Claws (17 page)

Vivvie shifted and stared at the female
elder. “What do you want?”

“You’ve been home a month. Are you
breeding yet?”

“No, and it’s not for lack of trying,”
Vivvie said smugly and enjoyed seeing Tania stiffen in jealousy.
“It hasn’t taken yet. You have to be patient.”

“This creature doesn’t have patience,
Vivvie.”

“Where does it dwell? How does it seek
you out?”

Tania smiled secretively. “Let us just
say it makes its presence known. I have until the next new moon of
the New Year to give it what it wants. You might use that time to
get Eli to give you as many litters as you can. I realize it could
be many tries until you have one with our gifts.”

Vivvie was furious to think this she
cat expected her to have litter after litter until she had an
offspring with her ready-made expectations. She had no intention of
following through. She knew she had six months until the demon
pushed the issue.

“He’ll grow suspicious if I suddenly
jump on the baby wagon, Tania.”

“You might want to use some of your
influence on him now, Vivvie. Don’t forget I know whose bed you
shared all those months in your dreams, and who fathered your son.
I meant what I said. If you don’t give me what I want; I’ll tell
Eli everything. He’ll never look upon you again.”

“I said I would do it,” Vivvie bit out,
glaring at the elder. “There isn’t any need to threaten
me.”

“Good, and think well to drag Jericho
and the others into this,” Tania warned. “This is just between us
girls, Vivvie. A little kit for cat; if you will. You stole Eli
from me. This is the price to keep him.”

“What if this demon lied to you?”
Vivvie asked harshly. “What if it changes the rules again? How can
you trust it?”

The female elder looked uneasy then.
“It will go away when it has what it wants.”

“You really believe that, don’t you?”
Vivvie asked and enjoyed seeing Tania lose some composure. “Had you
not been such a coward to save your own skin; you wouldn’t be
catering to it now.”

“You are not the one it would have
devoured!” Tania exclaimed with a hiss.

“I would have been had you not promised
it more!”

“After you deliver me the child; it
will go away,” Tania concluded with a low growl.

“Or it will own us all,” Vivvie argued
and glared at Tania. “You’ve sacrificed us all in hopes this demon
gives you what you want. I hope it’s worth it.”

Tania smiled, her beautiful features
flushed with pleasure. “Oh, it will be.”

“What did you ask of it?” Vivvie
demanded wanting to know what was so important to Tania.

“That’s for me to know, Vivvie,” she
said and laughed throatily. “Now go back and breed your little
heart out for me. Give Eli my warmest regards. Tell him my tail is
always up to him.”

Vivvie knew the elder was just baiting
her and ignored her jealous rage. She shifted back to her animal
form and ran for home. On her way, she stopped at the cave where
her children were born during the war. Recalling how Jericho
delivered them and kept her safe from Ryken then made her
teary-eyed.

She still smelled Jericho in this
place, wistful to know the elder could help her now if she dared
contact him. Tania was insane. She was convinced the demon would
give her what she wanted. She had six months to figure this out,
less actually. She realized it was late June.

She needed to confide in someone.
Against her better judgment it had to be Jericho. She promised to
leave him be. Invading his dreams and spilling this latest news
would only drag him back here. It wasn’t fair to him.

A part of her knew this would be
disastrous to her state of mind, having him so close. Another part
wanted it no matter what the outcome. She missed Jericho.
Everything in her knew it was wrong. It was selfish to want him
too. The animal within her wanted it, yearned for it. She flushed
to know even after mating with Eli, she longed for
Jericho.

She returned home to find Justice fast
asleep in Eli’s lap and Devon sitting on the back of the Lazy Boy
while their Father cursed at the big screen during the second
half.

The girls played in their bedroom, the
growls more tame as Izzie and Margie deferred to their older
sister. Elaina ruled the girls, much like Devon did Justice. It was
the natural order. It amused Vivvie to hear her oldest daughter
boss her little sisters around.

