Destiny of Blood (Love of a Shifter Book 4) Read online

  Chapter 2

  Sindrid got up as Lilly and Gabriel walked to the dance floor. He couldn’t keep his eyes off his mate. He liked her spirit, and how she wasn’t scared to stand up to him. Or anyone else, for that matter.

  “Lilly’s your mate?” Marcus asked. He could tell the Alpha was staring at him.

  Sindrid turned around to find that everyone was staring at him, including Lilly’s brothers. “Yes, she is. Do you have a problem with that?” Sindrid waited, but nobody said anything.

  “Just that if you hurt her, I’ll hurt you back. Lilly means a lot to me. She… You’ll have your hands full, but Lilly’s a good person. She’s always helping everyone out. Just like now; she’s taken a liking to Gabriel, which is why I brought him here, hoping he had some family. He’s a good kid, but he needs to be…”

  “Around his own kind.” Sindrid interrupted Marcus. He knew it pissed the shifter off, but he didn’t care. The kid was a vampire, and he was Jacob’s, which meant he might as well be Sindrid’s own flesh and blood. He also knew that Marcus knew he was right.

  He’d sworn a long time ago to take care of Jacob, and then he’d left and didn’t even check in with him. His own pride and selfishness had kept him from calling. Before he left, he and Jacob had gotten into an argument. Sindrid didn’t think Marie was good enough for his friend, and Jacob told him he was acting like a child, being jealous because he hadn’t met his mate yet.

  Marie was a good vampire, and Jacob had been right—Sindrid could see now that he had been jealous and childish. He’d left without saying good-bye to Jacob, trying to punish him, and now his friend was dead. If only he’d spoken to him before he left, or at least kept in touch, this wouldn’t have happened.

  He could feel the grief wrapping around his heart, shame growing within him. All he’d had to do was keep in touch. Now Jacob and his mate were dead, and his child was left without his parents, being hunted like an animal.

  “No, he’s not just your responsibility. He’s mine as well. Now that I know what happened, I can help with this. Make no mistake, Your Highness, I’ll be watching out for Gabriel as well. I care a lot about that kid. He grows on you quick,” Marcus said flatly.

  Sindrid smiled. For some reason he liked this wolf. Even though he could overpower the Alpha, Marcus stood up to him, and that took guts. Or he was just crazy. Either way, he understood. “I have no problem with that.” Sindrid watched as the Alpha’s eyes widened in shock.

  “Now that you two have that settled, can you tell us what’s going on?” Jonas asked.

  Sindrid could tell that they all wanted to know what the problem was, but he thought about what Lilly had said about shifters and vampires being the ones who were doing this, and that kept him from saying anything in the middle of the dance. “Can we meet later, somewhere in private? I think there are too many ears around. What needs to be said shouldn’t be said here,” Sindrid explained.

  “I have no problem with that. I want to dance with my mate, anyway.” Jonas grabbed River’s hand and escorted her to the dance floor, and Sindrid sat back down, eager to watch Lilly. He could tell that Larken was staring at him as he came and sat beside him.

  “Larken, your sister is my mate; I know that for sure. I understand that you’re worried about her, but I’m holding it together. She’s fighting it, but make no mistake she belongs to me,” Sindrid said as he continued to watch her on the dance floor.

  Larken snorted and turned to watch her as well. “My sister is a good wolf, but she’s very strong-willed and can be a tad… Well, let me be blunt: she has a temper.”

  Sindrid laughed. “Yes, I can see that, but she’s also extraordinary, and she will definitely keep me on my toes.”

  Larken laughed along with him, then turned his head back to the dance floor.

  “I will protect her with my life,” Sindrid told his mate’s brother seriously.

  Larken nodded, then released the breath he’d been holding. “She’s my baby sister, and she means a lot to me. We have a connection that I don’t have with my other sisters. She knows me better then I know myself sometimes, and tends to put her two cents in even when I don’t know I need her help. She’s just that type of wolf. She’s the most loving person I know. Look at her: she puts everyone around her at ease. She makes them feel comfortable.”

