AN: I just wanted to thank everyone for all the supportive reviews you have been leaving for this story. I can't express how much I enjoy hearing from you. It is very encouraging to know that all the hard work and long hours it takes to put my thoughts down are being appreciated.
I've gotten a new BETA and have had all the previous chapters looked over. You've all probably gotten tired of hearing this, but I've added some new stuff in there so you might wanna go back and read the previous chapters. I promise this'll be the last big overhaul I do to this fic.
But if you find that there are things that still don't make any sense, please tell me.
Happy reading!
Chapter 6.5: Interlude I
Endymion glanced around the room and wondered how much longer etiquette required him to stay.
The meeting with the other alphas had been a waste of his time. Nothing had truly been accomplished. 'But they've been warned,' he thought with a vicious smirk. Yes, now the other alphas knew the price of harboring the Berserker.
He felt no guilt at having threatened the other alphas. It was in everyone's best interest that the Berserker was caught. And the sooner it was done, the better.
He ignored the speculative glances currently being aimed in his direction by a large number of unmated females. He knew it wouldn't be long before one of them decided to stop staring and come after what they wanted. Before tonight, he might have responded to their blatant interest in him. But then he'd scented her and that changed everything.
His mate was human and he didn't give a damn. Though he appreciated a female's fragrance as much as the next loup-garou, human women had never been able to grab his attention. They tended to smell like artificial chemicals and sterile soaps to his kind. Even when it wasn't offensive, it wasn't exactly compelling either. Yet she smelled like everything he'd ever wanted in a woman.
Even now, her scent lingered in the air, so he knew she was still around. And he knew he wouldn't be leaving without her. All he had to do was find her again.
Staring at the half-empty glass of champagne in her hand, Serena, after a moment's contemplation, drained it.
Midnight had come and passed and the people around her were starting to eye each other admiringly. If there was one thing Serena knew about loups-garous, it was that they all liked three things very much —food, touch, and sex. And now that they'd been fed and the mated couples were leaving, the unmated ones were all looking to get laid.
She should have left with Luna. She really should have. Sammy being her ride home had of course decided to ditch her to chase some tail. And now she was stuck hiding, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible.
Frowning, she looked down at the empty glass in her hand. She had long since realized that this was definitely not the time or the place to get drunk off her ass. Yet somehow that was what always happened at these shifter events— she'd get a little tipsy and someone always managed to find and corner her somewhere. And the next thing she'd know, she was waking up in some shifter's bed, sporting a hangover from hell.
And worst yet, she was starting to feel the lightheadedness that came from being drunk creeping up on her conscious mind. She knew that she had to get out of this ballroom as soon as possible. She needed to find Sammy and she needed to do it quickly.
From the shadowy corner she'd managed to find for herself, she hurriedly scanned the room for her wayward brother. She was going to beat the daylights out of him for leaving her stranded like this. She didn't want to be some wolf's bed warmer— not tonight or any other night. The only good thing to come out from this night was Sapphire's news. With the lack of progress on their case, having some idea of what they were dealing with was the only thing that was actually keeping Serena from losing her mind about the whole entire situation.
Serena spotted a familiar head of red and did a double take. It could only be one person. Rebeus.
'What the hell is he doing here?' Serena thought, feeling the first strings of dread stirring. She did not want to be anywhere near this particular wolf—not in her present state. Or ever.
He must have felt her eyes on him because the next thing she knew, her gaze was locked with his. Even across the ballroom she could feel the possessive heat in those scarlet eyes.
'Make out with a guy once and he thinks he owns you,' she thought sourly, her eyes never leaving his. She'd even once contemplated sleeping with him, until she realized that he was a Máni wolf. And after her first encounter with a wolf from that pack, she tended to avoid them at all cost. Serena only liked one Máni wolf and that was Andrew. The rest were a bunch of stalkers and God knew what else they did in their free time. She looked away.
Mauling over the best course of action, Serena chewed on her lower lip. She looked around the ballroom for possible exits. Having to leave her hiding place seemed like the likeliest solution to her problem. It'd be a lot easier to lose him in the crowd and from there she could either escape to one of the terraces or find the doorway that led outside.
