5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Daisy

I watch Micah clasp his watch back on his wrist, biting my lip. My mate is sexy. He’s tall, and I could drool if I looked at his body for more than a few minutes. He has broad shoulders, muscular arms, and an ass I want to bite.

Okay, yes, I looked. Hard.

I can’t even think about his cock. He invited me to look. What’s a girl to do? Look, obviously.

I’m having a hard time concentrating on anything but him and the heat sweeping through my body. When a female shifter meets her mate, the heat starts. The only way to calm it is to have sex with your mate or at least have him relieve it with his hand. Or mouth. Or fingers. The best way is through sex and your mate coming inside you. It is the universe's way of continuing the shifter species.

I smelled him right before his hand was around Henry’s throat. His scent confirms he is my mate. Vampires don’t technically have a smell, it’s more of a lack of smell, but there is an underlying aura they exude. Micah has a scent to me. He smells delicious, and my coyote wants to roll over and let him do anything he wants.

The woman does, too.

I haven’t given much thought to having a mate, but now that’s all I’m doing—thinking. I thought only the lucky got a mate, and I’ve never been lucky in love or life. I learned the facts from a rabbit shifter I was friends with and Lace. I thought it was a nice dream which would never happen, except mine is now standing in front of me. That kiss. Fuck. I want to do it again and again. His hands are big. How will they feel on my skin?

I don’t care that he is a vampire or that he is way older than me. I’ll call him Daddy.

“Daisy.” Micah's lips curve.

“Huh?” I tear my eyes away from his lips. Ryker and Bash try to muffle their laughter but fail.

“You have questions?” He points to the three men hanging from chains.

“Right,” I mumble. I shake my head and turn to them. Miles’ face is frozen in fear, and Henry is expecting my approach, but I walk to Colby. He’s hanging between them. “Colby, do you know anything about my brother?”

“I don’t know anything,” he says, his voice shaking.

“If I remember correctly, you are ten years older than I am,” I say. He nods slowly, and I glance back at Micah. “I am thirty-two, mate.”

“Noted,” he smirks.

I pull the knife from my pants. “Do you remember when I was ten, and I failed to move fast enough? I was supposed to steal a man's wallet while you watched and taped the act. Turner wanted you to videotape the theft so if I failed, he could play it repeatedly for a lesson.”

“I don’t remember,” he denies, his eyes tracking the knife.

I point it at him. “That is a lie. You brought up the incident a month ago and laughed about it with the pack.” He swallows hard when I touch the blade's tip to his nose. “The man was human and grabbed my arm. I was able to run away, but I shouldn’t have run back home. Do you remember when Turner told you to bite me to teach me a lesson?” I’m not expecting him to answer, but his eyes fill with fear. “It hurt so badly. Miles held me down while you shifted and bit down to the bone.” Low growling erupts from Micah and, surprisingly, from Ryker and Bash, too.

“I wasn’t allowed to heal. Turner wouldn’t let me shift for days. It wasn’t a one-time thing either. Do you regret any of it? Do you wish you would have had the guts to say no?” I glide the knife over the tip of his nose, pressing harder as I get to his neck. “You laughed as I lay bleeding on the floor.” I watch his blood ooze as I penetrate his skin. “Should I laugh?”

“Please,” he begs.

“I used to beg. I would cry every time. Do you like being in chains? I didn’t,” I growl. “I was chained to the bed so I couldn’t shift, so the bite marks would be a part of me forever.”

“Micah,” Ryker says, right before Micah presses against my back.

“Let me kill him,” he says, fury in his voice, nudging his head against mine.

“Not yet, Micah,” I say, squeezing his thigh. “I wanted to get better. The pack was my only family, and even though I knew it wasn’t right, I wanted to please my family. I hated those chains,” I whisper. I run the knife up his arms to his wrists, pressing slightly. “The first time, I would thrash and fight, hoping I would somehow get out. I never did. The second time or the third. I was so young.” I slice his skin and I’m mesmerized by the blood that escapes. I’ve dreamed about making them bleed.

