by Lynsay Sands
Sam was on a health food kick at the moment, and forcing the rest of them along with her on the journey.
"I swear I'm going to ban magazines from the house if she keeps trying every new trend that comes out," he added grimly, then glanced to Magnus and said, "Take her to her apartment and let her get some clothes, and then pick up some takeout on the way back . . . for all of us," he said heavily and then added, "Well, all of us meat eaters."
"Do I need a jacket?" Beth asked Mortimer.
"Not today. It's nice out," he answered.
Nodding, Beth turned to lead the way out of the office.
"Scotty is not going to like this," Magnus said in warning as he followed.
"Scotty won't know. He is sleeping," Beth assured him. "The first pain-free sleep he's had in days now that the worst of the healing is done."
Beth had "put Scotty to sleep" several times since the day they'd woken up after the fire. And while at first the start of each time had been terribly painful, she'd kept at it because it had worked, and had ended with the sought-for results . . . the unconsciousness that followed release. Well, not that she hadn't felt the pleasure too and passed out. Beth might not have enjoyed the start of the first few sessions, but she had the end . . . too much. The last two days had been spent completely in bed with him. Scotty had slept for hours after that first time she'd tried to ease his pain and lull him into the unconsciousness that followed life mate sex. He'd done the same after the second, and had healed a good deal during those first two rests. By her third effort, she had noticed that his pain wasn't nearly as bad, and the whole exercise was much more pleasurable for both from the beginning.
By the fourth time, his face had cleared up enough that he could kiss her, and Scotty had been the one to initiate the life mate sex. He'd also initiated the fifth and sixth time, stirring her awake with passionate kisses and caressing hands. Beth had woken first the seventh time, though, and noting that his expression in sleep was relaxed and pain-free, but that he was terribly pale, she'd realized they'd been neglecting food and blood. Scotty needed both to finish healing, so she'd snuck below and fetched cheese and crackers--the only things non-vegetable in the house.
Beth had taken her booty back to the room to wake Scotty with an offering of that and the blood she fetched from the refrigerator in their room. They'd spent the day eating, chatting, laughing, and making love.
Beth had woken up first again this last time, and she'd rolled over and just stared at Scotty for the longest time . . . until she'd realized she had a goofy smile on her face and was thinking a bunch of ridiculous things about what they should do today, tomorrow, next week. She was falling for the bastard, Beth had realized with alarm. She was falling for him and planning a future with the man when she didn't even know if there was a future for her with him. Certainly he hadn't said anything to suggest there was.
Stunned at how stupid she was turning out to be in the romance department, Beth had slid from bed. After quickly throwing on the clothes Sam had left on the chair for her, she'd come below to find Magnus and Mortimer in the office and demanded she be allowed to leave the house for a bit. And--thank God--they were going to allow it. Or, Mortimer was going to allow it and Magnus was reluctantly going along with it, Beth thought as she followed him out the back door.
They walked to the garage in silence, and then Beth led the way in when Magnus opened the door for her. She nearly crashed into Odilia and Rickart.
"Sorry," she said, jerking back to avoid the collision, and stomped on Magnus's foot and bumped into his chest instead.
There was a moment when they all laughed, and then Rickart said, "It is good to see you up, Beth. How is Scotty doing?"
"Much better. He'll probably be up and about in another hour or so himself," she assured him, and then turned to offer a tentative smile to Odilia and said, "Thank you for the flowers. That was very kind of you."
Looking embarrassed, Odilia shrugged. "I thought it might brighten up the room a bit and give you something to look at other than four walls."
Beth smiled. "Well, thank you. They are beautiful."
"So?" Rickart glanced from her to Magnus. "What are you two doing?"
"Beth wants clothes from her apartment and takeout," Magnus said dryly. "So I am driving her."
"Is that--I mean, should she--Would it not be better--"
"Mortimer okayed it," Magnus said, ending Rickart's struggle. "In fact, he suggested I bring some takeout for everyone. Any requests?"
