“Damn, when are they going to stop that?” Avaleigh asked no one in particular. She leaned her head against Daniel’s shoulder, and he kissed the top of her head. “Love you, Mate,” she told him. “Love you too, Dragon’s Mate,” he answered.
They were having a relaxing meal, enjoying each other’s company, when Kaid saw a familiar face at the register picking up a takeout order. “Well, I be damned! I figured you left town; you never did come to see us!”
Everybody at the table turned around to see who he spoke to. Daniel inclined his head in greeting, but Bane.., Bane got up, stalked straight to the male and embraced him, full force. Avaleigh’s mouth dropped open; Kaid just grinned. Janie had turned around to see where her Mate went and immediately recognized the male he was hugging. “Riley!!!” she shouted. She jumped up and ran to where they were standing. Before Riley hugged her, he looked to Bane for permission. Bane nodded at him, and Riley hugged her tight, lifting her off her feet. “Janie! You look great Sweetheart. Marriage agrees with you!”
“Yes, it does. I’m really happy.”
He squeezed her again, then paused, sniffing the air, “A baby? Really? You guys are having a baby?”
She giggled, then squealed, “Yes!!!! A little girl! Can you believe it?”
“Absolutely, yes. You deserve it, Janie. You and Bane deserve every happiness you can get.”
“Come over here, Riley. Sit with us and have your meal,” Kaid invited.
“I don’t want to intrude.”
“Never, you can’t intrude. We owe you a debt of gratitude. Come.” Kaid indicated the empty chair at the table that Bam had vacated.
“Well, if you’re sure.”
“Absolutely, come on, Riley. Don’t make us beg,” Kaid answered.
Riley joined them at the table, offering everyone a humble smile and the men a handshake.
“This is my Mate, Avaleigh,” Daniel introduced her.
“Good to meet you, Avaleigh,” Riley smiled warmly at her.
“Good to meet you, too, Riley. Thank you for watching over Janie,” she told him.
“Nah, you give me too much credit,” he said.
Kaid reached out and pulled Delilah’s chair closer to him, “This is my Delilah,” he told Riley.
Delilah leaned closer to Kaid and in a hushed voice, told him, “I am MY Delilah,” while still eyeing Riley.
“Now? Now you want to take exception to me saying you’re mine?” Kaid said to her.
Riley looked at Delilah, who was staring at him intently, “Nice to meet you, Delilah.”
She smiled, lifting her chin regally, “You are welcome for meeting me. I have been choosing things,” she boasted.
Kaid chuckled, clearly proud of her,“My woman,” he said pointedly, looking at her as though daring her to contradict him again, “is learning to make her way in a new town,” Kaid told Riley.
“I know all about that. It’s tough,” he looked to Delilah again, “Just take your time and let it happen.”
She inclined her head, considering his words.
“So what are you doing in town, you on a lunch break?” Kaid asked.
“No, I’m actually in town looking for work. Haven’t had much luck though, not a whole lot available.”
“What do you do?” Bane asked.
“A little of this, little of that,” Riley answered.
“Do you know any construction?” Daniel asked him.
Kaid immediately picked up on it, “Of course! We have a construction company. We can use another hand. Bane is spending more time at home now that Janie is pregnant. Why don’t you come work for us?”
“Naw, Man. I appreciate it, but I’m okay. Something will come up.”
“Riley,” Kaid sat forward, putting his hand on Riley’s arm, “I ain’t giving you anything. You’d be helping us out, and you will earn every penny you make. I give you nothing.”
Riley looked at him intently for a moment, “Okay. Yeah, okay. I’d appreciate the opportunity.”
“Good, then we’ll see you tomorrow when you come by for a barbecue. We’ll firm up the details then. Deal?”
Riley sat there for a minute, then looked up at Kaid, “I kind of had plans tomorrow; can I bring somebody?”
“Absolutely, bring somebody.”
Janie, all emotional due to her pregnancy, clasped her hands at her chest, “Oh, Riley! That’s wonderful! You have a lady!”
Riley chuckled a little, “Well, something like that.”
