Текст книги "Bonds of Fire"
Автор книги: T. A. Grey
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Текущая страница: 4 (всего у книги 20 страниц)
Chapter 8
Willow slowly opened her eyes to the morning light creeping in through the windows. She was incredibly warm, especially at her back.
She jerked to a sitting position. Lyonis slowly came to and the arm around her waist tugged until she was pulled back against him.
“Sica tawicue.” His voice was thick and husky from sleep. It reminded her of last night; the same voice he had when he was lost in passion. Willow slammed her eyes shut to block out the memory.
He moved behind her, his naked hips pressing against her bare bottom. Gasping at the hot prod, Willow squirmed to get away.
“No,” he commanded huskily, then pushed her onto her back and came up over her. Willow stared up into his low-lidded eyes with her wide ones.
“What are you—?”
His lips trailed kisses along her jaw to her ear where he nibbled. Then she felt a hot palm cup her sex. Pleasure spiked inside her and she quickly pushed against his shoulders.
“Get off of me,” she said between clenched teeth. He made a gruff sound of disagreement, then slid his finger inside her. The pleasure that went unfulfilled last night still wetted her channel. Her hips naturally pushed back against him, and he growled approvingly, then bit down on her shoulder. Her muscles warmed, and she went limp against the bed.
How did he always manage to do that?
He didn’t hesitate. He pushed her thighs open, pressed his cock to her entrance, and pushed inside. Willow cried out and it wasn’t in pain. Her core was wet and warm. As he began to pump his hips, she grew wetter for him, easing his way as he dragged himself through her needy center.
“Willow,” he groaned.
Planting himself deep inside, he pulled back and grabbed her wrists. Willow blinked as she realized they were still tied together. He lifted them and placed them over the bedpost. Her arms slid down it and she struggled to free them but then he rocked back on his knees.
Grabbing her hips in his hands, he held her as pounded into her. Willow’s loud moans startled her; her body started tingling with delicious pinpricks of pleasure. It was as if that one night of not taking a release had built something inside her. Something that desperately wanted to get out.
Her toes curled, nipples beading into hard points. She closed her eyes, unable to watch the pleasure on his face as he took her, as he did the very thing she both wanted and loathed.
“You’re beautiful in the morning, mate. Lovely and fresh. Wet and tight where I want you.”
Willow’s core clenched at his words. His hand moved, slowly spreading across her stomach and down as he pumped through her tight muscles. His thumb reached her short curls then found her clit.
Willow’s arms tensed hard. He began to rub it back and forth and her breaths caught in her throat. Delicious heat filled her body and her sex until she was close to bursting. Her skin tightened, coiling.
“That’s right. Come on my cock, Willow. Let me feel you gripping me.” His voice was so low, so husky it teased her ears.
“Oh, God!”
She bit her lip, hadn’t meant to say that aloud. She heard him groan as her body exploded apart. The finger at her bud rubbed harder as he thrust in heavy strokes. The shaking started in her thighs and shot up to her arms. The orgasm tore through her, stole her breath, and burst hot liquid inside her core. She bounced against the mattress, cries echoing off the walls.
“Perfect,” she heard him say and then both hands were at her hips. If she thought he was taking her hard before, she was wrong. He took her hard now, his hips slapping against her thighs and sex.
She heard the wet sound of her sex, fresh from her orgasm and turned her head away as her cheeks flamed. There was no hiding what her body felt for him. Groaning in one long pull, he pushed deep. Hot surges filled her for endless seconds.
He collapsed on top of her and Willow’s heart shriveled a little inside. She was weak. So weak with him.
He gave her a quick kiss on the mouth then sprung from bed. “I have a busy day today. You should take the time to meet the pack. Just stop by their houses. They’ll welcome you.” Willow snorted and rolled on to her side, giving him her back. His soft laughter floated over her.
When he came back into view, he was fully dressed in a fresh pair of khakis and a button down shirt. He smiled at her then leaned down and kissed her, giving her no time to pull away. Willow’s breath caught as the soft heat of him; his masculine scent drifted over her, taste lingering on her lips as he pulled away.
“Behave,” he said, then left.
