I Kissed a Dog (32 page)

Chapter 42

Dying without telling the world how much I loved Zane was unacceptable.

Through the fog-like-dizziness of severe blood loss, the words I’d longed to speak
floated from my mouth, barely audible: “Zane, I love you …
you
. I want to be your mate, your wife, your everything. It’s too …” My next word, late,
was drowned by Valamir’s snarl.

He released me and leapt back.

I straightened up, an unfamiliar power coursing through my limbs. A ripple of heat
ringed my ankle, forming what felt like an anklet of fiery metal.

Ignoring the vampire’s snarls turned hisses; I bent to examine my leg. I yanked the
red wig from my stocking and tossed it at Valamir, who despite his discomfort caught
it with ease.

A circle of sigils bordered my ankle. They seemed to writhe on my skin like miniature
snakes. Unable to restrain my curiosity, I touched the foreign markings and was sucked
into a portal of black nothingness. Not the response I’d expected.

Valamir, the bonfire, Jazmine,
everything
had vanished.

I stood somewhere, but nowhere.

For the first time, I noticed a metallic taste in my mouth. Searching my recent memories,
I recoiled. At some point during Valam
ir’s little blood bath, I’d consumed his tainted blood, and then I’d activated the
mating mark. The repercussions of these two interrelated actions would without question
cause some future abnormality ¯ yet another group of bizarre gifts or talents to unwr
ap.

Approaching footsteps drew my attention. Despite the gloom, I was able to make out
a familiar figure. My worries were swallowed by the joy exploding like fireworks in
my heart.

Zane.

No longer held hostage by fear, I raced toward him.

Flinging my arms around his neck and wrapping my legs around his waist I clung to
him, tears streaming down my cheeks. Our lips met and he kissed me with such ferocity
I thought he might devour me whole. I felt his presence everywhere. My tongue strokes
matched his, and I wondered how I’d ever thought Valamir had anything over my werewolf.

“Princess,” he murmured stroking my hair. “We don’t have long …”

Ignoring his warning, I pulled his head down and kissed him with zeal. Forget the
mutant war; I wanted my man.

His hands roamed, leaving trails of sizzling pleasure in their wake. I arched, pressing
my pelvis against his hardness, embracing a refreshing, new brazenness. “I’m so sorry,”
I whispered between kisses. “Can you forgive me? I love you.”

Gentle but firm, he held my shoulders, untangling himself from the web of my arms
and legs. “I forgave you the minute I thought I’d lost you. Alcuin broke his code
of silence.” Zane gazed down at me, his eyes glowing amber.

At the mention of Alcuin, panic returned, overriding my passion. “Don’t trust him!
He may have sold us out.”

“He’d never …” Zane paused, looking thoughtful. “He said he’d explain everything this
evening. Logan wanted to speak with him first about the spell he suspected we’d translated
from the coins.”

“Just Alcuin knew my whereabouts.”

“Speaking of, where are
you
, right now? This place …” he glanced around, “is a temporary dimension where mates
are united if they’re not together when the final markings appear. I always thought
it was just a legend. It seems the legends are real.”

I noticed then that the darkness was receding, and Zane was fading with it. “I don’t
know where I am. Some abandoned school on an Indian reservation in Washington. Jazmine’s
the redhead.” I blurted.

He nodded. “I know. Chloe …”

“Zane! No!” A rush of anger tore through me as I was swept away, back to the school.

I felt cheated. Would we ever have time together, alone, without some supernatural
tsunami looming over us? Would we even survive? Now that we were mated, the idea of
living without him was intolerable.

To make matters worse, Valamir was waiting where I’d left him, looking smug, surrounded
by the overgrown shrubbery. I could hear shouts in the distance.

“Your fighting friends have lost the spotlight and your captors have noticed your
absence,” he announced, as if I wasn’t well aware of the mess I was in.

