Tameka's Smile

Chapter Seven

Two days later, Chad dozed, waking every time the door opened. Several times he had to clamp down on his wolf. It took exception with the clinic staff turning Tameka into a pincushion as they drew blood at various points during the night. Once, they even took a vial from him. For what, he didn’t know, but didn’t argue. All he was told was that Alex needed it.

The investigation was at a standstill. Rome’s research into the Markham Group revealed that they weren’t the ones interested in the property. An unknown financial group had approached them about entering a land development deal to build a housing development on Tameka’s land. They were unaware that the property wasn’t available, as negotiations hadn’t progressed that far.

Further investigation showed the financial group to be bogus. The only solid clues they had were that their suspect was a female, and someone who’d either lived in Refuge or nearby, and knew of their existence. Unless or until the perpetrator made another move against Tameka, they were stuck. In the meantime, Rome was checking into Tameka’s family background, and anyone else that had expressed an interest in the property on the off chance that this woman wasn’t working alone.

It was a little after eight when Lulu came visiting. “How’s she doing?”

Chad rolled off the side of the bed and stretched, trying to loosen some of the kinks from lying in one position all night. As he grabbed a shirt and slipped it on, he responded, “I don’t really know. Stable, I guess. They’ve been running in and out of here all night, poking needles in her and monitoring the machines.

Have you heard from her family?”

Bull had gone through Tameka’s things, looking for an emergency contact, and hadn’t found one. Lulu turned out to still have the number for Tameka’s father from when Ms. Emma was alive. She’d agreed to get in touch with them and let them know that Tameka was in the hospital.

Lulu snorted. “They’re out of the country—vacationing.

Said since there was nothing they could do any way, they’d call and check on her condition when they got back. Didn’t even leave a number where they could be reached,” she finished disdainfully.

He ran his hand through his hair and glanced worriedly at Tameka, and then at the EKG machine. Same steady wave pattern. If she were listening and aware, the news didn’t trouble her. “Meka mentioned that her parents were…”

“Lousy.” Lulu supplied the word he was looking for.

“Yeah.” His mind just couldn’t comprehend it. To him, growing up in a two-parent home was the ultimate dream.

“From what Emma told me, Tameka’s father spent more time hanging with ‘the boys’ than being home with his family.

That wife of his was no better, only she liked to party. The clubs were her choice of hang out. Tameka virtually raised herself when she wasn’t with Emma. She had her hands full, going to school and looking out for the younger ones as well. From what I hear, those two turned out just like their parents. Good for nothing.”

Chad didn’t have anything to say to that, so he left it alone.

He hadn’t even realized she had siblings. She hadn’t mentioned it when they were talking about families and such. Before he could think of a response, Alex came through the door with Carol and a few others.

“Lulu, Chad, I’m going to have to ask you to step out for a minute,” Alex respectfully commanded.

“I was just leaving,” Lulu stated. “Gotta open the shop, but wanted to stop by and see how she was doing first.”

“How long do you need? I was just heading for the shower,” Chad told Alex. “I can wait if needed.”

“No, go ahead. We should be done by the time you finish.” Alex was already by Tameka’s bedside with his team, which buzzed around her like a group of busy bees. They each put on surgical gloves as Carol set up an instrument tray next to Alex.

“Chad, call if you need anything, ya’ hear?” Lulu’s parting words distracted him from the commotion around Tameka and reminded him of what he was supposed to be doing.

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll make sure Meka knows you stopped by.” Aware of Alex patiently waiting, Chad gathered his things and locked himself in the bathroom. He wasn’t concerned with someone walking in on him, but the lock would slow his wolf down if it heard something it didn’t like and thought his mate was in danger. The locked door would hopefully buy him enough time to gain control again.

When he came out the bathroom some fifteen minutes later, a lot of the machinery around Tameka had been removed, most notably the one that was doing her breathing for her. He slanted a questioning look at Alex.

“She’s in a twilight sleep right now.”

“Okay.” He waited a moment. “What’s a twilight sleep?” Alex smiled before clarifying. “She’s unconscious, but breathing on her own. The anesthesia’s the same as if she were undergoing surgery. I doubt she’ll stay under long.” Chad examined his mate again. The patches attached to her temples and chest were gone. So was the machine. The IV had been removed from her arm, along with the tubes that were inserted in her mouth, stomach, and urethra. The only machine he could see that was still attached was the one monitoring her vitals via the clip on her finger and the blood pressure cuff on her arm—the Pulse Oximeter. They’d even removed the anti-embolism stockings from her legs.

