She rocked onto the balls of her feet as his shaft stretched her slick passage. Pressure blinded her for a moment, the sensation too sharp for pleasure, yet not harsh enough for pain. His fingers kept her poised on the brink of orgasm with a light, circular motion.
A fresh rush of cream trickled out onto her thighs and made her unavoidably aware of how good he felt inside her. She wanted him everywhere, surrounding her, consuming her, driving away everything but this moment.
His free hand steadied her hip as he started moving in sharp, nearly violent strokes. She pushed back against him, craving the savage intensity. He shuttled in and out, possessive growls accompanying each slow thrust.
“Does this feel like lust?” He accented the taunt with a thrust hard enough to rock her onto her toes. The handcuffs dug into her wrists as his movement strengthened and sped. Her nipples tingled within the rings and her head spun. Pleasure washed over her in lazy waves, inundating her senses, yet refusing to crest.
Say it, Dy, his voice commanded in her mind. Admit you love me.
She screamed in exasperation, frustration threading through her arousal. She poured energy into her mental shields. She’d had no idea they had deteriorated, allowing him access to her mind and her emotions.
“Just finish already! I love it when you screw me.” The statement started out strong, but faded into a breathless whimper.
He wrapped his arm around her waist and drove deep as he shuddered in release. His persistent fingers triggered her long-awaited orgasm. Still, her temper wasn’t appeased by the pleasure.
“It doesn’t matter if I love you,” she cried. “My love won’t give you cubs, so stop tormenting me!”
Chapter Five
Maddox wrapped his arms around Dyauna and savored the firm clasp of her core around his softening length. For just a moment he’d slipped beyond her shields and felt her volatile emotions, and the conflict ravaging her fiery spirit. It broke his heart to know he was the cause of the conflict, but he was doing everything in his power to find a resolution.
Dyauna was one of the most powerful clairvoyants in Alpha Colony. Her telepathic range was massive, and she could identify other morphs by the rhythm of their energy. Her psychic shields were nearly impenetrable. He was one of the few who could have punched through if he chose to force his way into her mind. Of course, that wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted her to acknowledge their love, to invite him into her mind as she’d accepted him into her body. She needed to understand that nothing was more important than building a future together.
“I have a surprise for you.” He reluctantly separated their bodies, craving more of her even as he slipped free. He’d hoped distance would ease the continual ache, but she’d haunted his thoughts and filled his dreams with images of the things they’d do together. Not all of the images had been sexual. He’d seen her at his side through good times and bad, well into the future.
“Another toy from your bag of tricks?” Despite her angry outburst, her tone was rather breathless.
Circling around in front of her, he admired her lean body from every angle. Her skin still gleamed from the oil he’d spread across her undulating body, and the golden rings crowning her nipples made him want to start round three. He drew in a deep breath, held it, then released it in a ragged sigh. There was too much left unsaid between them, too much unresolved. Mesmerized by the beauty of her face, he reached up and unhooked her handcuffs from the tether, allowing her to lower her arms.
She dragged off the nipple rings before he could stop her, and tossed them in the general direction of the bed. Her anxious movement drew his attention to her wrists and he caught her upper arm, holding her still so he could examine the damage. The cuffs had abraded her wrists, her skin bruised and broken in places.
“What the hell?” he muttered, angry with himself for not anticipating the possibility. “Why didn’t you tell me I was hurting you?” He retrieved the key from his backpack and opened the cuffs.
“I was distracted at the time.” She sounded more embarrassed than angry. “It stung, but I didn’t realize the cuffs had done this.”
She had always had an aptitude for pain that he’d been reluctant to explore. He loved it when she turned wild and abandoned, willing to try anything, but hurting her in any way was hard for him. Swinging the backpack to his shoulder, he took her hand and led her to the door.
“We’ll take care of your wrists at our new destination.”
“Where are we going?” She hesitated in the doorway, alert and watchful.
“You’ll see.”
She tugged against his hand and motioned to the suppression collar. “Can we dispense with this?”
He tensed, wanting to trust her, yet knowing her too well. The second he released the band, she’d shift and do her best to escape. “Not yet. Maybe after we’ve enjoyed my surprise.”
She didn’t argue, but jerked her arm out of his light grasp and moved into the clearing in front of the relay station.
The night was cool and clear, the rain clouds having long since drifted east. The village was in the valley on the far side of the mountains, the handler’s compound even farther east.
Dyauna gazed at the starry sky, trying to regain her bearings, no doubt. They were surrounded by trees and rolling hills rather than steep, rocky canyons. It wouldn’t take her long to realize they were southwest of her camp.
Not wanting to hurt her any more, he placed his hand at the small of her back rather than grasping her wrist. “You’ll like this. I promise.”
She stared at him for a long, silent moment, rebellion simmering in her bright gaze. She was thinking about bolting. He could see it in her eyes. But she couldn’t shift, so he could easily track her. He wasn’t ready to let her go, would never be ready to let her go.
“How long are we going to keep pretending that there can ever be a solution for us?” She tossed her hair over her shoulders, and put her hands on her hips.