Under the horrendous circumstances, and not sure what else to do, I begged. “I know
you hate me. I’m sorry, but I love Zane. You’re gorgeous, sexy, and all that, but
you keep biting me.” I shook my head, hoping to clear it enough to make sense. It
was obvious by Valamir’s twitching mouth that he was fighting to keep from smiling.

“Will you help me, please?”

“Chloe, I have never refused the passionate plea of a lady. True, you are, for the
moment, not mine. But I have an eternity to win your favor. So, I’ll start now. What
do you want of me?”

“That wig! Will you take it to Plum Beach and give it to Detective Davis or Officer
Tate? No one else. Especially not Agent Green,” I warned. Loud voices and stampeding
feet were drawing closer.

“It would be my pleasure. Anything else?” He let his gaze linger on my breasts a moment
too long, despite my rejection.

I was frantic, there had to be something more I could request, a way to take advantage
of his attraction. “Will you return and help us get out of here?”

“And what will I get for my efforts?” His lip curled. “You’ve asked me to complete
not one, but two tasks, Chloe Carpenter. And Vampires, although chivalrous, at times,
do not offer their services for free.”

Panicked by the chaos closing in, I sealed our deal with something far more dangerous
than a kiss. “I’ll owe you a favor when you need it.” I realized too late that I’d
pretty much left the door wide open. A favor for a vampire could mean any number of
things. How could I be so stupid?

“It is as you wish.”

The glittery trail that was Valamir vanished into the night sky, leaving me to face
a furious Jazmine and her army of traitorous mutants.

Chapter
43
26

Surrounded by Jazmine, her private guards, a perspiring Martin, and an assortment
of mutant women wasn’t reassuring. I didn’t see Connie or Deb anywhere. I hoped their
attention-diverting-scam hadn’t been uncovered. Dillon was suspiciously missing as
well. I was, however, more than a little happy to see Martin’s dog cowering off to
the side, too afraid to approach any closer. My fur-shaving vision had castrated the
now pathetic pooch.

“What are you doing
back here
?” Jazmine demanded. “Escaping isn’t possible, or practical in your case.” She appeared
uncertain how to handle my strange behavior. What was I guilty of? Playing Hide and
Seek.

Ignoring her question, I pierced her mind’s barrier, and rather than scanning her
current thoughts, I reached for her memories. Seeking the actual school’s location,
I flipped through thoughts like a file clerk scanning files in a filing cabinet.

For some reason, I now understood my multiple, mind-manipulating capabilities, and
they were beyond anything I could have dreamed up. Evidently, the official mating
ceremony and blood sharing with an ancient bloodsucker had enhanced my supernatural
skills.

Supernatural
— I’d never dared attach that particular word to what I did.

Confident in my abilities, for the first time, I blasted my exact location to Zane,
Logan, Misty, the two M’s, and even Stryder, who should now be working with the others.
This was instant messaging at its best. I could have avoided all the discomfort my
cell phone was causing inside my too-snug bra had I known the extent of my own preternatural
messaging system.

The confirmations poured into my mind, affirming they’d received my mental memo loud
and clear. They were coming. All of them. Except Logan. His RSVP wasn’t amongst the
others. Then I remembered; Alcuin was meeting with him about the coins. What if Logan
had been injured, or worse, by the vampire?

“Is there some reason you aren’t answering me?” Jazmine grabbed my wrist, twisting.

“Ouch!” I yelped, hesitating for a moment, before firing a mental-missile into her
mind. No one was going to grab or grope me again without my permission. I’d had enough
to last a lifetime.

She dropped to her knees, clutching her head. Her pain-fueled shrieks slicing through
the night.

Bull’s-eye! At last Jazmine was where she belonged, bowing to me.

Martin, to my amazement, took charge. “Somebody, do something! Call our onsite medic!
Now! Jazmine, honey, talk to me. What’s happening?”

She continued to writhe; her screams turning to whimpers as her eyes rolled back,
revealing the whites.

I could sense she was struggling to shift into her werewolf form, but whatever I’d
conjured kept her trapped.

