As nurses and doctors started to come into
the room, the family was shoved back out of the way. The medical team worked
for many long moments to bring Landon back, but to no avail. Emma was crying
harder now, and Mason glanced over at Monroe. The man had not moved but stared
at Landon intently.
Then the most extraordinary thing happened;
Landon sat up.
The doctor that had the paddles in his hands
fell backwards. He hit the floor hard, but didn’t move to stand again. The
nurse that had been holding a bag over Landon’s face just stood there holding
it out as if she were waiting for him to lie back down and be gone again. None
of them moved, not the staff or the others in the room, until Landon spoke.
“By damn, I feel good.” He looked around the
room, then back at his wife. “Katie love, what’s the matter? Did I make you mad
at me again?”
Katie cried harder as she made her way to
Landon. He held her to him as the staff, all of them silent still, moved around
picking up fallen items that had come off the cart, as well as doing checks on
the man who had been dead for too long to ignore. The doctor was helped up, and
then he stood staring at Landon for several minutes before he just walked out. Another
five minutes went by before the rest of the staff left them as well.
“You were gone and I thought I’d lost you for
good.” Landon had no idea what had happened if the look on his face was any
indication, but he held his wife as she cried. “I don’t want you to die without
me. Promise me, Landan McBride, or I will file for divorce right this minute
and leave you to it.”
“I promise. I’ll…whatever you said.” Landon
looked over at Mason, then at Monroe. “You did this? I remember…Dirk hitting me,
then waking up here. You helped me?”
“I did, with the help of Mason here.” Mason
started to tell him he’d done nothing, but Monroe continued, “He gave me what I
needed to help you, Landon. Should he have been a selfish bastard like you are
prone to be, I might have had to resort to going elsewhere for my dinner.”
“You know as well as I do that you said you
can’t take my blood, you leech. And why is his so much better than mine would
have been?” Landon wasn’t mad but smiling. “I kid you not, I’ve never felt this
good in a long time. I feel ten years younger.”
“As you will for some time now. And you
should know that the reason that I could not take your blood is no longer a
problem. Had you asked, I could have healed you long ago.” Landon stilled and
Monroe nodded. “You are now as healthy as the young cougar is. You will remain
so too, so long as you live.”
“The cancer? It’s gone?” Landon spoke so
softly that Mason was sure that no one but him and Monroe could hear him. But
Katie sat up and looked at Monroe as well, their need for the right answer
clear in their faces.
“It is gone.” Monroe backed away from the bed
when it looked as if he were going to get a hug. But Emma caught him to her and
hugged him tightly. Even his cat was all right with the contact, as he loved
the old man as well. “You are as bad as a cat, my dear, and smell like one as
well.”
“Good.” He let her kiss him on the cheek and
then he turned to Mason. He’d forgotten that a link would be shared between
them, and was surprised when Monroe spoke to him through it.
You and I, we must talk. This young son of
theirs, he will not stop and you must know that
. Mason told him he
didn’t think so either.
I will…watch over him, but not touch. I cannot for
reasons I’m sure that you understand
.
You’ve given Landon your blood
. Monroe told him
that was part of it.
I’ve been warned not to kill him either. Jace, my
brother, is afraid that it will cause bad feelings between me and the McBrides
.
He is more than likely correct. They won’t
mean to, but it will be there as a reminder all the time. I will keep an eye on
him and keep you informed should he come to you and yours. Also, if he gets
into any more trouble. I believe the man is on his way to becoming something of
a problem to a great many people soon
. Again, Mason agreed.
This bond between
us, I should like to tell you that it is like any other I have with people, but
you’re different. Stronger than I thought, as I said, but you are not just a
leader of your kind, but of all. You should run for office, young cougar. You
will do much to keep this town back on the path to becoming viable again
.
I’m just a rancher that’s trying to mete a
living out of raising cows to produce milk
. Monroe laughed and then looked at
the people in the room.
You have done us all a great service. I will be
indebted to you for a long time, if not forever
.
Nay, it is I who owes you. What you have
allowed me to do is something that…he was dying long before his son hurt him,
you are aware of that
?
Mason told him he was.
He will live for a great many more years now. His
mate as well. You have…the children you will have with the young woman, they
will make everything that happens soon so much easier to take.
