A Fang in the Sass: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Sassy Ever After Book 6) (10 page)

TWENTY-FOUR

Trevan followed Aria out of the tavern and made sure the teens were safely ensconced with the medical staff. He knew something was happening farther up the road and hurried. Knowing his mate, she wouldn’t wait for him to start a brawl. Hell, she wouldn’t wait for anyone.

As he ran, he filled his lungs with air. His chest expanded more than it ever had. He felt huge, vibrating with strength, blood pounding in his veins like never before. He’d really like to know what the hell brought on this spurt of growth a hundred years after he was born.

Coming up on the group standing out front of the main house, he saw Aria facing off with Damon. Half the clan stood on the grass, none looking in the party mood.

Aria yelled at Damon standing several feet from her, but what caught his eye was the subtle shifts in Damon’s body. Trevan noticed the movement of the vamp’s pants as leg muscles tightened, the stretching of the shirt across shoulders as he breathed in a deep breath. Signs that told Trevan the bastard was going to launch at his mate. Let’s see who gets there first.

With a speed he’d never had, Trevan shifted into his wolf and went airborne the same time Damon went after his mate. Trevan felt his mass slam into the vamp midair, and knew his wolf was larger than before, also. This battle would be a good test of his new limits.

When he and Damon hit the ground, the vamp tried to roll toward others in his group to help protect him. Pussy. That piece of shit definitely had to go. He was the kind that only cared about his own neck and would do nothing to keep others safe. Bad choice for a leader.

The vamps standing around their downed leader jumped toward him. Fortunately, a handful of wolves intercepted before they all reached him. He had to release his hold on Damon to easily shred arms, hands, and legs he got his teeth around. And he noticed that the blood tasted different. It wasn’t beer, by any means, but it wasn’t Brussel sprouts either, which he hated.

Somewhere during the fight, he shifted into human form and found himself ripping off heads of those with fangs ready to bite. Holy shit. That was a handy talent to have. Now, his mate wouldn’t be able to get rid of him for being weak. He could probably take her if he wanted. And boy, did he want to take her. She was damn hot ripping off heads on her own.

When he noticed the fight starting to slow, he took notice that several vamps were fighting on their side. He felt relieved that the clan could be saved. Even though his mate came across as a bad-ass with a hard-on, she was a softy inside. The harder she thought her exterior was, the more caring she became. But he wouldn’t tell her secret. No, he treasured both sides of her: vampire leader and soon to be momma of her own little pack, if he got his way.

Catching his breath, he looked around for Aria and caught a glimpse of her shirt disappearing among the trees on the far side of the lot. Where was she going? The remaining enemy looked outnumbered so he took off to make sure she was safe. Lord knew she wouldn’t be looking out for herself.

He heard voices ahead and smelled his mate’s blood. A lot of it. Protective instincts kicked in and he scrambled through brush and leaves to get to her. In the darkness, he saw Damon straddling Aria, his bloody hand raised for what looked like a second strike.

Trevan pushed with everything he had to move faster to reach her before the claw tore out the rest of her throat.

He hit Damon with such force that the vamp’s back crushed against its front side, instantly smashing his heart and killing him. Trevan flew forward with the vamp’s flattened body until they hit the ground. In a flash he was back by her side.

Aria barely looked alive. She was pale even for her kind. So much blood had gushed from Damon’s strike, Trevan couldn’t believe her heart still beat.

Calling up a claw from his wolf, Trevan slashed his wrist and put it to her mouth. He didn’t know why the thought occurred to him. He’d never seen a wolf give blood to his mate, but then again, no other wolf had a vamp as his mate. That he knew of.

Aria drew in a swallow, and Trevan just about came on the spot. This was far better than sex. Sex was external. This was internal. It felt like his dick was being sucked, but instead of having the pleasure limited to his cock, it soared through his entire body.

He dropped his head back and moaned when she took a second draw. His dick was a fucking rock and wanted to be buried so far inside her, it would never come out. His wolf pointed out that wouldn’t be conducive to having pups, so wasn’t allowed. He could do that after the fifth litter.

