9. Chapter Nine

From where she sat behind Riaz, Cortana admired each unique trait of the mountain town. She was internally screaming at the departure from what she'd scheduled, but she didn't comment while he drove them to wherever their destination might be.

She discovered the answer only a few minutes later. Parking, Riaz gestured for her to jump off first. As she pulled her arms back from his middle, she felt a stab of loss at the contact, but dismissed it just as quickly. The wolf took her helmet when it was offered to him, setting his on the opposite handlebar.

When he glanced down to check a notification on his phone, she idly brushed the end of her braid against her palm. She'd pulled it forward, absently fiddling with it to expel some of her energy. It'd built up after their scouting mission, and now it made her keen to funnel it somewhere useful.

An anxious trait, she'd developed a habit of fiddling with her daggers when her nerves got the better of her. Concealed as they were beneath her jacket and given their surroundings, Cortana couldn't risk extracting them, so her braid had to make do.

Clearing her throat to alert the wolf of her waning patience, she caught his eye as a mischievous smile slanted over his face. "Ready, Cort?"

"My name isn't Cort."

"Who doesn't love a good nickname?"

"Apparently not me, Riaz."

Intensity darkened his gaze. "Say it again."

Shocked at the sudden change, she recoiled, looking him over from head to toe. "Say what again?"

"My name." Hungrily, he licked his lips, the ruddy brown of his eyes looking near black with the night. "Say my name again."

"No, I shan't." She wasn't a coin-operated girl, waiting for her next command. "Why are we here and not back at the den? I have things scheduled out this entire evening. Have you planned on vamp-napping me? Because I assure you, I'm not worth it."

"Oh, I very much doubt that." His voice dropped an octave lower, the tone a sensual rumble that fell from his lips like a beckoning call. Then, as if realizing the effect he was having on her, he shook himself and took a step back. "I'm feeding you."

She blinked.

A voracious hunger suddenly bloomed in her gut, the yearning to taste him shivering over her skin like a thousand kisses. But as her body willed it to be true, her mind revolted. He wouldn't offer his blood to her, here of all places.

Surely, he wasn't offering himself up on a platter to a vampire's fangs.

Riaz jerked a chin to the restaurant just down the street, a hole in the wall that boasted the best burger in Colorado. Following mutely, Cortana fought off the sensation of being let down, knowing instinctively that it was for the best.

Even though it'd been four centuries ago, Cortana still didn't trust herself when her emotions became volatile, and her desire ran hot.

The hostess, a beaming twenty-something who actively batted her lashes at Riaz, eagerly led them to a table outside, yellow lights strung up above the seating area. Only a few couples sat out on the patio this late, leaving them in awkward intimacy when the hostess begrudgingly made her exit.

"You know I don't eat, right?"

This time, it was Riaz's turn to blink in shock. "What?"

"Vampires don't eat." She shrugged, hoping it came across as casual. "Not food, anyway."

Eyebrows knitting together, he scrutinized her like she was trying to pull a fast one on him. "Blood is your main thing—sure—but I thought you could still eat things occasionally. You're telling me you don't eat anything, ever? Not even ice cream? Chocolate? A hot dog?"

With each question, Riaz's consternation grew, mirroring the humor in Cortana. His wide eyes, paired with a look of utter disbelief, made him look boyish and innocent.

"I don't like dogs."

Riaz's jaw dropped. "You don't like dogs?" A strangled sound escaped him. "What else don't I know about you? That you're the living embodiment of evil?"

"Perhaps."

The one-word reply was accompanied by the lightest of giggles, so soft she'd doubt Riaz even heard it. Cortana grimaced at the realization. A giggle? What was happening to her? Next thing she knew, she'd be sprouting piggy tails and painting her nails an ungodly shade of hot pink. Once more, she reaffirmed her vow to remain aloof.

So far, she'd been failing miserably.

"‘Perhaps' she says, as if she wasn't admitting to blasphemy."

Grunting darkly, Riaz mocked her tone, attempting to look displeased. The slight smirk on his mouth, however, told her that he appreciated her honesty, and what's more, her irreverent humor.

