Dimitri (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 6) (38 page)

“Ilsbeth,” she scoffed. “You’re a fool, you know that. She’s the one who set the dominos in motion. If I’d known at the time, I’d never have agreed to give you the blood.”

“What are you talking about?”

“She’s always wanted what she couldn’t have. I should’ve known how far that bitch would go.”

“I broke off with her months ago. Maybe she didn’t like it but she’s always known that I’d find my mate.”

“She’s clever, I’ll give her that. Making it so you couldn’t shift. Trying to kill off your wolf. She put on a good show. You bought it hook, line and sinker. The sorcerer…that was a nice touch.”

“You’re lying,” he growled.

“Truth hurts, doesn’t it? Had to torture it out of her. But as you can see, I have a penchant for the fine art of persuasion.”

“Fuck,” Dimitri cursed. Even though Gillian had tried to convince him, he’d held out hope that Ilsbeth hadn’t been responsible for his affliction.

“Don’t fret now. Ilsbeth got hers.”

“What did you do? Where’s Ilsbeth?”

“I ruined her life the way she’s ruined mine. Don’t worry, she’s still alive. Death is too good for her,” she sniffed. “Let’s just put it this way, she won’t be casting any more spells for a while…if ever. It will be as if she never existed.”

“You’ll never get away from Leo.” Dimitri’s eyes narrowed on her, his voice emotionless. He moved a few more feet closer, his body preparing to shift.

“I’ll leave town. I’ll leave the country. None of you can touch me.”

Gillian’s vision blurred as her spirit faltered. Their argument was but static in her ears, her mind no longer able to process their words. She reached within her mind’s eye and saw her wolf struggling to appear. The soft roar of her tiger echoed in her mind yet she couldn’t see her anywhere. Her eyes fluttered open and she caught Dimitri’s gaze but for a moment. Her heart broke for him, the life draining from her body. She loved him heart, body and soul. If she was going to die, she was going to tell him before she left this earth.

“Dimitri, please,” she begged, her voice barely audible. Tears sprang from her eyes, her fingers too weak to hold onto the vampire’s forearms. As her lips moved to say the words, no sound could be heard.

“I love you,” she mouthed, her eyes rolling back into her head. A blanket of unconsciousness fell over her as she began to convulse.

Dimitri had managed to distract Lady Charlotte long enough to close the distance, yet it hadn’t been enough. Gillian’s confession spurred his wolf into a feral state. Dimitri lost the restrained control he’d demonstrated, determined to kill Charlotte. Transforming seamlessly, his wolf launched itself at the vampire, shoving them all down into the dewy yard.

Lady Charlotte threw Gillian aside, launching her barbed fist into his flank. Like a missile, it cleaved through him. The intense pain drove him into darkness, but the beasts inside him fought through the haze, both the wolf and the tiger coming together as one. As they merged, he felt as if he’d been hit by lightning. The sizzle of their interaction cracked a loud thunderous explosion into the night.

Calling on the tiger, he shifted fully into the great cat, his massive paws tearing up the turf. Enraged, he barely registered the slice of her knife into his hindquarters. As Charlotte sank her fangs deep into his shoulder, he repelled her with a tremendous shake of his muscular body, smashing her into the ground. She raised the blade to slay him and he swiftly evaded her knife, his sharp claws tearing across her throat. Blood sprayed into his thick fur, and he roared in victory as Charlotte’s head rolled from her body, quickly turning to ash.

As he shifted back, the unimaginable reality slammed into him that he’d somehow become feline, driven by his need to protect his mate. But the fleeting thought disappeared as he saw Gillian lying unconscious on the ground. The cicadas sang in anguish, as if they were aware that she’d been critically injured. Dimitri scooped her up into his arms, pressing the wound together with his fingers.

“Gillian, please,” he cried. Spent, and uncertain if he could heal her like they’d done with Jake, he commanded her. “Listen, Gilly. You have to shift. Can you hear me? This is your mate. Gillian!”

Gillian moaned, aware of him calling her name. No longer in pain, the endorphins rushed through her body, causing her to feel as if she was floating up to the sky.

“Goddammit, Gillian. You will shift. Do you hear me?”

“No, no…I’m flying…I’m leaving,” she murmured, her face pale.

“No, Gilly. Stay with me. You’re a wolf. Now, shift,” he demanded, his eyes brimming with tears. He could tell that she was lost in some sort of haze, unaware of her situation.

