“You’ve been on an emotional roller coaster for most of your life. Add to that needing to remain constantly on your guard so you can protect the one you love. I’m surprised you’re still standing.”
“I can’t let my guard down yet, Judge,” Charli said, turning in his arms and lifting her gaze to meet his. “Delgado is still roaming the streets. We’re still not safe.”
“You will be once we move to pride lands.”
“We’ll never be safe while Delgado is free. I have to help Iris and Jonah take him down,” she countered, hoping Judge didn’t fight her on this. “I have to discover the drop off point so he’s no longer a danger to Emily and me.”
“I have no problem with you doing that, kitten. The only thing I ask is for you not to shut me out.” Judge pulled her into his body and rested his chin on her head. “You’re not alone in this anymore. You have people in your life willing to fight for you and Emily, please remember that.”
“I will, Judge,” she promised. “Thank you.” Though she hoped the plan played out as Iris had suggested it would and she wouldn’t have to place herself or anyone else in danger.
“Good. Okay are you ready for bed?”
The bed Judge spoke of was the only other available one in his quarters. The one she had unknowingly shared with Judge the previous night. After arriving home from their hospital visit with Emily, Judge had set about making them a quick dinner. The last thing she remembered was sitting down on the sofa. This morning she woke up in Judge’s bed and his arms. And surprisingly, she found nothing but comfort in this man.
“More than ready,” she replied before heading toward the door that led to his room and a good night sleep.
Chapter Fourteen
Judge bolted upright in his bed, ready to take on his attacker. Turning toward the sound of heavy breathing beside him, he waited for his shifter vision to adjust to the darkened room. More punishment was inflicted on his body, but this time he could see the culprit. His mate was thrashing around beside him on the bed, her whole being caught in what he could only presume to be a nightmare.
Her flailing arms connected once again to his skin and she kicked at an invisible monster at the bottom of the bed. He gently shook her upper body in an attempt to wake her but the nightmare had its hold on her. Fearing she would end up hurting herself, he conceded that there was only one thing to do and his balls weren’t going to like it.
A strike to his groin was what had woken him, and he was about to place his most vulnerable region back in the line of fire. But his pain mattered little to him when his mate needed him. Climbing over her, he grabbed her hands while his legs tried to tame her kicking limbs. This didn’t have the desired effect. In fact it made his mate struggle more.
“Kitten, I need you to wake up. You’re having a bad dream,” he said softly in an attempt not to scare her more. Still she tried to throw him off her body. “Charli, you’re going to hurt yourself!”
He placed every ounce of alpha power he could in his voice while still maintaining a lowered tone. He was conscious of Emily in the room next to theirs. Thankfully his mate stilled and her eyes fluttered open. They held nothing but fear and confusion.
“Morning, kitten.” Judge slowly moved off of her, his balls reminding him of the pain they were feeling.
“Judge, why were you on top of me?” she demanded, her voice harsher from lack of use overnight.
“You were thrashing around on the bed, fighting something in your dream. I didn’t want you hurting yourself,” he replied, his hand automatically going to his throbbing groin.
Her hand landed on his arm. “I’m sorry for scaring you. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
Judge didn’t know how to respond to that simple question. For all of his years on this earth, and they had exceeded many millennia, his experience in the finer arts of being a gentleman were lacking. Usually his rule of no lies, unless it was for the protection of his family, would have him speaking the truth of his discomfort, while still maintaining his dominant personality. That rule didn’t seem to apply here.
He didn’t want to upset Charli. But he also had no plan on lying to her, ever. Lies destroyed relationships, and he intended on holding on tight to his beautiful mate for the rest of his long existence.
Looking down into her worried eyes, he found the answer. “Kitten, the only hurt you could inflict on me is by rejecting me.”
That seemed to be the right response, if her reaction was anything to go by. She sat up and immediately crawled into his lap. While he relished her closeness, his bruised balls protested at the pressure they were now being subjected to, compliments of his mate. Allowing his upper body to fall backward, he returned to his previous position on the mattress, taking Charli with him.
“Somehow, Judge, I don’t think I have the strength to reject you, even if it were for the best,” Charli finally said, her lips moving against his neck as she spoke.
“I see no situation that could possibly support you rejecting me as the best course of action.” He held her closer to his body.
Silence followed his edict. Charli’s breathing evened out, leaving him to believe she had fallen back asleep. He was proven wrong several minutes later.
“What time is it?”
Reluctantly releasing his hold on her with one hand, Judge reached for his phone that sat on his bedside table. The soft glow from the screen highlighted what he already suspected. It was too early to get up but too late for him to fall back asleep.
“Half past four.” He returned his phone to its usual spot. “What time does Emily usually wake up?”
“Around six,” Charli replied before trying to pull away from him. He refused to let her go. “Judge, let me up. I won’t be able to go back to sleep but that doesn’t mean you can’t.”
“Kitten, I’m awake now. I don’t require a lot of sleep.” He pulled her back into his body. “But why don’t you try to get a little more sleep?”
“I can’t.” Fear permeated her voice.
