A Mate for York (15 page)

“Please
don’t cry, Cass.” He couldn’t stand to see her like this.

She
quickly wiped away the tear. “I’m not crying. It’s the harsh lighting in here.
It always makes my eyes water.” She sucked in a deep breath. “Always. I have
sensitive eyes.” Her voice hitched, belying her emotion.

Using
the pad of his thumb, York wiped away the moisture at the corner of her eye.
“You can admit that you are crying.”

“I’m
not damn well crying.” She shook her head, her hair flew about her face.

“I’m
in love with you.” He growled, watching as different emotions registered on her
face. Shock to elation to pain. It clouded her eyes and pinched her features even
more. Another tear tracked down her honeyed skin.

Cassidy
swallowed hard, shaking her head. “No, don’t say that. We can’t be together so
it’s useless information. It’ll confuse things…make things more difficult.”

“We
can be together,” York growled. “We have to find a way. I can see you feel the
same about me whether you are willing to admit it or not.”

She
lifted her gaze and stared at him in the eyes for a long while. “It doesn’t
matter how I feel.”

“It
does.” He took her hand. “I’ll get you into the program, Cass. All you have to
do is agree. Please.”

She
shook her head even harder and stood up off the bed before pulling her dress
back on. “You have to leave. Go.” She pointed in the general direction of the
door. When he didn’t respond, other than to gape at her, she threw his shirt at
him. “Go!” She yelled this time. “You and me are never going to happen. This
thing between us is over. It has to be.”

York
leapt up off the bed and came to land in front of her. Cassidy’s expression
changed from one of pain to one of shock. Vampires could move pretty fast when
they wanted to.

“How
can you say that? I just told you that I’m in love with you and I would bet
serious money that you feel the same way about me. I’m not going anywhere.”

She
chewed on her lip, her eyes looked anguished.

“Tell
me that you don’t feel anything for me and I’ll leave…right fucking now.”

Cassidy
shook her head. “Don’t do this. Just go, York.” She turned away from him.

“I’ll
say it again”—he let out an exasperated sigh—“I’m not going anywhere, Cass. I’m
going to get you into the program whether you like it or not. I’m fucking in
love with you and I’m going to find a way to be with you. If you won’t fight
for us then I’ll have to do it for the both of us.” York felt desperate. Her
reaction told him that she felt the same. Why wouldn’t she just admit it?

Cassidy
let out a big gust of air. Her eyes were tear soaked. Her lip actually fucking
wobbled and he curled his hands into fists wanting to kill the thing that was
making her feel this way. Not sure what the hell it was.

A
small whimper escaped her and she pursed her lips together for a few beats. “It
won’t work, York. It just won’t work.” His name on her lips made him want to
fall to his knees in front of her and beg…fucking beg. For all he was worth and
he would gladly do it if he knew it would help.

“You
can’t know that,” he growled. “We have to at least try.”

Her
eyes fluttered closed and she put a hand to her forehead. “You don’t
understand.”

“Make
me understand, Cass,” he growled. “Why is it that I’m willing to fight and
you’re not? Is this one sided? Was it just about the sex for you?” He could
hear how wounded he sounded and there wasn’t a damned thing he could do about
it.

“It
wasn’t just about the sex and you know it!” She yelled, her eyes on fire with a
mix of emotions.

“All I
know is that any time I mention something deep or meaningful like how much I’ve
missed you or how I long to wake up with you, you clamp up or change the
subject. You even turn my words around making them sound flippant. I want to
wake up with you…every damned morning. I miss you to fucking death when I’m
away from you for any length of time.”

“We
hardly even know each other.” Her voice sounded incredulous.

“There
you go again.” It came out sounding gruff. York clenched his jaw, feeling his
molars roll together. He tried hard to get a handle on his emotions. “I know
you well enough, Cass. I’ve been with plenty of females and it was never like
this. I can’t get enough of you and it’s only becoming more intense the more
time I spend with you. You are it for me.”

“No,
no…” She repeated the word several times. “This needs to end before…” She let
the sentence die.

“Before
what, Cass?” He was growling but couldn’t help it. “Before what?” he growled
again, louder this time when she didn’t answer him.

“Before
we’re in too deep!” Her voice was shrill.

“Too
fucking late. I’m already in over my head and so are you. Why are you being so
damned stubborn? I want you, Cass…I want us.” He cupped her chin, forcing her
to look at him. “I want you as my mate.” And there it was. Out in the open. All
his hopes, dreams, every one of his feelings were on his sleeve. Exposed.

Her
heart rate picked up a whole lot and she licked her lips before sucking in a
shuddery breath. “I can’t.”

It hurt
to breathe. His chest ached. “Why? You’d better have a damned good reason.”

