“That’s part of my work,” she said absently as she stepped out of the tent and took the items from his loose grip.
“What is this?” he asked pointing to the drawing.
Lynn shrugged, but wasn’t sure how to answer. On the one hand, there was a very good chance the bird had been one of her condors. If that were the case, then the sketch would be no big deal. But if it turned out to be a new species, one that hadn’t been documented yet or one that science thought was extinct, then the news would make her career. Like any good scientist, Lynn wouldn’t make an announcement until she had all the facts. She decided to play it safe.
“It’s just a bird. Nothing special,” she said with a casualness she didn’t feel. All birds were special to her. Each unique in their own way.
Talon’s expression hardened, but he didn’t reply.
Had he changed his mind about getting together? Her body protested at the thought. She knew she should say something to break the tension, but what?
Talon looked at her for a moment longer, his gaze searching her face, then he slowly smiled. “You won,” he said. “What would you like for your prize?”
* * * * *
Chapter Five
Talon could smell her lie on the air. He couldn’t decide what made him angrier, the fact that she’d lied or her casual dismissal of his other form. She’d called him nothing special. Nothing special?
He had half a mind to tell her to kiss his tail feathers. If he weren’t so achingly hard, he’d do just that. Talon knew he was being ridiculous given Lynn’s limited knowledge of the universe, but her careless words still stung.
He wanted her to be impressed by his other form. Show him the same interest that she had her condors. Was that too much to ask?
Lynn stepped out of the tent and held the flap open wide for him to enter. Talon hesitated, then glided into the cramped space and sat. He was far too tall to stand. Lynn followed, zipping the entry up behind her. She turned to face him and dropped to her knees.
“Did you really mean it?” she asked.
His brow furrowed. “What?”
“That I could have any prize I wanted?” Her gaze dropped to his lap.
Talon didn’t bother to hide his body’s response to her nearness. Despite his anger, he still wanted her. He’d told her as much. So why hide it? “Yes,” he said, his voice growing husky. “Anything you want.”
She shook her head. “I can’t believe I’m about to do this. I don’t normally…I’m not normally…”
“This is different,” he said.
“Yes, it is.” Lynn crawled forward on her hands and knees. She paused, then her lips descended upon his collarbone.
Talon forced himself to remain still despite the urge to pull her down, roll her beneath him, and mount her like a wild beast in rut. It was important for Lynn to know that she was the one in charge--at least for now. It would ease her adjustment later, when he staked his claim…at least he hoped that it did.
Mating was something he’d never done before. Talon had expected it to be like any other joining, but he’d been wrong. He’d known that the second he’d laid hands on Lynn’s lush curves.
Her lips were feather soft as she traced his collarbone up to his shoulder. She nipped him gently at the juncture of his neck, marking him. Talon’s body tensed. Had Lynn done that on purpose? Did she have any idea what it meant to bite him there? He didn’t know, wasn’t sure, wasn’t about to ask. Some things weren’t that important.
He took a deep breath and curled his fingers into tight fists. The last thing he needed was for his talons to come out and scare her half to death. Lynn licked his neck and then dipped her tongue into his ear. Talon growled.
“A man only has so much control,” he said, praying she didn’t heed his warning. Talon had never given himself permission to let go completely. There’d always been a part of himself that he’d tucked away from the others. A part he’d specifically saved for his future mate.
“Let’s see how long yours lasts,” she said, then reached down and grasped his hard cock. She slowly stroked to the tip, circling the thick crown, before sliding back down.
Talon sucked in air with an audible gasp. “Do that again and you’ll find out.”
* * * * *
Lynn repeated the move. She knew she was playing with fire, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. She’d been so scared that Talon had changed his mind that she’d come frighteningly close to begging him to stay. When had she become so desperate? She’d never begged for anything in her life, except grant money.
Luckily, Talon hadn’t let it come to that—thank goodness. Lynn wasn’t sure she’d have ever lived that down.
She tightened her grip and stroked his hard satiny flesh, using her palm and fingers. Talon’s shaft seemed to grow even larger. How was that possible? If he got any bigger, the Magnum-sized condom wouldn’t fit. Lynn licked her lips and continued to tease him. She pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth.
Talon snarled, then whipped his head around to capture her lips. He hadn’t touched her beyond that, but he held her just the same. Lynn’s pulse kicked as she sucked his tongue into her mouth. God, he tasted like heaven. It was wrong that a man should taste so good.
He deepened the kiss and she let him. Her hand moved faster now, gripping and releasing, pumping him hard. A cry broke from his lips and Talon shoved Lynn back onto the sleeping bag.
“Enough,” he snapped. For a second, his eyes appeared to glow bright red, but the color was gone so fast that Lynn knew she’d imagined it.
“I’m not finished,” she said, ignoring the little voice that told her that she was in over her head.
“My turn.” Talon snarled and lowered his mouth to her aching breasts.
The first swipe of his tongue had Lynn’s back bowing off the mat. Rocks shifted beneath their weight as he pressed his body down upon her and latched onto her nipple. He sucked hard enough to curl Lynn’s toes. Instead of pushing him away, she grabbed his hair and pulled him closer.
