Carnal Obedience Read online

  Carnal Obedience

  Kate Hill

  All rights reserved.

  Copyright ©2007 Kate Hill

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  ISBN: 978-1-59596-620-9

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  Publisher:

  Changeling Press LLC

  PO Box 1046

  Martinsburg, WV 25402-1046

  www.ChangelingPress.com

  Editor: Sheri Ross Fogarty

  Cover Artist: Sahara Kelly

  This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

  Prologue

  Ransom and Temple, in their wolf form -- bipedal with elongated facial features and covered from head to toe in coarse pelts -- padded soundlessly across the black marble floor. Even with their wolfish eyes it was difficult to see in the windowless tower room, yet in a corner, upon a velvet pillow on a golden table, rested the objects of their desire. Two cups and a flask, each made from a ruby the size of a large man’s fist. For countless centuries the flask had held the blood of the Leader of the Vampire Nation to be sipped at special ceremonies among their kind. Now the flask contained the blood of the newly appointed ruler, Altah, the bitch responsible for the downfall of Ransom and Temple’s pack and the destruction of their family.

  For months they had carefully planned this moment when they would steal the jewels from the palace where Altah lived under the protection of her traitorous werewolf guardians. Tonight Ransom and Temple would prove that in spite of the alliance between their species, in spite of how many wolf leaders had bowed to the wealth and power of Vampires, there were some who still had the courage to rebel. Some who still retained their wild spirit and pride in their heritage.

  Temple had wanted to take the opportunity to kill the Vampire Leader. His first impulse after the tragedy that claimed the lives of their family had been to terrorize Vampires in any way he could. Blood for blood, just like in the old days. Ransom disliked the idea of murder. To kill except for food or self-defense was a crime among their kind. Greatly outnumbered, they didn’t have the power of the Vampire Nation, but the wolf packs had proved they were just as civilized. It was unworthy of them to sink to killing and Ransom knew there was a better way to deal with Vampires, a species known for their greed. This elaborate palace was proof of how they worshipped material wealth.

  After many arguments that sometimes turned into physical brawls, Ransom had convinced Temple that the best way to gain revenge was to strike where their enemies felt it most -- their wallets.

  Months of thieving from the wealthiest Vampire families had gained them a reputation throughout the world. Vampires despised them, most wolf leaders publicly denounced them, yet among the common wolves they had become heroes.

  Tonight would be their greatest exploit, if they managed to escape. With Temple’s knowledge of computers and Ransom’s skill as a scientist, they had overridden the palace’s security system and chemically masked their scents with an experimental procedure Ransom had been working on when he’d been forced to end his studies by a treaty between their pack and the Vampire Nation.

  They reached the jewels and Ransom opened the pouch wrapped around his waist. Temple’s hairy, clawed hand reached for first the flask and then the cups. He placed them into the pouch. His brilliant blue gaze met Ransom’s and a smile curved his usually sullen lips.

  Ransom returned his smile and nodded, fastening the ties on the pouch.

  Temple turned away and Ransom, touched his arm, feeling the ripple of muscles beneath his chestnut pelt. “Come on,” he whispered. “We only have a short time left before our scents return.”

  “In a minute.”

  “What the hell are you doing?” Ransom demanded, his brow furrowed.

  “What does it look like?”

  Temple urinated in each corner of the room.

  “Are you crazy?” Ransom growled. “Our scents are masked, but any wolves about will smell that urine.”

  Chuckling, Temple turned back to him. “Where’s your sense of adventure? Let’s get out of here.”

  The wolves hurried out of the room and down the corridor.

  They caught the scent of another wolf approaching quickly. Most likely one of the guards assigned to the palace. Perhaps even one of Lady Altah’s personal guardians, two wolves known to be insanely protective of her. The relationship between the Vampire Leader and her guardians was more than simply that of mistress and servants. They were lovers, bonded in a ritual even more intimate than marriage.

  Traitors. That’s what Temple called any wolf who served Vampires and after what had happened to their pack, Ransom could no longer argue with him.

  They slipped into the elevator shaft and climbed downward, praying that no one fixed the power until they had safely escaped.

  A short time later, they breathed the fresh autumn air outside the palace. They moved carefully, like shadows, since the palace and grounds were now swarming with guards, most likely trying to figure out the reason for the power outage. Pausing behind an especially large hedge in the garden, they glanced at each other and smiled.

  They waited until the right moment before fleeing as fast as their powerful legs could carry them, covering mile upon mile, out of civilization and deep into the mountains.

  Panting, their hearts pounding and pelts damp with sweat, they flopped on the ground in a clearing, glanced at each other and smiled. Temple’s fangs flashed white against his chestnut fur and his large blue eyes glistened with excitement. Unable to resist, Temple roughly cupped the back of Ransom’s head and drew him close for a kiss. His tongue darted between Temple’s lips and the other wolf’s met it with long, sure strokes that sent ripples of pleasure down Ransom’s spine.

