Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Istretched, feeling wonderfully sore and chilly.
The last part gave me pause. Slater had kept me warm all night with his body heat, but now I was cold.
Opening my eyes, I saw him walking out of the bathroom gloriously naked.
His big, muscled body was remarkably graceful.
I loved to watch him move. I wanted to trace the tattoos on his body with my tongue and taste him like he’d done to me the night before.
“Good morning. I didn’t mean to wake you.” The bed dipped as he sat next to me.
I smiled at him. “I got cold.” I shivered for effect.
A knock on the door stopped whatever he was going to do or say. “Yoo-hoo, are you two done with the bonking? I can come back later,” Jenna said, humor lacing her voice.
With a shake of my head, I kissed Slater’s arm. “I don’t think she’ll go away if we keep quiet. Do you?”
He grinned. “If I were a betting man, I’d say no,” he whispered.
“You’d be right. Now, come on. You both need to eat if you’re gonna keep up with the baby practice.
Slater bit his lip to keep from laughing, but I felt heat rise over my entire being. “I knew it. You look gorgeous in this shade of pink.” Slater tugged the sheet off of me, making me gasp.
“Ten minutes,” Jenna yelled through the closed door.
I fell back onto the bed with a chuckle. “Damn it, woman, how the hell am I supposed to turn down what’s on offer? Slater said, pouncing on me with a smile.
“Ever heard of a quickie?” I asked, loving the heaviness of having him on top of me.
He bent his head, feathering his lips over mine. “You deserve so much more than that. And I have a feeling that Jenna will be back banging on the door just as I’m banging you.’
Sighing, I wrapped my legs and arms around him. “You sure?’
“You could tempt a saint to sin, love.” The tip of his cock rubbed against me, and then I heard pots and pans banging.
Slater groaned and rested all his weight on me. I smiled up at him, watching his brows pull together.
“Come on, let’s go eat, then we can come back, and I’ll feast on your body.’
I didn’t know why I was so hesitant to leave the sanctuary of the bedroom. A sense of doom, or an unknown intuition, told me the world as I knew it was going to turn topsy-turvy. Letting my arms and legs drop, I wrinkled my nose. “Let’s go then.”
He stood in one fluid motion. “I think we should get dressed first, or I won’t be able to focus on anything except you and your delectable body.’
My eyes looked at his very delicious body and silently agreed.
We both dressed in a hurry. As we stepped into the hallway, the wonderful smells wafting in from what I assumed was the kitchen blew me away.
Being a shifter, I’d always been able to ferret out food sources, but in my human form, I didn’t think I’d be as good.
However, my nose and belly led us directly to where Jenna and one of the women from the day before were.
“There you two are. Come and sit before it gets cold.’
Fluffy biscuits were piled on a plate, and a thick white gravy with sausage sat in the middle.
Another bright-colored Loch Ness-shaped ladle stuck out of the pot.
I’d never had fresh, warm biscuits and gravy before.
Always getting scraps. My stomach rumbled, and moisture pooled in my mouth at the thought of the first taste.
It took me a moment to realize I’d been standing in the same place, and I had to shake my head to clear it.
“Do you need any help?” I croaked.
Jenna glanced up, waving her hand toward the table. “Only for you to sit down.”
I took a seat. The antique piece of furniture was made of dark wood and was obviously old. I felt a hundred souls reaching out to me as we sat and ate.
“You feel them?” Jenna pointed her fork toward me.
Slater’s head swung toward me. “Who do you feel?’
“Not as in I hear actual words so much as I feel them. It’s hard to describe.
How am I able to speak and know things like a regular person?
I was only a child when I turned into my wolf.
I don’t even have a high school education.
” I spoke instead of answering Slater, knowing Jenna would have the answers.
“Ah, I think you don’t give yourself enough credit. Weren’t you smarter than the average six-year-old?” Jenna’s gaze caught and held mine.
I swallowed. Memories of my life before my time on all fours were filtering into my mind.
“My mom thought something was wrong with me because I read too early, she said.” The painful reminder made me flinch at the harsh words beating at my brain.
The feel of my hair being pulled so hard, I was sure it was all going to come out, rushed to the front.
“I tried to pretend like I couldn’t do so well, but at six years old, things slipped out. ’
The warm hand twining with mine brought me back to the present.
“I have a theory, which I think your father knew as well as your mother. You were not his child, but a product of an affair. Who that affair was with is what I’d like to know.” I looked across the table at Jenna and Talia, seeing knowledge etched on both their features.
