Claimed by the Beasts: A Shifter Reverse Harem Romance Page 2

  “Myers!”

  The call was muted, at least in his ears. He knew the voice was that of his captain, but he was lost in the moment, frozen in time until the creature seemed to make the determination to let him go.

  “Larken. Where the fuck are you?”

  This is only the beginning…

  The sound of the creature’s voice reverberated in his ears, a soft whisper, a foretelling of the future.

  His future, the damning curse of a life he’d abandoned several years before.

  You will find her. You will take her. You must destroy the others.

  Another crackle formed around him, an intense sizzle and he was thrown from the vision as the upper floor caved in, heavy beams and metal tumbling down in slow motion. He had two seconds to react, taking a flying leap just as the entire building rocked from the aggressive explosion. He hit the ground hard and rolled, his body tangled in the hose. His training enabled him to react, to break the hold the being as well as the water hose had on him. He could just make out the stairs only ten feet in front of him.

  Adrenaline flowing, he took the stairs two at a time, going down three flights, his hands slamming against the metal door just as—

  Boom!

  Pitched forward, he could see a light over his head, blinding in its brightness. And he knew the curse had found him. Images rushed in front of his eyes, visions of death and destruction, not of life as his kind so hungered to achieve.

  “Jesus Christ. Myers. What the hell?”

  Larken opened his eyes as two other firefighters crouched down, helping him remove his helmet. “Shit.”

  “Are you okay?”

  The man’s gruff voice was enraged, his eyes roaming Larken’s face.

  “I’m fine, Captain.” Captain Rawlings was one of the most respected firefighters in all of Los Angeles, but he was also a tough taskmaster. Struggling to sit, Larken wiped soot and grime from his eyes as he glared up at what was left of the building. “Fuck. Me.”

  “Yeah, I’ll say,” the captain mumbled under his breath then stood, slapping his hands on his hips. “When I say get the hell out of the building, that’s what I mean. Get it?”

  “He’s one badass, Captain.” The firefighter grinned as he helped Larken stand.

  Larken eyed his buddy of two years and grinned. “Just doing my job.” Riley Cooper was a straight-up guy, his drinking buddy and a damn good firefighter. He also had absolutely no idea that Larken was a creature of the night, capable of terrorizing the entire city in his need to hunt.

  After all, he was only half human.

  “Shit. That was righteous,” Riley huffed. He chugged a half bottle of water, his eyes dancing over the destruction.

  All Larken could think about was the vision. While he’d been experiencing nightmares for the last two months, vicious images of his Pride being ripped apart, he’d pushed the ugliness aside, preferring to live his life as a mortal, instead of the cursed being he’d been born as. He struggled to remove his jacket before heading for the water cooler and grabbing a bottle of water. He was being called into action, but not by his fellow firefighters. His leadership, as well as his expertise was needed back home, and he wasn’t certain how long he could avoid returning.

  A battle was looming.

  “Let’s get this cleaned up, ladies and gentlemen,” Captain Rawlings instructed. “Been a shit-ass day.”

  Larken watched, locked in the moment, as the other engines managed to reduce the fire into nothing more than smoldering ash. He leaned against the fire engine and sighed, his entire body shaking, but his condition had nothing to do with the ravaging fire.

  “How about grabbing a drink later?” Riley asked as he flanked his buddy’s side.

  “No can do. Becky is expecting me home tonight.” Larken cringed. While he once adored the rambunctious girl, even considering asking her to marry him, his understanding that she wasn’t his true mate had instilled a block, that and the fact she had roaming eyes. Maybe his inability to commit had taken the real toll. Why he continued fighting his true identity had been on his mind more these last few months. The visions had changed, becoming reminders of his childhood, his beloved mother. And his father—one powerful man. Yet everything was hazy. Maybe he was trying too damn hard to forget his past.

  “Ah, Becky. She has you so wrapped,” Riley teased.

