Bringing his hand up to her lips, she kissed it. “What is a fate-bound?”
“A fate-bound is your soulmate. The one you’re meant to be with forever. It’s a feeling we get, deep within our souls, that we can’t deny. Our wolves usually recognize it first.” He chuckled. “Sometimes it takes our human minds a while to catch up.”
“I see.” She wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his chest.
He held his breath, waiting for her to ask the question that had to be burning in her mind. Could he bring himself to tell her she was his if she asked? Would the truth scare her away?
She didn’t speak. Instead, she hugged him tighter. Maybe she was afraid of what his answer would be.
He kissed the top of her head, and his tension eased. Maybe after a few more dates. He’d have to tell her eventually, and all he could do was hope she could love him in return. “It’s early enough to go out if you want to catch a movie or something.”
She inhaled deeply, running her hands up and down his back before leaning away to look at him. “Your sister went out of her way to give us privacy. It would be a shame to waste the opportunity…and I believe you owe me my prize for not being able to break Snow’s protection spell.”
“I like the way you think.” Cupping her cheek in his hand, he ran his thumb over her velvet-soft skin. She nuzzled into his touch, closing her eyes, letting him pull her close.
She parted her lips slightly and angled her face toward his. That was all the invitation he needed. Tangling his fingers in her hair, he crushed his mouth to hers. She responded, opening her mouth to let him in, brushing her tongue against his. Heat flashed through his body as she melted into his embrace, wrapping her arms around him, holding him tight.
She felt so damn good in his arms, her silky hair tangled between his fingers. Ever since his niece had been born, dating—and women in general—had taken a backseat to responsibility. He’d quit sleeping around the moment he saw what the consequences could be. Making love to Rain wouldn’t be sleeping around, though. She was the only woman he wanted to be with for the rest of his life.
Standing in the kitchen, with her curvy body rubbing against his, her lips searing him with kisses, he couldn’t deny himself anymore. He wanted this woman. He needed her.
Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her forehead, her cheek, her mouth. He parted his lips to ask if she wanted to join him the bedroom, but the words didn’t get a chance to leave his throat before she tugged his shirt over his head and ran her palms down his chest.
“Nipple rings.” She licked her lips. “Can I play with them?”
Good God. Who knew something as simple as the aroused look on her face could nearly bring him to his knees. “They’re all yours.”
She danced her fingers across his skin, taking each ring between her thumb and forefinger and tugging gently. Electricity shot from his nipples to his dick, hardening him even more.
“Does it hurt when I pull on them?” She tugged again, watching his face intently.
“No.” Damn. Breathless already? “It feels good.”
She grinned. “Really?” A wickedly mischievous look flashed in her dark-gray eyes, and she lowered her head to his chest and flicked out her tongue. Warm moisture bathed his right nipple, and he couldn’t help but groan.
Biting her bottom lip in that oh so sexy way of hers, she glanced up at him before moving to his left nipple. She lifted the ring with her tongue, then sucked it into her mouth.
His breath caught in his throat, his entire body humming with desire. If she could get him this turned on by taking his shirt off, he was in for a wild ride.
She released his nipple and glided her tongue up his chest before straightening. “You’re so sexy, Chase. Your tattoos and piercings… Your body alone is a ten, but then add in your personality, and…” She grinned. “You’re a nice guy wrapped in a bad boy package. The best of both worlds.”
His chest tightened. She knew everything about his past, yet she still found him attractive. How did he get so lucky? “I wasn’t always a nice guy.”
“But you are now.” She focused on his tattoos, running her hands up and down his arms, tracing the lines on the drawings. “Our pasts don’t define us. Who we are now is all that matters.” She looked into his eyes, holding his gaze, waiting for confirmation.
“I agree.”
She traced a finger up his arm, indicating his tattoos. “Do they all have meaning?”
“Some do; some don’t.” He held his arms in front of him and looked at the ink. Full-color drawings ranging from traditional flash art to custom-made designs joined together to create intricate sleeves on both arms. “A buddy of mine is a tattoo artist. When he was starting up, I let him practice on me.”
