. Flawlessly.

  Because, yes, she was going to give herself to Shain; and no, she would not change her mind. It’d been made up since the moment she transformed back to her human body in the woods and realized what had happened.

  He’d gone above and beyond what others would’ve done in his position. He could’ve easily left her. Or taken her anywhere in the city and dropped her off to fend for herself. Or simply left her in the woods to figure it out. Things her pack would’ve done.

  Nya had been in control, but Kimber saw and sensed everything. Shain had been patient as he’d driven them around. Risking his own health. Concerned. Confused. Finally, exhausted. And yet, he still drove them to a remote area despite it all. Even now, she didn’t know why Nya had overpowered her to shift—it was a rare occurrence for her wolf to force her—but she’d search for that answer another time.

  At any rate, it had pushed Shain to show he cared.

  When she’d shifted back, walked to him with no shame and no clothes, and looked into his eyes, awareness wrapped around her like a warm embrace.

  No more denial.

  She was falling in love with him.

  The second she’d accepted it, the struggle was over. The calamity inside had calmed.

  Being candid with him about her reality with the pack had only urged her to stop wasting time. In six weeks, she and the shiyas would leave Atlanta. Why go back and wait for an imagined mate who might never claim her? Why go back untouched when she could be with a real man who wanted her as much as she wanted him? Why not go home with as many unforgettable memories as possible? Memories to get through the cold, lonely nights ahead.

  Although she’d made it seem simple to him, getting away for three nights was going to be one hell of a mission. She couldn’t just take off without a damn good reason, or without Lucinda’s approval. To get both, she would have to do as Shain did, and go above and beyond.

  The following morning, her strategy in mind, she approached Lucinda’s room.

  Lightly tapping on the open door, Kimber found her inside, folding clothes.

  “Do you have a minute?” she asked politely.

  “Sure, I can fold laundry and have a conversation at the same time,” Lucinda replied with sarcasm.

  What a joy she was. “I was wondering if you’d heard from the alpha?”

  “Amos?”

  “Jackson.”

  “Oh, him? Nope. But that’s not much of a surprise. He’d mentioned he wouldn’t be in touch until after some out-of-town business he had to take care of.” She pursed her lips and sent Kimber a look. “Why? Worried he’s not going to take you on a date, after all?”

  Kimber had actually forgotten all about him until she’d started formulating her plan. Of course, there wouldn’t be any date with the pack leader now. Shain was the only man she was going to spend time with, the only one she wanted touching her.

  She opened her mouth to say she couldn’t care less if Jackson had changed his mind, but thought better of it. “I mean, can you blame me? He is an alpha, and I…thought he liked me.”

  Lucinda appeared taken aback by her insecure response. And she should’ve been. The Kimber she knew would be proud to say she didn’t care about the alpha’s attention. For the first time, she looked at Kimber with sympathy. “Well, you know men. Time ain’t a thing to them. Trust me, he’ll come back around.”

  Almost like a girl going to her mother for advice, Kimber kept her tone soft as she sat on the edge of the bed. “I have an idea to possibly get more interest in our pack.”

  Lucinda whipped a pair of jeans to fold, predictably skeptical. “How?”

  “Have you heard of the website ‘LikeMinded.com’?”

  “Nope.”

  “Well, in a nutshell, it’s a website where people can find others to organize gatherings with and share their common interests. Everything from scrapbooking to mountain climbing to having the same breed of dog. Hundreds of groups. It’s a wonderful resource.”

  “How will that help us find unmated shiyas?”

  “Because I did a search, and there is not one, but two clubs.” She reached back in her pocket for the piece of paper she’d written the information on. “The ‘Shi & Single’ and the ‘Claws Out’ are both groups specifically for shiyas. The second will probably have some married ones in the mix. Their descriptions are vag
ue, and they emphasize how exclusive they are with accepting new members. I’m guessing they did that so they don’t get a lot of attention from humans.”

  “And how do you know they’re shiyas?”

  “Each one required you answer a questionnaire, asking questions only a shiya would know how to answer, and then they approve you. Obviously, so they know you’re really a shifter. I was accepted into both once I passed their tests. Both have over a hundred members, by the way. I could message the organizers and they could post about a meet-and-greet.”

