His fangs sank into her neck, and she flew into another orgasm, her body trembling. She whispered his name, overcome, the waves too powerful to stop.
A hot flash of deep pain centered in the middle of her back, spreading out from her spine. The mating mark. The intricate R would be beautiful right there. Another orgasm crashed into her, shooting from her core to her ears, quaking ecstasy in places she hadn’t realized could feel pleasure.
Into all of her. The physical body as well as the rest of her that couldn’t be seen. Not just her heart. More.
His massive body shuddered against her, and his fangs retracted. Slowly, lazily, he licked the wound closed. His heart thundered against her back, but his hold gentled. He withdrew and pulled her under the covers, spooning his big body around her. “I love you, Karma. All of me and all of you.”
Tears pricked her eyes. “All of me and all of you.” Could there be anything more perfect?
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Benny whistled as he entered Bear’s rec room, surprised to find the place lacking in coolie cups and naked females. “No party last night?”
“No,” Bear said from behind the bar. “Coffee?”
“Hell yes.” Benny accepted the mug shoved his way.
Just then, Garrett, Logan, and Sam entered the room and hustled toward the massive coffeepot.
Bear watched them with resignation in his honey-brown eyes. “Once you four clean me out of coffee, you need to get going. So far, I’ve kept your visit under the radar with the rest of the shifter nations, and I don’t need that kind of problem right now. Ever, actually.”
Garrett finished his mug. “You’re right. Thanks for your help. We’re all packed up and will get going.” He held out a hand for Bear to shake.
Benny straightened to his full height. “This coffee is crap, Bear. You’re lucky we’re drinking it.” Yeah, he might’ve gotten spoiled by Karma’s coffee the other day. Even so, he had a job to do right now, and he had no problem interfering. He was good at it. “Garrett’s going to stay with you. He was a prospect in your MC a while back, and he needs to be patched in.”
Bear dropped his mug on the counter. “What are you talking about? Garrett was undercover as a prospect, and besides, that was before he became a member of the Seven. Secrets never stay secrets, and most of the world knows your identities now, even if we don’t understand this final ritual.”
“He’s right,” Garrett said. “Ignore Benny, Bear. We’re good.”
“We are not good,” Benny said, angling his body toward Garrett. “You’re looking to join an MC, and this one is already an ally. Since you’re on your own, you need to be with friends.”
Logan looked at Garrett, indecision on his powerful face. Obviously Garrett had told him about the dreams.
Sam looked at his brother. “Mercy wouldn’t like the MC life, and you know it. I’ll stay. Make me a prospect and then patch me over fast, because I don’t take orders well.”
Garrett shook his head. “Sam? That’s crazy. You don’t have to ride with me.”
Sam shrugged. “I’m searching for a place, as you know. Might as well do it covering your back and riding free. I love to ride.”
Logan’s expression cleared. “That would make me feel better—the two of you riding together.”
Bear slammed his hand down on the wooden bar. “Hello? Remember me? The president of the Grizzlies and the guy who could shift and rip all of your heads off with one paw?”
Benny barely kept himself from rolling his eyes. “Yes, we remember you. We also all know that you’re going to say yes, so could we just skip the argument? Why do you have to be so contrary all the time?”
“It’s my nature,” Bear snapped, looking more than ever like a real bear.
Benny sighed. “Listen. I could tell you that having the Realm King’s nephew and the demon king’s brother riding with you as you accept them into your brotherhood would be a good thing for your people. That having those two leaders on your side would be an advantage. But I’m not going to tell you that.”
“Why not?” Bear asked, his chin lowered.
Benny grinned. “Because you don’t give a shit about diplomacy, and we all know it. What you do care about is loyalty, and you feel loyal to these two. You know it, we know it, so let’s just go with it.”
“You have always been a pain in my ass, Reese,” Bear growled.
“Doesn’t make me wrong,” Benny said reasonably. This was finished as far as he was concerned. He reached over and clapped Bear on the back. “Stay in touch.” Then he headed out into the drizzly day and down to his cabin, to get his family.
Family.
He paused at the sight of the twins sitting on the front porch swing, rather forlorn expressions on their tiny faces. “What’s going on, girls?”
Belle looked down at her shoes, and Boone just looked at him.
This might take time. He moved toward them and sat on the rough porch, still taller than they were on the swing. “What’s up, Boondoggles?”
Boone snorted. “Mama says we can’t get wet.” She gestured toward the grounds. “Everything is wet.”
Benny grinned. “True. All right, this is good. We need to have a little chat.”
Both children focused directly on him.
He kept the smile in place. “So. Here it is. I want to marry your mama, and it’d be great if you two would help me plan a wedding. I don’t know how.”
Belle frowned. “Marry?”
“You know. Become a family. I’d be your dad.” Unease settled in his gut. Facing these sweet girls was one of the hardest things he’d ever done.
Their faces cleared. Belle angled her neck to study him better. “You’d train us to fight?”
“Well, sure,” Benny said. Was that all Kurjan fathers did? “But more importantly, I’ll keep you and your mama safe and protected. Well, I’ll teach you to protect yourselves, too.”
Boone blinked. “Do you hit?”
He paused, his ears heating. “No. I don’t hit. I’d never hit you or your mama. Has anybody hit you before?” He might have to go hunting after he got his family home.
Belle pulled on the bottom of her sweater. “Terre liked to hit, but Mama always got in the way.”
Benny ignored the fire suddenly burning inside his throat. “He’ll never hit anybody again. Your mama took care of Terre.” Twice, actually. It had been an excellent story she’d told about his ghostly visit. “I won’t hit you, and if anybody else ever dares, they’ll regret it.”