sleep, Aspen. We'll be here when you wake up."
Aspen's
breathing soon evened out and Skylar settled down beside her, his eyes still
glowing mutedly. His dream had affected
him more than he'd admitted.
" You going to tell me more about that dream?"
Xavier
could feel the shudder that went through Sky. The silence stretched between them, so long that Xavier thought Skylar
wouldn't answer the question.
"I've
always worked for the Council. Even as a
kid I spent lots of time within my adoptive father's department and time at
home was spent training. I thought that
I'd never find a case that affected me...I mean I always did the jobs expected
of me. I hated having to mete out
justice in the form of death, but I'd been trained since birth..."
Xavier
clasped his hand with Skylar's over Aspen's abdomen. Aspen nuzzled Xavier's chest in her sleep, a
purr breaking forth. Skylar sighed and
kissed Aspen's shoulder.
"I
met her in a restaurant. She came to the
table and asked how my meal was and it was instant. She didn't hesitate at all--not like
you. Her smile erased everything from my
mind and my wolf howled inside of me and I just wanted her. I never meant to betray you...but this last
case...I've never seen anything like it."
Xavier
didn't say anything, waited for Skylar to finish. He held his breath hoping that for once,
Skylar would share more than just the barest of details with him about his
job. Xavier knew that Skylar didn't keep
him in the dark on purpose, but it hurt all the same. He saw what each case slowly did to his
mate. Skylar would never admit it, but
Xavier knew the truth. Each case
affected him more than Skylar felt it should. Xavier knew that Skylar stayed away for a week or so after each case
just to collect himself. He didn’t know
whether to rail on Skylar or kiss him for saving him the darker aspects of his
job.
"Most
of the time I see the aftermath and I can handle it. I see all sorts of things that shifters do to
humans and vice versa. This time though,
I made it in time to see a victim that wasn't dead...at least she wasn't. He cut them and I know he loved to hear them
scream. The smell of her blood was
overwhelming. Then he would shift and I
know the smell of her fear got him off. He then tortured her even more, biting her and growling at her. Torture. All of it just torture. Then he'd clamp his teeth around her
neck. I tried but I couldn't save
her. I..."
"Sky,
if it's one thing I know for sure, it's that if you could've saved her then you
would have. Have you talked to you
father about this?"
Skylar
jerked his hand from Xavier's and Xavier sighed. He'd done it this time.
"He's
not my father. Just
because he took in the kid no one wanted doesn't make him my father."
"I'm
sorry, but he obviously cares for you."
"I
don't want to talk about this anymore."
Skylar
wound himself around Aspen and sighed. Xavier watched the worry that creased his face drained away as Skylar
drifted to sleep. They'd been together
for three years, yet it'd always felt as if something were missing.
Skylar
was less than forthcoming about his job and his past. Xavier never said it, but he hated that Sky
didn't feel as though he could confide in him. He would always be thankful for Skylar saving him. He still shuddered when he thought of that
day. Xavier grabbed onto Skylar's hand
and let himself drift off to sleep.
Chapter 7
Aspen
sighed and snuggled closer to the warmth radiating at her side. Smooth hot skin met her finger tips and a
purr broke free. She kneaded the flesh under her fingers careful to keep her claws sheathed. Another arm snaked around her waist and a
hard body pressed from behind. She arched into the body rubbing her buttocks over the erection
pressed there. It'd been so long since
she'd been held. It felt as though fire
were tickling her flesh and her nipples pebbled
Aspen's
breathing soon evened out and Skylar settled down beside her, his eyes still
glowing mutedly. His dream had affected
him more than he'd admitted.
" You going to tell me more about that dream?"
Xavier
could feel the shudder that went through Sky. The silence stretched between them, so long that Xavier thought Skylar
wouldn't answer the question.
"I've
always worked for the Council. Even as a
kid I spent lots of time within my adoptive father's department and time at
home was spent training. I thought that
I'd never find a case that affected me...I mean I always did the jobs expected
of me. I hated having to mete out
justice in the form of death, but I'd been trained since birth..."
Xavier
clasped his hand with Skylar's over Aspen's abdomen. Aspen nuzzled Xavier's chest in her sleep, a
purr breaking forth. Skylar sighed and
kissed Aspen's shoulder.
"I
met her in a restaurant. She came to the
table and asked how my meal was and it was instant. She didn't hesitate at all--not like
you. Her smile erased everything from my
mind and my wolf howled inside of me and I just wanted her. I never meant to betray you...but this last
case...I've never seen anything like it."
Xavier
didn't say anything, waited for Skylar to finish. He held his breath hoping that for once,
Skylar would share more than just the barest of details with him about his
job. Xavier knew that Skylar didn't keep
him in the dark on purpose, but it hurt all the same. He saw what each case slowly did to his
mate. Skylar would never admit it, but
Xavier knew the truth. Each case
affected him more than Skylar felt it should. Xavier knew that Skylar stayed away for a week or so after each case
just to collect himself. He didn’t know
whether to rail on Skylar or kiss him for saving him the darker aspects of his
job.
"Most
of the time I see the aftermath and I can handle it. I see all sorts of things that shifters do to
humans and vice versa. This time though,
I made it in time to see a victim that wasn't dead...at least she wasn't. He cut them and I know he loved to hear them
scream. The smell of her blood was
overwhelming. Then he would shift and I
know the smell of her fear got him off. He then tortured her even more, biting her and growling at her. Torture. All of it just torture. Then he'd clamp his teeth around her
neck. I tried but I couldn't save
her. I..."
"Sky,
if it's one thing I know for sure, it's that if you could've saved her then you
would have. Have you talked to you
father about this?"
Skylar
jerked his hand from Xavier's and Xavier sighed. He'd done it this time.
"He's
not my father. Just
because he took in the kid no one wanted doesn't make him my father."
"I'm
sorry, but he obviously cares for you."
"I
don't want to talk about this anymore."
Skylar
wound himself around Aspen and sighed. Xavier watched the worry that creased his face drained away as Skylar
drifted to sleep. They'd been together
for three years, yet it'd always felt as if something were missing.
Skylar
was less than forthcoming about his job and his past. Xavier never said it, but he hated that Sky
didn't feel as though he could confide in him. He would always be thankful for Skylar saving him. He still shuddered when he thought of that
day. Xavier grabbed onto Skylar's hand
and let himself drift off to sleep.
Chapter 7
Aspen
sighed and snuggled closer to the warmth radiating at her side. Smooth hot skin met her finger tips and a
purr broke free. She kneaded the flesh under her fingers careful to keep her claws sheathed. Another arm snaked around her waist and a
hard body pressed from behind. She arched into the body rubbing her buttocks over the erection
pressed there. It'd been so long since
she'd been held. It felt as though fire
were tickling her flesh and her nipples pebbled
Similar Books
