by Eve Langlais
Her want of Colin was like a force of nature. She had no choice but to ride out the storm.
His reaction when she touched him was an aphrodisiac in itself. To know he wanted her, craved her as much as she craved him, drove her mad with longing. She continued to stroke the length of his shaft, silk encased in steel, as she listened to the sounds of his breath. Colin was one of a kind, and Ellie still couldn’t believe he was hers.
The quarters were close in the tiny two-person tent, and they were about to get a lot closer. She was still a little shaken up over Colin’s injuries, supernatural healing or not. She’d lived with the constant reminder that life was such a fragile, invaluable thing. Loved ones could be lost in the blink of an eye. She didn’t have to know Colin well to realize losing him would lay her low. The next day, the next minute, hell, the next second was always uncertain and Ellie didn’t want to waste another iota of time spent with Colin.
Ellie rolled and flung one leg over Colin’s torso. He adjusted with her, rolling to his back as she straddled his waist. She bent low so her head wouldn’t brush the top of the tent as she brought her hips up. His mouth found hers in the dark as his hands came to rest at her waist. A shock of heat glided over her sensitive flesh as the head of his cock thrust against her pussy. He pulled her down on top of him and Ellie let out a cry of relief as his length impaled her. Emotion swelled in her chest at the sensation of rightness, of completion, that overtook her when she was with Colin.
“Ellie, you feel so good.” Colin murmured the words against her mouth before he claimed it in another ravenous kiss. “I can’t get enough. I need to be buried inside of you until the sun rises.”
Ellie’s brain nearly short-circuited from Colin’s heated words. No man had ever spoken to her in such a way. But Colin wasn’t a man, was he? He stood head and shoulders above them all. His fingers dug into her waist as he guided the motion of her hips. Ellie matched the easy rhythm and her head fell back on her shoulders, pushing her breasts toward Colin’s mouth. He took one nipple between his lips. Licked, sucked, and nibbled until Ellie was breathless, writhing, and sobbing with pleasure as she rode him. He paid the same lavish attention to her other breast, building the sweet anticipation to the point that she knew she wouldn’t withstand another second of the delicious torture.
Her hands dove into his hair as she held his mouth against her. Her hips ground against his, each seductive roll urging him to take her deeper and harder. Ellie’s hand came down beside Colin as though to anchor her. Every nerve ending in her body fired, heat swamped her, and a rush of warmth spread between her thighs. The sensation of Colin’s mouth on her breast, the strength of his hands as he held her, the thrust of his hips and the intense pleasure he evoked as he fucked her, drove Ellie past the border of her restraint. Desperate sobs wracked her as the orgasm burst through her. Each deep pulsation was more intense than the one before it, a never-ending, churning sea of sensation that tossed Ellie with each dip and crest.
Colin fell back onto the sleeping bag as his muscles tensed. “Ellie!” Her name burst from his lips as he came and she was once again flooded with warmth.
They came down from the intense high together. Bodies joined, breaths synced up as one, gentle caresses, easy thrusts of hips, and openmouthed kisses that not only sated Ellie but also made her hungry for more. Would it always be this way with him? Moments of insatiable passion that satisfied momentarily, tiding them over until their hungers for each other needed to be sated once again?
You’ll only know if you choose to stay.
Ellie had never been so torn. She’d always been a decisive woman. Knew her mind and her path and stuck to it. Colin took everything she knew about herself and turned it on its head. He made unpredictability seem commonplace and she wondered if she opted to go out in search of adventures she might just be passing up the greatest adventure of all.
Colin shifted, rolling so Ellie rested half on his chest. She let out a sigh as their bodies parted, already missing his heat and the way he filled her so completely.
“I’m sorry I was a cranky asshole tonight.”
Ellie smiled as she tucked her head against his shoulder. “I have a feeling you weren’t half as much of a cranky asshole as you’re capable of being.” His attitude hadn’t bothered her. She could be pretty cranky and obnoxious too when she wanted to be. She’d been petulant because she wanted him close. Wanted his arms around her and his mouth on hers. Maybe that’s what they’d both needed. A calm to follow the storm.
