Destiny United (15 page)

She ignored him and continued climbing, close to the top
of the tree now, about four stories high. It was exhilarating. Contrary to what
most people assumed, Aila actually liked heights. The thrill of standing on the
edge of a precipice, looking down at everything smaller and simpler below gave
her a unique perspective on life. Then she looked out and beyond, the world so
vast and complicated compared to her own little life. It was a strange paradox.

She could see over the tops of most of the trees to the
towering mountains beyond – majestic mountains, standing tall and proud,
witnesses to the world since the beginning of time.

“That’s high enough, Aila,” Marcelo said. “Come down.”

She laughed. “You aren’t concerned about me, are you,
vampire?”

“Always,” he answered easily. “But in this case I simply
need to speak with you.”

Ignoring him, she climbed higher.

“What are you doing?” he snapped. He was losing his
patience; she could hear it in his voice.

She smirked. “Growing a backbone.”

He sighed and it made her laugh inside. He muttered
something about never living that down.
Not if I can
help it.

She stopped climbing just short of the top then looked
down at the pacing, agitated vampire below. Perhaps she’d pushed him far enough
for one night. He looked ready to snap. And he was the kind of man that, when
he snapped, heads rolled.

On the very last branch, a thick wide one perfect for
stretching out like a jungle cat, she walked the length of it with her arms out
for balance. She smiled down at him. “Was there a reason you wanted me to
climb? Other than pointing me to a future filled with gold medals?”

He looked up, a frown marring his beautiful face. “I’m
going to get you food and drink. I’ll be back in only a few moments. I don’t
sense any threats but I want you to stay there.”

“Food and drink? Is there a vending machine nearby?”

“Remember when I left you in the car while you were
driving?”

“Oh, yeah! What the hell was that? It was like you
disappeared.”

“I did disappear. It’s called
traversing
.
Or as your sister calls it, teleporting. I can-” Sending her an irritated glare,
he snapped, “Will you come down? All the way down. As in the ground. If I had
known sending you in the tree would turn you into some kind of monkey, I would
have done things differently.”

She flashed him a mischievous grin. “Don’t like looking
up at anybody, do you?” She’d resolved to stop pushing him but she was in a
saucy mood from her new fae abilities and his crankiness only encouraged her.

He glowered at her and she laughed.

“You like pushing my buttons.”

It was a statement but she answered like it was a
question. “Yes. But only to prove I have –”

“If you say backbone,
querida
,
you will regret it.” At her mutinous expression he added, “I think I hear a
river not far off. With glacial water. No warmer than forty five deg –”

She jumped down from the tree landing flawlessly at his
side. Raising her arms over her head she said, in an announcer’s voice, “It’s a
nine point four five! She was a little shaky on the landing, Bob.” When Marcelo
looked at her like she’d sprouted feathers and a tail, she sighed. “You really
need to watch more TV. Anyway, you were saying something about teleporting? How
very Captain Kirk of you.”

He explained how
traversing
worked.

“So you can pop in and out of the Underworld whenever you
please?”

“Yes, but –”

“Then what the hell are we doing here?!”

“The Unseelie fae have natural defenses against certain
kinds of magic. This is why I can’t
traverse
with you. You’re blocking
me. But I think if you focus hard enough, you could pull down your shields.”

Brows drawn, she said, “Maybe I like my shields where
they are. Protection from you doesn’t sound like a bad thing.”

A fierce growl started deep in his chest. “I would never
do anything to harm you.”

That
she was beginning to
believe. He’d vowed to protect her and so far he’d kept his word. But still, to
be at his mercy – where he could just
whoosh
her
away anywhere he wanted – it didn’t sit well with her.

With a stern tone he said, “I’m going to
traverse
to get you food and water. While I’m gone I
want you in that tree, still and quiet, understand?”

She pursed her lips.
Overprotective
much?
“That’s just silly. There’s no one out here. I would hear them.
You would scent –”

“Aila,” he warned.

