Fated (12 page)

“I had thought slow and gentle this time, mate.” He finished rinsing the soap out of her hair a second time.

She giggled. “Maybe next time, Talen.”

“Maybe.” But he sounded doubtful. He turned her to face him and placed a gentle kiss on her mouth. “I love your body.”

She smiled against his mouth and was startled as he leaned back to stare at her.

“But I will demand your heart, Cara.”

She didn’t have an answer as he grabbed a thick white towel and dried her hair. They stepped out of the bathroom to find clothing laid out on the massive king-size bed. Cara shrugged into jeans and a long sleeved blue shirt while Talen followed suit in the spacious guest suite. The room was comfortable with maple dressers, wildlife oils, and a wide screened door leading to an inviting deck. Henry the plant had taken up residence on one side of the large dresser. The rain had started to fall again with dusk.

“So, how long have you known Jordan?” She did her best to finger-comb her hair into obedience.

Talen shrugged a large shoulder. “A few hundred years.”

Cara stopped in shock. “Really?”

“Yes. Their clan has been an ally of ours for as long as I can remember.”

“And they change into mountain lions—cougars?” It was almost too much to take in.

“Yes. Shape-shifters are predestined in their animal form, Jordan’s is a mountain lion. Same thing as a western coug.”

“Predestined form?” How cool would it be to change into a wild animal—to be that free, if only for a short time? She squeezed extra water out of her hair.

“Yes. Shifters are either feline, canine, or multi.” Talen brushed his own thick hair back from his face with two broad hands.

“What does multi mean?”

He stretched his neck one way and then the other. “Multis can usually take whatever form they wish, except for feline or canine.”

Fascinating. The genetics involved with a multi would keep her sister Emma intrigued for decades. “Jordan is the leader of the cougars?”

“Definitely.” Talen rubbed his chin. “Jordan became leader of the Pride around the same time Dage became king.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” Talen’s eyes darkened, and a thick green swirled through the gold. “We’d been at war with the Kurjus and its allies for nearly two centuries and a summit was called. Leaders from all over made efforts to attend, but it was a trick.”

“The Kurjans have allies?” Cara asked, her heart speeding up in relation to the clenching of Talen’s jaw.

“Yes. The Kurjans, leopard shifters, dark shamans, to name a few. We thought a treaty was likely as we’d all suffered many losses.” He took a deep breath. “The Kurjus struck as leaders traveled and killed my parents. As well as Jordan’s.”

Cara’s gut clenched as if someone had punched her. “I’m sorry, Talen. How old were you?”

He shrugged. “Twenty. Dage was twenty-five; Kane eighteen, Conn sixteen, and Jase only fifteen.”

“Dage became king at twenty-five? And brokered a treaty?” Wow, unthinkable.

Giving a sharp shake of his head, Talen focused his gaze somewhere in the past. “He became king, and we went to war, creating a bloody battlefield the earth had never seen.” A muscle ticked in Talen’s jaw and his spine straightened. “Until blood and death overshadowed life and air.”

Palpable pain emanated from the immortal man holding her hand, and Cara sought a way to soothe. She snuggled closer. “What then?”

“Then Dage brokered the treaty.” Finality coated Talen’s words. “It was either that, or end life for everybody on this planet.”

Cara ran a gentle finger down his strong face. “What were your parents like?”

Talen’s lips tipped up, and a light twinkle lit his eyes. “My mother was Irish, temper and all. Black hair, blue eyes, and she ruled the world.”

“Your father?” Was the former king a good man? Had Talen been lucky enough to know love from a father, rather than pain?

“A soldier and a diplomat. He was a large man with a bigger laugh.” A full smile illuminated Talen’s face for a moment. “He worshipped the very air my mother breathed.”

Ah. Lucky woman. “So, you’ve known Jordan through war and peaceful times?”

Talen gave a short nod.

“And Katie is his mate?”

Talen flashed white teeth against tanned skin in an amused grin. “Oh yeah. But neither of them has a clue yet.”

Cara smiled in response. “It’s obvious, isn’t it?”

His gaze warmed on hers. “Always.” He held out a hand for her and tugged her to sit on the big bed. “Close your eyes.”

“Why?” she asked as she complied, the marking on his palm pulsing with heat against her own.

“I want you to tell me where Jordan and Katie are in the house right now.”

