Embracing Winter (Lords of Discord 4)

Kneeling in the growing pool of blood, Winter ignored Paavo’s desperate pleas as he stabbed the vampire two more times through the heart before making sure that both the left and right common carotid arteries were severed in his neck. With time, a vampire could heal from most wounds, but not if all the blood had drained from his body.

With a feeling of disgust, Winter shoved to his feet and took a couple of unsteady steps away from Paavo. The vampire grew still and silent. Only a few ragged gasps escaped him and then they stopped.

“Winter.”

Fox’s soft voice jerked Winter from his dark thoughts. He hurried across to where Fox was struggling with the last of the rope that held him to the chair.

“Fox,” Winter said in a choked voice. He desperately sawed at the remaining rope, jerking it away from Fox as quickly as he could. “How…how did you—”

“Zelda. She taught me how to get out of knots.” Fox’s reply wasn’t steady, and the laugh was nearly a sob.

Arms were suddenly around Winter, and he dropped the knife so he could pull Fox in as tight as he could. Lips found his in one hungry kiss after another. He tasted fear and relief and love. So much fucking love he was drowning in it, and nothing had ever felt so good in his life.

“I was so scared,” Winter whispered, moving his mouth a little more carefully now along Fox’s jaw to nuzzle his neck. He was sitting on the stage and Fox was practically in his lap, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t get close enough.

“I wasn’t. Knew you’d come. I was pissed. They broke into your house,” Fox said, and Winter wanted to fucking laugh. Only Fox would be pissed about being kidnapped yet again.

“I’ll always come for you,” he murmured against warm, sweaty skin. “Always. You are mine. I can’t live without you.”

“Never gonna have to.” Fox pulled away and tightly gripped Winter’s head in both hands so he could look into Winter’s eyes. “After we kick vampire butt, I am having myself sewn to your fucking body. Do you hear me? You’re never going anywhere without me again.” He gave Winter’s head a little shake as if he were expecting the vampire to argue with him.

Winter smiled at his lover. “I—oh shit!” Winter released Fox and grabbed for his phone.

“What’s wrong?” Fox climbed off of Winter’s lap and sat next to him on the stage.

“I haven’t told the others I found you.” He pulled up the messaging app and quickly told everyone that he had rescued Fox from the lower level. A glance at the clock revealed that less than ten minutes had passed since they’d entered the museum. There were no other texts. He had no idea if any of his family had made it farther than the first floor.

Damon?

The text was from Rafe. At least one of his brothers was still alive. He was confident they all were, but he was more worried about what injuries they had sustained.

“Do you know where Damon is?” Winter asked Fox.

“Third floor. I saw a sign for Special Exhibitions when I was brought to him. I overheard him saying something about a gauntlet.”

Damon was looking for his family to search each floor, forcing them to run the gauntlet through all his men to reach him. The fucker was willing to sacrifice all of his people before he faced Aiden and the rest of the Variks. Winter quickly typed out a message that Aiden needed to go to the third floor while Bel created another distraction on the second.

Shoving his phone into his pocket, Winter ran his eyes over Fox. He was battered and bruised, but he didn’t know how extensive his injuries were. In the chaos, he could easily slip Fox out of the museum—

“I know that look,” Fox growled. “You’re not ditching me somewhere safe while you run into the fire.”

“Injuries?”

“Mostly my face and some bruised ribs. Nothing aspirin, ice, and sleep won’t fix.”

Winter got to his feet and extended his hand to Fox, helping him up as well. “Then we’ve got a fight to join. We’re going to the third floor to support Aiden.”

“Fuck ya!”

Winter chuckled as they briskly walked up the aisle. He wanted to run, but it was better to not push Fox too quickly. He paused at the double doors that led into the lobby and peered cautiously through the window to make sure they were still alone. Finding only dead bodies, Winter stepped out and grabbed Fox’s hand.

“Stick close. We’re staying invisible until we get to the third floor. We don’t engage until we have to. And don’t attack any of the wolves. They’re on our side.”

Fox’s eyes widened. “Wyatt and River are here in wolf form?”

“Along with several others. The local pack offered up some help as well.”