  Sindrid watched Lilly and Gabriel dance. She’d certainly already put Gabriel at ease, and had him laughing. In his mind he could picture Lilly with their own children.

  “That’s all I’ve ever wanted: for her to find someone who’s strong enough to accept her the way she is, and who knows when to step in when she needs help. That’s all that we can ask, that you take care of her,” Larken said with a half-smile.

  “I’ll protect her with my life, and do my best to make her happy,” Sindrid pledged.

  “I think you should know that she isn’t going to come to you just because you’re mates. You’ll have to fight for her love. She’s been burned before, and she isn’t so giving with her love, if you know what I mean. She probably is fighting the mating pull. That’s how stubborn she is, and she doesn’t want to go through that pain again, either. So get ready, king or not, to woo your mate,” Larken warned with a grin.

  Sindrid snorted, thinking the exact same thing. Lilly Wilder would have to be courted and charmed before she’d give into the mating pull. He could feel that pull lurking just under his own skin as he watched her. She was a true beauty, who took his breath away. She had black wavy hair and blue eyes, just like her brothers. Larken was right; Lilly had a wild side that he ached to get to know and tame.

  The dance floor was crowded when they walked out, but Lilly and Gabriel were having a blast. He smiled as she did the robot. Gabriel laughed, then started doing it too. Her excitement was shining through her as the Electric Slide came on and she led the dance. Gabriel caught on quickly and seemed to be having a great time with Lilly.

  Sindrid noticed that Lilly was very popular, even with his own kind. She knew how to have a good time, and got everyone around her to do the same. Her personality flowed through her as she swung her hips and moved her curves to the beat of the music. He didn’t know how long he’d last if she kept it up. Unfortunately, he could tell her brother was watching him as he stared at his sister. He didn’t blame Larken for being suspicious of him; he wanted to do some dirty stuff to his little sister.

  “Sounds like you’re going to enjoy this?” Sindrid asked Larken.

  “Of course I am. You’re the king of vampires, and you project your power like a suit of armor around you. My baby sister doesn’t have that, but she’s going to take you down a notch or two, and I have to say that it’s going to be fun to watch. Remember, Lilly is like a wild animal; you may think you have her tamed, but without warning she can turn around and bite.” Larken chuckled.

  The song ended, and Lilly and Gabriel came back to the table laughing. Sindrid watched as Lilly sat beside Larken’s mate, Ash.

  “Lilly, before I forget, you did a wonderful job here,” Larken said. “I’ve never seen this place look so good before.”

  “Thank you, oh kind Alpha, but just so you know I spent a lot of your money on this.” She glanced over at Sindrid, who was staring at her. She knew that look; it was saying ‘you’re mine.’ Lilly blinked and looked away from him. Her skin felt like it was on fire when she focused on the man. Yes, he was her mate, but he was also the king of vampires, and she was just plain old Lilly. How can this work? she thought.

  “I think we need to go back to the lodge and talk about what’s going on with Gabriel and what to do about it. I’ve left pack members here to help out anyone who needs it. We’ll need you in this meeting, Lilly,” Larken informed her.

  Lilly nodded. Of course she would help out Gabriel; the kid had already touched her heart. Also, they were taking her people and torturing them. She glanced back over the group sitting at the table and wavered when her eyes landed on Sindrid.

  His eyes shone back
at her, green as the leaves in summer. She could almost read his thoughts, because they matched her own. Yes, she wanted this man, but what if she wasn’t what he needed? Maybe she wasn’t Alpha enough for him, and then she’d be crushed when he figured it out and left her. Never again would she be left sitting in a hotel room, waiting for the person who said they loved her. Her heart couldn’t take it anymore.

  Lilly made herself look away from him. Right now all she wanted to deal with was protecting Gabriel and figuring out who was behind this so they could stop it. She shivered as she remembered the time Ash Wilder had been kidnapped by a wolf shifter named Lex Mann. He’d wanted to start his own pack, and kidnapped fifteen-year-old shifter girls so they could mate with his males. Jonas said that Lex was bat-shit crazy, and he was right. Now they had their own kind doing it again, but this time it was for money. Kidnapping shifters and vampires and then testing on them? What next? How could they do it?

