Aimee stood in her room, packing everything she had. Her clothes, her jewelry, her books. But unlike the rest of her family, she wasn't going into hiding.
She was going to find Fang and they were going to run away from this crap for once and for all. There was no way she was going to be a part of handing him over. He'd been through enough.
A light knock sounded on her door.
"Come in."
It was Dev. He had his hair pulled back into a ponytail and the sleeve of his T-shirt was pushed up, leaving his double bow and arrow tattoo extremely visible. Like him, she'd always found the tattoo funny-though she was sure it irked Artemis since he wasn't a Dark-Hunter.
He hesitated in the doorway, his eyes sad and worried. "Are you going to travel in the SUV with Quinn's mate?"
Becca was pregnant and couldn't travel by her powers.
"No. I'm not evacuating."
Dev shut the door and moved inside. His gaze went straight to her open suitcase. "What are you doing?"
"I'm leaving, but I'm not going with the others."
"Why?"
Aimee sighed as she folded another T-shirt and added it in. "I've endangered everyone. It's only fair I should go."
"Are you crazy?"
That was a matter of opinion and at the moment she probably was. Her mother would definitely say yes. "I should have gone with Fang when he asked me to. Now"-she winced at the memories of everything that had happened-"I've done so much damage here."
"How do you figure that?"
"I was the one who antagonized the jackals and caused them to attack us. It was me who's been on Stone's back all these years."
Dev scoffed. "I'm the one who locked his sorry ass in a cage and threatened him."
"No, I'm the catalyst. You know how unforgiving Maman is. I should go before she kills me herself."
Dev pulled the shirt out of her hands that she was packing and forced her to look up at him. "You are her only daughter. Gods, Aimee, you know how much we all still grieve for Bastien and Gilbert . . . don't make us grieve for you too. You are blood of my blood. For better, for worse, for war, for peace. You are the only little sister I have and I would die if I lost you. Maman and Papa even more so."
Tears blurred her vision at his uncharacteristic speech. "You're always so tough. There's nothing you can't handle."
"Not where you're concerned. Don't make me lose you, Aimee. I'm not that strong."
She pulled him into her arms and held him close. "I really hate you, Dev."
"Yeah, I know. I can't stand you either, butt-munch."
Laughing through her tears, she pulled back to wipe them away. "Gods . . . what am I supposed to do? I love Fang and I don't know if he's innocent. What if he has killed the others?"
"Do you really believe he's done that?"
"No, I don't."
"Then he needs a friend right now. You want me to help you find him?"
"I don't know." She sighed as she thought about it. Fang had been unpredictable the last few times they'd met. But he'd visited here recently. Her gaze fell to the small black teddy bear in her suitcase that he'd left for her on her bed a week ago . . . one that held his scent-he knew she slept best whenever she had something of his to hold. He'd placed it on her pillow with a single rose. Even though he hadn't seen her, he'd still been thinking of her.
But that act of kindness didn't change the fact that he was a powerful Were-Hunter who was possessed by a demon. "He might hurt you."
Dev gave her an offended stare. "I doubt it." He looked over at the picture of her and her brothers that was on her dresser before he spoke again. "Just so you know, Papa, Serre, Griffe, Cherif, Remi, Kyle, Quinn, Zar, and I aren't leaving."
A shiver went over her. "What?"
"We're not about to leave Maman here unguarded. If shit goes down the way we think it's going to, she can't be here alone with the humans."
"Have you told her that?"
"I was on my way down to let her know when I stopped in to see you. Want to come see the party?"
"Oh, yeah. This I definitely don't want to miss." Maman didn't like anyone disobeying her.
She followed him out of her room and downstairs to the parlor where Maman was saying good-bye to the women and children of their family as they left for the Peltier compound in Oregon. It was where they'd lived prior to coming to New Orleans. They maintained a place there and in Nice, France, where her parents had been born. But Nice would be too hard a trip on their pregnant females, so Oregon it was.
Alain, Cody, and Etienne were going with them to watch over and protect them.
Cherif, Quinn, Remi, Serre, Kyle, Griffe, and Zar stood at the bottom of the stairs with their arms folded over their chests. A united front against the world. Never had they looked more imposing. The twins and the quads were barely discernable from each other, but Aimee could tell them apart. Subtle differences that were obvious to those who knew them best.
