Starr, Ellen - Wolf's Passion [The Joined] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) (21 page)

Wolf shook his head. “No. What the hell is it?”

“Good. Do not let them bite you no matter what,
cher
. It is a Zombie. It appears your Dolores has found someone to rouse the dead for her.” Jean-Paul pulled him toward the entrance to the bar.

“Gods. How do I kill it?”

Jean-Paul paused long enough to draw a finger across his throat in a slashing motion. “The head,
cher
, or fire.”

“Fuck.” Another of the things headed their way. Wolf looked around for a weapon.

Doc silently appeared beside Wolf. “This is a peach of a party you invited us to, Jean-Paul.” He sounded like he was enjoying himself.

Jean-Paul laughed. “Thank our cousins.” He motioned toward Wolf and melted into the mayhem surrounding them.

Doc nodded at Wolf. “Obliged, I’m sure. Come see me if we survive this. We’ll have a chat. Now if you’ll excuse me, I see some heads that need removing.”

Wolf was left speechless. Movement caught his eye. Dolores slipped through the front door. She was covered in blood. “Shit.” He began making his way toward Cora and Rafe. They needed to get her out of there.

From the corner of his eye Wolf watched the man Jean-Paul called Doc. With the finesse of an old West gunslinger, he moved like a hurricane, cutting a swath through the undead with elegant precision. Wolf suddenly realized he was watching a legend. Could the night get any weirder?

Jean-Paul kept up with Doc, obviously two old friends who could read each other’s mind. They didn’t need a battle strategy. They were unbeatable, even when outnumbered. Wolf followed in their wake, killing as many undead as he could reach.

He found Dale a few feet away and joined him, pulling him behind the thick oak bar. They found Rafe and Micah behind the bar, guarding Cora. Wolf reached for Cora. “You can have a reunion later. The door to the alley is over there.” Micah pointed to a metal door with an exit sign above it. “Get the hell out of here now. My people will be here any minute.”

“Your people?” Wolf caught Micah’s arm.

“Yeah, get everyone out. I’ll explain later.” Micah shook him off. Wolf watched the man snatch the baseball bat from under the bar and wade into the fight again.

Without looking back, they surrounded Cora, making their way to the exit. Jean-Paul joined them halfway to the door.

“You’re late, Vampire. We almost left your ass here.” Wolf shot Jean-Paul a glare.

Jean-Paul laughed. “Not on your best day, puppy.”

Outside in the alley, Jean-Paul stepped in front of Cora, gun drawn, as Bill stepped out from behind a pile of boxes and trash, walking toward them, holding a gun on them.

“You ruined everything. We would have been rich.” Bill fired and Jean-Paul’s whole body jerked with the impact of the bullet to the chest.

Cora screamed. Jean-Paul steadied himself, aimed, and squeezed the trigger. Bill’s chest exploded. Jean-Paul sank to his knees then toppled to lie on the filthy pavement.

Cora jerked loose from the grip Wolf had on her arm. She dropped to her knees beside Jean-Paul. With a sob, she gathered him into her arms and started pulling off the coat he was wearing. He might be a Vampire with all the strength and resilience that came with it, but he was not made of steel. A bullet to the chest would do serious damage. If it hit his heart, he would die.

“No, please don’t die. Please—” she begged, even though she knew he hated begging. She’d gladly take any punishment he chose, just so he lived.

Dale knelt with Cora. Her hands shook too much to unbutton the shirt. Dale gently pushed them aside then ripped the shirt open. The dent in the vest was deep, but it hadn’t let the bullet penetrate to the fragile flesh and blood beneath it.

Jean-Paul coughed. “You are begging.” He wrapped one arm around Cora’s waist, reaching the other out toward Dale, who caught his hand and helped him climb to his feet. “But I will let it pass. Just this once,
mon amour
.” He closed his eyes, holding her for a long moment. He opened his eyes at last and looked down at her. “Shall we go home now,
mon amour
? I would like to get out of this vest. It chafes.”

Cora gave a breathless laugh, wiping her tears away. Jean-Paul kissed her forehead. He nodded at Wolf.

Wolf’s throat constricted as he watched his
chienne
with the Vampire. He had to think of a way to save the situation. They needed Cora, and she needed them, but he doubted she would give up her Vampire. Logically, then, as Alpha of his small Pack, he had to find a way to make this work. Jean-Paul had been a pleasant surprise. He’d enjoyed fucking the French Vampire, even if he did have some crazy ideas. Wolf didn’t think it would be difficult to adopt the Vampire into the family. If the Vampire was willing. Wolf smiled. The elders in the council would shit bricks. As far as he knew, no Werewolf Pack had ever adopted a Vampire.

Chapter Thirty-Two:

Aftermath

Cora let her Pack take her into the house. They fussed over her, Wolf making her sit in the best chair in the living room while Rafe went to get her something cool to drink and Dale knelt to take her shoes off. He took a moment to massage her feet, rubbing her toes between his fingers and thumb until she sighed in pleasure. Jean-Paul stood beside the door, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He looked faintly amused, and she wondered what he must be thinking. She smiled at him, and he looked away, bowing his head with a soft laugh.

He met her eyes once more. “I will bring your things in,
petite amie
.” Jean-Paul pushed off from the wall and went out into the darkness. She watched him go, her heart sinking. She knew her mating with Wolf, Rafe, and Dale would upset Jean-Paul, but she had expected a tirade, even tears and yelling, not this wry acceptance. Jean-Paul’s lack of anger was more frightening than anything Cora could imagine. It seemed as if he’d already distanced himself from her. A spasm of fear shook her. They had been together so long. What would happen to her without Jean-Paul? She didn’t want to grow old without him.

