T. A. Grey (10 page)

That damned tic pulsed at his temple. “Why not?” He felt like he was back interviewing criminals at the Justicars’ office asking endless question after question.

When she only shrugged, he wanted to shake her.

“Dear, God, woman just tell me.” It was almost a shout.

“Fine,” she said, stiffening. “I don’t want to waste my time with a man I won’t mate with.

So after this morning, it’s done.”

Dmetri rubbed a hand across his forehead. The pounding there grew heavier, faster. “I don’t want to mate with you, Christine.”

A light in her eyes dimmed, and her lips flattened. He almost regretted saying it but surely she knew that, had heard about him from Vera.

“Of course not but if I’m...doing whatever with you then that hinders me from searching for my mate.”

“That’s because you won’t be searching for your mate while you’re with me. You’ll be with me and only me.” Her eyes widened and he realized he’d made it a threat. And that damn strange feeling was back in his chest—dark and possessive.

“No, that’s why I won’t be with you so I can search for my mate.” He’d heard enough of this. “Christine, listen to me. You are mine now.” Her eyes widened and lips parted in surprise. Her lips...he couldn’t wait to taste them again. “This means that after we catch Claude you’re coming back with me.” She jerked back in shock then tossed her head back and laughed. Tic, tic, went his temple.

“You are forever laughing at me,” he warned dangerously.

She stopped laughing but still looked at him like he was nuts. “I’m not going anywhere with you, ever. Dmetri, you heard what I said, right? I’m looking for an Alpha to mate with. I can’t do that if I’m with you.”

“No you can’t, but I want you so you’re coming with me.” She looked sad as the laughter faded from her like she truly regretted this. Looking away, she said, “I have a date tomorrow.”

Tic, tic.

“With me, of course.”

She slowly shook her head and swallowed hard enough for him to see it. “My mother set up a date, okayed it through Vane to let him in. He’s another Alpha—” She didn’t get to finish her sentence because he picked her up in his arms and slammed his mouth down on hers. As she sucked in a surprised breath he thrust his tongue inside.

The kiss was brutal, mind-numbing, wonderfully delicious. He told her with his kiss what he couldn’t with words.

This woman was the most frustrating female he’d ever met. He liked her, he wanted her, and she wanted him ergo done deal. She was his and he’d settle for nothing less now that he’d tasted her.

He pulled away and stared down at her glossy eyes. “If you think I’ll just leave you alone, you’re in for a hell of a surprise, Christine. When I said that you’re mine, I meant it. Those words will not be undone.”

Her wide eyes were so distraught that he wanted to go straight to her mother’s house and have a little...talk with her. She did this; she put these stupid ideas in his woman’s head. His woman...he really liked the sound of that. Just for practice he decided to say the words aloud.

“You’re mine now. And you won’t be seeing that Alpha tomorrow. Do you hear me?”

“Okay.”

He blinked, expecting to hear her protest.

“Good,” he growled, and then claimed her lips again.

He backed her into the door, grabbed her hips to lift her up, and kissed her like he really wanted to. Like he was branding her. She thrust her soft little tongue in his mouth and licked at his fang. His mind nearly exploded at the touch. Hot and wicked just like her. He growled as his body tightened with arousal.

Her phone started ringing. While he was content to keep kissing her and finally take things into the bedroom, she pushed at him until he let her down and ran for the phone.

She mumbled a ‘sorry’ to him before answering. She kept her voice oddly low as she answered the call and darted looks at him.

Dmetri started towards her and her eyes widened. She quickly hung up.

“Who was that?”

Her eyebrows rose high. “Just my mother,” she said quickly. “Listen, I have a lot of work to do today. A few of the members are sick, but maybe I’ll see you tonight?” He knew she was trying to push him away but he let her...for now. He needed to have a few words with a certain Alpha anyways.

He grabbed her by the back of her neck and when she climbed on her toes to better reach him he smiled with approval. Her eyes fluttered close as he leaned down, but he skipped her mouth and went for her neck.

Her gasp of surprise made him rethink not taking her into the bedroom right now. The bite marks from this morning were still fresh and red. He licked sensuously over the bites and felt her shudder against him.

