Sorin turned his face into her palm and kissed it.
She’d found her mate.
“Can I hunt now?” His expression appeared so wistful.
She laughed. “As long as I don’t have to skin it.” After getting to her feet, she strolled toward the abandoned building and entered. She stopped by the vine wall where she’d been entangled when they’d first met. He had petrified her.
Resting his chin on her head, he leaned against her. “Who would have guessed we’d be mated a few days after meeting?”
“Not me.” She’d been so confused and frightened faced with a living werewolf in a magical-like forest.
Sorin spun to face the entrance, dropping his kilt and shifting to feral form all in one smooth motion.
All her muscles froze. “What is it?”
He sniffed the air and crept forward. “Peder is close. His scent is on the wind.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
In all the centuries Benic had lived he’d never understood females of any race. They had a secret culture males couldn’t contrive.
Kele strolled way ahead of him with Ahote next to her. The little seducing mutt, Peder, walked behind them, with his Payami guards on each side, and ahead of him.
Benic brought up the rear with his own escort—two of his finest vampire warriors. Both had behaved impeccably in the den, not gathering unwanted attention and keeping their ears open. His castle guard was comprised of domesticated shifters. These males accompanying him were valued knights, vampire brothers whose blood ran thick with honor and duty to their nation. They understood the mission and swore to give their immortal lives to accomplish it.
Kele glared at the dark shifter in feral form. “Ahote, if you give me one stone of trouble with Sorin, I’ll tell every female in the den you carry a pox.”
Turning his face away from the shifters, Benic hid his grin. He didn’t doubt Kele would do as she threatened. He almost wished Ahote would attack the Apisi alpha just to witness Kele’s follow through.
“As long as Susan is returned, I see no reason to defend my honor.”
Benic rolled his eyes. Shifter ideas of honor varied greatly from vampires’. Sorin stealing Susan from the den while she still wore Ahote’s mark had lessened the hunter’s dominance in the pack.
She nodded, a sharp jerk of her chin. Fearless, determined and delicate—if only she were vampire—or human. Increasing his pace, he reached her side. “Trouble? I thought that was the meaning of your name, Ahote.”
The dark shifter snorted.
A thin spray of snot flew in Benic’s direction. Forced to use his supernatural speed, he sidestepped the slime. Ahote played a dangerous game he didn’t know the rules to. Benic glared at him over Kele’s shoulder. The shifter would learn soon enough.
“Excuse me, vampire lord. I must be coming down with a cold.” Ahote never stopped scanning the Temple forests while giving him a mock bow. Ahote watched as if waiting for a hidden army. “We should have brought more hunters.”
“My father would have noticed. Benic brought his warriors.” She touched Benic’s arm, and her faith in him warmed his slow-beating heart.
Shaking his massive head, Ahote strode ahead of them on all fours. He set a hard pace for the bipedal in their group.
Benic glanced over his shoulders at his knights. They strode as if escorting a walk through the palace gardens—muscles relaxed and eyes unfocused.
The omega kept his gaze to the forest floor, his golden, feral form just as attractive as his civil one. His Payami guards paced next to him, on all fours, watching the forest as well.
Peder.
Benic kept a snarl off his face with some difficulty. He couldn’t really blame Kele’s interest. The slight male was pretty. Under different circumstances, he might have snatched the shifter for an evening or two of his own pleasures. Thank the fates he’d discovered his presence before Kele could overcome her awkwardness around him. She still smelled of virgin.
Benic had awakened desire in Kele. He should be the one to claim it. If he’d stayed after their kiss, his hunger would have forced him to take her harshly. One didn’t take a virgin to bed and eat her for dinner then expect a return visit.
“We exchange Peder for Susan then return straight home. No squabbles.” Kele called out to the thick-headed shifter leading them.
Ahote glanced back at her. “This would be an excellent trap. Not many guards and you as a hostage. I couldn’t think of a better scenario for Sorin.”
Kele gasped. “I hadn’t considered this. Why didn’t you say something before now?”
“What would you have done? Tell Daddy you were hiding an omega in his den and I knew of it?” The dark shifter shook his head slowly in disgust. “No, I’d rather fight an army of Apisi, thank you.”
Benic toyed with the throwing dagger on his belt. The Payami hunter was more astute than Benic had thought. He’d had similar thoughts, hence his knights.
Kele flicked a look his way. “Will you behave?”
“Of course, as long as Susan is returned.”
“What if she wants to remain with the Apisi?”
Benic laughed. “And live among the poor? Besides, could she truly refuse Ahote’s charms?”
Kele stared at the hunter’s back. “She’s not interested in him.”
“I can hear you.” Ahote tapped his ear.
Hiding a smile behind her hand, she winked at Benic.
Benic sighed. Things never went as he wanted. They’d probably have to do this the hard way. “I had hoped Ahote’s animalistic charms would be enough to lure Susan back to the Payami. We should formulate another plan just in case.” He rubbed the back of his left ear, signaling his warriors. His own plans were now going to take effect.
One of his warriors leaned forward. “Maybe this human would like some vampire charisma instead.”
Kele coughed, doing a poor job of hiding her amusement. “Benic terrified her with his.”
The Temple came into view. Tall and imposing, like the gods wanted them to cower. He didn’t frighten that easily. Shade darkened the entrance, making it difficult to see if anyone moved inside.
Sorin, in feral form, leaped from the building and bared his teeth. Shifter etiquette left much to be desired.
Ears flattening to his head, Ahote growled low, yet submitted to the alpha who stood on his hind legs, topping over seven feet tall, silver-furred like his grandfather.
Susan ran down the stairs and stopped close to Sorin. It was obvious even to him that they had coupled.
Sighing once more, Benic shook his head. He caught sight of his guard passing the shifters on each side. So the hard way it would be.
Ahote’s nose twitched. “You’ve mated her.”
Benic rolled his eyes. Great. Did he want to waste time watching the males thump their chests first?
Stepping past the males, Kele approached the human. “Have you been treated well?”
With a huge grin on her face, Susan nodded. “I’m going to remain with the Apisi.” She took Kele’s hand within hers, a very trusting and non-shifter thing to do. “Let Peder go. I wasn’t taken against my will.”
Flinching, Benic braced for Ahote’s attack. The male shifter had been nothing but ornery since Sorin stole Susan. Two Payami guards stood to witness this for the dark shifter. He’d regain his place among the hunters if he returned with a subdued human female in his arms wearing his mark once more. Benic released the breath he’d been holding. Nothing happened.
Ahote remained by Kele.
“Peder?” Sorin spoke.
Kele focused on the omega behind Benic. Her hard glare softened when it met the golden shifter’s.
“She treated me very well and met all my needs, Alpha.” Peder remained between his Payami guards.