Hidden Worlds

by Kristie Cook

  Jonathan groaned and slumped forward, dropping his chin to his chest.

  “Fine. I’ll do it myself.” River threw the sack on the ground then yanked on one of the ropes tied to the packs. Jonathan was willing to go to war for her, but he was too lazy to light a fire?

  Red turned his head and looked at River as if to complain about her rough treatment. She patted his shoulder. “Sorry, boy. I’m just tired and I can’t seem to get any help.”

  “River?”

  “What!”

  “I’m happy to help, but I don’t think I can get down without my legs collapsing the second my boots hit the ground.”

  River’s anger dissolved. She kept forgetting that Jonathan wasn’t used to riding for more than an hour or two a day. She rested her forehead on Red’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” Jonathan’s voice was quieter than usual and heavy with more than just physical exhaustion. “Stress can make even the best of us cranky. We’ve both had a lot dumped on us lately.”

  “I didn’t mean to be cranky.” River sighed. She didn’t mean to do that either. “If we don’t get a fire going in the stove soon, we’ll have to share a bed to keep from freezing to death.”

  “That’s not exactly motivating me to light a fire.” The right side of Jonathan’s mouth curled into a crooked grin.

  River needed to be careful. They couldn’t mate until after they’d merged with their wolves. But she needed to encourage Jonathan so he’d be ready when the time came. “You can share my bed, but you’ll have to use your own buffalo robe.”

  Jonathan slid off Saucy, holding onto his mane until he managed to straighten his legs. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “Then why did you suggest it?”

  “I didn’t.” Jonathan grabbed a log off the woodpile stacked against the hut and cradled it in his left arm. He paused in the doorway, then turned around and flashed his dimples at her with a wicked grin. “You did.”

  Jonathan

  Jonathan chuckled as he pulled the door shut. The look on River’s face was priceless. He hoped she knew he was just teasing her. She’d been extremely moody the past couple of days. He assumed it was because of that whole “son of Ephraim” theory. How long had she known about it? Or maybe she had PMS. Man, he hoped not. If that’s what had her panties in a wad, he was in big trouble. River had never mentioned her monthly cycles, and for that Jonathan was grateful. Carrie had complained for a week before hers and every day during it. Which meant she was a total bitch fifty percent of the time.

  Well, whatever was causing River’s problems, he needed to apologize for being such a dick when he learned the pass was closed. He also needed to be sure he had a roaring fire going in the stove before she finished with the horses.

  The stove inside the hut was similar to the one in the quarantine cabin, but not identical. Jonathan raised the lever controlling the flue, and stacked the wood the way Gabriel had shown him, which was exactly opposite of what he’d always been taught. But he had to admit, the upside down, log cabin stacks burned better and longer than anything he’d ever done in Boy Scouts. It took him awhile to create enough sparks to ignite the dry leaves with a flint, but he wouldn’t have been able to do it at all without the prosthesis that Reuben and River had made for him. Another twinge of guilt pinged his conscience. He shouldn’t have compared the “golden claw” she was so proud of to his robotic prosthesis. Talk about rude. He had some major sucking up to do.

  Jonathan closed the stove door then went outside but River was already gone. He wrestled the packs off Red’s back and put them inside, then followed the trail River and the other two horses made in the snow to a barn at the edge of the forest.

  Sugar and Saucy had their noses buried in feed bags. Red nickered a greeting, but the other two horses didn’t even look up.

  River gave Sugar one last swipe over her right flank then handed Jonathan the scrap of buffalo hide. “I’ve already taken care of Sugar and Saucy. Can you rub Red down, or are you too tired?”

  “I’m fine. And I’m sorry about being such a jackass earlier.”

  River wiped her brow with her forearm. “We’re both exhausted. Let’s just take care of the horses, light the stove, grab a bite to eat and go to bed. We’ll both feel better after a good night’s rest.”

  “I already built a fire in the stove. So that’s one less chore we have to do.”

