Skin Walkers: Leto (9 page)

“He refused.  King took him to his suite instead.”  When Shy didn’t move Jenny added, “I really need to look at your leg, it’s still bleeding.”

Shy backed up a step, “It’s fine.”  She turned and took two steps before Jenny’s next words halted her.

“It’s okay Shy, no one will hurt you here.  Plus we need to check on the baby.”

Shy’s feet halted again as she lowered her head and lifted a hand to her belly.  She hadn’t had any prenatal care at all. 
She wasn’t even certain the scientists at Megalya even knew she was pregnant, but she knew.  She’d missed her period and had been ill every morning.  Other subtle changes were also taking place and as much as she didn’t want to be poked and prodded ever again, she did want to check on the welfare of her child.

“Just you?” she asked without turning back to look at Jenny.

“Just me Shy.  I promise.”

Slowly, Shy turned and reluctantly followed Jenny down the corridor and into a small exam room.  Once inside a nurse entered before Jenny ordered, “Stoney, please leave us.”

The nurse didn’t ask any questions, simply turned and exited the room.

With a technique that showed years of experience, Jenny donned a lab coat, put on two surgical gloves, then pulled out a packet of stainless steel instruments that she arranged on a small tray and propped on a table next to the hospital bed. 

“Have a seat,” Jenny motioned toward the bed and smiled.

When Shy took a step toward it Jenny stopped her.

“Would you mind removing your pants first?  I need to look at that cut on your inner thigh first.”

Shy peeled off her pants, wincing at the sting on her inner thigh.  Just dropping her jeans on the floor she kept her socks on and tugged her shirt down to hide her panties and upper thighs as she walked to the bed and climbed up facing Jenny
before giving up on her modesty and reclining back on the exam table.

“So,” Jenny began, “what made you decide to pursue a scientific field of study?”  She scooted her chair closer and gently pulled on Shy’s leg until she was able to get a good look at the wound.

“Are you seriously asking me about school?”

“Sure,” Jenny shrugged, “unless you’d rather talk about Leto.”  A corner of her mouth tweaked when she felt Shy tense at the mere mention of his name.

“I wanted to do something that mattered,” Shy answered.  “I once naively thought that I could do something important, find a break-through in Alzheimer’s, put an end to M.S., cure cancer.”  She snorted at her once youthful ambition and lifted an arm to lay it across her eyes.  “What a fucking joke.”

“It’s not too late Shy.  You can still do work that matters.”

“After seeing what they’ve done…the Megalya…I’ve lost all interest in the field.”

Jenny worked quickly without looking up from her work as she spoke.  “Don’t let them do that.  They’ve taken enough from you
Shy; don’t let them take your passion as well.”

“It’s too late, it’s already gone.”  She dropped her arm and eyed the ceiling.  “Simply being in this room makes me want to be sick.  The instruments, the colors, the scent.”  Her lip curled in derision, “I hate it all.”

“You know there are still good guys in the world Shy and we here a StoneCrow are some of ‘em.”

She felt Jenny’s hands still momentarily before they continued their work.  “As a matter of fact I could really use someone with your expertise her at the infirmary.”

Shy shook her head, “I’m sorry, it’s just…”

“Too soon?
”  Jenny supplied.  “I understand, but in time if you happen to change your mind the invitation is open.”

Jenny sighed
then and stood to stare at Shy with compassion.  She reached down to squeeze Shy’s arm.  “You’ll forget about Megalya one day.”  She smiled then, “In the meantime, your legs cleaned and sutured.”

Shy sat up partially, “What?  You gave me stitches? I didn’t feel a thing!”

“I still carry a passion for my field and take pride not just in doing my job but in doing it well.”  She walked to a closet and rolled out a waist high machine with lots of wires.  “Being in this room might be awful on you but I bet I can put a smile on your face.”  She plugged the machine into the wall and it beeped to life.  “How about we get a look at that baby?”  For the first time since meeting her, Jenny watched Shy’s eyes light with joy.

