The Alpha’s Desire 4(23)
“Every brutal second is worth these amazing ones I get in your arms, with you moving inside of me, whispering words of love. I would go to the end of the earth and back for you. Feels like I did, as I have seen you do for me, each time going to the brink of death to save me. We are good together. And, if that means some hardships to make it so, I say bring it on. I can do whatever it takes to be with you.”
“It all seems too good to be true in this moment. All the hardship forgotten, we must look forward to the Royal Island, to getting you trained, to being together in safety.”
“I am. I am looking forward to every moment of it with you.”
Chapter Fourteen
Second try better be the charm, I thought to myself as Lex helped me into another black SUV. I didn’t think I would survive a second attack, at least not right now that I’d just gotten him back. If it were going to take three tries to get to the airport, I suddenly wasn’t game. While my spirit soared at the moment, refreshed, my body withered with an odd mix of fatigue and excitement stirred together by my nerves. Some of my nervousness was residual still, compounding upon all the new anxieties of traveling at all. I honestly felt like a car would just come out of nowhere to slam into us at any moment.
I didn’t know what it was with these paranormal types and huge black SUVs, but the vampires seemed to have a few, almost exactly the same as the ones the Royal werewolves had picked us up in less than a week ago. This thing had to be the size of a small bus, and with an intimidating look about it. No car would want to meet up with this beast in traffic, I thought just a second before memory of the last accident I’d had in one came to mind. It hadn’t saved us then. What would it take to protect us, a damn tank? Shaking off the inappropriate thoughts, I forced calm on myself, with a deep breath in that I then held. I let Lex open the door for me. In moments, we would be off to the private airport that would take Lex and I only this time to the Royal Island.
From where Nira lived, we only had a fifteen minute drive. With the guy in the black suit on his own out there, surely licking his wounds, literally and figuratively, I shouldn’t have had worries that anyone would run us off the road and attack this time. We were home free. I knew this, and just needed to convince my brain. I did the mental work fast, chastising myself for the ridiculousness of my train of thought until no sense of impending tragedy remained, at least not that I would own up to at the moment. I wasn’t nervous about meeting the Royals, at least not yet. At the moment, I found that as long as my focus remained solely on Lex, on the fact that he was with me, I was golden.
I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. I couldn’t stop holding his hand. Even as he’d played the gentleman, as usual, giving me a boost up into the vehicle, I’d clutched at his hand in mine, not letting it go. I’d forced him to only be able to use his free hand to push against my back as I took the large step up to my seat in the back. I settled into the bucket seat – well, slipped in, really, thanks to the leather. It cradled my body, lumbar support in the perfect spots and all. I reminded myself that I had it made at this point. I really did. And, it was about time. I was due some peace and some happiness.
I did have a moment of mourning, though, when with a smile and a wink, he wrenched his hand from mine to come around to his side of the vehicle. As he did so, all I could think of was Vivian and Riker, and how they’d been the ones in the front seat the last time we’d attempted to leave the United States for destinations unknown, at least to me. I’d thought Vivian and I would be great friends. Actually, I’d figured the four of us would become fast friends. I’d been naive enough about this world, to think we’d do double dates and couples’ things together. I still marveled at the fact that Riker had been Vivian’s guardian, as a Royal herself, before she’d chosen to be turned into a magical werewolf. I wondered how that relationship had worked, if it had easily been allowed. Yet, now wasn’t the time to ask about them.
Riker and Lex had already been friends. Even though the Royal werewolves spent more time apart then together, looking after the Royals they were assigned to protect, Lex and Riker had been turned and trained together, creating an inseparable bond, according to Lex. Vivian and I, too, had had an immediate connection. At least I’d thought so, given that she’d been family. Now she was just another member I’d lost. Whether the connection had been blood, or something to do with the magic, I mourned a stranger. I mourned the fact that I’d never get to truly know her.