The plan should work as long as no one was watching too closely. And as long as the tattoo shop was under surveillance, Jillian should be relatively safe. “They’ll have to wear identical clothing and…the details aren’t important until we know if she’s willing.”
Elias spun back around and typed a command into the wide console. Images scrolled across the six monitors, more interior shots replacing the data. Jillian’s bedroom appeared directly in front of Elias and Odintar tensed. He’d known they were under surveillance, but seeing the actual image made him much more uncomfortable than the knowledge that they were being watched.
Jillian sat on the side of her bed, back to the camera. She was dressed in a bathrobe and she was working the tangles out of her damp hair. She must have opted for a shower rather than the bath he’d suggested. The first sob was so soft, Odintar wasn’t sure what he’d heard. The second shook her shoulders. She set the comb aside and covered her face with her hands.
“Turn it off,” he commanded as he headed for the door. “And leave it off!”
Elias’ only response was a knowing chuckle.
* * * * *
Emotions pelted Jillian like sensory hail. Burning anger urged her to pummel the walls while loss leeched the strength from her body and made it hard to breathe. She wasn’t even sure why she was so upset. The feelings had overcome her without warning as she stepped out of the shower. She crossed her arms over her stomach and rocked back and forth, tears flowing freely down her cheeks.
Odintar knocked on the door, but she ignored him. She’d had enough of his detachment and pointless rationalizations. Life as she’d known it was over, whether she liked it or not. The things she’d thought were important, the things she’d worked so hard to achieve, seemed meaningless now, as if they belonged to someone else.
He knocked again, calling her name, and loneliness consumed her anger, leaving only aching isolation. She covered her mouth with one hand and clutched her waist with the other. How could emotions be so painful?
“Answer me or I’m coming in.”
She lowered her hand and tried to shout at him to leave her alone, but she was sobbing too hard to speak.
He flashed into view and rushed to her, kneeling on the floor in front of her. Placing his hands on her knees, he spoke in a calm, clear voice. “You’ve strangled your emotions for days while your power keeps making them stronger. You must let them out.”
As if she had a choice. An especially violent sob tore through her chest and she covered her face with her hand. Staring into his compassionate face was only making it worse. “Go.” She sobbed. “Away!”
“Hit me.” He lightly grasped her wrist and pulled her hand away from her face.
She glared at him, unamused by the ridiculous suggestion.
“Your abilities are amplifying your emotions. It’s going to take more than tears to defuse this storm.” He stood, pulling her to her feet right along with him. “Now hit me.”
Suddenly thrilled to oblige, she balled up her fist and swung. Her knuckles connected with his jaw and she cried out, shocked by the pain shooting up her arm. “That hurt!” The realization made her furious, so she swung with her other hand. He absorbed the force with a barely audible grunt that snapped what remained of her control. She swung and kicked at him wildly, lost in a haze of fury and sorrow.
For a while he just let her hit him, apparently hoping she’d wear herself out. Then he began deflecting her blows and blocking her kicks, controlling her movements as her tantrum continued.
Finally, when it was obvious that violence alone wouldn’t drain her overload, he urged her back against the wall. He pinned her hands above her head and sealed his mouth over hers. She arched and twisted, tugging against his hold, but he easily restrained her as his lips explored. He was exasperatingly patient as his mouth slid and pressed, his tongue gently teasing.
She’d wanted to kiss him for days, imagined them sharing all sorts of intimacies, but not because she’d momentarily lost her mind. She didn’t need his pity and she refused to be indulged. Her fists clenched and her chest burned. His tenderness only made the ache worse. She wanted him wild and out of control, consumed with passion. Did he feel nothing but obligation when he touched her?
Jerking her face to the side, she panted harshly as his mouth brushed the underside of her jaw. “Stop it.” She tugged against his hands. “That’s enough. I’m better now.”
He laughed, his warm breath fanning her skin. “Why do you think I waited so long to kiss you again?” He shifted her wrists into one hand and collared her throat with the other. “There’s no way in hell I’m stopping now.” Their gazes locked, hers wide and uncertain, his glowing with passionate promise. He tensed and frustration hardened his expression. “Unless this really isn’t what you want.”
“It is.” The admission sent carnal hunger twisting through her abdomen. “But why’d you change your mind?”
“I didn’t. I’ve known this would happen since we first met. I was just waiting until you were ready.” Before she could argue further, his mouth covered hers again. This time all hesitation was gone. He tilted her head to a better angle and deepened the kiss.
Parting for him, she greeted his tongue with the warmth of hers. She inhaled his breath, intoxicated by his spicy-fresh scent. She’d dreamed of this, imagined it over and over as they trained. They weren’t harming anyone with this indulgence and she refused to feel regret.
He tore his shirt off over his head, separating their mouths for just a moment. The kiss was even more intense when their lips found each other again. She wanted to touch him, needed to feel the bunch and flex of his muscles beneath her eager fingers, but he refused to release her hands. She pulled against his hold, making a disapproving sound in her throat as his tongue moved in her mouth.
If you touch me right now, gennari, this will be over before it’s begun.