"Not for me," Odilia said at once, slipping past them. "I am just off shift and ready for a nice soak and some sleep. But thank you," she added, stepping outside and heading for the cars parked in front of the garage.
"Rickart?" Magnus asked.
Beth glanced to the other Enforcer with surprise. She'd thought him older, like Magnus and Scotty, but if he ate, he couldn't be, she thought as he hesitated.
"I will accompany you and think on the way," he said finally. "In fact, we can take my car."
"Good man," Magnus murmured and followed him outside, ushering Beth with a hand at her back.
"Nice car. Not sure about the color, but I like the shape," Beth said as he led them to a mustard-yellow Mustang.
"I was going to rent one in lightning blue, but didn't want Odilia to think I was copying her," Rickart said, speaking with exaggerated volume. Presumably so Odilia could hear.
"Ha ha! Just get it over with and admit you are color-blind," Odilia taunted him through the open window of the next car over.
Beth smiled as she looked over the metallic-blue Mercedes sedan the woman was starting, and said, "I think I like hers better."
"Oh, Dear God, you are breaking my heart," Rickart exclaimed, opening the front passenger door for her. "This is a Mustang. There is no better car than this."
"If you say so," she said, settling into the passenger seat. Rickart closed the door for her, and Beth waved out the window when Odilia honked and pulled away. But they were soon following her down the driveway.
Beth sat silent and patient as they headed out of the gates and turned onto the road. She even managed to keep her mouth shut for the first ten minutes of the drive, but finally she couldn't stand it anymore and said, "I notice you seem to know where I live."
Rickart jerked his head toward her and then glanced to Magnus in the back seat before facing forward again and muttering something unintelligible.
"I'm sorry. I didn't catch that," Beth said lightly. "Was that, 'Why yes, Beth, we all know, thanks to Magnus following you around like a dog for the last century, spying on you?'"
Rickart turned to her sharply, his jaw hanging open until Magnus said mildly, "Watch the road, Rickart."
There was silence for a moment after Rickart turned his attention back to traffic, and then Magnus cleared his throat and asked, "Scotty told you?"
"No. Matias read it from his mind," Beth said grimly, crossing her arms over her chest and peering out at the passing cars.
"He asked me to do that only to keep you safe," Magnus said quietly.
"I don't know why. He doesn't seem to want me for his life mate," she snapped, and then couldn't resist asking, "Does he?"
Even Beth winced at the pitifully hopeful tone to her voice. Cripes, she was turning into one of those pathetic women who chased after men they knew ultimately didn't want them.
"He is struggling," Magnus said solemnly after a moment. Which meant no, he didn't want her, Beth translated.
"Why? With what?" she asked urgently, finally turning in her seat to look at him.
Magnus hesitated and then shook his head apologetically. "I cannot tell you that. You will have to find out for yourself. But I would advise you to get him to talk about his mother."
"His mother," Beth muttered, and flopped back around in her seat. "It always comes down to the mother, doesn't it?"
"Except when it comes down to the father," he said with amusement, and Beth grimaced. She'd had her own daddy issues. No doubt Magnus w
as reminding her of that. But she'd sorted through those. It'd taken a hundred years, but she'd done it. It seemed, however, if she was understanding Magnus right, that after eight hundred years, Scotty still had mommy issues. Great!
"Here we are," Rickart announced moments later as he pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building. "Do you want me to stay with the car? Or come up with you guys?"
Magnus didn't hesitate. "Accompany us in case there is trouble."
Beth didn't comment. She didn't really think Rickart was needed, but there was no reason to make him wait in the car like some chauffeur either.
There was something about having two six-foot-plus men on either side of you that made an elevator slightly claustrophobic, Beth decided as she watched the floor numbers light up on the panel over the door. This time there was no bratty kid pushing all the buttons, or even anyone else on the elevator needing to get off to slow them down. They reached her floor relatively quickly and Beth led them to her door. But when she went to put her key in, Magnus covered her hand.
"Allow me," he said and took over opening the door.
Beth rolled her eyes with irritation at being treated like a damsel in distress, but stepped back and left him to it.
