Guardian of His Heart [Guardian 2] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) (10 page)

“Oh Gods, I need a hat!” Kelley screamed, and long ropes of pearly white suddenly exploded out of his body all over Frederico’s face, chest, and abs. He fell over onto the bed, nose first, and didn’t move.

“Are you still alive, my love?” Frederico said between gasps.

“No.”

“Okay. Just checking.” With that, Frederico closed his eyes.

Kelley was tired, but his mind wouldn’t calm enough to let him drift off. Instead he thought about the events of the last several months.

Kelley didn’t really care what happened to himself. He had been in many tight spots in his life, sometimes scared out of his mind, particularly while in the Middle East. It taught him to value life and those he cared about as both friends and loved ones. In spite of everything, he had never been in love before. He loved his family madly, but by no means had he ever been in love. It made him feel like the most precious dragon treasure ever and frightened him to death at the same time. Whoever said love was a double-edged sword knew what they were talking about. It gave him the best feeling of his young life, but it also gave someone else the power to destroy him.

Now he knew why shifters who lost their mate, for whatever reason, didn’t live long. He had heard the stories. As a shifter, he grew up with the tales of those who, after losing their mates, would pine away, dying a melancholy death.

He just couldn’t seem to care, though. He had his dragon. He had dreamed of this, coveted it beyond anything else, and now he had it. Kelley wasn’t going to give up without one hell of a fight. “Being Kelley,” as his family always joked, he would fight fang and claw with everything he had in him to make sure he never lost his dragon.

When at last his mate opened his eyes, he spoke.

“I have something to show you,” Kelley said, looking at his love.

“What would that be? Am I going to like it?”

“I hope so. After we bonded, I started feeling strange. Really irritable, like my skin was crawling all at the same time,” Kelley said seriously.

“What is it, sweetheart? Do you need to see a healer?” Frederico asked, growing concerned.

“No, I’m okay now. It was just for a few days. When I left you in the cave and started walking toward home, I changed.”

“Changed? Could you be a little more specific, please, love?”

“I shifted. I became a wolf. Don’t ask me how, but I did. A white wolf. I’m an omega, Frederico. That’s what my mom said, anyway,” Kelley said, looking completely serious.

“Why now? Shouldn’t you have changed at puberty like your brothers?”

“My mom remembered something about an omega in the family, so she went through her family records until she found it,” Kelley said then continued. “My mom’s great-great-great-grandmother was mated to two human men. They had four sons—three who shifted into wolves at puberty. The one who looked like his mom, just as I look like mine, couldn’t shift, so the family just thought he carried the gene. However, when young Russell bonded with his vampire mate, Tasha, Russell suddenly began shifting into a small white wolf. He was an omega with enhanced senses and strength like me. He also got other gifts. He could talk to his mate telepathically. I don’t know about all this, but my mom says it’s a good thing.”

Frederico thought for a moment and then said, “Well then, that is a good thing, right? I am speaking of the omega, really strong, extra senses phenomenon.” The king continued, “Look at it from my point of view. Due to these abilities, you were able to save me. Don’t you think that is an amazing thing?” the king said, looking at Kelley’s beautiful gray eyes.

“I suppose. But will you still want me?”

“Wild dragons couldn’t keep me from you. You are my mate, yes, but my love first and always. You do realize we still haven’t had the marriage ceremony yet. How would you feel about marrying me in a few months? Are you ready for that?” Frederico continued. “I am also having you installed as my official personal guard since you took such good care of me in the cave. You will be forever known as the guardian of my heart. How does that sound?” Frederico said softly as his lips brushed Kelley’s.

“I think that’s doable. I do have to tell you, though. If you keep kissing me like that, I’m going to get my spurs out,” Kelley said with a big grin. “Do I get to pick out my wedding outfit, king, baby?”

“Oh, I do love it when you call me that,” the king cooed. “Tell me something. Do you like bubble baths?”

