Beautiful Mistake: 2 (Royal Pride)

by Nancy Corrigan

  His motives for not doing so wouldn’t be ones she’d understand. Few humans, even among those who knew of them, understood their mating drives or that taking a human mate made them immortal. Yeah, the less who knew that little secret the better. The only reason Verna knew about beloved humans was because she was one and the spitfire witch hated her owner with a passion.

  Devin flung the door open without answering her. His throat squeezed at the sight Lena made. Pale skin replaced the healthy glow she’d had this morning. Cracked lips were parted slightly as she panted. Dark circles spread under her spiky lashes and the rapid movement of her eyes betrayed the unease of her rest. But it was the tiny lines by the mouth he’d kissed and the eyes he’d watch haze with desire just hours ago that hurt the most to see.

  She was in pain and it was his fucking fault.

  “Tell Mira we’ve been delayed and I’ll call her when I can.” He reached for the blanket’s edge, then stilled with his fingers fisted around the satiny trim and met Kade’s probing gaze. “Do not mention anything about Lena.”

  Kade stepped into the room. Devin bared his fangs and snarled. Kade stopped, crossing his arms over his chest. “If you get involved with that human and don’t tell Mira about her until later, she’ll be upset.”

  Devin slipped into the bed, careful to keep Lena’s body hidden from Kade’s view, and wrapped his arms around her. She sighed but didn’t wake. He took a moment to ponder how small the female he held was and how nicely she fit into the shelter of his larger frame. With her sweet bottom cradling his cock and his chin resting on her head, he surrounded her. It left him with the impression he could protect her from everything, a tempting notion for a man who constantly let down everyone in his life, including the woman in his arms.

  “Mira has never cared who I took as a lover. Why would she care about Lena?”

  “Because Lena is not a random one-night stand. You’re in that bed with her because you care about her, not for the sex you can get from her.”

  Devin slid his hand over the bandage on her belly. “Of course I care. I’m the one who injured her in the first place.”

  “But you saved her.” Kade pressed the heel of his hands to his temples. “It’s not your fault that your mind is fragmented. Blame Mira’s rapist and the Council for that.”

  He glanced away from his alpha before Kade’s anxiety spiked his and rubbed his chin over Lena’s head. The soft brush of her hair against his skin tickled, gave him something else to focus on. “I shouldn’t have hurt her in the first place. I allowed my rage to rule and blacked out. Lena called me on it too. I didn’t even know I’d clawed her. She could’ve died before I even realized what I’d done.”

  “Fine. Feel guilty all you want but if you keep giving her blood and spending time with her, you will end up mated to her.” Kade narrowed his eyes, the warning clear. “Your cats will get ideas, especially with your bite mark on her shoulder. Once their instincts kick in, you’ll be lost. You saw how quickly Rafe fell for his female.”

  His primal drives had already risen, but he wasn’t admitting that. It happened back in that hotel bathroom when Lena had shared her pleasure with him. Her breathless cry of release flipped the switch inside him. “I don’t have to give in to their demands. I never planned on taking a mate and won’t change my mind so easily.”

  Kade pulled the door shut. Before it blocked him completely, he muttered, “Sure, you keep telling yourself that, my friend. Maybe you’ll eventually believe it, but I don’t.”

  Devin shook his head. Neither did he. The little episode in the hotel proved that. The peace and passion he’d found in her arms tempted him to take a chance. Maybe Lena was the one female he never thought he’d find. Maybe sharing his unstable cats with her wouldn’t unravel her mind.

  He pushed the foolish desire away. What he’d said was true. He might be drawn to Lena but until he spent more time with her, he wouldn’t make any life-altering decisions. No matter what his inner spirits wanted.

  After she woke, he’d get to know her before deciding what she meant to him and if she was the one who could tame both man and beast.

  If she woke.

  His chest squeezed. He sat up and pressed his balled fist against the odd pain. His breaths wheezed. A lump formed in his throat. He frowned at the unusual symptoms. They weren’t the ones he’d learned preceded a blackout. Still, he didn’t like them.

