by Lexi Ostrow
Once more, his shaft was lined up with her wet center but not slamming inside her the way she wanted. Her control was slipping with every slow controlled stroke of his tongue, a stark contrast to the sharp bucks of her hips against him, urging him to sink into her ready core.
She felt his lips graze the column of her neck and then her collarbone before he pulled away and stared at her. His green eyes were dark with lust, and she could see herself reflected in them. Hers appeared the same, the cold, white-blue replaced by a blazing darker shade. She’d never seen any reaction like that before but wrote it off as the link they shared as Guardians.
“Are you certain,” Sean asked again, his eyes locking on hers even as hers shifted away to watch him palm his thick cock.
“If you ask me that again, I’m going to let you feel how ice isn’t always pleasant during sex.” She grinned wickedly a and thrust her body toward him, causing the smallest amount of his length to penetrate her.
Then she felt him, felt all of him, as he sunk his cock deep inside of her with one delicious thrust and his mouth claimed hers. Throwing her head back in pleasure, she didn’t stop the moan of pure ecstasy that pulled from her as her eyes slid shut. She could feel him smirk against her lips and didn’t even mind. His hips thrust slowly, and she forced herself to relish the sensation and not slam her body against his in a rush to find the release he’d begun to tease from her with his fingers. Snaking her hands around his body, she dug her fingers into his ass, feeling the cold tinges of ice.
“That was not playing fair,” he growled between controlled thrusts. His hand found her breast and kneaded it in rhythm with the strokes of both his tongue in her mouth and his dick in her body.
“Then speed up.” Grunting, she tore her mouth from his and thrust faster, drawing his cock deeper as he angled his hips to match her pace.
“I thought you’d never ask. I’m not the best at romance, but even I know fucking the woman I confessed my love to against the wall isn’t winning me any points.”
Looking into his eyes, she laughed. Sean was worried about the most amusing things. “I’m a girl who froze my emotions to not deal with them. I don’t need romantic. Not right now. I just need it to be you.”
That did it. Zach pressed a hard kiss to her lips before pulling back and pounding into her body with the feverish tempo she desired. Her body quivered, and she loved the feel of his pelvic bone grinding against hers as he fought to claim her completely. Her ass bouncing against the wall behind her added to the stimulation. Closing her eyes once more, rather than letting him see them cross in pleasure as her release coiled and grew. She could feel the small pulses of her release as her body gently clenched around his erection.
“Sean, please . . .” Her words were mere pants. Short and sharp, punctuated by his thrusts and the hot pleasure rising in her body.
Sean was feral like this. Untamed and fucking unstoppable. She’d known from looking at him he would’ve been written like this. She just hadn’t anticipated how perfect it would be to be claimed by a strong man. Every punishing thrust made her orgasm crest closer and closer to the end.
Without warning, she screamed his name—a harsh, loud shout that echoed around them as her release rushed through her, dizzying her completely. Sean pumped faster, his hand moving from the wall to her shoulders, gripping her tightly. A strangled groan came from him, and she felt his release, their bodies pulsing together even as they ceased thrusting to revel in the pleasure they’d created for one another. Her breaths were heavy pants —long and deep pulls to suck in the air she lost during the power of her orgasm.
Moments passed, and the only sound was their breathing, the only sensation the pounding of her heart in her chest. Finally, Sean released her shoulder and disengaged from her body as her legs unwound from his waist and her feet touched the floor.
The look on his face drew a small laugh. He looked as content as a cat after a bowl of warm milk. A generous smile curved over his face, and his eyes were open ever-so-slightly. His hair was as mussed as it could be with it being so short, and she couldn’t help but realize how sexy Sean was.
He tugged her against him, wrapping his arms around her. She’d never been held in an embrace by anyone other than Zach, but she rather enjoyed it.
“Sean?”
“Mhm?” He pressed his chin against her head, and she was shocked she hadn’t realized he was that much taller than her.
