[kiasusam]

CHAPTER 19

As we entered the city and the pull got deliciously stronger, I couldn’t think anymore about my odd traveling companion. I could only squirm in my seat, my breath embarrassing strained, and point her to the direction where I felt him. She sighed and rolled her eyes, generally looking annoyed that I had no apparent self control. I wanted to snap at her, “Back off! Have you ever felt this? Didn’t think so! I’m doing the best I can!” But, I couldn’t focus long enough to put that many words together.

As the office building housing Gate Magazine came into view, I bit my lip and clutched the console, anything to keep me in the car. The building had an underground parking lot, and with vague grunts and directives, I got Starla to go into it. As she put the car in park, I felt Teren coming towards me. That’s when I lost it.

I hopped out of the car before she even got the chance to shut it off. I only took 3 steps in the dimly lit underground before I was engulfed in cool arms and was being devoured by cool lips. My fingers locked in his dark hair, holding him securely to me, even though he was making no effort to get away. His hand clenched and unclenched my body, like he really wanted to be tearing off the loose painting sweats I was wearing. We panted in each other’s mouths as the draw completed its connection. We were, once again, how our nature wanted us to be - together.

As a low growl rumbled up my throat and Teren’s cool hands slid over my backside, I heard an irritated throat clearing from behind me. With a concentrated effort, Teren pulled his mouth from mine. Breathing heavy, and resisting the desire to return to my lips, he looked over my shoulder. Then I saw his control nearly instantly snap back into place. Mine wasn’t quite there yet. As he straightened and stared at Starla, my lips attached to his collarbone and my hand traveled down the front of his slacks. Hey, I wasn’t just fighting the pull. I was a seven month pregnant chick, with a hot husband and an acute desire.

But Teren had lost his, looking over my shoulder. While I heard my sister nervously giggle and Starla mutter, “God,” Teren stopped my fingers from slipping inside his slacks. He looked down at me quickly while he gently pushed me back from him. “Emma,” he whispered, his hands cupping my cheeks, trying to bring me down.

My breath eventually evened as his slightly glowing eyes enveloped me. Swallowing, I nodded in his hands that I was better. From behind me, I could hear Starla resume her cow-like gum smacking. Saucily she said, “Yeah, I can tell you guys have the bond well under control.”

I turned to face her, about to tell her where to go, when suddenly the door leading to the stairs burst open. Hot Ben came striding out, breathing heavy and holding his stomach. Hurriedly walking up to us, he ran a hand through his highlighted hair and shook his head. “God you’re fast, Teren.”

I blinked at seeing him and Teren answered my unasked question. “I called him. I wasn’t sure what was going on.” His brow furrowed as he looked back at Starla and then over to my sister, she waved as she stood at the back of Starla’s car.

Teren shifted his attention back to Starla as I heard Hot Ben sidle around to his other side and ask him what was going on. Not answering Ben, Teren narrowed his eyes at the mixed creature in front of him. Her blue-green ones were faintly glowing in the dim lights. As a human, the glow would have been hardly noticeable, easily dismissible, if you didn’t know what you were looking for. To a partial vampire, the glow was unmistakable. Teren’s mouth dropped open.

“You’re…”

She extended a hand to him. “Mixed…and I hear you’ve been looking for me.”

Hot Ben gasped beside Teren and stared at Starla with a look of complete wonder on his face. Teren’s face sort-of matched Ben’s as he stared at her, for a moment too stunned to even take her hand. She waggled it in front of his face, her lips twisting in annoyance at being ignored, and he finally woke up from his daze and grasped it.

Both of his hands enclosed over hers and his eyes moistened. I bit my lip to not start hormonally crying at the sight. Teren had waited so long for this moment. “It’s…amazing to meet you. Thank you for finding me.” His voice was nearly reverent as he said that, and I momentarily hoped that this tiny blonde thing wouldn’t let Teren down. He’d built up meeting more of his kind in his head, and so far, she hadn’t been what I’d been expecting.

A little taken back by his reaction, she pulled her hand away. “Yeah, well, you’ve been causing quite a stir, poking your finger in every vamp nest you can find.” She raised an eyebrow. “That sort of thing doesn’t go unnoticed.”

Teren straightened his stance, shaking his head lightly. “I had good reason.”

Starla’s eyes flicked to my stomach. “Yes, I’ve been brought up to speed on that.”

Teren stepped towards her, arms outstretched like he was going to grab her. His fingers barely brushed her arms. That was all the closer Teren got to her. Suddenly, he was shoved back. And by shoved back, I mean he was pushed thirty feet and landed harshly on his back. As he smacked his head to the pavement, Hot Ben pulled a stake from his pocket and moved into a defensive crouch. My sister screamed and backed up a step. I teetered on my feet, not sure if I should run to Teren’s side, or run to my sister’s. Indecision held me in place.

A part of me also wanted to smack Starla for pushing Teren. Only, it wasn’t Starla who’d tossed him back. With the draw of the pull, I’d completely forgotten that Starla wasn’t alone. Teren’s seemingly aggressive move had drawn the attention of her bodyguard. Ben and I eyed the imposing man warily. He was standing in the space Teren had been, having blurred into a battering ram, the moment Teren had stepped up to Starla. He was taller than Teren and wider too. His hair was a light brown that matched his slightly glowing brown eyes, and he was dressed in head-to-toe black, like he thought that was an inconspicuous outfit. Crouching down in a protective stance in front of Starla, his fangs were dropped, as a low growl broke the sudden silence of the room.

Starla’s “muscle” was a mixed too, albeit it, an undead one. There was no thumping heart to be heard in his barrel-sized chest. But he had to be only partially vampiric, if he’d been assigned to protect her during daylight hours.

Teren popped up from where he’d been tossed aside and zipped back to the man. I speedily moved to block him at the last moment, holding him back from leaping on the vampire. It took quite a bit of effort on my part, since Teren was a little revved up. Hot Ben came over and helped me, holding back Teren’s other arm. He eventually calmed down as Starla sighed and walked around her protection, thumping his chest with her hand.

“Down, boy,” she muttered. Coming up to Teren, she cocked her head and shrugged her shoulders. “Sorry, he doesn’t like me being touched.” Her turquoise eyes flicked to me, then back to Teren. “You can understand?”

Teren shot the man a hard look and then focused again on Starla. Ashley came up beside me and clutched my arm. I clutched hers back, both glad she was here, and wishing she was far away. His voice irritated, but a forced patience in it, Teren bit out, “I was just going to ask, if you can help us?” His voice and face softened as he looked over at me and then back to Starla. “Can you help her?”

Starla looked between the two of us as her bodyguard behind her crossed his arms over his chest. She sighed and shook her head. “Not me, but you should speak with Father. He sent me here, curious what you wanted with us. But seeing what you’ve done,” she shook her perfect head of hair disdainfully, “he will definitely be interested in your…situation.”

Teren nodded eagerly, the thought of maybe getting some answers, outweighing his irritation at being thrown across the room. As Starla chomped on her gum and indicated the car with her head, I looked over Teren’s body. He seemed fine, but that had looked like it had hurt. “You alright?” I asked, as Starla got back in her bimmer.

He eyed the big man, zipping back to his black car on the other side of the lot. “Yeah, I’m fine.” He brought his eyes back to mine; they sparkled with hope. “I’m great, Emma