"He's right," Bella said evenly. It felt like something would break if she spoke, but once the words were finally out, they were crystal clear. "I was hunting him and I killed him."Victor watched her, unable to veil his horror. It was even worse than Darian's overt disgust. He shook his head slowly. "I don't believe that, but right now we have to get out of here." He was disheveled for the second time since he had known her. She had been the cause on both occasions. She really did bring out the worst in them both. Victor helped her to her feet and she stumbled. She wasn't shaking, but her legs didn't seem to want to work right, either. She knew she wasn't in shock, though. Shock was when you couldn't feel anything. She could feel shame and a perverse sense of satisfaction in what she had done that bred even more shame.Suddenly, she remembered her broken belt and pulled her shirt down to hide it before either of them could notice and start asking question
“Bella, your six o'clock session is here.” Clara peeked into the lounge, her freshly-cut black hair falling in an angled bob just below her chin. Bella set her tablet on the coffee table and stood to stretch. “Thanks. Ready to go, Brendan?” She glanced back at the tall wolf whose giant shoulders were hunched over as he typed out a message on his iPhone. He looked up and swept his tapered brown hair out of his eyes.“Yeah,” he said, leading the way out of the lounge.“Room fifteen,” Clara said, quickly stepping aside so they could pass.Brendan put his hand on Bella's back and pushed her toward the elevator that would take them to the most obscure wing of the dungeon. He didn't say much, but at least he was willing to talk to her. It had been three months since the incident at the rest stop and most of the others were either afraid of her or disgusted by her now that they knew what she was. Even Clara looked at her like she was ready to snap at any moment. Either Brendan didn't ha
Bella nodded. She thought of speaking to him telepathically—Victor's lessons had allowed her to hone that ability, even if she still wasn't capable of what she had been during her showdown with Sarah—but decided against it. Wolves were understandably funny about anyone being inside their heads, especially a vampire. They even shied away from Victor because of his abilities. Bella didn't want to risk her tentative rapport with the only wolf in the house who wasn't afraid of her. “I'm sure,” Bella said. He relaxed a little and returned his attention to Maverick. “Fine,” he said, taking up his station leaning against the wall to observe.“He's not staying in here,” said Mr. Hall. It was a question, as much as he wanted to pretend like he could order them around. Part of him knew better.“The hell I'm not,” said Brendan.“If you know about supernaturals, then you know I'm in these handcuffs for a reason and it's not because Brendan has a kink,” Bella said
Bella hesitated. “We were. I'm not sure about that now that he knows I'm a bloodsucking leech.”“I doubt he'll care. He's used to them,” Brendan said. He winced. “Sorry. You know what I meant.”Bella shrugged. “Just because I've accepted what I am doesn't mean she can't be realistic about it.”He sighed. “Thank you for being gentle with him.”“Of course. She cares about him,” Bella said pointedly, watching him. “Obviously, so does he.”He rolled his eyes. “I might not be in charge of the Lodge like her boyfriends, but I'm still a Dom. I care whenever I see a sub getting mistreated.”“Okay, A,” Bella said, giving him a look, “you don't look at him like he's just another sub you're worried about. Did you guys have a thing?”“I don't see how it's any of your business, but no, we've never had a 'thing,'” he replied. Either he was telling the truth or he was a complete psychopath who didn't show any of the telltale signs of lying. Bella was getting to know Brendan well enough to know
Bella smiled to mask a twinge of something impossibly close to hurt. Leave it to Victor to be the one who could make her feel love and Darian to be the one who could make her feel pain. It was almost a welcome sensation.“She wouldn't worry about that, Darian,” Bella said, taking a swig of water. “Between your brother's bed and his dungeon, she's all tapped out.”His glare felt like the closest thing to a kiss she was ever going to get from him. His massive hand gripped the door frame and a loud crack was heard. He stepped away before he could break the entire thing.“You're not even putting in a half-assed effort to hide the fact that you're a psychopath now, are you?”She shrugged. “I'd say I'm putting about as much effort into that as you're putting into pretending like you didn't abandon me out of sheer disgust.”“I didn't abandon you,” he snapped. “I needed time, and you both jumped at the chance.”“See it however you want. I needed you and he was there. Do I have to rem
“Yes, I do,” Bella insisted. “That's what you're getting at, right? You want me to volunteer before you do it.”“W-what?” he stammered. “Before I do what?”“Put me down for killing Maverick,” Bella said, growing impatient with all his obfuscating. Sometimes the dumb jock routine was more inconvenient than endearing. “You kill vampires all the time, it won't be hard. Especially not for you. Then you'll be free of the mark, and I won't be able to hurt anyone ever again.”“See what you've done?” Brendan growled. “Fucking asshole.”Darian kept his eyes on Bella, ignoring him. They were filled with concern for the first time since she could remember. “I’m not gonna do that, Bella. Brendan is right, this was a terrible idea, but I had to take the opportunity. Maverick isn't dead, he's fine. You didn't kill him.”Bella shook her head. “Don't lie to me, Darian. That's the only thing I've ever been able to count on you for, telling me the truth.”“I'm not lying,” he said, his voice so
