“What did I tell you? They’re wild raspberries.”
“I could eat a truckload of these,” she gushed.
"That would be a terrible idea."
“Why?” she groaned. “I’m sure they’re good for you.”
“Take it from someone who knows.” She could hear he was smiling. “I ate a ton of those things as a young boy and really regretted it. They gave me severe stomach cramps followed by … you don’t want to know … it was ugly.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t laugh at your expense, but I can’t help it.”
He chuckled. “I wouldn’t want you to suffer the same fate. I’m sure we’ll find another bush or two en route, just don’t eat too many in one sitting. Besides,” he breathed out through his nose, “I caught us a nice, fat rabbit.”
She clapped her hands. “Sounds delicious.” They’d been living on fish for the last few days. Not that she was complaining.
“Rabbit is one of my favorites,” Gage said.
“I’m sure I’ll be right on board in an hour or two.” It was weird how life changed things. Edith had always been a major animal lover. She donated money to several charities and walked dogs at the local shelter on Monday mornings. If her job wasn’t so demanding, she’d adopt one or two of her own. If you had told her a week ago that she’d be salivating over a sweet, little bunny she’d have laughed and laughed. Possibly even given you a really dirty look. Right now though, it was the complete opposite. “Do you need some help cleaning it or making the fire?”
“Nah, I’ll manage fine. I take it you want to wash up?” he asked, from somewhere to the right of her. She couldn’t see much. Just the odd flit of movement in the darkness.
“Yeah, that would be good. I hate the way the mud feels once it’s dried and flaking off.”
“Itchy?”
“Very,” she huffed.
“Let me get the fire going and I’ll take you to the river.”
“Sounds good.”
Gage did as he said. Then he carried her to the water. Like she said earlier, they had a routine going. She waded in and did what she needed to do. Only, unlike that first time, he didn’t watch. Didn’t eyeball her ass. Or become aroused in any way. He just stayed close, keeping her in his peripheral vision in case anything happened. They’d fallen into something of a friendship. Yet, the sexual tension was still there. Not so much on the surface but simmering just beneath. At least, it was for her. She was doing her best to ignore it, but it wasn’t easy. Especially since he was naked all the time. You would think she would become used to his state of undress, but she hadn’t. He was that gorgeous. That ripped. That sexy.
“These clothes are disgusting,” she said as she dressed.
“What if you washed them and wore the fur?”
“I’m starting to stink, aren’t I?” They had no toiletries. They used ash to brush their teeth. Ash. Argh! No wonder Gage wasn’t looking at her in that way anymore.
“I’m not sure that would work. My thighs might chafe if I rode you in just a fur and my undies.” Rode him. Rode. Now there was a thought.
“We’ll wash your things tomorrow morning when we stop to rest up for the day. Your clothing will, hopefully, dry while we sleep.”
That would mean that both of them would be in close confines, naked, or close to naked in her case. Oh! She liked the sound of that. She shouldn’t. She really shouldn’t, but she did. All cozy, pressed up against one another. Maybe Gage would kiss her. Maybe they would do more than just kiss. She pressed her thighs together. Another casual fling was not what she was looking for.
His nostrils flared and he got this strange look in his eyes. His jaw clenched. Gage looked angry for a second. Not that she could see all that well. She was probably misreading whatever vibe was coming off of him. “Or not,” Gage practically growled. He sounded angry. “Maybe it’s not such a good—”
“Yes! Please can we do that? Wash my stuff?” She brushed a hand over the disgusting material of her shirt. “Otherwise, mud or no mud, those griffins might be able to smell me. My clothes are that ripe.” She giggled.
“I think you’re fine but if it will make you feel more comfortable, we’ll wash them later.”
“Yes, please.”
“Come on, Curls. Let’s get you back and fed. We need to hit the road. We have another long night ahead.”
Edith nodded, warming at his nickname for her. Gage bent down over his knees and she hopped aboard. She was getting good at this too. Riding him. She shook her head at her own stupid joke. Riding him, yeah right, like that was ever going to happen.
