Author: J.D. Tyler

Steeling herself, Selene asked the tough question. “So, what did you do? And what does it have to do with Mom?”

Here it was at last. Her father looked her right in the eye and gave her the rest.

“I had a vision. It showed me one of our clan members being snatched off the street by a rogue vampire, assaulted and brutally murdered. I used my gift to change the outcome.”

“Oh, no . . .” Tampering with the future was a grave offense, and obviously his interference had gone terribly wrong. “What happened?”

“My vision showed that the victim, a mere child, was going to be snatched off the street by a rogue vamp after a dance lesson while waiting for her mother, who would be running late. I made certain the woman knew of my vision, and then I picked the child up myself as a precaution, thwarting fate. Or so I thought.”

He cleared his throat, obviously fighting to keep it together. She waited, heart pounding, dreading what he was about to say but knowing she had to hear it.

“The rogue was watching, and he became enraged. In revenge, he turned his attention to the child’s mother. Four days later, he caught her alone and killed her.”

For a few seconds, she simply stared at her father. Then she whispered, “The child was me.”

“Yes.”

“You interfered, changed my fate, and he killed my mother instead.”

“Yes,” he choked. “But I know how much your mother loved you, as I do, and she wouldn’t have survived had the vampire gotten his hands on you instead. She wouldn’t have changed the outcome even if she could have.”

Selene couldn’t speak.

“I learned my lesson on tampering with fate,” he said hoarsely. “And I learned that sometimes death just won’t be cheated, no matter how we try to avoid it. I’m so sorry, baby. Your mother died in your stead, and I wish it had been me. I lost my mate and, despite my efforts, you as well. Sometimes I—” He fell silent, leaving the rest unfinished.

The clock in the study ticked, and Selene grappled with her emotions. “I don’t know how to feel. You thought you could control everything, and all you did was get my mother killed! I don’t hate you anymore, but honestly . . . I don’t know if I can forgive you, either.”

As soon as those words left her lips, she regretted them. Raw pain flashed in her father’s eyes before being quickly hidden. “I understand. I just wanted you to know the whole story. If you still doubt what I’ve told you, I don’t think Damien would deny the truth now.”

Damien. There was another person on her shit list.

She stood. “I’ll talk to you later. And thank you . . . for telling me.”

Turning, she walked out before she gave way to the sorrow.

Nick sat in Tarron’s study long after Selene left.

Shadows closed in on his soul, crushed his heart. She’s never going to forgive me. I’ve lost her for good.

And he knew, then and there, that when death caught him, he was done. He’d die without a fight because he had nothing left.

For the first time since his mate was murdered, since he lost his baby girl, Nick hung his head and cried.

Zan knew something was wrong the second Selene stepped into their room.

Shutting the door behind her, she leaned against it and met his gaze. Tears were streaming down her face, and he jumped up and hurried to her, gathering her into his arms.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” He kissed the side of her head. “Tell me.”

“I talked to my dad. He finally told me everything.”

His blood froze. “What did he say?”

“It was supposed to have been me!” Her voice broke, and she cried harder.

“What?”

“I was the vampire’s target, not Mom!” she rasped, sobbing. “He saw what was going to happen and got me away. The rogue killed her instead.”

“Oh, no.” He squeezed her tighter. “That’s why he never interferes with fate.”

“Why? Why did this have to happen? I loved my mom and dad. We were happy.”

“I know, baby. Shh, please don’t cry.”

“They were the best parents.”

“I’m sure they were.”

In stops and starts, Zan managed to get the rest of the story out of her. He led her over to the bed, eased her down, and held her as she cried. He’d known the story would be tragic when it finally came out, but God. His heart broke for all she and her father had lost. And her mother, too.

Gradually, her tears subsided and she turned to him, placing soft kisses on his chest. Arousal stirred, his cock lengthening in his jeans and making the fit uncomfortably tight. “We don’t have to do this now, sweetheart.”

“Make love to me, my mate,” she said breathlessly. “Please.”

He knew what she needed—to be loved. To forget for a while.

“With pleasure.”

He removed his jeans and underwear first, then helped her off with her shirt, shoes, and jeans. He left her lacy black panties for last, spreading her out for his gaze, wearing those and nothing else.

“You’re beautiful.”

“So are you—inside and out.”

Leaning over her, he took her mouth in a deep kiss, putting all of his feelings for her into it. He stroked her hair, her cheek, shoulder, and finally cupped one full breast. He loved the weight of it in his palm, the warmth. Kneading the mound, he flicked the tight nipple a few times with his thumb, enjoying her gasp and the way she arched into his touch.

His hand moved lower still, fingers slipping beneath her panties and combing through her pale bush to probe at the heated flesh between her thighs. She moaned, opening for him, and he sat up, helping her get rid of the offending garment. Dropping the scrap of material to the floor, he returned his attention to loving his mate.

He positioned himself between her thighs, spreading her legs, baring her to his hungry gaze. His cock throbbed, eager to be buried inside her, claiming her once again as his. Not just yet, though. He wanted a taste.

