Race to Destiny 4 (8 page)

Striker knew Eric had used his Fae powers to heal himself and they would need to explain all of that to Mia.  He could see through the rearview mirror that they had both fallen asleep and was relieved.  He, himself, didn't really need a lot of sleep in general.  The old myth that
vampires slept during the day and were up all night was a load of baloney.  He thought it was hilarious how many myths were out there about his people.

Okay, so until Orfeo had mated, his people had only been able to walk in darkness but that was because of a curse.  When Orfeo had broken it, all of his people had been gifted with the power to walk in the light again.  It had been a glorious moment in his lifetime.  However, they still did not need that much sleep.  It was just like with food, they could eat, but it didn't sustain them.  They needed blood.  Speaking of blood, why was it he could still smell fresh blood if Eric had healed himself? 
Must be the towel on the floor
, he thought.

He shrugged as he hurried to get them to the airport.  The plane would arrive at first light and he wanted to make sure they were on it.  Things were getting bad.  He knew to expect company at the airport, however small it was.  The Rogues were hell bent on getting to Mia no matter the cost.  He wanted to get the layout of the small airport when they arrived so he knew how to keep her safe.

While the two slept in the back, he drove thinking of Mia and her reactions on the ferry.  He was pleased with her actions when they had her between them.  She had been as aroused as they were and that had pleased him.  He knew Eric was pleased as well.  They were definitely moving forward at a faster pace than he had hoped with Mia.  She was opening up to them and seemed to feel their mating pull, which amazed him.  He wanted to speak to Orfeo and Dante about it when they arrived at the Senate compound.

As he drove through yet another small town, he noted the sun was setting and it was getting past dinnertime.  Both Eric and Mia seemed to still be sleeping; Striker didn't want to disturb them
so he kept driving.  He knew when they woke he would stop and get them something to eat.  He had taken his fill on the ferry easily so he would not need to feed again for a few days.

As they began to get closer to the airport, Striker knew they would be in an isolated section of the county so he decided to stop for food.  The two in the back seat stayed asleep the entire time he ran into the little grocery store and loaded up on food for them all.  He also got several drinks, including water, which he knew Eric would need when he woke.  Using his light power caused a Fae to
become dehydrated quickly.

Striker
kept driving and it was approaching late evening when he turned onto the small road heading to the airport.  It was set out apart from the town and he liked that since he would be able to see anyone driving down the road.  The road was over two miles long as he traveled down it slowly with his lights off.  He could see clearly, as if it was daylight with his vampire eyesight, and it was the easiest way to see if someone was waiting on them.

T
heir people would have had the airport cleared of humans and left it empty.  Now they just had to buckle down and wait it out until morning when the plane would arrive.  He drove around the one large hanger on the property and saw there was one landing strip.  He also noted one small tower at the other end of the runway.  He pulled up to the doors of the hanger and parked.  He silently got out of the SUV and entered the hanger to check it out, making sure it was clear of any unwelcome visitors.

S
lowly he drove around the entire hanger.  There were two offices, a break room, a couple of bathrooms and then the open hanger.  He thoroughly checked them all and then unloaded the groceries, storing them in the break room.  He was concerned because not only had the two not woken up yet but he still smelled fresh blood—that had him really worried.  He decided to get Eric out first and check him thoroughly, hopefully before Mia woke and freaked out.

He went to Eric's side of the SUV and slowly shook him awake.  When Eric opened his eyes and looked at him, he put his finger to his lips, indicating the still sleeping Mia.  Eric nodded and then Striker helped him out from under Mia, easing her to lay fully down on the back seat.  Striker turned and saw Eric standing, looking around the hanger.

"I can't believe we are already here.  I must have been really out of it,” Eric said softly.

"You both were.  I picked up some groceries and stuff, put it in the break room
,” Striker told him.

"Thanks.
  I could do with some water,” Eric said as Striker predicted.

"Plenty in the fridge.  I put two bottle in the freezer to cool it faster
,” Striker said.  Eric turned to head into the break room and Striker reached out to stop him.  "Eric, you are still hurt?  I thought you healed yourself,” he said with a frown.

Eric looked confused.  "No, I'm fine.  I did heal."

Striker pointed to Eric's right sleeve and side, saying, "That's fresh blood.  I knew I smelled fresh blood."

Eric looked down at his shirt and then looked back at Striker; his face had lost all color.  "Striker, that's not my blood.
”  He turned back to hurry to the SUV.

"Holy shit, Mia!"

Striker put on his preternatural speed and yanked the door almost off its hinges of the SUV.  He gently slid his arm under Mia's neck, felt his arm slip in blood, and pulled her out, hooking his other arm under her knees.  He turned and rushed her to the break room where there was a couch.

