Wolf's Fall (18 page)

“If Ivan
was
his mate,” Ian interjected. “I'll get on that with Teague as soon as we get back to the stronghold, see what we can dig up.”

Tarron nodded, clearly shaken. “All right. If Carter was Ivan's mate, Ivan will stop at nothing to bury me. We need to find out what Graham passed along to him just now.”

“We'll get into Graham's account and find that out, too,” Ian promised.

“Should we take back his body?” Micah asked, still visibly disturbed by the grisly sight before them.

Tarron thought about that. “No. Should they come back, they'll be suspicious if he's gone too quickly. Let the traitor stay for now, and I'll send some men out on a mission to ‘find' my missing guard tomorrow. We'll give him a proper burial, and keep this between those who need to know.”

Everyone in agreement, they loaded into the Rover again and headed for the stronghold. The mood was somber because Tarron was right. Revenge on behalf of a murdered mate was a fury nobody in his right mind wanted to face. It wouldn't have changed Carter's demise, but if they'd known Ivan existed, they would have taken him into custody right then to determine his threat to them.

Too late now. All they could do was gain more information.

Back in the conference room, they spread out as Teague tried to work his hacking magic. He found several accounts belonging to Ivan Cardenas of Barcelona, including two e-mail accounts and multiple bank accounts.

He also found a couple of bank accounts that had once been jointly owned by the couple before Darrow's death. The joint accounts were linked to an address outside Chattanooga.

“Answers that question,” Teague said with a sigh. “Christ on a stick, we're fucked.”

“Your confidence is overwhelming.” Tarron glared at the tech.

“Sorry.” Throwing his prince an apologetic glance, he went to work on getting into Graham's e-mail. But as time ticked by, he sat back and stretched. “Damn. If Graham sent something important that Ivan wanted, he didn't send it from his regular e-mail account. There are no attachments here at all. I'll keep searching, but this could take a while. He must have another account under an assumed name.”

“Let's get out of here and let Teague work,” Tarron said. “I'll let you all know if he finds something.”

Teague grinned. “
When
I find it, you mean.”

Nick bid them good-bye and headed down the corridor. It took him a few seconds to realize he
was instinctively heading toward Calla's chambers. He wasn't sure she would be there, but it seemed a good place to start. He had missed his mate.

He hoped she let him show her just how much.

*   *   *

Calla roamed the hallways, trying not to let herself worry. She'd learned secondhand that Nick had left the building with her brother, and the guard she asked didn't know why. Nick hadn't bothered to communicate with her to tell her that he was leaving, and that bothered her the most.

He was the commander, and a busy man. He was also used to being alone. She understood that, or her head did. Her heart ached a little.

As if to punctuate her melancholy, a cramp seized her stomach. She got up and made her way to the bathroom, planning to splash some water on her face, but a wave of dizziness nearly sent her to the floor.

“Damn my stupid pride,” she muttered. “Should've just
told
him I needed his blood instead of expecting him to figure it out.”

And there was no doubt he hadn't learned yet that his was the only blood she could take. This wasn't something he would let go unattended.

Bracing herself against the bathroom wall, she wobbled to the sink and turned on the warm water. Splashing it on her face felt good, but the reprieve was temporary. The room tilted at a crazy
angle and she gripped the counter as she started to fall sideways.

Her strength deserted her and she fell. The counter slipped from her grasp and she hit the floor with a weak cry, bumping her head on the tile. Lying there, she tried to clear the fuzzy webs from her brain. Nothing doing. She couldn't focus, or think.

Well, she couldn't think of anything except the burning in her stomach that demanded sustenance. She needed her mate's blood, fast.

Nick,
she thought. Even though he couldn't hear her, she called out.

And kept calling until the darkness took her.

Calla. Calla, wake up! Baby, come back to me!

Her head was grasped in strong hands. A pleasing male scent teased her nose, and she tried to open her eyes.

“That's it, baby! Wake up. You can do it.”