You know what’s going to happen
? Monroe told him
only that the young man was going to meet with a bad end.
Will…this family,
will any more of them be hurt by him
?
Not your family, no, but others will
. Mason wanted to ask
him who and how, but Monroe only shook his head.
I cannot tell you that
should I even want to. You know as well as I do that he is in for a bloody end,
and it will be the only way that there can be peace here. Dirk is…you’ve
guessed that he is sick in the mind, but it has nothing to do with this family
but of the way he was born. Having you here will keep anyone from dying, but
some will get hurt. Be careful, my young friend, and I will be ever so grateful
for it.
I’ll give it my best
.
Monroe said his goodbyes and left them. Mason
wanted to talk to him more about Dirk, but Landon was feeling so well that it
was hard not to stay and talk to him.
A nurse came in with a glazed look on her
face and removed all the plaster from Landon. When spoken to, she looked so
confused that everyone just let her do what it was she was doing. When the last
of the equipment was taken out of the room, Mason sat down and held Emma on his
lap while she talked to her dad and mom.
The doctor returned some time later, and
Mason knew that his mind had been altered slightly. He acted like Landon had
only been in for a routine exam and had passed with flying colors. The only
thing he cautioned him on was his diet.
“You’ll need to eat better. More grain and
vegetables. Also, I would like for you to take some time off. Maybe take a long
trip with your wife and see the world from a ship. It will do you both a world
of good.” Landon said he was a rancher and raised beef, and the doctor nodded.
“When you’re having a steak, have a salad too. And not so much sour cream on
your potatoes either.”
When he left, Landon started bitching about
men and their rules, and Mason just knew that in a few weeks, maybe sooner,
Landon would be telling him how Katie was trying to kill him with food he
hated. And Mason could not wait.
Emma felt her body seem to come alive.
Screaming as she came, she sat up and was shoved back on the bed when Mason
continued to eat her. He had both her legs up over his shoulders as he devoured
her. Emma knew that she was close again and held him to her as she felt herself
coming again.
Christ, you taste delicious. I think I could
feast on you like this every day and never get enough of you.
She nodded to him,
cupped her breasts, and tugged on her nipples.
That’s it, baby, make them
beg for me to suck them.
When she came again, her body nearly bowing
up off the bed, she watched as he moved back. Suddenly she was in bed with his
cat and he dove at her pussy like he was starved. Even coming hard like she did
before, she still came quickly when his tongue fucked her with long, sure
strokes.
His tongue was so much different than Mason’s.
Not just in texture, but also in length and width. When he entered her, his
tongue would touch in her ways that made her breath catch and her body scream
for another release. When he curled his talented tongue around her clit and
purred, Emma came again and again before she begged Mason to take her.
“You’re beautiful when you come.” Emma reached
for Mason when he was leaning up on his knees. “And my cat loves the way you
give him what he wants. You should see your face when he’s feasting on you.”
“He’s good at it.” Mason fisted his cock as
she sat up and watched him. “I want you to fuck me now. Could you please? I
want to feel your cock inside of me in the worst kind of way.”
“I’d very much like to fuck you, but first I’d
like for you to suck my cock.” She moved on the bed while he leaned back on the
headboard. He looked so good laying there that she stood up and looked at him
while he continued to stroke his cock. “You like this, don’t you? Me playing
with my hard cock for you.”
“Yes. I’d love to see you come like this. See
it squirt out of your tip and come all over me.” He moaned and she moved
between his thighs. “Do it, Mason, come for me like this and make me come.”
She slid her fingers down her body and into
her pussy as he moved his hand up and down his cock. Precum gathered on the tip
and she put her free hand there and gathered it before taking it to her pussy. His
hand moved faster when she did that.
Leaning to him, she rolled her tongue around
his crown before playing with the small slit. When she started to lift her
head, he pushed her back to his cock.
“Don’t leave me like this. Let me come down your
throat, then I will fuck you hard.” She moaned when he cupped her breast and
squeezed hard. “Christ. Turn around, baby. I need to have all of you.”
Not sure what he wanted, she moved when he
pushed her into the direction he wanted. Lying with his cock right at her
mouth, she was startled when he pulled her pussy up over his mouth and began to
eat her. Taking his cock into her mouth, she nearly came when he bit down on
her clit and started to fuck her mouth hard.
