The Rogue Hunter's Mate [Paranormal Protection Unit 10] (Siren Publishing Classic) (14 page)

“I couldn’t agree more,” she whimpered.
Have I mentioned how much that I love the fact that you knot inside of me? God I love the feeling of you becoming such a part of me.
It ached yes, but God it was such a wonderful and beautiful ache that she craved it nearly constantly.

“You mentioned it once,” he whispered quietly to her. Trailing his lips over her neck he nipped at the mating mark he’d given her, fully healed but very prominent on the curve of her neck and shoulder. Flicking his tongue out he traced the mark slowly, enjoying the slow, sensual shiver she gave.

She shivered and shuddered when he touched the mark and smiled. “Love it when you do that as well,” she whispered softly to him. “So very, very much. But for now I really, really think that perhaps you and I should instead start to think about coming down from this pleasure so that you can slide out of me or this will get very awkward soon.” She didn’t care. Hell she was happy that he wanted her as much as she did him, no matter where they were.

“Especially since we have much to do today,” he told her. Moving his mouth from the mark, he rested his cheek to hers. Breathing her in he let himself relax and waited for the knot to release him from her body.

“Yes, shopping for clothes, lunch, and then grocery shopping. After that you are taking me home, right?” She shot him a hopeful look. “How long until they know why I was targeted by those other Wolves?” she asked quietly, as he slipped from her body. “Until we know that at least that danger is over with?”

“That danger is at a standstill,” he told her quietly. “From the Wolves at least. Those that survived are being held pending trial and, for some, execution. The rest”—involving her brother—“is what we need to be aware of and careful to take steps to keep you safe.” Stepping back he tucked himself back into his jeans and did them up as he stared at her. She looked perfectly tousled, mussed, loved, and a little weak in the knees. “No one is going to get near you, Bethany, I swear it to you.”

Bethany nodded and smiled a wan smile. “I know you won’t let them, Zaidu.” Looking at the clothes she licked her lips. “I’m thinking that perhaps we should skip the silk with as wet as I am right now, love. I think that right now I should just get some jeans and shirts and I’m so getting the silk as well, just want to try it on when I’m not as wet as I am now.”

“Leave the tags on but I doubt you’ll have an issue with sizing,” he commented. “I brought you jeans and shirts, too, a couple of sweaters, a skirt, some slacks. We’ll grab underwear on the way to the till though, since I wasn’t sure what you might want to wear. I’ve heard not all women like lace,” he commented as he watched her.

That had her grinning. “No, I would much prefer silk, honey. I’m not really big on lace at all on my bum.” Leaning in she kissed his cheek again. “I do love you, Zaidu. I know it’s far too fast and I’m totally silly for it but I love you.” How could she not? He was kind, sweet, and all-around amazing. She loved every moment she was able to gain around him.

“In my world nothing is too fast,” he told her quietly. “Try on a few more things to ensure I have the right sizes and then we will get you undergarments, too.” Dropping a kiss to her lips he stepped back to open the door and, after ensuring he wouldn’t be spotted, slipped out to go and look at some other outfits.

Bethany could only smile. She was well and truly happy. There was nothing like having him with her. He might not have told her that he loved her but she had to believe that he had deep feelings for her or he wouldn’t have bound them together.

Shaking out of her own thoughts Bethany pulled on the jeans, twisted and turned and nodded before trying on the clothes as he brought them to her. Finally she laughed. “Okay, honey, I think that’s enough for now, I really do.”

“Then gather it all up so we can purchase it,” he called to her as he returned to the dressing room to take her haul. “We still need to get you undergarments, socks, shoes, boots, and a couple of jackets, and I’m starving, so let’s get a move on, woman.”

“Okay, I have it all.” She began pushing clothes over the top. “I just need to finish getting dressed in my clothes and then I will be ready. Since we know my sizes we will get my shoes, undergarments, and so on so that we can get out of here and get ourselves some food because I’m starving as well.”

“Good, just hurry up, little mate,” he said, taking everything to the counter. “If you would start getting this charged and into bags, we’ll have a few more items to go with it,” Z told the cashier. Walking back to meet Bethany as she stepped out of the change room he waved her to the panties and bras. “If you want to get those first she can scan everything as we go.”