Remi's perpetual sneer. Quinn's gentle eyes and overt optimism. Cherif who always stood with his weight on his left leg-an injury from childhood had damaged his right knee and so he always favored his other leg. Serre who was a hair thinner than Griffe and who always tucked his hands into his armpits. Griffe whose nails, because he was always tinkering with something, had grease under them.
And then Zar . . . he was Bastien's twin and sometimes it was hard for any of them to look at him without feeling a new stab of pain at the loss. He never really spoke about Bastien, but Aimee had wondered many times how much harder that loss had to be on him. He saw his twin brother's face every time he looked in a mirror.
The two of them had been closer than close. . . .
She couldn't bear the thought of losing another brother.
Ever.
Dev moved to stand with them while Maman kissed the cheeks of her grandchildren.
Once they were gone, Maman turned to the quads. "You will stay safe, non?"
"Oui," Remi said. "But we're doing it here."
Maman's face blanched as her eyes darkened with fury. "What?"
Zar stepped forward. "Nothing you say or do will change our minds. We're not leaving you, Maman."
"And neither are we."
Aimee turned at the sound of Carson's voice. He came down the stairs with Justin, Jasyn, Sasha, Max, and the Howlers: Angel, Teddy, Tripper, Damien, and Colt.
Tripper Diomedes, who was an Arcadian lion, spoke for the group. "You've given us shelter when no one else would and we're here to stand with you no matter what."
"As am I."
Aimee gasped as she heard Wren's voice. He'd flashed in not far from her brothers.
Maman was completely aghast as she saw him there. "You hate me."
Wren shrugged. "You're definitely not my favorite person, Lo. But your daughter means a lot to me and so I won't stand back and let her family be destroyed. Even if I do think we're all completely stupid for fighting for you."
Maman shook her head as she looked around at all of them. "You do understand how many will be attacking us? How many enemies I've made?"
Remi snorted. "We've made, you mean. I think we've all had a hand in this fiasco. Me probably more so than anyone else."
Angel nodded in agreement. "And to that, I say bring the rain. We are here and we won't be defeated."
An amen went up from the others.
Damien flashed a rare grin. "Sanctuary, Home of Howlers and stragglers of the Were universe."
Nodding, Teddy clapped him on the back. "Sanctuary forever."
Maman's eyes were bright from her unshed tears as she surveyed the men who were willing to not only protect her home with their lives . . . they were willing to protect her. "Thank you. Your loyalty won't be forgotten."
"And all the free liquor you can hold," Dev said. "We definitely don't want to do this sober."
That broke the tension as they all laughed.
Aimee shook her head. "Yeah, but you're going to get your own drinks, guys, 'cause I'm not running it to you. There's just too many of you."
Maman did what she did best. She took charge. "Very well, mes fils du coeur. We shall keep to our schedules and run business as usual."
Max stepped forward. "I'll be the muscle. Not many can take down a dragon."
"And make sure you ride herd on the humans," Remi reminded him.
He inclined his head.
Maman smiled at them. Gratitude and pride were bright in her blue eyes. "Let's show our enemies and doubters that Sanctuary will stand no matter what they say."
She paused beside Wren. "And you were wrong about me, tiger. I've never considered the ones here as my dupes. I have bent rules for all of you at one time or another. If loving my children above all else is a crime in your world, then you can hang me for that sin as I would have it no other way."
Wren didn't speak until she was gone and Aimee could tell that even now he didn't trust her mother. He walked over to her. "I'm only here for you."
She squeezed him lightly on the arm. "Thank you, Wren."
He inclined his head before he left.
Cherif let out a relieved breath. "Wow, Maman took that better than I thought."
Papa laughed. "She knows how stubborn you boys are and you outnumber her." He stopped in front of Aimee. "You, on the other hand, have to leave."
"I won't go, Papa. This is my home and you are my family. I won't hide while all of you are in danger. I did that once and I've had to live with that cowardice every day since. I won't do it again."
He cupped her face in his large paw of a hand. "They gave their lives for you, mon ange. Don't mock their sacrifice."
"I don't, but I'm full-grown now and I will stand and I will fight as they did."