He stood, shaking everyone’s hand, “Nice to meet you, ladies,” then turning to Kaid, “I’ll see ya’ll tomorrow. ‘Bout what time?”
“ ‘Bout 3. We gonna work on Bane’s house in the morning and then barbecue and a little later in the evening we going to have a bonfire,” Kaid told him.
“Awright, I’ll see you then. And thank you. ‘Preciate you, Kaid.”
“No, Man, thank you. We can use the extra hand.”
Chapter 10
Bam tracked Maverik all the way back to their property. He’d had to shift to his Bear shortly after they left the town limits, so he could track him. He didn't mind really, but he was slobbering all over his clothes as he carried them in his mouth and that was kind of irritating. It was okay though; he needed a distraction from being in town today anyway. He was still confused at what he’d stumbled across.
He knew that Maverik was aware that he was on his trail. He’d begun to intentionally stop and piss on everything he could possibly find for the last couple of miles. Bam had no doubt that he was doing it on purpose. A kind of if you’re going to follow me, I’ll make it interesting for you, kind of thing.
As they crossed onto their own land, Mav made a bee line for the creek. He’d exhausted himself on the run back home and just dropped when he got there, stomach on the grass, snout near enough the water that he could stick out a tongue and lap it up if he chose to. Maverik was hurting. He was so fucking tired of hurting. And Valerie just made it worse. Just when he’d begun to settle a little, he’d stopped by Vince’s to get a beer with his new-found clan, and she’d been there. With her shiny golden hair, and her thick, curvy hips, and her big blue eyes, just begging him to reach out and touch her. His Wolf had freaked the fuck out! Impossible! Can’t be! Already had his ONE, and she fucking maimed him! The worst part, though, the worst part? Was that Valerie recognized him, too. And when he gave no indication of what she was to him, she hurt. He didn’t want to hurt her. He just had nothing left to give. Nothing but bitterness. And that led him to where he was now. To where he found himself often, running until he passed out from exhaustion. Then alone. Well, almost alone.
Bam emerged from the tree line, and Mav gave a warning growl. Bam chuffed at him, kept on walking past him, splashed through the stream, and came to a stop on the other side. Far on the other side, allowing Maverik space to be alone, but still close enough to let him know that he was there for him. He’d sat with Mav through many episodes like this one. His Wolf was broken. Shattered. He carried more pain than any beast Bam had ever encountered, and sometimes his distraught nature ran Maverik to desperation. When that happened, Bam just followed along, so Maverik knew that though he was suffering, he wasn’t alone. He never would be again. So there they sat, or laid, as the case may be. For hours.
<> <> <> <> <>
The Suburban pulled in and parked under the tree on the far side of the clearing. Goldie and Sadie sat on the porch with Ball jars of cold, sweet tea. Rocking, just being together. As they all piled out of the car, Goldy couldn’t believe his eyes. Delilah got out looking sexy as fuck. A Dominatrix, but still sexy as fuck!
“Uh, Kaid? Did you help Delilah pick out her clothes?” he called.
“No! I did all my own choosing!” Delilah called back proudly.
“Well, Sweetheart, that’s a very interesting outfit you chose,” Sadie told her.
“Yes, Mother Sadie, it is! Just as I am interesting. It fits me well.”
“I think she looks hot as fuc
k!” Kaid told them, “My woman is hot!”
“I am MY woman,” she said to him again, planting her feet and refusing to move another inch until he recognized what she’d said.
Kaid’s Bear wasn’t the least little bit concerned; he knew that eventually she’d be theirs, and he told Kaid as much. Kaid just gathered up her bags of choosings and walked by her, grinning at her as he passed, “Go ahead, deny it all you want, but your Beast and I both know who you belong to, Baby,” with the emphasis on Baby.
Delilah curled her lip at him, and he grinned even bigger at her, “Come on, Woman, show me where you want your choosings.”