The apartment didn't blow up when the door opened, but Magnus made her wait in the hall with Rickart while he checked the interior. Presumably for intruders or traps. She didn't ask. Beth was too busy resenting the fact that she was being treated like some mortal civilian. She could've checked for traps and intruders too, or at least helped him do it. She was a Rogue Hunter too.
"All clear," Magnus announced when he finally returned to the door.
"Thank you," Beth said dryly, and entered her temporary home.
"Nice place," Rickart commented as he followed.
"It's a sublet," she told him, heading into the kitchen to grab a bag of blood. She should have had one when she'd woken up but had been too eager to get out of the bedroom before Scotty woke to bother. "I took it until the start of fall. Hopefully by then Dree and the others will be back, and I'll have a better idea where I'll be stationed."
"You do not think you will continue to work here?" Magnus asked with curiosity.
"I don't know," Beth admitted. "Dree and Harper have a place here in Toronto, but they spend a lot of time in some little town further south, Port something or other." She shrugged. "We'll see."
Taking the bag with her, she moved out of the kitchen and started across the living room toward the bedroom, saying, "There's juice and blood in the fridge. The TV remote's on the table. Make yourselves at home. I shouldn't be long."
Once in the bedroom, Beth popped the blood to her fangs and then walked to the closet to survey her choices. That was when she realized she might take a little longer than she'd expected. She really had no idea what to pack. How long was she going to be stuck at the Enforcer house? What was she likely to need while there? Was there a possibility she'd go out for dinner or something--say, on a date? And what would look most attractive to Scotty?
Yeah, that last question told her just how deep she'd got into things. Beth had never worried about what a date would want to see her in before. She'd always dressed for herself. She was definitely starting to care a little too much for Laird Cullen "Scotty" MacDonald. And likely to get her heart broken unless she could figure out what his issue was with his mother and how that might stop him from claiming her.
Beth had originally thought his issue must have something to do with her profession as a mortal. A lot of people would have trouble with taking on a life mate who used to be a prostitute. But she couldn't imagine that Lady MacDonald had been a prostitute.
Sighing, Beth pulled the empty bag from her fangs and tossed it on the dresser for now. She then dragged out her overnight bags, only to turn around and put them back and retrieve a suitcase instead. Who knew how long it was going to take to sort out this business of someone trying to kill her? She might need clothes for a good long stay. Aside from that, she planned to pack for any eventuality.
"What?" Scotty stared at Mortimer blankly.
"I said Magnus took her to her apartment to collect some clothes," Mortimer repeated patiently.
Scotty shook his head, hardly able to believe what he was hearing. He'd woken up just moments ago, rolled over to reach for Beth, found the bed empty for the first time in two days and had a small panic attack. Honestly, Scotty had freaked out and pretty much dressed on the way downstairs to search for her, pulling his jeans on as he hopped to the bedroom door, and then donning his shirt as he hurried to the stairs. He'd managed to get it only half-buttoned by the time he'd hit the main floor, and had finished the job as he'd walked through the house, looking in each room. Not only had he not found Beth, but he hadn't seen anyone in the house at all until he found Mortimer and Donny in Mortimer's office.
"But she's no' supposed to leave the house," Scotty said finally.
"Beth was suffering a bit of cabin fever, and she wanted her clothes. She has Magnus with her," Mortimer said reassuringly.
"And Rickart," Donny added, and when Mortimer glanced at him in question, the younger man explained, "I saw them getting into Rickart's car with him as I pulled into the garage."
"There, you see?" Mortimer said, turning back to Scotty. "She will be fine."
"How long ago did they leave?" he asked at once.
"I am not sure," the head of the Enforcers admitted, glancing at his watch and then looking at Donny in question as he guessed, "An hour ago?"
"Closer to two," the younger immortal corrected him.
"Hmm, time flies when you are chasing after a bunch of cowboy Enforcers hunting rogues," he said dryly. Mortimer then glanced to Scotty and said, "They have probably already been to whatever fast food restaurant they chose in the end, so it's probably too late to put in an order, but I can call them and see, if you like?"
