Blood Judgment (Judgment Series) (37 page)

At least she had him. He loved her. Her big brother protector. And she loved him. His love she could count on. Always. She stepped back and wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’d like to skin him and feed him to the government’s dogs for what he’s done to you.”

“For what it’s worth in his defense, I don’t think he can help it. Julian is broken inside. I don’t know why, but he is.”

“I don’t care. All I care about is what he does to you. He isn’t worthy of you. He never was and he never will be. And you can take that to the bank, baby sister.”

“You’re wrong.”

“For your sake, I wish that were true.”

TWO NIGHTS later, after lodging at a flea bag motel, Julian was more than ready to get down to business and return to Seattle. He waited until ten o’clock and then went to O’Shay’s. The moment he stepped inside, he felt eyes bore into his back. He maneuvered through the patrons and sat at a table in the far corner where the shadows were deepest.

A tired-looking waitress wobbled over on too-tall heels. “What’s your pleasure, hon?”

“A beer would be fine.”

“You got it.”

Before she could turn away, he said, “I’m looking for Jeff and Bobby from Margo’s place. Are they here?”

“Honey, you must be new in town. Everyone knows those dickheads. See the one in the red shirt at the pool table?”

Julian nodded.

“That’s Jeff. His buddy is Bobby. You be careful of those shitbags. You don’t look like their kind of company. They’re mean and they don’t fight fair.”

“Thanks, babe. But I don’t want to fight with them. I just need a minute of their time.” They’d learn what mean was before he finished with them.

She brought his beer and he slid her a tip he couldn’t afford. He settled in, suspecting he was in for a long night.

FOUR HOURS passed before Julian followed Jeff and Bobby into the parking lot. He had to take them out before they got into a car. “Hey,” he called.

They swung around in unison.

“What do you want?” Jeff said.

“You fuckers raped my mate.” Julian bared his fangs, leaving no question about what he had in mind.

Jeff pawed inside his jacket.

Julian launched onto the much slower man. They crashed to the ground. Julian buried his fangs in Jeff’s throat and drank fast, sucking the life from him and not concerned in the least that Jeff was screaming his head off.

Bobby didn’t choose to be heroic. He fled the scene of Jeff’s slaughter. It didn’t matter. He wasn’t able to run fast enough to escape Julian’s wrath.

SARANNA CREPT down the stairs on shaking legs. Gut-twisting pain ripped through her lower belly. She stopped and gripped the banister, nails biting into the wood.

Another stab of pain. She whimpered and clung to the railing. This wasn’t hunger. This was something worse, something she’d dreaded for years.

Though Julian couldn’t breed her, his frequent mating had triggered her first heat cycle. And now she had to face it alone.

Adding to her misery, the others would soon detect her fertility. Getting through her heat would be awful enough without her brother and cousins smelling it.

The cramps subsided and she continued on to the kitchen. She needed to eat a little something before nausea made it impossible.

The refrigerator door closed.

Oh hell. Someone else was still up. She entered the kitchen. To her combined relief and annoyance, Slade stood at the granite counter pouring a glass of chocolate milk.

He glanced back and surprise touched his face. “Sis, you okay?”

“No.” She covered her face with her hands.

Slade crossed the distance between them in a couple of quick strides and pulled her into his arms. She laid her head on his shoulder and gave in to the grief.

He stroked her hair. “Shh. It’s okay. You don’t need him. I’m here for you. I love you and I’ll take care of you.”

“I can’t believe he took off.” She held him tighter. At least Slade was always there. Her brother would never abandon her.

He inhaled and stiffened. His arms tightened and pulled her up against him.

Saranna tensed. Uncomfortable with the contact, she put her hands on his hard chest and exerted slight pressure, signaling him to let go.

But he didn’t release her.

He sniffed again and she knew with horrible certainty he smelled her approaching heat. Her face burned.

“Slade?” She pushed again.

Eyes glittering with feral savagery, he growled. To her horror, he pressed his hips against her. His cock was rock hard.

“Get off me!” She was unable to hide the fright in her voice.

