“I love you,” I panted, clinging to him like a drowning person. “I’ll always want you like this.”
Caleb lifted his head, gazing down into my face. “I love you more than anything, Emmaline.”
My eyes slid closed and I allowed my back to tumble into the pillows as he took control, thrusting powerfully, holding my pelvis in a way that ensured he went deeper with each entry.
Caleb dipped his head and the thin stubble along his chin brushed against my sensitive skin. He nuzzled me gently, until his mouth claimed one of my nipples. I bucked against him, groaning at the impossibly wicked sensation.
“Please,” I whimpered, writhing uncontrollably. The sensations were building with the combined scent of Caleb and the pheromones his body produced. The need for release was palpable, a pleasure that was becoming an agony. My insides clenched and released, sharp spasms so strong they clasped him tightly inside me.
Caleb moved faster, pumping his hips, sliding in and out of my body, harder and rougher. I wound my fingers into his hair, tugging him against my sweat-slicked skin. He released my right hip and his fingers latched onto the throbbing bead protruding from the hood of my sex, sending me tumbling into a mind-shattering climax. My scream was silenced by his lips, the passion filled cries of pleasure and release muffled within his mouth.
Each time he buried himself deeper, extending and increasing the thrashing of my limbs and hips. I rose up to meet each thrust when he reclined back and lifted my legs, mindless with the need to sate him. As his body tensed, I rose up, clawing at his chest. He came down, pressing his head into the hollow of my throat.
“You’re mine, Emma,” he proclaimed in a low throaty growl. “There will never be any other for me, or for you.”
“Promise?” It was impossible to mask my vulnerability as the word escaped. I wouldn’t survive losing Caleb a second time. I wasn’t afraid to admit it to him or myself.
Large hands framed my face, forcing me to look him in the eye. The same raw emotion was right there, revealed to me openly.
“Always,” he breathed against my lips.
I felt his release deep inside my body then, a hot spasm of fire that seemed to go on and on, and watched the beauty of his face as he marked me with his body, his seed, and his scent. In that moment, there was nothing but Caleb, shrouding me, surrounding me, cherishing me, and claiming me irrevocably as his own.
Chapter 4—White Dust
I woke as the sun crested the horizon. Tendrils of light shone off the snow and sparkled along the ceiling, creating miniature beads and crystalline prismatic rainbows across the room.
I’d fallen asleep on my stomach, sprawled across Caleb’s warm chest. I didn’t remember dozing off as he played with my hair and traced the indentions along my back. I was merely aware of the contentedness that swept over me, pervading me completely for the first time in my life.
Shifting slightly, I groaned at the welcoming soreness in my muscles. Caleb’s warm hand ran along the cool skin of my back and I sighed happily.
“Good morning,” he said softly, sounding as gratified as I felt.
“Good morning.” I smiled and turned my head to look at him. His eyes were peaceful as he observed me through his long, dark lashes.
“How do you feel?” He brushed my hair off my back, his fingers teasing the skin. I shivered as tiny goosebumps appeared on the surface.
“Everything seems to be working.” I groaned as I moved. “Sore, but working.”
We hadn’t stopped after the first or the second time. Caleb was gentle but thorough, showing me just how enjoyable time alone could be.
“I’m sorry.” He smiled ruefully, running his palm along my back in a soothing motion.
I moved across his chest, toward his neck, and nestled in the comforting crook as his arms pulled me close. Everything felt as it should. This was good. This was right. I closed my eyes, absorbing it all, and basked in the moment, creating a memory frozen permanently in time.
“What would you like to do today?” His fingers returned to their comforting movements up and down my spine, trailing lightly along the skin, tracing each delicate column.
“Hmmm.” I tried to focus. My hands roamed across his chest before going lower across his stomach.
He growled, grabbed me, and flipped my body underneath his. I looked up, smiling and laughing at his expression. A strange sound came from my luggage, a melody I recognized somehow. Caleb’s face changed from playful to agitated.
