Bishop

by Susan Bliler

  His chest rose and fell rapidly, and Jenny continued to stroke herself, not even trying to hide the pleasure she was feeling. As her fingers worked quicker, breath tore from her in ragged gasps.

  “Inside,” Bishop panted after several long minutes. “Slide your fingers inside that tight cunt.”

  Jenny tried to hide the shiver that coursed through her at the command. It was one of approval. She liked him being in control of her pleasure and showed him by dipping two fingers into her soaking seam. The sensation had her arching, nipples beading even tighter as they were thrust into the air with the violent arc of her body. It felt so good, but it wasn’t enough. She wanted Bishop’s long velvety cock tunneling into her. Just the thought of it, the memory of it had her fingers drenched as she continued to fuck herself. Her knees threatened to snap closed, and when she was finally able to open her heavy-lidded eyes and lock them on Bishop, his own eyes flashed with unbridled need.

  He stood at the edge of the bed, watching her with such intensity that it made her pussy spasm. His shirt was torn like he’d partially shifted and practically clawed it off. Blood dotted welts were raised on his chest and arms.

  “Fuck me!” she begged, working her fingers in and out of herself with wild abandon, pleading eyes locked on him. “Fuck me now, Bishop!” Pulling her hand free, she let her legs fall open again in offering. Her chest was heaving, a fine sheen of sweat coating her body as she waited for him to strip and mount her.

  He didn’t move. Instead, his gaze sharpened on hers before dropping to her sex. One corner of his mouth jerked and then his eyes were lifting again and locking with hers.

  Finally, he spoke. “Had to prove to myself that I could actually resist you. Had to know it was a onetime issue. Had to prove to myself that I’m not actually a monster.”

  Jenny could only watch in horrified shock as Bishop turned and exited the room leaving her wet, aching, and unfulfilled on the bed. Rolling quickly to her side, she clamped her legs shut and covered her breasts with her arms as a whimper of shame escaped her.

  Chapter 9

  Bishop tore through the forest, again in mountain lion form. He knew exactly where the river was located that wound its way through the property several miles back. He needed to get to it like he needed his next breath because he couldn’t bear the scent of Jenny on him one second longer. Leaving her the way he had felt like tearing off his own damn arm, but it couldn’t be helped. He wasn’t about to beg her to want him. Yes, she wanted him sexually, but not as a mate. It felt like being back home all over again. It felt like he was the disappointment once again, and he hated it.

  Spotting the river up ahead, he didn’t bother with shifting or easing in. He leapt, padded paws leaving the cold earth as he flung himself into the icy stream. His body dropped beneath the frigid surface, and under the water, he shifted back to human form. Experience had taught him not to get caught by water in animal form even if he was on his own property.

  When he broke the surface, he sucked in an agonized breath and whipped the long hair out of his face before his body bobbed back down. He kicked to settle himself right at the surface, treading water to keep his head above water. The flow of the river carried him downstream, but he didn’t care. He knew this forest like the back of his hand, and he knew exactly where the flow would take him. All the while he drifted he used his hands to scrub at his body. The scent of Jenny’s arousal clung to him, and he swore he could practically taste it.

  The river slowed and carried him into a shallow pool where his feet finally touched bottom. He made quick work of washing himself some more and growled in frustration when he couldn’t seem to remove Jenny’s scent. It clung to him like a torturous second skin. Worse, he had a hard on that refused to go down, even in the arctic water.

  Images of Jenny flashed through his head, and he pinched his eyes shut and snarled against them. It was no use. There’d be no forgetting those berry tipped breasts or that glistening pussy. His memory flashed to her fingers sliding into herself and the way she arched violently like it’d been his fat cock filling her. Before he even realized it, he was fisting his dick, pumping wildly and panting before jets of semen shot from his tip. It had to be a record.

  Great, he self-admonished. Add premature ejaculator to my list of shortcomings.

  It was her fault. Damn luscious little minx. He had a good mind to go back and fuck Jenny raw, but what would that prove?

