Vanessa P.O.V The nightmare coiled around me, a python slowly crushing the breath from my lungs.The tattooed woman from the earlier attack chased me through the crowded bar.I shoved left and right, but people with horns and fangs pressed in aroundme. I could barely breathe, let alone move. In desperation, I dove over thebar, dodging flying cocktails and bottles. But I wasn’t fast enough. Thewoman lashed out with long claws and dug them into my skin. My bloodpoured down her fingers, and her eyes blazed with crimson light. “Youwon’t escape! You’ll give us what we need!”When I pulled away, I slipped in my own blood and crashed to the floor.She leapt through the air, face contorting and twisting into that of a wolf.Then she was on me, clawing and biting my neck like a savage animal.In the midst of all the chaos, he was there. With one swift move, Alpha Marcus slammed his fist into her chest and sent her flying off my body and onto thebar. The woman lunged for me, but Alpha Ma
Ttthirty fivveVanessa P.O.V Finally, I'd managed to get rid of Alpha Marcus and his tail, now I could embark on my quest. "You thought that it would be that easy to get rid of me, I guess you never learn." Alpha Marcus voice echoed as he approached me wearing a big grin on his face. "How the hell… I won't even bother to ask."I replied still shock ridden. " I thought you'd be happy to see me, you specifically asked me to come. " Alpha Marcus said. " When?" " You weren’t obvious about it, but you showed me the picture with the address."He responded. It was now all starting to make sense, he knew that this was the only destination I had in mind. " Okay then, shall we? " I asked as I pointed towards the door. I stepped into the house, which smelled of cinnamon and incense. It tookmy eyes a couple seconds to adjust to the meager light shed by half a dozendim candles floating in the air.A young woman sat behind a table hung with purple and gold cloth. She gave a knowing smile. “I
Vanessa P.O.V The darkness drained from the room.I burst up out of my chair and stumbled back from the table.Alpha Marcus ,already on his feet, caught me.Lady Fortune pointed at the door. “You need to run. They are close, at the Ferris wheel, but closing fast. Wolves and demons. Go.”Alpha Marcus grabbed my hand and pulled me from the tent.“Walk normally, but don’t let go of me.”He pulled out his phone with his other hand and hit speed dial with histhumb. “They’re by the Ferris wheel and headed our way—look for rogue wolves and some kind of demon. Sounds like there may be a lot of them.Send everyone in our direction but move discreetly. We’re headed toward the far end of the Midway,that's the pickup location .”He hung up and, hand-in-hand, we pushed our way back the way we had come.Confusion tore at me. “You have people here? Waiting?”“Yes. A lot. As long as you’re outside of the Iycan' kings territory , you’re protected.”“Protected or bait?” I snapped. “Why aren’t we runn
Vanessa’s P.O.VWith all these constant attacks waged against me, I was starting to feel invincible, or was I just being lucky. I had made some progress but not as much as I had hoped to. All I had managed to learn by now was just shift into a wolf and back to my human form, I had not yet still tapped to my true luna powers which everybody was in awe of. If I was hoping to continue breathing I had to learn how to summon the powers and control them.“We will need to get a handle on your powers . It will be important for you, and the safety of the pack.” “You’re right.” I replied with a resigned sigh. “What do you want me to do?” I asked Alpha Marcus. He stepped forward and said, “You will need to train. We will practice, explore your powers in a safe space.” His intense gaze steadied onto me. “Just as you have learned to control your wolf, you will learn to control your powers. I have arranged an apartment for you in the pack complex.” There was a firm exactness to his voice. “Unti
Alpha Marcus P.O.VW hen I had knocked on the door of the complex’s newest resident, I certainly hadn’t expected the sight that greeted me. Vanessa’s silky silver hair had been pulled up into a ponytail, showing off the smooth lines of her face and neck. The outfit she was wearing for training was far from the usual appropriate attire. A lean flat stomach and symmetrical hip bones peeked out from above a pair of very low black leggings. My eyes moved upward past her tapered waist, and landed on a sports bra that could barely contain her full chest. A deep V of cleavage pushed up and over the blue fabric. My mouth literally fell open. My wolf howled in approval. I looked her up and down, desire growing within me. Her body reacted to my heated gaze. When I scented her arousal in the air, it was all I could do not to throw himself at her. My wolf clawed to get out, to move forward, to take what was his. Her eyes met mine briefly before she blushed and looked away. That was my cu
Vanessa’s P.O.V I stopped. A key. I needed a key. I held out a palm and visualized an intricate skeleton key. Ice began to take shape as the key formed within my hand. “I got it!” I exclaimed. I walked toward the door and inserted the cold clear key and turned it once and there came a click . As the wooden door swung open, a blizzard of frozen air rushed out. My eyes sprang open. “Good, Vanessa!” Arie said. I turned my icy eyes toward her. Don immediately stepped in front of her, his toffee eyes beginning to glow. “Don, please,” Arie whispered. A tornado of wind was starting to buid and it was getting larger by the second around the room. I could feel myself detaching, falling beneath the veil of protective safety, letting go of control. A frigid wind began to whip around the room, intensifying in speed and strength. Ice crept up the walls, locking the space in shimmering blue as the air around became harder and harder to withstand. “Vanessa, stop!” It was alpha Marcus's voice t
