Page 38 of Bonded By Blood

Trista opened her mouth, seemingly prepared to demand a further explanation, but Brianna beat her to it.

“We may be the First Family, but even we would struggle in a war against the Jefferies Pack. And I’m sure you know Curtis Jefferies wouldn’t sit by and do nothing if he felt his son were wrongfully executed.”

Joe had never personally met the Alpha in question, but he’d heard stories. Everyone with at least a single ear to the supernatural community had. And from everything he’d heard—from strangers over accumulated conversations, as well as from Adam—Brianna was right.

Judging from the frown that darkened Trista’s face and the narrowing of her eyes, Trista recognized Brianna’s point, too.

“If we cooperate with them,” Seth began after several tense seconds had passed, “we can keep a sort of proverbial leash on them. Maybe designate which areas they can patrol, or partner wolves up with vampires in an effort to keep both sides honest. There are things we can do to maintain order.”

Trista studied Seth, as if weighing his words. She slid her scowl to Joe before turning entirely around and walking back toward her chair. “Why are you all coming to me as if this is up for debate if the little Alpha boy has decided to do it his own way anyway?”

Brianna released an undeniably exasperated sigh. “Mother, don’t do that.”

Joe moved up to Brianna’s side. “Adam has made up his mind. But he said he’d wait twenty-four hours, because he would rather work alongside you than against you. He wanted to give you time to consider your options.” The truth was, Joe had had to talk Adam into that agreement. Adam had been chomping at the bit to go after the Wilsons all on his own and rip them apart. The idea of hunting side-by-side had come from Seth—Joe had been mostly focused on talking Adam into staying in his skin.

“Oh, how generous of him,” Trista replied as she dropped back into her chair. She threw one leg over the other and leaned back, folding her arms in her lap. Her displeasure was as apparent as the sarcasm in her faintly-accented voice. “Now if I refuse, their blood is on my hands—not to mention staining my streets—and I’m in a bad spot with Jefferies Senior. So of course I accept. I’m not a fool.” Her lips curled a little with the words.

The way she said it, Joe half expected her to add an immediate retraction.

She didn’t. Instead, she returned her focus to Seth. “They recognize you as a representative of me, and right now you’re one of the few people I trust. Therefore, you’re in charge of organizing this joint hunt. I don’t want those dogs wandering loose in Sacramento. Figure that out.”

Seth bowed at the shoulders. “Understood.”

Trista waved one hand at them. “Now all of you go. I want to be alone.”

Joe was more than happy to follow Brianna and Seth from the room. Seth wasted no time leaving to fulfill Trista’s orders, and though Joe felt a twinge of guilt for not accompanying the man, he knew it wasn’t his place. While Adam would welcome him, he needed to also consider his position within the vampire community. That meant not presenting as if he cared more about the werewolves.

“I’m sorry,” Brianna said, her voice—and the unexpected words—sharpening Joe’s focus. She sank onto a two-seater sofa and patted the cushion beside her with a small, sympathetic smile. “We’re all rattled, but Mother… I’m sorry.”

Joe let his lips twitch in response and accepted the invitation. He’d followed Brianna into a smaller, less gaudy sitting room. The far wall was a bookcase, though half its shelves displayed various objects—trinkets, candles, random accessories. The drapes for the large window were drawn, but the smaller overhead chandelier put off more than enough lighting, at least for his enhanced sight. The sofa sat up against the window wall, facing a wall-mounted television. “It’s fine,” he said. “I know vampire-werewolf politics are sensitive, and on top of the Wilson situation, I’m sure even she’s stressed out right now.”

Brianna hummed in a way he took as confirmation. “In a calmer state she knows the wolves aren’t our enemies.” She drew a breath and pulled one of his hands into hers. “Let’s not talk about that. How are you? That was a horrible way to have to reveal to them what’s happened to you. How did it go?”

Her skin was soft against his. The observation struck him stupidly as he watched her search his face for his reply. After the uncomfortable conversation that had just taken place, and despite whatever her personal position on it was, she was genuinely concerned for him. The way she’d folded her smooth, feminine hands around his now-eternally-calloused palm seemed to emphasize that fact. He gave her hand a squeeze.

“It was pretty awkward,” Joe replied. “For a moment, I don’t think he recognized me. Then he was angry—like I’ve never seen—and it got worse when I told him what happened.” He hoped the apology showed in his eyes. “I know I wasn’t supposed to, but Adam’s my friend, and now that he’s lost someone else, too … it didn’t seem right to keep everything from him.”

Brianna smiled softly. “I’m not upset. Mother’s decision was selfish and unreasonable. I just wish you hadn’t been put in that position.”

That was certainly good to know.

Joe let out a breath through parted lips and leaned in. “I really don’t feel like talking right now.” It was probably inappropriate, he knew that. He didn’t care. They could be interrupted at any second, get swept up in another round of chaos that could last for hours. This moment, at least, was theirs. He intended to take it.

Brianna released his hand and curled her palms around the sides of his throat as she returned the kiss. She leaned into him and tilted her head, allowing him to deepen the kiss, and he swept his tongue into her mouth. She must have fed while he’d been out, because he could taste the lingering coppery sweetness of human blood. The combination made him growl a little against her lips. He swirled his tongue around hers and sucked it into his mouth, simultaneously sweeping one hand up, under the hem of her skirt. His hand curled over her thigh, squeezing, and she moaned.

“Joe…” She knew it was inappropriate, too. She might even have been thinking about how they’d been interrupted the last time. But when she spoke, she didn’t try to stop him. “Be mindful of the dress.”

He bowed his head and trailed kisses along her jaw as his fingers lifted to skim the line of her panties. “What about these?”

Her fingers teased his scalp. “Less important.”

Joe rumbled with understanding and ran his tongue over the hollow of her neck. She moaned and he slipped his questing fingers beneath the thin fabric of her panties. She was already wet for him. Another low growl reverberated up from his chest and he claimed her lips in a hard kiss as he began stroking her slick folds.

Briana’s nails dug into his skin as she pulled herself closer. Tiny, titillating pinpricks of pain at the back of his head and his nape that assured Joe he was doing something right. But he wasn’t in the mood to draw anything out, so he removed his hand from her center and twisted around until both hands were beneath the skirt of her dress and tugging on her underwear. He felt her laugh against his lips before she adjusted her grip to help him achieve his ultimate goal.

He could feel the heat of her touch through his shirt as she fondled her way down his chest until she reached his belt buckle. Her panties were already acceptably discarded by the time his jeans came undone. He sucked in a sharp breath as Brianna helped free his erection, her touch lingering.

“This sofa,” Brianna said, breathless, her lips dragging against his skin, “really isn’t big enough to stretch out on.”