Rikki's Awakening Read online

“Yes!” she cried out, letting go of him to clutch at his shoulders. Moving in closer, she rubbed her aching clit against his thigh, knowing he would take that as the invitation it was.

  With a grunt, Gavin cupped her ass in both hands, lifting her up and turning so her back was against the wall. A feral grin crossed his lips as he found her wet entrance with the tip of his cock and pushed deep inside her. “I love fucking you,” he muttered, his hands tight on the curve of her ass as he began to pound into her.

  “Me, too!” she gasped, throwing her head back as she let a few of the small moans slip free that she knew he liked to hear. Her fingernails dug deep into his shoulders, leaving marks she knew he would look at in satisfaction later. Everything she did was to heighten his desire, get him lost more and more in her, blocking out everything else. She knew what he liked, and she exploited it for all it was worth.

  Ebony waited until she was sure he was so lost in pleasure that he wouldn’t notice, and then she tentatively reached out psychically, slowly slipping past the protection barriers he had in place, and lightly touched his mind. She had to be very careful, because she had learned quickly that Gavin possessed some strong psychic gifts of his own. She didn’t know everything the man was capable of, but she knew enough that she had to have a very light touch because he was powerful. But then, so was she.

  Normally, Ebony preferred not to go searching too deeply in someone’s mind. Some of them had some really fucked up shit going on. She may be a bitch working her way up the chain of command using almost any means necessary, but even she had her limits. She wanted nothing to do with some of the vile, sick thoughts and feelings some of them had. Unfortunately, it was the only way to get the information she wanted this time. Gavin refused to talk business with her, keeping everything that went on between him and his three business partners confidential, or so he thought. He had no idea she slipped inside his head, taking bits and pieces of his thoughts and memories with her when she left.

  Ebony had to push past his sick fantasies, ones that included a couple of women she didn’t know chained to a wall, blood dripping down their backs from the slashes of a whip. Another of a woman lying on a bed, tied to the posts, her hungry eyes watching as he slapped a belt into the palm of his hand. She knew he was part of an underground club that liked things even rougher than she did. She refused to play those games with him. She would never allow anyone to bind her in anyway. It would give them too much power. Now, if he wanted her to tie him up, she was all for that.

  “Fuck,” Gavin snarled, burying his face in her neck. She felt his teeth latch on to her skin, but didn’t try to stop him. Gavin was human, but for some reason, he had a fetish for biting during sex. She didn’t care. Whatever kept him distracted while she delved inside his brain.

  Letting her breathing become more labored, her chest heaving, she raked her hands down his back, her nails digging deep the way he liked it. It drove him wild, and his hips began to piston even faster. When she was positive he was too distracted with what was going on with his lower head to worry about the upper one, she dug deep, extracting whatever information she could. What she found had her smiling, and she decided to give him something extra for the information he had no idea he shared with her. Leaning down, she bit deep into the skin on his shoulder, smiling in satisfaction when he roared her name before coming deep inside of her. Soon, she was following him over the edge.

  Moments later, Ebony let her legs fall from his hips, and Gavin lowered her to the floor. When he raised his head to look at her, a thin layer of sweat covering his brow, she grinned. “How about a quick shower before I go?’

  “Where are you going?” he demanded, frowning slightly. “You said you had a couple of days this time.”

  “I do,” she agreed. Sauntering toward the kitchen, she turned back with a sultry smile. “I have a bit of work I need to do tonight. Then, I’ll be back. But first, I need a drink and another quick fuck in the shower.” She had a ferocious sexual appetite, and it would take more than what they had just shared to sate her. Luckily, he was the same, and her words had his dick plumping again.

  “I’ll get the water started.”

  “I’ll bring the wine,” she purred.