Vanessa P.O.VThere was a knock on the door and I could smell his scent even before he entered, It was Alpha Marcus. I was starting to get bored all by myself and at least now I had some pleasant company.”Do you mind if I join you?” He asked with his intense stare eyed directly towards me. I gazed at him momentarily before replying, “Sure.” He stepped into my apartment. “You put on quite a remarkable circus show today?” He asked jokingly.“If you ask me, I’d say it was really cool. Guess we have different perspectives.” I retaliated at him mocking my cool powers and calling it a ‘circus’. short. I suddenly realized how close I was to her. He had moved so quietly. Now we were only inches apart. My heart somersaulted. The air around us felt charged. I took a step back and he pushed forward, his eyes luminous. I stopped when my back hit the couch. He was standing in front of me now. His Golden eyes stared down at me. Every inch of my body burned with need. The air in the room see
Vanessa’s P.O.VSummer arrived back at my apartment an hour before our girls’ night began and thoroughly attacked me with makeup brushes and tight-fitting outfits. After telling Summer, “I am not going out in public in that,” multiple times, and trying on many scandalous outfits, we finally settled on a simple black slip dress and strappy heels. Summer had worked my blonde hair into a French twist with accented pieces hanging down around my face. The makeup was a bit more than I usually applied myself, but I had to admit, I felt stunning. Summer had chosen a far more exciting outfit which included a tiny strapless blue dress with cutouts on the side and matching blue stilettos. A knock on the door signaled it was eight. “That must be Arie and Leah!” Summer squealed. She opened the door to find not just Arie and Leah, but Alpha Marcus and Darren as well. Summer glared at the men. “No. No boys allowed.” Alpha Marcus glared back at her. “With everything that’s going on, I’m a
The other lycans began to pay attention, calling out to her. She coated fur in ice, and slid frozen weapons in the direction of any lycan in human form who could wield one. The high body temperature of the lycans meant they quickly burned through their frosty axes and swords. Vanessa was working overtime. She began to feel drained and depleted. Her arms were heavy and her body began to feel cold within. Nick ’s wolf watched her intently. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking. He darted away and into the entrance of the complex, and just as Vanessa was beginning to think she had used up her powers completely, a wave of warmth and energy surged through her. She turned to see Laurie, her blonde brow furrowed in deep concentration. She gave Vanessa a small smile and nod. Lance’s wolf circled Laurie protectively. He did not look one bit happy about this arrangement. Nick returned to Vanessa’s side, ready for another round of ice. She called upon her powers and this time they returned. T
“Aria!” Vanessa yelled. Where had they gone? Where had he taken her? Magic flooded her veins. Without another thought, she hurled a wave of ice toward the disgusting bald man. It hit him with such force that his body flew up and straight through one of the glass walls that made up the complex’s entryway. He hit the stone steps outside with an audible crash and did not move again. As Vanessa turned her gaze she caught sight of Nick . His eyes met with hers and she opened her mouth to speak. Before she could warn him, the air around them crackled. An army of Collectors appeared. A large group surrounded the outer lobby while a small group appeared within the lobby itself. Fear struck Vanessa so strongly she could barely think. The lycans reacted in an instant. Some chose to shift into their wolves, while others remained in human form and used the weapons they had in hand. Leah dove at the Collector nearest to Vanessa, shifting into her lean black wolf in midair. The man screeched as s
Vanessa felt so helpless up here. She understood their reasoning, but still wanted to do more. For now she would have to wait, pray, and hope everyone was safe down below. T he lycans worked efficiently. They had been able to assemble their teams and lock down the complex within half an hour. It was a reminder to Nick of why they trained so hard and how important it was to do so. After securing the inside perimeter, they went outdoors. The scene that met the lycan teams looked like something out of a horror film. The second Nick exited the complex his senses were assaulted by the smell of blood and decaying flesh. The victims were scattered all around the property. The first girl he saw was a small, young brunette. She had long dark hair and large blue eyes that stared up at him accusingly. Her body was so badly mangled that he couldn’t have guessed the original color of clothes she was currently wearing. Deep crimson covered her broken form. The lifeless woman lay at an unnatural an
