Fatal Call (New Breed Novels Book 4) (6 page)

Evy stood in the conservatory and watched the birds twitter around the garden as the sun began to brighten in the east. She felt the presence of her Goddess who quietly came to stand beside her.

“Thank you for accepting the ring, my sister.”

She turned and looked into Akina’s sea green eyes. “Of course. How could I not have?”

“I was not sure after your wonderful news. You would have kept your power after all. The ring only enhances it.”

“Yes, but it might not have been enough to truly help. The difference in the power I feel is…” She looked back through the glass.

The Goddess lightly touched her shoulder. “Evelyn, look at me.”

Evy tried to swallow the lump in her throat. Tears began to fall down her cheeks as the Goddess took her into her arms, stroking her hair lightly.

“This is my fault. I am so sorry. I should have prepared you. There has never been a human seer before now. I should have known.”

“How, Akina? How is it that I know everything that’s happened? I’m only twenty, but I have a thousand years of time in my mind.”

“The ring holds the echoes of the visions of all seers who have come before you. It makes each more powerful with every passing millennium. But they are only remnants. You must remember that. You cannot allow yourself to become lost in them.”

Evy looked down at the ring. “But I saw you die, my sister.”

“What you saw was Basira’s vision of my death. She was the Seer at that time. The best and most powerful seers have been able to use the psychic remnants in their work.”

Evy nodded. “Then so will I.”

“I know you will.” She placed a hand on Evy’s flat belly and laughed. “Oh, Evelyn, I am so happy for you both.”

“It’s a boy.” Evy smiled.

“Ah, a son.” After a moment, Akina’s smile faded. She turned and looked through the glass. She seemed lost to her thoughts.

“Is it Reyn?” Evy took her hand. She wanted to take it back as soon as she’d said it. It was so personal. But something had happened between them. She wasn’t sure if it was the shared history or similarity in their being. Somehow she sensed they were no longer ruler and subject. They were equals.

Akina nodded. “I have never been in love before. I know that must sound odd coming from me, and I suppose it is. But I was only eighteen years in my body. I spent all those years after my death in spirit form, in the Otherworld. Then, one day I could sense something. It was your plane of existence. I came to your realm and witnessed for the first time what my children were doing to one another. I was no longer at peace. I knew I needed to help, although I did not know how. And then I met Reyn. I corporealized for the first time almost immediately. Imagine. For the first time in a thousand years, I had a body. Now I’m only truly happy in his presence.” She turned to Evy suddenly. “I am afraid, sister. I am frightened of what will happen when I leave. The call is merciless.”

“You can’t control it? But I assumed the mating call originated with you.”

“Most shifters do. In reality, it is far more complicated. It comes from within the
naguals
themselves. It is organic in nature. The only way they can be united is by uniting their hosts. I am the only one who can read the pairings, so I create matings for shifters in this way. But that does not keep them from making their male hosts suffer when they try to resist. Evelyn, I am so afraid for Reyn. When I am close by in the ether, I can feel his
nagual
calling out for me.” She put her hands to her face.

Evy took her into her arms and held her. “We’ll take care of him, my Goddess. I promise you.”

Reyn waited in the solitude of the study while Akina spoke with Evy. His time with his mate always went by too fast. He was happy that everyone in the mansion knew about their mating. In truth, keeping it a secret had never felt right. He ran his hand over his newly buzzed hair. Jesus, the place had been a fucking madhouse and, with everything going on, he actually spent less time with her than usual. And this time there would be the protective instinct to deal with. He always felt it to some degree like any other mated male, but it was different now. His body was all too aware she was facing danger from realms both above and below the earth. Add that to her narrow escape of a few days ago and his insides began to churn.

Bane.
The only thing he was sure of was that if she recognized him from their encounter, then it was likely he recognized her as well. The bastard knew at least her spirit still existed. Reyn knew Akina saw herself as part of the douche bag’s plan to take revenge on the other gods and nothing more. Maybe that was true. Kina was so innocent and could be so unaware of the power she held sometimes. But, as far as Reyn could see, it was far more likely that Bane had other plans for her as well. Maybe that was the voice of the mated male in his head, but he really didn’t give a shit. Keeping her safe had just shot to priority number one, and if that meant tearing Bane apart with his bare hands, then that was fine by him.