Cara’s eyes flew open in alarm as she tried to tug her hand from his and stand up. “I can’t do that.”

“Yes, you can,” he countered, his hand tightening on hers.

“No, really, that’s ridiculous.” She breathed out as anxiety started to pool like glue in her stomach. She tried to yank her hand from Talen’s while he kept her on the bed.

“It’s easy.” His voice was low, soothing. “Just pinpoint them by their emotions. I can tell you can feel them.”

“You can tell?” she asked, confused.

“Yes. We’re mated, Cara. I can feel what you feel. Now your abilities should strengthen.”

“No.” Her jaw set as she shifted away from him. One firm hand on her chin turned her to face him, his golden eyes soft and thoughtful.

“Why not?”

“Because I can’t.” The last was said with frustration. Sometimes she couldn’t help feeling along with other people, but she certainly couldn’t make herself do so.

“Why not?”

“It’s not natural,” she whispered, her eyes almost tearing up.

Talen’s gaze hardened. “Who hurt you, Cara?”

“Nobody,” she closed her eyes against his questions. “Please, Talen …”

S
omething shifted inside him. His courageous, stubborn, sweet wife was afraid. He liked her temper, and he liked her firm chin when she challenged him. He didn’t like her uncertainty or her fear. He glanced around the spacious bedroom of Jordan’s ranch. “Open your eyes.”

Wariness filled them. He leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her soft mouth. “I won’t let anyone hurt you Cara, ever.” He stroked one finger down the smoothness of her face. “You are exactly who you are supposed to be and your gifts are a part of you, mate. It doesn’t get more natural than that.”

Damn, something in his chest ached for her. It couldn’t be his heart, he’d lost that during those bloody years after his parents had been murdered. But he liked his little mate; he’d like her even more if she allowed herself to love him. She was a female, she was a mate. Love was her calling.

He may not be able to feel love in return, but he sure as hell could give her safety and peace. Making sure she smiled and laughed, well, that was his calling now.

He rolled to his feet and pulled her along with him. “Come on, I have a surprise for you.”

Her hand clasped his warmer one, and she let him pull her from the room. Talen glanced in appreciation at the antiques and genuine western oils on the dark walls as he led his mate
across the spacious main room of the ranch house to a home office with an impressive view of white-covered mountains in the distance.

He crossed around a wide burnished oak desk and punched in a couple of keys on a large computer before gesturing Cara to the desk chair. She walked toward him and then gasped as Janie’s small face filled the computer screen.

“Hey Mama. How cool is this?” Janie grinned and his mate gasped again.

“You lost a tooth.” Cara’s voice lowered with the sound of tears.

“Yep.” The grin widened. “Can you believe it? And the tooth fairy gives a lot more here than at home.”

“Really?” Cara sat heavily in a padded leather chair as Talen wrapped a reassuring hand around the back of her neck. He hoped this was a good idea. “How much does she give for a tooth there?”

Janie leaned forward conspiratorially.
“Fifty
dollars, a new pocket game, and three dolls.” Talen wondered if that was too much. Maybe he should talk to his brothers.

“Geez,” Cara coughed out with an answering grin. “That’s a lot.”

Janie’s blue eyes all but glowed with happiness as she held a doll in one hand, though the several braids woven through her hair were lopsided and mismatched. “Um, honey, who has been doing your hair?”

Janie rolled her eyes. “First Uncle Jase but then he got frustrated cause his hands are too big and then Uncle Brack, but he can’t get them even. Uncle Dage did them the first day before he had to go and those were the best. Today Uncle Conn tried really hard but it was double damn hard for him.” She shook her braids sadly.

An embarrassed cough sounded as a broad face leaned into camera range. “Sorry about that. I’ll er, watch the language from now on.”

Cara nodded as Talen scowled at his brother. Conn’s metallic green eyes smiled his apology as he grinned at Cara.

“I’m Conn. Welcome to the family.” Then he dodged out of range.

Janie smiled in adoration off camera before turning back to her mother. “When will you be here?”

“Soon as I can,” Cara said softly. “Are you having fun?”

“Oh yeah. It’s really fun here in …” A large masculine hand over the microphone muffled the rest of her statement. Janie grinned. “Oops, I forgot I wasn’t supposed to say where we are. Anyway …” she rolled her eyes toward Conn, “I’m having lots of fun but miss you.”

“I miss you, too. Aren’t there any other kids around?”

