Fanged Fury (The Adventures of Sydney Sedrick Book 3) (16 page)

Daire was nowhere to be found. “I need a ride. I can’t drive myself so you have to take me home. No funny business either.”

Waving my finger from side-to-side got me a raised brow from the wolf.

“I’d be honored to be my lady’s escort home.” Blake held out an arm.

I put my hand in the crook of his elbow while telling myself it was to keep my balance, and the fact I didn’t want to make more of a spectacle of myself, but I reveled in his nearness. I ached to be touched. With Blake, I knew my desire was genuine, not forced because of some curse or spell placed upon me. I knew we shared a deep bond, but I wasn’t sure where it would lead us to in the future.

Blake’s Audi smelled like him, tenfold. He cranked the seat heaters even though he didn’t need them. Blake didn’t need a jacket, either.

Once we were on the road, heading to Aunt Judith’s, Blake said, “Sydney, I know you don’t want to talk about it, but who is that guy to you? I can’t believe you let him speak to you with such condescension.”

Leaning back against the leather headrest, I turned my head toward Blake. “He is my new guardian from Kieran. The reason I didn’t want to cause more of a scene calling him on his behavior was because you two were going to fight in a public place filled with humans. To be honest, I think you both did a bang up job at ruining my night.”

He tapped his fingers against the wheel, anger gripping him. “I would never have allowed it to get that far. I was pissed because a blood-sucking slime bag insulted my woman. It’s my right to defend your honor.”

Blake’s warm fingers caressed my thigh, shooting hot flames of need upward. I pushed his hand away with a slow gentleness. “Blake, he’s helping me figure out what’s wrong with me. Someone did something to heighten my”—pausing, I didn’t know how much I wanted Blake to know about my new lack of self-control—“sensitivity. Daire has inside information to what’s going on in the city, who comes in and who goes out. We could use his knowledge to our advantage.”

I tried to make him see the positives where Daire was concerned, but he wasn’t having any of it.

Pulling into Aunt Judith’s driveway, Blake put the car in ‘park’. He waited for an invitation to come in with me but I wanted to be alone. I needed distance from anyone capable of triggering my lust.

Leaning over the middle console, I pecked him quickly on the cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” I knew Blake would check on me. I was starting to count on him doing so. He did every day in some fashion.

“Sydney.” Grabbing my hand, he brought it to his lips. The gesture caused my groin to clench with the image of his lips roaming my body. Snatching my hand away, I opened the car door.

Blake called after me while I shut the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

His words were cut off when I slammed the car door shut. I waved once I opened the front door, signaling all was well and he could leave. Blake was a gentleman, for the most part. I appreciated him more than he knew, maybe more than he’d ever know.

After cleaning up for the night, I slumped back against my pillow with the lights off. The moon was high, sending a soft glow of illumination through my window.

My eyelids became heavy. Giving in to exhaustion, I let them fall.

The floorboard creaked, shocking me back into consciousness.

No temperature change. That meant no ordinary or rogue vampire or wolf had broken Aunt Judith’s wards on the house. I opened my eyes.

Daire.

I flipped the comforter off my head. I tended to sleep under the covers, completely covered, head included. “What?”

Daire’s finger pressed against my lips, shushing me. “Now, Sydney, you don’t want to wake your aunt, do you?”

Again I wanted to slap the self-satisfied smile right off his handsome face.

Forcing his hand away from my mouth, I asked, “What are you doing here? And how are you able to waltz into my house freely when no other uninvited”—I hesitated, not knowing how to categorize him in my life—“guest can?”

Yanking the covers away from me, Daire climbed onto the bed. He covered us both up with the purple comforter while I tried to push him in the opposite direction.

“Sydney, I’m not like your wolf friend, or the Other rogues who plague your life. I have my own abilities, but do not fret. Your aunt’s wards will work just fine on any other being in the city.” Leaning back against the headboard, he swung his arm around my shoulders.

The nearness of his body began to wreak havoc on my senses.

“Have you figured out what is going on with me yet? I thought you were going to help me. So far, you’ve done nothing but harass me, as far as I’m concerned.” Daire’s arrival did a number on the lingering buzz I’d caught from drinking three beers too quickly. I shimmied away from him, staying under the covers because my pajamas didn’t fall into the modest category of sleepwear. I didn’t want to stoke his desire, which would in turn make mine much worse.

