Dimitri silently toyed with the medallion that hung about his neck, debating just how much he was willing to share. “It was in part because of your comfort in moving among humans, as well as your skills as a warrior,” he said, at last. “And the other part?”“I knew that you were the one person who would be able to sympathize with what Lily had endured.” Rhye flinched. “Because I’ve been tortured?”“Yes,” Dimitri admitted without apology. “You better than anyone could understand the damage that was done during her years of captivity, and offer patience while she struggled to come to terms with her newfound freedom.” The ancient Werewolves grimaced. “Although I’ll admit I didn’t anticipate quite so much patience.”Annoyance at having been needed not for his strength, but his weakness, stirred Rhye’s temper, adding a sudden chill to the air. “I beg your pardon?” "You know very well that she is the chosen one. Destined for greatness.""She doesn't remember, Dimitri. She didn't have her
Gliding in some weird stage between slumber and vague attention, Lily shifted on the expansive bed and reached her hand out.“Rhye?” Her voice was no more than an irregular whisper, but there was a movement to the side, and the edge of the bed dipped down as someone settled next to her.“Not Rhye, I’m afraid. Just a friend who has longed to meet you.” Cracking her eyes open a bare slit, Lily stilled as she caught sight of the tiny heart-shaped face that was all too familiar.Christ the woman was so beautiful, middle-aged. Elegant in the right places."I'm Dimitri's wife. My name is Demi."Same blond hair, although she was cut short and spiked. The same green eyes. The same slender body. Even the same stubborn line of their jaw. It would take only a glance at Demi’s serene expression and sweet smile to recognize the difference. There was nothing peaceful or adorable about Lily. Careful not to jolt her aching head, Lily scooted up the pile of pillows and glanced around the gold and iv
A pang of undeniable jealousy clenched Lily’s heart. God, why couldn’t she let it be that simple? Why couldn’t she just accept what others were so willing to offer? She restlessly shook her head. “I’m sorry, I have no right to pry.” “You’re not prying, and even if you were, you have every right. We’re family.” Demi smiled sweetly. “Lily, you have to understand, I am a human. My childhood was one of constant loneliness and the fear I would never truly belong anywhere. I didn’t know what I was or why I was so different, so I could never let anyone close, in case they realized I was…abnormal. And then Dimitri came crashing into my life, and I learned that I was a werewolf, if a rather dysfunctional one. I also learned I wasn’t alone. There are all sorts of wonderful, weird, and wacky demons in the world.” Lily snorted. “We can at least agree to that.” “I, at last, have a family who loves me exactly as I am, and it’s everything to me.” Demi leaned down to brush a light kiss on Lily’s tr
Rhye growled with impatience. The man's talent as an alpha guard clearly wasn’t his keen intelligence.“Then there’s a tunnel. You and your merry band of idiots—keep watch. I won’t be pleased with any unexpected visitors.”“Don’t give me orders.” the man snapped his fangs, his hands curled into fists large enough to smash a small car. Hell, maybe a midsize. “The others can keep watch, I’m coming with you.” Only Rhye’s swift reflexes saved the damned mutt's life. Catching Trevor’s arm as he surged toward the man, Rhye gave the younger werewolf a warning shake of his head. Once Alpha Stefan was found, Trevor could snack on as many mutts as he wanted. For now, they might need the man for considerable muscle, if not his less than the considerable brain. “Fine, just stay out of the way,” he warned. Allowing the grumbling Trevor to take the lead, Rhye entered the shadowed cabin, his instincts screaming as he moved toward the dead wolf in the middle of the floor. His brows snapped together
The last thing he could have endured was a mate who depended on him for her happiness. “I can’t force her to stay, not now that I have no pack, now that Leon took over my land, my people.” "So what are you planning?" "I'm going to take what's mine in the first place."Trevor flashed a wicked smile. “Good, but you can remind her what she’s missing.” They were thankfully interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps, and turning his head, Rhye watched the gang of Italian troops into the cabin, all fully dressed and loaded with enough firepower to take out Iraq.“We’re ready.” The bald man stated the obvious. Trevor muttered his opinion of working with stinking dogs, but with a wry grimace, he moved toward the doorway and stairs that led into the waiting tunnel. “Then let’s do this.”Left alone in the cabin, Rhye briefly considered his options. He could always join Trevor on the trail of Alpha Stefan. The ease that Almera had revealed in kidnapping a pureblood of Alpha Stefan’s str
Rhye jerked around, meeting Dimitri’s steady gaze with an undisguised surprise. Holy crap. He hadn’t seen that coming. “A Ranger?”Dimitri leaned back in the chair, his fingers steepled beneath his chin as he studied Rhye. “It’s rare that I find a warrior of your skill and loyalty. When I do, I’m smart enough to insist upon their service.”“Loyalty?” Rhye shook his head, wondering if the man was suffering from dementia. What else could possess the usually intelligent werewolf to make such a difficult offer? “In case you’ve forgotten, I don’t follow orders.”“Loyalty is different from blind obedience,” Dimitri disputed.“I often send out my Rangers on delicate tasks. I need soldiers who can think for themselves and make decisions when they can’t contact me.”Rhye snorted. “I’m about as fragile as a war hammer.”“Sometimes a mission takes a rapier, and sometimes it takes a war hammer.” Dimitri tapped his fingers on the glossy surface of the desk. “It’s my job to determine which weapon i
