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  “Calm, brother. We’ll figure it out and get her all fixed up.”

  “He’s right. Calm, Hector.” Riley was soothing him when she was the one shot. Later, she might laugh at that fact. “I’m tougher than I look.” Her words started to slur. “I feel all kinds of dizzy, though. Is that normal?”

  “It’s the blood loss, sweetheart. Combined with the morphine, yeah, it’s normal. I’m sorry,” Hector whispered. “We’re here. Another moment and we’ll be stopping. I should apologize now. We all have medical training, but it’s a bit crude. We’re guys—we don’t really care about things like that. Sweetheart, do you know your blood type, by chance?”

  “O negative. I know because my father needed blood, and I had to be typed so that I could donate.” Her words were almost unintelligible.

  “Holy shit, how much did you give her?” Gaius asked.

  “Just two CC’s,” Hector replied. He was frowning at her, concern etched on his face.

  The truck rocked to a stop. In a moment, Hector was moving out of the vehicle and into an elevator. It began to move as soon as Gaius was in. They were going down, deeper into the Mountain. When they stopped, Hector began to jog along a long, well-lit hallway. She was jostled against his chest, but he was holding her tight enough that there was very little pain along her side.

  Riley held on. She was feeling sleepy but knew that he would freak out if she were to fall asleep on him. She reached out with her mind to him. Not going anywhere, Hector. Sorry, but you’re stuck with me forever.

  Damn right, I am. And don’t apologize for something I want. They entered a large room, and he eased her down onto a table. “Gaius, grab the blood and IV. I’m going to strip her down and get her into something we can work around.”

  “Right, definitely, blood, need blood,” the other man muttered.

  “I need to get you out of your clothing fast,” Hector told Riley. He moved away from her and came back a moment later, wheeling a table. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I need to cut them off. I’ll buy you new ones, promise.”

  “Okay,” Riley whispered, struggling to look around.

  He began to cut away at her shirt, tearing it when he could, cutting when he couldn’t. Helping her sit up, he tugged everything down her arms gently. Even her bra. Then he slipped a hospital gown up her arms and tied it behind her neck before laying her down. Next went her shoes and her pants. He left on her underwear.

  When the doctors and nurses stepped in, Hector turned a look on them. “Cause her any pain, or do any harm, and you’ll never walk out of this room.” His warning given, he leaned over and kissed Riley’s lips. “I’ll be right outside. You need me, you call.”

  She managed a shaky nod, hoping that when they knocked her out to extract the bullet that he wouldn’t be able to remain connected to her. She closed her eyes. Hector’s hand on her cheek was the last thing she felt as the doctors gave her something to send her into blissful darkness.

  Chapter Seven

  “She’s waking up,” a feminine voice said.

  She felt Hector before she heard him, his presence through their bond growing before his hand touched hers. “Riley, come on, sweetheart. Open up your beautiful eyes for me. Come on, Riley. Enough with the lazing around. Time to wake up so I can show you your new life and so you can meet some of the people you’ll have to tolerate as I do.”

  Riley opened her eyes, then winced. “Can you turn the light down just a hair?” It was right over her head and very bright. “Hey, you.” She turned her head to the side, clenching her eyelids shut. “Goodness, I had the best dream, and you were there.”

  “You can tell me all about it later, when we’re alone,” Hector said. “All right, the light is off now. Open your eyes for me, Riley. I need to see them,” he said softly. A brush of his lips to hers and the slide of his fingers to her cheek had her sighing.

  Riley did open her eyes then. They fluttered once, then a second time. She licked her lips. “Can I have a drink, please?” When she shifted slightly, however, she grimaced. “Oh God. That hurts like hell.”

  “It likely does,” someone said. She recognized Gaius’s voice and saw him as he handed a glass with a straw to Hector.

  “Here.” Hector held the straw to her lips as he stared into her eyes.

  “It’s worth it, though,” Riley said. “As long as I get to see that look on your face. Heck yes, it’s worth it.” She took another sip of the water and sighed. “Enough. Thank you.” Turning, she winced again but managed a small smile when she looked at Gaius. “Hey, you.”

