Guardian Bears: Karl (16 page)

He shook his head, feeling a broad grin spread across his face as he looked at her. There was something different about her, he could see it in her eyes – the fear, the struggle that had always been in the background, was fading. Karl pulled her close and kissed her, full of wonder. “I was going to be angry at you for coming down here when I told you to run.”

Allison held him tight, their bodies pressing together in the bright sun. The heat of her presence should have been unbearable for him, but he wasn’t going to give up her touch for anything.

“I couldn’t let you go,” she said simply. “If you’re mad about that, I’ll take it – you only get to be mad because you’re alive, right?”

Now it was his turn to laugh, and he pulled himself to his feet. “I couldn’t stay mad at you, love. You saved me.”

“You saved me twice,” she told him, taking his hand. “Without you, the hunters would have killed me – and if they hadn’t, I’d have lost myself to my wolf. So I still owe you.”

“We can sort out who owes who later,” Karl said, feeling his body start to recover its strength. The arms of his mate around him helped, made him stronger, but he was still weak from the heat and the day was only going to get worse as the sun rose. “Right now, let’s get out of here.”

“Where to?” Allison looked nervously back towards Mayfair and her house. “I don’t think I can stay here.”

“You’re coming home with me,” Karl told her firmly. “We’ll sort out what to do with your things soon enough, but for now, we both need to get away from here.”

T
hey pulled
into the first motel they found on the road out of Mayfair. Allison waited in the car as Karl arranged a room for them, feeling drained and exhausted by the heat and by the events of the past few days.

It’s over now,
she told herself, smiling at her man as he came back with the key.
Mayfair’s in the past and my future is with Karl.

She hopped out of the SUV and took Karl’s hand, following him to the room he’d just paid for. His keycard unlocked it, and he smiled down at her, a twinkle in his eye.

“Let’s start this right,” he said, swinging her up into his arms. Despite the wound on his shoulder, he didn’t seem to notice her weight.

“What are you
doing
?” Allison said, laughing and throwing her arms around his neck.

Kicking open the door, he carried her across the threshold, leaning in to give her a tender and powerful kiss.

“This is the first time I’ve taken you somewhere, darling,” he said. “I want it to be memorable. I want it to be perfect.”

“The day you rescue me from a gang of murderers? I was never going to forget that,” she told him.

“No,” he said, shaking his head and kicking the door shut behind them. “You wouldn’t. That’s why I want you to have something
better
to remember than the fighting. I want this to be a day you remember for
us
.”

With that, he kissed her again, silencing her response. His lips were firm and strong against hers, and their touch set her soul aflame. Allison moaned into the kiss, her arms tightening around his shoulders and her mind relaxing.

Still carrying her, his lips not leaving hers, Karl took them through to the bathroom. Allison felt her heart hammering against her ribs as he set her down gently, pulling back from the kiss to smile at her.

His hands went to his t-shirt, pulling it off and baring his gorgeous body to her. She stared, still unable to believe how lucky she was, how perfect he was. Even caked in the desert’s dust and wounded, he looked perfect.

The injuries he’d suffered were healing fast, faster than she could have believed. All apart from the single wound on his shoulder – that was still bleeding.

He saw her look at it, and smiled. “Don’t worry about that, my love. Damian was loading silver bullets, but I’ve taken worse before. I’d have taken worse today if it wasn’t for you.”

“You only got shot because of me,” she whispered back, blushing at how that made her feel. A curious mix of guilt and awe – guilt that he’d had to do it, and awe that he had taken the bullet to save her.

“Allison, you are my mate. I love you. If I have to die to save you, I wouldn’t hesitate.” His tone was so serious, so matter of fact, that she couldn’t doubt him for a second. This man would throw himself between her and harm.

She felt her body responding to that, to him and his presence, and her blush deepened. She looked down, only for him to take her chin and raise her head so that he could look her in the eye.

“Never forget that you’re my mate,” he said. “I’d do anything for you. And you put yourself on the line for me, too. We belong together, forever, and I intend to make sure you’re safe and happy.”

