Roxanne Desired (3 page)

He sat back up and leaned his hands on the table next to mine. The red mark that vined around my arm throbbed as soon as his identical one brushed up against it.

“But I know without a doubt that you feel the same way about me that I do for you. Do you want to know how I can tell?” He asked with a slight purr.

The intensity of his words and the hunger in his stare made my mouth go dry and all I could do was nod my head. Nathan had a crazy kind of effect on me. There was no denying that.

“Whenever you begin to speak to me, you’re bottom lip trembles. It’s all I can do not cut your words off with a kiss.” He wrapped one of his fingers gently around mine. “Even now, while we sit this close, your body sways in towards mine. That’s because your beautiful form knows it belongs with me.”

He reached over and tipped my chin up, and our eyes connected, locking on to each other.

“Like I said before, take all the time you need. I am not going anywhere.”

“Who in the fuck is this asshole?” David growled as he stomped over to the table.

Nathan slowly rose from his chair, the once sensual lover turning into a dangerous predator. My face went white and I began to frantically shake my head.

“Wait, both of you.” My words rushed out.

Nathan faced off with David and said, “Who the fuck are you?”

Our
waitress picked the wrong time to come over and check on us. I hadn’t seen her at all in the last fifteen minutes but she had chosen this moment to come over; figured. When she looked up from the book she was carrying around, she knew in an instant that there was trouble brewing. I had to hand it to her. She sure sucked at being a waitress, but she was pretty damn good at self-preservation. She immediately turned around and scuttled off.

I watched as Nathan’s jaw muscles flexed and his hands balled into fists at his sides. Holy dung beetles, shit was about to hit the fan. David reached over and grabbed a beer bottle off a neighboring table. He smashed it on the edge and held it out in front of him.

“That chick you’re talking to belongs to me.” David spat out.

“Oh, really?” Nathan chuckled, “You think so, do ya?”

Before David could see what was coming at him, Nathan smashed his fist into the other man’s face. He had placed so much muscle behind the punch; David ended up spinning once and falling hard to the floor. Even though it was akin to bludgeoning myself against the head, I jumped up and got in between Nathan and David. Nathan’s face washed white as he lifted a brow.

“I hope you’re interfering for my sake and not to protect that slime ball.” He looked down at the fallen wolf and shook his head. “Stay down prick or I’ll rip you a new one.”

Sitting up and shaking his head, David ignored Nathan’s threat and slowly stood.

“You just signed your own death warrant, motherfucker!” David growled.

I was very conscious of both the combating werewolves’ growing rage. My mind was frantic trying to figure out how to put a stop to this fight. Nathan was my first priority and had my allegiance one hundred percent. I wanted nothing more than to step aside and let him wipe the floor with David’s face. Unfortunately, that sire bond between David and I kept me from doing so. Regardless, if I waited any longer, like it or not, these two beasts were going to try and use each other’s heads as battering rams.

“I would think that a man who just got laid out with one punch would have the sense of mind to shut up. Or did he beat you stupid?” I commented, turning to face David.

His mouth puckered up and he sucked in a long breath. With fists clenched, he looked over my head at Nathan. Hate swam deep in his eyes.

“This isn’t over, punk.” David muttered.

Nathan wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me back up against him possessively. I would like to believe that I didn’t enjoy his outward display of male dominance, but my weakened knees proved otherwise.

I made an impatient gesture at David and said. “I’ve had enough of this. Go wait in the car.”

The direct order shut him up instantly, and without a second glance he turned and walked out of the restaurant.

Nathan twirled me around so that I ended up face to face with him. Swallowing, I looked up, my eyes landing on the curve of his mouth.

“What was that all about, Rox?” His voice was husky, full of lust with an underlying tone of irritation.

Even though he was understandably upset, that didn’t stop his fingertips from slipping into the waistband of my jeans. As reprimands went, this was a pretty delicious one.

“I…uh, well...” I pulled away from him and sat back down. “It’s hard to explain.”

Nathan gave me a subtle nod showing me more patience than I deserved. “What are the chances that guy is just an asshole brother?” He asked, filling in the silence.

I shook my head. “He isn’t my brother. He is more like...”
How do I explain?
“my child in a way.”

Nathan stiffened, and not in a good way. It didn’t take him long to figure out what I had done.

“You sired that jerk?” He asked. Closing his eyes, he shook his head and covered his face. “What would possess you do such a thing?” His words slipped between his fingers.

Out of nowhere, the room exploded with sound. Nathan sprung over the table in an instant, taking me to the floor with him. He was using his body as a shield to protect me. My elbow stung as it whacked the unforgiving floor and my face scrunched up as it was pushed up against his chest. Even though I was most likely in grave danger, I couldn’t help but notice how delicious Nathan smelled. His animalistic pheromones set something off in me. I wiggled a little bit, trying for a more comfortable position and in the process my lower stomach ran into a pleasant surprise. Nathan’s large size pressed up against me, making my mind wander for a brief second. I pushed away the tantalizing thought of him and instead, focused on the immediate danger.

“What’s going on, Nathan?” My question came out muffled and I pushed against him hard to drive home the point that I wanted to be let up.

“It’s your baby boy, David. He is robbing the place.”

I smacked his chest. “That was an asshole thing to say.” I pushed harder against him but he wouldn’t budge. “Let me up! I can handle him.”

“He has a gun, Rox. I’m not about to put you in harm’s way.”

His commanding tone pissed my wolf right off, and she growled low at her mate.

“The longer you keep me pinned here the better the chances he will hurt someone.” I gave one more final push, using my inherent vampire strength, and flipped him over. I was now on top of him. “David is a man eater, Nathan. And the only thing standing between him and a blood bath is me.”

“Seems the more you explain the worst things get.” Nathan said, getting to his feet in a kneeling position. “Let’s get this over with. I don’t want anyone getting hurt either.”

