Donnie listened in as Kerrie reported what she could see. Two men. One on a bed naked and the other stood stripping.
Donnie slumped, and if Chester hadn’t had been holding him, he would have ended up on the ground. He was vaguely aware of the whispered conversation above him, and then Chester was hauling him up.
“Right. Kerrie and Mich are going to create a diversion, and then we roll. Got it?”
Donnie nodded, checking his firearm. Taking several deep breaths, he closed his eyes and concentrated on regulating his body. He needed to be calm, or Jeremy could get hurt.
When he was ready, he opened his eyes and nodded again. “Ready.”
The sound of shouting reached them, and Chester nodded again. The four of them quickly jogged over to the front of the cabin. Ale worked his magic on the door, and he opened it, then nodded to Donnie. Gun raised, he stepped closer, and when Ale shoved the door open, he moved inside, Jared following. They swept the front room, making sure it was clear before splitting to check the other rooms. Once Donnie had the all clear, they finally headed to the room where the shouting could be heard.
Jared booted it open, and Donnie rushed in, quickly taking in the scene in front of him. He reacted automatically when he caught sight of Jeremy, cuffed and naked on the bed.
“Donnie!” Jeremy screamed when he saw him, and Patrick swung around to face him, managing to dislodge Kerrie who’d had him in a headlock.
“No!” he screamed. “He’s mine, not yours.”
He lunged at Jeremy, something glinting in the light, and Donnie screamed, running over towards them, aiming his gun at Patrick.
“Jeremy!”
He fired the weapon. Patrick spun around, the bullet hitting him in the shoulder, and he screamed as he fell to the ground, but it didn’t stop him. He crawled towards Jeremy, ignoring the gunshot and the flowing blood.
Kerrie reached him before Donnie did and she kicked the knife from his hand, pushing him over. Grabbing his arms, she jerked them behind him, ignoring his cries of pain, and cuffed them.
Donnie dropped in front of Jeremy and pulled him into his arms, holding him tight as Jeremy wept.
“Babe, I’ve got you. God, I love you.” Kissing him, he kept muttering, “Love you.”
Kerrie knelt down next to them and reached for the cuffs, unlocking them. Donnie pulled his bulletproof vest off, then his T-shirt, and helped Jeremy pull it on, covering his naked flesh.
Jeremy wrapped his arms around Donnie and held him tight. “I knew you would come. I heard your voice, but I wasn’t—”
“I heard you, babe. I heard you, and I’ll always find you.”
Jeremy cried, the tears wetting Donnie’s skin. “Take me home.”
* * *
They didn’t manage to leave straight away. The police had arrived, and Jeremy had to answer questions along with Donnie and his team. He sat in the ambulance as his wrists were treated and wrapped, Donnie never leaving his side.
As Patrick was taken to the nearest hospital, he screamed at Jeremy, telling him he would be back for him and that they belonged together.
Jeremy shivered at the insane glint in Patrick’s eyes, and Donnie had stepped in front of him, blocking Patrick’s view.
“What will happen to him?” he asked the sheriff.
“Psych eval once his gunshot wound has been treated. I’ll need to speak to you again, but you’re free to go.”
“Thank you, Sheriff...”
“Sheriff Bailey,” he answered, smiling at him and pointing to his tag.
Jeremy returned the smile and grinned when Donnie growled.
“I’ll need to speak to you too, Mr. Smith.”
Chester came closer, staring intently at the sheriff, and Jeremy pulled at Donnie. “What’s wrong with him?” he asked in a low voice.
“I don’t know, but if I had to guess...” He raised his eyebrow at Jeremy, then pointedly looked at Chester and the sheriff.
“Mates,” Jeremy whispered incredulously.
“I think so. Look at him. Look at his eyes.” Donnie nodded at Chester. “He can’t take them off of him, and the sheriff keeps glancing in his direction.”
They sat and watched the looks the two men gave each other and Jeremy grinned at Donnie. “You can feel the heat from here.”
