Текст книги "Bonds of Fire"

Автор книги: T. A. Grey

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Текущая страница: 9 (всего у книги 20 страниц)

“Whoa there.” He caught her and she fell against him, her hands catching his thick sweater at the shoulders. Then she looked up at him and he lost himself in her eyes. Baby blues, bright and red rimmed from alcohol and still she took his breath away.

And scared the shit out of him.

She looked at him with innocent eyes, not the seductive ones like the women he usually went with. She wasn’t coy or playful but damn if it didn’t arouse him more than all those other women combined. What kind of animal was he to be turned on by a drunken innocent woman? Hell, his partner.

Her eyes fell to his mouth and Thane watched her expression change. He would have bet her to be an actress but he knew she wasn’t playing any games, not Jackie. She was straightforward to a punch. So when her eyes traced his lips and grew soft and low-lidded, Thane knew he was a goner. Was he an ass for taking advantage while she was drunk—yes. Did he care the least bit—hell no.

No longer capable of being gentle, he grabbed her hips and pushed her against the jeep. Her soft gasp brought even hotter thoughts flying through his mind. How would she sound when his head was between her legs? Would she wrap her legs around his shoulders or fall open and soft for him?

Cupping her head in his hand, he tilted her to the side, and slowly brought his lips to hers. A second before their lips met, her hands tightened in his shirt, eyes wide and panicked.

“What are you doing?” she whispered hoarsely.

Thane paused for a moment, struggling to think over the need roaring through him. His mind blanked for a moment and all he could do was answer honestly.

“Kissing you.”

And then he pressed his lips against hers and lost himself in a way he never thought possible.

* * *

Draven stopped outside their door. God what was with him and doing this? He’d been blaming Chloe for this whole disaster but really, that was a lie. Not that he’d alleviate her guilt and tell her that. No, it was his fault. He never should have asked Lucinda to be his frimar. Fuck.

If he were using his old ways, he’d already have blood coursing through his veins and be on his way to bed. But what the fuck was he doing? Pacing outside his frimar’s bedroom, their shared bedroom. As if it wasn’t bad enough having to babysit one of the Bellum sisters, at least that was a temporary situation. But Lucinda? Temporary?

Vampires signed on with frimars for a long-term arrangement. If he were to release her now, she’d be forced to find another. Draven’s hand curled into white-knuckled fists. God dammit. Every time he so much as thought about another man’s mouth on her neck, her wrists, her thighs, he shook with rage.

What the hell was that? He never felt that before, not even with his previous frimar. Draven smacked his head against the wall and slid down it. He was just asking for trouble...again. They both had so much in common. From their manners and dress to the way they spoke.

Lucinda wasn’t anything like Charlotte in many ways. She wasn’t an evil lying whore. Draven pulled out one of his invisible daggers he kept at his waist. The blade was lightweight but had enough mass to feel satisfying. The cold metal warmed in his hand easily. Draven relaxed muscle by muscle as he focused on something else. But soon the thoughts crept back up.

Lucinda would never take a knife to him. She was too sweet, didn’t have a mean bone in her body. You thought that about Charlotte, too.

“Fuck!”

Draven stood and clenched the blade. He heard footsteps coming towards the door. God dammit, quickly he palmed his blade, watching as it went invisible with his magic. Most days he forgot he was part demon, but thinking of Charlotte always managed to remind him of the uglier side of life.

The door swung open and Draven turned to Lucinda with a smile. “Good evening.” It was more like one o’clock in the morning and she really should be in bed already.

She smiled back at him but concern worried her eyes. “Master Draven what are you doing out here? Please, come in. This is your room too.”

Yeah, don’t remind me. He nodded once then marched around her. He was careful not to brush against her.

“Did you learn anything?” Draven grabbed a clean pair of clothes from the dresser.

“I lost the scent halfway through the city. I don’t know what happened but the demon was definitely here; it took her.”

Lucinda sat in a chair, her shoulders slumped forward, and her dress puffed out from her legs like a princess gown. Damn if she didn’t wear low-neck gowns; he cursed.

