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Chapter 29

Mandy woke to the sound of the phone ringing.  She cracked an eye open and watched as Darren leaned over to grab it.  Running her hand up his arm, she moved her body over his slightly.  “Mmm, don’t you dare answer that.”  

He chuckled and the sound reverberated through her as she lay partially on his massive chest.   “What’s a matter?  Afraid of what someone might think?”  He held the phone up, base and all while it continued to ring.   

It was just out of reach and Mandy had to move up and over Darren in an attempt to grab it.  “Darren, come on…they’ll hang up before you give it to me.”  

He arched a dark brow and gave her a wolfish grin.  “Oh baby, I’ll give it to you.  If you want it.”  

“Tempting.  Now, give me phone.”   

Darren pulled the sheet over her and covered them up.  It was kind of cute the way he remembered how cold she got when she first woke up.  That was something Armando never paid much attention to.  Maybe that was because he was always cold.   

Darren laced his free arm around her back, effectively holding her body pressed to his.   His erection dug into her abdomen and she shifted a bit in an attempt to stop the moisture that was building between her thighs.  It didn’t work.  He brought the phone closer to her and she grabbed the handset.  “Hello?”  

“Hey, I was beginning to think you fell off the face of the earth,” Michelle said, with a slight laugh.   

“Hey you, how are you feeling?”  Guilt washed over Mandy.  She’d dropped the ball, again, in their friendship.  How Michelle put up with her was completely beyond her, and she’d never be half as good as friend to her.  Maybe she was genetically predisposed to fuck up?  Maybe she was just a sucky friend.  “Listen, sorry about not getting over to see you yet.”  

Dead silence greeted her.  Darren nuzzled his face into her neck and his stubble tickled, causing her to laugh.   

Michelle laughed slightly too.  “Yeah, it is funny.  You apologizing shocked me into silence.  Wow, warn me before you do that again.  I’d hate to have a heart attack.”  

It was Mandy’s turn to fall silent, only hers wasn’t out of shock.  It was fear.  The reality of Michelle’s words turned her stomach.  Losing her would not be something she’d bounce back from—ever.    

Darren bit at her collarbone and she tried to slide off him.  He held her tight, grinding his hips against her in the process.  “I can smell that you’re wet for me.”   

Mandy rolled her eyes and looked at the wall, hoping that fixating on anything other than Darren’s face would help her concentrate.   

“Hello?  Earth to Mandy…do you read?”  Michelle said.  “Did you hang up on me again?”  

“No, no, I’m here.  You just should avoid teasing about dropping dead.”  

“Right, like anyone one of us couldn’t get struck by a bus tomorrow.”   Michelle laughed softly.  “You know that may be a welcomed fix to my problem.”  

Mandy propped herself up a bit on Darren, driving his erection lower.  He growled and rubbed himself against her.  The only thing that kept him from entering her was two thin layers of silk, his boxers and her panties, which were now soaked.  Darren dropped the base of the phone onto the table and seized hold of her ass, making her yelp.  

“Uhh, okay.  Anyway, I’m making out with Dmitri…”  

That caught Mandy’s attention.  “You were what?”  

Michelle huffed.  “Don’t act so surprised.  You’re not the only one with a libido.  It just so happens that yours is some sort of medical marvel that men line up just to be near.  You do realize that you’re sex drive is like twenty times greater than a porn star’s, right?”  

Darren slid his hand around and moved it between them.  Caressing the outer edges of her cleft, through her wet panties, he kissed at her jaw.   

“Stop,” Mandy said, breathily.  

“See, you can’t even tell me to stop picking on you without sounding like you’re having sex.”  Michelle laughed softly.  It sounded forced.  Something was wrong.  

“What happened?  Do you need me to come…?” 

Darren bit at her earlobe and tried to slide his finger under her panties.  “Oh, yeah, I need you to come alright.”  His playful nibbling turned more aggressive and his attempts to get her to fuck him increased ten fold.  Quickly, he began to simulate the same rhythmic motions he used whenever she rode him.  Somehow, Mandy managed to keep him out of her panties.  But he in turn freed his cock from his boxers and rubbed it against the wet material.   

