(Dis)content (Judgement of the Six Book 5)

by Melissa Haag

  “She’ll be okay. I promise. I accidently did this to my parents a ton of times while growing up.” She absently swiped at her bleeding nose, watching me with her pain-filled in her eyes.

  I nodded, realizing she felt guilty about what had happened to Gabby.

  “We need to go,” her friend said.

  “Clay, put Gabby in the back with you,” Sam said. “Bethi and Luke, there’s room for you, too.”

  While the rest figured out a new seating arrangement since we were down a vehicle, I climbed into the SUV. Cradling Gabby in my arms, I waited for the rest to join us.

  We drove for an hour before pulling over.

  “What’s going on?” Bethi asked.

  “Ethan is saying Isabelle needs to stop.”

  Bethi quickly exited with Luke right behind her. I stayed where I was, watching Gabby’s peaceful face. I couldn’t feel anything over our link. If she was “floating high” shouldn’t I feel something? Gently, I brushed a piece of hair back from her cheek.

  “I need you, Gabby. You need to wake up.”

  She continued as she was. Unaware and unreachable.

  Several minutes later, everyone was moving back to the vehicles.

  “We need to listen to him,” Bethi said. “I know Carlos is thinking he knows best for her, but in this case, he doesn’t. Ethan is her friend. When it comes to her ability, he obviously knows how to help her. Carlos needs to chill out and start paying attention or she will die.”

  I lifted my head to glance at Bethi. She was talking with her hands and Luke was doing his best to contain most of the wild gestures.

  “We understand,” Sam said from the front. “Carlos is trying to be patient.”

  “No, he’s not. He’s going all caveman on her. He can’t do that. This Mate crap isn’t what’s important here. Hasn’t anyone been listening to me?”

  “Luv, of course we have. Come here.” Luke wrapped his arms around her, and she started to cry.

  Turning away from them, I went back to watching Gabby, looking for any sign that she was ready to wake up.

  * * * *

  We are in trouble and need a place to stay for the night in North Carolina. If anyone is willing to help us, please reach out to an Elder.

  Winnifred’s message to all of our kind surprised me. Joshua hadn’t been the only Urbat to infiltrate the pack.

  “Isn’t that a big risk?” I asked, glancing at Sam.

  Bethi, who’d been quietly resting her head on Luke’s shoulder, popped up.

  “What’s a risk? What’s going on?”

  Grey turned to look at Bethi.

  “Winnifred sent a message asking for a place to hole up in North Carolina.”

  “No! Why would she do that?”

  “We need a place to stay that’s out of the way. Gabby’s out and Isabelle and Ethan don’t look so good.”

  “Joshua wasn’t the only one who—”

  “We know,” Grey said kindly. “That’s why we’re saying yes to each person who is offering. Only we’ll know which one we’ll take.”

  Bethi calmed a little. I did too. It didn’t feel any safer. But with Gabby still out, nothing really did.

  The place they chose was an old farm in the country. As soon as the car stopped, I was out and carrying Gabby to the door. Sam helped me with the lock and held the door for me. The scents of the family still lingered faintly. Most families had gone into hiding when the Elders had sent out the warning weeks ago.

  I followed a hall to a set of steps leading up. There I found a bed in the middle of an open room.

  Kicking off my shoes, I settled on the bed, keeping her in my lap. I hated the waiting, the worry. It was twice as hard because I knew this wasn’t like the last time. It wasn’t a simple twelve to fourteen hour wait for her to wake up and ask for water. She’d be out until whatever Isabelle did to her wore off. If it wore off.

  As the sun faded in the sky, my worry grew.

  At some point, the rest came inside and I could hear their quiet conversation in the kitchen. Bethi introduced everyone to Isabelle and gave a rundown of each of the girls’ abilities.

  Then the conversation quieted when Isabelle went to shower. Downstairs, I heard Carlos asking if any of the girls had something Isabelle could wear. Michelle offered up some her clothes.

  Each second that ticked by, each word that Gabby missed of the conversation downstairs, crawled under my skin. Why was she still unconscious? How long had Isabelle knocked her parents out?

