EnemyMine (13 page)

“Don’t do that,” he murmured and stopped before her, running
his hands up and down her calves. “You’re beautiful. Let me see you.”

Her cheeks turned cherry red as she parted her thighs,
allowing him to see her fully, the outline of her labia and the hood of her
clit clearly visible. A thatch of blonde curls rested at the top of her slit.
The sight sped up the lust in his blood, making his cock jerk. He could smell
how turned-on she was, could see the glimmer of her arousal on the lips of her
pussy. The folds were pink, contrasting beautifully with the creamy paleness of
her legs. He wanted to tell her just how hard her cunt made him, how the sight
made him want to fuck her senseless, but he kept it to himself. Verbal foreplay
was something he enjoyed but she was new to this level of intimacy. He had to
introduce her to things when she was ready, not before.

Shifting closer, he lowered himself to his stomach. Her
scent, so fragrant, female and clean, had him closing his eyes and drawing in a
deep breath. One taste wouldn’t be enough. He planned to tongue her until she
begged him to stop, keep going until she begged him for more and take her to
heights she’d never forget.

At the first touch of his tongue—a soft, teasing flick
against her clit—she gasped. He repeated the motion then lowered his head,
following the outer folds of her cunt, keeping his touch gentle as he tasted
her cream. At first she stiffened, muscles drawn taut as a bow. Then, slowly,
with each tender lick and kiss, she relaxed.

“Oh my,” she whispered, her hips lifting to match the
motions of his mouth. “
Emory
.”

He continued, moving up and down, ’round and ’round,
avoiding contact with the inner folds and her clit. When her knees fell to the
mattress, opening her entirely to his gaze, he brought his hands to the apex of
her thighs and parted her vaginal lips with his thumbs. She was so wet and
smelled so fucking good but that was nothing compared to how she tasted. That
second long lap he took, an intentional flattening of his tongue as he licked
her from top to bottom in a smooth, strong stroke, almost had him coming in his
jeans.

“I want… I need…” She pressed her pussy against his face,
rolling her hips in harmony with the glides of his tongue.

Blowing a steady flow of air against her clit, he whispered,
“I know what you need. I know
exactly
what you need.”

This time he didn’t go slowly or treat her with care. He
went at her like the animal he was, licking and nipping, manipulating her clit
with his thumb. To his immense delight, Mary stopped muffling her cries,
moaning and gasping for breath as he licked her hard and fast. He thrummed the
bead at the top of her pussy, using light strokes. It wasn’t enough to send her
over but it would be. Just the right amount of pressure and he’d send her
soaring. She started shaking, her ass growing tense against the mattress as the
minutes passed. He positioned his finger at the mouth of her sex, used his
other hand to pull back the hood masking her clit and sucked the nub into his
mouth.

She wailed into the pillow as she came, her entire body
thrashing, and he slid his finger into her moist depths. She was so tight—
too
fucking tight.
Despite that, she didn’t try to stop his prodding, riding
out the waves of pleasure as he moved his finger in and out of her body, timing
each thrust with the flicks of his tongue. It was only when her orgasm had
passed that she squirmed and looked down at him.

“It’s too much.” She panted, trying to even her breathing.
“I’m so sensitive now.”

He released her clit but didn’t stop stroking the satiny
velvet that clenched his finger, clasping him like a fist. Fuck she was
beautiful like this. Her hair was tangled around her shoulders, her cheeks were
flushed and her eyes were darker than usual. She looked exactly as a woman
should after she’d come hard and fast, a little unkempt and a whole lot happy.
He added another finger to the first, stretching her wider.

This time she tensed at the intrusion.

“I need you to relax for me, sweetheart.” He entered her
pussy with shallow strokes, waiting until she trusted him enough to go deeper.
“That’s right. Let me in. Good girl. Just like that.” He tried to ignore the
tension creeping up his neck, the wolf no longer content to stand on the
sidelines. “I want to make sure I don’t hurt you. You’re so small and tight.
You’re going to have to trust me.”

