Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen
T
Catherine hung up the phone and shook her head. She glanced over at Juno who was twirling her hair while she spoke to Lucas. She couldn’t hear what he was saying on his end, but whatever it was had Juno blushing.
“Aw, come on, hunky lycan dude. It’s just pizza. I’ve been craving it for weeks. I can handle any hot delivery boy they send to our door.” Juno’s blush deepened as Lucas responded. “Is that so?” she asked. Her eyes lifted to Catherine before she turned her head, cupped her hand over the phone and her mouth and whispered something back. When she pulled her hand away, Juno was biting her lower lip. Then her mouth opened wide and she looked down at her phone. “He just hung up on me! Jerk,” Juno said with a smirk.
“What on earth is going on between you two?” Catherine asked, setting the bowl of popcorn between them on the couch.
Juno shrugged. “He’s sweet and persistent. I enjoy playing hard to get.”
“Oh please, he’s already got you,” Catherine teased.
Juno laughed. “I mean, have you seen that ass?”
Catherine laughed along with her. “No, I try not to look at my mate’s friends’ asses. Keeps them from getting killed.”
“Well, I can describe it for you. Now, imagine two honeydew melons…”
Catherine clapped her hand over Juno’s mouth. Juno’s eyes crinkled in humor. “I really don’t want to know,” Catherine assured her before taking her hand
away.
Juno shrugged and winked. “Sure you don’t. Anyway, we kind of hit it off when he drove me from Sterling to your mating party. That was before I met Marty,” Juno said, her eyes dimming slightly at the memories. “Marty saw him text me once and blocked him.” Juno got quiet and had a far off look on her face.
“Well,” Catherine said, trying to break the tension. “I know he likes you a lot and he’s a good guy… despite the fact that he’s a total horndog. I think he would treat you well.”
“A horndog, huh?” Juno shrugged. “I’m a bit of a horndog too.”
Catherine laughed. “That’s what I said!” Juno smacked her. Catherine wiped the tears from her eyes. “Anyway, I may not look too closely but I have to admit he is keeping it tight for a man who is at least 100.”
“What?!” Juno screeched.
Just then the doorbell rang. “Hm, that’s weird.”
“Maybe Lucas ordered pizza for us!” Juno exclaimed, jumping from the couch.
“You’d accept pizza from an ancient horndog?”
“I’d accept his horndog for a pizza,” Juno joked.
“Gross!”
“Uh… Catherine?” Juno said, staring out the window beside the door. “The guys said not to open the door for people we don’t know. Do you know this lady?”
Catherine stood up from the couch and went to stand beside Juno. “Huh. Leonora?” She looked out at Graham’s sister, who was holding a casserole dish with white knuckles. Catherine ignored the slight jolt of nerves in her stomach and opened the door.
Leonora looked hesitantly inside the house. “Hey, Catherine, how are you?”
“I’m… fine. Considering,” Catherine replied.
Leonora’s eyes locked on movement behind the door. “Is Graham home?” Leonora asked, an uncertain edge to her voice.
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“No.” Catherine pushed the door further, revealing her best friend. “This is my friend, Juno. Juno, this is Graham’s oldest sister, Leonora.”
“Hi,” Juno waved.
“Hello.”
“What’s up, Leonora? I don’t think you’ve ever been over here before… at least since I moved in.”
Leonora held up the casserole dish. “I was visiting mom and she mentioned I should bring over her chicken broccoli casserole for you. She got the impression you weren’t eating or something.”
“That’s sweet…” Catherine glanced at Juno and Juno shrugged. “Do you… want to come in?”
Relief flashed over Leonora’s face but it was gone just as quickly. “Yes, I would love to.”
Catherine and Juno stepped back so Leonora could come inside. She walked toward the back of the house, toward the kitchen.
“When will Graham be back?” Leonora asked as she set the casserole dish on the table.
“Uh, he didn’t say. He had to go to Sterling for something so…”
Leonora nodded. “Well, that’s good, gives you time alone,” she said, eyeing Juno speculatively. “Where were you yesterday morning?”
“Yesterday morning?”
“Yeah, I swung by to see you and…”
“You came by yesterday? Why?”
Leonora fiddled with her fingers. “I heard Graham was gone and I thought we could bury the hatchet.”
“I was with Juno,” Catherine said, following it with a shrug.
An uncomfortable silence filled the room as the three women looked at each other. Juno stepped closer to Catherine and took her hand. One squeeze told Catherine that Juno had a bad feeling.
