by Brenda Trim
He smiled, careful to keep his throbbing fangs hidden, while his shaft stiffened further inside his pants. “Och, you’re going to unhinge me with your touch.” He groaned, long and low.
Her cheeks reddened with her embarrassment. “Oh no, I didn’t say that out loud, did I? Oh God,” she buried her face in her hands.
He pried her hands away and bent over, placing his lips to her skin. His eyes closed at the soft feel of her against his lips. He breathed deeply of her sweet, honeysuckle fragrance. Delicious. “You are wrong about one thing, a ghra. Your skin is infinitely softer than my pants, and you’re the sexiest thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. I could drink you in for centuries and never get enough. Everything will be okay. I’m going to take care of you from now on.” The vow escaped his lips and he refused to take it back. He felt Orlando stiffen behind him, but ignored it.
Her eyes widened with surprise. “Wow. This has to be a dream. You are so gorgeous and no one like you has ever told me I’m sexy. I’m dreadfully average, definitely dreaming. I like this dream…” she trailed off, closing her eyes.
He bit back a groan, hearing her thoughts. His mate had an erotic imagination. Without the grief and guilt hanging over her, she wanted to do wicked things to him. She would be a hell-cat in bed. “I canna survive this,” he whispered.
*****
That deep, masculine voice dripped down her spine, leaving warmth in its path that set her blood afire. She loved Dr. McYummy’s, accent. It inspired images of what she wanted to do to him to begin playing in her mind. Guilt over her thoughts rose and receded. This was not Dalton and she should’ve been castigating herself for her thoughts. Instead, she headed in a decidedly naughty direction. A direction she would be riddled with remorse over later, but the drugs stripped her bare.
She took a deep breath and on her exhale, she let go completely and allowed herself the fantasy. She wondered if he had any tattoos she could nibble on. Her mind lifted his shirt over his head first, then, tossed it to the floor so she could run her hands across his broad, muscular shoulders. She pictured a beautiful, Celtic cross tattooed somewhere on his muscled body.
She ached to suck his full, lower lip into her mouth. Feeling his heavy breaths fall against her lips before she slipped her tongue into his mouth for a passionate kiss. He was a take-charge kind of man, and she imagined him doing that. His kiss would be explosive. He would not simply explore the depths of her mouth. He would plunder and stake a claim.
She longed to run her hands down his sculpted chest, feeling the power radiate from him. A power that would embrace her as she reached around and caressed the fine globes of his ass while he pounded into her tight sheath. She had never let go of her desires like this before. Her inner-sex-fiend was strutting around the room, tail high, begging for him to mount her. She doubted she would ever put a leash on it again.
Glowing pools of desire awoke something in her soul. Their eye contact intensified, but neither person spoke a word, as she continued mentally caressing his body. Her hands itched to run down his arms as she nibbled and sucked his nipples, feeling them pearl in her mouth. Would he like her to bite them? Her mouth watered at the thought. A sudden urge, to bite him hard enough to break skin and take his blood into her mouth, overcame her. She was lost in the passionate fantasy and was grateful that when her guilt rose again, it quickly fizzled away, leaving her free to continue.
*****
Zander was unable to form a coherent thought, let alone use any of his powers. Not that he would have dreamed of stopping her fantasies. It wasn’t real, but his body was sizzling everywhere her hot, little mind had wandered as if it were real. When she imagined biting down on his nipple, a deep moan escaped his clenched jaw. He had fisted his hands at his sides to keep from taking her. His eyes remained glued to her beautiful, blue orbs.
He shuddered when she reached out and caressed his shaft through his leather pants. He loved it and should tell her to stop. However, he was going to explode soon and his hand refused to move. Her grip tightened on his erection and his balls drew up tight. The base of his spine tingled with impending orgasm. He wasn’t the only one breathless from her touch. She was panting while she whispered “so big.” Unable to stop himself, he softly ground his hard cock against her hand.
“Careful, a ghra, that may go off in your hand. Och, but you feel so good,” he murmured, as he marveled at her beauty.
