“I would give my life for yours,” came his whispered response.
Mallory’s heart twisted with emotion. “Exactly.”
The rest of the trip was driven in silence, with Mallory basking in the feel of being in Vaulcron’s embrace.
“We have arrived,” the driver announced. “The woman will have to swim as well. We can’t risk her being seen after the interview that aired earlier tonight. There could already be an APB out on her.”
Mallory sat up straight as the car pulled off the side of the road. “I have to swim the length of the Mid-Bay Bridge?”
Vaulcron opened his door and set her on her feet. “I will take you across.”
He closed the door, and the car took off before she could object. “How are you going to swim that distance with me on your back?”
He lifted her into his arms once again. “You will not be on my back.” He took off in a run, leaving her to hold on for dear life.
Stopping at the water’s edge, Vaulcron allowed Mallory to slide down his body, but kept his arms around her back. “Wrap your legs around my waist and hold on tightly to my neck.”
“What are you going to do?”
Instead of answering, he covered her mouth with his and dove beneath the water. “Breathe through your mouth,” he mentally instructed her, shooting forward with the speed of a shark.
Mallory’s heart pounded painfully fast. She gripped his body with her arms and legs in a hold that couldn’t be broken and held her breath.
“Breathe,” Vaulcron demanded, fitting his mouth more firmly over hers.
Mallory’s lungs began to burn from the need of oxygen. Just as she thought she would surely pass out, she instinctively inhaled.
Blessed oxygen entered her lungs. She kept her eyes squeezed shut and concentrated on breathing through Vaulcron’s mouth.
A warm sensation swirled through her mind, and she recognized Vaulcron’s attempt to soothe her. She held onto him in amazement as his breath sustained her through the dark waters of the causeway.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Vaulcron held on to Mallory’s hand as the crowd continued to grow in the lobby of Oz’s hotel.
Everyone began to speak at once, gathering around to ask questions and give hugs and hardy pats on the back.
“Hold on, please,” Vaulcron demanded, effectively shutting down the display of excitement from the group. “Mallory and I are both exhausted. We have been through a lot in the last twenty-four hours. We are now in need of a shower and a bed. Once we have cleaned up and rested, we will be happy to answer all of your questions.”
Oz clapped him on the back. “Well said, my friend. Same goes for me. I do not wish to be disturbed for any reason.”
A pretty native woman wearing a floral skirt and a tight red top stepped forward. “Does that include me?”
The corner of Oz’s mouth lifted. “I suppose I can make an exception for you, Veronica.”
Vaulcron shook his head in humor as Oz sent him a wink and strolled off toward the elevators with Veronica on his arm.
Guiding Mallory toward the stairs, Vaulcron picked her up and carried her to the third floor, only to find the door to his room standing ajar.
With a finger to his mouth for silence, he slowly set Mallory on her feet and eased the door open.
“I see you made it back alive.”
Vaulcron bit back a growl as his gaze landed on his parents seated on his sofa. “What are you doing in my room?”
“We heard you had returned,” Klause explained, rising to his full height. “Your mother and I did not want to wade through the crowd downstairs to speak with you.”
“Can it not wait until the morrow? Mallory has been through a lot and is in much need of rest. As am I.”
Klause’s gaze shifted to Mallory. “So, this is your mate?”
“She is,” Vaulcron confessed, placing an arm around Mallory and leading her into the center of the room.
Klause returned his attention to his son. “She is not suited for you, fili mi.”
“Why? Because she is human? This human” —he emphasized by pulling her closer to his side— “saved my life. All of our lives! You do not have to approve of her, Father, but you will show her the respect that she is due. And if you cannot bring yourself to do that, then I am no longer your son. Give your crown to Hauke. He deserves it more than I do.”
Klause’s face turned red with rage. “You dare speak to me in this manner?”
Laurel jumped up and rushed to their side. “Klause! That is enough. I have stood by and watched you put our children second for far too long. You expect them to live up to your standards, and yet you treat with disdain.
