by Susan Bliler
A soft knock sounded on the door before RedKnife entered. He was carrying a mug of steaming something and a plate topped with a fat sandwich and a side of potato chips. Wordlessly, he crossed the room and dropped to his haunches in front of her before holding the mug and plate out to her. “You need to eat.”
He was right. She was famished and finally, fucking finally, she could actually eat. She’d collared her mate and they’d already consummated, but tonight every ounce of her had claimed him and that was the last step. Their affliction was over.
Pushing herself upright, she winced at the stiffness in her body.
“You were attacked too, Jenny. And, I know you’re one tough woman, but even you need to rest.”
She nodded, not wanting to argue. Setting the mug of coffee on the floor by her hip, eyes on her sandwich, she picked at it before finally asking, “How’d you know?”
RedKnife was good enough to not act confused. Instead, he immediately responded. “I could feel it in my system.” Still squatting, his eyes narrowed on her. “I’m not like other Skin Walkers.”
She nodded still not meeting his eyes. “I know.” And she did. As the lone Indigenous Walker, RedKnife KillsPrettyEnemy, had skills and abilities that were unrivaled even by their Dominant, Monroe StoneCrow.
“I’m sorry,” she offered quietly, peeling a strip of crust off the bread and dropping it onto the plate.
“What you’re doing, what you’ve created can be used to help. You’re just not doing that.”
Finally, she lifted her eyes to his.
“You’re trying to stall out the affliction to give Walkers a chance to meet each other and establish a mutual attraction before nature can force it. You’re trying to give them a choice.”
She nodded and swallowed hard, relieved that someone finally understood.
“You need to understand that most of us don’t want that option. We want the affliction.”
Her mouth fell open as she stared at him. “I…I don’t believe that.” She accused, “Most of you are terrified of finding your Angels!”
“Because we’re terrified of having them used against us. They are our only weakness, the only true weapon that can be used against us. And even knowing that we still want it. What if,” he continued. “What if you used your Intel to lead them to each other instead of trying to keep them apart? You could expedite what it is Monroe is trying to do at StoneCrow.”
“And what’s that?” she asked, eyes crinkling in the corners as suspicion mounted.
“Procreation. Numbers. An eventual army. And monsters with something to fight and die for.”
Jenny felt like she’d been rocked to her core. She’d been told—and had believed—that Monroe was creating a safe haven, a place where Walkers could quietly exist.
“You’re wrong,” she argued. “That’s not what’s happening.
RedKnife didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. The idea was planted now, and it took root so damn fast and so damn fully that it blossomed into full-blown realization with dizzying speed.
Holy shit. Blinking rapidly at the comprehension that settled into her soul, Jenny breathed, “Even if it’s true, why in the hell would I want to help him with it? I don’t advocate war.”
RedKnife’s look turned severe. “You will.”
Jenny shook her head in denial.
“You will,” RedKnife repeated, his eye sliding to the side and landing on Bishop. “When the Megalya come back for him.” He turned and looked at her again. “And they will come back for him. They’ll want revenge. What will you do then? What will you be willing to do to keep him safe?”
Sliding her gaze to Bishop, Jenny clenched her jaw hard knowing the answer. She knew that RedKnife knew it too.
“And what will you be willing to do to keep your children safe?”
She looked at RedKnife, anger filling her.
He smirked and shoved to his knees. “That’s what I thought.” He paced to Bishop and stared down at him. “I get your dilemma. The whole do no harm mantra, right?” He grinned over his shoulder at her, “Kinda hard to stick to when demons are hunting what’s yours.” He turned back to Bishop, his grin slipping. “I didn’t want a war either.” He shrugged, “But how’s that saying go? Better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in war.” He shook his head. “I’ve always been a warrior, but for Cindy…”
Jenny saw his hands clench into white-knuckled fists.
“For my Angel, I’ll scour the ends of the earth to bring Monroe every single Walker in existence. They can’t run, they can’t hide from me. For Cindy, I’ll gladly become the wicked snitch of the west.” He chuffed a humorless laugh. “She deserves an army to keep her safe. Our unborn children deserve an army to protect them.”
