Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

BEAU

What in the holy hell is happening? I bang my hand against my head. I'm asleep. Dreaming. There is no other explanation.

But what about the research? The stolen jawbone? But I can't process that right now. Killian is wrapped around himself like a wounded animal screaming in pain. Is he hurt? Did he fight with another animal? An alligator? Is there anything big enough to hurt him?

I snort at that. He's a freaking Llukalkan aliocranianus. Big and glorious with a thick head and large body covered in blue-green scales. And feathers, fuck. Actual feathers. His eyes are golden with bits of green. His teeth are sharp. His name means one who causes fear. And he's freaking scary. An apex predator. At the top of the dino food chain, for sure.

But he's in pain, and I can't stand it. I drop to his side, and he scoots away. Ouch.

"Damn it, Killian. Let me help you." I ignore his attempts to get away and grab his face. It's…perfect. Dirty, with a few scratches, but still perfect. Lord, I'm a goner. I focus on him and not my stupid heart. Why am I attracted to the broken ones? "Stay still for a minute."

"Beau, please. Leave me."

"Not happening, and the sooner you get that, the better. I need to get you inside. Can you stand?"

He nods, and I help him to his feet. I lead him to the trailer, but the going is slow. He stops several times, clinging to me, his legs wobbly.

Focusing on the man, not the dinosaur, is difficult, but I manage to get him inside and over to the bed. The only bed. And he collapses.

Now what? My instinct is to get him something to eat, but he's eaten already. All the blood and my fear that he'd been eaten—I shut those thoughts down. I grab a glass of cool water and hold it to his lips. He gulps it down, and I pull the glass away to get him to drink slower. If he's sick, will he throw up deer and alligator?

Focus, Beau.

I wipe his face with a damp cloth. There's blood on his cheek. And his hands. Don't focus on that. Just on helping Killian get better. Is a dinosaur much different from an alien? No reason to freak out.

Once he's as clean and comfortable as I can get him, I stand and stretch. My back aches from bending over. But climbing in bed with him wasn't an option. And still isn't.

"Beau?"

There's something different about his eyes. Keener. More aware? I almost snort at that.

"Yes, beautiful?"

"Don't go." He takes my hand and pulls me closer. "Stay with me?"

I need to think. Clear my mind. And maybe clean up myself, but I can't resist him. "I'm not going anywhere, cher. But that bed isn't big enough for both of us. You need to sleep."

"Please?"

I don't really know this man. That's more apparent now than ever. I should be able to resist him. Should being the key word.

I sigh. "Fine. Scoochie." But there's nowhere for him to go. It's not that big a bed. I crawl in next to him. "Now sleep."

He wraps his big arms around me and pulls me closer. Then his breaths even out. I could get used to this. Being in a man's arms. Feeling safe. Content. And not focusing on the fact that he can shift into an animal that, by all accounts, became extinct millions of years ago. Nope. Not focusing on that.

I can't sleep. I should. I don't want to think about what's going to happen tomorrow, but right now? I just can't.

Part of that is the sexy man beside me. But the other part is that none of this can be random.

Jassan ridiculed me. In front of everyone. "You're a scientist, Beau. And this is a research paper, not fanfiction for Jurassic Park. For fuck's sake, how can we take you seriously?"

He warned me to stop after I found the jawbone. In private at first, but when I wouldn't let it go, he ridiculed me in public. "Your daddy's not here anymore. No need to impress him by pretending you found a raptor jaw that dates back to mere months ago. Do you hear how crazy that sounds?"

He was right. Probably. Or so I'd thought. Until the bone was stolen. Thank God I took a DNA sample before that happened. But actually believing dinosaurs existed? Lived among us? It seemed impossible.

But the proof was there for me to see. What if Killian isn't the only one? If there are more, then what? Something's killing them and leaving the remains for someone to find?

It's all too much. God, Jassan never believed me—I jerk up, my heart jumping into hyperdrive. Jassan. Dead. What did Killian say? An animal bite? Did a dino kill him? Was it Killian?

Or was it a cover-up for someone or something else?

Then Killian's arm tightens around me, and for some reason, none of that matters. It should, but I feel safe in his arms. Cared for. Protected. Exhaustion from this long-as-hell day drags me into a dreamless sleep.

When I wake, everything feels off. The room is in total darkness and memories of where I am rush back. The strangeness is still there. Killian lies next to me, but we're no longer touching. The stillness of his body concerns me until I realize he's fine. Almost fine. His breathing increases, and he won't look at me.

