by Mina Carter
Everything happened at once. Conrad bellowed in pain as the smell of blood blossomed on the air. Bobbi’s blood. A river of red flowed down her chest and Reese lost it. His roar rattled the rotten rafters above as he charged, throwing the SIG aside. One step, two…and he was in mid-air.
Bullets peppered the air around him as his bear burst from his human form in an explosion of fury and fur. Bobbi screamed, rolling to the side in a ball to leave Conrad exposed. Reese caught a fleeting glimpse of the guy’s face as he lunged, jaws wide, then clamped around his soft human throat. They snapped shut, spraying the inside of his mouth with hot, coppery blood. He growled, teeth scraping spine, and shook his prey like a cat. Jackson’s gurgles stopped with the crunch of bone but someone was still screaming.
Dropping Conrad’s body, Reese stepped over Bobbi, using his bigger form to protect her from the bullets still flying. He turned on the two henchmen, who fired wildly. Bullets hit his fur, embedded in his skin but with rage and power from his bear swirling through his body, he barely felt them.
Dropping his head, he stalked toward them. His massive paws kicked up the ancient dust and the growl that trickled from his throat was pure menace. Both men paled, backing as they saw their own deaths in his black eyes. The weapon carried by the guy on the left clicked, magazine empty, and Reese grinned a wide bear grin.
The human, Andy or Chris, he couldn’t remember, screamed and ran, followed within a heartbeat by his comrade. Reese watched them go, chuckling to himself as roars from outside informed him both had run right into the she-bear.
Silence descended on the mill. Dust motes danced in the air, the only sound that of their breathing. Reese closed his eyes, knowing he had to turn around but not daring to. He didn’t want to see the fear in her eyes when she understood what a monster he was…or worse, to run from him screaming in fear.
“Reese?” The sound of his name surprised him and his eyes snapped open. No, he had to be imagining things. She… had she?
“Reese, will you turn around and let me look at you. Please.”
Hardly daring to believe his ears, he shuffled around. Bobbi stood behind him, her eyes wide with…wonder, not fear. He blinked, and sat on his furred rump with a thump. Bobbi took another step closer, her hand out as though to touch him. He watched, waiting for the moment her amazement turned to disgust and broke his heart.
“You’re…you’re…” She took the last step to bring her within touching, and reached out. Her fingers brushed over the fur on his cheek. Her stunned gaze flicked to his eyes, and she smiled. “You’re a teddy bear.”
With a cry, she launched herself forward, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face into the fur on his neck. He closed his eyes, and sent a prayer of thanks to anyone listening. She hadn’t run from him, she wasn’t scared of him. She’d called him a teddy bear—a special ops trained, kick-ass, killing machine—and he could deal with that.
“I was so scared they were going to hurt you,” she whispered, holding him tightly. “I was scared I wouldn’t get a chance to tell you… I know we’ve not known each other that long, but…”
He held his breath, itching to pull his fur inside but not daring to in case he disturbed the mood.
“I love you, Reese. Sounds crazy, but I do.”
Reese closed his eyes as relief washed through his system. With a sigh, he let go of his bear form and folded it back within himself. The sudden change in size made Bobbi squeak and he found himself sprawled naked on the floor with an armful of soft, curvy woman.
Who was peppering his face with kisses.
“Shhh, shhh…It’s okay, I’m okay.” He stopped her with two fingers on her jaw and looked into her eyes. “It’s not crazy. I fell for you the moment I saw you. I love you, Bobbi Bradbury. Now for shift’s sake, kiss me.”
She did and he rumbled in contentment.
She was his. Finally, he had his mate, and as soon as he could, he was claiming her.
Forever.
Chapter Eight
“What were you thinking, putting yourself in danger like that?”
Bobbi lay cuddled against Reese’s hard, muscled form and smiled as her big, tough man fussed about the wound on her palm. She’d needed stitches and pain meds the size of horse pills but she didn’t care. They were home finally, and she had her man.
“Shhh, doesn’t matter now,” she murmured, using her good hand to pull his jaw around for a kiss. That stopped him talking, and while she loved the sound of his voice, she was all for stopping him talking.
He kissed her, long and deep, but there was a hint of desperation in his movements. A tremor rolled through his bigger body as he pulled away to look down at her. “You shouldn’t have done that, he could have seriously hurt you.”
“Seriously, if it was a knife to the throat or damage to my hand, it’s the hand every time.”
He nodded, letting his breath out on a long sigh. “I guess, but I can’t bear the thought of you in danger or pain. My… my bear doesn’t like it. Gets snarly.”
It was the first time since the mill he’d actually made a reference to what he was. Of course, she’d gotten the run down from Louise. Werebears were alive and well in Banford, and it seemed there were more than just the two of them. She was going to have some very pointed questions for her
“Grumpy teddy.” She arched her eyebrow and lifted her finger to bop him on the nose. He mock snarled and pretended to bite her finger. He stopped and their gazes locked. Expectation and tension filled the air.
