Blood Vow (Blood Moon Rising) (22 page)

“Is he still alive?”

“My mother said at the time she didn’t know.”

“Does she now?”

“I don’t know,” Falon whispered, wanting to jump out of the car and run.

Rafe slowed and made a wide banking right and turn and continued to drive in complete darkness. Just when she could stand the silence no more a soft rosy glow rose on the horizon.

“The Amorak have arrived,” Lucien said excitedly.

“And with them answers,” Rafe replied, catching Falon’s eyes in the rearview mirror.

Twenty-one

FALON WATCHED IN awe as the amazing sight unfurled before her eyes. Scores of what she could only describe as teepee-style lodges dotted the glow amidst the darkness. Fires roared within them, illuminating the animal skin covers and intricate designs and scenes carved into the pelts that appeared to come alive with the flickering of the hearth fires.

“This is just the beginning, Falon,” Rafe said. “In a week’s time this entire valley will be full of similar structures. Hundreds of them.”

“How will they be sustained?” she asked, thinking of the provisions it would take to feed and fortify the entire Lycan nation.

“Everyone pitches in and contributes. In the harbor there’s a ship with enough food and sundries to last the nation two months. There will also be daily hunting parties to go out for fresh meat.”

“Are we vulnerable here? Will the Slayers attack before the rising?”

“Slayers play by no rules. We must always be vigilant.”

Rafe drove down what appeared to be a main thoroughfare and seemed to know where he was going. At the edge of the encampment he stopped in front of a lodge that was easily twice as large as any of the others.

He put the vehicle in park, and turned off the ignition. He came around as Lucien was opening her door, and nudged him out of the way. Lucien took exception to it, and for the first time since they had shared intimacy as three, the tension rose between the two men.

Falon was glad for it, but only because it took the spotlight off her. She pushed between them breaking them apart, and looked up at the dark structure. Rafe moved to the large flap, held it back, and extended his arm. “Home for the next month.”

“This is Vulkasin,” Lucien said roughly. “My camp is farther down.”

Rafe looked patiently at his brother, and said, “Move it next to this one.”

“Falon comes with me,” Lucien said, extending his hand.

Rafe stepped between her and his brother’s outstretched hand. “She was mine first.”

Lucien snarled and stepped closer.

“I’m not a bone!” Falon shouted. “I won’t be treated like one.” Once again she held the brothers apart. “Which place is bigger?”

Rafe scowled. “They should be the same size as Lucien and I are equally ranked alphas.”

“Fine, then this one will do,
for the three of us
.” As she made the statement, a thrilling excitement mixed with harsh trepidation tangled in her belly. Excitement because for the next month she would be spending intimate time with both of her men here in this beautiful setting, and trepidation that she was wrong withholding the truth from them.

“I’m not so sure that would be the best situation,” Lucien said.

“Why not? Because I’m not going to have you two coming in and out in shifts! And I sure as hell am not going to be skulking between two camps! How do you think that would make me look?” They both stared blankly at her. “Like I’m servicing the two of you, that’s how!” She crossed her arms over her chest, and said, “Either the both of you stay here with me or neither of you do.” She cocked her head sideways and raised a brow. “It’s your decision.”

Rafael looked at a scowling Lucien. They made to snarl at each other but didn’t. Falon had to force her lips from quirking. God she loved these two with all her heart. Emotion jacked up her throat. And she would do anything to keep them.

“Well?” she asked, tapping her foot. “All or nothing.”

Rafe threw his hands up in the air. “Fine, Falon, but don’t expect me to be happy about the arrangement.”

She stuck her tongue out at his retreating back just as Lucien caught her up in the circle of his arms. His wicked smile could disarm a stone. He kissed her soundly on the lips, then smacked her butt before he practically skipped away to help his brother. Falon laughed at him. In so many ways, though only separated by minutes, Lucien acted the younger brother. He got away with hijinks and naughtiness, while Rafe was the one expected to be serious and dutiful at all times. She was sensitive to that about him and tried to understand what drove him.

Falon turned back to the lodge, and pulled back the flap. Darkness.

