Captiva Capitulation (28 page)

Rock swallowed thickly. “Because we didn’t recognize folklore for anything other than stories passed down from generation to generation. Fuck…all this time we’ve wasted.”

“I couldn’t go near that horseshoe without my brain imploding or my shifter emerging. Blythe felt woozy when she neared it, too, since she’s carrying a little shifter in her womb.” Sixten stared fondly at her, wanting to be inside his wife, loving her with his body. “Iron is everywhere. Some days I feel fantastic, other days, not so much. Does it have anything to do with my genetics? Yes, it does. Am I born of an unstable race? No. I’m born of a race that’s intolerant to iron,
resulting
in instability. Remember all of those modified Stavzs we found, Kash, hidden in their lair?”

“Yeah, ours must have had iron in them,” he whispered through clenched teeth. “It’s so obvious now that it’s laid out in front of me.”

“The iron…their breeding,” Dru rasped. “Blythe’s still considered somewhat anemic.” He held up her blood-smeared slide. “Even though, it’s nothing like it was.”

“She’s having a female,” Sixten whispered, looking between Rock and Kash. “Blythe will give us a daughter.”

“You can sense that?” Rock said with a curled brow.

“No. I’m relying on facts.” He pointed to the laptop. “Amy’s files.”

“Here,” Rock said. When he handed the computer to Sixten, Sixten handed it straight to Dru. He didn’t need to see what he knew, but he wanted confirmation from a centuries old doctor. “Compare her blood to Blythe’s. I know the genetic makeup is off. Blythe is a mixture between vampire, human, and werewolf. But look beyond that, their test results run parallel, right?”

Dru ran his eyes over the computer screen and then glanced at the notes he’d just made over Blythe’s tests. “Yes. But let me look at their other files, compare them to the other females.”

“It doesn’t matter. Not all females kept there were…
are
Donors. Amy is having a girl. Blythe is having a girl. They are both anemic, not by natural causes, but assisted by a Dynasty Vampyr’s bond. The iron leaves their bodies in a certain way through the bond, and they finally conceive female Habalines.”

“How would you know Habalines haven’t otherwise conceived females?” Kash said.

“Whenever we upturned breeding camps, did you see any?” Sixten looked his friend square in the eyes. “And Rave tipped me off before he died. I confronted him, knew he wasn’t raising females. He didn’t deny it. By the look on his face, I had hit a serious nerve.”

“As far as these records go,” Dru said, still going through the computer. “There are no records of females born, at least inside this particular lab.”

“Gentlemen, accept what I’m saying.” He pointed toward the door where his sweet Blythe slept. “Between Blythe and Amy, we have our answers and a whole other set of problems. That Isla girl was sent to Italy, yes?”

Bane nodded. “Italy’s Pack is taking care of her situation, this evening, in fact.”

“They’re in on it, or at least, someone there is. Blythe was there. Amy was there. They’ve discovered how to breed their females, strengthening their race with pureblood males. They’ll be invincible unless we stop them.” He ran his hand over the scroll buried in his pocket. Unless
he
stopped them, that is. Kash gave him an inscrutable look, and Rock caught it. “Rock,” Sixten implored. “You have spies in our faction. Don’t give me that look. I think we’re past
accepting
one another, we’re
family
.”

“You’re right.” He ran a big hand across his short beard. “What do you need?”

“There’s a prisoner inside the joint faction facility,” Sixten explained, “a Habaline halfling named Adam.”

“The one who attacked me?” Dru gaped.

“I know, but bear with me, Doctor. He goes in and out of his mind. Those old prison bars he stands behind contain iron. I’m sure of it. Maestru has him spelled, attached to a Druid tether. Can your spy break that?”

“
I
can,” Rock said, “and?”

“Rock, tell him I sent you,” Sixten went on, “He’s venomous, so if he bites anyone, tell the unfortunate victim to feed off Adam’s blood and he’ll be fine. Enough time in fresh air before putting him in an iron free hideaway, Adam should be ready to go.”

Rock curled a brow, shaking his head. “And why am I freeing him?”

“He considers Amy his mate. Adam’s the best guard for her. Keeping her baby from Poison’s hands until we bring his operation down is not an option, it’s a requirement. Get Amy out of the infirmary, Rock. Dru, is there anywhere covert, considering her medical needs, where we can safely hide Amy and Adam? We cannot house them with Blythe. It’s too risky. In this, we have to spread out.”