“I’m
infertile!” She all out yelled. Saying the one thing he least expected. Cassidy
sniffed, pulling free of his grip. “Don’t you see? Your kings would never
accept me into their program. I’m broken…flawed. There will be no children’s
laughter or cute, cuddly babies in my life.” Her tears fell freely but she
wiped them away with an angry swipe pulling in a breath which she held deep
inside her until the tears stopped.

“Fuck,
Cass.” It wasn’t the best thing to say in this situation but he was at a total
loss.

“I
have a really bad form of anovulation. It’s normally treatable with drugs but…”
She shrugged once, pulling her lip between her teeth. “It didn’t work on me.
Sean and I tried to conceive for over two years. We had plenty of shitty sex
but it didn’t help…nothing did. The chances of my ever actually conceiving a
baby is almost at zero. I don’t ovulate like normal women…” The tears continued
to stream down her face. Big drops of pain and anguish. “I don’t ovulate period.”
Her lashes were soaked. Her nose ran freely. “I even tried fertility drugs,
designed to stimulate the ovaries into producing eggs. It was awful…” She
continued to cry. “I got hot flashes, bloating and terrible headaches. What I
didn’t get was pregnant. I can’t be with you, York.”

“Cassidy,”
he whispered. It felt like his heart had just been ripped out of his fucking
chest. He was in a semi state of shock. Numbness seeped into him.

What
the fuck did he say to that?

How
did he make this better?

“I
can’t join your program.” She yelled, pushing him in the direction of the door.
York allowed himself to be shoved. “I can’t become your mate. You need to go
now.” Her voice was a little hysterical.

York
struggled to think coherently. It felt like his whole future had just been
snatched away. Another shove and he stumbled in the direction of her front
door. “We need to talk about this,” he said.

“What’s
to talk about?” At least her tears had dried up. “Just go, York. Choose one of
those women.” Her voice hitched. “You and I both know that your uptight king
will never allow an infertile woman into the breeding program.” She gave a
humorless snort. “I can’t let you forgo on your dreams.” Another hard shove and
he was outside her front door.

He
couldn’t recall her even opening it. “Cass, please.”

Her
face crumbled as she closed the door in his face. He pushed his hands up
against the wood. “Let me in.” He knocked a few times. “Cass, please. Let’s
talk about this. This doesn’t change my feelings for you. It doesn’t change
anything.”

Buildings
and houses sped by. York had to force himself to take his foot off the gas. To
stop at the red light. He gunned it as soon as the light turned green, having
to force himself to slow down all over again. His knuckles were white on the
steering wheel. Everything inside him was a tense churning mess.

After
standing outside her door for at least a half an hour, York had finally left.
Only because he was afraid one of her neighbors might end up calling the cops.
He didn’t want trouble for the covens. Not with all the negative press the
program had already received.

As he
turned onto the open country road, York pushed down on the gas putting
Sweetwater behind him.

The
longer he had stood there banging on her door, the more he realized that he’d
meant every word. He loved Cassidy. It didn’t matter that she couldn’t bear him
children. If his choices were a lifetime with someone he didn’t love and a
house full of kids or being with Cassidy, there was just no contest. York was
hooked on her beautiful smile, her stunning eyes, that splash of freckles over
her little nose made something inside of him clench every time he saw them. The
sound of her laughter, the softness of her touch…every damned thing about her
drove him wild. There was no one else for him.

The Program
could go to hell. So could Brant for that matter.

Minutes
later, he pulled up to the castle. Parking in a spray of gravel and exiting the
vehicle like his butt was on fire.

Someone
shouted his name but he ignored it, not even turning to see who it was that
needed him. It could all wait.

He
made his way down the hall that led to Brant’s office. If the male wasn’t
there, his personal assistant would be able to tell York where he could find
his king.

Gideon
was in the waiting area. York gave the male a curt nod and walked over to
Allison’s desk.

The
female continued to type at her computer, which annoyed the hell out of him.
York put both hands on her desk and leaned in. If this didn’t get her attention
he’d close her laptop and force her to acknowledge him.

Allison
stuck the tip of her manicured nail between her lips and lifted her eyes to
him. “Anything I can help you with?”

“I
need to see Brant right now…please.” He added the last as he watched her eyes
widen and her brows lift.

She
removed the finger and gave him a regretful smile. “He is busy at the moment.
His schedule is fully booked for the day.”

Gideon
made a snorting noise. When York looked over at him, he shook his head looking
pissed.

“If
you’re going to insist…like others I know.” Allison looked pointedly at Gideon.
“You’ll need to get in line.” She gestured to the seat next to the male.

“All I
need is five minutes.” Gideon growled, looking agitated, his muscles were
bunched, even his hands were fists on his lap. York had never seen him this
way.