Lily couldn’t seem to do anything without messing it up lately. The Mess-Up Queen. “It has to be Francisco,” she muttered. “That’s our theory.”“That bastard needs to have his ass kicked.” Rhye shrugged, his hard muscles rippling beneath the tight black T-shirt.Hell, the man was edible. Her mouth went dry.“I believe Dimitri intends to nail his hide to the wall.”“That’ll work.” “Trevor’s on the trail. I’m sure he’ll let Dimitri know if he discovers anything.” With a stiff nod, Rhye turned back toward the door.Let him go, let him go, let him go…“Are you leaving?” The words bypassed her brain and burst from her lips. Once again, he grudgingly halted and turned. “I have my own lair. Or at least I did.” Without warning, that almost smile touched his lips, making her heart kick against her ribs. “The rats may have taken over while I was gone.” "Are you not going back in the… I mean your pack?" "Not mine anymore.""You… are not planning on taking it back from Leon?" "Soon." He mutt
“I told you, I told you, I told you,” she sang as she twirled to a halt directly in front of Lily. Lily rolled her eyes at her friend’s antics. “Christ, Tosa, you’re making me dizzy.”Tosa flashed her charming grin, looking about sixteen in her polka dot sundress that revealed her numerous tattoos. “I told you.”“Yes, well, you’ve told me that the old man who lives in 4B is actually an alien who missed his ride home on the mother ship. And that your dead mother communicates to you through tea leaves,” Lily said dryly. “You’re going to have to be a bit more specific.”“Here.”Taking the card that Tosa shoved into her hand, Lily studied the gilt name etched onto the expensive card paper. “Joseph Motherland.” With a frown, she lifted her head to meet Tosa’s expectant gaze. “What’s this?”“He’s waiting for you at the bar.”“Why would he be waiting for me?”“He owns a bazillion tourist shops around London. All in the most primo locations, I might add.” She heaved a wistful sigh. “God, I’
Shock at what she’d done had barely begun to flicker through her mind when she felt something heavy and oppressive build within her. A sudden, sharp pain in her chest had her crying out as something foreign inside her pulled tight, stretching like a rubber band. Oh, god, it hurts. It felt like every atom of her being was being simultaneously crushed and pulled to its breaking point. The foreign sensation grew stronger and heavier until it felt like she was being ripped apart. The agony was unreal. She tried to scream her pain, but her chest was caving in, and she couldn’t breathe. It was gathering her power. She could feel it, like a thorned vine, latching onto the tendrils; she could feel it squeezing them, choking them. With a violent, agonising wrench, it yanked her power back into her, the cold, burning pain of it tearing a ragged shriek from her throat. Like a hand swatting a fly, the whiplash of it folded her body in half and sent her hurtling toward the floor. Strong arms
Thighs clenching at the feel of it, so erotically foreign, yet so right, she writhed between kisses and moaned. In response, Rhye coils his tail around her leg, guiding her to widen her stance. He slipped a thigh between her legs at the same moment he cupped her breasts, as he sucked her earlobe into his mouth. Moaning in delight... "Oh, God..." Livia growled.The multitude of sensations had her crying out into Rhye’s mouth. Pressing her breasts into his hands, she ground down against his thigh, needing the pressure where she was so wet and swollen for him.Like an extra set of arms, she felt him wrap his majestic tail around her, enclosing her in a cocoon of warmth, safety, and need. Even with her eyes closed, she knew he didn’t surround her completely. She didn’t have to wonder why. The knowledge that he’d left a gap so she could breathe and her inner demon could watch unimpeded had a new rush of wetness slicking her core. It was like she had been transported to a different dimensio
That was enough to snap her out of the trance.Unsure if she was more freaked out about being hypnotized by a fucking tail, or charmed that it seemed to like her, she pet it in return, carefully stroking a fingertip lightly over the spade tip.If it were possible, her eyes would have widened even more at the shiver working through Rhye.Did he like that?Oh, how she wanted to play and find out.Soon, it retreated, and Livia marvelled at all three men as she really, truly realised that they weren’t humans. They were predators and, unlike humans, had the features necessary to both lure in prey and kill it. Joseph’s eyes, Rhye’s tail—they were all mesmerising."Like cuttlefish," she muttered under her breath.Rhye zeroed in on her and cocked his head. "What’s that?""Oh, nothing." Peering up at Rhye, she prompted, "You wanted to ask something earlier?"The alpha gave her a look that said he knew she was intentionally redirecting the conversation but that he was going with it. "How did it
