Lovers' Tussle Page 10

  “Indeed there should be.” Her father’s breath displaced her hair. But as hot as that hiss of air was, it sent a chill down her spine. “Seeing as you have failed to see this situation settled by merit of their beasts, I find it incumbent that I step in.”

  There was nothing else to be done. It was time to reveal the big secret. With a brilliant smile, she turned on her father. “I do not believe there is need for such drastic action, Father. You see, they are brothers.”

  Startled gasps greeted her revelation. Roth was the first to recover. “That’s not true.”

  Tienna tittered softly. “Of course it is. I heard Aiden grieve for his brother after you’d fallen. As you are brothers I am sure we can come to some compromise.” She fully intended for that compromise to allow her to have her way. She turned once again to her father who seemed to be inspecting the brothers closely, obviously seeking similarities. Indeed, they were very different individuals. “Now then. Let us have a cup of tea and begin this discussion in this new vein.”

  She was rather proud of the progress she was making, but Aiden quickly dispelled her newfound hope as he muttered, “Actually, it is quite easy to remedy.” Aiden edged forward a step, ignoring his brother’s warning growl. “It is I who holds the honor of breaching her maidenhood first, so in truth she was compromised by my hand.”

  “Or your cock,” she chastised him within his mind. “Would you have your brother felled by your greedy hand a second time?”

  He flushed, and Tienna sighed internally. These brothers had so much to learn. They wanted each other defeated, but neither would accept sibling blood on their hands.

  Christian, unaware of their mental communication, acquiesced. “I see the idea of brotherly sharing does not appeal. I propose, in essence, a similarly acceptable solution.”

  Tienna grimaced. Having the decision taken from her the second time did not differ greatly from the first. It infuriated her. “I will not have you dictate over me, Father.”

  “Hush, daughter. Now as I was saying before being interrupted, seeing as one will not simply kill the other in beastly combat and have this scandal quickly laid to bed, I declare that we shall do this the civilized way, as men.”

  The chill that had run down her back now somehow invaded her belly. Tienna shivered in dark premonition as her father continued.

  “According to the dictates of society, Tienna being daughter to a duke, shall have the man who possesses the higher status.” A large hand shot out above her shoulder, bearing an imperial, pointing finger like Zeus. He aimed a damning trident, issuing his thunderbolt. “You are a marquis. Have the banns posted.”

  Tienna stared at Aiden. She could see his indecision in his twisted features. At least she was right with regards to one thing. No matter their fierce rivalry, they would not intentionally hurt each other.

  What she did not expect, however, was his next statement. “I am not the true marquis.”

  Roth looked like he was about to lunge over the table, straight for his brother’s jugular. “Of course he is. Look at him all fine, fragile bones, and proper decorum, why he is pure butter beneath that extravagant apparel.”

  Tienna’s eyes swiveled back to Aiden as he burst out stubbornly, “He is the born marquis. I am a simple imposter.”

  Impersonating a gentleman was a dreadful crime. Why would Aiden place himself in that situation? Was he trying to save his brother, or was he being truly honest? “Roth?” she called out to him desperately.

  Roth instead chose to address her father. “Aiden need not sacrifice himself on my behalf. Ask any who knows me. I am a commoner.”

  In a lowered voice, Aiden countered from across the table. “I have never before met a man more proud of that title.”

  That was when Tienna simply knew. The truth was like a splash of freezing water across her face as she inhaled sharply. There was logic in this chaos. There was system to Roth’s rebellion. He lashed out at the ton because his dark character was not a part of them. But the very blood flowing through his veins stamped him as just that. He was born into his trap, and like any prisoner he lashed out at his bindings. Society was his bound. He was a gentleman. And now he would face death for his disparagement.

  Tienna watched as Aiden slumped. He had been very courageous. She had been wise in not giving up hope. Their bond must be strong indeed for such an act of bravery. But should her father believe him, the truth, Aiden himself would be placed in peril. Indecision waged a raging war within her. Honesty was not such an easy course to follow when the truth had the power to hurt, to kill. But perfidy held equal power in this case. They were damned either way.

