Chapter One
Starla let out a sigh, stretching her arms above her head. She rolled her eyes as Aurora hollered at her for the tenth time.
“Come on, Starla, you can keep up with your big sister,” Aurora said.
“Obviously, that’s not the issue, Aurora. I’m not in the mood to go running through the woods like you on a sunny Saturday afternoon when I could be hanging out with my friends at the mall.” She checked her cell phone, noticing her friends were posting about meeting for lunch.
Aurora ignored her like usual, which really ticked Starla off.
“Well, buck up, Biddy Bee. We’re going to run your booty off. You don’t want to go hang out at the mall with said friends, and all of a sudden, decide to attack one or ten of them for no apparent reason.”
“Gah, why don’t you just say I’m liable to want to go boink any random guy if I didn’t get my shit together.
Most girls my age get their period, learn how to put a tampon in, and prepare to go to prom.
Not the Knight sisters. Nope, we have howling at the moon to look forward to. ” Starla glared at her sister.
Aurora lifted a brow as she walked past, heading for the backyard. “I’m going to holler for Yukon. You keep sassing me, and I will make you hold his leash when we run.”
They both were aware of how much Starla hated running behind Yukon.
The Grey Wolf-Alaskan Malamute mix loved Aurora but tolerated Starla.
If they were out in the woods or anywhere he could stretch his paws, he’d show them who was alpha of their little pack, until Aurora let him see it was her.
Starla didn’t stand a chance at getting the big beast to listen to her unless Yukon decided it was in his best interest. She would rather Aurora be in charge of the big beast.
Knowing her sister wasn’t going to let her get out of running, she followed Aurora. The treelined path wound through the woods. Leaves coated the path, silencing their footfalls as they ran behind Yukon.
“I need to take a break, Rory,” Starla gasped, resting her hands on her knees.
Aurora stopped, running in place. “Yukon, come.”
The big animal continued for a bit, then turned back to face Aurora. His ears perked up and twitched.
Aurora looked toward the clearing ahead and then down at Starla.
“Do you need a drink?” Aurora asked. She pulled her backpack off and reached inside.
Starla waved her hand in the air. “No, I got my own. You and Yukon can continue. I’ll catch up.
” She tried to respond to a few messages from her school friends.
They’d graduated from high school, with many going off to college soon.
This was their last summer to be together.
Most were doing everything they could to make memories.
Starla never felt a huge connection with her peers.
She’d thought that if she hung out with them more, she’d feel normal.
And then her stupid nature had to throw a curveball.
Aurora made a little growl sound. Starla looked at her from between her lashes and saw her grit her teeth. Instead of arguing with Starla, Aurora walked ahead. Rather than yell at Starla, her sister chose to check on why their pet Yukon hadn’t returned to their side. Score one for me.
“Yukon, come,” Aurora said sharply. “Dammit, where are you? Yukon,” she yelled and jogged out of Starla’s sight.
Starla’s hair stood on end. Her sense of danger screamed at her when she couldn’t see her sister or Yukon any longer.
The sound of deep male voices floated back to her along with Aurora’s angry one. She tucked her cell phone back into her pocket and got to her feet.
“Motherfucking bitch. I think she broke my nose.”
Her sister’s words came to her like a bitter stench on the wind. She jumped to her feet, taking a step in the direction she’d seen her go.
A large male moved out of the trees, blocking her path. “You smell delicious, female.” He inhaled, leaning into her space.
“Who are you?” She backed away, stumbling over a tree root. She held her hands outward, catching herself before falling on her ass.
“I’m a lucky son-of-a-bitch. You can call me Alpha Garrison.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You’re not my alpha. I’m...human.”
He laughed, the sound not the least bit humorous.
“You and I both know you’re not fully human.
In fact,”—he moved faster than a human male— “I’m not sure what you are exactly, but I know you’re a female shifter by your scent alone.
And by your sweet smell, I can tell you’re on the cusp of your first heat. ”
She tried to put space between them. “Listen, Garrison. My mom and dad are going to be looking for my sister and me. You should run along so you don’t get in trouble.”
The big fucker laughed. His breath smelled like hot Cheetos and death. “Shut up, little bitch. If you’re nice to me, I might let you walk out of here. If you’re not...” The threat hung in the air.