“Fuck, please,” he cries.

“Five years of bites and chains is a long time. Not one of you helped me. Liam tried. He would cry and cry. When it first started, he was a baby. As he grew, you would torment us both by letting him sit beside me on the bed, his little hands pulling at the chains,” I hiss, my eyes brightening. I slice his other wrist deep.

“Stop,” Henry says weakly.

I snarl at him, “Fuck off.” I make sure Colby’s wrists are bleeding steadily. “I want you both to watch Colby die. You like to watch.”

“Fucking bitch,” Henry screams.

“Micah, will you shut him up?” I ask, and he leaves me.

“Of course,” he says. I assume he is going to do his mind trick, but instead, he punches him. Henry’s nose breaks, and he passes out from the force of the blow.

“That’s one way,” Bash mutters.

“Please,” Miles whispers.

“Can we leave them here?” I wipe my knife on Colby’s shirt and turn to Ryker.

“Yes,” he says. Ryker is the dark and ruthless type. His shoulder-length hair is black, and he wears clothes that match.

I glance at Bash. He’s freaking stunning. His white hair glows in the dark basement, but what fascinates me is the huge hammer he holds at his side.

“Can I hold your hammer?” I ask him. He slides his hand behind his back as if he’s afraid I will steal it.

“A little tip, love.” Micah steps next to me. “Don’t even look at it. He’s very territorial.”

“Fine,” I sigh. I’m distracted again and lean closer to my mate. “You smell yummy.” I rest my chin on his shoulder.

“It’s time to go,” he says abruptly.

“You're going to leave us here?” Miles whines.

Ryker picks up duct tape from the table. He extends it, rips it with his vampire teeth, and places it over the first coyote’s mouth twice. He repeats the act to Colby and moves to Henry.

“He’s going to fucking kill you,” Henry says to me. His mouth is covered quickly.

“The room is soundproof, but only to the humans,” Ryker explains.

“We will be back tomorrow,” Micah says. “It’s late. I’m taking her to the apartment.”

“Micah,” I say, pulling on his shirt. “I have to go to the pack house.” Anxiety rushes through me.

“Why?” he asks.

“I need my things,” I say quietly. I haven’t been away from my possessions for longer than a day.

“Love, I’ll buy you whatever you need.”

“But I need my things,” I stress. “They are valuable.” I don’t want to explain with Ryker and Bash listening. “Are you worried Turner is there?” He’s probably searching the woods since the guys didn’t check in.

“Fuck no,” he denies. He stares at me. “We can go. If we are lucky, he’ll be there, and he can join his friends.”

“Thank you,” I breathe.

“Do you need backup?” Ryker asks.

“No.” Micah laces his fingers with mine. “But I’ll take it.”

“Are we walking through the shadows again?” I ask as he leads the way up the stairs. I wasn’t lying; it was thrilling to fly across the ground in his arms.

“Yes.” He smiles. “I need the address first.”

“How many more are in your pack?” Bash asks.

“There are ten more, including Turner,” I answer. The thud of the music vibrates under my feet as we get closer to the club. We wind through hallways in the dark. There must be multiple ways to access the basement because I don’t remember coming this way. Normally, if three vampires lead you through small, dark places, you should fear for your life. Micah stops at the door, allowing Ryker to pass us. He enters numbers into a keypad and swings open the door. The music is grating on my ears, so I dim my enhanced hearing. I’m amazed they would choose to run a club; their hearing is much more sensitive than mine. I barely get a glimpse of a crowd of dancers before Micah pulls me down another hallway.

A human stumbles by from what I’m assuming is the bathroom. He looks up and jerks when he sees three huge men barreling his way.

The club would be heaven for my pack. Humans smooshed together, drunk, and packed together on the dance floor. Their only concern is who they will find for a fun night—easy pickings for thieves like me. I don’t mean to brag, but I would clean up here.

