by Stacy Lee
A tingle in my feet draws my attention. It quickly spreads up my legs and through my body. Pain seizes me, bones crack, my body bucks, a growl turns to a scream as I lay curled into a ball completely in human form once more. Throats clear around me before something is laid across my body. I don’t even open my eyes.
“I’m naked, aren’t I?” I ask in a tight voice. More throats clear.
“Um, yes. My shirt is lying on you. We are going to turn our backs. Slip it on.” Cash’s humored filled voice makes me want to slap him. I nod. Opening my eyes I watch them turn to form a tight circle around us protecting me from view.
“None of you better give me a lecture about today. Your free peep show was enough to make me think twice about following you again. I swear you guys just can’t stop seeing me naked. Find your own damn women to look at.” I mutter as I pull Cash’s oversized shirt on. Thankfully it hangs to my knees. “Now, how do I help him? Cut my wrist?” I look up to see Cash hesitantly look back at me. Relief flashes across his face as he turns and kneels. He pulls a knife from his waist then takes my arm staring me in the eyes.
“I’m sorry.” Pain slices across my flesh. I stifle the cry while keeping his gaze. “Now put it to his lips. When he bites, it will hurt. He isn’t conscious to make the pain minimal.” I nod then scoot closer to Dare, pulling his head into my lap. I place my wrist to his mouth rubbing the blood across his lips. Cash reaches down opening his jaws to let my blood run into his mouth. It takes only a moment before Dare’s hands fly up to grab my arm, holding it to him as he strikes. I turn my head to keep from yanking it away from him. The pain was horrible but if this is what he needed, then so be it. “Breathe through it.” Cash mumbles beside me. The pain begins to ease. I look back to Dare and watch as his wounds close almost instantly.
“Wow. It would have taken an hour and three of us to do that.” Emmitt says in awe. Dare releases my wrist.
“You guys don’t taste near as good either.” He sputters out. His eyes open meeting mine. “You are in so much trouble.” I laugh. I can’t help it. Here I was sitting with his head in my lap wondering if he would make it, even though inside I knew this wouldn’t kill him, and he is threatening me.
“At least I have a day for you to heal to get ready for my spanking.” I wink at him sending the brothers into a fit of laughter. A throat clears behind us. Dare drags himself up off my lap. I turn to see Dustin standing behind us. I jump up and run to him giving him a tight hug. His body turns rigid for a minute before he wraps his arms around me for a split second then releases me. He steps back to Dare’s growl.
“Thank you. I thought I would be stuck like that.” I grin at him. He shuffles uncomfortably glancing at Dare.
“It was nothing. I will give you time to discuss what we talked about.” He hands me a piece of paper with a number scrawled over it. “Call when you are ready to set it in motion. Please don’t take too long. Monty will have my lands cleared by this evening. I need to leave to evacuate the women and children before he kills them. A pleasure, my lady.” He bows to me then turns to Dare. “You have something special in that one, Beyers. If you fuck it up I’ll have no problem taking her off your hands.” He winks to me then turns and sprints away. With a deep breath I face the anger behind me.
“Explain.” Dare grits out. I scan the field of dead bodies and shiver.
“Can we do it elsewhere please?” His face softens minutely. He holds his hand out to me and I take it without reservation. Together, with his brothers and the Patronus warriors, we leave the field behind. Five men and one chopper are left to rid the clearing of evidence of the battle, including the bodies. Two were lost on our side and their remains will return in one of the choppers for a proper service, whatever that was in the supernatural world. I’ve stopped trying to guess.
Once on the chopper I explain my conversation with Dustin and my proposition of a treaty. The men discuss it once I’m through and agree the feline nation hadn’t been trouble for them in centuries. The treaty will be drawn up by Bane and Dustin will be called by morning. With a smile I bury myself into Dare’s chest and drift into sleep.
****
“She did what?!” I bellow out when Cash explains to me what happened after I passed out.
