They had visited a few times, but her father and grandfather seemed to understand that her dreams were finally materializing. Lance was less than happy. For some reason, the thought of working with the unknown female deputy Washington promised to send him wasn't sitting well with him.
Her uncles, Steven, Nash and Blake, had returned to their tribal lands after the completion of a mission they had begun with their resignation several years before. Cooley's name had been associated with the Genetics Council due to the sensitive files recovered from one of the larger genetics Labs. How they had managed to fool the senator, she wasn't certain. She had been a little groggy when that one had been explained. Something about alternate identities and facial reconstruction. No wonder it had taken so long for her to recognize Steven.
None of them were overly pleased with her. She snickered at the thought. They hadn't wanted her in the thick of the fight, and they sure weren't pleased with the little they had learned of the Mating between her and Braden.
Mating Heat. She snorted at the phenomenon as well as the surprising information she had learned. It wasn't a comfortable feeling, knowing
that something as basic as her DNA had been altered in any way, even as minutely as the Mating hormone had altered hers.
She wasn't a Breed, but she might as well be.
Longer life. She had groaned at that piece of knowledge. Higher immunity and advanced healing she could deal with. She liked that part, actually. The rest was going to take some getting used to.
And then, there was Braden. A small smile tipped her lips as she stood by the bed, watching him sleep. His long golden hair framed the savage features of his face, giving them a stronger, more primal air. The streaks of dark brown, russet and black that threaded through the thick golden brown strands tempted her fingers to sift through the mass to watch the parade of color as it drifted through them.
"Wake up, sleepy head. " She leaned close to nip at his lips, only to squeal in surprise as his hands caught her waist. Before she could counter his move, he had her flat on her back beneath him.
"You are dressed. " He growled as he stared at her from narrowed, dark gold eyes, his firm lips curving into a smile as his hands pushed beneath the snug black top she wore.
He was so sexy. A rumpled primal male, confident, arrogant. And if the
tenting of the sheet was any indication, ready to mate.
"And I'm staying dressed. " She laughed as she slapped his hands away and tugged the hem of the top back into place. "We're leaving today, remember? I'm ready to go. "
To reinforce the claim, Mo-Jo bounded to the bed, certain that the evil feline-smelling man was finally fair game. Megan jumped back, laughing as dog and man growled and snarled, bared teeth and fought for dominance.
"Damn dog!" Braden cursed as Mo-Jo nipped his ear.
A fury of Breed limbs and thick canine fur accompanied Braden's snarl. Megan stood back, laughing as he wrestled the huge dog to the bed and bit him back.
The look of canine amazement on the dog's face was hilarious. His brown eyes widened, his expression going slack for all of a second before a surprised doggy cry left his lips and he twisted forcefully from Braden's hold.
He jumped from the bed, casting the two humans a disgruntled look before snarling back at Braden and stalking to the comer of the room. He plopped down on the air conditioning vent before batting pitifully at the abused ear.
"Do we have to take that mutt?’ Braden flashed his incisors at the dog, who only sniffed in disdain before rising enough to turn his back on them, then settling back on the vent.
"Love me, love my mutt?" She gave him a pointed look before a surprised yelp left her lips.
Braden had gripped her wrist, pulling her to the bed before catching her beneath his weight and staring down at her, obviously not amused at her response, or her laughter.
Laughter that his lips caught as they covered hers, that his tongue tasted as he licked at them wickedly. When he raised his head, his expression was somber, filled with arousal and enough emotion to cause her heart to clench in response.
His hand raised, his fingers touching her lips with the gentlest of caresses as he watched her. At that moment, she told herself that being at Sanctuary wasn't all bad. The nights were incredible. The days had been a pain in the ass. Being poked and prodded at by anything or anyone other than Braden was guaranteed to put her in a really pissy mood.
"You've been ready to go. " He reminded her of her earlier statement as
his thumb smoothed over her lips and he continued to stare at her, his gaze possessive, warm. The Mating Heat had supposedly been stilled with the alteration of her DNA. God, she hated that word. But damn if she still didn't get so wet just from the touch of his thumb against her lips that she debated changing her panties.
"And you haven't?' She arched her brow, lifting her hands to stroke her fingers through his hair.
She watched his lashes lower, watched the pleasure that filled his expression as she ran her fingertips over his scalp, scraping against the sensitive flesh. A heavy groan rumbled in his chest and his cock began to prod her thigh.
"Down, boy,'' she ordered lightly, though her head turned for his lips to caress her neck as his hands buried in her hair. "I say we leave first and have wild sex later. I'm being smothered, Braden. "
And she was. Not for breath-for freedom. For adventure. The mission Callan and the Breed Ruling Cabinet had requested they take sounded like a blast. Braden lifted his head, his gaze solemn as he sighed deeply.
"Wild animal sex later then. " A smile curved his lips as he continued to watch her, as though he couldn't believe she was truly there.