Omegas (Vanguards Book 1) Page 5

  He lifted himself off her, releasing her lower half to move with him. She met each movement with her hips, trying to grind against him, but he wouldn’t allow it.

  The sound of her ragged breathing filled the room. He lowered himself, pushing up close to her face to catch her mouth in a consuming kiss. She returned it with as much heat and passion as he gave. Any touch he offered, she’d take with enthusiasm.

  His rhythm grew more erratic, more demanding. It fueled her fire, and her orgasm bowed her in a spine-cracking onslaught. Her cries mixed in with his roars while he released himself inside of her, arching his back so the faint light painted dark shadows across his face.

  He collapsed beside her, resting his head on her heaving chest. “Damn, I didn’t last long again. You know how to hit all the right buttons, Sugar.” He reached up to release the knots binding her, then gathered her in his arms.

  * * * *

  Sugar snuggled against his chest. She fit perfectly in his arms, curvaceous and tender. It had taken the entirety of his restraint to keep from sinking his teeth into her as she begged beneath him. He really liked the begging.

  She ran a finger aimlessly down his body.

  He sighed. He hated mixing business with pleasure, but Sugar was intertwined with the Omegas. No way could he choose between the two. Not now. Somehow, he’d let his guard down and she snared his black heart. He couldn’t remember the last time he loved. “You care a lot about the Omegas.” He frowned at the twinge of jealousy at having to share her.

  “Yes.”

  Funny how such a small word could seal their fates. “The Ayumu pack has claim over Chicago. It’s a large one, and their leader is powerful.” He stroked her hair, to comfort himself more than anything. “He won’t bother to fight Eric himself. The Omegas are too small. He’ll send a lieutenant.”

  “Does Eric have a chance?” She twisted to look at his face. Her red rosebud lips were swollen from the crush of his mouth.

  He nibbled them. She closed her eyes and gave herself to him. Oh, how he liked it.

  Not once since their kitchen encounter had she complained about the lack of his attention. He’d expected it, most women he knew would have. It made him think she’d lost interest. After tonight, he knew different. She’d been waiting for him and understood his duty. It made her more precious to him.

  He brushed one of her feather-soft curls from her emerald green eyes. “Eric has an excellent chance. If he wins, they’ll send another, then another until he has to face the pack leader.”

  “Why? Why do they want the Omegas so bad?” she cried.

  Her distress stabbed him like an arrow. He cupped her upset face; suddenly aware her anguish had become his. “The Ayumu gave Eric permission to live here, not to start his own tiny pack.” He stroked her cheek. “Taking in Katrina, a fertile attractive female, crossed the line. If the Ayumu don’t retaliate, they’ll look weak.”

  “Then the Omegas are doomed.”

  He laughed. “Hardly. I’m here, Sugar.” He continued tracing his thumb along her jaw. Her skin was satiny. Her eyes tore through a tender part of him long ago buried. She needed to learn to trust him. Have faith in him. “I’ll take care of you.”

  “It’s not me I’m worried about.” She ignored his invitation for safety, to let him guard her. It hurt, but maybe she didn’t understand what he offered.

  “They make you happy?”

  “Of course.”

  “So, I’ll take care of them too.” Her sudden direct stare made him feel shy for a moment, like a human. He chuckled at himself. “I like the Omegas, Sugar. They cling to their humanity, like they should. Eric knows what to do. I’m teaching him well.”

  “In one month?”

  “It doesn’t take much to make a king when given the right raw materials, Sugar.”

  Chapter 7

  Daedalus reached across the rug and set one of Sugar’s books on top of a pile. Another romance. He didn’t know what triggered this need to organize the mess of books in her apartment. A disgraceful habit for a librarian, but a cute idiosyncrasy.

  Boredom drove him to continue. The pre-dawn was always a lonely time. The Omegas and Sugar slept. She needed to work in the morning, and the small pack rarely stayed up this late. He usually did his own training when alone, yet tonight he needed to be close to her.

