Chapter Nineteen

Sage walked into their bedroom with her heart pounding and her mouth as dry as the desert. There was no reason to be nervous after everything that happened between them earlier, but she was. It felt like all her jagged edges were exposed. Now she was waiting for him to realize that she wasn’t worth the effort.

“I should shower.”

“I’ll wait for you here.” He sat on the bed giving her a smile that eased her a little.

There was a royal blue nightgown on the chair where the other clothes were. She didn’t ask questions, not in the mood. Picking it up, she went into the bathroom closing the door behind her.

She stripped and stepped into the shower, turning on the water as hot as she could take it. Bowing her head, she mourned for every woman killed. They were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Someone killed them because they resembled her. She could say it wasn’t her fault for eternity, but she would bear the burden of their deaths on her soul. Which meant that she wanted revenge for the dead, for her friend, and for herself.

Whoever did this needed to suffer like everyone else. They deserved death, unlike the ones who died in her place. Her hand clenched into a fist nails biting into her flesh. It would happen. It had to happen because Jim and his minions wouldn’t stop chasing her. She needed to be ready when they caught her because tonight they proved they could get to her.

She grabbed a gel to wash up allowing herself to become lost in the scent. When she was done, she turned off the water reaching for a towel to dry off with. There was a beautiful vanity in the corner she still hadn’t used. Taking a seat, she brushed her hair until her curls were tangle free.

The mirror caught her attention as she stared into it. She didn’t see her flushed cheeks or her hair all she could focus on was her green eyes. They shined with a life of their own. Once again, she felt a fluttering in her body. It wasn’t the evil that tried to possess her. The niggling feeling like something was trying to break into the horizon of her mind came back. It didn't matter how hard she tried to access it, it stayed far enough away that it was covered in fog. Finally, she gave up. Never rush a memory is what her mom used to say. When it’s ready, it will come to you.

She pasted a smile on her face and went to find Caden.

“You look beautiful.” A true smile graced her face. She loved the way she looked in this color.

He lifted his hand and waited. She walked over to him; he was still seated on the bed and placed her hand in his. He tugged just a little, and she sat by him.

“It feels like forever since I held you in my arms.”

“Do you want to hold me?” The question was redundant; she acknowledged that. He was already holding her tight, but she needed his words.

“Yes. Sage, when a madman attacks, there’s no rhyme or reason. If they hadn’t of fixated on you, they would have done it to someone else. This wasn’t your fault.”

“Logically, I know that. Then I think of the women. I wonder about their children, husbands, parents and I feel guilty. I keep thinking I should have done something to stop this, and I can never let this happen again.”

“Can you stop the next person from getting hit by a car?”

“No, but—.”

“Can you stop the next bank robber or person who chooses to pick up a gun.”

“No.”

“And you can’t stop the madman that kills, whether he’s killing woman who look like you, or killing because it gets him off.”

“I know.” She leaned into his chest breathing in his scent. “You smell like you just got out of the shower.”

“I used Xander’s shower. When I left him, he was complaining about mated males and brothers.”

Her lips kicked up, and a laughed came out. She loved the way they irritated each other but would kill for the other.

“What if I’m like you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Let’s say I wanted to kill those that hurt me, Rose and those women and I don’t want to stop until there is nothing left of them.”

“I’d say that is sexy.”

He leaned over and kissed her. His tongue stroked against her lips tickling her before she opened her mouth. He pulled her into the kiss with him, taking her to new heights as his tongue played with hers exploring her mouth like he had never kissed her before. The way he sucked on her tongue had her pussy convulsing begging her to speed things up.

“I love the way you kiss,” she whispered as he began to give her little bites along her throat.

Her fingers went to the bottom of his T-shirt playing with it until she pushed it up stroking his back. The pads of her fingers played with creating designs that only made sense in her head.

“Your hands are so soft, sensual, and tantalizing.” His voice was thick with need.

She backed up from him. Placing her hands on his chest, she pushed him to lie down. He went back easily. She crawled over his body and then hiked up her gown until it was around her waist. She sat on the bulge trying to escape from the joggers he was wearing.

Leaning over she licked his neck before blowing into his ear. His body shivered making her bolder. Her mouth slid down to his shoulder placing small bites on it as she licked and sucked on him. Her tongue swiped over the same place several times before she nipped at him.

“Do it.” His voice was deep the desire in it was pulling at her. Not pretending to misunderstand she bent over and bit his shoulder. Her teeth sank in, and she felt his blood seep into her mouth.

He flipped her biting her on the shoulder. Her body went up in flames as an orgasm took her away. The mutual exchange of blood made their bond tighter. He was never going to get rid of her because her heart belonged to him.

“Beautiful.” His deep voice stirred her from the peaceful place he sent her to.

“I think you’re beautiful.” He chuckled and licked the bite he placed on her shoulder.

