The Shifter's Soul

by R. A. Boyd

  Benjamin.

  He had been so happy the day Charlie was finally able to move him in with her and take care of him. He took care of her too. Benjamin always said she was a good caretaker. Beautiful boy. And right now, Simon needed her to take care of him.

  Pushing the thoughts of her family aside, she wrapped her arms around Simon’s waist and breathed a sigh of relief when he embraced her. “What were you about to do?” she asked. “It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me. But I’m here to talk. If you want.”

  She tried to pull away so she could look up into his eyes, but he held her close and kissed the top of her head.

  He rubbed his hands up and down her back, creating a warmth in her skin that made her relax into him even more. “You can’t look at me when I tell you, or I won’t be able to.”

  Even though she couldn’t see his face, she closed her eyes so he could have all the privacy he needed. Well, as much as he could get while they were still holding tight to each other.

  He cleared his throat again and started rocking back and forth like some private song only he could hear was playing. “You don’t feel too much without a soul. That’s why I gave it up. To not feel the agony of forever beating down on my head. I would have gone on a killing spree. Without my soul, up until a few weeks ago, pain was the only voluntary feeling I could experience that stopped the empty ache of not having a soul. I didn’t know that before I chose to give it up. I thought not having one would stop everything. But stopping everything, every bit of love and longing, became unbearable. Having someone here hurt me, break my bones and slash at my flesh, was the only thing that made it okay.”

  That void was back in her chest now, and it was slowly filling with anguish for him. He needed to experience emotions, and the only one that calmed him was pain. Poor, sweet man.

  Tears stung the backs of her eyes. She gripped him harder to let him know she was there with him, and that nothing he could ever tell her about himself would drive her away.

  “I used to provoke the Alphas and Audra every fucking day, just waiting for one of them to bring me down. Until I saw you at the Town Hall.” He lowered his head and whispered in her ear. “I didn’t even know you were my mate but seeing you quelled something inside my hollow body that had been raging for so long. So. Long.”

  His ragged breath tingled across her scalp. She buried her face in his chest and took a steadying exhale to keep herself from crying. He didn’t need her tears. They would do nothing to help him.

  Even without a soul, he was hurting. He’d been waiting for her to heal him and here she was, unable to do anything to make him better. That had to be a huge disappointment.

  “I’m sorry I can’t make it better for you.”

  “Woman, are you serious?” Simon gripped her by her elbows and pulled away to stare in her eyes. “You stopped me from walking out that door. You have no idea what you do to me. I may not have my soul, but having you right here is a saving grace. I’m sorry I spoke to you that way,” he murmured. “It’ll never happen again.”

  She giggle-snorted and covered her mouth. “Don’t be sorry just yet. I have plans to make you pay for that.”

  “Is it a sexy kind of lesson?”

  Not by a long shot. “Oh no, my friend. It is not. And I’m not going to tell you when it’s coming. It could be tonight. It could be tomorrow. It could be next month, but rest assured. You will pay.”

  Charlie stood up on her tiptoes and kissed his chin. As she went in for another kiss, Simon lowered his head, bringing his lips to hers in a gentle kiss that quieted her thoughts of payback.

  She grabbed two handfuls of his shirt and brought his body closer to hers. He curled his arms around her and let out a low moan that made her smile. She’d done that to him. Made this yeti of a man moan in satisfaction. A slow burn sparked to life in her core as he turned his face to deepen their kiss. He tasted, he touched, he made her heart race in her chest as he tasted her.

  Simon swiped his tongue over hers in a demanding draw that gave her body no other choice than to collapse into him. She met his tongue with her own and took from him as he drank from her.

  His hands worked their way down her body until he palmed her ass and brought her forcefully against his hot body. His other hand rubbed up her back until his fingers caressed the nape of her neck. Fisting her hair, he angled her head back further until he was looking in her eyes.

