by A. E. Via
“IRA!” Bell hollered at the feeling of his skin burning. Wrath held his arms tight around Bell, preventing him from falling as Bell flailed and he shuddered violently at the energy blazing through his veins—a demigod’s energy. Still buried deep inside, Wrath flexed his hips, driving the last remains of his seed into him and brushing his now tan lips over the brand he’d just emblazoned into his skin.
“I’ve never shared my kiss, Belleron.” Wrath’s dick slid out of him as he laid him back onto the mattress and brought the thin sheet up to his waist. He could still feel Wrath inside as his hole spasmed at the loss of great fullness. Wrath maneuvered Bell with ease and spooned him from behind. “Now all will know I’ve kissed you, Bell. Anyone who dares to harm you will feel the full range of my vengeance.”
With the final mark of his other mate still stimulating his skin, Bell nestled deep into Wrath’s warm chest, knowing he’d stay with him until he feel asleep.
And that he’d be with his alpha when the dawn came.
For an entire month Wick had Bell doing nothing but meetings. They worked during the day and night. He and Alek would rise at noon and go until two or three in the morning, depending on how busy they were. And yes, their duties had been extensive. Alek returned to his responsibilities with the pack’s guards and their training. He also had to accompany Justice on his frequent trips away from the compound. Having bonded as well as they did, it wasn’t as difficult as Bell thought it’d be when Alek was gone. However, Wick had yet to allow him to visit any covens until he appointed a personal guard.
“Lord Bell, just choose someone. It’s not like they’re really going to have to save your life. You are more than capable,” his house lord, Byron, said as he methodically ran the comb through Bell’s hair, then smoothed his palm right behind it, ensuring not a single strand was out of place.
Bell had been staying with Alek at his cabin, but if his beloved was going to be gone most of the evening, then he still had his guest room at Wick’s home. It was also where he had to keep eighty-percent of his wardrobe, since Alek didn’t have nearly enough closet space. Bell reached for his phone.
“Keep still,” Byron grumbled. “It’s bad enough that you don’t allow me to groom you nightly anymore, but when I am able the least you could do is remain seated.”
“Byron. I’ve had this hair for ninety years. You don’t think I know how to brush it myself?” Bell said nonchalantly, staring at his emails.
“Ha! I don’t think so,” Byron snarked. “You had so many tangles and kinks in your hair that it broke two of my good combs.”
“Alek likes to run his hands through it… a lot.”
“Good to know,” Byron said, then went back to work. The vampire may have a terrible attitude most times, but he’d been Bell’s chamber lord for many years and he’d grown used to him. He’d never tell the cute man this, but sometimes Bell missed being groomed and dressed by him each night. So, as of late, he wore casual clothes during the day and when his officers awoke at dusk, he went to his guest room and waited for Byron to dress him.
“If you’re so independent now, then I guess my services are no longer needed.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. He always looks so damn good when you finish with him,” Alek said, coming through the door. “Byron, I know I say this each time… but you’ve outdone yourself.”
Bell smiled at his mate’s reflection in the mirror, noting the hungry gleam in his eye as he took in his appearance. Bell had on a black suit with a pinstriped gray shirt that Byron had coupled with a dark-gray silk tie.
“Well he does insist on wearing lighter colors now. I guess gray is not the worst color I’ve had to work with.” Byron rolled his dark eyes. “He actually wears it well. Just try not to get any drops of blood on the collar. I’ll never get it out.”
“He can be a messy eater.” Alek stood behind Bell’s chair and gripped his shoulders, massaging him possessively.
“Um. I think we’re done here, my lord. Have a good evening,” Byron said, hurrying to clear away his supplies. When he left them alone to tend to Bell’s closet—or whatever he did all evening—Bell was yanked from his chair and into Alek’s chest, his mouth heavy and dominating on him.
“You look really good,” Alek murmured against Bell’s throat when they finally came up for air. He’d been gone all day and night. “I like how he did your hair.”
