Of Flame and Promise

Of Flame and Promise
is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

A Loveswept eBook Original

Copyright © 2016 by Cecy Robson, LLC

Excerpt from
Of Flame and Light
by Cecy Robson copyright © 2016 by Cecy Robson, LLC

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Loveswept, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

L
OVESWEPT
is a registered trademark and the
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OVESWEPT
colophon is a trademark of Penguin Random House LLC.

This book contains an excerpt from the forthcoming book
Of Flame and Light
by Cecy Robson. This excerpt has been set for this edition only and may not reflect the final content of the forthcoming edition.

eBook ISBN 9781101886533

Cover photograph: © Gabi Moisa/Shutterstock

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I’d woken only about an hour ago, Gemini’s warm, naked body curled against mine firing a need that required some serious quenching. So I buried my face in his lap to stir him from sleep.

Most women would have just said good morning, or nudged their partners ever so lovingly.

But I wasn’t most women.

Yeah, and you’re welcome, baby.

Gemini slowed his deep thrusts, grunting hard as he finished, his face scrunched in what appeared to be pain. But that wasn’t pain, was it? Nope, not at all. He was simply reacting to how good it felt to join his body with mine. I nibbled my way along his neck, leaving marks that faded from one bite to the next until I reached his earlobe and tugged. “Mornin’, sexy,” I whispered.

He growled something I didn’t quite understand. I didn’t speak a word of wolf, yet that deep snarl was as good as the dirty talk we’d exchanged during sex.

I laughed. Okay, maybe it wasn’t as good as those naughty words. Yet a growl from a werewolf in his human form was a rare kind of hot few women would know.

I continued to straddle Gemini as he effortlessly carried us from the center of the room, where we’d made love standing up, back to our bed. The gentle way in which he kissed me was in direct contrast to our wicked sex, and to the male most saw.

My lover was the second-in-command of the Tahoe region’s Squaw Valley Den Pack—intelligent, fierce, capable of crushing skulls, quietly confident, and with fighting skills few
weres
possessed.

Not to mention he was hotter than the power I generated with my magic.

All large anatomical parts and good looks aside, Gemini was…kind. When you trash-talked and entered a room like you owned it like I did, you attracted a certain caliber of men. The kind that made me grateful I could protect myself with fire and lightning.

Men could be cruel, and dangerous. I knew that better than most. But unlike those men I’ve known in my past, I trusted Gemini.

And let’s just say I had trust issues.

He spread me along our tangled mess of sheets, pulling out slowly. I continued to tremble from the effects of our lovemaking, but his withdrawal made me arch my neck and groan.

His fingers brushed against my face, until I relaxed and lolled my head where he rested beside me. Dark, almond-shaped eyes stared back at me with worry. Being as lethal as he was, he could kill me without trying. But he’d never harmed me, and never would.

“Did I hurt you, Taran?” he asked quietly.

“No.” I pushed up on my side and traced my finger along the edges of his neat goatee. “You know I like what you do to me.” I smiled.
And you know you mean the world to me.
I glanced upward as if thinking. “I also have the feeling you like what I do to you, too.”

The fingertips of his large hand skimmed down my throat to circle my heavy breasts. I followed his stare. Light pink marks where he’d sucked and nibbled were scattered along my chest and belly, creating a path down to where his mouth had reached its intended destination. “I’m serious, Taran,” he said. “I know things tend to get out of hand when we touch.”

“Touch?” I mused. “Hmmm, that wasn’t what you called it when we were up against the wall, or on the bed, or when you bent me over the dresser.”

He laughed when I did, his hand lowering to cup my ass. Around even his closest friends, Gemini tended to be more reserved and was careful to censor his remarks. Me? Not so much. I often said what I thought, even though it wasn’t always the right thing to say. My mouth notoriously got me in trouble, and frequently my actions did, too. But I swear my heart was always in the right place.

Usually.

Probably.

Well, at least it was then.

“I love you, Tomo,” I told him, edging closer.

