Mating Bite by Cynthia Eden (11)

Carter carried Lauren into the werewolf den. He knew she wasn’t going to be happy to wake up and find herself surrounded by wolves, but there wasn’t much choice. The den was the safest spot for her. He maneuvered through the mansion, his steps barely making a sound on the marble floor. He entered the guest room and made his way to the bed. Lauren’s long lashes cast shadows over her cheeks, and he bent, placing her gently on the bed covers.

She didn’t stir.

“The study,” Griffin barked from behind him. “Now.”

Carter didn’t look away from Lauren’s face. “We can talk here. I’m not leaving her.” He turned to face the alpha. “It’s not that I don’t trust the werewolves here…”

Griffin’s jaw tightened.

“Okay, it’s that I don’t trust all the werewolves here.” Carter shrugged. “She’s too important.”

Griffin’s gaze glittered as it drifted between Carter and the still woman on the bed.

“Where’s your vamp?” Carter pushed.

Griffin growled. “She’s the hell away from you.” His lips twisted in fury. “You’re addicted to vamp blood. You think I’d let you anywhere near my Isabella now?” But then he slammed the door shut behind him. “Fuck! Fucking hell!” Griffin raked a hand through his hair. “I know Isabella’s blood did this to you. You should have come to me—I could have helped you!”

“How? By letting me feed on vamps? By letting me feed on Isabella?”

Griffin’s silence was a stark answer.

Yeah, that’s what I thought. His spine was so straight it ached. “I had to leave. My crimes couldn’t come back to the pack.”

“But isn’t that exactly what they’ve done?” Suddenly, Griffin appeared very, very weary as his shoulders dropped. “It’s different when you’re alpha. There are so many who depend on you then. And you don’t have the same choices any longer.”

Carter felt more tension slither through his body. “What does that mean?”

“It means—Antoine Abandonato.”

Carter’s gaze jerked to the bed. To his vamp. “Stop.” How much could Lauren hear? Shit. Shit.

But Griffin wasn’t stopping. “He wants her back. If Antoine doesn’t get her, he’s coming to Vegas for a battle. Isabella said he doesn’t bluff. He kills. He’ll have every vamp he can find at our gate.” Griffin paced toward the bed. “Is this woman really worth a fight? Is she worth the lives of the werewolves here? Because they count on me. They turn to me for protection. I don’t know her. I know nothing about her, and you—”

“She’s mine,” Carter cut in gruffly.

“What?”

Carter lifted Lauren’s hand. Even during her day sleep, her fingers curled with his. “She’s my mate. So, hell, yes, she’s worth a fight. She’s worth anything to me. Everything. I won’t turn her over to Antoine, but I will kill the bastard. I’ll make sure that he never hurts Lauren or anyone in this pack. I swear it.”

Griffin held his stare. “He wants me to kill you.”

Not unexpected at all. “I didn’t exactly leave the best impression on the guy…”

“If I don’t kill you, he’ll come for my pack.”

Sonofabitch.

“So tell me…” Griffin bared his sharp teeth. “What the hell do you think I should do?”

***

Lauren opened her eyes. The room around her wasn’t familiar, and she sat up, fast, her heart lurching in her chest. On a bed, in a dark room, in—

“Easy,” Carter’s deep voice came to her and her gaze flew to the foot of the bed. He stood there, staring at her with a faintly glowing stare that seemed to see straight into her soul. The gold in the darkness of his eyes is heavy tonight. “You’re safe, sweetness. I’ve been in this room with you the whole time. I wasn’t going to leave you unguarded while you were vulnerable.”

Her breath heaved out in a quick rush. She jumped out of the bed and hurried to him. “Where are we?” She wanted to throw her arms around him and hold tight, but fear held her back. Uncertainty.

“Don’t remember anything this time?” His head tilted to the side. His fingers rose and skimmed down her cheek.

At his touch, everything in her seemed to calm. The fear faded, and a warm glow took its place. Her breath came easier. She found herself inching closer to him. Wanting more of his touch. More of him.

“Lauren? Do you remember anything?” Worry was in his eyes.

She didn’t want him to worry. Remember anything? “I remember being on the plane. We were…headed to Vegas.” Her one-time home. The place of her dreams.

