The Chosen Series Box Set: Books 1 - 3

by Charlene Hartnady

  “Look, it’s complicated.” He sighed shaking his head. “Quite frankly I have no idea what any of them would do if they got their hands on you, but I don’t want to take any chances. You are right, there is no love lost between our species. We are not on the same side. Never have been, never will be. It is that type of arrogance that makes it so.”

  She shook her head. “It is not arrogance, but simple fact. We vampires may not want to move in next to you, but we have no issues with the shifters’ existence in general. At least we won’t once you swear your allegiance. You must realize though wolf that after this fiasco, my kings will make you work for their forgiveness. Which is your own fault, seeing as we were quite content with keeping our distance.”

  A snort escaped him. “You tolerate us as long as we stay in line. For centuries your species have occupied the best territories. Do the townsfolk of Sweetwater even know who their landlords are? Every time I so much as raise my voice, I’m expected to go down on one knee at the feet of one or both of the kings. We can do as we please as long as it doesn’t mess with their plans. They can do as they please period. Regardless of how it affects the rest of us. I’m done grovelling.”

  A thoughtful expression crossed her face. “You will be annihilated.”

  “They have to find us first.”

  She shrugged. “You can’t run forever.”

  “I don’t plan to.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Look, you should never have been taken. It was a mistake. One I plan on rectifying. I need a few days to let things cool down and then I’ll take you back.”

  The female narrowed her eyes at him.

  “I mean it…I’ll take you back myself. Until then, we need to keep you safe. Also”—he grit his teeth, contemplating how he should best continue—“there are things about us that would be best kept a secret. If you were to find them out, then I would have to keep you…here. You would never be permitted to leave.”

  Her brow furrowed. “What things?”

  A snort escaped. “Didn’t you just hear what I said? If I told you, you’d have to remain my captive”—he narrowed his eyes at her trying to drive the seriousness of what he was saying home—“indefinitely.”

  “As if you could keep me here long term,” she huffed. “Are we done?”

  He nodded. “I mean it, Stephany.” Her eyes widened at his use of her name. “Your species would never find you. Don’t you want to go home?”

  She nodded once. “Of course I do. The sooner the better.”

  “We’re in agreement then.”

  “Yes!” she snapped. “Very much so.” She looked around, a heavy tilt to her chin meant that it happened from down her nose. What could only be a soft snort of disgust escaped from between her pursed lips as well.

  Her eyes returned to him, they narrowed. “You tried to kidnap the chosen human female. Did you plan on mating her yourself?” Her eyes flashed a brighter blue.

  Ward didn’t feel like discussing this with her or anyone else for that matter. The plan had been a colossal clusterfuck to begin with. He felt like an idiot for having trusted the elves, for having gone along with it in the first place. Hopefully in time he’d be able to forget the events of the last twenty four hours. If nothing else, it had taught him not to trust any of the other species. “That is none of your concern.”

  “It would be a good way to ensure long-term success against our species. No vampire heirs would mean that our species would eventually crumble. It is seriously low, uncouth behavior even for a wolf.”

  He pursed his lips. They had no clue what he planned, and he would use that to his advantage.

  “You will not have her. Not this time, not next time, not ever. You can call off your dogs.”

  “What do you know of it?” Ward growled. “Who are you?” his voice softened.

  “A female. A nobody. You don’t strike me as the type of male that would take a female against their will though, or maybe human females are different to you. There to use as you please.”

  His whole frame tensed. “I would never force a female. The plan was not mine and I’ll admit, stupid. I should never have gone along with it.” He clenched his teeth for a few beats. “I would never have forced the human. Never.” The last he said on a growl.

  The vampire’s tense frame eased. “You can go now.” She lifted her eyebrows as she spoke.

  He gave a humourless chuckle. “I said that you needed to stay at my side at all times…at all times, vampire.”