Colin laughed. “True. But I’m still sorry. You didn’t deserve my shitty attitude.”
“Hey, you’re doing all of the heavy lifting here. I owe you. Big-time. If you want to have a hissy fit along the way, go right ahead.”
He stroked her hair and Ellie swore it was the most comforting thing she’d ever experienced. “Only if you promise to temper my mood the way you just did.”
He didn’t even have to ask. “Deal.”
A space of quiet passed and Ellie shifted to rest her head against Colin’s chest. The sound of his heartbeat lulled her, relaxed her from head to toe.
“Are you asleep?”
“Mmmm.” She placed a kiss on his chest. “No. Just content. Thinking.”
“About what?”
“You.”
His heartbeat sped up a little and it sent a riot of butterflies swirling in Ellie’s stomach. “What about me?”
“Just that you’re amazing. And that I like you. A lot.”
“I like you too.” His teasing tone made her heart race alongside his. “A lot.”
They could be so much more if Ellie just let herself fall. They could be amazing if she simply trusted in the bond Colin had so much faith in. Why was she letting her screwed-up notion of freedom ruin what could possibly be the best thing to ever happen to her? Why did she have to overthink something that Colin made seem like it required no thought at all?
“Ellie.” His tone became serious and her nerves ratcheted tight. “I need to tell you something.”
“Tomorrow.” She didn’t want anything to ruin this perfect moment. Ellie had no idea what Colin wanted to say to her, but she was certain it wasn’t good. “Tell me in the morning, Colin. I’m going to go to sleep.”
“All right.” His tone dropped an octave and she swore she felt it in the pit of her gut. “Tomorrow. Good night, Ellie. Sleep well.”
She turned her head to kiss his chest again as she settled in against him. “Good night, Colin.”
Emotion welled in Ellie’s chest and she swallowed it down. She knew, without a doubt, that tomorrow everything would change.
CHAPTER 15
Colin woke to the smell of breakfast. Well, as close to breakfast as you could get with the backpacking rations he’d brought. He climbed out of the tent to find a fire burning and Ellie cooking. She flashed a brilliant smile that made his heart stutter in his chest.
“Good morning!” Her gaze raked his naked body and Colin damn near grabbed her and dragged her back inside the tent. “I know you’re a werewolf and have crazy supernatural body heat, but for the record it’s freezing out here! Get some clothes on!”
She scooped some eggs onto the plate along with some cured Canadian bacon and a dollop of oatmeal. She gave him a look that indicated he wouldn’t get a bite to eat until he put his clothes on and so Colin quickly dressed and settled down by the fire.
“It’s sort of a mixed bag this morning,” she remarked as she handed him the plate and a fork. “The oatmeal’s thick enough to mortar bricks. It’s definitely going to stick with you today.”
Colin chuckled. “Nah. We’ve got sixty miles to hike today. We’ll burn it off in no time.”
Ellie smiled. She plated her own food and settled down beside him. “You’re probably right about that. At least it’s all downhill from here.”
At least something today would be easy. Colin suspected the downhill trek would be the only break they got. He’d hardly slept the night before. Inste
ad, his mind raced as he held Ellie close and pondered not only the possibilities of his future but also Ellie’s reaction when he finally told her what he’d been withholding from her since yesterday.
They ate in companionable silence. Ellie seemed anxious to get going and began to break down camp as soon as she had the last bite of once-dehydrated eggs in her mouth. It definitely wasn’t a gourmet meal, and Colin was worried about her energy levels since she hadn’t eaten dinner the night before. But one thing he’d learned about Ellie was that she was a woman who knew her mind. He wouldn’t dare point out to her that she needed a few more calories for today’s hike. If she wanted to eat, she’d eat.
“So, about last night.”
