“Of course things are different.” She gestured out with one arm. “We’re on a road trip, without guards, without death hanging over our heads.” Her laugh was throaty and full. “Emma and I are taking a Vegas trip next month for a girls’ weekend.”
“Absolutely not.”
She gaped. “I did not ask permission, Kayrs.”
He bit back a wince. Whenever Cara used his last name, he was about to end up in the doghouse. Yet she was no longer vulnerable or weak, and he was finished placating her. “Mate? I have no intention of allowing you to go anywhere for a girls’ anything.” The second the wordallowwas out of his mouth, the tension in the car ratcheted up several degrees.
“Oh, you did not,” she sputtered, her eyes narrowing.
He sighed and turned to pin her with a look. He’d forgotten her stubbornness in the last difficult years when she’d been fighting a deadly virus that had almost taken her life. Now that she was healthy, memories of their first months together, before she had become infected, filtered through his mind. “I was fairly certain I tamed you way back when,” he said thoughtfully.
Red infused her face. “I’m about to kick your ass, Kayrs.”
Maybe not. Interesting. At the thought, his entire body tightened, and his cock started to throb. “Cara.”
Her shiver enticed him. “What?”
“I strongly advise you not to push me.” It was only fair to warn her, and he went on instinct. After nearly dying when the war had ended, he’d been restless since. For so many years, he’d treated his mate with more gentleness than he would’ve thought possible as she’d endured the virus.
Now that she was healthy, a primal part of him, one much closer to the surface than he liked, wanted to claim her again with all the dominance that was inherent to his species. “Okay?”
She breathed out. “Oh, mate. You’re the one who needs to stop pushing.”
He reached out, catching the long strands of her hair before she could avoid him. Her eyes widened, and he twisted his wrist with enough pressure to tilt back her head, fighting instincts he’d forgotten he had.
Curiosity and desire spilled from her.
His nostrils flared, catching his mate’s scent. It had been too long since they’d both been whole and healthy. He’d forgotten her defiant nature and how much she liked to challenge him. “Maybe this trip was a good idea,” he said softly, the beast inside him raging as her lids half-lowered.
Chapter 2
Several hours into the trip, Cara’s first headache pounded in the middle of Washington State. Monstrous steel windmills, dotting the rocky hills, swung their grand arms in the slight wind. The sight was both alien and lonely somehow.
She rubbed her temples. “I think the smoke from the earlier fires is bugging my head.”
“I’ll need gas soon. We can buy aspirin.” Talen kept an eye on the rearview mirror while passing a school bus. “My head hurts a little, too.” He grinned. “Maybe we’re getting the flu.”
She laughed and wrapped her arms around her shins while resting her chin on her knees. “Very funny.” They couldn’t catch normal illnesses.
At her laugh, appreciation lit his rugged features. Good. He was finally relaxing.
She cleared her throat. “Maybe this is a good time to discuss this way-overprotective attitude of yours and how you need to tone it down now that the war is over.”
Talen slowed down until he could pass a bunch of teenagers with inner tubes in a compact red truck. “I understand your need to work, but why in public? One of our laws is staying off the human radar, you know?”
“Yes, but I could teach for a while publicly.” Cara turned to look through the rearview mirror at the teens. It was way too cold for inner-tubing, and they should be in school.
“They’re fine. Playing hooky, most likely.” Talen sped up until the truck was out of sight, easily reading her concerns, as usual.
Smoke filtered through the trees and soon thickened until the sun was an odd red orb through the mist.
Talen punched a bunch of buttons on the dash. “Dage?” Talen asked. “How close are we to forest fires?”
A crackle sounded, and then the King’s face took shape in the center consol. “How’s the trip?”
“Great,” Talen said, squinting. “I’m getting concerned about the fires, though. What can you see?”
“The ones around you have been contained, according to the news.” Dageclackedkeys in the background.
