Galen (13 page)

She felt her muscles ripple, clamping down on his erection as though trying to hold him in place. She fisted her hands in the comforter and braced herself for his possession, ready to give as good as she got.

One thing was certain, if their sex life never got any better, just this would be enough. Just this closeness was enough to fill all of the empty places inside her that she hadn’t even known she had until now.

Until this moment in time, she never realized how alone she had been. She never knew how much she had
really
wanted and needed someone until she felt the connection between them taking hold.

When Galen took her by the hips, pulling her back as he thrust forward, Kendra almost felt reborn. Something burst inside her. Her heart expanded, pulling thin tendrils of ethereal ribbon drifting from the center of his chest into her, tying them together. Her mind opened up to the possibilities that perhaps things
could
be different as a shifter. Her perception of life, of love, changed. Even her vision changed as the comforter and headboard took on some strange ethereal glow.

Lifting her head, she tried to look back at Galen, but all she could see was the wall and furniture, all of which had the same glow about them. It was almost as though they had auras and she could see them.

Again Galen withdrew only to ram himself deep inside her again. His continued thrusts drove her to the edge of ecstasy. It was as though she stood at the edge of a great abyss, frightened to fall, only to find that in the great expanse where she thought there was nothing, she found a pleasure beyond any she had ever experienced before.

Kendra dove over the edge of the great abyss with a scream. She arched her back, her body meeting his, thrust for thrust, as every powerful surge took her deeper into one climax after another.

Galen surged into her repeatedly. He groaned, his thrusts growing erratic. His already massive erection impossibly grew longer, thicker as he surged into her over and over. His cock repeatedly dragged over her already sensitive nerve endings. When he leaned down and reached around her, his teeth biting into her shoulder as his fingers unerringly found and stroked her clit, Kendra screamed as the world exploded around her. Galen growled into her ear as he held her pinned with his teeth.

She came again, the climax washing over her with the force of a hurricane. Everything in the room lit up as though someone turned on a bright light within each object and she came yet again before the world went dark.

“Thank you for dinner,” Kendra said as she helped Marietta clean up after their meal.

She tried not to look at them. She could see them glowing. She could also see inside them…sort of. If she had to describe it, she would say that she could see shadows of their organs and their bones. It was a form of x-ray vision, she supposed, though she was glad she didn’t see anyone naked. Seeing teenagers in that state of undress would have scarred her for life. Instead, she tried to keep her attention on the dishes, but that wasn’t any better. Everything glowed with some inner light. It was creepy.

“You’re welcome.” The other woman smiled. “Though you don’t have to help me.” She winked as they carried the dishes into the kitchen. “That’s what I have children for.”

“You see that, you guys? They only had us so they could have free help. They bred so they could have slaves, I tell ya,” one of the boys said as he placed a clean dish in the cabinet.

“Shut it, George, or I’ll tell your father about what I found in the barn the other day.”

The color immediately washed from the boy’s face. “You wouldn’t.”

“Wouldn’t I?” Marietta asked in a singsong voice. She tilted her head and tapped her chin. “I
am
your mother, you know. I’m not sure I should keep those kinds of secrets from your father.”

The boy’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he stood staring at his mother with wide eyes. “I’m sorry.” He glanced at Kendra. “We all have our chores. We aren’t treated like slaves. I was just joking.” His face was red as he looked away and took a wet plate from Elizabeth.

Kendra didn’t have a difficult time telling the girls apart. For one thing, there was only two of them. However, Elizabeth wore a red blouse and Victoria a green one. She had the feeling that the girls didn’t much care to dress alike, where the boys probably did it to play pranks on people. Humans, mostly, she supposed.

It didn’t appear that their parents or even Galen had any difficulty telling them apart. She wasn’t sure, but she suspected it had something to do with their scent. However, she hadn’t figured out how to use that particular new talent yet.

