KnightForce Tres (La Patron KnightForce Book 3) Read online

  Mélange took a step closer.

  Elyria backed away. “You’re being ungrateful. I took his life with the bracelet for you, for us, so this will work. They work together at the college, she would go with him, and then I’d put her to sleep, like Snow White.”

  Mélange’s stomach clenched again at the idea of her mate in a state of forced sleep under Elyria’s clutches. The woman enjoyed playing with her captives and would torture Renee for fun. “Go home, Elyria, she’s my mate and under my protection.” They’d never fought each other before, but she’d seen her former lover in action. Elyria was a tough competitor, but not a highly trained assassin like Mélange.

  “What?” Elyria screeched. “We protect each other, what happened to that? Are you throwing away 10 years of love away because of her?”

  Mélange heard the pain in Elyria’s voice, but her wolf no longer cared. Her mate meant everything and she would snatch Elyria’s heart from her chest, or die trying, before she allowed her to touch Renee.

  “She’s my mate, I can’t allow anyone to hurt her.”

  Elyria’s mouth opened and snapped shut. Then her eyes narrowed beneath the façade of the male skin she wore. “You don’t want to go against me, Mel.”

  Mélange said nothing.

  “I should’ve killed her, but I didn’t want you to die. But you don’t care about me, or that my heart’s breaking, that I don’t want to live without you. You’ve tossed me aside for your whore. I won’t let you do that to me…do you hear me? Nobody does that to me!” She turned and marched toward the car. “I’ll be back, Mel. You better watch your human’s back.”

  Chapter 10

  “Mama, he’s adorable. Finally, I have a little brother,” Renee said, holding Victor and looking at the other three.

  “Yes, you do.”

  Renee looked over her shoulder at her mom. “Still sore?”

  “Tired. At first I tried to breastfeed, it didn’t work. Even with the nurses helping to feed them, I wake when I hear them cry.” Sitting up in her rocking chair, she yawned. “Makes for a long night.”

  Renee smiled as she returned Victor to his crib, and picked up Jewel. Humming, she rocked back and forth.

  “What happened?” Victoria asked.

  Renee looked at her. “Huh?”

  “Something’s changed. You weren’t like this last time…you met someone?” Hazel eyes reflected the overhead light as her mom leaned forward. “You’re happy again. What happened?”

  Renee’s chest expanded. She placed a kiss on Jewel’s forehead, returned her to her bassinet, and picked up Ruby. “When I left last time, I bumped into Mélange at the airport. She asked for directions to baggage claim. We talked and exchanged numbers before I went to pick up my car from the parking lot.” The memory of their first meeting flashed in front of her. Mélange looked so polished and sophisticated in her body hugging, navy blue short-sleeved dress and five inch heels. Her hair had been pulled back and twisted into a bun, showcasing creamy skin and dark eyes, set in an oval face. She reminded Renee of a small, porcelain doll with ruby lips come to life.

  Before Renee reached home, Mélange had sent a text inviting her to dinner the next day. More excited than she’d been in a long time, Renee said yes and laughed when Mélange admitted she knew where the baggage claim was all along but had wanted to talk to her.

  “And then what?” Her mom prompted.

  “We went out, several times.”

  “You like her? I can tell, she makes you happy?”

  Renee, replaced Ruby and picked up Diamond. “For a while I thought she was the one. She’s smart, beautiful, and when we’re together…it’s like there’s no one else in the world but the two of us.”

  “Stop dragging this out,” Victoria snapped. “Are you a couple or not?”

  “No, I broke it off before coming here. At the end she kept switching, hot then cold, back and forth. I’m too old for those games. It was good while it lasted.”

  “You sure it’s over? Since you got here you’ve been smiling and humming and looking happy. And it’s not just the babies.” Victoria patted her short hair back into place as their gazes met.

  “She says she can’t lose me, and has been calling asking for another chance, making promises to never hurt me again,” Renee’s voice softened, her heart pounded in remembrance of their conversation twenty minutes ago when she finally answered the phone. Mélange sounded so happy when she picked up, it startled Renee. After she repeated her reasons for not being with Mélange, the woman countered each with an apology and commitment. If only Renee could trust her.

