Dire Cravings: Arctic Wolves Series, Book 2 Read online

  “What’s wrong?” Olivia asked.

  “Everything. Why would you accept the Arrow of Power? Do you not understand what you’ve done?”

  “What I’ve done? Me? I didn’t ask for any of this shit. I would have been fine if you hadn’t come along and taken me. And for the record, wise ass, I woke up and it was already on my arm.”

  “Oh, really, you would have been fine?”

  “Yes, I was making my way to the mountain.”

  “No, you were making your way to me. Whether you want to admit it or not. The moment you were within reach of me, you were drawn to me, just like I was drawn to you. It’s how things work.”

  “No, I was heading toward the mountain.”

  “The very same mountain we were all housed in. Why do you think that is, Olivia? You could have easily tried to find a service road. Or better yet, a ranger station. You passed one on your travels here.”

  “The mountain was safer,” she protested.

  “I was safer. Regardless of what you wish to believe, your spirit knew you’d be safe in the mountain because I was there.”

  It was true. He’d been out walking around, looking for wood, when he was drawn to the scene of the carnage. It was all starting to make sense. Everything except the Arrow. Why would the Elders do that? He needed to find a way to remove the tattoo from her skin. If Roman found out, she’d become a target, and that was something he couldn’t allow.

  “That’s crazy talk.”

  “Crazy talk? That’s your response?”

  Her voice lowered when she said, “There is no other response. I don’t want to think about it. I don’t want to know about it, and more importantly, I want out of this freakshow.”

  Blue turned to her, and he knew his eyes were glowing. His orbs were bright enough to illuminate her face.

  “Freakshow?” he hissed. “Is that what you think we are? A bunch of freaks?”

  Her lips thinned, and her eyes became slits when she pulled in a deep breath. “Ay dios mio, tu me tienes loca. Do you have to make everything about you? What about me? Should I just accept my Fate? Become your mate and live my life as…what? What kind of life would we have, Blue? We’re not even friends. How do we skip the getting-to-know-you part and head straight for the bedroom? You’re asking for a commitment. I’m not ready for that. Am I attracted to you? Hell, yeah. But I didn’t ask for this, and you don’t even know me. It’s only been two days. Two fucking days. And you want me to throw my life away? I don’t think so. I’m not giving up everything, so I can become a part of your life. So, yeah, to me, this is a freakshow. I didn’t say you were a freak. I was implying that the situation is freakish.”

  Blue tightened his lips and prayed for patience, but his wolf wasn’t having any of that. It wanted her submission. Her obedience. He knew tossing her over his shoulder was irrational. What was he supposed to do? How could he salvage the situation? He wasn’t about to let her leave.

  “You are not leaving me,” he growled.

  “That’s where you’re wrong. I plan on leaving, and the moment I get my chance, I’m taking it. You can’t keep me here, Bödvar. This is not my home. I live in New York. My work is there. My life is there. We come from two different worlds. Literally. You’re not even human. I am. How can any of this work?”

  It would work. Fate would see to it. He just didn’t know how.

  “This will work.” He growled again and stepped closer. He watched for signs of hesitation, and he knew her denial was on the tip of her tongue, ready to blast his ears with what she thought was her truth. Instead of letting her talk, he wrapped his arms around her waist and stole her breath with a kiss.

  When Blue touched her, all ability to fight left. When he held her, she calmed. But his lips, were her undoing. Why she felt those emotions confused her. She hadn’t sought him out. She’d been looking for shelter in the mountain. In her mind, it was the safest place to be, and it had nothing to do with him. Blue’s lips were firm and demanding, but at the same time, hot and warm. Every other time he’d shown affection, it was endearing, almost sweet. His current actions were bold. The firmness of his body molded to hers, and she couldn’t help her reaction. The idea of escape left her; the chance to speak her mind was stolen by his breath. If she could just gain her wits back, she’d get through this. Her body was at constant war with her mind. The hard length of his cock was wedged in between their bodies, making its own case. Giving Olivia, one long, thick, hard reason not to leave. Olivia felt overwhelmed as she surrendered to Blue’s attentions.

