Wolf Rain (Psy-Changeling Trinity)

by Nalini Singh

  Mystified, Memory pulled out her damp socks.

  The wolf and the woman looked at one another again before the wolf shook his head. Taking the hint, Memory put the socks back into her pocket.

  “Have you sweated?” The woman put her hands on her hips, and though there wasn’t a visible weapon on her, Memory kept thinking of her as armed.

  A lightbulb went on in Memory’s brain. “Turn around,” she said to Riaz.

  He yawned, but did so while she stripped off her orange sweater, then took off her tee. Handing that to the woman, she pulled her sweater back on. “Sacrifice it.” She nodded to the tee. “This is war.”

  A wicked grin. “I like you, E. Now, let’s make this game a little harder for Lexie.” A blade suddenly glinted in her hand. Using it to rip the T-shirt in two, she gave one piece to Riaz, held the other herself.

  The wolf took off to the west.

  “Follow me,” the woman said. “I’ll show you how to confuse your trail so it’s not the most powerful of the three scent trails.”

  Memory went, taking mental notes as her guide ran through a list of pointers. They ended up at a rocky section of land.

  “Stones don’t hold scent as well,” she was told. “Breeze is also going in the wrong direction to help Lexie.” Another grin that lit up the dark of the woman’s eyes. “Good luck.”

  “Thank you.” Memory’s heart began to race again. “Wait, what’s your name?”

  “Sing-Liu, and if any asshole wolf tells you to call me China Doll, stab them for me. Except if the wolf’s name is D’Arn. Him, I’ll handle privately.”

  Then the two of them were separating, Sing-Liu going in the direction where the wind would carry the scent to Alexei, while Memory went the opposite way.

  The game was back on.

  * * *

  • • •

  ALEXEI bared his teeth when he scented Riaz’s path intersecting with Memory’s. His fellow lieutenant should’ve known to leave her alone. Alexei had made sure to rub up against her until no one could mistake that she was his; the scent wasn’t deep enough to hold through a shower, wasn’t in her skin as it would be if they exchanged intimate skin privileges, but it was enough to warn off other wolves.

  The only thing that kept his annoyance down to a slight grumble was that Riaz was devoted to Adria and would have no interest in Memory as a woman. So why the fuck had the two of them headed off together? He’d strangle Riaz if the other male had scared Memory.

  What the hell? Now Sing-Liu was in this, too. He growled as he circled the area to see their next step. The trail split in two.

  Oh.

  Alexei’s jaw fell open in a wolfish laugh.

  His packmates were helping Memory.

  Fair.

  The human part of Alexei agreed with the wolf’s determination. Memory had done a good job of slowing him down by walking in the stream, but she had no training in eluding a hunter.

  Regardless of Riaz’s and Sing-Liu’s entrance into the game, Memory’s scent was a luminous beacon to him, fresh and luscious and warm. He tracked her to the stony area where he’d often played as a trainee soldier. That was where it got interesting. The scent split again, then disappeared over the stone. Alexei retraced his path, went back over the stone step-by-step.

  Stubborn, defiant, strong.

  Teeth bared, he followed the scent of his E. But his packmates were clever. Riaz and Sing-Liu had doubled back and circled and overlapped the scent trails until he had difficulty telling which one was of Memory alone—or if she’d decided to be tricky and head off with one of the others to confuse him.

  He threw back his head in a joyous howl, delighted with this game. Delighted, too, that his packmates were playing with her. That wasn’t an expected thing; Riaz and Sing-Liu were powerful and high-ranking members of SnowDancer, and Alexei hadn’t made a public declaration about Memory . . . except for all the food gifts he’d been leaving at her door, and the way he’d brought her deep into SnowDancer territory for this game.

  As one distant packmate then another responded to his howl with their own, he ran on under the moonlight, on the hunt for an empath who retaliated against him by drowning him in rainbows and sparkle and delight. The wolf snorted. She was about as scary as a pup. And both parts of him adored her.

  He couldn’t wait to catch her.

