Her Guardian Angel (Fire and Snow)(31)

"C'mon sleepy-head, you need to wake up so I can take you home."

~ * ~

Adele woke slowly from her dream. She had been cuddled up with her chaton. She had spent so much time with him over the last two days. It seemed whenever she closed her eyes, he was there. Someone was shaking her shoulder...yes, that's what had woken her, someone telling her something about home. She rolled her head to the side and opened an eye. Dominic. Of course it was Dominic. Who else would it be? He bent down, kissed her lightly on the cheek and nuzzled her with his nose. Hmmm, that felt so good...and familiar somehow, but she was too tired to focus on that at the moment.

She slowly sat up, stretched and looked down at Kelly. She was gaining color back into her skin. Slowly but surely her body was healing from her massive injuries. She had spoken yesterday with Kelly's assigned Child Protection Service Officer, Dierdre. She couldn't be found in the system. It was like she didn't exist, which meant she had no where to go. Adele felt very protective of the petit fille from the second she'd seen her, so she had offered to take care of Kelly on a permanent basis.

Deirdre told her that if she could get her own place and prove she could take care of her, then they would allow her temporary custody of Kelly once she was healed and released from the hospital. A lot would have to be done before permanent custody could be awarded to anyone. The first priority was to get her healthy. The feel of strong arms lifting her out of her seat jarred her from her runaway thoughts.

"Dominic, what are you doing? Put me down. Right now." She growled at him, with no real heat. She loved being in his arms, but she couldn't leave Kelly. She had to stay until Kelly was well. She'd promised.

"Adele, I'm taking you home where I am going to feed you then I'm going to tuck you into bed and watch over you to make sure you get a full night's sleep," Dominic told her in a firm voice.

"But I can't leave. What if she wakes up? What if someone comes for her?"

Adele could feel the panic rising in her and she started trembling in Dominic's firm embrace.

"I promised her."

"Adele. Look at me. I get that you promised Kelly. I get that you want to take care of her. But you can't do that if you get sick. You're burning yourself out, beautiful. You will be in no condition to look after her when she does wake up if you keep this up. Kit is on guard duty. She is right out side the door, and we'll leave it open. If Kelly so much as rolls over, Kit will be in here with her, okay? You know Kit. You know that no one will get to Kelly while she's here watching."

Adele knew Dominic was right, but she still struggled to leave her. Her mind was so muddled she couldn't keep her thoughts straight. Her spinning thoughts wore her out, but she could see by the look in Dominic's eyes she was never going to win this one so she accepted defeat, snuggled into his warm muscular chest then let herself drift off to sleep as he carried her away.

~ * ~

Dominic looked down at the sleeping woman in his arms. She was so strong but so fragile. He carried her from the room, stopping briefly to let Kit know to keep the door open and to make sure Kelly was not left alone in the unlikely event she woke up. He took his precious bundle out to his car and gently placed her in the front seat. He strapped her in and tilted the seat back so she wouldn't get uncomfortable by slumping forward. It only took five minutes to get from the hospital to Kit and Adele's place. She hadn't stirred once since he left the hospital; his poor mate was absolutely knackered.

He parked in the drive and went to open up the house first before coming back to collect Adele. He carried her into her room and laid her on the bed. He took her shoes and socks off first then glanced at the woman before him. She was so beautiful. He would love nothing more than to lay with her, holding her all night but that would scare her.

She had been at the hospital for so long that she'd changed from her clothes into baggy green hospital scrubs. He gently pulled the pants down over her slim waist and the gentle swell of her hips and thighs, over her perfect knees and slender calves, and off over her dainty feet. He then gently removed her top up over her rib cage and chest and gently pulled her arms through and lifted it off over her head. He left her in her flesh colored cotton knickers and sports bra. He smiled. His mate was so practical. He tucked the quilt around her body then took the tie from her hair, finger combed it out and smoothed the stray hairs from her face. Finally, he gave her a kiss on the forehead, whispered, "Good night my love," and left her to sleep.

Dominic watched as Adele shimmered into the dream, sitting on the picnic rug. She looked around her, seeming to examine the landscape in fine detail. He curled his lips in a grin; she was trying to work out in her mind if it was the same as the real one. Standing back, he allowed Adele a moment to herself. As Dominic padded over to her, she lowered her head and pressed her fingers into her temples. Before he reached her, he began to purr so she wouldn't be startled--and because he was happy to be near her again. He lightly brushed his face against the back of her neck and was rewarded with her feminine sigh. The way she tilted her head to the side, presenting her delicate skin to him, was an invitation he couldn't refuse. He lapped at her neck, his rough feline tongue picked up so much more of her taste than his human one. He couldn't wait until she knew about him so he could taste her fully in the real world, not a muted dream. He felt her body slacken, her stress drain away. As usual, once she was totally relaxed, she began to verbalize her thoughts for him. He never would have imagined it possible to learn so much about someone without him uttering a word.