Tell Me Your Secrets

by Virginia Cavanaugh

  Stuffing her socks inside her shoes, then picking them up, she marched toward the door. She couldn’t look back. Time would hopefully put some perspective on the situation. Right now the mixture of hurt and anger made it impossible to make a sound decision on what she should do next.

  Her bare feet slapped against the cold, wet stone floor. She wanted to scream in frustration as she stomped down the dark hallway and toward the door that led her back to where the goth woman had greeted them the night before.

  When she cleared the door her legs pumped hard. Her footfalls echoed off the stone walls, still she pushed herself to run faster. She wanted the safety of her room.

  * * * * *

  Three days. Three whole miserable days without contact from Dorian. Jesenia sighed, pushing back from the desk and the blank computer screen. She’d tried to work, but still her muse wavered out of reach. Thinking about Dorian every five minutes didn’t help either. She rose to her feet.

  She tried to set a new hero to the page, but even after making every attempt to describe him as Dorian’s opposite, she couldn’t get the picture of the dark, sensual male out of her head. On an exhale she closed her eyes. The way his shoulders felt under her palms as she clung to him, his cock buried deep inside her. But even more, the way he made her feel when he held her or said her name.

  With a groan she fell face first onto the bed. She had it bad. Yeah, she still wasn’t happy with him for tying her to the bench, but she wasn’t fucking pissed anymore either. In fact, she wanted to see him.

  But he’d kept his word about giving her time. He hadn’t tried to contact her in any way since she’d walked out of the dungeon. A few times she’d spied him out the window as he disappeared into the woods. She knew he still looked for Grady. And if his stiff stance and hardened shoulders were any clue, she’d guess he hadn’t been able to take him down yet.

  Maybe she’d overreacted a little bit. She could understand his desire to protect her. The incident a few nights past in the woods had been a close call. But when she’d offered to help him, she’d been thinking about him. She couldn’t imagine what it was like emotionally knowing he had to kill his friend. Her thought was to not have him bear his burden alone.

  She rolled over and looked at the ceiling. They both had fault. She could have been more reasonable. More than one person in her life had warned her about being pushy and stubborn. Hell, her mother reminded her of her thick-headed ways at least once a month.

  It would be easy to lay blame and go back and forth, but when it came down to it, only one thing mattered. She missed him.

  Scooting off the bed, she went to the window and pulled back the drapes. The soft light behind her didn’t interfere with her ability to see. The moon was bright and bathed the land in a shimmering white light. It was just past two in the morning.

  Her gaze panned the area, not expecting to find her quarry. A staggered breath entered her lungs as she caught sight of him. He stood on the beach, looking out at the waves. She sank her teeth into her lower lip. The temptation to go to him was great. She wanted to feel his arms around her but she didn’t know what to say. Words might very well get in the way. But her body and her heart ached for his touch.

  She released the curtain and it glided back in place, cutting off her view of Dorian.

  Chapter Eight

  Dorian bit back the curse he wanted to utter. Everything seemed to be heading right down the crapper. Grady remained elusive. And even during the hunt it had been hell to keep his thoughts from going to Jesenia. He’d really fucked up.

  The waves lapped at his bare feet. Tonight he’d shifted, using the fine senses of his animal to look for any trace of Grady’s track. But he’d found none. When he’d given up the search for the night, he’d only stopped to pull on his jeans before heading for the beach. The pebbled sand dug into his soles, but he didn’t mind.

  His thoughts went to the night he’d first made love to Jesenia. Her sounds of pleasure had mixed with the cacophony of the waves. Bathed in moonlight, she’d been the perfect picture of sexiness. He fisted his hands at his side. Bloody hell, he missed her.

  He wanted to go to her. Maybe she would listen to his reasons now. He knew none of them were probably good reasons, but still he didn’t want to lose her permanently. And fuck it, if it created problems, he’d face them along the way. But he had to give her time. Damn if that wasn’t a hard request to grant. He’d lived for hundreds of years, yet the last three days had seemed like an eternity.

