Alpha Warriors of The Cause - Tamara Rose Blodgett Page 0,46

between her legs and the tingling of her breasts ease. The invisible thread of his sensual heat loosens. A shaky breath escapes her, and she sags where she stands.

Slade laps slowly, closing the wound.

Beth's eyes go round.

She can't see even a scar.

Yet the crimson proof of his consumption paints his lips ruby.

He bows at her feet, wrapping his huge arms around her thighs while Jeb hangs on to her waist.

“Thank you for the gift of your blood, tiny frog.” His breath is hot just above and between her knees.

Beth opens her mouth to reply with actual coherent words, but she can't. A powerful feeling builds from within her, rushing from every part of her body. The residual arousal rears its head again, swamping her body with heat. A wave of pleasure surges inside her. The most feminine part of her clenches and releases in rhythmic pulses then explodes as she gives a hoarse cry, slipping in Jeb's arms.

He rights her. “Beth!”

She floats, horribly ashamed of everything. She knew of the history of blood sharing. If a female willingly gives blood to a male Bloodling, the donor has a measure of control. She wants that power over Slade while she is on One. No more in-house fighting. It's about surviving the now then getting back to Papilio.

Unfortunately, her history lessons failed to mention what would happen to the female while the male Bloodling fed.

Beth had just experienced her first orgasm in front of the man who declared her as his soul mate.

And he was not the male to cause that sensation.

Beth wrenches out of both their holds. Shame floods her face with fire, threatening to melt her skin. She stumbles and grabs the doorframe. The males call out to her, but she doesn't turn.

If she never faces either one of them again, that will be too soon.

Worse, Beth is sure that both males have heard their share of females in the throes of ecstasy.

Without looking back, she runs.

Jeb calls out again, but Slade remains silent. Beth knows he understands what his feed entailed, and he's probably laughing at her.

She runs, leaping between the homes without regard to the height or the nightlopers that might be below, until she's ten houses away. The shivering emerald canopy of trees is her only audience.

When Beth finds a platform high up and away from everything, she cradles her head in her arms and cries.

Her tears are for more than her current embarrassment, but also for the shame of being half-Bloodling herself. She mourns the mother who would hide her true ancestry and regrets that her father never knew of her birth or terrible upbringing. She cries for the two Threes she and Jeb stole away to her planet only to condemn them to danger. She weeps for the female Reflectives who might be jumping as she sits there, feeling sorry for herself. They might be jumping to Principle knows where, without locators, safety, or currency.

Beth cries until exhaustion overtakes her.

*

Gunnar

Gunnar jumps in silence, landing lightly onto the platform where Beth sleeps, tears staining her face.

The wood shifts and creaks underneath his weight.

His throat constricts when he sees how much this small hopper reminds him of Lucinda.

He watched Lucinda sleep many times. Gunnar's heart grows heavy as he observes his Reflective daughter in slumber.

He failed to protect her mother.

But he vows that will not be the case with Beth Jasper. Gunnar would die before he allows harm to befall her.

He scoops Beth up, cradling her against his chest. She's as light as a feather.

She fists his shirt in her sleep, uttering a quiet whimper. She wiggles closer, and his heart twists as a rare surge of tenderness overtakes him.

She feels right in his arms. Gunnar wants to take her somewhere safe. His life will have been worth living if he can just see that one thing through.

And Dimitri must never know of her.

Gunnar will discuss with Slade about keeping Beth's presence secret. The nightlopers have already seen the foreigners.

If word gets back to Dimitri, it will be bad for them all. As far as Dimitri is concerned, Beth is just a hopper.

If he knew she shares Bloodling genetics, Dimitri would exploit that rare combination.

Nightlopers have few females.

Dimitri would surely want Beth for himself. As long as he is alive, Dimitri will not have her.

With Beth still in his arms, he turns and leaps off the platform then catches the next platform with expert footing.

Gunnar makes his way back to where Beth's temporary room is, but his