Charity Received (21 page)

Levi graced her with a thoughtful look. “Most think seeing a glimpse of their future would be exciting.”

Charity firmly shook her head. “I don’t want to know what’s going to happen. To know who lives or dies… To be responsible for events that would normally be beyond my control. No thank you. What if something I did to fix what I’d seen only made it worse? I wouldn’t want that kind of responsibility.”

Levi was nodding sadly. “Most don’t understand that. Thank you.”

Charity’s curiosity got the better of her. “Do you know the purpose of the dream that convinced you to learn the security system?”

“Not exactly.”

Evasion. The scent took over the room, and immediately she knew Levi wasn’t telling her the whole truth. She turned away, not knowing him well enough to call him out on it. But apparently Kash didn’t feel the same hesitation. Her mate arched a brow at her before leaning back in his chair and pinning Levi with a hard look.

“Not exactly?” Kash challenged. “Care to be a little more vague?”

“Can you be any more of a pain in the ass?”

Kash grinned broadly. “You should know better than to ask that. Of course I can.”

Levi’s head fell back, and he closed his eyes on a sigh. When he opened them, he glanced at Charity briefly before turning back to Kash. “All I know is you are supposed to be somewhere other than here. Why? When? Don’t ask, because I don’t have the faintest idea. It appears to be a nightclub filled with some scary-looking humans, but I can’t say I’ve ever had the pleasure.”

Charity nervously chewed her bottom lip as she considered Levi’s pronouncement.

Club Dominus definitely fit Levi’s description. But what could happen there that would involve Kash? The only thing she could think of was something to do with Raym, and that bothered her.

“Did you see anything else?” she asked quietly, and both males glanced at her. Kash instantly knew she was concerned and reached out to touch her knee, trying to ease her.

“I have been having a recurring dream for the past six or seven years. Until recently, it only involved a little girl running through a field of lavender.”

“Recently?” She forced the word from her lips, a wave of nausea sweeping over her.

“Lately Raym has begun to make appearances.” Levi shrugged as if his words had little consequence, while Charity wanted to demand answers. He had to know more than that. But she pursed her lips together tightly because Kash was already watching her with an odd look on his face. Charity turned back to her game of spider solitaire, trying to keep her emotions under a tight rein. Kash was under enough pressure; she didn’t need to add her worry to the mix.

* * *

Between teaching Levi the ins and outs of abbey security and building cages to transport psycho wolves, Kash spent time secreted away in his workshop. On several occasions, Charity had tried to catch a glimpse of what he was doing by sneaking down to spy on him, but each time he’d known she was there. Sometimes she could have sworn her mate was part wolf.

She’d slept later than usual that afternoon and woke all alone in bed. His side had long since grown cold, but resting on the pillow beside her was a red rose. Charity drew the bud to her nose and inhaled the flower’s sweet fragrance as a smile spread across her lips. It wasn’t as good as waking with Kash next to her, but it was a nice replacement.

Guessing that Kash was either in his workshop or training in the bailey with his brothers, Charity lazed about for some time before she finally trudged into the bathroom. She took a long, hot shower, dressed, then quietly slipped down the steps, anticipation streaming through her. Maybe this was the day she’d catch Kash doing whatever mysterious things he’d been hiding from her.

She’d gotten only halfway down the circular staircase when she practically ran into Kash. He wrapped an arm around her waist, steadying her when she swayed from the near impact. Bracing her hands on his chest, Charity stared into the amused gaze of her mate.

“Miss me, chérie?” he asked huskily.

Charity tried to give a nonchalant shrug and pretend indifference, but Kash’s soft chuckle indicated she’d failed. “Are you ever going to tell me what you’re up to?” she asked with a sigh.

He studied her silently, and for one brief moment, she thought he might actually be considering telling her. Then disappointment settled in her chest as he began to shake his head. She turned to stomp back up the steps, but the arm around her only tightened, keeping her pinned against him.

“How about I show you?” he whispered into her ear.

Charity swung back around, eagerness surging through her. “Really?”

“Really.” Kash slid his arm away from her and reached down to grasp her hand. He led her down the remaining steps before stopping in the doorway, blocking all view of the living room with his broad shoulders. “Now close your eyes, chérie.”

