Prymal Lust (25 page)

“All part of my diabolical plan.” He steadied her.

She hung her head. Twisted around to face him. Swallowed once, twice. “I’m guessing human birth control doesn’t work with us?”

He shrugged. “I grew up without a pack. My only female reference was my human grandmother. I know as much as you do.”

“But, you knew I was pregnant. Right away. How?” She waved the toothbrush and the paste slid to one side.

“Your scent changed. Dax told me it was the same for him. He knew the moment Eva conceived. He’s been researching mate recognition. Apparently, mates can’t disguise their scents from each other, and the slightest change in your mate’s aroma is like a fire alarm.”

“Disguise a body odor? How’s that possible?”

“The higher a person’s body temperature, the more pungent that individual’s unique odor becomes. I can lower my body temperature at will.”

“Oh. I get it. That’s why I couldn’t resist you that night of the graduation. I was mate-smelling.” She cocked her head to one side.

Mate-smelling, he couldn’t stop a slight grin. His Tania had the most beguiling way of vocalizing things. “It wasn’t my SEAL bod?”

She pursed her lips. Did a cute eyebrow wiggle. “Oh, there was that, too. But, I swear Axe, you smelled so incredible the night of the graduation that my mouth watered.”

Axe shook his head. “I wore Eva’s scent mask that night. You shouldn’t have been able to scent me.”

She nodded. Licked her lips. “Trust me, I did. It was like you were all that I could smell. Hey—wait a minute. I wore Eva’s scent mask that night, too. She’d begun experimenting with it when we were at boarding school. A few months ago, before her exile, she gave me a bottle of it. Asked me to experiment and write down anything I noticed.”

Axe’s mind raced. “By rights then, I shouldn’t have been able to pick up any aroma from you. Yet, I detected each nuance in the most minor change of your emotions.”

“My emotions? You smelled what I was feeling?” She frowned up at him.

“That first day when we got to my suite and I picked you up—you were afraid—just for a few seconds.”

“Yes. I was. I had a flash of every episode of Law and Order SUV I’d ever seen. For a moment there, I thought I was nuts to go ahead and…”

“Mate with me.”

She scrunched her nose. “At
that
moment, it was more of have a hook up. Do you think we’ll ever know who was behind the Jäeger attack?”

Her abrupt change of topic had him stymied for a few moments. He grazed his lips across her temple. “Eventually. Right now Lycus is working on eliminating who wasn’t behind it. That list is very short. Your immediate family and every Prymal member. You understand, Tania, that from now on until I give you the all clear, you will be guarded constantly. I must know where you are at all times. No going behind my back for
anything
.”

Her mouth quivered. “I truly am sorry, Axe. About tonight. But, in my defense, I did leave a note.”

Tempted though he was, Axe couldn’t let her off easy. Not when she had jeopardized her safety. “Not good enough.”

“Okay. How about this? I promise never to leave when you’ve ordered me to stay.”

“Better.”

Her forehead creased. “I promise to let you know if I need to leave the ranch?”

“Getting there.”

She jammed her hands onto her hipbones. “I promise to ask your permission to leave the ranch?”

Axe stifled a chuckle. The testiness in her voice couldn’t be mistaken. “Repeat after me and then we’ll consider this episode behind us. Raise your right hand.”

“Really? Really? We’re not in a frigging court.” Nostrils flaring, she glowered at him.

“Court of Senior Chief Axe Richard Smith. Court of your one and only mate, half-breed Feral wolf, Axe Smith. Any more objections?” He folded his arms. Gave her the hooded glare all BUD/S participants dreaded.

She scuffed her foot on the base of the toilet. Raised her right hand. “Well?”

“I, Tania Prakov, do hereby vow.”

She repeated his words, her tone sullen.

“To obey without question and without hesitation my mate’s each and every directive regarding my safety or the safety of our Prymal pack.”

The surly tone in her voice faded when she gave him back his words.

“You realize that this is only the beginning? That your brothers have garnered only a temporary peace?”

Axe saw when she finally understood the enormity of the situation. “We’re at war, aren’t we? It just hit me. If the Jäeger weren’t sent by Viktor, then someone else wants both me and Eva dead?”