Dru nodded. “I’ll handle it myself. I’m due at her bedside in half an hour, so you can hook me up with your people, Rock.”

“Amy won’t accept Adam around her, Sixten.” Kash chastised. “You know how she got around you; she’s freaked in the presence of shifters.”

“Convince her she’ll need the protection he’ll provide her and the baby. After all, he’s Poison’s son. He knows all his daddy’s tricks, right? One more thing, Rock.”

“Yeah?”

“Collin, the prisoner you released to our Coven. He’s tethered to Adam via Maestru’s magic.”

“Fuck no!” He growled, his Beast flickering in and out. “I’m not releasing that piece of shit.”

“Hide him in one of your prisons then,” Sixten insisted. “He’s been drained, even with our guards in place.”

“He’s scentless,” Rock said more quietly. “We knew this before we turned him over, but never considered his blood would enable Habalines in any way.”

“Oh, it has,” said Sixten. “I found countless bags dumped inside that last lab. All spilled to hide our mole’s blood. He needs to be back in your custody. Can you handle all of that?”

“You just take care of my girl while I’m gone and I’ll take care of the rest,” Rock said.

“All these Habaline operations set up everywhere.” Dru muttered while putting Blythe’s slides away, zipping his bag. “Considering the conversation you and I had at Maestru’s, if we knew how the Habalines funded their little operation,” he said, staring pointedly at Kash, “we could shut the majority of their shit down.”

“Haven’t you heard?” Kash asked. “Amy swears they found a cure for certain cancers. That they even healed Blythe’s brother.”

“Black market then?” Dru was nonplussed. “They sure haven’t sold any meds or treatments on the legitimate market. I would have heard about those, by now.”

“Black market,” Rock said, shaking his head, “provides big money. We’re going to find a way to shut them down.”

“As soon as you come back, I’m heading out for a while,” Sixten said cryptically, his hand on his pocket again.

“I’m staying,” Bane put in.

Rock narrowed his eyes. “Okay then, Doc, let’s go do a little breaking and entering…and
freeing
.”

“Six, I’m gonna make calls. They’ll take ten minutes tops,” Kash said, concern lacing his words.

“See you in a bit,” Six watched him mist away. “Then there were two.” He moved to stand in front of Bane and said, “Even though I knew I would never trust you, I clearly recall telling you that I
get it
. Everything you did, or tried to do for Blythe was for her own good and not your own.”

“I remember,” Bane said, pulling his long hair back in a leather tie. “The night Dru was attacked. We were at the airport. You said, someday, if you were lucky, Blythe might have your daughter.”

“That’s not all I said,” Sixten nearly choked on the words, “I said; if I did have a daughter I hoped she wouldn’t mate someone like me one day. And you certainly agreed.”

Bane crossed his tattooed arms, one of them completely sleeved in tribal ink. “Hell, what do I know? But it’s gonna be fun to watch.” He started for the stairs.

“What’s gonna be fun to watch, the baby grow?”

“I was thinking more in the lines of what you were going to do to the first youngling that tries to date your teenage daughter.”

“Shit,” Sixten grumbled under his breath, turning for Blythe’s door. He heard her stirring in the bed, so he stepped inside, closing the door behind him with his mind. Walking to the bed, he brushed the hair from her face before he placed his palm gently on her stomach. He recalled the night he brought her home to Captiva when he finally told her he wasn’t human, and she abhorred everything about him and everything he said…

“
After we married, were we going to have kids?” Blythe shuddered.

“God, I hope so. Do you know what it would feel like to watch you grow with my child?”

“What…would it have…been?”

“What will it be? Hmmm. Let me think. I’d say if it were a boy, he’d spend his teenage years thinking he was the hottest thing out there and commit selfish atrocities left and right until he meets someone half as wonderful as his mother. Only then, would he settle down and play well with others. If he’s a she? Well…she’ll probably have our combined looks and those unbelievable curves of yours, so she’ll be locked away until she’s a hundred or so. After her daddy-imposed imprisonment, we’ll discuss the possibility of her dating someone.” He flashed a brilliant smile. “Someone I’ll probably kill the minute he rings our doorbell, so be prepared for that mess.”

