Chapter 20
They walked in silence through the quiet subdivision, reaching Janie’s home much too quickly.
Zane held the door open for her, and she swept inside, head held high. They truly needed to set some ground rules, although her mind was still spinning from Guiles’s death. The death of a prophet. The fact that the prophesy marking hadn’t branded her neck shocked her.
Deep down, she’d always assumed she’d be a prophet. Especially after the visions Guiles had had last year of her wearing such a marking.
Zane closed the door quietly. Too quietly.
Janie whirled. “I take it you’re mad about something.”
He lifted one eyebrow. “Try a different approach.”
She tapped her foot, trying to dispel her nervousness. “Get over it.”
“Bad try.” He leaned back against the door, clearly blocking her exit. “You’re still human and won’t have immortal chromosomal pairs for weeks. Thus you can die. I told you to go underground because I thought something might happen while I was away. I was right.”
Yeah, he’d been right. “I can handle myself, Zane.”
He glowered. “You lied to me.”
“No I didn’t.” She eyed the distance to the bedroom door, which had a lock. “I didn’t promise to go underground, and you know it.”
Arrogance marked his every move. “No, but I trusted you’d obey me in a time of war—at least until you’re not so vulnerable.”
Damn but the
o word
just pissed her off. “I’m glad we got this situation out of the way, because I don’t just obey. Period.”
A dimple winked in his left cheek. “Oh, you’ll learn.”
She stiffened. Who the hell did he think he was? Yet finally, he was talking about a future. What had happened with Suri? “Get over yourself.”
He cleared his throat, obviously choosing his words carefully. “We mated, and that means something to me.”
“Me too.” She frowned.
He overwhelmed the small entryway. “You’re my responsibility now. Hell. I think you’ve always been mine.”
Vampires. They thought they could control the world. “You’re mine, too,” Janie said softly.
Zane nodded. “Maybe. But for now, you’re human, which means you could die. I’m a soldier, I’m a fighter, and I give orders so people
don’t
die. It’s all I know, and it’s all I can control during this damn war. So for now, you follow orders.”
The poor guy had been raised in different militaries since day one, and he’d kept his brothers safe by giving orders. He probably didn’t understand another way. Janie shook her head. “No.”
That quickly, his expression moved from earnest to soldier hard. “You have everyone fooled, don’t you, baby?” he drawled.
She shook her head and backed up. Her every nerve shot into overdrive, making her achingly aware of her body. Of the need suddenly coursing through her. Why did she react like this to him and to that tone of voice? “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, you do.” He pushed off from the door and headed toward her. “You’re the sweet Janie Kayrs, the fragile human everybody protects and love. The woman who nearly gets killed and yet doesn’t express fear. Nobody has ever drawn lines for you, have they?”
She caught her breath and fought the urge to flee. “I’m not some scared, spoiled kid, Zane.”
His eyes darkened. “No, you’re an interesting mix of competent doctor, loving family member, and reckless brat. While the first two characteristics intrigue me, the final one will get you killed, and it’s time that ended. Charm and sweetness have gotten you out of any amount of trouble around here, thus putting you in danger.”
Irritation blew up into anger as she backed into the living room. “You’re an arrogant idiot.”
He shook his head, continuing his advance. “Only brats call names.”
“Oh yeah? The doctor in me thinks you’re a complete dumbass.” She held up a hand to ward him off. “Stop there.”
“No.” Amusement glittered along with a dark determination in his emerald eyes. “Unlike your relatives, I don’t find your defiance cute. Not for one second will I allow the brattiness to continue—especially since it nearly got you pumped full of cyanide earlier.”
Allow? Did he say allow? The last thing she needed to think about was the poison that had almost killed her. So much heat roared through Janie, she feared she’d detonate right then and there in a riotous flame of female outrage. “Who the hell do you think you are?” She jumped as her rear pressed against the cool window.
One of his dark eyebrows lifted. “Don’t ask stupid questions, Belle. You know exactly who I am.”
