Night Walker's Woman Ch. 09

She nodded her head, "It seems to be working."

He took her hand, "I want you to understand something, Nʉ Sʉmʉ. No matter what happens between us, even if you reject me, Grandfather will always be there for Angel."

She laughed nervously, "I didn't think rejecting you was an option. I thought Fate had decided already?"

Rex smiled weakly as he turned her hand over, he began to nervously trace the lines in her palm as if trying to foresee his future as other cultures believed. "No, we always have the final say. Fate may point us in a direction. It may even push us that way. But I don't think it ever forces us to do something we don't want to do. How could it?"

He looked up, "No, Nʉ Sʉmʉ, I am afraid you will very much have to make a choice. A choice to believe in me, Grandfather, and our hooky mumbo jumbo or to walk away."

***

Jaycee shook her head. Rex was wrong. She did not have a choice. Not really. Something deep inside her understood that Angel's life, not just her future but her physical life, depended upon her learning how to control 'it,' as she seemed to be here.

'It.' Jaycee knew she was copping out. But her mind could not process everything she had learned this night. Not that fast anyway.

She looked at him. This man, who had walked into her life less than a month ago. It did not seem real. How was that possible? It was as if she could not even truly remember her life before him? Or imagine her life without him?

"So, if it is my choice, Rex, give it to me straight. The full truth. No punches."

She did not like the way he hesitated. So she began herself, "I can choose to stay here, and we all become some big happy family. You become the father Angel has always wanted. Grandfather trains her to use her gifts. And we all live happily ever after?"

He shrugged, "Mostly. We still have the Chupacabra to deal with first. And life is never that simple or easy. But I believe it can be easier when you aren't trying to do everything all alone, my solitary mama bear."

She laughed, and it felt good. She could almost believe his words. The fact that he sat there completely naked, comfortable in his man's skin as much as the other one did nothing to help her focus on what she knew might be the single most important conversation of her life. Of Angel's. Of his. And theirs. If she believed him and Grandfather it went deeper even than that, its outcome could change the course of history itself, the face of this planet. No pressure at all.

Still, it was hard for her to imagine what it would be like to share her burdens with another soul. She never really had. "And if I leave, Rex? What happens then? To you? To Angel?"

His silence said more than words. "Tell me, Rex. I need the truth."

He shook his head, but words came anyway, seemingly against his will. "The Chupacabra, that thing, was once a skinwalker. One who gave into that darkness. Perhaps he never found his mate. Or perhaps he simply chose the power of his gifts over the responsibilities that come with them. I don't know."

Her voice quivered, and her hands shook, she felt the cold shiver move up her spine, "Are you saying that without me, you become like that thing?"

He shook his head, "No, I'd never place that burden on you. Grandfather fought back the darkness after my grandmother died. It has been done before."

"But? But not often? Not easily? What would happen, Rex? What would you do? If I say no?"

He looked away for a moment, his voice was quiet when it came, "I'd probably put on my skin and run with the others."

"You'd become a horse? Permanently?" She had to know.

He shrugged, "It would be the safest option."

She nodded, though she got the feeling that there was more he was not telling her. "And Angel? You said that Grandfather would continue to help her. But I can't imagine that it would be easy. I mean, how could he not resent me if you..."

Rex shook his head in denial, "Grandfather would never blame the child or you."

Her throat tightened as she remembered the scene in the bedroom earlier, her daughter's panic. "What happens to my daughter if I decide to leave?"

He turned away from her, but she was determined, "What happens to Angel, Rex?" She demanded the full truth.

"You have to understand, as far as we know, there have only been a handful of girls born with this gift."

She huffed, "How incredibly misogynistic of your Great Spirit."

"No, that is not what I mean. It is not like that. Our legends, our stories, and histories are filled with strong women: human and goddesses. I am not the expert that Grandfather is, and even he knows that much of the truth is lost to us. And that is one of them. We can never know why there were not any women skinwalkers."

"Wait. You said there had been girls born with the gifts. But now you say that there were no female skinwalkers. How can that be?"

He reached for her hand, but she drew back, "You're saying that Angel would die. My daughter could die. I mean, she is getting better, right?" She felt panic as her greatest fears were mirrored in his words.

He nodded, "Those girls did not survive to adulthood." He held up his hand "But we don't know why or how. Like I said, so much is lost."

His gaze held hers as if pleading with her, "But there is one fragment, a legend of great women warriors who will rise up one day. They will unite to save the Great Mother when she needs them most."

