Chocolate Damsel Read online

  “But not you, a willful salope.” Slut. He groaned low. “What a feast we’ll have tonight, men.”

  “Any Jews among you?”

  “Non.” Jill spoke up.

  “Your papers?” Sheets rustled. Moments passed. “All of them French. Ralf, take those two back to the regiment, and I want this one in my room. And make sure she doesn’t escape.” Horror ripped through her like a wound. The man took such pleasure in the torment and abuse of others. “Board up the place.”

  Steps against the wood floor shuffled away. Shoes dragged as the women struggled.

  “Wait.” Hard stomps moved back in her direction. A deep inhalation of breath followed. “Who does this shawl belong to?”

  “Alexia Pane.” Jill gasped between sniffles.

  “And where is she now?” He rushed to where Jill’s voice came from.

  “She took off this morning as the troops marched into the city.”

  Excitement consumed the male. He shouted in German. The door slammed closed. Nails were driven into the wood of the front door, then the window. Soon they hammered at the rear.

  Alexia curled up in the space. Anger and fear burned inside her for what she sensed these men would do to Jill, Annette and Monique. Tears streamed down her face.

  * * * *

  VanWolf tussled Sandra into his flat and slammed the front door closed. A gracious smile parted her lips. She lifted, then tossed off her dress. Her pretty ivory flesh shone in the beige lighting, contrasting against the gray paint of the wall.

  “What news do you have for me, petite?” He caressed the tender nude skin of her shoulder with his lips. Humans were sensitive to the beast’s touch.

  She moaned softly.

  A plump mouth pressed to his ear. “Griselda and Cathen are sweeping behind the troops for anyone hiding.” An exasperated breath escaped her. “Jean is at the hospital. Serafin is making arrangements to move the cargo in four days. The others are at the chateau north of the city.”

  Everyone seemed in place. Once they had the children gathered, they would move them to the drop point. He and Jean would stay in play as long as possible. Jean posed as a French doctor and provided fake death certificates for injured or tortured Jewish people. His pack smuggled them out with the dead, which were taken from the city to be burned. Those they rescued were moved to a safe house. The hospital could not handle the influx. Bodies had to be disposed of to avoid mass disease and to eliminate the smell of decay. Not to mention, this hid the true number of those murdered.

  Sandra’s silky fingers stroked his length. The cover seemed to be moving beyond their usual line. Her breasts and hard buds pressed to his bare chest.

  Working his mouth with her warm lips, she slipped her tongue inside and met his. He lifted her pelvis to his waist.

  “You may.” She smiled, then looked down at his member.

  No doubt she had great talents, given her line of work, but he had little hunger for such play. Besides, she smelled of another pack male, and he wasn’t erect. Alphas never played second fiddle. So little thrilled him, other than the work he and the pack did to help diminish the slaughter. They too had known what it was like to be hunted and exterminated.

  “Jean would be hurt by your actions.” He stroked back her red hair.

  “I don’t see why.” Her shoulders slumped forward. “He doesn’t seem to care about the others.”

  He chuckled. Humans amused him at times. “I’m sure just the thought of you with other males makes him want to kill every last one of them. But he knows you’d only do what you need to not to raise suspicion. This would provoke a response from him.”

  “Do you fear him?” Her bright brown eyes met his gaze.

  “I respect each of my betas, like a human’s bond to a brother. Each is an extension of me. To betray them would be to dishonor myself.” Hence the turmoil inside over this female and Cathen. The dreams couldn’t possibly be correct.

  “You must think I’m horrible.” Sandra hid her reddened cheek in his shoulder.

  “A tad manipulative, but what woman isn’t? Mostly I believe you are confused about Jean’s intentions.” Why wouldn’t she be? These were strange times.

  She nodded.

  A knock came from the front door to his flat, next to them.

  He pulled the handle and opened the door.

  One of his men, Aldo, saluted him. “Heil Hitler.” He snapped his hand forward, arm extended.

