Ceana tried to smile, but Ian looked too mad. Confused, she asked, “You don’t trust him with your…things?”
At her words, his eyes yellowed, giving away the danger of his shift. “You will not fuck my brothers.”
Ceana gasped. “I didn’t… Ah, you…?”
“Listen well, Ceana,” he demanded roughly before she could gather her thoughts to even respond. “You will fuck no other males! And you will wear clothing around any other male. Do you understand me? You are mine and you will not saunter around here naked unless only you and I are home. And you will not flirt with Roark! Do you understand me?”
He was breathing hard and wasn’t making any sense, but the gist of his message was very clear.
“Home?” she repeated, saying the only thing she could think of after his tirade. “My home is here? With you?”
The question took him aback and he stopped his aggressive pursuit of her. “Only until we figure out what to do with you.”
“What to do with me?” she repeated, looking down at her arms. The lines were gone, but the memory that they’d started to surface wasn’t. What if the fins came back for good? Now that she was out of the water, she didn’t want to go back.
“I just meant—”
“No, it’s fine,” she assured him. But it wasn’t fine.
“Ceana? What is it?”
“You never answered me. Do you believe me about the sea witch? About me being cursed?” Ceana touched his face.
“I should say no,” he answered. “But I want to believe you. I just don’t think I’m the one to have broken any curse.”
Unable to stop herself, Ceana grabbed him and kissed him, drinking in the sweet taste of his mouth as she ravished him with her tongue. She was determined to show him that he felt something for her. He had to. How else would she be standing here now?
“Ian? Roark?” a voice called.
Ian pulled back and gasped. Keeping hold of his face, she stared into his eyes. “Get out of my house, James! Now!”
“Right, then!” James answered. “Call you later!”
Ceana grinned and thrust her body against him. The thrill of him was in her blood. He growled in the back of his throat, lifting her up so her legs were forced around his hips. His hard cock pressed into her through his clothing and she squirmed against him in longing. Ian walked her rest of the way up the stairs. Without stopping, he kept kissing her as he carried her to his bedroom. Pleasure exploded over her nipples and clit, racking her body in continual waves, heating her until she forgot all her questions.
Ian’s hands were all over her body. He massaged her lower back, her hips, dipping his hands over her ass and gripping it tightly. Urgently, she tried to touch him everywhere at once. His lips trailed over her neck, causing her to shiver as he nibbled her ear.
When he let her legs drop to the floor, she looked into his eyes. They were golden with an eternal fire. Intently, he reached for her breasts, lightly stroking her nipples into erect points. Her pussy ached to be filled, to have his stiff cock thrusting into her once more, stretching her wide as she knew he would.
Ian pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside, revealing his muscled chest. Breathing heavily, she watched him undress for her. There was only a foot of space between them, but she held back in anticipation. She watched his hands go to his waist, as he worked his pants free. The material slid to the floor, unveiling his thick erection. Now free, his cock seemed to grow impossibly bigger, standing tall from the soft bed of hair between his thighs. Veins threaded over the sides of it, leading her eyes to the impossibly thick tip of his powerful cock head moist with pre-cum. She licked her lips, automatically wanting to taste him, touch him, fuck him hard and long. Her pussy released a torrent of cream in eager anticipation.
Reaching for him, she ran her hands over his chest. Ian took a deep breath, as if he could smell her body’s desire for him. She ran her hands down his flat stomach to his cock, only to grab the turgid shaft firmly in her palms. Ian threw back his head and groaned. Using both hands, she pumped her fists over his penis several times.
Ian jerked her against his body once more. She gasped, engulfed within the smell of him, the seductive fragrance of his flesh. Her loins tightened in anticipation. He shifted his hips until his cock wedged along her soaked sex, hot and so very alive.
Ceana shivered and moaned. Cream practically dripped from her thighs, making her squirm. Ian took a step forward, pushing her toward the bed. His nostrils flared and a low growl sounded in the back of his throat. Kissing her neck, he ran his hot tongue over her pulse. He pushed her onto the bed, falling with her to the soft mattress. She parted her legs, opening herself to him in offering as he settled between her hips.