  Her father, not knowing the men as well as she did, apparently chose to believe what he saw at face value. Aiden looked for all the world the dapper, polished nobleman. Roth appeared the dangerous, disheveled peasant. She trembled as the strong voice called out his decision. “It is settled, then. To the gentleman, the spoils, and the common man…”

  Death. The word whispered across her mind like a plague, spreading disease and famine in its wake. She took a deep breath for strength. She adopted her most fearsome stance as she stepped forward to protect the one she chose. In essence she protected his lie as well. Roth was more capable of defending himself against the enemy that would hunt him down. She pleaded with him, “Go.”

  Her father grabbed her arm again and tried to push her out of the way. Roth growled savagely, but she refused to budge. “Go quickly. He calls the pack even as we speak. They come to hunt you.”

  “Tienna, get out of my way,” Christian bellowed his fury at her incredible disobedience.

  Roth stared at her. Uncertainty marred his ravaged face. “I am no coward.”

  “You are no good to me dead.” Hot tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

  A tortured, pained voice entered her mind in a whisper. “I won’t leave you.”

  She steeled herself against everything she had held dear her entire life. Forcing down the guilt that gnawed at her insides like a vicious vermin, she uttered the words which would change the course of her life from here on. “I follow you.”

  Time stood still as he tried to weigh the truth of her pledge. Finally, Roth spared her a final glance before dashing for the large bay windows. Glass shattered as he dived through the fragile surface. Crystal fragments fell like snowflakes as Tienna watched him shift into his wolf form. She threw a ragged, torn apology that would enter both the minds of the remaining men. “I’m sorry.” And then she raced after her fast-disappearing mate.

  Aiden’s forlorn cry was easy enough to dispel. He would find her. But the other thunderous roar that followed her reverberated across the deepest recesses of her mind, shattering her soul to tinier pieces than the glass fragments on which she had trodden.

  “No!” Her father’s anguished voice carried her on a turbulent wave to Roth’s shadowed side as he awaited her in the darkness.

  The mighty, gray beast panted deeply as she stopped. His amber eyes were empty and hollow, sensing her grief. “I’m sorry, Tienna.”

  She accepted the brief contact as he nuzzled the side of her fur lined face. “We must leave.” She kept pace with his shortened lengths, fleeing his death and her shame. This act had betrayed her pack, her family, and her father. Nothing would ever be the same for her again. She was now a traitor.

  Chapter 7:

  The Revelation

  The night had been spent tossing and turning. Considering the nightmarish hell her life had become, Tienna was not surprised. Her one night of bliss had been the last she expected to have in a long time. At least not since her fall from grace as a lady of society and pack heir of her realm. There were no redeeming rewards to make her sacrifice worthwhile, just as there were no consolations. She felt torn apart and cheated.

  Perhaps she was being too demanding. Was it too much to ask for having both mates by her side and a family who welcomed them unconditionally? Apparently so. But she had chosen her mates, and the price she was fo
rced to pay was dire. How would she survive without her family? How would they survive without her?

  Tienna paused and sniffed the air once more before trotting in the direction her nose indicated. Leaving the tiny confines of the house in Mayfair was indeed a respite. It was not that Roth’s abode was disappointing in any way. Yes, it was smaller, a simple house with three rooms, a drawing room, Roth’s private study, scullery, and kitchen. But even though the few pieces of furniture were threadbare and rugged, there was a certain quaint element to the place. Indeed, after so many years being housed within a mansion, the cottage-like structure was positively cozy.

  The staff Roth kept was equally unconventional. A portly man with teeth as far apart as the stars and blackened like the midnight sky, who appeared to belong more at the helm of a pirate ship than the door of a home, served as majordomo, gardener, and well, various other functions. A stooped, aged woman, grisly only in appearance, served as the cleaner and cook. She was rather friendly and had immediately taken Tienna under her wing, clucking and cooing like a mother hen after a hapless chick. And lastly, since this morning, a new addition had been made to the household. A slight girl with outlandish manners and an unreserved mouth to match had been installed as her maid. They were an odd bunch, but Tienna had taken to them much easier than the maids and servants who had graced Aiden’s townhouse. In fact, were she to be quite frank, she’d have to admit they had become fast friends with their easy mannerisms and unassuming characters.

