Savage Sanctuary: A Dire Wolves Mission (The Devil's Dires Book 2) (14 page)

T
he morning came too soon
for Levi. For the Dires as well, it seemed. Breakfast was a quiet, almost somber affair. Even though he tried to stop Amy by offering to do it himself, she cooked for them again. Working at the stove seemed to keep her calm, so Levi didn’t push the matter. Still, he kept his eyes on her as he sat with Phego and Mammon, doing his best not to grab his mate and run.

Even Mammon and Phego were more reserved than usual. Mammon stared hard at the table, glancing at Amy every now and again with a frown. Phego slouched in his seat, watching Levi more than Amy. Doubting him, it seemed. But Levi had to stay neutral, had to follow orders and do what was the right choice strategically…no matter how much he hated the plan. He wanted this guy off their tail so he and Amy could go off and…do something. Live happily ever after? Have a couple of pups? Shit, he hadn’t thought about any of that. When Bez found his mate in Sariel, he moved her to his Texas compound. Gave her stability, took her from a pack that didn’t appreciate her to his home. Levi had no compound. He had no home of his own. He had a sense of wanderlust that had dogged him since the first time he’d looked out at the horizon—and a mate with roots as deep as any he’d ever known.

He was utterly, totally screwed.

Which was really not what he needed to be thinking about at that moment. Thaus was on his way, and Levi knew that once he arrived, the Dires would finalize the bait-and-switch plan and put it into motion. Would set up Amy as bait for this bastard to hunt.

Strategy had never been so fucking stupid.

“Thank you, Miss Amy.” Phego smiled up at Levi’s mate as she set a plate of eggs and bacon before him. The expression on his face, the respect there, left a humbling impression on Levi. His brothers treated Amy like family from the moment they’d mated, and that was something he wouldn’t forget. Not even when they offered her up to the bastard chasing them.

There really should have been whiskey in his coffee.

“Yes,” Mammon said as he nodded toward the plate she offered him. “Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome.” Amy came to sit on Levi’s lap, snuggling into his chest. He held her close, breathing her in. Wishing for time to speed up or stop, for this to be over with.

“What time should Thaus get here?” Levi asked, grabbing Amy’s hip and pulling her in even tighter. Not willing to have an inch of space between them.

Mammon glanced at the clock. “Anytime now, I’d guess.”

Amy kissed his neck, her fingers scratching through the hair on the back of his head. An oddly calming sensation that did little to make Levi relax.

With a sigh, she stopped scratching and sagged away from him. “I’m going to get cleaned up.”

“Okay.” Levi held on to her, though, kissing her lips one last time before he allowed her to leave his lap. He couldn’t help himself; he wanted her with him every second until this was over. Wanted her hidden away in his nonexistent compound, safe from the dangers lurking outside.

Wanted her to know every secret he had.

With the history of his breed weighing heavy on his mind and the knowledge that his mate was in the dark about it all tugging at his heart, he sighed and twined his fingers with hers to keep her still. “But I want to talk to you before we make a move on this plan.”

Amy smiled and kissed his nose, oblivious to the tornado brewing inside of him, then dragged herself to her feet. She even ran her fingers along his shoulders as she headed for the door as if she couldn’t stand to be parted from him. Levi understood that feeling. His wolf especially didn’t like watching her walk away, didn’t want to be too far from her, but he couldn’t crowd her. They were all on edge, and she needed her privacy as much as anyone. Privacy that would last exactly ninety seconds before he checked on her.

As soon as Amy left the room, Mammon sighed and frowned. “You need to tell her about us.”

Levi sighed. “I know. I’m going to.”

“Maybe she’s never heard the old legends.” Phego shrugged, sitting back in his chair. “A lot of packs ignore those tales.”

“One can only hope.” Levi looked to the ceiling, trying to get his words straight in his head. Dire Wolves, millennia on earth, the never-ending moving, the constant fighting. Amy wasn’t going to be happy about some of that. She was a stable wolf, one who loved her pack even though she needed her own room to grow. His lifestyle was at complete odds with that.

