Tainted Souls: A Shadow Creek Novel Read online

  And she did.

  She abandoned herself. Her moans filled the room, raw against her throat as she gripped onto him for dear life. He relished every second, every breath, every sound of every sigh drenched with rain.

  Standing to his full height, Jared pulled her against him. Her eyes were wild with heat. Her incisors pressed against her lower lip as her hand delved between the two of them and gripped his cock. He arched to give her room. Splaying a hand on the wall behind her, he let her work him with deliberate strokes.

  Up and down, up and, holy mother of God… down.

  He kissed her hard on the mouth and her tongue swept his mouth with erotic sighs he could taste…

  Lifting her still locked in a kiss, he positioned her over him and entered her on one powerful stroke. He threw back his head and roared. His body wanted to explode, to fill her with every possible inch of himself. Deep. And deeper still until there was no beginning and no end. His brain hazed over with the sudden carnal need to mark her and make her his forever. Tilting her head amidst the frenzy, she offered her neck to him and he tried not to...

  Mine. Mine.

  He struck her vein as gently as he could, his eyes closing as the gush of warm nectar drenched his tongue and…

  His legs almost buckled. Swaying under the delicious assault of the blood as it flowed in a steady stream down his throat. His head exploded with images and falling to his knees, the whole world shattered as stars shot out behind his eyes. Her blood laced his veins and the terrifying reality of what he'd done to her filled him with self-loathing.

  She clung onto him even as he tried to withdraw from her as gently as he could.

  “Jared?”

  Oh, God. Just the sound of that concern for him in her voice made his stomach coil with nausea. He couldn't even look at her.

  “Jared, what is it? Please, talk to me...”

  He tried to slide her from off of him, but she refused to move. “Jared, I thought this was what you wanted? Jared?”

  He wanted to escape the images of her running from him, bleeding and injured, terrified and in pain. Pain that he had caused. Jared tilted back his head and opened his eyes letting the water pepper his face. To wash away the monster he'd just awoken.

  Her hand pressed against his cheek. “Jared, you're scaring me. Please, what is it?”

  He leaned in to her touch. He was so unworthy of her trust, of her feelings, but he held on for a desperate moment before he answered.

  “Your friend was right, Madeleine. It was me that attacked you.”

  “What?”

  Jared looked at her then. He took a hold of her arm and raised it to reveal the jagged pink scar. He recoiled inside, saliva filling his mouth as a wave of nausea crashed deep in his gut.

  “I did this to you.”

  She shook her head, eyes wide as water ran down her cheeks, her pretty lips. Her warm gaze turned to ice as she shifted away and got to her feet.

  “You?”

  He nodded. The words suddenly lodged thick and tight in his throat. But he had to explain, for what good it would do him now.

  “I didn't know. Madeleine, I swear it. I was drawn to you with no knowledge of that day. I was young and my transition had hit that same day… I had no one to go to. I woke up two days later with no memory of it.”

  “How convenient,” she whispered.

  An eternity passed before she spoke again.

  “You took my life from me, Jared. You took away everything I knew, loved, and cared about.” Her voice began to rise hysterically, “And you injured Ryker beyond any healing capability.”

  “Madeleine, I wish I could take it back. The thought of hurting you even the infinitesimal amount makes me want to...” His fists clenched. Anger at himself for what he'd done began to boil in his blood like volcanic lava. “Madeleine, I'm crazy about you. I can't even imagine not being with you. How can I make it right?”

  She shut off the water, her body trembling as she stepped toward him. His head hung low on his chest, couldn't bear to see the look of hatred she must have toward him in her eyes. He stared at her tiny feet, the neat, slim ankles and toned calves of her legs.

  “Jared, look at me.”

  Thunder pulsed in his veins. His heart hammered against his ribs as he raised his eyes to look at her again and Jared knew he couldn't live without her. Heaven help him, he thought, he may have no other choice but to...

  At first, Madeleine wanted to scream. Not in pain or fear, but with a strange kind of relief. Like a heavy weight had just lifted from her shoulders. After all this time, she now knew her attacker.

