Текст книги "Dark Awakening"

Автор книги: T. A. Grey

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Текущая страница: 8 (всего у книги 9 страниц)

Chapter 15

Rome waited outside of the mansion. Nighttime was creeping in, the sun going down and casting the world into oranges and pinks. The team gathered around him. Their pace made snails look fast.

He couldn't stop the growl that came out of his throat, or the power of his beast rushing through him. He was stronger in this form and thirsted for blood. Conlin's blood. He would tear the man's throat out with his teeth.

The Alpha's order was the only thing keeping him in place, keeping him from ripping through the house and tearing anyone who so much as crossed his path into pieces. Vane and his siblings looked like they were going to war wearing guns, knives, and Kevlar vests.

Jacks pushed a vest into his chest. He growled menacingly at his once friend. The man's jaw tightened. He looked contrite, ashamed, but that didn't matter. They'd taken his woman and Jacks could have helped.

Unable to control his able, he needed to lash out at something—anything.

"What were you doing when I called you?"

Jacks glared back at his friend, his jaw clenching from side to side. "You have your problems and I have mind. Let's just leave it at that."

"I have a problem because you weren't here doing your job."

"Maybe you should have been guarding your woman when you knew Conlin was after her instead of going to work like it was a normal fucking Monday."

Rome's fist shot out and caught Jack's jaw. The human stumbled back a step but righted himself. On most people that hit would have sent him flying ten feet. Jacks always did have a jaw of steal.

"I'll let you have that free one because I fucked up. You know how I feel about making mistakes."

Rome breathed deeply, taking calming breaths. That shit didn't work. He was more jacked up then if he'd been on crack.

"I thought Vera was a fighter. Where is she?" Rome frowned at the change in subject. He put on his Kevlar before answering.

"She's incapacitated. She was staying in the guest cabin. They ambushed her, and killed two of our guards before taking Alison."

Jacks tensed. "Is she all right?"

Vane stepped forward looking like he belonged on the cover of a military magazine with his Kevlar, sidearm, belt holding mace, a tazer, and God knows what else. "She's fine. We're ready to go."

His older brother Darien was here too. His brother never talked anymore. Rome remembered a time when his brother smiled, laughed, joked. Something had died in him with that woman with that baby. Darien’s problems were his own though.

Rome took a deep breath and nodded. "Execute."

Darien and Vane took off towards the mansion while Rome and Jacks took the right. They flanked around the side of the house to the backdoor, and took out two guards before they had time to use their Walky-talkies.

Rome smashed through the back door, raising his two guns and drilling bullets at the guards.

"Upstairs." Rome could smell her. His heart was a hard drum beating in his chest. The scents of blood and vanilla sent his beast into a full rage. He didn’t feel anything about killing these guards. Had no thoughts as to innocence or guilt.

They made their way through the house. Guards swarmed out of the living room. Rome lost his guns in a tangle of limbs and kicks. He roared and threw the two thugs off him, slamming them into the wall.

The first thug recovered quickly, tore a knife out of his belt, and lunged at him. Rome dodged the blow, grabbed the man's wrist, and snapped it until bone cracked. The man howled and Rome drove his fist into his face with all the strength in him. Blood spattered and bones broke under the force. The man collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.

Rome surveyed the area and saw Vane and Darien tying up their catch.

Darien looked up at him. Something in his eyes said he understood. "Proof for the Justicars. We need them alive." Rome didn't look at the man whose face was now unrecognizable. He didn't care.

The scent of vanilla and blood, her blood, was stronger now. He charged up the stairs. Someone shouted his name behind him, but it sounded faraway over the screaming roar in his head. Following her scent, he turned right where it grew stronger. He stopped at the door at the far end of the hall. He turned the knob, his heart in his throat, it didn't budge. He roared, the door vibrating in its frame with the force of its power and then slammed his booted foot into the wood. It splintered and shattered apart.

He flew into the room, but caught sight of Alison and Conlin and stopped dead in his tracks. Cold fear mixed with rage making him even more deadly. His hands fisted, his arms shaking with the force to keep from acting.

