Golden Keeper Ch. 10

"If you are sure about this future..." She watched him nod in understanding, knowing she was asking about their daughters, and she swallowed. "I would like to be able to show them . . . to show you, also . . . my love for you forever and eternally." Her breathing stopped.

He tilted her face up to his and their gazes locked, hers one of mourning and passion, his glowing with love and eternal empathy. "You are sure about this?"

She frowned a tiny bit. "When youleft," she choked on the word and saw the self-loathing in his eyes. She stroked his arm lovingly. "I'd always wondered if I'd see you again. If maybe I could somehow stay forever and always have your memory...If you would come back and we would be together always . . ."

It wasn't coming out the way she wanted, but he seemed to understand. "I have been thinking about this," she continued, "since you first told me about your family. And I have never been surer than I am right now."

His eyes were closed and she placed her warm palm on his cheek. His swirling eyes opened and she looked into them with such adoration that he could not argue.

He nodded and scooted away from her and off the bed. She looked like she wanted to protest — not from doing this, but from him moving away from her. He shook his head and smiled at her. Her eyes were filled with expectation as she closed them. He said something she did not understand, and she found herself relaxing for sleep. Nothing else was said as he put her to sleep, to be awoken to a new forever.

He watched her face, more beautiful in slumber. He leant over her, a hand on either side of her face. He placed a light kiss on each of her eyelids. "Je t'adore," he whispered, though he knew he didn't have to. Nothing could wake her before she was ready.

___

May wailed as her body collapsed under the constant pleasure she was receiving. She knew he wasn't done, but how much more could he possibly want? "G-Grant," she managed to get out, panting, "n-no more. Please —oh."

Grant's hand reached down to strum her clit, making her jerk like she'd been electrocuted. He bit down lightly on the mark he had left on her shoulder, which was almost completely healed and she moaned again. He held her hips tightly and pressed her down even further before he started to move her swiftly up and down on top of him. He felt a sharp pain on the left side of his chest and groaned when he realized she'd bitten him.

She lay, completely worn out, on top of him, while he pounded furiously away in her tight tunnel. She gasped and a moan was dragged out of her when she came — for the umpteenth time — to the feel of Grant spurting his hot seed inside of her.

They were quiet, their heavy breathing getting in the way of effective verbal communication. The relative silence was broken as Grant chuckled. "You've got quite a bite there."

"Hmm?" May was a little dazed, and very sore.

His short laughter vibrated her body, and she sat up, albeit groggily. "Oh," she said in understanding after seeing the pronounced bite mark on his chest. She was too drowsy to be embarrassed, though part of her knew that she should have been.

He looked at her, concerned. "Was that too much? Baby, I'm so sorry . . . Are you hurt, really?" He flipped them over and May suddenly found herself on her back with Grant looking over her body protectively.

She swatted him away with a lethargic movement. "I'm, I-I . . ." She yawned. "I'm fine. Perfect. Good perfect. Gerfect." She giggled drunkenly.

He sighed and lay down next to her. She snuggled into his warmth and he brought the blanket over her cooling, naked body. She mumbled something akin to 'thanks' into his skin. Grant squeezed her tighter in acknowledgement and he felt her drift off to sleep, her head resting over the crescent marks she'd made with her teeth, right over his heart.

___

Grant sighed contentedly as he watched the early sunlight shine meekly through the curtains. May's weight on him was comforting, reassuring. He heard the steady rhythm of her heart keeping time with his. He was attuned to the noise as if it was his own, which was why when the noise grew louder and sharper he was immediately alert. He reached one hand out to shake her awake, when he realized it wasn't her heart at all. There was a rapping at the door, hurried and furious. His brow furrowed and he slipped from underneath May carefully and quietly. She snuggled into the warm spot he left behind.

The knocking stopped.Open the door!The voice was hysterical in his mind.

Rage?

Hurry! God!

He pulled his shorts on backwards in his haste. Grant swung the heavy wooden door open and a lithe, slender black wolf jetted in.You could've opened the door yourself, you know.

I had no idea what might've been going on in here.She nipped at his shorts impatiently and then ran outside, expecting him to follow.

Grant started after her, then stopped. He turned and went back to place a soft kiss on his sleeping love's forehead. He heard a howl from outside, so he stood up and jogged out the door. He leapt over the balcony rail, changing forms in mid-air, and landed, seeming graceful, yet strong.

What's wrong?Rage's thoughts were too scrambled to get a good read.

It's Dad,she thought to him, sprinting off in the manor's direction. A worried whine slid between his sharpened teeth and he shot off after her.

___

When she woke up, she knew he wasn't there. She called out his name to be sure and was greeted with an expected silence.

Grant?She tried a different tactic.

Yeah?His answer to her was weary and remorseful. Immediately, she panicked.

What's wrong? Are you oka —

It's my father.

It was silent between them for a moment. She knew Grant's father was sick, but . . .Is he okay? Do you want me to . . .

No, no.She could picture him sighing.Just stay, I'll be back soon.

Okay,she thought to him, warily. After a moment, she thought,You know I love you.