  They were about halfway to the hut when River slipped her hand around Jonathan’s arm. “I thought you said you lit the fire.”

  “I did.”

  “There’s no smoke coming out of the chimney.”

  As soon as he opened the door, Jonathan realized his mistake. Instead of opening the flue, he’d closed it.

  They coughed and laughed as they fanned the smoke out of the hut with a buffalo hide. The campfire smell lingered even after the air cleared but it wasn’t unpleasant.

  River grabbed a couple of leather bags from the pile of stuff Jonathan had unloaded off of Red’s back. She handed one of the bags to him then tossed the other one onto the bed next to the window and sank down beside it. She pulled a chunk of jerky out and tore into it.

  Jonathan flopped onto the other bed, next to the door, and shoved his hand into his food sack. He was so hungry, even the tough-as-a-boot jerky River was gnawing on looked good.

  He froze when his fingers brushed against something cold, smooth and round. No. It couldn’t be … could it? His throat tightened as he gazed at the small, misshapen, bright red apple. He lifted it to his face and closed his eyes as he inhaled, savoring the aroma. When he opened his eyes he found River staring at him.

  She blinked then lowered her gaze and picked at the wool on her buffalo hide. “I know it’s not what you’re used to. You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want it. ”

  “Oh I want it alright. It’s just so …” Jonathan’s voice cracked, “ … unexpected.” He couldn’t wait to bite into it. “Where’s yours?”

  “I don’t have one.”

  “Don’t you like apples?”

  “There’ll be more next fall.”

  River didn’t have a local grocery store with fresh produce shipped in from all over the world. When they ran out of something, it was gone.

  “Is this what you went back inside the house to get?”

  She nodded.

  The memory of his earlier rant shamed Jonathan. He could barely speak over the lump in his throat. He patted the spot next to him on the bed. “Everything’s sweeter when you share it.”

  River chewed her lower lip as she crept across the room like a frightened deer. She looked so vulnerable.

  A desire to protect her at all costs swept over Jonathan. Other, less honorable, desires surfaced when she sat down beside him and licked her lips.

  He smiled and handed her the apple. “Ladies first.”

  He’d given her the first bite as a gentlemanly gesture, but when she closed her eyes and moaned, he nearly came undone. He felt like Satan himself in the Garden of Eden as he stared at the juice running down her chin.

  Jonathan wanted to lick it off her face, but River beat him to it.

  “Your turn.”

  Instead of taking the apple, Jonathan grabbed River’s wrist and ate out of her hand. A symphony of flavors exploded across his tongue.

  Even though he’d witnessed River’s sensual reaction when she tasted the fruit, he was unprepared for his own. His eyelids drifted shut. “If the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden tasted half as good as this, I don’t blame Adam and Eve for giving in to temptation. Anything this delicious has to be a sin.”

  “I agree.” River brushed her fingertips across Jonathan’s chin, just beneath his lower lip, then popped them into her mouth. Her little sighs of pleasure as she sucked the juice off her fingers drove him crazy.

  Jonathan reached behind his back; but he wasn’t in his own bed. There was no pillow to cover his lap. He shifted his hips and hoped River kept her eyes
on the apple.

  She was too naive to know what she was doing. They hadn’t even French kissed yet. Jonathan wanted to take things slow with River, but she was obviously ready for the next level.

  He waited for her to wipe the juice off her chin again; then grabbed her wrist before she could stick those pretty little fingers back in her mouth.

  “My turn.”

  He smiled when River’s pulse quickened beneath his fingertips. Her eyes widened as he pulled her hand towards his mouth then fluttered shut as he sucked the juice from her fingers. They were both trembling before he finished.

  River slid her fingers out of Jonathan’s mouth, down his chin, over his Adam’s apple, onto his chest. “Oh, Jonathan, what am I going to do?”

  He stroked her jaw with the back of his knuckles. “What do you want to do?”

