Chocolate Temptation (2 page)

“Let me worry about that.” VanWolf lowered to Cathen’s eye level, pulled a bag from his shoulder and placed it on his lap. “I need you to make sure my wife is kept safe and out of Nazi hands. She’s in the next car. I won’t be far behind you. The rest of the pack is already on their way to the rendezvous location.”

The chill in his blue eye iced Cathen’s soul. “Yes, sir.”

VanWolf rose, spun back in the direction he’d come from and exited.

Cathen got up and headed through the adjoining doors. Passengers slept in their seats as he weaved his way to her. Heaviness weighted his shoulders. Spending the next few days trapped with the blissful Alexia and VanWolf sounded as fun as getting his fingernails ripped out with a pair of pliers.

Alexia sat staring into the night. Then her gaze met his in the reflection of the window. A red shawl covered her head and wrapped over her mouth.

“What is it?” She shifted toward him.

“Come.” He extended his hand to her.

They were all accustomed to vanishing on a moment’s notice. She placed her gloved fingers in his palm. Her touch tormented his senses, igniting warmth within his chest. He directed her back and opened the emergency door. Cold night air assaulted his skin, cooling the inner fire raging. The train slowed. He buttoned up his long gray wool jacket and put on his fedora. Cars on a road a few miles ahead intersected the tracks. This could be trouble. He hoped VanWolf knew what he was doing. The uncomfortable prickle in his chest told him werewolves were not far.

The conductor shouted and waved at the men getting out of the vehicles.

“When I say jump, we jump, all right?” Cathen grabbed her by the shoulders.

Alexia shook her head, big green eyes fixed on him. “I can’t.”

“Why not?” Did she expect him to ask the conductor to stop the train? Their lives were in danger. There were creatures neither of them wanted to have an encounter with just ahead.

“I just can’t.” She crossed her arms.

Cathen would see about that, and pulled her near. Not wanting his body to register the feel of her, he leapt and twisted to break her fall. The icy snow bank jabbed into his back. The impact forced his lungs to plead for air. He held her secure to his chest.

“You didn’t have to do that.” With her pointy elbow, she stabbed his sternum while the softness of her curves stirred hunger that had gone dormant lower. Being this near to her would only fan a fire better turned to ashes. But such was life and his suffering.

“You’re welcome, princess.” His only defense against the wound of losing her was to annoy her to the point she avoided him. Nor did she talk to him. Though he knew his hurtful words dug into her, he found himself helpless from lashing out with venom at her, if only to protect himself against the effect she had on him.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful.” Her famous sultry pout surfaced.

Tougher and more hardened men than he had melted at her loveliness. She tugged the dangling strings of his heart. Despite the fact that he wanted her to have no influence on him, she did.

“Don’t worry. I’m just the hired help following orders,” he snapped. He lifted her and himself upright. This wasn’t the time for him to have an argument with her, but he couldn’t help it. “Stay low and follow close behind me.”

She slipped her hand into his.

Such a simple gesture, but it woke desire. Even with all his hurtful words, she trusted him with her life. He inhaled her fresh scent in the bitter cold air. An ache shot to his groin, filling him with lust. Wind blew snow squalls around them. Visibility was minimal. He took cautious steps forward.

Alexia glanced back at the stopped train. Men with flashlights searched under the railcars one by one.

Cathen dragged her to the densely wooded area.

“Wait.” She pulled away. “I can’t connect with VanWolf.”

“He must have his reasons.” He should have suspected the Alpha’s move. Now his duty was to keep Alexia out of Nazi hands. “There are at least four werewolves among them.”

“What does that mean?” She dug her heels into the snow.

“They are probably Gestapo and searching for us–you, to be specific.” He grabbed her arm and hauled her deeper into the thick bushy area. “If VanWolf handed himself over to buy you time to get away, we’d better honor his sacrifice.”

“No.” Color drained from her face. “I must go back for him.” She shoved his chest.

He stood unmoved by her aggression. “That’s out of the question. VanWolf asked me to get you safely to the rendezvous point. That is what I will do.”

She twisted, turned and pulled. He would not budge. When she contorted her arm, his hold slipped, then she yanked free and ran back toward the train.

“Alexia,” Cathen lashed out her name and sprinted after her.

“He promised me we’d have a long life together–that he’d be with me for eternity.” She sobbed, still running.

It seemed he wasn’t the only one VanWolf had fed lines to. Caught up to her, Cathen clutched her and lifted her onto his shoulder. “Sorry, princess, I can’t let you do something that could get you captured.”

“Put me down.” She kicked her feet and struck him with her fists.

Cathen lowered her against him, sending awareness through every part of him. Tears slid from the corners of her eyes down her flushed cheeks. “Stop and be silent, or I will put you to sleep.” Didn’t she get the danger they were in?

“VanWolf isn’t going to make it out of there. Don’t you see, there are too many? We must go back.” She hammered her palm into him.

Cathen grabbed her forearm and dragged her along. “We can’t risk them getting hold of you or your blood.”

“But he is going to die because of me.” The terror in her eyes wrenched through him. However, he could not change the facts. If the Nazis got hold of her, the war would become even more deadly.

“When he marked you, he accepted his duty to keep you safe, above even his own life.” This was the responsibility of all males to their “Treiama”, the link between the soul and the heart. Even the Alpha had to see to his mate first.

“How am I, are
we
…to live a life without him.” Tears welled in her emerald eyes.

If he could offer her comfort, he needed to try. “Look, we don’t know that he won’t find a way out.” Cathen tossed her over his shoulder and picked up his pace to a jog, going deeper into the woods. “But we don’t have time to argue about this.” If VanWolf was buying Cathen time to get Alexia far enough away that the Nazis could not catch her then he needed to ensure he did his best to make that reality.