13
Later that day …
Someone clamped a hand over her mouth and a strong arm banded firmly around her. Edith was unable to move. She had to let Gage know she was in trouble. Had to do it now! Her eyes were wide. She tried to suck in air through her nose to attempt a scream when she realized it was Gage who held her so tightly. It was Gage with his hand over her mouth. It was his big brown eyes that held hers.
“Shhhh,” he mouthed as he slowly released her.
She nodded once, trying to catch her breath. Her heart raced. His eyes lifted to the branches above their heads. He was clearly listening to something she couldn’t hear, even though she strained her ears. It wasn’t right though. Something was off. She couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was exactly.
His jaw tensed and his whole body hardened. His eyes narrowed.
“Come.” Again, he mouthed the word instead of actually saying it out loud. They carefully crawled from the shelter. Gage pulled her to her feet. Her still damp clothing was suspended on one of the lower hanging boughs in the clearing, just to the right of the shelter. She wore her underwear. The fur was still on the floor in the shelter. She contemplated fetching it. Edith was practically naked. Wearing just sheer lace underwear, she may as well be.
Gage gave a sharp shake of the head when she tried to pick up her shirt. He gestured to his back, going down on his haunches. It was still daylight. Dapples of sun shone through the trees. Why had Gage woken them up? What was going on?
He had always insisted that predators would stay away. Gage wouldn’t act this way for a predator though. It was them. It had to be. Then she realized what was wrong, the blood drained from her body. It was quiet. Completely silent. No birds singing, no crickets chirping, no squirrels scratching. It was like all the creatures of the forest had gone into hiding. Her hairs stood on edge.
A shadow darted over them. Quick. There one second, gone the next. If she hadn’t been looking up, she would have missed it. The canopy was so thick and whoever had made that shadow, moved that quickly. Her heart caught in her throat and her skin felt instantly clammy. Edith gripped his shoulders and jumped onto his back. Gage was running before he secured his arms around her thighs. She gripped tighter to ensure she didn’t fall off. The crazy thing was, she was becoming good at this. Surely he should shift? Edith didn’t dare ask. He must know what he was doing.
They moved fast and she held on for dear life. Gage seemed to know exactly where he was going, which was weird considering they’d never been there before. At least, she didn’t think he’d been to this part of the woods. He hadn’t mentioned that they were nearing his village but maybe she had this all wrong.
She glanced up every now and then. Mostly though, she focused on hanging onto Gage. A more apt description was trying not to fall off. Every so often, he would stop, his gaze fixed up ahead. His senses alert. Nostrils flaring. If his ears could twitch they would. Then he would take off running, his focus unwavering. His arms holding her tight. He darted between the trees and the brush, leaping over a boulder or log from time to time.
At one point, he stopped dead, pushing them up against the bark of a large tree. Although his chest heaved, he didn’t make a sound. There it was again, that shadow. Slower this time. It was searching for them. Had picked up on something. Their scent maybe? Footprints perhaps?
Shit!
What would happen to Gage if they were captured? They needed her, but they didn’t have any use for him. He’d be killed, she knew it as surely as she knew her own name. Probably would’ve murdered him if they hadn’t escaped when they did. She shuddered at the thought. Gage rubbed a hand up and down her thigh a couple of times to reassure her.
Half a minute later and Gage was running again. Faster than before. The threat of danger even closer. It felt like the griffins were closing in. At this rate, they were not going to make it. She tried not to think negative thoughts, but it was becoming more and more difficult.
They arrived at the edge of a large clearing. There was an open section that led to a tall cliff. They would be trapped on one side, or would be soon if Gage didn’t move. Instead, they stood in the shadows at the forest edge. Gage scanned the sky. There were a half a dozen questions on the tip of her tongue, but she held them all back.