  There was no hiding it; Lucinda was impressed. “That’s...such a good idea. I haven’t even heard of this website, but then I’m not hip to the social media game these days. I love it.”

  I knew you would. “Once we figure out the logistics, time and place, I’ll send them the heads-up.”

  “Well, the house is much too small, if even a fraction of them show up. We must rent a space.” She set the folded jeans atop the others. “Do you think you could find something cheap for a few hours?”

  “Shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll let you know what I find.” Kimber stood up. The first phase of her plan was wrapped up in a bow.

  Lucinda squeezed her forearm with a smile. “We were getting desperate. This is just what we needed. Way to think outside the box.”

  That was about as good as it was going to get from Lucinda. “Thanks.” True, this was a means to an end, but there was nothing false about Kimber’s agenda to help her pack. “I’ll get on it.” She left the room, but turned when Lucinda gave her a piece of advice.

  “Hey, don’t wait on the alpha. Call him. It’s the twenty-first century, girl. He’s young, he’ll probably like the woman chasing him for once.”

  Kimber offered a smile. “Okay, I will.” The moment she was out of Lucinda’s view, she smiled even bigger.

  That was cake compared to communicating with Jackson.

  Her text went unanswered. Although he was busy, she doubted he actually meant what he said. He’d crowed a good game with a charming smile, but could he actually deliver, or had he been blowing smoke up their asses for show? If the LikeMinded groups came through, they really didn’t need Jackson’s support. It would be nice, but not vital. Her plan would move forward, regardless.

  She resumed the rest of her day by doing more research for an appropriate venue, printing out price lists, and checking availability. It had to be next Saturday. Something large enough to accommodate everyone, with the right ambiance, and within their modest budget. A little over a week’s notice wasn’t much, but they didn’t need anything extravagant. Even if they ended up with a pop-up tent and 7-Eleven sandwiches, she’d take it.

  “Find a place that has dancing. How fun would that be?” Lia exclaimed that night while they sat around the table for dinner.

  Ever since Lucinda told the others Kimber’s idea, the energy in the house had elevated to a more optimistic and lively level. And for once, Kimber was praised for her idea instead of mocked.

  “Dancing?” Claudine made a face. “How are we going to talk about our pack if everyone’s busy dancing?”

  Tory reached for another scoop of casserole. “We’ll do all that in the beginning. We’ll save the dancing for last.”

  Lucinda’s face twisted at the thought. “What kind of place do you think we’re renting? I want to do this during the day and be in bed by a decent hour. Our primary focus is to get at least a dozen firm interests in joining the pack.”

  Kimber aimed to keep the bickering at a minimum. “I’m feeling optimistic. Between the two LikeMinded groups, the half-dozen or so we’ve already met, and hopefully the shiyas Jackson knows, we should be good. We’ll have the event in the late afternoon, early evening, serve heavy appetizers, and do a little dancing at the end to keep the good vibes going so everyone leaves on a high note. Sound good?”

  Everyone, including Lucinda, nodded.

  Her cell phone beeped. It was an email confirmation. “Looks like I have three venues to check out tomorrow now.”

  Lucinda slapped the table. “Great. Take the van and pick one.”

  Later that night, Kimber snuck out and went to the park to leave Shain a note, telling him she’d be free for an hour in the late afternoon, and that, if possible, to meet her near the venue.

  It was asking a lot; the forecast called for mostly sun, hardly a cloud in the sky. Would he risk going out in the daytime? Just to steal an hour with her?

  She smiled as she walked away from the tree.

  Yes. He would.

  So many options.

  Kimber sat across from the event coordinator, Rita, with the high and tight bun.

  It was hard to pay attention when her eyes kept darting to every car that entered the underground garage across the street, where she told Shain to meet her. Not the most aesthetically pleasing rendezvous, but an underground garage was a perfectly dark and cold shelter for a vampire. They only had ninety minutes before she had to be back.

  “Miss?”

  Kimber jerked her gaze back to Rita. “Yes?”

  “Do any of these interest you?”

  A quick scan of the package prices made her eyes widen. Even the cheapest was a four hundred bucks over her limit. This was the third and final place that had openings for the following weekend, and the first two had been outrageously priced.