  Only, now she knew Jared, too.

  Madeleine couldn't believe his revelation. How could this have happened? What were the odds of falling in love with the very person that had attacked you and taken away everything you ever knew?

  Her mind was racing. Did she hate him now? Did she want to send him fleeing with his tail between his legs and never, ever see him again? Did she feel violated? Taken advantage of?

  She stood watching him. Listening to him trying to explain. Searching for answers that made her heart ache for him. Her wolf begged her to go to him. She wanted to ignore them, the feelings she actually had for him. She wanted to hate him for what he'd done.

  But she couldn't.

  She'd never felt more wanted or more loved.

  The fog in her mind began to clear. She stared into his glimmering blue eyes. His wet, jet black hair hung in strands, clinging to his russet skin. His big body shaking with an emotion she could only guess was rage toward himself. Did he hate himself for what he'd done? But, he hadn't attacked her intentionally; it wasn't his fault.

  He'd already broken through her barriers. She'd already fallen from the highest cliff and was madly in love with him.

  “I don't expect your forgiveness, Madeleine, I should go.”

  She took a tentative step toward him and the look of hope on his face made her breath catch in the back of her throat. Slowly she lowered herself to her knees. “There's nothing to forgive, Jared.” Her palms pressed against his cheeks, their eyes locked and she saw something flicker in their depths.

  Their future.

  Together.

  His head dipped, dropping his eyes from her. “I don't deserve you, after what I did… it's unforgivable.”

  She brought his head back up with her hands so he'd look at her again. “Jared, you didn't hurt me on purpose. And, maybe in some strange way it was meant to be,” she couldn't speak for Ryker. Perhaps he would never find it in his heart to forgive Jared. Or her either once he knew.

  “Come on,” she said, rising to her feet she laced her fingers through his and tugged at him to stand up. “I think we should go back to my quarters.”

  They had a lot to talk about and kneeling in the shower wasn't the place to do it.

  On their way through the lair, Madeleine kept to a jog to keep up with Jared's long legs. Neither wanted to be caught in just the fluffy white bath towels they were wearing. “This way,” she said as they rounded the corner. Her room was at the end of the corridor and she thought they'd made it until she heard voices behind them.

  She glanced over her shoulder to see Ryker and Gabrielle. His eyes flared with instant heat like a match to gasoline.

  He inched toward them and Madeleine could feel Jared straighten up to his full height, a low rumble hummed in his chest in warning. She did the only thing she could do, despite the possible danger to herself.

  Moving quickly, she stood between them with her arms outstretched, palms up. They calm closer and she splayed her hands across the center of their heaving chests.

  “You need to move out of the way, now, Madeleine.” Ryker's voice was all wolf, and she knew he wasn't messing around. She glanced at him. He was more terrifying then she'd ever seen him. A man possessed with a hatred running so deep, she was suddenly afraid.

  Jared stood slightly taller and had just as much bulk and strength as Ryker. The two would fight to
the death, but not for her. No, she would never allow that.

  Steadying her gaze on his flaming eyes, beautiful and deadly in their fury, she stuck out her chin. “I'm not going anywhere.”

  “Ryker, leave it.” Gabrielle grabbed his arm, but he shoved her off.

  “He's right, Madeleine,” Jared cut in. “This is between me and him.”

  “No!” she yelled.

  “Madeleine, after what he did? Get out of the way!” Ryker yelled, the two of them pushing against her palms and Gabrielle trying to hold Ryker back. It was a dangerous position to be in, but she wasn't about to see them shred each other.

  She looked at Jared. He was ready to fight. His eyes were pools of flames in his head. Fangs and claws making him look deadly.

  Turning back, she dropped her hands and went to Jared, keeping her eyes trained on Ryker, Madeleine curled her arms around Jared in a tight embrace. “I love him, Ryker,” she confessed. “And, if you can't forgive Jared, that's fine. But if you want me in your life, you'll have to accept that he is part of me.”

