Strange Lake Falls Panther (Strange Lake Falls Series Book 4) (10 page)

It felt like it took forever to get to the hospital. As soon as he walked through the doors, nurses were rushing to try to take him to the ER. He was bloody and had scratches all over. But he didn’t have time for that. He needed to get to Roxanne.

“Connor.”

He turned at the sound of his name. Diana stood near the elevators with Lucas next to her. He rushed over to them, desperate for news. “Where’s Roxanne?”

“They took her to the fourth floor and gave her a sedative. She’ll heal on her on but they wanted something to calm her down. She was determined to get back to the cave to get you, but the doctor refused because of how hard she hit her head. She finally fell asleep a few minutes ago.”

He followed her and Lucas into the elevator. As soon as the doors were closed, Diana reached out and touched his arm. “She’s going to be fine Connor. You got to her before he could . . .”

“It looked like he had,” Connor whispered.

“But you stopped him in time. He didn’t get a chance to force himself on her. The doctor checked her over too.”

Connor felt a great release in the tension he had been holding and breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank God. I didn’t want to fail her and force her to have to live with that. I would have done anything to make her life easier. As long as she was alive, I was prepared to handle anything. I didn’t want her to have that kind of nightmare to deal with.”

She squeezed his arm. “I know. She’s lucky to have you.”

Lucas growled, causing Diana to release him and step back. She glared at Lucas. “Stop growling.”

“Then stop touching other males.”

Diana rolled her eyes. Connor observed the interaction but didn’t really think about it. His thoughts were all on Roxanne. The door opened and he got off the elevator. He followed Diana down the hallway. He knew which room was Roxanne’s because more than half the wolfpack was standing or sitting outside her door.

He entered the hospital room and saw his mother sitting in a chair next to Roxanne. When she spotted him tears began to roll down her face. “Connor.”

He rushed to his mother’s side and hugged her. “I’m fine. A little banged and scratched but that’s it. How is she doing?”

“She’s sleeping now. She’ll heal in a day or two. The doctor said that she wasn’t . . .”

“I know. Diana told me. Thanks for watching over her.” He kissed his mom’s forehead. Then he went over to the bed and sat down next to Roxanne. He took her hand in his and raised it to his lips. He could still scent Mors on her and it made him growl. He didn’t want her to wake to her tormentor’s scent on her.

“I want to wash her.”

“What?” his mother asked, standing up with Ric’s help.

“His scent is all over her, don’t want her to wake up to that.”

“Of course. I’ll help you,” Mary offered.

“Honey, you can’t be doing anything that makes you bend over. The doctor warned us about that,” Ric reminded.

“I’ll help,” Diana said from the doorway.

Connor nodded. “Mom, go home and rest. I’ll let you know when she wakes up.”

Mary kissed his cheek then reached for Roxanne’s hand and squeezed it. “Call us as soon as she wakes. I’ll bring her some fresh clothes.”

“Thanks, Mom.” He nodded at his stepfather and listened as Ric told the rest of the gang outside to leave.

“You can’t be in here, Lucas.” Diana practically shoved Lucas out of the door.

With Diana’s help, they were able to give Roxanne a quick sponge bath. Connor decided not to bother putting a hospital gown on her. His mother would bring clothes for her later. About half an hour later, Lucas forced his way back in the room.

“Diana, you must leave now to get some rest.”

Diana just ignored him. It only infuriated him more. “Now, Diana. You have exhausted yourself trying to locate Roxanne and you went back into your dream state so that you could be with her.”

“What?” Connor looked between the two of them. “What did you do?”

Diana blushed. “I didn’t want her to be alone. She didn’t know I was there, but I wanted to be with her no matter what. I was there when he tried to . . . That’s how I know for sure he didn’t do anything more but touch her with his hands.”

That must have been traumatic for someone as sheltered as Diana. She wouldn’t have experienced that kind of violence. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, really.”

“No, she’s not. She woke up bleeding from her ears and her nose. I wanted her to remain at the hotel and rest but she insisted on being here for Roxanne,” Lucas informed him.

Connor looked at Diana. “Thank you for what you did. But Lucas is right. You should go. Roxanne would want you to rest. I’ll call you when she wakes up.”

“Okay.” Diana leaned over the bed and kissed Roxanne’s forehead. She left the room with Lucas trailing behind her. Connor watched them leave. There was a give and pull between those two, a spark that was waiting to be fanned into a flame. He wasn’t sure that Roxanne would approve. Connor didn’t want to worry about that right now. He just wanted to hold her.