  Hoping to chase the disturbing response away, he lifted a lock of Lena’s hair to his nose and inhaled. The viselike grip eased. The sawing pants slowed. He let the strands sift through his fingers. Not wanting to think about what the discomfort meant, he turned his attention to Lena, where it belonged.

  The concoction of herbs the witch had given Lena left her in a relaxed state, easing her pain. It had helped some, but not enough. A fever still ravaged her body, leaving her weak and in misery.

  He pulled her loose shirt up and traced the edge of her bandage. Carefully, he peeled the gauze back, exposing the wound. Red and swollen, an infection puffed the skin around the scabs. His pulse quickened. The glands associated with his cats filled his mouth with saliva. Their possessive demands mixed with the man’s need to care for this female. He resisted, shoving hard against their forceful wills and reminding them who was boss. The consequence of licking her wounds was too great. Besides, Verna said she thought Lena would be fine. There was no reason to intervene, not yet at least.

  He reached for the ointment and fresh gauze on the nightstand to recover the wound. The locket he wore swung with the movement. He left the supplies where they were and slipped the chain over his head.

  Sisters.He traced the word with his thumb.

  I love Molly and I’ll protect her with my life if I have to.

  She’d turned herself into bait. That was why she’d stayed. To lead the threat to her sisters away. She’d been willing to face death to protect them, just as he had done for Mira. And how did he reward Lena for the selfless act? He’d judged her guilty and treated her as a criminal. Never considered any other possibility.

  He looked over Lena’s small body and couldn’t get rid of the memory of her clutching the tiny rock. She’d refused to give up then, but nothing she did now would help her. He could help, though. All it would take was a little saliva and some more blood—his gods-given gifts, meant for those humans important to him. And Lena’s significance grew with every moment he spent with her.

  “Devin.”

  His name breathed in a pained voice tightened the noose around his chest. Worse than last time. It felt like his heart might burst. He ignored his discomfort and laid his palm over her forehead. Her skin burned hotter than it had been in the car. He swallowed past the lump in his throat. “I’m here, angel.”

  She blinked several times before focusing on him. “Everything hurts.”

  He pressed kisses to her face, hoping to ease her. She sighed and rested a trembling hand against his chest.

  “I know. You’ll be better soon.”

  Chocolate eyes locked on to his. The wave of awareness he’d experienced the first time he’d looked into them washed over him. His heart skipped a beat before pounding hard.

  “I see the lie in your eyes, Devin.” She fisted his shirt. “Tell me the truth. Am I dying?”

  His body jerked from the force of his cats trying to claw their way out. He tuned out their roaring and focused on the small, brave woman waiting for his answer.

  “No, my sweet Lena, I won’t ever allow that to happen.” He kissed her softly and she opened to him. Even sick and knowing he’d been the cause of her discomfort, she welcomed his touch. The rightness she brought rolled through him, filling him with peace. He pulled back and captured her gaze. “Do you believe me?”

  She nodded.

  “Good. Close your eyes. I’ll take care of you.”

  She did and he extended one clawed nail. He slit the shirt she wore to give him better access and wiped the remainder of the ointment away with the soft tow
el he found folded neatly on the nightstand. With that done, he lowered his mouth to her belly and licked. As he tended her wounds, he accepted he was sealing more than just his scent in her body with this intimate act. He only hoped Lena could accept the consequences too.

  Chapter Six

  Lena woke with a smile on her face and stretched out her hand, seeking Devin’s warmth. Cold sheets met her fingertips. Her heart sank. He hadn’t left her side all night. Why would he now?

  She fisted the bedding and groaned. The stupid, feminine emotions she could never keep completely locked away always crept up at the worst possible times and with the worst possible men. She should be glad he wasn’t here, not feel abandoned or unwanted. Without him hovering, escape became a very real possibility.

  She gingerly pushed her body into a sitting position, expecting dizziness to make the world spin. It didn’t. An unfamiliar room came into focus. She let her gaze sweep it, noting the single door and window, before turning her attention to her body.

