Pricolici (19 page)

He’d assumed the individual instruction had been because everyone’s power was different, as well as preventing any insurrection against the school, but maybe it was more than that. Maybe the reason the school worked was that the instructors ‘owned’ the power of the school grounds. The concept was academic, though. He only knew of one other hultan, and even if he’d claimed Phell’s territory as his own, they were a long way from there. No matter what, Tucker and Stelian were going to try their damndest to kill the fucker.

They followed the stench. Tucker expected to hear shouting and shots, some sounds of a fight, but there was nothing. The front doors of the gigantic villa were open. The lupes in human form had their guns out and held to the ready.

“The hultan has red hair and black eyes. Shoot to kill or rip the fucker’s throat out,” Stelian instructed, his voice rough and slightly garbled by his muzzle.

The teams of two acknowledged Stelian’s command. They each took quadrants and moved through the house. The first time they came across anyone, they were frozen, slumped over in various poses.

“Fuck.”

Tucker reviewed what he could do to counter something like that. He was strongest with nature. What could he do inside a damn house?

The trail of fallen lupes led to stairs. “Down,” Stelian ordered.

“Don’t bring this house down on us. We’ll never make it out if we’re in the basement.”

Well, it wouldn’t be his intention, but Tucker wouldn’t promise anything.

Tucker walked directly behind Stelian. He couldn’t see ahead of them over Stelian’s wide shoulders when he was in his hybrid form. They finally heard the sounds of a fight they’d expected earlier. Snarls and bodies thudding against walls echoed in the high walled space. There was a giant crash and sound of glass breaking; the sharp tang of wine filled the air.

“The cellar.” They formed back up and veered right. The wine couldn’t cover the rotten, fetid stench of the hultan. It made Tucker’s mouth water as his stomach threatened to rebel. Damn it, he really need to stop with the vomiting. It was distracting.

“Stop him!” someone roared.

“Acacius,” Stelian shouted. “My men are coming in.”

They burst inside the wine cellar. A hybrid lupe—obviously Acacius—stumbled back as the last of his guards fell.

“You can’t stop me! I know it’s here.” The hultan waved his free hand and the barrage of bullets simply fell from the air.

The fucker had telekinesis.

Now that he had dropped his illusion, Tucker could see the other hultan looked nothing like him. He had wispy red hair pulled back into a sloppy ponytail, with pale white skin covered in dark freckles. A necklace on a long, silver chain hung against his thin chest. The shiny black stone inside had a jagged edge that gleamed in the harsh light. His teeth were yellow, but his eyes were solid black. He was using a ton of power.

Tucker could feel the taint spreading through the room. He desperately wished they were outside. There weren’t even any windows to allow light inside. The hultan leapt forward and latched onto Acacius’ arm, crowing in victory. There was a surge of power, making Tucker dizzy. Tucker reached out for Stelian, fighting against the other’s power. Around them the Hunters froze, both in human and lupe form, but Stelian and Tucker stayed safe.

“He’s draining power from Acacius. We have to separate them. He can’t freeze me when you’re holding on to me. Don’t let go, Tucker!”

They moved forward, pushing past the frozen lupes in front of them. The hultan snarled and waved one hand. Wine bottles flew at them. Tucker focused and pushed them away with a burst of wind that rocked the light bulb hanging down from the ceiling. Shadows danced crazily through the room.

Acacius glared at them; he was frozen but not unaware, so he hadn’t been drugged. Tucker wished he could read minds.

That’s what the hultan was doing! All his powers were mental. That’s how he found out where Stelian’s underground bunker was and how to get inside the biometric lock. Stelian had told him, without ever knowing.

The hultan screamed in rage. Tucker thought it was the deflection of his attack, but then he dropped Acacius’ arm, extending his arm and throwing the hybrid lupe’s body into an entire wine rack. “You don’t have it!” Spit flew from his lips and the bitter, acrid stench grew.

“You! You warned him,” he accused Stelian.

“Of course I did. I wasn’t going to let you have the jewel.” Stelian and Tucker crept closer as the hultan raved.