She could hear his sigh in her mind this time.I know . . . I'll see you later.He broke off their connection. She hoped she didn't upset him. She was just trying to be supportive.

___

He felt death calling to him, but he didn't want to leave her side. The pull got stronger, harder to resist.

"Fina, I will be back," he whispered before disappearing.

He placed himself near the bed of the nearly deceased. The aged man was the only one who could see him. The rest of those in the room would think the man was hallucinating.

"Who are you?" the man croaked.

"I have many names. Your time is almost over, I'm afraid. I have come for you."

"What do you mean?" He couldn't stop the coughing fit that accompanied his words.

"Father, who are you talking to?" A younger voice came from the other side of the bed.

The son reached for his father's hands. Jatteo noticed with mild surprise that the son was Grant. His father took no notice of him, staring at Jatteo in confusion.

"You are dying, Dominic. Your son shall replace you as keeper of your clan."

His old man's eyes were filled with sad understanding now. "Where do I go?"

Jatteo knew what he meant. "You have done well by all you've met, Dominic. Your soul shall rest easy in the heavens."

He watched as the sick man nodded and closed his eyes. Jatteo would wait for his soul to rise.

___

May was cooking — it always made her happier — when there was a knock on the cabin's front door.

"Come on in, it's open!" she hollered. She wasn't really afraid of any intruder that would be put off by a door.

"Whaddya cookin', May-May?"

May poked her head around the wall of the kitchen and smiled hugely. "Emmett! You're back!"

She wiped her hands on a paper towel and ran out to where he was. She jumped on him for a hug, not surprised when he wasn't jostled in the slightest. It was nice to have her friend back. She leaped down agilely and strode back into the kitchen.

"Have a seat!" she called when he didn't appear on the other side of the kitchen's bar.

She heard him clear his throat as she stood with her back to him. "Hey, May, you've, uh... you've got another guest."

"Oh. Really?" she asked, eyebrow arched.

Emmett walked up to the bar and sat at one of the stools. He looked back toward someone. May hadn't heard anyone...

"Hey, Charamaine, how're you doing?"

May spun; the voice had come from the doorway in the kitchen. "Jesus! How did you get there? I didn't evenhearyou!"

May looked at the tall man with red hair, blue eyes... he looked familiar... "Oh! Finn, it's nice to see you!" She gave him a smile along with her brief hug.

"Likewise." He strode into the kitchen to sit on the stool next to Emmett.

"So..." May started, folding mashed potatoes in a bowl. "Do you all know each other or did you just bump into each other on your way to visit lil' old me?"

She saw, in her peripheral vision, Emmett glance toward Finn. It was quick, but it was heated and full of meaning. She caught on. "Ah... I see..."

Emmett chuckled, Finn blushed. Finn opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off with a raised hand. "Now, now. No need for this silly embarrassment... but good luck with this one, okay? If you need any torture methods, pillow fighting techniques, spicy food recipes or anything of the sort for the big guy over there," she gestured to Emmett, who sat there grinning like an idiot, "just ask me, got it?" She bent down and took the steak out from under the broiler in the oven.

"Yes, ma'am," Finn responded after a moment, completely sidetracked by the smell of May's prime cut steak. It was simply mouthwatering.

"Okay. Good. Now how do you like your meat?"

___

"Baby? I'm back," Grant called as he strolled across the front porch to the door. He felt horrible for shutting her out before, but he knew how to make it up to her.

"Chara?" he called, stepping into the main room.

It was a disaster. The coffee table was flipped over, the couch destroyed. "May?" He panicked. "Where are you?"

There was no answer, and he couldn't feel her. The overwhelming smell of fresh blood caused Grant to run back in the direction of bedroom, but he froze as he passed the kitchen.

On the floor was Finn, bleeding profusely. "Finn?Jesus," he gasped when he leaned closer. There was a gash that ran from his neck to his right hip. It didn't look too deep, though, so maybe...

"Grant—" Finn gasped, spitting out blood.

"Finn! Finn, what happened?" Grant went to lift Finn's head into his lap, but Finn snapped at him and his arms started to change. He wasn't in good control of his wolf.

"Where's Charamaine?"

"Me, and Emmett... we came to e-eat." He started to choke and Grant waited.

Finn's eyes rolled off to the corner and when Grant followed with his, he jerked back in surprise. Emmett—fangs bared, muscles tense, coiled and ready to spring—was completely immobile in the shadows of the kitchen. He was frozen.

"S-steak and potatoes," Finn started again.

"Finn,what happened?"

"May..." he continued, fighting off the darkness that slowly setting in. "It was her...her... uncle. Her uncle, she sa-aid. He came and... he... he t-took her, said it—"

Another coughing fit. This time, blood spewed over and ran down his chin. "Said it was time." His voice was hoarse, and Finn didn't even try to stop the change now.

"Time forwhat, Finn?" Grant pleaded with him, trying to get an answer before Finn slipped into unconsciousness.

The russet colored wolf lying next to him blinked rapidly and rolled his eyes up to Grant.

Time for a party,Finn thought to him. Then his mind was overrun with darkness.

__

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-M