by Tigertalez
“Yes, but I would like to approach you about it later, if that is all right with you.” Slate gave slightly more respect to the alpha lion, lowering his eyes. The alpha looked apprehensive but with the show of respect, seemed to accept his answer. Grabbing Carl by the scruff of his collar, the alpha dragged the belligerent shifter out of the house.
Tyler addressed Slate’s mother. “Beverly, that was a considerable amount of courage you showed there, and I admire that. Now why don’t you let Nurse Katie here take care of you while the rest of us take care of other matters? Don’t you worry any. Finding your daughter and seeing her safe will be our first priority.”
Chapter Eleven
Dex’s mind couldn’t focus on anything but finding the woman whose wildflowers and evergreens scent had so much control over him. Vampires were different from shifters in some ways, yet similar in others. Their senses were enhanced to almost the same degree, but they had a better taste and sight, which brought their scent down just marginally. So though they had the same five senses enhanced, vampires weren’t wired to know for certain of their destined beloved until they tasted their blood. They were vampires, after all. From the moment Dex caught a hint of her scent as they approached the house, he’d fought a losing battle for control over his bloodlust.
“Slow down, buddy. Try to keep your head clear.” Pierce trotted along beside him.
“I can’t explain it, Pierce. Her blood is calling to me stronger than any other has. I have to know if she is my beloved.”
“But look at what she has just been through. You can’t just go up to her and bite her. If she is your beloved, your bite would start the bonding process, and if you bite her without her consent, you’ll traumatize her even more than she is already. You’re going to want to do this right.”
Slowing down just a margin, Dex tried to calm himself. “I haven’t been this out of control since my awakening.”
“If she is your beloved, you’ll be able to have a telepathic link to her. That would go good right about now.”
Dex grunted his agreement as her scent continued to pull him down the street, past the houses and shining streetlamps. Dogs barked every now and then from a yard or from the front window of a house. Near the end of the neighborhood across a field of tall yellow grass waving in the evening breeze, was a forested area. He carefully looked the field over. She was a lioness who was possibly hurt, so he wondered if she might have shifted. Her kind could easily hide in a field like this, and the woman’s scent was strongest here so she might still be here. Motioning for his friend to stay put, Dex stepped into the field and began crossing it. He worried about poisonous snakes and scorpions hidden in the tall grass and worked to avoid them. His new concern was the shifter he pursued. What if she is too upset or hurt to sense the danger? He worked to focus his senses and find who he hoped was his beloved. Vampires coveted their fated one as shifters did.
A low growl cut through the darkness, the sound playing off the tips of the waving grasses. It was too quiet for a regular human to hear, and only his heightened senses were able to pick it up. Not wanting for her to attack him, should she be unable to scent him, he took a chance she could hear him.
“Elise? My name is Dex.” He kept his voice low. “Your brother Slate came to rescue you and your mom, and my coven offered assistance.” He stayed quiet for a few moments, letting what he said sink in, if she heard it at all. Please let her hear me, he silently wished. “Slate’s mate is a nurse. She’s taking care of your mother, and your father won’t ever lay a hand on you again.” He nearly growled that last part, so he took a second to close his eyes and rein in his temper. “Please give me a chance to earn your trust, Elise. I won’t hurt you, and I won’t ever allow your father to hurt you again.”
The sounds of ligaments and muscles popping and reshaping alerted him she was shifting. He turned around to try to see her, and after several seconds, a small petite woman with long blonde hair that gently moved around her in the breeze, appeared not far from him. A cascade of emotion filled him at seeing her naked form kissed silver blue by the moonlight. Her blood drew him to her like nothing else. Even though his friend was fifty or more feet back, Dex’s anger grew thinking that he may be able to see her. Jealousy beat through his veins, and once again Dex had to get control over his emotions. “Elise honey, do you have anything to wear?”
Her elegant head moved left and right. Quickly unbuttoning his shirt, he motioned for her to come to him. He watched her graceful movements as she made her way closer. It had to be her lioness who blessed her with such sleek, elegant movements. He was in awe of her, and his sensitive fangs ached to sink into her supple, smooth skin and taste her.
But first, snapping himself yet again back into the now, he gently wrapped his shirt around her. It eased the territorial beast within him to see her in his shirt, surrounded by his scent. Her heated flesh warmed his fingers through the fabric as she stood there and stared up at him.
He couldn’t see any noticeable signs of injuries, but she could have received less severe ones than her mother and had time to heal them before they got there. Running a finger down the soft skin of her cheek, he offered her a smile. “Elise, can you smell me?”
She had yet to verbalize anything, but at least she responded to his question with a nod. Carefully wrapping one arm around her, he pulled her tight against him. He could feel her body’s heat against his flesh through his shirt. His free hand continued to caress her beautiful oval shaped face. “I think you are my beloved. Do I smell like I’m your mate?”
Again she only nodded, but that eased a giant worry he had coiled up inside of him. He was thankful that she recognized him as her mate. “Vampires don’t know with full certainty until they have tasted their beloved’s blood, but if you allow me to taste you, it will start the bonding process. Vampires’ bonding process is slightly different from a shifter’s. I want to taste you so very much, but I won’t if you want me to wait. Will you let me bite you?”