Decision made, she slipped into the crowd, placing her empty glass on a passing waiter's tray. She could feel his gaze on her exposed backside even as she sped up to escape him. She knew that sooner rather than later, he'd be gaining on her. Without hesitation, she grabbed some of the material of her floor length gown and started to make a run for it, not really caring about who she bumped into.
If there was one thing she had to thank MID for, it was teaching her how to run in heels without falling flat on her face or breaking her neck.
Running it turned out, was a bad idea. She should have realized that he'd take that as an invitation —predators like him enjoyed chasing down prey. She didn't slow down though. It was either become a moving target or let him have his way with her.
To many other women, the latter would probably have sounded like a rather fantastic idea. Serena knew that he had a lot of women who wanted a piece of him. She wasn't the least bit interested in letting him anywhere near her body. And really, there was no way she was going to make herself a target to that crazy bitch Koan.[1]
She made it all the way across the ballroom, and beat a path straight for one of the French double doors that led out onto one of terraces before she chanced a glance over her shoulder. He wasn't anywhere near her. Relieved, she sighed. Maybe she'd lost him?
Her relief was short-lived.
Serena slammed hard into a warm, solid object. It knocked the breath out of her. An array of colorful curses left her mouth before she felt the immovable object wrap powerful arms around her. It pressed her against the entire length of a very muscular and decidedly masculine body.
Endymion scented her first. Then he caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye. She was racing toward him at full speed, dodging bodies left and right as she made her way across the ballroom. He was instantly mesmerized by her strong shapely legs. The image of those legs wrapped tightly around him as he sank between them instantly flooded his mind.
Letting out a harsh curse, Endymion cleared the image from his mind. He instead focused on what she was doing: running.
What was she running away from? An exuberant admirer? He swallowed hard, trying not to choke on a growl. He knew what happened at these parties, which was why he mostly avoided attending them. A fierce, possessive wave of heat poured through his veins. He felt the tips of his fingers burning as razor-sharp claws pricked impatiently beneath the surface of his skin.
He made no move to get out of her way as he continued to watch her get closer. She was a lot smaller now that he could see her up close.
One moment she was running quite determinedly past him and in the next, she was slamming into him hard, sputtering and cursing under her breath.
He instinctively wrapped his arms around her to keep her from falling. He urged her body closer, feeling her pressed against the entirety of his body. She smelled so amazingly sweet. The scent of her infiltrated his lungs, fuel to the inferno of his possessiveness.
"Are you okay?" he rasped in a husky voice. She looked up and he found himself drowning in her eyes.
Something seemed to burst into awareness between them. The connection burned like pure energy, crackling and sharp. Her breath quivered, color creeping up her neck.
He couldn't help but memorize her fey-like features, imprinting them upon his memory. This close, her scent engulfed him, eroding his already tenuous hold on his self-control. But he had enough control not to let her see the wolf stalking her from behind his eyelids.
"Yeah, I think so," she answered slowly, still holding his gaze.
She shivered and jerked herself free of their locked gazes. She cast a quick glance over her shoulder and swore.
Endymion looked up, trying to see who it was that she was searching for. Then he saw the redhead. Endymion knew that the male wasn't from his pack, but recognized the face. The other male was watching them with a dark look on his face.
Endymion only smiled back, his canines bared. The other man glanced away.
"Excuse me," she muttered, ducking beneath his unsuspecting arms and darting behind him to let herself out the French doors.
Stunned, Endymion froze. He found himself staring dumbfounded at the double doors. Was she planning on hiding out there all night? Shaking his head, he disappeared through the doors, intent on doing what he did best: pursue and capture.
Serena looked around the half-lit terrace. The crisp spring air had kept most of the other guests inside and for that, she was thankful. She didn't want any witnesses to what she was about to do. Breathing in the cool air, she took off her heels before moving away from the French doors.