  There had been plenty of time during the course of the day for her to get to know each member intimately, considering they practically lived beneath each other’s thumbs in the limited space. She also could not discount her need for companionship. Roth had been absent through the night. According to rumors of the house staff, that was not an uncommon occurrence. Tienna suspected her blackguard was indeed a notorious night stalker who reveled in sinister activities. As long as those ventures did not include tomcatting, she could find no complaint. The day, she knew, he had spent locked in urgent meetings with his pack. While she had not seen the members, their presence in the house had been undeniable. The tension in the air reminded her of the silent brooding before a storm. A war lay ahead.

  Tienna tensed now as she inspected the dark line of trees ahead. The woods appeared to be more alive tonight. A menacing feeling of dark presences lurking, watching her every move sent a shiver of apprehension through her. Surely that could not be Aiden. He had communicated with her during the course of the day. It had not taken her long to settle his ruffled feathers. A simple statement had silenced him. Had it not been Roth placed in this position it would have been him. He, like Roth, was engaged in assembling his pack. That there would be a blood battle soon became a certainty with each passing moment.

  The feeling of being watched grew stronger until she paused at the edge of the barricading bushes. Was that someone observing her behind the tree to her right? Or were there eyes trained on her from the dense hedges to her left? The very trees seemed to have leery, watchful eyes. Uneasy, she whispered in her mind, “Roth?”

  Like a dark shadow of the demon, he stepped out. The pitch-black of his coat was ominous, the gray streaks silver beneath the loving moon. He approached her, stalking, dangerous. His motions were graceful, lithe, and predatory. Powerful muscles bunched and rolled as he prowled. Large paws whispered against the earth. His eyes glowed unholy amber, searing into her, smoldering with unspoken promises. Carnal delights. The fine hair at her neck prickled. This was her mate, her mighty vanquisher, her lover. And he held the power to make her tremble in excitement. Her voice left her breathless. “Roth.”

  She quivered like a leaf beneath a merciless gust. He did not stand before her but circled her, teasing and taunting. Tienna stifled the urge to turn or even move. She remained rooted to the spot, a frozen prey marked by her hunter. His scent burst through her lungs, the earthy musk of an Alpha male. His glowing eyes touched her like heated caresses, and her body shuddered. She longed to rake her claws through his magnificent coat. She wanted to tear into him until the essence of his life fed her soul. But she also wanted answers. Why deny a brother’s relationship? Why switch places in society? Why hide?

  “Why?” Even in her mind her voice shook under the assault of his gaze.

  For the longest moment Roth stood still. Tienna sensed his agitation. She wished their ability included reading minds. With another shiver she decided perhaps it was best she could never delve into his dark mind. Assuredly, once she was caught in the swirling vortex of the churning storm that possessed him, she would drown.

  His deep, seductive tone was a hot, branding touch against her frazzled senses. “Let me show you.”

  With a mighty leap he disappeared once again behind the bushes. Tienna stared at the hedge that had barely moved and raced after him. He was already a good distance ahead, and her lungs and limbs burned with the effort to catch up. Finally he slowed, but only marginally, and she took her place by his side.

  She kept pace with him, luxuriating in the shadow of ruthless masculinity he cast. His mere presence engulfed her and she surrendered. How could she not? He commanded. She obeyed. Almost immediately, he skidded to a dead stop. Tienna tossed a curious gaze his way and found his attention raptly focused ahead.

  The deer was large, fat, and undoubtedly juicy. The clean scent of its fresh flesh brought a soft purr to her throat. Each powerful beat of its strong heart echoed through her until she was breathing in time with the rhythm. With no more than a fleeting glance her way, Roth dropped to on his haunches.

