Sanibel Alpha Vampire Werewolf Menage (Fanged Romance Series Book 5.5) (17 page)

Mike knew what he was about.
“
You can
’
t sense Jayce.
”

“
He should be over the islands by now.
”
He misted away, his voice coiling around Mike.
“
It
’
s probably nothing, but I
’
ll check. Don
’
t even think about telling Tatum.
”

“That
’
s all you have with you?
”
Bren stepped from the bathroom, a towel around his waist, tilting his head toward the suitcases.

“I never placed emphasis on material things.
”

“You sound like Tatum,
”
Bren said with a chuckle.
“
I have to buy her clothes, since she goes against all female scenarios by hating to shop.
”

Mike walked into the nursery alcove connected to the master suite and placed Ardan in his cradle, one specifically crafted for the future Alpha.  Its spells and wards were many, fueling power for Ardan
’
s much-needed protection, the cradle
’
s size immense in order to accommodate a baby far larger than human infants.
“
Ardan eats and sleeps, his complete cycle for now.
”

Bren raised an eyebrow when Mike turned from the alcove.
“
In between the eating, I swear he goes through a box of diapers a day.
”
Then his eyes dropped to one of Mike
’
s bags, an old satchel he kept, his only item of sentimentality besides his late grandmother
’
s flawless emerald ring.  The one he wanted to give to Tatum. And the
…

“I remember this,
”
Bren whispered, pulling the yellowed envelope from the side flap.

“Nosy much,
”
Mike retorted, pulling it from his hand.

“You
’
ve carried this letter around since what, you were sixteen or seventeen?  What
’
s it about?
”

“Ciaran gave it to me when I first arrived in the states, after seeking him out when he was rogue.
”
A sigh left him.
“
It contains information regarding my true father.
”

“It
’
s sealed.
”
Bren gaped.
“
You never asked Ciaran about it, even when you were recently in Scotland.
”

“Seriously, we
’
ve been quite busy.
”

Bren shook his head, his chestnut-colored hair brushing his shoulders.
“
You didn't want him to know you could never face what
’
s inside.
”

“Are you trying to piss me off?
”
Mike bristled, not because Bren pushed him, but because he was accurate.

“Not today,
”
Bren quipped, looking behind Mike and smiling devilishly.

Pale arms wrapped themselves around his waist, Tatum pressing the front of her body against his back.  The feel of her there, comforting him, he didn
’
t know whether to laugh, cry, or fuck her senseless.  

“Well,
”
she said, whispering a kiss between his shoulder blades,
“
You are a father now. Maybe you should open it.
”

Mike understood what she meant in facing the past to strengthen one
’
s self for the future, but it didn
’
t make the thought of opening that damned letter any easier for him. However, her acknowledging Ardan as his son broke Mike
’
s heart wide open.
“
Are you really here with me,
”
he whispered in awe,
“
taking me as your own.
”

“No matter what
’
s happened, you complete our family.
”
She slid around his body, going up on her tiptoes to pull him down for a kiss.
“
Day to day, we
’
ll learn one another and make this work. I will try.
”

“I want forever so that
’
s what I
’
m taking.
”
He gripped Tatum around her waist, nipping at the corners of her plush mouth before kissing her hard, until he tasted a tinge of blood. When he pulled away from her, their souls touched as if it were full moon already. And before he knew what was happening, he ripped the waxed seal on the envelope with fresh courage and read in his natural, werewolf speed.  Mike blinked, not believing what he was seeing.  Then read it a second time and a third.
He thrust the letter at Bren
’
s chest.
“
Read.
”  
Bren read silently, Mike watching on as the horror of understanding reached his co-mate.
“
We have to tell Bane.
”

“I sensed Bane leave while Tatum and I showered.
”

“He left for a specific reason.
”
Mike held up his hand before Bren said anything to frighten Tatum.  Yes, she could deal with rising storms, but it was in his nature to protect her.  And Bane had specifically requested she not be told that Jayce could possibly be missing.
“
Is there a safe room here?
”

“Yep.
”
Bren moved to Ardan
’
s alcove, gathering him.

“We
’
re going to the safe room?
”
Tatum asked when Mike tore his shirt over his head and then covered her naked body.
“
What
’
s in that letter? What
’
s going on?
”

“Nothing, I originally thought,
”
he growled, meeting Bren
’
s shocked eyes. A vampire landed on the roof.
“
Go, Bren!
”

“You, too,
”
he demanded, taking Tatum by the arm and guiding their family through what smelled like Jayce
’
s closet.
“
All of us, Mike! We
’
re staying together.
”  

Mike looked out the window, sensing a second vampire misting in around the beach.
“
They
’
re Gryphs, just go!
”
They weren
’
t easy to kill.  He hadn
’
t a doubt Bren
’
s Beast could take one down, but Tatum and Ardan were better served with Bren by their sides.  Tatum and Ardan were also better served with Mike fighting this battle alongside their security team.  In the past month, he
’
d learned the battle techniques of Royal Gryphs quite naturally. Without a second thought, he misted to the rooftop to face his enemies.

