Shon (The Seeker Series Book 2) (17 page)

Chapter Thirty-Five

Shon loaded the suitcases in the trunk of his rental car, listening as Laura said her good-byes to Ember and Angel.

The previous night’s memories burned fresh in Shon’s mind, nearly unmanning him as he stood behind the vehicle, adjusting his rapidly growing erection.

He shut the trunk and climbed the stairs, resting an arm across Laura’s shoulder. “Vlad’s not coming to say goodbye?”

Angel shook his head. “He flew home last night after making sure Laura’s transition went smoothly. He wanted me to give you this.”

Shon accepted the large manila envelope Angel held out to him. “What is it?”

“A wedding present.”

Opening the flap at the top of the envelope, Shon took a look inside. “Money?”

“Quite a bit from the feel of it,” Angel muttered with a grin.

Shon’s eyebrows shot up. “I can’t accept this. There has to be a couple hundred-thousand dollars in here.”

Angel touched him on the shoulder. “It’s not as if Vlad can’t afford it. He has more money than he knows what to do with.”

“But—”

“Take the money,” Ember insisted, stepping forward to kiss her cousin on the cheek.

Shon laughed. “I actually have plenty of cash put away.”

“Now you have more,” Ember pointed out, giving Shon a quick hug. “Take care of Laura,” she whispered in his ear, moving back to stand next to Angel.

Shon nodded and took one last look at his family. “I don’t know when I’ll see you again, but we’ll keep in touch.”

Taking Laura’s hand, he guided her to the rental car and helped her into the passenger seat before moving around the car and climbing behind the wheel. “I have one more stop to make before we get on the interstate.”

Laura rested her hand on his knee. “Do you think John will still be there?”

Shon shrugged. “I don’t know, but I have to try.”

“Of course,” Laura agreed, giving his knee a gentle squeeze. “He’s your brother. Have you given any thought to what will happen if Gina is there?”

“She’s not. Vlad wouldn’t have left town if she were still here.”

“Possibly.”

Shon tightened his grip on the wheel. “I have to know.”

“Yes. And if you find him there, then what?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe I can give him enough money to take Roxie away from this place. At least until Gina has been dealt with.”

A wrinkle appeared between Laura’s eyes. “Who’s Roxie?”

“His mate. I don’t know anything about her, other than the fact that she’s human.”

Laura gasped. “How in the world is she still alive? Surely Gina knows about her?”

“I have no idea, and I hope for his sake that Roxie does yet live, or he’ll never recover from it.”

A short time later, Shon pulled into the drive of the house that Gina had rented and switched off the engine. “I’m not going to ask you to stay in the car. You’re safer with me.”

“You won’t get any argument from me,” Laura muttered, opening her door.

Shon hurried around the car and helped her out. “Are you feeling up to this?”

Laura smiled. “I feel stronger than I ever imagined I could. Don’t worry about me.”

Taking hold of his mate’s hand, Shon led her to the front door of the giant house and turned the knob.

The door creaked open without incident, allowing them to step over the threshold.

Shon took a deep breath. The faint stench of Gina remained in the air, but no other sign of the elder could be detected. “She’s not here.”

“What about John?” Laura whispered.

“You came back.”

Shon spun around to face his brother. Odd that he hadn’t detected John upon arrival, he thought, staring into the eyes of his twin. “I came for you.”

“I told you before, I’m not leaving without Roxie.”

Shon glanced at Laura to find her mouth hanging open. “Laura? This is my twin brother, John.”

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Laura breathed, extending her hand toward Shon’s twin.

John stared at her outstretched palm for several seconds before sliding his own palm against hers. “Likewise.”

Pulling his hand free, John faced his brother. “Unless you want to help me find my mate, I suggest you move on before Gina returns.”

Anger rose up in Shon’s gut. “Calimari is coming back here?”

John nodded. “The elders allowed her to walk, as I knew they would.”

Shon felt Laura stiffen beside him. He rested his hand on the small of her back, keeping his gaze trained on his brother. “Where is Gina now?”

“I don’t know, but she has Roxie, and if I’m not here when Calimari returns, she’ll kill her.”

“How do you know she hasn’t killed Roxie already?” Shon asked quietly.

John’s face turned red with rage. “I would know if she were dead.”

“You’ve bonded with her.” Laura’s voice was soft and understanding.

John’s desperate gaze swung in Laura’s direction. “Yes. And I should have turned her when I had the chance. She begged me to.” His voice broke on that last word.