Aria pulled his wrist away and started to sit up. Trevan scooped her into his arms and nestled her onto his lap. He licked at the deep scratches that had mostly knitted and closed. His saliva finished the healing, returning the skin to flawless. He wasn’t even going to ask how he could do that. He could help his mate and that’s all he cared about.

His mate laid her head against his chest. “Trevan, thank you. Seems I’m not as all powerful as I thought.”

He chuckled and nuzzled into her hair. “Yes, you are, babe. But only with me at your side.”

TWENTY-FIVE

His fucking heart tripped over itself a dozen times before he calmed enough to breathed normally. She was alive and in his arms. Two of the greatest things he could think of. Well, another thought at the top would be getting his naked ass off the twig poking too damn close his asshole.

“Can you stand, love?” he asked. Aria climbed to her feet and held onto him to get her balance.

Then her eyes turned desirous. She licked her lips. “Your blood feels great going through me. Makes me want to fuck you hard and fast.”

Fuck. That hit him right in the dick that had yet to go soft from giving her blood. He would’ve shoved her against a tree and repeated their mating ceremony, but he heard leaves crunching. With a strong breath, he smelled Mason.

Aria slid Damon’s pants off his body. Trevan raised a brow. “You don’t think I can fit into those, do you. And ewww. Wearing a dead man’s clothes is a gross thought.”

“Don’t be silly. I’m dressing you for the public. Lots of women out there.” She wrapped one pant leg around his waist, leaving the other to dangle between his legs, and forced the material through belt loops to tie it off best she could. Then standing behind him, she pulled up the hanging pant between his knees and tucked it over the material around his waist. He looked like a samurai with a weird diaper.

She slapped his ass. “I kinda like that on you. Easy access to the good stuff.” She slid her hand through the front side, but Trevan yanked it out when Mason came into sight.

“There you guys are. Shit. Had me worried for a second. I smelled blood. Fight’s over. We won, obviously.” Mason’s eye landed on the body of the dead clan leader. “Well, guess I’ll take that back with me. We’re hauling the bodies to the crematorium since it’s nearby. I don’t want to wait for the sun to come up. Don’t need any human wandering over and seeing anything.”

“Great idea,” Trevan and Aria said together. They looked at each other and laughed.

“I’ll give a hand to help with cremation,” Trevan said as he guided his mate back to the street.

Aria stopped him on the sidewalk. “Cremation? What are you talking about?”

“There’s a burn shop down a block from here. Industrial burner inside with lots of bells and whistles.”

“Oh, fuck me,” she said. “Emma and I discovered some interesting facts and speculations. One question was how did the vamps keep all the bodies kidnapped over the years hidden so well. They didn’t need to hide the bodies. They simply cremated them.”

A sad sigh escaped him. “That would explain the tremendous amount of ash and personal effects we found there.” He felt his mate jerk with a sob, and rolled her against his chest. “I’m sorry, baby. I shouldn’t have blurted it out like that. I forgot how much of a softy you really are.”

She sniffled. “If you tell anyone, I’ll make sure
you
remain
soft
for a long time before I make you hard again.”

He kissed her head and laughed. “Secret’s safe, baby. I plan to stay hard for you for a long time to come.” She rubbed her stomach over his growing erection.

“Sounds good to me,” she said, lifting her chin so he could kiss her.

An old lady slowly approached them, eyes as wide as could be, pinned on him.

“Who’s that?” he asked. “Friend of yours?”

Aria called out, “Maree, come meet my mate. I’m taking your advice to screw him and—“ She noted her friend’s strange expression aimed at her mate. “Maree, this is Trevan Stone. Do you know him?”

With a shaky hand, the older woman took his and brought it against her chest. “Are you the son of Nancy, daughter to Agatha Schroeder?” It had been a long time since he’d heard his mother’s and grandmother’s names in connection with them.

“I am. Who are you?”

Tears filled the elder vampire’s eyes. “Trevan, I am your great-grandmother.”

Dumbstruck wouldn’t come close to the way he felt. He had family still alive. Be it a vampire, but family.

Aria came to her senses before he did. “How could that be, Maree?”

