“Do you really shift into a wolf?” Ainsley blurted out. “Like completely?”
“Like totally completely.” He laughed.
She made a face. “Don’t make fun of me.”
“I could not help it. Do not take it personally.” He frowned.
“Easy for you to say,” she mumbled.
I gave Talen a look. “I would tread carefully.”
“And there comes that protective side. I was wondering where it was hiding.” He grinned.
“You take joy out of watching me right now.”
“I would have never expected you would find anyone you were willing to change for.”
“I have not changed.” I felt my anger rising.
“Sure you have. You are not nearly as reckless as normal. Your life has value.”
“His life has always had value.” Ainsley put a hand on her hip. “How could you say something like that?”
“I only mean he used to act and think things through after. He is methodical right now. It is a compliment and a statement as to your effect on him.”
“Oh. Well, he has a good influence on me too.” She smiled.
Henry walked back over. “But he is still James.” He laughed. “Do not forget that.”
“Is that a warning?’ Talen cocked his head to the side.
“Mostly. I will be treading carefully.”
“Is it all clear?” I turned to Henry. “Not that discussing my personality is not of tantamount importance.”
“It is all clear. I used my key to enter and the house is clear too. We are fine.”
“Thank you.” I nodded to him. “Now that we have that settled, we need to discuss the next stage of our plan. How are we going to find this wolf?”
“I will check in with one of my men in this world.” Talen explained. “He will know for sure where to find him.”
“You are so sure your people are keeping tabs on these other wolves?” Ainsley asked. “No offense.”
“Yes. You always need to know where to find your enemy.”
“This whole going to your enemy for help thing is strange. Sorry, but it’s true. Showing deference or not, I don’t get why they’re going to help.” Ainsley met Talen’s eyes. I was impressed with how well she was taking everything.
“It is amazing what a common enemy will do to band people together. I have never seen such cooperation between nations as when my father was at his worst,” I explained. “Sometimes parties must put their differences aside in order to tackle a far greater problem.”
“Got it.” Ainsley nodded.
“Are we ready?” Henry gestured toward the back of the house.
“Yes. We can go inside if you are sure you were thorough in your search.”
“I was.” Henry straightened up.
“Good.” I watched Ainsley’s face carefully as we headed back into the house she had been living in until a few days earlier. There was no relief on her face, no sense of relaxation. Part of me had expected her to run inside, to run away from my world. But she did nothing like it. She walked in slowly, and she remained glued to my side.
“How long do you think we’ll be back here for?” She asked as we walked through the hallway toward the kitchen I would always think of as Charlotte’s kitchen.
“In the house, or in this world?”
“This world. Do I need to pack more?”
“Maybe a day?” I had no clue, but I liked to at least pretend to have answers. “You might want to take a small bag. I will take one as well. I have some stuff here.”
“I have extra clothes in my old room. You can fit into Kevin’s stuff,” Henry turned to Talen. “Are you willing to change?”
“I suppose I must change.” Talen cringed. “I learned a lesson last time I was here. It is not worth attracting attention. You have ridiculous rules.”
“The rules aren’t ridiculous. Well, some of them are. I’ll give you that. But most are there to protect people.” Ainsley walked around the kitchen as if it were her first time there. Maybe she had expected things to be different.
“There are better ways to protect people.” Talen hopped up on the counter to sit instead of sitting in a chair. His informality surprised me.
“Is your car up front or in the garage?” Henry asked.
“Up front. I wasn’t allowed to use the garage because someone else was storing their car there.”
“And you know why. You love that car.” Her love of fast cars endeared her to me even more.
“I do.” Ainsley smiled “Where is this contact of yours, Talen?”
“Out on one of the islands.”
“Wait.” I put a hand on the smooth kitchen counter top. “An Arco is living by the beach?”
Talen shrugged. “It is not as if any of Charleston is truly cold, and he was required to stay within a few hours of the gate.”
“Still sounds funny to me.” Beach and arctic wolves did not mesh.
“Lots of things about you seem funny to me, but I don’t voice them.” Talen smirked.
“I’m going to get packed.” Ainsley headed toward the steps.
“I can go with you,” I offered immediately. Henry may have searched the house, but that did not mean I would let her go so close to the office that had been ransacked unescorted. “Not that you cannot do it alone, but I would prefer to accompany you.”
“As long as you admit you are coming because of your own issues.”
“I will admit whatever I need to.”
Henry’s laughter followed Ainsley and me up the two flights of stairs to the bedroom she’d been sleeping in before we had left for Energo.
“And here we are. Back where it all started.” She stopped in the doorway of the bedroom.
“I scared you that night.”
“You did.” She turned toward me. “A lot.”
“Without intending to.”
“I would hope not.”
I put my hands on her hips. “But it all turned out well.”
