Trace's Temptation (RARE Series, #3) (11 page)

Swinging his legs off the bed, Trace shakily pushed himself to a standing position.  The trip to the bathroom was slow, but he was happy he made it without help.  Finding a tray of food waiting when he returned from the bathroom, he sat in the chair and quickly demolished it.  When he was done, he decided it was time to find his mate.  Looking in the closet, he found some scrubs that he put on.  They were snug, but would work.  Leaving the room, he ignored the looks from the concerned nurses and slowly made his way in the direction of Jade’s addicting, sweet scent. 

When he reached the front lobby, he saw her in the waiting area.  The sight of her standing next to an unknown male, and the scent of her nervousness, brought his cat to the surface.  Before Trace could fight it, he was shifted and slowly stalking his prey with a low rumble in his throat.

“Get back,” he heard a voice say.  “Back slowly away from Jade now, River.”  When the man turned and saw Trace, he held his hands out to the side and started to move back.  Bounding swiftly into the room, Trace slid to a stop in front of Jade and roared menacingly at the other male.  Baring his fangs, he growled, a low rumble deep in his chest.

Feeling soft fingers gently stroking his thick, black fur, Trace backed into Jade’s legs, but refused to turn away from the threat in front of him.  Jade knelt beside him and slipped her arms around his neck, nuzzling close.  “It’s okay, Trace,” she assured him.  “I’m okay.  This is River.  He’s one of Chase’s enforcers.  He was just coming to check on his friend that was hurt on patrol earlier.”

Snarling at River one last time, Trace buried his nose into Jade’s neck and purred.  He still considered River a threat; all males were a threat until he claimed Jade.  But Trace had realized that the room was filled with his teammates, so for now he wasn’t worried.

“Well,” Angel interrupted, “Since you seem to be doing better, Trace, we need to have a meeting.  Take Jade back to your room with you and we will be there in five minutes.”

With one last glare at River, Trace nudged Jade to his room.  Once the door was closed behind them, Trace shifted and pushed Jade up against it crushing his lips to hers.  Sliding past her lips at her shocked gasp, he tangled his tongue with hers, holding his body tightly against her.  He wanted to strip her right then and make her his, but the sound of footsteps heading in their direction made him pull back.  That dazed, sultry expression on her face was for him, and only him.  After kissing her one more time, Trace wrapped an arm tightly around her waist.  Tugging gently, he maneuvered her to the bed.  Sliding in, he scooted over and tugged her in beside him.  He needed her close, wanted her body next to his.  Jade pulled the covers up over them, and snuggled into him just as the door opened and Angel walked in, followed by the rest of the team.  Using the remote on the side of the bed, Trace raised the bed into a sitting position.

“Nice to have you back, T,” Rikki said as she moved up to stand beside Jade.  “It’s sucked doing my job and yours.”  Trace chuckled, bumping fists with her.  He knew Rikki was joking.  It was her way of telling him she had missed him. 

Trace let a small grin steal over his face as he greeted the rest of his team.  He took in Ryker, Storm, and Flame before glancing at Angel in question.  “They are with us now,” she said.  “A part of RARE. Flame’s trained hard and has earned her place.  Ryker and Storm left the Shifter Council to come work with us.  That’s a story for another time.  Right now, we have something important to discuss.”

Taking in the seriousness of Angel’s gaze, Trace stilled.  Somehow he knew whatever was wrong had to do with him, and it was bad.  Stepping closer to him, Angel said, “Trace, everyone in this room is your family.  We would give our lives for you.  And because we are family, your mother and sister are our family, too.”

Trace tightened his arm around Jade, but didn’t respond.  “Sophia and Starr are in trouble, Trace,” Angel continued.  “Sari heard Perez tell someone that he has a lead on them.  Jaxson has been trying to track them down, but hasn’t been able to yet.  We have to get to them before your father does.  You need to tell us where you have them hidden.”

A sense of urgency hitting him at the thought of his mother and sister being found by Perez had Trace moving to get out of bed.  “Stop Trace,” Angel commanded.  “You are in no condition to go anywhere right now.”  Sitting on the edge of the bed, Trace clenched his hands tightly into fists, fear and anger pouring through him.

Feeling Jade’s hand running soothingly up and down his back, Trace took a deep breath fighting the urge to leave and find his family.  They were in danger, but Angel was right.  He could hardly walk down the hall right now.  There was no way he was going to save them on his own.  At this point, he would be more of a hindrance on a mission than a help.  But dammit, they were
his
family.

