Treasured Find (Royal Pride Book 1) (11 page)

Tragedy could strike in the blink of an eye. Seth and Levi’s mother could attest to that. Actually, so could Tony.

Chapter Fourteen

Rafe rolled off his female’s body. The move separated them, and the loss of Jasmine’s warmth was sharp. Immediate. He tugged her against his chest to lessen the ache. It wasn’t enough. He wanted to stay locked inside her wet, welcoming haven for eternity. The thought shocked him. So did the realization of what they’d shared.

He’d found release inside a woman. A first.

A damn significant first.

Five hundred years of bedding females. Countless partners. Nameless, faceless lovers who’d accepted his cock with eager abandon. Not one had ever enticed him to finish the act. Some days he’d tried. Fucked a woman until he’d wanted to collapse, until she’d begged him to come, but he never did. Every time he’d pulled out and jerked off, the only damn way he’d been able to orgasm.

It was his nature, part of what he was. A Royal. His animal spirits wouldn’t allow him to give his seed away to just anyone. He was special, from a race birthed by the goddesses themselves. Not just
created
as the single shifters had been. The divine power of the gods had formed the first single shifters from a human band of warriors.

Berserkers. That was what the humans of their time had called them. Ruthless. Brave. Unstoppable. They also became the gods’ greatest mistake. They couldn’t control them.

And the Royals? They’d been an oops. The gods mated to those goddesses who’d gotten knocked up were less than happy. Not at their mates, though. The gods had blamed the berserkers, claiming they’d purposely seduced their females.

The gods had then gone on and declared the Royals would rule over all the shifters. It’d been a fitting punishment in the gods’ eyes. What better shame than to force the dominant warriors to bow down to their children?

A war had ensued.

Rafe didn’t know the details of the battle. He hadn’t lived during the bloody age, their dark time. He only knew the outcome of the clashing between the heavens and the berserkers. The Royals, mere children at the time, had become the victims—despised by their fathers and abandoned by the gods and goddesses alike.

Jasmine curled her hand around Rafe’s forearm, drawing him back to the situation at hand.

He’d marked her womb.

She was his… At least in his cats’ eyes. It didn’t necessarily mean she was his true mate. He’d heard enough tragic stories of males who’d assumed their animals would accept a female as a mate after marking her womb only to find out possessiveness had driven their animals to claim the female, not love or devotion.

And Jasmine? What was the driver behind claiming her?

He didn’t have an answer. For both their sakes, he had to figure it out.

“Jasmine.” He breathed her name. The reverence in his tone matched what he felt.

Rafe nuzzled her cheek and rubbed
his
scent onto her skin. He inhaled and luxuriated in the joint smells. Not good enough. That claim was temporary. It would wash off with her next shower.

Unacceptable.

He dragged a fang along the column of her neck, bleeding her. She whimpered, but he licked the cut in the next instant, healing the wound and locking his scent into her flesh—a claim that would last much, much longer.

With his possessiveness sated for the moment, he rolled her to her back and crawled into the space between her thighs. Sitting on his bent legs, he took in the sight his female spread out before him.

Jasmine had a body made to cushion the hardness of a man. He ran his hands up the plumpness of her thighs and savored their softness. They had felt wonderful wrapped around his waist. He laid his hand on the curve of her hip. When she walked, the sway of her bottom was enough to bring him to the brink.

He flicked his gaze to her shoulder. The reddened indentations of where his fangs had fit tormented him with possibilities. If he finished their union, four raised scars would be seared into her skin there. His bite. He brushed his fingertips over the tiny cuts he’d made during their lovemaking.

If he’d bitten harder, he could’ve pushed his essence into her body, thereby mating her. Of course, she also had to be on the brink of death. It was the only way to tie her to his immortality. Single shifters could also form the soul-bond, but the fact that he had three other souls within him—his cats—made everything that much more difficult.

Soul-bonding wasn’t necessary for breeding—a partial bond was enough for that as long as both lovers were shifters of the same animal species—but soul-bonding was considered the ultimate act of love. If one partner died, so did the other.

Rafe ran a trembling hand down his face. He didn’t want to focus on the what-ifs. He’d just found the one woman to capture his attention. He wanted to enjoy that…but the damn choices hung over his head like a pendulum.

Later. He’d worry about it later. No matter what, Jasmine was his. He was keeping her. Whether that entitled him to share in her lifespan or his immortal one was a decision to be made after he got to know her.

He ran a hand through the damp strands of his hair and turned his attention back to Jasmine, where it belonged. The sight of her glistening lower lips made his mouth water. He craved her taste. Many shifters loved oral sex, but with Jasmine, Rafe’s hunger bordered on obsession. He might just be addicted to her. Not necessarily a bad addiction to have, especially if it pleased her.

