Passion (Shifters Forever More Book 5)

by Elle Thorne

  “M-M-Matteo.” She couldn’t say anything else. Couldn’t tell him how close her climax was, and just from this. Only from what he was doing with his fingers.

  “Do it,” he coaxed. “Let yourself go. Come undone on my hand.”

  Was there anything sexier than having him talk to her like that? She thought not as she found herself succumbing to an avalanche of sensations. Her moan became louder, her legs trembling, then stiffening, straightening.

  A breathless scream escaped her lips, lost in the crashing waves that had picked up, lost in the rain that now pelted her body. Somewhere, the sunshine had left and she was being bathed with cold rain that only served to send her over the edge, again and again, all over his hand as she climaxed repeatedly.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  The driving rain. The howling wind. The roaring waves. None of this held any candle to the intensity of the storm that raged within Matteo. A thundering desire to take her. To make her his. To bond with her as shifter couples do. To drive himself deep within her, claiming her, making her his. Having her come while he watched but didn’t join was an ecstasy of agony. A rapture of torment.

  “Jolie.” His voice was raspy with need. “I want you.”

  “Gods, Matteo. Do it. Now.”

  And he did. He stripped swiftly, though wet denim was not the easiest to remove, especially when peeling it off an erection.

  He paused one moment to commit the sight of her to memory. Splayed, legs wide, her beauty on exhibition for his eyes alone. Pink flesh against pale flesh, beckoning. He yearned to taste her. To bring her to a climax in his mouth now, too, but he couldn’t. The fire in her eyes and in his loins said there was no way in hell he’d be able to last through that. His self-control was shot after what they’d just done.

  He lowered himself over her body, placed his hardness at her very entrance and slipped in and out, coating himself with her essence. His cock so slick with her essence and at the same time, so painfully swollen.

  He drove himself into her in the backdrop of the thunder and lightning, the crashing rains, the now dark clouds. He drove over and over, making her his, promising her forever. Their sex was an oath, one that he knew he’d have to maintain a tight rein on, else his dragon would bond with her. And Matteo wanted to ask her before he took that step. To get her verbal agreement.

  A bolt of something searing and exquisite pleasure shot through him. She arched her back and climaxed.

  He exploded with a shout, the sound drowned out by the thunder as he bit down into her neck, no longer in control, making her his mate forever.

  The dragon had seized that from him and taken the opportunity to mark her as theirs.

  She gasped.

  “I lost control,” he whispered against her neck, where the dragon had led him to bite. He licked it to take away the discomfort, knowing his saliva would alleviate the sting.

  “You are not the only one that lost control.” Her body was still writhing and spasming in aftershocks.

  The rain stopped suddenly. The clouds began to move away. And not too far away, a rainbow formed.

  Jolie pointed at it. “See that?”

  “Mm-hmm.” He didn’t want to turn away from her to look, but he did, then he turned back. “I like my view better.”

  Chapter Thirty

  The rain had not started again. Jolie and Matteo had dried out on the flight back. They now walked, hand in hand, toward Dragespire. Oiddras, Blaise, and Samara with her wolves, were gathered at the base of stone stairs that led up to the front door.

  Jolie couldn’t keep the spring from her step. The joy she felt from being Matteo’s woman. The trio turned to look at them. She noticed Oiddras studying their clasped hands, and she raised them slightly. Almost a gesture of triumph.

  A smile played on Oiddras’s face. Would she ever stop thinking of him as Oiddras? Would she ever be able to call him father? After all, he’d been a father figure to her for the years she’d been at Dragespire. The large dragon shifter approached, resembling a Viking chieftain of long ago.

  “Matteo,” he called out then held his hand up. In it, he held Matteo’s cell phone. “It rang, so we picked it up. Well, I did. Mostly because I saw Salvatore’s name on the screen.”

  Blaise and Jolie trailed behind him but swiftly caught up when Salvatore stopped in front of them.

  Jolie turned to Matteo. “Why would he call you?”

  Matteo shrugged. “Did he say what he wants?” he asked Oiddras.

  “He said Mae has asked if Samara will help with Crossroads. Seems that’s the place you mentioned before. He said only Samara has the skills to penetrate the facility undetected.”

  Jolie put her hand on Matteo’s arm. “We can’t let Samara go alone. We can wait a little before we rebuild Dragespire. A short while, can’t we?”

  “I’m going, too,” Blaise added.

  Jolie raised a brow at Matteo, who stood stock still. “Well?”

  Matteo nodded. “Agreed.” Then he said to Samara, “Take us back with you.”

  “That’s just it,” Oiddras said, raising a hand. “Mae doesn’t want Samara using her powers. She wants her at full capacity and completely rested when she gets there. Said something about not draining her by using her power for portals”

  “So, then what?” Matteo asked. A valid question, Jolie thought.

