Fang Chronicles: Zenya's Story (21 page)

It was long after midnight when they returned to Marcus’s ranch. Nicolas’s pack shared a vehicle after dropping off Columbus and his wolves.

He wanted to hold his mate and sink into the velvet softness of her body. He hoped she waited up for him. His wolf needed her close. Once she was more adept at fighting, he would take her with him. He knew she would remain upset for a while, but he wouldn’t unnecessarily risk her life.

They entered the cabin to find every light ablaze and their anxious pack mates waiting. He looked around the room searching for his mate.

“She isn’t here, alpha.” Troy looked nervously at Nicolas.

“Where is she?”

“She’s with Amy and Marcus.”

“Her place is with us.” Something was off. Nicolas walked toward their bedroom. Vorlyk stopped him from entering.

“We need to go to Marcus’s house.”

“Why?”

“I’ll explain on the way.”

Nicolas suddenly pushed the startled vampire out of his way and entered the bedroom. His sensitive nose picked up the scent that led him here to begin with.

“I’ll kill her,” he snarled.

“That’s the man talking, not the wolf.”

Nicolas removed his clothing in jerky motions, then shifted and walked to their bed. His more sensitive wolf nose picked up his own scent, Zenya’s, and Talya’s. He sniffed each corner of the room.

“Nicolas, stop. I will explain on the way.”

Vorlyk’s words in his head barely broke through his fury. His frighteningly quiet voice answered, “You had better stop me from killing her.”

“You won’t want to.”

“I don’t agree and neither does my wolf.”

“What’s going on, alpha?”

Nicolas looked to Esta. “My mate is pregnant.”

Esta’s nose wrinkled and then picked up the scent of pregnant female cat. “Oh shit.”

Nicolas didn’t answer.

“You will kill the child.” Esta looked ready to launch herself at him and tear
his
balls off.

For the first time since he entered the bedroom, control entered Nicolas’s savage thoughts. He looked at Esta, then at the other females that crowded behind her. His anger melted and several deep breaths later he managed to speak. “I will not harm the child or my mate.” At least there would be no physical marks, he thought.

“If everyone will stop and listen for a few minutes, it’s important you know what’s happened.” Vorlyk’s frustration came through loud and clear.

“My mate took a human between her thighs to have a child. I left her for little more than twelve hours and she somehow managed to betray me.”

Vorlyk’s eyes flashed amber. “No she didn’t. The child is yours.”

“It will be, but right now I need another enemy to kill.”

“No, Nicolas. This child comes from your seed.”

“That… is not possible. Don’t lie to me.” The full force of his gaze landed on the vampire.

“Do you smell a human here?”

“No, but she’d be crazy to bring him here.”

“She didn’t leave until after Madayah noticed her change of scent. It was a few hours after you left.”

Talya’s voice trembled uncharacteristically. “I smelled it, alpha, when she woke from her nap. I told her she smelled different, but I didn’t know why.”

Nicolas turned back to his bedroom. “Then she crawled out the window and met up with her lover.” He entered the room and walked to the window. Zenya’s scent didn’t linger on the curtains or glass.

 He shifted to human and sat on the side of the bed. “This is not possible.”

Vorlyk walked over to Nicolas. “If you listen to me, I think I can explain.”

His entire pack squeezed into the bedroom and listened to their vampire until he finished his story.

“It can’t be possible.” Esta looked as shell-shocked as Nicolas.

“Do you know what this means?” McDonald looked at them all. His eyes came back around and slowly looked at each she-cat.

“Don’t get any ideas, wolf.” Nikka spoke telepathically, and glared back when his gaze landed on her.

Nicolas cut in. “All these years we’ve relied on humans. What will a mixed beastkind be like?” Awe flowed with his words. “I must get to my mate.”

Vorlyk audibly sighed. “I’ve been trying to tell you that.”

Nicolas walked past the clan, threw open the front door, and shifted. His wolf disappeared into the night, unaware that his pack had shed their clothes and followed.

The lights blazed at the main house. Marcus and Amy opened the door and blocked his path.

He changed to human form. “I would suggest you let me through.”

Amy’s voice was frightening. “I will personally kill you if you harm her.”

“Why would I? Now please move aside.”

The vampires let him pass and he shifted back to wolf.

Nicolas followed her scent up the stairs and to a bedroom at the end of a long hallway. Madayah opened the door.

“Vorlyk explained?” She spoke into his mind.

“Yes.” He didn’t notice Madayah leave, closing the door quietly behind her. He had eyes for only one she-cat.

