But it was the delight he saw in her features that got to him, that whoever she was as a realm-woman, she knew how to take enjoyment where she found it.
He understood. His path had been difficult for a thousand years, always battling and always alone. But he’d learned how to appreciate the world around him, whether a new piece of music, or a squirrel that often raced across the long rails of his porch, or the moon rising through the tops of the distant trees.
Caught as he was, desire for her rose sharply all over again, and he almost pulled her into his arms.
But the pleasure in her expression transformed into something darker and he could feel her sudden anxiety like a vibration on his skin.
“Lorelei, what is it? What’s wrong?”
* * * * * * * * *
Lorelei didn’t understand why Seth’s desire had risen so sharply, but his scent didn’t lie. The very thing she’d longed for had happened, but now that she’d had sex with Seth, her entire being suddenly recoiled at what was happening between them.
She didn’t know how to do this, to be this intimately connected to anyone, and especially not to a man she’d craved for the past two months. More than anything, she feared being ripped from her world again, as she had at least once a year for the past several decades.
She knew she was no longer at risk from Margetta finding her, but her bones hadn’t yet learned this truth.
As though her body acted instinctively, she shifted to her wolf form and bolted from the room. She heard Seth calling after her, but she quickly wrapped an enthrallment shield around herself and raced through his house, her claws sliding a couple of times on his polished wood floors.
When she reached the back door, she shifted to fae only as long as it took to create fingers and pull the door wide.
Resuming her wolf shape, she leaped onto the nearby path and ran as hard as she could up the steep mountainside, disappearing into the forest itself, following lesser animal trails to avoid detection.
She’d made a den for herself soon after her arrival to the area, setting up a series of enthrallment layers to protect herself from other realm-folk, especially shifters, vampires, and most importantly, Margetta.
Once inside the den, she curled up on the padded, fur comforter, trembling and trying to calm herself. She bore a thick winter coat and was comfortable physically, but her emotions swirled in her body, tearing through her mind, creating an upheaval she couldn’t seem to settle.
She licked the top of her paws and breathed hard. She’d just had sex with the man of her dreams. And it had rocked.
She whimpered, a pure wolfish sound, and huffed a sigh.
She was a blood rose, but she didn’t want to be. She’d watched Batya all that time, as Quinlan had pursued her, chased her, then brought her down.
Her shifter nose had caught the scent of sex between them and the powerful fae part of her had felt the vibrations as they connected.
She’d never connected with anyone, but the blood rose experience was as profound as it was comprehensive. There didn’t seem to be a middle ground, no playing at sex and offering her vein when it suited her. This would be a full-blown commitment and she didn’t know how to do that.
She’d also heard that Seth had almost sunk his fangs into Batya.
She rose up swiftly, her fur lifting all along her back. She growled at the thought of Seth drinking from Batya or any other woman.
She paced in a circle, disgusted and frightened by so many overwhelming and contradictory reactions, as though she rejected a bond with Seth with the same force that she desired him.
For a moment, while she moved back and forth, a different kind of vibration reached her, very faint, and having more to do with the shifter community in Walvashorr than with Seth in particular.
She paused, waiting to see if she could decipher the meaning of this new vibration. Something about the frequency gave her the sense she needed to be moving, but to do what she couldn’t quite figure out.
After a few minutes, the frequency stopped and she curled up once more to the fur comforter, crossing her front paws and settling her muzzle on top of them and wondering what Mastyr Seth made of all that had happened.
* * * * * * * * *
Seth stood at the backdoor of his home. The sun was almost gone and it would be full-dark soon. He stared up at the steep ridge and noticed a faint but very real trail of silvery-teal light.
Instinctively, and in a very realm way, he knew he was looking at Lorelei’s imprint, something only he could see. The sex had established a private marker, something that had occurred when he’d taken her blood, created because of his mastyr vampire status and her blood rose ability.
None of the bonded mastyrs had mentioned this kind of phenomenon, but then Lorelei carried so many species within her that the silvery-teal trail might be specific only to her or perhaps as a result of her shifter DNA.
Part of him, the same part that had jumped on her the moment she’d swept her hair back from her neck, wanted desperately to follow that trail. He wanted to grab the wolf by the scruff of the neck, and haul her pretty ass home, straight into his bedroom where she belonged.
On the other hand, the civilized part of him that believed in self-control above everything else, rejected chasing the female.
He was a man, not a beast.
Yet he’d been all beast when he’d taken her blood, then coupled with her. He hadn’t even known who she was.
His conduct appalled, yet in turn, excited him—one helluva dichotomy.
Lorelei was a shifter, which made her more connected to the earth and the animal world than he’d ever be. He lived apart, physically and mentally. He kept his body lean and fighting toned, utterly disciplined. His mind served the realm he ruled.
What was he supposed to do with this new, raw, unexpected turn of events? The other mastyrs had warned him to be ready, that his blood rose would come. He’d prepared himself for a more regular sort of woman, maybe a fae like Batya, or even half-realm, half-human, like Samantha.
