Turning Payne

by Chantel Seabrook

  When Riley didn't think she could take another second of not knowing, she glanced up to see one of the doctors emerging from the surgical room, his expression grim.

  He cleared his throat and looked pointedly at Riley. "He's asking for you."

  Chapter 28

  Turner's head hurt.

  Shit, his whole body hurt. But he needed to see Riley, ease the pain he could feel radiating off her. From the moment he'd regained consciousness, she was all he could think of. He'd tried to push into her mind, but grief was so tightly coiled within her, he couldn't penetrate her thoughts.

  The glass door slid open, and Turner's breath caught in his throat when Riley walked through. Her eyes were swollen and puffy, her face pale, hair tangled, but she was still the most beautiful person in the world to him.

  Relief blazed in her eyes when her gaze fell on him. Despite the exhaustion that enveloped her, she rushed to him, threw her arms over his chest, and buried her face in his shoulder.

  "Hey," he said gently, stroking her hair. "I'm fine."

  She lifted her head and her lips trembled when she spoke. "Your heart stopped. I thought—"

  "I know." He'd felt his body give out. The darkness looming over him, stealing his breath, his life energy. It would have been so easy to give into it, to drift off into the abyss, and let death wrap its gentle arms around him. But he'd felt the tug to stay, to fight—heard Riley beg him not to leave her, telling him she loved him. "Say it again."

  "What?"

  He smiled and caressed her cheek. "That you love me."

  Tears gathered in her eyes. "I love you and I want to be with you. Always."

  He closed his eyes and savoured her words. When he opened them again, she met his gaze. Her eyes shone with love, so much love that there was no mistaking it for anything else. She was his. His mate. His life. And he would do everything he could to make her happy.

  "I love you, too, Riley."

  She leaned down and placed her lips on his. Her tears dampened his cheek as she kissed him, gently at first, then with a desperation that nearly undid him.

  The door slid open and someone cleared their throat.

  "Glad you decided to stick around awhile longer," Chase said from the door, his voice clogged with emotion. He looked drained, completely worn out.

  "You're not getting rid of me that easy."

  His brother exhaled loudly as he crossed the room. When he reached the bed, he gripped Turner's elbow and shoulder hugged him. Chase pulled back and swiped at his eyes.

  "Don't tell me you're getting sentimental in your old age," Turner teased.

  Chase huffed, and Turner could tell his brother was desperately trying to maintain his composure. He shoved his hands in his pockets, and looked up at the ceiling, blinking rapidly.

  "Lora and Jacob are waiting outside. They'll want to know," Riley said, starting to move away.

  Turner grasped her hand, not willing to let her go, even only to the next room.

  "I'll let them know," Chase said, his expression finally relaxed.

  Turner gave his brother a grateful smile, which Chase returned before leaving them alone again.

  His body felt like it was filled with lead, and his eyes were heavy. He blinked several times, trying to push past the exhaustion that plagued him. The doctor had warned him not to push himself, but there was still the matter of Kiera.

  "Is there any news on your sister?" he asked, pulling Riley to his side, so that she was sitting on the edge of the bed. "Did the treatment work?"

  She bit her lips and looked down at their conjoined hands. "We haven't heard anything yet."

  The adrenaline they had given him was starting to wear off. He could feel the cold sweat breaking out of his body, and he fought to control it, to control the overwhelming need to sleep.

  "You need to rest," she said, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

  "Stay with me."

  She nodded. He inched over so that she could crawl in beside him. She curled up on her side and draped an arm over his chest. He pulled her close, anchoring him to his body, and kissed the top of her head.

  "Thank you," she whispered. "No matter what happens with Kiera, I know you did everything you could."

  He found her hand, entwining his fingers in hers. It should be him thanking her. Twice she'd pulled him from the darkness. He'd held onto bitterness and revenge for so long that he hadn't realized how dark his life had become. But with Riley there was no darkness, only light and love.

  There were so many things he wanted to tell her, promises that he wanted to make.

  "Rest," she whispered. "I'll be here when you wake."

