Dark Instincts

  As one, the Phoenix and Mercury wolves turned their backs on the jackals—communicating their lack of fear. Sergio’s voice stopped them as they reached the door.

  “Remember, don’t come back here.”

  Taryn shook her head, looking offended. “Ah, now that’s just rude.”

  Roni nodded. “Totally.”

  Back in the rear seat of the Chevy, Roni once again found herself caught between the window and Marcus, who was currently focused on his cell phone. Frustratingly, she was conscious of every single inch of that solid, supremely masculine body pressed against her side.

  She should have felt trapped. He was a very pushy, dominant male who was invading her personal space. And yet, all she felt was the insane urge to turn her head and inhale more of his scent. But could anyone really blame her? The guy oozed sex, power, and danger. It was a lethal cocktail for any dominant female shifter. It made her wolf kind of drunk.

  “I can’t get onto the website,” announced Marcus, returning his cell to his pocket.

  “Me neither.” Dante twisted slightly in the seat in front of them. Trey and Taryn, who were sitting in the same row as the Beta, mirrored his move. “You need to be a subscribed member.”

  Taryn shrugged. “So just enter a few fictional details to become a member.”

  Marcus shook his head. “Can’t. The questions are pretty specific, requiring you to state stuff like your pack name, location, and Alpha—things that can be cross-referenced. Whoever created the site, and I’m assuming it was the Scorpio Pack, likes to pre-approve their members. I have to wonder why they’re being so careful.”

  A muscle in Trey’s jaw ticked. “Dante, get Rhett on it.” Immediately, the Beta took out his cell phone and called Rhett.

  “The questions tell us one thing,” began Taryn. “It’s clearly exclusive to shifters.”

  “What does ‘SNM’ stand for?” asked Roni.

  “It doesn’t say.” It was all too mysterious and secretive for Marcus’s peace of mind.

  Taryn worried her bottom lip. “I don’t like this.” Trey tugged her closer, and she melted into him.

  As the Alpha female took comfort in her mate’s touch, Roni watched the scene curiously. She’d been brought up to believe that leaning on others emotionally made a person weak; that it made them vulnerable to that person. Kathy Axton seemed to see weakness all around her—especially in Roni, who she insisted on treating like a helpless kid.

  She’d always been emotionally reserved with Roni. In Kathy’s opinion, a need for emotional feedback in a female was a weakness, and she did not want her daughter to be weak. So she had withheld physical affection to literally train Roni not to need it, to not even feel the need to give it.

  It was the way Kathy herself had been raised, and maybe emotional intimacy was in fact a weakness. But Taryn didn’t look weak right then. Just the same, Shaya never appeared weak when taking comfort from Nick. They just looked . . . happy.

  A large, warm, calloused hand gently lifted Roni’s, taking her from her thoughts. She frowned as Marcus flattened his hand to hers and began examining them from every angle. “What are you doing?” Instead of answering her, he slid his hand down to cuff her wrist, and breezed his thumb over a jagged scar on her palm. There was nothing sexual about it, but her stomach clenched at the skin-to-skin contact.

  “How did you get that?”

  Roni tried retrieving her hand, but he held tight. “I had a fight with a cougar.”

  “Shifter?”

  “No, a full-blood. I was in my wolf form at the time.”

  Marcus turned her hand over, exposing a long, thin scar. “What about this one?” He was genuinely curious, but he was also intent on breaking the touch barrier. With Roni, it had to be done slowly and subtly, so subtly that she didn’t even realize his intent.

  “Eli’s ex-girlfriend wouldn’t back off and leave him alone. I wasn’t okay with that. Things turned a little bloody.”

  “Did you leave your own marks on her?”

  Her smile was a little feral. “Well, of course. I heard that the amnesia’s past and her motor skills are back to normal.” His laugh was totally wicked. Noticing long claw marks on his forearm, she asked, “Where did you get that?” His entire demeanor suddenly changed. The carefree, playful expression was replaced by a blank mask that was totally in contrast to the dark energy radiating from him.

