by Kane Jewell Ruse McCall Anthony McKay Sax Slayer Michael Burke Logan
Next, he tore open a premedicated gauze bandage and placed it on her leg wound. Then he unrolled a length of self-adhesive wrap, tore it off, and wrapped it around her leg to keep the bandage in place. He cleaned the wound on her head, his heart twisting as she whimpered in pain.
He closed his eyes and stroked her back. Her breathing slowed, and she fell asleep with her head resting against his heart.
The rocky surface dug into his back and ass, but Calix was so damned happy to have Sezri in his arms, he didn’t care.
* * *
Sezri’s eyes fluttered. Warm and comfortable, she wanted to sleep. She rubbed her muzzle against her soft bed, and a familiar scent registered in her brain. She jerked up her head, and pain spiked through her skull.
What the hell? Klatt! She looked around. They were wedged in a crevice between several boulders. Klatt was propped up against a rock and she was sprawled over him. How? Why? When?
Then it all came back like a fast-moving storm. Thunder rolled through her head and lightning stabbed the backs of her eyes. She’d completed the mission, but she’d been wounded. That explained the pain, but not why Klatt was here.
Had the team made it back? She’d led the patrol away, but had something gone terribly wrong? Had they run into trouble? Klatt would have the answers.
He must have found her last night and carried her into this crevice. Overhead the sun was bright and soon the enemy would scour the area searching for the culprits who had blown up their installation.
Sezri pricked her ears forward and lifted her muzzle. Her wolf senses were her best weapon now. If the enemy was close, their scent and movements would give them away. She heard the chattering of birds and caught the scents of the small animals that lived in the rocky terrain. And Klatt’s male aroma.
She laid her chin on his chest and breathed deeply. His wonderful male scent curled through her nostrils. She only allowed herself an indulgent moment, then the disciplined soldier overruled the sensual she-wolf. She had to talk to Klatt about finding a better hideout. This crevice was too exposed if the enemy was searching by air.
Using her sharp teeth, she removed the bandage. Her leg was slightly swollen, but the wound would heal when she shifted. Sezri knew it was going to hurt like hell.
Sezri summoned her lycan energy, gritted her teeth and shifted. Bone, muscle and skin stretched and reshaped. Her torn flesh knitted, sending stabbing pain down her leg and spiking through her skull.
She swore aloud, something very unladylike.
“Sezri.”
She looked up, her gaze meeting his. Her head still hurt, but the throbbing of her leg had disappeared. He’d called her by her first name, but she was unable to return the greeting with equal familiarity. “Captain.”
His gaze dropped, sliding over her nakedness for a few heated seconds before returning to her face.
Her heart skipped a beat. Changing fur to skin was second nature to werewolves, and her team had seen her in stages of undress. But this was different. This was Klatt, the man she had erotic dreams about. They were in the middle of enemy territory and here she was thinking about sex. Just looking at Klatt made her think about sex. She should be thinking about the mission and getting back to base in one piece.
“The team, did they make it back?”
“Your team is fine,” he said, glancing at her leg. “You’re the one I’m worried about.”
The shift had healed her wounds, but the skin was red and she had a killer headache.
“I’ll live,” she said, rubbing her right temple. She pushed light brown hair off her face. She preferred a short spiky style that was low maintenance. “I need painkillers and clothes.”
“Painkillers are in the med-kit.” He leaned forward, pulled off his brown T-shirt and handed it to her. “I didn’t think about bringing clothes.”
Sezri slipped the shirt over her head. It was warm and smelled like him. She pulled the hem down over her breasts and hips.
Covering her private parts didn’t stop the sizzle. Besides a handsome face, Klatt had wide shoulders, muscular arms, a smooth chest and a six-pack belly. All of it tanned to golden perfection.
“What are you doing here, Captain?”
He picked up the pack and dug out the med-kit. “Taking care of you. The chopper will pick us up tonight.”
“I don’t recall you coming into enemy territory to save my ass being in the backup plan.”
“You wouldn’t have left a team member out here alone.”
He had her there. She’d have done exactly the same thing. “So now there are two of us in jeopardy. CenCom is going to chew your ass for this one, Captain.”
“It’s Christmas. How about for the duration of this mission you call me Calix. You can kick my ass after the holiday.”
They were going to be alone together for hours, she wasn’t wearing underwear and he wanted to drop the formality of rank. Obviously, he had no idea what errant thoughts swirled in her she-wolf brain when he was near. “Not a good idea, sir.”
He grinned. “I thought you liked me.”
She liked him too much to indulge in this getting-closer banter. “We need a better hideout.”
He opened the kit and removed a sterile prepackaged needle. “I have a nice cocktail for you, antibiotics and painkillers. Pull up the shirt, soldier, and present your butt cheek.”
Sezri stretched over his lap and pulled up the hem. She’d had more than a few dreams about having Klatt’s hands on her butt. Her thoughts were so heated she didn’t feel the prick of the needle.
He tugged the shirttail down.
She pushed herself to her knees and looked up at the cloudless sky. “We’re too exposed here.”
He dropped the med-kit back into the pack and stood. “I’ll take a look around. You should stay off that leg. There’s water and an energy bar in the pack.”
