Tightening the Ropes [Dark Days Ranch 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Read online

  Damien sat in the black velvet chair directly across from Logan. “I know it was risky for you to be here, but it was imperative that you came. I have something to give you that I think might help.” He pointed to the file directly in front of Logan. “I printed these out for you.”

  He opened the manila envelope and inside was professional-grade pictures. The first one showed a man walking out of a large two-story mansion. He was surrounded by men with machine guns. The next few were the same thing, but Knox could tell that they were snapped in quick succession.

  Logan spread them out across the desk and Knox came closer. The man being protected had dark hair and pale skin. He wore dark sunglasses and black clothing. His build was on the lean side from the looks of it.

  “Is that who I think it is?” Knox kneeled in front of the desk and stared at the picture. It was the Holy Grail if he was right.

  Damien smiled. “It’s Dag. I’m almost positive. I’ve been scoping out that place for months and I’ve never seen that man enter or leave. It’s gotta be him.”

  A throat cleared and Knox and Damien looked up at Logan. He had the last picture held up so they all could see it. It was a close up of Dag’s profile, ending just at his shoulders. “I want you to all look at this and tell me what you see.”

  The men moved closer until they were all surrounding the desk.

  “I see a man.” Ty looked confused.

  “Yeah,” Rogue agreed, and shrugged. “I don’t recognize him. What exactly are we looking for?”

  Knox studied the picture and heard himself gasp. “He’s not a wolf.”

  “What do you mean, he’s not a wolf,” Damien said, defensively. “It’s Dag, dammit. Look how well guarded he is. I know it’s him.”

  The room got really quiet as everyone stared harder at the picture. When no one said anything Logan pointed. “If he’s a wolf, what are those on his neck?” Heads leaned closer and one by one they looked at each other, uncertainly. “If this is Dag, then we have bigger problems than we could have dreamed. Has anyone ever heard of a wolf pack being run by a vampire? I may be new to this, but I can tell you I most certainly haven’t. Jack told me about them. They have scars of the bite marks that turned them imprinted on their skin. He’s definitely a vampire. And these wolves are obviously protecting him. But why?”

  “There’s no way that’s possible.” Damien shook his head. “That can’t be Dag. I guess I was wrong. There’s no way wolves would bow down to a vampire. It’s…impossible. We couldn’t, even if we wanted to.”

  Knox picked up a picture from the desk. “Sure we could. If we had something to gain. Think about it.” He stared into the face of the man who he almost knew was Dag. Something about him was awfully familiar, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. “This is our boy. I can feel it, and I’m never wrong. Quote me on that.” He looked at Logan. “It’s Dag. I’m positive. I’m not sure why, but I think I’ve seen him before.”

  Logan nodded. “I think I’m going to go with you on this one.” Their Alpha looked at Damien. “Good work. I’m glad you had me come up here. I’m going to call Jack from Whiskey River Ranch. He needs to know what’s going on. After that I’ll go visit with the doc and check on our wounded, Jack.” Logan stood and Knox watched him walk out of the room.

  He placed all the photos but one in the envelope. “I’m gonna keep this. Maybe who he is will come back to me.”

  Damien winced as he stood. “Go for it. I have them saved. Just let me know if you need any more. I’ll make copies.”

  “Thanks.” Knox walked over to the door. “Let’s grab a bite to eat and then head out. We have a long drive home. Damien, you staying?”

  He looked over to Rogue. “Yeah. Rogue, now that you’re here I could really use your help. Can you stay?”

  “Sure.” He paused. “Yeah, I mean, I didn’t have much going on anyway. I can stay for a while.”

  Knox watched the interaction between his two brothers. He internally groaned. Although Rogue tried to act like it wasn’t a big deal, he knew his brother was not only surprised that Damien asked him, but he was also elated.

  “Good. You two keep me updated on Dag. I’m getting my grub on. Ty, you with me?” He looked over at his Alpha’s mate.

  “You bet. I’m starving.”