  “Wow, she sounds like a keeper. Tell me a little more about her.”

  Renee replaced Diamond in her bassinet, turned slightly to face her mom and told her what she knew about Mélange. When she finished, her mom leaned forward, patted her hand and smiled.

  “Sounds like she’s worth a second look. The two of you like the same things, sports, games, movies, books, food. Anyone who puts that sparkle in your eye is a winner in my book. I just want you happy. Does she make you happy?”

  Renee thought of the time they went walking and stopped for ice-cream. Mélange had dipped her finger into the cup and placed the cold sweet on the tip of Renee’s nose and then took off running, laughing. They’d played with free abandon in the park that day. She hadn’t done that since she and Jasmine had been small. In such a short period of time, they’d made several memories that brought a smile to her lips.

  “Yes, she did, Mama. She really did.”

  Neither of them spoke for a few seconds.

  “Let me see a picture of her, of the two of you together, if you have one.”

  Smiling, Renee fished her cell phone from her purse and looked through her files. When she found the ones she wanted, she handed her mom her phone and stood behind her so they could look together.

  “She’s absolutely stunning, Renee.”

  Renee’s heart clenched seeing the picture. That day at the mall, Mélange had stared at her with an intensity that made Renee believe they would make it. Even now, the look sent tingly feelings across her back. Anyone seeing that photo would know Mélange cared deeply for her.

  Her mom continued looking at the picture. “Who took this?”

  “Me.”

  “She was looking at you?”

  “Yes, and I snapped the picture.”

  “I see.” The next picture the two of them were together, looking at each other. “The two of you look good together.”

  “Yes, we do. She’s beautiful.”

  “So are you,” her mom said loyally.

  “Thanks, Mama.” She squeezed her mom’s shoulder as she continued flipping through the pictures.

  Jasmine walked in just as they reached the last picture. Renee smiled. Her sister looked radiant wearing silky gray trousers and a slate gray net top with a matching tank beneath.[iv] “You’ve got your hair pulled up in a ponytail, I haven’t seen that look on you in a while.”

  “Ryan and Ryder, they like to pull hair. I’m teaching them not to pull, but it’s a work in progress.” She bent and placed a kiss on her mom’s cheek before turning to look in the bassinets.

  “Don’t you notice something different about Renee?”

  Renee groaned.

  Jasmine turned, looked at her sister for several seconds and then smiled. “You met someone?”

  Renee tried to stop the smile from widening but couldn’t. “Yes, but we’re having a few problems right now. I planned to talk with you about it when you had some free time.”

  Jasmine looked at her watch. “The kids will be home from school in another hour. I’ll finish with them around six, supper, baths, and then bed. That’ll be around eight-thirty. We can talk as long as you want then if right now won’t be enough.” Jasmine took Renee’s hand and squeezed. “I can’t wait to hear all about it.”

  Renee grinned. “Let’s talk tonight with a bottle of wine. I’d like your opinion, Mom’s given hers.”
/>   “And it’s the right one too, you’ll see. Jasmine will agree with me.”

  Jasmine’s brow rose. “Now, I’m really curious. Can’t we start now and finish later?”

  “Here, look at these pictures, they tell a big part of the story.” Victoria handed Jasmine the cell phone.

  Jasmine’s brow rose. Then she smiled and continued smiling as she flipped through the pictures. When she finished, she met Renee’s gaze. Stomach tight, Renee waited, hoping Jasmine did agree with her mom. She missed Mélange and wanted to get back with her.

  “She’s beautiful, the two of you look so happy.” Jasmine frowned. “I don’t recall ever seeing you look like this before, it’s like you click. Two peas from a pod, that kind of thing. Does she like people?”

  Renee understood the question. “We spend hours discussing different cultures, and how current events impact ecosystems on different continents –”

  “Perfect, that was missing from you and Mandy. I never understood how you co-owned the flower shop, in which you had zero interest,” Jasmine said.

