Mated to the Wolf (10 page)

Closing his eyes, he struggled against his bonds. No use. Exhausted, his muscles quivered. Grayson opened his eyes to regard the woman he loved.

The demon, the angel.

“I can’t ask your forgiveness. I don’t deserve it. All I ask is for your life. If you live, I can die in peace,” he said hoarsely.

Misery filled her luminous eyes. A single tear leaked out, splashed on his hand as she leaned over him.

“Maybe I can forgive you for what you did. You were under orders and you were merciful. But why did you keep the truth from me?”

“I couldn’t bear to see you hurt again, like that night.” His voice broke. “It killed me that you had to witness that. It killed me, Samantha. And when you gave me this scar. I nearly welcomed it.”

Her mouth opened and closed and a distant look entered her gaze.

Samantha traced the cruel mark with a finger. “I remember now. A shadowy, tall stranger, his face hidden by a cowboy hat. I picked up the knife, and when he bent over, I ran out of the closet, lashed out…and then I fainted.”

“It was me. I called the Society and they kept you safe until you could be reunited with your sisters. I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’d have done anything to take away your pain. I’m an empath healer and I couldn’t even heal your anguish. I can remove evil, but couldn’t with Jerome. He was my alpha, and every time I tried, my sense of loyalty balked. Loyalty. Duty. I lived for it.”

Grayson’s voice shattered. “Can you ever forgive me?”

Forgive him, the man she’d wanted dead all these years?

Confusion, anger and grief collided together, making Samantha’s dark half and her angelic side clash like warriors. All this time, she’d lusted after killing the Hunter who’d slain her parents. She’d envisioned him as a ruthless beast with cold eyes. He lay before her now, but all she saw was love for her.

“You spared them Cabot’s torture.” She wiped her streaming eyes.

His gaze was steady. “Knew I had to. I knew if I went against my alpha, I’d get kicked out and lose my family and my entire pack. I’d do it again.”

For the first time, her heart wasn’t heavy with crazed fear and the thirst to destroy. It was heavy with the knowledge this man had sacrificed everything to spare her parents agony and prevent Cabot from growing stronger.

“Cabot is the one who deserves my wrath. But we’re trapped here. He wants my powers, Grayson, and there’s nothing I can do to stop him.”

“Yes, there is.” His deep voice grew stronger. “You can defeat him. It’s in you, this ability. Without calling on your own natural powers. You have new strength and new powers that you can tap. Save yourself, Samantha. It’s all I ask. I can die in peace, if I know you are safe.”

“What new powers?”

The door burst open. Cabot stood in the hallway, anticipation gleaming on his face.

“Time to go, little demon. Outside. First, I have a very belated date here with your Ancient.” He fished a silver dagger out of his suit. “Myself and my friend here.”

Two of his men dragged her off as Cabot sat on the bed, the dagger hovering near Grayson’s torso. Grayson’s shriek followed as they hauled her outside. Crying out his name, she struggled in their grip.

She must do something and stop this. But how? Grayson said she had the power within her. Yet when she desperately tried coaxing out either the white light or her demon strength, nothing happened.

Cabot clattered down the back steps, humming a tune as he dropped the bloody dagger on the dead grass. Grayson’s blood. Her heart pounded as tears rose in her throat.

“Now, Samantha. You’re not as strong as your father was, but you’ll suffice. Time to dance with the wolf. Nice and slow. It has to be slow. Sorry it’s going to hurt. Badly.”

The last word came out in a snarl. A large, muscled gray wolf replaced the dapper man. His men released her with a knowing smile.

Remember sweetheart. It’s in you.

Grayson’s words echoed in her mind. A humming sang in her veins, a vitality she never felt before. It was filled with courage, ruthless determination and gentle healing. As if Grayson’s powers had merged with hers…

They did! When I removed my demon magick from him, I absorbed his
.

Wonder filled her. The shifter had given her his strength, even his bad self had bonded with her to protectively watch over her. No one had ever sacrificed so much for her. His wicked sense of humor, sensuality and deep courage were qualities she’d sought her whole life.

I love him.

Angel and demon both welcomed the thought. The demon with wicked thoughts of what she’d do to his naked body; the angel with the loving tenderness she’d shower upon him.

Samantha flexed her hands with a humorless smile.

Natural powers, my ass, you son of a bitch. I’ve got new powers that aren’t my own. Someone very powerful was watching my back. An Ancient.

As Cabot neared, saliva dripped from his opened mouth. Fangs glistened. He wanted to tear and rip and maim. Slowly.

“Not so fast,” she murmured. “Let’s take our time and dance, huh, big boy?”

Snarling, the wolf surged forward. She darted away, her mind racing as she remembered what Grayson told her.
I can remove evil, but couldn’t with Jerome
.

But she harbored no loyalty toward the werewolf.

“C’mere, big doggie, nice doggie,” she crooned. “You want to dance, let’s dance.”

The taunt worked. Jerome circled, then loped toward her, teeth bared.