“That’s the point, I think. And, I love the lust in your eyes. They’re glowing,” she whispered, gripping his shaft harder through the material.
That was all it took. He lost control and came hard in his trews. He dropped his head to his chest as he panted and his seed shot from his cock. Despite the fact that she was unaware this was real, her eyes darkened and she rubbed him harder. His orgasm continued. It felt good, so good he thought he left his body. Their bond intensified.
His mate had brought him to climax! This was what he had waited for the past seven hundred years. The sense of rightness was overwhelming. He had better come to terms with her being human and find a way to win her over soon because there was no going back for him. He was irrevocably hers.
“Holy shite,” he whispered, shocked about what he had experienced. This was the most incredible and satisfying sexual encounter of his life and there had been no skin on skin contact. He needed to be inside her, claiming her. He both thanked and cursed the Goddess for his fortune. He had received a small taste of his mate and he wanted more. So much more.
“Wow, I think I came with you on that one. I love this dream. I almost hate that I have to eventually wake up,” she said as her eyes slipped closed.
She may deny him now, but she would be his. He always got what he wanted.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
He listened to her inner battle and watched her drift off to sleep. She was holding steadfast to the vows she had made to Dalton. He cursed soundly. He would not be mating her anytime soon, she wasn’t ready and he wanted to kill someone over that fact. He was falling for her and couldn’t imagine his life without her. He needed her emotionally and physically. He’d been unable to feed from anyone and his weakening body demanded he proceed with the mating. He refused to force her into something she didn’t want, but the realm needed him at his best. Thousands relied on him to battle the demons and keep them safe. Rock and hard place slammed into each other, trapping him in the middle.
One step at a time, he told himself. For now, he enjoyed their combined arousal, which was as thick as pea soup in the room. He used his telepathy to ask Jace to bring him some clean scrubs as he recalled the reason he needed to change. The interlude with Elsie had been fantastic.
“Bugger, Zander, I thought she was going to rip your pants off and tup you right here. She sure had a grip on your nob. I bet she is no’ a wilting flower in the sack,” Bhric teased. Zander growled at the irreverence of the statement. His brother was playing with fire and he was too keyed up at that moment.
“Watch it, brathair,” he warned. “If we were no’ in Jace’s hospital, I would rip you to shreds for disrespecting my mate. Doona speak of her in that manner.”
Everyone fell silent as his command and anger pulsed hotly through the room. The energy he had expended throughout the day and evening was taking its toll and he staggered from his weakness. He needed to obtain her blood. Sooner, rather than later.
Jace entered the room quietly, clearly wary of the varied emotions. He tossed Zander the clean scrubs and a plastic hospital bag for his dirty pants. “Hey, guys, how long has she been out? Do I want to know what happened in here?”
Zander wanted to tell Jace and announce to the realm that his mate had pleasured him. It had taken all Zander’s considerable willpower to stop from ravishing her. He was amazed that the mating compulsion was that strong. His father had explained what to expect, but the explanation paled in comparison to the reality. He shook his head, trying to refocus. He went into the bathroom and responded to Jace while he took off his combat boots.
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“The medications you gave her made her believe she was dreaming and she found my leathers very soft. Let’s just say the touch of a mate is a verra powerful thing,” Zander informed him. “She has been asleep for aboot five minutes. Now, tell me what her injuries are, aside from the wee bite there on her arm,” he said through the open door as he removed his soiled leathers and quickly donned the scrubs.
Boots back on, he rejoined the others in the room. “You should have heard it, Jace. She called him Dr. McYummy and said she could eat him up. He came like a lad getting his first hand job, but I canna blame him with the way she was rubbing his nob. I swear, if she hadna pulled away, they’d be tupping right now,” Bhric waggled his eyebrows.
“I don’t think her fingers are broken from the grip she had on his cock,” Orlando laughed, jumping behind Kyran who pushed him right back into the line of fire.
