Chapter Nineteen

Mira was sitting with her back against the headboard unable to stop thinking about the missing girls and Tina.

“We’ll find them,” Tristan told her.

“Maybe. When I joined the Angel movement, I had big dreams of all the kids I was going to help. There’s a chance I thought I might even be a hero. I never said it out loud because it was never about me, but I knew that I still wanted my life to mean something. There was this vague hope that one-day someone would say here lies Mira Owens, she saved lives.

“Now I’m sitting here facing a problem that I can’t begin to understand. How am I going to save those children? Not because I want someone to know my name. I want them to live.”

“You have to realize that you’re not in this alone. You’ve never been alone. You have great support, and now you have more. We’re going to do everything we can do to help you find them.”

He was right, and she knew it. The reason she had helped so many youths was that the members of her team were as dedicated as she was. Lea was the ultimate mother and Jax, well she still didn’t understand him, but she loved him like a brother. More importantly, every kitten she brought through her network loved the two of them.

Now Tristan, Ven, and Enigma One were willing to move the heavens to help humans they didn’t know existed a couple of weeks ago.

Mira moved over so she could rub her cheek against Tristan’s chest.

“Baby?”

“I love when you call me that. Does that sound trite? When I was growing up, my parents never had cute nicknames for me. When I look back, I think my mother was too busy being scared for me to love me. It sounds weird, but I think it’s true. Parents can get caught up in everything that can or will go wrong that they forget to take the time to just hold you or love you.” She shrugged. That was then what did it have to do with now?

Tristan’s arms went around her. He lifted her up and made her comfy on his lap.

“I never cared about parents or having any until Ven came on the ship. No one knew that Enzo was his father. It would have been a death sentence for them. I’m the healer it’s hard to keep that kind of thing away from me. It always amazed me that the others didn’t know. Enzo protected Ven with his life. He almost died for him several times. That’s when I wondered about having parents. Would they protect me like that? Would they love me like Enzo loves Ven?

“I’ll never know. You sweet Mira should have known. Your parents should have seen how special you are and treated you accordingly. We can’t change the past, but we can make sure to always treat our children like they are loved, no matter what they do.”

Her hand flew to her belly. Children? Little people with bright green eyes and brown hair the same shade as hers. No, not little people. Children the perfect blend of her and Tristan. Tears slipped free of her eyes. Tristan caught each one holding them like they were precious.

She loved him. Why had it taken so long for her to understand? This wasn’t a maybe kind of love or an I can mate with you because I love you to kind of love. Not even close, this was the kind of love that snuck up on you after you already thought you were happy and contented. It slammed into your heart when you weren’t looking and spread to every part of your body. It kept you on your toes when your love was in the other room because you needed to see him or hear his voice.

It made you want to throw-up because you were so nervous when he didn’t make it home on time. It was the kind of love that wasn’t dependent, but interdependent. You wouldn’t be fine if he disappeared. You’d be that distraught woman on the news that couldn’t stop crying because your love claimed a part of your heart that never belonged to anyone else, but him. She was in love.

“Tristan.” She waited until he turned his incredible green eyes on her. It felt like he could see her very soul.

“I love you.” The words came out breathy and fast as if it were a secret that she needed out before it curled up and died inside of her. “I just wanted you to know. You’re not convenient or an experiment. You’re the male I want to spend my life or my forever after with. We can do it on this planet or in space. If we die, we can do it in the afterlife, as long as we do it.”

He leaned down and took her lips in the sweetest kiss she had ever known.

“I waited for you, Mira. Even when I believed you would never show up, I waited. I knew when I made you mine that you loved me. I love you too.” She went to open her mouth; he placed a finger on it stopping her.

“I think love sometimes comes in parts. There’s that initial rush. The feeling that you have to be around that person. The smile they make you feel is incredible. Then it settles and your happy. If you are blessed, a word I learned on your planet, then the next part comes. It’s all-consuming. That’s how I feel about you. I love my Alpha and my brothers, but you mean everything to me Mira and one day so will our children.”

This! This is what she dreamed of when she was drugged up on pills from the doctors. When she was told there was no hope for her. This was what her grandmother told her about in lowered voices so only she would hear. This was the dream that was becoming the reality of her life. This, just like her kittens, was worth fighting for.

“I feel so sorry for the rest of the women on earth.” She was tugging at him until he laid flat on the bed.

“Why?”

“Because they only made one of you, and I got the best.”

His low chuckle became a growl as she took one of his nipples into her mouth. She sucked hard before giving him a love bite. It was hard enough to get him to react but soft enough for him never to feel pain.

“I’m going to take care of you, Tristan. I’ll never hurt you,” she said it with a growl that went back to the primitive days of her ancestors. She saw herself with a bone sticking in her hair holding it up. She was carrying a torch and wearing the skin from an animal to keep warm, and it was okay. There was no need to be some modern woman who could bring home the bacon and cook it. She was fine sharing power with her warrior who was also a healer.

“I love that look on your face. You’re fierce.” His hands tugged on her hair bringing her up for a mind-numbing kiss. She loved his strength, but what she loved more was when she resisted he let her go. Tristan would never force her, but she did know he wasn’t playing when it came to her safety. How had she become… what was the word he used, blessed? That described them perfectly.

“I’m going to crawl up on your amazing dick, and I’m going to ride you until you fill my womb with your child.” Damn, he made a sound that caused the wetness to slick her like a river.

“I need to touch you first, caress you, taste those ripe rose berries that are swinging over me.”

“Nope mate you need to fill me. Then if you’re nimble enough, maybe you can make a grab for the forbidden fruit.”

She laughed at her own joke while she placed her body over his. She had to go up on her feet to make sure his dick was at the perfect place to penetrate her when she lowered herself. His hands wrapped around her waist helping her. A hiss of pleasure came from both as she took him inside.

“I thought I’d be used to this by now, but I think a hundred years in the future this will still feel as wonderful as the first time.” The words were spoken more for herself than for him.

“Yes please,” she cried out. Tristan knew where to touch her. His dick acted as a divining rod finding the places she was most sensitive. She rode him, but he was in charge. His hands stayed on her waist lifting her and dropping her.

Oh, hell yeah, he dropped her, and his dick pushed deep within her tight folds.

“More, I need more.” His hips lifted from the bed pushing his fullness deep within her. Hitting her like he was lying on top.

That feeling, that doorway to nirvana was opening. It was all she could do to clamp her teeth tight to keep from shouting out and letting the whole house know what Tristan could do for her. Ah, hell, who cared? She screamed loud and proud when he flipped her on her back and plunged in so deep she might not live through it.

Her body shuddered as she careened into a pool of pleasure. The drop, it was always the drop that messed her up. It was when her body gave up being its own entity and became one with the male she loved. The pleasure she felt came from her and him.

She was never giving him up. Let those emotion sucking things come after them. She’d take them down by the power of her love.

Tristan pulled her into his arms. First, she needed to rest her eyes.