“What is that?” I giggled at his expression.
“It’s Derek.” He kissed me, jumped easily from the bed, and walked to the bags.
“How do you know it’s Derek?” I asked curiously.
“Only Derek would program I’m Too Sexy as his personal ring tone.” He rummaged through one of the bags as he spoke, the sound became louder, and I finally placed it.
I snickered and reached for the blanket, arranging myself under the assorted sheets and quilts as Caleb retrieved the phone. I leaned against the headboard, admiring Caleb who seemed completely at ease in the buff. He found the cell and fished it out. The ringtone was unmistakable.
“What do you want?” Caleb snarled playfully after he flipped the small phone open and placed it against his ear, looking at me and grinning crookedly. Suddenly, his gaze lowered, his brows come together, and his smile vanished. He started to pace and I sat up, fear creeping into my chest.
“When?” he asked, averting his head as I tried to see his face. “How long?”
He stopped speaking, listening to the other end of the line.
“We’ll get on the first flight out... No, I understand, you were right to wait. I heard my phone last night but we were indisposed... Are you sure she’s not with a friend? You’re sure? Okay, we’ll be there soon.”
Caleb threw the phone down and stared at me, his voice was heavy and thick with worry. “We need to get what we can together and book the first flight out. It’s Sammie. She’s gone.”
****
We arrived home the next morning, our trip called short for the most serious and dire of reasons. Sammie had told Beverly and Chris she wanted to rent some movies the morning we left and had taken the family truck into town. After several hours passed, Beverly and Chris became concerned and drove to the store. They found the truck parked in the lot, but no Sammie.
Derek and Sarah were the first to start the search. They combed for Sammie’s scent at the store—which vanished just past the Blackney’s truck—leading them to believe she was voluntarily or forcefully placed in another vehicle. The clerk didn’t see a thing. The various racks of DVDs blocked out the glass windows layered with movie posters. Sammie never even made it inside the store.
One question remained at the forefront of my mind. Who would want to harm Sammie? She was the most gentle of us all, so trusting and friendly. Deep down, we all feared that was what caused her disappearance. Sammie was a werewolf, which meant she wasn’t a weak target. Whoever approached her knew what they were doing. It was either that or they already had her confidence and trust.
The police had been contacted, a report had been filed, and now the question arose: Where did we go and what did we do to find her? It all boiled down to the one thing none of us had answers to—who would take Sammie and why?
I waited anxiously with Beverly and Chris, their home becoming a prison, the walls closing in with each second that ticked away on the clock. My abilities wouldn’t help, and there was nothing I could do to contribute to the effort. Billy, Sam, and Haven had all made it before us, and so far none of them had any leads. For all intents and purposes, Sammie had simply vanished.
I followed the movements of Caleb, his family, and his pack mates. Unsure of what to say, afraid in my heart that somehow I was the cause of this. My gut told me I knew where this was coming from, even if everyone else said it was impossible.
Phone calls to my father confirmed Caleb’s original thinking. The royal house wouldn’t risk the penalty t
hat would occur for breaking the terms set by Caleb when he challenged Decimus. The bloodlines were too important, too valuable. Even at the cost of Decimus’s pride.
Then a lead came in, courtesy of the werewolves in Miami. Several of their pack members had gone missing as well, under frighteningly parallel circumstances. The missing werewolves were all young. They were all trusting. And with the exception of one, they were all female. Searches had turned up empty, the trails ending at forgotten vehicles.
Everyone had gathered inside the Blackney’s basement, and it was crowded. Billy, Derek, Sam, Caleb, Haven, and Chris took up a hell of a lot of space.
“We have to go there and see what the hell is going on.” Sam decided. He’d been on the phone all day working out the kinks.
“Are you even sure she’s there?” Beverly asked, unable to speak without crumbling into tears. The strain was wearing her down. Chris remained silent, his emotions equally raw.
