Can't Forget: If she can't forget her past, she won't have a future. (Solum Series Book 2)

by Colleen S. Myers

  My breath rasped out. Damn, I was a lucky girl.

  Marin braced his right hand next to my head, fingers trailing through my curls. His hair swung down to cocoon us in darkness. His lips slid across mine setting me ablaze. A single spark leapt between us, lightening the shadows of his face. His expression remained intent and focused on me.

  Marin sat back on his haunches and studied my dress. I saw his hand shaking as he slipped the sleeves down, alternating kissing and licking the skin he exposed. I felt the swipe of his tongue on the edge of my jaw, the puff of his breath near my ear. His lips trailed down my neck. Each touch a tease. And his lips, soft, and firm, and tender, all at the same time.

  I shivered and tightened my hands on his shoulders. The muscles flowed smoothly underneath my fingers as he braced himself above me. My skin tingled all over, I felt energized, my insides ached.

  “Do you want me?” Marin demanded.

  “You know I do.”

  Marin’s eyes had this uncertain gleam beneath the lust like he didn’t know if I still wanted him. I’d tried to kiss it away, but it still stared back at me.

  Forget this. I couldn’t see his marks and I needed to. Determined, I tugged at his shirt. “Time to take your clothes off.”

  “If you insist.” Marin crawled backward off the bed. He’d decided to make a game out of stripping months ago. It fast became one of my favorites.

  I scooted up and put my back to the wall to watch.

  Marin pulled his shirt off and turned to wink at me over his shoulder. A red rose stood out on the side of his neck. Waves of gray vines grew down his left arm to a single spiky thorn. On his right arm, lines of golden rope flowed to his elbow. A single flower grew among the strands, scattered drops of dew dripped down his bicep, my mark upon him. Seeing it there made my tension ease. Mine.

  His hips gyrated as he tugged off his pants. I laughed, breathless. Watching him, I couldn’t get over how lucky I was that this determined man wanted to keep me happy, safe. That he was so set on loving me. My skin grew tight. The hair rose on the back of my neck, wind stirring in the air.

  Marin smiled, a twist of his lips, eyes glimmering. His hands slid down his sides to grip his shaft. My eyes followed the motion, helpless. I licked my lips. We’d been together countless times and each was better than the last.

  Marin groaned and climbed onto the bed. “You like what you see?”

  I could only nod in response.

  “You want it?” he continued. “Use your words.” His legs straddled mine.

  “Yes, I want it,” I murmured.

  “Prove it,” he said.

  He yanked my hand so I slid down the bed and under him. His body caged mine. Our powers combined and sparked. Mist and magic formed in the air and grew thick. It smelled of sweat and heat. More and more, we pulled on our power during sex. Not sure if that was smart. If we lost control, that would be bad, but it felt so good. A breeze drifted over my body and lifted my hair.

  Lightning flashed in the dark of his eyes, holding me tight. Those frighteningly fierce slit eyes that held back nothing. I treasured the spark when we touched. Literal sparks if we weren’t careful like earlier. A tingle grew under my skin.

  He tugged my dress the rest of the way off and appeared satisfied at me spread before him in only my panties. His smile grew as I shifted underneath him. His fingers slid down my sides, light. Enough to raise the hair on the back of my neck. My nipples pebbled. He dug in his fingers just a little. Ha. A breathless laugh slipped out. “No.”

  I pulled my arms tight to my body.

  “What do you mean, no?” A light danced in his eyes. His fingers trailed my sides again, and I squirmed.

  “No tickling.”

  The corner of his mouth lifted and he dropped his lashes. A mischievous gleam danced in his eyes.

  “Marin.” I wagged my finger.

  “Elizabeth.” He drew my name out one syllable at a time. Never Beta. Always Elizabeth in that loving tone. He drew my finger into his mouth.

  One touch. One word. My name and no more play.

  He dropped his lower body down on top of mine. His hands pushed my shoulders into the mattress, his mouth devouring mine. Male, Marin, mine.

  He whispered, “Be good now.” Oh, I’ll be good.