Mandy tried to roll off him, but he increased his hold on her, and moved his hips in a pattern that left his now exposed member rubbing against her swollen bud. As much as she wanted to deny that it felt good, she couldn’t.  And the look on his face said he knew it.  He glanced over her shoulder, towards the bedroom door and smiled.  Mandy followed his gaze, but found nothing there.  At times, Darren could be odder than her.  

“What did you say?”  Michelle asked.  “Please tell me that you’re not fucking Armando as we speak, because I’m not sure I could handle the fact that you’re getting some and I’m not.”  

That statement alone should have shocked Mandy.  If Darren wasn’t trying so hard to get into her panties, she’d have explored that further.  “Umm, no…I’m not fucking Armando as we speak.”  

“No you are most certainly not fucking me.”  

The sound of Armando’s voice made Mandy’s stomach drop.   “I have to go,” she said, clicking the phone off.  Darren continued to move his hips and hold her tight.   

~*****~ 

Michelle stared at the phone in disbelief. First Dmitri runs away in what could only be viewed as a rejection and now Mandy was practically hanging up on her without saying goodbye? What was going on? Now everyone knew she was sick, they were running for the hills. It wasn’t like she was infected with the black plague! 

“Might as well be,” she grumbled, looking around Dmitri’s bedroom.  She picked up her pills and studied the label. With a grown of disgust she threw them at the trashcan. 

Things around the house were tense and Michelle just about had enough.  Three days in Dmitri’s home was more than enough torture.  Hell, she slept in his bed for crissakes!  And he slept on the couch.  The couch!  What was that?  It wasn’t like she’d demanded a long term relationship.  Hell, they weren’t even dating anymore.  Did he think if he slept with her, he’d have to take her back?  What, now he couldn’t separate love and sex?  All she wanted was sex from him---hot, erotic, full blown lycan sex.  It wasn’t like she was asking him to love her.   

Michelle bit her lip, refusing to delve any further into that thought.  No, she didn’t want him to lov…  Didn’t want…  Ah, DAMN IT! 

No one knew it yet, but she was moving out.  It wasn’t like she needed a nursemaid and she did have her own apartment. Mandy and she both had the book deal coming out.  Their titles were seeing print and would be available in most bookstores.  Like she really needed sexual frustration at night to add to the stress of work.   

Oh, and Dmitri was the epitome of anal-retentive when it came to his house.  The man cleaned!  ALL THE TIME.  That morning, just when she got her book notes spread out the way she liked them, she’d gotten up to take a shower.  When she finished, he’d picked it all back up and had it neatly filed in her bag.  What was that?  Now she couldn’t find a damned thing and she’d been looking through them all day.  He actually alphabetized her notes.  Like she could remember that system.  She had everything organized according to importance—to her.  Now she had to recite the alphabet in her head whenever she needed some information. 

She’d have moved out that instant if she didn’t have to go down to the Raven to meet some people for work later.  Frowning, she looked over the papers laying out over Dmitri’s bed and frowned.  She couldn’t find her notes on THE BARBARIAN PRINCE novel that was due out in print for the Christmas season.  She found notes on Mandy’s DAUGHTER OF DARKNESS, due out at the same time, but no DRAGON LORDS.  Mandy would probably need those back.  Michelle shrugged.  Served Mandy right for getting into her bag and trying to make her a pie chart of her characters while she was in the hospital.  Michelle glanced at the trashcan, guiltily eyeing the pie chart.  Maybe she should keep it—just in case Mandy asked.  

Getting up to see if Dmitri had filed her notes some place she’d never think of, she went into the living room.  Dmitri wasn’t there.  

“Damn it, Michelle!” came Dmitri’s voice, hissing in anger. 

Michelle flinched.  What did she do now?  “Yeah?” 

“What?  I didn’t…”  Dmitri came out of the bathroom, holding her underwear.  He looked confused that she’d heard him.   

She paled.  Well, at least the underwear was clean.  They must have fallen out of her bag when she took a shower that morning.  And thank God they were the ones Mandy had bought her and not a pair of granny panties.  Seeing Dmitri, in his tight t-shirt and even tighter blue jeans, holding her underwear up, was not her idea of fun.  It looked altogether too intimate. “Riffling through my bags?” 

