CHAPTER FOUR
Unable to think, Ada could only stare at the mark at the base of Nico’s neck. A prominent bite mark, the kind that would never fade.
A werewolf mark, like when they marked their territory, prey, or a mate.
It was rare for a werewolf to mark someone, reserving this for a privileged few, such as a mate, or for some other important reason. What did that mean? Were they…. together? The ache in her chest intensified.
“Nico, you’re hungry. We both know what happens when you are, so go feed. By the time I get back—”
“You marked a vampire?” Ada exclaimed, still shocked. “You’re gay?”
The lazy look Nate shot her had Ada on edge and raising her chin. Nico shrugged off the werewolf’s hand, hissed in his ear then strode from the library with his usual arrogant gracefulness. That left her with an insolent, gorgeous creature who may very well be gay. She’d seen the mark on the vampire, witnessed the obvious affection between them. It could only mean they were in a relationship.
For some reason, the idea of Nate Le Garde being gay irritated her more than the ridiculous land dispute, and she was not even going to acknowledge the pain in her heart.
He had kissed her, caused a fire deep inside that yearned and ached to be quenched. By him, and only him. She didn’t want it; she didn’t need it. To think he was just toying with her, erupting passions she never knew she had just as a bit of fun, brought back all the old resentments and bitterness she held against his kind and other creatures. This may be an irrational reaction, but it was one she couldn’t stop and didn’t fully understand, and it had Ada directing sudden anger at him.
“I don’t care about your sexual orientation, but never touch me again—”
“Brownie—”
“You gave your word to find Remika, stick to it.” Ada headed for the door, determined to leave and get started on the search for her friend. And forget about Nathaniel Le Garde and this frustrating, out of nowhere, attraction to him.
He stepped in front of her. “I’m not gay, nor is Nico.” He lowered his head down to her level and snaked an arm around her waist.
Ada hissed as she was pulled hard against him, then gasped at the feel of sharp teeth scraping through her high-necked jumper at the exact spot Nico had been marked. With her legs turning to jelly and body heating up and flooded with sharp, needful desire, she went limp.
“Woman, you’re driving me freaking crazy!” He raised his head, eyes hooded. “The vampire is mine, no one touches him—or they deal with me and a lot of other creatures who are more than willing to tear them a new one.”
Ada was left breathing heavily from the onslaught of desire and heat. She gazed into vibrant, intense green eyes and saw something there that made her shiver more than with the eruption of physical needs exploding inside her.
Nate wanted her, his eyes and body firing with deep, heavy lust. Holy shit, she was going to have to tread ever so carefully to deal with a heated up werewolf! Especially when he was her best chance of finding Remi and the warlock.
It was a well-known fact that werewolves had massive appetites for food, ale, fighting, and sex, and not necessarily in that order. Territorial, tough, loyal, rough at times, it was often said they chased down “prey” and took them where they landed, which was usually in the Mist Fields of Galdorcwide. As she didn’t wish to be another piece of prey, she needed to keep her cool and formulate a way to calm him down and get them back on track to finding Remi.
Only, her body was against her. She found it difficult not to pull him closer and find the nearest flat surface. And knowing he wasn’t toying with her, that the heat between them was real, meant a hell of a lot more than she was currently able to take in. What on earth was she doing? Fates damnation! She was becoming as contrary as a frigging unpredictable, frivolous fairy! What in sweet destiny’s auspicious name was she doing?
Taking a deep breath, realizing the precarious position she was in, she tried to get her rampaging body under control and thoughts back on track. Remi needed her, and he was going to help find her friend. That was all. She would deal with the attraction, even if it meant getting a spell to cure her.
For some reason, that reasonable thought gave her a shaft of pain in the vicinity of her heart. She ignored it, one hand relaxing its grip on his thick, muscular bicep. Ada smiled and raised her lashes slowly, her other hand going to his big chest and feeling the muscles bunch beneath her fingertips.
Careful, she reminded herself, one wrong move or misplaced action will have him bearing you down to the carpet when he’s in this state.
The werewolf’s breathing heaved, and he sniffed her, drawing her scent deep. He was on the edge, his control almost frayed. The thought turned her on, and she had to distract him, and herself.
“From what I’ve seen of Prince Nico, he can take care of himself very well.” She murmured softly.
His body temperature was still rising, he felt like a boiling cauldron beneath her fingers and against her front. She had to get him cooled down.
“He can.” Long fingers sprawled across her ass and gripped, pulling Ada more firmly against him.
