Ella and the Beast (More Than Human Book 1) (24 page)

They all turned when the door opened again. This time Agent Crane appeared more subdued than before. She paused, looking around the room before her gaze froze on Ella and Ty.

“I have been instructed to provide additional protection for you and your family,” Agent Crane said. “News of the human has just broken out on national television. At the moment, it was decided that the safest place for her is here.”

“Who told the media?” Ty asked, rising to his feet.

“We don’t know,” Agent Crane replied stiffly. “I’ve asked for additional assistance from the local law enforcement. Things are about to get crazy.”

Ella paused in the process of picking up one of the cheese biscuits and sighed. “It has been that way ever since I met Ty,” she said with a wry smile. “Life was much simpler when I was extinct.”

“Yes, it was,” Agent Crane muttered under her breath before she turned back to the door. “You are welcome to move around the house, but I would request that everyone stay inside until we can secure the grounds.”

“We will,” Ty said, rising to his feet. “I need to call Rhyanna and ask her to take over the daily running of the Observatory for a while until things settle down. Badger is going to love this!”

“We’ll stay with Ella while you take care of things,” his mother said, staring out of the window. “This is worse than when Michaela became president!”

“I’ll call Van and Peterson back,” Tracy said, peering outside. “I want them on the security team.”

*.*.*

The Collector sat in the black SUV at the entrance to the road leading down to the Bearclaw estate. A series of vans and cars swarmed by, some of them turning so fast that they came close to losing control on the icy road. A grim smile curved the Collector’s mouth when the cell phone on the passenger seat began to vibrate. Glancing at the number, the Collector picked up the phone.

“Yes,” the Collector greeted, watching as another news van turned. “Of course. I’ll take care of everything. Goodbye.”

As soon as the call disconnected, the Collector pressed the number one on the keypad. The phone rang several times, which was highly unusual. Concern darkened his eyes as he stared at the horde of shifters gathered further down the road.

“I’m here,” the voice on the other end said in a rough, husky tone.

“It’s done,” the Collector said. “Badger?”

“Left the country. I’m searching for him,” the man replied. “What of Wyland?”

“She escaped before the Secret Service could catch her. She is currently in Eastern Europe. The Hyena stated he didn’t know anything. He was released on bond and has disappeared,” The Collector stated.

“I need to lay low for a while,” the man murmured. “I’ll continue to search for Badger, though.”

The Collector frowned. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” the man replied in a clipped tone before he released a long breath. “I need time to heal away from prying eyes. They are used to me disappearing. I’ll keep in contact.”

“If you need assistance, let me know,” the Collector instructed. “It is a good thing that the female is the last of her kind.”

“She’s not,” the man retorted in a stiff voice.

The Collector drew in a deep, hissing breath. “Are you sure? I was informed that there were no others, that they had perished.”

“Positive,” the man said. “That is one reason I’m disappearing for a while. With Badger on the loose and with Wyland’s financial support, they are in danger.”

“Let me know what you find out,” the Collector said, deep in thought. “This may change things.”

“I will.”

The Collector slowly lowered the phone and dropped it back into the passenger seat. Staring out the window, a deeper appreciation for the human began to build. Perhaps there was still a way to make a profit off of the situation. Leaning forward, the Collector shifted the SUV into drive and carefully pulled away.

Life had just become much more interesting. The anonymous phone call to certain key political and media sources had proven successful. If everything worked out, a vow made centuries before would be honored.

Later that night, Ella stood by the window in theirTy’s and her living quarters. Ty was quietly talking to Tracy, Van, and Peterson. She had finally wandered over to the window, curious and fascinated by all the excitement over her existence. She stared out into the night. In the distance, behind the tall wrought iron gates, she could see the lights from several dozen news organizations. Headlights from cars driving by and the colorful lights of the authorities lighting up the sky, blocking out the stars with their ambient light.

“Pretty incredible, isn’t it?” Tracy said, coming to stand next to her.

“Yes,” Ella softly replied.

“How are you doing?” Tracy asked, turning to look at Ella instead of the gathering crowd.

Ella’s lips curved up in a rueful smile. “Better than a couple of weeks ago,” she admitted. “My talk with Ben this morning helped.”

“Why? What was wrong?” Tracy asked, worried.

Ella glanced at Tracy and released a dry laugh before she looked away again. “Do you remember when we went to Ben’s clinic after you and Ty rescued me from that woman’s house?”

Tracy nodded. “Yes,” she said, confused. “I overheard Ben swear to Ty that you weren’t hurt.”

Ella swallowed and slid her hand down over her stomach. “I wasn’t. Ty insisted that Ben examine me to make sure. He wouldn’t even let Ben take care of his own injuries until Ben had given me a thorough examination to make sure I was okay,” Ella explained. “He ran some tests and one of the tests came up positive.”

“A pregnancy test,” Tracy murmured, suddenly understanding. “We thought it was the trauma of your kidnapping that had made you so withdrawn. But… why would you be upset about being pregnant? You love my brother, don’t you?”

