by Lacey Thorn
“Sounds good. What about the other two who came with Tony?” Daniel still couldn’t remember their names.
“They flew back this afternoon. Something else came up that they were needed for. Tony said he’d pull more once we had better information.”
“Any news on Quinn?” Daniel figured Ariel would ask when she woke up.
“She’s hanging in. Abby had them give her some of Tah’s blood, and she seems to be healing. She hasn’t spoken about the baby’s father. Gideon is watching over her. Miles is kind of…” Gabriel broke off with a shake of his head.
“I’m sure,” Daniel agreed. Miles Jensen hadn’t heard from his daughter since Isaac had sent her straight into the heart of a hunter’s lab. Now, she was back, hurt and pregnant with a baby whose father was a shifter. “You going to give me a good report when you check in with Tah later?” Because there was no doubt in his mind that either Gabriel or Kenzie would be speaking with their alpha before they called it a night.
Gabriel nodded. “Yeah, I will. You know he’s been behind the two of you from the very beginning, right?”
No, Daniel hadn’t, but it made him feel good hearing it now. Gabriel pulled him in for another hard hug.
“Aleksy and Lyra will meet you in the lobby at six. Get some more rest. I’ll call you as soon as I can tomorrow.”
“Tell the Holloways I said hello. In case we end up headed in a different direction.”
“Will do,” Gabriel vowed and reached for the door across from Daniel’s.
“You’re across the hall?” Daniel laughed as Gabriel nodded.
“Of course. I’ve always got your back, brother. Always.”
Stepping back into the room with his mate, Daniel’s heart felt light for the first time in a long time. He was making strides with her, and now, he knew he had his brother and his alpha’s support, too. Things were finally looking up. He slid back into bed with Ariel, and his heart caught when she immediately moved into him just as she had the last time. He pulled her close, wrapping her in his arms and dropping a kiss on her head.
“Everything okay?” she murmured against his chest, sounding mostly asleep.
“Yeah, baby. Everything’s fine. Go back to sleep.”
She murmured something, kissed his chest and settled against him with a soft sigh. Everything was more than fine. It was perfect.
Chapter Fourteen
Ariel had slept soundly pretty much the whole day after her encounter with Daniel. Encounter, hell. He’d brought her to orgasm for the first time in her life. She’d been a bit uncertain when she woke wrapped in his arms. Unsure how to behave or even what to say. She was so far out of her element. Her normal reaction was anger, but that didn’t seem the right choice with Daniel.
He’d saved her from her own awkwardness by kissing her brow as he left the bed and headed to the bathroom, promising her he’d be quick. Then he was dressed and waiting for her when she’d left the bathroom after her turn. She’d been fully dressed for the day, too. He’d taken her repacked bag, shouldering it along with his then held the door for her as they’d left. Then he’d held out his hand to her, and after a brief moment, she’d placed her palm against his.
They’d grabbed breakfast with Aleksy and Lyra and spent the last four hours in silence while they headed toward Wyoming. Which meant Ariel spent far too much time in her head with her thoughts. Daniel rode shotgun while Aleksy drove, leaving Ariel to share the backseat with Lyra. As if he could pick up on her tension, Daniel glanced back at her every now and then, checking on her. At times, Lyra and Aleksy seemed to share a private conversation she and Daniel weren’t privy to.
Ariel was ready to scream when the phone rang and Aleksy answered it on speaker. Gabriel’s voice filled the vehicle.
“Talbot’s not in the area. At least, not that the Holloways have heard, and they’d know. He’s either still en route or heading somewhere else. Laramie has things locked down pretty tight, right now. Several of the mates are pregnant. We’ll be heading out soon. Tony’s sending some coordinates to your phone, Aleksy. Laramie said it would be one of the most logical places to look. We’re heading to the other. Everyone stay together. No big moves. Surveillance only. Check in when you get there. We’ll do the same.”
“Sounds good,” Aleksy replied for them. “I’ll check out the coordinates on our next fuel stop. According to the last sign we passed, that will be in twenty miles.”
“Daniel?” Gabriel asked.