Looking at Angel, he nodded and slid back under the covers, pulling Jade close again to calm his emotions.  “Let us help, T,” Rikki said softly.  “You would do it for us.” 

“I promised them I would always keep them safe,” he rasped, his heart pounding in fear.  “They were there for me when no one else was.  My mom was my moon, and my sister my star.”  Glancing around the room, Trace said, “My father is an animal.  A fucking animal.  I could kill him with my bare hands for the things he did to my mother alone.  But you add in what he did to my sister...” Shaking his head, Trace leaned back against the bed shutting his eyes tightly. 

“We will find them, Trace,” Angel promised him.  “We will find them and bring them home.”

“It won’t matter,” Trace sighed.  “Until that bastard is eliminated, he will always look for them.  Perez is transfixed on my mother for some reason.  He will do everything in his power to have her again.  I’ve been hiding them for years, changing the places at least every six months.  I’ve been lucky until now.”

“Tell me where, Trace,” Jaxson said as he took out his laptop and quickly turned it on. “We’ll get to them before he does.”

Taking a deep breath, Trace tightened his grip on Jade and said, “There in Taos, New Mexico,” he admitted reluctantly.

Jaxson raised an eyebrow, “Are you serious?  That’s like a five hour drive from here.”

Shrugging, Trace said, “I know.  Mom said she wanted to be closer to me.  And I thought it would be easier to keep them safe if they were.”

After Jaxson pulled up the exact location of Trace’s family, RARE started making plans.  It was a five hour drive, but they were flying.  “I’m going,” Trace insisted.  “They won’t know they can trust you.  They’ll get scared and run.”

Eyeing him, Angel finally nodded.  “Fine, you go.  But you let me know if you think you can’t make it at any time, Trace.  I won’t allow you to screw up this mission.”

“I will,” Trace promised.  And he would.  There was no way he was going to mess up a mission this important.

“Ok, we leave in an hour.  I need to get this past the Doc, Trace,” Angel warned. 

“I don’t give a shit what she says,” Trace snarled.  “I’m going.”

Glancing over at the low growl that escaped Ryker, Angel laughed.  “You better show Ryker’s mate some respect, Trace.”

“That’s right,” Doc Josie said as she walked in the room, stopping to kiss a pissed off Ryker, before smiling at Trace.  “Ryker and I mated last month, Trace.  Now, what’s going on here that the whole RARE team is crammed into your room?”

“We’re leaving on another mission, Josie,” Ryker said as he tugged her into his arms.  Resting his chin on her head, he told her, “It’s very important that Trace comes with us.  We won’t let him do too much, but the people we are going to save only know him.  If he isn’t there, they could be scared off.  If they are found by the wrong person, he’ll kill them.”

“Well,” Josie drawled as she pulled away from Ryker and walked over to Trace, “wasn’t that a lot of nothing you just told me.”

When she went to pull down the covers so she could look at Trace’s chest, he grabbed her wrist.  Ignoring Ryker’s growl of warning, Trace said, “My mother and sister are in danger, Doc.  My father is hunting them right now and if we don’t get to them first, he will kill them.”

“Now see,” Josie said as she gently tugged her wrist out of his grasp, “that wasn’t so hard was it?  I want you to shift back into your panther for as long as possible.  It will help you heal faster.  No fighting.  You get in, get your family and get out.  Let everyone else do the hard part.  If you need me when you get back, I will be here.”

“Thanks Doc,” Trace responded gratefully.  “No offense, but I hope I don’t need ya.”  Josie laughed as she left the room.

“Get ready people,” Angel said as she walked toward the door, “be ready to leave here in an hour.  Wheels up in an hour and a half.  Trace, I want you in your panther form until the damn plane lands, you feel me?”  At Trace’s nod, Angel left with the rest of the group following.  When Phoenix reached the door, he glanced back with a wink and locked it on his way out.

The minute they were gone, Trace tilted Jade’s head up to his, taking her mouth in a deep kiss.  Her lips parted on a moan, granting him entrance, and he took full advantage of it.  Grabbing the remote, he put the bed back down so it laid flat and then covered Jade’s body with his own.  Holding her head between his hands, he assaulted her mouth while grinding his hips into her thigh, the friction against his dick driving him wild.  “I need you, Jade,” he groaned.  “I didn’t want to take you like this.  Not in the hospital.  I wanted our first time to be special with candles, flowers, wine.  But I can’t wait any longer.  I’m going fucking crazy.”