“That is good to know.” She gave a heartfelt sigh, lashes lowering a little over her eyes. “For Remika’s sake…you said you would search for her, find her. You and Nico.” She softened her voice. “Nate, this was your word.”
His eyes were on her breasts but rose at the catch she deliberately injected into her voice.
“Yes, lufu, I gave my word and am bound.” His hand moved up from her bottom and rubbed her back as though soothing a child. “The imp is not powerless—”
“No, but it appears the warlock managed to overcome her somehow, and that leads me to believe he is far more dangerous than I thought and may harm her.” Ada took the advantage and wriggled out of his arms. “The witch I mentioned, Sandra Lipton, will have his name and address. We have to go quickly—”
“Hey, cuz.” A younger werewolf stuck his head into the library. “Nico’s thrown a tantrum; said some crap about the wrong blood stock and smashed the fridge.”
Nate growled, a deep, lethal vibration that shot out through his clenched fangs. “Then give him what he damn well wants.”
“Yeah, right.” The younger werewolf rolled his eyes. “I don’t think you’d want me to repeat what he wants in front of the brownie there. By the way, your pop called and demands an immediate explanation. Apparently Aidan mentioned you were willing to negotiate with a brownie during the land dispute meeting. Have fun explaining that.”
Stalking across to the younger werewolf, Nate growled something in their kind’s language which caused the other creature to laugh. He was still laughing as he shut the door behind him.
Ada hissed in frustration. “I do not think you are taking this seriously. Has Remi’s apartment even been searched?”
He shot her an insulted glare. “Yes. Warlock magic was used to break the protection the imp had over her apartment. My wolves were not able to track him. No one felt the death of a creature there, which means the imp was at least alive when taken from the apartment.” Muscles rippled in his arms, chest, and stomach as he ran a hand through dark wavy hair. “Wolves and vamps are out scouring the city as we speak.”
“Well, that is something at least.” Ada dragged her eyes away from the temptation of him. “I need to get home and find the witch’s number and address. Now.” Immediately she knew issuing an order only made his hackles rise, so she gave a sad smile and changed tactics, appealing once more to that useful protective nature of his. She wasn’t playing games with Nate, she was working out how to actually deal with him. Ada was in fact far too straight forward Remi remarked a few times, but that seemed only to irritate the wolf. So she had to find a different way to communicate, a nicer way.
“We must find Remi.”
He gave a nod and gestured her toward him with a wave of his hand. Only taking one step, Ada was surprised when Nate leaped the distance between them in a single stride and pulled her behind him, holding her there forcibly.
“What are you doing?” She exclaimed, momentarily thinking he changed his mind and was going to keep her here and not help find Remi.
“Fuck, Lucio. What happened to you?”
A loud torrent of Italian, mostly filled with swearing, reached her ears. She managed to look around the werewolf’s right arm to see Prince Nico’s younger cousin, Prince Lucio Romano, standing a few feet away, dripping wet. Despite the damage to his expensive suit, the vamp was gorgeous, like his cousin. Six foot five, slender and lithe, shoulder length straight blonde hair, light brown eyes, and finely chiseled features, he was said to be arrogant, just like all vampires, fun, quite cheeky, and smart. She’d also heard via Galdorcwide CreatureBook.com.ga that Lucio Romano was tenacious, a quality rarely seen in bloodsuckers as they usually lost interest and became bored fairly quickly.
“Nico was having a tantrum as I passed through the kitchen.” Lucio snapped, inspecting his wet suit with disdain.
Nate released her, tension easing out of his body. “Yeah, he’s a bit antsy at present. How long are you here for?”
“Long enough to change clothes and pick up a few things.”
“Oh? What things?”
“None of your business, wolf.” Lucio gave an arrogant, lazy smile.
Nate smirked. “Where’s Dare? Still being anti-social or just lazy.”
“Ah, you try to get a rise from me.” The vamp shrugged. “Introduce me to your brownie friend—”
“Leave the wolf alone, ami.”
Ada blinked, turning to see a big man draped across one of the lounges. Was the library about to be inundated with creatures? Probably, the New York vamp building appeared to be a communal hang out by the look of it.
“What’s going down, Dare?” Nate tugged Ada out from behind him and helped her put on her coat.
“I must change.” The vamp, Lucio, bowed to her as he turned to vapor and disappeared.
“Perhaps you could catch up later. As I said before, we need to call the witch immediately.” She said briskly.