Willow didn’t move until she heard the front door close, then she got out of bed and took a shower. She needed her sisters. Needed their advice bad. One night with the Alpha and already she was doubting things, hell, even pondering ridiculous notions like actually being his.
A nasty memory popped in her mind. David ordering her on the ground as he mounted her from behind...as his friends watched. Humiliation burned hard inside her, tears welled in her eyes.
“Fuck that,” she said viciously and slammed her hand into the shower handle to turn it off. She dried off and dressed. She checked to make sure her eyes weren’t red as she went to find a phone.
She found one in the office downstairs. Pictures lined the walls filled with happy moments between Lyonis and the pack members.
Willow grimaced as she dialed Chloe’s cell. It went straight to voicemail so she tried Lily’s line next. She sighed with relief when she answered.
“Hola?”
“Lily, it’s me.”
“Woohoo! It’s about time you called, sista. We’ve been waiting to hear something. Chloe said she called you but the connection was bad or something like that.”
“Yeah,” Willow said, “She called when I was Germany but I couldn’t make out what she said. She mentioned something about the demon being dead.” Willow took a seat at Lyonis’ desk and kicked her feet up on it.
“Yup, she downed it...with an axe to its head!”
Willow’s jaw dropped. “What?”
Lily laughed. “You heard me. She felled that thing like an Amazon warrior. It was epic. So where are you?”
Willow looked around the office and considered lying. Admitting that the Alpha had bested her in this particular match didn’t sit well with her.
“He got you, didn’t he?” Willow sighed heavily.
“Yes, for now. I’m in his house at his in Oklahoma. Ugh, get me out of here, Lily.” Her sister’s tinkling laughter grated over her nerves like sandpaper.
“No way. You two are going to have lots of fun.” Willow pulled back the phone and glared at it as if it had two heads.
“Have you been talking to him or something because I keep hearing the same thing from him?”
“Nope, never met him but I’m going to. I’ll call Chloe as soon as we hang up and we’ll come over.”
“Thank God. You guys can sneak me out of this place.” Relief had her shoulders sagging.
“No can do,” her sister said flatly.
“What the hell do you mean no can do?”
“I’ve had visions, Willow. I’m not taking you out of there and neither will Chloe. You need to stay there and deal with things; it’ll turn out for the best, I swear.”
“Excuse me?” sputtered Willow. “You cannot leave me here! This is a prison. There is a girl already who has a fucking bullseye on my head. She probably thinks I’m encroaching on her man. And he has extra guards to keep me from escaping.”
Lily sighed loudly. “You’re just exaggerating now. Really, Willow, leave that for me please. I’ll tell you what just because I love you, I’ll call Chloe right now, and we’ll be there ASAP.” Willow checked the clock.
“Ugh, I’m afraid that’s not soon enough. It’ll be at least a day before you guys could get here.” Lily giggled.
“Nope, Tyrian has special demons on his team. They can teleport!” A sudden throbbing pain slammed against Willow’s forehead. She rubbed it.
“Isn’t that just peachy.”
“It is. Also, I’m going to seduce my demon.”
“Huh?” Willow said, feeling dumber by the minute.
“Telal Demuzi. I met him, and I’m already halfway in love with him. I keep having dreams about him,” she sighed dramatically. “I can’t wait for my birthday. Another eight months...”
“Riiight,” Willow said. “Listen just get over here as soon as you can. I need you guys.” She said the last softly and hoped Lily didn’t hear the desperation in her voice.
“Right-o. Love you, sis. Have fun why don’t you? We’ll be there as soon as we can. Bye!”
Willow started to say goodbye but Lily hung up before she had the chance.
“Little brat.” She laughed softly.
Feeling infinitely better knowing the cavalry was coming to help, Willow went outside. The town looked completely different from yesterday. People were out walking, dogs were in the yards, children and mother’s were out playing.
Willow took a deep breath, then went to introduce herself. It wasn’t because Lyonis asked her to, but because she needed to find allies. Allies to help her escape.
* * *
Lyonis smiled at his guards, Jackie and Thane. He didn’t trust anyone more to run the pack while he was away. They were his best fighters, his smartest soldiers, and his most trustworthy. Both dominant shapeshifters, Thane and Jackie took a long time to accept a partnership.
