“You make it sound like you’re not a part of us, Halah.”
“Am I a part? After all this time and everything I’ve done? Laszlo never specifically indicated one way or the other. I’m not going to presume.” She wasn’t even really certain how Kam felt at this stage. A lot had happened in the last couple of days that might make one want to rethink their future.
“You are one of us, Halah. Never doubt your place or sound like you’re about to leave the fold again.” His brow furrowed. “Unless that’s what you want to do?”
Just thinking about leaving made her heart clench. “No. That’s not what I want. Is that how I sounded?” Voicing her feelings had always been hard. And still was. Even with Kam.
“Yes. In fact, I’d hoped you’d stay not just for now, but…forever.”
She looked into his gorgeous blue eyes. Her heart picked up its pace. “Forever?”
She didn’t much care what the others thought of her. Not really. Not when it came to the core of who she was. She’d always been much too independent to care about that sort of group-acceptance nonsense. But she did care what Kam thought. She knew he’d signed to her that he loved her, but that was after sex, which didn’t really count.
Before she said anything more, he kissed her mouth lightly, his lips lingering over hers. As if he’d sensed what she was thinking, he said, “I do love you, Halah. I hope you know and believe that.”
The honesty and love she saw in his eyes took her breath away.
“I want you by my side for the rest of my life. I want you to join with me as my breeder-mate, so we can have beautiful children of our own.”
Children? She rarely thought about children. But after seeing Alexa’s beautiful babies, she had wondered what a child with her dark hair and Kam’s light blue eyes would look like.
“I want…to Brand you, Halah.”
Her heart pounded painfully against her ribs. “Brand me?” she whispered. That would make it official. Irreversible. “The Council—”
“Shh,” he responded, his voice equally low. “I’ve spoken to Laszlo about it. The Xylon Council no longer exists. He’s given his seal of approval. That’s all we need. A witnessing ceremony is no longer required. We can do it at any time. Like Erik and Leila did.”
“Erik and Leila are joined?” That was news to her. “I never saw a Brand on the back of her neck.”
“Leila has been keeping the mark hidden with a skin patch, because she and Erik joined in secret, against the Council’s demands. They no longer need to hide. Laszlo has given them his blessing. We live in a new world now, Halah. Do you love me?”
The intensity in his eyes speared through her. She knew what she ached to do and what she ached to say. Instead, she voiced her fears. He needed to know what he was getting himself into. “I’ve been alone a long time, Kam. Just me and Josella. I’m hardheaded. I follow my own path. And I have a hard time expressing love.”
“And you’re lonely. Just like I am. I can see it in your eyes. If you don’t love me in return though—”
When he started to pull away, she grabbed his arms. “No!”
He cocked an eyebrow at her.
“I mean, don’t go. Please.” The thought of not being with Kam sent a wave of utter sadness through her like she’d never felt.
He settled back beside her.
“I…do love you.”
A huge grin crossed his face. When she said nothing more, he sobered, looking at her with a most serious expression. He stroked her cheek. “I want you to be my breeder-mate, Halah. We’re good together. I need you, and I think you need me. Say yes.”
She swallowed hard. “Yes.” The word spilled from her mouth and from her deepest desires. She would let him into her heart—this incredible man who’d somehow managed to break down all her emotional barriers. He’d been right. She often felt lonely, so lonely, but never with him. He filled her soul. “I’ll be your breeder-mate.”
He kissed her quickly, as if he feared she might take the words back. She didn’t intend to do that. She couldn’t think of a better man than Kam to be mated with.
Her mouth opened and their tongues tangled. Kam’s hand glided down her stomach and slid between her legs. She mewled into his mouth at the intimate touch, then broke their kiss. “Brand me, Kam. Do it now. Here. I don’t want to wait another minute.” Life was too uncertain. The last few days had proven that.
“You don’t want to talk to Josella about it first?”
“No.” She loved her sister, but this was her decision alone. “Make me yours.”
A growl escaped his throat. He helped her over onto her stomach and placed fluttering kisses up and down her spine. She shivered at the incredible feeling. When he brushed the hair away from the back of her neck and licked the skin there to prepare her, she thought she’d faint from the flames of arousal licking at her body.
“Get up on your knees,” he instructed her.
She rose to her knees, but kept her head down. Kam moved behind her, caressing her back and hips. His fingers grazed her pussy.
“Oh, yes…” Her stomach fluttered, knowing her life was about to change. Once Branded, a couple formed a deeper bond—mentally, emotionally, and physically—that went beyond other relationships.
He positioned the blunt tip of his cock against her pussy, but didn’t slide inside her.
“Do you want me?”
“You know I do.” If he didn’t enter her soon, she’d explode from pure need.
“Say it. I need to hear the words, Halah.”
“I want you, Kam. I want you more than any man I’ve ever known.” And that was the truth. “Please,” she begged.
“Oh, yeah.” His fingers curled around her hips, and he pushed his cock slowly into her pussy, one inch at a time.
As he slid deeper, Halah moaned. So incredible. In this position, he filled her completely. “Yes, Kam!”
Slowly, he pulled back out of her pussy until only an inch of his cock remained inside.
“Oh…” Torture. She needed him to fill her up. “Fuck me!”
He chuckled, then thrust back into her. “Like this?” He plunged his cock all the way into her, then eased back. Repeatedly, he stroked back and forth, pulling out and then pushing deep inside her pussy.
“Yes!” Halah’s fingers clutched at the coverings on the bed. “Oh, oh, oh…” Her body tightened, as he continued the sensual fucking, increasing the intensity with each stroke. What started as slow and gentle soon progressed to a fast and hard taking.
Kam swiped a few stray tendrils of hair away from the back of her neck and leaned over her. She felt his body trembling. The time had come.
The Brand needed to be seared on the back of her neck, with the help of a special device implanted in all male breeders’ mouths. The mark had to be placed at the same time both of them climaxed otherwise the joining wouldn’t be complete. “Now, Kam!”
As a powerful orgasm shot through both of them, Kam fused his mouth to the back of her neck, placing his personal Brand on her. Everyone would know that she belonged to him. Each Warrior’s Brand was unique, and she felt proud to wear Kam’s mark.
Halah screamed from the sheer pleasure exploding inside her. “Yes!” Never again would she feel alone. She was now a part of Kam, the man she loved.
166
About the Author
Ruth D. got hooked on writing in the fifth grade when she won a short story contest—a romance, of course. And she’s been writing romance ever since.
She writes several subgenres of romance—historical, contemporary, and futuristic.
Her books are available online in many internet bookstores. Her short stories and articles are available on several websites. She has won or placed in writing contests and hopes to continue to write exciting tales for years to come.
Ruth welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.co
m.
Also by Ruth D.
Adam 483: Man or Machine?
Diamond Studs anthology
Virgin Seeks Bad-Ass Boy
Wanton Temptation
Xylon Warriors 1: Initiation
Xylon Warriors 2: His Carnal Need
Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC
on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.
www.ellorascave.com
Flames of Arousal Page 24
