Chapter 1
Pausing in the forest, Smokey’s eyes shifted upward through the tall, fir trees, searching for the sound he’d heard, grinning when he spied a gorgeous Red-Tailed Hawk silhouetted against the deep blue, afternoon sky. He was finally on the last leg of his mission to rescue the parents of his friend, Kevin, and was eager to see them. It had been a long time since he’d visited them, but with his work for the agency and his bear’s preference for a solitary life, it was all too easy for the years to slip by. “Tempus fugit,” he muttered. Smokey watched the hawk flutter to the ground and then shift. “Watcha got?”
Grabbing his clothes from Smokey, Hawkeye replied, “I found the cave, but it’s surrounded by…”
CRACK!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
CRACK! CRACK!
Smokey dove for cover as the sound of gunfire echoed off the mountainside. Glancing around, he saw the men in his team had done the same; thank the gods they’d had the sense to do so. Ghost would never forgive him if any of the men he’d loaned Smokey got injured—or worse—killed. It was one of the reasons he didn’t want them along in the first place, plus he preferred to work alone on missions. It was his way of operating and the only exceptions to his hard and fast rule were Ghost and Snow White. His trust in them was absolute. But Snow White was in France with his mates, and Ghost was in LA, trying to ferret out more information about the Collector.
Gunfire was the last thing he expected to hear on the trek up to the cave where Kevin’s parents were hiding. Snorting quietly, he should have guessed the mission wasn’t going to be a simple retrieval, given that it began with his friend’s mysterious disappearance. Sending Hawkeye to scout out the area had just been standard operating procedure; he wasn’t expecting trouble—especially in this remote location.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
CRACK! CRACK!
An assault weapon and a high powered rifle…shit!Given the timing of the shots, Smokey knew there were at least two men firing…but at what or maybe I should be askin’ who?And it was the last part of his thought that worried him the most because by his figuring, the men were near the cave where Kevin’s parents were hiding out. Which meant they were in danger of being whacked by the unknown assailants.Damn it!Hearing a slight rustle on his left, his muscles tightened in response before he realized who it was.
“Hey, Smokey,” Ivan whispered, belly crawling over until he was next to his boss.
Nodding in acknowledgement, Smokey then shifted his eyes back to the location of the gunshots but only silence greeted him, causing his bear to rear up to his full height. He knew what that meant: his bear wanted to go hunting for the assholes who were threatening the people he regarded as his parents. While he certainly was in agreement with his animal, it was too risky until he had more intel. And that required some specific information.
Looking back at Ivan, Smokey gestured with his hand, indicating a silent retreat until they were out of shooting range of the attackers. Receiving a short nod from him, Smokey carefully inched his way backward down the hard-packed dirt trail, keeping his eyes on the rest of his men as they followed his lead.
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Moving the bedroom curtain aside a hair, Lucius peeked through the slit, watching his mate greet the newly arrived guests.The witch and a vampire…not good. Even though he trusted Brady, his past experience was still too fresh in his mind to feel comfortable with their presence at the one place he felt safe. A shiver shook his hastily dried body, sending some drops of water he missed down his chest until they were absorbed by the towel around his waist.
Letting the curtain drop, Lucius sat down on their bed, inhaling his mate’s scent, which still lingered in the room, in an effort to calm his racing heart. His decision to stay behind didn’t seem like a good one anymore, even though he agreed to his mate’s proposal. And then there was the pain in his chest. Always there, humming just behind his heart, reminding him of the danger Brady would be facing shortly. Which was another reason Lucius should tell his mate there wasn’t any need for his vampire friend to stay since he had changed his mind.
His sigh broke the silence in the bedroom. Accompanying his mate to help Remy deal with the Witches’ Council could make things riskier for everyone; he still didn’t understand what triggered him back at the Blackwood Pack house, let alone how to control it. Worrying his lower lip, he stared at the floor, trying to remember if it had ever happened to him before. Without finding any memories of it, Lucius concluded it was something new—maybe a side effect of Valarian’s death spell.Damn!
Opening the bedroom door quietly, Brady realized that Lucius was so deep in thought he was oblivious to everything else, including the presence of his mate. Not wanting to startle him, he shut the door firmly, letting the sound fill the room.
Lucius jerked his head around, fearful at first…before breaking into a surprised smile when he saw Brady standing there with a suitcase at his side. “Oh…sorry…I was just…”
“Reconsidering your decision?” asked Brady, smiling while walking over to his mate. Lifting the suitcase onto the bed, he then opened it and emptied its contents. “I asked Mystia to stop at Remy’s to pick up the clothes Kieran got for you.”
Lucius’ eyes brightened as he gazed at the growing stack of underwear, jeans, and shirts. He’d been reluctant after taking his shower, to put on the outfit he’d worn yesterday, choosing instead to wrap a towel around him. His plan was to borrow some clothes from Brady until he’d done his laundry, but having his own clothes was so much better.
Walking over to a dresser, Brady pulled out a drawer, scooping out an armful of clothes before shoving them into another. “Here’s a drawer for you…and I made room in the closet if you want to hang anything up. I’ve also set up an account for you so you can order whatever else you need. All the information is on my desk in my study, along with the login for my computer. If you need any help, ask Vasile.”
Nodding slowly, Lucius was overwhelmed at the kindness of his mate, blinking back tears that were threatening to fall. He knew he shouldn’t be surprised—ever since he first opened his eyes and found Brady’s gazing back at him, his world had gone from hell to heaven in a heartbeat. Quickly wiping away an escaped tear, Lucius murmured, “You’re so good to me.”
Inhaling sharply, Brady picked up a change in Lucius’ scent, confirming his mate’s inner turmoil. Joining him on the bed, he drew him close, giving him a few soft kisses on his forehead. “Leelan,what’s the matter?”
Burrowing into his mate’s neck, Lucius breathed in Brady’s apple scent, letting it sooth his soul. He realized how much he needed his mate to guide him on his own journey of self-discovery. There was so much he didn’t know—and that realization had become the basis of his fears. What if he ended up a mirror copy of Valerian? How could he live with himself? Because even though he didn’t know a lot about mates, he knew it would hurt Brady. And he just couldn’t do that. But with his mate by his side, Lucius was sure Brady would guide him to become a vampire he could be proud of.
When his mate didn’t answer, Brady took a chance. “Have you changed your mind about staying behind?”
Shaking his head, Lucius mumbled, “No…I mean, I want to go with you…but I don’t want to be a problem. And I think it’s highly likely I’ll do something wrong…and that makes me angry. I’m your mate and I’m supposed to protect you…but how can I when just standing next to you could pose a danger to you. The Fates made a big mistake when they gave me to you.”
Pushing Lucius back until Brady could grip his chin, he held it firmly so his mate had no choice but to look at him. “Listen to me,leelan…you’re wrong. The greatest gift the Fates ever gave me is you. You are perfect for me and…if you haven’t noticed…you make me so very happy. And that’s something I haven’t had in my life for more years than I care to remember.” Leaning in, he gently kissed Lucius’ lips, then pressed harder until his mate gave a soft moan. Pulling back slightly, he added, “Even my girls can’t compete with the happiness you bring into my life.”
Lucius’ eyes grew wide, grinning at his mate. “Really? I thought your girls made you the happiest.”