"Alison, baby." His voice a mere croak.

She turned to him from her tied up position, her naked body bleeding with open cuts. The blade that Conlin was holding to her neck, slipped into her skin with the movement. A line of red streaked across her neck.

"Don't move!" His hand reached out as if to stop her.

Conlin through back his head and laughed. "So I finally get to meet the second brother, Roman Kategan. Or are you the third in line? Eh, well, not that it matters." He tilted his head to the side and sniffed the air. "You reek of anger and fear, Alpha. Ali and I were having the greatest time before you decided to show up."

"Yeah, we're real party crashers." His eyes locked on Alison's, refused to let go. Tears shined in her eyes before falling down her cheeks. Her lips trembled but she kept silent.

"And you're funny, too. Ah, we probably could have been friends under different circumstances. I must say that you have no right breaking into my home. But now I have free reign to kill you."

He clenched his jaw so hard it cracked. "You stole my woman."

"Your woman? Have you mated her? She might carry your disgusting scent inside her from your filthy seed, but that's all. She was mine long before she was yours, Kategan. Don't you know? I fucked her nearly everyday for months while we were together. It was my seed filling her belly, not yours."

Rome roared and took a step forward. Conlin's eyes widened a fraction. In fear? He pressed the knife a little deeper into Alison's neck.

Panting hard, Rome met her eyes again.

"I'm going to get you out of here baby. Everything's going to be fine."

She mouthed some words, but her lips were trembling so badly he couldn't tell what she said.

"Your fight is with me, Conlin. Not her."

The man laughed. "Wrong again. I have absolutely no fight with you, only her."

Rome lunged forward, relying on the knowledge that Darien and Vane would be close behind by now. With all the power of the lykaen inside him, he moved faster than a bullet, leaped over the bed, and caught Conlin by the shoulders. They both went down on the ground. Conlin landed hard, but kept hold on the knife.

Blind fury took over his movements. He pulled back his arm and let his slam into Conlin’s face. The spray and crunch of bones was like a soothing balm to his raging anger. So he did it again and again. His hand throbbed and pulsed, but he ignored it. Conlin’s nose cracked under the weight of his fist and he let out a loud scream.

Conlin twisted beneath him and jerked his hips up, tossing Rome off. Rome didn't recover quickly enough and Conlin slashed forward with his silver blade and cut through Rome’s thigh. Snarling with rage, Rome grabbed Conlin's wrist and squeezed tight. Conlin yelped and his fingers loosened, letting the blade fall.

Leaning forward, uncaring of the blood gushing from his wound, Rome slammed his fist again into Conlin's face. The crush of bone and spray of blood fueled his rage like gasoline on a fire. He grabbed Conlin's hair in a vicious grip and yanked it to the side. Hard hands pushed at his chest, struggled underneath him, but he forced himself closer. Then, baring his teeth, he attacked.

Teeth tore into flesh, blood pooled thickly in his mouth. He bit down on the meat and tore himself away, taking it with him. Conlin gasped and reached for his neck, but found only chunks of gore.

Rome stood and spit out the meat and turned to help his mate. The wound wouldn't kill Conlin, but it would incapacitate him enough for Alison to perform the killing blow. It was her righteous duty, not his.

"Baby. Are you okay?" Her head lay turned towards his, but her eyes didn't blink. Ice entered his veins and his heart stopped beating.

He rushed to her side and caught her face in his hands. Please God don't let him be too late. Please. "Alison, look at me!"

As if in slow motion, he looked down, to see the line of blood at her neck much deeper, much heavier than before. Her eyes blinked up at him much too slowly, too lazily.

"Oh God." His voice was a croak, raw pain filling it. It was all his fault. The knife had cut her when he'd jumped on Conlin. It was his fault.

Her eyes closed and didn’t open again. He screamed. He didn't stop until faces poured into the room.

Jacks was the first to come forward. "Let me see." When Rome refused to let go, his friend spoke harder. "I said, let her go. I have field medical training, Roman. You know this. Let me look at her." He couldn’t though. The man had no idea what he was asking him to do. He couldn’t let her go now. A burning wetness pooled in his eyes, stinging his wide eyes.

