Divine Intervention

Jodi

*silently padding into the workshop, smiling as I see Vishous hunched over carefully working on a new dagger, the gauzy glow from his ungloved hand casting an ethereal light on his face.* I hope I’m not interrupting.

Vishous

-crooked grin- Never leelan -sets the dagger aside and pulls my glove on, taking your hand and dragging you into my lap-

Jodi

*laughs softly, winding my arms around your neck* You look good sweaty. *runs my tongue over your lips* Taste good, too.

Vishous

-growls low- Not as good as you taste -nuzzles your neck, biting and licking over your pulse “My son.” head shooting up from Jodi’s throat following the booming voice, glaring at the figure of the Scribe Virgin- I’m not your son -quickly getting to my feet, tucking  Jodi behind me. The Scribe Virgin’s voice was unaffected, a hollow echo within the walls of the forge. “As you wish, warrior. I have come to collect my price.”

Jodi

*cautiously peering around Vishous’s looming form, eyes flaring wide at the sight of the Scribe Virgin, her presence sending a wave of unease through me, pressing tight against his back, my voice wavering as I looked up at him* Nallum?

Vishous

 -eyes narrowing into slits- What price? “You cast aside your duty as Primale in order to take Jodi as your female. Surely you knew that my approval of this mating would carry a price.” -growls- I fucking should have.

Jodi

*I gripped Vishous’s hand as I listened to her words. “The race must go on, warrior. The nursery on the Other Side has remained empty for too long. You will sire young. There shall be a new Primale to the Chosen.” *My stomach turned at the thought of my hellren laying with those females. She wanted Vishous to father their children?*

Vishous

-diamond eyes blazing with fury- Damn you, what have you done? -Her voice flat, she answered matter-of-factly. “I’ll ignore that question this once, warrior. I have done nothing but what was necessary to insure the survival of my offspring. I trust your female will do the same.” With that she disappeared from sight, leaving Jodi and me in darkness-

Jodi

Vishous? What did she mean? She can’t expect you to… *I didn’t even finish the sentence. Of course she could. She could expect any goddamned thing she wanted. Cautiously stepping from behind Vishous, I stared at the spot where the Scribe Virgin had been, heart aching as if she’d ripped it from my chest and taken it with her*

Vishous

-I saw how Jodi stared into the place where the bitch had stood and delivered the great news, I walked towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder, my voice barely above a whisper- Leelan? -to say I was concerned about what the SV said was a fucking understatement but Jodi came first-

Jodi

*hysteria bubbling in my chest, I turned and tucked into Vishous's arms* Fuck, nallum...She can't mean what I think, can she? *tears welled in my eyes, my mind not wanting to accept what I'd heard, shaking my head and burrowing my face into your chest, hoping to wake up and find it had all been a terrible dream*

Vishous

-frowning at the panic in your voice, my hand ran over your back in soothing circles, my voice still a whisper when I say-  Leelan, we're not going to let her do this, true? -kissing the top of your head- it's probably one of her many fucked up threats, we're stronger than that -I nodded, not only was I convincing you but I needed to convince myself- let's go to the pit, true -wanting to have you tucked in our bed before I left for the night-

Jodi

*with a small nod I huddled into your side, swallowing back a sick feeling and let you lead me through the tunnel to the pit, the oppressive silence filled with terrified thoughts for our future as we made our way to our mated room and settled onto the silk covered expanse of the giant bed, cradling a pillow to my chest* V... you won't will you? Go to them?

