by Aliyah Burke
“Yes, do that. Grab what you can. We have to get out of here soon. I’ll stay here and question this one a bit more.”
Altair walked away. He found the door to the basement and descended with caution. Growling reached him before he made it all the way down. He frowned, not having any wish to shoot a dog.
He could hear the hum of the motor but nothing else, except the dog. Ready to fire, he finished heading down the remainder of the steps. He saw the computers and beside the desk was a dog chained to the cement wall. It growled and snapped at him.
He checked the area. No people, so he lowered his pistol. “Easy there, boy. I am not here to hurt you.”
The Rottweiler could barely stand on his own, he was so emaciated. Didn’t stop the dog from putting on a brave front. He also had a bad back leg—one Altair was guessing had recently been broken.
“If they were not dead, I would kill them again for doing this to you.”
Altair focused on the computer and went for the laptop, shutting the top.
“Ready?” Roz asked from the top of the stairs.
“Not really. Come down here.”
“What’s going—? Holy shit, that poor baby.”
She pushed by him, again, a completely different person than she’d been. The dog frothed as he barked and wobbled at her. Altair left the computer on the table and crouched beside her.
She reached out to the dog and he could see the haze rising in his periphery. The dog whined and lay down on the cold, cracked floor. An open sore on his side didn’t look good either. He kept his eyes on them both.
“He’s coming with.”
“Agreed.” Altair pushed to his feet and checked the steps. Still clear.
Roz called a sword and sliced through the thick chain securing the canine to the wall. When she moved to the dog, he stopped her.
“You protect us. I will carry him. Put the computer in the insulated bag and I will take that as well.”
“I’m strong enough to carry him.” She put the bag straps in his hand and he shoved them to his elbow.
“Roz,” he said, kneeling before the dog. “This may hurt, boy.” He slid his arms under him then rose. “Lead the way.”
She did so, keeping the sword in her hand as they headed up. He didn’t look around at the bodies, just kept going. She opened the passenger door for him and he carefully climbed in, keeping the dog on his lap instead of putting him in the back. Roz took the wheel, cranked the key he’d left in the ignition then got them going when the engine sputtered to life.
“What do we do about the bodies and—?”
A large explosion turned the bright night sky into an orange ball of flame.
“By the time the cops arrive, there will just have been a fire. They have weapons so it will be on them, most likely.”
“What about your arrows?”
“Gone.”
“Gone? What do you mean gone?”
“Gone as in if I don’t pick them up within a certain amount of time from shooting them, they go back to Inaki and the weapons stash at the vineyard. We can’t leave behind arrows, shuriken, daggers and things like that everywhere we go.”
“I think we need to have another talk.”
She touched his face. “You’re bleeding. Are you okay?”
“Minor scratches. I will be fine.”
“If there had been demons there, it would not have gone so easily.”
“What about him?”
She didn’t respond so he turned to look at her. That haze was around her shoulders again. He looked at the dog in his lap. The growling continued but he must have been tapped for energy, for he didn’t struggle.
She parked them close to the pizza place and they made their way back toward the hotel. Before they arrived she stopped. “Give him to me.”
“What?”
“We can’t carry him into the hotel through the lobby. We have a balcony. Give him to me and I will jump up there with him. We can tend him and come morning, I will go out that way as well.”
He knew he couldn’t handle such a thing, so he transferred the dog to her arms, mindful of his injuries.
“You get him in there. I will head to that all night drugstore and pick up some items.”
“See you in a bit,” she said, before slipping away.
He jogged to the drugstore and walked the aisles, acquiring what he needed. Altair made sure to keep his shirt over the Desert Eagle. The M-4 was in the bag with the computer, which she’d also taken with her.
He listened to the people ahead of him in line talking. There was a strange disconnect to this, as there had been before for him. Just because he was in danger didn’t mean the world stopped turning. Everyone continued living their lives.
“You okay, man?” the cashier asked when it was his turn.
“Yes, fine. Had a bit of a fender bender. Did not see the reason of going to the hospital when I can clean this up myself.”
“I understand, man,” he said, ringing the purchases up. “Why pay them so much? Aspirin isn’t as expensive as they claim.”
Nodding his thanks, he paid then waited for his change. Plastic bag in hand, he headed outside and back to the hotel where his woman and now a dog waited for him.
Chapter Ten
Roz held her arms around her midsection as she stared at the dog that now finally slept. No more growling. No nothing. Just sleep. She and Altair had worked together on him. She’d done what she could to calm him and let him know they were there to help, not hurt him again, while Altair had set his leg and sewn up his injuries.
“How is he?”
She angled her body so she could lay eyes on Altair and keep the dog in view. “Resting now.”
Her mate dried his hands on a towel as he leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom. “Good,” he said.
“Yes. Now it’s your turn.”
“I will be fine.”
“I wasn’t asking, Altair. Don’t fight me on this, please.”
He tossed the towel behind him and made his way to the large chair by the bed and sat in it. She crooked her finger toward him, bag of supplies in hand.
