“I can’t stop thinking about Maria. I’m sorry if I’m being a jerk.”
Rosa sniffled and felt a rush of tears descend from her eyes and trail down her cheeks before the big droplets slid off her chin and onto the floor. Heath’s expression changed instantly and his eyes were full of compassion. He closed the distance between them and wrapped her in his arms, rubbing her back and cooing affectionately.
“Everything is going to be all right,” he whispered into her hair.
“Thank you, Heath,” she whispered. “You’re the first person that’s believed me.”
“Of course I believe you. You are my mate and I can feel you in my heart. I know everything you say is true.”
Rosa took a deep breath and let it out, letting her shoulders relax. Heath held her tight as they embraced in the middle of the kitchen. All that was between her and his naked body was a damp towel. Rosa could feel the hardness of his growing erection against her stomach as he held her.
She felt his heart beating wildly under her cheek. She tilted her face upward to look him in the eye. Heath’s expression was full of longing and restrained desire.
Rosa parted her lips as if to speak, but Heath leaned in and kissed her. In that moment, everything disappeared. The surge of their connection swallowed her up and she was swept into the intensity of his embrace. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer.
Their tongues slid over each other exuberantly and Rosa let out a deep groan. Heath’s erection pressed harder against her and she felt a hot rush of desire flow between her legs. She was lost in the void of pleasure and didn't want to be found. All at once, Heath picked her up off her feet and carried her effortlessly through the kitchen and into the hallway.
She clung to him as they kissed. He walked into the door of his bedroom, gently depositing her on his soft, king sized bed. She gazed up at him as he slid in beside her and cupped her cheek in his hand.
“I want you so badly right now,” Heath said.
“I want you too,” Rosa gasped.
Heath sucked in a breath through his teeth and kissed her again. He slowly moved over her, the towel around his waist slipping away. Rosa slid her hands down his back and gripped the firm rise of his behind.
His hardness aroused her beyond reason, space and time. Left behind were all her troubles and worries. She just wanted to be here with him now. He ran his hand up and down her side, caressing her with desire.
“Oh Rosa, where have you been all my life?” Heath breathed into her ear. She had just been about to ask him the same thing.
“I've been in your heart,” she said, not knowing where the sentiment had come from.
Being with Heath was like being on an alternate plane of reality. Things seemed to make sense that really shouldn't, but it felt so good that Rosa didn’t ever want to go back to the way things had been before. Heath made her feel safe and loved. He made her feel as if there was someone out there for her who would always be on her side and would always believe her. For the first time since her parents died, she felt like she wasn’t in it by herself.
Maria was a great friend and wonderful sister, but Rosa had been responsible for her for years now. The pressure and stress of it had taken a toll on Rosa. Now that she had Heath, all of that had changed. She finally felt like she was home.
As strange as it was to fall in love with someone she’d only met a few hours ago, she knew that it was very real. Nothing whatsoever would ever come between them. That full realization filled her heart, body, and mind as Heath slipped his fingers under the hem of her shirt, tugging it up over her head. A few short moments later and she was naked with Heath by her side, his big, strong hands cupping her breasts. Heath’s deft fingers excited her nipples and his tongue swept over hers. She shivered with anticipation and a slight fear of the unknown as his hands roved down her body and slipped between her legs.
He pushed his index finger through her outer lips and slid over the slick wetness he found there. His other big hand covered her breast.
Heath’s fingers pressed against her tight, swollen bud and Rosa groaned into his neck. She licked his clean flesh, running her tongue up to his ear.
He kissed her forehead and then her cheek, neck and breasts. Heath ran kisses across her stomach and down over her thighs. When he dipped his face between her legs and lapped up the slick moisture that had gathered there, she threw her head back and gasped at the rush of pleasure.
Rosa threaded her fingers through his cropped hair and groaned. She could feel him moving under her hands and between her legs. The erotic thrill of it tumbled over her in a great rush. She’d never felt anything this intensely sensual.
Heath had come out of nowhere, believed her, and promised to help her. She could feel herself falling deeper in love with him with each passing second. It had been so long since she’d felt this good. She was so grateful she’d found him. Heath was better than she could have ever imagined. He was everything.
He lapped up her core, focusing on her clit as he slid two fingers inside her. She groaned and rocked against him, needing to feel him deeper. Gasping with burning desire, she felt herself rushing closer to climax with each flick of Heath’s tongue and each thrust of his thick fingers.
“Heath,” she said on a whisper as the flood took her over.
Pleasure clenched between her legs. It overtook her mind until she was consumed by it. Heath slowly slid his fingers away and kissed the length of her body until his lips pressed against hers.
Rosa reached down to grasp his firm shaft, stroking it with resolve. She wanted to give him what he’d given her.
“Rosa,” he groaned into her ear as she gripped and stroked him.
He moved over her, sliding between her legs. He reached to a side table and pulled out a condom packet, ripping it open with his teeth. Placing it over the head of his cock, he slowly rolled it down his impressive length. As he moved over her slick, wet core, she gasped and looked into his eyes.
