Infinity Unleashed (18 page)

I pointed at her. “You need to take that down a notch.” I reached down deep, tugging at the strength bubbling within me. Skylar looked at me warily as if she could sense my power. “Now let’s calm down and back up a minute.” I arched a brow. “Who’s they?”

Her face twisted with a cruel look of hatred in her eyes. “The wolves who killed your mother.”

My fingers curled into the flesh of my thighs, controlling the need to leap at her and break her neck. “Boulder and Torch?” God, this was going to get real ugly and fast.

Skylar paced back and forth like a mad woman. I tracked her warily with my eyes. If this was what losing a mate did to you, I wanted nothing to do with it.

Her face twisted with pain. “A note.” She laughed hysterically. “Boulder Vigari sent a note with the body remains. Challenging Mason for you. Totally ridiculous.” She stopped eyeing me. “I hope Mason kills this Boulder Vigari, tearing him into little wolf pieces, and then you’ll understand the pain of losing a mate.”

My body tensed. Something in me stirred at thought of Boulder dying. Leaning back, I controlled my breathing. “Are you seriously blaming me for this? I asked Mason to let me go, but he refused. For that matter, I asked you to turn a blind eye, allowing my escape, and you wanted nothing to do with it. So don’t blame me for something that was not my doing.”

She totally ignored my logic, pointing at me angrily. “Your mere existence is evil.” Her eyes widened as she wrapped her arms around her body, rocking back and forth. “I feel it now more than ever. Darkness. You will be our destruction.”

My fists clenched, feeling the weird onslaught of all her rage. I didn’t like this new development. The detox from the drugs was awakening something in the pit of my stomach that I didn’t like, raw rage. I squashed the urge to attack before responding coolly. “You’re angry and hurt. I get that, but blaming me for Nick’s death is going too far.”

“Oh, I blame you for everything.” She laughed hysterically. “For Nick’s death. For all of the females being torn away from their home, the only place they have ever known. All because of you.”

Oh God, I was going to be stuck here with Mason by myself. This did not bode well for things to come. “I don’t understand.”

“You don’t understand? Your mate,” she spat with vehemence, “somehow convinced the idiot New York Council to void the peace pact between the New York tiger-shifters. You get that? Years of peace ruined because of you.” She pointed at me. “What the hell do you have that would make them do that, Infinity?”

I swallowed hard and rubbed the back of my neck. “Obviously, I don’t know, Skylar.”

She scoffed. “Yeah. Okay. Right. You’re a liar too.”

“I’m not a liar. Never have been and never will be.” I sighed heavily. “I’m not asking you to understand, just listen. Do you understand how disorienting this all is?” I gestured around the suite. “My world has been turned upside-down. One minute I’m a human. The next I am this Valkyrie-wolf thing. I have enough shit to deal with, believe me, without the weight of knowing that some Council just destroyed some pact because of me.”

Skylar looked at me with agitation. “That’s the problem, Infinity. You don’t know shit. You can’t spend your life with your fucking head in the sand, hoping all this shit will go away, because believe me, it won’t. It’s only going to get worse for you and everyone around you.”

“Tell me something I don’t know. I need to get out of this make-believe Other bubble that Mason’s created. Help me escape.”

“Believe me, if I could, I would throw you at the feet of that damn Council, but Mason would kill me if I even tried.” Her eyes widened. “I begged him to throw you out, to end this madness, but he says he loves you. He says that you are his mate.”

I sighed heavily. “Skylar, he doesn’t love me. He wants to possess me. He’s not my mate. I belong to someone else.”

“Well, the only person who believes that… is you,” Skylar bit out before turning on her heels and stomping out of the suite, slamming the door.

I felt raw and shaken. What the hell was happening to me? To my life? I needed air. Jumping up from the sofa, I stomped over to the door, yanking it open. Parker and Matt stepped forward, blocking my exit.

“Inside, Valkyrie.” Matt growled.

I lifted my chin defiantly. “No. Mason gave me permission to leave this suite at any time. And I need to leave this damn room right now.” I marched around them, not giving a crap. I was irritated, tired, and just damn through with being in tiger land. “You’re not allowed outside,” Parker barked.

