Karla, Audrey, Ziva, Roan, and Drake sat in the family room. Everyone was silent except for Audrey and Ziva's sniffling. The room was thick with tension. "We have to find her," Ziva whispered into the silence.

"I have people at the airports, bus stations, and train stations." Roan held both Audrey and Ziva close, trying his best to comfort them.

Karla held Drake's hands, her thumb rubbing in small circles. This was horrible! Karla hadn't gotten to know Tessa personally, but she had heard enough from Audrey. There Black's had already lost a sister and daughter.

Tessa was their baby now and Karla knew first hand that Vale wouldn't have mercy on her because she was a woman. It made it worse that she was a Black. "Where is Tate?" She had just noticed that he wasn't present.

"He just said he would find Tessa and Vale and left. We haven't heard from him," Drake sighed, "we can't simply sit here. We need to be out there!"

Roan had been shaking his head the moment he knew where Drake was going, "no one is to leave this house."

"She is our sister!" Drake stood. Did Roan really wish to lose their only other sister to the same man who had taken the first?

Roan turned his back to everyone, "you will not leave this house. Not for any reason until I say otherwise," without waiting for his brother's anger Roan left the room. Audrey was hot on his heels.

Drake began to go after Roan, but Karla's hand shot out and stopped him. When Drake turned to meet his mate's gaze he softened. "He is hurting to Drake. From what I understand he is the head of the family, he is only trying to keep everyone else safe."

Drake knew she was right, but damn it, he felt helpless. Looking to his mother, his chest constricted painfully. "Mom..."

"Karla is right. Roan is only protecting us. We will find Tessa, I just know it." Ziva stood, her hands trembling as she clutched them in front of herself. "Your brother has already made calls," moving closer to Drake Ziva patted his shoulder. "It'll be okay.. Take care of your mate son."

Karla and Drake watched as Ziva left the room. Drake's shoulders sagged as if an enormous amount of weight laid upon them. "Drake, let's go upstairs and rest."

It was early in the next day and none of them had slept. Karla knew how helpless everyone felt, but Drake wouldn't be able to help if he was exhausted. "Do you need to....feed first?"

Drake shook his head, "no." He escorted Karla back to her room intending to leave her there and go to his own when her hand on his arm stopped him. Regardless of the situation, his body jolted with awareness.

Karla's small, slender fingers held him. He looked at her, "stay with me, Drake. Let me hold you," she whispered as if she didn't want to ruin the silence that surrounded them.

Drake knew he shouldn't. Sure, she had agreed to explore what they had and he knew once she gave in she would see they were meant to be, but he didn't trust his self-control. His emotions were out of control and throwing Karla's scent and simply herself it nearly made him crazy.

"I know what I'm doing Drake, don't over think, don't second guess. Stay with me." Karla grabbed his hands, pulling him with her. Maneuvering herself onto the bed while trying to pull him with her.

She wanted to help him, to try and distract him from his obvious pain and guilt. She did know what she was doing and she found herself more than willing to use her body to get the deed done.

Karla in the bed while pulling him closer did something to Drake's brain, "I'm not sure I'll stop.." Drake knew he needed to be clearer, Karla couldn't know how on edge he was, "if I stay I will want everything you have to give."

Drake shook his head, cutting Karla off before she could speak, "I'll want to hold you, make love to you, tie us together in every way... forever.." He let his words sink in, "can you accept being with me, being changed to accomplish that?" He felt like a royal dick for pressuring her, but he was still a man and he couldn't lay with her without claiming her.

"Drake, I know what I'm doing. I know what I'm asking for by asking you to stay." Resting on her knee's, Karla cupped Drake's face gently, "I want this and I want you. Don't hold back."

The last thread of control snapped, one-second Drake was sure he would leave the next his mouth molded to Karla's. It was all Drake could do not to rip every stitch of clothing from her body and stake her in every way he had fantasized.

His mind had a fog of desire, love, fear, and guilt surrounding it, but the longer she took in Karla's scent her obvious desire for him it all faded away until there were only him and his mate, his love.

Their bare skin against each other, slick with desire and anticipation. Drake managed to slow himself, savoring the weight and fullness of her breasts in his hands, the way her smooth, silky thighs resting on his hips. She was everything he had always dreamed of and more.

Drake lifted Karla so she straddled him, his erection grinding against her treasure. Her breathless gasp and the way her own hips rotated nearly made him lose it. With slow determination, he slipped into her heat, "look at me."

Karla's eyes snapped open at his low demand, her eyes connected with his gray-blue eyes and it was then that she felt what she had been too afraid to fully admit to herself. She was in love with him. Even if she were crazy, she knew without a shadow of a doubt she loved Drake Black.

"I love you," Her whispered words had Drake growling with ultimate satisfaction as he thrust upward in one smooth stroke. Their lovemaking was hard, fast and passionate.

Only when Drake felt her muscles tensing around him did he let his fangs out, his mate was about to be claimed fully, but to avoid the majority of the pain he would have to time it perfectly. "D-Drake!" His eyes nearly rolled as Karla's body bowed and arched against him.

Using his strength he grabbed the back of her neck, brought her forward and sank his fangs into her. He held her secure as the bit prolonged her completion. When he was done, he released her, laid her back on there bed and pulled the comforter around them.

Drake pulled her to his side, "I love you Karla, more than I ever thought possible." His only answering sound was Karla's soft deep breathing that told him she had fallen asleep. A small smile on his face, Drake laid back and stared at the ceiling.

They'd find his sister, he had no doubt. He would feel the guilt for enjoying his mate while his sister could be hurt or worse, but he couldn't fight this any more than he could fight the guilt he knew he'd feel later.

Drake sighed, turned his face into his beautiful mate's silky hair, surrounding himself with her as he let sleep claim him.