by Vella Day
Lexi shivered. “That would be bad.”
Sam opened his eyes and reached out for her hand. “Lexi?” His voice sounded weak.
“I’m right here.”
Missy picked up her flowered bag and slung it over her shoulder. “Make sure to blow out the candles when they get low. Call me tomorrow if he needs another dose of magic.”
Lexi hugged Missy. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome, but I was born with this ability to heal. It’s what I need to do.”
Once she left, Lexi pulled up a chair next to his bed. “How are you feeling—really?”
“Better.”
“Tell me what you remember,” she said.
“I was putting the guns in the bag when two wolves came up behind me and attacked. Otherwise, I would have stopped them. Even though I was in a fight for my life, when the second pair arrived, I convinced them to wait. Sneak attacks have always been an issue for me.”
“If you were a shifter, you’d have been able to detect them.”
“True, but I’m not one.”
She smiled. “If you play your cards right, you could be.”
Sam chuckled. “Then I better heal fast. What happened to Kapok?”
“After he told his men to leave you alone, he insisted I go with him. That’s when I shifted and attacked Justin. Thankfully, the wolves didn’t seem to care. They just trotted off. I’m guessing you suggested they go?”
“Yes. Thankfully, they listened and didn’t try to help Justin take you down.”
She shivered. She’d have been killed for sure. Not wanting to think about it, she refocused her attention on Sam’s injuries. “How about you roll over? I want to check those gouge marks on your back?”
“Did you get your medical degree while I was out cold?”
She huffed out a laugh. “No, but I’ll sleep better if I know you’re healing.”
“Fine, but I really am feeling better. I don’t know what Missy did, but whatever it was, it seems to be working.”
When Sam rolled over and winced, it hurt her to see him in pain. Once on his stomach, she lifted his bloodstained shirt, but Missy had put bandages over the wounds. “I don’t want to remove the bandages. How about you sleep on your stomach for tonight?”
“I think you’re right.”
If Lexi had been seriously injured and in pain like Sam was, she might want something strong to drink. “Is there any liquor in this place?”
“Can’t handle the sight of blood?” he asked.
Silly man. “I thought you’d like a stiff drink.”
“I could use one. Ask Devon or Connor. They usually stash a bottle someplace.”
Lexi stood. “I’ll be right back.”
She hurried out in search of one of the men. Devon’s door was the first one she came to, so she knocked and entered.
“Hey, how is he?” Devon asked.
“I can’t inspect his wounds since they’re covered, but he’s in good spirits.”
“He’ll be fine then.”
“While Sam won’t say so, I could see it in his face that he’s in some pain. Do you have any liquor I can give him?”
Devon smiled. “I sure do. Dad likes to keep bottles around.” He opened his desk drawer and retrieved a bottle of Scotch along with a glass. “I don’t offer this to just anyone, but this is for a good cause.”
“Thanks. One or two shots of this and he’ll be out all night.”
“I agree. Oh, by the way, I found the listening device in Sam’s truck. It’s the same one I gave Vinea. There are seven more, and I’ll keep looking until I find them.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if she bugged Sam’s house.” How else had she learned where she and Sam would be?
“I agree. Vinea was a horrible person.”
“I’m sorry. I believed her story too. I still find it hard to believe she’s a goddess.”
“I can’t wrap my head around it either. I’m such an idiot. I fell for her helpless act hook, line, and sinker.”
From his thinned lips and the way his gaze was darting around, Devon was majorly upset. “It could happen to anyone. You’re a protector, and that’s what protectors do. You couldn’t have known. Being fooled by a goddess isn’t shameful.”
“Tell that to my ego.”
Devon was being hard on himself. And then it occurred to her. “You really liked her, didn’t you?”
His face flushed. “Kind of, though obviously I didn’t know her like I thought I did.”
“So now what?”
“Now? Nothing. You saw what kind of person Vinea is. I just hope that she goes back to where she belongs and never returns.”
“That’s probably for the best. Did you know she was about to stab Sam in the chest with a knife right before you guys showed up?”
“What?”
Devon deserved to know the truth. “Vinea planned to steal his powers. Naliana showed up and stopped her. I was about to shift, but in truth, even if I hadn’t been injured, I don’t think I could have stopped a goddess.”
“Motherfucker. Well this sucks.”
Lexi agreed. From his outburst, Vinea had meant something to him. “Thank goodness she’s gone for now. I’m not sure what Naliana did to her, but it seems as if that light she infused her with altered her somehow.”
He nodded. “I don’t care. I never want to see her again.”
She’d never heard such bitterness. Lexi lifted the bottle and shot glass. “Thanks for this.”
“Take good care of him.”
“I will.”
When Lexi arrived back at the infirmary, Sam was sound asleep so she set down the bottle and glass. While she was tempted to drink some herself, she decided against it as the twinges in her shoulder were slowly subsiding, and if Sam needed her, she wanted to be able to react.
Lexi stretched out her legs to settle in for a long night. Sam’s legs would occasionally jerk and then he would moan but quickly fall back to sleep. Lexi closed her eyes and hoped that by morning, Missy’s magic had worked a miracle on Sam.