  Ryker roared and Jared pulled Madeleine behind him.

  Nevada came running out of her room, just as Fleet came sprinting down the corridor.

  “What's going on here? Madoc?” Fleet bellowed once he'd caught a glimpse of the situation.

  Madeleine felt a jolt of Fleet's power that had her almost bent over. While he aimed his full brain fry at Ryker, who, after trying to deflect the brain pain ended up caving and falling to a knee. Jared's fangs and claws retracted and he shook his head as though trying to avert Fleet's power.

  “Jared, you need to come with me,” Fleet said, letting his dominance ease off them a little. Madeleine straightened up, noticing Gabrielle's confused expression as Ryker slowly got to his feet.

  “Why?” Madeleine asked, her hand slipping into Jared's. She saw Fleet follow the movement and his eyes narrowed.

  His hands went to his hips as he blew out a curse. “By law, the Society must hold Jared accountable for the crime against a Society member and also the attack on yourself.”

  Madeleine blinked a few times, unsure if she'd heard her Alpha correctly. “What? There is no crime against me! What about Alex? What about all the crimes he's committed?” she yelled with a shakiness to her voice she couldn't quite mask.

  Fleet placed a hand on her shoulder and his eyes slid sideways toward the growl that escaped Jared. Madeleine squeezed his hand to reassure him it was alright.

  “The Overseer is on his way here now. Alex will be held until the trial. Madoc, you don't have a choice in this.”

  “If it's something to do with what he's supposedly done to me, I do. Besides, he isn't part of the Society.”

  “He's still a shifter, and he's committed crimes.”

  “No!” she cried. “NO!”

  Jared turned her around to face him. He brushed her hair back from off her face. His expression wasn't so full of rage now, but softer, vulnerable somehow. “It's okay, Madeleine,” he whispered, lowering his forehead to rest against her own. “It'll be fine.”

  Fleet took a hold of his arm, “Are we going to do this quietly?”

  Jared nodded before kissing Madeleine with tender affection.

  She felt the earth fall away from under her feet. “Jared!” she called out after him, but she couldn't move, her body frozen to the spot. “Jared! No!” She shook uncontrollably. The woman filled with a sudden loss, and her wolf howling with a strange kind of pain she'd never felt before. Stumbling backward, two strong arms came around her and lifted her into their warm embrace.

  “Jesus, Madeleine. I got you. You hear me… I got you.”

  She struck him. Over and over, her tiny fists flew into his chest. But he wouldn't let her go. When her breathing became ragged and her chest was heaving, she finally collapsed into arms that were and had always been a comforting balm. She drew strength from him, his familiarity. His scent, his kindness, his friendship. A safe harbor in a storm that had just hit her with all the force of a hurricane.

  “I'll never let you go again, Madeleine.”

  Gabrielle had never seen anything so touching. The way he said her name. The way he held her in those strong arms of his.

  He loved her.

  It was obvious. To all but him.

  Swallowing the lump in her throat, she followed him down the hall, watching as he punched a sequence into a biometric scanner. He kicked open the door and entered with Madeleine still in his embrace. Gabrielle hung back a little. When she could no longer see him, she walked into the kitchen and saw him in the other room, sitting on a sofa with her cradled in his arms.

  The knot in her throat resurfaced, making it hard for her to breathe. He was so caring and gentle with Madeleine. Brushing her hair from off of her face as she clung to him, her body shuddering with the tears she was crying.

  “Ssh, Madeleine. It'll be okay. I swear it,” he paused, kissing her brow with such tender affection, Gabrielle's heart kicked against her ribs.

  He loved Madeleine.

  Madeleine loved Jared.

  Where did that leave her?

  She backed out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her. With a shaky breath, she walked away.

  Twenty-Five

  Ryker sat with Madeleine in his arms for what felt like days, but it had only been an hour at the most. He'd done a lot of thinking in that time while listening to Madeleine cry. Rubbing her back was all he could do to offer her comfort.

