He felt her nerves as she rushed on, “I mean seriously, Rayne, this is crazy. I'm traipsing off with you like I’ve known you forever. Trusting all that you’re telling me and let’s be real here, everything you’ve told me is something out of a sci-fi or a fantasy movie.
“Then Royce tells me that when we're mated I’ll live as long as you and that could be one thousand years! And the thing that’s making all of this even harder is that if I don’t become your mate, you'll spend all those years, almost nine hundred more of them alone, without love. But how can this be love? How can this be anything? I just met you!”
He watched her struggle to catch her breath and get her emotions under control after her little speech. The look of pleading and utter confusion in her gorgeous green eyes was more than he could stand. He leaned closer and laid his lips on hers, caressing slowly from one corner to the other. This was a kiss of reassurance, commitment, one of true love. When he felt the tension leave her body, he slowly pulled back, opened his eyes and marveled at the beauty that was his mate. Her face in his hands, eyes closed, lips parted ever so slightly, trusting him, whether she realized it or not, to give her answers to all her questions. In that moment Rayne saw every one of the reasons why the Universe had made her for him. He’d known from the moment he saw her she was his. He knew he would move heaven and earth to be with her.
“Mo ghra’, I know everything is happening so fast. If I had it my way, I would court you slowly, giving you time to come to terms with each revelation before dumping something else on you but it didn’t happen that way for us.
“I understand you learned things from Royce that I should’ve told you and I am sorry, evgren. I’ve been so concerned with the hunters, getting you to safety and returning to the clan, to ensure everyone’s safety, that I haven’t been as thorough in my explanations to you as I should’ve been. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
She relaxed the rest of the way against him and he thanked the Universe she had a forgiving soul but he couldn’t resist teasing her just a bit. “And I must admit, just having you close, short circuits all my brain function. Nothing else matters as much as getting my hands, mouth and other body parts, close to you, preferably while you’re naked and sweating beneath me.”
Kyndel swatted him on the arm. He grinned at the faked irritation on her face. No longer able to resist, he dragged her onto his lap and kissed her until she was breathless. He hoped he'd answered enough of her questions to put her concerns to rest at least until they reached the safety of his clan. Her safety was a constant concern; he needed her as far away from the threat of danger as he could get her. She straightened her back and squared her shoulders as they headed back to their group. He let her get just a few steps ahead so he could admire the sway of her beautifully rounded hips. He was truly a very very lucky man.
And just that quick his concentration was pulled back to the threat against them. “Rayne, do you feel that?”
“Feel what, Lance?”
“Open your senses! There’s a horde approaching!”
Rayne kept moving and opened his senses, far and wide, frustrated with himself that he had been so focused on Kyndel, he had neglected to continually sweep the area.
Lance obviously picked up on his self recrimination. “Give yourself a break, dude. You just found your mate. We’re here to cover your back.”
“Yes, but I am the Commander.” He said for himself as much as his brethren. “Oh shit! You’re right. 50 or 60, definitely men, one has some serious magical power, they all smell of deceit and hate. Fucking Hunters!” He seethed with anger.
Rayne opened his mind speak to all the Guards. “We have incoming, less than a mile out. Fifty to sixty hunters. They have someone with serious magical power with them. Pick up the pace. We have to get as close to the peak as possible before we take flight.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kyndel felt the men tense, the air surrounding them immediately thick with it. Before her next breath, she was thrown over Rayne’s shoulder, traveling so fast she had to close her eyes to keep from losing her dinner down his back.
“Rayne put my heavy butt down. What the hell is going on?” She yelled into his ass.
Rayne swatted her behind, “You will not call my mate heavy and we’re getting away from a pack of hunters that are trying to keep us from reaching The Pointe.”
“I promise you will pay for hitting my ass, Commander,” Kyndel promised through clenched teeth. “I appreciate that you can move a one hundred times faster than I can, but a little warning before the caveman/Superhero routine would be nice or the next time I’m not going to hold back from throwing up all over your back.”