Shy smiled and bit her lip to stop the action.  She didn’t want to hope for anything at this point.  She knew better.  Instead, she simply nodded and rolled her shirt up to just under her breasts as she reclined back on the table.

“Okay,” Jenny rubbed some sort of lube on her belly, “but fair warning. You’re pretty early so we probably won’t be able to tell the baby’s sex right now, so don’t get your hopes up.”

Drawing in a calming breath Shy nodded a second time.

Chapter 13

Le
to paced in his suite, his long black hair trailing behind him as he stalked from the window of his suite to the front door then back.  He’d slept through the night and when he woke the drugs that had been used on him had finally burned out of his system but something was off.  His heart was racing and he felt panicky, anxious.  He knew it had something to do with Shy because he couldn’t stop thinking about her.  He’d lost his cool when Conn had taken him to retrieve her from the Canada/Montana border and part of him regretted it.  She’d been terrified but he couldn’t stop the anger that surged forth when he finally got close and scented himself on her.  He’d never touched her yet she did carry his scent.  Even now he wanted to go to her and that angered him because he was trying to hate her.  She was Megalya after all…wasn’t she?

His eyes flicked to the clock and he wondered if she’d be awake.  It was almost eight.  If he started now before the other residents of StoneCrow manor woke, he knew he’d be able to track her scent…his scent
as it were.  Problem is he didn’t know what to say.  He couldn’t understand why her admission at having worked with the Megalya wasn’t a death sentence.  Honestly, it had him questioning Monroe’s leadership. 
Fucking fool!
  Still, he wanted to talk to her.  He had dozens of unanswered questions and no one seemed willing to allow him to get them.

Inhaling sharply he slowly expelled his breath.  The black tank top he wore stretched tight over his muscled chest and before he could reconsider it, he laced on his black boots and left his room in search of Shy.

***

In
Shy’s darkened room, Leto stood silently in the corner and watched her sleep.  She’d been easy to find, too easy.  It was almost as if Monroe had no concern at all that Leto would find her and kill her.  A foolish mistake on Monroe’s part.

Yet, here he stood.  For some odd reason he couldn’t stop staring at her.  She was…beautiful.  Her long fiery red hair billowed on her pillow and framed her pale face.  Her full lips were parted as she breathed gently in her sleep.  One arm was bent, her fingers almost brushing her lips while the other hand
rested across her belly, the fingers of that hand splayed wide as if in her sleep she was making a conscious effort to keep her hand there.  Strange.

She moaned and the sound brought his attention back to her face.  She turned her head and her brows speared down.  “No,” she whispered and it was quickly followed by, “Leto, no!”

The sound of his name on her lips had his gut clenching.  He wanted to do something but couldn’t decide if it was wake her from her nightmare or silence her once and for all.  The thought of hurting her more than angered him, it sickened him.  He kept trying to will himself into just walking over, wrapping his hands around the satiny column of her throat and squeezing until she stopped breathing, but it was physically impossible for him to take a step.  As a matter of fact, the mere thought of harming her actually made his stomach turn.  He didn’t want to hurt her, he wanted to shelter her and protect her.

His eyes lingered on the column of her throat and his tongue peeked out to wet his lips as he envisioned running his nose up her throat and following the path with his lips.  He knew she’d be soft and warm.  His eyes dipped to where her legs were spread under the blanket and when he imagined poking his nose and lips around in that region his cock grew painfully engorged. 

He was shocked at his body’s response to her and he stood breathing heavily in the corner trying to control himself lest he wake her from her sleep. 
How can I want her?
  He didn’t understand it. 
She’s the enemy!
  Strange how one’s mind can know a fact but one’s heart could be in doubt.  He hated the contradictory feeling and emotions and he couldn’t help but wonder if it wasn’t some Megalya trick.  Perhaps when they’d somehow infused her with his scent it drew some subconscious physical reaction from him.