Darien came forward, and gently removed his hands from her. Rome met his brother's eyes; they held such dark pain, such understanding. Now he knew why Darien had pushed himself away like he did. To know that the woman you loved was dying. How did the man even live?

He watched as if from the long end of a shadowy tunnel as Jacks sprouted questions. He worked with quick, jerky movements that still managed to be precise.

If the silver went deep enough. If it had cut through her spinal cord, then the damage would be irreparable. She would bleed out and then her heart would stop.

He remembered being told that the blood had stopped. But he didn't remember why. Had Jacks stopped the flow? Would she live? Or was the damage irreparable and his mate was about to die. Rome didn't know.

He didn't know because the light at the far end of the tunnel grew dimmer and foggier like black smoke was blocking his vision. He cursed inwardly and scrambled to focus. No!

Must see her face one last time. He flailed against the shadows behind his eyes, against the fog in his mind, but it useless. He screamed inside until his throat burned and bled. But the darkness refused to bow and took over him completely.

Chapter 15

The blurry lights made it difficult to see.

"Fix the lights already." She didn't mean to be a complainer, but really. Hadn't she been through enough?

Someone chuckled from beside her. She turned and blinked first one eye than the other. She frowned when the blurry figure didn't become the man she was hoping for.

"I'm afraid I can't do anything about the lights. It's your vision that's blurry, not them. I'm Darien Kategan, by the way, we haven’t formally met. How do you feel?" His voice was a lovely tenor. He had a calm, patient way of speaking as though he had all the time in the world to listen to her speak.

"Sorry, I'm not a morning person. I feel like…someone used my body for a punching bag. Like maybe a bunch of UFC fighters. Am I really here? Is this real? Because, no offense, but if this is heaven then they sent me the wrong man to dream about. I think they mixed up brothers.”

A ghost of a smile flared on his lips. “You’re very much alive, and I’d feel like shit too after what you’ve been through.”

Alison took that all in then asked the question that was burning at her mind.

“Where's Rome?" she asked in a quiet voice.

The big man who looked like a linebacker for the Gods looked away and shifted side to side. Alison stilled, the air freezing in her lungs.

"What's wrong?"

"He's down the hall, but he's been hurt. Wait, whoa, where do you think you're going?" Alison had already thrown back the covers and moved to a sitting position.

"I'm going to see my mate."

The man looked pensively at her, then smiled softly. "Then let me help you," he said at last.

The walk down the hallway didn't last long. Darien picked her up and carried her, which was perfect because her stomach, chest, thighs, and neck throbbed like a SOB.

The sight of Rome left a sharp pang in her heart. He was lying on the big bed with the covers disheveled around him. His face was pale and had lost its healthy glow. His eyes didn't even open when she sat on the bed.

"What happened to him?" She tried not to let tears choke her voice, but it was hard. They fell in fast rivulets down her face as she crawled closer. His scent was so familiar, so beautiful. It calmed her even as worry tugged at her with cruel arms.

"Conlin stabbed him with a silver blade to the thigh. It hit his femoral. Luckily, he'll heal from it. It'll just take awhile." Alison gasped and cupped his pale cheek in her hand. If he'd been human, he would have been dead in minutes. Leaning over him gently, she pressed tearful kisses over his lips, cheeks, everywhere. She didn't realize they were alone until she heard the soft snick of the door closing.

"Oh, Roman. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, beautiful."

She gasped and pulled back to see his eyes open, albeit hooded. His lips pulled back into a gentle grin. She wanted to slap him for coming after her and hold him close all at the same time. His eyes roamed all over her face as if memorizing every detail.

He cupped her cheek and she leaned into it. "Don't move, you need to rest." He shook his head at her words.

"You need to rest. I just have a cut. You have many cuts."

"Mine aren't deep." He looked pointedly at the large white bandage wrapped around her neck and she winced. "Okay, maybe just that one is. But honestly, Darien said I’m healing fine. I can feel it working."

