Siren Song (37 page)

Absurdly pleased by the acid jealousy eating away at him, she shrugged her slender shoulders and stood up, letting Duncan’s coat slide to the floor and not caring about the wrinkles. Running her hands over Dima’s muscled chest, she purred, “It wouldn’t have been the first time, love; he is, after all, the Alpha, or he will be.”

A low growl emanated from the back of his throat as he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, “You’re mine, Ash; you bit me and made me a wolf and you’re fucking mine.”

She squealed her delight, knowing that eventually, she was going to have to tell the pack, tell Duncan, the secret to a successful human transition. Powerful antibiotics. They were only needed to get them over the hump and then everything seemed to go smoothly. It was such a simple solution that nobody had considered because wolves never got sick. And because so few attempts were made at converting humans. Dima had been a wolf for almost two weeks and the transition had been painless. “Take me to bed, my lover.”

“
Your mate.”

Her eyes lit up at the words and what they implied. “Really? You’ll claim me?”

“
Hell, Ash, I should have done it as soon as you turned me,” he growled.

“
Are you ever going to tell your roommates about us? About you?”

“
When Lexi comes clean about being a Siren,” he said, kicking the door shut behind him. Tossing Ashley onto the bed, he said, “When she admits to being in love with a wolf.”

Flinging himself onto the bed so that he covered Ashley’s body with his own, he growled, “After I’ve fucked you fifty ways from Sunday and you scream my name and howl at the moon then I might think about it.”

Uncomfortable with knocking on the Rudnar’s door and demanding to know where the youngest Rudnar daughter was, Duncan decided to track her down through her roommates. His first stop had been to
Skin
, since Dima was a member of his pack now. Despite the early hour, both Dima and Ashley were inside, Dima’s arm firmly around Ashley as he glared at the Alpha.

“
You’re not going to try to fuck my mate again,” Dima growled and Duncan had to give him credit for his foolish bravery for standing up to the Alpha. “I claimed her after you left last night with your limp dick between your legs.”

Okay, there was a line between foolish bravery and just plain dumb foolishness; Dima had taken a giant leap over it. But Duncan didn’t come to put the new puppy in his place…. Narrowing his eyes, he looked at Dima, letting his wolf out for a moment to confirm his suspicion. “When did that happen?”

With furious rage, Dima bit out, “I was there at the apartment….”

Duncan turned his burning eyes on Ashley, “When did you turn him?”

“
About two weeks ago,” Ashley replied meekly, though her eyes were defiant.

“
Are you insane?” he asked, his tone deceptively soft. “If you had killed him it would have devastated Lexi.”

“
It was a chance I was willing to take,” Dima said boldly, putting his arm around Ashley. “To be with Ashley I would risk anything.”

Duncan laughed without humor and shook his head, “You’re a fool. But I didn’t come here to discuss your… recklessness; I want to know where Lexi is.”

Dima smiled cruelly, “I don’t have to tell you that.”

“
You’re a member of my pack,” Duncan reminded him firmly. “Your loyalty is to me.”

“
My loyalty is to her,” Dima retorted. “But I’ll be sure to let her know you’re looking for her. By the way, does she know what you are?”

Duncan ground his molars together; the puppy’s loyalty to Lexi was admirable but it made his life that much more difficult. Looking at Ashley, he bit out, “Keep an eye on your new dog; make sure he doesn’t leave a mess on the carpet.”

With that, he stormed out of the bar and decided to make his way to the other roommate’s haunt: Cole’s studio, hoping to extract the information he needed from the artist.

Within a few minutes, Duncan stood in the studio looking at some of Cole’s more recent work. The set of incredibly erotic body photos of Lexi caught his attention and he stopped to stare at the woman who had captured his imagination. With the artful arrangement of limbs, what could have been pornographic was art; exquisite in their lines and illumination. Cole truly was a talented artist, even if Lexi’s photos had jealousy eating at Duncan’s stomach and hunger burning his gut. His cock responded with eagerness, despite the fact that Lexi wasn’t near.

“
They’re my favorite photos, too,” a familiar voice murmured behind him.

Without turning around, Duncan knew that it was Cole. “They’re beautiful.”

“
I have a beautiful subject to work with.” Duncan could hear the smile in the other man’s voice. “Lexi is… well, Lexi. But, of course, you know that.”

“
I do,” Duncan murmured, turning his head and looking at Cole in his vibrant orange shirt, unbuttoned to reveal his naked chest. Duncan cleared his throat and looked back at the pictures, “Where is she?”

Cole actually chuckled, “She’s where she needs to be.”

“
What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Duncan snarled, turning around and glaring at the man.

Cole’s smile widened, infuriating Duncan to no end; this man knew where she was and he wasn’t going to tell him. “Mr. Tremain, I’m sure you understand; my loyalties are to her, not you.”

“
Just tell me where she is, damn it.”

“
I can’t do that, not until I know you’re worthy of her and, quite honestly, you’ll never be worthy,” Cole grinned, obviously enjoying having all of the power.

Duncan’s molars ground together and his nostrils flared; he just wanted to find Lexi, to hold her in his arms once more. To breathe her in. “I simply want to know where I can find her.”

“
I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to tell you,” Cole said, almost apologetically. “However, I am willing to… trade.”