“Who do you think it was?” The question came out in a hoarse whisper.
“A Fey. When we healed you, I felt a kinship. Although I believe the man she had an affair with only had a little bit of Fey blood, it was enough that mixed with your shifter blood, it made you more. Something that your mom couldn’t hide.
Of course, the fact that you were born with fire engine red hair might have been a red flag. Pun intended.’
Excitement that I might have family out in the world filled me. “Do you know who he was?’
Jenna paused a moment before answering. “No, sweetheart, I don’t. Although if I ever came across him, I’d know in an instant.’
“Maybe if we go back to where I used to live, someone around there will remember a red-haired man, or hell, we can go knocking on all the doors looking for one,” I joked.
Jenna beamed. Her head turned to the Fey. “Are you going with us?’
“I’ll only be a holler away.” Jenna tapped her head.
Slater raised his hand. “If we are looking for a man with red hair.” He pointed at his head.
“He has a point,” Talia said.
“Red hair isn’t that uncommon, you know.’
“You misunderstand. We are talking about bright red hair. LeeLee’s wolf was an extraordinarily red wolf, which should have been a red flag,” Jenna laughed.
“I can’t help it. There are just too many puns to be said.
I was going to say red herring, but I was sure that might’ve been taking it too far. ’
I looked at Slater, seeing the grin on his too-handsome face, and broke into a fit of giggles. The laughter felt good, a release of the stress I’d held inside.
“When do you want to leave?” Slater asked once we’d all sobered up.
“I can get you close to where I believe the home in your memories was,” Jenna said, her even tone made me look closely at her face.
“You don’t think that’s a good idea?’
Shrugging, the Fey turned her face up toward the ceiling. “I am not sure what you will find, or who. I hate the thought of you being disappointed.’
I wanted to tell Jenna there was no greater disappointment than watching your family turn their backs on you as a child, yet I kept my mouth shut. Fate could be a fickle thing, and the very last thing I wanted to do was shake that tree.
“You are a very wise young woman, LeeLee. Very wise indeed.” Jenna reached her hand across the table. A zing of electricity went into me. “Remember, I’m only a holler away.’
Swallowing against the sudden lump in my throat, I nodded. “Let’s do this.’
“I forgot to mention something else.” Jenna looked around uncomfortably.
My hand reached for Slater’s beneath the table. His warmth soothed my frayed nerves. Whatever I heard, we’d face together.
“Go on, tell us,” Slater growled.
“Remember how I told you time moved differently here?” Jenna tapped her finger in a slow beat, drawing our eyes to the spot she pointed at. The old, scarred wood looked hundreds of years old. I nodded.
“Well, when you left your human time, it was Christmas. By my estimates, it’s almost Halloween now.’
Her bald statement had Slater and me gasping. “What the fuck, Jenna. I have a job. What about my family and friends? How about Keanu and Cammie?’
“The healing and getting LeeLee back to her human form took a lot out of me. I apologize, I was not more on point. I’ll have Talia see you out.” Her chair scraped backward.
Jumping to my feet, I couldn’t let the woman who saved my life just go. “Jenna, please don’t go. I don’t care if it was next Christmas or ten years later. I owe you for restoring my humanity. Please, don’t go.” I choked back tears.
“I’m truly sorry. Please forgive me.’
Slater came around the table, putting his arm around Jenna’s shoulder. “You did exactly what was needed, and for that I owe you my eternal gratitude, not my dipshit attitude. I’m sure my family and friends will understand, and my job...Well, I can get another one.’
“Don’t worry so much, Slater.” A frown creased Jenna’s smooth brow. “Let’s get you two out of here. I have things to tend to.’
I wasn’t sure if I was ready to face my past just yet. Logically, I knew that was the only way to move forward. My mind warred with my heart. I gave a decisive nod. “Let’s do this.’
From one moment to the next, Slater and I were in Jenna’s kitchen, then we stood outside a small, quaint-looking town.
“Damn, I hate that.” Slater gave a full-body shiver. “Where are we?’
Looking around the area, nothing looked familiar. “I wish we had a set of wheels,” he said instead of answering, reaching for my hand and linking our fingers. “Let’s go. Remember, you’re not alone.” His gentle reminder eased the ache in my heart.
I held the slim hand of my mate, wishing like hell we had more information to go on other than a red-haired man. Damn! I hated the feel of her racing pulse beneath my palm but knew nothing I said or did would calm her, except finding answers.