Her body was lifted and she felt herself being carried in those wonderful arms and then placed on something soft. Her bed? Hands caressed her face, then checked her scalp and limbs for injuries as Nick continued to speak softly.

“You have a bump,” he said. “Here. Doesn't seem too bad. Can you hear me?”

“Mmm.”

“Look at me, honey. Please.”

With a great effort, she opened her eyes and found herself staring into his beautiful blue ones. “Hungry,” she whispered.

Confusion and concern mingled with the panic on his handsome face. “Why haven't you eaten, baby? I'll get you something.”

“Need blood.”

“Okay. Do you use a donor?” His expression said he didn't much like that idea. “Or bagged blood?”

“You.”

“I'm sorry?”

“You,” she said quietly. “Need yours.”

“Me?” A hint of fear darkened his face. “But you vampires can take any blood. Why haven't you fed?”

“Not
any
blood. Not after we've mated,” she told him. “Can only have yours now.”

The truth settled over his features and she regretted the outright horror there. But if she'd thought the horror was for himself, she was wrong.

“You mean to tell me that you've been suffering since I claimed you?” he whispered, shame coloring his voice. “That you've been starving yourself? Why, for God's sake?”

“I know you're not comfortable with me biting you, Nick,” she whispered. “After what happened to you.”

“That doesn't matter—not when it comes to this! Not when it endangers your health!” Sitting on the edge of the bed, he took her hand and swallowed hard. “What do you need? My neck? Jugular?”

He would do this for her. Push aside his fear, for her. She squeezed his hand.

“No, your wrist will be fine. It won't be a claiming, but I can feed.”

“Here, let me help you.”

Sitting her up, he plumped the pillows behind her head. Then he helped her recline on them so she could get to him easily. Holding out his arm, he said, “Do it, baby. Take as much as you need.”

Taking his wrist, she spoke lovingly. “When I do, it will probably arouse you. Thought you'd want to know because of what Carter did to you. But it should be a very good experience, not a bad one.”

He nodded. “The arousal is normal. I know that.”

“Yes, between mates especially. There will be a tiny sting, but that won't last. You'll feel pleasure, and there's nothing wrong with that. Nothing wrong with riding it to its natural conclusion.”

He laughed, looking suddenly shy for a big, tough wolf commander. “Okay. I'm ready as I'll ever be.”

No sense in drawing out his nervousness. Time to show him that allowing his mate to feed from him was the most natural and sensual experience in the world.

Gently, she slid her fangs into the tender part of his wrist. Droplets of blood welled on his flesh and she began to suck. Instantly, a shock of sheer lust went through her body. As she revived from the much-needed blood, she also thrived on the
very sexual connection of taking a part of her mate into herself.

He was aroused as well, judging from his shortened breath. Her mate gazed down at her and shifted his position on the bed, sitting so he had access to the zipper of his jeans. As she'd guessed he might, he unfastened his jeans and lowered the zipper. In short order, his cock popped free, red and leaking.

“Yes, my love,” she murmured around his wrist. “Like that. Stroke yourself for me.”

“God.”

Any trepidation he had before went out the window when she started sucking his wrist again. With a groan, he fisted his erection with his free hand and began to pump the rigid flesh. She enjoyed watching her mate pleasuring himself. There was no shame in any sensual act between a vampire and her mate. He was learning this and it was mind-blowing to see.

She took all she needed as he stroked himself faster and faster. Careful not to take too much, she removed her fangs as soon as she was sated and gave him a knowing smile. “I'm going to scoot down to lie on my back. Straddle my face.”

“Are you sure?” he croaked. His cock twitched in anticipation.

“Very. I'm more than fine now.” She winked. “And I'm hungry in an entirely different way.”

“Shit, baby.”

Scooting down, she waited as he placed both knees on either side of her head. She loved this position, her big strong mate crouched over her face. Reaching around him, she cupped and kneaded his ass, and began to mouth his balls. The tortured groan that escaped his lips made her smile before she went back to tonguing every part of him she could reach. Every single crease and bit of sweet flesh.

