Red Satin Lips (11 page)

“Baby, are you hurt anywhere?” they both asked at the same time as he tried to run his hands down the side of her body. When he came to a wet spot and Tamara didn’t respond to them at all, he could have sworn his heart stopped.

He lifted his hand up and blood covered it. Gage reached over with both hands, grasping them both.

In a matter of minutes, they were in front of the main house on Gage’s family estate. He held an unconscious Tamara in his arms. Both of them ran to the front door as it was thrown open.

“First room upstairs to your left,. Your mother and grandmother are waiting,” Gage’s father said as he closed the door behind them. He couldn’t say a word. Lars was never so scared in his life.

She should be awake. Tamara only took a hit to the thigh. The bullet or whatever it had been went right through her.

“Put her on the bed Lars, and step back. We won’t allow anything to happen to our new daughter,” Gage’s mom, Lana, said and patted his arm as he stepped away from the bed.

“She should be awake. I don’t know what is going on,” Lars looked at Gage’s grandmother. She was beautiful with her long blond hair and piercing blue eyes. “She’s carrying our children.”

The woman nodded. “They are fine, all three of them, but what has me worried is the fact I can smell a touch of magic here around her wound. The bullet did no major harm, but that wasn’t a normal shell either. Something has bled into her blood.” She looked to her daughter. “Get your grandfather here now. He’ll know what to do and what this is.”

In an instant Gage’s mom was gone. Once more Ishka, Gage’s grandmother, turned to them. “My father is the best when it comes to poison or any other healing problems.” She ripped off Tamara’s pants and covered her mound when a tall male appeared in the room.

He nodded to them, but went right to Tamara and started to inspect the wound. “Whoever did this is smart and old.” A bottle of a blue gel-ike substance appeared and the Fae poured it onto his hands before spreading it on her wound.

Looking up at them, he ordered. “Hold her down. This is going to hurt, but it must be done.”

Not questioning him, Gage and Lars moved to the bed where Maxim, Gage’s grandfather, turned her to her side where the wound had entered. “Each of you crawl onto the bed and hold her. I’ll be working over you,” he instructed them.

Over the next half hour, Maxim worked the blue gel into her wound. She screamed and thrashed on the bed, but never really woke up. Lars was sweating, as was Gage, when his grandfather called a halt.

“She’ll sleep now and it’s good. Your woman will need the rest and so will the babies.” He cleaned his hands off and hugged Gage before turning to him as he got off the bed. “Your enemy is very smart and deadly. They injected her with an ancient poison, which can also be used as some sort of tracking too. The properties in the chemicals give off a signal which allows others to locate the one infected. I haven’t seen it for over two thousand years.”

He frowned and looked to Gage. “I don’t believe this woman is that old, Gage.”

“Not from what Tamara has said. Wasn’t the last formal gathering of the council over six hundred years ago?” Gage asked as he took the blanket off the side of the bed and covered their sleeping woman.

“Yes, and the age to be accepted had to be over a thousand years. So she would still be too young, which also means our woman was right. This female isn’t the one behind this mess. Unless, she could have read about it or heard about it?”

“No, all records and documents of this were erased. No one wanted word of this substance to get out. Even for your kind, it’s lethal. The only way someone knew about this was if they were still around when the banishment of this drug was ordered, which would have been over two thousand Earth years.”

Lars fell onto the chair in the family room. The weight of what they had uncovered didn’t sit well with him at all. An ancient, a member of the council had to be helping this nut case bitch and Lars had no idea who it could be.

Chapter Eight

The first thing Tamara knew was that she was in some place new and her thigh was sore. Her babies, she sat up, covering her stomach. A small cry slipped out of her mouth as she remembered what had happened.

“Shh, it’s okay. Your babies are healthy and safe,” a woman with blond hair reassured her as she handed her a cup of orange juice. “Drink this. It will help your body finish healing you. I’m Ishka, Gage’s grandmother. You’re lucky my father knew of the poison these idiots put in you. Otherwise you’d be dead now.” The woman looked like she was in her late twenties, with straight blond hair and delicate facial features, but the look she gave her would have any woman hiding under a bed.

