21 Shades of Night, page 332
When they reached the ShadowRock estate, everyone exited the SUV. Danika disappeared quickly into the home with Zeff and her guardian on her heels. Nigel, the driver, waited beside the car for instruction from his Alpha.
“Nigel, I’ll take it from here. I’ll be spending time offsite tonight. Will you help get a message to Brant that I would like a meeting with him first thing tomorrow morning, here at the estate?”
Nigel nodded and handed Thane the keys to the SUV. When he was gone, Thane turned slightly and held out his palm. With his other hand, he held the passenger door to the SUV open.
“Will you come with me?” he asked her.
Kalena hesitated. “Why not here?”
“I want some time alone with you like it was before. We need to talk.”
“If it’s about what I did or said tonight…”
He frowned. “No, not just about tonight. About everything.”
She glanced at him uneasily before she slipped her hand into his. He helped her into the passenger side of the SUV, closed the door, and then steered them away from the mansion.
Chapter 33
IT WAS WELL past midnight by the time Thane and Kalena reached their destination in the woods. There were no streetlamps, sidewalks, or gravel-stoned paths leading up to the ranch like there were back at the ShadowRock mansion. The home was small, but sat on a large clearing in the forest. The hanging tree branches and moss overshadowed the ranch, making it look more secluded than what she was used to.
It dawned on Kalena that she hadn’t been to her apartment since she was caught snooping in the labs at Silex.
Thane brought the SUV to a halt a few feet from the porch and turned off the engine.
“This was where I came when I needed to be alone, way before my time at Area S2. When my job as Alpha became a little too stressful.”
Kalena sat up in the seat and glanced out of the window at the darkness surrounding them. “Does anyone actually live out here?”
“There are two shifter families here. They’ve been living out here for decades, though. It’s nothing like the surrounding towns where there’s a home on every corner. Out here, it’s more like every mile.”
“Is this your place?”
He nodded. “It actually belonged to my mother, whose great-granddad owned these woods before she was betrothed to my dad. Then the land transferred to the Silex family as part of the arrangement.”
“Arrangement? Kind of like the one Danika is in?”
“She told you about that?”
“We talked about it briefly yesterday. She wasn’t ecstatic about it then, but if I were a young teenager who knew my future was carved out for me, I might not be too happy either.”
“This is our way of life, and Danika’s situation is not as concrete as you would think.”
“No?” She pressed her lips together, almost turning completely in the seat to glance at him.
“Arrangements and betrothals can be reversed, broken, and re-arranged. Although, it’s not done often. Among our kind, our word is our bond. A broken bond lends to a faulty reputation. Carrying around a faulty reputation for hundreds of years can be taxing on one’s conscience. To us, a man’s reputation is everything and thus is something that extends to his family.”
“Is that why you wanted to clear your family’s name?”
He nodded once, and then reached for her hand across the armrest.
“Our freedom, your freedom, Danika’s freedom…came with a price,” he said.
“I understand. Danika told me…vampires don’t bargain lightly.”
“They don’t.”
Kalena exhaled. “Then just tell me. What did you bargain with to get us out of Area S2?”
“My firstborn daughter.”
She was silent for several minutes as she let that information sink in. The only noise that could be heard in the SUV was breathing, and even beyond that, the crickets and night owls cried out every few seconds.
“Is this why you hadn’t pushed that button to call for help before?”
“Yes. I also needed reason to believe that if I did that, no harm would come to Danika in the process.”
“I don’t understand,” she said. “Does this mean that when your wife gives birth, the vampire you bargained with will come and take your daughter?”
“No. Fortunately for me, I trust the vampire I made this deal with or I never would have bargained with him at all. What it means, is that I will stand by and thoroughly encourage a union between the two when my first daughter comes of age…if I have any daughters at all.”
“Is this about your family’s reputation?”
“It’s about many things, including family reputation. This is tradition among families with older bloodlines. It’s also a way to strengthen the union between two Packs or, in this case, a Pack and a coven.”
Kalena’s heart raced as she thought about what this could mean for her in particular. She assumed that Thane’s bargain included her—that it would be her daughter who was encouraged to marry into an arranged pairing. She was coming to conclusions too quickly. Things had changed since they left Area S2. After everything they’d discovered, it was impossible that Thane would still want her in his future and be able to stand the thought of mating with his murdering brother’s ex-lover.
“Are you angry about this?” he asked when she didn’t speak.
“No, I’ve come to understand that you aren’t human and things are done differently in your world. I won’t judge your rules and customs, but I hope you have mercy on your future daughter. If she doesn’t want this…”
“When the time comes, we’ll talk about it. Vampire Tor and I agreed that the courtship must be mutual, even though my permission to mate has already been granted. I’m prohibited from giving her away to anyone else even if a better opportunity comes along.”
“Do all shifter dads give permission?”
“Yes, Kalena, they do. In the absence of parents, any Pack leader may stand in their place. Matings are among the highest honors in our world. Any mating between a shifter and another must be realized and witnessed by a group of their peers before it becomes official. Kind of like a traditional human marriage.”