There was that word again. It was obviously an endearment, but she’d have to ask him if it had an exact translation. Later. Much, much later.
If you lose control, we’ll just start over. She kept tugging and he finally let go. Rather than going straight for his jeans, she stoked her way along his neck, across his shoulders and down his arms. Every inch of his body was honed to perfection, yet his skin was incredibly soft. She squeezed his rock-hard biceps and shivered, immediately imagining another body part that was equally hard.
With frantic urgency, he disentangled her belt and tore open the front of her robe. Then he bent to her breasts and closed his lips around one nipple as he worked the other with his fingertips. She arched, savoring the firm suction of his mouth, feeling it all the way to her clit. They’d barely begun and already her body was thrumming, threatening to combust.
His mouth switched to the other side as his hands explored her straining body. She wanted his touch everywhere all at the same time and she couldn’t stop touching him. It was as if they fed off each other, as if they’d been starving for years. He grasped her hips and rocked against her, showing her just how right her imagination had been. He was long and hard, more than ready to fill her emptiness.
He lifted his head and looked at her, his breathing as ragged as hers. “Gods, I need inside you.”
She was too keyed up for subtleties. With nearly violent motions, she unfastened his jeans and freed his erection, stroking the shaft boldly from base to tip. “Now. Put it in me now!”
Firmly grasping her waist, he slid her up the wall. She braced herself against his shoulders and wrapped her legs around his hips. His tip found her slick entrance and then he paused and looked into her eyes. He didn’t say anything, but sapphire rings warned of his consuming passion, his need to possess.
She groaned, trembling as anticipation coiled through her, amplifying the emptiness. Her body was a reflection of her life. Her old world had been hollowed out, ruthlessly emptied by forces beyond her control. Now she was ready for new experiences, new challenges and new companions. Slowly, oh so slowl
y, he lowered her onto his cock, filling her inch by incredible inch. She stared into his eyes as he pushed deeper and deeper into her body. This was just sex, a much needed release of pent-up emotions. So why did it feel so different, so important?
A knowing smile curved his lips as his pelvis pressed against hers. He didn’t move, didn’t thrust wildly as she’d expected. Instead he widened his stance and eased his hand between their bodies. He pressed against her belly, accenting the fullness inside her. She wasn’t sure what he was doing until his thumb found her clit. She gasped then shivered as he caressed the sensitive nub.
“Squeeze me.” He whispered the command against her parted lips.
She tightened her inner muscles and he echoed her groan. His thumb circled her clit, sending mini-tremors vibrating through her core. It all felt wonderful, yet she wanted more, needed the strong slide of him in and out and against her. “Please,” she cried. “I need you to move.”
“Then let go. I’m not moving until you come.”
With a frustrated hiss, she pressed her head against the wall and closed her eyes.
“No. Look at me. Offer me your pleasure.”
She’d never responded well to sexual commands, but her body didn’t seem to care. Her core tensed, rippling with the start of an unexpected orgasm. She opened her eyes and his finger joined his thumb, applying pressure with a careful pinch.
The pleasure burst deep inside her, flowing along her inner muscles in a series of rhythmic clenches. She rode the wave gladly, instinctively reaching for his mind.
That’s right. She felt his excitement responding to hers. Share it with me, love. Let go.
Before the last spasm eased, he pulled his hips back and drove his shaft deep into her. She gasped and clutched his shoulders, riding the pleasure to an even high peak. He caught the back of one knee and spread her legs so he could move fast and hard between her thighs.
She felt off balance and out of control, so she wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him helplessly. Their faces were side by side now as he drove into her again and again. He took her with hard, deep thrusts, filling her completely with each stroke.
Her body responded to his skill and the demand with which he moved, but her mind resisted the penetrating intimacy of their link. She wasn’t afraid of him, knew he would never harm her, but she wasn’t ready to share herself so completely with someone else.
His hands shifted to her ass and he thrust his entire length into her pulsing core. For just a moment his energy blazed into her mind, consuming and possessive, yet…beautiful. Then he withdrew from her mind and pulled out of her body, spilling his seed against her belly.
She gasped and bit back a disappointed cry. “You didn’t have to do that,” she whispered. “I’m protected.” Against pregnancy sure, but what about STDs? Safe sex practices had been the furthest thing from her mind as she ripped open his jeans and begged for him to put it inside her.
Shame chased a shiver down her spine. Was this how it happened with her mother? One moment of booze-induced weakness and her life changed forever?
“The concerns of humans don’t apply to us. We both have Bilarrian blood. Each time we join, our link will expand, even if I don’t come inside you. If I do, the expansion will happen that much faster.” He wrapped his arms around her as he pulled her away from the wall. “Judging from your reaction just now, I didn’t think you’d welcome a deeper bond.”
Clinging to him more to hide her face than out of any fear that he’d drop her, she tried to figure out why his statement stung. She had retreated from their connection and he didn’t sound angry, just disappointed. Still, the observation made her feel like a coward. She’d freely offered her body, yet blocked his access to her emotions. It was a strange dynamic, nearly backward from what she’d experienced in the past. And the past dynamic had been incredibly hurtful. He was the one who should be upset.
