Her Wild Protector (Paranormal Romance)

by Naomi Bellina

  “And now?” Tara asked, inspecting his cards carefully.

  “Now I no longer choose to follow orders given by an organization I don’t trust or respect. After this…” He looked over to the corner where Denzel lay, then back at her. “It’s time to leave.”

  Tara wanted to know more about where they were headed, but decided questions could wait until later. Right now, they both needed to focus all their attention on their upcoming roles. Marshall had told her what to do when the boat arrived, and though it sounded like an easy plan and she trusted his skills implicitly, Tara had butterflies in her stomach.

  They played in silence for another twenty minutes, then Marshall cocked his head to the front door where the shower curtain flapped in the breeze.

  “I hear the boat. Are you ready?”

  She nodded, then rose and headed out to the dock where a man was bent over tying up a vessel. He looked about her age, maybe slightly older, with a medium build and a dark tan. She studied him for a moment, wondering if he was also a Metamorph. A twinge of guilt nudged at her conscience for what they were about to do, but she knew they had no choice. He looked up and she began to jump up and down and wave her arms.

  “Come here, quick! There’s something wrong with Denzel!”

  He stopped what he was doing and stood all the way up. He was actually fairly large, Tara noted with concern, but remembering how well Marshall handled himself, she put her worry aside.

  “I think he’s dying. Please hurry.”

  “Where’s that other guy, Marshall?” the boat captain asked.

  “He’s, he’s dead,” she said, a quiver in her voice. “Please, Denzel’s in a lot of pain.” She turned and trotted back along the path to the house. It was up to Marshall now.

  She heard footsteps following her, then a grunt and the sound of a body hitting the ground. She turned and saw Marshall standing over the man who appeared to be out cold.

  “Help me get him inside.”

  Tara gripped his feet and the two carried the man into the house. She dropped her end with a thud. “Please tell me we won’t have to carry too many more bodies around.”

  “This should be the last. I’m going to put them both to sleep for a long while,” he said.

  “How is Denzel?” Tara asked.

  Marshall inspected his wound.

  “Almost healed. Take our bags and head down to the boat. I need to spend a few moments with these two. I’ll be along shortly.”

  Tara grabbed both suitcases, but once outside, she had an overwhelming desire to observe Marshall in his energy form again. She peeked around the curtain in the doorway and watched as he bent over both men. He closed his eyes and a blue light came from inside him, more intense than the night before. She heard a low hum and when she stepped quietly into the house, a warm rush of energy washed over her, similar to when they’d made love.

  So he had turned on that part of him when they’d been together. What he was projecting now, however, was much stronger. The light got brighter and waves of heat pulsed from him. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and she finally stepped out of the room.

  Tara shook her head to clear it. The force that emerged when he emitted that energy was like a cleansing breath of air, but incredibly powerful. Her body tingled from head to toe. She recalled a time when she’d been in a small room with an ozone-generating machine. It had been overwhelming at first but later she’d felt refreshed. Coupled with the adrenaline coursing through her body from her earlier stealthy activity, her senses ran wild. A trickle of sweat ran down the small of her back and her pulse raced.

  Remembering her earlier decision not to get involved with a man who spelled trouble, she groaned. Marshall was trouble, danger and excitement all rolled up in one sexy package. Could she handle this? Did she want to take this huge leap outside her safety zone? She exhaled deeply, then grabbed the suitcases again and headed to the dock.

  A few moments later Marshall joined her and they climbed aboard the boat.

  “Hang on. We’re going to move fast. We don’t have any time to waste. Here’s a bag, if you have to hurl.”

  Tara scrambled in her purse for the pills the doctor had given her, then paused. Should she risk taking a product from a man who likely knew she was going to die? The boat lurched in a wave and she gulped the pill.

  They took off with a burst of speed and didn’t slow down until they came to New Providence Island. Tara watched the landscape speed by, and now that she was not emptying the contents of her stomach, she enjoyed the view. Glad she’d put her hair into a ponytail, she lifted her face to the sun and let its warm rays and the blowing wind pleasantly distract her. Maybe she would give this whole boating thing another chance.

  Once they reached their destination, Marshall pulled into a slip at a busy marina. He helped her onto the dock then handed up their luggage. She followed him down a walkway, scurrying to keep up with his fast pace. A man in a uniform came out of a small shack.

  “Sir, you can’t put your craft there,” he exclaimed, waving his hands. “That slip belongs to Mr. Fredricks.”

  “It’s all right, someone will be by to pick it up soon. Official business,” Marshall said, flashing his badge and not stopping.

  He flagged down a taxi and pressed a bill into the driver’s hand.

  “Get us to the airport as fast as you can.”

  Thankful she had swallowed that anti-nausea pill, Tara clutched the armrest as the cab swerved and sped through the streets. Marshall squeezed her thigh once.

  “Don’t worry, we’re doing fine,” he said, then pulled out his phone and concentrated on the small screen. “We’ll just make our flight. I’m pulling strings to get us through the lines and onto our plane quickly.”

  Tara’s heart raced. Everything was happening too fast. They arrived at the airport in no time and Marshall hustled them out of the cab into the terminal. They raced to the check-in kiosk, pulled out their identification and located their gate.

