A Forbidden Taking (21 page)

As
his thrusts became more, filling her more, taking her more deeply, she licked
his throat again. He tilted his head and nipped at her shoulder. He jerked in
her when she ran her fang along the vein.

“Bite
me, Megan. Take from me, bring me into you.” He rocked harder, his timing off
every time she licked his pulse.

She
didn’t bite him, didn’t break the skin until he was pounding into her, his cock
bumping her clit with every downward stroke. When he let go of her hands to
pull her hips up to him she buried her fingers into his hair and pulled his
head back, baring his throat for her. She struck quick and hard, her teeth
sinking into his flesh hard enough to leave bruises. He bellowed out her name
as he came. She was so mesmerized by his face, the beauty of it when he came,
that she was surprised when her own climax gripped her. She threw back her head
and screamed, her entire body seized in the moment.

As
her body became her own, began to settle, he rocked into her slowly, bringing
her to a softer and fulfilling climax. When she was cresting the wave this time
he bit her. His fangs sank deep and brought her again.

~~~

Beau wasn’t sure he’d ever be able
to move again. His body was more relaxed, more sated than he’d ever been. He
rolled to his back and brought Megan with him. She was limp and, had he not
heard her heart beating, he would swear that he’d killed her. Chuckling a
little he looked up at her when she raised her head.

“You are more than I ever dreamed
of having in a mate, more than I ever wanted in one as well.” She smacked him
as he lay back. “You honor me by being my mate. I look forward to fighting with
you for many centuries to come.”

She snorted. He laughed. There
would never be a dull moment with his mate and he would be very happy to tell
Sara that she had been correct. He could not have been more wrong in what he
wanted in Megan.

Neither said anything as they
dressed. Megan had her back to him when he turned and saw the mark on her. A
crest, he supposed. A double sword over a tree, the Tree of Life. When he moved
closer to look at it he was surprised to see it move. He reached out and
touched it and jerked his hand back when the tree moved under his fingers. He
looked at Megan and she was looking at something behind him.

Turning to see the mirror behind
him he could see the same marking. His was bigger, but it looked exactly the
same.

They didn’t speak, but they both
began to dress quicker, needing to get to someone who might be able to answer
what it was. Beau wasn’t afraid, he wasn’t even worried. He knew that whatever had
happened in that field, this sigil was a part of it.

When they came above floors
everyone was in the kitchen. Sara and Mel were seated at the table, a baby on each
of their laps. Aaron and a man Beau didn’t know sat there as well. The
children, Lizzy and Mac, sat on the opposite side of the table eating what appeared
to be a plate of cookies. Kyle and Maddie were there as well and Kyle pulled Beau
into a hug, holding him tight for a long time. He even hugged Megan, who
blushed bright red when Beau growled.

The alpha was there, as was his
mate, also a woman Beau had met named Pete and another named Sam. Their mates
were due to arrive soon. There was a large, dark cake on the counter and Duncan
was cutting it into pieces and fussing over the crookedness of the cuts. Sara
was telling him to just give her a slice or she would make him change the next
poopy diaper.

“Megan, take the knife from him
and cut me a slice of cake. I’ve not been allow to have chocolate for nearly
nine months and I need a piece right now.” Sara held out her empty but
chocolate-smeared plate. “And I want a big one this time.”

Megan took the knife from Duncan
and with a wink at him, cut the smallest slice he’d ever seen of anything. Beau
was sure one could read through it. They both laughed when Sara growled at them
and got up and handed the baby to Megan. That shut her up immediately.

“That…this. I don’t…what the
hel…heck am I supposed to do with this? Here, take it back. I’ll cut you some
cake, just, I don’t want this.”

“Megan, I’m surprised at you,”
Aaron laughed. “You brought him into the world and you don’t know how to hold
him? That’s not saying much for your bedside manner.”

She handed him to Beau and backed
away. “There’s a big difference between delivering one and holding one when
it’s all babylike. I don’t know crap about kids unless it’s on the inside of
them. I’ll fix them when you break them, but I don’t know anything else about
them.”