The mutants, somehow realizing that I was the cause of the assault on their mistress,
were howling with a singular, mournful purpose. Answering calls echoed from every
direction. Whatever army existed was being deployed to deal with me.

Yes, I had plenty of cool and painful weapons in my mental cache, but I didn’t think
I could overcome several hundred creatures at once. I needed my back up.

“Whatever you’re doing to her, make it stop!” Martin commanded. “She could have killed
you and she didn’t.”

“And that’s supposed to make me feel what … sympathetic?” The nerve of some people
was mind boggling. “First, she threatens me; then almost runs me down: kidnaps me;
and holds me captive …”

“That sounds about right,” a male voice affirmed.

A wave of awareness crashed through me. I’d heard that voice before in Vegas, and
again at the board meeting.

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and released Jazmine. She remained panting on
the ground. One of my liberators had arrived ahead of schedule.

“My, my, did we underestimate you,” Logan drawled. Even in human form, he was beyond
intimidating. “You’re everything I’d hoped for, and so much more.”

“What?” I stuttered, still trying to process his presence and strange behavior.

“Before I explain, I need to warn you. Alcuin!”

In a flash of shimmering light, Alcuin appeared, gripping Misty’s arm. Her face was
etched with anger and fright. Her eyes met mine, pleading.

“Misty!” I cried, and started toward my friend.

Logan blocked me. “I don’t think so. My little sis, here, has become far too independent
for her own good. And I know just how much you two bonded. Very sweet. So, if you
want to continue your friendship, you’d both do well to remember two things: I’m in
charge. You’re not.”

A few mutants chuckled in agreement. I was utterly dumbfounded. Logan? The bad guy?
He was the pack’s alpha, well, not by blood, but nevertheless, the current leader.
What the hell?

I chanced a glance at Alcuin. By his dejected state, I could only presume he was feeling
self-conscious, even defeated. He wasn’t displaying even a portion of his normal confidence.
It appeared things were happening outside his control. He looked almost as lost as
I felt. His eyes, for just a moment, met mine. He inclined his head, just enough for
me to notice.

Alcuin would come through for us before this was all over. I wasn’t sure how he’d
ended up with Logan, but it wasn’t where he wanted to be. I’d bet my life on it. Logan
was the true, tyrannical traitor.

The Alpha paced through the crowd, turning every few seconds to look my way. “I can
see you’re trying to make sense of what’s happening. Let me help you. But keep this
in mind, Ms. Carpenter, if you attempt to use any of your mind magic on me or anyone
here, your friend, my dear sister, will be destroyed.”

I swallowed my frustration, hoping I appeared unruffled by his threats. I couldn’t,
however, help rolling my eyes.

Misty, on the other hand, wasn’t so composed. She lunged at her brother, growling.
Alcuin held tight, keeping her from breaking loose.

“Oh, come on, Misty. Give it up. You’re such a pacifist. War is part of life,” Logan
chastised, choosing that moment to launch into an extended discourse on the many benefits
and necessity of war.

Jazmine, Martin, and the others, turned their attention to the werewolf, hanging on
his words like a life preserver. More than a few of the women blushed when his eyes
rested on them for longer than a second. I felt certain if he offered poisoned Kool
Aide, they’d drink it. That was a scary thought.

Disregarding his warning, I sent out another communication to Zane and the others,
explaining the most recent developments. I figured as long as The Alpha didn’t notice
any visible or harmful reactions to my mental activities, I’d be safe enough.

In addition, I’d created an effective mental barrier that would keep any unwanted
intruders from entering my mind. Logan, I assumed, was worried about my more destructive
talents anyway, like turning Jazmine into a moaning mess of meekness.

Remembering how she looked writhing on the ground gave me a sick sense of satisfaction.
In
the future, she’d know better than to provoke me … if there was a future for me ¯
for any of us.

I sensed Zane attempting to push into my thoughts and allowed him entrance.