“Shall we go for a walk?” Marietta asked as she took Kendra’s arm and pulled her to a set of French doors. “It’s a beautiful afternoon and you look like you could use some girl time.” She waggled her brows. “The guys will follow at a discreet distance to give us time to talk. Galen thought you might have some questions.”

“Questions?” Kendra was lost. What questions could she possibly ask this woman? She’d most likely been born a shifter. Unless… “Did that crazy doctor change you into a shifter, too?”

“No.” Marietta chuckled. “I was born a shifter, but I know what it’s like to be a mate.” She took Kendra’s hand. “You mustn’t be frightened. I know this is all new to you, but you have no idea what it’s like to be a shifter unmated for years and years until you finally give up hope.” She stared into Kendra’s eyes, her expression earnest. “You can’t blame him for claiming you. It’s something he doesn’t really have any control over. Just the fact that he waited until you got here, proves his control is stronger than most.”

Kendra’s face burned. They knew! How could they know that Galen had mated her the night before? She gritted her teeth and pressed her lips together. Closing her eyes, she tried to keep her heart from breaking. The pain of knowing he could share that with someone she didn’t know was too much to bear.

“It’s not what you think, Kendra.”

“What do you mean
it’s not what I think
? I think he’s been talking about what happened between us as though I’m some conquest for him to mark on his bedpost.” Jerking her arm from Marietta’s grasp, she ran into the woods with a sob.

She didn’t give a damn that it was dangerous. Now, all she cared about was getting away from these people. “How could he? How
could
he?”

Chapter Twenty-four

Galen didn’t see Kendra run. He’d glanced at Bear, laughing at one of his trademark stupid jokes, when he heard Marietta call after her.

“It’s not what you think, Kendra. Really it’s not.”

“What happened? Why did she run?” His first instinct had been to follow his mate, but he thought it prudent to find out why she’d taken off in the first place.

“She misunderstood. When I told her that we had something in common because we were both female mates, she went ballistic.” She stared up at him, her huge brown eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“You didn’t mean for what to happen?” Galen took Marietta by the shoulders, tempted to shake the information out of her, though he knew that wasn’t a wise choice.

“Remember you’re talking to my mate, Galen,” Bear said with a growl.

That was one of the reasons why he didn’t shake her. Another reason was that she was female and Galen would never willingly hurt a woman.

“She thought she was your conquest. That you told us you’d mated her last night. She didn’t give me the chance to tell her that
I
can feel your connection and others can smell it.” She wrung her hands. “I’m sorry, Galen. She took me by surprise. I never thought she would run. Go after her. You have to go after her. She could get lost on this mountain.”

“Thank you, Marietta.” Galen released her. “I’m sorry if I frightened you. I hope you know I would never think about harming you.” He turned to give Bear a wry smile. “Even if your husband wasn’t here to rip my head off if I tried.”

“Go get your mate, Galen.” Bear started to smile, but stiffened, his smile fading. “Find her quickly. We aren’t alone on the mountain.”

Galen knew better than to question how Bear knew. When it came to his mountain, Bear knew everything that went on. If he said they weren’t alone, it meant there were other shifters around, and they weren’t necessarily going to be nice.

“Are they here for you, or do you think they’re here for Kendra?”

“They’re here for your mate.” Bear glanced around as though trying to get a bearing on the intruders. “Our clan wars have been over for almost fifty years. It’s not a rival for my territory, but for yours. They’re after your mate. I can feel it.”

Every shifter had their own unique ability once they mated. With Bear and Marietta, it was something akin to empathy. Bear felt malevolence, while Marietta could feel love and affection between others.

Kendra hadn’t said anything about their mating the night before and, so far, Galen hadn’t noticed a change. He frowned. Mates always had a similar gift. Had he been too quick to mate her? Was she not the one for him then?

