Royal Mate

by Juniper Hart

  “Of course we made it. I promised I would take care of you,” he said as he grabbed her hand.

  She noticed all of his fingers were intact, and looked more closely at his face to see that all of the bruising was gone.

  “What are you staring at?”

  Cara answered, “You’re lucky you can heal like that. I hit my toe on the coffee table and limp for, like, two weeks.”

  “I would take all of your pain away if I could.”

  “I wouldn’t let you,” said Cara, laughing at Reuben’s cheesy reply.

  They both sat up, and for several moments, sat in silence and watched the scenery go by as the enchanted train made its way down the tracks.

  “Where’s this thing going? How does it even exist?”

  “Oh, it just runs through the enchanted dimension. Right now, we’re headed straight through a regular solid mountain to the next cavern.

  The sound of them moving through the mountain was peculiar. It had a strange earthly ring to it, but the closer she looked, the more obvious it became that they weren’t traveling on an ordinary railroad. The track had disappeared, and the train was now surrounded by a glimmering protective shield—like a bubble—that took them straight through solid stone and dirt.

  “But how…?” Cara asked.

  “It’s enchanted.”

  “It’s beautiful,” she sighed. “I’ve never even imagined something like this, and I never imagined that we’d be here when I first met you.”

  He nodded.

  “But you know what matters?” he asked.

  “What’s that?” She snuggled up next to his muscled shoulder.

  He looked deep into her eyes, smiled gently, and stroked her chin. “I’m here now, and we’ll take on anything that comes our way. We’re a team.”

  She smiled, then asked, “Reuben, why did we make such an effort to take the train if we were so close to your friend’s house?”

  “I changed my mind.”

  “What do you mean? We’ve been heading to Texas for days?”

  “It’s too dangerous. I think Ezekiel knows where we’re headed.”

  “So where are we going?” Cara asked, not knowing whether to be excited about the possibility of going somewhere safe or terrified about what he was about to tell her.

  “We’re going to see my family.”

  “What? Are you serious?”

  Reuben had once shared that he was from the most powerful werewolf pack, and was in line to be pack leader. However, he’d bailed on his pack because of the responsibility that came with being the leader. Cara’s mom and dad had died in a tragic car accident in the first week of college. She’d have given anything to see them again.

  “Well, he’s like family,” Reuben explained. “He’s actually my godfather. His name is Eddy, and he is one of the only creatures – outside of other werewolves – whom my father trusts. Even after I left the pack, Eddy never turned his back on me.”

  Cara nodded in reply. “Are there guards on the train? Do you think they know we’re here?”

  “Maybe. There’s no way to know. They might be fully aware we’re here and are just waiting for the train to stop.”

  She nuzzled up against his powerful chest. It was still surprising that he was so smooth. She’d expected that since he was a werewolf, he’d be covered in chest hair. But he didn’t have a single one. That was good; she liked smooth men.

  “Get some rest, Cara.” He lay back, closing his eyes. “We’ve had an exciting week.”

  ‘That’s an understatement,’ thought Cara. Within the past week, she’d met Reuben, ran from Ezekiel the vampire and his thugs, broke a spell cast on Reuben that made him change into a werewolf every night, and lastly, fallen in love.

  “Where’s our destination?”

  “South Dakota,” answered Reuben.

  “Oh boy. So I better get comfortable. How long of a ride is that? A day? Two?”

  “Not even hours,” explained Reuben. “Remember, it’s enchanted.”

  6

  The train rumbled on through the earth. Cara had no idea how fast they were going, but it only took a little over an hour to reach their destination. The train came to a stop inside another station that was similar to the station they had just left.

  “Get ready to run if someone tries to stop us,” he said. “If it gets bad, just follow my lead. Okay?”

  “Yes.”

  She hoped it wouldn’t come to that. She’d done enough running and her body couldn’t take much more. Luckily, they hopped off the back of the train and mingled into the crowd. Nobody said anything. Cara didn’t think anyone even noticed. She followed Reuben through the crowd towards the exit, which was simply a staircase that led to the human word.

