Jodi_ByTheLight

by JenniferLitteken

  Crawling to the bathroom, she grabbed the counter and pulled herself up to see her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was stuck to her sweaty face, her feverish eyes were red-rimmed and glossy.

  White-hot pain struck her gut like a knife, and she cried out as she crumbled to the floor, and writhed. Every muscle in her body screamed as her bones lengthened and bent, tendons straining beyond their normal form. Her screams blended into growls until the angry pain that ravished her body had finally stilled.

  Opening her eyes, she glanced down at her body, half afraid of how repulsive she might appear. What she saw was fur, thick and soft and shiny like expensive mink. Holding up her right hand, uh paw, Ava examined her new body. She didn’t think she looked repulsive at all. Instead, she looked lean and strong and predatory.

  The second that Damon had walked into the motel room, his distinct scent wafted over her like a five-course meal to a homeless beggar.

  She rolled, jumping to her feet in a swift, easy motion. She grinned, liking the power racing through her body. Lifting her head, she sniffed the air. Damon’s scent mingled with the anger he couldn’t throttle.

  Bang, bang, bang!

  Narrowing her wolf eyes at the door, she heard him yelling, demanding she come out.

  He obviously wanted to argue.

  She wanted something else.

  Ava heard a thump, thump, thump, behind her. She cocked her head. Her tail patted rhythmically against the linoleum.

  Damon took a step away from the bathroom. Was he going to leave? She needed to stop him but wasn’t quite sure how she was going to open the door with paws.

  She stood on her hind legs, clamped her teeth down, hard, on the doorknob and turned her head. The door opened an inch. Nosing the door open all the way, she ran through it, just in time to see Damon reaching for the front door.

  The look on Damon’s face was priceless.

  Not sure how she managed to shift back into human form, she straddled him and rubbed against the denim of his jeans and cotton T-shirt.

  Grinding her crotch against his, she stroked her wetness against his jeans and judging from the scent of his arousal, he wanted her just as much as she wanted him.

  Leaning down, she nipped at his ear as she licked his neck.

  “I said I need to fuck.” Nuzzling his neck, she pressed her bare breasts into his chest, her nipples hardening against his muscle. Reaching her hand between their bodies she stroked his cock before nimbly unzipping his jeans and pulling him out.

  He groaned, wrapping his hands around her waist and pulling her closer. She smiled. Good. Now they were on the same page.

  He pulled her mouth down to his, kissing her with blistering heat. She was afraid she was going to come before he was inside her.

  Pulling away, Ava grabbed his jeans, stripping them away from his body while he ripped his T-shirt off.

  Climbing up his body, she straddled him. He twisted his body, flipping her over on her back. “Not on the floor. You deserve better than to be taken on shag carpet.”

  “I don’t care about the carpet, I just want you inside me.” She strained toward him, but he held her away. He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed. Gently, he laid her down, apparently not in a hurry. She pulled him down, needing his mouth on hers, his skin against hers. He gazed at her with such intensity it burned her soul.

  He covered her body with his, touching and stroking with his fingers until her body cried out for release. His mouth found her breast and he tugged her nipple into his hot mouth. She gasped, holding his head to her breast as he sucked. Pleasure arched through her body, making her grow even wetter.

  “I want you in me, now,” she panted, digging her nails into his back.

  He nudged her thighs apart and entered her in one swift motion, burying himself deep. He groaned as he bit down on her neck, sending shivers racing through her quivering limbs.

  “God, that feels so good,” she moaned. He filled her, stretching her until she thought she would explode in pleasure.

  “You’re so fucking tight.” He pulled back looking down at her with his intense gaze, muscles straining not to move.

  “No. Don’t stop.” She hooked her ankles around his legs and ground down on his dick.

  He growled as he withdrew and then thrust deep inside her body, his breathing becoming more ragged, his breath hot on her cheek. Ava arched off the bed, clutching him as his thrusts grew faster.

  He claimed her mouth as his tongue tangled with hers, marking and claiming his territory. Their skin heated and slid against each other as sweat pooled between their bodies from their frantic lovemaking.

