Forbidden Love (5 page)

“Elijah.” Blake strode up to him, his hands full of papers.

“Blake. I am in need of your assistance.”

Blake raised a brow. “Regarding which of your problems?”

“The bastard’s daughter—I don’t worry about the Silent Killer. Wherever I go, she’ll follow.” Elijah kept a straight face, not giving away how true that statement really was. Whenever he was around her, he could smell her arousal and see the way her eyes took him in.

Elijah couldn’t deny that he felt the same, and he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to resist his desires for her if he stayed around her.

Blake turned back the way he came from. “You have a plan?”

Elijah followed. “I do. You know that with or without the command, I intend to find Katrina.”

“Understandable. She was attacked by my kind.”

Elijah ignored his words. “I also plan on challenging Rio and his pack, if I cannot find Katrina, or she is dead.”

Blake stopped and turned to face him. “Are you sure that’s wise?”

“You told me I wasn’t doing anything to rid myself from Rio’s command. Now I am. He can’t command me to do his dirty work if he’s dead.” Elijah had spent a lot of time thinking this through. Though he trusted Keta more than Blake, he didn’t want Keta to know of his plans until the right time.

Blake chuckled. “Quite right.” He started walking again. “And if you find Katrina?”

“I’ll help her become alpha female and pack leader of her pack.”

“I take it you have a plan up your sleeves if she does not accept that offer?”

“I don’t.”

Blake glanced at him over his shoulder. “You don’t think you will find her alive?”

“It’s a slim chance I’ll find her at all, Blake.”

“Okay, so how can I help you?”

“I need to figure out where to start my search for Katrina. Once I’m sure whether I’ll find her or not, then I will deal with Rio.”

Blake opened the door to his office and set his papers on his desk. He gestured to a chair opposite the desk and poured two glasses of whiskey.

After Elijah drank it in one gulp, he sat. “I can question the vampires we captured, but if I can do this without having to kill them, it will save you the trouble of the artefacts.”

“Very considerate.” Blake sat and clasped his hands together, watching Elijah. “And the Silent Killer isn’t going to be a problem, even though she is hunting you?”

“Blake.” Elijah growled.

“I smell her scent all over you. Smell your own desires for the Silent Killer.”

“It’s not like that. She is a beautiful woman, yes, but a killer first.” Elijah kept eye contact throughout the lie. Yes she was a killer first, but that wouldn’t matter to him in the end.

“Well, should things escalate, take in mind the saying the humans use. Practice safe sex.”

Elijah chuckled at Blake’s humour, though the thought of having sex with Keta make his cock twitch.

“Just be careful.”

“If it weren’t for the Silent Killer, I never would have thought of a way to get out of Rio’s command, and I wouldn’t have help searching for his daughter.”

Blake’s eyebrows rose. “So, she’s helping you search for Katrina?”

Elijah sat forward in his seat. “Rio was the one who sold her off to the vampires. She wants to see him taken down much more than she wants to kill me.”

“Well, you have an incredible ally by your side. Use her while you can.”

Elijah chuckled and accepted the drink Blake held out to him. “I just need to know where to start. It’s been over three months and the trail is likely to be dead.”

“I would suggest you start at her place. It was obviously the scene that started this entire mess. Search the area around you and find out if there is anything within the area. It is all I can suggest for the time being, but I will have some look into it and get back to you.”

Elijah stood. “Thank you.”

Blake held the door open and followed him out into the hall. “Oh, and, Elijah.”

Elijah turned back to him, walking backwards.

“Be careful when you are around the Silent Killer. It is not wise to underestimate her because of your feelings. I would hate to see her stab you in the back.” Blake raised one brow before turning and walking away.

Elijah watched him go, an unsettling feeling in his stomach as he took in the meaning of Blake’s words.

Was he falling in love with the Silent Killer?

He shook his head. It wasn’t possible. His feelings for Keta were because he had not been with a female since his change. He hardly knew the half-breed.

Elijah made his way to where the prisoners were being held. Blake may have suggested he search in Katrina’s home and the area around to find more clues, but Elijah already knew it wasn’t going to work, so he planned to question the vampires instead.

