A Pack For Christmas (Kansas City Vampires Book 7) (3 page)

Alex stood in the alley outside Sick Puppy, a bar down on Westport. He was avoiding
Corazon de la Muerte
because he wasn’t ready to face Rafir, and Julia had basically kicked him out of the apartment so she could deal with her parents. Maybe he should tell Raf what was going on. He would probably want to know. But if he did tell Rafir, Julia might see it as a betrayal, and their relationship was tenuous enough. He debated going inside. Sick Puppy was a place he used to hang out… before. He hadn’t been back here since he’d been made into a monster. A pool game wouldn’t hurt anything though, right? A little eight-ball to unwind might be exactly what he needed.

He’d spent so much time over the last several months trying to live up to Rafir’s expectations and not live down to Julia’s. It was a lot of fucking pressure.

Alex raked his hand through his messy hair. He’d barely brushed his hair or washed his face before bolting from the apartment. The scent of booze and bodies helped him decide. He’d go in, but for one game only. After, he would go home, safe or not, and Julia would have to deal with him. He’d heard her parents ask if he was Rafir. Julia had answered with a derisive snort. Not unexpected, but it still hurt.

Sick Puppy packed them in. The scent of beer, wine coolers, men’s body spray, and sweat hovered thickly in the air. The crowd consisted of mostly businessmen, blue-collar workers, and a few college students. Definitely not an upscale gay bar, but a place Alex had once felt comfortable frequenting. Immediately he could tell there were a few vampires in the mix. The lack of a heartbeat created a void in places where there shouldn’t have been. Had there always been vampires here? None of them seemed to take too much notice of Alex. He pulled his jacket up tighter around his ears -- a very human thing to do under the circumstances. He didn’t want any trouble. His plan was to play a game of pool to pass the time while Julia caught up with her parents.

Maybe having her parents near for the holiday would get her in the spirit. Although, she’d looked pretty pissed off when he’d left. Getting Julia excited about Christmas might take a miracle.

The crack of balls being knocked around the felt tables triggered a visceral reaction in Alex. It hadn’t been so long since he’d been a regular, yet it seemed like a lifetime ago. He was fully aware of how much had changed. How much he had changed. He’d never been a confident person, but he’d understood his appeal. Men and women alike had always found him attractive, but he’d only liked men. He had been completely and undeniably gay. Then he’d been made vampire. His vampire soul showed him a completely different world. Men and women still found him attractive, but instead of having a specific preference, he found them all appealing. But the biggest draw wasn’t their gender or their looks, it was their beating hearts and coursing blood. He’d killed several innocent and not so innocent people those few long months before meeting Rafir Caras.

The path of destruction he’d left in his wake might have served as his epitaph if the wolf hadn’t come along and rescued him. Poor Julia. She’d been caught in the crossfire, forced to accept Alex whether she liked it or not, and the majority of the time she couldn’t hide her dislike of the situation.

It was too bad, really. Alex liked Julia. A lot. She was beautiful and beautifully damaged -- much like him. She was one of the sexiest women he’d ever met, even with all the scars. Hell, maybe because of them. He knew she was afraid he would take her place in Rafir’s heart, and he didn’t know how to reassure her. Nothing Alex said to Julia seemed to make any difference.

He sighed as he put his quarters on the end of an occupied table. Two young men, mid-twenties, took turns shooting around their game, barely noticing Alex in their concentrated efforts. The brunette waitress, a thick, curvy girl, pushed her way through the patrons, handing drinks to those who had ordered as she made her way to Alex.

“Can I get you something?” Her radiant smile shined with warmth, an invitation beyond a beer.

He grinned, preparing himself for banter; then he heard Jack. The rich timbre in his laugh was unmistakable. Alex’s stomach went squishy. He hadn’t seen Jack since becoming a vampire. He had two options: deal or bolt. Alex’s first choice was the bolting. Running and hiding -- he’d been good at those in the past. He’d never mastered dealing.

He didn’t look around as he pushed his way through two men arguing over a missed shot, trying for the most direct route out of Sick Puppy’s game room.

“Alex,” he heard Jack say. A question, not a statement.

He froze in place.

