Unbound (Forbidden Bond Book 1)(55)

"Thank you," she said aloud.

"Shhh … Don't speak, Lovely. Just let me hold you a while longer. As soon  as they realize you are awake, they'll make me leave." He kissed her  swiftly and nibbled her ear.

"We've got to stop meeting this way. I don't like this  damsel-in-distress business," Dani smiled up at him and croaked, her  voice rough from disuse.

"I don't mind. It's the only time we spend together anymore," he chuckled.         

     



 

"I'm going to miss seeing you." Her smile faded.

"You don't need to miss me, Lovely." He brushed her cheek again.

"I can't stay in your home any longer. It is not fair to either of us to  continue interfering with the progression of each other's life. You  need to start thinking about your mate, and I'm in the way. Do you know  the last time I was here"-she gestured around the room-"your future  mother-in-law sat in that chair for two hours, making wedding plans in  front of me. She wanted me to know who you belonged to. When I was at  the dress shop with her and your mom, she made sure to rub it in my face  again and do all she could to make sure she brought the bonding up with  Debbie every chance she got. She thinks I am a threat to her daughter's  happiness. I did some fishing of my own and learned that there are  serious and lasting financial and social penalties for breaking a  contract. I don't want to cause you any more trouble than I already  have." A single tear slid down her cheek. She wiped it away quickly,  blinking away the evidence of her sadness.

Chase's eyes were wide with disbelief. No wonder he'd had so much  difficulty getting closer to Danielle. She'd been dealing with  interference from Sarah, Sam, and Kayden.



Ever since her last brush with death a week before, Dani had camped out  at the Enclave. She moved out of the infirmary and into a private room  with its own bathroom. It was meant for high-ranking visitors to the  Enclave. It was like a nice hotel room but more comfortable, with a sofa  and a little kitchen area. Koren had it all arranged for her. Dani  believed Koren had picked up on the tension between Kayden, Chase, and  her. Koren had graciously found a way to give Dani some space to  breathe.

Kayden was none too happy when he was removed from her detail. His  father had said it was a conflict of interest. Gage told Kayden he  couldn't properly protect a person he was so attached to. Kayden was  going out on patrols with other warriors and rotating the duty of  guarding the council members' homes as well.

Dani was assigned to Darren, which only aggravated Kayden more. But she  couldn't find a fault in the guy, other than his conceited nature.  Kayden was leery of the reasons why Darren was her guardian. Darren was a  Wrath team leader and by rights shouldn't be expected to take on a  charge.

Dani found Darren to be pleasant, and appreciated the fact that he  didn't hover. He checked in with her several times a day and only really  followed her when she needed to leave the Enclave, unless she was going  to Kayden's house, in which case she had Kayden and Gage to babysit  her. She didn't resent being followed, after the day at the dress shop.  She'd climbed into that van believing she was going to die. She didn't  die, but not waking up had been even more terrifying.

Darren had also been teaching her to use a gun in his spare time.  "Anyone you can't stop with that pretty little brain of yours will stop  when you pump some lead in their ass," he told her.

Dani was anxious beyond all reason. She had been invited to be Kayden's  date for the bonding ceremony of his cousin. She couldn't wait to get  out of the Enclave for a while. It was also exciting to see how the  bonding thing worked, and Kayden promised to explain everything to her.  She was nervous about meeting so many of his family members and other  vamps in general, because she was still expecting some supervamp to come  along and know with one look that she was a fraud. She tried to  remember she had never claimed to be anything other than herself.  Everyone just assumed, and she went along with it, but that wouldn't  matter much when it all came out.

The ceremony would be a formal affair, so she decided on a tea-length,  deep-purple dress with intricate beading on the bodice for the evening  event. Koren said it was a perfect choice and gave Dani a gorgeous updo,  braiding the streaks to show them off in an elegant twist that she  arranged effortlessly. Just as Dani slipped into her heels, there was a  knock at the door. Her date was right on time. But as soon as she opened  the door, it was obvious there was a problem. Kayden leaned against the  doorjamb in his fatigues, not at all appropriate wedding attire.