  That I am a monster. That’s what it’d prove!

  He stayed in the river as long as he could stand it. When his teeth started to chatter, he knew it was time to haul his miserable ass back to the cabin…back to his torture.

  As he stepped out of the water, he let a partial shift shuttle through him. It was just enough to regenerate clothing, but it did nothing to change the fact that his body was still wet and his long hair and beard were soaked. Even uncomfortable as he physically was, it didn’t keep him from walking as slowly as he could back to the cabin. Admittedly, he was trying to delay the inevitable. All he could do on the slow trek was pray that Jenny had put her damn clothes back on because if he showed up to find her still naked, there’s no telling what he’d do.

  Stepping through the front door of the cabin, Bishop didn’t bother attempting to mask his arrival. What was the point? He’d have to face Jenny eventually and now was just as good a time as any.

  Lifting his head, he scented the room. The entire walk back, part of him wondered if Jenny had left while he’d been down at the creek jerking his man meat to images of her sprawled out body. Now, the scent of her arousal ripped through him and had him doubling over as he fisted a hand over his stomach.

  Bloody fucking hell! How was he supposed to prove to himself and to her that he was a Walker in control when even just the hint of her pheromones was shredding him?

  He fought against his inner beats who were demanding he give in to his animalistic nature. It was a struggle, but he finally got his breathing and his urges under control. When his booted foot landed on the bottom step that led up to the room that held his Angel, it felt like he was taking his first step toward the gallows.

  By the grace of the Gods, he found Jenny sitting, fully clothed, on the edge of the bed. She was back in her still damp jeans and sweater. Her head was lowered as she studied her raw wrists.

  Entering the room, he found the nearest wall and leaned back into it. “We’re going back home in the morning.”

  “Back to StoneCrow?” she asked quietly without looking up.

  “Yeah,” he answered. “We go back to StoneCrow. Try to figure this out.” Even though she didn’t look up at him, he jerked his chin toward the bathroom. “I packed you a bag. Some of your clothes are in the bathroom.”

  Finally, Jenny’s head lifted in surprise, and he smirked. She had an apartment she used as her address in town, but after discovering what she’d done to him, he’d dug into her life as deeply as he could. She didn’t stay at the apartment, it was a ruse. He’d had little difficulty finding her secret penthouse, the one she thought nobody knew about.

  “Yeah,” one side of his mouth quirked up. “I know about the penthouse. I know a lot about you now, Jen, but I’d like to know more.” He sighed then continued, “Get cleaned up.” Turning to the door, he stopped and glanced over his shoulder, his eyes dropping to where she was still absently rubbing her wrists. “And, I’m sorry about that.”

  She looked down at her wrists, and her hands stilled before she lifted her head. “I’m sorry too, I…”

  “Don’t.” He closed the distance to the door. “I don’t want to hear your apologies right now.” He was quiet a few moments before saying, “I want to know what made you do what you did. I want to know why you hid this from me, and I want to know what your intentions are. First, though, we need to get on the road. In the morning I’m sure the storm will have eased some. I wanna get moving before it starts again.” He muttered almost inaudibly, “Can’t afford to get trapped out here with you.”

/>   Jenny opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off. “No arguments. It’s been a long day. We’re leaving at dawn before Monroe sends his Sentries to find you.”

  “Monroe?”

  He couldn’t keep the disdain from his tone as he faced her and explained, “He wants you back.”

  “He knows you took me?”

  Her words, filled with hope had his back teeth clenching. Again, he couldn’t shake the feeling like there was more going on between Jenny and Monroe than either of them was letting on. “Apparently,” he bit out. “And I’ve been warned about doing you harm. Seems you’re rare and valuable to the Dominant, so there’s that.”

  A look passed over Jenny’s features, but he caught it before she dipped her head and tried to hide it. He knew what she was thinking.

