~Devonte~Fuck! What did you do, Abe?! ABE?!You called for me?Cut the shit! What did you do?!I have no idea what you mean. Looks like we just lost to mate.NOT THAT!! I’m breathing heavily, wishing I could pull Abe out of my consciousness and beat his ass.You couldn’t last against me. I growl, not in the mood for his games.Why the fuck did I get turned on during that….with her?Well, I’m no biology teacher, but I think I paid enough attention when you were in school. He clears his throat. When a man and a woman……..nope, my bad. Wrong talk. He laughs…..the piece of shit laughs.I’ve never gotten aroused when sparing before, and I’ve gone against other women. Oh, that part. I told you I didn’t want to join you, and it’s usually me who dampens our desires so you can spar with a clear head. It usually isn’t hard to do because your mindset isn’t sexual when sparing. You were going against mate this time, so that’s an entirely different situation. You bastard!Now, now…….that just is
~Abe~Her fingers in my fur are heaven on Earth, I swear. I’m tempted to see if she will scratch my belly. I hate to even think about that as if I’m some domesticated pet, but I bet it would feel just as good as this.I’m not surprised by her questions. I figured that she could tell how Devonte was responding to her. I find it funny, but I’m also a bit nervous. I know I told my human that only our mate would accept every part of us, but I don’t truly know that to be a fact. If our true nature turns off Lynn, I don’t know that I’d be able to survive that.I couldn’t even gather myself to face this question head-on before a twig snaps, gaining mine and Lynn’s attention. “Yes. That’s exactly what happened to the deviant.” Ah, hell no! How did this bitch know where to find me and when I’m with my mate, no less? I really don’t want to deal with her right now.I go with my gut and lift my block on Devonte. He was trying to break free to disappear when Lynn came around. I wasn’t going to let
~Tia~Lynn flew down the streets like a bat out of hell. I had to grip the car door so that I wouldn’t slide around the car. I’m so glad that I’m not pregnant right now because I’d be tossing my cookies at this point.Lynn pulls into the mall parking lot, throwing the car into park. She scrambles to unbuckle her seatbelt while I try to catch my breath. “Come on, let’s go!”“STOP!” Lynn stops moving and looks at me. I take a deep breath and swallow. “You’re my girl, and I’d do anything for you, but what the hell is going on?” Lynn sighs and sits back.“Devonte challenged me this morning.”“Yeah, I heard. I also heard you won that challenge.” Lynn looks away from me.“About that…..well….I technically won, but…..”“But?!” Lynn sighs.“So when we were sparing, Devonte got…..well….he got worked up.”“Worked up?”“He….he got excited.”“You’re his mate.”“No, I mean, yes I am, but that’s not what I mean.” Lynn turns to me and grabs my hand. “Bestie, I think that Devonte likes to be dominated
~Sonya~I wanted to rip her head off! How dare she sit with my mate as if she belongs there. He’s mine, and I won’t give up the benefits that come with being with him just because she doesn’t know her place. After walking around for a while, I decide to talk to my mate.I find him in the closet, shifting through his clothes when I get to the room. He has freshly showered and smells really good. He looks indecisive, which is weird. He’s only like this when he’s trying to dress to impress, and he doesn’t know the best way to do that. “What exactly are you doing?” Devonte looks at me like a deer caught in headlights. Why he looks so guilty, I have no idea.We stand staring at each other; the silence is starting to piss me off. I cross my arms over my chest and begin to tap my foot. “Well?!” Devonte shakes his head and goes back to examining his clothes.“I’m going out.” I continue to stare at him, waiting for more of an explanation. “I’m having dinner with Lynn.” I drop my arms and slowl
~Ivan~It’s been hard lately, but I wouldn’t change anything. My love has been by my side, and I’m eternally grateful. She’s been keeping her distance, but I’d rather have her here and keeping away than to be away from me.That damn gremlin was in here again, messing with her. I would end him, but he’s been vital to my survival all this time. I heard their conversation, and I didn’t like it. I don’t need her to be pressured into anything. I want her to accept me on her own and not because she’s forced to. “I’m sorry about him. He tends to speak without thinking. I will make sure he stays out of here so you won’t have to worry about him anymore.” Aida doesn’t respond, but I didn’t expect her to. I just want her to know I didn’t send him here to say anything to her. It’s important that she sees me in a favorable light.Aida is looking at me in a different way than usual. She’s looking at me as if she wants me, but I know that isn’t right. She’s wanted nothing to do with me since our las
~Lynn~I don’t wait for Devonte to walk with me. I make sure I swish my hips as I walk because I know he’ll look. I get into the driver’s seat of the waiting SUV and wait for Devonte to get in. Nothing happens for a while, so I look to the side, and Devonte looks at me like I’m crazy. I give him an award-winning smile. “Get in the car, handsome. I’m driving. It isn’t like you know where to go or anything.” He hesitates for a minute, then gets in the car.The energy inside the car is a bit charged. I guess he doesn’t like me taking over to drive. I laugh internally at that. If this bothers him, he’s in for a rude awakening. I plan to be the master over all he sees for the night.I pull away from the packhouse and drive out of the gates. We won’t be going too far, but he doesn’t know that. I figure that part of my plan should include making him see how desirable I am. It never hurts to show the guy what he could be missing out on if he doesn’t get it together.The trip takes about twent
