His growl shot right to her core, making her thighs clench, then clench again when his erection flexed against her. She smiled as he pulled her harder against him. She dug her hands under his shirt, the muscles under her fingers trembling. His hair was crisp, his nipples little hard nubs under her palms. She rubbed her hands against them and gloried in his moan.
‘Eloise,’ he groaned. ‘You’re going to kill me.’
She threw back her head and laughed, unable to hold in the joy only he could bring her. She’d had such little joy in her life, and to have it in this moment, with this man, was something truly precious she would remember for as long as she was able to hold onto herself.
His lips found her neck, sucking and licking, and another wildfire burst into life inside her. His hands found the edge of her shirt, his fingers gliding underneath. Skin on skin. ‘More.’ Her voice caught in her throat so it came out as a husky murmur of sound, a sexy purr.
‘Yes.’ His teeth sank into the place in her neck where her pulse pounded. The bite wasn’t gentle—it would leave a mark—but all she felt was the pleasure of it shooting through her nerves, pulling on her core. Something inside her was tightening, tightening. Any moment now, she might explode.
He licked the bite.
She cried out as the tension inside her pulled tighter, so tight it was almost painful.
‘Let go, Little Bird. Let go.’ His lips covered hers, his fingers gliding around to her stomach, flicking open the button on her jeans, then they were inside her panties, parting the swollen flesh at the juncture of her thighs, slicking in a wet glide through the folds to her core. She moaned into his mouth as sparking sensations went off inside her like little firecrackers, lights flaring behind her eyelids, the tightening sensation getting even tighter. ‘Please, please,’ she whimpered into his mouth, her entire frame shuddering and shaking with need.
‘Hold onto me, my Little Bird.’ His lips left hers again, running hot fire down her throat, back to her pulse. He closed his teeth over it again and pushed his finger inside her, rubbing his thumb against the nub of her clit.
She screamed as everything inside her imploded and exploded at the same time, wave after wave after wave, pounding through her, lifting her up and knocking her flat. Everything flew from her mind, from her grasp, as the most incredible sensation flooded through her.
It was joy. It was bliss.
It was Iain.
She came to, still clinging to him, his arms around her supporting her weight. She smiled up at him. ‘Wow. I think you literally blew my mind,’ she managed to pant out.
He smiled that smile that made her want to eat him up. ‘That was just the warm up.’
Too full of emotion, she kissed him. Didn’t stop kissing him when he gathered her closer and carried her across the room to lie her on the soft bed.
Iain came down on top of her, his legs sliding between hers, his chest pressing lightly against her breasts. They kissed for a little longer and then his lips left hers. She made to protest, but he took her earlobe in his teeth and sucked. ‘Oh, Goddess!’ His tongue dipped into her ear at the same time his hand covered her breast. He brushed his palm over her nipple, back and forth, rubbing her bra against sensitised skin, branding her with need—his, hers, theirs. The sensation was too much and yet not enough. Not nearly enough. Her fingers bunched in his shirt, pulled, ripping his T-shirt from collar to hem. Her gaze met his. ‘Sorry. But I need to touch you.’
‘Let me help you with that.’ He grinned and shucked off his torn shirt. ‘Now my turn.’ He pulled her upright and whisked her top over her head, tossing it aside. Muscles rippled on his chest, stomach, arms as he held himself above her, his skin golden in the light, his chest hair arrowing down his stomach, pointing to the huge bulge of his erection.
‘Oh,’ she breathed, her hand fluttering up to trace over him. Her mouth watered. She wanted to take a bite.
‘Go on,’ he said, shifting so he was lying on his side.
Hers. He was saying he was hers. Her gaze raked over him. She wanted to kiss, to lick, to nip, to suck. But where? What would please him most? Then she saw his nipple peeking through the dark sprinkle of hair dusting his chest.
She leaned over and touched her tongue to his nipple.
His breath hissed, stomach muscles tensing. Unable to stop herself, she ringed him with her tongue and then bit.