Riaz ordered a rare buffalo burger and a mountain of steak fries, all the while attempting to feed her between every other bite. Cortana contented herself in his obvious enjoyment, and the conversation that flowed between them like a well-traveled river.

"The pups keep us busy," he said in between bites. "The last few years, we've had a boon of mated pairs having children."

"Is that normal?"

Eyebrows lifting, he shook his head. "Not at all. We've barely a pup coming every decade if we're lucky, but over the last ten years, we've seen five. Werewolves have exceptionally low fertility rates, but at least we're better than Raeths."

Given Cortana's connection to Nina, she knew that Raeths had difficulty conceiving, even when they were in mated pairs. The only exception was when their population went into Heat, and that only happened every other millennium.

Riaz popped the last fry into his mouth, leaning back against the seat and letting his eyes roam leisurely over Cortana. "Have you ever wanted children?"

"No," she said truthfully. "It's a good thing vampires can't procreate."

"A pity, though. For those who might desire biological offspring."

"Oh, but you have to understand," she contended, leaning forward to nab his attention, "our progeny come from blood rather than birth. Our line continues through siring another, an immortal birth of sorts. You must have something similar in your breed."

He nodded, throwing her a debonair smile. "Alphas are always the ones who bite those we deem worthy of immortality. We're the top dog."

A wink completed his thought, and Cortana found herself rolling her eyes and shaking her head at his antics, loosening a tendril of hair from her braid to frame her face.

"Best in show, huh?"

"Blue ribbon." Puffing out his chest, he pointed to her water. "H2O still on the menu?"

She shrugged. "Water doesn't hurt. And there are a few things I can still stomach."

"Like?"

"Ice on a hot day."

Clutching at his chest dramatically, Riaz threw her a ravishing grin as her cheeks pinked. "A woman after my own heart. When I take you out on our second date, I'll make sure to smuggle in a mini-cooler full of ice chips for you."

"Second date?" She laughed, a genuine sound she had made less and less in recent years. "Awfully presumptuous of you, considering we haven't been on our first one yet."

Was that a question in her voice? Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, the unfamiliar feeling an oddly disconcerting effect that thrummed through her limbs and fuzzied her mind. Why was the wolf asking about dates all of a sudden?

"What do you think this is, Pet?"

Cortana covered her shock with a cough. "This is you greedily stuffing your face and me watching. Pretty far from a date if you ask me."

"I dunno, vampirella. We're alone on a terrace under the light of the moon, drinking and being merry, enjoying each other's company. Seems a lot like a date to me."

When he reached over and tentatively tucked the loose tendril behind her ear, she recoiled with such intensity that her chair screeched against the floor. Surprised, she couldn't hide the shudder of utter panic that trembled through her.

An apology appeared behind Riaz's eyes, regret darkening his flawless features. "Cortana, I'm sor—"

"Just don't, okay?" The ice in her voice made him flinch. "Don't touch my hair."

It took everything in her to control the quiver in her voice. The only reason she stayed seated upon her chair was four centuries of practice and poise. She wished she could take back the reaction, make the pity and regret in Riaz's eyes disappear, wipe away his knowledge of any vulnerability. She didn't like to expose her soft underbelly to the predators.

***

By the time they'd gotten back to the den, the tension between them had soured any further conversation, much less any attempt at flirtation. Riaz parted from her almost immediately, muttering something about pups in need of discipline.

Watching his retreating form down the long hallway, a spike of guilt lanced her chest. Though her reaction was and would always remain similar, she could've explained her dramatic mood shift. She doubted he'd ever truly understand the darkness the stained her soul.

She didn't see Riaz the rest of the night, and she had a sneaking suspicion that it was purposeful. The next evening when she woke, Cortana sifted her fingers through her long brunette waves, nimbly pulling them into the tight braid that'd become as much a part of her as her personality.

Tying off the long rope of her hair, she threw it over her shoulder, the heavy weight of it settling between her shoulder blades. Her daggers went into the sheaths at her hips, rounding out her ensemble.

She typed a quick text to Drake, updating him on their startlingly slow progress and promising another report before the end of tomorrow. As always, his reply was near instantaneous, followed quickly by a gushing text from Toni, his wife.