  She got up and looked around. The party seemed better than last year. Each year her job became more difficult, as more shifters and vampires expected to meet their mate and never did. She knew that most likely some of them would never meet them, or their mates were human and they were too afraid to venture out from the packs to find them. But she had hope, and continued to seek out packs and vampires to come to the Valentine’s Dance. She’d even approached the Twisters’ Council and asked if they’d participate this year, but the stuck-up socialites never got back to her. Some on the Council still carried on their old, snobby ways, not wanting to taint their precious bloodlines with shifter or vampire mates. She only hoped that at the next party some of the witches and wizards would break out from the old bonds that kept them in the dark ages and start mingling.

  Everyone appeared to be having a great time. She glanced around once more and was starting to leave, when she noticed that Sindrid was waiting for her by the door.

  She had to admit he was the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen, and he touched something deep inside her that no one else had. He made her toes curl with just one look at him. She couldn’t help it; the man drew her in like a moth to a flame, and to make matters worse, she knew she was going to get burned. Stop looking at him and get to the lodge.

  As she approached the door, he opened it and asked, “Would you ride back with me to the lodge so we can talk?”

  She was shocked that he even asked instead of demanding. “Sure,” Lilly said, then let out a shaky breath. She walked beside him as they made their way outside. He held the door open for her as the cool air feathered against her face. She tilted her head up, inhaling the scent of freshly fallen snow. She loved to shift and run into the woods when the snow was falling; everything was new, and she could start the day over again no matter how shitty it had been. That was her rule, and she planned on doing it as soon as she could shift and get out into that fresh snow.

  The cool air felt good against her overheated body. While inside and dancing with Gabriel, she’d started to get hot as she continued to sneak glances of her mate. She’d heard it said that it was part of the mating pull—your body would heat up the moment you gazed at each other. Then all the other stuff would start happening; the pull of attraction, becoming more in tune with each other.

  She watched as the vampires in particular stared at their king. You could see their respect, but also their reluctance to come and talk to him. He was royalty, and one would never just casually approach the king. However, some did move closer, and once Sindrid made eye contact with them they bowed to him. Not just vampires but also the shifters. They respected the fact that he was the king, and showed him that respect. He in return nodded his head, acknowledging them.

  His royal guard stood around him as he waited for her. Her heart beat faster the closer she got to him. She tried to calm down, but her body wasn’t having it. He was her mate, even though she didn’t like it and didn’t know if she’d ever be willing to mate with anyone.

  “You are beautiful,” he said as they walked outside. “Lilly, I’m sorry this has been so sudden, but as you know, that’s how it happens for us. I know it’s happening quickly, but make no mistake about it, you are my mate.”

  Lilly sighed. “Look, I understand this is how it is for us, but I thought I’d found my mate once before, and he left me high and dry. How do I know that I can trust you? Plus, you’re the king and I’m just plain old Lilly. I don’t think we’d get along—or, let me put it this way: I don’t think your people would think that I’m proper enough to be your mate, and the fact that I’m a wolf shifter has to piss some of them off.” Lilly sighed. She hated saying that, since she felt like a snob just thinking it, but it was going to be a problem and she might as well address it now. “I just don’t know how this will work,” she added, proud of the authority in her voice, though the words cut her deeply as she said them.

  “I understand how you feel.” Lilly stopped and stared at Sindrid. Was this some kind of trick? She doubted that he understood how she really felt, or understood what she’d been through with Marcus.

  “What?” she stuttered. “You do?” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

  “I do, Lilly. I understand all of your fears.” Sindrid knew that would get her attention. He could tell the moment he caught her scent that Lilly was a fighter. She wouldn’t allow her fears to be known, and she’d do what she had to do to show that she wasn’t weak.