She laughed.
“What?”
“We’re back because there are crazy evil people and zombies. Someone is after us. And it all worked out well?”
“I mean with us.” I pulled her against me. “It all worked out well with us.”
“It did.” She wrapped her arms around my neck. “That part is good.”
“Only good? Last night you were calling me yummy, and today you are telling me we are good? Maybe bringing you back to this world dulls your feelings.” I was only half teasing.
“It didn’t dull anything.” She pulled my lips to hers.
I hungrily responded, moving my lips against hers before pushing into her mouth.
We stumbled into the room. I closed and locked the door behind us before gently pushing her down on the bed. She looked up at me with large eyes. “You really shouldn’t challenge my feelings.”
I pulled off my shirt. “Or maybe I should.”
She pulled off her shirt before I lay down next to her. “Do you think this will be dulled in this world?”
“Sex? Nope. It cannot be.” I ran my fingers over her bare skin. Although there is only one way to find out.”
“I guess there is.” She pushed off my hand and stood up.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” She reached around to her back and unclasped her bra. As I took in the beauty of her bare chest she stepped out of her jeans. I snapped myself out of my staring enough to remove my own clothing so that by the time she returned to the bed we were both fully undressed.
“You are perfection.”
“Not perfection.”
“You are.” I ran my lips down her neck, resisting the urge to touch every inch of her. I wanted to build anticipation that we often had no time for.
“Well, you aren’t so bad yourself.” She ran her hand down my chest.
“I am glad you think so.” My lips slid down to her shoulder.
“Is this bad?”
“What?” I
paused my lips descent down her body.
“Doing this with the guys waiting downstairs.”
“There is food in the fridge. They will be fine.” She needed me. I reminded myself as I let my need for her cloud any concern over time.
She laughed. “I guess some things are the same in both of our worlds.”
“Plenty of things are the same.” My lips reached her breast, and I greedily took it into my mouth.
She moaned. “James.”
I would never get enough of hearing my name on her lips.
She took me in her hand. “Let’s make sure sex here is just as good for us.”
I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sensation of her touch. “That sounds like a great idea.”
She pushed me so I rolled onto my back, and she released me before climbing on top of me. “But this time I need a different view.”
* * *
Our alone time ended far too soon, and before I knew it we were back with Talen and Henry standing outside of Ainsley’s small car.
“I can drive.” I reached for Ainsley’s keys.
“No, it’s fine.” She wrapped her fist around the car keys. “I don’t mind at all.”
“Are you sure?” I was not sure if it was possessiveness over her car or a desire to prove herself.
“Completely sure.”
Henry laughed. “She does not trust you with her vehicle.”
“It’s not that.” She slipped into the driver seat, and I closed the door behind her. I gave up the argument easily. I had only been offering because I thought she might prefer it.
I got into the passenger seat of her Honda, and Henry and Talen got into the backseat. Ainsley pulled out of the driveway and onto the road. It was completely dark outside, but the city was lit up with lights. That was one of the biggest differences from Belgard; the entire city went dark at night.
I kept glancing over at her as she drove out toward the coast. Images of the hour we had spent together raced through my head. The sex was just as good in the lost world. And I was falling for her even faster.
The drive went quickly, and Ainsley managed to find the house despite Talen’s lackluster directions. To cut him some slack, he had never been there himself before. At least I could relax a little bit about Ainsley’s health. She should be set for a while. I smiled before getting hit by another round of guilt. I got such pleasure out of our intimacy, yet her life depended on it. She seemed to get just as much pleasure, and I hoped that came from more than the poison’s effect on her body.
Ainsley slowed as we got stuck behind a large truck. It gave me time to admire the tall oak trees lining the road. It lacked the bright hues that were trademarks of Energo’s flora, but it still had a beauty. I turned away from the window to look at the greater beauty.
“Yes?” She noticed me watching her.
“I am just looking.”
“You do that a lot.”
“I enjoy admiring beauty.”
She reddened. “Thanks.”
Henry laughed. “Your lines are actually working?”
“His lines do not need to work. You know what they were doing at the house.” Talen chuckled.
I turned and glared at him. “That is none of your business.”
“As you wish.” He looked out the window. “Turn right at the next street. Milo’s house will be the last one at the end of the street.”
I held Ainsley’s hand as we turned and she headed for the end of the small dead-end street. Her headlights provided some illumination of the thick foliage and large southern style homes, but otherwise the street was completely dark.
She idled at the bottom of the long drive. “Are you sure this is the house?”
“Positive. Go ahead.” Talen directed.
“Okay.” Ainsley slowly drove up the long driveway and stopped. “Will Milo be expecting you?” She turned off the engine.
“No.” Talen opened his door. “He also will not have heard of the chief’s passing. It might be better if you waited in the car.”
