Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Iwasn’t normally one to freak out. When I heard a man’s voice come out of my mate, it nearly did it for me. “Alright, do your thing and make it quick.” I didn’t care that I sounded ungrateful. The fact that Laikyn was not present in the front of her mind was not something my wolf or I liked.
“This is definitely the work of a vamp, and not a young one either. I can’t sense his presence, which means he is doing this from afar.
Damn! Let me focus. You need to stop the vehicle, though.
There is a drop-off around the corner, and I’m pretty sure you’re not seeing it on the GPS thing properly, but I can see it.
” Damien shoved the image into my mind. The invasion was another thing I wasn’t happy with.
I pulled to a stop, immediately noticing the swirling mass of smoke surrounding us.
“Do your magic quick.”
Laikyn’s hands came up, moving in a fast pattern.
I looked back at the road, then at her hands.
Minutes ticked by as silence reigned over us.
My wolf rose to the front of my mind, needing to protect our mate.
I wanted to reach out on our path and connect with her, wishing I’d claimed her properly, but promised myself we’d correct that oversight when this was over.
The grey, smoke-like fog began to recede. Almost looking like tendrils of ropes, or ghostly fingers reaching for us, until finally the road was clearly visible. Laikyn’s hands dropped, but the eyes staring out were the black orbs of Damien.
“It is done. Lucas and I will search for him in Kansas City, but I fear he is on the hunt for you and Laikyn. Somehow, he has caught her scent, the same as my brother and me. The big difference is that we have honor. This being doesn’t.
He was testing you both. I can arm you, so you will be able to sense when he is near, but you will need to trust me.
” Damien turned to stare at me through Laikyn.
Knowing the immediate threat was gone, I reached for my mate in the back of her mind, wanting to reassure us both that we were indeed fine. She appeared calm, but I sensed she wasn’t at all. I nodded. “What do you need to do?” I wasn’t going to agree to anything without being informed.
An image was thrust into my mind. I allowed the invasion.
The powerful hybrid filled me with more knowledge, which I knew Laikyn was gaining as well.
Being able to sense an enemy was a must. We were the predator.
He created a link with Damien, the thin tie back to the other being, one only I would know about, until the time came that I’d need it.
I had a feeling we would need it in the coming battle.
“Magic such as we use is passed from generation to generation. My family is old, and from what I just undid within you, I can attest that we are far older than he is. However, that doesn’t make him less dangerous.
Actually, it makes him unstable. For a vampire to be so focused on a female to such an extent is very dangerous.
Had she been marked, I’m sure he’d have left her alone.
But that is no longer something he cares about.
Even if you marked her as yours, he would think she was open game.
Meaning, he will take what he felt was his first.”
“Thank you. You may leave my mate’s body now, vamp.” I wanted to touch Laikyn, but not while another possessed her.
Laikyn’s head bent in a regal way, then the black eyes that weren’t her own blinked, becoming the familiar green of hers. She shivered, running her hands up her arms. “That was way creepy.”
I had to agree. “Let’s get to my place and set safeguards as the vamps showed us. Did you catch all he said and pushed into my mind?” I made a turn in the middle of the road, taking several attempts to turn around.
She nodded. “I did, although it was as if I was watching instead of being there. Definitely not something I want to do again.”
I saw goosebumps on her arms, wishing I could erase the last half hour. “You realize I’m still here, right?” Damien’s voice came over the phone.
“Motherfucker,” I growled.
“I’m sure I’ve done that a few times,” Damien agreed, then sobered. “You both will need to be vigilant. The being will now know you had help, and maybe even rethink his pursuit.” I pictured the elegant man shrugging. “I don’t think any of us think he will actually do that, do we?”
I reached the road to my home, happy to see Rowan and Lyric waiting for us.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ve seen the last of him.
But, since you so conveniently created a link with me—yes, I felt your presence, Alpha.
You will always be able to contact me. Just try to knock first. I do like my privacy.
Feel free to share what I taught you with your pack.
Knowledge is power, wolfman.” Damien ended the call before I could say another word.
