Skin Walkers - King (9 page)

Lilly pulled back, brushing her lips across her friend’s cheek.  “Absolutely.  And thank you for everything.”  She couldn’t help the tears that flooded her eyes.

Chapter
15

How had this happened?  He should have known. 

King had been on a mission to put some distance between himself and Lilly since the moment he realized what she was to him.  He’d chastised himself to no end.  A fool could have seen it coming.  They’d spent so much time together, both so focused on Monroe that they’d scarcely realized how close they’d grown to each other.  King’s life was about to change.  Hell, it had already changed, and what was done couldn’t be undone. 

The
first chance he’d gotten, King had snuck into the estate’s detention center and convinced Marko, the Sentry on duty, that Monroe had sent King to relieve him of his shift.  Monroe had been remiss not to warn the other Sentries that King might attempt to murder the prisoner.  When Marko left, King opened the cell and ripped RJ’s heart out of his chest with his bare hands.  No questions asked, no answers given, no remorse, no second guessing, no mercy.  He hadn’t even heard the man’s screams. The memory of Lilly’s sobs was what echoed through his mind, the scent of her agony and loss buried the scent of the prisoner’s fear. 

He’d killed for her and he’d enjoyed it, which
should have been the dead give-away.  He’d only ever killed by order of Monroe or his C.O. 

Now,
he’d taken a life for Lilly.  It was so easy he hadn’t even given it a second thought, and that’s what scared him.  He didn’t like to kill.  If he had to he would, but unlike many Walkers, he’d preferred other methods of resolution.  But when Lilly had screamed through her tears that she wanted RJ’s heart, King knew the beasts that stirred within him would fetch it for her like obedient pups doing their master’s bidding.  He was appalled at the ease with which she could control him.  He shook his head,
If she only knew.

After his rest,
King had returned to relieve RedKnife and deliver Lilly’s gift.  RedKnif’es eyes had left the wall to dip to the heart clutched in King’s hand.  He half expected the Indigenous Walker to stop him.  Instead, RedKnife nodded once, as if in approval, before he’d turned to hold the door open for King. 

King had
snuck quietly into her room and placed the heart in plain sight, so she’d see it when she woke.  He had every intention of delivering the gift and leaving, but after setting the heart on a table and turning to leave something stopped him.  There was no noise, no call.  Lilly was sound asleep, but even as he turned back and approached her helpless form, he couldn’t help but feel compelled to stay with her.  King knew what it was.  The damn animalistic nature of his was claiming what it wanted.  The affliction would hit soon.  Monroe had spoken of it, how it had hit his parents and other Walkers who eventually mated.  It was supposedly instigated with a sign from one’s halo followed by intense pain for the male.  He certainly wasn’t looking forward to the pain, but he’d endure it for Lilly.  It endure it a thousand times over. 

King
had forced the beasts back and strode determinedly from the room.  He’d needed space.  He had hoped some distance from her would ease what was happening, placate the beasts that struggled in turn to break free and claim what they knew was theirs.  Distance from her hadn’t worked.  It only made the creatures within him more restless, more angry.  They wanted to be near her, see her, smell her, and protect her. 

When Jenny had contacted Monroe to let him know that she was releasing Lilly, she’d contacted King as well.  Everyone knew. The other Walkers could sense it.  They could smell the claiming that hung over King l
ike a thick heavy cloak, and as much as he wanted to, King simply couldn’t shake the desire to see her.

***

Lilly settled into the back seat of the sedan trying to relax when her eyes locked on those staring at her from the rear-view mirror.  If she lived a thousand lives she’d never forget those commanding green eyes. 
King.
  She tried to tamp down her welling emotions as she tore her eyes from his.

Jenny waved goodbye as
King put the car in drive and pulled away from the manor. 