“Sounds good.” She began to go through the bras and panties. Ensuring that the sizes she had were all correct she chose a varied amount of colors and ensured that they all matched. Smiling, she finally looked to him and winked. “Okay, I have this, darling, so let’s get ourselves some shoes and socks and then I’m ready for food.”

“Socks are there.” He pointed before collecting all the underwear to take up to the cashier. Returning he took items as she chose them to buy. Following her to the shoes he stood at the ready. “Make sure you get a couple of pairs and some boots,” he told her quietly as she tried a pair and did that odd little foot point women did.

“I need a pair of runners.” She grabbed them and then looked to the boots. She knew just which ones she wanted because she had them before she had to leave. “I will take these as well,” she declared. Looking, she also chose a pair of stacked sky-high heels and grinned. “All right then, I’m ready to go if you are.”

“Jackets,” he said, taking the footwear from her and trotting it off to the counter. The cashier’s eyes were starting to glaze. It was actually mildly amusing to see the look. Walking back over to his mate, Zaidu watched her as she eyed up the jackets. “Get one for winter and if they have any lighter ones, you should get it now. If not we’ll come back later in the season,” he said softly.

She took a heavier jacket and then a lighter one as well. Passing them off to him she smiled, “Okay, honey, this is everything,” she told him with a nod.

“You sure? We haven’t even done that whole corner.” He pointed to bags and other items. At her look Zaidu shrugged and pulled out his little black card. “Never say I didn’t offer,” he told her with a faint smile.

That had her laughing and she shook her head. “That’s too funny,” she said. “I’m perfectly fine with the things I have, my love. It’s all good, darling.” She was happy to be able to have him there with her. “I think I have more than enough clothes for right now, honey, thank you.”

“As long as you’re sure,” he said, signing the slip and taking his card back. “But if I hear the words or a version of ‘I can’t believe I didn’t get…,’ I fully intend to tell you that I told you so,” Z said, taking the bags from the cashier. “Thank you,” he told the woman. “Now let’s move, woman. I hear a cow calling my name.”

That had Bethany grinning and she knew that she would have to come up with those words somehow and someway in the next few days just so that he could say “I told you so,” because she figured he would get a good kick out of it. “Well wherever we go I just seriously hope that they have vegetarian dishes.” She shuddered. “And I’m begging here, please no blood.” Because she would likely have a flashback, puke, or both.

“They do, and I’ll have them cook it full through,” Zaidu promised her. Guiding her to the door he got them out to the car and threw everything into the trunk. “I was thinking about you and your needs, too, little mate, I promise.”

“You are so very good to me. I think that we will have a good life together because we are both committed to each other and we will do whatever we have to in order to make sure that we always give each other happiness.”

“We’ll figure it out,” he told her, opening the door for her. “But now in, food is needed.” Wrapping an arm around her waist he tugged her in for a quick kiss. “Then we are going home and we will get naked once more.”

“I love how you think,” she assured him with a grin. “God I love how you think.” It made her all kinds of happy to know that he was there for her, to know that he also loved being a part of her as much as she loved being a part of him.

“Into the vehicle, woman.” He encouraged her toward the passenger seat. Tucking her in, he shut the door before joining her. Pulling out of the spot he headed over to a favorite restaurant of his. “Just so you know, I got us a private room so that you don’t have to see what others are dining on.” One of his projects while she’d been in the change room.

Bethany laughed and reached out to grab his hand, giving him a squeeze as she did so. “You are so very good to me,” she said with a grin. “I love that about you, darling. I love how much you take care of me in even the smallest little things.”

“I just don’t want your dining experience mucked up by someone’s bloody steak.” Or Zaidu leaping on said bloody steak to devour it. Given how agitated the Wolf was he needed red meat and soon. The cooked steak would help but he’d have to have something more raw later when she was otherwise distracted.

“I know this is hard on you, but I’m thankful that you are willing to do it for me. Thank you, honey, for everything. Thank you for giving this to me,” she whispered to him. “I’m very happy that you are mine.”

“Just takes some rearranging,” he told her quietly. Squeezing her fingers, he slid into the parking lot of the restaurant. “I should warn you, this is a barbeque place so you may want to avoid looking to your left when we walk in. It’s where they butcher the meat. So eyes to the right,” he warned, turning the engine off.