Everyone laughed and finally,
after Sara was settled with her cake, she offered to take the baby back. Beau
told her he didn’t mind and held him as they talked. When the older children
went to bed the adults went to the living room. There they started talking
about the events of a few days ago.

“Rome is in my territory. He has
permission so long as he behaves. He inquired about you, Megan. He wants to
know when I plan to turn you over to him. I told him that you have pledged to
me. He said that you owe him a child and wants to meet with you to see how you
plan to pay him back.” Aaron moved to the fireplace, taking something off the
mantle. “He said that you left this at the ash site. Is it yours?”

Beau looked at the shirt. He could
smell her on it, but the scent was faint. He took it from her when she offered.

“It’s mine. I had it on the
night…the night that Alfred…how did he get it? I left it in the caves when I
was there.”

Aaron nodded. “I thought so. I
really don’t know why he has it or thinks that it proves anything. And I don’t
know why he would think that you killed Alfred. A child cannot kill their
maker. He should know this and let it go. But I will admit that I’m glad to
know where he is.”

Beau agreed. He liked having his
friends close and his enemies closer. And Rome was an enemy. He looked over at
Megan when she snuggled next to him. They had to tell them what had happened
since coming back. But Mel beat them to it.

“You’re both marked, aren’t you? I
can sense it because it’s one of mine. The mark of the Royal Guard, or their
crest. I’m assuming you got it from Michael. As his niece he would pass it on
to you, Megan.” Mel stood. “May I see it?”

Megan stood, as did Beau. Lifting
his shirt and Megan pulling up her sleeve, they bared their marks to the queen.
She started to touch them both, but looked at them first.

“You are a part of my guard if you
wish it. It will give you more than you are now, but you’ll have to leave this
plane to be one. I want you to think about what I give you and decide if this
is something that you both want. My guard is an elite group and answer to no
one save the Fates. When I touch these marks you’ll be able to come and go
between the realms until you make the decision. Understand?”

“No. I don’t. Are you saying that
if we work for you, then this place, Earth, is off limits to us?” Megan looked
at Beau then back at the queen. “No offense, lady, but I like it here just
fine. I mean, I’ll talk it over with Beau, but honestly I’ve worked too hard
and waited too long to be a doctor and I’m thinking there isn’t much call for
one wherever it is you want us to go.”

Beau pulled her into his arms. He
couldn’t agree more.

Mel laughed. “No, not any at all.
And you will still be able to go between worlds. It is your right as one of the
few. If you change your mind, you need only let me know.” She sat back down and
Beau moved to the couch and pulled Megan onto his lap.

Aaron cleared his throat. “We must
discuss the master vampire Rome. He means to have you, Megan, and at any cost.
What is it you plan to do about him? Or do you know?”

Beau kissed his mate and looked at
Aaron. “Yes, we are going to kill his ass and take his realm.”

~Chapter 24~

Aaron had hoped that was what he’d
say, and when Megan agreed Aaron took his first deep breath in days. He’d been
so worried about the two of them, more worried than he’d been about one of his
kiss, or family, than he could ever remember.

He had plenty of vampires in his
realm, a great deal of them female, but none as young as Megan. He liked the
girl, even though there were times that he would gladly strangle her, but she
had a good head on her shoulders and she had saved Mac. She had also brought
his other son, Daniel Temple MacManus, into the world with little fuss. Aaron
owed her and, in turn, her mate.

He knew from Kyle that Beau was a
good man and had been a great leader among their kind. Kyle had told him that Beau
had retired because he had been tired of his life and he feared that he would
end it soon rather than hope for his mate. Aaron knew that a great many
vampires gave up after searching for so long and knew that his own mate had
saved him from the same thing.

Samuel Rome would die. And much
sooner than Rome knew or thought. Aaron, for one, was glad for it. Aaron
thought about the information that Pete had found on the man and realized then
that Rome was slightly more evil than Carlos Sanchez, the man that Aaron had
killed for the realm that he now ran.

