Chapter 10
Trevor had stayed behind the clan… following them for the last thirty minutes and cursing the fact that Jason seemed buddy-buddy with Envy while he was stuck watching from the sidelines. He still held a grudge against Jason for playing a part in outing him to Envy. Still, his gut instinct told him the boy was harmless and didn’t deserve the death mark.
When he’d called Moon Dance in an effort to track down Tabatha and Jason, the employee who had answered for Envy seemed like a complete idiot and he’d been put on hold. The wait had been quick as a moment later Devon picked up the line and answered in a not-so-happy voice.
The jaguar was about as stupid as his employee… Trevor had had a very hard time explaining to Devon that he was calling to check on the whereabouts of Jason and Tabatha… not trying to track down Envy and using Jason as an excuse. Although, he did love the fact that Devon counted him as a major threat to his and Envy’s relationship. Maybe the jaguar wasn’t as stupid as he seemed after all.
Finally after Trevor threatened to level the place to find the other man, Devon just growled something about the girls taking Jason out shopping on the strip… without their mates.
Trevor had gotten a little giddy at the fact someone, namely Envy, had managed to make the jaguar’s day not so happy. He frowned when he saw the girls pulling on Jason’s arms to make him follow them into one of the shops. Michael and Kane had waltzed right in without looking back but Nick looked around nervously before entering.
When they finally disappeared inside, Trevor looked up at the sign hanging over the door and smirked.
“Lingerie,” Trevor laughed.
Getting out of his parked car, Trevor quickly approached the front window and peeked in. Zachary had called him a third time to inform him they were at the castle. They were ready for him to grab Jason and bring him back to Angelica so she could look at the mark.
Zachary believed that Angelica could remove it, and if she could… that would be something he hadn’t known she could do. But then again, she was their demon expert and Trevor wasn’t about to question her abilities… he mentally winced at what happened last time he’d done that. The concussion that followed had been enough to keep him far away from any line of questioning.
Trevor looked at the people walking past him and opened the door of the shop. By the time the door closed behind him, he had shifted into the likeness of another man who had just passed by outside. He approached the men’s side of the shop and started ‘browsing’ through the racks. He raised an eyebrow at the kinky stuff men were into but nothing really surprised him.
“What do you think of this one?” Jewel asked and held up a purple lace teddy.
Kat shrugged and Tabatha turned Jewel around so Jason could see.
“What do you think? You’re a man.” Tabatha asked with a big grin.
Jason lifted his eyebrows and ran a hand through his hair. “Well… um…”
“Aw,” Kat cooed and clasped her hands together. “He’s blushing.”
Tabatha giggled and looked around at the various racks trying to see if anything caught her eye. Wandering away from Kat and Jewel, she walked up to a rack and removed a beautiful black satin teddy with red lace. She held it up in front of her, perusing it with a critical eye. It was high cut on the thigh, with solid material in the places where it counted but was sheer on the sides.
“That would look beautiful on you,” Kane said softly from behind her.
Tabatha looked up and had a sense of déjà vu when she saw Kane standing behind her in the reflection of the mirror beside the rack.
“You think so?” Tabatha asked and quickly looked down at the teddy again in fear that he would be able to tell she’d just gone weak in the knees.
“I know so.” Kane said, unable to stop himself from tempting fate.
Tabatha looked back up and almost forgot that she had to hate him. Damn him for making this even harder on her. Her eyes hardened and she swiftly put the teddy back on the rack… she could always come back later and get it.
Kane quickly covered up his pain when Tabatha walked away and turned his head to see what Michael and Nick were doing. He desperately needed a distraction.
Nick had his gaze averted trying to stay away from the girls and their teasing. He’d never been inside a shop like this… unless you counted the hardcore one downtown. Michael was standing next to Nick with his hands in his pockets and smiling softly at the women as they rushed around the shop.
“I don’t know,” Kane said beside them. “I really don’t think this is quite my style.”
Nick and Michael looked over and Michael nearly lost it when he saw Kane standing there striking a girly pose with a hanger draped over his neck. A neon pink bra and panty set was hanging over his front side with the garter straps hanging from the included belt.
“Oh no,” Nick whispered with a look of absolute horror on his face. He didn’t know which side of Kane was the scariest… the side that could destroy a city… or this demented side.
“Actually the style suits you perfectly.” Michael said with a straight face. “However, you seem to be missing something.”
“You mean these?” Kane asked and pulled a package of lime green garter stockings out from behind his back.
