Chapter 19

Later that same evening

Jean’s Cottage Nexus Ranch

Near Harborton Washington

Much later Jean could feel him stir.

Unlike her normal time conscious self, she had no idea what time it was. They had rested and then loved even more, several times more. It was as if they were making up for time missed. Some of it was slow and loving, some of it was raw and animalistic. She knew she should be sore, but she wasn’t. In fact, she felt amazing. Ben on the other hand had been worn completely out. It was almost as if she had taken his strength, making it hers. The girls had mentioned this, but Jean hadn’t really bought it.

But then nothing about this experience was anything even remotely like anything else in her life. Comparing her past, sparse love life to this would be like comparing a dust devil to a great tempest. She knew she would never be the same.

She now felt him come instantly awake. She pretended to sleep for a moment, regarding him under half-raised lids. The girls had mentioned this as well. He always knew when they needed him and would come instantly awake. She wondered if that now applied to her.

She smiled at the thought and then realized that she might be needed as well. Duty calls she thought sourly, but then realized that she didn’t want to be apart from him right now even though it meant passing up delicious rest swathed in the scent of their lovemaking.

As he slipped noiselessly out of the bed she sighed.

“Ah go back to sleep dear heart I think I’m needed at the house,” he said softly.

“No, I’m coming too,” she said as she eased out from her side of the bed taking a moment first to admire Ben’s lean scarred back.

As she began dressing she realized that her normally impeccable bedroom looked like a herd of enraged buffalo had stampeded through. Somehow they had managed to break a lamp and tear a curtain down from the window and her sheets were pretty much ruined. She chuckled to herself. It was proof of their passion and she was completely happy with it.

For a moment she was a touch embarrassed again as she realized that they didn’t have time to shower, but then it occurred to her that the girls were probably used to the after-effects of being with Ben, and likely wouldn’t mind.

Just as they finished dressing there was a timid knock at the door and Ben opened it to reveal the elf Aestra in her tactical gear, her long blond hair tucked up in a black ball cap...

“Got the night patrol again huh Aestra?” Ben smiled.

Jean didn’t know her well, but she recognized a high-speed, low-drag go-getter when she saw one. The young elf was always on the scene when things were happening.

“Yes sire. I apologize for the intrusion, but as I was on the way to escort our queen to the house I thought it wise to make sure you were aware that we are expecting guests shortly,” replied Aestra.

Jean could tell that Aestra was blushing slightly at the white lie. Aestra had just been looking for an excuse to see Ben. The girls would have told her that Ben would know he was needed and already be on his way. Jean could hardly hold it against the girl, she had been the same and she was hardly a girl anymore.

“We’re on our way Aestra, please give Queen Rhiannon my regards, I look forward to seeing her tonight,” said Ben as he and Jean stepped out onto the porch next to Aestra.

As they got closer, Jean could tell that Aestra was enveloped by the shared scent of her and Ben’s lovemaking. She had been in similar situations before when encountering Ben after he and one of the Nexus women had been having fun and for whatever reason the mix of pheromones was even more devastating than Ben alone. As Aestra froze in place her nostrils flared and she began to sweat, Jean couldn’t tell if the girl was going to pass out, orgasm, or both. Of course, Ben was clueless as usual. Jean had mercy on her.

“Is there anything else Aestra?” said Jean softly.

“Um ... no Gunnery Sergeant,” said Aestra as she jerked back into consciousness before whirling about and fleeing into the darkness.

“How strange, I’ve never seen her flustered like that, She’s one our steadiest troopers.” said Ben shaking his head.

“Yes how strange, must be something she ate,” said Jean with a smile as she took Ben’s arm. Now let’s go see what all the fuss is about.”

Speaking of things to eat, maybe there’d even be some of Consuela’s excellent food left over from the dinner they missed Jean thought. Suddenly she was ravenous!

Ben was surprised to see pretty much the entire operations team there including Lanie and even Lauren’s mom, the doctor. The girls were, of course, all present but strangely flushed as if they had been exercising. As they walked in Jean was immediately surrounded and ushered into the kitchen for a private double x chromosome confab of some sort. Ben could never figure out what they had to talk about. Actually, he didn’t think he really wanted to know.

That pretty much left him alone except for Tom and Dimitry.

“Ah, do either of you know what’s going on?” asked Ben.

“Ach no laddie. I dinnae ken. Some big wigs I reckon want to jabber with yae,” said Tom.

“No idea Skipper, just that the ladies called in all the operational heads,” added Dimitry. “Comms have been on fire all day though.”

Lizzy was pretty much in charge of intel and Ben trusted her to loop him in when he needed to be, but he also knew that all his girls had conspired to ensure there were no interruptions to his time spent with Jean. He just hoped their discretion didn’t result in him running around with his hair on fire trying to catch up.

They had been on a high state of alert since the incidents at the Bratva warehouse and airfield and the few hours he’d just spent with Jean were a very welcome reprieve from the pressure. He’d had Lizzy coordinate with the national manhunt trying to get more info on where the trailer had gone but so far not even the FBI had a clue. He’d even asked among the Fae to find out more about their feathered adversaries but there hadn’t been any concrete leads as to who they were or where they came from. Oddly, Hottee, the Nunnehi had been missing the last few days. If anyone would know about these beings, Ben would wager it would be him.

“Well I guess we’ll all know when the hen party is finished,” said Ben as he eased himself into his chair. “I don’t suppose we’re allowed a beer while we wait?”

“I would nae chance it Laddie. They would nae give me even a wee dram. Said I had to be on my best behavior. Hah! whenviver am I not?” said Tom indignantly.

Ben just snorted. Ben wasn’t sure what constituted ‘best behavior’ in Tom’s mind but Ben was pretty sure he’d never seen it from the old warrior.

Suddenly Ben’s adrenaline spiked abruptly and he shot from his overstuffed chair as his conscious mind slowly became aware of what he was hearing. It was the distinctive bass thrum of a CH-53 Chinook helicopter hovering overhead. It was a sound he’d hoped to never experience again as the last time it had been while barely alive and sharing a ride home with the ghosts of his men.

“Girls, will someone please tell me what in the Sam Hill is going on?” said Ben tersely.

The girls knew instantly that Ben had been triggered and they abruptly hustled out of the kitchen to surround him. Sarah was the only one who really knew what Ben was experiencing- she had lived part of it with him in a PTSD-driven dreamscape, but they all knew something was wrong.

“So sorry love. We have a VIP visitor” said Sarah with a touch of sorrow in her eyes as she hugged him tightly.

“We wanted to surprise you. Ben. We never thought of how you might react,” said Lizzy, a tear threatening to escape down her face.

Ben’s heart nearly broke to see her like this. Lizzy was so strong and capable in many ways that it was easy to forget that she was still hardly more than a girl when it came to relationships.

“No, no, princess. I’m fine it just startled me for a minute,” He said as he cupped her beautiful face and kissed her softly.

In their time together Ben had never raised his voice or been anything but the most gentle and considerate of men, in spite of his play grumpy grousing and their constant teasing he would not have changed a thing. But now he struggled to bring himself under control and not overreact. It was odd, battles with Hellhounds, mercenaries, and Chinese special forces had not traumatized him as much as his last fight as a Marine had, even though it was 15 years in his past.