Fang Chronicles: Zenya's Story (29 page)

“Her patience is her most desirable quality. Her driving instruction is another story.” The vampire didn’t crack a smile.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Marcus decided to keep her and I separated for several days unless there is an emergency.”

“That bad?”

“I drove here and I will drive you home.” It wasn’t a question, but a command.

Nicolas realized the vampire was learning more than just fighting and driving skills from the two vampires. He was learning to lead as the head of his clan.

Honey slowly made his way back to the airplane. Nicolas caught up to him before he boarded. “Thank you for you and your clan’s sacrifice.”

“We will meet again alpha of the Northeast Clan. You fight with honor and I’m proud to share blood with you.” The bear turned and walked up the stairs of the plane.

Nicolas sat next to Vorlyk in the lead SUV. He said nothing and let the vampire concentrate on his newly acquired skills. Thirty minutes later they arrived at the cabin that was home for now. They needed more room. In short order, the men, Esta and Nikka decided to sleep in the great room if they were not on guard duty. After her initial welcome, Zenya remained quiet and watchful. Her eyes followed the babies everywhere. The new she-cats remained nervous, but the two boys tagged along behind Troy and Bernard with worshipful eyes. The two wolves were taking them to the gym the next day to begin teaching the art of self-defense.

Though tired, two of the women, Marta and Sheila, cooked and had no problem following Madayah’s direction in the kitchen. Amy sent wolves bearing gifts of extra chairs for the table and bedding for their new additions.

Dinner was less comfortable than the previous weeks with the new additions. Nicolas waited until everyone finished before speaking about his and Vorlyk’s plan. “In two nights, we will hold an allegiance ceremony. If you wish to join with my pack, you will give your fealty to Vorlyk and become part of his clan. Each and every one of you will honor him or tell us your plans to be part of another pack or join the Canadian cats. For some of you, this is a quick decision, but we have little time for pleasantries. Talk to your sister cats that have fought beside Vorlyk and me. Several of Brandt’s and Marcus’s wolves have asked to join us and give allegiance too.”

The new cats looked at Nicolas with startled eyes.

“Do you have questions?”

“You will honor our fealty regardless of our gender?” Lithea spoke for the women.

“Speak to your sisters. They know my heart and that of my wolves. We live together, we fight together, and if it comes to it, we die together.”

Nicolas stood and took Zenya’s hand. She followed him out the front door and he led her to the small cabin where they first made love. His mouth found hers as soon as the door shut. His alpha power sent electrical charges across their skin where it touched.

When he could finally pull away, he gazed deep into the eyes he pictured in his dreams. “I love you.”

She continued to stare at him while removing her clothing. Each piece fell slowly to the floor, then she turned to the bed and crawled onto the thick mattress. Her mate watched the sway of her hips, her alluring beauty, and her slender form as he removed his clothes and let them rest beside hers. He could see the yellow specks sparkle in her eyes. He reached the end of the bed and grasped her ankles pulling her down the bed toward him. He lifted her legs and positioned them on his shoulders. His hands on her hips, he moved her closer, and in one forward thrust, he entered her body and buried himself deep.

Her eyes closed.

“Look at me while I take you.”

She opened to him, her eyes, her femininity, and her soul. His hands covered her breasts and squeezed to the point of pain before grabbing her ass cheeks and lifting them for deeper penetration. Their breathing quickened as he stroked in and out, over and over. Her scream echoed against the walls. His shout followed.

She tried to take her legs from his shoulders, but he held her ankles and kissed her calves and then her inner thighs. He drew closer to her core and breathed in deeply. He looked into her gaze. “I love the smell of me on you.” He gave one long lick through her folds and then let her legs come down on either side of him. He kissed her stomach and then continued up her body, stopping at her breasts. “Are they sore?”

“Now you ask?”

“I momentarily forgot. I’m sorry.” He gently licked, running his tongue around the darker skin.

“That feels wonderful.”

He applied suction to one and then the other. “And now?”

“Better… more, please.”

“You are a greedy she-cat.”

Her breath caught and then she let out a groan, “Only for my wolf.”

“Have you forgiven me?” Nicolas continued his sweet torture.

“No, it will take at least another year in bed before I could possibly do that.”

He chuckled. “I love a wanton she-cat.”

“I love my alpha wolf.”

“Then I will love you until you beg for me to stop.”

“Never.” She challenged with a playful smile.

Chapter Forty-one

Zenya woke up with Nicolas’s head on her belly. His hair tickled. Gentle kisses began covering every inch of skin around her bellybutton until she giggled. His teeth nipped gently in answer to her trying to squirm away.

