Primal Instincts (2 page)

Petty, aren’t you?

The telepathic voice in her head was Strahan’s, speaking even more arrogantly to her than he had to the respected Clan leaders.

Primes were supposed to be arrogant, and she normally found them easy to ignore.

But not this one.

It’s a hobby
, she thought back at him.

Along with petulance and pride, but then everyone knows Flare Reynard’s hobbies.

She’d learned to accept the nickname and had earned the reputation that went with it.
I am reputed to be bitchy
, she pointed out, then raised the mental shields that kept polite vampires out of each other’s heads.

She saw the faintest of shrugs from him. Though she could ignore his mind, she
was
female, so she couldn’t help but run her gaze appreciatively over the fine figure of an overgrown Prime that he was. He certainly was a big boy. Big hands, big feet, very tall. Muscular, with a tight ass and narrow waist in perfect proportion to his extra-wide shoulders. He was considered the best-looking Prime of his generation, but she liked that the perfection was slightly marred by ears that stuck out a little from a back view.

The Matris bridled and glared at the Prime; most were as offended as he’d intended for them to be.

But Lady Juanita Wolf laughed. “We’ve been
involved in deadly games with the hunters for generations,” she reminded Strahan.

“But they’ve never publicly attacked us before,” Lady Anjelica Reynard said. “Never set us up to be found out by the media.”

Strahan nodded. “We can’t afford to react in the classic manner. They’re counting on that. They want to post videos of your people on YouTube, to get news crews camped outside your homes. Because outing us is the best way to destroy us.”

“I can almost understand mortal vampire hunters attacking like this,” Lady Cassandra Crowe said. “But you haven’t convinced me that one of our own is a traitor, that information is being passed from inside our own community. There is absolutely no reason.”

“I think I know the reasons,” Strahan said.

“We’ve heard enough on the subject already,” Lady Serisa Shagal said firmly.

Los Angeles was Shagal territory, this was her Citadel, and she felt that the defense against the threat to her Clan should be hers to handle. But she had agreed to Strahan’s demand to cede emergency powers to the Dark Angels since the attacks were on all supernatural groups, not just Clan vampires. There had been arson and bombings committed against vampires and werefolk all over Southern California, including trouble at the medical clinic here in Los Angeles. The Angels were a multispecies special forces group who
answered only to Strahan, who had formed his unit in anticipation of these sorts of attacks.

Francesca admired his confidence in the face of so many Clan Matris. He’d walked into their meeting, taken over, and convinced everyone to do things his way.

Francesca admired his ability to bully Matris but resented that he’d interrupted her own effort to save the day when her friend Sidonie Wolf faced execution for bonding with a werewolf member of the Dark Angels. Francesca and other vampire females had been attempting to start their own revolution as well as save Sid, but now Strahan’s power play had forced that effort to the sidelines. She did not admire him at all for interrupting her bid for freedom, even if he had achieved her objective of saving Sid.

He turned his head slightly, giving her a view of his sharp profile and hard expression. A woman couldn’t help but think of a male like that as tasty—even a woman like herself who hated the vanity and total jerkhood of the males of her species. Luckily, she’d had years of practice at ignoring the instincts that reared up in her as she watched this Prime. She’d paused to watch him lecture the Matris, not to get all tingly and warm.

It also helped that a squad of Primes came pouring in through the doorway. She stepped aside to give them plenty of room to get to their various Matris.

“The arrangements are all made,” Barak Shagal told his Matri and bondmate. “Everyone’s cars are waiting. Guards are placed, and the pilots of your private planes have been alerted.”

The plan was for all vampire females in California to be whisked away to safety, but Francesca had no intention of going back to the Clan Citadel in Idaho. She’d come to California with a purpose and wasn’t leaving until she’d accomplished it. She was glad she’d kept quiet and in the shadows. It made it easier for her to slip out the door before she could be noticed and called back.

W
here do you think you’re going?
Tobias wondered as he saw Flare Reynard sneak away. Watching the sway of her hips as she walked was a joy. But the stiffness of her spine and proud lift of her head told him she wasn’t heading for her mother’s limo. She obviously had plans of her own.

