I looked around the small apartment, the place Lav and I had fought for, scrounged every penny to decorate, our safe haven. Like my life, our home lay in ruins. “If this is what Jennifer thinks qualifies as being cleaned up, she’s sorely mistaken.”
With the lightness of a butterfly landing on my head, Kai combed debris from my hair. “I will care for you now, mate. I cannot wait. Your appearance causes my beast to rage. Even with the mating cuffs, I struggle to control him.”
My appearance?
Frowning, I walked to the bathroom and gasped at the sight of myself in the mirror. I looked worse than Kai. My normally brown hair was gray with dust. Darker tracks covered my cheeks where my tears caused the dust on my skin to darken. Dark blood splatter covered my face, neck and pink work scrubs. My eyes, normally one of my best features, looked surreal, like bright orbs staring out at the world from hell itself.
“Oh my god.” I didn’t even look human. How could he want me when I looked like this?
Turning to the shower, I pulled the curtain back and turned the water on as hot as it would go. Took forever to run the cold water out of the pipes.
I sat on the edge of the bathtub and watched the flood of water. Kai hovered. He was still here. Watching. Waiting. For what? Did he think I was going to undress in front of him? Did I want to?
The heavy cuffs on my wrists gleamed in the light. Was this really happening? Did I want a beast for a mate? Was I going to leave Earth behind and go live on another planet?
What did I have here, on Earth, to hold me? Lavender was already gone. My mom was dead. Stepfather—I loved him, despite everything—but he was in jail. When he wasn’t? Most of the time we only heard from him when he needed money. My half siblings were scattered in the wind, living with their various mothers, and much younger. We’d never been close.
No. I didn’t have anything here to hold onto. Lavender was my family.
Lavender… and now Kai. I had mating cuffs on my wrists. He made his choice. Did I have the courage and faith to trust him? To believe him?
I stood and turned to face him. My beast. My mate. He was covered in dust and blood, like me. He killed Hive to protect both me and my sister. He stood like a soldier at attention, the tension in his body palpable. The inside of the tiny bathroom felt like summer air right before a lightning strike. Charged.
“Kai, I…” What was I supposed to say? He told me on the ride over he would understand if I refused his claim. Did I have to make the decision now? Right freaking now?
Kai dropped to one knee with a pain-filled groan. “I can’t control him. I’m sorry. I fail you again. I am not worthy.” He was losing control of his beast.
So, yes. I had to decide now. Right fucking now.
Could I turn him away? No. No one had ever done more for me in such a short period of time. Beasts were loyal. Honorable. Fiercely protective and devoted to their mates. Kai would take care of me, protect me, never cheat on me or leave my side. I didn’t know him yet, but I understood the Atlan mating process. I had to trust that he wanted my happiness and would do everything in his power to care for me. What more could I ask for in any man?
“Kai.” I hurried forward and placed a hand on his face. “It’s okay. I accept your claim, warlord. Let him out.”
The growl that rumbled from Kai’s chest would have made grown men run. By some miracle—or sheer stupidity—I wasn’t afraid. Not of him. My beast. My mate. I’d spent many long nights fantasizing about having an Atlan beast of my own. There was a reason I watched, and re-watched, that scene of Warlord Wulf claiming his mate behind that dressing room door. Watched the Cinderella style ball where Warlord Tane spotted his mate across a crowded room and became instantly obsessed.
Kai lifted his head. Our gazes locked. I wasn’t sure if it was relief, joy or shock in his eyes. “My lady? If I do, he will claim you. There will be no going back, no second chance.”
I leaned forward—even on one knee his head was nearly even with mine—and placed a soft kiss on Kai’s lips. “It’s okay. I’m ready.”
Kai reached up to cup my face in both hands. His kiss settled over my lips with a restraint, a reverence that two days ago, I wouldn’t have been able to describe. He worshipped me with that kiss. Promised more. What woman didn’t want that kind of love in her life?
Steam filled the air and I realized the shower was hot. Ready. So was I. One real kiss any my body craved his touch, my pulse thundered through my veins. I was wet and aching, ready to be filled.
“Take this off.” I tugged at his uniform, some kind or armor, but gave up. There were no buckles or buttons, no zippers I could see. I had no idea how to undress my man. I did, however, know how to get him moving.
I pulled my shirt off over my head and dumped it on the floor. My bra followed. Pants and panties slid off together, tangling up around my shoes. I kicked the whole mess off together and stood before my mate naked.
Standing before me, Kai removed his clothing and transformed. His shoulders grew wider, his face bigger, more rugged. The intensity I’d seen in Kai’s gaze was nothing compared to the lust, the raw, unhidden need I saw in the beast’s. His body was magnificent, defined abs, muscular shoulders and thighs. His cock was long, hard, and so thick I knew I wouldn’t be able to wrap my hand around him.
Woven through his body were strands of silver, like someone took pure silver and sewed a pattern into his flesh. The metallic threads were everywhere, from the tops of his feet to his chin. His face, for whatever reason, had been spared. At least I assumed. Hard to tell for sure with all the dust caked on his face.
“Come here.” I held out one hand to the giant who could tear me in half as easily as drawing his next breath. “I want to wash you.” Really, I wanted to explore every inch of his massive, magnificent body before he got his hands on me and I lost my mind. I knew we didn’t have much time before the secret agents, the other Atlans, or the Hive showed up to ruin our party.
Visibly shaking, he placed his hand in mine and allowed me to pull him with me to the shower. I adjusted the water temperature and stepped under the water. I didn’t have one of those big, walk-in shower stalls. I had a small bathtub and a shower curtain that looked like a flower shop had thrown up all over it. The bathroom ceiling was standard height. Once he stepped into the tub, he had to duck to avoid hitting his head.
Thank god I had a detachable shower head.
I reached up to remove it so I could spray him down, but his huge hand settled on top of mine. “No. You first.”
