by Salem Cross
Mae reached behind her and grabbed the headboard. Her body jerked, her breasts jiggled, and her breathing was ragged. I felt her body clamp down on me. Her legs tensed, and just as she threw her head back as her second orgasm tore through her, I turned my hand and sank my fangs into her ankle. She screamed, and I felt her body convulse wildly. Her power once again rushed over me, which threw me over the edge with her. I came even harder than before.
When my orgasm subsided, I pulled my teeth from her skin and sealed the mark with my saliva. We were both panting hard, our bodies glistening with sweat. I could feel her satisfaction and happiness through our bond, and my soul rejoiced at my mate’s contentment. I withdrew from Mae slowly, noting how she winced. She would be sore for a while after that rough session. I wanted to feel bad, but she had wanted it, and it was hard to be anything but smug knowing she would remember me between her legs all day.
“I do not know why we do not start our days like this more often,” I commented as I removed her legs from my shoulders and brought them down to rest on the mattress.
“I don’t know why either,” Mae said with a giggle. “Let’s make it part of our morning routine.”
I leaned down over her, bracing myself on my hands at either side of her face, and kissed her. I could taste myself on her tongue. “Agreed.”
I pushed myself off her and collapsed onto the mattress beside her. Before I could drag her close to me, she was already rolling out of bed. I turned on my side and propped my head up with my elbow.
“Where are you off to so early?” My senses told me it was barely five in the morning. Many years on this planet had taught me much about the workings of the world. I knew, without looking, the dark skies were only now softening from black to navy blue.
“I want to go work out and then meditate before we leave,” she said as she scooped her clothes off the floor.
“Leave where?” Where did Mae think she was going?
“To go with the others to find whoever is casting dark magic,” she said, as if it were obvious. She even rolled her eyes.
“You are not going with them to explore an unsafe area,” I told her.
She paused; a frown tugged down the corners of her pretty pink lips. “Oh, are we going to go look for werewolves and other things that go bump in the night with the other group?”
“Absolutely not.”
Her frown deepened, and a little scowl pulled her brows together in annoyance. “Then, we’re going to bring back the shifter bodies to their pack?”
“Arthur, Ashe, and Nikolas went to do that last night,” I assured her. I watched in amusement as she began to get frustrated. She placed her hands on her hips and glared at me.
“Then what the hell am I supposed to do all day?” she demanded.
I chuckled at her frustration. “We are going to go visit the park rangers. I would like to interview a few of them to see if we can get different answers than those Jasmine received when she spoke with them. We will go question them and then grab lunch while we are out. It will get us away from here for a bit and give us time to be alone.”
Mae’s smile brightened the room. “Alright, sounds good.”
Mae changed into her workout clothes and left the bedroom. I got out of bed as I alerted Arthur that Mae was headed to his wing of the house.
Once he was alerted, I dressed quickly and left the bedroom. When Mae was done with her workout I was going to make sure breakfast would be waiting for her. As I thought about what was in the refrigerator that I could make her, I scoffed. Before Mae, cooking and eating were hardly something I would consider fun. It was far from necessary since I only drank blood. But now the prospect of making something for my mate delighted me.
“Rylan!” Camille’s voice called out to me softly as I started to head down the stairs.
I stopped at the top of the stairs and watched as she walked down the hall towards me. Her blond brows were pulled together in concern. She came to a stop in front of me and crossed her arms over her chest.
“How are you holding up?” she asked with a frown. Her ploy of being a concerned Guardian would have been complete if it were not for the sharp flash of suspicion that momentarily brightened her eyes.
“Holding up?” I repeated with a raised brow.
“You know, with being stuck with… her.”
Immediately my good mood vanished as I came to understand the reason for this conversation. I did not know Camille very well. She was Jasmine’s acquaintance. As I studied the female warrior’s face I decided I did not need to know her any more than I already did. There was something in the way that she held herself that irked me.
“Mae and I are just fine,” I assured her.
“You know, Devon and I were talking last night,” she started. “Mae is an extremely dangerous young woman. Her presence here in this realm could spell disaster for everyone. She needs to be contained and monitored. She cannot be allowed to walk free, Rylan. We came up with a plan that could help you.”
A thick, rolling boil of anger began in my stomach as I stared at Camille. Keep Mae contained? Monitored? The thought was revolting.
Before I could say anything Camille continued, “After we take care of what is going on here we need to safely deal with Mae. If we contain her and keep her underground, away from humans and the other species, we can not only study her but we can see if she has any information about the other gods. By keeping her alive we can still make sure you get the sustenance you need to survive. You can go about your life with your emotions intact and live free from the monster fate has tied you with.”
Camille smiled then. It was clear that she believed that this plan that she and Devon had concocted was ideal for everyone. Before I knew what I was doing my arm shot out and my fingers wrapped around Camille’s throat. Her eyes turned red and her face hollowed as she struggled in my grip. I yanked her close to me until our noses almost touch.