  With that promise, he closed his eyes and slept.

  Chapter 29

  "Stop," Riley ordered, placing her hand on Turner's shoulders, as she unsuccessfully tried to push him back down on the bed. "You haven't been cleared yet."

  "It's been two days," Turner snarled. He pulled the IV from his hand, pulled the covers back and threw his legs over the side of the bed. "I'm fine. I need to get out of this room."

  The hospital gown rode up, barely covering his thick, muscular thighs. Riley glanced down and reflexively licked her lips, a small sigh escaping her throat.

  Turner chuckled, low and sexy, and wrapped his arms around her waist, dragging her between his legs. "We both need to get out of this room."

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. "One more day on bed rest isn't going to hurt you."

  He gripped her hips and drew her against the hard bulge between his legs, and growled. "Every second I'm not inside of you hurts." He nipped at her bottom lip. "Plus, once we get back to my apartment, I was planning on being on bed rest for at least a week." Her mouth opened to the stroke of his tongue. His kiss consumed her, torturing her until her body was strung tight with need. He pulled back breathless and smirked. "Maybe two."

  Riley sighed and shook her head. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

  "I heal quickly." He cupped her cheek and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, before pushing himself off the bed and reaching for the clothes on the side table.

  Riley frowned. It wasn't just about Turner. Kiera still hadn't woken up. The treatment had stabilized her, but her brain activity was irregular, and no one would give Riley a clear answer as to when, if ever, her sister would regain consciousness.

  "I know you're worried about Kiera, but Jacob's taken it upon himself to keep a twenty-four hour vigil at her side." He zipped his pants, then pulled his t-shirt over his head. "If anything happens, or she wakes up, he'll call you."

  "I know."

  "But if you want, we can stay in the barracks until she wakes up?"

  "Really?"

  Turner brushed her hair behind her ear and smiled. "Whatever you want."

  She went up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

  The door slid open and Chase entered. He glanced at Turner and shook his head. "You shouldn't be out of bed, but it's probably for the best. Kiera's awake."

  "When?"

  "Just a few minutes ago. Jacob just called. Wants me to bring you to her. She's asking for you."

  Joy and relief expanded her chest until she felt like she was going to explode. Kiera was finally awake and in human form. Riley gripped Turner's hand and followed Chase through the long corridors.

  "You're shaking," Turner whispered. "Are you nervous?"

  "A little. So much has happened in the past couple of weeks. I don't know how she's going to react."

  "If she's half as strong as you, she'll be fine."

  "I hope so." Riley had no idea what to expect. Had Kiera been aware the entire time she'd been in animal form, or would she not remember what had happened? And how was Riley supposed to explain their father's part in the whole ordeal?

  Riley paused in front of the one-way glass mirror. Kiera sat on the other side, legs pulled against her chest. Her dark hair hung in knots like a curtain around her face. Jacob sat with her, talking in soft
tones.

  "She looks terrified," Riley said.

  "She'll be better once she's seen you." Turner kissed the top of her head. "I'll be right here if you need me."

  Chase opened the door and cleared his throat to let Jacob know they were there.

  Riley took a deep breath and walked into the room.

  "Someone's here to see you," Jacob said softly. He stood and let Riley take his place beside the bed. He gave Riley a quick glance, his mouth drawn down.

  Kiera didn't look up.

  "Hey, it's me." Riley placed her hand on Kiera's shoulder. "It's Riley."

  Kiera looked up. Her blue eyes were wide, hollow, and seemed to gaze right through her.

  Riley sat down on the edge of the bed and took her sisters hands. "I know you're confused, but everything is going to be okay."

  "Something's wrong with me." Kiera's mouth quivered, and a strange ripple seemed to cross her features.

  "No," Riley gripped her hands tighter. "You were sick, but you're going to be all right now. There's been a lot of strange things that have happened and I'll explain them all. You're safe. No one is going to hurt you. I promise."

  Kiera whimpered and threw her arms around Riley's shoulders. "I feel like there's something inside of me clawing to get out."

