Seeking Pack Redemption (29 page)

“Move, and
she dies,” Roderick snapped, a claw poised at her neck.

And that
was when the bullet burst from the vampire’s forehead in a gory, bloody mess.

With a
whistling shriek, the creature let
Thea
go and
rounded on
Jaxon
.

*
* * *

Facing his
nemesis after all this time was almost euphoric, even if the bullet in the
creature’s head pissed it off instead of incapacitating it.

“Hey,
blood breath, would it have killed you to shower before coming out to play?”
Jaxon
taunted. He wanted the vampire to focus on him,
giving Trent time to scoop up
Thea
and put her
somewhere safe. Although true safety wouldn’t happen until Roderick died.

“You!”
Roderick spat the word, and
Jaxon
grinned.

“Yes, me.
What’s wrong,
Roddy
baby, don’t know how to fight
without the mind games? Let me remind you.” The satisfying crunch of his fist
meeting the monster’s face was one he’d treasure for as long as he lived, which,
judging by the vampire’s fury, was probably seconds. The fact that the creature
laughed even though he’d crushed his nose really wasn’t a good sign.

“I don’t
need to control your mind to take you down. I. Am. Stronger!” Roderick dove on
him, pummeling him with his fists.
Jaxon
did his best
to turn away the blows, holding up his arms to block them, but forget landing
any of his own. It was all he could do to stay upright.

A leg
sweep later, one he never saw coming, and he landed on his back on the pavement.
The vampire straddled his body and crouched over him.

“Gee,
Roddy
, I didn’t know you swung that way.”

“Let’s see
if you’re still laughing once I tear your throat out.”

Roderick’s
eyes glowed red as his lips split in a grin that revealed pointed fangs. And
Jaxon
waited to meet his maker.
I’m sorry, Bailey. I failed you again.

“Good-bye,
dog.” Roderick opened his mouth wide, but before he could snack on him, a blade
sliced through his neck and the vampire’s head toppled sideways.

Sputtering
and spitting out the blood that sprayed him,
Jaxon
nevertheless remembered his manners enough to say, “Thanks, Nathan.”

“Oh, it
was my pleasure,” his former alpha said. “And long overdue.”

Rolling to
his feet,
Jaxon
caught the flare of a match and
watched as it arced through the air to land on the crumpled body of the
vampire.

It ignited
like dry kindling, snapping and popping, the acrid smoke billowing and making
everyone cough. A wail went up, a chorus of them as the rogues broke off from
the battle and ran in circles. Some shifted back to their human form and clawed
at themselves, leaving bloody rivulets.

Without
Roderick to guide them, the possessed wolves got back what was left of their
minds. And for some it proved too much. Poor bastards. He didn’t envy Nathan
having to sort through that mess.

A
sensation of danger prickled him, and he whirled to see Wyatt glaring at him
alongside Gavin and Parker.

“Hey,
guys. Anyone in the mood to roast marshmallows?”

“Told you
he was still a fucking idiot,” Wyatt growled.

“An idiot
who risked his life to save us all.” Gavin sighed. “This still doesn’t change
what you did.”

“I know.
But at least now, Bailey is safe. Take care of her for me, would you.”
Jaxon’s
throat closed tight against the tears. Unwilling to
let them see him cry—
I do have some
pride left
—he shifted shapes and bounded away, ignoring Gavin’s
shouted, “
Jaxon
!”

There was
nothing left to say. He’d done his part and given Bailey a future. The only
thing he could give her.
I love you,
sweet cheeks. Be happy.

Thea
clung to Trent, shaking still in fear. She’d thought herself
frightened when Marc attacked her, forcing her to shoot him so she could get
away. But that paled in comparison to the icy terror that gripped her when she
saw Trent facing off against the monster. Without hesitation, she came out of
hiding to shoot the vampire. Truth told, she enjoyed it, a payback for
everything the bastard did to her.

Her spurt
of courage almost cost life.
But thankfully the good guys
prevailed, even if they were large and hairy and sported big teeth.
She
never did get to see Roderick’s final moments because Trent refused to let her
go. And when Darren joined them, hugging her from behind, the tears finally
came.

We survived.
Against the odds and hope, they’d won against the
vampire. Defeated the bastard who hurt her and destroyed her life.
The monster
who
inadvertently helped me find true love and happiness.

“
Thea
,” Trent murmured her name. “What the
fuck were
you thinking attacking Roderick like that?”

“I had to.
I couldn’t watch you
be
killed. I love you.”

“My
beautiful mate.” He claimed her lips in a scorching kiss that stole her breath.
“I love you, too. So much that if you ever do something that crazy again, I’ll
put you over my knee and spank you.”

“While I
watch.” Darren chuckled in her ear, his breath tickling. “But seriously, honey,
next time, when the bullets run out, move away from the bad guy not at him.”

“Says the
man who dove into danger without pausing.” She craned her head back. “I love
you, Darren. And despite your promise of kinky retribution, actually because of
it, I will probably do stupid things like protecting you if I think there’s a
need.”

“Beautiful
idiot.” Both her mates said at the same time, but in a tone that conveyed their
affection. She laughed with relief.

It was
over.
Truly over.

But not
done. She ended up having to tell her side twice, once to her mates, then again
to Nathan, who stood with his arm looped around his wife, Dana. Of Marc there
was not a sign. Actually, all the rogues had disappeared, those who could still
move that was. While Nathan arranged teams to track them down and bring them in
for questioning—and a mental evaluation—she watched the flames that
still crackled over what remained of Roderick.