“Oh God.” She shuddered. “Right, how about I keep my eyes closed until you get us wherever it is that we are going in there? I don’t want to chance seeing anything that will send me back.” She had been there and done that more than once. She had flashbacks often and it sucked ass.

Getting out of the car he went around and pulled her door open. “Come on, you can hide your face against my shirt,” he told her. Locking the car down, he guided her to the front door and pulled it open as he pulled her in close to him.

She knew how silly her fear was because of just how good it felt to walk there in his arms. “I love you, darling,” she murmured and pressed her face to the side of his neck and walked in at his side, following the waitress as they walked along.

“Thank you,” Zaidu said to the waitress as he took the menus and let Bethany go in the private room. Easing the door shut after asking the waitress for a moment he pulled out a chair for his mate before he sat next to her in a position to keep her safe. “For you.” He passed over the menu. “Drinks first and then we’ll worry about food unless you decide before the waitress returns.”

“Thank you. I would love to have a tea, half sweetened and half unsweetened please,” she requested. “Oh and I very, very much would love to have some of the fried mushrooms as well as the onion petals they have.” She grinned up and added, “As long as you don’t mind kissing me with onion breath?”

“It’s cooked onion, not a big deal in the least. Especially since I plan on stealing some of those petals,” he said as he perused the menu. The door opened and in came the waitress to take their orders. Placing his order, including the steak since they had to cook the poor bastard down, he looked to Bethany.

“I would like a Chef salad with extra eggs and tomatoes please. I want lots and lots of ranch dressing,” she told the waitress when he placed his order. “Also no meat of any kind on the salad please, no ham, no bacon, okay?”

Pouring them each a glass of water the waitress nodded with a smile. “I’ve made a note, no meat at all to touch your things,” she said. “I’ll be right back with your drinks,” she added before leaving them alone.

Leaning back in his chair, Z looked to his mate. “I get the raw or rare meats but why even cooked meats?” he asked her curiously.

She shrugged. “I have no idea honestly. I just know that I’ve tried ham before and nearly puked my guts out. My therapist tells me that it’s an extreme phobia that has cropped up because of what happened but I just say that I’m seriously fucked up.”

Reaching over he took her hand. “You are not fucked up,” he said, pressing a kiss to her fingers. “Your brother on the other hand, is very fucked up, but that’s a whole other story. Speaking of this therapist you did warn her out of town, right? What about your sessions?” he asked, not wanting her to miss any if she needed them.

“Yes, I told her to leave town and I’m not worried about my sessions right now. Later maybe, but right now I’m not worried about it.” Now that she knew she wasn’t going fully crazy that was an even better thing. “Plus, I have you so you can talk to me when I need it, right?”

“We can try that, not big on talking but I’ll listen and grunt occasionally if it helps,” he offered, rubbing his thumb to her fingers. Zaidu shifted when the door opened to admit the waitress with their drinks and a basket of warm, fresh bread.

Bethany grinned. “And yet you spend a great deal of time talking to me,” she pointed out. “I love having conversations with you, very much so. I happen to really, really love spending this time with you and just being able to open myself to you.”

Only relaxing once the waitress left them again he shrugged. “I am trying,” he said softly, lifting his pint of ale to sip. Alcohol didn’t affect Changers like others so he could have one, two or three with lunch and not worry about a breathalyzer showing positive.

“And you are doing a marvelous job of it as well.” Reaching out, she placed her hand on his and smiled up at him. “You haven’t shut me out, Zaidu. Even when you wanted to you couldn’t, could you?” She smiled. “It’s because you are mine and I’m yours. We belong together. We will always belong together.”

Gaia was likely getting one hell of a laugh at the fact that she’d still gotten them hooked up. “If you ever see Gaia let me know. I think I owe her.” A fat lip. Lifting Bethany’s hand he nipped at her fingertips lightly.

Bethany laughed at that and shook her head. “And I think that I owe her a big hug. Not a fat lip.” She teased him. “You aren’t upset are you?” she asked then, worry there and clear even though she knew that he cared for her. “She put us together for a reason, honey. Are you all right with that?”