Out of Darness

Island of Sardinia – 1952

Acacio was glad he had sent Zosime into the mountains to hunt for food today. He had known the Alpha would not be pleased, and he had been correct. He had thought watching the Alpha tear apart a few Omegas had been a horrible thing to watch one hundred years ago. It was nothing compared to what he had just witnessed. He felt the bile rising in his throat as he listened to the piteous begging of the Betas as their own Alpha slaughtered them in a misguided attempt to please his Dire Wolf mate.

Acacio sadly shook his head. He had known it would be to no avail. The female would not allow just anyone to mate with her. Her potential mate must fight other Dire Wolves, not simple werewolves. The old Beta had taken the time to read the writings left behind by the Vampire who had studied the Dire Wolves closely for some time before hatching his plan.

Erobos had always been impetuous, and many times it was deadly for his pack. This time was no different.

Acacio waited silently for his Alpha, trying to ignore the evidence of the carnage that had played out in front of him. He watched the female in her cage, snarling and roaring with rage, mindless, driven solely by the instinct to mate.

Acacio wondered if the amber-eyed female still lived. What was her name again? Ah yes, Seraphina. He almost hoped not. He knew that when the Alpha was enraged, females usually suffered for it. His daughter had suffered greatly until she had been released.

Acacio stood his ground when the blood-covered Alpha strode purposefully towards him.

"I need Dire Wolves! I must find Dire Wolves." Erobos paced as he spoke, the blood of his Betas dripping from his body. "But how?"

"Alpha." Acacio spoke softly, afraid to interfere with the Alpha's ramblings.

Erobos spun around on his heel to face the worthless caretaker who had been silent until now. "What is it?"

"I was just thinking. I've been reading the newspapers you bring me. There have been so many scientific discoveries in the last several years. Perhaps that could be of some help to you?"

Erobos stared at the old male. He should just rip him apart. But then who could he trust to guard his mate?

Science? Perhaps.

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Nevada – Present Day

Carr, we've got trouble.

Rhys noticed Carr's sudden change in posture and knew something was wrong. "What is it? Erobos?"

Carr nodded slightly and motioned for them to leave the room. He caught Alistair's attention and waited for him to follow them as well.

Carr was more glad than ever that he'd insisted on his Betas keeping their jobs in the local Police Department. All of them at one time or another worked as officers. Not only was it good for tactical training, but they always knew what was happening in town and the surrounding areas.

The trio made their way through the hospital corridor to a quiet area.

Carr leaned into the wall. "During briefing before the shift, the Sergeant mentioned there were a lot of strangers coming into town, congregating around the west side of town, near the highway. James and Steve were assigned to keep an eye on them." Carr waited a moment before continuing. "They're definitely werewolves. They haven't seen anyone that looks like a dire, yet."

Alistair sighed and ran a hand absent-mindedly through his white hair. "How many?"

"Couple hundred. Wilson sent word that Erobos left Reno about thirty minutes ago. So we have three to four hours before he meets up with his pack." Carr looked out the window and smiled at his mate. She was talking to some of the other pregnant females. She looked happy, and her growing stomach looked so beautiful. He couldn't believe they had triplets on the way. He had to protect them, no matter what.

"And how many fighters do you and Guillame have between you?" Leo had seen them walk away and followed. Panthers moved silently in both their forms.

"Not enough." Carr wondered what else the panther had up his sleeve.

"My people are on their way. I have thirty Betas, not many, but good fighters." They had lived their lives hoping for the day they could avenge the deaths of their families. They would fight to the death if needed. Leo was proud of his pack. They would make their ancestors proud.

"We're outnumbered. How can we hope to win?" Alistair had never felt so defeated before. "Is Wilson sending anyone?"

"Nope, they were pretty banged up after the last fight with Gary. He said he was sorry, but he couldn't spare anyone." Carr did the figuring in his head. With Leo's panthers, they had a whopping hundred and fifty Betas. James just finished counting the newcomers and, with more still arriving, he'd reached two-hundred-sixty-four. "I'd say it's going to be at least two-to-one."

"How does he have so many Betas here?" Rhys knew how many problems the packs had been having with breeding. How could Erobos have such a large number of pack members in the States?