  “I can’t let you leave. Not now, not ever.” Blue pulled her bottom lip into the hot recesses of his mouth where he nibbled. His words whispered like a prayer as he kissed his way down her neck to the underside of her jaw where he lingered. “You are my most cherished one, and it is my duty—and my honor—to care for you. You think I want to control you, but it is you who holds all the power. Everything I am will be yours, Olivia, and as I said before, I intend to claim you.”

  She was helpless in his arms like this. All control vanished into thin air. This wasn’t her. She wasn’t one to allow someone to lead her anywhere. But as his mouth moved to reconnect with hers, Olivia found that in this act, at this moment, she could see why someone would fall prey to Blue’s techniques. He could do anything to her, and she wouldn’t argue. Every nerve ending was alive. Every sensation he brought forth, each movement of his lips, tongue, and even his hands were carefully orchestrated to tantalize. Even the deep rumble she could feel vibrating against her chest was a dance of seduction. Blue was the lead, and all she could do was follow.

  Olivia pulled away, and she knew it was because he allowed it. Her lips, swollen from their kiss, tingled. He will ruin me. The warning was clear. She needed to get away. Clear her head of whatever he’d done to her. Find a way to stand strong and not be weak when it came to his demands. He’d claimed she was the one holding the cards. It didn’t feel like that. She’d been completely absorbed by his kiss. Soaked not only between her thighs but also in her thoughts. His lips robbed her of the ability to accurately navigate the situation.

  She couldn’t think.

  Couldn’t feel anything except his touch. It was a kiss she would remember for the rest of her life.

  When he finally pulled back, Olivia was dazed.

  “Beautiful Olivia, why must you refute my claim?” he crooned against the shell of her ear.

  “Huh?” Her body swayed towards his, and instead of pointing out that she was, in fact, totally into him, Blue pulled her into the comfort of his arms.

  “We need to go and speak with Victor and Thorn. The situation is now dire, my sweet.”

  Clearing the lust from her mind, she cleared her throat. “As long as the result is my leaving.” She knew she was poking the beast. Could see it in the way his eyes darkened, and his breath stopped. Blue stood perfectly still, every muscle in his body strung tight as they stood there. She could only imagine what he was thinking. Maybe he was doing his best not to yell, or thinking of a way to talk her out of it.

  A few seconds passed before he grabbed her hand. He gently tugged her in the direction of the main cabin. If any of the others had anything to say, they didn’t voice their concerns. But as Olivia followed, she noticed that there was a mixture of emotions in the crowd. Some smiled warmly at her, others sneered, and some of the men, well, she couldn’t tell what the looks on their faces were. Concern, perhaps?

  Nerina and Victor both stood by their cabin, talking in hushed tones.

  “That was quite the show. I don’t think anyone has ever witnessed you getting your ass handed to you, my friend,” Victor joked.

  “We have more pressing issues than worrying about how I deal with my woman.”

  His woman. Since when?

  Just because they kissed didn’t mean they were an item. Nope. Olivia found herself shaking her head.

  “You can shake your head all you want. I was the same way with Vic. Our situation was similar b
ut different.”

  “Let me guess. They are both domineering assholes,” Olivia pointed out.

  Blue and Victor laughed. Nerina smiled and nodded her head. Only she didn’t look put out by her husband’s arrogance. She seemed happy. Yeah, cause she’s a hybrid. What’s not to be happy about? I’m just human.

  “What’s on her arm?”

  “That’s the thing. You’re gonna want to call your father over here for this. Possibly get the council involved. She was taken by Bast.”

  “Bast. As in the goddess Bast?” Nerina asked.

  “No, as in Sebastian Alistair Drakul from the realm of Xosha, better known as Bast. And he said that Nord and Duloc told him he was to give Olivia the Silver Arrow of Power. Want to explain how any of that shit is even possible? I thought the Arrow had been destroyed?”