“Later,” he promised and left.

Dmetri found the Kategans in the backyard at Vanes. The BBQ pit smoked with charring meat. Lawn chairs were pulled up and the women congregated together, smiling and passing around the new baby while the men sipped beers around the grill.

Dmetri didn’t really have a plan, though he usually made one. He also probably didn’t think what he was about to do through.

The Kategan men nodded at him as he approached. Ignoring them, he stepped in front of Vane and shoved him back. It was only a few feet but it was enough room for what he was about to do.

Vane looked at him, his expression part outrage and shock. Then Dmetri slammed his fist into his face.

Maybe if he’d planned this better then he wouldn’t have ended up in an outright brawl.

But as such, with his emotions running high on anger and the damned thought of Christine going out with a possible mate—and possibly fucking him—really, really made him want to hit something. So he chose the man who’d let her accept the date.

As soon as his fist connected with Vane’s jaw, several semi-trucks slammed into him from the side and back. He grunted and hit the ground with enough force to make his teeth chatter.

Fucking lykaens and their strength. Dmetri caught one of the men—Darien—and rolled with him in a tackle. Darien’s palm shot up connected with his nose. Dmetri lifted an elbow and slammed it into Darien’s face a second before he was dragged off.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?”

It was Jackson’s voice. Dmetri wrapped his arms around the arms pulling him and threw him forward; Jackson went soaring through the air but gracefully rolled on the ground as he landed.

Vane came over him and clocked him in the jaw—hard. His vision actually darkened, blurring for several seconds. Dmetri’s blood pumped so hard his muscles were tight with the need to expend pent-up energy. Dmetri shot forward with his speed and wrapped his arm around Vane’s throat. He backed up with him like he was holding him hostage, putting his back to the outside so no one could sneak up on him.

That’s when he noticed all the women were staring at him with mouths agape, eyes wide.

Somehow that...baffled him.

“Why aren’t you fighting for your men?”

They looked at one another and mutual shrugs ensued. “You think you’re the first one to come here and start a fight? Typical Saturday really,” Sarina said.

Vane grunted, then planted an elbow in his chest.

“Fuck,” Dmetri hissed and released his grip on Vane’s neck.

Vane laughed then slowly turned around as he rubbed at his neck.

“Wanna tell me what that was about?”

Shit. He really should have thought this through before he came here. But he’d been seeing red with only one solution possible—Vane’s physical pain.

That damned temple ticked again. What would he say? That he was pissed that Vane was going to let one of his pack mates go on a date with an Alpha? That would look as though he cared for her, and that wasn’t the case. She was just his now. Settling on what he was going to say, he straightened.

“You can’t let Christine see that Alpha.”

Vane sighed. “Yes I can and I don’t see why I shouldn’t.” Now everyone’s attention was on him. Dmetri rocked on his feet. “I’d rather talk about this alone.”

Everyone laughed. Vanessa leaned forward in her seat. “Oh no, we all want to hear this.”

“Agreed,” Rome said.

Vane looked like he thought this whole thing was hilarious. Dmetri wanted to hit him again just to wipe the smirk off his face.

“You that into her, huh?” asked Vane.

“She’s mine now. I don’t want her seeing anybody else.” Well if that didn’t just send the women chattering.

Jackson came forward, a frown on his mouth. “Since when do you go around claiming females?”

“I’m not claiming females. I’m claiming a single woman. As I said, she’s mine.” He wasn’t used to having his matters argued.

Vane shook his head. “Listen, you want her, great. Talk her into that. She called me and said she wanted permission for Alpha Jason Granger to come by tomorrow. I know the man, he’s solid.”

Even though she’d agreed that she wouldn’t see him, his gut told him she’d try anyways.

“You won’t let him see her.”

Sarina rolled her eyes and rocked the baby in her arms. “Dmetri, I respect what you want to do, but Christine’s a member of our pack, you’re not. Which means her wishes take precedence over yours.”

Fuck. He wasn’t going to get anywhere with these people.

“You really like her, don’t you?” asked Vera.

Dmetri looked at her. She was such a changed woman from when he’d been with her. He was happy for her, truly. And he didn’t regret their time together, even if it wasn’t what she or he wanted in the end.

