CHAPTER FIVE

M urphy returned to the apartment just before dawn. He’d been hiding out, and in fear of the jackals, he owed money. They had an agreement, Jaden in place of cash, but they were the type to disavow agreements and go straight for the jugular, so he laid low overnight.

The thought of Jaden with the vampire burned him in the worst way. The vampire wouldn’t keep a slut like Jaden, but he would use him for a few days, and in the meantime, Murphy was running from jackals. He wished he’d made a few more videos of Jaden and then just killed the little bastard. He was more trouble than he was worth.

He’d found that humans weren’t good for anything except a good fuck and a good thumping. His last human, Joel, a twink he’d met at the Blood Rose, managed to entertain him for nearly three weeks before becoming an insufferable bore. He sold him to a bear clan in the suburbs. That human knew his place and did as he was told, unlike Jaden, who always had an opinion.

He looked forward to either killing that little bastard and burying him at the landfill or handing him over to the jackals. He would teach him a lesson, an end-of-life lesson. He laughed at his own joke and called one of his contacts to see if the agreement was still in play.

“They’re gone. Every last fucking one of them has disappeared, man.” His contact was in a panic. “Something or someone came through and found every one of them, even the loathsome snake shifter, and they are gone. Nothing left but a scorch mark on the pavement.”

“You can’t be serious. Nothing has that kind of power.” Murphy disputed what he was being told.

“Enforcers from the Rose Coven came through here last night.” He informed but quietly as if he thought someone was listening.

“Why would they care?”

“I don’t know but apparently they do.” With that his contact closed the call leaving Murphy hanging with more questions. He decided he needed to make a move this might have nothing to do with Jaden or everything to do with Jaden so that young man needed to be eliminated.

He called Jaden because, chances are, he had his phone with him. The idiot went nowhere without his fucking phone. He put in the call and waited. It went to voice mail. He waited thirty minutes and called again, and it went to voice mail. He waited fifteen minutes, and this time, the fucking cunt picked up.

…

Victor heard the phone ringing, but Jaden was ignoring it. Then it rang again and again and finally Jaden could resist no longer and answered the call. Victor listened knowing who was calling and wishing that Jaden had let keep going to voice mail instead of talking to the bastard. But it was fear that was still pushing Jaden to a certain extent, and it would take time to purge that feeling. Murphy had conditioned him to be afraid.

“What do you want?” Jaden barked.

“Get your ass back home, or I'm going to find you and kill you and your new fuck buddy." That was it; Victor would tolerate no more. He took the phone from Jaden.

“I’m going to find you and pull your spine out, your asshole Murphy, and then I'm going cause you some real pain."

“Who is this?” He shouted with just a hint of terror.

“The fuck buddy. You come anywhere near Jaden, and I’m going to do things to you that are unheard of outside of hell.”

"You don't scare me, vampire.”

"I don't mean to scare you, shifter. I mean to kill you."

“Jaden Pearson is mine, and if you wish to dispute that claim, then meet me at the warehouse on Thirty-Third and Lester. Be there by two this afternoon, and we'll see who takes the prize.” Murphy closed the call, and Victor handed the phone back to Jaden.

"You can't do this, Victor. Murphy is an animal. He follows no rules and fights like a dog. I can't have you hurt on my behalf." Jaden was becoming frantic, drawing situations and outcomes from fantasy.

“Don’t worry about me, and just so we're clear, there is nothing I wouldn't do on your behalf, be it battling a tiger or the devil himself. You are mine, and the world will know that truth."

“Please don’t risk your life over this.” Jaden held him and pleaded.

"I am the second in command of the Rose Coven, and I answer to no one but Master Conall Rose. There is no one on this earth that I fear apart from Conall Rose. No fleabag tiger shifter is going to lay claim to what is mine and walk away.”

“Murphy isn't worth your time or your effort. He is nobody."

"He hurt you repeatedly, and he will pay." Victor pulled Jaden into his arms and kissed him hard and exacting, letting him know that this was how it would be, that nothing would stop him from meeting Murphy's challenge.

Victor called Drakon to cover the exterior of the warehouse while he was inside with Murphy. He didn’t trust him not to have something planned and Drakon had a nose for traps. He also asked for Dean to stay with Jaden while he was gone. He didn’t like leaving his beloved, but it was necessary to get rid of Murphy. The tiger was an irritant that was becoming impossible and the sooner he was dispatched the better for everyone.

…

Jaden sat in the living room of Victor’s apartment with a cup of coffee and a tray of sandwiches and fruits. Victor was concerned that he might be hungry and asked him to try and eat but Jaden had no appetite despite not having eaten since yesterday noon.

The thought of his amazing lover fighting over him filled him with both pride and worry. He didn't want Victor hurt. He was the first person to treat him like he was special and talk to him like he mattered. He didn’t want to lose this man or scare him away with his baggage.

