The Protector

by Desconhecido(a)

  “I hear you get to come home in the morning.” Cole said in her ear.

  “I am hoping so,” Blair told him before kissing his lips lightly.

  “Good, I can’t wait to show you how much I missed you.”

  Aaron cleared his throat. “Fuck, Cole, I can’t tell you how much I do not want to hear that shit.”

  Cole looked up at Aaron. “Just because you don’t get any, doesn’t mean I am going to be careful about showing my mate affection.”

  Aaron raised his eyebrows, but when he opened his mouth, Mandy smacked him in the chest.

  “Don’t you dare,” she hissed. Even though he had not said anything her cheeks were turning pink.

  Aaron glanced at her, shut his mouth, and smiled. Cole and Lucas both laughed, making Mandy blush again.

  “Wow, that is called held by the tail, Aaron,” Cole said after his laughter calmed, then looked over at Lucas who was leaning against the wall. “Lucas, you need to find yourself a girl, maybe a nice human. It will improve your mood.”

  Lucas scowled. “I will never mate again and especially not a human.” He glanced over at Mandy.

  Blair glared at Lucas. Damaged or not, she refused to take any shit from him. “Don’t intimidate my friends.”

  Lucas turned his dark eyes to Blair. “Humans are fragile, emotional, and drive shifters crazy with their neediness. I will never fuck or date a human, ever.”

  Blair raised her eyebrows and in a sarcastic tone, said, “Wow, well, I see you are improving.”

  Lucas shoved off of the wall. “Yeah, loads.” He opened the door. “I am going to head home.”

  Cole waved. “Thanks for all of the extra help. We found the girl alive thanks to your tracking.”

  “No problem,” Lucas said without turning around. “Won’t change anything though.”

  Mandy looked at Blair with tears in her eyes. Blair would have thought that he said or did something to hurt her feelings, but they were all in the room the entire time Lucas was there. Mandy wiped her eyes. “He is so broken. It is sad.”

  Cole shook his head. “He killed Cassie’s friend and is paying the price for it. Just because Ilithyia lifted his banishment does not mean he gets the burden of his crime lifted from his soul.”

  Mandy shook her head and wiped her eyes. “I don’t think that’s it.”

  Cole shrugged and said, “Lucas is damaged, probably beyond any hope of being normal again. You heard him. He refuses to ever take a mate again.”

  Mandy looked at Cole in the eye, something she had rarely ever done. “No. I looked into the eyes of evil, and Lucas is far from being what I saw.”

  Blair did not bother debating with Mandy. She was always trying to see the best in people. She wanted to view Lucas like a lost puppy. Blair felt Cole was right and Lucas was too far gone. It was just a matter of time before he went completely feral and someone had to shoot him in the head.

  ****

  Silas was beginning to wonder if he should just give up and go home. He was hungry, tired, and missing cable TV. He had killed some old chick living in a rat-hole of a house, but the bitch lived like an animal. No cable, had what looked like self-butchered meat in her freezer, and she had no indoor plumbing. He had watched the sheriff’s house for days, but no one came home. What the fuck was going on? Did they move? He didn’t see them moving any furniture. He went to turn when an overweight man with greying brown hair, a tan spring jacket, and a mostly grey stubbly beard tried to hit him over the head with a brick. Silas cussed and dodged the brick at the last minute.

  Silas kicked his attacker’s feet out from under him, making him land hard on his back. He landed with a humph as the wind was knocked out of him. Silas acted quickly before the man recovered, and stuck his booted foot against his neck. The man thrashed around making strangling noises and trying to pry the Silas’s boot away from his throat.

  “You have about a minute before you pass out. Then I will put you out of your miserable existence. Who the fuck are you?” He let off the man’s neck just enough so he could breathe. He gasped for air loudly. “Hurry up before I decide you’re not going to answer me.”

  “Josh, my name is Josh Hamen, I’m a private investigator.” Josh gasped for air and still tried to get Silas’s boot away from his neck.

  “Well Josh, the PI, why the fuck are you trying to knock me out?”

  “My boss wants a word with you.”