Janie shook her head. “No.”

“Really?” Cara wondered. Janie nodded in affirmation before looking quizzically around Cara.

Talen leaned down so he could be seen by Janie. “Hi, sweetheart.”

“Hi.” The little girl smiled, her eyes lighting up even more. “I met all your brothers ’cept for Kane cause he’s across the ocean somewhere but I talked to him on the phone this morning, and they all said it was okay you’re my dad now.”

Talen grinned. “Thought they might.”

“Yeah.” Janie bounced happily. “And Uncle Conn even said you deserved me.”

“Did he now?”

“Yep. Somethin’ about wild days, whatever that means.”

“It means my perspective toward beautiful women has changed.”

“Why?” she asked with a wrinkled brow.

Talen shook his head. “Hard to explain, sweetheart.”

Now Cara rolled her eyes next to him. Talen gave her a few more minutes to talk to Janie before he said they had to wrap it up. As the screen went blank, Cara lifted watery eyes.

“We’ll get there as soon as we can, Cara.”

“I know.” She clasped his hand as they left the room. “When?”

“Soon.” He led her past the formidable stone fireplace of the great room and into a wide, expansive kitchen where Jordan stirred something in a large Crock-Pot.

Cara sighed. She guessed “soon” would have to be good enough. Then her stomach growled as the scent of fresh stew assaulted her senses.

“Stop messing with it,” Katie said from the nearby table with a glare.

“You always burn it,” came the dry reply. Then Jordan turned flecked brown eyes their way. “Your call was successful?”

“Yes, thank you,” Cara replied warmly as she moved to join Katie at the table. The young woman had showered and changed into faded jeans and a red shirt. “How’s your side?”

“Healed.” The grin was pure imp.

“Thanks for the clothes.”

“No problem.” Katie looked up as Jordan began dishing out fragrant bowls of stew before the men joined them at the table. Cara couldn’t help but notice that even in human form, a sense of wild danger clung to Jordan. No wonder he and Talen seemed such good friends.

They dug in as if starved.

Halfway through the meal Jordan excused himself to take a phone call, only to return to the comfortable kitchen with a serious expression on his hard face. “We go in thirty minutes.”

Talen’s eyes narrowed. “I thought the raid was set for tomorrow night.”

“It was. We’ve lost contact with Dr. Bigsby. We can’t take the chance they’re preparing for us.”

Talen nodded and pushed to his feet.

“Wait a minute.” Cara put out a hand in protest. “What raid? Who’s Bigsby?”

“I’ll give you a minute,” Jordan said to Talen as he turned from the room.

“Wait, Jordan,” Katie called after him as she jumped up and hurried from the room. Cara couldn’t hear what Katie said, but she did hear Jordan’s sharp reply of, “Absolutely no fucking way,” as their footsteps retreated through the great room.

She turned inquisitive eyes on Talen as he sat at the round oak table. His burnished eyes shone a serious pure gold with no green. “I’m not sure where to start. The Realm was at war with the Kurjus for several hundreds of years until we both suffered so many losses we created a treaty to protect us and the humans—about three hundred years ago.”

“The Realm?”

“Oh, yeah.” Talen frowned. “That’s us. It’s like your United Nations; there’s us, several shape shifting clans, friendly wiccans, and some others.”

“No faeries?” Cara asked dryly.

Talen shrugged. “They don’t align with anybody. We’ve fought with them, against them, you never really quite know.”

“Seriously?” Cara had been joking.

“Oh yeah. The faeries are kind of like Switzerland with a big stick.” He gave an exaggerated shudder with a grin.

Cara shook her head in amazement. “So the Kurjans have broken the treaty by coming after Janie and me?”

“Yes. Plus, they violated the agreement by conducting research at various facilities to alter their DNA so they can withstand sunlight. We’ve had allies in different places around the world to keep an eye on things.”

The scientist in her took notice. “How is it possible to alter DNA?”

Talen shrugged. “Believe me, I am not the scientific one in my family.” He grinned. “I guess you are.”

“I’d love to see the research,” she said thoughtfully.

“You will. We’re raiding one of their Springfield facilities in about fifteen minutes. I’ll bring you what I can.”

“Maybe I should come. I’d know better what to look for.” Her mind spun with the scientific results that could be reached. If such an alteration of DNA were really possible, most human genetic diseases could be cured before they started. Her mind boggled.