  She quivered as pleasure streaked inside her body.

  “Come for me,” he commanded, his gaze fixed on her.

  Throwing her head back, her orgasm swamped her, making her cry out as blinding white lights filled the edges of her vision.

  His fingers dug into her hips, as he thrust faster, groaning loudly as his own orgasm spilled into hers.

  He collapsed on her, a load of sweaty hot muscle. Wrapping her heavy arms around his back, Ava stroked his skin, loving the salty taste of him on her tongue, his scent on her body, his breath on her neck.

  He shifted and rolled until she was lying on top of him. His calloused fingertips stroked her back, soothing her, as her eyelids grew heavy.

  Neither spoke. They didn’t need to. They’d spoken volumes more in the last hour than they had the last few days. Within minutes, his cock stirred to life against her thigh. She smiled, straddled his waist and slid down on his length, sighing as she began to rock against him.

  “Ava,” he whispered her name like a prayer as he gripped her hips and set the pace.

  This moment, this one moment, would be all she had with Damon. He’d told her just having sex alone would not be enough to mate. She wanted this night seared into her memory so it would last her a lifetime.

  She closed her eyes against the burning tears and buried her face against his neck.

  This time when she came in a heated rush, she cried out his name as tears streaked down her face.

  ***

  Racing down the highway toward Little Rock, Damon’s chest tightened. The closer he got to their compound, the more he couldn’t breathe.

  When he woke that morning, he had jumped in the shower, careful not to wake Ava. They had shared an amazing night together, a sweat filled night of touches, caresses and endless lovemaking. He’d stayed away most of the night trying to fight the impending daylight. But morning had come all too quickly and with it the truth.

  All that morning, Ava had tried to touch him, kiss him, but he’d brushed her off and pushed her away with excuses of phone calls he had to make. She tried to kiss him as she climbed on behind him. But Damon had ducked his head, acting like he hadn’t noticed.

  He’d noticed. He tried to distance himself since he woke up, knowing it was for the best. Ava was to be Barrett’s mate. Barrett had the bloodlines, the breeding, the prestige.

  Not him.

  He was an orphan, no bloodlines, or status.

  He’d seen the hurt in her beautiful green eyes. Damon swallowed down the pain that crept into the back of his throat every time she’d looked at him. It destroyed a little bit of his soul, that he’d caused her so much pain.

  His misery increased as they crossed into Little Rock, nearing their destination.

  He’d crossed the line. He’d had sex, no—made love—with Ava, knowing she was intended to be Barrett’s mate.

  The penalty for that crime was death. Damon knew without a doubt that Barrett would rip his throat out for his transgression against his Pack Master.

  He slowed his speed as he drove into town. He glanced at the Council building that had been bombed, assessing the damage. A huge black hole, where the bomb had exploded, marred the otherwise pristine front of the building.

  Damon continued until he came to the Guardians bunker-style living quarters. He turned into the parking lot.
>
  Killing the engine, Damon waited for Ava to dismount first.

  “Are you never going to talk to me again?” The tone in her voice echoed the hurt she must have felt in her heart.

  He gritted his teeth, forcing himself not to say a word. If he did, he was going to end up begging her to run off, find an Alpha that would to mate them together, and have a life.

  Instead, he got off the bike and entered the building.

  ***

  “Fuck.” Ava slid off the bike and curled her fingers into fists as she followed Damon into the building, ready to scream at him for not fighting for them.

  “Ava, thank God, you’re all right.” The General stepped out of a room and scooped her up in a tight hug. She smiled and met his worried gaze.

  “I’m fine. Thanks to Damon.” She looked at Damon under her lashes, who stood quietly.

  “Then I owe you my eternal gratitude for keeping her safe.” The General shook Damon’s hand.

  “You owe me nothing. Ava’s safety was always my priority.”

  The General narrowed his eyes and looked between them. Ava could feel the tension in the room.

