Dream Warrior: (Dark Warrior Alliance Book 1) (26 page)

“
A ghra,
” he screamed out. The moment he called out to her, she came so hard she swore she blacked out. His entire body tensed before his shaft began to convulse against her, releasing his seed.

As their orgasms waned, they stood in each other’s embrace, while they caught their breath. Her body was a limp, satisfied noodle. The lid to her lock box rattled, ending the mood. She lifted her head and met his gaze.

“Are you alright?” he asked tentatively.

“Honestly I have no idea. That was fantastic, but,” she worried her lower lip between her teeth. “It shouldn’t have happened. I don’t seem to have any self-control where you are concerned.”

“I’m glad of it. ‘Tis how it should be between us. You own every part of me.” He picked her up and carried her into the large laundry room. “Doona say anything more. I have told you before, nothing we do is wrong and I willna tolerate you saying otherwise. Now, I had some of our clothes stored in here. Let me clean you up.”

She could only nod her agreement. He carefully cleaned her and gave her clean clothes. She removed her soiled skirt and dressed as she watched him do the same.

He grabbed her close and kissed her forehead. “I need sustenance, shall we cook?” All of a sudden, she was starving.

Elsie was so grateful that he wasn’t pushing for more. She would have run away if he had. “Cooking would be good.” She fought back her emotions as she walked into the kitchen with him close behind. “You said you don’t know your way around the kitchen, but can you use a knife?”

“I can slice a skirm, but no’ a vegetable.”

“I’m not sure what to say to that, but damn, you’d think after seven hundred years, you’d be well-rounded. Don’t tell me you’ve spent all that time fighting,” she said. “I’ve learned about the realm, but I don’t know anything about you. Clearly, you don’t cook for yourself. What is your favorite place to eat?” She grabbed the knife, demonstrating how to dice an onion and get her mind off the desire still flooding her system.

“I love your spunk, lass. I’ve spent much of my life leading the alliance, my warriors, and my people. And fighting. After my parents were killed, all responsibilities fell to me. The Goddess made clear her expectations, and I couldna ignore it all to pursue my own desires. For immortals, the passage of time is verra different than that of a mortal. We doona experience the pressure to live our lives the same. The only thing I’ve ever desired outside of fulfilling my duties, was to find my Fated Mate and I didna find her…until recently.” He kept his eyes on the chopping block where he attempted to meticulously dice the onion she handed him. She sensed he was avoiding something.

There was that Fated Mate thing, again. Suspicion was snaking through her. “So, tell me about this Fated Mate. You said you finally found her, and I’m guessing she wouldn’t be too happy with the intimacy we have shared.”

He looked up and she was hypnotized by the intensity in his eyes. “I hope you’re verra happy aboot the intimacy. I know I am. I finally found the keeper of the other half of my soul.” His statement unnerved her and her suspicions had been correct. Keeper of his soul? Nervously, she dumped some ground turkey and ground pork into a bowl, along with other ingredients. She began smashing the mixture with her hands, trying to wrap her mind around what he was saying. He remained silent, allowing her time to process.

Had she heard him correctly? The tug in her chest told her what he said was the truth. “Your soul?” she croaked.

“This seems unbelievable, I know. But,
a ghra
, I was born over seven centuries ago with a portion of your soul that I’ve protected and loved every day since. You were born with a portion of my soul to care for and safeguard, as well.”

For the first time, she understood she had been feeling his soul pull to its other half. Words escaped her. Finally, she uttered, “What does this all mean?”

He ignored her question and posed one of his own. “What next,
a ghra?”

He sensed her turmoil and was providing an out by holding up the onions. She felt his anxiety, but he was putting her needs before his own. He clearly wanted to establish their mating, or relationship, or whatever, but wasn’t going to force anything on her. Instinctively she knew he would never push her to do anything even if it meant he would suffer. For him, her happiness came first. She realized the idea of him suffering was repellent to her as well. Unfortunately, that didn’t mean she was ready to embrace this relationship.

She was unsure how she felt and needed more information. “Can you get that Nuoc Mam, please? No, it’s the fish sauce in that big bottle. I have to tell you that what you are saying sounds crazy, and if I hadn’t been fighting vampires for over a year and seen the things I have, I wouldn’t believe you. But, I know better. So, what exactly does being a Fated Mate mean? And, grate these carrots, next.” She needed the distraction of cooking while she had this conversation.

