Dark Desire Read online

  Evernight Publishing

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2014 Shannan Albright

  ISBN: 978-1-77130-908-0

  Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

  Editor: Karyn White

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  Writing a book is a lonely and isolating business, but publishing is something else entirely. It takes a remarkable team of people to take your work and find the gem beneath. Without the help of Karyn White, my editor, I doubt this book would shine so bright. Her insight and experience made this story so much more than what it started out to be. You are an incredible talent Karyn and I’m fortunate to have worked with you.

  To Evernight Publishing who continues to support my endeavors, you have my heartfelt thanks for giving my series a home.

  To my husband Curt who took over all the cooking and house cleaning so I could take more time to write. Thank you for making this book so much easier than it would have been otherwise. I love you more than mere words could ever express. Gypsy, my dearest friend, thank you for letting me toss ideas at you and for your unending belief in me.

  And to you, thank you for your support.

  DARK DESIRE

  Dark Breed Enforcers, 4

  Shannan Albright

  Copyright © 2014

  Behold a child born beneath the waves in a land lost in the mist of legend.

  Marked by the great dragon, he shall live among the many races, his destiny unknown to all.

  From this child shall come the union of two warring nations, and herald in a time of great change and upheaval.

  Behold the child, warrior and prince, who shall lead a great army against an ancient evil, intent to plunge the earth in darkness evermore.

  Atlantean prophecy,

  Author unknown 1126 B.C.

  Chapter One

  March

  Zeke bit out a vicious curse as he ran through the alley, his boots pounding the pavement with in a quick thumping tempo. He burst out on the sidewalk turning sharply to the right, nearly stumbling as he found his way blocked by a homeless man pushing a grocery cart full of his belongings. The old man cried, attempting to move out of the way and abandoning his belongings in a frantic effort to avoid the collision.

  Gathering his strength, muscles bunching, he leapt. His long legs carried him clear of the cart. The old man’s string of obscenities were nothing more than background noise as Zeke’s boots hit the concrete with a solid thump. Bolting forward, his arms pumped harder to give him greater speed. All his attention narrowed to just one pain in the ass, dark-haired Lycan sprinting ahead of him.

  Godsdamn Pure Bloods.

  He didn’t have time for this shit. He thought he kept upwind of Lucien’s sensitive nose, always following just far enough back to blend into the crowd, as he trailed after Temple Fox’s top dog … or wolf, in this case. He cursed the March winds, so prevalent in the Las Vegas valley this time of year. They blew strong, shifting direction with a sudden microburst of air. Lucien stiffened, raising his head to sniff the air, and just that quickly Zeke had been made.

  The quick and easy grab and dash for Oman’s Seal died a quick death as the asshole took off, leading Zeke a merry chase through what the locals called “old town”. So far the crowds had been sparse, but he knew his luck wouldn’t last. When it came to the Lycan it never did.

  “Where the hell are you, Zeke?” his fellow Enforcer demanded in his ear bud.

  “I’m kind of busy, Christophe,” he snapped, watching Lucien duck into another alley between Main Street and Charleston, getting closer to more populated areas. Damn, looked like jumping in front of this bastard would be a no go, the risk of materializing in the same spot as another too dicey.

  And messy. A one way ticket to the afterlife, for him and the sorry SOB.

  Christophe’s voice crackled in his ear, the edge of irritation clear. “What the fuck, Zeke? How did he get a bead on you?”

  Zeke’s gritted his teeth in frustration. “I’m busy here, so if you don’t mind stowing the ass chewing.” He ripped the bud out of his ear with a snarl and poured on more speed, hitting the alley just in time to see Lucien leap over the remaining wall and disappear from view.

  Oh, hell no. The big bastard won’t get away from me that easily.

  Zeke pushed his body even harder, racing with everything he had toward the wall. Leaping high he used the side wall as a springboard, hands gripping the top bricks of the wall, his momentum carrying him over in a back flip worthy of any gymnast. His feet touched the ground with a solid thud, and knees flexed, he surged forward in a dead run.

