Annie Nicholas - Omegas In Love

“I’ve a few ideas.” Sugar’s health would take priority. What if he’d led his enemies to her? What if they came for him again? The best defense was an offense, any true football fan would agree with him. He needed a plan, but most of his resources came from Pal Robi.

Daedalus’s ears picked up the sound of alarms ringing in the ICU with his keen hearing. Spice’s muffled voice climbed higher in pitch and volume. “Something’s wrong.”

“No shit. Someone in your company is trying to kill you.”

“Not that. With Sugar.” He stood and rushed back to her room.

Robert followed without question.

Chaos flowed in organized groups of humans wearing scrubs rushing in and out of Sugar’s room. A huge red cart was pushed through her door as Spice hurried out.

She dashed to his open arms and hugged him tight. “She’s dying. I can’t…” Thrusting away from him, she met his gaze. “You have to turn her. Now.”

He broke eye contact and stared at the mass personnel in Sugar’s room. “I can’t.” What was left of his unbeating heart ached just as bad as the night he’d died and became vampire. He caught a glimpse of a small pale hand on the bed.

“This ain’t the time to grow morals, vamp.” Spice grabbed his shirt and pulled with her shifter’s strength.

The seams protested, but he didn’t budge. “Nosferatu are incapable of changing humans to vampires. They all die.”

She dropped her hands at her side. “What?” Twisting, she glanced at the room. “Then what are we going to do?”

Gathering her small frame into his arms, her body identical to his female, he rested his head on hers. “Have faith in your sister. She wants to live. I can sense it. She’ll survive this.” She had to. Help wouldn’t be here for at least another day.

He stretched out his power and slipped into her mind like he’d been doing intermittently since he’d arrived. As before, it was still. Quiet. His ribs turned to ice. Gentle and tender, he searched for her. A soft cry, distant and frightened, called out. He plunged deep, lost in the dark, not caring if he ever found his way out.

A gleam of thought shone far away. With every ounce of strength and power in his unsalvageable soul, he latched onto Sugar. Threading himself into her essence, a moment of warmth spread into him like sunshine and days at the beach. He’d forgotten–

As if tied to a bungee cord, his mind snapped back. His knees buckled and hands caught him under his arms. He blinked, finding Su–he sighed–Spice holding him. “I’m fine.” Straightening, he glanced into the room.

The doctor stepped out. “She’s gone into what we call ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome. Her lungs have become stiff with the trauma. I’ve put her into a coma to allow the ventilator to do all the work.” She moved over to allow the red cart to be parked by Sugar’s door. “We’ll keep a close eye on her. All this trauma makes her at risk for throwing blood clots and stroke.” Then the doctor left, giving instructions to a nurse.

Spice wheeled around. “What do mean you can’t change her?”

“Nosferatu are a different breed of vampire.” A headache pounded in his temples. Rescuing Sugar’s soul took a lot of effort. “Look. Now’s not the time for details.” Drained of energy, he drifted to Sugar’s bedside and brushed a stray curl from her face. That precious moment in her mind when they’d touched souls…he’d forgotten what it felt like to be alive.

A new door hung in the main entrance to the brownstone. Someone in the pack had repaired it for them and Eric had given Katrina a new key. As she stepped over the threshold, the air left her lungs. The damage, so much of it, made her home a disaster area.

Chen’s men had violated the brownstone, attacked her small family, and almost killed her best friend. May that bastard rot in hell with demons picking on his bones.

Seeing poor Sugar and Daedalus had given Katrina a reality check. Her injuries and Tyler’s were minor in comparison. Their troubles easily fixed. They’d survived a horrid day and found each other once more.

Tyler limped inside and closed the door. He contemplated the mess. “I really need some shut eye. Can we clean tomorrow?”

“Yes.” She snuggled against his chest, absorbing the solid strength of his body. The doctor in the emergency room had eased her pain with medicine. By morning, she’d be healed. Without it to distract her, she could sense her season escalating. “I want to sleep.” But she doubted with her growing need she could. How could she broach this subject with Tyler? He looked beat.

“Come on.” He tugged her.

Following a trail of debris, Katrina descended to the basement, but detoured into the bathroom they shared with Sam, and turned on the shower. Tossing the remains of her dress into the trash, she stepped under the icy water. Its clean scent washed away the faint stink of fish clinging to her body, and cooled her aching desires.

Just a quick wash. She stepped out, wrapping a thick towel around her. It didn’t hide the bruises and scrapes on her face. She’d been beaten before. Never this bad, though. The collar was still around her throat.

She grabbed it and yanked. The silver in her blood stream had worn off so her beast loaned her strength. Bending slightly in her hands, the metal dug into her skin. A trickle of blood slid along her neck, slipping over her shoulder.

“Stop!” Tyler barged into the bathroom and removed her hands. “You’re hurting yourself. Let me do it.” He caressed her face, then positioned his fingers around the tight collar. The muscle along his jaw bunched with focused strain as he pulled the locked ends apart. Sweat beaded on his forehead, then the collar clattered onto the tiled floor.

She stared at the shattered remains. Not a prisoner anymore, not a slave, or a dog. Her breath shuddered as she exhaled.

Tyler sported a fresh black eye and his bottom lip hung in a swollen pout.

Tracing a finger along it, she whispered. “I’m sorry for not telling you about Chen.” She swallowed around a tight ball in her throat. “When I came to America I wanted a fresh start. To forget…”

He kissed her fingertips. “If I’d really wanted to know, I would have asked. You’ll talk when you’re ready. I trust you, Katrina.”

“Even now?” A vise squeezed her chest.

Resting his forehead against hers, he closed his eyes. “What do you think?”

“I don’t deserve you.”

“Yeah, but you’re taking the universe out of context when you begin talking like that.” He opened his eyes; amusement twinkled there.

She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. The weight of a thousand suns lifted from her shoulders. “I love you so much. I cannot even express it.”

“Express it by letting us get some sleep.” He kissed her nose. “I love you more.”

Pressing her face against his, she sighed. Sleeping at home with Tyler, her small slice of heaven wrapped in curly red hair and freckles.

Lying on his side, Tyler admired the graceful line of Katrina’s back as she sat on the edge of the bed.

They’d taken a nap but he wasn’t ready to leave his comfortable spot. He traced his finger along her spine.

Shivering, she glanced at him over her shoulder. The spark in her gaze stirred him.

“I haven’t welcomed you home yet.”

“Really?” She raised an eyebrow. “And how would you like to welcome me?”

He placed his hands behind his head. “Let me think.”

Laughing, Katrina tore the blankets off him. “While you’re thinking, I am going to occupy myself.” She ran her hand over his already stiff cock.