  Anticipation thrummed through me. His erection stabbed me in the belly. He adjusted so he knelt, his legs restricting my movements, both of my shoulders still pressed hard against the bed.

  “Stay still.”

  Again with the orders. I loved it.

  A tug and I was bare before him. He spread my arms out wide on the dark green velvet spread. The possession in his eyes seared me.

  The wind whispered the words in my ears, intimate and loving.”Mine.”

  “Yours,” I replied the same way, with the wind.

  He lowered his head, keeping his eyes on mine until he got close to my breast. He licked my nipple, then blew on it. I moaned and bucked against his hold. “Stay still, I said.”

  He smirked and alternated his attention between my breasts. Sucking and biting until I felt sore and swollen and wet. Even the rub of the velvet against my skin turned me on. Jesus.

  He put my hands together and continued to hold them above my head. His other hand reached to skim my waist. I felt his hand slip up my thigh, light, so light, and a soft touch along my seam. Heat pooled between my thighs and soaked his palm. I tried to move my legs, but I was caught in his arms and in his spell.

  Once, I tried to move my hands. Marin stopped his ministrations and just stared at me. That look. I learned my lesson and left them where they lay.

  One finger slipped inside me.

  Damn.

  Goose bumps spread along my arms, fire in my gut. “Marin.” I groaned.

  “Elizabeth.” He smiled, quite satisfied.

  Then he placed a second finger, stretching me a bit more. A shudder racked me. He rubbed harder, his thumb flicking over my sex with each push inside. Too much. I pulled a hand free and ran it through his hair. The texture was thicker than mine, rough. I liked it. And for a second, I was lost to the sensation. Marin’s laugh drew me back.

  I forced his gaze to mine. “Enough teasing.”

  “More,” he said as his mouth claimed mine. His hips rocked into mine.

  “Please Marin, stop. I want to feel you inside me, not your fingers. Please, baby.”

  His pupils blew wide, his eyelids dropped. “More begging.”

  Knew that would get him. “I love what you do to me. I can’t get enough. Please, baby.” My voice broke.

  His eyes gleamed. His fingers kept up their teasing rhythm in my folds. “More.”

  “Gah,” I screamed and pulled his hair. “No more. Give me what I need.”

  He grabbed my hands and forced them onto the mattress.

  “Stay.”

  “No—” I protested weakly, struck by the sight of his chest. A drop of sweat from our play, our magic, dripped down his chest. I ached to lick. But it wasn’t my turn.

  “Stay,” Marin repeated.

  I watched his hands drift across his abs. He pushed his hand down until it grazed his balls. “You want me?”

  “Yes,” I moaned.

  “You sure?” He grabbed his penis and started to stroke it along my entrance. “You want this?”

  “Yes,” I pleaded. “Please!”

  “Tell me you love me. Make me think you mean it,” he demanded with glittering eyes.

  “I do mean it. I love you, you asshole. Now do it.”

  I pulled him down on top of me.

  He let me, his happiness evident as he adjusted his hips and slid into me with one heavy stroke. A cry escaped me, the stretch just how I liked it. My nails clawed his back. I’d never get enough of this man.

  He slipped deeper with each thrust, a grunt slipping out. His mouth teased mine, his tongue mimicked down below. We spun ever closer to completion. The wind gusted across us. The bed thumped against the wall.


  I came with a rush, him deep inside me, just where I wanted him. “Mine. You’re mine.”

  He groaned, “Yours.”

  Our breaths were harsh in the silence of the bedroom. He rolled onto his side, pulling me to face him.

  I let my mouth drift along his jaw. His scent filled my senses. Man, Marin, Mine. My right hand trailed down his face.

  His hands flattened on my back. “I love you.”

  “Ditto.”

  “What is ditto?”

  “Never mind.” I smiled.

  “Do you know how the bands work?”

  And my smiled died. I knew he was going to push. “Marin.”

  “Do you know how the bands work?”

  I sighed and dropped my gaze. “Not really.”

  “Well, first the male presents the female with the bands. In most cases, this is not a surprise.”

  I raised my eyebrows.