  “Heil Hitler,” VanWolf returned begrudgingly. The entire country seemed to have gone mad.

  “General Straks wants to see you.” The lad’s gaze traveled from him to the naked woman, then shied away.

  “I’ll get dressed and join you in a moment.” Guess he wasn’t getting the evening off after all. Not that he ever really did. Posing as a Nazi soldier meant he was always on guard.

  He closed the door. “I will get Bright Eyes to escort you back to your flat.” Leaning into her, he whispered, “Talk things over with Jean or your actions may drive him away.” He shuffled into his Nazi uniform.

  Sandra slipped her dress on. Too bad really. She had a voluptuous figure, perfect for the beast.

  VanWolf reopened the door. Cool air from the evening washed over him as he buttoned his jacket.

  The eager young man beamed at him.

  “Escort her back, since it’s after curfew. If anyone gives you trouble, tell them they’ll have a very unhappy me to deal with.” He gestured, arm held out. “Sieg Heil.” Victory Hail.

  The youth returned the address. What ignorant fools.

  Chapter 3

  Alexia lifted a second blanket over her body as wind howled through cracks in the old stone building. Earlier the heat had seemed unbearable, and now cold seeped through to her bones.

  Nails scratched wood. Had they come back with dogs to pick up her scent? They were sure to find her now. She held her breath. Please, don’t let them find her. Thumping against her rib cage, her heartbeat pounded. After Jill, Monique and Annette’s sacrifice, she couldn’t die like this. A low muffled growling came from the other side of the wall. From the creature she sensed worry, not hatred or the thrill of the hunt.

  Relief washed over her. More paws moved on the wooden floor.

  Bright joy filled her with happiness, and she picked up on a woman, then a man on the other side of the wall. The animals had vanished. They were special, like her, but with different unique gifts from hers. Back in America, she’d come across an Indian woman once who could shift into a deer. But could she trust these two?

  As the dresser slid away from the wall, wood screeched.

  Light shone through the darkness from a brass handled flashlight. She shielded her eyes. A woman with long, flowing white hair and a young face stared at her.

  “My name is Griselda, and I’m going to do my best to get you somewhere safe.” She extended her hand, her bright blue eyes beaming with pain and sadness.

  This woman knew the kind of loss Alexia had experienced. Neither of the two meant her harm. She grabbed her fingers and allowed her to tug her out.

  “This is Cathen.” Griselda pointed to the tall broad figure standing a few feet away by the door.

  A stunning male gazed down at her through amber jewel-like eyes. “We are too exposed here. I don’t like it.”

  “I know.” Griselda gestured to the back. “Let’s take her to the safe house in the city.”

  He shook his head. “They won’t be able to hide her scent.”

  “We can’t take her with us.” Griselda paced. “It’s too dangerous.”

  That didn’t sound good. What scent? Did she smell different from everyone else? If she did, it seemed best that she stay with these two. Did they have the ability to mask her from any type of creatures that would notice her fragrance? Alexia didn’t much like the idea of being handed over to some other group. What if they couldn’t be trusted?

  “She has more of a chance with us.” He gathered items from the dressers and placed them in the ba
g over his shoulder. “Otherwise we should kill her now, given the unspeakable things they will do to her. You know better than anyone what they do to the women.”

  Images invaded Alexia’s thoughts of torture. The sting of a whip. Men lying on top of Griselda, laughing as they used her body, until her mind was filled with nothing but the hope that she may die.

  Alexia wrapped her arms around Griselda. Tears sprang to her eyes as she held on. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered to the older woman. Humans could be so cruel.

  Griselda pulled away. “VanWolf will not be happy with this.”

  Who? And why wouldn’t he want her around?

  “He isn’t here to disagree, and he left me in charge when he is away.” He darted a stare at Alexia. The amber halos of his eyes shone in the dark as his intense gaze traveled over her, pausing at her hips. Inside her, a fire lit. He strode toward the back, hesitated, then the door slammed.

  “You are coming with us.” Griselda took her hand.

