by Jessie Lynn
Ed looked back up at Ava. "Told ya you didn't want to see this."
Marie came running up behind her friend and hit her knees as soon as she saw the thing in front of them bending over Rafe.
"My God!"
"God ain't got nothin to do with this one honey." Ed said looking at them and smiling showing his own set of fangage before he touched Rafe's chest and started closing his wound. Rafe yelled as soon as Ed touched his chest and his body went tight to the point of snapping.
"You’re hurting him!" Ava yelled going for Rafe again to try to push Ed away.
Dom grabbed a hold of her before she could touch the demon. "Ava no he is not. He's helping him I promise you just calm down. You cannot touch him when he is in this form, he will burn your skin completely off. He is pure fire in this form."
Ava grabbed onto Dom. "But please he's hurting him." Ava sobbed turning her head into his shoulder.
"I promise you he is not." Dom reassured her as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close while Ed tended her mate.
"Michael, I will not tell you again. Hand her over right now so justice can be served against her. I do not want to have to fight you, but I will."
"Marcus, we all know I don't give a flying fuck. So you'll have to go through me if you want her, and I can guarantee you won't touch her." Michael said with a smile, baring his fangs.
Marcus went for Rachel again and Michael spun her behind him placing himself between his mate and his fellow enforcer. He'd made his decision when he learned she was alive. He would not lose her again and he would not let her face the council ever. Marcus went for Michael now that Rachel was out of his reach, but Michael was ready for him. He hissed and punched Marcus in the jaw, then grabbed him by the back of the neck and jammed his knee into the vamp's gut forcing him to the ground.
"I said back the fuck off now Marcus." He yelled and before the vampire could come back at him, he punched him in the side of the face, knocking the other vampire out. He grabbed Rachel and took off to her car. He had to get her the hell out of here before anything else could go wrong. He wasn't about to let her go to trial. He knew Ed would be healing Rafe and once he was awake, Michael could talk to him and plead Rachel's case. He knew there was no way in hell Marcus was going to listen, and to be honest he'd never fully trusted the bastard anyway, so screw him.
He threw Rachel in the passenger seat and jumped behind the wheel turning the ignition. He slammed it in gear and tore out of the parking lot hauling ass to his safe house he'd kept for this very reason. No one but him knew about it, not even Rafe. He trusted Rafe completely, but for right now it was best he didn't know the exact location. When he was healed enough they would talk. He looked over at his mate and his hands tightened on the wheel. She was curled in a tiny ball, her body wracked with sobs as tears poured down her face.
He reached over and wiped her cheek. “Baby I promise I’ll fix this. Your brother will be fine, I’ll talk to him, and we’ll straighten all this out. You won’t go to trial and I won’t let anything happen to you.” I won’t leave you ever again he finished to himself.
CHAPTER 46
Rafe groaned and reached for his chest. He felt like he'd been run the hell over and the damn car was still sitting on his chest just for shits and giggles. His shoulder was tight and his head felt like somebody had used it for a punching bag. He groaned again and started to open his eyes.
"Easy Rafe don't try to move too much yet. I don’t want you to hurt yourself anymore." Ava said.
She settled carefully back down on the bed next to him. She reached out and brushed a lock of his hair out of his eye. She actually breathed deeply for the first time since she’d seen him get shot now that he was really awake. He’d been in and out of consciousness for the past few days and Ed had kept reassuring her that Rafe was fine and he just needed a little bit to fully heal. No matter what he kept saying, she had still been terrified. There had been so much blood that night and it seemed like it’d taken Ed way too long to close his wound.
"Ava? Baby, what's going on?" He asked really awake now. He looked over at his mate and saw her sitting beside him. She didn’t look good at all and that upset him more than the pain he was in. “Beautiful come here right now. Why in the hell do you look like you haven’t slept in days?” He looked around the room; they were at Lair in his apartment. That was good. At least they were where he could make sure she slept now that he was awake and functioning.
"That’d be because I haven’t you were shot and Ed had to heal you. He's really kinda scary looking by the way."
"Ed showed you his true form? Shit baby, I'm sorry." Rafe said sitting up. “Now come here dammit and let me hold you.” Rafe was starting to get a little annoyed and if she didn’t do as she was told very soon, then she was in for a nice little spanking. Rafe smiled at the thought. She still had a spanking coming for running away and then he was going to get very creative about her punishment for the little stunt she pulled turning herself into bait to draw Rachel out.