“We can’t stay in hiding like that. There’ll be too many of us.”
RedKnife settled his hand on Bishop’s chest. Closing his eyes, he let his head fall back. “I’m done hiding.”
A blast of power shot from his palm and struck Bishop’s chest, jarring his body.
Jenny sprang to her feet but held herself back. She knew RedKnife had healed his Angel. She didn’t know how it worked. Frankly, she didn’t care.
Lowering his head, RedKnife’s eyes slowly opened and landed on Bishop.
Even from where she was standing, Jenny could see the stitched edges of Bishop’s ragged wounds sealing.
“We’ve been hiding for thousands of years,” RedKnife spoke quietly. “What good has that done us?”
“So you’re going to help Monroe build an army and then go looking for trouble?” Jenny couldn’t help the ire that laced her tone.
“No,” RedKnife answered turning to face her fully. “Not gonna look for trouble. Just not running from it anymore.” He jerked his chin toward the plate still in her hands. “Eat,” he commanded. “I can scent your starvation. It’s unpleasant.” Without another word, he turned and left the room.
Alone, Jenny ignored the plate in her hand and approached Bishop. Her mouth fell open at how good he already looked. His color was back, his wounds healing before her eyes. A whimper left her as she lifted a shaky hand and flattened it on his chest over his heart.
Yeah, an army. Her mate deserved a fucking army.
Chapter 21
Too much! Everything was just too much. Jenny shoved clothes into her suitcase and glanced at the clock. She was meeting Stoney in five minutes. Zipping up her suitcase, she hoisted it off the bed, extended the handle and drug it behind her down the hall of her cabin at StoneCrow. She’d officially had enough.
Two days ago Bishop had finally woken up in StoneCrow’s infirmary. She’d been there, but he’d immediately sent her away.
After watching him nearly die she’d decided she was done staying away from him, but when he woke he was adamant that he’d wanted her gone. Hell, he’d even had Ash escort her out of her own exam room. She’d wanted to argue, wanted to rage, but he’d only just woken, and she was afraid to stress him out. So, she’d left. She’d done as he’d asked and gone back to her cabin only to find Law waiting for her on her porch. There’d been no hope of hiding the tears that streaked helplessly down her cheeks. Law had demanded to know what was wrong, but she couldn’t tell him the truth. He was a Walker though so she’d had to offer him something really damn close. She’d told him about the attack on Bishop, which of course, he’d already heard about. She’d also told him about her near capture, and because of their history, he assumed that was the reason for her tears.
Instantly, he’d gone all battle-hardened warrior, prepared to rush off and fight and die on her behalf, which only made her cry harder. Apparently, her hysterics were jarring because Law tried to calm her offering soothing words and offering to get her into her cabin and get a hot cup of tea in her hands. She let him.
He’d stayed only long enough to ensure she was okay because she’d told him she needed rest. He’d acquiesced immediately and left her alone.
That had been two days ago and
she hadn’t seen him since. She hadn’t seen Bishop either, which hurt almost as much as watching him being torn apart by Megalya. They’d been through something together and that was it. That was the one thing that she though could finally salvage any relationship they might have. But for two whole days he still hadn’t asked for her. He hadn’t even had the decency to send word how he was doing and when she finally contacted Stoney and found out that he’d been discharged yesterday, she felt gutted.
Now, she let her suitcase clunk its way down the front steps of her cabin. Outside, Stoney stood with arms crossed, hip resting against her bright yellow Challenger as she waited on Jenny.
“Thanks for the car,” Jenny said as she rolled her suitcase to the trunk and waited for Stoney to open it.
“I don’t think you should go.”
Stoney was the only one who Jenny had fully confided in. She’d done so partly because Stoney already knew Bishop was afflicted and on injections, she just didn’t know who his Angel was…until now. The bigger part of Jenny telling Stoney everything was that Stoney was her only true friend, and the last six months had been hell trying to keep everything to herself.