  Chapter 46

  Intimate skin privileges are a gift never to be taken lightly.

  —From the June 2079 issue of Wild Woman magazine: “Skin Privileges, Style & Primal Sophistication”

  MEMORY DIDN’T KNOW what warned her that she was in the crosshairs of a wolf. Perhaps her empathic senses had caught Alexei’s wildness on the wind, a whisper so subtle that only her instincts understood. Those instincts told her to run or hide.

  Pulse a staccato beat, she ducked down behind a large bush, and tried to stay very, very still. As far as she could tell, the breeze was working against him; it was possible he’d pass by without spotting her.

  No sound but the boom of her heart.

  Then the rustle of a wolf loping away.

  Memory waited several more minutes before beginning to rise to her feet, her intent to run in the opposite direction. Most of the way up, she peeked over the bush . . . and came nose-to-muzzle with a wolf.

  Crying out and laughing at the same time, she turned and ran. The wolf jumped the bush to come after her, and she was laughing too hard to get much farther before he caught up and ran around her to face her. He snapped his teeth at her. She snapped back. And then was laughing again as she went down to her knees.

  Nudging at her with his head, he tumbled her to her back on the pine needles. The air fractured with light without warning. She froze, her eyes huge . . . and a man with wind-tumbled golden hair and eyes that glowed in the darkness was braced over her where the wolf had been. “Good game,” he said, his voice so rough that she knew the wolf remained close to the surface of his skin.

  Placing her hands on his shoulders—his skin was so silken and hot—she luxuriated in his closeness, his scent darkly masculine and his heat a blanket. “I’m going to get better.”

  He grinned and altered position so that his entire body covered hers. His lower half pressed into hers, while he used his forearms to keep his upper body off her. “I’ll teach you how to trick me,” he promised before dropping his head to her throat and nuzzling.

  She shivered, wove her hand into his hair. It was instinct to curl one of her legs over his. Her mouth went dry. “You’re naked.” A startled whisper, though of course he was naked.

  A rough, growly sound against her throat before he used his teeth to grip the skin above her pulse and tug. Memory’s inner core clenched on a molten rush. Releasing her skin with a rumbling vibration in his chest that held definite approval, Alexei rubbed his big body against her own.

  His erection was a hot, rigid rod against her stomach, his lower body heavy in a delicious way. Fire in her blood, she angled her neck to give him better access and he took full advantage—to kiss and suck and melt her bones. By the time he reached her mouth, her lips tingled, feeling swollen and sensitive.

  Alexei moved one of his arms to bracket her head, buried his fingers in her hair. His kiss was primal and demanding and wet and she had her other leg wrapped around him almost before she was aware of moving. He was so strong, so sexy, he overwhelmed her and she wanted more.

  Addicted to her golden wolf, she ran her hands down his back, luxuriating in the feel of his muscles moving under her palms as his mouth claimed hers with a possessiveness that filled the empty places inside her.

  Sucking in a breath when their lips parted, she began to kiss his shoulders. He tasted a little of salt, and mostly of primal heat.

  My wolf. My Alexei.

  He made a deep sound in his throat at her kisses, at her petting of his body, and slippe
d one of his own hands under her sweater to lie against her stomach. Suddenly burning up, Memory pushed at him until he lifted himself up on his arms.

  While he watched her with eyes gone nightglow, she reached down and pulled her sweater off over her head. Her curls bounced as they escaped the neckline, and Alexei’s eyes went to them. He lifted one hand to play with her hair while she finished tugging off the sweater.

  Sweater thrown aside, she caught the amber of his gaze. “Kiss me.”

  Devouring her mouth with the raw wickedness of his own, his body crushing hers in the most delicious way, he put one hand on her lace-covered breast, squeezed. Memory whimpered and arched against him. He was too heavy to budge, but he seemed to feel it regardless, because he repeated the erotic caress with open possessiveness before running the pad of his thumb over her engorged nipple.

  The lace of her bra rasped over the sensitive skin.

  Twisting under him, Memory bit at his lower lip.

