“Instead, you allow an enemy to live? Leaving a threat of danger to my mate.”
“She’s my foster sister,” Raven said. “I’ll help you keep her safe. This is not the wilds of Siberia.”
“Perhaps she would be safer if we returned to the wilds of Siberia,” Sergei said, getting angrier.
“Sergei,” Lindy said, laying her hand on his arm. “It’ll be okay. The first thing we need to do is get this chip thing out of me.” Lindy’s gaze pleaded with him. Sergei sighed and drew her close. “I don’t want to lose you,” he whispered to her.
“I’ll round up the teams and take these three to interrogation,” Joe said. “I’ll meet you at Isanti.”
“Sound’s good to me,” Hugh said. I’m starving. Is Gwen making dinner?”
Raven laughed. “You can use your good looks and beg a spot at the table. Tell Isanti and Gwen what happened and we’ll be back as soon as Dr. Rick removes the chip they implanted in Lindy.”
Hugh turned and walked toward the house whistling lightly. “Shall we?” Raven asked.
Lindy nodded and Sergei reluctantly released her. Holding her hand, he walked into Shadow. Raven followed after them.
Chapter Seven
Dr. Rick waited for them when they Shadow Walked into the clinic. Lindy couldn’t wait to get this thing out of her. They’d chipped her, like an animal. She shivered and Sergei put his arm around her.
“Raven said they implanted a tracking chip,” the doctor said walking up to Lindy. “Let’s do a quick ultrasound and find exactly where it is.”
“I still don’t understand what’s going on here,” Lindy said with a shake of her head. “Who’s behind all this and why do they want me dead?”
“I think it’s because we rescued you,” Raven said. “They must have ears at the Pentagon to know you returned home. Hopefully, Joe will find out more when he telepathically scans the men we caught.”
“Come along then. Yes, you too, Sergei. I know you want to be with Lindy while I do this procedure. Don’t worry. It won’t hurt for long.” Lindy wanted him to be with her too. He was becoming her rock, someone to hold her hand through this.
§
It didn’t take long to get the glass vile holding the tracking device out of Lindy’s arm. She had a few more stitches, but her pain level seemed tolerable. Sergei held her hand and monitored her emotions through the mating bond.
“She might feel a little uncomfortable for a while, but that will pass. No Shadow Walking tonight. You two should stay here until morning,” Dr. Rick said taping a bandage on her arm.
“They can stay in the guest cottage. I’ll make sure they’re comfortable,” Raven said from the doorway.
Sergei helped Lindy sit up and steadied her for a minute until she stood.
“I’m fine. A little tired is all. We never got any dinner,” Lindy said. Sergei wrapped his arm around her waist.
“I can have the kitchen send something over,” Raven said moving out of the doorway and motioning them down the hall. “We’ll need to take the elevator to the ground floor and then out the back door to the cottage.”
“That would be great, Raven. Sorry to be such a bother.” Lindy smiled at her brother.
“It’s not a bother. Cara is arranging things as we speak. I wouldn’t be surprised if a romantic evening awaited you both,” Raven ushered them into the elevator.
“I’m not sure I’m up for a romantic evening with everything that’s happened. Did you get in touch with Captain Travis? I’m sure the men will want the chips removed,” Lindy said.
“Yes, we had quite a conversation. Sergeant Miller’s body turned up in the Moscow River. They’re having her computer gone over to see if she was in on the chipping of the men.”
“Oh, no. Not Sally,” Lindy said her voice trembling.
“Yes. I’m afraid so. Indications point to her being a part of this conspiracy, whoever is behind it. That’s probably what got her killed. The mercenaries sent to kill you didn’t know who was pulling the strings further up the line. I’m not sure where else to look.” Raven led them from the steel and glass building down a well-lit path to a small cottage in the distance. “You realize I’ll have to put a team on you. You can’t go anywhere alone.”
“I wish I knew what this was all about.” Lindy shook her head.
“Don’t think about it now, Lindika. You need to rest and recover. Let’s get you some food and then get you to bed.” Sergei could feel the fatigue radiating off Lindy’s body. As much as he wanted to cement the mating bond into place, it would have to wait.
