by Anna Lowe
She motioned around. “All this is a bit much to process. Can we go back to your place?”
Sergio laughed loudly, and the sound carried to the adjoining woods. “I love that about you.”
She frowned. “Love what?”
“You just inherited a villa — but you prefer the servant’s quarters?”
She chuckled, then cupped his face. “Yes. Maybe someday, I’ll get my head around all this. But right now…your place is more homey. It’s more…more…” She struggled for a while, then finally hit on, “More like you. And that’s all I need. No titles. No mansions. No treasures. Just you.”
Sergio cupped her face, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. “The only treasure I want is you.”
She smiled, though it didn’t last long, because they fell into another kiss. One of those deceptively sweet kisses that went from a whisper to out-of-control hunger in a few heartbeats. She ran her hands over Sergio’s hard body, desperate to touch him everywhere.
Then a bird squawked, and she forced herself away. If she acted fast, she could summon enough self-control to make it back to Sergio’s cottage. If she didn’t, she’d end up screwing him on the terrace. Which would be pretty amazing, given the blue sky and incredible views. But that wouldn’t be right — not before she’d had a chance to explore the house. She wanted to linger over chairs her father must have touched and gaze out windows he would have gazed out in his time. She wanted to find any connections she could, not barge in on that special place.
But not right now. And she sure wasn’t about to get down and dirty on the roof today. On the other hand, Sergio’s cottage was his turf, not her father’s. And building that relationship had a hell of a lot more urgency, given all she and Sergio had been through.
She took one more look around the terrace, then led Sergio down the stairs and out the front entrance. By the time they reached the path to the cottage in the back, she was jogging.
“Hang on.” Sergio pulled her to a halt before she rushed into the cottage.
She turned, worried that he might have second thoughts. But his eyes were glowing brighter than ever and his hands tight over hers.
“What?”
He backed her up against the wall beside the door and pressed his body into hers. “Call it a warm-up,” he mumbled, claiming her mouth in a searing kiss.
Warm was an understatement. Feverish was more like it, because once he got started, it was hard to think straight. Which suited Lena just fine, because she’d done enough thinking for one day.
Mate, her inner voice kept growling, again and again.
For a while, she got to run her hands over Sergio’s back, losing herself in the inferno of his kiss. But then he pinned her arms over her head, rendering her helpless. A good kind of helpless — the kind she could grind and moan against as he explored her body with his mouth and free hand.
“Mmm,” she mumbled, tilting her head back.
Sergio kissed his way along her neck, pausing halfway down, where he spent a long time kissing, nipping, and exploring. The longer he did, the more she gyrated, and the more sensual the visions dancing through her mind became. She pictured him nipping deeper. Biting, even — deeply, yet carefully. Lovingly, if that made sense.
What was it Sergio had said? Shifters don’t marry. They bond for life with a mating bite.
Her toes curled. Was it crazy to want that so desperately?
Sergio scraped his teeth against her skin, and she closed her eyes, waiting for a slice of pain. But then he stopped and pressed his cheek against her chest, panting.
“Mi stai facendo morire.” Woman, you’re killing me.
Her chuckle came out all husky. “I’m the one with my hands up, mister. But don’t stop. Don’t you dare stop.”
His voice was a low rumble. “I don’t plan to. But mating is not to be rushed.”
She’d never rushed headlong into anything in her life. Even the decision to move to Rome had been one she’d tortured over for weeks. But right now, rushing seemed like a perfectly reasonable plan. Why wait?
“Not long,” he promised, sliding down her body.
She was about to protest, but he slid his hands upward, slipping off her shirt in one efficient motion. Her bra, too. The second his mouth closed over her nipple, her mind went blank. He’d released her arms to do so, but it took her a good minute to think about lowering them and running her fingers through his thick hair. He cupped her breasts in his big hands and swept his coarse thumbs over the sensitive tips.
“So good,” she moaned.
He shook his head. “Not yet, it isn’t. Just wait.”
“Wait?”
“I’ll make it worth it.”
