Wanted: Undead or Alive

Chapter Twenty-four

Phineas nearly fell out of the tree when he teleported there. Was that Brynley? Blindfolded? Rhett Bleddyn was leading her across the backyard. Three guards followed close behind. They appeared to be headed toward the stable.

Maybe he could teleport to her and grab her before Rhett or the three guards reacted. Might be difficult since Rhett had an arm around her. He needed backup.

After waking in Nate Carson’s basement, he’d been so anxious to return here and watch for Brynley that he’d guzzled down a bottle and teleported straight here with Phil. He’d left the werewolf in his favorite tree in the front. Zoltan and Jack were supposed to follow.

He texted a message to Zoltan. Go to stable roof now!

He pocketed the cell phone and glanced at Brynley. Rhett had taken her to the horse pen.

His breath caught. Gleaming white under the full moon, the wild white stallion strained at its ropes.

Shock quickly gave way to anger. The bastards. They’d found the perfect way to hurt Brynley. This was no slap on the face. It was a wound inflicted upon her soul.

He teleported to Phil, and before Phil could ask a question, he’d landed the two of them on the stable roof.

Zoltan materialized with Jack.

Phineas pointed toward the horse pen and whispered, “Brynley.” As he stretched out on his stomach to peer over the ridge of the roof, the others did the same.

Phil hissed in a breath. “Bastards.”

“Go get her.” Zoltan nudged Phineas with his elbow. “Jack and I will keep the guards busy.”

“No,” he whispered back. “I want you and Jack to teleport into the pen. You’ll use your mojo to calm down the stallion while Jack cuts the ropes. Then you teleport the horse out. While you’re—”

“The horse is too heavy,” Zoltan interrupted.

“You can do it together.”

Jack shook his head. “We could end up ripping it in two.”

“Then connect your minds so you’ll land together at the cabin. You can do it. And while they’re freaking out over the horse, I’ll swoop in and grab Brynley. We’ll all meet at the cabin.”

“Except me,” Phil muttered. “But you guys go ahead. Have all the fun.”

“Sorry, dude,” Phineas said.

Phil snorted. “I was kidding. I want you to get Bryn out. I’ll stay here. I’m worried about the rest of my family, too.”

Phineas removed the knife from his boot and handed it to Jack. “Can you do it?”

He accepted the knife. “It’s a crazy idea, but I like it.”

“Ready?” Zoltan asked. “On the count of three. One, two, three.”

Jack and Zoltan teleported. Jack zoomed around the horse at vampire speed, cutting the three ropes, while Zoltan faced the horse. The stallion grew still.

Rhett’s men hollered and jumped into the pen. Rhett let go of Brynley and shouted orders to his men, and her guards moved aside to watch.

Phineas teleported beside her and grabbed her. She gasped, looking at him in shock. He had a glimpse of Zoltan and Jack vanishing with the horse, then he teleported, taking Brynley with him.

They landed inside the cabin.

“Phineas!” She threw her arms around him and laughed.

He grinned. “I got you. You’re safe.”

She leaned back, beaming at him, then her expression morphed into panic. “The wild white stallion! We have to rescue him!”

“Brynley—”

“They’re torturing him!” Her eyes glinted with tears. “We have to save him.”

“I know. You can’t bear to be free if he’s not free.”

“Exactly.”

“Come with me.” He led her onto the front porch.

She gasped.

The stallion reared up on its hind legs. Jack and Zoltan jumped back.

“You saved him,” she whispered. She pressed a hand against her chest, then turned to Phineas. A tear rolled down her cheek. “You saved him.”

With a smile, he brushed the tear away. “I know how you feel about him.”

“Whoa,” Zoltan murmured to the horse. “Calm down. Let us get the ropes off you.”

The stallion pawed at the ground, then went still.

Jack approached slowly, then slid his knife under the ropes and cut through.

The ropes fell to the ground, and the stallion tossed its head.

Brynley’s gaze shifted back to Phineas, and more tears glimmered in her eyes. “You saved me. You saved the stallion. You beautiful, beautiful man.”