  He broke the kiss to scowl at her, golden strands falling around his face. “What?”

  “Skin,” she said, and pushed down one strap of her bra, then the other. “I want skin.”

  Dropping his head, he kissed the valley between her breasts, the fine strands of his hair torturous strokes on her needy flesh. But his hand was moving to her back to undo her bra. After a couple of seconds, he growled and lifted his head. “I’ll buy you another one.”

  Lace tore.

  This bra was a pretty pink and she loved it and she didn’t even care that he was throwing it aside in pieces. Because he was putting his hand on her breast, his hold slightly rough. The jolt of sensation bowed her back, scrambled her brains, had her nails digging into his biceps. Murmuring roughly petting words that told her she was beautiful and sexy, he kissed his way down her throat, between the valley of her breasts, before looking up.

  Amber eyes glowed at her.

  Her chest heaved.

  The smile of a predator who had her exactly where he wanted her. “Pretty Memory.” No warning before he moved his mouth to her nipple. A single hard suck and she wanted to scream. Shoving her forearm against her mouth to muffle the cry, she clawed at the ground with her other hand.

  Sliding both hands under her, Alexei lifted her up, as if for his delectation. First he sucked and teased one nipple, then the other. Just when she thought the pleasure couldn’t get any better, he licked at the sensitive underside of her breast. Oh.

  “I have you, lioness.” A rumble of sound, his hands strong and protective on her body. His jaw was dark with stubble and when he rubbed it against the kiss-wet flesh of her breasts, her thighs squeezed his hips with convulsive force.

  “I can scent your arousal,” said the wolf who’d caught her, before he began to kiss his way down her abdomen. “Rich and dark, with a sweet bite.” He ran his tongue along the edge of her waistband, then pressed a kiss to her navel.

  Undone by the tenderness, she wove her fingers into his hair. “Alexei.”

  “Does it hurt, sweetheart?” A rub of his jaw against her skin before he sat up and put his hands on the curve of her waist. “Inside? Do you need?”

  “Yes.” She petted any part of him she could reach. “I need you.”

  Shuddering, he undid the button on her jeans, pulled down the zipper. He was tugging them off along with her panties seconds later. Cool air kissed her most intimate flesh. Throwing her clothes aside, Alexei looked at her with blunt appreciation . . . and unrestrained hunger.

  Memory flushed.

  A sudden movement and she found herself flipped so that she was on top, his hands stroking down to cup her lower curves. “No.” She pushed up enough to meet the amber of his gaze. “I want to be crushed by you.”

  Claws brushing the bare curves of her buttocks. “Ground’s too rough for you.”

  Memory reached out to drag her sweater and her jeans closer. “Put me on the clothes.” When it looked as if he was planning to argue, she kissed his throat while slowly moving her body against his; if she loved the friction, she had a feeling he would, too. “Alexei, I’m cold.”

  Groaning, he shifted her onto her back again, careful to make sure she was on the clothes. Braced over her, he put one hand under her thigh, stroking up her flank until she got the message and locked her leg around his waist again. “I’m trying to look after you here.” It was a dark growl.

  Memory rubbed the heel of her foot against the small of his back, her brain cells not firing on all cylinders by now. “You feel so big and hard against me.”

  Eyes flashing, he came down on both forearms and kissed her again, all tongue and a wild affection that melted her. She wrapped her other leg around him, unembarrassed by the wetness between her thighs. He was a wolf, could scent it anyway—and he’d told her he liked it.

  She kept trying to break the kiss so she could put her mouth on the rest of his body, but he wasn’t done with her mouth and his kiss was so delectable that she surrendered. When he slid his hand in between their perspiration-slicked forms to caress her between her thighs, she gasped in desperate gulps of air.

  Sensation rolled over her in luxuriant waves that held a piquant edge.

  The wave grew and grew . . . and crested without warning. “Alexei!” Her eyes blanked, her mind a haze of pleasure contained within her shields so it was private—invisible on the PsyNet.

  Lifting heavy-lidded eyes in the aftermath, she saw a distinctly smug predatory changeling above her. “That was . . .” She stroked his chest, petted his forearms.