“Alex? Is that you?” Jack’s voice was closer, just behind Alex then.

Alex turned around, relaxing his shoulders and face to hide his anxiety. Jack had changed, but only in minute ways. He was still only five-seven in height, still muscularly built, and he still looked good in a tight Tee and jeans, but his hair was cut shorter and neater. It used to be unruly and wild. “Jack? It’s good to see you.”

Jack jumped at him, his arms wrapping around Alex’s waist. He buried himself in Alex’s chest and held him. “God, I’ve missed you.”

Alex winced. He could hear Jack’s pulse pounding loud and steady -- his scent was heady, a mixture of beer, sweat, and an earthiness that lit up Alex’s senses. Impulsively, he wanted to yank Jack into the bathroom, brace him against the cold brick wall, and pound his ass until they both cried out with release. Instead, he reluctantly hugged Jack back then gently put distance between them. Jack took his hand and led him to a tall corner table.

“It’s been too long, Alex. I’ve been worried sick about you, especially after the way you just disappeared.” Jack rubbed Alex’s hand. The gesture was intimate and familiar. A quizzical look crossed Jack’s face. He turned Alex’s hand over. “Wow, you’re really cold.”

Alex took his hand back and jammed it into his coat pocket. He shrugged. “Cold hands, warm heart. Right?”

Jack smiled. “I know at least a dozen ways to warm you up.”

“Jack…”

“What? Are you seeing someone?” His tone had been flirtatious, but it was crossing the void to irritation. “That’s it, isn’t it? Is that why you never called?”

How could Alex possibly explain all the things that had happened to him in the past eight months? He could see in Jack’s expression and body language, his ex-lover still hurt over the unexplained absence. Alex hadn’t even told Rafir or Julia exactly what had happened to him the night he was changed. It hurt to remember.

“You know. Life.” As if “life” could explain it all. It sounded shallow and arrogant. “I never meant to hurt you,” he added out of guilt. He’d loved Jack at one time.

Jack waved off the apology. “It doesn’t matter. You’re here now, and damn, you’re still hot as ever.”

His smile was hesitant, but he couldn’t stop its tug on his lips. “You haven’t changed.”

“Nope. Still sex and sin all wrapped up in a tight little package.” Jack leaned forward across the table, bracing with his left arm while his right hand trailed down Alex’s stomach, and it casually stopped when it reached his lap. “I could refresh your memory if there’s any part of me you’ve forgotten.”

Even if Alex had forgotten, his cock certainly hadn’t. It lay traitorously hard beneath Jack’s hand. Alex acutely felt the lack of attention from Rafir and Julia. In their three-way relationship, he was the third choice -- the third wheel. With Jack he’d been number one.

When he hadn’t moved Jack’s hand off his lap, his ex-lover took it for a green light. He slid down the zipper on Alex’s jeans and slipped his fingers through the gap. “And you’re still impressive.”

Alex wondered, what did he owe Rafir? Julia? Did he owe faithfulness? Vampires were by nature polyamorous, but lately Alex had been nearly celibate. He’d been so careful not to step on Julia’s toes or upset Raf, and he hadn’t even given any thought to his own needs. He’d settled for the ability to control his hunger, and he rarely thought about his own death. Not like before.

He bit his lower lip when Jack’s thumb grazed the slit at the tip of his erection.

“Come on,” Jack said. He removed his hand from Alex’s pants, zipped them, then walked around the table and took his arm.

Alex allowed himself to be led through the maze of mostly men now crowding the bar. How far was he willing to let this moment go? How far would he allow Jack to go? Alex didn’t have the answers. He ignored the instinct to run, to find Rafir and cling to the safety he’d hidden in for months, but he didn’t know if he wanted to continue living like the rest of the world didn’t exist.

He bumped against the corner of the bar. Jack wasn’t taking him outside, which is where Alex had imagined they were going. Instead, he led him down the hallway toward the bathrooms, but they didn’t turn to go in. Jack surprised Alex by pulling him into a small, empty kitchen.

“They stopped serving food an hour ago.” He grinned. “Trust me. We won’t be disturbed.”

He took Alex to the back and opened a large steel door. A frosty fog rolled out. It was the freezer.

