Blood Moon (17 page)

Shaking off his hand, she rose. He pushed away from the table, and she waved him back to his seat. Two could play this game. She leaned over the table to pick up his plate, subtly pressing her upper arms against her sides and exposing her generous cleavage to his gaze. The shirt she wore already had a scoop neck. Bent over, she knew he could see all the way down to her lacy bra. Lifting his plate, she tilted it just enough that his fork slid off.

“Oops. Let me get that.” She moved to his side of the table, curling one hand over his thigh to brace herself, leaning over his lap, and wiggling her denim-clad rear end under his nose. Her breast pressed into his inner thigh and she snagged the fork. As she pushed away, her hand “accidentally” grazed the zipper of his jeans. A choked sound passed over her head.

She turned away, smirking, as she noticed the considerable bulge in his jeans and the involuntary twitch of his fingers. Good. Her nipples were stiff through both her bra and shirt. If she was going to be worked up, he should be, too. She sauntered across the kitchen and opened the dishwasher, bending over to put the plates in and making sure he got an eyeful.

“Dude, pay up. I totally win.”

She whirled around so fast, her hair snapped across her face. Thaddeus and Lawrence stood in the doorway behind Lukas. Lawrence’s mouth hung open as he slapped a twenty-dollar bill into Thaddeus’ outstretched palm.

“Holy shit, Lukas.” Lawrence cleared his throat and eyed the two of them. “She got any sisters? Cousins? Remote relatives of the female persuasion?”

Her blush started at her collarbones and burned its way to her hairline.

Thaddeus smacked his Alpha’s shoulder. “Why’d you leave that bedroom again?”

Lukas growled and Thaddeus grinned, raising his hands in surrender. “Hey, we were just coming in for dinner. Totally unintentional.”

“Thaddeus?”

“Yeah, Lukas?”

“Shut up.”

She backed away from the counter, heading for the screen door to her left that led outside. Thaddeus moved next to her and winked as he opened a cabinet next to her head and pulled out a couple of clean plates. It would be a long time before she lived this one down.

Lukas stood, pointedly ignoring the two men. Striding to the screen door, he opened it and gestured for Aria to lead the way onto the porch.

“How about I take you back to the clearing for a swim?”

She rushed through the doorway, still blushing furiously.

“Bow-chica-wow-wow!”

Lukas disappeared inside the doorway. Silence, then a thud and a loud “Oof!” followed by Lawrence’s laughter.

When he came outside, he cracked his knuckles. Glancing at her face, he shook his head. “Don’t ask. You’ll just feel sorry for him, and you shouldn’t.”

She shrugged, and then lightly leaped over the railing, bending her knees to absorb the impact. Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she tossed him a grin. “Race you.”

She sprinted through the neatly trimmed yard, enjoying the feel of soft grass between her toes and the cool autumn wind blowing over her skin. Behind her, Lukas gained speed and she pumped her legs faster. When her feet hit the higher grass marking the edge of the meadow, she shifted, shedding her clothing and allowing the shiver of magic to touch and twist her form. She landed on large paws without breaking stride.

This time, she knew where she was going, and didn’t stop to take the detours they had on their previous visit. Under the canopy of the forest, the night grew darker and somehow more intimate. Lukas slid into step beside her, moving like he was her own shadow.

When they broke through the trees, Lukas didn’t even stop to change. He bounded straight into the deep pool of water, splashing everywhere. The droplets clung to his dark fur, sparkling in the light of the gibbous moon like diamonds, and her breath caught. In the pool, his form changed, the droplets forming beads on his skin that she wanted to lick off.

He lifted one hand, and she shifted, taking a running leap to join him. The ice cold water jolted her, and she shot to the surface, dark hair plastered over her face.

“Crappola! It’s freezing!” Her teeth clacked together as her body shuddered. Once the initial shock faded, she glared at Lukas. Judging by the quirk of his lips, she guessed the wet clumps of hair hiding her face ruined the effect. “You might have warned me, you know.”

Laughter echoed around her, and she dunked her head, pushing the hair out of her face and coming up for air again. The pool was deep enough that only the tips of her toes scraped bottom. Her arms stretched along the surface, trying to stay afloat.

