Julian dragged great gulps of air into his lungs and tried to focus his mind. It was hard when her scent was everywhere. He wanted her. Badly. He thought of the night before and how he’d taken her in the temple, and he knew he could not use her again. Not like that.
He might be a grade-A bastard, but he was drawing the line.
“You say it’s too late,” she whispered. Julian tensed when her hands slid along his arm and across his abs as she stood in front of him.
“You may be right, but we only have a few hours left before we leave for Vegas. I have no clue what’s going to happen when we get there.” She rubbed his chest and surprised him when she ripped his T-shirt from neck to hem, her long nails exposing the damaged flesh beneath.
He hissed as her fingers gently traced the scars that were there. “My control isn’t what it should be,” he managed to get out from between clenched teeth.
“Good,” she said, her voice thick, “because right now my control is gone, and what I want is standing in front of me.” She bent, and he saw red as her tongue gently traced the symmetrical scars on his chest. “And that would be you.”
She pushed away, turned, and his gaze immediately fell to her ass. The jeans that she wore should be fucking illegal. His mouth watered, and he felt the beast stir within.
“I have a surprise. You coming?” she tossed over her shoulder before disappearing from view.
Julian was stunned. A few minutes before, he’d pushed her away, yet he couldn’t deny the part of him that ached for her. For her touch and scent and taste. For the calm that he felt when she was near.
The echo of her steps faded, and, suddenly, it was as if a fire had been lit under his ass. He moved quickly to follow.
Hell yeah, I’m coming.
Chapter 23
Julian followed her scent down the hall until it connected to a long corridor that ran perpendicular to the main house. He heard her ahead, her soft footfalls, and he quickened his pace, enjoying the game as his animal reveled in the hunt.
The light in the corridor was muted, and he caught trace signatures of his brothers and their women. They’d all been this way within the last several hours. When he reached the end, he paused in front of a door. It was open several inches, and a whisper of heat caressed his face.
His nostrils flared, and the scents that he pulled into his lungs were entirely out of place here in the land of snow and ice. He inhaled the warmth of jungle, cool water, and abundant greenery. It ignited such a need in him that he growled loudly as he pulled back the door and stepped inside.
His white teeth slashed through the charcoal darkness in a feral smile as he looked around, surprised to hear the call of a wailer monkey and the cry of a toucan. He’d heard about Jaxon’s jungle room back at his former headquarters for PATU and wasn’t surprised he’d replicated it here in the Canadian wilderness.
A splash sounded to his right, and he started to pant as he carefully picked his way through the vines and earth at his feet. Jaxon had spared no expense, and Julian marveled at how rich the room felt. A soft glow fell from above, and he realized the entire ceiling was glass, enabling him to look out onto an arctic sky and yet he was toasty warm inside a jungle.
Unbelievable.
He felt layers of darkness slip from his skin as Jaden’s subtle scent settled inside him. She calmed the beast and allowed some sense of peace. His eyes narrowed as his heartbeat increased, and he focused on one thing—Jaden.
He slid through a mass of vines, discarding his torn shirt as he did so, and flexed his powerful muscles as he shook out his limbs. He held himself loose and continued along silently, stalking his prey with savage glee.
Up ahead he heard a waterfall and was just able to make it out through the abundance of trees that stood like silent soldiers. When he parted the leaves and stepped into a small clearing, he felt a rush of emotion pummel him.
Before him was a large basin of water. It glowed softly, as if lit from within, and the gentle sounds of the waterfall were like a symphony. It was beautiful, yet it was the woman who floated like an angel that pulled at his gut.
Jaden lay upon the water, her arms spread out to the sides, moving slowly as she kept herself afloat. Her hair rippled outward, riding the liquid and encircling her head like a halo. She was naked, her skin glistening in the soft light. His groin tightened, and his mouth went dry.
