True to his words, Fang stayed on at Sanctuary to work as a bouncer. Papa Bear had tried to make him a waiter, but one evening of that had proven disastrous since Fang lacked the proper temperament.

Whenever someone complained about their food, it didn't go well for them.

But for Aimee's intervention, there would still be a tourist in traction. And there was now a hole in the wall being patched by Quinn that was coming out of Fang's next paycheck.

So he worked as muscle when they needed it while Dev stayed at the door and monitored who came and went.

It wasn't the worst job in the world and it left him free to watch Aimee without her brothers tearing his eyes out of their sockets. Better yet, they paid him to keep an eye on her and make sure no one came on to her while she worked. It was definitely a job with perks.

And how he loved to watch her. The way she'd laugh with their regulars or tease the younger humans who'd come in to eat with their parents in the daytime. She always brought them special treats and would even sit down and draw with them if they weren't busy. She loved children of all species.

He couldn't help but wonder how much better she'd be with her own cubs. . . .

There was an unrivaled grace in everything she did and it made him ache just to watch her.

If only he were a bear. . . .

That thought tortured him constantly as they brushed past each other while trying to stay indifferent. It was so unfair, but then he knew that was how life went. And he seemed to be its whipping boy most days.

"Hey, Fang?" Remi barked in his usual distemper. "Give us a hand."

He turned his head to see Wren, Colt, and Remi trying to move the heavy speakers onstage to a new position so Angel, the lead singer of the Howlers, wouldn't bitch again about feedback.

Hernia here I come.

Aimee paused on her way to the bar to watch as Fang leapt up onstage without touching it. Shoving her notepad into her pocket, she bit the pencil in her mouth at the gorgeous sight of his backside.

The pencil snapped in two.

Spitting out pieces of lead and wood into her hand towel, she scoffed at herself. Yuck! Could anything be more gross?

And it was all Fang's fault.

What am I doing?

Ogling the finest piece of ass in New Orleans.

Well, there was that. She watched as his muscles bulged while he lifted one side of the speaker tower while the group of them slid it across the stage.

"Damn . . . have you ever seen a better sight?" Tara, their human college student/waitress, asked as she stopped by her side. "I love working here. Days like this, I think I should be paying you guys for the privilege."

Aimee laughed. "You know, I very seldom think about it."

"That's because you're related to most of the fine hot meat here. Pity for you. 'Cause to the rest of us . . ." She made a growling noise that belied her human birth.

Aimee shook her head. Good thing Justin hadn't heard that. He'd be on the prowl to make her repeat that sound while naked. Or better yet, make her purr.

Tara sucked her breath in sharply. "That's it, baby. Bend over and pick that up. Take your time with it, honey. No hurry at all. Ooo, mama!"

Aimee laughed until she turned to see who Tara was talking about. Anger snapped as she saw Fang's rear cupped way too tightly by his jeans. Worse, his shirt had ridden up to show a tantalizing glimpse of his lower back and the tight, tawny skin she was dying to taste.

She had a sudden urge to rip the human's hair out for daring to even glance at him. More to the point, she wanted to hang a sign around his neck that read: Mine. Look at the risk of losing your eyeballs . . . and hair.

"We need to get back to work."

Tara pouted. "Spoilsport." She trotted off to check on a table while Aimee took another look at Fang. At least he was standing again. But with his weight on one leg and his hands on his hips, he was even sexier than before.

An image of walking up to him and laying her body against his went through her. In her mind, she could already feel him there as he leaned his head back while she trailed one hand over his hard chest, down those perfect abs until she could dip her hand into his jeans and cup him in her hand.

Her body throbbed as she felt herself getting wet at the very idea. Maman had been right. The quickening was almost impossible to resist. It left her hungry and irritable.

And it didn't help that she was going into heat again. It was why her brothers were being particularly careful about letting the humans too near her. They wanted to protect the bloodline as closely as her parents did.

So why didn't she?



Fang's skin crawled as he got the fierce sensation of being watched. Expecting an enemy, he scanned the dark club and was surprised to find Aimee openly staring at him as if she wanted to take a bite out of him.

That was fine by him since he wouldn't mind having a piece of her either.

"Dude!"