He swiped a finger through her slick folds, and she sighed. Even asleep, she responded to his touch. He should let her rest. He had taken her hard, but he craved her. He stilled his slow swipes with his finger at her opening. She lifted her bottom, and his finger slid into her core.

“Rafe.”

His name exclaimed in her soft voice made his decision. He poised his cock at her entrance. She rested her fingertips along his jaw. Their gazes locked.

Heaven. That was what he saw in her gray eyes. His personal heaven.

He joined their bodies on a slow thrust. Her lashes fluttered, but she didn’t break their gaze. Lust burned in her eyes. It wasn’t the only thing, though. If he didn’t know better, he’d say possession hovered there too. Whatever label he slapped on to it, he liked how she looked at him.

He shifted over her so he could kiss her. The angle pushed him deeper. He hit that spot inside that made ripples travel over his cock. Eyes closed, he relished the sensation. He wanted to hold on to it, but the urge to move grew undeniable.

He rocked into her slowly, savoring her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and slid delicate fingers into his hair, massaging his scalp. Between her caresses and the sensation of her silken glove squeezing his cock, he hovered on the brink, and he’d barely moved.

He fought the release and focused on the female beneath him.
His female.
He wanted to give her pleasure, more than she’d ever known. He savored every brush of her body, every moan that slipped free.

The orgasm built within her. He felt the subtle change in the way her core gripped his shaft. The hitch to her breathing and the frantic movement of her tongue as she kissed him, encouraged him to meet her pace, but he didn’t. He fucked her steadily. When she came, he bit his cheek and rode out the vise-like grip squeezing him.

The last of the clenching over his dick eased. He moved, slipping his cock free, then pushing forward. She lay limp beneath him for only a moment before she matched him, countering the motion of his thrusts. The pressure built, and tingles skipped down his spine. No. Not yet. He wasn’t ready.

He sat back, pulling her with him. She wrapped her legs around his waist, linking her ankles at the base of his spine, and draped her arms over his shoulders. He mimicked the embrace and held her while he rocked into her. He couldn’t move as deeply in the position, but it offered a different kind a pleasure. The sweet, unhurried kind that allowed him to savor the woman in his arms.

Waves swept through her core, undulating ripples that tore his seed free. He pushed deep and grunted, giving her everything. When her orgasm eased, so did his.

He separated their bodies and pulled her against his chest. She sighed. Her heart rate slowed with sleep. He couldn’t follow her.

Questions whirled in his head: all involving Jasmine. Some centered on whether she was his true mate and what her reaction would be once she learned he was a shifter. Others stemmed from the lie she’d told him about her boys, claiming they were hers. If she didn’t adopt them, how exactly had she become the guardian of them?

He pushed away the thought. He’d get his answers. Jasmine wasn’t going anywhere. She was his.

Chapter Fifteen

Jazz woke to the sound of Rafe’s steady heartbeat under her ear. Memories of what they’d done together replayed in her drowsy, sated mind. They’d had sex. Raw and gritty, then sweet and slow. Sex better than she’d ever had.

He’d worked her body, taking her to the point where only pleasure existed. Rafe was a phenomenal lover. No doubt about it. Last night was one she’d never forget…but it was over. She couldn’t spend all day in bed with him, no matter how much she wanted to. She wasn’t free. She had responsibilities—to her kids and her job.

Carefully, she lifted the muscled arm holding her and slipped away. Still asleep, Rafe reached for her. The sight made butterflies take flight in her belly. She shoved a pillow at his searching fingers. He grabbed hold of it and pulled it against him. His nose twitched and his brows pinched, but he settled into sleep with the scrunched pillow as a substitute for her.

She sat on her bent legs and studied her lover’s body. He was gorgeous. At first glance, she’d thought he had a healthy tan but unless he walked around naked a lot, the deep burnished gold was his natural skin tone. And in the muted light seeping from around the drapes, his body shone as if liquid gold was spread over his skin. Delicious. She wouldn’t mind licking every inch while she mapped the ridges and dips of his frame.

He had a wide chest and an eight-pack few guys ever developed. Thick thighs and bulging arms completed the body he must spend hours toning. She swept her gaze over him and seared the sight into her mind. Her body tingled, the first stirrings of arousal settling low in her belly.

It seemed a little surreal to be in a hotel room with a man who could easily pass as a pagan sex god. There was no denying it, not with the tender ache in her core as a reminder of what they’d shared.

She ran a hand over her neck then her shoulder. Both spots felt sensitized. She’d bet money that once she looked in a mirror she’d find a hickey there. She’d had a few guys deliver them when she’d been young and wild and her partners had been just as crazy with the new experiences. Young love. It’d been fun and exciting. None of those times came close to last night, and no lover had ever taken her as Rafe had, as if he owned her—body and soul.