“Here,” Rafe said roughly, handing her a flashlight to show her the way. The light shone brightly into the large, airy space. Thick colorful woven rugs covered the floor, but central to the space was a self-contained adobe-style fireplace complete with a tall, narrow chimney that ran up through the middle of the structure. Several low, soft leather sofas surrounded it. In the corner behind the fireplace was a stack of fur pelts as tall as she was high and a large rough wood dresser. A table with four chairs was pushed to the right side along with stacked coolers and a washbasin. On the opposite side was a large claw-foot tub, and what she surmised was a portable commode. A chest-high folded screen rested against the wall closest to the tub.

The entire space felt open and she could see flap cutouts shoulderhigh lining the skins and several higher up for ventilation.

“You like?” Lucien asked, coming in behind her.

She shivered from the cold, anxious to warm up the space. “I love it.”

He dropped several boxes next to the table. “Good, because I’m tired and I’m hungry, woman. Fix me something to eat.”

Falon laughed at his caveman talk. “If I refuse, are you going to drag me by my hair to the pelts?”

He donned that grin she loved so much, and swaggered toward her. “Oh, yeah, and while I’m dragging you by the hair I’m going to be ripping your clothes off and ravaging that sweet body of yours with my tongue.”

Falon threw her arms around his neck, and said, “Then I refuse.”

He nipped at her chin, and slapped her butt again. “Hungry!” he bellowed as he ducked out of the teepee.

While the guys were out doing whatever it was they were doing, Falon focused on feeding them. Her stomach rumbled. She was hungry, too. The last thing she had eaten was a sandwich hours ago somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. She needed to eat for herself and the baby.

Moments later she stood looking at the limited food items she had to work with. All of it meat. Typical. Men didn’t do side dishes. She picked out two large cuts of beef and a smaller one, and seasoned them with the spices available. Lucien had lit the fireplace and showed her how the top portion slid back exposing a grill. Perfect.

While the steaks cooked she dug out a bottle of wine because she knew Rafe liked a nice cab. She had never been much on wine, mostly because with her nonexistent budget she couldn’t afford it, and the stuff she had tasted, tasted like swill. Tonight she’d give it a shot. She uncorked the bottle and searched for glasses. She found plastic ones and decided to grab a couple of beers from the cooler for Lucien.

She checked on the steaks, then turned her attention on the pelts and making a bed. A warm wave of excitement washed through her when she thought of sleeping with both of her men in the same bed. The sexual anticipation aside, she was looking forward to snuggling between them and falling asleep in their arms. It was the one place she didn’t think of anything but being in the moment.

And just like that her moment was shattered when her predicament intruded on her warm, sexy thoughts. It was an impossible situation. They were all under such an incredible amount of pressure. Their very lives hung in the balance, and she suddenly felt selfish wanting two men, and only on her terms. Suddenly she just wanted to tell them both the truth when they returned, and let the chips fall where they may, with the profound hope that they would be able to move beyond the issue of her paternal bloodline.

Gah! If it were so easy! It was anything but. She was screwed if they found out.

Lucien’s and Rafael’s deep voices drifted to her as she set the table. Her hand shook as she placed a knife on it. Inhaling deeply she focused on her chore and not the sound of them entering their temporary domicile.

Then there was silence—the kind that exploded. Falon’s hands shook as she continued to set the table. When she was done, she slowly turned and caught her breath.

They stood rooted to the ground, wearing fresh clothes and looking like two predators, their hair damp as if they just stepped out of the shower. Rafe looked the epitome of
GQ
in his sleek black jeans and his fitted gold-pinstriped black shirt. His short golden-blond hair framed his classic features. She raised her eyes to his, and her heart stuttered in her chest. They were smoky and intense, full of promise. She swallowed hard as her eyes dropped to his full parted lips, then to the hollow at his throat where she could see the vigorous throb of his pulse. The urge to press her lips to it was overwhelming. She allowed her gaze to continue its carnal perusal to his wide chest, then to his hips and the thick rise in his jeans. She about melted on the floor when she saw he was barefoot.

Rafael Vulkasin was the epitome of alpha. And he belonged to her.