The words escaped without thought, but she didn’t have the mental capacity to regret them, even when the room was suddenly full of low, masculine laughter."Does that mean you think I’m pretty, too?" Leon rumbled, his eyes, now a vivid purple, sparkling—literally sparkling—as though they were dotted with a thousand tiny stars.His voice had already been deep, but now it was even more so. The gravelly, bass sound vibrated through her like distant thunder but was also creepy at the same time, but Livia didn't show how scared she was of the two-headed wolf. There was something about Leon's wolf that made her shiver with fear. He was something else. There was darkness in him, and she could see it. Livia paused, seeing a vision of Leon killing Joseph in the subway, while Rhye was unconscious on his side. Livia gasped; anger settled over her, and rage throbbed in her like a heartbeat. Leon creeped into Joseph... He would kill him. Livia could feel it... She didn't have a choice but to use h
Livia frowned. She picked up on that apparently being a bad thing easily enough, but why he thought she would care was beyond her. When she voiced as much, he just blinked at her like she’d stunned him speechless; at first, she was sure.Peering between the two of them, she took in the tense set of their shoulders and the tightness in their expressions that lingered, despite her assurance that she didn’t care about their lack of purity.Deciding to fix the problem she’d inadvertently caused, Livia smiled softly at them. "I don’t care if you’re pure or as mixed as milk and coffee, but I’ve obviously stepped on a sore point, so I rescind my invitation." Hoping to lighten the mood, she ended with a haughty sniff and an imperious wave of her hand.Joseph’s eyes narrowed to suspicious slits. "Well! Now that you don’t want to see, I want to show you. What is this witchery?"Leon made a low sound and nodded, mimicking Joseph’s suspicious expression, though his grey eyes were dancing with amu
Speechless, Livia gaped at the beautiful monster before her. Drawn like a moth to a flame, she took a step closer, wanting, needing to see him, to touch him. She managed a single step before Rhye cursed, eyes wide and dark brows furrowed, as he stared down at himself."How the fuck did you do that?" he demanded, pinning her with a stunned look.God, but his eyes were unreal. Vibrant, ocean deep blue with a sunburst of bright green around the pupils. They were the eyes of a predator. Eyes of a pureblood alpha. She wanted to get lost in them, wanted to stare into them until she’d mapped every facet."I have no idea," she admitted with a slow shake of her head. At the disbelieving expression he gave her, she tried to think past the shock of seeing him and explained, "The heat of your power was starting to get painful, and then, all of a sudden, it felt like mine got pissed off and threw yours back at you.""You shouldn’t be capable of that," Rhye muttered, but it was said almost absently
The memory of the creepy, child-looking demon and the sensation of it sucking the power out of her, remembering how weak she’d felt afterward, sent a shiver down her spine and hardened her resolve. All her martial arts and self-defense training had been useless against the thrall it had used on her. She’d spent too long and worked too hard to not be a victim to give up on this now. Rhye smirked at her for the second time that day, setting a new record. His eyes shone with approval at the resolve in hers. “I can force your power out of you. If you’ll allow me to try,” he tacked on at the end. Livia appreciated the effort he was making to be more polite, now he knew she wasn’t a spy sent to surveil them. She just wasn’t sure how to react to this new Rhye. He’d gone from cold and dangerous to interested and almost nice. Almost. It was a jarring change. Seductive, dangerously enticing, and intriguing as hell, but still jarring. Livia glanced at them, gauging their reactions to his of
Cocking her head, Livia frowned at him. "I don’t understand." Her eyes went wide as it hit her. "Oh my god, I get it. So, if they make vampires popular in movies and books, demons will become stronger because more humans are glorifying them. Same for witches and werewolves and everything else, yes?""Exactly.""Holy shit. I wonder how much I affected them in my Twilight phase as a kid."Joseph growled, "Those fucking movies! The "vampire" and "werewolf" demons were out of control. The "underworld demons" were pissed. They’d been top dogs for most of what"—he glanced at Leon—"like the last thousand years?""Mm, thereabouts, yes.""Wait. Did I hear you say ‘top dogs’?" she asked, ignoring the twilight thing in favor of something more important."Yes, but now anymore," Leon nodded.“Spiteful little fuckers, really. And always hungry!” Joseph pointed to a few thin white scars crisscrossing the back of his hand, scars she’d somehow never noticed before. “They like people meat, and they are
"As Joseph said, it’s not exclusively a torture chamber, and it’s not used as such all that often. Only when we’re left with no other recourse," Rhye soothed with a small smile.Her gentle giant, the man who touched her with such tenderness and care, was talking about torturing people with about the same amount of contrition as confessing he didn’t always take the time to recycle.That wasn’t actually what shocked her, though. She knew they were on the dark grey side of the morality scale.When she continued to frown at him, he lifted a hand and cupped her cheek, looking suddenly unsure. "Does that bother you, Livia? Would it help to know we don’t hurt the innocent?"Rhye was very still at her back, she noticed. He hadn’t pulled away from her physically, but she could sense him closing off, could almost feel him pulling the cold, unfeeling mask back into place.Joseph, who’d strolled farther into the room, snorted. "Of course she knows that!" He stopped walking when she didn’t immedia