Beth snorted. "He already has trainees and volunteers on the job. He won't make her train. He'll just place her with a seasoned hunter and let them train her on the job."
"Maybe not," Scotty said. "After all, she is the daughter of Athanasios Sarka. He'll take care that she is no' hurt on the job."
"Hmm, you're probably right," she said thoughtfully.
"Can we go now?" Donny whined. "Honestly, you could have told her all that in the car, Scotty. I have been up with nothing to eat for hours."
"There was still pizza in the refrigerator," Beth said with irritation. "You could have warmed some up and had that."
"Pizza for breakfast?" Donny asked with disgust.
"What? I thought all young people liked leftover pizza for breakfast," she said. When his expression just became more disgusted, Beth sighed and spun away to walk out of the kitchen, saying, "Fine, we'll go. But grab a bag of blood to bring with you. That should tide you over until we get to the restaurant," she pointed out, and added under her breath, "At least you won't be able to whine with it in your mouth."
"Ewww, blood before breakfast? That's gross."
Beth stopped walking and turned on him with amazement. "Seriously?"
He nodded with a grimace. "I can't stomach blood until after I have some food in my stomach. And I need to eat if you expect me to suffer through shopping."
"I am not making you suffer through anything," she snapped. "You're the one insisting we must go shopping."
Ignoring her argument, Donny just said, "We should go to one of those breakfast crepe places. I like the ones with berries and lots of whipped cream, or--oh!--apple cinnamon crepes with caramel sauce. Those are yummy. Or the chocolate crepes with cherries."
Beth turned to frown at Scotty. "Did you let him have coffee today?"
"No," he assured her firmly, his lips twitching with amusement. "This, apparently, is just Donny before breaking his fast."
"This is Donny starved," the younger immortal put in grimly. "Now let's go."
He marched past them then, headed for the front door with his nose in the air.
"He reminds me of Phil," Beth murmured with disbelief as she watched him in his huff.
"Who is Phil?" Scotty asked, eyes dancing with laughter and curiosity.
"A twelve-year-old girl we had at the brothel for a while. Her name was Phillipa. We called her Phil. She was always throwing temper tantrums and marching about like she was a princess."
"What happened to her?" Scotty asked solemnly.
"She threw one too many temper tantrums, and Danny sold her to another bullie."
"Bullie means pimp, si?" Matias asked.
"It did back then. At least, a specific type of pimp, one who kidnapped girls and forced them into the business, or tricked them into it like both Danny and this guy. Sometimes, though, one bullie would sell a girl to another to be rid of her," Beth explained and noted the relief on Scotty's face. She supposed he'd worried she was going to say the girl died in some horrible manner . . . and she did. The next bullie didn't sell her on when he found her annoying. He choked her to death in a fury.
"Are you guys coming or what?" Donny demanded from the door, and then jerked his head toward it when the doorbell sounded. Swinging his head back, he asked uncertainly, "Do I answer it?"
Beth opened her mouth to respond with an exasperated yes but never got the chance. Scotty barked, "No," and suddenly took her arms and maneuvered her quickly back into the kitchen.
"Remain here," he ordered, then told Matias to stay with her and rushed up the hall.
"Huh," Beth grunted. "Go figure. One little cut on the arm and I go from respected Enforcer to damsel in distress."
"It would appear so," Matias agreed.
"Well, that's a problem," Beth said with disgust, and then frowned and moved closer to the door as she heard surprised greetings and male laughter. "Sounds like it's friend and not foe."
"Si," Matias agreed as another burst of laughter reached them.
"Then why are we hiding in the kitchen like a couple of old women?"
Matias shrugged. "I was amazed that you did not hit Scotty when he pushed you in here like a child."
"Right," Beth growled and strode out of the kitchen.
"Ah, there she is," Scotty said with a smile as she approached . . . as if he hadn't shuffled her into the kitchen and ordered her to stay there. "Beth, these are three of my best hunters, Magnus Bjarnesen, Rickart de Caulmont, and Odilia Baignard."
