Force of Nature Series Boxed Set (Books 1 - 4) (19 page)

“Stay with me, sweetheart. Come on, keep your eyes open so I can make sure you’re not going into shock.” Phil smiled at her and she tried to smile back, but her lips quit working. 

“Baby. Oh Christ. Listen to me baby. We have to get you somewhere that I can…we have to take her somewhere now.” She wanted to reach up and smooth the wrinkles in Austin’s forehead as he spoke, but she couldn’t make her hand raise. And he was shouting again.

She started to fade out. She thought that was the perfect name for the way she was feeling…fading away. Then a stupid song popped in her head. She was humming it when she felt someone slide their hands under her.

The pain ripped through her. It made her scream and she couldn’t have held back even if she’d tried. When she looked into the face of the man who held her, Austin looked as pale as a sheet. Her last thought was that he looked so afraid.

~
Chapter Twenty-One
~

Austin watched the nurses come and go. No one came to where they were sitting. He glanced around the room with a sardonic grin. He probably would have avoided them too. 

In addition to him and his family, there were the two Adkins boys, Phil, and any number of flack-vested men and women. There were so many initials and letters across their fronts and backs that he was reminded of a chalkboard with primer letters on it. He glanced over when his mom sat beside him.

“She’s strong. And the doctor said she was going to be all right. Besides, I believe she’s too stubborn to die. She’s pretty upset with you yet as well.”

Austin burst out laughing, then hugged his mom to him. “I believe you’re right. She did seem to want to tear into me when she woke up, didn’t she? She seemed to be fairly pissed that she was brought here without her permission. She said I could count on her to kick my ass when she woke up.” Austin wanted her to. He wanted her healthy so that she could get up and berate him for calling the ambulance. The ride to the hospital might have been funny if he’d not been so terrified out of his mind for her.

One of the agents came to stand next to him and his mom. The agent cleared his throat before speaking. Austin stood up and the man backed up two steps. 

“Mr. Force, we need to ask you a few questions about what might have happened in the hotel lobby.” He took another step back before he continued. “Mr. Solomon…he…we don’t know what happened.”

Austin didn’t look at Phil, though he was sure the man could hear them speaking. But he did look at his mom, who got up and walked away after a short nod. He was sure she knew as well as he did what had happened to the man, but there was no reason to get her involved unless he had to. 

“Happened? I’m not sure I understand your question. My wife was shot by Mr. Solomon, the man I believe you people had under surveillance.” Austin took a step toward the man and was happy to see him back up two. “Have you arrested him yet?”

The agent, Agent Jimmie Oliver Austin thought his name was, looked like he turned green. Austin could smell the man’s fear as well. It came off him in waves.

“He’s dead. I…we found him…he was…destroyed.” Oliver sat down abruptly and put his head between his legs as he continued. “Never in all my years have I ever…. He was torn apart. Not just, you know, his arms and legs off, but torn to pieces. Small, little bitty pieces. We found parts of him over a ten square foot area. The coroner said that the man or men who…whoever did this didn’t use a knife or a blade, but simply ripped him apart.”

Austin did look at Phil then, and the man winked then saluted him. Austin sat down and pressed his hand over his mouth to keep from bursting out into laughter. It wasn’t funny that the other man was dead. It was just funny to see Phil so casual about it. 

When Austin had seen CJ drop to the floor in the hotel lobby, he’d only looked away from Solomon for a second, maybe less. Then he was simply gone. When Austin went to CJ’s side, Phil was gone suddenly, then he was there again as Austin carried CJ to the lobby area and put her on one of the couches.

Before he could ask Phil where he’d gone, where Solomon had gone, a doctor had come forward and started working on CJ. The ambulance was pulling up when CJ came around.

“What’s going on? Austin? Phil?” CJ looked confused until she looked down at herself. “Oh Christ, I’m bleeding. That fat bastard shot me. Austin, go get that prick and chew him up. But don’t swallow. You’ll get a belly ache.”

Austin didn’t move. The doctor simply stared at them before he made a small laugh. “She’s out of her mind with pain.” He gave a short nod before going on. “Yes, she’s in so much pain. That’s why…I mean, why else would she want you to chew someone up and not swallow?”

He looked so desperate for Austin to agree that he nodded. Austin thought the man had encountered another paranormal in his life and had tried to explain it away just this way. The medic came in and took her away before either man could say any more about what CJ had said. That had been over four hours ago. As soon as she’d gotten to the hospital, they had taken her up to surgery.

“Are you asking me if I killed Solomon?” Austin asked Oliver. “Because I assure you, I didn’t. The last I saw of him, he’d just shot my wife.”

