Bite the Bullet (Bitten Book 5) (16 page)

“We’re on our way.”

“Hurry up.” The line clicked.

Well, it seemed she was still angry with Calder.

A
s I tucked
my phone back in my pocket, Asher put the car in gear and asked, “Are you going to bring her back to Conner’s with us?”

“Hell no,” I replied, which made Duncan chuckle. “She’s safer here until we need her at the mansion. I only wanted her to know what was going on and to be in on the plan.”

“Um, do you plan on telling her that?” Duncan asked.

My eyes cut to him. “No, I intend to make you do it. I figure a pregnant werewolf would be someone you could handle with one hand behind your back.”

“Are you kidding me? Shifter females are the deadliest while they’re pregnant!”

I laughed. “I’ll tell her. I don’t think she’ll maul me too badly. Or I just won’t stop Calder when he chains her to the bed.”

“I could do without hearing about their kinky sex lives,” Duncan muttered beneath his breath. “It reminds me of the kinky sex life I’m missing.”

We all chuckled as Asher turned onto the gravel road that led to the compound. I looked out the window as we drove through the heavily wooded area between the main road and the pack settlement, and caught the flash of eyes in the trees. It seemed pack security was tighter than ever. After the attack on the compound a couple of months ago, I couldn’t blame them.

Asher parked in front of Calder’s house and shut off the car. As soon as I climbed out, I could hear Ricki and Calder arguing inside. They weren’t yelling…yet.

Before we could walk from the car to the house, the front door flew open and Calder appeared.

“She’s not going with you,” he growled fiercely.

I lifted my hands in a gesture of surrender. “I know. I only want to talk to her.”

He glared at me. “Then why is she packing?”

My eyebrows lifted. “Um, maybe because she’s upset with you for keeping things from her.”

The growl in his voice deepened, dropping down two octaves to little more than a bass rumble. “She is my mate, pregnant with my pup. It’s my responsibility to keep her safe.”

Ricki called from inside. “I’m a grown woman, fully capable of making decisions for myself, Calder! Pregnant or not, you should have told me what was going on!” Her annoyed face came into view over his shoulder. “Now, let Shannon in. I haven’t seen her in forever.”

With a long-suffering sigh, Calder stepped out of the way. “Fine, but you’re not leaving.”

Ricki rolled her eyes behind his back and I bit back a laugh. She was going to be just as pissed at me in a few minutes when I told her she was staying right here with her mate until it was time to implement our plan.

I could feel Calder’s frustration and anxiety as I moved past him into the house. I reached out and squeezed his hand gently.

“It’ll be fine. I promise.”

The crease in his brow didn’t ease, but his irritation dropped down a few notches.

Once I was inside the house, Ricki threw her arms around me in a tight hug.

“God, I’ve missed you!” She released me and looked me over for a moment. “Well, being a vampire agrees with you,” she stated. “You look great.”

I grinned at her. “Being pregnant agrees with you. You’re glowing.”

She rubbed the small bump of her belly. While it wasn’t huge, it was larger than I would have expected this early in her pregnancy. Then again, it wasn’t like I knew a lot about the gestational period for shifters. For all I knew, she might only be pregnant for five or six months before she gave birth.

“It’s been a lot easier than I thought,” she commented. “But I’m hungry
all the time
. I feel like I could eat a horse right now.”

Calder slid by me. “I’ll get you something.” He ran the back of his hand along her cheek. “Sandwich?”

She smiled at him, her cheeks flushing. “Peanut butter and honey. And a big glass of milk.”

Calder nodded and turned to us. “Can I get you anything?” After we all declined, he walked into the kitchen, touching Ricki’s neck as he moved by her.

From the way her eyes shone, it was clear that, despite their current argument, Ricki was very much in love with her mate.

When she turned back to me, I stated firmly, “You’re staying here with Calder until the night we need you.”

She sighed. “I figured as much.” Rubbing her back, she said, “Let’s go sit down in the living room. I’m not very far along, but my back aches sometimes.”

We all migrated to the living area, Ricki curling up in one corner of the couch. Asher and I took the love seat facing her and Duncan settled on a chair angled at the far end of the two sofas.

Before we could continue our conversation, Calder returned with her sandwich and a glass of milk. After he put them on the side table next to her, Ricki grabbed his hand.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you,” she apologized. “I hate to blame hormones, but it’s either those or I’ve been possessed by a demon.”

I bit back a laugh, but Calder chuckled as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the Council’s plan. The only time I’ve ever been truly afraid is when you’ve been in danger.”

Ricki lifted a hand and touched his cheek, and I felt like a voyeur. I looked away from their conversation and found Asher watching me with steady eyes. Immediately, I knew he was thinking the exact same thing.

“Okay, so fill me in on the plan,” Ricki demanded as she lifted her sandwich and took a big bite.

I told her about the visions I’d had during my turning, not all of them, just the ones pertaining to our battle with the Faction. Then I explained that we were still working on a plan, but that I was certain the only way to draw out Cornelius would be if all five of us were together in the same spot at the same time. Otherwise he wouldn’t take the risk of putting himself in a vulnerable situation. She ate as I spoke, occasionally asking questions or nodding. By the time I finished my story, she had devoured her meal.

Wiping her mouth with the napkin Calder brought her, Ricki tossed it on her empty plate and looked up at me. “So, there’s no real plan yet, you just wanted to know if I’d be willing to participate if you needed me to?”

