SWNOVELS Chapter 22
With a sigh and some nervousness, I unclasp the straps and hand the bundle--baby included--to Rune's outstretched arms. His silver-blue gaze drops to Rain, and his expression is so gentle, so loving, so full of awe and hurt for what he's lost, that the wall I built around
my heart cracks just a little. "Go. Before I change my mind."
He nods and with fluid speed, hastens upstairs.
I pause a moment, trying to will my broken body forward, when I feel strong arms lift me up.
Zev flashes a cheeky smile. "You don't look capable of making it up those stairs, love. Let me help."
I'm about to argue, but he's probably right. Everything in my body hurts so much I feel tears coming, though I refuse to let them fall. I will not show weakness, but dear heaven I could use a bath.
Using that magically heightened intuition, Zev carries me to the bathroom and gently places me on the toilet as he runs the hot water. Rune appears with a vial of herbs and dumps it into the bath. "It will help with your pain," he says, softly.
I can see more words unspoken in the depths of his eyes, but he turns to leave before I can ask. Zev raises an eyebrow but leaves as well, allowing me to undress in private.
As I slink off my clothes and sink into the tub, I groan in pleasure. Worry for Rain still filters through the relaxation, but the scent of lavender and rose and the feel of my muscles unknotting does a lot to calm my mind.
My mind is drifting when a knock at my door pulls me back. "Uh, yeah?"
Zev walks in holding a small jar of oil as I try to strategically place bubbles to allow for some level of modesty. Though, the werewolf doesn't seem concerned about such things, and maybe it's just my prudish puritan culture getting in the way of things. "Your back was bothering you. I thought I might offer my massage services to alleviate a bit of that discomfort," he says, his gaze taking in the parts of my body that are still exposed, and lingering on the parts that aren't.
His words send a promise directly to my body, which responds before my mind even gets a chance to talk me out of it. I pull my knees to my chest and lean forward, exposing as much of my back as I can.
Zev shrugs out of his shirt, revealing his perfectly sculpted abs of steel before taking a seat on the edge of the tub. I raise an eyebrow at that and he shrugs. "Wouldn't want to get it wet."
"Sure," I say, shaking my head. "I think you're just allergic to clothing."
He lays his large hands on my shoulders, the heat from his skin seeping into my perpetually chilled body, and I moan at the simple pleasure of it.
Zev leans in, his lips coming dangerously close to my ear, his chest pressing up against my naked back. "Not allergic," he whispers. "But clothes do get in the way of some of life's most delicious moments, don't you think?" "They can be cumbersome at times," I agree, trying to keep my voice steady as he begins to massage the tension out of my muscles.
As he works his way down my spine, I'm lost to his touch. He knows every tender muscle and how to coax the pain out of my body. I try not to sound like I'm having an orgasm over this massage, but it's damn hard, and I can tell my attempt at silence isn't fooling the werewolf. "I can smell your arousal," he says, once again bringing his mouth to my ear.
In a bold move that feels more like AJ than myself, I reach back with my hand and graze it over his pants. "And I can feel yours."
Even just the hint of my touch inspires a deep growl low in his chest. The timbre of it resonates through my body and ignites a fresh wave of desire that I do my best to fight.
So I ask a question that could definitely kill the mood, and most likely will.
"Do you have someone? Back home?"
I let my hair fall over my face as I turn from him. Whatever his answer, I don't want to wear my heart on my sleeve right now.
He clears his throat and pulls back, his hands lingering at my side, lightly grazing the sides of my breasts. "No, no mate at home."
""Never?" I ask.
His fingers dig into my flesh and he moves against me, his mouth hovering over my shoulder. "Wolves mate for life, love," he says, his voice cracking with emotion. "And you don't know how dangerous these questions are for you." His lips brush against my shoulder, then his teeth nip my flesh, followed by a soft kiss. And then he stands and leaves, pulling the door closed behind him firmly.