Zoltan exchanged a look with Jack. “I thought we did all the work.”

Phineas kissed her brow. “As long as I live, I’ll fight anyone who tries to capture the wild horse. And I’ll never let anyone destroy your beautiful wild spirit.”

With a choked sob, she threw her arms around him. “I love you. I was so afraid I’d never get the chance to tell you.” She placed her hands on his cheeks. “I really do love you.”

He laughed and swung her around in a circle.

“I’m starting to feel a bit unnecessary again,” Jack muttered.

“Come on, Casanova.” Zoltan motioned for him to follow. “We have another job to do.”

They walked into the stable.

“Alone at last.” Phineas kissed Brynley, and she laughed against his mouth.

“Not entirely.” She motioned with her head toward the wild white stallion. It was regarding them curiously.

“Peeping Tom.” Phineas pulled Brynley close. “Get your own girl.”

“That can be arranged.” Zoltan led Molly from the stable. “Go on, girl. Get your man.”

Jack chuckled. “Nothing like amore.”

Molly shook her head and snorted. The wild stallion reared up, then trotted toward her.

“They’re necking,” Brynley whispered.

“Good idea.” Phineas nuzzled her neck.

“I want you.” She kissed his cheek and rubbed a hand over his chest. “I want to kiss you all over. Now.”

His vision turned pink.

“What do you think, Zoltan?” Jack said in a loud voice. “It’s a nice evening. Shall we stand guard for a little while? About five minutes?”

Zoltan snorted. “Ten at least. He is the Love Doctor, after all.”

Phineas teleported Brynley down into the basement.

Brynley ripped his shirt open. “Hurry.”

It felt as if all the frustration and anger and fear she’d endured over the last few days had been poured into a hot cauldron, and it was now bubbling over to make her frantic. She attacked his belt with trembling fingers.

“I was so worried about you.” He unbuttoned her shirt.

“I don’t want to think about it.” She unzipped his jeans and pulled them down. She’d come so close to being forced into a marriage with a man she despised, forced into a life of submission that would have killed her slowly and painfully, choking her, humiliating her, diminishing her until there was nothing left of her.

She had to live. She had to be free. Inside, her wolf howled with joy.

She shoved Phineas back onto the bed and yanked his boots off.

He sat up. “Are you all right?”

“Yes.” She pulled off his jeans and underwear.

He frowned. “They didn’t hurt you?”

She didn’t want to talk about how desperate and helpless she’d felt. She wanted to feel strong. In control. Empowered. She shoved him back and straddled him. “Let me do this. I need to do this.”

“Do what?”

“Whatever the hell I feel like.” Her heart swelled when his eyes turned red. No wonder she loved him. He loved her when she was strong.

She leaned forward to kiss him, to explore him with her tongue. His hands slipped inside her open shirt, and he kneaded her breasts, then unclasped her bra.

She sat up, flung her shirt and bra aside, then leaned down again to rub herself against him.

He tossed her onto her back and with vampire speed, he removed her boots, jeans, and underwear. When he climbed on top of her, she laughed and pushed him onto his back.

“I’m in charge,” she told him, and smoothed a hand down his chest.

He attempted to sit up. “You think—”

“Stay.” She pushed him back down.

His mouth twitched. “You think I’m a dog?”

“I think you’re mine.” She curled a hand around his erection. “All mine.”

His eyes glowed a rich bloodred.

She leaned over to tease him with her tongue. Yes. She was in charge. Full of power. Bursting with freedom. She took him into her mouth and delighted at the moans she wrenched from him. Moisture pooled between her legs.

She glanced up at him and smiled. “Shall I take you now? Ride you like a cowboy?”

He smiled back. “Will you be gentle with me?”

“Hell no.”

“That’s my girl.”

With a laugh, she straddled him and eased him inside her. His thick shaft slid into her wetness. Sweet. She started off slow, reveling in the slow, sweet slide when she lifted up, the grounding of their bodies when she slipped down.