Caught
between two male bodies, she asked, “Now what?”

“We go
home.”

“But
first,” Darren said spinning her to face him. “A shower and some sleep.”

They
managed the shower, but forget sleep. With two sets of hands roaming her body,
under the guise of cleansing, arousal sprang forth. In a wet tangle of limbs,
they ended up back in the bedroom where she ordered them to both lie on their
backs. Kneeling between them, naked, but no longer self-conscious, who would be
when their desire shone so brightly, she spoke, in a low murmur. “Just over a
week ago, I waited to die. Each day I woke I lived in fear and prayed for help,
even death, to save me from my nightmare. Then you both came into my life, and
while you didn’t ride big white horses, you came charging in anyway and rescued
me. And my child,” she said with a pointed look down at her swelling abdomen.
“But you did more than save me from a madman, you showed me what true
happiness, what real love felt like. Real love doesn’t mean putting up with
someone because you feel you have to or conforming to what society deems right
and proper. Love is following my heart. Love is waking with a smile because I
embrace the day. Love is being held in your arms while I sleep. I love you,
both of you. And this might sound sick, but I’m glad Roderick found me, because
if he hadn’t, I might never have discovered what true love is.”

“
Thea
.” Trent knelt on the bed before her and stroked her
cheeks with his thumbs. “I promise to love you forever. To keep fear and the
monsters
that inspire
them at bay. I promise to care
for you and our child.” He placed his hand over her stomach. “We’re family.”

“More than
family,” Darren added joining them, his hand rubbing across the other side of
her belly, “We’re pack. A bond stronger than you can imagine. We would die to
protect you. We will do our utmost to bring you joy. And as my brother here
said, we will love you forever.”

“And
ever.” Tears moistened her eyes. “I think I’m going to cry.”

“We can’t
have that,” Trent said with a chuckle.

“Nope or
we would be failing as your mates.” Gently, oh so gently, they lay her down,
their hands touching her, turning her tears of joy, into cries of ecstasy. When
they drove into her body, one at a time, hard and yet slow, they whispered in
her ear their love for her. They showed her that even after the darkest
despair, there was always room for a second chance.
A second
chance for love and happiness and a happily ever after.

“How long
are you going to watch it burn?” Dana asked.

The sun, now
high in the sky, had turned the smoldering ruin of his father’s corpse into
ash, and still Nathan stared, unable to shake the fear that the monster would
somehow return. Worried that his family was still in danger.

“Will it
ever be truly over?” he asked. According to the vampire he’d spoken to, it took
only a few hours of daylight to kill a vampire permanently. It had been over
eight. Roderick was finally gone. He knew this, and yet he still couldn’t move.

“Roderick’s
dead.”

“But the
wolves he abused are still alive. What am I going to do with them? They’re no
longer under the influence of a vampire, but the things they’ve done . . .”

A sigh
left her. “I don’t know what to tell you. You can’t kill them all. Some, like
Jaxon
, redeemed themselves, or never sank to the depraved
heights some embraced. You’ll have to judge them, case by case.”

“And so
the nightmare continues.”

“But at
least now there is an end in sight.” She hugged him, forcing him to look away
from the pyre into her eyes. “It’s over, Nathan. And you’re not alone. We’ll
help you with the rogues.
John,
Kody
,
Gavin, and the rest of them.
You don’t have to shoulder the burden
alone.”

“I know.”
He did. His pack brothers would do their utmost to aid him, but some things
only an alpha could decide. The fate of those who inadvertently harmed was his
to decide.
And if found guilty, his duty to punish.
But one thing hadn’t changed. “I love you, Dana.”

“I love
you, too. Come home with me. He’s dead. We’ve won. It’s time to come home to your
family.”

For a
moment, he resisted the pull of her hand, his gaze returning to the pile of ash
marking the pavement.

A deep
breath in, a straightening of his shoulders, and he finally managed to turn and
walk away. It was over. His father was dead, and the pack could once again run
free.

*
* * *

The baby
came early. Stressed and frightened, Bailey went into labor within an hour of
her mates leaving to fight. Lucky for them, she held off birthing their child
until they returned. It was a bloody battle that involved lots of screaming and
cursing—by their sweet-tempered mate--but at the end of it, Gavin held
their daughter aloft.

“She’s
perfect!” he announced.

Yet,
despite her perfect features, ten toes and fingers, Bailey cried and cried. At
a loss, Gavin drew Parker and Wyatt aside for a whispered conference.

“We have
to do something. She should be smiling not crying.”

“You
better not be implying what I think you are,” Wyatt growled.

“We need
to bring back
Jaxon
.”

“After
what he did?”

“I’m not
crazy about it either, but it’s not about us anymore,” Gavin snapped. “It’s
what she and the baby need that count. He’s paid his dues. He suffered for his
actions and by having a hand in killing the vampire redeemed himself.”

“And don’t
forget, Bailey forgave him,” Parker added.

“But what
about Nathan?”

“Nathan
has already said he can come back. He just hasn’t had a chance to tell him.”

Wyatt
scowled. “But it was so nice and quiet without him bouncing all over.”

“So you’d
prefer to make our mate suffer instead?”

They all
turned to stare at her as she stared into their child’s wrinkled face, tears
rolling down her cheeks.

Wyatt
sighed. “Fine. But he gets diaper duty permanently I say.”

And on
that they all agreed.

*
* * *

Her mates disappeared
all at once, leaving her alone with her precious bundle. She stroked her
daughter’s soft cheek, and the tears rolled anew.