He jumped back as though she’d jabbed him with an electric prod. “Sorry. It’s your scent. It just happened.”

Heart pounding, she swallowed hard and went around the island, putting its solid mass between them. Though it was natural for a male to react to a fertile female, no matter whom she was, his obvious desire turned her stomach.

Slade looked away, but not before his handsome face reflected emotions she wanted to blot out. Inappropriate emotions.

He put the milk away. “He isn’t good enough for you. I wish you’d forget him.”

“It’s none of your business, brother.”

“It is when I see you so unhappy.”

She shook her head, but didn’t say anything.

“Why did he leave?”

She couldn’t tell him she’d driven Julian away because he didn’t love her. She’d made a fool of herself once, she wasn’t doing it again.

A cramp tore through her, doubling her over. She clutched at the island to stay on her feet.

In a flash, he was beside her, supporting her with his strong arms. The scent of his desire choked off her breath.

“I can help you,” he said close to her ear, his breath hot on her skin. “Let me take you somewhere. No one will know. You don’t have to suffer through this. You just need to mate a few times.”

She froze, too shocked to move or shove him away. Her insides churned. “You can’t—”

“I’ll be careful. I won’t breed you.”

Stomach knotting in horror, her paralysis broke and she slapped him with everything she had. “How dare you,” she choked out. “You’re my
brother
, for God’s sake. How can you even think such a thing?”

“I… I just wanted to help you. Don’t you understand how bad this is going to be?”

“I don’t care how bad it is. I’m not lying with my brother. I know it happens sometimes, but not between us. You’ve been on the brink of inappropriateness for years, but you’ve crossed the line.” She shuddered and fought to breath. “Don’t you ever say something like that to me again. Get the hell away from me.”

Looking stricken, he rubbed his check. “Fine. Enjoy your heat. I only wanted to ease you.” He spun on his heel and fled the kitchen.

She staggered to the sink and turned on the water. Her stomach rejected its contents. When she stopped heaving, she retreated to her room on shaking legs. She curled up on the bed and fought back tears.

She wasn’t naïve, siblings sometimes mated during a female’s heat. But she would never have thought Slade would suggest it.

Inbreeding happened. More frequently than most wanted to acknowledge. But the thought of her brother mating her brought her to the brink of vomiting again.

How would she ever be able to look him in the eyes again? How could she remain under the same roof with him? That was a no-brainer. She didn’t have anywhere else to go.

Anger seeped into her. Not at Slade. In all honesty, it wasn’t his fault. Any male would respond to a female’s heat, no matter who she was. It didn’t help that he was unattached and lonely, though he would never admit it.

This was Julian’s fault. He’d brought on her heat when he didn’t even love her. She pulled the blankets over her as the anger spread through her. He acted as though he loved her, but if he wouldn’t admit it, then that’s all it was, an act.

Damn you, Julian
.

It had all been a lie. Those three little words were too much for him because he didn’t feel them. He’d broken her heart and damaged her relationship with her brother.

She wished she’d never laid eyes on him. She wished she’d been anywhere else the night he’d fought to save her in that alley.

She wished the rogue had killed him.

Chapter Thirty-seven

JULIAN ENTERED the silent house. To his relief, the males weren’t there. He needed some time to talk with Saranna and make things right.

He slowly climbed the stairs. God, this was going to be awkward. A moan floated from the bedroom. His gut plummeted toward the stair runner and he froze mid-step.

Did Saranna have someone in there?

Black rage closed over him, choking him with an iron fist that stole his breath.

Saranna groaned.

Hurt and anger ripped through his guts like nails. She’d betrayed him.

He stalked up the remaining steps. The feral need to fight for what belonged to him shut him down to everything except getting in the bedroom. She was his mate.
His
. He would kill whoever was with her. He jerked the door open and stormed into the bedroom.

No interloper had invaded his territory.

Saranna was alone, curled under a mound of blankets.

“Saranna?” His anger evaporated in a cloud of concern as he flew to her.

She whimpered and arched off the bed. “Julian,” she moaned.

“Are you ill?” He bent to take her in his arms. She smelled so good, like lilacs and … and…

Pure instinct made him horribly aware that she was in heat. The facts penetrated his brain and went straight to his cock. He hardened instantly.

