A Night to Remember

NICO

I never thought I would say those words out loud.  But I did. I loved her, every inch of my stubborn little mate. Love was a four-letter word I didn’t believe in until now. This painful feeling when I looked at her, at times it felt like I couldn’t breathe now I know what it was called. I loved her. So much it hurt. And now she was carrying my pups, twins. There were no words to describe what I felt. Joy, fear, love, all mixed together.

She wanted us to move on from this life I knew. Would it be possible to leave it behind? Big Jim always said that you don’t choose this life, it chooses you and I believed him. But for Darina I would do anything, anything to keep her and my babies safe. I just had to finish this, get my revenge, and kill Petrov. It all seemed so simple, but the truth was I feared how it would end.

Darina helped Mariana prepare dinner for us in Mariana’s small, crowded kitchen. I sat outside in the icy winter breeze, smoking and planning my next move. I would leave early the next morning. The Shadow Moon Pack lived out of town at the foot of the Andalucian mountains. Although Mariana urged me to let Victor help, I refused. There was no sense in getting them involved in my business. Not only because of my resentment to their pack, but it would start a war on a greater scale which I didn’t need to be a part of.

“Hey, you seem very wrapped up in your thoughts. Mariana called you like three times, but you didn’t respond.” Darina startled me out of my musings. “Come inside. Dinner is on the table.”

I caught her around the waist and pulled her onto my lap. She wore one of Mariana’s aprons. “Look at you, acting all domestic.” I teased.

She scoffed, pouting her pretty lips. “I do know how to prepare a meal Nico.”

“Hmm. Not just a pretty face.” I said, “Although it wouldn’t matter to me if you couldn’t cook.”

She laughed, “Only because you have one of the best cooks at home.”

I chuckled that was not what I meant. “We do, but I don’t want him in my bed.”

Darina’s pretty mouth gaped open. “So you only want me for my body?” she rolled her eyes at me.

“I want all of you all the time.” I said and meant it.

Mariana called us from the kitchen. Darina giggled, pulling away from my embrace.

“You don’t want to keep your aunt waiting.”

***

Mariana entertained us with stories of her and my mother’s youth, all the mischief they were up to. Darina enjoyed her tales and seemed more relaxed which I felt relieved. It made it easier for me to leave her.

“But you never took a mate, Aunt Mariana? Why is that?” I asked although I thought I knew the reason.

“Now that’s none of your business young Nico.” She waved a finger at me. Her cheeks were aflame because of the Mulberry wine. “So nosy. You remind me too much of your mother. Always up in my business.”

I shrugged. “Can’t blame me for asking. Your soulmate must be out there somewhere though.”

Mariana sighed. “No thank you. I’ve no interest in tying myself down to anyone. I’m fine on my own.”

Darina laid a hand on mine. “I guess not all of us are so lucky to find the one you’re meant to be with.”

“Well in my case let’s just say I don’t like to be someone’s second choice.” Mariana said and poured more wine into her glass.

I remembered Victor saying how he loved my mother and I felt bad for Mariana.

“But forget about me. You have to be careful Nico. This Snake Man or Naga you told me about – you say he is keeping Constantin captive and his venom is slowly killing him?”

“Venom? You never told me that.” Darina scowled at me. “What in god’s name is a Naga?”

“An ancient snake race.” Mariana said. “There has to be an antidote for the venom I might have some books on it. Darina can help me search for it while you’re away.”

“Good.” That ought to keep her occupied, keep her mind off me for a while, I hoped. “I have yet to see him transform if that is at all possible.”

“You should kill him before he does.” Mariana suggested. “If you can get near enough.”

“I can’t listen to this anymore.” Darina said and went fled out of the kitchen.

I hated seeing her upset and wanted to go to her, but Mariana held up her hand and motioned to me to sit back down.

“Leave her. You’re just going to make it worse,” she said. “You can’t blame her for being worried.”

“I don’t.” I sighed. “But I have to do this. I owe it to my mother.”

Mariana fixed me with her dark green stare. “Really Nico? Your mother is dead. Nothing you can do will change that. You want revenge for yourself.” She touched my arm. “I don’t judge you for that, but you need to move on from it. You have a future, don’t mess it up.”

What she said was true. “That may be so, but I am done with being manipulated and forced into submission by a power-hungry reptile. He thinks he’s won, holding my pack hostage, and offering Constantine like a carrot to a donkey. No, I don’t think so. When I was shunned by the werewolves, those humans took me in, and I owe it to them and myself to end this.”

Mariana nodded, “Yes, I get it dear child. But what you don’t see is that they too used and manipulated you, making you into a criminal. Your mother would frown down upon you to see what you’ve become.”

I laughed hard and bitter at her words. “That’s rich. Was it not part of our heritage to deceive and steal? We roamed the land with our caravans and our horses in the old days, cheating the humans out of their money, telling them all sorts of lies, stealing their children. I can go on.”

“True but times have changed. You can change, it’s your choice. It’s not the only way to live Nico.” Mariana cleared the table, banging the plates together. “Think about Darina and the pups.” She said, an edge to her voice and her eyes glittered.

“I think about them constantly.” I pushed my chair back hard. “I will get back as soon as I can.” I said and stomped up the stairs to the bedroom.

***

Darina’s golden hair fanned out on her pillow while she slept her dark eyelashes kissing her cheeks. I watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest and listened to the even beating of her heart. Closing my eyes I touched her lower abdomen and concentrated to see if I could feel the tiny fluttering of my twins’ hearts sleeping in her womb.

Yes, there it was, so faint, but I felt it, like butterfly wings flapping delicately and I smiled in wonder. Mine. All three of them belonged to me. Darina turned in her sleep and her fingers curled around my hand. I kissed her softly until she opened her sleepy grey eyes.

“I want you here with me.” she said, reaching for me. I didn’t need to be asked twice. We undressed each other swiftly, shedding our clothes like skin. Curbing my desire to dominate her, to take her with force, I held her tight to my body taking deep breaths to calm my aching yearning.

“I won’t break,” she nipped at my lips. “Take me. Hard. I want to remember this until you come back.” she panted against my neck, her fingers closed around my pulsating cock, tighter and tighter until I growled and grabbed her wrist. She grinned wickedly at me. I flipped her on her stomach.

“Get on your knees.”

She obeyed readily, lifting her sweet, rounded butt for me. With one hand fisted in her hair I entered her slick channel, holding onto her hip with the other. Hot and tight she welcomed me into her body, urging me on with her moans. Our skin slapped together as I rode her hard, pulling her head back to sink my canines into her shoulder.

Darina mewled and screamed my name as her muscles contracted, drawing me in, forcing my seed to spill into her. We collapsed in a panting heap on the hard, uncomfortable bed. I pulled her on top of my body.

“I love you little fox.” I whispered to her.

She smiled up at me. “And I love you Master Nico.”

 I hardly slept that night. Darina lay in my arms our legs entangled not wanting to move from each other’s embrace. My wolf was restless, he wanted to stay with his mate, but I had to go. When the dawn peeked through the window I extracted myself from Darina, careful not to wake her. The wolf howled in my mind, and I felt his pain like knives in my belly. With one last long look at my baby girl’s face I slipped out of the room and down the stairs.