Knight's Absolution (Knights of Hell Book 5)

by Sherilee Gray

  His knees almost gave out from relief at her words. “That’s good, Luna, so fucking good.”

  “Do you want me like that?” she whispered.

  “Yeah, baby, I want you like that. But tonight isn’t about me, it’s about you,” he rasped.

  “It is?” she asked, bright violet eyes wide.

  “You want me to ease that ache you have? You want me to make you feel good, love?”

  Her gaze grew heavier, and she squirmed against him. “God, yes. I need you to do that. To make me…” Her brow scrunched.

  “Come.”

  “Yes, I need you to make me come.”

  Gunner carried her to his bed. His fucking bed, where she should be beside him every night, and laid her down. “It’ll be easier if you lose the jeans. Can I take them off?”

  Her hands flew to the button, popping it open, tearing down the zipper, and shoving them down her legs before he’d finished asking.

  Christ, he didn’t know whether to laugh or fucking weep.

  Like most things with Luna, she was a mix—unabashedly hungry for new experiences but also a little naive at the same time—and always so fucking brave.

  Fuck, he loved her.

  He helped her with her boots and pulled off her jeans the rest of the way, leaving her in just her top and panties. What he wanted was her completely naked, but she’d been used by Azel in ways he couldn’t bear to think about, and that fucker had done damage. It was just a matter of time before it surfaced, before Luna felt the full impact of what he’d done to her.

  So yeah, he was taking it slow.

  He meant what he said, this was all about her. He would make her come, but he wasn’t rushing anything.

  He crawled onto the bed still in his jeans. “I’m gonna touch you through your underwear, love, you okay with that?”

  She nodded quickly.

  He kissed her as he pushed her bent knees wider, then lifted his head and watched her eyes as he pressed all four fingers there, giving her some pressure first. Oh fuck, she was wet. The fabric of her underwear was drenched.

  Her thighs dropped wider and Gunner had to drag in a steadying breath, which meant he took in more of her scent, making his head spin.

  Her pussy was smooth under the thin fabric, completely bare. Vampires were hairless, dhampir obviously were as well. His cock throbbed steadily now. He ignored it and moved his fingers in a gentle circular motion.

  Luna’s gaze moved between his gaze on her and what he was doing between her thighs.

  “How does that feel?”

  Her hips rolled, and she licked her lips. “Good…nice.”

  Being as gentle as he could, he spread his fingers, parting her pussy through her underwear, opening her up, exposing her tight, little clit. He pressed down on it softly, then scissored it gently between his fingers, sliding up and back.

  Luna gasped and arched. “Th-that’s, god…even better.”

  He smiled at her, hoping she didn’t see the pain there because his cock was about to snap the hell off. “It’s gonna get even better than that.”

  “I-it is?”

  At her broken words, his heart cracked wide open. “You’ve never felt like this before, love?” he asked as he carried on rubbing her gently but firmly. “Not even by yourself?”

  “N-no,” she said and whimpered.

  Of course, she hadn’t, but it was hard for him to imagine what that had been like for her. What it was like to be numb to physical touch. Her thighs trembled and her hands fisted the sheet, those impossibly beautiful violet eyes heavy-lidded and focused on him. Then her eyes shut tight and her lip trembled.

  “Luna?”

  She slammed her knees together on a cry, but not because she was coming.

  “Luna, what’s going on?”

  “You think I’m strange, don’t you? Some weird…unnatural monster.”

  She whispered the last, and the pain that came through tore his already decimated heart to shreds. “Fuck, no. Never. I think you’re perfect, Luna. So fucking perfect.”

  She turned away, and he slid up the bed to cup her jaw, making her look at him.

  “Don’t look at me…my eyes are…”

  “Beautiful,” he whispered hoarsely. “Don’t let him in, Luna. Don’t you fucking dare let him in here with us. That’s all him, those ugly words. He said that shit to you, didn’t he?”

  She nodded, lips trembling, body shaking.