She hesitated for only a brief moment, but to his heavily beating heart, it felt so much longer. His chest ached with the pounding his heart was making, and his stomach slightly tensed up. He would wait for her, no matter what it took of him, but the anticipation of the pain it would cause him wasn’t something he was eager to experience. His breath left him in a heavy whoosh when she nodded her head, and she even tilted her head for easier access. Dex’s dick gave a painful leap against the closure of his pants, and his once twisted stomach did a happy flip with celebration.
He positioned his arms and hands to better catch her from her upcoming euphoric blissed-out experience. “I don’t know if you know, but a vampire’s bite, when done without malice, can cause the recipient to orgasm. If you’re my beloved, you undoubtedly will.” His mouth watered with anticipation of the flavors he would experience as he leaned forward and licked the spot he would sink his fangs into. His dick pressed hard against the front of his pants, and he felt pre-cum escape the tip at the very idea of this delicate and beautiful creature coming apart in his arms. Her body shivered beneath his fingers. Dex reached between them and released his straining cock. If she was his beloved, he would also climax with just the flavor of her blood.
Unable to hold back any longer, he let his fangs prick her skin and sank into her thrumming vein. Her blood began to flow over his tongue with a flavor that sent him nearly to his knees with the intensity of the climax. He hummed and groaned around the hold his sensitive fangs had on her as she shouted out her own release. Sharp pain stabbed at his neck when her canines sank into him, claiming him. Dex rutted against her soft belly, shooting his load onto her creamy flesh, and drawing out his release. His balls emptied with such force, he felt their pull clear up into his belly, causing him to sink to his knees, bringing his beloved with him. She sank down onto his lap. He felt the connection start to take place as her fluids continued down his throat.
With the pings of pleasure still zinging through his system, he carefully pu
lled out his fangs and ran his tongue over the puncture marks, sealing them. His urge to continue to drink from her and finish the bond was strong and relentless, but he could sense through her blood that she had taken injures, possibly internal, and her body hadn’t fully regained its strength. With his breathing slowing down, he looked down into her face, and felt pride spike through him at the blissed-out look that radiated from her.
“My beloved mate,” he whispered, leaning his forehead against hers.
The rustle of someone approaching had him on alert. In quick fluid movements, he lifted off of his lap and stood, turning to who approached while keeping her behind him. His eyes easily saw through the darkness his friend Pierce coming toward them. Pierre kept his eyes downcast and voice low so only they could hear.
“Congratulations, buddy. I really hate to break this moment up, but there’s some young humans coming this way and I got a text from Fabian.”
After quickly tucking himself in, he wiped his cum off her toned stomach, and helped her button up his shirt. Picking his shoeless mate up into his arms, Dex easily carried her light form as they started to make their way out of the field.
Pierce continued. “The alpha removed the guy from the home and is granting the family restitution. Fabian says once we find her to come back so they can make further arrangements.”
His mate tensed in his arms, and already feeling the bond they had started, he could feel her sickly emotions. “What is it, beloved? I won’t let anyone hurt you. Tell me what it is you fear and I will shield you from it.”
“The alpha won’t grant restitution or do anything to my dad.”
“Let’s head back to the group, and you can elaborate on that. I have a feeling we are all going to need to hear what you have to say.” He reassured his beloved with a squeeze and kissed her on her temple as they made their way back to the house. No matter what she had to say, with his beloved in his arms, he felt like he could take on the entire world at that point.
Chapter Twelve
Slate sat on the couch while his mate was on the phone with Seamus guiding her in a more thorough examination of his mother in her bedroom. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and his head resting in his hands, overwhelmed with all the information he was dealing with. His mother had severe injuries, which might possibly need Seamus’s full attentions. His sister was found, but no news on how she was doing, or when she would be back home. He wasn’t having such a hard time believing what his father had done. Though he never would have believed he would do this to his mother or sister, he’d felt this side of his father once and had already come to terms with that. His father was never a loving man, but he had never been physically abusive when he was growing up. It had been tough for Slate to wrap his head around his father’s abuse when he was kicked out, but he had no indication to believe he would ever do this to the women in the family.
The front door opened, causing Slate to look up. Pierce was holding the door open for Dex, who was carrying in Slate’s youngest sister. He ignored the pain in his body as it protested his rising and rapid movement as he made his way to his sister. Dex carefully let her down, and Slate wrapped his arms around the sister he hadn’t seen since she was a young cub.
He kept his embrace light and didn’t hold her for long. He could smell Dex’s scent on her and knew he’d started the mating process. Pulling back, he held out a hand to the vampire. “Dex, thank you, and welcome to the family.” Dex took his hand and shook it. Slate added, “I’m really glad you are here to help her through this family crisis.” Looking down at his sister, he planted a small kiss on the top of her head. “Congratulations, baby sis.”
“Thank you.” Her voice was shaky, quiet and subdued.
He didn’t like the sad and shy look she had, and didn’t think it was normal for her at all considering her spirited display over the phone when they talked right before the attack. “I would feel better if you let Katie look you over. She’s in with Mom right now.”
