Kindred of Arkadia 8
Fated Redemption
Moe Jones, aka Mojo, has finally found his mate, but it is going to take every ounce of his strength and a little help from Fate to help Rhys down the road of recovery.
Rhys was forced to drink shifter blood for months and is slowly recovering from the addiction. He is scared to claim his shifter mate for fear that he will lose control and kill him. How can he claim his mate if he can't drink his blood?
Abigail Wright is in Arkadia on a search to find her best friend from college after an alarming Christmas card. She wasn’t planning on finding her mates, especially two such delicious ones.
Abby finds herself protecting the heart of her gentle giant shifter mate and guiding the steps of her older vampire mate. Together all three discover that they need each other desperately.
When an old enemy targets Rhys, the new triad faces the possibility that they may lose Rhys forever. It will take Moe’s physical strength, Abby’s infallible willpower and Rhys’s indomitable spirit to defeat their enemy.
Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Paranormal, Shape-shifter, Vampires/Werewolves
Length: 44,835 words
FATED REDEMPTION
Kindred of Arkadia 8
Alanea Alder
MENAGE AMOUR
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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FATED REDEMPTION
Copyright © 2014 by Alanea Alder
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62741-994-9
First E-book Publication: July 2014
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2014 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
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DEDICATION
To every person who wakes up to fight an internal battle daily. May you find your inner peace.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Epilogue
About the Author
FATED REDEMPTION
Kindred of Arkadia 8
ALANEA ALDER
Copyright © 2014
Prologue
“I need you to go to Arkadia and determine if Fate intervened for Rhys’s sake or Rebecca’s.” The gentleman studied the chessboard in front of him.
“Sir, how are we supposed to do that?” the wolf beta asked. Beside him the lawyer started edging away as if sensing impending pain.
The gentleman turned to the wolf.
“Oh dear, you’re not too bright, are you? Are you sure you want to claim this one as family, Devon?” The wolf Alpha stared at the floor, too scared to move or respond. Devon turned his face away unable to meet the gentleman’s eyes.
“I’m actually in a good mood today and don’t feel like having blood cleaned up in my office…again. So, it is your lucky day, pup. The answer to your question is, I don’t care. Push Rhys into a relapse, threaten his mate, do whatever you have to do to see if Fate steps in to assist Rhys. If not, then she was responding to Rebecca’s desire to protect her friend, and that is something I need to know.” He walked back over to his chess game and began to stroke the small ivory pieces.
“If we get caught we could get banned from Arkadia,” Salsiby said hesitantly.
“True.” The gentleman sang out the one-word response.
There was silence as they stared at him. Heaving a great sigh, he turned from his game and leveled a cold look at them. They flinched.
“Are you waiting for a kiss good-bye? Because I can accommodate you.” The gentleman smiled, revealing his elongated fangs. The three men scrambled and left the office at a run.
“Payne.”
The man stepped forward from where he had been leaning against the wall.
“Fetch the smart hyena I liked from before, the one who used that boy to breech the perimeter. I have a feeling my little wolf pups won’t be assisting us much longer.”
Payne nodded and left the room.
Grinning, the gentleman turned back to the chessboard. He knocked over three pawns.
“Sacrifices are required to obtain the queen.”
Chapter 1
Moe Jones stood on the wide wooden planks outside of his bar and watched as vampire after vampire streamed by carrying boxes that held his mate’s things up to the third-floor apartment. His mate stood off to one side absently rubbing his hands up and down his arms in what Moe had come to identify as his nervous gesture. He knew that his mate was still uneasy about moving in, but they had come a long way in the past month. Rhys was the one who had told Moe that he was ready to move in and take his place beside him as his mate. At first Moe had been ecstatic, but watching Rhys this morning gave him doubts. Rhys was definitely pushing himself beyond his safe zone in an effort to be a better mate. Moe was worried that maybe they were moving things too quickly for him.
“He is doin
g much better,” a regal voice said to his left. Moe quickly turned to where the vampire prince now stood. Moe was beginning to think that the prince liked scaring the hell out of him.
“He’s still addicted to shifter blood,” Moe said quietly.
Gabriel stared at Rhys for a second longer then turned his brilliant blue eyes to him. Moe could almost feel the weight of the ages pressing down on him when the prince looked at him like this.