“That is so horrible. I hope you can find her.” Draven probably shouldn’t be surprised, but at the sound of her soft plea, he couldn’t help but sneer inwardly. He’d heard pleas like that before, words wrapped in sweet malice by an even more beautiful face. God what was with him tonight? She is not Charlotte.

How can you be sure?

She looked up at him with beseeching eyes. “Master Draven I’m afraid we must speak about something.” Draven’s chest eased from the tightness imprisoning it for a moment.

“What is it?” Panic and hope warred inside him.

“You have not fed in many days,” she said softly. “If you do not then you will weaken.” She spoke so quietly even his exceptional hearing registered it as a whisper. Draven lifted his gaze to see her watching the floor, her back straight, soft shoulders back.

Watching her like this with a dim lamp from the corner lighting her in a soft haze, Draven was slammed with lust. His body grew tight with anticipation, his cock hardening like cooling metal. She had no idea what kind of danger she was in around him. Of the thoughts he had about her.

“I understand if you wish to use another and not me.”

Draven jerked as he realized what she said. God dammit. He didn’t know what was worse—that she wanted him to take from her or that he wanted to with a need that bordered on violent. He wouldn’t go back to the past though. He wouldn’t make the same mistake again. He’d barely gotten through it the first time.

Did she have any idea how hard it was to control himself? How hard he had to concentrate not to take her body and her blood, because he wanted to with a desperation that scared him. Hence why he stayed out late every night, hoping to avoid her as much as possible. He even left her during the day; did she have anything to do? Did she leave the room? He had no idea.

Her shoulders slammed back, straightening her body in a move that must hurt, then she stood and looked at him, one brow arching delicately, her mouth soft, hands folded at her waist.

“I release you as my host.”

Draven did a double take. “What?”

“You heard me, Draven. I release you from this binding.”

“You can’t do that.” God this was just what he wanted but then why were anger, refusal, swiftly boiling in his blood?

“I just did,” she said with a stiff finality that had his mouth dropping. He watched as she moved about the room, grabbing her suitcases and filling them with her gowns and slippers.

“You can’t do that.” His mind was reeling. She couldn’t go; he wanted her so badly. He couldn’t keep her here and risk losing himself—he’d learned that lesson already. What the hell did he do then?

Draven shut off his mind. It didn’t know what the hell it wanted anyways. Then he stalked after her.

Either she didn’t hear him or she refused to turn around because he stood behind her, a scowl on his face as she loaded her gowns into the oversized luggage.

“Lucinda.”

No response. Draven worked his jaw side to side.

“Lucinda, I do not release you as my frimar.”

Draven was not prepared for what happened next. Lucinda let out a fierce, angry growl then spun around on him. Draven took a step back as he registered her anger. He’d never seen her like this. Her chest rose and fell quickly, teeth bared, eyes wide and hot with anger.

She took a step forward and Draven backed up. “You...you,” she said shaking a slender finger at him, “have been nothing but...a nuisance in my bottom from the moment this all started.”

Draven cocked his head to the side and didn’t know whether to laugh or...

“You ask me to be your frimar but then you never let me do my duties. I come here with you then I am left all day long in this miserable guest room with nothing to do. Have you seen the floors?”

Draven looked down at the wood floors and had never felt more stupid than he did in this moment. He had no clue what she was talking about.

“Of course not. I scrubbed them with my bare hands. Every single inch because I was bored!” She was panting hard, her cheeks flushed with a rosy color.

“I’m sorry.”

Maybe it was the wrong thing to say because her eyes narrowed on him and even though she was at least a head shorter than he was, she gave the appearance that she was looking down at him.

“It doesn’t even matter. I don’t even care about that! I know about your past, Draven. I know about your previous frimar. I’m sorry about that, truly sorry. But I am not her in any way, shape, or form.”

Draven didn’t correct her on how wrong she was, because she’d pushed herself against his chest in her lecture. Flattening her chest against him in the most provocative way. Her cheeks were flushed, eyes glittering and sparkling until they looked like the green stem of a rose. Draven did the only thing he knew to. The only thing he wanted to. The one thing he’d been craving for so long, he couldn’t even remember.

He pulled her against him, then slammed his mouth down on hers.

