Sanctuary at Midnight

by Helen Scott

  Slowly, he inserted two fingers while his thumb found her knot of pleasure. The thrusting and circling of his fingers and thumb had her trembling in no time. She must have been close when he first came in to be so close to the edge of her orgasm already.

  As he felt her inner walls clenching, he pulled his fingers out. “I want you to come on my cock,” he growled at her. He knew she would obey him, at least when it came to this, and that was all he really cared about.

  His hands scooped under her thighs and pulled her up so that her legs wrapped around his hips, while the head of his dick nudged against her hot folds. He eased into her heat and couldn’t stop the groan that left him as he sheathed himself fully inside her.

  He didn’t move, not an inch. This wasn’t about his pleasure, at least not yet. In that moment, all he wanted to do was make her break apart with pleasure as she had done the night before. As he eased his chest back, he slipped a hand between them while his other hand held both her ankles in place behind him. He was just able to reach his thumb down to where they were joined, where he circled her clit over and over again. Occasionally he passed directly over it, but she didn’t seem to like that as much, so he focused on the circles.

  Valentina’s body began to shake and quiver in his arms as he kept repeating the motion. Her hands came up and found her breasts, rolling her nipples between her fingertips. If that wasn’t one of the sexiest things he’d ever seen, then he didn’t know what was. The simple fact that she was a participant, that she was visibly enjoying herself, was an aphrodisiac all in itself.

  Without warning, her pussy contracted around his cock, squeezing it hard as the orgasm flooded through her. She yelled out her pleasure, the sound turning into the kind of growl that could only come from a big cat. Her hips bucked against his own, thrusting him even deeper inside her while her body spasmed.

  After a few moments, the pulsing sensation around his manhood eased, letting him know that the orgasm was subsiding. Gently, he kissed her neck, nibbling on her earlobes and moving up and down the elegant column of her throat.

  “Elijah.” She sighed as her eyes flickered open once more.

  “Yes, kitten?”

  “Fuck me, please.”

  “Only because you asked so nicely.” He nipped the tip of her nose and felt the smile on her face before he saw it.

  As he moved his hands to more firmly support her, he withdrew his cock until just the head remained inside her. The air was cold in comparison to the heat of her core.

  He began to move then, his fingers digging into the soft flesh of her generous ass while his cock pumped in and out of her. Valentina’s breath came in short sharp gasps while the water sluiced around them.

  “Fuck, kitten. You’re still so tight.” It was like her pussy wanted to grab hold of him and not let go, not that he wanted to leave. She felt incredible around him, and not just her pussy, but her ass spilling out of his hands, her breasts shimmying back and forth against his chest while her warm breath tickled his neck. It was all too much for one woman to have.

  Her hands were wrapped around his shoulders as she held on to him, and as he sped up, her fingernails dug into his flesh in a way that had him pounding into her even harder. He loved that she liked it rough.

  The sounds escaping her were too much for him, though, and if she kept it up, he wouldn’t last more than a minute, so he released one of her legs, keeping her pinned to the wall while she found her footing, and then he began to pump into her again.

  The angle change had her core wrapping even tighter around his cock, and he knew he couldn’t last. His free hand cupped her breast, squeezing and pinching at her nipple while his head dropped to her shoulder. Her moans were right in his ear then, and he knew he had made a mistake.

  “I can’t last with you making noises like that, kitten,” he said, grunting the words through his clenched teeth.

  A smile spread over her face, and she kissed him, her tongue sweeping into his mouth a few times before she pulled away and sucked on his earlobe. He groaned in pleasure as she held on with her teeth while he thrust into her over and over again. After a moment, she released him and whispered in his ear, “Come for me, Elijah.”

  It was as if she’d lit the fuse on a firework. Suddenly, his orgasm was right there, and he couldn’t push it down again. With two more thrusts, he was spilling himself into her, his cock jerking wildly inside her while she moaned in his ear. This was heaven. It had to be.