Agent Oliver sat up then. His eyes were bloodshot and his face was pale. “No, sir. We’re not. We just wondered if you might know…one of our other agents is….” The man looked around before continuing in a much lower voice. “We have an agent who is a wolf. I wouldn’t have believed it myself, but I saw him morph. He told me you were one too. He said you were a leader.”

Austin looked around the small area and didn’t feel another wolf. He looked back at the agent. He looked better, Austin thought, but not yet great.

“Alpha. I’m an alpha, and there is no other wolf in this room, other than myself and my family, among your supernaturals. What’s his name?” Austin did laugh when the agent looked sharply around the room. He must not have known that there were others around him all the time.

“Other supernaturals,” Oliver’s voice practically squeaked. “What do you…? What are they and who? I should have been told that I’m working with others.”

Austin wouldn’t give up the others, but he would let the man know what he was working with. It might come in handy if they needed to speak with the others they dealt with.

“In this room alone you have a vampire, a weretiger, a werepanther, and two shifters.” Austin never broke eye contact with the man. “The shifters, before you ask, can shift into nearly any animal there is. And no, I won’t tell you who they are. They’ll either tell you or not depending on if they ever trust you enough to do so.”

Oliver looked around the room again before looking back at Austin. “I suppose you know that I’m not anything. How? How did you know what was in the room with us?”

“Scent. I can smell better than most animals, as can the others. Some have a better sense of smell, some hearing. There are a few who are very good at both. I doubt there’s any one of them in this room who doesn’t know every word we’ve said. And we’re not a ‘what’ but a ‘who,’ Agent Oliver.”

He had the good grace to flush. “I’m sorry. This is all so…I know you find it hard to believe, but I do have an open mind. I’m just, it’s hard to imagine anyone like you and the others are around. Please forgive me.”

