by Sedona Venez
Oh. My. Gawd. “Yes, Knox.”
“Yes, Knox, what?” He pulled back, replacing his tongue with a thick finger.
“Give it to me now.” He inserted a second finger into me. My thighs quivered. My head fell back as I panted like I just ran a marathon.
“Now, is that nice?” He continued to move his fingers in and out with such precision that, for the first time in my life, I was speechless. My mind went blank as my hips thrust forward, riding his fingers hard. The need to climax was building—hovering, but he deliberately kept me in limbo.
“I don’t give a fuck about nice. I need you now, Knox.”
When he looked up at me, his sea-green eyes were hard. “Beg for it, Storm. I want to hear you say it.” He grasped my sex between his forefinger and thumb. “Out loud. I want your utter submission.”
I spread my legs wider, thrusting against his fingers. My body begging to come. I knew he would keep me hovering for as long as it took me to submit. I pushed down all of the fear, the doubt, and just accepted my life would change forever with my submission. Now… I was finally ready to make it happen. Something in me snapped as I recognized and accepted his dominance.
“Please, Knox. Make me come.” The words rushed out of my mouth. The relief of my submission made me dizzy. My fingers tightened in his hair.
“Yes.” He growled before returning his tongue to my pulsating nub while pumping his fingers inside me.
My panting and moans became louder. My body shook, needing just a little bit more. He knew exactly what I desired. With a twist of his finger, he sent me over the cliff, shouting and groaning until my body was spent. I looked down with wide eyes as he unzipped his jeans, pulling out his thick, long length. Damn, I still couldn’t get over how huge he was. Without pause, he pushed into me with no mercy. Stretching me. Remaking me.
“Take all of it, Storm,” he growled in my ear.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, letting one leg wrap around his waist, the other around his thick calf. “Give me everything you have.”
“Always, baby. Always.”
His rough fingers tightened around my body, digging into my back. He thrust faster, mercilessly, giving me all of him, pushing me hard toward the edge. My arms gripped him with each rough pant and growl.
“You are mine. And I am yours,” he whispered. The words were said with such reverence, such heartfelt emotion, they anchored me. And for the first time in my life, I actually felt what the Others who were fortunate enough to find their mates talked about—the glorious but elusive feeling that overtook the body as the mystical silken tendrils wrapped around it, snapping the mate-bond in place.
I never understood the glazed look that came to the Others’s eyes when they talked about it—saying that no words could describe it—until now. I felt the natural seamless slide of my mind and body bonding with him. Now, not only could I feel him deep inside my body, but in my soul and my mind. We were now one.
He nipped my neck before raising his head. His eyes held mine. His body tensed and then quivered, like he too felt the hard snap of our new mate-bond. And whether he knew it or not… our souls were now entwined… forever. I slid my arms down his muscled arms. I was almost giddy. So this was the feeling my ancestors felt when they bonded with their human mate and knew it was love and it was time to reveal who they were. A surge of warmth flooded my body, pushing me over the edge with my mate, for life. He pushed one more time, seating himself so deep inside me I swore he was touching my womb.
He leaned down, kissing my neck lightly. My body froze when I felt the graze of his teeth on the sensitive skin between my neck and shoulder. My breath hitched when he bit down slightly, not breaking the skin. My body braced as if expecting the impossible—the sting of canines sinking into me, completing the claiming. He sucked the area lightly as he pumped every bit of his essence within my womb.
He kissed my neck gently before whispering against it. “Are you okay?”
I smiled, running my hands across his muscled back. “Never better.” I reached over, caressing his jaw. “Now don't go getting a big ego over this… but you were absolutely amazing.”
He kissed me on the forehead. “You inspire me to give my best.” He kissed me hard on the lips. “Are you thirsty?”
“You just defiled me, rock star. Depleting me of energy to even think—of course I'm thirsty.” My legs felt like rubber. I wasn't sure how I was going to walk after this.