Lyonis knew his pack members and sometimes he knew things about them they never quite saw themselves. In this case, he knew that Jackie and Thane were desperate for each other but allowing their own differences to keep them apart. He almost grinned at them; if only they had any idea just how great two dominants could be together. Already he was learning, and he loved it.
“You’re late,” Thane said with a frown.
Lyonis grinned at him. “I was occupied this morning.”
“I bet,” Jackie said with a cocked eyebrow.
Thane gave her a hard look. “I guess in your world a man can’t enjoy his new mate.” Jackie crossed her arms and squared off against him.
“No, Thane. In my world, work comes before play. Besides, she isn’t his mate yet. If you knew anything about women, you’d have seen the look on her face at the welcoming ceremony. She’s pissed.”
Lyonis sat down and grinned at the play between them. Thane seemed to stand taller as he loomed over his partner.
“I know enough about women to know that she’s putting up a front. A front that she wants knocked down one thrust at a time.”
Jackie sighed with disgust. “Oh, please. Not everything revolves around sex, Thane.”
“That’s only because you never allow the males to sniff around you.” Jackie stiffened; her eyes glowing with the need to shift.
Lyonis came to a stand. “Enough of the pleasantries. Let’s get down to business. What did I miss while I was gone?”
Thane took a seat but Jackie stood. Lyonis wanted to shake both of them. He wasn’t the only one who saw what was between them. The pack whispered about it behind their backs.
“Amy’s been prowling since you left and now that you’re you came back with another woman, she’s pissed,” Jackie said.
“That isn’t news,” Thane said. “Amy will get over her Alpha infatuation and move on to someone else eventually.”
Jackie’s jaw flexed side to side. “Maybe or maybe not. She can be a problem, Alpha Lyonis. She’s highly territorial and she has had her mark set on you. I’d caution your future mate.”
Thane shook his head. “In other news, thing were pretty solid here. We had a successful hunting party. We have enough meat to last us through the winter.”
“Fantastic,” Lyonis said. “Anything else?”
“No, everything’s been normal.” Jackie paused then said, “So are you going to explain the succubus to us.”
Lyonis grinned as he remembered his first morning awake with his mate. She hated that he made her feel good. He wondered why that was. Was she merely that stubborn or was there more to her?
“I already did. I went to get her as ordered in the will Francis left me but what I found was something much greater. I felt the connection the instant I saw her. My mate.”
Thane smiled like a cat. “She’s not bad on the eyes, either.” Jackie’s eyes rolled.
“You think that about all women.”
“Not redheads.” The barb sent Jackie’s back ramrod straight; her eyes glowing in anger...and hurt. Lyonis saw it a second before she hid it.
“Enough!” Both of them bowed their heads. “You need to care for one another to be the best at what you do. Not fight all the time. This is not healthy and it does not set the kind of standard I want in my pack leaders.”
“Yes, Alpha,” they said in unison.
“Keep an eye on my mate. She’ll try to escape, I guarantee it. You’re dismissed.” They nodded and left.
Lyonis sat back in his desk chair, his mind wandering. He’d never pictured he’d get his mate in the form of Willow Bellum. A succubus with the attitude of an angry hockey player. But he’d felt the heat inside her, had even seen the moments of hesitation that showed she might care about him, if only a little. She’d paused before she’d kneed him in the face after he took her body the first time.
Chuckling, he rubbed nose. She’d even hesitated before she pushed him into that crowd of women outside the club. Course then she’d saluted and trotted off leaving him to fight off five drunken Germans.
She was strong. He’d always thought he needed a submissive, someone to answer to him, but this was so much better. She would be strong enough to influence the women in the pack but also listen to him.
As he sat back in his chair, he realized he wanted something more though. In time she would grow to want his lovemaking. This he knew. Already she flamed for his touch. How to go about getting the fiery succubus to heel was an entirely different problem.
He didn’t know how was going to do it, but he knew he’d have a great time trying.
* * *
Jackie ignored the voice calling her and continued down the hall. She had work to do, rounds to run, supplies to check. A hand gripped her arm and spun her around.