"Good God, you're gorgeous." He swept her up into a tight embrace.

"Why aren't you dressed?" she asked, trying to catch her breath.

"I have to go cover for a warrior whose mate is having a baby. They told  me an hour ago. Being the low man on the totem pole really sucks." He  began to lead her in a dance to music only he could hear. They spun  around her room and laughed.

"I can't believe I have to let you go out looking like this without me."  He poked out his luscious lower lip in a cute little pout.         

     



 

She was totally charmed when he looked at her so adoringly with those  beautiful hazel eyes. He had been sweating, but his natural woodsy scent  was still wonderful. Dani couldn't help putting her face in his chest  to breathe him in.

"I guess I'm not going either. I can't go alone, and I don't want your  dad to have to worry about me all night instead of dancing the night  away with Koren. She's really looking forward to the evening."

"Fine by me." He perked up. "Do you need help getting out of this dress?"

Things between them had been progressing quickly-more quickly than she  preferred-but it seemed like Kayden had been pushing harder to move  things to the next level since her release from the infirmary. Kayden  was a gorgeous man, and Dani was well aware that he'd never had trouble  getting a woman. She wasn't ready for the next step, but she feared  losing him if she didn't get her head in the game soon. Judging by his  hard length pressing against her hip, she was swiftly running out of  time.

He kissed her and toyed with the spaghetti strings on her dress,  slipping them from her shoulders, her dress falling to the floor. She  stood before him in heels, a black thong, and matching push-up bra. He  sucked wind. She stood there like an idiot, gaping at him. A low growl  that was actually frightening rumbled from his chest. He pounced on her  before she even saw him move, pressing her into the mattress and  crushing her lips to his. His tongue explored her mouth, tasting her  thoroughly. The growl became a purr, and he licked down her neck to the  cleavage overflowing the bra and nibbled her ample curves. Kayden had  her from zero to nearly nude in the space of a moment.

She pushed on his chest, but he was engrossed in his task. "Kayden, I  don't think I'm ready for this just yet." Just as he pressed his mouth  to her breast, a loud knock at the door shattered his trance and he  seemed to remember himself. He lifted himself and looked down her body,  then into her eyes, like he was begging for permission she just wasn't  ready to give.

The knock came again, more demanding this time. "Danielle, are you ready  to go? We need to leave if you don't want to be late." A deep voice  vibrated through the door.

Kayden froze. "You have got to be kidding me." He went to the door with  his shirt untucked and in obvious disarray. He cracked the door. "What  are you doing here, Darren?" He scowled. Dani hopped up off of the bed  and rearranged her clothes.

"I was directed by Gage to accompany Danielle to a bonding tonight and  try to blend in, so as not to embarrass her. Since you're not going, and  Gage's attention will be on his mate, he wants her to be escorted. Your  parents are waiting for us in their car. Tough break for you, dude."  Darren was smug.

Kayden clenched his teeth. "She isn't dressed. Give us a minute." He slammed the door.

"What's that about?" she asked while hunting for a shoe that had ended up under the bed.

He returned to nuzzle her neck and looked her over appraisingly. "You are perfect. Let me at least walk you out?"

She grabbed her clutch and shawl. "Did you hear Darren?" he asked with a scowl.

"If you want me to stay home, I will. It's not a problem," she assured  him, looking toward the door. She knew he hated the time she spent with  Darren.

"No, I don't want you to sit here bored because I have to work. Besides,  I know Mom is looking forward to introducing you to her friends and our  family. Apparently no one believes I'm capable of maintaining a steady  girlfriend, and she's proud to have such a lovely example to rub their  noses in." He brushed her cheek and continued down her collarbone to the  swell of her breast, testing the weight and kissing her senseless.