Nicolas finally rested his hand on her stomach and his chin on his hand, looking up at her smiling face. “I’ve never been a father.”

“You will be wonderful.”

“I think so, too.”

She pulled his hair slightly for being so arrogant. 

“You don’t believe me?”

“Of course I believe you. Is there anything you don’t do well?”

“I would need time to consider your question. Nothing comes to mind immediately.”

She gave another tug, but then her playful mood vanished.

“You promised not to leave again until the baby is born.”

“Yes, I did promise.”

“And?”

“And I never break my word.”

“You will let someone else go if there are she-cats needing rescuing?”

“Yes.”

“I love you.”

“I’m glad. I want to take you to see Dr. Stevens before you change to cat full time.”

“Is there a good reason?”

“You are a miracle and she needs to check your blood levels and make sure you are safe to carry.”

It was the wrong thing to say and she tried to pull away. Her angry eyes shot fire. “What do you plan if it’s not safe?”

He understood his mistake and his startled eyes softened. “I plan to keep you there so you have all the medical help you can receive. This baby will be healthy and so will her mother.”

Several deep breaths later, she was able to speak. “You promise she will do no harm to our child.”

He didn’t look away. “I promise.”

“She will use me as a pin cushion.”

“Are you afraid of a few needles?”

“Maybe.”

“I will hold your hand.”

“What form of beastkind do you think I carry?”

“Does it really matter?”

“No.” Her smile lit up the room.

“Now I will make love to you again and pierce my teeth into your shoulder so you have practice with needles.”

She laughed. “You just want your pack to know I’m taken.”

“That, too.”

They eventually left the cabin and joined the others for breakfast. Mateo and Cruz could barely remain seated, showing their impatience in having to wait for the alpha to begin eating. They shoveled their food like only teenagers can do. Nicolas didn’t have the heart to make them help with cleanup detail, and released Troy and Bernard to take the youngsters to the gym.

“Madayah, please take my mate to the couch and both of you rest. I kept her awake long into the night and want her taking it easy.”

Zenya rolled her eyes and giggles broke out among the women. Nicolas realized as his old clan grew, moments like these happened less frequently. The mate bond usually moved a couple into their own home and families broke off to live apart. They remained within a few miles, but it was nothing like sharing meals, making puppy and kitten piles to sleep, and building a tighter bond.

He helped the others clear the table to the shocked gasps of the new she-cats. There would be new rules for the clan. If Vorlyk wished to acquire his own residence so be it, but Nicolas had other plans for his pack.

 He finished the dishes, then excused himself to make a phone call. Dr. Stevens was available to see them two days after the ceremony. She wanted Zenya there immediately, but Nicolas refused. Bonding his pack was more important than a few blood samples, and Zenya was looking and acting healthy.

He found her sitting outside with the babies and the women. Small bundles of fur jumped and rolled across the pine needles. The women asked Zenya about her pregnancy.

“You mean this is not the child of a human?”

Nicolas sat behind his mate and placed his hands possessively on her shoulders. He answered the question, “No, this is my child, my seed.”

“We didn’t know it possible.”

He continued, “Neither did we, but it is. We leave to see our doctor in four days. She is a geneticist and has dedicated her life to finding a way for us to produce our own children.”

“Did she discover this?”

“No, we accidently discovered it.”

Zenya huffed and peered over her shoulder. “I don’t call what we did an accident.”

He laughed and kissed the top of her head. She settled back against him.

Another of the she-cats spoke up. “You will allow human begat children, cross mating, and the guaranteed survival of our children?”

He remembered her name. “Marta, I cannot guarantee anyone’s safety, but each of us will fight to the death for the other. That is what a pack does. Our pack is finding its way, but in this I will not be deterred. Each and every one of you will learn to fight and protect each other. Our women will be as deadly, or deadlier, than the men. You have my promise.”

The women seemed unsettled, and he decided it was time to visit the gym to begin their training. He knew they were tired, but they needed to quickly become a part of his pack. If they decided to leave, he would let them go. But for now they needed to understand what they would give and receive as part of Vorlyk’s clan.

Madayah and Talya asked to stay with the babies.

They first saw Cruz in the ring with Troy. The youngster’s anger made him sloppy. Troy refused to let up on the teen and used his voice to relay instruction. Finally, Troy called a halt to the lesson. When he turned to Nicolas, Cruz shifted to cat and raked his extended nails along Troy’s face. The cat was instantly on his back with a furious Troy, in human form, above him.

The new females gasped and one cried out, “No!”