  Her mouth dropped open and she made an incredulous noise. “I didn’t mean in the shower. You couldn’t possibly mean while I’m…”

  “Naked?” He huffed. “I’m a shifter. Nudity is one of those things. I won’t even notice.”

  She grit her teeth and her hands moved to her hips. “I’m a vampire. I refuse. I will notice.”

  Ward shrugged. “Then let’s go back inside.”

  “But, I’m filthy.”

  “I must say, I would prefer to share a bed with a clean—”

  “What?”

  He felt his eyes roll back. The vampire clearly hadn’t understood a single thing that he had said. “You will stay at my side at all times. I plan on sleeping. If you are at my side, it means that you will need to share my bed.”

  “I refuse to share a bed with you, wolf. Forget it. Think of something else.”

  Ward looked up to the heavens. The gods surely hated him. “I still have that silver infused rope…” For a second he was tempted to agree to letting her have the bed, but something in him resisted. “I’m sure you’ll be comfortable on the floor. I heard vampires don’t need sleep anyway.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “A myth. Please be a gentleman and let me have the bed.”

  “Sorry, honey, I’m a wolf. That means I’m neither gentle nor a man. I won’t touch you if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  Her chest heaved as she took a deep breath into her lungs, holding it for a few beats before slowly releasing it. “We’ll discuss the sleeping arrangements later. How are we going to do this? I need to get clean, but you’re not watching me. I’m not one of your wolves. I don’t undress in front of others.”

  “Makes me feel sorry for your mate. It can’t be easy, rutting with clothes on.”

  Her eyes clouded for the briefest second before she schooled her expression. “I don’t have a mate.” She mumbled something that sounded very much like no rutting either, but he had to have misunderstood her. She was a healthy female in her prime.

  Stephany chewed on her lower lip for a few seconds before she asked, “You really need to stay by my side while I am in here?”

  “That’s what I said.” He didn’t trust her to stay put. Hell, if he was in her place he would try and escape too. He would have a hard time believing that his captors would just set him free in a few days. Especially after how Hayden had treated her.

  “I can’t believe I’m about to say this”—she shook her head—“but desperate times and all that.” She finally looked him dead on. “I suppose you have to stay but you don’t have to look.”

  “You could slip away.”

  “You just told me you were a wolf. So start acting like one. Use your senses.”

  She smiled briefly. Even under the grime, he could tell that she was pretty with her defined cheekbones made more prominent by her short hair. Her eyes were a little too big and her mouth a little too full to be deemed a classic beauty, but pretty all the same.

  “Close your eyes, Mister Ward.”

  “Just Ward.” He did as she said. He could make out her heartbeat easily. Hear her breathing.

  “Will you keep them closed?” Her voice was soft and timid.

  Ward tried to sound bored. “Yes.” He was anything but bored because he‘d zoned in on her scent. On the surface, she smelled mostly of wolf, there was also dirt, the iron tang of caked blood. Beneath all of that, she smelled of vampire. Normally a scent that would offend, only there was something more. Vanilla cookies, the kind
his grandmother used to bake with the lemon zest frosting. Freshly baked. Still warm to the touch. As a young pup, he’d been in so much trouble on so many occasions for not being able to keep his paws off those cookies, but damned if he could help it.

  His mouth watered.

  “If you open your eyes, I swear it will be the last thing you see.”

  “I will keep them closed.” Ward swallowed hard not wanting to scare his guest by drooling. Especially since he could hear her clothes as they fell to the ground. It wouldn’t look good if he salivated while she was naked, so he willed his eyes to stay shut. The shower splattered to life. Her breathing hitched and her heart rate quickened as the sound of the falling water broke when she stepped under the shower. Ward scented his soap and heard her frantic movements.

  “I thought you vampires were immune to the cold.” He couldn’t help but to smile.

  “A myth, I assure you,” her voice was shaky. The water stopped and there was a sound of fabric against skin. Damn, the scent of cookies was so much stronger now. All that lemon buttery goodness accosted his senses and he had to suppress a moan. He’d just have to try harder to keep his fix on the scent of vampire that lurked just beneath. The need to drool eased up a whole lot.