“No.” Sam exhaled heavily, shoulders slumping. “But it’s a lead we can’t ignore. Rosco said he’ll rendezvous with us, safety in numbers, so we can search together.”
Rosco, the alpha of the Miami pack. The name alone was unforgettable. Sarah said his temper was even more violate and every bit as vicious as Caleb’s.
“When do we go?” Caleb asked quietly, obscuring his emotions, so like his father.
“The sooner the better,” Derek growled. “No time to waste.”
“I think Derek’s right,” Sam agreed. “We can’t allow too much time to pass. Even if Samantha isn’t with them, there are too many common factors we can’t rule out.” His gaze rotated around the room. “I want everyone to get what they need. We’ll head out in the morning. Beverly and Chris, you need to stay here in case something develops.” He glanced over at me, then Caleb. “I think it’s best if Emma remains behind. She’s not equipped to handle herself if something bad goes down.”
Caleb nodded in agreement, as I knew he would. I didn’t argue. As long as I remained here on the farm, Caleb felt I was safe. This was his home, his one true place of solace, and this wasn’t about me or what I wanted. Sam was right. I couldn’t defend myself if something occurred. I was still human, bound by my weak and frail body.
“Haven, who do you have coming?” Sam asked.
“Nathan, Jacob, and Katy. They’re waiting for my call.” Haven pulled a phone from his pocket.
“Then call them,” Sam instructed. “We leave in the morning."
****
Caleb’s arms were solid, holding me closely against him. Any other time I would have felt embarrassed about sleeping in a room with his parents so close, but in light of everything it seemed trivial. He was distant, prepared for the worst, too terrified to hope for the best.
I was beginning to believe nothing would ever be normal. The incidents that continued to transpire never seemed to end, one tragedy or narrow escape after the next, like suffocating in quicksand.
“I don’t want to leave you,” Caleb told me, interrupting my thoughts.
“I don’t want you to leave,” I responded honestly, keeping the part of my terror at something happening to him to myself. I didn‘t want to cause or add to his stress.
“You still think it has to do with Decimus, don’t you?” Caleb stroked my back and I shivered at the contact. He’d been so distant, and I ached for his touch.
“I don’t know,” I said. “Maybe my personal fears are dictating my thinking. I’m still frightened of him, but he’s a world away, and Dad promised he would never break his oath. His own enforcer would come for him if he did.”
“Enforcer?”
“He’s the justice of the houses, able to delve into the mind to punish those guilty of breaking trueblood laws. He’s also impervious to vampiric abilities, meaning Decimus couldn’t use his necromancy against him.”
“Sounds intimidating.”
“Let’s hope so.” I burrowed into his chest. “He’s the only thing keeping the prince in check.”
“You don’t need to be afraid, Emma,” Caleb vowed hoarsely, and I looked up. “My parents would defend you with their lives.”
“I don’t want anyone defending me with their lives.” I closed my eyes and battled fresh tears. I wasn’t afraid for me. My heart was attached elsewhere, existing outside of my body, beating for someone more substantial than myself.
“Just come back to me.”
“I will,” he promised, bringing his mouth over mine and easing my fears by blocking out the rest of the world around us.
****
It looked like a full-swing-ass-kicking convention on the Blackney front lawn. Everyone was dressed in black, shit-kickers were out in force, and leather jackets were the outerwear of choice. Dark, unmarked vans were parked on the grass, blocking out the gravel and fence just past.
I sat on the porch, watching them prepare. Caleb had asked Sarah to stay and she was reluctant to do so until she comprehended the level of my distress. She didn’t like being apart from Derek, but being a consummate friend, she said yes. She and Derek retreated into the house to spend time alone together before the pack departed.
I couldn’t say I blamed her.
Haven stepped up on the porch, his broad body blocking out the sun, before he plopped into the rocker next to me. “This is hardly the time or place, but I have something for you.”
He reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and produced a small piece of yellow paper. He held it out between his fingers, waiting for me to take it.