“I’m not sure how long it will take the medicine to work its way out of her system. At the rate she’s going, I’d say no more than an hour or two. If it takes longer, I’ll reverse it medically,” Alex finished grimly.

Chad walked over to the bed and gently traced Tameka’s jaw-line with his forefinger. “So, by that I take it she’s progressing faster than expected?”

Alex sighed. “I’ve been here all night running tests and monitoring her progress. I’ve never seen anything like it. She literally turned into a shifter, right before my eyes. I watched her DNA change until it was almost a perfect match for yours.” Chad snatched his finger back and gazed at Alex in horror.

“Like twins?”

“What? No! I meant I saw her transform from human to wolf-shifter like us. Whatever it is that makes us who we are, she has it, too. The transformation’s almost one hundred percent complete. That’s why I say she’ll be out of it soon. The medicine in her now can only put a shifter, especially an alpha, under for a very short period of time. Tameka’s already proven she’d be strong earlier when she fought off the heavy dosage she was given.” Despite the confident tone he was projecting, Alex still didn’t look too sure.

“So,” Chad spoke slowly, “she’s alright now?” Alex looked him straight in the eye. “As I told you before, this is new territory for me. I’ve never had a case like this, and there’s no one I can call to ask, not without revealing who and what we are. Based on what I can see, she’s doing fine. We won’t know for sure until she’s awake.”

He gave his patient one more all over glance, examined her vitals and made a notation on the printout, before turning back to Chad. “I’m beat. I’m going home before my mate comes looking for me. Carol’s here, as well as Tim. They’ll keep an eye on her and call me if needed.”

Chad much preferred Alex being in charge of Tameka’s medical care than Tim, Alex’s new assistant, but if the alpha felt it was safe enough to leave, he’d just have to deal.

When Alex left, Chad turned to Tameka. “Let’s get you bathed, honey, now that all those tubes aren’t in the way. I want you feeling good when you wake.”

Over the course of the week that he’d been there, he’d helped the nurses care for his mate, taking over as many of the duties as they’d allow. The one that he enjoyed most was bathing her. It was more than a sponge bath. Once done, he rubbed scented oil into her skin, massaging her muscles to increase circulation. He did it several times a day and to him, she seemed to rest easier each time.

He locked the door and took the basin into the bathroom to fill with warm water. Using one of her favorite body washes from home, he washed her from head-to-toe. After setting the basin to the side, he spread the pleasantly scented oil over his hands and fingers, and began giving his mate a deep muscle massage that started with the top of her feet and ended with a scalp massage. He was extra careful to avoid the bandaged areas where tubes were previously inserted into her flesh.

Once he finished with her front, he gently turned her and began again with her back. As he washed her, he checked that there were no sore spots or tender areas that might be an indicator of forming bedsores. Amazingly, to his inexperienced eyes, she looked good.

When she was clean, he lathered his hands with oil again and began her massage. He took his time, giving extra special care and attention to these muscles that she’d lain on for so many days. As he massaged her, he spoke to her.

“I love your feet, how they’re so dainty and narrow. And these slender ankles of yours.” As he massaged her arch, her foot seemed to jerk in his hands.

“Your legs are long and strong, like a runner. These thighs and hips,” he sighed with pleasure. “Don’t ever let me hear you say you’re trying to lose weight. These babies were made to cradle me, providing just the right cushioning. When you’re carrying our child, the wideness of these hips will be a blessing, ensuring a safe pregnancy and delivery for you and our babe.”

“This ass is a work of art. Makes me hard just looking at it.

High and tight with just the right amount of jiggle. Oh, yeah, baby. This thing speaks to me and it says, Do me!” He spent an extra long time working her globes, rubbing them up and down, rotating and separating the cheeks.

“I love this little dip in your back right before the swell of your ass. It’s so sexy. Makes me want to run my tongue down the length of your spine and linger here, savoring your flavor.” Before he was tempted to do just that, he moved on.

