"You're not the only one with a craving, sweetheart," he said with a wink just as he dropped his head between her legs to get his sweet treat.

Chapter 25

"Give me my precious baby girl," Chris demanded as Kale cradled his goddaughter in his arms.

He pressed a kiss against the top of Jessica's fuzzy little head as he simply said, "No."

The large Sentinel's eyes narrowed on him seconds before he tried to shove the doctors and nurses trying to patch him up out of his way so that he could jump off the bed and take the little girl, but his mate wasn't having that. With a bored sigh, Izzy shoved Chris back down onto the bed. When he threw her a glare and went to move again, she simply climbed onto the hospital bed and sat across his legs, careful of the large gashes that the doctors were working their asses to patch up before Chris lost too much blood.

"Do you really think that's going to stop me?" Chris demanded with a snort, but his eyes never left Kale or his little girl so of course Kale had to give the sleeping baby girl another kiss just to piss the man off.

"Yes," Izzy said with absolutely no hesitation as she gestured for one of the nurses to grab the bag of peanut butter M&M's that she left on the side table. As soon as Izzy had the bag of chocolaty peanut buttery goodness in her hand she began snacking away, her mate and his temper all but forgotten.

"Traitor," the man grumbled as the doctors cautiously returned to stitching up the gashes on his arms, chest and his right thigh.

"If you want to keep your hands, you'll rethink that little plan, cupcake," Chris said coldly when one of the doctors went to move Izzy off his legs.

Izzy simply gave Chris' leg a reassuring pat as she continued to eat. It pleased Kale greatly that she had a mate that took care of her. Over the short time he'd known Izzy he'd grown to love her like a sister and he would kill anyone that harmed her. The knowledge that she was well protected was the only thing that allowed him some peace of mind while he was away.

He wouldn't lie and say that he was pleased with this situation, because he wasn't. He hated having a weakness and there was no question that she was one. Thankfully, she was locked up in this compound so he didn't have to worry about any of his enemies finding out about her and making a grab for her.

The situation was too damn stressful and if that wasn't bad enough, it was cutting into his work. He was so damn close to reaching his goal and if he could just get in a few more jobs he would finally be able to live the life he'd always wanted, the life he'd worked centuries to earn.

He might be that much closer to his goal thanks to the two missing Pytes. He could make an easy ten million by taking the contract the vampire offered him last night or he could simply find the pair and turn them over to the Council. He was certain that they would more than match that offer.

When Chris informed Eric that there were now two Pytes to go after, Kale hadn't missed the way the Sentinel's expression went from concerned to disbelieving in a matter of seconds. It also didn't hurt that Kale was a master at gathering information and found out that the Pyte had been forbidden to change anyone. Now the search and rescue plan was solely a hunt and capture job.

That was fine with Kale, more than fine. He hated Pytes and would be more than happy to help aide with the permanent removal of one of them. He knew they couldn't be killed, but he'd be willing to help encase the bastard in cement and drop his ass in the middle of the ocean, free of charge. Of course, the capture part was going to cost them and he would make damn sure that he collected in full.

"How much longer is he going to be?" Izzy suddenly asked as she dropped the now empty candy bag onto one of the metal trays and placed her hands on her stomach.

Instead of getting mad at what the others no doubt thought of as an insensitive question if the dirty looks they sent Izzy's way were any indication, Chris became immediately concerned.

He brushed the doctor who was applying the last few stitches to his chest away so that he could sit up. "Are you okay, sweetheart?" he asked in a soft cooing voice that was admittedly a bit annoying. He really couldn't stand to be around love sick bastards. It was really pathetic to watch a man be brought to his knees by a woman.

Izzy's cheeks blushed with obvious embarrassment as she admitted, "I'm starving."

"Tie the stitches off," Chris demanded quietly, but there was no missing the threat in his tone.

Everyone around them stilled, some nervously swallowing while others who weren't caring for Chris directly left the room as discretely as possible. Kale was actually impressed by the level of fear one man could instill with just a few simple words. The man was definitely growing on him, he thought, as he watched the doctors finish their work with shaky hands.

Chris never took his eyes off his mate and even gave her a teasing smile when her stomach growled, further embarrassing the poor woman. He'd offer to go get her food, but they both knew that the likelihood of her food arriving without him having a nibble or two was very unlikely. Since one of the only pleasures he allowed himself was junk food he indulged whenever he could. Izzy understood and even respected his love of food. Which was why they came up with their rules. That way nobody got hurt, well, other people did, but he really didn't care about them.

"Last one," the nervous doctor, who stupidly tried to move Izzy off of Chris' legs only moments ago, mumbled anxiously.

Before the last stitch was tied off, Chris was helping Izzy off his legs. When he swung his legs over the side of the hospital bed and stood up, Kale noted that the man hid his wince well from his mate. The man worked his ass off to make sure that his mate never had a thing to worry about and Kale wasn't sure how much longer the man would be able to keep it up before he snapped under the pressure.

When a man pushed a wheelchair over to Chris, Kale thought for sure he was going to kill the poor bastard.

"Get that thing away from me," Chris ground out, practically seething with rage as he glared at the orderly as he paused mid-push. One look at the murderous expression on Chris' face had the man backing up, quickly.

He didn't miss the look of fear that crossed Chris' features before he pulled it back and apparently neither had Izzy. She took Chris' hand into hers and gave it a gentle tug in the direction of the hallway. "Don't make me hurt you," she said, giving her mate a stern look that told him to move his ass.

With a smile Chris did just that, but not before he limped over to Kale and took the sleeping baby from him with a triumphant grin. "This is my precious baby girl," Chris said softly before mouthing, "Asshole," making Kale chuckle.

The man truly did amuse him, he thought as he followed the couple. He trailed after them to the main hall before heading for the elevators that would take him to the secured levels. He used the code he talked Izzy into giving him months ago.

Before he left he had to take care of some unfinished business. Once he was inside the elevators he made sure to flip off the cameras, loving the fact that the majority of the Sentinels here hated him. Well, they pretty much hated him wherever he went, but that didn't bother him. There were only a few Sentinels that he liked and the ones manning the cameras weren't them.

A few minutes later he was stepping out of the elevator and ignoring the Sentinel behind the desk as he headed for the lockup area. He caught the silver eyed glare of the vampire who he'd once called friend and hated the way his stomach twisted in agony at the memory of all that he'd lost.