Austin nodded. He stood up when his mother came toward him, as did the agent. She looked down the hall and Austin saw the doctor coming toward them. For as much as Austin wanted to run the man down and demand answers, he knew that it would get him thrown out of the hospital, and when his mother was finished kicking his ass, CJ would too. So he waited for the news as he held his breath.

~~~

CJ jerked awake. The pain of the quick movement made her moan, and before she could put her hand over the pain in her belly, Austin was suddenly there. He held her gently but firmly, but it was still very painful. 

“You’re all right. Shhhh, it’s okay, I’ve got you, babe.” She wanted to curl into his warmth, but knew she would hurt more if she did. She gave him a little push and he moved back, but didn’t let her go.

“Don’t think....” She had to swallow twice, her throat was so sore. “Don’t think that’s going to get you out of trouble with me. I’m still pissed at you.”

His grin made her heart flip, but she felt too weak to get into anything much more than a verbal match with him right now. She looked down at the IV in her hand and saw her ring was missing.

When he’d slipped it on her finger at the wedding, she couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. A moonstone surrounded by eight diamonds, each a different hue of blues, gold, and white. The band was engraved with a pair of wolves that were paired nose to nose, their paws touching over a heart. He’d shown her inside the band where each person who had used it had carved the year they’d gotten married. The firstborn had used the wedding band for several generations starting in the early seventeen hundreds. Austin told her they would have it engraved when they got home.

“I have it,” he told her when she asked. “They don’t want you to wear anything just yet.” He sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand. “I’ve missed you so much.”

She looked at the door when it opened. Austin didn’t so much as stand in front of her as he’d completely blocked whoever had come in from seeing her. The low growl made the hair on her neck and arms raise.

“I just want to talk to her. I promise I’ll make it quick.” The man sounded nervous, scared, actually. “Please, Mr. Force, just let me finish my job and I’ll leave you both alone.”

“Austin, what’s going on?” She touched his arm and felt the muscles ripple beneath her fingers. Her whole body contracted with need and he growled again, this time, she was sure, at her.

“Behave,” he whispered to her, then continued toward the man. “This man, this agent Ed Aguilar, was the one who was to be watching over you while this was taking place. He didn’t do his job and you got hurt. He wants to ask you what you know, and has been waiting like a vulture for two days to do so.”

CJ was surprised that she’d been there two days, but decided that now was probably not the time to say anything about it. Instead, she smoothed her hand down Austin’s arm and laced her fingers in his.

“Austin, let the man ask his questions. The sooner he gets this done, the sooner we can be alone and talk. You and I have unfinished business to settle.” 

His hand flexed in hers slightly before he answered. “All right, but I’m not leaving. He can either ask you with me here or not at all.” The agent nodded and Austin glanced back at her. “If you mean bringing you here then that’s settled. You were hurt, an ambulance was called, and you were operated on. End of discussion. If you mean anything else, then I’m game.” The cheeky bastard winked at her, then turned back to the agent. “Finish, and hurry up.”

The questions were mostly about the contact she’d had with Solomon, and then a man named Sims. Also, did she know anyone named Baker? For the most part, she couldn’t answer about the latter man. She’d never heard of him and until the lobby, had never met any of them. The only conversation she’d had with Solomon was over the phone prior to that. 

“Why did you go down to meet him, Mrs. Force? When you knew that he was the one who stole the truck?” Austin started to speak, but she answered the agent before he could.

“The hotel called to say our wedding pictures were finished. And if you are accusing me of something then you’d better tell me what it is or this conversation is over.”

The man shifted on his feet a little, looking very uncomfortable all of a sudden. “No. Nothing like that. We just wondered…that was very strange, don’t you think? That you’d meet him after all you—”

“Listen to me, you ignorant prick. I did not meet with Solomon. My wedding pictures were…. You know what? Fuck you. Get out. You said you’d keep me safe, you did not. You said that I’d be okay, that you needed my help. Well, now that Solomon got away, you need someone else to pin this on, and I got news for you, you slimy bastard, it’s not going to be me. Now, unless the next words out of your mouth are, ‘I’m sorry Mr. and Mrs. Force, for messing up your wedding,’ then you, sir, can go to hell.”

He stiffened and straightened his tie and jacket before answering her. “You cannot just threaten the federal government, young lady. That is—”

“Austin? Would you please be a dear and throw this pompous ass out? I don’t think I can take any more of him.”

Austin stood and stretched his neck, then lifted his arms over his head in a full body, almost lazy flex of muscles before he smiled, and not a friendly one either. He took one step as he answered her.

“Yes, love, it would be my—”

Aguilar was out the door before Austin could finish. When the door clicked shut, she looked at Austin and tried to be upset with him, but he looked so disappointed that she burst out laughing.

~
Chapter Twenty-Two
~

Phil watched CJ sleep. He’d been in the room twice now and both times she’d had company. He’d asked Austin if he could have a word with her alone and the wolf had told him yes. Phil grinned when he thought about how disgruntled Austin had sounded. 

He needed to tell her what he’d done to Solomon. Well, not actually tell her precisely what he’d done, but the general idea. He’d already told Austin—the man deserved to know—but with CJ, he thought he’d play it down a bit. When she cleared her throat, he looked up at her again.

“You look like you might be contemplating the weight of the world and how to get rid of it. Are you all right?” 

He took her hand before answering. “Yes. Just waiting for you to wake up. You snore, did you know that?”

“I most certainly do not.” He helped her shift in the bed so that she was facing him. “What is it, Phil? Something is bothering you.”

“I wanted to make sure you knew that I loved you. Dearly. Though I’d rather you didn’t tell your husband that. He’s a mite possessive.” He grinned when she snorted. “Also, I have to tell you what happened.”

“You killed Solomon.”

He looked at her, surprised. He knew she was a smart girl, but this really threw him off a bit.

“Yes. Yes, I did. How did you…? Austin told you.” He looked to the door and wondered if he could find the man and kick his ass before the man woke up.

“No, he didn’t. You were the only one who could have, because Austin never left my side. He would have done it, but you did.” He was nodding before she finished. “You did it because he shot me, didn’t you?”

“Yes. No one hurts my friends. I went a little…I didn’t do it very clean either. I shouldn’t have let my temper rule my—”

“I don’t care how you did it.”

Phil looked at her again. He must have looked as shocked as he felt, because she burst out laughing. He frowned at her.

“The man hurt you and you can laugh. Not very nice, young lady. Now tell me you forgive me and I’ll go and let you rest. I guess you’re going home tomorrow.”

“No.” He started to ask her why not when she continued. “No, I mean I want to know how you did it. I want to know that he got what he deserved. You can’t sugar coat it either. Tell me.”

He started to tell her she was better off not knowing, that he’d gone mad with anger, that he’d acted like the animal he’d always known he could be, but he could see the look in her eye and found he needed to tell her.

“He’d shot you before I could react enough to pull you out of the way. I should have….” He stopped when she growled at him. “Okay. You do know that you sound like Austin when you do that, don’t you?”

“Stop stalling and tell me. I’m tired of people treating me like I’m some sort of fragile child that needs to be pampered. When I want to be pampered, I’ll fucking ask for it.”

Phil laughed and kissed her hand before he nodded. “All right, but it’s not pretty. Solomon had just shot you when I snatched him up. I’m not sure which one of us was more startled, him or me. But before I knew it, he and I were in a field several miles from the nearest human.”

“You can move really fast because you’re a vampire, right? And I guess you’re strong too. I guess I should have known that…I’m sorry. Go on.”

“He started begging me not to hurt him. I knew he was a wolf, I could smell him. I watched him shift to a partial wolf before I tore into him. Literally tore into him. I felt the beast in me rise up when I thought of you bleeding, and I ripped him apart. He was…I did it fast, tearing his body apart until there was nothing left of him. Then when I had his heart in my hand, I drank from him.”

He’d not meant to tell her that part, but he’d been seeing himself tear the man apart and forgot he’d meant to tell her only that Solomon was dead. When she didn’t say anything, he looked up at her and could see the tears in her eyes. He didn’t want her to be upset with him, but before he could tell her so, she spoke softly.

“I’m sorry you had to do that, Phil. I thank you for it, but I’m sorry. No one should have to live with that, and I want you to know that I love you very much for what you did for us, for Austin and me.”

Phil simply stared at her. Never in all his lives had he ever met a woman like her, and doubted that he ever would again. He kissed her hand again and then did something he’d not done for centuries.

“I am an old and powerful vampire, CJ. One of the few that has the power to change a human from mortal to immortal without changing you to vampire. I will offer you this boon as my friend for both you and Austin so that you may have many, many years together and beget many children together. I offer this to you because I would spend eternity with you both as my friends.”

She smiled at him. “I’ll ask Austin. I’m sure he’ll have an opinion about it. But for now…are you all right? Will you…can you live with what you did for me?”

“Yes, love. Yes, I can.” He hugged her to him and then stood up. “I hope someday that I meet a woman like you. Maybe a little less bossy and opinionated, but other than that, just like you.”

He left her then as he could hear someone coming down the hall and with a quick sniff of the air, knew it was Austin.

He was going home. Phil needed to get away from the Forces for a few days, especially Holly.

