“I don’t want a goddamn scar!” I shouted three days later at the arguing doctor, then held my stomach, grimacing at the fiery burn that produced, pressing my hand against the hospital gown I wore. “Find me a plastic surgeon to fix it!” My cheeks flushed beet red. “It’s embarrassing enough it happened. I don’t want a permanent reminder of my own senselessness.” After all, I hadn’t even seen the idiot coming at me. That was mortifying in itself. One minute I was killing two others, then the bastard had snuck in and gutted me with my own sword before Leric killed him. “Plus, I’m too small a woman who is unhealthy, lopsided, and has mothering hips.” I sniffed delicately. “The last thing I need is something else to feel inadequate about.”
Everyone blinked, my Lajaks staying blessedly mute around the fringes of the room, Leric just staring silently with a hand over his mouth, but the doctor did not. Instead, he inhaled heavily, stating with extra-insincere patience, “Ms Jules, you are a very lovely woman,”
“Oh, don’t give me that bullshit.” I tossed a cup of ice at his head, which produced a pained grunt from me, and a ducking move from him. “I. Want. It. Fixed.” And damn, if my chin didn’t tremble…and it was actually true, because I didn’t want to be scarred, the cut hideous.
Elder Farrar sighed heavily, leaning down where he stood on my right side of the hospital bed, murmuring, “You really are a pain in the ass when you’re sick.”
I growled, my embarrassment quickly turning to anger, my gaze snapping to Sin across the room. “Quit telling them this shit about me!”
“He didn’t have to,” Cain rumbled on my direct left of the hospital bed, reaching down to flick an ice chip off my blanket. “I believe we’ve all figured this out on our own by now.” Navy blue eyes met mine through thick black lashes, and he stated evenly, voice deep and rough, “And the incision isn’t that bad.”
Instantly, I hissed, “It’s hideous.” I hated anyone, much less him, had even seen it when the nurses cleaned the healing wound. “I want it gone.” My eyes flicked back to the doctor. “I don’t care about all the medical jargon you’ve been spouting for the last half hour, the minute chances of something happening while I’m put under again. I just want the damn thing gone, so quit arguing, quit listening to Leric.” I pointed at myself. “I am the damn patient. Me. My body. And it is my damn choice, so find someone to make it happen.” I slammed my finger at Leric. “And you, just shut your fucking pie hole. I already know what you think of my body. You don’t care whether I’m scarred and uglier than I already am compared to your Miss Perfect. You only care that I don’t die in some rare occurrence, so just shut it.”
Leric gazed at me patiently. “Kitten, you know for a fact I find you attractive.” He sighed heavily, then dropped his hand from his mouth, and told the doctor, “Do as she says.”
“Oh,” I waved an irritated hand as the doctor turned, walking through the room, nodding his head, “sure, run off as soon as,” my nose scrunched, “The One orders it, not the damn patient.” The door shut behind the doctor. “Goddamn prick.” My narrowed gaze landed on Leric. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?” I wanted him gone. He was annoying the shit out of me, hovering as he was for the past three days.
“Actually,” he bent, rifling through his bag, “I thought I would teach you how to play chess, seeing as you’re not going anywhere.”
I blinked slowly. “Leric…get out of here.”
His gaze flicked back to me. “No.”
I counted to ten before I stated gruffly, “I realize you’re going all protective possessive on my ass right now because I’m injured, but you need to leave. I need a break. Go see…her. Get out of my hair for a little while.”
He straightened. Inhaled heavily. Then chucked the bag he held, which conveniently slammed against the wall right where Cain had stood before he rotated his body. Furious silver eyes stared at me in the silence. “I realize you don’t trust a damn thing I say, but I’m here because I care about you. It isn’t all the damn bond.” His tiger growled at me, pissed off, as he ran his hand through his rolls of hair. “You scared the shit out of me when you got hurt, but fine…you want me to go see Lissa, not be here while you recover…I will.” The door slammed behind him as he left.
I blinked slowly at the door, then inhaled slowly, and closed my eyes. “My life’s a big pile of shit.”