He jerked around at Colt's angry snarl. Rushing forward, he grabbed his end and helped to move it. But he could still feel Aimee watching him. It made every nerve ending in his body sizzle and his groin swell to the point he was practically limping.

By the time they'd moved the speakers into their new position, Aimee was gone.

Fang wanted to curse.

It's for the best.

Yeah . . .

He jumped off the stage to find Fury waiting for him by the bar. Instant rage singed him. The bastard was currently living with Vane and that really didn't endear him to Fang in the least.

"You want something?" Fang asked churlishly as he reached behind the bar to grab a beer. One of the perks of working here. Free alcohol.

"Yeah." Fury turned to face him. "I'm abdicating the pack."

Fang froze and set the bottle down. "What do you mean?"

Fury sighed, arms akimbo. "Look, we both know I'm not strong enough to hold it from anyone who attacks me with magick. But for Vane, I wouldn't have it now. The Katagaria Grand Regis should have been yours anyway. It's only right."

Fang sneered at his "magnanimous" offer that insulted him to the core of his being. "I don't need your fucking charity."

"Then fight me for it."

Fang curled his lip at the asshole and his stupidity. "Don't tempt me. I fight you and I undermine Vane-I don't think so." He drained his beer, then went to grab a towel so that he could help Wren wipe down tables.

Fury followed after him. "Why do you hate me so much? What have I ever done to you?"

You were with Vane when he needed me to help protect Bride. And he was with Vane when Fang needed Vane to help him. But he'd never admit that hurt to anyone. It was his to carry, not something to be shared so that they could mock him over it.

When he didn't answer, Fury raked him with a disgusted glare while Fang wiped down a table near them.

"You know what, Fang? I don't even give a shit. You keep being an asshole all you want. I don't care. Stay here sulking with the bears. It's nothing to me, but let me tell you something. I've never had what you and Vane do. I never had a brother at my back, not once. Really, one day you should meet our brother Dare and see what a piece of work he is. Just for the record, he was the first one who came at my back when he learned I was Katagaria. Pardon the pun, but he threw me to the wolves and went for my throat. So if you want to be as human as he was, I'd appreciate a little warning first."

Fang watched as Fury stalked off. He wanted to blast him. To throw him down and rip his throat out.

But they were brothers.

Fury had come here and offered to abdicate as leader. Fang knew the wolf well enough to know that Fury didn't back down easily. It had been a massive knock to his ego to make that offer.

Stop being a dick, Fang. His brother was trying to make peace between them.

Fang looked away as he tried to imagine what it had been like for Fury to be in the pack with them all these past centuries, knowing he was family and not saying anything to any of them.

Why? Why would he have done that?

Wanting an answer, he went after him. He caught up to him outside as Fury was unlocking his bike while holding his helmet in one tight fist.

"Tell me something?"

Fury paused.

"Why didn't you ever tell us the truth?"

"I already answered that," Fury said snidely. "The last time my brother found out what I was, he stabbed me and tried to kill me and that was the one I was raised with. The one I used to protect from the rest of the pack when they wanted to beat on him for being part Katagaria. Our sister spat in my face and drove her dagger through my ribs-again, this was the same sister I used to protect from our mother and Dare and everyone else. So I wasn't expecting anything better from you. Thanks so much for not disappointing me, asshole."

Fang didn't know why, but those words sent him over the edge. Rage descended on him with a vengeance and before he knew what he was doing, he'd launched himself at Fury. Wrapping his arms around his waist, he threw him to the ground and proceeded to beat the holy shit out of him.



Aimee gasped as she saw an image of Fang being hurt in her head. He was fighting outside. All she could see was a blur of body parts and black leather.

Before she could think better of it, she ran to the door where she saw him and Fury across the street, fighting each other with everything they had. The moment she stepped outside to stop them, Dev caught her against him.

"Let me go!" she demanded, tempted to stomp on his foot. If he'd been wearing anything other than his steel-toe biker boots, she would have. But in those, he wouldn't feel anything and she'd bruise her heel.

Experience with Remi had taught her that.

He tightened his hold. "Let them settle this, Aimee."

She stopped fighting to stare up at him. "They're going to get hurt."