I nodded.

“And you know from your visions that neither the baby nor I will be hurt?”

“Yes.”

She took a deep breath, blowing it out as she rubbed her hands on her thighs. “I hate to say it, but my first instinct was to agree with Calder and say no.”

Her mate looked at her in shock, but didn’t speak. I assumed because he was speechless.

I nodded again, completely understanding her reticence, even if it was disappointing.

“But I trust you with my life, Shannon. I know you would never lie about something like this, so I’m willing to do it.”

“I swear, this will work. We’ll defeat Cornelius and take down the Faction, and you can focus on your mate and your daughter.”

Ricki’s eyes widened at my words. “My…daughter?”

I glanced at Calder. “You didn’t tell her?”

I realized I’d made a mistake when Ricki’s eyes narrowed on her mate. “You knew?”

I was immensely grateful when Asher interrupted the tense moment before they could begin arguing again.

“Since Ricki is willing to help, perhaps you’d like to be involved in planning the trap, Calder?” he asked.

Both of their attention turned to Asher.

“Definitely,” Calder agreed. “And I want my pack involved in defense.”

Asher nodded. “Of course. Let’s meet at Connor’s tomorrow and we can start to formulate our plan of attack.” He looked at me, his expression apologetic. “I’m sorry, Shannon, but we need to leave.”

“So soon?” Ricki asked, disappointment in her tone.

“We’ll be able to spend time together soon,” I replied. “It won’t be long until this is over.”

She nodded and started to get to her feet.

“No, you stay there,” I insisted, rising from the love seat and walking over to her. I leaned down and gave her a hug. “Call me tomorrow night and we’ll talk, okay?”

She squeezed me tightly and sniffed. “Okay.”

I frowned when I saw the shimmer of tears in her eyes when I straightened, but she waved a hand in front of her face.

“Ignore me. It’s the demon hormones.”

We both giggled and I followed Asher and Duncan to the door.

“I’ll see you all tomorrow,” Calder murmured.

I leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “See you then.”

For the first time since we’d walked in, Calder smiled at me. “Conner’s right, you are a bad influence.”

I didn’t respond, just smirked and shook my head.

After Asher and Duncan exchanged quick good-byes with Calder, we were all on our way back to Dallas. It wasn’t until we were a few miles from the compound that I had the strangest sense of déjà vu. As the feeling intensified, I took in my surroundings and realized I had experienced this before, just a short while ago.

“He’s coming,” I mumbled.

“Who’s coming?” Duncan asked.

“Rhys.”

Just then, a figure dressed all in black stepped into the center of the road and halted, turning to face us. In the headlights, I watched as he threw back his hood and his long blond hair was lifted in the breeze.

Though the lights were shining directly in his face and likely blinding him, when he looked up, I knew that he was staring directly at me.

It was the mysterious Rhys, and I watched his lips form the words, even as they echoed in my mind.

“My name is Rhys. Help me.”

T
he car fishtailed
as Asher stomped on the brakes, cursing in English and French. We came to a rocking halt just a few feet from Rhys.

“This is from my vision,” I muttered, staring at the figure standing stock still in the headlights.

Asher turned to me. “Stay here,” he commanded. When I didn’t respond, he snapped, “Shannon.”

I turned my eyes to his serious face.

“Stay here. Just this once, don’t ignore me.”

I nodded, feeling oddly blank. It felt as though two realities were overlapping in my mind—one I’d only seen in my head and the one I was experiencing now. It was a disconcerting sensation.

Asher nodded to Duncan. “If things don’t go well, get her the hell out of here.”

His words finally penetrated the fog that surrounded me. “Fuck that,” I spat out. “We won’t leave you.”

Asher rounded on me. “Shannon—”

I shook my head vehemently. “No. I’ll stay in the car. That’s the only order I’ll agree to.”

Abruptly, I could feel Rhys’ impatience pressing in on me. I probed his emotions, barely skimming the surface, and they nearly took my breath away. His presence was heavy, not with the weight of centuries, but with millennia. He was impatient, yes, but he was also desperate. I’d never been around another being of such immense power, except for Cornelius. The only difference was that Cornelius’ power was ugly and fetid. It was as if he were rotting from the inside out, wasting away from all the evil he’d brought into the world.

Rhys was different.

“He means us no harm,” I told Asher as he opened his door.

He shot a look over his shoulder. “Stay in the car regardless.”

I sighed and nodded, watching closely as Asher got out of the vehicle and walked up to Rhys, his gun in his hand. Rhys’ eyes flicked down to the weapon and I instinctively knew that bullets wouldn’t be effective against him unless maybe it was a shotgun blast to the face. Even then I doubted it would kill him.

Though I was sitting in the car, behind several inches of armor, I could still hear everything they said. I decided my bionic ears were going to be helpful in the future, especially if I went back to work for the security firm.

“Who are you and why do you need our help?”

Rhys tilted his head and studied Asher. “You know the answer.” His eyes found me in the backseat of the SUV. “Your psychic knows who I am.”

Asher stepped in front of Rhys, cutting off his view of me. “Don’t look at her.”

I could hear Rhys chuckle. “Don’t worry, vampire. I have no intention of harming your mate.”

I watched as Asher’s back stiffened and he shifted slightly to the side so that I had a clear view of Rhys. He crossed his arms over his chest. “One last time, who are you and why are you here? Answer me or I’ll get back in that SUV and leave you to deal with your problems on your own.”