Heartsblood (Dark Hollow Wolf Pack 10)

Logan shook his head violently and jerked his head back down the trail behind him. “Nicky and Marco—they put us out in the car park, and we managed to get Marco just inside the woods, but they need help. Go to them, please!”

Cade and Casey were already jumping to their feet and running. Ian wanted to get up and follow them, but he couldn’t seem to let go of Logan. “Are Nicky and Marco okay?” he managed to ask and Logan nodded.

“I think so. Marco was shot but Nicky talked Tate into operating on him.” Despite the tears that were running down his face, Logan laughed at the expression on Ian’s face. “No, really, he did. Nicky’s given him a lot of his blood, but it’s not enough. Finally, Tate brought us back and put us out. I ran ahead to get help.”

“And no one hurt you? You’re all right?”

“Yes, yes, I’m good. Just really tired. We even tried giving Marco some of my blood—we were so desperate. I don’t know if it did any good, but he’s still alive, at least.”

Ian nodded, too overcome to speak. He knew Casey and

Cade would give Marco blood as soon as they found him, and he could only hope that it would be enough. He took Logan’s face between his hands and kissed his lips. “I-I thought I’d lost you. God, baby, I was so scared.”

Unable to wait another moment, Ian picked Logan up and carried him a few steps off the trail. He laid him down and stripped his pants down to his knees. Growling, Ian left the jeans bunched around Logan’s knees and folded his legs up to his shoulders, lifting his ass in the air. He swiped pre-cum from Logan’s cock, added his own, and smeared Logan’s hole, ramming inside, not giving Logan time to adjust to the force of his invasion. Logan didn’t fight him in the least. Maybe he was aware that Ian was mostly out of control. He wouldn’t hurt Logan, but he had to claim him and until he did, he wouldn’t be totally himself.

The pants around his knees were as effective as rope. All Logan could do was wiggle and squirm, not to get away but to ease the pressure and spread his lower legs as far as he could to allow Ian greater access. Ian had to be inside him, but at Logan’s choked back cry of pain, Ian froze a moment, panting for breath.

Letting Logan adjust a bit to his thickness, Ian’s voice trembled. “I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“It’s okay,” Logan said softly. “I need you too.”

Ian tried hard to gentle his movements, stroking instead of pounding him and angled his entry to reach Logan’s prostate with every stroke. Logan purred under him like a kitten, driving Ian almost mad with lust. With one or two more thrusts, Ian found his release and then collapsed down beside his mate, almost unconscious with relief and exhaustion.

When they both recovered, Ian got to his feet and helped Logan up, straightening his clothes for him solicitously. Now that Ian could think straight again, he started back down the trail to see if Zack and Casey needed any help, but he and Logan soon met them carrying Marco between them with Nicky trailing along behind, looking like he was about to collapse.

Marco was conscious, though he seemed to be not fully aware of where he was. Without a word, Ian stepped up beside Nicky and wrapped an arm around his waist, supporting him. Nicky gave him a grateful smile and with Ian on one side and Logan on the other, they followed the others down to the lodge and home.

* * * *

When their group stumbled back into the yard at Cade and Jax’s lodge, pandemonium ensued for a few moments. Excited wolves yipped and crowded around them to touch them and welcome them home. Nicky was pulled out of Ian and Logan’s arms to be engulfed in Jax’s, and when his knees gave out and he sank to the ground, he allowed himself to close his eyes for a moment and bask in the happiness of being back with his pack again. He felt a warm hand on his brow and opened his eyes to look up into Gabe’s beautiful face.

“Hello, gorgeous. I’ve never been so glad to see anyone in my life.” Gabe’s lips were trembling and his eyes were brimming with tears. Nicky reached up a tired hand to touch his cheek.

“I’m glad to see you too, Nicky,” a deep voice said from beside him, and he flinched a little to see Zack bending close. He patted Nicky’s chest though and then bit down into his wrist to start a blood flow. “Feed from me, Nicky. It won’t taste as good as Marco’s but it will make you stronger.”

Nicky nodded and glanced around for Marco before he fed himself, but Gabe knew who he was looking for and spoke soothingly in his ear. “The doctor is looking at his wounds and they’re giving him more blood. He’ll be okay, Nicky.”

Too tired and weak to even speak, Nicky sighed and latched onto Zack’s wrist. He closed his eyes again and allowed the hot blood to flow into his mouth.

Nicky awoke what must have been hours later, feeling—actually not too bad. He stretched his arms over his head and looked around himself, needing to find Marco and check on his condition. When he sat up, he saw him right away, lying on a bed next to his. He quickly crawled in beside him and wrapped a leg over Marco’s, pulling his body close.

“So you’re finally awake? I thought I might have to come over there and resuscitate you.”

Nicky raised his head in surprise and blinding relief to hear Marco’s voice speaking to him. He sounded weak and tired, but more like his old self again, and Nicky peppered his face with kisses. Laughing, Marco pushed him gently away. “Give me a second to breathe, sweetheart, and then you can have your way with me. I guess I’ll have to get used to it now that I have a badass alpha mate.”

“You’d better,” Nicky growled playfully, nibbling at his throat. “I plan on having my way with you every chance I get in the future.”

“Now that we actually have one,” Marco said softly, his chocolate brown eyes going almost black. “I thought for a few minutes there at the waterfall…”

“Don’t think about it. It’s mostly over now, thank God. I, uh, I do have a lot to tell you. I had to let Tate take a small amount of your heartsblood to get him to agree to operate on you. I think he’s going to make up his elixir and come after us again—this time as an alpha wolf.”

“Cade filled me in a little while you were asleep,” Marco said. “Let him bring it. I’d like nothing better than to face him in the ancestral ring. I’d like to tear him apart for what he’s done to you over the last couple of years.” Marco’s hand traced little circles on Nicky’s back as Nicky settled in closer to him and sighed.

“I have to say I’d have promised him anything to get him to help you.” He looked up and smiled into Marco’s eyes. “I think my wolf is even finally on board. He came out on the trail and fought for you. He wasn’t sure yet who he was, but he knew he was fighting for his pack. For the ones he loved.”

Marco squeezed him and kissed the top of his head. “That’s wonderful, baby. I’m so proud of you.”

“I think he still needs a little more training though. Maybe the next time I shift, you could show him how a wolf makes love to his mate,” Nicky murmured seductively. “Maybe your knot would, um, calm him down a little and show him for sure whom he belongs to.”