Unknown Protector

by Maggie Mundy

  “Come into my arms.”

  She might have hesitated a week ago but not anymore. She couldn’t change the past and was sure she had no future. She would be dead soon and wanted this. She put her arms around his neck as he picked her up and with one flap of his wings they were rising above the city.

  “I can’t bring them back, but maybe I can ease the pain.”

  People were beneath them on trolley cars, in buses, limos and trucks. They were walking the streets oblivious to what was above and that was the way it should be. They were humans leading normal lives.

  “I’d never intrude in your mind, but I can make you forget some of the pain for a while.”

  “Yes.” Nicole didn’t bother to rationalize. She needed the peace even if tomorrow it would be all back.

  They headed out of the bay towards Alcatraz and over the ocean. The air was cold and caught her breath but it was a good feeling. There was a distant rumble of thunder and Nicole shivered, huddling closer to Ridge. He turned back towards the city and the Golden Gate Bridge. She had seen it from the sky before but not so close. He landed on top of one of the spires making sure her feet were steady. Cars moved beneath them like little toys and the lights from the bridge twinkled in the water below. Ridge turned her around so her back was against his chest. His arm was clamped around her waist so she felt safe in his embrace as she scanned the vista before her. Nicole placed her hand over his at her waist.

  “Thank you.”

  She stared around at San Francisco and back to the Golden Gate Bridge. This city was her home yet because of what had happened she felt as if she was the intruder. The city lights twinkled, and that meant humanity, some alive, some dead. The problem was she was starting not to feel attached to any of it, or any of them, anymore. She didn’t have a clue who she was anymore apart for one thing, or person, or alien, or whatever a Midworlder was. Ridge was her only tether, even if he said she would be better off without him.

  “It was my pleasure to bring you here,” he whispered in her ear, his warm breath on her neck, and then his lips. Lips that barely touched the skin but sent a sensation through her body making her feel alive and normal. His unshaven face grazed her skin. A groan escaped her lips. Nicole bent her head to the side to let him get closer. If he had been unsure of whether she wanted this, the thought would be gone. The moisture from his kiss on her skin caused goose bumps from the cold night air. The shiver running through her body caused an intake of breath from Ridge. To add insult to injury he nibbled on her earlobe. She couldn’t stop the slow yearning breath escaping her lips. He drew her back towards him so she pressed against his hardness.

  Nicole wanted, no she needed to be touched, and not by just anyone. She wanted Ridge to touch her. There were times when they first met she had thought the opposite but not now. Turning around in his arms she tried to see his eyes, but couldn’t make them out in the darkness. His breath was warm on her face. He smelt of whiskey and him, a distinctly Ridge smell and she loved it. She had thought him brash and opinionated, and he still was, but that was him and she loved it “Does it seem mad that I don’t want to deal with any more of this?” Nicole moved away from Ridge towards the edge of the pylon. “I could think about slipping down into the water and dying. It’s not right that I’m still alive.”

  Ridge had protected her but not the ones she had cared for. She knew he would never forgive himself for her losses and didn’t expect any forgiveness from her. It didn’t make any of this any easier.

  She wanted to look upon anyone else in the universe with love, but this longhaired ruffian had her heart. He hadn’t tried to gain it or fought for it, but she knew deep down inside he wanted it.

  He wasn’t looking at her but staring out over the city. He was truly lonely, just as Kaylie said. Why hadn’t she seen it before? Ridge had hundreds of years down here and some friends, but nothing else accept a death he caused to the one person he loved.

  She wanted to call him over and ask him to take her in his arms. She was his mate, it was her right. She didn’t want rights, she wanted love. She had that elusive thing once and it was meant to last forever. If she found it with Ridge, it would last the night.

  Tears, she didn’t have time for them. She needed comfort and she wanted Ridge with an ache that went so deep it hurt. Tears, she could feel them wet on her face. Silent tears you only see if you are gazing at the person shedding them. He touched her arm. She turned and stared into his eyes. He had always been so confident from the first moment she met him, but now she saw doubt. She needed him strong for both of them.

  A crack of thunder roared about them as rain fell.

  “Take me home, Ridge. Take me home and want me more than anyone else in the world for one night.”

  His hands were beneath her as he swept her up into his arms. She held on tight around his neck as the rain came down. For some ridiculous reason she wondered how they made their feathers disappear when they were damp. She shivered and tried to absorb some of Ridge’s warmth. Midworlders never seemed to feel cold which would save on power for electric blankets. She had agreed to make love with him so why the heck was she thinking about electric blankets? Most likely because she was soaked to the skin and shivering.

  They reached the roof of the club and he let her feet down as the rain continued to pour down on them. They ran to the door and down the steps to the apartment. It was empty, and for once Nicole was glad. Ridge walked toward his room with her hand held firmly in his. She froze at the door. Ridge turned to her.