“Sometimes you’re just too damn scientific about everything, Jen. Just feel!” Stoney shoved off the car and used her key fob to pop the trunk. “Why can’t you do that? Why can’t you see yourself as a woman instead of a Doctor and just go with your urges?”
“Because at the time I started all this, my biggest urge was to prevail for those who have faith in what we can make possible,” she explained. “I didn’t try for me. I tried for them, and every single Walker who is privy to what’s been going on is telling me I’m wrong. I fucked up. I didn’t help anyone. Even worse, Bishop hates me.” She hefted her suitcase into the trunk and lurched forward, her arms bracing on it as a searing pain stabbed her chest. All the fight left her, and she whispered, “He hates me, Stoney. I don’t know what do to. He hates that I’m his and wants nothing to do with me.” She pushed up out of the trunk and let her head fall back, eyes pinching closed against the anguish as tears slipped down the sides of her face. “This is what I’d been hoping to avoid. I didn’t want this damn affliction forced on anyone.” She jumped when the trunk slammed closed.
Law stood there scowling at her. “You takin’ a piss right now? You ain’t leavin’ like ‘is!”
“Fuck,” she swiped at her cheek and turned for her cabin, but Law caught her arm and spun her back to him.
Already hypersensitive from being away from Bishop for too long, Jenny screamed at the hand locked onto her bare arm. A jolt of intense pain shot straight through her, and she tried to rip out of his hold, but Law wouldn’t let her go.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, and because he didn’t know any better, he hoisted Jenny up into his arms. One arm touched the back of both of hers, and when he pressed his forehead against hers, Jenny screamed an agonized sound as she started fighting.
“Put her down!” Stoney yelled. “Jesus Christ put her down!”
Law didn’t. He didn’t understand what was happening, so he held Jenny tighter.
A loud bang sounded and through her tears, Jenny could barely make out Bishop vaulting himself over the railing at a cabin just two down from hers. His matte black eyes were locked on her and Law as he raced toward them.
“Get your fucking hands off of her!” he bellowed.
Law spun and seeing Bishop barreling toward them, he set Jenny down just in time to catch Bishop as he launched himself into Law’s chest. The impact was jarring, and both men went down in a heap of fists and fury.
“Jenny!” Stoney rushed her and looked down at where Jenny was rubbing her arms, her body still quaking. “Are you okay?”
Jenny’s eyes were on Bishop and Lawder though. “Stop!” she shouted, but neither man listened. “Stop!” she yelled louder. Still in too much pain, there wasn’t anything she could do to make the men listen. “Stoney, do something.”
Without hesitation, Stoney walked up to the men and kicked Law hard right in the center of his back.
“Stoney!” Jenny screamed. “What in the hell are you doing?”
“You’re Bishop’s Angel,” Stoney bellowed jabbing a finger at the still brawling Walkers. “Law shouldn’t have touched you.”
Jenny’s head fell back, “Oh, my fucking God. Stop, stop! Everyone just fucking stop!” But she was speaking quietly now like she was only talking to herself.
“Wait!” Law yelled, grabbing one of Bishop’s wrists to keep his fist from connecting with Law’s face. “What you mean she’s ‘is.”
“His Angel,” Stoney pointed. “Look at his neck.”
Law’s eyes dipped to the double-helix halo around Bishop’s throat, and he groaned, “Bloody fuckin’ ‘ell. Get off me mate!”
Bishop let him up.
When Lawder stood, he looked at Jenny accusingly. “You’re ‘is?”
Jenny nodded, not bothering to explain the complications of their relationship.
“Christ,” Law planted his hands on his hips and heaved a great sigh. Blood dripped from his nose, and he looked from Jenny to Bishop then to Stoney. “Bloody hell,” he said again and then stomped off.
“Thanks,” Bishop muttered, drawing Jenny’s attention.
He was staring right at her, and she wondered why he was thanking her, but when he crossed to her and bent, lifting her off her feet before tossing her over his shoulder, she realized he’d been speaking to Stoney.
