His mouth fastened on her nipple, where Malachi’s had been only moments ago.”I want his taste gone from you, his scent. I do not share,” he rasped, pumping his hips more forcefully against her.”If he had fucked you, I would have torn his head off.”
Lori shuddered, even though her heart felt broken. I’ve no mate… Tears welled in her eyes against her will, and she turned her head as they burned hot, wet tracks down her cheeks.
His head raised, scenting her distress, and Jonathan lifted up. Gathering her in his arms, cuddling her against him and taking her to the floor, he held her in his lap. Cupping her cleft in his hand, he slid one finger back and forth over the erect little bud of her clit, murmuring against her face as he licked the tears away, “Why are you crying, sweet thing?”
“Because you don’t care,” she whispered, unable to still the hungry movement of her hips, even though she wanted nothing more than to tear away from him and lock herself in her room. The slow, almost lazy movement of his finger circling her clit was driving her to distraction and Lori groaned, her head falling back against his shoulder.
Her breath left her in a rush, as he savaged her lips. Her pajamas fell in shreds around her as he tore them off, tumbling her to her back and looming over her. Snarling into her face, he demanded, “Don’t care? What in the hell are you talking about?”
“You don’t want Malachi touching me. You may enjoy fucking me, but that’s about all you feel for me,” she said, glaring up at him. Between her thighs, his erection throbbed, and she hissed out a breath as he settled between them, his chest crushing her breasts.
“That’s all?” he repeated, his face going blank. Then his eyes narrowed as he caught her hands and pinned them above her head, the corded muscles in his arms bulging as he leaned over her. “I left patrol because I felt your fear, your confusion, and your lust…yes, your lust. You wanted him even though you didn’t want to. I left patrol and ran here to keep him away from you. Malachi. Most people would think that’s enough to have me certified simply for squaring off against him. But I would fight to the death to keep him from having you, and you think I don’t care?”
With one savage thrust, he buried himself in her pussy, growling with pleasure as she enveloped him eagerly, a hungry cry falling from her lips, her body arching up as he burrowed in to the balls. “Little fool,” he rasped, capturing her head and forcing her eyes to meet his.”Open your mouth, I want your taste.”
Glaring up at him, Lori stubbornly closed her lips and lifted her chin.
He bared his teeth in a grin, and whispered, “A wolf loves a dare, baby. You ought to know that by now.”
Lori quivered deep inside her belly as he started to pump in and out of her cleft with slow, deep thrusts. His hand still held her wrists pinned high over her head, as he rubbed his chest, his hair, his entire body against hers, replacing Malachi’s scent with his own.
He lowered his mouth to hers, nibbling away, licking at the seam of her lips. One hand slid down the long line of her side, cupping her ass for a moment before clasping her knee and lifting it up, opening her wide for his thrusts.
The long silken skeins of his hair slithered over her body, teasing her nipples, her torso, all the bared inches of skin as he released her wrists and settled back on his heels, gripping her hips and staring down at her with hooded eyes. The play of muscle under skin as he moved deep inside her had her eyes fluttering wide. Drawing her forward, he draped her thighs over his, and with a roll of his hips, Jonathan had her shuddering as he surged upward into her, his cock caressing the bundled nerve bed of her G-spot. His teeth raked the cord in her neck and he crooned, “Sexy little witch. I love the feeling of being buried in your wet little pussy. You’re so tight, so hot, like a silk glove, all wet and covered with honey. I’m gonna lick that honey dry in a bit…but first…I’m gonna make you scream.”
A sigh escaped her lips and Jonathan’s mouth swooped down on hers, plundering the depths triumphantly, rampantly as he started to fuck her with deep, hard strokes. Her spine arched as his fingers breeched the seam of her ass, separating her, exposing the pucker of her rosette. Moisture from her pussy slid lower, coating her, and Jonathan gathered it, sliding it around and around, until he could probe that tender hole easily, a caress that had her shaking, quivering, while heat and chills racked her body.
The broad, rounded head of his cock left her sheath, stroking over her clit teasingly, and Lori threw her head back, screaming. Jonathan pushed his finger into the tight little pucker of her anus and surged back into her pussy, sinking his teeth into her lower lip as she came.