And damn, did he, stripping her completely and sliding a hand between her legs. Moving it around until she was ready to explode.
“Your skin is like silk,” he murmured.
Her eyes narrowed to slits, and she caught glimpses of the sky… Trees in the garden… Birds. Sergio looking more intent than she’d ever seen him.
And, whoa. She saw herself, too. Naked. Outdoors. Helpless under Sergio’s touch. But damn, was it good.
“Yes… Yes…” she whispered as he touched her deep inside.
Pigeons cooed from the eves of the cottage, but when Lena shuddered and came with a cry, they scattered. Sergio flashed a wicked, You ain’t seen nothing yet smile.
When she drooped, he held her, nice and tight. And for a few seconds, that was all she wanted. But her neck itched, and suddenly, she wanted it all.
“Sergio—”
But he’d read her mind and was already carrying her in, leaving the front door of the cottage open. The bedroom door, too. In no time, his clothes littered the floor, and he laid her on the bed in one tender move. Tender fit the way he caressed his way down her body too. But when she spread her legs and he pressed his lips to her core, tender wasn’t the word at all. He consumed her. Inhaled her. Licked her all the way over to a second orgasm that made her clutch the sheets and cry out again and again.
“My turn,” she whispered once she’d caught her breath.
Her hands were shaky at first, but the more she stroked his hard shaft, the steadier they became.
Show him, her inner beast crooned. Show our mate how good he makes us feel.
She nudged his chest until he lay on his back, totally at her command. At least, it felt that way, though Sergio could have her at his mercy any time he chose.
And hell, at his mercy was pretty damn appealing. But she was on her own mission now. A mission that started with a kiss to his silky tip and a few lazy licks around the head.
Something rustled, and she glanced up to see Sergio fisting his hands in the sheets. Every muscle in his body was taut, and his jaw clenched.
She grinned. Could she make him howl the way she had?
Opening her mouth wider, she took him in, one hard inch at a time. Then she withdrew, only to push forward again. Slowly at first, then faster, finding her rhythm. Soon, she was bobbing up and down, coaxing one groan out of her man after another. Sergio’s hands went from the sheets to her head, and he murmured incoherently. But just when she was sure he would come, he nudged her back.
She broke off. “No good?”
“Too good.”
His eyes were burning, his hands firm as he guided her around to her knees. He didn’t utter another word, but she got the gist. No more waiting. No more tempting fate to come up with some sneaky way to keep them apart.
You’re mine, every move he made declared.
“Is this all right?” His whisper was sandpaper rough.
She looked over her shoulder. Doggy style, hot and hard? Oh yes.
She would have loved to shoot back a saucy reply, but anticipation put her heart in her throat, and she couldn’t speak. She wiggled her ass instead, and Sergio kneeled behind her. After running his hands over her body, he took firm hold of her hips, and she took a deep breath.
But he paused there, kissed her sh
oulder, and murmured, “Tesoro mio,” making her melt.
Then he thrust in, and all she could do was mouth a silent cry of pleasure. Sergio was holding back, she could tell.
Harder. Faster, her dragon side begged.
Draw the pleasure out, her human side countered.
“Okay?” Sergio’s voice was choked with need.
Oh, she was plenty okay — other than wanting everything at the same time. Faster and slower. Harder and more gradual. Everything.
Her body answered, pushing against him for more. Sergio withdrew, quivering at the point where they were barely connected. Then he thrust back in, making her burn.
Her mind started swirling, overwhelmed with sensations. The scent of Sergio on his sheets. The soft, fluffy pillow. The tight, powerful slide inside. Then there were the images flying through her mind — literally. She was soaring, swooping, and diving. Roaring her pleasure into the night. Of course, it was daytime, and all she was doing was moaning into the sheets. But still — she felt powerful. Proud. Invincible now that she had her mate.
Sergio leaned forward, tangling his fingers in her hair. She arched, tilting her head instinctively.
Right there, a voice ghosted through her mind when Sergio touched her neck.
“Yes…” she moaned as his teeth scratched her skin.
