KnightForce Tres (La Patron KnightForce Book 3) (5 page)

Chapter 8

Elyria flipped the page in her large book. “Come on, come on, there has to be something here, something that’ll interfere with a mating link or bond or whatever the fuck it is!” She’d heard of women who rejected the mating call. She slammed it shut, picked it up and threw it across the room. It hit the bookcase and several of her prized books fell to the floor.

Hands over her ears, she closed her eyes. This couldn’t be happening; she was losing Mélange. Over the past two nights, Mélange’s pain and confusion had lessened. She no longer stared at Elyria with that special look. During the past 10 years, whenever they were together, they’d touched each other constantly, not necessarily sexual, although that certainly happened, but just to calm or ease the other. Tonight, Mélange lost control of her beast and the damn wolf snapped at her for stroking Mélange’s arm.

Mélange tried to cut off communication with Renee, but that didn’t last 24 hours. Her wolf sickened and she gave in to the need to hear that other bitch’s voice. Elyria pushed the papers off her desk and shrieked.

How could she lose Mélange? They were partners, this house, the yacht, the island, they shared everything but money. Standing, Elyria ran her fingernails through her long hair. These days she wore it blond so her eyes didn’t draw so much attention. She moved around the coffee table while trying to understand how everything she’d worked for had gone so horribly wrong. None of this meant anything without Mélange. This was her time to prove herself, her moment to shine, her birthright to rise to the top, but she couldn’t do it alone.

Elyria didn’t want to start over or find someone new. The damn fates were wrong, Mélange belonged to her,
they
were mates, not some damn human.

“There has to be a way to stop this…think, think…kill the bitch.” She looked down as her hand curved and claws extended. “One swipe across the neck, she’d die.” The picture of slicing Renee’s neck and leaving her to bleed out across her bed seemed like justice.

Wait. If she killed Renee, Mélange could die. Or would she? Did the same rules apply to non-full-bloods? Elyria didn’t know and refused to take that chance.

“Can’t kill the bitch, what else…” She looked out the window at the river. Moonlight rested on its surface, peaceful, calm, the complete opposite of the turbulent churning in her breast.

“Goddess, please, I can’t lose Mélange!” She fell to her knees and held her face in her hands. No one had ever loved her completely or accepted her without attempting to change her, except Mélange. Through the years, she’d become accustomed to her lover’s adoration and care, now she missed a huge part of her identity. When was the last time she’d worked a spell alone? Or created elements from the earth’s natural resources? Before Mélange…all before Mélange entered her life. Looking at the books lying on the floor, filled with knowledge passed down through generations from her clan, she didn’t know how to handle this…she couldn’t fix this.

Crying loud sobs, her shoulders shook as pain and grief over spilled. Her head throbbed. Her chest hurt and her limbs were too heavy to move. She slumped on the floor as tears continued to roll down her cheeks. Staring at the ceiling, she recalled the first time she saw Mélange at the market. Mélange had a way of looking at a person that could either elevate you to the top of a pinnacle or dismiss you as if you were lower than a dead rodent.

Elyria still felt the touch and thrill of Mélange’s attention that day. It had been the end of a brutal, dismal day. The wolf she’d been sharing a place with had decided to put her out of their space because she’d spent the night with another male. She made all kinds of promises, and when he fell asleep, sated from their love-making, she slit his throat and left.

When she saw Mélange, she’d been on her way to another lover’s apartment to move in with him. At that time she’d been fine-tuning her chameleon bracelet, but needed a safe place to work with her crystals.

Mélange followed her, shushed away all her concerns, fed her. They stayed at a hotel together for two weeks, talking, dreaming and making plans. Mélange literally breathed life into her, rebuilt her confidence, and encouraged her to go after her dreams to master the secrets of her clan. As far as she knew, only one other person had studied and became adept at bending nature through their birthright. Angus, La Patron’s litter-mate. That had been 10 years ago and they’d never parted, until now.

“I can’t let you go. I’m not ready. I need time to prepare,” she murmured, missing Mélange’s voice. “How can you go to her? Prefer her?”

