Free Tourmaline Truth by Khloe Wren

feedings to use them as a gauge.
    "Twenty-seven years."
    Sharon's voice was quiet but powerful. Barret pulled her against him as he tried to not think about the six leap years that twenty-seven included. His heart broke for his Bride. How many sons had she been forced to bear and give up? How would she cope with it all? She was still on a high from being rescued and the hormones of her fertile time. But tomorrow and the next day, how would she withstand it all? Would she blame him? If he hadn't claimed her, she'd have been saved from being violated. He hoped she would talk to him about it, let him help her. He was fairly certain having Darcy back in her life would help ease some of the pain.
    A ding and the doors sliding open pulled him from his introspection. He guided Sharon with a hand on her lower back as they both followed Darcy from the elevator down a posh but elegantly decorated hallway. Darcy slid a card through a scanner on a door labeled 'Suite 3904.' What happened to keys? Although, this new system didn't look hard to use and Barret was sure he'd work out how it functioned easily enough.
    With his hand still on Sharon's lower back, he guided her through the door and into the apartment, and his mind turned to other matters. He'd not made love to his bride since that first time all those years ago. Add to that the extra hormones rushing through both their systems due to the date and he was rather strung out. All those previous thoughts about her mental wellbeing were shoved aside by his instincts which craved his mate. His Eternal Bride.
    "Um, I know you want to be alone so I'll leave you to it. The shutters come down automatically at daybreak, and the bedroom is central with no windows. If you need me, Angelo and I are in the penthouse apartment, just dial zero on the phone and ask the reception desk to put you through. Any questions?"
    Barret glanced around the space they stood in. He was sure he'd have questions, but he'd deal with them later. Much later. He felt a gaze on him and turned to see Sharon's heated expression.
    "Thank you, Darcy, but I think most things can wait until tomorrow."
    "Um, yeah, sure."
    Sharon blushed and chuckled at her daughter's embarrassment. Sharon embraced Darcy and then she was gone.
    Leaving just him and his Eternal Bride.
    Alone.
    Finally.
    "I missed you so much, my love."
    At his words, her eyes glazed over and tears ran down her cheeks.
    "Every day without you was hell. Knowing you were starved, feeling your pain. I died a thousand times every day."
    What she'd suffered was far worse than his pain, yet she didn't say a thing about her own torment. His heart ached with his love for her as he took her hand and led her toward the center of the apartment.
    Hopefully the bathroom led off the bedroom. He knew he must stink and he was desperate to get rid of the hair on his face. He led her down the hallway to a large bedroom with clean pale blue sheets on the bed. He eyed the doors of the room and randomly picked one.
    Damn, wardrobe.
    He tried again and bingo, he was in the bathroom. Once he pulled his Sharon in with him, he released her hand to tear his ragged clothes from his body. Now naked, he prowled toward her as she watched him, with her eyes wide and her mouth parted. The scent of her arousal poured off her. Her fertile time had started and was calling out to him.
    He reached for her and she moved into his touch. He all but shredded her clothes to get to her flesh. Once naked, he stood back a fraction to look at her. She was glorious. Large breasts, hourglass waist and hips. Thankfully, the small marks that bastard had left on her skin back in the compound, were already healed. His eyes zeroed in on the soft curls at the juncture of her thighs. Licking his lips, he backed her into the shower-stall and kissed her slow and deep. He needed to be inside her, which meant he needed to be clean. He pulled from the kiss and frowned at the strange lever on the wall. What happened to