“Penny for your thoughts,” he heard her say in a sleep-sexy voice.

“A penny won’t get you far in this economy,” he whispered over her lips, dipping his tongue inside her mouth, swirling it a bit.

“It’s a good thing you’re rich,” Blythe said when they broke away. Patting her stomach, she smiled sheepishly. “I already want more and the first one’s not here yet.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Definitely, Six,” she wrapped her arms around his neck, twisting her fingers in his hair.

“I want that, too.” He moved down, kissing her stomach. “I’m sure more children can be arranged, but it’ll take a
lot
of practice,” his words edged with erotic promises. Sixten bent his head, licking the length of one bronzed thigh. “Werewolf took you in the sun, darkened your skin. Did he run his tongue over you until you screamed his name?”

“At the time, I was irritated with him, so I may have screamed a few choice obscenities.”

At that, Sixten laughed. “That’s my girl. Hungry?”

“Still stuffed from earlier,” she answered, “you?”

“Rock agreed to feed me when he gets back from running his errands.” Trailing his hand upward, he found her wet. He pushed her thighs together and then reopened them. “Listen to that wet suction. You are primed for me and I haven’t laid a tongue on you,” he groaned in need. “Pull off the shirt, angel. Let me see those nipples pucker in the cool air.” She did and he gasped at the beauty that was his Blythe. When he dragged two fingers over her cleft, her head fell on the pillows, a sexy groan leaving the back of her throat. “I was surprised to see this piercing here,” he whispered, dipping his tongue inside her pussy.

“Yes,” she moaned low and long, gripping the headboard, just the way he had taught her.

“You are so drenched, Blythe, between your legs. I see your need, and it’s amazing to behold.” Right before his eyes, her clit hardened, protruded a bit. He lubricated his finger and trailed it over the tightened nub, and Blythe reached down and tried to move his hand away.

“That part’s
too
sensitive right now,” she complained.

“Since when can I not stroke what’s mine?” He chuckled deviously, making miniscule circles over her clitoris while grinding his aching balls against the bed. Grabbing her fluttering hand, he pressed his index finger over hers, aligning them. “Press in with me. Feel what I feel. Share what I share.” Gently, he coaxed their fingers through. Wet suction pulled them high inside, her need escalating, and Sixten knew he would have to take her. His finger going higher than her shorter one, he curled the tip and brushed her g-spot and she clenched. “You’re so swollen, moja láska, so needy for me. Do not come yet. I want to be inside you first.”

“Hurry, Six!” She plucked her nipples, pulling the tips high and jiggling the flesh.

“Here.” In vampiric speed, he undressed, whipped out his cock and pushed in. She groaned when he filled her.

“That’s it,” she said, her head thrashing. “Move. Move faster.”

“You’re a wild one today, angel, and always impatient,” he said hoarsely, enjoying the slide and release of her magnificent pussy. “But I aim to please.” Riding her faster, tremors left her body as she immediately tensed to orgasm. When he reached around to introduce a few fingers to her ass, Kash misted in next to them.

“Flip her,” he ordered over her throaty moans.

Sixten pulled her across him, his body never leaving hers. He pumped in and out of her sheath with her back facing Kash, her fragrant hair spilling around his face. The only thing that would make this more pleasurable would be if he could feed from her. Hastily, he pulled his wandering eyes away from a deliciously throbbing vein.

“Just the sight of your cock moving in and out of her tightens my sack,” Kash groaned. “That’s it, a little faster.”

Kash tore his shirt overhead and then placed his mouth on her back hole. Sixten continued to fuck her as his friend primed her for his taking, his balls drawing up at the thought. Bringing his hands to her full breasts, Sixten kneaded them firmly. He could feel the tension building in Blythe’s body with her need for release.

“I could sleep on these pillows,” he whispered in her ear. “Would you let me one night?”

“Can’t talk,” she complained, squirming all over his body, making his cock twitch.

Kash reared over them, spreading her cheeks, giving them a good squeeze with one hand and holding his erection with the other. “The smell of our combined arousals is intoxicating. Your pussy smells like heaven, sweetheart.” He trailed his fingertips around her opening, gathering her leaking moisture and redistributing it inside her ass. “That’s an awesome sight, Blythe. The prettiest ass I’ve ever seen.” He lowered his hard-on, aiming it where he wanted it, and eased inside her.