Arctic Bound (8 page)

Not your call Simpson. Just get in and get them out.

That was all she could do for now. Anything else after that was up to them. She'd give them a head start. Once Raven and the girls caught wind of their scent, there would be no letting them go. The girls were like a pack of wild dogs when it came time to chase their victims. Nerina, once one of them, had enjoyed the hunt. Lying in wait and watching her mark, waiting for her prey to stand dead center in front of her scope. Didn't matter how far or how close the person was, if they walked in her line of site, it was off with their heads. Literally.

The burly man standing in front of her crossed his tree-trunk arms over his chest, his counter-part doing the same.

“Well, are you two deaf? I said, I need to speak to Victor.”

“Let her pass,” Blue said. He was still petting the girl between his legs, only this time his large hand was caressing her jaw and her lips. The woman looked dazed, almost confused, but the smile in her eyes were clear. She was loving every minute of Blue's attention.

Nerina walked past the bouncers and took the chair to Victor's left.

“I need you and your brother to follow me out of the club without asking any questions. But when you leave, I need you to make it look as if we're going outside for a mini-break. Then I need you to get in your car and go back to Talkeetna.”

Nerina made sure that her look was serious, but pleading all the same. He had no reason to trust her, no reason at all. She'd been rude to him, and although he'd been just as rude, she wasn't going to condemn him or his brother to their deaths. Something inside her warned that it was wrong. She was never one to ignore her intuition. It had never led her astray before, and she hoped it wouldn't now.

“Go with her,” Blue stated quietly.

“What?” Colin said, clearly outraged by the fact that Blue was telling them what to do. The music switched to something a little more upbeat, and soon it became hard to understand the conversation that was taking place in front of her. She heard words like, Hunters, and silver, and gathering during the full moon. What that had to do with them leaving with her, made no sense.

Victor stood. His brother Colin did the same, both men reluctant as they followed her towards the clubs entrance. They followed closely, and she could feel the heat of Victor's breath on the back of her neck.
Why the hell was he walking so close?

“You know I'm not going to let you leave until you explain what the hell is going on.”

“Yeah, I figured as much.”

Colin shouldered past her, barely touching her shoulder as he pushed by.

“Yeah, this shit is crazy, why the hell did we have to leave and pretend like we're taking a break. What aren't you telling us?”

There was a lot she wasn't saying. It would all have to wait until she got them away from the club.

“How about we get you two off and into the night. I'll explain when I get back into town, I promise, just understand that there was a situation developing and I had to put a stop to it.”

“Not good enough.” Victor grabbed her arm, turning her to face him.

Nerina looked at him, and then down at her arm where his hand was setting fire to her skin. It was not okay for him to put his hands on her.

“Dude, seriously, you're not helping your cause here. You need to get gone and get gone quickly.”

“Why?”

“Because my friends are trying to kill you and your brother, that's why.”

 

Chapter 7

 

Outside the club was freezing. Nerina hadn't realized she'd left in such a hurry, she didn't even grab her jacket. It had to be in the single digits. That wasn't good for her in so many ways. Her body would be in so much pain by the time she got to her car and warmed up.

A thick sweater was shoved in her direction and Nerina looked up to see that Colin had offered his. Both men weren't wearing jackets either, but seemed to not care about the elements of the cold that surrounded them in the dark.

“No, I can't. You need it.”

“No I don't,” Colin protested, shoving the sweater into her hand. “I don't need it. I at least have a thermal on. You have nothing but that skimpy ass top. Put the sweater on so you don't freeze to death.”

“Thank you.”

“Don't mention it.”

They walked at a clipped pace as Nerina pulled the sweater over her head. When they got to her Escalade she stopped, turning to face them.

“This is me. You guys need to go ahead and head out.”

“Not without an explanation Nerina.” Victor warned.

Damn.

She was hopping she could explain later, like, back in town when they all made it safely to Talkeetna. As it was now, she was going to have to come up with some excuse. Raven knew the address to Thorn's shop. That's where all her deliveries went. She had to find a way out of this without causing any blowback to the people in town, or Victor's family. She also didn't need Colin going all badass sheriff on them either.

“I can't right now. I have to go and straighten things out with my friends. Let them know they made some kind of mistake or something. We don't have time to argue about it.”

Victor stepped closer, caging her against her car. His head bent low, his hot breath misting in the air as he spoke to her in a harsh tone.

“Lady, you're really starting to piss me off.” He warned.

“I'm already pissed. I'm sticking my neck out on the line for you, and all you can do is cast threats my way. You two need to go. Ghost. Disappear. Raven knows where your town is, she doesn't know where you live, at least I don't think she does, but I'm just as tied to the town as you are and I'm trying to save you from the fallout. Just go.” Nerina pushed against his chest, and found there was nothing soft at all about Victor Canidae. Everything on him was made of steel and muscle, and man. All man.

“No, you're coming with us.”

There was a second where she thought he was joking, but then she felt a sharp pain at the side of her neck and knew he was serious. The last thing she did before she fell into the darkness was remind him that she wouldn't go down without a fight.

 



 

Laughter rang out behind him, but Victor could barely fill it for the pain between his legs. The woman had caught him unawares. Her knee coming up to greet him between the legs and hitting him squarely in his manhood. His jaw worked in overtime as he tried to hold in his pain. His stomach cramped, and his balls retreated into his gut as the breath was knocked from his lungs.

“She really got you, didn't she Vic?” His brother Colin laughed.

He couldn't speak, the pain was so great. His prisoner slumped forward almost falling to the ground, but Colin was there pulling her up and over into his arms. Victor bristled at their contact. He didn't like his brother touching her. If he was going to be honest about the entire situation, he didn't want anyone touching her but himself. Barely able to walk, he made his way to his brother, taking her from his hold. Colin grunted but otherwise said nothing else, as they both made their way over to his truck.