Mammon tapped the side of his fist on the table, watching Levi with dark eyes. A sign Levi wasn’t going to like what came out of his mouth.

“I know this bait thing is—”

“Don’t.” Levi’s word came out on a snarl, making Mammon’s eyes go wide. “You know nothing.”

But Mammon was never one to take a hint. “Just because I don’t have a mate doesn’t mean I don’t—”

“I can feel her emotions.” That shut him up. “We exchanged mating bites, so I can sense her. I know where she is, and I feel a shadow of what she does. Do you have any idea what it’s like to know your partner is terrified but putting on a brave face? To be absolutely sure of it? Especially when what they’re terrified of is something you’re going to help lead?”

Mammon just shook his head, unable to hold Levi’s stare. “No, I don’t.”

“Exactly.” The sound of a car rolling across gravel interrupted the face-off.
Perfect fucking timing, Thaus
. Levi sighed and grabbed his cup of coffee. “About time he got here.”

A car door slammed, and the sound of footsteps on gravel floated through the kitchen. Quiet and moody, the Dires kept their seats, all probably a little too stressed over this situation. Plus, as far as their manners went, greeting a brother was unnecessary. Thaus wouldn’t even pause at the closed front door.

But it was when the sound of shoes on the wood porch steps hit Levi’s ears that his wolf exploded to the forefront of his mind and all hell broke loose.

Shoes…soft-soled, like the kind you ran or exercised in. Not the lug-soled boots all Dire Wolves tended to wear.

“Amy.” Levi gasped the word on a whisper—an automatic sort of sound made by breath and fear and rage coming together inside him. It escaped without thought, without effort. And then the snarling began.

Levi was up and running for the front of the house in a heartbeat, the table flipped and chairs broken as his brothers followed. Amy stood in the hallway, right in front of the door as if she was going to answer it. Moving closer even as she spun to see what all the commotion was about. Levi’s heart skipped a beat as his world slowed. He wouldn’t reach her in time; he couldn’t. And he knew it.

The glass on the door exploded inward with the blast of what sounded like a shotgun. Pieces of wood, glass, and metal all flew into the room, hitting Amy. Stopping Levi’s heart as the scent of her blood infiltrated his senses. She fell backward with a scream, eyes closed and arms up as if to protect herself. To ward off more of the debris.

Levi dropped to his knees and slid across the wood floor, ending almost directly under Amy and catching her before she made it to the hard floor. Cradling her body in his arms. Phego and Mammon shifted on the fly and raced past them, bursting through the door, their heavy wolves knocking it off the hinges.

Motherfucker
. The bastard had gotten the jump on them. Again.

More gunshots joined the cacophony of the morning, and two additional car doors slammed. The fake kindergarten teacher had arrived and brought friends, it seemed.

Levi needed to get out there, was desperate to put teeth and claws into action against this fucker, but Amy needed him. She was hurt. His mate’s blood was the only thing he could see, the only scent on the air. It enraged him and his wolf. Made them both ready to hunt. To kill. To seek vengeance.

Amy grabbed his arm, breathing heavy. Levi hated seeing her hurt, but there wasn’t much he could do except drag her toward the back of the house. Another handful of shots fired, the round ending with the surprised whimper of one of his brothers. Levi roared toward the open door, his hands curving into paws, fingertips lost to claws. This fucker was going to pay…as soon as he made sure Amy was safe.

“Go,” Amy said, pushing on his shoulder. She winced and grabbed her arm, blood seeping between her fingers. “It’s nothing. They need you.”

Levi glanced toward the door again, then dragged her a few more inches toward the kitchen. “You need me.”

“I need you to kill that guy so we can stop this nonsense.”

The fierceness in her eyes, the surety, was the only thing that could have convinced him she was telling the truth. Amy was right—he needed to get out there and fight so they could end this.

Levi lifted her into his arms and carried her up the first three steps of the staircase. He set her on the landing, tucking her into the corner. Blocking her in on two-and-a-half sides. It wasn’t perfect, but it would have to do for now. He didn’t want her too far away, and he doubted she’d want that either.