  The sound of footsteps on the stairs barely penetrated my worry.

  “When I came to, she had my head in her lap,” Isabelle said softly as she crossed the room. “She was stroking my hair like my mom used to do before I broke her. It was dark in the van. I could feel we were moving, driving further away from help. I felt Gabby’s fear and her barely contained panic. Not far away, I felt the pitiless lust and eager aggression of the men who drove.”

  I’d known she’d saved Gabby. But hearing what she’d saved her from made swallowing difficult.

  I glanced up at Isabelle, ready to thank her.

  “I’m so sorry for what I did to her. But what they would have done...”

  “I know,” I said.

  “If there would have been another way, I would have taken it.”

  I nodded and looked back down at Gabby. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her. If keeping her safe meant hours of worry, I would deal with it.

  “Give her a few more hours. She’s sleeping off the best high of her life. And when she comes to, keep her away from me. I’m crack. Highly addictive.”

  I nodded. I’d keep her far away. When Gabby woke, I’d convince her we needed to go somewhere else. Not home. At least not yet. But when the Urbat stopped looking for her, we’d go back. I knew how much finishing school meant to her. Until it was safe, maybe I would be able to convince her living in the woods wasn’t so bad.

  Isabelle left me and joined the others in the kitchen. Her voice carried when she started asking questions.

  “How long are we staying here?”

  “It’s not safe to move until Gabby’s awake,” Bethi said. “But, for all we know, the Urbat could be closing in around us now.”

  Smoothing a hand over Gabby’s hair, I hoped she would wake before that happened.

  “We should be fine,” Winifred said.

  “If you need her awake, wake her up,” Isabelle said. “A good slap will do the trick. However, she’ll still be loopy.”

  Jerking my head up, I glared at the stairs.

  No one slaps, Gabby, I sent to Sam.

  “Clay can hear you and doesn’t appreciate your advice,” Sam said. “Neither do I.”

  “I’ll be outside,” Isabelle said after a few moments of silence.

  The tension that had gathered at her words didn’t leave with her presence because I knew the group was concerned about the location of the Urbat. It was only a matter of time before the idea of how to wake Gabby was mentioned again.

  Each time someone walked passed the stairs my worry escalated. Sam was on my side, I reminded myself. He loved Gabby too, though they didn’t see eye to eye lately. Yet, I could feel the high emotions of everyone downstairs. Their worry was climbing. They needed Gabby awake. So did I, but when she was ready.

  When I heard Isabelle come back in, I pulled back my lips.

  “Who the hell is worrying so much?” she said.

  I took a deep breath and pushed my worry down.

  “Gabby still hasn’t woken up. We’re trying to decide if we should move on without the guidance or continue to wait.”

  “I’ve seen people sleep twelve hours after that kind of hit,” she said.

  I glanced at the clock beside the bed. It was almost ten hours now.

  “My dad slept, what? Eighteen?” Ethan said.

  Sheeeet.

  I dropped a kiss on Gabby’s forehead and pulled her closer to my chest. The group wouldn’t want to wait eighteen hours. I could
already feel the tension in the air after that comment.

  “Okay, just hold tight for a minute,” Isabelle said.

  I listened to her approach the stairs. As much as I wanted to stand up and fight her, I knew it wouldn’t end well for me. Or Gabby. I wasn’t about to leave her side, and fighting with Isabelle while close to Gabby would mean that whatever Isabelle did to me would also affect Gabby. Isabelle had said she was addictive. I didn’t want Gabby craving what Isabelle could do.

  I angrily watched Isabelle clear the stairs.

  “What do you think’s safer?” she said. “Sitting here and waiting, or finding out if the bad guys are getting closer? I already told you what they mean to do to us.”

  “You’re not touching Gabby,” I said.

  She smiled. I didn’t like it.

  “You’re right. I won’t need to because you’ll do it.”

  What? I glanced down at Gabby unable to imagine slapping her.

  “You’ll be gentler,” Isabelle reasoned.

  She was right. I would be gentle. Because I wouldn’t do it.

