Tears of the Fallen Ch. 08

Pietro picked up his tea and leaned back in his chair, allowing the silence to stretch out. He waited for it to become uncomfortable, for Cassia to start fidgeting or try to strike up more conversation, but she merely sipped at her tea, a half smile on her face. His eyes tracked each perfect feature, her beauty making his heartbeat start to accelerate, his body unwillingly stirring to life. He held onto his self-control though, refusing to acknowledge his baser needs.

He was testing her. He hadn't set out to do it, but it was happening subconsciously. He was trying to find something to dislike about the woman in front of him, and was failing miserably. The longer she was in his presence, the more she appealed to him. It was disconcerting. Why her? Why was Cassia Romanov able to get under his skin?

"Did the hair sample help?" It was he who finally broke the silence.

"A bit," she answered, rising to rinse out her cup, holding her hand out to take his too.

Their fingers touched as he held it out to her, and suddenly blue eyes became locked with his, their intensity stunning. Pietro held his breath as shimmers of silver sparked around the edge of her irises, her wolf clearly close to the surface. A shiver travelled down his spine and the blood rushed to his groin as they both froze the moment their skin touched.

He wanted her so badly that it was all he could do to stay seated. In his head, he was wrapping her in his arms, their tongues duelling as he pressed his hungry erection into her tightly, rubbing up and down her lithe body. He could hear her breathy moans, feel his large hand enclosing her breast and squeezing the soft flesh firmly. He was kicking her legs apart, bending her over the table so he could cup that hot, needy part of her that ached to be touched. He was...

"Pietro, the mug?"

Cassia's cool words had him whistling out a harsh breath, pulling his hand back abruptly to try and shake the images from his head. What the fuck had he been thinking? Dear God, he had been two seconds away from acting out those images, from taking Cassia on the kitchen table. She was not the kind of woman a man took casually and even worse, she was Alexei's daughter and one of the Vârcolac. He had been assigned to protect her and the other hybrids, not imagining himself bedding one of them.

The sudden, intense need he felt coursing through his system shook up and he rose from the table, his movements abrupt as he strode towards the kitchen door. "I will take your words under advisement," he threw over his shoulder, referring back to what she'd been talking about. He paused in the doorway, turning to look back at the woman who was stirring feelings he didn't want to acknowledge. "The next time you want to come over, make an appointment, or at least call ahead to see if it's convenient."

Cassia watched him leave, soothing her wolf down who was prowling in agitation, urging her to follow the male and throw him to the ground. The instinctive urge was primal, hot need flowing through her, firing every nerve ending into life. When their fingers had touched...her wolf had made her decision. He was theirs: their male, their mate, their everything.

She had seen the answering awareness in Pietro's eyes. He'd been unable to hide the intense heat that had sprung up between them, the scent of his instant arousal plain to her enhanced senses. He had wanted her and for a fraction of a second, he had been tempted to take her there and then. That thought sent a shiver of delight through her body, and she knew if he'd stopped to check he would have scented her own arousal as well.

He was so beautiful, so inherently male, and so perfect for her. He would be hers, no matter how hard he fought against it. His parting words were his attempt to push her away. She wouldn't allow it though; Pietro de la Rios was her mate and it was only a matter of time before he succumbed to that fact.

Smiling, Cassia retrieved her bag and left the house, feeling unseen eyes on her the entire time. He could try to run but he was fighting a losing battle. However, it would be a glorious one, full of untold pleasure. She could wait a little longer; give him a little more time to heal.

"Is Pietro okay?" Liam's question startled her and she almost tripped as her head swung around to see him walking towards her with Elina at his side. Damn, she'd been so wrapped up thinking about the vampire in the house she hadn't even scented them close by.

"He's very angry with Reasa." She answered honestly, because she could no more lie to one of her fellow Vârcolac than she could to her parents. Yes, it would no doubt concern her friend to know his mate was so widely hated, but he deserved to know the truth.

Liam glanced towards the house, his expression pensive. "That's understandable."

There was resigned acceptance in his voice that tugged at her heart. He had been through so much and what should have been the most amazing moment of his life, finding his mate, was turning out to be one of the hardest things he'd had to face so far. Why was it always the most loved of them that had the hardest roads to travel? She wondered if that was why her wolf didn't want to rip out Reasa's throat for what she'd done to Pietro.

Cassia couldn't have stopped herself from hugging him if she'd tried; no one could withstand a sad Liam. "It will work itself out somehow. I'm not sure how, but I know it will. You have us; you have the pack. Together we will find a way."