Ian took his time exploring her front, licking and probing with a tender fierceness, before swiftly flipping her over onto her stomach. Ceana gripped the mattress as his hands glided over her flesh, kneading her ass, spreading her cheeks. The texture of his palms changed, becoming rougher, and she knew he was starting to shift. He trailed light kisses down her spine, only to follow the caress with the erotic press of his nails. When his kisses reached the back of her thighs, he slipped a finger between her legs and found the slick folds guarding her sex. She squirmed, trying to push back on his hand. Ian chuckled, a low, dominant sound.
“You smell so good,” he said, his tone husky. “And your taste… Mmmm!”
Ian pulled his hand away, and she could hear the loud sounds of his mouth sucking her cream from it. Grabbing her hips, he hauled her to her hands and knees.
“Look at this sweet ass of yours,” he growled. “I must have been tired from our ordeal in the water to not have fucked it last night.”
His cock probed her from behind and she tensed, thinking he meant to spear her anus with it. Instead, he slipped it along her slit, spreading her pussy wide and pressing along her opening so just the thick tip of him entered her.
“Ah, yeah, that’s it, baby.” Ian stroked her clit in small circles as he eased his cock in and out in shallow thrusts. “Get me nice and wet. Holy Balls, you feel good. When I’m done with you no lycan will dare touch what is mine.”
Ceana felt hope at his words. He wasn’t like other men. Others had declared their love, making her think it was the spell they were under. Ian said nothing about his feelings. But when he looked at her, there was something in his eyes. And the fact that she wasn’t in the ocean right now had to mean something.
Slowly, he pressed forward, as if savoring the moment. When he hit deep, he pulled out only to ease in again. His finger slipped in her body’s moisture only to come around to the tight rosette of her ass. Probing her, he sighed heavily, and said, “You’re so tight, this might hurt. Try to relax.”
All she could do was moan in response. He drew his cock up between her cheeks and she tensed as she waited for that first press. His thick mass stretched her open, hitting all the sensitive nerve endings at once. She’d never felt anything like it.
Ian kept going. He was so thick, fitted so tight, it was like he was molding her body to him. Then, with a final thrust, he seated his cock deep into her ass. Ceana cried out at the intense pleasure-pain of the moment. It felt too good, like nothing she’d ever done before.
With a dominant roar, Ian grabbed her roughly by the hips and began riding her from behind, trapping her to him. Ceana dug her hands into the mattress, letting him have his way with her. She wanted this moment, loved the all-conquering feel of his claim on her.
“Argh!” he cried, pumping faster.
Ceana tensed, unable to make a sound as her orgasm hit her. He kept going, his primal grunts echoing around her. His nails raked her skin before his hands tightened on her hips. When he came, shooting his seed inside her, she felt energy pulse from where they were joined, spreading over her entire length, filling her with warmth and intense pleasure. Her limbs numbed and her eyesight dimmed. She’d never felt anything like it.
Ian slowly withdrew, only to fall down on the be
d beside her. Ceana curled next to him. He was breathing hard, the harsh sound warring with the thud of her heartbeat in her ears.
Ian couldn’t believe how wonderful he felt in the aftermath of their lovemaking. Every fiber in his being was calm, as if her presence centered him. She was everything he’d ever wanted. Odd, since he’d just met her. But, his kind acted on instinct and he trusted his. The only problem was, would his people? Would the O’Connell Clan agree with his choice? Or would they, like James, think she was crazy?
Words welled within him and he wanted to tell her how he felt. He’d been trying to swallow them back, trying to keep from saying anything he’d later regret. Ian didn’t believe in lying or giving a word he couldn’t keep. So instead, he thought it, hoping that his tongue would be satisfied with that much and hold back a little longer.
I love you, Ceana. I don’t know how or why, but I love you.
There, he’d thought it. No need to say it aloud. Then why did the urge only grow stronger, as did his renewing desire for her?