"Call them," Scotty said grimly. He was less concerned about placing an order for takeout than assuring himself that Beth was safe and on her way back to him. He couldn't wait to have her in his arms again, but not just in his arms. He wanted, needed, her in his life. Being with Beth was like nothing he'd ever experienced. The sex was mind-blowing, of course, but it wasn't just that. They'd also talked and laughed and just enjoyed each other's company these last few days, and he'd found they had a lot in common. They had many of the same likes, the same opinions on various subjects and even the same morals, which had been shocking to Scotty. He'd been painting her a scarlet woman all these years because of one part of her life, but Beth was so much more than the one-dimensional woman he'd been viewing her as. These last few days had added many colors to his vision of her. Hell, the time he'd spent with her since arriving in Canada had done that. Beth was a rainbow, a beautiful kaleidoscope of colors and shapes, and endlessly fascinating. Scotty felt a lightness of spirit when with her that he hadn't experienced since being turned. He'd felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his chest. He'd felt like he was no longer alone. Beth completed him.
Her past be damned, he thought grimly. There was no way to alter that. It was already written. He was the one who had to change if he wanted to hold on to the happiness he experienced with her. And he wanted that more than anything in this world. Scotty had come to that realization as he'd watched her sleep this morning, and before drifting off himself, he'd determined to tell her so when they woke up. He'd planned to tell her he was sorry for being such an ass, that she was a goddess among women and that without her he was nothing. He'd planned to beg her to forgive his stupidity, and to promise that if she'd only agree to be his life mate, he'd spend a lifetime making it up to her. Many lifetimes. Eternity, if they were allowed that.
But Scotty had never got the chance to tell Beth all of that and beg her forgiveness. He'd woken up to find the bed next to him empty, and had immediately had a terrible feeling he'd lost his chance, that something was wrong and he would never be able to claim the woman who possessed his heart.
&nbs
p; The sound of ringing filled the room, and Scotty's attention shifted to Mortimer. The man had put the call on speakerphone, he realized as the sound stopped mid-ring and a deep voice announced, "This is Magnus. Is there a problem, Mortimer?"
"No, no," the head of the Enforcers said quickly, and then added, "Scotty's up."
"Ah," Magnus said in his wise voice.
"Yeah," Mortimer said dryly. "So, I think he wanted to be included in the takeout order, but you are probably almost home. Right?"
"Actually, we are still at Beth's place," Magnus said almost apologetically. "It took her longer to pack than expected. But we are just walking out to the car now. A quick stop for takeout and we will return."
Moving to the desk, Scotty leaned toward the phone and barked, "Do no' stop for takeout. Come straight back. Donny can go get takeout after ye return."
"We are only going to stop at the drive-through on our way back, Scotty," Magnus said in his patient voice. "It will be perfectly safe. I--"
"Come straight back," Scotty repeated sharply.
"Just a minute," Magnus said and must have placed the phone against his chest or covered it with his hand, because all they heard was a muffled, unintelligible conversation and some rustling.
Then Beth's voice, clear but distant, snapped, "Give me the phone. Just give me the phone."
Eyebrows rising, Scotty straightened and waited. He didn't have long to wait.
"Hey!" Her voice came sharp over the speaker. "Listen here, Cullen MacDonald! You aren't my boss, and you haven't claimed me as your life mate, so you have no right to order me about. I can go for damned takeout if I want."
Scotty's eyebrows rose at her agitation. Beth had mostly been calm and even-tempered since he'd arrived in Canada. Well, other than the fight they'd had in Vancouver. But now she sounded more like the old Beth, angry and hurting. Something had obviously stirred her up, and he feared it probably had to do with him. He really should have woken her up and told her everything this morning, rather than wait until they'd both slept. Since he hadn't said anything, Beth had no doubt concluded that nothing had changed and he was still a stupid ass unable to get over his hang-ups and claim her as he should.
"In fact," Beth continued sharply, "I can stay here if I want, and maybe I just will since you're being such a bossy bast--"