Mark Of The B*E*A*S*T*

by Rebecca Goings

  "Then who put out the hit on the Vice President?” Robyn asked, huddling close to Mac. The news of Henderson's death scared her to the bone. Her shivering returned.

  "Could have been Lucian,” Rogan said with a shrug.

  "But we wiped him!” Wade replied.

  "He could have sent someone before that. Who else but the veep do you think would have sent the military to shut B*E*A*S*T* down?"

  "You think it was a revenge killing?” Mac's deep voice calmed Robyn's racing heart.

  "Could be. If Henderson was closing down the project Lucian loved, he might have sent someone to take care of him.” No one disputed Noah's words.

  "There's another option,” Wade said. All eyes looked at him. “Every single shifter of B*E*A*S*T*'s secret compounds is now loose. Perhaps one of them knew Henderson was involved and decided some justice was in order?"

  "Christ,” Rogan hissed.

  "You okay?” Mac whispered into Robyn's ear. Her teeth were chattering.

  "I'm so cold."

  "Come on, sweetheart. I'll get you warm."

  She couldn't help her burning eyes. The Vice President had just been murdered, she was sure of it. Regardless if he was behind the B*E*A*S*T* agency, knowing someone had been killed in a flurry of fangs and claws horrified her.

  Leading her into the bathroom, Mackenzie drew a hot shower and stripped off both of their clothes. Within no time, she was wrapped in his arms under the warm shower spray.

  Robyn held on tight. He didn't let her go.

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  THIRTY EIGHT

  After a long soak in the hot shower, Mac pulled Robyn into her room where he tucked her against his warmth and sank into the bed.

  "You warm yet?"

  "Mmm,” she answered, snuggling closer. “Yes."

  He yawned, prompting her to yawn too.

  After a few moments of bliss, she asked, “Do you think it's over?"

  Mac caressed her arm from shoulder to wrist.

  "I don't know. Lucian's been...taken care of. B*E*A*S*T*'s facilities are gone, Covington's dead, and so is the Vice President. As far as the agency goes, yeah, I think it's over."

  She didn't miss the tone in his voice. He didn't quite believe his own words. “But?"

  "But, Wade's right. In liberating those facilities, all the shifters are loose, including the unstable crossbreeds. A lot of them aren't going to be as lucky as I was. They might not be able to figure out how to control their madness. And I'm not even sure I'll be one hundred percent. It's altogether possible the threat has changed from the B*E*A*S*T* agency to the very shifters they've created."

  Robyn scooted closer, tucking her elbows into his belly. Mac brought the quilt up to her neck.

  "Sorry, sweetheart. I know it makes you shiver."

  "You keep me warm. I'll be fine if I've got you."

  "You'll always have me."

  The smile he gave her made her stomach dance inside her. He still had the power to take her breath away. Mac was such a handsome man, she'd never get tired of looking at his fine form.

  "What are you thinking about?” he asked.

  "You. About how lucky I am."

  He shook his head on the pillow. “I'm the lucky one."

  They were in a single bed. It was close quarters, but Robyn grinned and threw her leg over his in an attempt to get closer.

  "Do you ever wonder who you were in your life before?"

  "Nope."

  That shocked her. She'd wondered about herself a few times, but was too scared to find out. “Why not?"

  "Because I didn't have you."

  "You could have had someone else."

  Mac rolled on top of her and threaded his fingers through her hair. “Maybe, but she wouldn't be you."

  "I could have had someone else."

  He gave her a lopsided grin and stared down at her with narrowed eyes. “Are you trying to get me worked up? You know I don't tolerate talk about other men."

  She grinned but looked away.

  "Besides,” he continued. “I know for a fact there wasn't. You were a virgin, Robyn."

  She blushed at the reminder. “I could have had a—"

  "Uh-uh, honey,” Mac interrupted. “The people we were in our lives before are dead. I don't want to know who we were. I don't care what I did, I don't care who I was in that life. I have you now. You're all I want, all I need.” He gave her a soft kiss. “I'm home."

  His words melted her.

