What will he do??
~Javed’s Point of View~ ~Flashback, The 1920’s~ “Don’t be like that! This place is the cat’s pajamas,” Setareh squeals, moving her hips to the music, wanting me to dance with her. Like usual. She wants a younger looking male on her arm so publicly she looks youthful. I step back, adjust my dress jacket and groan. Why do I still stand next to her and feel as though I need to ask permission to leave? With as many times as I’ve left her, you’d think it would be easy to go. Just leave, Javed. You don’t need this shit tonight, or any night. Hassan grabs her hand and twirls her out on the dance floor, a massive grin on his face. His love for her has never been more obvious and still she returns his affections with scraps. He falls for it, every single time. But even as a human he was ten years her elder and it’s permanently stuck in his features. “You vamp you,” Hassan teases, loving to play on words. Vampires love a good pun. It’s ironic but vampires are actually becoming a topic of
~Javed’s Point of View~ ~Still 1920's Two Months Later~ “Go! Go!!! Come on Brandywine you can do it old girl,” I shout, waving my ticket in the air. The crowd behind me is yelling and some even throw things. Even though holding my breath is unnecessary I find myself doing it. At the last second, I even close my eyes. “Annnnnd BY A NOSE it’s BRANDYWINE taking first place,” the announcer shouts. “YEAH!!! YES!!! That’s my girl,” I cry out, kissing my winning ticket and raising my tophat in the air. Adrenaline rushes through me with a slight warmth to it. I’ve just won three thousand dollars in the blink of an eye. I hardly need the money, sure. But the thrill of the victory, of always picking the winner is what gets me off. With this score though I’ll be able to find a very nice house to rent somewhere quiet or even just buy it outright. Where that is, I don’t quite know yet. “I guess dinner and a show are on you,” I hear, and immediately cringe. I put my hat back on my head an
~Javed’s Point of View~ When she lunges at me, I’m prepared. The first thing I did was scan the room for weapons, and there are several. I have no idea what type of factory this place is but thank god it’s ripe for a fight. I dodge her and grab a saw blade so fast she can’t see it from above me. I raise it over my head and strike. “Ahhh! You bastard! I loved this gown,” she shouts, shrieking at the cut down her side. Blood drips from two stubs that used to have fingers. I want to grin but there’s no time to be arrogant. Of course she’s only mad about the dress. All the more proof of who she really is. The damn dress is the least of your worries. The smell of her blood flares in my nostrils. Sure, vampires feed from one another, it’ll do in a pinch if you’re starving but it’s not live blood. It’s the only dead blood in fact that we can drink and not have a seizure. I consider lunging at her and draining her myself but the thought of having another drop of her blood in my body more
~Aurora’s Point of View~ ~Present~ “Vampire stuff is the messiest stuff. Always drama, fighting. I was really counting on an easy life, none of them were supposed to wake on my watch and since we have only the three tombs and they were all full, I didn’t think we’d get anymore. What a fucking mess,” Alpha Killian shouts, slamming his fist on the table and making me jump. Two others in the room do as well. Per Javed’s instruction, I was inducted into the pack this first thing morning. It was quick and there were only a couple witnesses. I hated that Matthew missed it but I couldn’t wait for him to come out and I didn’t want to take him from his family. Being able to mind-link people is already overwhelming and I don’t think I like it. Of course Javed doesn’t have brain waves so I’ll never be able to do it with him. *I miss him so much,* Lucy whines and I have to roll my eyes. If it's all impossible for me to understand, it’s even worse for her. She doesn’t care about their politic
~Javed’s Point of View~ ~Present~ The second night after visiting Setareh, she was gone when I woke and no one wanted to tell me if she’d be back or not. I decided I couldn’t let her rule me anymore than she does. I felt stupid for even coming here in the first place. I dress modestly, and nervously fidget with my collar. I’m desperate to call and speak with Aurora, but I can’t tell her all I need to over the phone. Though since I have no clue how the night will go, it’s a huge gamble. I hate to agree with Setareh but she’s right about turning myself into the council. It has to be done. Even if they lock me up and throw away the key, I wouldn’t have fully bonded with Aurora and Lucy. They won’t feel my pain. While emotionally they’ll be wrecked, it will lessen with time. I tell myself this is the only choice. If they find me later and come for me, it’ll be far worse. Likely the final death. When I visit the island where I had been entombed, it’s nearly impossible not to fly th
~Aurora’s Point of View~ I listen impatiently as Javed spills his guts to a room of males that I wish would disappear. While I understand he doesn’t want to tell his story several times, I desperately want him to myself. There's been a constant weird ache in my bones these last couple of days when we're apart unlike anything I've ever felt. Lucy is beyond restless at times and it keeps waking me up. Matthew needed to be present for this meeting too, and I’d had to wait while Javed flew over to get him. Lucy of course, yelled at me the entire time, wanting him with us. And my sister… Ohh, my dear sister… Pretended to miss me and acted like it wasn’t even a big deal for her to be here. I told her flat out that she wasn’t welcome and she needed to turn around and leave. She claimed she tried to get here for my shift but had ten excuses as to why she missed it. I ditched her with a couple females her age the first chance I got especially since I need to warn Matthew before he just sees
