The Guardian (7 page)

“Yet he attacked again. My friend is dead because of
him.”

“Yes, he did. His banishment had recently ended, and
the curse was lifting. He was given one more chance. The only other punishment
left is death.
Ilithyia
is not a vengeful Goddess and
hopes that Lucas will see the harm he has done and change.”

Cassie did not see it the same way. Lucas was freed,
and he’d used that freedom to murder her friend. She wanted him gone. “He
should have been put down.”

 
“Perhaps, but
remember there are punishments worse than death.” He gave her an apologetic
look. “Now we need to talk about you. The serum Doctor Trask gave you will only
last for another day.”

“What is it doing?” Her eyes widened fearfully. Would
that awful pain come back? She was just about to tell Michael that she didn’t
think anything could be worse than death. Then she thought of that awful pain.
If his pain was anything like what she suffered than maybe she was wrong about
that assumption.

“Let me try to find a way to explain it to you in a
way you would understand.” Michael thought for a moment. “When Lucas bit you he
gave you some of his essence, or magic. Once
Ilithyia
gives some of her powers to us she can’t take it back. Even fallen guardians
still have the gifts from the Goddess.”

Cassie’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Why would he do
that? I thought he was going to kill me.”

“He sensed the dormant essence in you and for whatever
reason he decided to change you. Only my rescue saved you from him completing
the process.”

“It isn’t done yet?” She felt her stomach churning
sickeningly.

“No, it’s not, and I am afraid it will be
painful.”
 

Cassie could feel her anxiety rising. “Can you knock
me out? I don’t want to feel it.”

He shook his head. “No, I can’t. The essence will not
allow any drugs to work on you like that. The more of my essence you receive,
the quicker the process will take though.” He stopped for a moment and placed
his fist over his mouth as he cleared his throat. “There are ways I can make
this more comfortable for you.”

Cassie was looking at Michael and felt suspicion
tingling at her spine. He looked like he was waiting for her to melt down or
something. “How exactly do you do this?”

“There are several ways, some more pleasant than
others. I can shift into my animal form and bite you. That is the most painful
way since my fangs have to remain imbedded in your flesh. Most cannot help but
fight, which leads to further pain.”

Cassie shuddered. She remembered all too well that
wolf biting her and not letting up. The pain was terrible. “No. I do not want
to go through that again.”
 
She would
rather take a bullet than go through that kind of torment again.

“I didn’t think you would want to be changed that way.
The other is through mating.”

Cassie was glad she didn’t have anything to choke on
in her mouth. As it was she thought she would choke on her breath. She couldn’t
breathe for a moment. “Mating?
As in sex?”
She looked
up at Michael with an incredulous expression. “You want to have sex, with me?”
Through her shock she got an erotic image of Michael holding her down and
pounding into her. She would cry out her pleasure, but as she writhed around he
would bite down on her and force her to stay still for him. She blinked to
clear the arousing vision she just had.
Shit, where the hell did that
come from? I just met the man and I
am wanting
the man to fuck me senseless.

 
“We share a
bond already. Do you feel the pull between us? Do you share a desire for me to
take you any way I please? Mating would seal that bond between us, and while my
essence would be transferred to you, skin to skin contact also eases some of
the discomfort of the change.”

Does he know
what I am thinking? No way.
 
She
brushed off the feeling that he knew what was going on in her head and
concentrated on their conversation. “Like when you were holding me in the van?
I felt better once I was up against you.”

“Yes, that was why you felt better. The essence
churning in your body recognized mine and calmed enough that the pain eased. I
cannot ease all of the discomfort, but some.”

“A little is better than none,” she muttered. The
shock of what he had just told her was wearing off. She had to admit she would
not mind an evening of fun with him. He was very good looking. His broad
shoulders and muscular chest were very easy on the eyes. His silky, dark hair
made her fingers itch to run through it. She was not the type of woman to think
about sex, but that changed this morning when she woke up with him. It was all
she could think about.

“I know this is short notice, and you are not as open
as shifters are about your body, but you will need to decide how you want to
change.”

“I have to choose?”
 