He stood up and closed the door. He took off his shoes and climbed in bed with her. He rolled her in his arms until she was lying half on top of him, then scooted them both to the center of the small hospital bed. She didn’t wake up at all. She rubbed her nose against his chest then snuggled against him. He and his panther breathed a big sigh of relief as they pulled her closer to them. It felt good to hold their mate. He closed his eyes and let sleep take him.

*****

Mmm . . . mate.
Roxanne felt Connor’s heat seeping into her body from under her. She slowly opened her eyes. From the smell of cleaning solution and the sight of the small bed, she knew she was in the hospital. The lights were off in the room but there was a slow sunrise peaking through the window. She felt the rumble from beneath her and glanced down at a sleeping Connor as he purred.

She was safe, her mate was safe, Mary and the baby were safe. They had told her when they brought her to the hospital that Connor killed Mors and that he was on his way to her. She had refused to let them sedate her until then.

She rubbed her naked body against him and could feel his arousal. She licked his neck and nipped it. Big strong hands gripped her and rolled her onto her back. He moved between her legs.

“You’re already hard for me.” She lifted her hips so that she could rub his pants-covered crotch against her.

He snorted. “Honey, I am always hard for you. Even when I was in South America, a continent away, I was hard for you.”

She looked at the door. It was closed, but anyone could walk in on them. “Where is everyone?”

“I sent them home to get some rest. I told them I would call when you woke up.” He pulled back a little.

“What is it?”

“I killed Mors. I’ve never killed anyone before.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“I just wished I could have stopped him from coming here. If I’d stayed in South America, he never would have come here and never would have gotten his hands on you.”

She placed her hands on his face. “It’s not your fault. None of this was your fault. Mors was sick. He was a sick man before you ever met him.”

“I didn’t protect you from him. He hurt you.”

“Honey, you saved me. He would have raped me until he got me with child.” She shivered. “You got there in time and saved me. I knew that you would. I knew that you would come for me, all I had to do was stay alive.”

He leaned forward pressing his forehead against hers. “I will always come for you. You’re my heart, my soul, my life, my mate. No one will keep me from you.” He kissed her lips, taking her down to the bed.

“Clothes . . . off.” Roxanne practically ripped his shirt off. She ran her hands over his sculpted golden skin. She licked her lips in anticipation. He was the sexiest man she had ever seen. And he was hers. She fumbled a bit with the snap to his jeans.

“Easy, honey, I didn’t bring a change of clothes with me.” He reached down between them and undid his buttons. He shoved the jeans partway down his legs, releasing his fully aroused cock. He touched her pussy with his fingers and found her already wet and ready for him. “Baby, I don’t think I can wait.”

“Don’t wait, I want you right now.” She wrapped her legs around his waist, opening herself up to him. She felt his tip enter her, slowly at first, but then he growled and plunged deep inside of her. She groaned from the wonderful fullness of having him in her. Connor purred. She loved that sound.

“You feel amazing.” Connor nibbled her chin.

“So do you.” She wiggled, encouraging him to move.

He chuckled. “You want this?” He pulled out and pushed back into her hard.

“Yes,” she breathed. Her heart rate picked up and she felt that familiar low flickering flame erupt into an inferno of need. “More, harder, faster.”

Connor didn’t hesitate to give her what she wanted. He sped up his thrusts and kept a fast, hard, pounding rhythm. They were both sweating and moaning.

“I’m going to . . .” Roxanne leaned forward and sank her teeth into Connor’s neck at the same time he sank his into hers. She came so hard she thought she saw stars. She could feel his cum shooting deep inside of her. He kept coming and coming. Finally he was able to pull out of her.

The door opened and something hit the floor. Both Connor and Roxanne turned to look at a very shocked nurse. She backed out of the room, slamming the door closed behind her. She had certainly gotten an eyeful of Connor’s naked ass. Roxanne started laughing and Connor joined her.

“We may never be able to come back to this hospital after that incident.”

Connor smiled as he shifted to his side and pulled her against him. “That might be a little hard to do, considering it’s the only hospital around for several towns.”

They held each other, neither wanting to let the other go. Roxanne sighed. “I don’t ever want to be away from you, ever.”

He smiled. “I feel the same way. My life was okay before you, but only because I didn’t know what I was missing until I met you. You are the sun lighting my life with love and joy. I’m never going to let you go. You’re stuck with me.”

She snuggled deeper into his arms. “You’re stuck with me too. I love you Connor.”

“I love you too, beautiful.” They held each other as they fell into a comforting sleep.

Two weeks later

Roxanne watched as Connor and the other men from the pack paced the waiting room. “You’re going to wear a hole in the carpet if you keep that up.”