“Dammit, I said to wait.” Thane was one of the few men in the pack actually taller than she was, and she hated it. He always seemed to use it to try and make her feel small.
“And obviously I didn’t want to. What do you want?” He frowned at her.
“What was your problem back there?”
Jackie rolled her eyes. “The better question would be what's your problem, Thane. I don’t have one. Though your obvious ignorance of the Alpha’s new mate was astounding.” Thane looked away, probably to control his temper. He always did have a wild one.
“I am not ignorant of the situation or of women. You’re the one who can’t obviously see that the female wants him—bad.”
God, she didn’t want to talk to him. Especially since the insult about her hair was still burned inside her.
“You know this has been some great gossip, Thane, but I have work to do. So if you don’t mind...” She took a step back but he growled and grabbed her arms. He didn’t pull her close, merely held her, but her breath caught at the unexpected touch.
“Dammit, Jackie. I’m...” He looked to the ceiling then the floor with hard eyes. Finally he looked back in her eyes.
She laughed at him. “You can’t even say it, can you? You know what, save it for someone who cares.”
His grip tightened on her and pulled her close. Jackie’s eyes shot wide as she felt the burning heat of his body press against her. She’d never been this close to him, not even in training. His brown gaze was unflinching as he stared at her.
“I think you do care, Jackie.” His gaze lowered for a mere second to her mouth. Jackie jerked, stunned, then shoved him hard. He went and she was almost disappointed.
Before she did something humiliating, she turned and ran.
Chapter 9
Grumbling, Willow finished the second row of houses and seriously considered marching back to the Alpha and beg him to lock her back up just so she wouldn’t have to do this.
So much for making allies. Either the pack members were hesitant about her or they outright didn’t like her. She’d even been on her best behavior and didn’t cuss. Okay, maybe once but that’s only because a dog had been humping her leg.
She stopped in front of the next house then resolutely walked up to the front door and knocked. A few seconds later the door opened up and Willow nearly sighed in defeat. It was venom eyes.
“What do you want?” the blond woman asked. Well this woman might help her escape since she hated Willow’s existence.
“Hey, I’m Willow Bellum. I’ve been going around the pack introducing myself.”
“Is that so?” The woman’s contempt couldn’t be any more obvious unless she had a sign in her hand that said “I hate you.”
“Yup. It was at Lyonis’ request.” The woman smiled coldly.
“I bet. Well I’m Amy Thierry and let me just speak for the rest of the pack and say we don’t want you here.” Willow almost laughed.
“Yeah, I can see that. If it’s any consolation, I don’t want to be here either.”
“Oh, really? Well the exit's right over there. Why don’t you go?” Willow ground her teeth to keep from flipping the woman off. This being nice thing was hard.
“I’d love to but Lyonis has extra guards following me around to keep me from leaving.”
The woman scoffed in disbelief. “You actually want to get away from the Alpha of the shapeshifters? The man is a legend; any woman would be honored to have a man like him. I would fight for him if he was mine,” she said harshly.
Willow took a step back and threw up her hands. “I didn’t want him. He kidnapped me.”
“Quit being such a bitch, Amy.”
Willow turned to see a woman walking up behind them. She carried a child in her arms and a baby bag around her shoulder. Willow liked her already.
“Hi, I’m Rachel Huron. Just ignore Amy. Everyone knows she’s always wanted to land the Alpha even though she isn’t his mate.”
“Shut up, Rachel. Both of you get the hell away from my house.” She stormed inside and slammed the door shut with a bang.
Rachel shrugged. “Sorry about that. Alpha Lyonis has been the one man she’s always wanted.” Willow snorted and followed Rachel away from the house. “So the Alpha kidnapped you, huh?” she said with a smile.
Willow didn’t smile back; it wasn’t funny to her. “Yeah, he did. I’m not staying with him either.”
“Why not?” Amy looked genuinely puzzled.
“Because I don’t want him. He wants to subdue me into some sexual submissive that pleases him all the time.” Rachel tossed her head back and laughed.
“Don’t all men? Hey, it’s not my place to really say anything, but since you’re not a shapeshifter I’ll go ahead and say it.”
