Warrior: The Elect, Book 3 (3 page)

Esme frowned at him. “
Don’t do that.”
She held her hand out to Kaden. “I’m taking Grandma lunch. Want to help?”

Kaden bounced on his heels. “Yes!”

A few minutes later Carter followed his son and sister into the suite assigned to his mother. He carried a tray Esme had loaded with soup, sandwiches and drinks and set it on the coffee table before looking for his mother. She was wearing the jeans and T-shirt Esme had bought her the day before and was sitting at the big bay window.

She turned when they entered. Her smile was wistful, her eyes widening as she saw him.

“Hello, Mom.”

“Carter. All grown up and so very handsome.”

“It’s good to see you,” he said with a lump in his throat. “How are you feeling?”

Her smile blossomed, and she moved to the sofa to take the bowl of soup Esme handed her. “Wonderful. It’s so quiet here.”

He knew she wasn’t talking about the noise level. She meant the voices in her head—the thoughts of other people that had plagued her her whole life and that had been used to label her schizophrenic and institutionalize her. It was quiet here because all the members of the Elect were taught to shield their minds.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I should have believed in you.”

“You couldn’t know, and I have a second chance. I don’t want to ruin it with regrets.”

She gave him a shrewd look, and he checked to make sure there were no cracks in his shields. Blinked back the moisture in his eyes. She had enough to deal with. She didn’t need his guilt piled on top of her.

“Esme and the others have been explaining things to me. I remembered someone when you walked in.”

“Who, Mom?”

“I don’t recall his name. He wore street clothes but walked like you.”

“You think he was military?”

She nodded. “Or used to be.” She frowned. “I wish I could remember his name.”

Esme patted her hand. “Don’t worry. It’ll come to you.”

“I’m sure it will,” Merilee said, then shuddered.

Carter joined her, trying to control the tide of emotion rising in him as she leaned against his side and tilted her head back to smile at him. He could see the shadows in her eyes—sensed her pushing back the memories and was so damned grateful they’d found her in time.

“Tell me what y’all have been doing,” Merilee said as Kaden quietly snuggled up at her other side and closed his eyes. She wrapped her arm around him, and Carter tried to ignore the lump in his throat as he watched his young son truly relax. Kaden was much better since he’d been under Esme and Zach’s care, but like his mother, he was still recovering. “Tell me everything.”

He and Esme exchanged a look before bursting out laughing.

“Why is that funny?” Merilee asked, brows drawn together. An expression crossed her face he hadn’t realized he’d missed. One part exasperation, one part mirth. “What kind of trouble have you two been up to?”

“Nothing too bad, Mom,” Esme said. Carter was amused as his sister skipped describing her wild teenage years and went straight into the parentally approved stuff. “We both finished college early. I went on the med school and Carter went in the Army.”

Merilee arched an eyebrow—another look he remembered. “You’ve left out fiancés, grandsons, the woman who better be my future daughter-in-law, and how you knew where to find us,” she said with a hint of severity—a tone he used to interpret as
don’t you dare try to lie to your mother
. Come to think of it, it would probably be a good idea to continue to interpret it that way. And how the hell did he answer her? Some things just didn’t need to be shared.

“I’m working on Jamie. We haven’t seen each other in a few years,” he said, refusing to wince at the disapproving look she gave him and unwilling to explain why it had been so long with Kaden right there. The boy knew Carter hadn’t known about him, but Carter didn’t want him to hear all the details or come to blame Jamie for keeping the secret.

“She’ll come around, Mom,” he continued. “We both made some mistakes, but it’s nothing we can’t fix.” No matter what had happened in the past, he was determined to make Jamie a permanent part of his life.

His mother held his gaze a long time before finally nodding, turning her face to smother a yawn. He’d give her a little time before insisting she go back to bed.

“And you, Esme? How did you find Brax?”

