My Brother's Keeper (24 page)

Aiden sat up. "Her what?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "Never mind, Aiden, lost cause. Trust me."

"All your fields are belong to us," Meryn said in a robotic tone.

Everyone looked at Amelia who winced. "I introduced her to FarmVille."

"I will take over the world. Ma-ha-ha-ha!" Meryn shook both fists in the air.

Anne laughed at Meryn's quirky excitement over an Internet game.

When the doorbell rang, Anne wasn't the only one who looked around and mentally did a head check. Who could be at the door if they were all here?

Meryn hopped out of her recliner and headed for the door.

"Meryn," Aiden called.

Meryn froze and turned to him, tapping her foot. "Well, come on."

Aiden walked past her as everyone got up to look into the foyer. 

Aiden opened the door. "Can I help you?"

"I was told the Sei Ryuu served in this household," a male voice stated in accented English.

Aiden held the door open, and a small man in traditional Japanese dress entered slowly, taking in his surroundings.

Anne watched as Ryuu walked in from the hallway; his eyes looked haunted. Kendrick walked past Colton and Gavriel to stand next to his friend.

The small man began to speak in Japanese.

Ryuu shook his head. "Out of respect for the owners of this house, please speak in English."

The man inclined his head slightly and continued. "Sei Ryuu, your services are required in the main household. Your contract is still valid." The man held up his arm and pulled back his sleeve. A faint grayish-blue tattoo wound around the man's wrist and up his forearm.

Ryuu bowed at the waist, apparently returning the man's gesture, and shook his head. "I was banished, I cannot return."

The man stepped forward. "You will do as you are ordered. It is disgraceful that you would come here and serve such as these."

"
Mizushima-dono
, how did you find me?"

The man's eyes flashed. "You dare address me in this way? Have you forgotten your purpose? Your friend at the main house was so excited to hear from you, he had to let everyone know that you were alive and doing well here in Lycaonia. How dare you serve anyone other than your master? Come!" The man pointed to the space next to him as if he was calling a dog to heel.

Ryuu looked down at Meryn. "Maybe this is for the best. My poor judgement almost got you killed today. I don't deserve to be at your side."

Meryn gave a low cry and flung her arms around Ryuu. "No!"

"
Denka
, please."

"
Denka
? This lowly creature? She is human." The man spat every word.

"
Denka...
" Ryuu tried to disentangle Meryn's arms from around his waist.

She shook her head back and forth. "No! No! No! No! You're
mine
." She looked up, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Do you hear me? You're
mine
! You're
my
family, you and Felix." She held up her arm where her own tattoo was blazing a bright royal blue. "You promised." She looked at him, unable to catch her breath. "I love you."

Those three words straightened Ryuu's back. He wrapped an arm around Meryn and looked at the small man. "I have bound myself in service to
denka
. The contract I had with your family is completed. It ended the day you exiled me from my country. The mark on your arm will continue to fade as will any power that was attached to it. I wish you luck in your future endeavors." Ryuu bowed, clearly dismissing the man, then stood tall. 

Anne felt like jumping up and down. Meryn was a sniffling mess. She'd never be dignified or elegant, but it was clear to everyone that Ryuu cherished her love more than any prestige that could be found by returning to his old family.

The small man's face turned a dangerous shade of red. He held up his wrist and whispered a word. Ryuu jerked forward slightly, a pained expression on his face.

Meryn stood back. "Ryuu?" She turned and saw what Ryuu's former master was doing. She moved until she stood in front of Ryuu and held up her wrist. Whatever had been pulling Ryuu forward was negated by Meryn's tattoo.

Kendrick stepped between Meryn and Ryuu, and the outraged man. He shook his head at Aiden who had been reaching for the interloper. Kendrick grinned.

"Mizushima, was it?" he asked.

"Do not speak to me, dog." The man righted his robes.