The young Elemental was as fiery as the strawberry blonde color of her hair, her innate positivity and bubbly personality drawing Drake to her like a vampire to type AB negative blood. In the three years it'd been since she had taken his life by storm, Cortana and Toni had become good friends.

Though she'd initially been against Toni's involvement in Drake's life, she'd changed her tune once she realized the depth of her sire's affection for the other woman—and the lengths to which he'd go to have her by his side.

Now, she was thrilled with her sire's wife.

But when Toni had moved in, Cortana had unintentionally been pushed out. Rather than the confidant she'd always been, she became Drake's pencil pusher, his personal assistant. She'd been relegated to a second thought rather than someone he looked to for the balance he'd always needed. Being a glorified secretary left her feeling underutilized.

Everything in her life was strictly controlled. Whether it was her hair or her schedule, Cortana was devoted to routine and ritual. By doubling down on the things she could control, she ensured that the wilder, more dangerous side of her nature never reared its ugly head.

Toni's influence had opened Drake up to spontaneity, altering his style and making him a happier, more balanced person. In Cortana's eyes, that shift equated to something that'd left her free-falling when she needed to be grounded. What had once been a shelter had become something radically different.

Cortana had never blamed Toni for it. In fact, she loved Toni—and she would protect Drake's wife with her life. But that life had altered irrevocably, and Cortana had somehow remained in neutral, stuck in the mud of a previous life. It wasn't a good look on her.

Starting her own House was out of the question, and she no longer felt content in her sire's. When Drake had offered her this mission, she'd taken it. It was a last-ditch effort to refocus and reprioritize, and she was taking one day at a time.

As she walked, the telltale sounds of battle rang in her ears, the swish of swords flying through the air and the dulled thump of fists meeting flesh. Heart kicking in anticipation, her feet sailed across the wood flooring, bringing her to the largest indoor gymnasium she'd ever beheld. Along the innermost wall, a five-story climbing wall posed a daunting challenge—especially for those climbers who risked it without ropes. Sparring mats took up the broadest portion of the room, spanning wall to wall anywhere exercise equipment didn't cover.

Werewolves in workout attire were in every major area of the room and occupied nearly as many bleachers. While Cortana had no need to exercise to maintain her form, courtesy of her vampiric nature, skills could get rusty with disuse, and it'd been far too long since she'd tested her mettle.

Opting for a casual walk, Cortana took to the edges of the gym. No one glanced at her twice, though several gave her wide smiles.

Her heart stalled in the next moment.

A flash of rich brown skin. The grunt of a takedown. The howl of an alpha wolf celebrating his win. Riaz.

The wolf offered a hand to the man lying on the ground, hoisting up his beefy opponent with a masculine growl. "Watch that flank, Talon. Leaving it open will only get you flat on your back."

"Says the alpha who hasn't been bested in a hundred years." Though the words were bitter, the smile was anything but.

Riaz toweled off his face after the opponent took his leave, and settled into a solitary routine on the mats. The flowing movements, reminiscent of Krav Maga, were as graceful as they were liquid. Shirtless, there was no denying the long, muscular lines of his form, nor his raw magnetism.

Each movement illustrated the grace and power that lived contained within him.

Cortana was happy that he hadn't noticed her. It was as if he'd taken to his own world, his practice filling out the boundaries of his mind while his body performed the routine.

Cortana's own mind plunged her into last night, when she'd wrapped her body around his on the motorcycle, having the privilege to affirm that what was on show was the real deal. She had held those precisely defined muscles and the memory of their heat was forever embedded in her fingertips.

A deep, feminine chuckle pulled her from her thoughts. Cortana's eyes snapped to her right, where she found Ava's mouth twisted in a wry grin.

"Appreciating my alpha, huh?"

Cortana glanced back to where Riaz was practicing on the mats, completely unaware of her voyeuristic tendencies. "Not appreciating. ‘Observing' is a touch more apt."

"Lies bind the tongue and sour the spirit, Cortana. Even a vampire can appreciate that tall glass of water." Ava's eyes danced with humor.

"What makes you think I'm thirsty?"

"Everyone's thirsty for something," she replied. "You just have to figure out whether you want water or ale."