He tensed, quietly moving back so that they were sheltered behind a large tree. There it was again, that blasted shadow. A griffin. Close. Too damned close for any kind of comfort. She swallowed thickly, trying to control her heart-rate, her breathing. Trying not to make so much as a sound.
It felt like an age before Gage sucked in a deep breath. He made a run for the cliff. Straight for the sheer wall. What was he doing? There would be no place to go. Just scraggy rocks and a sheer cliff surface. There wasn’t so much as a bush to hide behind. His footfalls were relatively quiet on the rocky ground. Not as quiet as before. Her heart hammered. Any moment now and they might be spotted. They were sitting ducks out in the open like this.
Thank god!
Edith felt like sobbing with relief when she saw that, between what looked like an overhang, was a large crack in the cliff. It was tall, all the way up to the top, but it was also narrow. It couldn’t be more than three or four feet across. Gage bent down, so that she could slide from his back. He turned and gripped her upper arms, pulling her against him. Then he angled them so that they were aligned with the opening. It looked deep.
Breathing heavily, Gage eased them into the narrow space. The two of them could fit, but only just. He shuffled deeper and deeper into the crevice.
Thankfully, she wasn’t claustrophobic because she would never have survived this. Not in a million billion years. As it stood, her eyes felt wide. Her blood rushed in her ears. It was incredibly tight and dark. There was a tiny sliver of light above them. The main opening was obscured by rocks. Her chest was pressed against his. Scratch that, every part of him was pressed against every part of her. Gage’s skin felt hot. His hands were still clasping the sides of her arms. His chest rose and fell in quick succession, pressing more firmly against her boobs. Her face was chest level to him. She could smell him. Masculine. It was the only word to describe it, to describe him.
There it was again. That blasted shadow. Darkness befell them for a second or two. Not long after, another one flew over. Or was it the same one flying in circles? Had it seen them? Was it closing in?
There was a loud shriek seconds later, followed by an answering shriek from some ways away. More than one then. She shivered and pressed her cheek against his chest, squeezing her eyes closed.
Please don’t let them find us! Please!
Gage squeezed her upper arms. Then he cupped a hand behind her head, holding her against him. His fingers threading into her hair. His breath warm against the top of her head. They were in this together and that was something. The thought helped calm her, as the screeching noises grew more and more distant. She wasn’t sure whether minutes passed or much longer.
“You okay, Curls?” Gage finally whispered. She felt something press against her head and was shocked to realize that he had kissed her. At least, she was almost one hundred percent sure he’d kissed her on the top of her head.
She nodded, her cheek still resting against his chest. His very beautiful chest.
“I think we should sit tight for a few more minutes,” he whispered. “Just to be sure.”
“Okay.”
“You did good.” He was so darned sweet. How could a guy be this good-looking and this kind? He always put her needs first. Could’ve saved himself and left her a long time ago. To think there was a woman in his past who had hurt him. Unbelievable. He blamed himself, but she was sure that there was more to it. If he was hers … No, that wasn’t a possibility, so best she drop that line of thought right now.
“You did good too.” She squeezed his bicep. His thick, hard bicep, realizing for the first time that she was holding onto him tightly. One hand curled around his neck and the other held his arm.
He pushed out a heavy breath and when she looked up, he had his head tilted up and his eyes closed. He looked like he was in pain. Had he hurt himself?
Then she felt it. His cock. It was thickening and lengthening. He squeezed his eyes even tighter, gritting his teeth. “I’m so damned sorry,” he whispered. His voice deep and beautiful like the rest of him. Beautiful with a double side of sexy.
It was clear that Gage still wanted her as much as that first day. Edith wanted him too. Maybe more. She wanted him to make her feel alive. To feel free because she was all of those things. They both were. They had survived. More than anything she wanted to just be with him, even if it was only for a few more days at the very most. She didn’t want them to keep pushing each other away. Feeling braver than she ever thought she could be, Edith stood up on her tippy toes and kissed Gage on the neck. Right on that spot just below his ear.