  Her stomach felt tender, more achy than anything. It wouldn’t stop her from running. She’d exercised through worse. The mental pep talk didn’t help. She couldn’t make herself move. Her attention remained locked onto the evidence of the accident she’d barely survived. Or what was left of it. With a shaky finger, she traced the thin white slashes sweeping across her stomach.

  No scab, no wide scar. He’d healed her. Awe left her as muddled as when she’d first woken.

  The man might be a vicious predator but he had a great bedside manner. Each time she’d regained consciousness he’d helped her drink more of the rich hot chocolate he promised would make her feel better. Amazingly, it had. And remembering the gentle way he’d cared for her, pressing cold cloths to her burning skin and repeatedly licking her wounds made her belly quiver. A reaction that had nothing to do with her injuries.

  If she didn’t know he had an ulterior motive to making sure she lived, she’d delude herself into thinking she mattered to him.

  She shook her head, trying to get thoughts of the man out of it. Damn hard to do when the bed smelled of evergreen and moss. Actually, she swore his scent clung to her skin too. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to move when all she wanted was lie down and bury her face in the pillow they’d shared.

  His muffled, deep timbre reached her ears. A breathy sigh slipped past her lips. He hadn’t left her.

  Dammit! What was wrong with her? Knowing her kidnapper was close should not fill her with elation. Dread, fear—those were the appropriate responses to have for a man who’d hurt her, accident or not. Of course nothing about Devin or her reaction to him made sense. The rules got tossed out the window or maybe knocked out of her head back in those woods. Hell, she wasn’t even sure he was her kidnapper. Savior, maybe?

  She threw the sheet off, her heart pounding hard as the full scope of her situation registered. Devin had left her alone. Did that mean he trusted her? Or that he didn’t think she could escape? Or that he really did want to take care of her?

  She clenched her teeth. Focus, Lena. Focus.

  A quick peek out the window answered her question. Kade, the frightening shifter who could’ve been a model, stood as a sentinel in the driveway, ensuring she wouldn’t get away. He’d be on her as soon as she opened the window. That left the door. She threw her legs over the side, toes meeting the soft plush carpet, and froze. Devin’s one-sided conversation drifted to her from the hallway. She couldn’t make out more than a few words of it, but as soon as he finished his call, he’d be back.

  For a brief moment, she considered searching for a weapon—she dismissed it in the next breath. The thought of actually hurting Devin churned her stomach.

  She glanced at the nightstand and grinned. A phone! She grabbed it, punched in Gwen’s cell number but hesitated with her finger over the last number. The line could be bugged. Her fingers trembled, heart and mind warring. She wanted to believe in Devin. Not all shifters were corrupt or control freaks. Taking a chance, she hit the button.

  “Hello?” Gwen’s hesitant voice came over the line.

  “Gwennie, it’s me,” Lena whispered.

  “Oh my god, are you okay?”

  That was a matter of opinion. Lena blew out a breath. “Yeah, sweetie, don’t worry about me. How are you and Molly?”

  Gwen cleared her throat. “Safe but worried sick about you. What happened? I got that text and—”

  “Look, I don’t have much time to talk. I’m with the second set of shifters who showed up. They say they want to help us and—”

  “Are they associated with Shifter Affairs?”

  Were they? Lena nibbled her lip. Her gut instinct said no. Otherwise, they would’ve taken her to a hospital or a government-run safe house. “I don’t think so. I get a civilian vibe from them.”

  “Thank god. Do you believe they can help us?”

  The hope in Gwen’s voice brought tears to Lena’s eyes. Her little sister was too sweet, too sheltered to deal with the horrors of the world. Lena hated that she’d put her in this situation. She also hated the reason they had to hide Molly from those who were supposed to protect her. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much Lena could do about it. She wasn’t the one who’d tortured a child to the point of shattering her mind.

  “I want to,” Lena lowered her voice more, “but I’m not sure. Let me talk to them. If they seem sincere, we’ll come pick you up. But if you don’t hear from me by tomorrow morning, get the hell out of town.”

