Finding Chrissten

Chapter Twelve

“What the hell was that?”

Chrissten watched Hank leave, missing his calm and steadying presence already. “Don’t start with me, Quinn.” She turned her back on him and went to the chair where she’d stacked her clothing. She needed to get dressed and go downstairs and deal with her father. Just saying the word felt wrong. Father. He’d never been that to either of them. But that’s exactly who he was.

“Don’t walk away from me when I’m talking to you.” Her brother grabbed her arm and she whirled around, her teeth bared. A low growl came from deep within her and Quinn took a step back, his eyes showing a world of hurt.

Chrissten sighed and rubbed her face. “I’m sorry. But you have no idea what I’ve been though.”

“No, I don’t,” he replied softly. “Because you won’t tell me.”

Guilt threatened to crush her. She didn’t want to hurt her brother, but there were some things she simply couldn’t talk about. She opened her mouth to speak, but her throat closed over. She shook her head instead.

He touched her face. “I know it’s hard.”

She nodded. “It is.” She cleared her throat and tried again. “Be happy for me. I thought my wolf might be lost from me forever.”

“I’m sorry for that.”

“Me too. But it wasn’t your fault.” She willed him to understand. “I had to see if I could reach her. And after that, I needed to see if I could truly accept others of my kind. So when Hank offered to show me his wolf I couldn’t resist.” There was so much more to it than that, but nothing her brother needed to know. What had happened between her and Hank was special and very personal.

“Chrissten.” The pity-laced compassion in his voice threatened to drive her to tears.

“No.” She waved off whatever it was he wanted to say. “I can’t talk about this right now. Not if I have to deal with Donovan Brody.”

“You don’t have to see him if you don’t want to.”

She recognized the signs and knew Quinn was digging his heels in. He could be very stubborn at times. “Yes, I do. I’m not stupid, Quinn. He’s a pureblooded werewolf, plus he’s a friend of Isaiah’s. We can’t insult him, and we may need him if it comes down to a fight.”

“I know.” She could tell he didn’t like that fact any more than she did. The Lawton clan was used to taking care of themselves. It wasn’t easy for any of them to depend on others, to trust them to be there when they were needed.

“I’ll get dressed and then we can go downstairs and meet with Donovan.”

“I’ll wait.” Quinn walked to the window and gazed out over the city.

Chrissten wanted to go to him and reassure him everything was going to be all right. But she couldn’t. She wasn’t sure she believed it herself. What she did know is that she’d protect both her brothers no matter what happened. No one was as important to her as her family.

Hank popped into her head and she hurried into the bathroom and closed the door. She set her bundle of clothing onto the vanity and stared at her reflection. She looked pale but determined. She peered deeply into her eyes and saw her wolf staring back at her.

“I can do this,” she whispered to her other half. “We can do this.” Because when it came down to it, she was both wolf and woman. Complete as one.

It didn’t take her long to dress in a pair of comfortable jeans and a sweater, and in less than ten minutes she and Quinn entered the bar below. There was a good crowd even though it was dinnertime. Her stomach growled at the reminder.

“You can get something from the kitchen as soon as we talk to Donovan.” She should have known Quinn would hear her stomach. She nodded as she studied the room. Hank was in his usual position at the door, the first line of defense, protecting all of them. Because he was more than a bouncer for the club, he was the guard at the gate, the sentinel, the warrior.

His gaze swiveled around to meet hers and Hank’s eyes warmed as they ran over her body. Her skin heated and the hunger in her belly began to turn to another kind. She pulled herself away from his magnetic stare and concentrated on the task ahead.

Donovan Body was seated at a table near the back just beyond the small stage. The tables around him were empty for now, but wouldn’t stay that way for long. Chrissten had quickly realized that Haven was a very popular club in the area and would fill up before the evening was very old.

As it was, the bar was lined with people and more than half the tables were full. The waitresses were winding around the room taking orders and delivering drinks. Behind the bar, both Michael and Benjamin poured and mixed drinks for the clientele. She knew Teague would be in the kitchen and Kevin would help him as needed. Isaiah and Meredith weren’t around, but she knew they wouldn’t be far away. They were probably in the office or possibly off somewhere with Joshua and his mate. After all, they were family and hadn’t seen one another in a while.

Donovan stood as they approached and, once again, she was struck by how alike he and her twin looked. The same build, the same tilt of their head when they were thinking hard about something, the same stubborn jaw and the same blue eyes. Their hair color was different and Donovan was a bit taller than Quinn, but the similarities were uncanny. There was no disguising the fact they were related. Although, thanks to his werewolf genetics, Donovan looked young enough to be Quinn’s brother instead of his father.