Talon grinned around her flesh, then proceeded to tease her into submission. His hands seemed to be everywhere at once, plucking her nipples, then pinching them to the point of pain before soothing them with his mouth. Lynn’s thighs clenched as her sex moistened. Her body tightened, ready, wanting, but he never let up.
She cried out in frustration. She wanted him inside her now, but no amount of urging got him to move. Lynn rocked her hips, brushing his shaft. Talon’s breath hissed out, but he kept on lavishing her breasts with all his attention.
Her orgasm came out of nowhere. One second she’d been balancing on the precipice, the next, she’d tumbled over the edge. Lynn gasped and her body shuddered as the release continued to ripple through her in wave after glorious wave.
How in the world had Talon managed to do that?
Her expression must’ve have betrayed her unvoiced question because he said, “We’re only getting started.”
* * * * *
Talon couldn’t get enough of her taste, her scent. The musky aroma of hot, moist woman filled the small space, making his head spin. Her nipples were now flushed deep red and swollen. He longed to devour them again, but there were other places he wanted to explore, places that called to something primal inside of him.
He kissed Lynn soundly on the lips, then slid down her body, wedging his wide shoulders between her thighs so she couldn’t close her legs. Her rich spicy aroma was thicker here, more enticing. Talon leaned forward and inhaled. His eyes closed in ecstasy and he gave thanks once more.
“Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?” he asked, his voice a harsh whisper.
Lynn looked suddenly uncomfortable and she started to shift away from him.
“Don’t!” His hand came down upon her abdomen to hold her in place.
“Why ruin the moment by saying stuff like that?” she asked, then quickly averted her gaze, but not before he’d spotted the pain lingering in the green depths.
Talon wondered what was wrong with the men on this planet. Didn’t they have eyes? Couldn’t they see the gifts before them?
“I told you that I wanted you,” he said. “That hasn’t changed.” And it wouldn’t. Sure, it was always possible that Lynn would turn out not to be his mate, but Talon didn’t think so. Every instinct inside of him recognized her for what she was—his. “Look at me,” he demanded. There was no way he’d allow her to hide from him. Not now. Not here. Not ever.
* * * * *
Lynn didn’t move. Couldn’t move. She was afraid to. What if when she met his gaze it was filled with lies? No, Talon hadn’t given her any indication that he wasn’t telling the truth, but Lynn knew men. More importantly, she knew herself. She didn’t command this kind of attention from anyone, much less a man like him.
“I said look at me!”
The command made her jump. Lynn met Talon’s gaze. It was hard and uncompromising. The intensity she saw there both thrilled and frightened her. “What do you want from me, Talon?”
“Everything,” he said unflinchingly, then lowered his head and began to feast.
Talon’s tongue seemed to dance on her skin like hummingbird wings as he fed voraciously upon her sex. He teased and licked, nipping at the hidden bundle of nerves, worrying it with his teeth, before sucking hard. Lynn’s thighs clenched around his head and shoulders.
The sensations were too much, too intense. She squirmed in his grasp. Lynn wanted to get nearer, while at the same time her body struggled to get away. Talon never let up. Like a starving man denied access to a banquet, he plunged his tongue into her entrance, fluttering it faster than she thought humanly possible.
A keening cry was ripped from her throat. One thick finger replaced his tongue. Lynn bucked beneath him, clenching the sleeping bag. “Talon!” She gasped his name, then bit her lip as he sucked her clit between his teeth, while he continued to stroke in and out. “I can’t,” she murmured.
“You can. And you will,” he said, biting down hard.
Lynn screamed as her body convulsed. Blood roared in her ears and the world dimmed around her.
* * * * *
Talon moved fast. He knew he didn’t have much time. Lynn’s eyes were closed, but they wouldn’t be for long. He focused on his form, manipulating his molecules into nothingness, then slid through her body as easily as he walked through walls.
He appeared beneath her for a half second, then reversed direction, so he was staring down at her once more. Her lashes fluttered and a frown furrowed her delicate brow, but she didn’t open her eyes.
Information from Lynn’s memories flooded his mind, blinding him with the sensory overload. In his heart, he’d known. He’d always known, from the moment he’d laid eyes on her. And now it was confirmed. Lynn was indeed his mate. His true-mate. His only mate.
Talon pulled her close and kissed her soundly. “Are you still with me?” he asked.
She cracked open an eyelid. “I’ve never felt an orgasm like that,” she said. “It was like it went right through me. Wonderful, but weird.”
He grinned. “There’s more,” he said, as joy filled his hearts. Talon winked, then positioned the head of his shaft against her dripping channel. He couldn’t wait to get inside her, fill her empty womb with his seed. He nudged forward, his thick crown breaching her entrance. She was tight, oh so tight, and beyond perfect.
Lynn’s eyes shot open and a look of panic crossed her face. “Wait!” she said and rolled to the side to grab something small.
“What’s that?” he asked in confusion.
“Protection,” she said as if that explained everything.