  The two walked into the empty kitchen and he placed the picture on the counter. Knox pulled the turkey, ham, and cheese from the refrigerator. He looked over at Ty. “Help yourself to whatever. There’s everything you could think of in there. The boys are constantly making store runs. They spend days out on surveillance so everyone splurges when it comes to eating.”

  “Sounds good, but I’m with you on the sandwiches. It’s fast and easy. I used to live on them, and soup, before I got with Myles and Logan. Now Myles spends all her time experimenting on cooking huge meals. I’m in heaven of course, but I still like my usual every now and then.”

  “The turkey and ham sandwich. Lunch of champions.” Knox slid over the ingredients, picked back up the picture of Dag, and walked to the living area. The news was on, but as he stood in front of the large flat screen he only saw one thing. Dag.

  What kind of vampire managed to run a wolf pack? It was unfathomable. He took a bite of his sandwich and stared at the dark glasses the man wore. Something dawned at him and he turned to Ty. “Have you ever heard of a vamp moving around outside during the day? I mean, I know it’s not impossible for them to be in the sunlight for brief amounts of time, but from what I know it’s painful as shit. Why would this guy risk going out at all if he didn’t have to?”

  Ty started putting the lunch meat back in the fridge. “Shit, Knox. I don’t know. The list could be endless if you bring in illegal activities. It’s no secret Hidden Hills are a corrupt bunch. Maybe something bad went down that forced him out. If this is Dag then, yeah…it’d have to be really bad. Do we know where this guy went after he left the house?”

  “No.” Damien limped his way to the couch. “We tried to make it back to the car fast enough to follow but were spotted almost immediately. That’s how we got shot up. I did see four SUVs. One in front of Dag’s, and two behind. They were headed in the direction leading deeper in to Hidden Hills.”

  “Damn.” Knox finished off his food and continued staring at the pic.

  Logan appeared in the room and grabbed a sandwich from Ty. “That was nice of you.” He smiled at his mate. “Thank you for thinking about me.”

  “I always am.” The look they gave each other was so intimate Knox had to look down. How would it feel to be so close to someone? The woman officer flashed in his mind and his eyes blinked hard. His eyes refocused on Dag, and Knox wracked his mind trying to remember if he’d seen him before. Son of bitch. It was right there on the edge of his mind, but it wouldn’t come.

  “Load up, boys. We need to go.” Knox gripped the picture and grabbed the keys to the black, bulletproof H2 from the key ring. It wasn’t his Beamer, but it would do. It was time he found his own mates. He had to make sure he was right, and if so, he needed to separate himself before he was in too far over his head.

  * * * *

  The sun was just starting to set as Lynna fell to the blanket, amused. Lewis was already lounging in the open field next to the corral with his hands behind his head. She couldn’t get over his sense of humor. For a guy who thought he was an average Joe and boring, she couldn’t stop laughing at his funny jokes.

  “So how long have you worked at Dark Days?” Lynna stretched out on her stomach, using her hands to prop up her face. She couldn’t stop staring at his gorgeous smile. Or the way his eyes would light up as he would remember a story to tell her from his childhood.

  After the long day of riding horses, she’d never once lacked conversation with him. It was a huge plus from the guys she’d met in her past. With Lewis, their new relationship felt right. It was perfect chemistry.

  “Ah, Dark Days. Well, I’ve only been here a few weeks. Lo…” He paused and l
ooked uncomfortable. “He’s my boss. Well, he was looking for someone new to break and train the horses. I was a little shocked that he chose me, truthfully. I put in my application months ago and lost hope. Then out of the blue he called. It was like…fate. I had just got another offer down south, but Dark Darks has always been a dream of mine.” He laughed. “Anyone who wants to work on a ranch wants to come here.”

  “Fate.” Lynna returned his smile. “I like that.”

  Lewis turned on his side. He used his arm to hold his upper body up. His bicep’s flexed as he moved a little closer. Heat flushed through her body. Lynna tried to catch her breath.

  “You said you dreamed of Dark Days. Do you remember what it was?”

