Sapphire Flame: A Paranormal Romance (The Flame Series Book 7)

by Caris Roane

  “Exactly what I needed. Thanks.”

  He’d sweated profusely after he’d withdrawn from her.

  She moved to a panel near the nightstand and tapped the screen. A few more taps and she was able to see the outside. The shutters were nearly down over a grassy area beyond the bedroom patio. She would need the lawn and the fresh outdoors to appease Grant’s wolf.

  Her heart pounded in her chest. She knew what was coming and her wolf couldn’t wait. The vision had come to her crisp and clear for what Grant needed and what would keep her safe as well.

  Shivers chased down her body at the mere thought of it. The nape of her neck ached, and her sex clenched.

  “You’re a very practical person, aren’t you?”

  “Yes,” she called over her shoulder. “I think I am. Or if not practical, then pragmatic. I like having plans and solving problems.”

  “Like mine?” He was now wiping down his thighs and toweling off.

  She shrugged, though she threw him a smile. “Any problem really. Yours just happens to be in front of me and very promising.”

  She glanced at his arousal. She wanted to return to him and take up where she’d left off. At the very least, she could have given him relief with her mouth. But what she intended was so much better.

  When he rose to his feet with a gleam in his eye and cast the towel and washcloth on the comforter, she held up a hand. “No, you don’t. Remember, I have a plan. So, let’s stick to it.”

  “What do you have in mind?”

  “Better if I show you.”

  He drew close, however, and peered at the monitor. “What are we looking at?”

  She gestured to the patio where the original steel shutters still held the patio enclosed. She flipped to another screen in which a second set of sun-blocking insulated wood shutters had encased part of her outdoor living space including a stretch of grass. She’d had an artist create a mural of a Tuscan countryside on the shutters so that when she would awaken after a day’s sleep and it was still daylight outside, she had a view of something nice and summery yet completely out-of-doors.

  She heard the second set of shutters clamp down firmly. She didn’t use the second set all the time, but sometimes grass on her bare feet gave her more peace of mind than anything else. She wondered if that was because she’d always had a latent wolf within her.

  The remote gave her a chime that indicated the second area was secure from daylight. The monitor showed a darkened space. It would be nearly pitch black to a pair of human eyes, but her alter vision saw it in a glow.

  “That’s it.” She hit the second key, which only worked if the all-clear chime went off. It raised the central patio steel shutter and revealed the lawn, shrubs and flowers that went back thirty feet. At the far end was a traditional, three-tiered fountain. The mural was the finishing touch.

  “Holy shit. This must have cost a fortune because I didn’t see it when I flew in.”

  “Yes, I paid a pretty penny for it, but this part of my garden pleases me to no end.”

  She went to the sliding doors that worked on a folding system. She pushed back both sets so that the bedroom was now part of the outdoors. Though it was in late September, the early morning air was cool and wouldn’t be unbearably warm for a few more hours.

  She took his hand, led him outside then halfway up the long rectangle of grass. “Sometimes I sleep out here.”

  He squeezed her fingers gently. “I would, too.” He glanced around. “You’ve built something extraordinary here.”

  “Thank you.” She chuckled. “I just never imagined I’d use the space for having sex with a hot wolf.”

  His turn to laugh.

  She turned into him and pressed a hand to his chest. Most of his fur had abated, but she loved what remained. “Feeling better?”

  “Somewhat. So, what exactly did you have in mind?”

  “Kiss me first then I’ll show you.”

  He didn’t need any more encouragement than that. He slid his arms around her and slanted his lips over hers. She realized she loved kissing this man. He was strength and tenderness combined. She felt overcome by his masculinity, yet his lips and tongue were a symphony of soft seduction.

  What had her moaning on the bed, took her straight back to her body lit with passion and fire.

  Shit. His voice in her head, reminded her of his predicament.

  She drew back and smiled. His chest was once more covered with fur. He slapped it. “You think you can take care of this?” He was clearly frustrated.