Vishous

-the silence was more than I could bear, what the hell was I to do, I just had to do something to make you feel better, brows knitted together as I tried to figure something out with so little time to actually swallow the information, your voice broke through and I shook my head, sitting next to you- Leelan -flashing a reassuring smile- who is my mate? -running my hand over your cheek in a tender caress-

Jodi

*with a soft sigh, I tried to take comfort in your words, curling into your arms letting silent tears slip down my cheeks. Head resting against your chest, the steady rhythm of your heart lulling me into a fitful sleep*

Vishous

-finally I’d calmed Jodi enough to let her sleep, brushing her hair from her tear-stained face and kissing her parted lips, I eased her tiny body off my chest, laying her gently on the bed and headed to the closet, pulling on my leathers and strapping my daggers into place. I pulled open the drawer of the nightstand to grab my tobacco pouch, my fingers catching a slip of stiff paper. Brows drawn, I pulled the card from the drawer and stared at the address. Women’s Center? She fucking didn’t… Turning the card in my hands, the print slipped out of focus, pupils dilating midnight to fill icy irises as images flashed in front of me, the strange male reappearing, turning to stare at me with my own eyes. My chest tightened as I watched, his face fading to be replaced with that of a cherubic infant, brilliant diamond gaze fixed on Jodi’s face from the safety of her arms… No. No, it wasn’t possible. The card dropping to the floor, I staggered back as the room came back into focus, all but running down the corridor and out the front door into the night air. Rubbing a gloved thumb over the center of my chest I fumbled to make sense of what I’d seen. Not another male. A son. My son. Pulling a cig from the inner pocket of my jacket, I rested it between my lips and fished out my gold lighter, flicking it open to light the hand-rolled. Taking a long drag I cocked my head at the sound of Butch’s heavy footsteps as he joined me in the driveway, clapping a hand on my shoulder.“You okay, man? You look like you’ve seen a fucking ghost.”- I’m tight, true. -Rolling my shoulders and patting my jacket over my Glocks, I met Butch’s eyes, not about to share my latest message from the mother ship- Let’s hit Trade before princess Rhage has a tantrum.

Jodi

*A wave of nausea jerked me from restless sleep, taking deep breaths until the sickness subsided I’d slipped out of bed to make my way to the bathroom. Rifling through the medicine cabinet for something to relieve the nagging cramps, my fingers reached for a bottle and paused my heart speeding as I counted back the days in my head… Late. I was late. Reassured by a doggen that Vishous had gone on patrol, I’d hurried out of the compound, bee-lining it to the nearest drug store for the tests, hoping to dispose of the bag and its contents before he returned. “Mistress Jodi?  Mistress, are you ill?” Fritz’s voice was shot through with concern as he called from the other side of the bathroom door. He’d been at it for over an hour, ever since I’d scurried past him and down the hallway with the pharmacy bag tucked under my arm, barely getting the toilet seat up in time to lose the bagel I’d eaten earlier.  Lifting myself up to sit on the side of the tub, I stared at the little plastic cylinder in my hand, the unmistakable blue plus sign glaring up at me. Tears streaming down my face, I clenched the test in a white-knuckled grip, staring across the floor at the half dozen others I’d taken. Different sizes, different indicators but all having the same answer: pregnant. I took a deep breath and tried to think… I’d wanted this for so long but Vishous had been so dead set against our having young that I’d resolved to content myself in being his shellan… Christ what would I tell him? ...Hey, nallum, looks like your mother got us good this time. So what do you think, green for the nursery?... Fuck. That. I sank to my knees as my stomach lurched again, suddenly grateful for the doggen’s meticulous cleaning routine. The retching finally subsiding, I wiped a hand over my damp forehead and pulled the handle letting the swirling water carry away the remains of first meal, sinking back against the side of the tub and hugging my knees to my chest, trying to decide how best to tell Vishous I was having his child.*