  His gaze turned unfocused, as if he were lost in a memory. His reaction alarmed her, since dominant males were never particularly bothered by scars, seeing them as badges of honor. She kept her voice gentle. “Hey.” He double-blinked, his eyes back in focus.

  Releasing her hand, Marcus cleared his throat. “Sorry, sweetheart. Woolgathering.”

  He’d instantly slipped back into his old self, offering her an easy smile, but Roni detected a hint of pain in his voice. Okay, so it wasn’t exactly fair that he expected her to answer his questions yet wasn’t prepared to answer hers. She might have been pissed if she hadn’t seen the look in his eyes. He’d been wrestling with something dark, battling painful memories that had a tight hold on him. She could understand that. Still, she wanted him to know she wasn’t fooled. She dug something out of her pocket and held it out to him. “Lollipop?”

  Marcus looked from Roni to the candy and started laughing. He got the message: by offering him something she used when she was anxious, she was letting him know that she was very much aware that something troubled him. He took the lollipop with a nod of thanks.

  It was then that he noticed Nick eying him suspiciously from the front row. His wolf didn’t like it, but Marcus couldn’t really blame the guy. If the Alpha had any idea of the fantasies running through Marcus’s mind that involved Roni and something else he’d like her to suck, Nick would slash his throat open.

  Turning to Roni, Marcus spoke quietly. “Your brother’s going to tell you that I’m not good for you.”

  Taken aback by the comment, she blinked at him. He discreetly nodded toward Nick. If that scowl was anything to go by . . . “Yep.”

  “He thinks I’m a slut.”

  “Yep.”

  “He’s going to confront me about it at some point, order me to stay away from you.”

  “Yep.”

  “But I won’t.” Marcus held her gaze, not wanting her to miss the determination in his eyes. “Just thought you should know.”

  He brushed the pad of his finger over her jaw. This wolf really was smooth, and she . . . wasn’t. She pulled back. “Stop, okay. I don’t play your kind of games.” She didn’t know how to play his kind of games, wasn’t experienced with flirting. It made her feel vulnerable, out of her league.

  “What makes you think this is a game to me?”

  She snorted. “You flirt with everyone, Marcus. I don’t like being played with that way.”

  “Flirting is supposed to be fun and playful, sweetheart. It doesn’t mean I’m not serious.” He leaned closer, lowering his voice so only she could hear, making the whole thing painfully intimate. “I want you. I want to make you come so hard that the memory’s burned into your brain and you’ll never forget the feeling of me deep inside you.”

  Roni swallowed hard. He’d spoken so directly, without apology, all the while holding her gaze with eyes that had darkened with need. Sexual tension throbbed between them, urging them closer. Her wolf lunged for him.

  “Almost hurts, doesn’t it?”

  It did. The tension was intense, overwhelming, and gripping. It pulled them together, almost like a compulsion.

  “I’ll have you, Roni,” he rumbled. “Even if it kills me, I’ll have you.” It was a promise.

  Once they arrived at Phoenix Pack territory, Nick assured the Phoenix wolves he’d be back the following morning—all the while urging Roni straight to his car. It was obvious that he was putting space between her and Marcus, and she quickly discovered there wasn’t anything more embarrassing for a girl than being dragged away from a guy by her brother.

&
nbsp; Inside Nick’s car, she buckled herself in as she silently cursed her brother. Movement caught her eye, and she looked to see Marcus standing completely still next to his Toyota, staring directly at her. His expression was totally deadpan, but not those watchful, brooding eyes. They were alive with sexual energy and a magnetic intensity that kept her gaze trapped by his, making her unable to break the eye contact until Derren began a slow drive out of the lot.

  “Don’t fall for his shit, Roni.” Nick’s voice was like a whip. “Guys like him . . . they know how to suck in and string along a female.”

  “Are you sure your problem with him isn’t just that Shaya considers him a good friend?” Her brother was so possessive he was jealous of Shaya’s friendship with other males.

  “This is about him, not me. The guy always turns on the charm and uses it as bait—”

  “But in your own words, Nick,” injected Derren, “Roni’s resistant to charm. So you have no need to worry.”

