Shifter 08 - Draeger Legacy Read online

  “What?” Drake couldn’t keep the irritation or anger from his voice. What should’ve been a very enjoyable night and morning was turning into a damn nightmare.

  He saw James nod Nelly away. She finished wrapping a bandage around the stitches, stood and left the kitchen. James took her seat. He appeared nervous, as though he didn’t know how to say whatever it was he needed to say.

  “I was coming over here because I just heard some bad news.”

  “I’m listening.” Drake hissed when he moved his leg. Already it began to hurt like a bitch.

  “Your dad, man,” James sighed. “He’s dead.”

  Drake stilled, looked up quickly at James, and frowned. “What’d you say?”

  “He’s dead Drake.” James licked his lips rubbed the back of his neck and met Drake in the eye. “There’s this guy wholes been causing a lot of trouble. Martin I think the name is and he’s been killing a few of us off; wants to prove to the world that there are werewolves out there.”

  Drake growled and stood up. Pain from his leg and side hit, but it only numbed his senses. “My father went out to see that fucker alone?” he frowned. “Why would he do that?”

  “I don’t know,” James shook his head. “But I do know that there has been a few from the Cabinet who’s gone missing and all trails are pointing to this Martin guy.”

  Drake turned to the window over the sink. He leaned forward, staring out at the daylight, watching the sun rise. Tears formed behind his eyes, but they didn’t fall. Drake wasn’t the kind of male to cry, but damn if he didn’t want to right now for his father.

  A human killed him. A fucking, no good, low life human killed his father.

  Drake couldn’t still the yell that came forth. He swiped everything off the counters of the sinks and sunk down to the floor, crying for the first time in more years he could recount. He lost his control and sobbed like a baby.

  It felt like a lifetime that he spent on the floor, crying, screaming, and yelling. When he had it all out of his system, he pulled himself back up to his feet, turned on the water, and washed his face.

  “I’m okay,” he said to James.

  “Then get your ass changed and let’s go get your mate.”

  * * * *

  Natasha walked down the stairs, bathed, dressed, legs still shaking and feeling weak. She dressed in a pair of tan slacks, a loose fitting cream colors sweater that hung from one shoulder, pumps on her feet and her long hair brushed down her back, parted in the middle. To hide the bruise on her face she put on some make-up to conceal it.

  Breakfast was being served in the dining room and her father was already seated at the head of the table reading his paper acting like nothing changed. Natasha took her place in the middle, keeping her mouth shut as usual.

  The moment she was seated servants came from the kitchen with the plates. Her father ate eggs, bacon, toast, and some fruit and drank his coffee and a glass of orange juice every morning. Natasha was allowed only a bowl of fruit and a small glass of juice.

  “You’ve gained some weight I see,” Philip stated, snapping his paper closed, placing it on the table next to him. “You need to lose them before you’re presented to the males that wish to mate with you.”

  Natasha looked up at him. He forked some eggs and held it up to his mouth when she spoke, causing him to stop. “I’m already mated.”

  His fork dropped and he slammed his hand hard on the table, knocking over one of the shakers. “That little bastard who took you is not your mate. I forbid it!”

  “He claimed by your laws.”

  Her father flew out of the chair so fast it fell over backwards. Natasha was also out of her seat, backing away before he could touch her or hit her again. She kept the long table between them, facing off with her father for the first time in her life.

  “You cannot follow the laws that you created.” She pointed a finger at him. “It isn’t right.”

  He got a hold of her, jerked her to the end of the table and his hand went up. Natasha prepared herself for the slap, but it didn’t come, thanks to the doorbell ringing. Instead, she got a push away from him.

  Natasha watched him fix his clothes straighten his hair and turn away from her. She followed him out to the front door, hanging back as he opened it.

  Charles Addison walked into the house. He is the head member of the Cabinet with the power to kick out any shifter. He could change all the laws, disband the Cabinet, or have the shifters that were breaking the laws punished. Charles Addison is a powerful shifter, one you wanted on your side. He always had a cane in his hand, even though he didn’t need one and dressed in suits with his black hair slicked back from his eyes.