The city of her nightmares. My end began in Vegas.

“We made it to Vegas.” His fingers slid under her chin as he tipped back her head. “And I need you to trust me.”

Her heart squeezed as understanding hit. “I’m in werewolf central.”

“Yeah, yeah, baby, you are. But I talked to the alpha. No one is going to hurt you.”

She was surrounded by werewolves. A vicious vamp wanted her dead. Her life was a mess. But she wasn’t panicking because—Carter. Just being with him soothed her. He anchored her.

“I need you to trust me.”

“I do.” Didn’t he see that? Now she did touch him. Her hands curled around his powerful arms as Lauren held on tight. “I’m in werewolf central, but I’m not freaking out.” Okay, she was freaking out, a bit, but she was holding her shit together. “Because I’m with you. You’ve saved my ass. You’ve helped me, and maybe…maybe I’m not sure about this mating thing, but I am sure of you.” More so with every moment.

Pain flashed on his handsome face. “There are…things you don’t know.”

“Then tell me about them.” She stood on her toes and her lips pressed to his. “Tell me everything, because I’ve seen the secrets in your eyes.” Another kiss. “Tell me.” She didn’t want any secrets between them. “Whatever it is, we can handle it.”

His arms came around her, and he held her tight, in a grip that was unbreakable. “I want that to be fucking true.”

“It is—”

He kissed her. Deep, hard, consuming. His tongue swept into her mouth and the desire she felt for him broke to the surface. Just burst inside of her. Ignited like a wildfire raging out of control. She couldn’t hold it back. She couldn’t fight it.

And despite where they were, despite the beasts waiting literally beyond the door, she didn’t want to fight her desire for him. Their time together was precious, and she wanted as much of him as she could have.

Would it always be this way? Would they touch, kiss, and lose control? She knew she was surrounded by danger, but in that moment, Lauren didn’t care. Carter was touching her, kissing her, and he was acting as if she were the only person in his world.

She wasn’t afraid of him. Not her strong, fierce werewolf. But she was afraid that she might be falling in love with him.

“I can be such a selfish bastard,” he grated against her lips, “but you make me want to be more.”

He was more. How could Carter not see that? Her hands rose and cupped his cheeks. “You’ve saved me. You’ve helped me.” Her smile came slowly. “Don’t look now, wolf, but I think you just might be my hero.”

A loud banging shook the door. “Trouble!” The one word thundered out in a man’s rough voice.

Lauren flinched. The werewolf at the door didn’t seem friendly.

“Get your ass out here, Carter, and bring your vamp!”

Carter stiffened. “That’s the alpha.”

A knot formed in her stomach. “He doesn’t exactly sound happy to have us here.”

Carter’s eyes glinted. “He’s not.”

Wonderful. Lauren pulled away from Carter. His jaw hardened, but he let her go. She straightened her shoulders and headed for the door. She’d face this alpha, she’d face the whole pack. Did they think she wasn’t good enough to be with one of their wolves? She’d show them, she’d—

Carter caught her hand before she could reach the doorknob. He spun her around and then he pushed her back against the wood of the door, caging her with the heat of his body. He kissed her, his tongue thrusting into her mouth. He kissed her deep, he kissed her desperately. He kissed her as though an alpha wasn’t on the other side of that door. He kissed her with a desperate passion that had her whole body yearning for more of him. Her nipples ached, and her panties got wet…and all the while, a pissed alpha was waiting for them both.

I don’t care. When Carter touches me, I only focus on him. Dangerous. Very, very dangerous.

She should push him away. Instead, her nails were sinking into his shoulders and she was pulling him even closer. Her mouth opened wider, and a moan slipped from her. His cock shoved against her—fully erect and heavy—and she wanted him in her. She wanted the implosion of pleasure to sweep through them. If only they were a million miles away from the werewolves and the vampires. On a deserted island, all alone, free to touch and taste and pleasure and—

And when the sun rises on that deserted island, what happens to you then?

Her hands slid between them. She made herself push against his chest because if she didn’t stop kissing him—right then—she’d be fucking him. Or biting. Or both. Even with the alpha only a door away. “T-trouble, remember?”

He licked his lower lip, as if still tasting her, and the lust in his eyes had her breath catching.