Vishous

-The night out had been a bust so far, the lack of action did nothing to distract me from myself, thoughts a jumbled mess as I tried to figure out what was doing in my head. Rhage, as per usual, had spent the entire evening dicking around and the cop had tried to lighten up my mood to no avail, all I could think about was what I could do to keep myself away from having that vision become a reality. Holy fuck. A young? Weeks had gone by since I had made the mistake to succumb to the need to mark her in every possible way.. we had spent at least two fucking days in our mated room satiating the thirst that had sprung from the days of withdrawal, thanks again to my stupidity... I had taken Jodi however I had wanted, whenever I had wanted and as many times her body allowed it. My cock twitched at the memory, which made me shift uncomfortably before I had to adjust my leathers.. fucking biology. I scrubbed a gloved hand over my face as the image of the infant played over and over again in my head. The risk had been too great and it was time to go back to basics. Umm maybe Havers had come up with something? Or perhaps those pills for human females could work for us.. there was just no fucking way I would risk her life by giving her young.. but the surgery just wasn’t an option. If anything happened to her… I swallowed hard, as the way Tohr had come back to the Brotherhood after losing Wellsie played in my head with me as the main star of the show. I wouldn’t go through the starvation route. If I lost Jodi a bullet for breakfast would do the job more effectively. Shaking off the thoughts, I tugged my cap lower and took a long drag from my hand-rolled which dangled between my lips. I rejoined Butch and Rhage after having fanned out for yet another dead-end lead. It was getting tiresome and I was close to giving up when my phone buzzed in my pocket. Thinking Wrath probably had another idea of what we could do with the night I answered the phone without even a glance at the screen."My lord. I..." I got cut off by a very polite yet urgent and nervous voice. "Sire." The way Fritz had said that word had me chilled to the bone. My entire body went tense and my eyes zeroed in on the shadows that surrounded the alley, jokes and laughter died around me when both males noticed the change in me. "What is it, Fritz?" Trying my damn hardest to not blow and chew the male alive, the doggen took a deep breath "Sire, I am.. I am concerned about Mistress Jodi, she has not come out of the lavatory in some time. I thought it best to inform you…" Shit, my mind was working double time, every possible scenario streaming through my head like a movie, none of them had a happy ending. "On my way" I turned to both males, who in turn gave a curt nod that "It's my female, true" with one more nod I dematerialized back home. Once there, there was just no stopping. Shitkickers pounding on the pavement, I took two steps at a time, willed the door of the Pit wide open and sped down the hall to the bathroom adjoining our mated room, barely registering the crowd of doggen who’d scurried out of my path once they saw me coming. My nostrils flared in annoyance at the door that kept me away from my female, without wasting any more time I rammed the door listening as the hinges screeched in protest as the wood buckled under my shoulder and gave, sending savaged pieces of oak flying before me, fangs punched down to lethal daggers as I scanned the room for my female, ready for anything-

Jodi

*my head snapped up as the door splintered inward under the force of 260lbs of warrior and a wild-eyed Vishous barreled into the bathroom, hiccupping sobs I shrank back against the tub, my stomach rising into my throat in relief and panic at the sight of him*

Vishous

-My diamond eyes crazed with fear as I look around the pristine porcelain bathroom... boxes and shards of plastic scattered on the floor around my red-eyed female, a heartbreaking sight.- Leelan? - My voice was panicked as I raced over and knelt down next to her, my arms wrapping around Jodi, my shellan.- Sssh, leelan. I'm right here.. -My tiny female tucked into my embrace crying her eyes out, sobs and sniffles muffled in my leather jacket. With her safe in my arms I had a chance to really look at the debris littering the floor. Pregnancy tests.. PREGNANCY TESTS? I felt a strange knot in the pit of my stomach…it was too late to change my vision. Jodi was pregnant. Fuck. Me. I take it back…I’d been ready for ALMOST anything-

Vengeance

-To say he dreamed of the female would be making light of a hurricane. To say his life's ambition was to find her and eat out her heart.. ..that would be more accurate. The dreams were only part of it. He knew her face. Would know her face in a crowd of millions. Those eyes.. ..the eyes of the one who had taken the life of the Bloodletter..she owed him her blood. If it meant crossing the seas to the new world.. so be it. The new world was the place to find the others as well..the Brotherhood...the supposed saviours of the race, the failures... this crusade was two fold and goodbye to the homeland was more sweet than bitter...the time had come for the bastards to make a name.-