Beth stiffened. Magnus was the man Matias had said had been watching over her for the last century or more. Realizing that Scotty and the others were waiting for some reaction from her, she nodded and politely murmured, "Hello."
Beth didn't wait for their response, but then turned to Scotty and raised her eyebrows. "And they're here because?"
"I figured Mortimer could use some help and thought I'd bring some o' me people o'er to assist until he gets his own men back from Venezuela," he explained.
"Nice," Beth said with a nod. "But then why are they here? Should they not be in Toronto helping Mortimer?"
"Aye. They will be," Scotty assured her. "I actually sent for six. Three flew into Toronto and these three continued on to join us. They'll stay here tonight and then fly back with us tomorrow."
Beth narrowed her eyes. She wasn't stupid. He'd brought in babysitters. To watch over her. Which was just ridiculous. She was a Rogue Hunter. She could take care of herself.
"I know it'll be a bit cramped, but 'tis only for one night," he went on as if oblivious to the fury building in her eyes. "Odilia can bunk with you, and the boys can take the couches in the living room. 'Twill be grand. Like a party . . . without the . . . er . . . party part."
Beth merely smiled at him, nodded and turned to Matias. "I presume you have more vehicles in the garage out back than the SUV you drive around?"
"Si," he said, his lips twitching.
"Another vehicle is no' necessary," Scotty assured her. "Magnus rented a car when they landed. 'Tis how they got here."
Ignoring him, Beth smiled at Matias and asked politely, "May I borrow one?"
"Si," Matias said on a soft chuckle this time.
"Er . . . Beth . . ." Scotty said with a frown.
"Thank you," Beth said to Matias. Taking her cousin's arm, she urged him back up the hall. "I just need to fetch my bags. Are the keys in the house or in the garage?"
"In the garage," he said, and then retrieved a set of keys from his pocket, slid one off the ring and handed it to her. "This is the key to the garage. Return it when you're done."
"Beth!"
There was no mistaking the thundering behind them as anything but Scotty giving pursuit. Beth ignored it and simply thanked Matias again and then continued up the hall to the bedrooms.
"We should talk," Scotty said, following her.
"There's no need to talk," Beth assured him, unperturbed. "Your hunters are welcome here."
"Then why are ye fetchin' yer bags?" Scotty asked, following her into her room.
Shrugging, Beth began gathering her belongings, and said, "That should be obvious. There isn't enough room here for everyone, so I'll go check into a hotel and your people can stay here with you."
"The devil ye will," he said with exasperation. "Ye ken they're only here to watch over ye."
"I don't need watching over," Beth said calmly. "I can take care of myself."
"Goddammit, woman, ye nearly died last night!"
"Only because you distracted me," she growled and, leaving the rest of the bags, headed for the door with just the one over her shoulder. "I was doing fine until you shouted my name and diverted my attention. Another minute and I'd have dragged my attacker into the light and would now know who they were instead of still wondering."
"Fine, ye were distracted," he snapped, following her through the family room to the door at the back of the kitchen. "But that could happen again the next time too. Only now, Magnus, Rickart, Odilia, and me will be watch
in' yer back. We'd keep ye safe."
"I don't need you to keep me safe." She slammed the back door open and strode outside. "I will not slip up again. I will be on the alert. And--" whirling on him, she snarled "--what do you care anyway? It's not like you want to claim me as your life mate."
Beth noted his stunned expression, but she was a little busy being stunned herself. That had just come out. Like lava bursting over the top of a volcano, the words had rushed out, carried on a wave of rage and pain she hadn't even realized she was experiencing.
But then, she'd never been very in touch with her feelings, Beth acknowledged. According to Dr. Hewitt, the psychologist she'd switched to on moving to Toronto, who also happened to be married to an Argeneau, she'd learned to disassociate from her feelings while young. It was how she had survived the traumas of her mortal life. It was how she'd survived a childhood with an abusive, alcoholic father, and being sold into a brothel, and being a prostitute, and the horrible, violent turning, as well as everything that had followed directly on it.