~Aida~The silence grows between us, and it’s starting to make me anxious. This is a vampire sitting across from me; he’s a vampire and my fated mate. I have no idea how I’ve gotten to this point or what I’m expected to do from here.Ivan takes a deep breath and lets it go, leaning forward. He rests his elbows on his knees and places his head in his hands. “I haven’t been a good man, like ever.” Here we go. “I wasn’t born a vampire; I was turned. I happened to rob the wrong person…..well, I tried to anyway.” Ivan chuckles and sits back in the chair. “I thought it would be the payday that would set me up for life, but I was wrong. I was wrong about my setup, that is.”“I had been watching a house that held a lot of expensive items. I went in one night, expecting it to be a quick grab, but I didn’t make it out. I had no idea it was a vampire I was robbing; I didn’t even know they existed.” Ivan sighs and shifts in his seat. “He bit me and made me like him. He also took me under his wing
~Devonte~Dinner was pretty good, but enjoying it with my mate sitting across from me was hard. I kept noticing her every movement, how she chews, how her tongue grazes her lips. I wanted to be the fork she ate with, the cup she drank from. Hell, I wanted to be the food itself.I somehow managed to finish eating, and now we are sitting quietly with an after-dinner drink. “We should talk.” I look up at Lynn, her fingers caressing her glass. I clear my throat.“Yes, we should.” I take a deep breath, ready to get this over with, and try to salvage any relationship I may still have with Sonya.“Were you turned on when we were sparing?” Shit! This question again? She’s like a dog with a freaking bone. I would have thought she would have let that go by now.“I don’t really want to talk about that. We have more important things to discuss.” Lynn gets up and saunters out of the room. I turn to watch her but lose her once she gets past the doorway. I’m not sure if I should follow her or not. T
6 Months Later~Paul~It’s been six long months, and Nikki still hasn’t woken up. Owlyn has been here and tried to get a response from her. Nothing has worked because she says it has nothing to do with magic. The doctors don’t have an answer, and I’m just lost without her.I knew she shouldn’t have volunteered. I felt in my heart that it wasn’t the right choice, but what could I do? I love her with everything I have, and I couldn’t tell her not to do what her heart said was the right thing.I run my hands through my hair and then over my face. I haven’t left her side in six months, and I’m beyond tired of seeing these walls. My sons have tried to get me to leave, and so has Tia. I refuse them because this is where I’m meant to be. As long as my heart is here, I will be here. Tia has been here often and has brought our grandchild, but besides those visits, it’s just been Nikki and me. I refuse to believe that I finally found my fated mate just to lose her so quickly.I put my head in m
~Devonte~The pain in my heart is all-consuming. I want the pain to stop, but I don’t know how to make that happen. I curl up tighter, hoping that the pressure will help with the pain. It’s all too much, and I don’t know what to do to make it better.Abe has gone silent, and I’m not surprised. He’s been struggling the most, and I have no words to soothe him. I wish I could wake up yesterday when things were what they were. I’d give anything to go back.“BROTHER?! BROTHER WHERE ARE YOU?!” I curl up tighter as if that’s going to keep me from being found. I don’t think I can handle the words and emotions that will surely follow my brother. I can’t take what that would mean.His thudding footsteps get closer and closer. I know I can’t hide myself; there’s no way to become invisible. I can’t keep this from happening. I hold my breath, waiting for the inevitable. “D, I found you. I’ve been looking everywhere. Our mate, she needs us. She needs you.” I’m trying to block out his words, but I’m
~Third Person~Everything seemed to happen all at once. Andricia is thrown against a tree trunk and curls up with a whimper. The pain is too much, causing Andricia to shift back into Tia. The twins witness this, and all restraint is lost. They shift and run at Imogene, who quickly wraps them up in blue light.Nikki hasn’t taken her eyes off Imogene, so she’s ready to interfere. As she shoots her light at Imogene, it strikes her in the stomach. Imogene is taken off guard and loses her grip on the twins. They fall to the ground and falter as they try to get on their feet. Eventually, they gain their footing and try to attack Imogene again.Imogene defends herself, reduced to hand-to-hand combat with the edge of magic. She repeatedly strikes the wolves as they throw themselves at her. They are taking a lot of punishment, but they refuse to stop. Their only goal is to defend their love, though they’d rather take the time to see about her.The group is joined by vampires and rogues alike.