Going to the railing, she leaned her elbows against it, trying to estimate how high off the ground she was. The ballroom was only on the fifth floor, so her jumping off the railing wouldn't cause her anything more than a couple of scraps and bruises. Plus she'd have the grass and flowers to cushion her fall. And besides, she'd jumped off places much higher than this and really, there was no way she was staying out here. The chance that either Rubeus or that other wolf would come out here looking for her was high.
She shivered at the thought. No shifter had ever managed to garner that much of a reaction out of her. Sure she thought his kind was attractive, but none of them had ever made her instincts sing. When he had looked at her, instant heat had leaped in his eyes, as if somebody had ignited a fire within them. She had felt as if he was staring into her very soul. And that was scary in and of itself. The fact that her heart had beat faster with anticipation and undeniable attraction just made getting away that much more a priority. She was adamant about not being another notch on any wolf's bedpost.
Throwing her shoes over the rail, Serena walked back to the French doors. She'd need a running start if she wanted to survive the fall. Taking a deep breath, she took off, muttering some unintelligible words under her breath. When she came to the railing, she vaulted over it and went flying into the air. Arcing high over the ground below, she reflexively swung her arms forward and threw her feet out in front of her, preparing her body for the fall.
Something warm and hard slammed into her from behind, disrupting her momentum. She gasped for air and began to thrash about. Strong arms wrapped around her waist while a large body curled around hers. They went soaring before roughly landing on a patch of grass.
She struggled out of her captor's arms, dizzily making her way onto her feet. "That crazy bastard," she muttered under her breath while she rearranged her dress. Glancing around, she squinted. With the new moon out, it was hard to make out her surroundings. The only light was coming from the small circular structure in front of her. She spun around, quickly realizing that they'd landed near the maze of flowers that surrounded the nearby gazebo. She hurriedly made her way over to it. A waist-high white lattice, entwined with roses framed the gazebo, while ornate wood trimmings bordered the overhang and the wooden railing.
Going up the steps, she entered the gazebo, and sat on the wooden bench, trying to decide what to do next. At this point in time, there was a strong possibility that Sammy had truly abandoned her for the night and that she'd have to call a cab to get home. Going back inside would require that she avoid not one, but two crazy wolves. She knew that the moment she reentered the hotel without some sort of protection, Rubeus would be all over her, trying to seduce her into spending the night with him. And that other guy had been crazy enough to try tackling her mid-air. She didn't know what he'd do when he caught up with her.
She shook her head, knowing that her only chance at calling a cab laid inside. She was light on her feet and if they didn't leave her alone, screaming bloody murder would have her rescued in seconds. If there was one thing she knew about predatory male shifters, it was the fact that they liked to play hero to damsels in distress.
Endymion laid on the grass, waiting for his heart to slow its erratic beating. His heart had nearly stopped when he'd seen her jump off into the darkness below. The wolf had instantly taken control, not wanting to lose its mate the same night that he'd found her. His only thought had been of saving her. Tackling her out of the air had seemed reasonable at the time. Even now, he was in the grip of the wolf's instincts, his thoughts a disjointed mess being kept together by the wolf's raison d'être: making sure that his mate was safe and alive.[2]
He lifted his head when he sensed that she'd begun to move away. He was on his feet within seconds. He easily followed her, his eyes having gone night-glow. He watched her look about before entering the gazebo.
He continued to observe her for what seemed like hours before giving in to the wolf's urgent need to touch and feel her.
He took the steps two at a time, within seconds he was gazing down at her bent head. She seemed surprised to see him, but he didn't care. It took only a single move to enclose her in the circle of his arms and bury his face against her neck. He was ravenous for the scent of her, the feel of her. His embrace was a rough one, the wolf trying to reassure itself that she was still whole. What the hell had she been thinking? Didn't she know that she was only human?
Pulling back, he shook her by her stiff shoulders. The wolf was so close to the surface, his voice dropped several octaves. "Don't you ever do something that stupid again!"
It was an order.
She didn't even bother to act scared, but instead demanded, "Who are you to dictate to me?"
He wanted to bite her. Hard enough to mark. To claim. So she'd know that she was his. That this stunt that she'd just pulled had been unacceptable to both man and wolf.
