This time he didn't hold back. His lips slammed into hers, hard enough to bruise, but she didn't care. When he sat down on the bed, her legs bent with him so she sat straddling his narrow hips. She speared her fingers into his unruly locks, balled her hand into a fist, and tugged on his hair. She felt his cock jump against her and a fizz of electricity shot through her as she remembered the feel of him inside her.
Strong hands pressed her closer before hot fingers made their way under her shirt. He traced the lace of her bra before pinching her nipple through the fabric. Heat coiled within her and she moaned into Thorn's unrelenting kiss. He pulled back, both of them struggling to breathe. His white-hot eyes stared at her as he tugged at her shirt.
"This needs to go." His was voice hoarse as he lifted her shirt over her head and threw it away.
Lena knew she should feel exposed but the look of adoration on Thorn's face made her heart swell. All other thoughts just disappeared, the borrowed courage still empowering her. Without taking her eyes from Thorn, she reached around and unhooked her bra. Thorn's beautiful eyes widened as she held the fabric for just a second before letting it fall away.
Her nipples pebbled under his intense stare. She arched back, aching for him to touch her.
Thorn dipped his head and flicked his searing tongue over one pert bud before sucking it into his mouth. Lena gasped as he teased her, rolling, sucking, nibbling.
Yet still she needed more.
She rolled her hips, rubbing her core against his rock-hard erection. The pressure against her sweet spot was almost enough. Almost, but not quite. Holy Mother, she needed him.
Thorn sensed the change in Lena. Her need for him threatened to overwhelm him. And it made his own all the more difficult to ignore.
She continued to rock against him as he moved to tongue the breast he had neglected. He rolled her other nipple between his fingers whilst his teeth paid close attention to its twin. A growl rumbled deep in his chest as Lena moaned his name. She tugged at his shirt hard enough that he released her taut nipple with a pop and brought his head up. His cotton tee-shirt ripped as she tore it from him and Thorn chuckled.
He liked this Lena. He liked her very much.
Small, delicate hands butterflied across his chest as she leant forward to nuzzle his neck. His hips arched towards her and one of her hands dipped lower. His cock jumped as she ran her nails over his crotch, his jeans doing little to dull the sensation. It was all he could do not to come there and then. And they still had most of their clothes on. That needed to change. Right now.
As if reading his mind, Lena reached for his belt, then his fly. She lifted herself off him to pull his jeans down his long legs. She damn near broke his ankles when she wrenched his boots off and threw them halfway across the room. But the look of pure hunger on her face as she raked her eyes up his body was its own reward. If it meant he got to see that look again, he'd let her break every fucking bone in his body.
She stood, staring at him, wearing just her tight combat trousers. And those boots. Gods, he loved those boots.
She bent down to start tackling the umpteen buckles stretching from her ankles to her knees.
"Uh uh. Those stay on."
Lena's head snapped up. "What did you say?"
Thorn's eyes sparkled as he stared at her. "I said, the boots stay on."
More of an order than a statement, it sent a tantalising shudder through her, making her clench her thighs at the promise of what was to come.
"The boots stay on?" she asked, in case she'd misheard. She didn't know Thorn could be so playful. It excited her.
There was one small problem. "Haven't you forgotten about these?" she asked, tugging at her combats. She'd like to know how she was supposed to get them off and keep the boots on.
Thorn came up off the bed. Towering above her, he grabbed the front of her trousers and with one, strong hand, he yanked. Lena wobbled forward but gasped as the fabric split at the seams. One more pull and what was left of her uniform and her underwear fell to the floor in tatters.
She stood there watching Thorn as he drank her in with hungry, golden eyes. His gaze went up her body from her boots to her lithe legs and lingered at the top of her thighs. I can be playful too, she thought as she widened her stance, a coy grin pulling her mouth.
Thorn's white-hot gaze shot to her face, his eyes boring into her. Such heat, such hunger.
Lena couldn't stand it any longer. She reached into his dark hair and pulled him in for a kiss. The kiss was hard, both their fangs fully extended, both needing, each starving for the other.