The sickening stench of her sister’s blood filled the walkway. “Did you get rid of the other one?” Garrison barked.
“Yes, Alpha.”
Starla’s legs gave out beneath her. Fear coated her mouth and flooded her nose, making it hard to breathe as her world threatened to fade into darkness.
“Aurora,” she screamed and tried to run. The feel of hands grabbing her made her jerk to the side. She bit the arm of one of the men. His howl of pain as the taste of copper filled her mouth fueled her.
Her head snapped backward. Pain lanced through her scalp.
“Release him,” Garrison roared into her ear. When she didn’t do as he said fast enough, he shook her like one would shake a dog.
“The little bitch took a chunk out of my arm, Alpha.” He reared back, tossing Starla to the ground. His wolven face appeared over his human one as he nearly shifted.
“Stop. We owe Savage, the Vampire King. If we don’t give him something better than our leftovers, he’ll be hunting us for the rest of our lives.
After the sadistic fuck finishes with her, nobody will want her.
Maybe he’ll offer to give us the bitch once they’re through with her.
I can’t offer him damaged goods after what happened to his blood donors, you fuck.
Imagine the damage she’ll be suffering at the hands of those leeches.
That little bite is nothing compared to the hell she’ll be heading toward at Club Jus Sanguinus. ”
“What the hell are you talking about?” She glared at the males. Inside her mind, she kept trying to reach out to Aurora. She remembered once her sister said they should be able to create a connection.
“Once we drop the girl at the vampires' club, they’ll probably drain her dry. I heard something about shifter females in heat being like liquid gold to them.” One of the males made a sucking noise.
“Vampires? What kind of drugs are you guys on?” Starla asked. She bit her lip as they looked at her with narrowed eyes.
“Silly little girl. You have no clue what’s out there in the world. If I didn’t owe that bastard mobster, I’d keep you for us.” Garrison leaned in close. “You smell like sunshine and rain.
Yukon barreled into the clearing, snarling at the men. Garrison held up his hand. “Sit,” he barked.
She watched in stunned silence as Yukon whimpered and did as the alpha ordered.
“He’s part wolf. Obviously, he recognizes an alpha. You haven’t shifted yet, which is why you can defy me. I will make it interesting to watch the vampire bend you to his will.” Garrison took Yukon’s leash and tied it to a tree. “Someone will find him. We don’t take in half-breeds.”
Her breathing came out in a gasp at his callousness. “What if nobody comes along to release him?”
“Nature will take care of what it does.” He shrugged.
“Let’s go. I want to get on the road before it gets any later.
We won’t have to be on the run any longer.
It was by chance we stopped to run. Fate saw to it that you and your keeper were out here when we were.
That’s the Goddess working in our favor. ”
She wanted to tell him the Goddess wasn’t on his side. The Goddess would never condone him killing her sister. However, the Goddess wasn’t one of her favorite people. She’d allowed her parents to be killed after all.
They loaded her into their SUV, pushing her into the very back while the Alpha got behind the wheel.
She didn’t complain since she didn’t have to share a seat with any of the males.
They kept sniffing the air, giving her the creeps.
With two of the shifters in front of her and two in the very front, she counted her blessings from the third row.
If only they’d forget about her when they went into a gas station or something, maybe she’d get a chance to make a run for it.
A few hours later, Starla realized they had no plans to stop anywhere except the middle of some damn field.
She shivered from the backseat of the SUV.
The males left her alone, saying they were going to hunt for their dinner.
She’d turned down their offer of food, knowing she’d never be able to eat raw meat.
No, thank you. Hell, her gag reflex nearly brought up what little she’d eaten that day.
A shiver wracked Starla’s body.
The Tahoe’s leather seats were cold under her bare skin. Stupid shifters turned the vehicle off and left Starla inside while they went off to run in their fur, not thinking about her comfort—the assholes.
She felt a stir in her head, familiar and comforting.
“Aurora.” Starla’s voice broke through her mind.
“Oh my god, Biddy Bee, is that you?” Aurora cried.
“How are you in my head? Am I going crazy? Oh, Goddess, am I dead?” Starla looked down at herself to see if she was torn to shreds or buried instead of shivering on a leather seat.
Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks, but she fought them back, watching Aurora show the way she found her.
“That is so cool. Can we do this with anyone?” Starla asked, intrigued at the discovery.