“There you are,
”
a male voice called, laced with something sinister.

Mike rematerialized on the roof of the main house, his shocked eyes finding the same Gryph from his Youngling years, the one who took Tatum the night Bren and Jayce had frightened her in the marsh.  
“
I guess I can match weeks of death and destruction to its master.
”

The Gryph
’
s face distorted and then reformed. Rannan Holm sketched a regal bow, his midnight wings flaring in pride.“I helped you years ago, yet you killed what
’
s mine.
”

Mike shook his head, realizing the two rogues he had killed must have been two of the Holm brothers. Ciaran
’
s old letter to Mike had actually been a missive for Jayce
’
s father, one explaining the Dynasty
’
s penetration of spies inside the Academies. Obviously, those spies had bred many werewolves with Royal Gryphs, the odd combination hard to sniff out.
“
You helped no one but the Dynasty that night.  You were cleaning up a mess, trying to draw attention away from your drunken brothers while in fear they would be found out as spies.
”  
Mike heard Pack Males fighting against the single Gryph below, grunts and the clang of weapons filling the air. Yes, they were nearly impossible to bring down, had been on this earth since the beginning of time.

Black fire leapt in Rannan
’
s eyes.
“
I will collect two bodies tonight, for the two you took from me.  I
’
ll start with Tatum Shirley, killing her slowly while you watch. Then I
’
ll move onto Jayce Jordan
’
s Youngling. A pity but his lineage cannot go on. I
’
m far older than my brothers were.
”
He stepped closer, a short blade in each hand.
“
My power is great, so you won't take me down. And when you
’
re burning in anguish from the carnage I will surely lay at your feet, I will languish in torturing you for the rest of your eternal life.
”

“Yeah, well, I
’
ll be picking your feathers out of my teeth before you manage any of that.
”  
Mike had no weapons on him, would have to rely solely on his Beast. Without another word, he released his werewolf.  On the heels of his release, a fissure entered the air, marks of the Alpha and the Beta.  Mike lifted his nose to the air, scenting Jayce
’
s blood. His co-mate was greatly injured, but he remained outside the house while Bane misted inside. Obviously, the Beta was to protect Tatum and Ardan.

“Ah, the Alpha doesn
’
t know when to stay down.
”

“No, you just don
’
t know how to finish the job.
”
Mike studied Rannan
’
s leg, seeing where Jayce took a plug from his hamstring.  That
’
s where he would strike first.  When Mike lunged with claws and teeth, a body slammed into Mike
’
s back, toppling him over. He landed on the rim of  the second floor balcony, the iron railing cracking several ribs.  Still, he flipped smoothly, hiding any pain from his enemies, an unspoken rule he
’
d follow until his dying breath.  

This he refused to take tonight.   

Jumping high, Mike caught a flicker of movement to the side, but it was too late. As if in slow motion, a long blade headed straight for his throat, the hand at the hilt belonging to Mabon Holm. Mike spun out just as Jayce blocked the hit and took the blade across his shoulder.  He was in Alpha Beast form, snarling in horrifying rage.

Rannan jumped over the roof, tightening his wings to land on the balcony.  As he did, Mike grabbed the long blade out of Jayce
’
s shoulder and thrust it upward, only managing to pierce Rannan
’
s wing on his descent.

Jayce lifted Mabon to his mouth and bit clear through his throat. With a roar only the Alpha of North America could release, he flung Mabon from his balcony in disgust, spitting the Gryph
’
s blood out of his mouth.  

“Mabon!
”
Rannan screamed as he flew back to the roof
’
s edge. Mabon
’
s decapitated body was wiggling on the pool deck, yet his head was sitting in the palm of Jayce
’
s hand. Jayce bared  his bloodied canines to the moon and slung the head at Rannan.  

“One to go,
”
Mike sneered. He jumped high, even with broken ribs, and charged Rannan too late. The Gryph disappeared into the thick night,  his wings flapping above the house.  
“
Mother fucker is getting away!
”

“I still have your blood in me, Tatum
’
s, as well,
”
Rannan
’
s voice drifted from the sky. Reminding Mike the Gryph must have fed from them that fateful night so many years ago. The flying vampire could hunt them easily.
“
I will find you soon and finish this. The Alpha won
’
t always be around.
”
And then he was gone.