  “When you love someone, you bend to make them happy. Mandy loved flowers, her partner bought me out, and now they’re both running the business.” Thinking of Mandy with someone else no longer hurt, she had Mélange to thank for that.

  “Yes, you’re right on that score.” Jasmine paused. “I want to hear everything about Mélange, that’s a pretty name by the way. We’ll wait until after dinner and get together.” She looked at their mom. “You’re welcome to come.”

  Victoria smiled. “Thanks, you girls go ahead. It’s been a long time since the two of you spent time alone.” She nodded to the bassinets. “I’ll hang out with your younger sisters.”

  Renee and Jasmine looked at each other and smiled. Renee couldn’t wait to tell Jasmine about Mélange. A text beeped on Renee’s phone. Jasmine handed it to her. Exhaling, Renee read the text. “Miss you, love you.”

  She closed the phone with a snap and a smile. Maybe Mélange was the one.

  Chapter 11

  Elyria walked through Renee’s house, touching her things, looking through every room, trying to understand what made her so special. Why had fate given such an insignificant person to Mélange and ruined her life?

  Children’s pictures littered the wall, two males wore military uniforms. The two younger females whose emerald green and blue eyes also declared their heritage to the Black Wolf Clan and La Patron. Elyria stared at the pictures closely.

  One photo had an odd little girl who wasn’t in any of the other photos. She stood in the middle of La Patron’s clan. Elyria wondered if that was Asia’s pup. Renee had mentioned Asia’s brat during her conversations with Mélange.

  The notations on the back of the pictured included the name Sarita, different from La Patron’s pups. The longer she looked at the picture, a plan formed in her mind to deal a blow to Asia and La Patron. Mélange would be blamed, and hopefully tortured for information she knew nothing about. Perfect.

  Elyria glanced at her watch, in 10 minutes the security guard would be released from the control of her device. One day she’d perfect the short-term controller that gave her full control over her victims for an hour, to no time limits. The idea pleased her.

  Taking the picture, she left the house through the back door and re-engaged the security system.

  Driving toward the house near the river, Elyria made plans. When she arrived home, she packed her books, herbs, crystals and tools. For what she planned to do, she needed to go deep into the earth. The past year she’d purchased a parcel of land separate from Mélange, and set up a lab. The desire to return to experimenting with crystals and herbs had been too great.

  The last time she’d created a makeshift lab, there’d been an explosion when she made a mistake mixing certain ingredients. Mélange had suffered blindness for two days. She left and refused to return unless Elyria stopped the deadly experiments. Elyria agreed, and for eight years never broke that agreement until this last year, coming and going when Mélange was on an assignment.

  Pleased she’d followed the will of her wolf and returned to her studies, she moved with haste. Renee was safe inside La Patron’s compound for now. Elyria would shake the tree and watch who tumbled to the ground.

  She glanced at her chameleon bracelet. Taking Renee’s co-worker’s body had seemed smoother after the tweaks she’d completed last week with the crystals. Granted, the man still died, but she retained a lot of his memories and would’ve been able to fool the man’s wife if she’d chose. The exchange lasted 48 hours instead of 24, which was an improvement. All of which validated her move to return to her studies of the crystals, which was all she had of her birthright, until now. Flashes of conversation with Nirtha, her mother, teased the edge of her memory. Her father, her pack, her heritage, clicked in a staggered pattern skewing the overall message.

  “This belongs to you,” Nirtha had said. “It’s your birthright along with these books on how to work the earth. Guard it with your life and tell no one of your past until the time is right. You’re smart, lass, and will know when to make your origins plain and take your place.”

  On Nirtha’s deathbed, Elyria vowed to do just as she asked. Strange, the only part of that conversation she always recalled was the bit to keep her past a secret. Not even her former lover knew of Nirtha or the things she’d taught Elyria, or that she’d mistakenly poisoned and killed the woman while practicing with herbs.

  Chapter 12

  Jasmine entered her bedroom well after midnight. Light-headed from the wine, she stumbled into the sofa and then lay down. Smiling, she couldn’t remember the last time she and Renee sat down to talk, laugh and reconnect. Heart full, she wanted to sing, she had her sister back.