“Oh yeah. Those two are going to burn!”
“Like us.”
“Can’t wait to get you home. I need to smell only me on your skin.”
“I’m yours, Donnie, no one else’s. Just yours.”
Donnie hugged him and Jeremy closed his eyes, reveling in the sense of calm and peace that rolled over him. His mate had come for him and saved him from Patrick. He inhaled his scent, taking it deep into his lungs.
“Never going to leave you again.”
Jeremy smiled. “Yes, you will. You need to help others, and I’ll never stop you from doing that. My hero, my savior.”
“Always, babe. Always.”
Chapter Fifteen
Walking back into the house where Patrick’s attack had occurred was harder than Jeremy had thought. He stared at the decking, seeing the stains of blood, and shivered, rubbing his hands up and down his arms.
Donnie’s arms wrapped around him from behind and he rested his chin on Jeremy’s shoulder. “I’ll strip and repaint it. By the time I’m done, you’ll never know what happened here, unless you want to leave. We can always move somewhere else. Whatever you want, babe.”
“No. This is home, and I won’t have him ruin it for us. He took so much from me I’ll be damned if he takes this too.” Jeremy twisted in Donnie’s arms and wound his around Donnie’s neck. “This is our home.”
“It sure is, babe, but I will change the decking... and the front door and the sofa—”
“Stop, idiot.” Jeremy kissed him. “I love our home just the way it is, so please, don’t change anything. He’s gone now, and it’s just us.”
Donnie snuggled into Jeremy’s neck. “I thought I’d lost you,” he whispered.
“Never. I’m here to stay. I know what you need.” Donnie raised his head, his eyes shining red as he caught the meaning behind what Jeremy said. “Take me to bed. Make me yours.”
Donnie growled, picked him up and carried him upstairs to their bedroom where Donnie laid Jeremy on the bed, then stripped them both naked.
He crawled on top and Jeremy spread his legs, his arms reaching up to him. “Love you,” he whispered as Donnie’s lips touched his. The kiss deepened, and Jeremy moaned. He’d missed this, missed his mate’s touch.
Hands roamed over each other’s bodies, followed by lips and tongues, and Jeremy arched into every touch, every caress Donnie made. He needed to feel Donnie on his skin, needed to know he was truly safe.
He whimpered, and Donnie leaned down to kiss him softly. “Shh, I’ve got you, babe.”
“Love you,” he whispered, a tear falling from his eye.
Donnie kissed it away, then kissed his lips again. Settling between Jeremy’s legs, he pushed in slowly, kissing the entire time. He never broke the kiss as he moved gently into Jeremy’s body.
Jeremy tilted his head away, exposing the long, pale column of his neck. “Bite me.”
As Donnie’s fangs punctured his skin, Jeremy came, his orgasm surprising him. He cried out, his arms squeezing Donnie, and Donnie shuddered above him, saying his name as he too came.
They lay together, panting, sweat covering their skin until Jeremy grimaced when he felt Donnie slip from his body.
“Shower, then bed.”
Donnie pulled Jeremy from the bed, and they enjoyed a long, hot shower together that resulted in them getting dirty again.
Once they were clean and dry, Jeremy snuggled next to Donnie under the covers, his head resting on Donnie’s chest.
Neither spoke, but the silence was comfortable and relaxing. “I heard you,” Jeremy eventually said in the quiet of the room.
“I heard you too.”
“I didn’t know..
.”
“Me either. Chester said he’d heard about it, but wasn’t sure how true it was. We can learn if you want.”
Jeremy smiled, turning his head to kiss Donnie’s chest. “I’d like that, especially when you’re working away. It won’t feel as though you’re miles away.”
“I’d like that too, but it won’t be easy. When I tried it on the plane, man, I thought I was going to pass out.”
“I did.” He felt Donnie stiffen beneath him and added, “He’s gone, remember that. I’m with you, and I’m never leaving.”