"Grandfather believes that Angel is one of those. He thinks that with help and training, her gifts will manifest the same as any other skinwalker. Actually, he believes her power and gifts are greater."

"But without his help, without this training, my child will die?"

He nodded slowly, "It is possible. Perhaps even probable. But I think you knew that, didn't you?"

How many nights had she laid awake just watching her daughter breathing after a bad day? How many times had she woken in a night to make certain that her daughter was still breathing? It was her worst nightmare and greatest fear. But to hear it confirmed from him somehow made it more real than it ever had been.

She felt the tears flood down her cheeks, "You're wrong. I don't have a choice. Not really."

He took her hand and drew her across the floor, he wrapped her in his strong arms, and she felt the heat of his breath as he pressed a tender kiss to the top of her head, "Yes, you do, Nʉ Sʉmʉ. I promise you; Grandfather will be there for you and Angel no matter what."

But it was more than just her daughter's life that rested on her choice, and she knew that. His did too. And honestly, that weighed just as heavily on her mind and heart. The thought this strong, brave, and compassionate man would become like that thing she had seen in her barn frightened her almost as much as losing her child. Even the idea of him spending the rest of life running free among the wild horses here on his grandfather's ranch somehow felt cold and bereft of true hope.

She was the problem. She was the weak link. She was not sure that she was strong enough. After a lifetime of being alone, of believing in nothing and no one, she was not sure she was capable of this kind of trust, of working together, of being a real family, a real couple.

This was not the cold legal and social contract that she had formed with Sean, a practical solution to companionship, a societal expectation for his political career, or even the most efficient means of raising children. Rex was talking about a true partnership, a melding of their lives, and even souls. Could she do that? Could she truly let another person into her life and heart?

What choice did she have? The idea of losing either of them was more frightening than the risk of being hurt, rejected, once more disappointed to find herself in the corner, on the outside looking in.

She knew she had to try at least. For Angel. For him. And yes, for herself. She had spent her whole life alone, shuffled from one place and one family to the next, never belonging. What he offered was true belonging, true family, true love. If she dared to reach out and grab it. It might be almost four decades late, but Jaycee had the chance to have the family she always dreamed of. To give her Angel that safety, security, and love. How could she not?

She turned her head and looked up into his roughly handsome face. She saw that knowing grin, "Damn it, Rex. That's not fair. How's a woman to keep any secrets when you're in my mind all the time?"

"Did I forget to mention that's a two-way street, Nʉ Sʉmʉ?"

She tried to reach out; maybe she needed some training from Grandfather like Angel? Perhaps she could not concentrate properly while sitting in his naked lap. The man was hotter without his clothes than even her fantasies.

Hard muscles, but not the grotesque gym ones of her ex. These came from hard work, manual labor. Even better, there was just enough of a layer of fat, perhaps a testament to aging, it did not matter though. It was sexy as hell. Right up there with those grey hairs that were liberally streaked among the dirty blond at his temples and around his ears.

She drew her thoughts back from all that as she felt the heat and need rising higher in her own mature body. She most definitely did not have a choice in one thing. This man was an itch she had to scratch.

She concentrated on other things, though, but she most definitely could not read his thoughts. The hard cock that brushed against the rough denim as she sat on his lip was her only clue. "No, I got nothing. You definitely have the advantage, cowboy."

He chuckled, "Just wait." His mouth covered hers, and the fires ignited once more. With kisses like that, maybe it did not matter that this man had such an advantage over her.

***

The taste of her burst on his senses like sunshine on the dewy grass. He savored each moment as the kiss morphed between passion, tenderness, and exploration in turns. He could just kiss this woman all night, though the bulge beneath her jean-clad bottom argued otherwise.

His mate had other ideas as she shifted to the side; her delicate hand moved between their bodies to stroke up and down the hard ridge. Rex moaned into her mouth and fought back the urge to come at her first caress. So, his mind was elsewhere, and he was caught by surprise when she shoved him onto his back among the bedding of fresh straw.

Jaycee was astride him in seconds. Her hands splayed across his chest as her hips imitated the erotic dance of mates. "Sorry, Cowboy, but it's easier to pick hay out of your hair than mine."

He chuckled, "Whatever I can do to oblige, Ma'am." His hands came up to cup her breasts; his thumbs brush across the hard nipples through too many layers of clothes.

Jaycee sucked in a deep breath, her eyes closed, her hair hanging down her back, as she too moaned at his caress. Her hips moved faster and harder against his.

"Dammit, Nʉ Sʉmʉ. You're killing me here," he pleaded.

