Page 50 of Come Fill Me

To Zeke, she looked like a healer from the fifteen hundreds rather than a modern-day pediatrician. Damn. He pushed his fingers through his hair, pulling it away from his neck. He had to get Liz a stethoscope and other medical equipment so she could do her job properly, the way a regular physician would. Having her heal the clan’s children wasn’t going to be as simple as he’d first thought. Her gift was even more of a risk to them than it had been with him and Jacob.

“If I allow the energy within me to flow inside a child, much less an infant, it could be worse than what’s making them sick,” she’d explained. “Children are still growing. My gift might interfere with that process in ways we don’t know, something that might not manifest itself until much later. Maybe that’swhat my father was talking about when he kept warning me to be careful. What if the accelerated healing does something to a child’s cells, causing them to divide even faster, out of control?”

She’d been speaking of cancer, giving leukemia or bone tumors to innocent children.

“When my father still practiced, he never once used his gift on his patients,” she said. “I’ll examine the kids, but if what they have is more serious than minor abrasions or the sniffles, they’ll have to have regular medical attention.”

The kind she could provide with the proper supplies. Unfortunately, all the clan had was over-the-counter medications.

He had to get the prescription stuff and everything else Liz might need, including her violet-scented shampoo and perfume that he liked so much. He wasn’t going to bring her back. Day after day, he’d given her excuses as to why she was still here. He’d kept her busy with checking out the kids, using those small souls to bond her to his clan.

Thank God for children. Most made it to their early teens before they learned to distrust. The adults, however, were already there big-time. The baby’s mother wore a neutral expression as Liz examined her son, but Zeke saw the wariness and simmering hatred in the young woman’s eyes.

No different from Kele’s.

The first morning of Liz’s stay here, Kele had been sitting on the floor outside Jacob’s room, not even trying to hide the fact that she’d been there all evening, waiting for him to emerge. When he did—along with Liz—Zeke could only imagine what Kele was thinking. What she’d heard throughout the night.

Jacob hadn’t even tried to be quiet or to control his urges. Although he hadn’t confronted Zeke directly about wanting Liz, he’d made his demands known. When Zeke carried her out of the bath and placed her on the mattress, Jacob followed,climbing on the bed, draping his body over hers before Zeke could, kissing her breathless.

She’d submitted, stealing glimpses at Zeke, her expression urging him not to start anything that might turn out bad. Like a good boy, he’d restrained himself and wasn’t pleased with the outcome. After a time, Jacob’s foreplay distracted Liz to the point of no return. Her lewd moans encouraged Jacob to continue kissing her neck, suckling her nipples, running his hand between her legs.

Only when he’d finished mounting her and had fallen back to sleep did Zeke have a chance to gather Liz in his arms, asking what he never thought he would. “What do you want?”Who?

In answer, she wound a strand of his hair around her forefinger and brushed her lips over his cheek. Their satiny warmth sent a shiver of delight through Zeke, making him crave even more. Everything she could possibly give. He increased his grip, hugging her as hard as he could without hurting her.

Liz whispered, “Do you even have to ask?”

Yeah, he did. With her, he didn’t feel like the big-shot leader of his clan or a powerful seer charged with everyone’s protection. He was a fucking insecure guy who wasn’t about to share his woman with anyone. Not even his damn baby brother. Maybe him especially. “Answer me.”

His demand had her snuggling closer, trying to calm. “You,” she breathed then rubbed her nose on his shoulder. “I want you.”

She’d spoken quietly so Jacob wouldn’t overhear or awaken. Zeke took her then, driving his cock into her cunt without foreplay or permission. The tenor of her words, her caress, and sweet sighs had given him the right to do exactly as he willed. He’d pounded into her as he hadn’t before, pulling Jacob from sleep.

“Shit,” his brother complained, pushing to his elbows. “You’re bouncing the mattress so fucking bad I’m going to falloff.”

Good. “If you don’t like it,” Zeke panted then thrust again, “move to another goddamn room.”

“No way. This one’s mine.”

“Which I assigned to you.”

“And now you’re taking it back? You actually have the gall to—”

“Both of you shut up,” Liz ordered then sucked in more air. “If you don’t,I’llmove to another room.”

Her threat settled that argument, though not the ones Zeke sensed coming. He scanned the mothers in the yard. Their black hair gleamed in the sunlight that broke through the leaves. Many of them were watching Liz as she tended to her young patient. Concern flickered on their faces, along with continuing confusion as to why she was still here.

Zeke hadn’t yet told them she was going to stay. He hadn’t figured out a way to make it happen, except that it involved rescuing her father from Carreon then bringing Dr. Munez here to be with her. With that settled, all Zeke had to do was get rid of Carreon and his men with attack after attack. The endless bloodshed Liz said she didn’t want. Zeke knew it was necessary and the only way any of them would be safe finally and free. Once that happened, she, he, and her father could live out their lives together with his clan, building a new fu—

A hand touched Zeke’s arm, interrupting his thoughts.

“How are you feeling?” Isabel asked.

An older woman, she’d been his mother’s BFF from the time they’d met in high school. Only a few lines marred Isabel’s coppery skin. If not for her graying hair, she would have been mistaken for a woman decades younger.

Zeke took her hand in both of his. “I’m fine. So is Jacob.”

She looked unconvinced and glanced past.

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