Page 29 of A Seduction Of Death (Umbra Hunters #4)
TWENTY-NINE
Razar
“ D ude, you're bleeding everywhere.” Creed chuckles, shrugging off his jacket and pressing it to my torn throat and shoulder. I ignore him, watching my Pup’s every move as Father leans down and says something to Nox. “How the hell did you let that thing hurt you?”
“He wasn’t paying attention,” Valen answers for me, scowling at Creed's jacket and shaking his head. “We need Nox to heal that.”
“I’m fine,” I manage to rasp out, my Beast still hovering at the surface, pressing me to go over to where Lennox and Father stand and steal my Pup back. She is ours. She wanted us. Both of us. Then, she willingly stood up to Nox when she was worried I was hurt. She cared about the darkest side of me, the monster that hides in the deepest center of my soul, and embraced it and fought to stay by my side.
Dammit.
My eyes slam shut as my head spins, and I’m not sure if it's from blood loss or Meyer fucking Smith twisting everything I know or rather everything I thought I knew about myself. I feel like I’m drowning, my demons tugging me deep into an endless ocean, and at the center of it all is my Pup, the breath of air I need to survive. I open my eyes just in time for Pup to glance my way, a look of indecision on her face before she shakes her head and turns to speak to Nox who presses a kiss to her brow.
My belly twists, and I have to bite my tongue not to growl at him, scent marking her like that. Nox is her mate; he has every damn right to scent her. But watching it, knowing that she’s not mine, that she doesn't have my bite mark on her pretty little neck, has jealousy coursing through me.
“You’re not fine, and it will take at least twenty-four hours for a wound of this size to close up, even with your advanced healing. Let Nox heal you, or you’ll have Mi Sol fussing all night long.”
Hmm, well, there’s an idea. Maybe she will return to the castle with me if she thinks I need her help. I have been trying to find the balls to talk with her, wanting, no, needing to take her as my mate. The urge has my teeth sharpening, my vision locking on the fluttering pulse in her neck, and my fingers itching to feel her soft skin. When I kissed her, pinned her under me and she moaned, her fingers locking in my hair and encouraging me closer…
Fuck! I scowl, looking down at my now hard cock. Lovely. There's nothing like getting hard while naked with only a cloak to keep it hidden. I move my glare up, locking eyes with Pup, and scowl even more. This is all her fault. Why did she have to show up and make me feel shit? I don't know if I want to throw her off the castle wall again or kiss her until she’s writhing beneath me. My dick jerks, and I curse, shifting the cloak so my brothers won’t see the state I’m in.
I had planned on talking to her the other night, but with everything that’s happened over the last few days, there seems to be something always in the way… or a brother in the way. Damn, they chase after her like little puppies, and I’m tempted to lock them in the dungeon so I can have some uninterrupted time with my Pup.
“Are we sure this is his only injury? Did that thing crush your head or something?” Creed asks, looking at Valen when I don't respond to his ridiculous question. “He's so… tame. And just after a shift and a fight? Where are the bloodlust and death threats, Razzy boy?” Creed reaches out and pokes my side, and I growl, eyeing his finger and wondering how mad Pup would be if I broke it. He would heal quickly enough. Maybe she wouldn't even notice?
“Don’t,” Valen warns, and I snarl at my brothers, looking from one to the other before waving them off. I don’t need them fussing over me. I need Pup, and that's it. Maybe our tiny monster will sleep in my room tonight with her. I feel slightly lighter at that thought, but then Creed goes and ruins my good mood.
“Holy fuck, he’s smiling. I told you there was something wrong with him,” he snorts, slapping Valen’s chest with the back of his hand, and turns toward Nox and Meyer. “Lemon Drop! I think Raz is having a heart attack.”
“I am not!” I snarl back, cuffing him upside the head with more strength than I probably should because he flies to the ground with a girlish squeal.