  “We can just sleep in each other’s arms or talk. I’ll even cook for you if you want. It’s not one of my talents, and Frieda will accuse me of poisonin’ you.”

  Nicole took a deep breath and walked into his bedroom.

  “That won’t be necessary but I’m cold.” Nicole tried to control her teeth, but they kept chattering.

  “I’ll run a bath.”

  The bath was a huge oval shape and she wouldn’t have been surprised if he could have sat four in it. She had to stop thinking about him with other women. This was her night. The steam rose and the fragrance of jasmine from the bubble bath filled the air. She wanted to soak in the water but at this moment she couldn’t move. Now it had come to it the idea of stripping was too much. Her heart pounded. He turned.

  “What’s wrong?” Ridge asked, with eyes full of concern.

  “I’m scared.”

  “You should never be frightened of me. I want you more than any man on Earth could.”

  “That’s what scares me. I’ve been alone and I’ve put up barriers and tonight I have to let them down.”

  “I believe this was meant to be.”

  He smiled and her heart ached as she shivered. He brought his hands up and undid the buttons on her blouse one at a time, and pushed the wet material from her shoulders. Wrapping his arms around her he kissed her neck. His hands moved up her back and she could feel them undoing her bra. He moved away from her and placed his fingers under the shoulder straps and gently removed her bra. Even though the room was warm she could feel how hard her nipples were as if they were straining with need for him.

  His kisses returned to her neck. As he tongue swirled she had a feeling she would never make it through the night if everything was going to be so intense. Sensations were tingling throughout her body. He knelt on the floor before her and traced small kisses across her abdomen to her waist. As he ran his tongue up and down the side of her body his hands undid her jeans. As his kisses made their way across to her navel her jeans were undone. He pulled them down with her knickers planting little kisses along her thighs.

  Her body might have been cold on the outside but in her core she was an inferno. Ridge stood up and gazed at her. No one, not even Ben had looked at her that way. It was raw pure lust and she felt it too.

  “You’re beautiful.”

>   She had never been one to accept compliments about her body but she knew it was true. She was truly beautiful in his eyes, and that made her smile. He picked her up and carried her over to the bath and gently let her down into the water.

  “Relax; I’ll be back in a moment.”

  Every girl likes bubbles and she was no different, though she rarely used them. Note to self in next life, have lots of bubble baths. She had never run a bath so that her whole body would be covered either because of wasting water. The luxury of it made her grin. She should have allowed herself a little extravagance every now and then. She shut her eyes and reveled in the warmth. The door opened and Ridge walked in with two glasses of Scotch. He placed one beside her and sipped his own.

  “May I join you?”

  Nicole nodded before another thought entered her head. Ridge put down his glass and shed his clothes. She had seen so many naked men over the years and she had even seen him before, but at this moment her heart was racing. She wanted him so much that every male in a five-mile radius must have sensed something. Between her legs was pulsating and he wasn’t even near her. He lowered himself into the bath and sat opposite her.

  “It’s sixty-year-old scotch malt, I hope you like it. Another thing you should know is if you keep those feelin’s comin’ my way this may be over quickly as I’m really tryin’ to control myself from ravishin’ you.”

  Nicole took a sip of her whiskey and put the glass down, then moved over to Ridge’s side of the bath. It was clichéd and decadent but she wanted to be massaged. As if he sensed what she wanted he spread his legs and let her sit crossed leg with her back to him. His fingers started their magic at the base of her spine as they rubbed away the tension. Slowly he made his way further up her back till he reached her shoulders. He hurt her where he pressed but it was a good pain.

  When the massage stopped she felt his breath on her neck as he drew her hair aside and kissed her. She wished this could go on forever. She would never tire of his touch but she only had one night. She leant back against his chest and could feel the hardness of erection pressing against her. He ran his fingers up and down her arms and the slight tickle caused her to sigh.

  “I never thought when we first met I would want you like this, but I do,” she said in a breathy voice she hardly recognized as her own.

  Ridge continued to kiss her neck as one of his hands reached around and cupped her left breast. He ran his thumb slowly back and forth across her nipple. His other hand moved around her waist and between her legs. He ran his fingers up and down her right thigh. She wanted him to touch her everywhere; she didn’t want any part of her body to be secret to him. His hand molded itself around her and she gasped as his finger entered her. Slowly he moved it back and forth and with each movement the sensations started to build between her legs.

  Nicole gripped the edges of the bath as he nibbled her neck. His finger caused her core to pulsate as he moved his other hand down so he touched her clitoris. She didn’t want to be in control, she wanted her body to explode with the sensations building in her. Her scream echoed around the room as her body reached its climax and the tremors rippled through her. She had never screamed like that before and didn’t care if the whole of San Francisco had heard her. Still he didn’t stop as he continued to move his finger slowly in and out of her. She could feel herself clenching against him with each pulse. As he moved his hands away she relaxed back against him and tried to control her breathing. He whispered in her ear.

