by Aubrey Ross
“He transitioned just as he came.”
“When did he initiate your telepathic link?”
She stiffened, wishing she could see his face. “You could hear us?”
“No. I sensed communication, but chose not to intrude.”
He withdrew his fingers and she shivered. Her body was ripe and ready for whatever he had to give, so why was he pulling away? She glanced back at him, but all she could see was his shoulder and part of his chest.
Uncertainty gripped her heart as silence descended. What was he thinking? Why had he stopped touching her? “If we’re finished, will you please unfasten my hands?”
“Maybe I want you to suck me off. Daniel sure as hell enjoyed it.”
Could a Dichotomy be jealous of their other half? He’d been angry and suspicious of Daniel. Why not jealous? “Won’t that initiate the bond?”
“I thought this was what you wanted?”
Menace made his tone harsh, but she couldn’t help but smile. It would take more than a blowjob to rattle her cage. “Would you like me on my knees or shall we lie down on the bed?”
Much to her disappointment, if not her surprise, he unfastened one of her wrists and crossed to the windows without another word. She sighed and rolled to her bottom so she could unbuckle her ankles and her other wrist.
He stared out into the twilight, his chiseled profile expressionless. Daniel had called him the most obstinate man on the planet and she was starting to believe it. She set the restraints aside and pushed to her feet.
“Daniel said he didn’t want to lose me again.” She took her bathrobe off the back of her door and slipped into the calf-length garment. “What did he mean?”
“When the council suggested Denise as our mate Daniel wanted to refuse.”
“The council doesn’t make suggestions. They issue commands.”
He turned and leaned back against the windowsill. “That didn’t keep Daniel from objecting.”
“Didn’t he like Denise? She seemed a bit stuffy, but her pedigree was flawless.”
“Regardless of her ‘superior genetics’, Denise was not the only one to whom we felt the pull.”
Her heart fluttered and she tucked her hands into the pockets of her robe. Daniel had admitted that they were attracted to her even before they married Denise. She hadn’t expected Leos to admit it as well, at least not yet. “I thought the Dichotomy could only have one true mate.”
“That’s usually how it works, but occasionally we’re drawn to more than one person. It’s a fork in the proverbial road. Once the soul bound is formed, however, our attraction to the other person lessens. Or at least it’s supposed to.”
Disappointment sliced through her hope. Daniel might have wanted her more than Denise, but she was obviously Leo’s second choice. “I understand why you chose Denise. She had a lot more to offer than I did.”
He shook his head, his gaze boring into hers. “I knew my mate would die and I didn’t want it to be you.”
Staggered by his softly spoken revelation, she just stared at him in silence. He turned back to the window as she sorted through the implications. Leos had prophetic dreams. They were infrequent and often confusing, but the events they revealed had never been wrong.
“We did everything in our power to protect her.” Anguish bled through his tone and paralyzed his features. “I knew she was in danger, but the fucking dream didn’t show me how she died.”
“A paid assassin lured you away and then set her house on fire.” She moved closer, needing to touch him, yet unsure how he would react. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“That’s what everyone told my father after my mother died.”
The sudden subject change made her wary. What did one have to do with the other? Adele Burton had died long before Nicole was born. Nicole knew little more than her name. “Was everyone wrong?”
“The most vivid memory I have of my mother was walking into my father’s study and finding her body. I was nine.”
Unable to resist the urge any longer, she wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”
He remained stiff and still, but allowed the embrace. “Father blamed her death on a prowler, but I knew the truth. One of his enemies sent him a message he couldn’t misunderstand.”
The Burtons headed the oldest Dichotomy clan. His great-grandfather had assembled the first elder council and a member of his family had served as chairman ever since. Many of the council’s decisions were unpopular, especially with the ones who broke Dichotomy law.
“And you’re the current director, so you’ve inherited your father’s enemies. Is that what’s holding you back from me?”
He turned in her arms and his expression came back to life. “I will not put you in danger, even if it means living without you.” He pressed his hand against her cheek and traced her lips with his thumb.
“Your father learned to love again or are you saying he didn’t really love my grandmother. They had a son together. They had to have been soul bonded.”
“He deserved a second chance.”
“And you don’t?” She raised her hand to his face, mirroring his caress. “Why would you think that?”
He caught her wrist and pulled her fingers away from his face. “Don’t you see? I let her die. I knew it would happen and I married her anyway.”
“Did you tell her about the dream?”
“Of course. I told everyone.”
“They didn’t believe you?”
“My brothers did. She thought I was being melodramatic.” He released her hand and hugged her to his chest.
Thrilled by the unexpected embrace, she wrapped her arms around him and savored his warmth. “Have you dreamed about me?”
“More than you could possibly imagine.”
She smiled against his chest, but challenged the evasion. “You know what I mean.”
“It’s more like trepidation. I haven’t actually had a specific dream.”
“Well, if you do, I’ll believe every word.” She pushed back just far enough so she could see his face. “Life never comes with guarantees. I could be hit by a car tomorrow or find out I have cancer. I’m willing to risk the danger if it means being with you.”