Trying Not to Love You: Behind Closed Doors

Jodi

*we'd just made it home before sun up, our need for one another forcing us to stop more than once on the drive back to the compound, finally pulling into the drive and falling out of my truck in a frenzy, our lips fused as you carried me through the door of the pit, stalking down the hall to our room and all but throwing me onto our mated bed, barely getting your leathers down before sinking into me once more, we'd stayed that way for hours, losing count of the number of times I'd come apart in your arms, getting precious little rest in the moments before you reached for me again, both exhausted but too long denied the other's touch to give in to the pull of sleep, my body aching but never turning you away as you sought to ease the ravenous need to be inside of me, stirring awake in a twist of powerful limbs and sweat-drenched sheets, my eyes roaming over the lines and angles of your body to the rigid arousal jutting up from your hips, your body desiring me even in the clutches of restless sleep, I climbed on top of you, clenching my teeth and easing myself on to your length, sore tender flesh stretching to take you in as I leaned in to bring my mouth to yours, silencing my quiet moan with your lips, feeling you stir beneath me as I take your full length to the hilt, weakened muscles tightening around you, my eyes flash up to your face at the sound of your muffled groan, pausing a moment to brush my lips over the dark circles beneath your eyes, exhaustion evident in the lines of your face while I trail kisses down to your mouth, licking at a lengthened fang dimpling your lip before I start to move, my breath escaping in a quiet hiss as I rise up and slide downward, my own appetite for your touch undeterred by fatigue as I begin my slow ride*

Vishous

-my body reacting to your touch while my mind slowly gets in the program with  what was doing, images of the joining of our bodies crashing down at once, I had taken my female over and over again with the hunger that had been building up for days, meeting her need with my own, my nostrils flaring when I catch the scent of your arousal and that sweetness that was my shellan, my eyes then flare open to pin  you with a smoldering look, a low growl falls from my lips when my hand runs up the side of your body to your inked skin and I started to move with you to make the dreams that had tormented me in the few hours of sleep come true-

Jodi

*mouth curving into a smile as your large palm spans my back to hold me in place, I braced my hands on your chest to steady my body above you as my hips move over yours, thighs trembling from long hours of satisfying your need to erase any trace of the male who'd touched me, diamond eyes blazing fierce possession while you'd taken me over and over...and I had been more than willing to sate the primal urge to claim what was yours as I was now, the slow descent filling me with your hardened flesh*

Vishous

-the gradual fall of your body driving me insane but for once after last night I let you have it your way, my hips pushing until I'm buried to the hilt slowly gyrating once I'm buried deep inside you and I lean in to whisper against your lips- Fuck, shellan mine -my heavy palms fall on your ass giving you a squeeze and I start to move again, my motion eliciting a low guttural moan, the dark spices of my bond bathe your body once again, the possession never leaving my eyes-

Jodi

 *whimpered sobs drip from my lips with every fall of my body on yours, tangled waves the color of bitter chocolate cascading over my shoulders to stick to skin glistening with sweat, the bright moonlight streaming in through the windows to shine on illuminate skin covered in faint bruises and delicate bites borne of your violent passion, closing the distance between our mouths in an urgent kiss, my arms shaking with effort as they slide around your neck, pulling me down to cover you with wet curves, my back arching and flexing as I seek to quench our voracious craving for one another*

Vishous

-my hand moves to cup the back of your neck to hold you to me while we both stake our claim over the other with the urgent kiss, muscles bunching and relaxing with every thrust, your sweat-slicked body slowly sliding against mine as we move as one to reach the pleasure together, our bodies pressed close to one another and not wanting any kind of space between us-

Jodi

Nallum... *breathlessly whispering between eager kisses, my mouth traced a path to your throat, swollen lips prickled by stubbled skin that marked the passage of time spent in our mated bed, briefly wondering if it was even possible for me to come again, reason giving way to lust as I rolled my body over yours, teeth sinking into the soft flesh of your earlobe when I'm shattered on another violent tide of ecstasy, the smooth undulations of my hips faltering while I'm rocked by wave after wave of explosive pleasure*