"Shouldn't I be the one freaking out? You're a dinosaur. Sometimes." I wave my hand at him. "You know what I mean."

"I have to go." His voice is low. And calm. And determined.

Sitting up, I drag my hands through my hair. "Seriously? This shit again? Why won't you let me help you?"

His fingers smooth the wrinkles in the drab green bed sheet. He's doing a damn good job of not looking at me. "You don't know me, Beau. Not really. I could be a terrible person."

"Or a dinosaur. I think if I was going to be freaked out by anything, it would be that. Don't ya think?"

He shrugs, and I'm seriously going to stab this man with my knife. The one hidden in my boot. "You're too trusting."

"Doesn't sound like me." At all.

He finally looks over in defeat. Sadness. Knowledge. And I know. His memory is back. At least some of it. "Beau—" He cuts off, but the plea is there. Don't trust me . What do I do with that?

"Are you a terrible person, Killian?"

"Yes."

"Well, you suck at it." That confuses him and he sits up, his mouth open like he's ready to argue his awfulness. "You can't warn someone that you're terrible. It negates the terrible part."

"That doesn't make sense."

"You're telling me this to protect me? Keep me safe?"

His sigh sounds relieved. "Yes."

"You really do suck at it—the being terrible part."

He scrubs the sleep from his face, and he looks sweet. Innocent. And I know he's not. But it's hard to remember that when he's trying to keep me safe from himself. "You don't understand. I was sent to your house." He swallows and meets my gaze. "I was sent to kill you."

Huh. I'm shocked not to be shocked. Too many coincidences. "How?"

"What?"

"Keep up, dino boy. How were you going to kill me? Or should I say how are you going to kill me?"

His head shakes back and forth before I even finish speaking. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Relieved to hear it. But you didn't answer my question."

He covers his face with his hands. The sheet is pooled at his waist, and I shouldn't focus on his chest. The silky hair. His dark and tempting nipples. Shouldn't I be worried about my life? Not kissing the hell out of this man and throwing myself in his arms? "I…don't know. Attack you in my dinosaur form? Strangle you?

"You had multiple chances."

"Beau—"

"No." I cup his chin. "We're done with that. It's getting us nowhere. What do you remember?"

We're all alone. Killian could do what he was sent to do. No one would know. But I'm not afraid. I don't push him. I can wait.

He clasps his hands together. "They sent me to kill you. But first, they wanted me to get something from you."

"What?"

"I don't know. There are holes—when I refused to help them, they tortured me. Drugged me. I remember the pain. The branding. The sting of a needle. The serum melting my veins. Then I was in your yard. The drug wiped my memory. I don't think that was supposed to happen. But then I was there with you, and it felt…not wrong. And it was the first time I felt not wrong in a while. Other than being out in the wilderness. Free to be myself.

"Do you remember your name?"

"No."

"Why were you digging in my yard?"

He gasps, and his eyes dart to my face. "I remember the dirt in my hands. Looking for something important."

"Did you find it?"

His grin catches me off guard. "You checked me thoroughly."

I clench my hands to keep from reaching for him. Someone sent this man…dino? To kill me. I need to be careful.

"What I'm getting from all this, cher, is that you are either the world's best actor or its worst assassin." I shift, and my foot touches his leg. Heat courses through me. The air feels intimate and full of possibilities. But also hopeless. "It reminds me of something you said earlier." Think before you act, Beau. But all I've been doing is thinking.

"When I said I was sent to kill you?"

I shake my head. "That thing about your cock wanting to be in my mouth. Do you think we could make that happen?"

He chokes on…nothing, as far as I can tell. "Beau. It's not a good idea."

"Is that your brain or your cock talking because honestly, your brain's had the floor all night. Maybe we should give another part of your body a chance to be heard."

He's still sitting stiffly as if he's afraid to move. No worries. I'm brave—or horny—enough for the both of us. I place my hand on his warm chest, back in the familiar spot between his pecs.

"Your heart seems to be on board. And your nips are hard enough to cut glass. It's not that cold in here."

I brush my fingers over his nipple, and he lets out a choked sound halfway between relief and need. I kiss him, tugging his lip. He moans, not pushing me away, likely because he can't help himself. But he isn't actively participating. And that's what I desperately need.

"Come on, sweetheart," I say, straddling him and kissing him again. "Give me a sign that you want this. I mean, your body is definitely on board because your dick is trying to drill a hole through that sheet."