“I know. It’s just when I saw you on that bed naked, and that bastard was undressing...”
Leaning up, Jeremy kissed him. “I’m with you because you saved me... again. I love you, Donnie, my mate.”
Donnie sighed. “My mate, I love you too.”
Epilogue
Two months later
How are you doing, babe?
Jeremy smiled, hearing Donnie's voice in his mind. I'm fine. Missing you.
They'd spent the past two months getting to know each other properly and learning what was truth and rumor about mates and the abilities they shared.
The sex had remained phenomenal, the connection between them deepening with every passing moment. The fact that they could talk telepathically added to their bond, and for Jeremy, it was a reassurance he desperately needed.
Patrick was awaiting trial and Jeremy would need to testify, but after that, Patrick would be truly gone from their lives.
They found out they shared similar interests and tastes. Food, TV, movies. It brought a smile to Jeremy's face knowing how well they fit. He guessed that was why they were mates. Two pieces of a puzzle.
Even now, after more than two months together, it boggled his mind that he was mated to a vampire. A smoking hot vampire. The fangs didn't bother him now, and over time, he'd learnt just how much pleasure his mate's bite could bring.
The first time Donnie had sucked him off and bit him? Yeah, it made him hard thinking about it.
Jeremy had set up his bakery, and people were coming in and buying his baked goods. Slow, but steady, and he knew when word got around, he'd have more customers.
Chester and Sheriff Bailey concerned him. He'd thought they would be together by now—the looks they'd given each other the day of his rescue had been scorching hot—but nothing had happened. Everything had simply stopped. He knew Chester was waiting, being patient with his mate, but Jeremy thought that if he told the sheriff they were mates, then their relationship would move forward. There was nothing he could do but hope they got their act together.
The good news was Kerrie's pregnancy. She and her husband had been trying for a baby, and they had finally conceived. It meant she was behind the scenes more, but the entire team was overjoyed for her.
Rescue Inc was going from strength to strength, and Chester and Ale had discussed creating a second team to cope with the increased demands. They had a great reputation which they'd worked hard to achieve, and it was paying off.
Jeremy smiled when he heard Donnie's voice. I'll be home soon. Be ready for me.
Jeremy shivered, understanding Donnie’s meaning. When?
Around two hours.
I'll be ready and waiting.
Fuck babe. I love you.
I love you too.
Chapter One
Jared Warszawski scoped out the surrounding area, ensuring everyone was in place, then focused back on the school. The shooter was still inside, somewhere, with god knows how many hostages.
Kids with guns.
Jared shook his head in disbelief. What the hell had happened to tip this kid over the edge? What was so bad in his life that he had taken his dad’s gun, walked into his high school, and started shooting indiscriminately? How many lay injured, or worse, dead?
Rescue Inc had been finishing another mission close by, when word reached them about the hostage situation, so naturally they came to see what they could do to assist.
Jared knew this small town hadn’t faced anything like this before. It was a close-knit community where everyone knew each other. That’s what made this situation so much worse. Everyone knew who this kid was, but no one knew why he’d gone in there and shot at his friends, his classmates, his teachers.
He adjusted his position, wincing at his protesting muscles. He was currently kneeling behind a tree, eyes glued to the small high school, waiting and watching.
When they’d received the call, no one had been surprised. Sadly, school shootings were becoming the norm, a reflection of a life with easy access to guns. Nonetheless, Jared hoped that when they arrived, the situation would be under control. But it wasn’t, and now they all waited, praying the kid would turn himself in and this standoff would end peacefully.
He saw movement out of the corner of his eyes and quickly glanced over, then back to the school again. The local police force had arrived before Rescue Inc and was now crouched behind their cars, also watching the building. Jared knew most of them. He lived here, socialized here.
From this position, he could see their tense, drawn faces, everything about them poised, waiting for the signal to go, from the guns in their hands to the protective helmets and bulletproof vests they wore. Through his earpiece, he could hear Sheriff Jacob and Chester talking. Hushed voices discussed the positions and movement of those inside the high school and what their next steps would be.