“I should’ve killed you as soon as I learned where the jewel was.” He threw a rack at them, and Tucker deflected it again. “Why would your enemy believe you?”

“Your mistake,” Stelian snarled. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

“I don’t make mistakes. I needed him”—he thrust one filthy finger at Tucker—“so he could die. I knew you would come here. I shot you with enough sedative to keep you out for days. He was supposed to come with you so I could use his heart’s blood to heal the jewel, and then I’d have the power to know the future. No one would be able to stop me from stealing the power of all the hultans being reborn—I’d know who they were, even before they transformed.

“With the combined power, I’d be a god.”

What was Stelian planning? Tucker was tiring, his power ebbing. He didn’t want to draw power from Stelian, but Tucker wouldn’t be able to protect his mate much longer, and it seemed like the hultan had power to spare. How had he gotten so powerful? He was old, much older than Tucker, but how had he learned about his power? 

“Let me show you,” he cackled.

Tucker had been using bursts of wind to keep them safe, but he didn’t see the wine bottles coming from behind them. His inexperience in a fight cost them. One heavy bottle struck the back of Stelian’s head and two broke against Tucker’s back, slicing through his shirt and skin.

Crumpling, Stelian collapsed to the ground, pulling his arm out of Tucker’s grasp. Desperate, Tucker called up all the power he had left, trying to stop the barrage of projectiles from hitting them again. He tried pulling power through the cobbles under his feet but he couldn’t. They were going to die in the basement of a stranger’s house, and there was nothing Tucker could do.

One bottle struck the light bulb, and it burst in a shower of sparks, leaving jagged afterimages of lines in the pitch black, that reminded him of the marks on his skin after he’d killed Phell.

In that moment, Tucker changed his game plan. He would not let his mate die. Tucker ignored the bottles that hit him with bruising force, two more breaking, leaving deep cuts. He reached toward the broken light bulb, stretching as tall as he could in the darkness. He could feel the current coursing through the cord. The bulb cut his palm, and he almost lost his grip when his palm grew slippery with blood, but he held on with a death grip.

The other hultan didn’t need to see him to keep up his assault, but neither did Tucker.

Chapter Eighteen

Every hair on Tucker’s body stood up. Lightning was nothing more than electricity—and this time Tucker didn’t have to gather it. It already coursed through the house. Sparks flew, burning him, but he ignored the pain, lost in the power surging through him and his need to kill the threat to his mate.

No one was going to come between them. Not a rabid lupe, and not a raving maniac craving power. Only a madman went after a jewel that had a history of driving everyone who used it crazy. Tucker wouldn’t let the cackling hultan win.

His nerve endings screaming after just a second as Tucker drained the house, he couldn’t hold the electricity in any longer. Blue crackles sparkled on his fingertips as he sent the energy into his palm, focusing on the center of that starburst design on his hand.

Tucker focused on the center of all that evil. “Divert this,” he said as he shot the ball of electricity right for his enemy. Incorporeal, made of pure energy, the lightning defied the other hultan’s telekinesis and slammed right into the jewel on his chest.

His shriek echoed off the stone walls and ceiling, rebounding and building until Tucker’s ears ached.

The room lit up blue as Tucker sent shot after shot through his palm. The constant barrage shattered the stone. Shards flew, embedding in the blackened and peeling flesh off the hultan’s chest. He staggered back against the wall, then slid down to the floor. Tucker didn’t stop until he was unrecognizable, his body charred beyond recognition.

His repulsive stench was replaced by the odor of barbequed flesh. The taint in the power disappeared, and Tucker knew the hultan was finally dead.

Tucker collapsed to his knees, cradling his lacerated palm to his chest. He slumped sideways, falling against his mate. His head rested against the back of Stelian’s shoulder. Skin-to-skin, Tucker could sense the dangerous swelling in Stelian’s brain from the bottles that had struck him.

He wasn’t healing fast enough.

With the last speck of power inside him, Tucker willed Stelian’s brain to heal itself, for the swelling to go down as his body absorbed the extra fluid.