Vishous

-returning each and every stroke of your tongue on mine, a shiver rolls through me when you pull back to tease my throbbing elongated fang, head tilted to the side to give you better access while you thrash and writhe on top of me, hours and hours of being together had our bodies almost synchronized to what the other felt and what we both needed, my body confirming this when I roar your name while my release shoots out of me, filling you with each jerk of my hips, your name, both our moans and groans echoing off the walls and drifting through the night and seclusion of our room-

Jodi

*incapable of drawing enough breath to speak, I collapse on top of you nearly paralyzed from exertion, chest heaving pulling your scent into my lungs, covering me with the perfume of your bond inside and out, feeling deliciously used, my body weakened from long hours of being sustained on nothing but your touch, my face pressed to your throat as the last tremors of carnal pleasure give way to hazy euphoria*

Vishous

-tremors run down both your body and mine my hands slowly raise to wrap around you in an attempt to have you melt and mold to my body, wanting fuck to craw in your skin and claim permanent residence there, settling comfortable with the aftershocks of release satisfied in every fucking way possible... at least for now, my hands gently glide over your back in a tender caress while I let you bask in the haze of the moment-

Jodi

 *smiles lazily at the soothing stroke of your hand and tucks my head under your chin, my hair plastered to your chest in damp tendrils of dark silk, nearly purring with contentment* I may never walk again.

Vishous

-a husky chuckle  escapes my lips, leaning in to kiss the top of your head- Is that a bad thing, leelan? -closing my eyes for a moment, feeling the way your body is against mine knowing we'll eventually have to move to the bathroom but hell there was going to be so much more going on later, that made me smirk-

Jodi

Only if I ever want to get out of bed. *laughs quietly, my body humming in the aftermath of our union, finally at peace after the weeks apart, silently praying the distance between us was over* Fuck, I love you, Vishous.

Vishous

-another chuckle and I look down at you with the same smirk, eyes glinting with mischief but also that love and devotion that I had only felt for you, no one in my life had ever affected me this way and I'd like to keep it that way- I love you too, leelan -I tilt your head up to kiss you soft but deeply-

Jodi

*exhales on a soft sigh, my lips moving with yours as I use the last reserves of my strength to reach up and thread my fingers through your hair, smoothing the tousled locks*

Vishous

-purring softly at the tender caress of your fingers in my hair, tilting my head almost instinctively to lean into your touch while we share a kiss that steals our breath away, then pulling back to let you collapse on top of me once again- Need to recharge, leelan?

Jodi

 *smiles softly at the rumbling purr, twisting the ends of your hair around my fingertips* Recharge? *chuckles* That's an understatement. I think if I tried to stand, I'd melt into a puddle on the floor.

Vishous

-shivering slightly at the caress, opening my eyes slowly to look into yours- Umm we could prove that theory or have some food sent in or just lay here until -thinks- well until I fuck you again -fangy smirk-

Jodi

*laughs and shifts higher on your chest, breath escaping on a hiss as the friction against my heated flesh sends a jolt of pleasure of my spine* In that case, I think food is a fantastic idea. I'm in no hurry to get cleaned up, though.

Vishous

-biting my lip when you move, already the need to take you building up but stopping myself to give you a breather... for a moment- Good, because that wouldn't be wise-another fangy smirk I reach over to the nightstand to call for Fritz, while it rings I look at you- what do you want? I mean, besides Gatorade

Jodi

*thinks for a moment, chuckling as my stomach answers for me with a loud growl* Steak. I want a rare steak. *wrinkles my nose* That's an odd thing to want in the middle of the night.

Vishous

-cocks a brow at the request, chuckling slightly- Raw? A bit ravenous, leelan, don't you think? -my voice and my grin not showing its usual lines of worry, carefree for the moment just mentioning a few things for Fritz to get us, my stomach now growling too and I laugh-

Jodi

*scowls* Rare, not raw. Although if that's too much trouble, I could just eat you... *grins wickedly and bites at your earlobe, tugging gently, doing my best imitation of your growl*

Vishous

-laughs- Raw - rare, same -chuckles as I hang up with the buffet ordered to the doggen knowing we'll have some time, when your teeth play with my earlobe I growl, the sound overpowering yours and my cock hardening inside you.. holy fuck, it was like I was in the middle of my female's needing- that sounds damn good

Jodi

It's not the same. I like it warm and bloody, not still mooing. *grins and gives you a sharp bite, nibbling my way down your neck and brushing my lips over your vein, brows knitted as I'm taken with the urge to sink my teeth into your throat*

Vishous

-my mind was in such a state right now that I didn't notice the slight change in the intonation of your voice that I would've caught any other day- Umm food is on its way -I look into your eyes for a moment, yet again feeling the soft touch under my eyes so I chuckle- What?