Elder Farrar hummed quietly. “Maybe, if you were a little nicer to those around right now it wouldn’t be so bad.”
“Doubtful,” I muttered, pulling the blanket up higher, carefully rolling, moaning quietly at the ache, toward the scent of a forest before a rainfall. “How the hell I continuously get paired with unobtainable or uninvited men is beyond me.” I shook my head on the pillow, blinking my eyes open. “It’s a damn cursed life I lead.” I yawned huge, the drugs in my system making me drowsy. “I’m gonna sleep now, but if you see me start to glow, wake my ass up. I really don’t want to end up in bed with Leric and his bitch.”
Cain grunted, bending down to ask, “What was that?”
King Zeller answered steadily, stating, “When she has nightmares, she somehow calls out to him in her sleep, and ends up next to him when he answers her call.”
I flicked a glare to King Zeller. “That was private.”
He held up his hands, even as Cain straightened, lids hooding his frosty gaze. “I was just explaining fact.”
I sniffed. “It hasn’t happened in a while, but anyway, like I said, just make sure to wake me up. If I try to kill her, I’ll probably rip my stiches out, possibly tear my incision even worse. I’d hate for it to be any uglier than it already is.”
Cain’s wolf huffed. “You did tell him to go to her.”
“Thank God he did,” I muttered, closing my eyes again. “He was getting annoying as hell.” I shrugged a shoulder. “But I’d rather not get in a fight now, so make sure to wake me.”
Three long, oh Christ, long weeks later—after my surgery for my cuts on my stomach and back, my sword having sliced clean through me, I was released from the hospital with a regiment of pills I had to take to fight off infections, plus, a shit load of sedatives for when the pull to the Barren occurred, since I was unable to fight, Leric having to do it all in my absence. Elder Farrar took me through the golden mist of nonentity, so I could travel easier back to the hotel. When we landed inside the airy hotel suite, no real partitions in this hotel room unlike the others we had stayed in, I blinked, wondering how he had done that, but I tilted my head and saw Cain sitting on the recliner, reading from a book, wearing only a gray t-shirt and a pair of worn jeans, feet even bare, understanding Elder Farrar had used him as a reference guide. Elder Farrar practically dumped me on the bed I shared with Sin, muttering to Cain, “No one will be here for an hour, so you have some time alone. And for the love of God, make her less cranky, since we’re stuck here for another three weeks until she’s fully recovered.” My eyes widened enormously as the suite’s walls suddenly shimmered with a Mage privacy magic before he grouchily slammed the door shut behind him.
I blinked slowly, fully comprehending this set-up, sitting up on my elbows, my gut instantly warming, because it had been bone fucking dry in the sex department ever since my bedroom back at the Temple way too many weeks ago. Cain and I hadn’t found a damn time to do anything sexual, the sharing of the room with the Lajaks not seeming like a wise idea now, plus, my overly extended time in the hospital debilitating, so with my body humming in warmth, and anticipation, I watched as Cain put the book down, and stood fluidly, moving to the door, locking it, and I murmured, “I haven’t been that bad.”
Cain’s shoulders shook the barest bit as he turned to face me, his red lush lips trembling. “Honey, you have been enough that the sedate Elder Samson is now carrying a flask of vodka he chugs heavily on while you’re asleep.”
I eyed him as he began a slow stalk toward me. “You never complained.”
He chuckled quietly, staring at me from under his hooded lids, head dipped the barest bit, appearing like a hungry wolf stalking his prey, his voice a deep rumble. “I guess you could say I’m partial to the patient.” My breath caught in my chest as he slowly removed his gray t-shirt, revealing lots of lovely, muscled olive flesh. “And I’m going to make it my duty for the next hour to make sure the patient is well cared for.” My heart started pounding as he dropped his shirt, continuing his slow stalk, undoing his pants slowly. “God knows, my last,” his wolf huffed as he slid his zipper down, “caring of you was too damn long ago.”