I didn’t know for sure how much time had passed since the sound of gunfire had rang out, but it couldn’t have been too long. David was waving the gun at the portly cashier frantically trying to work the register. The poor guy was petrified. His fingers poked at the keys, but he couldn’t manage to calm himself down long enough to open it. Now that I was finally free to take over the situation, I moved forward, but before I could take a step to intervene; a platinum haired blonde, with faint blue lips, walked up behind my target.

The young woman wore a light yellow dress. The wispy material hovered over her pale skin like several tiny butterfly wings engulfing her. She glided unnervingly toward David. I had to double check to make sure that her tiny feet were actually touching the floor. I stood stock still with my eyes transfixed on her. The ethereal beauty’s lips were moving and a barely audible sound filled the air. All the while, she kept her green eyes fixed on her target. Her thick lashes curved up and glittered like rainbow prisms in the light that filtered in through the restaurant windows. All other sounds and the room’s inhabitants froze. The only beings aware of their surroundings were me, Nathan, David, and this new supernatural creature. Something inside of me warned that this thing, person...whatever she was, was not to be trifled with.

"Hey man. Why'd you stop?" David questioned the waiter. The guy's finger hovered over one of the register keys and he stared blankly in front of him. "What the fuck's the matter with you?"

"He can't hear you, dark wolf." The mysterious woman whispered over David's shoulder.

His head whipped around so fast, making it obvious that her voice had startled him. He immediately fired two shots at her. They flew through empty air. One lodged in the wall behind her, and the other, in the shoulder of a customer standing next to the jute box. The force of the stray bullet knocked the cowboy off his feet and he fell to the ground.

"David!" I yelled, running over to him. "Drop the gun now!"

His eyes pierced mine and with a scowl he did as he was told.

"Where did she go?" Nathan asked from behind me.

He walked over to the weapon, reached down, and picked it up. With a few quick movements he had the safety on and the revolver tucked behind his back.

I looked around the room. Everyone was still frozen in place. I could smell dampness in the air. It was faint, but it was there. Then a soft voice echoed throughout the space.

"Which one of you beasts is in charge here?" she asked.

From the look of things and the waves of power she delivered through me with her hypnotic voice alone, my guess was that she was in fact the one in charge here. I swallowed my cowardliness and answered her question, my words finding sound even though she scared the shit out of me.

"Umm," I took a breath, "No one." I said carefully.

"How is that possible?" Her voice floated by me but I remained still. My wolf, for once, followed my lead. She understood the possible threat this creature posed to us.

"The dark wolf obeys you, yes? So you must be his leader." She accused.

"I sired him, that's why he listens. No other reason." I said.

The space in front of me shifted in several different colors and the pale woman appeared within it, a few feet away.

Nathan drew me back next to him and growled. "What are you doing so far from home, Nymph? Won't your mother be worried?"

She pulled her intense stare from me and focused it on Nathan instead. She scowled and crossed her arms like a petulant child. The change in demeanor made her come across years younger, not to mention also less threatening.

"I'm on a secret mission. Nobody has knowledge of it, not even my parents, Wolf. So mind your own business."

The atmosphere in the room changed as the front door swung open and a group of truckers piled in the restaurant. I looked past David at the motionless man behind the counter and panic began to set in my gut. The Nymph let out an ear splitting shriek and vanished.  

The room suddenly came back to life. Nathan grabbed David by the back of his shirt and with a nod toward the front door, dragged him outside.

I needed to think of a way to fix this and fast. I couldn’t just leave here after David’s failed attempt at robbing the place. And there was no ignoring the man lying in a pool of blood across the room with a large gaping hole in his shoulder.

“Are you in need of assistance?” The Nymph’s cool voice brushed past my ear. Somehow her presence calmed me down. I looked around the room. It was full of confused faces trying to shake off the enchantment.

“I’m open to suggestions.” I answered honestly.

I could honestly say, without a fraction of doubt, that this was a situation I had no clue how to handle. I missed my human problems. These werewolf hindrances really sucked.

The Nymph appeared before me. She sparked into corporeal form with a clever smile spread across her face. Her light blonde hair was swept back in a long ponytail and she was fully dressed in human clothes. Her lips were no longer blue and her eyelashes had lost their sparkly coat of glitter. She looked almost human. If it wasn’t for my enhanced sight, I would be easily fooled into believing that she was. Nonetheless, it was impossible for her to hide the mist of pure magic, which glowed around her, from another supernatural being.

“I will heal the wounded man.” She said, without hesitation. “You go deal with the cashier. There’s no need to worry about the rest of the humans. They never had a chance to see the gun.”

She strode past me but, I reached out and stopped her. “Umm,”

“My name is Ariel.” She said, answering an unasked question.

“Sorry. Ariel…how exactly am I supposed to deal with that guy?”

She let out a huff and waved her hand. The room once again stilled. Her magic was impressive.

“You are Roxanne Delaney of the Prime Pack, yes?”

I had no clue what that had to do with anything, but I answered her. “Yes I am.”

Ariel tugged her arm loose from my grip and looked up at me. From her height of about five foot two, she seemed harmless, almost childlike.

“Then you should have retained some of your Sires abilities. And considering that your Sire is a female Prime and the Canon, you should also be well stocked with a pretty large assortment of powers.”

I looked down at her with what I’m sure was a dumbfounded expression. There was something to be said about being clueless, well besides it making me look ignorant. If I had some hidden or unused abilities, I was all for discovering them. I just had to figure out how.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have the time for you to practice your gifts at the moment. Holding this room in stasis is draining my own powers fast, so you’re going to have to learn by doing this time. Try and roll his mind. Persuasion is one of Ember’s gifts and most likely one of yours as well.”