Dark Bites
Angelia didn’t understand why that would make him sad. “Thanksgiving?”
Fury looked at her as he cut a piece of turkey on his plate. “It’s an American holiday. Every year they come together with their families to give thanks for their lives and company.”
“It’s why all the wolves are here,” Bride said. “The mated ones went home with their wives earlier. Traditionally, the unmated males stay here for dinner and marathon gaming tournaments.”
Again, she had no idea what they were talking about. “Gaming tournaments?”
“Video games,” Keegan said.
Fury scoffed at the young wolf’s eagerness. “She’s from medieval England, whelp. She has no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I can show you.”
Fang rolled his eyes. “Down, boy. Arcadian females equate being with us to bestiality.”
His face stricken, Keegan returned to his food and didn’t bother to look at her anymore.
One of the older males at the table pushed his plate back. “I’ve lost my appetite. Thank you, Bride, for the food.” He looked at Vane. “You need me to stay and help protect your house?”
“I’d appreciate it if you would. We still don’t know how many are able to wield whatever took down the lion.”
He inclined his head before he headed toward the living room.
Two of the others joined him.
Fang handed a bowl of bread to Fury. “So, Keeg, you been practicing Soul Calibur?”
Keegan grinned. “I’m going to pwn you so bad, buddy. No ring-outs this time.”
Vane laughed. “Careful, Keegan, he’s setting you up. Fang knows all the special moves for half the characters.”
That set up a whole conversation about a subject Angelia had no understanding of. But as they chatted and joked with each other, she relaxed.
Strange how they didn’t seem so animalistic like this…
They seemed almost human.
Trace slowly moved from his mother’s lap around the table to all the men who took turns holding him for a bit. When he got to Fury, he stood on his legs and reached over to her.
“You got drawing face like my daddy sometimes.”
Her cheeks heated up as that brought her back to the full scrutiny of the wolves.
The wolf on the other side of Keegan sighed heavily. “Damn, woman, stop panicking every time we look at you. We’re not going to throw you down and…” He stopped as he looked at Trace. “Do what you think we’re going to do. Yes, we know what’s going on with you. And no, we don’t do that to women.”
Bride took Trace back from Fury. She handed him a roll to eat while she directed her attention to Angelia. “I know you don’t know Katagaria customs. When a woman is…” She paused and looked at the baby before she continued, “in your condition, she selects the male she wants. If she can’t decide, they fight and she usually picks the winner, and if he doesn’t satisfy her, she picks another. But it’s always the woman’s choice. The males give their lives and their loyalty to their women. Since their survival hinges on their ability to procreate, that is hardwired into their beings.”
As Bride started to rise, Keegan took Trace from her arms to hold. “Do you need something?” he asked her.
“Just going to the restroom, sweetie.” She patted him on his arm as she walked past him.
Angelia looked at Fury as he ignored her presence.
Was that why he’d never touched her? Thinking back, she remembered how he’d always been more respectful to his mother, sister, and her than Dare had been. Always worried about them and their well-being. If they’d ever needed anything, he’d been there for them.
“Why did you bring me here?” she asked him.
He swallowed his food before he answered. “I want to know what that weapon is.”
Everyone’s attention focused on her and every hair on her body stood on full alert. They were poised to attack and she had a hard time controlling her panic.
“We’ve already had this discussion,” she said between clenched teeth. “You can torture me all you want, but I will tell you nothing.”
Vane laughed. “Katagaria don’t torture… they kill.”
Two of the older wolves stood up. “So we kill her?” they asked in unison without even a hint of emotion in their voices.
“No,” Fury said. “I’ve given her my protection.”
“Oh.” The younger one who’d spoken picked up his plate and carried it into the kitchen.
Bride returned to the table and retook her chair.
One by one, all the men left except for Vane, Fury, Fang, and Trace.
“What happened to Zarek?” Fury asked.
Fang swirled his wine in his glass, something that struck her as very human. “He and Sasha are hunting down Dare.”
“I hope they don’t kill him before I do.”
“He’s your brother,” Angelia reminded him.
