He released her hand to open the door to the building, then drew her inside with an arm over her shoulders. Playing the part, Nat looped her left arm around his waist and pasted a dreamy look on her face regardless. The small room they entered was empty until a short, burly man appeared from behind the desk that took up most of the tiny space.
In thick Russian, the man eagerly greeted them. “I’m Petra. What can I do for you?” In moments, he and Stas were deep in conversation, spoken entirely in Russian. Natalie only listened with half an ear. Instead, she used the men’s focus on each other as a cover so she could turn her attention to the people moving about on the street.
She watched their vehicle, making note of anyone who stopped and showed it more than passing interest. Two men looked the car over thoroughly, but they didn’t look out of place. Despite that, she catalogued their faces, imprinting them in her mind so she’d recognize them if they showed up again.
A tug on her arm brought her attention back to Stas and the innkeeper. “C’mon, sweetheart. Petra’s going to show us the stables.”
Nat looked at Stas. “That’s great, babe.”
Then she turned to the older man and gave him her warmest smile. “Thanks, Petra.” He smiled in return and motioned them to follow him outside.
The trio walked around the building to a small barn. The smell of animals, manure, and dank hay made Nat crinkle her nose. The odors seemed overly powerful. Petra grinned at her, undoubtedly amused by the American woman’s reaction to his stable.
Natalie smiled at Stas before pulling free from his hold to check out the horses.
Seven of the nine stalls held the stocky Mongolians used in the area. These horses were short, but they had to be for the environment. Their heavy coats, thick musculature, and solid footwork made them excellent Siberian transportation.
As she walked around the stable, Natalie felt a pressure building in her midsection. The skin on her arms and chest tingled and the hair on her neck rose. The jittery feeling from the morning was back or at least something similar.
She moved to the closest stall, making clicking noises at the sturdy Mongolian. Instantly, a sense of calm rolled through her, loosening her tension. She looked into the horse’s face and met its large brown eyes. The oddest thought floated in her mind, a fuzzy ill-formed sensation really, of magic and disinterest. Confused and suddenly light-headed, Nat gripped the edges of the stall door to steady herself.
Stanislov looked away from Petra for a moment and saw an ashen-faced Nat grab the stall to stay upright. He quickly made his way to her side.
“Are you all right?” He brought his hands down onto her shoulders. Nat shivered and swallowed hard. “Natalya, are you all right?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Must be hungry. Can we hurry this up?” Her expressive eyes told him to back off, but her words were soft and slightly slurred. Worry made his jaw clench, though he knew better than to push her for an answer. Instead, he nodded to her, giving her upper arms a reassuring squeeze, before turning back to Petra.
The burly man told Stanislov to choose his mounts while he went to prepare the yaks they were using as pack animals. Stanislov looked around the stable and wished for a moment that his skills included the ability to read animals. Picking the wrong horse could cost him more than he could afford to lose. He took a deep breath, hoping to project calm and safety, and approached the stall closest to him.
“Not her.” Nat’s voice was clear and crisp, snapping Stas’s head around.
“Why not?”
Her brow furrowed with irritation. “Can’t you see how she’s moved herself as far from you as possible?”
Stas looked back at the horse, only then noticing that indeed the horse was watching him a bit frantically and staying far away. He looked back at Natalie, and something tickled his subconscious. He moved to the next stall.
“Not her, either. Look, Rubenesso, pick the bay in the last stall or the chestnut in the third stall from the end. Both of them are large for Mongolians and neither of them care that you aren’t all human.”
He turned fully toward her, about to ask how the hell she could possibly know that, but she put a hand up to stop him.
“They’re eyeing you, eating their food leisurely, without a care. Jesus, we have horses at the farm. Just trust me, all right?”
Stanislov looked closely at Nat. She was still gripping the stall for dear life, and her cheeks were flushed. Her eyes glistened like she was burning up with fever. Fear that somehow he’d infected her or gotten her sick filled his gut with lead. He stalked to her side and touched her forehead. “You don’t have a fever.”