~~~

CJ watched Austin walk into the room like a man on a mission. She glanced down at the watch they’d given her yesterday along with her ring, and she was surprised that it was nearly two in the morning. She smiled when he came into the room and kissed her.

“You’re awake. Ah, Phil’s been here. I can smell him on your skin.” His tongue lapped at the area where Phil had kissed her cheek. “I wish he’d not mark you like he does. I know he can’t help it, but you can’t drive me crazy like that.”

Her skin seemed to come alive when he touched her. She moaned softly when he licked the area behind her ear then nipped at her lobe. His own moan felt warm against her skin, and she reached up to pull him to her mouth. When they pulled away, neither of them was breathing very well.

“You keep that up and I’m going to go against all my own rules and take you right here. I’d like nothing better than to fill you with my cock hard and fast. And when you smell like you do….” He buried his nose in her shoulder. “All hot and wet, I can’t help but want to taste you as well.”

Her body shivered and she felt it expand. “Austin, I want you now. Do you think we could make love without being caught?”

He growled, something he seemed to do a lot, and reached up and unsnapped the gown from her shoulder. “We shouldn’t, but I need to taste you. I need to come inside of you and hear you scream out my name. But we can’t. You don’t know how to come quietly, so you’ll have to suffer. Unless….” When he didn’t finish, she wanted to scream at him.

“Unless what? Austin, don’t tease me like this. I need to feel you inside of me like a woman needs chocolate. Tell me.”

“I don’t want to hurt your belly, but I can make you come. Would you like that? Would you like to come, baby?” He was moving his mouth along her collarbone and toward her breast. She wanted to beg him to do whatever it took, but before she could answer, he took her nipple into his mouth.

His hand came over her mouth just as she took a deep breath. He didn’t press hard, but he did make her remember to be quiet. When he suckled hard at her nipple, she nearly came up off the bed. 

“Austin, please. I need you. I need more of you.”

He shifted on the bed and settled between her legs by sitting on his knees. “Lift your gown up. I’m going to be gentle with you, but you have to come fast. I’m not sure I’ll last long if I don’t taste you.”

His voice sent shivers over her body and she felt her pussy gush. She lifted the gown slowly and was glad that after her shower earlier she’d put on her prettiest panties. His breath catching had her wanting to tease him a bit more.

Holding up the gown with one hand, she ran her free hand along the top of her mound covered by the bright red lace. She nearly came when he spread her legs wider and moved to within a few inches of her pussy.

“Touch yourself for me. I want to watch you masturbate for me.” 