  The wind tousled his hair as another wave crashed, sending ocean spray to pepper his chest and lower body. The cool water did nothing to calm the heat in his veins. He wanted to touch her—hold her. Hell, he could even smell her. And then he realized the scent wasn’t a memory. He turned and there she stood.

  She was a sensual vision in front of him. Her dress molded to her legs as the wind whipped at the material. Buttons ran all the way up the front and ended at a rounded neckline. The fabric hugged her full breasts. Her dark hair was loose, floating about in the breeze.

  As she closed the distance between them, he could hardly draw breath. He didn’t want to mess this up. He wasn’t sure what to say. “Jesenia, I—”

  She placed her finger over his lips. “Don’t. Not yet.”

  The light brushing of her finger only made him crave more of her touch. He parted his lips and gently sucked the pad of her digit. He saw her body tremble. She released a moan and his cock hardened instantly, straining against the seam of his jeans. One hand grabbed her hip as the other cupped the side of her face. With a tug he pulled her body into his and claimed her mouth.

  He kissed her deeply, molding his body against hers. Her fingers dug into the muscles of his back as she pressed her front more tightly against him. She returned each stroke of his tongue, kissing him with a passion that matched his own.

  Ah, how he’d missed her. He slid his hands to her ass and squeezed, lifting her off her feet. She wrapped her legs around his hips and he sank to his knees. This time he moaned as her pelvis met his. She rocked her hips and his dick pulsed.

  Their mouths were frantic—kissing, sucking and nibbling as hands roamed. He gripped the material of her dress and pulled it up, then slipped his hand down, cupping her sex.

  The thin fabric of her panties was wet. He gave a tug and the seams tore. She gasped and he took possession of her throat, running teeth and tongue down the sexy flesh.

  “I need you inside me.” She reached for the fastenings of his jeans.

  He leaned back to give her room. His cock sprang free and he sucked in a breath and held it as her small hand wrapped around his shaft. He could come right now. Her touch felt so good. But he wanted to be inside her tight little pussy when he came.

  He rocked forward and back, easing his pants down to his thighs. Jesenia wasted no time, rising and aligning the head of his dick with her cunt. A growl slipped free from his lips as she ran the crown of his cock over her wet slit. “Don’t tease,” he ground out between clenched teeth.

  Her laugh filled his ears, one of the sweetest noises he ever heard. They moaned together as she sank down, taking his shaft in a little at a time. The soft silken walls of her pussy pulsed against him. His fingers dug into the flesh of her hips as he tried to hold back and let her set the pace.

  He wanted to fuck her hard and deep, but he didn’t want to hurt her. A few pumps of her hips and he was seated to the hilt inside her warm, wet cunt. “Heaven,” he whispered.

  She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him slow and deep. And then she found her rhythm.

  Jesenia undulated her hips, gaining speed with each sway. His thick, large cock filled her, stretched her to the point of glorious pain. She could feel him against her womb. Pleasure blinded her until she began a frantic pace against him. It had only been a matter of days, yet she hungered for the release he could give her as if she’d been starved.

  A cry tore from her lips as he strummed her clit with his thumb. She tossed
her head back and let the waves of orgasm wash over her. Core throbbing, she creamed around his cock, spasms racking her muscles.

  “Damn. Feels too good.” Dorian’s muscles tensed.

  Pleasure-filled ripples danced through her cunt as he released warm jets of cum inside her. She clung to him, rapid breaths bursting from her lips. This was where she wanted to be. His arms wrapped around her and she laid her head on his shoulder as he held her tight.

  “Does this mean you’ve forgiven me, Jesenia?”

  The low rumble of his voice made her shiver with delight. His still-hard cock pulsed inside her. “Yes, Dorian.”

  His hand fisted in her hair at the base of her neck. “I’ve missed you, lass.”

  She didn’t fight him when he tugged her head back and kissed her thoroughly. Her hands went into his hair and she held him just as tight. Yes, there were hills in the road ahead, but she knew one thing, she didn’t want to climb them unless he was with her.