X waited outside the study with Richard, SE, and Troy to see the Goddess Akina off. Well, more like to make sure Reyn didn’t blow a gasket. She was a god and he was mated to her. X failed to see how that combo wasn’t going to create a shitstorm of consequences at some point.

The brothers waited outside the door while their leader had some time with his mate.

X looked over at his boy. “You monitoring the sitch?”

Troy nodded. “Yep. So far he’s keeping it in check.”

“Thanks for helping out with this,” Richard said.

SE smiled easily. “He’d do it for any of us in a heartbeat.”

“So, that dead house guest of yours hitting the road with the Goddess?” X asked.

SE rolled his eyes. “Are you kidding? Ana can’t even pee alone.”

Troy’s head whipped up so fast he hit it on the wall behind him. “We’re up.”

They all followed Richard in, not sure what they were in for. The Goddess was slowly dematerializing and she’d clearly been crying. Reyn let out a roar so loud the shelves of books in the study teetered back and forth. Then the HNBIC saw fit to put his fist into the wall. Twice.

SE and Richard put him in a hold from behind.

“Troy,” Richard yelled.

X watched as Troy raised his right hand and focused on Reyn.

Okaaay.

SE tightened his grip. “Fuck, Troy!”

Troy cracked his knuckles and went in for another shot.

Shit.
Sometimes it was time for the biggest NB to step in. X moved forward and uppercut the dude’s jaw so hard he knocked him out cold.

Richard exhaled. “Jesus.”

Ultimately, X had to use the ass load of sedative Helen had given him. You know, just in case shit got out of hand. Fuck. He was on his way to the medical ward to dispose of the syringe when it hit him. What if Victrixa actually succeeded in somehow getting the serum to the public? Rose would be out there. She would be vulnerable. Suddenly, checking up on her didn’t seem like such a bad idea.

Pax walked up the main staircase to James’s room. He was so not looking forward to this. The male clearly had a right to know. But if he was thinking of dealing with Seth on his own, well…that was going to complicate things.

He knocked on the door.

“Lemme guess. The real Slim Shady.”

Pax rolled his eyes. “Mind if I come in?”

“Nope.”

Pax went in and closed the door behind him. “Hey.”

James took a cuff link off his shirt. “Hey.”

“Listen, Ana and I found out some pretty crazy shit last night.”

“So I heard.”

“Hang on. I’ve got something on Seth.”

James froze. “What?”

“Yeah. Apparently, he’s working for Batiste.”

“Wha— The drug lord?”

Pax nodded. “I had the same reaction. Turns out, he’s connected to that human scientist, Roman. The douche was selling rogues to Batiste, and Seth has been handling the transactions.”

The male started on the other cufflink. “Well, I can’t say I’m surprised. He’s always had a way about him. People trust him.”

“I don’t know whether he’s still there or not, but it’s a start. If your intention is to find him.”

“Right.”

Okay.
Clearly, the brother wasn’t up for sharing. Pax watched him fumble with the other cuff link until he was sure he was going to break it. “Here, let me.”

He moved closer and bent over the clasp. Then he stopped. James was covered in another male’s scent—one he didn’t recognize. He willed himself not to look up at him. He put the link on the dresser and beat it for the door. “Anyway, I thought you should know. What you do with it is up to you. Just be careful.”

Seth walked down a dimly lit alley in Back Bay. It was a well populated and much loved hunting ground for Toltec shifters and their
hellions
who were looking for targets. Actually, it was kinda funny. He used to be one of those
hellions
. He had a Tolie in charge of him and a den to sleep in. The whole nine yards. Well, tonight he was hunting the Tolies for their
k’ul
. He smiled to himself. Maybe there was a little karma in that shit. Plus, Grace needed it, and it would be a lot easier taking down an unsuspecting Tolie in a dark alley than a civilian shifter out on the street in plain sight.

