Skin Walkers - King (12 page)

The action had King hard in an instant.  She was toying with him,
teasing him, begging to be dominated.  In one swift movement, Lilly’s arms were pinned above her head again as she squirmed and kicked, her legs inadvertently parting and allowing him to settle between them.  He held her down with his weight.  She could only watch and struggle as his free hand pulled the halo from around his throat.  It hissed and she could smell seared flesh as it branded him upon removal.  Panic hit hard and renewed her into the fight.

Thrashing beneath his weight she heard King mumble a curse as he adjusted his weight and pinned her more firmly.  “Damn it, Lilly.  Be still!”

She moaned at the friction on her clit, but just as quickly, fearful tears flooded her eyes and she stilled.  “King, please don’t!”  Her eyes darted between his halo he held suspended over her face and the welted brand on his neck.

When King realized that Lilly thought the halo would brand her too, he felt like an ass.  “It only brands the male
.  It won’t hurt you. 
I
won’t ever hurt you.”

Large blue eyes found his, “Why are you doing this?  Don’t do this!  This isn’t what we agreed to.  I’m not yours.”

“You are mine!” he couldn’t help the growl that rumbled in the back of his throat.  “You are mine to protect, mine to claim.”

“King…”

He spoke over whatever her next words would be.  “I King Rish Mulholland, take you, Lilly Worthington, to be my friend, my lover, the mother of my children, my wife, my mate…my angel.”

The tears Lilly had been holding in check breached and slipped down
the sides of her face as she could only listen to his vow, slowly shaking her head.  “No.”

“
I will be your strength in times of weakness, your want in times of need, your joy in times of sorrow.  I will sacrifice my health, my triumph, my hopes, and my desires to put your needs ahead of my own. I promise to cherish and respect you, to care for you, and protect your life and the lives of our…” he stalled a moment before continuing, “children with my very own. I vow to comfort and encourage you, to guard and keep you, and to love you until my time on this earth ends.” 

He inched the halo toward her throat and Lilly rushed to talk some sense into him.  “You’re leaving remember?”  She blinked rapidly to stop her tears, damning her heart for having melted into a puddle of mush at his words.  “When your year’s up
, you’re going to go home, King.  Don’t you want to go home?”  She tried to sound hopeful.

His hand stilled and his eyes locked with hers.  “You are my home.”  He thrust his hand forward and the halo clicked into place around the slender column of Lilly’s throat
with a flash. 

She lifted a hand to fight, but all the strength melted from her body, leaving her warm and
boneless.  She’d have panicked had she not been willing to bet on the lives of her unborn children that King would protect her in her current state.  Her eyes fluttered closed and the last thing she thought was,
Unborn children!
  If Jenny’s plan had worked, she could be healed, could be conceiving King’s child even as her eyes caught one last glimpse of the triumphant grin that split his features before her world went black.  Lilly Worthington had just been claimed!

Chapter
20

Jenny hung up the phone in her office and turned with a snarl to the unsuspecting Walker Nurse who’d just entered.  Her hand clamped around Stoney’s throat as she shoved the shorter Walker against the wall and sneered through gnashed teeth, “You told Lilly?”
  Jenny was more than angry, she was terrified.  She’d done everything right, hadn’t she?  Now, her world was unraveling.  She’d done all she could to keep Lilly and King from each other, and then Lilly had gone to him anyway.  Stoney must have told Lilly that King was her mate.  Why else would Monroe’s typically reserved personal assistant specifically request a mating with him?

At first startled, Stoney’s surprise gave way to an eerie calm. 
“I haven’t said a thing to Lilly.”  Stoney’s eyes darkened just before they jerked down to the hand at her throat.  “I like you, Jen.  Always have.  But if you don’t get your fucking hands off me, I’m going to show you that while I might work for you,” her angry eyes found Jenny’s, “
this
won’t work for you!”

“Jenny!
”  The shocked word had Jenny spinning.  When her eyes locked on the questioning gaze of Bishop Arkinson, an overwhelming need seized her with such fiery intent that she released Stoney to double-over, clawing at the sudden fire in her lower belly.