His eyes darkened with sadness as he let his hand fall. "I would argue. I know you have enough of your mother in you to make it impossible to win."
She smiled. "You would be right."
He scanned the others. "All right then. Let us all prepare for war."
In wolf form, Fang lay in the sun, not far from where Anya had died. He didn't know why he kept coming back here. Maybe it was the part of him that longed for the way things had been prior to her death.
Or maybe it was the need within him for some connection to someone else. Because right now, he felt absolutely alone. His relationship with Vane wasn't what it had been and he'd been staying away from Aimee out of fear of hurting her. The demon was getting worse and more violent.
If anything happened to Aimee . . .
"Fang?"
He lifted his head at the sound of Varyk's voice. The werewolf appeared a few feet away from him. "What do you want?" he snarled mentally.
"Savitar has issued a warrant out for you."
Fang was aghast at the order. "For what?"
"Murder."
"Are you serious?"
Varyk gave him a droll stare. "You don't think I came all the way out here to joke?"
Of course not. Varyk had no sense of humor. "This is ridiculous. I didn't do anything."
"Regardless of that, Vane has been charged with bringing you in or his family and pack will be slaughtered."
Fang jumped to his feet as rage darkened his sight. How dare Savitar threaten his family. "This is bullshit."
"You know Savitar."
Yes, he did. And right now, he wanted that bastard's throat.
Varyk folded his arms over his chest. "And there's more. Sanctuary lost its license."
That was the last thing he expected to hear. "What?"
"Because of the complaints of Blakemore and the jackals you attacked, Savitar revoked Lo's license for six months."
Fang felt ill. He'd ruined everything.
Everyone . . .
"And I just found out something you might want to know."
"Thorn has a conscience?" Fang couldn't resist asking.
Varyk looked at him drily. "Don't make me laugh." Sadly enough, Thorn had more of one than Varyk did. "I found out something about the Peltiers and Blakemores."
"They hate each other. We know."
"No. Blakemore blames them for the death of his youn gest son."
Fang turned human as those words hit him. "What?"
"Yeah. It's a blood feud. Apparently, junior broke the eirini laws of another sanctuary and was to be banned from them forever."
The eirini were peace laws put in place by Savitar. To break one left the offender on his own for eternity.
"Not long after the Peltiers opened here," Varyk continued, "junior came running to them for protection and the bears refused to admit him. They were upholding Savitar's laws and I'm sure the fact that junior Blakemore was a bully and an ass, and that he was being chased by a group he'd provoked, didn't help matters. He and his running buddies were killed out in the same alley where Wren was attacked. Apparently that's why Stone keeps going there. He's hoping to find one of the Peltiers in the same place his brother died so that he can return quid pro quo."
"Then I'm sure the Peltiers are aware of the situation since that would have been . . . what? A hundred years ago?"
"Close, and on the anniversary of junior's death, Blakemore plans to kill every bear and animal there and to torch that place to the ground."
Fang ground his teeth in helpless frustration. "So what you're telling me is that I can stay and protect Aimee from the psycho and my brother dies. Or I can save my brother and Aimee dies."
"Yeah, basically, you're screwed."
"What else is new?" He met Varyk's gaze as impotent rage scorched him. "I need to know where you stand in all of this."
"Blakemore's my paycheck. Nothing more than that."
"And Aimee's my life . . . if I leave everything I have to you, will you protect her for me?"
Varyk snorted at his offer as his gaze went to Fang's bike and the backpack he carried that held all of his belongings inside it. "What do you have to bribe me with?"
"Two hundred million, plus some change."
Varyk choked. "What?"
Fang shrugged over it. Money had never meant much to him. It was as intangible as friendship. "Vane's real good with investments and I don't spend much. You take care of Aimee and I will make sure every cent of it goes to you."
"For that kind of money, I'd do a lot more for you than just guard your woman."
Fang snorted. "I don't want to go there. Just uphold your word." He jerked his backpack up from the ground.
"Hey?"
Fang turned to look at him.
Varyk's face was stoic, but his gaze burned with sincerity. "I will keep her safe. You can count on it. And you don't have to pay me for it."
Fang inclined his head in gratitude before he flashed himself from the swamp to Sanctuary. The one thing he'd learned these past months was how to merge his powers with the demon inside him and use them to his advantage. It allowed him to walk invisible and to do other nifty things-some bloodier than others.