Dragging her eyes from Rafa, she indulged them in his brother. And like his brother, Luca was barefoot. Lucien’s worn jeans hung sexily off his lean hips and the tight black T-shirt he wore hugged his rippling muscles like a second skin. She longed to run her hands up his chest as he circled her with his strong arms. His long dark hair was damp and curled around his face, shadowing his sinful lips and bedroom eyes. Everything about Lucien Mondragon screamed sizzling sensuality. And like his brother, he belonged to her.

Falon didn’t know what she had done to win the hot-guy lottery twice but she was not going to question it. Ever.

“Hi,” she said shyly.

Both of them smiled. Sensing her shyness, neither one moved toward her. For that she was grateful, she wasn’t sure at that moment if she could handle both of them at the same time. Her hands shook nervously. “I— Your steaks are done. Come sit.”

As they moved in, she quickly set the bottle of wine on the table, the two plastic cups, and Lucien’s beer.

Hands still shaking, she set their plates in front of where they stood at the table and hers between them. Rafe and Lucien reached for her chair at the same time and pulled it out together. Hurriedly she sat before her legs gave way. When they sat down on either side of her, Falon’s stomach did several slow rolls.

“I’ve never cooked steak before, I hope you like it.”

“I’m sure it’s perfect,” Lucien said. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Feeling self-conscious as they watched her cut her meat, she took a bite nearly gagging on it. It tasted terrible! It was overspiced and overcooked. Not a hint of pink. And her men liked their meat rare. She forced herself to swallow it and looked up to see Rafe and Lucien exchange grimaces.

“I’m sorry! I don’t know how to cook.”

“It’s fine, love,” Rafael said. To prove it he took another bite, and chewed it as if he enjoyed it.

Lucien chased his with half his beer.

Mortified, Falon pushed her plate away from her.

“Falon,” Rafe said, pouring her a full cup of wine, “you need to eat.” He pushed the cup into her hand. “This will help it go down.”

“Oh!” she cried. “You really do hate it!”

“No, it’s fine, really.” He took another bite and, like Lucien had, Rafe chased it with a deep sip of his wine.

She took a sip of the wine, and was surprised she enjoyed the cherry and oak taste of it.

“Angel face,” Luca said as he wrestled with the piece of meat in his mouth. “The cooking is a beta’s job.” He took a long pull of his beer to wash the beef jerky down. “As alpha, your job is to lead beside your mate . . . er, mates . . . and”—his eyes twinkled mischievously—“to make mad passionate love to them.”

Heat rose in her cheeks.

Lucien took her hand and kissed her fingertips.

“What is your role?” she shyly asked.

He lifted blazing golden eyes to her and slowly smiled. “To make mad passionate love to my woman and make her forget everything except me exists.”

“Oh,” she breathed.

Lucien sat back in his chair and pushed his plate away. He had more guts than she did; his steak was half eaten, Rafa’s, too. Her heart warmed, knowing they’d choked down the food so she wouldn’t feel like a complete failure.

Rafe scooted toward her and trailed a finger along her arm. “We showered and changed down at the community center.” He drew her up, and circled her waist with his arms. “It would be my pleasure to draw you a bath.”

“Ohh-kay,” she breathed.

He moved her over to one of the sofas then proceeded to draw her bath. She had hoped the water would be warm and when she saw the steam rise, she smiled.

“It’s hooked up to a water heater outside,” Rafe said, catching her happy look. When the bubbles rose to the edge of the tub, Rafe turned to her, and extended his hand.

Heat washed over her in sudden shyness. “I’ll get undressed behind the screen.”

“Oh, Falon, that’s not very nice,” he complained. She smiled, and moved around him and pulled the screen out from between the tub and wall. As she set it up, obscuring their view of her, she secretly smiled.

When she settled into the velvety warm bubbles, she moaned in pleasure.

“Stop it, angel face, or you’re going to have company,” Luca threatened.

“You’re welcome to join me anytime.”

She giggled when he shoved the screen aside, and stared down at her, the lust plain on his face. “I’ll settle for the view.” He smiled again and pulled a short stool up, then sat down beside her. “For now.”

Falon lay back against the back of the tub, and her breasts popped above the water, the soft white bubbles sluicing over them.

“Christ, Falon,” Rafe groaned from where he stood by the warmth of the fireplace. “You’re killing me.”