Fourteen vampires stood chained against the dark walls of the cell, the only light came through the cell doors and small window, leaving most of the room in darkness.

Elijah turned to each vampire, searching for the one he would question.

One of the vampires chuckled. “Elijah, what a surprise, I should have known it was you who raided our home.”

“You aren’t very conspicuous in what you do. We had our eyes on you for a long time before we closed in.”

“Why wait?”

Elijah smiled and stepped close to the vampire. “Because I wasn’t the only one who hunted you.”

“The Silent Killer?”

“Yes. If it was not for me, you would not be alive. You would have burned in your own home with the possessions you stole.”

“It was she who blew everything apart?”

“You seem surprised. She was killing your men one by one, all the while putting detonators around your home, right under your nose. You’re losing your touch.”

The vampire growled and tried to lunge for him. “You let that bitch ruin everything!”

Elijah grabbed him around the throat and squeezed gently. “Watch your words. I’m not one to keep my anger locked inside. You should have remembered from last time we met.”

The vampire spat at him. “You’re a disgrace. Half and half. You don’t belong here!”

Elijah chuckled. “I agree, but let’s not get off track now.” He turned to each vampire in the room. “I’m looking for someone and because you lot deal in women, you might have the answers I seek.”

“We will tell you nothing!”

“Oh, but I think you will after I’ve dealt with you. A wolf went missing three months back, Katrina, Rio’s daughter.” Elijah didn’t bother explaining who Rio was. Everyone knew.

“Katrina? The bitch who wanted everyone to get along?”

Elijah slammed the vampire into the wall. “Where is she?”

The vampire laughed and head-butted him. “I’ll tell you nothing!”

Elijah punched the vampire hard, knocking a couple of teeth out. “Where’s Katrina!”

The vampire spat on the floor and laughed.

Elijah growled, angry. He put his face close to the vampire. “Where. Is. She?”

“What makes you think we know?”

“You kidnap women and use them as though they were nothing.”

“We deal with
human
women, not werewolves.”

Elijah punched the vampire again and wrapped his fingers around his neck. “Yet you know who Katrina is.”

The vampire gasped, his eyes wide as he struggled against his chains. When Elijah let him go, the vampire coughed and gasped out his words. “The last we saw of her, she was near an old ruin, not far from here.”

“Did you see who took her?”

The vampire shook his head quickly, still breathing heavily. “There was a wolf with her, but they walked through the trees behind the ruin together.”

Elijah left the vampire before he killed him and stalked out of the room. He needed to go to the ruin in case there were traces of what happened when Katrina went missing. Or the wolf that was with her.

First, he needed to go to Keta and tell her what he knew.

* * * *

Keta opened her door and stepped aside when Elijah walked in. She closed the door quietly and followed him into her bedroom. She could smell the anger coming from him.

Worried something bad had happened, she opened her cupboard and pulled out a stake, wanting the comfort of it in her hands to stop them from shaking.

“Are you okay?”

Keta turned to face Elijah, opening her mouth. When no words came out, her heart thumped painfully. She badly wanted to be able to talk again, wanted to scream her frustrations, voice out loud in pleasure instead of doing everything silently.

Elijah’s mouth opened, when a knock sounded at the front door.

Keta froze. She never got visitors. Not even her neighbours knocked on her door. She told Elijah as much.

“Stay here and stay hidden. I know who it is.”

Keta didn’t have time to sign anything before Elijah was gone. She kept a stake held tightly in her hand, pressed against her chest as she inched towards the door of her bedroom.

The door opened and the one voice she didn’t want to hear spoke.

“Hello, Elijah.”

Rio.

Keta’s heart thumped hard as she put a shaking hand over her mouth. Though she couldn’t make a sound, she still felt the urge as her lips quivered.

“What do you want?”

“Nice place. Is this where you’re staying now?”

Oh god no…he can’t find out. If he knew…

“You know it isn’t. I had a lead on Katrina. She was seen here last so I came to search here.”

Keta blew out a silent breath of relief.

“And?”

“Nothing here. In her home I found that someone had broken in and kidnapped her. I couldn’t catch any senses. It has been too long.”