“This isn’t a good idea.” Vampires were nearly cold-blooded, only after they first fed did they have any human warmth, and it had been a couple of hours since he’d taken blood from Rafir. Jack would notice when Alex’s temperature began to rapidly drop.

“You were never adventurous.” Jack laughed.

Alex found himself smiling. “You were always a little too wild.”

“You loved that about me.”

All the feelings he’d had for Jack rushed back -- the butterflies, the uncertainty, the desire. He’d been passionate about this man in front of him. “Yes, I did,” he admitted, surprising himself.

Jack’s expression grew serious, his eyes direct. “Then what are you waiting for? Kiss me.” He looped his arms up over Alex’s shoulders and twined his fingers behind his neck. Raising up on his tiptoes, he didn’t wait for permission. Jack kissed Alex. His lips were warm and slightly moistened with saliva.

At first, Alex tentatively responded. Guilt weighed heavy on him. He was betraying Rafir, and even Julia, betraying their pack. Rafir had claimed Alex. If he had sex with Jack, what would it mean to their bond?

Jack leaned back from the kiss, but kept his arms around Alex. “I remember the first time I met you. You were so sexy, standing at the front of the class, reviewing the periodic table of elements, reciting them one by one to a doe-eyed student. I think you were helping her study.”

“I was,” Alex said, the memory rushing back to him. He’d wanted to be a biochemist. It seemed a lifetime ago. “Connie Doole.”

“You were the TA, and I had just transferred into the department. Professor Thomas wanted me to observe you.” He kissed Alex again. “Watching you was the best job I’ve ever had.”

Alex couldn’t blush or he would have. He raised a brow. “You were a distraction.” He closed his eyes briefly as Jack brushed back his bangs. “You still are.” His words were breathy, and his erection became painfully hard to ignore. “I can’t do this, Jack. I’m with someone.”

“That’s why you left me? For another guy?”

“No. It wasn’t like that then. And it isn’t like that now.”

Jack pressed his body firmly against Alex’s. He kissed his neck, his jaw, and his chin. “Why don’t you tell me how it is?” He moved his hand to Alex’s groin. “I know you want me. You can’t hide it. And I want you, Alex. So bad. I’ve missed you in my arms, in my bed, in my mouth, in my…” He glanced away coyly then back again.

Alex tried to deny his feelings for Jack, but they were still there. But he couldn’t do this. Not to Rafir. “I’m sorry, Jack. I can’t. We can’t.”

Jack persisted, reaching for Alex, touching him. “Want you so bad.”

Alex thought of Rafir and Julia. Even though she hated him, he loved her. He’d be cheating on both of them. He was a vampire. Sex was part of being a vampire. Unfortunately, the wolf and the human did not feel the same way. The thought firmed his resolve. He needed to get the hell out of Sick Puppy. He needed to go home.

He’d finished his evening shift at
Corazon de la Muerte
with the uneasy feeling of having been watched all night. All he wanted was to come home and land in bed with Julia and Alex next to him. He needed to feel comforted and safe, even if it was a pure illusion. He just wished Julia could see the benefit of accepting Alex. He’d never needed the strength a pack offered more than he needed it now. The thought made him laugh. If he hadn’t brought Alex into his life, he wouldn’t need to be strong. He wouldn’t have attracted Bernard’s attention in the first place.

Rafir had noticed a slight difference since Alex had joined him, but nothing threatening. His sense of smell was better, he had more energy, and his vision seemed more acute. Nothing more. So why did his bond with a human and a vampire have Bernard itching to kick his ass or run him out of town? He’d never even cared about werewolf politics. It wasn’t like he had a “real” pack. There were no wolves involved! The invitation to join the pack hadn’t included Julia or Alex. It hadn’t been a real invitation, and Rafir knew why. He was dominant even without his lovers. No pack leader would willingly accept him in their ranks. Because of his strength and ability to fight well, he would have to be named as a second or third, but his natural dominance would mean he wouldn’t willingly follow orders. It was the reason he was given his special ops unit to run alone.

Bernard hadn’t survived this long by being stupid or careless. He would know enough about Rafir to know he couldn’t be allowed in his pack without making waves.