His expression, so filled with lust moments before, softened. He liked it when I called him by his real name, although I did so only when we were alone and horizontal. “I love you, too,” he murmured.

Tomo Hamamatsu always went by “Gemini” among his pack mates. His exceptional ability to split into two wolves earned him the nickname that made him feel accepted by his kind. I couldn’t blame him for wanting to fit in—God knew it was a trick my sisters and I had never managed.

I curled against him when he pulled me closer, relishing the warmth and safety his presence always provided. I’d spent most of my life being afraid, but with Gemini beside me, I felt like nothing could hurt me. He was my everything, which was why I was so afraid to lose him.

Our time together had been limited since the start of the supernatural war. The Tribe,
were
and vamp outcasts led by demons, had all but annihilated his race.

Weres,
as the earth’s guardians, were held in high esteem by the witches, who were quick to form the Alliance with them. The vamps soon followed, mostly to save their own asses since they realized the Tribe would target them next. Vamps, let me say, were a whole new breed of selfish.

Gemini’s hands swept down my back, comforting me when I clutched him tighter. He likely scented my fear, but I couldn’t suppress it the more I thought about this hideous war. Every time he left me to go on some mission, I fell apart, terrified he wouldn’t return. Many Alliance members didn’t come back, like, ever—the danger factor being the reason I was frequently left to wait, stress, and swear, despite all the mojo searing its way through me.

While I looked human, I wasn’t really. No mere human could wield flame and lightning from her hands, or receive glimpses of the future like I could. My power made me badass. But badass didn’t equate to invincible, and it sure didn’t make me immortal or immune to pain.

Saving the world sucked serious donkey balls; I’d said it before and I’ll say it again. But when it came to Gemini, I was willing to risk life and limb on these suicidal missions if it meant ensuring his survival. My sexy beast wasn’t willing to let me take that risk, and he flat-out refused my help. Late yesterday afternoon, I’d flung myself into his arms when he walked through the door.

I kissed his skin, right at his sternum, remembering how my tears sprouted when I saw him return. This was the first time he hadn’t called to let me know he was safe. “None of the
weres
were left with phones,” was what he’d said. But he wouldn’t tell me how or why. Maybe I didn’t want to know. It was bad enough he told me they’d lost two more members of their pack.

Gentle nibbles trailed over my shoulder, stopping along the sweep of my neck. “I’m not leaving you,” he assured me quietly.

His words gave me pause. Yup. He’d scented my fear all right. “I wish I could believe you,” I told him.

I didn’t like sounding so pathetic. I didn’t like needing someone so much. But when it came to Gemini, I couldn’t help it. No matter how hard I fought that weakness.

Physically, I could give myself over completely—surrender to his muscular body, give in to those hard thrusts, and grow hotter with each hair pull. But physical was easier. I could give it back just as fast, just as furious.

Love? Love was brutal. Considering how strongly I felt it, I didn’t say it much. Love, my peeps, hurt,
especially
when those you felt it for left you when you least expected it.

“Will you do something for me?” he asked, interrupting my thoughts.

His words and deep tone drew me back to reality and, for the moment, dissolved my fears. I climbed on top of him and pressed my lips against his for a brief kiss. “I’ll do anything for you.”

Gem moaned when I swiveled my hips, yet surprised me when he rolled me back onto my side. His face flushed slightly and he gave me a half-embarrassed laugh. “That’s not what I mean,” he said, digging his fingers through my hair and stroking my scalp.

“Then wassup?” I pushed out my bottom lip. “You left me for ten days. I figured we needed to make up for our time apart.”

He tugged on that lip with his teeth, an indication that round three would soon start. Instead he pulled back, watching me with tremendous interest. “I want you to meet my parents.”

If I had a penis, it would have gone limp then.

I briefly entertained the thought of hurtling myself out the window and running away screaming. Was he kidding? I wasn’t the kind of gal men brought home to mom. I was the kind they had sex with. Lots of sex. And, not to brag, I was good at it. My hold slowly slipped away. “What?” I managed.