"You showed me yours, now let me show you mine." Kendrick rolled up his right sleeve. His muscled forearm was encircled by a red, a black and a silvery white bands that formed intricate knot work. A phoenix, a black tortoise, and a white tiger wrapped around his wrist.

The man began to shake and took a step backward. "Impossible! You're a foreigner!"

Kendrick cracked his neck. "I don't see how that has anything to do with it." He walked slowly up to the man and grabbed his right wrist. Seconds later, the man was screaming as smoke rose from where Kendrick gripped him tightly. He released the man, letting him fall to the floor. He stood over him, a cold expression on his face. "All those years ago, I had to stand by and watch you treat my friend like a dog, and I could do nothing. He is free of you and your ilk, and I don't have to play nice anymore. Whatever hold on him you had is gone." He pointed to the mangled mess he had made of the man's arm. "That is your one and only warning: Leave. And never come near my family again." Kendrick waved his hand and the front door swung open violently. He crossed his arms over his chest. Mizushima scrambled on all fours out the door, which slammed behind him.

"And
that
is how you kick ass," Colton said grinning from ear to ear.

"
Kono-yaro
!" Meryn called after the man.

Ryuu looked down at Meryn in shock. "
Denka
, where did you learn such language?"

Meryn whirled on Ryuu "Anime." She began poking him in the chest. "Where in the hell did you get the idea I'd be better off without you?" Meryn continued poking him while he smiled down at her. "Forget I said anything,
denka
.
" 

Aiden walked over to the squire and clapped him on the shoulder. "We couldn't live without you; you're family."

Ryuu stepped back, placed his fist over his heart, and bowed low. "I swear to serve your house for as long as there are family members to serve."

"And cook yummy food!" Colton added.

"And be someone to have tea with." Rheia smiled at the squire.

Darian and Amelia nodded. "It wouldn't be home without you Ryuu," Amelia said gently.

Ryuu kept his head down, but Anne guessed it would be so that the others wouldn't see how much their words affected him.

"Now, time for your punishment." Meryn rubbed her hands together.

Ryuu stood straight, a faint smile on his handsome face. "Oh, and what would that be?"

"I want all that yummy Japanese food you promised us. Actually, Meryn two-point-oh really wants it." Meryn rubbed her stomach.

Anne turned to Kendrick. It had taken every ounce of self-discipline not to jump him after the door closed. He still stood with his feet planted shoulder-width apart, his arms crossed across his chest. The tattoos coupled with his stubble made him look dangerous and sexy. He caught her looking at him and gave her a questioning look. 

She smiled sweetly and mouthed the words,
I want you.

Colton must have seen what she said because he cracked up laughing. Kendrick grabbed her hand and made a beeline for the stairs.

"
Heika
, aren't you hungry?" Ryuu called, amusement in his voice.

"I'm going to eat upstairs!" Kendrick called down.

That sent Colton into convulsed laughter.

Anne gasped and ran to keep up with him.

*****

They checked on Keelan and then headed to her room. Never in her life had she wanted anything as much as she wanted her mate. As soon as she closed the door, she began stripping. Kendrick hurried out of his clothing and waited for her on the edge of the bed. Anne looked over at him and saw the smug expression on his face. She let her panties drop and was rewarded when his eyes began to darken. She could feel his magic now; it was racing through his veins like lightning.

Deliberately, she picked up her clothes and folded them into a neat pile on the dresser. When she bent over in front of him to pick up his magic clothes, she smiled when she heard him groan softly.

She carefully folded his clothes and laid them next to hers. She then turned and walked toward the bathroom.

"Anne, love?" he called.

She turned. "Yes?" she asked innocently.

"Where are you going?"

"To take a shower. The smell of burnt flesh from the clinic is in my hair."

"Oh." 

"You're free to join me."

He stood up. "Thought you'd never ask."

She walked into the bathroom and went directly to the shower. She turned it on to the hottest setting. When steam was pouring out, she backed it off a little and stepped in.

Kendrick stepped in behind her and moaned when the water hit his back. "This feels like heaven."

"It's going to get even better," she promised.