  “Mae’s sending a plane through a friend of hers. It will be on the other side of the village’s perimeter on a private runway. It will be there in”—he glanced at his wristwatch—“an hour from now. We walk there, under the cover of darkness. Then fly to Bear Canyon Valley.”

  “We can do that.” Jolie glanced at Matteo. “We’re good with it, right?”

  “Hell, yes. Especially if it’s Allegra’s mother that’s in that place.”

  “Oh!” Oiddras clapped his hand to his forehead. “I forgot to mention. Mae said there will be clothing on board. For everyone? In various sizes?” His voice spoke of the incredulity he was certainly feeling.

  “Of course, she did.” Jolie could appreciate the sentiment. She felt much the same way when she encountered the full closets at Mae’s inn. “That’s Mae for you.”

  Matteo brushed a kiss on the top of her head. “Maybe she can give you some pointers about starting a community for shifters.” Then he added, “And other types.”

  She hit his arm playfully. “You better say that.”

  “Seems Mae has a friend that can pull strings and arrange travel fairly swiftly,” Oiddras said.

  “She can,” Matteo confirmed. “Tito Tiero seems to be some kind of a knight in shining armor.

  Oiddras laughed. “Dragons are notorious for not liking knights, you know.”

  “You’ll like this one,” Matteo assured him.

  “That’s what Mae said,” Oiddras said. “Exactly what she said.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  It was just after dusk when the five of them arrived at the plane, which was exactly where Oiddras had said it would be. A luxury private jet, complete with rooms. Though after changing their clothing—salty and seaweed-y—Matteo and Jolie had joined the others in the main cabin.

  A computer was set up and, on the screen, Mae’s face. Behind her, Salvatore and Griz. Salvatore looked like he’d had better days. And Matteo could understand completely. How would he feel if Jolie had been missing—presumed dead—for decades, only to hear she was being kept captive at a location not far from him?

  He’d not have the patience Salvatore was showing right now. He’d have stormed in, come hell or high water.

  “Jolie,” Mae said. “What’s this Oiddras was saying? That you want to create a community modeled after Bear Canyon Valley at the castle there?”

  Jolie stepped closer to the camera. “You have inspired me. You. All of you. I want that here.”

  “You know you don’t have to do that there. You can stay here with us.” Mae’s voice carried warmth, even over the computer’s tinny speakers.

&nbs
p; “I know. But”—Jolie looked at Oiddras—“I’ve got family at Dragespire.”

  He squeezed the hand that Matteo wasn’t holding.

  “I’m happy to help, in any way I can.” Mae glanced back at Salvatore who was pacing behind her, not looking at the screen. “But first, this.” Her gaze traveled to Samara. “You ready to help with this? I hate calling on you, after all you’ve done for me personally.”

  Samara waved her off. “I’ll be there.”

  Mae severed the connection, and the computer screen went to a desktop picture.

  Still holding her hand, Matteo pulled Jolie to a doublewide seat. “Let’s get a bit of rest. I think we have an adventure before us.”

  “Or Samara does.” Jolie rested her head on his shoulder. “Not exactly the plan we’d intended originally, is it?”

  “It’s good to help friends.” He placed his lips at her temples and held her while the plane lulled her into a drowsiness.

  “Yes, it is.” Jolie closed her eyes, thinking not of what expected them when they arrived back at Bear Canyon Valley, but of the life that would come afterward. A life within Dragespire, full of occupants and friends. And family. She took a deep breath, the kind one takes right before going to sleep, and her nostrils were filled with Matteo’s scent.

  That scent right there. That was the one she wanted to breath in every night before she went to sleep.

  Forever.

  Afterword

  What’s next?

  Impression

  Another book of the Shifters Forever Worlds, a place teeming with shifters!

  * * *

  Please refer to the website for newest releases as we spend time with our Shifters Forever and all the wonderful spin off series!

  ElleThorne.com

  Thank you for reading!

  The Shifters Forever Worlds

  SHIFTERS FOREVER SERIES

  Are you ready for it?

  I have a whole world full of shifters to share with you. I’m listing them here, in the suggested reading order, though I’ve tried to make it so that you can pick up anywhere in the series as we all have probably done that at one point or another.

  Many of these are organized in box sets for savings. Be sure to visit www.ellethorne.com to see which box sets are out!

  * * *

  Where’s the best place to start? Well, probably with Shifters Forever.

  SHIFTERS FOREVER

  Grizzly bear shifters and their mates steam up the pages in these swoon-worthy paranormal romances. From trespassers with hidden agendas to curvaceous women who are ready to take a chance, the stories in this collection will capture your heart.