“Perfect!” Michael said, his expression brightening. “You’re always saying you never get to dress up for me anymore.”
“I know,” Kane exclaimed leaning in very close to Michael and pulled a leather whip out from behind his back. “I can rock your world now.”
The bell over the door rang and the sound of running feet followed it. Michael and Kane looked at the door then at each other with grins on their faces. Kane tossed off the pink monstrosity as the two of them raced out the door after Nick.
“Oh come on honey,” Kane was heard shouting. “Please come back! I promise not to wear it in public.”
“Are those two… normal?” Jewel asked not having had much interaction with the vampires.
“This is completely normal for them.” Envy answered as she approached with a snow white, floor length silk nightgown. “They constantly tease Nick and his homophobia.”
“Isn’t that kind of mean?” Jewel asked.
Kat shook her head, “Michael and Warren do it to him all the time.”
“That’s fine and dandy,” Jason said. “Just don’t leave me alone in a room with them together.”
Tabatha lightly smacked Jason on the arm. “What about Kriss?”
“Kriss is different.” Jason answered. “He’s a friend who knows boundaries… those two probably wouldn’t know a boundary if it jumped up and started waving pom-poms.”
“Don’t give them any ideas.” Envy grumbled.
“At least Kane is smiling again,” Tabatha noted with a small smile. She stepped closer to the windows already missing the way he watched her when he thought she wasn’t looking.
“I think I’ll try these on first,” Jewel said and held up five steaming hot nighties.
“The dressing rooms are this way,” Kat said and they followed Jewel to a set of private rooms on the side wall of the shop.
Envy looked around the shop while they waited for Jewel to come out. Her eyes lit up when she spotted a sexy gold and black teddy hanging on the opposite wall. Going over to it, she picked it up and turned it around so she could see what it looked like from the back. This would look awesome with the star machine Devon had in their bedroom.
Looking over at the girls on the other side of the large shop, she took the teddy and headed toward the empty dressing rooms in the back.
There were three sets of dressing rooms in the store and she wanted to see what this looked like in private. Now that she’d won the argument, she felt bad leaving Devon behind like that and figured this would be something she could do to make up for it.
Closing the door behind her, Envy hung the teddy on a hook in the room and quickly stripped down to nothing. Carefully, she slipped it on and made sure everything was situated comfortably before looking at her reflection in the mirror. Turning this way and that, she gazed at it from all angles and wondered if Devon really would like it.
Trevor had browsed through the shop waiting for an opportunity. He wasn’t in a real hurry to grab Jason because Michael and Kane were nearby. Even though they’d left the shop, Trevor knew they wouldn’t go far. When he saw Envy go to the back dressing rooms he couldn’t believe his luck.
Glancing around to make sure everyone else in the group was occupied, Trevor walked toward the back of the shop. Approaching Envy’s dressing room door, he hesitated a moment before knocking softly on it. He knew he was going to regret this, but if he didn’t do it he would regret it even more.
Envy frowned when she heard the knock and cracked open the door to see who it was. Her eyes widened when she saw Devon standing on the other side and quickly pulled him inside the room with her, locking the door behind them.
“What are you doing here?” Envy whispered even though she was excited to see him.
Devon gave her a sly smile and gently pressed a finger to her lips. “I just wanted to check to make sure you were all right.”
His gaze raked her body in appreciation making Envy’s body respond. Shaking away the feeling, she half-heartedly pushed against his chest trying to get him out of the room.
“You’ve got to go,” she whispered. “This is the ladies dressing room for crying out loud.”
“They’re on the other end of the store… it’ll be our little secret.” Trevor said softly. “No one will ever know.”
Envy gasped with a smile on her face when Devon backed her up against the wall of the dressing room. Taking hold of her thighs, he picked her up and wrapped her legs around his waist. Thrusting his hips in an upward motion, Envy felt his denim covered erection push against her core through the thin piece of satin.
Trevor’s mouth closed over hers in a passionate kiss and when he thrust up again, she tossed her head back and moaned softly.
“Devon,” she whispered at the forbidden pleasure. The thought of them getting caught only added to the sensations.
“More?” Trevor asked as he hardened beyond belief. He wished she had a clue what she meant to him.
Envy groaned and nodded her head, “Yes,” her voice was a strained whisper.
Trevor moaned when Envy reached down and released the snaps holding the teddy closed between her legs. He inhaled deeply as she exposed her wetness to the cool air of the dressing room.