The force of his voice made her knees tremble, and her wolf responded to him. She could feel it, her soul caught up in his, wanting nothing more than to be happy with him. To give herself to him and be his.

A little smile tugged at his lips, and she could see him enjoying her response. She felt her cheeks flush, and her body ache for him. He reached aside, turning on the shower, and she tugged at his belt, unfastening it as his grin widened.

His strong hands grabbed her top and tore it off her with a single jerk, making her gasp. The water fell around them, cool and refreshing, washing the desert dust away as they stripped each other, both of their bodies calling out for the other’s touch. Allison could almost hear his bear as he caressed her, enjoying the curves of her body. She bit her lip and slipped down his jeans, freeing his erection.

She gasped as she saw it spring free. It was so big, so powerful, that even after seeing it before she could scarcely believe it.
Is that for me?
She giggled at the thought – of course it was, but it was still hard for her to accept that this magnificent, brave man – this hero – would choose to be here with her.

Her mate. Her man. Her love.

He took shower gel from a shelf in the shower and poured it over her body, her breasts. With his powerful but gentle hands, he rubbed it into her, and she returned the favor. His muscles were so strong and perfect under her fingers, his abs like nothing she’d imagined a human body could feel like.

The dirt from the desert washed off them as they explored each other, and Allison found her body aching more and more for him the longer they touched. She pressed herself to him, kissing him as he lifted her, the water pouring around them like a rainstorm after a drought.

“God, I feel so empty without you,” she told him. “I need you, Karl. Please?”

He didn’t answer with words. He didn’t have to. Lifting her effortlessly again, he pressed her back against the cool tiles of the shower stall wall. His lips covered hers with a kiss that set her soul aflame. The speed of his recovery was shocking to her, but it was nothing compared to the fire he sent flashing through her with his passionate kiss.

The iron hardness of his cock pressed against her and she cried out, the wolf inside her howling. But he didn’t press, didn’t push, and her body was left shaking with need.

“Oh God you can’t stop now,” she pleaded, writhing against him. His mouth moved down to her neck, kissing and then biting, making her shake and moan. She was powerless in his grasp, helpless against him and the feelings he woke in her.

Digging her fingers into his back, she scratched and was rewarded with a low moan from her man. His fingers squeezed her ass as he lifted her, positioning himself, and lifted his head to look her in the eyes.

“I couldn’t stop if I tried,” he told her. “I need you as much as you need me. Allison, I love you.”

In a slow, deliberate movement he lowered her, thrusting as he did so. Allison’s mouth went wide in a silent gasp, her body shuddering as he slid inside her. The slow thrust seemed to take forever to fill her, but it was perfect. He was perfect.

Feeling him inside her, filling her, stretching her, Allison couldn’t think. All words were gone from her mind in a perfect, beautiful wash of sensation that shot through her body like lightning. She could hardly tell where she ended and he began, it was as though they were one being, one body, moving in unison.

And move they did, Karl lifting her and lowering her onto himself again. She clung to him, holding him tight to her. Her fingers digging into his hard muscular back as he thrust, the tempo of their movements increasing as the water pounded on their skins.

Each moment of their lovemaking seemed to last for hours. But slowly, ever so slowly, their speed built and with it so did the sensations. Allison found herself panting for breath, squeezing him inside her as he growled in her ear, his heart pounding against her chest.

Allison howled out loud as her mate pounded her, his rhythm accelerating and his control slipping. He was breathing fast, his hands tightening and she could feel his cock swelling in her as she gave in to the urges of her wolf and bit his neck hard.

He responded with a roar and thrust harder, spurred on by her bite. The force of it made her writhe in his arms, squeezing tight around him. Lifting her face from his shoulder, she saw his face contort with pleasure and realized that there was nothing more beautiful than that look. The look of her mate on the brink with her.

The orgasm that overtook them was blinding, an explosion of pleasure that wiped away everything else. She clung to him, screaming wordless joy, and he shouted his pleasure too. The two of them clung together, breathing heavily and sinking to the floor of the shower. Holding onto him, Allison felt a feeling of peace settle over her, a feeling that she hadn’t known she was missing until it arrived.