She rolled onto her side and curled into a ball. “It’s this mating thing, Mélange fought it, but it’s killing her. Killing me. What should I do?”

No one answered. Her eyes landed on a colorful brochure of a new land development offering tracks of land. Leaning on her elbow, she pulled it closer and looked at it. Smiling, she wiped her face and stood.

“Thank you Goddess, this is just what I needed.”

Chapter 9

“Don’t call me again. I’m 41 years old and don’t have time for this hot and cold stuff. I told you last night if you sent me away, I was done,” Renee said as she placed her underclothes into the suitcase.

“Please, I’m sorry,” Mélange said. “I’ve been under a lot of pressure and not feeling well. I beg you to give me one more chance. It’s different now. Everything’s settled.”

“Good for you, but I told you I don’t play games—”

“No games, I swear.”

“No matter, I’m not interested.” Renee hung up and closed her eyes. “That hurt more than it should. We’ve only known each other a couple weeks. Good thing I broke it off now. Can’t have her playing with my emotions like that. One day flowers, the next day she can’t be bothered or is plain rude to me. Forget that.”

The phone rang again. Renee looked at the caller ID. Mélange. She continued packing and forced her thoughts to celebrate her new siblings. One brother, Victor Shane, and three more sisters, Diamond, Ruby and Jewel. She chuckled. “Mom what were you thinking?”

She glanced at her watch, her flight left in three hours. With just the carry-on, she had plenty of time to eat, park at the airport, and find her gate. She warmed up leftovers and ignored the next three calls from Mélange.

Sitting down to eat, she turned on the TV and watched the news.

Mélange sat in her car down the street from Renee’s house. Now that Mélange had given in to her wolf’s demands, Renee wanted nothing to do with her. Mélange couldn’t blame her, but her wolf didn’t understand the delay and whined for their mate. She had been jittery all day. Although she appreciated the full-bloods who followed Renee at a discreet distance and watched over her, her mate’s safety was
her
primary responsibility.

Things between Mélange and Elyria had deteriorated fast. Maybe if she hadn’t shut out her wolf from the beginning, she and Elyria would’ve had more time. But she’d waited until her wolf refused to be denied, leaving her former lover little time to become accustomed to the idea. Elyria hated losing and even though this was beyond their control, her former lover still regarded this as a game she had lost. Mélange feared Elyria may try to harm Renee even though she warned her to stay away.

Yesterday, while Renee was at work, Mélange snuck into her home, created a back door into Renee’s computer and beefed up Renee’s security. Renee had booked a flight to West Virginia and hadn’t mentioned it.

Mélange’s heart ached over their separation. She wanted to share her mate’s joy, offer comfort, and protect her from all threats. Seeing things in black or white, her wolf’s hatred for Asia hadn’t changed, which was a good thing. Yet she demanded they follow Renee into La Patron’s backyard, consequences be damned.

Unable and unwilling to allow Renee to travel so far unprotected, Mélange purchased a ticket for the last flight out tonight. She hadn’t worked out the details as to how she’d protect her mate, only that she couldn’t remain in Missouri while Renee was somewhere else.

Perhaps she’d remain at the hotel, continue to call until Renee accepted her apology or at least talked with her again. Just hearing her voice helped. There were no other options. Their separation sickened her wolf.

A peculiar scent trickled through the air. A late model car pulled to a stop in front of Renee’s house and a short man stepped out. Mélange started to leave her car to check the person out when one of the full-blood security guards intercepted the man. Mélange watched the two argue, in full view of anyone looking. The man pressed something to the wrist of the large guard. He stopped and then stepped aside, as if guarding the car. She recognized the small device.

Elyria.

Mélange stepped out of her car and ran forward, stopping her former lover before she reached Renee’s door.

“
I can’t let you do that
,” Mélange said, eying the device that interrupted a person’s will for several hours, another toy Elyria used in their adventures. The idea of Renee under Elyria’s spell made Mélange’s blood boil.

“
Why not? It’s perfect, I’ll take her and put her somewhere no one will find her. She’ll still be alive so you won’t die, but you’ll be free. We can be together
.”