  Jinx waited impatiently for Ebony to arrive, the thought of answering to her now instead of the General leaving him in a constant state of pissed the fuck off. He was angry with himself for underestimating the conniving bitch, mad as hell that he hadn’t moved fast enough to protect the General, even if he had hated the bastard, and wondering if he should just walk away from it all. The problem was, he couldn’t for several reasons. The main one being he had no idea where Ebony stashed Amber, and he needed that information before he did anything else. Amber was innocent in everything that was going on. Her biggest sin was helping the shifters who were being held and tortured by her father. Because of that, because she actually gave a damn about others, her sister sentenced her to living the life the prisoners they held were forced to live. He had managed to get that much out of Ebony. She’d bragged about it, letting him know he would have to find a piece of ass somewhere else now if he had been interested in her sister. He wouldn’t want her when they were done with her. Jinx wasn’t interested in Amber, not for himself. She belonged to his uncle. She was mate to his dad’s brother, Bane, and shit was going to hit the fan really quick if he couldn’t find her. Not only that, but she was kind, caring, sweet. She didn’t deserve what she was being put through.

  Jinx knew Ebony was there before he saw her. He felt her presence; evil to the core. He glared at her as she walked toward him, knowing his eyes were glowing that odd green they did when he was angry. He didn’t care. Let her see he was pissed. She’d kept him waiting for over two hours, while it looked, and smelled, as if she was out getting laid.

  “Jinx,” she said, a slow smile crossing her lips as she let her gaze wander over him. “Been here long?”

  “Why did you call me, Ebony?” he asked in a bored tone, refusing to let her goad him into a response he knew he would regret. She was, after all, his boss now.

  “I thought you might be interested in getting to know me a little better,” she murmured, stepping in close to him and resting a hand lightly on his chest.

  Jinx inhaled deeply, cocking an eyebrow. “I think you’ve already had enough of that tonight.”

  Ebony’s lips turned up in a pout and she shrugged. “Maybe, but he wasn’t you.”

  No, he wasn’t, thank fuck. Jinx had no desire to have his dick anywhere near the piranha. “What do you want, Ebony?”

  Her dark eyes narrowed, and she glared at him as she fisted his shirt. “Don’t forget who you answer to now, dog.”

  “Dog?” he laughed, barely resisting the urge to shove her from him. “Is that the best you got?”

  Ebony’s facial expression turned hard, a muscle ticking in her jaw, her lips firming. Her hand tightened on his shirt, pulling him closer. “I’m going to let this go for now, Jinx, but trust me, you do not want to push me.”

  “Or else what?” he drawled, stiffening when she moved until their bodies were touching.

  “Or else, I will kill everyone you love,” she vowed, her eyes glittering with malice.

  “I’m a coldhearted assassin, remember? I don’t feel love.”

  “So, it wouldn’t bother you at all if I went after your sister, then?”

  “I don’t know,” he muttered, baring his teeth at her. “Why don’t you try it and see?” He would tear her heart out if she came near any of his sisters: Jade, Faith, or Hope. Right at that moment, he was hoping she would make the mistake of trying.

  Ebony stared at him in silence for a full minute before throwing her head back and laughing. Smoothing her hand down his chest, she shrugged and took a step back. “I don’t care about your sister at this time, or anyone else. What I do care about, is power.”

  No shit. “Go on.”

  “I’ve been spending my time with someone special lately, Jinx. Someone you woul
d be very interested in.”

  “I doubt it.”

  Arching an eyebrow, she asked, “What would you say if I told you I’ve got an in with the people the General answered to?” When he didn’t respond, she went on, “Not just the ones right above him in the food chain, but the ones at the very top.”

  Jinx froze, his eyes narrowing as he watched Ebony closely. Was she lying? If she was, she was very good, because he couldn’t scent it. “I’m listening.”

  Crossing her arms over her chest, Ebony said, “There are four of them on the board. That’s what they call it. They are in charge of all decision making in the organization. You don’t take a piss without them knowing.”

  Jinx called bullshit on that one. He did a lot of things no one else knew about. “Go on.”

  “There are three men, and one woman. Gavin Denowsky, Hamilton Reed, Dayton Burns, and Victoria Smelt. They have equal say in all matters, but there is a power struggle going on.”