The sound of Dimitri yelling startled Gillian back into reality. She clutched at the wound in her belly. Panting, she began to beg. “Oh my God. Please stop the pain. I’m going to die. Please stop it…”

“Yes, you’re in pain. That means you’re fighting. You have to do as I say. You will listen. Submit to me now. Do you hear me? I am your beta. And you will obey.”

“Oh God…I don’t know…help me.” Gillian began to scream as she flittered in and out of consciousness.

“Obey and shift,” he ordered, his voice dominant. No longer could he afford to treat her with kid gloves, he had to appeal to her wolf’s sense of the pack.

“Shift,” she repeated.

“Shift now!” he yelled at her.

Dimitri breathed a sigh of relief as the magic that was the wolves circulated around them, and within seconds, his little black wolf was lying before him, whole and healed. He plowed his fingers into her hair, kissing her fur. He’d seen Logan command his wolves to shift a million times, but never had he done it himself. Having killed the Alpha, Dimitri was certain that his Alpha tendencies had graduated; no longer would he be able to keep them secret within his own pack. Yet the desire to remain in the bayou with his Acadian wolves would far outweigh the need to dominate Logan or to lead his own pack.

“Jesus, Gilly, you scared the shit out of me,” he told her, patting her on her rear. “You need to learn submission.”

She barked at him, nearly nipping his fingers and began to run circles around him. Dimitri fell back on the heels of his hands, shaking his head at her.

“You,” he pointed to her as she growled and wagged her tail, “are in so much trouble it’s not even funny. There’s no bitin’ your beta, cher. Not unless you want a punishment which I have a feelin’ you’re itchin’ to get.”

Gillian whined, pressing her paws to the ground and bowed her head. She rolled over onto her back and whimpered, then shifted back into her human form. Dimitri leaned forward, easily scooping her up into his arms, embracing his mate.

“I love you,” she whispered, her lips to his chest.

“Goddess, I love you, too,” he replied, kissing the top of her head. “I love you so damn much. I never thought I’d fall in…”

“Love?”

“Yeah that.”

“Yeah that,” she laughed. “Me either.”

For a long minute, they both sat silent, contemplating their confessions. They touched and caressed each other’s skin as if they hadn’t seen each other in years.

Gillian paused, and looked around the yard in surprise, unaware of what had happened to Charlotte. The last thing she remembered was hitting the ground.

“What did you do with the vampire?” she asked, her eyebrows drawn in concern.

“About that. It’s a funny story.” Dimitri paused. He wasn’t sure how to tell anyone, let alone Gillian, that he’d shifted into a tiger. He hardly believed it himself. It was as if he needed video evidence to confirm his actions. It was so entirely unbelievable, he needed a day or two to come to terms with the cat inside him.

“I’m afraid to know. No, wait. Is she gone?”

“She’s gone.” Dimitri pulled her closely against his chest, hiding his expression of amusement.

“Dead?’

“Yeah.”

“Even better,” Gillian replied, relieved that they were safe from retaliation.

“But you, my little wolf, are in trouble for trying to bite me. You know, Leo’s taught me a few tricks…he loves spankings.” Dimitri smiled, coiling his hands around her wrists, giving her a fair warning.

“Spankings, huh? Something tells me I’m going to enjoy it,” she said with a coy grin. “Maybe I should bite you more often.”

Gillian gasped as Dimitri swiftly flipped her onto her back, pinning her to the ground. His hands held hers to the sides of her head, and he let the pressure of his hips immobilize her. He may have been in love with her but she would soon learn that he wasn’t joking; she’d surrender her control to him. Her wolf would demand it, regardless of what the cat had taught her, and he’d enjoy every second of the struggle.

“Now,” he whispered into her ear. “This is much better.”

“Hey,” she giggled. Her cheek brushed the cool grass. “Don’t I get a break? I was just attacked by a vampire.”

“You seemed pretty healthy to me a few minutes ago. You’ve got some sharp fangs, cher,” he growled, sucking her earlobe with his lips. Taking it between his teeth, he tugged until she moaned.

“No fair,” she cried.

“This isn’t about fair,” he laughed. “This is about you and me. And you’re about to find out why I’m the beta of this pack.”

As Dimitri took her lips, he felt her body go limp, submitting to his will. Twice during the full moon, he’d almost lost someone he loved. But the exhilaration of having her back in his arms, the knowledge that she could shift, washed away any lingering concerns. When he’d entered his home with her in his arms, he’d never been happier in his entire life. Their home, their future, their love. A new life with his little wolf.

