Alpha Mine (The Alpha Council Chronicles) (23 page)

Chapter 27

Stephan lay in his bed under his red satin sheets. He rolled onto his back, laying one arm across his forehead, his eyes opened wide. Like a scene from a horror movie flickering on the big screen, every time he shut his eyes, he saw the pregnant female fall in slow motion and become impaled upon the sword. It was not just the sights which kept him awake but the sounds of that night, playing over and over again like a stuck record in his head. He hadn’t slept in days. The few times he drifted off dreams of what had happened plagued him.

He turned his head and looked at Kat who lay sleeping beside him with her hand tucked under her cheek on her pillow. He gently brushed a golden curl from her face as she nuzzled into the pillow. He looked down and smiled, but the smile faded quickly when the fear crept back in.

He knew Gage’s threat to take from him all that was dear was a promise. He couldn’t imagine anything more dear to him than the woman lying beside him. She meant everything to him and he worried that Gage would find a way to take her from him. As he watched her chest rise and fall with each breath, anxiety, the likes of which he’d never experienced before, gripped him tighter, like a hand gripping his heart, squeezing until it could not beat anymore.

He rolled toward Katrina and drew her into him. Holding her close, he breathed in her honeysuckle scent, trying to absorb her very essence so he would never lose her.

****

Gage sat in his office, across from Trace and Alvero, plotting a strategy of retribution.

“You know,” said Trace, “tit for tat is the best revenge.”

Gage raised an inquiring eyebrow at him, encouraging him to continue.

Trace crossed one ankle onto the opposite knee and continued. “We need to find out if von Haas has a heartmate.”

Thoughts of the night they met after the ballet flowed through Gage’s mind. “When I first met him, he accompanied a female, a human. He seemed rather fond of her. Nicholai Peterhof, might know who the woman is.”

Alvero leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. “But if Nicholai knows von Haas, then don’t you think he would be reluctant to give up the information?”

“I suppose you are right,” Gage agreed. “If we knew where von Haas lived, we could watch the place, take the woman. If Nicholai knows von Haas, perhaps he would know where the bastard lives.”

“We could force Peterhof to give us the information,” suggested Trace rubbing his hands together as if anticipating the techniques that would be needed to force Nicholai’s cooperation.

“I don’t like that option, unless it is our last resort. Nicholai was kind to Andrea. I don’t want to hurt him.” Gage pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yet still, we need more information on von Haas.”

“I looked him up on the internet,” offered Alvero. “He owns several businesses, but none of them are here in Vegas. I wonder why he is here.”

“That’s a good question.” Gage tapped his lips with his index finger, thoughtfully. “I wonder…just why is he here?”

Trace shrugged. “Maybe he just came to see the ballet.”

“Huh, I don’t know…Maybe.” Gage looked pensively at the two guards and stroked his hand down his face. “Something seemed familiar about the woman he took to the ballet. I could have sworn I knew her from somewhere. Give me time, maybe I can figure out where I’ve seen her before.”

“Perhaps she is from Vegas. Maybe that’s why Stephan is here, to see her.” A hopeful expression lit Alvero’s face.

“Hmmm.” Gage stroked his chin. “I guess that could make sense, if she lives in Vegas he could be here to see her.

“Perhaps I recognize her because I have seen her around town. But where? How do I know her? Maybe I’ve seen her at a show.”

“Oh, yeah.” Trace suddenly reached into the pocket with a look of concern on his face. “I’m hesitant to mention this, sir, but the maid found something when she cleaned your room this evening.”

“What is it?” Gage snapped, perturbed by the change of subject. He didn’t have time for any nonsense. He had more important things to think about like finding the human and exacting revenge.

Trace withdrew his hand from the pocket black pants. “It’s two tickets. I think perhaps Andrea planned to surprise you by taking you to a show.”

Tears pushed into Gage’s eyes, and he quickly blinked them away. Grief had no place within him, revenge and anger were now his emotion of choice. “Tickets to what?” he muttered.

Trace looked down at the tickets in his hand. “To the show Desire, at Reaper’s. They’re for Friday night.”

Gage shook his head. As if he would want to go without his Andrea. “I don’t want to go. You can have the tickets, Trace. Why don’t you and Alvero go? You two have helped me much during the past days.”