Chapter Five
Leos stared into Nicole’s eyes, his heart thudding madly. Her expression was open and affection warmed her gaze. After six long years of guilt and grief, the past began to shrivel and fade into the shadows where it belonged. He would never forget those he’d lost, but he would no longer be controlled by the memories.
He framed her face with his hands and brushed his lips over hers. “If we’re going to do this, we’ll spend the next week in bed constructing the strongest damn soul bond this world has ever seen.”
“You’ll get no argument from me.”
“Then let’s start by expanding your telepathic link. It happens naturally as part of the soul bond, but I’d rather be connected to you now.”
“I’m yours to command.” Her dreamy smile sent desire stabbing through him. He lowered his face and she opened at the first brush of his tongue. Willing and eager, she returned his kiss. Their mouths moved and clung. His arm circled her waist, pressing her against him as the kiss gradually deepened.
He was met with instinctive resistance as he pushed into her mind. Relax, love. You’ve already done this with Daniel.
This feels different. You’re a lot stronger than he is.
The link he created was temporary, but it’s basically the same.
She relaxed and his probe penetrated farther. He meticulously constructed the link, surrounding the connection with layer upon layer of shielding.
Her hands began to wander, pulling up his shirt and exploring his back. Desire rippled across the link and he shivered. Mission accomplished. He eased out of her mind and savored her soft mouth for a moment before breaking off the kiss.
She unbuttoned his shirt and pushed the crisp material off his shoulders, her fingers moving
with quick dexterity. “I want you naked.” He tugged his undershirt off over his head as she went to work on his pants. “I’ll go back into restraints if you want me to, but please let me touch you first.”
Despite her offer, she didn’t wait for permission. Her busy fingers slipped inside his underwear and curled around his cock. She wrapped him in a firm fist as her lips peppered kisses across his chest. His pants remained forgotten at mid-thigh as she focused entirely on touching him. Not bothering to hide his smile, he kicked off his shoes and finished undressing.
He used a mental pulse to unfasten the belt securing her bathrobe. She gasped and looked down. “How did you do that?”
“Like this.” A slightly stronger pulse peeled the robe down her arms.
“You’re telekinetic.” She sounded amazed. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
“I’ll give you a full inventory of all our abilities after I fuck you senseless.” Now that his determination to resist her was gone, hunger rushed through him with frantic insistence. He wanted to touch and taste and take her all at the same time. He leaned down and swept her into his arms. “I want this to be a true joining.”
“So do I.”
“Then we need to wait for Daniel.”
She covered her face and groaned. “I’ll never make it that long.”
“We can pleasure each other, but we need to save the actual joining until we’re all together.”
“You better put me back in restraints. I’m liable to attack.” The mischievous gleam in her eyes hinted at other motivations for the suggestion.
He sat her in the middle of the bed and retrieved the wrist cuffs from the floor. “I think you like being restrained.”
“Does that surprise you?” She held out her hands expectantly.
“Not at all.” He fastened the cuffs and she spread out on her back, raising her arms above her head. She had been fashioned by fate to fulfill them and they had been created for her. The ease with which she accepted even his darkest desire only proved that she was their mate. “Bend your knees and bring your feet together.”
He picked up the ankle cuffs as she obeyed. The position spread her legs wide, opening her pussy for his gaze and his touch. After securing her feet, he caressed his way up her inner thighs. Her breath hitched and she fidgeted as his fingers moved ever closer to their target.
“I thought we’d take turns—” he traced her slit with two fingers, fascinated by her soft pink flesh and the needful sounds she made in the back of her throat “—but I think you’ll like this even better.”
Crawling onto the bed, he carefully straddled her face, placing one knee on either side of her upraised arms. She licked her lips, obviously understanding his intention. Her tongue snaked out to welcome him inside. He slid slowly in and out of her mouth, enjoying the silken heat and the gentle friction.
He settled into a gentle rhythm as he moved farther down. Pushing his arms under her hips, he grasped her inner thighs and lowered his head between her legs. She arched into his kiss, anxious for the first brush of his lips or tongue. He played through her delicate folds for a moment before venturing into her feminine core.
His tongue moved with the same leisurely cadence as his cock. He inhaled her scent and swallowed her taste, determined to make this last. She swirled her tongue around his cock head and sucked hard enough to make him moan.
Centering his mouth over her clit, he took her between his lips and returned the favor. She shuddered, crying out around his shaft. Pleasure rolled across their link, spiking his arousal and shattering his control.
He came in hot, rhythmic jets, helpless to resist the combined stimulation. She sucked and swallowed, licking his shaft until the last spasm passed. He was just as persistent in his attention, flicking and rubbing to prolong her pleasure.
Finally satisfied that he had drawn the last tingle from her body, he rolled to her side.
Nicole smiled into the darkness. The sun had set completely while they enjoyed each other. She was naked, bound hand and foot, yet she had never felt so secure. “So, what other abilities do you have?”
“All Dichotomies are telepathic. My telekinetic ability is considered moderate and I find it far less useful than you would think. I’m a pretty strong scanner, but I’ve never been comfortable using the gift.”