"Probably, but you have enough brothers to know that sometimes we just have to beat each other's heads in. It's just a moral imperative."

It was true. She'd never understood that tendency herself, but for some reason one brother would say something or look weird and then it was on. At least until Papa broke them up.

"Why are they fighting?"

Dev shrugged as he released her and stepped away to return to leaning against the brick wall behind him. He crossed his arms over his chest and bent one knee to rest his foot on the wall too. "I have no idea. But I'm taking odds on Fang."

She wasn't amused by his humor. "Then how do you know this is the best thing?"

"'Cause I saw the look on Fang's face when he went for Fury. It's the same one I get right before I open a can of whup-ass on Remi."

Aimee ground her teeth in frustration, but Dev was right. She knew that look intimately and had worn it a time or two herself. "Papa always breaks you guys up."

"Yeah, and if they go too far, I will too. But this I think they need to get out of their systems."

"And if they turn into wolves while they're fighting on a public street?"

"We'll deal with it if it happens."

Aimee wasn't so sure about this as she watched Fury lift Fang up off his feet and slam him onto the ground. Fang flipped up and then dealt Fury a blow so hard she swore she could feel it. They looked like they were trying to kill each other with their bare hands.

What on earth were they thinking?



* * *



Fang pounded Fury with a lifetime of pent-up anger. Every time Fury had flipped him off or mouthed at him over the centuries and Vane had stopped him from attacking the little prick. Every time he'd wanted Vane in the Nether Realm and had been forced to fight the demons on his own. . . .

Every bit of it came out.

But as he pounded other images came to him too. Fury trying to stand up to their father when no one else would. Fury staying with them when Anya had died. . . .

Fury fighting by their sides. . . .

Brothers.

He dealt Fury a blow to the chin that knocked him straight onto his back, flat on the ground. He went down on his knee and twisted his fist in Fury's black T-shirt, intending to hit him again. But the sight of Fury's face gave him pause.

There was a cut above his right eye that left blood trailing down his temple. His lips were split, his teeth bloody. Bruises were forming on his chin and cheek.

And even though his eyes were spitting venom, Fury hadn't gone wolf. Human was his weakest form and yet he fought with him as a man.

He wasn't fighting to really hurt him or to win. . . .

Not hurt him. . . .

Fang's dark eyes locked with those eerie turquoise ones. Shame filled him over what he'd just done. He'd attacked Fury as a petty human with hurt feelings.

No, he'd attacked his brother as a rampaging demon.

Lowering his fist, he loosened his hold on Fury's shirt and let him fall back to the sidewalk.

"You through?" Fury taunted as he lay there. "Is that all you got, nancy?"

Fang scoffed at his insult. "You are such a fucking dick."

"And you're an asshole."

Fang sat back on his haunches and started laughing at the two of them on the street, bleeding. He wasn't even sure why he found their patheticness funny, but he did.

As he wiped his hand over his own bleeding lip, he hissed in pain. "Your left hook is impressive."

Fury rolled over to spit blood onto the sidewalk before he sat up. "I could say the same for you."

Fang shook his head as he realized just how sore his ribs were from Fury's punches. For all his lack of Were-Hunter skills and psychic abilities, the little bastard was a good scrapper. "I can't believe of all the wolves in the universe that you're my brother."

"Yeah, well, I didn't exactly get the pick of the litter either."

Fang laughed again. "No, you didn't. The Fates seriously screwed you there."

Fury narrowed his gaze as he tested his loosened teeth with his thumb. He spat out more blood. "So are we still enemies?"

Fang hesitated. A part of him kept wanting to hate Fury, but the problem was he didn't know why.

Was he really that human that he could hate without reason? Or was it the demon inside him that wanted Fury's head?

In the end, it was the knowledge that this was his family that won over everything else. For better or worse, they were blood kin. And to a wolf that was all that mattered.

Fang held his hand out to him. "Brothers."

Fury wrapped his hand around his. "Adelphos."

Fang pulled him forward so that he could hug him in a way he'd reserved for only Vane and Anya. "But this doesn't mean I like you."

Fury shoved him away. "Don't worry. I don't like you either, dip-shit. But I would kill to protect you."