  “Fears?” Lilly stopped and moved her hands to her hips. “It’s not fear. I just don’t want to get hurt again, or move into a relationship and then have you find out later that I’m not what you really want, or have you get a hard time because your people think you should mate with a vampire instead of a shifter. It happens all the time; I’ve seen it before with Reece and River. Certain members of his clan didn’t think he should ‘taint his bloodline.’” Lilly mimicked the quotation marks with her fingers. “So I know that if even he had those type of problems, then you, being the king of vampires, will have a terrible time. Look, I know we can mate with whoever we want because this is the twenty-first century and all, but there are a lot of people who still think we should stay within our own race.” She waited to drop the last one on him. “Plus, you’ll live forever, but I’ll eventually grow old, and you’ll be left again by yourself without a mate. But if you mated with your own kind…”

  “These are all valid reasons.” Lilly started to smile, but then looked suspicious at his quick agreement. “But they are still fears, Lilly.”

  She frowned. “Like I said before, I’m not afraid of you, or anyone.”

  “Of course you are,” Sindrid said simply. Lilly’s head jerked up, and she narrowed her eyes at him. “Love, the fates don’t give us just any mate. Mates are chosen to complete us in every way. If you were as strong as I am, then it wouldn’t work out. We would compete with each other all the time, and it would be terrible. I don’t want to compete with my mate; I want us to be compatible and love each other. And to answer your concern, you will live as long as I do. When we complete the mating, you will take on my life force. So Lilly, you will live forever with me.”

  Lilly shrugged, dismissing this. “How are we getting to the lodge?”

  He laughed because he knew she couldn’t come up with any more excuses. She rolled her eyes, then looked around for his vehicle. He guessed she was expecting some type of official-looking luxury car, because she looked shocked when a guard pulled up in a black SUV.

  He watched as her mouth opened when nothing spectacular came around the corner. “What were you expecting, a limo with flags on it?” Sindrid chuckled. “In my position, sometimes you don’t want them to know that you’re coming.”

  Sindrid opened the back door and helped Lilly into the vehicle. It was a simple touch, but his body was so attuned to her at that moment he felt like he could come in his pants just from holding her hand.

  As soon as the doors closed, Sindrid could smell Lilly’s unique scent, a combination of something sweet and spicy. He couldn’t pu
t his finger on what it was exactly, but he would know it anywhere. Her scent was unique, and it drove him insane every time she was around him.

  All he wanted to do was roll around until he was covered in it. Not the logical thing to do right now, but the mating pull was creating chaos within him. He hoped he could control it, but every time he inhaled her scent it hit him hard in the gut…and other places. Lilly was his mate, and he wanted to be with her. He only hoped that the mating pull was affecting her as badly as it was him.

  “Do you feel it?” Sindrid’s eyes were closed at first as he scented the air.

  “What?” Lilly answered nonchalantly.

  He knew she had to feel it, but when he opened his eyes and gazed into hers, she acted cool, calm, and collected.

  “Now isn’t the time to play with me. I asked you a question.” Sindrid’s voice was sharp. The woman knew exactly what he was asking her.

  Lilly looked up at him, and her eyes reflected the same feelings as his.

  “Yes, I feel it,” she whispered.

  “Good, then maybe you won’t get mad when I do this.” Sindrid cupped the nape of her neck, leaned down, and kissed her. He gave her plenty of warning, but she surprised him by not pulling away. He glided across her soft lips, which allowed him to have his way, and took the opportunity to show her how good it could be. The growl that slipped from her throat made him that much hotter and braver. She grabbed his shirt, pulling him closer to her.

  Sindrid pulled away, then grabbed her up and slid her across his lap. Her legs parted, straddling him. Yes, the mating pull was becoming a problem for her. She hated that she couldn’t tear herself away; her body wanted him inside her. Everything Ash had told her was coming true. She didn’t know if she had the strength to stop.

  Without giving it a second thought, Lilly cupped the back of his neck and pulled him to her, taking what she wanted. Her mouth covered his, tasting him, and thank goodness he didn’t disappoint. Her wolf pushed her on—the little traitor—as her tongue lapped up everything he had to offer. Then she pulled away and nipped at his bottom lip, letting him know that she had a mind of her own. She tasted just a hint of maple syrup, and wondered if he always tasted of syrup or if he’d just eaten some. The urge to take him right here in the back of his vehicle hit her like a ton of bricks. What surprised her was that she didn’t care that they had his guards as an audience.