“He may always be addicted. The Shifter Council has him on a probationary status. No other has ever fought their way back from madness after consuming Shifted Death. This may be something that you will have to live with for the rest of your lives. He may always experience mood swings and anxiety. It may always be a roller coaster with him. Are you prepared for that?”
“You don’t have to explain withdrawal symptoms to me. All I’ve been doing for the past month has been reading about dealing with addiction, withdrawal and how to avoid relapses. I will do whatever it takes, be whatever he needs to get him through this. He is my miracle.” Moe couldn’t keep the emotion out of his voice. Gabriel placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Maybe Fate knew what she was doing after all. I had my doubts at Christmas. But he may need every ounce of your strength to overcome this.” Gabriel patted his shoulder lightly and let his hand drop.
“You know that Alpha Devon has been pressuring the Council to rule that Rhys is still a danger?”
Moe growled low under his breath.
“Yes. Roman has been keeping me up to date.”
“Devon is saying that even though Rhys’s eyes have turned back to normal his dependency on shifter blood makes him a liability. So far, Fate’s direct intervention and the fact that he is now mated has been enough for the council to lean in our favor. I just don’t trust that damn wolf or pathetic excuse for a lawyer.” Gabriel’s voice got icy. Moe could tell he was remembering the lawyer’s insistence that Rhys be “put down” on Christmas Eve.
“They will never get near him again,” Moe said firmly. Gabriel looked to him and smiled faintly.
“They would have to be suicidal to tangle with you, my large friend.”
Moe winked at the prince. Rhys’s raised voice caught Moe’s attention.
“Wait, Daniel, what’s in that box? That’s not mine,” Moe heard Rhys ask before he grabbed Daniel by the collar of his shirt.
“Nothing.”
“Daniel?” Rhys asked again.
“Okay, okay. I packed you some of my personal favorites from my ‘video’ collection. There is one in here that especially shows different positions when dealing with ‘big boys.’ I figure you may need all the help you can get.” Daniel smiled up at his friend. Moe watched in fascination as Rhys’s eyes went from Daniel to him to the box to Daniel and back to him. Moe couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Put that box back in the truck.” Rhys grabbed at the box but Daniel nimbly danced out of the way.
“No way, they complement David’s moving-in present.”
Rhys stopped chasing Daniel.
“What did he get me?”
“Triple XL butt plugs!” David yelled loudly from the third-story window, his voice carrying down the street, causing more than one midday shopper to turn and look at them. Moe thought his poor mate would melt into a puddle on the worn, wooden planks.
“David! Daniel! What did I tell you about behaving yourselves?” Roman barked, raising his eyes from his clipboard.
“Bo-o-r-r-ring,” David sang, and disappeared from the window. Daniel took advantage of Rhys’s distraction and ran inside. Rhys turned to Moe.
“Are you still sure you want to mate with me? I’m all fucked up, and well, you can see how my family is.” Rhys pointed to where David was now spanking Daniel in the bar with a long double-ended dildo. There was a faintly amused expression on his mate’s face. Moe was by his side in an instant.
He pulled his mate into his arms and took advantage of his height to rub his chin over Rhys’s blond curls.
“You are not fucked up. You are recovering. I wouldn’t trade you for anyone. Fate not only chose you just for me, she literally stepped in to make sure we could be together. You are my miracle.” Moe tipped Rhys’s head back and slowly licked and nibbled his lips. He could feel the moment Rhys relaxed his muscles. Moe simply wrapped his arms around him tighter. When Rhys opened his mouth and began to suck on his tongue Moe could feel his control start to slip.
“Tear that face up. Woot! Woot!”
Moe opened one eye to see David and Daniel begin to gyrate and thrust their hips at imaginary dance partners. Moe reluctantly pulled away. Rhys’s cheeks were pink and his lips swollen. Damn if his mate didn’t look thoroughly dazed.
“I told you.” Rhys’s eyes danced with mirth. Moe could feel his heart expand. This was his mate. In the past month between bouts of anxiety, outbursts of frustration and pain, this was the man that kept shining through, with his kind eyes and ready smile.
“You forget, I volunteer with kindergartners. I can handle those two.” Moe brought Rhys’s hand up and kissed it gently.