He winked at me. “That was just round one, baby. It's going to be a really long but enjoyable night for you. Wrap your arms and legs around me. Let's get you hydrated and ready for round two.” He wrapped his arm around me, easily picking me up and walking over to the huge stainless steel Sub-Zero refrigerator. He pulled open the door and grabbed two bottles before shutting it.
I laughed against his neck. “You think that's going to be enough?”
He winked at me. “I'll be back for more. I'm keeping you locked up in my bedroom until one of us passes out—and it ain't going to be me.”
“That confident, huh?” I smirked.
“It's not confidence—it's fact.” He had walked out the kitchen and past the massive hallway in front of the elevator when we both heard the swoosh of the door opening. Knox whirled inhumanly fast. “Slide down, Storm, and stay behind me.” Hurriedly, I slid down, getting behind his massive back. His legs widened, his body shielding me from the prying eyes of an unwelcome visitor.
Jackal and Rip stepped out of the elevator briskly but stayed within a respectful distance.
“What the hell, Rip? I'm busy,” Knox snarled.
Jackal and Rip sniffed the air. Their eyes widened as they took a step back. Jackal cleared his throat loudly. “We're sorry to disturb this very delicate time between you and Stormy, but Ryker needs you, pronto. There's been a serious attack at headquarters.”
Knox just stared at them with some silent message passing between them. They both shrugged. Knox sighed heavily. “Give me a minute alone with Storm and I'll meet you downstairs,” he growled.
I opened a bottle of water, drinking thirstily and watching as Jackal and Rip hustled into the elevator, looking at me pensively while Knox stood tensely, waiting for the elevator door to close. And with the closure, his body relaxed from its protective posture.
I bit my bottom lip worriedly. The attacks had to have something to do with a wolf-shifter war. They were always fighting over something. If it wasn't power, it was territory. It just never ended. “I don't understand. Why do you have to go?” I asked quickly. This was wolf-shifter business. A human had no place in it. The thought of him getting involved or hurt set my teeth on edge.
Silently, he reached down, swinging me over his shoulders, striding down the long hallway.
“Put me down, Knox.” I pounded on his back. “You didn't answer my question.” For some reason, all I could think of was some wolf-shifter ripping him apart, killing him.
“And I'm not going to,” he responded gruffly.
We entered the luxurious master suite with the largest bed that I've seen in my life. He put me down onto it, grabbing the bottle of water from my hand and gulping it down.
Now I was livid. “What do you mean that you're not going to?” My heart was racing out of control. The mate-bond was too new to be separated from him. If he were a wolf-shifter, he’d be fixated with sealing our bond by sinking his canines into me, finalizing the mate-claim while pumping me full of his seed. I jumped up, agitated. “So you’re telling me that what we just had together meant nothing?”
“It meant everything and you know it.” He grabbed the back of my neck possessively. “Now stop it. When Ryker needs me, I'm there no matter what. This is a fact that you better get used to fast.” He kissed me hard before walking into a large, custom-fitted, walk-in closet, coming back out with jeans and a black T-shirt. His jaw was tense as he pulled on his clothes calmly.
He just didn't understand. Ryker's world was dangerous. I was incensed with Ryker. How
could he be so reckless? This was inexcusable. “And what if I don't want to get used to it?” I asked, tapping my foot. I was bluffing, but I was desperate to stop him from leaving.
He stalked over to me with a cool demeanor. “What did I tell you about my loyalty? I'm not going to change who I am, Storm. And I don't expect you to either.” He was right. This wasn't me. This needy, cloying woman annoyed the shit out of me. Embarrassed, I turned my face. He grabbed it firmly. “I know you’re scared for me. I see it in your eyes. But believe me, I can handle myself. Trust me on this.”
Uncontrolled tears slid down my cheeks. I was so scared. I hated the helpless feeling the mate-bond churned within me. A connection that, if severed by his death, would slowly send me into a downward spiral of helplessness. I've seen what happens to mated couples when one of them dies. With the anchor gone, it leaves the survivor drifting in an emotional abyss.
