Rory's Mate (7 page)

He buried his face in the side of her neck, his body trembling.  "I love you too, Callie.  My mind and heart adored you even though my body couldn't respond.  I was in awe that you were actually my mate."  His voice was completely sincere. 

He loved her.  The tears flowed harder.  This wonderful, sensational man really loved her.  "All my life all I've ever wanted was someone who wanted me." 

He growled as he pulled her against him.  "I want you, Callie.  You are my mate, but I also want
you
.  I always have.  You're everything to me now.  I'll never stop needing you.  Or loving you.  You fill the emptiness inside of me.  I feel like someone special because you love me."

He was all she really needed.  All of the lonely, sad days seemed to slip into the past, unable to hurt her anymore.  The love of one good man...or one good vampire...was better than the adoration of many.  Maybe she had intentionally closed herself off, looking for excuses, waiting for this man. 

"Oh, Rory.  I don't understand how you could not know how special you are."  She stroked his hair as she wiped her tears.  Her crying days were over.

He pulled back and looked at her.  "I'm a twin.  The twin of a very powerful healer.  I love Liam.  I would die for him.  But sometimes I felt like I walked in his shadow.  I never had my own talent that made me stand out.  He was always special.  I was just...his twin." 

Her heart ached.  She suddenly understood that Liam had gotten a lot of attention because he was a powerful healer and Rory was left in the background.  Kind, sweet Rory, who brought sunshine to everyone's day with his smile.  The man who liked to make other people happy just because it pleased him.  Was there any better man?

She put her arms around his neck and kissed him tenderly.  When she finished she looked him in the eye and told him solemnly,  "You have your own talents and your own personality, Rory.  You have traits that Liam doesn't.  You're twins...but very different.  You're separate, each having your own strengths.  You are very special.  I could never have fallen in love with Liam."

He tightened his grip, pulling her tighter against him as he answered in a possessive tone, "It's a good thing you didn't or I would have had to commit fratricide.  And I actually would rather keep Liam around."

She laughed.  She couldn't help it.  Rory made her happier than she had ever been in her life.  He took away the pain of her past and made her realize that she hadn't really been rejected.  She just hadn't let herself live a life free of guilt, self-blame and depression.  She had closed herself off from the world because she felt rejected. 

"It wasn't you, Callie.  It was your parents.  I don't know why they left you, but it was their problem, not yours."  Rory spoke to her as though he had heard her thoughts.  Maybe he had.

"I know.  Although my life was unstable it may have been better than living with drug addicts or worse.  I can see that.  It could have been worse."  She answered sincerely.  She was starting to believe in fate.  Some things happened for a reason.

"It could have been a hell of a lot better, too.  I'll make it up to you, Callie.  I'll give you everything you need and more.  You are mating with a very rich vampire thanks to Nathan and his hobby of building all of our investments."  He shot her a wicked grin.  "I'm loaded.  And I'm a vampire. I can buy or make anything that you want."

She burst into laughter.  He might have insecurities at times, but he still had a touch of the Hale arrogance.  "You forgot handsome and very well endowed." 

He puffed his chest out.  "Yep.  That too.  I have it on very good authority that I'm the best looking of the Hale brothers."

She couldn't argue with that.  "Yes you are, Rory.  You definitely are,"  she told him with laughter still in her voice. 

His face changed, becoming serious and intense.  He lifted his hand, making a fist and closed his eyes.  He was concentrating hard.  When he opened them he asked in a hopeful voice, "Does that mean you'll have me, Callie?  Will you mate with me?  Will you marry me?"

Her eyes filled with tears again.  Damn it.  Rory could make her laugh and cry in the same breath.  She guessed her crying days weren't quite over...but at least they were tears of joy.  "I wouldn't have anyone else, Rory." 

He opened his fist and in his hand was a beautiful ring.  He moved back to slide it onto her finger.  It fit perfectly.  She knew he had made it for her, visualizing in his mind what he wanted and what she might want.  It was gorgeous, everything she would have wanted in a ring given with love.  Two tiny hearts entwined, decorated with perfect diamonds.  One large stone in the middle bringing the hearts together and other smaller ones around and in the middle of the hearts.  It was enchanting.

"It's beautiful,"  she breathed out softly. 

"Never as beautiful as the woman wearing it."  He quipped back, smiling broadly. 

"If you keep saying those things I'm going to have to make you a banana cream pie."  She told him, smiling up at him, her eyes still glistening with tears. 

His smile turned seductive and he breathed into her ear, "I could think of something better than a banana cream pie.  Would you like to swap a little blood?"

She shivered as his warm words caressed her ear.  She could think of all kinds of things she would like to do for this man.  "Absolutely not, Rory.  You need to heal."

He licked her ear and traveled slowly to her neck.  Damn it.  She had to toughen her resolve.  "Rory, we are not doing this right now."

"I feel fabulous, Callie."  His voice was like velvet, sliding over her body and making her shiver. 

Yeah...he felt fabulous.  She could feel his warm, hard member pressing against her thigh.

She protested. 

He seduced.

He won her over to his way of thinking, making her forget all about the banana cream pie.