She giggled as she looked down into his face, the soft glow of the moon caressing her perfect features. "What can't you just morph away my clothes or something? All the great shifters in my romances can," he enjoyed the teasing they shared - to a point.

"No, but I can rip them off you."

"Don't you dare. You might have no trouble parading around naked, but my body has a lot more flaws. I have no desire to walk bare butt back into the house tonight."

His fingers began the laborious task of unbuttoning her shirt. She chuckled as she pulled her shirt from the waistband of her too-tight jeans that had driven him crazy all day and gotten only more infuriating as the seconds ticked by. Her fingers began to unbutton from the bottom up until their hands deftly met in the middle.

Their fingers entwined for a heartbeat, and their eyes met as if in some understanding of the deeper meaning of the action. A partnership of equals. Not a race or competition, but cooperation for the greater good of one another, their family, and the planet.

Jaycee shrugged the shirt from her shoulders as she stood over him, "Don't go nowhere, cowboy."

She unsnapped her jeans and pushed those to ground. She swore softly as she realized that she could not get them off over her sneakers. And that she had only made it more challenging to get those off with her jeans pooled around her ankles.

"Dammit, why isn't it ever as easy as they make it in my damned romances? They never have problems like this. The clothes magically disappear or are strewn all over without getting stuck like this."

He chuckled. He loved it, the way they could laugh together at this moment as easily as they loved together. "Give me your foot."

She frowned as she carefully lifted her foot as high as she could. Rex tugged the shoe off gently so as not to send her sprawling on that delectable derrière. When he was done, they repeated the process without the need for words. Her feet unencumbered; she managed to kick her jeans off until she stood before him in only her underwear.

"That needs to go too, sweetheart," he growled.

Jaycee blushed and crossed her arms across her bare abdomen. The tiny lines glowed silver in the moonlight. Her self-doubts and insecurities ate at his mind. He leaned up; his lips managed to brush just above the top of her panties.

"A warrior always wears his battle scars with pride, Nʉ Sʉmʉ. You have earned every single one of those as badges of honor for the gift you brought into this world. Never, ever be ashamed to bare your body or your soul to me. Both are perfect. At least in my eyes and heart," he whispered as he showered that area with tiny kisses.

His fingers slipped under the elastic waistband and tugged them gently down. He looked up into her face as she nodded and lifted her feet to kick them into the hay alongside the jeans.

His hand grasped hers as he drew her into his lap. He battled valiantly once more not to embarrass himself as he felt the hot, wetness of her core brush teasingly along his shaft. They were eye to eye. He felt her insecurities raise their head once more as his fingers struggled to unclasp her bra.

He tugged it gently down her arms and tossed it with the growing pile of her clothes. His hand tenderly cupped her breast as he lowered his mouth, sucking her hard nipple deep. Jaycee moaned, and her hips thrust wildly against him. Her movements caused the head of his cock to slip just inside her welcoming warmth. They both moaned then.

"Fuck," his mate cussed as she threw her head back as her first orgasm overtook her. The strong contractions of her muscles tried to force him out, but his hips pressed deeper, not wanting to be denied any further.

Her fingers gripped his shoulders, her nails bit into his flesh, but he was too far past giving a damn, even if she broke the skin. He would certainly follow his own advice and wear those battle scars with pride.

He switched his attention to her other breast as their bodies seemed to take control, finding the rhythm unique to them, pushing each higher. Rex feared that as fucks went, this one would be disappointingly short compared with those books of hers.

But since his mate had not seemed to stop coming since the moment his cock slipped into her, he was not too worried about leaving her unsatisfied. Besides, they had all night to practice until they got it right — a whole fucking lifetime.

His cock surged deep into her depths as her orgasm intensified. He felt those nails actually pierce his skin even as her heart, mind, and soul cleaved his own. He did not bother fighting the tears as they became one. His essence flowed into her.

He drew her tighter against him, releasing her nipple, as he leaned his head into the crook of her neck. His thoughts danced with joy at the completeness he knew for the first time in his whole life.

But it was not to last as his mate shoved him back among the hay. "Damn you, Rex."

He smiled up at her, knowing his lips were more than a bit smug, 'I did warn you.'

They both broke into laughter as they quite literally rolled in the hay. That thought was a mistake.

"I thought you promised me that a roll in the hay with you would not be quick."

He moved to pin his mate beneath him, "I'm not finished yet, Nʉ Sʉmʉ."

"Oh," was all Jaycee managed to say before his lips captured hers, and their bodies renewed the Texas two-step that was all their own.