She loved being eaten, so he obliged, laving her slit. Getting it nice and wet for him while savoring her salty sweetness. Her essence. He lapped her until she pulled on his hair, as eager for him as he was for her.

“Please, I need you inside me!”

Settling himself in place, he guided the head of his cock to her entrance and slid home.

“Fuck, yeah,” he groaned.

She clung to his shoulders as he began to move, pumping slowly into her depths. Shocks of pleasure raced along his length, tightening his balls long before he was ready to shoot. He wanted this to last. Slowing down didn’t help him hold back. In fact, it only heightened the ecstasy that set him on fire and made him lose control altogether.

Especially when his fangs lengthened and he sank them into the soft curve of her neck and shoulder, reasserting his claim.

White-hot lightning raced down his spine and wrapped around his cock and balls. There was no stopping the intense orgasm that rocked his core, sending his seed spurting into her again and again. Her legs wrapped around his waist and she cried out, finding her own release, and they rode the rest of the waves together. At last they floated gently down, holding to each other tightly, and basked in their love.

He loved his mate. There was no doubt.

“I love you,” he said, kissing her hair. “You don’t have to say it back. I just wanted you to know.”

“Thank you.” Her arms tightened around his neck. “You have no idea how much it means to me to know how you feel. Give me more time?”

“Always.”

He couldn’t help but be disappointed that she couldn’t yet say the words. She’d been through too much in her life, so much heartbreak. He didn’t blame her for waiting until the time was right. She did love him. He believed that. Every look, every smile, her support of him, every small thing she’d done since their surprise mating showed him how her feelings had grown. And weren’t actions more important than words anyway?

That would be more than enough.

For now.

Zan left his exhausted mate sleeping and slipped from the bed, pulling on his jeans and a shirt as quietly as possible. She’d been through too much today and needed the rest. Besides, he had a visit to pay to Nick, and he preferred to do it while Selene was sleeping.

Tugging on his boots, he gave Selene one last glance and eased from the room, shutting the door with a soft snick. He strode down the lit corridor, glad he was finally learning his way around Tarron’s immense stronghold. The entire team had gotten lost at one point or another, and he still half-expected a friendly vamp to leap from the shadows and try to jump his bones like the one who’d shown him and Selene to their room.

He chuckled as he recalled how fast his mate had put the vamp in her place.

His amusement was short-lived as he arrived at Tarron’s study. A peek inside revealed that his commander was still in there, seated behind the desk. His head was bent over his laptop, and he wore a troubled frown as he stared at the screen. Zan knocked quietly.

Nick looked up and sat back in the chair. “I’ve been expecting you.”

“Had to see to my mate. She was pretty upset when she came to our room.” He kept the accusation from his tone, but it was difficult. He reminded himself that Nick was just as much a victim of tragedy as Selene. “She’s sleeping now.”

Regret and sadness were etched on the man’s face as he answered. “My daughter has been through so much. The last thing I wanted was to bring her more pain. But she deserved the truth.”

“I know.” Moving into the study, Zan took a seat with a sigh. “And she’ll be all right, eventually. I just wanted to say I’m here for both of you. Whatever you need.”

“Thank you. That means a lot to me.”

“Why did you tell her now, though? I thought she wasn’t ready.”

“Maybe it was me who wasn’t ready,” he said ruefully. “In any case, I had run out of time.” His gaze slid to his laptop screen again, and Zan didn’t miss the tension in his posture and expression.

“What’s going on?”

“I got another threat. This is the main reason why I couldn’t hold off on telling Selene the truth any longer.” Turning the laptop around slightly, he gestured for Zan to read what was on the screen. “I showed this to Jax and Micah a bit ago. First one I’ve received since we’ve been here.”

It was an e-mail. Another threat from Nick’s unknown tormentor.

Do you know me yet? Do you feel my breath down your neck, my fangs scrape your skin? Next time you won’t get away. Very soon I’ll tear you apart, just as I did your mate when I ripped out her throat so long ago. Just as I will your precious daughter. She won’t escape me a second time.

His blood ran cold. “Fuck! Where the hell are these e-mails coming from?”

“Micah’s hopeful he can trace this one.”

“You think this really is the bastard who killed your mate and destroyed your family?”

Rage and agony waged war on the commander’s face. “And he’s going to attempt to finish what he started.”

“We’ll stop him. That son of a bitch isn’t getting his hands on my mate,” he growled. His wolf bristled, ready to do battle. All he needed was the enemy.

“Zan—”

“No. I know that tone, and don’t even think about telling me to stay on the sidelines,” he said in a low voice. “I can hear now, and I can fight. It’s not gonna happen.”

Before the commander could protest further, Jax came into the study, followed by Micah, who was toting his own laptop. Both men looked excited, especially Micah. Zan hoped like hell the gleam in the younger man’s eyes was a natural high, and instantly, he felt bad for even thinking it. The Dreamwalker was working hard to regain his place on the team.