“So…” she asked tentatively, walking her fingers up his broad chest. “What happens now?”
His eyes darkened impossibly further, and she felt his cock harden against her thigh. His deep voice caressed her senses as he spoke. “I take you, and claim you.”
Hubba-hubba… she’d been hoping the horizontal tango would be involved. Last night felt like forever ago. After today, all she wanted was to lose herself in his arms.
“Claim?”
Her mouth opened and words came out. She didn’t much care what they were as long as he kept looking at her like that. Like she was his sun, moon, and stars rolled into one. Her hands smoothed over his broad shoulders and down the strong arms straining against his shirt.
“Yeah,” he leaned forward, his words whispered against her lips. “It means we get naked, now, and I make you scream my name. Make you come, hard and fast, then claim you as my own forever. Bears don’t do divorce, Bobbi, you’ll always be mine.”
She started to unbutton his shirt, peeling it away from his hot, hard body so she could explore. “Always? You promise?”
“Always.” His mouth crashed over hers, less a kiss and more a branding. He claimed her as his own with his mouth, lips, and tongue demanding her response. One she was happy to give.
Their bodies moved together, hands everywhere as clothing melted away as though it had never been. She paused for a moment to look at him braced above her. He was so beautiful, all power and ferocity…and he was all hers.
“Claim me,” she whispered, reaching up to rub her thumb against his full lower lip. “Now. Take what you need.”
His deep rumble hit her low down, made her clit ache for his touch. It eased into a growl, but not one that inspired fear. Reaching out, he flipped her over, pulling her up to her hands and knees. His large body sheltered her, protective and possessive at the same time.
Arching up, she pressed her ass against him and wriggled. The hard bar of his cock pressed between her ass cheeks and she sucked in a hard breath. He was huge, harder than steel, and her pussy ached for him to fill her once more.
“Do that again,” his order was rough, filled with desire, “and I’ll fuck you harder than you’ve ever been fucked. I might not be good with words, and sentiment, but I’ll give you more pleasure than you’ve ever known.”
She whimpered, the sound borne of pure need. She didn’t know what it was about him, but as soon as he touched her, she was ready. Needed him more than she nee
ded air.
“Stop talking then, and get on with it.” She threw a smile over her shoulder. “I love you.”
His answering smile took her breath away, but not as much as the feel of his broad cock pressing against the entrance to her pussy. With a hard thrust, he buried himself in her to the balls.
Her breath left in a rush that hightailed it into a moan. He was right; she’d never felt pleasure like it. A throbbing, burning ache filled her as her body adjusted to the feeling of him inside her and she clutched his wrist to hold him still for a moment.
He didn’t argue, one hand wrapped around her waist to hold her to him. After a moment, he slid the hand between her legs. Clever fingers found her clit, stroking and rubbing in gentle circles before dipping to collect some of her juices. He teased her, bringing the little bundle of sensation to a hard peak before pulling his hand away.
She pouted, only to gasp when he gave her clit a light, but sharp tap. The pleasure-pain rocked through her system, stealing her ability to do anything but arch against him. The movement shoved his cock half an inch deeper and they both groaned.
“Again,” she demanded breathlessly, unable to stop the small motion of her hips. “More.”
More he gave her, pulling out to power back in again. Long, hard strokes of his cock as he played with her clit. She was caught between the need to arch against him to get more of his cock, and holding still for the delicious sensations he afforded her with his hand.
Moans and pleas fell from her lips as he drove her pleasure higher and higher until she thought she’d go mad. Shatter with the tension holding her in thrall. He was close too, she could feel the tension in his hard frame as he moved over her.
Then, suddenly, it was all too much. She couldn’t take it anymore.
“Please, Reese…now!” she begged.
He grunted behind her, a hard arm across her torso to pull her upright. The movement drove his cock deeper within her and she cried out, her entire body a throbbing mass of need. The time between one second and the next was infinite as she hovered over the abyss.
“Now!”
His fingers tapped her clit again and she shattered, screaming his name. Pleasure exploded through her, a chain reaction that leapt from one cell to the next until she was sure she couldn’t contain it all. Would burst trying.
He grunted and surged into her. Thrust deeply within her with powerful strokes that rocked the bed and her world. They came faster, more erratic and she knew he was close. As he thrust into her a last time, he sank sharp fangs into the fleshy part of her shoulder.
Ecstasy the likes of which she’d never known flashed through her like wildfire and changed her world forever. Reality shifted, attuning her body to his, and meshing their souls for eternity.
Panting, it was long moments before either could speak. She shivered as he licked the bite on her shoulder. No pain, it felt little more than a small bruise.
“Oh, wow… was that?”
He gave a rumble of pleasure and held her close. Her man. Her bear. Protecting her. Loving her.
“Yeah…you’re mine now. Forever.”
She smiled and turned for his kiss.
Forever. She liked the sound of that.
The End
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About the Author
Mina Carter is a USA Today bestselling author of romance in many genres. She lives in the UK with her husband, daughter and a bossy cat.
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