“Watch out, Aria. It’s cold.”

Water sprayed both of them as she swiped her cupped hands across the surface toward him.

He shook his hair, droplets flying around him as he closed the distance between them. The heat in his eyes balanced the chill. His arms slid around her waist, his hands kneaded her bottom as he pulled her tight against him. Without actually thinking about it, she wrapped her thighs around his waist, bringing her feminine folds up against his length.

The banked desire from their teasing in the kitchen flared back to life. Around her, the currents suddenly became more like fingers stroking and teasing every inch of submerged flesh. Her nipples beaded into hard peaks, so tight they hurt.

Lukas’ head dipped to nip at her shoulder. His breath swirled against her skin, the warmth somehow more arousing when the rest of her was drenched in the chilly water. Slowly, she flexed her thighs and rubbed her cleft against his erection.

A groan echoed from him. “Jesus, Aria. I won’t be able to last long if you do things like that.”

Just for good measure, she did it again. His eyes shot open and his fingers bit into her hips. Leaning forward, she nipped at his earlobe, biting gently and releasing it. Lukas stilled under her hands. “I’ve had enough foreplay, Lukas. If you don’t do something right now, I’m going to burst into flames and disappear in a puff of steam.”

“Well, we can’t have that, now can we?” His hands wrapped around her back, pulling her tight to his chest. She slid her arms around him, burying her face in his neck and breathing in his scent. His words vibrated through her body, setting off small fireworks where they were pressed together.

“I used to have more control, you know. Someday I’ll get it back.”

The water grew shallow, until it lapped at her bellybutton like a lover’s tongue. Lukas tilted her back against the smooth, cool boulder at the edge of the pool. He plundered her mouth, one hand moving to grip the back of her neck. She sucked his bottom lip into her mouth, nipping and tracing the edges with her tongue.

His knuckles brushed the undersides of her breasts, and she reached between them to wrap her hand around his hard length.

Raising an eyebrow, she gave him a wicked smile, then asked, “Do I have your undivided attention?”

Her thumb rubbed over his tip, enjoying the feel and heat of him in her palm, and the sense of control it gave her. Lukas stiffened, and she wasn’t sure if he was breathing. He shook as her fingers danced over his length, exploring and teasing the rock hardness.

“Baby, if you don’t put that where it will do both of us the most good in the next two seconds, I will explode.”

Gravely, she nodded, squeezing him lightly. A strangled croak escaped him.

“Well, I wouldn’t want that. I have big plans for you.”

She guided him to her entrance. That was all the encouragement he needed. Grabbing her wrists, he pinned them over her head, bending to suck a hard nipple in his mouth as he sheathed himself completely in one hard thrust.

Water splashed violently around them as he thrust into her, his lips moving over her chest and finally her mouth. He released her arms to grip her hips tightly, pounding into her body.

Spiraling higher and higher, she thought she’d die from the pleasure. His tongue mimicked the actions of his body. Finally, with one last thrust, they climaxed together and their mingled cries echoed over the water.

Lukas carried her out of the water, and they settled down on the soft moss at the edge of the pool. She just smiled dreamily up at him, boneless.

“Why do we have to go back to the house, again?” she asked, rolling into his side as she stretched beside him. She rested her head on his chest, and his hand rubbed her arm absently. After the chill of the pool, the air was warm on her bare skin, and she fought to keep her eyes open. She was so relaxed, she could have easily fallen asleep.

“If I could keep you here forever, just like this, I would baby.” Sadness tinged his words, and she lifted herself to look at his face. “Don’t worry. I’m just being maudlin.”

She pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “Right now, there’s only us, the pool, and the moonlight.” Reaching up, she smoothed a damp strand of hair out of his face. “Everything else can wait for tomorrow.”

He pulled her against his side and nodded. She settled against him again, determined to forget their problems for a short while.

Chapter Sixteen

“This has gone from mildly annoying to pissing me off.”