Thorn tasted that delicious mix of cinnamon and spice as Lena's tongue danced with his. Her miris pulsed through him, sending almost painful bursts of electricity to his very core. His cock jumped against her svelte stomach, reminding him just how much he wanted her.
Keeping his lips on hers, he picked her up, swung around and laid her on the bed. Conscious of his own weight, he came down on the mattress to her side. He broke the kiss and saw Lena's glowing, blue eyes stare up and him; her need for him making his breath hitch.
He bent down to kiss her lips before moving down to her jaw, the delicate curve of her neck, her collarbone. Lena's breath stuttered. She arched into his kisses as he made his way lower.
Hovering over her pert breasts, Thorn looked up. Her brilliant, aqua-marine eyes widened as she watched him capture one taut nipple between his lips. He maintained the eye contact as he teased her with his tongue. She broke it as his fangs scraped over her sensitive nub. Her head fell back and she bucked as she called his name.
Thorn continued to play with her-licking, sucking, nibbling. His hand swept over her toned stomach and down between her thighs.
This time it was Thorn who lost his concentration. He butterflied his fingers over her core and could already feel her slick wetness. Holy Mother of Fae!
Growling, he abandoned her exquisite breasts and moved so he knelt between her legs. He had never seen anything so beautiful. Completely hairless, glistening in the glow of the night-light. It was all he could do not to take her there and then. But he wanted to savour this, make her come over and over again.
Lena watched Thorn as he knelt between her legs, looking at her. Almost reverent he stared at her for an age, a look of wonder on his face. She wiggled her hips and Thorn snapped out of his trance. A deep, rumbling growl left his lips as he shifted position. Before she realised what he was about, he dipped his head and ran his searing tongue up her cleft.
White-hot electricity shot through her and she would have come up off the bed had Thorn's strong hands not kept her firmly in place. He moved her legs so that they draped over his broad shoulders and dipped his head again. Lena trembled as Thorn kissed her inner thigh. Small, gentle kisses trailed towards her core. When he reached his goal, he started with slow, deliberate licks, his burning tongue adding pressure with every pass over her throbbing clit.
Thorn was in heaven. No doubt about it.
As he teased Lena with his tongue, her delectable bonding scent became heady as he drank in everything she had to give. He got quicker with his tongue, relishing the feeling of her boots pressing into his back, her body becoming more and more tense as he toyed with her.
When he sucked hard on her clit, the umpteen buckles on those boots dug into his flesh as she strained against him. Not usually into pain in the bedroom, this time, he was glad of the pinching either side of his spine; it kept him in the game, stopped him from drowning in the moment.
He sucked hard as he pushed a finger into her. Slowly at first, he circled her delicate opening before sliding back in. Lena moaned and god damn it if it didn't send a new wave of need through him. He wanted more.
He quickened his movements, sliding two fingers in and out whilst he added even more pressure to her clit with his mouth. Lena's moans got louder, her body more tense. She was so close, Thorn could feel it.
Jesus Christ, Thorn was relentless. Every move he made drove her closer to the
edge. His fingers pumping in and out, his tongue swirling. As Lena arched against him, she felt his fangs scrape against her delicate flesh. It was more than she could bear.
Every nerve in her body exploded and she screamed his name. Waves of exquisite pleasure washed over her, her body twisting as she tried to understand the assault on her senses. The first wave diminished but another followed close on its heels. And then another. A golden light ignited behind her eyes and for a moment it blinded her. Thorn was everywhere.
And she couldn't get enough of him.
Thorn sat back on his haunches and watched the last shudders of Lena's orgasm ripple through her body. By all that was Seelie; she was magnificent.
As the last tremor abated, Lena looked up at him from underneath hooded lids. Thorn held his breath as she stared at him, a delicious grin spreading across her beautiful mouth. Her gaze travelled south, scorching him with those burning, aqua-marine eyes. She sat up, reaching for him at the same time. Thorn couldn't contain his moan as her fingers wrapped around his cock.