She knew what she wanted: him. Could she get those words out though?
I want you. I want to surrender myself to
you and let you take control
. She didn’t know if she could say the words.
Women were supposed to be tough and independent.

“Yes, you will have to make this decision. It would be
unethical of me to decide and do this as I please. Lana has made us some
breakfast. We can eat and shower, and then you will need to choose.”

“What would happen if I didn’t? What if I just left it
alone?” Maybe she could have some more of that awful tasting potion. She could
down a glass of that and then they could get to know one another before they
danced the horizontal tango.

His face was grim as he regarded her. “The pain would
return, but without my help the essence churning in you would rip apart your
cells. You would die in excruciating pain.”

Cassie felt herself pale at Michael’s statement.
“Well, I am not suicidal, so that option is off the table.”

Michael pulled her up so she could stand, and he
followed her. He grabbed two robes and wrapped one around her. “Come, let’s
eat. No matter your choice, you will need your strength.”

Chapter
Six

Michael smiled as Cassie filled up her plate with the
feast his sister, Lana, had
laid
out. She had always
been more of a mother to him than a big sister, so it was not surprising when
she heard about what had happened she rushed over to his side of the house to
make sure he and Cassie were both well fed.

Lana looked over at Michael, grinning. “So it seems an
imp followed Myra home.”

Michael laughed. “Did she chase it away with her
constant talking?”

“No, she made Warren deal with it. I guess they were
up all night trying to find the damn thing.”

“Imp?”
Cassie asked.

Michael nodded, but Lana answered. “There are many
magical creatures around that humans can't see. I am not sure why, but I think
Ilithyia
does that to protect them. If humans knew they
existed they'd catch them for pets, or kill them.”

Michael wanted to disagree with his sister, but it was
probably true.
Maybe not so much now, but in years past.
Humans still hunted species to extinction. Fairies,
Mim-mim
lights, and other magic folk wouldn’t stand a chance. He had lost track of Lana
and Cassie’s conversation, concentrating on his food. When he looked at Cassie,
he had noticed how she looked up at him shyly several times and blushed.

He could tell she was shy by nature, and he felt like
he was pushing her hard. He wished he could take this slower and gently seduce
her, in the way he knew would please her, but time would not allow that. In a
day, or maybe longer, her terrible pain would return and the essence would
start to move.

He had seen the interest in her eyes as he informed her
about the mating option. She was not turned off by that idea, so that was a
good start. He was attracted to her like he had never been attracted to a woman
before, and even without his ability to sense a person’s true heart, he knew
she had a good nature. The aura he sensed around her was peaceful, and in his
line of work she would be a comfort to be around, especially after a long day
of settling disputes and hunting down feral shifters in his territory.

He had no doubt they would be a good match.
Ilithyia
would not have paired them if she did not see it.
He was unsure how he could get Cassie to understand this though. Would she even
believe him that they had such a close relationship with their Goddess?
 

She sat on the bench next to him. He moved closer and
wrapped his arm around her. Cassie stiffened at first, but then she relaxed
into his body. He would do his best to get her used to him touching her before
he took her to his bed, because as much as he dreaded her discomfort, his body
was eager to get on with it.

She was beautiful in her soul as much as her body, and
her body ... her body was beautiful, too. She had luscious curves that could
handle a man his size. He had never been attracted to the little underfed women
that would break under him if he let his more animal instincts loose. He longed
to explore every inch of her body. He would do his very best to distract her
from the violent changes going on in within her, and then when the time came he
would help her to shift.

A sudden dread dampened his thoughts.
What if she chooses to be bitten?
 
It was a less intimate way to start the
change, unlike the mating bite, which was pleasurable. He had bitten
halflings
to start the changes several times when a full
shifter wanted to mate with a
halfling
. Only a
guardian could change a
halfling
into a full shifter.
If she chose to be changed by the bite, then that would be her choice and he
would honor it. Just because there was a bond pulling them together did not
mean they had to mate. It was just a magnetic pull between two souls. He
wondered if she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He sensed so many
different emotions coming off of her. He felt a stab of guilt at how their bond
would be formed, but for now he would let her eat and think about some of the
information he had given her.