Releasing her legs, he smirked wickedly when she tightened them around him so she wouldn’t fall. Reaching up, Trevor pulled down on the thin shoulder straps of the teddy and revealed her breasts. His mouth watered when the rosy peaks immediately hardened and couldn’t resist.
Envy moaned as Devon’s tongue swirled around the hard flesh then gasped when he gently bit down making her hips jerk against him. He switched to the other while one of his hands took the place of his mouth on the first one. When his mouth left her, she whined wanting more.
Trevor smirked and pulled her legs away from his waist and pushed her back against the cold wall. Kneeling down on the floor, he lifted her legs over his shoulders and gave her a devious wink before leaning in to taste her nectar.
Envy’s mouth dropped open at his daring in such a place but when his tongue hit that special spot she had to bite her tongue to keep from screaming. She arched her back, thrusting her breasts out and released a deep purr when his hands once more found and began teasing them.
Her hips moved uncontrollably while his mouth worked her body into a frenzy. She never would have thought that Devon was so bold but the dance in the cage the night before was starting to make her think differently. The coil inside her belly suddenly released and she pressed a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming.
Trevor brought her down slowly before standing up to his full height in front of her. She was leaned back against the wall still feeling the tremors and breathing hard. The teddy straps were still around her arms and he pulled them the rest of the way down, removing the garment from her completely. Envy’s hands went to the zipper of his jeans and pulled it down while Devon quickly unbuttoned his shirt and stripped it off.
Before Envy knew it, she was on the floor of the dressing room with Devon kneeling over her like a cat that had just caught its favorite mouse. He suddenly thrust forward, stretching her so she could feel every single inch of him and Envy gasped, the noise sounding loud in the dressing room. A quick pace was started and Envy was having trouble keeping quiet.
Trevor leaned over and kissed her long and deep, swallowing the seductive sounds she was making. She felt like heaven wrapped around him and he wanted more. He wanted to breathe her all the time… be inside her forever. He’d wanted her since the moment he’d seen her… that was the instant pull of a true mate.
Envy turned her head to the side so she could breathe and wrapped her arms around Devon’s neck.
“Devon,” She whispered. “Oh god… Devon… more!”
Trevor inwardly cursed, angry that she was calling Devon’s name. His anger manifested itself and his thrusting became harder. When Envy opened her mouth again, Trevor covered it with his own to stop her from saying anything. She moaned and whimpered beneath him, wrapping her legs around his waist in an attempt to hold on. She could feel her body coiling up again and was glad he was kissing her.
When Envy felt the inevitable explosion occur, she screamed his name into his mouth. She held fast to him but was unable to stop writhing beneath him. Suddenly Devon groaned and Envy inhaled sharply when she felt the pulsating warmth enter and spread through her.
They remained laying on the floor for a bit trying to catch their breath before Trevor moved. He gazed down at Envy and smiled softly, running the pads of his fingers down the side of her face.
“I love you,” Envy whispered.
Trevor nodded feeling like the lowest life form on the face of the planet. “I love you more.” It was the one honest thing he could say.
“You’d better get going before Kat comes around and checks on me,” Envy said reluctantly.
They got up and quickly dressed before Envy opened the door and peeked out.
“Go on,” she said and stood back to allow him room to get by. “I’ll see you in a little while.”
Trevor nodded and placed a quick kiss on her lips before slipping out of the dressing room door. When it closed behind him, he dropped his likeness of Devon and turned back into the guy he’d seen on the street earlier. He stepped out of the hall just in time to see Kat pushing Jewel into another dressing room. Michael and Kane had returned with Nick and were standing just a little ways inside the front door.
Trevor walked by them, holding his breath until he was outside and away from the shop. Breathing a sigh of relief when he reached his car, Trevor got in and quickly changed back to his normal appearance.
“Damn it,” he slammed his fist into the dash and then let his head fall back on the car seat. He felt his anger soar, but it was only a numbing feeling compared to the bliss that still flowed through his veins.
Inside the store, Envy fixed the teddy back on the hangar and decided she would buy it. After what she just did in it, she felt it was only right. Plus, Devon had really liked it. Stepping out of the dressing room, she started down the narrow hall toward the front of the store and gasped when she saw Zachary.
“Hello,” Envy greeted him nervously. She was getting used to being around shifters and vampires but Zachary was something completely different… something that could blow Anthony’s mansion completely off the map.
Zachary smiled, “It’s nice to see you again Envy.”
