Creed Read online

  “I never said how hard she’d be hit. I’ll leave that to you…but at least touch her skin.” He held it out. “Fifty, Creed. Not one less. I’m going to trust you to do as I have decreed.” He paused. “Once you are done here, there is clothing inside the wardrobe. Fly her down to your lair. Avoid the internal tunnels. I don’t want any of the unmated to get a whiff of her. You’d have to fight your way home. The calling scent has been masked but it’s still faintly there. Shell be confined to your lair, and you’re to make certain she remains there until her sentence is served. You’re her guard.”

  Creed was too stunned to move.

  Aveoth smiled. “Do me one favor?”

  “Anything.” Creed accepted the paddle. It sank in that Aveoth was going to allow him to be the one to use it.

  “Pretend to be miserable until you leave the cliffs. Grumble if anyone asks and tell them I felt being mated to a human would be punishment enough.” He winked. “A lot of our people think Jill is pure hell for me. They have no idea how wrong they are. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

  “Thank you.” Emotion choked him. Lord Aveoth had done him the greatest kindness of all. “I swear.”

  Aveoth spun on his heel and walked away.

  Creed closed his eyes and gripped the paddle with both of his hands. He had come home expecting the worst, possibly even death for him and Angel.

  They were going to live, and not be parted. It was even a gift to be kept at his current assignment once the six months of confinement were over. Angel would get to remain with her pack, close to her parents.

  Chapter Twelve

  The door creaked open and Angel bit her lip. It was time to face the pain. She decided she wouldn’t cry out no matter how much it hurt. GarLycans weren’t the most emotional people. They probably suffered everything in silence. She would be brave for Creed. It might reflect badly on him if her screams were heard echoing down the tunnels.

  The door slammed and she shifted her hands, wrapping her fingers around the chains attached to the leather restraints. It would give her something to concentrate on during the worst of it. Heavy-booted steps came closer and then stopped right behind her. She kept silent. It was probably best or she’d start babbling, maybe even crying.

  She startled when wood barely bumped against her ass. She forced her body to relax as she took deep breaths. That was probably a practice swing to ensure so he wouldn’t miss.

  The second tap to her bottom was feather-light. Same for the third and fourth. Angel frowned. By the tenth, she understood that whoever held it was purposely not hurting her. He probably couldn’t have stunned a fly with those taps. She relaxed more. He was mated. It was possible he couldn’t bring himself to hurt a woman.

  It was her lucky day. She refrained from saying words of gratitude. It might piss him off and make him hit her hard.

  It ended on fifty, each tap as soft as the last. Wood hit the floor, and then she gasped when someone bent over her. The guy leaned against her back. There was no denying he had a hard-on when it pressed against her ass.

  She struggled. “No!”

  “Easy, Angel. I’m just releasing you.”

  It was Creed!

  She threw her head forward, rubbing on the bed to get rid of the cloth over her face. Then she stared into his eyes, since he was right there next to her.

  “Creed! That was you?”

  “Yes.” He smiled. “Lord Aveoth allowed me to be the one to spank you.” He turned his head, using his outstretched arms to fumble with the buckles on each of her wrists. He got the right one free first.

  “Why would he do that?”

  He got her second arm free and straightened. He backed away and she stood, turning around. He’d changed his clothes, now sporting leather pants and a black long-sleeve shirt. She wanted to throw her arms around him, so she did, hugging him around his waist and burying her face against his chest. He held her back, hugging her tight.

  “He had mercy.”

  “I only have to serve six months in jail.”

  “Inside my home with me.”

  She lifted her chin, stunned again.

  “Lord Aveoth has been very generous. We need to go. I want to take you there now.”

  She hated to release him. The dress she’d discarded was on the floor and she bent to pick it up, but Creed gripped her arm, shaking his head. “No.” He let her go and strode to the wardrobe. He pulled out a red cape and opened it. “Come here.”

  He wrapped it around her like a blanket and scooped her into his arms. He hesitated and then shifted her, positioning her over his shoulder. “Stay still and be quiet.”

  “Okay.” She didn’t mind hanging from him. Creed had her.

  He opened the door and quickly took them up a flight of stairs. They didn’t pass anyone, that she could see, and then she knew they were close to an opening to the outside. It grew a bit colder and she could smell fresh air.

  Creed bent and placed her on her feet, helping her keep the material together to protect her modesty. He stripped off his shirt next, tucking part of it into his pants. He scooped her up again to cradle in his arms. He closed his eyes while he allowed his wings to slide out. He opened them and rushed forward, jumping into the darkness.

  Angel gasped. The sun had gone down outside and she couldn’t see a thing. Creed halted their decent within seconds and continued flying downward in what seemed like a big circle. He landed somewhere but she still couldn’t see a thing. He put her on her feet.

  “Do not move. It’s a small ledge and I have to open the door. You back up two feet and it’s a fall. Step right and it’s a fall.”

  “My feet are glued to this spot,” she promised.

  He no longer touched her and she heard what sounded like rock being shoved against rock. Creed returned to her fast and took her hand. He led her forward and she felt solid rock brush her side. The passage seemed tight for a short distance but then opened up. He stopped her.

  “Stay.”

  “Okay.”

  “This is my home. I took us through the exterior door. I wasn’t planning on returning so I didn’t leave any lights on.” His voice grew a little distant.

  There was a click, and then blinding light came on from above.

  Angel blinked, adjusting to being able to see again. It looked like a real home inside, with wood-paneled walls. She stood in the living room and there was a kitchen to her right. A long island separated the space.

  Creed strode to her. “It will be more comfortable for you here than at the lair that overlooks your pack. I never spent much time updating it. I’ll do that when we return.” His wings were gone.

  She didn’t care where they were living. She did glance at how they’d gotten in. There was a big rock and it had been shoved away from the wall. Cool air came in. Creed followed her gaze and walked over to it, pressing a shoulder against the solid surface. He shoved, closing the space until the walls met.

  “We seal them off when we aren’t home. It makes it harder for anyone to find our lairs. It also keeps out the snow and cold in the winter.”

  “That looks heavy.”

  He shrugged. “It’s only about six hundred pounds but it’s on a track.”

  “Oh. Only.”

  He grinned. “Are you hungry?”

  “A little.”

  “I don’t have much here but I’ll get you something.” He held out his hand. “Come. I’ll run you a bath.”

  “No thanks.”

  He arched his eyebrows.

  “I already took one.”

  “Relax then. I’ll go find you food. I’ll be back.”

  She wanted to stop him but he moved too fast, walking across the room to a big door. “This is our home,” he called out. “Be comfortable.”

  Then he was gone and she stood there, taking in the rooms. Creed had books on shelves on one wall. She walked toward them, staring at the ancient-looking volumes. She was afraid to touch them. She turned, following