“What’s wrong? Holy shit, that's a lot of blood. Lennox!” Pup snaps, and then I’m surrounded, making my Beast growl in my chest with the number of hands now on me.
“Would you relax and let me heal you?” Nox sighs, eyeing me when he hears the growl of warning coming from my Beast.
“Razar, listen to your brother, or I’ll tell your Mother. Then we’ll all be in trouble,” Father says, crossing his arms over his broad chest as he watches Nox place a hand on my shoulder where the skin is shredded. Sharp pain lances up my neck and down my left arm as Nox gently maneuvers my arm into place and starts the healing process. I hold my breath as my heart rate picks up, hating how closed in I feel. There are too many people, too many heartbeats, too many inhales of breath…. It's too much!
“Hey,” Pup whispers, and I look down just as she reaches up, her tiny hand palming my cheek. I grind my teeth against the instinctual need to yank back, her soft, warm touch too good for the likes of me. Instead, I go against every warning in my mind and lean into her touch, letting her soft scent of citrus soothe my overwhelmed senses, “Valen, Creed, step back a little,” she instructs, and they immediately do her bidding. I close my eyes, allowing myself a moment to relax, feeling… what the hell is this feeling?
Warm… cared for… safe?
What the actual hell?
My eyes spring back open, and I damn near fall to my knees when Pup’s thumb runs over my cheek, and she smiles up at me. How the hell does she have this much control over me? One touch, and I’m ready to bow down and worship the very ground she walks on. I focus on her while I feel Nox’s magic course through me, knitting my skin back together.
“It's alright,” Pup whispers, and I nod because it’s true. Everything is alright as long as she keeps touching me like that.
“That should at least help,” Nox finally says, and I slowly swing my eyes to his, glaring at him for daring to interrupt my time with my Pup.
“But it’s still all red and swollen,” Pup whispers, a crease forming between her brow as she looks at my wounded shoulder. I roll it back and sigh in relief when I don't feel a burning pain race through my body. I give Nox a stiff nod of thanks. I may be mad at him for intruding on my time with my Pup, but I can still be grateful for the pain he’s saved me. The pain I felt, the muscles that the damn monster shredded; it would have taken well over twenty-four hours to heal.
“I know, but he’s fighting my magic, and unless you want me to knock him out, this is as good as it’s going to get.”
“No knocking out your brothers, Lennox,” Father scolds, shouldering him out of the way as he stands before me. I dip my head in a bow, and he chuckles. “Always so proper. Something I’m pleased to see, but I already dismissed the guards, Razar. There is no need for formalities. Now, will you allow your brother to finish healing you, or do I need to do it myself?” he asks, his words gentle but making me tense up all the same. I trust Orcus and consider him my Father; however, I do not like other magic within me, healing me. Nox is the only one I’m comfortable with.
“I’m okay now. Nothing that won't heal in the next couple of hours,” I say, my hand moving to grab Pup’s small wrist and yank her into my chest, putting her between me and Father and making her snort in amusement.
“Am I your emotional shield now?” she asks, knowing full well what I’m doing, and I scowl down at her.
“If your mother finds out I left you wounded,” Father starts, and I roll my eyes. Everyone fears the great King of Hell, but the one they should be absolutely terrified of is the small, raven-haired queen sitting on her throne next to him.
Orcus may be King; he may have the grand magic and elaborate court, the Demonic Lords, and a glamorous castle. But it’s my mother, Viviane, who really holds the power. One word from her lips, one thought uttered, and Orcus would raze the world for her—any world. I look down at Pup and frown, realizing that there might be two powerful women in Hell our people should be scared of because I do not doubt that my brothers feel the same way about her as Father does for Mother.
I know I do.
“Well, I don't think I need to tell you what she will do to me,” Father finishes. Creed laughs, and Valen smirks at Father’s words, his dark eyes slowly lightening to the pale green of his normal form.
“So don't tell her,” I snap, the growl of my Beast coming out without permission. I sigh and close my eyes. Shit, I need to calm down.