Eric entered first and cleared the long table with a sweep of his arm.  "Place her here so we can get a clear reading of her injuries.  Gods, I can't believe I didn't check her thoroughly."

Striker set Mia gently on the table as Eric grabbed some supplies.  They both noted that she hadn't woke up yet or even made a move to do so.  Eric gently turned her head to on
e side and then the other.  They saw she had a gash in her head above her right ear.  Eric poured some water on it and cleaned it off as best as he could with what they had.

"I will go find the first aid kit.  They should have an extensive one around here somewhere
,” Striker told Eric and headed out to scour the hanger.  He searched the offices first and didn't find it, then he went out to the hanger and saw a large one hanging on the wall by the big bay doors that were closed.  He grabbed it off and hurried back to Eric and Mia.

Eric had cleaned out all of the blood from Mia's head and looked at Striker with stricken eyes.  "I don't know that I can heal her all the way.  I haven't regenerated yet.  I know I can heal the cut but what if it goes deeper than that?  Why did I heal myself without checking her out first?"

Striker reached out and laid a hand on Eric's shoulder.  "Eric, you didn't know.  Even I thought she was safe on the floor with the blanket over her.  Let's just do what we can for now.  The plane will be here first thing in the morning."

"I will be recharged by then
,” Eric said firmly.  "I need to drink more water but first I will do what I can,” Eric said as he held his hand over Mia's head.  It began to glow brightly but then quickly went out.  "I can't hold it any longer, Striker."

Striker was silent for a moment and then caught Eric's eyes.  "I can try giving her my blood.  It has healing qualities."

"Why don't you?  Do it!” Eric said.

"Eric, it's not that easy.  It goes against all that I am to do this without her permission
,” Striker explained.

Eric nodded in understanding and said, "I know what you are saying
, Striker, and I say we wake her to get her consent."

Striker looked surprised for a moment and then said, "Agreed."

It was Eric's turn to put his hand on Striker's shoulder.  "We had to tell her sooner or later.  Now is as good a time as any."

Striker nodded and they both turned to Mia.  Eric ran his hand over her cheek.  "Mia, we need you to wake up now."

"Mia, time to get up,” Striker said forcefully.  He gently shook her shoulder.

Mia moaned and began to blink her eyes.  Eric checked her pupils.  "Her eyes are clear.  That's a good sign."

"Mia, wake up.  We need to talk to you,” Eric said to her.

"What's wrong?  Why aren't we moving?
” Mia asked.

"How do you feel?
” Striker asked.

Mia made a move to sit up and the men each took her side to help her.  Eric offered her a little water, which she sipped slowly.  "What's going on?  Where are we?"

"We are in the hanger at the airport,” Eric explained to her.

"Love, you were hurt earlier.  You had a serious gash on your head
,” Striker said to her.

"I was?  I did?  What happened to it?
” Mia asked confused.

Striker looked to Eric and Eric said, "I healed your gash as much as I could.  Just like I healed myself, remember?"

Mia nodded slowly.  "I remember.  There was a light."

"Yes, there was, but I couldn't heal you all the way.  Striker can finish healing you
,” Eric said.

"Okay.
”  Mia looked at Striker.

Striker sat down on a chair by the table and looked at her.  "Mia, I would need to give you some of my blood."

Mia frowned.  "Do werewolves have healing blood?  I hadn't heard that."

Striker shook his head.  "No, sweet, they don't.  I am not a werewolf."

Mia took a deep breath.  "Okay.  What are you?"  She had had just about as much as she could take, and sitting here trying to figure out what the fuck they were was too much.  She knew about the other magical kind, she had just not met any, she thought,
at least she didn’t think so
.

"First I want you to remember that I care for you deeply, we both do.  We would never do anything to hurt you, ever.  You understand?
” Striker said and Mia nodded.  "Mia, I am a vampire."

"And I am Fae
,” Eric said.

Mia didn't say anything for a moment and then she said, "Okay.  I see.
”  She tried to scoot a little further away from them and then slowly stood up by the table.  When both men went to reach out to help her, she growled, she actually growled at them.  They both immediately pulled their hands away and put them up in a gesture to show her they meant no harm.

She stumbled back and the back of her legs hit the couch, where she sat down hard.  "I honestly don't know what to say
,” she said as she reached up to rub her temples.  "I have such a headache I can't think straight.  But I am going to say one thing.  NO MORE OF THIS FUCKING HIDING SHIT FROM ME!!  I AM A GROWN UP, AND WEAR BIG GIRL PANTIES."

Striker approached her slowly, his hands out, saying, "
Okay?  Uh well, that is, I am sorry.  We won't hurt you, Mia.  We only want what is best for you.  You are our mate."

