A rather simple plan.
Sarel wondered why she had not thought of it.
Tori turned and was on her way out. Then she stopped and looked back. "One more question. Why did he send you away?"
"I told him I didn"t want to live forever with him,"
Sarel said, her face hot with shame. "I lied. I thought he"d get tired of me."
"You really don"t understand the bond thing, do you?" Sarel reached up and rubbed her aching chest, where her heart seemed to beat only half the time. Weakly she smiled and said, "I didn"t until the past week."
Eli slipped into the room.
He really wasn"t certain how much more of this he could take.
Shedding his clothes, he wrapped his body around hers, breathing in her scent. He had fed from Declan.
His circle of meals was growing spa.r.s.e as well. He"d have to start hunting soon just to find blood. It was impossible to feed from Tori without wanting to f.u.c.k her, and even that urge would hurt Sarel. If he didn"t give in, he feared that would hurt Tori. So he was screwed either way there.
Her chest moved regularly in sleep so he cuddled a little closer, and stroked her hair, rubbed his hand over her hip, caressed his thumb across her satin skin. She looked better as well. The pallor had faded, replaced by the warm honey gold of health. He had seen her from the stable, talking to Tori. It hadn"t turned to violence, which satisfied him.
His c.o.c.k ached.
Cuddling it against her b.u.t.t, he ordered himself to sleep. The sun was riding dangerously high, so high, his skin was near tingling before he had come inside.
Of course, Malachi and Tori were still out there. Lucky b.a.s.t.a.r.ds.
Malachi didn"t believe it.
He was in for a surprise...
Eli tumbled headlong into sleep.
Sarel"s skin was humming with need. She had followed Tori"s advise all right. She had bathed in oil- honeysuckle, of course. She knew how much Eli loved the way she smelled. Then she had slept, lightly. When he had entered the room, she was aware. She rested for a while longer, and woke far earlier than he.
Rolling to her side, she tossed the covers off and stared down at him, licking her lips. Lowering her head, she pressed a kiss to his mouth and whispered, "I love you," just to make sure she was able to say it, at least once. Just in case he did his little vampire presto change-o once he woke.
Of course, she thought as she s.h.i.+mmied down, she was going to make as sure as she could that he wouldn"t want to go anywhere.
She licked his c.o.c.k, his b.a.l.l.s, then his c.o.c.k again, taking the hardening shaft deep inside her mouth, working it until it was hard and firm, wet from her mouth.
Wrapping her hand around the base she picked up a steady rhythm, staring up his body. The room was still dim, so she loosed a low ripple of magic, and tiny b.a.l.l.s of light bounced throughout the room-like candles-and she was able to see his body clearly just as his lids lifted.
The fog was clearing from his eyes-eyes that were hot with l.u.s.t-and she chanced a little more magic, a locking spell, in case he did decide to do a s.h.i.+ft. She didn"t know if it would work, but she felt the spell in the air as it locked into place. If it worked, Eli may be able to s.h.i.+ft, but he wouldn"t be able to reform anywhere outside this room.
But he did not try to s.h.i.+ft into mist.
Burying one hand in her hair, he groaned and pumped his hips up into her mouth, the other hand going down to cup his b.a.l.l.s. "Sarel," he rasped, staring down at her face, his eyes swirling, glowing and burning hot.
The muscles of his chest heaved with a ragged breath and his belly flexed as she slowly lowered her head back down, lifted back up, staring up into eyes all the while.
The adoration she saw there nearly broke her heart. She had tried to throw that away. She was such an idiot.
Swallowing the head of his c.o.c.k down, eyes tearing, throat and lungs burning, she tried to take as much as of him as possible. Swirling her tongue around the rounded head, she stroked the furred sac of his b.a.l.l.s with one, and pumped his c.o.c.k up and down with the other.
Eli cried out and his come shot down her throat in rhythmic waves. While he lay gasping for breath, she pulled away and straddled him. When he would have tumbled her to her back, she shook her head, snapped her fingers, whispered words of an entrapment spell.
