The Burning Claw by Quinn Loftis
“He told her…well actually, he yelled at her that she didn’t even know what happened in a relationship besides kissing. She said something…I can’t remember exactly what… and he threw a lamp at the wall.”
Decebel started to sit up. “He threw something,” he growled.
Jennifer pushed on his chest. “Not at her. I’ve thrown crap when I get pissed at you.”
“You throw it at me” he pointed out.
“Yeah, because a lamp wouldn’t hurt you. You’d hurt the lamp, so it’s not the same. The point is, he wasn’t aiming for her, he was just reacting. Oh, wait, now I think I remember what she said. She might have asked him if—maybe, just maybe—she should perhaps seek out a different male—someone that would be willing to teach her the things that Drake wouldn’t. I think that might have been what set him off,” she finished, raising her eyebrows, pretending to seriously consider the situation.
“She said she’d go to another male? In his presence? To him?”
Jennifer scrunched up her face. “See, I feel like those are the same question. And I’ve already answered that in my original statement. So…we’re moving on.”
Decebel reached over and laid a hand on his mate’s thigh, stopping her words. “You know what we fear most, Jennifer. You know what we endured in the InBetween. Threatening to be with another male, Jennifer? That is enough to drive a wolf to do desperate things, especially one that is already barely holding it together. He might do anything in order to prevent his mate from carrying out her threat.”
“Desperate?” she asked. “Are we talking, ‘gets on his knees and grovels desperate, or take out every available male in a ten mile radius,’ desperate?”
“Option two,” Decebel answered his voice rough with anger.
“Wow. I keep saying you guys are off-the-charts psycho and you just keep proving me right. It’s like you’re afraid to disappoint me.”
“What happened after the lamp?” he pressed.
Jennifer bit her bottom lip as she looked up at him. “I’ve changed my mind. Now that I think about it, I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to tell you,” she said, the words coming out slowly.
His wolf perked up at the challenge and he knew his eyes were glowing as he stared back at her. “Why. Not.”
“It will hit too close to home. You know what,” she said, suddenly sitting up and reaching for the hem of her t-shirt. “I think your idea is better, let’s go with that. You can just climb back on over here and show me this whole ‘can’t lay on top of your female and just talk stuff.’ ”
He reached over and stopped her from pulling her shirt up any further up. It was already high enough to reveal her creamy stomach and that was painfully tempting.
“Do not try to distract me, Jennifer. Tell me.”
“But my distractions are always so much fun and often involve removing clothing. Remember how much you like me to remove clothing?”
“Not happening, female. Now answer the question.”
“Ugh!” she groaned and threw herself back in the bed. “Damn stubborn, fur ball. Fine,” she snapped at him. “She told him that if he didn’t want to touch her, then he’d lost the right to. She forbade him to touch her and told him that his touch was…unwanted.”
Decebel closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “How did he take that?”
“Not good, but she doesn’t know if he started throwing things because she left.”
“To meet with you and Jacque in the library?”
“Yep.”
“Where is Drake now?”
“I don’t know. I’m not Drake’s keeper. Bethany isn’t running through the halls screaming, so he must not be chasing her like a rabid wolf, which is what I would have expected. Maybe he came to his senses and they’re all up in each other’s fur.”
“Does she understand what she’s done by telling him that?”
“Well, she does now,” Jen drawled. “We enlightened her to all things pack, magic, male, and bedroom. You name it, we covered it.”
“Why does that scare me?” Decebel narrowed his eyes on her.
“Because you know how my wicked mind works. You know my diabolical plan to turn Bethany into a sex kitten—though she’s a wolf, so that doesn’t make much sense, but sex puppy sounds like some weird fetish, so we’re going with sex kitten. She will be my greatest achievement yet.”
“What about your daughter,” he asked dryly.
“Right,” she said and then dramatically reiterated. “Bethany will be my second greatest achievement yet.”
“What about me?”
“Babe, you aren’t an achievement. You’re the booty from a successful plunder.”
And that did it. Decebel threw his head back and laughed. “You’re saying you plundered me?”
“Regularly,” she nodded. “A good woman plunders her male frequently to keep him operating at maximum efficiency. It’s in the handbook.”
“What handbook?”
She grinned and winked. “The one I’m writing.”
Decebel smirked at her and started to reach for his mate just as his cell phone rang. He frowned at the device as though it was the phones fault he’d been interrupted. And maybe it sort of was. But if someone was calling that early, then it was important. He looked at the screen and let out a low growl. This wasn’t going to be good.
“Costin?”
Chapter 11
“I thought I could endure. I thought I could hold on until she was safely back in my arms. I thought a lot of crap that just wasn’t true. Now here I am, falling apart, dying inside.” ~Costin
Costin held the phone in his shaking hand. Fur sprouted on his flesh as he fought to keep his wolf in check.
“Costin?” Decebel’s voice rumbled on the other end.
“I know it’s early,” he began.
