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  Lock

  Club Crimson

  Terry Bolryder

  Copyright © 2019 by Terry Bolryder

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Author’s Note

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Epilogue

  Sample of Awakened Sea Dragons

  Also by Terry Bolryder

  Author’s Note

  Wait! This is the second book in the Club Crimson series, so you may want to read Max, the first book, before you continue. Each of my books has a new couple and a happy ending, but some plot points will make more sense if you read them in order!

  Here is the first book:

  Max (Club Crimson Book 1)

  Happy reading!

  Terry

  Chapter 1

  Eyes like a sunset.

  For a moment, Tasha wondered if she was still dreaming or if there could really be a pair of eyes with such an interesting orange-yellow hue.

  There were other things to notice, like the fact that she was in an unfamiliar office and that it was completely quiet and still the middle of the night…

  But it was the eyes that held her focus.

  Slowly, as her head cleared, she pushed back on the couch to get a better look at the face the eyes belonged to.

  Her lips fell open as she realized the rest of this person was even more startling.

  Handsome didn’t even begin to describe him. Beautiful. Exotic even, with tanned skin, full lips, long lashes, and gorgeous hair that even as a hairdresser, she had no idea how to achieve.

  It was a deep red that bordered on dark brown, somehow completely natural. She put a hand up shakily, wondering if he could possibly be real or simply invented from a fantasy after she’d passed out.

  A warm, hard hand caught hers, and she winced at the roughness of his skin. With such a handsome, verging on pretty face, such roughness was unexpected.

  Then again, as she began to take in the whole picture, maybe not.

  He was wearing a distressed white tee shirt under a black leather jacket that hugged a powerful chest and large arms. His narrow hips were encased in dark jeans with little rips at the knees. One leg was propped next to her as he bent over her on the couch. He wore leather bracelets and cuffs on both wrists and had a leather cord around his thick neck with a small metal icon in the middle of it, though she couldn’t make out what it was.

  He looked down at her, an amused expression in those interesting amber eyes. “You feeling a bit better yet?”

  Tasha pushed herself up, pulling her hand back as she tried to put as much distance between them as possible. Normally, she loved any interaction with a hot guy, but right now, she needed to figure out where she was.

  She looked around the office, trying to remember where she’d been before this. Everything seemed so vague, as if she’d been sleeping really deeply. Like she’d been under anesthesia.

  “Who are you, and where am I?” She wrapped her arms around herself, seeking warmth, as the office was fairly cool. She couldn’t make any kidnapping accusations because for all she knew, she’d just passed out drunk and he’d been nice enough to bring her somewhere safe.

  Goddam, she needed to stop drinking.

  “What do you remember?” The man pulled over an office chair and sat in it heavily, making it creak under his weight. He moved so smoothly that it was almost easy to forget he was quite a big person.

  Her stupid hormones were noticing that now.

  She put a hand to her head, sighing softly. “I don’t remember anything. I just…” She trailed off as images came to her, ones that made her heart race. “I was at Club Crimson with Jackie. Her man was acting weird and not seeing her, so we came to the club to see what he was up to and…” She felt her eyes widen as she tried to tell herself she hadn’t really looked through a window and seen a wolf bursting out of a human shape.

  His orange eyes narrowed with understanding, and he folded his arms with a nod. “So you do remember.”

  She sat forward, rubbing her forehead. “Oh God, I think I’m going crazy.”

  He wheeled the chair a little closer and reached out to gently lift her chin so he could look into her eyes. Why did she feel lost whenever he did so?

  “You aren’t crazy. But tell me what you saw.”

  As he leaned back in his chair, she decided she might as well spill everything. This man didn’t seem like he would be surprised.

  If she had passed out from shock, he’d been the one to bring her here after all.

  “I saw a man… shifting into an animal.” She shook her head. “I know it can’t be real.”

  The man’s mouth curved up at the corner. “Oh, it can be quite real. The unfortunate thing is that you aren’t supposed to know about it.”

  She felt the blood drain out of her face. “What do you mean?”

  He entwined his fingers, leaning over with his arms on his knees. “I’m the one they call in to fix this kind of thing.” He lifted his nose and sniffed the air for some unknown reason. “But you’re a bit unexpected. So you never knew about shifters until this moment?”

  “Shifters?” She let out a little cough. “You actually have a name for them?”

  He chuckled. “There are a lot of us. You have no idea.”

  She swallowed. “And you’re one of them?”

  He nodded.

  “So what are you going to do? Turn into a wolf and kill me or something?” She frowned. “Make sure I can’t talk?” She put up her fists in a fighting stance as she moved her feet to rest on the ground. “I won’t be easy prey for you.”

  He pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting back a smile. “I’m not going to hurt you.” When he grinned at her, the force of his smile nearly knocked her back. She had the feeling he didn’t grin like that often, that his grin was usually more of a smirk.

