Unchained (Shifter Night Book 3)

by Charlene Hartnady

  “What is it?” Edith frowned. “You’re all serious all of a sudden.”

  “Fucking you is serious business. It’s a job I don’t take lightly.” He picked her up and walked over to where soft velvety moss grew under a particularly large tree. He put her down. “Would you mind if I took you from behind?”

  “Bear-style?” she teased.

  “Something like that, yes.” He smiled at her, feeling everything in him tighten with need.

  “Sign me up for some of that.” She bobbed her brows and went onto all fours in front of him.

  Gage had to keep from snarling at the sight of all of her curves. And between those lush thighs, she was pink, glistening and ready. “You are so incredibly beautiful.” His voice was thick with need. Gage kneeled behind her.

  His touch was urgent as he gripped her hips. It couldn’t be helped though. “So damned soft,” he whispered. With extreme reluctance, he looked up at the canopy above them, focusing his senses for a few moments.

  “What is it?” Edith looked back over her shoulder. Her eyes were wide.

  “Just double-checking before I’m inside you. I have a feeling I won’t be able to concentrate on anything else. I’m sure they’re long gone, just wanting to make sure.”

  “Maybe we should wait or put some distance between ourselves and this place.” Concern was etched into her features.

  “Yeah we should.” He was elated to see a look of disappointment cross her face. “But that’s not going to happen.” He crouched over her, slipping his hand between her legs. “I’m afraid this first time will need to be quick.” He found her clit and began to rub softly. Her mouth opened a little and her eyes glazed over. “I would normally make you come multiple times. Make you come long and hard. I so wish we had the time.”

  She moaned. “That’s okay.” She was already panting.

  His cock felt thick and ready between his legs. His balls felt tight yet heavy. Gage needed to bring her to the edge because he wasn’t going to last. No fucking way. Not with Edith.

  He positioned himself between her wet folds and pushed in, just his tip. Gage grit his teeth. So good. So damned good. He pushed in a little more, moving his hips in circular motions. Working at keeping his baser needs in check. Needs like wanting to ram into her. Take her hard and right now. Sweat beaded on his brow. Deeper and deeper, Gage eased in slowly. Edith made mewling noises. He eased off of her clit for a moment, wanting this to last a little longer than two seconds. He’d also promised her he wouldn’t come inside her. Right now, he was sorry he’d done that. He wanted his seed inside her. He wanted her swollen with his child. He just wanted her, period, but that was his dick talking. His dick had fallen deeply and madly in love. She felt that good.

  What was not to love though? Edith arched her back as he bottomed out inside her. She cried out as his hips hit her ass. Then the animal in him took over. His bear was done waiting. He gripped her hips, loving how her flesh dented by his fingers. This was a real female. One with some meat on her bones. He thrust into her and she yelled. The sound laced with pleasure. He thrust again and again. Watching how her ass jiggled with each hard plunge. She cried out each time his hips hit her ass.

  Her mouth was open. Her eyes were wide. Her pussy hugged him, and it hugged him hard. Being inside her was everything he thought it would be. Tight and hot. “Oh hell!” he growled as his groin began to tighten. As everything began to prepare for release. This was going to be tough. He reached around her, finding her swollen nub. Gage didn’t waste any time on getting to work. He rubbed on her sweet spot for all he was worth. Not too hard. Easy. Not too fast.

  Her channel tightened around him like a vice and she groaned. The sound deep and primal, like it had resonated from between clenched teeth. Her pussy spasmed around him. Sweet Jesus! Gage fought for control. It took everything in him not to give in to all of these sensations and just to come inside her.

  At long fucking last she began to come down and he slowed, when all he wanted to do was to pound into her. To make her come again while he took what he needed. No! Fuck!

  It physically hurt him to pull out of her sweet, tight heat.

