Skin Walkers: Leto (12 page)

Leto was surprised by the involuntary growl that passed his lips.

“
Lucky for you, another Walker seeks to claim her and I’ve consented.”

“What?”
Jenny shrieked.

Undeterred, Monroe continued.  “Once he…mounts her, your affliction will begin to subside.  It should only take a dozen or so
couplings
to rid her of your scent completely.

Jenny was shaking her head, her mouth gaping open in shock.  The information Monroe was providing wasn’t accurate.  Not even close.  There was only one way to sate Walker affliction and that was with the claiming and binding of one’s true angel.
  Shooting her eyes to Leto she wasn’t surprised to find him enraged.  His breathing had increased, his brows had speared down, and his hands were curled into tight fists.  Growls were rumbling from his chest and it had Jenny terrified. 

She’
d seen a Walker male in this condition only once before.  Having run blood tests on samples, she’d discovered that she was Bishop’s mate.  Not wanting to be bound, she had one of her nurses put Bishop on a strain of extremely risky pharmaceuticals she’d concocted in hopes of preventing the affliction.  When it didn’t work, she’d had her staff keep Bishop in the dark regarding the affliction and put him on the same regiment of the vitamin nutrient supplement she was currently using on Leto.  It lasted almost a month and a half before Bishop finally lost it and attacked her. 

She now wore t
he double-helix of mated Walkers but she still hadn’t forgiven herself for what she’d done to her Bishop.  He’d suffered because of her and she’d suffered as well.  She had to put a stop to Monroe’s game.  Whether he knew it or not he was putting Shy in grave danger.  She knew better than anyone else.

“Leto, that’s not true…”

King cut in, “I informed York that you’d granted permission.”  He directed his gaze to Monroe, “He’s on his way to Shy’s suite to claim her now.”

The word
s were barely out before Leto jumped from the med bed and disappeared out the door.

“WAIT!” Jenny raced for the door, but Monroe’s grip on her arm prevented her from chasing Leto.  “What in the hell do you think you’re doing,” she spat.  “He’s going to hurt her!”

Monroe smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes, “Walker men don’t hurt their angels.”

Sparks of fury burned brightly in Jenny’s eyes as she jerked her arm free, “And how in the hell would
you
know?”

A muscle ticked in Monroe’s jaw before he spoke.  “King, would you ever harm
your Lilly.”

“
Never!”

Monroe turned then, “You see.”

“You need to send help over there now Monroe.”

He stopped
just outside the door to look over his shoulder, “I couldn’t allow his affliction to carry on any longer Doctor.  It was detrimental to his health.”

“And what of hers?  I know how you feel about humans Monroe, we
all
know, but have you no pity for their baby?”

“That baby is what’s going to keep him from harming her and…”  Monroe turned and began walking away, “it’s what’s going to bring that Walker to his fucking knees.”

In the hall, King followed the CEO silently until they exited the infirmary.  “You sure about this?”

“Sure?  No.  But we’ve no other recourse aside from losing him.  If Shy believes Leto would harm her, then she has her own means of self-preservation.”

“The baby?”

“Exactly.  I’m not sure if he’d injure Shy.  As Jenny pointed out, I’ve never been afflicted, but I do know
that there isn’t a Walker on the face of this earth that would harm a child.”

“You’re certain of that?” King smirked.

Monroe stopped walking and turned to level clear blue eyes on his Sentry.  “Certain enough to have just bet Shy’s life on it.”

Chapter
17

Shy
hadn’t ventured out of her suite since her encounter with Leto.  She knew now that the odd tingling sensation she’d gotten when she had been out had been caused by the fact that he’d been watching her.  The thought still terrified her.  She’d gone over the countless times she’d been out alone and played out every scenario of how Leto could have gotten her.

Huffing
, Shy stepped out of the shower, dried herself, then smeared vanilla scented lotion over her body before wrapping the towel around her, tucking it in a tight knot just above her breasts. She shook her head frowning down at herself.  “I swear they’re growing.” 

Her breast size had increased by at least a cup and her hips had gotten an accentuated curve, but her belly
—while slightly pooched—wasn’t as pronounced as she thought it’d be by this point.  She slid a hand inside her towel and rubbed a hand gently over her belly.  “So what do you want for breakfast baby?”

Suddenly the bathroom door was slammed open
.  It crashed back and the doorknob imbedded itself into the wall sending dry-wall raining down on the crimson carpet. 

Shy screamed as she spun towards the door.  One hand instinctively clamping over her belly while the other latched onto the knot of her towel to ensure it stayed in place.

Leto’s face was contorted in pure fury as he scanned the bathroom.  He stalked to the shower and Shy had to jump out of the way to keep from being run over.

“Where is he?”  With one jerk the shower curtain was ripped from the rod, the now empty rings jangling loudly in the small room.

“W-who?”  Shy backed herself into a corner.

Leto growled and flashed his teeth, his canines had elongated.  “York!”

Shy was trembling, “H-he’s not here.”  She shrieked again when Leto grabbed her and pulled her hard against him.

“I heard you talking to him!”

“I-I wasn’t.” She shook her head vigorously, “I was t-talking to m-myself.”

Sneering down at her, Leto leaned down until his nose touched hers.  “Do you always call yourself baby?”

“Leto, please?”

He released her so quickly that she stumbled back and had to throw a hand behind her and slam it against the wall to keep herself from falling.

Leto stalked out of the room.  “
YORK!  Come out!”

Shy eyed the empty door way then slashed her eyes to her clothes folded neatly on the sink.  She didn’t know if she should dress or run.  She jumped when she heard glass shatter and she raced for the bathroom door
, snatching her panties and bra as she went.