Alvero looked at him, brow furrowed over his eyes. “Are you sure? Wouldn’t you like to go? Perhaps it could take your mind off of everything for a little while.”

“No. Sadly the only thing that show will remind me of is the last time Andrea and I were there.” His mind replayed that evening, how Andrea touched him making him feel every bit a desirable male. He smiled remembering how he created a mental cloak to hide them from prying eyes as she whispered in his ear to think of the blonde dancer while she excited him.

Suddenly his eyes went wide with realization. His head snapped up. “I know who she is.” His voice, loud with excitement, caused the guards to jump.

“You know who ‘who’ is?” asked Alvero.

“I know who the woman is…von Haas’ woman. I know how to find her. I-I know where the woman works,” Gage stammered with enthusiasm. For the first time since losing his heartmate, he felt a moment of happiness.

Chapter 28

Katrina slid into her jacket and walked down the fluorescent lit hallway, the lights glistening off the polished linoleum. As she reached Reaper’s side exit door, she thought about Stephan. It had been more than a week since the incident, and he had been very stoic and sullen. He’d not spoken with her again about the accident, she believed in an attempt to ease her concern. However, the lack of dialogue gave Kat’s mind the opportunity to contrive her own version of what might be going on in Stephan’s head.

She imagined him riddled with guilt over what happened, and she could not ease that remorse, because he would not discuss it. It broke her heart to think of him suffering and not be allowed to console him. The thought of how he must be hurting brought tears to her eyes.

A noble, honorable man, he would not have purposely caused the death of an innocent. Her heart ached to comfort him. He was being strong for her, when it was she who should be strong for him, lifting him up. She rested her hand on the door latch and took a steadying breath, wiping the tears from her eyes with the back of her other hand.

She wanted to be calm and collected when she greeted her chaperone for her ride home. She hoped Stephan would be waiting for her in the alley, but lately the chaperone duty rotated amongst the Alphas, so she wasn’t sure exactly who would be waiting for her. She just hoped it wouldn’t be Demetri. He scared the hell out of her with his powerful presence and glowering looks.

Outside the rain poured down like a banshee and she wished she’d chosen to wear jeans instead of a skirt and light blouse. As she stepped free of the door an arm wrapped around her waist like an iron trap, pushing the breath from her body. Instinct kicked in, and she thrashed her legs wildly, struggling to free herself to no avail. Self-perseveration sent her skull careening into the attacker’s nose.

Pain shot through Katrina’s head, but it had the desired effect. She heard the nose break on impact and the assailant dropped her. Kat collapsed in a gasping heap in the alleyway, her hands and knees scraped by the hard asphalt. The punishing drops of rain stung her exposed skin, as she crawled away and fought to regain her breath.

A hand clamp down around her ankle. Its bite flexed her bones and twisted, then pulled her backwards. She grasped at the asphalt, looking for purchase. The pebbles on the hard pavement ground into her hands and legs as she was dragged back. A piece of broken glass sliced deep into her knee. The pain sharpened her senses. As adrenaline rushed through her body, her fight or flight instinct kicked into fight mode.

Kat turned onto her back and kicked the attacker with her free leg. Her heel connected with his broken nose, sending blood spraying across her leg. He tightened his grip on her injured leg, and Kat screamed in agony. She knew he intended to break her bones. She kicked again with the free foot. This time her attacker turned his head so his eye socket took the blow. Her leg, firm from years of dancing, gave a solid blow to his face, and he finally released his grip.

Kat scrambled away from him doing a backward crabwalk into a wall. Suddenly the barrier retreated, faded away from her back. Confused, Katrina looked up taking her eyes from her attacker. The hard rain caused her eyes to narrow and made it difficult to discern the features of the dark figure that stood behind her. Panic coursed through her body. Another attacker! She knew she couldn’t take on two.

Then the figure stepped forward into the light provided from the small bulb outside the door to Reapers. Through her squinting eyes, she realized Demetri stood behind her. Relief pulsed through her veins in time with her beating heart.

In one swift motion, too quick for Kat to follow, Demetri scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the H3. He opened the door and tossed her onto the back seat.

“You’re injured,” he said looking down at her ankle and bleeding leg, his fangs extended.