Raven opened the door for them. They stepped inside to soft light and a fire roaring in the fireplace. Food dishes covered with silver lids sat waiting on the table. One whiff made Sergei’s mouth water.
“See, I warned you Cara was up to her tricks again,” Raven said pausing by the door. “I’ll leave you to your romantic dinner. I’m sure Cara sent clothes over as well as stocking the bathroom with toiletries and towels. If you need anything else, give a shout. One of us will come running.”
“Please thank your lovely wife for all of this,” Sergei waved his hand at the romantic setting.
“She’ll be glad to know you’re pleased. Goodnight.” Raven closed the door.
Sergei looked down at Lindy noticing the circles under her eyes. “Shower first or eat first?” he asked.
“Food. Definitely. I’m starving.”
§
Lindy slipped on the silky negligee and sighed. This wasn’t exactly how she thought her first time with her mate would be. Cara went out of her way to make the cottage a nice retreat for them. Also, it afforded them some much needed privacy, something that would have been missing at her father’s house.
She brushed out her long hair and glanced in the mirror. Would Sergei be happy with what he saw? She gulped. Gwen had tried to mother her, but when it came down to it, they hadn’t had an older woman to talk to. What would her mother say to her about finding a mate? Anyone who had psychic abilities could easily see the lycan mating bond and there was no question that Shadow had marked Sergei’s chest with a tattoo. They were meant to be together, so why was she so nervous?
Gathering her courage she opened the door and walked into the bedroom. Sergei sat in one of the chairs by the window wearing dark blue pajamas with white trim. He smiled at her, his gaze tender.
“How is your arm, lyubov moya?” He got up, walked to the bed, and pulled down the covers.
“It’s sore, but not unbearable. It should be fine in a couple days. It won’t cause any problems tomorrow night. The community center is having their annual children’s party. I normally help out. Isanti, Inc. gives money to sponsor the event. We make sure every child gets a gift.”
Sergei held his hand out to her. “It’s a wonderful thing to give a child something special. Come, milaya, let’s get you tucked into bed.”
Lindy felt her feet dragging, but managed to take the steps necessary to put her in front of Sergei. He smiled while holding the covers up and out of the way for her to get into bed. Once that was accomplished he leaned down and kissed her gently on the forehead.
“Can I get you anything else, before we go to bed?”
Lindy shook her head, struck mute by the man caring for her. He brushed his fingers down her cheek and then walked to the other side of the bed. She watched as he climbed under the covers and reached for the light switch.
“Goodnight, Lindika. Sleep well.” He turned his back to her.
Lindy stared at the ceiling. Tonight, finding out she’d been chipped by an unknown group shook her. She wanted to forget, to feel safe. Did she do something wrong? True, Gwen hadn’t been very welcoming to Sergei. Was he angry at her?
He rolled over and snuggled up to her. “You have the strangest notions, woman. I’m trying to give you time to rest. Now, go to sleep.” He must be feeling her emotions through the mating bond.
“What if I don’t want to rest? What if I want you to make love to me?” Lindy asked d
efiantly. What did she have to do to get his attention? She’d waited her whole life to meet her mate. Wasn’t he attracted to her?
“Are you sure, Lindika? I don’t want to hurt you.”
“It hurts more when you ignore me. Don’t you want me?”
“Of course I want you. Come here, lyubov moya.”
Sergei drew her closer, each move as gentle as he could make it. He must be worried about her stitches. The cut on her arm was still mostly numb. Lindy rolled so she could face him and reached to caress his cheek. She kissed him, trying in her own way to let him see how much she wanted this, needed it. When she was with him, she felt safe, treasured. Right now she craved his touch.
He moaned as they broke apart. “You’re turning all my good intentions into dust. I know you’ve been questioning our mating. Are you going to have regrets in the morning?”
“No regrets, no more questions. You’re my mate. Make me yours.”
“Have I mentioned how beautiful you are? I see you and forget to breathe.”
Lindy laughed. “Are you trying to seduce me?”