“The full moon is not for another week, why are you being so aggressive?”

“No more aggressive than usual.” Victor shot back as he placed their passenger securely in the back cab of the truck.

“If you say so, but just know bedding rights or not, I'm asking her to dinner when this is all said and done. You'll be mated to Sasha in the spring.”

He would be mated to Sasha, but maybe he'd have her too. His wolf's hackles rose at the thought of taking someone that wasn't Pack. She'd been right of course when she accused him of thinking he was better than her because of her ailments. It was what he'd been taught from birth. He wasn't to take anyone who'd be considered weak, or human for that matter. Her species alone was an issue. The Alpha of the Pack was only to be mated to another wolf of pure lineage. Sasha and her family were part of the original five Packs that had made the travel from their ancient world into the new world. All Nerina could ever be was his mistress, and even her position as his mistress would be questioned by all.

“She wouldn't come to dinner and father would never approve.”

“You forget, I'm the second son. What I do, or who I choose to do, will be no concern of fathers. The Pack will accept my choice, should I choose to breed with her.”

Victor looked over at his brother, his jaw clenching to stave off the anger that was rising swiftly inside.

“You would dilute the blood of your offspring with someone like her?”

Colin smiled.

“She's brave enough. It's not her fault what's happened to her. She was obviously a warrior before she became who she is now. The fact that she was willing to warn us about her friends tells me she's more than trustworthy. Even if she doubts herself, she doesn't doubt her instincts. That's a good trait to have instilled in one's offspring.”

Indeed. That was an excellent trait to have. But one he could never offer his children if it was something that the mother didn't possess. Sasha had already proven that all she would bring to the table was vanity and pride. But the one trait she had that he did favor was her undying will to survive and do whatever it took to take care of her people. That was the one trait that would see to their Pack's survival.

“You won't be asking her to any dinners, Colin.”

“I'll do what I damn will please. You haven't stepped up to lead the Pack yet, and I doubt father will side with you on this, Victor. Find another mistress.”

Victor started the truck and pulled out into the night. The conversation with his brother was far from over.

When they arrived back in to Talkeetna it was already morning. Victor stopped at his father's place to get Daar and Demon, and then he was taking her up the hill to her cabin. She still hadn't woken yet, and he doubted she'd be up for a few hours still.

“I'm going to put her to bed. Then we'll head back.”

“Shouldn't we stay, make sure she's okay?”

“Demon and Daar will be here with her should something happen.”

Colin shook his head, but didn't say another word as Victor pulled into her drive. When Victor got her to her door, he realized he'd have to undress her and put her to bed. That was going to be a feat in itself since she was wearing silver. Gently he laid her on the bed, removing her shoes first, then her socks. There was a tattoo of a butterfly on her foot. Careful not to jostle her awake, he removed her pants. The entire left side of her leg and up to her hip was a series of burn scars. On closer inspection, he could see how the muscle was disfigured causing her limp. His brother's sweater helped with the removal of her silver top. The little burns he did receive were worth it once he finished disrobing her. She was beautiful. She was soft and curvy in all the right places. Hips that fit perfectly in the palm of his hands and breasts that were full and blemish free. He wanted to mark her skin. Tie her in place and do things to her body that would take her to a whole new level of existence.

Victor cleared his head and quickly dressed her in sleep clothes. Tucking her in was a treat as she slept peacefully. A little snore escaping as she turned and burrowed into the pillows. She'd have a slight headache when she woke up, but nothing too serious. When he returned it would be with more questions. She was the only one that had the answers. Why her friends were trying to kill him and his brother could only mean one thing. They were Hunters, and if they were Hunters, what did that make her?

 



 

Nerina woke up to a warm cabin and the smell of bacon.
Bacon?
She sat up quickly and immediately lay back down on her pillow. Her head hurt as if she'd been up all night drinking, but she knew that wasn't the case. She remembered last night clearly. All the way up to the moment where she swiftly delivered a kick to Victor's groin. The bastard had put her to sleep with some freaky pressure point that had hurt like hell. Now he was in her kitchen cooking her bacon? Was he insane?

Demon chose that moment to appear, the huge dog gently nipped her toes. Telling her in no uncertain terms that she'd slept late, and it was now time for her to get up.

“Fine, traitor. I'll get up, but no deer meat for you. From now on its dog chow for you and Daar.” She whispered as she threw her legs over the bed and grabbed a pair of socks and robe. Nerina stood and walked over to the washbasin she had set up in the corner. On some days it was just too cold to go out and try and use what Ms. Raines had called the attached bathroom, which really was an old rusty nozzle and a hose that stuck out from the side of the house and was only covered by a thin layer of metal. She could hear the bacon sizzling on her wood stove and someone was talking. To who, she had no clue.

Stepping out from behind the only true wall in her cabin, Nerina watched as Daar and Victor had what could only be called as a strange conversation. The dog nodded at intervals as Victor quizzed her furry companion on none other than her.

“Expecting her to actually respond to you is what most would consider crazy, but actually expecting some kind of answer back, well you may be looking at some time spent at Bellevue.”

Victor turned in her direction, easily dismissing Daar who walked over to sit next to Demon in the living room.

“You're up finally. Thought you were going to sleep the day away.”

“Well, to me it's still night.”

“Takes a while to get used to, I know.”

Victor handed her a cup of coffee and motioned for her to sit down at the table. He choose to remain standing, leaning against the counter and crossing one leg over the other as he watched her sip from the steaming mug. Nerina looked up from her mug accessing his features. He was dressed in a black thermal with dark jeans, and black boots. His hair a mass of dark curls still fresh from a shower, his goatee neatly trimmed.