Scarred Protector(12)

Everything was happening so fast, it was good to have five minutes without someone watching her. She didn’t know if it was the house or the connection with Heath, but the darkness didn’t seem so strong at the moment. She could still feel it in her mind, but no longer felt like she was at the bottom of a dark pit with no way out. For the first time in a long time, she thought she could fight and had friends to help. She also seemed to have acquired some enemies, too.

Her muscles relaxed as the warmth of the water seeped through her, and she found herself humming. It was a song she had performed for a concert in high school. It was a time before the darkness came. A time before Dad was sick. They had both survived Mum’s suicide and had built a life they thought would do them well. Maybe not do them well, but at least allow them to get by.



             The water was getting cold, so she got out of the tub and dried off. It was strange, but she didn’t want to leave the room and make a decision about where things were going. Staring at the door was doing her no good; she needed to walk through it. In the bedroom, she looked at the clothes on the bed. She wore jeans, big combat boots, and bomber jackets. The underwear that was laid out was rather basic, but the rest of the clothes looked like they had cost more than her and Dad would have had in the bank. The jumper was a beautiful pale blue, and when she ran her hand over it, she reckoned it was cashmere. She had never cared what clothes were made of before. She had no intention of going down that track now. She would wear them for now until she could get more of her own stuff.

The pants were black and beautifully cut. How the hell did they know her size? She looked in the full-length cheval mirror next to the dressing table. She looked good, and the simple black pumps set it off. It was like looking at someone else, except she did notice the dark shadows beneath her eyes. The crazy curly hair was all over the place as usual, too.



Someone knocked on the door.

She thought it would be Suzie, but it was Heath. Before she could think, her breath caught in her throat. He looked wonderful and handsome, like something out of a book, in his modern version of a frock coat. His shirt was slightly undone, and her mind went back to how his chest had looked when he had moved on top of her in the dream. She knew he had a small amount of hair across his chest that had trailed down to his magnificent dick. She could fall for him right now. Did he have any idea how shitty her life had been and how much she’d wanted someone like him? A gorgeous, considerate lover. Did he also know she would never let that show because to be let down would kill her?

“I hope you have found the room to your liking.”



             He kept his hands behind his back and seemed so formal. It threw her. They had been in a fight with the bad guys and flown God-knows-where. She had thought he was dying and had an erotic shared dream with him, and now he was acting like a polite host at a country estate. It was as if all closeness between them from their short time together was gone.

“The room’s lovely, and the bath was great. Thanks for the clothes, but will I be able to go back to my place and get some of my things?”

“At the moment, I want you to stay within these walls where we can protect you. We can discuss it again later. If you’re ready, I’ll show you the manor house and introduce you to the other members of my enclave. You must be hungry as well. My housekeeper has prepared food for you.”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “I’ll want my things, Heath. It’s not up for discussion, but I’m happy to look around for now.” She didn’t like being told what to do. These guys might have more of an idea what was going on, but she still wanted to be part of the conversation about things that were going to affect her. Heath nodded, turned, and walked from the room expecting her to follow. With his long legs he strode down the corridor outside her room, and she had to walk fast to keep up.

“There are six rooms on this level. Yours is the guest room next to mine. The others have members of my group living in them. My housekeeper and her husband live on the ground floor at the back of the house.”

Heath stopped by a large window at the end of the corridor. Evie looked out to see an enclosed courtyard garden. It was where they had originally landed. There was another outbuilding opposite. Heath pointed to them.

“The stables have been converted, and the rest of my group lives there.”

Evie turned back thinking Heath had moved away, but he hadn’t, and she bumped into his chest. She couldn’t move. It was as if her body was frozen to the spot. She stared at his chest in front of her, almost too scared to look up. He smelt so good−clean soap and all man. Lifting her gaze, she met his eyes as he stared down at her. His smoldering gaze bore into her. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. He bent his head down so that his lips were close to hers, but not quite touching. It was so intimate while they breathed in each other’s breath. Then he turned away.



             “Come. I will show you downstairs.”

What the hell had just happened? One minute he acted like a stranger, and the next she thought he was going to jump her. She might be crazy, but she had not imagined it.

“Wait, Heath,” she yelled after him. “What’s happening? I’ve been taken away from my home and brought here. You said you did some bonding thing on me. I need to know more of what that means because I also have some strange thoughts going through my head concerning a ‘shared’ dream.”

Heath stopped and turned and moved toward her. Evie found herself backing up against the wall as he moved closer until his whole body was pressed against hers. He was hard for her, and it turned her on so much that an ache developed between her legs. There was no hesitation this time as his lips came down hard on hers with passion. His tongue entered her mouth and explored hers, just as he had done in the dream. She wanted this. In fact, she would be happy if he took her straight back to his room or even had her up against the wall. She didn’t want him pressed up against her. She wanted him inside her. It was the only way the yearning would be controlled. Eventually, they broke apart. Both of them were breathing heavily, and he placed his hands on the wall on either side of her head as he stared at her.

“Does that answer your question about the bonding? Our bodies are keening for each other, and it will get stronger. I’m known to be one of the calmest Midworlders to ever live, and yet near you my mind is running wild. I should be protecting you, and yet all I have done is force myself on your body here and in your dreams.”



             She placed her hand against his cheek. “You haven’t forced anything on me I didn’t want. You say it’s the bonding, but I knew somehow from the first moment I saw you that you would help me, or even save me. I saw a pain in you I recognize in myself.” The passion she had seen in his eyes before was replaced by sadness.

“I haven’t saved you. All I’ve done is given us a reprieve for a month. Then I’ll have to try to turn you. If I touch you the way I want to touch you without a guardian you would conceive and the genetic difference in the child would kill you.”



“This is all moving so fast for me. Babies? I don’t want babies. I’ve only just met you. I do feel this crazy connection, though, and I want you. So what are we going to do?”

“I will refrain from touching you and keep a gentlemanly distance. I take this opportunity to apologize for my behavior.”



Heath stood away from her and put his hands behind his back as his eyes glazed over, showing no emotion. How could he do that? Her mind was a tumult of sensations all the time, from the darkest gloom to laughter and everything sensual in between. She had always fought like a terrier or curled up in a ball in the corner. She didn’t know how to do calm, cool, and collected. Plus, the way her nether regions were still hot from his touch. Cool wasn’t something she could manage right now.

“Let us get some food.” Heath walked off toward the stairs, and Evie tried to get her legs to obey her and follow him. Eventually they did but still felt like jelly. She might not know Midworlders and what their personalities were supposed to be like, but Heath was blowing hot and cold even for her. She knew she could have mood swings since the darkness came and could be tricky to live with, but this was pushing a whole new set of buttons.



             Downstairs, he showed her through to the kitchen. The tour of the ground floor was obviously going to happen at another time. Perhaps he didn’t want to get caught in anymore dark corners with her. The kitchen was like a large traditional farmhouse one with a big range on one side and a large table in the middle that would sit at least twelve. There were six people in the room, and they all looked up as she walked in with Heath. She knew Suzie, Tiny, and Luke, and the others she recognized from the rescue, but she didn’t have a name for them. There was also Marge, who was busy at the range. Marge looked across and smiled.

Suzie came over and threaded her arm through Evie’s. “Hey guys, stop staring. Just because she’s bonded to our illustrious leader doesn’t mean she’s grown horns.” Suzie guided her to the table. “Tea, coffee, or juice?”