by India Kells
Sera still had the power to get away. That was a fact. But she didn’t want to. Had she made a mistake going out without telling anybody, risking her life and those of Sentinels, as well as her friends? She was humble enough to admit it and make amends. And deep inside her, she wanted to reassure him, the man and the wolf. To submit to them to prove her trust and... and more. Emotions she wasn’t sure how to define yet. Or to express what they were. Instead, she bared her throat to him as his teeth scraped her delicate skin and his hold pressed her against him.
With his formidable force, he picked her up and made her bend over the couch’s armrest. The sudden movement made her dizzy and she lost sense of space when he hooked his thumb into the waistband of her jeans and pulled it down with her panties.
Gasping, cold hair surprising her, he kept her down as he rubbed his face over her lower back and buttocks, his stubble scratching in a delicious way. Desire rose, making her lower belly tingle when he parted her folds with his tongue and lapped.
She tried to push herself up, but his hand kept her in place. There was no finesse in his touch, his only goal was to make her explode as quickly as possible. His lips sucked her clit hard and Sera trembled. In mere minutes, an orgasm shook her to the core, making her scream into the couch.
Heaving, she didn’t feel him move until he positioned himself at her entrance and pushed himself in. Sera screamed both in shock and pleasure of being filled by him. Again, there was nothing she could do about it as he held her solidly against the cushions. His physical force, his harsh breaths, the snarl that made her tremble, made her even more desperate. Again, his movements were calculated, the angle and the speed studied so she climbed inexorably to her second climax. Sera wanted to look at him, but he fisted his hand in her hair and made her arch her back, trapping her even further. Grasping for purchase, she felt Ian let go of her hair, only to tear her shirt and bra into shreds before lowering himself above her, his other hand circling her torso. As he cupped her breast and caught her nipple between his fingers, his voiced rasped in her ear.
“Cum again, Sera.”
She was close to hyperventilating, her body going into overdrive. “I don’t think I can, Ian.”
His hips twisted, causing the most maddening friction and she stopped breathing when he repeated it, over and over again. This time, his voice had an edge, a tone she had never heard in him before. It was an order.
“Now, cum, Sera.”
It was when his teeth bit her shoulder that the pain and surprise triggered her second orgasm. If she wasn’t already seeing color blasts, she would by now. Her body coursing with aftershocks, Ian stepped back and gently made her sit on the couch. She wanted to touch him so bad, to reach for him in the tortured state he was in.
But he wouldn’t. Instead, she felt him kneel in front of her before he opened her legs. His body heat and his breath so close frightened her a bit. She felt so vulnerable to him and immediately wanted to retreat. Ian wouldn’t let her.
“Don’t, Ian, I’m too sensitive, please. It will hurt. It’s too much.”
The growl he emitted was far from human. When she felt his mouth on her, she started to tremble. Her body was both screaming for more and begging for mercy at the same time.
His touch was softer but still very much unyielding. Through a haze of lust and orgasmic bliss, she was amazed that her body reacted that way to his touch, cresting once more onto a peak of pleasure bordering on maddening pain.
Unable to do anything but to hold onto him, she fisted her hands in his thick tousled hair and tugged hard. Ian growled again, and the vibration reverberated through her core, making her tense as she came. It was more like fire flooding through her loins and pumping in her veins.
As she slowly made her way back to reality, she felt the werewolf rubbing his face against her parted thighs, across her belly, nuzzling her breasts. Sera could only feel warm skin and muscle and wondered when he had time to undress. He had his hands on her the entire time. Remembering what just happened made her realize that he hadn’t come yet.
Her hands let go of his hair to cup his face, trailing her fingers along his cheekbones and his strong jaw line. Clenched jaw line. The anger was still there and strong. And it dawned on her.
“Ian, why are you trying to punish me?”
His entire being stood still before exhaling. “It’s not a punishment.”
“Then, what is it?” Now her hand started caressing his cheek, slowly reaching for his tense shoulders. Lazily, her fingertips traced his form in fascination, curious for what he would say next.
“You scared me. I never thought I would be taken by this feeling again. Not since I ran to Julie and Amelia’s car crash. Seeing you alone facing that ice monster, I thought...”
His voice hitched, and she heard him swallow hard. “I needed to feel you alive. I was desperate for you to submit to me, to let me take control, to take care of you. And I guess you’re right. Part of me wanted to punish you for putting your life in danger.” His hand stroked her thighs and moved up, gliding over her until he cupped her cheeks. “You can’t die, Sera Dover. I forbid it.”
Tenderness washed over her. Everything in her wanted to make him that promise, so he never suffered again, but it wasn’t hers to make. His hands moved again on her body.
“You’re gonna be bruised. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have marked you like that. I hurt you.”
So deep inside her Sera wished she could see his face. At a loss for words, she mimicked his gestures, running her hands over his skin. Her own body was spent, but another need grew inside her. It wasn’t about her lust, but a deeper need to offer her body.
Sera circled his lean hips with her legs, lowering herself until her sex touched his cock. The honorable Ian was back, because she felt him draw away, but she wouldn’t let him. As he was about to speak, she silenced him with a kiss. As she suspected, the desire he battled was close to the surface. Undulating her hips, almost imperceptibly at first, he soon followed as his lips parted.