Bella stared at him, shocked that someone in the Lodge besides Clara was actually asking for her opinion. “Uh, yeah,” Bella said stiffly. “It's fine, I don't care.”Brendan shrugged. “Get changed then, we'll be outside,” he said, walking out of the room. He paused at the door when Darian lingered. “Uh, dude?”The massive wolf sighed and followed Bella's champion out of the room. Bella opened the bag and made quick work of changing into the skinny jeans and flowy gray-striped top before they could change their minds. She still wasn't sure about being around people, but the fact that she would be flanked by two of the strongest wolves in the pack eased her concerns a bit. That and the tranquilizer made it hard enough for her to put one foot in front of the other, never mind coordinate an attack. Anyway, if Victor and Ulric had their way, she'd probably never get the chance to see daylight again.Even so, the knowledge that Maverick was alive had done nothing to change the deci
“I'm good,” Bella said, ignoring Darian. That might have been an exaggeration, but it wasn't a complete lie either. She had been breathing regularly for a full two minutes, and she wasn't ready to lunge yet. Of course she was still hungry after not feeding much the day before. Since Maverick's master had destroyed her entire supply of werewolf blood she was particularly restless, if anything, but she didn't feel like she was anywhere close to attacking someone.A woman squeezed by them in the narrow aisle, nearly all of which was taken up by Darian and Brendan. Her scent lingered in the air and Bella's nose wrinkled involuntarily. Two sets of keen wolf eyes were on her in an instant.“I'm fine,” she said, taking a slow, controlled breath. Victor had warned her to always stay consistent with her breathing so nothing could surprise her.“I don't think this was a good idea,” said Darian.“She can't spend the rest of eternity in the dungeon,” said Brendan, a bit too loudly. Ano
Bella froze when she realized what she was doing and tossed the pieces in the empty bread basket to hide the evidence. “Sorry,” she murmured, blushing. “You uh, get my blood boiling.”“I can tell,” he said, blinking. He looked down at his hands. “I'm sorry. I had no idea I was that intolerable.”“But you're not,” Bella said earnestly. “You make me angrier than anyone else, but you also make me laugh more than anyone else. You push me, sometimes to the brink of sanity, but she's a better person when she's with him. He's all of those annoying things, but he's also sweet and funny and protective and so compassionate toward the other members of the pack. He's a natural-born leader, and a good one. Whenever she sees the way he is with the other wolves, the way he cares for them and puts their needs above his own without even thinking, she falls a little more in love with him.” He stared at her in shock. “You love me? And you're admitting that freely?”Bella laughed, embarrassed. T
Bella reached across the table and rested her hand on his forearm. “You make it sound like I'm the one who's out of your league and not the other way around.” His eyebrows knit into a perplexed frown. He finally relaxed as if he'd given up trying to figure out whatever it was that was bothering him. “You are. Even aside from the fact that you're probably one of the mythological creatures our entire religion is based on, I don't deserve you. Neither does he, but I'm a big enough man to admit that Vic is a hell of a lot closer to being worthy of you than I am.” “Don't be so sure about that,” Bella said with a wry smile. “You both have your positive qualities.” “And negative ones, I'm sure.” Bella smiled wider.“Well, let's have it. Give me the side-by-side analysis,” he said, sitting back and folding his hands studiously on the table in front of him since he had already finished his meal.She laughed, but stopped abruptly when she realized he wasn't kidding. “You're
Bella reached across the table and rested her hand on his forearm. “You make it sound like I'm the one who's out of your league and not the other way around.” His eyebrows knit into a perplexed frown. He finally relaxed as if he'd given up trying to figure out whatever it was that was bothering him. “You are. Even aside from the fact that you're probably one of the mythological creatures our entire religion is based on, I don't deserve you. Neither does he, but I'm a big enough man to admit that Vic is a hell of a lot closer to being worthy of you than I am.” “Don't be so sure about that,” Bella said with a wry smile. “You both have your positive qualities.” “And negative ones, I'm sure.” Bella smiled wider.“Well, let's have it. Give me the side-by-side analysis,” he said, sitting back and folding his hands studiously on the table in front of him since he had already finished his meal.She laughed, but stopped abruptly when she realized he wasn't kidding. “You're