Trevor had been out in his car a full ten minutes before the passenger door suddenly opened and Zachary sat down in the seat.
“Problem solved,” Zachary said not sounding too happy.
“What problem?” Trevor asked irritated that he’d been startled out of his flashback of the last thirty minutes.
Zachary sent him a glare, “You were supposed to get Jason and bring him to the castle so Angelica could remove the death mark, not reclaim your elusive mate.”
Trevor sighed and turned his head to look out the window. What could he say? Envy had chosen Devon… not him. But, no matter what she said or how much she loved Devon… she loved him too and he knew that.
“Lucky for you, I was able to get there and wipe Envy’s memory clear of what just happened.” Zachary said. “If I hadn’t, there was the chance of another war starting. Do you really think Envy would still love you if Devon dies by your hands?”
“That’s why I haven’t killed him,” Trevor responded darkly.
“Would you be able to hold back if it was a fight to the death?” Zachary pointed out the cold hard facts that Trevor was desperately trying to ignore.
“How did you know?” Trevor asked refusing to be ashamed for taking what was his to start out with.
“Storm knows how to send a text message,” Zachary answered feeling Trevor's pain but not losing sight of the deception of what he’d just done. “Now, get your ass back in that lace shop and get Jason… no disguises and no trying to procreate. Got it?”
Trevor nodded, “Yeah, I got it.”
Zachary remained in the car for a few minutes after Trevor left and lit a cigarette. There were times his team acted more like children than children did. It looked like some new ground rules would have to be implemented because he couldn’t go around saving everyone’s ass whenever they felt like doing something this stupid.
“I love that one,” Kat said to Jewel who was standing in front of a mirror outside of the dressing room. She had finally tried on the purple lace teddy and was turning in a slow circle so she could see how it looked.
“Do you think Steven will like it?” Jewel asked.
“I know he will!” Envy exclaimed holding a black and gold teddy over her arm.
“Looks like you found something for yourself,” Tabatha teased Envy with a wink.
Envy grinned, “Yeah, I really like it.”
The bell above the door rang and Michael looked over his shoulder to see who had come in.
Trevor walked into the shop with his hands in his pockets and looked around until he spotted Jason and Tabatha with the rest of the group. Sighing heavily, he approached them only to find Michael in his path.
“Is something wrong?” Michael asked.
Trevor shrugged, “I was sent down here to get Jason… one of my associates might be able to remove the death mark.”
“How did you learn about that?” Nick demanded.
“Do you actually think our network is narrowed down to just a few people?” Trevor asked with a smirk. “There isn’t much that escapes our notice.”
“Let him talk to Jason,” Kane instructed as he narrowed his gaze on the shapeshifter.
Nick and Michael looked over at Kane with confused expressions but when Michael saw the way Kane was staring at Trevor, he stepped back.
Trevor nodded at them and started toward Tabatha and Jason again but Kane’s hand on his shoulder stopped him. He glanced over at the blonde vampire.
“Doing things we shouldn’t be, hmmm?” Kane whispered in his ear.
Trevor swallowed and his eyes widened but Kane smirked.
“Fear not little shapeshifter, your secrets are yours to tell. But keep this in mind, your deceptive abilities are why your race was nearly obliterated to begin with.” Kane removed his hand and watched Trevor approach Jason but the smirk on his face remained in place.
“What was that about?” Michael asked as he stepped up behind Kane.
“My dear Michael, we all have secrets… some darker than others and some we would kill to keep,” Kane answered cryptically.
“You know,” Nick said. “Hearing you say that is almost as creepy as the bra and panty set.”
“It’s not creepy, Nicholas,” Kane said using Nick’s full name and gave him a hard look. “It’s the truth.”
Nick took a step back, then another… then another.
“Hey Jason,” Trevor said as he approached Envy’s best male friend and snitch.
Jason turned around at the sound of his name and saw Trevor standing a couple feet behind him. “What’s up?” he asked warily.
Trevor took off his sunglasses, “I’m here to take you back to our current base of operations. Hunter told us what happened and one of my associates might be able to remove the death mark… if you’re interested.”
“Really,” Tabatha’s hopes soared. “Is that possible?”
Trevor shrugged, “Angelica seems to think so.”
Jason was secretly overjoyed at the prospect of leaving with Trevor… it didn’t matter that he didn’t really care for Trevor, it was just that it was a better option than staying with the vampires as far as he was concerned.
