KnightForce Deuces Read online

  KnightForce Deuces – Book two of La Patron’s KnightForce Series by Sydney Addae

  Just as Silas’ den has expanded with half-breed pups, so has the Wolf Nation. Millions of half-breeds are accepting their rightful places in the nation and Silas couldn’t be happier. Unfortunately, not everyone is happy of the inclusion of mixed blood and take matters into their own hands.

  In its infancy stage, KnightForce captains, Angus, Asia and Tyrone step up to the challenge to eradicate any and all threats. In a battle of wit and will, KnightForce takes on the rebels with a strong hand. On the home front, Silas and Hawke race against time to protect their den from enemy forces, deal with a sly, calculating federal agency and deal the Liege a crippling blow. With confrontations hitting them from various sides, there is never a dull day in KnightForce Deuces.

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  This book may be read alone, however, it is a continuation of the La Patron, Alphas Alpha series. To understand the depth of the relationships between Jasmine, Silas, Asia, Angus and Hawke, I suggest you read the following books. BirthRight, book one, is a free read and sets the tone for the series.

  Book one is BirthRight,

  Book two is BirthControl

  Book three is BirthMark

  Book four is BirthStone

  Book five is BirthDate

  Book six is BirthSign

  Sword of Inquest

  Sword of Mercy

  Sword of Justice

  KnightForce 1

  Thanks to all my Den-mates and admins, Michelle and Vicky, you are all the best at keeping me laughing with new creative ideas. I heart you much.

  A special shout out to Reyna, Sally, Karen, and Kim, I could not have presented this story without your help.

  Thanks

  Sydney

  Chapter 1

  The pale skin of the man almost matched the sheets on his hospital bed as he struggled against the straps holding him in place. Red streaked the whites of his eyes. With mouth agape, drool flowed down his corded neck. Whatever demons plagued the poor soul sent constant shudders through his long, lean frame.

  The beige walls, concrete floors and icy cold temperature of the observation room provided an appropriate sterile background as Angus watched Vernon Dreft. The bastard had left him lying on a cold table in the Colorado Mountains after stealing a large quantity of his blood. Dreft looked exhausted but his body wouldn’t stop twitching or moving. Visions of raking long claws down the side of this bastard’s face, who took his blood last week, teetered on the edge of dismissal. Rage battled disgust as he witnessed Vernon pull on the restraints and shake on the bed like a leaf on the cusp of a ledge, just before flying away. Angus had sworn vengeance on the fool but karma cashed in first. He unclenched his jaw as inhuman sounds escaped Vern’s mouth and bounced around the room.

  “How long has he been like this?” Angus asked young Dr. Whitney, who worked at the human hospital just outside Denver, Colorado.

  “His brother, Henry, called an ambulance for him yesterday. No insurance, so he wound up here. I worked the emergency room, late shift. Anyway, I took a look at him and knew something strange had happened. His skin had lost color. His eyes flashed and his teeth, one minute they looked normal, the next they crowded his mouth.”

  Angus’ brow rose. “His body changed? Is that what you’re saying?”

  Whitney nodded. “Fortunately not into a wolf, per se but something altogether different. Here’s what we have so far. His brother said he mixed some things together and then injected the solution but swears it’s not street drugs. The tests concur he’s not on any type drug we’ve got on record.”

  “I see. Go on.”

  “According to his brother, for three days he was on top of the world, something about making a lot of money after finding the fountain of youth, that kind of thing.” The young doctor shrugged and shared a “we-heard-this-shit-before” look with him.

  Dread rolled down Angus’ back at the idea of someone using his blood as a trace or major component for any type of high. No wolf would be safe.

  “There’s probably more to what’s happening but the brother is falling apart at the idea of losing his brother to whatever is going on. You can try and talk to him, he’s in the critical care waiting room. Last I saw of him, he was rocking back and forth in silence. Doesn’t say much of anything. I had a hard time getting through to him for that small bit I just told you.”