Grace.
He rolled his eyes. How the fuck he’d managed to get mixed up with that broad, he had no idea. What an asshole. He’d let her pull at his heartstrings until he took her with him. All he would do is give her the apartment and teach her how to feed. Period. He didn’t owe her any more than that. Come to think of it, he didn’t even owe her that. Besides, he had to think of his own neck. Batiste was the real deal. He had guys working for him all over the city. He couldn’t risk getting caught doing stupid shit like this after hours. Nope. Decision made. A quick lesson in basic
hellion
survival and he’d send her on her way.

X materialized two buildings down from Rose’s condo. He cast out his senses and swept the area. There was one lone shifter civilian on the second floor of the house behind him, but no Rose. He moved quickly through the darkness, crossing the adjacent lawn in just a few steps. Her white Prius C was parked in the driveway. She was on foot. Again. Maybe she was just on campus. It was almost eleven, but she kept pretty late hours. With a quick gleam, X stood alongside an old Victorian at the corner of Cambridge and Prescott. While he took a gander at Harvard’s Japanese Institute across the street, he swept the block for Rose’s energy. His exhale was a rush of relief. She was inside the building with only a human custodial staff.

A sudden yell from the delivery ramp next to the Institute caught his attention. Fuck. A Toltec shifter and two
hellions
were dragging a male civilian down the ramp into the darkness of the underground lot. X vanished and materialized behind the bigger
hellion
. He freed his steel and with a perfect strike, full on Sleepy Hollowed the fucker. The Toltec soldier tried to use his body to block him from the other mutant, while the
hellion
took his victim by the coat collar. Yeah, no doubt the cocksuckers were all about the shifter’s
k’ul.
The civilian groaned as white-hot light started to glow in the mutant’s eyes. Time to roll credits on these pussies.

X felt her just seconds before he heard her scream. Rose was standing at the top of the ramp, her eyes fixed on the scuffle. Instantly, the shifter turned and sprinted straight for her.

“Rose! Phase!” X yelled.
Fuck.
She was too terrified to access her energy. He looked from one attacker to the other. He could handle them both if they weren’t twenty feet apart. He didn’t dare use his pistol with the soldier closing in on Rose. As the Tolie grabbed her arm, everything started to move in slow motion.

Ilah.

Mine.

The protective instinct barreled into him, pounding through his very veins. The
hellion
was a linebacker, but screw the laws of physics. He grabbed it around the neck and gleamed them both to the top of the ramp. As the shifter pulled his pistol, X realized Rose was in the line of discharge. He slid his leg between the two of them and ripped it from the Tolie’s hand, letting off a stray shot. A burning sensation made its way down his calf, but he barely felt it. He was made of adrenaline, his body reacting to his every command with lightning speed. He pivoted and took the head off the confused
hellion
just as Rose fell to the brick sidewalk next to him.

“Rose.” He picked her up carefully. She was shaking, her body still reacting to the fear. “You’re okay. Let’s get you home.”

X walked down into the shadows of the underground lot just in time to catch a glimpse of the male civilian driving off in his delivery truck. He dematerialized them and moments later they were in her living room. He laid Rose down on the couch, turned on a lamp, and gently checked her exposed skin for injury. He carefully inspected a cut over her left eyebrow. “I should clean that. Do you have any antiseptic?”

She nodded. “In the bathroom under the sink.”

X walked into a half bath where he found some peroxide, cotton balls, and Band-Aids. Then he made a quick stop by the kitchen to get Rose a bottled water from the fridge. By the time he was done cleaning her wound, she was done with her water and some color was back in her face.

“How are you?”

She gave him a little smile. “I’ll be fine, thanks to you. I don’t know how to repay you, Xavier.”

“No worries.” Actually, he had a lot of them—the chief among them being that he wanted his mouth on those pouty oval lips so badly he was practically salivating. Okay, he needed to leave right now.

“Can I make you some tea?”

Jesus. He was rock hard, his erection straining against his jeans. That voice. It was like she was his own personal Greek siren or some shit. He nodded. “Tea would be good. Thank you.”

After she headed off to put the kettle on, X managed to pull it together and actually do his job.
Imagine that.
He walked around the first floor and checked out the windows, closing the curtains as he went. He cast out his senses and scanned the area repeatedly. It was secure. There was very little chance that douche bag Tolie would try to track them down, but once the protective instinct kicked in, even an armed brigade complete with a tank didn’t seem adequate.