A quiet growl stirred from Nat and Stas instinctively took a step back. She pushed his hand away.
“I said I’m fine.” She ground her teeth. “I told you, I’m just hungry. I’ll take the roan. Let’s get them saddled so we can get the hell out of here. I need food and the smell is really bothering me.”
“All right, Nat.”
She swayed again, and he reached a hand out to steady her. She bared her teeth. Their eyes locked and power crackled between them. They growled simultaneously and Natalie pulled her lips back further. Startled, Stas’s eyes moved to hers and saw something strong, wild, and unstable growing in their depths. Then Nat blinked and shook her head. The motion broke the tension and when her eyes met his again, Stanislov saw nothing but Natalie looking at him. Although he wanted to stop right here and find out what was going on with her, Natalie was right. They couldn’t dally.
Stas pulled his hand back and ran it roughly through his hair. “I’ll go tell Petra we’re ready to leave.”
Chapter 10
After ten hours in the saddle, with only two short breaks for leg stretching, Nat was aching and ready to stop. She hadn’t been on a horse in years and despite being in excellent shape, her muscles were screaming. The only positive thing about the grueling pace Stas set was figuring out why she’d been feeling off.
A wave of sleepiness hit her. It wasn’t hers. It belonged to the horse her ass had become way too familiar with over the course of the day. The horse snorted and Nat smiled. It agreed with her.
Somehow, in the last twenty hours, she’d gained the ability to sense what animals felt. And to some degree, she’d learned how to send them thoughts and feelings back. Her control wasn’t terrific, but she was more than pleased with her progress, considering the situation.
She wasn’t sure how it happened. Adult mages didn’t spontaneously develop new talents. Their natural gifts continued to grow, but completely new ones didn’t happen unless they stole them or… well, whatever the “or” was, Nat fell into that category. She suspected it was a side effect of the night before.
The incident with the mouse, knowing which horses Stas could ride, the dizziness, all of it was a direct result of a new power manifesting. It’d just been so long since she’d experienced the sensations she’d forgotten what it was like. Complicating matters, her earlier impressions were strictly emotive. She might never have figured it out if it wasn’t for the roan she rode.
Lucky, as she’d been calling him, was quite the chatterbox. He’d been persistent. When she’d finally asked aloud if the horse was responsible for the strange thoughts in her mind, Lucky had neighed in reply.
More sleepiness and a question of time -- Lucky was as tired as she was. Soon. Nat wasn’t sure whether the specificity of “soon” was clear, but Lucky whickered and tossed his head.
“Hey, we should think about stopping. It’s nearly dark and the horses need a break.”
Stas held up his hand in a signal of agreement. The woods weren’t far ahead. He chose a spot for camp hidden from direct view without being suspicious. He had their tents up in no time while Nat started the fire and settled the animals.
“So, when do we meet the informant?” Nat took a bite of dried meat.
“I already did.” Stas had maps spread out before him, the light from a lantern dancing over the papers.
&n
bsp; “What?” Nat choked on her food. How could he have talked to the informant without her?
“I met him at the grocery. Igborski’s moved the scientists to the new lab, south of our original destination. It’s just over the mountains there.”
“That’s so far outside protocol I have to wonder what the hell is going on in your head.” Natalie was irritated he’d gone to the meeting without her. And though her first instinct was to lash out and attack, she was too tired. Besides, truthfully she was more disappointed than annoyed.
“Your objection’s noted.”
Nat shook her head then moved to his side to get a closer look at the map. She checked the topography before looking skyward.
“There’s a storm coming and it’s going to be colder than usual, lots of snow. We’ll have to ride to the foot of the mountains in the morning, but if we keep to the trees here…” she traced her fingers over the largest map, “I can get us through the mountains in no time. We could be at the lab by tomorrow night, which would give us more time for recon.”
“Good.”
She knelt close to him, her coat-clad shoulder brushing his. Stas exhaled and the air brushed her temple. Her body heated, nipples tightening as her sex flooded with moisture. Nat turned her head to look into his eyes. Large pupils encircled by a sliver of neon green glowed in the weak light. Nat parted her lips and watched his tongue wet his own. With a frustrated sound, she leaned in and took his mouth with all the passion he tried to ignore.
