Sword of Mercy Read online

  “Damn.” Angus slammed his palm against the steering wheel and pulled onto the shoulder. “I need to read that and make a report.” They exchanged seats and within moments were back on the road. The more Angus read, the angrier he became.

  “Silas?”

  A few moments later Silas responded. “Yeah? You found something?”

  Angus explained what they’d discovered and then listened as Silas called the Liege every foul and disgusting name in the book.

  “They are all those things and more, but now we have a name and their objectives. They are taking pups faster now, taking larger risks.”

  “That type project is not happening in Russia, Europe or Africa, they are bringing them here and training them here in the states somewhere. That’s why the places you’re checking are closed and have been closed for a while. They’re doing this bullshit on my turf. I’ll have Jacques begin a search for any group or organization bringing in wolf pups into this country. Now would be a good time to test the sincerity of the Oval office, he said they’d work with me, and this is a top priority.”

  “I agree.” Angus looked out the window, listening to Silas’ rant over the Liege and their operations. “Excuse me, what?” He missed something.

  “I said, the Goddess spoke to Jasmine about Asia and Hawke. They’re important in winning this thing. I marked him earlier.”

  “Marked him?” Angus straightened in his seat. “What do you mean?”

  “He agreed to serve and I marked him with a sword on his chest.”

  “You drew it?” He frowned, trying to understand.

  “No. Well, in a way. What’s important is I can link with him and stay in the loop. He and Asia are in Romania with another Alpha. They found something interesting.” Silas told Angus what the two had discovered.

  “What? Un-fucking-believable. I’ve heard stories about the Alpha Black Wolf for decades but I’ve never heard of this Alpha Nikola one. Hard to swallow, we started as friends with the Liege, but it makes sense in a weird way. The tone of this section comes off as a benevolent act to the pups.”

  “Hawke’s translating the journals to see if there is anything we can use to beat the bastards. I hope he finds something. I shut the compound down and started a war.”

  “With Jasmine?” Angus couldn’t imagine his sister-in-law pissed at not being able to leave if it was dangerous.

  “No, my pups took exception.” He told Angus about the circus and everything they’d done to prep the kids to go.

  “Even David?” Angus couldn’t imagine that one getting upset over anything.

  “No, he stared at me for a few minutes and then gave me his back.” Silas laughed. Angus didn’t blame him.

  “He’s going to be a force when he’s older.”

  “Yes, I believe you are right. I sent Leon and Brix to track down and eliminate any Liege Lord they find in this country. They are not welcome on this continent.”

  Angus’ brow rose. “Continent? You claiming all of it now?”

  “Where the safety of my pups and every pup in my pack is concerned, yes. For what they have done, their days are numbered.”

  “Understood. We are headed to Chacal’s to do some research on LOBO and will keep you updated.”

  “Send copies of what you have so I can see it. I need to talk with my alphas, we need to plan and prepare.”

  “Okay, will do.” Angus disconnected and stared at the page.

  Project LOBO: Liege Organized Behavior Optimization. What the hell did that involve?

  Chapter 9

  Silas strode from the lab and headed to his office. He’d put it off as long as he could. Rose sat behind the desk, her extended belly made it impossible for her to get any closer.

  “You doing okay today?” he asked as he did every day.

  “Yes, we’re doing good. I left a stack of messages on your desk, mostly Alphas requesting call-backs.”

  He nodded. “I’m about to do a conference call. Set it up. Have Rone and Rese meet me in five minutes.”

  She nodded and got busy.

  “How are things?” He asked Jasmine once he settled in his chair. He’d left her to deal with the pups and knew she’d be pissed. But he couldn’t take the tears on Renee and Jackie’s faces. He had almost changed his mind and offered to take them himself. Which may become his last option.

  “Hmmm, feeling guilty?”

  He closed his eyes and swallowed a grimace at the bite in her voice. “No. Yes. Just a little. I didn’t expect them to react like that. Goddess, did you see David turn his back on me? Unbelievable.”

  “No. The unbelievable part was looking for you to stand up to your children and not finding you anywhere. You created this mess and didn’t stick around to clean it up.”

  Silas rubbed his forehead with his fingers. “I know, you’re right. My princesses, Renee and Jackie got to me, I couldn’t take it. What are they doing now? Still crying?”

  “Go check.”

  He released a long sigh. “I have a meeting with my Alphas in a few minutes, otherwise I would.”

  “What happened,” she asked in a no-nonsense tone.

  “Angus came across some papers about a Project LOBO that the Liege have for pups.”

  “What?”

  Silas told her what he’d been told, Tyrone and Tyrese knocked and entered. “The twins are here, we need to get ready to brief the Alphas on what’s happening. I’m sorry I left you in the midst of battle and will do better next time.”

  “Hope so.”

  Silas exhaled and left his office. Rone and Rese stood nearby talking. “How’s Danielle,” Silas asked about Rese’ mate.

  “She’s fine and on her way back with Maheegan. They should arrive in an hour.”

  “Okay, come with me. You’ll need to leave to pick them up, but I want you to hear most of this.”