Mélange growled. Her claws sprang forward as she stalked toward the much bigger man. “
NO, my mate
.”

Leaning toward her, he snapped his fingers. “
Snap out of it Mel! I’m doing this for us. We’ll leave tonight, go to the island, and forget this job. Forget everything but us…please, let me take her and put her in a cabin in the mountains, she’ll be fine and out of our way
.”

Mélange took a step closer.

Elyria backed away. “
You’re being ungrateful. I took his life with the bracelet for you, for us, so this will work. They work together at the college, she would go with him, and then I’d put her to sleep, like Snow White
.”

Mélange’s stomach clenched again at the idea of her mate in a state of forced sleep under Elyria’s clutches. The woman enjoyed playing with her captives and would torture Renee for fun. “
Go home, Elyria, she’s my mate and under my protection
.” They’d never fought each other before, but she’d seen her former lover in action. Elyria was a tough competitor, but not a highly trained assassin like Mélange.

“
What?”
Elyria screeched.
“We protect each other, what happened to that? Are you throwing away 10 years of love away because of her?
”

Mélange heard the pain in Elyria’s voice, but her wolf no longer cared. Her mate meant everything and she would snatch Elyria’s heart from her chest, or die trying, before she allowed her to touch Renee.

“She’s my mate, I can’t allow anyone to hurt her.”

Elyria’s mouth opened and snapped shut. Then her eyes narrowed beneath the façade of the male skin she wore. “
You don’t want to go against me, Mel
.”

Mélange said nothing.

“
I should’ve killed her, but I didn’t want you to die. But you don’t care about me, or that my heart’s breaking, that I don’t want to live without you. You’ve tossed me aside for your whore. I won’t let you do that to me…do you hear me? Nobody does that to me!”
She turned and marched toward the car. “
I’ll be back, Mel. You better watch your human’s back
.”

Chapter 10

“Mama, he’s adorable. Finally, I have a little brother,” Renee said, holding Victor and looking at the other three.

“Yes, you do.”

Renee looked over her shoulder at her mom. “Still sore?”

“Tired. At first I tried to breastfeed, it didn’t work. Even with the nurses helping to feed them, I wake when I hear them cry.” Sitting up in her rocking chair, she yawned. “Makes for a long night.”

Renee smiled as she returned Victor to his crib, and picked up Jewel. Humming, she rocked back and forth.

“What happened?” Victoria asked.

Renee looked at her. “Huh?”

“Something’s changed. You weren’t like this last time…you met someone?” Hazel eyes reflected the overhead light as her mom leaned forward. “You’re happy again. What happened?”

Renee’s chest expanded. She placed a kiss on Jewel’s forehead, returned her to her bassinet, and picked up Ruby. “When I left last time, I bumped into Mélange at the airport. She asked for directions to baggage claim. We talked and exchanged numbers before I went to pick up my car from the parking lot.” The memory of their first meeting flashed in front of her. Mélange looked so polished and sophisticated in her body hugging, navy blue short-sleeved dress and five inch heels. Her hair had been pulled back and twisted into a bun, showcasing creamy skin and dark eyes, set in an oval face. She reminded Renee of a small, porcelain doll with ruby lips come to life.

Before Renee reached home, Mélange had sent a text inviting her to dinner the next day. More excited than she’d been in a long time, Renee said yes and laughed when Mélange admitted she knew where the baggage claim was all along but had wanted to talk to her.

“And then what?” Her mom prompted.

“We went out, several times.”

“You like her? I can tell, she makes you happy?”

Renee, replaced Ruby and picked up Diamond. “For a while I thought she was the one. She’s smart, beautiful, and when we’re together…it’s like there’s no one else in the world but the two of us.”

“Stop dragging this out,” Victoria snapped. “Are you a couple or not?”

“No, I broke it off before coming here. At the end she kept switching, hot then cold, back and forth. I’m too old for those games. It was good while it lasted.”

“You sure it’s over? Since you got here you’ve been smiling and humming and looking happy. And it’s not just the babies.” Victoria patted her short hair back into place as their gazes met.

