Propelling out of his chair, Brandt placed his body between Cheri’s and his mate’s. Steel arms locked onto Emily’s but he gave a rebuking glance over his shoulder at the vampire. She had a chagrinned look on her face and if things were not so serious he would have laughed. They’d shared wonderful nights of passion but he realized it was only sex mixed with his yearning for more.
Turning back to his mate, he spoke with stern amusement, “Emily look at me.” Her eyes rose to meet his. “Our queen grants you privilege because you are new to the pack. She does not want to harm you nor does she want to mate with me. She loves my father.”
Frost blue eyes glared back, her voice challenging. “I scented what she was feeling. It smelled like you did a moment ago.”
Brandt wasn’t sure what to do because Cheri’s scent smelled of lust and want. Pulling Emily close, his mouth took hers possessively not caring about the other two women in the room.
Cheri spoke up, “Come on Dom. Let’s get you a slice of that cake. I’ve smelled it since we arrived.”
Brandt was aware the two women left the room but he knew they could still see Emily in his arms. He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “It doesn’t matter how many women throw off that scent, only you and I will share it with each other.” He placed his forehead against hers and waited while she calmed.
“Kiss me again.” It was a direct alpha command though she didn’t know it.
He groaned loudly meeting her lips halfway, quickly tasting what she offered. Finally pulling away, he laughed and the two women in the other room laughed too.
“I’m sorry Emily,” this from Cheri. “Our ways are difficult to understand. You will feel better once you meet Brandt’s father. I think Dom has a boyfriend too and maybe sometime the six of us will get together at the main house.”
Cheri cast her eyes in Dom’s direction. Her face was bright red and she turned her head down into her shoulder. “You didn’t think I knew did you? Mitch is not good enough for you but if you like him, I’ll keep my opinions to myself. Now eat your cake and let’s get home. I have a need for Thomas and I don’t want you walking by yourself.”
Their guests left after enjoying dessert.
Taking Emily’s hand, Brandt directed her to the couch and grabbed his book off the side table. The next hour he spent reading, trying to keep his mind off her delicious lips and body. Her head was nodding to the side and he asked gently, “Would you like a bath?”
Sleepy eyes looked back but she nodded her head up and down.
Dom had left a small bag with a few items he requested. He grabbed it on the way to the bathroom. Sitting her on the toilet seat, he began running the bath water and pulled a bottle from the bag, he removed the cap. The scent of roses was stronger than his sensitive nose liked. He poured a small amount under the faucet.
The bubbles rose with the water and Emily looked on with inquisitive fascination.
Scooping suds into his hand, he turned to her and touched the bubbles to her nose. Her nose wrinkled when the strong odor hit.
His husky voice filled the small room, “Werewolves’ sense of smell is more sensitive than humans. Humans make their soaps for their own noses. You’ll get used to the strong fragrance quickly but when we have a chance to shop, we’ll find something a little less overwhelming. Get undressed and I’ll leave you to your bubble bath.”
Her soft but strong hand caught his, shadowed eyes imploring. “Stay.”
He looked at the tub and then at her hand. This was going to kill him slowly. His voice held sexual longing, “I’ll stay if you say my name.”
Her smile was shy but her scent rose to match his. “Brandt.” Hesitant, but she said it.
Smiling riley, he realized tonight would be death by sexual frustration.
He watched each piece of clothing leave her body. She blushed and looked away, her legs stepping into the steamy bath and quickly sliding down into the water. If their pheromones were strong before, they were raging now and he could no longer smell roses. Kneeling beside the tub, his eyes glowed with appreciative desire, following the silky path of skin exposed above the bubbles.
Lifting a sudsy hand, she brought it to his nose, leaving the bubbles behind mimicking what he had done to her. “You’re eyes are black but they were brown before.”
Brandt’s laugh was low and husky. “I’ve been told that happens when I’m angry or thinking of a beautiful woman.” His hand caught hers and brought it slowly to his lips. His tongue licked the additional suds from her fingers and an electric charge went straight to his groin. Placing her hand on his cheek, he closed his eyes trying to gain control of his racing heart. It didn’t work and a low growl vibrated up from his throat. He lifted the upper part of her body out of the water. His kiss was possessive and untamed. He wanted this woman, his mate. The feel of her breasts and water absorbing into his t-shirt, caused him to momentarily release her mouth and back away. His hands grabbed his shirt and the sound of ripping cloth echoed. His lips descended again, his tongue taking possession and learning every detail of her mouth, its taste, and scent. He would never get enough.
She groaned.
He broke away.
Cerulean eyes slowly opened. Filled with desire, they begged for more.
“Your eyes change too. Now finish your bath and we’ll talk when you get out.” His voice was almost harsh and he didn’t wait for a reply. Standing, he practically ran from the room. On the other side of the door, he took deep breaths trying to control his need. Not yet, he told his wolf, soon.
Emily dressed in a long nightshirt that was in the bag brought over by Dominique. The feelings running through her body were strange. Every nerve ending focused on Brandt and just being a room apart made her nervous. His hands and mouth swept her senses with longing. Her lower body ached with need.