But did she? The force cornering her in her own living room held far more power and male determination than she’d ever encountered. And she’d mated him! The man was correct. Charm would not get her out of this one, and her own body was betraying her. Her nipples couldn’t possibly get any harder than they were right now.
She dropped into a fighting stance.
Two hands slipped under her armpits and yanked her upright. Zane leaned in close, his eyes sparking. “Don’t you ever try to fight me.”
“Why? Afraid you’ll lose?” She turned to aim a good kick to make her point. For years she’d trained, and she could defend herself.
He propelled her forward, plastering her against the glass. “Last chance, Janie. Lose the brat or you’ll regret it.”
How dare he. She struggled against him, her fury increasing at her failure to get free. “Fuck you, asshole.”
Then things happened too quickly to follow. Wind rustled, he lifted her through the air, and oxygen whooshed from her lungs as her chest met his thighs.
She had one second to figure out he’d sat and thrown her over his lap before the first slap hit.
Hard.
Pain ricocheted through her ass, and she gasped. She bucked and struggled, but he held her easily in place, one hand flattened across her upper back, while the other one smacked her butt.
Smack. Smack. Smack.
He didn’t go easy on her, and he sure as hell didn’t hold anything back. Her thin yoga pants weren’t any match for his hard hand.
A dangerous warmth spread through her extremities. She fought against him as long as she could, finally going limp. Then, and only then, did he cease.
She remained in place, panting, tears filling her eyes.
He caressed one hand over her rear, spreading a warmth that made her moan. Then he lifted her up onto his lap and rubbed his nose over hers. A tear slid down her face, and she batted it back.
“No.” He pulled her close and tucked her head under his chin, his broad hand sweeping down her back. “Let the tears out, Belle.”
At the soft command, her body ignored every blazing warning from her brain and started to cry. Hard. Sobs racked her, so out of proportion to the silly spanking he’d given her.
Through the storm, Zane held her, rubbing her back.
She wound down with a small hiccup, exhausted and maybe a little embarrassed.
“Were you scared by the cyanide or when Garrett got shot?” Zane’s warm breath brushed her hair.
She snuggled closer into his rock-hard chest. Over-the-top vulnerability swamped her, and she needed to draw some protection around her. “Yes.”
“Hmmm. If I hadn’t been here, what would you have done after the attack?”
Janie wiped her eyes. “I don’t know what you mean. I guess I would’ve gone back to work.”
“So you would’ve hidden your fear from everybody?” Zane’s voice remained low and soothing as he caressed her back.
She shrugged. Why talk about all of this?
“Janie?”
She sighed. “I guess.”
He leaned back and tried to lift her face. She struggled against him, burrowing deeper. Strong fingers tangled in her hair and tugged, pulling her head back.
God, he was stubborn. Janie knew full well she wasn’t a pretty crier, and she really didn’t want him to see her blotchy, swollen face. She blinked against his tender green gaze. “What?” she asked.
He frowned. “Why do you hide your emotions? You’re completely justified to be terrified of cyanide.”
She didn’t have time for fear. Thinking about it, she sniffled. “We’ve been at war for so long, and everyone has too much to worry about. I don’t need to be coddled like some . . .”
“Human girl?” Zane finished for her.
“I guess.” The vampires had moved heaven and earth to keep her safe, and the least she could do was not burden them with a bunch of emotion.
“When was the last time you cried?” he asked, brushing a soft kiss across her forehead.
She thought about it. “I have no idea.” There just wasn’t time for crying.
“We’re mated, and we’re going to give this a shot, Belle.” While the tone remained gentle, an underlying thread of steel wound through his low voice.
Her breath caught, and her abdomen tingled. “What about Suri?”
“I’ll kill him, but maybe there’s a way to end him without getting myself killed. I’m working on it.” Zane’s fingers unfurled to rub her scalp. “No more hiding your feelings. They’re mine, as are your fears.”
She shook her head, suddenly feeling fragile.
His slight smile failed to mask the intent in his dark eyes. “You might want to just learn to share without having to be spanked first, but I’m fine with the alternative.”
She scowled. “I thought vampires were bossy. Demon vampires are far worse.”
