Authors: Savannah Stuart
must be the human who was…turned?”
He nodded, but his expression was still wary. “Yeah. Maybe don’t tell Thomas I
called you a freak?”
A burst of laughter escaped. “Stop worrying. I won’t say anything though I doubt it
would matter.”
Ethan’s eyebrows raised in disbelief. “I’m starting to learn that mated males don’t
always think straight around their females.”
Her throat seized upon hearing that word. “We’re not mates.”
“Right.” The shifter snorted, clearly not believing her. He headed for the stainless
steel refrigerator. “Want a drink?”
“Sure, a bottled water would be great.”
He grabbed one for himself then slid another one across to her. “So what’s the deal
between shifters and the fae? I know there’s a big treaty that’s going to be signed in a
couple weeks but I don’t get what’s so big about it. We’re all supernatural right?”
Stark sadness filled her at his questions. There was no simple answer. “You were a
soldier before you were turned, right?”
Frowning, he nodded. “Yeah.”
“The ‘deal’ between us is probably the same deal between most humans across the
planet. Hundreds of years ago there was a misunderstanding or a skirmish between a
few shifters and the fae. One thing led to another and an all-out war started. To this day
I don’t know who officially started the Great War. I honestly don’t think anyone does.
There’s more to it than that but if you want our history in a nutshell, that’s the very
condensed version.” Which was why she’d hidden her true identity when she’d met
Thomas. She had a gift for masking herself that most didn’t. Immediately she’d known
what he was but instead of fear, she’d been fascinated by the handsome shifter.
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He hadn’t been scary or terrifying or without conscience like she’d been taught
from the time she was able to walk. He’d been sweet and considerate and he’d made
her ache every time he looked at her.
The first time they’d made love had been seared into her mind forever. He’d been
so careful, so gentle, he’d completely wiped out her previously conceived notions of
shifters. A monster wouldn’t treat someone the way he’d treated her. At the time he’d
thought she was simply human of course, but it was too late for her heart. She’d fallen
for him. She’d been taught that shifters just took what they wanted and didn’t care who
they hurt. It had all been lies.
Ethan’s brows drew together. “That blows.”
Nissa smiled at his vernacular. “Yes, it does.”
He started to say more when his gaze trailed past her. “Thomas. I’m sorry to stop
by unannounced but I really need to talk to you.”
Nissa clutched her bottle of water tightly and turned to face Thomas. “I’ll leave you
two alone then. It was nice meeting you, Ethan,” she murmured to the other wolf.
As she hurried past him, Thomas stopped her with a light touch on her arm. Before
she realized what he intended, he leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. Not a
searing, dominating move, but more of a gentle caress. Light and sweet though still
somehow incredibly sensual.
It sent a shock wave through her entire system. Her nipples tingled against the soft
material of her cotton dress. She knew both men could probably smell her desire so she
hurried from the room. As she strode away she instinctively pulled her sweater tighter
around herself. She wasn’t cold but it was the only bit of protection she had right now.
Thomas was sharp and if he saw the mark on her body he’d ask about it. Of course, that
was if he didn’t figure out for himself what it was.
Once she was alone in the guest room, she pulled out her throwaway cell phone.
She stared hard at it before trying to call her mother one more time.
Her sister answered again on the first ring. “Hello?”
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Nissa started to hang up, but stopped. She couldn’t run forever. “Why are you
answering Mom’s phone?”
“Nissa! Where are you? We’ve been worried sick! Your place has been trashed and
you haven’t been answering your phone. Where are you calling from? I don’t recognize
this number.” Kassia sounded genuinely worried as she spouted off questions, but
Nissa steeled herself against any emotions.
She ignored all her sister’s questions. “
Why
are you answering her phone?”
“Because someone tried to kill her! Most of the Gentry have barricaded themselves
in their homes and we’ve tripled security here.”
Nissa’s heart thumped wildly against her chest. “Is she okay?”
“She’s…resting for now. I’m scared, Nissa.” Her voice cracked on the last word.
The tone of her sister’s voice set alarm bells off in her head. Kassia rarely worried
about anything. Or at least she didn’t show it. “What happened?”
“One of the new chefs tried to kill her. He put slivers of pure iron in her food. With
her already being so weakened it’s amazing she survived at all.”
Nissa gripped the phone tighter. “Who did this?”
“We think it’s Venetia. She’s gone missing and the man who poisoned her had been
influenced. The spell was very powerful and I can’t imagine who else would be able to
wield that kind of energy.”
“Venetia,” Nissa growled. Why hadn’t she thought of her before? Her cousin was a
power-hungry dissenter. She’d been causing trouble within the Gentry for the past
decade. But she’d never been to her house so Nissa hadn’t suspected her of being part
of the break-in. If she was determined enough, though, anything was possible.
“A few members of the Gentry have come forward and admitted that Venetia has
been trying to start a coup. She wants the throne and she doesn’t want the treaty to go
through.”
Nissa sat on the edge of the bed. “And you don’t know where she is?”
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“No. Are you sure you’re safe?”
Nissa laid back and covered her face with her arm. “Yes. I’m safe,” she muttered.
As safe as she could be. If anyone could protect her, it was Thomas. She wouldn’t have
come to see him otherwise. After the attempted attack last night she felt more uneasy
than before, but she didn’t want to worry her sister. The one thing she did know was
that at least Kassia hadn’t been behind it. Even if she’d influenced someone into trying
to kill her, the spell wouldn’t have lasted for the length of time it would take someone
to fly from London to Miami. “Can I talk to Mom?”