Dmitri stared at her.  Suddenly, he cleared his throat.  “No, I found these on the bathroom floor.  I don’t mind helping you do laundry, cause you’re, you know, sick, but can you please try to get these into the hamper.” 

“They’re not used!” Michelle said, reaching forward to snatch them.  He looked almost disappointed. “They fell out of my bag!  And I don’t need you to do my laundry for me.” 

“But—” 

“Can we discuss this later?  It’s late and I need to get ready for a meeting.”  Michelle made a move to walk past him, going out of her way to make sure they didn’t touch.  She couldn’t stand being in his presence.  She felt so unattractive, so rejected.  “I’m meeting with some people later.” 

“Where do you have a meeting this late in the evening?” he asked. 

“Not that it’s your concern, but at the Raven.” 

“I can take you.”  Dmitri moved to follow her. 

“Nope, won’t be necessary. I already called a cab.”  Michelle opened the bedroom door and quickly shut it behind her. 

Dmitri frowned, looking at the door.  Grumbling to himself, he said, “Good going, Dmitri.  Way to piss her off.” 

He really didn’t care that she’d left her underwear on the floor, or that she made a mess.  He just kept cleaning because he wanted her to be comfortable.  And it kept him busy—so he didn’t have to think of his humiliation the night before.  In his pants? 

Dmitri planned on making it up to her.  He was going to surprise her tonight and take her out on a real date.  Just thinking of it, he looked down.  Already he was aroused.  Great. Whatever happened, he would not be repeating those embarrassing events.  He glanced around the apartment and frowned.  What is it Mike always said?  Before you go on a date, you needed to clear the plumbing?  Dmitri had never worried about it before, and he hated to admit it, but it sounded like some good advice. Maybe if he serviced himself a few times he’d relieve enough pressure to make himself last past second base.  It was worth a try. 

~*****~ 

Mandy dropped her head down and Darren’s chest and closed her eyes, knowing that she was about to lose the most important thing in her life.  Cool energy prickled up her back and she recognized it for what it was, Armando’s power.    

Darren growled and flipped her over on the bed.  The sheet went with her, leaving Darren completely exposed.  His boxers were pushed down and his ruddy cock was in complete view of Armando.  He adjusted his boxers and covered himself.  Not that it did any good.  He was still hard, now his erection was just pressed outward against the silk material.   Armando’s power moved from a light trickle to a harder pressing feeling.  Mandy gasped and slid up on the bed.  Darren moved in front of her on the bed.  “Drop the fucking magic shit.  You’re hurting her.”  

Armando tipped his head to the side and Mandy caught sight of his swirling eyes.  He was pissed and that was never a good thing.  “I am beginning to wonder if she lives for pain.  Do you, Mandy?  Do you enjoy pain?  You seem to enjoy inflicting it on others.”  

His power yanked hard on her, lifting her off the bed slightly.  Darren grabbed hold of her and tried to pull her back down.  It didn’t work.  It only served to hurt more.  She cried out. Darren jumped off the bed and charged at Armando.   

Armando smiled wickedly and lifted his hand.  Darren jerked back for a moment but then continued his charge.  Armando looked a bit surprised.  “Ah, the little were has more strength than I gave him credit for. Does he really think I’ll stand by and let him get into those panties of yours, as if he hasn’t already?”  

“Yeah, this time I was expecting it, asshole.  Now, put my wife down!”  

“Wife?  Oh,  Mandy, really…you should chose the men you fuck a bit more wisely.  At the very least find one that’s not delusional.”  His cold gaze locked on her and she turned her head, unable to face him when he was like this.   

Darren slammed into him and they tumbled out into the hallway.  Mandy thought  Armando’s magic would drop, it didn’t.  He was a master vampire who was a hell of a lot stronger than she’d ever dreamt possible and Darren had just walked right into his trap.   

“Darren!  NO!”   