Suddenly her face crumpled, and Dex immediately wrapped Slate’s sobbing sister in his arms. He heard the vampire muttering assurances to her. Once she got control of herself, she wiped away her tears. “I was afraid she was dead.” Her face scrunched up in sorrow again as her voice broke. “I left her here and escaped.”
Slate could clearly see she would need time to heal and forgive herself. “You didn’t know, and you did what she wanted you to do. Why don’t you go in and see her? She’ll be so relieved to see you’re safe.”
She shook her head. “I will, but first, I want to know what happened to Dad.”
He ushered her into the living room. Dex grabbed a large cushioned seat and placed her in his lap. Slate fought back a chuckle. He loved seeing his sister cared for the way a mate should be. A door opened down the hall, and his own mate came around the corner. He sat down and offered her his lap, but she sat beside him instead, reminding him his injury wasn’t ready for that yet.
“Injury?” his sister’s voice carried to his ears. “Did Dad hurt you, too?”
“No, actually I was injured while protecting my alpha and his mate just before I called Mom.”
“Yes,” Katie interjected. “He’s supposed to be bedridden, but this was too important to stay home. I’m Katie, Slate’s mate.”
“Hi, I’m his youngest sister, Elise. It’s nice to meet you. Where’s Mom? Is she going to be ok?”
“She’s hurt pretty bad, but with some care and time, I think so. Dr. Rossi wants to do more tests and his own complete examination as soon as we get back to the pack lands. She’s sleeping right now, but she has a pretty bad concussion so I’ll need to check on her often.”
Slate cringed at the news of his mother’s injures. At lease there was hope that she would be all right. Tyler was still here, so he came around and introduced himself to Elise. “I’m Councilmember Tyler Ghost. I would very much like to hear what happened if you are ready to talk about it.”
Slate could see Dex’s hold tighten slightly, no doubt trying to reassure her. She nodded her head as Fabian handed her an afghan to place over her lap. Dex tucked the blanket around her as she described the events.
“Dad told us never to talk to Slate or there would be hell to pay. Whenever we mentioned Slate, his temper would go through the roof and he would whip me and my sister with his belt. We learned quick enough to never talk about him. He was supposed to be at work today, so when we got the first call from Slate since he left, we were excited and didn’t push him off the phone. I guess Dad forgot a paper he needed for work and returned home to get it. We didn’t hear him drive in because we were too excited to hear Slate’s voice and telling us all the great things that were happening to him. It didn’t help I got a little too out of control and was cheering. I was a bit loud.”
“I don’t remember Dad ever being so abusive. Aside from mentioning me, was there any other time he would hit you?” Slate asked.
“I don’t remember much about when you left, but I think that was when their marriage started to go downhill. He wasn’t too bad most of the time, but over the last couple of years he had gotten worse. When they fought, their fights got progressively louder and more frightening. There’ve been times he’s thrown things and broke things. Holes in walls, broken windows, that sort of thing. I don’t know for sure if he ever hit Mom before today. This year has been the worst he’s ever been. He’s been mean and crazy like. I think it’s why Layla left home instead of going to college here. I usually just hide out in my room when Dad’s home.”
Slate was horrified. “Why didn’t you or Mom or Layla even, tell me? I would have come and helped you.”
“I think Mom was in denial about how bad it really was getting. Really Slate, we’ve seen him happy, laughing, and loving. To tell anyone felt like betraying him, and to do anything against him felt like it was overreacting. It was just so confusing. He never did anything like this before, so we had too many doubts what to do or how to respond. But after what happened
today, I was going to call you after I healed enough and figured how to get to a phone.”
Slate was relieved to hear that. He wanted his family to know he was someone they could rely on to protect and provide for them. “So you were cheering too loud, and Dad came home. I remember hearing him shouting over the line. Please tell us what happened.”
Elise looked like she was steadying herself. Slate hated forcing her to remember the horrendous event. He stayed quiet and let her mate soothe her until she was ready, then she continued to recount her story. “He started shouting at us and hitting us. He broke Mom’s phone and kept hitting and kicking her. Every time I got close, he would strike me. I kept my head protected, but he hit and kicked me several times in the stomach.”
“The bastard! You should really let me take a look at you,” Katie urged.
Elise shook her head. “I had some internal bleeding, but it’s stopped after I shifted. I’m weak, but so long as I don’t do much, I’ll be ok.”
“How do you know that?” asked Katie.
“I’ve been trying to get my doctorate in biochemistry. I knew what to look for.”
Slate could see Dex’s eyes go big and his brows rise on his forehead. Several others were obviously surprised as well, but he knew his sister was a smarty-pants, so it wasn’t a surprise to him. She had always been a fast learner. “What happened next?”
Slate could tell by her face she was picturing the event in her mind and was having a difficult time keeping her emotions under control. “I ran to my room and I tried to think of what to do, but I was hurting so bad.” Dex was rubbing her back and murmuring encouragement and words of comfort into her ear. With her mate’s support, she continued. “I locked the latch on my door. He tried to come through it, but the alpha arrived then.”
Slate stilled. The hair on the back of his neck stood up again. “What happened?” he felt breathless when he asked.