by Lexi C. Foss
I spent my life knowing when others were lying and as my body quivered with need, I knew it was time to be honest with myself. Fighting my attraction to Jax was a loser’s game.
24
Jax
Watching Rowan work was captivating. Then again, I was fascinated by nearly everything she did, even when it pissed me off.
I’d felt hope spring to my chest when she’d come to me and allowed me to take her hand. The feel of her smooth, warm skin sent little surges of pleasure into every one of my nerve endings. Under normal circumstances, the thought of a man getting hot and desperate to fuck from the mere feel of a woman’s hand in his would have been downright laughable to me. Then again, the definition of normal is often in the eye of the beholder. For a shifter in the first stages of the mating instincts, it was much more logical. In truth, the fact that I still hadn’t lost myself to the basal urge to brand her with my bite and my cock yet was a fucking miracle. My wolf and I were starting to clash over it, and something would need to be done very soon if I was going to maintain my sanity.
The softness that had filled me when she let me lead quickly disappeared when she dragged a hungry vampire into an abandoned store and got in his face, demanding information. The devil was nearly my height and clearly thirsty, but true to my word, I hung back, allowing her to work and fighting my every instinct to protect her. Rowan often acted without fear, making her a little reckless and it was going to put me in an early grave. It was even harder since the vampires in our realm were immune to all of the weapons that she’d been using for the last century. They also regenerated, making them nearly impossible to kill—the only option was to behead and burn them. All the while, my wolf was hounding me, wanting to know why we weren’t rushing in to protect our mate.
I was ready to step in if it became completely clear that her life was in danger. I just hoped that in order to keep my vow, I wouldn’t be too late. Luckily, it never came to that point because that worked highly in my favor. After every incident where I was forced to let her put herself in danger, she eyed me with a combination of curiosity and mild disbelief, then a small smile would soften her lips.
After a conversation with several witches from the coven the dead girl belonged to—ones who obviously didn’t appreciate her questions—and a few thugs who looked at her in a way that made me want to let my wolf rip their throats out, she’d acquired the name of a place to find a vampire that supposedly had some answers.
Then she’d tracked the hungry vampire she was currently confronting. She moved so fast that we were both stunned when she suddenly held a wickedly sharp knife pressed against his throat and whipped out a lighter with her other hand. He glared at her cautiously, though he didn’t seem overly worried, and that didn’t satisfy Rowan. She stepped back and sheathed the weapon, her shoulders drooping, making her look smaller and defeated. The vampire’s face split with a smug grin and his hand shot out to wrap around her neck, but Rowan parried the move and morphed into a tiny Tasmanian devil. Her movements were fast, and I could barely keep up with them until I blinked and she had the man lying on his stomach while she straddled his back. Her knees were restricting the movement of his arms, but she’d used his own hands to cup his chin, her on top, holding them in place.
Fuck if that wasn’t one of the hottest things I’d ever seen. I hadn’t been exaggerating when I’d said powerful women were sexy, and right then, I would have given my left arm to push her up against a wall and fuck her until we were both weak and powerless.
I was momentarily concerned because vampires are unnaturally strong and while she was a force to be reckoned with despite her petiteness, surely, he would still overpower her. I shuffled a little closer but stopped when her skin became luminescent and lavender shimmered around her. She’d unleashed her magic, which surprised me because she’d been very clear about her reluctance to use it, particularly in this realm., I still didn’t know why. Yet another mystery about my mate to solve. I’d already come to the conclusion that she was full of them and I would probably spend my life figuring them all out.
I was much more confident that she could handle herself once I saw her brandish her magic, but I still remained close. Besides, my wolf was growling so fucking loud, I needed to be nearer to hear anything. He was angry that we were allowing another man to touch our mate and freaking out about the danger he sensed from the vampire. He didn’t comprehend that she was the real danger and that her touch was causing the vamp pain.
“A nightwalker would not go unnoticed around here and vampires gossip more than sorority girls.” Rowan’s voice was low and menacing. She forced his head back at an unnatural angle when he didn’t reply fast enough. “Tell me what you’ve heard, and I’ll consider letting you keep your head.”
“I don’t know any more than you,” he wheezed. “Just what’s been in the news.”
Rowan let out an irritable huff and yanked a little harder on the vampire’s jaw.
“I’m not a girl you want to lose your head over”—her eyes lit with humor and I found it adorable that she laughed at her own jokes—“but if you lie to me again, that’s exactly what’s going to happen.”
The glow around her wavered, then two thin wisps grew out of it, crawling over Rowan’s arms to wrap around the guy’s neck like ivy around a trellis. He coughed when it tightened. Vampires didn’t need to breathe, but it was still a habit, making his current condition uncomfortable. And then there was the threat of having his head ripped off…that was probably his biggest concern right then. “I’ve only heard rumors. You’re likely to learn more at The Lodge on 15th, in the Meatpacking District. Good luck getting in.” He chuckled but it became a gargle as the purple bands constricted his breathing once more.