Galen searched his feelings, unsure for only a fraction of a second. No. She
was
his mate. He felt the bond between them grow. He loved her. He needed her. More importantly, he would never be whole without her.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, trying to get a bearing on where she could have gone. Now that their bond was complete, he would always be able to find her as long as she was near.

Where are you, baby?
he asked through their mental link.

Leave me alone, you asshole. I don’t want to talk to you.

Turning west, he headed toward her on a run. Finding her would be much easier if he kept her talking.
Don’t be like that, Kendra. You misunderstood.

Ha! I understood enough to know that it didn’t even take a day to go bragging to your friends.

I don’t brag, mate. I have no need to brag to others of our kind for them to know we have mated.

I have no idea what you’re talking about.
She sounded less sure of herself.
Stop trying to scare me. I know that’s you shaking the bushes.

That’s not me, Kendra. Run! It’s most likely Doctor Thornton’s men. Turn and head east. I’m coming up behind you.

East? Which way is east? I have no idea which way is which. Did I
look
like I have a compass strapped to my forehead?

Why did he keep forgetting she didn’t even have the most basic of shifter abilities?
I’m sorry, baby. I keep forgetting you’re a new shifter.
He shouldn’t. After all, how many years had he waited for a mate?

I don’t know why. It’s not like I’ve kept it a secret from you. Like the secrets you’ve kept from me.

I’ve kept no secrets, baby.

Stop calling me that!
She was so angry, Galen actually felt it through their link.

Your anger is causing you to travel unsafely. It is not me in the bushes. I swear. Run from there as fast as you can. Dig deep, feel your wolf and let her lend you speed.

Galen paused, awaiting another snarky reply. When one wasn’t forthcoming, he ripped off his clothing and changed into his wolf on the fly.

Chapter Twenty-five

Kendra could see nothing but the ground bouncing above her head when she woke. ”I think I’m going to be sick,” she said to the man whose shoulder dug into her stomach so far. She was positive she would lose her wonderful Thanksgiving dinner.

Closing her eyes, she tried to think of all the things she was thankful for this year to take her mind off the fact that she was bouncing up and down at an incredible rate of speed, considering the man was on foot.

I’m thankful for…
Well, hell. Right now, she couldn’t think of a damned thing she was thankful for. Galen, but he wasn’t here, damn it all. She bit her lip and winced when the man jumped over a log and her teeth drew blood.

Spit the blood out so I can scent it.

Galen?
Her heart surged with joy. It didn’t matter how mad she was at him. She loved him more than she ever thought possible.
Where are you?

I think I’m close, but they’re doing something to cover your scent.

One of them is carrying me.
Could that be it? Somehow she doubted it. After all, if they could tell the differences between identical siblings and whether or not a couple was mated just by their scent, she didn’t think carrying her would make that much of a difference.

I assumed that. They have something that’s masking your scent. Did you spit out the blood? They can’t cover that scent so easily.

Not yet.
She sucked on her lip, trying to draw more blood into her mouth.
I’m trying to get a mouthful.

A drop or two is enough. Spit it out.

When Kendra spat the blood out, she almost groaned with frustration.
Damn it! It landed on the back of his leg.
She sighed. At least he was wearing black. It wouldn’t show.

“Hey! Are you spitting on me?” The man practically snarled at her. “I’ll knock your ass out again.”

“I told you I felt sick. Use your brain, genius. I just ate a huge Thanksgiving dinner and now you’re holding me upside down, on my stomach, while you’re dragging me through rough terrain. Gee…I would imagine those conditions would make just about anyone sick to their stomach.”

“I’m not putting you down.”

“Then get used to getting barfed on, because I’m about to lose my lunch down your back.” About that time, the man hopped another log and Kendra groaned aloud. She hammed it up a bit, knowing that if he didn’t want her spitting on him, he surely wouldn’t want her to throw up down his back.

“Jesus Christ! Okay. I’ll put you down for a second, but you’d better get a grip on what’s in your stomach, or stick a finger down your throat, because I’m not setting you down again.”