Tansy's Titan: Cosmos' Gateway Book 3 (9 page)

Tansy pulled back and looked at the two sisters who were regarding her with worry expressions on their faces. “Thank you for your help. You know that by helping me you have put not only yourselves in danger but your family as well.”

Helene waved her hand in the air nonchalantly. “Cosmos added additional security for our parents and brothers. Natasha and I are used to danger,” Helene said. “There is plenty of canned food for you. Get some rest.”

Mak came into the kitchen where he towered above the three women. His eyes were glued to Tansy’s slight form. He had spent time outside checking over the perimeter of the property and listening to what Helene told him about the safeguards set up at the farm. Now, he only wanted the other two women to leave so he could concentrate on healing and caring for his mate. He didn’t like the dark shadows under her eyes or the lines of pain that still pulled at her mouth despite the pain patch he put on her. She needed rest.

Mak moved to one side as the two women turned to leave. “You will not tell anyone of Tansy being here,” he ordered.

Helene rolled her eyes while Natasha bit back a chuckle. “No, we will not tell anyone. We will call if we find out anything. In the meantime, take care of your woman. She needs rest.”

Both women chuckled at Tansy’s snort of aggravation. Tansy watched as the two women walked out to the transport van and climbed in. She did not turn around until they had turned onto the main road. With a sigh, she pushed back her fatigue. She needed to check the house and surrounding area out for herself. She wouldn’t be able to relax until she knew what was in place and had covered every single possible entry and exit point.

Turning, she ran into a huge muscular chest and a set of equally large arms. She looked up trying to not show her exasperation at the big man crowding her space. She was going to have to teach him there is a line as to how close he was to get to her. He was currently way over it on the wrong side.

“Okay Mak, is it?” Tansy said taking a step back only to find herself trapped by the door. “Listen, we need to discuss this personal space invasion.”

Mak tilted his head and looked down into the vibrant green eyes of his mate. “You need food, a bath, and bed,” he said. “I will fix you something to eat.”

Tansy sighed heavily. “Yes, I agree I need all three but first I need to make sure we are safe. I am going to check out the perimeter of the property and the house before I do any of that. Once I feel we are safe, I’ll find something to eat, grab a quick shower and maybe catch a couple of hours of sleep.”

“No,” Mak said crossing his arms and spreading his legs so Tansy was trapped.

Tansy’s frown turned into a dark scowl. “I beg your pardon?” She bit out through gritted teeth.

“No,” Mak repeated, ignoring the warning in Tansy’s eyes. “I have already checked the perimeter. It is secure. You will eat, bathe, and sleep.”

“Mak, listen to me carefully,” Tansy said pointing a finger into his massive chest. “I don’t take orders from anyone. I haven’t in a long, long time. I will eat when I want, bathe when I want, and sleep when I want. You don’t want to make me mad at you. Understand? You won’t like me very much if you make me mad,” Tansy said making sure she emphasized each point carefully so there could be no misunderstandings.

Mak unfolded his arms and caught Tansy’s small hand in his. “You are undernourished. You have dark circles under eyes from lack of sleep and I can see how exhausted you are. You also have dirt on your face and I need to check your injuries. I did what I could but I was not able to care for you properly,” Mak said gently rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand.

Tansy bit back a curse as she jerked her hand away from his. Why the hell did it feel so good, so right whenever the big guy touched her? It was more than pissing her off. Emotions were dangerous. Caring for someone only got you killed, or worse, they got the person you cared about killed. She had to get it through his head that Cosmos may have sent him to help her but that didn’t mean she belonged to him.

“Look, I know Cosmos found you but just because you came along and helped me out does not mean I belong to you. You seem like a really nice guy. I’m sure there are hordes of girls out there that would be happy to be your whatever but I’m just not the settling down type. Guys who hang with me have a tendency to end up dead,” Tansy said honestly. “That’s why they don’t even give me a partner anymore. No one wanted to take a chance.”