“You’re so beautiful.” He caressed her breasts and tweaked her hardened nipples.

With a moan, she increased her speed. His hands smoothed down to grasp her hips, and soon he was pulling her harder. She rode him faster and faster.

With a shout, he arched and pumped into her. Stars shattered before her eyes. With a keening cry, she climaxed, then fell forward onto his chest, her body shuddering with spasms.

He held her tight. “Brynley, I love you so much.”

Tears stung her eyes. “I was so afraid I’d never see you again.”

“I was scared, too.” He rubbed her back. “I sat outside for hours last night, hoping to catch a glimpse of you so I could rescue you. Your brother Phil was there, too. And Digger and Zoltan.”

“Digger?”

“Yeah. He doesn’t want you forced into a marriage against your will.”

She shuddered. “It was awful. Tonight I had to try on my wedding dress.”

“I saw that wedding dress,” he muttered. “I was tempted to rip it to shreds.”

She sat up. “You saw it?”

“Yeah. Phil pointed out which window was your bedroom, and Zoltan and I teleported in, hoping to find you.”

“That was sweet of you.”

He gave her a wry look. “I have my uses.”

Smiling, she caressed his chest. “I love your uses.”

“I can go all night long.”

Her hand slipped down to his penis and tugged gently. “Can you now?”

“And I don’t even need batteries.”

She paused. “Batteries?”

“Yes. For a night of extreme sex.”

She let go of him. “You were in my bedroom.”

“Yes.”

“Snooping under my bed.”

“I thought the box might contain photos of your dear mother or maybe a dried corsage from your high school prom, but no. It was the Big Boy 1000 EXTREME.”

She winced. “It was a gag gift from college. When I broke up with Seth, my girlfriends claimed they had found a new boyfriend for me. It was just a silly joke.”

“And yet, ten years later, it’s still close to your bed.”

“I didn’t say I never used it. I’ve always been wary of getting involved when the guys are more interested in gaining my father’s favor than mine.” She gave him a wry look. “Why does it bother you so much?”

“Because the end of my dick doesn’t whirl around at warp speed.”

She grinned and kissed his cheek. “You have nothing to worry about. You’re the Big Man 10,000 Mega-Extreme.” She kissed his brow. “You’re the Love Doctor, the Blardonnay Guy, and the love of my life.”

He patted her rump. “That’s right, woman. Don’t you forget it.”

“I won’t.” She nipped at his ear.

“I’m gonna rewrite your vows. You’ll have to promise to be faithful, forsaking all others, including the Big Boy 1000 EXTREME.”

She sat back with a gasp.

He winced. “You like it that much?”

“Did you just ask me to marry you?”

His eyes widened. “You . . . don’t want to? I realize I’m not much of a catch.”

“It’s not that. It just seems kind of fast. I mean, we could live together for—”

“I know it’s fast, but I don’t think your father is going to give up on trying to marry you off. If we make it legal, then it should give you some protection.”

She bit her lip. “Is that why you want to marry?”

“No, that’s just me trying to convince you. What I really want is to spend the rest of my life giving you the love you deserve.”

She smiled and touched his cheek.

There was a knock on the trapdoor.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Jack called down. “But Angus wants everyone at the Carson ranch for a meeting. I’m going to collect Phil and take him there. Meeting starts in five minutes.”

“Phineas—”

“We’ll talk later. We’d better get cleaned up.” He nudged her toward the bathroom.

“Nate! Look at you.” Brynley left Phineas at the door and ran into the foyer to give Nate Carson a hug. “You’re walking! And you’re . . .” She stopped herself from saying dead. “You’re a vampire.”

“Yes. I was changed the same night you were kidnapped.” He sighed. “And Kyle died.”

“I’m so sorry about that.”

He patted her on the back. “At least we have you back safe and sound.”

“Hey, dude.” Phineas gave Nate a knuckle pound. “Heard you were kicking ass over at the Bleddyn ranch.”