He moved the carrots gingerly over the grater and she watched him consider his response. “Look who’s being Bossy Pants, now?” he winked, and she gave him a tremulous smile. She liked his sarcasm and had come to realize that he didn’t show others this side, that it was reserved solely for her.

“It’s been centuries since the realm has had a new union between Fated Mates,” he continued. “As I mentioned before, the Goddess created the supernaturals of the Tehrex realm. Aside from preternatural senses, she gifted them with a Fated Mate. Each mate keeps and protects half of the other’s soul. The souls pull their other half to them. There is also an undeniable compulsion to be physical with one another. This ensures they will procreate and continue the various species.”

She grabbed bulbs of garlic and began peeling them. “So I can thank your Goddess for not being able to keep my hands off you. That is very unfair. Does she not believe in free-will?”

“The Goddess has a plan and knows what’s best. Think aboot it. If she hadn’t made me for you then you would have spent the rest of your life hunting skirm, never really living and would have died too young because of it.”

She ignored the truth in his words. It was hard to recognize that her life had become filled with her desire for vengeance. “Why has the Goddess waited so long?”

“After the archdemons first escaped Hell and attacked the realm, new matings ceased. Some have said the Goddess’ denial of mates for the past seven hundred years was a curse. I believe she always had a plan, but whatever the reason, that changed when she created you. You were made for me,” he explained, pausing to gauge her response.

He gripped her hand and continued, “Being a Fated Mate means that we are destined for one another. For me, there will be no other. Eventually, we will join in a mating ceremony, after which I will claim you, in every way. A blood exchange will bind us for the rest of our immortal lives.”

He released her hand to trace the blush she felt stained her cheek. “Both humans and supernaturals go through many changes with a mating. I’ve already experienced some of those changes. You already know I canna ingest blood from any other source, but you. I also doona desire any other female. In fact, my body refuses to respond to anyone, but you. Typically, these changes only occur after all facets of the mating ceremony are completed.”

Her gaze remained on her hands, kneading the meat mixture, while nerves and disbelief warred within her. “So, how do you know that I’m yours? And, what is this ceremony?”

“Mates are distinguished by a Fated Mate mark. Those marks appear after sexual intercourse.”

Her head snapped up. “But, we haven’t had sex. How can you say that I’m your mate?”

“Nothing aboot our situation has been normal. Not only is my body acting as if the mating has been completed, but my mate mark appeared after I had sex with you in our shared dream. You’ve seen and touched my mark. It’s the cross branded on my back. And, your wee Celtic cross is right here,” he grazed his knuckle under her left ear. Suddenly, overwhelming arousal and need coursed through her. “You canna see it until we exchange blood and your DNA alters. After we complete our mating, both of our marks will morph into a tattoo and yours will become visible to humans. I canna wait for that to happen. My mark becomes more painful the longer we wait.”

She shivered with his touch. “You hurt? Why didn’t you tell me? Exchange blood how? And, what exactly, do you mean my DNA alters? Would I become a vampire?” The questions left her in rapid succession. It sounded unreal, like something out of a paranormal romance novel.

“Doona worry aboot my discomfort. Nay, you willna become a vampire. Myth has that wrong. Vampires are born, not created. Your DNA will adopt strands of my DNA, so that you become immortal. We will share and enhance each other’s powers. You will become stronger and faster, with heightened senses.”

“So, I have this mark that I can’t see, and that means that I was made for you? What would have happened if we had met, but my husband was still alive? I don’t see how I was made for you.”

“’Tis called fate, lass. We were meant to be together. I know you feel it, too. And, while I doona wish, or believe, that Dalton deserved what happened to him, it happened for a reason.” He hugged her to him and leaned his forehead against hers.

“The mating ceremony is a ritual much like any joining in your human culture. It involves being blessed with the mating stone, making love, and the exchange of blood. I can see from your face that the idea of a blood exchange is frightening. Trust me. The blood exchange is verra sensual.” He released her and leaned his hands on the counter, trapping her in the cage of his arms. “Do you recall when I took your blood last week? How pleasurable we both found it?”