Shrugging at my repositioning, Daire put his hands behind his head. “I told you I would help you. Whoever did this to you is staying underground, so it is difficult to find the fiend, but my contacts are looking for the guilty party as we speak.”

Crossing my arms over my chest, I closed my eyes. Visions of Daire hovering over me with his naked body imprinted on the backs of my eyelids. My eyes popped open. I glanced over at my unwanted visitor under my lashes.

Red glowing eyes met my stare. He smiled, exposing a pair of pearly whites extending past his bottom lip. “Sydney.” His voice was husky with desire.

Shaking my head, I said, “No, Daire. Whatever it is, this thing between us, it can’t be. We’re not even sure if the spell cast on me is what’s making me feel this way toward you, because I’m feeling it toward others, too.”

His lids lowered halfway, which gave me a glance at what Daire’s expression would be like in the act of passionate sex. Where did that thought come from?

Daire leaned forward to take his suit jacket off, followed by his long-sleeved white dress shirt. His bare chest in real life was just like it was in the dream we shared. I assumed that meant the rest of him would be as I’d seen, and felt, from the dream.

I used my heels to scoot myself further under the covers.

In a flash, Daire covered my body with his. “Sydney.” Extending his tongue, he licked the curve of my jaw, making my body respond to the gesture.

“Daire, enough. You said you’d help protect me. What you’re doing doesn’t go along with that.” I yanked the blanket up to my neck. My efforts were for naught. Sliding his hand under the thin material of my tank-top, he placed his hand on my bare breast.

His lips closed around the shell of my ear. The sensation caused the strength in my arms holding the blanket tightly to me to slacken. “You want me, Sydney, so I’m going to give you what you want. I’m going to fulfill your fantasies. You’re going to do the same for me.”

Whatever spell or curse that had been inflicted upon me kicked into high gear. My fear and hesitation of being with Daire melted away as he continued to caress my breast. His lips pressed gently against mine. I closed my eyes. The wetness on my lips from his tongue felt cool against the air in my bedroom.

His hand began to travel lower until his fingertips found the top hem of my panties. Taking the material between his fingers, he lifted the elastic up and slid his hand downward. He deepened the kiss. My hips bucked up against his hand when he found my hot slick center.

Up and down motions, mixed with soft circles, his able fingers continued as pressure built in my lower abdomen, tightening.

Daire broke away from my lips. He moved his head downward until I could feel his hot breath against my nipple through the thin material. His used his other hand to free the rosy tip, putting the top portion into his mouth all while his other hand continued to stroke me as I neared climax.

His tongue flicked across the peak of my nipple. I came, hard. A cry escaped me. He covered my mouth once more with his to quiet me while my body convulsed with wave after wave of orgasmic bolts of pleasure shooting through me.

I anticipated him to remove his pants but he continued to lie next to me in my bed.

“I can’t tell you how much I needed release, more than I knew.” I glanced down at my hands clasped on my lap, covered by his.

He patted them in a consoling manner. “Sydney, you’ve been suffering a great deal. Any fool with half a care could see. I said I would help you any way I am capable, and that, my dear, was exactly what I did.”

My temper rose as my cheeks burned. “You mean to tell me what just happened was because you felt sorry for me? Please, I don’t want your pity. Get out of my bed.”

When I tugged on my hands to move the covers off me to put distance between us, he used his Other speed to clasp onto my forearm.

“Sydney, have no doubt where I’m coming from. You and I will be together, in all ways, but only in time. We just shared a moment. Don’t wreck it.” He exerted pressure on my arm to bring me closer to him, toward the middle of the bed.

“Maybe you misunderstood me, vampire slash demon. We can never be together, just as Blake and I can never be life-mates. You know what? You’re right, my mistake. I thought we shared a mutual attraction. I was wrong, but I won’t make the same mistake twice.” Tears loomed in the corner of my eyes, threatening to fall. When did I come to care about what Daire thought of me?

He slid his hand down my arm to open my palm. Before I knew what he was doing, Daire placed my hand over the zippered portion of his suit pants.

“Does that feel like you were mistaken, Sydney?” His eyes burned bright red. The orange rim glowed vibrant in the darkness of the room.

The hard bulge in his pants felt plenty real to me. Taking my hand, he forced me to cup him in my palm.