The man hurries past.

Sometimes, I just can't help it. When you are trained to steal from a young age and tortured if you don’t do it well, it becomes ingrained in your being. The human brushes by me, and I fluidly slide out his wallet. Depending on what he is wearing, there are key places where a man holds it.

It wasn’t hard. It was already halfway out of his back pocket.

Shit.

Micah’s eyes flicker my way. I smile brightly, and he stops. I lower my lashes.

“You are really good,” he says, tipping my chin up. “I wouldn’t have noticed if I wasn’t watching your movements. Do you need it?”

“No,” I whisper. “It’s a habit,” I say defensively. Ryker and Bash look at us curiously.

“I don’t care if you keep it,” he says. He confuses me. I assumed he would be ashamed of my behavior.

I pull it out of my pocket. “You can give it back.” I slap the leather wallet onto his palm.

“Bash,” he calls. “Would you mind catching the human? He dropped his wallet.” Micah holds it out for Bash to grab without taking his eyes off of me. Bash takes it smoothly on the way by us without looking.

“Are you regretting having a coyote for a mate yet?” I ask, afraid of his answer. He moves closer, his hand still under my chin, not allowing me to hide from him.

“I think it’s adorable,” he says, and I jerk. “There isn’t much that surprises me anymore, but you are a surprise.” As Bash returns, he steps back and reclaims my hand.

I don’t know what to do with him. I mean, I know what I would like him to do to me, but I’m not used to someone being so casual with my behavior. Should I trust it? Trust him? My gut is telling me to.

His friends have been watchful and quiet, but not in a judgmental way. I suppose vampires as old as they are have seen some shit over the years. A coyote who steals is probably low on their list of fucked up things.

We leave the building, and Micah turns to me. “Ready, Love?”

“Yes.” Yes, I think I am. He lifts me and tucks me close. I rub my face on his neck. I can’t help myself; I taste his skin. Just a small lick.

“Pet,” he grunts in warning, swatting my ass.

I squeak, and my tongue darts back into my mouth, and we are flying.

I could get used to this way of traveling. I have never felt so free. When I am in his arms, I can forget everything else. There is no pack. No one is trying to kill me. I can be at peace with Micah.

Humans will never understand the automatic connection we feel with our mate. I know almost nothing about Micah. I know he’s an ancient vampire with capabilities I didn’t know vampires could possess. He is super sexy, able to hold me easily, and will do anything to keep me safe. I am drawn to him in ways I never thought possible. I wasn’t expecting a mate. Shit, I have been too busy trying to survive to think about meeting my mate. I definitely wasn’t expecting a mate who looks like him, acts like he does, or is a vampire. I assumed I would cross paths with a random coyote or human and feel the bond.

No, I wasn’t expecting Micah, but I want to keep him.

My body is on board, melting on his chest, trusting him. I need to have a conversation with him, without an audience, about the bond. He must know more about it than I do. My pack wasn’t very educational, and I don’t remember anyone talking about a vampire mating a shifter.

My coyote is vibrating with excitement inside me, ready to allow Micah to mark us, fuck us, and protect us. A shifter's relationship with their animal is personal and special to each shifter. Some of us speak to them as if they are a separate person with feelings and emotions. Some have a different voice than the shifter. Most speak to you with pictures and a feeling they push through the bond you have with them. My animal is the only thing that has kept me putting one foot in front of the other, living every day, hoping one day we can live in peace. She is the reason I fight so hard. We are always on the same path; we have the same goals and most of the same feelings.

The air stills. “Love, we are here,” Micah says quietly. I don’t want to leave his arms and face the pack house, but I loosen my grip. His hands slide from my ass up my body as I drop to my feet. He stopped across the street from the house.