  Lucien’s dark head bobbed up ahead, ducking into alleys and side streets in an effort to lose him. Zeke dug into his reserves, his focus narrowed to only one objective, keep Lucien in his sights. He pushed through the thickening crowd of people as he made the strip.

  The irritating sound of cards snapping on his right broke through his concentration; a hand flashing a picture of a bare breasted blonde was shoved into his face. With a snarl he shoved the man back, not staying to watch the man lose his balance, cards flying into the air as he went down hard on his ass.

  He gained on Lucien. Reaching out a hand he could almost touch him. His heart pumped, breath coming in ragged gasps as his lungs threatened to seize from the effort.

  So close, almost there…

  Lucien dove hard to the left, giving Zeke no time to adjust his trajectory, barreling through the intersection in front of an oncoming car. He saw the driver’s eyes widen in shock a split second before he hit the fender of the car, flipping up in the air and landing hard on the hood with a crunch of metal buckling under his weight. His back made contact with the windshield with a sharp thwack. White hot pain shot through his body, stealing the breath from his lungs. The window cracked from the impact, spider webbing across the smooth surface before sagging inward toward the shocked driver.

  Damn, that hurt.

  With a low groan he rolled off the dented hood dropping to his knees as he struggled for breath. Not one of his best moves. Out of habit he touched his shades, relieved to find them still in one piece. The last thing he needed was for anyone to see his eyes. Even amongst the different breeds, they were unusual. Add to that an old, obscure prophecy attached to his birth, and … well, he was just glad no one knew of that little tidbit of information. He felt bruised, but nothing seemed broken as he tested his arms and legs, slowly rising to his feet.

  Zeke didn’t have time to waste, the clock ticking down, and every second putting Lucien further from his reach. Ignoring the still stunned driver he lunged into a run, turning into the small alley he’d watched Lucien duck into just before he became a hood ornament. His gut clenched, knowing Lucien would seek the most populated areas to get lost in.

  Putting his ear bud back in place he palmed his cell, thankful to see it still working, and punched in a number. “Yeah, Marcus, I lost him, but I know where he is going. If you can get someone over to Temple’s I can jump to the location.”

  “I have Cody in that area. Hang tight. It shouldn’t be long.”

  Marcus hung up leaving Zeke to pace. It seemed like hours, yet the wait was only minutes when his phone chirped a happy tune. “Are you in place?”

  “Mon ami. I’m hurt. No hello, how are you?”

  “I’m not in the mood, Cody. Just tell me if it is safe for a jump,” Zeke bit out, losing his patience with the cocky Cajun.

  “You have no sense of humor,” Cody growled, disgust evident in his tone. “All right, just tune in, or whatever you do. It’s clear.”

  Zeke concentrated on the thread of energy coming from the other end of the phone, following it as his body shifted, breaking down to subatomic particles. His molecules vibrated as they merged with the static trail charged by Cody’s cell phone. The transformation bothered the other Enforcers, but for him he reveled in the sense of freedom. In an instant he formed beside the newly turned vampire.

  Cody O’Bannon stood well over six feet with the kind of looks women flocked to in droves. The cocky Cajun could be a pain in the ass with no filter between his brain and mouth, but Zeke couldn’t fault the man’s loyalty. Close friend and ex-partner to Tambra Ellis, he’d worked for Metro PD for years. When Marcus Valerian, the leader of the Enforcers, had saved Tambra from a Lycan attack it hadn’t taken long for Marcus to make her his consort. Cody threw his support one hundred percent behind both Tambra and the Enforcers without missing a beat.

  When Cody took a fatal bullet intended for Tambra, Christophe, their vampire lothario took the responsibility to sire him. Zeke hated to admit it, but Cody had turned into one hell of an Enforcer, and as long as you could ignore his snarky ass attitude, the guy was pretty all right.

  Cody jumped at Zeke’s sudden appearance. “Merde, I hate it when you do that.”