  Images projected through her mind and Lynna knew she was getting wet. She could still feel the caress against her breasts. Fingers gently pulled at her nipples, and she could remember moaning at how good it felt. Another pair of hands trailed their way from her knees toward her pussy. A need like nothing else consumed her. As Lynna tried to look at the men pleasuring her, she noticed that she couldn’t see their faces. All that was clear was their touch and the love she felt for both of them.

  “You okay?”

  Sweat began to collect between her breasts. Heat was engulfing her entire body. Especially between her legs. Lynna sat up. She couldn’t stop squirming. “I could see the sign above me in the distance.” She cleared her throat. It was the truth. It was the only image from her dream that she could make out.

  “Oh.” His brow creased as he looked at her. She could tell he was thinking hard. “So you were lying down? Like you just were?”

  Lynna glanced toward the entrance of the ranch. The sign was so clear from here. Just like in her dream. Except, there, the letters were behind her. If she were to walk a hundred yards straight ahead and look back toward the large metal letters it would be perfect.

  “Kind of. It was nothing, really.”

  “I don’t know.” Lewis scooted even closer. “Sure doesn’t look like nothing. I’ve seen you blush more times talking about this dream than I ever have. Sure you don’t want to tell me?”

  His eyes were so hypnotic. As she stared into their depths, she could feel herself getting sucked in to some magical place she was sure she didn’t ever want to leave. “Can I show you?” She whispered. Her face leaned in his direction. They were only inches apart.

  “I’d love nothing more.”

  She closed her eyes and gently pressed her lips into his. Lewis’s hand laced through her hair while he pulled her deeper into their kiss. The softness of his tongue swept across hers and Lynna moaned into his mouth. The yearning that coursed through her was crippling.

  Lewis’s arm wrapped around her waist and he pulled her body underneath his. His weight settling over her felt so good that Lynna brought her knees up and wrapped her legs around his hips. The hardness of Lewis’s cock pressed into her pussy. She wanted to curse at the jeans separating them.

  The sound of a vehicle sliding to a stop on the dirt road not far from them had both her and Lewis breaking their connection. The darkness made it hard to see who the three men getting out of the large vehicle were, but she knew one thing. They were coming toward them.

  Lewis eased out from her slowly. Something felt suddenly off. What had just been a beautiful moment between her and her cowboy was momentarily gone. It was enough to leave her aching and angry. Yet, the curiosity of three large men getting closer could not be ignored. A twisting erupted in her stomach, and Lynna could feel herself standing on shaky legs. Her breath got caught in her throat as she tried to suck in air.

  “You.” The word came out as a whisper, but in the dead silence of their surroundings it was loud enough to sound as though she’d shouted it.

  Chapter 5

  Knox led Logan and Ty through the field as he closed in on his mates. From the vibrations making his body hum, he knew these two belonged to him. The fact that he felt anything for them to begin with should have been a clear indication, but he didn’t want to believe it. When he felt a pull to the darkness, he knew he’d find the cop and Lewis there. He barely remembered slamming on the breaks to the H2. His body locked to the couple’s arousal as if it were his own.

  Words from Logan or Ty didn’t even register as he stalked to their location.

  “You.” Her voice was like music to his ears.

  Knox looked between her and Lewis. What had they been doing that had her so turned on? Their clothes were still on so it couldn’t have been too much. Jealousy had him swallowing down a bitter taste in his mouth. He wanted to be with both of them, and the fact that he wasn’t made him angry.

  “I see.” Logan came up beside him. “Hello, Officer Gordova. I see we meet again. We’re really sorry about earlier.”

  Her eyes were wide, and she didn’t even look at Logan. Her stare was stuck to Knox. “You should be sorry. Every cop in this area is looking for you guys.”

  Lewis’s hand grabbed hers and he moved her closer into his side. Knox looked at him and felt the anger dissipate. Even though they were human, he was glad their bond was already growing. Maybe there was a way for him to get out of this mating after all. He’d just pretend he wasn’t involved and they could be together and maybe things would work out.

  “Right.” Knox nodded and tore his gaze from the woman. “We’re just here to apologize. I’ll let you two get back to what you’re doing. We won’t bother you anymore.”