While Klatt was gone, which wasn’t long, Sezri consumed the energy bar and took a couple sips of water.
“I found a cave,” he said. “It’s shallow, but it’s unlikely we’ll be spotted. I’ll carry you.”
“I can walk on three legs.”
“As soon as the sun goes down we have to get to the landing zone, almost fifteen klicks from here. You’ll need all the energy you can muster for tonight.”
He was right, shifting would sap her energy. He grabbed the pack and put it on. Then he climbed out of the narrow crevice and Sezri followed him onto the rocky hillside.
Klatt snaked an arm around her waist and for a couple of heartbeats held her close. Her breath caught and her senses went on sensual alert. Although it wasn’t part of the plan, Sezri was glad he’d come after her.
“Put your arms around my neck,” Klatt said, bending down and hooking his left arm beneath her bare legs. He lifted her gently. “Tell me if I’m hurting you.”
Her breasts were pressed against his chest and his face was inches from her. She let her fingertips trail over his warm skin and saw a flash in his blue eyes. “I’m fine,” she said, thinking perhaps he was as affected by the close contact as she was.
After a short distance, Klatt set her on her feet and took off the pack. The cave was about six feet deep with a shallow roof and a narrow mouth.
Sezri’s nose wrinkled. The cave smelled of rodent and big cat, telling her that she and Klatt weren’t the first to take refuge here. If they got in feet first, the space was barely wide enough to accommodate both of them. Close quarters, but the likelihood that they’d be spotted was low.
Klatt removed a space blanket out of the pack. He unfolded the thin, lightweight polyester blanket and spread it over the cave floor. “I’ll let you climb in first.”
Sezri got inside and lay on her left side.
Klatt removed the med-kit and a bottle of water out of the pack and placed them in the corner. He removed the handgun strapped to his belt and placed it at the mouth of the cave. The tight space shrank as Klatt squeezed in next to her.
Lying on his back, he
used the pack like a pillow. Then he managed to slip his arm beneath her head and drew her close. “Use my shoulder for a pillow.”
Sezri snuggled closer, seeking his warmth and the intimacy she’d hungered for since he joined the team. Her position was decidedly comfortable and totally inappropriate.
She closed her eyes and drifted into a light sleep. She wasn’t sure what awakened her, but she moved her head and looked at Klatt.
He raised his hand in warning. The familiar thwap, thwap, thwap of chopper blades filled the air. The helicopter made three wide loops over the area, then moved away.
“They’re searching for us.”
“I haven’t heard any vehicles,” Klatt said. “Are you okay?”
“I’m good.”
He dug in his pants pocket and pulled out a pack of gum. Sezri took two pieces and removed the foil wrappings. She popped one piece in her mouth and handed him the other.
After the gum had lost its flavor, they wrapped it in the foil and dropped it into the pack. When they left this hideout, they’d leave nothing behind to tip off possible searchers.
Sezri had no idea how long she lay in Klatt’s arms, but as each moment passed her awareness of him increased. She knew he was fit, but she’d never felt his hard-muscled strength firsthand. Her leg lay over his thighs, her breasts rested against his broad chest, and she found the feel of his six-pack abs irresistible. She ran her fingers up and down the center of his chest, each caress taking her closer to the belt resting low on his belly.
Unable to resist the temptation of him, Sezri pressed her lips to his right pec.
He turned his head. “What’s on your mind, Sezri?”
She tilted her head back and looked at him. “I’m glad you’re here. Really glad.”
“Feeling those painkillers?”
She reached up and forked her fingers through the dark strands of his hair and cupped his head. Part of her wished it was the painkillers. Then if things didn’t go so well between them she could excuse what she was about to do.
Sometimes you have to run for the objective and hope you don’t take a bullet.
She pulled his head toward hers. “This has nothing to do with painkillers.”
Then she kissed him.
Chapter Three
An explosion went off in Calix’s chest, a burst of emotion, need, and yearning that he’d been carrying around for several months. He was breaking more than a few rules, some set by the military, some he’d put upon himself, but he didn’t give a damn.
What mattered, really mattered, at this moment was the softness of Sezri’s lips, the urgency of her body clinging to his and the wild pounding of her heart.
Her mouth was hot, her lips soft and her tongue enticing.
An agonized groan tore from his throat, then he deepened the kiss. His free hand slipped beneath the T-shirt. Her skin was silky soft and velvety smooth. He palmed her ass and drew her tight against him. He wanted her. He ached to be inside her. His body trembled from the thought of it.
She whimpered and Calix broke the kiss. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“The shift healed my wounds.” She unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants. “Right now I need this.”
Calix gasped as her hand slid beneath the waistband of his underwear. She palmed him, her skin warm and her fingers agile. Her touch was enough to make him come.
If this moment had come anywhere else, he might have picked her up and slammed her against the closest wall, but she was injured and wild sex was off the table. He had to maintain control.
“Oh, God.” Calix worked his pants down his hips and Sezri removed the T-shirt. He drank in the sight of her. She was perfection. Her breasts were high and firm with inviting pink nipples that were made for suckling.
