She started to tremble as a mewling sound came out of her mouth. The gasp she wanted wouldn’t come. They treated her like she was less than an animal. Then they wonder why she ran from them.
“No more.”
“I need to know,” she pleaded.
“All you need to know is this.” He kissed her. His tongue licked at the seam of her mouth until it opened, then he was sucking her tongue into his mouth. The gasp she wanted earlier came. Along with a desire that hit the pit of her stomach like fire.
Chapter Twelve
“Wait.” Rylee pushed him away. One thing she was sure of, he could keep her more than warm. She licked her lips the taste of him was amazing. Lift your eye's dammit. She was looking down at her hands instead of meeting his gaze boldly like the strong, in charge woman she was.
“Too fast?” Phoenix asked.
That got her attention. Most guys would give her a litany of why she should shut up and put out.
“Maybe?”
He slid up the bed until he was supported by the headboard and waited.
“I’ve been crushing on you for two years. Wow, that sounded pathetic. I guess I should be jumping in your bed, shedding my clothes like… like I was in heat.” Well, she sort of was in heat. She gave a wry internal smile. He was warming her up nicely.
She knew better, but she wanted to sleep with him. Add on the fact that she was sure she wouldn’t accidentally flame on and make stir-fry Phoenix. That made her wetter. Damn, she was kinky.
“I have an idea.”
Did it have anything to do with him wanting to eat her and then inspect the inside of her vagina with his overly thick and long tongue depressor? Ugh! She needed to control her thoughts.
“Why don’t you take a shower. Your clothes are in the closet.”
She looked down to see what she was wearing. It was one of Phoenix’s T’s that looked like and dress on her.
“Shower and clean clothes?”
He nodded, “Then food. If you feel like it, we can go shopping. Or Internet shopping.”
“I can leave the house? You’re not going to go all alpha male on me?”
“Sorry flame, nothing I can do about the alpha male part.”
She was gawking at him, and she knew it. Her mom had a cute nickname for her; Troy called her Firestarter. That was it, no one else dared to call her anything but Rylee. He called her flame and her heart traitor that it was, said this is why we waited two years.
“I’ll get a shower,” she stumbled over the words as she pulled a robe from the closet.
She was in heaven. Her apartment had the standard shower tub set up. Phoenix had a luxurious tub for soaking. All she could think about were bubble baths and a separate huge shower. She loved the water as much as she loved a roaring fire in a pit or inside in a fireplace.
Shower or tub, shower or tub? Phoenix was waiting. Every fantasy she ever had of him coming into her bathroom while she was showering slick with soap came back to her. He would open the curtain and flash that smile at her. His reddish-orange eyes would devour her naked body turning her just enough so that she was on display for him.
Her nipples would harden as she licked her plump red lips. (She almost laughed at the description but couldn’t help herself.) Her hand went down to pull at one pink nipple; a moan came out.
Shaking herself out of her fantasy, she turned on the water. Shower it was. If he came in here would she holler and scream or give in and get what she wanted? What if he only wanted a quick fuck?
“Really? This is why you need me.”
She turned so fast she almost fell on the slippery floor of the shower.
“Are you in the bathroom with me Elfin?” She was indignant. It wouldn’t matter if her cat was a cat. No! He was a talking cat. “Can you read my mind?”
“Maybe.” He gave a laugh that came out like a meow. “I am not in the bathroom. Who wants to look at old woman skin?”
She was going to kill her cat. He called her an old woman. She turned thirty last month that wasn't old.
“I’m only thirty!”
“You should think your thoughts or Phoenix will take you to one of those head doctors the people on this planet like. Do you know how old thirty is in cat years?”
No, she didn’t, but she knew how old it was in dog years. She was going crazy she thought as she laughed. If she were a cat, and someone said they were thirty she would be thinking of wrinkly skin too.
“If you can’t read my mind how are we talking?”
“You connect with me in moments of stress. I also hope you’ll connect when you're about to make a bad decision.”
“Moments of stress?”
“Un huh, you were thinking about your mate. Your heartbeat kicked up, and your mind screamed because you believe he doesn’t want you.”
Actually, I was thinking he only wanted me for a quick fuck. I won’t tell you that because we’ve already covered the fact that you’re not thirty. I bet you’re a teen.
“What are you?”
“A cat?”
He was hedging she could feel it.
“Go away Elfin I’m about to get out the shower. I’m going to think about every part of my body in detail with a picture of how great I look when I stand in front of the mirror.”
“Eww, it’s like seeing your mother naked.”
She waited until she was sure he was gone. He was definitely a teen and whether he knew it or not, he just claimed her as a parent.
She put her robe on before she walked into the bedroom. Phoenix wasn’t there. She put on a pair of matching lingerie before dressing in a pair of loose joggers and a large T. Her wounds were closed so taking a shower didn’t bother her. They hurt like hell though. Going out may not be the smart thing to do.
“What are you doing?” She padded into the kitchen with bare feet. Phoenix kept his floors warm. They were either covered with plush rugs or he had in floor heating. Either way, she knew her feet would never be cold.
“Making your lunch.”
