by Crymsyn Hart
“I need you to fuck me,” I breathed, finally able to make a complete sentence from my addled brain.
“I’m getting to that.” He pressed his lips to the base of my throat and licked. His tongue connected with another line of writing. I bucked forward and felt an orgasm rise up and take me. It wasn’t enough.
“Tannin. Please. Can’t…”
“Shhh…” He did the same thing again. When my hips rose up, he drove his cock deep inside of me. I cried out from the swift entrance. I buried my head in his shoulder and let Tannin push into me. He slid his arms around my back and under my wings. I kissed his collarbone, trying to take my time and pleasure him as well. It was hard to stay focused. Each time he thrust into me, he hit my clit and I was brought to new layers of ecstasy. I was flying higher than I ever had before. The air was hard to breathe, and yet I could, because he was there with me.
Tannin groaned when my fingers slid over his shoulder blades. Words popped into my mind that burned silver in my thoughts and came out on my tongue. I whispered them in his ear and kept repeating them until skin swirled on his back. Tannin buried his shaft inside of me once more. His fingers raked my back between my wings. I kissed his neck, nibbled on his ear, and said the phrase once more. At that moment, his wings burst from his back. Tannin plunged himself inside of me one last time and then folded his wings around us. Mine did the same and we held one another in the safe shelter that we had created.
Chapter Seven
The pleasure of the experience coursed through me. I didn’t want to let him go. I placed small kisses along his chest and watched the silver lettering whirling over his body. It was beautiful, like watching rainbows dance over a sky. Everything in me was content. I didn’t think I could feel that way again. Being with Tannin made me realize how much I missed Landon and needed him with me as well. I wanted him to experience the same pleasure that I had with Tannin.
“Does this last forever?” I asked.
He wove his fingers through my hair. “It can. We can let the world fall away and think about nothing except ourselves. In the end, there is always the real world to return to.”
I sighed. “What did you do to the werewolf who attacked me?”
“I didn’t kill her, if that’s what you’re wondering. I just showed her what her life could be like if she didn’t behave. You and she can both work out the polyamorous lifestyle that belongs with the pack. Does it bother you that Landon has been with other women? That he might be with more in the future?”
Landon had brought other women home when Nick was alive. It had made me a little jealous, but he had always reassured me that I was the first one in his life. “No. I’m okay with it. Landon has always been good to me. Starting a pack and being accepted was one of the things he was striving for. I’m glad that he has it, but he has to carve out a place in the world for himself. I know that I can’t be a lycan mate for him. He always understood because it wasn’t exactly normal for him to bond with a vampire, since they are bitter enemies. They worked out their differences. That was the reason he was exiled in the first place, because he turned down the woman he was supposed to mate and went with Nick instead.”
“You know, you can still be the mate that he desires. You can shift into a wolf as well as being a vampire.”
I looked up from his chest and stared into his eyes. “How is that possible when the combination of the Guardian inside of me and my magic negate the vampire and the werewolf infections that have raged through my system?”
“It doesn’t completely neutralize it. Being part angel, Guardians are allowed to blend in. Some Guardians are lycan. Some are vampire and Guardian. Guardians can become chameleons. They take on the strengths of the other being they mingle with, but not their weaknesses. There is more than just watching doorways. So much more that you have to learn.”
“So then a Guardian could be a witch?”
He shook his head. “No. The magic of both species shouldn’t be mixed. As chameleon with the other species, there is something supernatural in them. The witch part of you is elemental. Most pairings between a witch and a Guardian don’t result in offspring.”
”But witches draw on the supernatural power of the world around them.”
“No. They draw on the natural power around them. Witches can tap into the universe. Guardians are supernatural. We manipulate the energy around us and through us, but we are not able to influence the elements. That’s why we can filter the other supernatural creatures’ powers through us.”
“It seems like a Guardian walks a fine line between defining exactly what kind of a creature they are. I think there are only a few who can take on the characteristics of the other creatures you spoke about. Like my grandmother. She can because she’s darker, but my sister, she doesn’t have it in her. Am I right?”
“Yes. There are classifications within the clans. The lighter Guardians help aid in the passing of other creatures. They don’t have to battle the dark forces out there. Think of them as mentors, and you’d be the general that would go into battle.”
I nodded. It made some sort of sense. “So how do I get those fangs to come out?”
Tannin kissed my neck. “How about we save that lesson for another day? First, you need to get your wings back in. You can’t walk around with them out.”
“How do I do that?”
He ran his finger between my wings. “Think about folding them back against your skin.”
I thought about it and was surprised when they unwrapped from around him, leaving me embraced by his white gold wings.