“First, we haven’t ruled out Viktor. He could’ve gone behind your father’s back. And someone wants
all
of us dead. Not just you and Eva. But you two are the key now. You are the future of Prymal. By joining forces, Rogue, Feral, and Wylfen, we threaten all the old traditional orders. Our cub will be part human, part Feral, and part Wylfen. When Eva and Dax have a pup—”

“The baby will be Rogue, Human, and Wylfen. We’re creating a true melting pot. I get it.” She propped her forehead on his chest. “We’re carving a whole bunch of new mixtures of beings.”

“Yeah.” He rubbed his hands up and down her back. Kissed the top of her damp hair. “We are.”

“I really don’t know diddly squat about babies,” she mumbled.

“Neither do I. We’ll take it one day at a time. Ten to one, we’ll find all the info we need on the Net. Besides, it’s not as if we’re the first parents on the planet. It can’t be
that
hard.” What more could a baby need other than a warm home, food, clothing, and loving parents?

She drew back and gave him a wan, feeble smile. “One. I think we’re both going to have to eat those words. Two, you stink. Was that how I smelled in the parking lot?”

“Remember that stench, Tania. That’s the distinctive Jäeger stink.” He set her to one side. “You feeling okay enough to wait for me to have a shower?”

“Oh yeah. I’m all better now. This Prymal ride doesn’t seem to get any easier. I guess I’m just going have to get used to it.” She giggled. Cupped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes twinkled at him. “You didn’t get it.
Prymal
ride?”

Axe glanced at the ceiling and then smiled down at her. “Your sense of humor’s very strange, mate.”

Her smile faded.

“What?” He nudged her chin.

She fidgeted, scrunched her mouth. “What did you mean when you told Mishe and Breede that the Jäeger issue had been resolved on all counts?”

“Dax and I eradicated any evidence of their presence, the attack, and their deaths.” Axe had deliberately avoided answering both Tania’s and Eva’s litany of questions on the way back to the house. Neither woman needed to know the details of how the pack had disposed of the Jäegers’ bodies. For their own safety.

“So, it’s like they never existed?” She worried her lower lip.

“It’ll look like they did a Bermuda Triangle. Vanished without a trace. Feel better, now?” Axe thumbed her jaw.

“I guess.”

Her big toe rubbed a tiny circle on his instep.

Axe repressed a smile. “But?”

“I feel so sorry for Eva. I mean that her dad didn’t use his verbetend for her.”

Unable to resist, he caught her to him, and buried his face in her damp hair. Inhaled the fresh perfume of the wildflower shampoo she favored. “Not didn’t. Couldn’t.”

She craned her neck to meet his gaze. “I clearly heard Mishe’s answer to Eva’s question.”

“True. But I hustled you back to my pickup before you heard Breede’s explanation. Her father had already used his verbetend when The Senior Council mate allianced him with a woman he didn’t want. Eva’s eldest brother used his to bargain for her life.”

A wide beam dimpled her cheeks. “Oh. That’s great. I know she would’ve been devastated if she thought her parents condoned what the Jäeger did to her.”

“Did you notice that Eva’s brother had no problem face timing with her?” For a woman who fixated on the tiniest detail, his woman managed to overlook significant developments.

“That’s so right. He went against the exile issue.” She play-cuffed him. “Maybe Eva’ll get to talk to her family from now. Wouldn’t that be fantabulous?”

A wave of tenderness banded his chest like an aching vise. “You have this incredible need to solve all of your friends’ problems. Absolutely fricking fantabulous. You know, you are going to be one heck of a mom.”

She ducked her head and a riot of color swabbed her throat and face. Shot him a shy glance. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting everyone to be as happy as I am. And you’re going to be the best father on the planet.”

Axe laughed. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. Now, go get dressed. It’s almost six-thirty and I have to be at the base for eight.”

“I’ll make breakfast this time.”

By the time Axe made it to the kitchen, the delicious aromas swirling through the house had his stomach rumbling.

Bandit and The Kydd, each munching on muffins, and carrying a couple of twisted pastries, nodded to Axe as they ambled through the doorway.

Eva stood by the sink drying a plate.

Jurango, Lycus, and Dax were tucking into huge stacks of waffles and pancakes.

Axe couldn’t believe the spread Tania had whipped up. Pancakes, sausages, a basket heaped with muffins, spirals of jam encrusted flaky dough, and vanilla waffles.