Tansy didn’t wait for an answer from him. She turned and gripped the doorknob, yanked it open, and disappeared outside. She needed some space. Her body was running on empty both physically and mentally. She thought she was going to die back there in the warehouse. She had psyched herself up for it. When she heard the commotion over the headset about the men dropping like flies, she hadn’t believed it at first. There was no way Cosmos could have sent help for her in just a couple of hours. Then she had caught a glimpse of the huge dark figure on the platform. When she heard the one man ask what the hell the massive figure was, she knew he must be Cosmos’ supposed alien warrior come to rescue her. Her heart jerked uncomfortably in her chest and she rubbed at it when she remembered seeing the sites line up on his chest and back. She didn’t stop to think of the consequences. She used every one of the bullets left in her gun on the bastards, including the one she was saving for herself.

Never!
A deep voice echoed in her head.
You will never take your own life. You will do whatever you have to do to stay alive. I will never leave you.

What the….
Tansy thought dropping to the ground near the outside shed and pulling one of the pistols she took earlier. She looked around frantically. Her eyes darted from one spot to the other. Had those sons of bitches done something to her when she was out? She could have sworn they were dead. She rose slowly onto one knee before standing the rest of the way when she didn’t see anyone.

I must be losing my mind,
Tansy thought running a shaky hand through her long length of hair.
I’ve finally gone insane.

No, not insane, je talli. But, you do need food and rest. Come to me. Let me care for you,
Mak’s deeply accented voice came through clearly this time.

Tansy bit her lip in uncertainty.
How can you talk to me like this? What did you do to me when I was passed out?

You do not need to fear me,
Mak’s sad voice floated through her mind
.
I never want you to fear me.

Tansy didn’t reply. She turned around making sure she kept her mind blank and marched back toward the house. She didn’t even say a word when she saw him standing outside watching her from the corner. She caught herself right before she slammed the door in his face. Mak pushed it open and followed her inside. Tansy remained silent until she was in the center of the kitchen. Only then did she turn around and look at him.

“I don’t know how you can talk to me in my head,” Tansy raised her hand when he started to speak. “Right now, I really don’t give a damn how or why you can. I am too tired to deal with it. But, let us get one thing perfectly clear,” she said taking a step closer as she stared into his dark silver eyes that were looking more than a little wary at her. “I… am… not… afraid… of… you. Not now, not when I first saw you, not ever. Do you understand? You might be big, you might be an alien, but I will
never
be afraid of you.”

Mak’s heart lurched with each word Tansy carefully enunciated. He couldn’t have taken his eyes off her if his life depended on it at that moment. He had never seen anything so beautiful as this tiny human female daring him to think she could even be remotely intimidated or frightened of him. Mak watched the fire in her eyes as she looked up at him. It was as if she was challenging him to prove her wrong.

For the first time in his long life, Mak wasn’t sure what to do. His first thought was to gather her close but he feared showing her too much physical affection. Females, with the exception of his brother J’kar’s mate and now his mother, did not care for being touched. He had been with his share of females when he was off-world at the pleasure houses to know females merely tolerated it. Those females did not care about his size as long as he paid the asking price. There had even been a few women on Prime who had agreed to be with him for a price or a favor. But they had always looked at him with fear and loathing. He did not see fear in Tansy’s eyes. He took a stumbling step back as she walked determinedly toward him. He bumped into the door behind
,
startled. No, he saw something else and it did not bode well for him if he disagreed with her.

“Don’t you ever, and I mean ever, think I am afraid of you,” Tansy snapped out right before she reached up and pulled his head down far enough to give him a hard kiss on the lips.

Chapter 8

Tansy leaned forward letting the hot water run down over her shoulders. She rested her forehead against the wall and groaned in enjoyment and frustration
; e
njoyment at the hot water and the feeling of being clean again. Frustration at her feelings for a certain huge-ass alien male who was making her insides quiver with emotions she didn’t totally understand. A shiver ran through her body as she tried to decide just how big of an idiot she was for kissing him.