“Scanning? Like ferreting out information in someone else’s mind?”
“Basically. I don’t mind exposing people when they’re lying through their teeth, but I have to have a damned good reason to invade their privacy.”
She didn’t mention his prophetic dreams. The ability had brought him nothing but pain. “Does Daniel have the same skill set?”
“Most day-dwellers have little or no abilities and many of us are unable to use our abilities during transition.”
“Why is that?”
“Our energy is literally divided in half. That’s bound to disrupt a few circuits.”
She was quiet for a few minutes as she absorbed the new information.
He propped his head on his hand and studied her face. “What else did Daniel stuff in that gym bag?”
“How did you know about that?”
“I saw it on the floor.” He touched the wrist cuffs with a lazy smile. “And these look suspiciously familiar.”
“I don’t know what else he brought. We were rudely interrupted.”
“I thought he was going to start without me.”
“You should know him better than that.”
“I do. I just have a hard time thinking clearly when you’re involved.” After pausing for a gentle kiss, he crawled off the side of the bed. He placed the bag on the bed and rummaged through its contents.
“What else is in there?”
“He did good.”
“That didn’t answer the question.”
“I know.”
She heard a package tearing, but he kept his hands inside the bag. “What are you doing?”
“Getting ready to get you ready. Can you turn over or do you need my help?”
She rolled to her side and then her stomach before scooting back to the center of the bed. “Like this?”
“Now pull your legs up under you.”
With a bit of wiggling, she achieved the desired position. Her butt was thrust in the air, so his purpose was really no mystery. If they didn’t prepare her for penetration, it would hurt like hell. She thought about how wide she’d had to open her mouth to get him inside and a shiver sped down her spine.
He stroked from the nape of her neck to the small of her back. “You really do have an amazing ass.” His fingers trailed over one cheek and then the other. “I’ve wanted to touch you like this since you pranced up the stairs in those skintight jeans.”
“I don’t prance,” she objected.
“But you bought those jeans to make sure I paid attention.”
“Absolutely.”
His fingers dipped between her legs and brushed across her pussy. “This position offers all sorts of possibilities.” He circled her clit to illustrate his claim.
She closed her eyes and concentrated on his touch. He continued to tease her nub while his other hand returned to her bottom. His fingers traced her crack, skimming over her sensitive rear opening with each light pass.
“Have you ever worn a butt plug?” She shook her head. “Would you like to see this one before I put it inside you?”
“I think I’ll pass.”
“Okay. Don’t tense up. This won’t hurt, I promise.”
Something cool and smooth nudged her back entrance. She consciously released the tension in her muscles and drew in a slow, deep breath. His fingers gently rolled her clit as he pushed the toy inside. Pressure expanded as the plug invaded her passage. It felt odd, yet undeniably arousing. Her sphincter settled into the notch designed to anchor the device and she exhaled.
“See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” The bed swayed as he joined her on the mattress. “I can’t get enough of you.” His fa
ce pressed against the back of her thighs and his tongue pushed into her core. Her inner muscles clenched, accentuating the alien pressure lodged inside her. He caressed her swollen clit with his tongue while he slowly spun the butt plug. Tingles erupted in unusual places. Her nipples rasped against the quilt and she pressed herself against his mouth. “Come, love. I want to feel the spasms against my lips.”
Tension gathered tighter and tighter, but she couldn’t find release. His patient strokes became persistent flicks and she still couldn’t come. “I can’t.”
He didn’t argue or give up. With a feral growl, he thrust his tongue into her core and used his fingers on her clit. She clutched the quilt and tried to relax the cramping muscles in her stomach. He spun the butt plug then slowly pulled it out.
Pleasure rushed through her and poured out of her, the orgasm different than anything she’d experienced before. She shook violently, the bed muffling her scream. He pushed the plug back into place as she whimpered helplessly.
“We don’t have anything to worry about. Your body already knows what to do.”
* * *
Daniel was drawn from sleep state by scalding waves of unrelenting desire. He struggled to the surface and felt his body coalesce as erotic images flooded his mind. He waited for the bitter slap of Leos’s anger, but all he sensed was longing and impatience.
Nicole stood beside the bed, naked and flushed from a recent orgasm. “You two have been busy while I slept,” he muttered. “You weren’t supposed to start without me.”
“We didn’t.” She smiled and his heart turned over in his chest. “We both knew this wouldn’t be right without you.”
He looked at Leos as hope wrestled with uncertainty. “Is this for real? You’re ready to let it go?”
“It’s about time. Don’t you think?” A smile teased at the corners of Leos’s mouth.
“Way past time, if you ask me.”
“I didn’t ask you.” Leos walked past him and pulled Nicole into his arms. “If he’s going to stand there like a fool, I guess I’ll have to show him how it’s done.”
Jarred from his stupor by his brother’s teasing words, Daniel pressed himself against her back and buried his face in her hair. “I have waited so long for this.” Leos turned her around and she wrapped her arms around Daniel’s neck. “You’re sure this is what you want?”
