Dwyer, Dixie Lynn- Task Force One: Dani's Got a Gun [The Men of Five-0 #4] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) (11 page)

Dani put her shoulders back then forked a piece of chicken and brought it to her lips.

“Well, you’ve had a taste, Alpha, but it doesn’t mean you’ll get another.” She took the piece of chicken and forced herself to chew and not choke on it as Van’s eyes glowed, showing his wolf. He smirked then began to eat as if his non-retort and facial expression said it all. The pompous bastard knew she was fighting him on this, and he blew her off. Now that was a way to piss off a woman.

The silence continued as they ate their dinner. She was feeling much better after the delicious meal. She needed to start laying the groundwork for her departure from these men. She had work to do and needed to investigate the recent murders and how this killer knew she was headed to Baily’s and why he killed Baily.

She wiped her mouth, took a sip of wine, then cleared her throat before placing her hands under her chin as Van had done earlier.

“So, gentleman, I appreciate your hospitality and all, but I do believe there is a killer running loose and I need to catch him. So if you could get me my clothes, I’ll get out of your hair, no pun intended, and hit the road.” She began to get up.

“Sit, Daniella,” Van barked, and she froze as the others began to rise from their seats and clear the table. No one looked at her, not even Randolph.

“You will remain under our protection, Daniella. You are our mate, our responsibility, and life as you know must change.”

He stood up as if he were dismissing any attempt from her to retort or have a say in her life. And what was with this mating bullshit?

“Van, I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, but my life is not going to change. I have an apartment, a career, and a responsibility to this community to find this piece of crap, and I intend on doing it.” She rose from the table.

“No, Daniella, you are not. You are the mate of wolves, and this conversation is finished.”

“Bullshit!” she yelled and slammed her fist down on the table.

Van turned toward her with a mean gleam in his eyes, and the others stared at her, too, arms crossed in front of their chests. She felt the wind knocked out of her sails, as if she would fall over from the power emitting from them.

That damn burning hit her neck again, too, and it really hurt.

She reached back, holding the spot where it burned as the turmoil filled her belly. Every part of her wanted to be with these men. She wanted to have sex with them, cuddle with them, absorb their scents, and be part of them while the other part of her sought justice and wanted to maintain her independence. She was fighting more than just her personality and what she was used to. She was fighting something intangible, strong, and unidentifiable, but she knew it was there, deep inside of her.

“I am trying my hardest to be patient with you, Daniella.”

“Dani! For crying out loud, my fucking name is Dani.” She turned to leave only to grab her side and then her neck as the pain hit her. She gasped, and immediately Bently and Baher were by her side, helping her to sit back down.

“I don’t want to sit back down. I will not be your prisoner. Damn it, you cannot do this to me, Van. My career is all I’ve got.” Her heart filled with emotions. She was angry, scared, and confused about the instant attraction to five men who could shift into wolves. She was losing her mind, and the day’s events were kicking in, making her feel shitty and defeated. She was tired, and with each step she took away from the men, the more exhausted she felt.
What the hell is wrong with me?

Bently placed his hand under her chin and stared down at her. She felt the sincerity and depth of emotions from his brown eyes. It was a total contrast to Van’s mean and aggressive behavior and tone.

“You are no longer alone, Dani. We are yours for eternity.” He leaned down and kissed her lips softly. When their lips parted, she felt the pain in her neck ease. It was as if every time she tried to put some distance between herself and the Fagan men, she had that burning pain. She reached back and rubbed her neck.

“You’re in pain still,” Baher stated, standing next to her as he moved her hair off her shoulder away from her cheek.

“Miele, can you get one of those painkillers Charlie left for her?”

She heard the shaking of a pill container, and she wasn’t sure that she wanted them.

“I don’t want them. I don’t know how they’ll make me feel and I need to stay awake. I don’t know any of you. I don’t like feeling this out of control,” she admitted as she glanced around the room.

Bently placed both hands on her cheeks and held her face gently between his hands as he stared down at her. Bently, the sexy flirt, with his sparkling brown eyes somehow seemed to calm her.

“Please trust us, Dani. We know what we’re doing and we want to take care of you.”

Miele appeared with a glass of water and one pill. Miele, always on the go, always keeping busy and ready to jump into action to assist. He was a doer. She just sensed that about him.

“Take this. Charlie said it may make you feel drowsy, but it will take away the pain.”

She took the pill, hoping that it would in fact numb the pain in her side and in her neck but not make her fall asleep again. She had to be imagining things. There was no way that her body felt pain from being away from the men or placing some distance between them. How could that be? Did they do something to her while she was sleeping?

“Did you give me something earlier?” she asked without thinking it through.

Van raised his voice.

“Damn it, we don’t go around drugging women, Daniella. Accept what you are feeling. It is your destiny.”