  Lips curved, he bit lightly at her throat. Used to the way he played, she wove her fingers through his hair and smiled, her entire body languid. When he nudged at her with the thickness of his arousal, she uncurled her legs from around his hips to plant her feet on the earth, open and ready for him.

  His claws sliced into the earth on either side of her head. Raising his face from her throat, he said, “Are you sure?” Rough words. “You only get one first time.”

  Memory bit him on the shoulder. Hard.

  His growl was thunder in his chest, but he made no move to harm her. Of course he didn’t. Because he was a wolf who protected, not hurt. “Who taught you to bite?” It was a grumble, his nose pressed to hers.

  Delighted, Memory kissed him. “Come inside me, my gorgeous, strong wolf.”

  Alexei pressed hard against her, the intimate friction of his erection parting her delicate flesh stealing her breath. Being so honest with her affectionate and admiring words also got her growling kisses on the throat and rough caresses of her breast with a possessive hand.

  He didn’t ask her again if she was sure.

  Gripping her under the knee, he thrust her thigh up and outward, fitting himself even more firmly against her. Amber glowed in the night darkness as he pushed in. She moaned at the stretching sensation on the border between pleasure and pain, her body clasping spasmodically around him. Jaw clenched, he kept one hand on her knee, holding her spread for him as he worked his erection inside her with slow care.

  She clutched at the earth, lifted her hips toward him.

  Teeth bared, he pushed in all the way. A stab of pain threatened to derail her pleasure, a whimper escaping her throat.

  Alexei stopped at once. “Memory?” Perspiration glimmered on his temples, his muscles rigid.

  “I just . . .” She sucked in a breath. “You’re big.”

  A wicked grin that flat-out slayed her, but he stayed motionless while she got used to the feel of his heat and strength lodged inside her. It made the hard little nubbin between her thighs pulse. She squeezed her muscles experimentally. Breath harsh, Alexei slid one hand underneath her to cup her bottom as he drew out, then pushed back in.

  Barely able to breathe through the heavily luxuriant sensation, Memory wrapped her arms around him and held on for the ride to come. He took it excruciatingly slow, until sweat roll
ed down both their bodies, and she’d melted between her thighs. “Faster,” she gasped.

  “Only when I’m certain you won’t hurt.” He moved his hand to her breast, plucked at her nipple.

  Memory moaned again. “I’m so ready I’m slippery,” she protested, jerking up her hips at the same time.

  She didn’t know if it was the words or the erotic motion that did it, but Alexei braced himself with one hand beside her head and then he began to move. With a speed and a power that made her body shudder and electrified her nerve endings. She moved with him, able to see the precipice beyond which they would fall. So close. So close.

  Desperate, she closed her own hand over her breast and squeezed as he’d done.

  “Fuck!” Alexei’s eyes on her breast, the hand he had behind her going clawed, his body thrusting into her own with a sensual aggression that pitched her over the edge. She didn’t fall. She flew. On wings of pleasure so deep and wrenching that she was aware of nothing but the blinding power of it—and of Alexei.

  She heard him shout out his own climax, felt the shockingly intimate heat of his release inside her, managed to open her drugged eyes in time to see his head thrown back, his arched body silhouetted against the moonlit sky. Her inner muscles clenched again, but this time, the pleasure was softer, more languorous.

  When Alexei came down on top of her, she wrapped her legs around him, one hand in his hair, the other on his back. And there they lay, limp and sated as the night breeze wicked the moisture from their bodies.

  * * *

  • • •

  ALEXEI felt a dangerous awakening inside him, a stirring he couldn’t permit. But it was too late. The mating urge had woken for Memory; the wolf had chosen its other half. And wolves mated for life. Shuddering inwardly at the painful gift, he rolled off Memory and onto nature’s carpet.

  His skin was tougher than hers, the surroundings part of his natural habitat. Turning so he was on his side, he placed one hand on her abdomen because he couldn’t stop touching her. Couldn’t stop touching his mate.