Kaylee and Damien (6th in werewolf series)

Chapter Three

"I may not get to see you as often as I like. I may not get to hold you in my arms all through the night. But deep in my heart I truly know, you're the one that I love, and I can't let you go."

Damien's body was sore and stiff as he groaned and rolled onto his side in the feather soft bed. He didn't remember his ocean shack's hammock being this comfortable. As a matter of fact he did not remember coming into his beach shack or climbing into his hammock.

He took a deep breath and realized he could not smell the sea nor did he hear the gulls or the waves crashing against the sand. Instead he smelled wolves and he heard laughter and voices speaking.

His eyes flew open as he realized where he was... How had he gotten to Kaylee's home? His sense of smell was barely above that of a mortal but his sense of hearing was highly adapted and he could hear every breath that every member of the household breathed. He could also sense Kaylee's presence. Her deep breathing let him know she was still sleeping several rooms away.

He tried to remember the night before. He remembered thinking of Kaylee just as he lost consciousness and that explained why his mind had dashed him here. He remembered her soft fingers on his face and her gentle voice begging him to wake up....

"She knows." he stated aloud. He had done nothing to hide the mate scent from his body last night. He had not had the strength nor had he known he would need to. He had meant to dash to his beach shack.

He looked down at his naked body and saw that all the smaller cuts and bruises were completely healed and his skin was tan and unscarred.... The skin on his stomach however was red, swollen and burning. He was not worried about the scars. He had already had plenty there to begin with. This had not been his first punishment at the hands of his brother.

For a demon who claimed to never feel anger or hatred, Rotan certainly had a mean streak when it came to his older brother. Damien rose from the bed slowly, finding that his strength had not yet fully returned. It was time to go home. He was covered in blood and dirt. His body was weak and his mind was tired.

He did not want nor desire to fight with Kaylee today and he was sure that she would certainly want to fight now that she had discovered what he had been hiding from her for so long. Damien did not fully understand the pain he was feeling in his chest at the thought of Kaylee's anger nor the way his eyes burned at the thought of how badly she would hate him for this.

He shook his head to try to rid himself of whatever it was that was wrong with him and then worked hard to clear his mind. He longed to hold Kaylee in his arms after being so long without her touch but now was not the time. He closed his eyes and pictured his tiny beach shack and the next thing he smelled was the salty scent of the ocean.

***

Kaylee jumped out of the bed and ran her fingers through her hair to comb out the tangles. The wolf in her was desperate to be near the mate and Kaylee herself wanted to see how he was doing. A lot of her original anger had begun to cool. She did not know why he had kept the truth from her but she would work hard to keep her patience and let him explain himself before she clawed at those beautiful blue eyes of his.

She walked quickly down the hallway and then froze outside of the door to his room. Her heart dropped to her feet when she realized that his scent was not as strong as it should be behind the door. She turned the knob slowly, hoping that he would still be there sleeping, but knowing that he wouldn't be.

Her heart broke as she took in the sight of the empty, blood covered bed. The demon who owned her very soul was already awake and gone. He had left without even bothering to say thank you, goodbye, or go to hell.....

"He's gone isn't he?" Jake's voice came from behind her. Kaylee blinked back her tears and nodded as she turned around.

"Yes."

"It's probably for the best, Kaylee. Demon's do not feel the things we do. He would not be good for you."

"I won't talk about this with you." Kaylee said angrily as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Damien is good. He has saved my life more than once, he has dried my tears, held me when I've needed comfort and...."

"And he made my daughter immortal even though he knew what they would do to him." Vanessa added as she walked down from her and Kayleb's room with Kayleb's arm firmly around her waist.

"You think that's why he was in the shape he was last night? They punished him?" Kaylee asked turning back to her uncle.

"Yes." Jake replied. "His wounds were consistent with demon torture."

"Sick bastards." Kayleb mumbled. Kaylee threw him a look and he shrugged.

"Look I don't have a problem with Damien... I mean he made it so Vanessa and I could be together but if the jackass keeps making you cry I'll break his demon nose."

"I'm not crying, Kayleb." Kaylee said matter of factly, even as her eyes burned with tears she refused to let fall. Kayleb moved away from Vanessa as Jake walked back down the stairs.

"I'm your twin brother, Kaylee, I can tell when you're upset."

"I just don't understand him." Kaylee said looking back into the room at the empty bed. "Why would he hide the fact that he is my mate from me? I mean if he had hidden it from me and then never spoken to me again, I would know that he hid it from me because he didn't care but he has always been there for me. For twenty years he's been around whenever I've needed him....."

"Demon's are stupid?" Kayleb offered with a grin and a shrug. Kaylee shook her head and let out a weak laugh.

"He says the same thing about mortals." she said. Vanessa shrugged.

"I guess there are times when all of us are stupid." she said. Kayleb put his arm around Kaylee's shoulders and kissed her temple.

"Don't worry sis, he'll realize what a prize he's got eventually and if he doesn't.... well then I'm sure that between me, uncle Jake, and grandpa Charles, we'll be able to take him out." Kaylee pulled away from him and punched him in the arm.

"You're such an ass." she said but Kayleb was happy to see that she was smiling.

"Come on. Grandma's got breakfast ready." Kayleb said and he led both women downstairs.

Kaylee put on a brave face for the day. She did not want her family to realize how badly she was hurting. Now that she knew Damien was her mate, her wolf was going crazy because of their separation.... The woman in her was hurting to know that the man she loved had lied to her and then walked away with no explanation.

She waited until after she was sure everyone was asleep that night before rising from her bed and walking out of the house and down to the woods. She pulled off her clothes and folded them neatly before changing into her wolf form and shaking out her thick fur. She was a slender wolf, covered in sleek muscles and thick auburn colored fur.

She breathed in the scent of the hot summer night and the aroma of flowers filled her nose. She took off at a fast run, stretching out her slender legs and moving so quickly the trees and rocks she was passing by were nothing but blurs.

She ran until her lungs were burning and her legs were screaming in protest. She finally stopped in a clearing, miles from the house, out in the middle of the Virginia mountains and changed back to her human form. She was breathing hard as she clenched her fists and looked up at the moon, shining brightly on her bare skin.

"Damien!" she yelled. "You've always said you'll come anytime I call you so where the hell are you at?" she demanded. She waited and waited as she stood in the moonlight but only silence met her words and she remained completely alone. An owl hooted in the distance and she cursed herself for being a fool.

Of course he wouldn't come. He must know that she knew the truth now and he was hiding from her. So much for being a big, tough, scary demon. She changed back to a wolf and started back toward home, the moonlight and the stars the only company she had.