His wrists were pulled high over his head without his consent, his eyes wide, and then curious. She lowered her head and kissed him, licking his full lower lip, moving down to nip his neck. "You. Tonight is for you," she murmured. "And there"s something I probably oughta tell you." She straddled him, staring down at him where he lay pinned by her magic. The position caused the muscles in his arms to bulge and displayed his chest rather well, Sarel decided. Leaning down to kiss him just there she took his c.o.c.k into her hand and slid down slowly, biting her lip as she worked him inside.
The wet, warm clasp of her p.u.s.s.y hugged him tightly as she slid down on him and Eli groaned raggedly, his hands closing into tight fists as he jerked uselessly against the unseen restraints. Ever so slowly, feeling his width carving through her, Sarel slid down on him until her bottom was snug against his belly and then she leaned forward, planting her hands against the muscled wall of his chest, her hair falling around them as she stared into his eyes.
Slowly, the action difficult after keeping her feelings hidden after so long, Sarel shoved the barriers to her emotions aside as she seated herself fully on him.
Leaning over him, she took his face in her hands, gasping as it drove him just a little deeper inside her. "I do care, Eli. More than that, I love you," she whispered, rocking against him, riding him as the pleasure built and built until she was slamming herself down on him with bruising force while she kissed him desperately.
"Free my hands, pet," he growled, his fangs dropping down as he pulled his mouth away. Arching his back, he pushed his c.o.c.k deep inside the wet embrace of her p.u.s.s.y and shuddered as she convulsed around him, her head falling back as she moaned and whimpered.
Then she shook her head and said... "No... This is for you..."
And leaning over him, she lifted her hips up, and started to ride, taking his c.o.c.k in slow, shallow strokes, then faster, steadier strokes, until he started to shaft her deeper, his eyes locked on her face as he twisted his hips and pushed the head of his c.o.c.k over the spot deep inside her cleft that made her scream.
She felt the soft, seductive push of him inside her mind as the climax washed over her and she whimpered as he started to wrap her in a web of seduction so tight, so hot she could barely breathe past it. His c.o.c.k jerked inside her p.u.s.s.y as he ordered her body to straighten and her hands to lift, all with silent mental commands. So, while he lay pinned beneath her, his long pale body restrained by magic bonds, he held her body by psychic sway and guided her hands through her hair, arching her spine, lifting her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, her nipples erect and red. "Play with your c.l.i.t." His voice was low and rough with need and his eyes darkened to amber as one hand trailed down from her hair, to stroke back and forth over her c.l.i.t as she rode him, taking his c.o.c.k with slow, lazy rolls of her hips. "And let me taste."
Wrapping his lips around the offered fingers, he sucked the cream free and growled deep, arching his back and driving up into her. "Let me go, Sarel," he rasped, tugging his mouth away from her slim fingers.
She released the spell and cried out when he rolled her under him, shoving her legs wide and high, brus.h.i.+ng her hair back and nuzzling her neck. Pressing the back of his neck and arching her own toward him Eli struck, sinking his fangs deep as he f.u.c.ked her hard and rough and desperately. "Love you," he told her silently in her mind. Over and over as he drove his thick hard c.o.c.k inside her wet sheathe. "Love you, love you love you."
As she buried her fingers in his hair, his hot mouth at her neck sending shudders down her spine that merged with the ones his c.o.c.k was sending upwards.
"If you"d stopped...avoiding....me, I"d have told you...
sooner," she panted, driving her hips upward, taking more of him.
Groaning, Eli pulled him mouth away, then his c.o.c.k, causing her to scream in frustration. But he flipped her onto her hands and knees and she sobbed when he drove back into her wet cleft, sinking in deeper and harder than before. She glanced up and grinned weakly, whispered, and watched as the little bottle on the bedside table drifted over to them. It bobbled a couple of times-for some reason, she couldn"t focus.
Eli spied it and he laughed shakily.