  “Which one are you sleeping with?” It was a guess, but he knew it was accurate. She’d somehow crawled her way into the circle of four, and was now monitoring them even though they had no clue. It was one of her specialties, getting inside someone’s head and finding out all of their secrets. She told him once that she hated it, and he’d been surprised to find she was telling the truth, but it never stopped her from using the skill.

  “Gavin,” she replied with a shrug. “He’s the youngest.”

  “And single,” he guessed.

  “Exactly.” Jinx watched her gaze skate around the area before she went on, “He was also the easiest to get to. I had nothing at all in common with the others. Gavin and I have one thing in common.”

  “Sex.”

  “Correct.”

  “How did you figure out who he and the others were?” Hell, he’d been trying for months to find out who the head of the organization was without any leads. She was already in bed with one of them.

  “I followed the General to a meeting he had with one of his superiors once,” she explained. “Then, I followed them and so on until I eventually got to where I needed to be.”

  “What’s your end game?”

  “What is it always, Jinx?” she asked, resting her hands lightly on her hips. “Power. I want more of it.”

  He paused, watching her closely, then guessed, “You want a place on the board.”

  “Yes.”

  “Why are you telling me all of this?”

  “Because, you are going to help me make that happen,” Ebony said, “and in return, you will be rewarded.”

  “How?” What could she possibly have that he wanted?

  “You leave that to me. Just know, it will definitely be worth it.”

  5

  Rikki wiped the sweat from her brow before grasping the walker tightly and taking another step. After her long ass nap — around five months from what she’d been told — she was having an issue getting her body to work the way it was supposed to. Doc Josie tried numerous times to get her to shift, telling her it would go a long way in helping her recover, but she was terrified to let this new side of her out. She could feel the power of her wolf. It was like nothing Rikki had ever felt before, and she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to control her once she was free. She didn’t want anyone to get hurt, and with all of the turbulent emotions pouring through her right now, it was a very real possibility that someone could.

  It had been two days since she heard Phoenix talking about Jeremiah, but no one would tell her anything. They refused, saying it would be best if she waited for Angel. Even Chase kept quiet. For some reason, her wolf was having difficulties accepting him as her alpha. And, if she were honest, she was, too. The only alpha she wanted was Angel.

  Rikki grew up in various foster homes until she ran away at the age of fifteen and began living on the streets. It was a tough life, but with her special ability of being able to touch an object and see the past, present, and sometimes the future, living around people was hard. She’d learned to adapt, and it was easier on the streets, following her own rules and staying away from others. At the age of eighteen, she decided she was strong enough, disciplined enough, to leave the streets and venture out into the world. She decided to enlist in the army, and ended up serving two terms, becoming one of the best snipers they’d ever had. Once she left the military, she’d been lost for a few months. Then, she met Angel. The woman offered her a chance to save lives using the skills she’d been trained for in the army, but never thought she would put them into play again. She found a family the day she accepted Angel’s offer — the first family she ever had — and she would do anything for them.

  Grunting in frustration, Rikki moved the walker faster down the hall. She felt the need to fight, to push harder and harder, until she was the person she used to be before one of the General’s men put a bullet in her. Something bad was about to happen, she could feel it. Her mate needed her. As that thought slipped into Rikki’s head, she felt the brush of fur against her mind. Claws sprang from her fingertips and fangs punched through her gums. She was getting used to it. It seemed to happen anytime she was upset or angry, or just plain over emotional, and her wolf sensed she needed her. Which was a lot. This time was different, though. She tried to shove the bitch back down. Struggled to make her claws recede. It wasn’t happening. It was as if she had no control over her own body.

  “Rikki?” The voice was soft, hesitant. Jade.

  Rikki swung around, baring her teeth at the young woman. “Get back,” she growled, afraid she wasn’t going to be able to get control back from her wolf. Jade was her friend, and she didn’t want to hurt her.

  “Rikki, it’s going to be okay,” Jade rushed to reassure her. “Your wolf won’t harm you. She only wants to help.”