“Good. Now think about your skin covering them.”
I envisioned skin growing over the feathers again. To my surprise, it seemed they sunk back into my flesh. I rolled my shoulders. I could still feel them underneath the flesh, close to my muscles. I reached around my back and touched the spot where they had been. I didn’t feel anything. I smiled and then looked back at him. Tannin stroked my shoulders. My wings quivered from the anticipation of his touch. I touched the ridge along his feathers and saw him shiver. He thrust his hips against me the lower I went with my fingers, until I came to the tip of his wing. His feathers were softer than any other bird down I had ever touched before.
“You need to stop that before we get carried away again. Landon wants to know where you are.”
“How do you know that?”
His brow furrowed. “I can sense him now through you. He’s worried, even though I told him that I'd take care of you.”
I followed my bond back to my werewolf and felt his distress. Yes, he needed me. “I should go back too. Can you take me there?”
“Of course, but you don’t have any clothes to wear since yours were shredded.”
“Just bring me back to my room and I’ll take it from there.”
Tannin scooped me up in his arms. He wrapped his wings tighter around me until the world fell away and I was shrouded in darkness. The air rushed around me. We were flying faster than any plane could take us. Even faster than Superman could fly, maybe. It was only a split second. The darkness receded and he unwrapped his wings. My angel set me down on my bedroom floor. Even before I could unwind from his arms, Landon burst through the door. His harangued expression and the concern in his eyes told me how worried he was. He ran his fingers over my skin, but the more he touched me, the more he ignited the angelic writing that was still visible on my skin.
“Landon, stop. Oh, God, please stop.” My nerves were on fire with pleasure from him running his fingers over every part of my skin to see if I was whole. I curled my toes into the rug to remind myself that I was still on Earth, but my words came out in pants. It was a struggle to think. When Landon touched my back where my wings were, I cried out and fell into him.
He caught me with ease, but the expression of trepidation still hadn’t left his eyes. My mate glanced between me and Tannin, who was still naked and had his wings out. Landon smoothed the hair from my eyes. A low growl rumbled in his throat.
“She is. There's an explanation to what is going on.”
“I don’t want to hear your reasons. You swore to me that she'd be unharmed and you would protect her. Melina told me that you had rejected her. Now you bring her back naked and in pain. What the hell did you do to her?” Landon's muscles bunched together. He was holding onto his control by a thread.
I touched the side of his face and stroked his skin. “Landon, I’m fine. Tannin’s right. There’s an explanation.” I kissed his lips. “Let me tell you all about it after he’s gone. He kept his promise to you. I’m not hurt. He healed me. I’m okay. Calm your wolf, my love.” I kissed him again and felt him starting to melt.
“That had better be true.”
Tannin bowed. “I will leave you two for now. Melina, I'm only a call away if you need me. When you're up for it, you should come to see your grandmother. She's worried about you.”
“Thank you. Tell her I will.” He disappeared, but his wings brushed my back in a soft caress. When Tannin was completely gone, I focused back on Landon. It was now that I could see his shirt was wrinkled. He had no shoes and socks on since he preferred to walk around barefoot. But the rose I had given him was nestled in his pocket.
“I was worried about you.” He brushed my lips with his.
“You don’t have to worry about me. I’m happy.”
“What did he do to you? Why were you crying out for me to stop when I was touching you before?”
I stepped away and looked down at my body. The silver writing was fainter now. I took his finger and traced it over one of the longer passages. A zing of bliss washed over me. I wanted him to continue copying the lettering, but Landon drew his hand back. His expression was one of shock and awe. I took his hand and laid it over my heart. The contact made me draw in a deep breath.
“What is that all over you?”
“It’s angelic writing. It was part of the bonding process that lets Heaven recognize me as his mate. It doesn’t hurt. It’s…I don’t know. It’s amazing. I want you to feel it. Close your eyes, my love.”
I joined the link between us and took Landon’s finger, drawing it into my mouth until our minds were closely linked. The essence of his wolf was so close that I felt the wildness of it. I brought his hand to my shoulder and felt him begin to trace the lettering again. The orgasmic blur began to build with me and within him. It overwhelmed Landon’s mind and brought him to his knees. I went with him. He pulled his thoughts from me, and we both opened our eyes.
“My God. Is that always going to be on you?”
“No. He said that it’d eventually rearrange itself into some kind of tattoo. I’m just waiting for it to do that. How did the show go?”
“Do you really want to ask me about that now?” He took my hand and brought it down to his hardened cock.