“Agreed.” My voice was throaty as I watched him lower his pants, and I groaned quietly, seeing he had gone commando, and was already hard and heavy. I spread my legs for him, and his gaze instantly flared brilliant navy blue as he stopped at the end of the bed, not really hating the hospital gown I wore right now so much. “Maybe I can take care of you, too?”
His pink tongue peeked out, gliding over his bottom lip, gaze avid between my thighs, inhaling heavily. “I could definitely use some of that.” He flicked a finger, glancing to the gown, kneeling on the foot of the bed. “But first, we need to get rid of that.”
Instantly, I held a hand over my stomach, feeling apprehensive. “Actually, could we leave it on?”
Black brows slammed together when he saw I was serious. “No.” He grabbed my ankles, the action gentle as he spread my legs further, moving up between my legs. Navy blue eyes held mine steadily. “I want to see you and touch you and feel you under me.” He slid his fingers under the gown, holding the bottom of it. “I don’t want this between us.” My lips pinched, but I let him lift it, but quickly placed my hand over the incision’s small thin mark above my belly button before and after my hands were free from the gown. The mark would eventually disappear as it finished healing, the surgeon having done a wonderful job, but it was still red right now, a blemish I didn’t care for.
“Caro…” Cain dropped my gown off the side of the bed, his expression patient, but his eyes were fierce with desire, glowing down on me brightly. “Don’t.” He placed a gentle hand over mine, leaning over me with his other, his heat penetrating, his scent all I could smell, both equally potent. He shook his head softly, black curls dangling on either side of his handsome face. “I don’t think you’re too small a woman or malnutrition or lopsided or have overly large hips or think this,” he squeezed my hand gently, “is hideous. All those things I said before were to hone you into a killing machine, doing my job to keep you safe.” His gaze ran down my body like a flame touching every part of my naked flesh, making me want to bow to its touch, my body beginning to tremble, his tone guttural, and breathy. “In fact, much to my dismay, I much prefer your body over anyone else’s.”
Even with my body warming like a kindling flame under him, nipples hardening, aching for his touch, I still needed the added confirmation, asking quietly, “Promise?”
“I give you my word I prefer your sweet body over any others.” His wolf huffed quietly, even as he tugged at my hand gently. “Although, I still wish you were a Shifter.” My lips lifted a little, still seeing that banked simmering hatred in his gaze, and I let my own show for his unscrupulous, bastard self, knowing that hadn’t changed for either of us, both of us too stubborn, and troubled, for that quick of a change with something we truly reviled. Another tug on my hand as he placed gentle kisses around the edge of my slightly parted mouth, nibbling the barest bit, and he murmured, “I want to see all of you, my spirit bitch, so don’t try to hide from me.”
“Cain,” I whispered softly, a needful echo to the yearning inside me, as I let him pull my hand away from my stomach, his fingers intertwining with mine to hold it against the bed by my head. One hand still free, I ran it through his silken soft curls, tugging a bit as he teased me gently with his soft caresses. “Kiss me.”
His wolf sounded quietly, a soft purring growl as he only continued to nibble the edge of my bottom lip, taking a long lick of it, his tongue moist and warm, whispering, “Say please.”
I grinned softly. “Screw you.”
“You can, if you,” another long swipe of his tongue over my top lip, his dangling black curls tickling my face, “say…please.”
I moaned quietly, bowed a bit—still not able to move as much as I liked—and rubbed my aching nipples against his chest, the soft black curls there an added abrasive, but he only raised his chest, not letting me touch him, just out of range, and I glared up at his hooded eyes. “Fine.”
Lush, warm lips curved against mine, one husky demand. “Say it.”
I tilted my head back, pressing my lips firmly to his slightly smiling ones, and managed to stare down my nose at him, stating gruffly, “Please, my manipulative asshole.”
He chuckled quietly, the sound vibrating against my lips, his sweet hot breath fanning in a duel seductive touch. “Why, of course, my spirit bitch.” His eyes dipped down to my mouth, tone gravelly. “I’ve been dying to kiss you for weeks now.” Eyes flicked up to mine, a twinkle in his dilated dark eyes, grinning a bit, stating on a whisper, “I would have done it without the please.”
