Page 17 of The Vampire’s Soul (Moretti Blood Brothers Romance #14)

MACK

“ C ode name Project Shadow. One team of five. Two assassins.” Brayden announced the next evening, glancing around the room as Mack’s heart pounded.

He wanted on the team, but he couldn’t get Ella off his mind.

I will not regret it.

Those golden eyes had haunted him all day as he’d tried to sleep. Ella never said a word when he kissed her and left. Almost as if she knew he’d leave.

Which made him feel like more of an ass.

But he couldn’t stay. Mack had to remain at the castle, close to the royal family, so he could pivot at any time. It wasn’t a rule that was normally enforced, nor had it been, but every warrior knew.

None of them wanted to learn the king had died while their dick was inside a hot female. Even if that female was his mate.

If he’d had any decency, he would’ve taken Ella home with him. But no, he’d left her lying in their soiled sheets and walked away, knowing she would be hurt.

His chest ached like a fucking truck was parked on it.

Adding to that, his wolf was scratching his insides and even a huge run this afternoon hadn’t done anything to calm it.

Both of them wanted her back in their arms.

He should have known that being intimate with her, finally scenting her sex, tasting her flesh, would change everything.

So much for just one night.

Mack had crossed a line he couldn’t undo and now he was trying to work out what the hell he should do.

The urge to call Ella to hear her sweet voice, and ensure she was okay, almost had him launching out of his seat. He should be laser focused on the briefing while waiting to find out he was going to Russia.

Being part of Project Shadow would be an honor.

Earlier, he’d rung his brother to see how things were going at the gym. He’d handed the reins over to Michael when Callan had come for him. But Mack still kept a regular eye on the books.

“Bro,” Michael answered. “Heard Ella was with you.”

Unbelievable. It had been no more than forty-eight hours since she’d arrived and already word had got back to his family.

“How?” he asked, despite knowing the answer.

“Mom talked to her mom. You know the drill.”

“How did you get looped into their knitting club gossip?” Mack growled.

Michael snorted. “Exclusive club, bro. Exclusive club. You need to know your cast on from your bind off.”

What?

There was no way his brother knew anything about knitting. He was more likely to throw a fishing line into a river than—

Ugh, Michael was fucking with him, and he’d nearly caught the bait.

Pun intended.

“Yes, Ella is here. Anyway...how’s the gym? Is Pedro still causing trouble with the Pilates girls?”

The bulked-up forty-year-old guy seemed to think all the ladies wanted a piece of him. While many couldn’t take their eyes off his impressive veiny muscles—compliments of twenty years’ worth of steroids—he had no boundaries and didn’t know when to back off.

Class attendance had lowered, and memberships were being canceled.

“I’ve given him a final warning.”

“Good.” Mack nodded.

“Other than that, nothing to report. So, have you mated her yet?”

Groan.

“Did you send the accountant the tax information?” Mack asked next, ignoring his little, but physically large, brother’s dig.

“Yup. Yesterday. Have you fucked her yet?”

Jesus fucking Christ. A deep growl escaped before Mack could stop it.

“Watch it.”

Silence, then. “Woah. You have.”

Fuck.

“Michael.” Mack warned, his wolf rising protectively in a manner he’d never experienced before. Talking about Ella as if she was some cheap whore apparently wasn’t okay.

He had fucked her.

Fucked her until her pretty mouth parted and screamed.

But no one else could use that term.

Not even his best friend and brother.

Even though they were close, his family didn’t know that he was now a hybrid. He hadn’t seen them since the change and was nervous about what would happen when they did. No one could physically tell by looking at him, but for some reason Mack suspected his family would.

If not Michael, then his mom would know.

Moms knew stuff.

Had Ella?

Ella had looked at him in a different way a few times, as if trying to figure out what was new. He’d had an answer prepared; he was now a warrior. She wouldn’t push; she never did.

Sometimes Mack wished she would.

All of a sudden, words fell out of his mouth.

“Sometimes I wish I hadn’t listened to Dad. It might be too late.” Mack rubbed his hand over his jaw.

“Bullshit. That female loves you. Always has,” Michael said. “I told you a million times that he was wrong.”

Yeah, he had.

They’d argued about it enough times.

“You’re a warrior for the king now, Mack. Let’s not fucking sugarcoat this, you could die. You want to live with that regret? And leave her alone with no hope of ever being in love?”

“Even more reason not to,” he insisted. “Loving someone means being selfless. Ella could still live her life after I’m gone. But if we mate and then I die...”