For a moment he was taken aback at how soft and pliable her lips were. She seemed just as stunned as he was, but then she made a soft gasping sound and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Draven never had a chance to kiss her, because she took it over. She pressed her lips against his again and again. Draven’s blood boiled, his cock throbbing with intense arousal. She was soft and light in his arms, and her mouth...untrained. Had she never kissed a man before? She never opened her mouth when she kissed him, only pressed soft, sexy kisses across his lips. Draven almost lost it. Breathing hard, he pulled back and cupped her face in his hands.

“Open your mouth for me. I need to taste you.” Her eyes widened with shock, then darkened with heat. Draven kissed her again then parted her lips with his tongue. She made another soft noise that drove him wild. His tongue met hers, and hers retreated before slowly coming back to meet his.

Draven groaned as she started playing with him, thrusting slowly against him then tracing his teeth and fangs. Release boiled, his cock throbbing. Draven lost all thoughts.

Grabbing her hips, he worked his tongue back and forth in her mouth as he pushed her around. Her back hit the door and another one of those damned soft noises came out. God he loved that sound, soft and needy just for him. They ate at each other, heads cocked, lips and tongue fighting.

Draven bunched the bottom of her gown until he touched bare, soft leg. God she was soft and smooth. He continued his way over her soft, delicate knee to her thigh. Her chest rose faster against his and Draven tore his mouth away to find her neck. The scent of rose petals drifted over him. He licked her pulse as he learned the roundness of her thigh.

“Draven,” she whispered raggedly. It was like lighting a rockets fuse.

Draven pulled back and yanked the front of her dress down. Material ripped and he didn’t care because her breasts spilled free like a beautiful gift for him. He only took a moment to memorize her; she was round and big with pink nipples that ached for him. Draven wanted to ease them so he took one into his mouth.

She gasped as her hands threaded through his hair. Her back arched into him and he opened his mouth wider to take in as much of her as he could. He pulled on her nipple, sucked on until her hips were writhing against him. God, he couldn’t wait much longer.

“Draven, please.” Her voice was thick with need, something he was all too familiar with.

“Yes,” he said and switched breasts. With his free hand, he released his cock. He couldn’t remember a time when he’d been so hard for a woman, been so desperate to fill her.

He bunched her gown to her waist as he tongued her nipple, sucked on her breast like a babe. He wrapped his hands around her thighs and lifted her, pressing her back against the door. Her hands curled tighter into his hair and Draven nearly took her, took her without asking, but somewhere in the back of his mind something made him pull back.

Nuzzling her breasts he said, “Are you sure?”

“Yes!” Her husky shout pleased his ears as much as it did his cock. He didn’t wait any longer. His lips found her neck and licked her, preparing her for his bite as his cock rubbed against her slit.

Draven jerked his hips back as his release boiled close. “Damn...so wet.”

She didn’t respond, only wrapped her arms around his shoulders, keeping him close as her hips did a sexy rocking rhythm against him.

“Take me, Draven.”

Draven groaned as the last vestiges of his control slipped away like it was on ice. He bared his fangs and struck as his cock found her slit and slammed inside.

She stiffened against him, hands clenching. With mortification Draven pulled back to stare at her. The tightness around him was too tight. The soft barrier he pushed through shouldn’t be there.

“Virgin?”

She nodded, a pained expression on her face, but slowly ecstasy transformed her face. Her eyes rolled back then closed as a sexy smile crossed her face. She rocked her hips against him.

And then she started shaking. Fuck.

Her sweet sex squeezed him as she started coming. Draven couldn’t hide his shock, nor could he hold back any longer.

With a harsh curse, he squeezed her hips and started thrusting. She was wet before but now her fresh honey coated him, making it even easier for him to glide through her tight, tight muscles.

Draven struck her neck again as he pushed into her. She cried out and wrapped her legs around him. Her blood went down his throat, fueling him, feeding him as her sweet channel gripped him tightly. Draven couldn’t stop himself. He’d never come so quickly in all his life. He thrust into her three more times before he hit deep on a groan. She held him close as he shot himself inside her, giving her every drop he had.

Reality slowly came crashing in. He started to pull himself away from her, but she held him close, her lips lazily kissing the side of his mouth, then full on the lips.