A growl rumbled out of him and he bared his fangs in a dominance display. He needed to get inside her and reclaim her as his property. Needed to mark her and rub his scent all over her. Needed to claim her with his cock and spill his seed deep inside her. Needed to breed her.

“Julian,” she moaned and clung to him.

He pulled away and tore off his clothing, tossing them on the floor. Feral with lust, he grabbed her and shredded the long tee she wore, tearing it from her trembling body. Nude beneath it, she arched her back and ran her hands over herself. Her breasts were swollen, the nipples a deeper pink.

His cock throbbed. Her scent was driving him mad with the need to mount her. She spread her legs and touched herself. Growling, he climbed onto the bed.

“Take me,” she moaned.

His lips found hers in a hard, bruising kiss. He skimmed his hand down her body and slipped between her legs. She groaned and spread them wider.

She was hot, wet, and swollen beneath his stroking fingers, ready to be mounted. He cupped her and she writhed, rocking against his hand.

He moved closer and captured a breast with his mouth, suckling at it until the nipple pebbled even harder. He nipped and soothed the bite with his caressing tongue.

She arched her back, pushing closer, whimpering. He abandoned her breasts and pulled himself up over her. He wanted to pleasure her, but he had to get inside her. Instinct trumped determination.

“Mate me,” she whimpered.

He lunged, pinning her beneath him. His need to dominate and breed overwhelmed everything else. He entered her with one hard thrust.

She shrieked and sank her nails into his back, scoring his sensitive skin with burning furrows.

This wasn’t about making love. This was about mating—breeding, animalistic, instinctive behavior.

He growled and clamped onto her throat, sinking his teeth into her. He held her still with his teeth and pounded between her legs until she had to be sore. And still, she begged for more. He released her with his teeth and pumped away at her.

She bit him and, with a hiss of pleasure, he turned his head to give her better access. If she wanted to feed, he would let her take his blood.

She sucked on the wound, but only took a little. She backed off and ran her tongue over the punctures, cleaning him.

He pumped hard and fast, though he wasn’t going to last much longer. Her scent and the silk of her skin were so over stimulating he was barely able to maintain his control.

Rocking her hips with abandon, she cried his name and clawed his back.

He howled in triumph and climaxed, filling her with his worthless seed, shooting into her in long, hot spurts until, panting and sweat-soaked, he collapsed on top of her.

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to smash you.” He rolled off her, but her hands were right back on him, stroking and teasing until he mounted her again.

HE MATED her repeatedly through the night and into the following day until exhaustion left him panting and spent, though his cock was still hard and painful. He’d lost count of how many times they’d coupled, but she had to be raw.

He reached for her, wanting to draw her close to his body. She pulled away, turned her back to him, and jerked the blankets over her body.

“What’s the matter?”

She didn’t say anything.

His heart sank. “Saranna…”

“Don’t Julian. Not now.”

She’d rejected him. She’d used him to give her relief and now she didn’t need or want him. “Saranna?”

“Leave me alone.”

He grabbed her and forced her onto her back. “I’m not finished.” His stomach twisted with anger.

“Get off me.”

“I’m taking what belongs to me.” He covered her, his cock pushing at her opening.

“Go ahead, rape me then.” Her voice broke.

He stiffened and backed off. Jesus. What had come over him? “We’ll talk later,” he said past the constriction in his throat. He slid from the bed and dressed quickly.

TEARS DRIPPED onto Saranna’s pillow. Now that the horrid itch and pain had abated, she was sorry she’d allowed the mating.

Worse, he’d shown the male aggression and domination she’d feared would eventually come out of him. He was beautiful and talented, but no better or different from any other male of her species.

He’d left the house. Would he come back? She hoped he didn’t, yet the idea of never seeing him again cut to her core.

She loved the son of a bitch. But it didn’t mean she had to let him back in her life. Ashton liked him and would probably ask him to join the Resistance at some point, so there was no reason to think he would move out. She had no control over that, but she sure as hell didn’t have to share a bed with him.