by Dane, Lauren
“We’ve competed at everything I can remember since we were little kids. Never in a mean-spirited way. I’ve always felt that we push each other to be our best. Sometimes we manage to do it right.”
“You and I are going to have to discuss this guilt you seem to carry over things you can’t possibly really be guilty for. After.”
His annoyance at her self-blame dissolved like smoke as he took her in. Long and lean, fit. Layers of muscle defined her upper arms. Her tits were freaking magnificent in a barely there wisp of a pale blue bra.
“I don’t say a lot, but fifty thousand pages of poetry could be written about you.”
The harsher edges of need on her features eased into a flattered smile. And a blush.
“Do you know I can smell you when you blush?” He slid his thumbs over her nipples through the bra and she arched into his touch.
“Huh?”
He popped the hooks at the back and removed the bra, exposing all that glorious tawny skin to his gaze. “Am I distracting you?” He gently laid her back on the bed, pulling the soft pants from her long-as-sin legs. Her panties were in the boy-short style, accentuating her belly and thighs and most likely her ass.
But she’d have to stand up for him to see and he didn’t want that. Not right then. He pulled her underpants from her, leaving her totally naked.
“When you blush it heats your skin and your scent rises. I’ve never smelled anything like you before. Your magick smells like snowflakes and pomegranate. And sex. Heaven help me, when you heat up my beast wants to drop to his knees and worship you.”
“Wow, you’re lethal with your mouth.”
He laughed, loving the way her gaze never left his hands at his waistband as he unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans and shimmied from them and his shorts.
“I haven’t even begun to show you just how talented I am with my mouth.”
She sucked in a breath. “I can’t wait.”
Helena knew, somewhere in the back of her mind, the place she was actively ignoring, that having sex with Faine was a monumentally bad idea.
But he was too much. Big and tall, broad shouldered. Covered in ink and muscles and tight skin. She sighed happily as she took him in. He smiled, knowing she was objectifying him. Totally digging it, and who was she to judge? The way his gaze ate up every bit of her body thrilled her to her toes.
He kissed her slow and deep, his lips were sure and gentle. At first. But once he lay against her, skin to skin, he hissed as she arched. His skin was hot, nearly scalding hers, and yet she couldn’t get more. Her magick seemed to wake and radiate outward in a way that left her dizzy.
And that gentle, sure kiss deepened. He’d teased her mouth open but now he took. Demanded more as his tongue slid into her mouth, sliding against hers. She held on, her nails digging into the skin of his back, urging him closer.
He growled. Like, really growled. His beast making itself known, and she hadn’t had any idea how much she’d like it.
But she really, really liked it. There was something dangerous about what lurked just beneath the smooth, debonair surface of this male. That she had no fear at all he’d ever use it to harm her was . . . interesting to say the least.
He’d made the comment that she knew they’d have awesome sexytimes and he’d been right. She’d had the feeling it would be combustible. But this was something else. The way not only her body reacted, but her magick rose to meld with his, wasn’t something she’d experienced before.
His mouth left hers, cruising down her jaw, pausing at the hollow of her throat, licking over the skin there until she made a sound she had no idea she could make.
More kisses. Down over each breast, down her belly, those big hands pressed her thighs wide open and he took a long lick. And then another. Over and over and he did, indeed, show her just how talented he was with his mouth.
Twice.
She was still shaking with her second climax when he slid the head of his cock through her and then barely inside.
Her lethargy was replaced by renewed need.
“More.” She rolled her hips, taking a bit more of him.
“I’m trying to take it slow, but you’re making it hard.”
She laughed, opening her eyes so she could look up at him.
“What are you laughing at?”
“I’m supposed to make it hard. That’s the point.”
He got it, laughing, bending to kiss her quickly. “Funny.”
“You can tell if I’m, um, fertile and stuff, right? Lark said you guys have some sort of Spidey-sense about that.”
“Spidey-sense? Like the comic book?” He shook his head. “You’re very fertile. So fertile it’s a struggle not to sniff you all the time. But you’re not in a time of your cycle when you can get pregnant.”
“This is a weird conversation. Fuck me instead.”
He grinned and pressed all the way inside until she gave him a low moan. “Your wish is mine to make a reality.”
He really was good with words.
But even better with his body.
She wrapped her thighs around his waist and grabbed two handfuls of his rock-hard ass and held on as he kept his thrusts deep and slow. She tried to speed him up, but he simply gave her a raised brow and did exactly what he wanted.
She’d probably never admit it out loud, but it was hot when he was that way.
Time seemed to stretch until there was nothing but the feel of him inside her, his weight against her, the scent of his skin, of clean sweat and sex. There was only Faine and Helena, and she liked that more than she wanted to really think on deeply.
“I think I’m ready,” he murmured as he began to speed up. He changed his angle and suddenly each thrust brushed the length of his cock over her clit and built her up again until she came once more, so hard her teeth tingled. He snarled and followed, capturing her mouth as he climaxed with a long groan.