He didn’t want to think about Bernard and his ultimatum right now, but he hadn’t come up with any way to solve the problem on his own. Ignoring it would only get people hurt, including Julia and Alex. He resolved to talk to both of them, but after he’d had a chance to calm his thoughts.

When he arrived at the apartment, he could smell two unfamiliar scents at the door. People, not wolves. He felt his body go rigid with alert. Bernard had been known to work with humans. What if they had gained entrance to the apartment under a ruse, and were holding Julia and Alex hostage. They could be waiting for him right now on the other side.

He allowed his wolf to move to the forefront of his brain and reached out with honed senses. One of the extra humans smelled of Chanel. Not a perfume a thug or kidnapper would usually wear. He could hear voices on the other side of the door. Leaning in close, he blocked out the vent and fluorescent light noises in the hallway and concentrated on the voices alone.

A woman said, “New York is beautiful this time of the year. Don’t you remember? Phillip Denari and his family will be joining us --”

Julia’s voice cut in, sending a rush of relief through Rafir. “I have responsibilities here.” She didn’t sound hurt, or scared, or angry. She sounded confused and mildly irritated. Who was she talking to? Surely she hadn’t brought clients home. She’d never done so before.

A man interjected, “You don’t need to work, Julia. You never did. Let us take care of you. Let us care for you.”

Rafir felt his hackles rise. Who was this human to talk about caring for Julia? Julia was
his
. He winced as the bones in his fingers popped and deformed as they lengthened. His fingernails thickened into claws. He had to protect his pack. The man had talked to Julia like she was a possession. Something to own. Rafir wouldn’t allow him to take her.

He backed up from the door and gave a swift kick below the handle. It shuddered, but didn’t open. A startled scream sounded on the other side. He kicked again, putting more strength behind the effort. The door nearly burst off its hinges as it exploded inward.

Rafir stood in the doorway, wolfish hands flexing into fists. The strangers had thrown themselves in front of Julia. Even slightly wolfed out, Rafir was rational enough to be confused. They were protecting Julia… from him.

Julia pushed away from them and rushed to Rafir. She put her arms around his neck, stroking his hair, murmuring soft words meant to calm his beast. He’d misread the situation, and now he’d made it worse. The older man and woman stared at the two of them in horror. They were unaware of his nature.

“Mother. Father,” he heard Julia say without letting him go. “This is Rafir Caras.”

Oh. Shit. His wolf retreated.

“Rafir.” She leaned back a little to meet his eyes -- eyes he hoped were back to their normal brown and not wolfish-amber. “These are my parents.”

“What are they doing here?” He asked the question without considering how it might sound.

“We’ve come to see our child,” her father said with a distinct tone of disapproval. He stood and straightened his clothing. He squared his feet with his shoulders and clenched his hands. It was a posture Rafir was familiar with -- her father had made himself ready to defend. He’d formed an impression of Rafir, and what he’d seen of his daughter’s boyfriend, he definitely didn’t like. “I didn’t know it was a crime in this state. I’ll have to brush up on Missouri law.”

“Michael.” His wife tugged at his sleeve. “Calm down.”

“Calm down?” The man threw up his arms. “This gentleman breaks down the door to get into his own apartment. Why would he do that? I don’t get it. If you can explain it to me, I’ll be happy to calm down. This is why you need to come back to New York with us. You’re not safe here.” He looked pointedly at Rafir. “Obviously.”

“Raf. Raf,” Julia whispered in his ear. “It’s okay. I’m here. I’m safe. It’s okay.”

His hands transformed back to normal. Human. He brought them up from his sides and embraced Julia. He should’ve been relieved it was her parents. He wasn’t. Her parents were old money. They had power and influence. Julia had grown up with nannies and boarding schools. The one they’d sent her to in France was where she’d been kidnapped and sold into blood slavery. To be fair to the boarding school, the actual kidnapping took place at a small but elite club, not on school property.

Her parents had made certain she never wanted for anything -- anything but their attention and approval. “What are they doing here?” he asked again.

“I don’t know,” she replied.

“We are her parents,” her mother said, repeating her husband’s sentiment as if biology explained it all.