“Easy,” Shon murmured, clapping his brother on the shoulder. “She’s still alive. That’s what’s important at the moment. We’ll deal with Gina once she returns.”

“Then what?” John snarled. “Neither of us can kill her. She made sure of that when she fed us her blood.”

Helpless rage slammed into Shon. His twin was right. They couldn’t kill Calimari…not without outside help.

Shon opened his mouth to reply before he stiffened. The stench of Gina suddenly permeated the air, settling in his lungs like an oily film.

Yanking Laura behind him, Shon stepped outside and scanned the trees for evidence of Calimari.

“She’s near,” John growled, spinning to face the trees as well.

Gina glided from the shadows, wiping a drop of blood from her bottom lip with the tip of a dainty finger. “Oh, look. The gang is all here.”

“Where is Roxie?” John took a step in Calimari’s direction.

“Ah, ah, ah,” Gina scolded, wagging that same bloody finger in front of her. “Not very smart, Johnny dear. If you attack me, you’ll never find her. Not alive at any rate.”

John stumbled forward, pain radiating from his big body. “What have you done with her?”

“What you should have done long ago. I’ve drained her to the point of near death. She will die without blood.”

“You fucking bitch,” John snarled, launching himself at Gina before Shon could stop him.

The elder vampire met him halfway, her hand around his throat. “You think to best me? I am much older and stronger than you will ever be.” She tightened her hold and tossed him across the yard as if he weighed nothing.

“Leave him be,” Shon demanded, his fangs bursting through his gums on cue.

Gina tilted her head to the side. “Who do you have cowering behind you?”

“Your reign of terror is up, Nurse Ratched. I suggest you scurry on back to Anchorage and take your punishment.”

A high-pitched laugh burst from Gina’s chest, reverberating through the trees and crawling across Shon’s skin like a thousand spiders.

“You think the elders mean to punish me? How naïve you are, my young fledgling. Did you honestly think I worked alone? I am not the only one determined to resurrect Lilith.”

Shon stood on the porch, more than a little stunned. “Does Vlad know about this idiocy?”

“Of course not. Vlad isn’t concerned with the elders’ decisions. He abhors politics, laws, or anything else to do with democracy.”

“What now?” Shon asked, crowding Laura behind him.

Gina’s sadistic smile sent chills down Shon’s back. “Now, I take what you hold most dear. Both of you.” She glanced in John’s direction as she spoke. “You belong to me, Shon Wells. You always will.”

“Like hell he does,” Laura growled, ducking beneath Shon’s arm to face Gina. “He’s mine.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

Laura’s gums were on fire. The fangs she slowly developed were growing at a rapid rate as her body filled with rage. She had one thought in her mind as she stepped past Shon to face Calimari…kill.

“Your fledgling has spunk,” Gina murmured, glancing at Laura’s pissed-off form. “I’ll give her that.”

“I also have the man that you want,” Laura taunted, keeping her gaze trained on her enemy.

Gina’s eyes narrowed. “The only thing you have, little one, is a grave with your name on it.”

All hell broke loose in that moment. One minute Laura was standing in front of Shon, her mouth open with a retort, the next, she lay on her back in the kitchen after being thrown through the wall.

Shon’s roar vibrated inside Laura’s skull as she rolled over and pushed to her knees.

The sound of fighting could be heard over the thundering of Laura’s heart. She scrambled to her feet and staggered toward the gaping hole in the wall.

“Laura, get back!” Shon shouted, circling the crazed blonde elder.

Gina slammed into him with the force of a truck. He shot through the air, disappearing from Laura’s line of sight.

“Noooo!” Laura screamed, running toward Calimari with everything she had.

Gina swatted her away as if she weighed nothing, sending her crashing into the house once again.

Laura staggered to her feet in time to watch Shon and his twin circle the elder with fangs and claws extended.

Gina merely laughed. “I don’t know what you expect to accomplish, my pets. You can’t kill me.”

“No, but I can.”

Everyone froze. There was no mistaking the soft, raspy voice of Vlad the Impaler.

The much-feared Vlad stepped from the trees, wearing his signature cloak, his face hidden in the depths of his hood. “John? Your mate is staked to the ground about a mile east of here.”

Laura watched as Shon’s brother shot past Vlad, disappearing into the trees faster than her new vampire eyes could track.

“You have no authority over me,” Gina stated, fear lurking in the depths of her blue eyes.