The wind whipped Gillian’s raven locks around her helmet. The warmth of Dimitri heated her palms as she fingered the ridges of his abs. She laughed as he slapped her wandering hands that had traveled underneath his t-shirt. He’d insisted she keep her arms wrapped around his waist, but her caress to his bared skin had proven to be far too distracting. The soft blindfold around her eyes kept her in darkness.

After two weeks without Dimitri, Gillian was ravenous for him. Not being able to spend days and nights with her mate had been a necessary evil. She’d gone to New York City with her brother while Dimitri had traveled to San Diego. As much as Gillian had wanted Dimitri to come with her to Nick’s funeral, Jake had needed his help to settle the Anzober wolves.

Initially, Jax had been reticent, but eventually he’d broken down, confiding in Gillian, accepting her comfort. She’d held him as he cried, and did her best to console him. Despite his grief, he’d continued commanding his subordinates, conducting business as usual and planning future issues of ZANE.

During the days leading up to the burial, she and Jax spent hours talking, catching up on childhoods lost. They’d pored through old photographs. For the first time in her life, she’d gotten a glimpse inside the world that had eluded her. His mother, a Nordic wolf, had been a beautiful woman. Sadly, she was killed during a territorial dispute shortly after Jax had been born, and he had few memories of her. The Alpha, their father, had been strikingly handsome, also with blonde hair, yet he looked more rugged than her brother. She could see why her mother had fallen in love with him. Not only was he good-looking, Gillian learned he had been steadfastly loyal, a great warrior in his time. He’d been an Alpha through and through. His blood ran thick in her veins and she suspected her difficulty submitting came naturally.

Gillian had chipped away at the anguish that consumed Jax. She’d felt hopeful, thankful that she had a brother. He too, had expressed his happiness that they were no longer alone. But the day of the funeral, Jax fell back into his dark depression. Since Nick had been well loved by wolves and humans alike, they’d held a public memorial service in Central Park. Afterwards, they’d traveled to the Fingers Lakes region to hold the private burial on pack lands.

Later in the evening, on a damp night during the new moon, they placed Nick into the trenched earth. Gillian and Jax had shoveled the dirt onto the deceased body. An audience of wolves stood watching, the earthy aroma fresh in the air. Sweat and tears misted their bodies, grime staining their skin. With their bare hands, they attended to his gravesite until they’d patted the mound tight.

After a long run with his pack, they’d traveled by limo in silence back to the city. It was as if a switch had gone off; Jax had withdrawn from both her and his pack. On her insistence, he’d flown with her back to Louisiana. She’d lied, telling him she’d felt uncomfortable flying alone, urging him to come with her. The reality was that she thought he could use a change of scenery.

But once they’d arrived in the city, he’d arranged for Dimitri to meet them at the airport, explaining that he planned on traveling, needing to find peace. Gillian knew that despite her concerns, Jax had to deal with his grief in his own way. Having no mate or children, her brother had spent years confiding in and caring for his beta. It was as if he’d lost a mate, and she was worried that he wouldn’t recover. As he hugged her goodbye, he whispered in her ear, promising that he’d be okay.

Sadness filled her heart, watching Jax reboard his plane. But as she turned to leave and saw her mate, Gillian’s libido roared to life, her emotions instantly transforming into lust. Dimitri casually leaned on his motorcycle, waiting for her arrival. She ran to him, stopping short of his embrace. The sight of her beta took her breath away. Altogether sexy and confident, his wicked smile made her want to tear off her panties and beg him to fuck her right there on the tarmac. But in his typical dominance, he’d controlled the situation, first by kissing her senseless, then promptly blindfolding her before she had a chance to speak. He straddled her on his bike, running his strong hands up her inner thighs. She gasped, her nipples hardening in response. Her vision, cloaked in blackness, heightened the sensation. Even though she was well aware they were still at the airport, it was as if they were the only two people in the world.

As they rode, Gillian had no idea of their destination. She relished the feel of his ripped torso against her palms, inhaling his distinctive scent. With her head pressed to his leather jacket, she lost track of time. She couldn’t say for how long they traveled, her stiff peaks denting into the hard expanse of his back. The vibrations from the seat reverberated in a sensual tempo against her groin. By the time they’d arrived at their final destination, she’d nearly come undone. She hadn’t anticipated that their traveling arrangements were only the beginning of the delicious torture her mate had planned.