I rolled my eyes. Idiot. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

I ran down the stairs, needing some space, ignoring the hostile stares from the servants as I marched down the narrow hallway that connected to a rarely used wing of the castle that Skylar assured me I was welcome to use. The wing had interconnected rooms that branched out like a honeycomb, but there was one room in particular I was interested in right now, the huge ballroom with a gorgeous grand piano. I pushed open the door, looking over my shoulder at the displeased enforcers.

“I got it from here. Thanks,” I said sharply, readying to slam the door in their faces when Parker jerked the door open. I eyed them impatiently. “Okay, I’m at the end of my patience with you guys. You and I both know I can’t run. One foot out this door, you got me. One step out those French doors”—I nodded my head toward the shadows always lurking on the grounds—“and they got me. Now, step the hell back and give me some damn space.”

I slammed the door in their faces. Ridiculous. Like I could actually run. If I could, I would’ve done it hours ago. Besides, I wasn’t stupid. The tigers resented my presence and would relish killing me with the excuse I was trying to escape.

I looked around the grand ballroom, heading toward the piano, when I heard a loud voice. Mason’s voice. I sat down on the sofa, eavesdropping. This super-hearing thing was coming in handy. Concentrating, I focused on lowering the volume of his voice, which was blaring in stereo.

“How long?” Mason asked sharply.

“Less than twenty-four hours. That’s all that you have before this place will be under attack,” a man responded with a voice dark and gravelly.

I knew that icy voice from somewhere. Its remnants slithered all over my body, making my stomach clench with fear. Frozen like a rabbit, I trembled, trying to sort through my anxiety. I needed to leave, go hide in my suite. My mind rebelled; I couldn’t do that. I was not that woman. I wouldn’t let them dictate my life or shroud me with fear. I was not a victim. I was a fighter. My mother and the Valkyries would not stand for anything less.

“And the supply of RejuvX bullets?” Mason asked.

What the hell was RejuvX?

“Your enforcers are unloading them from my truck. By the way, I just raised the price. It’s triple the cost I originally quoted. There’s a supply-and-demand issue.”

“Triple? That’s fucking outrageous,” Mason snapped.

“Take it or fucking leave it. I don’t give a shit. Whether you survive this attack is not my problem. I care about one thing—her.”

“You said you had this situation under control,” Mason responded sharply.

The man responded in a bone-chilling way. “I did. That was before you let your emotions dictate your actions. You took who Boulder believes is his mate and he wants her back. Now.”

Mason hissed. “I’ll never let her go. I’ll cut her into pieces and send her back to Boulder in little bags before that happens.”

My breath caught in my throat, his words locking my limbs into place. Anger settled into my stomach. How dare he treat me like some possession he could control and kill at will? I did not belong to him. Shifting, I settled comfortably against the sofa, dissecting his words.

“A little dramatic, don’t you think? Remember we need her alive… for now,” the man said before pausing. “By the way, how is my Valkyrie?” His words were cold and flat.

My hands began to shake. Why was I so scared of this man?

Mason responded smugly. “She’s under my control.”

“I doubt that very much. She’s too strong to be domesticated by a house cat.”

I smiled slightly.

“Fuck you, Alik,” Mason snapped.

Alik? Oh God, the vampire who tried to kill me in the restroom. Alik and Mason in cahoots? It didn’t make sense. Alik was narcissistic and a cold-blooded killer, and from our brief but deadly first meeting, he made it abundantly clear he wanted me as his consort. He needed me to help him get the position of vampire king, and I wanted nothing to do with it. Mason was either a fool or desperate to believe that Alik would not double-cross him. And Alik was too smart to align himself with a fool like Mason unless there was something he could get.

Mason continued. “What happens between Infinity and me is none of your business. All I need you to do is stall the recovery team. I need time to get her off the compound.”

Alik clucked his tongue. “Think, tiger. Boulder has the place under surveillance. The minute you move her, he’ll intercept her. She’s safer here.”

“What about our deal?”

“Still in place, shifter… as long as Infinity remains alive,” Alik responded.

“I know why I want her alive, but why do you give a shit, vampire?” Mason’s voice held a hint of suspicion.

“The reason is none of your concern.”

“Maybe I’m talking to the wrong man. Maybe a call to Cortez can resolve this issue. You’re nothing but his glorified second,” Mason barked.

I heard a swoosh sound, then Mason crying out in pain. The distinct sound of kicking and flailing reached my ears as if he were trying to break out of Alik’s grasp.

