by Dana Archer
“I do too, but—”
“Lena.” He bent his head to her shoulder, and a hungry groan escaped him as he studied the scar he’d given her.
What was it with Devin and that particular spot? One glance at the evidence of his bite, and desire hazed his eyes.
She could ask herself the same question. As soon as he touched the raised points, lust seized her.
He nipped the spot. Tingles skipped down her spine. “Once I finish what I started, this will mean more to you than a simple scar. It’ll mark you as my female.” He turned his head so they were eye to eye. “Do you understand what that means?”
She shook her head even though she suspected the answer. Although neither Rick nor Vader had bitten her, they’d still called her ‘my female’. She was theirs. Exclusively.
“It means, no other male will ever touch you. I’ll be the one to pleasure you. It’ll be my arms that hold you, my name on your lips. Only mine. Forever.”
“And how are you going to accomplish that? Put a collar on me?” Vader had once told her some shifter males “trained” their mates with shock collars.
“Won’t need one. You’ll be my willing partner. Never want to leave my side.” He brushed his lips over the scar on her shoulder. Energy skipped over her skin.
“No. The first chance I get, I’m running from you.” The desperate words rushed from her mouth. Fear brought them to the surface. She didn’t want to belong to another man. Twice was enough.
“I can’t let that happen, Lena. We’re connected. Close your eyes and reach inside yourself. Tell me you feel our bond. That you want to explore it.”
She wasn’t sure what she felt. Ever since waking in bed with Devin, her emotions and thoughts had swung from one extreme to the other. Separating them was growing impossible. The more she tried, the more agitated she became.
Her mind was fragmented.
The thought struck her as odd but accurate. It also added to the confusion gripping her. She couldn’t help but wonder if Devin was the reason. Actually, he was the reason. Nothing to wonder about. It was the accident he’d caused that landed her in his arms to begin with.
He slid his fingers along her throat. “Answer me.”
“No. Don’t make demands. Just let me sleep.”
He scooped her up and cradled her in his arms. She snuggled into his embrace and closed her eyes.
He pressed a gentle, almost chaste kiss to her cheek. “All right, my little female. No demands. Sleep. You’re safe with me.”
Was she? She couldn’t make her mind work to figure it out, but with Devin’s strong arms holding her, she wasn’t positive it mattered. He would make good on his promise and never let her go, whether or not she wanted to stay with him.
Chapter 12
Lena woke to Devin’s fingers skimming along her belly.
“Are you awake, my little female?”
The need in his voice slipped through her, leaving heat behind. She squeezed her eyes shut against the instant wave of desire. “I suppose.”
“And you feel okay? No pain? No achiness?”
She focused on her body. The energy skipping through her matched what she’d experienced the last time she’d awakened after sleeping the night in Devin’s arms.
“Yes. I feel fine.” Better than fine, actually. She was fairly certain she could’ve run a marathon.
“Good. It’s killed me to hold you while you’ve slept.”
She glanced over her shoulder. “I thought you enjoyed holding me.”
“I do, but”—he slid his fingertips lower, stopping just above the waistband of her pants—“I want to love you.”
Her body went into instant meltdown at the possibilities open to them. She shook her head to clear it of the lusty thoughts.
“We can’t. My sisters. The phone. We have to check—”
“I did. No messages. The cell’s on the dresser. We’ll hear your sister’s text when it comes in.” He skimmed his lips along her jaw. His breath heated her skin. “But I can’t wait any longer.”
She whimpered at the stark desire in his voice. Every breath she took filled her lungs with evergreen and moss. “I barely know you.”
With his lips brushing her ear, he whispered, “Your soul remembers me.”
The man knew exactly what to say and do to mess with her heart. He brushed his finger over the sensitive spot along her neck. Her eyelids drifted shut.
He delivered another small bite and a swirl of his tongue to the scar on her shoulder. “And I know what you are to me.”
“And that is?”