Ellie turned to look at him and smiled. “Last night was amazing. I’ll take that over a sixty-mile hike any day.” She turned away and focused her attention on rolling up the sleeping bags and tent. Once again, she was using avoidance to keep him from telling her what he needed to say.
“Last night was amazing. But—”
“Oh, no butts about it,” Ellie teased. She set the tent and Colin’s sleeping bag by his pack and took his empty plate from him. “Better finish packing up so we can go.” Her tone was much too cheery. “We’ve got a lot of ground to cover and we’re burning daylight.”
Damn it. She was going to have to listen to him sooner or later. Putting it off wouldn’t make it any less unpleasant for either of them.
Colin packed up his gear and hoisted his backpack onto his shoulders. Ellie was a captive audience; she couldn’t thwart him for long. They were going to have this conversation whether she liked it or not.
“Time to head west.” She pulled the compass from her pocket and turned until they were headed in the right direction. She took point despite knowing Colin wanted her to stay back from here on out. Just another avoidance tactic. “Let me know when you feel the ley line and we’ll adjust course.”
Her pace was fast as she hiked and Colin figured it would only be a matter of time before she tired herself out. When that happened, they were having a conversation whether she liked it or not.
It only took a half hour for Colin to find the ley line. He picked up his pace and walked beside Ellie as they continued west to the end of her boundary. Colin suspected whatever guarded the western boundary would be a little tougher opponent than the last. Part of him admired the witch’s tactics. He assumed the magic self-adjusted. Starting off easy depending on which boundary Ellie tackled first. It was curious she’d never run into these guardians before. But he had to assume that once she’d realized she was trapped and figured her curse was inescapable, Ellie never again came close to where the witch had hidden the boundary markers.
Minutes turned into hours. Colin tried again and again to broach the subject of her curse and Ellie artfully deflected each and every attempt. By the time they reached the third boundary, Colin felt a resurgence in his cranky asshole attitude from the previous night. Especially since this section of land had no cover, no trees, no brush, nowhere for him to tuck Ellie away and keep her safe. Son of a bitch.
His attention would be divided, which would make for a sloppy fight. Colin had no choice but to suck it up and face whatever challenge the now absentee witch decided to throw his way. What he really wanted was to meet the witch face-to-face and have the chance to avenge his mate.
“Do you see anything?”
Colin didn’t miss the worry in Ellie’s tone. He shrugged out of his pack and dug in the front pocket. “Here.” He pulled back the slide before handing her the GLOCK. “There’s no safety, so it’s ready to go. Don’t hesitate to shoot, understand?”
Ellie nodded. Her scent soured but not enough for Colin to worry that she was too frightened to shoot if she had to. Ellie was brave. The bravest woman he’d ever met. She’d had to have been to endure what she had. She could handle herself.
“Watch out for sharp teeth this time, okay?” Ellie dropped the gun to her side and pointed it toward the ground.
Magic danced along Colin’s skin and he looked up to see an enormous bull elk cresting the hillside toward them. His eyes glowed red and Colin took a breath as he readied himself for yet another challenge. “I don’t think his teeth are what I’m going to have to look out for,” he remarked. “Okay, Ellie. Stay back and remember, don’t hesitate to shoot.”
Her eyes went wide as she spotted the elk. Definitely bigger than the timber wolf and an animal that could be just as deadly. His enormous six-point rack of antlers could impale Colin any number of ways. His hooves could easily stomp him into the ground. The animal was a formidable opponent, which only confirmed Colin’s assumption that each boundary would be harder to claim. He could only imagine what he’d encounter at the end of the line. That is, if he and Ellie chose to finish what they’d started.
He circled the massive bull, careful to keep a safe distance from the antlers. The animal threw his head back and let out a blood-curdling squeal that echoed off the surrounding hillside. A prize like this would feed the pack for months. Too bad the sadistic witch had thought it better to enchant the animal and let him go to waste. Colin hated to kill needlessly, and so far the past twenty-four hours had been filled with needless killing. All because the witch was too much of a coward to come out of hiding and face them herself.