Bell did like it when Byron pulled half of it back into a ponytail and left the bottom half flowing down his back. Alek continued to stroke his tresses, gazing into his eyes. “I’ve missed you.”
Bell crowded closer, his body responding to his cherished like always when he held him tight. Alek smelled wonderful, and the second he thought of sinking his fangs into that thick vein throbbing behind Alek’s pulse, he heard the blood start to pump harder. “And you smell good enough to eat.”
“Gods, Bell,” Alek moaned, tilting his neck and pulling their hips together. “You’re insatiable.”
It did seem as if Bell ate a lot. He didn’t know if it was because he was hungry or because he enjoyed his mate’s taste and desired it all the time. Bell punctured Alek’s skin with precision and a large dose of his elixir, because he loved how hard Alek’s dick got when he did. Bell drank thirstily, sucking just the way Alek liked it—strong and ravenous. He hadn’t realized he’d been walking them backwards until he felt Alek’s back hit the wall and a satisfied, deep chuckle float across his forehead.
“Damn. If we didn’t have to meet with your officers in ten minutes, I’d bend you over the foot of that bed for getting me this worked up.”
Bell purred at that suggestion, then carefully pulled his teeth from Alek’s neck. He gulped large breaths of air as he licked the remaining blood from his lips. “Keep that thought for later.”
“I will,” Alek rumbled, adjusting himself in his frayed Levis.
Bell didn’t want to move, but he could already hear his men entering the house for their small assembly in the great room. There was no way in hell he was going to allow Alek to make him scream like a banshee for all his comrades to murmur about later. He turned away and had just managed a couple steps when a heavily-veined forearm came around his neck like a clothesline, and snatched him backwards. The second his back connected to a large, sweltering chest he knew his mates had pulled a fast one.
“And will I see my dark prince tonight, as well?”
Warmth licked its way inside Bell’s jacket and across his chest, resting over his tight nipples. “Ira,” Bell sighed. “I’ll wait for you all night.”
Wrath buried his face behind Bell’s ear and sucked his earlobe into his mouth. His lips blazed against his skin as he hooked one finger into Bell’s collar and sought out his mark. Wrath’s voice was like the sound of thunder on a lazy Sunday morning—so damn hypnotic. And it almost never failed to put him into a trance. Bell found himself pushing his ass back, nestling Wrath’s shaft right in the center.
“Wicked mate.”
“Augggh. My god,” Bell moaned. Wrath’s voice was just too damn much.
“Yessss. Worship me.” Wrath hummed. He was getting better at perfecting his seduction.
Bell rested the back of his head on Wrath’s shoulder while his heated tongue bathed the kiss he’d branded into his skin. “You have to stop talking now.”
Wrath’s chuckle was menacing, the growly bass vibrating Bell’s spine. He knew full well what he was doing to him. Bell palmed his dick through his slacks, hoping he hadn’t made a stain. Gods, his lovers would be the end of him for sure.
He was panting, trying to catch his breath, his body sealed tight to his beloved, his hand still resting on his throbbing shaft, when Alek leaned in close and whispered in amusement. “Like I said… insatiable.” His alpha-mate shoved him playfully in the center of his back then swatted him hard on his ass. “Get moving. You two are making us late.”
“Now for the last issue on the agenda.” Wick sat on one of the love seats beside Justi
ce, addressing only their high officials. “After tracking down the shifter who had reported the omega abuse to Bell and Alek, we were able to pinpoint the pack’s location. I want to put together a bi-species task force to investigate these accusations in Philadelphia immediately. There haven’t been any omega births reported in many years so this matter gets priority level red.”
A few of the serious-looking vampires who made up Wick’s council jotted some notes in leather bound notepads resting in their laps.
“I want name recommendations on my desk by close of night. Justice has already selected his eleven shifters, so there will be a few visiting alphas from across the states arriving in the next few days. Lord Protector, whichever vampires you select for this task force, be sure they understand that a degree of compassion will be required. Omegas are extremely special.”