“She says she can’t lose me, and has been calling asking for another chance, making promises to never hurt me again,” Renee’s voice softened, her heart pounded in remembrance of their conversation twenty minutes ago when she finally answered the phone. Mélange sounded so happy when she picked up, it startled Renee. After she repeated her reasons for not being with Mélange, the woman countered each with an apology and commitment. If only Renee could trust her.

“Wow, she sounds like a keeper. Tell me a little more about her.”

Renee replaced Diamond in her bassinet, turned slightly to face her mom and told her what she knew about Mélange. When she finished, her mom leaned forward, patted her hand and smiled.

“Sounds like she’s worth a second look. The two of you like the same things, sports, games, movies, books, food. Anyone who puts that sparkle in your eye is a winner in my book. I just want you happy. Does she make you happy?”

Renee thought of the time they went walking and stopped for ice-cream. Mélange had dipped her finger into the cup and placed the cold sweet on the tip of Renee’s nose and then took off running, laughing. They’d played with free abandon in the park that day. She hadn’t done that since she and Jasmine had been small. In such a short period of time, they’d made several memories that brought a smile to her lips.

“Yes, she did, Mama. She really did.”

Neither of them spoke for a few seconds.

“Let me see a picture of her, of the two of you together, if you have one.”

Smiling, Renee fished her cell phone from her purse and looked through her files. When she found the ones she wanted, she handed her mom her phone and stood behind her so they could look together.

“She’s absolutely stunning, Renee.”

Renee’s heart clenched seeing the picture. That day at the mall, Mélange had stared at her with an intensity that made Renee believe they would make it. Even now, the look sent tingly feelings across her back. Anyone seeing that photo would know Mélange cared deeply for her.

Her mom continued looking at the picture. “Who took this?”

“Me.”

“She was looking at you?”

“Yes, and I snapped the picture.”

“I see.” The next picture the two of them were together, looking at each other. “The two of you look good together.”

“Yes, we do. She’s beautiful.”

“So are you,” her mom said loyally.

“Thanks, Mama.” She squeezed her mom’s shoulder as she continued flipping through the pictures.

Jasmine walked in just as they reached the last picture. Renee smiled. Her sister looked radiant wearing silky gray trousers and a slate gray net top with a matching tank beneath.
[iv]
“You’ve got your hair pulled up in a ponytail, I haven’t seen that look on you in a while.”

“Ryan and Ryder, they like to pull hair. I’m teaching them not to pull, but it’s a work in progress.” She bent and placed a kiss on her mom’s cheek before turning to look in the bassinets.

“Don’t you notice something different about Renee?”

Renee groaned.

Jasmine turned, looked at her sister for several seconds and then smiled. “You met someone?”

Renee tried to stop the smile from widening but couldn’t. “Yes, but we’re having a few problems right now. I planned to talk with you about it when you had some free time.”

Jasmine looked at her watch. “The kids will be home from school in another hour. I’ll finish with them around six, supper, baths, and then bed. That’ll be around eight-thirty. We can talk as long as you want then if right now won’t be enough.” Jasmine took Renee’s hand and squeezed. “I can’t wait to hear all about it.”

Renee grinned. “Let’s talk tonight with a bottle of wine. I’d like your opinion, Mom’s given hers.”

“And it’s the right one too, you’ll see. Jasmine will agree with me.”

Jasmine’s brow rose. “Now, I’m really curious. Can’t we start now and finish later?”

“Here, look at these pictures, they tell a big part of the story.” Victoria handed Jasmine the cell phone.

Jasmine’s brow rose. Then she smiled and continued smiling as she flipped through the pictures. When she finished, she met Renee’s gaze. Stomach tight, Renee waited, hoping Jasmine did agree with her mom. She missed Mélange and wanted to get back with her.

“She’s beautiful, the two of you look so happy.” Jasmine frowned. “I don’t recall ever seeing you look like this before, it’s like you click. Two peas from a pod, that kind of thing. Does she like people?”