Zach had been shorter. Stop that, Marie. You can’t live in the past, and you can’t force emotions away again. You had one chance, and this man broke through it. Don’t ruin it. The mental pep talk felt hollow since she had clearly thought of another man in the aftermath of amazing sex.
“Marie?” He stroked a hand through her hair. “Are you thinking about Zach?” His voice held no anger, merely a concern she’d never heard from him prior.
Stepping out of his embrace, she searched his expression for any sign of annoyance. There was none.
“I was.”
He offered her a small smile but didn’t reach out to touch her. “That’s pretty typical. It happens less and less as time goes on.”
“It happens a lot less before you shattered my ice.” She hadn’t meant the words to sound as harsh as they did.
“Well, I’m not going to apologize for it.”
She sighed and put her head in her hands, shaking it for a moment. “I’m sorry, Sean. I haven’t grieved for Zach. I don’t know how to do that, not while trying to figure out how to fall in love with you.”
That did trigger a smile.
“We’ll take it slow. I’m pretty sure that was the best damn sex ever, but we don’t have to race into it again. Get your head in the game, then we can worry about your heart.”
16
Tiny pricks of pain broke out across his chest. Sean flew upright, launching the poor kitten off his chest. A sharp hiss followed, and he leaned over, breathing a sigh of relief to see Luna had clearly landed on her feet.
“I guess what they say about cats is true,” he mused as he leaned back in bed, content that Marie hadn’t raced off in the middle of the night.
Her eyes squeezed tighter shut and then opened. The normally cold blue seemed more vibrant, almost as if shattering the ice around her heart had let passion flood through her entire body, changing her.
“What do they say about cats?” she asked sleepily, stretching her arms above her head and causing her breasts to bounce with the action.
“If you do that again, I won’t be able to make certain we take it slowly,” he said through clenched teeth.
She smirked at him and tugged the blanket up over her chest. Last night, they’d had sex once more. It hadn’t been as explosive, but there also hadn’t been months of sexual tension ready to unleash the second time. The sex had still been amazing, and something he certainly wouldn’t mind doing two —hell even three — times a day if she would let him. They’d both agreed she needed to learn how to deal with grief before jumping into anything. He’d had his time to accept Stacey’s death, it might have taken him longer than it should have, but Marie would have him to help her when she felt overwhelmed with loss. Something he hadn’t even known was important until her.
“So, what do they say about cats?”
“Huh?” As soon as he asked, he remembered he’d spoken aloud. “You work at a shelter, and you have to ask what I’m talking about?”
She yawned. “Well, I’ve heard they have nine lives, but I’m fairly certain you didn’t kill Luna to know if that one was true.”
Laughing, he leaned back against the pillows. “No, I didn’t.” As if on cue, Luna jumped up onto the bed, meowing sweetly at Marie. “They always land on their feet.” He pointed to Luna for reference.
“Oh, that one.” She looked away from him.
“You’ve never heard it, have you?”
“Not at all.”
“I could sit here and talk about the differences in our worlds all day. And not because the
strategist in me wants to learn everything possible in case I wind up there.” He winked playfully at her, knowing full well there was no going back for either of them.
“Well, as utterly boring as that sounds, I hadn’t intended to leave Duke alone last night. After the trauma he went through, it’s hardly fair. Doggie door and food aside, he needed me last night.”
That got his attention. “What trauma?”
She sighed as she sat up, tugging the sheet with her to keep herself covered. “I hadn’t wanted to tell you, simply because I didn’t want yesterday to be about what we were, but about who we are.”
“Go on.” He narrowed his eyes and watched as a small flurry of snowflakes began to fly around her fingers, something he’d learned meant she was annoyed.
“The brothers paid me a rather lovely visit.” Her words were practically hissed, and the snowflakes flew off her fingertips, somehow changing into ice shards as they pinned into his wall.
“Your powers are fucking scary. I’m just throwing that out there before I ask why they were with you, that way if they get scarier and I scream or something, my man card isn’t in question.”
