by Denise Carbo
Tears blinded her. “You’re assuming an awful lot.”
“You don’t think I’d be good at the job?”
She wiped the tears off her cheek. “I meant that I would win the vote. You would be wonderful in the position.”
He cupped her cheek and wiped the tears with his thumb. “You’re the only one for the job. Why are you crying?”
“Because I’m happy.”
He chuckled. “I’m never going to understand women.”
“You only need to understand one.”
He grinned. “You’re right, and that is a full-time job.”
She gave him a watery smile. “I was afraid you were leaving without me.”
His grin faded, and he swallowed hard. “I thought it was the right thing to do, but a friend helped me to realize you’re my home. You’re my mate. I love you.”
She leaned forward to throw her arms around his neck. “I love you so much.”
His arms slid around her and gently squeezed, careful to avoid her injuries still healing. “As soon as you’re well enough I want us to bond.”
“I’m well enough right now.”
He chuckled and pulled back slightly to kiss her softly, tenderly on the lips. “No, you’re not. I can see you’re in pain even though you’re trying to hide it. Believe me I’m eager to make love to you and seal our bond, but the last thing I want is to cause you any more pain.”
Biting her lip, she had to admit he was right. There was nothing in the world she wanted more than to bond with this man, but she didn’t want to mar the special occasion because of her injuries. Thank goodness she healed fast.
Chapter Twenty-Five
His strong hand gently gripped and lifted her thigh to wrap around his naked hip. The tempered strength of this man, her man, made her feel cherished. He had insisted on waiting five anguishing days before making love to her again in order to allow her to fully heal. Despite her best efforts to seduce him beforehand, he had remained steadfast. Now, finally, they would become bonded mates, intertwining their souls and linking them together forever.
Each bonded mate’s pairing varied, and she was curious how theirs would manifest. Their emotional connection would deepen, experiencing one another’s feelings as if they were their own. An intuition often formed, warning if a bonded mate was in danger or distress. Some even experienced a telepathic link with their mates, giving them the ability to communicate with one another without the use of vocalized speech. If one died, the other would often follow, and with some mates it was instant. She’d heard of a mate dying the instant her mate had, although a continent away.
Davis’ lips left a scorching path up her arched neck to reclaim her lips. Her tongue caressed and cajoled his into a fierce dance. A faint sweet taste of butterscotch laced his tongue. She delved her fingers through the thick strands of hair over his ears. The silky texture caressed her fingertips.
Careful to keep the majority of his weight off her, he leaned on his elbow and fondled her eager flesh with his free hand. Bethany hooked both legs around him to pull him closer. She desired the weight of him upon her body. He needed to know she wasn’t a delicate, injured flower.
The groan he emitted prompted a burst of pleasure in her core. Cradling him between her thighs, she felt the heated length of him parting her folds with every movement. Rapture surged within her.
“Davis, now, please.”
Leaning slightly away, he reached between them and entered her in a single stroke. They stared into each other’s eyes as the waves of bliss intensified.
A shocked gasp escaped her. A pervading warmth wrapped around her like a gentle hug. The essence of her soul extended toward his. A golden glow surrounded them both. She opened herself completely to him. Sparkling lights teased the edges of her vision as she felt the bond snap into place.
A lightning strike of ecstasy shot through her entire body. She arched and cried out as the monumental orgasm crashed over her.
Davis clutched her tightly in his arms. Each pulsation of his completion sent another spiral of pleasure through her.
His warm breath bathed her cheek as he rose above her. She traced each of his eyebrows with her fingertip, then followed the path of his nose down to his full lips. He kissed the tip of her finger.
Tears welled in her eyes and overflowed. She could feel him deep in her heart. Their love encircled them both, like a living breathing entity. It was magical.
Davis stared into the face of his mate and marveled at the beauty shining from her. He placed a tender kiss over each tear on her cheek. Her love was pure and almost blinding. It bathed his entire essence.
He finally understood the devastation his mother must have felt at the loss of his father, her bonded mate. To have to go on without Bethany would cripple him. She was a part of him now. One existed for the other.
Cuddling in each other’s arms, they each reveled in their new-found bond.
Bethany glanced around at the muted gray color pallet of the guest suite’s bedroom. It was spacious and well appointed, but rather sterile. She preferred her own cozy bedroom in her flat or the cottage.