“Your back is strong and lean, shoulders broad. Some men don’t think wide shoulders are sexy on a woman. Fools. I appreciate them because I know what they support. Two handfuls of the most luscious breasts it’s ever been my fortune to witness. I could spend hours feasting on them. I can’t wait until they’re flowing with milk.” He paused for a moment to adjust the erection pressing against the zipper in his jeans.

His hands cradled her neck as his thumbs massaged the back of her nape. “This right here is long and slender as a swan.

It’s so graceful and elegant, but has so much attitude. I love how expressive you are. Your anger turns me on like you wouldn’t believe.”

He finished and, unable to resist, ran kisses down the indent of her spinal cord. “Hurry and wake, baby. We got a whole lot of lovin’ to make up for. Once I get in here,” he stroked his finger down her glistening slit, “I’m not coming out for a week, so you better be ready.”

Chad forced himself away from his mate’s prone body and put up the supplies he’d used. That task completed, he covered Tameka with the sheet and went and unlocked the door. Karen, one of the nurse’s aides, came and dropped off breakfast, and he ate while she changed the linens on the bed.

“I’d say another hour or so at the most and she should be out of it,” she told him.

“Good. I can’t wait.” He finished eating and laid down his fork.

“If you’re done, I can take this with me when I go. Save me a trip back to collect it later.”

“Sure, and thanks. Do you know if she’s scheduled for anymore tests or lab work?” he asked while she placed the dirty linens outside the door and then came back for his food tray.

“No. Now we just wait and see.” She gave him a reassuring smile.

“If that’s the case, I’m going to lie down and hold my mate.

It’s been way too long since I’ve been able to.” Karen’s brown eyes gleamed with suppressed amusement.

“I’m sure you’ll both enjoy it. I’ll tell the rest of the staff not to disturb you unless it’s completely necessary.” Chad gave a heartfelt sigh of relief. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

“No problem.” She waved away his gratitude and left.

He slipped his shirt off his shoulders, laid it to the side and unbuttoned his jeans. He wanted to take them off, but he settled for loosing them instead. When he was as comfortable as he was going to get, he climbed onto the bed and gathered Tameka in his arms with her head lying on his chest. He made sure the cuff and monitor had plenty of leeway, and gave a small moan of pleasure as he relaxed against the pillow.

He pulled the covers over the both of them and lay there stroking her back. Before he knew it, the stress of the last few days caught up with him and he was out like a light.

Chad woke to the sensation that something was off. Warm, moist heat engulfed his naked and throbbing shaft, and his eyes snapped open. For a moment, he was too stunned to move. His need to protect kicked in, jolting him out of his temporary paralysis.

“Tameka, baby, no!” He placed his hands on the sides of her head and tried to pry her off of him.

She growled, low in her throat. Razor sharp teeth pressed against his erection as she raised eyes that glowed pure gold in warning. The message was clear. Back off and let her have her way, or risk losing a much valued part of his anatomy.

Being the smart man that he was, he quickly raised his hands in a sign of surrender.

She played with him, licking, sucking and slurping his cock like it was a big, frozen Popsicle she was trying to consume before it could melt outside in a hundred degree weather. Chad gritted his teeth, leashed his wolf, and held onto his passion with grim determination. He breathed a sigh of relief when she finally rose, licking her lips.

The sigh quickly morphed into a groan of apprehension as she climbed on top and impaled herself on his penis in one smooth motion.

He quickly reached out and clamped hard hands on her hips, ready to lift her off of him, no matter how much his body protested. “Meka, we need to stop. It’s too soon. You just came out of a coma, woman.”

“Mine,” she snarled gutturally. Her eyes flashed and she dug claws into his chest. “Chad, mine. All mine.” She lifted up and dropped back down.

Chad fought and lost a battle with his wolf as it came roaring to the forefront. His body shifted into its half-beast/half-man form as he growled back, “Mate want? Mate take.” She smiled, displaying a dainty row of lethally sharp teeth, and rode him hard enough to make the bed shake. His human part hoped no one stuck their head in the room to see what the commotion was. His wolf didn’t care. This was his mate and she was claiming him in the most primal of ways.

He felt her sheath contract violently right before she lowered her head and sank fangs into his chest, marking him.