  The empty alley outside lay eerily still. A large animal’s shadow cast on the adjacent building.

  “It’s just Cathen in animal form. He will guide our path out of the city, all right?” Griselda tapped her hand.

  Alexia nodded and followed her.

  Around the corner, a white wolf with black frosted tips to his fur and a dark spot between his gold eyes waited. He signaled them forward with his snout, and a sense of peace came over her.

  * * * *

  VanWolf waited on the rooftop of the hospital. The night sky was filled with smoke. Fire scorched the horizon. A werewolf lurked in Paris. Of this, he was sure. He’d picked up the vile creature’s stench one too many places for the odor to be residue. What the animal was after, he wasn’t sure. Though his kind could sense werewolves, the creatures were not tuned into Shunus’ energy levels. Something else must have brought the beast there.

  A large paw appeared over the edge of the building. The wolf climbed over the side. Intense green eyes stared at him. The ghost-like matter of the figure grew solid, morphing from animal to man, then picked up a coat and lit a cigarette.

  “You shouldn’t take such risks.” Being seen in Shunu form put the entire pack in danger.

  “I leave clothing up here to change into.” Jean shook his head. “If I need to make a quick getaway, I’m ready.”

  “There is a were in the city.” VanWolf walked past the lean male to the edge, gazing south.

  “We knew the Nazis might use some to get special jobs done.” Jean inhaled deeply. The line of his jaw tightened. “Seen Sandra recently?”

  The question didn’t surprise him, since he hadn’t had the chance to bathe. “I’ll get to her in a moment.” He met Jean’s narrowed eyes. “You’ve been sloppy and included my name on too many reports of dead young women. General Straks isn’t happy that many ladies who’ve spent the night with me have ended up dead.”

  “One more.” He lifted his index. “I’ll wait a few days.”

  “You are reckless. If your actions cost us the lives of all the others, what then? Our work will have been for nothing.” The children deserved a future elsewhere. No matter how many he saved the pain he felt for the loss of his wife and child never diminished.

  “It’s Sandra.” Jean said, turning to him.

  One more would be dangerous. “What is your intention toward her?”

  “What does it matter? She’s human.” The pup’s tone was harsh with arrogance.

  VanWolf growled. “Unless she means nothing to you, I’d consider very carefully the next few words that come out of your mouth. I have no tolerance for any of the betas messing around with females under the pack’s protection.”

  Jean spun away. “I can smell her arousal all over you.”

  “Are you accusing me of something?” How the young played with affairs of the heart. May they never know the pain of losing the one they love.

  “No, it’s your right to.” His hand fisted.

  As a war raged around him, the last thing he wanted was to fight over a woman. Neither this one nor the one destined to be his and Cathen’s. “You’ve been careless with her. She’s a clever young woman and deserves to know what your intentions are toward her. She’s confused about your feelings and acting out to get your attention, which she seems to have succeeded in doing.” Though he could be clueless about women, this was pretty straightforward. Don’t mess with a lady’s head.

  “So you two didn’t?” The misery on the man’s face was evident. He tossed the cigarette butt away.

  “Have I ever been with a female connected to a pack member?” Rare enough were the occasions when he sought release with a female.

  “Never.” He piped up with a smile.

  Unlike other Shunu Alphas, he didn’t get off on asserting his rights over the pack. At times, he wished he hadn’t taken on the burden. He would have joined his beloved in the afterlife. The only thing that brought him peace now was the work he and the pack did to rescue people.

  “Marguerite and Sandra are coming with us when we move. Leaving them here would seal their deaths.” The two women would arouse the suspicions of the Nazis after he and his pack disappeared. The concept of fun was a one night encounter with a woman in a town where they’d be gone in the morning. Some Shunus found love and left the pack for a human life with their mate. Not all could accept communal living and loving.

  “I want her as my mate.” Jean stepped closer.

  Those who coupled with their own stayed with the pack. Males usually followed their loved one into the afterlife, but not the Alpha, nor the females.