Fury cut a harsh glare at her. “Let me explain something to you, babe. When Fang and Anya found out Vane was human, they protected him from our father. If he was wounded or sleeping, they’d take turns guarding his human form to make sure no one learned his secret. The instant Dare found out I was a wolf, he called out the patria to kill me. I think I should return that favor to him tenfold. At least he’s a grown man, not an adolescent who had no real way to protect himself from the stronger, older warriors.”
“He also has an unfair weapon. I think we should take it and…” Fang paused as he looked at Trace. “Put it someplace really uncomfortable.”
Fury’s gaze didn’t leave hers. “I’d like to put it in the same place he wanted to drive that hot poker.”
Angelia shook her head at his brutality. “All of you do realize that holding me here is an act of war.”
Fury arched one brow. “How so?”
“You are wolves holding a patria member.”
Vane snorted. “And I’m the Regis of your patria. Absent, true, but I am the head of the Kattalakis Arcadian Lykos. As such, you fall under my governance. To declare war on Fury and his Katagaria pack would require my edict, which I’d never give.”
“So you condone his behavior?”
“For the first time in our relationship, and as scary as that thought is… yes. And as the Regis, I want to know what that weapon is that you used on the lion. Failure to give it to me will result in a trial and I think you know what the Katagaria council members will demand as punishment.”
Her life. But not before she was brutalized. Whenever a Regis, especially one who ruled your particular patria requested something of you, you were compelled to give it.
Never had she hated that law more than at this moment. “We call it the Pulse.”
Fury scowled. “What the hell is that?”
“It sends out small electrical charges. Not so much that it causes us to change back and forth, but rather it keeps us locked in our base form.”
Bride sighed. “Like that collar you wear.”
She nodded. “Only the pulse is permanent.”
Fang shook his head. “It can’t be. If it works on electrical impulses, it has to have a battery.”
“It uses body chemicals to keep it charged.”
Vane looked ill at the thought of it. “Can it be pulled out?”
“It’s too small to be seen. There’s no entry wound and no way to find it once it’s inside a body.”
Fang nodded. “That’s what Carson said, too.”
Bride grimaced in distaste. “Who would invent such a thing?”
“A Panther in the year 3062,” Angelia said with a sigh. “He’s now selling them to the highest bidders.”
“Why?” Vane asked. “We don’t need money like that.”
Fury pinned him with an angry glare. “You’re thinking like one of us, Vane. The Panther’s Arcadian. Think human for a minute. Greed is their god.”
Angelia was beginning to understand the differences herself.
Vane looked at Fury. “You should take her to the Lion at Sanctuary. Let her meet his mate who can no longer communicate with him. Or better yet, let her meet his children who will never know how much their father loves them. Never hear the sound of his voice as he tells them how proud he is. Or warns them of danger. Good job, really. I couldn’t be prouder of your brutality.”
Angelia refused to be intimidated by him. She knew better. “Animals don’t do that.”
Fury choked on his food before he pinned her with a vicious glare. “Yeah. I never said anything like that to you, did I?” He stood up and wiped his mouth. “You know what? I’m sick of looking at you. I remember a girl who used to be capable of caring about others. One who gave people the benefit of the doubt before she attacked them. But obviously she died. I want you out of here before you finish destroying what few good memories I have of that girl.” He jerked the collar off her neck, then left the room.
Stunned, Angelia sat there, unable to believe what had just happened.
She was free…
“Uncle Furry?” Trace looked up at his mother. “Why is Furry mad, Mommy?”
“His feelings were hurt, baby. He’ll be all right.”
Vane met Angelia’s baffled gaze. “You’re free to leave. And I should warn you, the lions are out for blood. The guy you nailed… his brother is Paris Sabastienne, and you killed their youngest brother. While as a rule animals aren’t big on vengeance, they are big on protecting their family. You’ve attacked them without provocation and they intend to slaughter all of you when they find you to keep you from doing this to any more members of their pride. You are their prey. Good luck.”
Angelia swallowed in panic. “But I didn’t shoot him.”
Fang shrugged nonchalantly. “They’re animals. They don’t care who pulled the trigger. They’re hunting by scent, and yours was all over Jake. Have a good life, cupcake, at least for the next few hours.”