Chapter 40

Darien stood looking out the back window, watching the tunnel drain. He doubted anyone would be back in what remained of the night, but it gave him an excuse to avoid being downstairs. There was no need for him to be in on the planning. He was a werewolf. They had three possible purposes in a fight, protection, clean up, and slaughter. Given the amount of magical factions involved, he wouldn’t be required to fight. Who was he kidding? The moment Remi said she was going, he had one objective, watching out for her. He planned to enlist a few others to help him. Why did she insist on going? Yes, she was the Keeper, and their skills were well-recorded and legendary. Remi didn’t know how to use her gifts yet.

For his own peace of mind, he was going to get Brome to talk to her. Pascal as well, because Darien was almost positive he’d experienced the last Keeper. He wouldn’t be surprised if Attis did as well. Some day he was going to ask them how it was that a Greek and a Scot ended up together for the last several centuries. He wasn’t a history buff, but he recalled them being on opposite sides at one point in time. The tale was bound to be interesting and, if he knew them, bloody.

He felt Remi’s presence behind him.

“Nadine and the girls are downstairs.”

“Yeah, I let them in the back.” He continued to watch out the window.

Remi stood beside him, “shouldn’t we be in on the planning?”

Darien shrugged, “I’m sure someone will let us know if we’re needed. I doubt we will be though.”

“Too much opportunity for them to use magic or violence?”

She always understood. He chuckled, “Something like that.” Turning to look at her, he searched her face. He saw the worry and something else he couldn’t be sure of. “No one will expect me to be too far from your side.”

“Is it wrong if I feel better knowing you’ll be close?” Her eyes moved over his face.

“Not to me.”

Darien had to bite his tongue, literally, to keep from asking her not to go. There was something strange in her eyes as she looked at him.

“You know we’re a science experiment for the council.”

Do I even want to know? “How’s that?”

“They’re curious about what’s going to happen.”

“With?” It wasn’t like her to beat around the bush like this.

“No Keeper has ever found their mate, so they want to see the results.”

She had his full attention now. “Of being mated?”

Remi glared at him for a moment. “Of procreating.”

Darien blinked. “They want to see what happens to our kids?”

A startled look filled her eyes. “They want to see if we’ll produce little Keepers.”

“Really? I thought there was only one?”

“Me too.” She leaned against the window frame. “They don’t know for sure. Leontes finds it very exciting.”

“I didn’t think anything excited him.”

She grinned. “Apparently, a little Keeper does.”

He wasn’t sure how he felt about it, being under the watchful eyes of the council or having a child of theirs a subject of interest.

“Have you thought about it much?”

“About?”

She smirked. “Our kids.”

It was one of those questions a male wasn’t sure how to answer. Any answer he gave could land him in trouble. He decided to try the truth. “Once or twice.”

Remi smiled up at him. Obviously, he’d given the right answer.

“You can see me as a Mom? I don’t know the first thing about it.”

He shrugged, “You didn’t know how to call vampires to you yesterday,” he smirked at her, “You’re a fast learner.” Talking about having children wasn’t helping him keep his wolf under control. His wolf was all for mating and breeding.

“You’d make a great Dad.”

Snorting, he shook his head. “With Caitlin and Emery pushing my buttons all the time, I’ve had practice.”

She smiled at him again and moved closer. “You think of them as yours too.”

He could smell her shampoo, and it stirred his insides as it always did. “I do.” Turning, he brushed the hair back from her face, “Anything that involves you includes me.”

The next smile lit her eyes, and it reeled him in. Before he realized it, he pulled her closer to him and covered her soft mouth with his. Her flavor filled him. He’d missed being near her in the last few days; sleeping beside her without having her was torture. Before he took it too far, he lifted his head and looked down at her. Her face was flushed, her breathing heavier. “We should get out of Cait’s room.” Wrapping her arm around his waist, she leaned into his shoulder as he led her to the living room.

Darien paused by the window on his way to the couch. Pascal and Finn were walking down the street with Iris. He hoped they were escorting her somewhere. Otherwise, that was a lethal trio.

“I guess the details have been sorted out.”

He nodded. “Looks like it.”

“I had words with Elaine.”