  He ran a hand through his perfectly feathered, collar-length hair and let a breath out. “You have no idea how perfect you are for my plans.”

  She raised an eyebrow, heart still pounding. “What?”

  “I didn’t think there were any more unknown alpha females.” He cocked his head. “How do you feel about being mine?”

  As the little blond female stared at him agape, Lock had to fight not to laugh.

  She was so interesting, putting up her fists as though she could possibly defend herself against him.

  Well, even if she learned to unlock the alpha wolf inside her, it would take time to master any of her attacks, and furthermore, she probably had no idea how to shift or what her alpha powers might be.

  She reminded him of someone, but he wasn’t sure who. He didn’t know any wolf families that would allow an alpha female to be roaming free in the human world.

  Her scent was suppressed, somehow without her knowing, and Lock could only sense it because of his own alpha wolf senses and because he’d once met another female who kept her pheromones suppressed.

  Lock gently moved forward, ignoring Tasha’s glare, and scented the air once again. There it was, ever so faint but present.<
br />
  Unmistakable.

  He let out a groan as he pulled back. “You’re going to be a lot of trouble for me, you know that? Hopefully, you’ll be worth it.”

  She blinked at him. “What do you mean?”

  He waved a hand. “I suppose I can tell you later. For now, introductions.” He stuck out a hand. “My name’s Lock, short for Lachlan, and I’m one of the owners of Club Crimson.”

  “And a wolf,” she said, wrinkling her nose and pressing a hand to her temple as if trying to rub the stress away. “Though, I can’t believe I’m saying that.”

  “An alpha wolf,” Lock said with a grin, “which is much better.”

  “Ah,” she said uncertainly. “If you say so.”

  “Submissive, I like it.” Lock leaned back in his chair.

  “No, I’m not,” she said. “I’m just caught off guard right now.” She pulled her hair out of its messy ponytail and tied it back again neatly. Now that Lock looked, blond really wasn’t the right word for her hair.

  It was more of a silvery tone with little highlights of purple and blue and pink. Dyed.

  But to get that effect, surely she had to have quite light hair beneath it.

  “Understandable,” he said quietly. “What’s that perfume you’re wearing?”

  She bit her lip. “My what?”

  “I’ve never smelled it before, and I have a great sense of smell.”

  She wrinkled her tiny nose again, blinking wide blue-gray eyes at him. “It’s personal.”

  “I have to know,” he said, wheeling his chair close again. “I really do.”

  “Well, Lock, that’s just too bad.” She shrugged.

  He placed a hand on either side of her shoulders, pulling her in gently so they were close, face to face. He moved one hand to caress her cheek, letting his pheromones do his work for him. “Tasha… tell me.”

  She took a deep breath, and her eyes looked lightly glazed as she released it. “It’s a present. My brother sends it. Once a year.”

  Hints of suspicion were beginning to take root in Lock as he released her, making her sigh.

  “Why do you smell so good?” She adjusted her tight shirt over her generous breasts, trying to compose herself. The name of some band was on the front, but Lock didn’t care to read it.

  “Pheromones,” he said. “The natural reaction of the wolf inside you to someone you want to mate with.”

  She blinked. “What?” Her blue eyes were now impossibly wide, and Lock felt if he looked closely, he could see just the slightest hint of purple at the edges.

  “Mate. The male you partner with who will protect you for life. You should choose one carefully.”

  “Um, I’m not worried about partnering with anyone because I just plan to forget this whole crazy conversation and go back to my city and keep doing hair.” She tried to push past him to get off the couch, but he moved in front of her, blocking the way.

  “I’m afraid that’s not possible anymore,” Lock said calmly. “But then it only would have been a matter of time before someone found you anyway. Your scent would continue to grow in strength. Your brother probably knows this as well.”

  She breathed in through her nose, pursing her full, pouty lips. “For the last time, I just want to go home.”

  Lock shook his head. “And I’m telling you it’s not possible. So you might as well get used to your position, little wolf.”

  She folded her arms. “Despite what you say, I’m not a wolf. I’m a human with a pounding headache, who probably stumbled on something I shouldn’t see, who just wants to get out of here alive. And no matter what you think I am, you can’t just keep me here.”

  Lock smirked. “Oh, I’m afraid you’re wrong there. I absolutely can.”

  They glared at each other for a moment, and then she slumped back onto the couch. “So if I can’t go, then what are you going to do with me?”

  Lock was about to answer when someone knocked on the door. Scenting the air, he knew it was Benny.

  “One moment,” he said, getting up to get the door. “I’ll be right back. There are some snacks in the mini fridge behind the desk. You’ll need your strength if you’re dealing with me.”

  Then he opened the door, nodded to Benny, and stepped outside, ignoring Tasha’s offended gasp.