“Had it not been for a human,” Laurel continued. “We would not have our precious grandson, Arcanum. Just look how happy Hauke is since mating with Abbie.”
Klause slowly turned to face his mate. “I have never treated our children with disdain. If I have been overly hard on them, it was only to make them stronger. To make them leaders.”
“Being a good leader is not always about ruling with an iron fist, Klause. It’s about compassion and understanding as well. Which is something you seem to sorely lack.”
The king’s gaze suddenly softened. “Am I truly so bad?”
“You are not bad, Father,” Vaulcron interceded. “You are merely set in your ways. Times are changing, and I think that we need to change with it.”
Klause returned his attention to his son. “Perhaps you are right, fili mi. I am not certain how to accomplish it, but I will give it some thought.”
“You could start by offering my mate an apology,” Vaulcron suggested. “For she is going to be in my life no matter what you say.”
Klause stepped forward and rested his hand on Vaulcron’s arm. “You will make a fine king someday.”
“Thank you, Father.”
Extending his other hand to Mallory, Klause sent her a soft smile. “My apologies, Miss Cahill. Welcome to our family.”
Mallory accepted his outstretched palm and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Please, call me Mallory.”
“Very well, Mallory.”
“Let us go, and let them rest,” Laurel suggested, giving Klause a gentle nudge.
Vaulcron kissed his mother on the cheek. “Thank you for being the wonderful queen that you are. I love you, Mother.”
“I love you as well, fili mi. Now rest and enjoy your time alone with your mate.”
Vaulcron waited until the door closed behind him before facing Mallory. “I am truly sorry for my sire’s words. He can be stubborn and offensive at times, but he is a good leader.”
Mallory reached up and cupped his face. “You don’t have to apologize to me. My being with you is going to take some getting used to. Acceptance isn’t always an easy thing to give. If the shoe was on the other foot, I can imagine how my father would react. So, I get it.”
“When are you planning on telling your sire about us?”
“Once the danger of your existence has passed. We have all the time in the world. For now, I just want to enjoy being with you.”
“I am glad to hear you say that.” Vaulcron backed her toward the bathroom. “Because being with you is exactly what I want.”
Mallory chuckled. “Are you going to shower with me?”
“I am.”
Once in the bathroom, Vaulcron turned on the shower and quickly stripped out of his sharkskin vest and shorts before divesting Mallory of her own clothes.
The sight of her naked body set his blood boiling with need. He stepped under the spray, pulling her in with him.
Vaulcron spent the next hour washing every inch of Mallory’s body, beginning with her short dark hair and ending with her feet.
After soaping up his own large frame, he quickly rinsed and shut off the water, anxious to have her beneath him.
A knock sounded on the door, and Vaulcron ground his teeth.
“I’ll get it,” Mallory informed him, stepping from th
e shower and donning one of the white robes hanging from the bathroom door.
Vaulcron shook his head. “Let them wait.”
“Don’t be silly. As much as I want to be alone with you, it could be important.” She breezed from the bathroom before he could talk her out of it.
Grabbing the other robe, Vaulcron shrugged it on and followed her to the door.
She pulled it open before he reached her. “Amy!”
Mallory’s sister stood in the hall, holding onto Zaureth’s arm.
Without preamble, Mallory threw her arms around Amy, hugging her tightly before ushering her inside.
Zaureth followed suit since Amy still clung to his arm.
“Are you okay?” Amy anxiously asked.
“I’m better than okay. How about you? Cuba seems to agree with you. Your face seems more relaxed. And you even got some sun, I see.”
“Zaureth has been taking good care of me.” Amy beamed, a light shining in her sightless eyes.
Zaureth appeared uncomfortable but didn’t expound on Amy’s comment. He reached up and gave Mallory’s hand a gentle squeeze. “I am relieved that you are safe. Your sister has expressed an enormous amount of concern for your welfare.”
