He woke a while later to Lera’s wet channel sliding over his erect cock until he was completely sheathed within her heat.
“Shit!” he hissed, gripping her hips and holding her flush to him.
She bent down and kissed him. Her sweet smell infused into him, and he growled into her mouth when she began to move. Slowly, she rode him, her internal walls gripping him like a velvet vice.
‘Lera.’
Up and down, back and forth, she moved. Her tongue sought out and danced with his. He could feel the sweat beading on his skin as he struggled to let her continue to set the pace.
‘I’m sorry, Cormac.’
He opened his eyes wide, the embers illuminating the darkness enough so he could see her. Lera’s lids were down, and when she nipped his lower lip, he shut his again.
‘Why are you sorry? And why are you calling me Cormac?’
Her slit held him tighter when she tore their mouths apart. She placed her hands on his chest and teased his nipples, nails raking along the pebbled tips.
‘I’m sorry because you lost a man you respected greatly. I can feel the pain losing him caused you. And I’m sorry you almost missed saying goodbye to him because you felt like you had to watch over me.’
Lera stopped moving, and he opened his eyes once more. Her large orbs stared down at him. Lifting one of her hands, Kori kissed each fingertip before stroking his touch down the curvature of her face then around to cradle the back of her neck. Gently, but not allowing resistance, he tugged her until their mouths brushed along one another.
‘I love you, Valera Grace. Never think I am feeling like I need to watch over you. I do need to but because you are my everything. Anáil de mo anam.’
Her emotions spiked, and she groaned enticingly when he flexed up into her. So, he did it again. And again. Over and over until they crested together and his seed coated her womb.
Chapter Fourteen
Lera walked slowly, Adric at her side. For being well hidden and remote, the camp was actually pretty large. The morning sun could barely cut the snow-laden clouds. Kori had been sleeping when she woke, and she left him there. She’d always loved the pre-dawn times. No matter where in the world she currently resided, she never failed to wake early. She’d been up since before the sun. Now, she stared across the frozen landscape through her rectangular shades. The tint didn’t bother her, and they protected her eyes from the needlelike wind.
She paused by a small grove of trees and crouched until her gloved hand hovered right above the snow. Eyes scanning, she dropped her right hand and relaxed as the familiar feel of her weapon filled her palm.
‘Adric?’
‘Two of them, vaj. They are Haikon males.’
She relaxed marginally even as she pushed effortlessly to her feet and waited. The upturned collar protected her neck and chin from the biting wind. All this snow and cold made him miss her home even more. Adric stepped up to her left leg, large paws marring the snow her hand had lingered over seconds ago.
The Haikon moved like shadows. One second nothing then there. Adric was right. Two men. One she didn’t recognize but one she did. The man she’d crossed swords with yesterday. Big, handsome, blond, silvered blue eyes. Without conscious thought, she extended her weapon so it slowly began to lengthen, the black material which created it blended in perfectly with her leathers. The man she hadn’t seen before was handsome as well, just not as much. Upon his shoulder rode a large dark brown owl. Beside the other, paced the feline she’d seen yesterday. A snow leopard.
The cat was beautiful.
But then, so was the man.
The man with the owl nodded and said, “Valera. Welcome, I’m Dogal.”
She gave him a slight bob of her head in return, all the while keeping most of her attention on the other one. The one whose hand curved about his sword’s hilt.
“Dogal, nice to meet you.”
Terse silence fell before blondie tossed his head and pointed at himself. “Torr.”
Dogal said something she didn’t understand, but when Torr scowled, she figured it was meant for him. Corded arms crossed, and the frown remained.
“He thinks I should apologize for yesterday.”
Grateful the glasses kept her eyes hidden, she narrowed them slightly. “Why?”
“Because you are a woman and supposedly the one to reunite the clans.” Scorn dripped from his words.
“Really. And what bothers you more? The fact I’m a woman, Haikon, or that I didn’t flinch from your attack?” she sneered.
‘Vaj.’ Adric warning floated in her mind.
“I fear no woman,” Torr snapped.
“And I fear no man.”
A smirk lifted his lips. “Come then, Valera. Let me see what you can do. Or do you lie?” The gauntlet had been thrown.
“I don’t lie.” Her fingers flexed.
‘No, vaj.’ Adric snapped. ‘Stay your hand. This is not the way.’
From the expression on Torr’s face, he was getting similar words from his vaj. And felt the same about the reprimand. With a deep breath, she stored her weapon and slowly held her hands out to her side.
“My vaj doesn’t wish this,” she stated, making damn sure he knew it was Adric who’d told her to stop.
“Gavvi says the same.”
Find common ground. Be friendly. She tried for a smile. “Gavvi?”
The man did smile. Oh my heavens! Sweet goddess, this man was devastatingly handsome when he smiled.
Torr gestured to the cat. “This is Gavvi, my vaj.”
“She’s a beautiful animal.” Tilting her head toward her wolf. “This is Adric.” With a glance to Dogal, she pointed to the bird. “Who’s that?”
“Roto.”
The owl flapped its wings before settling back down.
‘Adric?
‘Yes, vaj. This is the way. Not everything is a battle.’