He knew his team was positioned around the building, ready and waiting for the signal to go.
The silence was deafening, strange as that sounded. The gunfire had ceased some time earlier, and there had been nothing since but an eerie silence. Not one sound. No one knew where the shooter was or if his hostages were alive or dead.
The fire department had arrived along with law enforcement from the surrounding counties, and they too were waiting. Two ambulances had arrived, waiting to treat the injured and rush them to the local hospital.
Jared knew people were injured, but for the moment, they could do nothing to help. They couldn’t risk further bloodshed until they had a clear picture of the situation.
Rushing in unprepared could endanger the lives of everyone present.
He glanced around again, frowning at the growing crowd. Some of them without a doubt had children that attended the school, but others were here for the entertainment. Jared scowled; there were some sick fuckers in the world if they found a situation like this exciting.
Over the earpieces, Jared heard Chester. “Get ready, team. We’re going in.”
“What’s the intel?” Kerrie asked.
“We go in slowly, quietly. We have an unknown number of assailants. Intel indicates only one but be on the alert for more. Locate the children and evacuate. Find the shooter and incapacitate.”
“No communication established?” Donnie asked.
“Nothing.”
“Shit.” Donnie shook his head, staring at the building in front of them. “Why doesn’t the shooter want to talk?”
“Unknown. The shooter has remained silent, so now it’s our turn.”
Jared also shook his head. What the fuck was this kid playing at?
“Usual procedure. Let’s go.”
* * *
Slipping in through an open window, Jared stepped carefully, avoiding the broken glass that littered the floor. Adjusting his vest, he held his gun up and scanned the room, checking under desks, looking for signs of life, but there was no one in the room.
“Room clear,” he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Not waiting for a response, he moved cautiously towards the classroom door and looked through the glass, checking for signs of movement in the corridor beyond. All was quiet, so he grabbed the handle and turned it slowly, making sure there was no sound. Once the door opened, he looked up and down the corridor and moved out, staying flat against the wall.
“Corridor clear.”
As he moved, he could hear the rest of the team, updating Chester as to their lo
cation and status.
“Staff room. One shooter, seven hostages. Unknown injured.”
The update came through, and Jared grimaced. Shit. Hostages. He was hoping that there were none and the missing kids were hiding somewhere in the school. Seven missing kids, now hostages.
“Received,” he responded.
Making his way towards the staff room, Jared checked each classroom, just in case, but they were all clear. As he approached the room, he could hear raised voices from inside.
A pool of blood caught his attention, and he followed the trail up to a classroom door. Glancing inside, he saw the principal lying on the floor, a vacant stare on his face.
“Damn,” Jared whispered. Over the comms, he said, “One dead.”
“Identifiable?”
“Principal Lawrence.”
Once again, he moved forward, getting closer to where the shooter was, the voices escalating in volume. As he neared the door, a shot rang out, and he automatically dropped into a crouch. He waited, but silence descended, followed by the soft sounds of someone crying.
Approaching the door, he stayed close the floor, rising only to quickly glance into the room. The inside looked distorted due to the frosted glass, but Jared could make out one body on the floor, several seated, and one figure, presumably the shooter, standing over them.
He could hear voices coming through his earpiece, but this close to the shooter, Jared couldn’t respond. He couldn’t risk exposing his position or startling the shooter into injuring or killing more.
Suddenly a male voice screamed. “I’m gonna fuck you all up! Laugh at me, call me shit, ya gonna die!”
Jared stared at the floor, waiting for a signal from Chester, but nothing came through. He couldn’t wait much longer, not when those kids’ lives were at risk.
A sound to his right drew his attention, and he found Michaela across from him, her gun at the ready. He lifted his hand and signaled the information across to her. She nodded, and she moved over to him, taking a position on the other side of the door.
Rescue Inc Collection Vol 1: Mate of Mine & Forever Mine Page 10