“How’d you manage all this in less than thirty minutes?” He flicked open his napkin and slid into his seat. Near drooled at the plate she’d composed for him; two of each item, plus five rashers of crisped bacon.

“I’m doing the tasting menu preview for the owner of The Grape Escape tonight, remember? I tested these yesterday. Except for the pancakes and waffles? Taste everything, please,” Tania explained.

She didn’t stop moving for a second, running from peeking under a huge towel wrapped bowl, stooping to edge open the convection oven’s door, and finally bounding to the stove to flip over a steaming pancake.

Axe glanced at the digital clock on the micro. He had ten minutes to wolf everything down. He repressed a grin at his own pun, considered sharing the joke with Tania, and decided in the negative when she said, “Eva’s going to help me. The tasting’s at six. Bandit’s going to be my official tester. Jurango said he’d take your sessions ‘cause Bandit can’t ‘cause I need him.”

“Whoa.” Axe sprang to his feet. He snagged Tania, worked a spatula from one hand, and tucked a damp lock behind her ear. “Simmer down. You’re on fast forward.”

She shoved at his chest. “Axe. I don’t have time. Do you know how much I have to do to be ready for six?”

“That’s it.” Axe grabbed her forearm. “Bandit, cover for me until ten. I’ll be at base in time for the beach drills. Tania, stop struggling. We’re doing this
my
way.”

He hauled her, protesting each dragged step, down to the master bedroom. Slammed the door shut with a booted foot. Captured her flailing wrists as she attempted to twist the doorknob and drawled, “I believe it’s time to administer the punishment for your disobedience last night.”

Tania checked the microwave clock for the umpteenth time.

Five forty-five and no sign of Axe.

Everyone else was there, even Lycus.

The house had been transformed into a semblance of a French country manor. Courtesy of Jurango. The setting mimicked a wine bar theme with real grapes and trailing vines trailing from the top shelves of the kitchen cupboards. The soft glow of a dozen flickering candles imbued the kitchen and eating areas with a warm, inviting ambiance. French café music from the late seventies played in the background.

Bandit, who had not only a sommelier’s knowledge of wine, but also all the organizational skills of a general prepping his troops for battle, assigned tasks and stations to everyone present. Tania racked her brain searching for any loose ends, but save for her missing mate, everything was at the ready.

“Where is he?” Tania nibbled on a cuticle, caught herself, and set both hands to her sides. “He said he’d be here by five thirty.”

She dared not move too quickly for fear of having another mini-orgasm right there and then in front of everyone. It had been bad enough marathon-cooking while wearing the Shibari knotted ribbons that Axe had substituted for her lacey boy-panties when he’d dragged her into their bedroom before heading to the base that morning.

How he had managed to create the complex geometric patterns of rigging centered over her sex and tied the button-style knot cupping her clitoris in less than twenty minutes still baffled her.

She’d no idea of what he was doing and her curiosity had been wetted, so too her sex. Axe explained that the strange knots and twists he knotted was an erotic deviation of an ancient Japanese artistic form of rope bondage, called Shibari. Turned out he’d become intrigued with Shibari while deployed in Indonesia and studied the art under a master.

Tania had a strong suspicion it would take the rest of their lives for her to peel back the mysterious layers and layers of Axe. She wore no underwear save for the silky ribbons crisscrossing her body. Even the slightest movement proved erotic and tortuous. The Shibari induced sexual torment was her ‘punishment’ for disobeying him and leaving the ranch. The entire day had been the sweetest, most excruciating penalty she’d ever had to endure.

He’d warned her not to seek relief. Tania ducked her chin to hide a wicked grin as she remembered his gruff command, “No bringing yourself off. That pussy,
my
pussy gets relief only from my hand or mouth or cock. The second you think you’re going to come, you text me immediately.”

It had been a revealing seven hours. Sexting was a new experience for her, and it proved arousing beyond her wildest imaginings. Between being sexually on edge and her epic cooking spree, she hadn’t had time to get nervous.

Until now.

Gawd, she was an idiot.

That had been Axe’s intention from the start. To counteract her edgy anxiety about her food not making the grade for The Grape Escape, the wine bar Lycus’s friend would open in a few of weeks.