Memories of Carolynn’s voice sounded inside her brain, her mother describing the rape with every detail. Explaining what the monster did to beget Emily. Confusion stirred within her but she needed his touch. She needed him.
He waited on the couch and smiled deeply when she left the bathroom and walked toward him with a towel and comb. Moving his legs apart he made room for her to sit on the floor. He began their ritual and dried her hair before running the comb through it.
“Will you make the music noise?”
Her voice had its own melody and it took him a moment to realize she meant humming. With a laugh, he gave her what she asked for.
“I remember her touching me when I was very small. I only wanted to feel her fingers stroke my hair. I never wanted to be evil.”
His hand stilled, resting on her shoulders and he stopped humming. “Tell me.”
Chapter 12
Years of loneliness and abuse poured out. Her voice remained monotone though she could not control the change in her scent and it weighed heavily throughout the room. Anguish, despair, and hopelessness continued year after year. Her words described a small tortured child becoming a lonely and sad woman.
Brandt felt every emotion and he released his own scent to calm and soothe his troubled mate. Listening brought forth the miracle that was the woman in his arms. Every word imprinted on his brain, all the pain during every day of her life. He listened.
“Carolynn gave me crayons and white paper. I drew pictures with bright colors. I loved them. She brought me tape so I could put them on the walls. I knew she didn’t care for me, but at those times, I thought some day she would. I loved green and blue but yellow was my favorite. I drew drawings from my memories of the bible storybook pictures. I drew the sheep that walked in my mind. Carolynn told me that demon’s kill sheep. She told me I was born evil and I would be the devil’s hand if she let me out of the cellar.”
Brandt’s arms traveled around her midriff giving her a gentle squeeze.
“My mother had favorite passages in the bible and she read those to me over and over, ‘Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ra
vening wolves.’ She told me I looked sweet and innocent but inside I was evil and no one could know I existed. I was the sheep that turned into the wolf and I needed to die. She kept me hidden because she couldn’t kill me. Her heart was pure because she couldn’t drown the demon’s seed.”
He closed his eyes and took short shallow breaths in an attempt to hold his anger in check. He could feel his wolf’s rage and he drew it in, using his internal strength he channeled the power. Inhaling her spicy scent, he was able to stabilize his emotions.
“She would talk about housework, mopping the floors, washing the laundry. She told me I gave her more work to do and how much she resented it…me. I didn’t care about her words; I just wanted to hear the sound of her voice. Sometimes, if I was careful, she would answer questions. I wanted to know about everything and she would describe things I never saw. I would paint pictures in my mind. Those were the best days.”
Silence descended and Emily took deep calming breaths.
“She left me in the dark when I was bad but my eyes always adjusted and I could see. She never knew. She would leave me for days and my stomach hurt all the time. When I changed to…” Emily stopped and didn’t say demon. “When I changed to wolf my stomach hurt worse. I was always hungry.”
Taking another slow breath, she went on, “I tried not to change but it happened in my sleep and Carolynn always knew. She said I stunk like my father. She used the hose to clean the smell away. It was ice cold and it burned my skin.”
Emily remained quiet for a few moments before continuing. “She made me wear shoes that hurt my feet. She only wanted me to take them off when I went to bed but I never knew why.
Turning she looked up at Brandt and smiles slightly. “I hate oatmeal. I never want to eat it again.”
“I assure you, it will never be in our home.” His grin answered hers though it was painful to hear about her lack of food.
“We always celebrated Christmas and Easter. That was how I knew there were other foods besides white paste. She would cook all day and the smell would seep into my room. Then, she would bring the meal and sit with me while we ate. I fell asleep those nights without pains in my belly. Those special days never came often enough.”
Brandt lifted her off the floor and sat her in his lap. He leaned back against the couch. His wolf needed her close while she spoke.
Her voice became softer, “Punishments with no food were lasting longer. Sometimes I didn’t know what I did because her yelling made no sense. Once, she locked me in the dark for a week without anything to eat. I thought I would finally die and the devil would take me, but he didn’t want me. I was barely able to crawl to the food and don’t remember eating it. I think the demo---wolf got it. Carolynn began telling me I was going to die. She spoke of the Lord sending her messages and said my time was coming. She brought a candle with her one day and struck a match to it. She told me to touch the beautiful yellow flame and I did. It burned my skin but not like the water from the hose. She explained that she would light the house on fire with me in it. I was terrified but I was growing older and stronger and I dreamed almost every night of killing her. The devil spoke to me and I kept dreaming of her blood. If I couldn’t kill her, I hoped she would kill me.”
Emily began rocking in his arms. His strong supple fingers massaged the tense muscles of her back. Taking a deep breath, her next words were rushed and one flowed into another, “The day it happened, I had been left in the dark without food for two days because I changed. I was hungry and angry when the light came on. My skin felt itchy, not like when I didn’t change but something different. I can’t describe it but I yearned for the feel of the water even though I knew it would hurt. The sound of Carolynn’s shoes on the steps made me look up. I smelled no food. She sprayed me until I got into my small cage. I thought about what I would do many times but I was so afraid. She started tearing down my pictures and yelling her strange words. She took a needle from her pocket and I knew it was time. I wouldn’t put my arm out so she sprayed me again. My hands went to the bars and the demon took over. I remember her screaming for a few minutes but then she was silent. When I woke up there was blood everywhere just like my dreams. I wasn’t sad.”