“Get me out of here.” Tears streamed down her face along with the raindrops
.
She looked him in the eyes, trying to implore him to do as she said. A stoic face met her plea. No emotion, no sympathy.

Kat blinked and her rescuer disappeared, the door to the car closed. Kat looked around, confused. She saw a blur of motion through the rain-soaked windshield, heard the squeal of tires on hot asphalt, then the world became still, silent.

A shadow appeared at the door just before it ripped open. Kat screamed. Demetri’s presence filled the car when he climbed into the back beside her.

“Let’s go,
now
,” pleaded Kat in a shaky voice, still sobbing.

“There’s no reason to rush,” Demetri informed her. “The male who attacked you is gone. He got into a van while I was putting you in the car. I tried to run after him, but I didn’t want to leave you alone in case there were others.”

He grabbed her leg.

“What are you doing?” demanded Kat.

“Hold still you’re injured.” He looked at the bleeding wound on her leg and clamped his hands down on her leg, one on her thigh the other on her calf to pin her leg to the seat.

Kat’s panic returned as the large male manhandled her. She struggled to no avail, grabbed the back of the seat trying to maneuver away from him. Her breathing quickened.

“I’m going to close the wound,” he announced as his fangs extended.

He bent over her leg and licked at the wound. The healing agent in his saliva sealed the injury before her eyes. Her heart raced, not knowing if he would stop once the wound was healed or if bloodlust would overcome him and he would drink from her. Her breath left her lungs in heavy quick rasps.

Demetri looked at her with hungry eyes, eyes that pinned hers, his dark, penetrating stare pushed into her mind. Kat felt the world sway. Blackness tunneled in and she fell into the dark abyss as she vaguely heard a deep voice say something about hyperventilating and sleep.

****

Stephan sensed the arrival of Demetri and Kat. Apparently Marcus did as well for he joined Stephan in the foyer to greet them. Opening the door wide, Stephan was shocked to find Demetri carrying Kat in his bulky arms. Against his large body, she looked like a child sleeping. Demetri bowed his head in greeting.

“What the hell happened?” Stephan pinned Demetri with a harsh glare.

“Your female will be fine,” Demetri replied calmly. “Worry not.”

Stephan assessed Kat’s injuries. His gaze lit on her multiple bruises and swollen ankle.

“What happened?” he asked again as he captured her ankle to examine the bruising.

“She was attacked. I believe the ankle is only sprained. It will be fine.”

“Why is she wet?” asked Marcus looking from Kat to Demetri.

“It’s raining,” Demetri casually informed them as Marcus took off his shirt and laid it over Katrina’s still form.

“Why is she unconscious? Is she hurt badly?” A look of concern furrowed Marcus’ brows.

“She is not unconscious. I put her to sleep.”

“Why?” Stephan inquired, suspicion raising his voice.

Demetri shrugged his shoulders causing Kat to lift briefly. “Because she was crying, and I don’t like listening to a female cry.”

Stephan gingerly took the unconscious Kat from Demetri’s arms
.
The Alpha efficiently relayed the story of what happened in the alley.

“By the time I arrived at the club to escort Kat, another male was already there. I brought the Hummer to a stop and realized the male was attacking. It sickened me that he would attack a defenseless female. But your woman did well. She’d already broken his nose when I arrived.”

A proud smile crossed Marcus’ lips. “That’s my Kitty Kat.”

“My first priority was Katrina’s safety. By the time I loaded her into the car, the male got away. But I got a good look at the van. It was black, no windows on the sides or back.”

“Sounds like the same van I saw at the Lucio compound,” Marcus remarked.

“That sonuvabitch! Gage tried to kidnap my Katrina,” Stephan yelled, causing Kat to stir. Demetri obviously released his command to sleep for her eyelids fluttered open. She looked around at her surroundings, her eyes coming to rest briefly on him. A look of confusion crossed the delicate features of her face when she looked from Marcus to Demetri and finally to Nicholai who had come to join the group in the foyer.

“Where am I?” she asked after she blinked a few times seemingly to clear the sleepy haze from her mind. Her face twisted in pain when she flexed her ankle. It brought tears to her eyes she could not contain. Kat moaned, and Stephan brought her close, holding her tightly to his chest.