“Mmm,” she moaned softly, as if she’d heard him.
“Come to the shower with me,” he said, running a hand over the small of her back. “We should clean off.”
Ceana stiffened. “But, I, ah, already showered.”
“Mmm, baby, I know you feel tired. Come on, I promise I’ll make it worth it.”
Ceana arched a brow, looking at him. There was hesitance there. He’d gotten mixed signals from her. The night before, she told him not to fall in love with her. But early today, she asked him if he did love her, as if she wanted him to.
Or was he reading too much into it? It’s not like he’d done this kind of thing before. He’d never really been in love. His father always claimed that it hit hard, like a kick to the chest.
You’ve waited a long time for her. This is the one, the thoughts whispered in his head.
“What are you thinking?” she whispered, her stormy gaze wide.
Grinning, Ian swept her into his arms and carried her out of the bedroom. Her head rested against his shoulder. Back in the bathroom, he turned the warm water on and, as the steady stream pelted them, he couldn’t resist making love to her again—this time slower as he held her up against the wall.
* * * * *
Ceana pulled the robe Ian lent her to wear closer to her body. This wasn’t good. After she’d made love with Ian in the shower, the fins had started to come back, this time poking through the skin. Her legs had also started to shimmer with the look of scales, though they did not mold together to form a fin.
She’s artfully managed to hide them from him, not sure if showing him would scare him or drive him away. At this rate though, how much time did she really have? Did something in Ian keep her from transforming back as quickly? Did something happen at the beach that made her human longer?
Ceana couldn’t figure it out. If some element had been different with Ian, and if it wasn’t to break the curse, than she would surely go mad trying to discover what had happened. Taking a deep breath, she looked down at the plate in front of her. The crab was cooked, but she couldn’t bring herself to take a bite.
“You don’t like crab?” Ian asked, frowning at her.
“I…” Ceana looked at the fried strips and then back up. “I’m not allowed to eat it.”
“What are you allowed to eat?”
“Raw fish.”
“Sushi?”
“Ah, no, just raw fish.” She pushed the plate away. “Though, to tell the truth, nothing from the sea sounds very appetizing right now.”
Ian chuckled lightly, but didn’t elaborate at what he thought was funny. “Would you prefer your crab raw?”
“I can’t eat crab. At all. The sea witch used its power to curse me. I…” She looked helplessly at him. “I just can’t.”
“All right. I’ll find something else.” He stood and began the process of opening drawers and rummaging through cabinets.
“You don’t want to know about the curse?” she asked. “Why don’t you ask me about it? Anyone else would want to know.”
“Okay, how were you cursed?”
“I saved my brother from drowning. Well, actually, he’d been entranced by the sea witch. She was going to marry him and then drown him. I followed him one night and saw what he couldn’t. To him she was just a beautiful young maiden and he was in love with her. So I drugged him and tied him up. I went to the sea witch to tell her to leave my brother alone. And she, in her anger, cursed me for all eternity because of it.”
“And you believe I have broken this curse?” Ian asked.
“I don’t know.” Slowly, she stood. She couldn’t bear not being honest with him. Crossing to the sink, she turned on the water and pulled up the robe sleeve. She put her arm under water, watching as a fin protruded from beneath her skin. It poked out a little more, but not all the way.
Ian dropped a container and she jolted in surprise at the loud crash. When she looked at him, he was staring at her arm.
“So it really is true,” he whispered.
“Yes, it’s true. I thought you broke the curse, but now I don’t know. Maybe you just delayed it for a day. I can feel myself changing back. My guess is by nightfall, at this rate, I’ll be back in the ocean. Sunset would be a fitting time, wouldn’t it? Perhaps the sea witch has thought of other ways to torment me.”
“And if we keep you from water?”
“I don’t think it will matter,” Ceana sighed. “If I don’t get to water and I change back, then I’ll die.”
“My father,” Ian said, thoughtfully.
“Your father?” she asked, not following what he meant.