  “All we need is finger food, tables, chairs, and a DJ for three hours. Is there any way we can do it for less than five hundred? That’s my limit.”

  Rita kept her professionalism in place. “Well. The catering alone is almost that much for the number of people. And then beverage service is additional. Tables and chairs are included, but linens are extra. Plus, the setup fee, gratuity, and tax…”

  “But your website said the price was five hundred for fifty people.”

  “That’s for a weekday booking. Friday, Saturday, Sunday have a premium charge.”

  Good grief. They reeled you in with one price, but it ended at another. She stole a glance outside as a car pulled in the garage.

  Not his black Tesla or Range Rover, and it was already past three o’clock. Maybe he couldn’t get away.

  Disappointment bloomed while Kimber returned her attention to the package list. She wasn’t leaving this place without booking. What could she pawn to pay for the rest? Easy: Nothing. Asking Lucinda to go deeper in the pockets would only irritate her. Then she might call the whole thing off, and Kimber would have no chance of getting permission to go away for a few days alone.

  And she longed for that long weekend with Shain.

  “Do you mind if I call my sister and ask her what she’d like to do?”

  Rita unclicked her pen. “Of course. Let me know if she has questions.”

  Kimber tapped the screen to call Lucinda when she saw a black Tesla turn slowly into the garage. Her heart leaped into wild pumps.

  Lucinda answered. “Hel—”

  Kimber hung up. “We’ll take it. The basic package.”

  Rita blinked in surprise, but grinned and clicked her pen. “Wonderful! We’ll need a fifty percent deposit. I’ll go write up a quick contract.”

  She hurriedly paid the deposit with a check, not knowing how she was going to come up with the rest of the money by Saturday. She’d figure it out. Even if she had to call Amos and beg him for more.

  Fifteen agonizing minutes later, she signed the contract, thanked Rita for her time, and rushed out. The wind kicked her up skirt, and she pressed her hand to keep from giving commuters a peep show as she dashed across the crosswalk.

  When she spotted the Tesla parked down the aisle, she went to the driver side.

  The tint was so dark she couldn’t see anything but her own reflection. “Shain. Open up.”

  The car continued to idle. No response.

  She bent down to the window, waved, and knocked. “It’s me.”

  Silence.

  Did he think this was funny?

  Well, she knew exactly what would end it. She dro
pped her bag, looked around to see if anyone was about, then began unbuttoning her blouse.

  One button, two, three buttons.

  The car window smoothly came down.

  “That’s what I thought…” Her smile evaporated.

  It wasn’t Shain.

  “Can I help you?” drolled the stranger with the black eyes and hair.

  She hastily tried to button the few she’d undone. “I-I’m sorry! I thought you were someone else.”

  “Obviously,” was his dry remark.

  “Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

  “Curiosity.” Obsidian silk shimmered across his gaze, telling her what he was. “You shiyas are so forward these days.”

  A demon? She grabbed her bag, mortified. “Have a nice day, demon.”

  The window rose as he chuckled. “You too.”

  Burning with embarrassment, she fast-walked down the aisle again, desperately searching for the right immortal.

  Wildly looking around, she came to the end of the aisle and stopped. “By the gods, he’s not even—”

  A hand snatched hers and she gasped, hauled in behind a concrete beam.

  “Did I just hear you utter ‘by the gods’?” Shain teased.

  She lightly pushed him, elated and aggravated at the same time. “About time.” God, he was handsome. She kissed him before he could say anything. “You scared the life out of me.”

  “I scared you? You nearly had me ready to go gangster on a demon.”

  “You saw that?”

  “I did. It took the strength of a god not to interfere.”

  She kissed him again, couldn’t get enough. “I thought it was you. The car is identical to yours.”

  Shain reared a look at the other Tesla and sighed. “Unfortunate coincidence. It looks a lot like mine. I had my driver drop me off and run an errand. Even with blackout windows, it’s reckless to drive myself during the day.”

  “You still came.”

  He stepped back, caressing her face, rubbing the pad of his thumb across her cheek. “I couldn’t stay away. You knew I couldn’t stay away.”