“Jenny!
”  Stoney was at her side in an instant.  The Walker nurse’s startled gaze darted between Jenny and Bishop before Jenny saw understanding suddenly click in the Walker woman’s eyes.

Bishop was halfway across the room when Stoney rushed to plant herself in front of Jenny.  “Bishop, you need to go.”

“What’s wrong with her?”  He made to step around Stoney, but she followed to block his path.  “She’s been ill.  You need to leave so I can treat her.”

“Jenny?” he spoke over Stoney’s head.

From behind her, Stoney heard Jenny’s pain-filled, “Please leave, Bishop.”

The Walker Sentry scowled down at Stoney, his blue eyes flashing with indecision. 

“The longer you stall, the longer she’s in pain.”  Stoney prodded, “Please leave us.”

Bishop
growled angrily before turning to stalk from the room.

Alone, Stoney turned to kneel beside Jenny as
Jenny’s knees gave out and she slammed to the floor, holding her abdomen and rocking back and forth, as tears streamed down her face.

“Jesus Christ, Jen!  Why didn’t you tell me?”  There was no anger in the words
, no accusation, only concern.  She pulled Jenny into her arms and hugged her tight.  “You dummy.  Did you really think you could do this on your own?”  She rocked the Chief of Surgery back and forth realizing now why it was so important for Jenny to find a remedy for the Walker affliction.  Jenny Houlton and Bishop Arkinson were mates.

***

A few hours later, and having composed herself fully, Jenny smiled genuinely at Stoney as the nurse handed her a thermometer.

“Worst case scenario is that it doesn’t work,” Lilly mimicked in a whiny tone
sitting red faced on the exam table and glaring at Jenny as the Doctor rolled the thermometer along her forehead to take her temperature.  “This!”  Lilly jabbed a finger toward the door, “Should have probably topped the worst case scenario list!”

Jenny shrugged one slim shoulder looking sheepish, “Come on, Lill,
it’s not that bad.”

“Not that bad?”
  Lilly threw herself back on the exam table, one slender arm lifting to rest on her forehead.  “I’ve just been…
claimed!
  And by a Walker that I…”  She let her words die off as she sat up, crossed her arms over her chest, and scowled in displeasure.

Jenny inched cl
oser, “So, you don’t like him?”  She replaced the thermometer and pulled out a large syringe, turning toward her patient.  

“It’s not the point if I like him or not.  The point is, he’s claimed me and according to Stoney, that is permanent to a Walker.  He thinks I’m his
, Jenny!”

“You are.”

Lilly’s head snapped in the direction of the door, recognizing King’s enraged tone instantly.  “King!” she growled in a rumble that would have made a Walker proud.  “Get out!”

“Is she o
kay,” he ignored Lilly to turn concerned eyes on Jenny.  His eyes rounded momentarily as he eyed the large syringe in the Doctor’s hand.  “Why is she here?  What’s wrong with her?  Is she not fully healed?”  He paled, “Should we have waited.”  His eyes darted to the syringe again, “What’s that for?”

“Easy,” Jenny chuckled, surprisingly much more light hearted now that she was no longer carrying the weight of her secret alone.  “One question at a time, big guy.”
  She took a step toward Lilly and was cut off.

Clearly, unable to control himself, King snarled darting in front of his mate with his claws extended, prepared to protect her.

Lilly’s anger waned as a shiver rolled through her.  She’d always dreamed of being the type of woman to elicit such possessive behavior from someone as purely male and commanding as King Mulholland.  It was flattering, and she’d never realized how much she wanted a man to treat her that way until King had started.

“She just needs a blood sample, King.”  Lilly’s voice was soft with resignation.  Clearly, he wasn’t leaving.  “Please move and let her get what she needs.”
  Wanting nothing more than to curl up in King’s arms and have him carry her back to her cabin, Lilly knew Jenny was eager to run tests and see how the mating was affecting her.

“Don’t hurt her,” King’s growled warning had Lilly smiling despite herself.  When he finally stepped to the side, Jenny advanced with a roll of her eyes.

“She’s not just my patient, King.  She’s my friend.  I won’t hurt her.”