  Tyrese nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

  “Maheegan will be leaving soon, I need her to do some research in Romania. She got the message just as she was boarding. Did your mate tell you?” Silas asked as he closed the door to the conference room. The large screen on the wall filled with Alphas logging online.

  “Dani said you were sending her nana somewhere, but didn’t say much more than that.”

  “Good, as long as she knows. I forgot to tell Angus, but Asia knows. I’ll tell him later.” He looked at the monitor and the number forty-three flashing beneath it, after seven more Alphas checked in he would start. “Have a seat,” he said to the twins who took a chair on each side of him. One day all six of his pups would share this table with him. His chest expanded with that thought.

  First, he needed to insure every pup in the pack was safe from the Liege’s grasp and optimizing project. The need for retribution burned deep inside, too many of his kind lost their lives and mates in those experiments for him to ever allow the Liege to get off lightly. Each one would pay dearly for what they had done. He’d make sure of it.

  When the counter beneath the screen reached fifty, Silas spoke. “I have important news to share with you concerning the Liege and the threat they represent to our pack.” For the next two hours, Silas answered questions, eased fears and concerns, and stopped a lynching party packed and ready to head to Romania.

  Chapter 10

  Beams of the morning sun filtered through the curtains of the hotel room. Asia rolled on her side and rested her leg on top of her mate’s thigh. His palm cupped her ass and squeezed. She hadn’t loved him when they mated. Fond of him? Yes. Interested? Yes. But this gut-wrenching need to be joined with him at all times? No. This was new. And now she understood the often misused and misunderstood term, falling in love.

  “Morning,” he said against her forehead. The warmth of his words slid down her back and nestled in her core. After the many times he’d taken her and she’d taken him last night, the press of his hardness against his belly soothed her.

  “I’m sore.” She snuggled closer.

  “Me too.” He rubbed his coc
k against her.

  “Seriously, you wore me out last night. I might not be able to walk today.” She bit his nipple causing him to moan.

  “I’ll carry you wherever you need to go. You can always count on me to fix anything I break, with you that is.” He chuckled and she enjoyed the movement of his chest against hers.

  She rolled on top of him and looked into his face. Her fingertip traced the scar near his mouth and then his lips. He drew her finger into his mouth and sucked on it for a bit sending giddy tingles through her body. His hazel eyes glowed with sexual intent.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” she said, tapping the tip of his narrow nose.

  Hawke placed his hands beneath his head, leaving himself to her mercy. “No you don’t.”

  His long black hair spilled on the white pillowcase providing a striking contrast, not only with colors, but hard and soft as well. She picked up a few silky strands and played with them while watching him.

  “You want to get started translating those journals so we can finish and leave this place,” she teased when he frowned and then laughed.

  “That was not on my mind.” He paused until he captured her gaze. “Kiss me.”

  Her heart fluttered at the softly uttered command. Her wolf went wild and pushed her forward. Asia placed her palms on the mattress next to each of his ears, leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. Firm, yet pliable, she slid her tongue along the seam of his mouth asking for access and he complied. Kissing Hawke had become her favorite pastime. The man didn’t just invite her into the kiss. When they kissed, he opened himself to her emotionally and everything he felt for her resonated in the simple touching of mouth and tongue. Their kisses always left her panting and breathless, wanting more. Her core clenched in need as he rolled her to the side, deepening their kiss. Heart soaring, she embraced his commitment to love and cherish her forever. He called her his sun. She named him her moon. The two dependent on each other for balance.

  Instead of giving her words of love, he showed her how much she meant to him and how empty he was until she came into his life. She accepted his love and returned it on the wings of an equal pledge to love and honor him with her life. He colored her world and completed her in ways she never imagined.

  “You are my today and all of my tomorrows,” she gasped when they broke apart. He pulled her tight and held her close. Sunlight and roses burst through the link warming her as he rolled her onto her back.

  “My everything,” he whispered and plunged into her. Her nails dug into his arms as he thrust repeatedly into her, taking her higher.

  “Merge with me,” she whispered and met him in the halls of their link. Bright, and strong, his energy rolled forward meeting hers, twisting and intertwining them together as he continued driving into her snug warmth.

  “My everything,” he said again, this time their energies changed and became one color, a bright white that spilled over and out of their link. Asia held onto his arms as he sped up and lifted her higher until the brightness surrounded them. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t stop. More she wanted more of him.

  “Hawke,” she called and rose on her toes beneath him and then flew apart. Her body shook as waves of pleasure rolled through her. Thoughts couldn’t land. She couldn’t speak. Small tremors continued shooting through her as she tried to breathe.

  After a few more strokes, he roared and held her hips so tight, she winced in pain. When his breathing normalized, he sent warm energy through her system easing her aches. His thoughtfulness tugged at her heart and she melted into his embrace.

  “I only have two more journals to translate,” he spoke into the silence.

  Too wiped to speak, she nodded.

  “There are a few outbuildings around the castle. I’d like to look through them before we head back.”

  She nodded and rubbed her hand across his chest, flicking his nipple.

  “Still hungry?” He growled against her forehead.