  Zeke noted the pristine foyer, relieved to see it deserted. Italian marble stretched over its length, the color of bleached bone, a stark contrast to the black chairs and grey walls. Ignoring Cody he moved to the doors looking out at the City Center on Las Vegas Bo
ulevard. The lights of the strip illuminated the night, flashing a multitude of colors, glinting like a precious stones against a black backdrop.

  High priced stores lined the walkway where Temple’s building stood, along with five star restaurants and theaters. A city within the city and one of the newest gems in the ever changing landscape of Las Vegas.

  Zeke never turned his attention from the view outside as he addressed Cody. “Get over it, philos. Now where’s Lucien?”

  “What did you call me?” Cody’s tone turned sharp with sudden temper.

  Zeke shook his head. “Friend. I called you friend.”

  “Ah, that’s all right then. That scarred cochon will be here anytime now.” Cody sneered his distaste for the Lycan.

  After what Lucien had done to Kyra, Tegan’s mate, the wolf seemed to be on all of the Enforcers’ most disliked list at the moment. Not that Zeke could blame them. If not for Lucien, Kyra would have never been taken by the Atlantean tracker and damn near killed. Nor would he be facing a loveless political match.

  A deal made with his dear old dad, the king.

  Zeke turned from the door in disgust. Yeah, his life took a dump, and there was nothing he could do about it but get the godsdamn Oman’s Seal and see it safe in the Atlantean vault. The artifact in the wrong hands could have cataclysmic results. Atlantis sinking just happened to be one of many “natural” disasters the thing had caused. Some said the seal—no bigger than a coin—was made by the gods Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades in an attempt to overthrow their father, Cronus, the king of the Titans. Combining their powers they created a powerful weapon capable of untold destruction. With Oman’s Seal the three gods had overthrown Cronus’s reign, imprisoning him and the Titans within the darkest pits of Tartarus. Poseidon had given the artifact to Atlantis for safekeeping, but it had been lost when the city sank beneath the waves.

  He really needed to acquire it and see it safely ensconced in a place no one would ever touch the damn thing. The where would have to wait until he had his hands on it.

  “When Lucien comes in let me deal with him, got it?”

  Cody raised his arms in mock surrender. “Fine, I’ll just stand around with my finger up my ass all right?”

  “Don’t push it,” Zeke warned darkly.

  “Look, I know things are tough for you, I get it. I may not be able to relate to being a high prince and forced to marry, but I can sympathize, mon ami. So, if you don’t mind, give me some slack. I’m not your enemy.”

  Zeke blew out a heavy sigh. Shit, the guy had a point. He didn’t like it, but Cody was right. He’d spent the last few days as prickly as a porcupine ready to shoot quills at anything that looked twice at him.

  “Look, I’m sorry man, I just … I don’t know. Want to just get this over with and get back to taking care of biz.”

  “So after you marry you coming back?”

  Zeke nodded, his mouth tightening into a grim line. “I’m needed here more than I ever was in Atlantis. When I marry that won’t change. I will just have to make quick visits back home to appease the old man until I do my duty and give him an heir.” The bitterness crept into his voice no matter how hard he tried to mask it.

  Cody folded his arms across his chest. “Well, it looks like it’s time to take care of some of that biz. Lucien is heading for the door.”

  Zeke turned just in time to meet Lucien’s shocked stare. “Surprise, asshole. Thought you got rid of me?”

  The whoosh of elevator doors opening accompanied a woman’s husky Jamaican flavored voice. “Hello, gentlemen. Lucien, you are late.”

  The dark haired woman moved with the lithe grace of a predator. Dark honey skin shone in a bright turquoise sheath hugging the curves of her body and slit high at the side showing one long shapely leg. Her eyes, a warm brown, tilted up in an exotic slant. High cheekbones and full lips, just the type Zeke liked. He eyed her with appreciation.

  “This is Leola, Temple’s woman,” Lucien growled, reminding Zeke of boulders grinding together.