“Mine.” With his parted lips, he mapped a path along her cheek to her mouth, then simply breathed.
Her thoughts scattered, and her heart swelled. Emotions she had no business feeling wrapped around her. “Devin, I—”
He drew her lower lip into his mouth and sucked gently on it, a tug she felt deep inside. He released her tender flesh a moment later. “You’re mine, Lena. Every delicious inch of you, and I know you feel our connection too. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have slept in my arms.”
“I was tired.”
“You trusted me. Subconsciously or not, you knew I would follow through with my promise to watch over you and be here when you woke.”
“Where would you have gone? We’re waiting on Gwen.”
He carefully ran his tongue over his lower lip. “Yes, we’re waiting on Gwen to text you on a phone I could’ve taken while you slept. You don’t have it locked.”
She sucked in a rough breath. She’d never considered that. Or maybe Devin was right and she had subconsciously trusted him. “Why didn’t you?”
“Because I need you.” He rubbed his chin back and forth over the scar on her shoulder. “I told you we’re connected.”
Her pulse raced. Those silly dreams she knew better than to give life rose. “You did, but that doesn’t explain—”
“It explains everything.” Devin urged her to her back, then stared into her face for a long time. As she watched, the color in his orbs spread outward. He stared at her with swirling kaleidoscope eyes. No white showed in his breathtaking orbs. She’d never seen a shifter’s eyes completely colored. She didn’t know what it meant, but the effect was mesmerizing. She couldn’t have torn her gaze from his if she tried.
“It does?”
“Yes.” His fingertips mapped her face as if memorizing her.
Her heart skipped a beat. Butterflies took flight. Part of her couldn’t believe a man as wickedly hot as Devin would wear such an expression of reverence for her. Needing to touch him and remind herself he was real, she laid a hand against his smooth cheek. He turned his head and flicked his roughened tongue over the scar on her shoulder. Desire hit her harder—faster—then she’d ever experienced.
She shook her head. “But I don’t understand this connection. I don’t understand any of this. I’m not ready.”
“Don’t overthink this, Lena. Close your eyes and do what feels right.” He dragged his fangs over the raised entry points on her shoulder. She shivered, and he sought out her hand, linking their fingers. “Can you do that? Can you put your trust in me? We won’t have sex unless you want it. I’m just going to kiss you, touch you, make you feel good.”
He was giving her control over this moment and him. She wanted to trust him so badly. His words, his touch, his lips on hers…he felt right.
She gripped his hand tighter. “Yes. I trust you. Make me feel good.”
“Lena.” Devin groaned her name, then kissed her, a tender brush of lips that left her weak. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close. He explored her mouth. The perfectly choreographed dance they shared was one she’d never experienced with another. After a moment, his kiss turned wicked, demanding. His lips left hers and he kissed his way down the length of her throat and latched his mouth over his bite mark.
She bent her head, encouraging him to nibble there. It felt good when he touched her there. He dragged his parted mouth over the s
car. Fangs dented the skin as he clamped his mouth around her shoulder. She relished the sensation of his teeth holding her still, of his fingers twined with hers, of his warm breath on her sensitive skin. Heaven. He was her heaven.
The wonderful feeling faded. Pain overtook the sweet bliss of his lips on her skin. She screamed, but he kept grinding the tips of his canines into her shoulder.
Fire raced through her veins. Tears filled her eyes. Agony whipped through her. She yanked away from him and his fangs pulled free.
She clamped a hand over her shoulder. Something warm met her touch.
Blood. Her blood.
“Oh God, oh God, oh God,” she sobbed.
He sat up. The sight of the red splotches on the front of his clothes sent her pulse racing again. Blood. That was her blood on his clothes.
“Lena?”
She scrambled away from him. The world swayed, but she used the headboard to pull herself into a sitting position. Distress showed on Devin’s expressive face. She ignored his wide, concerned eyes.
“You bit me!”