"He's had operatives here for the last hundred years. They could have found mates here and been breeding the whole time. And, James says quite a few of them look like rogues. So chances are Erobos has been picking up strays." Carr knew that, no matter the odds, they had to win!

"We'll need the Seven Sisters. They will help us to overcome Erobos and his followers." Leo looked off towards the hospital room his granddaughter shared with her new mate.

"We don't have the Seven Sisters. We have six panthers and a female who doesn't even know that she's a were." Alistair couldn't believe Leo could even think of Kelly and Drago mating at a time like this. Drago was still recovering from massive injuries that he'd incurred two days before. True, he'd been healing remarkably quickly, but still, to mate already?

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Drago's cool skin felt so good against hers. Kelly rolled over so she could watch his handsome face. Her hand strayed to his brow and stroked slowly. "I can't believe I ever distrusted you."

Drago frowned. "I can't believe you ever did trust me. After all, I was your jailer for over a month." Drago thought back to the first moment he'd seen her behind the glass. There had been something intriguing about her even then. But in the cage, her scent had been hidden from him. He hadn't known she was his mate. He tried not to think of the things that Erobos might have made him do to her. Did Erobos know she was meant to be his mate? He wondered. There seemed to be so much Erobos had orchestrated in Drago's life.

Kelly saw the worry in his dark eyes. "I know what you're thinking, Drago. Stop it! You didn't know how evil Erobos was. You had no way to know. Besides, if he hadn't kidnapped me, would we have met?" Her finger lightly traced his jawline. She smiled when she saw his sudden intake of breath. She knew he was trying to control himself. She wanted him to finally lose control. She used her nails to scrape his skin and moved down his neck to his chest.

His hand quickly snatched hers away from his chest. "My parents and your grandfather are right down the hall."

She smiled and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "I happen to know that these doors have locks."

"Not here." He looked out the window at the mountains beyond the clearing the compound was in. His wolf wanted to take their mate in the open, not in a building. The wolf had let his human half take the lead since they had known she was theirs. Now it was his turn.

"Outside?" She looked into his serious face. "Do you feel well enough to go outside?"

His wolf was struggling with his human half. He wanted out, now! Drago breathed deeply, trying to keep the beast under control. Why was he acting like this? There was no danger they would lose her now. Why the rush? Drago could only manage to nod his head. Yes, he wanted to go outside. His hand closed tightly around hers.

He flipped off the blankets, never letting go of her hand. If he had his way, he'd never let go again.

Kelly had her first clear look at his body since his injuries. She tried not to show emotion when she saw the jagged scars from the wounds made by claws and teeth. But it had only been days! Werewolves had amazing powers of healing. He'd healed even faster than Logan had predicted!

Drago could see where her eyes were locked. He looked down and saw what she saw. He whispered, "Soon you won't even know they're there. They'll fade. I promise. You won't have to look at them."

Kelly couldn't believe he thought she'd be repulsed. She leaned forward and gently kissed the ugliest of the scars, across his stomach. She was a veterinary surgical nurse. She knew what that wound was meant to do, disembowel him. She took her tongue and slowly drew it all the way across his belly, the entire length of the healing wound. She looked up and saw his look of relief.

"Outside, please, now." Drago could barely spit out the words. He swallowed hard, trying to hold his wolf back for just a few more minutes. He'd never been so insistent before. What was his problem?

It is time. We must mate, now!

Drago checked the window and was happy to see it opened easily. He smiled. The last time they had gone through a window together was in Amsterdam, when they had just barely made it out of that room without being caught.

The cool spring air flowed through the window. Drago saw Kelly shiver and grabbed a blanket off the bed and arranged it around her shoulders. "Better?"

Kelly nodded. "But what about you? All you have on is a pair of sweatpants."

Drago grinned. "Werewolves like the cold. I'll be fine."

He climbed through the window, helped her through next, and sniffed the air. No one nearby to let their families know they were leaving. They might have a little time before everyone panicked.

His wolf wanted to get as far away from the compound as possible before he could relax and concentrate on his mate. The idea of mating for the first time inside a building was upsetting for him. He wanted to be under the blue sky, to feel the wind in his fur and the hard ground underneath his feet.