  She read a lot of fiction. No history or philosophy, nothing of his taste. Books with aliens, fairies, or wizards sat in the second largest stack, since the romance stuff dominated the books.

  He shook his head. Whatever demon created his kind must be laughing his ass off right now. He’d fallen in love with a gentle, loving dreamer. At least he could admit it.

  She, on the other hand, still had issues. He saw her cringe every time he or one of the Omegas discussed his need to feed from them. He doubted she was aware of this twitch. Heck, she didn’t even let him bite her let alone feed from her, one of the most intimate acts a couple could share. Instead, she made him turn to the Omega males for sustenance. Technically, he could use Katrina. His stomach turned at the idea. She smelled too much like abuse for his taste. He didn’t need to hear her story to know what she’d suffered at the hands of her old pack.

  If Sugar could conquer her prejudice, their relationship could bloom. Since they’d met, he’d become aware of how tired he was of his present life, of being the leader, the provider, and the warrior to his people. With her, he had become the lover, the protector, and the teacher. If she agreed to it, he’d turn her to vampire, then take her as a wife.

  His wife. A Prima. His clan were made of only males and rarely ever took a wife. It was a dangerous occupation since their enemies would target whoever they loved, and they had many enemies. He sighed and placed a poetry book on a small stack by his leg. At least they held one thing in common, except she liked the modern poets.

  He’d leave Pal Robi Corporation in capable hands, move to Chicago, maybe into this cozy apartment. Eric could use his advice to tread shifter politics and keep from drowning in it. They could make a difference, bring the Ayumu under control, teach them the old ways, the right ways. Then hopefully, with some guidance, it would spread.

  Who was the dreamer now? Maybe he and Sugar shared more in common than he admitted to himself. He laughed.

  “I don’t see the comedy in Frank Herbert’s Dune.”

  Daedalus fumbled the book, trying to catch it before it hit the floor. It slipped between his fingers to land back in the unsorted pile.

  Sugar leaned her luscious body against his back and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  He glanced over his shoulder into her crystal clear, green eyes. Even this early in the morning they sparkled with clarity. “You didn’t startle me. I heard you coming. The book slipped.” He must be off center to be surprised by a small human female. He deserved to get staked if he allowed his defenses to drop like that.

  “Sure, those sneaky covers are really slippery.” She kissed the back of his neck.

  He sighed at the light, feathery touch of her lips. “That explains why they’re always scattered everywhere.”

  Her quiet laugh was throaty from just waking. The gesture made her breasts press against his shoulders. He was tempted to tear her tight t-shirt open and set them free.

  “Why were you thinking so hard?” she whispered close to his ear.

  “Worried about tonight’s challenge.” The lie didn’t hurt as much as the truth. Eric would do fine tonight; their plans were solid. His plans for Sugar weren’t.

  “Daedalus? You said they would be okay.”

  He’d chosen the wrong thing to say. “It will be all right. Doesn’t mean I won’t be thinking about it.” He reached back and pulled her to face him. An idea formed to help him with his real problem. “You should come.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t like fighting, and I don’t want to watch anyone get hurt. There will be plenty of both tonight.”

  He ran his hand through her tangle of messy curls. Their color reminded him of spun sunlight, something he’d only seen when he was human, a very long time ago. “The Omegas could use your support.”

  “They have you.” She rubbed her face on the palm of his hand and sighed. “But I should go for Eric’s sake. He would if our roles were reversed.”

  The silky touch of her skin stirred his hunger. He wanted to taste the tender flesh in his mouth, feel his teeth puncture it.

  He exhaled in frustration.

  She glanced up at him. “What?”

  How could he explain his need without scaring her away? He smiled, careful to hide his fangs. “I want you.” He allowed enough hunger in his voice to convey the true meaning of his desire. She needed to face her fears if this fragile new thing between them was to ever survive.

  “I’m scared. I’m not ashamed to admit it.” She met his stare.