"Ah, come here," he said gruffly and pulled her into his arms. "How is the rest of you?"

"Just feels like a sting right now." She relaxed into his hold and let his arms calm her. "What happened to Conlin?"

He exhaled heavily. "This is the first I've really been up. I haven't even thought to ask anyone, to be honest. Last I remember, I ripped his throat out and was saving the righteous kill for you."

Alison looked at him, her mouth gaping. "You ripped his throat out. Like with your bare hands?"

He flushed a little. Even in the darkened room she could see it. "No, not exactly. I, uh, used my teeth." He mumbled the last few words so she wasn’t sure if she heard him correctly.

His teeth? He tore his throat out with his teeth? Her eyes widened and her jaw wouldn’t close as she pondered—and imagined—the scene. Then she did something that shocked the hell out of him.

She kissed him. She kissed him with an overwhelming passion that had his possessive instincts roaring to life and his cock awakening with surprising force. He kissed her back with hungry lips, his tongue sweeping in to find hers. They were ravenous, greedy for each other.

Her hands found the cover around his chest and pushed it down.

"Stop." When had his voice grown so husky?

Alison lifted her mouth from his and noted that color was coming back to his cheeks. If she had any doubt before, it was gone. She needed this; he needed this.

Alison swept down the comforter, tossed her thigh across his hips, and climbed aboard. She felt like a doll trying to perch on the Jolly Green Giant. She was panting by time she situated herself.

"You're too big," she was saying.

"I've never heard you complain before."

She gave him a peeved glare and sat back until she felt the rock hard press against her core. Then her eyes rolled back into her head and she bit her lip to keep from moaning.

He was naked underneath that cover. She said a little prayer for the little things in life. Then she said a great big prayer for being alive.

"You really are beautiful."

Startled, Alison looked down at her sexy alpha. Beautiful didn't even begin to describe him. He was the picture of lykaen perfection. And he was all hers.

"I need to tell you something." She saw his eyes widen with apprehension.

No way could she face him when she asked so she looked away. She wasn't that strong. She had to clear her throat twice before any sound came out. "I was just wondering if you wanted to mate...with me. I know you haven't known me that long, but I feel like that would be a good thing."

Oh God, idiot! I'm so stupid. I can't even sound smooth while asking a man like Rome to mate with me. It's not like I'm asking him to go to the flipping movies. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Suddenly a hand was at the back of her head and she was brought down to Rome's kiss. Though kiss doesn't really cover what he did. He owned her mouth with his. He was an unrelenting warrior taking his long fought for reward. Lips pressed smoothly against each other while his tongue conquered her mouth. A smoldering heat built up inside her like a fire being stoked. Each hungry pass of his tongue had her pressing herself closer. She couldn't get enough. But she was dying to know the answer, to hear him say it.

She tore her mouth away, gasping. "Tell me. Answer me, please. I can't take it." She closed her eyes hard. It was unbearable not knowing; her heart was doing a crazy dance in her chest and her mind was shouting at her that she was stupid.

Hands cupped her cheeks. "Baby, you were mine the moment I set eyes on you. I'd be honored to be your mate, Alison Bennson. Will you be mine?"

Heart quickening, she couldn't stop the huge smile that crossed her face or the humiliating squeal she made before pressing at least a dozen kisses over his face. She settled down over his lips and kissed her new mate.

He growled, his hands moving down her body to cup her bottom. "I need to be inside you, lumara." The old lykaen word for mate triggered something deep inside her. Alison leaned forward, bracing herself on Rome's chest.

"Tear them off."

He looked startled for a moment, then his eyes went hooded and dark. He reached down, cupped her panty-clad ass, and squeezed the cheeks in his big hands before finding the sides. He curled his fingers into the soft material and pulled. They snapped, and then cool air found her wet pussy.

"Take me in baby. Take me all in, just like this."

Flinging off the offending material of her long shirt, Alison leaned back and spread her legs further until she found the hot round press of his cock.

"Rome!" She was panting. and he wasn't even inside her yet. His hands cupped her breasts, rolled the hard tips of her nipples between his hands.