In the hall she could hear Leto slamming open doors and growling as he went.  Quickly, she dashed toward the front door but didn’t make it.

“SHY!”

Her yelled name had her freezing on the spot.  Too afraid to turn and look at him, she stood immobile.  She expected to hear loud angry footsteps thundering toward her, but there was
only deafening silence before a strong hand curved around her throat from behind then smoothed up to her chin where it gripped tighter and forced her to turn.  Tear filled blue eyes met livid black ones.

“Leto?”  She’d seen Leto angry, but never like this.  He seemed…possessed.

“Where.  Is.  He?”

Shy licked her dry lips and swallowed hard.  She noted that Leto’s eyes locked on her lips and never moved.  “He’s not here.  He hasn’t been here.  I haven’t seen him since the day I was
brought here.  I…” she blinked and Leto’s eyes left her lips when a tear streaked down her face.  “I haven’t done anything Leto.  Please let me go.”

The hand that held her jaw released and instead he lifted both hands to gently cup her face.

“I can’t let you go,” he growled inching his face closer to hers.  “I can
never
let you go,” the admission was pained as if it were a truth he didn’t want to admit but could no longer deny.

Confusion struck hard
and Shy actually felt bad for him when she saw the agonized expression he bore as he inched still closer.  She knew that he hated her…
wanted
to hate her.  Was it possible that he was battling his need to blame her for what had been done to him?

She’d thought of him often since the first day she’d seen him at the Megalya facility.  Often?  What a joke, she’d thought of him daily and since she’d been at StoneCrow that frequency had increased to nearly hourly. 

Shy blinked as his eyes transitioned from an angry black.  Liquid smoke swirled in their depths and she caught just a hint of amber and chocolate as his anger slowly receded.  He was magnificent.  His large frame pressed into hers and made Shy feel small and feminine and in need of protection…
his
protection.

He studied her as if trying to understand a highly confusing riddle.  Was it possible that he was just as afraid of her as she’d been of him? 
Shy knew he thought she was his enemy.  Megalya he’d called her repeatedly.  Maybe if she confessed…   Maybe if she told him of her involvement with the Megalya and exactly what it entailed.  She swallowed hard as her breath mingled with his.  Maybe if she told him about the baby. 
Their
baby! 

“Leto, I…
,” Shy’s words were silenced when Leto’s mouth slanted over her own.

He invaded the confines of her mouth
and Shy was shocked by the earthy taste of him.  It was enticing. 

For a moment she stood immobile until something in his kiss had her
reacting, licking him back tentatively at first then with more bravado.  His taste was strange, not just the flavor of him but the sensation. It made her tongue tingle and her lips seemed to plump as his imploring lips continued their sensual assault.  Without thought Shy’s eyes drifted closed and she lifted her hands to wrap around his neck as Leto easily gripped her hips and lifted her up his body until her legs were wrapped around his waist.

He was strong and virile and the hard length of his body, his firm muscles
, and domineering temperament had Shy fighting to think clearly.  She wanted Leto, she had from the moment she first laid eyes on him but she knew the feeling wasn’t mutual.  So why was he here, kissing her, seducing her?

She felt them moving and part of her was afraid to know where he was taking her.  Was this all a ruse to get her off guard and harm her?  No, it wouldn’t be.  If Leto wanted her dead he could have killed her any number of times over the past few weeks.  No, this was something else.

Leto growled into her mouth and the action had Shy abandoning all logic.  It didn’t matter why Leto wanted her just that he did. 

Shy felt her ha
nds slide across something cold before Leto was pulling back.  Afraid to open her eyes and see the anger and regret she knew would be there, she opted to keep her eyes closed as she let her head fall slowly forward.  She didn’t want to face the rejection she knew was sure to come.

“Shy?” Leto’s tone was impossibly soft and more gentle than she ever believed him capable of.

She refused to look up but opened her eyes to rapidly blink back the tears of disappointment that formed there.  When her vision finally cleared Shy gasped to find Leto on his knees in front of her. 

He’d carried her to the dining table and was now on his knees before her.  Her legs had been spread when he’d carried her and still clad in only the towel, Shy blushed and tried to close her legs and use the towel to cover her exposed sex that had Leto’s full attention.

Instead of allowing her to cover herself, Leto leaned closer so that his broad shoulders kept her legs spread and then forced them wider apart.  His hands reached up and clamped over hers to keep her from hiding herself from him.

Slowly he lifted his eyes to hers.  The struggle Shy saw there was heartbreaking.  He was fighting something and she could clearly see it, but what?

“Why do you carry my scent?”  The words spoken on a whisper were imploring, begging to be answered.

Shy opened her mouth and drew in a shaky breath.  It was now or never.

As if sensing she was on the verge of explaining, on the verge of giving him the answers he sought but wasn’t sure he’d want to know, Leto quickly pulled his eyes from hers and focused on her sex before pressing forward and burying his face between her legs.

She knew she was wet.  S
he’d been ever since his lips claimed hers and when she tried to pull back so Leto wouldn’t discover how he affected her, his hands locked on her hips and his nose pressed into her.

Shy arched her back and had no hope of stifling the keening cry of desire that escaped her lips when Leto’s tongue sluiced through her wet folds.  He lifted a firm hand to her chest and eased her back until she was flat on the table with Leto still buried between her thighs. 
His hot tongue seared through her again and she tried to clamp her legs closed to keep from coming at the sheer ecstasy his tongue provoked.  His shoulders prevented Shy’s attempt. 

Still clamping one hand at her chest to keep the towel from slipping, Shy reached down and pulled on Leto’s hair
with her free hand, hoping to put some distance between his exquisite lips and her overheated flesh.  Instead he growled and the sensation of the rumble against her pussy had her calling out as her eyes fluttered closed.