Cortana grunted. "I'm more of a red blood girl, myself."

As she watched, Ava's expression turned shrewd, the other woman offering her a knowing smirk. "Fortunately, I believe Riaz's blood runs red."

The sound of footsteps saved her from having to reply, a sandy-haired werewolf skidding to a stop before them. "Ava! I wanted to volunteer for the scouting mission to the plant."

Bouncing on his heels, the hopeful expression on the youngster's face betrayed just how keen he was to be involved. Ava, however, adopted a schooling look before responding, "Benny, you know you're not approved for scouts yet. You've yet to pass your field exam and you still need weapons training."

A whimper escaped before Benny could silence it, his deep blue eyes falling mournful with a pitiful pout. "But Ava, you know my wolf is keen to help."

"I don't doubt it, pup." Ava rested her palm against his cheek, the move as maternal as it was chastening. "But there are rules in place for a reason, and you have to trust our alpha."

Benny huffed a sigh. "Isn't there anything I can do to prove myself? I'll do anything!"

The youth's drive was so compelling, Cortana hoped he'd get a chance to run with the scouts soon. Ava merely patted his cheek. "You've still got a lot to prove on the mats before you're ready to scout, little pup."

"I'll take on anybody here, beta. Just watch me!"

Cortana's chuckle caught his attention. A spark of hope lit in the pup's eyes, and he looked back and forth between them. "If I take out the vamp, will I have proven myself?"

Boisterous laughter sounded from behind Benny. Tilting her head to the side to see its source, Cortana found Riaz just feet behind the young werewolf, an infectious grin lighting the alpha's features.

"I'm pretty sure our resident vamp doesn't do mat work, pup." Another laugh. "She might break a nail or something."

Oh, now it's on.

Cortana's eyebrows rose incredulously. "Break a nail, Fido? How about I stab you in the neck with these nails to demonstrate their strength?"

Without asking for his permission, she removed her outer jacket, revealing the teal tank top she'd put on underneath. Benny darted off to the other side of the mat, quickly warming up. Beside her, Ava drew near and kept her voice low.

"Go easy on the pup. He lost his family two years ago to the Citizens hunter, and he's eager to do his part in protecting the pack." Ava's lips thinned. "He thinks that if he saves enough people—if he can walk in Riaz's footsteps—it'll eventually stop hurting."

It felt as though she'd been kicked in the gut, but Cortana simply nodded to the beta. She rolled her shoulders to limber up, and jerked her chin to beckon Benny into the ‘ring'.

With a whoop of excitement, the pup leapt onto the mats, shifting anxiously from foot to foot before settling into a stance. By the time Cortana assumed her position, they'd already drawn a crowd of curious onlookers.

It'd been a hot minute since she'd actually entered into combat with another, but she'd never let her skills get rusty. The last time she'd sparred, it'd been at the House in New York City, working off aggression with another one of Drake's lieutenants.

And like that one, she'd win this handily.

Benny immediately went for the throat, relying on his brute strength to slam into her like he'd clearly done with every other opponent. Casually, Cortana merely sidestepped his attack, leaving him to tumble off the mat in an uncoordinated jumble of limbs.

Barking a laugh at himself, Benny turned on her with eager eyes, clearly enjoying the game afoot. Over the next ten minutes, he attempted no less than twenty different take downs and demonstrated a surprisingly robust repertoire of martial arts. However, even when Riaz began coaching him from the sidelines, Benny didn't land a single blow.

Finally, when the young wolf had exhausted himself, Cortana easily took him to the mat with a Judo throw, pinning him with a jujitsu chokehold that he hadn't seen coming. Tired but not defeated, Benny accepted a hand up and tipped an imaginary hat in her direction.

"Huh, would you look at that." Riaz remarked flippantly. "Danger Fangs beat him. More than just a pretty face after all."

The look behind his eyes told her exactly what she needed to know. Riaz had known full well she wasn't a porcelain doll that sat on a shelf to be admired, a pretty trinket with no purpose. He'd anticipated she'd wipe the floor with Benny.

With a start, Cortana realized his jeering only served the purpose of inciting her into action.

The man played dirty.