  He eased out of her, immediately regretting the decision. Valentina smiled lazily up at him as he released her other leg so she was standing on her own.

  “Soap?” he asked.

  She gestured to the purple poof and matching bottle next to it. He squeezed a little onto the poof and began to lather it under the warm water. Once it was nice and soapy, he began to wash her body. It didn’t matter to him that she might have already done that before he came in; what mattered was that he showed her he respected her body as much as her mind. He wanted her to know through his actions that this wasn’t just a mindless fuck. The craving he had for her had only intensified, and, if he was honest with himself, he wasn’t sure it was ever going to go away.

  White bubbles covered her warm, amber skin, and the light lavender and floral scent he’d picked up on when he’d first woken up filled the space around them.

  Once she was completely covered in bubbles, she took the poof from his hand and began soaping his body in a similar fashion. They were both silent as they cleaned each other’s bodies, but the gentle touches and glances spoke more than either of them needed to say out loud.

  They finished up in the shower, and it was only when they exited that he realized he had no clothes to put on, at least, not without wandering through the halls in a towel, so he sat on the edge of her bed in a fluffy cream towel and watched her dress.

  Lacy polka-dot panties and a matching bra went on and were covered by a pair of skinny jeans, a T-shirt, and a blue and purple sweater. There was something so intimate about watching her go about her normal routine, and it fascinated him. He wanted to watch this over and over again.

  When she turned and looked at him, he noticed that the color of the sweater brought out the rose color of her lips and accentuated the blush appearing on her cheeks. He could tell that her hair would have a natural wave to it if she let it air dry, and he was willing to bet she looked even more stunning with that little bit of texture in her hair.

  “What?” she asked, completely unaware of how much he was drawn to her.

  “Just watching.” He shrugged.

  “We should get to work. If we don’t figure this thing out by the end of the day tomorrow, I’m going to have to leave it up to you. The director of Wardens of the Heart can’t just disappear for days at a time.” She paused, assessing him. “Aren’t you going to get dressed?”

  “I can, if you’re okay with me walking through your house in a towel? Also, can we talk about the shifting with clothing at some point? Sometimes it comes back, sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes mud and blood come back when they shouldn’t. What’s going on with that?”

  “Shifting with clothes has to be a conscious thing. You have to think about it when you shift into your animal and when you shift back to human. Don’t ask me why. I don’t know. Some people are better at it than others. As for the mud and blood? Sometimes what we do as humans sticks to our animal selves, and vice versa. There isn’t really science behind it, or at least, none that the clans have been able to figure out, not that they’ve put a lot of resources into it. It’s magic—that’s all there is to it.”

  “Magic? So, you don’t just consider yourselves a different species?”

  “We. You’re one of us now, remember? And yes, in a way, but magic exists in the world, which is something you will come to understand with time. Now, let’s go find your room.”

  She turned and walked out, leaving him trailing after her with just his towel. Almost as soon as they were a good distance away from h
er bedroom door, Kinsley crossed their path. The redhead was engrossed in a book and hadn’t noticed either of them, so he wasn’t worried, but the last thing he expected was for Valentina to get the other woman’s attention.

  Chapter 15

  “Kins,” Valentina called out to her friend, her voice louder than it would normally be since there was a book in front of Kinsley’s face. The woman was known within the pack for her extreme focus when it came to reading a book. She could tear through one or two books a day because she became completely engrossed in them to the point that she was able to walk around and perform basic tasks, like feeding herself, all while reading. Valentina heard Elijah splutter behind her. Evidently, he was a bit of a prude when it came to nakedness, which amused her greatly.

  “Humm?” A pair of wide hazel eyes found hers, though it took her a second to focus.

  “Kins, we need a favor.” She paused as Kinsley’s eyes traveled over her shoulder to take in the half-naked Elijah who stood behind her. “Can Anthony track a vehicle for us?”

  “Do you have the plate?”

  “No, but we know exactly where and when it was at the start; we just want to find out where it goes after that.”