“What does he mean you created a link?” Laikyn asked.
Not wanting to discuss the vamps with her, I hit the opener to the garage door and pulled inside.
Once I had us secure, I pulled her onto my lap, kissing Laikyn as if I hadn’t done so in days instead of hours.
I didn’t like to admit it, but the vampire attack worried me.
If we hadn’t had Damien’s assistance, I wasn’t sure what would have happened.
“You would have saved me,” Laikyn said against my lips.
Her faith in me made me feel ten feet tall. “I’ll always protect you. You come first, middle, and last in my world. My every waking breath will be filled with your scent. I need you, Laikyn.”
“We should help Rowan unload the trailer into the barn for the night.” Laikyn nuzzled against my neck.
She fit me. I called her my kitten, and the way she was rubbing up against me, the soft little sighs, I truly thought the name appropriate, even though we were wolves. “Alright, let’s get it done, so I can make you mine properly.” I opened my door, climbing out with Laikyn in my arms.
“It’s a good thing you’re such a big man, Kellen.” Laikyn wrapped her arms around my neck.
I looked down at her. “Why is that?” I asked, letting her slide down the front of my body.
“You’re always picking me up, and I’m far from a small chick.” She stood on her toes and kissed me on my chin.
I gripped her ass, bringing her flush with my hard-on. “Thank god for that. I love how you fit against me.”
Banging on the door had me growling. “Damn that Rowan.”
She laughed. “He probably wants to get home and practice making babies.”
“Boy needs to figure that shit out,” I mumbled, striding to the door. Rowan and Lyric stood on the deck with worried expressions. Rowan held his hand up, ready to knock again.
“I know how to make babies. I just enjoy the practice. Tell her we are ready to do the making, and it’s game on. Now, what the fuck happened?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, then spent the next few minutes getting the trailer into the barn with the help of Rowan.
I ushered the couple into the large log home, doing my best not to toss them both out so I could have Laikyn to myself.
After I shared the information Damien had given us, Rowan began to pace.
“How do we protect the entire pack if he decides to pull the same shit on them that he did on you two?”
“Forewarned is forearmed, man. Besides, I can share with everyone at once.” I kept my tone level.
Lyric stood in front of Rowan. “He’s the alpha, remember.”
“So, do you send out a call or text?” Humor laced Rowan’s voice, but I saw through to the real worry.
I nodded. “Something like that. I believe a mind-fuck some might call it, but I will do a little love tap first. I hate to bombard everyone at once. However, it must be done now. I’m going to give Xan a heads up first.” I kissed Laikyn. “You will have to ignore his snarly attitude.”
“What do you mean?” Laikyn blinked up at me.
“I don’t plan to keep you out, so when I tap on Xan’s mind, he’ll more than likely be snarling back at me. Ignore him.”
Within minutes, Xan and I were mind-speaking.
Luckily, he and Breezy weren’t in the process of doing the deed, making the snarling minimal.
As my second, Xan would help me funnel the information throughout the pack.
“I say we use Rowan and his link with Lyric as well. He’s a strong alpha, not to mention a force to be reckoned with,” Xan said through their link.
I looked at the big man. “You want to help spread the information and reinforce the barriers?”
Rowan stood taller. “Absolutely.”
I fell to my knees. Wielding that much power cost me dearly, especially from so far away.
I’d tried trailing the wolves, but they’d left before I’d risen, making me curse the fact that I couldn’t walk in the day like those bastard twins.
“I should hunt them down and kill them for their interference.”
“Master, do you have need of me?” One of my feeders asked.
The petite human knelt next to my sleeping chamber, head bent, exposing the pale column of her throat.
My teeth ached to bite into the flesh, take what I needed, and to hell with the consequences.
Modern-day technology kept me from following through.
Instead, I motioned her forward. She stood gracefully, the long silver gown I’d chosen for all my feeders moved with each step she took.
I swung around, spreading my legs, and watched as she fell to the hard stone between my knees.
The sound of her blood flowing had me tugging her head to the side.
Her soft moan had my cock springing to life, but I ignored that hunger until the other was sated.