Vlad slowly drifted forward until he stood mere inches in front of his adversary. “You have reached a level of insanity that would rival Lilith herself. I cannot allow you to continue tormenting those I care for.”

“You don’t care about anything but yourself,” Gina sneered, taking a small step back.

Vlad ignored her jab. “Give me the names of your allies. Those involved in the lunacy of resurrecting Lilith.”

Gina shook her head. “Do you honestly think I would give you the only leverage—”

The sickening
thunk
of Gina’s head dropping to the ground at Vlad’s feet was the sickest thing that Laura had ever seen.

“You killed her,” Laura whispered more to herself than anyone around her. She lifted her shocked gaze to the dark interior of Vlad’s hood. “Thank you.”

Shon strode across the yard and wrapped Laura in a bone-crushing hug, before turning to Vlad. “I thought you were on your way back to Alaska.”

Vlad pushed his hood back to reveal eyes full of sadness. “I was. But I couldn’t leave without tying up some loose ends. I should have destroyed Calimari long ago.”

“What will the elders say about her death?”

Vlad shrugged. “They will not like it. But from what I have learned, they plan to resurrect something a lot darker than Gina Calimari.”

Laura pushed her hair back from her face. “Is there nothing that can be done to stop them?”

“Perhaps. Once I have found the Seeker Society’s lair, I will have a word with Atticus.”

“And if that doesn’t work?” Laura hated the fear that crept into her voice.

Vlad lifted his hood, covering his face once more. “Then there will be a war with many lives lost. Possibly even my own.”

“I owe you,” Shon murmured, extending his hand toward the elder.

Vlad rested his palm against Shon’s. “Perhaps I will call on you when the time comes. Until then, enjoy your new mate.”

Laura rose up on her toes and kissed Vlad’s hood-covered cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered. “For everything.”

With a light touch to her face, Vlad turned and disappeared without another word.

Shon pulled Laura into his arms. “Are you okay?”

She nodded against his shoulder. “If Gina had…” Her voice caught, forcing her to pause. “You could have died.”

Shon rested a finger beneath her chin and gently lifted her face. “I would die a thousand times if it meant you were safe.”

“Don’t say things like that,” Laura cried, reaching up to cup his face. “I couldn’t live without you.”

“Nor I, you.” Shon dipped his head, covering her lips with his.

He tasted of love, of life, of…forever. Laura could spend the rest of her nights kissing Shon.

The sound of John crashing through the trees brought Laura out of her romantic musing.

Shon’s twin stumbled into the yard, holding a limp female in his arms. “Help me,” he pleaded, rushing toward the house. “She’s not breathing.”

Laura and Shon followed John inside and up the stairs.

John laid Roxie’s still form on the bed and bit into his wrist the way Laura remembered Shon doing when he’d turned her.

Placing his now bleeding wrist over Roxie’s mouth, John massaged her throat in an attempt to help her swallow. “She’s not taking it,” he growled, squeezing his hand into a fist to speed up the blood flow.

Laura rushed forward, placing her fingers against the other woman’s neck. “She has a pulse. Keep trying. Talk to her, John.”

Tears gathered in Laura’s eyes as she watched Shon’s twin rest his cheek on Roxie’s forehead and speak in a desperation that tore at her heart. “Don’t do this to me, Roxie. I can’t live without you. If you don’t survive this, I’ll be forced to follow you to the other side. You don’t want that, do you?”

The barest sound came from Roxie’s chest. “That’s it, Roxie. Fight for me. For us.”

Laura sagged in relief, noticing Roxie’s throat contract. “She’s swallowing, John.”

Shon’s brother lifted his watery gaze. “Thank you both. I will never forget you for this.”

Turning his attention back to his mate, John continued to feed Roxie, occasionally running his fingers up and down her throat and speaking in a low tone.

Laura touched Shon’s hand. “Let’s go get rid of Gina and give John some alone time with his mate.”

Shon took one last look at his brother before following Laura back down the stairs and into the yard. “You don’t have to do this, baby. I can take care of it.”

Laura twisted her hair into a loose knot behind her head. “No way. I want to help bury the bitch.”

“She has to be dismembered first.”

“What?” Laura’s stomach lurched at the thought of removing Gina’s limbs.

Shon’s expression grew serious. “Honestly. I can handle this. Why don’t you go inside and see if you can help John?”

“I’d rather help you.” And she meant it. She would walk through fire for Shon Wells.

Laura watched him walk toward the shed in his tight jeans and boots, looking like sex on a stick. She loved him more than anything…even her own life.