by Eden Ashley
“That was definitely worth the wait.”
“Yeah?”
“Oh yeah,” she said and kissed him.
He moaned against her lips and stroked her back, getting hot all over again. When she broke away, he pulled her in for another kiss. “Did I hurt you?”
“No,” she said and pressed her warm mouth against his neck. “You actually healed me. No more bruises,” she said between kisses. “And my headache is gone.”
Brain more than a little foggy, he decided to test the waters. “Exactly how long has it been since we were together?”
The kisses stopped as she stiffened. He could see the slight frown when she pulled away. “Do you mean together as in sex, or just together?”
“Uh…” Damn. It was time to come clean. He exhaled deeply. “Kalista…I don’t remember.”
He heard her pulse kick into high gear and winced. Through the wolf’s eyes, he had memories of her wrath. It was never pretty. Forcing his eyes to lift to her face, he relaxed a little on seeing no anger there. Only worry. She squeezed his hand. “What did they do to you?”
His fingers twitched as nerve endings ghosted the pain of decapitation. But there was something else. Something infinitely more excruciating had happened just before that. Was it good or bad that he couldn’t recall?
“Rhane?”
Her voice snapped his thoughts back to the present. Gently cupping her face in one palm, he wished the Primes hadn’t taken so much. But at least he could finally be back in her life. The mercy of the Primes mandated a solitary provision. If he brought the statue back to Golden Mountain, they would release Warren. Then both the boy and Rhane could return to their former lives. But the only way to get the statue was by working with rogues. Somehow those creatures had obtained a list of several possible coordinates to the artifact’s hidden location. But rogues and Warekin shared a tumultuous history. Rhane couldn’t quite understand how either side could tolerate working with each other.
Maybe the ends justify the means.
Kalista called his name more loudly a second time. “Sorry,” he said quickly. He really didn’t want to go into detail about his ordeal. But then again, he really couldn’t. Only flashes of the torment he’d endured were left behind, burned into the wolf’s memory as it rallied to the surface.
“I was tortured. Every day, I think. Unable to kill me, they tried to break me. When I didn’t break, they tried to take away everything I’d fought and lived for.”
“How is that possible?”
“By beheading,” he said, and she gasped. Tears sprang to her eyes as he continued. “As the vessel of a true immortal, I cannot die. But parts of me can. Just as if I lost a hand and had to grow it back, separated from my body,” he tapped his skull, “my brain died. All of my memories died with it.”
“Then how did you know who I was?” She was sobbing now. He couldn’t remember her ever crying. Seeing it now hurt almost as much as losing his head.
“I could never forget you, Kalista.” He brushed a thumb against her cheek, wiping away the tears there. “Luckily, a large part of my memory was connected to the bane wolf. Not only does it recognize you as my other half, the part that makes me whole, I can also remember everything I’ve ever seen through its eyes. I remember the emotions and memories I used to control it. It’s a lot. But it’s not everything. There’s this huge gap I can’t explain. I remember you from a long time ago, but then I remember you as you are now. You’re different. The same, but different.” He tugged one of her silky curls and watched it spring back into place. “It’s very clear to me how I feel about you. And this.” He turned her left hand over, fingering the thin bands around her wrist and finger. “These say you are mine.”
She gave a short laugh, smiling sadly through her tears. He wasn’t entirely sure what to make of that outburst. “Do you remember why you were punished in the first place?”
“Yes. I killed a lot of my own people.”
“But why did you do that?”
He shook his head slowly. “I only remember seeing the body of a boy.” His gaze held hers and guilt threatened to overtake him. “Our boy.”
She nodded. “Rhane, why are you here? Why were you at the bank?”
He frowned at the abrupt subject change. “It’s a part of my release. If I bring The Siren’s Heart to the Primes, they will let Warren go and allow us to come home to you.”
“Okay.” She wasn’t crying as hard anymore. That was good.
Leaning forward, she brought her face within inches of his. The motion also created quite a bit of friction between her breasts and his chest. Rhane momentarily lost focus.
“The wolf knows I wouldn’t lie to you, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then listen closely.”
Chapter 23
Rhane lay quietly listening to distant echoes travel throughout the catacombs. He and Kali were side by side on the cave floor, facing each other. They would have to part ways soon, but Rhane wasn’t ready to do that. Kalista had given him so much to take in. He suspected this bitter sting of the Primes’ betrayal had hurt just as much the first go round.
“Before I left, my father whispered in my ear, ‘Jethra was the messenger.’ It all makes sense now.”
Kalista bit her lip. Despite the situation, he wanted to start kissing her again. Her brow furrowed thoughtfully. “Jethra is your grandmother?”
He nodded. “She was the one who delivered Rhaven to me. Her actions freed you to fight.”
“So she’s on our side? That’s good, right?”