****

Cassie could feel she was running out of time. While
drying her body from her hot shower after breakfast, she felt the first
tendrils of pain returning, and her vision blurred slightly. The large bathroom
window was open, and she stared out at the wildflowers growing. She heard a
chattering sound that she could not place.

She moved closer to the screen and blinked several
times. She rubbed her eyes sure she was seeing things.
Is that a fairy? No way.
Lana
did say they were around. I just didn’t expect to see them.
 
A tiny body with translucent wings was flying
from flower to flower and playing with the puffs of pollen that fluffed up. Cassie
saw another one, and they both jumped flips in the air. After her stunned shock
wore off she smiled. They were beautiful little creatures.

A stab of pain went up her spine and into her skull.
She cried out before she could use her fist to muffle her cry. She clung to the
window sill while the pain sliced through her. She heard the door bang open and
turned her head. Michael stood in the doorway.

“What’s wrong?” he asked worriedly. He looked around
the bathroom for the threat.

Cassie shook her head while she tried to breathe
through the pain. “The pain is coming back.”

His eyes widened.
“Already?”
He rushed forward and picked her up.

Cassie tried to reach for a towel. “I need to cover
up.”

“We are out of time. Whichever way you choose to
change you will not need them. By the end of this you will need to be free of
clothing.”

He walked out of the bathroom and down the hall. He
passed the room she woke up in and opened a door to a stairway leading down.
“Where are you taking me?”

“Downstairs, it has the space we need, and Lana’s
children will not overhear anything.”

Her fear spiked as he walked down the stairs. The
walls were thick and had soundproofing board on them. “I’m scared.”

Michael kissed her forehead lightly. “I am going to do
my best to control your pain.”

Cassie fought to get free. “I can’t do this.” She felt
tears running down her face as she struggled to get free. “Let me go. I don’t
want to change.”

Michael closed a heavy wooden door and locked it. She
felt like it was the lid of her coffin closing. She hyperventilated and felt
herself starting to panic.

Michael sat down at the bottom of the stairs with her
still in his lap. “Look at me.” He held his hands on both sides of her face to
force her look him in the eyes. “Calm down. Slow your breathing down.” His eyes
locked onto hers not letting them look away. “It’s going to be okay. I promise
you, I will be with you every moment.” He held her close and rubbed his hands
up and down her back.

Cassie clung to him, fearing what was about to happen
to her. He stood up, and went down a hall, taking her into another large room
that had a king sized bed in the center of the room. It was becoming too real, and
everything that had happened was crashing in on her.

“Michael, let me go. I don’t want to change. I just
want to go home,” Cassie said with her face in the crook of his neck. Fear was
making her feel lightheaded. She felt tears soaking his skin and her face.

Michael sat down on the bed and cradled her to his
chest.
“Cassie,
shhh
.
I
know. You are very frightened and overwhelmed right now. I am going to make
sure you get through this.”

Cassie clung to him desperately trying to absorb the
comfort he was offering. She hiccupped as she cried. “I’m scared.”

“I know you are. I am going to make this as painless
as possible. I need to know though, how do you want me to change you?”

Cassie looked up into his face. “I want you to love
me. I don’t want to be bitten.” That was just too similar to what had happened
earlier.
Nothing but pain and fear.

Michael’s eyes
darkened,
and
his breathing picked up. Was he angry? He kept his eyes on her as he
toed
his shoes off then unfastened his jeans.

Cassie lowered her eyes to his cock. She had that
instant feeling of panic.
Oh my God,
we’re going to have sex, and he is really, really big.
 

His hand gently cupped her chin and pulled her up. “I
will make this good for you. Trust me.”

Cassie nodded in a jerking motion, but her mouth
refused to work.

“Would you rather I bite you? I can if you do not want
to change by mating.”

Cassie shivered, overwhelmed by memories of that wolf
biting her, and holding her in place while he kept his fangs buried in her
flesh. The horrible burning sensation that emanated from the bite filled her
memory. “No. I am just nervous. I haven’t had sex in a long time, and I don’t
casually hook up.”

Michael’s eyes darkened. “This is very far from a
casual hook up. This is mating sex.” He walked towards her like a predator that
had his prey in his sights.