She sat and took the time to listen to her stomach, not sure she could eat anything.
“Mekhi says you have to eat. Waiting won’t be our friend.”
“I had my internal organs placed on a table for everyone’s viewing pleasure. I may need time before I can digest food.”
“That’s why you need to eat. Mekhi gave you a shot to help you with your food and to kick your stomach into high gear. He says you may have to eat more after this to keep your weight up. It was this or death.”
He gave her a look that touched her heart.
“I don’t know a woman alive who doesn’t want to hear. You need to eat more to maintain your current gorgeous weight.” Her grass-greens danced with laughter and heat as she looked at him.
“You are gorgeous. I love how you are built. I think I was always a little jealous of my brothers, that they had such beautiful mates, then I saw you. Now that you're mine…” His voice trailed off when she lifted a brow and placed one slender hand over her chest.
“Oh, I’m yours?”
“Yes,” His voice came out rough and tumble. He took the soup and grilled cheese off the fire and stalked across the room like a predator. That made her the prey.
He went to his knees in front of her chair making them almost the same height.
“If you don’t want this, want me. Stop it now.” He placed his hand on her back and slowly pulled her towards him until her mouth was flushed with his.
His lips slid over hers as smooth as silk. They were firm and a little on the big side. Her lips were cushioned against his. She liked how that felt. His tongue came out to swipe at her lips taking her taste deep inside as he left his scent on her.
She opened her mouth just enough to run her tongue over her lips taking in the sweetness that had a hard edge that was all Phoenix. His taste reminded her of hot black tea combined with chocolate mint. She was in heaven when his tongue slid into her mouth devouring her. They dueled for control even as s
he gave into him.
There were many places she wanted to be in charge. The bedroom wasn’t one of them. She wanted to be held down and loved so thoroughly, she couldn’t remember the day when she finally fell asleep snuggled in his arms. That was one of the things she never thought she would find with a male.
She wanted to surrender, with Phoenix, she could do that. There was no need to always be in charge. When his lips nipped at the vein in her throat, she moaned. The pleasure too much for her to deny.
He pushed her back while she struggled to remember that she was supposed to be eating.
“The soup is still hot,” he said climbing to his feet. There was a reluctance to move in his body. “I’ll make you another sandwich.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Flame, eat.”
She grinned; she couldn’t help herself. Phoenix was going to be a handful, but she was up to the challenge. A hum left her lips as she waited for her sandwich. She blew on the soup and took a cautious sip. Death came for her and failed. What was there to fear?
They cleaned the kitchen when they were done and then settled into the plush rug in the middle of the living room. There was a knock at the door, Piper came in when Phoenix called out.
“Piper,” Rylee called out happy to see her.
“Stay down,” Piper told her when she went to stand. “You still need your rest. I wanted to give you a welcome to the family and an ‘I’m glad you’re still alive present.’”
Rylee frowned, but couldn’t hold it. She burst into laughter. “I’m pretty happy to still be alive. I’ve decided you're right, I deserve presents!”
They both laughed. Piper took a laptop case that was hanging from her shoulder and placed it on the floor before she sat with them.
“Normally, I would go to the store and buy you one of these bad boys. The thing is nothing in the store can compare to what I can make. Hale—super bad created and designer of video games–makes the cases for me. Open it up.”
Rylee pulled the case to her. When she opened it, a futuristic laptop sat in her hands. Golden eyes appeared on the case. “Hello, Rylee.”
“Holy… shit!” She almost dropped it. Good thing she was sitting down. “Piper what did you do?”
“It’s an A.I. Not as sophisticated as Ali. I didn’t want to freak you out.”
“That mission is a bust; I'm freaked.” She opened the case a second time and realized it was interactive. “I never have to touch the keyboard!”
“Do you like it?” Piper was ringing her hands.
“Like? I love it, and I haven’t even used it yet!” The golden eyes were looking at her, and she knew she should be freaked out, but she wasn’t. “What’s your name?”
“I’ve been waiting for you to name me.” The eyes lowered trying to look demure.
“Nope, nada, no way. I know you have a name, I can see the spark in those eyes.”
There was a laugh deep and decidedly masculine.
“Hey, why do you get a female A.I., and I get a male one?”
“Because Akron would flip his shit if Ali was a male.” Their eyes met, and they dissolved into laughter. Phoenix growled.
“I think you gave him too much credit,” Rylee said while pointing at Phoenix. “I’m waiting,” she told her computer.
“My name is Marc.”
“Is that short for Marc Anthony?”
Her computer didn’t say anything, but she could feel its pride in the room. Damn her life was getting interesting.
Chapter Thirteen
“Is that what you want Phoenix?”
“I do,” he growled.
“Why don’t you show me?” Too fast, her mind screamed at her. She let it go. Lying on that table and knowing how close to death she was would forever be with her. The fact that she would die without knowing Phoenix’s arms, lips, his body had terrified her. It was one of the things she knew that even dead she would regret. Now her consciousness and her body were at war with each other.