Zander’s fist shot out and connected with Orlando’s jaw. The warrior staggered and caught himself before he toppled over. His breath sawed in and out like a bellows and he growled his displeasure. His anger vibrated through the room. “Watch your words, or you both will be spending a month in our dungeons.” Zander warned and then looked pointedly at Jace to continue.
Jace cleared his throat and pulled at the stethoscope around his neck. “She has several serious injuries. Her right radius and ulna are fractured from the fall. I will be setting and casting those breaks. She also has a concussion and a zygomatic fracture on her left cheek, which I plan to heal myself, otherwise she’d be heading for surgery to correct it. And the bite under those bandages is not so little. The venom permeated the surrounding tissues and her human body is having a hard time fighting it. Aside from a few loose teeth and assorted bumps and bruises, that is it from the attack.”
Jace paused and met Zander’s gaze, “What those skirm did to her,” the warrior snarled and took several deep breaths before continuing, “is one more reason they need to be eliminated. I still can’t believe she goes out hunting them. One more thing, the weight she has lost and the negative effect this is having on her overall health is what I’m most concerned about. She needs to begin sleeping, eating, and regaining weight now, or there will be severe consequences.”
Zander shoved his hands in his pockets and walked over to the side of her bed. “This creates a wee complication.” He spoke to Jace but his eyes never left Elsie’s face. “You see, I need her blood. As you know, the IV has not been helpful. Now that I know she is my Fated, I can trace the feeding problems back to seeing her on the TV. With her at risk, I canna afford to be as weak as I am, but I canna last much longer without her blood.”
Jace rocked back on his heels and sucked in his breath through his teeth. “We can take a pint from her tonight without causing harm. Just be sure to feed her a big steak later. Also, I’m going to suggest that she quit working. Waitressing will be near impossible with a broken arm and she needs to focus her energy on healing.”
Zander’s movements stilled and he reached over and brushed hair from her face. She sighed and turned into his touch. His heart stuttered. “She will no’ take that well at all. She’s fiercely independent and stubborn.”
*****
Masculine voices penetrated the thick fog. They were talking about her, but she was unable to make sense of what they were saying. She fought the effects of the drugs. The haze cleared as she blinked her heavy eyes open. Brilliant, green orbs came into focus.
“Hey, sweetie. How are you feeling? It’s so good to see those beautiful, blue eyes shining back at me,” Orlando cooed. She noticed the tight brackets of tension around his mouth and how his hair stood out all over. She could imagine he had been plowing his hands through it as he waited for her to wake up.
It took a couple of attempts to get her rusty voice working. “I’m, ugh, it’s starting to hurt again.” Her head throbbed almost as much as her arm and cheek. She turned her head to look around, wincing at the pain it caused. The pain diminished at the sight of Zander standing on the other side of her bed next to Jace. From the corner of her eye she realized Kyran and Bhric were still standing sentinel.
Turning her attention back to Zander, she saw he had scrubs on. She had dreamed he wore leather pants and she was exploring the spectacular body beneath. The residual zing in her blood told her it had been one hell of a dream. Disgusted and overwhelmed with a deep sense she had betrayed Dalton, she turned away from him.
“How is it that Kyran killed those guys who attacked me? Do you know what they are?” she asked, suspicious and worried about how much they knew. Did they know about vampires? Was she in trouble for killing them?
Orlando grasped her uninjured hand, stealing her attention. “I’m not sure what you remember, but you passed out at some point. Kyran managed to subdue your attackers while Bhric got you to safety, but we can talk about that later,” Orlando grasped her uninjured hand.
Nausea churned in her gut. “I passed out? Oh my God. I could’ve been another TwiKill victim,” she breathed, careful to use the media terminology. Her relief was potent that they didn’t know that she was involved with SOVA or killing vampires.
Zander placed his large palm on her cheek and gently turned her to face him. “A ghra, doona fash over this. You have much healing ahead of you. We are here and will keep you safe.”
“Speaking of safe,” Jace said as he nudged Zander out of the way. After a quick review of her vital signs he injected another dose of medication into her IV. “This should take care of your pain. Now we can deal with your injuries.”