  “I did, too.” The Alpha turned toward the cabin he stood in front of and called out to his father. Olivia wasn’t looking forward to going toe-to-toe with Thorn again. She wasn’t scared, but the probability of him picking a fight was at one hundred and twenty percent. He didn’t like her and had no problem saying it out loud for all to hear.

  Thorn stepped from the cabin. When he saw her, his eyes narrowed. “What is she doing here?”

  “You know why she’s here. I told Blue to bring her. We couldn’t just leave her out in the wilderness, Father.”

  “Be nice, Thorn,” Nerina admonished.

  “I’ll be whatever I feel is necessary.”

  “Don’t worry, he doesn’t have to be nice to me. I’ve dealt with his kind before,” Olivia said. She wasn’t scared of the male, but maybe she should be scared. Of all of them. They were wolves, and capable of tearing her apart if they ever felt like human was on the menu. No, Blue won’t let anything happen to me. Regardless of what she thought of him, he’d done nothing but stay true to his words. Until he gave her a reason not to trust him, she would.

  Blue growled a warning, and it made Olivia jump. She’d just reminded herself of their true natures, but when confronted with an action that was considered normal for his kind, she found she was still a little freaked.

  “Thorn, if you could put aside your differences for a moment and allow me to explain the situation, you’ll see that Olivia is needed.”

  “Differences? You backed out of a blood contract.”

  “An agreement that became null the moment I found my mate.”

  “The truth of that remains to be seen.”

  “It’s not for you to see, Father. Let Blue speak.”

  Thorn backed off, but Olivia could tell the male wasn’t happy about being put in his place by his son.

  “Well, what is it?”

  “Olivia carries the mark of the Silver Arrow of Power.”

  Those words got Thorn’s attention. But then, Blue knew they would. It was rumored that the Silver Arrow of Power had been destroyed. But the tattoo on Olivia’s arm said differently. Blue had only seen the mark on one other person, and she was dead. He’d know. He was there. Rubana had been ruthless with the Arrow and Bow. Killing everything in sight. A sure shot, the Bow ensured that she never missed, and the Arrow always hit its mark. She was a minor deity whose sole purpose was to use the Bow and Arrow. An instrument of death to any night creature in her path. A woman with blood-red hair, and eyes a soulless black, she was mindless in her lust for death.

  “Rubana is dead.” Thorn said with an air of finality.

  “Well, she may be dead but, apparently, Olivia now holds the Arrow,” Victor said.

  “It’s just a tattoo,” Olivia insisted.

  “No, it’s more than that.” Blue grabbed her arm and shoved it towards Victor. He was hesitant to touch it. The ink was pure silver. When he grabbed her arm, nothing happened. That can’t be right.

  “Nah, man, it’s not the Arrow.”

  “But that’s what Bast told her.”

  “Well, Bast lied,” Nerina said, turning to walk away. It was when Thorn walked by and brushed Olivia’s arm that the Arrow activated. His wrist and part of his forearm sizzled before bubbling right before their eyes.

  “Okay, Bast didn’t lie. But why didn’t it affect Victor? Silver doesn’t work on me, we all know that, but it should have on Victor,” Nerina asked.

  “Neri, I’ve been drinking from you.”

  Shit. That’s right. Victor took blood from his Eros. Did that mean that the silver had no effect on him at all?

  “Olivia, touch your arm to his throat.”

  “What? No! I’m not gonna do that.”

  “Just do it,” Nerina huffed.

  Everyone stood still as they watched Olivia raise her arm and place it on Victor’s neck. When nothing happened, there was a collective sigh.

  “Now, do me,” Blue said. The Arrow was the one thing that could harm him. But not as badly as it did Thorn. He’d have a slight burn, but that was it. Nerina was safe because of her connection to Selene and Victor drank from her regularly.

  Olivia looked up at him, her eyes wide. It was the first time she’d shown a level of concern for him.

  “It’s okay, if it burns, I’ll heal. We just need to test the theory further.”

  “All right,” she said in a hushed tone before standing on her toes and touching her arm to his neck. There was some agitation but no burn.

  “Why did it not burn you?” Nerina asked.

  “Did you drink from my mate,” Victor growled.