  When they got to the top, Reuben knocked on the ceiling.

  “Code?” someone asked from the roof.

  Reuben winced.

  “I have no idea,” he whispered to Cara. He spoke louder so the person on the outside could hear him. “I didn’t know we had one!”

  There was a laugh.

  “Good enough for me!” said the voice.

  The person on the other side pulled a circle of the ceiling out like a little door. Reuben clambered through with Cara right behind him. She popped her head out of the top of the doorway, not sure what she should be expecting. It was yet another lemonade stand – this time, with a friendly man with a thick English accent.

  “There isn’t a password,” he said to Reuben. “I just get a kick out of what people say when I ask.”

  His eyes widened when he saw Cara.

  “Oh, a human! Is she with you?”

  Reuben nodded. “She’s cool.”

  The guy didn’t seem to like it, but he final nodded.

  “Okay. Can I get you to sign the exit sheet?”

  He produced a guest sheet that Reuben signed. Apparently, he was a leftie.

  “Why are you back in town, Reuben?”

  “To see Eddy. Please don’t tell my father.”

  The man hesitated before saying, “Well, I won’t seek him out to tell him, but if he asks, I have to let him know.”

  “Understood. I wouldn’t want to put you in any danger.”

  They bid the man farewell and walked out onto a street of a very small town. Cara was freezing; she was still only wearing the sheer pajama top with oversized jeans. South Dakota weather was much colder than Texas.

  “What’s the deal with the lemonade stands? Are they always a portal to the train?”

  “Yes. Well, mostly. Once in a while, a human gets into the business without knowing the implications. Then, the enchanted creatures start showing up and it creates a real mess. Frustrated creatures trying to get on the train paired with humans who are just trying to make a profit off lemonade is a bad mixture.”

  Cara’s feet were freezing and she was worried about frostbite. Neither she nor Reuben were able to locate any shoes. Reuben grabbed her hand, encouraging her to catch up with him, when he noticed she was struggling and her hands were freezing. He had forgotten that Cara had the body temperature of a human, not a werewolf. She wasn’t able to stay warm in freezing temperatures. He looked down at her feet to see they were starting to turn blue.

  Without a word, Reuben picked her up and carried her. She immediately warmed to his touch, and the heat from his body made her comfortable.

  When she was no longer worried about getting frostbitten, Cara was able to take in the sights of the delightful small town around them. The main street was lined with charming shops and majestic mountains surrounded the town.

  Reuben shared facts about the small South Dakota city, revealing to Cara that he had actually grown up there.

  “Won’t your father know you’re here? Gossip spreads fast in little towns.”

  “He might, but he’s still angry with me. He won’t come looking for me.”

  The thought saddened Cara.

  At long last, they finally arrived and entered a gate. Reuben ha
d a passcode to the call box.

  The house was unassuming, but Cara wasn’t sure what she was expecting. It looked like a normal upper-class suburban house. The only thing that was off was a privacy fence winding around the perimeter of the yard. Someone had gone through a lot of work—and money—to make sure the house was secure.

  They walked straight up to the doorway, past a gleaming Lexus, and rang the doorbell.

  The door opened to show a smaller man with gentle eyes, wearing only a bathrobe. He stared blankly at them for a second before he smiled from ear-to-ear.

  “Reuben! My boy!”

  7

  The man tackled Reuben in a hug. As small as he was, compared to Reuben’s vast frame, the embrace looked rather ridiculous. Did Cara look that small next to Reuben? She didn’t doubt it, but then again, the man was even shorter than she was. Reuben’s godfather had a gentle demeanor, as if he would never hurt anyone. The happy-go-lucky type.

  Smalltalk commenced as Reuben and his godfather caught up. Reuben ended up leaving out most of the story, and simply said that he was in trouble.