Ella glanced at Tracy and nodded. “Yes, very much,” she assured Tracy. “I was upset because of the tales I was told growing up. This morning, I finally had the nerve to ask Ben about them. I wanted to ensure that Ty and my child lived, even if it meant….  Ella swallowed and glanced at Ty. He was staring at her, even as he nodded to something that Peterson was saying to Van and himself. “I have been raised to believe that any child between a shifter and a human meant death for the human mother. The shifter child would eat its way out of the mother’s body. If the child was more human than shifter, then the shifters would kill it. Either way, it would be a death sentence for me and possibly for my child.”

Tracy drew in a loud, surprised breath and shook her head. “That’s crazy! I’ve never heard of a shifter baby doing anything like that to its mother! As far as us killing a baby, that is just… disgusting! Surely you don’t believe that Ty would ever kill a child, much less his own?” She demanded.

“I knew he wouldn’t kill our child, but I wasn’t sure about the other,” Ella admitted, folding her arms protectively around her waist. “All I had were the stories I was raised with. What else was I supposed to believe? Ben explained how shifters were born and that very few mothers died in childbirth. It sounded very similar to our births.”

“Thank goodness,” Tracy breathed with a strained laugh. “You had me worried there for a minute there. Ben is the best of the best. He’ll take care of you and your cubs.”

“That’s what he said,” Ella replied, still staring out at the lights.

“What’s wrong? Something else is bothering you,” Tracy said, touching Ella’s right arm. “You know we are here for you, don’t you? If there is anything you are worried about or don’t understand, just ask.”

Ella hesitated before she turned to gaze into Tracy’s eyes. She could see the truth behind Tracy’s words. This woman, not much older than herself, reminded her so much of Jayden. A wave of homesickness washed over Ella.

“What’s wrong?” Ty demanded.

Ella sniffed and blinked, trying to clear the sudden tears in her eyes. Ben had warned her that she might become emotional, that women throughout their pregnancy often did. It would appear that he was right.

“I miss Jayden,” Ella muttered, wiping at her eyes. “It is freezing out there and I’m in here. What is going to happen if the rest of the world finds out about them, Ty? Look how crazy they are and there is just me! What would they do if they found the others? What happens if they start looking for them?” She whispered, staring at the glittering lights. “What have I done?”

Ty glanced at Tracy, who nodded in understanding. He carefully drew Ella into his arms, holding her close to his body and resting his head on the top of hers. Behind him, he heard the door to their rooms open and close. He carefully turned her in his arms.

“Tracy, Van, Peterson, and I have already been talking about that. They are the only ones that know about the others and where they were last seen. They are going to go warn them and offer them sanctuary,” Ty quietly explained. “We will do everything we can to protect not only your clan, Ella, but any other humans that might be out there.”

“They won’t trust you,” Ella murmured, resting her head against his chest. “They won’t trust the shifters.”

“We’ll do whatever we have to do in order to convince them. We’ll reassure your people that we don’t want to harm them,” Ty said. “Dad said my aunt is calling a special session with the heads of the Congress. She is asking for funds to create a safe haven for any and all humans that may still exist. She is also calling for laws to be immediately enacted to make it illegal to harm any human. There are already laws in place to protect any artifacts or known historical sites where humans once dwelled. She wants those laws to be expanded to include living humans. Don’t underestimate her, Ella. My aunt is a very intelligent woman with a lot of power. She is also a very popular leader. She wants you to speak on behalf of the humans before Congress in a few weeks.”

“She wants me to….” Ella’s eyes grew large with shock. “Are you crazy?! I can’t speak in front of… of other shifters!”

“I’ll be there beside you,” Ty promised, lifting his hands and cupping her cheeks. “We’ll do it together. We’ll convince them of how rare, how precious, you and your people are. They’ll love you, Ella.”

“What if they don’t?” She asked, afraid. “What if they want to hunt down my friends and my clan and destroy them?”

“We won’t let them,” Ty swore. “It is time to give your people a place where they are safe from fear, Ella. Even if they choose to remain in the forest and mountains, they should be able to do it without wondering if they will survive a harsh winter, drought, or loss of their homes because of a shifter.”

“I won’t tell them about my clan,” Ella warned, staring up at him with a determined expression. “I will only speak of myself. I will not betray them any more than I have already done.”

“I know you won’t, and neither will I or the others,” Ty promised. “You are a true treasure, Ella. I hope your clan will one day realize that.”

“I hope that one day they will forgive me,” she whispered, staring up at him with a dark sorrow in her eyes.

*.*.*

Ty gazed into her eyes, his heart bleeding for the sorrow he saw reflected there. Bending, he captured her lips, kissing her as if there were no tomorrow. He wanted to pull the sadness away from her, set it ablaze, and cast the ashes to the wind so that it could never touch her again.

Ella deserved happiness. She was a beautiful, strong woman with an incredibly magnificent soul. Her spirit and her love for her people captured his heart, and he wanted to protect her from all the horrors that lurked in the dark shadows.