“What’s wrong?” Wolf asked, caressing her cheek. She leaned into his touch.

Cora sighed. “I don’t understand Jean-Paul. Something is different. I’m afraid I’ve driven him away.”

“I don’t think you’ve lost him.” Wolf blushed.

“He’s not going anywhere. He loves you.” Dale’s simple statement startled them all.

They all turned to watch Jean-Paul come back inside with two overstuffed duffle bags. He put them down next to the stairs. “Jean-Paul, what happened while I was, um, wasn’t here?” She didn’t want to think about her kidnapping just then. For the moment, she wanted to understand what was going through Jean-Paul’s mind, what he wanted of her, needed of her. And what would make him stay. What had changed him from the man who could barely let her out of his sight when she’d left Louisiana.

“This is all I managed to save for you,
mon amour
.” He ignored her question and gave one of his elegant shrugs. “I made us disappear. Just in time to offer my meager services in your rescue. Why?”

Cora narrowed her eyes. “Jean-Paul, you are avoiding my question.” Suddenly tears filled her eyes. “Are you tired of me?”

“I will never grow tired of you,
mon amour
. You know that.”

“Then why won't you tell me what else happened?” She sighed. She would make him tell her everything later when she had a chance to get him alone. Right now she wanted the basic facts.

“What makes you think something else happened?” He gave her one of his innocent shark smiles.

She stared at him for several seconds. “I know you.” Then turned her glare on Wolf. “What happened?”

“Ah.” Wolf looked at Jean-Paul for help. None came. Keeping his head down, he shuffled from foot to foot like a small boy caught raiding the fridge just before dinner, but he remained silent despite his discomfort.

Dale leaned against Cora’s legs. He rested his chin on her knees. “They fucked. And argued about you. We fucked, too.” He sighed. “It was good.”

Cora raised her eyebrows. She smoothed Dale’s silky hair. “Thank you.” His directness was refreshing. “Wolf?”

He finally met her stare. “Yeah, we did. Both.”

Cora looked at Jean-Paul. He nodded. “That is not quite how I would have told you, but, yes, I have fucked them both. I have not, however, fucked Rafe.” His tone gave the impression he would like to. Rafe blinked at Jean-Paul.

She felt a twang of lust deep inside. “Did you—”

“Bite them? No, I did not. This time I was the bitten one. I quite enjoyed it. And to answer the question you did not ask, they do know my nature.”

Cora looked at her Pack. “Does it bother you?”

“At first it freaked me out. He says he’s not dead. I don’t know. Vampires aren’t something I have much experience with. He says we’re related. Don’t know about that either. But I guess I’ll learn. I’m willing to give this a try. If that’s what you want.” Wolf took her hand and squeezed it.

“I also shall do my best,
mon amour
.” Jean-Paul held his hand out to the three Werewolves. “Now, may we go upstairs to bed? I find a close brush with death incredibly arousing.”

Cora laughed. “You find everything incredibly arousing.”

Unrepentant, Jean-Paul started up the stairs. “This is true.”

She followed her Vampire up the stairs with her Werewolf Pack close behind her.

* * * *

In the bedroom, Cora held out her hand to Dale. She pulled him into her arms and kissed him. A soft gasp behind her told her Jean-Paul was enjoying the show. Dale’s fingers clenched in the fabric of her shirt. Other hands moved over them, undressing them. She recognized Jean-Paul’s gentle touch and Rafe’s worker’s hands along with Wolf’s trembling heat.

Cora continued making love to Dale’s mouth, teasing and exploring his lips. She plunged her tongue inside, twining and drawing his tongue into her mouth. He moaned. Someone started them toward the bed. When she lay back, Rafe held her. A mouth covered her nipple. She opened her eyes long enough to recognize Wolf.

Dale pulled away, and Jean-Paul claimed his mouth. Cora watched, breathless, as Jean-Paul rolled a condom onto Dale’s cock and guided Dale into her pussy. He moved behind Dale. She knew the moment he entered Dale. Dale’s head fell back, his mouth open in a silent cry. She arched her hips, and he moaned.

Wolf knelt beside her, kissing Rafe. She slipped her hand between his legs. Dale cried out, and she saw Jean-Paul easing him into Rafe’s arms. Wolf replaced his Pack mate, loving her with slow, deep strokes. She moaned and closed her eyes. Jean-Paul slipped behind her, to hold her while Wolf fucked her.

When she opened them again, Rafe had Dale bent over beside her. She caught Dale’s hand. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. Cora gasped and cried out at a sharp prickle down her side. Jean-Paul chuckled softly. Wolf gave a low growl and turned her to face her Vampire, entering her again from behind.

Jean-Paul used the shiny new spur on her, rolling it over her body until she had to clench her teeth to keep from screaming. He kissed her shoulder and lowered her to the damp sheets. She reached out for him. Jean-Paul caught her hand and placed it on Wolf’s thigh. Then he got behind Wolf.

“Ah, gods,” Wolf cried out, throwing his head back. Jean-Paul ran the spur across his chest. Cora bit her lip. Wolf arched back and Jean-Paul rolled the spikey wheel across Wolf’s belly, leaving tiny red marks and drawing a deep groan from him.

“Pull her up into your arms,
cher
. I want to join you inside her.”

“Fuck.” Wolf groaned again.

Cora gasped and draped herself against Wolf. Jean-Paul kissed them both and got behind her. Rafe braced Wolf. She tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled him into a kiss as he nudged his cock into Wolf. Dale’s quiet murmur came from somewhere behind Jean-Paul. She heard Jean-Paul give a breathlessly wicked laugh, and then his cock pushed into her pussy, joining Wolf inside her. She tensed.