“Why are you closing the curtains?”

Right. That had to look a little odd. There was no reason to worry the female. “Ah, just habit.”

“Xavier, your leg. You’re bleeding.”

He looked down and realized his left pant leg was torn and soaked with blood. Oh, right. The bullet. “I’m sure it’s just a graze. I should probably check it out, though. I’ll just be a second, and then I’ll be on my way.”

She picked up the peroxide from the coffee table. “Don’t be silly. It’s easier if I do it. Pull up your pant leg.”

He rubbed his goatee. “Ah, Rose, I really don’t think—”

“Come on. You’re not afraid of me, are you?”

Was she kidding? He looked over at the couch. No. The floor seemed safer for some reason. He took off his leather coat and laid it on a side chair. “Okay. Let’s use the floor. I don’t want to get any blood on the furniture.”

X sat down in front of the fireplace and rolled up his jeans. Rose turned on a second lamp and knelt down in front of him. For some reason, her hair was down tonight and a long, black strand brushed along his knee just a tiny bit. He closed his eyes. He didn’t dare look at her bent over him like that. Shit. His eyes were probably greener than his partner’s beer on St. Paddy’s. And then she touched his ankle. Mistake. A spark of heat ran from her hand directly to his cock.

Ilah.

“Ah, you know, Rose, why don’t I just take care of that. I’m not sure how deep it is.”

She squinted at him slightly, like she was trying to read his mind. “I don’t get it. You took care of me. Why won’t you let me return the favor?”

How about because I’m three seconds from taking you at every angle I can come up with.

When she touched his leg again, he stood bolt upright. He grabbed the peroxide from the table and made a beeline straight for the bathroom. He closed the door and locked it behind him. His heart was pounding in his chest. He turned the faucet on and splashed some cold water on his face. The reflection in the mirror was more than a little troubling. Bright green, glowing eyes stared back at him, while a fine sheen of sweat formed on his forehead. The pedestal sink gave a groan and he realized it was the only thing holding him up. Barely.
Fuck.
He dropped the lid to the toilet and sat down before he fell down. Now what was he gonna do? He thought about texting Troy. He’d do him a solid and watch the condo for the night. That is, if his boy could stop laughing long enough. X took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Maybe he could meditate himself to death.

Rose was still kneeling on the living room floor and stared toward the hallway. What in the world? The male moved so fast; one minute he was next to her, and the next, she heard the bathroom door close. He seemed downright panicky, but why? There’s no way a New Breed Warrior would freak out about that kind of injury. Not when he was used to doing what he did out there tonight.
Oh, God.
Her belly did a nauseating flip flop. She blocked out the rest of the thought and focused on the task at hand. There was a singing kettle in need of rescue from the stove. She wasn’t about to invade the male’s privacy. If he wanted to take care of it himself, then she would give him some space. She hoped to hell she still had some chamomile left. What a night.

She slid her heels off and slipped out of her nylons before settling at the kitchen table with her mug. A familiar fatigue was beginning to settle into her body.
From the attack,
she thought. Of course, there were other things it could be, but she wasn’t going to go there. Not tonight. As she quietly sipped her tea, her mind wandered and she caught herself thinking about how incredible Xavier looked in that tight black t-shirt. He’d looked even more amazing in his tux. She quickly cleared the thought from her mind and looked over at the clock on the microwave. Ten minutes passed, then another ten. Finally, she decided to check on him. She walked down the hall and was just about to knock when she jerked her hand back. A lick of power came from the other side of the door.

She took a deep breath. “Xavier, is everything okay in there?”

“I’m alright,” he answered in that deep, lush baritone.

“Are you sure?”

“I’ll be out in just a sec.”

Oh, God. There it was again. That energy. She picked up his scent through the door and her heart started to race. Oh, no, no, no. Goddess above, this couldn’t be happening. Why her? Why now?

X stood up and gave his leg a quick look-see. There was nothing left of the wound except a thin red line. With a quick check in the mirror he could see his peepers were back to normal. Thank fuck. Even his arousal was starting to get with the program. He put the peroxide away and opened the bathroom door. Rose was standing directly in front of him. She was breathing so hard she was panting, her eyes fixed on his.