  He grinned. “To show his intent, the male places the band on his own wrist...” Marin glanced around the room as if he was about to do it. My heart kicked up until I remembered we’d left them in the dining room. “He then offers the other to the female of his choice. She has a little bit of time to decide. She will take the band and place it on her wrist; or she will not. If she does not then a few weeks later his band will drop off.”

  “Is that common?”

  He focused on his hand drifting down my cheek. “Is what common?”

  “For the female to refuse.”

  Marin’s gaze met mine. “It has happened but it is rare.”

  “Mating as a whole is rare here.”

  “Yes.”

  “And nothing bad happens?” I covered his hand on my cheek with my own.

  He shrugged. “No, nothing bad happens if the band is refused, but the bond cannot form, even if the female says yes later.”

  “What bond?”

  “The lyrci.”

  “What is that?” I’d settled onto my side, my legs twined with his.

  “Know how we can talk sometimes?”

  “That is an air ability.”

  “Yes, but not everyone has magic like that. The lyrci allows that, a connection between those true-mated. It is hard to explain.”

  I had more questions, but his face was drawn and determined. I needed to take his mind off the bands. Hmm, how to distract him?

  I grabbed his hand and ran it down my body. “I think the time for talk is over.”

  He smiled and watched the path of his hand down my chest and then there were no more words.

  When we fell asleep, neither of our arms were decorated with a mating band.

  Six

  Cold air buffeted my legs. I shivered and reached out, my hand groping for the blankets and yanked them up to my neck. The covers were promptly torn right back off. It’d better be Marin. Anyone else and I’d have to kill them. I caught an edge and he pulled the blankets away again. The bastard. My eyes opened, bleary.

  Marin grinned at me from the side of the bed. “Time for work, Elizabeth.”

  I glared at him and hugged the pillow to my chest. “Five more minutes.”

  “Oh, no.” He laughed. “Five more minutes means you do not get up for an hour.”

  He grabbed the pillow and tugged. I held on like a pit bull. My pillow.

  “Time to head to the greenhouse,” he said. “You were the one who said you needed to work or you would go crazy. I would have let you stay home and take care of me, but no.”

  I glared at him harder and meaner, and this time added a proper huff. “Fine, I will wake up.” But I didn’t want to get up. How about another tactic? “I’m chilly though. I wonder what would warm me.”

  Now he was the one who shivered. “As much as I love that idea, we do not have time. Get up, my love.”

  Huh.

  That was the first time he called me that. I think we both noticed. His eyes softened and he ran his hand down my face. He leaned down and nipped my lower lip. As he gathered me close, I let the pillow drop. Quick as a cobra, he threw the thing across the room, tugged me up into his arms, and walked me over to the dresser.

  “I don’t want to work,” I whined.

  “I wish we had more time.” He curled in behind me, grazing my sides with his hands.

  His touch tickled but didn’t. Goose bumps broke out on my arms. I arched my head back in invitation. Marin obliged and trailed his mouth down my neck. I reached up and tugged on his hair. A sigh escaped me. There was never enough time.

  Reluctantly, he stepped back and dressed, while I pulled on my own clothes.

  The key to cold weather was layers, lots and lots of layers. Four shirts later, I was ready. He preceded me to the door and hip checked me before racing to the dining room, taking the lead.

  George ran under our feet on the stairs. I’d forgotten about him last night in our tide of lovey-dovey, but there were enough guards about that someone took care of him. He kept going for my toes. And those little teeth were sharp. I stumbled and slammed into the hallway walls to avoid stepping on him.

  “Georgie.”

  The little dude’s ears perked up and he leapt for my leg. Thank god for the layers. He scrambled up my body and I gathered him close to my chest and carried him into the dining room. Marin diverted to grab the books from the library.

  When I entered the room, food waited. And the box with the mating bands sat on a nearby chair. I rushed to grab it and tucked it inside my shirt just in time, George cuddled on top of the box to hide it.

  Marin entered behind me and waved the books in the air. “Got them.”

  “You’re going to see Stein again today?”

  “Yes.”

  I snorted. “You have fun with that.”

  “Oh, I am sure to.”