“What’s this?” I asked and opened the paper to reveal an address. The handwriting was neat, the words clear.
“That is somewhere I think you should visit.” Haven looked out at everyone in the yard. “Her grandson is an old acquaintance of mine. Have Sarah take you while we’re gone.”
“And why would I want to see this person?” My lips pursed as I read the words written on the paper.
“My friend, John, always told me crazy shit about his mamaw. She claimed she could speak with spirits and commune with the dead. Of course, I thought she was as crazy as a loon and had seen The Evil Dead one too many times. Then one day she said she knew what I was.”
When my attention snapped to his face, wanting to be sure I heard him correctly, he grinned and nodded. “She claimed the ghosts around me told her. When I blew her off and got up to leave, she got pissed. She reached for her walking stick and the fucking thing flew across the room”—Haven made the motion of something flying over to his outstretched fingers before closing them into a fist—“and landed right in her hand. She proceeded to chase me out of the house, telling me she knew all about our kind. I never went back after that, but maybe I should have listened.”
“And you think I want to go toe-to-toe with this deranged person who chases people with walking sticks?” I frowned at him. “Are you out of your mind?”
“I think there are things that all of us need to be aware of here. I never told anyone about John’s mamaw. I was too embarrassed. And to be honest with you, I was too fucking creeped out by that shit. But after I saw you at my place, it came together. You did the same thing with those keys, the exact same shit.” He wasn’t relaxed anymore, his body tense. I imagined a random loud noise could send him rocketing somewhere into the Northern Hemisphere.
“Okay, I’ll go check it out.” I nodded and he relaxed.
“John’s a cool cat, you’ll like him. I called a couple days back, before all this shit went down. He knows to expect you.”
Caleb walked around the vans and Haven stood. Lowering his head, he nodded at Caleb as he strode past him and walked back to the waiting group.
“What was that about?” Caleb asked.
“Remember that little conversation we had at the Pit? When Haven wanted us to go see someone together?” Caleb nodded and I lifted the paper into the air. “This is the address to some crazy stick wielding lunatic granny Haven says I have to go see.”
He cocked an eyebrow, a smile crossing his
face for the first time since our trip. “A lunatic granny?”
“It’s a good thing Sarah stayed behind to protect me. Otherwise I might be in trouble.” I grinned back at him, rose from the chair, and walked into his open arms.
I breathed in his scent and realized everyone would know we’d bonded officially and that Caleb had reinstated exactly what I was to him. His unique scent would be with me no matter where I went, warning other werewolves I was claimed, belonging wholly to another. I wished I had my own unique brand to share with him, something to show he was taken just as I was. Suddenly, I knew what I wanted to give him, what he could carry along with him on his trip.
“Wait here.” I kissed him and rushed into the house.
I ran into his bedroom and rummaged inside the inner pocket of my suitcase. I pulled out my jewelry box and sifted through the chains until I found one of the thicker white gold ones. My parents had lavished their attention on me, jewelry being one of their favorite gifts.
I hurried down the stairs and pulled the ring off my right hand before I thrust the front door open. Caleb remained where I left him. A curious expression appeared on his face as I approached.
“Come here.” I motioned for him to lower his head and he looked at me quizzically, doing as I asked. I clasped the necklace around his neck, ensuring my mother’s ring was dangling from it.
“This time,” I teased, eyes tearing up, “don’t send it back.”
Touching the ring, he kept his eyes trained on my face. He dropped the necklace. His warm hands grasped my arms and pulled me against his body. I buried my face in his chest, taking his scent into my nose.
“I’ll return it to you personally, how’s that?” he asked, voice thick.
“That’s perfect.” I wanted to laugh, but I sniffed pitifully instead.
A van cranked to life, then another. The voices behind us began lifting to speak over the engines. Caleb kissed me, his lips soft against mine.
“I love you. I’ll be back soon.”
“I love you too.” I kissed him hard and pulled back to look into his indigo eyes. I forced myself to let go and step back.