Ava shrugged. "No big deal. It was worth it having him heal you. Do you remember what happened?"
"Oh yes I most certainly do and you are in so much trouble when I can get my hands on you beautiful." He said. "Now come here and let me hold you before you add even more to your already large punishment. You scared the shit out of me you know. I swear you better never do anything like that again baby my heart can’t handle it."
Ava smiled at him and moved into his arms. He hissed when she touched his chest. "Sorry." she said trying to pull back, but Rafe held on tighter and actually pulled her closer to him.
“Rafe! Your hurt remember. Now let me go so I can get off you so I don’t hurt you even more.”
"Oh no you don't. That was nothing compared to not being able to hold you." Rafe lifted her hand to his mouth to kiss her fingers. "I know exactly how you can make it up to me though."
"Oh really? And how's that exactly?" Ava asked looking up through her lashes. She had no doubt in mind that she was going to enjoy every bit of his punishments and whatever his idea was of how she was going to make everything up to him.
Rafe just smiled and pushed her to her back onto the pillows. “Why yes my beautiful I do. We’ll start with this.” He said and dipped his head and kissed he mate.
Ethan stuck his head in the door. "I hear voices, so that means sleeping beauty is finally awake. Dude get a freakin room already. I don’t need to see that shit; I have a very impressionable mind you know." He said coming in followed by the others.
"Ethan you have the worst timing in the world you know that. And hello. I’m in my room dip shit; you’re the one that’s in the wrong damn place and completely interrupting us." Rafe growled at him and pulled Ava tight against him as he sat back up. His sexy mate just giggled and curled right into him.
“Great he’s brought the goof troop with him too.” Rafe kissed the top of Ava’s head. “Looks like I’ll have to take a rain check beautiful.” He said against her hair as she started that damn petting of his chest again.
"How are you feeling my friend?" Dom asked as he came right up to the bed like he owned the damn thing and sat down on the edge. Gotta love alpha werewolves.
"Like I had a fire eater touch me unfortunately."
"Funny cause that's exactly what I did ass wipe. Don't be such a baby, it wasn't that bad." Ed said coming up beside Dom grinning like a fool.
"Why'd you have to show my mate how ugly you really are asshole, you’ve scared her for life now you know."
"Gee your welcome for saving you’re sorry ass, vampire. The next time I don't think I will since you don’t appreciate my mad skillz."
"Whatever, you wouldn't be able to live without me and you know it. Everybody knows I’m your favorite and you’ve had a hard on for me like forever."
“Hey! That is so not fair. I thought I was everyone’s favorite.” Ethan chimed in. “But you can keep the hard on for Rafe though. That’s just a big fat eewww.”
&
nbsp; “You’re the one everyone wishes they can forget about old man and I’ve seen you eyeballin Ed’s tail, so don’t try to lie.” Nate said coming in last right after Sloan. “Rafe it’s damn good to see you’re awake and okay.”
Yep those were his boys alright. Rafe looked around. "Where's Marcus and Michael?"
Ethan looked down at the ground and Dom and Ed looked at each other.
"Somebody better spill right freakin now."
"Marcus tried to take Rachel into custody and Michael took off with her. Marcus is with the council now and we have no idea where Michael and Rachel are." Sloan finally told him.
"Fuck!" Rafe said throwing back his head. After a minute, he shook his head and spoke "Michael is the best vampire for her to be with. He won't let Marcus or anybody else near her until I can talk to the council so we’re going to let them chill."
"So you’re not pressing charges?" Ethan asked.
"Hell no I'm not! That’s still my little sister and I won't fail her again. I will not lose the last of my family because of what Roman did to us. She didn’t mean to shoot me, we scared her and Michael knows that. He’ll contact me when he’s ready and while I’m waiting I’ll deal with the council."
They all nodded their agreement. Dom looked around at the others and knew they were all with him on this. "Well then now that that’s settled, whatever you need from us, all you have to do is ask my friend." He said placing his hand on Rafe’s shoulder.
"Thanks guys. Now get the hell out of here and let me have some peace and quiet with my mate dammit."
"Ain't gonna be quiet, I can tell you that." Ethan said as they all left Rafe alone with his Ava as he asked.
Rafe looked at his mate and touching her cheek, he said. "So have you accepted this whole mate thing?"
Ava laughed at the words he said back to her from only a few days ago. Kissing the inside of his palm, she said. "I have accepted you mate. I love you."
Growling Rafe pushed her to her back. "Good you can show me exactly how much you love me right now. Mate."