by Casey Lane
A low groan and then he was moving away from her – to the edge of the bed. She pounced after him, pinning him down and straddling him. He struggled, but that just thrust his cock against her sex, creating delicious friction. He cursed and lay still. “How is it you’re so tiny, but you’re also so strong?”
“Awesomeness.”
He huffed.
She pressed her body down and moved against his erection. They both groaned.
“Aria, this is a bad idea.”
“Why?”
“You’re injured.”
“I’m healed.”
“You hate me.”
“Haven’t your heard? Hate sex can be good.”
His gaze narrowed to menacing slits.
“Fine. I don’t hate you – as much – anymore.”
“You blame me for your brother’s death.”
“That will take me a little longer to get over. But I believe that you didn’t order it.” That understanding had come over the past week, slowly and begrudgingly.
“You—”
She’d had enough. Why did he always get chatty at the worst times? She pressed her upper body against his torso, and then licked her way up his neck. Mmm. Salted caramel. He breathed out slowly, hardening even more against her. Despite wanting to do the right thing, his body still desired her. And she desired him.
She ran a feather-light kiss over his lips, then bit down hard on his chin.
“Ow!”
“Kiss me.”
“You’re too bossy.”
“You like it.”
He moved, twisting her underneath him, his mouth fusing to hers, igniting a fire in her blood. Warmth pooled between her legs, and she reached down, gripping his erection firmly, stroking it. “I want this inside me.”
“Ari—”
She increased the tempo.
“If you don’t stop, I’ll come now.”
“Take off your pants.”
He did, then removed hers, his claws slashing out and shredding them. She loved it. Soon after, his tongue swirled its way up her inner thigh, driving her mad. “I have to taste you.”
“Not now.” She couldn’t wait, had to have him in her now. Flipping them both over, she straddled him again, and then sank down on his length in one hard thrust. He moaned her name as she gasped. He stretched her, filled her up to bursting, and it was wonderful. Shutting her eyes, she savored the sensation.
“Aria?”
“Mmmm?”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.” In fact, she was better than okay. She felt…peaceful. Like this joining was meant to be, that he was a part of her that should never have been separated.
“Good.” And then he turned her on her back again and began to thrust. Pleasure exploded through her and she clutched at him. This was perfect. No matter what the world threw at her, this was perfect.
Chapter Twenty-One
She’d killed someone.
I’m not a murderer.
The facts didn’t lie though, did they? Ari had seen that body sprawled on the ground, the back of his skull shattered on the cobblestones, the arrow protruding obscenely from his chest. She’d done that.
For the millionth time, she fought the urge to vomit, and burrowed into the bedspread and mattress even further. She’d returned to the estate, showered, and then crept into her bed after the city coroner had trundled away with the body. Death was so final, so absolute. And she’d cut short a human’s life – when their time was so brief to begin with.
Guilt gnawed at her.
They shot you with an arrow.
Yet it didn’t kill her, had barely even slowed her down, although they couldn’t have known that would happen.
They deserved it.
No one deserved to die.
If they hurt us or those we care about, then they do.
He wolf was speaking to her.
Why won’t you come out? she thought back.
Can’t. A small whine in the back of her mind. Hurts.
Well, that was it. She was crazy. She was talking to her inner wolf like it was another person. Ari had always thought it as more like a sister than a part of her, and she’d somehow split it into its own entity. Great. She really had broken herself.
The shutter on her window banged and the scent of caramel and figs hit her. She didn’t even emerge from her blanket cocoon. “Did you find the other shooter?”
The mattress dipped as Sebastian sat on the edge of the bed. His voice was low, rough. “No.”
Part of her was happy about that, really happy. There’d be one less death tonight. Sebastian would have killed the archer, no doubt about it. Ari had finally come to understand that he wouldn’t hurt her, but would harm anyone who dared try. Too bad he hadn’t been there for her when she really needed it.
He peered over the top of her blankets, his gaze bright. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not.”
He lay back on the bed, hands tucked behind his head. She rolled over, drawn toward him. He had a new shirt on, and a jacket, although his pants were still the same, and his hair was out, spreading over her pillow like a cloud of raven silk. Her fingers itched to touch it.
“I don’t know why they’re after me.”
“You don’t?” He looked at her exposed yellow eye; she hadn’t bothered putting the patch back on after her shower.
“No one knows, I’ve been really careful.” She had, plus she’d blackmailed anyone who had ever claimed she wasn’t what she seemed.
Sebastian sat up and then took hold of her, blankets and all, before lying back and tucking her against him. She tensed, waiting for something else to happen, but nothing did. Eventually, she relaxed against him. It felt…nice. She’d never really cuddled before.
In the past, all of her romantic relationships had died quick deaths. Inevitability, her partners wanted access to parts of her that were hers, and she couldn’t share the secrets of herself, not without putting other people at risk. When there was no trust, there couldn’t be anything more, and she wasn’t about to hurt someone just so she could get laid. She’d stopped bothering, after a while.