“Let me check… She’s awake. Hold on.”
Relief swelled inside Nissa when she heard her mother’s voice. After her mother
confirmed everything her sister had said, potent relief surged through her. Despite their
differences and her mother’s almost Draconian view of their laws, she was still her
mom. She wasn’t sure what was going on with her cousin but she knew she had to get
home.
And soon.
The strain in her sister’s voice had been apparent, even though she’d tried to hide it.
Their mother had been sick for a while and if she’d been poisoned, it was a miracle she
was still hanging on.
No matter what else was going on, she had to get to her mother.
* * * * *
Thomas stared out at the ocean as if it could somehow give him the answers he
wanted. He’d spent the morning with his father and had laid out his intentions to offer
to mate with Nissa. Even if she was too good for him, he was too much of a selfish
bastard to let her go.
He couldn’t let her walk away from him. Especially not after what they’d shared
last night. There could never be anyone else for him. Even if he had to give up his
position in the pack and move across the ocean, he’d do it.
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Hell, he figured it was the only way for them to stay together. Of course, that was if
she accepted him. Which was why his father had decided to hold off on naming his
replacement. As next in line to be Alpha, he’d have to step down and Nick would likely
take his place. Something he knew his brother would hate. But that’s the way pack law
was sometimes.
The sound of the sliding glass door opening caused him to turn, though he knew
who it was before he looked.
Nissa stepped out onto the lanai wearing another one of those silky summer dresses
that swayed around her hot body with each step she took. Unfortunately she also wore
a sweater, which covered too much skin. Hell, anything covered too much. He wanted
her naked and underneath him.
“Hey.” She took a tentative step toward him so he moved over on his lounge chair
and patted the seat.
“Sit with me.”
The elongated chaise lounge was made for one person but he didn’t want any space
between them. As she started to sit on the edge, he grasped her hand and pulled her
into his lap.
Instead of tensing, like he expected, she stretched out on him and settled between
his open legs. Turned on her side, she laid her head on his shoulder and began tracing
small circles on his chest. Something he remembered her doing when she was nervous.
His cock was rock-hard but there wasn’t much he could do about that. If he was
honest, he didn’t care all that much. It was simply enjoyable to hold her like this. After
so many years of missing her, having her in his arms was a small pleasure he’d missed
more than he’d admit to anyone.
“What’s on your mind?” he murmured against the top of her head and tightened
his embrace around her.
She sighed and the sound was so heavy, a band tightened around his chest. “I
finally spoke to my sister and mother.”
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He straightened at her words but didn’t lessen his hold. “What did they say?”
“To make a long story short, my cousin Venetia is likely the one behind the attacks.
They think she influenced a human to poison my mother and she’s probably the one
who sent someone after me. The spell cast on the human in my home was strong.
Whoever did it has to be a member of the Gentry. My money is on her.”
He frowned as he digested her words. “Is your mother okay?”
“I-I don’t know. That’s what I want to talk to you about. I’ll be leaving soon. With
my mom sick and Venetia probably stalking me in Miami, I need to get away from here.
I’ll be going tomorrow morning if I can get a flight.”
Full-blown panic set in. It wormed its way directly into his bloodstream and
coursed through his system with lava-like intensity. Even if she was leaving to get back
to her ailing mother, he felt fucking pathetic. His muscles tightened and he had to fight
to breathe at the thought of her gone. “I’m going with you.”
She stiffened in his arms and stopped tracing designs on his chest. “Thomas—”
“I’m going, Nissa, so save any argument.”
She pushed up to look at him and her blonde hair spilled across his chest. “Don’t do
this.”
He could barely control the anxiety roaring through him. “Do what? Admit that I
love you and want to protect you? That I fucked up once and all I can do is promise not
to repeat the past? Why won’t you let me in your life, Nissa?”
“That’s not it!” She shoved up fully now, her eyes blazing. “You’re next in line to be
Alpha of your pack and I’m next in line to be queen. On what planet could this ever
work?”
He started to answer but she continued with her rapid fire argument. “It wouldn’t.
Even if you decided to give up your life here, you’d
hate
living with me. Treaty or not,
my people would
never
accept you. You’d have no friends, no family nearby, and you’d
constantly be looking over your shoulder. And when you weren’t, I would be. I’d tear
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myself up with worry that one day, one of my own people would try to kill you. I’m
sorry but I love you too much to put you through that.”
The band that had been around his chest for so long snapped. “You love me?” He
squeezed the question out.
She pushed out an exasperated sigh. “Did you hear anything I just said?”
“Only the important stuff.” If he was with her he didn’t give a shit about anything
else. Let someone try to come after him. He could handle himself. He’d spent a century
without her and it hadn’t dulled his love and need for her. Living without her again
was a hell of a lot worse than worrying some asshole might try to kill him. “At least let
me come back with you to London. You shouldn’t be traveling by yourself. Especially
not right now.” If he managed to convince her to let him travel to London with her to
see her mother, he’d never leave. He reached out and fingered a lock of her thick,
blonde hair. When he did, he trailed a finger down her cheek.
She closed her eyes at his touch and swallowed hard. “Thomas.” The word was
barely a whisper.
He’d won. He could feel it straight to his core. She’d let him go with her. Not that it
mattered at this point. He’d just follow her either way. Pride be damned.
As he started to lean forward, ready to capture her lips, a loud explosion from the
direction of the beach jerked him back.
Nissa whipped around at the sound and started to get up but he grabbed her and
rolled her under him on the chair. “Stay here.”
He didn’t bother to see if she’d obey him. Jumping up, he strode toward the beach