I let my head fall forward, burying my nose into soft blonde strands of the woman I wrap tight into my arms, ensuring I keep the cloak tucked around me so it doesn’t fall from my shoulders. “Sorry,” I grumble, feeling my Father’s unimpressed glare on me. “I think I need some rest,” I lie, not caring about going to sleep, but some space and time alone would do me wonders. My Beast growls in agreement, eyeing our brothers with distaste as he paces in my chest—time alone from them, but not from our Pup.
She comes with us.
I nod at his thoughts and look back up at Father, who looks at Pup with a fond smile, one I see on his lips whenever Mara or Morya are in the room with him.
“Rest and a shower,” Pup teases, then yelps when I reach down and slap her ass.
“You really want to do that right now? You’re butt-ass naked out in the snow. I could steal your cloak and make you walk back into the castle without any clothes on.” I shrug, not caring in the least about that. Modesty is a human thing. Besides, I learned not to care about people's thoughts when I started shifting into my Beastia form as a young boy. I would constantly shred out of my clothes and then be forced to walk back home nude. It doesn't bother me in the least.
“Right, shower and sleep. Raz, you stick with Meyer. Valen and Creed, you come with me,” Nox says casually… too casually. What the fuck is he up to, and did he just say I had to stick with Pup?
As in, she’s the one in charge?
I snort at the very thought and look at my youngest brother, who walks over, presses a kiss to Meyer's lips, and then nods at me before turning and striding away. Creed and Valen follow suit as Father purses his lips, staring at me as if he’s not convinced he should leave yet.
“I’ve got him,” Pup says, making Father sigh and nod.
“Fine. Watch after my boy,” he says, patting Pup on the shoulder. I think he meant it to be a sweet gesture, but he almost takes her clean off her feet with the strength of the pats. “Oh, sorry. I forget how frail humans and Hunters are,” he says with a chuckle and walks off, catching up to the others in three long strides.
“Are you going to tell me what's going on, or are we going to stalk them?” I ask, eyeing Pup as she turns wide, innocent-looking eyes up at me.
“What do you mean? Nothing’s going on.”
I scoff and bend down, planting my shoulder in the center of her stomach and hauling her off her feet.
“What the hell? Razar, put me down!” she rages, her tiny fists striking my back as I practically run toward the castle, watching my father and brothers turn toward the side doors that lead down to the dungeons.
Hmmm, interesting.
“No, you lied to me. And I was nice and helped you sneak off the wall,” I growl, pinning her kicking legs to my chest with one arm and slapping her ass with my free hand.
“Ow! Dammit, Raz. I’m going to kick you in the balls for that.” She plants her palms on my back and presses herself up enough to peer over my shoulder. “And I would like to point out that I’m the one who helped you off the wall,” she says, and I frown, recalling the hard shove and then kick to the ass she gave me as I tumbled off the wall.
Dammit, she’s right. I slap her ass again, earning another delicious shriek that makes my cock throb and my grip on her falter. In an instant, Pup kicks her leg up, somehow wrapping it around my neck, shoving her hot sex right in my face, and stunning the hell out of me. It only lasts a moment, but I’m too damn shocked to do anything as she shoves herself up, twists, wraps her thighs around my neck, and throws her weight back, taking me clean off my feet.
I crash to the ground, my naked ass hitting the snow snapping me out of the shock while I try to process how I ended up ass-first in the snow for the second time today. I look to my side, finding Pup there, grinning at me as she pushes some blonde locks off her face.
“Told you to put me down,” she says with a wink, jumping to her feet and smirking her victory as she stares down at me, hands resting on those curvy hips of hers. Curvy hips I want to feel under my hands as I hold them, making her arch her back in submission as I fuck into her.
My Beast perks up at the challenge in her voice, and I feel my teeth sharpen as my eyes dart to her pulse, then her clothes, and finally her shoes, noticing that a shoelace is undone. Good, that means if she runs, she won’t go far or as fast with a loose shoe. It will hinder her escape and enhance my ability to catch her.