  “I’m not at the hotel. I decided we’d be safer at—”

  “No. Don’t tell me.” In case I’m wrong and Devin isn’t the sweet man I think he is. Hell, it wouldn’t be the first time I was wrong about a guy. “The phone might be bugged. Contact me later this afternoon the way we planned and let me know.”

  “Okay. Be safe. Love you.”

  “Love you too.” Lena ended the call and plopped back onto the bed to wait for Devin.

  Several minutes passed before the doorknob turned and the scent of evergreen and moss swept into the room. The soft click of the bedroom door sounded overly loud in her ears. She froze, suddenly very aware of her racing pulse. Nerves or anticipation? She sighed. With the way her body reacted to him, probably both.

  The bed dipped as he crawled toward her. His slow approach made her heart knock hard against her rib cage. She hated how much she yearned for him.

  He skimmed his fingers across her shoulder, down her arm to linger at her wrist. “Morning, baby. How are you feeling?”

  His rumbly voice made her stomach flutter. She clenched her hands until her nails dug into her palms. The bite of pain distracted her from thinking about the man she should fear but couldn’t help desiring.

  “Better.” She swallowed hard. “I…umm, want to…” Strong hands lifted hers and the slight contact zapped her thoughts. The unexplainable lust returned and mixed with the longing. She couldn’t get her mind to work. “Talk. I want to talk.”

  “Me too. We have a lot to talk about.”

  Instead of asking any of the questions she knew he had, he gently pulled back her fingers, kissing each one before pressing his mouth to her palm. His touch branded her and filled her with warmth. Her breathing quickened. An answering groan spilled from his throat.

  “My sisters…I called them.”

  “Are they safe?”

  His question and the emotion laced into it eased some of her tension. She nodded. “They’re safe.”

  A long moment passed while Devin brushed his cheek back and forth over her inner wrist. “You’re not going to tell me where they are yet, are you?”

  She shook her head.

  “Look at me, Lena.”

  Unable to resist him, she opened her eyes and his breathtaking feline ones stared back at her. Strands of patchwork hair framed the face that had occupied her dreams all night. Harshly cut cheekbones, up-tilted eyes and the wider, flatter nose made it unique, a mixture of beauty and power. Devin was the type of man you never forgot. One
glimpse and you were hooked.

  He knelt next to her on the wrinkled sheets, looking deliciously hot with his disheveled hair, bare chest and loose sweats. She let her gaze travel over him from the bulge in his pants up to the lips she wanted on hers. One corner of his mouth lifted. Her heart skipped a beat. Dear god, if she wasn’t careful, he could own her.

  “You can trust me.”

  She wanted to. “I need to make sure.”

  He stretched out on the bed next to her and pulled her into his arms. He didn’t say anything. He simply held her. The tension in her limbs drained and she relaxed in his embrace exactly as she’d done in the hotel. She didn’t know how long they snuggled but he finally shifted closer and placed his palm over her heart. “The answer is here, Lena. Do you feel it?”

  Did she? “I…I don’t know what I feel.”

  He rolled her and carefully straddled her. With his large body propped above hers, she was reminded of what she had in bed with her—a dangerous predator, one who’d hurt her. She waited for the fear to rise. It didn’t. Desire did. With the heat in his eyes directed on her, she burned. Her breaths came quicker. Her skin tingled. Suddenly very aware of the moisture slickening her sex, she squirmed.

  Never in her life had she experienced anything like this. Sure, she’d felt instant lust before. If that had been all this was, she could’ve ignored it. She knew how to turn it off. This wasn’t a simple case of horniness. It was more and that scared her.

  He parted his mouth slightly and dragged in a deep breath. A shudder racked his frame. He bent his head so his breath warmed her neck. “Gods, Lena. You tempt me.”

  His voice reached inside her and seemed to ignite the fire that had been simmering since she woke. She panted and her rough breath stirred the strands of his hair. The ends brushed her skin and tendrils of awareness whipped through her body to settle low in her belly.