  Jacob inhaled sharply behind her. The hairs on the back of Riley's neck stood on end. She glanced over her shoulder at Jacob, whose golden eyes mirrored her own concern.

  Riley pulled back and studied her sister. "Do you remember anything that happened?"

  "I had strange dreams, but—" Kiera shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "What happened, Riley? Where am I?"

  Where was she supposed to start? "Do you remember Marcus injecting you with something?"

  Kiera's eyes widened and she shook her head, but she touched her neck as if remembering. "He wouldn't hurt me."

  He wouldn't hurt anyone anymore, thanks to her father's men, but now wasn't the time to tell Kiera that. She could tell Kiera was hiding something.

  "He gave you something that altered your DNA."

  Kiera drew back, and looked at Riley as if she had sprouted another head.

  "There are people in this world that have—" Riley licked her licks and glanced at Jacob for help. He merely nodded for her to continue. "They have the ability to turn into animals. Our grandfather was one, and because of that, you carry the recessive gene. The drug Marcus gave you altered your DNA making you turn into a lion."

  A hysterical, high-pitched laugh erupted from Kiera.

  "I'm not making this up." Riley tried to hold her sister’s hand, but Kiera pulled away frowning. "Jacob,"—Riley nodded at him—"is one of them."

  "You can turn into an animal?" Kiera asked incredulously.

  Jacob's expression remained passive. "A lion, like you."

  "Like me?" Kiera squeaked, shaking her head and drawing her knees up to her chest.

  Riley spun on Jacob. What did he mean like her? Kiera was healed now. Human. She wasn't like them at all.

  "The combination of the initial injection and the treatment used to save your life appears to have resulted in a permeant change to your DNA," Jacob said, not taking his eyes off Kiera.

  "What are you talking about?" Riley demanded.

  "Genetically speaking, Kiera is a metamorph now." Jacob stood and shoved his hands in his pocket and began pacing the room. "With help, she'll be able to control the animal within her.

  "And without help?" Riley looked at her sister and swallowed hard.

  Jacob stopped pacing and breathed out heavily. "We could lose her again to the animal."

  "No—" Riley stood and stalked towards Jacob. "There has to be another way, another cure."

  A soft snarl made her stop. It didn't come from Jacob, but from behind her—from Kiera.

  "Get out of here," Jacob warned, shoving Riley behind him.

  "Wha-what's going on?" Kiera cried.

  Riley watched in horror, as her sister's delicate body warped and changed between human and animal form.

  Turner was there, gripping her shoulders, pulling her from the room. Kiera's sobs and snarls echoed behind them. He shut the door, and pulled Riley to his chest, holding her until she was able to take a deep breath.

  "She's going to be okay," he said, stroking her hair.

  Through the one-way mirror, she could see Kiera. Her features had relaxed, and Jacob was holding her, speaking in her ear. She looked up at him, her blue eyes large, full of fear and uncertainty. He pulled a syringe from his pocket and inserted it into Kiera's IV. She laid back in the bed and Jacob pulled the covers over her shoulder, then dimmed the lights. Instead of leaving, he pulled an armchair beside the bed and sat down, his expression grim as he watched Kiera's eyes slowly close.

  "Chase told me what they found," Turner said, not letting go. "Jacob will help her. She'll learn to control it, but it's going to take time. She's safe and she's alive. That's all that matters."

  Riley nodded against his chest, seeking the comfort of his strong body. She didn't doubt that Jacob would take care of her sister. There was something in his expression when he looked at her that made Riley's chest tighten—he cared about her.

  "There's nothing you can do right now. She needs to rest, and when she's ready to see you, you'll be here."

  Kiera was safe. For the moment, they all were. And the one week of bed rest, Turner had promised her, was starting to sound like heaven.

  Riley smiled and nestled closer into Turner's embrace. "I'm ready to go home now."

  His lips twitched up in a grin. "Then let's go home."

  Chapter 30

  Riley rolled on her stomach and propped her head on a pillow, so she could have a better view of her mate.

  Her mate. She smiled to herself.