  A laugh exploded from her mouth. It was enough to make butterflies flutter through his stomach. Knox felt a part of him soften at that beautiful sound. Everything about her really got to him. Her eyes, her face, the curvy figure being displayed in those tight jeans. Now her laugh.

  “You seriously think an apology is going to make everything okay? What you did was against the law.”

  Knox felt himself shake his head. “Your laws don’t apply to us.”

  A shocked expression crossed her face. “Us? As in you and these men, or us humans? I didn’t forget you mentioning those words. What did you mean by that anyway?”

  Logan groaned and rubbed his eyes. “He didn’t mean anything.” He turned to his mate. “Ty, why don’t you call Myles and let her know we’re going to be late. We’re going to have to take another trip. This one shouldn’t take as long.”

  Confused, Knox looked at him. Like a flash, Logan reached out and pulled the woman officer to his side and began stepping away from him and Lewis. A growl tore from Knox’s throat as she cried out. The fear that consumed him was not his own, but feeling hers was enough to cause him to panic. He wasn’t used to this shit. Thoughts wouldn’t process as desperation to get her back took over. Logan might have been his alpha, but in that moment, thoughts about how to take him out exploded into his mind. He quickly had to rein them in.

  “Lynna!” Lewis sprinted forward but Knox easily reached out and grabbed him. One thing he knew was Logan was one powerful wolf, and his other mate didn’t stand a chance if he got pissed. There was no way he was going to let both of them come into harm’s way.

  “Knox, what are your intentions with these two?” Logan pulled her hair back and she screamed out in pain again, but it didn’t stop her from trying to fight. She kicked and swung her arms around wildly.

  “There are none.” Knox shrugged, trying to act like it didn’t bother him. But he kept his arm on Lewis’s shoulder. Every time the cowboy tried to move he tightened his grip.

  Logan nodded. “If that’s the case then I think we both know what needs to happen. One hand wrapped around her jaw as the other held her head. “I mean, she can’t go on living if you’re not going to claim her. We’ll have every cop from kingdom come overtaking Dark Days. I’m sorry. But I can’t let that happen.”

  Lewis began fighting to get to Lynna. Knox wrapped his arm around his chest and pulled his mate’s body into his. Their contact had him craving more. It felt so right that it hurt. As he watched the tears stream down Lynna’s face he knew he couldn’t l
et anything happen to her. Even if that meant facing the facts. Things were never going to be the same.

  “I’ll make them mine.” Knox eased forward, and Lewis moved with him without pause. “Just don’t hurt her. She’s not going to say anything about any of this, are you…Lynna?”

  “No. No, I swear.” Her voice cracked and her words were shaky.

  Logan narrowed his eyes. Knox was having a hard time understanding what was going on. Why would his Alpha want to harm one of his mates? Suddenly, a story came back to him that he’d heard from Jack.

  You should have seen Myles. The second I dragged Logan inside the bar she became unglued. I knew from that moment that they were meant to be mates. She used every ounce of control not to attack me. But I knew if I pretended I was going to hurt her mate that it would really snap the bond into effect. And it did. Logan instantly warmed to Myles.

  Knox kept quiet as understanding dawned. Logan wasn’t serious. He was testing the bond, and he was increasing Lynna and Lewis’s.

  Logan started to pull Lynna toward the H2. Knox and Lewis followed, even though they weren’t sure what was going on. A howl came from Logan’s mouth and Knox’s wolf spasmed inside. He knew his leader was calling in the troops, and he was confused as to why.

  Wolves and men poured out of the darkness in every direction. Some had shifted. Others let their beast cloud their eyes. Regardless, he knew each and every one of these men were willing to die for whatever order their Alpha was about to give.

  Lynna looked around frantically. Even Lewis had moved more in his direction. Coyotes were common in these parts, but no one could mistake one of these huge creatures for one of those.

  “Knox, you’re going to get in the car and we’re all going to take a ride. I’m not going to have any trouble from you, am I?”

  Even though Knox was seething at seeing his mates so scared, he nodded. All he cared about was that these two were okay. Anything else he could deal with.