  “Not really.” He said the words blandly, yet his thoughts were locked on the words issued by the creature from the fire. The beginning. He knew about the ancient writings, the teachings from the Elders of his Pride, but he’d not only refused to accept, but denied the fact the apocalypse was close. At least for his kind. And now? Hell, he didn’t know what to believe.

  “Okay, then. You’re way out of sorts. Get hit on the head in there?” Riley chided. When Larken didn’t answer, he snorted. “Let’s get this shit cleaned up. At least I plan on having more than one drink tonight.”

  Almost an hour later they were back at the station. Larken stood under the showerhead, his hands planted on the cold tile, water spraying down his back. He waited until the shower room cleared out before turning off the shower and grabbing a towel. There was no way he could avoid the inevitable much longer. He wasn’t necessarily surprised his father hadn’t reached out to him, at least mentally. The patriarch had been more than supporting of Larken leaving the village. So many other Pride members had built a life outside the protected grounds, buildings careers.

  But no families…

  He half laughed as he dried off and headed for the locker room. Returning to Lafayette wasn’t tops on his list, no matter that Bayou country was his home, his heritage. He had no desire to be a werelion, but the longing to shift had been increasing, pushing him in ways he hadn’t anticipated. He’d only allowed himself to shift a few times since leaving, until he’d been able to build up his control over the snarling beast lurking under the surface. In the last few weeks, aches and cramps were telling. His resolve wouldn’t hold much longer.

  You are rare, my son, capable of doing great things. You must adapt to your special gifts, hiding amongst those we all fear. A time will come when you will be called to duty.

  The statement had been the most shocking, whispered on the day of his departure. But in front of everyone else? Duty. Honor. Vindication. These were the three words that had been drilled into his mind since the early days, training of a different kind. Others would say retaliation was the correct term.

  Enough of the old ways, the curse, and the need for brutality. There were far too many humans who knew of their existence, and who enjoyed making their life a living hell whenever possible. He huffed and yanked open his locker door, another pang of anguish filtering into his stomach. Dropping his head, he controlled his breathing, eventually squelching the pain. There was no denying the inevitable. The last thing he wanted to do was shift in the middle of a crowded city. Fuck!

  After throwing on clean clothes, he grabbed his keys, sauntering toward the captain’s office. Every muscle in his body was on fire. He rapped on the door before sticking his head inside. “You busy?”

  Captain Rawlings lifted his head, his expression difficult to read. “Sure. Thought you’d be out of here, clamoring to get to a bar.”

  Larken shrugged as he walked inside. “Date tonight.” An awkward tension settled in. “Look, I’m sorry about today. I just froze.”

  The captain sat back in his chair. “I don’t buy that in the least, Myers. You’re the best firefighter we have, even if you’re hot-headed at times. However,” he said as he pointed a finger in Larken’s direction, “you ran into that building without backup. You ignored my instructions and you almost got yourself killed. By all rights, I should place you on probation.”

  “Yeah, I know.” How was he supposed to explain that he’d had a vision of the devil himself? No one around him had a single inkling of who or what he was. He’d perfected his ability to hide his true identify—just as required.

  “That’s all you
have to say for yourself?”

  “I just lost it in there. That’s all. Won’t happen again.”

  Captain Rawlings shook his head. “See that it doesn’t. Now, why did you really come in here? I know you too well, son.”

  Larken rubbed his jaw as he tried to formulate his request. “I have some family issues I might have to contend with.”

  “You’ve never even mentioned you even had a family.”

  “I’m not close with them, but this is something I don’t think I can get out of. I might need some time off.”

  “How long are we talking?”

  “Not certain. A couple of weeks, but I won’t know for certain until I make a few phone calls.” He only prayed he would be able to return.

  Captain Rawlings leaned across the desk. “Family is the most important thing in the world, Larken. Trust me on that one. I forgot until it was too late. If you need time, I’ll arrange it. Just let me know.”

