Seeing Eye Mate

by Annmarie McKenna

  An unidentifiable emotion clogged her throat. Not since her gramama had been alive had anyone ever been there for her during an episode. The comfort felt good, too good. It overrode the roiling of her stomach and her common sense. She couldn’t believe she was about to tell him this. To leave herself vulnerable to the pain and suffering he could so easily bestow upon her.

  The front door slammed, echoing through the house, but she barely heard it.

  “It killed her,” she rasped and her heart felt strangely lighter. Like a weight had been lifted off her.

  Caelan’s heart skipped a beat. What other “it” could she possibly be talking about? When Eli had first told him about her clairvoyance, naturally it had run through Caelan’s mind that she might be able to help uncover the identity of their killer. He didn’t know how her ability worked and he didn’t care. But he was certain he didn’t want her involved. Not now, with her carrying their child.

  Tieran’s eyes were unfocused, yet she stared straight ahead, seeing something he couldn’t, her face a pasty shade of white.

  It took everything in him not to shake her and demand she tell him what she was talking about. He sucked in a deep breath, forcing his wolf to back down and let her go at her own pace since she was obviously locked in her own kind of hell.

  “It was so big. She never had a chance.” Tieran idly scraped her fingernails on the sheet. “She was looking for someone named Micah.”

  Surprised, Caelan narrowed his eyes and a shiver passed over his spine. The way she talked made it sound like she’d been there when it happened. Her visions were a lot more involved than he thought. Fuck.

  The pictures he’d seen of Micah’s mate were gruesome enough on paper, he couldn’t imagine seeing it in his mind as she apparently had. Damn, he wished he knew a way to shield her somehow.

  How did she live with this?

  His skin tingled on a cool draft of air. Caelan searched the darkening room for any evidence of a breeze, then remembered what Tieran had said earlier about her grandmother.

  Was it her, trying to communicate somehow? Goose bumps crawled up his arms, providing his answer.

  “I’ll keep her safe,” he vowed silently.

  “I know you will.”

  Caelan jerked at the barely audible words he swore he heard. Not possible! He was imagining things he wanted to hear. That was the only plausible explanation.

  “It jumped at her from the woods, tearing at her clothes and skin. There was so much blood,” Tieran murmured. Her face paled even more. “It had a scar on its shoulder, like Eli.” Her voice shook with what sounded like anxious confusion and her brows drew together.

  Now they were getting somewhere. At least he could tell everyone they were looking for a shifter with a noticeable scar. “That’s good, Tieran. Those kinds of things give us a place to start.”

  Her gaze sought his for the first time since he’d laid her there.

  “You don’t understand,” she pleaded. “It was on the same shoulder.” Her words were hushed, her eyes sad, but clearly she was trying to tell him something.

  Her implication set in like a bomb dropping. Caelan lunged to his feet. She thought Eli did this? The idea was inconceivable, ludicrous.

  The only thing keeping him from ripping his clothes off, shifting and loping off to have a minute alone to lick his wounded pride was the look on her face. She obviously hadn’t been thinking along these lines the whole time. In fact, in retrospect, she hadn’t been anything but normal in Eli’s presence until he’d taken his shirt off in her bathroom. Now he knew the reason for her sudden intake of breath.

  “You can’t be suggesting that Eli could do something like this. The scar is a coincidence, Tieran, that’s all.” If he sounded harsh, he couldn’t help it.

  A forlorn look crossed her face. Nodding, she turned her head into the pillow. “You’re right.”

  Damn it! She made him feel like he’d kicked her puppy and crushed any confidence she might have been building up to confide in him. Caelan knelt down and tilted her face with a forefinger under her chin.

  “You are my mate, and as such I am bound to keep you happy.” He tapped her nose when her eyes widened a second before she squeezed them shut and tried to turn away from him again. “Don’t close your eyes.” Seconds passed and he growled in frustration while she decided whether or not to obey his quiet command.

  Finally she did. Her eyes were liquid with unshed tears.