We’ll be there, Princess. I promise. Keep Logan talking. One thing he has always loved
is attention. That’s why I let him take the Alpha position without a fight. I didn’t
want to be in charge. I’ll explain later. Without Alcuin’s teleporting talents, we’re
stuck traveling the old fashioned way. Hang on, baby. Hang on.

I will. You can count on it. Hurry. Please.

Knowing we’d need all the help we could gather, I sent a beacon out to David and the
cloaked creatures. With David’s advanced telepathic abilities, I was certain he’d
hear me. I was uncertain, however, if he’d respond. I hadn’t heard from him since
the guided dream encounter.

If everyone showed, we’d have a chance to defeat Logan’s clan.

Given the opportunity, Misty and Alcuin would join us, I was sure of it. Valamir had
promised his services, and I felt certain he’d return. He wanted to collect a favor
from me and would do whatever it took to gain that favor.

Zane, Stryder, the two M’s; they were a sure thing. With any luck, Connie, Deb, and
Dillon were lurking close by. They’d come to our aid if they could. And we had one
weapon no one else did: Me. When the time came, I’d use my powers like a nuclear weapon,
melting the minds of our enemies like butter in a microwave.

I hoped there’d be some other way, though. I wasn’t real keen on becoming the cause
of ultimate annihilation, and not all the women here wanted to follow Jazmine or Logan.
They were trapped in forced training to serve as slaves.

How did all this fit together? What did the medical facility on some old barge have
to do with Vegas hotels, random murders, and mutants? With me? How did Logan keep
his evil agenda from his board members and Zane? I had too many questions and no logical
answers.

Any logic I’d known before had pretty much vanished with Zane’s grand entrance into
my life.

“Ms. Carpenter,” Logan snapped. “Were you listening?”

Feeling like I was back in a high school social studies class, I half stuttered, “Uh,
well, I was kind of trying to figure all this out. Like … what are you hoping to accomplish?
And what are you doing?” I hoped I’d earn points for honesty. I had not a clue what
he’d been rambling about for the past ten minutes.

“If you’d listened, you might have learned something.” He shook his head. “No problem,
we’ll chat over dinner. Won’t you join me at the table? I’m sure you’ll see the reasoning
behind what might look otherwise …”

Jazmine blurted, her eyes on fire, “Why explain anything to her? As soon as Zane comes
for her, she’s dead. And I’m doing the killing.” She was vibrating, ready to shift.

“Think again, bitch!” Misty snarled, infuriated. “This vampire isn’t going to be able
to hold me much longer.”

“Enough!” Logan roared. “Jazmine, I am in charge here, just in case you’ve forgotten.
I will handle all matters related to this lovely lady.” His eyes made a quick, but
deliberate sweep of my most female assets. “And, Misty … my little sister, I regret
to say this, but I fear I must. Another outburst from you and your blood will be nourishing
the ground we stand on.”

A sudden, heartbreaking shadow darkened Misty’s face, one of making her appear like
a baby sister whose big brother had just abandoned her to a pack of rabid mutants.
I yearned to comfort her.

As we made our way back to the platform, I sent a message.
Misty, I am so sorry. We’ll make it out of here. I promise. Be ready for anything,
and remember, you’ve got a family with me and Zane.
I had no way to measure the impact of my words. I prayed that they provided some
sort of assurance.

From atop the dais, Logan extended his hand. I grudgingly allowed him to pull me to
the table and seated myself amongst what amounted to werewolf royalty. I was far from
impressed.

I was worried and afraid, afraid I couldn’t keep the two promises I’d made: one to
Joshua Smart, and one to Misty.

A vision of the mutant at Luke’s abandoned cabin, eyes glazed in death, flared to
life in my mind like a movie screen in a dark theatre. I was a killer. The truth no
longer repelled me. It gave me a sense of power. I could and would protect those dear
to me.

I’d kill again, without hesitation, to ensure my promises were fulfilled.