“I can practically feel the wheels turning in your head. What are you thinking? Besides how amazing your mate is that is.”
Grinning up at him, she lowered her head to place a kiss on his chest. “You are amazing.”
“But?”
“No buts. It just occurred to me that this room is nice, but I prefer my own. Although, I wouldn’t mind this bed.” She glanced around the width and length of the bed to see plenty of room remained even with the two of them reclining in the center.
He chuckled and kissed her forehead. “I definitely prefer the bed. And we do need to discuss our living arrangements.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean your apartment is sweet, like you, but it’s too bloody small.”
“I suppose giving up my cozy flat is a small price to pay in exchange for having you here.”
“Besides, isn’t there a suite up here or a penthouse for the leader of the clan?”
“Again, getting a little ahead of ourselves here, but there isn’t a flat in this building designated for the leader. Although if you have your heart set on it, I’m sure we could arrange something.”
“Where did Elsof live?”
“In the royal palace,” she mumbled.
Davis peered down at her. “Excuse me?”
“It’s what he insisted on calling it.” She rolled her eyes. “My uncle spent many of his formative years in England. Gossip states he was rather a hellion. Perhaps it is the reason why his father, my grandfather, planned to disinherit him, or maybe he suspected the evil he was capable of. I guess we’ll never know. Anyway, he compared himself to the royal family a great deal. When he became leader, he completely renovated the clan leader’s residence, adding on two enormous wings on either side of the original structure. It sits on a small rise overlooking the river.”
“That’s a single home? I thought it was another apartment building.”
“Ostentatious, I know. His tastes were extravagant.”
“He lived there alone?”
“Other than some staff, yes. He preferred his privacy.”
“So, we’d be living in a palace, huh?”
Bethany looked up at his smiling countenance. He appeared quite pleased with the thought. “You like that do you?”
“Who doesn’t like the idea of living in a palace?”
“Well the vote hasn’t happened yet, so the whole discussion is moot.”
“Are you nervous about tomorrow?”
She sighed. Was she? The election was tomorrow. She had accepted the entreaty to run against her cousin to rule the clan. He had been predictably furious. After the initial outbursts, he had become less visible, however. Perhaps she should be concerned about what he was up to, but she couldn’t dredge up the slightest anxiety. What would be, would be.
“No, I’m not.”
“Confi
dent you’ll win, are you? I like it. Confidence is sexy.” He nibbled on her neck and growled.
Laughing, she returned his kisses before slipping back down along his side and rested her head on his chest. “It’s not that. I’m too happy to worry what tomorrow will bring. I want to savor how I feel right now in this moment. I know whatever happens tomorrow I will be fine with you by my side.”
“Good, because I’m never going to leave it. I thought I couldn’t exist without my clan, but it’s you I can’t exist without.”
Bethany sniffled and playfully swatted at his chest. “I’m turning into a watering pot.”
“That’s okay, with our bond I can tell they’re happy tears, so I know what to do with those.”
“Oh? What is that?”
“This!”
Davis rolled her beneath him and kissed her until they were both panting for breath and any tears were long forgotten.
Epilogue
The strident sound of cheering overwhelmed Bethany as she gazed out over her clan gathered once again in the square—only this time they were welcoming her as their new ruler. The vote had been held, and she had won by a landslide. Aaron had left in the middle of the night, taking some family heirlooms from Elsof’s, now her, office with him.
Davis had been right, Aaron’s claims his father had been intended to succeed their grandfather had been a lie. Her father was the one who had been named. Kioshi had found Elsof’s journals in Aaron’s flat. She tried not to think too hard about the breaking and entering he had done to find them. She had confronted Aaron with the truth but had refrained from airing it to the clan. In the end it hadn’t mattered. The clan had chosen her without the knowledge.
She had expected Aaron to cause trouble, but perhaps he had seen the futility in continuing to claim rule over the clan. Davis was keeping tabs on him to be safe. He had fled to the Canary Islands. That was fine with her. As long as he posed no threat to her clan, he could live out his life in peace. Preferably far away from her and those she loved.