Her gaze traveled up and down his arms as she traced her fingers along the art. “That’s nice of you.”
He shrugged. “He needed a canvas; I like ink. We take care of our own.” Running his hands over her hips, he toyed with the hem of her shirt. “My turn.” He tugged her shirt over her head and tossed it on the table before stepping back to admire her.
A lacey, emerald-green bra wrapped around her full breasts, accentuating her slender waist. His fingers twitched with the urge to touch her, so he lifted his hands slowly and reached for her. She inhaled deeply as he ran a finger over the top of her breast, tracing the contour of her bra. Goose bumps rose on her skin.
“You, Rain, are the epitome of sexy. A beautiful soul wrapped in an equally beautiful package.”
The muscles in her throat worked as she swallowed. Then, she straightened her spine and unhooked her bra, letting it fall to the floor.
Her perfect breasts beckoned him to taste them, so he cupped them both in his hands, leaned down, and took her nipple into his mouth. She gasped and clutched the edge of the countertop, and he moved to the other breast, circling his tongue around her nipple, hardening it into a perfect, pink pearl before sucking it between his teeth.
A high-pitched mewling sound escape her throat, and he paused. Straightening, he moved his hands to her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “Do you want to stop?”
“No. Goddess, no. It’s…” She lowered her gaze before blinking up at him. “It’s been a long time since anyone has touched me like this.”
He pulled her close, and the feel of her soft, bare skin pressed to his nearly crumbled him. If the intensity of his emotions was any indication of what was to come, he might not survive making love to Rain. He hadn’t known it was possible to feel this much. “It’s been a long time since I’ve touched anyone like this. We’ll take it slow.”
She nodded and nuzzled into his chest.
He stood in the kitchen, holding her, letting the idea of what they were about to do sink in. This would be so much more than sex for him, but he only wanted it if she did too. “Do you want to move to the bedroom?”
She paused, going utterly still for a heartbeat or two before looking up at him. “I do.”
He held her gaze, giving her ample opportunity to change her mind. “Are you sure?”
“I’ve wanted you since the moment I met you. Take me to bed.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He scooped her into his arms and carried her out of the kitchen. “This is what’s called a shotgun house.” He stepped into his sister’s bedroom. “If you open all the doors, you could shoot a shotgun from the front door, and it would go all the way out the back door.”
“Interesting.”
“Problem is, we have to go through Bekah and Emma’s room to get to mine. Not much privacy.” He opened the door to his bedroom and carried her inside.
She grinned. “I guess you don’t get a lot of action then.”
He chuckled. “Not since Emma was born.”
“Your sister taking her to your mom’s was quite a gesture then.”
He lowered her feet to the floor and kissed her before stepping toward his dresser. “She knows how I feel about you.” He took a condom from the drawer
and tossed it on the nightstand.
Rain sat on the bed and ran her hands over the comforter. “How do you feel about me?”
He looked at the beautiful woman on his bed, her breasts rising and falling with each breath she took, and he ached with emotion. The words nearly spilled from his lips, but he bit them back. It was too soon to tell her how strongly he felt. He stood in front of her and rested his hands on her shoulders. “You are the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.”
“You’re pretty amazing, yourself.” She kissed his stomach, trailing her tongue down, past his navel, to his jeans. His stomach tensed, a fresh flood of desire rushing to his groin, and he tightened his grip on her shoulders.
Moving her hands to his hips, she traced a finger along the waistband of his pants. “I believe I’m supposed to decide if there’s anything little about the werewolf I’m about to make love to.”
“Be my guest.”
She popped the button on his jeans and slid the zipper down. Pushing his pants to the floor, she stared at the bulge in his underwear, her pupils dilating with desire. “So far so good.”
He couldn’t take it anymore. Kicking his jeans aside, he tugged her to her feet. His dick ached to fill her. His wolf begged to claim her. Why the hell had he told her they’d take it slow?