  Did he want her to be crying over that son-of-a-bitch, Jared? Hell, no. He still wanted to rip his fucking head off. But while he'd been thinking, he realized, you couldn't help who you fell in love with.

  And while he loved her with all his heart, Ryker knew, deep down, it just wasn't that kind of love.

  “Thank you,” she whispered against his chest, his T-shirt wet from her tears.

  He smoothed her hair. “What for?”

  Tilting her head back she looked up at him with red, puffy eyes. “For being here for me. I know how hard it must be, accepting all this.”

  Ryker clenched his jaw but lowered his eyes to meet her gaze. “I can't say that I'll ever accept him, Madeleine. Just tell me one thing?”

  “Of course, anything,” she sniffled.

  “Do you… love him?”

  Her palm reached up and pressed against his cheek. “I do. It's like this pull in my chest, and it's almost painful the way I need him so much.”

  Nodding, he covered her hand with his own. “It's okay, I get it.” He had the same feeling for someone else, no matter how much he didn't want to admit it.

  “I love you too, Ryker. So much it hurts, just in a different way.” She paused, as though momentarily lost in her own thoughts. “I guess I thought we could've had something… once.”

  Her eyes were so soft and searching, a fist gripped his heart. Leaning forward he kissed her. A soft, tender kiss of affection.

  “We'll always be friends, right?” she asked when he pulled away.

  Rubbing her lips with the pad of his thumb, he nodded. “What we have will always be special. I'll always be here for you.”

  She threw her arms around him and squeezed him tight.

  Yeah. They were friends. Madeleine knew that now. He knew it too and so did his wolf. And because she was his friend, he couldn't see her hurting. Despite being unable to forgive the guy, Ryker knew he'd have to help convince the Society that Jared didn't deserve to die.

  Madeleine got up, a little unsteady on her feet, she took a moment to compose herself. “I'm going to shower and then I have to see Fleet.

  Ryker got to his feet, straightened up and pulled on his cap.

  “You,” she said giving him a pointed stare, “Need to go and see Gabrielle.”

  Shit! Gabrielle. Where the hell had she gone? He'd really fucked up his chances now.

  “You good?” he asked, smoothing his hand down her arm.

  “I will be. Now go on,” she said with a warm smile.

 
; Gabrielle threw the last of her stuff in the suitcase on the bed. She was done hanging around this small town waiting for some guy she hardly even knew to get all serious about her. Slamming the case shut, she did the same with her feelings. Locked them away, good and proper, never to escape again.

  The knock at the door had her head whipping up.

  You know deep down you wanted him to come.

  Gabrielle wasn't sure how she knew it would be him. But she had a strange flutter in her stomach that made her walk over to the door against her better judgment.

  He knocked again. “Gabrielle? Please, I know you're in there.”

  Placing her palm on the frame, she hesitated. If she saw his face and looked into those eyes of his, she would crumble.

  “Go away, soldier!” she barked and backed away a little.

  “I can't and I won't. I just want to explain, Gabrielle. Please.”

  There was a strange emotion in his voice. Pain? Sadness?

  “There's nothing you can say. No need to explain. We aren't a thing, you and I, so just go your way and I'll go mine.”

  He banged on the door making her jump. “Damn it, Gabrielle! Let me the hell in! I'm not moving, so you can't leave unless you can drop three floors to the pavement without breaking your neck.”

  She folded her arms over her chest at his pig-headedness. “Fine,” she huffed. She'd tell him to his face.

  Closing the gap she wrenched open the door. “I said...”

  His mouth was on hers before the words could leave her lips. The heat, the passion, his smell.

  Oh, God.

  It took everything she had to push him off her. She sucked in a ragged breath. “No!”

  “No?” he echoed, prowling toward her as she backed further away.

  She bit down on her lip watching the way his powerful body moved toward like a predator, and God, it turned her on. “Yeah… I mean, no. This...” she motioned with her hand between the two of them, clutching onto her senses by the thinnest of threads, “… is not going to happen.”