Dark War Chronicles Box Set One (12 page)

“I can’t free her right now, you’ll have to relearn some control and I can’t have a rampant panther in my territory. Strange that Sarah would be the one to show up, don’t you think?”

Kass nodded and sat down. “Yes, I thought that. But she’s...changed; you can tell that she’s been forced to be in cat form too much when she didn’t have control. Her hair, her eyes, even her teeth have changed.”

“You spend a lot of time in cat form, and none of your features have changed like that.”

“Because I still have some control, I’m stronger than she is. I’ve always had better control over my cat than the boys, even as a cub. They’re weaker, because their mother wasn’t a strong shifter. Sarah hadn’t even shown a second form until I left.”

Lucius nodded. “So your mother must have had stronger blood.”

“Yes, but that’s neither here nor there. They are coming for me, they want me to come home. Sarah said that my father has changed and that she can protect me there.” She fidgeted with her fingers and looked down. “Part of me wants to believe it, because clan is everything.”

Lucius shook his head. “Not to you though, clan only means pain and fear. Remember those days Kass, remember how they tried to kill you on hunts, how your food was limited, the cages, the collars, the forced shifts.”

“And you’re much better?” She growled, looked up at him. “You’ve put me in cages and forced me to wear collars. You’ve stripped me of my control and limit my hunts.”

Lucius raised a brow, a crackle of power forming around him. “You really want to bring that up right now? Because you know you are better off with me. Think about the agreement we just made. You wouldn’t be allowed that with your father. You are also still alive, remember that, Kassity. I took you in and yes I used you to control Josh and I control you with things such as the cage and the collar, but only because I am the leader of this territory and you are one of my people. I cannot be weak. I discipline my own human on lines that are just as harsh. I remind you of where you have been, but also bring you to your full potential. I’ve stripped you of your control, yes, but you are stronger for it.”

Kass shivered at his power. “Josh never would have done that to me.”

“Josh was weak and the only reason he rescued you was so he had a way into my territory and he had something that I needed. I had no use for a weak vampire like him, which is why I killed him. He couldn’t protect you, but he had a weak spot for you after, and only after, he realized that you had a human side.”

She swallowed. “You lie, I was just like a sister to him, regardless of my beast.”

“Remember back and really think about it.” He held up a hand. “When you have a chance to actually think on it. Right now you have to worry about the other panthers. I will release some of my control on your panther so you can shift at will because I know you can control that without my help, but I want your word.”

She narrowed her eyes. “On?”

“That you will not run. You will not run away from this, or me.”

“My word. I’m done running.”

A cruel smile formed on Lucius face. “How do you end a sentence like that?”

“Master.” She whispered and he placed a hand on her head. She gasped as she felt something pull deep inside her, suddenly she and her cat could think together again instead of separately. She took a few deep breaths as she tried to get ahold of herself again. There was one thing that came through clearly that her and her panther agreed on: fight. They must fight.

Chapter Nine

Jax walked into the hotel room that Garrett had invited him to. He looked around at the torn up carpet and shredded bed. Splinters of wood littered the floor from what once was a chair...possibly a desk, or both. “Trashing hotels for fun?”

“Our sister doesn’t quite have the control we wish she did. She got upset over a situation at a bar and kind of lost it. You said you wanted to talk to us?” Garrett motioned to the man from before, sitting in the ruined chair in the corner. “You remember Stephan.”

Jax nodded to him. “Nice to have a name to go with the face. Yes, I’m here to return half of the money you gave me. I’m done. She ain’t coming back by my hand.” He pulled a backpack off his shoulder filled with the cash he’d taken from them.

“You think you can just walk away from this? You were hired to locate her and bring her to us. We know where she is, but Lucius makes it hard for us to get to her. She’s well protected from us.” Stephan stood. “You’re making a mistake.”

Jax raised a brow. “I’m refusing the rest of the job. Don’t want the money, don’t want her hurt.” He threw the bag at their feet.

Garret laughed. “Oh, you like her, do you? Think you can mate the bitch?”

“Garret,” Stephen snapped. “Calm, certainly he hasn’t bowed to her charms. You know that she can’t mate, right?”

“That’s a lie,” Jax chuckled and shook his head. He eyed Stephan. He was a bit taller than Garrett, but wouldn’t be hard to take down first, if need be.