Sergei frowned. “I’m trying to give you romance. To tell you how my heart yearns for you.”
“It’s not your heart that needs to yearn for me right now. It’s the lower parts that need to get into gear.” Lindy took his hand and placed it on her breast. Next she reached down and stroked him through his pants. She smiled when she found him already hard. “Ah, I see they’ve already decided to play.” She licked her lips. “We have too many clothes on. Why don’t you do something about that?”
Sergei chuckled. “You’re a demanding little thing. Here, sit up so I can remove your gown without hurting your arm.”
Lindy reluctantly released him and sat up. He removed the gown over her head before tossing it onto the floor. Lindy reached for the buttons of his shirt, while Sergei pushed his pajama pants off. She ran her fingers over the muscles of his chest before pushing the material off his shoulders. Before he could remove the clothes from the bed, she leaned forward and licked the wolf paw tattoo on his chest. He growled low in his throat. She did it again and then sucked his nipple into her mouth. His hand speared through her hair and held her close to him. Lindy smiled and continued to lick and nip at the nubbin.
Something wild arose inside her. This man was hers. She pushed him down as she climbed across his body. She continued to lick and kiss his chest and then up to his neck and ear. She sucked and played with his lobe before sliding back to the crook of his neck. She rubbed her nose against him, enjoying the wild forest smell of his skin. Then she nuzzled to where his neck and shoulder met. She rubbed her teeth on the spot and felt him tense beneath her. Following an inner knowing, she bit down, her teeth leaving a mark. She licked at the spot again to sooth the sting. He was hers now.
Sergei growled. He rolled them until she was flat on her back. “My turn.” His eyes appeared to glow slightly and something wild looked out at her. Instead of being afraid, Lindy felt that wildness surge inside again. His weight holding her down excited her. She felt herself growing moist between her thighs and could smell their combined arousal in the air. She ran her nails down his chest.
Sergei growled again and captured her wrists in one hand. “No more of that.” He held them to the pillow. Next he leaned down and kissed her, softly, gently. Lindy growled. She didn’t want soft and gentle. She wanted hard and wild.
Sergei deepened the kiss, pushing deep. Lindy sucked on his tongue holding him in her mouth. She struggled to get her hands free, but he held them tight. His lips trailed from her mouth to her ear, nipping the lobe before sucking on it. She squirmed beneath him. Next he concentrated on her neck, licking and sucking. When he found the same spot on her body, she’d marked on his, she leaned her head to the side. Showing her submission, wanting to be marked. He licked again and then moved lower, concentrating on her breasts. Lindy whimpered.
“Not yet, lyubov moya. Feel me, feel what you do to me.” Sergei tugged on the mating bond, pulling Lindy into the link. She felt every lick of his tongue, every kiss of his lips, every caress of his hand, and the pleasure he felt doubled hers. Their minds mixed, until Lindy didn’t know what thoughts were hers and what thoughts were his. They became a huge mass of need.
Lindy pushed her heels into the bed, trying to get closer. She needed him inside her body like he was inside her mind. Sergei tested her readiness and then aligned his shaft to her entrance.
“Yes, do it!”
Sergei finally released her wrists as he pushed into her heated tightness. Lindy clutched at his shoulders. He balanced above her, sweat glistening on his skin. His eyes looked wild, filled with desire for her alone. He pushed in farther. Lindy moved beneath him, feeling the burn, feeling the tightness as he joined them together. Finally, he was in.
He trembled above her, holding still, trying to give her body a chance to adjust. Lindy ran her hands down his back feeling the moisture on his skin.
“I’m okay, honest,” she assured him.
He moved out and then back in, each time a little farther. The friction built, a fire sparked. Lindy’s eyes fluttered closed.
“I claim you as my heartmate,” Sergei said. “I take everything you are into my keeping and give everything I am into yours.”
Lindy connected to him in every way, mind, heart, body. The pleasure grew, higher and higher with each stroke. His body filled her completely, each of them feeding their desire into the bond. Lindy’s breath caught as a wave of ecstasy broke across her. She flew into the ether. Sergei shouted her name. She felt his teeth sink into her neck. The heartmate bond grew in size and glowed brightly between them. They were one.
