Night Walker's Woman Ch. 13

***

Rex watched his mate. His heart shattered even as it continued to beat wildly within his chest. He wanted to take her in his arms. Kiss her sweet lips. Promise her that everything would be fine. He wanted to bury himself so deeply inside of her that they became one. Until he erased every single one of those disgusting memories from her brilliant mind. But he knew he could not. If he approached her now, he might only push her further away.

But he knew who could. Stepping into the row of trees, he removed his clothes. He allowed his other freedom.

The palomino emerged from the clearing. It too approached the woman that was their mate cautiously. It brayed softly into the still, silent night, alerting Jaycee to their presence.

She looked up, her lovely eyes clouded with tears, some shed, and others still held back. She half smiled as it approached her.

The pony trod carefully over the rough ground until it came to stand beside her. He gently nudged her shoulder, until she lifted her hand and tenderly rubbed the bridge of its nose.

"How did you know?" she asked the darkness.

But Rex knew that she understood, that she realized their mental connection was unbroken even if the physical ones were. For now.

The animal leaned down, just enough. His mate grabbed hold of the mane and pulled herself on to its bare back.

The horse worked its way back to the house, but not before a brief detour. Rex knew just where to find them. The herd. The other wild horses that Grandfather had rescued over the years, and their offspring that had never known the tortures of captivity, that knew no fear of man.

They ran together with the beasts. The wind whipped hair and mane about their faces and into their eyes. The sky was growing light when they finally approached the weathered but solid old house.

Without a word, he transformed back into his human form. If his mate noticed or was bothered by his naked body, she said nothing. She had erected those mental walls once more. He knew he might be able to burst through them. But then he would become like that other man, taking what she would not offer.

He took her hand. He thought for a moment she might pull away, but she did not. They climbed the steps together and turned down the hall. When she would have slipped into Angel's room across the hall, Rex shook his head. "Please, Nʉ Sʉmʉ, just let me hold you?"

She looked at the closed door of her daughter's room. He was sure she was going to refuse him. But then she turned back; fresh tears glistened in her eyes as she nodded her head. Rex took her hand and led her into the room that they shared.

He kept his eyes down; he erected his own mental walls as he began to divest her of clothes. He would not have her frightened by the strong current of desire that raced through his blood. This was his mate. Nothing changed that. Nothing ever could.

When she wore nothing but her bra and panties, he drew back the old quilt. He tenderly picked her up and deposited her in its softness before walking to the other side and slipping in beside her.

Rex felt her stiffen as he pulled her into his arms, but he only kissed the top of her head. "You're safe now. Angel is safe. Sleep. Rest and recover, Nʉ Sʉmʉ."

It was some time before the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest told him that she slept. Even then, he laid awake, pondering it all. How could he reach her? What if he never did?

But finally, the exhaustion, mental as well as physical overtook him, and he too slept.