But not Lorelei, an anomaly in his world known to have four distinct DNA strands: wraith, fae, shifter and even a small remnant of vampire. Though realm-folk, when birthed from different species, always landed on one side or another, Lorelei could move easily through the first three more dominant forms. He had yet to see the wraith part of her, but Quinlan had.
Once Quinlan had returned with Batya to resume his duties as Mastyr Vampire of Grochaire Realm, Seth had spoken with him several times on the phone. He’d asked about their mutual enemy, the ancient fae-wraith known as Margetta, and in the process had learned a lot about Lorelei as well.
He knew she’d been on the run for seventy-two of her ninety years and that a good-hearted troll, Genevieve, had raised Lorelei and infused her with a generous, giving attitude toward life. While helping Lorelei to escape her prison in one of the mountainous realms, Genevieve had died at Margetta’s hands.
Not long after, Lorelei had lived with the famous Nine Realms couple, Vojalie and Davido, serving in their household only to be discovered by Margetta through a latent mother-daughter tracking system. From that time forward, Lorelei had moved from realm-to-realm and her most recent two-year stay had been in Batya’s free-clinic in Grochaire’s Tennessee access point.
At Ferrenden Peace, apparently the queen had taught Lorelei special skills that would keep Margetta from finding her ever again.
Yet here Seth stood, watching her silvery-teal signature finally fade away, wondering what chance sequence of events had brought Lorelei to his home.
He could have tracked her right now if he’d wanted to, but her absence had given him a chance to recover his wits.
A blood rose.
He shook his head.
He slipped his phone from the pocket of his jeans and cancelled his doneuse. Beyond that, he didn’t know what the hell he was supposed to do.
* * * * * * * * *
With full-dark having finally arrived, Lorelei emerg
ed from her den.
She gave herself a good stretch and an even better shake. The snow still fell, though gently. Sustaining her enthrallment shields, she lifted her head to stare through the thick fir branches, all the way to the dense snow clouds above.
She watched for even the smallest sign of Margetta, who often patrolled the air during the first couple of hours of the night. But for the most part, Lorelei no longer feared discovery by her parent. Rosamunde had helped break the spell, or whatever it was, that had once given Margetta an upper hand over Lorelei.
Keeping her layered shield tight, she listened to the forest. Snow kept the mountains incredibly quiet, which meant she could hear sounds from a long distance away. What surprised her wasn’t what she heard, but rather that not one sound came back to her.
At this time of night, the Shifter Brigade patrols would be all over the mountains, moving at lightning speed on all fours as only wolf-shifters could do. And she’d be able to hear this movement, however muffled by a layer of fresh snow.
Instead, she heard nothing, no running, no movement of wind, no howls as the patrols called to each other.
Her heart-rate increased. Something was wrong.
Was it Seth?
She’d been so overwhelmed by her recent experience with the Mastyr of Walvashorr that she’d forgotten that her first job was to guard him.
She set her paws in motion and within seconds arrived at the backdoor of his house. She listened intently and heard his phone ringing.
A moment later, his voice hit the airwaves. “Ephyx. Where are your men? I haven’t seen one patrol since full-dark.”
Lorelei shifted to her fae self. She’d changed in her den earlier, putting on a fresh pair of jeans, furry snow boots, a long-sleeved t-shirt and a thin, but well-padded jacket. She knocked, then entered the kitchen.
Seth appeared in the doorway, a phone to his ear. He frowned as he met her gaze, but dipped his chin, then waved her forward.
She felt his distress, which put all her senses on high alert as she walked swiftly toward him. He turned in the direction he’d come, a frown forcing his brows low on his forehead.
As he moved into the living room, she followed.
“I can’t believe what you’re telling me.”
“What is it?” Lorelei asked quietly.
He covered the phone with his hand. “The Shifter Brigade.”
“They’re gone, aren’t they?”
He glanced toward the window as though straining to hear them himself. “How did you know?”
“The forest is silent.”
He nodded, uncovering the phone. “Ephyx, let me call you right back.”
Her gaze took him in as he put his phone away. He wore his Guardsman uniform, the long black leather, sleeveless coat over a thick, black long-sleeved winter shirt. His hip boots rose to mid-thigh and covered his battle leathers. A single line of small silver studs ran down the outer side of each boot. He looked amazing, especially with his hair slicked back and secured by the typical woven clasp.
He had an extraordinary physique to begin with, but the layered design at the shoulders enhanced what nature had already given him.
Familiar sensations pummeled her of loving how he looked and how he smelled. Her heart had started laboring again, a heavy pull which she now knew meant she was a blood rose. She couldn’t believe she was the unique kind of donor that from now on would produce all the nourishment a mastyr vampire would need.
Knowing she’d relieved him of his painful blood-starvation, eased something inside Lorelei. She watched a warrior vampire who had sacrificed for centuries to serve his realm, who would gladly die for Walvashorr and the Nine Realms, and she’d helped him. For that, and despite whatever may come in the next few hours or days, she was grateful.
“What did Ephyx say?”
He rubbed two fingers over his forehead. “I don’t know what happened. He doesn’t either. But I wanted to talk to you about Loperz Canyon. Are you up for that?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Remember how you howled before you attacked that vampire and knocked him over at the knees?”