A strange expression passed over the healer’s face, but it was gone so fast Vaulcron thought maybe he’d imagined it.
“Might I have a word with you?” Zaureth questioned, staring into Vaulcron’s eyes.
“Of course, but I would wish to hurry. I have not been alone with my mate in days.”
Zaureth disengaged from Amy’s hold and trailed back out into the hall.
Vaulcron followed close behind, pulling the door closed after them. “What is it, my friend?”
“I think it best if you find another to assist your mate’s sister.”
An indention formed between Vaulcron’s brows. “Is something wrong?”
Zaureth shook his head. “Nothing is wrong. I merely feel that I am not the most suitable candidate to assist her.”
“All right,” Vaulcron conceded. “But you’ll have to give me a day or two to find someone willing to look after her. It is not going to be easy, Zaureth. She trusts you.”
“I am sorry to add more stress to your life. Being newly mated and with a child on the way cannot be easy. Especially with the king’s—”
“What did you say?” Vaulcron interrupted in a low tone.
“About the king?”
“No, before that.”
Understanding dawned. “You did not know about the babe.”
The floor tilted beneath Vaulcron’s feet. “Mallory is carrying my baby?”
Zaureth nodded. “I sensed it the moment I touched her.”
Sheer joy suddenly erupted inside Vaulcron’s chest. He gripped the back of Zaureth’s neck and jerked him forward, hugging him with the enthusiasm of a father to be. “I must tell Mallory.”
“Then I will collect Amy and return her to her room.”
“Thank you, Zaureth. Do not worry; I will find someone to look after Mallory’s sister.”
“A female would be the best choice,” Zaureth pointed out, opening the door and stepping back inside the room.
Vaulcron stared at the healer’s back for several seconds. If he didn’t know any better, he would think Zaureth had just displayed a spark of jealousy.
Impossible, Vaulcron decided, striding into the room as well. Zaureth had never shown interest in a female before. In fact, healers were spiritual creatures, usually deciding to remain chaste throughout their lives to hone their energy. And Zaureth was one of the most powerful healers Vaulcron knew.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Mallory couldn’t stop grinning as her sister told her of all the people she’d met, the delicious foods she’d tried, and how the ever-patient Zaureth had watched over her like a hawk.
“He’s some sort of a healer,” Amy was saying as the Bracadyte in question came striding into the room.
Stopping next to Amy’s seated form, Zaureth laid his hand in hers. “I will take you downstairs for a snack. We have a big day ahead of us.”
“Has the sun risen already?” Amy accepted his assistance, permitting him to pull her to her feet.
“It has,” Zaureth affirmed, guiding her toward the door.
Mallory nearly teared up as Amy stopped and tilted her face up toward Zaureth’s, her expression open and excited. “May we sit on the beach for a few minutes while you describe it to me?”
Zaureth cleared his throat. “Describe the sun?”
“All of it,” Amy gushed. “The waves, the sun, the sand…everything.”
Her enthusiasm must have been contagious if Zaureth’s expression was any indication. He stared down at her in wonder. “I will describe the entire world to you, if that is your wish.”
“It is!”
Mallory watched them go, gratefulness settling in her chest. “Zaureth is amazing with her. Don’t you think?”
“He is. But I would rather talk about us for a moment.”
Mallory tilted her head. “Is something bothering you?”
Vaulcron shook his head. “Come. Sit. I would have a word with you.”
Dread reared its ugly head. “What is it?”
“Please sit.”
“I don’t want to sit. Please, just tell me.”
His hand drifted over to rest on her abdomen. “You are with child, Mallory.”
Mallory’s stomach turned over, and heat rushed to her face. She had to grab on to Vaulcron’s arm to keep from falling.
Vaulcron steadied her. “Mallory?”
“I’m pregnant?” she asked numbly. “Are you sure?”
“Zaureth sensed it when he touched your hand.”