  “I know I said I wanted us to wait until I got my soul back—”

  “We don’t have to wait,” she panted, stroking her body against his just to feel his warmth. And his erection. “I want you now. Inside me.”

  She released him and ran her hands up the side of his abs, scratching her nails along his exposed skin. Goosebumps rose in the wake of her touch and the defined muscles of his abs clenched. She looked up just in time to see his eyes roll shut.

  She was shameless. It didn’t matter. This man was hers, and they would be together for the rest of their lives. Giving up the goods after only two days wasn’t going to make him look at her differently. Hell, she could see the passion pulsing through his eyes; she could feel it emanating from him in fiery waves of hunger. She was starving for him too.

  Lighting to a bright amber color, Simon's eyes devoured the length of her body, taking her in like she was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen. The warmth of his heated gaze made her want to strip right now and beg him to fuck her against the wall.

  A long, low snarl came from him, and his lips curled up in a naughty smile that made Charlie want to hop up and down for joy. They were going to have sex. It was going to be fun and soft and hard and full of so much love he’d have to pry her off of him to get anything done afterward.

  Simon gripped her ample thighs and picked her up. “Want a tour of the house?” he asked, turning and walking toward the steps.

  “Only if it’s a walking tour on the way to your bedroom. I’ll look at the other stuff later.”

  She ran her hands through his auburn hair and scratched his scalp. His hair was tousled and made him look even sexier. Smile lines shown around his full lips as he smiled at her. Through his tee-shirt, she could see his defined pecs and pebbled nipples. Ohh, the plans she had for those manly nipples. Did he like them nibbled? Maybe sucked? She was going to find out in the most fun of ways.

  His wide shoulders shook as a laugh rumbled in his chest. “Are you having dirty thoughts about me?”

  Nodding, she waggled her eyebrows and then bit her lower lip. “I sure am.” She bent down and pushed her tongue against the seam of his lips, demanding entry into his hot mouth. She took her time, making love to his mouth with her own as he walked through his house with her still attached to him.

  A squeal bubbled up through her lips as Simon dropped her on a bed filled with blue, cream, and gold pillows. Wow. She was so taken by his kiss and the lust fueling her body that she hadn’t bothered to look at his house as he walked them through it.

  She toed off her shoes and then pulled herself up on her knees. Looking up at Simon’s masculine body and imagining him on top of her, she ran the tip of her tongue along her top lip. “Strip down naked, Loser. We’re about to take your bed for a ride.”

  He reached down and adjusted his cock. “I still want to wait until I have my soul back.”

  Every record playing in the entire world scratched at that moment. They weren’t going to have sex. Charlie was geared up and ready. He’d started her engine and then left her to cool down in the sweltering heat. There were so many similes running through her head, and they all meant she wasn’t having hot sex with Simon.

  “All right then.” She huffed a frustrated sigh and sat back on her heels. Pointing toward the door, she said, “Then go get my bag and give me twenty minutes alone.”

  “What’s in your bag?” he asked, amusement crinkling his eyes.

  “My vibrator. I’m worked up now and need a release. And trust me, I’m doing you a favor. I’ll probably be so bitchy after
this make-out fest, with no release you just may put me out of your house.”

  Simon seemed to think it over for a moment. He nodded, turned, and walked away, the sound of his booted feet thumping down the stairs.

  Charlie sighed and fell back on the bed. She grabbed one of his pillows and held it to her face. It smelled just like Simon. Maybe she could breathe in his scent from the pillows while she pleased herself. Her body was one big nerve center right now. She would probably orgasm as soon as she touched herself. She would respect Simon’s wishes and not push the sex issue any further. He wanted to wait. That made sense.

  To preoccupy herself from shoving her hand down her pants and getting herself off while she waited, she looked around Simon’s bedroom.

