hand, driving harder inside her, his fangs still in place. His balls drew up tight, and live wires uncoiled up his spine. He came in a rush of power and strength, stilling and jerking several times inside her, his mind soaring and his body filling with an invincibility that stole his breath.
He panted, his sweaty body attached to hers. Slowly, he retracted his fangs and closed her wound, his vision fuzzy. Taking a deep breath, he withdrew from her body and turned her on her side, curling around her and yanking the comforter over them both.
Nobody had prepared him for this.
He held her tighter, against his chest, feeling her heartbeat race wildly. “Are you all right?” he managed to gasp.
She nodded, the back of her head hitting his chin. “Yes,” she breathed. “That was just a lot.”
That was an understatement, to say the least. “I didn’t hurt you?”
“No.” She snuggled her butt into his groin and pressed her face into the pillow. “Tired. My shoulder aches a little.” She yawned, the sound exhausted. The marking on her back heated his stomach, and a sharp sense of possessiveness ran through him. “I hope I didn’t just kill you,” she mumbled sleepily.
“If you did, it was definitely worth it.” He kissed her on the back of the head, holding her close, meaning every word.
Chapter 28
Morning came too early, but Adare had a job to do and couldn’t snuggle down with Grace for the entire day, as he would’ve liked. The urgency of this day shot adrenaline into his muscles. They had a one-shot chance to save those women; destroying the facility was secondary.
Yet he’d still get it accomplished if he could.
Adare kept the helicopter along the tree line and out of radar range of the Kurjan stronghold, his head aching but his mind clear. He’d had a headache all morning, but that was probably from lack of sleep. His hands were easy on the controls as he scoped out the landing area they’d chosen more than six months ago.
Seeing no threats in the surrounding forest, he set down and had barely cut the power before Benny and Ronan jumped out, hauling their backpacks full of weapons and explosives.
He powered down completely and stepped into the thick powder, catching the tarp Benny threw at him from the other side. They camouflaged the copter with a white tarp that would blend into the snowy landscape. He jogged around and lifted his pack onto his back. “It looked like there was an avalanche to the northeast, or at least some sort of rock slide, so let’s go with Route B.”
“Affirmative,” Benny said, all business while on op. With his winter-camouflaged coat, pants, and hat, he probably didn’t need the paint on his face. With it, he blended into the environment as well as Adare or Ronan did, even though he was a couple inches taller than their six feet six inches.
Ronan jogged up, his face painted as well. “I took a look at the last satellite feed, and the kidnapped women are still in place. Although, I didn’t see the van that was there last time.”
Shit. They’d need a way to transport those victims out, and there was no way to haul them to the helicopter, even if there was room in the craft for that many people. “We’ll have to improvise. I’m guessing they have trucks in the metal building to the south of the stronghold, right next to that power station we’re taking out second.” There was a bigger power supply to the north they’d blow up first.
At least the weather was on their side. The snowstorm had finally moved on, leaving a cold blue sky and merciless sun. The Kurjans wouldn’t be able to venture outside, which definitely gave the Seven an advantage.
Benny clapped him on the arm. “Congrats on the mating. Can’t wait to see you all moonfaced around the campfire like the rest of these guys.”
Adare grinned. “Thanks, and that isn’t going to happen. I like her, she likes me, and we’ll make a good match. That’s what lasts.” He’d been honest when he’d said he didn’t believe in love, but he believed completely in promises and doing his duty. Grace understood that.
“Right,” Benny said. “Okey-doke, then. Back to business. You’re on lead, brother.”
Adare turned and jogged through waist-high snow into the forest and up a mountain, his boots heavy and his left leg aching at the ankle. What had he done to his ankle? Ignoring the pain, he ran