Fang gave him a lopsided grin. "Me too." He pushed himself up, then held his hand out for Fury.

Fury knocked it away. "I'm not your bitch, wolf. I can get up on my own."

Fang spat some of the blood out of his mouth. Yeah, his jaw was going to be sore for at least a week and there wouldn't be any food tonight that required much chewing.

He narrowed his gaze on Fury. "We're way too much alike to ever get along."

"That's what Vane says." Fury picked his helmet up from where it'd landed on the sidewalk when they'd started fighting. He dumped debris out of it before he put it on his head.

"Hey?"

Fury paused.

Fang held his hand out again and when Fury took it, he pulled him into a quick man hug. "The pack is yours."

Fury snorted. "I really don't see you subservient to me. Ever."

"I'm not, but I'm not part of the pack anymore. I'm declaring independence."

Fury flipped his face shield up to scowl at him. "That's suicide."

"No. I'm here." He indicated Sanctuary over his shoulder. "I need some time to get my head straight. If I do, I'll be back. But for now I think this is the best thing for me."

Fury gave him a doubting stare. "If you say so. I'll tell Vane." Lowering his shield, he slung one long leg over the bike and started it.

Fang stood back as Fury opened the throttle and squealed off. It was only then he realized Aimee was standing across the street with Dev, watching every move they'd made.

Suddenly sheepish, he tucked his hands into his pockets and joined them.

"Feeling better?" Dev asked sarcastically.

"Yeah. Thanks for not interfering."

The bear shrugged. "Hey, I get it. Wish someone would let me do that to a couple of my bros."

Aimee let out an exasperated breath as she stepped forward. "You look terrible." She reached up and turned his chin to the side so that she could study his right eye, which was throbbing and stinging. "Sheez. Carson needs to see this."

"I'm not a puss, Aimee. I've had a lot worse that healed on its own. This too shall pass."

She let go of his chin and growled at him. "No offense, but I hate Macho Fang. I really wish you'd put him in a closet, lock the door, and lose the key."

Dev laughed. "Sorry, wolf. We're the reason she has this whole hang-up on men."

"It's all right. As long as she doesn't slap me or bite me, we're good."

Dev sucked his breath in sharply. "Man, wolf sex must be harsh."

"Yeah, well, I don't even want to know what you bears do."

Aimee made a sound of distress. "Excuse me? Boys? I am still standing here, you know?"

Dev grinned wickedly. "Yeah, we know. We just don't care."

In a huff, she turned and left.

Fang started to stop her, but doing that in front of Dev wouldn't be the smartest course of action. And one ass-whipping a night was all he was good for at the moment.

"Why don't you go upstairs and grab a bath? Take some time off. You can help close up at dawn."

"Thanks." Fang went back inside.

Wren paused as soon as he saw him. "Remind me not to get you pissed off."

Fang ignored him as he returned to his room. He was surprised to find Aimee there, waiting for him.

He shut the door fast before someone on the outside caught sight of her there. "What are you doing?"

She held up a bottle of peroxide and a small container of cotton balls. "I was worried about you, Mr. High King Macho." She pulled the chair out from his small desk. "Now sit."

"Aimee-"

"Sit, wolf." It was the sharpest tone he'd heard from her in a long time. "You might have taken Fury, but I can take you."

Yeah, right. That was almost funny. However, he knew what she did . . . wolves didn't attack women unless they were trying to kill them or someone they cared about. So she was safe and he was defenseless.

Sighing, he sat down as ordered.

She tipped the peroxide to moisten the cotton pad. "What is it with you males that you have to fight like that?"

"We're damaged?"

"Apparently."

Fang hissed as she touched a particularly tender spot.

She made a sound of agitation. "Stop your whining, you big baby. If you're going to fight, at least act like you can take the wounds."

He glared at her.

She moved to a new spot that was no less painful, but this time he rode herd on his body.

"Would you please explain to me why you two went at it like that?"

Fang shrugged. "There's a part of me that hates him."

"Why?"

"I don't know. Hasn't anyone ever rubbed you the wrong way?"

"Yes. You a great deal of the time. But notice I haven't beat your head in yet."

He pulled her hand away from his face so that he could stare up at her. "Then why do you keep coming around me?"