Kelly tried to put her bare feet down carefully on the cold ground and winced every time she hit a rock. It didn't seem to bother Drago at all. She knew he wanted her to be quiet so they wouldn't attract attention, but when she hit that sharp rock she just couldn't help it. "Ow!" She hopped on one foot, steadying herself by holding onto Drago's arm. She leaned on him as she held up her leg and looked at the small cut on the bottom of her foot. "Dammit!"

Drago grinned. "It won't bother you for long, I promise." He swept her into his arms. He really should have done this to begin with. He'd forgotten a human would be tender-footed. As soon as she was turned they wouldn't have to even think about it anymore. He jogged with her in his arms. Her scent filled his head and brought his wolf closer to the surface.

Kelly felt the change in Drago's grip around her body. He tightened just a bit. And then she heard quiet growling coming from his chest. Was it the wolf? She was frightened for a fleeting moment, but then remembered it was his wolf who had fought so hard to protect her at the mine. He was just as much the one she loved as the human Drago. She had nothing to be afraid of! She held onto him tighter and tucked her face into his chest as he ran. She could hear the steady beat of his heart. He was barely breathing hard. Two days ago she wasn't sure he'd live through the night, and now he was carrying her into the forest.

She looked over his shoulder and couldn't even make out the compound anymore. They'd traveled deep into the forest land surrounding the pack home. She finally felt him come to a stop in the middle of a meadow. He carefully set her down and sat next to her, a big smile on his face.

"Now we can be alone, at least for a little while." He couldn't take his eyes off her as he grinned and reached out to smooth down her long black hair. Her blue eyes held his gaze. They were the same color as the blue sky. Was that possible?

Kelly felt like a teenager on her first date. Here she was sitting with the man that had single-handedly saved her from a madman... mad werewolf? And she was nervous. What did she have to be nervous about? She loved him more than she'd ever thought imaginable. She would do anything for him. She looked into his dark eyes. They looked a little different, somehow. More alive? Feral?

"Have you had a chance to talk to anyone in the last few days? I mean, about being turned into a werewolf, what will happen to you." His hands slid up and down her arms. He was afraid if he let go of her she'd get up and run back to the compound. He didn't want to scare her. That was the last thing he'd ever want. His fingertips skated across her skin. He could feel the goose-bumps on her arms. Was it the cold? Or fear?

Kelly nodded slowly. "I want to be with you forever, Drago. I'm ready!"

Drago swallowed hard. "There's one more thing I'd better tell you." His face blushed bright red. "I've never been with a female." He watched her for a surprised expression but didn't see one. Did she hear him? "You know, had sex." He looked away from her, worried she'd burst out laughing at him or something.

A huge smile spread across Kelly's face. "Then we're even, me neither, had sex I mean. But I thought werewolves had sex all the time, even if they weren't mated."

"Yeah, a lot do, but my wolf wasn't interested. He wanted to wait for you. Me too." Drago had been worried for nothing. "I need to warn you, though. My wolf is close. I want to have as much time with you as I can, but he'll only let me take things so far, and then he'll take over. Are you okay with that?"

"You and your wolf are a package deal, Drago. I know that. I trust him as much as I do you." She leaned forward, putting a hand on his hard, muscled chest, brushed her lips against his and whispered into his ear, "And I want him as much as I want you."

He wasn't sure if it was her breath in his ear or her words that made his cock jump. He didn't care. He agreed with his wolf; it was time.

Drago brought his hands to Kelly's face and held her gently as he kissed her, waiting for her to open to his advancing tongue. He pushed her down to the ground where she lay on the blanket. He couldn't stop kissing her, his hands roaming her body and finding their way to the hospital gown, finding the tie at her waist. He peeled it away from her body and slid his hand along the warm skin of her stomach. His lips traveled over her eyes, down her nose, and across her jaw. He could feel her pushing her body up into his. In the back of his mind he was afraid she'd push against him, wanting him to stop. The wolf could never stop now.

She wants us.

Kelly moaned as she felt his cool hands on her hot skin. It had seemed cold when they first left the hospital, but now she felt like she had a fever. Her skin was so hot that the only thing that made it bearable was his touch. Everywhere his hands touched she pushed harder into him and moaned. "Drago..." All she could say was his name. She'd always stopped her dates after a kiss, never letting them touch her. Drago was the first, and he'd be the only one. Her hands found his head and moved across his crew-cut hair. God she loved the feel of it under her fingers. His lips were on her neck and her head fell back to let him take what he wanted from her.