  “I’ve talked to Barrett.” The General pinched the bridge of his nose and looked back at Ava. “He told me what you found out in Louisiana, about who you really are.”

  “I think it’s more than that, General.” Damon took a step forward.

  The General narrowed his eyes and straightened. “I don’t think this concerns you, Guardian.”

  “His name is Damon and he risked his life for me. So in my book this concerns him as well.” Ava’s anger boiled in her veins, now aimed at a different target. “Why didn’t you tell me who I was?”

  The General gave her a weary smile. “I was trying to protect you.”Damon stepped up beside her. “She had every right to know.”

  The General’s head snapped up. He gritted his teeth and let out a snarl.

  “He’s right,” Ava said.

  The General let out a long sigh. “Ava, your father was my best friend. After your mother died, he was devastated. He lost his mate and he was worried that he might lose you, too, if someone found out your royal bloodlines. Back then, the Pack’s weren’t as organized or as large as they are now. We couldn’t risk losing you.”

  The General ran his hand over his tired eyes. Ava noticed he’d added a few bags under his eyes since she’d last seen him.

  “Your father never told you that you were a wolf. That’s why you were raised away from the Pack, to help protect your identity. When your father realized that you were getting close to puberty, he obtained a drug that would prevent you from shifting.”

  Ava shook her head. “I never took any kind of medicine. Not even as a child.”

  “But it can be hidden in food. Isn’t that right, General?” Damon snarled.

  The blood rushed from her face and she looked at the man she’d considered her father for so many years. “Is that right?”

  “Yes.” The General closed his eyes and shook his head. “Your father put it in your food. After he died I continued doing it as well.”

  She shook her head. “But what about after I moved out? There’s no way you could have put it in my food then.”

  “That coffee you like so much, the one that I always have sent to your house?” He had the decency to look away

  “My coffee. You put it in my coffee.” She snorted and looked around. “I thought you belonged to a coffee-of-the-month club and that’s why you always sent me so much.”

  “That’s probably why you had headaches in the morning. It wasn’t caffeine headaches, it was the withdrawals from the drug.” Damon crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes on the General.

  The General took a step toward her. “Ava, I didn’t do this to hurt you.”

  She held out her hand and took a deep breath. “Yes, but you still hurt me all the same.”

  The General stood silent and, for the first time in her life, Ava realized he didn’t have a clue how to fix the problem.

  “Barrett is expecting us, Ava.” Damon’s husky voice sliced through the silence.

  She nodded and then looked back at the man she called father. “I understand why you did it. I don’t agree, but I understand.”

  The General looked lost. Her heart tugged and she walked into his arms and hugged him. When she pulled back, she whispered, “I still have a lot of questions.”

  He nodded and smiled. “I have all the time in the world to talk. Just let me know when.”

  ***

  “Are you okay?” Damon frowned and shoved his hands in his pockets.

  “I will be.”

  The front door opened and Jayden limped in on crutches. “Damon, my man.” Jayden limped toward him and stuck out his hand. Despite the bruises, Jayden had a big smile plastered on his face. “Glad to see you two got out of that club last night without incident.”

  Damon nodded and looked at Jayden’s leg.

  “Can’t say the same about you. How’s the healing?”

  Jayden shrugged. “Bastards broke it with a baseball bat. Should be completely healed in a couple more days.”

  Ava looked between him and Jayden. “A bone will heal that fast?”

  “When you’re a werewolf, yes.” Damon nodded. “The bones and tissue heal ten times quicker than that of a human.”

  “Well, if you guys are ready, we can head out to the back. The Tribunal has been waiting for the two of you to arrive.”

  “I get to come too?” She rubbed her palms on her jeans.

  Damon started forward, then turned to face Ava. “Of course. The crime Jenkins committed was against you and Haley.”

  “Haley’s here?” Ava gave Jayden a wide-eyed look.

  “She is. She’s safe. She will stand with you when the Tribunal begins.”

  Ava let out a relieved sigh. Damon couldn’t help but smile. While he had doubted that Haley was still alive, Ava never did. Ava never gave up hope.