Jenny got her sample while Lilly fought back a wince.  King was watching her like hawk and she knew that if she showed even the slightest hint of discomfort that Jenny’d never get her sample.

Beside her, King tensed and didn’t blink for several long moments before he finally growled and plowed a hand into his short hair.  “I have to go.  Monroe needs me.”  He sounded angry at being summoned.  “Will you be okay?”

Lilly smiled, “I’m fine.  Go.”  When he didn’t immediately move, she commanded more firmly, “GO!”

Before she could react, he had a hand buried in the hair at the base of Lilly’s neck as he tilted her face up to gently assault her mouth.  The kiss was over before Lilly even realized that instead of protesting, she’d melted into it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

King flicked a dark look at Jenny and it was all warning.  Jenny snorted an, “I know!” before shooing King from the room.

Once alone Jenny heaved a sigh of relief.  “You wanna wait while I run your blood and urine?  Or do you want me to call you later with results?
”

Lilly reclined back on the table.  “I’ll wait.  King’s going to see Monroe and I need a break.”

Jenny smiled.  “Okay.  Be back in a few.”  With that, she left the exam room.

Forty long minutes later,
Lilly was pacing the exam room when Jenny returned, her face flushed and her eyes dancing wildly as she rushed in and closed the door before, surprisingly, locking it behind her.  Jenny’s eyes gleamed with excitement.  “It took!”

The two simple words had Lilly reeling.  Blindly, she reached for the counter to steady herself.  “Really?
  I’m healed?  So soon?  Is that even possible.”

Jenny’s
eyes brightened and she smiled, shaking her head as she grabbed both of Lilly’s hands and leveled her with a stare.  “No, Lilly.  It took.  It worked.  You’re pregnant!”

“No!” 
It couldn’t be.  Not this soon!
  “You must be wrong.  It’s too soon.  We just…”  She ran the gamut of her emotions, first shock, excitement, and then fear, quickly followed by trepidation.  Slowly she shook her head as her body began to tremble.  “I-I didn’t think it’d work.  Are you certain?”  Her eyes shot to Jenny’s.  “Are you one hundred percent sure?”

“
That’s what took me so long.  I ran the tests and re-ran them.  I ran ‘em four times.  I knew it looked promising from your ultrasound, but this!  It must have been the claiming, the halo.  Aren’t you excited?”  Jenny squealed, pulling Lilly into a bruising hug.  “It worked, Lill!  It actually fucking worked!”

Chapter
21

She’d been a damn fool! 

After several pre-natal screenings, and with a half dozen bottles of pre-natal vitamins shoved into her purse, Lilly raced from the infirmary back to her cabin before King could return. 

Setting her mug of hot chocolate on the counter in her kitchen,
Lilly paced nervously.  Why she’d thought sleeping with King would get him out of her system, she had no idea.  He hadn’t left her system, in fact, if it were possible, she wanted him more, and she hated herself for it.  She’d fallen for him.  She couldn’t extinguish the inexplicable and unwarranted hope that pulsed through her when the vision of a future with King flitted through her, and it was infuriating because she knew it wasn’t what he wanted.  She was a lovesick fool chasing the God of her idolatry and he was more than disinterested.  He was oblivious.

If he were disinterested, I wouldn’t still be wearing this. 
Slender fingers clamped around the halo that still hung around the slender column of her throat like a tag of ownership.  He could have taken his halo back, but he hadn’t, and other Walkers had seen it.  In Skin Walker eyes, Lilly belonged to King. 

Lilly paced nervously.  She’d decided to tell King of her conception.  He was due to arrive any minute, and her belly was in knots!

Her plan was to be calm, smooth, and authoritative.  She’d simply tell him what had happened and that it’d be the end of it. 
But I don’t want that to be the end of it. 
A frown tugged her delicate brows down.  She was attempting to hide from herself the fact that once he heard the news, a part of her was hoping King would profess his love and they’d live happily ever after.  It was a foolish dream.  Regardless of what he’d said when they’d been together, King’s plan had always been to return to his base at the end of the year.  Sure, he’d told her differently, but men often made false proclamations when they were balls deep in a woman’s moist heat.  The thought had her cheeks flaming.  She still couldn’t believe she’d asked Monroe to send King to her.  She shook her head, and a smirk tugged at her lips.  She still couldn’t believe that King had obeyed the order.  It had to have meant something didn’t it?  The fact that King had come to her so willingly. 
Sure, it meant he wanted to get laid!