Growling in savage triumph, Jonathan bore her back down onto her back, pumping into her, he rode her hard, grinding his pelvis against her clit as she came, and Lori saw hot little flashes of light as her vision went dark. Hot splashes of come scalded her as Jonathan ejaculated and Lori whimpered, shaking in his arms. His balls slapped against her in a rough, quick caress as he reared up, planting his hands beside her head and thrusting with a series of hard, deep drives into her sheath, his head falling back as his mouth opened and a long, eerie howl filled the room.
To Lori’s ears, it was the most beautiful song she’d ever heard.
He collapsed against her with his head between her breasts, sliding his arms under her and holding her against him.”Don’t ever cry because you think I don’t care,” he panted out. “Hate me because I won’t make promises, if you have to. But I do care. More than I want to.”
Lori wanted to know why he wouldn’t make promises. She really wanted to ask him that.
But she let it go, snuggling against him as he carried her to the bed, laying her down and spreading her thighs. Pressing his face against her and sliding his tongue between her folds, he shocked her speechless as he cleaned the seed from her pussy, her thighs, before returning to suckle gently on her clit, working two gentle fingers inside her slippery, swollen sheath.
Lori’s eyes fluttered closed in heavenly bliss as he took her to a slow, lovely orgasm that welled inside and lingered, melting through her veins like candy. He moved up and lay on his back, growling against her neck as he draped her body over his, “You are so damn sweet, so pretty and soft. I think of you, yearn for you, all the time.”
Tears burned her eyes as he steadied his cock and whispered roughly, “Ride me, sweet. I want to watch you.”
Catching her lower lip between her teeth, she worked herself down on his swollen, engorged length, staring into his dark, deep eyes, her hands planted on his chest, nails digging into the sleek, golden skin there. Rolling her hips slowly, she shuddered as she felt him throbbing inside her, the thick blunt head of his cock caressing the nerve bed by the mouth of her womb. Her lashes fluttered and she moaned weakly. “Oh…” licking her lips, she stared down at him and lifted her hips slightly before sliding back down on him.
It sent a lightning streak of hot pleasure through her, and she shuddered before repeating it, arching her back and leaning forward to deepen the caress on the upstroke.
“Sweet thing,” Jonathan purred gruffly, reaching up to cup her breasts in his hands, rolling her nipples, plucking at them, as he stared up at her face. His eyes had started to glow, gleaming and swirling with colors of gold and brown as his hunger grew. His hands flexed against her breasts, his nails scoring her lightly as he arched his back, driving his cock deeply inside her.
“Hmmm,” Lori hummed in her throat, her head falling back.”I like that.” The air in the room grew thicker, and Lori stared into his eyes, watching as the glowing increased and his eyes continued to brighten.”Jonathan?” she whispered, shakily.
“Shhh…” he murmured, reaching up and burying his hand in her hair, pulling her face to him.”It’s all right. I feel your magick, your heart—it’s intoxicating.”
Magick was breaking free, rising from her skin like faerie dust and evaporating into the air, lighting up the dim room with occasional puffs of light. The magick from her, the power from him, tightened the air in
the room, and the bond between them—tighter and tighter—as Jonathan thrust deeper and deeper, while Lori rocked against him. Sealing her lips eagerly to his, she pushed her tongue into his mouth, greedy for that unique, wild taste that was his alone.
His cock pulsed and throbbed—hot, burning—and her nipples stabbed into his chest…so much sensation…too many focus points of pleasure. Jonathan reached down and stroked the small puckered rosette of her bottom, and Lori arched her back and screamed as he pressed against it, her belly and loins tightening.
The muscles in her pussy clenched around his cock, milking it greedily as she came, shuddering in his arms and thrashing when he sank his teeth into the fleshy part of her breast and growled. Gripping her hip with one hand and holding her still, he ground his pelvis against her, arching up and jetting off inside her—hot, molten seed flooding her womb.
As she collapsed against his chest, she closed her burning, tearing eyes. No. She couldn’t keep doing this.