Her smile faded to know all of this
could disappear with the coming of the New Year. Tania’s threats
reminded her she needed to figure something out. Killing Tania
wasn’t an option. Their immortality aside; she just didn’t have it
in her.

Bedtime came and went in her husband’s
arms, sighing as he took her to the brink of her sensuality. She
was startled when the dreamscape took her to the deck of a beach
house, waves lapping in the background.

A fire pit crackled invitingly on the
huge deck of the beach house. Jericho dozed in a chaise lounge. The
heady pungent smell of catnip in the air made her frown in
disapproval, seeing the water bong on the table next to him. He
really needed to slow down on the stuff.

Her eyes drank in the sight of him, his
rippling muscles tanned and smooth in the moonlight. He wore
tattered jean shorts and nothing else. Her nose twitched at the
smell of him. Her nails itched to dig into his skin, feel his
muscles bunch under her hands.

His wide chest rose and fell with his
even breathing. She stared down at his handsome features, seeing
how vulnerable and appealing he looked. She leaned down and touched
him hesitantly, making him jump and wake immediately. He swore when
he saw her, a hand raked through his sun-streaked mane.

“Just passing through, I hope? What do
you want, Vivvie, another booty call?”

Her eyes narrowed at his nasty tone.
“It’s not what you think. I need your help. I’m sorry, but I can’t
go to Eli with this.”

Then she told him why. Jericho sat up
on the lawn chair and frowned. “Tania plays with fire. The demon
lies to her.”

“She’ll tell Eli the truth, Jericho.
I’ll lose my whole life. Do you think he’ll care that I didn’t know
the dreams were real? What do you expect me to do?”

Jericho got up and his night vision
narrowed as he stared at the shoreline, saying nothing for awhile,
listening to the surf. Vivvie came to the railing and put a hand on
his forearm and he moved away quickly, glaring down at
her.

“Don’t touch me, Vivvie,” he warned
her, eyes blazing with desire. “I can’t do this right
now.”

She refused to let him push her away.
She stalked him, emerald eyes aglow, lips parted with obvious
intent. He saw her lust-filled expression and swore again, dragging
her into his arms.

He carried her inside the sliding glass
doors into his room, tossing her down onto the huge king-sized
water bed. She chuckled as she sloshed around on it. The retro bed
was only another reminder her lover lived very much in the past.
The lava lamps on each bedside table bubbled and frothed in
lavender and purple. The Jimmy Hendrix oil painting over the bed
was another sign he much preferred what he called the good old
days.

Jericho slid out of the shorts. She
swallowed hard to see his huge rigid cock, becoming wet and hungry
for him as he slid onto the bed. She gasped in surprise as he
jerked her by her ankles, pulling her down until he was flush
against her. He thrust hungrily inside her then, growling loudly,
rearing back repeatedly to slam inside her again and
again.

Vivvie whimpered and moaned with need,
her knees clutching his hips hungrily. Jericho held himself up on
his elbows, staring into her face as he watched her come, urging
her on with fierce hoarse groans.

He molded her into the sloshing bed
beneath them, sighing as he spent himself, shuddering and
stiffening against her. He blew a long piece of sun-drenched blond
hair out of his eyes to stare down at her, the light leaving his
yellow green gaze. He lay within her, a sad look on his face,
burying his head into her neck, kissing her softly
there.

“I’ve missed you, Vivvie,” he whispered
and closed his eyes as if in pain. “Why are you doing this to me?
We had an agreement.”

“No, you left as I recall,” she
reminded him, her legs tightening around his waist, refusing to let
him leave her, enjoying the feel of him embedded within her
still.

“This is wrong, Vivvie,” he told her
with a weary look. “You’re better than this.”

“I can’t let you go. I tried. I know
it’s wrong,” she whispered. “I love Eli with every bit of my heart,
but I feel something for you too. I can’t help it. I love you too,
Jericho. I know how that sounds, but it’s how I feel. I need
you.”