  “Charles, what’re you doing here?” Philip asked, standing back as Charles walked into the house.

  Natasha stayed put as the man walked inside. He looked around, his eyes landing on her. The way his eyes narrowed on her had her shivering.

  “So it’s true then,” Charles said. “You have her back.”

  “Yes, she’s home, now what are you doing here?” Philip asked again.

  Charles shook his head, which he’d lowered. “You’ve broken the law Philip.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Philip took hold of Charles’ arm and led him away from Natasha. They went into his office, the door closing on her. Natasha pressed her ear against the door, listening as best as she could to the conversation inside.

  “Drake Draeger staked his claim to your daughter a week ago,” Charles said. “He wants her back.”

  “To damn bad,” Philip remarked. “She’s my daughter and he kidnapped her for Christ sakes.”

  “According to the law, the one that you signed, that is allowed. Males may take their mates any way they chose.”

  “Not my daughter!”

  “Philip, my hands are tied here. He has a claim. She belongs to him.”

  “Forget it.”

  “Listening at closed doors will only get you into more trouble.” Natasha swung around to see Elli standing behind her, the stern expression on her face. “It isn’t proper to listen to things that are closed to your ears.”

  “You know, Elli, I’m getting really tired of you always being there to tell me what’s proper and what isn’t.” Natasha crossed her arms over her chest, narrowing her eyes on the woman. “Was it proper or right for my father to beat me just because a male did what his law stated he could? Take and mate me? I belong to another and nothing my father can say or do is going to change that.”

  “A female of your breeding doesn’t belong to those under your class.”

  Natasha lost her cool for the first time in her life. She slapped the older woman right across the face, shocking not only herself but Elli also.

  “How dare you,” Natasha stated low. “How dare you judge anyone.”

  Natasha brushed past her and went right for the front door. She yanked it open, only to be shocked once more by seeing Drake standing on the steps with James Laswell right behind him.

  “Drake!” she gasped, flinging herself into his arms. She hugged him tightly, him back to her.

  “Where is he?” Drake asked, his voice low, deadly.

  Slowly Natasha pulled back, meeting his cold dark eyes. “In his office.”

  Drake moved past her and she noticed he walked with a limp. Natasha followed him, showing him the way to her father’s office. Elli seemed to stand guard in front of the door. When she saw Drake, her eyes widened and her head went up.

  “I’m sorry, but Mr. Millard is unavailable at the moment,” she said.

  “Too damn bad.” Drake pushed her aside opened the door and walked in. “Hello Millard. We have some business to discuss.”

  Natasha watched her father’s face drain of all color. His eyes also widened and if she wasn’t mistaken fear and shock spread over his face as well.

  “Draeger,” Philip gasped softy.

  “Surprise.” Drake extended his arms, a cruel smile spread on his face
and those dark eyes of his made him appear dangerous. “I’m still alive, but the bastard you sent isn’t I’m afraid.”

  “What are you talking about?” Natasha asked, looking at her father. “What did you do?”

  “What’s going on here Millard?” Charles demanded.

  “Nothing,” Philip answered.

  “He sent someone to my home.” Drake took a step forward, or more like limped forward. “Took my mate from my arms.” He took another step. “He ordered the male to kill me.” Drake hit her father right in the nose, knocking him to the ground. Blood spurted over the rug, staining it.

  Natasha covered her mouth with her hand, staying put, watching the scene unfold before her eyes.

  “What?” Clearly, Charles Addison was just as surprised as she was.

  “Take a guess who was the one to die tonight,” Drake sneered before landing a hard kick in her father’s ribs.

  Philip groaned loudly in pain and James came up behind Drake, pulling him away. “That’s enough.”

  “Not nearly enough!” Drake yelled.

  Charles held up his hand, but it seemed that Drake wasn’t going to be swayed. His anger showed clearly on his face and it frightened her some.