Members of Davis’ clan had arrived this morning to show their support and welcome her to the family. Malcolm and his mate, Elsie, had surprised her the most. Elsie was beautiful. She had expected no less, but she hadn’t anticipated the comradery between her and her clan or the ease with which she blended in with the Risharden as a whole. It boded well for their race on many levels if a human could not only adapt but be welcomed. Finding one’s mate may have become an easier endeavor with their example leading the way. Malcolm appeared a different man than the one she remembered. A lightness surrounded him which hadn’t been there before. It appeared as if his mate had freed him from some heavy burdens. Ashley was as stunningly beautiful as she remembered in an emerald green form fitting dress—with her wild mane of hair cascading down her back. She, Kate, and Celeste had instantly hit it off. She feared her friends might be making plans to visit the North American clan to look for mates. Ashley’s brother, Greer, stoically glared at everyone. Davis had been shocked by his friends’ arrival, and she knew deeply touched.
Aki, the leader of the Asian clan, had arrived with a small entourage of guards as well to witness the ceremony and welcome her as a new member to the council. Kioshi would be returning with him to his own clan. She would miss his presence. She knew Davis would be consulting him in the future as he revamped the security on the compound. The two of them had already had many animated discussions over the colossal task at hand.
The leader of the South American clan had sent a simple email with a single word, “Congratulations.”
Bethany glanced at her mate by her side. Happiness welled inside her. He gazed back at her with a grin. They were bonded. He could feel the happiness pouring from her as she could feel how proud he was of her. It was incredible. Tears clogged her throat and welled up in her eyes, simply thinking about how much they loved one another.
Yet, she still had a secret to share with him. She planned to tell him tonight, was a bit surprised he hadn’t figured it out already because of the bond they shared.
She was pregnant with their child—a new hope for their clan and race growing inside her. A child with ties to two of the four clans and the physical embodiment of their love for one another.
Her prayers for an end to the distrust between the clans and the start of a peaceful coexistence had been answered. An era of change and promise had begun.
A word about the author…
Denise Carbo writes Paranormal Romance, Romantic Suspense, and Contemporary Romance. She is a voracious reader, loves to travel, is fascinated by the supernatural, and enjoys figuring out the culprit of books and movies before the ending is revealed.
She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Marketing and lives in a small, picturesque New England town with her high school sweetheart and their three amazing sons.
Please visit her website—
www.DeniseCarbo.com
—to learn more about her books and to sign up for her newsletter to receive advance information, excerpts, sales, and other fun tidbits about her books and writing life.
Thank you for purchasing
this publication of The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
For questions or more information
contact us at
[email protected].
The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
www.thewildrosepress.com
To visit with authors of
The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
join our yahoo loop at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thewildrosepress/
Also available from The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Legacy of Magic
by Denise Carbo
Divorced, jobless, and homeless, Cory Bishop moves to Connecticut to begin anew. She gets lost along the way and causes a car accident which does not bode well for the next chapter in her life. However, the reconnection with her great aunt provides her with direction and purpose.
While solving a mysterious family secret, she is pursued by a charming lawyer and her exasperating neighbor who thinks arguing is a form of foreplay. But those circumstances are the least of her problems.
Cory discovers she is a witch and must learn to control her new-found powers. An ally, a confidant, and a surprise supporter guide her, but she is almost out of time. An immortal evil wants her powers and will stop at nothing to obtain them. When the battle lines are drawn, Cory must choose who is friend or enemy. Will love save her or endanger her even more?
Also Available
Destiny of a Warrior
by Mary Morgan
"You met him in the Order of the Dragon Knights. Now, journey to the realm of the Fae and witness their greatest legend!"
As leader of the Fenian Warriors, Aidan Kerrigan's accolades are many and his loyalty to the Fae unwavering. When an unexpected mission sends him to the human world and a chance encounter with Rose MacLaren, he's tempted for the first time in his existence to discard duty and claim what is forbidden.
Rose MacLaren, a Society of the Thistle member, yearns to expand her botanical knowledge with her love of history. After her rescue by a handsome stranger, she is compelled to look beyond what her rational mind comprehends and unravel the secret of the standing stones, as well as the man who captivates her.
In a mystical world ruled by ancient laws and edicts, can a fierce warrior choose a path destined for love? And will a woman honoring the ways of the land believe in a myth only spoken of in legends? If they do, will their love be enough to defy death's punishment?
line-share-buttons">share