“Don’t worry about that. Are you alright?”
Costin was shaking his head and then realized his Alpha would need words. “No.” He didn’t mean to growl but his wolf was the one that responded. The wolf was done. He was done waiting for someone else to find her. He was done allowing the man to be in control.
“I need someone to care for my pup,” he told him.
“Is Titus alright?” The concern in Decebel’s voice would normally have endeared Costin, but in that moment, everything was simply getting on his nerves.
“He’s fine. He’s still asleep. I’m holding on by a thread, Dec. I’m not safe. Please have one of the females take care of him until I’m able.”
The silence on the other end was torturous. Costin needed to know that Titus would be taken care of.
“Done. What about you? What do I need to do about you?”
Costin bit back the growl. “I’m dealing. I told you if it got completely uncontrollable that I’d let you know. I just need some time to think—and some space.”
Costin bit his lip as he awaited his Alpha’s decision.
“Fine. I’ll give you some breathing room. But you need to come to the Romania pack mansion this evening. That’s an order,” Decebel growled using a little bit of his Alpha power.
Costin held his wolf back from growling at the order and then answered. “I will be there.”
As he ended the call, he heard the pitter patter of little feet and turned to find Titus walking into the living area, rubbing his eyes and yawning.
“I could go with you,” Titus said, making it clear that he’d heard at least some of the conversation.
Costin knelt down on one knee and held his arms open to the little boy who’d stolen his heart. “Not this time, Titus. I love you. I will be back and I will have your mommy with me.”
Titus squeezed him tightly and Costin didn’t want to let go but knew he had to. He was one kill away from becoming feral and he wouldn’t put his son in danger. He’d never hurt his cub, but that doesn’t mean the boy wouldn’t be collateral damage.
Two hours later, there was a knock at the door. Costin opened i
“Your Alpha asked Vasile if I would be willing to come hang with Titus,” Zara explained.
“Hi!” Titus grinned from just behind Costin. The little boy scurried around his dad and wrapped his arms around the girl as if he’d always known her. She leaned down and patted his back awkwardly as she glanced up at Costin..
“How would you like to make a new friend and hang out for a bit?” she asked him, pulling back to look at him.
Titus nodded. “The angel said you would come. She said a lost girl with sad eyes would be found and that she would need a friend.”
Zara smiled. “Well, your angel was correct. I do need a friend. Do you think you’re up to the task?”
“I can sure give it a try.” Titus looked over his shoulder at Costin.
He nodded and Titus turned back to Zara. “Let me get dressed and then I’ll be back. Don’t leave,” he called over his shoulder as he ran from the room in search of clothes.
Costin stared at the teen; she didn’t fidget. Impressive. He wondered why, if she was really up to watching a child when she hadn’t been able to leave her room for the past few days.
“You look skeptical,” she said as if she could read his mind. “Alina came and talked to me. And to hopefully put your mind at ease, let me just tell you that I’m not like, crazy or anything. I would never hurt a child or let anything happen to him.”
“Did Alina tell you why she was asking you to do this?” Costin asked.
Zara brushed the hair back from her face and slid her hands into the front pocket of her jeans. “She said that sometimes, after a crisis, or life altering event, the best way to heal is to be needed and to help others. Taking the focus off of myself and not allowing myself to wallow in something I can’t change. She said it was okay to mourn what I’d lost. It was okay to hurt and be angry. But she doesn’t want me to stay in those places. She wants me to move forward. The best way to move forward is to stop looking back.”
“Alina is one of a kind,” Costin told her and he wished he could smile to make the words more caring and less robotic. But there just wasn’t enough of him left to smile.
Costin wasn’t sure that this girl, who was dealing with God knows what, was the best person to care for his son. But Costin trusted Alina. He didn’t trust his wolf right now and when he felt a growl rolling up in his throat, he quickly turned away from the girl.
“He eats pretty much anything; don’t give him a lot of sugar. Bedtime is at 7:30 p.m. Don’t let him talk you into staying up later. Make sure he brushes his teeth.” Costin paused to think if there was anything else but his mind was a mess of anger, frustration, pain, and sorrow.
“Do what you need to do,” Zara told him. “I promise I’ll take good care of him.”
Costin waited for Titus to return and then picked the little boy up. He hugged him close, telling himself that he was doing the right thing, though it felt as though the rest of his heart was being torn from his chest. Sally had taken most of it, but Titus also held a piece of it.
Titus pulled back and put his small hands on either side of his face. “Don’t worry, Daddy. Mommy isn’t gone. She’s just a little lost.”
“I love—” Costin stopped as he choked back tears and then tried again. “I love you, Titus. So, so, much.”
“I love you, Daddy. I’ll be here when you get back.” Titus smiled at him and Costin felt that smile all the way to the dark places in his soul.