  “Okay, that didn’t come out right.” He laced his fingers with hers and kissed the knuckles along the top ridge. “What I mean is, I will never do anything, on purpose, to hurt you.” He moved, trailing his lips up her arm, pausing to swirl his tongue in the crook of her elbow, gripping her hand tighter when she started to pull away.

  “You are my heart,” he continued, working his way over her shoulder and along her neck. She shivered when he nipped at the delicate skin of her throat. “My soul.” He bit gently on her earlobe. Tieran angled her head, giving him better access, and moaned. “My mate.”

  Caelan caressed his way up her belly with his free hand and palmed one of her perfect breasts. The nipple stabbed into his palm through her T-shirt.

  “But I cannot, in good conscience, allow you to go on believing Eli had any part in what you saw. He didn’t do it,” he whispered rigidly in her ear.

  She whimpered and twisted beneath him. Warm lips met his.

  “I’m sorry, Caelan. I’m so sorry.” She sniffled and brought her hands up to frame his face before pressing her mouth more firmly onto his.

  A feeling of pure desperation thrummed through Tieran’s body. A desperation to obliterate the notion of Eli and the beast being one and the same. To destroy the idea he may have had anything to do with murdering defenseless women.

  She was desperate to postpone the inevitable vision looming on the horizon. But most of all, she was desperate to get closer to the man pressed on top of her. To feel his hardness penetrate her body and take possession, to be marked again by his teeth, branded by his kisses.

  She needed this more than anything right now. Needed him. She would never be able to look at another man without feeling Caelan’s lips on hers, his teeth sinking into her skin, his cock embedded in her pussy. He had woven a spell around her, declaring for the entire world to see that she was his in every way possible.

  His tongue invaded her mouth, plundered its depth, taking without mercy. She threaded her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck, dragging him into firmer contact with her body. It wasn’t enough, would never be enough until he was inside her, seated to the hilt, making them one whole instead of two halves. One whole, when yesterday she’d been happy with hiding away from men for the rest of her life.

  The bed dipped when he crawled over her and straddled her torso. His hands rested on either side of her head, supporting him so he didn’t crush her. He tasted so good, like a flavor she would crave for the rest of her life. She dueled with his tongue, parrying back and forth between their mouths, and lapped at his elongating teeth, mesmerized.

  Tieran slid her hands down his shoulders, smoothed the length of his upper arms, then back up and under his armpits. He jerked and grunted against her mouth when she hit a ticklish spot along his side.

  She gently scratched the spot again. Caelan jackknifed above her and trapped her roving hands at his sides with his arms. A smile played at his lips and she pouted.

  “You don’t play fair, my own.” He tsked, wiggling a finger at her.

  She took advantage, pulling her hand from its confinement, and walked her fingers up his rib cage.

  “Why can’t I resist you?” she whispered.

  His eyes seemed to glow in the dim light of her bedroom. The teasing smile faded into a possessive snarl.

  “Because your body belongs to me, and it knows it, even if your mind wants you to think differently. This is the way things are between mates. Your senses will grow stronger, they will detect me even when you can’t see me. A par
t of me will be with you, always.”

  His fingers cupped her breasts and pinched the distended nipples. Tieran arched her neck at the twin sensations zinging straight to her core. She ached to feel his hands on her skin, instead of through the cotton covering her body.

  “When you smell me, immediately your body will prepare itself for my cock. During your heat, you’ll not be able to resist me. In fact, you’ll beg me to fuck you. Fucking will be the only thing that will keep you sane during those intense times of the month. It will ease the hunger inside you, take the edge off, but not for long. Soon you’ll need me again.”

  Oh God. He was killing her. His hands kneaded her small breasts and her womb clenched. So far he hadn’t touched her pussy with any part of himself, but her clit was furiously aching. He slid her T-shirt up, uncovering her bare breasts, and she bent her neck to see herself.

  The tips stood proud and large, beaded into tight points. A reverent fingertip caressed one.

  “Me, Tieran, no one else will ever be able to satisfy your body, nor will you want them to.”