Her full breasts were pert, the nipples hard, and he ached to touch them. His mouth watered, and his nostrils flared in excitement as he envisioned his lips upon them. His gaze traveled slowly over her body, taking in the translucent tattoos that moved against her neck, down past the taut belly, until they settled on the patch of hair between her legs.
Christ, he was sure her legs were parted, just so, to drive him crazy. The secrets that lay there, hidden between the folds of her sex, were tantalizingly exposed, and he felt his cock swell painfully as his eyes fixed on her.
He could look nowhere else. He wanted her. All of her.
With a low growl, he quickly shed his pants and stood at the edge of the water as Jaden turned over. Her gaze swept the length of him, and a smile drifted over her lips as she stopped at his straining cock. It was hard, aching for her softness.
“Aren’t you coming in?” she asked, her voice was breathless, and the catch in it drove him crazy. “The water is sheer heaven.”
She began to drift away, the round globes of her ass taunting him. “Catch me if you can.”
She disappeared from view, and Julian slid into the water, hissing at the sensation of the warm liquid against his aching appendage. His eyes scoured the smooth glass surface, and he pushed off, long, powerful strokes carrying him forward as he searched for Jaden. The little minx was playing a game, and he laughed as he dove under.
He immediately spied a flash of leg and took off with a powerful kick, only to come up empty when he reached the other side. Julian surfaced, shedding the water from his eyes as he turned.
Where the hell is she? He growled in frustration and tried to calm the animal inside.
He floated for a bit, his eyes scouring the water and the bank where he’d just been. He felt the edges of darkness creep into his mind once more as his frustration grew.
“Whatcha looking for?” The soft words hit him, and he turned around, nearly choking as his eyes ate up the beautiful creature who stood before him.
She dipped her toe in the water and sent a spray arcing toward him, laughing as she did so. He let the water fall over his head though it did nothing to cool the heat of his desire.
He wanted to say something, but the words weren’t there, so he stared up at her, helpless and hungry. Her laughter slowly died as she returned his gaze, her head cocked to the side, her legs spread in such a way he once more caught a glimpse of the wetness inside. Her fragrant arousal assaulted him, and his skin burned as everything inside him tightened.
It was painful, but it was a good pain, the kind he’d not experienced in years. Three, to be exact. She was the most erotic thing he’d ever seen.
“I can’t play this game,” he said roughly, and began to pant once more as her eyes darkened and she swept her tongue across her lips. Her hands crept up to her breasts and he watched as she pulled on her hard nipples, her slender fingers massaging them aggressively. Her tongue was caught between her teeth, and as her chest heaved, she pinned him with a direct stare.
“Then you better get up here because I feel like I’m coming apart.” Her voice was hoarse, heavy with desire, and she’d barely got the words out before he was at her side. The speed of his jaguar propelled him out of the water, and he was a blur of hard-assed muscle.
They stood together with only a whisper of air between them. Julian looked down into her dark eyes and felt something break inside him, like a balloon had just been ruptured.
There was a well of emotion inside, a need to have her that pounded hard. But not just to claim her body. A soft growl escaped. He wanted her soul. Her mind . . . h
er heart.
How fucking crazy is that?
Her tattoos shimmered, their vibrant colors luminescent against her skin, and his hand fell to them. When he touched her, energy tingled along his fingers and spread like fire up his body.
Slowly, he bent and his mouth claimed them, his tongue sliding across the intricate markings as he felt her tremble beneath him. When she groaned, he smiled against her skin, liking the fact that he affected her so.
“Only you,” she whispered, her voice nearly breaking, and he stilled.
Julian’s hands crept to her shoulders, and he held her tightly as he straightened and looked directly into her eyes.
She trembled still, and he wasn’t so sure it was from the heat of passion anymore. Her eyes glistened like liquid onyx, and it killed him to think she was about to cry.
Something was going on that he didn’t understand. Have I fucked up so badly already?
