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Someone had thought to change the bloody sheets and make her bed after Rankin was taken from her room. Now, who could that be she wondered, wrapping the silky robe around her still damp skin. “Suzanne, you in here?” She stepped out from behind the privacy screen somewhat timidly. She remained in the form of the woman that protected Troy. “Well, aren’t you pretty?”
“You don’t mind?”
“You look great, sprite.” Velvet tossed pillows on the floor, preferring to sleep with just one beneath her head. She was suddenly, sleepy and tired, all the adrenaline of the last two hours left her without warning. Lying on her back, she admired Suzanne’s new look. And then she wondered about what Troy mentioned about Wilder having a different woman on his arm every night. “Um, Suzanne. You can look any way you want, right?”
“Pretty much. I can’t be as big as you. I can’t weigh as much or be as tall.”
“Have you ever taken my form?”
“Oh no!”
“Suzanne.”
“Okay, but just once and Wilder got mad. I heard him tell Celeste you never go out with him and he sounded sad. I thought he’d be happy and not notice the difference, but he knew right away. He was even madder when Celeste did it, probably because she tricked him for about an hour.”
“When did all that stuff happen?”
“About a week before you and Celeste had words.”
“Did she go to Troy’s a lot with you guys?”
“She did at first.”
“Why she stop?”
“She didn’t stop, she just didn’t care to be with us. Wilder didn’t like her company much anyway.”
“But she kept going regular, right?”
“She’d stop in, but never stayed long. She’d go sit with Troy sometimes, if he didn’t growl at her.”
“Why was he growling?”
“One time because she tried to shove her hand down his pants. Another time she was trying to make him dirty dance with her, so he growled to make her stop. After that, Troy usually went upstairs when he saw Celeste come in.”
“So they weren’t really friendly?”
“I don’t think he liked her.”
“What did Celeste tell you about Troy?”
“Um...”
‘You shouldn’t be keeping secrets from me.”
“She said it was just between us since you said Troy wasn’t your man.”
“Well, she’s dead now and listen here, anything somebody tells you concerning me doesn’t get to be a secret. Anything about Troy concerns me, got it?”
“Okay.”
“Now, what did she say about him?”
“I’d rather not say. You’ll get mad.”
“So? I’ll get even madder if you don’t answer me.”
“She said it was a shame a guy as fine as Troy was holding out for you. Because she sure wanted some and she was going to get some soon.”
“Did you see her at the club after that night we argued?”
“No, and that’s the real reason I didn’t want to say anything. She was gone and I know Troy wasn’t going to like her.”
“But up until then, she was often at the club with Troy?”
“She always had to do something to make him growl at her. She thought it was funny. But Troy really didn’t like it. One time she tried to kiss him and he pushed her to the floor.”
Well, that was a totally different version than what Troy was hoping she’d believe. He’d lied to her outright when he could have just omitted a fact here and there. The way Celeste acted with him was something he should have told her about. Instead he claimed he didn’t know Celeste. Velvet lay back looking at the ceiling. Oh, what did it matter anyway? Troy had already decided to obey the pack and was kicking her to the curb. That he lied hurt her, regardless of the fact that they weren’t together. How close had they gotten? Celeste was weird looking but she had a perfect figure and was willing to give up the sex. Troy’s beast wanted sex all the time.
“Vee?”
“Huh?”
“I said, I don’t want to wait for morning.”
“Morning?” What was she talking about? Oh yeah, she said something about going to see Rankin. “I don’t want you traveling alone, right now. Tyra and Devon have already left for the night.”
“Craig wants to go with me.”
“Craig? He’s still hanging around? Why don’t you just wait so we can go together?”
“Because his head is going to die.”
“What?!” Die? Rankin was doomed to walk around without a head?
“It’s going to die, but I need to help him keep his mind with his body. He can’t be allowed to go into a coma yet.”
“Wow, Suzanne, why you just now saying that?” Velvet tossed back the covers and stripped off her robe. She went to the chest of drawers for underwear.
“I thought you knew.”
“What happens if we can’t do that for him?”
“He’ll still grow another one, but he won’t have most of his memories.”
“Really? I thought Doctor Madison was going to reattach it.”
“That’s one way to go, but he’d do better growing another head.” Suzanne watched her pull up a pair of panties, big girl briefs. “Vee, you don’t need to come. I know you’re weary.”
“Naw, I was in bed feeling useless, now I have something I can actually do for the man.”
“I think he’d rather you got some rest. I can handle this just fine on my own.”
“No way.”
“Most likely he’s already doing it himself. I’m just going to be there for him in case he’s too weak. There isn’t a reason for you to be there.”
“What? Of course, there is! I’m the one that wasn’t looking out for him.”