  They’d fought once before, but not because he’d drunk from Nerina. Because she’d taken from him.

  “No. I haven’t. But it doesn’t burn, only a slight tingling sensation.”

  “Maybe it’s because Olivia is his mate. Should we test her blood?” Nerina asked.

  “It would make sense. Rubana had silver in her blood,” Thorn said.

  “Hold on a second. You’re not going to draw my blood. I didn’t sign up for that. No, I am not on board with that idea. Like at all.”

  “Well, one thing is for sure, she can’t stay here. If any of the others happen to run into her, or if there is bloodshed, that could lead to catastrophe. She’s going to light up on their grid, too. My job is to protect the Clan. I can’t do that with her here,” Victor voiced.

  “That’s the best idea I’ve heard all day. I agree. I shouldn’t be here. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

  “She’s right, Blue, she can’t be here. Especially with the females expecting, and the children,” Nerina said in a comforting tone.

  “If that’s what you want, then we’ll go.”

  “We?” Olivia shrieked.

  “Yes, we. Did you really think you’d just go and be on your way? Without me?”

  He could see it in her face. She did think that. Well, that was her fault for assuming.

  “We’ll leave in the morning. Cull can get us through the forest without being seen. Once we reach the city, we’ll hop a plane and wait for further instructions. Victor, you know how to get ahold of me.”

  “You can’t just invite yourself. Get me down the mountain? Yeah, I agree to that, but you’re not coming with me to New York. What will I tell everyone? How do I explain…all this?” She pointed to Blue as if he was something that needed to be explained.

  “You don’t need to explain anything, Olivia. I promise I’m housebroken.”

  Victor and Nerina laughed. Olivia, well, he didn’t know what she was feeling, but happy wasn’t it. He’d fix that the only way he knew how. The one thing they didn’t lack was chemistry. But tonight, he planned to add trust.

  10

  I’ve been very patient with you, Olivia. Some would say too patient. I have not been forceful with you or exerted my will, have I?” Blue asked.

  “No, but you’ve come pretty damn close.”

  They were back at their cabin. After dinner, everyone went to his or her own rooms. It was agreed that he and Olivia would leave in the morning, and they would. Right after he explained a few things to her.

  “I plan to be closer.”


  Blue took a step forward. Olivia stood over by the window, not paying much attention to him; as if he were an afterthought. Why does this woman vex me so?

  “Why are we even doing this? Can’t we go back and rewind. Go our separate ways?” she huffed. She was irritated, and he understood. This wasn’t her world. She couldn’t navigate their ways, and she liked to be in control. Too bad. She needed to understand that he would take care of her. Anticipate her needs before she even knew what they were.

  “Going our separate ways—as you keep saying—is not going to happen, Olivia.” He stood before her and took her hands in his, turning her so that her back was to his front. Nipping her neck, he watched, fascinated. Her skin was smooth and warm to the touch. The color that came to the surface because of her arousal enticed him to do more. Her breath hitched, and he bit down lightly on her shoulder before saying,” I’ll tell you what’s about to happen.”

  His hands smoothed down the sides of her arms, and he gripped her waist before his palms traveled up to grab handfuls of her supple breasts. Her body swayed, not away from him but into him, where she nestled her curvy ass against his dick—and that took some maneuvering because she had to stand on her tiptoes to get that angle.

  “Why are you doing this?” she asked with a breathy moan.

  “I want tonight, Olivia. Tomorrow and all the days and nights beyond forever,” he whispered against the side of her neck. He was getting restless. It wasn’t a good combination, especially when combined with the lust burning in his veins. He wanted Olivia. He wanted her so much, he was willing to take things slow. But not too slow.

  “Blue,” Olivia groaned. The sound of her need went straight to his cock.

  “Trust me, beautiful. Give me your pleasure, your cries of passion. I promise to be there every step of the way. I’ll see to your darkest, most intense desires.”

  She let out a puff of air before she admitted, “I don’t know if I can.”

  Blue gently cupped her between the legs. Stroking her through her pants.

  “You can. I’ll catch you. Tell me yes. Give me your submission.”