He sucked in a deep breath and opened his eyes, looking down at her. His large brown orbs were filled with shock and desire.
14
One second Gage had been berating himself for being a despicable person. For subjecting Edith to … to … his unwanted advances. Not that he was actually making moves on her. His erection was happening against his will, dammit. He didn’t seem to have much control around her. Especially when he was this close to this particular female. Her lace-clad breasts pushed tightly against him. He could scent her, could feel her. He wanted her more than he’d wanted anyone before.
“I’m so damned sorry!” He was such a prick, such a—
Edith kissed him. Kissed. Him. Pressed those soft, pillowy lips against the sensitive skin on his neck. It was the very last thing he expected. His dick hardened all the way up. Stiff against her belly. Gage had to use every last resolve not to tear off her panties and sink himself into her. Although he doubted that it would be possible in this narrow crevice. Too narrow to fuck her properly, at any rate, which was a good thing. It forced them to take the time to think this through first.
When he did nothing, she kissed him again, smiling this time as she came up. It was such a sweet, shy smile.
“Do you want sex?” he blurted, sounding like a damned cub.
Edith swallowed. “Yes. I definitely want sex. Don’t you?” Her cheeks had turned a lighter shade of pink.
Gage chuckled softly. “I think you can tell how much I would love to be inside you.”
“I’m sensing that there’s a but in there somewhere.”
“I’m not on that list.” He shook his head. “I’m not eligible to have a relationship and I’m not sure I’m ready …”
She reached up and put a finger over his lips. “I know and I’m okay with it.” Something flared in her eyes that told him she wasn’t as okay with it as she thought. They shouldn’t do this.
“The whole reason I can’t picture you in a seedy pick-up bar is because I see you as someone who wants more. You belong in a relationship with a male who cares for you, who cherishes you.”
“Like I said, I’m a red-blooded woman, I have needs. Right now, I need this. We’re both consenting adults and we want one another. It doesn’t have to become complicated.” They were still whispering.
“You’re sure?” He frowned.
Edith nodded. “Very sure.” She sounded sure. In this moment, she even looked sure. Maybe he was making too big a deal over se
x. They were attracted to one another. Big fucking time. Maybe it would be better if they just fucked and got it over with.
Gage leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. Just as soft as they looked. Just as tasty too. He slanted his mouth over hers and deepened the kiss. Fucking hell! He could get lost in her. Drown in her. He cupped her chin, demanding that she give him more and Edith rose to the occasion. She mewled into his mouth. Her nipples pebbled against him. He could scent her need.
They couldn’t leave this tiny space yet but that didn’t mean he couldn’t make her come. Gage shuffled past her, leaving one of his thighs between her legs. “Shhhh,” he whispered against her lips.
He slid a hand between them, cupping her pussy. Fucking hell! Her lace slip was soaking wet. He couldn’t help himself when his chest vibrated and a low rumble escaped. His dick gave a lurch, desperate to be inside her. Using two fingers, Gage shoved the fabric aside and slipped his fingers between her folds, zoning in on her clit.
Edith cried out, but he swallowed the sound as his fingers softly circled her bundle of nerves. She arched her back as much as the tight confines would allow, breathing heavily through her nose.
Using the same two fingers, he pushed into her. “So damned wet,” he mumbled against her lips. He crooked his fingers a little, zoning in on her g-spot.
By the way her eyes widened and the sound of her sharp intake of breath, he reckoned he’d found it. Using firm, easy strokes, he finger-fucked her, listening as her heart-rate sped up. How her breathing became ragged. So damned sexy.
Just as her pussy began to tighten, he slowed right down, easing off her sweet spot. He moved back to her clit and using one finger, he made lazy circles around the swollen nub. Round and round and round. Her back arched, her eyes closed, her head had rolled back against the stone wall. Edith bit down on her lower lip, holding it between her teeth. She moaned loudly as he slipped back across her clit.
Shifter Night: Box Set Page 46