What is wrong, kitten?  Do you fear for your wolf’s life?  Armando’s voice boomed through her head.  It no longer felt smooth and silky.  It felt like shards of broken glass.  

A loud boom followed by crashing noises sounded from the other room.  Mandy screamed out and pushed hard against Armando’s power.  Something popped, inside her.  It wasn’t painful so much as it was different.  Armando’s powers dropped and so did Mandy.  She bounced off the bed and hit the floor with a thud.  Pain shot up her elbow and right leg.   

“Armando, stop…please stop!”  she cried out as she pushed to her feet and ran for the door.  When she rounded the corner, she found the two of them walking in a slow circle, eyeing each other up.  Each one was covered in blood, but Darren was the only one she could see visible wounds on.  “Stop it!  Both of you!”  

“Get out, Mandy!”  Darren shouted.   

She snorted.  “Yeah, like I’d leave you two alone together.”  

A wry grin spread across Armando’s face.  Even when he was teetering on the edge of a full shift into his demon, he was still gorgeous.  How the man could still make her chest tight, even when he was just this side of being a monster was beyond her.  

“Is that how you see me, Mandy?  Am I a monster to you?”  Armando asked, his eyes darting to Darren.  “Shall I show you what a true monster looks like?”  He lashed power out at Darren.   

Darren dropped to his knees and arched his back.  He cried out and Mandy watched in horror as his body rippled and contorted.  When she saw the fur sprout on his arms, she knew what Armando was doing and at the moment, she hated him for it.   

“Stop it!   You’re hurting him!  Forcing him to shift could kill him!”  She ran towards Darren to try to help him.   

Darren growled out at her and shook his head violently.  “Get…away…from me…not safe…” 

A cool arm slid around her waist and yanked her backwards.  “Armando, stop it, please don’t do this.  You’ll kill him.”  

“Perhaps.”  

“God no!  Please, it’s not what you think.  Nothing…”  

Armando spun her around to face him.  He snarled and she caught sight of his fangs.  Paralyzed by fear, she was powerless to do anything but stare at him.  He reached down and grabbed her between her thighs.  Cupping her tight, he bent his head down to meet her gaze.  “You wear his smell and he yours.  And it is clear you are wet.  Tell me how it is not what it appears to be.”  His voice was deeper now, and a hell of a lot scarier.  “Tell me how you broke my hold on you.  How did you manage to free yourself from the bed?”  Armando drew in a deep breath and shook her.  “You smell different than you should this time of the month,” he drew in another breath, “you are behind in your female workings again.”  

Laughing at a pissed off master vampire about his choice of phrases for a menstrual cycle wasn’t a good idea.  Mandy bit her lip and nodded.    

Armando’s face twisted and he looked disgusted.  “We were to be married in a few short weeks and yet you have been fucking him.”  She shook her head no.  “Do not lie to me, Mandy.  You will not like what happens.”  

Mandy stared at Armando with wide eyes.  He wasn’t one to threaten her and she hadn’t missed how he’d referred to their wedding in the sense it was called off.  Her stomach lurched and she had to fight back vomit.  “Please, don’t do this, Armando.  Don’t throw it all away, not until you hear me out.”  

He laughed wickedly and she cringed.  “Kitten, I am not the one who threw it all away.  You allowed him back into you life, you…” 

“We’re still married.  He claimed mating rights,” she blurted out fast.  “I didn’t know, Armando.  I didn’t know that he never turned the paperwork in for our annulment.  Please, please don’t do this.”  

Armando released his grip on her and she staggered backwards.  He lashed more power out at Darren, causing him to scream.  Mandy stepped in front of Darren and shook her head.  “No more, please.”  

“You still defend him after his deception?”  He looked off towards her bedroom door.  “Tell me, how long have you known about this?”  

She didn’t respond.  Nothing she could say would make it better and remaining silent seemed like the best option.   

Armando laughed and nodded his head.  “I see.  So, because of lycan laws, you opened you legs for him.  Yes, I can see how you were left no choice there.  That was so much easier than coming to me for assistance.”   

“No, that’s not what happened,” she whispered, suddenly terrified of Armando.   

He winked at her and she shivered.  “You are wise to be afraid.”  