“How are you?” Chrissten could hear the genuine concern in Donovan’s voice and it loosened the tightening in her belly.

“Good. Better.” She slipped into the chair Quinn held for her. Her twin waited until Donovan had retaken his seat before finding his own.

Donovan nodded. He hadn’t taken his eyes off her since he’d first seen her walking across the room. It was starting to unnerve her.

He sensed her discomfort and apologized. “I’m sorry. It’s just so amazing to see both of you sitting here.”

She couldn’t begin to imagine what this felt like for him. It was bizarre for her to be at the same table as her father. She glanced at Quinn. He was staring at the man. Brooding.

Bethany was working the floor as a waitress and swung by and put three drinks on the table, beer for both men and a juice for her. The other woman smiled. “Hank thought you might like something.”

Her eyes were once again drawn to the door where Hank stood. He was leaning back against the wall, arms crossed over his wide chest. He looked strong and powerful and determined. He was also watching her.

She picked up her glass and raised it too him. He inclined his head in acknowledgment.

“What’s going on between you and Hank?” Her father’s question was sharp and direct.

Chrissten took a sip of her drink before placing the glass back on the table. Beside her, Quinn stiffened. Bethany gave Quinn’s shoulder a squeeze and then wisely left them alone, working her way back into the crowd.

“That’s not any of your business.”

“It is if he’s sniffing around you. You’re mated to another. I can scent him on you.”

Chrissten laughed, the sound bitter even to her ears. “You don’t get a say in who sniffs around me and who doesn’t. I’m not your responsibility.”

Frustration rolled off Donovan in waves, battering her already frayed nerves. Why was everything a battle with the men in her life? All of them wanted to control her, with maybe the exception of Craig and Hank, although even Hank wanted his own way. She knew he didn’t want her anywhere near Brian. His protective nature wouldn’t condone such a thing.

“I’m your father,” Donovan insisted. He sat forward, his large body radiating power. She jerked back in her seat, wanting to put as much distance between them as possible. Angry as he was, he reminded her way too much of Brian.

Her fear made her stomach churn. Sweat broke out on her brow, followed quickly by anger. Who the hell was he to walk into her life and dictate to her? She placed both her palms on the table. “You’re a sperm donor. And that’s all you’ll ever be if you don’t back the hell off. I’ve had enough domineering males in my life. I have a mate to kill and a life to get back. Until that’s done you’ll have to simply wait your turn.”

She almost laughed at the incredulous look in his eyes. Obviously Donovan wasn’t used to anyone telling him what to do.

He dragged his hands over his face. “I’m sorry. I promised myself I wouldn’t do this.”

Chrissten was slightly shocked by the apology. She didn’t think it was something he did on a regular basis. She inclined her head, silently accepting it.

Donovan shook his head. “You’re too much like me.” He glanced at Quinn and then back at her. “You both are. I wish to hell I’d known about you years ago.”

“It’s no one’s fault. Not really.” And it wasn’t. He’d walked away from her mother not knowing she was pregnant. Her mother hadn’t known how to find him, had been afraid to approach the few other werewolves she recognized for fear of how they’d react to her children. The result was they’d grown up without a father. It happened to children all over the world. It wasn’t a complete tragedy. They’d had a loving mother and they’d had one another and Craig.

“Still. If I’d known about you, your kidnapping would never have happened.”

“You don’t know that,” she pointed out. “From what I’ve learned your pack has had problems too. It seems that nowhere is safe.”

Quinn was quiet beside her, taking in the conversation but saying nothing. She wondered how he felt about having to deal with their father.

Donovan looked chagrined as he picked up his beer and took a long pull. The bottle came back down onto the table with a hard crack. “You’re right about that. I may not be able to control the rest of the world, but I can help with this.”

Quinn finally stirred. “Are you saying you’ll help?”

Donovan closed his eyes briefly, but not before Chrissten caught the flash of pain in them. “Of course I will,” he said. “You shouldn’t even have to ask.”

A blast of relief went through her. With Donovan helping to protect her family they would be much safer, and speaking of family. “Where’s Craig?”

Her twin gave her a brief smile. “Where do you think?”

“On the computer.” She should have known. Craig would barely take the time to sleep and eat. He was going to get ill if he kept it up.

“He’s determined to find the rogues so we can stop them.”

Chrissten knew if anyone could do it, Craig could. She turned to her father. “Is Craig included in your protection?” She knew werewolves were suspicious of humans. They might have a right to be but Craig was her brother.