  River

  “I … I want …” River couldn’t catch her breath. There wasn’t enough room in her chest. This feeling, this desire, was stronger than anything she’d ever felt before. It was even stronger than the pull of her wolf had been. “I want …”

  Jonathan rested his forehead against hers. “Me, too.”

  “Kiss me.”

  “As you wish.” Jonathan pulled the strip of leather holding her braid out of her hair. He unwound the plait, running his fingers through the strands until her hair fell in loose waves down her back, past her hips. He cupped the back of her head then brushed his lips across hers. The kiss started out the same as all the others; soft, gentle, tentative, then built in pressure and intensity. Jonathan pulled her closer and slid his tongue over her bottom lip.

  River’s eyes flew open.

  Jonathan stopped and dropped his hand. “Was that too much?”

  “No. Just … unexpected.” River smiled as she repeated Jonathan’s words, then grabbed his face with both hands and pressed her mouth against his.

  Jonathan smiled against her lips.

  This wasn’t supposed to be funny. River pulled back.

  Jonathan tangled his fingers in her hair and held her head in place. “Don’t interrupt me when I’m kissing you.”

  River didn’t usually like to be bossed around, but Jonathan’s alpha attitude made her entire body quiver.

  Jonathan licked her lower lip again, but this time River was ready for it. She wasn’t ready when he slid his tongue into her mouth, but at least she didn’t startle like a frightened rabbit. It took less than a second for her own instincts to take over. She chased his tongue with hers and smiled when he trembled. Jonathan tasted like apples … only better. River couldn’t get enough.

  Jonathan tilted his head and pursued her lips from a slightly different angle. Time stood still, then raced ahead as they explored each other’s mouths.

  Jonathan pulled away and searched River’s eyes. “Are you okay?”

  River’s heart raced. Her breath came in shallow, rapid gasps. Her skin burned with fever. But she’d never felt better. “I’m fine. Are you?”

  Jonathan quirked the side of his mouth into a lopsided smile, flashing a single dimple. “I’m so much better than fine.”

  “How many women have you mated with?”

  Jonathan’s dimple disappeared as his smile faded. “That’s kind of personal.”

  “I know. And I’m sorry for asking, but it’s important.”

  He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I don’t have any sexually transmitted diseases. I promise.”

  “Are you a virgin?”

  “Yeah, but just barely.”

  “What does that mean?” Either he’d mated or he hadn’t.

  “I’ve messed around a lot, but never quite made it to home base.”

  “Home base?”

  “This is first base.” He kissed her lips then nibbled a trail of fire down her throat. “Sex is home base.”

  “What’s between first base and sex?” River’s voice sounded faint and breathy to her own ears.

  “A whole lot of fun stuff.” Jonathan slid his hand under River’s tunic and stroked the skin beneath her breast. “This is pretty close to second base.”

  River trembled.

  Jonathan slid his hand to her waist. “Do you want me to stop?”

  “No.” River’s skin felt as if it were on fire, but she wanted more of his heat. “Are you getting hot?”

  Jonathan’s grin displayed both dimples. “You have no idea.”

  “I’m burning up. Do you mind if I take off my vest?”

  “Not at all.” Jonathan’s eyes dilated as he watched River remove her vest. His nostrils flared. “Do you mind if I take off mine?”

  Instead of answering, River untied his vest with trembling fingers then slid it off his shoulders.

  Jonathan used his golden claw to remove it the rest of the way. He dropped it on the floor then raised his eyebrows. “How about the shirt?”

  River nodded and raised her hands to the drawstring of her tunic.

  Jonathan grabbed her wrist. “I meant mine.”

  River’s face burned even hotter. “I keep forgetting that you aren’t used to naked breasts. Have you never watched a woman nurse a baby?”

  Jonathan’s cheeks reddened. “I try really hard not to. And most women are pretty modest about nursing in public. They cover themselves and their babies with blankets.”

  “Even during the summer?” River loosened the drawstring of Jonathan’s tunic and pulled it off over his head. His sleeve got tangled in his golden claw.

  Jonathan tugged it free. “Yes, even in the summer.”