  He broke the kiss and touched her forehead with his, speaking against her lips. “I think I’m in love with you.”

  Her heart fluttered.

  “In fact, I know I am.”

  She couldn’t contain her laughter. Pure joy ignited inside her. “I love you too, Dorian. I know I shouldn’t yet, but I do. I hated being away from you.”

  “I wish I could say you won’t have to be away from me again, but I don’t know. I haven’t been able to find Grady. I’m worried he might have moved farther from the castle. I have to find him, and even though you have forgiven me and I am sorry for tying you to the bench, it still doesn’t change how I feel about you being in harm’s way.”

  She sighed. “I know. And I won’t be so pig-headed about it. I just worry about you. I don’t want you to have to face this alone.”

  He cupped the side of her face and kissed her tenderly. “I’m not. I carry you with me even when we’re apart.”

  Damn if he wasn’t a smooth talker.

  “Come. We should go back to the castle.”

  “Wait. I remember you promising me a swim.”

  He smiled as she stood. “That I did.”

  She started on the buttons of her dress as he shucked his pants in a hurry. “Go ahead, I’ll be right there.”

  Dorian took off into the water, swimming out a little ways to wait for her as she finished undoing her dress.

  “Lass, you look good,” he called from the water.

  She decided to give him a slow show as she removed her bra. Turning, she presented him with a view of her bare ass, arms raising seductively to pull her hair up, exposing her neck. His rumbling growl reached her ears and she smiled.

  She released her hair and one side of the tumbling locks caught on her earring. With a movement of her hand she tried to disentangle it. She gasped as she felt the pearl come loose. Frantic, she patted her hair but didn’t feel it, so she squatted down to search in the sand.

  The earring was important to her. Her mother had gifted the pair to her on her twenty-first birthday, and they had been her grandmother’s before that.

  “Jesenia, what are you doing?”

  She glanced over her shoulder at Dorian, still in the water waiting for her. “I dropped my earring. It’ll just be a minute.” She skimmed the ground with her hands, looking in the low light. Her heart rate increased as she feared she wouldn’t find it, but then she noticed a glint of light. She reached forward and plucked up the pearl, sighing in relief. “Found it!” With a quick glance she looked for the back but didn’t see it. As long as she had the pearl she could get a new back later. Carefully she placed it on top of her dress so she wouldn’t lose it.

  She stood and headed for the water, ready to get back to the business of seducing her wolf.

  “Jesenia, wait!”

  And then she heard it. A deep, rumbling growl filled her ears. She turned and watched as Grady made his way toward her. Foam dripped from his sharp teeth. His eyes looked crazed. She held up her hands, palm out. “Grady, if you can hear me, we want to help you.”

  A snarl tore from his maw as he kept advancing. Her pulse jumped and she tried to control the shaking of her limbs. Part of her really hoped he was in there somewhere and she could reach him. But as he drew closer she knew the disease had taken him. Grady leapt toward her. She cringed, not sure she could avoid him pouncing on her. A yelp reached her ears as she dived to the side, landing on the ground.

  Pebbles dug into her flesh as she skidded sideways. She drew her limbs in tight, curling into the fetal position.

  When claws didn’t tear into her flesh she risked opening her eyes. The sight before her made her heart break. Her first look at the man behind the wolf.

  Grady lay curled on his side, shaking. A knife protruded from his chest and lines of dark moisture rolled down his side and abdomen. His red hair was shaggy and matted next to his head. Dorian rushed to his side, dropping down to grip Grady’s hand. Blood bubbled from between dry, cracked, dirty lips. She noticed the jeans Dorian was wearing had been tossed into a different place. The knife must’ve been in his pocket. He’d thrown it and hit his mark. She shivered.

  Water drops rolled down Dorian’s back as he squatted next to his friend. Jesenia crawled over to them.

  “I’m so sorry,” Dorian whispered over and over again.

  “No…don’t be.” Grady inhaled a shaky breath. “Thank you.”

