“I can’t wait to hit a full ten, and I know you’ll give it to me soon,” she whispered and placed a kiss on his cheek. She must have known that they heard her.
He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. “I’ll be more than happy to give it to you.” He winked and turned his attention to other women. “I take it you two want a tour of the grounds?”
Maria nodded. “I know Tank is looking at buying the land next to yours, and since both of my girls are here, my mate has agreed that we’re going to start looking around. It also seems one of my boys has an interest in one of your women, too.”
“Really? When did he meet someone?” he asked, walking with Bella out of the room.
“Danny helped out with the rescue earlier; he believes she’s his mate, but we’ll have to wait and see. He says he doesn’t want to rush it.” She deepened her voice as she spoke, in imitation of her son, and Raul laughed.
“I hate to say, that I, too, didn’t want to rush into anything. Even now, I have a hard time believing Bella is mine. As for the destiny stuff, that’s still up in the air. Maybe Metropolis was just a release and there won’t be anything else.”
They stepped into the family room and Raul frowned. His father and stepmother shouldn’t be there.
“What’s wrong?” he asked Sergio.
“Your sister is missing. She was supposed to show up at the pack house with some of the food for tonight, but she never did. We found her car. The food is still in it, but she wasn’t anywhere around,” Sunshine stated, rubbing her cheek against Sergio’s chest. His arm was around her, and claws had appeared on his hand.
“It can’t be the human; I didn’t smell him. For that matter, I couldn’t smell anything, son, not even her scent. It was like it was wiped out,” he growled.
“Magic.” Maria stepped forward as her mate walked up next to her. “I know for a fact that I could wipe out your scent easily with a simple spell. Are there wizards or witches around here?”
Raul’s growl matched his father’s. “No wonder he was so slick, and we thought he was just a human. Damn, that’s three times in one day I’ve been fooled.” He turned and kissed Bella on the head. “I know one place he might have taken her. I want you to stay here. It might be a trap to get you out there.”
“And it might be a trap to leave me alone here,” Bella said and placed her hand on his chest. “I’m going. You know I can help. Plus, Sunshine and I can help Karina if something has happened to her that you can’t handle.”
“What couldn’t I handle?” he asked at the same time the word came into his mind: rape. The ground shook beneath him as his anger rose to a new level. If it hadn’t been for Bella holding on to him tight, he would have changed into the beast.
“Calm, big man, calm. See? You need me. Who can tame the beast inside you, hmmm?” she teased and then winked, pulling on his shirt again for him to bend down. “But you better not let him be too tame in the bedroom,” she growled into his ear before she bit it.
He lifted her off the floor and stared into her eyes. “Never, Little Mite. Now let’s get my sister.” He kissed her hard and quick. “Mario, you stay here with Charley and her family. If you hear anything, call me on my cell.” He lowered Bella to the floor when she saw Mario come into the house.
“Wait! I should go. If you have a wizard on your hands, you won’t be able to counter his magic, but I can,” Maria said, turning her attention to Herme. “You ready, baby?”
He grabbed a fist of her hair and pulled her head back. “You know what happens if you get one scratch on you,” he growled and she giggled.
“I think I just might have to get a scratch.” She slapped him on his arm as Charley and her brothers groaned.
“That is just yuck. Get a room,” Charley said. “Where is Tank?” She looked around the room.
“He’s outside on the phone; said he’d be in in a few. He has news, but it’ll wait until you’re back. Now go,” Mario said.
They took two cars to the spot Karina had told him about just the other night. The spot where the prick she’d been dating had brought her before he’d hit her. It was a deserted home on the outside Boulder City.
“Damn, this place is creepy; ‘right out of Halloween’ type of creepy,” Bella said, moving closer to Raul.
“Yeah, and it’s heavily warded too. You can’t hear anything because he has a shield on it. Do you feel the heaviness in your chest? That’s his spell trying to get rid of intruders.” Maria stepped forward, waving her hands and saying words he didn’t understand. His men moved quietly around the run-down home just as screams filled the air.
Bella jumped and Sergio covered Sunshine’s mouth, afraid she’d give them away. His sister was in there, and God knew what the bastard was doing to her.
He glanced over at Maria. “Are you ready?” he asked and she smiled; it wasn’t a pleasant one.
“Oh yeah, bring the asshole on.” Herme grunted, stepping in front of her, but she wasn’t having any of that.
“Back off, this is my territory,” Maria growled.
Bella moved with him to the front of the house and stopped, frowning. “Something else is here.” She looked down at the ground and bent.
“No!” he snarled and lifted her. “You will not do that here. I have to worry about my sister right now, and I’m not going to have you risking yourself today.” He shook her and glared at her. “Do not, do I make myself clear?”
Chapter Eleven
Bella knew he was worried about his sister, so she nodded, but oh, were they going to have a very, very long chat when this was over. Bella moved with Raul, watching as he shifted to half man and half beast. She knew where every one of his men were when he busted open the front door to the house.
At once, Maria was there, countering every spell the wizard threw out. But w no one else seemed to see the man hiding in the back corner of the room. Bella would have known him anywhere, since he’d been to the Ozters’ home a number of times. He was very, very creepy man, but Bella could handle him.