“I need you in bed.”
He pushed up easily, a smile lingering on his lips. “Words I look forward to daily.”
“Later,” she said. “Shirt off and sit.”
He complied and she found herself staring at his dark skin. She put the bag on the bed and dug for the antiseptic wipes. Busying herself with cleaning his wounds, she did her best not to focus on his chest. Or arms. Or back. Yeah, I’m doing a craptastic job at that. All I can think about is licking him all over. How helpful will that be? Okay, helpful to my libido.
Sex on the mind or not, she kept her attention on cleaning. “Lian told us to always be mindful of any cuts we receive while battling. The demons have poison and sometimes, depending on the level the humans are in the rankings, they have it as well on their weapons.”
“How many levels are there?”
“We don’t know. They have children who also do their bidding.”
“Human children?”
“Half breeds, I suppose. But they look human—or at least Harley did. She’d been our post person for the longest time but she also kidnapped Taylor and took her to a place to torture her.”
“Cannot image that made Cale too happy.”
She snorted. “He just about tore everything up. He was on the warpath.”
“She die?”
“No. She escaped. We haven’t seen her since.” She reached for another wipe. “Anyway, that’s why we always need to clean wounds.”
“What about you?” he asked, dragging a hand down her bare arm.
“I can heal myself a bit and for anything more serious, I go to Cale. She climbed on the bed and moved to do his back. Nothing there but she took her time to enjoy the muscles beneath the taut skin. Leaning forward, she kissed between his shoulder blades. “I think you’re good, unless you have some elsewhere I haven’t been made awar
e of yet.”
He grabbed her, dragging her around so she lay in his lap. “I think I should check you, just in case.”
She looked over by the window and saw the dog still lying there, sleeping on the thick blanket they’d put beneath him. “I agree.”
He rolled her so he was on top. “Good. I want to start here.” He lifted her shirt and removed it.
Roz sucked a sharp breath when his eyes turned hooded as he stared at her. He moved back and undid the single button on her jeans, stopped then turned his attention to the boots she had on. Once they had hit the floor, he sank two fingers in her waistband. He pressed his lips to her skin, just above the open button, his hair teasing her and making her squirm.
“Altair,” she gasped, wrapping her hands in his black strands.
He tipped his head so he could look at her. The passion in his eyes flowed unhindered. Holding her gaze, he took the zipper tab in his teeth and drew it down.
Oh, Christ. I’m going to come just from this. What the hell is he doing to me?
Releasing her zipper, he inched his way back up to the top of her jeans. His breath, warm, fanned along her skin, heating her more. With his lips on her belly button, he tugged on the material covering her legs. She clenched her hands in his hair and suppressed a shudder of raw need.
This wasn’t fair. He was torturing her with his slowness. Finally, her jeans were off and she lay there in bra, panties and socks. He dragged a hand down the outside of her thigh to her knee, which he lifted. Refusing to drop her gaze, he moved his touch down her calf to her sock, which he discarded. Then he repeated that on her other leg.
Down to bra and panties.
“Look clear so far. Roll over.”
She did and allowed him to place her arms out to her sides. His lips brushed the back of her bra seconds before he undid it. He lifted her ass while her chest remained on the bed. Then he took off the bra, his touch on her taut nipples—another lesson in the patience she didn’t have.
This time he put her arms down by her sides, palms up. He left the bed and she mewled when his touch came to the soles of her feet and up the backs of her legs. Altair stopped at her knee and said, “Looks good there also.”
Her pussy was dripping and she knew her panties were soaked. She didn’t care. She just wanted him to stop tormenting her and touch her. Allow her to come. Fuck her.
“Altair,” she begged, when he dragged his fingers up the backs of her thighs.
“Shh, I am checking to make sure you have no injuries.”
When he’d almost reached her ass, he stopped and she whimpered again. This time in frustration. He kissed the base of her spine before flicking his tongue along her skin. She shifted beneath him. He kept his lips there as he moved her panties down, stopping them at her knees. Then he was gone again. There was a light graze along her derrière before he lapped at her core.
“Yes,” she moaned.
He moved his tongue with long flat swipes, as she remained where he’d put her—an offering to him. She trembled with a craving no one other than this man had ever created within her. The electrical pulse that moved through her grew with each lick of his tongue. Her cry poured free when he added two thick fingers to the pleasure, pushing them deep into her pussy.
She came hard, coating them with her cream. He didn’t slow and she closed her eyes as wave after wave crashed over her. He took out his fingers to put his tongue in and used his callused finger pads to flick her clit.
By the time he slid his cock deep inside her, she had lost count of the times she’d orgasmed. He captured her hands, which were down by her sides, and held her. He thrust deep into her with hard, fast strokes, driving grunts and groans from her with force. She gripped his hands as tightly as she could and let him lead her to more pleasure.
* * * *
“So how are we getting back to Oregon with a dog? An injured one at that?” he asked Roz as they sat in the idling rental car in a spot at a park.
“By plane.” She opened the back door and lifted the Rott out before carefully setting him on his legs.