Tamara held out her hand. “Thank you for all that you’ve done for me, but you don’t like me, do you?” She retracted her hand when it was obvious his grandmother wanted nothing to do with her.

She leaned back against the bed and took a drink of her juice as the woman stared at her. Tamara wouldn’t be bullied, no matter who this woman was.

“You are mated to both Lars and Gage. Don’t you think that is kind of strange considering they were together before you showed up?: She leaned against the wall, measuring her up.

“I have no idea. I’ve dealt with other species as far as war and healing, but never knew anything about their mating.” She held the woman’s gaze. “But both of them are mine and I won’t leave them. If you or any others can’t accept that, then we’ll leave.” She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and put the empty glass on the table.

“Where are you going? You’re not ready to get up. Don’t be a fool,” Ishka said, coming to her side. She tried to stop her from getting up.

“I’m fine, thank you, but as I stated, I won’t stay where I’m not welcome. I’ve done that before and won’t go through it again.” She braced her hand against the headboard and stood.

“What the hell is going on? You shouldn’t be up, young lady,” Another gorgeous blond with a perfect body stepped into the room. He was well over six feet tall and had the darkest blue eyes, but what mattered most was the men behind him, her men.

“I’m fine. Gage, I take it we’re at your home?” She asked and tried to step away from the bed, but her legs were not working well and she would have fallen if it wasn’t for the giant hunk.

“You are not ready to move around.” He placed her back on the bed, and then looked to Ishka. “Why do I get the feeling you have said something to make her feel uncomfortable here?”

“I did nothing, just asked her a few questions. I told her to stay in bed,” Ishka said.

“Grandmother…” Gage snarled as he came around to the other side of the bed, sitting next to her. “How are you feeling? You scared the shit out of us Tamara.” He kissed her cheek.

Lars stood by her other side when the other man stepped out of the way. “You’re staying here till these people are caught. It’s the safest place possible.” Lars ordered, his voice dropping to that "I’m the boss and you’ll listen to me" mode.

She sighed and shook her head. “I won’t stay here when I’m not welcome, plus you know I have to help organize this party. You’re parents are pretty upset and there is no one else.”

“What do you mean you’re not welcome here? Of course you’re welcome here. My mother and father both insisted you stay here.” Gage glanced at her and snarled before turning his attention once more on his grandmother. “What did you do now? Nana she’s our mate and carries our children. What is your problem?”

“Don’t you take that attitude with me, mister, and don’t you think it’s a little weird she belongs to the both of you?” His grandmother moved away from the wall. “You haven’t even marked her.”

“Marked? What’s marked? Is it important?” She looked at Gage who hadn’t taken his eyes off of Ishka.

“When the time is right and not before, but rest assured Nana, she’s mine,” he snarled, fur starting to break the skin.

“Easy, wolf man, she meant no harm and I’m not going anywhere,” Tamara climbed up onto his lap and rested her head on his chest. “But we are going to have a nice discussion about this marking thing you forgot to mention to me.” She took a deep breath and pressed her face into the crook of his neck.

“I hope it was you who changed me out of my clothes,” she mumbled still a little bit tired and cold. The large man’s dress shirt she wore reached her knees, but Tamara was still naked under it.

Gage’s big muscular arms wrapped around her. “Not to worry, we took care of you as we always will. Now, how are you feeling, really?” He leaned back and held her face in between his big hands.

“A little tired and stiff, but alright,” she said reaching out to take Lars’ hand. “Are you two going to introduce the big guy?” she grinned and winked at Gage. “I mean he is a hunk and as such a name would be appropriate.”

She jumped when Gage’s hand dropped and pinched her ass. “That is my great grandfather Maxim, so show some respect.”

“I swear I feel like a child around you guys,” she grumbled. “No one that old should look that hot. There should be a law somewhere.” She took a deep breath and faced said man head on. “I’d like to thank you for saving my life and that of our children. Even though I wasn’t ready for children yet…” Tamara turned and glared at Gage for a moment. “The thought of losing them now after…” Tears threatened to fall thinking of her mother. She looked down at her hands in her lap.

