Chapter Twelve
Xander
There had been no further activity from Anzû or any of his shifters since they’d received the note the month before. It had been decided that the assassins, much like when they were protecting Ara, would stick close to Xander’s house, a sort of protection detail. They were in close quarters until they found out what Anzû truly wanted and stopped him or destroyed him once and for all.
Xander had found that he couldn’t be apart from Frost for very long. One, because he didn’t want to, but when he did, Silas would send out a wave of unhappiness until Xander came close. It would upset Frost, and he hated to see Frost upset.
Xander had been working overtime trying to find a connection between anyone in the government, to see whether they had an off-books connection with Nightfall. Although the company was relatively new, Xander had found some redacted material about an old, defunct company that Anzû had been connected to, albeit loosely. The company had been fired while under contract with the government, but there was no information on who owned them or the name of the employees under them. Apparently whatever they had done had Anzû and the company banned from ever being contracted by the government again. The information had been deleted or someone just as talented as Xander had moved it to a private server so no one could ever find it.
Ghost’s contact was told that as long as Dark Company existed, they wouldn’t have a need for another immortal assassin group. But if Anzû knew that he was banned, he might believe the only way to get a government contract was to kill the assassins and take over, hopefully without much scrutiny. The one thing that made no sense was his fascination with Frost. Anzû knew that Frost wasn’t his mate; it would be obvious to any self-respecting immortal to understand and leave another’s mate alone. But he persisted with little thought for failure. Which, if he continued, would happen, because Xander would kill him if the fucker came close to Frost.
Xander knew that she was powerful, transitioning without the effect of his venom and she could speak through their mind link quicker than any other of the other immortal mates had, without even knowing it was possible. And now Silas, in the womb, could mind link with any immortal he wanted to, on top of being able to put an effective barrier around any person or thing he wanted. They had gone so far as to test the strength of his established barrier; and not one of the immortals could make a dent, much less was able to break it. Silas had told them that he didn’t have to think about it. If he wanted it, it appeared.
And that was another thing that awed them. Silas could effectively communicate with complete sentences. Among his other talents, he had emotional ones as well. He could sense auras and send out emotions to reassure or strengthen someone’s existing feelings. Both his son and his mate were brilliant.
Xander had spent another night working all the way until morning after getting a lead on Anzû, and happened to stumble upon a photo of him. He had showed the picture to those who had gathered around their house, but no one recognized the shifter.
Daddy?
Xander rushed up the stairs toward Frost and carried her the rest of the way down the stairs and onto the couch. He kissed her before he kneeled, slipped his hand underneath Frost’s shirt, and rubbed her stomach.
“How are you, little man?”
Frost’s stomach protruded even more. He remembered that Liv mentioned the day before that Frost looked eight months pregnant and Silas’s growth was perfect.
You’ve been gone too long. Mommy couldn’t sleep.
“I’m done now. We’ll take a nap later together, how does that sound?”
Silas sent out a wave of happiness that made both him and Frost smile. Thomas gave back the picture that Xander had passed around and Xander handed it to Frost. “Do you recognize him?”
“Yes.” Her words were rushed and before their next breath, Silas had put up a barrier around the three of them. “It’s okay, baby. It’s okay. We’re okay.”
Her words relaxed Silas and he dropped the barriers.
“He was at the diner the morning we set off and then we ran into him on the second day, but he never spoke to us or seemed to know any of the mercenaries who were with me. He walked away soon after I spotted him.”
Ghost walked in and made a beeline for him, and glanced down at the photo. “I remember him. He’s a bear shifter who came to me for a job about a half century ago. He had just transitioned and believed that all we did was kill people for fun and he wanted to be a part of it. I told him that I didn’t have a spot for him and he became so volatile that he trashed my office. I haven’t seen him since.”
“It still doesn’t explain what he wants with Frost and he knows that we, as a group, are too powerful to win an all-out battle, no matter how many he’s recruited. We should assume the worst and keep our eyes open.”
Silas, barrier please.
Yes, Mommy.
They had taught Silas to put a barrier around himself, blocking both sounds and thoughts, until Frost hummed a certain note that vibrated against the barrier, letting Silas know it was safe to listen again.
“I don’t care what the fuck he wants. If he goes anywhere near Silas, I will rip his fucking throat out.” With that, she waddled toward the kitchen. Xander.
When he arrived in the kitchen, she had removed the lasagna from the fridge, leftovers from the dinner the night before, and he took the pan and cut her a large piece. He went to the fridge to see what they had, because she wouldn’t eat the pasta alone. “Do you want whipped cream, marshmallow fluff, pickles, cream cheese, or mustard?”
“Yes.”
He turned to her and raised his eyebrow, but Frost pierced him with a glare that had him shivering. He topped her lasagna and put everything away when she was happy with her breakfast. But halfway through her meal, she paused with her fork near her mouth, before she set it back down on her plate. He wondered, for a split second, whether she had gone into labor, but then her arousal reached his senses. Although they’d had sporadic moments alone, they had spent every night together, well, except for the night before. With those crowding in the house and him busy working finding any leads he could, it didn’t leave them much time for sex.