“I’ll be fine. Besides, someone needs to collect firewo –”

Suddenly his lips were against hers in a firm, possessive
kiss. She didn’t even get the chance to kiss him back before he pulled away and
growled, “Get in the tree.” He spun her around then swatted her backside
propelling her towards it.

Sensing he was already at his limit regarding that
argument, she climbed up to perch on a branch about two stories from the
ground.

“I’ll be right back,” he told her when she peered down at
him.

Then he disappeared, leaving Aila’s thoughts to linger on
that kiss. It wasn’t for an audience that time. Was it just a distraction so he
could get his way? Somehow she felt it was more. And for some insane reason,
she liked it. Her lips still tingled as she ran her tongue over them, savoring
his taste. She wanted more.

“Sexy, tempting vampire,” she said out loud with a smile.

***

Marcelo hadn’t wanted to be short-tempered with Aila, but
he just couldn’t get that damn boyfriend out of his head. Aila didn’t need a
doormat. She didn’t need someone she could manipulate and be dependent on. No,
Aila needed a mate who would force her to stand on her own two feet. Someone to
help find her strength, meet her potential, and help ease her out of her
fear-trapped world and into real life. Marcelo could do that. Hell, he was
already doing that.

What did this Jimmy ever do for her? He allowed her to
hide out in their apartment, sheltered from the world except to drink herself
sick on the weekends. How could he claim to love her then permit her to live
like that?

Marcelo wanted Aila to depend on him for protection and
provisions, love and respect. But he also wanted her to become the fae warrior she
was meant to be. She would begin self-defense training the next day. Aila
needed some toughening up. He hated that they lived in a world where such a
thing was necessary, but it was a truth she could no longer ignore. And since
Marcelo now planned to live a long and happy life with Aila, well, she’d better
be able to keep herself alive.

 Marcelo
traversed
to the
24 hour convenience store in Albany they had visited only a few days before. He
grabbed a few bottles of water then browsed the shelves for adequate food. He
scowled at his choices – packaged snack food. It was acceptable for now, but
he’d have to provide something more substantial the following evening. Fae were
hardy folk that could last longer than a human without food or water – and in
extreme temperatures too – but he needed Aila in her finest condition. Besides,
providing for his mate was as natural as breathing. Tomorrow evening he would
do what he did best – hunt. But for now, he knew Aila would appreciate the
snacks Americans seemed to enjoy. And pleasing his woman was almost as important
as providing for her.

He liked that the further from civilization they
traveled, the more freely Aila’s smiles came. Natalia had always been quiet and
mysterious, courageous and independent, which he thought he loved about her.
Aila was more fragile. No, not fragile. Innocent. Pure. But he could see her
confidence growing already. Even so, she would probably never be as fierce as
Natalia. But gods be damned if he didn’t prefer his bubbly ray of sunshine.

When he returned to the forest he found Aila perched high
in the tree waiting for him. He smiled in satisfaction. He’d half expected her
to be swinging through the vines like an acrobat.

“Oh, look,” she said, hopping down from the tree. “The
caveman returns to the woman with his bounty.”

Yanking the bag away when her hand reached for it, he
teased, “And you will be receiving none of it until you produce proper
gratitude.”

Pressing a hand to her heart she batted her eyes and
said, in a thick southern accent, “I am much obliged, sir. What
would
I do without you?” She smiled mischievously and
he had to bite his cheek to keep from laughing.

He leaned in so close he could feel her breath against
his lips. “Your sarcasm is not appreciated. But for a kiss, I’ll forgive you.”

He saw a twinkle in those golden eyes and he thought
she’d have some witty retort. So it surprised him when she stepped in, grabbed his
shirt, and kissed him. Stunned by the bold move he almost didn’t stop her from
pulling away. He bit down on her bottom lip to keep her there as he took over
the kiss. She tasted better than he’d remembered.