She ran her hands over his body, and every muscle he had tightened with need. As she glided her palm over his underwear and gripped his dick through the fabric, he closed his eyes and let out his breath in a slow hiss.
“Take these off.” She released her hold and stepped back, her gaze locking on his crotch.
He obeyed, dropping his underwear to the floor. Her eyes widened, and she wrapped her silky fingers around his cock and touched her lips to his ear. “Definitely nothing little about this werewolf.” She gave him a stroke, and his entire body shuddered.
Holy hell, he had to have this woman. He took her in his arms and kissed her as if she were the water to his insatiable thirst. The air to his lungs.
She released her hold on his dick to grip his shoulders, tugging him on top of her as she fell to the bed. He moved against her, but the coarse fabric of her jeans wasn’t the sensation he needed to feel.
Rolling to his side, he continued exploring her mouth with his tongue as he unbuttoned her jeans. Rising onto his knees, he tore his lips from hers to work her clothing over her hips and toss the remaining garments onto the floor.
The woman of his dreams lay in his bed, gloriously naked and reaching for him. “Make love to me, Chase. I need you.”
He lay beside her and kissed her, trailing his lips down her neck, nipping at her collarbone, reveling in her intoxicatingly feminine scent. She smelled like a meadow, with a warm, cinnamony undercurrent that was all Rain.
Her breath hitched as he glided his hand down her stomach, and when he stroked her soft folds, she let out a satisfied “Mmm.” He slipped a finger inside her, and she moaned. She was tight and wet, and he couldn’t hold back any longer.
Grabbing the condom from the nightstand, he tossed the wrapper aside and rolled the rubber down his shaft. She watched him as he moved on top of her and propped himself on his hands, her gaze never straying from his as he settled his hips between her legs and pressed himself against her opening.
Her eyes bore into his soul as he filled her, became one with her, and a deep shudder ran through his entire body. He lowered his chest to hers and held still, memorizing the way she felt wrapped around him, squeezing him. She held his body, heart, and soul in her arms.
He pulled out until only his tip remained inside her, and he roamed his lips over her shoulder, up her neck to find her mouth. Sliding back in slowly, he reveled in the way she gripped his back, the soft moans vibrating from her throat. He took his time making love to her, cherishing her.
He had to move slowly or the overwhelming emotions of joining with his fate-bound, giving himself to his soulmate, would’ve ended this way too soon. If he could have paused time and made this moment last forever, he would have. The tremor in his soul told him his wolf agreed.
“Oh, Chase. This feels so good.” The breathless sound of his name on her lips thrilled him, and he couldn’t help but increase his rhythm. She arched her back to take him deeper as he thrusted harder, his need growing stronger.
She hooked her legs behind his thighs and gripped his ass, guiding him faster and harder until she tossed her head back and let out the most beautiful moan he’d ever heard. She quivered around him, invoking her goddess and his name in the same breath.
He let go, giving himself to her. His orgasm exploded through his entire body as he pumped his hips, wave after wave of searing ecstasy burning through his veins. No woman had ever felt so good, so perfect in his arms.
As his climax subsided, he rose onto his elbows to look at his fate-bound. She would be his mate. She had to be. His wolf had claimed her, and now it felt as if an unbreakable cord ran from his heart to hers.
Her brow furrowed. Did she feel the strange connection too? Taking his face in her hands, she looked at him with a fierceness in her eyes. “You are mine.”
She had no idea…
Chapter Thirteen
A jealous rage boiled inside Isaac as he trudged away from the werewolf’s house. He ground his teeth as thoughts of his Rain spending the night with that creature plowed through his mind, digging up long-buried emotions he’d rather not remember.
He’d needed to get a glimpse of her, to see her with his own eyes. Could he possibly care for the woman after what she’d done to him?
Apparently, he could because the need to possess her gripped his chest, tightening his lungs until he couldn’t breathe. Ducking into the shadows, he leaned against a wall and pressed a hand to his heart. The sluggish muscle beat lightly against his breast, when it should have been pounding.