“She shifted into a lioness.” He says again looking in awe at Marnie asleep in my arms. “It’s because of her you’re alive.” He grins.
“It’s also because of her the cats backed out then stood behind us against Monty. If they hadn’t have, we would still be fighting.” Archer adds seriously.
“Yeah, so when you get ready to punish her try to remember she saved our asses and go easy on hers.” Fin snickers. I roll my eyes at his immature word play. I turn to Archer.
“Did you know she would be able to shift?” He shakes his head.
“Not at all. Monty said it was unheard of even in a bound mate. Although he mentioned something about Shifter blood and her not having any.” He shrugs. “I don’t know how much he knows but if it was enough to back the Vamp off I’d take it as being pretty damn incredible. Just like the woman.” His eyes take in Marnie lovingly. The scared little rabbit I found in the woods has grown into a brave lioness. I chuckle at the thought as I wrap her tighter in my arms.
“How exactly did she get passed you guys?” Everyone but Cash shrugs. I stare at him till he crumbles.
“I sensed her as the chopper was lifting off. I didn’t want to have to take the time to sit back down so I figured I would keep her in the chopper once we got there. If I would have known they knew she was already on board I wouldn’t have left her and Wren alone. At least Dustin didn’t kill him.” He glances to the still groggy man in the co-pilots seat.
“No, I have known Dustin a long time. He wouldn’t have killed him unless he had to defend himself. He never gave Wren a chance to attack, just hit him with a tranquilizer dart. I was wondering why the cats were there. Dustin has never sided with anyone before.” Dustin and I were friends from way back when we didn’t know we weren’t supposed to be. Breed wars have torn us apart publicly but we stayed in touch when we could. Email has made that easier in the last few years. Her idea of a treaty pleased me and I was glad Dustin said yes to the proposition. If I had known he was having so much trouble with Monty I would have offered it myself but he was a proud man who never would have asked for help. How she managed the agreement was a damn miracle.
“Well, because of her he’s siding with us now.” Cash says absently. My little four foot eight mate wrapped the seven foot King of the feline nation around her pinky in a half a mile run, less than ten minutes. Damn woman. I shake my head on a laugh. “Yeah it is kind of funny. When she gave him that hug I thought he was going to shove her away out of fear for a minute. And not fear of you. Our sister really did a number on him.” He chuckles.
“So um….. When she shifted back we saw her naked again.” I growl a low warning to them. “Cash covered her up quickly. My point is, while we had our backs turned she said we couldn’t yell at her for this because we got to see her naked again. I think she may be right. I’m sorry but I can’t imagine yelling at her after everything she did then the embarrassment of us seeing her again. I don’t think you should either.” Fin fidgets as he speaks. I glare at him.
“So you think we should let this go? I told her she couldn’t come. She disobeyed me flat out.” Archer moans in complaint.
“But if she wouldn’t have come more would have died, possibly Dare. I say you let her slide this time.” Bane agrees. I hold up my hand to stop the debate.
“She is my mate and I will take care of it.” I advise them slowly. Snickers and disapproving glares come my way.
“Just don’t spank her this time. I can’t take hearing that again.” Cash growls. I smirk.
“Turn your radio louder.” I had no intention of spanking her this time. In all honesty tonight I just wanted to make love to her, hold her and tell her how much she meant to me. If I decided to yell at her it would have t
o wait. Tonight was going to be different.
Conversation changes to an outline of the treaty for the rest of the ride back. Before getting in the chopper she had given Archer Dustin’s number and he had programed it in all our phones as we flew. Bane would call him within an hour of landing with the terms we worked out on the ride. We would help protect them from Monty and in exchange they would not attack us and would help us fight against his Vamps and their allies, which included the Stroli, Babbles and Thanus. We would also offer the land in Texas to his people till they could find a new location to settle on.