“So will she. I get it. But give her the choice. If it was the other way around and she refused you, how would you feel?”

Fuck that.

He’d tie her up in his bedroom and force her to accept him. He’d... Mack felt his entire body coil, ready to fight his foe.

Was the foe him or Ella?

That was the question.

Knowing there was a possibility she might reject him, even in theory, had his pulse slamming inside his body. Ella had put up with him saying no all her life.

“I’d lose my damn mind,” he admitted.

“Then stop listening to Dad,” Michael replied. “He was human. He never had the innate instinct that we do as born vampires.”

Shit, how wrong had he been to push her away all this time?

“Answer me this. Although I know the answer,” Michael added. “Do you love her?”

Mack walked to the window and placed his hand on the frame, glancing outside. “If you know, then I don’t need to answer.”

Reflecting on the confrontation with the humans last night, and how much danger they were all in, Mack knew things were going to get much worse. Especially if Project Shadow failed.

When he returned...

“I know you, Mack. If you lost Ella, you’d lose yourself. Mated or not. So don’t be foolish.”

His brother hung up, and Mack pocketed his phone.

His mind flashed back to the moment his seed burst from him, filling Ella as his sweaty body laid over hers. She’d lifted her hips, taking as much of him as she could while he rubbed his thumb over her clit.

Seeing her fall apart as she clawed at his skin had been intoxicating.

“Hold on, baby.” He’d growled, pulling Ella’s arms around his neck. She’d been so floppy after five— yup, fucking five!— orgasms.

While she’d let go, he’d fought his wolf, fought the bond and the violent need to sink his fangs into her neck. The step that could start the bonding process.

The one that would make them mates, which was irreversible.

Would she be mad if he had and then learned he was a wolf? Assuming she survived.

Or would she hate him for eternity and reject him until they eventually went mad from the betrayal and pain, leaving this plain?

There were stories.

Not all bonds were happy.

“Mack, I want you on the team,” Brayden said, snapping him out of his thoughts and surprising the fuck out of him.

“Yes, sir.” Mack nodded, sitting up straighter in his chair.

When he returned...then they would talk.

Nikolay had to die, and he was thrilled to be on the team heading across to St. Petersburg to get the job done.

Simultaneously, his chest tightened. This could be his last mission. It was highly dangerous, and they all knew it.

I will never regret making love to her.

Not bonding could keep Ella alive if he died.

His father’s advice could save her. Who knew what the world was going to be like in a day, a week, a year? But if Mack took his last breath, knowing his death wasn’t taking Ella with him, then it was worth it.

That was real love.

She may never know, but he would.

“The mission is clear. Find Nikolay Mikhailov and kill him. Recover and destroy all the information he had on the serum, along with samples.” Brayden stood with his arms crossed as his strong voice boomed around the room.

“Yes, sir,” he and the others replied.

“This may be the most important task force in vampire history. That’s why Craig and Brayden have chosen you.” Vincent looked just as fierce.

Mack’s chest swelled with pride.

But like, fuck , no pressure.

Glancing around, Mack realized he’d missed the other names. Who else was going?

“Nikolay is our greatest threat. He has the serum and a super soldier. The exposure card has been played, but he’ll have other strategies up his sleeves. We are not chasing the tail anymore; we’re going straight for the head of the snake,” the king added.

“Munch fucking munch.” Craig rubbed his hands.

“We’ll get all five of you into Russia covertly and then you’ll be on your own.” Brayden’s muscles bunched as he crossed his arms, and those bright eyes of his met every single male in the room.

“Then I want each of you fuckers back here. You’re highly trained and powerful Moretti warriors. One shot. Take him out. Then destroy everything the Bratva has about us, including the serum,” Brayden continued, the power in his speech sending shivers over Mack’s skin.

He felt the ripple spread throughout the room as the warriors all hummed roughly around him.

“Blow that shit up!” Craig grinned.

A number of males chuckled, then Marcus asked, “What about the soldier?”

“We don’t know where he is. He could be dead or have more power. Who fucking knows?” Ari said.

The soldier they referred to was another science experiment. There had been a handful, but only the one survived.

“You think Nikolay will try to replicate him?” Mack asked.

“Yup. Clone him, fuck he’d photocopy the guy if he thought he’d make money from it.” Ben turned in his seat.

The assassins had more experience with the crime families because of their work with Ari at The Institute. The private security company had decades of knowledge that the vampires had never been hugely interested in.