The corners of his mouth lifted. “I said I want you to meet my parents. They’ve just returned from Japan, where they met with the Elders of the remaining packs and—”

“You want me to meet your parents?”

He didn’t miss a beat, ignoring the shrill tone of my voice. “Yes.”

I scrambled out of bed. “No. I’m sorry. Anything but that.” My heart was pounding through my chest.
Holy shit. He wants me to meet his parents. Holy shit, what’s happening here? Holy shit, weren’t we just having fun?

“Holy shit,” I said out loud.

“Taran, what’s wrong?”

“Baby, I don’t know about this.” I reached for my discarded panties on the floor, but then remembered he’d torn them off with his teeth.

“Taran, tell me why you’re so upset.”

Most girls would just spill their guts and answer, but most girls hadn’t had it rough—not like me. They hadn’t watched their parents die in front of them or been shoved into foster care where they were groped, mistreated, and harmed. I had walls up for a reason. I needed to protect myself against pain. I always told myself a serious relationship could only lead to just that. And knowing this, what did I go ahead and do? Fall in love.

I covered my face with my hands, wondering when Gemini and I became what we were. At first I only intended to have a fling. Next thing I knew he moved in. We didn’t really talk about it. It just happened. I didn’t fight it because I wanted him with me. But this…where were we going here?

Someplace I was too afraid to venture, that’s for sure.

“I can’t believe you’re serious about this,” I managed.

“You can’t believe I’m serious about my family and my desire for you to meet them, or how much I love you?” He leaned back on his hands when my teeth clenched tight. “I realize you don’t want to discuss this—”

“So then let’s not, please.”

He shook his head. “No, let’s. It’s only fair that you tell me what this is really about.”

“It’s not about anything. Just something I don’t do, like, ever.” I waggled my finger at him. “And you know I’ve done some kinky shit.”

He didn’t appreciate my attempt at humor. If anything, he seemed more upset.
Damnit.

“You’ve never met anyone’s parents because you’ve never had a relationship that lasted more than a handful of days. We’ve been together several months. I know you don’t like to talk about how serious we’ve become, or accept what you mean to me, but I think it’s time that you start.”

“I thought you liked me as I am,” I offered, grasping at straws. “Weren’t you the same wolf who called me perfect?”

“You are perfect to me, and for me.” He straightened. “I’m not asking you to change or to assume a different role. But I do want to close the distance that remains between us.”

Gemini was aware of my past from the tidbits here and there I managed to share. But they weren’t long, drawn-out conversations. I didn’t break down and cry. I didn’t bleed my soul to him. Could I have? Yeah. In truth, I could have cried for days and spilled enough details to make him tear this room apart. But I didn’t, knowing that what had happened to me would infuriate and upset him, mostly because he wasn’t around to protect me. So instead, I spoke of these incidences like they didn’t matter, and like they were long forgotten.

Even though they weren’t.

The trauma of my past kept us from growing closer, but in a way I was grateful for that space. That space kept me safe.

Or so I reasoned.

Instead of admitting as much, I always closed up emotionally and opened myself up physically. Physical was way easier than revealing what lay beneath the surface, especially for me.

I sashayed forward and ran my nails down his muscular chest. “You want to close some distance between us?” I asked, my voice dripping with desire. “Then what say we get back in bed, and back to business?”

Gem grabbed my wrists before I could move them farther south. He kissed the backs of my hands and stared at me intently. “Taran, you are my mate…”

The whole “mate” thing always made me uncomfortable and struck my protective walls like a sledgehammer. I tried to pull away, but he held tight.

“…and therefore the most important being in the world to me,” he continued patiently. “Do me the honor of letting me introduce you to my parents.”

“Babe, this isn’t a good idea,” I said, holding my ground. I stepped away and out of his reach. My past held me back, that was true. But I couldn’t tell him as much. What I could do was point out what he failed to see of my present. “Look at me. When I walk into a club, or even a restaurant, you know what most people think?”

“That you’re beautiful,” he answered. There was no hesitation in his voice, but then he’d always been good to me. Society as a whole had not.