I placed my hand over his heart, comforted by the vigorous thump. “We need to have a serious talk when you get back. There are things you need to know, about me, about us, and about Ryker.” It was time. My bloodline duty dictated that I tell him everything, which opened a whole host of issues that went along with it like the Credence Curse, the Other Council wrath, and his impending death.
“I've been ready for that conversation with you forever, Storm.” He kissed me hard, dragging my body against his, comforting me. “Promise me you’ll stay here until I get back.”
I nodded. “Yes. I'll be here. So don't get your ass killed, rock star.”
He slapped my butt before grabbing his leather jacket and walking away swiftly. I crawled onto the bed, wrapping myself in his sheets. His scent was all over it, which lulled me into calmness. My eyelids felt heavy and my breathing evened as I slipped into a cool, calm slumber.
CHAPTER 11
There was nothing worse than a nightmare filled with four rabid wolves running through dense woods, chasing me like I was their next meal. And no matter how fast I ran, they were there, nipping at my heels, howling, growling… pretty much scaring the shit out of me.
The air was crisp as white puffs of smoke formed as I panted, pushing branches out of the way. Exhausted and desperate, I ran over to a large, gnarly oak tree, climbing it nimbly, scratching the flesh of my palms brutally. My thighs burned and trembled as I crawled along a large limb, hanging on for dear life. Clueless as to how to get out of this hairy predicament, I stared as the wolves circled the tree base.
There was no way out and, for the first time in my life, I contemplated giving up. The largest of the pack, a midnight-black wolf with red highlights running through its fur, shook violently before transforming into the largest man I've ever seen. His golden-tanned skin was slick with sweat. His wild, midnight-black hair cascaded down his back as he stood with arms akimbo, looking up at me.
“Fae-witch, we mean you no harm,” his voice rumbled.
Squeezing my thighs tighter around the branch, I almost groaned from the effort it took to stay put. “If that’s the case, why were you chasing me through a forest with your pack of merry wolf-shifters?”
His sea-green eyes narrowed. “You ran. Never run from shifters. It’s an invitation to chase.”
“Yeah, okay,” I responded sarcastically.
“I don't have much time, Stormy. Please come down.”
My palms slipped, causing my chest to bang against the branch painfully. “Ouch! That really hurt.” This wasn't right. You weren't supposed to feel pain in a dream. I looked down. The other four wolves were now transformed into men and staring at me impatiently.
“Stormy Credence, descendant of Solista Credence, I am Tiber Alfero. Alpha of the Alfero pack. Bearer of the Sword of Souls.”
Holy shit, this was real. He lived centuries before I was born. His history entwined with the Credence bloodline. It was like history leaping off the pages, but in a very bad way. “How?” My stomach was a queasy, churning mess. “Why?”
“Believe me, that is irrelevant right now.” He nodded to one of the men. “Get her down before she breaks her damn neck.”
My eyes widened as the man gripped the tree, proceeding to scale it easily. I sighed heavily, not bothering to panic. They could have killed me long ago if that's what they wanted. The man reached the branch, looking at me with weird gold eyes. “Hand, Fae-witch,” he demanded gruffly.
I couldn't get down on my own. Hell, I didn't even know how I managed to get up here. I wasn't that athletic. Grabbing his hand quickly, our palms touched, my soft palms gliding against his callused ones before I was effortlessly slung over his broad shoulder as he scaled down the tree without breaking a sweat. Hopping onto the mossy ground, he righted me with surprising gentleness, bowing his head respectfully before stepping back while Tiber and I stared at each other silently. So this was the infamous Tiber who went down in history as the most ruthless wolf-shifter who ever lived. He was also known as a notorious womanizer, who strung my great-grandmother around for years. I tried not to look below his waist, but it was very hard and he knew it by the smirk on his face.
“Remarkable. You look just like her,” Tiber said.
“So I've been told.” I paused, licking my lips nervously. “Tiber. Alpha. Look, this whole thing is really freaking me out.” I looked around the eerie dark forest anxiously. “What is this place?”
“The realm between the human realm and the Other realm. They granted me the gift of bringing you here.”
“And who are they?”