  He thought about the inherent ability of the chameleon bracelet to sift through memories without exchanging bodies or completely steal the identity of another, including their physical appearance, which led to death. Angus decided to give his condolences to Henry in person.

  Whitney stood in front of the glass staring into the room at Vernon. “After what happened to you, Alpha Chase requested everyone report anything out of the ordinary. So when he came in, I called it in.” He paused. “Main reason I called it in is because I heard him murmuring in the corner about wolf’s blood. He hasn’t admitted to anyone here what his brother injected into his system but,” he tapped his ear, “I’ve got great hearing. I think this is the man who stole your blood.” The doctor’s beeper went off. “Sorry I have to go but I’ve cleared it for you to stay as long as you need.” He handed him a folder.

  Angus nodded as he flipped through the file and Whitney left the room.

  Inhaling deeply, Angus filtered scents, seeking his own. He moved closer to the window and watched large red splotches appear everywhere on Vernon’s skin. Dreft arched his back as if fire were beneath him. The agonized scream told of unimaginable pain. Vernon begged repeatedly for death.

  An hour later, death heard him. Vernon Dreft, blood robber, died.

  Disappointed he hadn’t been the instrument of Dreft’s demise, Angus used the chameleon bracelet to alter his image slightly and went in search for Henry, brother of the now deceased. Retaliation would fall on the brother for what they did to him. Angus pushed open the critical care waiting room door holding two cans of soda.

  The pungent scent of fear hit Angus in the chest. Alone in the room, Henry sat in a plastic chair in the corner with his head resting on top of his knees as if he had been praying and grew tired. Sorrow mixed with pain flashed in his eyes when he looked at Angus before turning away.

  “Have you seen a tall guy, mustache,” Angus asked looking around the empty room. Something about the sad posture of the young man stopped him from destroying him immediately. Plus Silas frowned on public executions. His strategy was to befriend the young man and then invite him someplace where they’d be alone and then kill him.

  Henry shook his head but didn’t look at him.

  “I’m supposed to meet my brother, my mom’s in one of the rooms back there, they’re working on her. She’s in a bad way, even still I hope she makes it,” Angus lied.

  “Want one?” he offered Henry a cold drink. Dr. Whitney gave him 30 minutes alone with Henry, after that he would inform him of Vern’s death. Either Angus would kill the man now or follow him home and kill him there. Everything depended on their impending conversation.

  Henry peeked up, reminding Angus of one of Silas’ pups, the way he looked at the can as if it held answers to his dilemma. Angus had assumed the young man would be hungry and thirsty since he hadn’t left the room. A sealed drink seemed the safer option.

  “Yes, thanks.” Henry stood slowly and took the can. “My brother’s back there.” He tipped his head toward the door.

  Angus shook his head. “Sorry about that, hope everything works out for you.”

  Henry returned to his seat.

  “Mind if I sit here ‘til my brother shows up?” Angus pointed to a chair a couple down from Henry.

  “Sure. It’s been quiet in here for s
o long, feels strange hearing another voice.”

  Angus took a pull from his drink and inhaled. Henry and Vern’s scents overlapped. Had Henry carried his brother? Or was it the other way around. Vern had been strong for a few days before his body crashed. There was something different in Henry’s scent, Angus couldn’t place it but didn’t dwell on it either since he planned to kill the guy.

  “My brother loved these.” Henry held up his can, his eyes filled.

  “Hey don’t talk like that, he’ll drink another one, the two of you’ll be sitting around drinking, laughing about this day,” Angus said offering a small smile.

  Henry released a long sigh and looked toward the exit door. “No, I don’t think so. My brother’s gone, he’s been gone for the past week and things will never be the same.” He took another drink and sat back in his chair staring at the floor.

  Angus calculated the time from when he and his team were in wolf form, fighting rebels in the Rockies. Angus had been left behind as a decoy to infiltrate the rebels, except Vern and Henry shot him with some kind of super tranquilizer and stole his blood. They must have waited a day or two before creating the mixture and then injecting it into Vern.