“Shocking.” He steered her to the couch and sat down. She stunned and delighted him when she straddled his legs and sat on his lap. He hoped whatever she said after this didn’t require a lot of concentration because her like this only took his mind to one place. Remi began playing with the hair on the back of his neck, sending quivers of need through him.

“She doesn’t believe in mates,” she said in a preoccupied way.

“That’s not surprising. I’d feel” —he paused when she licked her lips— “sorry for hers if she had one.”

“I feel sorry for her.”

His wolf was ready to pounce. The feeling of her fingers running through his hair was driving him crazy. He couldn’t stop looking at her mouth. He could taste each breath she took. Resting his hands on her hips, he shifted his body, bringing her closer to him. “For her?”

Remi nodded, “Yeah. Having your mate means all the loneliness is gone, right?”

With each breath he took, all he could smell was her. “I suppose it does.”

She tilted her head, drawing his attention to her throat; he wanted to kiss it, to lick it...

“It means you’re with someone—you’re connected, body and soul. Someone that’s faithful and true to you.”

Dragging his eyes back to hers, a man could drown in those amber pools. “Uh—I’ve never heard of mates cheating on each other, that’s true.”

“It’s perfect.”

She said it breathlessly, sending a shiver through him. “It’s not magic, A ghrá.” But you are… “It’s still a relationship and takes work.”

“Sure,” she leaned closer and kissed his mouth lightly, “but you’re linked together in a way a normal relationship could never be.”

His blood was close to percolating in his veins; he was that hot. Inhaling slowly, he took all the scents that were her into his body. He could smell the soap she used, blending subtly with her scent, the shampoo that drove him crazy, and he could smell she was aroused. Darien licked his lips, trying to find something to say. “That’s true.” His wolf was dangerously close to surfacing, and that was the best he could do. Reaching behind her, he tightened his hold and slid her forward on his legs so the center of her heat was pressing against him.

Remi shifted, opening her knees further so there was no space between them. Darien’s restraint was strained. Inside, he was quivering with anticipation—places he didn’t know could.

“What does it involve, Dare?”

Her breath brushed over his jaw. “What?” She needed to stop making him use his brain—it was in the middle of an erotic meltdown.

She rubbed her cheek against his. “Mating. How does it work?”

Darien closed his eyes and fought through the fog in his mind to try and figure out what she was asking. He opened his eyes. “For...” She kissed his jaw with warm lips. “Ah, in most clans, the male marks the female.” His wolf shoved up against him in a not-so-gentle nudge, wanting what he was telling her.

“With a bite?” She rasped.

The sound of her voice made him even harder if that was possible. Soon there wouldn’t be enough blood flowing to his brain to form any words. “With a bite,” he had to fight to keep his fangs from emerging. He knew his eyes were already yellow, but he couldn’t do anything about that. With a hand he hoped wasn’t shaking as much as it felt, he reached up and brushed the hair off her neck. It was a stupid move. He knew it but was still doing it. Slowly he revealed the pale skin where her shoulder and neck met. Lowering his head until his lips touched that soft skin as he ran his tongue, little by little, over it. “Right here,” his voice was deep with lust.

When she hissed out a sound of pleasure, he lost the hold on the reins of his control of his wolf. Grasping a handful of her hair at the back of her head, he held her still and crushed her soft mouth beneath his. She returned his kiss with a needy moan, driving him further away from control. A hundred years could go by, and he’d never tire of kissing her.

“So, are we really going to do it?”

His brain tripped, trying to decide what she was asking. “I think you need to define it for me. I’m having a little trouble focusing right now.”

Remi gasped as he nipped her bottom lip.

“Mate.”

Pausing in his tasting her, he smirked. “If that’s what you want to call it, then yes.” He boosted her higher on his body, fitting them together.

“Darien...”

She rubbed up against him, and he decided the jeans had to go. Now.

Leaning back, she pulled her hair off her throat. She stopped moving, “Do it.”

It took a moment for her words to register. Lifting his head, he looked at her; she leaned to the side. Her neck was bare and exposed to him as she looked up at him with heavy lust-filled eyes. The meaning of what she wanted became clear.

“I want to be your mate,” she said softly.

“Uh...” he tensed, not sure he heard her right. His wolf went crazy, almost tearing his insides apart. Isn’t this what I’ve been waiting years for, my mate to accept me? Why was he pausing? She attacked his mouth, making it near impossible to think. Tearing his mouth from hers, he swallowed and tried to force air into his lungs, “Remi...”

