Prime Obsession(54)

“We’ll get them, luhba,” he whispered against her temple. “You’ll get to see the gardens if I have to have an air cordon put around the property.” Seconds passed and there was no more laser fire. Still they stayed on the floor, holding onto each other.

A loud pounding on the door to the hall had her starting within Wulf’s arms.

“It’s father and my brothers,” he said, running a soothing hand down her back.

“I know.” She pushed out of his arms. “Get dressed. I’ll let them in. I have a good idea of the trajectory of the shot. I can show them where the shots originated.”

“They’ve seen me naked before, lubha.” he smiled.

“Not in my presence they haven’t,” she hissed, swatting him on his so-fine naked butt. Damn, she’d had plans for that ass. There was always later. “Get some pants on, at the very least.”

“Only for you, gemate lubha.” He leaned down and kissed her lips before strolling toward the walk-in closet. “And it was your plans for my so-fine-naked ass that awakened me right before the shots hit.”

 “We’ll make time for that—later.”

 “It’s always later with you, gemate .”

“Smart ass!” she muttered as she walked to open the main door into their suite of rooms.



Iolyn, Huw, and Wulf’s father stood in the hall, dressed in casual attire and bearing weapons. Behind them was a small squad of armed soldiers.

Wulf’s father looked her over from head to foot then came back to her head. “You are bleeding, daughter. Huw, get the medic from the guard station.” Huw ran to the stairs leading to the first floor. Concern bled off of him in waves. She must really look bad.

 “You are bleeding from at least two dozen places, lubha . Of course Huw would be concerned.”

Ignoring Wulf’s voice in her head, she addressed his father. “I’m fine, Ilar. I managed to hit the ground right before they fired.” She gestured at the cuts. “These are from the broken door. It was closed when the shot hit.” Wulf’s father gestured to the soldiers. “Two of you go and check the balcony. The rest of you check the grounds. I want to know where the shot came from. Also, secure the area around the house just in case the sniper fire was a ploy to test our security.” The soldiers turned to do as their leader bid after one awe-struck glance at her.

Mel frowned and hissed at the pain. The cut on her forehead was deeper than she’d thought. “Why did they look at me like that?” Melina asked Iolyn. “All I did was duck.” Iolyn smiled. “Sister mine, you don’t know how unusual you are. The closest shooting position has to be on the next mountain peak over ten kilos away. The fact that you somehow saw or sensed the shooter from that distance is a miracle.”

“Iolyn, I saw a flash of light from the corner of my eye,” she said. “Anyone could have done that.”

“No, my dearest daughter,” Ilar said with a smile, “not anyone. What you saw was the shot, and you simultaneously sensed the shooter’s emotion and reacted to save yourself. All that had to happen in a split second. You should be dead—but you aren’t.

Thus, their awe.”

“She is lucky to be alive,” Wulf said as he surrounded her with his arms, pulling her back against his warm, naked chest.

At least he had pants on. She took a deep breath and almost sighed at the relief his scent and touch provided. Much better than any pain medication.

“I sensed the shooter’s hatred at the same instant she did. I was up and running for her as she threw herself to the ground.” Wulf gulped and shuddered against her. “I would’ve been too late to save her. A millisecond later and she would’ve taken a full blast to the head.”

No one said anything for a few seconds. The sound of more guards entering the room broke the silent tableaux.

“Premier, sir.” One of the original responding soldiers came to stand in front of them. “The shot had to have come from your honorable sister’s home. What are your orders?”

Ilar shook his head. “From Beria’s house? I don’t believe that.” Mel turned to the soldier. “Lieutenant, why don’t I show you exactly where I saw the flash? I am sure that Premier Caradoc would want us to be doubly sure.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The lieutenant saluted and gestured for Wulf and her to precede him to the balcony.

Wulf placed her at his side with his arm around her waist and walked with her outside.



Once there, she used the sight on the lieutenant’s laser rifle to find the spot where she’d seen the assassin’s laser flash.