Allison
shook her head, drawing his attention back to her. “No can do. That goes for
the both of you…” Her gaze moved back to York. “Come back in”—she typed on the
keyboard, her face illuminated by the computer screen—“three days. He has a
half hour slot at—”

“Forget
it,” Gideon growled. “I’ll sit right here until he sees me…in fact…” The male
rose to his feet. “I’ll go and talk with Zane.”

Sheesh,
his role as head guard of the program must be taking its toll on him. There
were dark smudges under his eyes and they were bloodshot as well. That’s when
he caught a whiff of Gideon’s scent. It was as he brushed past him.

Human.

Too
much to just be from casual contact but not enough to be caused from rutting.
What
the…
Gideon must have caught his quizzical look because he clenched his
teeth. “Don’t even go there. It’s not what you think.”

York
put his hands up. “I didn’t say a thing. It’s none of my business.”

“Damn
straight it’s not…” Gideon took a step towards the door.

“What
the fuck are the two of you doing here? You…” Brant half snarled the word as
his eyes narrowed on the other male. “Fuck, Gideon…I gave you my answer
yesterday. It’s not going it happen. Rules are rules. My answer is still no, so
unless you are here for something else I suggest you leave.”

Gideon’s
jaw tensed along with every other muscle in his body. “I was just going.” His
voice was low and only just shy of a growl. Taking long, fast strides, he left
the room.

Brant
shook his head. “You had better not be here for anything other than to report
on your duties as my
Elite Leader
.” He put emphasis on the word. “Or to
tell me how you are struggling to choose between the human females
in
the program because they are all so fucking amazing.”

York
shook his head. “I am here to discuss her.”

Brant’s
eyes turned dark and stormy…as in hurricanes and tornadoes. “I wasn’t born
yesterday. I know you’ve been leaving our territory. I know where you’ve been
going.” He snorted. “To think I had hoped that you would get her out of your
system. I’m a fucking idiot. Get in there.” He gestured inside his office.

“Not
the table.” Allison called after them. “Try not to hit anything.” He heard her
add just before the door closed.

“Sit
the fuck down.” Brant stormed behind his desk but didn’t sit himself. “You had
better not be here to ask what I think you are going to ask.” He cursed loudly,
not giving York a chance to talk. “I’m not bringing her into the program.” He
paced up and down. “Fuck that, York. It wouldn’t be fair of me. It’s not fair
of you to ask.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I should have you flogged,
should throw your ass into the fucking dungeon. You don’t deserve to be in the
program.”

He
finally stopped pacing and turned to face York, eyes blazing.

York
took a deep breath. “Good. We’re on the same page then because I want out.”

Brant
snarled, hitting both his hands on the desk which splintered. The entire
structure collapsed in a flurry of papers and files. Brant’s computer crashed
just to the right of York’s foot.

The
door opened and Allison put her head around the jamb. She rolled her eyes and
sighed dramatically before closing the door.

“Why?
You can’t have her anyway!” Brant yelled.

“Ross
got to have his mate. I want mine. Cassidy is my mate, Brant. I don’t care if I
have to live in Sweetwater. I don’t care if you throw me in the fucking
dungeon, it won’t change the way I feel about her.”

The
sound of a ringtone stopped him for a second but when Brant ignored it, York
carried on talking. “I love her, Brant. I don’t want any other female.”

Allison
stuck her head around the jamb. “Sorry to interrupt but there is a female at
the gate claiming that York will want to see her. She has an expired entry
pass. Her name is Cassidy Parker and—”

“Let
her in.” York growled, feeling his heart accelerate and his breath freeze in
his lungs and all at the same time. She had come…for him.

Cassidy
was here.

Allison
turned her gaze to Brant. After several long seconds, his king nodded. “Send
her here.”

Allison
nodded and closed the door.

York
let out a ragged breath. “Thank you.” He locked eyes with Brant.

“This
doesn’t mean I’m agreeing to anything.” He ran another hand through his hair.
His jaw was clenched and his eyes were dark.

After
a minute or two, he grabbed his phone and dialed. York could hear Zane answer.
Brant relayed the events to the other male.

“I’m
kind of busy dealing with an issue.” was his cryptic reply. “Whatever you
decide is fine with me.”

“Fine.”
Brant ended the call. “Your female must join the program. We need to keep this
above board,” he growled. “We can’t have our males getting funny ideas. We’ve
had protestors at the gate. Just as much bad fucking press as good. We know for
a fact that there is a faction out to get the royal family and maybe even the
elite in the program. Vigilante shit is not going to fly.” He sighed loudly.
“Clearly you care too much about this female to let it go.”

“She
can’t join the program.” York said, keeping his eyes on the male. “She is
infertile.”

Brant’s
face contorted in rage and he cursed a whole string of hard words. “I thought
you were desperate to procreate.”

