Taste of Darkness (23 page)

“I’ll go with you,” Rhea said, appearing as if from nowhere, the stealth of the female beyond impressive. No one ever surprised him.

Her subtle vanilla and jasmine scent teased him. Not that he should be noticing her scent at all. But when she was around, he lost focus, everything else fading into the background. “That’s not necessary.”

“If another clan of dragons wants to be in Victoria and Drake’s presence, I’m meeting them.” There was no room for discussion in her firm voice.

Which was, to quote the younger generation, fucking hot. That damn humming sensation in his chest was back as he looked into her amber eyes. Instead of responding, he simply nodded at her and headed to the driver’s side of the SUV. She climbed into the passenger side.

When he pulled away from the curb, he asked, “How much did you overhear?”

“All of it. So you were betrothed, huh?”

He found it interesting that she used the same word, not engaged, like Victoria had. “Yes. How old are you?”

She laughed, the throaty sound rolling over him, wrapping him up in her innate earthiness. “That’s a jump in conversation.”

“You used the term betrothed.” Which told him she was from a different generation.

“Oh, right. I’m almost a hundred and fifty. And… I was betrothed a long time ago too. I imagine it’s hard to meet up with an ex.”

He frowned at the thought of her betrothed to someone else. “What happened?” Because he couldn’t imagine any male leaving this vibrant, strong female. She would have been the one who’d left, he had no doubt.

“He died.” There was an extreme amount of buried agony in those two words, even if her tone was flat.

Shit.
“I’m sorry.” Ineffectual words, but what else was there to say?

She just nodded and they fell into a comfortable silence as he drove through their quiet village to the main entrance gate. He hadn’t thought he’d want anyone to accompany him to see Fia for the first time in hundreds of years, but he was glad to have Rhea beside him.

Having this female with him soothed something inside him he didn’t understand. Even if it was as if Rhea was encased in ice. Her facial expressions, even her scent, was damn hard to read. And didn’t that make him want to get to know her even more. Thoughts of her writhing beneath him, or riding him, as they both found release vividly played in his mind. Something in his consciousness told him there would be a lot more than sex between them.

He buried the thought deep.

Chapter Nineteen

Bran stood in front of the SUV, leaning casually against the vehicle as Conall Petronilla and an unknown female with blades strapped across her chest exited the main gate. He was certain the female had left her jacket unzipped intentionally. After a quick inhale of scents, he realized she was a wolf shifter. Interesting. Back in black ops he’d worked with his fair share of all species, and wolves were fucking brutal. They tended to kill and ask questions later.

Out of respect for the other clan leader, Bran pushed up from the vehicle and nodded at Conall, who was a similar height to him. He closed the distance between them. “Thank you for meeting me here. I know we’re early and I apologize.”

Conall’s stony expression never changed. It wasn’t hostile, but it wasn’t warm and friendly either. “Entrance is denied tonight. Drake’s mate is still resting and his full priority is her.”

“Understood. We’ll find lodging and wait for you to contact us. Again, I apologize for the intrusion.” He wasn’t going to do the ‘I told you so’ thing to his brother but hell, how had Gavin and Fia not seen this coming.

“I’ve already contacted the ski lodge and they have a cabin reserved for you. I didn’t know how large your party was so if you need more lodging, let the concierge know and they’ll accommodate you.”

It took a lot to surprise Bran, but the show of respect—when his clan didn’t deserve it for their rude behavior of showing up so damn early—was impressive. “Thank you.”

“Wow, dragons are so civil.” The female spoke for the first time, drawing both their attention to her. She glanced at Conall and shrugged, amusement clear on her face. “Wolves tend to attack people who show up on their doorstep and maybe ask questions later.”

“What pack are you from?” Bran asked even though he was certain he knew. This clearly wasn’t Dragos’s mate, but she must be part of that female’s pack. The information Keelin Petronilla had given Fia was scarce.

“Stavros.”

