Panther Protection (3 page)

Slowing the kiss down, he placed a sweet soft one on her lips and looked down at the small little creature the Gods had given him. He was one lucky bastard. Her eyes were closed, skin a slight pink, and her lips swollen from their kiss just seconds ago. She was a true vision, and if anything, he couldn’t wait to watch her come apart in his arms. Smiling down at her, he watched as she became aware that he was looking at her. The blush on her skin grew even brighter and she cleared her throat.

“Umm…well, that was, um…can we go home now?” she asked him as she walked around him trying to get into the cab of the truck. He knew she wouldn’t be able to climb inside by herself, so once she was turned, he picked her up and placed her inside. She nodded and buckled as he shut the door heading to the other side to drive. The drive home was done in silence, except for the radio that seemed to be playing something he didn’t know. He was a little upset that she didn’t say anything about their kiss, but then again, he didn’t either. As they pulled in he saw Axel outside working on something with a table saw.

*****

Axel looked up and saw Gage and Millie pull into the drive. Gage was smirking, and Millie was just looking at him in shock. She jumped out of the truck, which seemed to have shocked Gage some and stomped toward him. He really did want to try to be civil with her, and he admitted he was attracted to her—a lot, but she acted like a brat sometimes and treated people like crap. Whatever she said went and people were happy to go along with it. It pissed him off royally, but he bit his tongue. He tried to be nice and ask her how her job interview went, but was cut off by her waving at the wood and tool, then at him.

“What the hell, Axel? What are you doing? This was my Gran’s house, my house.”

“I’m not doing anything to it that didn’t need to be done. Those porch steps need replaced, and hell, a few things need fixed. I figured since I am here for right now until the Alpha wolf man decides what to do next, I might as well make myself busy.”

“I don’t need your help. I can hire someone to do that.”

“Really, princess, do tell me with what money?”

“I have you know that I got the job, and I can call in some favors or something. I can make it work. I don’t need you.”

“Look, you really need to work with me here. I am trying to play nice, I admit this mating sucks, especially since I seemed to be stuck with a spoiled selfish princess, but I am willing to work it out. But you can’t go around halfcocked and yell at me for trying to help. Now get inside before you hurt yourself on all these tools.” And with that he watched as she paled and he swore he saw the look of hurt cross her face before she rushed in the house. He was an ass, but it needed to be said. She couldn’t live in this bubble she created and face the world around her, but he could still remember her beaten and bruised body when they rescued her just a few weeks ago. He could hear her at night crying out if she slept at all. He didn’t know what to do to help. He wanted to go and help her, but she was always disgusted with him and he spoke first and then thought.

“You need to play nice, man.” Gage came up behind him as he placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Dude, I try, then shit, she starts yelling and all I want to do is shut her up, or put her over me knee for acting like a brat. Will you go see if she is okay? I want to finish this last step and then I will head inside and start dinner. The gang invited us over tomorrow for a BBQ. So I figured we could do chili tonight.”

Gage nodded and then headed inside as he finished cutting the last piece of wood for the bottom step. He needed to talk with Dmitri and Nik and see what they do with a mate, because right now he had no clue what the hell to do. As he carried the wood over to the step he nailed it down and he was done. Smiling at his handy work, he put the saw and wood away and headed inside.

Chapter Three

Axel was on edge and thought a good run and sparring with Nik and Dmitri the next morning would help cure some of his frustration. It also gave Millie a chance to talk with Becky, their other friend was working. They were all supposed to have a BBQ again this evening and he was generally excited to be around people, and wanted to run ideas by the head Alpha, Becky’s father, before he and Gage opened a shop, or left. Hell, he hated waiting. As a panther, it was like being caged. Granted he didn’t mind lying in wait for his prey, but sitting down was not his thing. As he ran, Gage stayed at the house to make sure someone was with the woman at all times. He loved feeling the wind blowing in his fur as his paws barely hit the ground as he bounced off rock and fallen tree trunks. It didn’t take long until they reached the back yard again. The twins went inside to change, where he didn’t have an issue with nudity, he dressed outside, but if was to be honest, he just didn’t want to see Millie right now.

She was quiet this morning and didn’t look at him at all. He knew she had another hard night, but was keeping it to herself. She was stronger than people gave her credit for. Even at last night’s dinner, she didn’t say anything, just thanked him and took her food to her room. He and Gage sat and watched some cage fighting on TV. He would have probably changed it if she wanted to watch something with them, but whatever happened yesterday seemed to throw her in a bubble. He needed the damn thing to pop so they could figure the shit out. She started work on Monday, and today was Friday. Not much time to figure out what the hell to do before she becomes a personal assistant to some big shot. His panther growled at the thought of her around another male.