“Mandy…go,” Darren said, his voice strained.   

She chanced a glance at him, and found him on his hands and knees in human form.  Every ounce of her wanted to run to him to make sure he was okay.  It didn’t matter that they’d been, or rather were still, married.  It was the right thing to do.  No one should be tortured.   

“Oh Kitten, you have suddenly grown a conscience,” Armando said, sardonically.  “Funny, I thought its name was Michelle.  She is not here to instruct you on being a decent person so tell me how it is you came up with that all on your own.”  

Mandy’s fear was replaced quickly by anger.  This had all gone too far.  “Get out, Armando!”  

“No, I will stay.”  

“Don’t make me revoke your invitation.”  

He smiled.  “Try it.  I am in need of a laugh.”  

Confused by his change in tone, Mandy’s mind raced.  If she let Armando stay, he’d kill Darren.  Granted, at times she wanted to do the same thing, but she’d never really let harm come to him.  She could try to talk with Armando later, when he was a bit calmer.  “I’m sorry--Armando but I revoke your invitation.  You are no longer welcome in my home.”  

Wind whipped past Mandy and circled Armando.  She expected him get yanked through the front door, but he didn’t.  Instead, the wind circled him, lifted his long black hair and ruffled his designer shirt.  The wind faded fast, leaving Armando laughing methodically in its wake.  “Kitten, there is something I forgot to tell you.  When I became your master, you lost your right to revoke invitations.  It is just one of the perks of the job.”  

Mandy backed up slowly and Armando thrust magic at her.  She shook her head in disbelief of what was happening and stopped when a warm hand touched her shoulder.  “Darren?”  

“I’m here and we need to go.  Now.”   

Armando bowed slightly and extended his arm towards the front door.  “Be my guest.”  

Mandy glanced down at herself.  Wearing only a bra and underwear outside wasn’t something she was particularly keen on, even with her wild ways, but standing in a room with Armando when he was like this wasn’t smart.  She decided on risking a ticket for indecent exposure.   

Darren walked in front of her and took her hand.  “Come on, Mandy.  If he won’t leave, we will.”  

She watched Armando closely as Darren led her out the door.  He was too quiet, too okay with them walking out.  Something was wrong.  Once they’d both crossed the threshold, Armando lifted clear off the ground and flew directly at them.  Mandy screamed, and Darren yanked her out of harms way.   

Armando landed and laughed.  He looked around the upper landing and smiled.  “Now, this is a much better place to dispose of you, wolf.”  He stared at Mandy and smiled.  “You see, I know how particular Mandy is about her home and even in my ‘state’ I would like to spare her from having to clean up after me.”  

Mandy froze.  He was going to kill Darren.  This was no longer a show of power.  This was the end all be all between them.   

Darren walked backwards with her shielded behind him.  He stopped.  “Go wait outside, Mandy.”   

She backed up a bit more, careful to step down the first stair and then realized what she was doing.  She was giving Armando a clear shot at Darren.  The events that followed unfolded in slow motion--Armando lifted his hands as Mandy raced up to Darren.  An overwhelming amount of raw power slammed into them.  Darren’s body lifted off the ground and slammed into the wall.  A split second passed as Mandy met Armando’s gaze head on.  Something moved over his face.  

“NO!”  he shouted too late.  His energy slammed into her and sent her pummeling over the railing.  She reached out towards him as her stomach dropped out.  The minute she hit the bottom floor, darkness surrounded her.   

~*****~

Michelle slipped her jacket and grabbed her purse.  She still didn’t have any notes, but it didn’t matter.  She was just nervous.  She’d written the book.  It wasn’t like she needed to read it again to know what happened. 

Looking in the mirror, she frowned at how pale her skin was.  The cab should be waiting for her, so she would just have to put makeup on in the car.  Opening the bedroom door, she tried to stay quiet as she snuck down to the bathroom.  She really didn’t want another run in with Dmitri.  It was just too humiliating.  If she played her cards right, she could be moved out that night before he even knew she was gone.  Sure, it was the cowardly approach, but right now she didn’t care. 