Kendrick pulled her wet, naked body against his. "You know, I've never done this before."

"What, shower?" she asked playfully.

He tweaked her nose. "No. I've never bathed with a woman before."

Anne reached for the soap and began to lather up the washcloth. She took the cloth and began to work small circles over his chest, slowly moving downward. When she dropped the cloth and used her soap-slicked hands to stroke him, he swallowed hard.

"Gods woman!"

She worked him fast, then slow, torturing him in the same fashion he had her the night before. When she dipped her thumb into the tiny slit, his breath exploded from his body, and he slammed both hands against the tile on either side of her head.

He looked down at her. "Please tell me you're ready."

She nodded. Wielding so much power over him had tightened things low in her body. She was aching for him.

"We're going to make a mess again," he said, lifting her up and wrapping her legs around his waist. He turned off the water.

When her hot core made contact with his stomach, she began to grind against him, trying to find relief. "I don't care; that's what magic is for," she panted.

Kendrick walked out of the shower and went directly to the bed. The water from their bodies dripped onto the covers but neither of them cared. Without warning, he struck. He plunged so deep, she screamed out her pleasure. He took her wrists and pinned them over her head. Again and again, he slammed into her. She lifted her hips with each thrust. When he began to increase his pace, she knew he was close.

"Please," she whispered.

Grinning, he moved his hips, and suddenly, heated friction from his magic was twisting and teasing her clit in time to his thrusts. It didn't take long until she her body was exploding in waves of pleasure. He thrust twice more before he yelled out his own release, collapsed on top of her, and she held him close.

"I'm dead; you've killed me," she whispered hoarsely. 

"It's the mating heat," he managed to say between gasps.

"We mated, shouldn't it be dying down?"

Kendrick shook his head against her neck. "It gets more intense as the years go by."

"I'll never make it." Anne pushed his bangs back and kissed his forehead.

He pushed himself up and slowly slid from her body causing them both to moan. On shaky legs, he walked over to the dresser. "You have to get up, love."

"Put caution tape around me; I can't move." Anne said, still trying to catch her breath.

Chuckling, he waved his hand and she began to float over to him. He righted their bed then used his magic clothing to clean them up. When she was tucked in next to him, her head on his chest, she sighed happily.

"Now that the tests are done, I can try to track down the witch responsible for the necklaces," he said quietly.

"I support you, no matter what." She placed her hand over his heart.

When he didn't reply, she sat up and kissed his lips. "Tomorrow. Worry about it tomorrow."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Being a mate I can lean on."

"You deserve no less." She kissed him again and lay back down.

"Very fitting for a queen."

She bit him gently, and he laughed. "I'm just a nurse."

"Yes ma'am." His arm tightened and she fell asleep to the beating of his heart.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

They stayed in bed until noon the next day. Every time one would go to get up, the other one pounced. Laughing, they walked hand-in-hand into the dining room just in time for lunch.

"They live! Good," Meryn teased.

Anne dropped into her chair and yawned. "I'm starving."

Kendrick sat down beside her and stifled a yawn.

Aiden pointed to the mountains of sandwiches in the center of the table. Anne reached for the sandwiches then stopped and pointed. "What's that one?"

Rheia let out an exasperated sigh then pointed at Colton. "His own special creation. It's mayonnaise, peanut butter, beef jerky, pickles, and cheese."

"Yummy!" Penny crowed, waving her sandwich about.

"They are delicious," Meryn chimed in taking a huge bite out of hers.

Anne looked over at Kendrick. "Be my guest. I'll pass." He pointed to the pile, wondering if she would really try such an odd sandwich. Anne picked one up, looked at it, and then took a bite. At first, her expression was one of horror, but the more she chewed, the less panicked she looked. She swallowed. "It's actually not that bad."

"Wonderful. Another convert." Ryuu sighed and placed a large bowl of fruit salad on the table.

Kendrick searched the large pile until he found a boring ham and cheese sandwich and dug in.