He crawled toward her. She slid her bottom over the bed until she reached the edge of the mattress. He stopped, sat on his bent legs, and fisted his hands at his side. “I know. I…I got carried away.”
She stared at him wide-eyed. “You got carried away?”
He cursed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Kissing you, knowing you put your trust in me, those soft sounds you made, like you were surrendering to me. You triggered my instincts. I couldn’t help biting you. I want—”
“Kissing does not involve biting, you crazy man!”
Devin crawled toward her. She scooted away and fell off the bed. Her bottom hit the floor, but he landed next to her and swept her into his arms before she could get away. She squirmed and shoved at his chest but couldn’t budge him.
He tightened his grip and curled her closer so his chest pressed against her cheek. His heartbeat under her ear raced. “Calm down before you hurt yourself.”
“H-hurt my-myself.” She fisted her hand and blew out a breath. “You already took care of that!”
“I’m sorry.” He nuzzled against the top of her head. “It doesn’t hurt anymore. Does it?”
Did it? She closed her eyes and tried to focus. She couldn’t concentrate. Each beat of her heart echoed in the wound, worse than it had before.
“It thumps,” she finally said.
Devin climbed onto the bed and sat with her cradled in his lap. He gently lifted her hand and lowered his mouth to her shoulder. She tensed, but he stilled with his lips a hairbreadth from the bite. The warmth of his breath lessened the thudding.
“Be calm. You’re safe with me”
Lena snorted, but when she opened her mouth to deny him, she couldn’t. She did feel safe in his arms. She also couldn’t lie to him. The words got stuck in her throat. Instead, she snuggled against his chest, needing to be close to him. The compulsion didn’t make sense. He’d just bitten her. She should not want to be anywhere near him. But she did. Couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.
He stroked her arms, and she relaxed under the soothing caresses.
This man made her crazy. She was certifiable. She couldn’t make herself put distance between them, though. His scent, his touch, his voice drew her.
With flicks of his tongue, he licked the blood away. Need returned, more intensely than before. She leaned back to give him better access. Each rough swipe sent sparks down her spine, and she squirmed under the delicious sensations.
All thoughts of running were replaced by a craving she couldn’t ignore. She yearned to feel his body on top of hers. Claiming her, over and over.
What was wrong with her?
She grabbed fistfuls of his hair and tugged his head away. “Stop. No more biting. I’ve had quite enough pain for one day.”
He licked the spot once more and eased back so his lips brushed the wound. “Am I hurting you?”
The butterfly caress of his mouth sent another whipping bolt of energy through her body that settled low in her belly. She scrambled out of his lap. He reached for her, but she held up a hand to warn him off.
“I didn’t know getting bitten was a part of kissing you.”
“I told you, I got carried away.” He waved to her shoulder. “I didn’t mean to bite you again.”
Her heart raced. He didn’t mean to do a lot of things. She scooted farther back.
He stared at her with his gorgeous feline eyes for a long moment before grabbing her hand and tugging her against him. She struggled helplessly. With his arms banded around her chest, he tumbled them to the bed.
“Stop. You need to listen to me. You need to understand what I am. What drives me.”
Because he wasn’t human. She thought she understand what it meant to take a shifter to her bed. She’d had two here before. Neither Rick nor Vader had ever bitten her, though. Or stared at her shoulder with such a look of longing as Devin wore for her. “Fine. I’m listening. Start talking.”
“I made a mistake by allowing my instincts to rule, but I can’t help feeling them were you are concerned.” He pressed his nose to the spot below her ear. “I want the world to know you’re mine. My mate.”
Mate.
The word triggered a memory she didn’t want to recall. It came back to her anyway. Rick handing her a small velvet box and grunting, “Here you go, babe. Your dad expects me to give you a ring and make you my wife since I won’t let you go. Don’t know why. To a shifter, only a mate counts, and you’ll never be mine.”