Her conscience might have won if there wasn’t that deep part of her that refused to live her life for others. She was tired of taking the blame for what others in her life had done. That included her conception, and the powers that she carried. Tonight, she would burn bright with the only male who could transmute her power and not be burned by it.
“Phoenix?” It came out as a whine and she realized she wasn’t too proud to beg. He was rubbing his face against the side of her neck. Every so often, he would stop and nuzzle his lips into her. Then his tongue would run down the line of her neck making her breath catch and her heart pound faster. His hand was grazing the side of her breast. It was just enough to make her nipples stand up. They were hard as stone. She wanted his hands on them. He could caress them, pull them, pinch them. She didn’t really care as long as the heat of his fingers were touching her nipples.
“Are you sure?”
Was she sure? She looked into his eyes; they were burning bright. It was amazing that she hadn’t succumbed to the fire damage of being around him. Her tongue came to lick her dry lips. He followed it with a hungry gaze. Phoenix would consume her, but he wouldn’t leave her, of that she was certain.
“I’m sure.” What would tomorrow bring? She didn’t know, and would she ever be able to say that L word? She didn’t know that either. She did know that if he was worth having then he was worth her time. She might not have much of that left, but she’d dedicate it to knowing Phoenix.
She would… please, please she begged silently. He was licking a line between her breast. He would raise his head and then blow warm breath on her before lowering his head again for another lick. Her hips twitched as she slid on the bed looking for some relief. Her nipples got even harder.
His hand found the bottom of her shirt tugging it up. She bit her bottom lip in an effort to stay silent as he dragged her shirt over her head. His fingers caressed her skin making her hotter as he took the shirt off. She was lying in her bra, suddenly she was happy about all the matching sets of undies she purchased. Her royal blue bra had a scalloped edge that was pretty against her flushed breast.
“Beautiful.” His eyes caressed her eating her up.
She held her breath before she expelled it. It had never been like this before. No man had ever just caressed her with his eyes like he was looking at a treasure.
“Phoenix.” His name trembled on her lips. His finger came up to stop her.
He moved lower on the bed before grabbing the waistband on her pants. She lifted her hips, the only sign of her giving consent. He pulled them down slowly, allowing his hands to skim over her skin, to set her on fire.
She needed him; her head rocked back, and forth as small sounds of desire escaped her lips. This was so erotic, maybe more than she could handle. Hearing the moans and the pleading sounds leaving her lips turned her on more.
How she wondered until his hands brushed the side of her hips. Her entirely too wide hips. She wanted to close her eyes and pretend she was a perfect ten like the models or even the women she envied.
“Look at me.” His voice was a rasp of sound that cut over her disparagement making her eyes open.
Could he get any hotter? He was going to burn her alive. His fingers played with the thin royal blue line of material that hugged her waist.
“Did you buy these for me?”
Her stomach fluttered as his words and voice found that secret place in her that made her flood with need. She nodded unable to make her mouth say anything intelligent.
“I want to dive into you. To eat you up and not stop. Patience, I will not break my mate.” His eyes went to her face as he crawled up the bed. “I’ll buy you another one, as many as you want.”
One of his fingers became a sharp deadly claw. She should be scared, maybe scream. Her body the traitor was too busy pouring wetness down her legs to worry about the claw. When he brought it close to her breast before tracing her nipple, she almost shouted with the pleasure of it.
“My claws
are sensitive. I was given these to take pleasure in the blood of my enemies. The ones who created me wanted me to enjoy the feel of ripping their skin and pulling their hearts out.
Her heart beat wildly as he spoke. Her pussy was throbbing trying to clench onto something that wasn’t there. Her stomach was fluttering with butterflies.
“No feeling I have ever encountered compares to the feeling of your soft flesh under my claws. I will never hurt you mate. I want to experience this for a lifetime.” He shredded her bra showing her how deadly his claws were. He left the ruined material on her.
“The sight of your perfect flesh surrounded by the shredded material calls to the animal in me.” He lowered his head and took one of her nipples into his mouth, sucking and then pulling on it.
She couldn’t take it; her body throbbed while a scream of pure need came from her. His hand went to the other nipple plucking at it. The warmth of his mouth and the heat of his fingers had her writhing on the bed. The words please and fuck me now came out in twisted sounds she could barely make out even as she tried to beg harder.
“What do you want Rylee?” His reddish-orange eyes held her in place as surely as if he had tied her down.
“You, I want you.” Her words were choked, but she managed to make them legible. There was no way she’d be the same on the other side of this. It didn’t matter she was already different. All that mattered was feeling Phoenix sink deep within her.
“I can give you that.”
His hands tried to find every secret of her body at once. They were everywhere stoking and caressing. The fire she tried to keep in check was trying to come out to burn the bed, Phoenix, and the house down.
“Let it out Rylee, it won’t hurt us.”
She trembled with the need but knew better. She was a deadly weapon the government wanted to use. The bed would burn; his brothers and sisters would burn. The children! No, she must stay in control.
His hands went to her panties. That same wicked claw shredded them bringing a loud moan to her lips. He took the heel of his palm and pushed over her clit. She went up in flames as her orgasm consumed her.
Phoenix (The Broken Book 5) Page 7