  “Let’s hope you’re wrong,” Angus said, adding a note of sympathy when he wanted to beat the crap out of this man for what they did. It had taken days for the tranquilizer to clear his system.

  Henry finished his drink with one long gulp and crushed the can. “No. I’m not. He’s stubborn, hard-headed, thinks he knows everything and now…now he’s going to leave me here alone.” He ended his rant with a whimper.

  Angus picked up a lot about Vern’s personality through Henry’s reaction. Anger, ripe and hard, had been Angus’ constant companion since he learned what these assholes did to him, fizzled at the sight and beneath the pain of this defeated man. “He’s your only family?”

  Henry nodded without looking at him. “Always been just the two of us. Nobody else wanted anything to do with us since we was small. Vern…” He inhaled and wiped the tears from his face with the back of his arm. “He took care of me, always did.”

  “Sounds like a good guy.” Angus hesitated on the word good.

  Henry looked at him. Red-rimmed eyes pleaded his brother’s case. “He did some things that wasn’t always right but mostly, when it came to making sure I had food to eat, a place to stay and clothes.” He shrugged. “He’s my brother, I love him.”

  Angus thought of his litter-mate Silas, the human equivalent of a brother and agreed. Good, bad or indifferent, he loved his brother too. Standing, he walked to the door.

  “What about your mom? Your brother?” Henry called looking around the room.

  “I’m going to check on her now. My brother’ll get here when he does,” he said over his shoulder.

  “Thanks for the drink, hope I didn’t run you off,” Henry said in a sad tone.

  Angus turned and looked at the young man. “No, you didn’t, just reminded me of how important family is and the things we do for those we love.” He nodded and walked out.

  Chapter 2

  Silas hung up the phone, turned in his chair and looked out the window. Bastards still hadn’t dropped the charges against him for destroying Lancaster’s labs and had the nerve to keep asking for his help. He’d told Angus the human government was on their own and he meant it. Their resources tripled his; it wasn’t his fault they had management issues.

  “What’s so interesting out the window?” Jasmine, his mate and mother to his pups, asked walking past him to stare out the glass. She gazed at him over her shoulder and smiled.

  “You’re goofing off, right?” Her eyes held warmth. He loved that she loved to tease him. But that went both ways.

  “Just sitting here wondering if I should take you into the lowest tunnel to our cave where no one can hear you scream for a few hours.” He grinned when her neck and chin reddened.

  “I don’t scream… loud.” She winked at him, pulled up a chair and placed her foot on his lap. “Who’d you piss off, now?”

  He grabbed her foot, slipped off her heels and then pressed his thumb into her arch beginning the massage. His eyes fell to the shadow between her legs. “I like that dress, is it new?” Slowly he pulled her legs apart so he could see better. Proof of her arousal rose like a tantalizing aroma and created an answering response between his legs. “Black and white, sleeveless, very nice.” He watched the hem rise as he continued moving and massaging her foot.

  “No, it’s not new, it’s comfortable. Are you going to tell me what’s wrong or do I need to look for myself?”

  Legs apart on his lap, she spoke as if his dick wasn’t hard enough to break rocks. “Not now, I want–”

  “Baby I want you too. But we both have a lot to do today with Renee arriving for the baby shower and you getting everything done so you can attend. When I know something’s off with you, I come to check on you personally. Tell me I can do that without us having sex each time. Otherwise, nothing would ever get done.”

  Silas exhaled and rubbed her legs. “I always want to be balls deep inside you. It’s my favorite place to be. But you’re right, I have meetings scheduled all day as well. And we don’t know how to do quickies… or do we?” He wiggled his brows.

  “No.” She laughed and moved her feet from his lap. Taking his hand, she met his gaze. “Who did you piss off?”