  “I had no intentions of ever hurting you, Jenny. And, I’m not taking you back just because Monroe ordered me to. This is bigger than him. Right now, Monroe and all his Walkers couldn’t keep you from me.”

  “Because you want answers,” she replied.

  “I deserve answers.” He jerked a thumb toward the bathroom door. “Get cleaned up and come down when you’re ready. I’ll start dinner.”

  ***

  Jenny wanted to tell Bishop that they still wouldn’t be able to hold down food, but he’d disappeared out the door before she could say anything. He’d have to learn the hard way, and guilt gnawed at her because even now he was still suffering because of her. At least he’d untied her and had looked relieved when she said she’d stay, so it was a start.

  Doing as he’d directed, she used the bathroom to quickly change and freshen up. When she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she barely recognized herself. The confidence that typically shone in her eyes was noticeably absent. She didn’t look like the strong-willed, self-confident doctor she’d grown into over the past ten years. No, right now she looked like a vulnerable and worried woman. She was both, and it was unfamiliar territory.

  Rooting through the drawers of the vanity, she found a brush and ran it through her hair. She was about to sit down for her first real face-to-face with Bishop, which meant a long awaited conversation with her mate. While she knew he thought little of her character, she hoped he could at least appreciate her appearance. The tiny flame of hope for the survival of any relationship between them was whipping in the wicked backlash of wind caused by her deceit. She prayed it didn’t go out.

  Chapter 10

  Downstairs, Jenny found Bishop plating scrambled eggs onto plates already laden with jellied toast. Two mugs of coffee steamed on the table as well and her belly growled with the need for nutrition.

  “Have a seat.” He motioned toward a chair and then took the pan he held to the sink.

  “Bishop, we can’t eat.”

  Turning from the sink, he frowned but made his way to the table where he pulled out his own chair before sitting. “I’m starving, Jen. RedKnife said once a couple…” His cheeks flushed a little, and he looked down at his plate. “He said we’d be able to eat and sleep once we…consummated. I know it wasn’t what it should have been, but…”

  Jenny lowered into her seat and eyed her plate. “It takes more than that. We…”

  Clear agitation flashed across his features before he slammed both hands palm side down on the table, rattling the dishes and startling Jenny. She fell silent and watched as Bishop look down angrily at his plate of food. She half expected him to chuck it against the wall.

  “I’m starving, Jen,” he exclaimed in frustration. “And I don’t mean for just food.” The look he shot her spoke volumes. “We don’t have any of your designer drugs here which means we’re both running low on energy. And, I haven’t slept for the past two nights.” He looked back down at his plate and muttered quietly. “We both know what I’m capable of when I go off the deep end.” Then more loudly, “So I’m eating this damn food. Now, you don’t have to eat yours, but I’m eating mine. And I’m keeping it down!”

  The last part was said almost as if he was trying to convince himself and Jenny could only watch sadly as he shoveled bite after bite into his mouth and chewed furiously. Shoving back from the table, she paced to the sink and pulled the garbage can from beneath before crossing back and setting it quietly on the floor beside Bishop. She knew what was coming. She’d experimented herself on ways of keeping actual food down. She’d never succeeded.

  Reclaiming her chair, she watched Bishop and waited, knowing exactly what he was experiencing. Right now, his mouth would be feeling like the Sahara Desert. Each time she’d put any food in her mouth, it was like all her saliva instantly dried up. Watching him, she almost giggled at how hard he was chewing, determined to get the bite of food down.

  After agonizingly long minutes, he finally swallowed and shoved another few forkfuls of food into his mouth before starting the process all over.

  “You should spit that bite out now because the first one can only sit in your stomach for about one minute before it…”

  Too late.

  Bishop twisted to the side and snatched up the garbage before he started puking up his food. Jenny shoved to her feet. The Doctor part of her wanted to go to him to ensure he was alright, but another part of her, the woman who’d deceived him, kept her feet firmly planted in place. She’d never heard of any other Walkers being afflicted for six months, and she already knew—firsthand—how volatile Bishop could be.