‘I understand that but not what I meant. Do they speak anything like Dutch? I feel bad Dogal can’t participate.’
‘You were born to lead, vaj. Yes, Dutch is spoken here.’
‘Lead? Who said anything about leading?’
“Roto is also gorgeous,” she said in Dutch.
Both men’s gazes widened. Dogal recovered first.
“Tell us about yourself, Valera.”
She tore her eyes from Torr and placed them on the safer blue-eyed Dogal. “Not much to tell really. This was thrust on me. So could you tell me a bit about the Haikon?”
“You don’t know about the Haikon?” Torr demanded, his tone dangerous as well as seeped in disbelief.
“Look, buddy, I’ve known I was Haikon for less than a week so back off ‘n get off my back about it,” she snapped.
“How is that possible?” Dogal spoke up, stepping closer. “Come, let us go sit and talk.” He gestured, and she fell into step with him, Adric between them and Torr behind.
Soon, they were in a large tent with food and warm drinks before them. Her glasses were stored. Others had arrived. Vifil included. They talked and traded questions. Kori never showed, part of her wished he had yet she didn’t dwell on it; she had other things to focus on. A while later, Lera excused herself, needing a breather from the questions. So she headed back near the spot she’d met Torr and Dogal.
She nearly froze when she passed a trio locked in a heavy and passionate exchange. Shaking her head, she finished the distance she needed to go and leaned against a tree.
“Not used to seeing a man with two women?” a deep voice questioned. “Does it shock you? Intrigue you?”
Torr.
Without turning, she rolled her eyes and answered, “Not hardly. It would take much more than that to shock me.”
Ménage and group sex didn’t faze her, for Murdock had all kinds of things going on, but she had never understood why people wanted that. Especially those who professed to love someone.
“Many of the Haikon take more than one person in their life. It’s an accepted way of life for
those who want it.”
That shocked her. She’d just assumed it would be a pairing. I shouldn’t make assumptions. Torr stepped in front of her.
“That so?” she asked drily, calling upon her icy reserve. She didn’t feel threatened, not in the sense she would have if Murdock stood there.
“Yes.” He ran his gaze up and down her body. “Keep that in mind.”
“You should keep in mind she has a mate. And I don’t share.” Kori’s icy growl filled the air, dropping the already low temperature another few degrees.
Lera arched a brow at Torr’s slight jump. However, the man recovered quickly. He shrugged without shame.
“She’s Haikon; you’re not.” Another perusal and Torr walked off without a word.
Glancing over her shoulder, Lera was astounded by the fury in Kori’s expression. It wasn’t just his eyes; rage poured from his entire being. Amber flames licked at his eyes.
“Kori?”
“Stay away from him, Valera.” His gaze remained on the retreating man.
She scowled and readjusted so he couldn’t ignore her. When their eyes met, his feral wrath was only minimally lessened.
“Don’t start this, Kori,” she ground out from between clenched teeth.
His nose flared, and his jaw ticked, indicating his tenuous hold on his anger. “I won’t allow—”
Her own temper flared to life. “Allow? You won’t allow what? I’m not a child, Kori. You do not get to make decisions for me.”
The way he glared told her he believed he had every right. And that arrogance fanned the flames of her ire, and it flowed through her with the intensity of a raging wildfire. He reached for her, and she tapped her power, only to leap away in the guise of a wolf then head into the trees.
‘Lera!’
She ignored him, shared a look with Adric and followed him. Her connection to Kori trembled with his anger. Paying no attention to her soul’s desire to be near its mate, she poured everything into running. The snow-covered landscape flew by in a blur. The cold air invigorated her. There was no slowing when they were joined by two snow leopards. She knew who they were. Higher and higher, they ran, the air grew thinner, and when they paused on an outcropping, she could feel the blood pumping through her veins.
Without thinking, she shifted back and remained in a crouch, hair flying around her. Torr appeared in the same position on the other side of Adric.
“Come with me,” he said, his voice pitched to be heard above the wind.
She hesitated, and Gavvi rubbed against her. ‘My vaj is rough around the edges but he wouldn’t bring you harm.’ The gentle, feminine words eased her mind.
With their vaj, they entered a small crevice, and before she had a chance to think about how small and tight the fit was, she found herself in a massive cavern lit by torches. Meticulous drawings of animals were upon the walls, the attention to their detail such that the animals fairly leapt off the walls. No words came, and all she could do was look.
One side housed a small pool of water, heated from the look of the steam rising from it. An altar sat in another section; there were also lots of chests filled with gold, silver, and more colors of gems than she’d ever seen before.
“What is this place?” she asked when she found her voice.
“Where we come to give thanks to the gods and the earth. Bathe in her cleansing water.”
She spun in a slow circle. “This…this is amazing.” It didn’t make sense but she felt at home here. Deep down in a part of her she hadn’t known she had. Not until she met Adric. Her tongue snuck out and moistened her lips before she headed to an image of a large black wolf. With a hesitant motion, she reached out for it.
‘Looks a lot like you, Adric.’ Her fingers skimmed along the muzzle.
“Torr?”