  He chuckled. “One of my Generals at the Pentagon called. They got the report on Corrina Griggs flesh covered bombs and want to sit down to talk about it with me and Hawke.”

  Jasmine blinked a few times. “Not a good idea?”

  “Maybe but I’m not going to do that right now. They want to take and take without giving much in return. They act as if we are playing chess and they are in a position to call checkmate when they are not.”

  “They can make life uncomfortable for us, Silas.” She squeezed his hand.

  “True, but I can do the same for them. We need each other but not to survive. If my pack removed our resources it would cripple this country for a long time. They would be in a vulnerable position, we both know that. They also know the European Council has asked if I would be interested in expanding to the Continent. We are a strong, powerful Nation, with all the challenges that go along with it. Believe me I understand why the hair turns gray on every President, there is always something needing to be done or fire to put out. At last count, my pack was 33 million strong and growing, each of them active and ready to serve. This country has 10 times that amount.”

  “Really, that includes the half-breeds?”

  He nodded. “Yes that’s why the count is on the low side, well lower than I believe is true. According to Tyrone only half the breeds are registered, but his team’s working hard to fix that.” He placed her feet on the floor and pulled her into his lap. Holding her close he brushed his lips against hers. “You smell like my pups.”

  “Children,” she murmured before placing her palms on the side of his face, holding him tight and deepening the kiss. He ran the flat of his palm up her thigh and traced her satin panties with his fingertip.

  “So soft, I like that.” He moved away from her mouth and dipped lower.

  She gasped as he captured the tips of her nipples through her clothes and pulled. “Silas stop.”

  He released her and smiled. “I liked that black thing you wore to bed the other night, wear it again tonight.”

  She laughed, the sound filled him with satisfaction. “The black thong? Is that the black thing you’re talking about?”

  “Yeah, that.” He kissed her again, reveling in the sweetness of her taste. Today the lavender fragrance she wore complimented her natural scent. His beast howled to taste her.

  “That’s all you ever want me to wear to bed.” She pouted and pushed back until she stood. Silas held her hand and looked into sweet brown eyes that reflected the love in his heart for her. It amazed him how her eye color changed since they mated to include every shade of brown depending on her
mood. Angry? Light brown to almost white. Happy, content? Hazel to milk chocolate. Aroused? His favorite, dark brown.

  “And your point is? You don’t need anything other than that small black piece of material. Actually I like you naked but you like to dress for bed, so…” He shrugged.

  Jasmine leaned forward and took another kiss. “It’s almost time for Renee to arrive. Dinner tonight, baby shower in two days, plenty of time to get your desk organized. I want you there, at both.”

  “Okay, dinner tonight with Renee… Tyrese and Danielle picked her up, right?” Silas couldn’t recall since Asia volunteered as well.

  “Yes. They’re on the way back now.” She stepped away. “The kids are excited and wouldn’t take their naps until I promised them she wouldn’t leave without seeing them.”

  “No telling what she’ll bring them this time, laptops?” he asked. Jasmine’s sister, an anthropologist, taught at a university and wanted the kids’ IQs tested. She swore they were geniuses and sent all types of advanced puzzles and games for them. Silas had no idea what half of the cubes or boxes did but Jacki and David loved them. Adam got frustrated and threw his down. Renee’s interest lay in anything with color, otherwise she paid it no attention.

  “Maybe, who knows? It’ll be good to see her; I just hate her visit is so short this time. But she wants to come back after mom has her babies and is saving time for then.”

  Since Silas didn’t care if Renee never visited, he remained silent. Jasmine knew his feelings toward her smart-mouthed sister but as long as he kept his thoughts private, there were no problems.

  Jasmine flicked his shoulder as she walked pass him. “Be nice, Wolfie.”

  “I’m always nice… to your sister.”

  Laughing, she left his office with a wave goodbye.

  “Hawke?” he called through their mental connection.

  “Sir?”

  “Are you at a point you can break off and come to my office? The Pentagon called.”