“I can’t think of another reason why someone would want to hurt you.”
With her ear pressed to the smooth planes of his chest, she felt more than heard his words. She looked up at him, her mouth quirking in a half-smile. “You can’t?”
“I’m not going to answer that.”
A soft laugh escaped her. “If we were to ignore my wonderful personality for a few moments, there’s the fact that the Duke of Ashes is my father. He has a few enemies. It wouldn’t surprise me if one of them went after me to get at him.”
It was more likely than someone wanting to kill her because of her mismatched eyes, anyway.
Sebastian gently stroked her hair. “What luck you’ve had.”
That was one way to put it.
His hand swept down her back, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. Her skin tingled, the remembered taste of his blood making her crave him in her. How could he evoke such responses from her? He made her feel so alive. Ari propped herself up on her elbow and then leaned down, her mouth an inch from his. “Want to try and change my luck around?”
“You need to rest.” He frowned. “You got shot in the chest.”
She sat up, lifted an eyebrow. “I can show you the scar.”
“You have a scar?” The idea had him sitting upright, too.
“You’ll have to wait and see.” She dropped the bedding around her, and then pulled her shirt off. His eyes went wide, locking on her breasts. Her nipples tightened at the attention.
He shoved a pillow over his lap. “You need to put your shirt back on.”
She fought a smile. “Weren’t you going to check the scar?” She ran a fingertip between her breasts.
His eyes clamped shut. “Shirt.”
Oh, he was trying to be noble. That wasn’t going to do at all. Ari leane
d forward and nipped his lip.
“What?”
“I feel fine.”
“You were shot.”
“Want to kiss it better?”
A low groan and then he was moving away from her – to the edge of the bed. She pounced after him, pinning him down and straddling him. He struggled, but that just thrust his cock against her sex, creating delicious friction. He cursed and lay still. “How is it you’re so tiny, but you’re also so strong?”
“Awesomeness.”
He huffed.
She pressed her body down and moved against his erection. They both groaned.
“Aria, this is a bad idea.”
“Why?”
“You’re injured.”
“I’m healed.”
“You hate me.”
“Haven’t your heard? Hate sex can be good.”
His gaze narrowed to menacing slits.
“Fine. I don’t hate you – as much – anymore.”
“You blame me for your brother’s death.”
“That will take me a little longer to get over. But I believe that you didn’t order it.” That understanding had come over the past week, slowly and begrudgingly.
“You—”
She’d had enough. Why did he always get chatty at the worst times? She pressed her upper body against his torso, and then licked her way up his neck. Mmm. Salted caramel. He breathed out slowly, hardening even more against her. Despite wanting to do the right thing, his body still desired her. And she desired him.
She ran a feather-light kiss over his lips, then bit down hard on his chin.
“Ow!”
“Kiss me.”
“You’re too bossy.”
“You like it.”
He moved, twisting her underneath him, his mouth fusing to hers, igniting a fire in her blood. Warmth pooled between her legs, and she reached down, gripping his erection firmly, stroking it. “I want this inside me.”
“Ari—”
She increased the tempo.
“If you don’t stop, I’ll come now.”
“Take off your pants.”
He did, then removed hers, his claws slashing out and shredding them. She loved it. Soon after, his tongue swirled its way up her inner thigh, driving her mad. “I have to taste you.”
“Not now.” She couldn’t wait, had to have him in her now. Flipping them both over, she straddled him again, and then sank down on his length in one hard thrust. He moaned her name as she gasped. He stretched her, filled her up to bursting, and it was wonderful. Shutting her eyes, she savored the sensation.
“Aria?”
“Mmmm?”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.” In fact, she was better than okay. She felt…peaceful. Like this joining was meant to be, that he was a part of her that should never have been separated.
“Good.” And then he turned her on her back again and began to thrust. Pleasure exploded through her and she clutched at him. This was perfect. No matter what the world threw at her, this was perfect.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Blood and pain and death.”
Xave’s words echoed in her mind as Ari walked through the forest, Sebastian – in human form – by her side. The scent of rain lingered in the air, along with the astringency of various plants, the musky tang of small mammals, and the ever-present mouth-watering aroma of Sebastian.
The call of night birds, along with the skittering and crunching of various animals made the forest come alive after dark. The towering oak trees meant little moonlight reached them in the depths of the foliage, but that was fine with her. Wolves didn’t rely on their vision when it came to hunting, and hers was perfect anyway.
Blood and pain and death.
There had already been blood and pain and death, but it hadn’t broken her like Xave had said it would. Guilt still gnawed at her over the human’s death – she hadn’t wanted to become a killer, to take someone like she’d had people taken from her. As her father said, however, it was survival of the fittest.
To be weak was to be dead.
And she didn’t want to die.
“You said your wolf hurts?”
Snapping her attention back to the present, she looked at the solid tree behind Sebastian’s right shoulder. It had strange, wormlike patterns over its trunk, patterns she couldn’t place... “She does.”