  He lifted her chin and kissed her. “I would never hurt you.” She looked so vulnerable and impossibly young. Resisting her was impossible though. He could deny her nothing and would sacrifice everything to make her happy. “And I would never force you.” He’d figure out other ways to feed. If he pushed too much, her fear might outweigh her affection. He knew he didn’t look human like the weaker vampires. That his inhumanity was clearly marked on his face. It would take much to push Sugar too far.

  She frowned. “I…” She looked away. “Just give me time.”

  Chapter 8

  Sugar scanned the secluded area. The abandoned warehouse was on the outskirts of the city. She parked her small, two door hatchback in the full lot. No one in their right mind should be out here at night. She doubted even the police monitored the part of town. What did that make them? Nuts? If things went wrong, nobody would hear their screams. And boy, was there a potential for things to go wrong.

  Nature had begun to reclaim the surrounding building, but this one remained clear of trees. The pack apparently used it often enough. They exited the vehicle.

  “I heard the mob uses this area to dump bodies,” Tyler whispered to her.

  She elbowed him to be quiet. He didn’t need to add to her vivid imagination or feed her fears. The crunch of gravel under her boots sounded loud as they drew closer to the warehouse. She would have felt better if Daedalus had come with them instead of with Eric, but they needed to arrive later, so he sent the rest of them to represent the Omegas.

  Eric begged her to come with them to the challenge when she started to doubt her earlier decision. He’d said, “I need you to be there. I won’t be able to concentrate if I don’t think the others are safe. If you’re there they’ll be too busy protecting you to get into trouble. Especially Sam.”

  Sam draped his arm over Sugar’s shoulders, pulling her from the memory. He gave her a squeeze. “Don’t worry, Sugar. Daedalus sent me to protect you.”

  She sighed. He didn’t stand much taller than her, but the training had added some bulk to his body. Both he and Eric had added on muscle faster than she’d thought possible. A shifter thing was what they told her when she asked.

  The warehouse’s aluminum door slid open, and bright lights spilled out, blinding her.

  “Who are you?” A silhouette of a large man blocked their way. As her eyes adjusted, she saw he stood with his legs apart and his arms crossed over his muscled chest. The sleeves of his shirt were torn off to make space for his bulging biceps.

  Sam stepped in front of their group. “We’re the witnesses for the Omegas pack.”

  The guard moved forward and sniffed the air, others gathered behind him. He pointed at Sugar. “She doesn’t carry our blood.” His eyes traveled up her body. “She stays here with us.” A few snickers came from the men behind him.

  Sugar stepped back, colliding with Katrina. Small hands steadied her and rubbed her arms. Her stomach cramped as she imagined exactly what kind of ‘stay’ she’d have to endure with them.

  “Sugar’s with us.” Sam glanced at his pack mates, a devilish twinkle in his eye. “She’s almost pack. She’s Eric’s mate.”

  Her heart skipped a beat at the lie. Sam had just painted a target on her ass. The Ayumu thought of Eric as the Omegas’ leader since he was the one fighting. She struggled with the urge to slap the back of Sam’s head. What had he been thinking? It would have been safer if Sam had claimed she was his mate.

  The guard continued to examine her. “Not for long.” He laughed, confirming her fear, and stepped back to allow them access to the warehouse. More laughter followed them in as the male told his associates what Sam had claimed.

  Great.

  They all paused once inside.

  People milled around the open space. Some in suits, others in jeans, a few even in scrubs. They chatted. Someone sold snacks. It felt like they were crashing a party. There were even bleachers.

  Sugar latched onto Sam’s arm. “Are they all part of the Ayumu pack?”

  “No, Eric invited a neighboring pack to keep the Ayumu honest.” Sam made a slight gesture toward a stage between the bleachers, with his chin. “Their alpha is the one sitting on the chair that looks like a throne. His name is Michael.” His chuckle carried a nervous tremor. “He’s the one that started all this trouble” Sam led them away.

  “Oh, a jerk then.” She couldn't see him well from this distance.