“He found me actually,” Esme said, her tone light and amused. Carter couldn’t help but smile at the joy in her eyes. “I was trying to figure out why Kaden kept getting sick, and sent his DNA to Zach.”

“The rude doctor,” Merilee said, and Esme laughed.

“That’s the one. Brax came to see me instead, brought me back here and brought Carter and Kaden in.”

“Where you discovered we’re not human,” his mother said softly.

“You’re accepting that much easier than I did, Mom,” Carter said. He’d refused to believe it at first, but she didn’t seem at all surprised.

She shrugged. “I always knew we were different. I mean more than just the telepathy. You were both always stronger, faster. You almost never got sick and recovered very fast. And so damned smart I used to wonder how I’d keep up.” She ended sounding more amused than irritated.

Esme used the opportunity to change the subject and tell their mother more about the Elect while Carter sat back to watch, feeling more relaxed and at peace than he could remember having been in years. Merilee seemed genuinely happy and sane. Perhaps she was right and regrets were pointless. He’d like to believe that. After her second smothered yawn, he made everyone leave. She returned to her bed reluctantly but gave him a brilliant smile when he promised to bring Jamie and Kaden back for a private family dinner.

When he left, Carter wasn’t sure what to do with himself. Kaden ran off to play with his friends, Merilee and Jamie were sleeping, and he was going out of his mind. He hovered in the security office, searching the Stirling personnel records they’d hacked, but didn’t find anything new.

He finally gave up trying to distract himself and returned to his suite. Jamie was asleep, breathing deep and even. There were still shadows under her eyes and bruises all over her body, but already she looked better. The Elect healed fast. She wasn’t so wan, and each breath drew his shirt tight across her chest, outlining hard nipples that made his mouth water. He cursed himself. The last thing she needed right now—and the one thing he wanted most—was his cock buried in her to his balls.

He should leave—just get the hell out of the house for a few hours—but his feet didn’t follow his command. He moved closer, toed off his shoes and socks, ripped off his shirt and shucked off his jeans. Then he climbed into the bed and spooned up behind her. He wouldn’t take her when she woke—she wasn’t ready yet—but he could at least keep her in the protective shelter of his arms.

Jamie couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept so well. She woke sore but refreshed, without the fatigue that had hounded her so long. Everything that had happened rushed back to her mind. Abduction and torture, rescue and reunions.
Not human
. And none of it mattered because she was in Carter’s arms.

Those arms tightened around her middle. “You’re awake,” he murmured, pressing a kiss against her nape, then leaving a trail of fire in its wake as his lips moved up.

“Yes.” She gasped because his teeth scraped a tender spot. Then she groaned when his hands slid up her torso to cup her breasts.

“Tell me to stop, sweetheart. God help me, I don’t think I can do it on my own.”

Why on earth would she want to stop him when it felt so damned good?

This time he groaned, and she knew he’d read her thoughts again. “Because you’re still recovering from repeated beatings. I don’t want to hurt you.”

She maneuvered to her back so she could stare up at him. She reached up to place her hand on his nape and slowly tugged him down. “Then be gentle,” she whispered.

“I don’t know if I can.” She felt the fine tremor in the body hovering so close to hers. “I’ve wanted you for so long. Been hungry for so long.”

She knew he wouldn’t hurt her. Throwing caution to the wind, she lifted her head to kiss him. It was soft at first, hesitant when he didn’t immediately accept her offer, but she was determined and tried again. With a soft groan of capitulation, he opened his mouth and took over the kiss. Sensation, desire, swept over her. She whimpered a protest when he broke away but bit it off as he shoved up her shirt and started kissing his way down her body.

Her nipples were tight little points by the time he reached them. He pinched one between his fingers and lowered his mouth to the other. He held her gaze as he blew a hot breath over her, then licked her so briefly it was pure torture.

“Carter, more,” she begged.