  “Does he now? And who is your boss?”

  Josh coughed a few times. “Hell if I know, some freak with a kabuki mask. He pays well though.”

  “Well, Josh, the PI, tell your fucking boss to come and talk to me himself instead of sending an old fat man to do his talking.” Silas stepped away and kicked him hard.

  Josh let out a grunt and held his stomach, his eyes closed tightly.

  Silas crouched over him. “If I ever see you again, I will kill you. Understand me?”

  Josh nodded quickly. “Yeah, I get it.”

  “Good. Now get the fuck out of here," Silas said in a sneering tone and gave Josh another kick.

  After Josh had limped off, Silas shook his head in disgust. “Fucking amateur PI.”

  “Yes, he is, I am impressed at how easily you subdued him.”

  Silas turned around and faced him. “Are you fucking kidding me?” He thought this place couldn’t get any weirder. “What the fuck is the mask for?”

  “It is for my own protection. If they capture you, they have ways of making you tell them what they want to hear. I do not want you telling anyone what I look like.”

  “Good news for you then. I don’t give a fuck who you are, or what you are doing around here. I have my own plans.”

  “Yes, I know, Dani told me. You are after Cole for killing your brother, Levi.”

  “I am. That fucker is going to know suffering, and then he will know death. Besides, that chick already told me about hiding my scent.” Silas was not interested in help. He wanted his revenge. Then he would leave this crazy ass town and find somewhere hot to settle down.

  “There is more she didn’t tell you. If you really want to get to Cole, you will need to know how to get around their senses. Guardians and Kelachs are such a pain in the ass with how easily they track.”

  Silas slowed down and turned to look at the other man. “I’m listening.”

  “Good. Why don’t you come with me, and I will teach you some simple ways to get around their senses.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Blair hummed while she kneaded the dough on the counter for the French bread. Her homemade Bolognese sauce had been gently simmering all day, and she had just finished the layers of cheese, pasta and sauce for Cole's favorite lasagna. Now she was working on the freshly baked bread.

  There was something she found peaceful about creating food. Not only was it nourishing, but Cole's heart was connected to his stomach. His mother was from an Italian family that believed in showing love through food. Blair smiled at the memory of how they had begun their relationship. He had started coming into her coffee shop for the pastries. Once he realized she made all of the pastries by hand, he was in love. Blair heard Cole’s vehicle pull up next to the house and his car door shut. She hurried with flattening the dough so she could get it rolling.

  It was a wet, chilly day, so he would appreciate the hot meal all the more. The door to the mud room opened, and she heard Cole kicking off his boots. The first rule she had made when Cole moved her stuff over was he had to take his boots off. Their log cabin had beautiful hardwood floors, and she could not stand to see muddy boot prints all over the wood. She heard the keys and the gun cabinet open. Even though they had no children yet, Cole had already got in the habit of keeping the guns locked up. The cabinet closed and locked, and she could hear him moving across the hardwood floors.

  Being only in stocking feet made it a bit harder to hear Cole coming up behind her, but her shifter hearing still made it possible to hear him sneaking up. She smiled, ready to turn to me
et him, but his arms wrapped around her before she could turn around.

  “I think my little fox is wanting a reward tonight,” Cole whispered in her ear.

  “I am guessing you approve of dinner.” Blair turned her head just enough for Cole to capture her lips with his own. He captured her mouth with his, nipping at her lower lip with his teeth.

  He let her go and stared into her eyes. She could see want in his eyes as he stared at her, “You know how to get to me.”

  “Yes, I do, I just need to cook your food.”

  Cole let go of her and drew his hand back, swatting her ass, making her gasp, then smile at him. Cole rubbed the spot on her ass where he had slapped his hand, soothing the sting. “Just looking at you makes me burn. No need to cook anything.”

  Blair giggled, knowing Cole was lying. He was a big man with a big appetite. She would be lucky if her giant lasagna pan had any leftovers for lunches this week. He also had the metabolism of a cross country runner, and burned off everything he ate.

  Cole growled seductively in her ear. “You laugh now, but you won’t be laughing when I am done.”