I turn slowly. “They aren’t here,” I state. Even though the walls of the house would dull their smell and presence, since I am part of the pack, I would be able to feel them inside. I walk cautiously across the street with a line of vampires at my back. Turner is a paranoid fucker; he installed cameras at the front and back door. “Do you have any tricks to disable the cameras?” I glance over my shoulder as I unlock the door.

Micah eyes the camera before yanking it off the side of the house. “Yep.” He throws it to the ground and steps on it, his lips curved in a sexy smirk.

“That works,” Ryker says.

“Thanks,” I say as I push open the door. “There is one in the back, too,” I offer.

“Are there any in the house?” Bash asks.

“Not that I know of,” I answer, moving to the side, my hand on the door handle to allow them to enter. “I was worried there was, so I searched for any. I didn’t find anything.” I shut the door. “Unless he was really creative on the install.”

“We should be able to hear them if they are close,” Micah says, and my eyes widen.

“Really? Your ears are that sensitive?”

“Yes,” Bash says, looking around the entryway.

“Does Turner have an office?” Micah asks.

“Yes. It’s down the hall, by the kitchen.” I point in the direction.

“Ryker. Bash. Take a look,” Micah says. “See if you can find anything with Daisy’s name on it or Liam. We need information, and maybe he has some lying around. Have you searched it?” he asks.

“I’ve tried. He usually keeps it locked. The pack members are always around, so it’s difficult to do an in-depth search.” Bash and Ryker head toward the office.

“Lead the way,” Micah says.

I nod and walk to the stairs. It's surreal walking with my vampire mate to my bedroom. Every day, I walk through the house, my body tense and on guard for anything to happen. With Micah behind me, I feel none of that. The house is quiet, and our footsteps are the only sound. I can’t even hear the guys in Turner’s office; vampires certainly step lightly.

I won’t miss living here. The walls hold the terrors of my younger years and the anger and sadness of recent years. I have a twinge of worry. Should I stay? Would it be possible to stay away from Micah? The pull I feel toward him is powerful, and I don’t think he would allow me to be separated from him. Guilt slides through me as I think of my brother. Will I never find him if I leave?

I reach my bedroom door and use my keys.

“You have to lock your door? Do they try to come in your room?” he asks, his eyes narrowed.

“Not much anymore.” I push the door. “It used to be a regular occurrence when I was younger, but I fell in line and tried not to cause trouble.” My bedroom shrinks with him in it. I shut the door and lock it automatically. I avoid his eyes after he glares at the locks.

“You were living in a cage,” he growls.

“One of my own making,” I whisper. I walk to the closet as he roams around the room. I divide my attention between him and grabbing a big bag to put my things in. He catches me hesitating and tilts his head.

“What?” he asks softly.

I bite my lip, unsure. “Could you turn around? I have a hiding spot. I know it’s ridiculous since you are my mate and can hear everything. But I can pretend, right?”

“It’s not ridiculous,” he says and turns his back.

I quickly grab my little stool and step on it. My eyes dart back and forth as I reach into the ceiling. I know it’s weird, but over the years, I have collected everything special to me. I have things my brother touched, a piece of the blanket he loved as a child, and things that represent every milestone in my life. Even though it was wrong, all the pretty things and expensive things I stole, the ones I managed to keep from Turner, go in there, too.

Every coyote in this house has a hoard of things.

I drop down and carefully place it in the bag. Then, I quickly grab my clothes and throw them on top.

“You have no privacy here,” Micah says.

“Not much,” I snort. “The guys leave the house, of course, but rarely all at once.”

“You have no time to yourself?”

“It’s pretty sad.” I shove in more clothes. “Fuck, they hear everything. I hear everything. I hate it when they bring women home. I usually listen to music all night when that happens. That’s why I have to pick my moments to mastur…” I freeze, my arm lifted in the process of pulling a shirt off the hanger. Why would I talk about masturbating? Maybe he didn’t guess what I was going to say. I glance up. Nope. He knows. My arm drops heavily to my side. He slowly turns, his eyes blazing.

Uh-oh.