He bared his teeth at her, frustrated that he couldn't just inform her that she was his mate and that he had every right to tell her what to do. Her life wasn't just hers anymore; it belonged to him as well.
He closed his eyes and counted to ten. "What were you thinking?" he murmured, briefly petting her disheveled hair with one hand.
"It's none of your business," she spat. Her blue eyes were hard as she tried to pull away from him. "Look, you need to let me go." When he didn't immediately comply, she coldly added, "Now."
His hand smoothed down her arm, clasping as gently as possible around her wrist. He could feel her pulse racing beneath the pads of his fingers and knew that she was getting scared. He hated that she thought she had anything to fear from him. And not knowing how to ease it or how to make her understand where he was coming from was really starting to irritate him.
The only thing he knew was that he couldn't let her get away. But found it difficult to express this to her. All he could say was a low, urgent, "I can't."
She growled in frustration and took a swing at him. Only his lightning-fast reflexes saved him from a black eye. He pinned her hands behind her back before she could try again. Furious eyes met his. The woman in his arms was pure fire and heat.
This was a fit mate, the wolf in him growled. This female would never let herself be crushed by his demands or needs.
She started to struggle once more, going so far as to try and kick him several times. He let her, but never loosened his grip on her hands. She huffed in annoyance before giving up.
While he still had her trapped, he wanted to get his fill of her, for he was very well aware that she was either plotting his demise or how to get away.
His hand absentmindedly stroked her neck while his thumb circled her racing pulse. The wolf in him was fascinated by the beauty of her skin. It was so rich and luscious he almost thought it might taste of cream.
"I'm really starting to get tired of this," she seethed, heatedly glaring up at him.
Smirking, he deliberately backed her into the railing of the gazebo, not stopping until her breasts were crushed warm and tempting against him, her stomach muscles clenching at the granite-hard thrust of his erection.
He breathed her in, desire filling his nostrils, unleashing the beast that lived within. It was easy to become intoxicated by the scent of her desire. The wolf batted at the scent, rolled it in his mouth, hungered for more of it.
"You smell good enough to eat," he blurted out, the harsh words all but torn from his throat. Not giving her a chance to reply, he dipped his head and kissed her. It was a chaste kiss from his perspective, a mere taste when he wanted to ravage.
She gasped and he caught it with a searing kiss, thrusting his tongue between her parted lips. He growled deep in his throat when he felt her tongue chase his hesitantly at first and then with increasing boldness.
God, did she taste sweet. The feel of her luscious body pressed against him, of her tongue dueling his, of her soft lips crushed under his were all ganging up to drive him insane with lust.
"Are you sure we should be doing this?" she gasped when he finally broke the kiss. He ignored her breathy words and pushed her up against the railing as he began trailing hot kisses down the column of her neck, drowning in the taste and smell of her. How much he wanted to take her, right then, right there.
He suckled her neck roughly, giving in to the urge to mark her when he felt her run her fingers through his hair. She let out a throaty breath. He lingered on the patch of skin, licking away the sting of his bite. Only when he was sure the hurt had been soothed did he move up and capture her earlobe, gently whispering how good she felt against him.
She murmured incoherent words in reply, shifting her legs slightly until she was intimately pressed against him. He closed his eyes against the pleasure that went surging through him, gritting his teeth against the intense need to bury himself deep within her. He wanted her covered in his scent. And he was animal enough not to care why he wanted that. He just did.
He stopped resisting the irresistible lure of kiss-wet lips and slowly slid the silky-smooth material of her dress up her silky thigh, relishing the feel of his fingers gliding over her soft flesh.
She kissed him back, vaguely aware that his hands were behind her now, his fingertips grazing her exposed back. He stroked the arch of her bare back, his fingers tenderly brushing her spine. His caress languidly traveled downward, his strong fingers cupping the curve of her ass, squeezing tightly. She didn't resist at all as he kissed her deeper and gradually started to grind his pelvis against hers, capturing first her startled gasp and then her moan of pleasure with his mouth.