He gasped as the power left him too weak; breathing took more effort than it was worth.

Regret filled Tucker. He’d stopped the hultan in his bid for power, but in doing so, he’d burned out every speck of power he had inside. There was nothing left to heal himself. Stelian was going to be furious with him, if Acacius didn’t follow through on his threat to kill them both.

If Acacius killed Stelian, and rebirth was possible, Tucker would find a way to come back and make him pay. They’d just saved the arrogant alpha’s life; he owed them.

Tucker struggled to hold onto the sensation of his mate’s flesh, to savor the last touch he’d ever feel.

Sharp pain throbbed in Tucker’s cheek. “Tucker!” The throbbing grew. “You have to wake up. Heal yourself, Tucker.
Please
. Don’t leave me.”

Stelian was an alpha; he should never beg, but Tucker couldn’t heal himself inside a cellar and he was too drained to tell Stelian what he needed. Fatalistic, he knew he’d done too much.

His hand was shoved down, cool dirt covering it. “Feel the earth. I know you’re still in there. Feel. Breathe. Come back to me.”

“Stelian, it’s too late,” someone said. He was right. The well of power inside Tucker was empty. He couldn’t move, not even if he wanted to. He’d used up every last spark of energy inside him. His heart fluttered in his chest, no longer beating properly.

“No! I can still feel him. He’s in there. He just has to fight through it.” Stelian’s vicious denial gave Tucker a small glimmer of hope, but he hurt so badly. He tried coaxing power from the earth under his hand.

It wasn’t enough.

“Help me! Get his pants off.” Fabric ripped. “There, Tucker. Use your whole body. Please don’t give up; I love you. I need you.” Moisture dripped on Tucker’s face as someone slapped him again. “Wake up!”

Fire blossomed along Tucker’s nerves. The trickle of power was too much for the damaged tissue, but if he stopped, he’d die. He didn’t
want
to die. Will. He had to will himself to live, despite the pain.

He gasped in a ragged breath and then
pulled
.

A scream burst from his lungs as the power went from a trickle to a torrent. His back bowed until just his head and heels touched the ground.

“No more,” he shrieked. He stared up at the blue sky, his eyes peeled open as every muscle contracted, desperate for the influx to stop. Stelian grabbed him under his back and knees, standing up so Tucker was no longer touching the ground.

“Tucker? Mate?”

All Tucker could do was breathe.

Epilogue

Tucker was all alone in the big house, though there were guards stationed around outside. Stelian was out with the Hunters, checking the perimeter of the ground the haitas would run that night. They were home, and their enemies were dead, but Stelian’s hypervigilance had grown. He wouldn’t allow any risk to his mate or his pack. 

Unable to sit still, Tucker went down to the garden. He sat, meditating and drawing on the energy of the world around him. After his battle at Acacius’ villa, Tucker had learned to think outside the box when it came to applying his powers. He still read the book Stelian gave him, but the world was a far different place than the one the ancient hultans lived in. Their ways didn’t have to be his when it came to using his power.

Tucker sensed clouds building overhead. Using some of his new knowledge, he nudged the wind. He didn’t try to shove the clouds away with brute power. He had to use magic wisely; Tucker never wanted to burn out again. Instead, he coaxed the wind to flow the way he wanted to push the clouds away from the property.

When he opened his eyes, he could see the slightly gray masses slowly drifting south. He barely felt tired. Tucker grinned as he quickly absorbed some heat from the sun; it brought him back to full power.

That night the entire haitas was gathered in the clearing under the full moon. Tucker had butterflies in his stomach as he waited behind the trees. He was nervous, bouncing on the balls of his feet. It took all the willpower he had to focus his magic. His capacity for it had grown, and he was even more powerful, but that could lead to something like a sugar rush if he was outside barefoot too long and drew up too much power.

He sent his power into the earth, grounding it, and pulling a little of its serene calm into his aura.

He sighed with relief as his muscles relaxed.
"It’ll be time soon. Are you ready?" Grecia asked him.