York
shrugged. “I feel more strongly about her than about having young. I still want
her. I love her. I don’t care about anything else. Procreation is no longer
important to me.”

“Are
you sure that you want this, because once you are out it’s over. I won’t take
you back.”

“I’ve
never been surer of anything.” York could feel himself grinning. He couldn’t
help it. His female had come to him. It looked as if Brant was about to agree.
Things couldn’t get much better.

“You
can wipe that look off your face,” Brant growled. “I don’t want to agree to
this. I can’t believe you males. Why can’t you just follow the damned rules?”

York
shrugged, keeping his eyes locked with Brant’s. “Love doesn’t conform. It knows
no boundaries or rules…it just is. I love Cassidy regardless of the shit storm
it brings down on me. If taking the easy route means that I don’t have Cass in
my life then I’ll gladly take the difficult path with her by my side. She is
mine just as I am hers. There is no other way.”

“Oh,
York.” Cassidy sobbed, drawing his attention to the door. Her eyes were wide
and her bottom lip was pulled between her teeth. “Do you really mean it?”

York
leapt to his feet so quickly that his chair went crashing. “I’m so glad you
came.” He ate up the distance between them taking ahold of her hand.

She
pulled a little face. “I had to see if you really meant it…about not caring
that I can’t have kids, that is. I see that it really and truly doesn’t matter
to you.”

York
was grinning like the village idiot but he didn’t care. He shook his head. “You
are all that matters to me, Cass. Only you.” He cupped her chin. “I fucking
love you.” His voice was so deep with emotion.

Cassidy
sucked in a breath, her lip quivered. “I love you too. I didn’t think it would
be possible to fall in love with someone so quickly, but I was wrong.” Her eyes
filled with tears and she sniffed, clearly trying not to cry. “I know you well
enough to know that you are it for me too.” A single tear fell and he was just
about to wipe it away and kiss the hell out of her when Brant interjected.

“Hold
on just a damned minute.” He growled, standing right next to them. “I haven’t given
permission for the two of you to be together. You are still officially a part
of the program.” His hard gaze bore into York.

He
didn’t give a fuck what Brant said, or what Brant wanted. His king could go fly
a kite right off of a tall cliff for all he cared. He and Cassidy were going to
be together. York had meant what he said about leaving if he had to.

Brant
cursed. “You are, unfortunately, right about love not damn well conforming to
rules.” He shook his head. “Even when those rules are for the best. The thing
is, I do understand…I really do. I’ve become such a fucking wimp since Sam was
born…hell…since Tanya came into my life.” His whole demeanor softened. His eyes
radiated love.

It was
the strangest thing York had ever seen. The male standing in front of him right
now was not his king. It was like aliens had invaded Brant’s body. York held
his breath. Cassidy’s focus was solidly on Brant as well. She too seemed to be
holding her breath.

“I’m
probably going to regret this, but I hereby expel you from the program.” Brant
looked pointedly at York. “Your female is welcome to join the coven.”

York
was about to fist punch the air when Brant carried on talking, making him suck
back a breath into his lungs.

His
king turned to face Cassidy. “You do realize that when a vampire mates, that it
is for life? There is no going back…no divorce…no fucking around with other
males. We are
not
humans and you need to be very sure that this is what
you want. If you mate one of ours, you will become one of us, governed by our
lores and a part of our ways. Do not take this decision lightly.”

“I’m
sure.” Cassidy shrieked. She threw herself into Brant’s arms. “Thank you so
much. You won’t regret this.”

Oh
shit!

Cassidy
was so excited that she was hugging Brant. Hugging the meanest motherfucker
ever to walk the earth. Blood had been shed, in the past, over less. At first,
his king just stood there like a statue. Then he shook his head and actually
smiled. Brant smiled. It was a small miracle. He put one hand lightly to
Cassidy’s back and sort of hugged her back.

York
had to chuckle. Everything was coming together…Then Brant’s face took on a
confused look and a frown appeared on his forehead. “What is the meaning of
this?” he growled.

Cassidy
jumped back, making a soft gasping noise. York pulled her behind him, putting
himself between his female and his king. He couldn’t help it when his hands squeezed
into tight fists.

“Why
the fuck would you lie?” Brant snarled. “What purpose could it possibly serve?”

“My
lord?” York didn’t know what his king was referring to.

“This
female is not infertile.” Brant’s eyes were narrowed and his fists clenched.

It was
York’s turn to frown. He glanced over his shoulder at Cassidy who looked just
as shocked and confused as what he felt.

“Scent
her.” Brant growled, gesturing in Cassidy’s direction. “If she’s infertile then
I have a tiny dick.” He made a snorting noise.

York
turned, yanking Cassidy into his arms. She gasped but didn’t try and pull away
when he buried his nose into her neck. He sniffed deeply.

Fuck!