Infinity (21 page)

Packs not approved by the Wolf King were automatically labeled rogues and he would not allow him or any of his pack mates to be labeled as such. They were his family. He grew-up with many of them, including Boulder, his Beta. They weren’t young any more, a lot of them were looking to find true mates and settle down, but could not because there were more male wolf-shifters than females, making them a prime commodity. This prime commodity was also controlled by the Wolf Covenant, with the packs belonging to the Wolf Covenant getting first pick of any female wolf-shifters available. He could feel the strain on his pack from members looking to mate, he knew it was a matter of time before they got desperate and joined other packs that were in the Covenant in order for a shot at a mate. This he couldn’t allow, it would weaken the pack.

He gritted his teeth, “Who is she, Maxim? And why are going through all this shit?”

“We’ve been through this. She’s Kara’s daughter. I’m doing her a favor.”

His mouth tightened. All bullshit. Maxim was a selfish, ruthless, SOB, who had an enemy list longer than anyone he knew, and who didn’t do anything for nothing. Either Kara had something on him and was blackmailing his ass, or Infinity had something he desperately wanted. Right now, he was betting on all of the above.

“If I find out that you’re bullshitting me, Maxim....” he said menacingly.

He growled, “You’ll do what, Torch? You may be an Alpha, but don’t forget who I am. Give me a call when she’s home safely.” he barked before hanging-up.

“Oh I know who you are, Maxim. A Wolf King whose about to lose his throne.” He mumbled.

He was aware of her from the moment she stepped off the platform. He snapped around when he felt a strange tingling in his gums, his incisors fighting to drop and every cell in his body reacting to her nearness. He didn’t want to want her, but damn, he fucking did.

He watched her talking animatedly to two dancers. Her dark skin flushed as she tossed back her hair with her carnal lips curving into a smile. Fuck. His body clenched as the vision of those lips wrapped his cock flashed through his head. Her mouth-watering scent lingered in the air, the sensuous and feminine scent of vanilla, mixed with sweet spices and honey, and a hint of something else so enticing that his cock instantly got hard and needful.

Without a doubt, she was beautiful, her mouth-watering curves built to withstand all his erotic fantasies, she was everything he wanted in a pure blood she-wolf, unfortunately, she wasn’t. This he knew from the dream they shared. She wasn’t human, but she damn sure wasn’t a pure-blood wolf, and anything less he would not date, ever.

Whatever she was, she was very important, and this bothered him. If a cold hearted wolf like Maxim, who didn’t even care about his own wolf-shifters, was worried about protecting this superstar singer, then there was definitely something amuck simmering under the surface. Or could it be that Maxim thought that he could win favor with the beautiful Valkyrie Kara by providing protection to her daughter? He didn’t know what was going on, but it had to be big for Maxim to openly go against the Vampire Collective and the Other Council by officially sending his team to protect, Infinity.

Boulder leaned next to him with arms crossed. “She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” He arched a brow with a cocky, devilish smirk.

He simply shrugged a little, wondering what could possibly be so amusing. “Very,” he admitted grudgingly.

As if she sensed him too, she stopped and stared. Her eyes dilating with shock. His nose flared, inhaling the strong scent of her fear mixed with her delicious scent. His eyes narrowed. Why would she be afraid of him?

His muscles tensed when he smelled the scent of lust rolling off Boulder in waves.

His eyes narrowed, “Is there something that you want to say to me, Beta?” He controlled the irrational rage fighting its way to the surface, giving him a cool, calm and collected stare.

His smirk widened. “About what?”

He nodded in her direction, leveling a pointed glare. “Our client, that’s what. Don’t tell me you really fell for that bullshit dream that the Immortals tossed us in?”

Boulder looked at him silently.

He sputtered, then blurted, “Boulder, you can’t date her. She’s not pure-blood.”

Boulder shrugged his shoulders, “That’s your hang-up man, not mine. Besides, I can’t say for sure, but I think she may have some wolf blood.” His nose flared, “There’s just something about her scent that’s sending my wolf crazy.”

His eyes narrowed, “That’s wishful thinking, man. I know you’re ready to find your mate and settle down, and with the frustrating male-female ratio problem, it’s hard. But don’t get desperate. You will never be happy with her. Believe me.”