“No. They think ‘stripper.’ ” I pointed to the girls. “They take one look at these and my ass and that’s all they see. Do you have any idea how many times men
and
women have asked me if I do porn? Do you think they care if I’m a nurse? Or that I can save lives? Or that I actually have a heart? I’ve had couples offer to pay me for sex.”

Gemini squared his jaw. He’d seen men leer at me and attempt to approach me if they saw him leave my side. It was one of the reasons I didn’t venture out much without him. Don’t get me wrong, before hooking up with Gemini, I used to enjoy all the attention—the good kind, I mean—those nights of dancing with sexy men, and steamy bedroom romps. The assholes, of course, I didn’t miss one bit. But since meeting my wolf, the fulfillment and attention my appearance once brought me didn’t matter anymore. Only Gem did. So when I’d go out, it was usually with him. Humans, although unaware the supernatural world existed, sensed the predator within him and kept a safe distance in his presence.

“Why are you being so hard on yourself?” he asked, bringing me back to the moment. “You’re stunning. It’s not something to be ashamed of, neither is the desire you evoke.”

That wasn’t what he thought the time a werecheetah grabbed my ass. Boyfriend had slammed the spotted idiot to the floor by the throat and crushed his larynx. “I’m not ashamed of the way I look. But you’re not asking me to meet your buddies, or a co-worker, or an old friend from college, are you?”

“I’m not. But what difference does it make who they are?”

I slapped my hands against my sides. “You’re kidding, right? Gemini, I’m not the kind of woman men bring home to Mom. I’m the kind that moms fear their sons will bring home.”

“You’re wrong.”

My throat tightened. “No. You are,” I told him truthfully. “A pal, someone you work with—I actually stand a shot at impressing him or her. But even if I don’t”—I groaned—“I wouldn’t care. You’re asking me to meet your parents. Your
parents.
”

He leaned forward to rest his forearms against his knees and released a deep sigh. “I realize this, Taran. But what you fail to see is my reason for introducing you to them. Someday, when you’re ready, you will be my bride—”

“Don’t,” I said, cutting him off. “You know it’s not something I can talk about.”

The instant I said it, I regretted it. I’ll be the first to admit that I can be extremely bitchy. But I’m not a bitch. And I hated hurting him.

Yet I had to be honest. Marriage wasn’t something I ever considered, even with him. Marriage was a final blow to my defenses that I couldn’t allow. Not if I was going to spare what remained of my heart.

He rose and looked at me for a beat before storming into the bathroom. For as quiet as he could be, I heard every harsh slap of his bare feet across the dark wood floor.

I buried my face in my hands
.
Shit. What did I do?

I waited a few minutes after I heard the shower start running before following him, not bothering to dress. My actions were deliberate. Short of the cursed gold that sickened and killed most preternaturals, decapitation, and the destruction of his heart, Gemini didn’t have many weaknesses. Yet my naked body topped that short list. And didn’t I need it then?

Was it immature, manipulative, unfair? Maybe. But like I said, surrendering physically was way easier for me. So I used my strengths, and yeah, yeah, my big girls, too.

Light steam greeted me as I slipped into the bathroom. I strode toward him, watching him through the clear glass doors. He passed his soapy hands along his muscular torso and then down each arm. I leaned against the wall, the cobalt-blue tile feeling cool against my skin as I waited for him to turn my way. He knew I was there. He always sensed me near. But he seemed to need a moment, so that’s exactly what I gave him.

White foam cascaded down his form in quick waves. I watched, admired, and waited. But it was only when he rinsed off his face that he finally glanced my way. Rather than giving me his usual slow appraising look, he averted his stare, pressing his hands against the wall of glass and leaning forward to allow the water to pound against his back.

Okay, wasn’t expecting
that
response. Wow. My nipples were stiff and everything.

Fine. Plan B it is.
I strolled forward and knocked softly against the glass. “Mind if I join you?”

Streams of water trickled down his face, but his attention fixed on the frosted glass window a few feet beyond and well away from me. “I’m almost done. I’ll be out in a minute if you want to step in.”

