The Shifter's Kiss

by Piñeiro, Caridad

  One side of Nali’s mouth tilted in a smile. She rose to her knees and brushed a kiss across his lips.

  “Chicks dig heroes,” she said and then returned to her task, cleaning and drying his side, then applying a different kind of ointment before binding him up once more.

  She set the supplies on the table behind him, and as she did so, her breast grazed his arm. The touch, innocent as it was, tightened his balls and made him ache as his cock swelled.

  As she stepped back from the table, she didn’t fail to notice. But she didn’t act on it either. Instead she surprised him by saying, “Are you up for a walk?”

  He was up for something totally different, but he didn’t want her to think all he wanted from her was to fuck.

  “Let me just get some clothes.” He began to rise, but she lay a tender hand on his shoulder.

  “You’re fine the way you are.”

  He skimmed his gaze up and down her loose, flowing dress and then arched a brow. “Seems kinda unfair, doesn’t it?”

  “It does.” Grinning, she quickly ripped off her dress and tossed it on her chair.

  The beauty of her slammed into his gut once more. He had never seen such a gorgeous woman, much less one who seemed to be so comfortable in her own skin.

  Her human skin, he thought, although she had been just as sure, maybe more so, in the water.

  Rising from the chair, he slipped his hand into hers, lacing his fingers with hers. Together they walked out of the shack and into the late morning sun, which was already strong enough to burn if you weren’t careful. They kept to the shade provided by the palm trees and underbrush not far from the shore, strolling away from the shacks, talking once again about their lives and what had brought them here.

  Nali listened, lightness in her heart and soul as he regaled her with a story from his days as a firefighter. When he finished, she said, “You loved your friends there.”

  Victor smiled and shook his head. “I did but not the job. This is where I was meant to be,” he said and opened his arms wide.

  She stepped to him and tenderly ran her hand over his scarred shoulder and arm, her breasts barely grazing the hard wall of his chest. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  He cradled her waist with his hands. They were so big they almost encircled her. Big, but gentle, she thought as he used tender pressure to draw her near.

  “I’m glad, too,” he said and brought his lips to hers, his kiss light at first as he traced the edges of her mouth and nipped at her lower lip with his teeth before opening his mouth on hers.

  She sighed, her breath mingling with his as they kissed, but there was something different in this interlude. Something far more lasting than the spark of passion that flared so brightly before burning out. As the kiss went on and on, it kindled warmth deep in her heart. A heat far more enduring when love kept it banked.

  Love.

  She hadn’t expected it. Didn’t want it, but standing there beside him, experiencing emotions she never had before, she didn’t think she could live without it now.

  She didn’t think she could live without him.

  She pulled away from him then, knowing now why she had been so restless after her headlong rush back to the sea that was her home.

  He was her home now.

  And he had promised to let her be who and what she was. She had to believe in that promise; otherwise she was lost.

  A gust of wind kicked up then, pulling her from her thoughts.

  She glanced upward and noticed the roiling clouds, smelled the storm that was about to strike. A second later the first fat raindrop plopped on her upturned face, but she didn’t run. She stood there, arms outstretched, reveling in the sensation of the cool water sluicing down her body. The chill of it against her sun-warmed skin caused her nipples to pucker.

  He was there suddenly, wrapping his arms around her body, laughing as he twirled her around in the rain until the storm had passed as quickly as it came.

  But the storm inside them had only begun, she thought as he guided her to the shade beneath some palms and sat on the bank of low wild grasses. He pulled her down with him and she went willingly, straddling his legs. No hesitation in her as she guided his cock to her center and sank down on him.

  Their satisfied sighs filled the air and they just sat there, joined, peaceful for long moments until he cupped her breasts, his hands slick from the rain. Leisurely, he caressed her tight nipples until she had to move on him to satisfy the ache caused by the tug and pull of his fingers.

  Between her legs, his dick warmed and filled her. The friction of him and the length butting up into her had her dripping wet. Her movements on him grew faster, harder, as she sought release, and when he bit down on her taut nipples, she came in a long rush of pleasure.

  He joined her, his breath rough against her breasts. His arms encircled her tightly as she rode him, drawing out the pleasure of their union until she could no longer move.

  Cradled together, they lingered until some semblance of calm had returned and they ventured out into the sun to dry off.

  Holding hands, they returned to the shack.

  Saila must have stopped by in their absence. More fresh fruit filled the bowl on the counter, and when Nali peeked in their ice box, she saw a new chunk of ice and as an assortment of meats. Nali smiled at her father’s thoughtfulness, and together she and Victor prepared a meal before falling into bed and into each other once again.

  The next few days passed in that same pleasurable mix of passion and coming to understand one another. It was because of that understanding that he knew she had to leave. He walked to the water’s edge with her.

  “I will be waiting,” he said as he kissed her, sealing the promise.

  “I’ll be back,” she replied and then waded out into the deeper water, diving down and through the tangle of reef until she was safe to morph into her true form and disappear into the yawning waters.

  As much as she wanted to come back in her shark form and play with him in the shallower areas in the reef, the incident a week earlier had shown her the insanity of it. She would not risk her life or his for those playful moments.

  So she prowled the ocean depths, restless as always, only now she knew the reason for it. Knew there would be an end to it shortly.

  The days passed, possibly too slowly, but she bided her time, aware that she had to be strong enough to morph and maintain her human form. That would only come with time or with sacrifice.