“I don’t . . .” he began, and had to take a few seconds to compose himself before he could continue. Inside his mind and body, a war was raging. The constant voices and pain were slowly receding, and he realized, in that moment, that when he was with Jaden, the madness that lived inside him was diminished. It wasn’t gone completely, but it was bearable.
She made his life worthwhile, if only for a moment. It was like a fucking lightbulb had exploded suddenly, and he panicked. He needed to make her understand.
He began again. “I don’t . . . I can’t promise you anything, Jaden. There are things . . . my future is . . .” He inhaled a ragged breath and tried to temper the emotion that was suddenly wide open inside him. It was fucking confusing.
“It’s okay,” she whispered.
“No, it’s not.” He spoke harshly, and she winced at his tone. He hissed and shook his head. He was totally fucking things up and groaned as he shook his head. “Three years ago, I was a total asshole.”
She nodded, a hint of a smile playing up the corners of her mouth. “Agreed.”
“I can’t take it back, but what I can do . . .” His voice lowered and ended on a growl as his body was once more suffused with heat. He felt his cock twitch painfully as she moved closer to him, her body now flush against his hard frame. He held her tightly and nuzzled the hair at her neck. “What I can do,” he repeated hoarsely, “is honor the bond between us tonight. As for tomorrow . . .”
Pain lashed through him as her hands crept up to his shoulders. He turned from the crook of her neck and stared down into her beautiful eyes.
“It’s okay, Julian. Tonight is for us. Let’s forget about the damn mess waiting in Vegas.” She rubbed her breasts against his chest, and as she did so, her soft belly slid against his hardness. It was without a doubt exquisite torture, unlike anything he’d ever endured before. “And give ourselves something to remember.”
“Amen to that,” he whispered, and bent down to claim her lips.
Jaden opened wide for him, and she reveled in the feel of his hardness beneath her fingers as she pulled him against her. His tongue slid inside her mouth, attacking her softness with an aggression that teased the animal inside her to a feverish high.
The sounds that he made, small animalistic groans of need, drove her crazy.
He tasted like sin, and she moved against him, her sensitive nipples scraping along his chest. She was on fire with need and groaned loudly as his lips rained sweetness across her face, tasting every inch before finding the sweet spot between her ear and her neck.
He growled softly and suckled her there, his hands roaming across her shoulders and down to her hips before he grabbed her roughly and pulled her against his straining hardness.
She felt his cock, its long, pulsating length slide along her belly, and she lifted her right leg, encircling his hips as she tried to get as close to him as possible.
She slid her wetness against him, her swollen clitoris aching as it rubbed along his flesh.
“Oh God,” she whispered, “I’ve never . . . not even that first night.” She couldn’t finish her thoughts as his hands gripped her tightly, and he pulled her upward, coaxing her left knee up until she gripped him with both legs.
She felt his arms at the small of her back, anchoring her, and when he bent his head and took a hard, turgid nipple deep into his mouth, she cried out. He suckled from her there, pulling long and hard, his tongue doing crazy things to her as he licked and sucked. Each draw hit her hard, and she felt her sex cream as her desire grew to a feverish pitch.
“Christ, Julian, I don’t know how much I can take.”
His mouth fell from her nipple, and he blew air upon the wet skin, smiling up at her wickedly as she looked down at him.
Her animal was scratching hard, wanting to mate, needing to have him buried deep within her body. She was on the cusp and could feel the edge of ecstasy teasing from the inside out.
“I want you now,” she said hoarsely, grinding against him, small whimpers falling from her lips as she did so.
He smiled and looked up at her, murmuring, “Not yet.”
His arms slipped up her back to rest against her shoulders, and he pulled her flush to his body as he inhaled the air in a great gulp. “You smell like candy,” he murmured. “I think you’ve forgotten how much I like the taste.” He growled, and it was nearly her undoing.
Her head fell to his shoulder, and she shuddered as he slowly lowered her to the ground. The soft earth welcomed her body, and she fell back, arms splayed above her head and legs spread wide.