Garrett raised a brow. “Holy shit, your panther recognized her.” It was a statement. “You slept with her already.”

“Not really your business.” Jax uncrossed his arms. Letting his hands fall to his side, he tried to take a non-threatening stance.

“He’s right, and it doesn’t matter. You need to finish the job.” Stephan flexed his hands. “We need her, she’s the last powerful female of our clan.”

Jax shifted so his feet were further apart. “And if I refuse?”

“Then we’re going to have problems. You can’t protect her.” Stephan flicked his hands and claws replaced the fingers.

Jax laughed. “Nice trick, but guess what,” he mirrored the motions with the same results. “I can do it too.” He dropped to a fighting stance. “You can’t take me.”

Garret grinned, stepping out from behind Stephan. “You think that you can take both of us?”

Jax crouched and took a deep breath. Centering his thoughts, he channeled his panther. The beast inside him snarled at the idea of someone wanting to hurt his mate. He’d do anything to protect her. “Try me.”

Stephan launched himself forward and swiped at Jaxon’s stomach. Catching his claws with his own, Jax pushed Stephan back into Garret. The panther inside him told Jax to run, that he couldn’t win this fight, but when he turned to leave the hotel room he found a fully shifted panther was blocking his way. “You must be Sarah.”

He backed up, and cried out as claws pierced his stomach. He looked down at the blood and his panther lost it. He pulled away from the claws and spun around to see which brother they belonged to.

Garret stood there examining the blood dripping down the claws. “Smells normal, means you’re not an immortal. Goodie, means we can kill you.”

Stephan snarled. “No, let him suffer.” He rushed Jax who stumbled back and over Sarah. Shifting as he landed, he let out a roar and Sarah backed away. He turned his gaze to the brothers and bounded towards the closest one. Stephan caught him, but stumbled back. Jax used his momentum to take the male to the ground and went to tear out Stephan’s throat, but was pulled away and thrown into the wall.

He crashed to the ground. Struggling to his feet he shook his head to fight off the exploding pain there. He let out a growl as Garret’s claws caught him in the side. Jax snapped at Garret as he laughed. Jax crouched but was taken out from the side by Sarah. Her weak attempt to pin him was easily recovered from, but her jaw locked around his foot.  The pain shot up his leg and he bit the top of her neck, tearing her away from him. He crouched in the corner. Favoring the front left paw, he snarled as Garret closed in.

“Hope you said goodbye to Kass.” He laughed and went to swipe at the downed panther, and then the phone rang.

The entire room froze. Stephan picked up the phone. “Yes? Oh, no, I’m sorry for that. No, no, it was just the TV.” He paused. “Why would there be a fight in our room? No reason the get the authorities involved. Oh, fuck, you’re kidding me.” Another pause and Steven slammed the receiver down. “Clear out, now, leave him. One of the other customers called the police because of the noise.”

Jax watched as they gathered a few things and then turned to Sarah. Stephan knelt by her. “This is going to hurt, sister, but I promise I’ll take care of you after.” He put a hand on her head and closed his eyes. Jax watched as the panther whined and the bones started shifting under the fur. The familiar cracks and pops told him that she was being forced back into human form, as the fur retreated he could see that her hair remained the same black color of her cat. She passed out in Stephan’s arms. He grabbed a blanket and wrapped her in it as Garret led the way out.

Jax closed his eyes, calling on the human inside him. His human form swallowed his panther, but left him shaking from the pain of the injuries. Stumbling to his feet, he knew he’d attract unwanted attention stumbling naked through the hotel, so he grabbed some discarded clothes and dressed. He searched the ruins of his clothes and found his phone. He slid open the balcony door and stepped out into the cold night air. Jumping to the street below him, Jax landed with a grunt. Cradling his wrist to his chest he started to stumble down the alley, ignoring the trail of blood he left.

A shadow appeared in front of him, making Jax look up. “Lucius?”

The vampire stepped out of the shadows and looked down at him. “Look what I found, a kitty.” He snarled down at him. “What have you been up to?”

“Can we talk about this later? I’m bleeding out.” He leaned against the alley wall. “And the cops are coming. I’d hate to have to explain all this to humans.”

Lucius grabbed him by the shirt and flashed them back to the manor. Throwing him to the ground once they materialized, Lucius snarled down at him. “Explain. The scent of Kass’ family is all over you. What the hell have you been up to?”