Unfortunately, disassociating didn't mean the feelings weren't there, just that you weren't connected to them, so were taken by surprise when they suddenly exploded all over the place. And that was pretty much how she was feeling right now, like she'd vomited her guts out on the lawn in front of Scotty . . . And now he knew that she knew that they were life mates. He also knew it bothered her that he wouldn't claim her.
Sighing, Beth turned and continued to the garage. Much to her relief, Scotty was no longer following.
"Feck," Scotty breathed as he watched Beth enter the garage.
"I did tell you, you were handling it all wrong."
"Aye, ye did," Scotty said wearily, not bothering to glance around to verify that the speaker was Magnus. He'd recognize his voice anywhere. They had been friends for over eight hundred years, nearly since the day Scotty had been turned.
"How much does she know?" Magnus asked, stepping up beside him to peer at the garage as the door closed.
"As far as I can tell?" Scotty said and then shook his head. "Everything."
"Everything?" Magnus asked with a wince.
Scotty nodded on a sigh and ran a hand wearily through his hair. "Except mayhap that I had ye watchin' over her fer the last century. As far as I know, she does no' ken that yet, but according to Matias she and everyone else ken about me trying to prevent her becoming a hunter, and she just said . . . Well, she obviously kens we're life mates and I've no' claimed her."
"Hmm," Magnus murmured. "It would probably be better if you gave her some time to herself to cool down."
Scotty merely grunted.
"So . . . what do you want me to do?" Magnus asked. "I can follow her to whatever hotel she picks and watch her, or--"
"Nay," Scotty said with frustration. He knew he should probably give her space, but he couldn't afford to. She was safer with them. He just had to convince her of that.
"Nay?" Magnus asked.
"Nay," he repeated. "I'll talk to her."
Leaving Magnus behind, Scotty headed across the yard to the door of the garage, his determination building with every step he took. He entered without hesitation, only to stop abruptly to give his eyes a minute to adjust. The lights weren't on in the garage. The only illumination came from the afternoon sunlight creeping weakly through the small dirty windows on each side of the garage. It took a moment for his eyes to sharpen and begin to define shapes and colors, and then he looked around.
There were five vehicles in the six-car garage. The closest bay was empty. Scotty supposed that was where the SUV Matias drove was supposed to stay. From where he stood, Scotty could make out the tool-strewn work counter along the back of the building, an open door leading into a tiny bathroom and another door leading into a larger office. Beth was in the office, picking through keys on a key rack hanging on the wall.
"What do you want from me, Scotty?" she asked wearily without ever taking her eyes off the keys she was sorting.
Scotty hesitated, and then glanced to the wall on either side of the door he'd just entered to find the light switch. He flicked it on, and then walked to the door of the office to peer at her. "I just want to see ye safe."
"That's kind of you," Beth said, finally settling on a set of keys and turning to face him with them in hand.
They stared at each other silently for a moment, and then Scotty sighed and moved forward, saying, "Lass, I ken ye can look after yerself, but everyone needs help sometimes and--" He paused and blinked in surprise as she suddenly slid around him and scurried out the door.
Damn, Scotty thought. When Beth had simply stood there waiting, he'd believed she was willing to hear him out. But she'd just been waiting for him to stop blocking the door so she could escape, he realized. Mouth tightening, he turned on his heel and hurried after her.
Beth was at the SUV in the second bay when he caught up to her. She already had the door open and was about to slide into the driver's seat. Scotty caught her arm, tugged her back and slammed the door closed.
Cursing, Beth jerked her arm free and whirled on him. "Why are you doing this? You don't even want me."
"Aye, I do," he growled, and then to prove it, he caught her arm again, this time to drag her forward and cover her mouth with his.
That was a big mistake, and Scotty knew it at once. He'd had Beth every which way possible in the more than a century's worth of dreams he'd had about her, not to mention the ones he'd shared with her. But those dreams had offered the equivalent of the heat from a match. The reality, just a kiss, brought on the raging heat of a towering inferno.
