Sigma

Chapter 12

Sam watched the girls fuss over Clementine. He rested on the couch in the living room. They had arrived at the brownstone together after Robert gave them the all clear.

Katrina brought the petite vampire some fresh clothes and Esther disarmed the rifle Clementine insisted on carrying.

He rested his chin in his hand and smiled. Home at last.

Eric and Robert climbed the stairs to their office, discussing the layout of Pal Robi Inc. and possible plans.

Tyler entered the room carrying two beers and flopped onto the couch next to him. “This evening sucked.”

“You’re the king of understatements.” Sam held up the beer Tyler handed to him. “Here’s to surviving.” His friend clunked his bottle against his. Draining it empty, Sam set his bottle aside.

Clementine’s gaze met his and his heart seized. She would be sent away, God knew where, maybe alone. Who would protect her? What if she forgot about him? He rubbed his chest but the ache was too deep.

There were still a few hours of night left. Daedalus would set another coffin for her in his den. Pity she couldn’t sleep in his bed, but the sunlight risk wasn’t worth taking. But they still had those hours…

“She’s too good for you.” Tyler sipped his beer.

“Like you deserve Katrina?” But he agreed with his friend. Clementine was smart and brave. Would she be content with him?

His friend and pack mate lifted his bottle. “Touche, but I’m willing to commit to her and be her sex slave as long as she wishes. What about you?”

“I just met Clementine.”

“Have you–umm…”

“Fucked? Yes, not that it’s any of your business.” He folded his arms over his chest and glared at the floor. “I’m going to ask her to stay.” He said the words so fast he wasn’t sure Tyler heard.

His friend went still. He’d heard. “I was just teasing, dude.”

Sam gazed at the ceiling for a second. “I’d decided this before our little heart to heart.” He twisted to face Tyler. “She stood up for me against Daedalus.” Sugar was the only other person who’d ever done that for him, but what he felt for Clementine was so much stronger. She’d not only faced off with the Nosferatu, but she stood up to her master. Something he doubted she’d ever done in her hundred years of servitude.

“And you both still have arms. Nice. Daedalus has been carrying a huge chip on his shoulder ever since Sugar was hurt.” Tyler flinched at his own comment. Even though he wasn’t responsible for the Asian pack’s strike, he still expressed guilt at not being home that day.

Scratching his chin, Sam regarded his friend. He guessed in some way they all carried regret from that attack. He wasn’t alone in feeling like a failure. They’d all done their best to protect Sugar. He took a deep breath, the first in many months, and turned his attention to his possible future.

Clementine.

Bumping fists with his buddy, he rose to his feet and joined her in the kitchen. A whiff of her scent snaked around him and he inhaled deeply.

She smiled as he approached.

“I’ll show you where you’ll be spending the day.” He entwined his fingers within hers and whispered in her ear. “And my bedroom if you want.”

Her grin became more inviting. “Show me.”

He led her to the basement he shared with Tyler, Katrina, and Daedalus. His bedroom was the smallest, since he didn’t share it with anyone. “I’m surprised we have a spare coffin. It isn’t like we have any vampires who visit.”

“Hmm…my master–” She cleared her throat. “Daedalus made the arrangements.”

“He must have quite the foresight.”

“He’s had months to prepare. He called me the night Sugar was hospitalized with orders. He knew I’d eventually make it to Chicago. The idea was for me to sneak out the information and bring it here. Not lead a high speed chase from the airport.” She shrugged. “He should have chosen someone else for the task. There are plenty of others with better skills who are still loyal to him.”

Sam paused in front of his bedroom and wiped his sweaty palms on his pants. “Doesn’t matter why, I’m just glad he did.” He drew her inside the room, where a queen-sized bed dominated the space. A few free weights lay scattered on the carpet by the bookshelf and a gaming console. Taking her hands in his, he tried to catch his breath. This was proving more difficult than he’d thought. What if she said no? His stomach rolled. He’d swear off females for good. “Clementine, I–I want you to stay.”

She nodded. “I am.”