“You,” Carter stated flatly, “you are the most important thing in my world. Every wolf out there knows that fact. They won’t touch you. No member of this pack will hurt you.”

You are the most important thing in my world. No one had ever said that to her. Not the lovers she’d had over the years, the ones who’d given her pleasure but hadn’t even seemed to really know her. Not the parents who’d barely seemed to tolerate each other—much less her. Her father had finally left for good when she was sixteen, and her mom hadn’t talked with Lauren in at least three years. Her mom had remarried, moved to Mexico, and hadn’t looked back. Her friends had been surface friends—all focused on dancing, competing, making it to the top. No one had ever spoken to her this way.

No one had ever looked at her the way Carter did.

“I made mistakes,” he added grimly. “I’m fixing them, I swear, I am. Give me a chance—let me show you that I can be better. That I can be good enough for you.”

“Good enough for me?” Now she laughed, feeling a bit of her tension ease. “I was just worried the werewolves wouldn’t think a vamp was good enough to be—”

“No.” The snarled word cut her off. “Don’t ever think that way. You are the most important thing to me. They know it. And you need to know that. No one will ever come before you. You, Lauren, you’re it for me.”

Again, his words seemed to sink right through her, piercing the cold that she hadn’t even realized encased her heart.

“You are the best thing that has ever happened to me.” Now his eyes narrowed. “You’re too good for me, but I can’t let you go.”

“Carter—”

“I can’t, sweetness, I wish I could. I wish I could let you walk away because I know you deserve more, but I’m in too deep with you.” He caught her hand and put it over his heart. “I belong to you. Body, heart, and soul. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you. Nothing I wouldn’t give to you.”

She had to swallow twice before she could speak. “Is this…because of that mating thing?”

“Lust comes first,” he rasped. “And I am far beyond lust with you. This isn’t because of the bite. It’s because of you.”

The door shook behind her. “Wrap this shit up, you two. They’re outside. The war is starting.”

War? What? “Carter?”

His expression became even harder. More savage. “How we met—that doesn’t matter. What we feel—that does matter.”

The warm glow she’d felt began to chill. “We met when you saved me.”

“No, sweetness, we met when you saved me.”

“Carter!” The alpha’s shout nearly shook the door behind her.

Carter yanked her away from the door, and it was a good thing he did because about two seconds after she was clear, the door came flying inward.

A man stood there—no, not a man, a werewolf. She could see his claws and his fangs. He was tall and muscled, with dark, tousled hair and angry eyes. Those eyes were on her.

“Your lover is at my damn gate,” the werewolf threw at her. “And he brought an army of vamps with him.”

Her jaw dropped.

“Antoine isn’t her lover.” Carter’s words were cold. Lethal. “He’s her dead ex.”

“Un-dead,” the other werewolf corrected. “And he’s ready to start a war.” His gaze raked over Lauren, as if trying to figure out some puzzle. “Over her.” Then he turned on his heel and stalked down the hallway. “Get your ass in gear, Sinclair,” he tossed over his shoulder.

Carter didn’t move. His whole body had turned to stone.

She swallowed twice, then semi-croaked, “Uh, was that the alpha?”

“Griffin. Yeah, he’s alpha.”

Not good. “Is there, um, maybe someone else in charge we could talk with?” Your lover is at my damn gate. “Because I don’t think he liked me very much.”

“Griffin kicked the last alpha’s ass and the bastard is dead. There is no one else.” He rolled back his shoulders. “Can’t believe Antoine got here so fast, but at least it saves me the trouble of having to go out and hunt him down.”

Then he was storming past her. She snapped her jaw shut and rushed after him. She barely paid any attention to the house around her—other than a quick note that the place was lush. Fancy floors. Glittering chandeliers. It even smelled rich.

Men and women were rushing around, and she saw plenty of claws flashing.

Werewolf central.

Some of those men and women paused to glare at her, but no one actually said anything to her. And no one tried to touch her. They were too busy…too busy—what? Preparing for war with the vamps?

Because of me?

Carter headed down a spiral staircase and she rushed behind him, grabbing him before he could get to the landing. “Stop it! Just—stop!”

Griffin was already on the landing. At her shout, he turned back, frowning. A petite woman with long, dark hair and seemingly perfect skin hurried to Griffin’s side.