“I’m all for getting rid of this thing,” Jason stated. “It’s been itching and burning like crazy.”
Envy had seen Trevor approach Jason and quickly moved toward them knowing they weren’t the best of friends. Once within hearing distance she realized what they were talking about.
“Go with him, Jason,” she smiled softly at Trevor feeling the familiar sinking in her chest that being near him caused. The more she forgave him for not being honest with her, the more it hurt.
Trevor returned her smile and fought to keep his focus on Jason. “Even if Angelica is able to remove the mark, until we find the demon that put it there, you’ll have to stay away from the forest… Hunter has already agreed. My team and I actually have a safe house where you can hang out until the threat has passed.”
“What about me?” Tabatha asked not wanting to be so far away from Kane.
“You don’t have a mark,” Michael said having heard the conversation. “But I still believe it’s better if you stay at my home. Once we’re absolutely sure nothing will come after you, you may leave.”
Kane had turned his head away so they couldn’t see the smirk on his face. His mood lifted considerably now that Jason would be removed from Tabatha’s side.
“Why not let Tabatha stay with us?” Kat offered. That earned the jaguar a quick glare from the blond vampire.
Michael shook his head, “I have no doubt that she would be in very good hands at Moon Dance, but this is a chance I’m not willing to take. At least in my home, she will have not only mine and Kane’s protection… the house itself will keep Misery and her demon scum away.”
“Wards?” Trevor asked with a tilt of his head.
Michael nodded, “Yes, our father taught us many things.”
“You have a father?” Jason asked then gasped in horror at what he blurted out.
Kane smirked and threw an arm around Michael’s shoulders. “Oh yes, our father is a sexy hunk of man-meat that runs around protecting children and little puppies from the evils of the world.”
Michael looked over at Kane, “You’re talking about yourself again.”
“I am not!” Kane exclaimed.
“Did you or did you not buy an entire orphanage at least one toy for Christmas about a hundred years ago?” Michael demanded. “And what about that plantation owner that was abusing his dogs ten years after that…” he leaned closer to Kane’s face. “You let them all go and then let Father’s pack of Mastiffs chase him around the house for almost three days so he’d know what it felt like.”
“Awww,” Envy, Jewel, and Kat chimed in, much to Kane’s chagrin.
“You know, you’re really going to ruin my reputation as a cold-hearted bastard,” Kane growled.
“Nothing lasts forever,” Michael growled back.
“When will you be ready to go with me?” Trevor asked Jason wanting to get as far away from Kane as possible. Despite the vampire’s joking, Trevor knew it was only a façade… Kane was not someone to mess with on any level.
“I’m ready right now,” Jason answered. “My stuff is already packed and in the car.”
“Let’s go get it then,” Trevor instructed, starting to sweat. Envy hadn't taken her eyes off him since he’d walked in the door.
Jason looked over at Tabatha, “I’ll call you later to let you know how it went.”
Tabatha nodded, “Good luck!” she gave him a quick hug.
Jason gave her a mock salute before following Trevor out of the shop.
“I think I’ve got everything I want,” Jewel announced after a moment.
Kat grinned, “All right, let’s go get you rung up and we’ll head out to another shop. We’ve only got a couple of hours left… it’s already starting to get dark outside.”
Tabatha nodded toward the door, “I’m going to step outside for a moment.”
“Aren’t you getting anything?” Kat asked in surprise.
Tabatha looked back at the teddy she’d seen earlier then shook her head, “No, I’ll come back later.”
With that Tabatha made a beeline for the door and stepped out of sight. Kat frowned and looked back in the direction Tabatha had glanced toward, wondering what had gotten her friend's attention.
“The black and red one,” Kane said quietly.
“What?” Envy asked.
Kane nodded toward the rack, “She wants the black and red one.”
Kat walked over and picked up the teddy Tabatha had been looking at. Marching back over to Kane, she pushed the hangar against his chest with a determined expression. “Then buy it for her.”
The clerk behind the register had a knowing smile on her face when Kane did exactly that and even went as far as to wrap it up in a nice gift box complete with a red lace bow.
“I think she’ll be very happy,” the clerk said as she handed Kane the box.
“Our turn!” Envy crowed and pushed Jewel up to the register.
Kane tucked the box under his arm and mentally sighed. He didn’t have a problem buying the nightie for her… the real problem would be what she’d think when it magically appeared among her belongings.
“I’m going for a smoke,” Kane muttered and exited the shop.