“Hunt,” my Beast urges, and I growl, shoving him back, knowing I’m not in enough control for that.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” I whisper, my words rough as I cock my head to the side. Pup’s eyes widen, and she takes a step back, and I curse. Shit, is she scared of me? I don't want that, the very idea that she might still fear me has my stomach rolling. I take a deep breath but don’t smell the bitter scent of fear coming from her. Gritting my teeth, I look at her as my Beast roars in my head, pleading with me to hunt our prey, to take her right here and now, and show her we are the only worthy mate in all the realms. “Don’t,” I manage to get out between clenched teeth.
“Don’t what?” Pup asks, looking slightly concerned as she leans forward. Good, she’s not scared; she’s worried about me. I breathe a sigh of relief, trying to reign in the monster inside me.
“Don’t act as if you are about to run. I can't…. He wants out,” I finally admit, hating how pathetic I sound, and she frowns.
“He? Your Beastia?” she asks, and I nod, fisting my hands in the snow, hoping it will help me cool off a bit.
“Yes. Just give me a moment, and I can calm him down.”
“Why does he want out?” she asks, and I look away from her, trying to count down from a hundred in my head so I can think about anything but why my Beast wants free rein. If I tell her he wants to chase her, to hunt her down and fuck her on the snow-covered ground until she begs for release and offers herself to us, that will scare her off. I hear her huff just before she crouches down and reaches out, grabbing my chin in a similar way she did my Beast and turning my head, forcing me to look at her. “Why?”
“Meyer,” I growl, and she glares at me.
“Pup. You call me Pup. Not Meyer,” she corrects, and I roll my eyes at her stubborn behavior. Here I am, trying to save her from a fucking I’m not sure she would survive, and she wants to argue over what name I call her.
“Don't act like a brat, and give me a moment,” I snap at her, and she narrows her eyes at me before glancing down and smirking. Fuck it. I know my cloak moved and that she’s getting a good eyeful of my cock that's hard as stone and leaking pre-cum.
“You’re right,” she says, standing up and yanking the hair tie out to redo her ponytail. “I know why he wants out, and I think you should let him,” she says, and my eyes nearly pop out of my head when she shrugs off the black and blue Regalis leather jacket she has on and takes a large step back. My eyes track the movement, and a growl builds in my chest as she laughs.
“You have no idea what you’re asking for,” I whisper, excitement and dread dueling within me as Pup takes another step back and turns, looking at the castle.
“I think I do,” she counters, then looks down at me. “Listen, I’ve been trying to respect your boundaries, but I’m starting to think we’re being a little too respectful of each other. I’m going to run,” she points toward the east, where a large stretch of flat ground is located, perfect for a hunt, and my heart skips a beat. “And you will give me sixty seconds if you choose to follow. You will keep your cloak on until you get through the tree line because I will absolutely lose my shit and probably kill someone if they see you naked,” she admits, and I can't stop the slow smile that splits across my lips at her primal show of jealousy.
In her own way, Pup is setting her boundaries, telling me what she wants before allowing me to take what I need. I watch her, letting my Beast creep forward with every deep breath I take. I can do this; we can do this. We can make her ours but stay in control.
We have to stay in control!
When I don't respond, she purses her lips and crouches back in front of me. “I’m going to run, and your sixty seconds start now,” she repeats. “But you don't have to follow, Raz. I’ll understand. I don't want you to feel like you have to, not unless it’s what you want.”
I eye the woman in front of me; everything about her is beautiful, from the bright blonde of her hair to the dark, forest green of her eyes, her full pink lips, and the small scattering of freckles over the bridge of her nose.
Fuck, she’s stunning.
“Raz?” she whispers, and I nod.
“Forty-six,” I growl, and she wrinkles her nose, obviously confused.
“What?”
“You said my sixty-seconds started. You now have forty-three left to run.”