“Easy,” she said. “A long time ago, I found my mate. He was a wolf, and what a gorgeous one he was. Sexy as a chicken leg covered in hot lard, he was. I gave birth to a little girl—”

“Wait,” Aria said. “You could have children? How did they turn out?” The dream of the wolf-bodied child with vampire head flashed in her head.

“Well, altogether, we had one wolf and two vampires.”

“And they were all normal?”

“As normal as a wolf shifter and vampire can be,” the elder said with a smile. Trevan saw the twinkle in the lady’s eyes and realized the reasoning behind his mate’s questions. Aria was afraid of how their children would turn out.

A shot of adrenaline zipped through him. His mate wanted children. She wanted a clan, or a pack. Wait—they would have a
clack
. Sounded sorta weird, but that’s what it was when joining a clan and pack. He would be a dad!

He noted Maree was still telling her story. “So with my mate gone, I had to give the newborn wolf to a family who knew how to raise her. I surely didn’t. I stayed close to my baby and watched her grow from a distance. Your grandmother was so beautiful, Trevan. And so was your mother. Until the night of the attack.” The elder’s head drooped, sadness filled the air.

He turned to Maree and cupped his hands around her shoulders. “Maree, do you mean the vampire raid that killed my pack?”

Her head lifted slowly to meet his eyes. Tears ran down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry, son.” She looked at Aria. “I’m so sorry for both of you.” Aria shared a glance with him.

“Why me, Maree?” Aria asked.

Maree raised her face to the sky. “They are all finally dead. Let the truth be told.” He and Aria waited for the woman to continue. She looked at his mate. “The night of the attack, your grandfather argued with Filip and his followers. Filip wanted to do away with the wolf pack that got in the way of taking victims caught in the city. Your grandfather refused, saying it was against the rules to drink from humans.

“But Filip wouldn’t hear of it. He ambushed your grandfather and killed him, then led the attack on the wolf settlement. When those of us who had no clue what was happening figured it out, it was too late. Filip had taken control and threatened torture for anyone ever speaking about it, in or out of the clan.”

“Filip killed my grandfather? Filip said a group of wolves attacked him when he was in the woods alone. That lying son of a bitch.” Trevan smelled surprise and sadness from his mate. “My god, Trevan. I now remember Filip telling my dad that the clan retaliated and killed the wolves that killed Grandfather. That was
your
pack, Trevan. Oh my god.”

He wrapped an arm around his mate and held her against him. He now held two crying women. How did he ever get so lucky?

“It’s okay, sweetheart. You got your vengeance before you ever knew of the crime. You killed Filip and his groupies earlier, and we finished them off here.”

“Yes,” Maree said. “You finished them here. Those who stand with me are against harming humans for blood. They are here to help you, Aria. As am I.”

His mate dried her cheeks and turned to the group of twenty standing behind the elder. They smiled, a couple gave a shy wave.

“I must say, Trevan, you’re a big boy. A lot like your great-grandfather was.”

“Believe it or not, I wasn’t nearly this size six hours ago,” he said. “After Aria and I—after we—uh…” Trevan felt his cheeks heat, then his face, and good god, all the way to his toes.

“Mated. After you two mated.” Maree winked at him. “We’re all adults here, son. It’s okay.”

“Uh, yeah. After we mated, I had a growth spurt.” He couldn’t bring his eyes to meet hers yet. His face burned.

The older woman took a thinking stance. “My guess would be the vampire blood in you lay dormant until Aria’s blood woke it. And when it did, it added power and strength to your existing wolf. You, my dear son, are the baddest of the badass creatures in existence.” Coming from a little old lady, that line was hilarious. Those behind Maree laughed along with him and Aria.

He leaned down to Aria’s ear. “Why don’t you and Maree get with the group and talk while I help Mason and the others with clean up.”

She looked at him with such love and gratitude, he melted on the spot. So much for being badass. He’d settle for mushy badass. He took her face in his hands and kissed her long and hot. Someone in the group cleared their throat to break them apart with a smile.

“I love you, vampire mate.”

“I love you, wolf mate.” She slapped his nearly bare ass. “Get going. I got shit to do.” Her smile filled his heart to the fullest.

He had no doubt he and his mate would be just fine.