That earned him a slightly less angry scowl than she’d been wearing a few seconds before.
“They seem to think that, in my damaged state, I’m a prize to be won . . .. Or more accurately, a slave to be bought.”
Anger shot through him at the words. His fists clenched even as the other muscles in his body tensed, ready to punch something. Taking a deep breath, he blew it out through his nose and said nothing. While he might know he loved Marie, she wasn’t his to protect, and he knew she would be pissed if he acted like it a second time.
“You’re not going to ask if I can be?” Her question held a dangerous edge.
“I know you’ll do what’s best for you. You took this assignment because you had no other choice. I know the brothers can’t logically change your side of the war, not with everything we’ve been told, but I’m betting that won’t stop the jackass in leather from trying.”
It seemed to be the proper response. “Thank you for trusting in me.”
She fiddled with the sheet, something oddly weak for who he knew her to be.
“Before you, I honestly had thought of throwing it all away. Not switching sides, I know where I belong, but leaving for good. I didn’t want the gift of life if I’d be living it without Zach. Now I know there are other people to live for.”
Sean could tell she was utterly at peace with her words. However, it didn’t stop him from latching onto the fact that, for a moment, she’d wanted to return to the books. In his eyes, that was the same as death. There were a lot of things he tolerated, but a coward’s way out wasn’t one of them. He bit down on his tongue so hard he tasted blood. Things were finally going very well with them, and he wasn’t going to condemn her for a weak moment that she was clearly over.
“Well, in that case, I’m rather fond of your decision, and as much as I enjoy having you naked in my bed, you have another man to get back to.”
Laughing, she got out of bed and bent over for her clothes, giving him a rather enjoyable view.
“I think I’m going to be the one in the doghouse when I get home. Can I snag a cup of coffee for the road? I’ve never been fond of hot drinks, but I am a changing woman.” She winked playfully at him.
Getting out of bed, he walked over to her and wrapped her in his arms, doing his best to ignore the sensation of skin-to-skin contact. Dropping a quick kiss on her, lips he released her. “I think I like these changes. Grab yourself a cup. Let me hop in the shower and rinse off real quick, and then I’ll see you out.”
Her face twisted into a look of surprise. “Are you implying I’m dirty and you need to clean up after me?”
Laughing he started walking toward the shower. “Oh, you most certainly are, though that wasn’t what I meant.”
Fake sulking, she tugged her shirt over her head. “Oh, just get in your shower already. I have a dog to get home too.” She didn’t even wait for him to respond before she just sauntered out of the room.
He couldn’t sense his brother anywhere. “About fucking time,” he snarled as he opened up the doorway to the military man’s home.
His brother had followed his ass across fourteen different book worlds in the past twenty or so hours. Thankfully, he was more willing to break the rules than his brother was, and he’d convinced another of his Guardian’s to sacrifice their life for a blocking spell. Witches and warlocks truly were indispensable for his needs.
Marie had eluded him the day before, but only because his brother had made it a pissing match. The woman was emotional, so something had changed, but it didn’t mean she wouldn’t listen to reason. In fact, her life might mean more to her with her emotions fully intact. The threat of death might not work, but he could always go after that drooling dog of hers. She’d seemed to care greatly about the mutt. Regardless, she was not leaving the house until he was satisfied with her place in the world — dead or alive. Though he had to admit, if she chose to go back into her story, it meant a Word Speaker on his side could pull the deadly Ice Demon out at a future date.
Stepping through, he heard the sound of coffee brewing coming from his left. He wasn’t certain where in the house Marie was, only that she was there. Hopefully, her new partner—what was his name? Sean—wasn’t there. Turning, he was pleasantly surprised to see the swish of white hair as Marie stood up from picking a kitten up off the floor.
“Now, Luna, you have to keep Sean in line. I bet he thinks, just because I like him now, I’ll be some obedient partner.”