“It doesn’t hurt, it’s just…different.”

Glancing at her, he cocked a brow. “Different?”

“Well, I mean, it feels kind of…” She looked away,
embarrassed.

Dominance took over, the beast inside him breaking through
his barriers. He thrust his fingers firmly into her, growling. “Tell me how it
feels.”

Flexing his wrist, he started working her with his fingers
as he brought his other hand to her clit, using his index finger to create
small circles over it. Mary arched her back, taking him deeper, and thrust her
hips against his hand.

“Tell me, Mary,” he ordered, continuing to pound into her
with his fingers, finding that his fingers came away coated in hot liquid
warmth with each retreat.

“Full…oh God…so incredibly full.”

“What else?” He tried to pull back, to stop himself from
going too far, but he knew it was a battle lost. He’d waited too long for Mary,
needed her too much to stop.

“Good,” she moaned, pushing her pussy into his hand. “It
feels so good.”

He released her and moved off the bed to kick off his boots
and pull off his socks. His pants were destroyed as he ripped them away, using
the claws that appeared in place of his fingernails. He ached with the need to
bury his cock so deeply inside his mate she’d become a permanent part of him.
He kept his eyes on Mary the entire time, monitoring every expression on her
face, aware that his eyes were glowing and she could clearly see the wolf
inside him now.

Don’t run from me
, he thought. Afraid that she just
might when he was totally nude and she eyed the stalk of his cock, which rose
to his bellybutton. Genetics made him a large man—everywhere. If the wolf
didn’t terrify her, his bodily proportions just might.

He was thrown off guard when she extended her arms—arms that
were trembling—and said, “Come here.”

She’d said those two words earlier, right before she brushed
her lips against his and proved that she wasn’t afraid of him. A sharp pain
pierced the center of his chest, the magnitude of what he was witnessing strong
enough to bring him to his knees. Mary—his sweet, beautiful mate—was offering
herself to him without reservation, without fear.

She saw the beast in the man—she saw
him
—and she
accepted them both.

He charged her wildly, a tidal wave washing to the shore,
coming to her as she asked—no holding back, no pretending this was anything
other than what it was. She didn’t struggle when he settled between her legs,
the bulbous head of his cock sliding against her vaginal lips as he dipped his
head to kiss her.

Their lips met, parted and their tongues touched. Circular
motions followed by rotating suction. He deepened the kiss, plunging into the
warmth of her mouth as he fisted his cock, aligning the tip with the slick well
of her pussy. When he was in place he pressed inside, inching forward, taking
his time. Back and forth he went, keeping his plunges shallow. She was so tight
he had to work his way in, fighting her fisting walls, the steady rocking
allowing him to sink deeper inside her. Sweat trickled down his back, his arms
trembling with the effort to go slowly.

“Don’t hold back. I won’t break.” Mary grasped his biceps,
her breath a warm caress against his mouth. “I trust you. Let yourself go.”

She was brave beyond her years or completely foolish. Either
way, the wolf obliterated the final barrier Emory had resurrected, making him
more beast than man. He thrust his full length into her, growling at the snug
clasp of her pussy as he went balls-deep, at the way she surrounded him like
fiery velvet. Her cry of pain rang in his ears. Despite the animal riding him
and dictating his actions, he somehow managed to gain enough control to hold
still, giving Mary time to become accustomed to his size. Her eyes were closed,
her bottom lip drawn between her teeth.

“It won’t hurt anymore,” he murmured and brushed kisses over
her eyes. “Go soft for me, Mary. Let me take you back to where we started. I
want to make you feel good.”

He felt her muscles flex as she tried to relax beneath him.
Lowering his head, he lavished affection on her breasts, sucking her nipples
one at a time. Her ragged breathing told him she enjoyed breast play, as did
the wetness that drenched his cock. Excellent, he loved playing with her
breasts as much as she enjoyed having his mouth on them. He rotated soft bites
with soothing licks, rotating his tongue around her areolas. When she started
swaying her hips he rose above her. Watching her face, he slowly withdrew from her
heat, the walls of her pussy as tight as a second skin. To Emory’s relief the
wolf backed off, content that his long, lonely wait for his mate was over.