“What?” He fingered the mark on his shoulder as he stared into space and wondered what it would take to get Stelian to bite him again. Stelian had been too solicitous of Tucker’s health after he almost died, but the night before Tucker had recreated their mating.

Of course, they didn’t have to get up and board a plane within a few hours, so the pleasure went on and on.

“Thinking about your mating?” Grecia laughed and nudged him in the ribs.

“Huh?” Tucker reluctantly gave up the daydream where he and Stelian were in bed, alone, to glare at Grecia. She smirked at him, her eyes showing her amusement. “Your elbow is sharp,” he complained.

“You have that totally sated, ‘I just got gnawed on by my mate’ look.”

Tucker cursed as he blushed again. Grecia had turned into a really good friend, and as a bonus, she’d promised once he was mated that she would introduce him to the members of Daos. Tucker loved music and he couldn’t wait to meet the lupes in the band besides Marevin. If Stelian ever let him leave the bedroom, that is.

He’d been rubbing his cock against Tucker’s ass in his sleep when Tucker woke up, and his second orgasm from the blow job in the shower when Stelian had finally decided to get up and run the perimeter checks had left Tucker too sated to want to go along, even if he loved running as a wolf alongside his mate.

Tucker got lost in the memories, a secret smile on his face.

A snort and another hard poke in his ribs shocked Tucker, making him jump. Grecia had an amused look on her face again. He hadn’t even realized he’d sunk into a trance. Tucker cursed quietly when he realized he was going to have to walk out in front of the haitas with a hard-on bulging his leather pants. Stelian had asked him to wear the pants and metal chain he'd been wearing the first night they met, and Tucker had agreed.

Anything to please his mate so he'd agree to a round three after the ceremony. Tucker had to do something with all the extra energy!

“I asked if you were ready. It’s time. Though—”

Tucker cut her off. "I'm ready."

Tucker took a breath and followed Grecia into the clearing. The moon stood high above them, bathing the landscape in a cool silver glow. There were no clouds marring this sky. Tucker was proud of himself and his newfound control over his powers.

He was led to his mate in front of the assembled haitas. Grecia smiled at them as Tucker stepped close to Stelian and took his hand. She turned to the crowd, standing in front of them.
"Many of you have met Tucker. You know his actions saved our alpha when the traitor Phell attacked. Many of you witnessed his act of magic to find Stelian after he was abducted, when no one else could. He’s saved the alpha of another haitas, and made old enemies into new allies.

“At every turn, he’s protected this haitas as if born to it. If any here object to the fitness of this man mating with our alpha, let them speak now." She glared out at everyone, hands on her hips, daring any to speak up.

No one did.

Stelian and Tucker smiled when she turned to her mate. Marevin, as Stelian’s second-in-command, would examine Tucker and make the announcement to the haitas. He stepped forward and ran his face over Tucker's shoulder, close enough to catch his scent as he examined his mating mark without actually touching him.

"The mark and mating have been completed," he announced. Tucker and Stelian’s scents had mingled, and would forever be entwined as mates.

The haitas cheered.

One by one they each came up and inhaled the scent of the alpha's new mate and their new member. Names in a big haitas could be hard to remember, but lupes had a nose for scents. As the mate of their alpha, no one would mistake Tucker for anyone other than a male to obey and protect, with their lives, if necessary. Many of them murmured their thanks for his actions that helped prevent the all-out war the insane hultan would’ve started.

Tucker stood very still and hoped the scent of his lust wouldn’t offend any of the males. Less worried about offending them, he exchanged smiles with the females and the young lupes who’d yet to have their first change. Tucker trembled a little as he relaxed from his rigid pose after the entire pack imprinted his scent and greeted him without incident.

Once everyone greeted Tucker, the youngest lupes were ushered off to the house by their teenage brothers and sisters. The adults all stepped back to their places, stripping to stand naked beneath the moon. Tucker opened the laces on his leather pants, so he could take them off, but Stelian stopped him. He took his time pulling the tight leather pants down, teasingly looking up as he knelt to pull them over Tucker’s bare feet. Back on his feet, his mate was so close to Tucker that he could feel the heat of Stelian’s imminent change radiating off him.