“I’m here.”
“Be safe. You too, little sister.”
Then he disconnected. It didn’t hit her until Daniel glanced back at her with a smile playing over his lips that Gabriel had been talking to her. He’d called her little sister. Did that mean he wasn’t angry with her, anymore? It must, and she wasn’t sure what to think about that. It made things easier when people were angry with her. Anger she could deal with. People were predictable when they were angry. It was everything else that left her drowning in uncertainty.
“Next stop coming up,” Aleksy said. “We can grab some road food while we’re there. I’ll plug the new route into the GPS, and we’ll get back on the road. Sound good?”
They all murmured assent. Lyra and Ariel ran inside to use the restroom and pick out food and drinks while Aleksy and Daniel stayed outside getting fuel. Ariel figured they were strategizing or something and would fill in her and Lyra later. It felt natural when Daniel joined them and put his hand on her lower back. She was comfortable with his touch. It was nice, soothing. It grounded her.
“Lyra’s going to sit up front for the next leg. I thought we could sprawl out in the back and catch some more sleep,” Daniel offered as he paid for what she’d set on the counter then took the bags with one hand before taking her hand with his free one.
“I’m not sure more sleep is what I need,” she replied with a laugh. “I slept pretty sound for most of the afternoon yesterday and all of last night.”
“Then we can at least relax. Aleksy and I took a look at the route. It’s going to take us most of the day to get there. We found a place to stop for the night. Then we’ll begin looking around first thing in the morning.”
“Are we sharing a room again?” she asked softly.
Daniel didn’t hesitate. “Yes. Aleksy and I grabbed two rooms across from each other. We need to stay together.” He held open the vehicle’s door for her then handed her the bags. Bending low to place a chaste kiss on her lips, he whispered, “I think I’ve learned the key to helping you sleep anyway.”
Her face heated, and he laughed as he shut the door and moved around to the other side. He slid onto the seat beside her and shut the door before turning and shuffling through the bags of food. He took one of the pizzas she’d bought then grabbed a couple of bottles of water.
“Not much of a first date, but…” He paused, shrugging his shoulders. “We could pretend.”
His grin melted through the layer of ice she’d managed to keep her heart encased in. He mattered. It was what she’d feared and most desired at the same time. She could fall in love with him, and knowing that sent terror through her. She swore her heart was going to beat right out of her chest.
Aleksy said something and Daniel turned to answer. She had no idea what it was they were discussing. Her ears were buzzing with white noise. It took her a moment to realize he’d asked her something.
“What?”
“I asked if you wanted a slice.” He held the offering of pizza out to her. “It’s best when it’s hot. Have to admit I’m not one of those who enjoys it cold.”
She took the food from his hand. “You wouldn’t have enjoyed Colorado then. We ate a lot of cold pizza. The cabin we lived in was too far out for anyone to get back with food that was still warm. Forget eating it hot unless we heated it up in the oven.”
“You’d just arrived in Colorado before the pride headed to Oklahoma, right?” Daniel asked between bites.
She nodded. “Griffin and I went with Gideon. He said he was searching for
Clara, but I think he meant to leave Griffin and me with Tah and the pride the whole time.”
“Gideon didn’t plan to stay?”
“No. He’s not one for big groups of people. Plus, he planned to go look for Thomas Walker, Clara’s uncle.”
“Then he met his mate,” Daniel added. “And stayed.”
“Oh, he and Vic didn’t get along at first. He was rude and tried to avoid her, but she wasn’t having it. She confronted him. Told him she wasn’t his mate, so he needed to get over it. Gideon agreed. He was sure he didn’t have a mate.” And they’d been wrong. Vic and Gideon were mates, and no matter how much they’d both fought it in the beginning, they’d found out they needed each other. Was it going to be that way for her and Daniel?
“Looks like they were wrong,” Daniel stated, mirroring her thoughts. “They seem happy.”
“They are. Gideon deserves to be happy.”
“What about you?” Daniel asked quietly. “Do you deserve to be happy?”
