Go Fetch ! (28 page)

“Uh-huh.”

Zach went to the frig, and tossed each of the men a beer. He headed toward the swinging kitchen door, pushed it open, then stopped. “But if I were going to say anything…”

“
I knew it
!” Sara stood up. “You just can’t stay out of it, can you?”

“Sara, wait.” Miki stood up. “I
wanna
hear what the brain trust has to say.”

Zach glared. “Look, Tinker Bell, I tolerate you ‘cause I have to. But
Conall
, against
my
better judgment, loves your psychotic ass. I don’t know why. I don’t understand it. But he does. And I have to figure if he loves you. And Sara, who I trust with my life and the life of my Pack on a daily basis, loves you, then there must be something about you besides that big mouth and those tiny elf feet.”

Miki’s eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. Kelly leaned in between the two. “Why don’t I just take this for now.” She plucked the gun and its holster off Miki’s sweats.

***

Conall
sighed. He’d had some big plans for his life with Miki. House. Kids. Gun shows. But his best friend was blowing that all to hell and back. But he’d forgotten about his Alpha female. She was in Zach’s face so fast that everyone, even Miki, stepped back.

“
Was that supposed to be nice
!”

“She doesn’t get nice. She gets barely tolerated.”

“You need to back the fuck off.
Now
!”

“All I’m saying is if she loves him she should just
fuckin
’ stay!”

“And it’s none of your business whether she loves him or not. Whether she stays or not.”

“Sara, she’s already part of the Pack. She protected
Conall
. You. And now she’s carrying a Pack baby…”

Miki cut in then. “
Never
call our baby that again.”

“…But if she doesn’t want him for the love of all that’s holy, put the poor guy out of his misery.”

Conall
could still hear them going at it, but he hadn’t taken his eyes off Miki. He was waiting for her to realize what she’d just said. It took her all of thirty seconds. He knew the exact moment too by the look of pure panic on her face when she looked at him.

He smiled. A big, leering, Viking smile, he was sure. And Miki was none too happy.

“That meant nothing!”

Sara and Zach snapped out of their argument as
Conall
moved in front of Miki. “That meant everything, Miki-baby. Absolutely everything.”

“You’re
fuckin
’ high. It was a slip. Nothing more. I haven’t made up my mind about shit!”

The two stood toe to toe. But for once
Conall
didn’t crouch down to meet her gaze. “Just get over it. I love you. You love me. And we’ve got baby furniture to buy.”

“You’re not railroading me, Viking.”

“You are so in love with me, you don’t know what to do with yourself.”

“You are delusional.”

“Marry me, Miki Kendrick.”

“Not on your life!”

“We’ll have a May wedding. Or September. After the baby or before?”

“I will kill you in your sleep.”

“You’ll try.”

“You are making me crazy and I am sure that’s not healthy for
the demon seed I’m carrying!
”

He smiled in the face of her yelling. “Is that any way to talk about our love child?”

Miki let out a strangled scream of pure frustration. And in response,
Conall’s
smile just got bigger.

“That’s it!” Miki barked. “Move the fuck out of my way!”

And everyone did. They watched as she stormed out, then they all looked at
Conall
. He was still smiling. He couldn’t help himself. Miki made him smile.

Zach shook his head. “Are you sure you know what you’re…”

Miki cut him off, bellowing through the swinging door. “Move your ass, Viking!”

Conall
looked at his best friend. “I do love that woman.”

“They have treatments for that kind of mental disorder,
ya
know.”

***

Miki stood in front of
Conall’s
bed and stared at it, marveling at how big it was. He must have had it specially made so that his big feet didn’t hang over the edge. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and braced her legs apart.
Big-footed bastard
.

He walked in and closed the door. He ambled over to her with that Viking grin plastered over his face. “So
whatcha
want, baby?”

She gritted her teeth. Could he sound any more smug? “You’re just lucky they took my gun.”

He slid his arm around her waist and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “You wouldn’t really hurt me, would
ya
?” He nipped her ear and a delicious bolt of heat ran down her entire body. “Wouldn’t you rather just fuck all night until we can’t walk?”

His hand slid under her sweatpants and she pulled herself away from him, scrambling across the room. He took a step toward her and she held her hand out. “Stay!” He smiled at her. The most beautiful smile she’d ever seen. She loved him. She hated him. She couldn’t imagine her life without him.

“I don’t get you, Viking. Why are you so happy?”

“Cause I love you,
Mik
.” She warmed at his statement. “And because I won.” Then she became hot.

She growled. “You did not win.”

“I so won.”

He wanted to play that game? Fine.

She smiled. “So you think you won?”

“I know I did. I love you. You love me. And I get to keep
ya
.”

Miki nodded. “Did I ever tell you that the FBI has a cork board with my picture on it? Actually, it has me, Amy, Craig, Kenny Liu, and Ben. And our pictures are in this pyramid shape, but I’m at the top. I heard the agents throw darts at it.”

His smile slipped a little.

“The CIA still calls me every six months to ask me if I want to work at their… and I’m quoting… ‘labs.’ They never get very specific, but you’ve seen the kind of stuff I can create so do the math. And there are several states in this country that I’m not really allowed in for…
ya
know… ever. And for the next forty or fifty years you’ll be busy trying to stop me from saying something rude or inappropriate or you’ll be trying to stop someone from killing me because of something rude or inappropriate that I said that you didn’t stop me from saying.” She grinned. “So tell me, baby. What exactly did you win?”