She met his odd amethyst eyes and cut to the chase, “That’s great to hear, but will I need surgery?”
Jace took his pen-light out of his lab-coat pocket and checked her eyes, ears and throat. “No, you won’t need surgery. There are several fractures in your right wrist and forearm that I will set and cast. It will be in a cast for six to eight weeks while it heals. Your left cheekbone is bruised, but not broken and I need to stitch the bite on your arm.”
He sat down and made eye contact. She cocked her head and tried to focus. The drugs were affecting her concentration again. They were more powerful than she thought. Dizziness assailed her and she decided it best to close out the world. Warm palms settled on her face and she sighed as the pain lessened dramatically. So much better.
Jace’s soothing voice had her eyes fluttering back open. “You will need to take antibiotics. Saliva carries countless germs and the last thing you need on top of everything else is an infection.” His pause made her heart race. “I understand you are a waitress. Given the severity and types of your injuries, you will not be able to work while you are in a cast. It will extend from below your elbow and will cover your palm leaving only your fingers free, and, until you come back for me to put a hard cast on, you will need to wear a sling to keep it immobile.”
“Whaaat?” This had to be a joke. She looked around at all the guys and saw they all had serious expressions. This could not be happening to her. Overwhelmed, she sobbed into her hands. The shit kept piling up. “I have to work, you don’t understand. I have bills, lots of them and I’m all alone now. I lost Dalton and my car broke down tonight so I don’t even have a car now. Without my job I won’t have anything. Oh God, I can’t become homeless.” She grabbed the sheet and covered her face as the tears streamed down her cheeks.
The bed shifted and she lowered the sheet to see Zander on the edge of her bed. He cupped her face. “A ghra, you are no’ alone. You know I willna allow you to become homeless,” he declared. There he went issuing those orders. She heaved a sigh, he didn’t get that people didn’t work that way. And no way would she allow this man to pay her bills and take care of her.
Orlando sat on her other side and grabbed her hand. “Yeah, cupcake. Neither will I, nor Santiago, nor Bhric or Kyran. You haven’t met everyone at Zeum but none of them would stand for it. Remember what I said?”
His image was blurred by her tears. “No,” her breath hitched, “what?”
> Orlando’s hands tightened minutely, “You are part of our twisted, little family now. You’ve worked your way into our hearts and we are all here for you, whatever you may need. You will not be homeless,” he promised.
“I can’t allow that. I take care of myself,” she said looking from Zander to Orlando. “The family part sounds good. Dalton and my sister are all I have had since my parents died three years ago. I thought all I had now was Cailyn. You may regret that eventually. I’m stubborn and difficult, or so Cailyn says.”
“You doona say,” Zander teased as he winked at her, caressing her cheek. “Put it oot of your mind. We’ve all got our issues, stubbornness we can deal with.”
She grinned. “Doona think you can give me orders just because I’m in pain and on drugs, Mr. Bossy Pants.”
He clutched his chest as if stricken. “I’m back to that infernal name. What happened to Dr. McYummy?”
Her cheeks heated with embarrassment and she placed her head in her hands. “Oh God,” she groaned. “Tell me I didn’t say that out loud.”
“But, that would be a lie, cupcake. Besides, I’m crushed you didn’t call me Dr. McYummy,” Orlando playfully ruffled her hair. Zander’s hand tightened over hers.
Jace cleared his throat, drawing her attention. “I hate to be the bearer of more bad news, but I‘m sure this won’t come as a shock. Your weight loss is on the verge of being critical. You can’t afford to lose anymore.” She shrank back into the bed from the severity in his tone. She knew she had lost too much, but hearing it from a doctor, brought it home. Her chin lifted, she refused to be seen as weak, and nodded in acknowledgment.
“I know it’s not an excuse, but my life hasn’t exactly been a cakewalk lately. I will do better,” she promised.
He inclined his head in response, a silent understanding of how hard life had been for her. “Okay, now comes the hard part, let’s set these bones. And then, I’ll need to take some blood.”