Each man had a sadistic way about
them, thinking nothing of murdering their own subjects in the name of justice. While
Sanchez had been cruel to his subjects by starving them, Rome not only starved
them, but also charged them for drinking from their mates. Pete had also found
rumors that he killed any and all offspring of the mated couples, claiming that
they were a drain on the already tight coffers. A search of those said coffers
revealed that there was nearly one hundred million dollars in monies and land
that the realm owned. Aaron would have been impressed if the whole thing didn’t
sicken him. He realized that he’d missed some of the conversation when his mate
nudged him none too gently in the ribs.

“…meet him tomorrow night. I think
that will give us enough time to get you all to safety. I won’t have any of you
hurt because I have an idiot on my ass.”

Aaron grinned. “Beau, you going to
let your mate talk about you like that? I mean come, man, an idiot on her ass?”
Megan blushed again and Beau’s sudden coughing fit had them all laughing. “You’ll
do well to remember, young lady, that I am master here not you.”

“Listen Dingdong, we’ve gone over
this before. I’ll not have anyone die for me. Not before and certainly not now.
You know that what I’m saying makes sense.” Megan stood up. “I won’t have it. I
went to school for a long time to learn to save lives. Taking one was hard
enough. Being responsible for as many as you have at your fingertips is just
too many.”

“Don’t call me Dingdong.” Aaron
took a deep breath before he felt he could continue. “Megan, you are my subject
and the sooner you realize that you answer to me and not the other way around,
we should get along nicely.” Aaron wanted to rethink his position on liking the
girl when she turned to him again. He couldn’t stand tears and was profoundly
happy when there was anger instead of them. But she was going to push him too
far. “Megan, you are—”

“Sire? There is a…person of
questionable taste at the door. He claims that he has waited long enough. He would
like you to turn over his property. I asked him what he meant and he said that
he was here to collect Miss Megan. Sire, shall I show him what we do with infidels?”

Aaron looked over at Beau when he
stood, pulling Megan up with him. “No, Mr. Duncan, I believe it will be my
pleasure to show the man what I do with infidels. If you would be so—”

Aaron growled. He was tired of
people assuming he wasn’t in the room. “Sit!”

Everyone, including Duncan, sat. Aaron
felt bad for that. Duncan didn’t even try to sit in a chair, but had dropped where
he was immediately.

“Now. We will do this my way. Beau,
you and Megan will stay in this room and not say a word. Megan, I am serious,
keep your mouth shut or I shall shut it for you. I think Beau will thank me for
it.” Aaron helped Duncan up from the floor. “Tell the man that I will see him
on the morrow. If he doesn’t like that, then tell him…never mind, just tell him
tomorrow.”

When Duncan left the room, Aaron
turned to his mate. “Can you protect the house?” At her nod he turned to Kyle. “Call
the warriors. Tell them that there is a vampire in the realm that means harm to
Megan. Tell them I would consider it an honor if they were to keep an eye on
him. Bradley, can you watch him during the daylight?”

Bradley nodded. “Consider it done.
Do you want us to keep him safe or just watch?”

Aaron grinned. “For now, safe.” When
Megan stood Aaron turned to her. “If you plan to add to the conversation, fine,
but if you spout any more nonsense about doing this on your own I’ll not be
responsible for what I do to you.”

“You said Megan.”

Aaron frowned.

“When you asked the warriors to
come to your aid you said that they were being asked to protect me. Why should
that matter? Why would they care about me?”

Aaron walked to her and touched
her cheek. “Oh Megan, you are a quandary, aren’t you? Tough as nails one
breath, small child the next. They would be honored to watch over you because
of what you have done for me and mine. When you saved my son you became someone
they would die for. Not because I have said it, but because of what you did.”

Bradley stood too. “And saving
little JC from those men. We have since found the other men and they told us
all about the children they had been taking all over the state. Dozens of them
snatched right from their homes. You have saved so many children that you are
now an honored pack member. Both you and your mate.”

Aaron knew that she was
overwhelmed. He was a little too. She was learning so much in so little time
that he couldn’t help but be impressed at her. But he knew that shortly he
would want to kill her again. He wondered what would happen if he started
carrying around a stake to threaten her with and dismissed the idea. He didn’t
need to have something so close at hand when dealing with her that she could,
and more than likely would, use on him herself.