Stopping with only the head inside her body, he murmured,
“Look at me.”

Her eyes opened, revealing dark pools of endless ochre.

Then he moved, gliding slowly inside her—studying her face
as her eyes fluttered and her lips parted—until he was sheathed to the hilt.
Once he was buried within her he stayed there, extending the moment, making it
last.

“Damn, you feel good.” And she did, so tight and hot, wet
and flexing. “Like fire and velvet, angel eyes. So fucking soft and sweet.”

“This is really happening.” There was a hint of wonder in
the words. Mary touched his chest, fingers skimming over his collarbone. She
stopped when she came to the tattoo on his arm, a representation of his wolf.
The black colors were carefully done, almost like a portrait that ran from his
elbow to his shoulder.

“Yes, it is.” He trapped her hand in his and brought it to
his mouth. He ran his fingers along her knuckles, the touch feathersoft.

Her brows knotted as she shifted her hips, lifting her
pelvis upward. The motion took him deeper inside her, causing them both to
moan. Releasing her hand, he grasped her ass. He held a cheek in each hand,
guiding her into a rhythm as he started thrusting, slow and steady, strong and
deep. Any pain she’d felt was long gone, replaced by pure sexual need. Her
arousal burned his nose, mingling with the sweet scent that he would always
associate with her.

Mary.

My mate.

Their motions became harder—faster—as she fucked herself on
his cock. Her fingernails pierced his skin, her moans becoming louder. Bringing
his hand between their bodies, he applied steady pressure to her clit, eager to
give her release, to solidify the first state of the bloodbond.

“Come for me.” He quickened the motion, thrusting into her
harshly, timing it perfectly and bringing them to the pinnacle together. When
her cunt tightened around him, rippling and flexing, he allowed himself to
follow. He roared as he came, keeping going until Mary stopped crying out in
pleasure and started whimpering in pain.

Shit.

The worst part—the one he didn’t want to think about—was now
upon them. The moment he pulsed into her womb, the mating process started. He
felt the shift in his body, a tiny part of the wolf sliding from his flesh to
merge into her. Although it felt right to him, it pained her, and that was
something he’d sworn he’d never do.

“I have you. I’m here.” He held her down as she thrashed,
keeping her locked against him as the first stage of the bloodbond began.

“It hurts. Why does it hurt?” There was so much confusion,
so much misery in the question. “I can’t see. Oh God. I can’t see!”

“I know, it’s all right. I’m here. I won’t let you go.”

I’ll never let you go.

There was nothing to do but hold her, to wait out the fire
rushing through her veins, forming the first mark between them as the wolf
enhanced her senses, changing her reflexes and perception. He’d heard how bad
it was—how much pain was involved. It was the only way but he hated himself in
that instant for putting her through the process. Little comfort came from the
knowledge that the second mark wasn’t as intense, because he knew the third and
final one would be.

Would she be willing to face the agony a second time? Could
he possibly ask her to?

What only lasted for seconds felt like hours, the suffering
of his mate more than he could take. The wolf—bastard that he was—had no such
guilt as he returned to Emory. The beast was the same yet different, a portion
of him now attuned solely to Mary. When she sagged beneath him, no longer
fighting, he lifted away and looked at her, making sure there were no outward
signs of harm. She opened her eyes—eyes that were dull with pain—and tried to
talk.

“Don’t.” He silenced her with a kiss. “Rest.”

“I’m so tired,” she mumbled. “Why?”

“We’ll talk soon. For now, I want you to sleep.”

She didn’t argue when he rearranged the bed, slid her
beneath the covers and joined her. Instead she turned toward him, resting her
forehead against his chest as he drifted to sleep. He remained like that,
holding her close, stroking her hair and sheltering her in his arms.

It had to be done, but there was one thing he could do to
make amends. Resting his chin on her head, he started thinking of all the ways
he was going to please his mate. He’d make her breakfast in bed, profess his
love and show her how much she meant to him.