Lilly shifted uncomfortably.  She looked a mess and she knew it, but why
it should matter was what bothered her.  She had spent weeks working alongside King and wanting him, but now she felt
indebted
to him.  No, indebted wasn’t the right word.  She felt more, much more.  She shook her head, trying to find the proper term for what it was that had her so uncomfortable around him all of a sudden.  When he was near, she wanted him away and when he was away she wanted him near. 
I’m just grateful…appreciative
.  She was lying to herself, and wondered if King knew it too when she heard a soft snort come from the driver’s seat.  Her eyes flashed to the rearview mirror, and King peeked up at her once before putting his eyes back on the road. 

Through her years at Stone
Crow, Lilly had discovered countless things about what she had thought were werewolves.  She had accepted the position as Monroe’s paralegal assuming that he was an attorney or that there was one employed on the estate.  There wasn’t.  Monroe was well educated and knew enough legal jargon to know what he wanted done and how he wanted it done, he just needed somebody smart enough to draft the pleadings and documents.  That’s where Lilly came in.  She was his right hand woman, his personal assistant.  From picking up his dry cleaning to drafting Court Briefs, she was a perfect fit. 

During h
er first week of employment, Monroe had growled an unfriendly warning to her to let her know she was on a six day probationary period.  “Six days to prove your competence, Ms. Worthington.  No more, no less.  I suggest you don’t get comfortable in your office.”

She’d busted her ass for the first six days.  If she didn’t have the answers he wanted, she chased them down.  If she didn’t know how to fulfill a task, she figured it out.  She’d relied
more on her sheer competence and organizational skills in those first six days then she had in the past five years. 

She learned rather quickly
though that appeasing Monroe was going to be the least of her worries.  It didn’t take her more than two weeks to deduce that something strange was happening behind the friendly façade of StoneCrow Industries. 

Lilly’s eyes flicked back to the rearview mirror and caught King’s eyes pulling away.  She cleared her throat
and began tentatively, “I, uh…wanted to thank you for…”

King tensed and kept his eyes on the road, “For killing
in your name?”

“No!
” Lilly gasped, appalled at his misinterpretation.  She didn’t know what to say or how to say it, so she reclined back in the seat and fought to keep her emotions under control.  She didn’t need or want King trying to sniff her out.  She’d been horrified when Jenny had told her they’d carried that ability.  Her mind had flashed to the dozens of times she’d been highly aroused in King’s company.  Monroe had to have scented it too.  Now, the mere knowledge that he could scent her emotions had her squirming uncomfortably in her seat.  Then her eyes caught sight of the tall hedgerow that separated StoneCrow Manor from the cabins that were still under construction, and slowly being erected, one by one behind the large manor.  She turned slightly as the car passed the hedgerow.  “Um, shouldn’t we be headed the other direction?”

King glanced up at her in the mirror, but didn’t respond.

“I don’t want to see anyone right now.  I’m tired and I need to get home.”

Still silence. 

Lilly frowned up at the rear view mirror.  “Are you ignoring me for a reason?”

He didn’t look up from his driving, “
Crow wants you kept on the estate.”

Lilly didn’t try to
mask her anger.  “I don’t care what Mr. StoneCrow wants.”

King’s eyes met hers then in the mirror.  “
I
want you on the estate.”

Lilly took a deep breath in an attempt to control her temper.  “I need to get home.  I have bills to pay and…plants to water.” 
Plants to water!  Yeah, real pressing issues!

King’s lips cocked into a half smile.  “You don’t have any plants and all your bills are paid
automatically through your account.  Crow has continued to pay your salary while you’ve been recuperating.  Your bills are taken care of.”

Lilly dropped her eyes and whispered angrily, “He didn’t have to do that.”

“Yes, he did.” King growled in response.  Then his eyes found hers again in the mirror.  “Any other compelling reason you don’t want to stay on the estate?”

Lilly blushed.  “I don’t have anywhere to stay.”

“It’s been taken care of.”

She dropped
back against the seat cushion in resignation.  “Do I have any say at all?”

King looked up to meet her eyes, “No.”