I bit my lip and flashed him a devilish smile. “I assumed you didn’t want to make love so soon after I’d gotten home. Still being naked and…”
Before I could finish the thought, his lips were on mine in a frenzied kiss. I could barely keep up with the way his lips traveled over mine and then down my body. Landon’s lips settled on my breasts. I cried out from him biting down and hitting more of my erogenous zones while reigniting the angelic writing on my body. I raked my fingers down his torso, pulling at the buttons on his shirt until I got to the skin underneath. I tried to weave my thoughts with his. As I did, I felt something awakening inside of me. It was primal, a part of me that lived in the darkness waiting to emerge. I probed further. A black wolf walked out from the shadows. It wasn’t Landon’s wolf. The more I studied it, the more it felt like a part of me. This was what Tannin had talked about, some Guardians being chameleons. The wolf had been awakened in me. My canine teeth shifted and my body temperature spiked.
I kissed Landon’s shoulder and welcomed the wolf. My senses were heightened. I could hear his heartbeat. I smelled the rose and the heady manly smell that was just him. I raked my fingernails down his back and bit into his shoulder. Landon growled.
I growled back, feeling the rumble pass over my tongue. My mate stopped and stared at me. His eyes were wide with shock. “Just a minute ago you were an angel, and now you’re a wolf. How is this possible? You’ve never turned before. Why now?”
“Tannin said some Guardians are chameleons. We blend in with other supernatural creatures. Tannin said the wolf and the vampire are inside of me. You brought out the wolf. Now none of your pack can accuse me of not being worthy to be with you.”
“Don’t listen to any of them. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you’re not good enough.” He ran his fingers down my face. “God, you’re so beautiful. You look just the way I thought you would if you ever turned into a wolf. Beautiful golden skin. Amber eyes, and the beast within you is strong. Can you shift?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. Tannin said probably. But I don’t want to push that right now. All I want is you. I’ve missed you. I need you. Don’t be afraid of me.”
“I’ve missed you too. I could never be afraid of you. You’re my other half. I want you. God, I even want Tannin. I’ve never wanted another man since Nick. But from you I already see how much you love him. Is that crazy?”
“It makes sense. He’s already inside of me. And now I need you inside of me.”
“I can certainly oblige that.” He slid his shirt off and then pulled his pants off.
I loved that he didn’t have any boxers on. His cock sprang out. I slipped to my knees and took his shaft between his lips. He tasted salty. I swirled my tongue around his length. Landon gripped my head and pushed his cock into my mouth faster while I pulled him out and went down on him again. I gripped his balls and rolled them around in my hand.
Landon groaned. “No. Not like this.” He pulled his cock away.
“But I want you.” I licked my lips and felt my sharpened four canines. They were going to take some getting used to.
“I want you too, but I need to pleasure you. What good of a mate am I if you’re not taken care of first?” Landon hugged me close and then laid me on the bed.
Before I could react, he took my leg and began to kiss the inside of it, working up to my thigh. His tongue closed upon my pussy as he began to lick my already-wet slit. He spread my folds and then placed his mouth on my clit. He sucked on me, nibbling ever so slightly, until I was thrashing on the bed from the orgasm that hit me. It didn’t take me long to fall over the edge and into another world. Our minds wrapped around one another. When I came again, he shared the experience of the bliss.
I opened my eyes and drew him up to my lips. The taste of me on Landon’s lips was one of the sweetest things I had ever tasted. I wrapped my legs around him and pulled him to me. He sunk his cock into my pussy and began to thrust inside of me.
“I need you, Melina. I’ve always needed you.”
“I need you too. I love you.”
He claimed my lips again and bit lightly on my lower lip. I bit him back a little harder. He thrust his tongue into my mouth and then began to pound inside of me. Landon kissed my throat. Right before I came again, he sank his teeth into my shoulder. I did the same. It felt good to be able to share the experience and taste his blood. The wolf inside of me howled. Landon’s answered the call. Our minds were so wrapped around one another’s it was hard for me to see where he ended and where I began. The last two years of separation fell away and the rift between us was healed.
Chapter Eight
Several days later, life settled down to normal. Tannin hadn’t been by to see me, but I wasn’t worried about that. Landon had sold the majority of his paintings. The police had finally let me back into the shop. Detective Crace hadn’t called me about any leads on who killed Melissa. Landon returned with me to the shop. He was with me pushing a broom so that we could get the place up and running. He washed the blood from the floor because I couldn’t stomach the smell or the memorie
s of it. Later that night, I was going to have dinner with my grandmother and my sister. Landon was coming with me to meet the family.
After we finished cleaning and went back to take a shower, Landon drove me over to my grandmother’s house. His fingers clenched the steering wheel when we pulled up outside. He stopped the car and then took in a few deep breaths. Beads of sweat dotted his brow.