"It must be from the rock Remi hit me in the head with when I was thirteen. The concussion must have gone deeper than any of us guessed."

He ran his hands up her sides and pulled her forward until she was straddling his left thigh. Damn, she was the prettiest woman he'd ever seen and all he could think about was ripping her shirt open so that he could taste her.

Aimee let the cotton fall from her hand as he captured her gaze with his. The look in his eyes was scorching and when combined with her heat . . .

He took the bottle from her hand and set it aside. Slowly, he reached up to cup her cheek. She dipped her head so that she could kiss him.

Aimee groaned at how good he tasted as she lowered herself onto his leg. She whimpered as the sensitive part of her made contact with the hard muscles of his thigh. The ache there was excruciating. And as her knee lightly brushed the bulge in his jeans, he growled.

Fang couldn't think as she slid into his arms and he tasted her fully. Yes, it made his swollen and bruised lips burn, but he didn't care. Not when the pain in his groin shoved that minuscule ache away.

By the scent of her, he knew she was in heat. He could have her in an instant. Whenever a Katagari female was in season, her need to mate was all-consuming.

She pulled away from his lips, her teeth nipping before she buried her face against his neck. She laved the skin just below his earlobe. Chills erupted all over him.

"I want you, Fang," she panted in his ear.

"We can't do this."

"I know." She unbuttoned his fly and slid his zipper down so that she could touch him.

In that one moment, he was completely undone. His eyes rolled back in his head as she stroked him with her soft hand. Gods, how long had it been since a woman touched him?

He bit his lip before he buried his head in her neck to breathe her in.

Aimee shuddered at the feel of Fang's tongue on her flesh. She felt him undoing her pants and when he sank his hand down to touch her, she cried out in pleasure. She lifted herself up ever so slightly so that he could slide one finger deep inside her. No one had ever touched her there before.

She ran her hand down the length of his shaft, letting his wetness coat her fingers as his cock grew even larger. Her body wanted him inside her, but the last vestige of sanity knew they couldn't do that. If he penetrated her, they could emerge as mates.

It was something they couldn't allow.

So she satisfied herself with this bit of intimacy while she reveled in the pleasure of his hand stroking her.

Fang leaned his head back as Aimee ran her tongue from his throat up to his chin. He felt as if he were dying. His body on fire, he showed her how to stroke him.

Damn, she was a quick learner. And the feel of her hand on him while she tongued his ear was more than he could stand.

Fang stood up so fast he barely caught her before she hit the floor. He set her on the desk, knocking the bottle to the floor where it spilled down the vent. But he didn't care. Not when his body was shaking and begging for something that could get them both killed.

But the sight of her there with her pants lowered . . .

Her eyes were dark and inviting as she reached for him. "Please, Fang. I can't stand it. My body is killing me."

He knew that sensation, and the fact that she was in heat made it worse on her. Damning himself for the stupidity, he pulled her pants off.

Aimee felt heat rush over her face as Fang bared her to his hungry gaze. He sank down on his knees as he parted her legs and slid his hands up her thighs to the center of her body.

His gaze held hers captive as he took her into his mouth. Aimee yelped in pleasure. Reaching down, she sank her hand into his hair and held him against her while his tongue soothed the fire inside her.

Fang had never tasted anything better. He ravaged her, exploring every part until her scent was branded into him. And when she finally came, he didn't stop until he'd wrung the last spasm from her.

Aimee lay back against the wall, panting as her body slowly returned to normal. But she saw the pain that was still in Fang's eyes. His body was still swollen.

"You need a hand with that?"

He took her hand into his. "You're not funny, Aimee."

She sucked her breath in sharply as he led her hand down to cup him. He was so large now. That was one of the things she knew about wolves. Their cocks grew larger throughout sex, and when they came it was several minutes before they could return to a normal state.

Fang buried his head in her neck as he thrust himself against her hand. He was like a savage beast and it made her wonder what it would be like to have him deep inside her.

When he finally came, he cried out her name. Aimee held him close, keeping her hand on him for as long as he needed the pressure.

He lifted his head to scorch her with a look of tenderness. "What have we done?"

She kissed him gently. "Nothing. This can't mate us."