He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Um," he distantly heard a voice say, "sorry to interrupt, but I—"
Endymion broke the kiss when he felt her tense up. Hiding her from the intruder's view, he turned his head, flashed his extending canines and barked, "Leave."
"C-can't do that, s-sir," the young man stammered, holding his ground even though he reeked of fear.
"Sere, I know it's you 'cause I used a point-me spell and it led me here." She lowered her forehead against his chest when the young man continued to babble on. "Didn't know what you were doing out here, but now that I do, I just wanted to tell you that I'm about to leave.
"I'll go wait over there, far away from what you're doing," he muttered backing away from the gazebo steps. "And, um, I found your shoes. Just so, um, you know, you don't have to look for them."
A pregnant silence filled the gazebo.
After a moment, Endymion lifted her chin, looking down at her with eyes that were no longer human. "Who the hell was that?" he growled, not liking the questions firing through his brain in rapid succession. Whoever the hell he was, Endymion hated him.
Irritated, she frowned at him. "He isn't any of your business."
"I'm making you my business," He growled softly, squeezing her chin.
She tried to wrench herself from his embrace but he wouldn't let her go. Pinning him with a hard glare, she glowered, "I dare you to say that again."
He breathed, slow and easy, while he struggled to stay in control.
God, what was wrong with him? He was screwing things up even before it got started. He was as bad as a teenager high on raging hormones, unable to think past the red-hazed lust and possessiveness clouding his mind. Why hadn't anyone warned him that finding his mate would turn him into a chest-pounding idiot? The importance of making a good impression of the woman he was meant to spend the rest of his life with wasn't lost on him.
Taking a deep breath, Endymion strove for a calm, non-threatening voice. "Look, I'm sorry." He forced his grip to ease, releasing her chin and stepping out from the cradle of her thighs. "See, I'm letting you go."
The look on her face told him she wasn't buying it. It wasn't as if he couldn't chase her down if she did decide to make a run for it.
Sliding down from her perch on the railing, she smoothed out the material of her dress. "Yeah, right," she muttered, "like you aren't probably planning to follow me home."
Folding his arms across his chest, Endymion scowled at her, feeling more than a little insulted. He wasn't going to stalk her to her home, though he couldn't deny that the thought hadn't briefly crossed his mind. "Do I look like a stalker to you?"
She shrugged, blowing a wayward curl out of her eyes. "I have no idea. I'm going to go now."
He opened his mouth to try and convince her to stay, even though he didn't have a clue what to say at this point. Throwing her over his shoulder and making a run for it was looking like a pretty good option at the moment.
"How do I contact you?" he asked in a low, urgent rumble, grabbing hold of her arm as she turned to leave, careful not to squeeze too hard. Her bones felt fragile beneath his hand, making him wary of his inhuman strength and sending a fierce surge of protectiveness through his blood.
"I need to go," she mumbled, trying to break free of his grip.
"I can't let you do that," he quietly intoned, trying to sound reasonable.
She couldn't repress a gasp of dismay, but common sense came to the rescue. She knew how these wolves operated. "If we're meant to be, we'll meet again eventually."
He leaned closer and brushed his lips against her cheek. The slight touch sent a sizzle through her veins. "I'll find you again," he whispered into her ear before he let go of her arm, already knowing that she was his.
She backed away slowly, until she was at the steps. A cold knot of fury and something that felt like pain twisted his stomach as she turned around and quickly exited the gazebo.
Clenching his hands into fists, he watched her and the young man disappear into the night. And he would find her again, he vowed to himself, even if he had to search all of Washington to do so. And besides, sometimes the best way to hunt was to let the prey think you'd given way.
AN: I know a lot of you were waiting for this. So was it as good for you as it was for me? I definitely had a lot of fun writing this one. Think of it as my Thanksgiving gift to you.
[1] Koan is one of the Ayakashi Sisters under Rubeus' command during the Black Moon saga. In the anime, she's in lust/unrequited love with him and he didn't do anything to discourage her. But he wasn't interested in her at all…except maybe in using her.
[2] raison d'être is a French phrase meaning "reason for being"