“I went to see them.”

“Why?”

Jax leaned his head on the floor. The cold tile against his skin helped clear his head. He calmed his breathing, trying to work through the pain. “To get them to leave Kass alone.”

“You’ve been working for them?” Lucius knelt in front of him. After a beat of silence he grabbed a hand full of Jax’s hair and pulled his head up. “Answer me.”

“Yes, I went back to tell them I didn’t want the job any longer. I hadn’t known they were out to hurt Kass. I thought they just wanted their family back and you were keeping that from happening.” He glanced at the vampire. “I need help, please, I can’t heal all these wounds.”

Lucius gave a wicked grin. “Give me a reason I shouldn’t drain the rest of your blood.”

“Because I didn’t know and I won’t let them hurt her. I don’t want anything to hurt her.” His cat stirred inside him, trying to hold on. “Please.”

“You will stay away from her.” Lucius straightened and backed away. “Agreed?”

Jax closed his eyes. The thought of staying away from Kass made a different pain spread in his chest. “Agreed.”

The vampire disappeared and then reappeared with bandages, water and a cloth. “Stupid to go up against two shifters of that clan.”

“Three.”

“Three?” Lucius asked as he started with the stomach wound, cleaning the blood off and bandaging it. “Sarah was there as well then.”

Jax tried not to arch at the pain. “Yes, she didn’t have control though, it’s almost like she was a new shifter.”

“She’s apparently being taught control, but has spent too much time in kitty form, according to Kass.” He moved to the wound on Jax’s wrist. “Took a bite out of you, did she?”

“Where’s Kass?”

Lucius put unnecessary pressure on the wrist. “She’s on a hunt, won’t be back until morning, plenty of time to get you patched up and out of the way.”

“Of course she is, off being your little killer.” Jax whispered and closed his eyes. “Why does her family want her? One of the brothers said power.”

“She’s special, her mother was special. Originally her family wanted her killed, but now I think because of the war, they have realized she could be an asset to them.” Lucius tugged on the bandage.

Jax gave a lazy smile. “Yeah, she really is special.” His eyes drifted shut as his body told him sleep would help him heal.

“And you’re going to stay away from her.” Lucius reminded him.

Jax opened his eyes. “Yeah, and I’m going to stay away from her. You going to be able to take care of the clan?”

“Yes, as long as Kass listens to me, I can protect her.” He started out of the room. “Be somewhere else come sunrise, Jax.”

She listened to the sound of feet against the concrete as she crouched by the bush, hidden in the shadows. Kass and her panther both agreed that they needed to wait. The woman needed to be a little bit closer before they tore out her throat. Kass wiggled her hind end further down. Her tail twitched back and forth as the shadow of the human came closer. Just two more steps. One more step. Kassity pounced and took the screaming human out. The human side tried to hesitate, but her panther counterpart decided it was time to strike and tore out the woman’s throat.

The blood felt warm as it slid down her throat, leaving a burning in her stomach, but it helped calm her panther. Kass looked down at her kill and lapped up the blood around the woman’s neck. Fighting a losing battle, Kass couldn’t control her panther’s thoughts of eating the rest of the human. A scream made her ears twitch and her eyes left her prey. A child stood on the side of the road watching her. She pushed away from the body, her eyes meeting the wide frightened eyes of the little human. The smell of fear filled her senses as her nostrils flared. Her panther wanted to pursue the scared human, but Kass managed to squash that feeling down and run to the alley, using trash cans to help her over a wooden fence at the end and disappear into the night.

Kass stumbled into the mansion, her vision blurry and motions shaking. A familiar smell hit her nose, but she ignored it. She couldn’t believe Jax would come back here, not after he disappeared right after they...she shook her head and forced her door open. The content beast in her entertained the idea of following the scent, but exhaustion won out. Collapsing on the bed she closed her eyes, praying for sleep to take her before she thought about her kill. She groaned as she recalled the way that the flesh tore and the blood splattered. Worst of all she remembered the wide, frightened eyes of the male child as he took in the horror. He couldn’t have been more than five. Faster than she thought was possible she was in her bathroom, hunched over the toilet emptying the contents of her stomach. After a while the vomiting turned to dry heaves. Wiping the sweat from her forehead she found her way back to the bed. She curled up and let the silence take her.