  Blair felt her arousal grow at Cole’s threat, or rather promise. “I don’t want dinner to burn,” she said breathlessly.

  Cole reached over and turned the oven off. “There, the bread is rising, and the lasagna will cook quickly. The cheese just needs to melt anyway.”

  Blair looked up at Cole and felt her pussy grow even wetter. Cole was looking at her with the expression he wore when he was ready to play. Blair leaned into him and kissed his neck. “I am ready to do whatever you wish of me,” she said agreeably.

  “My naughty Blair is wearing too many clothes. Take them off,” Cole ordered her.

  Blair’s hands shook as she unbuttoned the waist of her jeans. Cole was giving her the look that turned her legs to Jell-O. She pushed her jeans down, while Cole watched with a heated stare.

  “Goddess, Blair. You are so beautiful. Do you know what watching you undress does to me?”

  Blair looked into his eyes. “You have always liked watching me undress.”

  “It’s because you are so gorgeous. No one has ever made my blood burn like you do. You are the only woman in the world I have ever wanted.” He touched her face softly while he looked into her eyes.

  Blair kicked her jeans free from her legs. Her body was heating up with desire, and her heart felt light. As she stared at him she wondered how she could ever doubt how much he loved her. Perhaps her own insecurities had fed her fear. She had ignored all the facts and believed the things her brain had come up with. Her eyes filled with tears. She had suffered alone due to her own stubbornness.

  “Blair, sweetheart, why are you crying?” Cole asked. He looked her over checking for anything that would be causing her pain, then looked her in the eyes. “Talk to me.”

  “I have been so bullheaded all this time. I not only hurt you, but myself as well.”

  Blair saw the look in Cole’s eyes soften. He pulled her to him and cradled her head in one hand and rubbed her back with the other. “Don’t. This was never your fault. It was all my fault. I acted foolishly. When Warren stepped down as Kelach, I panicked. I hurt you, badly. For that I am so very sorry. I don’t deserve for you to forgive me, but I am so grateful that you did.”

  Blair could see the emotion in his eyes and knew he meant every word. “I know. I am so sorry. We all lost so much that day.”

  Cole nodded. “Yes, now let’s not focus on sadness right now. I want today to be a new beginning for us. We move forward, letting go of our past mistakes.”

  Blair nodded and whispered, “Yes, let’s let it go.”

  Cole’s look once again grew commanding. He stared into her eyes with a hard look that made it clear he was in charge.

  “I want you to undress me, Blair,” he told her in a tone that meant he expected to be obeyed immediately.

  Blair dropped her hands and slowly started to unbutton his grey sheriff uniform shirt. She could tell from his lack of a bulletproof vest that Cole had spent the day in his office. Since Stacy’s abduction, no other people or shifters reported any crime. Everything calmed down, leaving Cole with an enormous amount of paperwork.

  Blair got to the last button and pushed his shirt off of his wide shoulders, leaving his white t-shirt underneath. Cole’s heated gaze stayed on her as she pulled his shirt up, exposing his flat abdomen and muscular chest. Cole had added strength from the Ilithyia. As Kelach he took the lead when the cholan went out to protect the territory.

  Blair stroked her hands over the smooth skin of his chest and stomach. Then she slowly ran her hands down to the waist of his uniform pants. She found the button and unfastened it, glancing up to see Cole watching her. She licked her lips, slowly, letting him see her tongue stroking seductively over her lips.

  Blair fought a giggle when she saw Cole’s eyes darken with restrained desire. She knew he wanted to pin her against the wall, and fuck her hard, but he also enjoyed teasing almost as much as she did. He would force himself to be patient, knowing it would be worth it.

  Cole hooked his thumbs into the waist of his slacks. He bent over, and his pants slid easily down his bare legs.

  Cole bent over and picked her up and pinned her to the wall. His face was inches from hers, their lips nearly touching. His hot breath wafted over her face as he sucked air in and it panted out. “You drive me crazy. Do you know that?”

  “Hopefully in a good way,” Blair told him with a smile curling at the edges of her lips.

  “Yes, I am crazy in love with you, Blair Wilson.”