  When the kiss broke, they stared at one another, their breathing still heavy though now from lust. They had done it. By tomorrow everyone would know that even the Leader of the Vampire Nation wasn’t safe in her own palace. The Renegade Wolves had stolen her blood, her jewels, and hopefully some of her prestige among the wolf packs.

  Chapter One

  Jolie strode proudly behind the palace guard on her way to the private chamber of Altah, Leader of the Vampire Nation. Early that morning Silver Claw Investigations, where she worked as a bounty hunter along with her foster-father Crispin and his mates Chantel and Andre, had received a call from an agent of Lady Altah.

  The previous night jewels had been stolen from the royal palace. In spite of attempts to keep the news quiet, word of the theft had already spread. Lady Altah and her two wolf guardians wanted the jewels recovered as quickly as possible and the thieves brought to justice.

  For the past two centuries, Silver Claw Investigations had never failed on a bounty. Known for their skill and discretion, they had served Lady Altah before and were at the top of her list when such services were required.

  Usually Crispin, Chantel, and Andre handled the Vampire Leader’s bounties personally, however they were away and unreachable at the moment and Jolie had been left in charge of the business. She intended to do her foster-father and his mates proud by bringing in the two thieves known worldwide as the Renegade Wolves.

  Outside Altah’s chamber stood the Vampi
re Leader’s handmaiden and a young wolf, tall and lean with a sleek black pelt and pale blue eyes. Though she’d never met him personally, she recognized Rex, one of Altah’s guardians, from media coverage.

  The guard who had escorted Jolie paused and bowed his head to Rex who dismissed him with a low growl.

  “Hands against the wall. Spread your legs,” Rex ordered, his voice deep and bestial.

  Jolie resisted the urge to raise her eyes to the heavens. She’d already been frisked and questioned by guards outside and inside the palace. Still, she understood the need for security, especially after what happened the previous night.

  She did as Rex ordered and, under the watchful eye of the handmaiden who was there more to protect him than her, he searched her thoroughly yet with the utmost professionalism. Once finished, he dismissed the handmaiden and escorted Jolie into the chamber.

  Lady Altah sat on a couch by the hearth, her second guardian, Kyros, beside her. Kyros, dressed in simple yet elegant black trousers and a shirt, wore his human form. Like Rex, his eyes were large and blue, his face aristocratically handsome and his long blond hair bound at his nape.

  “Jolie.” Altah offered a slight smile as the bounty hunter approached and bowed. The Leader of the Vampire Nation was as attractive in person as in photos and on television broadcasts. Tall with ebony skin and long hair braided with fine gold ribbons, she was everything a Vampiress should be. Beautiful, exotic and seductive. “I’ve heard much about you from your foster-father and his mates. Thank you for responding so quickly.”

  “You always take priority, my lady,” Jolie replied, though it irritated her a bit to submit to anyone, even the most powerful woman in the world. “If you and your guardians would fill me in on exactly what happened last night, I’ll get to work on locating the thieves.”

  In truth Jolie had been looking for a reason to go after the Renegade Wolves. Though Silver Claw Investigations was too busy for her to pursue personal goals for the fun of it, she knew finding the two most wanted thieves in the Vampire Nation would win unsurpassed respect for the bounty hunter who managed to arrest them.

  “Our electronic security system was overridden,” Kyros stated. “And the thieves must have somehow masked their scent.”

  Jolie wrinkled her nose. “How is that possible? Our kind have the best noses in the world --” She paused and glanced at Altah. “No offence to Vampires, my lady, but it’s true that we wolves have far superior senses.”

  Holding up her hand, Altah said, “There’s no need to apologize. I know very well the attributes of Werewolves.”

  “I have no doubt we could track these thieves ourselves,” Rex snapped, clearly annoyed by the idea of calling in outside help. He had a reputation of possessing a quick temper, unlike Kyros who was known for his almost Vampire-like poise.

  Jolie, however, had a volatile temper of her own that she’d struggled for years to control. She met Rex’s gaze and said, “Then why don’t you?”

  His teeth bared, Rex took an aggressive step closer to her, his flashing eyes fixed on hers. “Because our place is here, protecting our Lady.”

  A slight smile played around Jolie’s lips. “Nice job.”

  “You impertinent wench --” Rex growled and she knew she had gone too far. His position deserved a measure of respect, even if he was an asshole.

  “Rex, sit down,” Kyros said in his smooth, quiet voice.

  With a savage grunt, Rex flung himself into a chair across from Altah, his brow furrowed and teeth grinding. He was obviously upset about the palace being robbed right under his nose. In his place, she would have felt the same. As thieves went, the Renegade Wolves had now proven they were the best. Jolie had to admit feeling a hint of respect for them. Centuries ago, before turning to the right side of the law, she, her foster-father and his mates had been pirates, so deep inside she sometimes felt kinship with criminals.

  “Rex is quite right,” Kyros said softly, staring at Jolie with a look that sent a shiver down her spine. Shit, the man could stare down a hungry snake. “Our place is here at the palace protecting Lady Altah. Your place, on the other hand, is doing as instructed and retrieving these criminals before they do any more damage. Do we understand each other?”