  “Probably. I’ll call him.”

  “Thanks, sweetheart.” Valentina squeezed the woman’s hand, and they passed by her before she called over her shoulder, “We need it done soon, okay? Like today?”

  “Got it.” A distracted voice came back to them.

  Valentina sighed. She knew that Kinsley had gone back to her book and wouldn’t call Anthony this instant as she wanted, and she knew that she could force the issue, but once her packmate found a stopping point in her book, she’d call. Besides, right now, they needed to get some clothing on Elijah before she ripped that towel off him and rode his cock until he begged her for mercy. The things that man did to her body . . . She’d never felt anything like it, and she wasn’t sure she could just let that go.

  Her stomach growled audibly. They also needed food. The shift and the fight and the sex and the everything that had happened recently had left her and her cat hungry, and she had no doubt that Elijah was hungry, too.

  Finally, they were at the guest room he was using. He ducked inside, and she stayed in the hallway, knowing that if she was in there and he got naked, she wouldn’t be able to stop herself, so it was best to remove the temptation.

  When he came back out in an olive-green mock henley and some tight jeans, she almost drooled. Thankfully, she was able to keep her mouth closed so there was no embarrassing puddle forming on the floor around her.

  Lizzy was downstairs in the kitchen. Valentina had completely lost track of the days and had forgotten that she was coming in to cook for the weekend.

  “Hey, sugar. You hungry?” the other woman asked as they walked in. “And who is this tall glass of water?”

  “Lizzy, Elijah. Elijah, this is our chef, Lizzy.” She gestured between the two of them, making the introduction.

  “Pleasure,” Elijah said in a low voice.

  “Well, aren’t you just a handsome devil. You better watch yourself with this one, Val. He’s got his eye on you.” Lizzy shook the spatula she was holding at Valentina as she spoke.

  “I’ve got my eye on him, don’t worry.” She chuckled.

  “Y’all go through. I’ll whip up some breakfast for you and bring it in.” She turned back to the stove and said over her shoulder, “You must be starved after all that shower business.”

  Valentina froze. She couldn’t have heard them all the way down in the kitchen, could she? Liana or Kinsley must have been gossiping with the other woman. That had to be it.

  Elijah tugged on her hand, and they went through into the sunroom, but the blush wouldn’t recede from her cheeks. She could still feel them burning from Lizzy’s comment.

  “You weren’t that loud,” the panther said, trying to be helpful.

  “I don’t want to talk about it.” If they kept talking about it, she would still be blushing by the time Lizzy brought the food in.

  “Okay, kitten, whatever you say.” He chuckled.

  “Not out here!” she hissed at him. “That is bedroom only.”

  “That implies I will be going back to your bedroom at some point.” He grinned and cocked an eyebrow at her.

  “Stop twisting my words.” Her temper was rising, and that was no good for anyone. Her jaguar was a bitch when she got angry.

  Lizzy appeared then with the food. “Now, now, no temper tantrums when I’ve made some eggs Benedict for you!”

  “Oh, Lizzy!” Valentina’s mood immediately changed. The chef’s eggs Benedict were to die for, and she usually reserved them for special occasions.

  “I thought you and you’re . . . friend might like something nice and filling for breakfast.”

  “Thank you, Lizzy. It looks delicious,” Elijah said gracefully while she was still trying to get out a response.

  “You’re very welcome, my dear. Now, eat up and enjoy.” Just as the chef breezed out of the room, Kinsley came tumbling in, almost running into Lizzy because her nose was still stuck in her book. “Watch yourself, Kins!”

  “Sorry, Lizzy,” she muttered as she sat down with Valentina and Elijah, regretfully putting a bookmark in her book to hold her place while she dug out her phone. Her clear hazel eyes looked at Valentina and then at the plate.

  “Don’t even think about it.” She picked up her knife and fork and held them protectively around her food. “I’m sure if you ask nicely, Lizzy will make you some.”