She nodded to Sunshine. “Get Karina out of here,” she whispered and stepped back, waiting, never taking her eyes off the man in the corner, but then Raul turned and stepped in front of her and charged the man in full beast mode.
Silver knives came from the left and right, but they dropped to the floor before they could hit her target.
“Don’t think so,” she whispered, waiting for the next move as Raul lifted the man and ripped his head off his body.
“Okay, I so didn’t need to see that.” She placed a hand on her stomach as it rolled and regretted it. The man’s blood was all over her and Raul.
But they weren’t done; the ground around them creaked until little splinters s shot from the floor, tearing at their skin.
“Get out of the house now!” Bella yelled and ran for the door as a large piece of wood just missed her before Raul lifted her and jumped to the ground in front of their cars.
“Are you hurt anywhere?” he growled, looking at a few spots where the wood had torn her skin.
“I’ll survive.” She glanced over to where Sunshine hovered close to Sergio, who was in full beast mode. He held Karina, and blood covered his skin. It wasn’t his, and Bella knew it was from that man. But this attack wasn’t about Karina; no, something else was here. She yanked a piece of wood out of her skin and stepped around everyone.
Raul followed her. “What?” he asked, scanning the area.
“It makes no sense. Something else is here. I can feel it, but I don’t know what it is.” She stomped her foot and looked to Maria, who came over to her.
“I sense it too, and it’s pure evil,” she whispered and rubbed her arms. “It seems our foe is someone stronger than any of us realized.” Maria glanced at her, frowning. “He wants you, and yes, it’s a he.”
She stopped speaking as a man came out of the ruble. His eyes glowed red, and he had to be close to eight feet tall.
Herme stepped forward and bowed before h
im. “Sir, I wasn’t told of your coming here. I’m sorry.”
“What the hell?” Maria glared at her husband and stepped back when the man’s gaze landed on her.
Raul stepped in front of Bella, but the man wouldn’t have any of it and flung him onto the hood of a car.
“Don’t, Raul,” Bella said, knowing he was about to get up and charge the man.
“You’re a smart woman. I didn’t realize who they were attacking until the last minute, and for that, I am sorry. My name is Agar.”
“Agar, leave my child alone,” her natural mother said, appearing next to her.
“You didn’t tell me. Why?” he asked her mother.
“You never mentioned that you wanted children. Plus, you know I can’t carry them. You would have hounded the females that carried our children,” she said and winked at Bella. “So you see, it runs in the family. Even I need a beast of a man to control my passions.”
“You mean he’s my father?” Bella asked and her mother nodded.
“Bella, meet Agar. He’s the king of all demons and one of the most powerful men in our world. Also one of the... well, I won’t go there.”
Agar grunted and yanked her mother to his side. “I see I’ve given you far too much freedom as it is.” He traced his clawed finger down her mother’s cheek before turning his attention onto Raul. “This is the one who is to be yours?” he asked Bella and she shrugged.
“Raul claims I’m his mate. Wait, if you’re a demon, how come I can’t turn like you do?” She frowned. “It would have been nice to have that hard shell when I was younger,” she mumbled and Herme flinched. “What?”
“Why? Who else has tried to hurt you?” Agar snarled, and she rolled her eyes.
“Please. Everyone and anyone. Three days and it’s been what, six attempts oh my life so far. Yeah, a nice shell like yours would be nice,” she grumbled.
“It’s because you take after your mother. You were meant to be fine, but you also carry the passion like she does. Only the strongest can control that flame. Come here,” he called to Raul, and she groaned.
“Herme has already read him the riot act; there is no need—” Agar turned his attention on her. “You are not too old to be spanked.”
Raul grunted, coming to stand next to her.
Agar father stared at Raul for what seem like a long time. “You will do, and I apologize for your sister.” He raised Karina’s hand, and her wounds healed. “I had no idea what these idiots were up to, or I would have destroyed them when I got here. Take her home. Physically she is healed; mentally, it will take her a while.”
“Why are you here? This is a rare visit for you,” her mother said.
“Seems the idiots thought to call me to do their bidding.” He glanced down at Bella and cupped her cheek. “My daughter is on their high-priority list to kill. Little do they know who they’re messing with.”
Two men appeared behind her father.
“You have a new job, Fisher. You and your brother will guard my daughter and future son here on Earth. You wanted to live here, so I’m granting this under one condition—nothing happens to them or you answer to me.”
The men bowed.
“As it will be, and thank you, sire,” one said.
“Oh great, more damn guards,” Bella mumbled, earning a look. “What? I have Herme, Danny and the two guards Raul assigned me.” She pointed to the two wolves. “And now these two. How the hell am I going to get any alone time with my best friend?” she mumbled.
Maria laughed. “You mean trouble time, don’t you? The last time you two had a night out, I believe you had half a bar fighting over you both.”
“What? We did not. And it wasn’t a bar; it was a private club. We couldn’t help it the idiots wouldn’t quit touching us,” she mumbled.
“Not to worry, you and Charley can have plenty of alone time at the house,” Raul grumbled.