“You’d do well to remember that.” He brushed hair off her face. “So how are you feeling right now?”
She breathed out. “Well, my ass hurts, my head hurts from crying, and I’d like to punch you in the face.”
“What else?” he murmured.
She sighed and her body relaxed as she gave in to him. “Calm and at peace. I’d forgotten how a good cry can help.”
“See?” He kissed her nose. “I wonder if I can take your pain away yet.” Reaching out, he brushed two knuckles across her forehead.
Her skin tingled, and the pain melted away. Her eyes widened. “You did it.”
He closed his eyes and then reopened them. A full smile curved his lips. “Excellent.”
She played with the top of his T-shirt. “How about you take away the pain along my butt?” She’d love for him to take that pain into his own body for just a moment, even if he could dispel it.
He grinned. “I think I’ll let you live with that one. Keep it in mind next time you put yourself in danger or try to smother your feelings.” He stood, keeping her cradled in his arms. “For now, how about we head to the bedroom and I show you what I’m feeling?”
Janie softened in Zane’s arms as he strode toward the bedroom. How could he be such a hardass one minute and a sweetheart the next? Her new mate had layers of complexity she’d never imagined. Bringing him into the real world, into her world, would take time and patience.
And a big baseball bat if he ever tried to spank her again.
Although—and she’d deny it to her grave—she did feel much better after letting it all out. Her fear, her fury, her fate . . . she’d forgotten how cathartic a good cry could be.
He entered the bedroom and kicked the door shut behind them.
She’d seen that move in a movie once, and it had given her tingles. Having Zane do it so casually as an afterthought while he carried her to bed? Full-on wings flapping through her abdomen. She reached up to tangle her fingers in his hair as the dark waves curled over his nape. “I like your hair this length.”
He set her down as if she was made of breakable china. “Then I’ll leave it this length.”
She smiled. “Now you’re being agreeable?”
Strong hands tugged his shirt over his head. “I’m always agreeable.”
She gasped at the pulsing black bruise covering his abdomen. “What in the world?”
He glanced down and winced. “My fault. I teleported too many times, and my internal organs decided to bake themselves.”
“Does it hurt?” She leaned closer to determine the bruise was more deep purple than black.
“Hurts like hell.” He took advantage of her movements to remove her shirt. “In fact, I can’t teleport now.” His brow creased.
She shook her head. “Why aren’t you in the infirmary?” Scooting toward him, she tried to stand.
He grasped her waistband and tossed her back, easily removing her pants. Pure sin lifted his grin. “I’ll heal.”
“No.” The man was crazy. “If you’ve damaged your internal organs, you need rest. Not lifting me, not fighting, and certainly not sex.”
He kicked out of his cargo pants. “Sex heals. Didn’t you know?”
She snorted and scrambled away from him. “That is a dangerous bruise.”
“So be gentle with me.” He came over her, a massive, muscled soldier, and flattened her on the bed.
Her eyes wanted to roll back in her head, and her legs really wanted to part. But he was her mate, and she needed to take care of him, too. “Zane, we can’t do this.”
He brushed her lips with his. “I need you, Belle. Make me forget the pain.”
The drugging kiss and whispered plea softened her very bones. Lightly, she skimmed her fingers over his upper chest, marveling at his strength. Heat fluttered through her along with a surge of emotion that swept more tears to her eyes. One escaped to roll down her cheek. “You’re sure I won’t hurt you?”
Zane caught the moisture with one finger. “I promise, baby.”
Biting her tongue, she tried to stop crying. “I’m sorry.” She shifted beneath him, groaning when her nipples scraped across his chest.
“No apologies and no hiding emotions,” he said, pressing at her entrance. “You’re wet.”
“Maybe a little.” She opened wider to take him.
Amusement creased his cheek. “You’ve been wet since I spanked you.” He shoved in a couple more inches.
She rolled her eyes, her heart thrumming. “Not even.”
“Nothin’ wrong with a little kink, darlin’.” He held himself off her with iron-hard arms that clenched as he took it slow.