CHAPTER 5

The combination of a vampire/werewolf mating was just too dangerous. Her wolf wouldn't listen to her though. She had claimed him and nothing was going to satisfy her until they joined together, however they were going to manage that little problem.

Andrei finally turned around, his expression carefully neutral as he looked at her briefly before sitting down behind the desk. "The Council has not reached a decision yet," he said as if they hadn't just been practically ready to rip each others clothes off a matter of moments ago.

"Very soon there will be a change in the vampire hierarchy; a new Council will be sitting. The consensus has been reached that the outgoing Council erred in its judgement of not getting involved when Graves' aggression towards the pack became obvious. The Council Elect has been in training for the last half a decade. They have considerable power now that the rotation is so close to happening, it is only a week away. They have come to the decision that the outgoing Council does not have the right to make a judgement therefore it is postponed until the new Council has time to investigate the matter."

Loretta's mouth dropped open in surprise. His honesty was staggering.

He was telling her valuable information about how the hierarchy of his people worked, knowledge that no Were had ever been privy to before. Her Alpha would be very interested in this news. This was the second time he had let slip something his people wanted to be kept secret from all Weres. "You appear to know a lot about it, Andrei. Is there a reason for that?"

She watched his eyes narrow and expelled a deep breath. Her instincts were still sharp even if he did turn her knees to mush with one kiss. He had told her so much more than he probably wanted to with that one slight narrowing of his eyes. Andrei Romanov was part of the Council Elect. She was certain of it and she was certain that her knowledge was shining in her eyes as he watched her intently, his expression hardening.

"Did you keep my secret, little wolf?" he suddenly growled softly and she took another deep breath before she shook her head in the negative and watched his lips firm into a tight line, anger clouding his deep brown eyes.

"Did you really expect me to?" she countered softly wishing she hadn't finished her wine so she could settle her nerves a little more as the atmosphere in the room dropped a couple of very chilly degrees as his displeasure sunk into her very soul.

"Do you think because you healed me that I would betray my pack, Andrei? Jared needed to know. I am his Beta and it was my place to inform him of any little titbit that can protect his pack from your kind."

Andrei pushed his anger down reaching for his glass and then changing his mind, pushing it across the desk towards the she wolf before him. He stood up again and crossed the room, heading for a hidden compartment behind a wooden wall panel, taking out the bottle of cold blood and pouring himself a generous glass to soothe his desire to taste her blood. He drank deeply, poured a refill and carried it over to the desk again, watching Loretta drink from him glass.

He wanted to growl as her lips caressed the glass where his own mouth had been not so long before. It was almost as if she were kissing him again. He sat back down and drank some more blood, his eyes fixed to hers as she watched him, knowing what he was drinking. It didn't appear to bother her and he felt his lips quirk in a little smile. She really was a brave little thing. Didn't have the sense she was born with but brave none the less.

"You got what you came for, Loretta," he finally said, suddenly wanting her gone from his presence. If she stayed any longer he didn't know what he'd do next, what other secrets he would unwittingly tell the little she devil. She seemed to have a way of slipping under his guard and loosening his tongue. "You have all my secrets now. Run along to your boss and fill him in on all the juicy details. I'm sure he'll find them riveting."

It was clearly a dismissal, his tone bored, his expression remote. Loretta couldn't help feeling disappointed but she knew he was right. She had come here on pack business and she was leaving with the knowledge she had come to collect. She rose slowly, smoothing down her skirt as she stood. "What will the Council Elect's decision be?" she asked, her tone brisk and to the point. She could be as detached as he was.

Andrei snorted loudly, shaking his head at her sass even as he smiled in approval. God she was a complete pain in the ass but a very sexy, delectable one. He considered her question, his eyes raking over her body slowly as he came to his decision on just how much he was willing to give away. "You would stand with the pack if the decision went against them?" he asked even though he knew her answer. She didn't speak but she did nod her head, drawing a weary sigh from him.

"Then you know what the Council Elect's decision will be, don't you, Loretta?"

She stared at him with a puzzled expression on her face, her eyes questioning him. Sighing loudly Andrei stood once more, moving back around the desk and pulling her hard against his body. His head dipped to her neck, inhaling deeply at her wonderful scent, his tongue snaking out to run lightly along her fragile skin as she trembled slightly. He knew he shouldn't be getting so close to her again but he couldn't help himself.

He raised his head and their eyes met and he saw hers widen slightly in surprise as he allowed her to see past his guard. "Does that answer your question?" he asked quietly, his gaze trapping hers as his hands ran down her back as if he couldn't prevent them from doing so.

Loretta swallowed hard wondering if she was getting the right message from him, needing to hear the words but knowing he would never say them. Andrei Romanov would never admit out loud that he would protect a pack of Weres because he was attracted to one of them. She finally nodded her head slowly, unable to find her voice with him being so close to her.

"I believe this meeting is now concluded." He arched a perfect eyebrow at her as he spoke, releasing her as abruptly as he'd gathered her into his arms, resting back against the desk and folding his arms.