Jodi

You look tired, hellren mine. *chuckles* I suppose we haven't slept much. Maybe we should skip the food and let you rest.

Vishous

-cocks a brow, amusement tinging my expression- Really? -your stomach growling answers my question and I laugh- I'll live, shellan mine. Wouldn't be the first time I stay up for a long time -gyrating my hips beneath you with a smirk on my face- besides I have a good reason to stay up

Jodi

Fuck..me... *pants softly, my heart racing at the roll of your hips* And what's your good reason, Vishous? *instinctively dropping my lips back to your throat, licking over your pulse with slow drags of my tongue*

Vishous

-my lips part to give way to the ivory points of my fangs and I suppress a groan when your tongue runs over my skin, after swallowing hard and regaining my voice I say- I have my female in my arms and I want to fuck her senseless, is that reason enough?

Jodi

In that case, maybe we need to make the most of the time until our meal arrives. *grins, nipping your throat and lapping at the reddening welts before easing off of you and rolling onto my stomach in a rustle of silk sheets to look up at you with dreamy eyes, the sloping curve of my back glistening with a fine sheen of sweat in the dim light of our mated room*

Vishous

-a slow smirk curls my lips, fangs still fully elongated as I turn on my side to let my eyes roam over your slender body, curves glistening with the thin sheet of sweat covering your skin, my hand moves to push aside the mane of your hair before I lean in to brush a soft kiss over your shoulder while my hand glides down your back to your ass- Define, make the most of it

Jodi

*flashes you a seductive smile, loose limbs shifting into a feline stretch under your palm as your mouth skims over my shoulder, even after the dozens of times you'd had me in the past days, the fleeting touch of your lips was all it took for my thighs to tense in wanton anticipation* I mean... *leans close, my eyes searching yours as I whisper against your lips* ...lock the door, Vishous. #DoNotDisturb

Trying Not to Love You

Vishous

Fuck… me… was the only thing I could come up with after what I had seen, my mind was reeling and over analyzing every little detail about the vision I just had. My heart was trying to rip free from my rib cage while my lungs struggled to keep a breath just enough so I could stay conscious. Just because I was all knowing, a warrior and a motherfucking vampire, didn’t mean I couldn’t suffer a panic attack. Slowly I found myself falling into the darkest pit of my soul. That dark voice inside my head had the biggest smug smirk he could ever muster ~You thought you were going to have this happily ever after? Laughable. You don’t deserve such a female, true~ the darkness, the bitterness coming from that voice had always been there, perched high on the fringes of my mind just waiting for the moment I came crashing down and apparently I wasn’t wrong. Then again, I’m never wrong. Maybe I had just hoped for the best, that maybe the mess that was this brother had one chance to redeem himself. I snorted while I pinched the bridge of my nose. My worst nightmare had finally come true and I was not about to keep the best thing that had happened to me away from her destiny. My expression hardened, the hell with my future I would do anything for Jodi, even if that meant giving her up so she could find her happiness. All self pity aside it took me approximately 5 seconds to get the hell out of the room were the vision of my doom sent me in a downward spiral. The old V was back in full force and that meant.. no more mush, no more heart, just straight up logic. 