“Oh, you goddamn,” But, then I stopped griping. A soft moan taking its place as his lush lips pressed against mine, gentle and coaxing, our lips melding seamlessly. Fire erupted from the kindling flame inside me, and I groaned heavily, holding his curls tighter, stroking his lips fervently, needing him like I need air, but his touch stayed gentle, and I ordered against his lips, “More…”
“No,” he whispered, gliding his tongue softly into my mouth, touching mine on an easy slide, rubbing sensually, my core heating, producing a wet warmth between my thighs before his tongue retreated. He nibbled on my bottom lip, tugging gently. “Your doctor said no strenuous activity, so this is going to have to be,” an unhurried stroke of his tongue against mine, “slow,” a gentle brush of his lips, “and soft.”
I blinked my eyes open, staring up at him. “We don’t do slow and soft.” Hell, I had never done that with anyone.
He grinned against my mouth, his free hand cupping my cheek, his thumb rubbing gently on my jaw. “Yet.” He tilted his head, eyes closing slowly, curls brushing my cheeks as his lips continued stroking mine gently before opening them to speak against my slightly parted mouth. “Just because we haven’t before, doesn’t mean we can’t try, and if that’s what it takes to be with you, inside you, I’m sure as hell going to put forth the effort.”
Ever so gradually, I blinked. “If the alternative means I don’t get my badass wolf man, then I’m game to try.” I grinned when his wolf growled quietly, a contented sound. “Your wolf likes that, huh?”
His wolf huffed gently, but Cain stated on a quiet purr, “Regrettably, so does the man.”
His lids dipped closed as I chuckled quietly, glimpsing that banked hatred again, but his lips were so damn gentle against mine as I cupped his cheek, feeling his strong jaw move as he opened his mouth, sliding his tongue in to meet mine. Licking and curling and loving my mouth so skilfully I trembled under him, giving back as good as I got. Hopefully. Because he deserved a damn prize for his talented mouth that had me on fire for him, pressing my core against his massive, hard cock, rubbing slowly against him, not able to do more, feeling a slight twinge of pain in my stomach that eventually ebbed to barely recognizable the more my mind swirled in pure craving.
Groaning over me, the sound a deep rumble, he nibbled down my jaw, biting gently but firmly, grabbing my undulating hip, fingers digging into my soft flesh, his own body tight with need, and ordered gruffly, “None of that.” A gentle glide of his tongue where his teeth had been. “I’ll lose my control if you keep that up.”
“Lose it,” I mumbled on a groan as he sucked on my neck softly, then more forcefully. I blinked lethargically up to the ceiling, tugging on the hand he still held. “I won’t mind.”
“No.” His voice was half wolf, nibbling over my shoulder. “I’m not going to hurt you.” He released my hand, but his fingers slowly ran down the underside of my forearm, following the curve, gliding over my bicep, my shoulder…lower…I moaned heavily, arching a smidge into his light touch. One finger softly circled around my pebbled nipple, almost touching where I needed it, the barest of a ghost touch from his heat, my breasts heavy and swollen, wanting to be palmed and squeezed with a harder touch. He kissed and licked, the gentlest of brushes down the center of my chest, whispering, “Do you want me to touch you here?” His thumb, the barest of touches, flicked over my nipple, and I cried out in need, my head arching back, chest pumping in yearning. “Is that what you want, honey?”
“Yes,” I panted, running my hands over his shoulders, trying to push him where I wanted him. “God, yes.”
“You know what I want…”
There was no stopping it. “Please.”
“Mmm,” he peered up under hooded lids, his eyes glowing like mine, and licked his lips slowly, eyes on my mouth, then to my gaze, “I like that word on your lips almost as much as I like hearing you scream my name in pleasure.” His eyes dipped to my tortured nipple, and he purred, “And since I’m a greedy bastard, I believe I want both.” His thumb flicked my nipple again, a jolt of desire directly connected with my core, my hips rising with the motion, and I grunted, gritting my teeth, breathing harshly. Navy blue, shimmering eyes back to mine, and he purred a quiet order, “Both, honey. I want both.” He dipped his head; his mouth parted over my nipple, and breathed out a moist, hot breath just over my tender, aching flesh.