Donovan gave a sharp nod. “Yes, although he probably doesn’t need it. That damn vampire has made it more than clear that he considers Craig to be under his protection.”

Chrissten didn’t know whether she should be thrilled or scared to death by that pronouncement.

She automatically sought out Hank, needing his presence to ground her.

Hank wanted to leave his post at the door and go to Chrissten. He hated the fact she had to deal with her father and brother by herself. He should be by her side. Damn Brian. Damn them all. Frustration ate him while outwardly he showed nothing to the world.

He could tell Chrissten was hungry. Probably tired again too. It had taken an enormous amount of energy for her to make the transition to her wolf and back again. Just thinking about it made Hank hot. She was one sexy she-wolf. But he’d known she would be.

It also made him want to take care of her, which was why he’d sent over the juice. She needed the vitamins and sugar boost. He would have ignored the men totally but that would have only raised more suspicions about them. Not that Quinn would have much doubt by this time. The guy wasn’t stupid. He had to know Hank wanted his sister.

And why wasn’t he feeding her? Chrissten needed food. Hank managed to catch Neema’s attention as she dropped off two orders of fish and chips at one table and a hamburger platter to another. She automatically made her way over to him.

He smiled at her. She was the sister he’d never had and he knew he could count on her. “What’s up?” she asked.

“Chrissten’s got to be hungry. She needs something to eat.”

Neema’s eyes widened and filled with speculation, but all she did was smile. “Does she need anything in particular?”

Hank nodded. “Lean turkey sandwich on whole wheat with lettuce and tomato.” The protein would be good for her. She needed healthy food, not deep-fried. “Maybe a salad too.” He knew she liked garden salad. “With French dressing.”

Neema patted his arm. “You got it.”

“Thanks, honey.”

“No problem. Just be careful, okay.”

“I will.” He’d be careful, but he wouldn’t back away. It was already way too late for that. He knew Chrissten was meant to be his mate even if she didn’t. First he had to get rid of the threat of Brian. Then he had to give her time to accept him and pray that she did. If she decided to walk away from him when this was over he didn’t know if he’d ever recover.

Even from here, he could sense her tension. He wanted to go over to the table and drag her away from the men. Like that would go over well. Donovan and Quinn would both protest, not to mention Chrissten.

The last thought made him grin. Chrissten was an independent, strong woman. But that was okay by him. He’d been watching Meredith run their pack for years. Strong women didn’t intimidate him at all. In fact, unlike most pureblooded werewolves, he found the trait incredibly sexy. Was there anything like the moment when a fiercely independent woman let down her guard, made herself vulnerable and allowed a male in her bed?

His dick jerked in agreement. Hank shifted his stance, hoping to alleviate some of the pressure on his hard-on. Didn’t work. Thankfully, he’d left his shirt untucked and the tails covered the bulge in the front of his jeans.

His head jerked up and he forgot all about his arousal as a blast of power hit him square in the chest. Only one person made him feel like this. “Damek.”

He nodded at the vampire who seemed to appear out of nowhere. He’d never made an appearance during business hours. This was a first.

“What’s happened?” Hank demanded. Something big must have come up if the vampire was willing to leave his lair and come here while Haven was open.

Damek studied Hank with his dark, unfathomable eyes. “Will you give everything for her?”

They both knew who the her in question was. There was no hiding what he felt from the vampire. Hank knew Damek had picked up on that right away. “Yes.” No qualifications. No hesitation. Hank would do whatever it took to make Chrissten safe.

“Good.” Damek looked toward the back of the room where Chrissten was sitting. “We must talk.” The vampire strode into the place like he owned it. People automatically moved out of his way as he walked across the room and headed toward the office. Women’s gazes were drawn to him and several of them started to follow him before catching themselves and stopping.

That was some lure the vampire had going on. He probably had no problem getting blood donors for meals and snacks.

“Shit.” Hank wasn’t about to be left behind. “Watch the door,” he called out to Benjamin. “I’ll send Kevin out.” Kevin wasn’t as physically intimidating at he was, but he was still a half-breed werewolf and could handle any human trouble.

Hank went straight to the back of the room. Chrissten, Quinn and Donovan had noticed Damek. No disguising that blast of power that preceded him. Hank figured the bastard did it on purpose, a calling card of sorts.

They were all on their feet when he got there.

“What’s going on?” Chrissten was chewing on her bottom lip. Hank wanted to lick her poor mouth and then kiss it.