  “He’s pure evil. He likes to cause pain any way he can. He fucking lied to you, Luna, lied to keep you down, to keep you compliant. To control you. He filled your head with that hate when you were too small to know different. Listen to me now. You. Are. Perfect.” He cupped her precious face. “Female, you take my breath away.”

  She blinked up at him. “Why are you so nice to me? Why do you…like me so much?”

  He had to fight the emotion spreading, expanding in his chest. Jesus, she had no idea how amazing she was. None. “I never knew it was possible to miss someone I’d never met,” he said. “But I missed you, Luna. I missed you. I’ve been waiting for you, love, for so fucking long. Now you’re here and everything about you is perfect, wonderful, fucking breathtaking. Better than I ever imagined. I want to take care of you, protect you, make you happy.”

  Another slow blink. “You’ve been waiting for me?”

  “Yes,” he choked.

  “Me?”

  “Yes, love.”

  “Why?” she whispered. “Why me?”

  He chucked, and it was shaky as fuck. “Because you’re mine, Luna, and I’m yours.” He hadn’t planned to tell her yet, but he didn’t want to wait anymore, he couldn’t. “You are my mate. Like Eve is to Lazarus, Mia to Zenon, Meredith to Kryos, and Grace to Chaos. You are the half of me that I’ve been missing my whole life.”

  She froze. “No, that can’t be…”

  “You know it’s true. Think about it. You were drawn to me, weren’t you? You felt things you never had before.”

  Her shaky fingers curled into fists as something he couldn’t name flittered through her eyes.

  “And when you were locked in that basement, you called for me, didn’t you? I heard you, Luna. You called for me because you needed me.”

  “Y-yes,” she said shakily, lips trembling.

  “I thought you were dead. I felt you for just moments, a year ago, but I couldn’t get to you, and then you vanished.” He opened the bedside drawer and lifted the delicate chain he’d put in there the first day he brought her here. “I searched, and all I found was this.”

  Her hand lifted to her throat, eyes widening.

  “All this time, I thought you were dead, until I found you in that basement, until you called out to me.” He was shaking now as well. “I’m so sorry, love, so fucking sorry. I should have found you sooner, I should have come for you sooner. I failed you, but I’m going to spend eternity making it up to you, I promise you that.”

  Chapter 21

  Luna stared up at Gunner, trying to think of something to say, trying to think of anything at all.

  Gunner was her mate.

  Her mate.

  Hers.

  She took the chain he held out to her with trembling hands. “This was my mother’s. I took it before we were dragged from our home. I wore it every day, even when I didn’t understand why, anymore. The day I gained my powers, Azel made me take it off. He threw it away. He told me he was all I’d ever need.” She stared at it stunned. “You found this? You knew it was mine?”

  “Yeah, Luna, and I wore it every day, because I wanted, needed, to feel close to you, in any way I could.”

  “And you’re…you’re sure about this?” she asked, because it wasn’t sinking in, not really. How could it be true? How could something this…this wonderful be true?

  He lifted his hand and gently cupped the side of her face. “I’ve never been so sure about anything in my life. There’s no question, no doubt. It feels this good when we’re together because we were alway
s meant to find each other, to belong to each other.”

  His words made her chest get that warm feeling again. But this felt so much more, so much bigger.

  Warmth spread over her face. “And you want this…me?”

  “Christ, more than anything. I want you, more than anything.”

  She studied his face as he slipped the gold chain from her fingers and secured it around her throat. His eyes were bright, his gaze steady, the vein at his throat pulsing faster.

  Truth. Every word he’d said.

  She’d learned to read the cues of those who lied, she’d had to, living with demons. Gunner meant what he said.

  He wanted her. Her.

  “Have you suffered from any brain injuries, delusions, or hallucinations recently or in the past?”

  His Adam's apple bobbed and his brow scrunched up. “What? No. Why?”

  “Just making sure there’s no mistake. That you’re not confused.” She couldn’t bear it if he took it back.