Warm, firm, and long, his erection pulsated against me.

When he was through with the demonstration, he released my hand. Placing both his palms on each side of my face, he said, “We will one day be together in life as we are right now.”

Daire placed a gentle kiss upon my lips, dressed, and strode out of my bedroom door. I never heard his footsteps on the stairs, nor the sound of the front door closing. I’d have to ask him how he got into the house, and out, without setting off the wards.

Waking up with a start, my chest heaved.

Daire had infiltrated my dreams, again.

Chapter 11

The box weighed heavy against my sore muscles as I carried it out of the storeroom. New books on Celtic history had arrived so they needed to be unpacked and shelved. It wasn’t opening time for Morning Sun yet, leaving me time to take care of a few chores before customers would be coming in to shop.

Sundays weren’t especially busy as of late. I anticipated having plenty of time to myself. After filling the shelves with the new tomes, I sat behind the counter with Grandma’s journal.

Dear Granddaughter, You will need to learn to protect yourself from the political game the Others play, for they will try to use you as their pawn. You will be more powerful than I. The Others will use those powers against one another. The powers that will continue to grow from within will not be the sole weapon in your arsenal. You, yourself, your very being, will wield power. Being the Selected comes with the ability to sway the wolves and vampires to do your bidding, for they will fear your change in loyalty. They won’t want to lose you to the opposite side. Both the wolves and the vampires suspect what each other’s prophecies would do to their own kind should they be fulfilled. I suspect that is why they keep the details guarded so well under lock and key.

The Elders are charged with the interpretation of the Scrolls of Knowledge. No one else can read the scripts for they are written in a language so old it is obsolete to the rest of the vampire population. Kieran has been given the ability to read the scrolls, but he insists he has been in its presence but for a few occasions and never for any length of time.

My dear, I fear my beloved Kieran knows more of the prophecies than he is willing to divulge. I suspect the prophecies involve the Selected bloodline, including the blood of our family, not just our own. I have never spoken of this with your mother or aunt, for they already know too much of the Others. The Others being aware of their existence is dangerous, for they could be used at any time against us.

The vampires are well aware that we, as humans, have emotional weaknesses they no longer possess. They are capable of feelings, but like I have discussed before, they do not use or allow their emotions to cloud their judgments. The vampires are business people. They live their lives as such. To my heart’s dismay, I’m a prime example of the collateral damage of such an action. Kieran loved me, I don’t doubt for a second. Over time, I’ve realized he did have a choice, despite his insistence that he did not.

My lover chose vampire business over me. When we meet, the longing is still there in his eyes. It tears at my heart that he gave us up. Forgive me, Granddaughter. I fear I still hold an ounce of bitterness to the lot I’ve been handed in life. I’m sure you will find yourself doing the same at times, but no matter, you will still have responsibilities as the Selected to uphold, just as I do now. I will always love the vampire, just as I am sure he will carry a torch for me. No matter how little the flame grows, it will continue to burn.

Using your position as Selected has its advantages. The most important action you can take is concentrating on developing and strengthening your powers. The Others can help you accomplish this. Spend time with both the vampires and the wolves, take whatever battle training they are willing to give you. Practice is crucial. Honing your physical skills will assist in tuning your Selected power reflexes. They will be more apt to be available when you most need them.

Closing the book, I leaned my head back, stretching the muscles in my neck. Turning to the front door, I waited for my visitors to arrive. A wolf’s heat warmed the room. I was surprised when the clawed slashes on my hip began to burn.

Blake and Matt were approaching the store.

The door chimes jangled. Blake entered with Matt at his heels. Both wolves sniffed the air instinctively. Blake eyed me with suspicion.

“My mate, was that blood-sucker here last night, after we left the bar?” A twinge of hurt sounded in his voice.

Tired of always having to defend the smells of the world against Blake’s super-sensitive nose, I said, “No, Blake. You dropped me off at home last night, remember? I went straight to bed after you left. Daire hasn’t been in here.”

Guilt weighed heavy in my chest. Blake would be heartbroken if he ever found out about last night. I cared for him. I may even love the big pushy brute, but I had that blasted curse on me I still hadn’t figured out what to do about. Last night it had come to a head. Daire had happened to be the one to appease my uncontrollable lust. There was nothing more to it.

Or was there?