  She didn’t try to argue with him. Instead, she turned away from him then very slowly lowered herself to the ground. She used levitation, so she could give him a show.

  “Fuck. What are you doing?” She heard the incredulity in his voice, but she couldn’t see his face. “Natalie. Don’t. I won’t be able to—”

  She switched to telepathy. Yes, you can. You won’t shift. You won’t need to. As she landed on her knees and her hands, she arched her back. She was more animal than human in this moment with her swollen sex on display for Grant to see. This is what your wolf wants. Now take it.

  She heard him growl, a long, very wolfish sound that held a mountain of resonance. She felt him move in behind her and half-expected him to jump on her and get straight to business.

  Instead, she felt his breath on her bottom and she gasped. You smell like heaven, Natalie. All this mint, lemons and woman.

  He licked her sex in a long, insistent line.

  This small thing, of tending to her first, made something inside her heart grow very vulnerable. Making love with Grant had become so much more than she would have ever believed possible. He was a wolf from Savage, yet he was the human he’d been before Five Bridges as well.

  When he pierced her once more and tongue-fucked her, growls formed in her own throat. She needed more and arched her neck and howled, a soft plaintive sound.

  He left her sex and leaned over her. “What do you need, fae-wolf? Tell me. Your wolf is talking to me and you were right. This was what I needed. If we bonded, I would take you in this position. So, what do you need?”

  “I’m not sure.” Her voice was hoarse. Another howl wanted to let loose. Instead, she focused on his question and on her wolf.

  What did she need?

  The back of her neck ached. “I want you to bite me, Grant. Hard. Pin me, then take me. Can you do that?”

  He didn’t say anything. Instead, he began shoving her long damp hair aside, pushing it over her shoulder. Moans left her throat in anticipation for what he would do and what it would feel like.

  When her neck was fully exposed, she felt his cock at the entrance to her sex. She held her breath. When he began to push inside, another moan filled the air. Her sex clenched around his rigid stalk.

  Damn, that feels good, fae-wolf.

  Same here. Maybe she should have tried for a more poetic response, but it suited the moment.

  He began to drive into her. She was so ready for this.

  With his hips curling and pushing, he leaned over her. He growled then licked the nape of her neck. She began to tremble as shivers ran over her shoulders and down her spine.

  He dragged his teeth over her skin. Her neck arched, and she howled.

  He shifted his position and forced her head down with his hand. The dominant movement made her sex ripple with need.

  More.

  He dragged his teeth again.

  More. She kept her commands simple

  I’m going to bite you now. He drove his cock faster. He reached an arm below her and caught her breasts. He held her tight in this position. She was his now, fully and completely. He could do anything he wanted to her. He could snap her body in two.

  She felt his saliva first, then he bit down hard.

  Her sex responded, and an orgasm was on her so fast she cried out. I’m coming, Grant. Right now.

  His teeth ground down, though they didn’t break skin. He simply held her in a strong bite as his cock
went faster and faster.

  Pleasure flowed through her in an exquisite cascade. She was one with Grant as he continued to piston into her.

  Faster he went, and a second orgasm flooded her sex then drove straight up her abdomen. She wanted to howl, but she was still pinned in position and could only cry out in odd yips. So good. So good.

  He slowed just a little and ground his teeth once more then he drove hard.

  A third orgasm remained at bay, just enough so she could wait for him.

  She knew he was coming when he suddenly released her neck, rose up and grabbed her hips. He howled and drove faster than a mere human male.

  Another orgasm washed through her sex. This time, she arched her neck and howled with him. Something about the timbres of each of their voices blended like a beautiful symphony. The sound further enhanced the sensations of pleasure that now spread through her body.

  She felt as though her entire being was on fire.

  ~ ~ ~

  Grant had never known sex like this in Five Bridges. He remained behind her, his cock still releasing fluids that had built up from the time he’d met her. He’d wanted this with her, this connection and joining. Now he was here, fulfilled and satiated.