Nate smiled. “Never thought I’d fight alongside a bear and a tiger.”

Brynley looked around the foyer of Nate’s home. Swords were stacked against one wall, and a table was loaded down with ammunition. MacKay employees teleported in with cases of synthetic blood. Jack’s wife, Lara, was checking things off a clipboard. Apparently, she’d been given the job of supply manager for their new base of operations. “Wow, your place has become Vampire Central.”

Nate nodded. “My life has gotten a whole lot more interesting.”

Jack teleported in with Phil.

“Bryn!” Phil jogged over and gave her a hug. “Thank God you’re all right.”

She grinned. “They rescued the wild white stallion, too.”

“Excellent.” He pulled her aside. “I need to talk to you.”

“Okay.”

He looked around the foyer, then dragged a hand through his shaggy hair. “Well, the thing is, I . . . owe you an apology. I should have come back to the house years ago to see if you were all right. I just assumed you weren’t interested in leaving when you didn’t answer my letters and—”

“What?” Her heart froze for a second. “Letters?”

“Yes. I saw the letters you left at the cabin, so I wrote some back, telling you—”

“You wrote me?” Her blood chilled.

“Yeah, several times. I asked if you wanted to come—” He stopped when a strangled noise escaped her mouth. “Oh, shit. You never got them, did you?”

She shook her head. Tears came to her eyes. “I—I thought you’d abandoned me.”

“Oh God, no, Brynley.” He pulled her into his arms. “Shit! No wonder you were so mad at me.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “You wrote to me.”

“Yes.”

She leaned back. “Father must have been watching the cabin. He took your letters away.”

“I doubt he did it personally. He probably had one of his minions doing it.”

She made a face. “He must have been afraid I would run away.”

“You did, eventually.”

She gasped. “Oh my God, if he was having the cabin watched, he must have known about the Lost Boys.”

Phil winced. “It’s possible. Nothing much happens in his territory that he doesn’t know about.”

“But he didn’t stop me.” She bit her lip. “Doesn’t that seem odd?”

“Hey, guys.” Phineas joined them. “The meeting is starting.”

They filed into Nate’s large parlor that had been filled with extra chairs from the dining room. Everyone sat as Angus took a position in front of the stone fireplace.

“We’re doing well,” Angus began. “Last night, we defeated a pack of werewolves and took over the Bleddyn ranch. And tonight, we have successfully rescued Brynley Jones.”

Everyone gave her a cheer, and she grinned at Phineas.

Angus clasped his hands behind his back. “We still have some unfinished business. Corky and Dimitri remain free. We believe they are hiding at the Jones ranch. Rhett Bleddyn is there, too. Even though it appears his wedding tomorrow will be canceled, he is still a potential threat since he had planned to murder Brynley and her—”

“What?” Brynley squealed.

Phineas patted her knee. “I was going to tell you about that.”

“He was going to kill us?” she asked.

Phineas nodded. “Yeah. So he could inherit all your father’s land and wealth.”

“And take over the wolf packs,” Phil added.

“We canna assume he’ll give up on the plan,” Angus said. “As long as he’s anywhere near yer father’s house, I believe yer family is in danger.”

Brynley jumped to her feet. “He might force Glynis to marry him. We have to go back.”

“I’ll go.” Phil stood. “I’ll tell my father.”

“It could get ugly,” Angus warned him. “We’ll go with you. Do ye want to leave now?”

Phil shook his head. “We should wait till tomorrow. This is the third night of the full moon. All the werewolves will be capable of shifting. If we go tomorrow night, they can’t shift to attack us. They’ll lose their advantage.”

Angus nodded. “Tomorrow night, then.”

Brynley took a deep breath. “I’m going, too.”

“No!” Phineas jumped to his feet. “We just got you out of there. You’re not going back.”

“I’ll be fine as long as everyone else is there.” She turned to him and whispered, “You’ve helped me see how strong I can be. I can do this.” She squared her shoulders. “I’m not running away from my father anymore. It’s time I stood up to him.”