“Understood, King Bentley.” Ramon ran his hand over his unblemished, bronze jaw, looking uncomfortable with what he was about to say next. “The task forces for these investigations are led by the Lord High. Belleron would need to go visit the base set up there, say, in a week. With the jet, it’ll take two days minimum.”
“I can do that,” Bell rushed to say.
Alek knew Bell had been dying to get off the pack lands to handle larger responsibilities but his king had yet to assign him a task that could hinder his safety or the public’s.
Alek’s heart beat a bit faster but he knew something like this would come sooner rather than later. Bell would be fine without feeding from him for two days, of course. It was just the thought of not holding him each night, no matter what time it was he got into bed, he always did.
“You can do that the moment you have a Lord of Arms at your back and not a second before,” the king said, decisively.
“What? This is bullshit!” Bell snapped.
Wick rolled his eyes as if he was bored and turned to the gentleman dressed in a sharp, midnight-blue suit with a thick binder resting on the small desk in front of him, and his pen poised. “Lord Secretary, no need to read us Bell’s thoughts on this issue from the last meeting, he just summed them up for us. Now, if he’s ready to give us his new thoughts this week, that’d be amazing.”
“Don’t fucking patronize me, Wick.” Bell hissed.
“And don’t keep wasting my bloody time, Belleron,” Wick countered.
It took everything in Alek not to take his phone out, open his Oregon Trail game, and start playing. And it appeared, from the annoyed murmurs floating around the room, that most of the other occupants felt the same way. Sometimes, it was painfully obvious what close friends Wick and Bell were. The recognition of titles would fly right out the window, especially if one of them was pissed. And Bell had been getting more and more angry each time Wick denied him an assignment that required him to leave town. The only one who could enjoy the spoils of Bell’s fury was Wrath. Alek liked his mate smiling and satisfied.
“This is insane.” Bell gawked wide-eyed at Wick. “I’ve survived ninety-years without a personal guard. I was a Lord Protector and general in your army for forty years, without a ‘bodyguard’.”
“The Lord Protectors are responsible for the guards. You didn’t need one then. But, the Lord High travels without the guards, therefore you need your own Lord of Arms.” Wick threw his hands up in exasperation, “Why are you acting as if you don’t know our ways.”
“Things have changed,” Bell argued.
Ramon sat forward. “Not on the issues of safety, my Lord. When you were hurt in the Dales, I couldn’t stay with you and organize the reserve units at the same time. It was fortunate your mate was able to make the trip, otherwise that’s where your Lord of Arms would’ve come into play. And now with the internet fiasco—most all have heard of your mating to a Volkov wolf with extremely powerful gifts—your security detail needs to be stricter now more than ever.”
“I will have to agree with Ramon,” Farica said in a light tone, from the other side of the room. She was in one of her usual sweat suits and had her feet tucked under her as she lay curled into their baby brother Taleb’s, side while his gaze never left his laptop screen. “I don’t particularly like having guards myself. But, I know what it would mean to my family, and to my pack, if I was hurt because of stubbornness. Belleron, if you were killed, my brother’s wolf wouldn’t survive. You have to consider that each time you step out of his sight. What Lord Vega says is wise. You should listen to him.”
“Thank you, my lady.” Ramon’s voice was husky as he made an effort to hide his slight smile. Alek wanted to lose his dinner when he saw his sister gazing at Ramon with dreamy eyes.
“Oh for shit’s sake, Farica,” Mac grumbled, using their sibling link. “No one wants to see this.”
She couldn’t hide her blush. “Shut up, Macauley.”
“So unprofessional,” Taleb murmured, still not bothering to glance up.
“You actually like him as… as…?” Alek didn’t even want to finish the thought. Not because Ramon was a vampire, he obviously wasn’t prejudiced. But because that was his baby sister, and the Lord Protector was like a thousand years older than her. Alek wondered if that made sense. Well, it didn’t have to as far as he was concerned.
“Enough of this, please,” Justice cut in, sounding as miserable as Farica’s other brothers. “It’s honestly the last thing I want to hear too, guys. But Fari is twenty-seven years old, she can date whomever she wants. Now quiet, all of you.”