With slow, controlled movements, she climbed off the bed before she gave in to the urge to wake him with her mouth on his cock. She padded across the shadowed room to the bathroom and flicked the switch, leaving the door cracked open.

The sliver of light helped her see the room. She gathered her clothes, dug Rafe’s phone from his jeans pocket and retreated to the bathroom. A quick shower later, she dressed, then leaned against the sink with Rafe’s phone in her hand. She couldn’t afford one, but she often wished she’d had a cell phone. They were convenient, especially at times like this. She wanted to call and check on her boys but didn’t want to wake Rafe by using the hotel phone.

For a moment, she debated whether or not to make the call. Would he be angry that she’d used his phone without his permission? She shook off the worry. If Rafe were concerned about her kids enough to hire his brother to watch over them, then he wouldn’t mind the phone call. If he did, she could always pay him back for it.

She turned on the cell. The background picture caught her attention. Mesmerized, she stared at the group of the most beautiful people she’d ever seen. A man who looked like Rafe, but with shorter hair and a harder glint to his eyes, sat on a swing. It had to be Kade, Rafe’s brother.

Next to Kade was a drop-dead gorgeous woman with oddly dyed hair. Patches of red, brown and gold were intermixed with strands of black. She wore sunglasses and so did the man with shorter hair dyed in the same unusual way standing behind her. The similarities between them made her think the two were twins. Weird that they had the same dyed hair, but it was definitely eye-catching. Beautiful, really. Their stylist must be amazing.

The other two men on the opposite side of Kade weren’t as mesmerizing. They appeared a little rougher, more like bad boys. The similarity to Rafe was still there in their hard facial features. More of Rafe’s brothers, if she had to guess.

Wow.
She shook her head. Rafe’s family was a sight to behold. Her finger hovered over the photo album icon, but she didn’t open it. She was curious about Rafe but wouldn’t stoop so low as to snoop into his personal things. More than she already had, anyway. Besides, she wanted Rafe to tell her. She loved listening to his deep voice.

Knowing her kids would want to talk about their sleepover and keep her on the line forever, she dialed Josh’s number. She still hadn’t gotten the chance to talk to him. The call went to voicemail. She tried his parents and learned he was meeting with the fire chief to go over the findings of the investigation.

Jazz ended the call and blinked back tears. She’d been so caught up in Rafe that she’d forgotten about Josh and the hell he was going through. Life was harsh sometimes. There was no escaping it, but she felt guilty for enjoying herself last night. She’d have to call him later, offer him support and a shoulder to lean on. He had his parents but they were suffering too. Josh needed a friend.

With her plan set, she dialed Mr. Wilkins’ number. It picked up on the first ring.

“Hello?”

Seth’s whisper sounded panicked.

Her heart skipped a beat then pounded wildly. “Seth, it’s me. Is everything okay?”

“No, Mom. I’m scared.”

“What’s wrong? Where are Levi and Mr. Wilkins?”

“Levi is here. We’re in the guest bedroom with the door locked. Mr. Wilkins is outside talking to a blond man.”

“It’s okay, kiddo. That’s Kade, he’s there to keep an eye on things because Mommy…” She bit her lip and tried to think of something to say. “Because Mommy stayed with a friend last night. He works with…”

Ugh, what was she supposed to say? That he tracked missing kids? No. That might freak Seth out. Dammit, she hated lying to her kids. For their sake, it was sometimes necessary, though.

“Mommy’s friend works with the police.” She cringed at the small fib. The police were a part of the government. They were also the ones who handled missing persons’ cases. “He’s protective and wanted to make sure you were safe while you were camping out. Anything could happen. A bear might attack. You never know.”

A bear? She cringed at her reasoning.

“We didn’t camp outside.”

She pressed the heel of her palm to the bridge of her nose. “He didn’t know at the time.”

“Why
him
?”

“Because it’s his job to guard people. That’s what he does.”

“He’s really big, Mom. My cats are scared of him.”

She frowned. That was a first. They didn’t mind meeting new people. Few of the men in town were quite as impressive as Rafe’s family, though.

“I know he’s big. So is his brother, Rafe.” She nibbled her lip as she picked her words carefully. “Rafe’s a really nice guy. I want you and Levi to meet him. I’ll bring him with me to pick you two up. Okay?”

“No!” Seth yelled. “He’ll hurt us.”

She pushed away from where she’d leaned against the sink and gripped the phone tighter. “Seth, what—”

Levi’s voice in the background drowned out her words. A clunk reverberated over the line. She pulled the phone back with a grimace.

Levi got on. “Mom, don’t go near him. He’s dangerous.”

Out of the two, Levi was the one who acted older, who seemed to have a better handle over his cats. His cautious warning struck a note of fear in her heart.

“Why not?”

“Because he’s like us. A shifter.”

She covered her mouth to stifle her gasp.