His was stopped short when Dmitri and Nik came to the yard after he dressed and handed him a water bottle. “Here ya go, man.”

“Thanks, and thanks for letting me run today. I was feeling a little cooped up.”

Dmitri laughed, “Yeah, we know that feeling. One of us have been home with Becky since we got back, and now with the babies, she is either crying, throwing up, or blowing up the microwave.” Nik must have caught his surprised expression because soon both of them were laughing.

“Well it was only one microwave, and she was mad because the popcorn wasn’t popping fast enough for her and the little pups. But enough about us, how are you guys doing? I heard that your mates with Millie, should I say congratulations or I’m sorry?”

“Neither, I guess. Shit, I don’t know what to do. Sometime she acts like a pampered princess, and gets under my skin, but then she has these soft moments that I like about her. She hates me, and I can never say the right thing with her.”

“Well, we haven’t known her as long, but she has always been outspoken and it’s just been her and her Gran, and when she passed away, according to Becky, she put up a shell to protect herself. Now with her being taken, I don’t know. Becky was getting worried because Millie is not sleeping, and even though she could try to help, with her being pregnant and just finding out that she is only going to be pregnant for six months has her freaked out some. I wouldn’t ask her for anything. Maybe you could talk to Lilly, she is still at the Alpha’s house.”

“Yikes, sorry about that, but as soon as the pups are born, she should be back to normal, but I will talk to Lilly tonight.”

Both men nodded and they all talked some more about possibly setting up a shop in the town to give the women some more time to talk.

*****

Millie couldn’t believe Becky already had a baby bump, granted it was still small but she couldn’t get over how amazing it was that her best friend was going to be having a baby, well no, she was going to have twins. The beacons of hope and love according to her fairy mother. But she was just excited to be an auntie to them.

“So how are you doing really?” Becky had asked her. Gage was downstairs keeping guard, but really he was playing some type of Mario game on the Wii while the other men talked outside from their run.

“I’m good, really, just a little tired.” Becky laughed at her.

“Tired, hell. Millie, I know you better than that. You look like shit. You haven't been sleeping, have you?”

“Gee thanks, you know how to make a girl feel all nice and fuzzy. But to answer your question, no, I haven't. I have tried. Can you do anything?”

“About you sleeping? Oh, Millie, I wish I could, but all I can do is go into dreams, I can't change what you see. I know what you dream about, and hell, I wish I could take it all away, but I can’t. I can't make you feel safe. Have you talked to your mates about this?” she countered.

“Mates, if you mean Gage and Asshole, I mean Axel. No, they are only concerned with themselves. I admit I did kiss Gage yesterday,” as she admitted it to Becky, she felt a blush creep across her skin.

“Well, I take it that it was a nice kiss.”

“Hell, Becky, it was like Fourth of July and New Year's fireworks all rolled into one.”

Becky was laughing. “You think a kiss is good, trying having sex.”

“Becky, you're married, or will be in a few weeks.”

“Mated, and soon married, doesn’t mean I’m dead and my sex life isn’t rocking. Seriously, making love with your mates is like nothing else.”

“Well the sex won’t happen, ever. I can see Gage possibly, but with Axel, I don’t know what he has against me. Maybe it’s because I’m a stupid fairy, or because I’m broken.” Millie tried to stop the tear she felt leak out of her eyes. She hated crying, but it hurt her to know she was so weak that she let someone do that to her, and that Axel was probably disgusted by it. But hell, before they came into the picture, she admitted she had sex, she had sex more than her friends, though she was still wondering about Cece, she never mentioned anything about men, and she often joke that Cece was batting for the other team. Cece would laugh and tell her she was acting like a girl from high school.

“Oh, Millie, come on, it’s not that, and you’re not broken. I promise, you are perfect, beautiful, and talented. You always seem to have people wrapped around your fingers and now you don’t, and it’s hard to cope. Just try to talk to them, like talk and listen. It can’t be easy for them either, they have mating urges too, and hell, they gave up their life to stay here to watch and protect you. I heard they had an amazing shop, and now they have a cousin or someone running it. They must be going stir crazy not working.”

“I wouldn’t say they weren’t not working, Axel has been fixing things around the house and yesterday he fixed the porch steps, but shit, Becky, it's my Gran’s house and I should do all of it.”