"I don't deserve you."

It's barely a whisper, but when I catch his words, I want to murder every last one of those bastards, whoever they are.

"I'm still here, aren't I? You didn't hurt me. Couldn't hurt me. So, get out of your head. It's time for your cock to take charge."

"That's not—" He shakes his head, his body tightening under me as he ducks his head. And I finally get it. His cock isn't the thing he's afraid of.

His skin is so damn soft. I nuzzle his neck and lick his erratic pulse before kissing my way to his lips. He moans as I deepen the kiss. But he doesn't give in. And that needs to change. "Where's the other guy, Killian?"

"The other guy?"

"The one who wants to take charge. The reason you're holding back."

His head shakes dramatically. His eyes are bright with fear and excitement. "It's not safe."

"Aren't you tired of doing what's safe? I need you to take charge, Killian. Show me who's boss."

He's still shaking his head, but his hands tighten on my hips and the sounds he's trying so hard not to make ignite a fire in me. God. I want this man so much. I do the only thing I can think of. Actually, thinking went out the window a long time ago. I'm relying on pure instinct. I rut against him, brushing our cocks together as I kiss his shoulder and bite down.

He roars to life—still in human form, thank fuck—and flips us over so he's on top. Then he flips me again so his cock is pushing against the crack of my ass. Holy hell. I want him to nudge his way in. Open me up. Tear my ass apart. I pushed him to this point, so I need to be the rational one.

"Killian. Sweetheart. I've got condoms. Lube."

He roars again, and fuck. Maybe getting ruined won't be so bad. His body falls on me, pinning me into the mattress. Our legs tangle together, and his hands hold mine against the bed. I can't move. I've never felt so helpless. And cared for. It's thrilling and terrifying. "Please." His words are rough. Tortured. "Don't want to hurt you." He rolls off me, covering his face with his hands.

I want to comfort him, but I know what he needs. I scramble off the bed and grab the lube and condoms from my bag. When I return, I sweep his damp hair from his forehead. "Shh. Everything is fine."

His eyes search mine and I'm not sure what he's looking for. I kiss his brow and then his lips. "Let's get you suited up."

"Beau, maybe?—"

"Nope. No, sir. No regrets allowed until I get that dick in my ass. Plenty of time for all that boring stuff later."

He's still rock hard, and I'm torn between wanting to taste him and needing him inside me. I grab the lube and prep myself. His eyes watch my fingers pump in and out of my hole. I bite back a moan. My body is so fucking ready. I slip the condom on him and add more lube. He's still watching me with that intensity, and I huff out a breath. "Am I doing all the work here, or are you going to make good on your promise?"

He's taking quick breaths, and his eyes stray from my hand close to his cock to my mouth. "Promise?"

"It's in your eyes. You want to own me. Stake your claim." I deepen the kiss, and when I pull back, he looks a bit dazed. "What are you waiting for, Killian? An invitation?" Leaning closer, I whisper, "Or do you need me to run?"

I barely register his gasp as I jump to my feet. I'm going on pure instinct as I take off.

Or try to. I don't get far. Two steps in, his strong arm catches me around the waist and pushes me against the wall of the trailer. He growls, his eyes wild as he holds me captive. I can't move. Not that I want to.

I expect him to flip me back on the bed, but instead, he shifts us until his cock presses against my hole. Then he slams me against the wall again and shoves his cock all the way in, giving me no time to adjust before he's fucking me over and over. No pretty words. No thoughtful touches. Just animal instinct as he makes me his.

I'm almost ashamed by how much I love this. Need this—Killian using me to sate his needs. Gorging himself on my body. He grabs my hair, yanking my head back and sinking his teeth into my neck. Exquisite pain rushes through me, and I can't hold back as I paint our bodies with my cum.

His growl is deeper but a touch less wild as he pulls out and tears the condom off like it offends him. The wall keeps me from falling as he grabs his cock and strokes himself furiously. My eyes are glued to his engorged head as his hand flies over his shaft. I can almost taste him. The air is full of our sweat and my cum as he climaxes with a shout. His release coats my own, and thank fuck, some lands on my mouth so I get a taste. He falls against me and kisses me hard.

My ass is going to be sore. The man is not small, and I didn't spend nearly enough time stretching my hole. And although it was the most punishing sex I've ever had, I've never felt more cared for.

Protected.

Loved.