She covered his mouth with her hand. “I’ve spent years trying to figure out what I was looking for.” Her sexy eyes locked with his. “It wasn’t a what. It was who...” Moving her hand slowly, she leaned close enough that he could taste her breath. “It was you, Darien.” She began to nibble at his lips, soft, coaxing, and he felt his resolve fading. “It’s been you all along.” She straightened and got off his lap, tugging on his hand until he stood.

When he was on his feet, she moved into him, her soft body fitting with her like they’d been made just for each other.

“I want this, Dare.”

He stood there; the only sound was their heavy breathing. It felt like his heart had paused, waiting. Even his wolf stood paralyzed, hoping. “Baby, there’s no going back,” why was he giving her one more chance to back away? He didn’t know. “You’ll be mine—forever.”

Remi’s amber eyes didn’t falter, didn’t blink. She nodded.

Grasping her waist, he lifted her so slowly that each inch of their upper bodies slid against the other. When she was level with his face, she wrapped her legs around him, her arms circling his neck. His wolf remained still, afraid if they made one wrong move, she’d change her mind. Holding her to him, he navigated to her bedroom, keeping her eyes captive with his.

By the time he reached the bed, his whole body was shaking, her breathing so shallow he couldn’t track it. Lowering her, he pulled the hem of her shirt up over her head, tossing it to the floor. Her bra quickly followed. He had to force himself to go slowly; as he carefully took off her shoes, jeans, and underwear, still not breaking eye contact. He wanted to make this something she would never regret, a moment so perfect she would cherish it forever.

Taking her hand, he nudged her to sit on the bed and then leaned over her to lie on her back. He was barely able to undo his own jeans and take off the rest of his clothes. She was spread out on the bed like a miracle offering, and he had never been so nervous in his life. Knowing you have a mate and finding them was one thing. Making them yours forever was the most intense feeling he’d ever felt.

Kneeling on the bed, he watched her as he lowered himself between her legs. He should speak, say something that would be special, but he couldn’t find his voice. His mouth was full of fangs, and he knew she’d seen it before but wanted to ease her into feeling them against her. Placing tender kisses down her ribs and over the softness of her stomach, he carefully nipped the sensitive skin with the tips of his incisors and then licked over each spot.

Remi was quivering beneath his touch, gasping with pleasure by the time his mouth touched her inner thigh. She began to squirm in the most erotic way he could have ever imagined when he tentatively tasted her. Closing his eyes, he savored her taste, embedding it in his memory. Nothing had ever tasted so right before.

Every muscle in his body throbbed with need, and he wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to hold off much longer. He wanted to sink deep inside her, both fangs and body at the same moment. To claim her, mark her, and forever take her to love and keep.

She moaned and lifted her hips, pushing her heat against his mouth. She was close to the edge. Lifting his head, he looked up her body to see her eyes on him. Her chest was rising rapidly as she gasped each breath.

Feeling like a predator, he moved up her body, keeping an inch of heated air between their flesh, not touching anywhere. “Are you sure?” He had to ask once more. From here, there was no going back.

Remi nodded, reaching up and touching his face as she did. A deep growl escaped his mouth; she looked at it and then traced a finger over his exposed fangs. Fuck. He almost came right then.

Without giving her a chance to object, he flipped her onto her stomach and covered her body with his. He’d thought about it, fantasized, and dreamed about it, but nothing had even come close to how amazing it felt to have her body beneath his.

Shifting, he lifted her hips from the mattress and brushed the hair away from her neck, baring it to him. Placing a soft kiss against her flesh, he whispered, “I love you,” and then drove his body into her wet one.

Her muscles clamped around him. He paused for as many seconds as he could manage to give her body time to adjust to his invasion when she moaned and pushed back against him. A low growl came from his throat as he pulled out. Licking over the muscle near her neck, he opened his mouth and felt his own breath on his face as it bounced off her skin.

Plunging into her, he bit down at the same moment. Remi gasped and then bit into his forearm and screamed a sound of release with a mouthful of his flesh between her teeth. Pain, pleasure, and his wolf exploded through him all at once, and reality blurred into pure erotica.

Nothing had ever felt so perfect as his mate.