  It was lovely. The pillows complemented the calming color scheme. The walls were a cool shade of blue that made her think of her favorite bra and panty set. Cream colored base molding ran the length of the room, and it reminded her of a fancy hotel she’d stayed in when she lived in New Orleans for a few months. The cream and gold curtains lit up the room, and when she squinted harder, she could see tiny blue stripes accenting the soft, thick looking fabric.

  When she heard Simon’s footsteps getting closer, she laid back on the bed and looked at the ceiling. The fan was huge and made her think of a blooming flower. Now she was beginning to doubt her request. She couldn’t masturbate with him in the house. Well, she could, but she didn’t want to tease him. Masturbation or cold shower? Cold shower it is.

  “Look, Simon. I don’t think…” Her words trailed off as she eased up on her elbows to see him standing just inside the bedroom. Her eyes went wide and her mouth watered as she took him in.

  He was almost as wide as the doorway, and he didn’t have a shirt on, and cheese and fucking crackers, he was holding her new vibrating dildo.

  Charlie’s heart kicked up a race in her chest as he eyed her. Damn, he was sexy. His shoulders heaved as he watched her. The deep exhalations and inhalations seemed to make every muscle in his body contract and release, throwing shadows against his defined body.

  “You should take your clothes off before I get over there,” he said, voice more animal than human. “If I have to do it for you, you may not have any clothes left.”

  Challenge accepted.

  Charlie’s hands shook as she pulled down her leggings and panties. Part of her wanted to leave them on, just to feel his hand tighten around the thin fabric as he ripped it from her body. But she liked these panties. She took them off and then started to pull her Tardis blue colored shirt over her head that read ‘Who is the Doctor in this house?’ Just as she held her arms high to pull off the shirt, Simon’s body covered hers, and she was stuck inside the shirt, unable to see what he was doing.

  “I’m stuck,” she said, giggling and fighting to free her arms.

  “Good,” he said, feral voice close to her ear. His heated breath flittered across her face. “Stay like that.”

  But she wanted to see him. She wanted to watch whatever tasty activities he had planned for her. She started to pull at the shirt again, but Simon’s heated mouth on her nipple shot an electric current straight from his stroking tongue down to her already saturated pussy.

  “Fuck,” she drawled out, now pushing her sensitive breast farther into his mouth.

  He sucked, bit, and nibbled one nipple as one of his hands pulled and massaged the other. Charlie’s body shook beneath his hot as sin frame, and she gave up the fight of trying to release herself from the shirt. He bit down on one and squeezed the other nipple, and the delicious pain was enough to buck her torso entirely off the bed, just to be closer to Simon. If he kept up the assault, she might be able to come from the nipple-play alone. It had never happened before, but she had the notion that Simon would be full of making her do things for the first time.

  “You are so fucking beautiful,” he said after sucking and making a popping sound as he released her flesh. “Would you let me taste you for the rest of the day?”

  Hell. Yes. It was only two or three in the afternoon, but Charlie couldn’t think of a better way to spend the rest the day. And night. He may not be ready to have sex with her, but she knew he was going to make sure she was satiated and spent.

  “Yes,” she hissed. Her mouth was dry from all the labored breaths he was pulling from her. “Please make me come.”

  A sexy chuckle filled her ears as his mouth and hand went back to work. Charlie didn’t know how long he played with her nipples, bringing her to the brink of orgasm over and over. She just knew that her body was wound tight, and every touch from Simon made her groan and cry out in pleasure.

  She’d never felt like this before. No one had touched her and made her feel exactly what they felt for her, made her experience their excitement and care for her, but Simon was doing it. She could sense his love, his adoration, his need for her. Even his fierce sense of protection for her well-being was raining down from him.

  “You smell so fucking good,” Simon said, kissing his way up her neck and to her lips. “I bet you taste good, too.” He covered her mouth with his and drank from her, rubbing his chest along her sensitive breasts and making her body shiver from his touch. The feel of his body undulating against hers as he reached for something took over her senses, and then the sound of Simon turning on her vibrator made her gasp. “You always use such little dicks?” he asked, brushing his nose against hers.

