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“Angel needed someone to help her.” Creed was certain his father had been the one to lead that front. He’d received a harsh conversation after he’d filed that report. Kado had threatened to lash him himself but his mother had intervened. She’d ordered Creed to return to his assignment and had faced off against his enraged father. He’d stayed long enough to make certain she was in no danger.
He’d only seen his father in public after that. He was still unsure if he’d have bowed down to take that beating or if he’d have fought him. Though, he would have refused to hurt his mother by forcing her to watch her mate and one of her sons fight to the death.
“Aveoth agreed. We do watch human news. Saving a child from certain death is honorable. But now you’ve mated her. Does that feel strange?”
“I avoided her after I gave her to the couple who raised her. It wasn’t until she was older that I spent time with her. I saw her spending a lot of time alone and it made me question my past actions, wondering if she was unhappy.”
“The pack didn’t take to her?”
“They did.” Creed hesitated. “I hadn’t taken into consideration that children eventually grow into adults when I brought her into this valley. The elders and parents were training the adolescents how to hunt and adjust to the changes their bodies were going through.”
“She wasn’t a Lycan. I understand.”
“They trained her how to fight but would leave her behind when they went into the woods. She couldn’t keep up with them when they went on group runs.” A memory surfaced. “Angel tried though. She’s always been courageous, with a lot of spirit. At first some of the youths would stay with her, but she’d motion them on, not wanting to hold them back. Unfortunately, she had no sense of direction.” He actually smiled. “She’d get lost on her own. That’s when I first spoke to her again. She was sixteen and heading right into a bear’s den. I prevented her from irritating a mother and her clubs.”
“That would have been bad.”
“Yes. It would have. I walked her back to the village to make certain she wouldn’t get lost again. She asked me to go fishing with her. I resisted but she reminded me that I did have to eat. I still refused but then she started fishing in a spot I couldn’t miss seeing from my lair. She seemed aware of it, because she’d do the funniest things, attempting to lure me to come down.”
Kelzeb arched his eyebrows. “Like what?”
Creed smiled again. He couldn’t not. “She’d do this thing she called a happy dance every time she caught a fish. She brought food with her sometimes, and would lift it up so I could see what she had and wave at me to join her. She even wrote on a big board she carried to that rock to tell me I was a stick in the mud. It amused me.”
“And you caved.”
His humor faded. “She drew me.”
“You were attracted to her.”
“She’s so full of life. I started fishing with her. She’d bring food for us both, we’d talk. It was nice. Time passed and she matured. I noticed. She turned eighteen…and that’s when the touching began.”
“You touched her?”
“I allowed her to touch me. She was so curious.”
“So this wasn’t your first time having sex with her?”
“It was never like that. I wouldn’t allow it. She wanted a mate, I couldn’t give her that. She wasn’t Lycan and considered sex something that only happened between two people in love. I allowed her to feel my wings. She wanted to see me in my other form, so I shelled for her. She told me I was beautiful.”
Kelzeb grunted. “Not something we want to hear.”
“It was a compliment. Fear was never my intention with her, and I was glad she approved of how I looked.”
“Then she left?”
“She tried to initiate sex with me and told me what she felt in her heart. She said she would talk me into taking her as my mate. I removed myself from her and stayed away.”
“You felt she had the power to break your will?”
Creed said nothing. Angel had become his one weakness.
“You’re in love with her.” Kelzeb sighed. “What a mess. But it’s going to be okay. As I said, I’ll talk to Aveoth when we get there before you have to make a formal audience. He’ll cut you some slack. Especially after I remind him of what you’ve been through because of your father. He can’t stand Kado either.”
“Thank you.”
“Now, I’ll go get the girl and you grab a bag. We don’t have a lot of time.”
“She’s not here.”
“Where is she?”
Creed hesitated. “I didn’t want her to be punished and she didn’t want me to fall. We compromised.”
“What in the hell did you do?”
“She is my mate but her will is her own.”
“Stop stalling. She’s running, isn’t she? Is that what you two worked out? She’d take off while you faced your punishment?”
“Yes.”
“She’ll smell like you.” Kelzeb snarled. “It’s going to put a target on her back.”
“I’m aware and pointed that out to her. She has lived in the human world and feels confident that she can survive.”
“Awww, fuck,” Kelzeb hissed. “You bloody fool. She’s got you wrapped around her damn finger. You’re also still experiencing the tail end of the ravage. You’re not thinking clear. I bet the first two things you were worried about were her being killed by Aveoth, and then how some bastard like one our fathers would turn her into a breeding vessel. This is the most vulnerable time for newly mated women. You’re not the only one who will be able to track her. She’s going through the change. She’ll be sending out pheromones for miles to anyone with a nose to pick up when her mate doesn’t respond to her silent call to strengthen the bond. That’s why we usually send new mates somewhere remote or have them stay in their homes. It’s torment to the single males to smell how hot they get.”
“She’s human. That won’t happen.”
“I’m going to kick your father’s ass myself! Kado never had the talk with you? It doesn’t matter if she’s human, Lycan, or a Gargoyle. It’s going to happen to her. How strong was your bond?”