Duncan did not particularly care for the way Cole was looking at him; as if seeing him naked and imagining the possibilities. Glaring at the other man, he ground out, “What kind of trade?”

Cole bit back a laugh at the guarded expression on Duncan’s face; the man should be concerned. But what Cole did, he did for Lexi. “I’ll throw you a bone if you let me photograph you.”

“
What’s the catch?” Duncan asked skeptically.

“
Isn’t it obvious?” Cole grinned, nodding his head towards his photos. “I want you naked.”

Duncan closed his eyes and swallowed. He wasn’t uncomfortable with his body, but posing nude was not something he ever considered doing. And the fact that he was even entertaining the idea proved just how tied up he was. He could almost hear his wolf laughing at him. “What guarantee do I have that the information you give me will be… useful?”

“
None,” Cole beamed. “However, it’s something Lexi wants and since you seem so eager to find her, I figure any scrap of information would be… desirable.”

“
Fine,” Duncan agreed through clenched teeth since Cole said those magic words
It’s something Lexi wants
. Duncan knew he would do anything for her, even pose naked for her best friend. But he didn’t have to be happy about it. “When do you want to do it?”

“
Right now,” Cole laughed, already heading towards the studio. Talking over his shoulder, assuming (correctly) that Duncan was following him, he said, “I’ve been dying to take your picture; your lines are just incredible.”

“
Great,” Duncan grumbled, not sounding very happy about it, which made Cole laugh even harder.

Surprisingly, or perhaps not, Cole was a complete professional and Duncan was impressed with the man’s ability to see beauty in what appeared to be ordinary muscles and sinew. Within moments of the first picture being taken, Duncan was more or less comfortable. Well, as comfortable as possible considering he was naked in front of another man taking pictures. He just kept reminding himself that it was for Lexi and that the man on the other side of the camera did this for a living. And his private parts were carefully concealed.

“
There,” Cole said calmly, putting his equipment away afterwards; nearly an hour later. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“
Fuck you,” Duncan growled, buttoning his shirt back up. Of course, Cole laughed. With a sigh, Duncan smiled, too, “It wasn’t the end of the world.”

“
You are a photographer’s dream,” Cole grinned.

“
Aren’t you forgetting something?” Duncan asked as Cole went about his business. When Cole lifted his head and cocked his head to the side in feigned confusion, Duncan’s raised an eyebrow, “Our bargain?”

“
I haven’t forgotten,” Cole grinned, disappearing into another room for a long moment before coming back with a large portfolio. Handing it to Duncan, he shrugged his shoulders, the orange shirt gaping open. “Here.”

Cautiously he took it from Cole, asking, “What’s this?”

“
An early wedding present.”

Carefully, Duncan opened it and his breath caught in his throat. Inside was a series of photos of Lexi – Alexandra – looking beautiful, a balm to his broken soul. The color pictures showed her with her big, hazel-green eyes and long, gleaming brown hair, wearing a simple dress and looking so damn young and innocent. Only her eyes spoke of wisdom beyond her years: an old soul that he hadn’t seen before because she hid it behind laughter and sensuality. Duncan’s heart squeezed in his chest and he had to swallow a few times before he was able to speak. “Thank you.”

Cole put a hand on Duncan’s shoulder in a show of support, “Good luck, my friend.”

He tried to tell himself that it wasn’t love but he knew he would be lying. He had loved her almost from the very beginning and he hadn’t known. But his wolf had.

Fuck; he was going to have to deal with the bastard once and for all if he had any hope of being with Lexi. Of being whole.

*****

Duncan sat in the darkened study, the glass of bourbon untouched as he willed the confrontation with the wolf. One of the wolf’s sense memories filtered into his head, the pure scent of Lexi before he so thoughtlessly took her in his office.

She was a virgin.
His clenched his hands into fists even though he knew he hadn’t hurt her their first time. His jaw clamped together; he wouldn’t have done anything differently had he known. He had been too lost in rapture to think.

She tames me
, his wolf whispered.
She makes it so I am able to breathe and I claimed her

I am aware of that.
Duncan’s fingers ached but he couldn’t unclench his fist.

She’s mine,
the wolf continued relentlessly. Ruthlessly.
Accept me and she can be ours.

I will not share.

We’re more bonded than you care to believe
. The wolf was merciless as he whispered ceaselessly in Duncan’s head.
Remember, Duncan; remember what happened eighteen years ago that scared you and embrace your fear.

Closing his eyes, Duncan relaxed his body and let the memories wash over him, through him; memories he hadn’t allowed himself to remember….

Duncan reveled in the freedom of being a wolf and at fifteen he was the youngest member of the pack who could transform at will, going from human to wolf and back again whenever he pleased, between one heartbeat and the next. The best was running through the woods at night, his senses open to the exotic nocturnal world surrounding him.

A tantalizing scent made him freeze: a she-wolf bitch in heat. Without a second thought, he instinctively took off after the she-wolf, frantic to mark her, take her. Catching up to her, he bit the ruff of her neck and started to mount her when the reality crashed into Duncan.

He was fifteen years old; he didn’t want his first time having sex to be with an animal. Hell, he didn’t want any of his sexual experiences to be with an animal. With every ounce of his strength, he wrestled the horny wolf off the she-wolf, battling against a superior adversary. But he had desperation and fury on his side and after a brief battle that lasted an eternity he got the wolf under control.