Turning off the engine, he opened his door. Once he’d reached her side, they both watched the dog as he walked with his three good legs. Every so often he would look at them with mistrust in his eyes. Altair opened the can of food they’d picked up for him and put it in a paper bowl before sliding it in the dog’s direction.
He took the leash from Roz, who climbed up on the picnic table so her legs were next to him as he sat on the bench. The dog wanted the food but didn’t trust them enough yet to eat. He didn’t fight the leash but he wasn’t overly friendly either.
“By plane. Are we purchasing a crate for this one?”
“No. I talked to Lian. He’s sending his jet for all of us. I told him about the dog and how we couldn’t fly commercial with him.”
“And he just sent his plane?”
She nudged him with her leg. “Yes. We fly out this evening. So we just need to keep a low profile and avoid those two who were following us yesterday.”
The food’s aroma must have been too much of a temptation for the dog, for he lowered his head—keeping an eye on the two of them—and began eating. “What happens to him?”
“We keep him, of course.”
“Of course.” He turned his head to look at her.
She grinned. “He’s beautiful and plus, you can use a dog to help protect your stuff once you have more custom pieces around.”
“Not at the vineyard?”
“Not yet. I have to make sure he’s kid safe.”
He saw her point on that aspect. Looking back at the dog, who had finished and was currently licking the dish clean, he said, “Have to name him them. Cannot continue to call him Dog.”
She kissed his cheek. “Did you have a dog growing up?”
“No.”
“No fave from books or movies?”
“No.”
She stood up and the dog focused on her, muscles tense. All she did was swing her leg around Altair’s back so he was positioned between her legs—a place he truly enjoyed being. Once she settled, the dog returned to the dish, as if he could find some more morsels.
“Well, let me see. I read Old Yeller—made me cry. Where the Red Fern Grows also made me cry. The Big Red books made me cry.”
“Did you read any that did not make you cry?”
“No. The Call of the Wild, White Fang—all those made me cry. He is strong, for he withstood what they did to him.”
“So no baby name for him?” he teased.
“I’ll feed you to him.”
“Do not joke about that, I think he is still hungry.” He tipped his head back and accepted the kiss she gave him.
“Something German.”
“Why?”
“He’s a German breed. He should have a German name.”
“Do you not think he would be happy with a name, period?” he asked.
“He’s going to be our first pet together. Take this seriously.”
He shrugged and suggested, “Klaus.”
She muttered it a few times behind him. “I like it. That’s his name now. Walk him from the dish so he doesn’t feel the need to protect it, and I will throw it away. He should go to the bathroom before we leave as well.”
Altair did as she’d suggested and they spent the afternoon there in the park, keeping him away from others and giving him food in small amounts as they tried to get him to understand they were not going to hurt him.
Before they left to head to the small airport that evening, the newly appointed Klaus lay at their feet, resting. Altair and Roz had spent the day learning even more about one another. He’d not talked to another so much in years.
“Ready?” she asked.
“I am.” He stood and smiled when Klaus lifted his head then lurched to his feet, keeping his weight off the one that had been broken. “So is he.”
He rode in the back with Klaus while Roz drove. She took them to the airport and said she
would be back as soon as she’d returned the car. Before he could argue, she was gone.
“There is a cage aboard, sir, if you care to put him in one.”
Altair looked at the man who’d spoken. “I think we will try without it first.” With a gentle pull on the leash, he said, “Come on, Klaus.”
Bandaged and with a makeshift splint to hold the leg steady, Klaus walked up beside him. More of a lurching motion, but he made it up the steps on his own. Panting at the top, he waited.
Altair picked a seat along the side and the dog lay at his feet on the blanket he’d spread out. He breathed easier when Roz returned. Klaus didn’t lift his head but he did watch her enter the plane.
“You two look well settled.”
“We are.”
She sat across from him and buckled her belt. “Let’s go home.”
Altair hadn’t any experience with dogs on planes but Klaus handled it like a pro. Once they were airborne, he went to sleep. So did Roz. Altair stayed awake and watched over them both.
He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t exhausted when they landed. They disembarked and he saw a dark limo waiting at the strip. The back door was open and when the chauffeur said something, a man exited—Lian.
Roz preceded him down to the ground and hurried to her mentor’s side. Altair took his time with the dog next to him.
“You said dog,” Lian said. “This is barely there.”
“They had him chained to a wall.” Roz had anger in her tone.
Altair stared at the silent dog. The white bandage across his midsection and holding up the splint cut up the dark coat. His tan was not very prominent and he looked nearly black all over.
“Mal said she is ready to do what she can for him, if you would like her to.”
“If she could come to the house, that would be great. I don’t want him around the kids. He’s not safe yet. He’s still in such pain. I don’t want him to lash out.”
“Shall we?” Lian gestured to the car.
Altair slid in last and called Klaus. The dog entered but refused to sit. Instead he stood, watching Lian with mistrust. If it bothered him, the man never showed it. She was correct. He will make a wonderful watchdog.