His cock softened inside her but her muscles twitched and squeezed him, making him full and hard again.

“Lucinda,” he warned.

She opened her eyes and smiled at him, the smile of a woman. Then she kissed him and he lost himself in her.

Chapter 18

More than a dozen pack members congregated around Willow and Lyonis as they made plans for the Winter Festival. Everything had been going smoothly until Amy showed up. Willow might think the woman had some nerve barging to the front of the pack and standing a little too close to Lyonis, but then she’d have to care about something like that. Which she didn’t. Much.

“I think the big question is should we even have the festival with Stephanie missin’?” Willow recognized the voice as the nice old bartender from The Wolf’s Den.

Extreme guilt swept over her. She searched the faces of the pack around her and saw they were stern with consternation and worry. Did they know that Stephanie was gone because of she and her sisters? That it was all her fault. A part of her wanted to voice her thoughts just to see their righteous anger aimed at her. Maybe if they laid into her about it she wouldn’t feel so bad.

Lyonis nodded to the crowd. “I think we should continue with the festival. Whoever or whatever has taken Stephanie might have done so to kill our spirits. We won’t let that happen.” Willow wasn’t the only one who heard the utter conviction in his voice.

“And should we expect to have a mating announcement then?” Amy said coldly. Willow glared at her then mentally flipped her off with both hands. The picture cheered her up so much she grinned at the woman. See, she really was getting better at controlling her anger.

It wasn’t until Lyonis wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into him that she realized she was referring to their mating.

“I’m still working on that,” he said with a smile. Everyone in the crowd chuckled—but Amy. Willow couldn’t help it; she had a silly smile on her face. Something about making that woman mad just made her feel infinitely better.

As the pack started to break away, Amy stepped forward and said, “If she doesn’t mate with you at the Winter Festival then I’m challenging her to rights.” The whole pack stopped and turned with stunned expressions on their faces. Before Willow had a chance to ask what that was, Lyonis marched up to Amy. Willow flinched; the sight of the Alpha mad always made her feel peculiar like she wanted to calm him.

“What was that?” Willow nervously looked around for anyone to clue her in on what rights were and why it had him so upset. No one met her gaze though—cowards.

Amy didn’t back down though; she lifted her chin to meet him head on. “I said that if she isn’t mated to you by the Winter Festival then I’m challenging her for rights.”

Willow looked around and still no one clued her in. So she stepped next to Lyonis.

“Wanna tell me what that means?” Lyonis’ eyes were hard with anger but they softened as he looked down at her.

Amy sighed and began, “It means—”

“Stop it!” he commanded. This time Amy flinched and looked down, even took a step backwards. Much more softly he turned to Willow to explain. “What Amy has disgustingly made the mistake of doing is challenging you to the right over me.”

Willow’s laugh came out before she could stop it. Lyonis cocked his head at her like she was mad. “Sorry, sorry. Couldn’t help it. I just pictured you coming with a deed stamped to you that gets sighed over to me—hilarious.” Lyonis didn’t laugh with her though, in fact, no one did. She looked around at everyone.

“Oh, come on that was funny.” When he still didn’t laugh or crack a smile, she grew worried. “Okay, well what the hell does that mean?”

“It means that you have to fight her...whoever wins will be chosen as my mate.” Willow’s mind spun. When her mind finally stopped wandering, it landed on none other than a grinning Amy.

“Huh?”

Amy rolled her eyes. “You and I will fight. The winner gets the Alpha and gets to become his Queen.” Willow hated the smugness in her voice.

“I won’t allow this,” Lyonis said. If anything, Amy looked even more triumphant.

“You have to. I’ve already declared the challenge and I intend to go through with it. This pack needs a Queen, not some woman diddle-daddling around the Alpha while willing females are ready for the position.”

“Amy,” Lyonis warned.

“If she isn’t mated to you by the festival then we’ll settle this the old-fashioned way.”

Willow eyed Amy up and down as one might an opponent they’re about to fight. Amy was shorter than her and slender, and although she wore bulky winter clothing Willow was pretty sure she wasn’t packing a lot of muscle under there.

“Challenge accepted.”