~Javed’s Point of View~~Three Months Later~“Yes, yes! That’s it! I knew you could do it,” I shout, a massive grin on my face as I dip my sweet.The song ends as she struggles to catch her breath. But the way her face is lit up with absolute happiness is everything I desperately want to see. I’d treated her to the local cuisine in Medellín, Colombia, then took her dancing. We don’t venture out all the time, but at least twice a week I surprise her with a new date destination.“Ohh Javed! I can’t believe it,” she squeals, throwing her arms around me. I kiss her neck and stroke her hair, filled with so much emotion. Every single night with her is just more and more. When I’m certain I’ll burst with it all, there’s something else. A new revelation about what she likes or she surprises me by nailing a salsa routine we’d been working on. Her passion to learn warms my black heart, because I have so much knowledge to share and before meeting her, never cared to waste time talking to anyon
~Aurora’s Point of View~ As I lay on our bed, naked and desperate with anticipation, I hate that my mind wanders to Brenna. Seeing her belly grow full this last month has hit me in a way I never imagined. She’s been so completely back and forth about what to do with the baby but the pack has been extremely clear about one big thing: she leaves when it's born. Whether she leaves it here to live or takes it with her, this is it. And once she’s gone she is not to be allowed back. There was also a strict rule that she not venture onto Matthew’s island, though I’m nearly sure his mate would claw out Brenna’s eyes if given the chance. There was also an even stricter rule that no male, absolutely no male was to touch her. Not even to flirt with her, by the Alpha’s orders. Anyone caught touching her would lose a finger. I’m certain it’s making her insane but it’s necessary. I made no attempts to rekindle any sort of sisterly bond, and thankfully she didn’t seem interested either. She offere
~Aurora’s Point of View~ When we’re outside what I remember to be the palace where Setareh lived, my eyes are wide. The place is now deserted, and completely dark. But there’s a very eerie feeling over the place and it’s absolutely nowhere I want to go. My eyes quickly move to Brenna, and I have to wonder if this will make her freak out. “They added onto the place over time but I’ve been here over the last couple of decades out of curiosity. There’s one thing I never quite told Javed and there’s no time like the present,” Artoosh says, as we all turn to stare at him. Javed especially looks puzzled. He and his father have grown so close that I can’t imagine them having any secrets. Artoosh waves for us all to follow him and I hold the hands of both my mates and make a face. *What the fuck is this place,* Mase asks, over mind-link. Lucy paces in my mind as if she should be ready for a threat but with three vampires by our side any threat in here should be what’s scared. *Javed’s
~Twenty Years Later~ ~Aurora’s Point of View~ “This could never get old,” Mase says, as I lean back into him. I gaze out at the insane view, wishing I could see it in the daytime. We’re perched on a flat sliver of rock overlooking the Grand Canyon and it’s breathtaking even in the darkness. Thank the Goddess for shifter’s night vision. Lucy immediately perks up my ears at all the different sounds of animals below. Just when I think Javed has shown me all the beauty this world has to offer, when I think I’m stunned, we visit somewhere we’ve already been but I fall in love with it all over again. Javed sits in front of me, and as usual I’m happily squeezed between my warm and cool mates. “I promised Rosie and her mate I’d take them out tomorrow night. They’re looking at the Maldives. Which probably means they’ll need a babysitter,” Javed says, a lazy smile on his face. Grandparents. We’re grandparents now. How fucking bizarre! Eleven so far and counting. Some days I can barel
~Aurora’s Point of View~ ~A Year And A Half Later~ “We don’t have much time,” I whisper, as I grind on Javed’s hard thickness. When he looks at me like I’m the only female in existence, like I’m his goddess, nothing else truly does exist. Except when you’re a mother of six pups and ohh, you have another mate in the house that literally always knows what you’re doing. Not only can he hear you, but he can feel you through the bond. And his parents are always around. And my parents and brother. Goddess I miss the privacy of the beach house I knew I should have asked to go tonight. “Yes, Javed, ohhh right there,” I whisper, as he grips my hips and pumps into me. *Hmmm, this is incredible, but do you know what would be better…* Lucy says, moving my thoughts where she wants them. I run my nails down Javed’s chest, drawing a bit of blood as she makes me see what she wants. What she dreams of, and I literally can’t focus. She’s been bringing this up for months but lately it’s every s