“Okay guys.” Roman walked up flipping pages on his ever-present clipboard.
“Kurt just finished installing the walk-in freezer for Rhys’s blood storage. The unit needs to maintain a temperature between 33.8 degrees and 42.8 degrees Fahrenheit. With this temperature range the blood can stay fresh between thirty-five and forty-two days, though I don’t think that will be a problem with everyone donating.” Roman’s eyes softened when he looked at Rhys.
At first Moe was leery of the relationship between Roman and Rhys, but he had come to realize that they loved each other like brothers. He couldn’t deny his mate any relationship that gave him strength, especially now.
“Moe, we’re heading to the diner for lunch. Would you care to join is?” Gabriel asked as the vampires waved at them and walked toward the diner.
“Rhys?” Moe asked, unsure if his mate would be okay surrounded by shifters.
Rhys nodded.
“Being around shifters doesn’t bother me anymore. As long as no one is gushing blood I should be okay. It’s past time for me to rejoin the land of the living.”
“Great! I’ll see if Peyton wants anything. Then after lunch I can show you around your new home.” Moe dropped a kiss on Rhys’s cheek and stepped inside the doorway. He looked over to the bar to see his tweaky and slightly inept bartender washing his already clean glassware. Shaking his head, he called out, “Peyton, Rhys and I are heading to the diner, do you want anything?”
Peyton looked up and then frowned as he thought before nodding.
“Pie and coffee.”
Here we go.
“Just pie and coffee?” Moe asked.
“Yes, umm maybe, maybe a sandwich too.”
“So pie, coffee and a sandwich. What kind of sandwich?”
Peyton’s face started to get a panicked expression.
“Umm turkey. No wait, ham.”
“Pie, coffee and a ham sandwich. Fries or chips?” Peyton’s eyes began to bug out and he shifted nervously from foot to foot.
Moe had been working everyday with Peyton to get the small man to think for himself and to ask for what he wanted. Ordering a lunch would have been beyond him months ago. He was proud of his little buddy.
“Fries. No. Chips. Wait. Do they have meatloaf today?” Moe nodded patiently and slowly.
“I imagine they might.”
“Okay, a meatloaf lunch with mashed potatoes and extra gravy. With pie and coffee.” Peyton heaved a huge breath and then looked up at Moe, beaming. He was so proud of himself.
“You got it, buddy.” Moe turned and walked over to Rhys who was gazing at him with a soft yet gentle look on his face. He reached out and took Moe’s hand as they walked to the diner.
“You’re really good with him. He’s overcome so much. His abuse went on for years. Mine was just a couple months.” Rhys sighed.
“You are both different people with differ
ent circumstances. He can handle more physical pain than anyone I’ve ever known, but when he arrived in Arkadia his mind and spirit were broken. He never spoke up, never made any decisions for himself. He is still afraid to leave the bar. So in that respect you are much stronger.” Moe ran his thumb over Rhys’s hand. A slow smiled formed in his mate’s lips.
“I can’t wait to get to know him better.”
“I think having you at the bar will be good for him. Get him to open up more.”
“Did you see his face when David and Daniel were goofing off?”
Moe let out a booming laugh.
“That was more excitement than he’s had in a while. I hope they visit more with you here. If anyone can bring that kid out of his shell it would be those two.”
“I’ll let them know.”
Moe swung their hands back and forth. He couldn’t keep the goofy grin off his face if he tried. He had waited weeks to be with his mate like this.
“You’re excited just to be holding hands aren’t you?” Rhys asked, looking up at him.
“I’ve been alone for so long now, that this simple pleasure means a lot to me.”
“Then we’ll have to make sure that we do it a lot.” Rhys flushed.
“I mean.” Rhys stuttered, embarrassed at what his comment implied. Moe smiled.
“I know what you meant. I know I’ve told you this before, but we’ll take this mating at your pace. You let me know what you’re ready for.”
Rhys breathed out a sigh of relief.
“Thank you. It’s not that I don’t want you, I wake up so damn hard some mornings dreaming about running my tongue over your tattoos I think my dick will fall off.” Moe stumbled on his own feet and looked down at his mate. Rhys grinned at him wickedly for a moment before the light faded from his eyes.