Starting tomorrow.

Chapter Eight

Ava Brisbane cursed under her breath as she examined the refrigerator,
taking stock of the items inside. The night before she and Diskant had engaged
in their first official fight. Not an argument or disagreement but an
honest-to-god fight. The memory of his shutting her out of his head—barricading
his thoughts to himself—infuriated her. He’d sworn they were supposed to share
everything. No secrets were supposed to exist between them—ever. Thanks to the
consummate asshole Craig Newlander, Diskant had attempted to keep something
from her, and the knowledge pissed her off.

Taking a deep, fortifying breath, she tried to calm down. At
least she knew the truth now. Diskant might be an asshole but he knew when he
was wrong. After he’d apologized he’d told her about the witch Craig contacted
him about, as well as his plans to have Caden transport her to New Orleans. It
was dangerous transporting the woman—a woman who was about to come into some
monumental powers—therefore she could somewhat sympathize with Diskant’s
aloofness on the matter.

She frowned when she got to the middle shelf, opened the egg
carton and found there were only two eggs nestled inside. Fabulous. Now she’d
have to walk to the nearby convenience store. Making the trip the day before
for an extra special purchase didn’t mean squat, not when a house full of
shifters ate everything in sight. Thankfully Becker’s stocked fresh produce and
dairy, so it was an easy fix. Although most of the houseguests had left the
night before, she still needed to make something for those who had remained.
Diskant, Mary, Emory and Trey would need more than a couple of pancakes to tide
them over—especially Mary.

“Poor girl,” she sighed, staring at the near empty shelves
in the refrigerator.

Having been through the bloodbonding process, Ava wanted to
make sure the addition to the pack was comfortable in her new home. It would be
nice to have the other woman around to talk to, comforting even. Hopefully
Emory would take Diskant up on his offer and stay in their home for a while so
that Mary could ease into her new life and Emory could reestablish himself in
the pack.

“Morning, Ava.”

She looked over the refrigerator door, surprised to see Trey
sauntering into the kitchen. He looked like the man she once knew, not the
crazed individual who’d taken off for retribution against the Shepherds who’d
devastated his pack. His hair was smoothed back, he’d shaved and his clothing
was shockingly free of wrinkles or stains.

“It’s good afternoon, technically,” she replied before
inspecting the contents of the fridge for a second time, creating a mental list
of things she’d need. Thankfully her shopping trip would be short and sweet.
Closing the door, she faced Trey, who’d taken a seat at the table.

“Where’s D?” He reclined in his chair, a strange smile on
his face.

“He had to visit Kinsley.” She didn’t reveal the real reason
that Diskant wanted to see the head Alpha of the cat prides. If Diskant didn’t
want her to know about the witch Craig wanted transported to New Orleans, he
might not want Trey to know either.

“Hmm.” Trey hummed. “Anything I should know about?”

“I’d think if Diskant wanted you to know he’d tell you.”

Another shock—Trey actually grinned. “The more time you
spend with D, the more you become like him.”

“That’s not a bad thing.” At least she hoped it wasn’t. Her
mate wasn’t known for being easygoing or friendly.

“Not at all.”

Something is definitely strange
, she thought,
watching Trey closely. He looked like his old self, was amiable like his old
self and appeared to be in control of his wolf like his old self. The question
was, why?

What had happened to bring him back from the brink of
madness?

Pushing the questions aside, she walked to the drawer beside
the sink to get some cash. After she pocketed the money she started to walk to
the phone by the back door. Every trip required an escort, even if she was only
venturing to a store a few blocks down the street. Despite her arguments that
she wanted to live a normal life, Diskant refused to budge when it came to her
safety. If she wanted freedom, she had to accept she would never go anywhere
alone, even if it was to the mom-and-pop shop down the road.

“Going somewhere?” Trey asked.

“I need to make a trip to Becker’s,” she answered, lifting
the phone from the receiver.