“My mother would have loved being a grandma. She was so happy to meet both Lars and Gage. Well, anyway I can’t lose them. They’re part of her, all that I have left.” Tamara looked up through tear-filled eyes.

The man in question sat on the bed in front of them and reached over, wiping the tear that had fallen. “I’m afraid with age I’ve lived through many deaths of friends and it never gets easier, but those of the heart are the worst. You are right. Your mother will live through these children inside you. Think of all the stories you’ll be able to tell them about her, make her alive in their mind.”

“Thank you again for saving me and being so nice. I just wish I could have saved the pictures at least.” She snuggled closer to Gage, her legs in Lars’ lap.

“Let me give you a gift. Think of the one of the pictures you wanted the most,” Maxim said.

She frowned, but at once the picture of her at the age of six with her mom at Six Flags came into focus. It had been one of the best times of her life. The two of them had traveled across the United States stopping places, but the amusement park had been the best.

Out of nowhere, Gage’s grandfather handed her the picture in her mind in a bronzed frame. With her hands shaking, Tamara took the picture and ran her fingers over it. Her mom’s smile could light up a room.

“I don’t know what to say. This is priceless to me.” She put the frame aside and leaned over, hugging the man. “Thank you, not only will I think of my mom, but of you as well. My children will hear the story of your generosity this night.”

“Okay enough, you’ve hugged him long enough,” Lars grumbled and pulled her into his arms. “Thank you, we are in your debt.” Lars nodded to Maxim as the man got up and stretched.

“We’ll leave you three alone. If you need anything, let us know, we’ll be downstairs. Oh and Tamara should be okay to come down for dinner, but I’d carry her down the stairs for now.” Maxim latched onto his daughter's arm. “Come. You and I need to speak.”

“But…” She didn’t get a word out as they disappeared from the room leaving the three of them alone.

“We’re going to stay, aren’t we?” She looked up into Lars’ face and he nodded.

“This is the safest place. I’m still trying to figure out why they tried to kill you when they wanted this party. It just doesn’t make sense.” He hugged her tight. “God, baby when I saw the blood and you didn’t talk to me. I thought my life was over.”

“We both thought that and we can’t go through it again. Here you’ll be safe. Whatever you need, we’ll get for you, but you are not to leave the property. If the enemy even comes near the place, they won’t see anyone. A protective shield of some kind slips around our grounds so even outside you’ll be safe.” He traced his finger over the entrance wound before looking up at her.

“The marking is a form of claiming for many of the shifter species. Lars and I both decided that until you were safe, we wouldn’t mark you. Our mark could also bring more danger to you and we don’t need that.” He taped her nose. “No arguing, when the time is right, we’ll know.:

She looked away from him, but Tamara could still hear Ishka’s taunt about the marking. “Are you sure that’s the only reason? I mean I can understand with some of your family not accepting me.” She shrugged and tried to slide out of Lars’ lap, but he held onto her. “I mean even Lars’ family isn’t thrilled with me. Let me go, Lars.” Tamara tried to pry his arms lose, but he wouldn’t budge.

“Look at me, Tamara,” Lars ordered and didn’t release his hold on her.

A chill ran up her spine at the tone of his voice and she couldn’t help but look up into his face.

“You are our world and we will claim you when the time is right, but make no mistake Tamara, you are ours.” Before she could say a word, Lars leaned down and covered her mouth with his.

His kisses were masterful. He controlled everything. She’d slid her tongue up one side of his and he’d counter her move forcing her to bend to his will. Time seemed to slip away. The only thing that had her coming out of the sexual fog he’d placed her into was the breeze over her now exposed skin.

Her nipples hardened at his touch, the bed moved as Gage came around to kneel in front of her. He spread her legs slowly. “I need to sink my tongue into you, baby. Your smell and taste are addictive and I can never get enough.” Gage ran his tongue across her pussy lips and she moaned into Lars’ mouth before he broke the kiss.

“Easy with her, Gage, I don’t want her to move that leg and you know she thrashes around when she comes,” Lars said as he cupped her breast.

“I’m not going to make her come. She’ll have to wait until tonight. She should be healed by then,” he said before sliding his tongue all the way into her.