She squirmed when she felt the cool liquid on her a.n.u.s and gasped when he worked his finger completely inside her. "I want your c.o.c.k inside me tonight," she moaned brokenly.
"Not ready," he muttered, driving back inside her tight cleft, groaning as she closed over him. He pulled his finger out, and started to work two insider her.
"d.a.m.n it, Eli, please," she sobbed, thras.h.i.+ng wildly on the sheets.
h.e.l.l.
Pulling his c.o.c.k out, he watched as he slowly speared her waiting hole with two fingers, the tight little pucker opening and then closing around them-hot, damp, sweet. His eyes closed and he reached for the lubricant.
"It will hurt you," he warned her.
"I don"t care," she panted, rocking back to meet him as he drove his fingers back inside her.
Pulling away he took the lubricant and coated his c.o.c.k heavily, then the tight, pink pucker, even though it already gleamed wetly. I can"t believe I"m doing this, he thought, staring down at his c.o.c.k as he started to prod her. She opened slightly and pushed down and he hissed, groaning as the first three inches slid inside, almost easily. But then her body arched and stiffened as the pain started.
Bending over her, he started to stroke her swollen c.l.i.t, pumping his fingers in and out of her dripping p.u.s.s.y while he murmured in her ear, "It will pa.s.s, pet.
Breathe out, that"s it. Ah, you are so f.u.c.king sweet.
Hmm, that"s it." As her body shuddered, then relaxed, he slid further inside, until half of his length was in. He paused again, petting and stroking until she relaxed, then continuing this time and driving her closer to o.r.g.a.s.m. When he felt the spasms in her v.a.g.i.n.a echoing through the thin membrane, he gripped her hips in his hands and drove completely in-his thick c.o.c.k buried inside her snug, virgin a.s.s while she screamed, half with o.r.g.a.s.mic pleasure, the other half in shocked pain.
Stroking her back and the globes of her bottom he whispered, "I"m sorry. It always hurts the first time.
But I will bring you pleasure, I promise." And he did, using his c.o.c.k and his hands, pulling out and driving back inside the sensitive pa.s.sage, playing with her c.l.i.t and teasing her until Sarel was screaming and begging for release.
Sarel fell from her hands to her chest, unable to hold herself up. Eli kept his grip on her hips, otherwise she would have fallen completely. She shuddered and moaned, feeling him spread her wide so that he could burrow back inside. It made her scream. His fingers pinched her c.l.i.t again, and she thought she would die.
Then his c.o.c.k pulled out and she moved back, seeking more, loving the moan she heard from him, loving the pleasure she sensed inside him. He filled her, full, too full in her bottom, but not just there, inside her soul, inside her mind. She felt his arms come around her and pull her back and up so that she was pinned upright against his body as he drove his c.o.c.k up into her a.s.s.
Putting his mouth to her ear, he whispered, "Three centuries. I have waited three centuries for you, Sarel. I could not have waited much longer. I love you, to the bottom of my soul, for all eternity.
Shuddering as his last thrust drove her over, his hot s.e.m.e.n spurted into her sensitive sheath as he was whispering against her ear. "I love you, Eli," she whimpered, twisting her head around to catch his mouth.
Their tongues tangled and magic exploded around them as the climax broke over them.
Eli eased their shuddering bodies down to the bed and hugged her tightly to him. His body was shaking so badly it felt like the bed was moving from it, Eli mused, burying his face in her damp, sweaty hair.
Sarel"s quivering body jumped wh en a fist started banging on the door and Eli snarled, glaring over his shoulder. Covering Sarel"s naked body with a blanket, he turned just as Malachi threw it open. "Mother of G.o.d, Eli, the next time you plan on f.u.c.king your little witch into the next world, make sure she doesn"t bring the house down around us," he boomed, his dark-blue eyes blazing. There was more mirth than anger in his gaze.
But it was then that Eli realized that it was Sarel"s magic that was making the house shake.
"b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l," he mused, falling back onto the bed and pulling her up against him.