  Like her father’s sacrifice. He had used up all of his powers to become human, but she couldn’t. As much as she was missing Victor, she would miss her life in the ocean possibly as much.

  When the day finally came, she moved back toward the reef, transforming as her sleek body reached the shallower waters. She rose from the surf to find him sitting at the water’s edge, waiting.

  His bright smile filled her with warmth greater than that of the sun’s rays as they touched her body. He jumped up and strode into the water, unwilling to wait. He grabbed her in his arms and hugged her close.

  He kissed her hard and with such longing her insides twisted with both guilt and want.

  “I’ve missed you,” he said between kisses.

  “And I, you,” she confessed.

  He sank down with her in the waist-high water and reached between their bodies to cradle her breast. He swiped his thumb across her nipple, which was already tight with need.

  “I can’t wait,” he s
aid and to prove it, he used the buoyancy of the water to lift her and replace his hand with his mouth. He sucked on her nipple and she wrapped her hands around his head and held him to her.

  She couldn’t wait either.

  She wrapped her legs around him and accepted the slide of his cock deep inside. He filled her, physically and emotionally, and she wasn’t sure she could ever get enough of how he made her feel.

  Victor groaned at the warmth of her surrounding him and the salty-sweet taste of her breasts against his mouth.

  It had been a difficult week without her. Lonely and frustrating. When he had seen her rising from the surf, the real-life Venus from his dream, he hadn’t been able to wait to have her.

  He suckled her, loving her tits with his mouth, biting and licking and savoring the response of her body, the soft cries and the way she clenched his cock with her pleasure.

  He loved the way her body worked his dick, the way her vagina squeezed and caressed him. Her hot wetness was a temptation impossible to refuse.

  But soon that wasn’t enough and he had to move in her, had to take them higher, push them over the edge.

  He rose with her, her strong legs still wrapped around his waist, his erection buried deep, and strode through the surf until they were almost out of the water. Almost, but not quite, he thought as he carried her down into the gentle wash of the sea.

  The water caressed her body as the waves ebbed in and out gently. He moved in her, made love to her breasts and mouth, pulling her ever higher toward a release. He shifted his hips in and out of her until she cradled his hips and arched her back to deepen his penetration. Her body bowed tight with her passion as the wash of the ocean spilled around them.

  He was on the edge, reaching for their completion. He found the mark with one powerful thrust that shifted them upward on the sand and had them both shouting out their pleasure.

  He dropped down on her, spent, his cock jerking and spilling his seed as she drew him in with the final contractions of her climax.

  She rubbed her hands up and down his back, soothing him. Her gentle touch was so welcome after their week of separation.

  When some semblance of strength had returned to his legs, he swept her up into his arms, surged to his feet and hurried with her into the shack where he had prepped the makings of a steak dinner for her.

  “How did you know I was on my way home?” she asked as she glanced at the counter and he let her slide down his body.

  He shrugged. “I just knew.”

  She smiled and twined her fingers with his and rubbed her other hand up and down his forearm with gratefulness.

  “Thank you,” she said with such emotion that he glanced down at her, confused.

  “It’s just a steak.”

  But it wasn’t. It was so much more.

  “You understand me. That I need to leave you to be me.”

  He nodded, turned and took her into his arms again, cradling her head close to his chest, where the strong steady beat of his heart registered beneath her ear. Strong and steady, like he was.

  “I understand, and as hard as it is for me to see you leave, the joy of having you back is that much greater.”

  She smiled, rose on tiptoe and kissed him again, grateful for that. She loved him even more for that sacrifice.

  “I will always come back to you,” she promised and opened her mouth on his, inviting him to love her yet again.

  His smile was alive against her mouth as he gave himself to her once more, whispering his vow as he led her to their bed.

  “And I will always be waiting.”

  * * * * *

  If you enjoyed this story, don’t miss more of

  Caridad Piñeiro’s sultry paranormal romances available now wherever ebooks are sold:

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  Nocturnal Whispers

  The Vampire’s Consort

  Night of the Cougar

  Her Vampire Lover

  Harlequin Nocturne Bites

  Honor Calls

  Awakening the Beast (contains “Honor Calls”)

  Harlequin Nocturne

  Darkness Calls

  Danger Calls

  Temptation Calls

  Death Calls

  Devotion Calls

  Blood Calls

  Holiday with a Vampire, “Fate Calls”

  Fury Calls

  Kissed by a Vampire

  HQN Books

  A Vampire for Christmas, “When Herald Angels Sing”

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  Aztec Gold

  The Fifth Kingdom

  Don’t miss the other sensual, paranormal reads from Harlequin Nocturne Cravings, available at www.ebooks.eharlequin.com and wherever ebooks are sold. Titles include:

  This Soul Magic by Michele Hauf

  Seduced by the Darkling by Lauren Hawkeye

  Tempting the Jaguar by Katie Reus

  A Little Night Muse by Jessa Slade

  The Witch’s Seduction by Elle James

  Taming the Dragon by Kendra Leigh Castle

  Demon’s Embrace by Elle James

  Claiming the Wolf by Michele Hauf

  The Darkling’s Desire by Lauren Hawkeye

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  978-14603-0744-1

  The Shifter’s Kiss

  Copyright © 2013 by Caridad Piñeiro Scordato

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

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