“I hurt you, I can’t.”
Sera didn’t even answer. Instead, she reached between them and circled his thick appendage in her hand, stroking it at the same rhythm as they both moved. Ian started breathing hard, amplifying the movement against her hand. As he was losing himself in her touch, she widened her knees and tilted her pelvis enough to take him in one swift stroke.
Even if she was a little bit sore, it felt amazing. And having taken the edge off, Sera marveled at Ian. How his body moved, the sounds he made as he lost himself more and more inside her, and even the smell of him fascinated her. She touched every part of him she could reach, detecting when he shivered, when he moaned or leaned more into her.
When his movement accelerated, it was easy to feel despair in him, and especially how much he held himself back.
“Ian.”
The sound he made was almost one of pain.
“Ian, please, let go.”
He shook his head, his damp hair tickling her cheek and shoulder before he buried his head in the crook of her neck.
Still, as stubborn as she was, Sera was decided to stop whatever atonement he was trying to do. She may be a bookworm at heart, but even a bookworm can have a naughty side. So many sexual spells she wanted to try, and if there could be one bringing him pleasure, why wouldn’t she use it?
As she reached deep down for her magic, her fingers still in contact with his body, she let magic pour inside him in a slow and stealthy flow, with the only intent of amplifying his pleasure, slowly, inexorably. The first sign for her was how his body tensed and shook, and the way he accelerated to a breakneck pace. Ian became more vocal, incoherent words, growls and gasps.
Sera forced herself to hide her smile, as she made her final magical push. The groan turned into a half-yell that was so erotic, it made her belly clench in the most delicious way. The werewolf came, his body spasming and shaking. Oh, she knew what he went through. When alone in the depths of the night, she had used
this spell with herself.
Closing her eyes, Sera let him fall into her arms, holding him tight as he tried to get his breath back. For a long time, they didn’t move, simply enjoying the moment. Sera’s brain didn’t stop noticing small details about him, and one bigger but slowly receding. They didn’t talk about it, but Sera had read enough about shifters, and especially male werewolves to know about a couple of particularities, such as their organs expanded after sex, locking them inside with partners. The phenomenon called knotting or tying. Sometimes it was good to be a walking encyclopedia.
Shutting down her brain, she let her hands run through his damp hair, gliding over the vast expanse of skin and wonderful muscles of his back. Every inch of him was an enticement.
It took a moment before he finally resurfaced. His first move was to kiss her shoulder. He added to each kiss with another one, creating another trail up to her mouth.
The kiss was soft, lingering and she couldn’t get enough.
“We can’t move yet, Sera. Because I’m...”
“I know.”
He chuckled. “Of course, you do. Is there anything you don’t know?”
A corner of her mouth lifted in sarcasm. “If that were the case, I’d have the answer to every problem we’re facing right now.”
“Point taken. I’ve heard humans say that the brain is the most important sexual organ in the body. No wonder yours turns me on.”
Laughter made them both shake and soon the movement of their bodies produced wonderful sensations. Too bad the light atmosphere wasn’t to last.
“You can’t put yourself in danger like that again, Sera.”
Commands and orders came so easily from his mouth. Sera wasn’t against logic and self-preservation, but there was no way she was letting go of her own free will.
“Ian, I understand why you say that, I sincerely do. I promise to be more careful from now on and not willingly put myself in danger if there isn’t another way. But you can’t ask me to stay back and not participate in my own life-saving mission.”
The werewolf sighed. “I know you enough for that. Give me some credit, please. But facing a monster, all alone when you’re still blind? Tell me how this is prudent?”
He had a point. “I didn’t intentionally do it. I...” And the next part was tricky.
Ian moved. He braced his body weight on one arm and touched her face with his other hand. He didn’t say a word, but the gesture was clear. He wanted to know what happened and was trying his best not to push too hard or too fast. Brownie points for him. The more she spent time with him, the more commanding she found him. He may not be an alpha in the pack, but being just a bit lower in the hierarchy didn’t make him any less domineering. Sera was still debating her stance on that.
Opening her eyes, a useless move she knew, but one to show her own strength and assertion, Sera gasped.
She could see him. Of course, he was nose to nose with her, but despite the blur and haze, she was staring into his caramel gaze. Her eyes filled with tears as she reached for him. Worried at first, she saw him frown before his eyebrows shot up.
“Sera?”
A smile bloomed on her face and tears slid down her cheeks. He quickly wiped them off with his thumb as her fingers touched his features. Black hair falling on his forehead in soft curls, dark stubble over his jaw, slightly crooked nose and enticing full lips. Even so close, she could see part of the tattoos on his shoulders. Fearing this miraculous recovery was temporary, she memorized every line, every color of him, with her sight and her touch.
Overcome, Sera cupped his face and kissed him, with her eyes wide open.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Facing her friends after what happened in the living room hadn’t been easy. All of them would have heard them, especially the shifters. And Sera didn’t want to think about those who saw them through the wide windows. With the fire blazing near them, they would have been impossible to miss.