“Hrm.”
She didn’t like the subtext of the syllable, but she wasn’t about to get into a debate with him about ‘merging with her wolf’. If she knew how, she would have done it already.
Ari was walking along the deer track when the silence finally registered. Everything had gone quiet. Peering over her shoulder, she held up a finger to her lips, but Sebastian already had his head tipped back, nose in the air. Inhaling deeply, she searched for scents that shouldn’t be here.
There. Sweat, metal, horses…and humans.
They were surrounded.
She turned in a slow circle, the better to pinpoint people in the trees, but there was no one. Strange. If she could smell them, then she should be able to see them. Something wasn’t right.
“How many do you detect?” Her voice was low, so the humans wouldn’t be able to hear it.
“Roughly four.”
Four. That should be easy. If she could find them.
He sidled up next to her, growling low in his throat. “One smells familiar.”
“My shooter?”
He nodded.
Great. They hadn’t given up like she’d hoped. The human’s death must have incited them. Why couldn’t they see that if they’d left her alone, he’d still be alive? Why come for revenge?
A shadow flickered in the distance, and Ari spun toward it. She was moving fast when a howl of pain stopped her. Sebastian was flying through the air, as if he’d been thrown. His back slammed into the tree she’d been staring at earlier with a meaty thud.
“Sebastian!” Her eyes scanned madly for an attacker, but she couldn’t spot anyone.
His yellow gaze turned wild as he struggled, but he couldn’t seem to peel himself away from the tree. It looked like he was being held down, but there was no one there.
“I’m stuck!”
What is happening?
She sprinted to him as the sickening sound of breaking bone shattered the air. Sebastian let out an agonized growl, and sweat beaded across his forehead. Ari skidded to a stop. His arm was bent at an unnatural angle. How?
Where was the bloody attacker?
A high-pitched whistle reached her ears, followed by a series of soft thuds. Four darts had embedded in Sebastian’s chest. Quickly, she plucked them out, murmuring useless words of comfort. Each dart had a glass chamber that held fluid – chambers that were now empty except for traces of a gleaming metallic liquid. She ripped Sebastian’s shirt open, exposing puncture wounds that were already turning black.
Silver poisoning.
She stared at his face, his bronze skin ashen. “How do I help? What do I do?”
“Nothing.”
That hadn’t been Sebastian.
Whirling around, Ari clenched a dart in her hand so hard the glass broke, silver droplets dripping onto the leaf-covered ground like blood. A figure emerged from the shadows, stepping cautiously into the small area: it was an older human, with wide green eyes and faded red hair. Most importantly, she was covered in weapons.
“Who are you?” Ari opened her hand and let the debris fall away.
“My identity is unimportant.”
“I would argue against that.”
“Co-operate and the were lives. Be difficult, and he will die in front of you. It’s that simple.”
“Why do I get the feeling he’s dead anyway?”
A smirk. That was it.
How dare this woman try and take what’s ours?
“We only seek your death. We don’t care about the were.”
“How charitable of you.”
Suddenly phantom fingers w
ere tugging at Ari’s eyepatch. She grabbed onto the strap, and craned her neck, but there was no one nearby. How were these people doing it? The patch broke, falling away from her head, and she shut her eye in reflex. She couldn’t let these people see the secret she’d spent years hiding.
“Open your eye.”
“No.”
“Open it.”
“No.”
Her head exploded in agony, like she’d been hit in the skull by a twenty-ton rock. Her vision blacked out, and her knees gave way. Every beat of her heart exacerbated the pain, until all she could sense was suffering so intense she’d become blind to the world.
“Aria!”
Sebastian was calling her, but she couldn’t draw breath to respond. The pain escalated, driving through her, and then every bone in her body was breaking, shattering, reforming into something new. Her face melted under the pressure and a new form took place.
Her wolf was free.
“I always wondered if you could shift,” the woman said. “Turns out you just needed a little…motivation.”
Her vision slowly began to come back, hazy and fuzzy and then crystallizing sharp and clear. The woman was closer now, only a few body lengths away. She smelt of death; sweet, pungent rot.
We hurt her now?
Even though her wolf was now in charge of her body, the animalistic side of her still sought Ari’s approval.
Soon.
Ari growled at the woman, a warning. Come no closer.
The human just smiled. “You don’t know how many years I’ve been waiting to finish this.”
Ari tilted her head to the side. She’d never seen this woman before in her life.
“Come now, surely you remember that night when the pack turned on you?”
Ari froze.
“Well, they needed a little motivation to get started. I provided it. Except you and that other brother of yours escaped.”
This woman had been responsible for Mama’s and Nick’s deaths? How? She was a human. Weres did not obey human commands.
“Ridiculous!” Sebastian’s voice thundered through the small area.
“Really? You know how strong a bond is with an alpha.” Her voice was taunting. “It isn’t an easy thing to break.”
“Then how did you manage to do it?” he demanded.