He nodded. Just as he’d thought. The rumor was that Dragos had been living with the Stavros pack. He’d heard of Finn Stavros and the male was powerful. Even more so now that he was mated to a blood-born vamp. “I’m Bran Devlin.”

“Rhea.” No last name and no attempt to make polite talk or shake his hand. Just an icy glare that said if he made one wrong move, those blades were coming out.

Conall let out a low warning growl, drawing Bran’s attention back to the male who hadn’t moved a muscle. Just stood there with his eyes glowing pure silver. And it had everything to do with the curly-haired female. Interesting.

Bran took a step back, not out of fear, but to show the other male he respected his not-so-subtle claim. “You have my cell number.”

Conall nodded and motioned for Rhea to move in behind him. She raised an eyebrow, as if to laugh that anyone wanted to protect her, but she moved for the gate first. As they started to open the gate—and Conall knew there were any number of warriors stationed in the air as backup—the passenger door to the SUV flew open.

Bran cringed and reined in a curse.

Fia and Gavin got out, Fia’s expression confused, her ivory skin glowing in the pale moonlight. “What’s happening? Why aren’t you opening the gates for us?” she asked Conall, who kept that stony mask in place.

Bran let loose the anger he usually kept in check, his fire burning the back of his throat as he shot his brother a dark look. Gavin gave him an apologetic look, but didn’t say anything to correct his mate. Per usual.

“Fia,” he snapped. “Get back in the vehicle.”

“Is this about our history, Conall?” she asked the other leader, completely ignoring Bran, her voice bewildered.

To everyone’s surprise, the wolf shifter female stepped forward. “This has nothing to do with you. Drake doesn’t want to see anyone but his mate right now. Something I’m certain you can understand as a mated female.” Her voice was kind, but firm.

“I do understand. We were just so close as children, like siblings, and when he re-emerged into the world I felt it too. I didn’t realize it was him until Keelin confirmed it and…” Her voice was watery and she seemed close to tears. Real tears too because that was one thing Bran respected about Fia. She didn’t cry for show.

“Drake doesn’t remember you, Fia. He doesn’t remember most of his former life. Tonight is not a good time, but I’ll be in contact with your clan leader tomorrow.” Conall’s voice was just a fraction softer than when he’d spoken to Bran. But not by much. Whatever his feelings had been for Fia at one time, it seemed clear they were over.

“Get in the SUV,” Bran ordered, an edge to his voice. He didn’t give her any of the softness Rhea or Conall had.

Eyes wide, she did just that, Gavin close behind her, but not before throwing Bran a hard look.

“Being clan leader sucks sometimes,” Conall said, the informal speech surprising Bran as he stepped back to the gate, keeping his body protectively in front of the female.

A grin tugged at Bran’s lips, but he locked it down. “Yeah it does,” he muttered. And to think some dragons actually wanted all the responsibility of a clan, he thought, shaking his head as he walked back to the SUV.

* * *

“That was very sweet what you did,” Victoria said almost absently, her back to Drake as she eyed the interior of the refrigerator. The guest house was now empty except for Gabriel and Rhea who were upstairs.

Drake knew his brother had ordered guards around the house too, which was fine with Drake. But he didn’t want anyone else inside. Not when he craved privacy with Victoria.

“What was sweet?” His gaze trailed to the formfitting jeans hugging her backside. They’d returned to the house not long ago and he was having a hard time concentrating on anything other than thoughts of getting her naked. After sledding or tobogganing or whatever it was called, with her cradled in front of him as he held her close, he wanted no more barriers between them. He wanted skin to skin.

Craved it on the deepest level.

But he worried it might be too soon. She seemed like her old self, but she’d only bounced back earlier this evening from the poisoning.

“The way you subtly stood up for your brother. Gah, I’m so hungry.” She shut the refrigerator door with a growl and headed for the pantry, practically stomping in her bare feet.