He set her down on the bed and hurried to the bathroom. She was looking around for a box of tissues when he returned with a wet cloth. Rather than hand it to her, he wiped his seed off her skin with obvious disappointment. With each gentle swipe of the cloth, her heart broke a little more.
“I’m sorry.” The word slipped past her lips before she could stop them. A few minutes ago they’d both been breathless with pleasure. How had the mood turned so dark so quickly?
He tossed the washcloth in the general direction of the bathroom and crawled onto the bed. Without looking at her, he lay on his back and folded his hands behind his head. “You have no reason to apologize. If anything, the fault is mine. My lack of control made you feel guilty and that was not my intention.”
The formality with which he spoke revealed more than his words. His Mystic mask was firmly in place, but he was obviously pissed. Well, maybe not pissed but upset.
Wishing he’d pulled down the covers before making himself comfortable, she lay on her side and propped her head against her hand. “Pretending you don’t feel anything is just as dishonest as pretending you do. I don’t want that sort of relationship for us.”
He pulled her toward him until she rested half on and half off his chest. Their faces were only inches apart. “Is this a relationship or were you just caught up in the moment?”
Unless she wanted to push him away, she better find the courage to be brutally honest. “I know this was more than just sex. Even as emotion-drunk as I was, I felt the difference.”
“That’s too bad,” he whispered, his lips brushing over hers.
Her brow creased and she searched his gaze for an explanation. “Why is that too bad?”
A slow, sexy smile parted his lips and desire ignited within his eyes. “I was hoping you’d require a more elaborate demonstration.” He suddenly rolled, sweeping her beneath him as he went.
She laughed then sighed as he parted her thighs with his knees and settled between her legs. “I welcome your most elaborate demonstration if you answer a question first.”
“All right.” He bent and nipped her earlobe, obviously not willing to indulge her for long.
“You keep calling me gen-nau-ry or something like that. What does it mean?”
“Gennari is the old Bilarrian word for sweetheart.” Secrets swam in the depths of his dark eyes. A hint of red flashed for an instant and then was gone.
“Does it have an alternate meaning?”
“It might.” He chuckled then claimed her mouth and drove all speculation from her mind.
Chapter Seven
The following morning Odintar woke up slowly. He felt contented and lazy for the first time in months, perhaps years. Jillian cuddled against his side, her head resting on his shoulder. Their second bout of lovemaking had been nearly as frantic as their first. He wanted to slow down, to savor every touch and tingle, but their need seemed to explode as soon as skin met skin.
Determined to awaken her tenderly, he stroked his hand down her bare back as he rolled to his side. She wiggled against him, her leg insinuating itself in between his. Desire hardened his cock and sizzled through his blood. She was so soft and warm, inviting his touch with breathless sighs and sensual arches. How could any mortal man resist?
He’d known touching her would be amazing, but he hadn’t expected the soul-deep ache to join with her completely. Although he probably should have. He’d called her gennari the first time he held her in his arms. What he’d told her last night was true. Over the centuries gennari had become a generic endearment, like sweetheart or dear, but it also had a deeper meaning, one most had forgotten.
When a Bilarrian male encountered his soul’s mate he declared his intention to claim her by calling her gennari in front of her family. Then he pursued her, seduced her, did everything in his power to convince her to accept him as mate.
Is that what he wanted from Jillian?
He smiled into her soft hair. Could there really be a doubt when every molecule of his being ached for her?
Brushing her hair back from her face, he kissed his
way to her mouth. Her lips parted with the first touch of his. She whispered his name and passion spiraled through his body, igniting his senses and stimulating his energy.
No! He would not be swept away by his desire. She didn’t trust his words, so he would show her how important she was to him and how wonderful the rest of their lives could be.
His mouth moved over and against hers, his tongue gently tracing the space between. She allowed the teasing dance for a few moments then touched her tongue to his. He sucked, drawing her tongue into his mouth. She gasped and her fingernails dug into his back.
He rolled, wanting her beneath him, needing to feel her arch and wiggle for more of him. Her legs parted automatically and she tangled her fingers in the back of his hair as he like to do with her. His tongue slid against hers and curled around hers, finally slipping between her lips.
Their link vibrated as emotions pulsed from their minds. He sent a scorching wave of carnal hunger across the connection and felt her shudder in response. Her body accepted the exchange without question or reserve, but her mind soon registered the source of the sudden heat and blocked his access to her emotions.
Refusing to be deterred by her instinctual reaction, he concentrated on physical sensations. She needed time to learn to trust him. If he rushed her, he would likely destroy the progress they’d made so far.
He made love to her mouth, sharing his breath and filing her with his tongue. She rubbed against him, her nipples distinct peaks abrading his chest. Her hands were just as greedy as his, moving over his back and squeezing his ass.
He shifted his weight to his knees and reluctantly released her mouth. Their gazes locked and he smiled. “Good morning, gennari,” he whispered then kissed his way down her throat.
Her breasts were perfect, wonderfully round with dark pink nipples. He cupped the fullness of one while he explored the other with his mouth. Her skin was silky against his lips, her nipple already puckered. He closed his teeth on the very tip and heard her gasp. “Too hard?”
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