"I need to suck on these." His voice deepened to a feral level. His lykaen was so close to the surface his eyes glowed. She obeyed his order and leaned forward. He captured her hard nipple with a growl.

She moaned as he sucked on her, teased her breast with his clever tongue. Her core was frustratingly empty. The need inside her like a burning inferno. She tried to lean back to slide down on his cock, but gave a frustrated growl.

"I'm too short, baby. I can't do both." He switched to the other breast and squeezed her ass cheek until she felt the burn of his palm on her skin. "Oooh!"

He was dominating her body with his touch, taking her over. His tongue flicked her nipple then latched onto the firm tip. Both hands went to her ass and cupped the flesh possessively. He opened his mouth wider and sucked more of her into his mouth.

Then her pussy flooded with cream. His hands curled inward, finding the roaring heat of her sex. His fingers pressed further and dipped into that wet heat. She turned her head away and closed her eyes. She was embarrassingly wet. He only growled as he found her creamy heat. The sound vibrated through her breast to her core. A thick, long finger found her entrance and pushed up to a knuckle.

Her mouth fell open in a pant. Her hips kicked back to slide the finger all the way in. It's not enough. It wasn't near big enough.

He pulled back from her breast. "I know baby. I'm going to take care of you." Alison frowned at his words. Then she realized she must have said the words allowed. Letting out a growl of her own, she slammed him down to the bed with a shove to the shoulders. Quickly, she scooted back, cursed and wished she were taller to fit over his huge form, then sank down on his cock.

"Ohhh baby!" Big hands found her hips and squeezed as he thrust up into her as she pushed down. Even with her slickness, it was a tight fit. It was always a tight fit with him. God, she loved it. He pushed in all the way and she let out a howl.

Then she was sliding up and down his cock in a quick tempo. Her hands braced upon his chest, curling into the muscle. She was built up too much. He filled her so full, so perfectly. He reached parts inside her that were completely naughty. She rode him hard and fast.

"Ahh, fuck yes," he growled. His voice pushed her over the edge with a violent shove. She shouted his name and came, her pussy quivering hard with orgasm as a flood of fresh cream rushed over his cock. Just as quick as it came, it was gone and she was still on edge. Still built up.

"More." She moaned and ground herself into him, feeling him stuffing her at the deepest. He groaned below her, his eyes hooded and dark with arousal.

Suddenly she was flipped, and then he was lying between her spread thighs, pushing her knees apart with strong hands on her thighs. He was a hard, thick pulse inside her. She shivered at the deliciousness of it. At the thrill.

He towered above her like a dark fertility god. Then he moved inside her, his strokes long and hard. His hands cupped her breasts, stroked over her throat in a possessive touch, and then fell to her hips to hold her close.

He filled her again and again. Her moans filled the room and mixed with the sounds of his choppy breaths and feral growls. He bent lower, nuzzled her neck, and fucked her harder.

"Going to fill come inside you," he growled against her throat, then bit down. It was a bite to mark her.

Her body tensed with pleasure, her breath stalling in her lungs as he continued to work his hot cock through her tight flesh. He licked the bite and she held onto him, her nails pressing into the muscle of his back.

His cock felt like it grew thicker, longer. Impossible, but she knew he was just as close as she was to flying apart. She rocked her hips up to his as he hammered her into a blind, shattering orgasm.

His thrusts grew unsteady, faltering as his balls pooled with semen. He spoke to her with choppy words spoken more from his beast than him. "Lumara. Must fill you with my seed. Now!"

"Yes!" She shouted as pleasure tightened her pussy to unbearable levels. He plunged in deeply one last time and she came in a hard, intense orgasm. Her hips rocked, thighs shook, her head kicked back and she fought to breathe. He groaned above her, slid out, and then slammed in one last time. She felt a flood of hot jets deep inside her. He shook above her like trembling leaf as his release jetted out of him with devastating power.

Alison caught him as he collapsed on top of her, and wrapped her arms and legs around him.

Perfect. That's how it felt.

"I love you, lumara."

His husky words made her heart flutter and smile cross her face. "I love you too."