Even with those powers, he'd avoided doing this. Mostly because it hurt too much to see Aimee. Instead, he'd relegated himself to visiting her room just so that he could feel her presence there. Breathe in her scent and remember the nights when they'd been together.
But he didn't want to die without one last glimpse of her. No matter how much it hurt, he had to see her.
Like a whispering breeze, he made his way up to her room. She sat on her bed, holding the leather jacket he'd left behind a few weeks ago. The same jacket he'd wrapped her in on the day they'd met.
Her beautiful blue eyes held so much agony that it carved her pain into his own heart. He hated the torment she caused him. Most of all, he hated the torment he caused her.
"Where are you, Fang?" she breathed.
Unable to stand it, he materialized in front of her.
Aimee gasped at the sight of Fang in her room. He dropped to his knees and laid his head in her lap, then wrapped his arms around her waist. Her hand trembling, she brushed his hair back, amazed that he'd finally come to her. "What are you doing here?"
"I had to see you."
She tightened her hand in his hair, reveling in the softness of it. "We have to run, Fang. I'm ready."
"We can't. I could never be happy knowing I'd cost my brother his mate and child."
"It's not fair."
He pulled back to look up at her. Those dark eyes singed her with sincerity. "I didn't do it, Aimee. I swear I haven't killed anyone who didn't attack me first."
"I know, baby."
He nodded. "I better go."
She held his hand, preventing him from leaving her. She knew what he was going to do. It was written on his face.
He intended to turn himself in and save his brother.
When he turned to her with a frown, she stood up from the bed and pulled his lips to hers.
Fang growled as her kiss seared him. He twisted his fists in her shirt, wanting her with a need so desperate it tore him apart. But he couldn't stay and he knew it. "Don't start this fire, Aimee."
She answered by lifting his shirt up. Her warm hands skimmed his chest, making him so hard he ached. "Everything is falling apart. But the one thing that hasn't changed is how I feel about you. I won't spend another minute of regret where you're concerned." She removed her own top.
Fang struggled to breathe as he stared at the light blue lace bra . . . his favorite on her. "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
Fang pulled her against him as he ravaged her mouth. Nothing had ever tasted sweeter. And for once, he wouldn't be settling for second best. Even if they were mates, at this point, it wouldn't matter. He was about to die and that would free her to find a more appropriate male.
Fang pulled back to look down at her. "How do we do this?"
She arched a sarcastic brow. "You need instructions?"
He laughed. "No, but I don't know what bears do."
She laid her gentle hand on his cheek. "Make me yours, Fang. However you do that."
Dipping his head down to nuzzle her neck, he reached around her to undo her bra and pull it off. Her nipples puckered, and he moved to give them all the attention he'd been dreaming of.
Aimee cradled his head to her as he played. The one thing she'd learned about wolves and Fang in particular was that he loved to taste and to lick. The one thing he'd always been was thorough.
And as he unzipped her pants and dipped his hand down to stroke her, she knew tonight would be no exception. Her body trembled as he touched her. It'd been so long. . . .
How had he stood it? She had spent night after night, aching for him. It felt so good to be touched again.
"I've missed you, Fang." She pulled his shirt over his head so that she could touch him.
Fang felt his powers surge. The one thing about sex and Were-Hunters was that it empowered them. Made them stronger and sharper. And right now, he was more alive than he'd ever been before.
Using his powers, he removed his clothes and left himself bare for her inspection. Not that she hadn't already explored every inch of him. But it had been too long.
"I have done nothing, except dream of you," he whispered, kissing his way around her mouth. He took her hand into his and led it to his cock. He sucked his breath in sharply as she touched him.
Aimee sank to her knees in front of him so that she could take him into her mouth. His knees almost buckled from the pleasure. And as good as it felt, he had to stop her.
"Stop, Aimee."
She pulled back with a frown.
"You do that and this will be over before either of us wants it."
She laughed before she gave him one last lick that sent a shiver all the way up his backbone. It even made his eyes roll back in his head.
Aimee smiled at the look on Fang's face. She loved to tease him and to taste him. The saltiness of his skin made her ache for more, but like him, she wanted for once to know exactly what it felt like to have him inside her.