  His need to shift had vanished the moment, Natalie had landed on her knees. His wolf had valued the position that was nothing less than surrender on Natalie’s part.

  When he’d held her with his arm over her breasts and bit into her nape, he’d had full control of her. His wolf had loved it and Natalie’s response, her repeated orgasms, had told him her wolf had been satisfied as well.

  As he withdrew from her, their combined fluid began to seep from her. He picked her up once more and she laughed as he turned her in his arms. Cradling her with one arm, he held her sex with the other. “I should have brought a towel out here. But I’ll get you to the shower.”

  “Good idea.”

  She leaned her head against his shoulder. He felt her sudden fatigue and continued to hold her even in the shower. He rinsed her off then toweled her dry.

  Once more, he carried her to the bed, only this time, he whipped the comforter back and settled her gently on the sheets. She pulled a pillow beneath her head then immediately turned on her side facing the garden. “Hand me the remote?”

  He found the small electronic device and placed it in her hand then went to the other side of the bed. He heard the inner shutter coming down as he climbed in beside her. He spooned her, and she quickly took hold of his hand and drew his arm over her breasts once more.

  He settled his head on the pillow and released a long breath, as though he’d held it for a year, or maybe six. He fell asleep as the outer wooden shutters rumbled open to let the forbidden sunshine bathe the grass.

  Chapter Seven

  That night, as full dark fell over Five Bridges, Grant awoke. When the last remnants of sleep fell away, he realized he hadn’t slept so well in years.

  He lay on his side facing Natalie and had a raging, wake-up erection. She was on her back, one arm slung over her head. She looked relaxed as well and he smiled. He’d done this for her in the same way she’d given him a small parcel of peace he hadn’t known in a long time, not since coming to Five Bridges.

  He had no intention of acting on his current arousal. He didn’t know her well enough to reach for her. Besides, the woman should sleep.

  He shifted his long hair out of the way then rolled onto his back as well. Neil had been insistent about the pair of them getting an invisibility spell. Grant checked his cell for texts and saw that Neil wanted them over at nine.

  His internal wolf clock told him the hour. It was 7:03. Exactly. There were advantages to being an alter freak.

  He glanced at Natalie once more. Sex was one of those advantages. Like her, he’d been super-charged. Everything had happened in multiples until he’d left so much inside her he couldn’t fathom where it had all come from.

  He touched his cock. He was easing down but thoughts of the recent sex had him growing rigid again.

  He slid from bed and decided to get on with things, or he doubted he’d be able to control himself much longer. With Natalie, he’d been bumped into preternatural hyper-mode. Not that he was complaining, but he wanted to be respectful.

  He hopped in the shower and kept the water on cold for a few minutes. Yet, somehow, the damned hard-on remained.

  ~ ~ ~

  Natalie awoke to the sound of the shower running. She’d been dreaming about having sex again with Grant. Oh, damn. She ached down to her toes. Her hips rocked. She remembered feeling this way a few times when she was pregnant, a kind of ridiculous, demanding need that had prompted her to crawl all over Aaron in the mornings.

  Of course, she wasn’t pregnant. That seemed to be one of the saddest parts about Five Bridges. There were no children here. Human children couldn’t survive the transformation and she’d never heard of anyone in their world getting pregnant. It was a long-lived life, but without offspring.

  Still, she felt as though sex with Grant had re-awakened her and she was in a terrible state of need. She thought about calling to him. Men tended to wake up with erections. But she didn’t know Grant very well and she felt embarrassed by her need.

  But when she sat up, ready to get her day started, her thoughts went straight back to having Grant take her on the lawn, from behind. Her sex clenched heavily, and she pressed on her mons to keep from flying apart. What the hell was this?

  To hell with it, she thought. She made her decision and left the bed.

