Nathan’s Mate (The Vampire Coalition #3)(7)
Author: J.S. Scott

He returned a wicked smile but he rose from the bed and scooped her up into his arms. "I think you could use a hot soak in the tub. You’ll be sore."

She pouted, her lower lip poking out as she gave him a disappointed look.

"It’s a very large tub. Big enough for two." He chuckled as he bounced her up in the air as she squealed and grabbed his shoulders.

"Can I…explore you, Nathan. I never really got to…touch you." And she wanted to. Badly.

"You’ll kill me, woman," he muttered, but carried her happily to hot tub and let her satisfy her curiosity until she was quite content.

Chapter 5

Nathan knew he was goner, acting as stupid (or maybe worse) than his brothers acted over Brianna and Callie. He understood now what it was like to be completely captivated by a mate.

Sasha.

His c**k went stiff just thinking about her in his bed with her long blonde hair flowing over his pillows and those needy moans of hers that drove him to sate her every need.

He stretched as he shook off his day sleep. He could smell her scent on his sheets and his chest ached. He missed her already and they had just been together last night. He wished she had stayed with him to sleep at his side. It would be bliss to see her smile every night when he awakened. He felt…lonely.

He didn’t just miss her body. It was…Sasha. She was the delight of his life. She would stand toe to toe with him when she got in one of her stubborn moods and argue with a man twice her size without ever flinching. He smiled, knowing she was one of the bravest, smartest women he knew. When she wasn’t near…he missed her.

He reached for her with his mind, but couldn’t reach out to her. Knowing she was probably sleeping, he sighed.

He loved everything about Sasha, even her stubborn determination that mage and vampires didn’t mate. His lips curved into a smile. She wouldn’t win that argument. No matter how hard she resisted, he would make her call him to her somehow and they would be mates. Not only was she destined for him, but he loved her nearly to the point of insanity.

Nathan’s security gate buzzed just as he was rolling out of bed. He hit the intercom button. "State your business."

He stiffened as he heard the breathless female voice on the other end. "Nathan, let me in. It’s important. I don’t have time to spell myself in right now."

Regan. What was she doing here? Nathan quickly hit the button to open the gate and dressed himself magically as he ran down the stairs to the front door.

Regan’s sporty, little blue vehicle came to halt with screaming tires as she scrambled out of the car. Nathan frowned as he saw the look of terror on the usually calm and sedate woman’s face.

He grabbed Regan by the shoulders gently. "What is it?"

She started to cry, tears rolling down her cheeks. "They took her, Nathan. Our parents went to the mage elders. The council decided she needed to be mated with a mage and they took her. They said they would beat the vampire devil from her and mate her with a mage."

"Sasha?," he breathed softly but dangerously.

Regan nodded. "We were working and they just invaded her house and took her away. We both fought them with our magic, but there were too many elders. They drugged her and took her away in chains. She was still fighting." Regan finished with a sob. "She loves you, Nathan. She’ll be miserable, and I’m afraid they’ll have to hurt her badly because I know she won’t accept the mating. Please help her."

Fury rose up inside of him, anguish ripping and tearing at his insides. Death to anyone who dared to lay a hand on his mate. He stared at her sister, willing himself to be calm. Regan was hysterical and she needed reassurance. "Do you know where they are?"

"I’m…not sure. Probably at the mating grounds." Regan choked back her sobs. "I can’t believe that our parents betrayed her."

She quickly gave Nathan directions to the mage mating grounds.

Liam. Rory. Ethan. I need you.

He sent a call to his brothers and every one of them appeared almost instantly. He explained quickly that his mate had been kidnapped.

"Regan. I want you to stay here. Sasha would want you to be safe. Liam, please stay and watch over her. She’s upset." Nathan looked at the serious faces of Ethan and Rory. "I might need help."

"We’ve got your back. Lead on." Ethan replied instantly as Rory nodded.

Nathan?

Chills fluttered down his spine as he heard his mate’s weak, defeated voice in his head.

Please come to me, Nathan. I need you.

"I’m coming, love. Are you at the mating grounds?," his heart racing, he spoke aloud. His brothers waited tensely as he spoke to his mate. Regan looked perplexed.

Yes. I can’t fight, Nathan. I’m drugged. I can’t wake up. Every time I start to wake, they hit me with more drugs.

His heart flip flopped as rage infused him. He forced his voice to gentle. "Don’t fight it, sweetheart. Don’t make them drug you anymore. If you wake, pretend to sleep. We will be there soon."

Please hurry. They are choosing my mate even now.

Over his dead body. No one touched his mate. He didn’t know her exact location so he started to follow her essence, his brothers Ethan and Rory close on his heels. They moved through the night in a blur, Nathan tracking Sasha like a desperate man…which he was.

"Did they hurt you sweetheart?" He dreaded the answer, but he had to keep her from slipping out of his mind and back into a normal sleep. He had to keep the connection open. She was calling him to her and they could connect right now even though she slept.

I’m okay, Nathan. I just need you.

The bastards had hurt her. If they hadn’t, she would have told him so. Fuck! His heart hammered in his ears as violence and wrath flooded through him. "I’m here, love. I just arrived."

I love you, Nathan. Her soft sigh washed over him. Please don’t kill anyone. My parents are there. And my kin.

His mind was reeling from her declaration and it took a while for her request to register. "You’re asking a lot of me, love. I want to nail every one of them that took part in your kidnapping."

Please, Nathan.

Her voice was weak and pleading. He could deny her nothing. "Only because I love you, Sasha. If I loved you less they would all be toast."

As Nathan and his brothers broke into a clearing and he saw his beloved chained naked to a post, her face and body littered with bruises, he almost took back his words. Fuck! He wanted to dust every one of them…painfully.

Ethan grasped Nathan’s shoulder as he spoke, "Take care of your mate. Rory and I will handle the others."

Six mages sat around a small table only feet from Sasha arguing over how they would rid her body of her vampire mark. Even though he wanted to gut every one of them, his heart was crying out for him to go to his mate. "She wants them alive. They are her parents and kin," he muttered to his brothers.