  “You can open your eyes now,” she said.

  Her short hair was mussed from being towelled. It was still dripping and rivulets snaked their way down her neck and shoulders. The large bath towel stopped high on her thighs. Beneath the terry cloth were two shapely legs. One thing was for sure, he’d been wrong about her not being a classic beauty. Her skin was surely made from the smoothest buttermilk. Her complexion spoke of utter perfection. Those large, blue eyes were encased in the longest lashes he had ever seen. They fused as she narrowed her eyes at him. “Can we go inside, I’m freezing.” Her lips were blue and shivering. They were also plump…the female was one of his enemy, he reminded himself.

  Ward turned and opened the door for her, closing it behind them. She made for the fireplace, standing as close to the flames as she could. After searching in his closet for a few beats, he pulled out a shirt and, as an afterthought, a pair of boxers. Her legs were so long that he was afraid the shirt wouldn’t cover much. He handed the clothing items to her and she inclined her head in thanks. A yellow tinged bruise still marred her right cheek, but that was all that remained of her injuries, or at least those that he could see.

  “I’ll order us some food.”

  “Thank you.” She widened her eyes at him, gesturing to the clothes in her hands.

  “Sorry.” He closed his eyes while she dressed.

  “Why can’t you just take me back tonight?”

  “Like I said earlier, it’s complicated. They will be searching for you and I don’t want to inadvertently lead them here. Once the dust settles, I’ll drop you in Sweetwater. You have my word.”

  “You can open your eyes now.”

  Ward noticed how her nipples spiked the t-shirt material. How obscenely good she looked in his clothes. She licked her lips, his eyes moving to her lush mouth. She was a fucking bloodsucker. What the hell was he doing checking her out?

  Bloodsucker.

  Realization hit him.

  Chapter 3

  The cabin was toasty but she still felt half naked, especially with the big wolf in such close proximity. Despite the heat, she was tempted to ask him for a sweater. What stopped her though was the fact that they were different species, the male would not be interested in her in that way.

  Turning back towards him, she noticed a predatory gleam in his eyes. The way he kept running them over her was unnerving. Did he really mistrust her so badly that he had to stalk her every move?

  He cursed softly and shook his head. “You don’t eat solid food do you?”

  So that was what that look was all about. That had taken him a while to figure out. It was one of the reasons why she was so desperate to get back to her own kind. Stephany abhorred the taking of blood and avoided it as much as possible. She had an agreement with Brant’s brother, Xavier, drinking from him only when it was absolutely necessary and then taking only from his wrist. The neck was just too intimate for her liking.

  Ward pinched the bridge of his nose.

  “We do eat solid food and partake of regular…liquids, but…” She pursed her lips. It had been days since she’d last taken. The need to drink was starting to ride her hard. Though there was just no way she was taking from a wolf…a stranger.

  “You need blood.” His eyes bore into her. His muscles at his neck roped.

  It hurt her to admit weakness. “It can wait,” she lied cursing herself. She was used to waiting until the last possible moment to drink. Mostly, because she disliked it so intensely. As a result, she was really good at keeping a handle on the urge. But she was only a vampire after all and needs were needs. If she didn’t drink within the next few hours, she would start to go into hunt mode. Claws, fangs, red eyes…it wasn’t pretty. Vampires in hunt mode were downright dangerous…not of sound mind. The thought of losing control like that scared the blood out of her, yet the thought of drinking from a wolf left her cold.

  She was so screwed.

  “Please. Just let me go. I beg you, Ward. Point me in the direction of civilization and I’ll be fine.”

  “You’re a long way from home, vampire. Deep in the wilderness. Far away from the civilization that you are comfortable with. You wouldn’t make it halfway.”

  “I bet you I would make it.”

  “I don’t have to bet, because I know for a fact that you wouldn’t. It’s cold in these parts and there are creatures even a vampire would have a hard time contending with.”