  “It’s not me I’m worried about,” Rikki admitted through clenched teeth. Her fangs bit into her lips and she snarled, her eyes pleading with her friend. “Please, Jade, back away. I can’t stop her this time.”

  “You don’t need to,” a warm voice full of understanding said, and Rikki’s gaze swung around to see Angel striding down the long hall toward her. “It’s okay, Rikki. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here when you woke up, but I’m here now.”

  “I can’t stop it, Angel,” Rikki rasped, letting go of the walker and dropping to her knees. Pain slammed up her spine, and Rikki arched her back, a scream tearing from her throat. “Angel!”

  She felt a hand on her shoulder and flinched away in pain and confusion.

  “Rikki, trust me. It’s going to be all right. Feel your wolf. Let her presence flow through you,” Angel murmured, stroking a long strand of dark hair away from her face.

  “She’s so strong,” Rikki gasped, a hard shudder racking her body. “What if she hurts somebody?”

  “She won’t,” Angel promised, gently running a hand down her back. “All she wants to do is help you, Rikki. Shifting will make you stronger. You will be good as new after a couple of times.”

  “She wants Jeremiah,” Rikki corrected, throwing her head back and baring her teeth when another sharp slice of agony raced up her spine. It felt as if her body was contorting in on itself. Bones were popping, muscles contracting. “She senses he’s in danger. Wants to get to him.”

  “Jeremiah is fine,” Angel promised. “I just saw him a few weeks ago. He looks good, and is stubborn as hell, just like always.”

  Rikki’s mouth twisted in agony as she spat, “Not true! He’s not fine! He’s with the General.”

  “The General is dead.”

  Rikki glared at Angel, snarling, “With his fucking daughter, then. I’m going to find her, Angel. I’m going to fucking kill her.”

  Angel’s light blue gaze darkened, and she leaned in to rub her cheek against Rikki’s. Rikki sighed at the contact, and at the subtle feel of power radiating from her alpha. Her true alpha. “Well, you can’t do that in the shape you are in right now. So, why don’t you shift? Then we can start training in a couple of days and go
hunting for your mate once you are back up to speed.”

  A deep growl rumbled through her, and suddenly her vision changed, seeming to blur at first, and then sharpen. Rikki sucked in a breath when she realized she was seeing through the eyes of her wolf.

  “That’s it,” Angel crooned, pushing some more alpha power toward Rikki. “Let your wolf come out.”

  “Get everyone back,” Rikki snarled around her fangs, shaking in fear and pain. She was drawing a crowd, and she could feel her wolf getting nervous. “I can’t let her hurt anyone.”

  “You need to stop thinking of your wolf as a separate being from you,” Chase said, approaching them cautiously. “She’s a part of you, Rikki. One and the same. You would never hurt anyone in this hospital, which means neither would she.”

  “I would if they were a threat to my mate.”

  “That’s no different than anyone else here.” Doc Josie’s voice was calm, but the woman stayed back, motioning for others to do the same. “I would protect my mate at all cost.”

  “Me, too,” Chase agreed, kneeling down next to them. “I would gut anyone who threatened Angel in my presence. It’s in our genetics to protect those we love, especially our mates. They hold the other half of our soul. Without them, we are nothing.”

  Breathing heavily, panting through the pain, Rikki thought about what they said. She heard the truth in their voices. Didn’t smell the acrid scent she had come to associate with a lie over the past couple of days. One of the nurses insisted on telling her she wasn’t afraid of her, but Rikki smelled the stench of her lie every single time. The woman did her job, never once giving in to that fear, but it was there.

  “It’s the truth. I hate fighting, but if anyone threatened my mate, my dragon would roast them all.”

  Rikki swallowed hard, her gaze rising to meet Raven’s. The dragoness had become a close friend after sharing so much of her life with her, both when Rikki was in her sleeping state, and the past two days when she was wide awake. One she trusted, and she didn’t trust easily. Tears filling her eyes, Rikki reached for Raven, needed the reassurance the other woman gave her.