“I’m not sure. But he says he has news.” Hank didn’t wait, but took Chrissten’s arm and led her toward the office. Behind him, her father and brother bristled. Turning his back on potential enemies went against his grain, but Hank trusted them to remain civil with Chrissten so close and with a crowd of humans surrounding them.

He hustled her down the short hallway and into the office. Isaiah, Meredith, Joshua, Alexandra and Craig were all there. Kevin wasn’t. “Wait here a sec.” Hank released Chrissten and hurried to the kitchen. Teague was at the stove and Kevin was manning the grill. “Hey, Kevin, can you take the door for a few minutes.”

Kevin flipped two patties onto buns and set the plates on the counter for pickup. “Sure. I’ll be right there.”

“Thanks, man.” Hank didn’t like to be away from Chrissten. He wanted to know what the hell was going on.

“Problem?” Kevin asked as he pulled off his apron and set it aside.

“Don’t know. Damek is here with news. I’ll fill you in later.” Hank knew both Teague and Kevin were curious, but they would have to wait. He hurried back to the office. The door was closed so he let himself in and shut it firmly behind him. The others could handle the bar for a few minutes.

Damek had obviously waited for him because everyone was staring expectantly at the vampire. He smiled and his fangs shone. Hank thought he looked hungry.

“I guess you’re all wondering why I’m here,” he said.

“What’s going on?” Craig shoved his glasses higher onto the bridge of his nose. Hank figured the human was the only one who could question Damek so bluntly and get away with it.

“I’ve found them.”

The men all stirred. Inside, Hank was howling with joy. Finally, they could put an end to this.

“Where?” Chrissten’s voice was steady, but Hank could hear the strain in it. He wanted to step up beside her and wrap his arm around her but her brother and father were flanking her.

“Not far from the lab where you were rescued. The area is mostly abandoned except for the usual drug dealers and organized crime. But they leave the werewolves alone.” He leaned against the wall, almost becoming one with the shadows. “I’ll keep the exact location to myself until it’s time to go. I don’t want any of you wolves running off by yourself to play hero.” He merely stared at Quinn and then Hank as if he knew what was in their thoughts. And, knowing the vampire, he just might.

“What’s the plan?” Quinn stepped forward, hands curled into fists, ready to fight.

“The men will go after closing tonight,” Isaiah firmly stated. “The women will remain here under protection.” Chrissten stirred but Isaiah scowled at her and laid down the law as alpha. “We cannot risk one of the women being hurt or taken. If you go with us we’ll spend all our time worried about you rather than fighting.”

Hank held his breath waiting for Chrissten’s outburst. She stared Isaiah down for long seconds and then gave a jerky nod. Hank didn’t believe her for a second. The other males might think she’d agreed to stay behind but he knew better. Chrissten wanted to be the one to confront and kill Brian. He didn’t like it but he understood it.

The males talked strategy and Hank wasn’t surprised when the vampire announced he was going with them. He obviously felt he had a stake in this situation.

Half an hour later the meeting broke up and Damek left. He gave Hank a quick nod on the way out and Hank knew the vampire was going to help him get a shot at Brian. Gratitude filled him. He’d owe the vampire for certain after this was over.

Donovan, Isaiah and Joshua stayed behind to talk while the rest of them hit the bar to work. Chrissten was rubbing her forehead and he knew she wasn’t feeling well.

“Why don’t you go upstairs and lie down for a while?” He hated seeing her so pale and worn.

“Come with me.” Her soft plea almost knocked him over.

“Wouldn’t you rather Quinn or one of the women go up with you?” It almost killed him to make the offer, but he only wanted what was best for Chrissten.

She shook her head. “If you don’t want to…”

“I want to.” No way was he going to let her think otherwise. He caught Kevin’s eye and held up his hand, signaling five minutes. It might be more than that, but Kevin understood and nodded.

Hank could feel several sets of eyes on them as they went through the side door and closed it behind them. They went up the stairs, neither one of them speaking. Hank kept his hand on the small of her back, ready to support her if she needed it.

His apartment was silent but for the ticking of the kitchen clock and the hum of the refrigerator. Everyone else was in the club, several floors below. The low buzz of conversation and the faint sound of music vibrated through the floorboards.

Chrissten went straight to the bedroom. Hank knew she was upset by Isaiah’s pronouncement. But he was glad she’d be safe while the fighting went down. It wasn’t going to be pretty. Not against a half dozen purebloods.

“You okay?” Stupid question, but he asked it anyway.

“No, I’m not.” She turned and put her hands against his chest. She stared up at him, her blue eyes enormous in her pale face.

“What’s wrong? What can I do?” He’d do anything for Chrissten. Anything.

“Make love to me.”