  Tara looked at the smiling face of the attendant at the boarding station, saw the long tunnel from the terminal to the plane and froze. Blood rushed to her head and she heard pounding in her ears. She could not get on that plane with Marshall.

  “What are you doing? Keep moving,” Marshall said, gently prodding her back.

  “I can’t.” She turned to face him. “I just can’t. I’m not going with you.”

  His jaw tightened. “Would you excuse us a moment, please?” he asked the attendant.

  Her professional smile turned to a look of annoyance. “We’re leaving in ten minutes. You should already be on board.”

  “We only need a few moments,” he said, motioning for Tara to follow him to a deserted corner.

  Tears pricked her eyelids and a lump formed in her throat.

  “I can’t do this. I won’t let another man run my life and tell me what to do,” she said.

  “I’m not trying to run your life—I’m trying to save it. You’re out of options, Tara. If you don’t come with me, you’ll be killed.” Marshall’s voice, though steady, held a tone of urgency and barely controlled desperation.

  “I could be killed if I do come with you. You’re not the safest person to be around.”

  Marshall sighed. “I’m so sorry this has all happened to you, but I’m the best bet you have. I can protect you and I will get you out of this mess, but you have to trust me.”

  Tara hugged herself, hands gripping her upper arms. “I don’t know if I can.”

  “Come here, farther back into the corner,” Marshall said. He lowered his voice to a husky tone barely above a whisper. “Tara, I’m not doing this just because it’s my job to protect you. I care about you, a great deal. Do you remember that feeling, when we made love, it felt like we were connected, like we were joined together?”

  “Yes.” Tara recalled those blissful moments and a tingle of pleasure ran through her body. It had been absolutely glorious. She’d never experienced that with another man, that
closeness, that feeling of being one.

  “Part of what you felt was because I used my Metamorph power. My energy form can allow us access to each other’s feelings. I usually don’t employ it during sex, but with you, I couldn’t help it. I wanted to see how you felt about me.”

  “And what did you find out?” Tara looked into his eyes and saw tenderness and vulnerability.

  “That you don’t think I’m a monster,” he said softly. “You care about me, for who I am, for all of my parts. You’re not afraid of me and you’re willing to accept what I am. You don’t view me as an animal. You see my power as an asset, a blessing that can be used for good.”

  It was true, she realized. That was how she saw Marshall. He was a decent man, trying to do his job to the best of his ability. The fact that he had an animal and another persona joined with him did not seem terribly abnormal to her. Everyone had multiple identities buried within them, Marshall was just able to project his in the physical form.

  He had feelings for her, of that she was certain, but how strong? Were those feelings of deep intimacy she felt when they made love because he cared about her, or did he just feel an obligation to protect her, despite what he said?

  Tara bit her lip. They were running out of time. “I don’t want you to do this, to throw away your life, just because you feel like you created this problem. I don’t need you to save me. I can get protection if I go back to Florida. I’m not going to be a stone around your neck.”

  Marshall took her hands and squeezed them tight. “I’m going to allow you a glimpse into my emotions, so you can see what I’m thinking and feeling right now. Because of what happened to you, you’re an enhanced receiver for my energy conduction. That’s why our night together was so intense. Now, close your eyes and concentrate.”

  Tara did. She knew the instant a connection was made. All the sounds around her disappeared and a warm glow flowed through her body. An overwhelming burst of joy filled her heart. This was what Marshall felt for her, she realized. This was his soul opening to her. Tara’s heart turned over and she gasped out loud at the sheer wonder of the sensation.

  During their lovemaking he’d shown her alternating tenderness and intense passion. Now, those feelings were multiplied. He desired her and not just her body. He wanted her heart and soul, joined to him. He wanted to spend time with her, to get to know her intimately. He wanted to please her, to make her smile and laugh. He appreciated who she was and reveled in the knowledge that she cared for him, too.

  Along with his desire came other emotions. The pain he’d felt as a young man trying to keep his family together, the sorrow he experienced every day because he so desperately wanted to live a normal life. Anger and disappointment at an organization he’d trusted. Threads of loneliness flowed through his soul but interwoven with those was hope. Hope that she would become part of his life, that he would be able to experience love.Her arms vibrated with the current passing between them. She dropped his hands and opened her eyes, wet with tears. “You do care about me. You’re not just trying to protect me, you want me in your life.”

  “I do, very much so. I want to be with you. I want us to both come out of this together, to have a life with each other. What I feel for you…” He stopped.

  This time, she took his hand with one of hers and grabbed her suitcase with the other.

  Danger be damned, she decided. This is what she wanted in life—this feeling of love and connection. It didn’t come without some risk, she realized. It was time to take a chance.

  “I know what you feel for me. It’s in my heart now. Come on, we have a plane to catch.”

  * * * * *

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  Naomi lives in sunny Florida with the love of her life and a magical calico cat. She writes for various fiction and non-fiction markets, but finds she is drawn to romance because her characters insist on canoodling and falling madly in love. So she lets them. She takes the opportunity to play, have fun and indulge in the pursuit of passion whenever possible. Visit her at www.naomibellina.com.

  eISBN-13: 978-1-4603-3081-4

  HER WILD PROTECTOR

  Copyright © 2014 by Naomi Bellina

  All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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