Connor growled. “Why is it taking so long?”

Roxanne laughed. She felt a sense of déjà vu. It wasn’t so long ago they had been here in the same waiting room waiting for Jackie’s baby to be born. Except then it was Ric pacing the floor worried over Mary being upset. Now Mary was in the delivery room with Ric and Jackie at her side. Adrian was home watching their little vamp baby.

A door burst open and everyone jumped up, expecting to see Ric. But it was Sam rushing through the door.

“Did I miss it? Is the baby here?” Sam asked.

“No, you made it in time. How was the drive?” Roxanne moved over so that Sam could sit down next to her.

“It was fine except
toothy
over there drives like a damn granny. I swear I thought we were going to be pulled over by the cops because he was driving so damn slow.”

Roxanne raised an eyebrow and looked over at the vampire guard that Sam teasingly called toothy. He shrugged uncomfortably and looked away. She held back her laughter. “Well, we’re glad you could leave school early to get here.” She looked down at her cell phone at the text that her friend Diana had just sent her.

“Fur ball got us lost. We’re crashing in a hotel for tonight. Let me know how things go with Mary and the baby.”

“Is that from Diana?” Sam asked.

“Yeah. She and Lucas got lost and they are stopping for the night at a hotel.”

“I bet the werewolf council is going to be pissed. They wanted her back almost two weeks ago.”

Roxanne sighed. “I know. She wanted to stay here in Strange Lake Falls, but the council said that they needed her help.”

“You don’t sound like you believe them,” Sam observed.

“I don’t like the unknown and something tells me that Diana is heading into trouble.”

“Is that why you asked Lucas to take her back to the commune?”

“Yes, I know Lucas will keep her safe. They also needed time to work out their differences.” She would have said more but the door to the waiting room opened again. This time a smiling Ric came in. His had sweat covering him from head to toe and his hair was frazzled, but the joy beaming off of him was plain for all to see.

“We have twins!” Ric yelled.

“Shit!”

“Wow!”

“Way to go!”

Ric grabbed Connor in a huge hug, practically lifting him off the floor. “Connor you are now a big brother to a healthy boy and a girl.”

Connor looked relieved. “Is Mom okay?”

“She’s perfect. She’s resting right now.”

Connor smiled proudly. “I have a brother and a sister. What are their names?”

“Your brother is Zack and your sister is Clair.”

Connor looked over at Roxanne with tears in his eyes. “I have a brother and a sister.”

“Congrats, honey. When can we see them?”

Ric was heading back to the door of the waiting room. “They need an hour to recuperate. Everyone should go get something to eat, and maybe bring me back a couple of steaks. I’m starving.”

Everyone laughed as they filed out. Connor came over to her and held out his hand. “Come on, beautiful, I want to run by the house for a bit.”

“You’re not hungry?”

“Oh, I’m hungry, but it’s not food I want.” He bent down and nibbled her ear.

“Connor, you are so bad.”

“Let me show you how good being bad can be.” He took her in his arms and kissed her breathless. God, she loved this man.

*****

“I can’t believe that you got us lost.” Diana stomped into the hotel room, throwing her overnight bag on the bed.

“I didn’t get us lost, you got us lost when you told me to take that last turn that led us to a dead end.”

“The map clearly shows that road would lead us to a more direct and faster route through the mountains. It’s not my fault you bought a map that was five years old.”

“I wouldn’t have had to buy a map if you hadn’t messed up my car’s GPS.”

“It was an accident!”

“It’s like you are purposely trying to kill me bit by bit, starting with little things and building up to the finale where I keel over!”

“You’re such an idiot!” She turned to poke his chest with her finger.

“And you’re an accident-prone, tongue-lashing witch!” He walked toward her until her back hit the wall. Both of them were breathing heavily.

“I hate you!”

“Right back at you!”

Lucas gripped the back of her head, pulled her toward him, and kissed her with the strength of all his pent-up frustrations. To her own immense surprise, Diana found herself kissing him back. She raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck. God, nothing had ever tasted as good as Lucas. She could kiss him like this forever.

Then reality intruded as her cell phone started ringing. Lucas jerked away from her like she had stung him. Why did he have to send her such mixed signals? She reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out her phone to answer it.

“Hello?”

“Little Diana, it’s time. I’ll be coming for you,” a familiar husky male voice said before hanging up.

Dread filled Diana’s body. Memories of her nightmare from an early childhood came pouring back. She started to tremble. She was so lost in her horrific memories that she didn’t even feel Lucas cup her cheek with his hand.

“Diana are you okay? Who was that?”

“My . . . my . . . m . . . m . . . mate.”