  She grumbled something under her breath too quietly for even Valentina to hear, and she had excellent hearing even in human form. Sighing, she continued. “Tony will be over shortly to help you with whatever it is you need about that car. He’s bringing his gear, so he should be able to get it done for you while he’s here without having to go home and work.”

  “Thanks, Kins.”

  “No prob, Bob,” she said as she stood, grabbing her book and eagerly opening it to the marker she had placed in not two minutes before as she walked away.

  They had finished eating when her phone buzzed. It was a text from Kinsley that simply read, “He’s here.” A few moments later, they were standing in the great room. The cathedral ceilings with their giant curved wooden beams combined with the wall of windows made this a favorite meeting place for everyone in the house. It didn’t hurt that there was no question that it was the great room. With its stately elegance and multiple fireplaces, it didn’t get much greater than that.

  The man they were looking for was standing in front of the windows just far back enough so that he was in the sitting area, but his gaze was focused on the grounds outside. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with an all-American look about him. His dark blond hair was paired with the most piercing blue eyes she’d ever seen on a man, and he completed the look with a closely trimmed goatee. He looked half country music star and half corporate climber with his snug-fitting jeans and a button-up undone at the neck and partway down his chest.

  “Anthony!” Valentina called, happy to see a friend of the pack.

  “Hey, lady, long time no see.” He grinned and swept her up into a bear hug, spinning her around once before setting her down again. “Who’s your friend?”

  “Anthony, this is Elijah. He is the reason we need your help. Elijah, this is Anthony, a good friend to Midnight.” As she turned to look at Elijah, her smile died on her face. The glare he was giving the other man was ice cold.

  “So, you’re the troublemaker, huh?” Anthony smiled and extended his hand.

  Elijah shook it, but there was a heaviness in the air that made her think there was a subtext she was missing. Or not, as she glanced down at the white-knuckle grip they had on each other’s hands. She should have known it would turn into a pissing contest.

  “I see you brought your gear,” she said, trying to distract them both and prevent them from crushing each other’s hands.

  “Yeah.” Anthony extract
ed his hand from Elijah’s and shot Valentina a questioning glance. “Kins said you needed this done quickly.”

  As he bent over to unpack some of his nondescript black bags, Valentina glared at Elijah. He had no right to throw the dominant male card around. That was some bullshit she would not put up with. When Elijah just stared at her, she turned back to Anthony. “If you can, that would be great.”

  A laptop quickly appeared, as well as a heavy-duty power cord and a smaller black box, which was a mystery to her. “You’re trying to track a vehicle, right?”

  “Yes. We know where and when it was, but we don’t have the plate or VIN or anything like that.”

  “Shouldn’t be a problem,” the burly man said as he sat on the couch.

  She plopped down next to him, leaving Elijah to decide what to do for himself. If he was going to act like a jerk, then he could sit all by himself.

  “Where was the vehicle?” Anthony asked after pulling up a number of different complicated-looking windows.

  “Outside Pale Moon Light on Grove Hill Road.”

  “How long ago are we talking?”

  “Two weeks ago, on Friday,” she said, feeling Elijah’s eyes on her the whole time.

  “It might take a while to go that far back.”

  Valentina watched as Anthony pulled up a list of IP addresses and went into a variety of security cameras until he found one that was somewhat pointing at the front of the bar. When her panther got up and started pacing in front of them, she could feel the tension radiating off him. Leaving Anthony to do his thing, she stood and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows where she could look out over a small but important section of her territory.

  This was the heart of her pack, of the area she had claimed, and now she felt as though it were under attack. It didn’t help matters that the High Clan would tear Midnight apart if they felt she couldn’t hold the land, if Traders and Reapers came in and took it over.

  There was much more to this than Elijah realized. Anthony, on the other hand, was a true blood shifter and knew exactly what was at stake. It was hard for people who were turned, who were new to the world of the supernatural, to understand the nuances, or how sometimes everything could hang by a thread. She had fought for this territory tooth and claw, and she’d fight like hell to keep it.