  “Will you stay with the pack or settle after we move on?” This decision was important as his choice would dictate if he’d turn her or not.

  “Whichever she wants.” Resolve glinted in his eyes.

  The man was in love. “You have my permission to mark her.”

  Jean’s lips parted and his white teeth shone bright. Simple joy filled his expression. Bliss he’d known and lost. All that was left in him was the desire to make wrongs right. Help the weak.

  Chapter 4

  Alexia ran from the chateau. Being around other supernaturals wasn’t easy. More so than with normal people, the pack bombarded her with painful images not just feelings. The pack carried such pain and suffering. Death and loss. She picked up on horrible images, and when she would express them, she only angered the one who’d suffered.

  Wind rolled through the grass up the hill. In the distance, gunshots rang out. What horrid times they lived in. She sat on the cool ground, then stretched out her arms. Puffs of smoke littered the blue sky. Clouds in the distance grew heavy and gray.

  For the first time, she missed home and the community she’d been raised in. Would she die here in this foreign land without anyone to mourn her passing? She scooted to the edge of the grassy hill, tucked her hands near and let the pull spin her down the slope. Her brother, Jericho, loved doing this over and over until his head felt dizzy. She’d failed her parents and self when he was killed. If only she’d stayed home that day instead of going to work.

  A male approached. Intrigue vibrated outward from the figure as he drew near. She sat up to greet the stranger.

  Large broad shoulders cast a shadow over her as he leaned down. “Allo.” Hello. His hungry eyes traveled over her as he licked his lips. “Êtes-vous seul?” Are you alone?

  She shook her head, not wanting to speak English. Her French comprehension was much better than her ability to speak the language. The chateau now seemed a long trek back.

  Lust burst from him as he looked around, then he lunged for her. He grabbed her ankle and hauled her toward him.

  Alexia kicked him with her free leg. This man wanted to hurt her. She grabbed a handful of dirt and threw sand at him.

  He released her leg and shielded his eyes. “Putain!” Whore.

  She scrambled to her feet and ran toward the chateau. Her heart thumped in her chest. A clutching hand gripped her calf and yanked her down. A hi
gh-pitched cry shot out from deep inside her. If she didn’t get away he would hurt her.

  Ahead, Cathen ran toward them, narrowed eyes fixed behind her, his lips pressed in a thin line. He passed her, grabbed the man and elevated him. The monster’s legs dangled.

  “Go inside,” he grated through clenched teeth. Hatred pulsated from him in waves.

  Cathen intended to kill the man. No. Too much death and suffering. Serafin, Matt and Franko, unmated male pack members, jogged over to Cathen and the man.

  “Please don’t.” Alexia ran to Cathen and placed her hand on his arm. “I beg you.”

  Franko took over from Cathen’s grip and dragged the stranger away to the river.

  “Alexia, this man puts us all at risk. We must.” Cathen covered her hand with his, and warmth swirled up into her.

  She sighed and crossed her arms. “But this is my fault. I never should have left the chateau.” Tears misted her eyes.

  “Even so, the man preys on vulnerability. You cannot take responsibility for his actions.” His head tilted and gaze softened.

  She’d seen that look one too many times after her mother, father and brother’s deaths. Sympathy. The amber in his eyes flickered to red and yellow rings. Her insides flushed with heat. Only with him did her body come to life with a mere stare. She turned and marched back to the chateau.

  His heavy footsteps behind hers comforted her. As she reached the house, she was sure he would rejoin the others.

  “Did he hurt you?” He rested his hand on her shoulder, then swiveled her to face him.

  She shook her head. “Just scared me.”

  As he clenched his jaw, the muscle strained. Shoving the door open, he advanced, backing her to the wall. “Please tell me you’ll take more precautions.”

  “I will.” This was the second time she’d seen him tense. Usually Cathen was all smiles and relaxed. At least that was what everyone told her. But she’d never seen that side of him.

  “Promise me?” The corners of his mouth flipped up.

  Inside, butterflies’ wings flickered. What did he do to her? “I promise.”