Emma loved the taste of him as he slid past
her throat. Each time she swallowed him, taking him past the tight muscles in
her throat, he would fuck her harder. And when he cried out, she felt his
entire body stiffen just before he flooded her mouth with his cum. She was so
intent on having him come that she’d forgotten about her own pleasure. When he
pinched her clit again, she came apart crying out his name even as he came on
her face and breasts. She was weak with her climaxes and thought that Mason
might be as well.
She was flipped over so quickly that her
breath caught. He was inside of her in seconds, his cock feeling thicker than
before, longer too. When she wrapped her legs around his hips, he pounded her,
giving her everything he had, and she found herself wanting more. Mason positioned
her legs on his shoulders and lifted her ass up to him. She knew a whole new kind
of pleasure when he leaned over her and suckled at her breast hard. Emma was
bent in a way that gave her little room to move, but Christ, the pleasure was
nearly too much.
Each time his cock touched her spot, she thought
it was going to be the one, the climax that was going to kill her. But the
harder he took her, the faster he fucked her, she knew that when she did come
it was going to be the best ever. As soon as he bit down on her nipple, the
pain of it bringing her over the edge, she pulled him down to her mouth and
sank her teeth into his shoulder and tasted blood.
Coming harder now, she sucked at his blood.
Every time it filled her mouth, she would swallow and come again and again. Mason
raised his head from her body and threw back his head, and she felt him come,
felt the cum splash inside of her as he filled her. When he growled, his cat
moving along his skin like he wanted free as well, she knew that when he bit
her this time it was going to be painful. And when he sank his teeth into her
throat and growled, Emma lost her fight with consciousness and let the darkness
take her.
When she woke, she was alone in the bed. Sitting
up, she was sore and moaned when the pain in her body made her aware of what
they’d been doing. Mason was sitting in the chair across from her and she stood
up to go to him. When he said nothing, she straddled his lap and held him to
her breast.
“I have to remember that you’re only human.”
The soft breaths of his words made her nipples hard, and she moaned when he
licked the hard tip. “You keep this up and I’m going to think that you’re not
finished with me.”
“I want to ride you.” He lifted her up, and
she held onto his shoulders while he held his cock for her. Lowering her body
over his, she could see how much he was enjoying this and slowed down to give
him more. When she was seated as far as she could go, he cupped her ass and
brought her to him over and over while she rolled her hips. “I love you fucking
me. I could do this every day.”
“I think I can help you with that.” She
moaned when he took her nipple into his mouth and nibbled. “I need to tell you
something. It’s really important.”
She didn’t want to hear anything right now
but him calling out her name when he came. As she continued to move, he stopped
her by pulling her body flush with his. His hand on her back and the other on
her hip had her looking at him. Emma could see that whatever was bothering him
was indeed important.
“If this is about Dirk, I really can’t handle
it right now.” He shook his head. “Are you leaving me? If you are then…I don’t
want to hear that right now either. I’ve fallen in love with you, Mason, and
right now if you tell me that you’re going to—”
His mouth crushed over hers. It was hungry
and powerful. It felt like he was giving her something to remember him by. One
last kiss to make the leaving easier. Emma wrapped her arms around him and
cried when he lifted his head.
“I wanted to tell you that I love you.” She
looked at him, tears still streaming down her face. “I think…no, that’s not
right…I
have
loved you from the moment you opened your eyes and looked
at me. The second you stood up to me and told me off. I can’t lose you. And I
will never leave you.” He held her then as she sobbed. Feeling stupid and a
little on the vulnerable side, she looked up at him when he said her name.
“It’s not much.” She frowned, thinking she’d
missed something. “I have a ring for you if you let me stand up and get it for
you. I never thought…I should have with you, but I never thought you’d like sex
as much as I do.”
“You’re very good.” When he stood up, she
felt his cock stretch. “Mason, let’s get the ring later. Right now I want to
finish what we’ve started.”
Her back was pressed against the wall, and
she moaned when he took her mouth again. Mason took her hard, and when he
nuzzled into her throat she knew that he was going to bite her again. Tilting
her head so that he could do what he wanted, she cried out her release when he
bit her deeply, then came again as she felt his teeth tear into her tender
skin.