Liam held her tightly, burying his face in her shoulder, taking the comfort she offered so freely. "Thank you for helping her, Cass, for relieving her pain," he whispered, his voice full of emotion, his arms bands of steel around her.

"I couldn't leave another soul in pain when there was something I could do to help and I will always do what is best for you, Liam." She felt some of the tension leave his big body as she tightened her embrace. She was glad she'd been able to reassure him that he had someone in his corner, supporting him.

It struck Cassia that despite all the support shown towards him, Liam didn't truly believe that he wasn't alone. It was something she would need to discuss with the other Vârcolac, and maybe try to speak with Nors and Ashleigh too.

As if thinking about his mother caused her to materialise, Ashleigh's soft words echoed on the evening air. "Liam, come inside."

Cassia released him, giving him a reassuring smile as the cousins turned away and headed into the Eriksson home. Ashleigh stood in the doorway, patiently waiting to take over the task of bringing some peace to her son's misery.

Cassia had no idea how they would work out the enigma that was Thereasa and her mating to Liam, but she knew they had to find a way somehow, or his gentle soul may be lost to them forever. Sighing sadly, she resumed her way to the lab, continuing to feel unseen eyes tracking her movements. She could only hope that witnessing Liam's unhappiness would be a catalyst to Pietro coming to terms with things...maybe.

*****

"Dayton..."

Freya laced her tone with a mild warning, but could see instantly that her mate wasn't going to listen to her. The steely edge in his dark blue eyes told her his wolf was close to the surface and neither of them was pleased with her. Rolling her eyes, she let out a long sigh, preparing for the impending lecture her mate was about to give her. Sometimes, it was best to let him have his own way.

"How many times have we had this conversation about you putting yourself in harm's way?" Dayton's tone was deceptively mild as he stalked her around their bedroom until her back was up against the far wall, and she had nowhere else to go.

His overt dominance sent a shiver of desire through her body, liquid heat instantly pooling between her thighs. Her mate was so sexy when he got pissed at her. He was just as sexy when he was loving and sweet too, but his unbridled aggression ignited her vampiric side and they usually ended up with some delightfully tempestuous love-making at the end of it. Thank goodness Mallen had returned to keep an eye on Reasa, making sure she didn't have a reaction against the painkiller. They would have to be very quiet, which would be difficult, but she was sure she could manage it.

Her mate's eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared as he scented her arousal. With an irritated snort, he swung away from her, crossing to the other end of the room and causing her to issue a little moan of disappointed. "Dayton..." She was aware that she was repeating herself, but his name slipped out unbidden.

"You think you should be rewarded for your behaviour?" Cool eyes regarded her with intent, and she could see the rage he was battling to suppress. He truly was furious with her and in no mood to indulge in sex. It wasn't often that he allowed himself to get that angry, so his unforgiving stance sobered her mood a bit. "I wasn't in any danger, Day. You heard what was said, Liam was exhibiting control even in his feral state."

"You didn't know that at the time," he roared, surprising her with the ferocity of his tone. He never yelled at her, not even when he was mad. Furious eyes glared at her. "And I certainly didn't know it either. You're so intent on thinking you're indestructible, Freya. You have no concept of what it does to me to see you in danger, or what it must have done to Elina, too. You are not on your own anymore, where your actions don't have consequences. You're part of this family and everything you do impacts us."

She hadn't considered it from that angle and began to understand why he was so upset. She didn't want to cause him or Elina any pain, but he had to understand too, just who she was and what she was capable of. For so long all had been peaceful in the pack, with no real threats from the outside. In those years she had adapted to pack life, mellowed even to a certain point. However, she was still an Ancient vampire, still one of the most powerful beings to walk the planet. It was who she was and who Dayton had fallen in love with.

"I understand it was upsetting for both of you..."

"Upsetting? My fucking heart almost stopped, Freya. I thought I was going to lose you like I lost..."

"I am not Faith!" Freya exploded, fury and sorrow warring for dominance. She knew the consequences of his losing his first mate, of how he had barely survived that loss. Its aftermath had almost been their undoing; it had almost cost her life. Stalking across the room, Freya met his condemning glare with one of her own. "I am not Faith," she reiterated in a calmer tone, her heart aching as she confronted the fear in his eyes.