“Do you want this?” he said, teasing her with his cock. He pressed into her and pulled out again, making her moan with disappointment.
“Yes. More than anything,” she gasped, pulling him closer.
With that, he thrust forward, pushing deep inside her.
“I need you so bad Rosa,” he whispered into her ear as he buried himself inside her.
“I need you too, Heath. God only knows why.”
“This is crazy isn’t it,” he whispered, pulling back to thrust into her again.
She groaned at the impact, the thrill of his cock inside her sparked electric shocks. He moved slowly, kissing her neck.
“I feel so close to you. I don’t understand how it’s possible.”
“You’re my mate, babe. That’s how this works.”
“I don’t understand this.”
“You feel it as strong as I do.”
“Yeah,” she groaned as he increased his speed and the impact of his thrusts. She mewled and ran her hands up and down his spine, groaning and worshiping him as he worshiped her.
“I want to mark you,” he said. “But I don’t know if I should.”
“Why not?” she gasped, feeling her climax barreling toward her.
“I don’t want you to regret it.”
“I could never regret it,” she whispered. “I can’t say no to you.”
Rosa felt the sharp tips of his teeth press against the most sensitive skin on her neck, right over her jugular. She gasped, about to cry out. But his teeth bit through her flesh and cut off the sound.
Pain sliced into her just as she came like a banshee under him. At that very instant, Heath thrust one last time and poured himself inside her, coming in a hot rush. She clung to his hard body, wanting only him, forever.
She could feel the connection between them solidify like a diamond. It glinted, sparkling from its many facets. Rosa’s mind expanded in a burst of light, and it seemed to incorporate the entire universe. But that universe was made up of her and Hea
th, joined together as one.
Slowly, carefully, he retracted his teeth and licked her wound clean until it healed so perfectly it was as if it had never been there. He rolled away, pulling the condom from his shaft and throwing it away. He pulled her against his glistening chest and held her in the dim light of his bedroom.
They both breathed heavily, coming down from the rush. Rosa rested her head against his chest. His arms wrapped around her shoulders, holding her close. Sliding a finger along his impeccable chest, her mind began to unravel as she came down from her high.
For a split second, she couldn’t believe what she had just let happen. But then she felt the love and connection between her and her mate. He was her everything. She could feel his love rolling off of him and radiating inside her.
Her own love was pulsing in return. It was as if they spoke a language that was beyond words. A language of pure energy. Something that was perfect and only between them. It was beautiful.
Chapter 6
Heath woke several hours later as the evening sun was dipping toward the western horizon. He slid away from Rosa, her long brown hair falling over her pretty face like a curtain. He brushed it aside and kissed her cheek. She stirred, her eyes slowly opening.
“Hello beautiful,” he said, smiling down at her as she blinked away her sleep.
“What time is it?” she asked groggily.
“It’s after six. We have to get down to the station, but I’ll make us something to eat before we go.”
They had postponed long enough. It was time to get to the station and find out what Rollo and Damien had been able to come up with.
He slid his boxers on and turned to watch Rosa pick her clothes up off the floor. The evening sunlight glowed through the window blinds and cast an ethereal light over Rosa’s golden skin. His bear purred, sated at the back of his mind. The beast could feel his mate. Heath had claimed her and now he and Rosa were eternally connected.
Heath pulled on jeans and a t-shirt. He and Rosa walked down the hall and into the kitchen. She sat at one of the stools that was pushed up against the kitchen island and watched him as he began pulling things out of the fridge.
“How do you like your steak?” he asked.
“Medium. I guess,” she said, yawning.
He prepared two plates with baby greens for a salad and poured a dollop of oil into his frying pan on the stove. A moment later, he had two juicy steaks frying over the gas burner. Heath scooped the steaks up and onto plates. He slid one across the counter to Rosa. He watched her take a bite of the food he had prepared for her and smiled as she chewed her first bite of the steak.
“How is it?” he asked, walking around the counter to sit on the stool beside her.
“It's delicious. It’s one of the best meals I've had in weeks.”
“That can't possibly be true,” he chuckled.
“I've been on the road eating cheap food since Maria went missing.”
“Well we’re going to remedy that very soon.”
“Heath,” Rosa started, looking up at him with glistening eyes. “I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me.”
“Rosa, you are my mate. I have claimed you as my own, we will forever be connected as one. I would do anything for you. You have to remember that. You don't have to thank me for it.”
“I will still thank you for it, every day for the rest of my life. I've been lost since the death of my parents. Maria's disappearance has eaten away at my spirit even more. Now that we’re together, I finally feel like there's something more for me.”
He reached across the counter and grasped her hand, feeling the smooth skin under his palm as he threaded his fingers through hers.
“And I will be forever grateful for you, Rosa.”
She sighed heavily and smiled up at him, a single tear falling from the corner of her eye. She was so magnificently beautiful that he didn't know how he had deserved to be matched with such an astounding woman. Not only had Rosa believed so strongly in her sister that she wouldn't take the word of the Police Department in Los Angeles, but she was so connected to her sister that she had followed her kidnappers all the way to Northern Oregon.