  Food all puked up, Bishop spit a few times into the garbage and then slammed it onto the ground, making Jenny jump again. She didn’t like this feeling of always being on a razor’s edge with him. Right now, her first instinct was to apologize, but she didn’t. Those two little words always seemed to trigger something in him. So, she swallowed them down and waited.

  “Don’t look at me like that,” Bishop growled from where his head hung over the garbage can.

  Jenny tried to sound non-committal. “Like what?”

  “Like you’re afraid I’m gonna launch myself out of this chair and attack you. It ain’t happening, woman. You’re safe with me. I know I haven’t proven that, but if you give me a chance, I will.”

  Shit! It was disconcerting how easily he read her especially considering how long she’d worked to perfect hiding her emotions. “Sorry.” The word slid from her lips, and she winced, hunching her shoulders and pinching her eyes shut to peek at Bishop through one thin slit. Great! Now she was sorry that she was sorry.

  Bishop sighed and shoved up from the table taking the trash liner with him as he made for the door. “We’ve got an early morning and apparently we ain’t eating, so why don’t you go on up and relax.”

  He must have realized now that there’d be no sleeping for either one of them either.

  Jenny pushed away from the table and was half standing when Bishop stopped in the doorway.

  “What happened to you?”

  Confused, Jenny shook her head.

  “When I found you on the road in the downpour. You passed out. Is that normal?”

  Jenny stood to her full height going into Doctor mode. “I’m not sure. I’ve only ever gotten my hands on Lilly and Cindy, and my tests have been limited because they were both collared, bound, and claimed within a relatively short amount of time.” One slim shoulder lifted almost to her ear before it dropped. “You and I are different. It’s been six months. We’re a case of first impression.” She stopped talking when his eyes went hard.

  “Your unwitting guinea pigs,” he growled.

  He turned to take the trash out, but Jenny stopped him. “Bishop!”

  When he turned to look at her, she pled her case. “I’m the Chief of Surgery at StoneCrow. I’m responsible for the care of everyone there.”

  “Everyone but me?”

  “You too, but…”

  Bishop’s head dropped back on his shoulders as he stared up at the ceiling. “I’m starving, exhausted, horny, and extremely fucking frustrated. I ain’t dragging shit outta you, Jen. Just finish it.”

&
nbsp; “You’re a Sentry. You go on rescue and retrieval missions, right?”

  Lowering his head, he looked at her and nodded. “Right.”

  “What happens if you bring in a woman? A woman who’s been afflicted. What happens when you can only successfully extract her and not her Walker mate? What if you all can’t get him out at all? What if he’s dead?”

  His eyes narrowed on her.

  “I’d have to treat her. She’d be my case of first impression, and she’d have to endure this,” Jenny waved her hand down her body and then motioned toward him. “She’d have to go through this hell that we’ve been going through on top of losing her mate. Yes, I was wrong about how I went about this study.” She took a few steps toward him, lifting her hands and folding them together in front of her chest. “But you have to see the need for it. Can you?” she asked pleadingly. “Please tell me you can see the need for it.”

  Bishop dragged in a deep breath, letting his chest expand until the muscles of his chest pressed against the material of his shirt. “Yeah, Jen. I get it. You were willing to hurt yourself to help others.”

  She smiled, but it faded quickly when he tagged on, “And you were willing to hurt me too.”

  Bishop stalked out the door, and Jenny stood gutted. She hated the feeling, and she didn’t know how to fix it. Her intent had never been to hurt Bishop. Part of her had always hoped that as her mate, he’d understand her professional need to act as she had. But, she’d been wrong. He didn’t understand it. He didn’t get her at all. Turning, she left her food on the table and made her way back up to the room.

  Chapter 11

  After taking out the trash, Bishop had shifted and gone for a long run in wolf form. Being around Jenny promised to get him more exercise than he’d had in a very long time.

  Rain still fell softly from the sky, and by the time he made it back to the cabin, he was drenched.