  River ran her hands over Jonathan’s chest.

  He stiffened and inhaled through his teeth when she touched the leather strap that held his golden claw to his body like a harness.

  River lifted her gaze to meet his. “May I remove it?”

  He nodded.

  His skin was rubbed raw under the harness buckles. “Oh Jonathan. Why didn’t you tell me this was hurting you?”

  “It’s not that bad.”

  “I should have padded it.”

  “You can do that?”

  “Didn’t you notice the felt pads on the pack frame Red carried?”

  “I guess not.”

  She traced around the raw spot on his collar bone. “I don’t want you to wear your claw again until these sores heal.”

  “That’s going to make it kind of hard to hunt. I can’t hold my bow without it.”

  River smiled. “I doubt if you’d be able to hit anything.”

  “Hey! I’ve gotten pretty good. I hit the target nearly every time now.”

  “Shooting a live animal is a lot different from shooting a target.”

  Fine lines appeared around Jonathan’s eyes and mouth. His brow furrowed. “It can’t be any harder than shooting a man.”

  Even with the constant reminder of his missing hand, River had forgotten that Jonathan was a soldier. He hadn’t mentioned it since he’d told her about his brother’s death. “Have you ever killed a man?”

  Jonathan lowered his gaze from River’s face to the floor.

  She instantly regretted her tactless question; but Jonathan answered before she could apologize.

  “We were coming back to base. I caught a flash of something in the trees with my peripheral vision. Probably the sun hitting the barrel of his weapon. He must have seen me flinch or something. He got off a round before I dropped him, but he didn’t hit anyone.

  “We did a sweep but didn’t find anyone else. Just that damn kid. He couldn’t have been more than fifteen. I can’t help but think he wouldn’t have fired if I hadn’t spotted him.”

  Jonathan returned his gaze to River’s face, but his eyes remained unfocused. “There were others, but that’s the one I can’t get out of my head.”

  River cupped his cheeks in her palms. “You had no choice. You had to defend yourself and your fellow soldiers.”

  Jonathan nodded.

  River wanted to wash all thoughts of war and killing from Jonathan’s mind. He would have to
kill again before the people of New Eden were free from Zebulon’s rule. She already held his face in her hands so she pulled him closer and pressed her lips against his.

  River had thought that Jonathan’s kisses couldn’t be any more passionate before his confession. She was wrong. He slid his hand under her tunic again and caressed her back.

  Her head spun. She needed to lie down.

  As if he’d read her mind, Jonathan laid back on the bed, bringing River with him.

  His heart pounded beneath her ear. A low rumble came from deep inside him. It vibrated against her cheek. If River had any remaining doubts that Jonathan was the son of Ephraim, that growl erased them. She’d never heard a sound quite like that before, but she knew what it meant. Mine.

  She’d just been claimed by an alpha male.

  Chapter Ten

  Call of the Wolf

  Jonathan had never told anyone about killing the Afghani boy. River’s attempt to ease his conscience only intensified the shame and guilt he wore like a second skin; until she kissed him.

  They’d been making out for nearly an hour so he was already turned on. But a sudden, almost violent, surge of desire hit him like a tsunami, obliterating everything but her.

  Jonathan had never wanted any woman as much as he wanted River. She stirred something primal deep inside his gut. His groan of pleasure sounded more like a growl. A weird desire to bite her neck startled Jonathan out of his lust induced trance. He broke the kiss then ran his fingers through her hair, sweeping it over her shoulder.

  River closed her eyes and tilted her head to the side, exposing the honey gold skin of her throat. Was she reading his mind?

  Jonathan tried to maintain a semblance of civility and kissed her jaw instead of biting her. But when he drank in her scent—clean and slightly spicy, like snow covered pine—his desire to taste her skin grew until it consumed him. His lips parted instinctively and pulled her skin against his teeth. She tasted even better than she smelled.

  Jonathan had marked more than his fair share of girls in high school, leaving love bites that most of them wore like badges of honor.