Power sizzled inside her as she flung out her hands. A bolt of energy sailed through the air, lassoed the wolf’s legs, cinched them tight. With a howl, Jerome fell. His men looked shocked, then furious.

As they raced forward, she did the same. Samantha danced out of reach, triumph snaking through her.

Not enough. Not nearly. What would Grayson do?

Heal them. The empath would heal the evil inside, and leave only the goodness.

Samantha danced closer to the wolf, careful to avoid the slashing fangs. She laid her hands on the thick fur and inhaled deeply.

Wolf and woman merged in spirit. Blackness gushed inside her soul, a nasty foulness that made her gag. Grimly, she held on, her touch absorbing, drawing out the poison like snake venom.

Jerome fell back with a whimper. She concentrated and forced the evil out of her pores, coaxing it to gather in her hands. Samantha stared at the foul mass on her palms. Concentrated, drawing on her love for her parents. Her sisters. Grayson.

The mass turned into black ash. Gently, she blew it away.

When she did the same to the other men, leaving them trembling and weak, Samantha raced back into the house. Elation turned into sobs. Surely it wasn’t too late to save him.

You can’t die. Please
.

She thought of his big, bustling vitality, his cocky grin, his quiet strength as he’d held her. His powerful sensuality, the way he made fire in her veins with his caresses, the joining of their bodies.

I need my mate
. He was her mate, forever.

The house was quiet as she ran inside. Tears blurred her vision as she gulped down a deep breath for courage. Demon and angel powers were returning, the white light hushing her fears, the demon loaning her trembling hands strength to turn the bedroom doorknob.

Grayson lay still upon the bed. Blood soaked the covers.

A sob clogged her throat. Samantha slammed a fist against the jamb, cracking it.

His eyes opened. “If you keep doing that, I’ll have no house left.”

Joy keened through her. She joined him on the bed, covering his naked body with kisses. His lips, his face.

As she told him what happened, the usual cocky grin faded. “I knew you could do it, sweetheart. I had faith in your ability to defeat him.”

“I thought Cabot killed you,” she whispered.

“Can’t keep a good Ancient down. We’re hard to destroy. Especially when a certain lovely temptress with demon strength and angelic healing gives me her powers.”

“When we made love…we bonded,” she realized.

Grayson winked. “Had sex. I know you dislike that word love.”

“Made love.”

He yanked hard at the handcuffs, breaking them. “Seems that gas of Jerome’s needs a little adjusting. It doesn’t work for long.”

She touched his face, tracing the silvery scar with a finger. “I don’t understand something. If you’re so powerful and can heal with your empath powers, why does this remain?”

Grayson’s gaze grew somber. “After you did, I poured salt water onto it. I figured I deserved it, and every time I looked in the mirror, I’d remember what I had done.”

Softly, she kissed the cruel mark. “I’m glad you did. Because it’s a mark of honor on an Ancient who gave up his life, his pack, his beloved family to spare my parents.”

She wrapped her arms around him. “I love you, Grayson.”

Closing his eyes, he rested his chin against her head. “Love you too, sweetheart. And that’s the truth.”

A week later, her feet dangled over his strong arms as Grayson carried her over the threshold of his secret cabin. Their union had been formalized, Director Anderson officiating. The bounty on her head forever cancelled now that she’d tamed her dark side.

Sparing Cabot and his men and removing their own darkness was a clear sign of compassion. The demon no longer ruled her.

Grayson had winked at her and murmured, “That part of your demon, anyway.”

She’d met his family, and they’d fallen all over Grayson, and then her, showering them with hugs and kisses. Wetness came to his eyes as he hugged his parents and siblings. Leadership of the pack had fallen to Grayson’s cousin, who immediately welcomed him back.

But Grayson refused to join, only saying he would visit from time to time.

Now they were alone in his cabin. Samantha glanced around as he set her down. “Why here?”

A gleam ignited his gray eyes as he tweaked her nose. “Last time I didn’t have the pleasure of all of me being with you. The only one having fun was the bad me.”

“I like the bad you. You’re very good.”

He grinned. “I can be even better, sweetheart. I thought it was a good place to consummate our union.”

“Always devoted to performing your duty?”

His kiss promised a blizzard of pleasure. Grayson smoothed back her hair, gave her a tender look. “From now on, my duty is solely reserved for you.”

They never made it to the bed. Tearing off their clothing, they writhed together, entwined like snakes as they made fast, furious love. After, he held her close, burying his head into her hair.

“Remember what you told me when we first met? You said, ‘I’m no angel.’ And I wasn’t, either. Just an ornery demon.” Samantha stroked his sweating temple.

Raising his head, he gave her a sexy, drowsy smile. “Don’t know about that. You’re every inch an angel to me.”

As she raised her eyebrows, he added tenderly. “Because sweetheart, heaven is right here with you. And here is where I want to stay, for always.”

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ISBN: 978-1-4592-1641-9

Mated to the Wolf

Copyright © 2011 by Bonnie Vanak

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