  She swallowed. The fierce, determined look on his face said he would kill anyone who even tried to get near her. Then his head swooped down and he strongly sucked a nipple into his mouth, dragging the bud deep inside and drawing it along his tongue.

  “Oh, Christ, oh, oh God.” She slapped at his biceps, his shoulders, anywhere she could reach, and dug her heels into the mattress. It was too much. It wasn’t enough. Her womb seized into a tight ball of nerves, contracting over and over again until she thought she would explode. When he turned his attention to the other nipple, she did.

  The orgasm slammed through her body. Her legs and arms went rigid. Her toes pointed, her hands fisted in his T-shirt.

  And still he lapped at her, finishing her off, bringing her down off her high, soothing her until she sank into the mattress, boneless.

  Caelan gathered her weak body to his chest and peeled off her shirt. Then he rose up on his knees and stripped his own shirt over his head. Tieran’s chest heaved with the exertion of her climax as he laid her down again, but her eyes were softly closed and a sweet smile touched her lips. When he abruptly stood on the bed, her eyelids fluttered open to watch while he ripped open his jeans and shed them.

  His steely erection bobbed as he balanced on the squishy bed, a tiny drop of come clinging to the broad head. Tieran levered herself up on her elbows and her pink tongue darted out to lick her lips. Caelan’s cock jumped in response.

  “You keep looking at me like that, you’re gonna get more than you bargained for,” he hissed.

  For long, excruciating seconds she stared at his rock-hard penis, her chest rising and falling with each heavy breath.

  “I don’t remember bargaining for anything,” she whispered, and lifted a seductive gaze to his face with a slow perusal that missed nothing on its way up.

  Un-fucking-believable. Did she even know what she did to him?

  She started to sit up but he stopped her by kneeling again, sandwiching her ribs between his bent knees and forcing her to lie back. Her mouth formed a perfect “O” in surprise. His cock twitched in anticipation of penetrating that sweet circle of lips.

  “I need to feel that warm mouth of yours wrapped around my cock.”

  “Yes.” Her small hand reached out to wrap around the base of his dick and he sucked in a breath. The tips of her fingers didn’t even touch.

  For long, painfully frustrating moments she discovered him inch by inch. She swiped her thumb across the glistening bead of pre-come seeping out and smeared it slowly around the head before sliding her hand back down his shaft and starting the exotic dance all over again.

  The glide of her fingers and palm on his flesh was pure heaven. Caelan groaned and threw his head back, fighting the need to howl. His incisors lengthened further, begging to mark her again for everyone to see and know who she belonged to.

  With a fist in her hair, he lifted her head to the swollen tip of his cock. “Lick me,” he growled.

  Her tongue tentatively flitted out to lap at the underside of his erection. Caelan dropped his chin to his chest and watched Tieran with hooded eyes. So damn good. She tasted him, worked her way down the length of the heavy vein underneath, then around the side and back up to the top. When she flicked at an ultra-sensitive spot, he nearly shot his load early.

  He groaned and gripped her hair tighter. “Jesus. Stop,” he gritted out. “I can’t take any more.” Two fucking licks and he was about to go off like a Roman candle.

  The little minx doubled her efforts, slurping at him like he was an ice-cream cone, and then her mouth closed on him, drawing him deep and sucking for all she was worth.

  Son of a bitch! Every ounce of blood in his body surged to his groin. The perfect sucking motion made him lose control. His fingers released her hair of their own accord. It was a good thing too, because his legs wouldn’t support him anymore. He collapsed forward, catching himself at the last second with his hands above her head and lodging his cock deep at the back of her mouth.

  Caelan eased out just enough to keep her from choking but damned if she didn’t pull at his cock like someone was taking a sucker away from a two-year-old. He pressed back in again, knowing he shouldn’t, but knowing if he didn’t he’d die.

  Tieran moaned around him, swallowing whenever she had the chance and tying his balls in knots.

  “Jesus, baby, you gotta stop. I gotta stop,” he amended when her eyes widened as if to say, “I’m not doing anything!”