“Thanks,” Rowan chirped in a pleasant tone. “I really appreciate your honesty. Unfortunately, I can’t have you running around flapping your gums about the tiny witch looking for a vamp who’s allergic to the sun.” Without any further warning, her magic tightened the circle around his neck and Rowan twisted and yanked, causing the vampire’s head to rip and pop off his body. The tendrils of magic recoiled and she sprang to her feet, dropping the head next to him.
Rowan extended her hand toward him and a shot of power flew from her fingertips instantly engulfing it in a bonfire with flames that had a purple tint. With a wave of her hand, the fire flashed and went out, leaving only a man-shaped pile of ash. Then she blew a light stream of air from her mouth, barely more than an exhale, and the remnants of the vampire were whisked away. After the last of the dust had disappeared, she slowly withdrew her amulet from her shirt and held it in a white-knuckled grip. Her opposite hand lifted, palm out, and I watched in astonishment as several dozen faint traces of purple began to appear on a multitude of surfaces throughout the room. They hung, suspended in the air for just a moment before rapidly approaching Rowan’s outstretched limb and melting into the skin of her proffered hand.
Finally, some of the rigidness in her spine seeped out and the glowing aura retracted back into her body. I was still positioned in the shadows near the door and I waited for a sign that she was ready for me to approach her. She inhaled slowly and deeply as she turned in my direction. Her face was a mask of serenity, but she hadn’t managed to completely hide the wariness in her light purple eyes. “No one can know that I’m here. It would put both me and Emerald in danger.”
Sensing that words were not what she needed right now, I gentled my expression and took a few steps toward her.
“He was a bad guy. If he hadn’t been, I would have wiped his memory.”
Ah. That’s what she was worried about. I crossed the distance between us in three strides and wound my arm around her waist, dragging her hard against me. I looked her straight in the eye and told her the absolute truth. “If you hadn’t killed him, I would have.”
Rowan was a master at keeping her thoughts and feelings off her face, but with her body plastered against mine, she couldn’t disguise the softening of h
er muscles as the last of her tension ebbed away.
I glanced around once and it suddenly occurred to me that this was the first time I’d had her in my arms when we were truly alone and, though I knew it was bad timing, I didn’t have the strength to deny myself. My eyes flicked to her tempting lips a second before my mouth swooped down to capture hers. I devoured her with a raging hunger that stemmed from holding back for two days. She rose up onto her toes and delicate hands held onto my biceps like she was afraid I would let her fall or break the kiss and pull away. Neither of those things was going to happen anytime soon.
Blood pounded in my brain as my tongue thrust inside her hot mouth and when she mimicked the movement, I groaned as all of it drained, going straight to my cock at record speed. I crushed her to me and angled my head to dive even deeper into the kiss. My hardness was pressed into her belly and she gasped when I ground my hips into her. It wasn’t enough. I needed more and if I didn’t get it, I wasn’t sure if I’d survive. I cupped the back of her head with one hand to hold her in place. My other arm had been curled around her, but I loosened the limb and glided my hand over the delicious swell of her hip and down to her tight, round ass. It took no effort to lift her slight body to just the right height so that my swollen member was bathed in the heat of her sex.
Her arousal had been tantalizing as it increased during the kiss, but when our centers came together, it flooded my nose and wrapped itself around me, nearly bringing me to my knees. As quickly as possible, but careful not to trip on anything, I walked forward until her back was flush against a wall. The leverage allowed me to grind harder and the sound of a soft moan falling from her lips had me close to the edge. I wanted to rip open her pants before freeing my shaft and driving in with the strength of all of my pent-up passion.
Thankfully, there was a smidgen of my mind that still clung to reality and it sent little pulses to my brain, reminding me that now was most definitely not the time. I wasn’t going to fuck Rowan for the first time in a random, abandoned building. There were a multitude of reasons behind my decision, but the foremost was knowing Rowan would regret it. She’d see it as being caught up in a moment of weakness rather than an inevitable uniting of our bodies that would lead to the merging of our souls.
Rowan’s hips bucked and we moaned simultaneously. She rubbed herself on me and whimpered, seeming restless and needy. I might not have been able to take her completely at that moment, but I could take the edge off and stake a small claim with my tongue and fingers. Slowly, I lowered my mate to the ground, her whine of protest nearly breaking my resolve.
I reluctantly parted from her and put my lips to her ear. “Hush, baby. I’m going to give you what you need,” I whispered before giving her lobe a little nip.
She shivered and I smiled into her neck. Her reactions to me were genuine and passionate, heightening my anticipation for the day when I would finally be able to sink deep inside her and leave my marks all over her body.
Leaving a trail of kisses in my wake, I dropped to my knees in front of her. Even from this position, I was taller than her and it amazed me that I’d ever thought I preferred women who were closer to my height. Rowan’s tight little body was sexy as fuck and being so much bigger than her made me feel like I would always be able to protect her. I took her mouth in another fiery kiss while I removed the many weapons and tools she had hidden or secured along her legs. Then I worked her pants down to her ankles. When I broke away, I pushed her even more firmly against the wall with my hands on her thighs, keeping her from falling while I urged her to lift her legs so that I could slip my head between them.