Later that night, Janie was rummaging through the refrigerator looking for something to eat. Daisy had woken her up and sent her to the kitchen for more snacks, when she suddenly got the feeling that she wasn't alone anymore. She peeked up over the door of the refrigerator, expecting to see Bane looking back at her, but it was Delilah. “Oh, Delilah, you startled me. You hungry, too?” she asked as she went back to digging in the refrigerator.
“No. I heard you rise. I wished to question you.”
“Umm, okay.” She nudged the refrigerator door closed with her knee as both her hands were filled with the fixings for a huge sandwich. “What’s up?”
“You are with younglings?”
“Oh, that. Yes, I am. But one, just one baby, not two.”
Delilah nodded, still looking concerned, and now a bit confused, “You wish to have this baby?”
A look of horror crossed Janie’s face, “Oh, My God! Of course I do! This baby is part of Bane and me. We created her through our love. How would I not want to have her?!”
Delilah sat there for moment, eyes on the table where Janie had piled all her fixings and had paused in the building of her sandwich. After a while, she motioned with her hands, indicating that Janie should continue to build her sandwich. Instead, Janie questioned her, “Why would you ask such a thing, Delilah?”
“Where I come from, you were not given a choice. If your Mate decided to have younglings, and your beast wasn’t strong enough to prevent his seed from planting; you had younglings. My Beast was strong enough. I had none. Avaleigh had no beast to protect her. She suffered much. You have no beast either. I ask only to know if I should help you.” She lifted her eyes to Janie’s, “I will protect you if you require it. I am strong. Kaid said this clan is mine, because it is his, and I am his.” She snickered a little, “That has yet to be settled, but you are human. Weak. If you need protection, I will provide it. As I will to all the females in this clan.”
“Well, okay then,” Janie said. She placed a hand protectively over her belly, which was rounded and swelling much more quickly than it should have been. “For the record, I am very happy with our child. I want this.”
“Good. Then I will not have to loose my Monster,” Delilah told her matter-of-factly.
“Yes, well, that is a good thing.” Janie wasn’t sure what her Monster was, but she was pretty sure not having it on the loose was a very good thing. She decided to try to change the subject, “Would you like a sandwich?”
“Is that the soggy bread thing that Amos gave me while we traveled here?”
Janie giggled, “Yes, I think so, but the ones I make are not soggy. Homemade sandwiches are much better than ones he picked up at a gas station.” Janie indicated the turkey slices, the provolone cheese, the cheddar cheese, the lettuce and tomato that she planned to slice, and Delilah watched as she did so. “I put really good stuff on mine.”
Delilah nodded her head once, “Yes, make this sandwich. But if it is soggy, I will allow you give it to your Mate. Bears eat anything.”
“Not mine, he’s pretty particular,” she smiled thinking of Bane, “But he would eat it if I made it and pretend he loved it even if he didn't.”
“Why would he do this? If he does not like it, just say it is bad.”
Janie looked at Delilah, poor thing was truly confused, “Because he loves me. He wouldn’t want to hurt my feelings, so he would pretend it was good, even if it was very bad.”
“It makes no sense to me,” Delilah told her.
“If you love someone, you don’t want to hurt their feelings. You want to only see them smile, happy, satisfied, loved. Something as small as pretending to like something your Mate made for you is an easy thing to do,” Janie tried to explain.
“I do not know this, ‘love’. Kaid has spoken of love. Daniel calls his Avaleigh, Love. I do not know this; it confuses me.”
Janie put down the butter knife she was spreading mayonnaise with and rounded the table to hug Delilah. “It’s okay, Delilah. You will figure it all out. You’ve never been loved, so it’s new to you. But you’ll learn quickly. Kaid is a good man, and he already loves you so much. He’s waited a long time for you. Bane told me how lonely he’s been. It’s why we were all so excited when you came here.” Just then the baby moved, and Delilah jumped back, eyes pinned to Janie’s belly.
Janie squealed, which resulted in Bane bolting out of the bedroom and racing down the hall toward her.
Delilah placed her hands on Janie’s belly to feel the movement again, “Is that your youngling?” she asked with wonder in her voice.
Bane entered the kitchen with a snarl in his throat, Kaid on his heels, a snarl in his, each heading for their Mate.