“Close my eyes,” she repeated stupidly.

“For your surprise.”

Excitement bubbled in her chest. She’d hoped, sure, but she hadn’t actually expected whatever Kash’s big secret was to be something for her. She’d never been the type of female males went out of their way to give gifts to.

After squeezing her eyes tightly closed, she cautiously followed Kash’s lead, her heart expanding at the way he carefully guided her into the room. He was always going out of his way to do little things for her—from the rose left on her pillow to foot massages before bed. It made her feel cherished, and Charity realized what she had with Kash was more than just the mate bond. She was falling in love with him.

When Kash stopped her, then stepped behind her to angle her shoulders in the direction he wanted, her spine tingled in anticipation.

“Open your eyes, Charity.”

And she did just that. She cocked her head to the side as she studied the object before her. It held a place of honor in their living room—to the right of the TV was a full set of armor, completely unique from Kash’s other pieces. Charity stepped closer and ran a hand over the small helmet. It was an odd shape, definitely created with an animal in mind. Golden orange in color, she guessed it was made from copper, and it had been shaped in the style of an ancient Japanese samurai warrior. The helmet came to two sharp points just over the forehead, and in between rested what appeared to be a bird. The same bird was engraved across the back, while metal plates covered the flank areas and the tail. It was a detailed piece of functioning art.

“I made it for you, my little wolf.” His warm breath tickled her ear as he snaked his arm around her waist, and Charity leaned back, enjoying the security of Kash’s embrace.

“It is amazing,” she whispered, the warmth in her chest spreading. Everything her mate did made her feel special, but this was so much more. Kash had created something with his own hands just for her. No one had ever done that before.

“I wanted you to know just what you mean to me,” he replied huskily, and Charity turned in his hold. Wrapping her arms around him, she then buried her face in his neck, cherishing the way he tightened his arms around her, cradling her close. “You mean the world to me, chérie.”

His words drew tears to her eyes because she felt the same, but she couldn’t voice her feelings. She wasn’t quite ready to tell him he was her world and that she loved him. While her body would heal from most injuries, her heart was another story, one she wasn’t willing to risk. Yet. But Kash was winning her over.

* * *

The one thing marring Charity’s near perfect existence was the restrictive atmosphere of the abbey. The massive stones walls were slowly starting to close in on her, which was not a good thing for a shifter. She couldn’t shift and give up some of her control to the wolf because if she was indeed pregnant, the stress on her body would cause a miscarriage.

Since packs tended to reside in rural, forested areas, the need to not shift wasn’t such a problem for most female shifters, but for Charity, the stress had been steadily growing. She’d about reached her breaking point when Kash somehow coordinated it so that she could return to work. Her relief, though, was short-lived when, after arriving at the club, she discovered her shifter’s already acute awareness of stimuli had heightened to an uncomfortable level.

Charity had thought her upset stomach was because of the Rompun she’d been handling earlier that afternoon, when she’d been filling darts for the brethren. Faith had just delivered three tranquilizer guns that morning, and Zeke was eager to try one out. But once at work, she’d discovered how wrong her assumption was. The combined stench of cigarette smoke and alcohol twisted her stomach, and she’d had to make a run for the toilet. Luckily Charity managed to squeak passed Kash’s notice. But not Prue’s. The nosy bitch. She followed her into the bathroom and stood outside the stall as Charity heaved and gagged.

“Well, that was pleasant.” Sarcasm dripped from Prue’s words as Charity brushed past her, desperate to rinse out her mouth and splash cold water on her face.

“Try experiencing it in vivid 3-D.”

“I’d rather not.”

If Charity’s stomach hadn’t still been so unsettled, she’d have laughed at the way Prue’s face scrunched up in horror. As she patted her face dry with a paper towel, she studied Prue in the mirror. “Don’t you have better things to do than bug me?”

Prue shrugged. “No.” She stood back, watching as Charity threw the paper in the trash, then stepped in front of the door to prevent her from leaving. “So what’s up?

And don’t say you’ve caught a virus. I know better.”

