Page 61 of The Boy With The Sharp Teeth
"Yeah,I found your friend.” She could hear the undercurrent of a snarl in his tone.“Pretty sure I scared the shit out of him, and I would feel bad about it if theidiot hadn’t taken you into the woods where he knew those scumbags were makingcamp."
"PoorTodd," she murmured, not hearing his grunting noise in response. Guiltknotted her stomach as she thought of both Todd and Zach out there that night.She had been nearly out of her mind with fear that night, she couldn't imaginewhat they had felt all on account of her. Turning her face back up, some of theknots of guilt loosened within her as she met Zach's searching gaze. Liftingher hands, she pulled herself tight to his chest and listened to his thumpingheart. "Oh, Zach, I'm so sorry you had to do that."
Despitehis arms coming around her, pressing her to him, Sana could feel him stiffen ashe replied. "It was just the first of many."
Leaningback just enough, she gave him a reluctant look. "What do you mean?"
"Iwent to a very specialized branch in the military,” he explained. “Those twocertainly weren't the last to die by my hands."
Hiswords settled heavily over her, and she nodded. Nuzzling her face against hishard abdomen, she felt him inhale her scent and hold her closer as her thoughtsraced at the implication of his words. Her heart hurt for him. She wanted tohold him close and apologize for hours, though she knew he would just tell herit wasn't her fault. But it was. No matter what he said, it was her fault thatthey had all got caught up in that horrible nightmare that night. Straighteningin his arms, Sana looked up at him, taking in his beautiful, strong features.She loved everything about him: the strong line of his nose, the rise of hisstrong cheekbones, and his smooth bronze skinned. Lifting her hand, she tracedthe pale scar over his eye, loving even that about him.
Zachturned his head into her hand until his lips met her palm in a soft kiss."This is just one of the many, amongst the others,” he said in a hushedtone.
Tugginghim gently by his silken hair, she smiled softly as he obeyed the silentcommand and bent down until his face was level with hers. Tracing the scar oncemore, she placed a kiss gently against it. "Show me," she whisperedboldly.
Sanafelt the muscles in Zach’s firm shoulders and arms bunch and harden against heras he brought his arms down to her waist and lifted her up in one fluid motion.Wrapping her arms tight around his neck, Sana closed the remaining distancebetween them and covered his mouth with hers as he slowly took her upstairs.
~*~
"Icalled your cousin Ezekiel in Antor, and he hasn't seen any sight of Samonstrying going up there in that direction," Adam said from his seat next tohim.
Todaythey were sitting on Adam's porch, occupying both of the white wicker patiofurniture that decorated the spacious porch.
"Yeah,”Darrius, who was leaning back with his arms crossed on the railing in front ofthem, chimed in agreement. “And Garrett in Gaulding says he hasn't seen anysight of him in town, but of course, that doesn't mean he didn't pass through.He may have just left like we told him, and if so good," Darrius addedroughly. "The fat, racist bastard should have left years ago."
"Mmm,"Zach made a sound of agreement under his breath as he looked down at the yellowpainted floorboards of Adam's porch beneath his feet.
Heconsidered his uncle and cousin's words as he thought of the sheriff's emptyhouse he visited yesterday. Zach had been on his way back from Antor when hegot the call from his uncle about what had happened to Sana. If his need to getback to Sana had not been as strong as it had been, Zach would have lostcontrol. The world around him had already started to change into that familiarbluish dichromatic hue as his knuckles cracked in pain. With gritted teeth andragged breath, he somehow maintained his sense of self and caged down the beastof anger within as he drove the rest of the way to Tarki like a hound out ofhell.
Still,too on the edge of his control, Zach had stopped at Samons' place first. Hevowed to himself he would fulfill a long-time dream and finally gut that fatbastard and leave his corpse for the wild animals to finish off, but the dreamremained unattained. Samons' house was empty.
"Howis Sana doing?"
Adam'swords brought his attention back to the present, and Zach looked up at hisuncle before leaning back into the wicker porch chair with a wolfish smile.
Shiftingagainst the wood railing next to a planter box of Sandra’s flowers, Darriuslaughed at Zach's expression. "I take it you're happy as hell, now thatyou finally got your girl."
Zachsmiled even broader as he thought of last night. As soon as he laid her on thebed, there had been only a few seconds spared as they both removed theirclothes. Zach had let out a sigh of pure pleasure as her wet, searing heatwrapped around him. Cradled in her arms and legs was where he always belonged.He meant to take it slow with her, to prolong the pleasure until it bordered onmindless torture, but through the dying sunlight filtering in through herwindow, Zach could see the dark outline of a bruise on her arm and knew that itwas from Samons. Anger had pulsed through him, pushing his hips faster andfaster. Sana's sensual cries spurred on the beast within him as he let hisanger fuel his movements. Even through his violent thrusts, Sana held onto himtightly, rocking her body for more and more even as the first changes began torack his body and stole his words. Either ignoring or unaware of what she wasdoing to him, Sana arched her back and fed her glorious body to his as the deepguttural growls escaped his throat and filled the room. Completely absorbed intheir love, she had wrapped her legs around his hips as he roared his releaseinto the night air while his sharp nails sank into the mattress. After a while,his body spent, and the beast within sated, Zach had held his breath as helooked to Sana only to release the tension with a soft laugh. Like a contentedkitten, she wore a soft satisfied smile across her lips as she sleepily nuzzledcloser into the crook of his neck.
"Yeah,she's good," Zach finally answered, his smile fading. "But it broughtup a night she had been trying to forget."
Hisuncle nodded solemnly and fixed his dark golden eyes on Zach. "Did youtell her?"
"DidI tell her I killed those two bastards in the forest that night?" He ranan agitated hand through his hair and stood up to brace the wood railing nextto Darrius, looking out to the spacious yard.
"That'snot what I meant, and you know it," Adam pressed.
"Nogoddammit. I haven't told her," Zach heaved a sigh, not wanting to talkabout this. “Turning around, he faced the man that had become a second fatherto him. "It's not that easy, and you know it," he bit out.
"Youneed to tell her, Zach," Darrius said seriously. “Especially before shegets pregnant."
Theword acted like a brand to his flesh. Turning to Darrius with a snarl ofwarning under his breath, Zach smiled a razor-sharp smile as the older manstood up straight from the railing and let out a threatening sound of his own.Dark gold eyes flashed dangerously as they stared back at Zach, and Zach couldfeel his own baser nature react to the man’s unspoken challenge. His musclestightened and bunched with the need for a fight.
"Enough,"Adam's deep voice barked out. Standing up from his chair, he placed a hand onboth of their chests and pushed them both back a few steps. Turning to Zach,Adam gave him a firm but understanding look. "You can't put this off anylonger."
Snatchinghis gaze away from both of them, Zach paced to the other end of the porch andput his hands on the back of his head, and looked up to the sky. Everything hewanted was right here. For once, it felt like his life was complete, but thatcould all vanish if he told her.
"Sanacan handle it. I know her, and so do you. She is different, but you have totrust her," Adam said, knowing exactly what he was thinking.