Chapter Twenty-Two
‡
When Sam opened his eyes, it took him a moment to realize where he was. The dull thudding ache in his back prompted him to recall the fight, or rather the attack. He was eternally grateful that the wolves had come after him instead of Lexi. If she’d been injured, he’d be a complete mess by now, even though her wolf could have healed her quickly.
Moving slowly, he rolled over and was pleased the pain wasn’t as bad as it had been last night. His heart warmed seeing Lexi slumped over in the chair, her soft snores a soothing sound to his ears. As if she sensed he’d awoken, Lexi jerked and opened her eyes.
She smiled and sat up. “Good morning. How are you feeling?”
“Fine.” She had on the same jeans and top that she’d put on yesterday. “Did you spend the night here?”
“Yes. I was worried you might take a turn for the worse.”
“You didn’t have to do that.” To show her he was good, he pushed up on his elbows.
“Yes I did, now rest,” she begged.
He flexed his back, and the bandage seemed to be stuck to him. Sam yanked off the covers. “I need to shower and wash the blood off me. Care to help?”
“Why don’t you roll over and I’ll check you out first? I don’t want you to make things worse.”
He chuckled. “That’s just a ploy. I know you. You don’t think you can control yourself if I’m naked.”
She huffed. “My control is not the issue here. To be honest, I’m worried about you. If you’re still wounded, my common sense will trump my libido.”
He laughed, loving how his woman thought. He stretched and actually felt quite good. Placing his feet on the floor, he stood. His balance faltered for a second, but after a moment, he steadied. “The gauze will come off easier in the shower. You ready to escort me to your humble abode downstairs?”
Her mouth opened. “I will, but I just realiz
ed now that I’m no longer at risk, I’ll be able to leave the safe house.”
Sam stepped close and wrapped his arms around her. “That’s great. You can move in with me.”
Her eyes sparkled. “For real?”
“For real.” Sam still couldn’t believe how lucky he’d been to find such a wonderful woman. “I want to check you out too. I’m sure Kapok got in a few licks before you took him down.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’ll have to prove it to me.”
“You see? You want to get me naked too.”
Sam grinned. “Caught me.”
Devon wasn’t in his office as they passed through the space to reach the hidden staircase, for which he was glad. He didn’t need someone else telling him to rest. Once they arrived in the suite, Sam stepped into the bathroom, anxious to clean up. Dried blood was nasty.
“Do you need help undressing?” she asked.
No man in his right mind would say no. “Sure.”
He turned on the water then faced Lexi. He wasn’t wearing shoes, but he was dressed in the same attire as when the wolves had attacked him. He didn’t even want to think about what his favorite jacket looked like. Most likely one of the men had tossed it, which was just as well. Sam would have had trouble parting with it. That jacket and he had been through a lot.
Lexi stepped in front of him and slowly lifted his shirt. He almost felt bad after raising his arms, as even he could smell himself. She however didn’t react. Once she removed his shirt, she turned him around so that his back was facing her.
“How does it look?” he asked.
“I really can’t tell until the bandages come off, and I’m afraid to remove them. I don’t want to open the cuts up.”
“Let’s let the shower do its magic.” Being so close to Lexi was messing with his head. Her touch was already sending him to another place. As fast as he could, he ditched his pants and briefs. He wasn’t sure he could handle it if she touched him intimately.
When he turned around, she smiled and nodded at his cock. “By your stiffness, you can’t be too injured.”
“It always works like that when I’m around you.”
She chuckled. “Get in while I undress.”
Either she must not think her wounds were bad or she didn’t want to let him check her out. He dunked his head under the warm spray and moaned at the luxurious feeling. When the water streamed down his back, it stung, but not bad enough to worry about needing any stitches. Through the glass shower door, he watched her undress as he soaped up.
Lexi was quick, and soon she was standing next to him. “Do you want me to peel off the bandages?” Now that they were wet, he’d have to change them anyway.
“Sure.” With care, she took them off. He half expected her to gasp when she saw the raw skin, but she didn’t. When she lightly ran her hand down his back, she didn’t hit anything sensitive.
“Well?” He had high hopes.
“I think you are a shifter already. Your ability to heal is amazing. It’s still red, but the cuts have mostly closed.” From the shower stall, she tossed the bandages into the trashcan.
Sam twisted around and instantly shot his gaze to her neck region. “You’re looking good yourself.”
She placed a hand over an area that was still red. “My wolf did all the work.”
Sam drew her into an embrace and kissed her, and he swore he could almost feel her love rushing through him and making him whole again. As much as he didn’t want to stop, he did need to finish washing.
He broke the kiss and handed her the soap. “You want to do the honors?”
“My pleasure.” Her look meant trouble.
With great care, she washed his back before moving down to his legs. Her touch set his body on fire, but he remained still, wanting her to be convinced that he was in good enough shape to make love to her. Lexi and he belonged together, forever.
He spent his life making sure others remained safe, but he had to admit that having Lexi at his side was comforting.
Sam spun around. “Other side.”
“This will be fun.” She started washing his chest then his arms. Sparks coming from both of them pinged off the shower walls, and when she glanced down, his cock throbbed. “I think I forgot something.”