The look on his face as his gaze fell to the glistening apex between her legs made her weak, and her hands fell to her breasts. He looked feral, animalistic. Fucking hot.
She massaged her swollen flesh, ever so slowly, hissing as exquisite fingers of delight spread across her breasts.
With a groan, he bent over her, his powerful shoulders holding him several inches from her body though she ached to feel him pressed against her. Their eyes locked, and she marveled at the golden hue of his as they began to glow with a fire that fed her own.
“You’re so beautiful,” she whispered fiercely. “And you’re mine.”
His mouth caressed hers once more with the merest of kisses, and it only served to heighten the need inside her to a feverish pitch. Her hips were moving slowly, in time to an ancient rhythm, yet without him inside her frustration began to build.
“Please,” she gasped as she squeezed her eyes shut. “I can’t take much more.”
“Look at me,” he commanded.
Something in his voice was different; the words fell from his lips in several layers. Her eyes flew open, and the raw need that lay deep within his touched a place inside her that was sacred.
She felt as is she were ripping apart with need. It wasn’t just for sex. It wasn’t just to answer the call of her animal and mate. It was for the man above her . . . for his soul and his heart? All of him.
Was it possible? Were her feelings that strong?
He was a Castille, yes, but he was also her mate. Were her feelings a by-product of the bond? Were they real?
All thoughts vanished from her mind as she felt his fingers slide through the slick folds between her legs, and she bit her tongue. His eyes held hers captive, and she couldn’t look away even if she had wanted to. When he began to massage her clitoris, she knew he saw the pleasure he gave her, and when he plunged two fingers deep inside, he heard her groan.
She was laid bare and wouldn’t have had it any other way.
There was no sound. It was like the world had faded away, and everything had been sucked into a black hole save for the two of them.
His fingers continued their assault, and she angled her hips in such a way that he was there, right where the pressure was hot, and she whimpered as he coaxed the orgasm that was building.
She groaned and threw her head back as she arched her breasts.
“Don’t you dare close your fucking eyes,” he said roughly. “I want to see them when you come.”
He began to massage h
er in earnest, and her right hand clung to his powerful forearm while the other joined his down below. She felt the pressure continue to build like liquid fire, and it spread quickly as her hips danced along in jerky movements that she had no control over.
“Keep your eyes on me,” he commanded as he slowly slid down her body. She watched him grin wickedly, bit her tongue, but couldn’t keep the scream from escaping as his fingers withdrew and his mouth claimed her sweetness.
“Oh God,” she whispered. His eyes never left hers, and she spread her legs wider, allowing him as much access as he needed. His tongue was doing wicked-crazy things to her, teasing her swollen clitoris mercilessly, and when he suckled her there, hard, it was her undoing.
His hands held her ass tightly so that she couldn’t move, and when her orgasm came crashing down, she literally felt like she was being ripped apart. It was the most painfully exquisite moment she’d ever had. The tattoos burned along her body, and the sensation only added to her pleasure.
“Do not look away,” he growled against her thigh, and he began to trail a fiery line of kisses along her body. She was weak, satiated, yet his feral gaze did weird things to her.
She felt her animal shift and her canines sharpen as his golden eyes bled into black.
She never took her eyes from his and felt the fever begin to build once more as he passed over her trembling belly, up along the side of her rib cage, until he licked the undersides of her breasts.
Julian was poised above her, his skin glistening with sweat, his hair damp from the water. He was feral, he was wild, and he was all hers.
“I’ll never want anyone else,” he said. “You’ve ruined me.”
His mouth crashed down upon hers as his cock slid deep within the welcoming wetness between her legs. She groaned into his mouth, and he ate her passion as his hardness filled her completely.
He was large, and he moved his body slowly, scraping along every single nerve ending inside her, spreading electric fires along the way. Their tongues danced together, and still their eyes remained focused on each other.
His Darkest Salvation Page 23
