Chapter Thirteen
Dagen was energized by the conversation with the other lone wolves, while Onyx felt as though she’d been through the wringer. “Hunting? What do you mean?”
“They’re scouring the city for us. It’s time we allowed ourselves to be found.”
She pressed a hand against her stomach to help quell the butterflies flittering around inside. It was what had to happen, but that didn’t make it any less terrifying. It was easy to talk about confronting the woman who’d created her, quite another to actually do it.
This was why she was here. This was her purpose, what she’d worked toward all these years. He’d made no secret of the fact he planned on using her skills to further his goals. No, their goals. All she’d been doing up until this point in life was surviving. If she ever hoped to have more, she had to fight for it.
“What do you suggest?”
He turned away from the wall of screens and took her hands in his. She almost moaned as the heat from his skin touched her icy fingers. Frowning, he rubbed them. “You’re cold.”
“It’s chilly in here, and I can’t afford to use magic to regulate my body temperature.” Not when a sweater would do the trick. “I need a change of clothing before I do anything. My bags are at a storage place close to the subway station, on Seventy-Seventh Street.” She’d stashed her belongings before meeting with him.
“We’ll leave them there for now and buy whatever you need. I don’t want to risk going back to where we’ve been. The area might be compromised after our run-in with Jamal and his pals.”
“Isn’t that the point? Don’t you want us seen?” She was trying to follow his reasoning. When it came to hunting, he was the expert.
“Yes, but we want to control where and when.”
That made sense. “When do we leave?” Putting it off was only going to make her more anxious than she already was. Action was better than waiting.
“As soon as you’re ready. We’ll hit a store first, get you some clothes, walk the streets. Have a meal. I have an area in mind.”
“Of course you do,” she muttered, feeling almost extraneous at this point. She was used to taking care of business, pulling her own weight, not being deadweight. That wasn’t his fault. He was doing what fit his skill set. It was up to her to detect and deflect magical interference.
She pulled her hands from his and stood. “Give me five minutes.” She was talking to his back as he was already working at his keyboard.
“I’ll make the arrangements and meet you in the living room.”
That was a dismissal if she’d ever heard one. She softly closed the door behind her, ignoring the urge to slam it. It hurt to be dismissed, damn it. “Get used to it.”
Leaving him to whatever plans he was putting in place, she hurried to the living area. Her bag was on the floor where she’d dropped it. She had to stop kissing him. It not only messed with her emotions but also with her common sense. It wasn’t as though there was any danger of it disappearing from his apartment. This place was locked up tighter than Fort Knox, but that wasn’t the point. She couldn’t depend on him to keep her safe; that was her job.
Both Kade and Devlin had made the point that the blood connection was important. And it likely was for them. She and Dagen were different. If success in their mission depended on it, they were screwed. His goal wasn’t to save her but to destroy his enemies and protect the others. That had been made crystal clear.
The other women had been innocent humans. She was a mage. Her and Dagen’s connection was tainted by magic and Solange’s blood. As much as he might want to, he’d never fully trust her, not even with the blood vow. While she appreciated his support in front of the others, she wasn’t about to wear blinders or deny the truth.
She hurried into the master bathroom and closed the door. Setting her bag on the vanity, she pressed her hands against the cool marble and stared at her reflection. Paler than she’d like. She could fix that.
Tackling her hair first, she took it out of the braid, dug out her brush, and redid it. Better. It was stupid to be worried about how she looked, but it was a ritual, one as important as any incantation. Everything started with intent. If she wanted to be strong, she had to feel strong and that began with her appearance.
She applied makeup with a light hand, wanting to appear fresh and natural. Adding color to her cheeks helped. The silver metal cuffs adorned her wrists. Closing her eyes, she focused her attention on them, whispering under her breath, charging them with power. Her earrings and necklace were next. Digging into her bag, she pulled out several other necklaces, layering them until she was wearing whatever crystals she might need for any spell she might have to cast in a hurry.
There wasn’t much she could do about her clothes. The top was wrinkled. A light brush of her palm over the front, with a smidge of something extra, smoothed it out. She dabbed a few drops of an essential oil mixture behind her ears and at her throat, letting the combination of rose and lavender calm and ground her.
The woman staring back at her from the mirror appeared confident. She looked damn good, too, if she did say so herself. Armed, she tucked everything back in her bag. Dagen was waiting for her by the front door. “Sorry to keep you waiting.” He stared at her face. She forced herself not to fidget under the intense scrutiny and put her hands on her hips. “Do I pass inspection?”
He certainly did. The leather jacket, black jeans, and boots suited his badass attitude. His strong chin, high cheekbones, full lips, and dark eyes would make any woman look twice. He looked exactly like what he was—dangerous.
“You’ll do.” He yanked the door open and waved a hand for her to precede him.