Stelian traced the thick metal links of the collar where it lay snug around Tucker’s neck. “I like this,” he said with a growl after he tugged Tucker in for a short but fierce kiss.

Tucker winked. “I have a couple more collars, if you’d like to see them later.” He ducked his head when the alpha slipped it off him, dropping it onto the pile of his leather pants. Life was precious, and Tucker was going to enjoy it. He’d finally had a chance to unpack, though they hadn’t gone to Stelian’s club, he’d made sure to find all his club wear. He’d make sure Stelian enjoyed it, too.

Tucker watched, knowing the blue of his eyes were slowly being overtaken by the dark swirls as his power and lust grew. Stelian stripped out of his own clothes. The tight jeans and black vest—what he’d worn the first night they’d met—exposed his cut muscles, but the show as he took them off was even better.

Tucker was a little embarrassed by his leaking erection, but the haitas was too busy expressing their joy at the full moon and their alpha’s mating to pay much attention to him. There were looks, but no one said anything—though the Hunters Tucker had grown close to might tease him later. Tucker didn’t care. He could sense the happy energy swirling through the group as their wolves surged inside them, pressing to get out.

Stelian took a step forward, linking their hands and pulling Tucker with him, and tipped his head back.
"Pricolici!" he howled.

The signal given, they transformed, skin and bone shifting until large wolves filled the clearing. All different sizes and coloring, a feeling of electricity ran through the lupes in the haitas as they jostled for position.

Tucker loosed his power and let his shift overtake him. It wasn’t painful; his power had grown so that his shift took place in the span of a single heartbeat. It actually felt good, but the moment his pelt burst through his skin, he always felt itchy. Snorting through his muzzle at the strong scents of the forest, he rolled in the grass, writhing on his back to scratch.

The itch gone, Tucker stood up and shook to get rid of any dirt and grass sticking to his fur. His mate had also shifted while he was rolling around like a dork; his black wolf as large and impressive as always, but his muzzle was wide open and his tongue hung out as Stelian stared at Tucker in amusement. Tucker huffed at him.

The second part of the ceremony didn’t scare Tucker at all; he already knew their bond was complete. He stood motionless while the haitas stood around in wolf form and watched Stelian circle him. The alpha’s wolf had to show his approval and acceptance of Tucker to the pack as well.

Stelian’s wolf pressed up against Tucker’s pale white form. Tucker rubbed back, licking at the wolf’s muzzle. Swiping him affectionately with his large wolf tongue, Stelian set his feet and stood tall like the proud lupe he was. His head tilted back, and he howled again, a full-throated sound that started deep and went high as he called to his haitas.

Digging his claws into the ground, he raced into the dark forest. Tucker ran close to his side, knowing the haitas would follow their alpha pair. He felt nothing but joy, running and playing alongside his mate. They raced over hills and through the trees, investigating smells and sounds as the full moon held sway over the night.

Tucker felt at one with the world. He let his tongue loll out of his mouth as they stopped, letting the haitas flow past and beyond them. Hours had flowed by seemingly in no time at all. The night was half over, though, when they split up and regrouped, couples and families taking their own paths to find a private spot or pick up their kids before heading home.

Tucker stayed with his mate, his smaller all-white form like a pale shadow of Stelian’s black fur. Dawn found them back at the house, Marevin ending the run for Stelian while he took his new mate upstairs to celebrate their bond being accepted by the haitas.

Stelian settled Tucker onto the bed and then curled around him. Their naked bodies rubbed together when Stelian rolled on top of him, pinning him to the bed. Tucker lifted his nose along his mate’s warm neck, his tongue tracing a path up to Stelian’s jaw. He licked and hummed as he enjoyed the spicy flavor of his mate’s flesh.

Stelian growled. “Mine,” he said. He dipped his head down to nip at the mating scar on Tucker’s neck.

Tucker smiled. He didn't argue. He knew where he belonged.