Renee understood the question. “We spend hours discussing different cultures, and how current events impact ecosystems on different continents –”

“Perfect, that was missing from you and Mandy. I never understood how you co-owned the flower shop, in which you had zero interest,” Jasmine said.

“When you love someone, you bend to make them happy. Mandy loved flowers, her partner bought me out, and now they’re both running the business.” Thinking of Mandy with someone else no longer hurt, she had Mélange to thank for that.

“Yes, you’re right on that score.” Jasmine paused. “I want to hear everything about Mélange, that’s a pretty name by the way. We’ll wait until after dinner and get together.” She looked at their mom. “You’re welcome to come.”

Victoria smiled. “Thanks, you girls go ahead. It’s been a long time since the two of you spent time alone.” She nodded to the bassinets. “I’ll hang out with your younger sisters.”

Renee and Jasmine looked at each other and smiled. Renee couldn’t wait to tell Jasmine about Mélange. A text beeped on Renee’s phone. Jasmine handed it to her. Exhaling, Renee read the text. “
Miss you, love you
.”

She closed the phone with a snap and a smile.
Maybe Mélange was the one
.

Chapter 11

Elyria walked through Renee’s house, touching her things, looking through every room, trying to understand what made her so special. Why had fate given such an insignificant person to Mélange and ruined her life?

Children’s pictures littered the wall, two males wore military uniforms. The two younger females whose emerald green and blue eyes also declared their heritage to the Black Wolf Clan and La Patron. Elyria stared at the pictures closely.

One photo had an odd little girl who wasn’t in any of the other photos. She stood in the middle of La Patron’s clan. Elyria wondered if that was Asia’s pup. Renee had mentioned Asia’s brat during her conversations with Mélange.

The notations on the back of the pictured included the name Sarita, different from La Patron’s pups. The longer she looked at the picture, a plan formed in her mind to deal a blow to Asia and La Patron. Mélange would be blamed, and hopefully tortured for information she knew nothing about. Perfect.

Elyria glanced at her watch, in 10 minutes the security guard would be released from the control of her device. One day she’d perfect the short-term controller that gave her full control over her victims for an hour, to no time limits. The idea pleased her.

Taking the picture, she left the house through the back door and re-engaged the security system.

Driving toward the house near the river, Elyria made plans. When she arrived home, she packed her books, herbs, crystals and tools. For what she planned to do, she needed to go deep into the earth. The past year she’d purchased a parcel of land separate from Mélange, and set up a lab. The desire to return to experimenting with crystals and herbs had been too great.

The last time she’d created a makeshift lab, there’d been an explosion when she made a mistake mixing certain ingredients. Mélange had suffered blindness for two days. She left and refused to return unless Elyria stopped the deadly experiments. Elyria agreed, and for eight years never broke that agreement until this last year, coming and going when Mélange was on an assignment.

Pleased she’d followed the will of her wolf and returned to her studies, she moved with haste. Renee was safe inside La Patron’s compound for now. Elyria would shake the tree and watch who tumbled to the ground.

She glanced at her chameleon bracelet. Taking Renee’s co-worker’s body had seemed smoother after the tweaks she’d completed last week with the crystals. Granted, the man still died, but she retained a lot of his memories and would’ve been able to fool the man’s wife if she’d chose. The exchange lasted 48 hours instead of 24, which was an improvement. All of which validated her move to return to her studies of the crystals, which was all she had of her birthright, until now. Flashes of conversation with Nirtha, her mother, teased the edge of her memory. Her father, her pack, her heritage, clicked in a staggered pattern skewing the overall message.

“
This belongs to you
,” Nirtha had said. “
It’s your birthright along with these books on how to work the earth. Guard it with your life and tell no one of your past until the time is right. You’re smart, lass, and will know when to make your origins plain and take your place.”

On Nirtha’s deathbed, Elyria vowed to do just as she asked. Strange, the only part of that conversation she always recalled was the bit to keep her past a secret. Not even her former lover knew of Nirtha or the things she’d taught Elyria, or that she’d mistakenly poisoned and killed the woman while practicing with herbs.