“Why? Is it the nightmare?” He felt her nodding against his chin. “Can you tell me about it? It will help.”
“It was about the same thing all my nightmares are—Delgado.” No matter how pissed he was at this man’s constant hold over his mate’s life, he remained quiet in the hope she would continue to share herself with him. And she didn’t let him down. “That last vision of him was the scariest. He actually punched a pregnant woman in the stomach because he wanted her to abort. I knew he was evil, but to strike at a helpless baby like that is beyond anything I can imagine.”
Soft, muffled sobs sounded as tears rolled off his shoulder. He could understand his mate’s distress. He couldn’t fathom harming a child or woman. They were to be protected and treasured, not abused.
“Kitten, I wish I could tell you that everything is okay. But I swear I will do everything within my power to make sure he can no longer hurt anyone else.”
Not liking his mate’s trembling form, he suggested, “Hey why don’t we talk about something else. The likes of Delgado doesn’t belong in our bed. I don’t like seeing you upset.”
“Do you promise to help in whatever way necessary to stop him?” Charli asked, her determined gaze holding his.
Though he suspected he was going to regret his next words, he would have agreed to just about anything to draw his mate out of her melancholy. “Yes, mate, I swear.”
Hugging him tight, Charli responded a little more enthusiastically, “Thank you, Judge. You have no idea how much that means to me.” A smile lit up her face for the first time that morning. “So, new subject? What about how old you are.”
Latching on to the change of topic and his mate’s brighter demeanor, he asked, “And what makes you think I’m old?”
“The girls keep explaining yours and Devil’s action with suggestions that you belong in a different time. And Chaos said something about me being a fitting mate for one of the Four Horsemen.”
“Ahh, I see,” Judge r
eplied, pausing. It was time for him to tell his story. He just hoped she didn’t push him away after hearing some of the things he had done in his past. “To explain my age I would have to share my story. I was born in a time when Gods ruled the earth. I was the illegitimate son of a king, and rightful heir to the throne. It was not a position I coveted. I was more a warrior than ruler. I had worked my way up, proving my worth to the army and crown. The truth behind my father’s identity came out on his deathbed. While I was aware of who he was, no other had such knowledge. My younger brother, who had trained to become the next king, was not enthusiastic about having a sibling. As a result the land given to my mother was reprocessed and I was sold into slavery. My previous experience as a fighter made me a perfect candidate to become a gladiator. And while my success satisfied my owner, it displeased the new king. He had me placed into the ring with not just one ferocious lion but six. I had no chance of walking out of that stadium alive, especially when I was denied a weapon.”
“That’s awful,” Charli gasped, interrupting his train of thought. She pulled him out of his past and back into her arms, where warmth and comfort were offered.
“Kitten, the promise of you had me surviving.”
“But how, against so many lions?”
“I died in the ring that day, but that’s not where my story ends,” he explained. “In the eyes of the Gods my death was an unacceptable result of greed. They offered me a chance to do their work and fight the very thing that brought on my death. I died a human warrior in that stadium and was reborn a shifter warrior. The very animal that took my life would protect me in the future. The Gods gave me the ability to change into any large cat that roamed the earth, as well as three brothers to aid in our mutual quest. We walked the earth, punishing greed and protecting the innocent. It was our main goal for so long, until humans became obsessed with the idea of profit. Their fear of our punishments was overridden by their need for more money. That was when Devil, Viper, Chaos, and I came up with the idea of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. We created the rumors and allowed the humans’ ability to dramatize to take over. Soon the legend was born, fighting alongside us to combat the disastrous effects of greed.”
“Wait a minute.” Charli leaned up on her elbows. “Are you talking about Death, Conquest, War, and Famine?”
“Yes. They are names given to those very things that greed could bring about.”
“You’re that old?” Judge could almost see Charli’s brain working overtime. He waited for the many other questions racing through her mind before addressing them. “Which one are you? Did you really ride horses? What about your weapons?”
Judge couldn’t help but laugh at the excitement swimming through Charli’s eyes. “Kitten, I’m not sure I can put a number to my age, but you make me feel like a schoolboy experiencing life and love for the first time. As for riding horses, it was once the only mode of transport, aside from our legs, that is. And my weapon is the very creature I become.”
“So are you Death, Conquest, War, or Famine?”
“You have met all four of us. Who do you think would associate best to each name?” he challenged, not doubting his mate’s analytical mind would come up with the answer.
She took her time thinking on his question, but he wasn’t disappointed once the answer came. “Devil is definitely Death. He scares the crap out of me. I’m thinking considering Chaos’s chosen profession that he’s Famine. You’re War for the same reason. As a previous warrior, current alpha of a pride and head of security, I can’t imagine you as anyone else. Which leaves Viper as Conquest. Am I right?”
“You’re spot on the money, kitten,” he said proudly.
“So why a casino rather than jobs within law enforcement where you can fight greed?” she asked, her chin resting on her crossed arms that lay over his chest.