Separation Anxiety

Weaving through the sea of bodies to the bar, oblivious to the cacophony that was the norm for ZeroSum, I glanced over to VIP not at all surprised to see Rhage and Phury looking back at me. It seemed wherever I went, at least one of the brotherhood kept watch… a giant leather-clad gargoyle guarding their brother’s shellan. With a half-hearted smile I turned back to the bar, perching on a padded barstool and shouted my drink order over the thumping bass of the sound system, settling in for another night of wallowing in misery and whiskey, desperately wanting my hellren who had once again made himself scarce when my scent had changed heralding the onset of my fertile period. 

Snorting I took a drink from the glass the bartender had set in front of me. Scarce was a fucking understatement. Once a month, Vishous refused to be anywhere near me, hightailing it for the mansion until it had passed and rather than staying in our bed alone I’d started coming here to steep the loneliness in John Jameson’s triple distilled until I was numb enough to pass out as soon as my head hit the pillow. But lately he’d been avoiding me more than usual. Brows knitted I stared into the glass of whiskey as if it would tell me what the fuck was going on…he hadn’t touched me in days. He still wanted me, I was sure of that and the obvious tent in his leathers when I bent down to feed Sox or when my towel slipped aside to bare a flash of thigh confirmed it. Though, instead of reaching for me, he’d looked pained and turned away, disappearing into the tunnel that led to the training center. 

Without any real hope of an answer I’d gone to Butch, hoping he could shed some light on what had Vishous so determined to keep himself from me but, the cop had no answers, save that he knew something was eating at my hellren though he didn’t know what. True to his conditioning as one of Caldwell’s finest, he’d promised to find out; hazel eyes keenly taking in the hurt and confusion written all over my face. 

That had been 3 days ago and I hadn’t seen V since, his absence had finally worn me down to a grim resolution…if he didn’t want young, we wouldn’t have any. I could live without children. I could not, however, live without him so I’d called the Women’s Center of St. Francis Hospital, making a consultation appointment to go over ligation procedures. The thought turned my stomach but I could see no other alternative.

Dropping the cash on the bar to cover my tab I nodded to Rhage and made my way outside the club, climbing into my truck and heading home. Parking next to the Escalade, I headed inside to what I knew would be an empty bedroom. I pulled the appointment card from my purse and stared at the date, the black embossed letters standing out like roaches on a wedding cake. With a heavy sigh I tucked the card into the drawer of the nightstand and shed my clothes, climbing into bed and curling around a thick pillow, pressing my face to its silk cover to take a deep breath, his scent calming me enough to drift into a fitful sleep.

Chaos Theory

Life at the compound had changed… though long, cold nights were still spent in the alleys of Caldwell’s seedy underbelly with my brothers hunting for lessers, I no longer returned to the pit and the comfort of a tumbler of Goose or my toys, nor did I retreat to the refuge of the penthouse in the Commodore to seek the solace only willing bodies and the sting of deftly-wielded leather could provide. I came home to her. Jodi. In a world of seemingly endless night, she was the light that guided me out of the darkness I’d spiraled into centuries before. 

Opening the door to the pit, my heavy footfalls echoed off of the walls, blood-covered shitkickers carrying me down the hallway to our mated room, anxiously anticipating a hot shower and the remainder of the night spent buried between her thighs. My cock hardened at the thought, already two steps ahead of me as I nudged the door of our room open, swearing as the scent hit me. Mother. Fucker. I’d been so caught up in my desire to chase away the horrors of the night with the warmth of my female’s arms I’d neglected to note the day, the hypnotic scent perfuming the air of our room reminding me with painful clarity. Jodi was fertile. Warring with myself I watched her turn in her sleep, silk sheets rustling over her nude body as she moved. Cursing every book and article I’d studied on human reproduction and shooting a glare at the tent in my leathers, I turned out of the room, my dream of a hot shower changing to cold in an instant. 