  Edith moaned in protest. She did something unexpected and turned around. Her legs splayed, resting her weight on her elbows. Her gaze was glassy. Her cheeks flushed. She watched in what looked like, fascination as he fisted his cock and began to tug, using hard strokes. All he wanted was to bury himself back into her slick folds. Even her fur was wet. She licked her lips, still panting hard. Her chest heaved. So sexy, so damned perfect. Gage locked eyes with hers. Those beautiful green orbs pulling him in.

  The first spurt erupted, landing on her belly, the second was with more force, it splattered all over her glorious chest. What the fuck was he doing? Gage closed his other hand over the tip of his cock and finished the job. “I’m sorry,” he groaned. “Shit, I’m one sick fuck, Curls,” he growled. “But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like the look of you covered in my seed.”

  “Should I be flattered?” She smiled.

  That his bear had enjoyed marking her? That it wanted him to bite her next time as well? That was a resounding yes, he’d never had this happen before, but he couldn’t tell her all of that, so he leaned in and kissed her instead. Soft and sweet. Just like her. “Thank you, Curls. Let’s get you cleaned up.”

  She nodded once. “I should thank you right back.”

  “For messing all over you?’ He shook his head.

  “Does it make me sick too if I said I didn’t mind you coming all over me?”

  "Yes, but I happen to think it's a fantastic trait in a female." He kissed her again. A quick press of his lips to hers. Needed to stop doing that. It was a little too lovey-dovey.

  Gage worried about heading back into the open during daylight. They should never have had sex. Too damned noisy. What was done was done. He didn’t regret it. Not for a moment. “We can’t go to the river.”

  She looked down at herself and then back at him, raising her brows.

  “Wait right there.” Gage fetched a couple of big, velvety leaves from a nearby plant. “These will have to do.” He handed them to her.

  “What now?” Edith wiped herself across the chest as she spoke.

  He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’m worried our shelter may have been compromised.” He didn’t want to put Edith at risk. “I’m inclined to say that we cut our losses, hole up here for the rest of the day and then head out.”

  She shrugged. “If that’s what you think is best.”

  “You need your clothes though.”

  “If it’s not safe, then I’ll survive.”

  “It’s cold at night. The bugs will eat you alive while we travel.” He shook his head. “I’ll go and fetch your things.” There was no other way.

  Edith put a hand to her chest. “And if you’re captured. What then?”

  “Keep going.”

  “Going where?” She shook her head. “That’s not going to work. We go together. We stay together.” She narrowed her eyes for a moment and then locked eyes with him. “I know. I’ll go.”

  “No way! No!” His voice held a growl.

  She put up a hand. “Hear me out. At least, if I’m caught, you can still get back to the village and get help. I, on the other hand, might end up dying out here on my own.”

  "If you follow the river you'll eventually make it back to the village. You need to move upstream."

  “On my own out here?” She shook her head. “I can’t fend for myself or find food. No. I’ll go back to camp. I’ll fetch my own things. You have to promise you’ll head for the village if I’m captured. It has to be this way.”

  He cupped her cheeks in his hands. He hadn’t even realized he had moved. “You’re so brave. You know that?”

  “I’m just being logical and—”

  He kissed her. Gage didn’t give a shit about what it meant or what would happen when they finally got back to the village. He kissed the hell out of her.
All he cared about was right now. Edith was his friend first and foremost. He was proud of her. He admired her. Most of all, he was afraid for her. “You come back to me, Curls,” he murmured as they broke.

  “I’ll do my level best.”

  Gage helped her to her feet. It took a minute for her to dress back into her underwear. “I’ll take you as close as I can.”

  Edith nodded, a look of determination on her face. She hopped onto his back and he headed out, taking it slow and easy this time. It took about fifteen minutes and he bent down so that she could slip off. Gage pointed in the direction of their make-shift camp. “It shouldn’t take you longer than a couple of minutes,” he whispered.

  Edith nodded. “Promise me you’ll leave if—”

  “If nothing. You’re coming back. Move quickly and quietly. In and out.”