“Because too many questions about our lack of aging would be asked. As owners of this hotel and casino we remain hidden most of the time, out of the public eye. And don’t you think the casino is a perfect way to highlight the demons of greed? The casino floor is full of people desperate to beat the house. They come in here with ideas of winning. When they do win they continue to play, wanting more. When they lose, they often return in the hope of gaining back their money, but that’s never enough.”
“So that’s why Devil doesn’t like me? I’m the very thing you guys punish.”
“Devil’s morals are very black and white. You cheated to gain money, so therefore you’re in the wrong. Even though he has the same knowledge as I do as to where the money you win goes, he can’t seem to move past the negative aspect of your actions. Something else you need to understand about Devil is that he cannot allow himself weaknesses. It’s the reason he originally treated Gabby so abysmally. She represented a weakness in his life. Just as your actions have proven that our system has a chink in it. It is possible to cheat in our casino.”
Charli pulled away from him. She moved to the bottom of the bed and stared at her hands. “I’m sorry, Judge, for causing you so much hassle. I won’t cheat your casino again.”
Judge sat up, frowning. He considered what Chaos had said about her possibly having a gambling problem. He couldn’t have her venturing into any other casino. He wouldn’t be able to protect her there.
“Charli, I would rather you cheat in our casino than any other. I would never deny you the money anyway,” he said, his hand seeking her feet, which lay beside his leg.
“Yes, but Devil does.” Sadness filled her eyes as she glanced up at him. “Anyway, I don’t think I’ll need to gamble anymore.”
“Why?”
“I started going to casinos the first time Emily was admitted to the hospital. She had a seizure one day in school and they did what they thought was right.” Her gaze fell back onto her intertwined hands. “I didn’t like the sense of no control. I couldn’t protect Emily from the seizures or the hospital visits. I felt helpless. That first time, I just wandered around aimlessly while the unnecessary tests were being run. I ended up in a casino, at the blackjack table. I used my gift to win money I didn’t need, but found my center again. I had regained control. Each time Emily has to stay in the hospital, I find myself drawn to the casinos.”
“So with no more hospital visits in her future, you think that need will disappear?” he asked, finally being given the missing pieces to the puzzle of his mate.
“Yes, but I feel bad for Sister Mary and the orphanage.”
“Don’t worry about them. We will make sure that they need for nothing together, okay?” He received a beautiful smile and a nod from Charli. “But, kitten, if you have the urge to gamble again, I want to know straightaway. I won’t have you going through that alone.”
Before she could respond, a little bundle of joy came springing onto the bed. As Charli greeted her little sister, her gaze held his. She nodded, silently agreeing to his request. It made his heart feel lighter. She had handed over herself and her protection completely to him. And it was time to get out of bed so he could show his girls where their future lay.
Chapter Fifteen
Charli looked across the uneven terrain of the pride lands. The golden ground was splattered with the occasional smudge of green. To say that the land appeared almost barren was true, yet Charli still couldn’t accuse it of being without character. Boulders of all sizes were scattered as far as the eye could see, offering perfect hiding places for the children of the pride. The shadows they formed added to the allure, enticing with the mystery of what lay within the darkened areas.
Yet still Charli could concede that she had never felt safer. The lands inhabited by the pride were set inland away from prying eyes. The knowledge of its existence was limited to those in the know. On the drive over Judge had explained that some of the younger pride members chose to live away from the pride, but the majority of the older generations preferred the company of others of their kind.
Stone houses blended in with their environment, keeping their prese
nce a secret. Judge had shown her his house. It was larger than the others but still held a homely feel to it. She could envision both herself and Emily living there. In fact she had already seen part of the house in her erotic vision—Judge’s bedroom.
Emily had already expressed her joy in the pride lands. On the way over they had stopped in at the school to show her around. It had been recess. Charli and Judge had lost her within seconds to the playground and the many children. Then, on meeting her teacher, she’d been invited to stay for the day, which she accepted without a thought.
Judge explained that he’d mentioned Emily to those in his pride that worked at the school. That included several of the teachers as well as the principal and assistant principal. The pride doctor was also aware of her condition and was currently waiting for Emily’s records to arrive. Though he knew not to hold too much stead in what was in them.
“Well hello there. You look a little lost,” a voice said from beside her. “I’m Travis.”
Charli looked back to where Judge was currently talking to his beta, Andrew. He appeared so deep in conversation that Charli felt silly disturbing him because this man made her nervous. She turned back to Travis and did the polite thing.
“I’m Charli,” she said, accepting his offered hand.
Instead of shaking it as social protocol demanded, he brought it to his lips and kissed her hand. “Such a beautiful name for a beautiful woman.”
Trying to extricate her hand, she said curtly, “Thank you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to speak to someone.”
“You could speak to me.” Still Travis held on to her hand, tightening his grip.
“Get your hands off of my mate!” Judge demanded from behind her.
Charli had yet to hear such menace from Judge, and she couldn’t have been happier. Travis dropped her hand at Judge’s order and she fought the need to wipe it on her jeans. Stepping away from the man, her body hit a solid mass. Judge’s arms came around her, pulling her further into his body.
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