Page 56 of Country and Clove
“For Aria and I, it was months,” Lark chimed in.
“None of that makes me feel any better.” Graham moped.
Tawny and her pack looked on with smiles and waves as the group took their leave. Lark mentioned Gideon was going to send him and Leah down to help train the Texans in the ways of Veil creatures and how best to fight them off.
Clove held onto Aaron, breathing in his deep, smoky scent as the world shimmered out of sight.
CHAPTER22
The days pass quickly when you are head over heels in love. Aaron and Clove spent the first couple of days back in the complex holed up in bed. They did leave their room once a day for training. Aaron invited Lark to give the recruits a crash course on Veil monsters. Clove had listened intently. She knew more about Veil Wraiths and Dolgurs than she’d even wanted to, and she hoped it was knowledge she wouldn’t have to put to the test anytime soon.
Tonight, however, they would not be hiding away in bed together. Taia had moved into the complex that morning, and the festivities for her arrival were well underway. The party to welcome Taia to the pack and celebrate her and Graham’s mated bond was even more outrageous than expected. Graham had chosen a new, lycan-owned brewery for the event. It was situated on the edge of Mountain’s End, with a perfect view of the mountains. More than a dozen Scottish pack members had been teleported in for the occasion. Clove giggled as she watched Graham interacting with his old pack. They actually moved an entire keg into the back corner near their table so they wouldn’t have to leave it for refills.
The drunker that group got, the harder it became to understand them. Clove could have sworn one of them called out something about playing whack fuck with a hammer shark. The others just roared with laughter, slamming their mugs together and draining them again.
“It’s like they’re speaking another language,” Aaron said into her ear as he handed her a beer.
“He looks so happy.” Clove couldn’t help but smile. Graham was using his arms in an overly animated fashion to tell a story that had his whole crew slapping their knees and doubling over with laughter. Taia was across the room, spending time with her old pack. Tawny, Colton, Davey, and half a dozen other Texas lycans had come for the celebration. Taia was practically beaming. Her blonde hair was braided into a pile that twisted up on top of her head, exposing the shaved sides. She wore a long, grey dress that pooled around her ankles. Between her height, stunning features, and the gorgeous gown, she had the appearance of some sort of old Norse goddess.
Graham let out a howl from across the bar and Taia turned. He gave her a wink and Taia crooked her finger in aget over heregesture that had Graham sprinting her way. He bowled through the group. Reaching Taia and sweeping her up in his arms, he planted a kiss on her lips and a loud slap on her ass that had everyone cheering.
Clove spotted Waylin sidling up to Tawny and rolled her eyes. He was way out of his depth and he didn’t even realize it. His eyes found hers across the crowd and he grinned widely before offering Tawny a beer. She took it, giving Waylin an appraising look. That idiot was trying to get into the pants of the most dangerous woman in the room. Clove smiled back at him. Tawny was going to chew his ass up and spit him out.
“Have I told you how achingly beautiful you look tonight?” Aaron’s voice was warm against her ear. Clove had chosen a short backless black dress. The fabric gaped open, dipping down nearly to her tailbone. Aaron’s fingers traced along the tattoos that covered her back.
“Only a dozen times.” Clove smirked. “But you can tell me again.”
Aaron drew her in, nuzzling into her and planting a trail of soft kisses along her neck. “Between this outfit and the way you smell, it’s making it very hard for me to be a gentleman tonight.” His hand slid up her spine and she shuddered.
“Well once you see what I’m wearing beneath this, any chances of a gentleman will be fully out the window,” Clove whispered in his ear.
Aaron groaned. “You’re making it impossible to keep my hands off of you.” He gripped her waist with firm, eager fingers. His lips ghosted over hers once before he sank into the kiss, causing warmth to rush around her body and pool between her thighs. “You are fucking irresistible,” he murmured against her mouth.
A mug shattered to her left, sending bits of glass sliding across the floor and cold liquid splashing up onto her legs. “Hey!” she shouted, turning to see who it was. Brona stood frozen, her empty hand still hovering in the air. Her already-fair skin was as pale as a ghost and her eyes were wide with fright.
Lucas was on her in seconds, his hands on her cheeks. “What did you see?” Her brother, Bjorn, appeared by her side an instant later, his hands landing on her shoulders as she gulped in quick, shallow breaths.
Brona’s eyes held a wild terror. Her gaze flicked around the bar, seeking something. Clove followed her line of sight and her stomach sank as she spotted Lark. He had moved to his feet and was staring at the back of the brewery, his forehead wrinkled in concentration.
Clove flinched as a bar stool knocked over nearby. It was Abigail. The Chosen witch jumped to her feet, gripped Liv by the arm, and bolted for the door. A spike of fear shot through Clove. Brona and Abigail were both gifted with the Sight, and Lark…
“Everyone out!” Lark shouted. The group looked up in surprise just as the back wall exploded inwards. Concrete and bricks filled the air. People screamed as they were pelted with flying debris. A cloud of dust billowed through and Clove shielded her eyes. All around her people were coughing, crying, yelling. As the dust settled, a new terror unfolded before them.
A massive black Dolgur crawled forward. Its six legs clicked across the floor, the feet sharp points of shiny obsidian flesh. A long tail flicked back and forth, its end housing a deadly spiked sphere. The appendage looked like a wrecking ball and a mace fused together. It must have been what blew in the back wall. A sickly sulfur smell hit Clove’s nostrils along with the scent of lycan blood. Aaron clutched her hand, dragging her toward the exit. People were spilling out, running toward town.
“Get as far away from here as possible,” he urged.
“I’m not leaving you. That thing is still in there.” She squeezed his fingers hard enough to pop his knuckles.
“Aaron, Lucas,” Gideon called out among the chaos.
“Here, Alpha,” Aaron answered, moving to Gideon’s side and pulling Clove with him. Gideon opened his mouth to speak, but another explosion sounded from somewhere to the left.
“What the hell was that?” asked Lucas, his eyes moving to the line of smoke rapidly rising into the sky. A third explosion made the ground tremble. The next awful sound to hit their ears was a nightmarish moaning cry coming from their right.
“We’re under attack,” Aaron replied.
“Get your teams together and spread out around the city,” ordered Gideon. “I want to know how many of those things are out there.”