He didn’t give her what she wanted. Didn’t suck her into his mouth and relieve the ache in her nipples. She held her breath as he kept moving down. Her clit throbbed, and she could feel her juices slipping out to coat her thighs. He knelt between her parted legs, put his hands under her knees and spread her wide. She strangled her cry, unsure if the sound threatening to escape would be pleading or demanding. She wanted his mouth on her. Now. Wanted the pleasure—the excruciating orgasm only he could give her.

He chuckled. “In a hurry, sweetheart?” He moved one hand and spread the folds of her sex.

“Answer me,” he ordered when she couldn’t find her voice. “Or I’ll stop right here.”

Oh, she remembered this dominant, commanding lover. She’d missed him.

But two could play his game.

“I need more. It’s been so long. I can’t even get myself off with a vibrator most times. I dream of your tongue on me. Your cock fucking me.”

He growled, but it was a sexy, exhilarating sound. “Ask and you shall receive,” he said seconds before sucking her clit between his teeth.

Her mind splintered with pleasure. It washed over her, wave after wave, but it wasn’t enough. Nowhere close to enough. She wanted all of him, hard and thrusting inside her, but she was leery, too. She felt something building between them, something that would be only more intense with penetration. Her worry was shoved away by lust when he rose over her. His erection nudged at her entrance and all she cared about was his possession.

“God, what are you waiting for? An engraved invitation? Fuck me, Carter.”

He thrust inside her in one smooth, fast move.

“No,” he said, his voice harsh. “I’ll make love to you, all day and all night if that’s what you want. God knows I do.” He stared down into her eyes. “But this is not just fucking, and you know it.”

“I know I’ll combust if you don’t get on with it.” She dug her fingernails into his shoulders and wrapped her legs around his hips. “Carter. Please.”

Carter couldn’t deny that plea no matter how much he wanted her to admit this was so much more than just scratching an itch. He remembered what she liked. How could he forget? He remembered every inch of her. He knew exactly how to touch her, how to thrust inside her to maximize her pleasure. He increased his rhythm, his strokes hard, even, fast and hitting her G-spot every time. She was sharing her thoughts and sensations. And a demand for more. Harder.

She mewled, begging, and he gave it to her. Without slowing or missing a beat, he lowered his head to suck one of her nipples into his mouth. Sweet, pert, perfect.
Mine.
The possessiveness that gripped him was as terrifying as it was exhilarating. He’d never felt anything like this, not even during the incredible two weeks they’d spent together and conceived Kaden.

He wouldn’t last much longer. Her pussy was slick and tight around his cock. It felt incredible, but the combination of that sensation and being held by this woman so tightly, so desperately, was more than he could take. He knew today an unbreakable mental bond—the bond of mates—would form between them. He didn’t know why the bond hadn’t formed before, but he suspected at least one of them had to accept it. At least one of them had to acknowledge the emotion and connection between them. He could feel it growing, knew it was a matter of seconds before it burst into being. Some of the mated Elect had spoken of the bond to him, so he knew it would be intense. Shattering. But no amount of bracing for the impact prepared him.

When she came, clenching and trembling on his cock, he followed, and the mental connection slammed into him. He roared out as the force swept over him like a cat-five hurricane. He collapsed, his need to protect her the only thing that made him shift to the side enough so his body didn’t pin her weaker one to the bed.

“Holy fuck,” she asked. “What was that?”

He buried his lips in her neck. “Mating bond.”

“Oh. Okay.” She paused, then asked sleepily, “I don’t want to ask, do I? Right now, I just want to enjoy the afterglow.”

He couldn’t believe he had the strength to chuckle. “Yeah, sweetheart. Just enjoy it.”

She was asleep soon after, but she didn’t wake all mellow and pliant.

Chapter Three

She slept for an hour or so and woke knowing everything had changed. She felt Carter in her skin. The sex had been so much more than scratching an itch. He wasn’t lying next to her, and she heard water running in the next room. She hunted him down, more than a little pissed off when she stepped into the shower stall.