But he was in charge here, and the thought of showing her that brought a brief smile to the hard line of his mouth.

“Brat,” he muttered under his breath.

He knew he should mention Flare’s leaving to Lady Anjelica and let the proper people take care of it, but he couldn’t resist tracking her down himself. If
anyone needed a public lesson in discipline, it was the Clans’ most adored and spoiled female.

Finding Flare wouldn’t be difficult for a Prime of his skills. Even with her shields tightly drawn around her, he thought he could pick up the unique scent of her perfume, which had permeated his senses the moment he walked into the tense meeting. Or at least he could track her by the stunned looks she tended to leave on the faces of any Primes she encountered.

Tobias’s cell phone rang and he paused in the mansion’s entrance hallway to answer it. Personally, he preferred telepathy, but not every member of his Crew could communicate mind to mind, not to mention the regular mortals who needed to get hold of him. So, he carried a phone, an elaborate device with multiple functions—which interrupted him at inconvenient times and places, such as now. He stepped outdoors to the side of the wide staircase at the front of the house as he put the phone to his ear.

“How’s Joe?” was Dee McCoy’s first question.

“You could have called him and asked,” Tobias said to the mortal witch.

She snorted. “I can picture him standing in front of a firing squad as his phone rings and hearing, ‘Wait a moment while I take’—BANG!”

“Vampires don’t use firing squads. The Joe problem is settled, and his lady Sid will be joining the
Crew. Set up orientation for her.”

“You got us a girl vampire?” It took a lot to impress Dee McCoy, and Tobias smiled at the awe in her voice.

“Yes, I’m good,” he said. “Also, the L.A. op has been authorized. The locals will be staying out of our way, and all is right in my world.”

“Except for Saffie . . .”

Tobias looked around as he waited for Dee to go on. Joe and Sid were standing near the bottom of the stairs and moved closer so he could talk to them once he was off the phone.

After a significant silence, Dee told him, “I’ve gotten a couple of
sips
from her that give me the impression she’s having some trouble at school.”

This wasn’t the time or place to ask for details, but he was grateful as always for the witch’s reminder that he had more important things to deal with than saving the world. “I’ll call Saffie as soon as I get the chance,” he said.

“Tonight,” Dee answered.

Tobias grunted and ended the call just as Sidonie Wolf said to Joe, “And there’s the Prime responsible for setting this whole mess in motion.”

She was talking about him. He gave her an acknowledging nod and walked past the couple, all the while shamelessly listening to the female vampire explaining to the werewolf the deeper game Tobias
played by reuniting the two of them.

I put their lives at risk in an effort to help the cause of female liberation
, he thought. The supernatural world had to change before it was destroyed and he’d do whatever he had to to save everybody—vampire, werefolk, faefolk, the creatures even immortals had trouble accepting. Every sentient being deserved freedom and equality—except maybe ghosts, but they were ex-humans and not really any of his concern.

While his thoughts circled around the problems of his peoples, he circled alertly around the front of the mansion, aware of all movement. He noted the evacuation of Matris and other females by their concerned Primes, identifying who occupied each limo and the direction each car took as it left the gate. Neither Reynard female was among the exiting groups.

“Someone needs to shake some sense into that spoiled princess . . .”

Tobias paused to laugh at his response.
I’ve already got one teenager to deal with
, he reminded himself. Besides, Flare Reynard was no child. She was a dangerously beautiful female, and more than the scent of her perfume called to him.
But she does that to any Prime with hot blood in his veins
, he told himself.
I want that glorious body beneath me in bed and the taste of her blood on my tongue. But I won’t let lust make me stupid like it has every other Prime
who’s ever gone after her and failed. If I want her, I’ll have her.

Awareness made him turn, and he caught furtive movement out of the corner of his eye. He was standing in front of Flare before she reached the side door of the multicar garage.

“Flare, my dear,” he said with a blatantly false smile. “What are you doing here?” He leaned against the door, his arms crossed.