“I’m not the one pretending, and we’ll never find a solution until we start looking for one.” He motioned her toward a game trail, barely discernible in the moonlight.
She released her shift enough to illuminate her eyes, and his verbal directives guided her through the forest. They hiked down a rocky incline then upstream along a narrow brook.
“I love the smell of rain.” Her wistful tone caught him by surprise. Her expression was still so tense. “It leaves everything so fresh and…”
“Soggy?” He chuckled as his feet slid on the rain-soaked turf. “It’s not far now.”
The trees thinned then parted, creating a natural clearing. At least he presumed it was natural. This place was too secluded to attract many visitors. Across the clearing rose a rock face, not grand enough to be termed a cliff. A waterfall meandered down the formation, emptying into an oblong pool. Moonlight glistened off the rippling water before it narrowed and became the stream once more.
“Our bathing facilities?” she guessed.
“Yes, but that’s not the surprise.” He swept his arm toward the pool. “Stick your toes in and see how it feels.”
After treating him to a suspicious glower, she approached the pool with obvious mistrust. She looked around, visually scanning the trees as well as the water. Finally, she found a relatively flat spot and pushed one of her feet into the pool.
“It’s warm. How is this possible?”
“Water gathered at the bottom of the waterfall and then a hot spring pushed up through the streambed, enlarging and warming the pool.”
“How far are we from my camp? I’d like to bring --”
“Very few people know about this place, and I’d like to keep it that way.”
“All right.” She knelt and splashed the warm water on her face.
“I stashed a bucket behind the waterfall, so we can have a warm bath without contaminating the pool.”
“Makes sense. I don’t suppose you have shampoo and soap stashed back there too?”
“No shamp
oo, but I have soap in my backpack.”
“Soap will be a damn good start.” She followed him to the waterfall and helped steady him as he reached back into an indentation in the rock and withdrew a large metal bucket.
He filled the bucket and they walked a good distance from the pool. “Soak your wrists for a minute before we break out the soap.” She knelt beside the bucket and he opened his pack, rummaging for a moment before he produced a small bar of soap. “I have an ointment for your wrists, but it will have to wait until after we’ve enjoyed the pool. The water will just wash it off.”
“They aren’t as bad as they look. I bruise easily.”
“I know. But it’s no excuse. I should have been more careful with you.” It was one of the reasons he’d never been comfortable exploring anything more aggressive than spanking. She took her hands out of the water and he moved the bucket to one side as he knelt facing her. He wet the soap then coated his hands with the fresh smelling lather. “Don’t move.” Starting at her shoulders, he washed her arms, her neck and her torso. He tried to keep his touch light and utilitarian, but his hands had a mind of their own. Her skin was so warm and her shape so damn appealing.
“If I agreed to back your play -- and I’m not saying I will -- what will be your first move?”
She wanted to talk now? He tipped the bucket over her shoulders, allowing some of the water to rinse away the lather. “That will be up to the clan leaders. I’m pushing for a unified campaign, but everyone will still have a say.”
“Consensus is the most ineffective way to govern, especially in wartime.”
She had a point. Debate took up precious time, and their window of opportunity was limited. “There has to be a way to streamline the democratic process without abandoning the concept completely.”
“If I were you, I’d allow one leader from each breed to bring their preferences to you. The clan leaders can select a breed minister or whatever they want to call it, and you can make your decisions based on the advice of the breed ministers rather than trying to negotiate agreement out of all the clan leaders.”
He lowered his hands to his legs and gazed into her eyes. “That’s a wonderful compromise. It would allow everyone input without obstructing efficiency.”
“It will also allow the clans to retain their individuality. I can see the benefit of combining our forces, but you can’t meld all the breeds into one feline hodgepodge.”
Pausing long enough to renew the lather, he ran his hands up her thighs. “I want you on the council. You can be the leopard minister.”
She stopped his hands just short of their destination. “That’s not my decision to make. The leopards must be free to name anyone they choose.”
“But if they vote for you, will you agree to join the council?”
“One step at a time.” She released his hands and parted her thighs. “I’ll explain the process and suggest we take a vote.”
“There are only two leopards in the village. All the rest have joined you in the caves. Do you really think they’ll name anyone but you?”
“Time will tell. And if we’re adamantly opposed to your chosen course of action, we reserve the right to withdraw our support.”
“I don’t think that will be a problem. We all want the same thing.” His sudsy thumb dipped between her thighs, teasing without parting her folds.
Dyauna closed her eyes and let hunger roll through her being. Her hands were free, but he hadn’t given her permission to touch him, and she wanted to touch him, needed to explore his hard body as thoroughly as he’d explored her.
Not trusting herself to remain passive, she moved her hands behind her and grasped her ankles. He washed away the residue of their lovemaking while his careful touch triggered a fresh rush of cream. Her faint musk mingled with the scent of soap and rain-washed pine.
He leaned in, nipping her earlobe. “You’re not relaxing. I can smell your arousal.”
“Then stop touching me!”
His finger rubbed her clit while he scraped his teeth against her throat. “I don’t want to stop.” He trickled water over her lower body, allowing a steady stream to cascade between her thighs. “And you don’t want me to stop.”