Rick’s blue eyes faded, and Vader’s sated hazel eyes stared down at her. “You know what this means, don’t you, lover? I get to mate you now. Once I do, I’ll never let you out of my sight.”
Not again. She couldn’t deal with another possessive shifter. Couldn’t deal with anything right now. She needed space. Needed to think.
“I don’t want to be your mate. I only wanted…” To be loved. Worshiped. Treated as if she were special to him.
She pressed the heels of her palms to her eyes. She was pathetic. Damaged, that was what she was. Messed up because of one bad relationship after another.
Devin gently grasped her wrists and pulled her hands away from her face. He didn’t speak. Didn’t ask her what she’d meant to say. He kissed her. Slowly. Reverently. Completely.
Finally, he eased back and cupped her face between his hands. “Look, why don’t you rest? We both need a chance to think about things. I’ll wake you the minute Gwen texts.”
She did need a chance to think, but… “I shouldn’t. What if—”
“Your sisters will need you to be calm when we pick them up. Get some sleep and let the worry over what’s happening between us go for the moment.”
“But—”
He pressed his finger to her lips. “I promise you that you and your sisters are safe with me. I’ll protect you. Trust me.”
Trust him. She had put her trust in him minutes ago. He’d broken it.
Didn’t he? She closed her eyes. Ugh. Could she really fault him for his instincts? She knew shifters dealt with some serious primal drives. That was why things never worked out with Rick or Vader.
“You feel our bond. Don’t you?” Devin breathed the words against her cheek. “I do. I feel it, and I know it’s incredibly rare. So very powerful. It’s something to fight for, Lena. Don’t let us slip through your fingers because I did something stupid. Pushed you too far, too fast. I’d take it back if I could, but I can’t.”
Us. That word did crazy things to her heart, stirring dreams she’d long given up on.
There was only one choice she could make. She nodded and settled on the bed with the pillow that smelled of Devin clutched to her chest.
He lingered next to the bed, his hand on her hip, for a long moment before slipping from the room.
The door clicked closed, and she buried her nose in the pillow, needing his scent in her lungs. Too bad it didn’t clear the fog in her head. It slid over her
thoughts the moment he walked out of the room. Now, it felt as if her mind was unraveling.
At least she finally knew how Molly felt. Maybe they could share her crayons.
Chapter 13
Devin waited until Lena fell asleep before returning to her room. He made his way to the bed and brushed his fingertips over the four raised brands seared into Lena’s shoulder. His bite. The savage claim worn by all mated females looked beautiful against Lena’s lightly tanned skin. Seeing it should’ve filled him with peace, pride, and happiness. It didn’t. The churning in his gut threatened to consume him.
He’d screwed up. He hadn’t meant to bite her again. As much as he wanted it, they didn’t have time to soul-bond, not while her sisters were out there unprotected. However, what he’d told her was the truth. Her trust combined with her sweet body under his stirred his possessive instincts. He’d simply wanted to finish what he’d started. All other thoughts had gotten pushed to the side.
He knelt next to the bed and studied Lena’s face. Gorgeous. She was the one woman he’d always longed for but never thought he’d find. No other would take her place. Unfortunately, she also claimed she didn’t want him.
Yes. It was best she’d pulled away. She’d end up hating him for making her exist with not only his fragmented soul, but those of the spirits bound to him.
His lion snapped at him while the others growled. Their disapproval of his rationalization was obvious. He sent them soothing thoughts, but they wanted the luxury of moving through Lena’s body and soul, claiming her petite frame as theirs.
Everything about her—from her dainty fingers to her tiny feet—intrigued them. They literally sat on their haunches and waited for her to speak. Quite frankly, they didn’t care if she was ranting or simply speaking his name as long as they got to hear her voice.
She was his true mate. They didn’t want to lose her. Neither did he. After the way she’d reacted, however, he had to ensure she not only wanted to soul-bond to him but understood the process and knew exactly what she was signing up for.