He expected an imperious order to get out of her way. Instead she looked puzzled. “Dear?”

She crossed her arms. He appreciated what this did for her breasts, and she obviously knew it. Primes were far too easy to seduce, which was why they were taught self-control, and the lessons from the crèche were reinforced by the Angels’ discipline and training. Which Tobias momentarily thought was a shame, because, damn! Flare was one fine female.

Francesca was delighted when Strahan’s gaze focused on her breasts. She knew he wouldn’t fall for this distraction for long, but she enjoyed the flutter of warmth caused by this Prime’s sexual interest.

She looked into his big brown eyes and said, “The Bat Signal is flashing. You need to go save Gotham now.”

“I appreciate the comparison to my favorite
vigilante, but you can’t insult me and you’re not going anywhere but back to Idaho.”

She grinned at this challenge. “I don’t take orders from you.”

“The Matris would disagree. I am in charge of this territory.”

“I have an appointment at a secure facility.”

“I see you’re using this young Prime for tongue-sharpening practice,” her mother said, standing suddenly behind her.

Damn!
She’d tried to leave the Citadel unnoticed and somehow she’d ended up the center of the attention of the very people she was trying most to avoid.

“Lady Francesca and I were merely exchanging pleasantries, Matri,” Strahan said to her mother.

“Yes. I know how
pleasant
she can be at times.”

“She’s witty, ma’am, and sharply direct. As is proper for a vampire female.”

“What are you talking about, Strahan?” Francesca asked.

Lady Anjelica went on. “Don’t you have somewhere you’re supposed to be?”

Francesca wasn’t sure who her mother was talking to, but Strahan picked up the conversational ball. “We all do. Let me escort both of you to your car.”

“That’s a good idea,” Anjelica said. She looped her arms through theirs and led them out of the shadow of the garage.

“I’m not going to the airport,” Francesca said when they reached her mother’s car. She threw an annoyed look at Strahan, waiting for his protest. She would have avoided the coming family argument if he hadn’t sneaked up on her by the garage.

But the protest didn’t come. Apparently he’d decided to let her mother deal with her.

The driver held open the passenger door for them.

Go ahead, wash your hands of me.
She was annoyed at her resentment of the Prime’s attitude. Of course he was going to leave her to deal with her mother. He wanted her out of town and she couldn’t blame him for that. Shouldn’t, at least. She shook her head and made herself stop looking at tall, muscular, gorgeous, overconfident Tobias Strahan. Something about him brought out the most petulant part of her. She didn’t want to ignore him the way she normally did Primes. She wanted to—

Provoke the hell out of me until I kiss you senseless?

Francesca fought down the urge to laugh at his arrogance. Laugh. Not turn on him in scathing fury? Now, there was a new reaction for her to Primal arrogance.

I only deal in facts, ma’am. Arrogance is for the unsure.

Oh, do be quiet, Strahan. I’ve got more pressing
business than dealing with you.

But you would like to be kissed.

By the right person. I’m not dead, but I am picky.

Their telepathic conversation was so rapid, the driver had just finished opening the car door when her mother replied to her, “You most certainly are not going to the airport with me.”

Expecting an argument, a stern command to return to the safety of the Citadel from the ruler of her Clan, Francesca was left with her mouth hanging open.

She wasn’t the only one.

Strahan said, “Lady Anjelica are you—”

“You heard me correctly,” Anjelica said. “My heir has accepted her duty to give the Clan children, and I am not getting in the way of her giving
me
grandchildren. I’ll drop you off at the clinic, Flare.”

Francesca shot a triumphant look at Strahan, grinned at her mom, and got into the backseat. “Turkey baster, here I come,” she murmured happily—but a sudden wistfulness colored her mood.

She knew what was required. She knew the way
she’d chosen. But being so close to Strahan’s potent masculinity reminded her that there was another way for a female to become pregnant. The sooner she was away from his pheromones, the better.

Tobias frowned at Lady Anjelica’s decision. “You are undermining my authority, Matri.”

“I know it seems that way, Prime, but the continuation of our species is imperative.”