Yes, her dragon side breathed. This is going to be so, so good.
She clutched the sheets, anchoring herself as Sergio’s thrusts intensified. Any moment now…
His body hardened all over, and he let out a soft moan, holding her tight as he came. Then his jaw jerked, and he bit deep.
Fireworks went off in Lena’s mind. Heat rushed through her veins, flooding through one part of her body after another. New sensations filled her mind until she saw what Sergio saw and felt what he felt.
Apparently, she wasn’t the only one with that intense, hurts so good feeling that halted time. The same achy feeling of finally being fulfilled, and the same How did I get so lucky? thoughts. Which was funny, because she was the lucky one, right?
Yet there Sergio was, drifting in euphoric, She loves me thoughts. Holding her like a goddess, marveling at his luck.
When Sergio gently withdrew his teeth, she moaned, and another wave of pleasure swept through her. A huge, rolling wave that made her nearly miss how carefully Sergio held his tongue over the bite marks, making sure her skin healed. Then they both slumped into the sheets, and time kicked into motion at a slow, dreamy pace.
Sergio sighed, cleaning them both up with a corner of the sheet. Lena rolled into his arms, vaguely wondering what was tickling her cheek.
A tear, as it turned out. One Sergio brushed gently away.
“I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
She shook her head, ready to laugh and say, Never felt better. But more tears followed the first. Lots of warm, happy tears that came with a lump in her throat and a knot in her tongue.
Poor Sergio held her, looking lost. “Lena…”
She gripped his hand, trying to reassure him. She’d never felt more complete. But along with that sensation came the realization of how hollow her life had been up to that point without her mate.
So, no. Nothing was wrong. Everything was great.
She patted Sergio’s arm. “I’m fine. Just a little…emotional, I guess.”
“But you’re crying.”
She wiped her cheeks quickly and gulped away the lump in her throat. “Well, it’s not every day a girl gets her happy end.”
Sergio wrapped his arms around her and tucked his chin over her head. “This isn’t the end. It’s only the beginning, my mate.”
Epilogue
Three weeks later…
Lena’s neck tingled as she and Sergio walked up the hill, hand in hand. The sky was ablaze with sunset colors, the trees tinted gold.
“God, I love it here,” she murmured, coming to a stop where the road curved, opening up to a view. The whole city lay before them, from the unmistakable hulk of the Colosseum to the graceful domes of churches reflecting the sky’s brilliant hues.
Sergio leaned into a kiss. “I love you.”
She wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes. Sergio’s kisses were so good, she had to enjoy them one sense at a time. Like tasting, with her tongue slipping over his lips. Or sniffing her mate’s woodsy, wolf-shifter scent. Touching, too, all those slabs of muscle along his shoulders. Then she tuned all that out to concentrate on the sound. Well, her sound, really. A happy little hum she couldn’t hold back, not around him.
Then she sighed and pulled back. “Oops. Wait a minute. We were supposed to be admiring the view.”
“I’m admiring my mate. Close enough?” Sergio murmured, kissing his way along her ear.
Tilting her head back, she gave in for a while, paying no heed to a woman who walked by with a chuckle.
“Amore.”
Yes, it was amore. The deepest, richest kind bestowed upon a lucky few. If only her mother and father had been as lucky.
For a moment, sorrow washed over her. Her father had died without his mate — and without meeting his own daughter. Her mother had spent decades believing her lover had shunned her, when, in fact, he’d made the ultimate sacrifice. Lena had already vowed to herself to set the record straight the next time she was able to sit down with her mom.
But for now… Sorrow didn’t rectify the injustices of the past. Instead, she was determined to make the most of the chance her parents had never had.
“Mmm. Why me?” she murmured.
Sergio stopped and cupped her cheek. “What do you mean?”
“I think Arthur Ashe — the tennis player — said it first. That you shouldn’t ask ‘Why me?’ when bad things happen, but when you get lucky. Wise words, don’t you think?”