  The woman at Gaius’s side bumped against him. Riley watched the movement with a grin. Mentally, she reached out to Hector again. I take it that’s his other half? Why isn’t he introducing her?

  Because he is greatly lacking in something we refer to as manners. “Riley, this is Emily. Emily, this is Riley,” Hector said. He shot Gaius a look, but all he got in return was a shrug and a little smirk.

  “Nice to meet you.” Emily held out her hand.

  Riley took it. “Hello, nice to meet you. I like you already.” The woman was like a shining star beside Gaius. The golden threads that bound Gaius and Emily together were like thick ropes. Inches thick. The love that they had for each other was clear.

  “What’s not to like?” Gaius asked with a grin. He hugged Emily from behind, pressing a kiss to the woman’s temple as he rocked her back and forth. “She’s awesome.”

  Oh, by the gods, now we’ll have to listen to him spout off about all her attributes and all he loves about her. Feign exhaustion, please. Anything to keep him from talking for the next four hours. Hector shot her a pleading look.

  Riley just grinned. “The bond that ties the two of you is impressive. It’s thick. Can you pull on her abilities the way I was able to let Hector pull on mine?” She was curious.

  Emily’s head cocked to the side as she spoke. “No. At least not that I know of. We haven’t tried to do anything like that.” She looked back at Gaius and shrugged. “I think we should, though. It would be nice for him to be able to touch a weapon and see through the killer’s eyes so that I didn’t have to. I hate my ability.”

  Riley’s nose wrinkled, and she nodded. “I can understand why. Mine is bad enough. Seeing the truth of all things can drive you to madness.”

  “I happen to like your ability,” Hector said. He eased onto the edge of the bed, lifting her hand to cradle it against his chest. “We do need to work with it, though. The more I was concentrating on what I was doing, the more I lost focus on keeping our link open.”

  “You’ll need to train with it as with anything,” a new voice said.

  “Mercury. Didn’t expect you down here,” Gaius replied.

  “I thought I’d come and say hello to the newest addition to our dysfunctional, and more than a little crazy, family.”

  “Riley, this is Mercury. The first of the guardians, the oldest, and our leader and mentor. Mercury, this is Riley, the keeper of my heart and soul,” Hector introduced with a smile for her.

  “A pleasure, Riley. We’ll get to know one another better when you’re up for it. Right now, I think you need to get some more rest. You’ll tire easily for the first few days,” Mercury commented.

  Riley smiled up at the large man and nodded. “It’s very nice to meet you.” She sighed. “Rest does sound good. I don’t think I could turn that down at all.” She looked to Hector again before turning back to Mercury. She frowned. He was surrounded by light, and it was truly an odd thing to see. “I had to make sure that my Hector was with me for the rest of time. I’ll let you talk him out of being upset with me, if you please.”

  “Yes, that might take a little doing,” Mercury said. “He was fit to be tied these last two days while you slept blissfully unaware. Be grateful. He pulled out some language I haven’t heard in too long. Most I hope to never hear again. For now, sleep and heal. You have your entire lives to get him out of his pique.” Mercury tipped his head to her in an informal bo
w and left the room. “Gaius!” he bellowed after.

  “Shit,” Gaius muttered. “Come on, sweetheart. You need to get some rest too. And I need to see what has a burr up his ass,” he said under his breath.

  “I heard that, Gaius. Training room, five minutes.”

  “Fuck me,” he grumbled now.

  Riley watched Gaius and Emily leaving. “He loves her like crazy. The thread that binds them together is as thick as my forearm. Amazing.” She turned to look at Hector and asked, “Will ours grow to be that size?”

  “You tell me. You’re the one who can see the threads, Riley. You said in the beginning it was barely there. What does it look like to you now?” He was running the fingers of his free hand up and down her arm as he held her hand tight to his chest.