“Makes sense.”
Thane shifted in his seat. “Let’s get you inside.”
Once inside the ranch, Kalena noted that the interior was bigger than she expected. In the dark, it had been difficult to see just how big the house was, but as she stood in what appeared to be the general living area, she could see straight down a long, narrow hallway that seemed to go on forever.
“The housekeeper came to clean and dust the surfaces after they learned I was back from exile. It’s pretty late, but I can go see what I can find to make for dinner. Maybe something light before bed? Fresh trout?”
“Yes, please.” She nodded. “I’m hungry. Probably more weak than hungry, but I could still use something to eat.”
“You’re safe here, Kalena. Make yourself at home.”
“Sure.”
When he turned to leave, she reached for his arm. “Will you be gone long?”
“No.” He smiled. “The lake is just behind the house. I’ll be within earshot.” He grabbed her hand. “Actually, let me show you something…and then I’ll leave you to it.”
Hand in hand, they headed back onto the porch. Thane unzipped his fly and shrugged out of his jeans. His tanned skin glowed under the moonlight, and his muscles rippled as he worked to shed himself of the remaining garments. Kalena almost interjected until she realized what it was that he planned to show her.
His wolf.
The first time she had seen his animal was at Area S2 during his struggle to claim her in the fighting rings. The very next time was the day she’d been rescued by the helicopters.
Thane’s fists clenched and un-clenched. The veins on his neck literally pulsed with each heartbeat. His pupils narrowed and then widened until they resembled the eyes of his animal. One minute, he was a man. And in the next, he was wolf.
The wolf was massive. The top of its head came right in line with the top of her hips. His fur matched the deep, dark hue of Thane’s hair. When he tilted his head upward, his nose came just above her ribcage.
Kalena reached out and stroked her palm across the back of the wolf. “Thane.”
He gave a low muted growl in response and turned his nose upward to meet her palm just as it reached his face.
“You’re beautiful,” she said, wishing she could communicate with him in his wolf form.
He returned the sentiment by licking delicately at her hand and fingers. She stroked at his ear and back of his head and he seemed to find comfort in this as the low growls and licks to her arm and her face continued.
Kalena giggled. “You’re very affectionate,” she whispered. “But, of course, that’s not a surprise. When I met you and you brought me to your shelter, you were always gentle with me.”
Thane’s eyes sparked brightly when she made locked gazes with him. She brought herself closer to the wolf, rubbing her cheeks across his soft fur. He smelled of honey and sandalwood. Right now, right here. This was her confirmation that her bond with Thane went deeper, leading to a connection with the animal inside. The connection that had been there all along since the moment she’d woken up in his shelter and first sighted him.
Her stomach rumbled in that instant. The wolf shuffled back a little. His nose flared and his ears perked upward. He bowed his head once, spun around, and sped off into the night.
Chapter 34
STEAMY WATER FROM the hot shower pelted against Kalena’s skin. She closed her eyes and glided the sponge across her body. With Thane out hunting, her mind kept returning to the recently extracted memories. She wanted the memories, but these weren’t the type of memories one could just turn on and off when they wanted to. These memories were a bad reminder of what she’d been through and the decisions she’d made.
The shower stall fogged up with steam. Her sweat—and maybe even a few tears—mingled with the water cascading down over her hair and over her face. She wanted to wash the pain away. She wanted to wash Gavril’s touches from her body. The memories had encouraged others to rise to the surface and were now very much a part of her train of thought. What bothered her was that her last encounter with Gavril had been just a few weeks prior to her being thrown into Area S2. She almost wondered if her avoiding his calls shortly thereafter had anything to do with his complete three-hundred-sixty-degree change of attitude towards her. Probably not. She’d seen the self-serving egotistical side of Gavril before. Something told her that Gavril would’ve made the same decision to save his ass so that he could continue creating his human-killer drug.
Kalena dug her nails into the sponge and squeezed hard. She wished she’d picked up on his shady business before. Would she have told anyone? Who would she have confided in? Heck, she hadn’t even known that Gavril was part of the shifter community. The dealings involving the secret drug were happening every day around her at the very company she worked for.
Suddenly, a cold draft slithered across her wet skin. Before she turned, she caught the scent of sandalwood in the humid air and knew without a doubt that Thane had entered the small bathroom.
Kalena turned to acknowledge him, and even through the thick steam clouding up the bathroom, she could see that he was naked.
A few seconds passed, and then he strolled towards the shower, slid back the door, and entered the small space with her.
“You’re worried,” Thane whispered, dipping his head low to kiss her shoulder.
“I’ve been thinking.”
“I never intended to discourage you from finding out what happened, but I don’t like seeing you unhappy,” he said.
“I’m always happy with you,” she countered.
“Then why did you threaten to leave me before?”
“Doesn’t it repulse you that I…” She couldn’t finish. She couldn’t bring herself to say his name one more time.