Werewolves howled as they gave chase. Carrying her in his human form slowed their escape.

“We can move faster if you put me down,” Alexia said.

He met her stare, unsure that he trusted her reason for making the offer. “Do you promise to do as told?”

“Yes.” Alexia nodded, her bright green eyes beaming at him.

“Good, I need to shift and you can ride.” He lowered her into the impressions his feet had made to ensure the weres didn’t follow her tracks. “Hold this.” He handed her the leather bag, then he turned from her.

As he leaned forward, he undid his jacket, then released the buttons of his shirt.

She set down the sack and stepped away from him.

“You’d better not be doing what I think you are.” If she deceived him, he’d be angry. “If you break your word, it will be impossible to regain my trust.” He unfastened his trousers.

“I’m sorry.” She spun and picked up her pace, shifting from human to wolf ghostly- matter midstride. Her Shunu form pulsated.

“Alexia
.
” Cathen pursued. Light burst from his cells. As his limbs morphed into paws and he went from two legged sprint to four in solid wolf form, hair covered his flesh.

Two large male werewolves approached at lightning speed. Alexia stopped. The larger of them lunged at her. Cathen leapt in front, forcing the attacking snout downward with his paw. He took up a post, shielding her with his body.

“
Give us the girl.
” The beast’s mind spoke to them both.

“
Or what, fellows
?” Cathen paced, mirroring Alexia’s movements.

“
Keep them busy so I can get by
.” She barked to him.

The woman was insane, and seemed to have forgotten she was more prone to being a damsel than a hero. “
That is the last thing on earth I’d do.
” He growled. “
You should be heading west.
”

The thinner of the werewolves swung his claws at her. Using his body, Cathen nudged Alexia away and whacked the attacker’s limb.

The werewolf whimpered and licked his wound.

“
If you give us the girl, we’ll stop hunting your pack
,” the bigger one said.

As if Cathen believed a word that came out of one of those filthy animals’ mouths. All they wanted was to get all the Shunus out of the way, so they could win the war and cleanse the world of those like Alexia, and many others. Not while he still had an ounce of strength in him.

A horrid howl came from the train. It was VanWolf.

Chapter 3

At the terror Alexia heard in VanWolf’s cry, she barked, and the sound vanished in the whistling wind. She had to help him. No matter how she tried, though, she still could not connect with him through their mental link. She could only assume VanWolf had shut down their telepathic connection to protect her. Large snowflakes fell, coating their fur. Cathen formed a wall between her and the lean, black salivating werewolves.

“
You can spare him if you come with us
.” The glimmer in the thinner werewolf’s yellow eyes unnerved her. A waved of hatred from the beasts traveled through her body. Their intent was to harm her. Nothing would please them more than to figure out how to get the ancient Shunus’ abilities and rid the world of their kind once and for all. Furthermore, she was the key. At least that was what they believed. She didn’t know what she was. VanWolf called her a miracle. Part of her had stopped believing those would happen to her. Once again, it seemed she was right. Not that she wanted to be.

“
Alexia, I need you to go with Cathen
.” Weak and strained, VanWolf’s voice sounded in her mind.

“
I can’t
.
I need you
.” Did he know what he asked of her? She couldn’t lose another person she loved. Not again. The joy she’d known over the past few weeks as his mate dwarfed all the pain built up inside her from the loss of her mother, father and brother. With VanWolf, she was whole, and the pack provided her with the family she’d lost. “
What of our child
?”

“
I won’t fail to protect my mate and child a second time
.
Don’t make me a failure, please.
” The timber of his voice quivered in an echo of pain. “
I won’t try to get out until I know you are both far from here and safe
.”

She knew he meant what he said. “
Okay, I will go with Cathen and meet you at the rendezvous point
.”

The two werewolves swarmed on Cathen, at once forcing him to the ground. He pushed himself up and shook his body, throwing each in a different direction. A squeal pierced the frigid air followed by a low, menacing growl.

One took up a post in front and the other behind. Cathen backed up, forcing her to remain hidden. Red stained his white fur. Reaching forward, he seized the larger one with his paw and sliced through his neck. Blood poured from the claw-sized gashes.

The smaller werewolf sprinted away. Cathen pounced on him, placed his paws on both sides of the beast’s head, twisted and snapped his neck. A breath released from the were in the cold winter air, swirling like mist.

The wind whistled around her, chilling her to the bone.

“
Let’s go before the two others pick up our trail
.” He pushed her bottom with his snout. “
And you stay in front where I can keep both eyes on you
.”

If only she had listened, maybe VanWolf would have escaped by now. His words the morning after he’d marked her while they’d made love replayed.
I don’t see my future, only my death.
So when she’d made him promise after he’d said those words that they’d be together for eternity, he may have lied to her. She hadn’t given him much choice.

Cathen placed his clothing inside the leather bag and held the band in his mouth, then with a flick of his head, looped the strap around his neck. His amber eyes met hers, then they shone gold.

He nudged her to a trot. “
We need to pick up our pace
.”

“
Fine.
” As she sped to a jog, the frigid mountain night bit into her tender flesh. For the life of her, she couldn’t figure out why, even covered in a thick coat of fur, she still felt cold. She never seemed able to warm up. The air this high in altitude was thin. As she climbed the steep slope, her muscles cramped.

When she slowed down, Cathen growled at her. Since she’d paired with VanWolf, Cathen rarely spoke to her, and when he did, she wished he hadn’t. VanWolf had advised her to give him time, but Cathen only grew more distant with every passing day. He’d even stopped joining the pack for meals.