She moaned and whispered his name again and his balls drew tighter.  He curled his hands into tight fists and his eyes darkened. 
If she says my name one more time…
  He didn’t finish the thought because it ended with him fucking her instead of killing her and he refused to be the Walker fool who was called in by some Megalya siren who’d somehow used his own scent to lure him in.

He watched as she kicked the blankets off and his eyes locked on her exposed legs and slid upward to the satiny powder blue panties she wore with a thin matching camisole.
  Her hand returned to shove her camisole higher and splayed slender, elegant fingers against her flat belly.  He took a step closer.

Partially shifting, he inhaled.  If they’d used his blood it’d surely dilute at some point and fade right?  It didn’t make sense that he’d scent this strongly on her.  For a second he considered the notion that she too could have simpl
y been a Megalya victim but the thought had his face screwing tight in rage. 
That
is exactly what she wanted him to think.  That she wasn’t what she is…Megalya. 

She straightened one leg then rolled to her side facing away from him and curled into a ball.  Her panties pulled tight then slid over her luscious ass to expose more of her skin.  If he didn’t know for a fact that she was sleeping he’d think she
was doing it to taunt him.  His teeth ached from gnashing them together, but not nearly as badly as his balls. 

Fuck I want her!
  He drew in a slow steadying breath in an attempt to calm himself.

“Leto,” Shy moaned.

And that was it.  Leto’s control snapped.

***

Shy was startled awake and when her eyes snapped open they locked on the darkest most intimidating eyes she’d ever seen.  She tried to suck in a breath to scream but the hand clamped over her mouth had her panicking momentarily until she realized she could breathe through her nose.

“Do
not
scream,” Leto growled as he leaned over her.

Shaking her head she tried to convey that she wouldn’t scream.  She didn’t know if he understood or not because his hand remained clamped over her face.  Leto stared into her eyes for long moments and when they flooded with tears he tore his eyes away to study her face, then her hair.

He was on the bed with her, lying beside her.  Well, partially beside her and partially on top of her.  One of his legs was over one of her own resting between her thighs.  The hand that wasn’t clamped over her mouth was reached across her breasts and holding her shoulder in a firm grip.

Shy’s breathing was rapid but nothing compared to the pounding of her heart.

With both hands occupied, Leto leaned down and used his nose to brush the hair away from the side of her face before dropping his head to inhale near her throat.  He brushed his nose up and down her throat very slowly before pulling back to frown at her.

“You smell like your mine.
”  He licked his lips but didn’t look away from her.  “Are you mine Shy?”

Her name sounded odd on his lips. 
She dropped her eyes to his mouth and tried to place why it sounded so strange.  It sounded…safe.  She knew she should be terrified but was having difficulty conjuring up the emotion when he was being so gentle.  It was a side of him she’d never seen.

“Answer me,” Leto growled drawing Shy’s eyes back to his.

How do I
…she didn’t know how to respond.  If she said no she was afraid he’d kill her.  If she said yes, then what?  Would he kill her for saying it?

Slowly, Leto peeled his hand from her mouth finger by finger.  It didn’t happen
slowly enough because Shy still wasn’t sure how she was supposed to answer.

When his hand was finally gone she licked her dry lips and watched as his eyes followed her tongue.  She swallowed hard, “Leto,” his name came out more breathy than she’d intended.  “Please don’t hurt me.”

His eyes flicked back up to hers, “Answer my question Shy.”

She shook her head and her lips parted, “I-I don’t know what you want me to say.”

His expression darkened, “Speak the truth.”  The hand that was on her shoulder loosened and slid across the top of her breasts.  The slow movement was sensual and had Shy’s cheeks flaming as she felt her nipples pebble.  She knew in the thin camisole the reaction wouldn’t go unnoticed if Leto happened to look down.  As if reading her thoughts his eyes slid down and locked on the stiff peaks that were now standing at full attention hoping for consideration.