Dean arrived shortly after Victor left, and Jaden appreciated his company. "Drakon went with him. Victor didn't trust Murphy not to set some traps, so Drakon will take care of the exterior while Victor takes care of Murphy."

"I shouldn't have gotten him involved. It's not his problem." Jaden implored.

"You're his beloved. There is nothing he wouldn't do for you. It's the way vampires are wired. I know that you feel it, too, because I was drawn to Drakon like a mad person. I couldn't get enough of him, and all he had to do was speak to me, and I was falling to my knees.” Dean became a bit dramatic, but Jaden couldn’t deny he felt the same for Victor.

“Would you fight for him?”

"Of course, I would."

“Well, there you go then. Let him deal with this challenge. You can support him. You two have bonded, so you can connect. Think of him and push love and support. That is the best thing you can do for him now." Jaden wasn't sure what he was talking about but decided to follow his direction and began pushing his love and support out to Victor. To his surprise, he got an answer.

“He responded.” Jaden was shocked.

"Of course he did. You're his beloved."

“He let me know he was fine, and he loves me too. It wasn’t in so many words, but I felt it, and I know it.” Jaden smiled with relief.

"Just keep sending him your love," Dean told him, and they settled in.

Victor was surprised when Jaden made the connection sending him a mental message of love. He was so lucky to be gifted such a man sexy as sin and pure and gold. He planned to finish with Murphy and get back to him as soon as possible. He met up with Drakon on site and he had already taken out two snipers. They wouldn’t have killed him but could have injured him and given Murphy an edge.

“I’m sure there are more Murphy strikes me as a liar and a cheat, so he probably has several paid assholes in the rafters," Drakon stated and headed off to the neighboring warehouse.

Victor stepped inside and looked around. The smell of cat shifter was strong indicating there was more than one cat in the area. It wasn’t long before Murphy came forward from behind some random boxes and walked toward Victor.

"We don't have to do this. Just hand him over, and we can both go about our business." He offered in a cocky tone only a cat shifter can achieve. It's a cross between bootlicker and bully. Victor didn't respond but rather studied the area, noting a cougar shifter off to his left and another overhead.

The one overhead took a shot at him but missed, and the one on the left ran at him while Murphy stepped back and let them fight. Victor tore out the one's throat before he had a chance to raise his hand and then leaped onto the overhead beam and gutted the sniper. He then dropped back to the main floor and faced Murphy.

“If you're waiting for your men outside to assist, they are already dead," Victor stated and started walking toward him. Murphy stepped forward and pulled a dagger from his jacket. It was long and sharp, and he wielded it like a professional, but in Victor's eyes, he was nothing but a cat with a knife and nothing more.

"He isn't worth it," Murphy stated sharply

“That’s what he said about you.” Victor taunted.

“I’ve sent off the video to his family and sold it to a group that plans to upload it far and wide." He tried to antagonize, but it wasn't working.

"The video has been wiped, and anyone who attempts to find it will become a target of the Rose Coven. Jaden has nothing to worry about. All that is left is you.” Victor moved swiftly, and although Murphy managed to get in one swipe of his dagger, catching Victor in the upper arm, that was all he managed to do.

Victor took him down easier than he thought he would. Murphy had become sloppy and out of shape his reactions were slow which often happened with shifter who didn’t pay enough attention to their animal.

Murphy tried to shift, but his cat did not respond. Victor took him to the floor and bent his arms behind his back. “You are such a waste of time and effort.” Victor grabbed the dagger from where it had dropped and plunged it through his heart, a sure way to finish a shifter. Victor bent down and whispered into his ear. "He is mine."

“It’s over.” Jaden announced and Dean agreed. “You felt it too?” He asked and Dean nodded.

“Drakon always keeps me informed. He knows that I worry." Dean explained.

"I am so happy, Dean. I can't believe that my life has taken such a positive turn, considering the mess that I was in. I couldn't see a way out until Victor stepped into my life."

"I was the same with Drakon. He came into my life, and my troubles disappeared."

Jaden was waiting for him out back of the Coven house and as soon as he pulled in and parked Jaden was at the car. Victor stepped out and took him into his arms. “I love you so much Victor.”

“I love you too, baby.” Victor picked him up in his arms and they headed inside. “I need a long, hot shower would you like to join me sweetheart?”

“There isn’t anything I’d like more than to have you naked and wet and in my arms.” Jaden declared, and Victor ran for the stairs, not content to wait for the elevator.

“Wet and naked sounds awfully good to me, too." Victor chuckled. "No more worries, my love." He told him once they were inside the apartment. "You are mine, and I am yours.

"The vampire's beloved," Jaden stated.

"Forever, my darling."

THE END