Stas didn’t respond at first, but Natalie wasn’t giving up this time. She bit his lower lip, drawing blood, and felt hot need pump through his body. His big arms engulfed her, pulling her body close to his as his mouth opened beneath hers. Their tongues touched and power surged between them, the low hum of magic heightening the contact.
Stas slid his hands up her back to jerk her hood off. He buried his hands in her hair, tearing it partially loose from its pins, as he tilted her head back and took control of the kiss. He opened his mouth wider and Natalie reciprocated. She gripped his shoulders as the hot, erotic glide of tongues took her deeper into excitement and pleasure.
The kiss grew hotter, more fevered, until they were tearing at each other’s coats. When his strong hand cupped her breast, she tore her mouth from his.
“Yes, yes.” Her vocalization was loud in the low light of the fire and lamp. Stanislov stilled and Natalie opened her eyes. It was too late to stop him. Pain and anger tore through her as she watched him pull away. Jerking her coat closed, Nat stood and glared down at Stas.
He looked away first and savage satisfaction eased anger’s hold for a moment. It didn’t last. She spun away, headed for her tent. Damn him. I’ve had it!
She felt his hunger, the pain of denied pleasure feeding into her own need. She was on the verge of chaos. Her body thrummed, on edge, magic buzzing in her and around her. She had to do something to relieve the pressure inside or she was going to explode.
* * *
Stas flopped down in his tent. His beasts were angry. Hell, he was angry. He argued with himself while he got ready for bed. His efforts to stay uninvolved with Nat were useless. They were already involved.
They’d been involved for years. And truthfully, they could both die during this operation. Stas didn’t want to die without knowing the feel of her hot, wet body wrapped around his cock. He wanted to feel Nat clench around him. His balls grew heavy with need. He tensed in anticipation. As he pulled the sleeping bag over him, Stas made a decision.
He wanted to love her, to show her with his body and his desire what he couldn’t tell her with words.
Stanislov sat up in the sleeping bag. It was time to make Nat his and stop fighting the inevitable. He was so focused on himself he didn’t notice the flap open.
Natalie stepped inside, her eyes wild, electricity arcing around her. She clapped her hands together; a deafening rumble of thunder and flash of light stunned him. Power made her glow.
The ground beneath him began to shift. His beasts surged to the surface, the instinct for self-preservation giving them temporary control. His body shifted, but it was too late.
“What the hell?”
From beneath the ground, thick tree roots erupted. They tore their way through his sleeping bag, shredding the material into clumps and pieces as they sought his wrists and ankles. A long, snakelike branch ripped the remnants of his bed from his body, exposing his fur-covered arms and legs. The whipping roots attacked, winding tightly around him.
Stas tried to fight them off, but his sharp, thick cat’s claws didn’t have a chance against the power of Natalie’s earth magic. Bark and splinters flew through the air as he ripped at the wood to no avail. Every time he broke through one, two more would snare the limb and pull tight. Nat’s magical ropes jerked, pinning him to the ground. Even as he struggled, smaller ropy vines and branches made their way around his body, twining around his abdomen, upper arms, and thighs.
He roared with frustration. “Natalya, let me up!”
“I don’t think so.” She brought her hands up to her throat and unzipped the coat.
Stas thrashed to get free and Nat flicked her fingers. Every vine and limb tightened, making it difficult to breathe. He lay before her naked, his cock standing thick and tall. He’d been hard before, but fighting against her magic aroused him more. He hissed at her, and she smirked before pulling her shirt over her head.
“I’ve finally figured something out, Stanislov. You’re a bit of a masochist. You like pain.” She shook her arms free of the top.
Her breasts were unbound, the nipples hard points. He strained to get free, wanting to touch her, punish her. Stas groaned in pained arousal when she lifted her right breast to her dark pink lips, as if she knew exactly what he wanted. Her tongue slipped from her mouth, delicately caressing the areola, before she lifted the breast higher to suck the swollen nub into her mouth.