  “Always, but we need to get moving. At some point we should check in with Angus and Chacal to see if they found anything and to tell him about the journals.” She rolled to the side. He stopped her before she left the bed.

  “Those things can wait. I need to hold you a little longer. Most days we don’t have a chance to spend time alone like this. We’re newly mated. Everyone will understand if we don’t show up first thing.”

  <<<<>>>>

  “Are you sure you want to look inside this building?” Asia asked Hawke while looking at the dilapidated structure.

  “Yes… I cannot explain it, but it seems familiar.” He looked at her and then back at the building where Alpha Radoff and his Beta packed the now translated journals into boxes for safe keeping. They would be leaving shortly to lock the books in a vault. The Alpha had allowed Hawke to keep a digital copy of the translations which Hawke stored in his cloud.

  “Alright,” she said, taking his offered hand.

  He understood her concern and hesitation and would have turned around if he didn’t sense the importance of going inside.

  “Stay behind me.” He didn’t give her time to argue and stepped through the opening into the dim room. Someone had broken the furniture and ripped out the windows allowing nature to move indoors. Grass and small twigs sprouted in the walls and between the stone pavers on the floor.

  Closing his eyes, Hawke tried to pinpoint the source of his unease. Moving on instinct he walked further into the building and stopped when he reached the stairs. He opened his eyes and frowned. “This shouldn’t be here. There’s… he stomped on the bottom stair, then the one above it, and then the one above that. A grinding sound came from behind them. Asia had her sword in her hand and faced the dark entrance.

  “I don’t like this.”

  “I understand.” Driven by a sense of urgency he couldn’t explain, he walked toward the opening.

  “But you are going down there anyway?”

  “Yes, Sexy.”

  “Sexy?” She looked at him with a gleam of amusement in her eye. Listening to his thoughts through their link she smiled. Considering she looked like an older white male in need of a tan and visit to the gym, most would think him insane for thinking she was sexy as wildfire.

  “My Sexy Bitch. If it were you, you’d go. So let’s just do this.” He read the resignation in her gaze before she nodded and stepped aside.

  Pleased, she remembered his request to allow him to lead in these type situations he walked down the staircase. “Let me go all the way down to test the stairs. No need in both of us falling through the boards.”

  “No need in going down there period.”

  He grinned at her sour response and continued down the stairs, pulling down cobwebs as he went. The wood was in surprisingly good condition. At the bottom he found a light switch, flipped it and was surprised when the room illuminated. This room had been used recently. He inhaled. “Full bloods use this basement.”

  Asia came down the stairs and looked around. “Radoff doesn’t know about this. I don’t smell him. These scents are different, wonder who’s using his land as a hideout?”

  Hawke walked down the hall a bit and looked into each room. Some were empty. A few had twin sized beds, a chair and table. “These are sleeping chambers,” he called over his shoulder while continuing his search. A sense of familiarity nagged at him, but he couldn’t recall ever being in this part of the country, not working for the Liege or on his own. So why was he down here searching for… something? He didn’t know.

  She came up behind him. “Yeah, someone probably lives here.” She picked up an ashtray with old cigarette buds and returned it to the table. They moved further down the hall and came to a large room with benches and a dais with high back chairs.

  “What the hell?” Asia said, looking at the wall.

  Hawke followed her gaze and closed his eyes as blinding pain ripped through him. He fell to his knees as knives cut into his brain, sawing and tearing him apart.

  “Hawke?
!”

  Her voice echoed in the chamber of his mind giving it an unreal quality. His wolf snapped and pushed for him to rise. Time crawled as he attempted and failed to stand several times. Something was wrong. “Asia?” he called through their link.

  “Busy right now.” Blood ran down the side of her face while she fought five full-bloods.

  His wolf snapped again at the idea of their mate in danger. Sobered, he shifted into battle mode and charged into the fray. His wolf leapt onto the back of the closest beast and ripped his throat out. Turning, he attacked the next closest wolf and within minutes that one left the living. Hawke slammed into the other wolf and went for his neck. The wily beast pivoted and Hawke missed. Meanwhile, he caught a glance at his mate standing to the side breathing heavily. Pleased, she was okay, he focused on his enemy.

  No one attacked his mate and lived.

  Hawke extended his claws and swiped the wolf across his belly. Blood and organs poured out from the wound. Next he swiped the beast across the neck to decapitate him. The wolf flew back against the wall and lay motionless. Hawke shifted to human and ran to Asia, checking her over. The blood had stopped and she assured him she was fine. He glanced at the men on the floor and shook his head.

  “Why would five full-bloods attack us?”

  “I don’t know,” she said. “What the hell?” She pointed to the last wolf who’d landed against the wall. Both of his wounds were healing and he sat staring at them. Hawke strode forward as the wolf reverted to his human form.

  “Stop,” the man gasped.

  Hawke grabbed him by the neck, lifted him off his feet and shook him like a rag doll.

  “Hawke, put him down,” Asia said, standing behind him. “You can’t kill him.”

  The man grabbed at his hands to gain release. “I can kill him. I’ll rip his head from his body this time.” He shook the man again.

  “No, you can’t kill him. Breathe. Inhale. His scent is familiar to me.”