“I’ll take you.” Trey rose, rotating his shoulders, causing
the tight cotton T-shirt he was wearing to stretch across his chest.

“Seriously?” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The
pack was lucky if they could get Trey to venture anywhere unless killing a
Shepherd was involved. His smile confused her more than comforted her, creating
more questions she was forced to put on the backburner until she could deal
with them.

“Why not?”

“Okay then,” she responded, feeling as though she were in
The
Twilight Zone.
“I’ve got everything I need. It shouldn’t take long.”

After they slid into their coats, he escorted her to the
garage, held the door open and waited for her to cross. They walked through the
empty area in silence, approaching the door that would take them to the street.
One of the guards posted in front of the house started toward them. Normally
she would have kept going, knowing whoever was on duty could either follow her
or face Diskant’s wrath. Only this time, she recognized the pack member.

Dear God.
Zach.

His mate, Katie, had been killed in the explosion a couple
of months before. Ava had tried to help him using her ability, reaching out
with her newfound pack connection to soothe his hurt. Although he looked better
physically, there was a coldness in him that would never thaw, an empty space
left unfilled.

When had he come back? Where had he gone when Diskant
permitted him to leave New York?

Although she was tempted to slip inside Zach’s head to find
out the answers, she didn’t. The man had suffered enough without her invading
his privacy. Seeing him now, pulled together far more than he’d been in the
past, was enough to stem her curiosity. When Diskant came home she’d ask
questions, but not now.

“I’m taking her to the store.” Trey hesitated when he spoke,
knowing about Zach’s history as well as she did. “We’ll be back in ten.”

Zach looked her, his dark blue eyes revealing nothing, and
retrieved his cell phone. “I’ll inform our eyes in the sky.”

The need to reach out to the heartbroken man—to see if he
was truly doing well or if it was a carefully constructed illusion—was too
much. Ava hurried down the street without bothering to make sure Trey was
following, knowing she could potentially cause Zach more harm than good if she
caved in to her need to invade his mind. She knew the pack guards on the
rooftops of the surrounding buildings were watching as they strolled down the
street, keeping an eye on them as they traveled. The thought made her angry.
Ever since the religious extremists who hunted shifters had made their mark on
the city, she couldn’t even go to the store without someone watching. Knowing
eyes were always on her made her uneasy, conscious of her every move.

“Wait up,” Trey yelled and ran to her side. “You’re not
supposed to be alone, remember?”

“How could I possibly forget?” She glanced over at him and
rolled her eyes. “I can’t take out the trash without someone watching. It’s
like
Big Brother
, only not as entertaining.” She considered asking about
Zach but decided against it. “So why did you decide to tag along? I know it’s
not because you want chocolate milk or bonbons.”

Trey looked insulted. “Do I have to have a reason to protect
my Alpha’s mate?”

Her curiosity shifted from Zach to the shifter next to her.
A reason to protect his Alpha’s mate? Total and utter bullshit. He wanted
something, and he wanted it bad enough to swallow his pride and come to her for
it.

What is he up to?

“Oh yeah,” she said slowly. “You’d definitely have to have a
reason.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s so.”

Trey didn’t look at her as he spoke, keeping his eyes ahead,
remaining on alert. “I have something I want to ask you.”

She bit back a smirk when she found out she was right. No
wonder he wanted to escort her to the store. “Okay?” She glanced at Trey,
paying attention to his face, which had suddenly become serious.

“Do you remember the night before we left? When the pack met
at Club Liminality?”

Not the way she wanted the conversation to go. Her face
heated. She certainly remembered that night. Diskant had taken her into the
bathroom after she’d pissed him off, bent her over the sink, spanked her
soundly and fucked her so hard she couldn’t walk straight afterward.

“Yeah.” She cringed at how husky her voice was and quickly
cleared her throat. “I remember.”

“The woman you spoke to—the vampire.” Trey’s eyes darted
away from her. “How do you know her?”