  Cody moved up to Zeke, his green eyes glinting with pure male interest. “When you are ready for a man, just let me know, cher.”

  Her brown eyes narrowed. “And you are the man to show me the error of my ways?”

  “I must apologize for my colleague here. He sometimes forgets his manners.” Zeke’s tone held a wealth of warning. Cody just grinned back showing a hint of fang.

  In a sudden burst of speed Cody grabbed Leola, pushing her back against the wall and giving Zeke a clear path to Lucien. He lunged, hitting the Lycan in the chest with his shoulder. The satisfying thwack of his body meeting the unyielding metal of the elevator doors filled Zeke with a small measure of satisfaction. He swung a fist into Lucien’s jaw and smiled as his head snapped back at the impact.

  “That’s for Tegan.” He punched out a second time, connecting with his jaw. The sound of bone crunching joined with the screams of outrage coming from Temple’s latest bed warmer. “This is for Kyra, you asshole.”

  He went low for the third blow landing a solid punch to Lucien’s gut, and the big man doubled over as air whooshed out of his lungs. “And this one’s for me. Don’t ever make me chase you all over the city again. Now, give me Oman’s seal.”

  Zeke’s demand was punctuated by the ding of the elevator doors opening again. A curse from Cody joined the metallic chime drawing his attention the struggling woman. Her knee jerked up making solid contact with Cody’s groin. Zeke winced as Cody went down with a loud grunt, curling into a fetal position on the marble floor. Leola leapt into the air with a fierce growl and kicked out, her foot connecting with Zeke’s torso sending him crashing back into the wall with a solid thump. Lights flashed across his vision as his head hit the solid marble, and the world darkened around him.

  Zeke fought to remain conscious, taking deep breaths to clear his head as he staggard forward. Lucien moved past Leola making it to the elevator doors before either Cody or Zeke could block him. “Tell Marcus better luck next time.” Lucien smirked, steel grey eyes cold, the scar running from his left eye to the corner of his mouth white against the bronze of his skin.

  “I’m sorry it had to come to this.” Regret shone in Leola’s eyes.

  “You’re a Were, aren’t you, Leola?” At her startled look Zeke pressed on. “There is no future for you with Temple. Is he worth it?” He knew only too well it wouldn’t end well for her if she held any aspirations of hooking up with Temple on a permanent basis. Temple had made it abundantly clear when he’d tried to take Tambra as his mate when she changed. The humiliating beating Temple had taken was still one of the Enforcers’ favorite stories they loved to tell.

  “If you ever need help, don’t hesitate to let us know,” Zeke offered, knowing full well she would turn it down, yet he could only hope.

  Leola’s eyes warmed with a small hint of gratitude. So she isn’t dumb. “I will keep that in mind.”

  Zeke lunged for Lucien as the doors slid shut. With a roar of rage and frustration he slammed a fist against the cool metal with all the force he could muster. He barely felt his knuckles split on impact. Adrenaline and white hot fury mixed with desperation consumed him, narrowing his vision to only one thing. Get Oman’s Seal.

  The center of the elevator doors buckled beneath his bloody fists as he punched a hole wide enough for him to see Lucien’s stunned expression. Zeke reached in, grabbing him by the throat before he could react.

  “Give me the Seal, or I’ll rip your fucking head off.”

  Lucien’s eyes narrowed as his own anger rose, and a snarl curled his lips off sharp white teeth. He gripped Zeke’s hand and squeezed so tight his fingers went numb, his hold loosening just enough for Lucien to step clear. There was no time to dodge Lucien’s fist as pain exploded in his jaw. He experienced a moment of weightlessness as his feet left the ground, and he was propelled back into the wall once again. Zeke landed on the floor fighting the wave of dizziness. His vision wavered, the elevator seeming to get smaller, the light dimming to only a pinprick. His last thought before he succumbed to oblivion was regret for his failure. He cursed with growing frustration. Oman’s Seal was now in the hands of a power-hungry Lycan.