She opened the bathroom door, she was greeted with a low moan.  Dmitri stood against the wall, his head bent, pleasuring himself.  His hand wrapped around and incredibly large, incredibly thick… “Oh My God!” 

Dmitri’s eyes flew to hers.  Michelle did the only thing she could think of. She slammed the door and made a run for it.   

“Shit! Michelle, wait!” Dmitri yelled.  Michelle only ran faster.  Here she was only a few feet away, obviously more than willing, and he was choosing to go at it alone. Hey, there were only so many ways a girl needed to be rejected. She got it. She wasn’t attractive. “Michelle! Wait, I can explain.” 

“There’s nothing to explain. It’s your house, you can do what you want.”  Michelle slammed the front door and ran for the cab.  The car pulled away, just as Dmitri made it to the front door.  She watched him for a brief second before staring straight ahead. 

~*****~

Armando watched in horror as Mandy flipped over the railing.  He launched into the air, but couldn’t get to her in time.  When he cleared the landing, the sight of Mandy twisted on the cement floor below, made every ounce of the demon within him fade away.  Only the man was left and he knew without a doubt that he caused this.  He landed by her side, stroked her blood soaked hair out of her face and dropped his head down.   

“Ohmygod,” Darren said, appearing next to Armando.  He checked Mandy for a pulse--one that Armando already knew wasn’t there and began to shake his head.  “No, no…what the hell…?”   

The part of Armando that was good, the part that kept the demon at bay most of the time kicked in.  He’d bonded Mandy to him once so he had more power over her than any other human.  He let his power ripple out and over her.  Her body jerked and Darren seized him by the throat.  He hoped the wolf would rip his throat out.   After what he’d done, he deserved it.   

“Fix this now!” Darren shouted.

 Surprised by Darren’s faith in his abilities, Armando continued to pump his magic through Mandy.  Their bond would be even stronger now, but it didn’t matter.  What he’d done was unforgivable. 

 Mandy gasped, but didn’t waken.  Armando had made sure she couldn’t.  She was alive and would fully recover, most likely within the next hour or so, but the pain would be great if he didn’t block it.  Darren ran his hand down to her lower abdomen and met Armando’s gaze. 

 Armando sighed.  “I am sorry.  I could save her, but not your child.”

 Darren took Mandy’s hand in his and brought it to his lips.  He planted a small kiss on it, making another pang of jealously tear through Armando.  He fought it down and remained in control. 

 “She wasn’t lying to you.  We never had sex.  I tried.  Lord knows I tried.  I even managed to get her down to her undergarments, but she said no.”  He stroked Mandy’s arm gently as Armando soaked in what he was saying.  “She refused to hurt you.  We spent the night catching up on people we used to know. We fell asleep late this morning talking about you and the phone woke us up. When she reached to get it, I toyed with her,” he dropped his head, “I just wanted to tease her.  But when I sensed you…I…I wanted you to know that she was mine.  I knew you were there…hell, I sensed you when you got within a mile of this place.  But I didn’t tell her.  I made it look like we were fucking…we weren’t…she wouldn’t do that to you.”

 Armando’s gaze raked over Mandy and came to a stop on her stomach.  The realization of what he’d done hit him.  That was how Mandy had been able to break his hold on her.  “The baby was…”

 Darren nodded.  “Yours…yes.  She didn’t know she was pregnant.  I sensed it my first day back in town.  It wasn’t until I met you that I knew for sure it was yours.”   He wiped his face and kept his head down.  “I wanted a life with her.  That’s why I never annulled our marriage.  I knew one day that we’d be ready to commit fully to one another and then we’d…I didn’t mean for any…I’ll go.”

 Armando pulled back from Mandy, unable to hide his shame.  Looking at her only reminded him of what he’d done.  He’d been furious with her.  Blinded by rage.  It was clear that as good as his control over his demon was, it was almost non-existent when it came to her.  “No, you will stay.  I will go.”  He stood and walked towards the lobby door.  Each step he took tore at his insides.  “Take care of her, wolf.”

Welcome to the RAVEN

Chapters are released as Michelle and Mandy have time to write them. They are written in their spare time. Thanks for following the story!

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