Embrace the Passion (The Blood Rose Series) (8 page)

Glancing at her, the horrified expression in her eyes told him she wasn’t aware that she’d done any such thing.

There were so many issues at work that Seth couldn’t quite process what exactly was going on. But as he began analyzing and dissecting the situation, he realized that a new problem had risen, one closely associated with Lorelei’s shifter DNA. Cohoet had demeaned her and no wolf of character could let such a challenge go unanswered. He felt her anger kick into high gear, matching the same level of rage that ruled all of Big Timber right now.

He turned toward her, intending to calm her down, but she’d already launched into the air at Cohoet. In turn, the alpha braced himself with a smile, ready to do battle, even with a female in her weaker fae form.

Acting on instinct, however, Seth flew toward her, catching her around the waist midair. He swung her in a circle and though she fought against him, he brought her back to the snow-covered platform.

She panted hard, her muscles twitching, as she shoved against him trying to get free of his hold. She even showed a soft white ruff circling her throat, which sharpened the appearance of her now ruddy cheeks. Her fur hat had come slightly askew as well.

Lorelei, ease down.
He held her tight. Her brown eyes wild as she glared at the alpha that had challenged her.
I need you to come back to me. Look at me!

The command worked.

Lorelei turned her attention to him, blinking several times as she mentally shouted,
What?

Get hold of your shifter-self right now.

She appeared startled, maybe by the stern tone of his telepathic voice.

Still, she argued,
But who the hell does Cohoet think he is, Seth? And what does he mean that I’m your prime female and that I’ve chosen you? That’s the bullshit here.

But as he stared into her eyes, as he thought about the reality that she was a blood rose as well as an anomaly in his world because of her unusual DNA, he wondered.
What if you have chosen me? What if you are a prime female?

She finally ceased struggling against him, and he let her go.
This is insane.
She tugged at her hat, turning it slightly, straightening it out. Fur had even sprouted on her hands.

At least her temper had settled down, though now she paced back and forth. The white ruff around her neck spoke of her emotions as well as her shifter nature. The random thought streaked through his mind that he liked her show of fur at her wrists, hands and throat. He liked that she had a dominant shifter temper, earthy and wild. In this way, she balanced his stoic analytical nature.

Cohoet addressed Seth, nodding several times. “I approve that the mastyr can control his female. This is a good thing.”

Seth groaned his dismay, then quickly caught Lorelei around her waist as she once more leaped in Cohoet’s direction. Seth held her tight against him as she let loose verbally with her views on Cohoet’s attitudes and character.

“You sexist pig. Mastyr Seth wasn’t controlling me, he was speaking sense, but what the hell would you know about that? You treat your men like slaves and haven’t allowed a single woman to serve in your forces. You’re the least evolved shifter I’ve ever met.”

Cohoet was the only alpha who refused to allow women to join his regiment. The rest of the packs had nearly twenty percent inclusion of female shifter warriors in their ranks. But not Cohoet.

He heard some of the females from all over Big Timber shouting their encouragement to Lorelei as she continued her rant.

“And let me tell you something else, when I think of you as an alpha, I think of another word that begins with A that fits a lot better, and you know exactly what that is.” She continued on in this vein with Cohoet appearing almost bored, arms crossed over his massive chest. He had no use for women except in bed, to cook his meals, or to clean up after him.

Seth, however, now found himself in a ridiculous quandary. He needed her to calm the hell down, but her writhing body as she tried to pull away from him, sent desire for her rocketing through him once more.

The uncivilized part of him loved that she was out-of-control and saying things to Cohoet that most of the men present, and all of the women, had wanted to say to the bastard at some time or another.

He let her say what she wanted and settled into enjoying the soft curves of her body. He sniffed the ruff at her neck, savoring the erotic apple blossom scent as she continued her tirade.

The beautiful white fur on the backs of her hands called to him as well. He was pretty sure her scent would be strong there as well, and he wanted more of it.

Suddenly, Lorelei whirled abruptly in his arms, landing on her feet and staring at him with horrified eyes once more.
Why the hell have you gone all mossy on me?