He puffed his chest and stepped to him aggressively. “I’m warning you, Torch, shut the hell up. You may be in some fucking denial but I know what she is and she’s our mate. I won’t stop until I officially claim her.”

He rubbed his fingers over his buzz-cut. “She can’t be your mate or our mate. She’s not pure-blood.”

“As if it’s the first time in wolf-shifter history that a non-shifter turned out to be an Alpha’s mate, besides, the Immortals would not have presented us to her if she was not.”

He punched the wall sending shards of debris everywhere, “Bullshit, just fuck her and get her out of your system. Don’t settle, your true mate is out there.”

Boulder arched a brow, “And what makes you think that she’s not my true mate?”

He gritted his teeth with dread rolling over him like thunderclouds. “Because she’s not! Since when have you known the Immortals to be trustworthy?”

Boulder looked at him suspiciously, “Why are so adamant about this? You of all wolves? Who wants, no needs, a mate as badly as I do?”

“Because I’ve been down this road before. It’s full of disappointment.” He sighed heavily, “Besides the fact that you’re not sure what she is? For one, she’s our client, we don’t fuck our clients. Remember our rule? We don’t mix business with pleasure, ever.”

Boulder crossed his arms and glared at him.

So he continued, “Okay, suppose she is a shifter, and I’m not saying that she is. She’s a virgin, that’s what you smell on her and she’s never been in heat. And she won’t go into heat until it’s time for her first transformation. That’s if she’s even a she-wolf.” He scowled, “And if she’s not a wolf-shifter, then you have a whole different set of problems, because according to pack law, a pure-blood can’t mate with a shifter that’s not.”

Boulder snarled, “You know that you’re fucked up in the head right? First it’s discriminating against humans, now it’s anyone that’s not pure-blood? Do you just make shit up as you go?”

He looked at him with a blank expression, because he knew what he said was fucked up, but it was something that he was firmly against...dating or mating with anyone that was not pure-blood. He had been down that road a long time ago and learned from experience that humans and half-breeds can’t deal with the sexual appetite and demanding nature of a pure-blood wolf, much less a royal Alpha male like him and Boulder. It just wouldn’t work no matter how bad he wanted it to. “We’re best friends, so I’m just trying to warn you and save you the heartache.”

“How about if you leave the management of my love life to me, okay?”

He scowled, “Fine. Let’s wrap this assignment up. Our obligation to Maxim is over once you’ve done the last security sweep, get her out of the music arena, into her car and safely home.”

Boulder’s hands clenched. “Bullshit! Our obligation to Maxim will never be over until we’re official pack, Torch. And Maxim will never allow that to happen. He’s been dangling that fucking promise for years. Face it, for as long as you allow it, we’ll be his fucking personal lap dogs doing favors like this shit forever.” Boulder looked at Infinity who winked saucily at him before he narrowed a hostile gaze on him. “Let’s wrap this shit up so I can get my mate. I’m taking some of the team through the music arena to start the sweep, you secure everything backstage.”

Torch gritted his teeth as he watched his Beta and Enforcer walk away. Now he was determined to put an end to whatever was going on between Boulder and her. It was already fucking up their friendship and before long, Boulder’s anger at him would seep into their business relationship and fuck that up too. He didn’t even want to think about what it would do to the pack or the promise they made to each ....to hunt and kill the vampire rogues that killed their parents.

They started this pack together, and he would be damned if he’d let some drugged out human or half-breed destroy everything they built. He was already on edge and trying to control his baser impulses. It was then that he heard her talking about going to some concert after party, officially sending his temper into overdrive. Before he could stop himself, he walked up to her stormed over, ready to lay down the law for the drugged-out Superstar that thought she could save the world, one trashy song at a time.

Infinity

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.....Now Earn It

I heaved a sigh of relief as the platform lowered, ending a truly awesome concert. Well, minus the couple of nerve wracking issues with fans trying to bolt onto the stage.

With the thump of the platform, I was backstage surrounded by security and dancers as Diego and Zoe wrapped me in a group hug.

He beamed at me, “I think that was your best performance ever.”

Zoe did a fist pump, “Woo-hoo, sugar!”

“I hate to admit it, but I don’t know how I’m ever going to top it. That vibe out there was off the chain. It was like being sucked in some fever pitched party.”