When Levi was sure she was as comfortable as he could make her, he rushed to the side table and yanked open the drawer. He passed over the SOG SEAL knife just like his own, knowing it wasn’t enough. But a small pistol sat inside, one he’d made sure was loaded and ready. Just in case.

It was
just in case
time.

“Here.” He made sure the safety was off before handing it to his wary mate. “Stay right here by the stairs. If you need us, scream. We’ll come no matter what. But shoot first.”

“It’s okay. I’ll scream or shoot. Go.”

Levi kissed the top of her head. “Shoot
first
, scream second, ask questions later. Even if you hit one of us, we’ll heal. Okay?”

“Levi,” she cried, her hands shaking and her eyes filling with tears.

“None of that.” He wiped her face and pressed the gun into her hands more firmly. “Not a single one of us would blame you if you hit us. Promise me—shoot first.”

She nodded, looking so small and scared at that moment, it ripped at something in his chest. Levi bent over and kissed her forehead, closing his eyes to stop them from burning.

“Be safe, doll.”

He didn’t wait for a response, running outside before he lost his will. Leaving his heart behind.

Time to get to work.

Three men stood on the driveway, tucked behind the car they’d rolled up in. Humans, by the look of them. One, the man they’d identified as Randall or Gavin, shot toward the house as Levi raced across the porch. Guns didn’t usually worry shifters because they could heal faster than they bled out most of the time, but these guys were different. He could sense it, knew it from the way they’d tracked and found Amy and him. Levi would not be underestimating them.

Phego sat still in wolf form, tucked into the far corner of the porch. Mammon lay curled against a porch support beam in his human form, clutching his arm. Blood splatter painted the porch with bright red polka dots, and a puddle was growing underneath Mammon. More than the shifter would have expected. Way more.

Levi ducked and hurried to his side, thankful the damn roof supports were as thick as they were but knowing he’d be hit if he wasn’t careful.

“What’s doing?”

Mammon growled as another round of gunfire sounded and broke a couple of spindles a little too close for comfort. “Fuckers have something on or in the bullets. This shit ain’t healing right.”

“Fuck.” Levi ducked as a bullet made the handrail right above his head shatter. “We need to disarm them.”

Phego shifted human, crouching behind the corner post. “No shit. How you planning on doing that if those bullet wounds don’t heal?”

And wasn’t that the question of the morning? “I don’t know, but we’d better do something and quick.”

Before Phego could answer, the gunshots stopped and that lying bastard of a so-called kindergarten teacher spoke up.

“Give us the bitch, and we might just let you freaks of nature live.”

Levi practically roared, his growl making the very structure of the porch shake.

“Well, well, well… Someone knows our secret. Or at least part of it.” Phego’s eyes swirled silver, the Dire in him making himself known. “Time to put together a new plan, because we sure as fuck aren’t doing what they want now.”

“
S
hit
.” Amy dropped the gun and clutched her arm. The blood ran over her fingers, pooling on the floor below.

She took a deep breath, trying to think of what she could do that wouldn’t risk her mate. She didn’t know a lot of first aid, not much more than the stuff they showed on television. As a shifter, she healed fast. Way fast. Far faster than the damaged flesh of her arm was currently healing. She’d never felt so much pain or seen so much of her own blood, neither of which helped the panic she was fighting. The sight of her mate racing around the corner and into the hallway had made every instinct flare to life inside of her, had made adrenaline surge through her veins. He’d looked ready to kill as he’d raced toward her…and then the world had exploded.

The sound of her blood dripping onto the wood floor was enough to make her decision for her. She needed to get up and seek help. Levi had said to scream, but she didn’t want to distract him or his brothers. If she could move close enough to the door, she could probably just say his name and he’d come running. But first, she needed a towel or something to wrap around her bloodied arm. Pressure… On television, they always talked about needing to keep pressure on the wound.