The elk bucked his head and Colin jumped back to narrowly avoid the wicked point of its antlers. He pulled the long knife from the scabbard at his back. If anything, this would be an interesting fight.…
* * *
Ellie’s jaw dropped. So far, she’d been a peripheral witness to Colin’s fights, watching from high up on a tree branch, with her view obstructed by pine needles and tall brush. The hand that held the GLOCK shook as she brought it up, prepared to do what he asked and shoot the second it looked like she needed to protect herself.
Or him.
She’d be damned if she stood by and watched him risk his life for her again and did not do something to help. The quarters were close and there was a chance a wild shot might hit Colin, so when it was time to fire the gun Ellie needed to be sure that he was clear and her aim was true.
The bull was huge. Elk like that only got to be that size by being the toughest, smartest, most aggressive bastards in the herd. It didn’t hurt that the animal had magic on his side, making him faster, tougher, and smarter still. Colin fought with equal ferocity. Equal strength and speed. He tossed the enormous animal like he weighed nothing, sending him sprawling thirty yards downhill, legs pointed to the sky. It didn’t take long for the elk to right himself. He pushed to his feet and charged, head down, the tips of his antlers pointed directly at Colin.
Ellie aimed the gun and gently squeezed the trigger. The bullet struck the elk at his shoulder and his step faltered as his back legs kicked up into the air. He tossed his head wildly before changing course and charging straight at Ellie. Crap! The bullet had only managed to piss the animal off and now he was coming straight for her, prepared to impale her with his antlers.
“Ellie! Gods-damn it, get out of the way!”
She cringed at Colin’s angry shout as she threw herself out of the path of the charging animal. The air rushed from her lungs as she struck the hard earth and the thundering of hooves echoed in her ears. Ellie covered her head with her arms in an effort to protect herself as a second set of footsteps surrounded her and then immediately cut off.
Her head came up in time to see Colin launch himself at the elk. They went down in a tangle of limbs and hooves and came to a skidding stop not ten feet from where she’d landed. Colin’s arm came up in a blur and stabbed down. Once. Twice. Three times. The elk let out a thundering squeal and Ellie covered her ears as the ominous sound faded into eerie silence.
The poor animal ceased his flailing kicks and died in the tall grass.
Colin pushed away and rushed toward Ellie. He dropped the knife from his grasp and scooped her up in his arms, flinging her upright so fast, she worried she’d get whiplash. He inspect
ed every inch of her from the top of her head to her boots. Lifted the hem of her shirt, checked her jeans for any rips.
“Are you okay, Ellie? Are you hurt?”
“I’m okay.” Filling her lungs with air seemed almost too great a feat to accomplish. She let Colin support her as she worked to still her trembling limbs. “Are you?”
“A couple of scratches, but nothing bad.”
Thank God.
Knowing he was okay allowed her to finally take a deep breath. She took a few more seconds to calm down and simply enjoy the strength of Colin’s arms around her. When she knew her legs would support her, she eased away.
“Okay, let’s find that marker and smash it into bits.”
Storm clouds gathered in Colin’s eyes, the gold light of his animal nature flashing like lightning against the deeper blue of his irises. “All right. But afterward, Ellie, we need to talk.”
A dark sense of foreboding settled in Ellie’s stomach. She’d been trying to avoid this conversation and Colin wasn’t going to let it happen. Whatever he had to say, Ellie knew without a doubt she wouldn’t like it.
It didn’t take long to find the teapot that rested under the crumpled remains of an old rail fence. Ellie took a rock and smashed the delicate porcelain. As before, magic wafted over her. And also as she expected, the magic seemed more powerful this time, its force bringing her to her knees. Colin waited patiently for her to gain her composure and helped her to stand. She’d hoped that maybe her apparent weakened state would prompt him to have mercy and avoid the conversation he wanted to have, but she knew better. She wasn’t a delicate flower by any stretch of the imagination. Time to pull up her big-girl pants and face the music.