I stood there positively dumbstruck and
hurt.
Didn’t he know I wanted to feel close to him, even if it wasn’t in the way he’d intended?

His rebuff physically pained me. I crossed my arms and bowed my head. “Baby, please don’t be mad. Meeting your parents is just something I’m not comfortable doing.”

He shut off the water and stepped out, reaching for a white towel. “I’m not angry, Taran. I’m disappointed.”

My heart sank. “Oh, okay. That’s not worse or anything.”

He passed the towel along his skin in quick motions. “What do you expect, Taran? You tell me you love me, yet you refuse to allow me to claim you as my mate, and now—”

“Oh, you mean like when Aric claimed Celia?” My hurt was kicked to the curb, and in its place a very pissed-off Jersey girl remained. “That’s something that’s supposed to be sacred to your kind.”

“It is,” he growled.

I jutted out my chin. “If that’s true, why did your Alpha dump my sister after he claimed her?” I threw out my hands. “If this claim binds them—if it’s so hallowed—how could he walk away so easily?”

I have a temper. A bad one. And that temper rises faster than the strike of a match when it comes to those I most love. Celia, like me, had walls as thick as granite shielding her heart. She made the mistake of opening them up to Aric, and it cost her. Big time. He more than broke that heart; he crushed her soul when he left her.

Gemini straightened to his full six-foot-plus frame. “It wasn’t easy for him to leave her, Taran. It remains his biggest burden and regret.”

I lifted my chin. “And yet he still did it. You call me your mate. You want to claim me. But Celia and Aric are living proof that it does nothing. What’s the point of being linked for eternity if you won’t even stay with the person you’re bonded to?”

The anger creasing Gemini’s frown lessened in severity. “Just because they’re no longer together doesn’t make their love less real, nor their bond less strong. Celia will always be Aric’s mate. He’ll never love another.”

I nodded. “Really? I’m sure that evil fiancée of his would love to hear that.”

He swiped his hand across his face. “Taran, we’ve discussed this. Aric is a pureblood werewolf. He is held in a different regard than I am. He is obligated to continue our race, and that means reproducing with another pureblood.”

“I’m sure knowing that is a tremendous comfort to Celia.”

He dropped the towel and gathered me to him. He was naked. And Gemini naked usually led to crazy sex. But for once, that was the last thing I wanted. “You may not believe me, but your sister is important to me, and a friend. I feel for her pain.” He stroked my cheek softly. “I can’t imagine being forced to stay away from the one I love.”

I leaned in close. Although my anger and reservations lingered, I didn’t want to fight with him. My wolf meant everything to me. We needed to talk, even though I didn’t care for the conversation. “Why is claiming me so important to you, anyway?”

He cocked his head, as if unsure he understood my question. “It’s the way my wolves and I officially proclaim you as our mate. Our promise to love only you for eternity.”

“Isn’t it enough to just say it?” I meant that. Why did it have to be such a big leap? I was committed. He knew I saw and wanted only him.

He surprised me by smiling softly. “Perhaps if I were human what we have would be enough. But I’m not. It’s important to me as a
were.
Much like marriage is to some, but instead of exchanging rings, our souls become one.”

Oh. Soul bonding. Awesome. That couldn’t possibly end in disaster or anything.

I covered my face with my hands, convinced I wouldn’t survive this whole commitment thing without ending up on the floor, writhing in agony. Emme and Celia would be jumping for joy to hear such words from their loves—exactly like Shayna had when she skipped down the aisle with Koda. But I wasn’t “that” kind of girl. You know those girls who came out of the womb picking out their china, who always dreamed of their wedding days—where it would be, what their dress would look like, who would attend to them?

Yeah. I always made fun of them.

A girl I knew in high school flat-out told me she wanted to be married by twenty-four and have her first child—a boy, I think she said—by the time she was twenty-six.

Girlfriend didn’t mention she’d be divorced by the time she was twenty-seven. I saw a picture of her on Facebook recently. She was a shell of her former self following her devastating breakup. Like Celia, was that what would eventually become of me?