They also tell me of Monty’s threat towards their mates. It is agreed under no circumstance would Marnie be handed over to him. We would just have to locate their mates before Monty did. I supply them with the knowledge of our uncle’s activities and the star representing not only our heritage but theirs, marking them as half breeds. It’s not often I know something Archer doesn’t. I revel in being able to tell him something he had no knowledge of. After all the information he has thrown at me in the last week it brings me great satisfaction to see his dumbfounded expression.
Once the chopper sits down I carry my sleeping mate to bed. It was still early in the evening so after tucking her in I climb into a warm shower to ease the rest of my aches away. Leaning my head on my arms I stand under the hot spray thinking about everything Marnie has done since she became mine. I couldn’t fault the woman for wanting to help rescue me. Her life depended on me being alive but what she didn’t realize is her being there only put us both at risk. I couldn’t concentrate with knowing she was in trouble. The only reason they had been able to jump me was my gaze was on her not the battle before me. Seeing her in the Stroli’s clutches almost unraveled me. It didn’t matter Cash was there to help her, I wasn’t. When I had thought of having a mate I never knew it would be so much damn work.
Slight arms wrap around my waist causing my body to jump in surprise. I’d been so caught up in my head I hadn’t heard her enter the room. She rests her tense body against mine, a sigh coming from her at the contact that always sends electricity charging through me.
“How mad are you?” She whispers with a small shake to her voice. I let the tension in my body fall away as I turn and wrap her in my arms.
“Not as mad anymore.” I place a gentle kiss to her forehead causing her body to relax against me.
“Will it help if I say I’m sorry?” I snort at the attempt to make it better.
“If you mean it.” Her answering sigh is insufferable. I can’t help the smile that spreads across my lips.
“Then forget I asked.” I laugh outright and pull her closer.
“What am I going to do with you, Parvulum?”
“Love me?” The barely audible plea breaks my heart. I loop a finger under her chin to pull her gaze to mine. Her sapphire eyes hold unshed tears I gently wipe away.
“I already do. I love you with all of me, Marnie. That’s why having you put yourself in danger bothers me so much. I don’t want to lose you.” Fates have mercy on me, because I couldn’t lose her. It would kill me in more than one way.
“Ditto.” She smirks.
“Marnie, my position puts me in danger all the time. It’s something you will have to get used to. But I won’t put myself in unnecessary danger just to flirt with death. I have my brothers backing me up every time I go out. I have been doing this for hundreds of years. I know how to deal with danger. It’s you I am at a loss with. I don’t know how I am supposed to keep you safe if you run head long into every fight that comes around. I need to protect you Marnie. It is what I am meant to do. You are mine and I have to keep you and our babe safe. Please let me.” Tears fall unabashedly down her cheeks.
“Okay. I won’t run into danger but if it follows me you can’t yell at me for it.” A smile tugs at my lips but I nod. She did have a way of falling into trouble. “I love you, Dare.” My heart explodes with her words. My head tilts on its own taking her mouth in a gentle kiss. She opens to me immediately, letting me take it deeper. Letting me show her how much I cared. When we pull back we are both breathless. “Will you make love to me tonight, without the punishment?” She asks quietly but nervousness and a small amount of fear linger inside me from her. I sling her up into my arms and lay a towel over her body as I exit the shower.
“It would be my pleasure, Parvulum.” Not even bothering to dry her off I stroll to our room and lay her on the bed. After tonight she would never wonder if I loved her again.
Chapter Twenty-One
One month has passed since the day I rescued Dare from the Stroli in the woods. The new compound has been set up and running for roughly two and a half weeks now. Dare included a dark room in our group of rooms and I was dying to try it out. He planned on returning to my home to retrieve my things but one thing after another has stopped him.
Today he is taking me with him to get what I wanted. My lease on the house would be up tomorrow and he has no other choice but go today. I was excited about retrieving my camera and my mother’s necklace but my clothing wouldn’t fit for some time now. I was only three weeks pregnant but I looked closer to four months.