“What is the plan here?” Lauren demanded as she tried to figure out what was happening and what she could do. “If an army of vampires is actually outside—”

“They are!” Griffin’s voice boomed out from below. “I don’t lie about shit like that. Antoine brought his army to my gate, and if he thinks I’ll be intimidated by a band of vamps, he needs to think the hell again.”

War. Vamps versus werewolves. Was that truly the fate that waited? Lauren kept her attention on Carter. “I don’t want people dying because of me.” Because she hid in a werewolf fortress and others rushed out to protect her. She shook her head. “That can’t happen.”

“We came here for protection.” Carter’s voice was soft but grim. “The wolves are going to protect you while I take care of Antoine.”

So confident. As if he could just breeze outside and take the vamp’s head without any trouble.

She pressed her lips together. She was on the stair two above him, so they were almost at eye level. And he had such gorgeous eyes, with those flecks of gold hidden in the darkness of his stare. Eyes that had seen so deeply into her. Still staring at Carter, Lauren called out to the alpha, “How many vampires are outside?”

“Twenty,” Griffin answered immediately. “So far. They seem to be gathering, waiting to attack.”

“They came as soon as the sun set.” It was the woman’s voice. Lauren peered over the banister so she could see that lady again. She was standing right at Griffin’s side as the lady called, “And they’ll keep coming. It’s Antoine’s way. He surrounds his enemy. Then he attacks.”

Antoine scares me. Her gaze slid back to Carter. “You can’t fight twenty vamps on your own,” Lauren told him, fear tightening her voice and chilling her body.

“He’s not alone.”

Her gaze jerked to the landing once more. Griffin hadn’t spoken those words. No, those strong, determined words had come from another male. A familiar one.

Riley was standing below, with his arms crossed over his chest. He flashed her a slow smile. “I’ll have Carter’s back.”

Two werewolves—fighting twenty vamps? While the others did—what? Protected her? No. Hell, no. She shook her head and focused on Carter one final time. “I’m not worth your life.” She let him go and hurried down the stairs, heading toward the alpha. “I won’t let this happen.”

“You are my life.” Carter’s words followed her. He followed her. She could feel him behind her.

But in front of her—the delicate, dark-haired woman waited at the bottom of the stairs. The woman had small, sharp fangs peeking from behind her lips. Vampire fangs?

“I’m Isabella,” the woman said as she held out her hand to Lauren. “Isabella Abandonato.”

Shock froze Lauren.

“Antoine is my cousin.” Isabella kept her hand outstretched. “And we are nothing alike.” Her lips twisted. “At least, not anymore. And I try every single day to never give in to the darkness that has consumed my cousin.”

Lauren took her hand. “You sent Carter to find me.”

A faint furrow appeared between Isabella’s brows.

“I was desperate, so scared, and then he was there.” Shaking the woman’s hand wasn’t good enough. Lauren hugged her, tight. “Thank you.”

“You shouldn’t be thanking me.” Isabella’s voice was soft, shuttered.

“Yes, I should.” She pulled back and prepared to share the decision she’d made long before she’d gotten on the plane with Carter and Riley. Even before that plane had lifted off and flown into the sky, Lauren had started to make her own plans. Did Carter really think she’d gone to the werewolf stronghold to protect herself? No, this wasn’t about me. “Keep him here.”

Isabella blinked.

“Carter is going to try and chase after me, but you can’t let him.” She stared into Isabella’s eyes. “This isn’t his fight. It’s not the fight of the werewolves. So they shouldn’t die for me.”

Understanding slipped over Isabella’s pretty face.

Lauren’s heart raced too fast. “You’re mated to the alpha.” An alpha who was silently watching. “So use your influence with him. There’s no need for a war. There’s just a need…to lock Carter up.”

“What?” Carter exploded. He grabbed for Lauren…but…

But she moved fast.

So very fast.

Faster than she’d ever moved in her life.

And suddenly, she wasn’t right beside Carter. She was twenty feet away. Right at the front door of that mansion. Sorrow pulled at her. But so did determination.

He stared at her in absolute shock.