  “It’s much thicker. It’s the size of, maybe, two fingers now.” She pulled him closer. “I think it will get bigger. I think it will grow thicker. We’ll soon have a very large bond, one that nothing will be able to compare to.”

  “We already have a large bond, sweetheart, but I think it will strengthen and grow through our time together. Now, you should get some sleep. I’ll stay with you, because I’m still trying to come to grips with what you did and will not be letting you out of my sight any time soon.”

  “I’m good with that.” Riley smiled up at him. “How about you climb into bed with me? I want to feel you holding me.” She felt better with him touching her. “And were they right—have I been asleep for two days?” No wonder he’s a basket case.

  “Two days, nine hours, fourteen minutes,” he answered. He let her hand go as he slid off the bed to sit in the chair and bent over to unlace his boots. “It’s been a very long two days.” Standing a moment later, he slid in beside her, carefully moving an arm under her head and picking her hand up to hold it to his chest again.

  Riley shifted with a small hiss of pain and nestled up against him. “This is so much better.” She yawned, closing her eyes and letting his heat envelop her. “No more. I’m here for the rest of time now,” she told him quietly.

  “Damn right, you are,” he muttered against her hair. “I want you to sleep for me, though, Riley. As much as I hate the thought of you closing your eyes again, you need the rest to recover properly.”

  She nodded. Then a thought occurred to her. “I need to contact my attorney to make sure that my mother won’t be able to touch my money.”

  He lifted his head to press a kiss to her cheek. “We can do whatever you want. After we have a meeting to discuss putting in a couple new roads. I think we’re all tired of the ambushes on our only way of getting here. Even if it’s just a plowed path—we can make it work, change up our routines, keep them from harming any more of our women.”

  “Good idea. Maybe put in a landing pad too. I have a helicopter that we could bring here.” It was a company Blackhawk, one that her father had purchased and ensured would be updated with the newest, even after his death. “Just a thought. I’m willing to do whatever I need to in order to help you and your friends.”

  “There’s a spot that might work. I’ll show it to you when you’re ready. We currently use it for when we feel like having a barbecue, since it works as a patio. I think it might be large enough for a landing pad, and the monsters couldn’t get near it since it’s within the shell of whatever magic still protects us from detection. It would be a much more secure manner of bringing the women in. Never even give the evil ones a chance at them.”

  “Exactly. And you can pull in on the military contracts that are with the Jensen Corp so that you could get more than just yourselves for protection. Maybe fencing, guard towers, and such?” She knew she was getting ahead of herself. “Perhaps hiring in people to protect the fences?” Another yawn. “Did I get more drugs?” Her words were now sluggish and low, quiet as she dropped closer to sleep.

  “We don’t need fences, or towers,” he said with a chuckle. “You did get more drugs. Just something to let you relax enough for sleep. There are some painkillers in there too. But they’re beginning to wean you off now. No more drugs for sleep after tomorrow.”

  She yawned again. “Thank you for sleeping with me. If someone tries to give you trouble, tell them to bugger off, that I need you.” She was petting him now. “Rest well, my guardian.”

  He pressed another kiss to her skin, his arm rubbing lightly over her back. “Let go and sleep now. Tomorrow is another day, and I plan on kidnapping you in a wheelchair to show a little of your new home.”

  “Good.” She nodded. Being in her lover’s arms, she fell into a deep sleep.

  Chapter Eight

  “This is our suite,” he said, pushing a door open. All morning Hector had shown her around the large mountain base the guardians called home. It was massive, unbelievably detail-oriented, homey feeling, and exceptionally well protected.

  He wheeled her into a room that looked like any high-end loft one would find in a big city. High ceilings—though these were of stone—wide-open spaces, and clean lines for all the furniture. There was no clutter at all, which was odd for a single man, but it was also very warm and inviting. Rich earthy tones with splashes of blues and golds to give it some color. Hardwood floors. Screens on the walls showed images of the outdoors.

  According to what she’d learned during their tour, they’d put the screens in recently, and they were all synced up to whatever the warrior occupying the spaces preferred. In Hector’s case, it was a big sun-filled field of wild grasses and flowers with a forest in the distance.

