Chapter 14

We’d talked for a while and Lucian had answered all my mate’s questions, things he’d told me about when I first got to his house. All four of them walked out a while ago and I stayed behind, pacing from one end of the office to the other while Lucian sprawled in his chair on the other side of the desk. He’d found Weber’s location, or what would be her location in a day or so. Every inch of me itched to hunt her down right now, but it’d be pointless if she wasn’t home.

I still needed to tell Lucian that I’d called her, but I wasn’t looking forward to the lecture. It also made my doubt of him very obvious.

A sharp howl split the air, and I froze mid-pace. A snarl echoed from down the hall. What the hell was going on? I rushed into the hallway, toward the foyer where the front door was open. The sounds of fighting echoed and then the crunch of gravel as a car spun into the front driveway. I hurried to exit, but a grip bunched the back of my shirt, stopping me. Enzo and Tanner exited the house before me.

I glared at Elliot and yanked out of his grip, hurrying outside.

Stomping onto the gravel just outside the front door, I found Beckett tearing into the body of a man mid-shift. With another shake of Beckett’s head, the griffin’s feathers flew everywhere. The man fully shifted and sliced his beak into Beckett’s hind, but surface damage was all he managed as Beckett sank his teeth into the griffin’s neck. With a final shake, the creature stilled. Feathers hovered over them like seeds of dandelions caught in a strong breeze before floating to the ground. Deep gouges marred the gravel like a vehicle had careened into the drive and peeled out.

“There’s more,” I breathed. There was no sign of a car, but there’d been one. It didn’t take much deducing that there were likely others.

Enzo took off to the left and Tanner to the right while Elliot stayed at my back.

“On Maya duty?” I asked as he tailed my ass.

“ Oui ,” he murmured, sweeping his gaze around.

Clothing littered the ground from the male’s shift. I crouched to inspect the contents of his pockets for clues as to why he was here, but there was nothing. Another scream echoed from inside the house, and my heart slammed against my chest. It sounded like one of the kids. I was inside within moments to find Lucian fighting off two more men in the kitchen.

I threw myself into the mix, hauling myself onto one of their backs and tightening my legs around his sides as I took him to the floor. My knee banged into the tile, but I didn’t let go as we grappled on the floor. One of the bar stools fell over with a loud thump. He bucked to get me off, but he couldn’t dislodge my grip. Hooking my arm around his throat, I squeezed my forearm until he stopped struggling. I let go, and he thumped on the ground, face down. I swiped my damp hands against my leggings. My talons had popped out at some point and blood slicked my fingers.

Lucian slammed a knife into the neck of the unconscious Unnatural he’d been fighting. His shoulders jerked as he slid it into his spine. Strain tightened the corner of Lucian’s eyes. Watching the meticulous motion caused a lurch in my chest. There was such a dispassionate expression on his face. Lucian finished sawing the knife through the guy’s neck, leaving the opened jagged maw of his bloody throat hanging to the left.

Lucian straightened and absorbed the surroundings with one sweep. Glancing at the lifeless body at my feet, his head tilted down in a brief nod of approval. It shouldn’t have made me feel as good as it did. I puffed out my cheeks with an exhale.

Fighting took out a lot more out of me than it should have since I was already low on energy, which meant I desperately needed to feed if I didn’t want it to be uncontrollable. The twisting of my stomach said as much.

A shout had me in Lucian’s bedroom within seconds. The three boys had splintered the chestnut bedframe and had somehow pinned a woman on one of the four posts. She screamed, digging her fingers into the mattress as she attempted to remove herself. I grabbed her dark hair and pulled her off the rest of the way. Griffin, Bear, and Fox watched, hunched as if they would jump into action at any moment.

I dragged the woman back and pushed my talons into the front of her throat. “Stop fighting.”

She stiffened despite the awkward angle since I was much shorter than her.

Griffin stared at my head. Based on how my tail swished, my horns had likely also popped free.

“Stay here,” I ordered the boys while backing up. The door slammed behind me as soon as I hauled her out into the hallway. Just a few steps took us into the kitchen where Lucian hovered over the man I’d killed.

“You didn’t break skin,” Lucian murmured, fascination evident. “It takes great strength and control not to take it too far.”

I manhandled the woman forward and slammed her ass down on an upright bar stool. Remaining behind her, I kept a hard grip. She hissed through her teeth, and I caught a flash of fangs.

Footsteps thudded on the floor, the cadence dulling as Tanner stepped onto the kitchen tile. He’d discarded his suit jacket at one point and wore bloodied clothes. He followed my gaze to the mess of his clothes. His eyebrows furrowed and disappointment marred his plump lips. “They ruined my cashmere,” he sneered, jerking at the front of his cable knit sweater. Tanner’s fingers grazed down the blood splattered soft suede elbow patches, tsking as he shook his head. I hated to tell him, but all that plucking wouldn’t fix the shredded luxury sweater.