The entire crowd gasped. Willow’s stomach danced with butterflies.

“What?” She had the sudden feeling that she’d just doomed herself.

Lyonis’ frown had never been so deep before. He grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the crowd and behind the building. The alley was cramped as it was, but with Lyonis towering over her, anger pulsing off him in waves, it felt as big as a goldfish’s bowl.

“What?” she said again, her irritation growing.

“Do you have any idea what you just did?” Willow crossed her arms and deigned not to answer that. He scowled at her.

“If you don’t choose to mate with me, then you’ll have to fight her in front of the whole pack.” Willow flinched, her gut tightening in panic, but on the outside she kept her face calm and cool.

“And?” God, was she really going to push this?

“And if you lose, I’ll never be able to mate with you.” It suddenly became difficult to breathe. Her chest tightened around her lungs until she was sucking in gasps of air. He was there for her though. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pushed her head down between her knees.

“Take slow breaths. In and out. Gently, there you go.” Eventually the feeling stopped and allowed her to breathe, but the vise around her heart hadn’t loosened an inch.

“If I lose then you have to mate with her.”

He nodded gravely.

“Unless you choose to mate with me before the challenge, then her challenge is void.” Panic set in fast.

“I can’t. I can’t mate with you.” Willow hid her face in her hands, not because she was going to cry but because she couldn’t stand to meet his eyes. Sure she’d admitted that before...but that was before. God, had things really changed in such a short amount of time?

When she heard no response, Willow slowly lifted her head to find herself alone in the alley. Hot pain seared through her chest like a lance. She’d already been warned. If she wouldn’t be his mate, then he’d never feel like this again, even in a forced mating. She was supposed to be his. What would happen to him if she didn’t accept his proposal? How could he live with a woman whom he knew wasn’t his real mate?

It took her several minutes before she had herself under control. Wetness pushed against her eyes, threatening to make her embarrass herself. And for what? A man she didn’t want. Fuck. Willow slapped her hand against the cold brick. That was a lie. He wasn’t who she thought he was. He was kind, funny, loyal, and smart. And if she didn’t choose him then she wouldn’t just be hurting him...but the whole pack.

Willow had never run from a responsibility before. Okay, well she ran at the news that she was being given to an Alpha, but that doesn’t count. After all, who wouldn’t?

Sudden shouts tore through the town. Willow took off on a run, her mind envisioning that horrible bitch hurting Lyonis—or worse, the demon stomping into town. She raced up the alley and found the crowd even bigger. People smiled and cheered, hugging each other and talking over one another.

“What’s going on?” No one answered her or heard her, so she started pushing her way through the crowd, squeezing between the bodies until she finally broke through the front.

She blinked at what she saw and soon her heart was soaring like everyone else’s. Stephanie was back!

* * *

The surprised teenager was pulled into the arms of everyone around her. She laughed with them but soon everything quieted down as Lyonis approached her. He drew her into a tight hug before stepping away as the McLannahan parents came rushing in with tears of joy in their eyes.

“Stephanie! Oh God, it’s really you,” her mother said. Stephanie squeezed each of her parents tight with a smile and, oddly, confusion in her eyes.

“Where have you been?” her father commanded. The crowd grew deathly silent.

Stephanie’s face pinched in confusion as she looked from one parent to the other, then the crowd around them. A slow expression of horror crossed her face.

“What do you mean? I went out for a run. I told I was going.” She crossed her arms defensively. Her parents looked at each other then at Lyonis.

“But honey, that was days ago. We’ve all been looking for you,” her mother said.

Stephanie laughed nervously. “Mom, I just left today. That’s why I’m back.”

Willow, like everyone else, didn’t know what to make of it. The girl still wore the same clothes her parents said she left in. A white t-shirt and black and white striped running pants. But she’d been gone for over five days now.

“That’s enough!” shouted her father. “Did you go into town and party? Why didn’t come back sooner? We’ve all been worried to death over you.”

The girl flinched at her father’s voice. “Daddy, I swear I didn’t. I don’t even know anyone in town. I just went for a run, I swear.” Tears wobbled in her eyes before falling fast down her cheeks.