She looked back up at him, that smile returning. "I want to taste you."
Thorn hissed. Holy fuck!
Lena stroked his erection, her delicate hand not big enough to encircle him completely. Bringing herself up on her knees she dipped her head and kissed the tip of his cock. Her smile broadened when he jumped in response. His reaction to her seemed to spur her on and she took him into her hot mouth. "Fucking hell."
He was too large for her to take all of him at once, so she stroked the base of his cock with her hand. She sucked him and moved back up to the tip. She ran her tongue over him and tasted the saltiness of his pre-cum. That small taste reignited the heat within her.
She swirled her tongue around the tip once more before taking him into her mouth again. Up and down, up and down, taking as much as she could. Her movements quickened and Thorn's strong hand pierced her hair. The growl that emanated from him seemed to shake the entire room.
She looked up at him and found him watching her. Those white-hot eyes glowed as he watched her slide back down his shaft. She sucked as hard as she dared, knowing full-well that her fangs were pressed against his most delicate flesh. Pulling back, she intended to take another taste of him, but she never got the chance.
Thorn pushed her away. She reached for him again.
A strong hand blocked her path. "For the love of Fae, Woman. Stop!"
"But I want to," she whispered.
"And believe me, there's nothing I'd like more, but you carry on and this will all be over far sooner than I want it to be."
One more touch from that mouth of hers and he'd shoot his load. And as much as he'd love to come in her mouth he wanted to be inside her even more.
Lena laid back down and he was on her in an instant. He took her mouth with his, hard and fast as he nudged her legs apart and settled himself at her core. Lena accommodated him, spreading her legs wide.
Thorn broke the kiss. Breathless he said, "I can't wait, Lena."
She snaked a hand over his hip and gripped hard, urging him forward. "Neither can I. I need to feel you, Thorn."
He drove into her slick opening. They both cried out and for a moment he regretted being so rough with her, but Lena moved with him, not against him. He pulled back and slammed into her again. She met his passion with her own, raising her hips so he reached even deeper within her.
Jesus, this wasn't going to last much longer.
As Lena tightened around him, he was so close to the edge it was almost painful, but as he dipped his head to nuzzle her neck, another need took over. Lena's heartbeat echoed around his head as his mouth hovered just millimetres from her carotid. Thud. Thud. Thud. So loud, it was all he could hear. Unable to stop himself his fangs trailed over the vein.
She stiffened beneath him and Thorn froze. Too far Thorn, too far. Fuck. He swallowed hard and forced himself away from his true goal.
Looking down at her, guilt flooded his heart. No longer a brilliant aqua-marine, the glow of her eyes had faded. She stared up at him for the longest time, searching his face. He saw something change in her; a dark shadow skirted across her face before she reached up and speared his dark hair with her fingers. She pulled him back down, pinpricks of pain erupting over his scalp.
Just a second away from piercing her flesh with his razor-sharp fangs. That's all it would take. Just a second.
Lena sighed. "Just take it, Thorn. I'm tired of fighting."
Thorn's world stood still.
The need that had been all-consuming deserted him, washed away in the ice-cold shower of her words. It wasn't supposed to be like this.
As Thorn withdrew from her, Lena's body mourned the loss of him, but her mind felt nothing but relief. She regretted giving him permission as soon as the words fell from her lips, but honestly, she was tired. Tired of fighting, tired of feeling like she'd lost her mind, tired…of everything.
She couldn't bear to look at him as he collected his clothes from the floor. She heard him pulling on his jeans as he made his way to the door.
Shame enveloped her, the emotion so strong, it threatened to suffocate her with its potency. Red-hot tears pricked her eyes as she gasped for breath and a heavy weight settled in her heart. Lena sat up, rubbing her sternum trying to ease the pain in her chest, just in time to see Thorn disappearing through the door.
She heard his heavy footfall fading as he made his way down the hall. Her brow knitted. The further away he got, the more the shame seemed to dissipate. By the time his footsteps faded completely, the feeling had almost gone.