"I am me, Dayton. I am Freya, an Ancient vampire who's lived over two thousand years. I've walked this world for millennia, leaving a trail of defeated enemies in my wake. I have fought immeasurable odds and have always been the last one standing at the end. When we were attacked all those years ago, they tried to kill me with their bullets and I took them out because they were threatening what was mine to protect. They were trying to take you from me, and they paid with their lives. I am more than capable of judging a threat and dealing with it accordingly. You appear to have forgotten that, my mate. You appear to have cast me in a role of requiring protection and lacking the wisdom to preserve my own life."

She didn't like being so direct with him but he had to be made to see her, to see Freya and not Faith. If he continued to question her judgement and view her as a fragile female requiring protection, then they would have issues they may struggle to work through.

"See me, Dayton. Remember who I am. You fell in love with me, not a carbon copy of Faith."

Freya watched his face, saw denial cross it and then he blinked and lowered his head. "I do see you, Freya. I see how much you mean to me. I know that should anything ever happen to you, Elina would lose both parents because I would never survive losing you. I know you're not Faith. She is a pale memory now, a happy one I will always cherish but what I feel for you far surpasses what I felt for her." He raised his eyes to meet hers once more, his lingering fear replacing some of the rage. "It doesn't make it any easier knowing how strong you are, how deadly you are. My wolf retains the emotions of having lost a mate in the past. Seeing you in danger will always make it react with aggression. Can't you understand that?"

"Yes." Freya reached up to frame his face in her hands, feeling a slight tremble run through him at her touch. His eyes still contained too much of his wolf so she soothed it with her touch, knowing the animal needed to feel the comfort of its mate to know she was safe. "I do understand, Dayton, and I don't ever want to minimalize what you've suffered, but your wolf has to remember who I am too. It has been so long since its had to acknowledge me, the vampire, that's it's settled me into the role of a Were mate. You have to see how dangerous that is. What happens if your wolf stops seeing Freya? I know the man still does but what if the wolf doesn't?"

Freya's words stunned him. When the others had left, Dayton couldn't wait to get his mate alone to have their little talk about her foolhardiness. He had been so certain he was in the right and she would have to concede to his points. Now he could only stare at her in stunned silence, her words sending a shiver of fear through him.

There was an element of truth in her words, something he couldn't deny. His wolf was viewing her as being weaker than it, of requiring complete protection. He hadn't even noticed it happening because things had been so quiet for such a long time. There was nothing weak about his beautiful mate, and it was dangerous for his wolf to fall into that way of thinking. There had never been an instance of a mated couple having issues with a wolf's respect in the partnership; at least none that he was aware of, anyway. Something like that could only spell trouble and he did not intend to allow anything to come between him and Freya, not even his wolf.

Leaning forward, Dayton wrapped his arms around his mate, sighing with relief when she came instantly into his embrace without hesitation. He kissed her; a long, slow drugging kiss full of the love he felt for her. "We need to remedy this," he whispered into the side of her neck, his lips brushing the gentle slope of her shoulder where he'd claimed her with his bite a quarter of a century ago.

"How?"

Pulling back, a slow smile crossed his face as he played with one long strand of multi-coloured hair. "You need to kick its ass, honey." He winked at her, the anger melting away to be replaced by the playful side of him, which made him one of the most loved and respected Betas in the pack. "Come on."

Tugging at her hand, he pulled her from the room, ducking his head into Reasa's room. "You okay to stay for a while longer, Mallen?"

Seated at the side of the bed where Reasa lay sleeping, the doctor looked up from the journal he was writing in and nodded in agreement. "Have fun."

"Dayton?"

He was stripping off his clothes in the kitchen, all six feet plus of glorious muscles and sinew as he opened the door leading out to the back yard, and into the forest beyond. He threw his head back and laughed at the lustful expression on Freya's face as her eyes tracked downwards to linger where he was already standing proud for her eager scrutiny.

"Want some?" he teased, his long dark hair falling forward as he took his cock in his hands and stroked it slowly. "Patience is a virtue, honey. You're faster than I am, so I need a slow count to one hundred. If you can track me and find me, then this cock is yours to do with as you please."

Feral eyes met his, pulsing a deep green as lust and need washed over her. "You had better start running then, wolf."

His mate's tone was cool and deadly, the predator within clearly close to the surface. His wolf perked up, perused the vampire looking back at them, and remembered another time when she had taken them on a rock beside the riverbed, glorious in her beauty, rampant in her strength and dominance. She had matched skills with it and been found worthy.

Dayton shifted to wolf form, long shaggy black fur covering his powerful body, a lone streak of silver falling over one eye. A loud howl filled the room and then the wolf turned and sprinted out into the forest.

"One..."

To be continued...