Chad growled long and loud, gripped her hips with claws extended to hold her in place as he jack hammered up into her convulsing vagina. He lunged forward and sank his teeth into her right breast, marking her as she’d marked him, as his body expelled streams of cum into her waiting receptacle.

He licked the wounds so they would quickly heal before collapsing back on the bed. Tameka sprawled on top of him in a boneless heap. His wolf, supremely satisfied, slid back into the place in Chad’s soul where he resided. Now that he was himself again, concern for his mate overwhelmed him.

“Meka, baby. How you feeling? Was I too rough?” A soft snore was his response.

He chuckled ruefully. “Bit off a bit more than you could handle, huh? Rest, baby. I’m not going anywhere.” His jeans were toast. Tameka, the little she-wolf, had shredded the front of his jeans to get to her prize. With a goofy grin on his face, he reached down and tugged the covers over their joined hips. He was still hard and had no intention of leaving the haven she offered anytime soon.

A knock sounded at the door moments before Carol stuck her head inside. “Is it safe? We heard growling.” Her face was deadpan, but Chad thought he detected a naughty twinkle in her eyes that said she wasn’t the least bit surprised by what she was seeing. Of course, there was no hiding what they’d been doing with the scent of sex permeating the room.

“Tameka woke, or her wolf. I’m still not sure which one it was,” he confessed.

A soft snore punctuated his statement.

“Chad, you wore the poor girl out and her, barely out of a coma,” she scolded as she came into the room.

He immediately protested. “Uh-huh, not me. I was sleep.

She’s the one who attacked me. I tried to stop her, but she was having none of it. So, I just laid back and let her have her way.” He languidly stroked the path of Tameka’s spine while valiantly trying to suppress the satiated grin that kept rising to the surface.

“Um-hmm. And if I were to look under the covers?” she asked in her sternest voice, the one he only heard used in her role as second-in-command of the Raven pack.

He shifted uncomfortably and tightened his grip on the sheet. “I wouldn’t advise that.”

Carol snorted right before she burst into laughter. “Relax, honey. I remember what it was like to be newly mated. I’ll stop teasing you now. Just let me secure the equipment and I’ll leave you two alone.”

He was a bit bemused by the realization that she was playing with him. In her role as Second, she tended to be direct and to the point. But then, he’d never been around the beautiful beta in a strictly social setting. The only pack gatherings he’d attended to date were the mandatory meetings.

Carol checked the equipment. “She must have snatched this off. >From the way it was thrown, I’d say it was definitely her wolf you dealt with earlier.”

She lifted Tameka’s wrist and took her pulse. “She seems to be fine. Expect her to be groggy and sleep a lot as the medicine finishes working its way out of her system. I’ll let Alex know when he calls that she awakened. He’s going to want to keep her a few more days just to be safe, but we’re not anticipating any problems with her recovery. Actually, waking as she did was a good thing, in my opinion.”

At her words, he felt a part of himself relax that he hadn’t know was tense. Everything was going to be fine. He could finally let himself believe. He was lying there contemplating the glorious future that awaited them when Bull arrived.

“Knock, knock. Comin’ in,” Bull announced as he stuck his head around the corner.

Chad immediately pulled the covers up to Tameka’s shoulders and made sure she was decently covered before raising the back of the bed. “Hey, Bull. What’s up?” Bull seemed to hesitate. That’s when Chad realized Bull was in uniform and not his usual joking self. He got a nasty feeling in his gut. “Since you’re in uniform, I take it this isn’t a social visit?”

NeeCee Jones stood outside the partially opened door to the room, her hand poised to knock. Moments earlier, the hunky cop she’d seen earlier disappeared behind this same door. Hearing the question, she paused. There was no way her sister Tameka was in trouble with the law. Maybe she had the wrong room, but the number on the door was right, and there weren’t too many doors to choose from.

“Our perp struck again.” Hmm, nice voice. Had to be the cop speaking.

“What did she do this time?”

NeeCee couldn’t see to whom the other voice belonged. If she moved, there was a good chance she’d be spotted hovering in the doorway. Uncertainty and curiosity held her in its grip, so she waited. If this were the right room, once she found out what she needed to know, she’d reveal her presence.