Her mother pulled her into her arms as she cried too. “Honey, it’s been days. We’ve had search parties looking for you. Jackie and Thane couldn’t even find you and you know they are our best trackers. Please baby, try to think and remember, tell us what happened. I don’t care if you have a secret boyfriend that you went to. I’m just glad you’re home, but you have to tell us.” Her mother choked on a sob as grief took over her.

Lyonis spoke and everyone’s attention turned to him. “Obviously something else has happened here. I believe her that she doesn’t remember where she was. The good news is she’s back. Let’s celebrate that for now, as we learn what really happened.”

The air seemed colder than it had a moment ago. Willow shivered and tightened her arms around her stomach. Her stomach didn’t feel good. It rolled and swished as if too much fluid was in there. Willow gagged as bile rose in her throat. Lyonis turned to her in an instant, concern hit his eyes and then he was marching for her.

“What’s wrong?”

Willow’s head felt lighter than a floating balloon. Her breaths grew shallow and fast and her stomach continued to tighten and spasm.

“I think I’m going to be sick.”

Even as her cheeks flared in embarrassment, Lyonis picked her up and carried her back down the alley. Willow didn’t waste any time before she dropped to her knees and spilled her guts onto the ground. Cheeks hot with embarrassment, Willow kept her back towards him as she regained her composure. What was with her and always being weak around him? Now she couldn’t even keep her own stomach under control.

“Are you all right?” He sounded so concerned that Willow couldn’t summon any comeback. Relief coursed through her as he picked her back up and carried her away. She hid her face in his jacket as they passed through the crowd. She wasn’t sure she could muster the courage to face anyone after that.

Some of the tension left her as he led her away from the pack. “How long have you been feeling sick?” She sighed; the Alpha was back in his voice.

“Oh about five minutes, I’d say.” She would have chuckled at her own joke but her throat felt raw like she’d drank bleach.

“Is this a succubus thing?” Willow frowned as she heard the worry in his voice. She couldn’t lie; it felt good. Good to know someone besides her sisters cared about her like that. Or at all.

“No, throwing up isn’t a succubus thing.” This time she did laugh, but the action made her throat feel like it was being rubbed with sandpaper so she quickly stopped.

They came up to his parked truck and he set her in it before getting in the driver’s side. He started it and turned the heat on full blast. Willow closed her eyes in ecstasy. God she could kiss him for that. Judging by her breath right now, that wouldn’t be a good idea. She almost laughed again—damn, something must be wrong with her.

He drove in silence to the cabin. He helped her inside and started the fire in the front room. Willow pulled off her jacket like a drunken woman then plopped down on the couch.

“I think we need to talk,” he said.

“Huh? Why?” She tossed an arm across her eyes and tried to remember a time she’d ever been so comfy.

“Willow.” He hesitated so long it got her attention. She lifted her arm enough to peak at him.

“Yeees?” He stared into the fire and it was hard to tell whether he was blushing or the glow of the fireplace colored him that way. Either way he looked gorgeous.

“Willow, in my world when a woman gets sick suddenly it means one thing.”

Willow cocked her head in confusion. Her mind raced to think of the connection between vomiting and shapeshifters. It took about twenty seconds, and then she started laughing so hard tears streamed down her cheeks.

“You think I’m pregnant?” She wheezed in breaths, turning on her side as more laughs came out of her. Lyonis didn’t seem to think it was funny though as he stalked to her and knelt down.

“I don’t think this is very funny, but I do think it’s likely you are.”

Willow’s laughs died in her throat. “You’re being serious?” His expression remained stony. “Oh, come on. I’m not pregnant.”

“How do you know?” he challenged.

Willow opened her mouth, then closed it. She opened it again, then slammed it shut. A flood of panic filled her so fast her mind spun. She thought back to all the times they’d had sex, to the very first time in Europe. He’d come inside her each and every time. How did she never even think about pregnancy? Because you were too busy worrying about being captured.

Oh God. Oh, shit. No, no, no. She couldn’t be pregnant.

But I can be.

“Oh shit, I think I’m gonna be sick.” Willow lurched herself off the coach and ran to the bathroom. As the violent retching happened again, a scary voice in her head sang: you’re having a baby!