Bane immediately saw Delilah’s hands on his Mate’s pregnant belly, “Janie, Heart? You okay?” he couldn’t take his eyes from Delilah’s hands where they pressed lightly against his daughter. He still didn’t quite trust her.
Janie realized that Bane was afraid for her, but he hadn't looked at her face so that he could see her smile. She snapped her fingers to get his attention, and his eyes jerked to hers. “I’m fine. I hugged Delilah, and Daisy kicked her. I’d never felt her move before, so I squealed!” and she squealed again.
Bane rushed to his Mate’s side and dropped to his knees in front of her. “Delilah, see if you can make her kick again. I want to feel her, too,” he pleaded.
Delilah looked at him strangely for a moment, then inclined her head, and with her palms still on Janie’s belly, and now Bane’s palms beside hers, she sent a slight, very slight, wave of her Alpha power through her palms. Daisy immediately responded by kicking her, twice. Delilah grinned, “She is a strong one! This little female is very brave!” She didn't get a response from either Janie or Bane, and looking to her right she saw why. Bane had moved one hand up to Janie’s cheek and was staring intently into her eyes, tears streaming down his face. Janie, just as moved to tears, was holding his hand to her cheek. As far as they were concerned, they were the only two in the room.
Kaid stood quietly watching, Damn! I want that, he thought to Bear. Have that now. Mate ours now! Bear told him. Have to wait ‘til she’s ready, Bear. Bear was not happy to have to wait.
Delilah placed her hand on Bane’s shoulder, “You are a good Male. I will trust you now.”
Bane just smiled at her, still caught up in the emotion of feeling his daughter kicking for the first time.
Bane rose quickly from his knees, caught Janie up in his arms, and took her back to their room.
Delilah looked at the sandwich makings on the table, then down the hall to where Bane and Janie had disappeared.
“Hmpf, she was making me the not soggy sandwich. How will I have one now?” she said, eyes still focused down the hall.
“I’ll make you one, Baby,” Kaid told her and started to do just that.
“How do you know to make the not-soggy sandwich?” she asked.
“Before Avaleigh, I used to make all my own meals. I can make a not-soggy sandwich,” he chuckled.
“Avaleigh cooks for all the males?”
“Yes. Well, she used to, but now that Miss Sadie is here, she cooks a lot, too. They are both very good cooks.”
Kaid handed Delilah the sandwich he’d made for her. She looked at it, then stood, walked down the hall, and knocked on Bane and Janie’s door. When Bane ope
ned the door, she handed him the plate, “Your female was planning to feed your youngling. She did not get the chance,” she turned and came back to the kitchen. His voice following her down the hall, “Thank you, Delilah!”
Kaid, smiling to himself that she was beginning to care for his clan, started making her another. When he was done, he handed it to her, made one for himself, and they sat and ate together. Halfway through he jumped up, “Wait! I forgot the bread-n-butter pickles!” He reached into the refrigerator, grabbed a jar and sat it on the table. He took the lid off and fished inside the jar with a fork, stabbing a stack of them. He reached over and pushed them off the fork onto Delilah’s plate. Then repeated the action and pushed them off on his own plate.
Delilah looked at the wet, green things, now sitting in a puddle on her plate. She leaned over and turned her head sideways, looking from a different angle. “They are green,” she stated simply.
“Yeah, they’re pickles,” he laughed.
“What is pickle?”
“You’ve never had a pickle?” he asked incredulously.
“No. I have not.”
“Well, some are sour, others are sweet, these are a combination of sweet and salty. Try one, I love these damn things. Avaleigh always keeps some of them in the fridge for me.”
Delilah looked from him to the pickles again. Then she picked one up by the very edge, and touched the tip of her tongue to it. It didn't seem too bad; she nibbled a tiny piece. Her eyebrows rose, “The pickle is good, I will eat these.” She took the top piece of bread off her sandwich and loaded the rest of the pickles onto it, then took a huge bite. “Yes,” she mumbled around a mouthful, “You have my permission to place the pickles on my plate often.”
Kaid's Queen Page 8
