Instinctive - By Cathryn Fox Page 0,72
it.
“You don’t look as confident and secure in your decision as you make it sound.”
Truthfully, turning his back on his brethren wasn’t an easy choice to make by any means, but it was a necessary one, and now that Drake had learned to control his beast and fight using logic, he felt he was leaving his family in good hands. Drake would now be able to help guide the youngsters and hand down knowledge and skill.
Slyck spoke quietly. “I need to be with my mate. She can’t stay here, and she won’t survive unless I leave with her. Plus I’ve been making mistakes, slipping up. The fact that Jaclyn is here proves that fact. Stepping down is best for the community.”
“So how do you plan on doing it, Slyck?” Drake’s bottle hit the bar with a thud. “How the hell are you going to get through the gates with her?”
Slyck let out a long, slow breath. “As you know, sometimes humans don’t survive the first change. It’s rare, but it happens. Jaclyn isn’t going to survive a wolf transformation, or at least that’s what the good people of Serene are going to believe.”
“He’s not going to let her out of his sight, and he’ll want to run with her that first night.”
“That’s why we solicited Sunray’s help. She’s in charge of Jaclyn until she shifts. Then and only then is she required to bring her to the den and hand her over to Vall for their first run. Vall plans to initiate her into the pack and make her submit to him come morning, after her first change, but we’ll get her out before that happens.”
“He’ll want to see the body. When he doesn’t find one, and you go missing, he’ll know.”
“The man is all about pride and power, Drake. You know that.” Slyck’s voice hardened. “And he’ll also never admit to anyone that his lycan ran off with a ‘kitten,’ now, will he?”
“He’ll want to hunt you.”
“And you’re strong enough to stop him.” Slyck shot him a challenging look, his eyes questioning. “Strong enough to take over where I left off, and keep the brethren running smoothly.”
Drake nodded his understanding and then took another swig. “And how are we going to account for your disappearance?”
Slyck turned to see two female lycans sidle up to their alpha. A moment later, Vall slipped his hands around their bodies, guided them to the door, and disappeared into the night with them. The closer they got to the shift, the more libidinous they became.
“I’m an old man. No one can dispute that,” Slyck answered. “Tired of fighting the good fight, my friend.” He glanced around his nightclub with longing, taking it all in one last time. “Imagine if I accidentally forgot to lock up shop and got attacked by a lycan who just happened to wander in, drawn by the scent of fresh blood. There goes my last life.”
Expression troubled, Drake said, “But you have two lives left.”
“And only you and I know that.”
“No one will believe you were so careless.”
“You’ll make them believe it.”
Drake curled his fingers around his bottle. His muscles bunched. “It’s fucking risky, Slyck. What if something goes wrong?”
Slyck let out a slow breath. “Then I’m fucked, Drake. Totally and utterly fucked. But if I don’t try, I’m still fucked. Hell, we’re all fucked.”
There was a resigned sigh and Drake’s gaze drifted to the dance floor. “Speaking of getting fucked . . .”
Slyck followed Drake’s gaze and watched Jaclyn brush against Sunray beneath the colorful strobe lights, their barely dressed bodies moving in sync, sensuously and erotically, the way two lovers would move between the sheets. His glance strayed lower. His slow perusal paused briefly on her belly button. He took in her sexy new belly ring and with heated interest watched the way it glistened under the dance floor lights, calling out to him like a beacon in the night. God, what he’d do to taste that sweet crevice. He brushed the tip of his tongue over his bottom lip with longing.
When his glance moved back to her face, he saw the sparkle in her gaze and the raw desire in the depths of her eyes. In that instant he knew her sexy little performance was meant for him and him alone. As his gaze skated over her a second time, his cock thickened inside his jeans, his fingers itched, and the beast inside him roared to life. It was all he could do to stop himself from