Ignoring the spike of disappointment piercing her heart, she strode past him. She hadn’t primped for him but for herself, for confidence. Letting her irritation fuel her, she marched forward, only to be brought up short by the vestibule door. “Really? You need to key in a code and scan to leave as well as enter?”
With a grunt, he moved her aside and did what was necessary. Unwilling to wait, she jogged up the stairs. The narrow space was too confining. She wanted to breathe fresh air. How did he live like this? It was like being buried alive. As a wolf, she was surprised he could bear it.
When she reached the top landing, she was forced to wait again. The second the door was open, she bolted into the warehouse toward the exit. It was daytime, as some light filtered in through the high windows. She’d lost all track of time in his man cave of a home. She dragged the first of the three bars from across the outside door. Then the second.
“What’s the rush?” Placing his hand over hers, he held the final bar in place.
“I thought you were eager to start hunting?” Damn it, she hated that her voice sounded shrill and slightly breathy.
“I am.” He turned her so she faced him.
“Then what’s the problem?” She shoved his hands away. “And stop manhandling me.”
He held his hands up in front of him and took a step back. “I wasn’t aware I was. You didn’t object my touching you before.”
She wasn’t being fair to him. It wasn’t his fault her emotions were topsy-turvy. “I’m nervous, okay.” It was true and hopefully enough for him to accept it as an explanation for her actions. “I’m also not used to being cooped up underground. I hadn’t realized it had gotten to me until we started to leave.” And she’d understood she wasn’t going anywhere without his permission and help, not unless she wanted to use a shit ton of magic and blow the place up. Not advisable with them inside.
“I’ll keep you safe.”
She shook her head. “It’s not your job to worry about me. We’re not like the other couples and you know it. They want to be together. They love each other, trust each other. They got beyond the forced blood connection and found their own kind of magic. That’s not going to happen to us.” Not going to happen to him was more accurate. She already had strong emotions for him. It was pointless to name them and give them more power than they already had. And worrying about it would only deflect her from the job at hand. Any distraction could lead to their death or downfall.
He didn’t move but the air around them changed. Tension crept up her back and gripped her nape. “You know I’m right.” She refused to back down. They needed to come to an understanding before they stepped outside. There was no turning back once they left the safety of his bunker. “We’re in this together. The blood vow I took seals that.” The reminder wouldn’t hurt. “We do this, we’ll both be free.”
“Free,” he muttered. He took a step toward her and cupped her face in his hands. “I haven’t been free since the moment I laid eyes on you.” His eyes on hers, gauging her reaction, he lowered his head. Any objection died in her throat at the desire burning in his black eyes.
…
She was driving him out of his mind. Logically, everything she said made perfect sense, and he agreed with every word. But he didn’t like it, not one bit. Hearing her coolly lay out their relationship as nothing more than business had his wolf snapping and snarling inside him. He was no better.
Her dark eyes locked with his as their lips touched. It wasn’t smart to be doing this. They both needed their head in the game, but she tasted so damn sweet. The heady scents of lavender and roses surrounded them. Groaning, he angled her head, deepening the kiss.
He’d almost swallowed his tongue when she’d walked down the hallway from his room. Her clothes were the same, but she looked different. She’d taken advantage of their short time apart and applied a light but effective layer of makeup. The midnight of her eyes appeared deeper, her lashes longer and thicker. Her cheeks were no longer pale but carried a healthy glow. And her lips were sin itself, tinted a slightly darker shade than they’d been.
It had taken everything in him not to hoist her over his shoulder and carry her to his bed. She was quickly becoming an addiction, more crucial than air or water to his survival. It didn’t matter how many times he told himself it wasn’t real, was a result of the blood connection, Solange’s curse. Instinct screamed that she was his.
Was this what the other lone wolves had gone through? If so, it was no wonder they’d mated their women. They were human, innocent, and unaware of the game being played with their lives. Neither he nor Onyx had that luxury.
He’d been aware of her presence and purpose, had sought a way to break their unnatural bond. When that hadn’t worked, he’d switched gears, figuring out ways to use her for his own purposes. In the end, he hadn’t had to track her down and convince her to work with him. She’d contacted him. She’d help him because she wanted to be free of Solange, free of him.
A growl rumbled in his chest.
Leaving her lips, he nipped along the edge of her jaw and up the side of her neck to her ear. Silver dangled from the lobe, set with a series of stones. Catching it between his teeth, he gently tugged. Her breath caught and her hands clutched his hair.
The spicy scent of her arousal had his heart and dick pounding to a primal rhythm. Her body fit against his as though it had been made for him. He ran his hands down the delicate length of her spine, pulling her closer. She froze when his erection pressed against her stomach then melted against him with a moan.
Fuck, he was close to losing control. It helped knowing she was as helpless against the passion burning between them as he was. He ran his tongue along the curve of her ear, loving the slight hitch in her throat and the way her scent deepened.