  Chapter 2

  Benny was Benny as usual, a tall, affable man with the broad build of a bear, a solid, stubble-covered jaw, and twinkling hazel eyes.

  Right now, those eyes were serious.

  “Did you erase her memory?” Benny asked, looking confused as Lock pulled a chair in front of the office door and wedged it under the handle. “We really need to let her go.”

  “We can’t,” Lock said. “She isn’t human.”

  Benny stopped so abruptly he nearly tripped on a nearby stool. “What? I didn’t scent anything.”

  Lock took a seat at the bar, resting his elbow on it. At times like this, he wished he could drink like humans did, washing away his troubles.

  On the one hand, Tasha could be the key to all his problems. On the other, if she was who he thought she was, things could go very wrong.

  Benny took a seat beside him, letting out a heavy sigh. His perpetual flannel wardrobe looked ruffled from the events of the night. “I can tell you’re making plans, so before you go very far, you better tell me.”

  Lock glanced over at Benny. “She’s an alpha female. I’m sure of it. Her scent is masked, but the pheromones are there. Someone is covering for her, letting her live her life out here while never telling her who she is.”

  “She doesn’t know?” Benny’s usually calm hazel eyes were wide now. He shook his head. “That’s messed up.”

  Lock nodded. “But not as messed up as being an alpha female in our world. The last unclaimed one I know of had ten alpha males compete for her.”

  “What, seriously?” Benny grinned. “I thought that was an urban legend among wolves.”

  Lock shook his head. “I was one of them.”

  “Oh.” Benny’s smile dropped. “You didn’t win, then.”

  “No,” Lock said, getting up to go behind the bar to serve himself a shot just to have something to do. “I didn’t want to, I don’t think. Well, it’s a long story. Something I don’t want to talk about.”

  “If there aren’t any alpha females, how do wolves procreate?”

  “There are humans around,” Lock said. “And non-alpha female shifters. The Tribunal did some experiments a while back that wiped out a lot of our kind. Disproportionately females.” He shrugged, taking a sip of the bitter drink he’d poured. “Anyway, it keeps the lower packs down, having to mate with humans, having limited female wolves. The upper packs have their own alpha females that are affianced from birth.”

  Benny just nodded, interested. “You’ve told me some of this before.”

  “Yeah, because it’s the reason I want to burn the whole thing down.” Lock took another shot before slamming the shot glass down a little too hard. “The Tribunal benefits from having all the power concentrated at the top. Other packs struggle, and wolf society dies out as they are forced into the human world or into war with each other over females.”

  “Why does the Tribunal want that?” Benny asked. “Aren’t they the ruling party for the wolves? Meant to protect them?”

  Lock let out a bitter laugh. “It’s been a long time since they did that. Now it’s about control and wiping out humans. They’ve got to be stopped.”

  “So why hasn’t anyone stopped them?”

  Lock shrugged. “Between experiments with dragon blood and a bunch of other things, they’re too strong. All the families with the purest blood and the strongest alpha powers are part of the Tribunal and will defend it at all cost.” His eyes narrowed. “There are even wolves with the power to nullify another wolf’s power.”

  “Did that happen to you?” Benny asked, slanting a glance at him.

  Lock scowled. “A shit ton of things happened to me.”

&n
bsp; “I know,” Benny said. “I’ve seen the scars.”

  Lock looked straight ahead as he sat down again at the bar, seeing nothing. “The worst attacks never left any scars.”

  Benny was quiet at that, then lifted a hand to rest it on Lock’s shoulder.

  When Lock hissed and pulled away from him, Benny dropped his head, giving him an apologetic look.

  “So what are your plans with Tasha?” Benny asked, clearly seeing that his best move was to change the subject.

  Lock slowly grinned, the corners of his mouth lifting in a way that never reached his eyes. “I’m not positive yet, but she could be the key to everything.”

  Benny frowned. “Only if she wants to be. We can’t just hold her here. Not if she’s not ready.”

  Lock let out a laugh. “That’s true. But there’s no point erasing her memory. She isn’t going to tell anyone about us. She’s going to realize she’s one of us soon enough. As her scent gets stronger.”

  “Yeah, but what if she wants to go home? What if she doesn’t want to be a part of what you’re planning?”

  Lock lifted one shoulder casually, knowing that, as usual, he was one step ahead of everything that was going on. “Then she’s going to end up in trouble that only I can save her from, and luckily for her, I’ll be there.”

  Benny shook his head slowly, clearly not liking or understanding the direction of Lock’s thoughts.

  “She can make her own decision,” Lock said. “But her interests should align with mine, if my suspicions are correct.” He turned on his chair to face Benny. “For now, should we take her to your place? I can keep an eye on her there while she sleeps, and you and Harley can go check on Max.”