Scotty was immediately and painfully excited, his instant erection pressing urgently against the cloth of his tight jeans. His body was also humming and blood was rushing in his ears, sounding like the war cry of a thousand warriors before a battle. He was definitely going to prove he wanted her, but there certainly wouldn't be any talking. They were both being swept up by the passion immortal life mates enjoyed. And he could already tell it was going to be one hell of a ride.
Beth froze when his mouth first covered hers. It was something that had happened perhaps a million times in her dreams over the last hundred and twenty-five years, and still she wasn't ready for the reality of it. None of those kisses had prepared her for the way his heady scent enveloped her, or for the feel of his steel-hard arms enclosing her, or how his firm body now pressed against hers. And they certainly hadn't equipped her for the hungry way his mouth devoured hers, his tongue immediately demanding entrance.
In truth, Beth wasn't sure if she actually opened to him, or Scotty simply forced his way in. But it didn't feel like a taking. She didn't feel invaded. Instead, she was overwhelmed by sensation. The taste of him, the feel, the smell . . . and the need that was suddenly trying to claw its way out of her. That, at least, she recognized. Although it had never felt as strong as this or as violent. It had never left her clinging to him, her body surging against his with a demand of its own.
Beth was still so angry at Scotty that she wanted to slap him, but that didn't stop her from driving her hands into his hair, catching at the strands with her fingers and dragging his head to the angle she wanted as she finally began to kiss him back.
For a moment, it was almost like a battle, each of them trying to devour the other, and then Scotty turned with her in his arms and backed her up against the SUV. The moment he had her trapped there with his body, he tore his mouth from hers and bit at her neck, nipping, but not puncturing, as his hands began to tear at her clothes.
Scotty didn't remove her top--he tore it from her as he had her knickers in the dream the night before. Her bra quickly followed, although he merely dragged the straps off her shoulders and down her arms far enough to free her breasts before leaving the straps there to reach for the plunder he'd revealed.
Moaning, Beth leaned her head back against the SUV and closed her eyes as he squeezed and suckled at first one erect nipple and then the other. But she couldn't stand that for l
ong. Her need was too desperate to bother with foreplay. She'd had more than enough of that in their dream. In fact, she was more excited now than she'd been as she'd waited on her hands and knees for him to enter her before the arrival of the dogs had woken her from their shared dream.
Almost gnashing her teeth with frustration, Beth pushed him back sharply, reached down to grab his linen shirt and began wrenching it out from where it was tucked into his black jeans. She started to work at the buttons then, but her hands were shaking and uncoordinated, and in the end she lost it and simply ripped the shirt open, popping the buttons as she went.
The action seemed to incite Scotty. Growling deep in his throat, he caught the back of her head and dragged her back against him so that he could claim her mouth in another searing kiss. Beth kissed him in return, but her hands were busy, skating over his chest, squeezing his pecs and then gliding down his stomach until one found the hardness between his legs.
Scotty sucked in a sharp breath as she began to rub him through the material, and Beth echoed the action as his excitement swept through her. Craving more of that, she used her free hand to unsnap his jeans as she continued to caress him, but the moment they were undone she released him to push his jeans over his hips and free his erection.
Scotty threw his head back on a guttural shout as her hand closed around him, and Beth muttered something even she didn't understand as his pleasure echoed through her. But when she then began to run her hand firmly up and down, Scotty knocked her hands away and reached for the waist of her jeans. They were undone almost before Beth's mind could catch up with what he was doing, and then Scotty dropped to a crouch before her so that he could drag them down over her hips, taking her underwear with them.
Beth stepped out of first one leg and then the other at his urging, and then gasped as he tossed them aside and leaned forward to press a kiss to the juncture between her legs. It was just a quick kiss, as if in greeting, and then he straightened and stepped into her waiting arms.
There was no more foreplay. Scotty didn't even remove his own jeans. He merely caught her by the waist, lifted her up and then lowered her onto the hard shaft she'd freed. Beth clung to his shoulders and groaned as he filled her. The dreams truly hadn't done him justice. When the man entered her he was hot and hard and filled her to capacity. And then he pressed her back against the SUV again and began to withdraw and thrust into her until the only thing she was aware of was the growing tension in her body.