Gripping the curve of her lush bottom, he angled her so her mound pressed against his erection. “We need to stop.” Since she tightened her grip and arched against him, he ignored her order.
Using her hold on him, she yanked his mouth back to hers. Her tongue dueled with his, not passively accepting his passion but challenging it, returning it. She was a fighter, a warrior down to the marrow of her bones.
He wanted her more than he wanted his next breath.
Cursing himself for starting this and circumstances for preventing him from doing more, he started to ease back, but she jerked away first. He followed the path of her tongue as she licked her lips. The color of her cheeks had deepened. Her chest rapidly rose and fell, drawing his attention to her breasts. His dick was ready to explode.
She took a step back, putting distance between them, and smoothed her hair, the passion in her eyes slowly dying. “That.” She cleared her throat. “That’s something we need to avoid until this is done.”
Even as he agreed, he questioned, “Why?”
Her glare suggested he’d lost his mind. She was likely correct. “Are you purposely being obtuse? We need to stay sharp. We have no idea what we’ll be facing. Sex muddies the waters.”
“You’re not wrong, but what’s between us is more than sex.” He raked his fingers through his hair, his scalp still vibrating from her touch. The lush scent of her natural perfume combined with the floral scents was making it difficult for him to get control.
“That’s the blood connection talking.” He growled before he could stop himself. “You know I’m right,” she continued, not the least intimidated.
“Fuck!” He hadn’t been this out of control since the first time he’d shifted. It was a hell of a thing for a man his age and experience to have to admit.
“I thought we’d decided now is not the time.”
Her witty quip surprised a laugh out of him. Some of the tension eased from his muscles. “Should I apologize?” He had no regrets, but it was best to smooth things over between them.
She shrugged and pulled the last bar free. “I could have pushed you away at any time. It would be hypocritical of me to demand an apology when I was a willing and active participant.” After disengaging the lock, she yanked the door open. Warm air rushed in, doing nothing to cool either one of them. She glanced over her shoulder as she stepped outside. “You coming?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He scanned the immediate area and ascertained there was no one around. It was the only reason he didn’t yell at her for opening the door without asking. That would not go over well. Like him, she was used to handling things on her own.
With his hand on her back, he hustled her to the SUV. “You in a hurry?” Her gaze darted around the yard. “We’re alone.”
“That won’t matter to a sniper with a long-range scope.” He opened the door and all but shoved her inside.
Her bag was at her feet and her seat belt on by the time he joined her. He grunted in approval. When she rolled her eyes, he bit the inside of his mouth to keep from grinning. Best not to encourage her. Only with Onyx could he go from full-blown lust to laughter within seconds. She understood him in a way no one else ever had. That was a scary thought for a man as private as him.
“I never considered snipers.” She gripped the safety harness crossing her chest. “It’s not something I expected from werewolves or Solange. Death is…final.” She swiveled toward him. “She needs living subjects.”
After engaging the engine, he drove out of the lot and onto the road. “Possibility is low, but if they could take us down, injure us enough to contain us in a secluded area, they might not be able to resist.” He turned onto a busy street and set his course. “Less likely in a populated area. Any shooting would cause a major ruckus and bring in the authorities. That happens and they risk turning their own wolves against them.”
“For once I’m glad about the secrecy among werewolves.”
“It’s a code we all live by. Keeps us safe and off the humans’ radar.” He drummed his fingers against the steering wheel as they waited at a light. “Of course, if they wanted to draw out the other lone wolves, that would do it. The risk might be worth the gain. In fact, it’s not a bad move.”
“God, now I’m worried again.”
“Don’t be. It’s unlikely they have trained snipers. It’s one thing to pull a gun and shoot close-up, it’s another to take a long shot.”
She studied him as they rolled several blocks. “You know this how?”
“I’m the broker. I have mercenaries and snipers on my payroll, some of which will be stationed in the area we’re going.”
“You can’t bring humans into this. You’ll get them killed.”
“I never said they were human.”
“There are mercenary werewolves? Snipers?” When he inclined his head, she huffed out a breath. “Not sure why I’m surprised. Well, yes, I am. Werewolves do not enter the military. Their physiology is too different. It would send red flags spiking. And what if one was shot, got up, and kept going? That would attract all kinds of unwanted attention.”
Her rational arguments were no surprise. She had an analytical brain. “You’re right.”
She tilted her head to one side. “I am? I mean, I am.”
“That’s why I created an elite team and had them trained by the best human snipers in the business. A short-term contact with humans—for which they were well compensated—resulted in long-term gain for me.” He’d recently used his team to help the gray wolf. It was the first real test the group had been through. All their other battles had been against drug lords and the like. Going up against Solange’s werewolves had been a challenge, one they’d won.
“You never cease to surprise me.” She shook her head, a smile curving her lips.
“I’ve spent my entire life preparing for this.” At the reminder, the smile died.
“So have I.”
“It’s a good thing.” He turned on his indicator. “Because we’re here.”