“I’m not sure.” Placing a hand on her hip, he tugged her closer and let his fingers trail languidly down her back. “To let things go so far, she must have been complicit to some extent in the plot against my father. The Mothers knew about this conspiracy all along.” Tracing her navel with the tip of his finger, his lips curled into a smile when her breathing quickened. “That means they’re probably using me now. Getting rid of my memory was the only way to bring me in as a pawn in their scheme. Banewolf is powerful.” He kissed her stomach, flicked his tongue lightly against her skin. “Immortal.” His mouth moved up her stomach, meandering to suck at her breast. “He’s the ultimate weapon.”
“God yes.” Her back arched, pushing his face into her swells. She panted, clutching at his shoulder. “So what are you going to do,” she gasped.
“We’re going to find the Heart and use it against them.” Switching from tongue to teeth, he nipped her skin between his incisors, just short of causing pain. “But first, I’m going to have you again…” He rolled her onto her back, sliding the length of his body against hers. “…and again.”
Shuddering, she pressed her fingers against his mouth, preventing it from burying against hers. “Okay,” she agreed in a voice heavy with lust. Rolling onto her stomach, she brought her legs beneath her and thrust her perfect buttocks into the air. Rhane groaned as his need abruptly became a throbbing ache. Inching backward, she rubbed against him. His body jerked and he hissed, automatically gripping her hips in both hands. Tossing her dark locks over one shoulder, she turned to look at him. Her devilish smile would have corrupted an angel. “But first,” she said. “Let’s make that wolf of yours howl.”
#
Her body still tingling in afterglow, Kali moved behind Rhane with as much stealth as possible. With the mask and cape tied to his belt, now she could enjoy the view as he led them through darkness. His long muscles rippled beneath dark leathers, but his tight ass didn’t budge at all—it was quite distracting. Kali was having a difficult time keeping her mind on the task at hand. From the suggestive that glances slid over her body every five minutes, Kali knew that Rhane suffered the same struggle. But they had an important mission to complete, and Rhane seemed determined to see it through.
How much time they’d have together was unknown. Rogues were present, searching within the catacombs for both Rhane and the statue. To them, she was the enemy. And since Rhane’s memories were
supposed to be gone, she should have been the enemy in his eyes as well. The plan relied on them remaining undetected for as long as possible.
The circumstances were dire, but Kali was done holding back. No more secrets could be allowed to stand between them. Yet, a hefty one dragged behind her like an anchor.
Rhane already knew the worst of it. What else was there to do except tell him? Moved by that reasoning, Kali just blurted it out. “When the Builders took me, I was already pregnant. It was after…it was after River.” She stopped. So did Rhane. His back went completely rigid, but she pressed on bravely. “I don’t know what happened to the baby. And I don’t know who fathered it.”
As he slowly turned, Kali saw Rhane’s eyes had gone completely wolf. He came closer, and she couldn’t take the next breath. Just as quickly, everything about him was Rhane again. Two very intense green orbs locked onto her face. “No matter what,” he said. “The child is mine.”
Kali could have cried. Swaying with relief, she gripped his forearm and he steadied her. Pressing his lips against her forehead in a kiss that warmed her through and through, Rhane took her hand and led her forward.
They walked for nearly an hour before the landscape shifted. The twists of the tunnels became steep declines. At one point, Kali felt as if she were no longer walking upright, and leaned almost parallel to the ground to keep from falling. The terrain gradually dropped off from either side of them, leaving nothing except the pitch of absolute emptiness. Kali carefully watched her footing, but when the earth rapidly started to crumble from beneath their feet, there was little to do. With zilch to stand on, they both began to fall. Kali’s descent ended abruptly as she dropped onto a rocky ledge that jutted out from beneath the initial passage. Slamming into the side of the rock, Kali gripped the cliff and held on for dear life. Still sinking, Rhane jumped, but had no footing on the disintegrated ground. She watched in slow motion as his leap came up short, imagining the abyss swallowing him whole. Kali’s hand shot out and grabbed his. Summoning inner strength from another life, she lifted him onto the ledge beside her.
Rhane took a long look into the cavernous hole, but seemed pretty blithe about the plummet he’d almost taken. “Thanks,” he said, and grinned.
Her heart was beating out of her ears but she attempted to match his spirit. “You won’t get away from me that easily.”
Rhane laughed. “My getaway would be way less painful and better planned than that.”
Considering their surroundings and the fact that they both dangled from the side of a rock face, Kali wondered which way they would go next. She felt the soft stream of escaping air, and the two of them must have looked up at the same time. High above, and about ten feet from the ceiling, was an opening to another tunnel. “How the heck are we going to get up there?”
Shifting his grip, Rhane easily hoisted himself onto solid ground. Then he turned and crouched over the edge to look down at Kali. Glancing up at the tunnel and back at her, he winked. “I might have to get a little furry.”
The strain on her shoulders prevented her from shrugging them, so Kali rolled her eyes impatiently. “Are you going to pull me up or what?”
“I’d rather stay here and enjoy the view,” he said, and blatantly stared down her blouse.
She laughed. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
Rhane was different. It was impossible not to notice how frequently now his lighthearted charm overshadowed his serious and brooding moods. Maybe for him, losing four centuries spent pining after a lost mate and dead child was a good thing.