  Blair looked him in the eyes. “Then I want a wedding, with guests and a dress and everything.”

  Cole smiled. “Anything for you.”

  Cole leaned in and claimed her mouth in a sensuous kiss. He ran his tongue lightly along her lips until she opened her mouth for him. Their tongues entwined, making Blair let out a low moan of passion. Her hands rose to Cole’s black hair and stroked the silky soft strands.

  She felt Cole lining up his cock with her pussy. She wrapped her legs around him and held on as he sank in for the first thrust. Cole held her hips, driving her body on his cock, hitting that special place within her channel that made her scream in pleasure.

  If it was possible to get an overload of pleasure, she was sure this was how it would happen. Cole knew exactly how to angle his cock to drive her crazy. Blair pulled away from Cole to get some air. Her orgasm was rushing upon her with each thrust of Cole’s shaft. Lights flashed in her vision, and she felt the floor drop away when the orgasm crashed over her. She dug her nails in and felt her legs shaking as they stayed wrapped around Cole.

  Blair held on tightly as she felt Cole thrust faster and harder. Another wave of pleasure washed over her, making her cry out. Cole thrust once more, then let out a roar as he came. She felt his cock pulsing deep within her. They both stood in the kitchen, staring into one another’s eyes until their breathing returned to normal.

  Blair heard Cole’s stomach growl, and she giggled. “Let me get the bread and lasagna in the oven before you starve to death.”

  Cole let her go, letting her slide gently to the floor. “I am getting hungry.” Cole looked at her smiling and rubbing his stomach.

  “You are always hungry.” She reached for her clothes, but Cole grabbed them.

  “Nu-uh, I want to watch you cook like you used to.”

  Blair smiled. “What if the sauce splatters and I get a burn?

  Cole’s eyes lit up. “Then I will lick it for you, and make sure you feel all better.”

  Blair laughed and went over to turn on the oven again. The bread was almost ready to go in, and even though the lasagna had not done in the oven yet, most of the cheese was melting. It would not take long for it to cook. She opened the fridge and emptied the salad crisper to prepare a nice, fresh salad.

  She turned to see Cole watching her with a smile on his face, and her heart warmed to see him as she remembered him. He had alwa
ys loved doing this with her, and she enjoyed watching him do some chores bare ass naked, too.

  “I think after dinner, I am going to make that ass glow red.”

  Blair raised her eyebrows. “You promise?”

  “You bet I do, baby.” Cole smiled at her with that glint in his eye that he got when he was planning ways to play with her.

  “Let’s eat then,” Blair said with a seductive smile.

  Blair could barely concentrate on her food with the thoughts of what Cole had planned filled her head. Would he take her upstairs, or use the kitchen utensils? Some of them made better paddles than their nice ones in their playroom upstairs.

  “Open up.”

  Blair looked over to see Cole holding a forkful of lasagna in front of her.

  Blair knew there was no fighting Cole. He would only punish her more than what he was going to do in the first place if she didn't, so she saved herself the time and hassle and opened her mouth.

  She closed her eyes, admitting she did love lasagna. The sauce, meat, and cheeses were decadent even if she did say so herself. Blair was starting to genuinely feel full now, but the food was delicious. He blew on it, cooling it down, then started the fork toward her. He turned the fork, dropping the food down her chest, stomach and into her lap. She looked back up to see Cole had a wicked gleam in his eye.

  “Whoops. How could I be so clumsy?”

  Blair opened her mouth, unsure of what to say. Cole was not clumsy at all.

  “I should clean you off, since I was careless enough to spill food on you. Don’t move.”

  “I…” She paused when Cole stood up and came straight at her instead of grabbing a napkin. She watched as he approached her and picked her up.

  Cole shoved some of the dishes aside and laid her out on the table. “I can’t let this delicious food go to waste.”

  Blair was beginning to understand what Cole was up to. Her pussy started to warm up as the thoughts of his possible plans ran through her head. “No, you shouldn’t, and you look so hungry.”

  “I’m starving, baby, and only you can satisfy me.” He looked up at her with such sincerity she reached out to touch him.