  The shower was running, and Grant was naked. What else did she need? She’d never known a man to turn down ‘morning’ sex, even if it was dark outside.

  She headed straight to the shower. He had his back to the doorway, hands on the tile wall. The rain-head beat down on his back. He didn’t look relaxed at all. Something about the tension in his muscles gave her a hint.

  “Hey,” she called out softly.

  The look on his face was one of misery. “You’d better not come in here.”

  She chuckled. “Are you kidding? If I don’t have you inside me in the next few seconds, I’m going to start screaming. I’m in pain with the need for sex. You up for it?”

  He turned around and, yup, the man was hard as rock and no doubt in as much agony as she was.

  Natalie flew the rest of the distance. Using levitation, she plastered herself against him. The water was way too cold, though, and she yelped. As he lifted her ass, then found her entrance, she reached out and adjusted the rain shower setting.

  When he glided inside, she released a long, heavy groan. She wrapped her arms and legs around his body. He pinned her to the wall for support and began to pump.

  All the memories of their time on the grass flowed back like a perfect fantasy porno.

  His deep voice hit her mind. I won’t last long. Sorry, I’m—

  Go for it. Oh, God, I’m coming.

  The orgasm rolled like a searing, erotic wave through her. The pulses of her sex caused him to go faster, which ignited a second orgasm, then a third. There was a profound cacophony of noise in the shower, which she realized was a combination of her cries and his animal-like grunts.

  Finally, the exquisite, piercing sensations began to abate. Grant’s movements slowed until he finally drew back. Though still connected, he pushed her damp hair away from her face. “Thank you.”

  “Same here.” She explained the state she’d found herself in.

  “Mine was no different. Even a cold shower didn’t help.”

  “Ah, so that’s why the water was arctic.”

  “Yup.”

  She hugged him and laughed. “Okay. Okay.” She was breathing hard. “We’re kind of in this in the craziest way. Wow.”

  “You said it.”

  She nodded. “Okay. So what time do we meet Neil?”

  “Nine.” He handed her the soap. “If we want a meal, and I definitely need one, we should get a move on.”

  ~ ~ ~


  Grant was fuming. They’d only been at Neil’s for a couple of minutes and already the proximity was killing him. He didn’t want Neil anywhere near Natalie.

  Neil wasn’t exactly the most attractive man just now. To Grant’s eye, the warlock looked like death on a slow, revolving spit. Still, he would be taking them to a belowground level in a small European-looking contraption that had to be over a hundred years old and really short of space.

  “This is a French elevator,” Natalie observed.

  Neil glanced back at her. “It is. It’s very old.” He stepped inside. “It’s also the only way down.” The elevator was made of wrought iron and was completely open to the air.

  Grant’s sole focus, however, was on how close Natalie would have to get to the warlock in order for all three of them to fit inside.

  Natalie followed Neil then Grant squeezed himself in.

  The three of them barely fit. Parts of the soon-to-be wizard were touching Natalie, like the sleeve of his shirt and probably his elbow. He couldn’t exactly see but he didn’t care. Neil shouldn’t be touching her at all.

  The elevator began its descent.

  Grant’s jaw worked. He’d barely made peace with Neil and something about him, maybe his damn good looks despite his current deathlike appearance, had Grant gripping Natalie’s hand tighter still.

  Her voice hit his mind. Loosen up, warrior, or I’ll lose my fingers to a lack of circulation.

  His gaze shifted to Natalie. She looked up at him and smiled, a quirky tilt of her lips that tightened his heart. He released her hand, slid his own to the nape of her neck then kissed her forehead. Apologies. My wolf doesn’t like this cage.

  It really is a cage, though a very pretty one, isn’t it?

  The elevator landed at the bottom with a thud and a clang. Neil opened the doors manually. Having gotten in last, Grant left the cage first. But he turned back and reached for Natalie. She took his hand and he drew her close. Apologies, but I need this right now.