“My God, that was…” her voice trailed off, and he looked into her eyes. She could see the same peace there, peace and happiness that made her smile as he brushed wet hair out of her eyes.

“That was perfect,” he breathed. “My perfect mate.”

“My mate,” she said, and felt her wolf agree as she curled up against him.

She didn’t know where they were going, or what the future held. It didn’t matter. She was with her bear now, her protector, and that would be more than enough.

A
week
later they were in Coldwood, at the Guardian Bears compound. Karl held his mate’s hand, feeling her nerves in the tremor of her fingers as he led her to meet the others. That she trusted him he had no doubt, but she was meeting strangers, and she had left behind everything she knew. It made sense for her to be worried.

But she didn’t need to be. As soon as he helped her out of the car, the others were there, all smiles and welcoming congratulations, Lucas and Emily and Marcus and Lisa. Even surly Connor was there, their newest recruit standing at the back and trying to look like he wasn’t happy for them.

“Welcome,” Emily gushed, giving Allison a big hug. “Welcome to the family.”

That was enough to bring tears to Allison’s eyes, and Karl felt his heart swell with pride and happiness. Lucas shook his hand and grinned at him.

“Congratulations,” the other bear said. “I didn’t think that you’d be having much fun on this job.”

“Neither did I,” Karl admitted. “But I had to pay Harper back for the favor he did you, didn’t I? And now I’m glad I did.”

The mention of the wolf shifter put a damper on his happiness, but only for a moment. He still needed to have a serious talk with the man, but it could wait until he and his mate had settled down a little.

Right now, he wanted to put the man out of his mind and get on with his happiness.

Lucas clapped him on the shoulder and the two of them followed their mates inside, into the large central room of the compound. Lisa beamed as Allison stopped in the doorway, staring at the cake waiting on the meeting room table. Iced onto the surface were a bear and a wolf in a big red heart, and the sight of it moved her to tears. The girls gathered around in a group hug, and that gave Karl a chance to grab Marcus’s arm and draw him to one side.

“Of course I’ve got it,” Marcus rumbled, sounding amused at the questioning look Karl gave him. “What do you take me for?”

“A good friend,” Karl replied. He’d hardly been out of Allison’s sight for a week, not long enough to prepare this himself. Fortunately, he had friends and team-mates he could rely on.

Taking the box Marcus offered him, he stepped up to the women, waiting until their tearful hug broke up. Allison looked up at him, eyes gleaming with joy.

“This is lovely,” she said, hugging him hard.

“I’m glad you like it,” he told her, hugging back and then stepping back. “Because I hope that you will stay here with me.”

Sinking down to one knee, he opened the box Marcus had slipped him, the ring inside glinting golden in the light. “You make me happier than I dreamed possible, you are the strongest and bravest woman I could hope to meet, and I love you unconditionally. Allison, will you marry me?”

She gasped, her hands flying to her heart, tears of happiness on her face. “Oh Karl! Oh yes, yes of course I will!”

And then she was in his arms, gripping him hard as he lifted her high. All around him his adopted family cheered them, and he felt the force of her love in her grip. The happiness that filled both her and her wolf spread over him too, and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that they would be happy together.

I wonder if we’ll have bear or wolf cubs,
he thought as he set her down with a kiss.
Whatever they are, though, they’ll be beautiful.

L
ESLIE CHASE

I love writing, and especially enjoy writing sexy paranormal romance. It lets my imagination run free and my ideas come to life! When I’m not writing, I’m busy thinking about what to write next or researching it – yes, damn it, looking at castles and swords counts as research.

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M
y books
:

Guardian Bears

Ex-military bear shifters providing protection from the threats no one else can deal with. Each book is a stand-alone plot, as the sexy bears find their curvy mates.

Guardian Bears: Marcus

Guardian Bears: Lucas

Guardian Bears: Karl

T
iger’s Sword

A four-part paranormal romance serial:

Book One: Tiger’s Hunt

Book Two: Tiger’s Den

Book Three: Tiger’s Claws

Book Four: Tiger’s Heart