“Sev and Blaine are out hunting the warlock and imp.” The man on the couch stood and stretched. “Trail ran cold. Luc and I gave it a go, same deal. Ruine and Ace are next, then Div and Chase.” A small silver box appeared in the man’s hand. He placed it on the coffee table. “Bad vibes all around the scene. Expect the unexpected, and use sparingly.”
“Fairy dust?” Nate grinned. “Shit, Dare, you going all soft and giving on us?”
Golden hazel eyes flicked over Nate without emotion. “Yeah, I’m gonna be a fucking Glitterbug clone.” He gave an inelegant snort. “Not. The dust is from Ace. He says congrats, by the way, and a whole lot of other nonsense I’m not interested in relaying. And your father ain’t a happy old dog.”
Congrats? What was a Glitterbug clone? Why wasn’t Nate’s father happy? Because his son pledged to help her find Remi, an insignificant imp as far as he was concerned. The door opened behind her, and a gorgeous creature with golden-blonde hair and hazel eyes came into the room in a flourish, his outlandish clothes bright, his smile wide.
That’s when she realized who Dare was. The Crown Prince of the Fairies, Dareios Montello, the recluse and apparently emotionally detached royal. And the outlandish man who just stepped into the room was Dareios’s younger brother, ever happy, big-hearted Prince Ace Montello. She’d heard about Dareios, but had never seen him. Now she knew why CreatureBook was so full of what could only be called “stalker gossip” about the fairy crown prince. He was superb, stunning, though without a real trace of warmth, coldness, or any emotion.
As for Ace, he shared himself around, and everyone loved him, which is why his demon companion never seemed overly pleased. And the demon was not one you wanted to get on the wrong side of. Big, brutish, and without patience, he inspired tales that were told in hushed whispers, they were so bad. Ada glanced back at Dareios, only to find him gone.
“Drats! We missed him, demon!” Prince Ace shouted cheerfully.
“Did you find the warlock’s trail?” Nate demanded.
“Nah, sorry. None of us had any luck. It was real strange, just faded out. Ruine should have been able to pick up something, but there was nothing there, and the same happened with Blaine, then Sev and Div.” Prince Ace smiled gently at her. “We’ll find your imp friend, beautiful brownie, don’t you worry.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.” Ada decided the fairy’s friendliness would be an advantage for her. “I appreciate the assistance you have given.”
Nate growled in her ear. “Try giving some appreciation my way, woman.” He straightened, seemingly satisfied that he’d made her flush and shiver. “Where are they all?”
“Blaine and Sev are still out searching. You know Blaine will do everything he can to help you. Dare’s gone back to work, which means Lucio will probably hang around here waiting for news and researching that other problem we’ve got. Chase went back to Galdorcwide with Ruine.”
Ada was trying hard to keep up with all the names, where they were, and who the creatures were that Prince Ace was talking about. It took a few moments, then a jolt of surprise ran through her, along with a glimmer of hope. Everyone he’d mentioned was royalty, and she was positive they were also sentinels. Thank the Fates! With that many powerful creatures out looking for Remi, it was just a matter of time before they found her. If she hurried and retrieved the witch’s number, she could make the search quicker.
“Div’s still around?”
“He’s containing the mess the warlock left.” Ace tapped his head. “Yeah, yeah. Ruine said that Div is available if you need him.”
“Right, we may call on him. Go cheer Nico up and make sure Luc stays put if your brother ain’t around.”
Ace smiled softly. “Ah, our big protector.” He winked at her. “Did you know that, brownie Ada Gerritsen? Our Nate may be gruff and a bit wild, but his heart is gold. Takes care of all of us. He’s the sentinel ‘father hen’—”
“Shut up, Glitterbug.” Nate actually flushed a little. Interesting. Ada might once have wondered how she could use that to her advantage, but not now. Instead, she found herself smiling and liking this side of the wolf.
“So you’re a sentinel.” Ada nodded. “I thought so. And those who have helped search for Remi?”
Ada cursed silently as a part of her melted toward the werewolf. She believed the fairy prince was telling the truth about Nate. The man was gruff and had a bit of a wild boy attitude, but she was beginning to take notice of the depth inside him. Prince Nathaniel Le Garde did have a true and good heart, and he took care of others like a father would.
That was not good. It was bad enough she was physically burning for him, without having to be careful emotionally. How could a werewolf cause such rampant feelings and desires in her? How had he have touched on what no one else had?
Nate gave a nod. “They’re sentinels also. Let’s go, honey, we’ve got a witch to call and a warlock to catch.”