  “That’s just the beginnin’.” He reached across and handed her the whiskey tumbler.

  Nicole sipped the amber fluid and let her body bask in the afterglow of her orgasm. Having his naked body next to hers was the most perfect thing in the world. They didn’t need to speak but just accept this was really happening. They lay there in each other’s arms and sipped their whiskey.

  Out of the bath and in the bedroom she smiled when she saw the candles beside the bed and the smell of incense filling the air. She wasn’t one for being romantic, but at this moment she would take all the candles and incense to make her feel good. Ridge walked towards her, he was naked and erect, and she gazed up and down his body in appreciation. He was muscled and strong with his hair still damp from the bath. His chest had the right amount of hair, which tapered away at his midriff and started a trail again to his magnificent erection.

  She wanted him inside her. He picked her up in his arms and placed her on the bed.

  “I want that too,” he said. His hand reached across as he lay beside her and undid the knot on the belt of her gown. She lay naked before him.

  “Every time I look at your body it’s as if I’m seein’ you for the first time, and it takes my breath away.” His eyes devoured her body.

  Nicole pulled her arms out of her gown and turned so her face was next to his. She leaned forward and kissed him gently on his lips and chin. His stubble as always tickled and sent her crazy at the same time. Pushing him onto his back she made her way down his neck and then trailed the tip of her tongue down his torso until she reached his glorious cock. This was her turn to give pleasure. She glanced up to see him watching her and smiling. Her lips surrounded his shaft and she heard his gasp. Slowly she moved back and forth as her tongue worked on the tip. As her mouth sucked, her left hand roamed his thighs and then caressed his balls. He was so tight and ready to burst. The thought that she was doing this to him made her want him in her even more.

  As her hand ran up and down his shaft and her lips sucked he cried out as his body shuddered with release and the taste of him entered her mouth. It was glorious and she wanted everything he could give her. As soon as she lay beside him again he kissed her hard. His tongue in her mouth searching and fighting with hers as his fingers ran through her hair. He pulled away.

  “I had to taste me in you. I never thought it would happen. It’s an intoxicating mix.”

  “Was it better than sixty-year-old scotch?”

  “There’s no comparison, but now it’s my turn.”

  He kissed her neck but didn’t stay there long as the tip of his tongue moved down to her left breast. As he took one nipple in his mouth his hand ran the other nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Her body was heating up again, but the again it hadn’t ever really cooled down. His tongue swirled on her nipple, then he nipped and sucked. When she thought she could take no more he trailed kisses down her body. He gently pushed her legs apart. Even in the candlelight she could see the worship in his eyes as he glanced up at her.

  Then he touched her and all thought was gone. Her body continued to spasm as he worked away on her most delicate areas. One of her hands grabbed the sheet as the other touched his head as he kissed and flicked his tongue on her. His tongue was inside her tasting her as she had tasted him. She moved towards him. He moved back to her clitoris and let his finger slide inside her. She was almost embarrassed at how hot and wet she was. The thought was gone as the crescendo built and she was lost in her orgasm and the groan was ripped from her throat again.

  Ridge moved up her body and kissed her as she encircled his body with her legs and felt the head of his cock press against her opening. A tremor went through his body as his wings appeared and spread out. She reached her hands up and caressed the feathers. It felt right seeing him as he truly was at this moment. He moved slowly back and forth sinking his cock further into her core with each movement. She wanted him so much the ache within her made her lightheaded. This couldn’t be possible. She was feeling the sensations rising again. With each thrust her body and mind rose to a new level of ecstasy. She couldn’t contain the screams coming from her throat as her body shuddered in release. He was there with her as she pulsed. He pushed in harder and deeper so she had all of him. His wings fluttered as he groaned his own release.

  They lay there exhausted, their two bodies breathing fast and spent. Neither of them pre
pared to move in case it caused more tremors throughout their bodies. His heart pounded in his chest as she ran her fingers up and down his back and goose bumps rose on his skin. His wings had gone as quickly as they had arrived. He rolled onto his side and stared down at her. Nicole had never felt so content. Even if this was for only one night they were meant for each other.

  “I always guessed you’d be good, Nicole, but I have to say I think I underestimated you.”

  It was a good thing it was dark because she was blushing. “I didn’t underestimate you.”

  He was way too full of himself and there was nothing she could say to deflate his ego. The fact was he was making this comment about her. She had never screamed like that before, but would be happy to again.

  “Now kind sir, I do believe you made me blush.” Nicole bit her bottom lip and cringed at the sound of her awful Southern accent.