“Damn straight. The most important part.” He thought he’d be able to handle the stimulation, but he was wrong. After three pumps, he grabbed her hand. “Enough.”
Sam turned off the water and opened the shower door.
“What’s wrong? Did I squeeze too tight?” Lexi looked up at him with eyes that screamed Take Me.
“Yes, you did, which means you need to make amends. Go on. Dry off.”
They both stepped out of the shower and then grabbed towels. He tried to dry her off while she swiped the towel over his body. Their hands collided, and soon, Sam decided to take her the way she was—wet tits and all. He tossed his towel on the floor and led her to the bed. While his back was healing, he figured Lexi would worry less if she were lying on the mattress instead of him. In one quick swoop, he picked her up and deposited her on the bed.
“Now for my feast,” he announced.
Lexi held up her hands and glanced down at his dick. “Me first.”
“Dear goddess in heaven. You know what will happen.”
She grinned. “I’ll be quick. My wolf is having a hard time staying put. Can you kneel for me?”
Sam positioned himself, readying for the intensive sexual stimulation. Lexi grabbed his hard shaft, leaned over, and devoured his cock. He latched onto her shoulders, careful not to squeeze too hard. His blue aura glowed and pulsed with each suck of her mouth. It was as if she was helping him transcend to the light realm. Not intending to release this fast, a burst of cum shot out. Damn. He thought he’d be able to keep in control, but Lexi’s scent and amazing technique threw him off kilter.
I love her with my whole heart. That’s why I have no control.
His love overwhelmed his willpower. “My turn,” he said, not sure he could keep from fully coming.
She stuck out her tongue and dropped back onto the bed. Sam eased between her legs, anxious to take her to new heights. She tasted so fucking good that the first lick had him reeling. When he slipped a finger into her opening, Lexi groaned and arched her back.
“I’m ready now, Sam.”
He loved when she begged. “Just a little more.”
Having her desperate excited him. He returned to flicking her little nub. With his free hand, he reached up and kneaded her breast, and the combination had his dick harder than steel. When he pressed on the most sensitive spot inside, her bones began to crack.
“Sam!”
The loud plea had him sitting up. Fur flew and she spun right before him. A second later, she was in her wolf form. Oh, holy shit. “Lexi?”
She moved closer, and he held out his hand. She licked his palm then leaped off the bed. More fur spun and bones cracked again. A second later, she was standing in front of him in her beautifully naked human form.
“I am so sorry. I was so turned on that my wolf escaped.”
“Really?” He’d never had a woman do that before. “You ready for some more?”
She laughed as she crawled back on to the bed. “I can’t promise it won’t happen again, so you better hurry.”
Being on edge, himself, he had no problem obliging. As soon as Sam crawled on top of her, the skin-to-skin contact nearly made him come right then. Grabbing his shoulders, she dragged him down. Their lips touched and he slid right into her.
*
Lexi nearly lost it again. Her wolf howled and her body swam with endorphins. Sam was everything she’d ever wanted, so the urge to bite him nearly overwhelmed her, but she wanted to wait to give him time to fully enjoy this momentous occasion. Tonight they would mate and start their life together.
“Kiss me,” he whispered.
Lexi pulled his head to hers and kissed him with every ounce of passion in her
body. Sam swept his tongue around hers and drove his hard cock into her. Holy mother of gods. Even if her wolf was able to contain herself, Lexi wasn’t sure she could. Not wanting to chance hurting his back, she threaded her fingers through his hair and hung on tight. Pressing her feet onto the mattress, she met each and every one of his thrusts with ones of her own.
His musky scent overwhelmed her, and her climax teetered on the edge. His groans and moans altered something inside her, and when he thrust in hard and then held still, she could no longer keep from claiming him.
She broke the kiss just as her teeth sharpened to a point. While the hair on her arms was usually faint, new coarser hair was poking through. Not able to wait any longer, she lowered her mouth to his neck and dug her teeth in. That first taste caused her glow to enlarge so much that it melded with his. A startling white light arced between them, creating a connection so deep that not only did she climax, her body seemed to absorb his essence.
Sam’s cock exploded a second later, and he held her tight, like he never wanted to let her go. Time stood still as pure love entered her body. Her mind spun, and her vision blurred. Lexi couldn’t say how many minutes went by until Sam eventually rolled onto his side.
“I’ve never experienced anything like that before,” he said, his voice filled with awe.
“Me neither.”
He dragged a knuckle down her cheek. “What happens next?”
She was pretty sure he’d heard all about the physical changes that would occur, from the telepathy between mates, to him being able to now shift into a wolf. “We live happily ever after?”
“I’m willing,” he said.
So was she. He laughed then kissed her again. In no time they were ready for a repeat performance of the most amazing night of her life.
Chapter Twenty-Three
‡
Sam cut the engine to his truck and parked at the base of the hiking path that led up to where he’d taught Lexi how to shoot. It didn’t matter that he’d watched her transform into a wolf many times, not to mention the men he worked with who changed into bears and even tigers. Him undergoing this transformation was hard to believe. Not that he’d been jealous of what the other men had been able to do, but he had always wondered what it would be like.