  He blinked at her, then tipped his head back and laughed, deep and rumbly. She smiled. He was beautiful when he laughed. He was beautiful when he wasn’t laughing as well.

  When his laughter died down to chuckles, he lifted her hand and kissed her wrist. “Definitely not confused. What are you feeling, love? I hadn’t planned to tell you until you’d had more time to recover, but I couldn’t keep it to myself anymore.”

  She looked down at his big hand holding hers and ran the pad of her thumb over his thick fingers, before bringing that massive, battle-scarred hand to her lips to kiss his rough knuckles. “What am I feeling?”

  His throat worked again, and he dipped his chin.

  “Well, though I can’t be one hundred percent sure, I have read the definition online quite a few times while I was researching emotions, and it seems to fit very well.”

  “What is it?” he asked in a rough, broken voice that lifted goose bumps all over her again.

  She smiled up at him even as nerves battled low in her belly. “Joy.”

  His nostrils flared. “I’m gonna kiss you now.”

  “Thank god.”

  He chucked again softly as he took her face in those brutal but gentle hands and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss started sweet and slow, but quickly became more urgent, consuming.

  As his mouth moved, his tongue teased hers, and her body began to heat, the ache between her thighs building again, and her nipples tightened in a way she knew Gunner would be able to feel against his chest.

  “I…I have that feeling again,” she said against his mouth.

  “I know,” he growled back.

  “How?”

  He pulled away, his gaze on hers, his fingers buried in her hair. “Your scent is heavier. I can smell how slick your pussy is.”

  “You like that?”

  “Yeah, I fucking like it.”

  “Are you going to touch me there again?”

  He moved forward, and Luna fell to her back. He lay beside her, propped up on an elbow. “Yes,” he said as his hand slid down her belly. “Yes, I’m going to touch you there again.”

  Her legs fell wide as his rough palm snagged on the front of her underwear. He didn’t go as slow or as gentle this time. He spread her, still over the top of her panties, and glided over that spot that had her gasping even though she didn’t need to take a breath.

  His nostrils flared, and he slid his thumb over it again.

  Her hips jerked. “What is that? How are you doing that?”

  He pressed his lips to hers. “The little nub at the top of your pussy is your clit. It has a whole bunch of nerve endings there that make you feel good when you touch it.”

  He did it again, demonstrating, and she cried out as her inner muscles fluttered. “Is it because of you…that I c-can feel this? That I can feel anything?”

  “I think so,” he said, watching her reaction to his skilled touch.

  Luna had been numb, emotionally and physically, for so long. She wasn’t numb anymore.

  She arched as the pleasure grew. “Gunner, something’s…happening.” She tried to pull away but ended up grabbing his wrist and holding him there instead.

  He cursed, watching her with molten, black eyes. “You’re close, love. Let it happen. I promise you’ll like it.”

  He was so handsome, so incredibly beautiful, she couldn’t look away. “I need to move my hips,” she gasped out.

  “You do whatever feels good, my love.”

  His love.

  Oh god.

  She did what he said, chasing what felt good, moving her hips, rolling and grinding against his hand. Her skin was hot and sweaty and her breasts felt tight, her belly warm and tingly. The feeling grew between her legs. More, she wanted more of it.

  Her gums tingled and her fangs elongated.

  Gunner groaned as he watched her, not stopping what he was doing. And then, god, he kissed her, his thumb on her chin, opening her mouth so he could swipe his tongue inside. The feeling between her thighs, in her belly, grew more insistent and she whimpered.

  Gunner lifted his head a little, eyes locking on hers as he lapped at the tip of her fang, then took her mouth again, his tongue dueling with hers. Oh shit. The taste of his blood filled her mouth, had her losing control completely.

  Luna clutched him to her, arching up when what was happening between her thighs exploded into sensation, lights danced behind her eyes, fire and joy and beauty completely owning her. She cried out, all of it too big to hold in. Her body shook and her inner muscles clenched and released over and over in a way she’d never felt before.

  “That’s it, Luna, let it all go,” Gunner said above her.