He sank down in front of her. On their knees, facing each other, he kissed her again. It was hot and demanding as he skimmed his hand down between them to touch her. It made her even wetter as she throbbed.
The quickening inside her rose until it was blinding and her body demanded appeasement. "Don't make me wait, Fang," she whispered, afraid that something or someone would interrupt them again.
Fang kissed his way to her back, making chills spring up all over her body. Holding her in front of him, he brushed her hair from her neck so that he could inhale her scent. Every part of him burned as he ached to be inside her.
He'd waited and dreamed of this moment, never thinking to really have it. He'd almost convinced himself that he could live without ever tasting her again.
But it'd been hard, especially since other females had stopped being appealing to him. Letting out one long breath, he slid his fingers inside her as he positioned himself to take her. He couldn't ever remember a woman being more wet for him and none had ever been more enticing.
Aimee trembled in fear of what was to come as she felt the tip of his cock pressing against her. But this was what she wanted more than anything and at least it wouldn't hurt the way it did for human women. He nudged her knees farther apart as he took her hand again in his and led it to him.
"Guide me in, baby."
With his help, she reached between their bodies and gently slid him into her body. She bit her lip as the thick fullness of him sank deep inside.
They moaned in unison.
Aimee's head reeled as he buried himself in to his hilt. It felt so good to have him there, to feel connected to him like this. She was sharing with him what she'd never shared with anyone else.
Fang pulled her back against him, into his arms as he slowly thrusted against her. He took their weight from her as he laid his cheek against hers and let her scent intoxicate him. In all the times he'd been with a woman, none of them could compare to this. She was so tight and warm. And unlike a wolfswan, she wasn't bucking and clawing at him. Biting.
Aimee was tender.
Most of all, she loved him. In all the world, she alone had tamed the part of him that he'd never allowed anyone else to see. Always fierce and fighting, he only found peace with her. She'd tamed him.
She reached up and placed her hand to his cheek. That one gentle action shattered him. He didn't want to die. He wanted to stay here like this for the rest of eternity.
It was so unfair. His brothers were mated and happy.
Why couldn't he be too?
But he knew better. Even if he lived, her family would never accept him. None of their people would. This was unnatural.
And yet it didn't feel that way.
"You are the best part of me," he whispered in her ear as he thrusted and cupped her breasts.
"I love you, Fang." Aimee leaned back so that he could kiss her while he trailed his hand down the front of her body until he could stroke her in time to his thrusts. She could feel him getting larger inside her. Thicker.
She was completely open and exposed to him in a way she'd never been before. She should be embarrassed, but she wasn't. This seemed so right. So perfect.
And as they made love, she wondered what it would be like if they didn't have the world to drive them apart. If they could stay together and be like this. All she wanted was her wolf.
She would give anything to have his children. To give him all the love no one else ever had.
He quickened his strokes, which intensified the pleasure. Her breathing ragged, she returned them with her own until her body couldn't stand it anymore. In a searing burst, she came.
Fang had to bite back a howl as he joined her in release. But it was hard. He pulled her close and kept her weight on his body, knowing they'd be locked together for a while yet as his body continued to release inside her. That was the most difficult part about being a wolf. When they came, it was a lengthy process and if they were separated before he was finished, it would hurt her. And right now his senses were so alert and strong that he felt as if he could defeat an entire pack.
Aimee leaned her head against his chest as he held her so tenderly. "I'm not too heavy, am I?"
"Not at all."
She turned his palm over to look at it. Like hers, it was still blank.
Tears stung her eyes. "We're not mates?"
"It doesn't always show up the first time. You know that."
True, but the way she felt for him . . . she was actually disappointed.
"I didn't hurt you, did I?"
She smiled at his question. "No, baby, you definitely didn't hurt me."
He wrapped his arms around her, making her feel so safe and loved. She fingered the weird mark on his shoulder that he refused to tell her about.
He nibbled her cheek. "Did you know your facial markings are showing?"
"What?"
He reached up to draw the pattern with his fingertips. "Your Sentinel marks are showing."
She used her powers to remove them. "What about now?"
"Still there."
Oh, dear gods . . . she'd had no idea that they would show when she had sex. What if she'd mated with a Katagari bear and they'd come out?