  “Yeah, but—”

  “Give it up, Nick.” Roni was rapidly losing her patience. “You wouldn’t want to push me into Marcus’s arms, would you? You know how dominant females will go against pushy advice just to be contrary.”

  “I’m just looking out for you. You’re my little sister.”

  “Eli’s your little brother, but you don’t poke your nose into every aspect of his life. It’s only me you insist on being so patronizing toward.”

  “Roni, I’m not—”

  “No, enough, I’m sick of having the same conversation over and over.” She understood that it was natural for her mother and older brother to be protective, considering they were both very dominant wolves. But, dammit, she was a very dominant wolf too. Would they always look at her and see nothing but a frightened twelve-year-old? Maybe she was partly at fault, since she’d never really taken them to task over their behavior. But how could she, when she owed them so much? The whole situation sucked big-time.

  When she was lying in bed alone watching a movie a few hours later, she received a message on her cell. Retrieving the phone from the bedside table, she frowned at the unfamiliar number. Opening the text, she almost smiled.

  I’m horny and it’s all your fault—M

  How Marcus got her number, she wasn’t sure. Probably from Taryn, she thought. Strangely finding that she wanted to answer this clear invitation to play, Roni typed:

  Explain how I’m at fault

  His reply was instant.

  All I can think about is sliding my cock inside you

  And now she was thinking about it too. A part of her wanted to keep playing—though it felt odd, she was also enjoying it—but another part of her wanted to draw back in self-preservation. Nick was right: she was resistant to charm. But as that charm was tangled with raw sexuality, the spice of danger, and an aura of power, Roni wasn’t so resistant to Marcus Fuller at all. Keeping him at a distance would be best.

  Or would it? Should she just take what he offered? After all, she liked sex, and he was apparently very good at it.

  The problem was that her wolf felt a little possessive of Marcus. The few times she’d seen him with his ex, Zara, her wolf had wanted to rip the bitch apart. The animal also strongly disliked Trick, since he and Marcus had occasionally shook the sheets in the past. To take what Marcus offered could make that possessiveness worse. As such, Roni wasn’t sure what to do. In any case, playing like this wouldn’t cause any real harm. Right?

  Shrugging aside her mixed thoughts, she finally typed:

  So take a cold shower and stop bothering me

  Within seconds, he responded:

  You text slow!

  Rather than explaining her little moment of uncertainty, she decided to type something a little wicked instead. Hey, if she were going to play, she’d do it right.

  Sorry about that, I’m texting one-handed. The other hand is a little . . . pre-occupied

  The phone immediately started ringing, and she couldn’t help laughing aloud. Swallowing back the sound, Roni answered, “Yes?”

  He didn’t even bother with a hello. “And what exactly is that hand doing?”

  She cleared her throat, trying to hide the smile from her voice. “Nothing. It’s just . . . busy right now. Can you call back later?”

  He groaned. “This is cruel, sweetheart. I’m hard as a fucking rock here.”

  “I didn’t do anything.”

  “You never have to do anything. I think about you, and I’m hard. It’s that basic.” His voice dropped an octave as he added, “I was working at Dante’s desk earlier, and all I could think about was slamming you on top of it and fucking you raw.” Damn, that voice was like liquid seduction. And it was certainly doing its job. “Now . . . at the risk of sounding clichéd, what are you wearing?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Guess.”

  “Hmmm. Boy shorts and a tank top.”

  Her body jackknifed into an upright position. “Where the fuck are you?” Was the little shit spying on her?

  He was now laughing hysterically. “In my bed, wishing you were with me.”

  “Then how do you know what I’m wearing?”

  “I know you. But I won’t know all of you unless you share a little more, sweetheart. Can you do that for me?”

  “Since when are guys so interested in a girl’s personality?”

  “Knowledge is power, my pretty little wolf. And I need every bit of help I can get if I’m going to make myself a part of your little circle. Now, I’m going to let you get some sleep while I take a cold shower. Dream of me.”