Frost reached for him and pulled him down in a heated kiss and he swallowed her loud moan. He wrapped his arms around her and lost himself to the sensations of his mate and her talented mouth.
“Please make love to me.” It was a demand and a request.
Her body vibrated with a need that matched his own. Xander lifted her in his arms, loving the weight of his mate and their son, and walked toward the living room.
“Everyone out. We’ll be fine on our own for the day. You can come back tonight.”
Xander ushered everyone toward the door, waiting for Ax to make a smart-ass remark, and smiled when, as he opened his mouth, Xander slammed the door in his face and locked it. He armed the system and ran upstairs, all of this with Frost pressed close to his chest. He gently lowered her onto the bed and with deft movements, ripped her clothing off her. He stood, amazed at her round belly and the fact that this woman, his mate, loved him.
“Please.”
He quickly discarded his clothing. He laid down on the bed next to her and turned her onto her side. When she was comfortable, he lay behind her, pressing his chest to her back, and wrapped his arms around her. His mouth found the sensitive part of her neck, just below her ear, and started nipping at it. He shivered as she moaned at the sensations.
His hands weren’t idle. He ran his fingers along her throat before he caressed lower, drawing sexy moans from her wherever he touched her. She gasped as he tweaked her nipple, holding it between his thumb and forefinger and squeezed, adding only a little pressure.
“Fuck, Xander. More.”
“I love how you experience pleasure. And the words that come from your mouth drive me crazy.”
Another rush of scent washed over him and unable to stay away, he ran his hands down until his fingers rested on her clit. He flicked the sensitized nub until she cried out with her first orgasm. He coated his fingers with her release and brought his hand to his mouth, sucking her sweet taste off his fingers.
“I need your cock. Now.”
“Oh, God, sweetheart. I’m going to fuck you until you come all over my hard, pounding cock.”
The moan that escaped her throat had him harden further, if that were even possible. With quick movements, he lifted her leg and draped it over his hip, exposing her and allowing him to press forward with ease. Moving his fingers back to her clit, he waited until she cried out from the ongoing sensations from her over-sensitized nub before he slid deep inside her with one thrust. His other arm slipped underneath her and held her tight to his body as he started to move. The vibrations of her first orgasm still coursed through her and with every thrust, she panted his name and begged for more.
“It’s been too long.”
“Sweetheart…I took you yesterday in the shower…and then again in my office.” He panted as the pleasure started to overwhelm him.
“I know, but that was yesterday. I need you.”
“You have me, sweetheart. You always will.”
She rocked back against him as he drove his hips forward, finding a rhythm that had both of them keening as her orgasm approached. With one hand pinching her nipples and the other rubbing circles against her clit, she pressed back against him and cried out. Her muscles clamped down on his cock as her come washed over him. The sudden pressure and her wetness had him shouting her name as he buried himself deep inside and let go.
The pulse of his cock had her shivering against him, and another wave of pleasure washed over her. For the next few seconds, she squeezed every ounce of come from him.
This time, it took him a few minutes to catch his breath. He could feel her shaking from the intensity of their lovemaking, and he held her tightly, kissing her neck until her shivers subsided and she fell limp against him.
“I love you, Xander.”
“I love you, too, sweetheart.”
Surprise shook him when she wiggled out of his grasp, but when she pushed him onto his back and crawled on his lap, he opened his mouth to protest. That protest died when she sank down on his still hard cock, drawing a groan from both of them. He had closed his eyes, but they flew open when Frost licked a swath near his collarbone. He sucked in a breath when he watched as her teeth elongated for the first time since she’d transitioned. She leaned forward, and without hesitation, pierced his skin with her teeth and released her venom into his bloodstream. The pleasure from her bite was so great, he gripped Frost’s hips and kept her hips flush with his as he released for a second time deep inside her.
When she pulled back and sealed his punctures with a lick, she rocked her hips against his and he reached for her clit again. With all the sensations swirling around him, Frost’s release rocked him to his core. She dropped down onto his chest, and he held her for the longest time. He savored this quiet moment with her, until her body sagged with exhaustion. He laid her down and propped her belly with a body pillow to relieve some of the pressure on her back, and turned to face her.
They were quiet for a long while, thinking about everything and nothing as they savored this time together.
“You know when they find out about Silas, Anzû and his goons will target him.”
“Why do you think that?” Xander felt fear chill him to the bone.
“Because he’s unique, and people who crave power collect what’s unique. Their dedication to power gives them an advantage.”
Xander shook his head. “I won’t allow that to happen. Our family won’t allow that to happen.”
Frost sensed his panic, because she smiled and ran her hands over her stomach. “I’m going to miss being this close to him.” She hummed and they both felt his barrier fall. Silas sensed their tension and sent out waves of contentment and happiness. Frost laughed and rubbed her belly.
“We love you, too, baby.”
As they relaxed into sleep, Xander made a promise to himself that he would protect them, no matter how far he had to go to do it.