“I can do this without you. Just get back in bed.” When she just stood there staring, Suzanne took her firmly by an arm and swiftly put her to bed. “Mistress, I felt the source of the power you unleashed tonight. It was so strong you couldn’t even take it back, and had to shoot it off into space! So quit trying to act like Superwoman! I got this for you!” Suzanne brought the blanket up to her bare chest.
“What do you think you are doing?” Velvet asked. Suzanne was in full gear and acting like a boss. The battle suit on her bigger body was going to her little head! She was getting ready to just walk out? “Suzanne!” Velvet tossed back the covers. “Sprite, I’m talking to you.”
“I’m doing my job. When you go down, I take over.”
“I’m not down. If you think I’m weak you better guess again.”
“Not saying you’re weak, Vee. You just need to stop pushing it. If you go down what’s going to happen to Carmen and me?”
“Nothing is going to happen to me.”
“I’m sure that’s what Rankin said too. I’ll pop back later when Tyra and Devon arrive at the clinic.”
“Fine,” Velvet said, lying back on top of the covers. “But for the record. I don’t like this little attitude you got going.”
“Gee, I wonder where she gets it from?”
“Troy!” She jumped up grabbing at the covers, embarrassed to be caught spread eagle in a pair of big girl briefs. Werewolves were about the sneakiest people around. She hoped he liked what he was looking at with those big black eyes of his. After Suzanne left, she said, “Well, do come in.”
“If you are this easily embarrassed,” he said, taking a seat on her bedside. “Maybe you should consider closing your bedroom door when you have house guests.”
“It was closed. Anyway, I thought you were resting.” He was wearing only a pair of boxers, and looking hot and delicious! She couldn’t keep her eyes from traveling over him inch by beautiful inch.
And he was really looking at her. Tenderly, he took her hand and kissed it. “Thanks for making me feel so welcome in your home. Usually, I can’t sleep in someone else’s house. It’s with you, I can relax.” He hugged her to his chest and sighed. She held him back so aware that only a thin sheet separated their nude chests. She smelled Irish Spring soap lingering on his skin. She wanted to hold him forever, never let go of this feeling of sudden peace and contentment.
“Everyone has left the premises. You have to leave too?”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“What are you planning?”
“I don’t know. I just don’t want to leave you tonight.”
“There isn’t much of tonight left.” Softly, she kissed his chest, then his lips. She crawled from the bed and went to the light switch, and flipped it off. If he were going to leave, now was his chance. She went to stand between his legs. He hugged her, pressing the side of his face into her stomach and breasts. He pulled back then rose from the bed. Holding her face in his hands, he kissed her lips then her face and throat. “How am I going to stay away from you?” She kissed him deeply, her hands moved up and down his muscled body, from his shoulders and down below his back. He turned them, lifting her off her feet, and gently laid her in the center of the bed. He lay beside her, and kissed her lips softly. “Velvet,” he groaned and rolled onto his back. “What’s going to happen to us?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “But whatever happens here tonight is fine.”
“I just need to hold you.”
“Then just hold me.”
On his stomach, he looked down into her face. “I may have to choose not being able to see you, but I’m not going to have another woman.”
“You shouldn’t say that.”
“I mean it, Velvet. No one is going to force sex on me. Not even the Brotherhood. As far as my body goes, I’m in control.”
“I know you are,” she said, hugging his neck. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Was Osaka like Las Vegas?”
“Yeah, and all you heard about me was probably true. Did Wilder tell you everything?”
“He blurted out a few things.”
“After I met Jasmine things changed.”
“She saved you?”
“In a way.”
“Did you want to get married?”
“It meant my freedom.” He looked at her a moment then said, “I wasn’t so adorable back then, Velvet. Maybe I’m not now. I want you to read that file Wilder has on me.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m not the Troy you think I am. I thought I had changed these last eight years, but it’s still in me.”
“What’s in you?”
“A monster.”
“You don’t have a monster. It’s normal to feel monstrous sometimes. Sometimes we have to let those feelings out. I know I do.”
“No, Velvet. You don’t understand.”
“Okay, maybe I don’t.” She didn’t really want to know what was causing the abrupt tension between them. There was something going on behind his eyes and in the sound of his voice. He was serious- and scared of something. Right now, she didn’t want to know what was in his past, or even what went on between him and Celeste. She wanted to comfort him and feel his body next to hers. All too soon the morning would be breaking in on them. And he would be gone again to join his pack. “I just know, we all have a lot going on, and we may not feel our normal selves all the time. I didn’t wake up and decide I was going to go see you that afternoon. I just ended up there. I didn’t want to fall for you, either, but I did. Half the time I feel like there is something in the air leading me around and I don’t feel right until I’m near you again.”
“Velvet...”
“Don’t worry, I meant what I said about not doing anything to harm you with the Brotherhood.”
