The Swan Who Flew After a Wolf (19 page)

chemistry, no doubt about it, but being in Anson’s arms simply made

him feel safe. It cast aside the nightmares plaguing his sleep, the bad

dreams when he was trapped in the dark, his only anchor to reality his

connection with Anson and the dim voices reaching him as if through

a veil. Not a dream, but a memory, and perhaps, something that could

have become his future.

“Don’t think about that,” Anson told him. “It’s in the past.”

Reed hugged his mate tighter. “We were lucky, weren’t we,

Sonny?”

“Maybe,” the werewolf replied. He picked Reed up from his chair,

cradling him into a strong embrace. “Come on. We need to get a

breath of fresh air.”

Reed wasn’t very excited about that. Whenever he met up with

other people, he always had to face their pity. Awkward silences

stretched around him, and werewolves who had known him all his life

looked away from him, unable to meet his gaze.

“Let’s go to the lake,” he suggested.

Somehow, from Reed’s spot, it had turned into their spot, and if

something could calm both of them down, it was that place. “I like

that idea,” Anson replied.

They left Anson’s small home using the back door. It practically

led straight into the forest. The lake was a good distance away, but at

a brisk pace, they reached it quite quickly. The water glittered like a

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jewel in the sunlight, and Reed was immediately invaded by a sense

of peace. This was the place where he and Anson had mated, where

their souls had become one. Even with the time that had passed, Reed

could still feel the energy of their union, as if it had left a brand on the

area.

“I love it here,” Anson said, echoing his thoughts. “I can feel us.”

The werewolf placed Reed on the grass and sat down next to him.

He pulled Reed close, and they just cuddled together, taking in the

beauty of the forest. It was calming and, in the quiet, Reed found that

he could focus even more on Anson’s thoughts, on his needs and

desires.

“Why is this happening, Sonny?” he asked his mate. “What are we

doing wrong?”

“I wish I knew, baby. But we’ll figure it out somehow. I promise.

We just have to trust each other.”

According to the doctor, Reed’s regeneration powers should take

care of the last of the damage, but due to the complications of the

injury, there was no telling when exactly that would happen.

Everyone seemed puzzled, as the medics felt it should have happened

by now. The doctor had even suggested that something else was

blocking Reed’s ability to walk, something psychosomatic. Judging

by the nightmares and flashbacks he still had sometimes, Reed

thought it wasn’t a bad guess.

Either way, Reed wouldn’t let this destroy him and Anson. “No

more guilt,” he said. “You’re not to blame, and neither am I.”

Anson turned Reed in his embrace and placed a sweet kiss on

Reed’s lips. “No more guilt,” he assented.

Reed would have liked to touch Anson, to make love to the

werewolf in this place that held so many memories. At the same time,

though, he didn’t want to break their moment of contentment. This

was a different type of serenity, unlike the one he and Anson shared

after they came. It was quiet, gentle, and it told Reed that he could be

optimistic, that he could defeat whatever life threw at him.

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He didn’t know how long they just sat there, trying to forget that

when they had to leave, Reed wouldn’t be able to walk on his own.

All of a sudden, Reed felt something amiss, or rather, someone

intruding on their privacy. It was Reed’s dad, which automatically

meant something was wrong. Shiloh knew about Reed’s spot, but he

wouldn’t bother Reed here unless it was absolutely necessary.

Shiloh appeared in swan form, flying toward them in alarmed

haste. Anson got up and lifted Reed into his arms, obviously ready for

whatever Shiloh had to tell them. Shiloh shifted into his human form,

panting as if he’d run a race. “Aria escaped.”

Reed’s mind went blank. For a few moments, he was transported

back to the horrible moment when he’d watched Anson propelled

back by the log. That was what scared him most, not his own death or

coma, but the idea that he might lose Anson.

Thankfully, his mate was right there, and their bond helped Reed

focus on the present. “How is that possible?” he inquired. “I thought

she was under lock and key.”

“They were transporting her to Elder Wade’s facility today,”

Shiloh replied. “All the precautionary measures were taken. There

were guards. Soren himself went with it. But somehow, she managed

to escape, and a lot of people were injured.”

“Injured?” Anson repeated. “Who?”

“Several men, including Soren. No one was killed, thank God, but

it was a close call. Daniel believes magic was involved because Aria

just shattered the cuffs. There was no way she could have done that

without aid.”

Anger filled Reed, hot and bright.
Tyrell again
. There was no

other explanation. Somehow, the warlock had found out about Aria

and planned to use her against them.

“Enough of this,” he said. “I’m sick of hiding. We’re going after

them.”

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He jumped out of Anson’s arms and glowered at his mate, daring

the werewolf to challenge him. Anson just stared at him wide eyed.

“Baby, you’re standing.”

“Oh.” Reed looked at himself, experimentally moving his legs. “I

am.”

For a few moments, he thought it was all a dream, but then he

remembered the Aria problem. There was no way his imagination

could conjure that up as a fantasy.

Drunk on the realization that he’d regained his ability to walk, he

turned toward his father. Both Shiloh and Liam had suffered a lot

during Reed’s ordeal, and the knowledge of his parents’ pain had

made the entire thing even worse.