He tensed, a low rumble sounding deep in his throat. Encouraged, she did it again. Kissed her way across the expanse of his chest, pushing him flat on his back, and did the same to the other nipple. His erection flexed against her stomach and she looked down at it. She wanted to see it. She’d barely got a chance to appreciate it last time, to savour. She wouldn’t miss the opportunity this time.
Fingers traced down the muscles of his stomach, dipped into his belly button before settling on the button of his jeans. He jerked as she popped it open and pulled down the zipper, pulling the flaps apart, exposing his boxer shorts. They were soft blue cotton and fitted him like a second skin—the kind you saw in underwear ads and always seemed to be improbably filled. Those models had nothing on Iain.
She pushed his jeans and boxers down so she could see it for real. He helped her by kicking them off and then he lay still.
His penis was huge and erect, glorious and proud and begging to be touched. She ran her finger around the tip, amazed at how it flexed against her hand, at how silky soft the tight skin was. She wrapped her hand around the shaft, exploring the width. Iain hissed, a sound of pleasure. She felt his pleasure deep inside as if it were her own. The tightening began in her core again, panties soaking wet with her desire. His penis would soon press into that soaked flesh, parting her, pushing into her—and she wanted that. Oh Goddess, how she wanted that—but first, she had to taste.
Bending over, hair brushing against his stomach and thighs, she put her mouth to the tip of his penis, tongue circling the rim near the top before she sucked him into her mouth.
‘Fuck!’ Iain’s hands dug into her hair, but she didn’t stop. She kept tonguing him, tasting him, taking him into her mouth as far as she could and then sliding out again. He tasted salty and sweet at the same time and she couldn’t get enough. Over and over, she slid her mouth down on him, twirling her tongue around the tip, her hand at the base, holding him steady. Then suddenly he reached down and pulled her up across his chest. ‘Not yet,’ he muttered. ‘I don’t just want your mouth.’
‘Come inside me then.’
‘I want you naked first.’ He covered her mouth with his again in a drugging kiss that completely took her over. His hands slipped over her shoulders, down her back. He slipped off her bra, then her other clothes and she was lying on him, skin to skin. Rearing up, he held her, chest to chest and then pushed into her in one, glorious stroke.
Her back arched as she took him in, breath a gasp in her throat as he sank right to her core. He kissed her, a tongue-tangling intimate sharing, and then he lifted her hips, showing her the rhythm, and she began to ride him, hard and fast. He sank back, taking her with him, guiding her hips into a different position, taking him even deeper. Muscles trembled, tightened, tensed as if ready to explode. So close. She was so close. His lips left hers and sucked her nipple into the warmth of his mouth.
She cried out as the orgasm took her, muscles tensing then exploding in a pulsing rhythm against him, around him, and all the time he continued to suck her nipple and move inside her in a way that kept the orgasm cresting over and over.
Finally her muscles quivered to a stop and she flopped down over him, panting, exhausted, replete. ‘You’ve wrung me dry,’ she murmured against his chest, a smile etched into her face that felt like it would never disappear.
‘I’m not done with you yet.’ And he flipped her over so she was on her back, and lifting her legs, entered her again and began to move slow and firm against her. She watched him through slumberous eyes, amazed that she could have orgasmed so hard and yet he was building her up again. One of
his hands moved from her hip, his thumb brushing over the apex of her sex near where they were joined, touching the nub of pulsing nerves and he moved harder into her.
‘Oh!’ Lights sparked behind her eyes and the muscles in her womb pulsed and spasmed. ‘Do that again.’
‘With pleasure.’ His thumb moved in circles as he moved in and out of her.
‘Harder. Faster,’ she demanded.
His answer was a smile and then his lips were on hers as he moved just like she’d asked. They reached their peak together, falling over the edge of the abyss to land safely in each other’s arms, him still pulsing inside her, long and hard and thick, like he had before.
She must have fallen asleep, because some time later, she woke up with a start. ‘Goddess! What time is it?’
