Chapter 8
Vega resisted the urge to pace back and forth as she waited for the room service August had told her to order. She’d chosen champagne and strawberries as well as a selection of other little snacks. She shouldn’t be so nervous, but she could admit that she was twisted up inside.
The operation had drastically changed and now it involved Gabriel, a male she’d spent the last couple years trying to not exactly forget, but to keep him compartmentalized. She kept him in that little part of her brain and tried to rarely think about him. Not that it mattered.
How were they supposed to work with each other, pretend to be lovers? She’d known that the whole fake lover thing would be a possibility for this op, but it was supposed to have been with Eli and only if the situation called for it.
Now things had flipped on their side. August had warned her stuff like this happened and she had to be adaptable. And truly, the only thing she was really worried about was her parents’ reaction to all this. Which made her feel like a damn pup.
She locked that thought up tight. Whatever their reaction, it didn’t actually matter. Because she was doing this. At least she wouldn’t have to pretend about her feelings toward Gabriel. Of course, it would hurt even more, after this op was over, but she’d just deal with that later.
At a sharp knock on the hallway door, she strode forward and even before she looked through the peephole, she scented a wolf. A very powerful wolf, if she was guessing. Not one she knew either.
She couldn’t always tell how much power someone contained, but some beings crackled with it. Whoever was on the other side of the door was retaining quite a bit of it. She always experienced that around her dad—and her mom. It was to the point she barely noticed it with them anymore. It was just part of who they were, and down to her core she knew they would never hurt her. So it was easy to dismiss the power as a non-threat.
This person was a stranger. No way should anyone on the waitstaff have that kind of power. Frowning, she looked through the peephole. She knew who the male was, recognized his face from one of her files. The Alpha of the region. “May I help you?”
“Yes, you can open the door,” he said, his voice perfectly polite. “You’re in my territory.”
According to everything she’d learned about Judoc, he was a fair Alpha. She opened the door, but didn’t step back to let him in. Tall, dark and handsome. Okay, maybe not handsome, but he certainly had a presence, and dark, intelligent eyes. “Technically I’m not in your territory, but in a neutral hotel.” She knew shifter rules. Once she’d joined her father’s pack, her dad had made sure all those rules were ingrained in her.
He lifted an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over her. Not with sexual interest, but he was definitely sizing her up. “Where’s Gabriel?”
Huh… “Why do you assume I know a Gabriel?”
He snorted. “There aren’t many reasons my cousin would barge back into my territory without any warning. A female is probably the only one.”
All right, then. Vega had a role to play so she simply shrugged and leaned against the doorframe. “He’ll show up soon enough. That sweet male can’t leave me alone for longer than a minute. Where I go, he follows.”
The man barked out a startled laugh, which was what she’d hoped for. “It’s difficult to believe Gabriel would chase anyone. But I can see why he might make an exception for you.”
As if he knew they were talking about him, Gabriel appeared out of nowhere, striding down the hallway with determined steps, his expression darker than she’d ever seen it.
Gabriel looked… Okay, she wasn’t sure how he looked. She’d never seen quite this expression on his face before. He was all smoldery—was that even a word?—and sexy. Damn, the man was sexy. Normally he just looked frustrated or annoyed with her. Judoc turned and lifted a hand in greeting to Gabriel but the Guardian simply ignored him. Instead, as he reached them, Gabriel took her completely by surprise, grabbed her by the hip in the most possessive hold ever and—crushed his mouth to hers.
Holy hell. She’d known they’d be acting, but this certainly didn’t feel like it. Heat flooded her body as she plastered herself to him and all she could think about was how she wished she could burn their clothes right off so that nothing separated them. And at that thought, the little tingling of heat at her fingertips started again so she quickly pulled back.
“Stop running from me,” Gabriel murmured, nipping at her bottom lip as if he had all the right in the world to do so.
And if they were lovers, he would. More heat curled through her and she didn’t bother trying to lock down the scent of her reaction.
Since she was supposed to be the wayward mate-to-be who kept running—a common practice among shifters where the female led the male on a merry chase—she simply smiled. Mainly because she couldn’t find her voice. No, she was still trying to get her equilibrium back after feeling his tongue teasing hers.
Gabriel looked at his cousin and nodded once. “How did you know we were staying here?”
The Alpha snorted. “I wouldn’t be very good at keeping this region in check if I didn’t know what went on in the surrounding territory. Got a call that a very attractive female with a lot of power checked into the penthouse suite recently. It’s good to see you.” Real warmth infused the male’s voice as he opened his arms and embraced Gabriel.
There was no awkwardness or stiffness as Gabriel embraced the other man.