Now, at the kitchen table, everyone was preparing breakfast, trying hard to avoid her gaze. Asher was out on business so at least there was one less pair of scrutinizing eyes. Only Ian didn’t seem affected by the situation as he brought her a cup of coffee. Another who didn’t mind it at all was Finn, who sat before her, a mug in his hand.
“So, you recovered part of your eyesight. That’s very good! I like good news. How did it happen again?”
Sera knew she was blushing, but frowned when she met the vampire’s gaze. It was still fuzzy, as if looking through an oily window pane, but she was so grateful that she didn’t even mind.
“I don’t know if any of the two events are related, Finn. You better let it go.”
“What two events?” His grin really was a dead giveaway. He was enjoying teasing her. Ian growled in a warning signal that Finn gladly ignored.
Violet came up behind him and rolled her eyes before slapping the back of his head. The vampire made a flourish of covering his head as if in pain, but he winked at Sera. His deep sense of humor was something that Sera enjoyed very much, but that clearly irritated Violet to no end.
“Ignore the bloodsucker, Sera. He’s left his brain in the gutter. He’ll obviously be of no use to us. As if he ever has been.”
“You wound me, broom rider.” But his expression contradicted the words.
Valeria sat beside Sera and sighed. “Kids, can we get to the matter at hand? Sera, I don’t want to doubt your words, and I only ask because I have trouble wrapping my mind around the concept, but are you sure it was Artemis? The goddess, Artemis? Like everybody here, I’ve heard about deities of different pantheons, but knowing that they actually exist and interact with us is weird to say the least.”
Sera nodded. “I’m with you on that. I still can’t truly believe that I’m the daughter of...” There she was again, unable to say his name, let alone assimilate the fact. “It’s difficult to explain. When we spoke, I hoped to have some kind of connection with her, but it felt as if I was speaking to a stranger. Well, maybe I was expecting something more from that side of the family. I don’t know if she was sincere or not. And even if she wasn’t, if it was some sort of trick, I’ve run out of options. I don’t know what to do, apart from following her advice. I’m tempted to confront my father, but if he’s bound to kill me, it’s a moot point.”
“Do you think it’s him trying to kill you? Sending that shadow producing ice monsters?”
Sera shrugged. “I have no clue. It’s a definite possibility. A gloomy one I admit. But not logical from what I can see.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, Apollo is the sun god. And he tries to attack me using cold and ice? I know we’re in the middle of winter in Maine, but it’s strange to me. Unless he asked another god or some sort of powerful entity to do his bidding in his place.”
“Is there a god of ice?”
Sera frowned. “From the Greek pantheon? It’s Boreas, I think, but he’s more the god of the cold north wind.”
Violet shook her head. “I so wish I could have your memories for facts. It would have been so much easier to learn my spells.”
Sera exhaled. “It’s chaos in my brain, I don’t recommend it. And even if it was the case, it wouldn’t change anything. If we get rid of Boreas, Apollo would send another one. And I’m not even referring to all the other gods of snow, cold or even water from other pantheons.”
“So we’re back at square one.”
“I wouldn’t say that. Both Layla and Artemis, or whoever that was, suggested the High Council library to find answers. And so far, books have never failed me.”
“Well, too bad accessing that place is not easy.”
Sera hesitated for a second before turning to Valeria. “Your father, your biological father, is a member of the High Council.”
Valeria locked eyes with her. It seemed that her friend had been debating the same question. “Yes. And he’s the most logical choice to try to access it. However, I don’t know if he would even accept.”
> Finn snorted. “I can already answer this question. He won’t. Soren is a stuck-up dragon when it comes to the High Council. I have to admit that he surprised me by not killing you when he learned about your existence, Valeria, but he’s a cunning bastard, and I suspect he expected you to turn completely dragon. It was his way of avoiding cutting your head off.”
“What a warm and affectionate family.” Violet’s voice dripped sarcasm as she took a sip of her coffee.
Valeria ignored her. “It’s complicated. And the fact that he represents shifters at the High Council and is adamant about respecting rules doesn’t make it any easier. But I’m willing to try.”
Finn didn’t seem to agree with the plan. “Soren will never give you access to the library. It’s for council members only. Beg all you want, but you’ll come back empty-handed.”
Ian hissed through clenched teeth. “If you’re so clever, Finn, do you have any idea to propose or are you just here to be a downer?”
The vampire lifted his hands. “I’m only stating the obvious. You listening to me or not is your problem. But I haven’t lived for so many centuries without learning a few tricks. Or at least have a plan B.”
Silence fell around the table, and Sera couldn’t help but agree with Finn on this.
“And what would be the plan B? It would mean gaining access through another person?”
Again, another question without a clear answer.
“I think we try it first by asking Soren Racovan. If it fails, we’ll dig more.”
Everybody turned to Valeria, who rolled her eyes. “Don’t look at me like that. I don’t have his phone number.”
Finn pushed away from the table. “And again, the vampire will save the day. You don’t need a phone, we’ll just drop by. Ninety percent of the time, he’s in his cabin in the woods. Let’s pop there first.”