He regarded her with a sad, resolved
look. “Then it’s history repeating itself. Maybe it’s the damn gift
Ryken gave you. Whatever it is, you will find no peace with this,
Vivvie. Eli will never share you openly as he did
Tania.”

“Will you help me, Jericho?”

The elder stared down into her eyes and
she felt him stiffen inside her once more, knowing he would do
whatever she asked of him. He closed his eyes and took her again,
urgently until they were both sated and sweaty.

“I’ll help you with one condition,” he
said finally as he dragged her across his chest, bringing her to
sit upon him, massaging her breasts while she fitted herself onto
him, easing down upon him slowly.

“Anything,” she whispered as she threw
her head back and growled with need, her body rocking onto his. He
held her tightly as she came, bringing her down to meet his lips,
easing her to his side where she cuddled against him
now.

“Send me my son, Vivvie. I’ve given it
much thought. The boy belongs with me.”

She stared at him with hurt in her
gaze. “No, he’s just a little boy! No, I can’t be without
him.”

Jericho sat up and regarded her without
expression. “It’s just a matter of time before the others recognize
he isn’t Eli’s. He’s another Alpha, Vivvie. There can be only one;
the firstborn. Devon will drive him out when he reaches
adulthood.”

“No, he loves his brother, you’re
wrong!” she cried, seeing in his eyes he was not.

“Devon reaches manhood within the year,
Vivvie. You’ll have your hands full keeping him and Eli from
ripping one another apart. It’s our way. Devon is the future Chief.
He and Elaina will rule over them all. Justice will be driven out
of your house. It’s already started, hasn’t it?”

Vivvie cringed to know he was right.
The pranks became more serious every day. The recent hornet’s nest
incident came to mind. Devon and Elaina were already driving their
brother out, though they were too young to know why yet.

Eli doted on Justice, thinking his
traits from Jericho were inherent of Ryken. When Devon came into
his own and drove Justice out, there will be little doubt in Eli’s
mind why, being an Alpha himself.

Keeping Justice with her only labeled
him later. She realized it with a pang of sadness to be parted from
her child. It made sense he go to Jericho, even if it broke her
heart.

“What do I tell Eli?”

“He thinks the boy is my great
grandson,” Jericho told her and smiled sadly. “He’s realized this
is the best choice already, knowing him. It’s a way for peace to be
had in your home.”

Vivvie knew it was for the best,
thinking of how her children tormented Justice. Even his sisters
Izzie and Margie turned on him now. It was a matter of time before
they all drove him out of her home, into living on his own before
he was ready.

Tears filled her gaze as she got up
from the bed and dressed. Jericho rose and turned her into his
arms, his yellow green gaze glowing gently.

“I’ll take care of him, Vivvie. No harm
will befall him here with me.”

She nodded and turned her head into his
broad chest. “I’ll miss him as I’ve missed you. When will you
return?”

Jericho pulled away and turned. “I have
another condition if I help you.”

“What is it?”

“No more of this sneaking around in my
dreams. We can’t do this to Eli. He reads thoughts. He’ll read mine
if I ever let him in.”

She scowled. “He reads thoughts? What
else can my mate do that no one bothered to tell me? Does he walk
on water too?”

Jericho chuckled and regarded her
fondly. “He didn’t want you to know. He hasn’t been able to read
your thoughts since the night Devon and Elaina were born. Your
secrets are safe from him now. We don’t know why.”

“Jericho, I-,” she began and he held up
a hand and cut her off.

“No, it’s done after tonight, Vivvie. I
won’t be your dream lover anymore, not when I want so much more. If
you come to me again you better be awake.”

She could see he meant what he said,
saw the hurt in his eyes. With a heavy heart she left the
dreamscape, knowing everything had a price. Losing Jericho and her
son was just the beginning. Unless she found some means to thwart
Tania and the demon, she would lose it all.