She frowned at Prue’s reference to a shifter’s inability to catch most human illnesses. Folding her arms in front of her, she didn’t consciously realize the defensive position she had assumed. “You tell me.”

“You’ve gone and gotten yourself knocked up.” Prue arched one pierced brow in a challenging gesture that annoyed the hell out of Charity. “What does Prince Charming think?”

“Can we not do this now?” When Prue didn’t immediately respond but continued to stare her down, Charity hung her head in defeat. She just didn’t have it in her to fight.

“You haven’t told him.”

Charity bristled at the disbelief in her friend’s voice. “I’m going to tell him soon.”

“When? As you’re giving birth?”

“Cute,” she mumbled. She sat on the couch, refusing to acknowledge the various scents coming from the leather. It would only send her racing back to the toilet.

Prue took a seat beside her, concern etched on her face. “Why haven’t you told him, Chari? Is everything all right?”

Nodding, she rested her head on Prue’s shoulder. “Truthfully, at first I wasn’t certain how Kash would respond. The night I conceived, I thought I was stabbing my friend in the back. Then, after I learned the truth about Hope, I feared saying anything because I wasn’t sure.”

“And now?”

“Well, apparently I’m going to have a baby,” Charity whispered, tears filling her eyes. She’d been almost afraid to hope, just to have this taken away from her like most things in her life. But now she had Kash and the baby. Excitement welled inside her. She jumped to her feet, intent to reach Kash as quickly as she could, only to change direction at the last second and rush back into the stall.

* * *

Kash sat at the table with Bale, taking in his surroundings. While willing to admit to himself how much Club Dominus freaked him out, he had tried to spare his mate’s feelings when she had stepped out of their bathroom dressed like an Elvira wannabe, in a black leather corset and short lace skirt. The transformation had been more than a little disconcerting, Kash preferring her long, pastel skirts, and it had taken a minute for his mind to catch up with his eyes. Even now, as she rushed past him, it took a moment for him to recognize her. He stood with the intention of following, refusing to believe she was truly safe anywhere except in their home, but was distracted by Zeke’s entrance.

“Do you have them?” his brother called out before he’d even reached the table, clearly eager to get his hands on the items in Kash’s possession.

“Told you,” was Bale’s amused comment, and Kash answered it with an acknowledging grin. Bale had warned him not long after he and Charity had entered the club that Zeke had spent the afternoon chomping at the bit.

He turned back to Zeke, and as he watched the other male shift impatiently, his grin broadened. “Yeah. Everything’s in the back of Charity’s truck.”

“Good. Arak is waiting by the car. I figured if I let him step inside, we’d never get out of here.” Zeke turned, not waiting for a response, and headed for the exit.

Kash thinned his lips at Bale’s chuckle, and he grumbled, “Like a kid with a new toy,” before following Zeke onto the darkened street.

Arak stood leaning against his ’67 Shelby. Kash motioned for him to join them as he led them across the parking lot, then stopped once he’d reached his mate’s SUV.

After fishing the keys from his pocket, he hit the button and watched the tailgate slowly rise, the cage he’d built becoming visible inch by inch. It was pushed all the way back, occupying the space the backseats would have taken had they not been folded down, but no guns were in view, and he watched out of the corner of his eye as Zeke frowned.

“Oh ye of little faith,” Kash quipped, flipping the carpet toward the cage and pressing an almost unnoticeable button. With a soft snick, a hinged door popped open to reveal a hidden compartment filled with a variety of weapons. Most of them were Charity’s, but when she’d shown him the cache earlier that day, he’d added a few of his own.

“Your mate just keeps getting scarier,” Arak murmured, taking in the array of weapons with wide eyes.

“Yeah,” Kash agreed, his voice deepening with pride. “She kicks ass.” He reached down and grabbed hold of the gun.

“As long as it’s your ass.”

Zeke gave a bark of laughter. “You showed fear, dumb-ass. That’s why she comes at you.”

“Well, damn it, I didn’t realize I was supposed to let her smell my hand or whatever you do with mutts. She looked like a human, and I treated her as such.”

“You’d better not have,” Kash teased, but his tone held a warning.