“Don’t…” he said quietly. “From this night forward, I am the only man who should invade your thoughts. I want your thoughts to be happy…always.”
Thane took the sponge from her, held it under the water, and then massaged it across her body gently.
“Is this understood?” he asked.
“Yes.” She swallowed when his fingers brushed against her nipples. “But what about you…do I make you happy? Can I?”
Trembles raced up and down her spine as he massaged her. In the process, he dropped the sponge and now used his fingers and firm palms to work her tense muscles.
“There is no denying that I’m addicted to you completely. My feelings and emotions toward you are something I can’t hide. You’ve seen this already.”
He was referring to the markings—the heat and glow of his body whenever he was aroused or moved by her.
Thane spun her around and pressed his lips to hers. She kissed him back, fervently. Her body fell into his, becoming pliant with each breath she took. His fingers glided down between their bodies and separated the folds of her sex. He slid his fingers back and forth against her clit effortlessly. The scent of her sweet musk mixed with the aura of sandalwood and full-blown male arousal. His erection was already taut and pushing against her belly.
Thane bent to suckle her breasts and tease her nipples. She cried out in the shower and her back hit the wet tiles. His tongue was hot and hungry against her buds as he nipped and lapped at her heavy mounds. Heated sensations tore through her like a freight train. Her clit tightened with each tug of her nipple and soon her legs were trembled as a climax rose through her body.
“Will you allow me to return what the vampires took?” he asked. “Like we planned…like I promised…”
She nodded. “I want only your love.”
“And my love is what I will give you…”
Thane lifted her by the thighs, and she wrapped her legs around his torso. After turning off the water, he carried her into the bedroom and laid her out on the bed.
His markings had risen to the surface and were a stark black against his fair skin. His chest rose up and down as he panted. His gaze tore over the length of her body. His cock seemed to lengthen as he stood above her.
He growled. “Mine.”
“Yes Thane. Yours.”
He knelt on the bed over her. She fully expected him to take her instantly, but instead, he made love to her with his mouth, lips, and tongue. Not leaving one centimeter of her body unmarked by his tender touch. Before long, her skin burned with the essence that was Thane Silex. She knew he was intentionally leaving his imprints all over her again. She loved every minute of it. She felt sated and overjoyed at the prospect of being claimed by, marked by, and mated to the wolf.
“Please…” She breathed against his lips and took his mouth in yet another tender kiss.
Once her legs were wrapped around him, he placed his heavy cockhead against her opening and led himself inside her needy sex, one slow centimeter at a time.
Her insides milked him, pulling him deep into her warmth until he was settled between her legs. She climaxed again while looking into eyes that belonged to Thane’s wolf while wrapped in arms that had always brought her comfort and made her feel safe.
Thane drove into her long, slow, and deep, bringing her to the edge over and over again. He took Kalena to ecstasy more times that night than she’d ever been taken before in her lifetime. He made love to her completely and thoroughly.
Before long, the sun rose and the rays crept between the curtains, bathing their bodies until their skin glowed under the natural light. As Thane’s head rested against her breastbone, she turned to glance toward the radiant sunshine. It was the most beautiful sunrise she’d ever seen. With Thane. With the wolf.
This was a new day. Yesterday’s worries were now behind her.
Chapter 35
THANE AND KALENA arrived at the mansion a little later than expected, but once they arrived, brunch was set up for them in the dining room.
“I can have my food somewhere else while you have your meeting with Brant,” Kalena offered, as they walked hand in hand down the hallway.
“That’s not necessary unless that is what you truly want. Brant and I will talk some business, but it’s nothing that would upset you. I already told you what we’re meeting about.”
“All right,” she replied. “I just didn’t want to intrude.”
“There will be times when I require private meetings involving staff only or leaders from other Packs, but as my future mate, you are my equal. Even though my status of Alpha is in limbo, I have a dozen other businesses to tend to.” Grinning, he stole a sly glance at her. “Who knows…once I bring you up to speed on my portfolio, I could very well use some of your business and financial sense.”
She smiled. “We’ll have to negotiate that a bit more.”
Brant Cedona was standing when they entered the dining room. “Alpha.” He bowed curtly, and the pair shook hands. Brant then acknowledged Kalena with a short nod and a smile.
They seated themselves. Thane pulled Kalena’s chair out for her and pushed it under the table. Once they were all settled, Thane started the first discussion point.
“That will be the last time that you address me as Alpha,” he said.
Brant frowned. “I got the news from UCON, but you will always be my Alpha.”
The maids poured chilled water and fresh-squeezed orange juice in their glasses while the two men talked.
“I’ve already accepted UCON’s decision as final.”
“But they told me it was interim.”
“I don’t know how long it will take me to resolve this mess at Silex. UCON has reason to believe that Gavril got outside funding from another source to produce other illegal drugs. It could take months, even years, for me to get a handle on things. Luxar’s word was final, and I made my choice. There was no way I would hand over my mate to scrutiny. They have no evidence that Kalena committed crimes, so it’s against their own laws to force memories out that could ultimately kill her.”