~Aurora’s Point of View~ “I think he’ll surprise you,” I say, trying to be upbeat. *Of course he will,* Lucy chirps, practically half asleep. It’s literally taking all my energy, cause I’m fucking exhausted. It’s just after two in the morning and while I’d love nothing more than to stay with my vampire lover, I know my family is also waiting for me. I’d mind-linked Mase to tell him I was going to the beach house when Javed first came, and he understood that meant I may not be home. “Just come at dusk with an open mind, okay,” I say, as Javed kisses my forehead. I look back at the Midnight Protectors packhouse which is mostly dark and quiet. “You say that like I’m not already a fool at your mercy,” he teases, his eyes lighting with mischief. Lucy bats her eyes playfully as if he can see her. Goddess I miss that so damn much! His impossibly sexy flirting. I’d melt if I had even an ounce of energy left in my body, but I simply don’t right now. He walks me to the door, and kisse
~Javed’s Point of View~ ~Three Weeks Later~ “This is bullshit Hassan, I’m fine. I would never, ever hurt her, let me see my Aurora,” I growl, ready to rip his head off. “Tsk, tsk, that hostility is why you need more time,” he says, wagging his finger at me. I’m nearly ready to punch a hole in the wall when suddenly everything stops. Time seems to stop. I draw a deep breath and catch the familiarity of what I know can only be … my father. Just last week when I was coherent enough to understand, Hassan told me what happened. I simply still can’t believe it but when I think about Setareh in those early days, I know it in my black heart to be true. This is the very level of cruelty that she aspired to. Forcing me to remain by her side all these years knowing that the only creature, the only person who ever loved me was nothing but a pile of bones, descended into absolute madness by her hand… As if she didn’t fuck him up enough in his human life. When he thought she loved him and bo
~Aurora’s Point of View~ I can’t for the life of me understand if this is some kind of psychological torture bullshit, but for probably ten minutes the vampires have been doing literally nothing but standing on the beach watching us. Some freakish curiosity? Jealous of what they could never have? A true mate? A beating heart? But there’s nothing we can do. Mase’s dick is still inside me, neither of us really wanting to move. I know he’s sure as hell not letting me out of his grasp. *What do you think they’re doing,* I ask, over mind-link as I rest my head on his chest. *I wish I fucking knew. This is stupid, fucking dumb,* he says, and it's obvious his level of irritation has spiked. Out here he’s not a Gamma or a fierce fighter, a father or a son. He’s just a blood bag. Our question gets answered pretty quickly when two new vampires practically fall out of the sky and stare at us. Mase has since tied my bikini back on, not that it really freakin’ matters. But if it helps him
“Just one night Mase,” I whisper, as I look up at him from the floor of the walk in closet. The carpet in here is impossibly soft and it smells more like Javed in here than anywhere else. I’ve already decided I’m staying in there, naked and rolling around all night. Goddess knows if this carpet could talk… “Baby I can’t just leave you out here unprotected. If something happened to you I’d never forgive myself,” he says, not backing down. “There’s a panic room in his office where he’d slumber for the day, it’s fireproof, all that. I can go down there if I have an issue,” I insist. His chest growls slightly and I can’t blame him. The idea of Mase raising four pups on his own is in fact terrifying. I’d never want that. But I need this. “Surely there’s a hotel or something on the island, that’s the best I’ll do. I have to at least be that close if you need me,” he says, running his hand through his hair. He looks so damn sexy, he’s gotten a lot of sun today. We stare at each other
~Aurora’s Point of View~~One Month Later~“Goddess, I’ve never been so happy to see a familiar face,” I sigh, as I practically lurch myself at Matthew. I have literally no idea where my pups, mate and family are but I could care less. Being cooped up in a wagon with pups that have way too much energy is anything but ideal. Sleeping in a tent is hell on earth and I’m convinced we’ll have to stay at Midnight Protectors for a year because I am NOT making that trip again any time soon.That journey is a HELL of a lot better in a vampire’s arms. Even when I first went to Midnight Moon I did travel by horse and we did the trip in two days. This … was over a freakin’ WEEK.“Glad to see you sweetie,” Matthew says, rubbing my back.He abruptly clears his throat and pulls back. “Guessing the guy looking at me like he’s going to rip my head off for touching you is Mason,” he says, shaking his head and laughing. Just then his pups descend on me and I scoop one up quickly and coo at it. Ohh, I
~Aurora’s Point of View~ ~Two Years Later~ “Colton! You knock it off,” I snap, as I drop the laundry basket and watch as the clothes go all over the place. I make a face but then look down at the chubby cheeks of my two month old angel Violet and smile. “I’m gonna get you,” Rosie shouts, as she continues to chase her brothers. Closing my eyes, I count to ten. When they pop back open, Lucy is trying to calm me down but it’s useless. Mase has been out all morning doing Goddess knows what and I’ve been alone with four pups on nearly no sleep!! “Fuck this,” I whisper, as I turn and walk straight into the pantry and shut the door. I instantly curse that there is no lock on it, but none of our doors have locks. I close my eyes again and let my forehead thunk against the wall. *It’s gonna be okay, some days will be hard,* Lucy coos. A tear falls down my cheek as I recall the pains I had last night, Javed’s pain. It’s truely fucking horrible and I just can’t understand how it doe