  When it finally washed through her, that big, overwhelming feeling slowly dimming, she opened her eyes and stared up at him. “H-holy shit.”

  He laughed, deep and wonderful, never taking his eyes off her.

  “I…I don’t know how to describe the way that felt,” she said.

  He smiled, though it looked a little pained. “So you’re saying you’d want to do it again?”

  “God yes, again…definitely again. Lots of agains.”

  His smile widened, and he laughed again huskily. “Christ, the shit you say, I fucking love it.”

  She made him happy as well. That pleased the hell out of her, but there was something that would make him even happier. “Now it’s my turn to make you feel good.”

  His smile slipped. “This wasn’t about me. This time, and however long you need it to be, it’s only going to be about you.”

  “That’s not fair.” No, that wasn’t okay, not at all.

  “You need to get that idea out of your head. That isn’t how our relationship’s gonna work, love. I don’t need payment, remember?”

  Okay, maybe she was a little intimidated, and yes, unsure. She’d always associated sex with Azel, and it was all negative. She didn’t want that asshole in her head when she and Gunner touched each other, when they took it farther. She looked at Gunner closely. He didn’t seem angry or disappointed, and he had said they should take it slow.

  Still, his body was beautiful, she loved touching him, and really there was only one way to get used to it, to push Azel out of her head—

  “Can I look at you?” She motioned to the obvious erection behind the zipper of his jeans. “Your penis, I mean.”

  He stilled. “You want to look at me?”

  “Yes. I won’t lie, it is kind of intimidating.”

  His fingers slid over her wrist, back and forth, soothing. “Are you afraid of it?” he said and motioned to his erection as well.

  “No, I don’t think so. But I think it’d help if I saw it.”

  That pained expression looked even more so. “If you’re not ready to look, we don’t need to…”

  “What if I’ve been thinking about it, a lot? And FYI, I have. That would mean seeing you was also about me, yes?” It was the truth. And maybe familiarizing herself with Gunner’s body first would help with her nerves, wou
ld ease the niggling uncertainty?

  His breath shook, and he cleared his throat twice. “Is that what you really want?”

  She looked down his long, muscled body to the massive bulge straining the front of his jeans and licked her lips. “Yes, I want to see you.”

  Gunner rolled to his back, his chest was pumping hard. His abdominal muscles were rock solid, and they bunched as he put his hands behind his head. “Have at it.”

  “Really?”

  He nodded, eyes dark and glittering focused on her in a way that made that ache between her thighs start all over again. Crawling closer, she sat on her knees at his hip and reached for the button of his jeans. His breathing grew even quicker, and she glanced up at him. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

  “I’m good, love. Go ahead.”

  Her gaze dipped, and her curiosity was too strong to ignore. She popped the button and eased down his zipper. He was wearing black boxers, so she tugged on his jeans. Gunner lifted his very nice butt so she could ease them down a bit. Oh god. Through the thin fabric of his underwear she could see the outline of it, so long and thick.

  She traced it with a gentle finger, and Gunner's abs danced as he made a hissing sound. “Is that all right?”

  “Yeah.”

  She glanced up at him again. His cheeks were dark, his eyes almost completely black, and he was clenching his teeth. “Are you sure?”

  One sharp dip of his chin.

  Thank god for that, because now she wanted to see him even more badly. Lifting the elastic of his boxers, she slid them down the front. The fabric hooked on the head of his penis, and when it sprang free, his heavy length slapped against his stomach.

  Luna froze. “Oh.”

  Gunner muttered a curse.

  “It’s big. Bigger than any I’ve ever seen.”

  “Is it?” he choked.

  She tilted her head to the side. “Mmm-hmm.”

  “What are you thinking, Luna? Tell me what you’re thinking, love?”

  What was she thinking? She glanced up at him. “We’re mates, so I assume you’ll want to have sex with me?”

  “You don’t want that?” he asked as he breathed hard, making the muscles all over his chest and stomach clench and release.