  Jolie’s gut tightened with annoyance. His condescending attitude grated on her nerves and no doubt that was exactly what he had intended. She couldn’t even deny that she might deserve it just a little. Her birth family had been of the working class within their pack and she couldn’t help feeling -- not exactly contemptuous -- but uncomfortable in a leader’s palace.

  “Yes. We do,” Jolie stated. “Has your investigation yielded any information yet?”

  “We believe the thieves masked their scents using a chemical procedure developed by scientists fairly recently. It’s a top-secret study involving few scientists,” Kyros said.

  “We’ve already started questioning anyone involved,” Rex stated. “However a few who were part of the early stages of its development were removed from the study almost a year ago.”

  “Why were they removed?”

  “Several were laid off when the Vampire Nation signed the treaty with the Wingedpaw Pack. Others quit of their own accord. They had discovered the scent masking procedure but according to the treaty half the wolf scientists and technicians were to be replaced with Vampires,” Rex stated.

  Jolie’s lip curled. “Whew. That must have gone over big with pack members. Sounds to me like the Renegade Wolves might be trying to give the Vampire Nation a little payback for unfair treatment.”

  “Well there’s a newsflash,” Rex said and Jolie bit back a retort.

  “I wasn’t pleased by the idea of laying off the wolves either,” Altah said. “However, it was voted upon by the tribal leaders of the Vampire Nation.”

  “But you have more power than they do,” Jolie ventured. She didn’t want to insult Altah but at the same time her innate loyalty to her werewolf relations demand she at least question such a bad decision.

  “In every relationship there must be cooperation.”

  “So what did the Vampire Nation give the Wingedpaws in exchange for putting a bunch of their scientists out of work?”

  “What does this have to do with you catching the thieves?” Rex demanded.

  “I don’t know. Maybe nothing. Maybe something.”

  Rex turned to his companions and said, “I suggest we find another agency to work with.”

  “That is enough of this foolish bickering,” Altah said. “From everyone. Jolie, in answer to your question, the Vampire Nation provided the resources to open several mines that the Wingedpaws couldn’t afford to operate yet are a potential source of tremendous wealth. I am not directly involved in all the details, as the treaty and all communication with the Wingedpaws is conducted by one of my tribes in the North run by the leader Sandro.”

  “I see. Have you asked him to compile a list of the workers who were laid off or quit?” Jolie asked.

  “Yes. I will provide you with the list as well as the other information we have so far,” Kyros told her.

  “Excellent. Can we do that now?”

  Kyros nodded, stood, and gestured for her to follow him.

  Jolie rose to her feet and once again bowed to Altah. “Don’t worry, my lady. I’ll have these thieves apprehended and your jewels returned in no time.”

  “The jewels are an important part of our history; however, I am more concerned with the thieves being caught,” Altah said. “Any successful attack, no matter how non-violent, against me or this palace will be taken as a sign of weakness not only by my tribal leaders but by the Werewolves. I cannot -- I will not -- have that.”

  “I understand, My Lady.” Jolie followed Kyros out of the chamber, her thoughts spinning. Altah was right, of course. These thieves needed to be caught. As Vampires went, Altah was a good leader. Yet even good leaders made enemies. This time the Renegade Wolves merely stole the royal jewels. Depending on how much confidence their succe
ssful theft had instilled and how much anger they harbored toward the Vampire Nation, they might try to steal Lady Altah’s life.

  * * *

  Jolie awoke in dimness, her head aching and the ground hard beneath her. The scent of smoke and burning wood combined with the fresh aroma of the wilderness.

  She was no longer in the city. The last thing she recalled was chasing the Renegade Wolves through the capital city of the Vampire Nation. As she had suspected, the pair of thieves had grown cocky and returned to the scene of their last crime. She and four hunters employed by Silver Claw Investigations had been waiting to apprehend them.

  Jolie considered herself completely professional, not allowing her emotions to control her while on a hunt, yet for a brief moment she had been taken aback by the raw male beauty of the thieves, even in their beast form. One was tall and lean with a sleek black pelt and melting gray eyes. She immediately recognized him as Ransom Hastings, a suspect from the group of scientists who had developed the scent masking procedure. The other, covered in a chestnut pelt, wasn’t quite as tall but powerfully built. He exuded strength like no wolf Jolie had ever met, and she had spent her youth around Crispin and Andre, two powerful alphas.

  The Renegade Wolves had led Jolie and her hunters on a long, fierce chase, but they had finally trapped them in an abandoned factory. They’d cornered the chestnut wolf but he had reacted most strangely -- flashing an evil grin, his piercing blue eyes glistening with amusement.

  Then everything had gone black.

  Jolie blinked to clear her blurry vision. Slowly her surroundings came into focus. She was in a cave of all places. Just like the ones in which ancient werewolves had once dwelled. Directly in front of her was a metal door built into the rock wall. Jolie had been born in a time of swordplay, muskets and sailing ships, so this sort of living was primitive even to her.

  She pushed herself to her hands and knees, waiting for the moment of nausea to pass. Obviously she and her companions had been drugged but how? Not only that, where were her hunters?