“Get off me,” Mason shouted angrily.

The iron scent of blood filled air.

“This time, I won’t kill you, tiger,” Alik snapped. “But the next time you dare show me such disrespect, I’ll rip you clean open like a pig, bathing in your fucking blood. Are we clear?” Power laced his words.

My pulse raced unusually fast with excitement. His bloodthirsty streak called to the darkness buried within me. This was not good. I heard the soft thump of Alik dropping Mason like a bag of trash.

“Perfectly.” Mason choked the word out.

“Good. Now run along and alert your enforcers of the imminent attack before I change my mind and rip you to shreds, you sniveling idiot.”

There were sounds of rapid footsteps and the door opening.

“And, Mason, don’t forget to send in one of your females. It’s been a long day and I’m ravenous.”

My mind raced as I stumbled to the French doors, flinging them open. The cool breeze slammed into my face. Breathing in and out, I filled my lungs with the crisp air. Something told me to return to my room. It was safer there, but I knew I wasn’t safe anywhere… not anymore. If Alik wanted to kill me, or any Other for that matter, I’d meet death head-on with a fight.

“Infinity, we meet again,” his voice whispered.

I sensed the darkness immediately. Turning around sharply, our eyes locked and I stopped breathing. My body ignited with the desperate need to flee, but my legs wouldn’t cooperate, and I fell forward awkwardly. With inhuman speed, he swooped forward, catching me. His arms pressed me possessively against his body, backing me against the wall.

“Be careful. I wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself,” he drawled in a voice dripping with sex.

“Alik,” I whispered.

My gaze roamed over six feet of brooding, dark-haired perfection. His midnight-black hair was long and heavy, falling down to his broad shoulders. He was dressed impeccably in a crisp, white dress shirt tucked into expensive-looking black dress pants. And as gorgeous as he was, he scared the shit out of me. The power in that voice was dangerous, calling to me in a way that made my heart race with excitement and fear.

I shoved him away. “What are you doing here?”

He swept my hair away from my face. “You belong to me. I’ve come to claim what is mine.”

I swatted his hand away as a lightning bolt of fear raced up my spine. “Don’t touch me, freak.” I was annoyed at my shaking voice. I cleared my throat.

He leaned in, grazing his canines against my ear. “Are you sure you’re not enjoying it, sweetness? I can hear your heart racing with excitement. All for me, no?” His light accent sent sweet chills up and down my spine. Damn it! My body was responding to him in the most betraying way.

I tried to move away. His arms tightened. I shoved again. He released me. Moving around the sofa, I put some distance between us.

“My heart is racing because the last time I saw you, you tried to kill me. Back to finish the job?” My finger traced the intricate design of my bronze wing charm anxiously.

His eyes narrowed. Stepping forward, he grabbed it, rubbing his thumb over it reverently. “Beautiful pendant. Where did you get it?”

Pulling back, I snatched it from his fingers. “Don’t touch it. For that matter, don’t fucking touch me, either. Now answer my question. Are you here to kill me?”

Alik’s eyes flashed with hunger. He wanted me. I knew it. No, I felt it deep in my bones. And he planned to have me, and no one, including me, was going to stand his way.

“Quite the contrary. I’m here to talk to you.”

I scoffed. “Talk to me? You and I have absolutely nothing to talk about.” I looked him up and down. “Now you and Mason seem to have a lot to talk about. Are you down with his little Operation Drug Infinity project?”

He snarled. “He’s drugging you?” His eyes narrowed into deadly slits. “I will deal with his little omission later.”

“Yeah, okay… like I believe shit you say.”

“I wouldn’t worry about Mason. He’s just a means to an end, my love.” He licked his lips. “You are what I want.”

Stepping back, I kept the door in my sight, readying to sprint out.

He smiled slyly. “I wouldn’t do that. Running will only make me even harder.” My gaze flitted down to his crotch and damn if the freak vampire wasn’t turned on. His tongue flicked his bottom lip sensually. “I’m already fighting my need to bend you over the back of the sofa and have my wicked way with you, Valkyrie.”

My eyes widened as my body quaked at the hunger unfurling low in my belly. God, I was so fucking sick and demented for being turned on by the thrill, yet repulsed by my reaction. This gut-wrenching attraction was disturbing, as was the feeling of danger in his dark brooding eyes. I held out my hands defensively.