“It wasn’t
sweet
. We’re not letting unknowns into this territory until I know more about them.” He was not a sweet male. Something she needed to understand. He should explain to her exactly how violent he could be, the things he’d done in Hell, but he didn’t want to. Not yet. Right now all he was concerned with was keeping her safe. Because no one was getting near his soon-to-be mate. As he eyed the sway of her hips, hungry possessiveness swept up inside him, threatening to suck him under.

Frowning at the strange energy humming off her, he followed her into the oversized pantry. He was amazed by all the food lining the shelves for a second before his focus was on Victoria again.

Hands on her hips she eyed the shelves, scanning the various foodstuffs. When she moved right past a box of chocolate bars, he realized she wasn’t even looking because his female never ignored chocolate. “Victoria, what’s wrong?” When she turned to look at him, her eyebrows were drawn tight together and she wrapped her arms around herself. He didn’t like the way she seemed to be closing him out. “Tell me.” A soft demand.

Her arms immediately dropped and her gaze landed on his lips. When she licked her own, moistening them, his cock hardened even more, to an almost painful point.
Aaaand
, he started glowing.

The interior of the pantry lit up in an electric pale gold glow, highlighting Victoria’s flushed cheeks and soft skin. Her crisp mountain scent intensified, filling the enclosed space until all he could think about was tasting her. All of her. The desire pounding in his veins was an erratic beat, making him insane with need.

Ever since he’d heard that conversation between Vega and Victoria about some male having his face between his female’s legs, he wanted to experience the same thing. To bring Victoria the ultimate pleasure with no fucking interruptions.

Because if anyone dared come in here right now, he’d burn them to a crisp.

“Take off your sweater.” He’d meant to form it as a question but it came out as a subtle demand. He needed to see her again. All of her. What they’d started in that hot tub had lit something inside him and that fire was never going out. It was an incendiary thing.

Her wolf flickered in her gaze as she reached for the hem of her sweater. Slowly. Not because she was nervous, he quickly realized. She was teasing him.

His cock pushed insistently against his pants, hard and aching.

Way too slowly she tugged the sweater over her head to reveal a scrap of black lace barely covering her full breasts, her light pink nipples tight buds that begged for his tongue to lavish over. But not yet. He needed to see all of her.

“Pants,” he demanded, the one word wrenching from his throat with difficulty. Right now he didn’t trust himself not to tear her clothes off. Later, he would take his time, slowly baring each inch of her to his hungry gaze.

Her hands shook as she unbuttoned then slowly slid her jeans off until she stood in just her bra and matching lacy black panties with a little green bow in the middle. She also had on the necklace he’d given to her. Seeing it hang between her breasts while her bare feet were curling against the hardwood floor, the image she painted was so erotic it was hard to draw in a breath.

Listening to all his primal instincts, he covered the distance between them, his hands latching onto her hips in a dominating grip as he moved her back against the shelves.

Her eyes went pure wolf as she arched into him, her hand reaching between them to stroke his hard length through his jeans. His throat tightened, a raspy, animalistic sound tearing from him before he pulled his hips back. He’d stroked himself to release plenty of times since he’d gotten out of Hell, always thinking of Victoria while he did, and just the thought of her touch was enough to set him off.

Fuck.

She couldn’t touch him now. Not if he wanted to think straight. Hell, he could barely concentrate just seeing her long, lean body and inhaling that addictive scent of hers. “Hands on the shelf behind you,” he ordered.

When she let out a throaty chuckle, he was relieved she wasn’t angry he wasn’t letting her touch him, or that he was ordering her around. This dominance welling up inside him gripped him hard and he didn’t even try to hide it.

Leaning down, he ran his nose along her jaw line, inhaling her sweet scent, but not kissing. Not yet. He trailed down the delicate column of her neck, barely flicking out his tongue as he slowly moved down her chest and in between her soft, luscious breasts. He withdrew one hand from her hips and let a single claw free to slice through the middle of her bra.