He knew their journey would be dangerous. Ella was right to be wary of some of the shifters out there, those like Isabella Wyland, who would try to capture Ella for their own selfish purposes. There were those who would try to exploit the humans for their own greed. That was why they needed to speak out. It was the only way to protect Ella and any other humans who existed somewhere out there in the world.

Ty deepened the kiss, drawing a soft groan of need from them both. His tongue swept inside, dueling with her tongue before he pulled back to caress her upper lip with the tip. His breathing increased when she sucked on his bottom lip before pulling back to stare up at him.

“I want you,” she whispered, raising a trembling hand up to run it along his face. “I love you, Ty Bearclaw. Whatever happens in the future, I want you to know that.”

Ty turned his head enough to press his heated lips against her fingers. “The future will bring us our first child, a new life, a better one.”

His breath caught when Ella smiled and nodded. His hand rose and he wrapped his fingers around her hand and stepped back. Turning, he switched off the lamp next to the couch. In the faint light coming through the windows, they walked through the living room and down the hallway to their bedroom. Once inside, Ty turned Ella and captured her wrists. Pulling her arms up until they were shoulder high, he backed her up against the door and kissed her again.

“What did Ben say about you having sex while you were pregnant?” Ty murmured against her lips, pressing a series of kisses along her jaw. “Did he say it would be a problem?”

“He warned me that I might crave sex more as my hormone levels increase during pregnancy. I told him about the morning sickness among the human women who got pregnant. He said that shifter women don’t get morning sickness. Instead, shifter women become more aroused throughout their pregnancy. He believes because I am pregnant with a shifter child, I will be the same,” Ella softly explained, groaning and rubbing herself against him. “I think he is right.”

Ty’s body hardened when Ella stretched upward and rubbed against him. His eyes briefly closed when he felt her hand sliding down to brush against his cock. In retaliation, he nipped at her throat and was rewarded by the fragrant scent of her arousal. Deep down, he felt his bear moan in delight.

Too long,
his bear muttered.
You need mate more often.

We’ve been just a little busy, in case you forgot,
Ty growled back.

Make more time,
his bear snorted.
I help.

Oh, no, you don’t!
Ty started to respond, but it was too late. He could feel the sudden, primitive need to claim rushing through him like a drug.
Damn you!

The sound of his bear’s response echoed through his head. The damn beast in him was determined to make this a very long, very enjoyable night. Something told Ty that it would be a waste of his time and energy to complain, not that he really wanted to anyway.

Well, if you can’t fight your inner beast, you might as well join him,
Ty thought.

You welcome,
his bear happily sighed.

Pain in the ass,
Ty retorted before returning his complete focus on Ella.

Pulling Ella’s hands to his shoulders, he released them and reached down and gripped the bottom of her sweater. It didn’t take long for him to discard it. Once again, he was thankful for her lack of inclination for wearing a bra. His lips captured one taut peak and he sucked hard on it, drawing a cry of desire from Ella.

He could feel her fingers curl into his shirt. He teased her nipple until it was rosy and throbbing before he turned his attention to her left breast. He did the same, sucking, nipping, sucking some more, and teasing it with his tongue until she was writhing against the door.

“Ty!” Ella moaned, cupping the back of his head and holding him against her. She raised her right leg, trying to wrap it around his upper thigh. Her hips moved in an ancient rhythm, demanding relief from the aching need. “Oh, I want you.”

“How much?” Ty demanded, sliding his hands up her torso before he stepped back and began removing his own clothing. His eyes glittered with desire. “How much do you want me, Ella?”

Ella ran her hands down along her side, gripping the top of the black tights she was wearing and peeling them down. She pushed them off and kicked them to the side. She stood in front of him, naked and proud.

“How about I show you?” She whispered, her eyes glittering with challenge.

Ty felt not only his own body jerk in surprise and excitement, but his bear’s sudden attention. Fascinated, he stumbled backwards toward their bed. He watched as she extended her hands and ran them down over his body. His cock jerked up and down in response to her confident hands.

He swallowed when he felt his legs hit the side of the bed, and he fell backwards. His gaze followed her hands as she ran them down his chest and over his flat stomach, following his hairline down to his throbbing cock and heavy sack. She reached out with her left hand and wrapped it around his shaft, holding it straight up. He could feel his Adam’s apple move up and down his throat when her right hand suddenly moved to his thigh. It didn’t stay there for long. Every nerve ending in his body ignited with fire as she slowly inched her way up to his balls. A shudder ran through his body and he groaned loudly when she cupped first one, then the other in her hand, gently massaging them with her fingers.

“So, you want to tease me, huh?” She whispered, stepping between his spread thighs.

“I… Goddess, Ella!” Ty exclaimed hoarsely.

Pleasure exploded through Ty and he swore his brain, not to mention his body, was about to self-combust from the heat building up inside him. Ella was using more than her hands on him. Her tongue ran over his left ball and she gently sucked on him like he had on her breasts just minutes earlier. Her right hand continued to move up and down, stopping along the base of his cock to caress it before moving to the tip to spread his hot pre-cum over the sensitive head.