“My father is king of the O’Connell Clan. If anyone knows about this kind of thing, surely it would be him. He’ll be at the beach tonight. Near the same place we were at. The clan is gathering there. It’s more of a reunion than anything, but…” Ian’s voice trailed off. He stepped over the dropped container to come to her side. “Will you come with me?”
“Yes.” Ceana nodded. What else could she do?
“You’ll need something to wear,” Ian said. “Come on. We’ll get you something at the local market to eat and then we’ll find you something to wear.”
“And tonight, if your father can’t help us?” she asked.
“Then tonight…” He took a deep breath and touched her cheek. “Then I guess you swim out of my life.”
Chapter Seven
Ceana looked at the sand, scooping it up between her naked toes. The sound of the ocean hitting upon the shore called to her, urging her toward it. The rhythmic sound was soothing yet lonely. She didn’t dare go in the water. If she got wet, she was afraid of what might happen. She might not stay human.
It occurred to her that, if she did become a mermaid, she could always come to shore on the full moons to Ian. Would he agree to that? Or would he grow bored with his mermaid lover? Get tired of waiting for a full moon? Was it fair to even ask it of him? If other men had gone mad after one night with her, then what would several do? And if not he, than surely she would be driven into insanity. There were some nights, as she sat alone in her sunken ship, staring at a random portrait faded by ocean water that she was close to madness already.
And what happened when he did die? He might be lycan, but that didn’t make him immortal. Ian had said as much himself while they were shopping for the floral dress she now wore. Large blue-gray flowers contrasted with the cream background. Buttons ran all the way down the front stopping only a few inches from the knee-length hem. The short sleeves capped her shoulders and the neckline scooped open to show off her collarbones, but no cleavage.
Feeling a hand against the small of her back, she glanced up at Ian. His smile was strained as he nodded down to where his clan gathered. After having been alone for so long, she wasn’t sure she could face the crowd, especially one filled with Ian’s family members.
“Ready?” he asked.
His face was strained and he didn’t look very
happy about the prospect of her being introduced. Was he changing his mind? The day had been fun. They’d walked along some of the seaside shops, holding hands and enjoying the fine, sunny weather. He’d even led her into a hidden corner off the main walk and proceeded to make love to her against the wall.
When she didn’t answer, he gave her a gentle shove down toward where the bonfires lit up the beach. The sun was lowering in the sky, but had yet to touch the horizon. Lycans were gathered, sitting around the fires. Some laughed, others tuned instruments, strumming absent notes as they talked.
Seeing an older man who looked like Ian, she tried to smile. It was obviously his father. The man raised a brow when he looked at her before turning to Ian.
“Son,” the man said, grinning widely, as he unwittingly confirmed his relationship to Ian. “So it is true. You found a mermaid.”
Ian stopped and looked at Ceana. His mouth opened, but no sound came out as his father joined them.
“Meghan found me earlier and told me you’d pulled a young lady from the sea.” The man turned to her. “And you must be the mermaid.”
“Ceana,” she said.
“Wait, how do…?” Ian asked, clearly confused.
“Didn’t Meghan find you? She said you knew she was talking to me and that you’d asked her to track me down. You two have been together for so long, I just assumed that…” Suddenly, the man stopped and looked at her, sniffing. “Ian? You marked this one? The mermaid?”
Ceana studied Ian, waiting to see what he would say.
“No, I’m not with Meghan and I sure as hell didn’t send her to talk to you.” He glanced around. “I’ll get to the bottom of this. Where is she?”
“I haven’t seen her since early afternoon, right after lunch,” Ian’s father said. “Is this something the family needs to be concerned about?”
“I told her she would never be my wife. She wasn’t happy about it. After she left my house this morning, she must have gone to find you. What exactly did you tell her?”
“Only that when I was younger I knew of a sea witch who had the power to condemn young women to the sea. And if you were one of these mermaids, she wouldn’t be too happy about you getting out of the water.” The lycan king studied her. “I never thought I’d live to see one.”
Call of the Lycan Trilogy Bundle Page 6