Rosa's intuition was profound and stunning. It was something not typically seen in the average human, or even shifter for that matter. Shifters who were mated would often feel each other deep within. But Rosa had somehow formed a similar bond with her sister. It humbled him to the very core to think about how loving and powerful his mate really was. He would spend the rest of his life protecting and nurturing her gentle, loving spirit with the last breath in his body.
When they were done eating, he went upstairs to put on his uniform. When he was done dressing and preparing himself, he came back downstairs and found Rosa staring out the window with a worried expression on her face.
“What's wrong?”
“I feel like we're too late,” she said, looking out the window at the darkness on the street outside.
“We will find her. I promise you.”
They went outside and climbed into Heath's patrol car. When they made it to the police station, Heath parked and they made their way inside. Rollo and the rest of the Bear Patrol were already gathered in Rollo's office. Rosa looked up at Heath nervously. He held her hand, giving her a reassuring squeeze. They went into Rollo's office and the crew all turned to look at them.
“Okay,” Rollo said. “We're all here now. Rosa, why don't you began by telling us a little bit about your story.”
Heath could feel her nervous energy, and he put his arm around her shoulders. Damien stood from the chair where he'd been sitting and offered it to Rosa. She sat down and folded her hands in her lap, clearing her throat.
“Well, I don't know what Heath’s told you, but I'll just start at the beginning. Two weeks ago, my sister Maria disappeared on the way home from school. Maria is fifteen years old and she is about five foot three with long brown hair. She looks very similar to me in most respects. When she didn't arrive home, I immediately filed a missing persons’ report.
“After 48 hours, the Los Angeles Police Department declared Maria's case closed on the assumption that she had run away. They offered no further assistance.
“I have been Maria's primary guardian for five years, ever since our parents passed away. I know my sister almost as well as I know myself. She would never run away from our home. I know someone took her. No matter how much I begged the police department to continue looking for her, they refused to do anything else.
“Then I began to hear stories of missing girls, one after the other on the way north from Los Angeles. I began to follow those cases and looked into them as I traveled. I took time off of work and got an advance so that I could focus on following the trail. The trail led me to Portland where the last kidnapping occurred several days ago.”
“I do have a record of a young girl going missing from the Portland area several days ago,” Rollo said. “And we have looked into the other missing girls as well. Your story checks out.”
“The trail went cold in Portland. I spent two days trying to find the next missing person anywhere that could be quickly reached from the Portland area. Nothing happened. Something told me to travel east and that whoever was taking these girls was resting here in the mountains. I don't know how I know, I just do. If you don't believe me, that's fine. I'm used to the police not believing me.”
“Heath said we would believe you,” Rollo said. “We're shifters. We believe in things like fate, and many of us have felt deeply connected to the people that we love through our bonds. I have no doubt that you were able to feel your sister's presence here. I take that very seriously.”
“Thank you.”
“Several months ago,” Damien started. “I ran a simulation on our random probability generator. It came back to me indicating that it was highly likely that a human trafficking ring was moving through the area. However, even after running the inputs again with the information you gave us, I have not bee
n able to pinpoint any exact locations.” Damien said. “I have been able to establish a general area where the kidnappers most probably have a hideout. The Bear Patrol is currently organizing a search with the Rescue Bears in this area of the mountain. We will be leaving at first light.”
“I think that first light will be too late,” Rosa said.
“Why do you say that?” Deputy Knox asked.
“I got the distinct feeling that we were too late right before Heath and I left the house.”
The Bear Patrol all looked to Rollo, waiting for a response.
“If we’re running out of time, we should do it now.”
“I agree,” Heath said. “I'll get you home now, Rosa.”
“I want to go with you. Maybe I can help.”
“She has a point,” Detective Gauge said. “She may be able to give us information once we get closer to the hiding place.”
“I don't want to put Rosa in danger,” Heath said.
“You have to let me do this. It's my sister.”
“What do you think, Commander?” Heath asked Rollo.
“I think that she has found her way so far so we should probably trust her instincts.”
“Okay then,” Heath said nervously.
The last thing in the world that he wanted was to put Rosa in danger when there were so many bears going out to find her sister and the kidnappers. She should stay safely at home and out of harm’s way. But he could see her reasoning and Rollo agreed with her. Heath wasn't about to disagree with both his mate and his Alpha.
Everyone started for their cars after they met with the Rescue Bears at the station. Rosa and Heath rode with Rollo and Gauge in Rollo’s SUV. They took the road out to the same turn off where Rosa had led him earlier that day.
“Why did you pick this location?” Heath asked Rollo.
“This is the location that Damien was able to pinpoint with a random probability generator.”
“I knew she was close to here,” Rosa said.
“It’s a good thing you didn’t find them on your own,” Rollo said.
The truth was that if she had tried to confront the kidnappers on her own, she most likely would have been taken herself.
Fate Mountain - Complete Page 86