“Tameka got a package in the mail. I’ve already taken it in and tagged it for evidence. There’s no prints and no return address on the envelope. We know where it originated—a post office in Colby—but it doesn’t do us any good.” There was the slight sound of shifting, then the cop spoke,

“I should warn you…”

“Son of a bitch!”

“…the photos are pretty explicit,” he finished ruefully.

The other guy was still cursing, using some pretty graphic and colorful language combinations of what he was going to do to “her” if he ever caught her.

“We’re still no closer to discovering who’s behind this, but Rome’s got an inside in with the Markham Group. They agreed to work with us to try to lure her out. Deputy Shelley is working with one of their managers, who is pretending to be interested in the project, but only if the perp can procure the land within a limited period of time. They’re drawing up bogus contracts as we speak.”

The other guy finally quieted. “What’s the method of contact?”

“The address Markham was given is one of those mailbox services. We’re sending a letter and will have someone watching to see who comes nibbling at our bait.”

“I want her, Bull. No one threatens my mate and gets away with it.” The voice was deadly.

Who was this guy? NeeCee was damn glad he wasn’t talking about her. The last thing she wanted was this guy as an enemy. She shivered. What the hell had Tameka gotten herself involved in?

“This woman sat outside my mate’s house and took intimate photos of the two of us together, after she’d just got finished puncturing Tameka’s two rear tires. She was waiting and hoping for a reaction. Meka can’t see these. She’d freak.” What was in those pictures? Surely Tameka wasn’t caught having sex. Naaww. Not Ms. Uptight-Got-To-Fix-The-World and Safety-and-Caution-First having sex with a man she’d just met, in full digital color? Impossible.

“Who else has seen them?’

“Just Rome. I dusted and catalogued them myself and locked them in the vault. I wouldn’t do that to you, man,” the cop assured him.

Whatever was in those photos, it was definitely something the other guy didn’t want to be seen.

“It’s a good thing you stayed human or we’d be in deep shit now,” the cop continued.

“Staying human when I’m that deep in Tameka is impossible.”

Huh?

“Well, if you did, you must have kept your head down because she doesn’t have a clear shot of you in half-form. The camera must have been mostly focused on Tameka.”

“Yeah, thank God for small mercies.”

Silence fell in the room, except for the small sound of paper being shuffled. NeeCee wanted to hear more about the guy not being human. Mentally, she urged them to explain. Before their conversation could continue, she heard a cart rattling in the hallway, coming her way. Time to quit lingering here in the doorway.

She rapped on the door, calling out, “Tameka?” as she pushed it open and stepped inside the room. She stopped abruptly, as though confused. “I’m sorry. I’m looking for Tameka Jones?”

The cop turned to face her, his stance protective as he blocked her view of the couple on the bed. Damn he was cute, in a tall, lanky, cowboy kind of way. He had rich brown hair with a cowlick that fell over his one of his deep, dark, brown eyes with a hint of gold in the center, and big hands with long, lean fingers.

“And you are?”

“NeeCee Jones, Tameka’s sister.”

The cop turned partially to get the other guy’s reaction. If she hadn’t just listened in on their conversation, she would have been concerned and angered by the lack of friendliness—

downright suspiciousness—they were exhibiting. As it was, she understood their caution and reserve and appreciated it, ‘cause it displayed their concern for her sister’s well being.

“Can I see some identification, Ms. Jones?” The cop again.

The blond giant on the bed hadn’t said a word, though she really couldn’t see him that well with the cop still blocking her view. NeeCee reached into her back pocket for her wallet, feeling her shirt stretch tight across her breasts. The cop’s eyes focused there and seemed to linger on the nipple hugging jewelry she wore, made more visible with her action.

“Here you go.” She handed him her driver’s license.

He examined it. “You mind if I take this out to the car and run it through?”

“Knock yourself out.” She granted him permission with an airy wave of her hand.

As he moved past her and headed for the door, NeeCee got her first good look at the other man in the room.

Good Lord, the man was handsome in a cold, deadly way—

like one of those movie assassins on TV—but the way he held Tameka was telling. She wouldn’t have imagined after listening to him and now seeing him, that a man that appeared as ruthless as he could be so gentle.

Look at Tameka, sprawled over the man like he was her personal mattress. NeeCee mentally shook her head. Who would have thunk? Tameka, the prude, lying naked in her equally naked lover’s arms, right here in the hospital—clinic—whatever this was. These mountain men sure moved fast.