It would have been disastrous.
"I'm sorry I can't hide them."
He kissed her cheek. "Don't apologize. I think you're beautiful."
She tightened her arms around his as those words warmed her to the core of her being.
Fang trembled as he was finally able to withdraw from her. He hated doing it, but he had no choice.
She turned in his arms to kiss him deeply. "Can I go with you?"
"No," he said, his tone firm.
"Fang-"
He shook his head. "No, Aimee."
"I want to be there with you."
"You can't."
She growled at him. "Why not?"
He leaned his forehead against her cheek while he cupped her face with his hand. "Because if I see you there, I won't be able to go through with it and I can't do that to my brother." He looked up at her and the painful torment in his eyes scorched her. "Do you understand? I have to do this alone." He brushed her tears away with the back of his hand. "I love you, Aimee."
Those words infuriated her. "Now you say that? Now? What is wrong with you?"
He smiled tenderly. "I never once in my life had good timing. Too late to start now."
She pulled him to her and held him close. "I love you, Fang. Damn you to hell for it!" Then she took her necklace from around his neck and and placed it in his hand. "If I can't be with you . . ."
He clutched it tight and repeated the words that were engraved in it. "Where I am always thou art. Thy image lives within my heart."
She nodded as more tears flowed. "Mate or no mate, you are the only one I'll ever love."
He kissed her gently before he made himself leave her. If he didn't go now, he'd chicken out completely.
Because honestly, it was hard to justify his brother's happiness and life by breaking the heart of the only woman he'd ever really loved.
It's all right, he told himself. He'd be waiting for her on the other side. One day he'd see her again and there the demon wouldn't have any control over him. He wouldn't have to fear ever hurting her.
She would be safe and there wouldn't be anyone who could keep them apart.
But in this life, he had to do the right thing.
Sick to his stomach, he dressed himself and took one last look at Aimee. Completely naked, she kissed his hand that held her locket.
He bent down to take one last breath in her hair so that her scent would give him strength and carry him to his grave. "I love you," he whispered, then he made himself leave.
Fang!" Aimee gasped, feeling desolate without him. How would she be able to live knowing he was really gone?
At least in the past there was always the chance that he'd come to his senses and be here.
But now . . .
He was going to die and there was nothing she could do.
Go get him!
The urge was so strong. If only she could. But Fang would never forgive her for that. How could he? She knew the pain of living without her brothers. The unrelenting agony of knowing she'd been the reason they had been caught and killed. They had protected her and given their lives so that she could live.
She couldn't wish that pain on Fang.
No, it would be Vane who would suffer, knowing that his happiness had been bought in blood. Fang's blood.
Besides, Savitar had issued his orders. If Fang didn't surrender, Savitar would hunt him down. He would die anyway.
Heartbroken, Aimee dressed herself and sat on the bed, trying to use her powers to see him.
Savitar wouldn't even allow her that much comfort.
Fang materialized in Savitar's opulent hall where the Omegrion council met.
Completely empty, the room had windows that were open and looking out onto a beautiful sea. Fang closed his eyes as the soft wind brushed his skin and ruffled his hair. The salt in the air was as sweet as the birds that sang outside.
It was a beautiful day to die.
He slid Aimee's locket into his pocket at the same time he felt the fissure of power rippling behind him.
"So you came alone." Savitar appeared in front of him, dressed in a black wet suit. His hair was plastered back from his face and still dripping wet.
"Was I not supposed to?"
Savitar snorted as he wiped some of the droplets off his face. "I didn't know if you'd have it in you or not."
"Guess I'm full of surprises."
He didn't appear to appreciate Fang's sarcasm. "You know the charges against you?"
"I was told murder."
"Fourteen counts. How do you plead?"
Fang shrugged with a nonchalance he most definitely didn't feel. "I suppose most people go down on their hands and knees."
Savitar laughed, then sobered. "But not you."
"Nope. Never." He narrowed his gaze on Savitar. "Honestly, I have no memory of murdering anyone, but if I did it, I'm here for my punishment."
Savitar rubbed his chin with his thumb. "You never flinch, do you?"
"It's not in me. But I expect you to abide by your word and spare my family."
"You've nothing to say on your own behalf?"
"Not really."
"Then prepare to die."