  “Did he beat you again?” he asked her, keeping his eyes fixed on her father. Natasha’s throat went dry. She couldn’t answer the question, fearing what he might do. “Did he beat you!” he yelled so loud she jumped and took a step backwards.

  “Yes,” she whispered, hugging herself, swallowing hard.

  Drake lunged at her father, who was struggling to stand up. James quickly put himself between the two men, holding Drake back.

  “She is my daughter and I can discipline her anyway I chose.” Philip pointed a finger at Drake. “Now get out!” He waved to the door with one hand and pressed a handkerchief to his nose with the other.

  “Oh, you don’t get away with this that easy,” Where Natasha found her voice in all of this, she didn’t know, but the time to stand up for herself was long overdue. She walked up to her father, standing between him and Drake. “You’ve broken every law that you’ve written, and gotten away with it. You’re not going to get away with it with me any longer.” She shook her head. “I’m accepting the claim made to me by Drake Draeger. I’m acknowledging him as my mate in front of the head to our Cabinet. Before them all I swear upon my mother’s grave that if you ever lay a hand on me again I will let my mate enforce his right to kill you with his bare hands. Another of your laws, Father.”

  Natasha turned her back to her father took Drake’s face in her hands: “Let’s go home.”

  Drake nodded, shrugged James off, and wrapped his arms around her. He turned, headed for the door, and stopped once more.

  “Philip Millard,” Charles booming voice stilled everyone in the room once more. “It’s my duty to inform you that you are no longer a member of the Shifter Cabinet.”

  “You can’t do that,” Philip said.

  “Oh, as a matter of fact, I can,” Charles told him. “You’ve broken the one law that I can’t turn my head from. By our rules, your daughter was claimed and mated. You don’t have the right to take her away from her mate. Therefore, your punishment stands.”

  “I demand banishment also,” Drake added. “He sent someone to kill me.”

  Charles nodded. “That request must be made to the Cabinet.”

  “Then I make it.” Drake met her father in the eye. “You should’ve given more thought to the change in the laws, because you’re fucked now.”

  With a squeeze to her, Natasha left the office, past Elli and walked out of the house that never was a home. She didn’t look back, only got into the backseat of the car with Drake behind her, James got behind the wheel.

  “Home?” Natasha asked.

  “Home,” Drake sighed, his head going back on the seat.

  Closing her eyes, she snuggled up against him. Drake wrapped one arm tightly around her. “I knew you’d come.”

  “I told you before. Only death will keep me away from you. Nothing more.”

  “Then don’t go do something stupid and get yourself killed.”

  Drake chuckled softly, “Yes, ma’am.”

  Chapter Nine

  Drake sprawled out in the middle of the bed, naked, sore, tired, and waiting for his mate to come out of the shower.

  Instead of going straight home, James took him to the hospital. The stitch job to his leg was pulled out, the gash cleaned and restitched. His ribs were x-rayed and rewrapped as well. He indeed had one cracked rib and several bruised pretty badly. Orders were to stay in bed for the next couple of days and rest.

  The water turned off and instantly he was hard. Just thinking about the water dripping from her body, maybe a drop or two falling from a pert nipple and he was more than ready to be deeply buried inside her. Hell, it didn’t matter to him that his leg was throbbing or that anything exerting was out of the question. He wanted his mate, needed to assure himself that she was indeed here with him once more.

  Natasha came out of the bathroom with a towel only wrapped around her slim body. Steam from the shower fanned around her, making her appear more angelic than she already was. She rubbed her hair with another towel, vigorously, with her head down. The sight had his balls tightening up, threatening to spill.

  “So, when will the window get fixed again?” she asked, tossing her head up, the wet long locks of her hair spilling out around her, some sticking to her wet shoulders. When her eyes met his she smiled, “Drake that isn’t what you’re supposed to be doing. Resting is the order from the doctor.”