  “If I’m not back in five minutes. If you hear anything.”

  Gage nodded. “Okay. I’ll come for you though. Know that I won’t stop or give up or …”

  Edith smiled. She reached up on her tippy toes, just managing to brush her lips to his. Gage put his arms around her for a second or two before turning her in the direction of the camp.

  Five minutes.

  Five times sixty-seconds.

  May as well have been an hour or two. He forced himself to stay still. To stay quiet. To use all of his senses. Just because he couldn’t hear, see or smell anything didn’t mean it was safe. Not by a long shot. If anything happened to her … anything …

  He could still hear Edith moving away. Her footfalls becoming softer and softer. Then, silence. She was gone. Too far away for him to hear her anymore. He felt a moment of panic. Maybe they should have just stuck together. No! She was right. Someone needed to rescue them. All of them. He would bring every shifter, every non-human and take those fuckers down. If they hurt Edith or any of the others, he’d finish them. He stood there for a time, teeth clenched, senses on high alert. Mind wandering to places it had no business going.

  His heart beat faster. Was it? Could it be? Yes! Footfalls. They were becoming louder. Closer and closer and there she was. Her clothing, as well as the pelt, cradled in her arms. They both moved at the same time. Closed the distance in a couple of frantic strides. He took her into his arms and hugged her close. “Good to see you, Curls.” He kissed the top of her head.

  “You too.” He could hear that she was smiling.

  “Let’s find a safe place to sleep.” He held onto her for a moment longer before letting go.

  15

  Her hair was still damp. It dripped down her back and over her shoulders.

  Not that she cared.

  Not even a little bit.

  The world could be ending and she probably wouldn’t give a toss.

  She straddled Gage, her feet on the ground. Her hands clasping his shoulders. His cock deep inside her. Her boobs jerked up and down as he lifted her up and down, as he pounded into her from below in strong, easy strokes.

  The sound of their ragged breathing filled the forest. That and the sucking, wet sound her body made with each hard thrust. Edith should be embarrassed about how wet she was. At how close she was to coming, but it felt too good for her to care. If anything, the slapping, sucking noises turned her on even more. If that was even possible. He nipped at one of her nipples, made a growling noise from low down in his throat. So damned sexy. Everything about this man was sexy. From his broad shoulders, to his thick biceps, to that gorgeous smile. The one that made a dimple pop to the left of his mouth. Oh, that mouth. That wicked tongue, those wicked lips. He suckled on her nipple a couple of times before lifting his head. His jaw was tight, his eyes bright. His golden flecks more prominent.

  He smiled at her for a half a second before clenching his jaw.

  This had all started with him laying her down and sucking on her clit. Sucking. She’d never been sucked before. Licked, yes but sucked, no. It was the best. A soft vacuum over one of the most sensitive places on her body. He hadn’t allowed her to come though and had given her the choice of position this time.

  Thing was, Edith had ridden this man many times, only, not in the way that she wanted. Not like this. Riding him was superb. It might be her new favorite thing.

  Edith moaned. He was big. So very, ridiculously big. He hit every spot inside her. Every. Single. One. She looked down between them, to where they were joined. To where he slid in and out of her. She was about to come. Edith lifted her head; she could feel her eyes rolling back. Could feel her hands clutch at his shoulders. Could feel herself clamp down on him as pleasure rushed through her. Wave after wave. She made a very deep, very weird groaning noise. She had zero control at this stage. Could only feel. Gage held onto her, holding her in place. He kept going. Pushing her higher and higher.

  She yelled his name and his lips crushed against hers. Finally, finally … he slowed, drawing out her pleasure. Easing off. Then he was pulling out, clasping his cock and fisting it. His eyes on hers. Intense and beautiful.

  She so wished that he could find completion inside her. She needed to be the one to bring him pleasure. Edith gripped the base of his cock with her own hand. He closed his eyes and groaned, clearly enjoying her touch.