Sergio pulled her into a tight hug. “That’s what I love about you. Well — one of many things.” He rubbed his chin along her cheek. “Then I’d better ask, too. Perché io?” Why me?
She hugged him fiercely. She didn’t know the answer, but she knew how determined she was to pay her luck forward.
The past few weeks had been a whirlwind, and she was still setting up her photography studio in the cottage. She and Sergio had moved into the villa high on Gianicolo Hill, and it was amazing. Waking up to the sound of birds cooing under the eaves, then lingering over breakfast on the back patio. Candlelight dinners on the rooftop terrace… Peaceful, happy times that made her sure her father’s spirit was smiling. Of course, she and Sergio spent most of their free time making love, and she hoped to hell there were no spirits watching that.
Not that they’d had a lot of free time — not with Sergio out patrolling the city and her investing long hours learning from the Guardians. Ariana was a wonderful mentor, treating Lena like a long-lost niece. Ernesto Orsini was great too, taking her on extended walks while going over the city’s shifter history like a patient college professor. A surprisingly fun and funny professor who took her to places off the beaten path.
“You see the bear on this fountain? It’s not just any bear,” he’d say, launching into colorful tales of shifter royalty and intrigue.
Twice a week, Lena visited Dante, who tended to go off on tangents about the glorious history of dragons. But even that was fascinating. Gaius, on the other hand, went over maps and accounts with military efficiency.
“All this is mine?” she’d asked, looking over everything she’d inherited.
Not just the villa, but entire treasure hoards. Investments. Countryside properties — yes, properties. Plural.
“Of course. Now, concentrate, child.”
She did her best, but frankly, that part was still overwhelming. Her father had left her a fortune amassed over generations, and it was up to her to manage it all well. Thank goodness she had a trustworthy, if stern, advisor like Gaius.
Of all the Guardians, however, it was Remo who surprised her most. He’d walked her through the entire Guardian compound in silence, making her worry about w
hat his intentions might be. But when they’d ascended a hundred winding stairs and emerged high atop a tower, Remo had simply looked over the surrounding neighborhoods and heaved a heavy sigh.
“So much changes, yet so much remains the same.” His dark, haunted eyes wandered to the horizon. “Trouble is always brewing, and as Guardians of the city, we must always be vigilant.” Then he looked at her with eyes full of sorrow. “But not too vigilant, lest we err and accuse allies of being enemies.”
Just thinking about it put a lump in Lena’s throat. Remo was a proud man, and apologizing — even indirectly — took humility.
“Good advice,” she’d replied, risking a tiny smile.
And miracle of miracles, Remo’s lips had curled up too.
That had been a full week ago. Now, as the sun set, she replayed all those moments on the walk home with Sergio.
He drew a finger down her cheek, studying her face. “What?”
“I was thinking how interesting it’s been, getting to know the Guardians. On the outside, they’re fierce as anything, but really, they’re like a bunch of aunts and uncles.”
Sergio sighed. “They like you. Me, on the other hand…”
She put a finger to his lips. “They like you too. It’s just harder for them to admit it.”
Sergio snorted. “Like Signora Donatelli, I suppose?”
Lena laughed. “She still doesn’t like you. And neither does her dog.”
Sergio scowled, correcting her. “Rodent.”
“But, hey, I appreciate them looking out for me.”
Sergio gave her a grudging nod. “I suppose so.”
“Anyway, now that I’m all moved out…” Lena motioned to the bag she was carrying. Sergio had one too, full of the last few things left to bring home. “No more dealing with Signora Donatelli. We have our own home.”
“Our own home,” Sergio echoed. “I love the sound of that.” His eyes sparkled, and he turned back to the view, thinking.
Lena followed his cue, pondering her amazing journey. Fire Maiden. She still couldn’t believe it.
Sergio sighed, kissed her hand and tugged her onward. Past newspaper stands that — thank goodness — no longer flashed speculative headlines about the death of billionaire playboy Vicente Romano, whose body was found washed ashore a week after his mysterious disappearance. Some insisted it was a mafia hit, while others theorized about an accident at sea.