  She shrugged as best as she could in the awkward position. “It’s my first dildo. I usually only use clitoral vibrators.” She hesitated and bit her bottom lip. “I’ve never had an orgasm from sex. Only from having my clit stimulated.”

  “Hmm.” His lips moved against hers as he nodded. “I’ll fix that as soon as I get my soul.”

  She bet the hell he would! Charlie hadn’t seen his cock yet, but something told her that he was her match in every single way. If there was one man on this planet that could make her orgasm from having sex, Simon was it.

  Charlie drew in a sharp breath as Simon touched the dildo against the soft flesh of her waist. She grinned when she thought of how much he loved her body. It didn’t matter how much she weighed or the roll in her middle, or the thickness of her thighs. Simon adored her.

  “Please,” she begged, wanting him to make her come. She squirmed against the constricting fabric of her shirt over her head and arms.

  “You are so wet,” he said, moving lower. He picked her leg up, draping her knee over his shoulder. “I can’t wait to sink my cock into your pretty pink pussy.” His breath brought an early contraction from her core. “Take that shirt off, and I won’t let you come in my mouth.”

  Holy shit. That was one of the most erotic things anyone had ever said to her.

  She stopped moving and laid back on the bed, fighting not to lift her hips toward his waiting mouth. Even the idea of Simon putting his lips on her pussy brought a new flood of wetness to her sensitive folds. Lust raged in her soul at the promised orgasm that was already sneaking up on her.

  “I may not use my dick, but I promise you’ll be more than satisfied when I’m done.” He pushed her legs wider. “I want your scent all over me. I’m going to lick and taste your pussy until you can’t even walk without thinking of my head between your legs.”

  He kissed her clit, circling his tongue around the electric bundle of nerves. Charlie screamed out his name and gulped as her heart skipped over itself. Every muscle in her core clenched as he tasted and licked at her dripping pussy. Short surges of air erupted from her lips. She worked her hips toward his face, fucking his mouth as he worked to draw the building orgasm from her.

  Her whole body was on fire. Vibration from the dildo along her inner thigh made her empty channel clench, waiting to be filled. Yes, it was small, but Simon’s lips and tongue and teeth between her legs was already more than enough to send her hurtling through space from the excitement.

  “Fuck,” Simon murmured, rubbing the toy between her folds. “You smell delicious. Your sl
ick heat is begging for my cock. Are you going to come for me? You think you can wait until I fill you with my cock? I promise you’ve got a surprise coming if you’re used to something as small as this toy.”

  His cocky demeanor pushed her closer to the edge. Incoherent words dripped from her mouth as he dipped the vibrator into her wanting entrance. Her belly contracted in a painful vice grip as Simon twisted the dildo inside her, hitting her G-spot, while he bit her clit. One of his hands ran up the length of her body, stopping for a few seconds to rub on the soft flesh of her thighs and her waist. He reached her breast and tweaked her nipple, and goddamn that was the sensation that almost pushed her over the edge.

  “Not yet,” he said, pulling his mouth away from her clit and the vibrator out of her pussy.

  Ohh, the sneaky bastard. Charlie choked on her breaths as her hips raised, begging for more attention from his sinful mouth.

  “Don’t you want it to last?” he asked, voice teasing as he kissed and gently bit her inner thigh.

  “I’ll still stab you in the leg.” Her voice was a low whine. She wouldn’t stab him. Well, not that deeply.

  The feel of his flat tongue abrading her clit overtook her, and a sensual cry broke through her lips. She had never heard herself make sounds like this before. He hadn’t even fucked her yet and she was pleading, whimpering for him to finish her.

  Simon pushed the pulsating dildo back into her entrance. “You have the most beautiful cunt I’ve ever seen. You taste better than the freshest honey or ripest fruit ever to come into my mouth. Are you going to come in my mouth, Charlie?”