  “This is beautiful,” she breathed with wide eyes. “Fabulous.” It called to her very soul. With his help, she got out of the wheelchair to look around.

  “Your rooms are perfect. Everything in here seems to call out to me. I love it.” She touched the desk. “The wood is warm.”

  “We renovated all the personal suites a few years ago, so we installed in-floor heating. I used to have large area rugs because of the chill to the floors. Thankfully, technology finally got to a point where they weren’t necessary anymore beyond design. I left a couple in the bedroom because I’m used to the feel of a rug under my feet when I get out of bed.”

  He supported her as they walked slowly through the space. He took her to look in the modern kitchen first before leading her down a hall to a half bath, a guest room, an office, then the master bedroom and bath.

  She smiled. “It’s beautiful. The bed dominates the space as only a bed should.” It was massive, the expanse of it inviting. “Show me to the bathroom, and then maybe you can wheel me up to the top of the mountain too?” Because if they climbed into that bed, she knew she would want him naked with her.

  Nodding, he guided her to the bathroom and eased her onto the toilet. “Should I step out?” he asked. “I will if you promise to call for me as soon as you’re done. You can’t strain yourself or you’ll be back in the medical bay, and they’ll likely ban me.”

  “Don’t worry—all I need to do is pee.” She pushed him toward the door. “Now go. I’m a shy potty person,” she teased with a grin. “Besides, this way I get to look around.”

  He pinned her with a look before giving her another nod. “Fine,” he said softly. “I’ll be just outside the door. But as soon as you’re done, before you wash your hands, call for me.” When she waved him off, he huffed out a breath but left her alone, pulling the door closed behind him.

  Riley grinned. God, she loved that man. She shook her head and did her business. Once she was finished, she pulled up her pants and called out to Hector. She was standing before the mirror, her shirt hiked up, looking at the gauze and bandage on her side. When he walked in, she glanced at him in the mirror. “I won’t be sorry that I did it. If I hadn’t, you would be gone and so would I. It’s going to be okay.”

  His arms slid around her, gently holding her close. “It will be okay once you have healed, and I can have you in our new bed as I want. Until then, I will stew and be grumpy. I have great patience for many things, but waiting to slid
e my cock into your silken pussy is not one of them.”

  Riley shivered and bit her lip, staring at them in the mirror. “I would love to do it just like this. I want to watch you watching me,” she said.

  “When you’re cleared by medical. Until then, we can’t do anything like that. You’ll need to heal for several weeks first.”

  “Deal.” She turned in his arms, back to the counter, hands moving up his shirt, then hooking around his neck. “For now, why don’t we get out of here before I jump you?” Because she was so close to doing just that.

  Hector leaned in, his hands on her waist, and kissed her gently. “A very good idea, because at this moment, I might let you.”

  She leaned in and kissed the side of his neck. “Carry me?” She had weak knees right then, and it wasn’t all to be blamed on her being shot.

  Hector let out a snort at that and even rolled his eyes. He obviously knew what she was about. Not that he argued. He scooped her up into his arms and carried her back into the main living area. Settling her on her feet, he helped her into the wheelchair. “We’ll stop for something to eat in the main dining hall before I take you up to the patio.”

  “Sounds good. Food and drinks. Anything but Jell-O. God, I’m ready to kill someone if they try to force more soft foods on me.”

  He laughed softly and left her in the chair as he went to the kitchen. He returned with a basket that held some travel containers inside. “This way we can package up what we want.”

  “You can set it in my lap. I’m not doing a thing other than sitting, anyway.”

  “You should be sitting,” he said as he wheeled her out of their suite. “Hopefully, you’ll have me around the whole time you’re healing,” he told her. “I can’t say Mercury won’t try to send me out on a job, but I do know I’ll only go after throwing a massive fit. I’ve made my opinion known, so I hope he’ll take that into consideration. At least until you’re back on your feet.”