“Thank you, Justice. Farica pointed at Mac. Women don’t have to be afraid of what their bodies want. We have needs and—”
Mac slammed his hand over his ears, acting crazy “Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!”
Taleb actually looked away from his screen, shooting death rays from his eyes towards his sister. “Okay, too far now.”
“Farica, I just said we don’t wanna hear about it.” Justice frowned. “What part of that didn’t you get?”
Alek laughed into his fist, tuning back to Wick and Bell’s quarrel.
“So, now that Farica said it in her sweet voice you understand,” Wick mocked Bell.
“If you’d said it like her then yes, I probably would’ve been okay with it and I have no idea why.” Bell shrugged.
Wick laughed. “Good. Because the covens and packs are believing our report that your mate was not an angel but a wolf with a protective coating on his fur that prevented him from burning.”
Alek quirked his brow. “And people believe that? Nothing could’ve stopped an animal from burning in that inferno.”
Roman grumbled. “It was a stretch, yes. But we got the videos down fast, so the rest was tamping down the gossip mill. Unfortunately, the stories spread throughout our communities a lot faster than any social media could. It also took convincing to the authorities that we weren’t harboring a superpower over here.”
Wick picked right up where Ramon left off, “You and Wrath will need to use discretion from here on. No displaying your abilities in public. None. Especially Wrath’s. So, as of now the covens are reporting more—”
Alek grunted harshly, disrupting Wick’s words. Alek! It’s Alessandro! MOVE! Wrath and Wolf barreled to the surface so fast it made Alek jerk at the pressure in his chest. He bolted up from beside Bell on the couch and rushed to the window, yanking the blackout drapes away so hard that he pulled the entire rod off the wall. He stared out into the dark forest but he couldn’t hear or see anything.
How far away, Wrath? Alek needed to know since it was out of his scope.
About two miles, and he’s closing in fast.
“Alek what is it?” Bell was at his side, his palm coming to rest on his shoulder.
“Brother?” Justice’s deep voice was next.
Alek turned towards the small group of vampires and shifters, “It’s time for battle.”
“How many?” Wick asked, already removing his suit jacket.
Ramon barked orders at the officers before they flashed away to round up the rest of the guards. Taleb and Farica left to
sound the warning siren and to hustle any women, elders and young ones indoors.
Death approaches, Aleksei, Wrath told him mysteriously. With another.
What does that mean?
“Alek, talk to us,” Justice said. “I don’t smell anything.”
How many rebels, Wrath, and how many vampires?
“Alpha Alek can you tell me anything more?” the Lord Protector added.
Wrath grumbled in frustration, I’m not sure, Alek. The vampire who approaches has a strong shield. It could be one or he could be masking many.
“Brother, are you all right?” Mac asked.
Shit. Alek frowned, touching his hand to his temple. His head was beginning to pound. Everyone crowded towards him, speaking at once, all while he tried to decipher what Wrath was saying, and listened to Wolf bark his battle strategy. He thought he might lose it for a moment like they used to, until he felt Bell lean into his chest. Alek exhaled as his mate comforted him with his touch. He let Bell ease both hands up his chest and wrap them around the back of his neck.
“Just breathe,” Bell soothed. “Listen to my voice.”
Thank the heavens for his mate. At Bell’s insistence, no one else in the room spoke. Alek was able to concentrate on the sounds he could hear while Wrath continued to hone-in on their intruder. When he had as much intel as Wrath could give, he immediately relayed the information.
Alek opened his eyes. “We need to go outside. Wrath says a vampire is coming, a strong one. And Alessandro is with him. The stench of death is masking the scents of whoever else could be with them.”
They hurried outside into the frigid night air, the sound of the alarm was piercing and Alek was glad when it stopped. He surveyed his wolves that had shifted and already in their attack formations. He gave them a nod that was met with vicious snarls and howls of allegiance. They were ready to defend their lands and the alpha-mates.