“If you think for one minute you are keeping me locked up in that house, think again, Mr. Doggie. We will be having a serious talk about earlier, also.” She glared at him, and Agar laughed.
“Oh, she is just like her mother. One piece of advice: Giving them a warm butt is so much easier than listening to them spout their nonsense. We will speak later about those who wish her dead.”
“Nonsense!” her mother said right before her father disappeared. “Showed him the nonsense. Listen to your woman,” she said right before they all heard a growl and a very wet demon popped up next to her.
“Daughter, just call and I will come. Excuse me while I exercise some of my own advice.” He growled and scooped up her mother before disappearing.
“Now I have a demon king as a father. Weird.” Bella turned and made her way to the car.
“What are you complaining about? I sure don’t want him mad at me,” Raul grumbled. “And we do have to talk,” he told her as he slid into the back of the SUV with Maria and Herme.
“Yes, we do.” She turned and looked up at Raul after sliding in next to him. “I understand you were worried about your sister, and a lot of things have happened over the last 24 hours, but please don’t stop me when I need to touch the ground. I don’t know how to explain it but the ground is part of me, and when it hurts, I need to fix it.” She rested her head against his chest. “The only thing that could happen to me when I do that is that I’ll become too tired like I did earlier.”
* * *
Raul pulled her into his lap, finally relaxing as his guard drove the SUV back to their home. “You know, I really don’t think spanking is needed as long as we talk to each other,” she said, rubbing her cheek against his chest.
Herme snorted. “You would say that. You haven’t been spanked all your life, have you?”
She shivered at the thought of her adoptive father. “No, thank God, the thought of him... No.” Bella hugged Raul tight.
“I’m going to pay Mr. Ozter a visit one of these days as soon as things settle down,” Raul grumbled and kissed the top of her head. “And not to worry, Little Mite. I have a feeling you’re going to enjoy your spankings.”
She peeked up at him and smiled. “Punishment is different from a spanking,” Little Mite.” She mumbled. “Do you think when all of this is behind us we could find my sisters and brother? I’d love to meet them.”
Maria tapped her arm. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about this. Your siblings are meant for his if I’m not mistaken.”
“What?” Raul and Bella said.
“There’s nothing written about that on the walls. We don’t even know who her siblings are.” Raul frowned.
Bella put her hand on his stomach. “We’ll just have to wait and see what happens, but just think of the family reunions. Wow.”
Raul shook his head. “I think we just need to spend the rest of the day at home. Already it’s been too crazy,” he grumbled.
“Not a chance; you promised Charley and me that we’d get our purses. Plus, I really don’t think it would be smart not to show for the pack to meet me. I don’t want to start off with them not trusting or liking me. I have enough problems without that.” Bella turned and stared out the window.
“I do want to check on your sister, though. Do you think we could swing by her place, or are they taking her to your parents’?”
“Knowing Sunshine, most likely there for tonight.” Raul leaned forward. “Take us to my dad’s house,” he told the driver, then looked over at Herme. “I forgot, there’s a nice place across the street from Dad. You and Maria might want to check into it. Mostly wolves live in that area. There are a few vampires, but they’re good friends with us.” Raul looked over at Maria. “You’re really going to stay?”
She nodded. “You’ll understand when you have children. Your boys need you, but your daughters, well, you want to wrap them up and keep them safe even when they’re adults. Believe me, it’s not easy seeing Bella or Charley hurt. When one hurts, the other does. Just think of your and Bella’s little girl. What would you do if some
one threatened her?”
Raul sucked in his breath; the squeeze on his heart actually had everything spinning for a minute.
“You okay?” Bella touched his cheek.
“I’m fine. But I’ve decided that when we have children, you will have all boys!” Raul grumbled and Bella smiled.
“I want at least four girls, just to give their father trouble,” she teased.
“Now that just earned a spanking,” he growled.
Bella’s laugh turned into a frown. “What if I can’t have children? You heard my mom; she couldn’t have them. You need an alpha woman who can give you children.” Bella inched herself away from him and instantly the wolf inside him growled as he wrapped his arm around her and brought her close to him again.
“Your mother is sort of a god; things are different for her, and I’m not giving you up, Little Mite. If you can’t have children, we’ll adopt.”
“She will be able to carry children even though I can’t. All my children are very fertile, and I expect lots and lots of grandchildren,” Bella’s mother said into his head.
He nipped Bella’s neck. “Your mother has informed me you are very, very fertile and that she expects many, many grandchildren. And I’m sure not one to shirk my duty.” He ran his hand down her arm and rested it on her stomach. “Soon we’ll work on these children.” He nipped her again, and she moaned. “But boys, we need boys!” He nipped a path down to the swell of her breasts before looking up at her. “Mine,” he growled.
The car stopped, and he knew they were at his parents’ house, but he held her tight until she nodded.
“Yours,” she whispered, easing the ache in his chest that Raul hadn’t realized was there until she said the words.
“Are we ready to go?” Maria’s voice had him turning to her, growling.
“Back down, wolf boy, she’s yours. But the back of an SUV is no place to take your mate for the first time,” Herme snarled back. “My daughter is better than that, no?”
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