Part of her wanted to scream yes. She wanted happiness. Wanted to latch onto it with both hands and hold tightly. But she shrugged instead, insecurity winning out. He reached across and used his finger to tip up her chin until their gazes met again.
“Everyone deserves happiness. Even you and me.”
She didn’t reply, but she held his gaze. Could she give him more? They’d kissed and touched. He’d given her an orgasm. Whenever she’d let nerves get the better of her, he’d slowed things down until she was comfortable again. Hell, until she was immersed in the pleasure he’d willingly offered. Offered yet not taken. Oh, God!
“Do you have family?” Daniel’s question snapped her from her heated thoughts. “I mean siblings or parents?”
She shook her head. “My mother died giving birth to me. She was human. My father wasn’t in the picture at all, as far as I know. My grandmother raised me. We didn’t have much, and being human, she had no idea what to do with me. She did her best though and loved me in her own way. She died a few months before I graduated from school.”
The look he gave her was sad. She didn’t want his sympathy, though. Sure, her life didn’t sound great the way she’d worded it, but she hadn’t had the hell she’d heard other shifters share. Besides, she didn’t want to talk about her past, right now. She wanted to ask Daniel about what had happened between them. What she’d denied him while greedily taking for herself.
“You didn’t orgasm,” she blurted aloud then felt her face go up in flames again as Aleksy cleared his throat then turned up the music.
Daniel leaned in close, brushing her hair behind her ear before whispering, “I came, too, baby.”
At this rate, her face was going to stay red.
“It’s nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about, baby,” he continued. “We may not have officially mated yet, but I belong to you, Ariel. With you. What we do when we’re alone together belongs to no one but us.”
She pushed the pizza toward him. “Better keep eating before it goes cold.”
He ran his thumb over her bottom lip but let her retreat. For some reason, that made her want what was beginning between them even more. They finished the pizza, Daniel polishing off the last slice while she closed her eyes. Her full belly along with the motion of the moving vehicle had her dozing. She’d seriously doubted she’d be able to sleep again, but the next thing she knew, she was waking up. Her head was resting on Daniel’s thigh, his fingers brushing through her hair. She sat up slowly.
“Where are we?”
“Rest area. We needed a bathroom break. I hated to wake you up, but you should probably go while we’re here.”
She glanced around. There weren’t a lot of people. Plus, there was a nice wooded area where she saw Aleksy and Lyra exiting. Aleksy seemed…relaxed, and Lyra was picking leaves out of her hair, smiling. Looked like Aleksy and Lyra had needed to stop for more than a bathroom break. And why was she suddenly back in that bed with Daniel, riding his thigh while he brought her to orgasm? It shocked her to realize she wanted his touch. When was the last time she’d craved anyone’s touch? Had she ever?
“Baby?”
Daniel’s voice had her blinking up at him. She’d always hated terms of endearment. Sneered when she heard one of the males in their pride refer to his mate by anything other than her name. She especially hated the term baby which implied weakness. Babies were defenseless, needing someone else to meet all their needs because they were incapable of standing alone. It did not denote a partner of equal standing in her opinion. But Daniel? God, when he gave her that look and called her baby, her heart melted. Butterflies took flight in her stomach. It didn’t make her feel inferior. It made her feel…too much, and it was confusing.
He took her hand, opening his door and pulling her out behind him. He stretched as he gained his feet, and she stared with greed as she watched the display of muscle and brawn. Mine whispered through her mind, and she jolted in surprise. Her tigress stretched against her skin, filling her with warmth as they watched the prime male specimen before them.
“Daniel.”
His name left her lips without thought as she stepped forward, stepped into him. Not giving herself a chance to think, she continued onto her toes and sighed when he lowered his head to meet her. Her lips brushed over his then pressed firmly. She’d never initiated a kiss, never kissed anyone prior to Daniel, and he’d been the one to lead her there. She was unsure, completely out of her comfort zone.
His hands loosely held her waist, and he seemed content to let her be in control. She sighed in frustration, and as her lips parted, he gently dipped his tongue along the seam, tracing and flicking, enticing hers out to join. He rubbed along hers, and when he slowly pulled his tongue back inside his mouth, she followed, exploring and relearning the flavor that was distinctly his kiss.