§
“You did it, didn’t you? You slept with him. I can smell him all over you.” Gwen stood in the kitchen, her hands on her hips, the afternoon sun shining on the indignant look on her face. Sergei and Lindy had stayed at the cottage in New Mexico until now, enjoying each other’s company and being mated. He was outside at their father’s studio using the phone to call his brothers. Lindy came into the house to talk to her sister and tell her about the guards around the house, but now wasn’t sure what to say.
“Why are you so upset? We’ve been waiting our whole life for Shadow to mark our mates.” It hurt to hear her sister so angry.
“You were supposed to mate with a tribe member, not a lycan!”
“Gwen, tell me what’s wrong. Shadow picked Sergei for me. He came for me in Moscow. Of course I mated with him.”
“I’m sorry, Lindy. I just can’t believe it. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. We were supposed to be Shadow Walkers, not lycans.” Gwen wrung her hands.
“We are Shadow Walkers. No one can take that away from us. As far as being lycan, our grandmothers were lycan, so we’re already lycan too. Why can’t we be both? What are you so afraid of?”
“It’s not your fault. I know I’m being unreasonable. What if you have a child who turns into a wolf like me? How will you control them? What if they hurt someone, or worse kill someone?”
“Gwen,” Lindy took her hand and led her to the table. “Sergei said it’s normal for lycan pups to be a little wild. That with the help of the pack a pup learns to deal with their wild side while still maintaining their humanity. You didn’t have anyone to teach you the things you needed to learn when you were young. Sergei can teach you now.”
“I’m sorry, Lindy, but I can’t do this. I’m taking the job in London. I leave right after Christmas.”
“I’m glad you’re taking the job, but I think you’re wrong to run away from being lycan. Sergei is a good man. I’ve been in his mind. I feel his heart. He can’t hide anything from me with us being bound together with the heartmate cord. You should give him and his brothers a chance. Not all lycans are bullies like Chuck and his friends.”
“Chuck is a menace to society and especially women. He doesn’t inspire my faith in lycans.”
“Sergei is not Chuck. Gwen, you’re my sister and I love
you, but this time you’re wrong. You’re looking for Sergei to be like Chuck and he’s not, nor would he ever be. You’re afraid of your wolf. I get that, but you’ve got to trust me. I wouldn’t steer you wrong.”
“Lindy, I…”
Lindy turned to see Sergei standing in the doorway.
Gwen stiffened. “Never mind. We’ll talk later. I’ll see you at the children’s party.” Gwen turned and left the room.
“I hope I didn’t interrupt. I could feel your distress and came to see if you were okay.” Sergei held his arms out to her and Lindy stepped into his embrace.
“She won’t listen to me. She’s running away to London instead of face her fears. She’s so afraid she’ll hurt someone as a wolf.”
“Going to London won’t protect her from being a lycan. The English Alpha will expect her to train with the other lycans and learn to control her wolf properly. One way or the other, she needs to learn to control her fears.”
“You’d tell the English Alpha about her?” Lindy didn’t know how she felt about that. On one hand she knew her sister needed help. On the other it felt like a betrayal.
“I won’t have to tell him. He’ll know of her arrival and he’ll take steps to protect his pack from being discovered. Gwen can’t run from this. Why hasn’t she gotten help from a pack here?”
“One of the men in town is a bully and used to pick on her at school. She hates him and thinks all lycans are like him. She would die before asking his pack for help.”
§
That evening Sergei opened the door at the Greeney Montana Community Center for Lindy. Noise assaulted his ears. Children ran to and fro, laughing and squealing. A huge Christmas tree was decorated in bright colored lights. Swags of greenery and red ribbons cascaded around the walls. A large wreath welcomed people as they walked in the door. The scents of pine and cinnamon made his nose wrinkle. Over the loud speakers, a voice crooned about a white Christmas.
Lindy looked up at him and smiled. She wore a red sweater with a decorated Christmas tree on it. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders. She looked beautiful and all he could think at the moment was getting her back into his bed.
Shadow Mate Page 7