“New vamps,” Isabella murmured. “Sorry—should have told you about them, Carter. I just hadn’t encountered one in a very long time. They get power spikes at first as their bodies adjust to the change. For a while, they can do things that are just…” Isabella smiled at Lauren. “Impressive. And since I’m betting she’s been getting some wolf blood lately, we should consider her super charged.”

I’m super charged? Lauren glanced down at her hands. She didn’t feel super charged. She felt terrified. But she’d just moved so fast…I think I’m a little nauseous from moving that fast! Everything had been a blur around her. Now she looked at Carter’s face, his handsome, furious face. “No one is going to die for me. Not members of this pack, and certainly not you, Carter.” Because…he mattered to her. What had he said, just moments before?

You are my life.

Maybe, just maybe, he was hers, too.

She smiled at him. “Thanks for showing me more than death.” In such a short time, he’d taught her about life.

He lunged toward her, but Griffin grabbed him. And at Griffin’s choked order, five other werewolves converged on Carter, too. They swarmed him, taking him down as he fought and twisted and shouted Lauren’s name.

She yanked open the front door.

But Isabella caught her before Lauren could rush outside. Isabella shoved a wooden stake into Lauren’s hands. “He won’t see the threat from you.” Isabella stared into her eyes. “Make Antoine think you want him. Make him think you chose him. My cousin is an arrogant bastard, and he’ll get off on that.”

Make him think you want him.

“You’re a new vamp, and you have more power than you realize. Get close to him, and then use that power. Use your strength. Use your speed. Drive the stake into his heart. Into his heart, through his heart. Don’t half-ass this. When he turns to dust, the other vamps will cut and run.”

Then Isabella was backing away. Moving to join the others as they struggled to subdue Carter. Lauren could hear his bones snapping and popping. He was transforming, and when his shift was finished, she wasn’t sure the others would be able to hold him back.

“Riley!” Carter’s bellow was barely human. “Stop her!”

Riley’s gaze met hers. Shit.

She rushed through the door, and Riley couldn’t stop her. She was too fast. The world blurred around her once more. Vamp speed. New vamp speed. Isabella had said only new vamps could go this fast, and Isabella hadn’t been able to move like this even a day before. Werewolf blood. It’s powering me, too. I’ll use this power. I’ll use everything I can against Antoine.

She ran from the house, hurtling right toward the line of vampires that she could see beyond the gate. Lauren didn’t stop at that gate. She gathered her strength—and she hurtled herself right over the gate.

When she touched down, she’d hidden the stake behind her back. She was crouching, her head bowed.

“Lauren!” Shock filled that rich, masculine voice. “My Lauren…” That flowing, deep voice was one that had come straight from her nightmares.

It was a voice she would never forget. Her head lifted and she found herself staring straight at Antoine’s handsome face. Too handsome. Too perfect. The face the devil himself would wear.

Antoine stared at her in surprise. “I was coming to get you.”

“No need. I came to you.”

He frowned faintly. Then he opened his arms toward her. Isabella had been right. Arrogant bastard.

Behind him, she counted easily thirty vampires. All had their fangs bared. And they were…carrying guns. Big, heavy black guns. What kind of bullets are in those guns? She’d bet her undead life that those vamps were packing silver.

“I’ve missed you, Lauren.” Antoine smiled at her. “My beautiful Lauren.”

There was a crash from the werewolf mansion. Growls split the night.

Lauren rose to her feet. She took a step toward Antoine.

A long, desperate howl seemed to shake the very earth around her. She looked back and saw a big, muscled wolf with glowing eyes rushing toward the gate. Toward her.

Carter.

“Ah…is that the soon to be dead wolf?” Antoine asked, mocking. “His death was part of the deal I made with the pack alpha. Good to know Griffin Romeo is a man who keeps his word.”

What? A deal? Griffin was betraying Carter? Carter was going to die?

No! She ran at Antoine, using every bit of power she possessed, pushing herself harder, faster, than she’d ever gone before, and in less time than it took to blink, she was there. New vamp power—choke on it, bastard! Her body slammed into Antoine’s. His arms were still open, still spread in welcome as if they were truly lovers who’d been reunited. And because his arms were open, his chest wasn’t protected. He was vulnerable, and she yanked up the wooden stake Isabella had given her—

Lauren drove that stake straight toward his heart.