Wow seemed totally redundant, but she found herself sighing it as he pulled her close, burying his face in her hair. She felt the curve of his lips against her neck as he smiled.
“Indeed.”
• • •
MOLLY tapped on her door a few minutes later and Helena was glad she’d had the time to get dressed again. Though Faine still lounged in her bed and seemed to have no intention of moving.
Not that she had any complaints about all that gorgeous and naked. Damn.
Helena opened the door, smiling when she saw Molly.
She moved into the hall, closing the door in her wake, but Molly’s facial expression told her she’d seen Faine in bed.
“Well now. How are you feeling?”
Helena couldn’t help it, she laughed. “Um, better. What’s up?”
“I’m just letting you know I’ve done a call in to a national news show. It’ll air during their breaking news spots and later this evening on the evening news cycle. They’ve asked me in for a face-to-face interview but Gage said no.”
Helena nodded. “Smart man you’ve got there. Molly, they’re trying to kill you. Let’s not give them any chances. At least not any more today.”
“I know. Would it be all right if they sent a camera crew here? I feel like we need to respond to this and if we don’t, the vacuum is filled by others like PURITY.”
“Are those assholes claiming responsibility?”
“No. They’re saying we did it to harm the human protesters.”
“What?”
“Come on. Let me get you up to date on everything that’s happened in the last two hours.”
Helena pulled her hair up into a ponytail as she followed. She did feel better, like the time with Faine had filled her reserves in a way nothing else could have. Sex as a restorative? All righty then.
“Tosh has called, everyone there is okay. They’ve got extra guards on him, Delila
h and Parrish. There are Others who still haven’t come out. They may not at this point given the threats and the holes in capitol security. He appeared on television about half an hour ago and hailed you as a hero for saving all those bystanders.”
“Me?”
Molly turned, taking Helena’s hand. “You. Helena, you risked your life to save hundreds of people. All in full view. This will change a lot of people’s minds about us. You did the right thing even though they’d just been calling out insults and threatening to shoot you in the head. That changes people’s perceptions.”
“Glad my near death can help PR.”
Molly frowned. “I didn’t mean it that way. But the fact is, it did.”
“I know you didn’t. I’m sorry for snapping at you. You should know I’m going to recommend to The Gennessee and Meriel that we end this traveling road show. The security risks are too great and in the end, we endanger even more people. I know you believe in this, but I can’t stand behind it after today.”
Molly nodded. “I understand.” They went into the living room, which had been transformed into a makeshift media room. Laptops sat on multiple surfaces. Caspar stood when she came in and began to clap. People looked up, smiling when they saw her and got up, clapping as well.
Warmth rushed through her. Humility chasing it.
She put a hand up to stop them. “Thank you, all. I appreciate it. But the fact remains that a hole in security created that situation today. And we lost two good people because of that. Each of you did your job and that saved lives. If anyone deserves applause, it’s you all.”
Molly grinned and they sat, Molly continuing to fill her in.
The president had made a statement condemning the bombings. She’d also stated her belief that Others were citizens and had the same rights everyone else had, including the right to address their grievances to their government without being bombed. She called for calm and a cease in the escalation in violence.
“How about she signs an Executive Order saying so?” Helena appreciated the nice statement, but for goodness’ sake, it was time to back that up with the power of the presidency.
“I know. My sources say she’s trying to let this all work out through states and up to her before she does anything like that. She wants to help, but she’s got a big job.”
“Fuck that. If she wanted to help, she’d help. All this talk is getting us killed. We need her to be a leader now.”
Molly nodded. “I agree.”
Tosh had also done a news conference with Parrish Carroll and Delilah Sperry at his side. In it they hailed Helena as a hero who’d selflessly risked her life to save all the people on the steps, including the ones protesting her very existence. The FBI, headed by Anderson’s task force, had issued a brief statement as well, saying preliminary evidence indicated the attack was domestic terrorism a la suicide vests.
PURITY had their own press conference where they accused the Others of the bombings for publicity and to make them look bad. Humans First had been very quiet and it made Helena wonder why.
“You know it has to be one of their people.” Gage came in with Faine—who gave her a smile that made her tingle a little, and handed her a mug before sitting at her side.
“Drink that. Your mother has called twice and forbade us to disturb you, but she said when you were ready you needed to drink as many cups of this tea as you can.”
Oh, he disturbed her all right. But it was too late to run.
Helena just gulped it down, knowing it would taste horrible, but that if her mother said to drink it, she’d better just obey or face Rain’s wrath.
She grimaced and then shuddered. “Not one of her better-tasting mixes, but as she’ll totally make you tell her and she’s quite hard to fib to, you can now give her the truth.” She put the mug down. “I do believe it was Humans First and PURITY behind this. The more I think about the way Lynn Reed was acting in that hearing, the more I’m convinced she knew something was up. In any case, I’ve got to call in to speak with Gennessee. I was just telling Molly that I’m recommending we end this tour. She can do her testimony via video if necessary. And let’s be honest, everyone has said what needs saying. I’m concerned about what’s going on with our own people.”