Willow wasn’t so sure she wanted to hear this.
“Shapeshifters get one mate; one chance. Sometimes it takes hundreds of years before the other one can be found. In many cases, they die before ever finding their mate. Sometimes it’s much easier. I found my Jack while visiting in California.” Her soft smile was infectious.
“Is he a shapeshifter, too?”
Rachel nodded. “Yes, I met him while visiting a cousin in a different pack. He asked me out right away and after that first kiss,” she sighed blissfully. “We knew right then.”
Willow felt a pang of bitterness in her chest. She used to want that, to know what it was like to feel something on that kind of level. And she did get to experience it, in a tainted, disgusting way.
“I didn’t know shapeshifters can mate with other breeds,” Willow said.
“It’s a bit unusual that’s for sure, but not uncommon.” Rachel paused. “So I don’t want to make you awkward or anything but you can’t leave him.”
“What do you mean?” The baby fussed a bit and Rachel moved her to the other shoulder. The baby quieted.
“To have your mate not accept you is...geez I don’t even know how to say it. It’s considered shameful. Not to mention that the one who’s left can never be with anyone else. After they find their mate, that’s it. They are locked together forever.”
Willow’s head throbbed with a migraine. “Are you saying that if I leave him, he’ll want only me and can never just find some Suzy Homemaker to make him happy?”
Rachel gave her a sad look. “It’s sad I know but it’s true. We spend our lives looking for our other half, if we lose them after finding them, it breaks us.”
Willow sighed, of course it does. This couldn’t be easy. Nope. She had to either stay here and be with the dominating Alpha or hurt him for the rest of his life. She wasn’t so sure she was mean enough to do something like that.
“But I’m not a shapeshifter, how would that affect me?” Rachel frowned and shook her head.
“I’m not sure. You might be able to move on with your life and find another, but he’d be left the same. This is me,” she said as they neared a small white house. Willow walked with her to the door.
“Thanks for the info, Rachel.”
Rachel laughed. “Anytime you need anything just come by.” When she turned around her smile was gone. “Listen, I know you don’t know him very well, but you should try it. I’ve lived in this pack since I was a child and I’ve never seen him so happy. Is he really so bad?”
Willow swallowed the lump in her throat. How did she explain old fears without revealing herself? She couldn’t.
“Yes, he wants me to be someone I’m not.”
Rachel smiled as if she was remembering something. “Then maybe you need to push back.”
“What do you mean?”
“Sometimes an Alpha needs to have control exerted on them. It might help to keep him in check.”
How did she control someone like him? The man was so physical it was in everything he did. She wouldn’t be able to do it without being physical.
Nodding, Willow said goodbye and walked back to Lyonis’ cabin, lost in her thoughts. Could she really leave him if that meant his suffering?
God dammit.
Could she stay and actually put up with him? She went into the cabin and fell onto the couch. Why did everything have to be so difficult? This was all Papa’s fault. Him and that stupid will.
She wasn’t so mean that she could do that to him, but she also wasn’t going to put herself in the same situation she’d done with David. Tucking her knees into her chest, Willow curled up on the couch.
She contemplated what Rachel had said. Pushing back against the Alpha. Wasn’t that what she’d been doing? Shit, she’d literally fought him, had outrun him, and outsmarted him through most of Europe. In fact, if it wasn’t for that stupid ice she slipped on, he might not have even caught her. If that wasn’t pushing back then she didn’t know what was.
Willow closed her eyes as she remembered this morning. Her mouth suddenly dried out and she swallowed hard. He did please her in that way, but even she knew that was no basis for a relationship.
“Ugh!” she said and slammed a pillow over her face. She didn’t want a relationship. Not with him. Did she want someone...yes. She wanted someone to talk to and share things with, to love. Lyonis Keelan wasn’t that man. Sure he was nice, but he’d break her so fast if she let her guard down.
Moisture dampened her cheek. Willow blinked and felt it again. Touching her cheek, she saw a tear. Quickly she dried her face on the pillow and squeezed her eyes shut.
She would figure something out. She always did. Her eyes drifted closed and she went to sleep.