“Don’t worry about Aria.” He spoke in a gentle tone. “We have plenty of time before we need to think about kids. Let’s just enjoy tonight and worry about all of that later.” His breath was coming out in frosty puffs now. “I can’t do it,” Vanessa said. “Can’t do what?” She finally turned from the window to look at him. “I can’t have kids with you. I can’t do it. I won’t do it.” Nick looked stunned. “Why are you saying this?” Tears streamed down Vanessa’s cheeks. “Do you think I want to have little monsters? To bring them into this world?” “Monsters?” echoed Nick , his jaw tensing. “Yes, monsters! What do you think would happen if we have kids?” Nick was quiet. His eyes burned into hers. “I didn’t realize having lycan children would be so unappealing to you.” Vanessa stared at him, his words catching her off guard. “I guess lycans are good enough to save you, train you, and fuck you. God forbid you have a lycan ‘monster’ child of your own.” There was so much venom in his tone
He gave her a mischievous smirk. “You’ll see.” Vanessa let out a small sound of protest. “First, you need to take a shower and get ready for dinner.” “Dinner?” she asked. He nodded. “Dinner, at Alpha Marcus ’s place.” Vanessa couldn’t hide her surprise. “In the penthouse? But why?” Instead of answering, Nick bent down to capture Vanessa’s lips in a deep kiss. She felt dizzy as he pulled away. “No more questions. I’ll pick you up at seven thirty,” he said as he dropped her off at her door. He bent to give Vanessa one last kiss. “You’re not coming in?” She frowned. “I’ve got to meet with Aria. She’s been bombarding me with party planning all day.” Vanessa laughed. “She can be very persistent.” “Yes she can be.” Nick rubbed his temples. “I’ll be back at seven thirty.” “See you then.” She watched him head down the hallway, his tall frame moving with long purposeful strides. Damn he looked good from behind, from the front, in a suit, in his sweats, in nothing at all. Nick stopped
Vanessa shook her head. “The Collectors are looking for me. We can’t leave the complex. We can’t go outside Matlena’s wards.” “We’re not leaving the complex. Lucky for us there is a gorgeous unused banquet hall right here in the building!” “What? Why is there a banquet hall at Ulric?” Nick was the one who answered this time. “There are often times when Alpha Marcus is forced to entertain other large partners, businesses, and even other Alphas visiting the territory.” He grimaced. “Not to mention a surprise visit from the Infernal Council.” Aria clapped her hands together excitedly. “Exactly. All we need to do is give it a few decorations and voila!” Vanessa could tell by the way Aria said ‘a few’ decorations that it would be anything but a small amount of decor. Aria had a flair for the dramatic, and Vanessa could only imagine what kind of over-the-top antics were in store. Nick put up a hand to stop Aria from saying more. “We can’t just let a bunch of florists and caterers into
“Hello again, Ice Queen.” Lucas gave her a warm smile. He was awfully dreamy with his blond hair and Aussie accent. It was a stark contrast to Nick ’s jet-black locks, which Vanessa preferred. “I hope you’re ready for today’s lesson.” He gestured toward the vast collection of swords, knives, crossbows, and other weaponry. “Honestly this is not my area of expertise.” Vanessa laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever used anything in this room. You really think I’ll have access to all these types of weapons in the middle of a real fight?” He cocked a blond eyebrow in Vanessa’s direction. “You don’t need access to them. All you need is to know a little bit about their make-up, and how to use them.” Lucas continued, “Vanessa, I think we can channel your powers. If you could learn to give shape to your ice, like you do with the shards, you could be capable of making any type of weapon at will.” Vanessa felt a rush of nervous energy. “You want me to make weapons out of ice? What if I can’t do it
As do you.” Nick felt the air around him shift from anger to sadness. “Your mate is out there. I’m sure of it. You will have what I have, but it will not be with Vanessa.” A dry chuckle escaped Alpha Marcus ’s lips. “It makes sense why my wolf never took to her. The damn thing has been unbearable recently.” “Give it time. She’s out there.” “We will see.” The air of the office lightened significantly. “Are we good?” Alpha Marcus nodded. “We’re good.” T he following morning came too soon. Nick had planted a quick kiss on her sleepy lips before slipping out early to meet Alpha Marcus . Vanessa was so content with Nick that she found it easy to forget all about the Collectors and the turmoil they caused. About an hour after Nick left, she got up to use the bathroom and found a small wrapped package on the sink. She opened it and gasped at what she found inside. A note read, ‘For my silver-haired goddess. It belonged to my grandmother. I can’t imagine a better use for it than brushin
Nick …” she whimpered. “Please.” He brought his mouth up to capture her lips in a feverish kiss. Nick released his hold on her wrists, quickly unbuttoning his pants as he discarded them with ease. Staring deep into Vanessa’s green-grey eyes, he planted his hands firmly on the backs of her thighs and lifted her off the floor. Vanessa wrapped her legs around his waist, as he pressed her back harder up against the wall. She rocked back and forth, the friction between them feeling delicious and tortuous at the same time. Nick reached a hand between her thighs and guided his tip to her entrance. Without waiting for him, Vanessa pressed her hips up and forward, burying his hard length inside her. Nick growled and gripped her hips more tightly. Slowly, he began to move in and out. The rhythm continually increased as Vanessa gripped his shoulders and begged for more. The sensation of fullness when Nick was inside was absolutely mind blowing. She buried her hands in his shaggy, jet-black hai