“Cade left to go deal with the wolves. He said to let you know we had the use of their plane if we needed it.” Gage sat back. Even in the house his gaze was never still, always roving, looking for possible trouble.
“We do. All this moving around exposes us to a threat I simply can’t protect adequately from. Not anymore.”
She’d take Molly back to Seattle and then get down to Los Angeles. She’d probably have to go to a meeting of the Council of Others. She had three messages from them already, but she wanted to check on her people as well.
Chapter 11
THEY got off the plane in Seattle and she smiled at the sight of her sister on the tarmac.
Lark gave her a hug, kissing her cheek. “Hey you.”
“Hey yourself. Thanks for the escort. I’m going to stick around here and catch a ride down south.”
“You’re not.”
Lark and Helena both turned, surprised by Faine’s rumble of disagreement. Simon just burst out laughing.
“I’m not?” Helena gave him a look that would have sent any other person running. But not this giant. No, he just looked back.
“You’re not. You’re going to my house and you’re going to rest for a day and then we will go wherever we’re needed next.”
“You have a house here too?”
“I have multiple houses. It’s a smart thing to have places you can retreat to when necessary.” He shrugged, looking every bit like a prince as he did so.
“You’ve been appointed my guardian?”
“I believe we’ve already discussed this issue. You need a keeper sometimes because without one you will run yourself into the ground. In case you’ve forgotten, and let me hasten to add that I have not, you nearly died today. You stopped an explosion, and in doing so you bled from the nose and mouth. You need to sleep. Not nap, like you did earlier. You need to eat a real meal and then you need to have a hot bath and then you need to sleep for an uninterrupted eight hours. Then you’ll be well enough to go about saving the world and risking your life again.”
Lark gave Helena a wide-eyed look. “So when did this happen?”
Helena threw her hands up in the air. “It’s like I’m not even here.”
“I’m taking Molly home. Everyone else is going home or to the hotel. I’ll talk with you later. Just let me know where you end up.” Gage gave her a one-armed hug before disappearing with Molly, who gave her two thumbs up and a wink.
“We should get out of the open.” Simon held a hand out to Lark, who looked back and forth between Helena and Faine.
Lark pulled her aside. “They’re going to hear everything we say, but let’s pretend they can’t, okay? You can stay with us. There’s plenty of room. Or you can go back to Los Angeles. I do think he’s got a point. If you go back home, Mom is going to show up at your place with a basket full of goop, tea and tinctures and she will make you consume them all while covered in sticky stuff that will make you itch out the poison or whatever. And then she’ll make you tempeh loaf. Or you can stay here, have steak, some good scotch and cheesecake. While you tell me when you and Faine hooked up.”
“Is this supposed to be a choice? Mom’s tempeh loaf or letting that giant wolf over there tell me what to do?”
Lark laughed. “You fucked a Lycian and, from the looks of it, he’s not just interested in a few days between the sheets. They latch on and then you’re done.”
“I boned him, I didn’t marry him.”
“I’m not a wolf,” Faine called out, amusement clear in his tone.
“Beast, Lycian. Whatever. Bossy, and the sex wasn’t so good I’ve lost my mind.”
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Lark cocked her head and dared her to keep lying.
She sighed. “Okay so it was. But . . .”
“There are no buts. He’s right. You need to rest. Also? They come with one setting. Bossy. Domineering. They’re used to being in charge. But they’re worth it. At least the Leviathan brothers are.” Lark smirked. “Come on.” Lark took her hands. “I don’t see you enough and you’ve had a rough day. Let me take care of you. Let’s catch up a little. Please? Before he and Simon can start making plans for world domination?”
“Just Lark domination, pixie.” Simon smiled at Lark, who waved it away as they walked toward the brothers.
“Faine’s place happens to be our place. He’s just poking at you. Come on back. I’ll grill some steaks and we can relax. I’d like to spend time with you and my brother for a change.” Simon gave her a little bow and she knew she was giving in before she did it.
• • •
“SO while Lark has Helena cornered off in your room, interrogating her, let me do a little interrogation of my own. What’s going on?”
Faine stood on his brother’s deck, looking out over all the wildness just beyond. He breathed deep of the trees and earth. “It’s good here.”
Simon grunted. “There’s plenty of acreage just up the road for you to build your own house. But I figure you’ll be settling in Los Angeles at this point. How long has this been going on between you and Helena?”
Faine blew out a breath. He’d been holding all this inside for some time and it felt good to finally be able to talk about it with someone who’d understand. “I’ve been attracted to her for some time. Months now. Probably since the first time I laid eyes on her. Until today it was just kisses.” He pushed away from the rail he’d been leaning against, pacing. “She could have died. It just hit me and then I saw her in an exposed moment. Emotionally, I mean. It was . . . I couldn’t resist any longer and I realized it was stupid to have resisted as long as I have. I don’t know, at first I felt like perhaps I should have waited, talked it all over with her before we had sex.”
Grabbing his glass, he turned to face Simon, letting the smoke of the scotch dance over his senses.