Talon’s brows shot to his hairline. “Protection from what?” He jumped up and ripped the tent flap open. Crouching low, he quickly scanned the area with his predatory senses to make sure they weren’t in any danger. Other than a few creatures nearby, Talon couldn’t detect a threat.
“What are you doing?” It was Lynn’s turn to look confused.
“Searching for the threat you spoke of?” he said, glancing over his shoulder at her.
Lynn laughed. “You’re joking, right?”
His face heated. “I take your safety very seriously. I would never jest about such a thing.”
She snorted, then beaconed him back inside the tent. “What planet have you been living on?” she asked, slipping something out of the small package and gently grasping his shaft.
Talon decided it was best not to answer that question. He didn’t think Lynn was ready for the truth yet. Soon, all would be revealed. Her soft hands continued to pump his rigid flesh. The tension left his shoulders, only to return when she placed the stretchy substance onto the tip of his phallus. “What are you doing?” he asked.
“What do you think?”
He had no idea, but as long as she kept stroking his cock he wouldn’t stop her.
* * * * *
Chapter Six
Talon watched Lynn roll the strange material over his hard length. He didn’t understand why she’d insisted on putting it on him, but he wasn’t going to complain. She stroked him again, this time harder. He waited until she’d finished, then gently pushed her back onto the soft padding.
Her breath hitched as he positioned himself at the entrance of her moist opening. “Ready?” he asked.
She nodded.
His jaw clenched as he inched inside. The sensations were muted, but still strong. He slid in deeper, then waited for her body to adjust to his size, before pushing further.
Lynn gasped.
Talon stilled. “I haven’t harmed you, have I?” he asked, fighting the need to thrust.
She shook her head and her lashes fluttered open. “You’re just big... And it’s been a while.”
He trembled at her admission. Happy beyond words that she hadn’t lain with another male in a long while and that she found his size more than acceptable. Talon had never had any complaints from females before, but this time was different. This time was the first time he was joining with his mate. He wanted their first time together to be perfect. He wanted to bring her nothing, but pleasure.
Lynn canted her hips and he slipped in deeper. Talon groaned as her vise-like channel held him tight.
“You feel incredible,” he bit out, as sweat covered his brow.
“I swear I won’t break,” she said, then reached around him and sunk her fingernails into his ass.
Talon’s body jerked, sending him surging inside her.
Lynn’s lungs heaved as her body clamped down on him. “Don’t move,” she said.
He froze, his muscles trembling as he fought for control.
A few interminable moments later, her body relaxed. “That’s better,” she said.
“I will try to be gentle,” he grit out from between clenched teeth.
“The time for ‘gentle’ ended thirty seconds ago,” she said, then blushed.
Talon’s nostrils flared. Incited by her provocative words, he pulled back, then thrust deep, watching with pure male satisfaction as her eyes glazed with passion.
“You’re mine,” he growled, then began to ride her in earnest, branding her with his body, while he savaged her with his mouth.
* * * * *
Lynn couldn’t seem to catch her breath. Talon caged her with his broad shoulders, his gaze intense and heated. She forced her body to relax as she took him deep. He was so massive that for one crazy moment she’d thought he wouldn’t fit. Luckily he had. Now she was getting the full brunt of his deliciously large cock. The man had talent. She’d give him that.
Somewhere inside of her a little voice admitted that once with Talon would never been enough. He knew just where to touch her and exactly how to please her. It was as if he’d been given a skeleton key to unlock the secrets to satisfying her body and her body alone. One bout of lovemaking, and he’d as good as ruined her for other men.
He surged forward, driving straight to her soul, taking her to heights she’d never imagined reaching.
Had never reached before. Silk encased in steel, his cock battered her senses, demanding entrance to her heart.
This was a fling. Only a fling. She told herself in hopes that it would help when he walked away. Lynn wasn’t foolish enough to believe there was more than sex happening here…even if it felt like it.
She searched his passion taut face for clues to his thoughts. His lashes lay at half-mast keeping secrets, hiding truths. Did he mean it when he said that she was his? In the heat of the moment, lies easily slipped from tongues.
Lynn didn’t care. If this were all they’d ever have together, she’d take it. Savor it. Store it away in her memories for the rest of her life. She wanted this man. She wanted Talon. As if reading her thoughts, he thrust hard, taking her breath.
“Who do you belong to?” He grunted, as sweat dripped from his brow.
“No one,” she lied, while her traitorous body sought a deeper connection.
Talon’s eyes narrowed until she could barely make out the glints of color beneath his lids. “Wrong answer,” he said, rolling his hips and taking her mouth in a searing kiss that demanded her submission, her surrender.
Lynn’s breath shuddered as her body threatened to shatter into a million pieces. “I don’t need promises,” she said, ripping her mouth away.
“I do!” He growled. Talon reached between their bodies and found her hard, swollen and receptive. He stroked the tiny nub once, twice. On the third swipe, Lynn flew apart, taking him with her.
She barely felt his teeth lock onto her shoulder and bite down. The quick sting of pain sliced was followed by a wave of pleasure as his tongue licked the spot, soothing the tender skin.
“Tell me that you are mine,” he murmured, planting soft kisses on her neck.
Phantom Warriors Volume 2 Page 9