  Dorian’s head hung low and Jesenia wiped at her cheeks with the backs of her hands. He was dying. His breaths and words became labored.

  “I was…lost…to the beast. You…freed…me.”

  Grady’s gaze, now weary and less crazed, turned to her. “Take care…of him.”

  Jesenia nodded, unable to speak past the lump in her throat. Her hand went to rest on Dorian’s back and she could feel the tension in him. His sadness seemed to hang in the air, and when Grady breathed his last breath, she wrapped her arms around Dorian as he roared his grief into the night.

  Chapter Nine

  “Are you sure about this?”

  Jesenia smiled up at Dorian. “Yep.”

  “Okay.”

  She walked behind Dorian as he led them deeper into the woods. Sunlight danced in spots on the ground as it filtered through the canopy of trees above. They were going to meet Riona, a witch who would bind their life forces together. Jesenia let loose a giggle.

  Werewolves, witches and God knew what else. Maybe the ghost stories were true too. This whole new existence would take some getting used to. But she loved the man in front of her to distraction and she would do anything for him.

  It had been a month since that night on the beach where they’d watched Grady die. She’d gone with Dorian when he carried the body back to his den. Cottages were set up in a semicircle near the cliffs on the other shore in the deepest part of the Bás Woods. A place of death had become filled with life.

  The people of his pack were wonderful and very nice. They’d all welcomed her into the fold without question. There were even a few humans who were mated to wolves in his pack. And it had been shocking to realize just how old those humans were. They didn’t appear a day over thirty. But one woman was two hundred-eighty-three.

  It happened when their life forces were bound. They would live and prosper for as long as their mates. And werewolves mated for life.

  She watched the muscles in Dorian’s back shift as he walked a pace ahead. It was hard to believe that she would have more than a lifetime with him. But she looked forward to every second of it.

  Explaining it to her mother had been a totally different story. She’d decided to leave off the part about him being a werewolf for now, but still her mother freaked when she told her she was getting married and moving to Ireland. It had taken a few hours to assure her she hadn’t been brainwashed by a cult. But in the end, her mother had calmed down, and Jesenia promised to buy her tickets to Ireland soon. Now she moved through the woods with the love of her life, marching toward her new existence.

  This wo
uld be her new world and he would be at the center.

  “So who is this witch we are going to meet?”

  “We call her Coimeádaí na Rúin. Keeper of Secrets.”

  Jesenia felt giddy as she reached forward and took Dorian’s hand in hers. “And what secrets does she keep?”

  He laughed. “If I knew all that, then it wouldn’t be a secret, would it? She keeps our secrets. That is enough for me. She and those before her.”

  “Well, I’m glad you told me your secrets.”

  “Ah, lass. So am I.”

  A short ways up in a small clearing, Jesenia spotted a woman standing alone. Her dark-copper hair was fixed in a bun at the nape of her neck. As they approached she smiled and Jesenia couldn’t help but smile back.

  “Riona,” Dorian greeted her with an incline of his head.

  “Wolf.”

  Jesenia stuck her hand out in greeting. “Hi. I’m Jesenia. Thanks for doing this.”

  Riona stared down at the offered hand, hesitating, but then reached out and gave it a quick pump.

  Jesenia raised her eyebrows in question.

  “She can tell things from touch,” Dorian supplied

  “Oh,” Jesenia replied.

  “Shall we proceed?”

  Jesenia nodded, wondering what all the woman had been able to see in the brief contact.

  “Now I must go over a few things. You do know that this will tie your life force together. So when your mate dies, you die.”

  “Yes,” Jesenia replied.

  “Even if it’s tomorrow. Your life span will no longer be your own.” Riona paused, looking at Dorian. “Is she your true mate?”

  He smiled. “Yes.”

  Riona directed her gaze back to Jesenia. “This is forever. You won’t be allowed to get tired of him per se. Wolves don’t believe in divorce, so you must be certain.”

  “I am.”

  Riona inhaled a deep breath. “Okay.”

  Jesenia watched as the woman pulled a vial from her pocket. A crystalline blue solution was in it.