  Sam shrugged. “I wouldn’t use such a mild term to describe him.” He stared at a curious male who had taken an interest in them, then Sam broke eye contact. “Daedalus will kick my ass if I let anything happen to you.” He sounded frustrated.

  “You won’t.”

  “I tried to talk Eric out of inviting them but Daedalus explained that having a third party involved will keep the Ayumu from attacking all of us outright when we arrived.”

  It made sense. She’d wondered what would prevent the Ayumu from attacking them if Eric actually won. Daedalus’s forethought impressed her.

  A voice boomed, “Are these the Omegas’ witnesses?” A hush settled over the room and the crowd parted like the Red Sea, exposing them to the Alpha.

  Sugar dug her nails into Sam’s arm. “We should have all come together.” Katrina, Tyler, and Robert hovered close behind them.

  “I’m starting to agree with you,” Sam said through gritted teeth.

  Michael motioned for them to come closer.

  Fear squeezed frozen fingers around her lungs. Sugar felt helpless surrounded by preternaturally strong and deadly shifters. She had human reflexes and human strength, which meant she hadn’t a chance in a fight. Not to mention she’d never thrown a punch in her life. “What do we do? Bow?” she whispered as the four of them moved forward together.

  Sam shrugged.

  Great.

  They approached the dais. Michael sat on his throne and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped between them. He scanned Katrina then Sugar starting at their feet and slowly working his way up. “How does such a pitiful pack of dogs attract such beautiful women?” He brushed a lock of his black hair over his shoulder. The inner glow of his amber eyes became more apparent.

  Sugar grabbed Sam’s hand, digging her nails into his palm. He pleaded with his eyes for her to stay quiet.

  Michael watched the interaction with an amused smile. He gestured to a bench next to him. “I’ve arranged special seating for you.” His intense stare ensnared Sugar, and she found it difficult to break it. So, this was an alpha wolf. She could sense his dominance and power even though she wasn’t a werewolf. She noted that the others in their small group had all dropped their gazes except her. Shit.

  Sam’s gentle tug pulled her toward the bench with the others.

  “No, not her.” Michael motioned at Sugar. “Eric’s mate has a seat of honor next to me.” He patted a stool beside his throne.

  Her nails dug deeper into Sam’s hand and she felt the slickness of blood. Why had she agreed to coming? Oh yeah, the being a good friend thing had seemed like a good idea until this very minute. On heavy feet, she climbed the two steps.

  Michael offered his hand and assisted her to the seat.

  She watched the Omegas sit on the bench next to the dais.

  “Sugar, is it?”

  She twisted to face Michael. She hadn’t told him her name. The dryness in her throat made her swallow reflexively. Word from the guards at the door had traveled fast to their leader.

  She nodded and gazed out at the crowd of shifters, trying to think positive thoughts. It was difficult since her host continued eying her like tasty prey. What if he bit her? Then she’d be howling at the moon every month. That consequence hadn’t occurred until now.

  He reached out to run a finger through her blond curls. She flinched before she could control it. “If I knew Eric kept such a pretty mate, I would have challenged him much sooner.”

  She glanced at him and raised an eyebrow.

  A lecherous grin spread across his face. “It means when he loses, you’ll be mine.”

  “I’m not his mate, just his friend.” Her throat locked, the words sticking. Since she’d climbed out of the car, her heart had been racing.

  “I have witnesses who heard otherwise.”

  A trace of sweat trickled down her neck. “I’m not a shifter.”

  He leaned closer to whisper in her ear. “Not yet.” His voice burned with hunger. “I can’t wait to turn you.”

  A cold shiver froze her to the spot. She shouldn’t have come, the thought kept repeating itself. She never wanted to change, not to shifter, nor to vampire, nor anything else.

  Daedalus and Eric had stuck her in the middle of this situation. Had they even thought of this scenario? It took one bite, witnesses or no, she’d still become a shifter.

  Michael leaned back in his chair, never taking those fiery amber eyes off her. If they got out of this unharmed, she was going to kick Sam’s werewolf ass for that lie.