She nodded.
“Ephyx told me that somehow you called all the shifters of Walvashorr with that one effort. He and I discussed it briefly, but you were in terrible shape so I left immediately after and brought you here. He just told me that even after I left with you, apparently the Shifter Brigade, from all four packs, arrived in that canyon.”
“The entire brigade? You’re kidding.”
“Not even a little. You have some kind of super-connection to all four packs.”
She opened her mouth to ask another question, perhaps even to express her incredulity, but at that moment the same frequency that she’d experienced earlier at the den returned. The vibration felt full of chaos even rage. “So where are the packs now, if they’re not on patrol?”
“That’s just it. Ephyx said they’re all at Big Timber.”
“All, as in every shifter Guardsman?” She shook her head, astonished yet again.
He nodded.
“Then we’d better get over there.”
A moment later, his phone rang again. “Yes, Ephyx.” He met and held Lorelei’s gaze. “We’re on our way.”
Seth didn’t have to tell her where they’d be going or why. The vibration she’d felt earlier now coalesced on her skin and through her body like a sudden brush fire and she knew without the smallest doubt that the shifter community was about to erupt into a full-blown war. She just had no idea why.
* * * * * * * * *
Seth stared into warm, brown eyes, surprised by how he felt toward this woman, by the rush of gratitude and even affection that flowed through him because of how ready she was to enter the fray. Knowing that all four shifter packs were close to tearing each other to pieces, told him she could be endangered by going to Big Timber. Yet all she’d said was, ‘Then we’d better get over there.’
“Maybe you should stay here. You’re still recovering.”
She tilted her head as though the suggestion confused her. “I’m fine. Really. Don’t worry about me. Besides, I can sense that I’m necessary to what’s going on with your brigade right now. My guess is that summoning the packs as I did has caused a problem. Now I’m hoping I can be part of the solution.”
Seth drew in a deep breath. He didn’t like the situation at all. Most of his brigade was made up of powerful males that would chomp at the bit to battle each other. And because Lorelei was part shifter, she wouldn’t stay out of the fight if it came to that.
But she wouldn’t remain here either. She might have a tender, caring side, but she was also tough and stubborn as hell. The queen had commanded her to serve as his bodyguard, and not one of his initial shouting matches with her had dislodged her intention to remain by his side.
“So which would you prefer, running or flying?” He didn’t want to assume anything with Lorelei and she might prefer shifting to all fours, rather than flying with him. Most wolf-shifters loved to run and could cross dozens of miles in a night and could occasionally sprint to cover a mile a minute for a quarter hour at a time.
“I’d love to run, of course, but it would be faster for me to fly, right?”
“Yes, by at least ten minutes.”
“Then I’ll fly.” A funny gleam entered her eye, almost taunting, as though she knew the effect her next words would have on him. “And don’t worry, I flew with Quinlan more than once. In his arms. He held me tight.”
A growl formed at the back of his throat, deep and possessive, something he’d never done before. That stoic, rational part of him began to fade into the background once more as he pulled her into his arms. You’re not to fly with other men, especially not mastyr vampires, do you understand?
Is that the way you want it?
That’s a command. He narrowed his eyes, willing her to obey him.
She smiled, almost wickedly. “Then I have a command of my own, Seth of Walvashorr. A
s long as we’re together, as long as you’re drinking from my throat, don’t even think about using one of your doneuses. This is a two way street, understand?”
She leaned up and kissed him which ignited his need for her all over again.
With her eyes glinting, she asked, “So how do you want me?”
He ignored the first response that shot into his brain, which went something like ‘flat on your back’.
Instead, he ordered his senses and gave the necessary instructions. “Plant your foot on my left boot. That’s it. Now your arm around my neck.” He drew her tight against his side. “Do you feel secure?”
“Very.”
“Good, because we’ll be moving fast.”
He levitated a foot above the floor and glided slowly to the front door. Once outside with the door shut securely, he shot into the air and headed north toward Big Timber.
* * * * * * * * *
Lorelei experienced two sensations at once, the pleasure of being held against Seth’s body and the odd vibrations that reached her from the north, a continual fiery sensation against her skin. Both called to her in ways unfamiliar to her, though she understood her desire for Seth better than the pack-based frequency that kept pelting her.
How far away are we? She’d never been to Big Timber before and she didn’t know Walvashorr’s geography nearly as well as Seth did.
Five minutes, but you feel very tense. What’s going on?
Lorelei swallowed, her throat tight. I’m not sure. The brigade’s shifter frequency is crawling over my skin, but I don’t know what it means.
Is it painful?
Almost.
Describe it.
She had to think for a moment. Fiery and chaotic, that’s what this feels like. In fact, it feels like more than one vibration.
How many? Even within her head, Seth’s voice sounded just like him, a mid-range timbre with strong resonance.
I think there are four.
She focused on the vibrations, lowering her chin. Breathing in and out, she began separating the four strands, the source of the chaos. Each frequency strand held a strong emotional element that the shifter part of her tuned into.