  “Good time tonight?” Silas asked, standing at the foot of the sofa, looking down at her with his arms at his side.

  “Best time.” She frowned. “Why are you up there?”

  Silas smiled. “Drink much?”

  “Nope, just punch and wine. Then we had a contest, I won. Made you proud. Made me proud, first time I ever won against her. She’s good, can drink a lot.” She tried to nod but couldn’t.

  Silas laughed as he moved around the sofa and picked her up. “Come to bed, Sweet Bitch. I can’t sleep without you and I’m scheduled to meet the trainees later today.” He carried her to their bedroom.

  Eyes closed, she inhaled his woodsy, masculine scent and released a small sigh. “Renee’s in love.”

  “Is she? I thought she looked different at dinner.” He lay her down on the bed, and removed her shoes.

  “Yeah, such a romantic courtship. Flowers, dinner, long walks.”

  Silas pulled off her other shoe and tossed it alongside the other. “Pansies.”

  Jasmine’s eyes widened and then she laughed.

  “Real men see the woman of their dreams and take her away to make her scream with pleasure to show how much he cares.” He leaned forward and nibbled on her neck.

  She laughed harder, trying to break free. “Maybe, but the love of her life is a petite Asian woman, beautiful eyes, reminds me of that black diamond you gave me on my birthday last year.”

  He removed her dress and undergarments.

  “Are you listening to me?”

  “Renee in love with Asian woman with black diamond eyes who cooks for her and takes her walking. Heard it all. Come here.” He lay beside her, pulled her beneath his arm, and then covered them both.

  “I’m so happy for her, you know? Even though she loved Mandy, they weren’t a good match, wanted different things.”

  “Mmhmm.”

  “This time she met someone interested in traveling, her work, loves to dress up and go to the theater and ballet, things Renee gave up because Mandy wasn’t interested.”

  “Hmmm.”

  She snuggled closer, enjoying his warmth. “I feel like I have my sister back, seeing her this happy makes my day.”

  “Great, I’m happy for her.”

&n
bsp; Jasmine thought of Renee and the light in her eyes when she spoke of Mélange. During their conversation Mélange sent three texts just to let Renee know she was thinking about her. Renee accepted one phone call from her lover and promised to talk to her later today. The smile on Renee’s face after that call was great to see.

  “I can’t wait to meet Mélange. After security clears her, I want to have her and Renee visit.”

  “Mélange? That’s her name?”

  “Yes, pretty isn’t it?”

  “Different. Where did they meet?”

  “At the airport in St. Louis.” She told him about the meeting in the airport and subsequent dates.

  “Interesting. I’ll have security work on a clearance for her, do you have a last name?”

  “No. I’ll ask Renee.” She kissed his chest. “Thanks for not fighting me on this, she’s happy and I’d like to see her more often. Since I can’t visit her…”

  He tweaked her nose. “Message received. Now sleep, or if you want to keep talking, I’ll listen.” He pulled her closer.

  Jasmine yawned. “No, I’m talked out. Gotta get up early with the kids.”

  “You don’t have to walk them to school if you’re tired, get your rest.”

  “Yes I do. It’s our thing. Every morning I help them dress, go over rules, and remind them how much we love them. It’s important.”

  “Okay. When you send me off in the mornings, I like that too.”

  She laughed, thinking of his send-off that morning. “I’m sure you do. Behave and let me go to sleep.” She removed his hand from between her thighs.

  “I’m wide awake now.” He rubbed her ass and squeezed.

  “G’night, Wolfie. Take care of you tomorrow, too much wine.”

  Chapter 13

  “Good morning, Ms. Trant.” The security guard nodded to Elyria as she walked through the scanner and then placed her palm on the hand ID panel. It beeped green. Smiling at the guard, who’d gone on to check the next person, she moved with a smooth gait toward her classroom. Her improved chameleon worked better than she’d hoped. The thoughts and mannerisms of Ms. Trant flowed without hesitation. As a black wolf, the bracelet connected on a cellular level and worked perfectly.