Her apartment looked just as she’d left it only two and a quarter hours ago. Ada dropped her keys into the glazed pottery bowl on the sideboard near the front door and stepped aside to let Nate in.
Remi had been kidnapped. Between the worry, fear, and stress, she was also bombarded with the absurd attraction for a royal werewolf. How wrong was that?
Raising her chin and setting her shoulders, Ada pushed down the fear and worry to focus on what must be done to find her best friend. But she did allow herself one thorough sweep of the werewolf. Her gaze lingered on his wide back, the muscles shifting beneath is sweater, fascinating her for a few moments until she dropped her gaze to his butt.
An amazing ass. Tight, firm…grabable.
Obviously Remi had rubbed off on her, though why she only had these thoughts and lustful desires for the werewolf, she didn’t know. Especially when she was around the two stunning vampire princes, Nico and Lucio, then the fairy princes, amazing Dareios and gorgeous Ace. Not that Nate wasn’t attractive, for he was. Handsome in a very rugged, outdoorsy, bad-boy way. Not her type at all. Though he looked a little preppy at the moment, which was throwing her. She’d only just got used to his unkempt ways, and now he was dressed in a crisp, striped shirt beneath the expensive green sweater, with brown leather Italian shoes and blue jeans that fit so very well… She sighed and looked away as his heated green eyes looked her over.
Then they went wide, and he muttered something in the werewolf language that to her was only a series of growls in different frequencies. To others, it probably made perfect sense.
Nate stalked around the apartment inspecting everything. Numerous times he sniffed at things and scowled, annoying Ada and distracting her. Her little ornaments seemed to displease him for some reason.
Ada managed to stop from fanning herself as he bent over and studied the CDs on the lower shelf. Holy destiny! What a body! Her eyes strayed once more to the sleek muscles that rippled across his shoulders and back…and his butt. The werewolf was too superb and masculine for words.
“At least the woman has some taste in music,” he muttered.
Eyes narrowing, she cast aside her lascivious thoughts and went to the desk in the corner of the living room. It took only a moment to find the witch’s details and sufficiently reminded her of what she should be concentrating on. Retrieving Remi. This meant going to the witch immediately, for the longer Remi was gone, the less chance they had of tracking and stopping anything happening to her.
A warm, muscular arm wrapped around Ada’s waist from behind. Heat poured into her as the werewolf’s big body pressed into her back. Normally very centered and focused, single-minded even, she felt all that fall apart with this creature’s presence. Every barrier she erected crumbled, and Ada could only put her reaction down to lack of sex over the last decade and her emotions in an uproar because of Remi. Nate was strong and unyielding, a force that never wilted or gave in. He would find Remi. Deep inside, Ada felt certain of it, felt certain of his integrity in this, his absolute determination. And that she found irresistible—strong, smart, determined men who weren’t morons she found attractive.
“What do you do for fun, love?”
His voice, so deep and distinctly male with a hint of old English accent, wound through her tension and left her grasping for focus. Combined with the male’s body temperature, his rising heat, she felt as though she were drowning. Yet at the same time, her body was aflame with need. She well understood why CreatureBook was awash with gossip and stories of this werewolf’s expertise.
Ada! he reprimanded herself sharply. You’re not a hormonal teenager. And you’re a lawyer! Responsible, smart—fate and destiny, get a frigging grip here…and not of that huge bulge of his pressing into your butt!
“I make sure my bank statements match my account balance.” She said with false primness and slipped out of his arm to put a CD back onto the shelf that the werewolf had been looking over. She gave him an expectant look. “I’ll call the witch.”
Giving her a wolfish once over, and a very knowing look, he at least didn’t touch anything else. Though the creature did glare at a little porcelain figurine of a brownie with a bag of loot. Ah, that was why he looked with distaste over her ornaments. Most were of brownies, and a lot were carrying ill-gotten gains.
The telephone ringing instantly made her think of Remi. Ada’s heart beat faster, and her stomach tightened in a mix of apprehension and worry. She dove for the phone, but it went to answering machine as she always had it set to one ring and then record. About to pick it up, hopeful it was Remi calling to say she escaped the mad stalker warlock, Ada jerked back at the sound of an unknown, chilling voice that came through the answering machine.
“A warning, Ms. Gerritsen. If you or the werewolf and his vamp friends interfere, I’ll hurt you all.” The voice dropped menacingly. “I know where you live, brownie. Be sensible, call them off this useless search and forget Remika, it’s best for everyone’s health. You do not wish to be responsible for their deaths, do you, brownie?”