“If you ever cross paths with a shifter, run with my boys as far and as fast as you can. They’re special. Others will hurt them because of it.”

The warning Seth and Levi’s mother had given repeated in Jazz’s head, so did flashes of a time she wished she could scrub from her mind—the cells, the screams, the woman who’d led Jazz to freedom.

She shook her head to clear it of the horrid thoughts. A few hours, that was all she’d spent inside the warehouse. It was long enough for her to take the warning seriously. Jazz’s heart screamed a denial, though. Rafe had treated her as if she were precious to him. He was sweet. Kind. And not all shifters were bad. They couldn’t be.

“Our males lie. They pretend to be good, but they’re not. They’re animals.”

She couldn’t take the chance. Her boys were everything to her.

“Mom? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, kiddo.” Dammit, she couldn’t focus. What the hell was she supposed to do? Warn Mr. Wilkins? No. She didn’t want to alert Kade that they were on to him. At least not while he was standing right next to Mr. Wilkins. “Has Kade done anything…bad?”

“No, but the dogs are scared. They’re all hiding under the picnic table.”

She stared at the door, thought about everything she and Rafe had done together and couldn’t associate the man who’d loved her so tenderly with someone who might be a threat to her kids.

The inconsistencies that had bothered her the night they met came back. How he’d known where her car was parked or that she had twin boys. And…

Shit, shit, shit.
How had Rafe known where Mr. Wilkins’ house was in order to send his brother over there? She’d never told him, and her neighbor’s number wasn’t listed in the phone book. Rafe had to have investigated her.

Oh god. How could I have been so foolish?

Was last night a ploy to keep her occupied so Kade could swoop in and steal her boys?
But he hasn’t. They’re still there.

Yes, they were still there, but maybe there was another brother waiting to grab Megan. They’d strike at once and take all three kids. Her heart raced. The possible scenarios danced across her mind.

She swallowed down bile. “Move as many pieces of furniture as you can in front of the door and make sure all the windows are locked.” It wouldn’t stop a shifter bent on getting to them, but it was the best she could come up with. “I’m going to call Josh, and we’re going to come get you. Okay, kiddo? I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

“Okay, Mom. Love you.”

She ended the call and tried Josh’s number. It went to voicemail. She cursed and sent him a text. A minute later a vibration announced his answering message. She read it and let a shuddered breath escape. He was coming to pick her up. At least there was one person in the world she could trust.

She laid the phone on the counter and clenched her fists. Tears threatened. Anger kept them at bay. Rafe had played her. He was a liar, not the honorable man she’d thought. If he were, he would’ve told her the truth.

From the scent in her home, he would’ve known her kids were shifters. No amount of heavy soap would mask it there. She ground her teeth. She wanted to give him a piece of her mind. The need to get away from him stopped her.

She turned and caught her reflection in the mirror. With shaky fingers, she touched the edge of the hickey on her shoulder, then brushed her fingertips over the tiny cuts. Four of them. It didn’t take much to imagine the fangs that no doubt made them. That was what the sharp pinch she’d felt when he’d kissed her there was from. His fangs. She traced the length on her throat. No mark, but it too was tender and achy.

She’d had a predator’s fangs against her neck. He could’ve ripped her throat out.

But he didn’t. He loved my body and left me sated.

She ignored that little voice in her heart that wanted to believe in Rafe. Just because he was good in bed and made her crazy with desire didn’t mean he was trustworthy. He could’ve told her the truth about what he was, but he hadn’t.

She couldn’t blindly trust Rafe. It didn’t matter how he made her feel. She’d get away from him and think things through once she knew her kids were safe.

With the light off, she carefully opened the door. Rafe’s steady breathing let her know he still slept. She tiptoed across the room, slipped into the hallway and ran.

The lobby had a few people milling around. Nobody paid her much attention, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone watched her. A piercing stare burned the spot between her shoulder blades, making the tiny hairs on her arms stand up. A cold lump of fear dropped in her belly.

She swept her gaze from one end of the lobby to the other. Nobody looked at her, but her breathing quickened. Her pulse sped. She was cornered.

Trapped.

The undeniable sensation grew. Stumbling backward, she hit the wall.

She glanced at each of the men in the room. Any of them could be a shifter. She didn’t know how to spot
them
from normal people.
Look at how I messed up with Rafe. I won’t make the same mistake a second time.

The closest person to her was a skinny businessman, complete with a suit and briefcase. He had a day planner out and an annoyed expression on his face. She dismissed him as a threat and moved to the next, an older white-haired man who sat with his wife on one of the ornate sofas. He had his arm around her shoulder while she chatted on a phone. No. They screamed tourist. The only other person in the room was a middle-aged man who waited to check out, a rolling suitcase at his feet. His eyes were glued to his phone. He didn’t strike her as a threat either. So why did her skin crawl?