My belly had swollen to the point Dare had to take me shopping for maternity clothes. Angie was at a loss why I was so big already. The pregnancy only lasted four months so of course I would show faster than a pregnant human but my overly large size was abnormal even for a Patronus. However, ultra-sounds couldn’t see through the membrane housing the child so we had no way of checking on the baby. Everything else seemed normal other than my size. Angie was keeping a close eye on me just in case though. Dare was nervous about me flying but I wanted to see my house one last time. We also stopped in to check on Dustin briefly before we flew to Wyoming, which was another argument to go with him. I really liked Dustin and couldn’t explain why. I didn’t even have a problem touching the man and in my world that was something.
Unfortunately our treaty was not fast enough for several of Dustin’s women and children. Monty condemned a village of shifters that, at the time of the attack, mainly consisted of women, children and the elderly less than half an hour after leaving the clearing in the forest. By the time Dustin and his fighters made it to their aid it was over and the body count was unbelievably high. Not a single feline protested the treaty with us and many have volunteered for special strikes against the vampire leader in the future.
Dustin and the rest of his felines have taken over the lands in Texas. No one seemed too thrilled with the beach front property but it was a home that Monty couldn’t rip out from under them. I was confused when Dustin nervously accepted the land till Dare explained later that cats didn’t care for water. I found it immensely funny and laughed till tears streamed down my cheeks and Dare said my lips tasted of salt. To think that seven foot man hated water because he was a cat was just too hilarious for words.
They settled in brilliantly, though some were still being transported in and Dustin even came to see us several times. The first time I cooked him a dinner that he had graciously choked down. With not having any taste for real food I hadn’t realized how salty the meal was. Dare’s emotions tipped me off but no one said a thing. Later when I asked him what was wrong I had to remind him he promised never to lie to me. After that time I let Fin do all the cooking, which they all were thankful for. Well, all except the brownies, I made those every chance I got for Cash.
Cash and I have become very close over the last few weeks. There was even one occasion Dare went out hunting and became sidetracked. Cash came to me with a red face telling me that Dare called and he wouldn’t be back for several hours and he was already feeling my hunger pains. I tried to refuse, I begged him to wait longer, I pleaded and cried hoping to sway the soft hearted soldier, I seriously did not want to bite Cash. He dialed the phone and handed it to me. Dare’s first words were ‘Do I have to order you to do this because I don’t want to but the baby needs nourishment. It’s not like you can drink milk.’ That stopped my fight immed
iately. I hung up on him without saying a single word and put my hand out for Cash’s arm.
His blood filled me till Dare came home but it hadn’t contained the power it did when I drank it from the cup. He laughed and said next time he would do some magic just for me before I drank from him to see if that changed his taste. The whole thing had been embarrassing, especially when he kept his head turned away from me with a clinched teeth expression while I fed. When I was done his erection was prominent forcing me to run from the front room as he ran for the door. Turning on my brother was the last thing on my list of things to do in a lifetime. Definitely one I didn’t want to repeat. Ever.
Monty has left us alone since we moved to the new facility. Dare was afraid it was because he was following through on his threat and looking for his brothers mates. We all hoped not but every Patronus, feline Shifter and some faithful Fairies have been put on alert. If they found a human bearing a birthmark of the star they were to contact the Beyers Brothers immediately and to tell no one else. Dare was sure there was at least one more traitor among us but hadn’t figured out who yet.
He told us how Monty knew I hid on the chopper even before they did. Someone had seen me and relayed the message to him. He also explained the significance of the mates and the birthmark to me. I had been surprised to find out the mark meant I was only half human. To believe you were something all your life then to find out not only that you weren’t but that you were half supernatural was just plain weird.
They still couldn’t explain why I shifted. Whether it had something to do with being half Vampire or The Binding, they weren’t sure. I’ve come to realize they aren’t sure about a lot of things when it comes to their mates. I tried a few more times to shift but not knowing what it would do to the baby has hindered my concentration and I haven’t been able to do it again. Fear of hurting my baby stopped me. After the birth I would try it in earnest but until then I was content on being in human form.