She’s coming around to me.
His heart leapt at the thought. He wrapped his arms around her waist
pulling her closer. Slipping one hand under her shirt his fingertips grazed the
soft skin on her lower back. He needed to feel how soft her breasts were. One
hand cupped her face as his tongue delved deeper, intertwining with hers,
sending jolts down to his hard shaft. The other hand grazed her ribs, moving up
towards –

She pushed away from him. With her eyes squeezed shut she
rubbed her forehead. “This is so wrong.”

“No, Aila. There’s never been anything so right.” At her
panicked expression he stopped himself.
Slow down,
Marcelo. You’re scaring her
.
“You’re beautiful, Aila. You can’t
fault me for wanting to kiss you.”

“I’m not a cheater.”

“You’re still worried about your boyfriend?” This
pathetic human accounted for too much of her resistance to her true mate. The
longer the human lurked in the corners of her mind, the more Marcelo’s temper
would flare.

“Well, I can’t just pretend he doesn’t exist, can I?”

He shrugged, which seemed to provoke her temper.

“I know
you
don’t value human life, but I do!”

The fury he’d been repressing rose to the surface. She
was
his
. No one else’s. He reached for her but
with fae grace she skirted away. But he was faster. He locked an arm around her
torso and swiped her phone from her pocket.

“Call him,” he ordered when he released her. “Tell him
you can no longer see him.”

Her nostrils flared as she clenched her fists and yelled,
“That’s not your decision to make! It’s my relationship, so butt out!”

He growled low in his throat. All he wanted to do was
strip her, throw her to the ground, and claim her so everyone would know she
was his. So she would know.

Calm yourself, Marcelo. You’re
going to push her away
.
He took a deep breath and released it
slowly, forcing the fury to wane. “You’re right,
querida.
I apologize.” He handed her the phone and picked up the bag of food. “Eat
something.” At her glower he added, “Please.”

She took the bag from his hand, her icy glare melting.

“I’m going to collect wood to make a fire.” He started to
walk away then stopped and spun around to face her. “Don’t judge me by a few
harsh words, Aila. I’ll always lack refinement. It’s the actions that matter.”

***

And exactly what might those
actions be
,
she wanted to yell after him. Bossing her around? Stealing
her phone, twice! Forcing her into uncomfortable situations? Kissing the hell
out of her?

Damn it!
He was a
good kisser.

Marcelo had a fire roaring in no time. She was grateful
and told him so as she scooted close to the heat to get comfortable.

“Get some sleep,” Marcelo told her. “I’ll keep watch.”

“Sleep?” she gasped. “On the ground?”

He leaned back against the tree, his legs out in front,
his arms relaxed on his lap. Easy for him to tell her to sleep on the ground.
He was the epitome of a night creature.

He didn’t answer her question, just stared in that
annoying, condescending way.
Yes, on the ground,
genius,
his eyes said.
Where else?

 “But…” she scrunched her nose in disgust, “there are
creatures around.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m a vampire. I eat creatures for
breakfast.”

She shook her head. “One word. Centipedes. Nothing should
have that many legs. Nothing.”

 A deep chuckle rumbled through him. It was so sexy she
almost forgot about her fears.

“Damn it! You’re not going to distract me from the centipedes!”
she yelled.

He laughed out loud, his shoulders shaking as the last of
the snickers faded. She crossed her arms and gave him a look that said,
I’m not amused by your amusement
.

 
“Come, Aila,” he beckoned with arms stretched out
wide. “It’s warm over here.”

He meant for her to do what…cuddle? With a vampire?

When she merely raised an eyebrow he added, “I promise
not to bite.” Then he grinned in that predatory way. It didn’t have the effect she
thought he wanted.

She lifted her chin. “No thank you. I’ll be fine by
myself.” She began piling leaves into a makeshift bed.

“Am I so bad?” he asked.

She ignored him.

“I’ve got to be more comfortable than the ground. Will
you not put aside your pride and get some decent rest?”

More comfortable? Rubbing up against the hottest body
she’d ever seen all night long?
I think not!
No,
another excuse for them to touch was dangerous, especially since she was
starting to crave it.