Lena swallowed hard as realisation dawned; though the emotion felt like her own, it wasn't. Tears trickled down her face. The deepest shame she had ever known, belonged to Thorn.
Chapter 28
"Can someone please tell me why the hell I didn't computerise all the damned records?" Mercury said from somewhere underneath a mountain of parchment.
Sky threw an empty Coke can at him. "'Cause you're a lazy fuck, that's why."
"Look who's talkin', fucktard," came the reply.
Kaden sighed. They'd all become lazy. They should have kept accurate records, even for the Houses whose members died long ago. What with the death of Logan and Jett in such quick succession and the fucking Fallen lurking round every bloody corner, they'd got kinda side-tracked.
Maybe Soraya was right; some of the old traditions were worth hanging on to. Like librarians.
He put his own pile of paperwork back in the box it came from, stacked the box with the ton they'd already been through and made his way to the storage room for some more. As he came back out, he walked straight in to Skylar. Boxes and files went flying into the air as the two of them collided.
"Jesus Fucking Christ, Skylar! Watch where you're going."
Skylar winced. "Sorry, Boss. I didn't see you," he said before starting to clear up.
Kaden bent down to help. "Whoa, hang on a minute. You can't just lump it all together."
"Can't see as it matters, Boss," Skylar replied as he continued stuffing wads of paper into whatever box came to hand. "We're never going to find it."
That just wasn't acceptable. "Our honour depends on it."
"Yeah, well. I don't hold out much hope," Skylar said as he carried on stuffing papers. Of course, he wasn't paying attention to what he was doing and as he added yet another stack to his over-laden crate, the lot toppled back onto the floor.
"For the love of all that is Fae," Kaden breathed as he kicked a batch of parchment off his foot.
"Here, let me help," Skylar said.
Kaden stopped him. "Just go and help Mercury, and get the hell out of my way."
Skylar nodded and handed the few leaves of parchment he still had in his hand to Kaden. Kaden plonked down on one of the upturned crates. Maybe Skylar was right. Maybe it was hopeless. He let the parchment Skylar had given him fall to the floor. The pages fluttered to the ground like autumn leaves in the breeze.
He held his head in his
hands. This was a fucking disaster. The only lead they had came from Marin, the last Vampire on earth Kaden wanted to trust. "Fuck!" Kaden shouted at no one in particular.
A pair of retro high-tops appeared in front of him. "You want a beer?" Phoenix asked.
"Got anything stronger?"
Phoenix squatted in front of him and handed him a bottle. "It's lager or lager, I'm afraid."
Kaden looked up at the medic and feigned a smile. "Lager will do."
Phoenix just nodded, stood up and left Kaden to his thoughts. Kaden took a long glug of the ice-cold beer and stared at the scattered parchment. The longer he stared, the more he thought he was seeing things. Skylar, you're a frigging genius! Through a distinctive high-top tread-print, Kaden saw the two words they were all searching for: House Clayden.
Kaden started to laugh. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mercury clambering out from his pile of papers and documents. The guy did not look happy. "I'm glad you think this is funny, Boss."
"Hey, Mercury. Get over here," Kaden said with a chuckle.
"This better be fuckin' good," the Guardian mumbled as he made his way over. "I'm here. What's so funny?"
Kaden pointed at the floor. "Is that what I think it is?"
Mercury scooped up the piece of paper and his eyes widened. "Well, bugger me. I don't believe it." The Guardian took the parchment over to Kaden's battered desk. The desk, like the rest of the room was covered in miscellaneous charts, files, books and a whole lot of other crap they'd dug out of storage. With one swipe of Mercury's arm, all of it landed on the floor.
As Mercury spread the chart across the desk, Kaden weighted down the top corners with his phone and the knife he always kept in his boot. "So, what have we got?" he asked Mercury.
Mercury ran a finger across the names. "Let's see. Oscar Clayden, Maluth, blah blah blah. One brother, two sisters — deceased. No children."
Bound to Blackwood Page 29