  Tienna sensed rather then saw him sidle sideways, away from her. Her attention was fully on the prey ahead. Without preliminary planning she fell into the hunting regime of a pack. She lowered herself and moved so they would circle the victim. Tienna stilled as the doe suddenly reared up. Its dainty ears flicked, and its nostrils flared gently. She froze. It was too soon yet for detection. Minutes ticked by like the passing of an age. Her limbs grew heavy and fatigued with the cramped position she held, and yet she dared not move.

  Apparently satisfied, the beautiful head dipped once more as the deer resumed it feeding. Tienna could hear the munching of its teeth, gnawing and chewing. Its saliva mingled with the sweet grass, and hers flooded her mouth. Her ears cocked, waiting for Roth’s instruction. Only the silence of the night greeted her.

  Straining her eyes, she finally caught sight of a dark shape opposite her. The prey was successfully sandwiched between them. Now. She moved, spooking the deer. It sprang into the air, alarmed and panicked, and darted into the trees. Tienna laughed a sound of thorough exhilaration as she joined Roth in the pursuit. The chase was on.

  Her muscles screamed as she flew alongside him. Each mighty leap took them inches closer to their quarry. Excitement strummed through her. She savored the smell of fear in the air. Suddenly, Roth launched himself. Tienna stopped to watch in wonder as he flew, graceful and elegant. And like the silent shadow of death, his mark was true. He landed onto the back of the prey, bringing it down with his weight alone.

  “Come here, Tienna.”

  She scooted closer, eyeing the tasty morsel as she smacked her lips.

  “Feel its life. Breathe it in. Taste it.”

  Tienna dropped her head until she felt the thundering of blood coursing through the deer’s veins. She reveled in the rush of elation that coursed through her own.

  “This is why.” Roth moved his unsheathed paws off. “This raw power has no place in the world of the genteel bred.”

  Tienna watched as the prey scrambled to its feet and dashed off once again into the cover of darkness. She shifted into her human form even as he did.

  They came together with a crash of pure hunger, feasting of each other’s mouths and flesh. Pain laced with insurmountable pleasure seared through her shoulder as his sharp canines sank in. She returned the favor by biting into his neck.

  Roth growled as she savored the taste of his essence on her tongue. He drew back
allowing her to see the turmoil in his eyes. “I was a beast caught in a world ruled by man.”

  Tienna stroked his clenched jaw tenderly. “Was it so bad that you had to change who you were?”

  “I never changed who I was, Tienna. I simply became who I already was within.”

  “Tell me.”

  * * * *

  Roth inhaled deeply. This was a deep secret that held the power to destroy lives. But Tienna was his mate. She deserved his honesty. “You were right about Aiden and me. We are brothers. Our show of enmity toward each other was the covering that hid our secret.”

  Tienna nodded. “The former marquis did what was acceptable in society. He hid the illegitimate child he had sired.”

  Roth swallowed. “My father did a lot more than that. He was a true gentleman, Tienna, in every sense of the disgusting word. His world revolved around manners and decorum. He accepted only the human half of the blood coursing through his veins and hid behind the veneer of nobility like a coward beneath a blanket. The beast was beaten down under an unrelenting fist. Because of that my father was to me only half a being. And the half man that remained, because of the inner conflict he constantly fought, was no better than a depraved monster. Just as I am ruthless in the celebrating of my beast, so, too, was he cruel in its confinement.”

  Tienna had not known the former Marquis. In fact she had not even heard mention of him. “Was he a recluse?”

  “Heavens, no. He attended every do he could, stamping his noble presence in the world of the ton. But he was a fool. A goodly portion of the high rankers are themselves werewolves. They sneered behind his back at his falsehood and pretenses. He was stubborn. But in his passing no one remembered a man who did not even know himself. And he wished for me to follow in his foolish footsteps.”

  Tienna latched on to his hand. “It is great sorrow you have harbored. I, myself, know what you went through.” She smiled reassuringly. “Not possessing the right organs can be more than a little disheartening to a father.” With a somber shrug, she continued. “You broke away. You became the man you craved to be.”