  Drake shrugged and took hold of his thick shaft, stroking up and down. “It has a mind of its own and is desperately thinking about you.” She licked her lips and he twitched. “Damn, don’t do that baby.”

  “Do what?” Natasha blinked her eyes several times and he had to laugh even though it hurt slightly. The way she tried to look all innocent made her look cute as hell.

  “Tease me with that sweet mouth of yours,” he purred. “I don’t like to be teased.”

  “Really?” She cocked her head to the side and the sun shined bright on her bruise face. He had yet to see what other damage her father inflicted upon her. She tossed the towel in her hand back into the bathroom and went up to the foot of the bed. Holding his breath, Natasha crawled slowly upon it, right between his spread legs. “I’ll have to remember that.”

  She slapped his hand away. Drake held his breath, watching her take hold of his cock, moving her tiny hand up and down the length in the same manner he had done.

  “You know, I do understand that you need to rest and heal,” she stated, her brow coming together in a frown that had him instantly on guard. “But I really would hate to let something like this go to waste.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Yes.” She pushed it up and licked the underside from his balls to the tip. Drake let the air he was holding out in a rush. “I think I might just have to play with it some. You don’t mind, do you?” Both of those eyebrows went up this time, the question so innocent he knew she was going to kill him with pleasure. Drake couldn’t answer her, only shook his head no. She smiled, “Good.”

  Her mouth closed over the large plum shape head and she sucked only that. He moaned, fisted both hands, pressing them against his forehead. Her tongue flicked back and forth over it when she pulled it out. It drove him nuts, made him crazy with need, but also filled him with hunger for more.

  Down her tongue went again, and back up, flicking the head before she sucked it back into her mouth. Drake breathed hard, ignoring the slight discomfort in his side. Now the pleasure was too much for him to worry about the pain.

  A moan from her, a deep low growl from him, and Natasha took half of his length into her mouth, and down her throat. At that moment, he knew he just died a happy man.

  He grabbed onto the headboard, looked down at her, and watched her watching him as she moved her head up and down. She pulled on the shaft, and he foug
ht to hold back an impending climax.

  “Move up here,” he told her, reaching for her as best as he could. “I want to taste you as you taste me.”

  Natasha released him, “Are you sure you can do that with your rib?”

  “Fuck my rib, I want you.”

  She moved her body over his, turned around and gasped at the first kiss to her pussy. Drake yanked the towel away from her body brought her pussy down closer to his face and began to lick her. Once more Natasha had his cock in her mouth, sucking it hard, grazing it with her teeth. In turn, Drake opened her pussy up and dove in like a hungry cat to fresh cream.

  He sucked, sipped, and teased her clit the same way she had teased his cock before taking it into her mouth. Her moaning around his shaft vibrated, sending shards of raw pleasure racing down the length, to gather in his balls. He was so close he shook with the need, but held it back. The pleasure too intense now for it to end.

  Harder she pulled on his cock and harder Drake in turned sucked on her clit. Two fingers he pushed deep into her, and one teased her ass. She wiggled, squirmed and grinded herself on his face. He made a loud smacking sound with his lips, flicked her clit again with the tip of his tongue, and fucked her fast with his fingers.

  “I want this again.” He pushed lightly against the anal ring. “You going to give it to me again?”

  She moaned her answer against him and Drake pushed his finger deep into her ass. He closed his lips once more on her clit, pulling at her. Natasha screamed, or at least it sounded like one. She shattered over him, and he felt the tight muscles of her pussy contract around his fingers. She gave him one more scrape along the shaft and his own release came forth, and she drank it down.

  Releasing her pussy, he trailed kissed along the roundness of her ass cheeks, slowing down his fingers. When Natasha released his cock from her mouth, she didn’t stop giving it attention. She still kissed, licked, and moved her hand up and down the base. Maybe only a minute after his orgasm and he was once more hard again.

  “Ride it,” Drake ordered her, slipping his fingers from her pussy, but not her ass. “Fuck me, Natasha. Fuck me hard, mate.”