His lips were instantly on her brow, his fingers stroking down her arm, along her side. ‘Shh. It’s okay. You have time. We have time.’
He was still inside her, growing larger. She looked up at him, a smile quirking on her face. ‘My, Mr Wolf. What big …’ she let her gaze roam down to his groin and then back up, ‘… teeth you have.’
He laughed. ‘I’ll show you how good big teeth are,’ he said and then his lips were on hers again, his fingers moving lower, his groin moving seductively against hers, and she fell into the madness of passion once again.
She lay in his arms after, watching the light of the moon as it crossed the room, rising higher and higher until she could ignore the significance of it no longer. ‘It’s almost midnight.’ She turned and kissed him softly. ‘I have to go.’
She ached at the thought. She didn’t want to leave this room, leave him, but she had no choice. At least she had this. She’d wrap the reality of what she’d just shared with Iain around her like a shield. It made her stronger. Many people never experienced anything even remotely like what she and Iain had shared in the last few days. She would take those memories and smile into the face of whatever darkness was to come.
He kissed her one more time, one long, drugging pull of a kiss before he pulled out of her and rolled away.
Cold rushed through her. She hid her shiver as she hastily got up.
‘Eloise?’ He brushed his hand down her naked back, an intimate caress she would never have imagined sharing with such a man before him, his touch leaving melting warmth in its wake.
‘Yes?’ She looked over her shoulder and into the warm depths of his chocolate eyes.
‘You are mine.’
‘I have always been yours.’
His smile almost broke her heart.
They dressed quickly and then Iain led her to the kitchen where he made her a cup of tea and scrambled some eggs.
‘I’m not really hungry,’ she said. ‘The tea is enough. Besides, I have to get down there.’
‘It’s only just past 11 pm. You have time to eat. You have to keep up your strength,’ he said, placing a large plate of eggs and toast in front of her. ‘Please eat. It will make me happier if you do.’
He smiled at her in that way that made her shiver in delicious anticipation. She ate, for him at first, but as the food hit her stomach she was suddenly glad for it. He was right. Eating food he’d made for her did make her feel stronger.
Once done, he took her hand and led her back down to the lift. He held her hand as they dropped back into the earth, then he silently led her down the hall to the door at the end, behind which Cain lay, waiting.
At the door, he stopped, a look on his face that was difficult to define. ‘What?’
‘I know what you said to the others, but don’t ask me to leave your side. I can’t do it.’ His fingers flexed in hers.
Her lips trembled and she looked away. ‘He’ll kill you. I won’t have you …’
‘Let him in, little sister. I promise I won’t hurt him. Yet.’
She gasped, turning around, trying to find Cain’s Shade, ignoring Iain’s worried questions.
‘Where are you?’
‘Near my body. Waiting for you. Let the wolf-man in. He might prove useful later when we want to leave. Maybe I’ll even let you bring him along as a plaything. I can see you’re fond of him.’
‘You just want him there to hurt him, to hurt me. But you won’t hurt him,’ she said, arms going out in front of Iain. ‘I won’t let you.’
Cain’s laughter shivered around her. ‘You’re not very trusting, are you, little sister? I promise I won’t hurt him if he doesn’t stop you from doing what you said you would. Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a finger in my eye and all that. Happy?’
‘I’m not anywhere close to happy.’
Iain touched her arm, gathering her attention to him; a simple touch that vibrated down to her core. ‘It’s Cain isn’t it? What’s he saying to you?’
‘He wants you to come in. He promises he won’t hurt you.’
‘Good. I’m coming in anyway.’
‘I don’t trust him.’
‘Neither do I. But I was coming in whether he wanted me there or not.’
‘Oh, he’s so macho and brave. I almost admire him for that.’
If he didn’t try to stop her. That was the problem. If he came in, Iain would stop her. He couldn’t help himself. There was no way he was going to let her do what she needed to do for the basic ceremony, let alone what would come after. And while Cain didn’t know what she had planned, he knew the Were wouldn’t stand still while she cut herself open and bled to bring him back. Iain would try to stop her and Cain would kill him.