A knock on the door jerked her out of her reverie and she smoothed trembling hands down the front of her jeans as she paced to the door like a woman being led to the gallows.
  As soon as the door was open, King leveled his gaze on her and his nostrils flared.  He was scenting her already.  Attempting to gauge her mood.

“King,” she stepped to the side, making a sweeping motion with her hand.  “Please come in.” 
God this was it!  Time to come clean.
  With his back to her as he entered, she jumped right in, knowing she’d lose her nerve if he looked at her again with those possessive, green, eyes.

“You know I was injured.  You k
new the state of my body, of the damage done to me.”  Her hand brushed over her abdomen as she kept her eyes pinned on his boots.  “Dr. Houlton was certain that she could heal the damage with Walker…
samples.
  She had a list of candidates.  During the course of our experimentation, it was suggested that actual copulation with a Walker would be more successful, which is why I had Monroe send you to me.  I…”

“
Wait.”

Lilly’s eyes jerked up and she was surprised to find confusion registered on King’s handsome features. 

“What?  Am I going too fast?”

“I was informed of no experimentation on you and I certainly
wouldn’t have permitted it.”  His expression darkened.  “And I wasn’t aware that there was a list of potential candidates,” his scowl deepened to a dangerous rumble. “Was I even on this list?”  His hands curled into tight fists, jealousy evident in the taut lines of his body.  His nostrils flared and his lip curled back as he demanded with a snarl, “Were there others, Lilly?”

Eyes round, Lilly breathed, “
No!  Just you, King.  There’s only ever been you.”

He took a step towards her and stopped
, “Was I on the list?”

“No.  But I wanted it to be you.  T-that’s why I asked Monroe to send you to me.”

He took another step and stopped again as if holding himself back.  She wasn’t afraid.  She knew he’d eat his own heart before ever harming a hair on her head, but still she didn’t want him getting the wrong impression.

“Jenny
gave me a list of candidates to choose from.  I didn’t want any of them.  I chose you.  I only ever wanted you.”

His now black eyes lowered to her abdomen.  “You were hoping to heal inside.”  His head snapped up.  “Why?”
  He didn’t wait for a response and Lilly could practically see the pieces of the puzzle falling into place.  “You needed a sample from the source.  Copulation.”  He took another step closer.  “You said you weren’t mine because I’d be leaving.”  Another step.  “You wanted a Walker that wouldn’t tie you down.  No complications.”  One more step and he was directly in front of her, his voice came out both terrified and awed.  “Lilly?”

Swallowing hard, she balled her hands into tiny fists.  “I’m pregnant, King.  With our child.”
 

***

King didn’t trust what he’d just heard.  Since meeting Lilly, his intense need for her was constantly giving fuel to his fevered imagination.  He’d wanted her from the instant he’d seen her.  He wanted her laid out before him, taking all of him,
accepting
all of him as he claimed her.  He wanted her swollen from his seed and with his child.  The first time he’d realized he wanted a family with Lilly it had hit him like a kick to the balls, and one that he’d never truly recovered from…until now.  Hope surged to the fore and he was having difficulty quieting the jubilant beasts within who were already certain of what they’d just heard. 

He blinked hard and commanded his body to move.  It refused.  He was frozen
; clinging on the precipice of what could be his greatest joy or his greatest let down.  His ears strained so hard that he was picking up sounds from two cabins down.  “What did you say?”  The words were spoken quietly, almost as if he was afraid to ask.  Afraid to discover he’d misheard. 

He watched indecision war on the most beautiful face he’d ever seen.  “I-I’m…” her head dipped
as if she were losing her bravado.  “I’m pregnant.”  She looked up and leveled him with clear blue eyes.  “From you.”