  •Protection

  •Seduction

  •Persuasion

  •Invitation

  •Temptation

  •Attraction

  * * *

  ALWAYS AFTER DARK

  A spinoff with the white tiger from Shifters Forever: Vax, born Vittorio Tiero. He’s the one that helped Kane out during a shifter battle. Follow the Tiero family, a group of white tiger shifters, as they head to America to find love... and heart-stopping danger. Full of romance, suspense, and gritty drama, this red-hot collection is sure to entertain!

  •Controversy

  •Territory

  •Adversary

  •Sanctuary

  * * *

  NEVER AFTER DARK

  Another spinoff that takes place in Europe. Here we visit cities along the Mediterranean and meet the old school Tiero white tiger shifters who are resistant to change.

  •Forbidden

  •Forsaken

  •Forgotten

  •Foreplay

  * * *

  ONLY AFTER DARK

  Taking place in New Orleans, the Arceneaux shifters, led by Lézare, Vax’s white tiger cousin—on his mother’s side—are sure to capture your hearts. The Arceneaux are the black sheep of the family. Lézare doesn’t cave to public opinion. He dictates policy in the area he rules and he shuns old school European rules and regimes.

  •Desirable

  •Insatiable

  •Combustible

  •Undeniable

  * * *

  MORE ONLY AFTER DARK

  Another spinoff that takes place in New Orleans. The Arceneaux shifters and the Matthieu witches wreak havoc and find love within this city set on the steamy Louisiana coastline.

  •Inevitable

  •Inescapable

  * * *

  BITTER FALLS FOREVER

  This romance features Mae Forester’s nephew Dane Forester, a freewheeling, sexy, successful, movie star who uses every role and every woman to escape and forget the heartbreak he left in Bitter Falls.

  •Unbound

  * * *

  BARELY AFTER DARK

  This series features more of Mae Forester’s nephews! Grizzly bear shifters steam up the pages in these swoon-worthy paranormal romances. From trespassers with hidden agendas to curvaceous women who are ready to take a chance, the stories in this collection will capture your heart.

  •Cross

  •Lance

  •Judge

  * * *

  Ever After Dark

  Get ready to be introduced to the white tigers you learned to love in Always After Dark, Never After Dark, and Only After Dark. See their heritage. Visit Giovanni Tiero and his brothers Federico and Tito. Get reacquainted with Isabel Tiero and meet her sister Capriana Valenti.

  •Stonebound

  •Formidable

  * * *

  Shifters Forever After

  This series follows a group of polar bears in New York. Russian and rumored to be mobbed up, they are a powerhouse of shifters, determining the fate of many on the East Coast. Mikhail Romanoff, Layla’s father, runs this outfit with an iron fist. Layla’s sexy cousin Malachi features prominently in this series.

  •Complication

  •Fascination

  •Motivation

  •Captivation

  •Flirtation

  •Infatuation

  * * *

  Forever After Dark

  A series which takes place in Denver, Colorado. Enter a world of secrets and forbidden love. Panther shifters who who share their worlds with elementals must decide who they can trust—and who they can’t live without.

  •Notorious

  •Scandalous

  •Delicious

  •Perilous

  * * *

  SHIFTERS FOREVER MORE Grizzly bear shifters, dragon shifters, sorceresses, elementals, and all types of other paranormal beings and their mates steam up the pages as the Bear Canyon Valley clan sorts through trespassers with hidden agenda, hidden military compounds, top secret experiments and curvaceous women who are ready to take a chance. The romances in this collection will capture your heart and leave your head spinning!

  •Confusion

  •Decision

  •Possession

  •Illusion

  •Passion

  •Impression

  * * *

  FINALLY AFTER DARK

  Follow a pack of dire wolves as they encounter Valkyrie and Berserkers and determine the origins of their kind throughout the ages, while discovering their fated mates.

  •Origins

  •Challenge

  • more to follow!

  I do hope you’ll be able to join me on this wonderful journey with our Shifters Forever Worlds Shifters and their mates!

  Hugs, Elle!

  * * *

  To receive exclusive updates from Elle Thorne and to be the first to get your hands on the next release, please sign up for her mailing list.

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  For sales and news, sign up for the newsletter! Thank you for purchasing and downloading my book. Words can’t express what it means to me. If you enjoyed this read, please remember to take a second to leave a review. I’d love to know what your favorite parts were.

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  Have you fallen for these wonderful characters?

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  With much gratitude, I thank you!

  About Elle

  Elle Thorne spent almost as much time denying that she wrote romance as she has writing it. It took her a few years to stop being a closet romantic.

  Originally from Europe, she wouldn’t dream of living anywhere else but Texas. Unless it was another southern—translation: warm!—state. A southern European by birth, she wants to be near the water and the Mediterranean temperatures if possible.