“Oh yeah, love ’em!” Kelley whispered as Frederico kissed him while picking him up and carrying his mate off toward the bathroom.

On the way to the bathroom, Kelley wanted his mate to explain that oil they had used as lube. That was some wild stuff. He was
so
going to stock in a good supply!

After Saber, Ty, and the twins returned home, they had mixed emotions. Coming home in one way had given them joyful hearts, seeing their home and friends again. In another, it was with a sad hearts, knowing the wasted lives involved. It would take Saber a long while to get past knowing so many had lost their lives in his defense. For what? For some demented person to gain power? It always seemed the way of things throughout history.

Saber decided on the way home he would find a way to celebrate life again. With the covert cell phone call he had received a month ago, Saber thought he knew just how to make it happen.

Corbin James had once again been drawn into service, this time to build a three-bedroom home on the ranch. The model was referred to as a farm style with wraparound porch and a large, sunny kitchen where a round oak table would hold court. It was almost finished. Saber hadn’t told anyone who the house was being built for, not even Ty.

Saber dug out his shotgun and went to find Crusty. He found him out riding in one of the pastures. Telling the men which steers to cull out for selling, they were all working hard when Saber rode up to Crusty, easing Caesar, his dappled Percheron stallion, to stand beside Crusty’s gelding. “We need to talk,” Saber said with his game face on.

Crusty gave his boss that “eye.” He always did when he didn’t understand what the hell his boss was talking about. “Okay. Hey, Jake, take over for me here. I gotta talk with the man.”

“I understand there is an event that will need addressing in the near future. One caused by you and a lady named Tymara,” Saber said quietly.

“How’d you know about that? She just told me a couple weeks ago.” Crusty looked positively green around the gills.

“What are your intentions, sir? Are you going to make an honest woman of Tymara?” Saber tried not to smile.

“Huh? What the hell are you talkin’ about, boss?”

“Are you going to marry the lady? Or am I going to have to use this shotgun on you. I believe it is the American way of doing things. Personally, I prefer swords.” Saber looked at the gun.

“Boss, I’m too old to git married. You know that. What would I do with a wife and kid?”

“Go home to them every evening. Love them, let them love you. Be happy and not lonely for the first time in years,” Saber said while looking directly at Crusty. The man was indeed in his late fifties, but he looked much younger, with blond hair, blue eyes, and at six foot two inches and weighing in at two hundred twenty-five pounds of ranch-hardened muscle. He was all in all a fine looking man.

“What makes you think I’m lonely?” Crusty said. He was trying to be offended. But then his eyes got bigger when he noticed the shotgun in Saber’s lap. “Hey now, you wouldn’t really use that shotgun on me now would ya, boss? Truth be known, I really like Tymara a lot, and she is a right pretty lady, but marriage? Me?” Crusty said. When he suddenly realized perhaps his boss was serious, he continued.

“Why, she wouldn’t marry me anyways. I ain’t got nothin’ to give her, and she’s too much of a looker for that. Besides, Saber, you know I’m in my late fifties. A kid? Why, I’d be too old to play with ’em when he got bigger. I thought about it, sure, but Tymara? She’s too good for me, and I know it,” Crusty said sadly.

“Did you know that when you mate and bond with a dragon you live as long as they do? You would probably get a few years younger physically. Have you asked the good lady what she wants? If she is of the mind I think she is, you may just be surprised. We dragons look at a person inside, not what’s on the outside. Give her a chance. Call her. All right? Then let me know her answer.”

With that, Saber rode back toward the barn and his twins. He had some serious playtime to make up.

After sitting there for a while thinking it over, Benjamin “Crusty” Knowles got out his cell phone before he lost his nerve. He hit the number on speed dial and waited.

“Hello? Is that you, my darling Benjamin?”

“Yeah, it’s me. I need to ask you a few things.”

“Ask away.”

