Wen Read online

  Wen stepped away from Gerri but stayed close. “Is this what you call keeping control of your territory?”

  “Fuck you, VampLycan!” Horton lifted his hand and pointed at him. “I told you to help me.”

  “This wasn’t my fight.” Wen shrugged. “You already had backup from your nest. Besides, you’re a master. If a fucked-up pack can take you out, you deserve to die. I was protecting my mate.”

  Gerri inwardly winced. There was that VampLycan arrogance she’d always hated. They weren’t the most sympathetic race when it came to Vamps, and they could be too blunt. She bet Horton wasn’t too fond of what Wen had just said, either. One glance at his reaction assured her she was right. He looked furious.

  She opened her mouth to try to defuse the situation but then pressed her lips together. There was nothing she could think to say that could twist Wen’s words into something nicer. It would probably only worsen things, since she was human.

  Horton took a step toward them but stopped. He suddenly laughed. “True.” He spun away, walked into the tiny kitchen area, and bent over the sink. He turned on water, washing his face.

  Horton kept his back to them. He took his time washing his face, dried it, and then removed his shirt. He disappeared out of sight, probably into the apartment bedroom. He returned wearing a clean shirt. He looked around and curled his upper lip.

  “Clean up this fucking mess,” he told one of his nest, who walked back into the room from the hallway. “At least I’m not hungry anymore.” He smiled at Wen. “It wasn’t a boring evening.”

  “There’s that.” Wen kept his tone neutral.

  “Go upstairs with your mate. We’ll handle this mess.” Horton took a seat at his desk.

  Gerri hid her knives. Wen turned and stunned her by gripping her hips. She gasped when he just tossed her over his shoulder, hooked an arm behind her legs, and strode toward the door. He took the stairs two at a time, until they were back in the apartment. He slammed their door, locked it, and headed into the bedroom.

  “Want to tell me why you’re carrying me like a sack of grain?”

  He bent and dumped her on the bed. “I didn’t want you walking through blood.”

  “Thanks?” She frowned. “Now what’s the real reason?”

  “They were doing triage in the damn hallways. I didn’t want you to see that.”

  “Don’t give me that bullshit.” She removed the knives and put them on the nightstand.

  “Fine. I just wanted to get you up here before the pack can regroup. I have no idea how hurt Joel is, and if his pack will lose their damn minds if he dies.” He crouched in front of her. “It could turn bad again.”

  “Do you want to leave now?”

  “Soon.”

  She stared into his eyes and lowered her voice. “After dawn?”

  He nodded. “I’m going to kill that fucker,” he mouthed.

  “What about giving him time?” She knew he’d understand. He’d planned to give Horton time to cause Decker problems.

  “Things changed just a few minutes ago.”

  “Because of how unstable the situation is?”

  “You could have been hurt.”

  “We already knew that. What really changed, Wen? Be honest with me, damn it. We’re in this together.”

  Wen hesitated.

  Gerri leaned forward and snagged his shirt with both hands, fisting it. She yanked him closer until their lips were inches apart, holding his gaze. “What is it?” She kept her voice at a whisper.

  “I heard the Vamp talking, the one who carried out the Vampire who got hurt.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He ordered one of the Lycans to go find a blood donor to feed to his friend.”

  That didn’t sound bad. “And?”

  “The Lycan said ‘just grab that asshole’s mate. She’s human’.”

  “Not surprising. I knew they’d see me that way.”

  His eyes darkened. “The Vamp said ‘not yet. My master has plans for her. He’s going to make her strong enough to survive you assholes for longer than a few days’.”

  Understanding dawned, and she knew why Wen seemed so freaked out. “You shouldn’t be surprised that he plans to fuck you over. Us, I should say. He’s a bad guy.”

  “He said the Vampire women he turned didn’t last with this group. He’s planning on turning you into a soldier. I’m not willing to risk him getting you alone somehow.” He reached up and cupped her face in his hands. “I can’t save you if he does. There’s no coming back from that. You’d slowly go mad and become a killer. I’d have to take you out.”

  She replayed in her mind everything he’d told her about those amped-up zombie versions of a Vampire. She also didn’t want to amuse a pack in the worst way imaginable. “I’d want you to.”

  “We leave in the morning. I’ll take you to safety, then come back to handle this mess.”

  “We’re a team.”

  “I want you the fuck out of here, G.L. We’re done.”

  Pain twisted her heart. He wasn’t just talking about this mission. He’d have to return to Alaska once his scent faded from her, and she’d go home. She released his shirt. “I’m your partner in this until the end. We do what you need to do and walk out of here the way we came in. Together.”

  “It’s too dangerous.”

  “I’m your fucking backup, Wen.”

  He licked his lips and eased his hold on her. “No, baby. You just became a liability. I’ll be too worried about you instead of focused on what needs to be done. I’ll take you out of here for food in the morning and get you somewhere safe. Then I’ll come back alone.” He rose up. “Discussion over. Get some sleep.” He stalked out of the bedroom.

  Tears filled her eyes but she wiped them away. She knew he’d break her heart.

  Wen was furious as he poured a glass of water from the tap and drank it down. He knew there would be some risk involved for Gerri but he’d never thought Horton would want to turn her into a soldier and hand her over to be a sexual plaything for the rogues. It made him sick to his stomach and enraged at the same time.

  The Vamp and Lycan speaking in the damn hallway should have known he could hear them. It was just luck that they were stupid or underestimated his senses. Horton had been running water to clean off the blood on his face, or he’d probably have heard the same conversation, alerted him that Wen was on to him.

  It took all of his control to not grab Gerri, smash a window, and jump out of it with her in his arms. He wanted her out of the building now. There was no telling when Horton planned to grab her, or how.

  He stormed into the bedroom, wanting to stay close to her. She had removed her shoes, lying on the bed with her back to him, curled into a ball. He knew she wasn’t sleeping though.

  He couldn’t stretch out next to her. He was too stressed and worried about her safety. He stayed in the doorway, on alert. He had an advantage at that moment. He could protect her for a few hours. Some of the Lycans were hurt from their fight with the Vamps. They probably wouldn’t go on a rampage or listen to Horton until their alpha was either dead or recovered enough to give them orders.

  It was best to wait until dawn, when the Vamps were tucked away. Maybe Joel would wake and order his pack to flee the building. That would be perfect, but Wen wasn’t counting on rationality from the pack. They probably still needed whatever the hell they were getting out of the deal with Horton too badly to walk away.

  He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. He’d get Gerri to someplace very public and secure, then come back to kill Horton. Once that was done, he’d meet Micah at the airport. They’d be out of the area by noon. He could take Gerri home and stay with her until his scent faded.

  It would also mean keeping his damn hands off her for a few weeks. That would be hell, but he wouldn’t leave her vulnerable to attacks. Her life meant more to him than his selfish needs. That lesson had been learned. She was in danger because of him.

  She’s accuse