He thought about lying to her, but he didn’t see the point. His scent clearly had given him away.
Because I like you like this, all worked up and shouting at Cohoet.

He hadn’t planned on his arousal being the reason that her rage burnt itself out, but it was as good a tool as any and rather fitting for the circumstances. Of all the realm species, shifters had a real wild side when it came to sex, liking it earthy and rough.

And he understood very clearly that some part of his controlled vampire-self wanted to thoroughly explore this side of Lorelei.

She breathed hard as she slowly recovered her temper.

Another of the alphas, Valgus, spoke up. “Mastyr Seth, I confess I’ve enjoyed listening to the prime female enumerate my fellow alpha’s considerable flaws.” He paused, nodding to Cohoet, and a chuckle ran through the crowd. “But to return to the issue at hand, Lorelei’s summoning of all four packs has created a huge territorial conflict. Our customs demand that we settle the dispute by our usual methods.”

In the shifter world, the ‘usual methods’ referred to physical combat.

Part of ruling an entire realm, with so many varied species, involved allowing individual species the latitude to self-govern as each saw fit. Battling mano-a-mano worked for the shifter packs.

But the current situation left all of Walvashorr vulnerable. “I can’t let you do that, Valgus. The ancient fae has a presence in Walvashorr right now and has been bringing in dozens of Invictus wraith-pairs to harm our families. Which means that I need all of you serving your territories as you have been for the past several decades. Right now most of the Shauck Mountains is unprotected.”

Alophi, closer in attitude to Cohoet than the others, added his piece. “You know we take care of our own first. That’s pack law. And decisions must be made.”

Seth frowned. “What decisions?”

Ephyx stepped forward. “The prime female has upset the balance among the packs. Crossing territories, as many of us did in order to answer her call to Loperz Canyon, has left scent trails and the women of those territories are now free to pursue the men of other packs.”

Okay, that was a real problem. “I see.”

Even Lorelei grew quiet. She could hardly argue against territoriality when, not even an hour ago, they’d both established a need for exclusivity.

Lorelei pathed,
Seth, I have no idea what to do here? I don’t even known what it means to be a prime female.

Seth turned toward her.
If you’re the prime female and your call caused this problem, maybe you have the answer as well.

That might be true, but I still don’t know what I’m doing.

Seth once more turned his attention toward the packs, acutely aware of the hostility that ran through the brigade. He tried to quickly size up what needed to be done, but the truth was he didn’t have sufficient information to make a proper assessment.
We need an expert here, someone to help us figure this out. I’m thinking we should bring Davido in.

Davido, of course.
Lorelei’s eyes brightened.
He’s as old as the hills. If anyone will have answers about what’s going on, he will.

I agree.

Aloud, he addressed the alphas. “We need realm support and I’m calling Davido to help us sort this out. Any objections?” He glared as he spoke, his chin lowered, letting them know that he wasn’t in the mood for argument.

The alphas took turns nodding their acquiescence. When he had the full support of each, he suggested a hunt for fresh venison, while he contacted the old troll. Empty stomachs would not help the general volatility of the packs.

When the orders were issued, several shifters from each pack transformed into wolves and took off in four different directions. The rest set up tall tripods for dressing the meat and built fire pits for spit-roasting.

Seth remained with Lorelei in the center of the expansive compound.

She slipped her arm around his, then pathed,
That was brilliant, sending them out to hunt. Shifters prefer to be doing.

He met her gaze.
Sweet Goddess, a prime female?

Don’t remind me. I’m freaking out.

He drew his phone from the pocket of his battle leathers. Time to bring in the big guns.

Just as he pulled up Davido’s number, the troll’s voice sounded from behind him. “Were you about to call me, my good Mastyr Seth? I hope so, because my most beloved one sent me, or have I come too soon?”

“Davido,” Lorelei cried, turning as she spoke. This time when she launched, Seth didn’t stop her. He had no fear of Davido, despite his famous charisma.