  “You know, your father—”

  Reuben interrupted, “That’s not even an option.”

  “All right. Understood.” The man turned to Cara and then back to Reuben. Then he asked, “And who’s the lovely young woman?”

  “This is Cara. Cara, Eddy.”

  Eddy shook her hand.

  “Charmed. So glad you could visit.”

  He looked directly at her, and then quickly looked away when he noticed her sheer top.

  “Come in, come in! I imagine you have a lot to tell me.” He addressed Cara without looking at her, “Here, my dear, why don’t you put this on?”

  Eddy handed her a jacket, which served the purpose of warmth and also covered up her nearly exposed breasts.

  Walking through the door, Cara’s eyes widened in amazement as she took in her surroundings. The place was a veritable wonderland for someone with extravagant taste. The high-quality furniture was much different from the IKEA furniture that she had in her own apartment. The artwork lining the walls looked expensive with ornate frames.

  “Is that a Picasso? And a Frida Kahlo painting? They can’t be originals,” said Cara, feeling like she was on a private tour of a museum.

  “Ah, an art connoisseur?” Eddy seemed excited that Cara shared his passion. “And yes, I can assure you, they are originals.”

  “Art history was my minor in college. I have only seen paintings by artists of that magnitude in museums. I can’t believe you have them hanging in your home!”

  With more important matters on his mind, Reuben changed the topic. “So, do you think I could grab some clothes?” He didn’t seem as in awe as Cara did, but then again, he’d seen it all before. “I think I left some last time for emergencies.”

  Eddy nodded. “I had them cleaned after you left last time. They are in the guest room in the dresser.” He continued, “Do I need to set up a second guest room for your friend?”

  Reuben smiled at Cara, before looking back at his godfather.

  “She’ll stay with me.”

  When Reuben meandered up the stairs towards what Cara guessed was the guest bedroom, Eddy turned to her and said, “You seem so sweet. How’d you meet up with a guy like Reuben?”

  Cara explained the whole story, finishing with their encounter with Adrianna. Eddy’s eyes went up in surprise for a moment before putting on a big grin. She got the feeling that he didn’t spend too much time unhappy.

  “Did he tell you about Detroit yet?”

  “What about Detroit?”

  He sat back.

  “I better let him tell you. Not my place. Forget I said anything.”

  She felt a jolt of irritation wash through her. You can’t just say something like that then back off, leaving the other person in curious suspense.

  “So we can stay here?” Cara asked.

  “For Reuben? Anything. And if you’re with him, I extend my invitation to you.”

  “Thank you. You seem to really love him.”

  “Well, he is my godchild. I promised his father I would always watch out for him,” Eddy replied. “I was once a merc, too, when I met Reuben’s father. But that was a long time ago. I found peace and the life of a mercenary was not only lonely, but it was extremely dangerous.”

  Eddy paused, taking on a warning tone, “Also, I can feel that Reuben has chosen you as his mate. Don’t take that lightly. He would die for you. Don’t you let him go, and don’t put him in any unnecessary danger. There are not too many others like him out there. Even though he left his clan for merc work, he will go back some day. He was born to lead.”

  “I would never do anything that would put his life in peril,” she told Eddy. “I love him. I know that I just met him, but I can’t explain it. He means everything to me.”

  Reuben came down from upstairs wearing fresh new clothes. They looked dated, but he did say that he left them there the last time he visited.

  Eddy clapped once.

  “I’m being such a bad host! Would either of you like something to drink?”

  “I’ll take a beer if you’ve got one lying around,” Reuben said, sitting down on the couch. “Cara?”

  “I’ll take a beer, too.”

  “Two beers, coming up.”

  As Eddy went off to grab them, Cara leaned forward to Reuben and whispered, “What’s Detroit?”

  “Detroit?” A look of recognition came across his face. “What did he say?”

  “Nothing really… just referenced it before backing off. What was it? What happened?”

  “A particularly bloody turf war I was hired for. It’s a long story.”