Something this beautiful and he wouldn’t let them have it for always. Wouldn’t let them claim it as theirs. She wouldn’t hate him for not making her promises.
But she might start to hate herself for not demanding it.
Chapter Five
Jonathan sat across from Erika, grinning at her as she chattered away. His adopted daughter was the one person in life he made promises to, the one person he allowed himself to love.
His eyes wandered briefly to the ceiling. The other female he loved was upstairs, silent and still. His sharp ears knew she hadn’t left the bed yet.
Yeah, he loved her. But he would never tell her. Especially not now. And he couldn’t ever touch her again. The wolf wanted to claim her as his mate, his one and only.
Dragging his attention back to Erika, he shrugged when she asked about a shopping trip.”Don’t see why we can’t. You’ve been doing great in school, and you always help out and do your chores. Shelby says you’re wonderful out in the stables.” He couldn’t understand that particular fascination himself, but Erika adored the horses. “We’ll go this weekend.”
“I kinda wanted to go with some friends,” Erika stalled. “Just friends.”
“No can do.” Rising from the chair, he carried his bowl and plate to the sink and dumped them before turning around and facing her across the gleaming expanse of the kitchen. Folding his arms across his chest, he met her eyes.”We’ve talked about this, honey. You’re twelve years old. A brilliant twelve, but still twelve. Walking around a mall alone is not wise. Especially not now. We’ve got some new trouble brewing and it isn’t gonna happen.”
“Jonathan, I can’t go shopping with friends with my big brother around! It just isn’t cool,” Erika sulked, poking out her lower lip and aiming her baby-blues his way as she sat back in her chair, suddenly completely forlorn.
“Then we’ll have one of the ladies go with you. Hell, it is winter. Wait until five and Sheila can take you.”
Erika’s brows lifted and she perked up a bit at that. None of her friends knew a darned thing about her life, or any of her odd…housemates. Just the thought of taking a vampire with her to go shopping would be so cool.
Jonathan shook his head as the thoughts rolled through her eyes. Those pretty eyes were always so open, so easy to read. “Think about it. Sheila would love it. Or I can ask one of the ladies. And Sarel is going to be back sooner than expected. Maybe she could do it.”
Hell, if things were as bad as Malachi was suggesting, it wouldn’t surprise him if Tori and Declan came strolling up the walk.
His lips curved at the thought of Tori.
Okay, there was one other female he let himself love.
But she was safe. Not only did she belong to somebody, the Huntress was more than capable of taking care of herself.
Tori held down the struggling, snarling were and flashed fang at him. “That’s not very nice. You’re as good as dead and you know it,” she said when he attempted to gouge out her eyes before she managed to get his hands pinned. Whipping out the reinforced cuffs, she cuffed him and sat on his chest, drawing a long, nasty looking silver blade from behind her neck and flashing it at him.
“You know, Cooper, I’ve been Hunting you for a month now. You led me and Declan on a merry, merry chase,” she said quietly, shaking her head. “So many deaths, so many shattered lives, battered bodies. You like them young and pretty, don’t you, Coop?”
He spat at her.
Declan moved up from behind and knelt by the man, offering Tori a handkerchief as he said, “Now that was just plain not nice. Don’t go doing something so rude again. You knew the risk you were taking, and you knew the consequences when you left your pack and went rogue. Cuss and fight all you want. But you had best watch how you carry yourself with my wife.”
“With your bitch, you mean,” Cooper Manning panted, his blond curls spilling into his face as he bucked and struggled uselessly. The one hundred thirty pound woman on top of him wouldn’t be budged. And her scent…damn it, her scent was intoxicating. Scared as he was, frightened as he was, furious as he was…he was also damn near drunk with hunger for her. “Is she a good piece of ass? When I get outta these damn cuffs, I’m gonna gut you, and find out for myself, fucker.”
Declan’s face went blank and he bent to pull Tori away but she batted at his hands laughingly. “Now, now, Declan. He’s just pissed because he got caught by a girl.” Leaning down, she asked, “Is that it? Do you have a superiority complex?”