Zenya stood completely still watching him approach. Her darkened green eyes looked terrified even though she heard his words to Madayah. He walked slowly forward. When she stood inches from his large snout, he shifted, going immediately to his knees. Leaning forward, he buried his head against her belly and sighed out loud when her hands clenched into his hair. He inhaled, bringing his hands around her and pulling her close against his face.

After several minutes he leaned back on his heels and looked up into her beautiful gaze awash in tears.“I love you.”

Her legs no longer held her up and she sank to her knees in front of him. His head dipped and captured her mouth. He pulled back enough to say, “You are my miracle.”

She cried into his kiss, but he didn’t stop. Her hands wrapped around his back and she gave into his demand for her taste.

Chapter Thirty-one

Nicolas opened the bedroom door and held Zenya’s hand, leading her down the stairs. The house held more than fifty wolves and all the she-cats from his pack. He grinned and looked at the hopeful eyes, all looking at his mate.

“How could we not know this?” Amy spoke into the hushed room.

Vorlyk answered, “The South American cats may know.”

All eyes turned to Esta when she spoke, “They hate wolves more than humans. If they think we know, every she-cat life they control is in danger.”

Madayah agreed, “She’s right.”

Zenya looked to Nicolas. “Our child will also be in danger.”

Nicolas squeezed her hand. “This just gives us more to fight for.”

Loud voices shouted in agreement. The wolves in the room would fight to their death to protect a child.

“We double the guards and continue preparing for war. If possible, we will rescue every female they hold,” Marcus spoke out over the raised voices.

“We need to discuss this tomorrow. Zenya is ready to fall where she stands,” Amy said.

The room quieted and everyone moved their attention back to the embarrassed she-cat.

Nicolas scooped her into his arms. “Can we borrow another car?”

He carried her out front, releasing her into the front passenger seat of a parked vehicle. Vorlyk and Madayah entered the backseat. Their pack mates shifted again and went back to the cabin on four legs.

 Nicolas pulled Zenya close into his side and she rested her head against his shoulder. They remained silent during the ten minute drive. Once they arrived at the cabin, he turned to Vorlyk. “If you don’t mind, we will meet in the morning.”

“Take your mate to bed. I will inform the others.”

He walked her silently to their room and closed the bedroom door behind them. Looking into Zenya’s eyes, he smiled softly. “Remove your clothing.”

She looked at his bared body and slowly began taking off her clothes.

He knew he smelled of the cats they killed and that they needed to shower before going to sleep. He walked into the bathroom and turned on the water. He then stood in the doorway and watched her until her clothing lay in a heap on the floor.

“I need to shower, but I don’t want you out of my sight.”

She followed him into the shower and under the warm spray. He washed quickly, then washed her. Her breathing grew shallow, but he ignored her obvious craving. “You need sleep,” he whispered into her ear.

“I need you.”

He didn’t want to take her against the shower wall, standing up like they had before he left. The thought made him smile.

“You think I’m funny?”

“If I take you standing up so quickly after the last time will you have twins?”

Her face reddened and his grin turned to laughter.

“You think you’re pretty special, don’t you?”

“I am special, but you are a miracle.”

“Please make love to me.”

He shut off the water and grabbed a soft towel to dry every inch of her body, refusing to hasten the process because of her impatient sighs. He dropped the towel to the floor, entered the bedroom, and walked to their bed before turning back the comforter. She crawled in, looking expectantly while he pulled the blanket up to her neck. He went around the bed and slipped beneath the covers. His arms gathered her close and he kissed her on the side of her cheek.

“Rest. I will make love to you in the morning.”

Her growl was frustratingly low, but within minutes her breathing slowed and sleep took over. Nicolas breathed deeply, inhaling her scent, and then closed his eyes.

***

When Zenya opened her eyes, sunlight streamed in through the windows. Her body rested half on top of Nicolas, though his breathing remained steady. She kissed his neck, and then traveled lower. Two dark eyes opened and peered into hers.

Her lips continued their decline, stopping at the pinpoint of one nipple. Her tongue stroked across the tip and he inhaled sharply. Her fingers pinched the small bud while her mouth moved to the other. He didn’t stop her, just tried to control his ragged breathing. His eyes smoldered and watched when she inched down to his abs, running her tongue over the rippled plains of muscle.

Slowly releasing his breath, he sucked in air again like he was dying from lack of oxygen. He only needed her scent in his lungs, the scent of a pregnant female; one carrying his child. His hands went beneath her arms, pulling upward.

“No.” she said lifting her head and meeting his gaze.

His voice grew husky and his eyes smoldered, “I don’t like that word.”

“I’ll make you love that word.” She continued downward.