Moaning, Jade arched into him gasping, “I don’t need all of that, Trace.  I just need you.  Take me.”

That was all Trace needed to hear.  Leaning back, he pulled Jade’s shirt up over her head quickly, baring her soft, lily white skin to his gaze. Unhooking her bra, he slipped it off before cupping her perfect breast in the palm of his hand.  He loved the contrast of her light skin against the darkness of his own.  It was sexy as hell.  And her light pink nipples were begging for his mouth.  Lowering his head, he tasted her nipple, teasing it with his tongue before sucking it into his mouth.  He sucked harder at her soft cry of pleasure, then releasing her breast, he placed soft kisses down the silky skin on her belly.

Reaching between them, he unbuttoned her pants and slid them down, removing them from her legs and tossing them carelessly to the floor.  Hooking his fingers in the waistband of her panties, he slowly slipped them down her long, beautiful legs.  He couldn’t wait to have them wrapped around him soon.

Leaning down, Trace slowly kissed and nibbled his way from Jade’s ankle up her leg, to the inside of her thigh.  “Oh God,” Jade cried out as he nuzzled her mound before spreading her lips and licking up to her clit.  Taking her clit into his mouth, he gently tugged on it before stroking it with his tongue.  As Jade’s moans grew louder, Trace slipped a finger inside her and moved his tongue faster.  Jade screamed as she came just moments later.

Not willing to wait any longer, Trace slid up Jade’s body and taking hold of his aching cock, he slowly started to push inside her.  He froze at Jade’s slight grunt of discomfort.  Oh shit, he thought as he tried to pull out.  Jade grabbed hold of his ass and pushed up hard against him, sinking him deeply inside her hot, moist heat in one thrust.  Forcing himself to stay still while Jade adjusted to him being inside her, he sucked in a ragged breath as he buried his face in her neck.  His cat was urging him to hurry, to bite and claim his mate.  But Trace refused to hurt Jade.  He should have realized she was innocent, but he’d been thinking mostly with his dick.  He waited until he felt her slowly start to rotate her hips.  Groaning at the fire shooting up his spine, he fought the desire to pound into her. 

Finally, unable to hold back, Trace pushed deeper into Jade and then slowly pulled back out.  Shaking, sweat beading up on his forehead, he pushed in again, and then again and again.  Jade panted softly in his ear, then he heard her whisper, “Harder.”  Grabbing hold of her hair, he fisted it in his hand and held her head still while he took her mouth with his.  As he thrust his tongue in and out of her mouth, he moved harder and faster into Jade.  Yanking her mouth away, Jade cried, “More, Trace.  I need more.”

Trace snarled as he pounded into her.  Reaching between them, he flicked her clit with his thumb and she screamed as she came, squeezing his dick tightly.  Trace roared loudly and sank his fangs into her shoulder, claiming her as he came.  As he licked the puncture wounds closed, he felt Jade’s fangs sink deep into his shoulder and he came again on another roar.

“Mine,” he whispered as he licked his claiming bite.  “Mine.”

“Always,” Jade promised as she licked at her own mating bite. 

Rolling over, Trace pulled Jade onto his chest and gently stroked her hair.  Softly kissing the top of her head, Trace whispered, “You are everything to me, Jade.  No matter what may happen in the future, I promise to always care for you and cherish you.  I will protect you above all else.  I love you, my mate.”

As he drifted into sleep, Trace didn’t notice the guilty look on Jade’s face.  He didn’t feel her leave the bed or see her get dressed and slip quietly from the room.  But he did notice her absence when he woke twenty minutes later, alone in the bed where he’d just claimed his mate.

R
unning through the woods as fast as she could, Jade screamed loudly into the cold, quiet evening.  Rage consumed her as guilt swamped her.  Her mate trusted her, he said he loved her.  But there were things he didn’t know about her.  Things she kept hidden from the world.  Jade wanted to share everything with Trace, but there was so much to consider.  Most importantly, Jinx. 

Stopping, Jade dropped to her knees on the cold, damp ground.  Ignoring the wetness seeping into her jeans, she wrapped her arms tightly around herself and sobbed.  She was mad as hell and her heart was breaking.  She didn’t want to begin her mating with lies.  God, why hadn’t she told him everything before they’d bonded?  What if he didn’t want her when he realized who she really was?