Chapter 7

One week later Rory woke from his day sleep, reaching for his mate.   He sat up, recognition dawning that this was his mating night.  He had taken Callie to the vamp headquarters before returning home and collapsing into his day sleep. 

The shudders opened, letting in the smells and sounds of the night. 

He and Callie's time had finally come.  They would be joined eternally after tonight. 

The last week had been the happiest of his life.  He could only imagine what life would be like spending it forever with Callie.  His mate had taken a leave of absence from her job, telling him she would eventually go back part-time.  She couldn't imagine not being a chef at all.  They had traveled the world.  (When she could manage to pull him out of bed.)  He had watched her excitement as he showed her places like the Taj Mahal in India and the Pyramids of Egypt.  She had shown such childlike delight that he had enjoyed sharing her emotions.  It was almost like seeing these things for the first time himself.  No...it was even better.  He was sharing them with his mate.

His brothers teased him without mercy.  Ethan was the worst, giving back what he had been given by Rory when he was mating with Brianna.  Rory hated anyone touching his mate right now and his brothers knew it.  They hugged her, smacked her on the cheek, put an arm around her every chance they could.  They smirked when Rory frowned or his face became volatile.  Rory had no doubt that they adored Callie as much as they did Brianna, but they also loved to torment him. 
The bastards!

Rory rolled out of bed, wanting to reach for Callie, but knowing he should not.  His friend Adare and Ethan had both warned him not to mind speak.  It made his desire to possess her even greater. 

As Rory looked down at his rock hard cock he wondered how his desire could be greater.  He could have her several times a day and still need her again. 

They had exchanged blood at least once a day and Callie was strong.  Strong enough to get through a rough mating ceremony. 

Rory chuckled as he made his way to the shower.  Callie still complained about her curvy figure.  She thought if she was in top physical condition that she should be more slender.  To Rory, she was perfection.  He told her that every day.  She complained about it less and less. 

His need to make her his was getting relentless.  His animal instincts were strong and nearly overwhelming.  He was glad that the ceremony was going to take place tonight.  He knew he couldn't wait much longer. 

As the hot water of the shower beat over his chest he palmed his cock.  Would that make it worse or better?  With a groan he pictured his mate,  being disrobed for his pleasure, freeing his cock.  He wanted her rough.  He wanted to dominate her.  He wanted to satisfy her every need until she could think of nothing except him.

No longer thinking of the benefits or problems of getting himself off, he stroked his shaft harder.  He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, resting himself against the tile of the shower as his hand pumped furiously. 

Rory, are you okay.
  Callie's voice came to him hesitantly.  She was reaching out to him because she was feeling his need. 

Shit!  He shouldn't be doing this, but he was helpless to stop.  "I'm...trying...to...calm myself.  I'm in the shower."  He knew he was gasping his answer, his hand still stroking his dick hard. 

You're masturbating.  I can feel you.  Relieve yourself, Rory, before you drive me mad.  I can't because I'm surrounded by women.

"I'm sorry, love,"  he groaned, unable to stop jerking his own cock.  Her soft voice escalated his need. 

Don't be sorry, Rory.  Imagine my lips around you.  I love sucking your cock, licking it up and down.  You're so big, so hard.
  

Oh, Christ!  The visualization almost killed him.  He pictured her on her knees, wrapping her lips around him, sucking his dick like her favorite lollipop.

You taste so good, Rory.  Orgasm for me.  Release into my mouth.  I'm dying to taste you.

Her words sent him over the edge.  Between her words, his imagination and the furious strokes to his cock...he exploded.  He came with a loud groan as his wad shot out in hard stream, hitting the tile wall of the shower. 

He leaned back against the wall, his breathing rough. 

Okay now, my love?

Her voice came to him and his heart ached.  "I love you, Callie."  his voice was raw and coarse. 

I love you too.  Soon, Rory.  I'm almost ready.
 

"I'm beyond ready."  He answered dryly as he stepped from the shower and dried himself off. 

Her heard a trail of light laughter as their communication faded. 

It better be damn soon!  He tossed the towel into the hamper near the shower and clothed himself.  Then he transported himself to the vampire headquarters.

*****  

Callie met Rory's fierce eyes as she stood before him naked.  Her attendants had departed.  Rory's brothers and Brianna had left.  The ceremony was starting. 

He had ordered her to him and she had went willing.  She had consented.  He would be hers. 

His eyes never left hers as his low, rugged voice began reciting the mating vows in his native language.  Even though she didn't understand, the words flowed over her and she felt the force, the power in the vows. 

It was as though the entire room was pulsating, powerful magic surrounding them.  Callie shivered even though the room was not cold. 

Rory's voice trailed off and he wrapped his arms around her.  One around her back and the other along her butt cheek...meeting their identical marks.

She knew it would hurt.  She was prepared for the burning sensation of the joined marks. Both Brianna and Kristin had warned her.  What she wasn't ready for was the erotic heat.  She threw her head back as she felt the souls unfurl, Rory's breaking free of her protection.  As the souls separated and reconnected her entire body was set aflame.  She felt Rory's recreated soul pass from her and slip into his body through their touching mating marks.