He lifted up as though to bite her, and she drew back quickly. A mark on his cheek, no…by his eye, right at the corner, caught her eye. Something curved, like a crescent. “Nice tattoo,” she mused.”I didn’t think the were could take tattoos very well.”
Declan’s eyes caught it too. “We don’t. Unless it’s helped out by magick. We heal too fast, and our bodies reject the ink. What this for, Cooper?”
Tossing his head back, laughing, Cooper said, “Oh, wait. You’re gonna see, very soon.”
“You like stars and moons, puppy dog?” Tori jeered, leaning down in his face as menace started to flow from her, a frightening menace that rolled from her body in waves.
His eyes widened and a cold sweat broke out on his body as those pretty blue eyes started to look like what they really were. His death.
“It’s not a moon, love. A scythe, it is, for harvesting.” Cocking his head and staring at the suddenly frightened man, Declan smiled charmingly. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost, mate. Tell me, what have you been harvesting? Or were you harvested?”
His eyes rolled back wildly in his head as he moved his gaze from the woman on his chest to the man standing behind her. He had thought the inherent was the one to fear, not the woman. What was she anyway? Human? Inherent? Not vampire…couldn’t be. She had tracked him during the day, too many times.
Tori smiled, gently, sweetly, leaning into his face as she caught his thoughts. Her gifts had grown over the years, expanding and developing to dimensions she had never dreamed. His jumbled, skewed thoughts weren’t easy to keep track of, but she did it well enough. Smiling, nose-to-nose with him, she whispered, “I am what I am, Cooper. And you should have stopped when I gave you the first warning, darling.” Stroking his face, rubbing her finger over the mark by his eye, she purred, “Now tell me, what is this?”
“It’s your downfall. The end of the Council,” he snapped. “The Scythe has gathered, reformed, bitch. We’ve got an army of our own and we’ll swallow the Council and the Hunters whole. We will annihilate them all and feast on the blood of the newborn Huntress before she takes her first kill.”
Tori waited a blink and then she started to laugh. “Wow. That’s dramatic. Who in the hell wrote that bit of dialog?”
“Laugh if you will. But we know about your so-called Huntress. And we’re already looking for her. We’ll find her. We’ll kill her. And we’ll take out the Council, the Hunters, all of you.”
“Well...you’re a little late taking me out. I had my first kill years
ago.”
Cooper stared at her, his eyes wide. “What...?”
“You won’t be my first meal. But you’ll be happy to know you just met your bogeyman, Cooper...I’m the Huntress.” She lunged for him, smashing his head into the pavement as she fed.
“Who is the Scythe?” Tori asked, a frown on her face as she watched Declan remove the cuffs from the body. Catching them, she slid them back into her waistband, watching with blank eyes as he moved things away from the body.
Burning this one. Well, it’s better than watching him cut the heart out. Too much of Tori was still far too mortal.
Declan tossed her a glance and shrugged restlessly as he stalked around the body, making sure nothing could be traced to them. Of course, Tori McAdams and Declan Reilly had died a few years ago. He had, regretfully, seen to that, once he realized how badly they were needed by the Council. Completely by the Council.
It had just taken some fancy computer work, and some money—rather a lot of money—to erase certain details from the computer files. Nothing was foolproof, no matter what the FBI thought, no matter what anybody thought. Declan O’Reilly’s fingerprints had been replaced with somebody else’s, as had Tori’s. They had new identities, new passports, new everything.
And each other. Always each other.
“Never heard of them, darling. I’ll be calling Eli. I’m not sure if he’s home from Scotland though. Maybe he’s heard of the Scythe, whatever or whoever they are.”
“Agnes may know. Or Sarel.”
“They may,” Declan said with a nod.”Can you fetch me the petrol?”
“Gas, Dec. It’s gas. And I don’t care to be a help to—oh, all right.” She yielded as that flinty green gaze skimmed over and settled on her face. She really needed to get over this part of the job. They couldn’t go leaving paranormal corpses intact, really. And if they left too many of the predators they hunted, untouched except for her bite, sooner or later, people would start hunting them. Damn it, though, sometimes she felt like she was…well, Tori couldn’t even explain it to herself.
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