My skin is on fire from his touch, from his bite and his kiss. I rub at the faint teeth marks left in my skin and lean back, closing my eyes as I try to process what just happened. I can't sort out of my emotions. All I know is my skin is buzzing and my heart is racing. By the time I'm done with the bath and dried off, I feel like a whole new woman--and am mostly recovered from my time with Zev. Though I still feel a small bruising pain in my shoulder from his bite, and it brings to mind all manner of places I'd like to feel his mouth next. Shoving aside any sexy thoughts of the Sexies, I check on Rain, who's sleeping soundly in her crib. Ah, to be so sheltered from the reality of the world. I tuck a blanket around her and then head to the living room where the guys are all there. "Where's AJ?" I ask.
"She said she had some errands to run and will be back in a 'hot second"," Darius says somewhat awkwardly.
"Okay... why do you all look so weird right now?" I ask, searching their faces. They're sitting around the kitchen table facing each other and seem to be in the middle of a very tense discussion.
"We have given thought to the situation," Rune says after a moment. "And we have all come to realize there is more going on than we initially...considered. Regarding the prophecy, your child, and... you."
Zev clears his throat, his gaze landing on my shoulder before moving to my face. "This is more complicated than my realm understood. I'm sure if my mother..."
"Your mother?" I ask, ignoring the way his forest green eyes make me weak in the knees. "Who's your mother and what's she got to do with any of this?"
Zev looks to the other two, who remain silent, so he continues, reluctantly. "My mother is the queen of our realm. All three of us are princes. It was--is--our duty to fulfill the prophecy in order to save our people. That's why we were schooled together, along with Cara, the princess sent by the witches."
Princes? Like actual freaking princes. Shit. No wonder they wanted to give my apartment a huge makeover. And here I've been putting them to work tending bar and cleaning floors. The thought makes me smirk just a smidgen.
"As I was saying," Zev continues, his eyes narrowing on my mouth, "we do not believe our families understood the whole picture. So we have decided to send messages back to our realms explaining plans have changed."
"Plans?" That snaps me out of any sexy thoughts. "The plans to kidnap my kid? So you're not going to try to take Rain?" I ask, hope rising in me despite my best attempt to quash it.
Darius grunts with a mixture of annoyance and impatience. "What Prince Zev is trying to say is that while the prophecy still holds, and the need is still dire, we want to try to find another way."
"So you're all leaving?" I ask, and my heart sinks at that thought despite being entirely pissed off at all of them five minutes ago. In a game of Kiss, Marry, Kill, all three Sexies would qualify for each column. These postpartum hormones are a bitch.
"No." Rune's voice is firm. More alpha than I've ever heard it. "You and Rain still need protection. We will not abandon you. But while we wait for word from our respective families, we have decided to take a pledge that will give you--and us--reassurance of each of our intentions."
Darius and Zev both shift uncomfortably as Rune speaks. Whatever he's talking about, it's meaningful. But... a pledge? Like... of allegiance? To the flag? That's the only pledge I can think of and it sounds pretty useless.
"So, what, this is like a glorified pinky swear? How is this supposed to reassure me?"
"This pledge will bind us to you--for the time being," he adds when Darius glares at him. "We will not be able to take your child without your consent."
"Pft. Then you might as well throw in the towel. I'll never consent."
Rune nods. "I know that is how you feel now. It is our hope you will reconsider, given the consequences."
Before I can interrupt to tell him where he can shove his pledge, and his hope, he holds up his hand. "Regardless, this pledge cannot be broken by any of us. It will run its course at the spring solstice, at which point we can all reassess. In the meantime, it will mean we no longer have to watch each other so closely. One of us can be with you while the others are tending to the bar or helping in whatever way you need."
Rune pauses, then locks his gaze with mine and says softly, "We will be here at your whim, to serve, care for, and assist you. And, most importantly, to ensure the safety of your child."
Oh my. Heat flushes my cheeks and my knees feel a bit wobbly suddenly. I want to fan my face but that seems a tad extra, so I hold myself in check. Play it cool, Bernie. Play it cool.
"Right. Okay. That sounds... fine. So when will you do this?" My emotions are tumbling around inside me. Relief, fear, gratitude, lust, all of it making me an emotional mess. "We need the right ingredients," Rune says, still leading the conversation. "The proper herbs, a dusting of fresh snow..."
"Sure. That sounds... reasonable, I guess."
"And..." Rune hesitates, and Darius grunts again.
"Unicorn blood," Darius says, finally. "We need unicorn blood."