Eric smiled at her as she looked at them both.  "You are and we would lay down our own lives to keep you safe, honey.
”  He knelt down in front of her.  "You know that, don't you?  And I like it when you wear your big girl panties."

Mia snorted
.  "Okay then, as long as we are on the same page, I would hate to gut you.”  She said softly, "Mates?  Like Cami, Quin, and Jaden?"

Striker knelt down too so as not to scare her further.  "Yes, like them."

"So you two, um, like, want to be together?” Mia asked. While that would be kinda hot, she didn’t think that was their intensions, but hey, she had to ask.

"No, love, we don'
t want to be together like Quin and Jaden are per se.  But we are mates, and we both want to be with you,” Striker explained.

"What Striker is skirting around is that we don't find each other sexually attractive as we do you, but feel the pull to care for each other through you
,” Eric said with a smile.

"Oh, okay.  And you want to give me blood?
  To heal me or what?” Mia asked.  From what Cami had told her, the exchange of blood with a magical being was more than just healing.

"It is part of the mating to have a blood exchange.  I know my blood can heal you
,” Striker said.

"Mia, we don't know how injured you are inside and that worries me.  I want Striker to heal you
,” Eric told her.  "We cannot go on without you, Mia.  If it starts the mating then so be it."

Striker looked serious. 
“Mia, you don’t have to, we can get a doctor here, we will just have to use our powers on him to make him forget.  I am willing to do anything you want.”

Mia nodded and smiled another conversation they would be having about their powers.  After seeing the driver, and then the glowing bit, she was more than curious.  First, they had to get out of here and on a plane. 

“Will we be bound for life?” she asked, hoping the answer was yes but not daring to say it.

“
Yes, but if you have any doubts we stop now, but there is a bit more to the whole mating thing.”  Eric smiled.  “I will be heartbroken and go and sit in the corner and lick my wounds, but I respect your decision.”

Mia looked at both of them for a moment and nodded.  "Okay.  Let's do it.  Do you have a knife?"

Striker smiled.  "Actually, I will bite your neck, as in the movies.  Then you can drink from mine or my wrist."

"Ah, I see.  Um, okay
,” Mia said.  She felt the excitement build, not quite the romantic way she expected it to go, if she was marrying a human she always dreamed of an extravagant proposal, but with the these two, she imagined so much more,
later
, she thought,
she would insist on at least a romantic dinner later
.  “Just saying, later I expect something more romantic, like a horse drawn carriage and stuff like that.”

Striker rose slowly so as not to frighten her more than she already was, he could hear her heart pounding and was worried for her health.  He took a seat beside her on the couch.  He looked to Eric and nodded to Mia's other side.  Eric took it and he turned her to face Striker, wrapping his arms around her waist.  She immediately leaned back against him and he kissed the side of her neck that had been injured
, knowing Striker would prefer to bite her uninjured side.

Striker looked into Mia's eyes and said, "This will not hurt you
, Mia, it will actually be enjoyable.  We will make sure it is so.  As for later, you can damn well expect something a bit more private and personal."

Mia nodded and held out her arms to Striker in
an appeal for him to go to her.  He took her offering and moved into the circle of her arms.  He kissed her lips, softly at first, and then he became more demanding.  He ran his tongue along the seam of her lips, requesting entry and when she opened to him, he felt elated at her surrender.  Eric had moved his hands around to her front and was caressing her breasts through her t-shirt as they kissed.  Striker moved his hands south, caressing her through her jeans, pressing his finger to her clit as he continued to kiss her.

When he could hear her heartbeat had slowed and her breathing had sped up, he knew she was becoming aroused instead of being frightened.  He slowly released her lips and kissed along her cheek, making eye contact with Eric.  Then he moved to the other cheek and slowly down to her neck.  There he let his incisors out to slowly and gently pierce her skin.  He heard her gasp right before she began to moan and writhe in his arms.
He and Eric both kept up their ministrations as she climaxed in their arms while he took a bit of her blood.

He only took enough for a proper exchange and then slowly slid his fangs from her, licking the wounds to seal them shut.  Then he pulled back and sank his teeth into his wrist, thinking this was the best way for her to feed and offered it to her.  Mia took his wrist in her dainty hands and brought it to
her mouth.  When her lips closed over the wound and began to suck lightly, Striker almost came in his pants.  The feeling was euphoric and he sent it along the connection he had with Eric, hearing him gasp when it hit him.

He snapped back to himself when he heard Mia moan as she continued to suck on his wrist.  He knew she had had enough and gently pulled his wrist from her.  She murmured a protest but let it go.  He licked the wound to seal it and then kissed her on her lips.  They all sat back on the couch in a cuddle
of sorts, saying nothing as they felt everything when the connection began to blossom.