Drago heard her call his name and wanted to hear her say it over and over. Her moans were all that the wolf heard. He couldn't wait to be the one making her moan.

Drago kissed across her collar bone, inhaling her scent deeply. It was like a drug to him. She was like a drug, giving him pleasure, and making him come back for more. Everything about her gave him pleasure, from hearing her laughter to feeling her fingers that slid along his back. He could feel how she traced each scar with her nails. He found his way to her breasts, uncovered in the spring sunlight. He kissed his way to them, using his tongue to lap at each nipple. When he latched onto one and started to suck he felt her fingers dig into his flesh. She lifted up into his mouth and whispered.

"Drago, oh yes, just like that." She'd read so many romance novels in her life, and always wondered what this would feel like. Now she understood. She felt his tongue and teeth pulling at her nipples and felt a corresponding pulsation in her pussy and a wetness. She knew what she wanted, what she needed. "I want you, Drago, so badly." Her voice sounded so strange to her, like someone else was speaking through her body.

Drago could smell her pussy. It was like her scent of lavender and orange, but even stronger and irresistible to both the human and the wolf. He kissed his way down her stomach to her thighs and licked the inside of her legs, pushing them apart. His fingers found their way to her lips, peeled them apart, and inhaled. His wolf was insistent but Drago had to hold him back just for another few seconds. He wanted just a few more seconds to savor this moment. He moved his mouth closer and felt the urge to lick. His tongue tasted her, and the scent he knew so well already was now the taste on his tongue that exploded in his brain. His tongue lapped at her folds, drinking in the nectar she gushed from her depths. He had to hold on tight to her thighs to keep her in place as her body bucked against his mouth. He could barely feel her hands grasping at his shoulders, gasping for air.

Warmth flooded her body as she felt his tongue tasting her. Her fingers dug into his skin, she didn't worry about hurting him. She knew she could never hurt him. Her hips moved on their own, pushing harder into his face. She was reaching for her orgasm but he wouldn't let her. Suddenly, his tongue reached deep inside her, deeper than she thought possible. And then she noticed she was no longer grabbing at his skin, but now had handfuls of his fur. She opened her eyes and saw the wolf between her thighs. He looked up at her with Drago's eyes. She smiled at him. "I love you, Drago."

The wolf was ecstatic. Their mate had told him that she loved him! She wasn't afraid to have him touch her. Even though he knew she was a were, he had been worried since she had no idea. Now he would no longer worry. He would only please his mate. His tongue dove deeper inside her, drawing her closer and closer to her release. But his instinct told him to not let her achieve it. He forced himself to pull away despite her pleas for him to continue. He moved to her side and pushed with his nose.

Kelly was confused. Why did he stop? She looked up at her beautiful black wolf who had started pushing at her hip with his nose. "What do you want, Drago? I don't understand." She reached out to touch his soft fur but instead of licking her he growled. "I don't understand!" Why didn't he just become the human Drago and tell her what he wanted? She felt his head butt against her hip again.

Drago tried to take control of his wolf but the mating instinct was too strong. The wolf wouldn't relinquish control now. He would make their mate understand. He continued to push his head against her side, licking at her soft skin whenever she moved in the right direction. She seemed to be getting the idea because eventually, he was licking along her back, and she had moved to her hands and knees.

"Well why didn't you say so?" Kelly giggled and looked over her shoulder at the familiar dark brown eyes that watched her intently. She wiggled her hips at him. "I'm ready, Drago. Please, do it now."

The wolf approached her slowly and sniffed her wet pussy, his tongue snaking out to taste her again. He pushed his face between her thighs to spread them wide and drank her fluids, which flowed freely into his mouth. Her moans filled his ears, and as he heard her begging him, he knew she was ready for him. He drew himself up onto his hind legs and, as gently as a wolf could, held her sides with his paws. He concentrated on not gouging her with his claws.

She'll heal. I shouldn't worry.

But he couldn't help thinking of her as a human even though he knew soon enough she would join with her panther.