Arms and thighs trembling, he braced himself over her and let her eat and lave him. Finger and suck him. His balls, cock, and taint. Getting him nice and wet, riling him past endurance, right where she wanted him. Taking his cock deep into her throat, she sucked him without mercy, until he was trying desperately to pull back.

“I'm gonna come, honey! Let me fuck you.”

Tightening her grip on his fine ass, she released him just long enough to order, “Come all over my face. Mark me, wolf.”

His eyes flashed with sheer lust and possessiveness. She'd appealed to the basest part of a shifter and they both knew it. When she took him into her mouth again, he pumped with long strokes, sliding his flesh between her lips. She loved every second, making sure he knew that with the pleased sounds coming from her throat. That drove him higher, higher—

Then he stiffened, yanking himself out. And he came all over her face and throat, pearly streams
bathing her with warmth. Marking her, just the way they both wanted.

After squeezing out the last bit of come, he climbed off her and laid his body over hers. Kissed her deeply, come and all, even tasting himself with a growl of pleasure.

“That's a good look on you,” he said, obviously proud of himself.

“You put it there.” She smiled up at him, and he grunted in male satisfaction.

“You were the instigator.”

“Verdict?”

He took her mouth in a sweet kiss. “Everything I could've hoped for, and more.”

“No fear?” She waited anxiously for his answer.

“None. Not with you,” he said in a low, husky voice. “You were right—being bitten by your mate is nothing like I endured before. It's not even in the same realm.”

“I'm so glad.” Tears pricked her eyes as she wound her arms around his neck. She toyed with his hair, fingering the luxurious strands threaded with silver.

“No sadness, baby. We're figuring things out, you and me. We've got this.”

He kissed her again, then went to work removing her clothes. She offered no protest when he finally had her sprawled naked underneath him and spread her thighs to crouch between them.

“How often do you need to feed?” he asked. “Don't fudge the truth.”

“Every day, at least once.”

“I'll make sure I'm available to you.” Then he frowned. “What if I'm on a mission? Sometimes I might be gone for days.”

“We can keep several bags of your blood in storage for me. Fresh from the source is obviously more pleasurable for all parties, of course.” He returned her grin and kissed her nose.

“Of course. Problem solved, then.”

Done talking for the moment, he bent and placed light kisses on the insides of her thighs and worked his way north. All the way to her slit, where he made her squirm by employing his talented tongue to make her a very happy vampire.

He licked and sucked, showing her exactly the same mercy she'd shown him moments before—none. Before long, she was writhing under his ministrations, every part of her on fire. Impending release coiled in her sex, and when it hit, she couldn't hold back the tidal wave.

“Oh! Gods, yes!”

She bucked into his face, riding the storm. He wrung every last drop, lapping until she stilled, panting, under his hands.

At last, he gathered her into his arms and cuddled her on top of the covers. She snuggled into his chest, listening to his heartbeat and counting
herself lucky. After all these lonely decades, since Stefano's murder, she'd found joy again.

“Are you happy?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said softly. The truth was in his voice, his touch. “More so than I ever thought I deserved to be again.”

“You deserve everything. I'm going to make sure you get it.”

“Same here, baby.” He paused. “I want you to claim me.”

Rising up, she looked down into his earnest face, heart pounding in excitement. “Really? You mean that?”

“I do.” He smiled. “I want to plan something special for the two of us, to get away from the madness for a while. Then I want you to claim me as yours, forever.”

“Nick.” A tear escaped, and she smiled. “I'd love that.”

“Then it's done. I don't care what else is going on; tomorrow night, you and I will have some alone time to cement our bond.”

“Oh, Nick, that would be amazing.”

Snuggling into her mate's side, Calla drifted off. This was how it was supposed to be. Two mates looking forward to their future, not living in fear.

Tomorrow night, for just a while, they would forget their troubles.