  He slowly extracted himself. Not easy to do when she followed his movement, holding onto him for dear life. Finally she let go, scraping her teeth gently across the slick head.

  “Don’t fucking do that again, my own,” he growled. “I’m trying not to come all over you.” He slid down her body and rested his sweaty forehead on hers. With supreme effort he drew breath into his lungs until the pounding in his dick subsided enough for him to move. One more touch and he was a goner.

  “Sorry,” she said, breathing heavy herself. A smile tugged at her lips.

  “Yes, I can see how sorry you are.”

  “It was good then?”

  Caelan looked at her, incredulous that she even had to ask. He launched himself backward and Tieran squeaked. Good. He liked to think he could keep her off balance sometimes.

  “Time to get rid of these jeans, my own.” He attacked the button and zipper and yanked both the jeans and her underwear over her hips and off her legs, throwing them on the floor and leaving her drenched pussy open for his touch.

  Lowering his head, he swiped the length of her labia with the flat of his tongue. He heard her breath catch and caught her hips in his hands when she lifted off the bed. Sweet and spicy. Inhaling, he flooded his senses with her essence, and that of their unborn child nestled inside her womb.

  With his palm, he rubbed a small circle on her belly, encircling the tiny embryo that would one day be a person. Tieran sighed and laid her hand on top of his.

  Did she know? Was it possible? He mentally shrugged it off and tugged her swollen clit between his lips.

  “Caelan.” Her back arched and her thighs squeezed at his ears. With one last deep kiss to her pussy, he backed away. Before she could gather her wits, he flipped her onto her stomach, startling her with his quickness.

  “I’ve waited long enough to have you this way, baby.” He lifted her hips with one arm and stuffed a pillow underneath her with the other, effectively propping her ass in the air. The perfect position for a true wolf mating which would allow him access to the slope of her shoulder and neck, where another one of his bites would mark her for all time.

  “You are a truly beautiful woman.” He spread her thighs and settled between them, lining up his cock with her glistening entrance and spreading the moisture pooling there with the tip.

  Tieran snorted. “That’s what they all say,” she mumbled into her pillow.

  Caelan jerked, his dick slipping off her pussy and alon
g the crack of her cheeks. She squealed and squirmed around his shaft. Not even the sensation of her squeezing him could disperse the hot-blooded jealousy rearing its ugly head.

  “Who’s they?” he demanded. He’d kill the motherfuckers, rip their throats out with his bare hands. Not because of the beautiful remark, anyone with eyeballs could see that, but because they’d gotten to touch her first.

  And then you’d be no better than the killer you’re looking for , his brain taunted him, taking over his emotions. He loosened his bruising grip on her thighs.

  She let out a breath. “Nobody, Caelan. It was a figure of speech.”

  “I’m sorry, my own,” he said leaning over her and kissing the nape of her neck, “but you’re mine and I don’t want to ever think about anyone else touching you.” He shifted his hips, gliding his cock over her crease again. “One of these days I’m gonna fuck this sweet ass of yours, baby.” She tensed. “I’ll make it good for you, working my fingers in and out of your tiny hole ‘til it’s stretched and ready for my cock. Think about how good it’ll feel.” He rasped his teeth over the nape of her neck.

  Tieran moaned and leaned back into his groin. “Please, Caelan, I need you.”

  Caelan slipped a hand under her and palmed her mound. “So slick, sweetheart.” He slid his fingers through the puffy flesh of her labia, spreading her cream, then circled her swollen clit.

  “Oh.” She widened her knees and ground her pussy on his fingers, rubbing herself back and forth. “Now, Caelan, do it now. I’m so—oh crap,” she panted when he pinched the distended bundle of nerves. “I’m going to come.”

  “Not yet, my own.” He pulled his hand away and guided his cock to the ripe, wet opening. Slowly he pushed in, savoring every millimeter of her vagina gripping him until he was seated to his balls. Her inner muscles clenched and unclenched, teasing him.

  “Move,” she begged.

  Caelan bit into the soft skin where her shoulder met her neck, holding her in place when she began to writhe, forcing her into submission. He smiled when she stilled.