The cat meowed as he cleared his throat. Ice flew at his head instantly, and with a wave of his hand, Marie and her icy blasts froze.
“I can’t keep having you attack me. Not when I have so much to offer you.” He felt the cat rub against his leg as he walked closer to Marie, and he frowned. “Pets are useless. I cannot divine how someone of your talents took such a liking to the beasts.”
Marie fatuously tried to speak.
“You aren’t the brightest Guardian, are you?” He said with a smirk. “When I control you…” He walked next to her and whispered in her ear, “I. Control. Everything.”
Taking a step back, he relished the look of horror on her face. She wouldn’t agree to be on his side of the war but perhaps she would if the difference was life or death. He couldn’t afford to just extinguish someone with as much power as her, but he couldn’t fucking let any broken and battered Guardians think there was hope for them. He had made a rather strong disturbance in the balance when he’d left Guardians without their Word Speakers. Naturally, that meant he was rather unfond of the situation Marie and Sean had found themselves in.
“Now, I do believe we were having ourselves a pleasant little chat earlier before my brother interrupted.”
She struggled again to speak, and he smirked.
“My, you are stubborn. Seems all my brother’s players have that in common . . . a lack of common sense and a stubborn streak.”
Her eyes flashed with anger, but she didn’t try to speak again.
“Back to the topic at hand. I’ve come to you today with three choices. One of which you will choose, or I will choose for you. Don’t worry, you’ll be able to speak when it’s time to pick. For the moment, why don’t you just . . . chill.” He grinned at his terrible joke.
“You see, Marie, I went to great lengths to murder Word Speakers and Guardians on my brother’s side. Not that I need to tell you, your Word Speaker was a causality. So you can imagine my distress at the situation transpiring between you and the human who owns this home. If word got out that Guardians could go on, happily go on, then all my work was for nothing. I underwent a lot of torture for pulling off my plan, so I’m rather invested in making certain it doesn’t fail in the eleventh hour.”
She was straining to speak, the muscles in her neck bulging as her face went red with effort.
“Oh, for the love of everyth
ing. Fine, I’ll let you speak. But if you start shouting or do anything I’m not interested in, I’ll snap your neck before you can blink. And before you think I won’t do it, one of your choices is your death.”
Her nostrils flared at the words, but the look in her eyes made it appear she would behave. So, he allowed her to speak.
“You’re going to regret this,” she said in a low, deadly voice.
“Ahh, so you will cooperate then. Brilliant! Now, for your choices three. Join my side of the war, and you and Sean will be protected, go back into your book like a good little character, or die.” He sat down on a kitchen chair and leaned back. “Personally, I don’t care which you choose any longer. But, before you think to double cross me, should you decide to join my side, I will bind you to me with a blood oath so you cannot possibly double cross my warriors and me.”
“I have no intention of ever joining your side. Sean wouldn’t either.”
“Hmm, that’s funny. I don’t recall offering your vanilla boy toy a spot. No matter. That offer is gone, and now you have two. Your literal death, or your spiritual death. Which seems more appealing?”
She snapped her jaws at him as if she were trying to bite. “Which ensure no harm comes to Sean?”
“Did I say any did?”
His tone was dark, and Marie said nothing in response.
“Tick tock, tick tock. Choose, or I will choose for you, and I can promise you that my choice will certainly include the other Guardian’s death.”
17
Rubbing the terry cloth towel over his short hair, he stepped out of the shower, whistling a random tune. He hadn’t realized how miserable he’d been the past few years, but damn was he grateful someone had been looking out for him. Dropping the towel to the tile floor, he looked up as if addressing God.
“Thanks for this. I had lost faith in you.”
The words had been meant for the brother in the trench coat, though if there was a biblical God, Sean supposed it could be directed to him too. It was the truth. After Stacey had been taken from him, he’d lost any religion he’d been written to have, which he hadn’t minded. But when the brother had never so much as shown up at her funeral, he’d written the prick off as well.