Tears of joy shone in Shiloh’s eyes. As he looked at Reed, the

older swan seemed to have completely forgotten the reason why he’d

come here in the first place. “Oh, baby,” he said. “You’re walking.”

Instantly, Reed went to hug his dad. They’d always been close,

and his support had been invaluable in the past weeks, while he’d

been fighting what he’d thought to be a hopeless battle. Not to

mention that the members of the pack hadn’t given up on their

persecution, and while they respected Reed enough so as not to bring

their hatred into his home, Reed still remained acutely aware of the

tensions.

In that moment, Reed was torn between several impulses. The

first was to begin a very private celebration with his mate and fulfill

the need that had been tormenting both of them. He’d also have liked

to meet up with all his friends, to show them that he had, at last,

surpassed whatever mental block had kept him from walking.

However, something told him he needed to deal with the peril that

threatened his family and his lover. He needed to show the pack that

no one was to blame for this but Aria and to prove beyond any

shadow of a doubt that his connection with Anson was stronger than

anything. For all these reasons, Reed feared that, on this particular

occasion, duty had to take precedence.

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Anson gave him a pained look, but nodded. “Let’s go back to the

house, and we’ll make plans. It’s time to face this head-on.”

“Are you sure you’re up to it?” Shiloh asked, his tone concerned.

Reed could tell his dad was doing his best not to hover. Even so,

Shiloh couldn’t help but touch Reed wherever he could, as if wanting

to reassure himself that Reed was truly standing there. Touched, Reed

kissed his dad’s cheek. “I can handle it, as long as I have you, Father,

and Sonny.”

He took his mate’s hand, his heart hammering as he wondered just

what the future held for them. His parents, Aria, Tyrell, Paris, so

many destinies interwoven and so many choices to make. But the first

step had been taken. Against all odds, his mating had survived and

was stronger than ever.

As he stole another glance toward the lake, Reed made an oath.

One day, he would come here in a time of peace, when no pain and no

treason would interfere on his time together with his mate and his

family. One day, he would share this place with his own child. During

his illness, he hadn’t dared to hope it would ever happen, but now,

everything was different. He could see it now, so very clearly,

himself, Anson, their baby, and Paris, building a new family,

supported by their loved ones. It made his resolve even stronger. They

just had to defeat Tyrell and Aria so that they could earn their new

beginning.

“We can beat this, baby,”
Anson told him through their bond.

“We can beat him.”

At that, Reed couldn’t help a small smile.
“Yes, we can.

Together.”

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“Welcome to my coven,” Kaname Yamamoto said, his wicked

grin giving a tantalizing view of his fangs. “I do hope you enjoy your

stay.”

“Thank you for your hospitality, Yamamoto-sama,” Anson replied

as the vampire elder gestured them inside the dark building. “We

really appreciate your help in this problem.”

After Reed had recovered his ability to walk, both of them had

decided it was time for them to face their fears and problems. Even if

Anson still felt terrified at having Reed anywhere near a dangerous

situation, Tyrell was getting increasingly problematic, and his mere

existence affected them.

Of course, it didn’t help that, in spite of Reed’s recovery, Reed’s

grandmother was still not over the issue. To this day, she blamed

Anson for Reed’s injury. While Anson couldn’t fault her for those

opinions, he could also not accept her trying to separate him and

Reed. In spite of Reed’s efforts to point out the truth, other members

of the pack also believed the same thing she did.

In the end, even Soren had agreed that it was for the best if Reed

and Anson left for a while. This was how they had ended up in

Tokyo, in Kaname Yamamoto’s coven. The vampire was just like

Anson remembered him, handsome, charming, and very, very grabby.

“Oh, it’s my pleasure to have you here,” Kaname replied, leering

at Reed. “I always like having shifters around, especially ones as

gorgeous as you two.”

“You flatter us.” Reed smiled tightly. “I’m sure you have many

far prettier people just begging for your attention.”

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127

Kaname just laughed, but didn’t answer. Anson was thankful for

that because keeping track of the conversation while trying to figure

out where exactly they were going had become quite a challenge.

The famous coven was located in a modern skyscraper in

Shinjuku, or rather, under it. While aboveground, the building

appeared to be a completely normal and boring business center, the

truth was that the lower levels hid something far more interesting.

Kaname Yamamoto’s coven was a maze of intricate corridors, as if

designed specifically to confuse all other races except vampires. The

walls were decorated with gorgeous carvings, but the more Anson and

Reed advanced, the kinkier the artwork became. Anson and Reed

passed dozens of rooms without the vampire explaining their purpose,

until at last, they reached what looked like a huge entertaining area.

For a few moments, Anson just stared. As a rule, shape-shifters

were a lusty sort, but even so, he’d never quite faced the level of

decadence here. There were vampires everywhere, and most, if not all

of them, were in various states of undress and involved in erotic

activities. The large room held no specific structure. There were

settees and scattered pillows where men and women alike writhed

against each other in ecstasy. There were X-crosses against the walls

and hooks hanging from the ceiling. Gagged submissives lay there, at

the mercy of their masters. Assortments of toys and contraptions were

visible, but what stood out, most of all, was the feeding. Vampires bit

down on their lovers’ flesh, instantly triggering orgasms. Suddenly,

Anson felt very hot and very aware of his mate’s presence beside him.