Exhaustion took her then. As she closed her
eyes, she heard Mason chuckle but didn’t have the strength to even lift her
hand to flip him off. This was his fault, he’d done this to her, and it was in
her mind to tell him he could do this to her all the time when she just let
sleep claim her.
~~~
Mason couldn’t even get upset over the fact
that his brothers weren’t in a good mood too. Georgie told him that they’d been
up late working to bring a calf into the world, and it had been a hard birth. Mason
had already checked, and both mother and calf were doing well. Darin showed up
about an hour after he got to work, and the rest of them staggered in a few minutes
later.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” Darin
was just hooking up the last of the cows to the milker when he spoke. “We need
a breeder. Do you think that Landon would lend us a bull? Otherwise, we’re
going to have to go and get one off another ranch, and that didn’t work out so
well the last time. We could pay him going rate.”
It hadn’t. The owner of the bull had claimed
that they’d overworked his prize bull. How the hell that was supposed to figure
into it was beyond them. He claimed that he was going to sue for damages as
well as future work that the bull could no longer preform. It was fucking; how
the hell had they messed him up doing that?
But Palmer had done a little investigating
and so had Holly, and they had found out that not only had he tried this
bullshit before, but had been making a pretty good living at it. Needless to
say, it was an open and shut case, and they were all the smarter for it.
“I’ll ask him when I see him.” They both turned
when someone pounded on the door to the milking room. “Well, now you can ask
him. I’m going to go and steal a few minutes with my mate.”
Landon came into the room with them, and
Mason took Emma with him to the office. He’d no more gotten her pressed against
the wall to kiss her when the door to the office was being knocked on, and telling
them to go away only generated laughter from the other side. Opening the door,
he saw that Landon and Darin were there, as well as the police. Mason must have
missed them.
“Hello, son.” Mason flushed when Landon laughed
again. “I’d hoped we catch you before it was too late. You do have a powerful
need for my girl.”
“I’m in love with her.” Landon laughed
harder. “And as soon as I can arrange it, I’m going to see about marrying her.
Soon.”
“Good for you guys. But that’s about as
obvious as the nose on your face.” The police officer took his hand as he
continued. “I’m really happy for you. But we’ve got…well, I’ve got a problem
and I was hoping you’d be able to help me out with it. Landon said that you’re
running for office next term.”
Before he could figure out what the hell he
was talking about, both Darin and Emma were congratulating him. This was the
first he’d heard about it, and he was having a hard time telling the people
here that he had no desire to run.
“I’m just a rancher. I have…I don’t know
where they got this notion, but I don’t want to run for anything, much less a
public office.” The cop, Officer Young, looked so disappointed that Mason
wanted to tell him he was sorry. He’d never said he’d run, and the next time he
saw the fucking vamp he was going to murder him. He’d done this, he was sure of
it. “Maybe we can help you with your problem, however.”
“We need a mayor.” Mason backed away, as if
just saying it to him meant that he was going to take the job. “And soon.
Without someone in office to give us the okay on some of the budget items, or
even the hiring of some more officers, we’re going to continue to have a hard
time keeping up with the little crime we have here.”
“I don’t…I have no idea what that would even
require.” Emma took his hand and he had a thought. “My wife. She’d be really
good at it. And she has a law degree that would keep your asses out of shit if
you tried something like Rogers did.”
“I can help you out in the meantime, but I
have a job.” Mason was so relieved that someone was going to do this that he
nearly missed the look in Emma’s eye. She was upset with him and he had no idea
why. “I’ll just have to make a few phone calls, but I think I can work as an intern
until you get one to work full time.”
She left with Officer Young, and Mason looked
at Landon. He was grinning, but it didn’t quell the feeling in his belly that
he’d fucked up. But when Mason asked him, Landon told him it was fine, he was
in his corner. Whatever the hell that meant.
It took Darin and him about two hours to
finish up in the barn. Jace was with Logan in the other part of the ranch,
taking the calves from their moms. They’d have to go to market soon if this
kept up, and it would be their first selling trip rather than buying. Having a
herd too big was just as bad as having one that was too small.
Landon was going to bring over three of his
bulls to help out. At that rate they’d have calves in a few months to replace
the ones that were getting too old to milk. As in the past they would donate a
couple to the local food bank, and they’d sell them off to the highest bidder
to make some extra money for the food banks. Aunt Georgie was making
arrangements for that now.