“Hey!” she protested as he stalked back the way he’d come, leaving her suitcase in the Stoney’s trunk. Shoving hair back out of her face, Jenny raised her head to stare accusingly at Stoney. She knew now Stoney had simply been stalling her earlier when Stoney mouthed ‘sorry’ and folded her hands in a clear plea for forgiveness.
Jenny’s shoulders slumped. “Bishop.” She spoke calmly, attempting to mask her quickly swelling emotion. “Put me down.” Damn it! Her voice actually broke, and she knew he’d heard it when he stopped for just the briefest of moments then continued on.
“No.” Was his only response.
She couldn’t even fight him because she was too busy struggling to keep from losing her shit. Any second she was going to burst into hysterical tears, and she was using all of her strength to keep from doing so. She didn’t need Bishop feeling sorry for her or seeing how affected she was by their failed relationship.
Chapter 22
Jenny went lax as Bishop’s booted feet pounded up his cabin steps. It felt like all the fight left her and she just went limp until Bishop burst through his front door then spun and kicked it closed before setting her down and steadying her with his hands on her arms. He was in her face in a flash, snarling, “I’m done with this.”
She felt her heart sink and jerked back out of his hold. Immediately, her knees buckled and she went down. In a heap on the ground, she crossed her arms over her chest like she could ward off the pain that blossomed inside and threatened to burst.
“Do you want this or not, Jen?”
Confused, her head snapped up. “Wh-what?”
“Do. You. Want. This?”
Jenny blinked up at him trying to decipher if she was interpreting the question the way he’d intended. She didn’t have to wonder long because he growled and grabbed her upper arms again, hauling her up and pulling her body firmly into his.
“Let me rephrase because I don’t want there to be any confusion, no misunderstanding. Jenny Houlton, do you want me or not? Do you want to try and work this out? Do you want to be my mate?”
Shock and hope tore through her in equal measure. Without hesitation, she nodded and answered with a breathy, “Yes.” Then more firmly, “Yes, Bishop. I want us to work. I want you. I want you to want me.”
His eyes flashed black and narrowed on her the instant before he pulled her into him and kissed her hard. His mouth was demanding, and she met him ounce for ounce. No more fighting it, no more fighting him.
Picking her up, he carried her bli
ndly to the bedroom and didn’t ease his fervent kiss even as he lowered her onto the bed.
Then his hands were everywhere. His beard brushed the side of her neck as he sucked there and worked his way down the vee of her chest to nuzzle between her breasts. When he turned his head and sucked a taut nipple into his mouth through her shirt. Jenny cried out as the tugs sent arcs of pleasure shooting straight to her clit. He sucked so hard on her nipples that her clit was actually throbbing its demand for attention and she could feel her sex creaming in preparation for what was to come. With one last lick to her nipple, Bishop’s muscled body slowly worked its way down her torso, peppering kisses, licks, and bites as he went. His hands made quick work of ripping her shirt open and then her bra. His glazed eyes locked on her exposed breasts and then his mouth was back on her, suckling her even as his hands ripped open the front of her jeans. He pulled back only a moment to tear off her shoes and slide her jeans and panties down her legs before his big body was settled back between her legs. He kissed her lips and then trailed to just below her ear. He kissed her just above where her pulse raced in an erratic beat and then started working his way down her body again.
“Tell me to stop,” he panted raggedly against her stomach. “Tell me you don’t want this, Jenny.” He kissed her hip bone. “Tell me you don’t want me before I fucking ravish you and end this agony for the both of us.”
“Don’t…” she panted. “Don’t stop!”
She thought he’d put his mouth on her. She prayed he did, but when his body surged upward, she didn’t even get the chance to protest before his cock forced its way into her wet slit. It was how it had always been with them. There was no slow and easy, no gentle lovemaking. No, Bishop straight fucked her and fucked her hard. Only this time, his eyes locked on hers as he pulled back and then shoved back into her.