Chapter 16

As
King eased the car to a halt in front of a small cabin, Lilly inched forward in her seat and reached for the door handle. 

“Don’t
!” King commanded.

Lilly’s finger’s stilled on the handle as her eyes flicked to the back of his head.  She might take order
s from Monroe for a living, but she didn’t take them from King.  Her eyes shot back to the door and she reached for the handle again.

King loosed a low menacing growl.  “You sure you wanna play this game with me?”

Lilly turned her eyes to glare at him in the mirror before she sighed and relaxed back in her seat, letting her hand fall to her side.

King exited the car and rounded to open her door.
Lilly leaned forward and scanned the area.  “Is the wheel chair in the trunk?”

“We don’t need it.” King bent and scooped her
out of the car then strode toward the cabin.  He had to clench his teeth at just how right her slight frame felt in his arms.

Lilly kept her face down to hide the flush of embarrassment she knew was singeing her cheeks.  “You don’t have to carry me, I can walk.”

King ignored her as he carried her up the staircase the led to the front door of the cabin.  He took the stairs two at a time, and didn’t even break a sweat. 

At the door,
he held a key card up to the electronic sensor. The panel beeped once before the door clicked open.  Lilly was carried into a large elegantly decorated cabin. 

Just to her right
was a small dining area with a round oak table and four matching chairs.  Next to that was a kitchenette with a small stainless steel refrigerator, dishwasher, and microwave that was separated from a spacious sitting area by a bar lined with four stools. 

King carried
her through the dining area to the sitting room.  The floor was covered in a plush white carpet that was perfectly matched by the sheer panels that hung over French doors that led out to a patio.  A white leather sofa and oversized love seat sat facing a large flat screen TV.  Next to the loveseat was a hallway that King followed.  It led to a master bedroom with an en suite bathroom.  The bedroom too had white carpet and white window dressings.  A sheer white canopy was draped over the cherry wood rail of the pinnacled, four-poster, bed.  A cream-colored, satin, comforter and half dozen fluffy pillows covered the bed. 

King slid the key card onto a cherry wood dresser that was just next to the door before he carried Lilly to the bed.  He hiked on
e knee up and knelt on the bed to deposit Lilly, as gently as he could, onto the mattress.  The movement tugged at her wound, but she sucked back the pain, keeping any sign of discomfort from her features. 

Without a word King left the room and Lilly wondered if he’d gone.  But he returned quickly with a glass of water.  He handed it to Lilly as he pulled open the top drawer of
the nightstand and retrieved a bottle of medication.  He twisted off the cap and palmed two pills before holding them out.

She looked from the pills the
n up to him.  “Whose are those?”

“Yours.”

Lilly turned to eye the night stand.  “Who put them there?”

“I did.” 
He extended his hand closer, indicating his impatience. 

She held up a palm and let him drop the pills into her hand where she eyed them instead of swallowing them. 
“What are they?”

“Take them.  They’re for the pain.”

“But I’m not…”

“Take them!”

Lilly pulled a frown and cupped the pills into her mouth before taking a swallow of the water and glaring up at King who’d watched to make sure she took her medicine.

“Restroom’s through there.”
He pointed at the half opened door next to her dresser.  “Your pants are in here.”  He pointed to the bottom dresser drawer.  “Shirts are here.”  He lifted his finger to the next dresser up before turning to stare at Lilly.  “Your panties are in here.”

Her
cheeks flamed.  “Where did the clothes come from?”

King tried to hide a smile, “
Crow ordered them for you.”

“He doesn’t know my size.”

“I took the measurements from the clothes you were wearing the day of the attack.”

Lilly’s cheeks were still hot, “I thought you said
Monroe
ordered them.”

“He did.” 
King smiled, “He
ordered
them. 
I
selected them.”  King eased the top drawer open and slid a hand into the drawer before holding up a mere whisper of satin.  It took Lilly a moment to realize it was a thong. 