And not for the first time in the last couple hours Vega realized there was so much about Gabriel she didn’t know. She wanted to know everything about him. Nope. Nope. Noooooope. She shut that thought down.
This was just about this job. She would pretend that she and Gabriel were a couple, that she was into him. Okay, she wouldn’t be pretending that last part. But once they got what they needed, this whole thing was done. He could go back to the pack and she was going to ask for an assignment on another continent.
“I wish you’d given me more notice,” Judoc said stepping back. “And I won’t hear of you staying at a hotel.”
Before either of them could answer, the nearby elevator dinged and a member of the waitstaff stepped into the hallway, rolling a cart.
Even from where she stood Vega could scent that it was likely her order. And the champagne bottle on ice was visible. Right about now, she wished her vamp-shifter metabolism wasn’t so high and that she could actually get a buzz on. Because that didn’t seem like such a terrible thing given the circumstances. Of course, getting intoxicated during an op was stupid anyway so it was probably a good thing she couldn’t.
“I figured you’d get here eventually so I got something for us,” she said sweetly to Gabriel.
Gabriel just gave her an adoring look. Which felt weird on every level of normalcy. She kinda liked it.
“I’m Judoc, Alpha of this region,” the other male said, nodding at her, as if he’d realized he hadn’t introduced himself. He didn’t stretch out a hand to her, likely out of respect for Gabriel.
Because if they were in a true shifter courtship, Gabriel wouldn’t want another male to touch her.
Stepping closer to Gabriel, she slid her arm around his waist. The man was ripped, his body lean and hard. Perfection. She trailed her fingers against his side, trying not to enjoy it too much. His scent was warm, inviting and she wanted to bury her face against his neck and bite him. Just a little nip. “I’m Vega.”
The male lifted an eyebrow. “I know who you are.”
Okay then, guess it was a good thing she hadn’t lied about her identity. The hotel room was under an alias, but that meant nothing. Shifters used aliases all the time.
“After I spend some time with Vega, I would love to catch up,” Gabriel said, all ease and charm. None of the surly Guardian she’d gotten to know over the years.
The Alpha nodded once at the waiter, who simply passed by them and delivered the rolling cart into the room. Judoc even gave the guy a tip, and it was clear they knew each other at least in passing. Which made sense since this was a supernatural-owned hotel. Neutral or not, Judoc would know everyone who worked here. Once the guy stepped into the elevator, Judoc looked at Gabriel. “You know the way, just come home when you’re ready.”
The way he said the word home felt strange to Vega. Because Gabriel’s home was with her pack. Not this male’s. She had the strangest urge to snarl at the Alpha because of his comment.
But Gabriel simply nodded. “We’ll be there in the morning.”
That was that. The Alpha left and Gabriel practically dragged her into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. When she would have said something, he pressed a finger to her lips. She resisted the irrational urge to nip at his finger. He was right, however. She had to be careful what she said. There were eyes and ears everywhere. Likely not in this room. Because she’d checked and there were no cameras or bugs anywhere. But they still had to be careful.
“Did you enjoy having me chase you across the fucking country?” Gabriel’s voice was wry.
“Of course. I have to make sure you’re worthy of me,” Vega said, grinning, keeping up with her role easily. Then without another word, she turned toward the rolling cart and picked up the champagne bottle.
Gabriel plucked it out of her hand and opened it. It popped and fizzed before he poured the bubbly liquid into two glasses. “To mates,” he said handing her a glass. There was a gleam in his eyes, his expression one she’d never seen before and couldn’t begin to define. He was apparently full of surprises lately.
As they sipped in silence, he motioned to the interior of the suite. She fell in step with him but nearly stumbled when he said, “Let’s take a shower.”
Lust flooded her body, heat pooling between her thighs before she realized of course he didn’t mean literally. But it took a second for her brain to compute that. And it was a second too late to rein in her reaction. It was one thing to react when others were around, but different when it was just the two of them.
His nostrils flared once and his eyes went pure wolf, peering back at her for a fraction of a moment before the wolf disappeared.
Abruptly he turned from her, his movements stiff as they walked to the bathroom. Once inside, he turned on the knob to the industrial-sized stone and glass shower.
“I checked the room for bugs. It’s clean,” she murmured, standing as close to the shower as possible without getting soaked.
Gabriel nodded once. “This hotel has a reputation for giving its guests ultimate privacy but it’s good you checked.”
“So what’s the plan? I know you said tomorrow but maybe we should head there sooner?” Vega wanted to get eyes on Carson—and retrieve what they’d come for. He had to have a computer or something with the information. Maybe a flash drive or…something.
“Tomorrow. If Judoc thinks I’m courting you, that we’re lovers, no sane male would head over there now. Or even tonight. He’ll expect me to spend the night with you.”