“Would you…Would you be interested in maybe gittin’ hitched?”

“I’m sorry?”

Crusty’s heart shattered.

“Ben, what does ‘hitched’ mean?”

Oh, let me try this again, Crusty thought. “It means, oh hell.” He sighed and then said, “I don’t know how to say this, and I ain’t no good at beatin’ around the bush. So here it is. I ain’t got a thing to give you but my heart if you want it. Tymara Crestmont, would you marry me?”

“Yes, Ben,” Tymara said slowly. “I accept your heart and your proposal of marriage. I love you, too.”

“Oh Gods! I knew you’d say no. I just knew it. But Saber just had to go interfere. I’ll hang up now and stop botherin’—what did you say?”

“I said yes.” He could hear her smile through the phone.

“
Really
? No shit? Don’t play with me now, Tymara. Are you sure?”

“Yes, Ben, I’m sure.”

“Okay, I’m gonna hang up now.” Crusty got down from his horse with his cell phone still in his hand, looking at it, and fainted dead away.

A wedding was held at the Saber Ranch one month later.

The bride’s clothes, along with those of her family and friends, were shipped to the ranch along with many presents, including two cribs.

Tymara had been released from service as a royal guard as soon as her delicate condition was diagnosed, caution being taken to insure the young one’s health. After many phone calls, it was decided by the couple she would be moving in and living with her soon-to-be husband. Their farmhouse would be complete by the time they got back from their honeymoon. Ty, Kelley, and Tymara had been furniture shopping, so the two men knew how to furnish it the minute it was done. They wanted everything to be in and perfect for the couple and babes. Once again, Kelley went a little nuts buying clothes and toys, as the doctor had determined she was carrying a boy and a girl.

The entire surrounding area attended the wedding. They all arrived early to watch as family and friends of the bride flew in. Literally. Everyone was thrilled to watch as dragon after dragon of different colors arrived, all bellowing and blowing fire in honor of the couple, as was tradition. Even a royal-blue dragon with emerald-green eyes arrived, surrounded by ten other dragons. To make the humans comfortable, the dragons tromped around to the back of Saber’s house, where they put on robes after shifting until they could get dressed.

It was a lighthearted affair, precisely what everyone needed. After cleaning it and making it shine, an extremely serious-looking Saber walked behind Crusty and Tymara down the aisle and stood behind the couple, with shotgun in hand as they exchanged their vows. Everyone laughed and thought it was great, even the newlyweds. Of course, as soon as the two were pronounced man and wife, Saber had a huge smile, and he was the first to hug and congratulate the newly married twosome.

The celebration continued well into the night even after the “kids” departed for their honeymoon. Saber had surprised them with what he called “a paid vacation” for Crusty. He sent them to the Bahamas for as long as they wanted to stay.

Frederico and Kelley walked around the ranch, exercising the tradition started by Ty and Saber when they first moved in, every evening taking their walk. They had helped with the completion of Tymara and Crusty’s house, visited with everyone, and played with the children. Soon there would be seven children running around the ranch. Saber had already hired a few more men to take up the slack around the place as two or three people were always busy keeping tabs on the little ones.

Everyone was happy for them, and they promised to be there when the king and his consort took their vows.

The only low point in the entire visit was someone had shot Slayer. The big bull had gotten upset with all the new noise going on and simply ran through his pasture fence, ending up a couple of ranches over. Somewhere along the way he met up with someone who had no sense of humor. After Ty bribed Slayer with biscuits and the stiff brush, they got him home. Kelley, wearing a pair of old coveralls and a shower cap, retrieved the bullet and tended to the wound until the vet could arrive. By the time Dr. Bill Wesson got there, they had things well in hand. After the bull was given a shot of antibiotics by the good doctor, he pronounced Slayer to be healthy once more. The doctor looked at Kelley’s strange outfit, got into his truck, and drove back down the bumpy driveway, shaking his head and grumbling something about city slickers.