My brain hoped that wouldn’t be happening again anytime soon, but my body was all for Daire making another appearance in my bedroom. Thoughts of last night had riddled my morning with unexpected visions of Daire’s half-naked body. Mini erotic quakes racked my body at the most inopportune moments, like when I stood in line at Mountain Bean waiting for my coffee. I had to cover a groan of pleasure that had made it past my lips with a cough.

Blake shook his head. “I must smell things then, because your store reeks of him. Maybe it’s my overprotective nature of you rearing its big head again.”

I laughed. Crossing the distance between us, Blake put his hands on my cheeks to give me a chaste kiss. My body’s reaction wasn’t quite as strong this morning from his touch, but it was stronger than it would have been before the curse.

Even though only in a dream, Daire had satisfied my lustful needs last night. He’d taken the edge off. I was grateful, but it wasn’t like I could ask him to wait until I fell asleep every night for a booty call so I could walk around during the day not wanting to jump every semi-attractive man that came into my sight.

Matt stood with his arms across his expansive chest. Being in the store with both of the wolves stirred my senses, but the reaction wasn’t quite as sharp as it would have been had Daire not spent quality time in my bed. When I say quality, I mean serious quality. Blake being able to smell the half-breed in the store didn’t make sense, though. There was no way his scent still lingered on my body. It
had
been just a dream, right?

“Selected, are you ready to go rogue hunting tonight?” The Mobile, Alabama, wolf was all business. The brand he’d scarred me with tingled with a mild burning sensation. I wondered if I could sense Matt’s mood through the mark, because the burn felt heavier in his presence than at other times.

I looked at Blake in question.

“We came here to tell you my father wants to ramp up security around the city. Meaning he wants us to go rogue hunting, tonight.”

“I close at nine o’clock. You guys want to pick me up at the house? Give me half an hour to get home and change.” I smiled, happy with the thought of doing something helpful for the wolves. Hopefully it would divert Matt’s attention away from thinking Morris was an incompetent pack leader.

Blake grabbed my hand. “Sydney, you don’t have to go with us. Matt insisted we come by to offer for you to come with, but not if you think it’s too dangerous.”

I gave him a reassuring squeeze. “Blake, I’d love to get out. Sounds like fun.”

Standing alongside the counter, Matt placed his hand on my hip, covering the mark he’d placed upon me. Searing heat coursed through me from the mark and my body shook with spasms, making me lose my balance.

I squirmed on the floor in agony, rubbing my legs together to soothe the ache between my thighs. Through the hot torture I heard the sound of boots scraping on the floor, moving away from where I lay behind the counter. The intense need began to recede.

Blake bellowed at Matt but I couldn’t make out his words through my agony.

Finally, through the rushing noise roaring in my ears as wave after wave of desire crashed into me, I heard Matt say, “Something’s wrong with her, Blake. A poison courses through her essence. I can feel it polluting the bond through the mark.” Matt’s voice turned venomous as he continued. “You’d know this by now if you’d marked her yourself. You should have completed the life-mate bond as soon as she hit the city.”

The roaring slowed to a gentle lapping wave of sound, allowing me to come to my senses. Sitting up, I held out a hand for Blake to help me up. He gently kept an arm around my waist to ensure I didn’t fall.

With concern in his eyes, Blake grabbed a tissue from the counter to dab the sweat beading on my forehead then framed my face in his warm palms. “Sydney, do you know what Matt’s talking about? Because the wolf marked you, he can sense when you’re ill, when things aren’t right.”

Breathing heavy, I took a step away from him. Taking a seat on the stool, I said, “I don’t know, you guys. Somebody put some kind of curse on me. I’m having a hard time dealing with it. Maybe it’s not such a good idea to go with you until I can figure out how to undo what’s been done.”

Matt let out a growl of frustration. “You mean to tell me you don’t even know who did this to you? What about the half-demon you’ve been hanging out with?”

Blake swung around to glare at me. “The new bodyguard Kieran assigned? That’s who did this to you?”

Blake’s eyes filled with cold accusation, causing anger to bloom in my chest. I’ve realized something about myself. When I get pissed off, my thought processes kick into high gear, allowing me to react fast and efficiently to everything going on around me.

“For your information, my new bodyguard is the only one able to help me with what’s going on. He thinks the curse was done from someone who’s come from the Underworld. He’s working on it. That’s all I can tell you right now.”