Her body stiffened and drew slightly away from his. Troubled eyes met Brandt’s. “I should have been sad.”
He used his greater strength and pulled her back against his chest holding her tightly. “Your mother was not in her right mind. No one does what she did to a child. Our cubs are loved and cherished. They are rare and we do nothing to harm them. They are God’s gift.”
“Do you have a child?”
“No I don’t. Beastkind cannot mate with each other. We must mate with humans to have children but we do not rape women.”
“I can never have a baby?”
“No.” His voice was almost violent and she jumped slightly. He slowed his breathing again, changing the conversation, and leaving so much unsaid. “I want you Emily, I want this,” his hand stroked through her hair and traveled down, “I want this,” his hand found her breast and squeezed gently, “and this.” His fingers skimmed down her belly and over her hip. His palm came to rest on the ache between her thighs. “I so want this.” He whispered in her ear and kissed her cheek gently. “We both feel it but not yet.” His hand traveled back up and came to rest on her shoulder.
“Why?” Her voice was pleading, breathy and filled with the longing she didn’t understand.
When we mate and my wolf claims your body and yours claims mine, separation becomes difficult until we adjust. I need a clear head in the challenge tomorrow night and I’m trying to give you time to understand our ways. So much is out there for you and I want to show you and experience it all with you. We can’t stop our wolves from bonding once they’ve found each other but we can delay part of it.”
Ducking her head slightly Emily contemplated what he told her.
Resting his chin on top of her head he changed the subject again, “Tell me more about your drawings.”
“I noticed pictures hanging on your walls and they are beautiful. I don’t draw like that but now I’ve seen more and I want to put pictures on paper while my memory is good.”
“You will never need to draw by memory again. I’ll show you beautiful things you can sit and paint.”
“I want to put you on paper.”
His laughter brought a smile to her face and lightened the mood. “If you must, I’ll have art supplies delivered but please be gentle my ego needs a boost.”
“What is ego?”
“Hmm. That’s a little hard to explain. It is the sense of importance I feel for myself. It has been low lately, and I need to start doing my job and repairing the damage I’ve done to the pack. I also think myself quite handsome and I’m not sure I want to see me through your artist’s eyes.”
Tentatively her hands came up to his face and slowly traveled the contours. “You are the most beautiful person I have ever seen.”
“You see, that’s the kind of boost my ego needs. I won’t mention that you have only met a few people to make the comparison.” Bringing his hands up to hers, he trailed soft kisses on her cheek and neck. His control was at its limit and he avoided her mouth. Talking was best.
“I need to explain feral wolves to you. If beastkind grow up with no close interaction with others and or with no touching, they can go crazy. Your mother gave you just enough to keep you sane. For another wolf, one like Dom for instance, the little contact you received would not have been enough. She would have gone feral and killed anything in sight. You are strong, mentally and physically. Only the strongest of our kind could stay sane in the world in which you lived.” He hugged her tighter. “We don’t kill humans without careful thought. Their laws are different from ours and we make adjustments for their weaknesses. You were never the evil one. Your mother was insane. Maybe it happened because of what your father did to her or because her mind could not accept that someone special like you existed in this world. We h
ave been around longer than humans and far outlive them. My feelings of God are often confused so it’s something I spend little time thinking about. We are magic and I do not believe we come from evil. I don’t believe in demons or the devil. We follow our own path. We are similar in that both species have members who are bad and those that are good. You are part of me. Our souls intertwined. Your wolf killed your mother before she could kill you. It will always be your stronger side. Most of us don’t mix well with people but some make it work. Whatever our feelings, we live in the same world and tolerate them. Few humans know of our existence and we prefer to keep it that way.”
Emily was still and her breathing calm. Her body did not shake and he smelled her mating scent emitting from her pores. It was rolling off them both, mingling, becoming one essence. He would take it to the challenge the next night. When the fight was over, he would declare her his mate before the entire pack.
Taking her hand, they walked to the bedroom. He quickly removed her clothing and then his own. He had no intention of making love to her but their bodies needed to be close. Turning off the light he thought about what she revealed tonight. “Would you rather have the light on when you sleep?”
“No, I know I’m safe when I can hear your heartbeat.”
He crawled onto the bed and brought her close. Her body wrapped around his. His erection swelled and he wondered if she understood its meaning. Finally, her breathing slowed and became even. His eyes remained open. He thought of ways he could have tortured Carolynn. His anger turned to cold fury. He held tight to his rage, it would go with him into the challenge.
Chapter 13
The sunlight peeked through the curtains while they ate breakfast. Then Brandt grabbed the comforter off the bed. Taking Emily’s hand, he led her outside and down the steps of the porch. A direct patch of sunlight fell through the trees where he shook out the blanket. Pulling her down beside him, he lay back.
Fang Chronicles: Emily's Story Page 8