  “I will, sir. Thank you.” He gave his captain a respectful nod and turned to go. There was no reason to feel such extreme apprehension, but he couldn’t abate the foreboding eating at his insides.

  “Find yourself, Larken. You’ve been lost in something for months. If family is keeping you from doing that, maybe this is karma kicking your ass.”

  He had to chuckle hearing the words. His captain had suspected from day one that he had troubling issues. Maybe he wasn’t as good at hiding as he’d thought. “You could be right.”

  Larken walked out of the firehouse, the station that had been his home for long enough he was melancholy at the thought of leaving, but he had few choices or hundreds, if not thousands would die.

  Including the entire Pride.

  * * *

  “There you are,” Becky snapped as Larken walked into the small apartment, dropping his things. “You’re late as always.”

  “Massive fire, Beck. I didn’t really have any choice in the matter.” He walked toward the refrigerator, pulling out a beer. The creature’s words flowed in his mind, creating a reckless need to feed. He’d staved off the ache in his loins, the burning in his belly for so long. Fighting.

  Pretending.

  Think. You are human. Rubbing his temple, the anguishing pain behind his eyes had nothing to do with the previous fire. An odd vision swept into the back of his mind. A woman, her face shrouded. Suddenly, every portion of his body was tingling.

  Find your true mate.

  Jesus. He wiped a few beads of sweat from his brow, masking his emotions.

  She huffed, mumbling under her breath. “Yeah, whatever. Your job always comes before me, every time. I don’t know any longer what we’re doing or who we are as a couple.”

  He twisted the top, taking a long pull before noticing that she’d set the table. A quick glance at the clock gave him an idea of why she was angry. It was already after seven-thirty. “Beck, I’m sorry. I don’t punch the clock. I can’t predict fires. You know that. We’ve talked about this before. This is my job.”

  “Yeah, whatever.” She grabbed a half-full glass of wine off the table, moving toward the balcony door. A string of curse words popped out of her mouth as she fumbled with the lock, throwing open the door and barging outside.

  Closing his eyes, he held the cold beer to his temple as he leaned against the counter. A rumble of thunder in the distance caught his attention. There hadn’t been a cloud in the sky when he walked in. He could just make out her form as she stood leaning over the railing, taking sip after sip of her wine. She’d had over half the bottle and he had no doubt she would continue drinking, her way of dealing with what she called his ‘perfectly ridiculous profession.’

  Telling her he was going back home for a couple of weeks would no doubt cause a fight, but he certainly wasn’t going to take her with him. He sucked in his breath and moved toward the back door, hesitating before walking out onto the small balcony. The six hundred square foot apartment had been difficult to come by and the tiny space outside was the only reminder of the expansive land and beautiful cabin back in Louisiana. He loved the outdoors, the clean air and forests surrounding the property he’d grown up in.

  This was everything he’d thought he wanted, the bright lights of the big city, but Los Angeles could never be home, no matter how hard he tried. “Becky. We need to talk.”

  “Yeah, we do,” she scoffed, darting him a nasty look. “Long overdue.”

  He flanked her side yet kept his distance. Finding the correct words wasn’t always easy for him, especially with a woman. Lightning flashed, electrifying the sky, the perpendicular bolt catching his attention. “Becky, I—”

  “I don’t want to do this any longer,” she interrupted.

  “This? What do you mean?”

  “This. Us.” She turned to face him. “You’re a nice guy and all, but I want someone I can count on. You’re not that guy.”

  Larken wasn’t necessarily surprised. She’d been hinting at her unhappiness for at least four months. They were no longer close as they once were, even foregoing sex the majority of the time. She hated that he wanted absolute control, including requiring her to follow rules or receive punishment. He loathed that fact she had no respect or understanding of his chosen career. “Okay. So, what are you saying?”

  “I’m saying,” she stated firmly as she inched closer, “that this is over.”