She simply nodded, feeling awkward.
“We need to talk. It’s important.” Gabriel’s expression was serious and dark, that surly shifter she knew well looking at her now. Despite his tone, it felt good, normal even, to have the surly Gabriel back. She knew how to take him, how to handle him. “I don’t even know how to tell you this. So I’m just going to lay it out there. Years ago, long before I even met your father, I had a vision. It was forced on me by a seer.”
“Why?”
Her question seemed to startle him but he simply shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. In the vision I saw you. You were dying. I’m not sure how but you were close to death. And whatever happened to you, it was on this land. So I left and swore to never return.”
She frowned, not quite understanding his logic. “Why would you leave?”
“If I wasn’t here, I could never see you die here.”
She mulled over his words but it still didn’t make sense. “Wait, so you gave up your life for some random woman because you saw a vision of her—me—dying?”
“You died in my arms. If I wasn’t here to hold you in my arms, logic says that you would never die in them. And…” He seemed to struggle for a moment, then cleared his throat. “You had my mating mark on you when you were dying. And when you died, I felt our connection sever. It was as real as if I’d been there in person.”
She sucked in a sharp breath. That made a lot more sense. A male would give up anything to save a mate. She opened her mouth once, but nothing came out. Holy hell. How could she even respond to that? He’d seen a vision of the two of them mated. Vega was definitely going to go back to that. But for now… “So you saw your future mate’s death on your cousin’s land and gave up your life here hoping to what? Never meet me?”
“Yes. And for many years it worked out just fine. Then Finn’s mate and the daughter he never knew about walked right into his life five years ago.”
Well, hell.
* * *
Fully clothed and lying next to Vega, Gabriel stared up at the ceiling of their suite. Ever since he’d admitted to Vega what he’d seen in that vision, she’d been mostly silent. Contemplative. Hours had passed and he was getting edgy.
They’d eaten in silence, and sparred a little because she’d said she wanted to let off some steam, but nothing more. She’d showered and changed into leggings and a sweater—with no bra. Something he’d tried hard not to notice. Tried and failed. Her breasts were full, lush, and he wanted to bury his face between them.
He’d spent so many years trying to keep his distance and now all he wanted to do was get her to talk to him. Unfortunately, he wasn’t sure how.
The only thing he knew for certain was that she refused to go home because of, as she put it, “a stupid vision.” He didn’t find it stupid. Because it scared the shit out of him. He still remembered that vision as clearly as if it was yesterday. The pain he’d experienced as she’d died in his arms had been real as well. It was as if someone had reached into his chest and torn his heart out.
“Can I ask you something?” she asked suddenly, her quiet voice startling him in the near darkness of the room.
They’d pulled the drapes closed so they’d have more privacy—in case anyone was spying on them from a neighboring building. Though the chance was slim given the location. The suite was luxurious, and with only one bed, they were sharing it. He’d offered to sleep on the couch in the adjoining living area, but she’d made the point that both of their scents needed to be on the sheets. Just in case his cousin was keeping tabs on them. Gabriel didn’t find it likely, but they had to be smart about this, especially since he was coming into this operation blind. “Of course.”
“Are you attracted to me?”
Okay. Not what he’d been expecting her to ask. “That’s a complicated—”
“No, it’s a simple yes or no.” She didn’t raise her voice, but there was no give.
“Yes. I think that should be fucking obvious.” Why the hell did she want him to admit this?
She let out a sharp laugh that held no humor. “No, it’s not obvious. A couple years ago, I thought we were becoming friends. Then you abruptly asked for a transfer from New Orleans as my guard.” She must have discovered that he’d put in that request.
And that made him feel like shit. He’d been intentionally covert about his request and Finn had simply reassigned him. His Alpha had never asked him why he’d wanted a reassignment either, and Gabriel had wondered why he hadn’t. “When you were about nineteen…I started becoming aware of you. As a woman.”
A moment of silence passed. “So you weren’t attracted to me before?”
“No. My wolf was aware of you in the mating sense, but… No. You were too young.” He’d still been driven to protect her when she’d been younger, however. He’d made it a point to be her guard at parties or pack events, something deep inside driving him to make sure she was okay. That she stayed alive.
“Good answer.”
He snorted softly. Everything about this was awkward, especially since he couldn’t do a damn thing about his attraction to her. Still, he found himself saying, “You really didn’t know I was attracted to you?” How could she not? He’d assumed she’d figured it out in New Orleans.
“Apparently you’re good at hiding that part of yourself.” Instead of continuing, she changed subjects. “Why did you cut contact with your cousin? Or I’m actually assuming you did. I kind of understand why you left but I don’t understand cutting out your family.”
“I thought if I cut out all parts of my past that you and I would never meet.” And look how well that turned out.