  “Here’s the thing. When she wakes up, she’ll still be high and loopy. She won’t act like herself. But don’t let her go back to sleep. The effect will wear off faster once she’s awake and moving around.”

  Not happening.

  “You have ten seconds before I start pulling from you. I can’t aim, so it’ll just hurt her more.”

  I looked up at her. She knew she had me.

  “Ten.”

  Glancing down at Gabby, I fought against my anger and revulsion.

  “Nine.”

  With a gentle touch, I stroked her cheek. Hopefully, she would forgive me.

  “Eight...seven.”

  Inwardly cringing, I tapped Gabby’s cheek.

  “Pathetic. And six.”

  I growled. From downstairs, I heard Grey tell Carlos to settle down. If Isabelle didn’t knock me flat, Carlos would try to. Didn’t they understand I was trying to protect Gabby?

  Son, I don’t want to see her hurt any more than you. That’s why you need to wake her.

  “Five. Better hurry.”

  I closed my eyes, knowing Sam was right. There were so many threats here. I needed her awake so she could help us get away from all of it.

  “Four.”

  Forgive me, I thought before I slapped her.

  Her eyes flew open, but I could tell right away she wasn’t herself.

  “Gabby,” Isabelle said loudly. “Check your sonar.”

  Gabby turned her head and tried to focus on Isabelle.

  “Check your sonar,” Isabelle repeated.

  “Is Clay safe?” Gabby asked softly.

  I sent a wave of love over our connection as I gently stroked the red mark on her cheek.

  “You’re sitting on him. He’ll be safer if you can tell us if there are any bad guys around.”

  Gabby blinked again and looked at me. She reached up and ran her fingers through my beard.

  “So handsome,” she murmured, a tiny thread of desire drifting over our link.

  “Focus, Gabby,” Isabelle shouted. “Check your sonar.”

  Gabby sighed, and her hand dropped tiredly to her lap.

  “They’re netting again. None are close.” Her eyelids fluttered.

  “Keep her awake, Clay,” Isabelle said, heading toward the stairs.

  As soon as they reached the lower hallway, I tapped Gabby’s cheek again. Her eyes opened, and she smiled at me.

  “I was worried,” I said.

  She reached up and brushed my hair back from my face.

  “You are so handsome.”

  The small, secret smile that curved her lips sent a ball of need right to my gut.

  “I can feel that, Clay,” she said, lifting her head and offering her lips.

  Normally there’d be nothing I’d want more than to kiss her; it was only my worry for her safety and the sounds of conversation downstairs that stopped me from happily giving her what she wanted.

  “Gabby, you’re not safe here.”

  “I’m safe with you. Always with you,” she whispered, nestling closer to me.

  Her hand brushed over the width of my chest, distracting me enough that I almost went for her lips.

  “No. I mean, yes. You’re safe me. But you’re not safe with this group,” I said softly, knowing full well anyone paying attention in the kitchen might hear me.

  “Clay, I want your lips on mine. Now. I need to feel you.”

  Hell. Her hand roamed over my chest once more, and I knew I was lost. When her head cleared, we’d talk more.

  I claimed her lips, meaning to kiss her sweetly. Her tongue didn’t agree with sweet intentions. She kissed dirty, and I lost all thought. The slide of her tongue against mine did that to me every time. With my last shred of will power, I fisted the sheets with my claw tipped fingers. She had no idea what she did to me; how much I adored her.

  Her small hands threaded through my hair and held tight as she directed the kiss, pressing her mouth firmly against mine a moment before she pulled away.

  “Not good enough, Clay,” she whispered against my lips. “Don’t you want to touch me?”

  Want to touch her? No, I needed to touch her. I burned for it. But I hadn’t thought she would welcome it. Not yet anyway. I’d been wrong, though. That or I’d died and gone to heaven.

  When she moved, shifting position so she no longer lay cradled in my lap but straddled it, I gripped her waist. She was my lifeline. I claimed her mouth once more, possessing her lips and tongue. She stayed on her knees for a moment, making a soft sound before slowly settling on my lap.