Ilah.

Mine.

Damn straight. X barreled forward and in one swift movement he picked Rose up and crushed her between his body and the wall. She gasped at the force, her arms coming around his neck, legs finding his hips. His lips went right for hers as he took her soft, full mouth with his. She groaned in satisfaction when he thrust his tongue into the warm heat she offered, her nails digging into his shoulders through his shirt.

Rose brought Xavier’s luscious bottom lip into her mouth, then went for the top one while she ran her hands up his tremendous back. He trembled as the muscles rippled and flexed under her touch. She locked her ankles behind the male’s back and took his face in her hands. His eyes glowed a beautiful emerald green and she knew instinctively it was for her. Goddess, she wanted to be his. In that moment, there was nothing she’d ever wanted more. She couldn’t think about her situation. She wanted him to take her. To fill her up in every way possible. And she had been empty for so, so long. He deepened the kiss once more, his tongue stroking hers, and all thought, all reason was left behind. Her second soul awakened and a raw heat shot through her body. Her core blossomed, her sex weeping, aching for him.

“Touch me,” she moaned.

She didn’t have to tell him twice. X held her in place with his hips while he tore impatiently at the buttons on her blouse. Then he gave the same treatment to the front clasp of her bra, freeing her breasts. He ran his hand along the soft skin in between them.

“You are so beautiful. I can’t wait to just…”

He gently grazed each tight bud with his lips. She leaned back against the wall and arched up to meet his mouth, watching him from under heavy lidded eyes as he suckled her. He took his time, savoring them before he gently nibbled her ear on his way back to recapture her mouth.

In a massive rush of energy, their second souls were joined.

X was weak with need, his mind struggling to stay in control as the mating call took over. His head spun as the scent of her arousal hit him hard and he propped an arm against the wall to steady himself. His eyes locked on hers, their green glow reflecting in her hungry gaze.

“Rose, tell me you want this,” he said on a pant. “If we take this any further, I won’t be able to stop myself.”

Rose’s answer was a searing kiss. He reached under her skirt and tore off her panties, hissing as he ran his hand along her hot, silky core. She was so ready for him. So drenched in honey. “Rose. Oh,
yeah
.”

He needed her on his tongue and down his parched throat. He set her back on her feet and knelt in front of her, pushing her skirt up over her hips and parting her thighs with his hands. He looked into her eyes as he ran his tongue slowly up her cleft before drawing her softest skin into his mouth. He groaned against her core. Goddess, she was so smooth, so sweet. Rose gasped, putting her hands to the back of his head and taking command. She called out his name as she came and control slipped completely out of his reach. He stepped back just long enough to free his erection. Then he picked her up, slid his forearms under her thighs, and plunged inside of her. They both shouted as he slid beautifully into place, her core stretching to accept his thick, hard length. Slowly he began to pump. Rose took all of him, tip to base. She met every thrust, her brow furrowed, her face tight with concentration. X slipped his hands under her backside and lifted her even higher, changing the angle of their connection. Her head fell back against the wall as she let him take over, her eyes closed, her lips parted and face a picture of ecstasy. And then his hips took command, pumping wildly, claiming her with every awesome surge. On and on it went until they both went over the edge, his release bucking inside her as the pulses of her orgasm stroked him. He laid his forehead against the wall, his face buried in her hair as he waited for his breathing to slow.

“Rose,” he whispered near her ear.

Nothing. Raw fear struck him. Had he been too rough? Jesus. What if he’d hurt her?

He turned her face toward his. “Rose?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Are you alright?”

“Just blissfully unable to move.”

Fuck.
“I’m so sorry.”

“There’s no need to apologize, believe me. But if you could just let me down.”

Instead, X let her drop down into his arms. “Bedroom?”

She curled into his chest. “Upstairs. First door on the right.”

He carried her upstairs, helping her lose the rest of her clothes on the way. Except for her blouse. She was holding the front of it closed as though she were cold, so he didn’t bother. He entered her bedroom, where he pulled the quilt back and tucked her in. He slid out of his t-shirt, climbed in next to her, and pulled her to him from behind. Only once he felt her body relax and her breathing even out did he allow sleep take him.