King staggered his feet to keep from reeling at Lilly’s admission. 
Could it be?
  His nostrils flared as he scented her.  Suddenly, he dropped to his knees and gripped her hips, gently pulling her until his nose was buried against her abdomen.  He inhaled again and there it was.  Barely there, only just the slightest hint of new life, but it existed and it was a glorious combination of his and Lilly’s scents.  An emotional growl rumbled up from the back of his throat and he hugged Lilly’s waist, burying his face there lest she see the emotional tears that flooded his eyes.

“King,” her voice was timid as one of her hands gripped his shoulder while the other buried in his hair.  “I know you didn’t sign up for this.
”  She massaged his scalp, as only a lover would.  “I want you to know I’m not expecting anything, and…” her voice broke as tears slipped free.  When he pulled back to look up at her she smiled weakly, “And I’m so damn grateful for this gift.  You’ve given me back something that I thought I’d lost forever.”  More tears slipped free.  “When your year is up and you go back to your post, I want you to know that you’ll never have to worry about the baby.  I love it so much already that I can barely breathe.”

King swallowed down the emotion clogging his throat and responded with fascinated realization.  “Me too.” 
He saw hope flash in her blue eyes and it bolstered him. “I’m not walking away, Lilly.” His voice rang with promise.  “I’m staying here, with you, and we’re raising our child together.”  He stood and without another word, he bent and gathered her in his arms.  When he looked down, he was relieved to find that trust shone in her pale eyes.

Lilly swallowed hard at the feral lust that darkened
his eyes.  His look was intense and sent a shiver coursing through her.  A growl rumbled from King’s chest and sent a punch of lust shooting through Lilly straight to her sex.  She wanted him. 

Keeping one arm wrapped under her arms, King released her legs and
shifted her body so he was holding her with her arms and legs now wrapped around him.  One strong arm shelved her ass to effortlessly hold her up.

Lilly groaned and tried to stop the responsive roll of her hips.  She couldn’t.  Regardless of what her mind said, her body instantly recognized its match, its mate.  She was dying with the need for intimate touching.  “King?”

He was already moving, and the friction created by each of his steps had her clit throbbing as she continued to rub against him like a contented cat.

In her room, King placed her on her feet and stripped her bare before ripping his clothes off.  He stepped into her and she had no choice b
ut to back up as the warm, satiny, slide of his skin against hers pushed her toward the bed.  Once the backs of her knees found the mattress, he eased her down and crawled over her.  His eager little kitten spread her legs, allowing him to settle in the craddle of her hips before she reached for him.

“Lilly,”
he braced over her and grabbed one of her hands.  “Do you know that you are mine?”

Staring at him, she thought on his words before silently nodding.  Few things in her life had ever felt right, but belonging to King was the truest she’d ever felt.

His eyes darkened and he frowned, not taking his eyes from hers.  “Do you know that I love you?”

She inhaled sharply and shook her head. 

King pulled back, straightening to rest on his heels.  He pulled her up until she was straddled across his thighs.  One hand clamped on her bare ass, pulling her closer while the other smoothed up her back, flattening her breasts against his chest.  Her willowy arms wrapped around him.  “I do love you.  I love you more than I’ve ever loved anything or anyone, and you make me proud to have the honor of being your mate.”

“King,” she licked her lips as tears stung at the backs of her eyes.  “I love you.”

His mouth descended on hers .  His kiss was explosive and demandingly possessive as he devoured her mouth, her body, her heart, and her soul with feral possession. 

Lying in King’s arms hours later, Lilly traced her finger over his chest.  “Do you hope it’s a boy or a girl?”

He contemplated a moment before saying, “I hope our child is healthy.  I hope it’s all you want.  I hope I’m a good father.  I hope this isn’t just a dream.”

Her eyes welled with tears and
they slipped free onto his chest.

“
Don’t cry, my queen.  I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“I’m not upset,” she pulled back to lean over him so he could see the sincerity in her eyes.  “I’m happy.”  She bent and kissed her Walker. 
She spoke against his lips, “I’m so impossibly happy, my King.”

Strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her flush against his body as King whispered, “Me too
, my queen.”