Fang wasn't so sure about that. But at least his palm wasn't burning from being marked. At least not yet. Stepping away from her, he zipped his pants up so fast he caught himself. "Shit!" he snarled even though he was grateful for the pain. He needed that to bring the blood back into his brain.

Aimee met his gaze and he saw the tears brimming in her eyes. "I love you, Fang."

He clamped his jaw shut to keep from telling her that he loved her too. That would only weaken him more. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know. I don't." She scooted off the desk to retrieve her pants and dress.

All he wanted to do was take her in his arms and hold her for the rest of eternity.

Fang pulled her locket off and handed it to her. "We can't get caught. Your mother is the Grand Regis Ursulan and my brothers rule both seats for the Lykos. Us being together would void every treaty Savitar has in place."

She nodded as she fastened her pants. "It would pollute our bloodlines."

He pinned her with a hot stare. "And I really don't give a shit."

Cupping his cheek in her hand, she smiled up at him. "Neither do I."

"Aimee?"

They both looked at the door as they heard Mama Lo's voice in the hallway.

Ah, shit! This was bad.

"Where is that girl?"

"I have to go," she whispered before she vanished.

Fang cursed. But no sooner had she gone than Mama Lo opened the door to his room. He used his powers to camouflage what they'd just done.

At least he hoped he did.

Nicolette scanned the room suspiciously. "Where is Aimee?"

He knew he couldn't deny that she'd been here since her scent would be more than evident to Nicolette's heightened senses and while he could mask most of it, he couldn't remove every trace of her. "I don't know. She brought some peroxide to me and vanished."

Which was true so Nicolette wouldn't smell the lie on him. He just left out some really important details.

Nicolette sighed. "There is another contingency of bears downstairs for her to mate with. I swear, she's never where she's supposed to be."

Fang had to ride herd on his temper at those words as well as the urge to go downstairs and skin a bear. "If she comes back for the peroxide, I'll let her know."

"Please do so."

He caught a strange note in her voice. "Is something wrong?"

"Non."

But he knew she was lying. "What is it?"

"Nothing." She left and shut the door.

Frowning, Fang opened it to watch her leave as Wren came up the stairs. Nicolette curled her lip at the tigard, but said nothing.

Wren, for his part, made an obscene gesture behind her back. He paused as he realized Fang had seen it.

"What's the deal with the two of you?"

Wren shrugged. "She thinks I'm a freak. I think she's a bitch. Nicolette doesn't believe our races should mix and she hates me for being a mongrel."

"She accepts me."

"I'm a little different from you."

Fang snorted. "No offense, Wren, you're a little different from everyone."

Marvin came running up the stairs with a banana. He leapt onto Wren's shoulder and chattered at Fang, pointing the banana at him like a gun. That spoke for itself. They both were whacked.

"Why do you stay here?"

Wren took the banana from Marvin so that he could peel it for the primate. "The same reason you do."

"And that is?"

Wren glanced toward the stairs. "She's the only person or animal I've ever met who truly is kind. I don't have any family and when I was brought here, I didn't trust anyone. I still don't. Except for her."

Aimee. He didn't say her name because he didn't have to. She was the only one Wren ever really spoke with.

"You love her?"

"As a sister and a friend. I'd die to protect her." Wren stepped closer to him and lowered his voice. "I've seen how you two look at each other and it scares me."

"Why?"

"Because even though it's frowned on, it's accepted for Katagaria to be with Arcadian. But for the species to blend . . . take it from someone who was crossbred, you don't want to go there. And if not for her, then think if the Fates are cold enough to give you children. The hatred of others drove my mother mad and in the end she hated me for it."

"We're not mates, Wren. You know as well as I do that we have no control over that."

"Of course you do. If you don't sleep together, you don't mate. That you control." He broke off a piece of banana and gave it to Marvin. "Trust me, wolf. Stay away from her for both your sakes." Wren left him and headed toward his room.

It was a warning he didn't really need.

Fang returned to his room while those words rang in his ears. The problem was, he wasn't getting hard for any other woman. It already felt like the Fates had mated them. . . .

What am I going to do?

He pulled up shortly as he saw a shadow in the corner.

It moved forward into the light to show him the last person he expected to see.

Thorn.