“I love you, Sage. I never thought I could feel this way. You make me happy. My heart beats faster when you walk into a room. Your delicious scent makes me hard. I go to sleep thinking about you and when I wake my first thought is about you.” His finger caught the tear that was sliding down her cheek.

“I love you, Caden. I was so sure I’d be alone forever then you showed up watching me from a distance. That simple move caught my attention, and I began daydreaming of what you were like. You are so much better than anything I could have dreamed up.”

She lifted her head and caught his lips in a kiss. The way his lips moved against her would continue to surprise her for the rest of her life.

His hands went to the bottom of her gown and inched it up her body as if he was revealing someone so precious that he needed to take his time. When she was naked, he sat back and looked at her. The wonder and love in his eye made her feel special. This was what she always wanted but thought she’d never find.

“I can’t believe that you’re my mate. I spent so much time on the battlefield with bombs exploding around me. The average life span of a created Kur’ik is only a few hundred years. I should have died a long time ago, but somehow I survived to meet you.” He buried his head in her neck and breathed her scent in.

Sage held him close knowing that he revealed himself in those few words. It might take years to understand it all, but that was okay because she was dedicating her life to loving him.

He laid down and pulled her into his arms. His hands were caressing her.

“Tell me what happened to your back.”

“Jim.”

“What?”

“He tied me down and beat me.”

“Tell me I can kill him when I finally come face to face with him again.”

“We have to turn him over to the cops.”

“What will they do?”

“Put him in jail.”

“Tell me I can kill him.”

“You can kill him.” It was wrong, she screamed in her head, but that didn’t stop her. He had killed; he would kill again. He would hurt others like he hurt her. If there was no other way to stop him than death, then he would die.

“The scars will be gone soon.”

“What?”

“They are fading.”

She got out of bed and went to look into the mirror. He was right they were fading, but something else was taking their place. It was too faint to see what it was.

“I’m free. I always felt those marks on my back kept me in some prison that I couldn’t break out of.” She moved toward to the bed making her breasts sway gently.

When she got close enough, he took her by the arms and pulled her over him. She kissed down his chest getting to know the feel of it. She licked at his flat nipples even as her hand moved over the space where his belly button should be.

“I love how you look. I expected there to be subtle differences that scream not human. Each of those differences turn me on because they are a part of who you are.” She bit a nipple and watched his nose flare while his eyes shot green fire.

His hand came up and cupped one of her breasts before his fingers found a nipple and pinched it hard. A high keening sound left her lips as she begged silently for him to do it again. Her hands roamed over his body touching him until she reached the waist band of his pants.

“What’s this?” Her voice was thick with desire, and her eyes were cloudy with need.

“Nothing.” He rolled her over so that he could stand and get rid of his joggers. His thick dick sprung out making her lick her lips.

She climbed to her knees and moved to the edge of the bed taking his dick in her hands.

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” she whispered before her tongue came out and licked the head.

“You don’t have to do that.” There was a tremble in his voice. It fascinated her so much she did it again making sure she twirled her tongue around the head of his dick this time.

“Sage.”

“Shh.” She opened wide taking him as deep into her mouth as she could.

He wanted to close his eyes, but he couldn’t. No one had ever done this to him before. He was a created being, not born. He wasn’t worthy of a female treating him with such desire and respect as a male. His Sage didn’t care how he was born. All she saw was him, a male worthy of being her mate.

She sucked on him, and he growled his pleasure. His hand tangled in her beautiful red hair. It was soft and silky tickling the palm of his hand while she kept sucking on him making him harder. He let out a sound that only a male in the midst of pure pleasure could emit. He tried to hold still to just receive but his hips wouldn’t obey, and soon he was thrusting into her mouth. He was careful not to hurt her, but the sounds she made around his dick were ones of pure pleasure. Her hands went to the base of his dick making him want to spill in her mouth. The feeling in his spine was tingling, and he knew that he wouldn’t be able to help himself soon.

He was wild needing her. Her mouth was so hot and tight around him that he thought he was losing his mind.

“Sage, you have to stop, or I’ll.” He couldn’t say anything else. He didn’t want her to stop. Could she want to do this, care enough about him to want to taste his seed?

She sucked harder as if she was desperate for what only he could give her. His hand clutched her hair as fire raced up his spine and his hips punched out going deep into her mouth. He roared his pleasure as spurt after spurt of his seed went deep inside her mouth, and she swallowed humming a sound of contentment.

His hand stroked her hair until finally, she allowed him to withdraw. She looked up at him, a smile on her face while she licked her lips getting the drops of cum that had escaped.

She moved over on the bed, and he joined her. Never in his life had he known anything like this. The possessiveness he felt shot up a thousand percent. No one would ever hurt what was his. His mate.

“I love you,” he whispered again as her body curled up against his.