“Yes, Valera?” His voice sounded a way off. She peeked over one shoulder and watched him push up from where he’d been kneeling. Just like that, his gaze pinned her, the silver blue of his eyes burning her. “Question?”
She jerked her gaze from his and stared at his vaj. Gavvi’s eyes were wise as they stared back at her. “Call me Lera and yes. Why are the wolves I see so much smaller than Adric?”
He sighed, and she watched him walk toward her before focusing back on the likeness of her vaj. In her peripheral vision, she saw Torr appear.
“Before the purge, what they called ‘The Cleansing’ of our kind, all our vaj were larger. Unfortunately, when they began to hunt us down and kill us, the larger animals gave us away. They also began to eliminate the animals before they could find their vaj. It’s well known that if we’re not allowed to find our vaj—”
She waved a hand. “I know the feeling.” It wasn’t pleasant to imagine it being worse than the painful way she’d felt. “Who’s ‘they’ that you talk about?”
Torr crossed his massive arms. “We were guardians to a group of mages. He and his people are the ‘they’ we talk about. We don’t mention his name anymore. It was they who started what they called ‘The Cleansing’ because we couldn’t be controlled. They nearly succeeded because one of our own betrayed us.” He leaned against the wall and watched her face. “You really are new to this, aren’t you?”
“Yes.” She walked along the wall, stroking the dark painted wolf. “You don’t like me, do you?”
“I don’t dislike you.”
She snorted and looked at him. “You attack me but don’t dislike me. I hate to think what you’d do to someone you did dislike.”
Humor filled his face, softening it. “Probably the same you would to those who posed a threat to any one you loved.”
“Whatever it took to keep them safe.”
He nodded solemnly, and just like that, there was a bond between them. Both a bit rough around the edges, more apt to action than talking. Solitary. She could see it in him. He was a loner.
“Now, I know you’re wondering why I brought you here. Vifil thought you may like to see this.” He gestured to a far side, and she walked over. A cutout in the wall held a fur-covered book.
“What is it?”
“The answers you seek. This is the book which contains our history.”
Damn cryptic talk. How hard was it to just give a straight answer? She glanced up at him, brows furrowed in confusion. The torchlight sparkled in his eyes. Torr lifted his hand and curved it so it would fit along the shape of her face. There was no contact, although the desire to touch her sat plain on his face.
“I’ll leave you to read. When you’re done, yell if you need help finding your way back.” A roguish glint appeared in his eyes. “I’d love to take you.”
She refused to look away. “Take me back to camp?”
“That, too.” His fingers clenched, and he lowered his fist. “But we both know that’s not what I meant.” He turned and moved away. “Let me know.”
She licked her lips. “I’ll be fine. Unless you’d like to battle.”
He paused. Gavvi at his side, he looked at her. “I’ll spar with you any day, Lera. But, you know if you want to see my sword, just ask. We can do it somewhere warm.” Torr raked his gaze up and down her physique before he disappeared.
With a groan, she rubbed a hand over her eyes. Torr was a handful. Shaking her head, she turned her attention to the book in the alcove. Her mind was already bursting with the information she’d been given.
“I need to work through this first. Can I come back later, Adric? Or do I have to read now?”
‘You are welcome anytime, vaj.’
“Good.” Patting the cover, she stepped back and moved across the cavern to sit along the water’s edge. “I’ll be back for it then.” The heat from the water called to her, and she reached out to trail a finger through the wetness only to pause and draw back.
‘Vaj?’
“Torr said sacred water. I shouldn’t be trailing my dirty fingers in it.”
“By all means, strip down and cleanse yourself. Or let me do it for you.”
Her lips turned up, amused by his humor, before she rotated back to see the man who’d spoken. Torr. Trouble lurked in his gaze. She pushed to her feet and moved away from the tempting water.
“You’d like that.”
“Oh yeah.”
“And if I do?” She swayed closer. “Will you join me?”
“Without a doubt.”
“I thought so. Sorry, I’m not in the habit of stripping and bathing with men.” She wondered however, were she even remotely inclined to take him up on it would he go for it or back away? She figured back away, having seen him watch Kori.
Torr sighed dramatically. “Well, can’t blame me for trying.” All humor slipped away. “Gavvi said you weren’t ready to read.”
She flicked her gaze to Adric before returning it to Torr. There was no censure in his eyes.
“I feel overloaded with information.”
“A vigorous workout may help,” he said, his voice seductive. Her gaze snapped to his. He arched a brow and lifted his sword so the hilt was eyelevel. “Workout.”
Her smile was unforced and real. “Let’s go.” She jumped by him and shifted, running outside, Adric hot on her heels. Pushing herself to full speed. Beside her, she saw a snow leopard running stretched out. It was Torr. He was a bit larger than his vaj. They spilled out into a field, and he sprang at her. Rolling to the side, she shifted back and met his downward sword strike.
Shit, he shifts fast.
Torr attacked fast as well. The deep snow hampered her movements for a bit until she figured out how to move in the calf-high ground cover. They battled until she didn’t think she could withstand another of his bone-rattling blows. She extended her weapon to a staff and knocked his legs out from under him.
A Love For Lera (Haikon) Page 20