“It was rather unforgettable,” she smiled wryly at him. She turned in the cage of his arms and added the cellophane noodles to the meat and shrimp mixture. She felt his warm body close behind her.

“Now, let me show you how to form an egg roll.” She grabbed a wrapper and used a melon-baller to scoop filling into the middle. How long could she ignore the hard length prodding her backside? Especially, when she wanted to take hold and go for a ride. “Are you paying attention, or are you ogling my breasts over my shoulder?”

“I can multi-task verra well. I’m ogling your lush bosom while I watch you roll the food.” He reached around her for an empty wrapper, enclosing the cage he had created. She was going to combust from unspent lust. Not even watching him fumble and create a mess doused the flames.

“That looks like a burrito. And, you are invading my bubble. I need space to work, and breathe.”

He shamelessly rubbed the hard length of his erection against her ass. “I’ve got your burrito,
a ghra
.” Apparently guys of all species were all the same, always thinking of sex.

*****

“Have you had any more specific details on your premonition of impending trouble?” Orlando asked when Elsie rubbed her stomach, again.

She paused, pacing around her desk, and glanced at him. “No I haven’t.”

“Talk to me El, I can see that something is bothering you,” he walked over to her, bumping his shoulder against hers.

She grimaced, in frustration. “I can’t seem to figure out who I should warn, or try to protect. I’m not getting the direction that I usually do. And, the feeling of disaster is becoming more urgent, it’s annoying,” she shook her head and resumed pacing. “I can’t think about that right now. I have work to do. My client will be here in forty-five minutes.”

Orlando watched as she went back to the paperwork she had been trying to complete for the past hour. He knew when her thoughts strayed to Zander, because her emotions became a tangled mess of arousal, grief, confusion, hope and shame. He was not privy to the conversation between them the night before, but given both of their emotions, they had made some progress. He stifled his jealousy. He’d been fighting his attraction to her from day one, but had been unsuccessful. He wanted her beyond what was healthy for him. She belonged to Zander and he needed to remember that.

“I can see that you aren’t able to work with your worry. Try not to let it get to you. You have had a lot going on lately. I have a feeling the Goddess has put events into play—”

His words were cut off as his nostrils flared and he sensed skirm. Within seconds, Kadir and Azazel stormed into the small office, followed by a dozen skirm. They were in deep shit. There was no way in hell he’d be able to fight off so many by himself. But, he would die trying before he allowed her to be hurt.

“Very clever, demon, but you won’t win.” He sprang across the office and flung Elsie behind him, as he slid his titanium
sgian dubh
from his boot. He didn’t have time to determine how Kadir had discovered the charity. He had to protect her. “El, stay behind me, and call Santi. Tell him to bring the cavalry, we have an infestation.”

“She won’t be calling anyone,” Kadir said. He teleported behind her and grabbed her by the shoulders. “Tell your king that he can have his
mate
back, in exchange for the amulet.” Kadir waved her cell phone in the air. Orlando yelled and shifted mid-leap. He landed on a skirm and tore into its throat. By the time he lifted his head, she was gone, as were the archdemons. He roared to the ceiling. They would all die and he would get her back!

He gave himself over to his rage as he mindlessly clawed and shredded his way through the remaining skirm. He had lost Elsie. This was his fault. He was supposed to protect her, and he had failed, miserably. As he incapacitated the last skirm, he felt Zander’s presence enter his mind. He could feel the anger and terror emanating from him.

“What, in the bluidy hell, is happening? I felt her fear, then pain, and now, nothing. I doona feel her at all! I canna get a sense of her location, either!”

“We were ambushed at the office, after sunset. Kadir and Azazel arrived with a dozen skirm. They disappeared with her, Z. We will get her back. I am so fucking sorry, you can’t even imagine.”

He shifted back to human form, picked up his
blade
where he had dropped it, and dispatched the corpses. He contemplated how they could’ve known where she would be. They had to have had help.

He winced as Zander shouted his rage. He was as consumed with fear for Elsie as Zander was. He imagined the havoc Zander was wreaking in the compound, given the spiraling emotions Orlando felt emanating from him. They coalesced into a maelstrom of killing rage.