“I mean more than just today.”

“I am.” Laughing, she threw back her head. “I’m so relieved you asked. I didn’t know how to broach the subject without sounding desperate.”

“You are?” His beast howled inside his head with blinding pain.

“Daedalus thinks it would be safest if I stayed. I want to, but I didn’t want to force myself on you. I–I hoped you would ask.”

The strong band constricting his chest grew tighter. “I want us to get to know each other so I–I can be, so we can have a relation–well, we–”

“You want to court me?” She squeezed his hands.

“Yes!” He let go his breath. God, what was wrong with him? He was being a jackass.

“Good.” She kicked his bedroom door closed. “Because I plan on keeping you.” She shoved him, her small body more powerful than most would think.

The bed caught the back of his knees and he landed on his back. Blinking at the ceiling, he shook his head, then raised it as Clementine crawled over his body. Her eyes glittered with an inner light, her short curls wild around her delicate face. He grabbed her shoulders and pegged her with a stare. “Do you mean that?”

“You doubt me?”

“I’d rather not lay my heart on a platter to be feasted on.”

“My dear shifter.” She moved closer until she straddled his hips and cupped his face. “I do not leave a trail of broken hearts in my wake.” She pressed a kiss on his lips, butterfly-light and sweeter than any other they’d shared. “And I plan on feasting on your whole body, not just your heart.”

“Well, I know for a fact that I haven’t broken any hearts.” He whispered against her lips. “Someone would have to love me first to do that.”

She blinked and ran her fingers in his hair. “You have the power to break mine.” Tugging him closer, she deepened the kiss.

Moaning, he took what she offered, his spirit soaring at what she hinted at. He wrapped his arms around her and guided them back onto the mattress with her on top. He gave a throaty laugh when her dainty fingers curled under his waistband, and he lifted his hip to help make undressing him easier.

Clementine would have floated away if Sam hadn’t held her so tight. He’d asked her before he’d known she was staying. Her chest strained with contained joy.

Slipping his pants off his hips, she sensed his arousal against her stomach. He wore nothing now, since he hadn’t changed out of the shorts after the fight. A wave of heat spread over her body. “I can’t get enough of you.” She clawed at her own clothes.

In a flurry of hands, Sam helped her undress. He went to rise and switch their positions, but she pinned his shoulders to the mattress. “Not so fast.” She slid her pussy over his hard cock.

He arched under her weight. Pressing against her, his breathing grew heavier. “Are you going to take me by force, sweet Clementine?” He added a southern twang to his voice.

It sent shivers through her limbs and broke through her self-control. With a swift jerk, she yanked his head aside and punctured his neck. The spill of his warm blood rushed down her throat, easing the need in her gut. He’d be her only source as long as they were together.

“Shit, yes.” Sam cupped her ass and pushed his cock into her core.

Her pussy burned with the stretch as he stroked a little deeper with each thrust. He’d dominated her every time they’d been together, but not this time. She released her bite as she guided his hands from her hips to her breasts. Sitting, she took control of the thrusts.

Residing at Pal Robi had been safe, controlled, and stale. She hadn’t realized it until meeting Sam. For the last few decades she’d only existed, not lived. Her wild shifter risked his life to protect those around him and showed her that taking a chance could be worth so much more than hiding behind a veil of safety. How could she ever return?

Easy. She couldn’t.

She sank his cock into her taut core until their hips met. There had been almost no foreplay. However, she was wet for him. Just a little too tight. She gasped for breath.

“Fuck.” Sam squirmed under her, his eyes shut tight and his muscles flexing as if he tried to hold himself back. He squeezed her breasts in his palms and groaned. “I’m so close.”

Increasing her rhythm, she pounded him with carnal delirium. Lost in bliss, she cried out his name over and over again until the heat of his seed warmed her core.

She fell against him, exhausted and very satisfied.

Sam gathered her in his arms, hugging her against him. “For once, I’m glad Daedalus came into the Omegas’ lives.” He kissed the top of her head.

“Why?”

“I never would have found you otherwise.”