  Considering he’d been the main feature of her dreams for some time, that shouldn’t be a problem. She wasn’t sure if that were a good thing or a bad thing.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  The next morning went pretty much the same for Roni: she argued with her mother, aunt, and Eliza at breakfast, she played a prank on Eli, and she was unexpectedly joined by Marcus, who then gave her a ride to Phoenix Pack territory and quizzed her the entire journey.

  Soon enough, they were seated at the kitchen table with the rest of the hunting party and Trick and Dominic. Two things were bugging her: One, Trick was watching her very closely; there was no animosity there, but it made her uncomfortable. Two, Marcus wouldn’t stop touching her. Okay, fine, it wasn’t the touching part that bugged her, it was the fact that it didn’t bother her. For God’s sake, he was practically glued to her side while playing with her hair, and she wasn’t even bristling.

  “What do you mean you couldn’t hack into it?” Trey growled.

  Rhett looked more annoyed about it than Trey did. “What I do isn’t as easy as it looks, okay? This website, whatever it is, has encryptions I’ve never come across before. I’m doing my best, but it’s going to take a few more hours.”

  Trey relaxed a little. “Fine. What do you have on the jackals?”

  Rhett’s smile was smug. “People, meet the Alpha of the Scorpio Pack.” He passed a photo to Dante, who took a hard look at it before passing it on. “Right here is Lyle Browne. The pack was based in San Diego until their territory was stripped from them. Before being blacklisted, Browne did business with a lot of packs and had a good number of alliances with powerful Alphas.” Suddenly looking awkward, Rhett turned to Taryn. “He . . . did a lot of business with your dad, Taryn. I’m sorry.”

  Taryn clenched her fist tight, though her expression remained blank. To say that she had a strained relationship with her father would be an understatement. Taryn had been latent—unable to shift—until getting pregnant with Kye, and her father, Lance, had been ashamed of her for most of her life. Worse, he’d tried to force her into an arranged mating, which Trey had thankfully sabotaged.

  “There’s nothing to indicate Lance is still doing business with them,” Rhett quickly added. “But it seems like the jackals still do business with some of their old alliances: Samuel Redford, Morgan Johnson, Jackson Griffiths, and Quinn McGee. All four of them are Alpha wolves.”

  “We need to ques
tion all of them,” said Dante.

  Nick looked at Trey. “It’s time we split up. I know Johnson pretty well; he’s allied with my old pack. He’ll be more likely to talk to me than to you, if there’s anything he can tell us.”

  “Then it makes sense for you to pay him a visit.” Trey leaned forward. “I know McGee, but I know Griffiths much better—his mother and my mother were close friends; we played together as kids.”

  Roni noticed how Marcus tensed at the mention of Trey’s mother, and she wondered at the cause.

  “You think Griffiths will talk to you?” Nick asked him. Trey nodded.

  “My brother’s allied with Redford,” said Dante. “I’ve met his Beta a few times. I could go with Ryan to speak to him, since I’m guessing there’s no way you’ll part from Taryn.”

  Trey snorted. “Damn right.”

  Taryn smiled. “Okay then. Flintstone and I will go see Griffiths. Nick and Derren can talk to Johnson. Dante and Ryan will speak to Redford. Marcus and Roni can visit McGee.” Quinn was loosely allied with the Phoenix Pack and had fought alongside them during a pack war with Trey’s now deceased uncle.

  “Just remember that Quinn can be cagey,” Trey told Marcus, “and he likes games. But you’ve got a gift for getting people to talk—use it.”

  Roni snickered. “You want him to flirt with the guy?”

  Trey appeared confused, but it was Trick who elaborated. “People tend to like Marcus, so they tend to talk to him. But when they don’t talk . . . well, Marcus quickly changes their minds.”

  Ignoring Roni’s curious gaze, Marcus turned to Rhett. “What type of business did Browne and McGee do together?”

  Rhett glanced at his papers again. “They dabbled in illegal activities such as forgery, stealing antiques, selling stolen and counterfeit paintings—” He paused as the sounds of approaching voices caught everyone’s attention.

  “I’ll never know what my Dante sees in you,” Greta was growling in the tunnels.

  Jaime made a contemplative sound. “Class. Curves. Sparkling wit. A mouth he swears is perfect for s—”