The back door slammed open, and a blood-covered Enzo stumbled in.

“Did you bathe in guts or something?” I scoffed. How the hell did he manage to get stains all over him? He always wore dark shades, but blood glistened even on his clothes.

“And if I did?” he retorted, defensive.

“He did,” Elliot goaded. “I watched.”

I shook my head. The girl I held gawked with horror. “The same will happen to you if you don’t start talking,” I warned.

“Even if she talks,” Enzo added, stalking closer.

“Not helping,” I said, shaking her again. She gasped, starting to shake until her throat pressed into my claws.

A deep rumble vibrated from Enzo, and it opened the dam.

“They didn’t say you’d have an army here or I wouldn’t have taken the job,” she babbled. With my claws still at her throat, I gripped the back of her neck with my other hand to stand to the side of her.

“ They who?” Lucian interjected, taking the words out of my mouth.

“The invoice was paid from some organization with the name of Weber. It said it would be an easy kill.” She glared at me. If looks could kill . . .

Weber did this? Hell, was it because of me?

“How did she know I was alive?” Lucian said, frowning.

“Wait, she thought you were dead?” The incriminating words spilled out of me. He’d conveniently left that little tidbit out during our conversation. I rocked back on my heels and shuffled in place. If I slipped out before he?—

Too late. His blazing eyes bounced to me. “Did you contact her?”

I hesitated. “Um . . . yes?” My assent tilted up at the end like a question.

They’d known to come here because I’d called. I’d fucked up and brought them to Lucian’s door.

“I didn’t know . . .”

My heart pounded hard enough that I could hear it. A pepper scent burned my nose. Oh fuck, my shift. To distract my brain, I sank my claws into the woman, eliciting a yelp from her.

Tanner encroached, but I couldn’t back up because I had hold of the hostage. I gawked up at him as he invaded my space. He hooked my hair behind my ear, then took hold of my jaw. He shouldn’t smell so good . . . The hollow sensation in my belly inched down, turning my nerves into desire. I pushed back my other form before it took over and attacked him.

“You acted behind our back again?” Tanner’s low voice sent a delightful shiver up my spine. I wet my lips. I should have feared his threatening tone, but I was too turned on to focus. This was seriously not the time. I squeezed my thighs together, trying to contain the throb between my legs.

Elliot leaned against the island, head bouncing from one person to the other. What happened next was my mistake—I let my guard down. The woman suddenly burst forward, hands arching toward Elliot.

“No!” I shouted, and my shift pushed forward. A shiver crested over my flesh as my other form rose. The rioting feelings I’d been struggling with quieted, and I caught hold of the woman daring to attack my vampire.

She squealed. I liked the sound. Lifting her a little higher, I bent her head back. She made another similar sound, but it wasn’t quite exactly the same. Her trembles pleased me.

A wave of need curled through my belly. My gaze turned to Elliot. I tossed the girl to the side, so hard her head banged into the edge of the counter, and she sprawled motionless on the floor.

“You are truly magnificent.” Lucian’s gaze traced my horns.

All I could focus on was Elliot and the need coursing through me. Claim. Feed. Mine. Freezing just shy of grabbing him, I cinched my eyes shut.

“Maya.” My name fell from Elliot’s lips like a caress, dragging a hint of consciousness from my mind, and I tugged the sensation forward.

Red skin sank back inside me, returning to its normal tan hue. Energy leaked out of my limbs and discomfort squeezed my stomach. I ended up draped against Elliot’s chest.

Tanner crouched next to the unconscious woman. “Enzo, let’s see if she has any other information.”

I drowsily blinked and rubbed my cheek against Elliot’s chest. I felt hot and needy. I wanted to feed?—

I stiffened. Taking from them didn’t feel right. I shoved off Elliot so fast I stumbled back. He caught me before my knees hit the ground.

“Maya,” he gasped, clutching me tight.

“I’m okay.”

Tanner was suddenly in my face.

“No, you’re not.” His brown eyes were icy as they flitted over my features. “You need to feed.”

“I’m fine?—”

“Maya,” Tanner’s voice raised, and I clamped my lips shut. “You are going to feed—” His grip on my chin verged on anger. “—if you want to go find that bitch. Do you expect to be stumbling all over the place?”

Touché.

Elliot swept me up into his arms, carrying me like a bride.

“Don’t mind if I do,” he said with a fang-y grin.

My hair whipped in my face as he sped out of the kitchen. He seamlessly climbed up the stairs and kicked open my door. I went flying and landed on my bed. It creaked as I bounced.

Elliot crawled up next to me, his focus narrowed, and that sly grin curled the corner of his mouth. The tips of his hair fell forward. Right before he crawled over me, he straightened and unhooked his slacks. He slowly dragged the zipper down, the sound so loud it echoed in the quiet room. My bedroom, where I never thought I’d be with anyone. The room in which I used to daydream about Beckett. I propped myself up on my elbows.