“Really, you with a hammer, that's something I would pay money to see. Why not let them fix it up. Hell, it may be the thing to bring you together. Why not give them a list, because aren’t you working soon? They can’t sit at home doing nothing. Give them small things that need fixed. Let’s face it, Millie, the house has seen better days and could use some TLC.”

“Grrr, I hate it when you make me see logic. Fine, I will try.” Before they could talk anymore Gage came into the room and looked at her. Turning, he stared at her and his eyebrows furrowed, creasing in the middle as he frowned down at her. She didn’t know what she did this time. When he approached, he lifted his hand and gently put his thumb to her cheek to collect the tear that had fallen. She had forgotten she had been crying.

*****

Gage walked into the room because he could feel her sadness and didn’t want to disturb their conversation, but he caught the fact she thought she was broken, and it ate at him. He needed to talk to Axel, especially if she thought it was why Axel was pushing her away. Gage wanted Millie like he wanted his next breath, and he admitted he would love to see her smile again. When he first met her, she was spunky and a complete smartass and she smiled and laughed a lot, now she seemed too closed off. He could only imagine what she went through with the fucker who had her—if he wasn’t dead, he would hunt him down and skin him before gutting him. What Becky did to him was quick and merciful compared to what he would do.

When he walked into the room he saw small tears rolling down her face. She had stopped, but the tear still remained. He collected it and looked at it, then at her. He never wanted to see her cry, not like this. “Don’t cry,” was all he said before he leaned down and kissed the top of her head. She didn’t move, she just sat there. When he lifted his lips from her sweet smelling hair, she looked at him wiping any remains of tears that she might have missed and smiled at him, but it wasn't a full smile.

“Sorry, time to go?” she asked as she stood. He nodded and held his hand out for hers, he hoped she would take it. She looked at his hand and then back to Becky who sat on the bed still trying to tell her something. Millie rolled her eyes and took his hand as they headed down the stairs. Axel wasn’t in the house, but as soon as they reached the bottom, Nik and Dmitri smiled at her and said they would see her tonight, then headed upstairs, most likely to check on Becky.

They reached the truck just as Axel climbed in the driver side. It actually pissed him off that Axel was acting more like a dick around Millie than he normally did. He really did need to talk to him, and it was going to be the longest speech he had ever said. He helped Millie in the front seat and he took the back. Millie said nothing, and the ride home was quiet. It didn’t take long for them to make it home and Millie didn’t wait for them, she jumped out and headed to her room. Axel growled in disapproval because he wanted to check the inside before she left, but she wasn’t going to have any of it. Before they headed inside, he stopped Axel.

“It’s time to talk.” Axel looked at him, slightly shocked.

“You mean me talk, you be quiet other than a few words, Gage, really, you going to talk now?” Axel knew he was hitting below the belt, but he wasn’t going to have it. There was a good reason he didn’t talk, and it was one that even Axel didn’t like to be reminded of.

Gage had just turned five and Axel seven when the men and woman in cloaks came. They had killed Gage's parents as soon as they walked in the door and Axel had kept him hidden in the small hole under the floor boards as the blood of his mom dripped down on him. Gage tried not to cry as someone was cussing at his dad for dying and not living long enough. They wanted his dad’s energy, the Coven is what they called themselves. Axel kept his hand over his mouth to quiet him, but it didn’t seem to do any good, because they found them anyway. The floor seemed to be lifted off them and they all stood around looking down at them covered in dirt, tears, and the blood of his mom. They grabbed Axel first, but he fought them, trying to hit and bite, Gage didn’t know what to do. He just wanted his mom, and was scared. He yelled with all his might, but nothing came out. He ran to the man who had his hand around Axel’s throat, squeezing. He could see that he was killing him. He charged the man and knocked him off his balance enough to let go. He threw Axel against a wall and he heard a sickening crack, then Axel didn’t move, bleeding from his head. Gage grew more enraged and suddenly the change took him, which didn’t normally take place until panthers reach the age of sixteen. He bit into the man’s hand as he went to grab him, ripping pieces of his flesh off. Someone came behind him and tried to grab Gage and back him into a corner. They should have known to never lock a cat in the corner, that's when his panther took over and Gage couldn’t remember anything, until someone came running to him in panther form. He thought it was his mother, but soon realized it was Axel’s mom. He saw the bodies of his parents and the Coven laying on the ground. They helped Gage force the change back to his human form, but Axel was left hurt pretty bad. The change had happened so quickly it took everything out of Gage, allowing for darkness to take him.