“You dare speak of Mae as if she is a monster? The only monsters under this roof are the ones that think caging an innocent person is ok. Watch yourself, Camille. Mae has a bigger heart than all of us combined and the least of your troubles. Now, I will not tolerate another word of disrespect when it comes to my mate. Do you understand me?” I snarled.
Camille’s angry hiss was cut off as my grip tightened around her neck.
Fine, she snarled in my head.
I let her go and she stumbled backwards. Her fangs lengthened as she bared her teeth at me.
“We are just trying to look out for you, Rylan but I see she has her claws too deep in you for you to see reason,” Camille snapped.
She stepped back and stormed back down the hallway she had come. I stared after her. It was not until she was out of sight that I realized my chest was heaving up and down. With a great deal of effort I forced myself to calm down. If Devon had come up with this plan with her I knew I could not trust either Guardian. Nikolas even less so. I would have to be extra vigilant to make sure Mae stayed safe. I headed down the stairs. I walked passed the kitchen, no longer thinking of breakfast for Mae. Instead my mind was already thinking about the day ahead. I wanted to know what the other Guardians had planned before leaving with Mae.
Inside the small office that Jasmine used to study her samples I found Arthur talking with Devon. When I walked in, their conversation came to a halt. I shut the door behind me and walked over to both men. I glared at Devon who looked wary as I approached.
Devon bowed his head as I approached. “Rylan, have you spoken with—"
I cut him off, “Yes, I spoke with Camille. I am curious to hear why you would think I would find it acceptable for you to cage and study my mate like a goddamn science experiment?”
Arthur turned to glare at Devon who had the grace to look ashamed. Devon clenched his jaw and said, “She is not a good mate for you, Rylan. Or for anyone. The fates have gotten it wrong somehow. She is part god. That makes her the enemy. You cannot see this because she is your mate—”
&n
bsp; “She is not my mate and I can see quite clearly that Mae is not the danger you think she is,” Arthur growled, his hands curling into fists at his side. “If it is going to be a problem to be around Mae, you are more than welcome to leave.”
“Watch what you say and do when it comes to my mate,” I snapped at the Guardian I had known for ages. Devon had been one of the few Guardians I had considered trustworthy which is why I had called him. Apparently, I had been wrong to think he could handle Mae’s secret.
Devon sighed dramatically. After a moment he nodded slowly. Arthur and I glared at Devon a moment longer before letting the conversation drop. Arthur looked back at me and said, “Myself, Gabriel and Devon will be flying in a grid pattern throughout the park today in search of the werewolves. We need to eliminate that threat as soon as possible. Nikolas, Camille, Ashe and Jasmine will be leaving shortly to explore the area Zyroe has shown Mae where the gates will open. A quick warning, Rylan: with his emotions back Nikolas seems… borderline paranoid. He has been watching your room from the trees all night and when I spoke to him about it this morning he vowed to keep his enemies in sight at all times. I would keep Mae as far from him as possible.”
Devon shook his head as he scoffed.
“You will have your hands full watching over Mae,” he told me with a shake of his head.
“Rylan is not the only one watching over Mae,” Arthur told the other Guardian darkly. “Get ready. We are out of here in twenty.”
Devon bowed his head and left the room, leaving Arthur and me alone. Arthur crossed his arms over his chest and said, “The others are arriving this evening; I will be back before then.”
“Thank you, Arthur.” I was eternally grateful for Arthur’s friendship. His concern for Mae was genuine, and now that Mae and I had Joined, I could see clearly how Arthur’s friendship benefitted both of us. “For everything.”
Arthur chuckled and dropped his arms from his chest. He walked past me, across the room and opened the door. He paused and looked back at me over his shoulder.
“Do not thank me, Rylan. Because of your mate, I can enjoy life again. I can appreciate our friendship for what it is. It is odd. The people I have called were the ones I trusted the most. But because of Mae, I can see them with all too clear eyes, and now I see that my circle of friends is much smaller than I had thought.”
Arthur looked away thoughtfully. When he turned to me his smile fell, his gaze serious.
“Whatever is happening here, Rylan, whatever danger we have found ourselves in… I think we have found ourselves in an equally dangerous playing field with the others here. Keep that in mind as we move forward.”
With that Arthur left the office, leaving me alone as dread sunk like a heavy stone in my gut. I had a feeling he was right.
***
Two hours later, Mae sat in the passenger seat of the pickup truck Arthur and Jasmine had rented when we had arrived in Alberta. Her window was down, and one of her hands hung out the window, allowing it to dip and twist in the wind. The sunlight filtered through the trees that lined the road and cast a beautiful glow on her face. Her absentminded smile was angelic. I could not help but steal glances her way as I drove.
Halfway through the drive I reached over and grabbed her hand. I could see her, I could smell her, I could hear her, but I needed to feel her. How could such a lovely woman be real? I wondered how many times I would ask myself how I got so lucky before I came up with an answer. Her grip tightened in mine. She looked at me with a twinkle in her eyes that warmed my heart and lulled my soul into a peaceful stupor.
“Tell me what you are thinking,” I asked after a while.
Mae sighed. “I’m thinking about everything other than having to meet your parents today.”
I chuckled. “You have nothing to worry about,” I assured her.