  “Come on, they’re waiting for us.” Jayden took a step, hesitated, then looked back at Ava.

  “What’s wrong?” Damon looked from Jayden to Ava.

  “I don’t know.” Jayden cocked his head to the side, looking at Ava. “You look different.”

  “What do you mean?” She reached up and ran her hands through her hair. “Is my hair sticking up?”

  Jayden froze, his mouth dropping open, fascinated by the motion of her hand.

  Damon’s hackles raised as Jayden’s scent filled the air. He whacked him across the chest with the back of his hand. “What the hell has gotten into you?”

  Closing his eyes, Jayden inhaled deeply as he leaned toward Ava. “My God, you smell good.”

  Damon shoved Jayden back a few feet as possessiveness ripped through his gut. “You need to step the fuck back.”

  Jayden, balancing on his good leg, kept staring at Ava, his eyes glossing over.

  “What the hell’s wrong with Jayden?” Her breath tickled Damon’s neck as she looked across his shoulder. Her scent, even more wonderfully potent today, was like she’d rolled around in pine needles in a forest.

  Fuck. His stomach bottomed out, hitting the floor in a thud. He should have known what had happened, but he’d been too blinded by his lust for her.

  Keeping his eyes narrowed on Jayden who was trying to get a better look at Ava, Damon spoke over his shoulder. “Ava, last night after we…”

  “I swear Damon, if you say ‘after we fucked,’ I’m going to rip your balls off myself.”

  Damon turned. “I was going to say ‘after we made love.’”

  A slow grin spread across her face. “You were?”

  Jayden took a step closer. Damon growled.

  “What’s wrong with Jayden?”

  “He …desires you.” Damon curled his hands into fists. Jayden was closer than a brother to him, but when it came to Ava, Damon wouldn’t hesitate to knock him out. “The Queen, when ready to mate, will always draw wolves to her.

  “Is
that what happened last night between us? Were you just looking to get laid?” Her smile faded.

  Damon gritted his teeth. “It was more than just sex, Ava. We both know that.”

  “You wouldn’t say two words to me. I thought you regretted last night.”

  Damon felt like someone had sucker punched the air out of his lungs. He looked at her. “Are you serious?”

  She nodded. Jayden inched closer. Damon punched him in the face. Jayden fell to the ground, out cold. Damon looked back at her.

  “Ava, last night was the best experience I’ve had in my life. I’ve never thought I would be worthy of a female like you. Last night you gave yourself to me without inhibitions, without ulterior motives.” Damon brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. Damon looked into her eyes. He knew what he must do. He’d known it all along.

  “I love you, Damon.” She wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face into his chest. “I don’t care what that stupid law says about me being mated to Barrett. I don’t want Barrett. I want you.”

  Joy, unexpected and complete, swelled in his chest until he thought he was going to explode. Grabbing her around her waist, Damon pulled her against him and claimed her mouth. Her sweet taste made his head dizzy as her scent enveloped him and seeped into the recesses of his heart.

  Holding her face between his hands, he looked into those emerald eyes he’d fallen in love with. “I want to mate you.”

  “Well, that’s going to be a problem.” Ryker’s voice echoed menacingly in the room.

  Damon tensed, every hair on his body rising. Ryker was Barrett’s second in command. It was no secret that Ryker couldn’t stand Damon’s guts. Hell, the feeling was mutual.

  “From what I’ve been hearing, you seem to have your hands on Barrett’s soon-to-be-mate. You know there are rules about that.” Ryker smirked, his lips curling up over his white teeth as if he envisioned disemboweling Damon himself.

  “Look, asshole, this is none of your business.” Ava whirled around, lasering her gaze on Ryker, who actually looked a little surprised at her blatant lack of respect.

  Damon fought a grin.

  “I’m not Barrett’s anything and I’m sure as hell not his mate.” She took a step closer and jabbed her finger in Ryker’s face, his expression going from surprise to deadly serious. “I will mate one Alpha and that’s Damon.”