Gloriously naked, she climbed on top of him. Her amber eyes were shining, her breasts were velvet soft, and the moist entrance of her pussy was like wet silk rubbing the head of his cock.
Merry fucking Christmas!
He wanted to grab her by the ass and shove his cock inside her so far he’d tickle her belly button, but he didn’t dare take the chance of reopening her leg wound.
Somehow he had to slow down his urges. After months of wanting her, resisting the urge to fuck her hard wasn’t so easy, but having his legs restricted by his pants helped. He could barely move.
Easy. Easy.
“I didn’t think Santa was going to give me a present,” he said, surprised by the strangled harshness of his voice.
Sezri wriggled her ass, sinking down on him. The broad head of his cock slid inside her wet warmth and his heart rate soared.
She nipped his shoulder. “Santa knows you’ve been a very good boy.”
He cupped her breasts and his heart nearly stopped.
“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this present,” he said, raking his thumbs over her fabulous nipples and groaning. “How long I’ve wanted you.”
“I’ve wanted you for a very, very long time,” she said, rocking her hips and taking him all the way in.
“Santa, hell! I’ve died and gone to heaven.”
The pressure building in his balls was powerful. He didn’t want to come before she climaxed, but his body wasn’t cooperating. He released her breasts and slapped his hands on the firm ground, anything to keep his climax at bay.
She kissed him, nipping his lower lip while she squeezed down on him with her pussy. Clench and release. Up and down, wet silk along his length.
Fuck!
Calix bucked his hips, rocking beneath her. “You know I’m ready to explode.”
“And I want you to,” she said, slamming down on him hard and fast.
His blood burned and his heart pounded, impossibly fast. He grabbed her ass and exploded inside her.
* * *
Her energy spent and her desire momentarily satisfied, Sezri collapsed on top of Klatt. All she needed was a little rest and she’d be back in the saddle again, literally. She liked this woman-on-top position, and she’d wanted him too much and had waited too long for the sizzle he’d kindled to be extinguished in one quick mating.
There was a high probability the fire in her lycan blood would never be put out. Wolves bonded for life, and although human, Klatt was her alpha mate. He just didn’t know it yet.
Maybe now wasn’t the time to tell him. The poor human was still trying to catch his breath.
“Next time I think we should both be naked,” he said, rubbing her butt with his big hands.
“I kinda like the bondage. We could play prisoner and tormentor.”
He chuckled. “I didn’t know you liked being tied up.”
She brushed her lips to his. He cupped the back of her head and molded his mouth to hers. With each lush tangle of their tongues, the headache ebbed.
Sezri sighed when the kiss ended. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d been kissed so thoroughly. She liked it and she loved him.
Her life was going to get complicated. Taking a human as her alpha mate was going to be a tough sell to her family and her pack.
Her parents hadn’t exactly been ecstatic when she became a member of the paranormal special ops either, but they respected her decision and were proud of her service. Settling down and having offspring wasn’t what she’d wanted a decade ago, but now Sezri found herself rethinking the marriage-mating-family thing.
That’s what falling in love did, made you look at the future and reevaluate your goals.
Klatt moved his hips. “Damn, but I like being naked with you.”
She kissed his chest and his neck.
“How are you feeling? Anything hurting?”
“My leg’s okay. I have a headache. Nothing I can’t handle.”
“You’re too tough for your own good. When your chip wasn’t registering motion, I thought I’d lost you. If I had gone back to base, I’d have gone crazy.”
If the situation had been reversed, she’d have been terrified.
She raked her fi
ngers through his hair. “You came after me, and it’s going to cost you.”
“You’re worth it.”
“CenCom might bust your rank. In fact, I should kick your ass myself, but I have better plans for your ass, Klatt.”
“We’re getting up close and personal here and you’re addressing me the same way you do the team.”
Lying here with him still inside her was about as up close and personal as it got, but her feelings wouldn’t end when they got back to base. She didn’t want to slip up and call him by his first name. “You’re still my commanding officer.”
“I want to be more.”
“You are, Calix. You are.”
“Who would have thought our first kiss, our first time, would be in a cave deep in enemy territory.” He was running his hands over her butt, up her back and down again, touching, caressing, exploring.
“You keep doing that and I’ll get all horny again.”
“I’m already there,” he said. He was hard again, filling her.
When she squeezed him, he groaned. “I’m going to take off my boots and pants and do this right.”
“If we have to scramble, all I have to do is shift and you have only to pull up your pants.”
She rubbed against him, taking his length inside her, then retreating.
“If we’re spotted, we’re toast,” he said. “I’d rather die naked with you than with my pants around my ankles.”
He rolled her off of him and gently settled her onto her left side.
He yanked up his pants and crouched at the mouth of the cave. He removed his boots and clothing and set them to the side, filling the narrow space. As long as they stayed real close, they’d both fit.
He climbed back inside the cave, feet first. As his hips were sliding past, Sezri grasped his cock, then sucked the head into her mouth.
Using lips, teeth and tongue she suckled and licked until he was rock hard and groaning. She cupped his balls, giving his sac a gentle tug.
“Holy mama, don’t make me come. Not yet.”
She released him and licked her lips.