  He scanned the room. I tucked the bands closer to my chest and wolfed down my food. Once they were hidden, he couldn’t put on the male band and force the issue. That had to be his plan. He suggested and led until people did what he wanted them to do. He was usually crafty about it too, ever so subtle. Most people didn’t realize how much they ended up doing his bidding myself included.

  Marin seemed to feel he knew best what people should or shouldn’t do. He set a task and then went about obtaining it. His current task appeared to be me. He wanted me in the worst way. I wanted him too, but I wanted the E’mani as well, dead and dying. Hiding the bands was best for both of us right now.

  “You headed to work?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “I will see you soon.” He gave me a swift kiss and sauntered out. The door slammed and I bolted to my room, George hot on my heels. No one touched the shivat so I shoved the bands under the uniform. That done, I went back downstairs.

  I dreaded the trek to the greenhouses. I loved working there. It was winter I hated, but I was getting to know the agriculture. Every day, I took samples and used the herbology and basic pharmacology books to try to figure out some of the components of the plants. I found it fascinating that the Fost eschewed anything to do with the E’mani, yet they kept books of their knowledge. It was one of the few things they did take after the war. Marin’s library held advanced technological manuals and rarely used medical textbooks.

  I’d already made several interesting finds, which I was not sure the Fost appreciated. I’d made aspirin, an antibiotic and some liniments for sprains. Every product I made was met with suspicion. Except by Ute, that dude loved everything. They associated drugs and their treatments with the E’mani. Like I said, our histories were similar, though the E’mani far outstripped us humans in this regard.

  I couldn’t stop the twinge I felt at their suspicions. It reminded me I was not Fost, I didn’t belong here. Not even a little progress was acceptable for fear of becoming like the E’mani. I couldn’t really blame them, having met the freaks.

  Aw, well, I arrived at the front door. George had to stay behind much to his dismay. It was way too cold outside for him. And he would get lost in the snow drifts.
/>   Marin usually walked me to work, but he had Clan Hanat to visit. Zanth wasn’t fit company for anyone. Marin sent the guards, Jace and Bob, along with me. Jace was tall, rangy, and an absolute menace with a blade as I could attest. He reminded me of a cowboy with his sly ways. Bob on the other hand was a beast of a guy, huge, shy and quiet. If you painted him green, he resembled the hulk, thus his nickname, Gigantor, or Giggy for short. They had guarded me from the Fost and the Fost from me when I first arrived all those months ago. Despite that, I kind of liked them. I lucked out with my guards. They met me at the door.

  “Hi,” I said.

  Jace tipped his head in response. Giggy smiled his sweet smile and off we went trudging through the snow down to section three. Not much for small talk, these two. They were all business when it came to my safety.

  The valley consisted of three separate levels or sections and it housed nine separate clans.

  Section one, the uppermost area, held the largest lake, Mirror Lake, surrounded by extensive forests. Within the forest were the animal livestock and orchards. Their aqueduct system started there and extended down into the valley. Two clans called section one home, Clan Gaol and Clan Hanat. Marin was leader of Clan Gaol and clan chief. Section one was up on a cliff and connected by one main path that ran through the surrounding woods.

  The second section was near the entrance to the valley. Right beyond the gateway was the largest clan, Clan Orin, and also Clan Tern. Their clan home centered around a lake as well with some greenhouses and farmland along the base of the cliffs. The land then sloped down to form four smaller lakes and the largest land mass.

  Five clans called section three home, the Hazerns, the Forgs, the Tryst, the Forik and the Barrel. The majority of the Fost’s crops grew along this basin.

  The valley, through sheer geography, was well protected. The entrance was the only way inand out of the area. Up until I arrived, there were a few guards located at key points in the valley but most efforts focused on the entrance. But since the E’mani attack, regular patrols were set up in the towns for added protection. They’d lost children to the E’mani in those attacks.

  Before that, they’d never needed the guards in town. Crime was almost unheard of here. They had the odd theft, curfew breaking, domestic violence, but overall they were a Zen people, were the Fost, and environmentally aware. All food they didn’t eat got composted. The compost was then used on their agriculture. And their agriculture, for the small amount of land they had, supported the number of Fost living. And that was improving as powers resurfaced and aided in the harvests.