Why did I have to kiss the big guy?
Tansy thought tiredly.
It just makes things more difficult.

Why do you think that, je talli?
Mak’s deep voice echoed in her mind.

Tansy’s head jerked up and she scowled at the wall of the shower in irritation.
Get out of my head! I’m having a private conversation with myself right now and I don’t need you in the middle of it.

Why not?
Mak asked.

Why not? Why not? Because…
Tansy’s tired brain refused to go behind that.
Just because!

Tansy was so tired it took everything in her just to remain upright. She was shaky from fatigue and lack of food. She reached up to try to push her hair back but even it was too heavy for her suddenly weak arms. She let her head fall forward again and let the tears come. It helped a little. She didn’t ever remember being so tired in her life. If only she could just slip to the floor of the shower and let the hot spray run over her for a few hours. If only…

“You could ask for help. I would not think you weak if you were to do so,” Mak’s quiet voice shook her out of her mini-pity party.

Tansy’s head jerked up and she swayed dangerously at the sudden movement. “What are you doing in here?”

Mak smiled as he pulled the shower curtain back and climbed into the shower with her. “And where in the hell are your clothes?” Tansy choked out as her eyes grew wider at the sight of all those rippling muscles covered by a dark, olive skin.

“I cannot very well wear my clothes in the bathing stall. I would have nothing to put on afterwards. You need help. I will care for you,” Mak said reaching for one of the containers on the small shelf inside the shower. He opened it and sniffed. Please with his discovery, he poured a little into the palm of his hand and turned toward Tansy. “Turn with your back to me. I will wash your hair for you. If you need to brace your arms on the wall, then do so. I will care for you now.”

Tansy stared at the huge male in the shower with her in confusion and disbelief. She was too tired to deal with this. Turning back around to face the wall again, she braced her shaking arms against it before leaning forward slightly. She moaned softly when she felt his strong fingers working the shampoo into her thick hair. Between the hot water and his fingers, she melted back against him. Soon, it was only his arm around her waist holding her up. He picked up the bar of soap and ran it gently over her skin. Tansy quit thinking. She didn’t care that they were both naked. She didn’t care that she really didn’t know him. She wouldn’t have cared if the world ended at that moment as long as he continued to clean her with a tenderness she hadn’t felt in years.

She was half asleep when Mak reached around her and turned the shower off. He lifted her carefully and stepped out of the shower, uncaring of the water dripping on the floor. He grabbed a couple of the towels off the counter and walked out of the bathroom. He paused looking down the hallway. He moved toward the door that was open and found it contained a full size bed. It would be small for him but he was more concerned with Tansy. He gently laid her down on the bedspread before he began to dry her. He watched as goose bumps formed on her arms and legs from the chilly air. Reaching down, he grabbed a quilted comforter at the foot of the bed and draped it over her.

“I have to dry my hair,” Tansy slurred out without opening her eyes. “If I don’t…”

“Shush, I will dry it,” Mak replied quietly.

“’Kay,” Tansy murmured with a deep sigh.

Mak carefully dried the thick reddish-brown locks marveling at the different colors appearing as he did so. After he was satisfied it was as dry as he could get it with the towel, he picked up a brush off a nearby table and began brushing it out. Tansy didn’t move, even when he gently lifted her up in his arms so he could brush the back of it. Once he was done, he pulled the covers of the bedspread back so he could lay her on the crisp, cool sheets.

Mak frowned as he took in the bruises marring Tansy’s pale, thin shoulders. He moved her hair to one side and bit back a curse when he saw the faded scar on her left shoulder blade. Deciding he needed to see if she had any other injuries before he brought up the soup he warmed up for her, he pulled the quilted comforter back a little at a time trying to keep her as covered as possible so she wouldn’t get cold.