J. Ward - Lover Avenged

“Hi.”

He jerked his head over his shoulder. “Beth? What are…I thought you were at Safe Place.”

“I was. But I came back just now.”

He frowned. As a half-breed, Beth was able to tolerate sunlight, but he stressed the fuck out every time she traveled during the day. Not that he went into it now. She knew how he felt, and besides, she was home, and that was all that mattered.

“I was making something to eat,” he said, even though the turkey sitting on the butcher-block table was a dead giveaway. “You want to join me?”

God, he loved the way she smelled. Night-blooming roses. Homier to him than any lemon polish, more gorgeous than any perfume.

“How about I make something for both of us?” she said. “You look like you’re about to fall down.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to say, Nah, I’m tight, when he stopped. Even the smallest of half-truths was going to underscore the issues between them-and the fact that he was utterly exhausted wasn’t even a little lie.

“That would be great. Thank you.”

“Have a seat,” she said, coming over to him.

He wanted to hug her.

He did.

Wrath’s arms just snapped out, latched onto her, and pulled her against his chest. Realizing what he’d done, he went to let her go, but she stayed with him, keeping their bodies together. With a shudder, he dropped his head down into her fragrant, silky hair and gathered her up, molding her softness to the contours of his hard muscles.

“I’ve missed you so much,” he said.

“I’ve missed you, too.”

As she sagged against him, he wasn’t a fool to think this moment was an instant cure-all, but he would take what he had been given.

Pulling back, he moved his wraparounds up onto the top of his head so she could see his useless eyes. To him, her face was blurry and beautiful, though the fresh-rain scent of tears didn’t please him. He brushed both her cheeks with his thumbs.

“Will you let me kiss you?” he asked.

When she nodded, he cradled her face in his palms and brought his mouth down to hers. The cushioned contact was at once utterly, heartbreakingly familiar and yet something from the past. It seemed like forever since they had done more than peck-and that separation wasn’t just what he’d done. It was everything. The war. The Brothers. The glymera. John and Tohr. This household.

Shaking his head, he said, “Life has gotten in the way of our life.”

“You are so right.” She smoothed her palm down his face. “It’s also gotten in the way of your health. So I want you to sit down over there and let me feed you.”

“It’s supposed to be the other way around. The male feeds his female.”

“You’re the king.” She smiled. “You make the rules. And your shellan would like to wait on you.”

“I love you.” He pulled her in tight again and just held on to his mate. “You don’t have to say it back-”

“I love you, too.”

Now he was the one sagging.

“Time for you to eat,” she said, tugging him over to the country-style oak table and pulling a chair out for him.

When he parked it, he winced, shifted his hips up, and took his cell phone from his pocket. The thing skittered across the table, bumping into the salt and pepper shakers.

“Sandwich?” Beth asked.

“That’d be great.”

“Let’s make it two for you.”

Wrath put his sunglasses back in place, because the overhead light was making his head pound. When that didn’t go far enough, he closed his eyes, and although he couldn’t see Beth move around, the sounds of her in the kitchen calmed him like a lullaby. He heard her opening drawers, the utensils in them rattling. Then the refrigerator cracked open with a gasp and there was shuffling, followed by glass knocking into glass. The bread drawer was slid out and the plastic wrap around the rye he liked rustled. There was the cracking of a knife going through lettuce…

“Wrath?”

The soft sound of his name brought his lids open and his head up. “Wha…?”

“You fell asleep.” His shellan’s hand smoothed over his hair. “Eat. Then I’m taking you to bed.”

The sandwiches were exactly the way he liked them: overstuffed with meat, light on the lettuce and the tomatoes, plenty of mayo. He ate both of them, and though they should have perked him up, the exhaustion that had a death grip on his body just pulled harder.

“Come on, let’s go.” Beth took his hand.

“No, wait,” he said, rousing himself. “I need to tell you what’s doing at nightfall tonight.”

“Okay.” Tension crept into her tone, like she was bracing herself.

“Sit. Please.”

The chair pulled out from under the table with a squeak and she settled her weight slowly. “I’m glad you’re being up front with me,” she murmured. “Whatever it is.”

Wrath smoothed her fingers with his, trying to calm her, knowing that what he had to say was only going to make her more worried. “Someone…well, likely more than one, but at least one we know of, wants to kill me.” Her hand tightened in his, and he kept on stroking her, trying to relax her. “I’m meeting with the glymera’s council tonight, and I’m expecting…problems. All of the Brothers are going with me, and we’re not going to be stupid, but I’m not going to lie and tell you this is a garden-variety sitch.”

“This…someone…is obviously part of the council, right? So is it worth your going in person?”

“The one who started it all is a nonissue.”

“How so?”

“Rehvenge had him assassinated.”

Her hands tightened again. “Jesus…” She took a deep breath. And another. “Oh…dear God.”

“The question we’re all wondering now is, who else is in on it? That’s part of the reason my showing up at that meeting is so important. It’s also a show of strength, and that matters. I don’t run. Neither do the Brothers.”

Wrath braced himself for her to say, No, don’t go, and wondered what he would do then.

Except Beth’s voice was calm. “I understand. But I have a request.”

His brows popped up over his wraparounds. “Which is?”

“I want you to wear a bulletproof vest. It’s not that I doubt the Brothers-it’s just that it would give me a little added comfort.”

Wrath blinked. Then he brought her hands to his lips and kissed them. “I can do that. For you, I can absolutely do that.”

She nodded once and rose from the chair. “Okay. Okay…good. Now, come, let’s go to bed. I’m as exhausted as you look.”

Wrath rose to his feet, tucked her against him, and together they walked out into the foyer, their feet crossing over the mosaic of an apple tree in bloom.

“I love you,” he said. “I am so in love with you.”

Beth’s arm tightened around his waist and she put her face on his chest. The acrid, smoky scent of fear rose up from her, clouding her natural rose fragrance. And yet even so, she nodded and said, “Your queen doesn’t run, either, you know.”

“I know. I…totally know.”

In his bedroom at his mother’s safe house, Rehv pushed his body back until he was lying against the pillows. As he arranged his sable coat across his knees, he said into his cell, “I have an idea. How about we start this phone call over.”

Ehlena’s soft laugh made him feel strangely buoyant. “Okay. Are you going to call me again or…”

“Tell me this, where are you?”

“Upstairs in the kitchen.”

Which might explain the slight echo. “Can you go to your room? Get relaxed?”

“Is this going to be a long conversation?”

“Well, I’ve rethought my tone, and check this out.” He dropped his voice, going total lothario. “Please, Ehlena. Go to your bed, and take me with you.”