Matt stepped close to the opposite side of the counter. I put my hands up. “Matt, don’t come too close to me. That’s never happened before. I don’t want you touching the mark again, you hear me?”

Heavy fists pounded on the glass. The sharp sound of the clear top splintering speared through the air. “Don’t tell me what to do, Selected. I’m not a pet wolf you can command like Blake here.”

Blake took an aggressive stance, shoving me behind him. “I will not have you coming to my city and insulting my woman, Matt.”

Matt extended his arms. My heart felt like it was being squeezed inside of my chest, like it was ready to drop to my stomach.

“Blake, tread carefully. You have much to lose. I, on the other hand, have nothing. The Selected has been poisoned. That is the matter we should be focusing on, not your pride.”

“Guys, maybe you should just go on without me tonight. Daire said he’d swing by to check on me so go find some rogues. Be useful for once.” I gave Blake a smile while batting my lashes for good measure.

Blake put his hand on my shoulder. The warmth spread like soothing fingers through the aching muscles in my back. “Sydney, you should stay away from that guard of yours. We don’t know him. For all we know he could have put this thing on you in the first place.”

Matt nodded in agreement. “Blake’s right. Stay away from that abomination. You can’t trust a vampire. And demons? They’re not even from our earth. The Moon Goddess becomes ill just from their existence.”

“You two do what you have to do in regards to the rogues. I’ll do what I have to. I need to get rid of the curse. Blake, call me tomorrow. Let me know how your hunt went.”

The other wolf shook his head. “I don’t think so, Selected. You’re coming with us tonight, and that’s final. You need protection. That’s what we’re going to provide you.” Leaning forward over the glass, he grabbed the back of my head to bring our faces close together. “I don’t care what you want, our job is to protect you whether you like it or not. That includes protecting you from yourself if necessary, by any means I see fit.”

He released my neck just as Blake’s fist rushed through the air. A loud crack of crushing bone sounded as his fist connected to Matt’s face. The Mobile wolf flung away from the counter, landing on his back. In an instant, Matt was on his feet, eyes glowing bright green.

I screamed at the men, “Don’t do this in my store. You two take it outside. Better yet, go roll around in the snow to cool off.”

Running between them, I shoved them away from each other. Taking my hand, Blake lifted me through the air, placing me behind him. He turned to make sure I was away from Matt. His amber-bronzed eyes blinked before facing Matt.

Blake’s fingers extended. The nails grew thick while elongating to points. Matt responded by rushing at Blake with an arm out, striking Blake in the chest, taking them both over the counter. They struggled in the cramped space between the counter and the wall. The sound of an elbow going through the drywall had me groaning with irritation.

“One of you is going to fix that wall by the end of the week.” Running into the storeroom, I grabbed a bucket. Filling it with water, I carried it out to where they continued to wrestle on the floor like children. Ignoring the water as it sloshed over the sides, I dumped the cold contents onto the men.

Matt jumped over the counter, shaking out his hair like a dog would do, getting water everywhere.

“Sydney, you should ask Blake about the prophecy. He has not been honest with you because he thinks he loves you more than his own pack.”

Blake stepped from the storeroom, scrubbing a towel over his head to dry his hair. He scowled at me then threw the towel on top of the counter, now cracked thanks to Matt.

“What’s he talking about, Blake?” I had known for a while Blake was keeping information from me, but I’d assumed it had to do with pack business, not my involvement with the prophecy. Grandma Maria was right. The prophecies were made up of layers. It seemed I’d only begun to scratch the surface, just as she had done so long ago.

Now it was Matt’s turn to be glared at. Blake said, “You know what? I think it’s time we leave, Sydney. We’ll pick you up at the house like we planned on.”

At the front of the store, I stood facing them. “Neither of you is going anywhere, not until you tell me what you’re hiding.”

Matt grinned with vindication while remaining silent. It was obvious he was enjoying watching Blake struggle with how to respond.

Blake threw his hands out. “There’s nothing to tell, Sydney. It doesn’t matter anyway. Matt, the jackass, even admits that I love you, that we are life-mates. The prophecy has no bearing on our lives, so just leave it alone.”

Stress tightened Blake’s face and he clenched his jaw. I knew him well enough to know he wanted to leave. The wolf didn’t want to be pushed, but I didn’t care. He’d pushed me enough. Now it was my turn.