Aria pulled her knees to her chest, willing clothing to appear and cover her naked flesh. An oversized men’s shirt appeared in her hands. With a mental shrug, she pulled it on. It wasn’t quite what she had in mind, but she’d rather that than her birthday suit.

She sat in the clearing, resting on the same patch of moss she’d fallen asleep on. Haemon perched on a boulder at the edge of the stream, looking like a runway model in designer clothing. His eyes followed her every move.

“That’s a shame.” Haemon pouted. “I was enjoying the view.”

“What, exactly, do you want?”

He flicked at an imaginary wrinkle in his pressed khaki slacks. “I am not pleased with you.”

She couldn’t hold back a snort. “And this should matter to me because….” Rising from the ground, her hands pulled at the bottom of the shirt. It covered her, but she still felt too exposed for this conversation.

“I have plans for us, Aria. They do not include the fool you’ve attached yourself to.” His benevolent smile turned a little toothier than she would have liked. “It is very fortunate that I have made arrangements to correct that oversight.”

Condescension was never something she handled well. Planting her feet, she fisted her hands on her hips. “Listen carefully, Haemon. The only plans I have for you involve a swift kick to the seat of the pants and a few choice words. Neither you nor my father could ever control me. You never had the right, and you aren’t getting it now.”

“It’s really a shame you pretend such ignorance, darling. But it’s all right. Enjoy your sabbatical. It won’t be long before you come home.”

She moved closer, anger dancing through her body. “I will never go back to you, Haemon.”

He laughed. “You are so cute when you’re angry.”

A savage snarl erupted just behind her. The sound crawled over her skin and her heart pounded in her ears until she identified the source. Lukas crouched at the tree line, sweatpants slung low over his hips, glaring at Haemon.

“How did you get here?” Haemon’s brow furrowed and displeasure twisted his features. “I did not bring you here.”

Lukas moved in front of her, one hand twisted in the fabric of her shirt to make sure she stayed behind him.

“Hey! This is my dream, Lukas. You can’t get all bossy without permission.”

Haemon pushed away from the tree, a smug smirk on his face. “Very nice showing, Lukas. Do you think she bought it?”

She’d really love to claw the smirk off his face. Instead, she settled for stepping around Lukas, who shifted until she was staring at his back, again. The overprotective thing, while sometimes nice, grated her nerves. This was her dream, damn it. No one, not even Haemon, would tell her where to stand or what to say.

“You’re going to have to do better than that to turn her against me. Surprised to see me?” Lukas was a little more civilized, but still sounded as if he were two seconds from shifting.

“I must admit, you weren’t expected.” While Haemon tried to keep it out of his voice, an edge of irritation cut through the honey in his smooth tone.

“What the fuck do you want?”

She’d known Lukas was angry, but she hadn’t realized just how angry. The words were half human, half growl. Later, he would have to explain how he managed to get inside her dream. Right now, she just wanted to make sure no one got hurt. Killing Haemon before they got to the Council could only make things worse.

She froze, turning the idea over in her mind. Kill Haemon in a dream? Was it possible? After all, she’d left her dreams with bruises from Haemon multiple times. But death? She tossed the idea around for a moment and then shook her head. It would require too much energy.

Too bad.

“Tsk. Language, Lukas. Really, you’re supposed to be setting an example.”

She snorted. “Right. You’re so young and impressionable.”

Haemon ignored her.

“Answer me,” Lukas demanded, ignoring Aria’s attempts to uncurl his fingers from her shirt.

“I was just checking in on our lovely Aria. On occasion, watching her dreams is very educational.” His mouth curled into a disgusted moue. “Today wasn’t. I’ve never really been enamored with the shape of your ass.”

“My ass?” He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

She blushed, refusing to answer him. Something skittered through her awareness. Throwing her senses wide, she tried to locate it, but it stopped as suddenly as it started.

Lukas and Haemon snarled insults and threats at each other, and she stopped listening, focusing her attention. When the disturbance came this time, she followed the power to its source.

“Lukas.” He didn’t turn around, but continued to recommend Haemon perform an anatomically impossible feat.

“Lukas! Get out of my dream! NOW!” While she shoved him off balance with her body, her mind shoved him as well.