“Well, we actually were just going to watch a movie and take a nap. It’s been a long few days and…”
“I… can I speak with you alone, Catherine?” Leonora asked, sending Juno another nervous glance.
Juno held her hand tighter. “Actually,” Catherine said quickly. “Juno has been through some crap and she really needs me right now. Could you come back later? Or we could talk tomorrow at the family dinner.”
Leonora sighed and shook her head. She ran her hands through her hair, a gesture so similar to her brother, it calmed her slightly. Why was she worried about Leonora? She was basically her sister-in-law.
“Sure, sure, um, can I use your bathroom first?” Leonora asked.
“Of course,” Catherine said, gesturing with her hand toward the hall.
As soon as Leonora left the room, Juno turned to say something. Catherine held her finger to her mouth. She went to the fridge and took the grocery list.
She found a pen and wrote on the back, If she’s in the house, she can hear us.
Juno nodded and took the notepad. I don’t like this. Something is wrong. We should call the guys.
She’s Graham’s sister. She wouldn’t hurt me.
Catherine went to hand Juno the note when her breath caught in her throat. Leonora stood behind Juno. Before Catherine could scream or warn her, Leonora
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Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen
brought the ceramic toilet tank lid crashing down on Juno’s head. Juno’s eyes rolled to the back of her skull. Catherine lurched forward to catch her friend. They both tumbled to the ground, a tangle of limbs. Catherine lifted Juno’s bleeding head and tried to rouse her but her friend was out cold.
“What are you doing?!” Catherine shrieked.
Tears rolled down Leonora’s face. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I only had the one dose,” Leonora explained, holding up a familiar looking syringe. “I didn’t know
what else to do.”
With her other hand she pushed a button on her phone before pocketing it. She approached Catherine who was still frozen in shock. When the needle was close to her skin, reality came back with a crash. She shielded Juno and kicked up with her foot, sending the syringe flying through the air. Leonora dove for it, as did Catherine. The two women wrestled for possession of the poison.
“I’m sorry I hurt her!” Leonora yelled. “I tried to come yesterday but you weren’t here!”
Catherine elbowed Leonora in the face and felt hot liquid splash against her neck. “Let go, you crazy bitch!”
Catherine finall
managed to get the syringe away. Without thinking about it, she smashed the glass cylinder against the floor. The glass shards cut into her palm. Leonora gasped and Catherine used the opportunity to pin her to the ground.
“No! He’s going to be so angry when he gets here!”
Catherine’s skin prickled with anxiety. “What? When who gets here?” she asked, though she already knew.
“Hello, mates,” Dominic DeAngelo chuckled behind them. “Of all the positions I’ve pictured the two of you being in together, this one puts them all to shame.”
Catherine released Leonora with a gasp. She looked over at Juno who remained motionless on the floor. Dominic followed her gaze and tsked.
“My, my Leonora. You’ve gotten quite demented in the years we’ve been apart. My absence seems to have that effect on my women.”
Catherine’s eyes blurred. She couldn’t run and leave Juno. She didn’t have time to call for help. Fear gripped her chest as it rose and fell sharply with her harsh breathing. Her anxiety flared and morphed. Her teeth gnashed together as her anger replaced her fear. He comes into her home? He forces his fated mate to betray her own brother? He hurt her family? She let herself over to her instincts, prepared to rip the asshole to shreds herself. Dominic’s smile grew as he watched her eyes blacken and heard her bones pop.
Her airway suddenly cut off as an arm wrapped around her throat from behind and pulled her upward. Catherine choked and dug her claws into the man holding her. She kicked and lurched but as she fought, she felt her energy being drained from her body far too quickly for it to be natural. She recognized the man’s scent and the way he pressed his body forcefully against her. Curtis.
Dominic sighed and shook his head. “Catherine, this would all be easier if you didn’t fight. Haven’t I taught you anything?” Dominic came closer. She tried to kick at him but her lack of air and Curtis’ drain of her energy diminished her strength. Dominic merely swatted her legs away like an annoying child. He pulled a syringe from his jacket, held it up to the light and tapped it. “I would love nothing more than to portal straight back to our bedroom where I can remind you of your manners but Curtis here is feeling a bit worn out. We’ll have to settle for a different form of transportation to get us away from your pesky lycan. Not to worry, we’ll be home before you wake up.”
The last of Catherine’s air ran out just as the needle punctured her skin. Her eyelids drooped and a single tear escaped down her cheek. She only had energy left for one last thing before the darkness consumed her completely. She called out to her mate and prayed to the Moon Goddess he would hear her.