God damn it to hell, I want to slug him right now. Destiny my ass! This is all a bad fucking nightmare.

She needed realty. She needed her life back.

Perhaps a change of subject would work here.

“I want to know what information you have on this killer. You have insight into his abilities and resources that I don’t have.” She looked toward Van.

He eyed her over.

“You need rest, Daniella. We can discuss this tomorrow.”

With that dismissal, Van walked closer toward her and was about to pick her up. She was beginning to feel numb again and that sensation in her neck eased to a humming as Van reached for her.

“I’m not tired, Van. I need to know,” she told him as he lifted her up into his arms. She immediately placed her arms around his neck.

Their faces were inches apart. Her entire body was alive with a sexual pull so intense she thought she might hyperventilate, never mind attack the man and rip his clothes off of his amazing body.
Yikes!

“Tomorrow, Daniella, you will feel better and then we will discuss the future.”

She didn’t like his smug, controlling attitude, but her pussy sure did as it clenched and, damn it, moistened with arousal. He inhaled and his eyes glowed.

“You’ll learn to listen to your body and your gut, Daniella.”

He carried her out of the room, his words lingering in her head along with the drugs and Margo’s same advice to follow her gut.

By the time they reached the bedroom, her head was against his shoulder and her eyes were heavy with exhaustion. But worst of all was the feeling of contentedness she felt in Van’s arms.

Van placed her down on the bed then covered her with the sheets.

He brushed her hair from her cheeks as he leaned over her.

She held his gaze.

“You can’t keep me drugged up, Alpha. It’s not right and it isn’t fair. I like to be in control, too,” she whispered then blinked her eyes, trying to fight the need to close them and sleep.

He touched her cheek and caressed her lower lip with his thumb.

“We’ll see about that, mate,” he whispered.

The last thing she saw was his glowing green eyes. Then the feel of his lips pressed gently against her lips.

* * * *

“So what do you think?” Bently asked his brothers as they gathered around the kitchen.

“I think she’s stubborn, independent, and used to handling shit on her own. You read her files and heard her commander’s reports on her. She’s tough, more than capable of handling herself, and good at her job,” Baher stated.

“I don’t want her chasing killers of any kind, never mind this rogue wolf who seems very interested in her,” Miele added.

“I agree. She doesn’t know much about wolves or their abilities to kill. What if he seeks her out to mate her? That scent she has is so enticing, and apparently we aren’t the only ones who sense it,” Baher stated.

“She’s going to be learning a lot about wolves shortly. The same goes for being mated to us. The sooner we mark her and claim her as our mate, the safer she will be,” Van stated as he entered the room.

“How is she, Van?” Bently asked.

“She is sleeping. Fought me until she passed out,” he stated, and the others chuckled.

Van turned around to face them with a scowl on his face. Bently stared at his oldest brother.

“She does not bow down to anyone, and none of us are used to that,” Bently pointed out.

“Well, she is going to learn just as we are going to learn how to handle being mated to such a woman,” Van replied, and another set of chuckles went through the room.

“I, for one, think of it as an exciting challenge. She is too tasty of a morsel to resist,” Bently replied.

“I think she will find submission most pleasurable in bed,” Miele teased.

“I would still like to know what power she seems to possess to have such a keen scent about her. I’d like to speak with her friend Margo again. Perhaps the healer can enlighten us on our new mate,” Van stated.

“I do not want Dani to leave our protection at all, but it seems inevitable. She does have a job to do and she enjoys it,” Baher stated.

“She cannot be left unattended to. She is our mate and we need to watch over her. If she insists upon continuing in such a profession, then she will do it in Texas where she is protected by the packs,” Van stated firmly.

“This is going to be hell,” Baher added.

Just then, Van’s cell phone rang, interrupting their conversation. The others listened with their ability to hear both sides of the conversation.

A few minutes later Van disconnected the call.

* * * *

“So, you all heard. It is becoming apparent that this wolf is not really a total wolf at all but perhaps a freak experiment gone badly,” Van stated.

“That is fucked up and totally unreal. Who would have the ability to create such a beast?” Baher asked.

“I don’t know but we will find out. You heard Zespian and he believes that this wolf was crossbred with something else,“ Van added.

“Its need to kill so violently and leave the scenes so bloody is sickening but may also be a clue,” Miele stated.

“How so? What are you thinking, Miele?” Bently asked.

“Well, if what Zespian says is true, then perhaps when this wolf was created, it was crossed with something that craves blood.”

“Damn, that could also explain its interest in Dani if her blood is as appealing as her scent. Her blood and scent contain something that we all can identify with, yet we know it is beyond the fact that she is our mate,” Bently stated.

“She needs us,” Randolph said, making everyone pause to look at him. They nodded their heads as Randolph walked out of the room. Van knew he was heading toward Dani’s room to stay with her.