***

Sure. He could have gone for a nice, normal girl. Or at least a girl that could shift into something other than human. But no, he had to fall in love with Miki Kendrick. Hacker. Scientist. Nut case. Great lay.

His mate.

The woman who would be driving him crazy for the rest of his natural born life…if he were lucky. She smiled at him. And he realized that she was as much a Viking as he was. No wonder she saw through his bullshit. Nope, he was getting just what he deserved. Who knew the gods liked him that much?

“Whatever. Let’s fuck.” He moved toward her and she backed away from him.

“First some ground rules.”

He growled. “Such as?”

“I don’t make breakfast. I don’t clean. I don’t involve myself in any clubs or associations that use the word ‘mommy’ on their letterhead. At some point I’ll actually know what I want to do career-wise which means the demon spawn I’m breeding will be pretty much yours to deal with until he or she is sixteen. By then they’re ready for the SATs and that’s when I step in. Now, of course I’ll talk to him or her before then if I must. And no, this deal does not involve breast milk. I’ll make sure to take care of that myself. Now, of course, this is all subject to change if their
I.Q.s
are higher than 140. Then I’m on deck when they’re five. After the baby is born, we can discuss marriage. But I’m not changing my name and the word ‘obey’ will not be used in the ceremony.”

“Is that it?”

She smiled. Yup. There it was. A big
ol
’ Viking grin. “If I stay, I want a concealed weapons permit. And good luck with that since I’m sure all my federal friends will be fighting you tooth and nail on that one.” Her smile softened. And it was a smile for him and him alone. “And I do love you, Viking. Just don’t try and use it against me.”

Yeah. He was definitely the luckiest man in the world. “Now are you done?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” He proceeded to untie his boots and toss them across the room. She stared at him for a good while before she finally said anything.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting naked.” He pulled his T-shirt over his head, then he moved to his jeans.

“Why?” She backed away from him, a smile threatening to spread across her beautiful face.

“So I can have my filthy, dirty, Viking way with you.” He kicked his jeans away. “So I can keep everybody awake all night and show ‘
em
how you’re a screamer.” He walked toward her, and she slammed up against the nightstand. “So I can make you come and come and come until you don’t even remember your name.”

“That’s a hell of a plan.” Cool. She was panting again. He loved when she did that.

“I like it.” He was in front of her. “Now here are my ground rules.”

Miki tore her eyes away from his cock to look him in the eye, her arms again crossing in front of her chest. “Which are?”

“When we’re in here. You’re naked. I don’t care if we’re ninety. You’re naked.”

“I don’t…”

“Did I argue during your ground rules? Quiet.”

She fell silent, but not before growling.

“Back off Zach. He’s the Alpha Male, my best friend, and my brother. So no telling him to go fetch unless he started it.”

“But he…”

Conall
covered her mouth with his hand. “Not. A. Word.” She rolled her eyes and glared. “I expect you to always have two pairs of those pumps you had in Seattle. The heel is to be no less than five inches. One pair red and one pair black. They’ll only be used in here. And you’ll be naked. Also, I make the bed every morning, but feel free to sniff it whenever you feel the need. And don’t get too attached to any of your clothes. Because if they’re not off when we get in here, I’m ripping them off. And I really like ripping them off. Because I like you naked.”

She pulled his hand away from her mouth. “Anything else, Viking?”

“Just one thing.” He pulled her crossed arms apart and stepped into her body. He kissed her neck, her shoulder, her chin. Then he lifted her up. Automatically her legs wrapped around his waist, her arms around his neck. She dug her hands into his hair and pushed her small body up against his. She stared into his eyes and smiled. A smile that was for him and him alone. “No matter where we are. No matter where we go. Or where we end up. That you always… and I mean
always
, Miki Kendrick…” he leaned in close. “Make sure our freezer has cherry ice pops.”

Miki burst out laughing as
Conall
carried her to their bed.

Epi
logue

She forced her eyes open. Her head was throbbing. Her back hurt. She felt pain on her arms and her knees. She sat up, slowly, and kept her eyes turned away from the French windows that had bright morning light streaming through them.

She waited until she felt like she could look around without throwing up, then she took in the room. It was beautiful. Gorgeous furnishings. Hardwood floor. Soft bed with a steel frame. This room alone must have cost a pretty penny to furnish. Gold silk sheets covered her naked body.

The bedroom door was open. She wondered whether she should make a run for it, but she was pretty sure she’d start vomiting as soon as she stood up. But she wasn’t too worried. Her wounds were dressed. Her body cleaned. The last thing she remembered was something, a lot of
somethings
, coming out of the trees by her store and charging her. They had resembled dogs almost, but she really didn’t know. She remembered going for her gun, then something from behind… tackled her? And that was the last thing she remembered.

She rubbed her temples and tried to piece together the last few hours. And that’s when she heard it. It wasn’t a growl. Or a roar.

It was a purr.

Angelina Santiago looked back at the bedroom door and watched a 600-pound tiger walk by. It stopped. She could still see its tail swinging slowly from side to side. Then it backed up. It turned its majestic head and looked at her. She looked at it. She was waiting for the fear to set in. And the pure unadulterated panic that comes with it. Then it shifted and spoke.

“Well. Hello, sugar’.”

She let out a cross between a sigh and a breath. “Oh, shit…”

~End~