She blushed furiously and forced the wild magic back down inside. "I"m sorry," she muttered as Malachi closed the door, his laughter following him down the hall.
Eli grinned weakly. "Maybe we can find a spell to counter it."
"We will," she swore solemnly, wincing a bit as she s.h.i.+fted to find a more comfortable position. Her a.s.s hurt, but it was a sweet, delicious pain that she wouldn"t have traded for anything.
Eli"s hand stroked her hair. "I love you," he whispered.
More to hear her answer than anything.
She smiled against his chest and said, "I love you,"
before snuggling against him.
And then he closed his eyes and for the first time in years, when the moon rose, he didn"t.
Epilogue.
Sarel snuggled deeper into the cus.h.i.+ons on the couch, drifting in and out of sleep. She felt his hand slide up the outer edge of her thigh and settle on her hip some time later, as she was trying to convince herself to move upstairs. It would be sunrise soon and Eli would be sleeping in their room and...
A firm male mouth settled on her shoulder before cruising up to her neck.
"Wake up, pet. Somebody wants to say good-bye."
"Mmmm." She arched up against his mouth, snuggling back against his cool body, feeling her warmth seeping into him, his naked chest...naked chest.
Her lashes lifted slowly and her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room. Sitting up, she peered out the window, then at her watch. No, sunrise wasn"t anywhere close. She had slept the entire day away, and on the couch. Wincing, she stretched sore muscles before turning her head to meet Tori"s eyes across the room. Sarel all but whimpered in grat.i.tude as Eli"s hands set to work on the stiffened muscles in her neck.
"Tired?" he murmured.
"Sore."
Meeting Tori"s gaze, she lifted a brow and said drolly, "I"d love to say it"s been a pleasure."
"Always interesting, we can definitely say that." Tori smiled, a real smile that lit her eyes and face. Declan cupped his hand behind Tori"s neck-possessively, gently, lovingly-and Sarel shuddered with pleasure as Eli did something similar, drawing her against his body, meeting his friend"s eyes across the room. "I think we can perhaps not stay away so long?"
Eli smiled. "Always welcome, Torrance. Whenever you like, for however long you wish to stay." He rubbed his chin against Sarel"s hair and drew a deep draught of her scent into his lungs. "And Declan as well, provided the wolf remembers to wipe his paws at the door."
"Har har," Declan laughed sarcastically, flas.h.i.+ng his teeth, rolling his eyes. Then he smiled, a flas.h.i.+ng, brilliant grin, and moving across the room quicker than Sarel"s eyes could track, he reached out, jerked her out of Eli"s arms, and planted a hard, firm kiss against her mouth. "Take good care of him, witch, else I"ll turn my vampir e loose on you."
She smil ed a little shakily, as her knees went weak. No wonder Tori always tended to look a little dazed when in the company of these two men. Eli stood slowly, meeting Declan"s eyes with a lifted brow.
Declan grinned again. "A long time-long time-I have waited to see a happy look in your eyes, mate. Very long." He crushed Eli to him in a strong embrace, bringing the scent of woods, Tori and Ireland to Eli before he drew back, his vibrant green eyes dancing with mirth and life. "Let"s see that we keep it that way, mate."
Eli brought Sarel to him, lowering his mouth to hers, his hands cupping her firmly rounded a.s.s as Declan and Tori headed off, bantering lightly , arms wrapped around the other"s waist. As his lips touched hers, Eli murmured, "Are you still wis.h.i.+ng it had been Declan, instead of Byron?"
Chic ago Byron watched as Kit strolled past his door, the t-s.h.i.+rt she wore barely covering her rounded rump.
She glanced at him, her eyes cool, her face blank.
In his lap, he held Korine, one of the young weres he had brought into the house only a few months earlier.
It was nearly midnight.
Kit"s door closed and Byron lowered his mouth back to Kori"s neck, and wished-again-that it was Kit he held.
But the Inherent wolf wasn"t for him.
Not ever.