I sucked in a harsh breath, arching, crying in need, “Please, Cain!”
Groaning heavily, his wolf growling loudly, his teeth latched onto my nipple, biting just hard enough. I screamed, holding his head close as he palmed the underside of my breast, his soft lips suckling greedily, a fierce pull on my puckered nipple, even as his other palm slid behind my back, holding me steady, not allowing me to squirm under him. My hips still moved against him, though, in an uncontrollable need to be filled, and his wolf growled quietly as he released my nipple to suckle my neglected breast. He moaned quietly as I gripped his hair tighter, his tongue rubbing around my nipple in slow, steady strokes. “Fuck, I’ve missed you,” he panted heavily against my breast, his fingers slowly sliding down my stomach, uncannily, and carefully, missing my healing mark, to slip past my belly button, gliding farther down, my hips lifting for his touch. “These past weeks have been hell.”
“Mmm-hmm,” I murmured in a daze of sensual pleasure of pure need. “Your scent and heat have been driving me mad.”
“Good,” he muttered, fingers digging into my back, nibbling the soft vulnerable flesh on the side of my breast. “Because your sweet body has me hard every night knowing you’re right next to me, but I can’t touch you.” I trembled, crying out when his fingers gently parted my swollen flesh, dipping, running over my clit to my core.
“Oh, God,” Cain groaned, lifting a bit, mouth going to my throat, nipping a bit harder than before, his tone deep and gravelly and harsh. “So fucking wet.” His mouth parted, sucking in long, hard pulls on the side of my throat, my head tilting for him, hips undulating against his rubbing fingers. Lips against my neck, voice vibrating my flesh, he growled, “I love how you get for me.”
A low groan slid past my lips as he slid a single digit into my gripping channel. “Cain…” I sucked in a harsh breath, tilting my head back to his, pulling his head up, staring at him in consumed pleasure. I rocked my hips against his gently thrusting finger, his lips hovering over mine, his own breathing shallow, body strung rock tight over me. “Oh God, Cain.” A deep pant. “Kiss me. Fucking kiss me.”
“Fuck, yes,” he murmured on a groan, his lips landing on mine, just shy of forcefully as I felt him rein in his control, but his lips stroked hungrily with mine, pulling me into a steady, but measured rhythm of our gliding lips and tongues, calming me enough I wasn’t mindless in want, keeping me with him as he slid another finger into me, stretching me.
Crying out softly into his mouth, I slid a hand down between our bodies, running my fingers over his heated and hard as steel, and slightly trembling, flesh, until I ran the tip of my finger past his navel, sliding it down as I panted into his mouth, feeling his short, curly black hair before palming the base of his cock tightly. He jerked against me, moaning, automatically thrusting into my touch, and I proceeded to pump him just as slowly as he was thrusting his fingers into me, rubbing my finger over the head of his cock, and smearing his pre-come over the crown, eliciting a quietly growling huff from his wolf.
Until he pulled his fingers from me, gently knocking my hand away, growling against my mouth, “Enough.” Face as hard etched as mine in desire, his features hardened, eyes glowing harshly, he gently lifting my legs higher on his waist, rumbling, “I need to be inside you.”
I nodded sluggishly, drugged in desire, my mind yearning for more of this man, hips pressing against his ramrod, fierce cock. “Please, Cain.”
“Shh,” he whispered, one hand going to my rocking hips, holding me steady, his other arm lifting to lean on his elbow, his warm palm sliding over my cheek, holding me softly, his thumb over my panting lips. “Slow and soft, remember?” His hips tilted back, the large blunt head of his cock sliding down to my core’s throbbing, slick entrance. He brushed his thumb over my lips once, watching the action. “This may actually be…nice.” His brows puckered a bit on his hardened features. “I’ve never done it before.”