I rested her thighs my shoulders and licked my lips as I stared at her pink, glistening center. Every inch of Rowan was fucking exquisite and my mouth watered knowing she would taste just as incredible. My hands slid along the silky skin on the inside of her legs, placing a soft kiss on each one until my hands were on her mound. My chest expanded as I inhaled deeply, taking in the potent smell of her desire for me, mixed with the natural perfume of lavender and vanilla that always lingered on her skin.
My tongue tingled in anticipation and my manhood tested the durability of my pants.
“Jax,” Rowan moaned.
“Fucking hell,” I groaned. “I love the way you say my name in that breathy, sexy as fuck voice.”
A little whimper escaped her lips. “What are you waiting for?”
“Admiring the view, baby,” I told her with a wicked smile.
“Look later, lick now,” she demanded.
“Promise?”
“Whatever,” she said with an exasperated shake of her head. “Stop fucking around and help me relieve this ache.” Her head dropped back with a thunk and she grumpily whispered something in Russian, making my smile grow.
I didn’t want my mate to suffer, so I parted her southern lips and took my first taste of her ambrosia. Fuck. It was even better than my wildest dreams and I had no fucking clue how I was going to stop. My wolf growled in approval, making it even harder to stay in control. I ate her like an addict getting their first hit after being denied the drug for months. I couldn’t help leaving little love bites all around the area in-between sucks and licks. No one would see them, but it made me feel better that she, at least, would know I had left my mark on her. Rowan’s cries fueled the fire burning inside me and the need to hear her scream while she fell apart became impossible to deny any longer. I needed one thing first…
“This sweet pussy belongs to me, baby,” I growled against her wet flesh. “Say it.”
Her tongue darted out to wet her lips as she met my gaze. Through the passion-filled fog, I could see that she was hesitant. I desperately wanted the words, but I didn’t want to push too hard and send her running. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to speak words that were not only completely repugnant to me, but shredded pieces of my heart. “Unless we decide not to mate,”—over my dead fucking body—“while we are together, you belong to me. Is that understood?”
“Yes.”
She’d answered so fast, without even a whisper of doubt, that my soul felt the slightest bit soothed. At least she hadn’t outright rejected the mating or demanded we be free to fuck other people. Now that I’d met her, especially after getting to know her, I knew I would never want another woman. Ever. And if she had wanted to see other men, well that would have just been too fucking bad. My possessiveness was reaching new heights and I was nearing the point where any man who looked at her would end up on a slab in the morgue. Or rotting in the woods having been torn to shreds by my wolf. That was also an acceptable option.
“One more time and I’ll let you come,” I purred, leaving another little bite near the crease on the side of her sex. “Who do you belong to, baby?”
A sense of deja vu hit me with those words and I waited with bated breath to see if this would play out that same as it had in my dream.
“You,” she panted.
The next words I’d uttered were on the tip of my tongue, but this huge, badass, motherfucking wolf shifter was too afraid to ask.
My lips wrapped around her clit and I sucked it deep into my mouth as I slid a single finger into her tight center. “Come, Rowan,” I commanded as I curled the digit into the perfect spot and bit her sensitive pearl.
Rowan screamed my name and it washed over me, urging me to keep working her, pushing her up and over the edge one more time before I allowed her to float back down and catch her breath. A purple shimmer had appeared around her while she climaxed, but it began to dissipate as I carefully removed her legs from around my head and caught her when her weak legs crumpled, and she tumbled into my lap.
“Nichyevo sebe,” she mumbled as she cuddled into my body and tucked her head under my chin.
“English, baby,” I reminded her with a low chuckle.
“Wow.”
I grinned and she poked me hard in the ribs, making me grunt in mock pain.
“Don’t get cocky.”
“You haven’t beg
un to see my cock,” I teased.
Rowan buried her face in my chest so that her laughter was muffled. Then she raised her head and smiled at me with twinkling lavender pools. “I’ll keep that in mind. But for now, we’ve got a vampire to hunt.”
I longed to stay right where we were and give her orgasm after orgasm, but she was right. We needed to eliminate this threat so that there was nothing hanging over our heads when I talked her into being mine forever.
25
Rowan
If life were simple, I’d base my choice of companion on the quality and quantity of orgasms I’d receive from them.
And the winner is…Jax Grady. My magic did more happy dancing and music from the Oscars swelled in my ears for a few seconds. I was too satisfied and relaxed to remind it that this was a hypothetical scenario.
Jax kept me securely against him as he rose gracefully to his feet. Then he gently set me down and crouched so he could draw my pants back up my legs. My stomach flip-flopped and my whole body heated when he paused to gaze at my center for a beat.
“So fucking gorgeous," he murmured.
Warmth blossomed in my chest, somewhere in the vicinity of my heart, but I didn’t look too closely at it, instead getting back to the task at hand. I took over, righting my clothes and returning all of my weapons and tools to their correct spots. With each one, I felt a section of my armor snap back into place, settling me back on solid ground and tucking my emotions away in favor of logic and cynicism.
I felt Jax’s eyes scrutinizing me and only when I was done putting everything back in its place, did I look up to meet his gaze. He searched my face for a minute, then disappointment flashed across his so fast, I almost missed it. A smile split his features, momentarily stunning me like it always did, and making me forget about the glimpse.