Lifting one eyebrow to challenge the mocking grin he wore, Kali thought of the swiftest way to wipe it off his face, and promptly let go of the ledge.
Rhane’s hands immediately shot out, catching her wrists even before she had even begun to fall. Standing safely on the ground next to him, she didn’t miss how Rhane’s breathing had deepened. It wasn’t due to any exertion on his part. Every fleck of humor had fled his face. “That’s wasn’t funny.”
Despite the danger in his eyes, Kali giggled. “I knew you wouldn’t let me go.”
His grip on her tightened almost roughly. “Never,” he said. The subsequent kiss cemented that promise, leaving Kali hot and dizzy when it ended.
“Back away from me, Kalista.”
A fog of lust momentarily sapped her coherence. “Wh—what?”
Smiling, he looked up pointedly. “I need you to back away.”
“Oh. Right.”
When she reached an acceptable distance, the changes began. White fur rippled across his arms and face, and Rhane’s dark hair bleached as white as virgin snow. His features elongated. Limbs reshaped. Rhane’s wolf didn’t emerge to swallow a human form as with the other Warekin, but seemed to unite two species into one unique creature. The whole process was fluid, beautiful…and breathtaking.
She reached out, yearning to touch this hidden part of her mate. But the great wolf snarled, shaking its massive head.
Rhane’s voice drifted faintly through her head. Hang on. Don’t have control yet.
“I know,” she said and let her hand cross the gap. Her fingers closed around Banewolf’s silky fur, and the immortal settled beneath her touch, lowering its head and shoulder to graze the ground at her feet. She stroked the wolf’s velvety ear, reveling in its softness. “You’re magnificent,” she whispered.
If it were possible for wolves to smile, this one did. Climb on.
With Kali safely onboard, the wolf scaled the rock face and reached a formerly unreachable tunnel in seconds. Switching on her flashlight, Kali slid from its back and watched with fascination as the wolf became human once more. And then it was Rhane who crouched in front of her.
“Seeing you do that makes me want to jump your bones. Is that weird?”
Grinning, Rhane unfolded to his full height. His eyes were still shifting as he stalked toward her, changing from black to the otherworldly green that was so unique to him. Kali couldn’t help sighing as his arms slipped around her, tugging her body close. Tilting her head backward, he licked and nipped her throat. His tongue was hot. His teeth were rough. His touch was wildly sensuous and dangerous in only the way Rhane could be. Just like that, she was hot for him all over again.
“Yes,” he said, finally answering her question. “But I get little turned on when you’re pissed off and full of fish scales.” This time he kissed her lips. Cupping her ass, he lifted her higher, crushing her mouth and body against his. When he released her, Kali’s breathing was a bit scarce. “I do not have fish scales.”
“Well mermaids certainly don’t have snake scales.” His tongue found her ear, slipping inside to work its slow and moist magic. Kali almost forgot to argue. “I’m not a mermaid,” she said between pants.
In the next second, solid rock pressed into her back as he pinned her to the wall. One hand fisted into her curls, tugging forcefully as he kissed her again. The flashlight rolled from her fingers as her legs folded around his waist, urging him and all his heat closer. Feeling the thickness of his arousal, she squirmed, anxious for the moment he’d be inside of her. But Rhane pitched his hips forward, pinning her tighter. His eyes dared her to move again. “All you need is red hair and a prince.”
“I’m not—” she began, but his hips thrust against her and she didn’t remember the words.
“I know what you are,” he murmured.
Every inch of her was on fire, and his very breath became pure torment against her skin. Her stomach tightened. Her body twitched, craving more of him to touch her. For him to be inside her. “Damn you. Just take me already.”
He tugged her hair again. Pulling her head to one side made room for his mouth to work more agony against her flesh. “You’re a siren.” His hand slipped beneath her blouse, curving around an aching mound. “You’re dark.” His fingers squeezed her nipple, making her moan into his mouth. “You’re beautiful.”
As cool as Rhane’s exterior appeared, it was unmistakable how badly
he wanted her, since his hips were pressed between her knees. Apparently, extending her torture and feeding his inner sadist took priority over satisfying any primal urges he felt.
“You’re mine.” He ground against her, and throbbing heat nearly pulled her apart at the seams. Her entire lower body moved in spasm.
“Say it.” His hips rocked again, and Kali swore she was about to come to pieces, fully clothed, right there in his arms.
She held on. Gritting her teeth, she leveled a defiant stare to his dark gaze. “You’re mine.”
Rhane growled. “Good enough,” he said, and suddenly her shirt and jeans were being stripped away. The damp air chilled her skin, but the heat from Rhane’s searing body replaced any warmth she lost. She could have shouted from pleasure at finally having him naked and on top of her. Parting her legs, she offered herself to him. Her muscles were taunt, ready to receive every inch he had to offer. As he gripped her hips and dragged her toward him, he suddenly stopped. Thinking he was teasing her again, Kali hissed in frustration.