His cock jerked, pre-come weeping from the tip. Stas was so hard it hurt.
“Mmm, yes, I’d say you love pain. You’d rather hurt than fuck me. Well, Stas, I don’t like pain, at least not my own. I’ve had enough.”
Stas shifted back to his human form. The branches reacted, tightening the coils ensuring his bondage. “Let me up.”
“No.” Natalie pinched her nipples with both hands before gliding down over her softly defined abdomen to the closure of her pants. She kept her eyes locked with his as she pushed the clothing over her hips, exposing the closely clipped triangle of golden hair between her legs. Slowly, she turned, presenting him the tight globes of her ass before bending at the waist to push the jeans off her legs. She was wet and shining, her labia flushed and swollen. Stas’s hips jerked, his cock bobbing with delicious intent. She was killing him.
Once her feet were free of boots and jeans, she spread her legs slightly, grasping her ankles and gliding her palms up over strong calves and firm thighs, then slipping one hand between her legs to play along her wet slit while the other slid over her hip.
“I feel good, but you’ll feel better.” Nat sank to her knees before turning to crawl toward him.
Her lips moved and the flora holding his legs spread him farther apart, making way for her. She rubbed her face along his thighs, her hot breath teasing his cock, before she sat back on her feet. With deliberate movements, she removed the rest of the pins from her hair and shook the glorious mass free.
“I give, Natalya. Let me up.” He was begging and he didn’t care.
“No. I’m not an experienced sadist, but I promise to give you what you want. You like pain so much, I can’t help but offer you plenty of it.” She lowered herself over his torso, flicking her tongue against his skin, long strands of her hair teasing his flesh, increasing the savagery of his desire a thousand fold.
“I’m going to fuck you, Stanislov. I’m going to fuck you until I come. And then I’m going to leave you here to hurt.” Her tongue caressed one dark nipple. She whirled around the tiny, rigid bud until Stas thrashed his
head and cursed. Then she sank her teeth deep into his flesh, marking him. The pain ricocheted through Stas, tightening his muscles, drawing his balls up.
“Natalya! Damn it!” His cock pulsed, pre-come flowing over the tip.
She laughed darkly and released his skin. “Watch me, Stas. Watch your cock fill me up.” He closed his eyes and she punished him. A tiny thorn-covered vine lashed across his chest and belly and his eyes flew open. He bared his teeth and growled, but she only laughed more.
“Obey me or I’ll give you more pain than you can imagine.” She hovered over him, one hand reaching for his cock while the other slowly rubbed her hidden clit. When her hand slid over the part of him weeping for her, she hummed her pleasure as he thrust against her.
Stas’s gaze was riveted on his cock as Nat lowered herself onto him. He watched her lips spread to surround him and his blood pounded at the first caress of liquid fire. She was tight, agonizingly gripping his cock as it funneled into her. Her body contracted around him and Stas wanted to scream. He was on the verge of coming for real. She was taking too long.
“Fuck me, Natalya.” He thrust his hips as best he could, managing to gain an inch or so. Her head fell back with a low cry and she slammed her pelvis to his, seating him deep.
“Watch me.” The whisper of her voice was as loud as cannon fire. He grunted and did as she bade. His eyes began to burn as he fought not to blink. He watched the shining length of his cock slip from her pussy, shuddered with her when her body creamed, moaned when she struggled to impale herself on him deeper and harder.
The sight of her riding his body, taking her pleasure, her fingers twisting and plucking the swollen tips of her breasts, her cunt contracting around him, set Stanislov ablaze. The beasts raged in triumph and despair. His cock swelled, nubs rising beneath the skin.
“Fuck yes, Stas. Oh, God, I’m going to come so hard!” Nat raised her head and leaned forward. She braced her hands on his chest, her nails digging in. She lifted her hips and began a punishing rhythm, pounding, grinding herself against him. He felt the tingle of imminent release and pressed his cock as deep as his position would allow.
Pret Ops: Familiar Page 5