Why hadn’t he stuck to the plan? A week in the swamp would have been enough time to recover and implement his scheme. But he’d had to see her. Idiot.
After the energy he’d expended to satisfy his whim, he’d be forced to drain someone. He couldn’t stand to spend another week in the putrid swamp when he was this close to getting his revenge.
His spine cracked as he straightened and pushed from the wall. Closing his eyes, he shut out the world, ignoring his senses and focusing on his tulpa. A mass of static energy buzzed before him, pricking at his skin as the entity took shape.
Peeling his heavy lids open, he gazed at his greatest creation. Find me a witch. A beautiful one. If Rain could give herself to another man, Isaac would take another woman.
The tulpa darted ahead of him, slinking through the shadows as it made its way toward Frenchman Street and its eclectic live music venues. He knew of one club in particular that drew a large supernatural crowd—a prime hunting ground for his next taste of life.
Isaac followed his creation, his dirty clothes and the smell of swamp that lingered on his skin causing people to keep a wide berth around him. A woman looked at him with sympathy and muttered something about too many homeless people, and a sinking sensation formed in his stomach. Rain would be repulsed to see him in this condition.
A groan rumbled in his throat. Why did he care?
Dragging his mind back to the mission, he focused on the entity, sending it his thoughts and connecting on a telepathic level. Though the vision was hazy, as if looking through smoke, Isaac could see with the tulpa’s eyes. The shadow figure would need a face—a handsome man, tall and strong. Isaac’s lip split as he smiled, and coppery blood trickled between his teeth. He found one who would do.
The man leaned against a wall and fiddled with a matchbook, attempting to light a cigarette, while his friend tossed a beer can into the trash. The tulpa moved like lightening, zipping through the darkness to rest a shadowy hand against its prey’s cheek. The man’s face fell slack. His shoulders drooped, and his friend barely caught him by the arm before he crumpled to the ground.
“What the hell? Did you see that?”
> The man moaned in response.
The tulpa continued toward the club, its form wavering, rolling in on itself until it replicated the man’s appearance. Isaac followed, curling his cracked lip at the man as his friend tried to drag him to his feet. The temptation to stop and finish him off gave Isaac pause. If he could take on the bastard’s good looks by draining him like his tulpa could, he might have done it.
Instead, he ducked into the alley behind the club and cleared his mind. Through the smoky haze of the tulpa’s vision, he searched the room for a beautiful witch to replace his Rain. Though muffled through the entity’s senses, the music pulsed and vibrated as bodies writhed on the dance floor. The tulpa slinked into the crowd, running its hand along the arms of its potential conquests, searching their skin for the magical electricity of a witch.
Through the tulpa’s gaze, Isaac spotted dark curls bobbing across the dance floor, and his throat tightened. He stumbled up the alley toward the door, the excitement that his Rain had left the werewolf driving him forward.
The woman turned, and he halted, the exertion sucking the air from his lungs. Even through the haze, her dark-brown eyes were unremarkable. While the woman held a certain attractiveness, she wasn’t Rain.
How dare she have the audacity to resemble his woman? He urged the tulpa forward, and as it stroked her arm, her magical signature danced across the entity’s borrowed skin.
The tulpa put a hand on her hip, moving its own in time with the music, and desire sparked in the woman’s eyes as she ran a hand up the entity’s shoulder. Isaac’s jaw clenched. Rain had once looked at him that way.
Bring her to me. Isaac groaned and dissolved the connection, allowing the tulpa to do what was necessary to lead the woman to her doom. There would be no enjoyment in this victim. She deserved her fate for stirring these unwelcome emotions in his soul.
A giggle echoed from the alley entrance, and the woman appeared, her arms draped around the tulpa’s shoulders. “Where are we going?” She buried her face in the entity’s neck, and from this view, she looked so much like Rain, Isaac’s heart missed a beat.
Beneath a Blue Moon (Crescent City Wolf Pack Book 2) Page 14