He looked at me impatiently. “Your ancestors. The Fae.”
“No disrespect, Tiber, but the only thing the Fae gave my family is a really bad reputation.” My jaw tightened. “A reputation that even you didn't want anything to do with.” I scowled. “I know my history, so I know that you turned your back on Solista when she needed you.”
He flinched, widening his stance. “A mistake that I paid for… threefold.”
I crossed my arms, not giving an inch. “All your issues and all your mistakes. So, if you want forgiveness, you won't get it from me.” I looked over at his pack and then back at him. “Besides, shouldn't you be contacting your own bloodline? Your grandson Ryker, he's pack Alpha. So, if there are issues that involve your bloodline, then you should get him to resolve it. Not me.”
“Ryker does not have the Fae power.” He stepped closer. “You and Light are the bond that ties us together.”
I arched a brow. “There's no bond, Tiber. Trust me on this.”
He looked over his shoulder sharply, then looked back at me worriedly. “I have sacrificed a lot for the chance to speak with you, Stormy. The sacrifice was great, but this message I bring to you is very important.” I tried to interrupt, but he cut me off briskly. “And it doesn't only involve the survival of my bloodline—but yours too. Listen to me very closely. There are those that work to destroy all the Others under the pretense of cleansing the world of what they deem as a blight of nature.”
Humans. I shook my head with disappointment. There were a few humans who knew about the existence of the Others and viewed us as unnatural. But to actually be successful in wiping us out, that would be simply impossible.
I scoffed. “No offense, but humans don’t have the power or resources to eliminate the Others.” It was ridiculous to think otherwise. Besides, those that came out publicly with our existence were deemed crazy.
He shook his head. “Not humans, Shadows devoted to the legacy of the Fae and obsessed with creating a new race of Fae using the Credence bloodline.”
My mouth dropped open in shock. Oh damn, this wasn't good. Just like I thought, Solista wasn't as insane as the family thought.
He continued. “Our bond is the only thing that prevents this destruction from happening. Use it wisely.”
One of his men said, “Tiber… they’re closing the doorway. We must leave.” Tiber reached forward, touching my shoulder. “He loves you very much, Stormy. Do not let ignorance or fear keep you from moving forward. The Credence Curse has no legs if y
ou cut them off. A lesson I didn’t learn until it was too late.” He turned abruptly on his heels, following his men into the thick woods.
I tried to follow, but my legs felt like they were wading through water, too slow to follow. Tiber looked back over his shoulder before completely disappearing into thin air. A heavy weight slammed into my chest, shoving me back. Then I was engulfed into total blackness before I jolted awake, lying tangled in the sheets, sweating profusely. Staring at the ceiling, I tried to clear my sleep-fogged brain when I felt the tingling sensation across my hands. Scrambling to my knees, I stared at the redness of my palms, a wicked reminder it was not a damn dream.
Easing back on my heels, I just sat there, blinking at the bright morning sunlight streaming across the bedroom. My mind raced with all of the possibilities that the appearance of Tiber signified… like me getting Fae powers I didn’t want. It would just be another burden to carry, and I had enough with the Credence Curse looming over me like the Grim Reaper. And God help everyone when Light finds out that she's doomed to get Fae powers too. She could barely cope with her minor empath affliction. I dropped my head in my hands. Damn, she's going to freak.
The buzzing of my cell interrupted my slow slide into depression. Digging under the sheets, I reached for my cell, hoping it was Knox, who was going get his ass chewed out for not returning last night like he promised.
I looked at the number. Nope. It wasn't him. “Yes?”
“Didn't I warn you to stay away from him?”
My back instantly straightened. “How the hell did you get my number, Luke?”
“Believe me, I have my ways,” he spat.
I rolled my eyes. “Okay, look, whatever. Lose my number, psycho.” I was about to hang up when he continued his lunatic ranting.
“What's with you Credence women? Why do you insist on whoring yourself to humans?” He laughed hysterically. “For the life of me, I can't understand why you Credence women insist on polluting the Credence bloodline with inferior human genes.”