“There, about ten kilos away and about one third of the way up that mountain.” Mel pointed the position out to the guard who nodded. Wulf’s arm tightened on her waist. His angry growl came back to set her nerves on edge once more; his irate rumbling also confirmed that it was the house of his aunt.

 “Wulf, please. That growl makes me want to kill something.”

 “I do want to kill someone. Specifically, the person who tried to murder you.” The growling got louder and harsher. Everyone on the balcony tensed as if waiting for the inevitable explosion.

 “Well, you can’t—right now. So knock it off.”

He ceased the growling, then massaged her waist as he leaned over and whispered against her ear, “Sorry.”

“Amazing. You are communicating by telepathy,” Ilar said, his eyes glowing with some strong emotion. “You are true battle-mates. I didn’t quite believe it when my old friend Tor told me. This family is truly blessed, my daughter.” Blushing, Mel inclined her head. “Thank you, Ilar.”

To redirect the conversation away from her and her battle-mate status, which never ceased to embarrass her, she cleared her throat and turned to the guard. “Is that where you projected the shot’s origination?” She pointed to the spot once more.

“Yes, Captain Melina.” The guard’s face was sober. “That is the home of Beria Caradoc-Nabann, the sister to your esteemed father by marriage and the aunt of your gemat.”

“Well, hell,” whispered Mel. She turned worried eyes toward Wulf, then Iolyn and finally to her new father-in-law. “That’s not good. We suspected a family member, but not someone that close in blood.”

“We’ll discuss this later, gemate lubha,” whispered Wulf. “I want your wounds treated first and you to get a bolus for the pain. And, don’t deny that you are in pain, my love. I feel it.”

Mel nodded. “Can we get something to eat, do you think? My head hurts, but I suspect it is more from hunger than pain.”

Wulf hugged her tightly. Kissing the top of her head, he spoke over it to his brother and father, “We’ll get Melina’s cuts seen to and then get dressed and meet you in the family breakfast room.”

Ilar came over to them and kissed Mel’s cheek. “I’m sorry your homecoming has been filled with this strife. It is a sad welcome home for you.” She smiled at Ilar. “We’ll get through this—as a family.”

“Definitely as a family,” Ilar agreed, a smile on his face. He turned to leave, several of the soldiers following him.

Iolyn patted Mel’s shoulder before he turned to leave also.

“Iolyn?” Wulf called. His brother halted, a quizzical look on his face. “Get Tor Maren. He also needs to be in on this family meeting.” Iolyn nodded, then shut the door behind him.

“Come, lubha. Let’s get you cleaned up so the medic can tend the wounds more easily.”

Mel nodded. “Maybe we can take a shower together? Conserve some water? Multi-tasking is always good, right?”

Wulf’s lips attempted to curve into a smile, but failed. “Whatever you wish, my love.

I don’t want to miss a single second with you. Life is … too short. I could’ve—”

“—but you didn’t lose me. I’m fine. Right here in your arms,” she reassured him, kissing his gemat marking, stroking it with her tongue until it glowed. “Let’s celebrate life—and save some water at the same time.”

“Yes, let’s,” he rasped as he took her lips with so much passion that Mel felt as if she burned from the inside out. Her gemate marking pulsed in time with his heartbeat. Wulf’s love for her and hers for him was worth fighting for. No one would take this from her. No one.

Pulling her lips from his, she twisted from his arms and pulled him along to the bathroom and the giant shower. For now they’d reaffirm their bond—later would be soon enough to make plans to eradicate the threat to their future.





* * * *





The sunny breakfast room—while it looked peaceful and a delightful place to begin the day—now held a grim council of war. Wulf’s father sat at the head of the table. His wife Lorinda, a statuesque brunette with peridot-colored eyes sat next to him; her beautiful face was a calm mask, but the energy pouring off her told a more turbulent story. Lorinda was coldly furious. And she wasn’t the only one throwing off angry vibes at the table. Ilar, Huw, Iolyn and her Uncle Tor were also ready to explode.

“Good morning, everyone,” Mel said as Wulf led her to a seat next to his mother.