Month after month we endured the separation while her body went through its cycle, both of us suffering through until her scent changed with its passing and we were once again able to gorge ourselves on each other’s touch until we could hardly move. She’d offered to have the surgery but, I just couldn’t bring myself to take the possibility of young from her though, I’d be damned if I’d risk her life by lying with her during those times. If anything were to happen to her… I shook off the thought and headed for the bathroom, willing the water to its coldest setting and unstrapped my holsters, peeling off my stained clothes and taking a deep breath before stepping under the icy spray. It didn’t matter how long it took, or how I had to fight to stay away from her. Jodi was part of my life. Fuck, she WAS my life. I had to find a way around the biology that kept us apart on those days. My head hanging under the freezing cascade, I scrubbed a gloved hand over my face, mind churning with possible solutions and outcomes. At the forefront was the chaos theory… I had to find the answer before chance found it for me.

No one would think that after the time spent together I would still dwell and study leelan’s reproductive cycle to successfully be with her without the repercussions of a young endangering my female’s life. No one would dare think that the smartest of the brothers would be racking his brain trying to fit his sex life with that of his female around and far away from her fertile times. The fucking thought gave me the chills, fucking biology and its fucking monthly gift… ass planted in front of my Four Toys, thoroughly ignoring the work assigned by Wrath.

His booming voice rang loud and clear in my head “We need to get on with what we’ve recovered. The lessening society is not going to stay quiet forever’ he pinched the bridge of his nose then slid his thumb and forefinger to rub his useless eyes ‘I don’t fucking like this, V. Use your fucking brains and figure some shit out. We need to find and destroy the biggest target before… it’s too late’”. It wasn’t like I hadn’t tried to do and use any and all the resources available but the King was under a lot of stress as of late and shit was only getting worse with the glymera.

After hours of hacking new phones, handling and pointing out new coordinates with Tohr, sitting and going through new strategies with the cop, and some other bullshit with the kids and the rest of the brotherhood I found myself right back where I started. My office. My technological paradise. The feeling that the smelly fuckers had something up their sleeve had every brother on the compound on edge. Like cockroaches, the pale assholes scattered around to the nearest sewer and hanged their asses tight. Darkness was their home and shitholes their sanctuary. The fact that I felt I was missing something did nothing to clear my head and that meant for a very wired warrior. However, I found myself cursing at the calendar that glared back for not letting me have the release I so desperately needed. A brilliant red warning told me what I already knew.

My eyes followed the weekly schedule as if trying to push back or somehow find that I was wrong, that I didn’t have to stay away from the touch of my female. My gloved thumb rubbed over my inked temple and a newly lit Turkish tobacco nestled between my lips while my eyes ran over the information… over and over again. Soon the avoiding starts and that pained expression on your female will come back to haunt you night after night until you make her yours again. Jodi and I had the same argument over and over again in the past but neither of us had given in.

I leaned back against the chair taking a long drag from my blunt, swimming in the spices of the tobacco with my head resting against the leather. I lifted my hand to rub my chest just over my heart, if my female only knew how many times I had to leave the room just because her scent had enveloped me, making my head spin and my cock strain against the confines of my leathers. That was the tricky part, hiding my arousal every time; putting out the cig I took a deep breath as my mind drifted back to the image of my female’s bare body tangled in the ebony sheets of our mated bed. Shiiiiit. I groaned closing my eyes when the leathers started to feel a little too tight. I chastised myself once again for the unnecessary discomfort. Not the time V, not. the. fucking. time.

Exhaustion soon won over and I slumped onto my desk, falling into a restless sleep. A few moments later, my breathing began to come in harsh pants and my eyes flew open. My heavy body felt as if underwater, gravity seemed to multiply and kept me frozen in place. The eye that bore the curse was consumed in darkness to give way to that higher power... thanks mommy dearest. Soon, like I was on a fucking dance floor, the heavy fog clears and the vision starts.

The rustle of leaves and the soft whistle of the wind was the first thing to register then images became clearer and I could distinguish a wide clearing of trees in front of which stood a wide shouldered, tall male.

A musical laugh filled the air and the male bolted to the fringe of the clearing capturing a slender female in a tender hug. The female finally pulled back to lovingly caress the cheek of the male, mahogany waves lifted from another gentle breeze and finally she was revealed. The female I knew.

My vision was of Jodi… a happy Jodi with a male… that wasn’t me.