She lifted her hands, running her fingers through his hair and holding tightly to him. He kept his hold easy, gentle. She felt the press of his erection before he pulled his hips back, creating space between them. That’s when it hit her. He’d done that several times. Pulled away, hiding his body’s need, so it didn’t spook her. This man. This amazing man who put her first in ways she wasn’t always aware of. He opened her eyes and filled the broken seams of her heart, slowly mending the shattered pieces she’d feared could never be healed.
She purposely closed the distance between them. A shudder went through her as his erection pressed along her stomach. When he tried to move again, she dropped her hands to his hips and held him tightly against her.
“Ariel.” Her name was exhaled on a rough breath as his body shivered against hers.
“Is it too much?” she asked softly.
“I don’t want to scare you,” he murmured, his voice a guttural growl at her ear.
“I want to…” She paused, swallowing and trying again. “I’d like to feel you against me. All of you. Just for a moment.”
His hands fell to cup her derriere, fingers flexing along the bottom curve before he pulled her flush, giving her a slight lift so she felt the base of him against the juncture of her thighs. His shaft flexed and pulsed.
The past tapped at her mind, horror wanting to overshadow what she was experiencing with Daniel. As if he sensed the intrusion in her thoughts, Daniel began murmuring in her ear.
“Just the two of us. You and me. Only pleasure. Only love. And only ever what you want. That’s my promise to you.” He tilted her face up to him, dropping a kiss to her lips. “I love you, Ariel. I don’t expect the words back from you yet, but someday… Someday, I hope you’ll love me, too.” He dropped another kiss onto her lips, patted her softly on her ass then stepped away, linking their hands as he tugged her along with him. “Now, let’s stretch our legs and take advantage of this stop. I’ll check the vending machine while we’re here. See what they have to offer.”
“We grabbed two bags of snacks.”
His grin was boyish, and she felt more of the cracks in her heart fill in. “I got hun
gry while you were sleeping.”
He swung their joined hands as they walked, bringing a lightheartedness she hadn’t felt since she was a child. Maybe, she’d been wrong. Maybe, her pieces could fit back together. Maybe, she could learn to be a mate. Maybe, she could find a new beginning. With Daniel.
Chapter Fifteen
“This is ridiculous,” Daniel fumed, glancing between Aleksy, Tony, and Gabriel. “We’re on a wild goose chase. If Talbot was here, he isn’t now. How long do you plan on us chasing the wind?”
Talbot wasn’t in Wyoming. At least, nowhere they’d searched. Daniel couldn’t even blame Talbot alone for his mounting frustration, though finding a group of hunters and engaging in a good fight might help him expend some of what was building inside him. He’d hoped to explore a little more with his mate the night before, but Ariel had been sound asleep when he’d finished in the shower and joined her. She’d woken once from an obvious nightmare, and the fact she hadn’t yelled or called out in any way broke his heart more than if she had. He’d wrapped his arms around her and held her close while he vowed to her over and over again that he was there, that he would never let anyone hurt her again.
“We need to regroup,” Gabriel agreed, coming to stand beside Daniel.
Aleksy stood silently, his gaze fixed on Tony who paced back and forth with clear agitation. Lyra stood beside her mate. Hell, Daniel rarely saw the two apart. He had to admit he was envious of their deep bond, as well as how quickly it had been established between them.
“Why don’t the four of you head back to Oklahoma, and Lyra and I will go with Tony in the bird and check a few more places before we head back,” Aleksy offered. “We need to make a stop in Chicago anyway. Lyra wants to check on a friend.”
Tony made a savage sound, a low, guttural growl that would have rivaled one from any of the shifters present. Then he turned and walked away. Daniel was pretty sure Tony didn’t have a trip to Chicago on his agenda. But whether it was an aversion to Chicago or an aversion to anything that took him away from his obsessive need to find Talbot, Daniel wasn’t sure. It made him wonder who exactly Talbot had taken and left to die, and what that person had meant to Tony.