“Not sweet, innocent Clara,” Bella said doubtfully. “Oh, I've caught Jason coming out of her apartment once or twice.” “Jason and Clara?” Bella blanched. “But he's so... He chuckled at her reaction. “I know. Doubt he's her type, but the moon makes everyone go crazy, especially unmated fleurs. The rest of us try to stick to our subs, but what happens on a full moon stays on a full moon.”“Until now,” Bella reminded him. “You just told me.”“Hey, you didn't hear it from me.”Bella grinned mischievously. “Nope. I'm thinking now I own you.”“I don't go that way, kiddo. Not even for you,” he scoffed. “Now, if you ever decide you want a new master...”“My contract with Victor isn't exclusive. And don't try to change the subject.”“Sheesh. Okay, fine. It's probably already pretty obvious, but Brendan and Clarence don't just take care of Foster's emotional needs. They share him as a sub, but there's no relationship there otherwise. I'm pretty sure even that's tapered off since
"Are all the others out?" Bella asked, noting that the lot was almost empty. "Most of them," he said. "Clara and your dad are still around, as usual. Vic has been holed up in his office all day. Hunter and Clarence are still frolicking in the woods somewhere. Brendan was heading out with Maverick last I heard and uh, I think I saw Sarah with Jason." Anger started to boil inside Bella, but it couldn't take hold for some reason. "Oh, whatever," she muttered. "As long as she's leaving Dad alone." He glanced at her as he turned onto the road that led past campus. "That's a surprisingly zen attitude you got there." "I'm trying out a new approach to life," Bella said, admiring the heavily forested path. He shrugged. "Hey, I'm not complaining as long as you're okay.""I'm okay," Bella said. For the first time in a long time, she meant it.No one said a word for the rest of the ride. Darian took them into the city, or at least what passed for one in their little section o
A knock at the door jolted Bella awake from the most delightful nap. Despite the dull throbbing in her head, she woke feeling more refreshed and alive than she had in recent memory. “Be right there,” she called, yawning as she sat up. Her head spun a bit once she got to her feet, but it wasn't bad enough to make her stagger.On her way to the door, she noticed something strange about her room. All her stuff was there, but it looked like half of the room had been cleared out. Before the thought could trouble her too much, she remembered that Victor had probably just come for the remainder of his old things. She did have his old room, after all. Strange that he wouldn't have mentioned it, though.She shrugged it off and pulled the door open to find Darian waiting on the other side. At least, she thought it was Darian. The man before her had lightly slicked back hair, a stark contrast from his usual tousled brown locks. He wasn't wearing a suit or anything, but for Darian, a gray b
When Bella turned around, he was walking toward her calmly. She pressed herself against the door and struggled to slow her fluttering pulse as she looked around the room for escape. The window was too far to reach, and even if she did somehow manage to escape, she would only be prolonging the inevitable. Once Victor set his mind on something, no matter how horrible that something was, he got it. It briefly occurred to her that maybe that was why he was doing this. Maybe he thought his will had been strong enough to conquer her own and that removing all traces of it was the only way she would truly be free to choose. “I'm sorry, pup. I didn't want this to be a traumatic experience,” he murmured. “I was planning on waiting until tomorrow night, but it's just as well that I don't have time to talk myself out of this.” “Please don't do this,” she begged for what seemed like the hundredth time. “I don't want to forget you.” “You won't forget me,” he said softly. “J
“Of course,” Bella said, startled that he felt like he had to ask. “Well, I know you didn't like him so I just thought...” He trailed off, losing his enthusiasm for a moment. “Thank you. It would mean a lot to have you there. Victor is coming, and he said your dad would probably want to come, too.” He glanced toward the stairs. “I'll let you go; I have to find Brendan.” “He's probably still out with the others celebrating, but I know he was planning on seeing if you wanted to go out later,” Bella said carefully. “Oh, darn. I wanted to invite him, but I'll just have to wait until later. Bye, Bella!” he waved, already halfway down the hall. “Bye, Mav.” Bella waved back, mystified. Barely recovered from the macabre interaction, she knocked on Victor's office door and waited for permission before she entered. “Aren't you supposed to be with him?” was his immediate response. “Hi to you, too,” Bella muttered, walking over to his desk.He gave her an apologetic sm
“I'm fine,” Bella lied, brushing past her. She grabbed Bella's arm before she could head up the stairs. “You're a terrible liar,” she said, sounding a bit disappointed. “You get that from your father, obviously. Tell me what's wrong, maybe I can help.” “I went out to watch the others shift,” Bella said, leaning on the railing. “Now there's an all-American pastime,” she said, casting a lustful glance in the direction of the forest. “Honey, trust me, if your boy toys are upset about you sneaking a little peek at the competition, they probably don't have the equipment for the job in the first place.” “That's not it!” Bella snapped. “And they both have plenty of equipment for the—they're both well equipped, okay?” Bella stammered. “That's not what this is about.” “No?” She blinked. “Then what?” “I left the Lodge by myself. Months ago, Victor put a mental block up that would keep me from leaving the Lodge without permission,” Bella said. “It was our trade