  I groaned. She moved her hands from my hair to my shoulders. Holding me, she tilted her hips against mine. The explosive pleasure that should have robbed me of thought instead set off warning alarms. She moved against me again, and I tore my mouth from hers to look at her.

  Her lips were wet and puffy, begging for more kisses. Man, I wanted to kiss her again. Lifting my gaze from her mouth, I saw her glazed vacant stare.

  Sheeet.

  “Gabby, baby. I can’t.”

  “No,” she said softly, rocking her hips against mine again. “You can. I can feel it.”

  Ten seconds ago, I’d been in heaven, now I was certain I was in the seventh ring of hell. Yes, the way she was arching into my lap guaranteed she’d feel just how much I wanted to touch her...and more. But she wasn’t herself.

  I dropped my head back against the metal bedframe, shaking and barely in control. She pressed her advantage and kissed her way along my neck, tracing her tongue over the place where she had Claimed me.

  “I love you, Clay. Don’t you love me too?”

  “Gabby...” It wasn’t her name but a growl that came out. I let go of her waist and curled my hands into fists. Closing my eyes, I started listing off all the parts in a Ford Escort’s exhaust system. There weren’t enough to distract me from the feel of her, though. I cleared my throat to try speaking again.

  She hummed as her lips skimmed over my adams apple.

  “Gabby, baby, I need a drink.” My words were desperate, and if she would have been paying attention to our connection, she would have known it was a lie.

  “Okay,” she said sweetly. She moved off my lap. I wanted to sigh in relief as much as I wanted to cry at the loss.

  I didn’t mentally kick myself long before I realized she hadn’t moved far. In fact, her hands were busy tugging at the edge of my shirt. The touch of her fingers on my stomach had me groaning again, and I couldn’t make myself move away.

  “Gabby, I’m thirsty. Remember?”

  Her lips curved as she tugged my shirt higher and stared at my exposed stomach.

  “I really like your muscles,” she said.

  When she tried tugging the shirt higher, I didn’t resist her.

  “Especially these,” she said, running her fingers over my chest.

  I swallowed thickly and let my head drop against the headboard aga
in. The metal made a hollow sound. Empty like my head. If I were smart, I’d get off the bed and convince Gabby to walk somewhere with me. Where? We weren’t safe. I needed to talk to her about—

  Her tongue flicked over my right nipple, and I grunted at the needy sensation that gripped me.

  When her mouth closed over it, I was off the bed and across the room before she could blink at me. I shook with need. I wanted her in my arms. I wanted her biting my neck as I pushed my way—

  Rubbing a hand over my face, I dropped that line of thinking.

  “Clay?” Gabby looked at the mattress, then both sides of the bed as if I might have fallen off. When she didn’t spot me, she sat back on her heels and looked down at her hands with such sadness that I stepped forward.

  “You’re not yourself, sweetheart.”

  Her gaze found me but the sad frown didn’t clear. Her gaze returned to her hands, and I knew that I’d hurt her by leaving. She had no idea what she was doing to me. I wanted to make her happy, to give her what she wanted, but she’d hate me later for it. However, seeing her unhappy now was just as bad.

  Crossing the room, I stood beside the bed and opened my arms to her. She looked up at me, uncertain and hesitating. Distrust and unhappiness drifted over our link. My chest ached for causing those emotions. Leaning forward, I scooped her up in my arms and settled onto the bed once more.

  I knew what I needed to do. Suck it up and make out with my woman without going all the way. There wouldn’t be a shower cold enough to help me when we finished.

  “I swear I will do my best to give you a reason to be happy...today, tomorrow, and every day for the rest of our lives.” I pressed a kiss to her temple, and she sighed, a thread of contentment touching my mind.

  She snuggled into my chest, and her hands started roaming once more.

  It would be a long night of heaven and hell.

  * * * *

  Gabby leaned into me further, and I gripped the counter tightly, the only thing stopping me from taking her back upstairs and just finishing what we’d started over an hour ago. If I allowed myself one touch, one tiny caress, tomorrow’s anger be damned, I’d have her tonight.