  Eddy came back into the room with two beers and sat down across from his guests.

  “I don’t have any clothes for you,” he said, speaking to Cara. “But you’re about my size if you want to wear something of mine. You’re also welcome to use my shower.”

  “You know, that would be fantastic. Thank you.”

  He led her upstairs and gave her a basic t-shirt and skinny jeans. The jeans looked like they would fit perfectly, although they looked a little too short, but anything was better than the dirt-covered clothes she was currently wearing. She was just grateful for his hospitality.

  She took her clothes and found the adjoining bathroom to the guest room she was sharing with Reuben. She slid off her pants and took off her shirt, immediately throwing them in the trash. She never wanted to see either article of clothing ever again.

  Cara turned on the shower, hoping she did it right. At her apartment, her shower made sense, but every time she went to another person’s shower, she was pretty sure that it involved complicated calculus to figure out what she was supposed to do. Turn what knob which way? Would the water be scalding, freezing, or just right?

  After about five minutes of experimenting, she found the perfect temperature and stepped inside.

  Heaven.

  Absolute heaven.

  The warm beads of water trickled down her body. The dirt came off with the water, running down into the drain and away from her mind. Cara closed her eyes and finally relaxed, forgetting the danger that still loomed.

  She opened her eyes when she heard a muffled sound. Reuben opened the door to the shower and stepped inside, already naked. Cara welcomed his arrival and took notice of the sweat forming on his chest.

  “The water is so hot,” said Reuben.

  “I’ve always liked my showers hot,” answered Cara as she moved closer to him.

  She placed a few drops of lavender-scented shower gel on a loofah and began to wash his body. She asked him to turn around to start with his back and moved down to wash his glutes, which were rock solid. She turned him around to wash his arms, then his chest and lowered herself onto her knees. She washed his legs, and then placed the loofah on a hook; it was no longer needed.

  After placing a few drops of shower gel in her hands, she massaged his erection, whi
ch elicited moans of pleasure. Cara leaned in and tickled his thighs with kisses, and teased him by grazing his manhood with her tongue.

  Reuben laughed, and lifted Cara to her feet. He turned her around so her back was to him and washed her hair, gently pulling it back to kiss her on the mouth. With shower gel on his hands to wash her body, he massaged her shoulders and back, not missing a spot. Reuben wrapped his arms around her, using his hands to gently push her back into his chest. Stroking her breasts and then her stomach, his fingers found their way between her legs. Cara leaned back, using Reuben as support as her knees would no longer support her weight.

  After turning Cara around to face him, Reuben kissed her with such intensity, she was sure to lose control. He grabbed her buttocks with both hands and lifted her up, making it easy for Cara to wrap her legs around his wet, tight body. Reuben placed her back against the wall as they made love.

  Cara wasn’t entirely sure how long they were in the shower, but however long it was, it wasn’t enough.

  After showering, Cara lay down in bed to get some rest while Reuben went to speak to Eddy about their dilemma. However, Cara couldn’t sleep; her mind was racing.

  Ezekiel was still out there, but he hadn’t found them yet. At least that’s what she thought. He could be outside Eddy’s house right then, waiting for the right moment to attack. And then there was still that Adrianna woman, whoever she was. Cara had shot her and Reuben had tossed her through a small building, but he seemed convinced that wouldn’t keep her down long. Then the fact remained that if Ezekiel had actually put up a bounty on them, there would be other bounty hunters coming after them too.

  Unable to calm her mind, Cara finally got out of bed. She found the clothes Eddy had given her and attempted to pull on the jeans. They caught mid-thigh and refused to budge.

  “Oh, you have got to be kidding me,” she muttered, trying to jerk them up. Eventually, her persistence paid off. The pants passed over her thighs, but she hoped the sound she heard wasn’t them ripping. She had thicker legs than Eddy? Even though Cara was in shape, being too large for men’s pants was a slight blow to her ego.