“Yeah.” Rafir snorted. He worked to ease the chuffing noise in his throat.

“They were just leaving,” Julia said. Her voice held tension and fear.

Was she afraid of Rafir? Afraid of what he’d do to her parents? Rafir couldn’t meet her eyes. He didn’t want to know the truth. Did Julia want to go back to her parents? Back to her old life?

Julia disengaged from him, then ushered her parents to the door. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” she told them.

Her mother reached up and caressed her face. “You haven’t changed at all. You are still my beautiful girl.” She twined her fingers in Julia’s short hair. “You could use a hair cut though. My hairdresser could work magic on you, darling.”

Julia flushed, then bent down and gave her mother a quick peck on the cheek. “Good-bye, Mother.” When the door closed behind them, she turned on Rafir. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Still
her
beautiful girl, huh?” It felt like he was losing his mind. Anger and confusion clouded any good judgment. It was stupid to be jealous of her parents. She hadn’t even talked to them since shortly after her rescue when she’d decided to give up her old life to stay with him. Or at least he hadn’t thought so. But here they had been. In his apartment. Had Julia called them?

Her brow wrinkled and her lips pursed in worry, and something else Rafir recognized. Fear. He hadn’t meant to frighten her. He’d been trying to protect her. No. He’d been trying to possess her -- to keep her from anyone or anything that could take her from him and Alex. He glanced away, too ashamed to meet her eyes. “I’m sorry, Julia.”

She nodded and walked into the kitchen area. She stood with her hand on the refrigerator door. “Are you hungry? I can make some pork chops.”

Rafir forced a smile. “No. Thanks. I ate at the bar.”

Julia raised a brow.

Rafir chuckled. It was a joke between them, ever since he’d started working at the vampire club. He looked around. “Where’s Alex?”

Julia fisted her hands on her hips. “I’m not his keeper.” She took a bottle of water out of the fridge, unscrewed the cap, and took a drink. “Besides, I’ve kind of been busy.”

The surge of animal in him pulsed strongly. He shouldn’t be angry with Julia. It wasn’t her fault Alex wasn’t home, but he couldn’t help the trickling anxiety inside him. He’d finally created a family -- two people he could love absolutely, his pack -- and it felt like he was losing them both.

He sat on the couch, head in his hands, and the door opened. Alex walked in and pushed the broken door closed behind him. His clothes and hair were disheveled, and the thick, pungent scent of cologne hung in the air.

Alex didn’t wear cologne. Rafir’s senses went on high alert. He could smell another man. The odor was unmistakably human. Had Alex taken blood from someone else? Did he kill again? No. Rafir didn’t smell blood. The scent was more raw and carnal. “Where have you been?” It was an accusation, not a question.

“I…” Worry creased Alex’s brow. “I wanted to give…” He glanced at Julia apologetically. “Julia’s parents…” He was stammering nervously, and it pissed Rafir off.

“Don’t blame Julia!” He rushed Alex, then pushed him against the wall.

He heard Julia yelp, but ignored her.

“Where were you?” A growl and tremor edged his words as his self-control faded. “Who the fuck were you with?”

The nervous energy in Alex disappeared, replaced by his own brand of anger. “Like you fucking care!” He pushed back, but Rafir maintained his strong grip. Alex glared furiously at him.

Rafir’s eyes shifted. His wolf took over. He could see every pore, every tiny line, every nostril flex, and mouth crinkle.

Julia shouted, “You’re losing it.”

It sounded like a gong going off in his brain. He turned his head and snapped his teeth at her. A growl rumbled from his chest. His wolf matched Alex’s fury, affronted the pup would try to exert his own dominance. Rafir was the leader, the alpha, and he would prove it. Inside his wolf snarled and scratched, fighting to get out. The self-control his human side had struggled to master disappeared with shifting bones. He screamed as the intense pain of shifting took him, but it sounded like a battle cry -- a call to war.

When he shifted fully, Rafir towered over Alex. He lifted the vampire and sniffed at his mouth then his neck. The scent trailed down his chest -- a saturated mixture of beer, cologne, saliva, and… frozen food? His wolf-self cocked its head sideways. What had his pup been up to?