Elliot’s cock bounced out, hard and straining, the sight dragging me back to the here and now. A neat dusting of hair peeked at the base. He discarded his sweater next, exposing his lean abdomen of compact muscle.

“Time for your feeding.”

I could only breathe in as my mouth watered. Elliot slid my leggings down and tossed them behind him. In one fell swoop, his mouth covered my clit, and he sucked the bud into his mouth. Not only did he steal my breath, but he stole all sense. My fingers clawed into his hair. He peered up at me through his eyelashes as his tongue flicked around my sensitive clit. He swirled it, fangs hovering close.

I sucked in a shuddering breath. “Harder,” I breathed.

He pressed his mouth flush against my pussy. A moan crawled free, and I hung my head forward, unable to control the twitches of my thighs. His next hard suck had my legs pushing against his ears.

That prevalent hunger pulsed in my belly, enflamed by my lust. “I want your cock.”

Elliot lifted his wet mouth glistening with my need. “Gladly,” he purred.

Oh, this dangerous vampire. His fingers lashed around my waist, and he positioned himself. Before he slammed into me, I shoved my heel into his back and arched onto him. His lips parted with a gasp.

My body reacted to the obvious pleasure marring his features with a gush of need. I moved my hips, gliding myself on his dick as he fucked me with quick pumps. His thighs slapped against mine rhythmically. I clawed my fingers into the bedsheets, griping like my life depended on it.

Cries spilled from my lips as the tingle of lust spiked through my core. My pussy tightened around his thick cock, but he didn’t stop the rapid pump of his hips—instead quickening to the point that it stole all sense. He reached another level of speed that caused me to thrash and moan.

I focused on him, on the way his fangs sank into his lower lip. On the almost pained furrowing of his eyebrows. It catapulted me over the edge. My channel gripped him, throbbing around his cock like it wanted to hold on forever.

I arched my spine, suspended with my core flush to him. Taking him so deep that I could feel every inch stretching my pussy. The tip of his cock shoved against my cervix, stealing my breath. My orgasm vibrated through my core, and everything blurred as my limbs went numb. His dick throbbed as he emptied inside me. Juts of cum warmed my channel, and this time, I lifted the cage I held around myself, leaving myself open to the energy it offered. Immediate relief washed away the ache in my belly. Elliot pressed his forehead against mine, pressing his lips into the tip of my nose. My channel clenched around him in small aftershocks, and he groaned, grinding against me.

His weight fell on top of me, still seated deep inside. My cheek smushed against his chest. I reached around him to drag my fingers against his silky back, drawing circles into his skin with my nails. He was heavy for sure, but I enjoyed having his weight on top of me.

“I don’t want to suffocate you.” He lifted onto his hands, and slowly dragged his cock out of me. Moisture wet my thighs and trickled out of my core. Elliot crawled lower and rested his head on my belly, hands reaching under my shirt to coast his palms all over my body, worshiping every inch with gentle touches. The sensitivity had abated. In a moment, I’d be ready for round two. I tapped his arm and he rolled to the side. I stretched my limbs, twisting in bed so I fell on my belly.

He pressed a kiss on my back while his fingers feathered down to the base of my spine. The door creaked open then snicked shut. Tanner approached the side of the bed, and I propped my chin on my hands.

“Fascinating,” Tanner murmured as his touch joined Elliot’s. I craned my neck to look at whatever had them so enthralled . . . Right where my tail had pushed free.

“What, you’re not mad at me anymore?” I rolled my chin on my palm to peek up at him.

Tanner scoffed, and I raised my eyebrows. Anger flickered in the brown depths, and his jaw twitched. “Are you being flippant?”

His long fingers sank into my hair. The smartass response stuck in my throat. With his free hand, he yanked open his pants. The tip of his glistening cock bobbed in front of my face.

“What are you—” I sucked in a breath, half choking from the girth of his wide cock as it rammed between my lips. “—mmaneh,” I mumbled around him unintelligibly. I’d really pissed him off.

“Take me.” His order did things to me. I couldn’t speak even if I wanted to, so I relaxed my jaw, trying not to gag on the tip slamming into the back of my throat.

The sweet flavor of precum spread on my tongue. The taste of it drove me crazy. I wiggled my hips, feeling empty. Elliot gripped them, propping my ass up. I arched my back. In a smooth glide, Elliot seated himself inside me. My cry was muffled, and Tanner’s dick twitched in my mouth. I swirled my tongue under the flat of his cock since that was all I could manage. He grunted, and a gush filled my mouth.

“Swallow,” he snapped, gliding his fist to the base of his cock, and stopping any of his cum from leaking out of my straining mouth.

I did exactly as he ordered and drank every drop.