Mae rolled her eyes and gave an un-ladylike snort. “They’re going to talk you out of loving me.”
Just the thought of being able to be persuaded to unlove my mate was utterly ridiculous. The bond did not work like that. I glanced over at Mae whose face had fallen. I knew that the mating bond did not work like that, but she did not. I gripped her hand more tightly.
“If you think words could sway how I feel about you, then I have not done my job to assure you how irreversible, unbreakable, and everlasting my love is for you. I would die a thousand times over for you and would kill all who would stand between us.”
The worry on Mae’s face softened and the corners of her mouth turned upwards again in a small smile. “I know. I just know some people hold their parent’s opinions of their significant other in high regard.”
That may be true for humans, but it was not like that between fated mates. The way she spoke about this piqued my curiosity. I glanced over at her.
“Are you speaking from experience?”
Mae did not answer. Instead, she turned her attention to look out her window.
“How many times have you met someone else’s parents?” I tried again.
“Just once.”
She did not elaborate. Her disinclination to speak on the matter only caused my curiosity to grow. The background check I had conducted on Mae had not revealed any previous engagements, but her reluctance to get married could also have something to do with a past one that I was unaware of.
“Who was the man who introduced you to his parents?” I pressed.
“No one of any importance,” she assured me with exasperation.
I pulled my gaze away from the road again to study Mae. Her mouth was pressed together in a tight line.
“Tell me,” I demanded.
Mae’s face softened and she chuckled. “Are we really going to bring up past relationships? If you’re looking to compare lists, you will find mine significantly shorter.”
“I could tell you about my last wife, Connie,” I offered.
Her scowl returned and she yanked her hand out of mine. The loss of contact hurt more than I thought it would.
“No, thank you. I’d rather not hear about your previous wives.”
“I think it is fair; your story for one of mine,” I pressed with a half-smile in her direction.
Mae sighed and looked over at me, “Fine. You first. Tell me about… what was her name? Connie?”
Pleased she was willing to share this information with me, I gladly gave her the story about my last wife before Mae entered my world.
“Connie and I married so I could take over her father’s business in the oil industry. He was getting older and wanted to retire but wanted to keep the company in the family. Connie, being the only living heir, wanted nothing to do with running the business, nor did she wish to get married to someone who would want to run it. What her father did not know was that Connie was in love with another woman. Back then, it was unacceptable to be gay, so Connie could not be with the woman she loved.
“When I learned of Connie’s partner, I approached her and gave her a proposition: She could be with the woman she loved in secret while in public I would be her husband. It would make her father happy and give her the life she wanted. All she had to do was sign over her share of the company to me. She agreed immediately.
“While I went about my life handling business in the human and supernatural world, I made sure Connie was comfortable. She and her partner lived together in one of the homes I had purchased over the years and were quite happy together. As she and her partner grew older I put them in an elegant nursing home just outside of Atlanta. When Connie’s partner died about ten years ago, she followed shortly after.”
Mae turned in her seat and gaped at me. Her eyes were wide and her mouth hung slightly ajar. I chuckled and turned my attention back to the road. That should give her something to think about. The silence in the truck didn’t last long.
Mae sighed and said, “Derek Houston was his name. When his parents found out we were dating, they suggested that he get his fun out with me, but that he should marry a white girl so he wouldn’t produ
ce any nig-lets.”
My whole body tensed in surprise. Mae’s mother, Autumn Chester, was a blonde witch with blue eyes. Zyroe, a god once worshipped in Africa and parts of the Middle East would have taken on the skin color of those who worshipped him to appear more connected to his people. Mae’s skin color was the color of caramel, a beautiful blend of both dark and light. She was stunning. To hear that others found her less than perfect was mind-boggling.
“Did you love him?”
“No.” Her answer was too quick. I glanced at her again, and she rolled her eyes. “No, I didn’t love Derek. We were just… good together, you know? When I first joined the Mixed Martial Arts gym, Derek had already been training there for years. His uncle owned the place and was one of the trainers there. He assigned Derek to train me. At first, we both hated each other. I was a waste of his time, and he was ruthless during our sessions together. He never went easy on me. Derek left the meanest bruises all over me, and he broke my fingers on more than one occasion.
“I hated him so much. So much so that I practiced every day, whenever I could. I got good quickly, and one day I bested him during practice. After that, our sparring became less like two people who hated each other and more like two lovers dancing. He was the one who introduced me to the group that would go into the city and fight crime. We had a blast fighting bad guys, and I think that’s why we stayed together as long as we did.”
Our sparring became less like two people who hated each other and more like two lovers dancing. Her words swirled around in my head, and my chest tightened in jealousy. It made no sense. Of course, my lovely Mae had been with someone else. Hearing it out loud, though, made me want to find the man and kill him. Not only had he been able to hold Mae in an intimate embrace, but he also continuously put her in danger. The bastard. Mae’s hand slipped back into mine, and the red in my vision began to disappear.
“Deep breaths, Rylan,” she chuckled softly. I was sure she could feel the intensity of my jealousy through our bond. I did as she instructed.