  “Then take me back. I can’t be here. Please.” Her chest heaved. The thought of having to stay was too much for her to bear. It was as if the realization that she was stuck in this cabin with this wolf suddenly dawned on her. Up until right now, she’d held some hope that she could get herself out of this. It was becoming abundantly clear though that she wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon and the need to drink was riding her hard. The thing she hated more than drinking was losing it and going into all out hunt mode, but she’d be damned if she’d take from a wolf. There had to be another way. If there was, she would find it.

  He shook his head. “I’m sorry, I can’t.”

  A curse hovered on the tip of her tongue, but she forced it down. “You don’t understand.”

  His eyes softened. “Understand what? I plan on keeping you safe, on giving you everything you need to make your stay here as comfortable as possible.”

  “Order the food,” she said.

  Ward narrowed his eyes for a few beats. The wolf was too observant for her liking. Just when she was sure that he would interrogate her further, he nodded once. “Follow me.”

  She felt her brow knit. “I thought I had to stay indoors.”

  “We will.”

  As she approached, he turned and made for the front door. Stephany moved in next to him as they arrived at the exit. Ward turned his green eyes on her for a brief second, his hand closed on her wrist. His flesh was hot to the touch, his fingers felt calloused as they brushed her skin. The musky scent of wolf enveloped her. For the first time, she realized what the scent truly encompassed. More than just musky wild animal, it was also distinctly male with earthy undertones. He must’ve showered recently, prior to her arriving, because he smelled clean with just a hint of soap. Not altogether unpleasant. In fact, the longer she stayed in the wolves company the less prominent the smell of wolf became. It was happening quicker than she thought possible. Scowling, she preferred it when the scent offended her.

  Ward cracked the door just enough to put his head through. With the sheet of hard wood directly in front of her, it was impossible to see anything. Not that she really wanted to look outside anyway. What if she accidentally spotted one of those ‘secrets’ that Ward had warned her about? What could be so bad that it would warrant her having to stay indefinitely? Stephany shuddered at
the thought. For what felt like the hundredth time since arriving, she wished the alpha would just let her go.

  Her fangs lengthened at the sound of his heartbeat. Strong and sure. The smell of wolf may have grown to be less prominent, but that musky animal scent still didn’t enthuse her. His blood would surely taste just as uncivilized, like sandwich spread instead of duck liver pate. She grit her teeth, trying to get her fangs to retract. It wouldn’t be long and she wouldn’t give a damn what his blood tasted like, she’d drink anyway.

  “Have one of the males bring food and drink,” Ward said.

  “Gage heard about the vampire, he wants to meet with you ASAP.” A low murmur from a male just outside, but her advanced hearing meant that she caught every word.

  “I kind of have my hands full at the moment.”

  “He was insistent,” the male said.

  “Tough. Make my wishes clear. I’ll handle this myself. There is nothing to be concerned about.” His grip on her tightened.

  “Food? Do vampires eat?” There was a low chuckle followed by, “I hear she’s not bad looking…for a vampire…is that why you’ve holed yourself up in there with her?”

  Ward growled, the sound causing goose bumps to rise.

  Another chuckle. “Be very careful, Ward. Luna will not wait for you for much longer, she would have your balls if—”

  “Enough.” A snarl that made her pull back, his grip keeping her at his side. Ward turned his head to her, his eyes softened as they locked with hers. “You have nothing to fear,” he whispered. “I’m sorry you have been forced to hear the bumbling of an idiot. Ignore him please.” The big wolf turned back to the opening.

  “Oh shit. Sorry, Ward, is she right there?”

  “Just do as I ask, Rushe,” Ward said, although the words were softly spoken, Stephany could hear the underlying menace. “I don’t want to have to tear you another asshole,” he growled.

  “Sorry, Ward. No problem. Don’t worry about the food or Gage. I’ll sort it all out for you.”

  Ward closed the door and released her arm.