Savannah passed me a black towel and a bottle of sparkling water which I guzzled as I was swept away, so lost in trying to come off of the performance high that I didn’t realize Diego and Zoe had skirted to a stop until I heard their unified gasp.

I gave them an annoyed stare, “What’s the....” Then I felt like a ton of bricks had been dropped on me when I looked over automatically to the corner where he was lounging looking at me with hooded eyes. He was absolutely bigger than life, figuratively and literally.

Zoe licked her lips, “I thought Big Red was hot, but him right there.” She looked over at me with dilated eyes. “Who are these people? It’s like being surrounded by huge, gorgeous genetically engineered Vikings. No one could look this good without a little Rejuvenator body work.” Her eyes darted over to Boulder, “I mean my gawd. What the hell is going on?”

Diego puffed his chest out, “Hey, I’m offended. I’m hotter than half of those guys.”

Zoe gave him an annoyed stare. “Okay, not the time. This is real girl talk right now. You wouldn’t understand.”

I wasn’t paying attention to either of them. I was focused on him as he leveled a cold stare at me, then turned back to talk to Boulder.

Zoe hip checked me, “Hey, I’m talking here. Focus.”

My heart was pumping a mile a minute as I tried to keep my legs from buckling. “Yes, I heard you, Security is hot.”

Zoe and Diego smiled at each other. “Oh, I see. You like mystery man over there.”

I huffed, “Nope, I don’t do employees, you know that.” Well, change that, because I sure as hell was going to do Boulder sooner or later.

Diego looked over at Zoe, “What rule is that?”

“How the hell do I know, given the fact that she and Big Red might as well start planning their wedding.”

Diego snorted, “Okay, you two need to get some psychological help, and fast.”

Zoe danced around me, “So we’re going to the after party?” She scowled at Cruz who scowled right back at her. “Since some Vikings that shall not be named are nothing but a cock tease. I need to flirt shamelessly with guys that don’t have a stick,” She looked pointedly at him, “stuck up their ass.”

He stuck up his middle finger at Zoe while mumbling in Spanish.

Oh boy, they were going to kill each before the end of the night. I pulled my hair into a high ponytail. “I am so there. Let me take a shower and...”

Out of nowhere the crazy guy from my dream stepped in front of me. “You are not so there,” he mimicked me with a glacial glare. “You will get in your dressing room, get changed, get back out here, and be escorted home. In that order.” His voice was diamond hard.

I admit, he had me panting before he opened his mouth and inserted his foot. Yes, he was stunningly gorgeous, better looking out of the dream if that was possible. A buffet of hot nights potential. Defined upper body? Check. Washboard abs? Check. Broad shoulders? Check. Homicidal nutcase? Double check.

Tilting my head to the side, I crossed my arms defiantly planted my hands on my hips. “And who the hell are you?” I asked irritably.

His harsh scowl and the sharpness in his black eyes only confirmed his psycho status.

“Your worst fucking nightmare,” he growled.

My mouth dropped open with shock, then I recovered—barely.

Zoe’s eyes glided from me to him. “Oh boy. Major battle on the horizon.”

Diego’s eyes narrowed, “Hey, don’t talk to her like that.”

Nudging Diego on the shoulder, I smiled at him grimly, “Thank you, but I’ve got this.” Diego stepped back. “I’m going to assume you’re Boulder’s business partner, umm, Torch?” I smiled coldly at him, “Okay, so here’s how it going to go down.” I gestured to the whole backstage area.

“This whole music arena is yours to secure before my performance, during my performance and after my performance.” I smiled non-sweetly, “I pay you and everyone around here. Well, I might add. What I do and where I go is my damn business. Now, since my former security detail chose to succumb to Collective pressure and quite, I’m in need of new security. So I’ll be more than happy to hire Big Red and angry Cruz who may or may not be an angry serial killer.” I paused dramatically, “As for you, you are dismissed.”

I turned on my heels giving him my back, preparing to walk storm off to my dressing room, when he tossed me over his shoulders knocking the air out of me. I squealed in shock and froze as he carried me down the hallway.

“What the hell! Let me down you ass.” I pounded on his back with furious thumps as he pinned my legs to prevent me from kicking him. He opened my dressing room door, stepped inside and kicked it closed. My breath whooshed out of my body when he unceremoniously dropped me on the leather couch like a bag of garbage.