Chest heaving, I stared into his hooded gaze, his words telling. “Me, either.” I sucked in a breath, moaning heavily, my own lids dipping as he gently started pressing his hips forward, his thick cock stretching me just the way I needed. “If we survive, anyway, it may be nice.”
He chuckled quietly, but it sounded more a half groan of mixed pleasure and pain. “True.” He tilted his hips back gently, then pressed forward again through my slick, gripping tight channel, moaning quietly, bending to press his lips to mine. “Very damn true.”
My hands went to his cheeks, gripping his angular jaw, kissing him slowly, eyes closed in gentle pleasure, moaning softly along with him as he continued to fill me utterly and completely, and I mumbled honestly on a whisper, “You fill me so right.”
He groaned, sliding his tongue across mine, his thumb playing softly against my cheek, fingers gripping my hair gently. “And you cradle me so damn right.” Warm and moist, his tongue curled gently against mine in a slow, sensory connection as he thrust steadily until his hips were flush with mine, his cock tight within me, stretching me deliciously. Nibbling gently at my lips, he whispered on a deep purring rumble, “Can you turn into a panther or lion…or even an eagle for me?”
I chuckled quietly, pressing my lips more firmly against his. “No more than you would alter the past.”
His wolf huffed quietly…but then, I felt him go utterly still over me, his head quickly tipping back, our lips parting.
My eyes shot open. “What?” I blinked, altering my gaze from his, and stared at my hands on his face, which were radiating dimly, a nice, sweet ethereal glow. I glanced down. My entire body was glowing quietly in a very soft light, barely recognizable, just a content silvery white luster.
Cain’s kiss-swollen, red lips trembled the barest bit. “Already, honey?”
Slowly, I blinked up to him. “You’re good, Cain, but give me a break.”
His head cocked, black brows scrunching, staring down into my gaze, inhaling heavily. “Am I hurting you?”
I shook my head slightly, my brows puckering. “No.” He felt damn perfect inside me.
Brows gradually unfurrowing, he inhaled heavily again, glowing navy blue disappeared slowly, only to reappear staring at me through thick black lashes, and he hummed quietly, the sound deep and soft, tipping his head back down to mine, placing his lips gently against mine, murmuring, “I’ll take it as praise.” His lips were coaxing against mine as I thought this through, tugging at my bottom lip softly for action when I stayed motionless, and he grinned slowly, tilting his hips back, and pressing forward slowly, and I instantly gasped, eyes opening wide, and he whispered, “After all, I really am that good.”
Huffing a chuckle, I smiled softly. “God, you are such a cocky bastard sometimes.” And then, groaned heavily when he drove into me again.
His own grin was breathless. “Absolutely.” His eyes closed slowly as he pulled his hips back, thrusting into me again leisurely, his eyes slitting open, watching me. Our skin measuredly meeting as he started a careful, steady retreat and thrust, he murmured on a pant, “Kind of like this contradictory spirit Elemental I know,” his nose brushed mine softly, “who wants to be valued for her selfless acts, but hates to be praised for them.”
Chest heaving, I still managed to scowl at him, my body trembling under his, not sure how I felt about him understanding that part of me. “Whereas this wolf Shifter I know, just enjoys the praise of his ruthless and brutal and cunning acts, and wears them with arrogant flavor when needed.”
A black brow quirked even as he dipped his head, kissing me slowly. “I am a man. And a heartless, vicious one at that.” He nipped my lip gently; a direct contradiction to his words, just as his cock driving into me softly was, satisfying me beautifully. “I freely admit to enjoying the hunt and kill of the corrupt just as much as my wolf does.” I groaned as I lifted my hips against his as much as his grip would allow, and he growled, “And I’ll sure as hell let anyone know just how ruthless I am when needed.”
“But they don’t see you coming,” I mumbled against his caressing lips.
“Never,” a slow lick across my bottom lip, “as I’m sure they never see you coming.” His gaze met mine as he rotated his hips, making me bow against him, a deep groan. “Just like I didn’t.”
Running my hands over his back, I gripped his working muscles, whispering, “Then we’re even on that score, since you blindsided me.”