While she’d been busy checking him out, she took note that he’d been doing the same. She started to ask if she passed muster, but one look into those jaded eyes and she only had one thought—cop. Figures he’d be a pig.

“So you’re Tameka’s sister. She doesn’t talk about you.” NeeCee shrugged. “Any reason why she should? You’ve known her, what? All of five days? I’m sure you know her entire life history by now,” she finished snidely.

He almost smiled, but seemed to catch himself. “Eight days, and you’re definitely related. Same smart mouth and lack of fear.”

She allowed herself to smirk. Found out Meka wasn’t as soft as she looked, had he? “Now that we know who I am, who, or shall I say what, are you?”

Any hint of warming in his manner towards her disappeared in an instant as his eyes narrowed to slits. “Deputy Sheriff Chad Wilson, and your sister’s mate.”

NeeCee planted her hands on her waist, leaned forward aggressively and narrowed her eyes in return. “My sister hasn’t been here long enough to have a mate, whatever the hell that is.

And she doesn’t jump into strange men’s beds, especially white men. What did you do to her?”

For a brief second, she thought she saw a look of extreme guilt cross his features before vanishing. He opened his mouth, and from the expression on his face, was ready to blast her good when Tameka stirred. It was like someone threw a switch. All of that hostility, gone in an instant as a look of…she had a hard time deciphering it. It looked like love, lust, and tenderness all rolled into one. Whatever it was, he had it bad. Now she needed to see if Meka felt the same.

Meka rubbed her face against the man’s chest and whispered, “Chad.”

“Right here, baby. I told you I wasn’t leaving.” His voice was a husky murmur.

“Mmm, you feel good,” she drawled in the sexiest tone NeeCee had ever heard come from her lips. She hadn’t even known Meka could sound like that.

She made a movement with her hips and NeeCee suddenly knew, just absolutely knew what she’d see if the covers weren’t in the way. Blech! She didn’t know whether to be grossed out at the visual she just received or to be ecstatic that her sister was finally getting some.

Chad’s massive hands clamped down on Meka’s butt, stilling her movements. “Your sister’s here,” he warned.

“Who…NeeCee? Last I heard she was in Spain or one of those European countries.”

“Yeah, about that. I guess I really should do a better job of keeping in touch. I’ve been back in the States for awhile now.” Meka jerked towards her. Any doubts NeeCee might have had about Meka’s lack of clothing vanished as she caught a glimpse of breasts before Chad hastily covered them.

“What are you doing here?”

Inwardly, she winced. It wasn’t as though she expected to be welcomed with open arms, but still. She bit back a sigh.

“Mom called. Said something about life support, critical conditions and if I wanted to see you before you croaked, now might be a good time to do so. So I came.” Dropped everything and come running as fast as she could, but Meka didn’t need to know all of that.

“Life support? Critical condition? What?” The confusion on her face would have been comical under other circumstances.

Chad touched her sister’s face, capturing her attention.

“Babe, what’s the last thing you remember?” Tameka blushed. “Us…”

“Before that.” Chad quickly cut her off as he nodded in NeeCee’s direction, reminding Meka of her presence.

“Oh, right. Umm,” she thought for a while, then continued slowly. “I remember getting really sick at the shop. It gets a little fuzzy after that, but I know you were with me. I remember you talking to me.”

So Mom hadn’t lied. Meka had gone back to hairdressing.

Weird.

In the gentlest motion NeeCee had ever seen, Chad brushed Meka’s hair back from her face, and stared deeply into her eyes.

“You collapsed into seizures. One right after the other. Alex put you into a coma to keep brain damage from occurring. That was five days ago. You just came out of it a few hours ago. I’ve never been so scared in my life.”

And he’d already nailed her? That must be some serious juju he was packing. Before she could remind them that she was still in the room, and to not start doing anything she definitely did not want to be party to, the cop returned.

As he handed her the license, he told Chad, “She’s clean.

No priors. Not anything that I can find.” Background check. She should have known. Cops everywhere were the same.

“My sister’s no criminal,” Meka said sharply. “I’ll admit she doesn’t have the best judgment in the world, and can be a major pain in the ass, but she’s no felon.”

“Love you, too, sis.”