The disconnect tone was nearly as loud as Ada’s pounding heart. For a moment she thought she may faint for the very first time in her life, and she did crumble, her legs seeming to turn boneless. She hardly noticed when Nate pulled her against him, only stirring as heat warmed her suddenly frozen body.
Ada, so very weary now, gazed up at him and brushed a dark curl from his forehead. Those startling bright green eyes of his darkened and he nuzzled her cheek softly, light bristle grazing her skin and the guttural, low growl he emitted turned her insides to liquid.
“We’ll find the imp, and when we do, the warlock won’t be bothering anyone ever again, lufu.”
He’d called her this before, and like then, she was uncertain whether or not to ask what it meant. Did she want to know? Generally Ada met everything head on, but now, she was lost and swamped with emotions, unable to deal with anything more.
“He could h-hurt you and the other sentinels—”
Nate held her close for a moment, his body saturating her cold one with heat. He stroked her back, lips brushing lightly over hers. Ada felt as though she were on fire, her entire body engulfed. Then she was bereft. Nate stepped back, green eyes narrowed as he surveyed the room.
“No damn greedy creature is gonna to get the better of the sentinels, brownie.”
She glared, all weariness vanishing to be replaced by anger at his arrogant, superior attitude.
“Pride cometh before a fall,” she snapped. “Don’t forget that, dog. You and your friends may be big strong sentinels, but taking risks—why are you smiling?” Ada was appalled and disgusted by the werewolf’s big grin. “That bastard took my friend and threatened you and yours!”
“Ooh, honey, you know werewolves love a good challenge, and that there warlock just issued one. Don’t worry, we’ll dust him and get your friend back…if she’s still alive.” His smile faded. “Can’t stand for you to be sad and defeated, brownie. You’re spunky, sharp-tongued, cool as a fresh water stream in winter, too smart for your own good, and just a smile from you tightens my balls and makes me harder than I’ve ever been.” He flashed a smile and adjusted himself so that her eyes dropped down to the large bulge in his pants. He turned serious again. “Don’t give in to defeat. That’s what the bastard wants.”
Not sure whether to be appalled or impressed, Ada blinked at the big, handsome werewolf for a few moments then, not able to help it, she smiled and let out a sigh. He had deliberately gotten her annoyed to take her mind off things. Of course, she continued to hurt, but as usual, she cast aside the worrying that never helped anyone. Her father always said that too, and he was one brownie she admired and respected. Somehow, the werewolf knew what she needed. She needed to be involved in retrieving Remi.
“Perhaps, just maybe, I am impressed. Thank you, I’m fine now.” Her eyes narrowed on him. “But if you tell anyone I said I was impressed by you, or that I thanked you, I’ll damn well deny it and take you to Galdorcwide court for slander.”
Nate laughed. “I’d expect nothing less, honey. Just remember, if you ever need to lean on anyone, or feel like bending over, I’m your man.”
“You’re a vile, horny, rabid dog, Nathaniel Le Garde.” Ada shook her head, oddly enough, charmed for some ridiculous reason she couldn’t fathom.
“Hey, I do what I can.”
For now, they had reached a companionable accord, one that Ada found herself enjoying. This was a side to Nate she never thought she would find herself liking, in the past she disliked sexual innuendo and outright flirting, thinking it a touch vulgar. With him, at this moment, it salved her hurt and soothed the build of tension, helping her to think of what needed to be done now.
And, she admitted only to herself, he was kind of fun.
As for the warlock threat, well, he could go screw himself. She was not going to let a measly, greedy son of a bastard warlock steal her best friend and try to intimidate her.
“I’ll make the call.”
“That’s my girl.”
“Your girl?” She arched a perfectly groomed brow. “Dream on, wolf.”
Placing a hand over his heart, Nate smiled slowly. A wolfish, devil may care bad-boy smile that curled her toes and sent a rush of heat straight to her breasts and between her nether region. Her nipples tightened into throbbing, aching little pebbles.
Now, this would be why she avoided bad boys, unlike Remi who was positively addicted to anything bad. Bad boys were definitely appealing and could be fun, which Ada normally had no time for.
“Believe me, brownie, dreams are about to become reality.” He leaned forward, brushing her arm lightly with his fingertips and sending a thrill through her. He picked up the telephone and held it out. “Want me to tell you about them?”
She took the phone, feigning exasperation and annoyance, then turned away to hide her smile and blush.