“Do you regret meeting me?”
“No. Never.” Even though he’d fought to never know her, the moment they’d met, his wolf had awakened in a way he’d never imagined. Not sexually. It had been…deeper. A dormant part of his wolf had risen to the surface. Gabriel just had to keep his distance, to make sure that he never crossed a line. If they never mated, then she would never die under that blood moon.
“Okay, so tell me more about your cousin. What kind of Alpha is he? Tell me what I can’t find out from the file. Because your distaste for Carson is palpable and you don’t strike me as someone who would put up with bullshit… Why would you stay with an Alpha who is harboring someone like Carson?”
He pushed out a breath. That was complicated. “Make no mistake, Judoc is a fair Alpha. Honorable. At his core, he’s a good male. The thing with Carson… It’s complicated with those two. Judoc doesn’t see what I see. Doesn’t see the wrongness inside Carson.” And Gabriel had never understood why the Alpha, who was so astute, couldn’t see it. Hell, he didn’t understand why the pack hadn’t been able to see it.
“Okay, so tell me about the Alpha, then.”
“When we were younger, we use to fight in the way wolves do. Just asserting our dominance. We were pretty evenly drawn as far as skill.” Which tied into why he’d left his pack. The truth was, the reason he left had been because of that vision but Gabriel had been biding his time to eventually find another home.
Vega shifted slightly against the covers, but didn’t turn to face him. She remained as he was, on her back and staring up at the ceiling. But he could see her long, lean form out of the corner of his eye—and resisted the urge to reach out and touch her. To simply hold her hand. “He’s definitely powerful. I can feel that same level of power rolling off him that I feel from my parents and you. Though maybe not as strong as Arya and Dragos.”
Gabriel let out another snort. The ancient dragon couple was indeed strong. That being an understatement. “I’m pretty sure Finn is just as powerful as those two.” Or it was a draw. Gabriel was almost positive of it.
“I can’t tell. I think my dad masks his power sometimes. Or at least keeps it muted.”
Gabriel knew for a fact that Finn did and was surprised Vega didn’t. But he guessed it was something that her father simply hadn’t told her. “How do you feel about us playing the part of lovers?” He’d been wanting to ask the question and now that she was talking to him, it was as good a time as any to bring it up.
She shrugged and the covers rustled again. “It’s part of the job.” She let out a short little laugh. “I was surprised when you kissed me earlier. That took me off guard.”
He thought about apologizing, but he wasn’t sorry. “I liked kissing you,” he blurted. Then he winced. He wasn’t some stupid pup not in control of himself. But around her, he felt that way sometimes—all the time.
“Yeah, well I liked kissing you too.”
Fuck. He didn’t want her to tell him that. He’d scented her desire but had tried to tell himself it was simply her acting, simply part of the job. Even if he’d known inside that it was bullshit.
They lay there in silence for what felt like forever but was probably just a few minutes. He found himself overwhelmed with her moonlight and roses scent. She reminded him of the forest and winter. Not actually a scent, but that was the image her scent triggered. Hell, she smelled like his.
Only his.
He wanted to roll on his side, reach out…touch her. But they could never have each other. Sighing, he closed his eyes, not believing that somehow they were in the same bed and still fully clothed. Because he’d certainly imagined this moment too many times to count, and it had been nothing like this.
“You hurt me when you abandoned me in New Orleans,” she said quietly. And he figured that the little bit of honesty had cost her. She’d made herself vulnerable to him when she hadn’t needed to.
Now that he’d told her the truth of why he’d been keeping his distance, there was no need to deny how he felt about her. “It was getting too hard to be around you. I wanted more and I knew that was impossible. So I left.” He hadn’t been abandoning her. He’d needed to keep her safe.
“You know visions aren’t set in stone,” she snapped out, the sudden heat in her voice surprising him. “Even I know that. The future is never sure.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not risking it.” Because what he’d seen in the vision, the blood, her dying, that blood moon—it had gutted him and he’d experienced all those emotions as if they’d been happening in real time. He’d felt her pain, felt his own pain, and it had been as if he’d lost part of himself. All before he’d ever met her. Now that he knew her, cared about her, no, he simply couldn’t do it. “I’m not taking the chance that it might happen.”
Surprising him, she turned on her side, putting her back to him. “You are a dumbass,” she muttered.
The abrupt statement surprised him but it was clear she was done talking to him. And he wasn’t going to push. Not now.
If anything, he was glad she’d turned away from him, given him this reprieve. Being so damn close to her like this only reminded him of what he could never have. What some other male would one day have.
His wolf snarled at the thought and he had to shove it back. The sooner this op was over, the sooner he could get away from her and regain his sanity.