“It’s not that. I’m afraid I’m going to hurt you. Just like Jasmine, you seem to think I’m someone more than who I am.”
“Look, whatever happened in Japan, leave it there, Troy. If you aren’t going to tell the pack, don’t tell me either. You just live well, and I’ll be okay.”
“Live well? What do you mean?”
“Do what you have to do to get over us. Don’t be trying to make me not like you. Just do what you need to do.”
“What are you saying? Do what?”
“You know what. I know you can’t help yourself.”
“I can’t help what?”
His black eyes bore earnestly into her gaze. Could he actually not understand what she was saying, or was he just that good an actor? Or maybe she was wrong about Celeste. Maybe he had not given in to temptation. She dropped her eyes and rolled from the bed. Near the chest of drawers she retrieved her discarded robe and synched it around her. He’d claimed he never cheated on Jasmine even though he wasn’t in love with her. Was there more in his heart for her than lust? He sure made her feel that way sometimes.
She felt his arms go around her from the back. She closed her eyes as his body slowly sidled up to hers. “Troy, you shouldn’t ...”
“I know.”
No, you don’t. You have no idea what you are doing to me.
“What do you want me to do? What can I do to make you happy?”
“Make yourself happy.”
“I am happy. You are safe and in my arms.”
“You really care about me this much, Troy? You ran over here to save me after being shot in your hump with silver bullets. You didn’t think about what the pack might think?”
“When you need me, I’ll come to you. Nobody can stop me. If I lose my status because of that, I don’t care.” She turned in his arms and hugged his neck. “Nothing is certain, Velvet.”
“You’re right.” All she knew was how she felt right now. Tired and needy. “You’re right,” she repeated and went to flip on the light switch. She left him alone at the chest of drawers. She climbed into bed and pulled up the covers. She turned her face into the pillow watching him watch her. Something was bugging him. He seemed just as uncomfortable as he did when he first entered her house. “Come lie down with me.” Instead he dropped his eyes momentarily. Slowly he met her eyes again. “Troy, what are you thinking about?”
“Velvet, I want to ask you about that detective.”
She sat up to study his demeanor. He was almost frowning at her, his body growing tighter. The tension from him was huge. Where was it coming from? When she left his arms, he wasn’t exactly happy, but what changed in just a minute that had him getting worked up about Omar?
“That detective made a move on you, didn’t he?”
“Tonight?” His eyes stayed on her. He reminded her of Devon that night at the mansion. “No, he was here as a cop and friend.” His energy was radiating, she could feel it. Was he doing it on purpose? “Why are you questioning me about Omar?”
“That afternoon in my office, his scent was on you. At the time, I had no idea who had just embraced and kissed you. I didn’t care then because you’d left him and came to me. I was going to make you forget about him. It was a shock when I suddenly caught his scent again tonight.”
“And?”
“He wasn’t just here as a cop and friend. He still wants you, and he wants you bad. I didn’t make you forget him, did I?”
“It wasn’t about all that.”
“It is for him!” Troy’s voice went into a low snarl. She noticed his teeth were bigger and his eyes were glistening. “He wants you. I can smell it on him.”
“So?”
“Why did you go outside to see him?”
“Because I wanted to apologize to him for my attitude. Troy, what’s going on? You mad at me?” She slipped from the bed and padded up to him. Something was wrong with him. He held his body stiff as a board. “Troy?” Light fur was slowing covering his body. It dawned on her, he was struggling to keep from transforming. He was about to lose control of the animal. The wolf was in a jealous rage. She backed away understanding what he attempted to warn her about earlier. There was a monster inside him. His wolf was a monster, and he wanted to take over.
“Arrgh!” he screamed, holding his head. His chest expanded and his hump broke loose. “Oh my God,” he moaned falling to his knees. His hands scratched wood from the floor as they became claws.
“Troy, hold on,” she said as dread began to fill her heart. Was this her fault? Was the added stress the reason Troy was losing it? Or was the presence of another lusty male too much for the contained beast?
“Velvet, leave,” he panted on all fours. “Don’t watch me.”
“No, baby. You hang in there. Don’t give in, fight for yourself.”
“He might hurt you.” He looked up at her with pained sorrow in his wolf eyes. He was going to lose, he wasn’t strong enough. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she said, kneeling beside him. She stroked the fur on his trembling hump. “It’s okay. Nothing is going to happen. I’m here, baby.”
“Go away before he comes. I won’t be able to protect you.”
“He won’t hurt me, Troy.”
“I won’t have control. He’ll have the wolf.”
“What?” The monster wasn’t the wolf?
“Arrgh!”
He was really hurting now. Being shot up earlier and not taking the time to see to himself because of her had cost him in reserve strength. Soon he’d have to give up. She kissed his furry face and hugged his neck. “It’s okay.” She soothed him with her voice and offered her blue light for comfort as his body quivered and enlarged. His rising hump pushed her from his back.