  She gave him a few deep, heated kisses before coming up for air. “Mackenzie?"

  "Yeah?"

  "I seem to remember you made me a promise earlier."

  "Did I?” he asked, as if trying to remember his words.

  She nodded. “You did."

  His eyes flashed with mischief. “Now that I think about it, I am pretty damn hungry."

  He didn't give her time to respond before her breast was in his mouth. His tongue expertly flicked her, bringing forth a groan so loud, she thought the entire cabin heard her. They probably had.

  She didn't care.

  Her fervent response seemed to excite Mac, as he immediately attached himself to her other nipple, suckling it deep, softly biting it.

  Robyn twisted her hands in his hair and pushed him downward.

  "You don't take care of business, Mackenzie, I'm gonna come, and then it'll be all over."

  His delighted chuckles had her opening her legs wider to accomodate him. “Oh, it ain't over ‘til it's over, sweetheart. Thought I taught you that already?"

  Robyn had to clutch the pillows as all thought of talking flew right out the window. Mac's tongue flicked up and down, lovingly tasting her, suckling the soft bud of nerves that ached for him. He opened her wider for his mouth, plunging within her depths with two fingers.

  Every thought was forgotton as Mac expertly showed her what Heaven must be like while he pumped again and again. Pleasure rippled along her skin, radiating throughout her entire body a split second before she cried out, unable to hold back the ecstasy of her orgasm.

  Before the waves had even died down, Mac flipped her onto her stomach and climbed over her from behind.

  "I want you this way,” he panted, kissing and licking his way up the skin of her back.

  Rising on her knees, Robyn offered herself to him. Mac entered her swiftly, not wasting time by taking things slow.

  The change of position made everything feel different. He touched her somewhere deep within that excited her beyond reason. He hadn't even pressed his hand between her legs, yet she was coming again, pulsing around his erection.

  She knew the moment of his pleasure when he bent over and bit her right where her neck and shoulder met. His growling was unmistakable as he ground into her, demanding every last inch of her sheath as he shoved forward one last time.

  "Damn, baby,” he whispered into her hair. “The bear's right. That was friggin’ awesome."

  She turned to stare at him over her shoulder. He grinned and withdrew, allowing her to roll back over.

  "He wanted that?"

  "Suggested it,” Mac said with a shrug.

  She stroked his cheek with worry. “Are you all right?"

  He kissed her. “I'm better than all right. I'm right satisfied."

  "But the bear didn't—"

  "Don't worry,” he said. He held his finger to her lips. “I controlled him. He merely made...a suggestion."

  Robyn blinked, then relaxed in his arms. “Well you tell that bear he can make any suggestion he likes."

  Mac chuckled and pulled her closer. “Done."

  She giggled with him.

  "I love you, Mackenzie."

  "I know.” He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her eyes, nose, and finally her mouth. “I love you too."

  Robyn didn't care about anything else but the man beside her. The agency was dead, along with the bastards who'd started it in the first place. Lucian was somewhere in the Nevada desert, unaware of who he used to be and a shift
er himself, while the threat of any other shifters rocking her world seemed so far away.

  Besides, Mac would protect her if she needed him, come hell or high water, she had no doubt of that. He'd even release the bear if he had to—if it meant her safety.

  Snuggling closer, she rested her head on his shoulder. His deep, even breathing told her he was already asleep.

  Robyn glanced at him, admiring his beauty, so damn handsome with his face slack. She gave him a soft, loving kiss on his cheek before drifting off within the shelter of his arms.

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  About Rebecca

  Rebecca Goings always dreamt of chivalrous knights, gritty cowboys and dangerous men who go bump in the night... Now, she gets to write about them! She's won a few awards for her efforts, but that's not why she's an author. She writes because she breathes, it's as simple as that. She's never at a loss for plots, and hopes to be around for a very long time. Rebecca lives in Oregon with her husband, five kids, two cats, and one annoying, stubborn muttley.

  To learn more about Rebecca and her books, please visit www.rebeccagoings.com, www.facebook.com/rebecca.goings, or www.twitter.com/rebeccagoings

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