As if to prove his point, he pushed to his feet and headed back to the pool for more water. She watched the bunch and flex of his ass and longing spiraled from her chest to her sex. How could she want him again so soon after… The thought was laughable. She’d never stopped wanting him. Even when they were apart, her heart ached to be with him.
She grabbed the soap off the ground and stood, determined to indulge her need to touch him before he took control again. “Your turn,” she said as he returned with a fresh bucket of water.
“I suppose that’s only fair.” He set the bucket at her feet and grinned. “How do you want me?”
“Lock your hands behind your head.” As soon as he complied, she went to work, gliding her soapy hands across his body. The position showcased his thick biceps and the muscular definition of his torso. She followed each contour, savoring the strength so obvious in his impressive form. He could snap her like a twig if he wanted to, yet he’d never harmed her, never intentionally hurt her. At least not physically.
That wasn’t fair. The emotional hurt had been unintentional too. He couldn’t help who he was or the expectations that accompanied his position. She’d left him, not the other way around.
She shook away the distracting thoughts and moved behind him. His back was easily as impressive as his front. Wide shoulders tapered to lean hips and that fabulous ass. His legs were long and thickly muscled, and even his feet were attractive.
After rinsing the lather from his body, she paused to admire him. “I’m not the only one aroused by bathing.” She nodded toward his sex, which arched before him, thickly erect and begging for attention.
“On your knees,” he growled. “I want that sassy mouth.” He released his hands and reached for her.
She went willingly, eagerly, needing the security of his strength, craving the pleasure she’d only found within his sheltering arms. He helped her to her knees and brushed her hair back from her face as she brought his cock to her mouth. Closing her lips around the tip, she sucked firmly, hardening his shaft even more.
He groaned, his fingers pushing into her hair, caressing not controlling, allowing her to play. She stroked his shaft with one hand, and cradled his balls in the other. All the while she licked and sucked on the flared head.
“Harder.” His tone was rough and urgent as he pushed farther into her mouth.
She tightened her fingers and drew more deeply, allowing her teeth to scrape against his delicate skin. His groans and gasps urged her on, feminine power unfurling within her. She lashed him with her tongue and carefully tugged on his sac as her mouth slid up and down on his hard flesh.
“Hands… on… my… hips.” He punctuated the sentence with the rocking of his pelvis. She moved her hands to his hips and he established a stronger rhythm.
She angled her head, taking him deeper. His hands fisted in her hair, holding without hurting. She closed her eyes and surrendered to the fire, the heated rush of being taken by him. Her core echoed his steady rhythm, clenching and releasing in time to his hips.
A salty-sharp taste spread across her tongue. She flicked against the slit, anxious for more of his evocative essence. He groaned again and sped his pace, driving to the back of her throat with each thrust.
Reaching back, she clutched his butt, enjoying the determined flex of his muscles against her palms. With a muffled cry, he drove in as far as he could, and came in shuddering spurts. She swallowed and licked, draining him with firm suction. He was hers. Now and forever, he was hers.
The possessive thought shocked her. Did she want Maddox to belong to her? She eased back, releasing him as she maneuvered her feet beneath her.
“What’s wrong?” He reached for her, but she twisted away.
“Nothing. I just… nothing.”
&nbs
p; “Didn’t you want me to finish like that?”
“No. I wanted you to.”
“Then why are you upset?”
“I’m not upset. I’m cold.” She tossed the last over her shoulder as she turned and hustled toward the pool.
He followed in her wake then wrapped his arms around her as she started to submerge. The water lapped at her waist, and he pulled her back against him, trapping her arms against her breasts.
“You’re still running away.” His warm breath teased her ear and a shiver raced down her spine. “What are you so afraid of?”
She tensed, ignoring the heat of his body and her instantaneous response to his touch. “I’m not afraid.” She sounded harsh and insistent, but not nearly as convincing as she’d hoped.
“When I touch you, and especially when I taste you, I feel possessive and fierce. I want you beneath me, and beside me, and with me. I want to share everything with you.” His hold eased and his hands caressed, his face pressed against her hair. “Did you feel it too? When I trusted you with my pleasure, did you feel the overwhelming need to bond with me?”
“What I need is for you to accept reality,” she snapped, “and stop teasing me with things that can never be.”
He turned her around, frustration sculpting his expression. “In reality, the only one keeping us apart is you.”
“I won’t be your whore!”
“I would never ask that of you. I love you, Dyauna. I want you to mate with me. I want us to --”
She raised her hand, stopping his passionate declaration as trepidation tore through her being. “Something’s wrong.” She tugged at the suppression collar as her leopard tossed within her. “Take this off me now!”
His gaze narrowed, sharp and assessing, then his head snapped up and he sniffed the air. “We’re not finished here. Consider this an intermission.”
They rushed to shore, and he retrieved the remote from his backpack. The band released with a soft pop. She tore the band off and tossed it aside, rubbing her irritated skin. Her leopard surged, refusing to be denied any longer. With no other explanation, she shifted and bounded off through the trees.
United Passion Page 5