Mated By Fate by Christa Wick

Chapter Sixteen

An hour before dawn,Lana staggered away from the bed. Two healers from the West Virginia clan had arrived to relieve the women for a few hours of rest. The swelling in Esme's head was gone, but Camille had placed her in a very deep sleep to keep her motionless.

His position unchanged, Denver stood vigil at the foot of the bed, dried blood flaking off his naked flesh.

Stepping into the hall, Lana encountered one of the shifters in Seth's pack.

"Jory, right?"

He nodded, a slight grin curling his mouth.

"Seth had to leave," he said, his gaze struggling to stay on Lana's face and away from where the blanket knotted against the top swell of her breasts. "He's about twenty minutes out. He said he'd have food and…uhh…clothing for you when he returned."

Growing more self-conscious, Lana looked around for someplace to hide until her mate returned. Jory gestured down a long hall.

"There's a bed and shower. He said you should wait for him there."

Trying not to clutch the blanket tighter, she quickstepped down the hall, stepped into the room and shut the door. The bed looked inviting, and she was tired as hell, but she still had blood on her skin, more of it in her hair, and she was certain the knots in the bloody strands included gore from the two men Quentin had shot—or the bolt of witch light Esme had used to skewer Gordon and two others.

"Shower first," she sighed, stepping into the bathroom and letting the blanket drop to the floor.

Cold water that didn't get any hotter hit her with a jolt. She stepped under the tepid flow and patiently forced herself to lather up her body and hair with what was left of a bar of soap.

With only a thin towel for her hair and another for her body in the drafty bathroom, Lana was ready to break down in tears. Then two scents hit her at once. The first was really good barbecue. The other was Seth.

She jerked the door open, called his name. The food was in her direct line of sight, sitting on a foam takeout container, the steam still rising up from the ribs. The sauce-smothered pork had companions, too, baked beans, potato salad, and hush puppies.

Seth announced his location in the room with a soft growl. Lana turned to find him with his arm outstretched, one of her blouses in his hand, the fabric turned to reveal the silver thread and witch's lace.

"These are charmed," he said, the growl turning into a warning rumble. "You will never shield yourself from me again."

Even if she could have, Lana didn't want to argue with him.

"Okay," she whispered, taking the blouse he'd picked up from Esme's and removing the sprig of witch's lace first. Finding a loose end on the silver thread, she plucked until it fell to the floor.

"If those men hadn't stripped…" A slight hysteria edged his voice as he handed her another piece of charmed clothing.

She went to take the bra. Seth dropped it, grabbed her by the shoulders and held her at arm's length, his wild gaze boring holes into the back of her head. "Never again! Do you understand?"

Lana nodded, his anger breaking the last of her control. She collapsed against his chest, her breasts heaving in relieved sobs. He hugged her, his big hands traveling along her arms and back.

"Ditch the towel, baby." His tone softened, his fingers already moving to help rid her of that last bit of fabric.

"Seth!"

He chuckled before turning serious once more. "You washed all my scent off you, love."

"Oh…" Pushing his hands aside, she pulled on the tucked-in fabric beneath her arm.

"Disappointed I didn't have something else in mind?" His hands caught her breasts as she leaned forward. He tugged their hardening nipples before squeezing the firm flesh.

Blushing, she lied with a shake of her head. "It wouldn't be appropriate anyway."

Trying to turn from him, she reached for the remaining clothes so she could remove the charms and get dressed.

"Not so fast, baby." Pulling Lana back into his arms, he buried his face against her neck, nuzzling the sensitive flesh as his fingers explored her lush backside. Inhaling deeply, he sighed. "You smell like chocolate dipped chili peppers and…"

He paused. Lana knew there wasn't supposed to be an "and." Tensing, he ran his nose along her cheek.

"What's wrong?"

"Apple." His hands returned to her breasts, testing their weight, finding them swollen and a little tender, the nipples exquisitely sensitive.

She hadn't noticed the change that morning, but she could feel it with the deliberate way his fingers explored her flesh. "Is apple bad?"

"No." Cupping the back of her neck, he coaxed her head into a relaxed position. His other hand dropped between them, the fingers stroking the fur of her sex. "Lana, you're pregnant."

She nodded then realized she didn't quite understand. "How do you know you're not smelling your own scent? You smell like apples to me."

Capturing his mate's bottom lip, he sucked at it for a second.

"I know, trust me."

Seth shifted his weight to his other foot. Lana felt the solid rub of his erection against her hip. His fingers grew bolder between her legs. "Baby, I need to get you home. To my—to our bed. ASAP."

She managed a slight gesture of acquiescence before all of her muscles melted beneath his touch. "Camille wants me back around noon. That’s when they plan on moving Esme. And someone needs to manage Denver then. Get some clothes on him at least."

With a low growl, Seth forced his body to move to the door. He gestured at the change of clothes. "Ten minutes, I want that sweet ass in the passenger seat of my van. No charms. And don't forget your barbecue to eat on the way. You're going to need all the energy you can get."

Squirming beneath his hot gaze, she blushed and waved him from the room. "I'll be there in five."