~Jenna~I scramble backward, making sure my back is flush against the tree trunk. I try to quiet my breathing, but it's proving to be a task. I search around me, but there’s only darkness. The night air is still filled with the sounds of a battle, but I can’t see what’s going on.“Ughhhhh.” I slap my hand over my mouth in an attempt to stay quiet. I look down and see the bright red blood. I shut my eyes tight and try to think about anything else. If I freak out right now, I won’t be able to get back to safety.Every inch of my body hurts, but I can’t think about that now. I need to get out of here and make it back to the packhouse. I struggle to my feet, using only my right arm. My left just hangs against my body. Every twist and turn of my body brings a wave of excruciating pain, but I have to ignore it right now.I finally get to my feet and stand against the tree trunk. My breathing is erratic, and my chest is heaving up and down. “Where’d she go? I don’t see her.”“Sniff her out.”
~Aida~I’m applying pressure to my sister’s neck, and I feel her body giving in. This is so easy it’s pathetic. I would have thought that she would have trained during my absence. She had to know that I would return, and with my return would come the fight for her life. I guess having a brain doesn’t guarantee that you’ll use it.Portia’s body slumps to the ground, and her breathing gets heavier. I swear she’ll be dead in a minute. While part of me is rejoicing, the other part of me feels that she’d be getting off too easily. She’s the cause of all my problems, even the cause of Adela’s death. I may have administered the final blow, but it wouldn’t have come to that if she hadn’t disrupted our plans.Portia completely falls under, and I let her go with a thud on the ground. I get to my feet and walk around her limp body. Her breathing is shallow, so I know I can still play around with her before I kill her. I just need to figure out what games will be fun to engage in.I walk around h
~Ivan~One of the twins lunges at me, and I step out of the way. The other twin moves toward me, causing me to dodge slightly. This can’t be how they expect to beat me. If things continue this way, I’m going to win without breaking a sweat.I don’t want to spend a lot of time with these two. I need to go find Aida and so help anyone who has tried to put their hands on her. No one will hurt my love and live to tell the tale. I’d scorch the Earth before I let anyone hurt her.These imbeciles are staring at me but have stopped lunging. I guess they realize that it’s useless. It doesn’t matter what they do to me, they won’t win. I’m a vampire, so my natural state is on a different level. On top of that, I’ve been around for a long time. There isn’t much that I haven’t seen before, so they are hard-pressed to find something new to throw at me. “We’re wasting time, boys. I have more pressing matters.” I flip two fingers in the air back and forth. I hear reinforcements moving in. “Let me jus
~Lynn~I reach into the vampire’s chest and pull out its heart. My hand is covered in blood, but it’s as black as tar. There’s a stench to it; it smells like it’s rotting. I guess that makes sense because vampires aren't like the rest of us. They are the undead.I look to my left and can make out Abe in the distance. He’s ripping the head off of a vampire. Another vampire has climbed on his back, but he shakes him off. I look to my right, and Mace has the leg of a vampire in his mouth, and he shakes him like a rag doll. I duck quickly, missing the clothesline that was intended for me. I look behind myself and kick out, catching the perpetrator in the stomach. I wind the rope around my fist and throw a punch. The rope, mixed with the strength of my punch, causes my hand to literally push a chunk of her arm onto the ground. I follow up with a round kick and straddle her body as soon as it hits the ground. I rain a combination of punches on her body before ripping her throat out.I’m tir
~Jenna~I’m herding those who can’t fight into the safe rooms. We have entry points on both ends of the pack, but I’m only worried about those on this end where the packhouse is. Elderly pack members, as well as children, have been running here in droves. The sooner we get them to safety, the better off we will all be.I take one last look around and turn to the opening that will lead to the underground tunnels. It isn’t a long walk from the tunnels to the rooms; we wanted to make sure everyone would have a chance to get to safety. Once I get inside, the doors will be locked, and we will wait for word that everything is over.Crying sounds behind me, causing me to whip around. A pregnant woman with a toddler is running toward where I’m standing. A few warriors rushed out to her, working overtime to keep the vampires back.I watch the woman run forward with her baby’s hand in hers. She trips, and her knees hit the ground, causing her to lose her grip on her child. She cries out and cra
~Mark~I’ve been on alert all evening. I know tonight is the night, but I have no idea when. It’s just a guess, but we expect an attack on this pack. It isn’t that I’ve done anything to Aida, but her enemy is my best friend, and my mate has gone after her obsession. It seems they are trying to hurt Tia in any way they can, and that would include attacking this pack.I haven’t been Alpha that long, and I’ve only had my fated mate a bit longer than that. I have a baby coming and I like my life right now. I don’t want to lose anything right now, but this battle could have me lose it all.I clean off my desk and put files in the filing cabinet. I think the best thing right now is to have time with my mate. I want her to know how much she’s loved, just in case. I close the office door behind me and turn to head up the stairs. Alpha, we have a breach! My heart begins to thump in my chest as the seriousness of the situation grabs me. I take a deep breath and let it out. Hey, beautiful. Wher