“Weak.” Creed’s father had told him it only happened with female Lycans and Gargoyles who mated to them. Would he lie?
“FUCK!” Kelzeb roared. He took a few ragged breaths, glaring at Creed. “She’ll just feel a little warm and start to sweat. It won’t alarm her but her scent will keep getting stronger until it spreads for miles. It’s meant to draw you to her. It’s nature’s way of letting us know we need to strengthen that bond more. We can be a little resistant to feelings, so it turns on anything with a dick and a nose to pick it up. Old masters who ever spent time around our kind are going to identify it. They’ll track her. Lycans will too. She’s going to smell like the hottest bitch ever, and they’ll lose their damn minds.
“They won’t mean to kill her, but they will. I saw it happen once when I was in scout training and assigned to go on a mission to observe. A full-blood Gargoyle mated a Lycan and couldn’t be bothered with forming more than a weak bond. He was negotiating an alliance with her pack. She started to put off the calling. The single males started to attack each other, fighting to the death to get to be the one to fuck her. She was injured but her mate flew off with her before she was raped. Six died. Either way, once it starts, your girl might as well have a neon spotlight over her head anywhere she goes that states ‘fuck me’.”
“My father would have told me.”
“Unless Kado wanted to make certain you never mated a human—or got her killed by being ignorant, if you did. Now get your head out of your ass and remember what Vampires might do to her if she’s captured. They won’t kill her. They can heal whatever they do to her, and she won’t change into one of them because she’s your mate. They’ll think she’s the best torture toy ever. Call her on her cell phone and tell her to turn around.”
“I…I don’t have her number.” Creed felt raw
fear for Angel. “She’s on her way to the airport.” He turned, his wings ripping out of his back. It hurt like hell to change that fast but he had to get to her.
Kelzeb grabbed him. “No! She’s probably had time to get out of the territory. It’s broad daylight. You can’t risk flying beyond this valley or you could be seen. No damn way are you ending up starring in a video clip on the internet. Aveoth would have your ass then. Get in my Jeep once you stop bleeding so you don’t ruin my seats and I’ll call two of our enforcers I left a few hours ago. They’re out that way. They’ll reach her if we don’t.”
Frustration nearly choked Creed. He hadn’t been thinking clearly. He hadn’t known Angel would put off the calling. “I’m going to kill my father. My mother isn’t around anymore to be hurt by his death.”
“I don’t blame you. Put away the damn wings, Creed. That’s an order.”
He closed his eyes and tried to force his body into submission.
“Forget your overnight bag. I told Aveoth all of the guardians should come home for the ravage and bring a woman with them. This just proves it. Less fuck-ups happen if it’s a more controlled environment. Let’s go. I have spare clothes for you.”
Chapter Eight
Angel fidgeted with the paper wrapped around the sandwich and took a sip of the soda she’d bought. She glanced up at the wall in the small airport. Her flight took off in forty minutes. Every second that passed seemed as if were ten.
Someone coughed near her and she tucked her head. It would be ironic if she caught some virus after lying to her mother. Karma could be a bitch. She took another bite of the sandwich. It wasn’t bad, considering the vender worked from a refrigerated stand. She’d kill for a nice fast food joint or a good coffee shop, but they only boasted those in bigger airports.
I should have driven all the way to Anchorage.
She chewed on her lip, debating her choice all over again. She felt too emotional to drive that far and wanted out of Alaska as soon as possible. It’s why she’d stopped in the first place.
All she could think about was Creed. What is he doing? How is he feeling? Is he scared deep down inside to face his GarLycan lord? She was terrified for him. He’d said he’d take lashes. Does that mean what I think it does? Some asshole will whip him? She lost her appetite.
She stood and felt a moment of dizziness. It passed fast as she located a trashcan and dumped the remainder of her food. The airport really needed to kick up the air conditioning. She glanced around. At least eight other passengers were waiting to crowd into a small plane to be taken to a larger airport to make their connections to wherever their destinations were.
She regretted wearing a sweater as she retook her seat, and tugged at the collar. She couldn’t even remove it since she hadn’t put on an undershirt in her haste to leave her parents’ house. Sweat tickled along her back from the plastic seat. She shifted her ass into a more comfortable position, her gaze lowering to the two backpacks at her feet. She hadn’t looked inside the one Creed had given her. She was afraid she’d totally lose it and start sobbing. Strangers didn’t want to see that.
She sighed and closed her eyes, trying to think of her next move. The connecting flight in Anchorage would take her to Seattle. She needed to go home to pack her things before taking off. She kept some cash stashed in her kitchen but she’d need to hit the bank too, just to clear out her account. It could wait though. Priority one was making it home, and then leaving before anyone was sent after her.
GarLycans could only fly at night to avoid detection but they’d have to keep under the radar, literally. That would slow them down, since they had to avoid traveling by air over populated areas. She figured they wouldn’t be able to reach her in Seattle until the next evening sometime, probably near dawn.
She looked at the clock on the wall, calculating. She’d have plenty of time if her connecting flight wasn’t delayed. Her car had been left at the airport. She’d drive home and could clear out within a few hours, at most. She’d be long gone before dinnertime the following day.