  His eyes were closed, one arm tucked beneath his pillow, the sheets pulled low across his hips. The early evening sun cast a golden glow over his muscular chest.

  Her body was stiff, sore, and well satiated from what Turner deemed bed rest, but the more she was with him, the more she craved his touch. They had their two weeks, but soon he would have to return to work, and Riley with him. Jacob had offered her a job in the agency's labs, and she had jumped at the chance, but going back to work meant less time alone with Turner.

  She ran her hand over the hard ridges of his stomach, and sighed.

  His lips quirked and he opened one eye. "Enjoying the view?"

  "Very much."

  He glanced over at the clock and stretched. "It's almost dinnertime. There's leftovers in the fridge. Unless you want to pick something up on our way to Jacob's."

  "I'd rather stay in tonight. Keira seemed distracted yesterday when I visited. She's better when it's just the two of them. Being around me seems to make her agitated." She chewed on her lower lip. "Especially now that she knows about our father."

  "I'm sorry." He stroked her cheek with his knuckles. "Give her time. She's had a lot to process."

  "I know. It's just strange, her living with Jacob." She shrugged. "But I'm glad she's out of the lab."

  "Has she left the house yet?"

  "No. She's afraid she'll lose control and shift unexpectedly." Riley picked at a loose thread on the pillow. "Not that I blame her. I can't imagine what she's going through, but at least she has Lora to talk to. She seems to understand."

  Turner pulled her towards him so that she was resting on his chest. Immediately, her worries seemed to fade, and a warm, peaceful sensation enveloped her. She knew it was him. He'd never admitted it, but it had happened enough times for her to know that it wasn't just a coincidence.

  "I love you," she murmured, draping her leg over his hips so she was straddling him. The sensation of his bare skin against hers stirred the heat deep in her belly, and she felt him harden under her.

  His hands shackled her hips and he growled into her mouth as she brought her lips over his. Her head tipped back as his mouth moved from her lips, to her jaw, to her neck. He laid his mo
uth over the mark he had given her, giving it a gentle nip.

  "Mine." His hands skimmed over her flesh as his tongue licked at the small scar, sending a fury of sensations through her. "My mate."

  She lifted her hips, and his hand slid between their bodies. He stroked her sensitive folds, making her squirm above him. His teeth grazed over her nipple and she shuddered in pleasure as his fingers delved into her flesh.

  The sudden, desperate hunger that raged between them had her heart pounding, her breath coming in short pants.

  No man had ever affected her the way he did, and she knew no man ever could.

  She withered above him, needing more than what his fingers could give her.

  "Riley." The low, raspy growl of his voice only intensified her need.

  "More," she begged. Sitting up, she wrapped her hand around his engorged shaft and went to her knees. She watched his face, the dark lust that filled it. Slowly, she lowered herself onto the long, hard length of his erection.

  She clenched around him, placing her hands on the solid muscle of his stomach, and waited a moment until both of their breathing became regular. His silvery blue gaze locked onto her, and she thought her heart would burst with what she saw there. Love. Tenderness. Possession.

  He saw into her soul, touched the part of her she didn't know existed. His animal had claimed her, but the man had stolen her heart.

  She began to move with slow easy strokes. The physical pleasure was only fueled by the emotional connection that bound them. He was her life. Gazing into his eyes, nothing else mattered.

  Her strokes became harder, faster, until the hunger tore at her senses, at her control.

  With a quick, fluid movement, he flipped her over onto her back. She cried out in surprise and pleasure as he thrust into her, deeper than before, filling her completely. She gave herself over to the pure pleasure, and whimpered with the building exaltation. Her arms and legs tightened around him as he drove deeper inside her.

  "God, you're beautiful." His expression was fierce, demanding. His lips covered hers and his thrusts became harder, faster.

  Broken moans filled the space between them. Fiery bursts of release erupted inside her and she could barely draw enough air. Ecstasy slammed through her, surrounded her. Stretching, scorching, pleasure flowed through her body in waves so intense she cried out with it. She felt his own release, as he spilled into her with hot, driving pulses.