Davido opened his arms and embraced Lorelei. She had to bend over to reach him given David’s short stature, which gave Seth an improper view of her bottom encased in tight jeans. Like the male he was, he took full advantage of the sight.

Davido rubbed Lorelei’s back and cleared his throat, finally drawing Seth’s gaze away from her.

Davido winked.

Seth chuckled. He’d always liked Davido, one of the ugliest trolls, and finest men, he’d ever known. He was married to perhaps the most beautiful woman in the Nine Realms, Vojalie of Merhaine Realm, a very powerful fae, the one who had sent Davido to Big Timber.

The mystery of Davido’s age prompted all kinds of curiosity. Seth had known him his entire life which placed him beyond eleven-hundred years, yet his ancient background remained a great secret. But the realm-folk loved the kind and very wise, ancient troll and his wife’s adoration set an example for everyone.

He also had incredible powers, well beyond even the most gifted in their world. Seth still didn’t know how he actually travelled. Though he had the capacity for flight, more often than not, he did his appear-disappear act.

When he finally released Lorelei, he shivered. “Is there some place warmer we can go to talk?”

Seth glanced around. The main lodge would warm up quickly once he got a fire going. “Follow me.”

Davido immediately took Lorelei’s hand. “And how is everything, my dear? Did Rosamunde teach you what you needed to know?”

Seth watched them, his gaze dropping more than once to Davido’s hand clasping Lorelei’s. His heart seized. He wanted to feel that at ease with her, that he could take her hand and hold it in his.

He felt as though he’d lived a lifetime with her over the past twenty-four hours, carrying her in his arms while she’d been in wolf-form, fearing she would die. He’d even taken from her throat and had sex with her. Yet, the thought of holding her hand unsettled him, another sign that he hardly knew her.

She chatted with Davido asking about baby Bernice, their recent addition to what was a large family.

He knew Lorelei had worked in Davido’s household a long time ago and that Davido had helped Quinlan and Batya get Lorelei to Ferrenden Peace just two months past. The two of them had a connection, something he hadn’t experienced in a long time.
Centuries ago, he’d cared deeply for Kristen, a woman he’d thought to marry. But from the time he’d lost her through her betrayal and subsequent death, he hadn’t allowed any woman to get close.

He marveled at the blood rose phenomenon that kept moving in waves through the mastyrs of the Nine Realms. And now Lorelei, who had come into his life, was capable of creating an endless supply of blood for him.

Through Quinlan, and subsequent conversations he’d had with Rosamunde during the month the queen had trained Lorelei, Seth knew that Lorelei had been the product of genetic manipulation, a test-tube fetus that had carried all four strains of DNA, each with the ability to present a significant face to the world, a complete anomaly in realm history.

She’d also been designed to be a weapon to be used for Margetta’s ambitions to one day rule their world.

But Margetta had kidnapped the wrong troll to raise Lorelei, because Genevieve’s excellent character had made Lorelei a woman of great worth.

As Davido and Lorelei stepped up on the broad porch of the main lodge, she glanced at him and smiled. She looked happy, and why wouldn’t she be since she still held Davido’s hand?

Jealous?
Lorelei pierced his telepathic frequency, taunting him again.

His breath caught at the teasing smile on her lips. The woman seemed to enjoy baiting him and therefore deserved to be answered in kind.
Yes. I want my hands on you, shifter-woman.

What returned to him was a sudden rush of apple blossom scent. Desire flowed quickly through his groin in response, hardening what shouldn’t be hard right now.

Davido also looked back at him and chuckled. “The two of you can flirt later. Right now, we need to stop the four packs from going to war.”

* * * * * * * * *

Lorelei stood back as Davido and Seth worked to build a fire in the massive, lodge fireplace. Because of her shifter qualities, she was perfectly warm despite the frigid air in the room. She sat down on the leather loveseat nearest the fire, resting her elbow on the arm, her chin in hand. She crossed her legs at the knee and waggled her furry boot up and down.

She felt edgy, in part because Seth’s mossy scent had about knocked her over and all she’d done was tease him a little. She’d been craving the man for two months now and all that the recent sex had done was make her want more of him, a lot more.