Cassie watched him, and despite her fear, her body
started to heat up.
 
He climbed onto the
bed and nudged her legs apart with his muscular thighs. He hovered over her and
stared into her eyes for a moment.

“You are so beautiful. Never doubt that. Even if we
were never soul bonded, I would have wanted you.”

“I want you, too.” She really did. Even if they had
met under difficult circumstances she knew she would be drawn to him.
 
He put his hand behind her head and gently
grabbed her hair to pull her head back. His head lowered and his mouth covered
hers in a warm kiss.

 
Michael
explored at first with little nibbles and strokes. His tongue plunged in and
swirled around with hard strokes. Her tongue met his and danced, swirling and
stroking all over her mouth. His hands stroked up and down her body, easing the
pain and igniting her passion. Her body was warming up fast as they kissed. She
felt her clit start to throb again like it had last time. He had barely touched
her, yet her body wanted him. She writhed under him, “Please.”

“The bond is pulling us to mate.” He looked her in the
eyes for a moment.

She felt another stab of pain race through her, not as
bad as the one in the bathroom thanks to their skin to skin contact, but still
she let out a cry of pain. “It hurts.”

Michael lifted off of her slightly and moved his hand
down her body. His hand ran across her
her
soft
flesh. Pleasure raced through her body at his soft touch chased the pain away.
“Is it helping?”
 

Cassie arched her back. “Yes,” she breathed.

“Good, then this will not only help with the pain but
help you change faster as well.”

Cassie looked up. “What?”

He didn’t answer but lowered his head to her pussy.
His tongue lapped at the juices flowing from her sex, and then his tongue
pushed into her pussy. Pleasure lit up every nerve, and she gripped his head to
shove him away. It was too much.

“Oh no, my
sweetling
.
None of that.”

He lifted her up off of her. For a moment she feared
he was going to stop. He pulled something out of the bedding, and she felt a
soft strap wrap around her wrist. “What is this?”

“Just a little bit of restraint to
keep you from accidentally hurting yourself.”
Michael growled
seductively.

Cassie felt a fresh wave of arousal hit her as he restrained
her other hand over her head. “You really think I need to be tied up?”
 
She felt she should at least offer some token
resistance.

“Yes. You have been through a lot, and I don’t want
you thrashing around.” Michael looked at her with a heated expression, and it
sounded more like a promise than a threat.

“You may be right.” Cassie knew she had been through a
lot, and the last thing she wanted was to knock
herself
out if things got intense.

“Your legs are different. I want to see you tied open
and helpless for anything I want to do to you.”

“Please do.” Cassie gasped. Had she said that out
loud?
 
What the hell was wrong with her
lately? She had turned into a sex crazed woman suddenly.

“If you insist.”
Michael
grinned at her and pulled another soft, fabric strap out of the bedding. He
wrapped it around her thigh and pulled her leg out, then repeated it with her
other leg. “Tell me if you get uncomfortable and want loose,” he looked at her
seriously. “Say red at any time and I will have you free in seconds.”

“Okay.” She should be frightened that an almost
stranger had tied her up in a bed in his basement. Something deep within her
assured her that he would never hurt her though. Since he had found her being
attacked in the woods he had only tried to help. It was not his fault she was
in pain now. He was only trying to help her through it as painlessly as
possible.

His head lowered again, and his hands spread her pussy
open for him. His mouth covered her throbbing clit, and he sucked while putting
his tongue directly on her nub. Once again her pain erased under the pleasure.
She cried out and gripped the fleece fabric that was holding her arms over her
head. His tongue surged into her pussy, and she felt the same heat that she’d
felt when he put his hand over her bite wound. It didn’t hurt, but it felt hot,
like a very hot heating pad had been placed there.

Cassie tried to twist away, and she thrashed as much
as she could with the restraints. She had an overpowering urge to get away from
him. He moved his hands to her hips, holding her still. His tongue went back to
working on her clit making her struggle, but she wasn’t even sure why she was
struggling. She felt her body coiling as he moved his tongue. Her hips pushed
against him making him rumble in approval.