She slid her fingers into her panties and along the slit of her nether lips. She didn’t touch herself yet, neither could he see what she was doing, but his breath on her thighs made her bolder. When she felt his hands on her hips, she knew he was going to rip the lace from her and nearly cried out when he did it.

His fingers opened her further and she could feel her juices run down her ass. CJ knew she was soaking the bed beneath her and didn’t care.

“Slide your fingers into your pussy for me. Then feed me. I want you to feed me your cream.” She did as he asked, and when his fingers suckled at her fingers covered in her wetness, she watched him. “Hmm, you taste like heaven. Again, CJ. Give me more.”

She slid her fingers deep this time, and touched her clit. The small brush of her thumb sent her body into spasms of pleasure and had her moaning. When she moved her other hand down to do it again, Austin stilled her hand with his and took her thumb into his mouth.

“Not yet. I want to be able to see your pussy when you come, and if you come too quickly then I’ll not be ready.” He moved closer to her and she could feel his breath on her clit. “Come for me, baby. Fuck yourself and come.”

She moved her thumb to her clit, gathered a bit of her cream, and used it to rub on herself. Soon she was dancing on the bed to the time of her thumb. Over and over she rubbed the hard nubbin until she could feel her climax beginning to build, but she couldn’t bring herself over the edge. 

“Austin, I’m so close. Help me. Please.” He moved his fingers from her slit that he’d held open and down her ass. She nearly protested that she wanted him inside of her, not her ass, when he entered her dark hole.

The pain-pleasure sent her over the edge fast. Her entire body came from her head to her toes. There was a slight pain in her belly, but nothing compared to the climax that rippled through her. And when Austin’s mouth covered her, she came again, her legs tightening around his head until she felt him pull them apart.

“Again,” he commanded, and she did, coming apart and then mashing together again as a bundle of sensations made her whimper and moan. He moved up her body as she was still jerking from the incredible climax. As he unsnapped his pants and freed his cock, she leaned up, but was stayed by his hand on her shoulder.

“I want to come on you. Lower your gown and let me come on your breasts.” She did as he asked and watched, mesmerized, as he fisted his cock and a stream of pearly cum dripped from the tip. “Christ, I’m not going to last. Baby, touch yourself for me. Lift those pretty tits up for me and watch me.”

Cupping her breasts for him, she moaned when the first hot splash hit her. Rubbing her nipples with his cum, she nearly came again. When she reached out and gathered some on her fingers and took it to her mouth, she heard Austin growl at her to open her mouth.

The next stream of cum filled her mouth. Before she could swallow, he was coming again and again. His hot seed covered her face and breasts. When his fingers tangled in her hair, she took his cock into her mouth and he fucked her hard. Moaning around his cock, she took him deep, swallowing around him and tasting. Sliding her hands down to her pussy, she pinched her clit and felt the tremors of another climax take her even as he pulled from her mouth.

Austin leaned his head against the headboard above her, panting hard. CJ wasn’t sure how he’d managed it, but his thighs were on either side of her and his cock only a few inches from her mouth. She shifted her head and licked the last of his cum from the tip. She was rewarded by his cock jerking and Austin moaning at her.

“Don’t. I swear to Christ you’re going to kill me.” He moved down and off the bed. Leaving his pants undone, he went to her bathroom and she could hear water running. When he returned, he had done up his pants and had a washcloth with him.

He kissed her quickly then began to clean her up. She was too relaxed to protest and wasn’t really sure she would have anyway. He helped her change her gown, and giggled when he stuffed the one she’d had on in the case she was taking home.

“I only meant to give you pleasure, and you nearly took my head off. What am I going to do with you when I get you home?”

“Hopefully more of that.” She laughed when he glared at her. “Oh come on, you know you enjoyed that. I loved it.”

He didn’t answer her, but did climb into the bed with her. “Behave, or I’ll spank your bottom.”

She was nearly asleep when she thought of something that had been bothering her. “Austin, why didn’t you change me when I was hurt?”

He was quiet for so long she didn’t think he’d answer. “I wanted it to be because we both wanted it to happen, not because it was a way to save your life. The doctor said you weren’t in grave danger, but you had lost a great deal of blood. I couldn’t…didn’t…want to do it then. Not without you knowing what was going to happen.”

She looked over at him. “Happen? You said you’d have to hurt me, bite me. What else is going to happen? Tell me please.”

“You’re going to hurt. Not just hurt, but scream in pain from when…I’ll have to bite you deep, CJ, deeper than I’ve ever bitten anyone except in battles. I don’t know if I can do it to you. I don’t….Then there’s Dallas’s part. He’ll have to bite you as well. He’s my…our enforcer, and you’d have to accept him as well.”