A shudder instantly passed through her. If she and Vaulcron hadn’t escaped the government’s hold when they did, Howell would have eventually gotten his filthy hands on her baby.
Vaulcron’s face blanked, and sorrow shone from his eyes. “You do not want to bear my child.” It wasn’t a question.
Tears quickly threatened. Mallory reached up and cupped his cheeks in her palms. “I want this child more than anything else in this world.”
“You are not disappointed?”
The insecurity lining his voice tore at her heart. “No, baby. I’m just scared is all. I was thinking about our time at Winchester Industries. What if we hadn’t made it out of that place?”
Her hand immediately went to her abdomen. “They would have…” She couldn’t finish the thought.
Vaulcron pulled her against him. “You are safe now. Both of you.” He laid his palm over hers. “I will never allow anything to harm either of you.”
The tears Mallory fought so hard to contain spilled over to track down her face. “Make love to me, Vaulcron.”
Vaulcron gently picked her up and carried her over to the stand at the foot of the bed. With infinite care, he untied the sash to her robe and slipped it off her shoulders to pool at her feet.
Mallory could only watch in wonder as his passion-filled gaze traveled the length of her body. “Beautiful…”
“You’re the beautiful one, Vaulcron. Everything about you is breathtaking, from your remarkable eyes to your innocent heart.”
She released his sash and opened his robe. “I love you, Vaulcron. More than I ever thought possible.”
His dropped to his knees in front of her, a suspicious moisture appearing in his eyes. “Tell me again. I need to hear it again.”
Mallory brushed her lips across his. “I love you.” She kissed the tip of his nose. “I love you.” Dragging her lips higher, she kissed each eyelid, soaking up the evidence of his tears. “I will love you for forever.”
Vaulcron stood in one fluid motion, hovering over her with hooded eyes. “I cannot put into words the depths of my feelings for you, Mallory. But I can show you.”
He lifted her onto the foot of the bed, gently opened her thighs, and knelt between them.
Mallory stared down at the top of his head
as it moved ever closer to her center. He looked up and met her gaze. “Lie back and open yourself to me.”
A wave of lust washed through her at his command.
Easing back onto the bed, Mallory stared up at the ceiling in anticipation of his tongue.
He lifted her legs, draped them over his shoulders, and tugged her forward. His hands slid up over the tops of her thighs, stopping at her exposed mound.
Mallory moaned aloud with the first touch of his fingers on her sex. He carefully opened her and swiped his tongue over her tiny bundle of nerves.
“Vaulcron,” she whispered, gripping his hair as he sucked the throbbing pleasure point into his mouth.
He rolled his tongue with just enough pressure to wring another moan from Mallory.
Applying more suction, Vaulcron lifted her higher, freed one of his hands, and carefully inserted a finger inside her.
Mallory’s hips unconsciously bucked. The feelings created by his swirling tongue, coupled with the slow, erotic slide of his finger, took her breath.
“Vaulcron,” she gasped, an orgasm quickly building, leaving her no choice but to follow it over the edge.
Her legs tightened around his shoulders, and she ground against his commanding mouth, riding out her climax in complete abandon.
He continued to slowly lick her until the release calmed enough that her legs slowed their shaking.
“I need to be inside you now,” he growled, rising from the floor to climb up her body.
Mallory moved to pull herself higher up onto the bed, but Vaulcron gripped her legs, keeping her at the foot of the mattress.
Draping her ankles over his shoulders once again, he gripped his massive erection and guided it to her opening. “I do not want to hurt you or the babe. Stop me if it becomes painful.”
“You won’t hurt me. I want you too much,” Mallory breathed, staring up into his sexy face.
The feel of him pressing against her opening brought on a new sensation, wringing another soft sound from her throat.
He stilled. “Am I hurting you?”
Mallory shook her head, lifting her hips higher for deeper penetration. “Please, don’t stop.”
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