“Not a chance. At least one of us is going.” I trusted Talen, but I wanted to hear the conversation.
“I can go.” Henry made the offer I was waiting for. I did not want to expose Ainsley to an Arco I did not know, but I had no intent of leaving her alone in the car.
“Perfect.” I nodded at him in thanks.
“We will not be long.” Talen got out of the car, and Henry followed.
“It’s strange to be back.” Ainsley unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to me. “I thought it would feel better than it does.”
“It is not as though you are back under normal circumstances, and you will still have to return to Energo. Even if we get help from the wolves, it will still take time to ensure you are safe here.”
“Can’t you just say you want me to go back with you?” She grinned.
“That would be too easy.” Although admitting my feelings out loud was never easy. Easier with Ainsley, but it still took effort to pull myself from my usual tendencies.
“How long do you think they’ll be?” She looked at the house that Talen and Henry had disappeared inside.
“I have no idea.”
“Could we go for a walk?”
“I do not see why not. We are the ones with the keys.” I touched her leg.
“Very good point.” She removed her keys and opened her door. “I think we are only a block off from the beach.”
Using the light from her phone we found a path that led to a boardwalk over the sand dunes and directly to the empty beach.
She put her phone away as soon as our feet hit the sand, and we let the moon guide us along the shore. “I love the beach when it’s cold.” She wrapped her arms around herself.
“I can see the appeal during this weather far more than when it is warm. Well, unless you wear one of those tiny swimsuits girls here seem to favor.”
“I own a few bikinis.”
“And that is where I am torn. I would love to see you wearing one, but I would prefer not to have others get to do the same. I am sure I sound possessive, but even after months spent here, I am still of Energo.”
“There is something to be said for the dresses, but not because of modesty. I think people should be able to wear anything they want.”
“And I agree, but that does not mean I want men seeing too much of you.” I refused to pretend to be comfortable with that. I would never stop her from doing what she wanted, but that did not mean I had to like it.
“You are right. That does sound possessive.”
“I never said I would prevent you from wearing anything. No one has the right to dictate those sorts of decisions for another. That does not mean I like the idea of other’s laying eyes on you.”
“Ok, when you put it that way it doesn’t sound possessive.” She smiled.
“I respect you. I respect the decisions you make, but I still want to protect you.”
“You are a gentleman.”
I laughed. “Do you really believe that I am one?”
“You are.”
“Yet I took you to bed before we were united.” Although we needed no uniting. She was mine, and I was hers. It could be no other way thanks to the bond connecting us.
“You knew I was your kindred.” There was no question in her words. “And you knew I wanted it as much as you. You let me set the speed, so that doesn’t change that deep inside you are a gentleman.”
I tickled her. “Deep inside?”
She laughed. “Okay, not deep. It’s obvious from the outside when you want it to be.”
“Are you happy?” I got serious. “I know there is a lot going on, but despite all that, are you happy you are with me?”
“After what we just did, do you have to ask that question?”
“Physical intimacy does not always reflect emotional satisfaction. Although for me it does.”
“It does for me too.” She squeezed my hand.
“And you are feeling okay now?”
<
br /> “Yes, you need to stop worrying.”
“I care about you.” More than she would ever know. She meant the world, or rather worlds, to me. I would do anything to protect her and see to her happiness.
“And I care about you. Does that mean I should be asking you how you are every few minutes now?”
“You are welcome to check on my well-being anytime.”
She stopped and turned to me. “Level with me now.”
“What do you mean?”
“There is a reason for these questions.” She looked out at the dark ocean.
“You almost passed out yesterday.”
“But that was yesterday.”
I returned my hands to their familiar place on her hips. “And today is today. It is not as though a great deal of time has passed.”
“You are worried about me for more than that.”
I wanted to tell her, but the risk was too great. I might lose her, and beyond that destroying me, it could destroy her. She needed me whether she wanted me or not. “I am not used to having someone to worry about. Let me enjoy it.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I thought your role as Guardian meant you had to worry about Charlotte. That’s enough worrying for one person.”
“That is different.” For me the difference was crystal clear.
“Different how?”
“That is my role. You are correct, but caring for you is not a role.” I took both of her hands in mine. “Caring for you is a choice, and that means worrying about you is a choice. Let me worry.”
She laughed. “Do you realize how crazy that sounds?”
“Do you realize how much I care about you?”
“I love you.” She looked deep into my eyes.
“And I love you.” The words were new ones for us, but completely natural. “So let us agree worrying is a completely appropriate thing for me to do.”
“But not so much that it gets in the way of everything else.”
“Get in the way of what?” I leaned in. “This?” I pressed my lips against hers, needing to taste her lips after such intense words were shared. I loved her. I knew that in every grain of my being, and saying it to her only made my feelings stronger.
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