A Warrior Wedding (The Protectors #7)(22)

Slade’s head actually fell back as he laughed, but when he snapped his head back, he was more than serious. “You are already my sex slave as I am yours and you will listen to me...do you understand?”

Jill actually thought she heard herself pant as she nodded. How in the hell could she deny this man anything? Swallowing hard, she leered at him. “Chicken,” she whispered, trying her best to ignore his sex slave talk.

Slade’s eyes narrowed as he looked out over the water then back to her. “I would do anything for you.” With no further words, he took off running, passing the vine, jumping straight up in the air off the ledge and seemed to hover before flipping into not two, but three perfect backflips and, of course, hitting the water in a perfect dive.

“Oh. My. God!” Jill laughed in awe. “That was awesome.” She clapped her hands as he swam back and climbed up the ledge.

Shaking the water off his face, he stared down at Jill. “You happy now?”

“Yes!” She laughed then hugged him. “Show me how you did that. I can barely do two and then I belly flop in the water almost every time.”

He shook his head taking her arm to lead her away from the water. “No.”

“Awe, come on!” she begged with a mischievous grin. “Just once. You said you’d do anything...”

Picking her up in his arms, Slade headed up the path. “You’re going to hold that over my head?”

“Absolutely.” Jill nodded before resting her head on his chest suddenly tired beyond belief. “Afraid I’ll do it better than you?”

Slade’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “You know it.”

******

When Jill didn’t answer, Slade looked down at her. She was fast asleep. Hearing the guys up the path, he slowed to a stop to stare at his life in his arms. She was his life and the fear of seeing her sick was killing him. He looked composed on the surface—he made damn sure of that—but inside, a fierce desperate panic threatened to consume him.

He had heard talk from other doctors, that they could feel death in their patients, knew when the time was close, and he did also. With Jill, he didn’t know if it was his being a doctor, a vampire or a man in love, but all he knew was he had to act fast.

A water drop from his wet hair hit her cheek making her flinch, but she didn’t wake. Her breathing was even and slow. She had fallen into a deep sleep fast and that worried him. Her pulse beat quickly on the side of her neck, another sign that sent his hidden panic in an uproar. Her coloring was off as well, but that could be due to the cool water. Though he knew that wasn’t it. It was just an excuse he could try to use to make it seem like she was okay, when he knew she wasn’t.

“What happened?” Trevor’s panicked voice broke into his thoughts. “Is she okay?”

Slade nodded, not trusting his voice, but when Trevor’s fear for his sister hit him full force, he sighed. “She’s just sleeping.” Slade walked past Trevor and headed toward Adam’s car. He needed to get her out of her wet clothes. Seeing Hunter had shifted back, he nodded toward his bike. “Can you get my bike back to the compound?”

“No problem,” Hunter replied, but his eyes stayed on Jill.

“Damn.” Adam’s face turned from irritation to a worried frown when he opened up the back door of his car. As soon as Slade slid in with Jill still in his arms, Adam closed the door and rushed to jump in.

“Back to the compound?” Adam glanced at Slade in the rearview mirror.

“Yeah and hurry.” Slade mumbled a curse when Jill shivered in his arms.

CHAPTER 10

Jax, Blaze and Hunter all stood near the bikes watching as Adam backed out of the path with Jill’s brother following.

Blaze glanced at Hunter. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”

“If a big juicy steak and red head just as juicy is what you’re thinking, then yes.” Hunter slid on Slade’s bike.

Jax actually grinned at that.

“No, you *.” Blaze grunted. “Do you think old Mable could help Jill and the others?”

“Crazy-eyed Mable?” Hunter’s eyes widened. “Hell, dude, I don’t even think she’s still alive. The last time I saw her she about made me shit my pants, I’ll tell ya.”

Blaze laughed. “Garrett told me about that. You ended up having to take Emily Snodgrass to her prom.”

“And she told me if I didn’t my...and these were her exact words... ‘little wiener would shrivel up, turn black and fall off.’” Hunter actually adjusted his crotch. “Let me tell you, boys, when crazy-eyed Mable threatens your dick, you take Emily Snodgrass to the prom.”

“Who and what the hell is crazy-eyed Mable?” Jax had never met Hunter, but the guy was funny as hell and actually fit in well with the Warriors, at least with Sid and Jared.

“Some say she’s a witch,” Hunter replied with a shiver. “But she has this crazy eye that you never know if it’s looking at you or not. It just stares off in one direction one minute and the next it’s looking straight at you. Creepy as f*ck.”

“She’s not a witch.” Blaze frowned, then sighed at Hunter’s look. “Okay, she might be a witch. Though she has helped a lot of people.”

“Dude, she threatened my dick and called it little. And do you seriously think Dr. Vampire is going to let his mate anywhere close to some crazy old lady with a crazy eye?” Hunter snorted, shaking his head. “Wait, let me answer that for you. Hell, no, he’s not.”