Large cities were where Vampires thrived. Rural areas were more to the liking of Lycans. She’d have to find a safe middle ground.
More sweat irritated her and she reached down, lifting the hem of her sweater and getting some air to her stomach when she fanned the material. It’s summer still. Why did I put on a sweater? Oh, yeah. To hide the bite mark from my parents. It’s hotter than hell in here.
The desert. The thought popped into her head and she mulled it over. No one in her pack would want to live in some dinky town. Hot, flat, barren land with blasting temperatures and little to no outdoor water sources would put them off. Most humans didn’t even like those kinds of conditions, so it meant not many would live there. It would be a stupid choice for a Vampire if he wanted to eat.
Okay. Death Valley, here I come. She was pretty sure that was somewhere in California. She’d have to look it up but it gave her a place to head in her car. She’d figure the rest out later.
Creed filled her thoughts again and she fought the urge to cry. He should have decided to run with her. She understood why he hadn’t. He’d always been a straight shooter. He had a strong sense of honor. It was one of the many things she loved about him, but that didn’t mean she didn’t feel a little hurt that he’d picked doing the right thing over being with her. Ten years probably seemed like a drop in the bucket for his lifespan.
The prospect of spending the rest of her now-extended life with one man didn’t frighten her. Her human friends were leery of even living with men. She’d been raised with Lycans though. Mating was forever. She’d always envied anyone who’d found the person they loved and wanted to be with. Now it seemed unfair that she’d spend her honeymoon phase on the run while Creed had to spend it in prison.
The woman across from her used her book to fan herself.
Angel sat up a little straighter. She was done. She needed to fit in and not draw attention to herself, but the way she was fidgeting would. She bent forward and lifted her backpacks. There was a bathroom across the small airport. It would only take a few minutes to switch into a T-shirt.
It was empty when she entered, and she washed her face then stripped off the sweater. She shoved it in with her other clothes and pulled out a thin cotton top. Her shoulder showed a little but it wouldn’t matter. No human was going to even think she might have been bitten. They’d just assume it was a cut or scratch she’d bandaged. She used the bathroom and then exited.
The guy with short hair near the counter spun the moment she walked out and focused on her. She met his gaze and saw him staring back. His nostrils flared.
Shit. He wasn’t a Vampire. It was still bright outside. He had a stocky build, sporting a fishing T-shirt and jeans. Her gaze lowered down his body as she returned to her seat, storing her packs on the floor. It was easy to fuss with her bags, purposely avoiding looking at his face again. He wore slip-on shoes. Lycan. She was sure of it.
He wasn’t from her pack. He also wasn’t from any of the nearby ones. She didn’t recognize him. That was a bonus. Worst case, he got a whiff of her parents coming off her backpack and that she’d had sex with Creed. He wouldn’t dare approach her around other people to appease his curiosity if he’d never been around a GarLycan. She adjusted her hair over her shoulder to hide the bandage.
“Sir?” the woman behind the counter called out.
Angel looked up and watched the Lycan coming right at her. She swallowed hard and sat back, masking her features as she looked directly into his eyes. He didn’t stop until stood right in front of her.
“Come with me.”
“Excuse me?” She studied his face. It wasn’t good when she noticed that he seemed to have more hair on it than before. He cocked his head and sniffed at her again. The tip of one ear looked a little pointier than it should have. He was starting to shift, even if it was just a tiny bit.
“Now,” he hissed.
Panic rose fast when she looked at the ha
nd he held out to her. His nail beds were thicker and the tips of them pointy. The crazy bastard seemed ready to shift in front of a room full of humans if he didn’t get control of himself. He would expose Lycans.
She ignored his hand and leaned forward, snatching her bags. “Okay, Mike. We can talk outside. You don’t have to make a scene.” She stressed the words, hoping it would clue him in.
He looked down at his hand, shock spreading across his features. Then he spun, rushing with long strides toward the door. She followed him. They cleared the building and she trailed him to the side of it, away from the prying eyes of anyone from the airfield. He leaned against the wall and covered his face with his hands.
“Take deep breathes,” she encouraged. “Are you okay? What’s your real name?”
He peeked at her between his fingers. “You know?”
“That you were about to sprout fur in there? Yeah. I belong to the Henita pack. My alpha is Picoz.”
“You’re not one of my kind.” He dropped his hands. “What are you?”
She locked her knees, remembering that she smelled like sex still, and Creed. “That’s none of your business but I’m pack protected. I’m going back inside now, and you need to pull yourself together before you do.”
He sniffed at her and groaned. “You smell so good!”
She backed up. “Thanks.”
“Come here.” He reached for her with both hands and growled.
She saw lust glitter in his eyes and his breathing increased almost to a pant. She knew the signs well. “Oh, hell no. Are you in heat? You crazy son of a bitch. Go into the woods and call someone from your pack to come get you. You can’t be around humans in that condition. Are you suicidal?”
He lunged forward and grabbed her. She was spun and her back hit the wall hard. Her packs slipped down her arm and then he was up against her, pinning her. He buried his nose against her throat and groaned. He thrust the front of his jeans against her belly, rubbing hard, almost humping her.