Eloise squeezed her eyes closed. This was a horrible disaster. But what could she do? She had to do something.
‘What are you waiting for, little sister? It’s almost time.’
The door opened in front of them, the curtain that surrounded the bed billowing out, as if waving them in.
She had no choice. She had to enter. Iain moved before her, his body shielding hers as if still trying to protect her. She loved him for it, even as she railed at the futility of it. Nobody could protect her from Cain and what he wanted to do. Nothing could stop him except for death.
Her death.
And there was only one way to stop Iain from meeting his death tonight at Cain’s hands.
‘Remember, you promised not to hurt him if he doesn’t stop me,’ she said to the shadowy form in the corner near the bed.
She couldn’t see his face but heard the smug smile in his voice as he said, ‘I know exactly what I promised. I won’t go back on my word. Will you?’
‘I’ll do what I said I’d do.’
Eloise took in a deep breath, her gaze going unerringly to Iain’s as he turned to face her.
‘What do you need me to do?’
She held out her hand. He took it. Warmth surged through her, along with sorrow that this was the last time he’d hold onto her and she’d feel it. ‘I’m sorry, Iain. Please forgive me.’
Before his face even registered the grief in her voice, she clapped her hand on his shoulder, her fingers squeezing on two points as power shot through him. He stiffened as the blow sizzled through him, his gaze shocked. ‘Eloise, no!’ he gasped and then his eyes rolled up in his head and he fell forward.
Chapter 23
‘This is bullshit. We need to get down there, now.’
‘It’s not time yet. He’ll know something’s going on. We’ll go down just before midnight.’
‘But that’s almost an hour from now!’
‘I can’t stand around doing fuck all.’
‘You’re going to have to.’ Cordy put her hands on her hips, brows arched.
Marcus snarled and then turned around, paced, mumbling to Adam as he passed him, ‘You try to change her mind. She’s not listening to me.’
Adam opened his mouth but Shelley put her hand up. ‘Don’t. Just don’t.’ She looked around wildly, head pounding, the spirits yelling at her now, crowding closer and closer. She couldn’t take Marcus’ and Adam’s arguments too. ‘I’m getting out of here.’
She turned and
marched for the door. There was a commotion behind her, but then only one set of steps followed her.
‘Shells, are you okay?’
Cordy. Shelley lifted her hands in despair and turned to face Cordy. ‘Why won’t they listen?’
‘Because they’re Were males. And they’re not the kind of men to stand idly by and wait, even when they know it’s the right thing.’
‘I don’t like waiting either.’ They seemed to do nothing but wait. Wait to see what Morrigan was going to do next. Wait to see what new disaster might befall them all. Wait to see what would manifest from these new powers that had been thrust upon them. Although hers weren’t so much new, just enhanced and more difficult to ignore. Especially the bloody spirits who just wouldn’t leave her alone tonight. She pressed her fingers against her aching head.
Cordy touched her shoulder. ‘Leave them to me. Go for a walk and clear your head.’
‘Thank you.’ She slipped away as Cordy went back into the room and explained again to Adam and Marcus the need to give Eloise space to do the spell. The fact that they couldn’t bully away Cain’s threat to hurt more of them. ‘We have to take him seriously.’
As Adam’s voice rose again, protesting the witches’ trust in what Eloise reported Cain had said, Shelley sighed and raced outside. She supposed she was being a bit unfair, getting pissed off at Adam and Marcus for being who they were—Were males who had worrying about their pack woven into their psyche. It was just that it all felt like the last straw. She’d been trying so desperately to hang on, to ignore the spirits who wouldn’t leave her alone, but tonight it was becoming impossible.
‘Fuck,’ she hissed as the spirits pressed in on her. They were agitated about something, shouting so loudly she couldn’t understand. ‘Leave me alone.’ But of course, they just pressed closer. ‘Right. You give me no choice.’ She stalked to the dam in the home paddock and, without pausing, waded in.
Shifter Bound Page 26