“I’ll take that.” His gaze held mine, his lips lifting softly with his less than hidden cocky nature, then his gaze dipped to my lips. “And this. I’ll take this.” His lips were back on mine, caressing with barely controlled hunger, keeping his caresses gentle, his body trembling the barest bit over me, murmuring against my lips, “This, I like very much.”
I groaned, wrapping my legs around his waist, tilting my pelvis up for deeper penetration, his hips moving slow and steady, unhurriedly turning that raging fire into an inferno as I kissed him back with all the simmering hunger…and possibly…feelings…I was beginning to have for this complicated man. He moaned softly, tilting his head, his tongue diving against mine, rubbing in slow, unhurried movements, meeting each of my casually altering demands, and then owning my mouth with fierce caresses of tongue, teeth, and lips that left me a breathless, shaking mess under him. I blinked sluggishly, arms around his neck now, and stared up into his eyes as he tilted his head back, our panting breaths fanning each other’s cheeks…and just watched him.
I held his steady, glowing gaze as he continued to…make love to my body, because that was what this had become. I had never experienced a tender, gentle joining before, but I knew it innately as we held each other’s gaze, our bodies continuing to connect ever so slowly, trembling against one other. I watched as his jaw tightened just about the same time mine did, realization dawning, but neither of us backed down from the slow grind of our lightly perspiring bodies, the way we each tilted our hips against each other’s, and that ever present bit of hate simmering in our gazes, even though I also knew deep within me, I couldn’t walk away right now, even if a gun was pressed to my head, safety off, and trigger being held firmly.
He, this man I loathed for using me, using our intimacies as a damn weapon, had somehow managed to worm his way inexplicably into my very being…and possibly, a bit of my heart. I was right where I wanted to be. My choice to be in his arms. All other negatives aside, the worst was he was a man I Lawfully shouldn’t even be with, especially holding the positions we did in this life, this present time, a charge which could wreck my very sanity if we were prosecuted. And yet…I didn’t want to be anywhere else at that current moment.
Breathing shakily, I whispered words I had once before, but in the past when I had thought him someone else, but now I knew differently…and didn’t care, “I’m right where I want to be.” My gaze darted between his, a bit nervous between the pleasures being so forthright. “With you.” And all that implied—the good, and the bad, I left unsaid, but it was heard, nonetheless.
He inhaled heavily, pressing his hips flush with mine, and jaw still clenched, he whispered, “As am I.” His breath shuddered past my lips as he dipped, kissing me softly, murmuring against my mouth, “God help me, but I am, too.” Another kiss against my trembling lips. “With you.” Off all the fucking people, with you, he left unsaid, but it was heard, as mine had been.
And still, I glowed a bit brighter as I kissed him back, pressing my trembling lips against his more firmly, holding him tightly to me, losing myself in the pleasure, softness, and even hatred, of our joining. His grip turning heavy on me, he ate my moans of pleasure while I adored his, taking them yearningly into my mouth. Our hips continuing to meet in a slow press of heat, both of our power beginning to build in slow increments around us as he continued to fill me whole while my slick channel gripped him tight, a kiss of the stars with the soft stroking fur of the wild animal floating around us, even our scents mingling, mine never really all that noticeable to me, just a subtle scent that was there when aroused, but I smelled the heady scent of burning stars mixing with the spiced evergreen of a forest before a rainfall now, both potent in yearning, dizzying in need…possibly the utter trust that had been mentioned before, or the fact I was letting my walls down with this man, letting him in the barest bit.
Groaning against my lips, his wolf growled quietly, vibrating against my chest, panting, he inhaled deeply, his grip instantly tightening on me, speaking against my lips. “You’re close, honey?”
I mumbled absently, “Getting there.” I tilted my hips differently, and he instantly altered his thrusts, pressing against my clit, and then tilting his hips to hit my spot inside. “Ugh, God…I will come soon, if you keep doing that.”