  “Let me,” she panted out.

  “Edith,” he groaned, it sounded like both a warning and a plea. She’d ignore the first and go with the second. She scooted back, leaned over and took his dick into her mouth. With her one hand, she stroked his balls and with the other, she fisted the base of his cock. “Oh god, Edith. Shit!” He said a couple more cuss words. His fingers threaded through her hair. “Curls.” A deep rasp. Definitely a warning.

  She ignored him, deep-throating him. His balls pulled tight in her hand.

  “I’m going to. I …” he groaned. His fingers tightened a smidgen on the back of her head as the first spurt hit her throat. She swallowed, continuing to suck him off with her mouth and to pump him with her hand. It took a few more swallows before he was done.

  Gage slumped back as she released him. He groaned. His big chest heaved. He lay like that for a time before lifting his head. A beautiful smile played with the edges of his mouth. “That was amazing. You are amazing.”

  She felt her own mouth tug into a smile. Could feel how her cheeks heated. Gage sat up, he put an arm around her middle and pulled her against him, placing a kiss on the top of her head. “What I wouldn’t give for a soft bed and a couple of hours to burn.”

  “Let me guess, you’d sleep like a baby. Don’t think I haven’t noticed that you don’t sleep well out here. That you lie awake keeping watch.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t need much sleep during the summer months. We bears tend to do our sleeping during the winter.”

  “You hibernate?” She looked up at him.

  His eyes were wrinkled at the corners. “I sleep like a human during winter. Six or seven hours at a stretch, may as well be hibernating.” He rolled his eyes.

  He considered six or seven hours long. Huh! No thank you. Edith needed her beauty sleep. “What, life’s too short to spend it all in bed?” She made a face.

  “Something like that. Although, if you were in bed with me, I think I’d hibernate winter, spring, summer and fall.”

  They both laughed. Something clenched in her though. Something deep because there would be no winter or spring for them. There definitely wouldn’t be another summer. There was only a couple more days and then it was going to end. She’d somehow managed to convince herself that it was okay when it wasn’t. Gage was the kind of guy she could see herself with. At least he had been honest with her and she knew where she stood. There was always the chance that he might change his mind. She somehow doubted it though.

  “We’d better get going, Curls.” Gage lifted her to her feet.

  She forced herself to smile at him. Gage took her hand in his, squeezing it as they set off.

  Two days later …

  You’re sure?” She sounded animated.

  “Very sure.
” His voice was still rough since he had only recently shifted back into his skin. “I recognize that hilly outcrop.” He pointed to the right of them.

  “Um, okay if you say so.” Edith squinted in the general direction. “I can’t see a thing. It’s still too dark.”

  “I keep forgetting how blind you are, human,” he joked, putting his arm around her shoulders. “If we keep heading west,” he gestured to where the sun had just begun to light up the horizon, “we should hit my village in two or three days tops.”

  “But first we rest.” She turned into him, putting her arms around him.

  “If that’s what you want to call it.” He smiled. “I need to scout the area because—”

  “No, you need to come to bed with me.” She took a step towards their newly made shelter.

  Gage narrowed his eyes on hers. He’d like nothing better than to take her up on that very tempting offer. “This part of the forest isn’t as dense. It’s a little riskier. You make yourself comfortable.” He touched the side of her face. “Eat some of those blueberries we found earlier.”

  Her eyes lit up, then she laughed. It was a beautiful sound. “You know me too well, even after just a few days together. I’m a sucker for delicious food. If you had cupcakes with butter frosting, I’d sing karaoke.” She gripped his arm. “I wouldn’t recommend it though. I can’t hold a tune.” She widened her eyes.

  “I can think of a couple of things I’d prefer anyway.” He kissed her. “You relax for a few minutes. I won’t be long.”

  “You’d better not be, or I’ll be asleep when you get back.”

  “I can also think of a couple of ways to wake you up.” He grinned at her.