The question caught Ava off guard. She didn’t really know
the vampire at all, only that the beautiful blonde woman had rescued her when
Shepherds tried to kill her. The memory of the night Trey was referring to was
hazy but she could vividly recall their brief conversation at Club
Liminality—when the vampire had shared memories with her. The woman had shown
Ava where she came from. Descended from mages, the mysterious vampire had said,
something she still found difficult to wrap her head around.

“I don’t.” At his frown she clarified, “Know her that is.
She’s the woman who saved me the night of the bombing. When I saw her at the
club I wanted to thank her. Diskant didn’t give us a lot of time to talk, if
you remember. I only had the chance to say thank you and goodbye.” She tried to
capture Trey’s eyes but he wouldn’t allow it. “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious,” he replied.

He’s lying.

Time with Diskant and the pack allowed her to read lies
easily. Trey’s body language and evasive answer screamed deception. She caught
herself before she sought the information from his mind to discover what he was
hiding. This morning was a step in the right direction for the former Alpha and
invading his thoughts might cause a setback. If Trey wanted her to know what he
was up to, he’d tell her. Respect was earned when it was given.

“Can you tell me anything about her?” Trey continued evading
eye contact, looking at the ground, the sky, the buildings—anything but her. “I
wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”

“She’s special,” Ava answered, going with her gut instinct
about the vampire.

“How so?”

“I can’t really explain it. I just got the impression
there’s something more to her.”

“That’s all you know?” He glanced in her direction.

“I’m afraid so.”

He didn’t ask any more questions, meaning the rest of their
walk was done in silence. When they arrived at Becker’s, Trey once again opened
the door like a gentleman. Ava stepped inside and hesitated when Trey took a
place at the front of the store. She collected a small rectangular shopping
basket and peered over at him.

“Are you coming with me or are you going to stay here?”

The tension in his shoulders eased and he cracked a smile.
“I’ll wait for you. I only shop when I have to.”

Typical man
. She studied the checkout line and the few
people inspecting the shelves near the counter. “I’ll be right back. I only
need a couple of things.”

He leaned against the wall, sliding his hands into the
pockets of his leather pants. “Take your time.”

She shouldered past a bulky man in her path, walking fast in
order to get what she needed. Diskant had said he wouldn’t be gone long, and he
didn’t like it when she left home without him. Since they’d argued the night
before, she didn’t want to cause a repeat. With one final look at Trey, she
vanished around the corner in search of a carton of eggs and some freshly
squeezed OJ.

Trey kept an eye on Ava until she disappeared, then he
relied on his nose to follow the little hellion through the store. Although she
was small as a mouse, she had the heart and temperament of a lioness. She
didn’t back down from anyone or anything. The female was a perfect match for D.

Sadly, he hadn’t noticed how well she’d adjusted to the pack
until today. His thoughts had been too clouded by pain and anger. When he’d
woken earlier that morning the memories from the night before had hit him like
a freight train, regret and shame rushing back to him. The harsh treatment he’d
shown Sadie was unforgivable. Bitterness against the world caused it,
resentment festering inside him like cancer.

It was time for that to change.

Finding your mate could do things like that to a male,
taking him from one extreme to the other. Yes, he was still angry. Yes, he
still wanted revenge. But more than that he wanted the female he’d held the
night before. The woman he was determined to find regardless of her thoughts or
protests about the matter.

A few more people entered the store, forcing him away from
the wall. He stepped near the cash registers and looked down the aisles,
searching for Ava. She didn’t have the answers to his questions but he was glad
he’d tagged along to speak with her. That was something he didn’t realize he’d
missed in the last few weeks—contact with another person, conversation that
didn’t involve hate or rage.

A strange noise came from the back of the store, as though
someone had dropped something. He lifted his head, scenting the air.

Then he heard Ava scream.

Instinct took over, the wolf within no longer asleep but
fully awake. He shoved aside the people in his path, pushing through them like
a battering ram. In seconds he was at the back of the store, near the
refrigerated merchandise. A group of shoppers stood silently, gawking at a
shopping basket on the floor with a container of eggs open and broken just
outside of it.