He hummed gutturally against my lips, keeping me close. “I can feel, and smell, you, like, when you climax.” I hadn’t known that, lost as I was when I went over the edge with him, and his lips curved the barest bit, breathless, kissing me lightly. “Guess I am that good.”
I gasped on a keening cry as he kept hitting my spots. “Don’t let it go to your head.” I groaned, my body trembling fiercely under his. “A little more, Cain. Just a little harder.”
His wolf huffed softly, and he pressed just a little harder, a bit faster, moaning, “Oh, fucking…hell.” He trembled over me, staring down at me fiercely. “Have it, honey.” Black, soft curls tickled my cheeks as he shook his head the barest bit, his breathing quickening. “I won’t be able to hold out much longer, and I want you going with me.”
Instant and breathless. “Not…an issue.” I shouted, my body tightening under him, warmth trembling like fired rain ran through my limbs, the gentle coaxing of our love making boiling inside me as he thrust deeply, rubbing the head of his cock back and forth over that delicious spot. My jaw fell as my gasping breath caught, my eyes on his, keeping them open, wanting to watch him as my body exploded in carnal pleasure, warmth transfusing me as I glowed brightly, tiny, brilliant stars flying into the vortex of our power, screaming, “Cain!”
Body not my own as I floated in flooding blissful, arresting warmth, I watched, barely able to keep my lids open, trembling and tumbling in ecstasy as he instantly shuddered over me, his expression of pleasure and pain, cheeks flushed on olive glistening skin, black curls dangling down around his gorgeous features, navy blue eyes glowing fiercely down on me between thick lashes, his cock thrusting swiftly, penetrating deep on my pulsing channel, all the way into my very being, hips flush against mine, and his lips parting on a deep shout, “Caro!”
Our gazes held as we fell so damn far, never experiencing anything quite like this as I continued to tremble against his relentlessly quaking frame, his cock pumping inside me, scalding hot cum scorching me, my channel gripping and pulsing against him, both of us groaning quietly while not just our bodies connected, but also, our gazes, and I know I saw the beginning of tenderness reflected in his eyes, more than likely the tenderness I was feeling for him, this fierce man who had taken me completely, showing in my own gaze, which I tried so hard to hide, but probably failed miserably in my pleasure-dazed state, as did he, while we ever so gradually came down from our sensuous paradise.
Groaning heavily, he slowly lowered his head on the pillow, face toward mine, his weight heavy and scrumptious over me. His panting breaths were heavy against my ear, sounding sweetly against the pounding in my ears from my heart that didn’t seem to want to slow against his chest, his own heart pounding furiously against mine. The steadying hand he’d had on my hip slid up my side slowly, sluggishly, running under my shoulder, holding softly, even as his hand on my face tipped my head toward his, gently pressing the side of my face against his, my own trembling legs unwrapping from his waist and sliding tiredly down the back of his legs, hooking around them, then going slack as I sucked air, arms like dead weight around his neck.
When I could breathe again semi-properly, I mumbled on a breath, “That was…nice.”
His hot, slick body started shaking over my heated one as he chuckled quietly, but it quickly stilled as we both groaned softly from the movement, both of us overly sensitive until he tipped his hips back, sliding from me slowly, and carefully, and he muttered on a raspy voice, “It’s possible I underestimated slow and soft.” He tensed a smidge, pausing, hesitating, and then tilted his head a bit, his lips brushing my cheek in a soft caress. “With you.” His head fell back to the pillow, our cheeks gliding, and my face still against his.
My lips quirked at his cautious sweetness, and I blew a piece of hair off my cheek, and murmured, “Definitely underestimated the benefits of slow and soft.” I tilted my own head tiredly, and kissed his cheek softly. “With you.” And I instantly felt the slight rigidness in him relax, and I shut my eyes, inhaling him.
I felt his jaw open wide as he yawned grandly, blindly pulling the white sheet over us, then placing his hand softly back on my cheek. “Wake me in ten minutes.” Another yawn. “I might be able to get up then.”
I grunted, understanding, snuggling further against his cheek and soft hair, my body utterly sated and dead weight, that climax ringing my bell to lazy perfection.