The transformation completed. Velvet saw the change in the wolf’s eyes. He was there. Seemed his breath was even hotter. “I’m not scared of you, you bastard.” She slowly got to her feet. He rose as she rose, growling down in her face. She raised her fists and powered them with silver light She waited for him to make a move. Seemed he wasn’t going to do more than snarl and growl. “Transform and let’s talk.” He went all the way back. She expected him to look different, but he was the splitting image of Troy. “What the hell?” Hands on his naked hips he threw back his head and laughed. “Stop it.”
“Shocked?”
“To say the least.” His eyes inside the wolf were different, but this form had the same aura as her Troy. No readable difference in human form.
“You were helping him force me back. Why did you stop?”
“It was too hard on him. He’s going to need his strength when he claws his way back. Besides, I wanted to meet you.”
“Why?”
“Why not?” She put down her hands and went up to him. He let her touch his arms, and smiled when she touched his face. Big and gorgeous just like Troy. Then she remembered Troy referred to him as a monster inside of him. He had used the wolf to weaken Troy by making him insanely jealous of Omar. She wondered if the wolf still wanted to hurt Omar.
“Aren’t you Velvet?” He looked her over critically. “Jasmine is the dead one, right? You’re the witch?”
“You don’t know?”
“How would I?”
“You seem to know some things.”
“I get glimpses and hear things here and there.” He walked around her bedroom as proud and carefree as Troy with his nudity. He came back to her with a huge grin. “I suppose my brother has been telling you things about me. Things that aren’t so nice.”
“Your brother?”
“Well, who do you think I am?” He laughed and grabbed her by her shoulders. “My, you are one big woman. My name is Takeru.” He gripped her firmly though she wasn’t struggling against his touch. He snatched her up roughly, pressing his groin into her belly. “You smell so good. I knew you would.” He sniffed in her hair, the skin on her face and throat and down her chest. “Oh sweet Jesus!”
“Enough of that!” Velvet pushed him off. “How far were you planning to go?” She asked, readjusting her robe. She noticed her hands were shaking and her heart was pounding. She looked at Takeru, he was smiling at her and caressing his own chest, slowing moving his hand downward. He was aware he had aroused her, had known he could. He grabbed her hand and she felt the energy awaken. Just like with Troy. Could they be sharing the same actual body? He licked inside her palm, electric sparks exploded, setting off in her loins. How was this possible? “I- I don’t understand this. You are two different people.”
“Are we?”
“You said he was your brother.”
“Did I?” He had the same eyes that froze her in time and place as he drew her closer and closer. “We aren’t strangers, Velvet.”
“What do you mean?”
“Kiss me and find out.”
“Kiss you?”
“You said you weren’t scared of me.” He licked her lips then pulled back. “You taste as good as you smell. Feel so good in my arm,” he mumbled against her lips and kissed her. “Hana no youni Kirei.”
Now he was talking like Troy too?
She pushed at his chest, he wouldn’t budge. “Takeru, get your hands off me. Is this why you tormented your brother?”
“I just wanted to meet you.”
“Why?”
“Ask him.”
“Why don’t you just tell me what is going on? What are you up to?”
He ran his gaze over her face then down her chest. “What am I up to? I’m just here to take the pressure off my brother. Take care of some things he’s too scared to do.”
“Troy is not afraid to do anything!”
“He’s too scared to choose his own woman! He’s an alpha werewolf and let’s his pack threaten him! That’s weak, Velvet and you know it!”
“He is not weak! He’s a strong warrior and leader that puts his pack first! I admire that a great deal!”
“But he still lets you down. You have to get in his face before he can decide to do anything.”
“Troy is going through a rough time, he’ll find his way. The last thing he needs is you coming out working against him.”
“I’m not working against him. I’m just looking for my own interests. I deserve a real life too. Unlike him, I am willing to share.”
“Don’t you dare kiss me again.” She used her strength to resist his mouth and shoved him off. A definite rascal he was proving to be. Not like Troy at all. He had his looks and magnetism and Velvet was sure those were the only similarities. “Stay off me.”
“Kiss me, Velvet.”
“You get out of here.”
“Or I’ll make sure it is a long time before you see that bastard again. Kiss me and I’ll give him back to you.”
“I don’t trust you. What kind of man are you that-” He pulled her up against his erection again and tried to kiss her. “Takeru, I don’t want to fight you!” Not yet when she didn’t know what effect it would have Troy.
“Kisu shite,” he whispered into her hair. He hugged her and gently swayed their bodies together. She pulled back to look into his face. His eyes were closed and he was waiting for her kiss. Slowly she turned her face up to meet his. “There’s my girl,” he said holding her face. “You really want him back, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Then show me how much.”