Holding the garment up
in front of his face, King kept his eyes pinned on Lilly.  “I’m tired of seeing you in business suits.  I bought things
I
thought you’d look good in.”

Lilly eyed the thong and felt heat wash over her body
as her eyes slid back to King before she barked, “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

He
chuckled and brushed the panties against his cheek before he put them back in the drawer and eased it closed.  “I’m where I’m supposed to be.”

Lilly eyed her surroundings.  “Now what?  I just lay here and heal?  I could have done this at home.”

“Not like this you couldn’t.”  King approached the bed and pulled the side drawer open.  He pulled out a white remote and handed it to Lilly.  “This controls the TV, blinds, radio, and it adjusts the bed.   The red button there in the center will call your nurse.”

“Nurse?”

“Yes, a private nurse has been assigned to the cabin next door.” King straightened and turned to leave.  “Breakfast will be brought in at eight, lunch at noon, and dinner at five.”  He stopped at the door and turned back to face her, “If you need anything from me, the nurse can contact me.”

Lilly eyed the ridiculously complex remote before tossing it on the bed next to her.  “Thank you.”

King felt it before he scented it.  Lilly wanted him out of her room.  She wanted to be alone, to grieve for the children she wouldn’t have.  Doubt and fear were pouring out of her even as she pasted on a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. 

“Is that all?”

His eyes brightened as he relaxed his partial shift.  He didn’t want to smell her heartache and fear.  Without a word, he turned and left her room.

Outside the cabin, King paced.  His beasts howled and raged at him to turn back around, storm down the hall, and comfort his mate
whether she wanted it or not. 
His!
  He snarled and fought back the need to throw back his head and howl at the sky, defying the damn stars that had thrown a mate in his path while at the same time taking away any chance of children.  Typical!  He couldn’t decide if his life had been more give or more take with the taking being done
to
him and not
by
him.  It seemed he’d always sacrificed for others and it was never rewarded.  He epitomized, ‘Let no good deed go unpunished’, and he hadn’t cared then.  Well, he cared now.  He didn’t want his unbalanced karma fucking with Lilly.  She deserved better and the realization stung.  After all these years of seeking camaraderie through the brotherhood of military bonds, he knew why it’d never filled the empty hole that existed in his soul.  It hadn’t been what he’d been missing after all.  Now, finally faced with Lilly, he knew what that hole was.  It was the bitter hope and agonizing loneliness of wanting a mate.  Not needing, not hoping, but
wanting.
  And he’d never wanted anything as badly as he did the petite blonde woman who was lying broken physically and spiritually inside the cabin.

He wanted to kill someone
, but he’d already taken out the man that had caused Lilly’s suffering.  He regretted now that it had been done so cleanly and so swiftly.  She’d suffer for years to come; as such, he wished now that he’d drawn out R.J.’s suffering, but alone in a room with him, King had been uncontrollable.  All the way to the cell’s he’d thought of what he’d say, the terror he’d instill before he did Lilly’s bidding.  In the end, he couldn’t control the need to extinguish the man’s life so swiftly that one more of his exhaled breathes wouldn’t pollute the world that his Lilly lived in.

King was still pacing when it hit him.  The scent of Lilly’s gut wrenching agony and tears
exploded around him.  He stopped in his tracks and doubled over, planting his hands on his knees as he drew in deep breaths through his mouth hoping to stop any more of her grief from affecting him.  When his damnable Walker sense of hearing picked up on an agonized moan, King’s head jerked toward the cabin, the sound burning his own weakness out of his brain even as he realized in that moment that he was a coward.  He wanted to run fast and hard to put distance between himself and Lilly just to spare himself and his beasts the misery of suffering her anguish. 

Suddenly, ferocious need pounded through him.  The need to protect, the need to comfort, the need to
claim! 
He straightened and cursed himself for acting like a fucking child as he stalked with a renewed sense of determination back toward the cabin door.