  He wanted to be unhappy, to fight for what they’d shared, but in truth, he knew this was the best thing for both of them, especially given what he would be facing. “All right. I understand.”

  Another clap of thunder boomed. Larken could feel the vibrations in his loins. Even though the moon was cloaked by the ominous clouds, he could swear there was a crimson mist, a warning that he couldn’t refuse.

  “That’s all you can say to me?” she demanded, her face pinched.

  “What do you want me to say?”

  “That you love me. That you want more. That you’ll give up everything for me.”

  A series of lightning bolts flashed, the long tendrils colored in a vibrant blue. He swallowed as an uneasy feeling settled in. The vision of the woman was a foretelling. His mate. “Becky. I’m not giving up my career.”

  “Then we’re through.” She polished off her wine and stormed toward the door, merely giving him a disgusted look. “I thought I loved you. Goodbye, Larken. I’ll come by to get my things tomorrow.”

  His beast slithered to the surface, threatening to breach, to claw its way through the skin and bone, taking over as he’d wanted to do before. Only tonight, the sensations as well as the need were entirely different, loaded with venom. The electricity in the storm was like a fuel, his muscles and blood cells lapping at the current. He was being given a sign. He held out his hand, curling his fingers and for a few seconds envisioned a bloody stained paw. Hissing, he brought his fist to his mouth, thwarting his beast. He would be in control at all times.

  At least Becky would be safe. He tried to make sense of what was happening. All the stories, the teachings he’d read as a young boy, the knowledge that was innately given to every lion was coming true. He’d fought his place, his requirement his entire life. Now, there was nowhere to run.

  He would face his destiny, one way or the other.

  The second another bolt of electric rays lit up the night sky, his phone rang. He didn’t need to look at the display to know who was calling. He jerked his phone out of his pocket, turning away from the storm. “Trevor.”

  “You’re needed home, my friend. I’m sure you feel it.”

  “Yeah, the pull had gotten stronger.”

  “And just think. You’re thousands of miles away,” Trevor chuckled. “I don’t like the shit going down here in town. Some bad vibes have the Pride all up in arms.”

  “That’s nothing new.” Larken couldn’t take his eyes off the raging storm.

  “I do understand, buddy. I left too. I thought I could run away from the inevitable. You see how that worked out.”

  “Fuck, T
revor. I don’t want this. I don’t believe in the ancient crap.” The truth was that he didn’t want to accept what had been foretold over thousands of years. But he could no longer run from his destiny.

  Trevor exhaled. “You need to know this. There has already been one death just outside of town and you know how the older townsfolk are. Talk is, there could be more.”

  “Blaming it on the Pride?”

  “Not directly, but I hear talk. Just going into town to buy supplies I can see the ‘looks’ from the older generation. I swear, I think they’re itching to pull out their guns.”

  None of their Pride were allowed to kill humans for any reason other than protection. Shedding blood in any violent manner was grounds for banishment. Yeah, there was something going on. “The Pride needs to be addressed.”

  “Yeah, I agree, but by you, you dumbass,” Trevor said, chuckling. “Look. You don’t have any choice but to return and you know it. Besides, the Elders are anxiously waiting, even your father.”

  “And the others?” He studied the sky, the ominous colors, the light show that was directed at him alone.

  “There is talk in the village about your abdication of the throne, many willing to take your place.” Trevor’s voice rumbled with increasing anger.

  He knew exactly who wanted to take his place and his rightful mate, whoever the hell that happened to be. There was no recourse. “I’ll be there.”

  The end had begun.

  Chapter Two

  There are beasts, creatures co-existing among us. Hunted by both humans and others of like kind, they lie in wait, biding their time. For our world belongs to them.

  You are required to find your true mates, three members of the Pride.

  The written words had rolled through the back of Scarlet’s mind during the entire plane ride. Mates. And what the hell did she mean by Pride? Like fucking animals? This was crazy. Her grandmother must have gone insane.