“Hmm.”

Footsteps sounded closer to Keta’s bedroom. She pushed herself against the wall hard, wishing it would just swallow her up.

“It was vampires that kidnapped her. I know that. Though which clan will be hard to figure out.”

“Vampires? Why would a vampire want a werewolf?”

“Vampires like women, full stop.”

Rio chuckled. “True. You just can’t keep it in your pants.”

Keta clenched the stake harder.
Bastard.

“I have vampires to question. If they have seen her, I will know instantly, whether they say the words or not. I will find her, Rio.”

“Yes, well I grow tired of waiting.”

“It has been only a few hours since you set the command onto me. I am working as fast as I can.”

“Not fast enough.” Rio’s words were a growl. “You have a week to find her and bring her back.”

“That’s impossible. You’ve given me a dead lead! It’ll take me weeks to even find the place where she was taken.”

“A. Week. I expect her to be back to me in that time.”

“No. I’ll bring her back when I can.”

Keta put her hand over her heart.
Elijah, be careful.

She jumped when a loud crash echoed down the hall. She heard the sounds of struggling and then silence. Fear made her feet stick to the floor and her stomach squirm.

“You will find her and you will bring her back to me within a week because I command you to. Are we clear?”

“Fuck you!”

Rio growled. “So be it. You will suffer until you give into the command.”

Footsteps sounded down the hall. Rio was leaving.

Keta waited even after the door slammed shut. Only when she heard Elijah groaning in pain did she poke her head out of her room.

Elijah was sprawled out on the floor, a hand clutching his chest.

Keta ran over to him, lifting her hands to sign but Elijah had his eyes clenched shut, breathing heavily. She pressed her hands against his cheeks, making him open his eyes so she could sign.

What’s wrong?

“I’m…resisting the command…pain.”

What can I do to help?

Elijah gasped. “Need a distraction…pain…bite me.”

Keta shook her head.
No. I’m not biting you.

Elijah groaned, his hands clawing at his chest. “Can’t move…” He began to pant, tears sliding down his cheeks.

Oh god.
Keta felt her own tears slide down her cheeks. She couldn’t bear to see him in pain, not when he hadn’t given her away to Rio, or mentioned anything about Rio selling her off to the vampires.

Keta let her eyes stray down his body.

Already his clothes stuck to his skin with sweat.

He’s in a lot of pain. It’s going to kill him.
Keta knew she couldn’t ask Elijah to give into the command. She knew he wouldn’t.

With shaking hands, she began to undress herself before she unbuttoned Elijah’s shirt.

“What…are you doing?” Elijah’s eyes were open as he watched her hands move down the shirt.

She quickly signed.
You said you needed a distraction. I’m not hurting you.

“Keta…don’t…”

Keta ignored him as she unbuttoned his trousers and pulled them and his boxers down his legs.

“Keta…” His words cut off when she gently cupped his balls, rolling them in her hands. He sucked in a breath, breathing heavily.

Keta watched his cock thicken and harden before she ran her fingers lightly across his skin. When the skin rolled back over the head, Keta felt wetness seep out of her pussy. Breathing seemed to be hard as she gripped him gently, moving her hand over him slowly.

Elijah growled low. “Keta…I can’t…I need…pain…please, you can’t.”

Keta didn’t bother to sign to him as she lifted her legs over him. She reached in between her legs to spread herself while she used the other hand to guide him into her.

“Ahh… Shit!” Elijah blew out a breath as Keta slid slowly down him.

Oh yes.

When Elijah filled her completely, Keta inhaled deeply, taking in the scents of their arousal. Her fangs extended and the need to feed on Elijah filled her deeply. She never had the urge to drink from anyone during lovemaking, but Elijah made her want to do things she had never even thought about.

She didn’t feel afraid of what she was doing. She didn’t feel sick at the thought of being with a man. Somehow being with Elijah felt right, felt safe.

Keta leant forward, moving up his cock slowly and rubbing her breasts across his skin.

“Shit, Keta…” Elijah captured her mouth in a hard kiss, wrapping a hand around her long hair and grabbing her hip with the other.