Costin pressed a kiss to his forehead and then set him down. Zara took Titus’ hand and began to lead him from the room while saying something about breakfast. Costin wasn’t exactly sure what she’d said because the constant growling in his mind was getting louder. His need to get out of the room, away from the four walls that were closing in on him, was like an itch that couldn’t be quelled no matter how much scratched it.
He glanced at the door and then over to the window. It would be a long jump, but it would also be faster. That was the only reason his wolf needed. Costin phased, letting his clothes tear away from his body and, once in his large wolf form, he ran head first at the window.
His head hit the glass and it didn’t even slow him down. He could have opened the window but then he wouldn’t have gotten to crash through it. Violence, blood, and death. Over and over his wolf snarled in his mind. There was no escaping it, no sating it, except with her. He needed his mate.
His paws hit the ground with surprising ease considering the height from which he had jumped. There was no pause in his movement. His body was fluid and powerful, like a raging river as he flew into the forest. Costin didn’t know if he would be able to pull himself back to take control of his wolf if he let the beast out to hunt. The darkness inside of him had grown, despite the fact that there was a still a bond, albeit an empty one, somewhere in his mind. The thought spurred him on and his legs moved faster. About two miles into the run he caught the scent of a large animal. He stopped and stuck his nose in the air, sniffing. When he had a lock on his target, he took off like a bullet.
Finally, he could let go and give into the needs of his wolf. His mouth watered with the coming meal and his heart beat faster, assisting his muscles in getting the oxygen they needed. When he was within a few feet of his prey, he realized his mistake. It hadn’t been just a large animal, but a large group of animals. A heard of wild boar grazed in the trees near a small creek. It had been awhile since he’d fought such a formidable foe and never without the help of his pack. But that was then. That was before he’d lost his mate and his soul.
His muzzle pulled back in a silent snarl. He took one step, then another, and another. His heart was pounding fast as adrenaline flooded his body. But it wasn’t just adrenaline that was flowing through his veins when he finally lunged, teeth bared, and claws extended. There was darkness infiltrating his very cells, and as his teeth sunk into the shoulder of the first boar, he could hear the darkness whispering in his mind, urging him to kill, to maim, and to bathe in the blood of his prey. Costin gave himself over to the darkness. He had been fighting it for so long and then Sally, his true mate, had come. But she’d been taken from him in the blink of an eye and, just like that, the darkness was back. Without her, he felt as though the sun had been forever eclipsed, along with its comforting warmth and light.
Chapter 12
“There are times in my life that I look back, of course, and wonder. What did I miss? Could I have prevented this outcome? Surely, there were clues. What was it that blinded me so thoroughly?” ~Prince Thalion
“We’ve been waiting for days, Thalion,” Cyn said in her cool, detached tone. He hated when she used that tone with him. He wasn’t just another male to her; he was her future husband and she his bride. With him, there should be no barriers, no glass walls. She so frequently employed those blockades with the rest of the world. Shouldn’t he be different?
“He is the king” he began but she interrupted him.
“Forgive me, but he’s the king of what? For as long as I have known you, you have ruled over your people. I do not really understand why Ludcarab carries such power over you. You have a kingdom behind you. What does he have?” she challenged, still in that detached tone of voice.
Thalion’s stomach clenched and it felt as though a thousand rocks had been dropped into it. If his father truly was alive, he knew exactly what his father had behind him. He had thought his father had chosen an honorable death many years ago, unable to live with his treachery. The elvin king had been caught having an affair. Thalion’s mother had been heartbroken. She’d always been the model queen to their realm—noble, wise, diplomatic. She’d hung on her husband’s every word and pampered him ridiculously because she loved him and her realm. She adored him and thought he felt the same for her. She died shortly after Thalion’s father left in the mid
A few weeks before his father’s affair had been exposed, Thalion had overheard a conversation between his father and a vampire—a very old and very powerful vampire. The fact that he was even dealing with a vampire was horrific, but what in seven realms could he possibly be doing speaking with this vampire? Thalion had found out. His father had been recruited as a member of The Order of the Burning Claw.
Despite his best efforts, Thalion hadn’t been able to glean much information. Anyone he asked about the organization had no clue what he was talking about, or were too scared to reveal what they knew. But what little he could find out about the secret organization wasn’t good.
“I believed my father to be dead, Cyn. Finding out he isn’t, and finding out why, sort of trumps being bothered by a little waiting.” They were in the wilderness in the Elvin realm, far away from the kingdom. But the fact that his father wanted to meet him in the realm was a surprise. If, at any time during his exile, Thalion’s father had entered the realm, Thalion would have known instantly. Whatever the man had to say was serious.
“Do you have any idea what he wants with you?” she asked him.
“Maybe,” Thalion answered her instead of giving her the truth. He knew that if he told her what he knew, she’d insist they leave and go straight to the high fae, which they would eventually do. But first he needed to see his father. Cyn wouldn’t understand the bond between children and their parents. The fae aren’t the most nurturing of species, and Cyn had been taken from her family to train as a fae warrior at a very young age.