When Amy got to her feet, though, the room decided to dance for her. She gripped the newel-post for balance, nearly falling down the three steps to the main level. She stood stock-still and waited it out, hoping she didn’t throw up all over her own feet. The sick feeling, the balance issues… What the hell was wrong with her?

When the room stopped spinning, she gritted her teeth and tried to walk toward something stable. It took only four steps before her head grew too heavy to hold up. The room spun again as she fell into the wall, and her joints began to ache in a way she’d never experienced. Shit, she needed Levi, but she couldn’t remember what he’d told her to do. He was outside, fighting for her, but was he in the front or the back? Where was Phego and…that other one? The one with the nice manners and bad attitude? And why couldn’t she remember his name?

Her stomach lurched again, and her hands began to shake. Maybe if she just went out the front door. It was close and already open just a bit. Which was good, because she was pretty sure she wouldn’t be able to figure out how to use the handle thing. Not without help, at least. She tried to scoot, keeping her butt on the wood floor, but every move made her vision blur and her focus fade. Crawling might be better. Crawling was basically lying down and sliding on a floor like this. Yes, crawling was good. Being close to the ground was a fine plan.

She almost celebrated the first bit she gained. Almost cried over the second, but she kept moving. Kept crawling…sort of.

But as she slithered down the wall to gain another few inches, something dropped right where she needed to go. Blocked and without enough strength to turn another way. She was about to attempt a maneuver around the tan thing in her way when rough hands grabbed her shoulders and lifted her to a sitting position. She gagged and moaned, her head swiveling as she tried to get a good look at who was holding her. It wasn’t Levi, but he was…familiar. She knew his scent, and she was okay with him being there. She was safe.

“Shhh,” the man hissed softly as he wrapped her undamaged arm around his neck and helped her to her feet. “Let’s get you out of here so we can take care of that arm.”

She wanted to nod, but her head felt too heavy. Instead, she rested it against his chest and let him lead her toward the kitchen. He smelled of shifter and something else. Something like coffee. Something that reminded her of food. Breakfast, maybe. A restaurant or diner…

Her
diner. Of course.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, her words muddy and thick even to her own ears. Zeke—the shifter who’d been sitting at her counter for the week before Levi came crashing into her life, the drifter who’d hit on her, chatted with her, and eaten her food—walked her into the kitchen…heading toward the back door.

“I’m here to help you, Armaita.”

Amy’s head cleared enough to revolt at the use of that word. Armaita…pack name…not pack. Zeke was not pack and not mate. She expected her wolf to growl at that thought, but she was met with an odd, uncomfortable silence.

Amy tried to pull away from the shifter, but Zeke had a solid hold on her and she didn’t have the strength or coordination left to put up much of a struggle. She didn’t even know if she’d be able to stand on her own, but something inside of her, something deep and instinctual, screamed at her to try. To keep fighting. To refuse to give up.

“I don’t think you’re supposed to be here,” she said, not quite sure why that rectangle of light leading outside worried her so.

“Oh, on that you’re wrong.” Zeke dragged her into the cold, cruel sunlight of a winter’s day. She had one brief moment of clarity, of instinct and fear and Levi’s words coming together to warn her about what was probably happening, before Zeke lifted her onto his shoulders and began running across the snow-covered backyard. Taking her away from Levi. Away from her safety.

“Stop,” she whispered, her throat dry and her grasp on consciousness slipping away. Even her wolf had gone silent, the creature nowhere to be found within her mind. That silence and the unnerving feeling of being alone in her head for the first time in her life sent her into a full panic. Oh God, what had they done? Without her wolf, would she still be mated to Levi? Without that inner spirit, would he feel their connection?

Without her wolf, would she even be herself anymore?

“Can’t stop, Armaita. We need to get away while those stupid humans are putting your guard dogs down. That bastard tried to take you, but I tricked him good. You were always supposed to be mine.”

Scream!

Amy heard Levi’s voice as clear as day in her mind. That one word reminding her how to get his attention. He’d promised he’d come if she screamed for help, but it was too late. She barely had the strength to make a squeak before blackness swirled around her and she lost her tenuous hold on being awake.