“Of course I ‘like’ her. Why else would I tell her she’s coming home with me?” Vera whistled softly under her breath. “No, you
really
like her. I can tell. Maybe you’re about to find out what love feels like, Dmetri.” She said the words so softly but they sounded as though they were screamed in his ear. Love. He’d felt great fondness for his father and maybe that was fraternal love, but never for a woman.

Shaking his head, he looked around at the Kategans and their mates. They felt the need for that kind of connection, but it wasn’t one he cared for. Why did he need that when his life was perfect without it?

The sky slowly darkened overhead, heavy black clouds pulling in with the onslaught of a good storm. Everyone looked up at the sudden change.

“Looks like we’ll be taking this BBQ inside,” Vane said.

Everyone stood and did their part in putting away the lawn furniture. The air stirred around Dmetri, he didn’t have to turn his head to know who it was—Brayden. The man moved faster than he did, but then again, the man was old as dirt. He made Dmetri look like a teenager.

Brayden stood next to him and spoke quietly enough so that the Kategans couldn’t hear.

“We have movement in the forest.”

Dmetri’s heart pumped hard at the thought of getting some actual action. He’d underestimated Vane’s hearing, because he came up to them and in an equally quiet voice asked,

“What’s wrong?”

Brayden told him and Vane’s face pulled into a lethal mask.

Before another word could be spoken, an explosion boomed from behind them like a violent thunderclap.

Vane’s cabin exploded apart at the seams, wood flying everywhere like shrapnel. The smell of burning wood and the stench of smoke bloomed around them in heavy black clouds.

Terrified screams, shouts, and chaos rained down upon them.

“Get the women into the field!” Vane roared.

Dmetri, Brayden, and the men took off on a sprint. He only gave a passing glance to what had been Vane’s home that now burned and smoked with an acrid stench. As they reached the front of the cabin, another explosion sounded.

Dmetri’s eyes widened—it was the house next to Christine. He sprinted after her before he finished the thought. People were already coming out of their houses, screaming at the violence. Dmetri spotted a man and recognized him—one of Claude’s clan members. He stood in the backyard of the house he just bombed and held a grenade in his hand.

Dmetri’s heart had never pounded so hard in his life. Fear drove him. He leapt over the six-foot tall fence and tackled the man to the ground. The squeak of the pin being pulled sounded too loud and he knew it was his adrenaline. Dmetri acted out of instinct and grabbed the grenade from his hand, throwing it into the street behind the fence. He could only hope no one was there.

As the boom shook the decrepit house, flattening it into a pile of fiery rubble, he grabbed the vampires head and twisted. It snapped with a sick cracking sound. He needed a silver blade, needed to slam it into the vamp’s heart to really kill it, but for now it’d stay the fuck down.

Dmetri was on his feet in the next second and bounded over the fence into Christine’s yard. He slammed open her sliding glass door, eyes wide and frantic.

“Christine!”

No answer. He ran through each of the rooms, throwing open doors and closets, searching everywhere. He felt like he was losing his mind. He threw open the front door and saw her. His relief was so profound his heart slammed against his chest.

She turned and saw him, eyes wide and scared. He ran to her and she met him halfway, jumping into his arms. He caught her, squeezing her tight. Quickly he released her. More vampires were around, he could smell them.

“Stay here and stay safe,” he ordered and took off down the street.

He caught sight of a man darting behind another house and was just about to slam him into the ground, when someone beat him to it. Quick and efficient, Brayden snapped the vampire’s head so hard he was surprised it didn’t come off. He tore the grenade from his loose fingers a moment later.

“How many?” said Dmetri.

Brayden nodded at the dead vampire at his feet. “That was the last one. They killed four sentries before breaking into the compound.” He stared down at the lykaen with burning hate, violence barely contained in his too-still body. Then he pulled out a wicked curved blade and buried it in vamp’s chest. “I’ll take care of the others.” Brayden had always been honorable and with that came the protecting of innocent lives.

Losing them, putting them in danger set the vampire off like nothing he’d ever seen.

“Come on,
drook
. We need to go back and make sure everyone’s safe.” He spoke slowly carefully.