Once Bitten (12 page)

“Then
why did you ignore me?” He asked her the question with a calm he didn’t feel.
Inside he was a tightly wound ball threatening to break loose. The turmoil he
felt where she was concerned was tearing him apart. His heart raced the same
way it did every time he got close to her.

The
scent of chamomile from her tea, lavender from her shampoo and her own natural
sweetness tickled his nose. He suppressed a groan, the desire to just reach out
and touch her overwhelmed him. Why couldn’t he be within three feet of her
without his cock getting hard? Why couldn’t he be in the same room with her
without wanting to feel the softness of her skin pressing against him?

“I…”
she started, breathless.

“You
don’t get to do that. You don’t get to take risks with your life anymore,” he
told her, his voice low but forceful.

He
stopped when there was only an inch separating them and he could feel the
little pricks of energy that seemed to spark between their bodies. Her eyes
widened and he could only guess that she felt it too.

He
leaned into her, his chest brushing against her breasts. A thick strand of hair
fell into her face and he couldn’t resist the temptation to touch her. He
pushed the hair behind the delicate shell of her ear, the tip of his finger
trailing down the smooth curve of her neck. She shivered, leaning into his
caress, her eyelids fluttering closed.

He
shouldn’t be doing this, but he couldn’t help himself. She smelled too good,
her scent too intoxicating. Her skin was a warm satin that he could bury
himself in. He wanted her, had yearned for her for so long. How many more times
could he force himself to say no to her when he wanted to give her everything?
When he wanted to take everything she had to give?

As his
willpower faded the only thing he had left was rationalization. By protecting
her he was already putting himself on the chopping block with the council. What
was one more nail in his coffin if he was already dead when they found out?
Fuck them. They didn’t understand. They didn’t understand what it took to stay
away from the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. They didn’t understand the
devastating passion that built up inside him every time he thought of her.

“No
more risks.” His voice was barely a whisper when he spoke, his eyes never
leaving hers as he took the mug from her hands and set it on the counter behind
her. He didn’t want anything else between them.

Her
throat moved as she swallowed, her voice husky. “No more.”

Full
lips parted, the tip of her tongue darting out to moisten them. The flesh of
her mouth glistened. He needed to taste her again.

Any
resolve he had left crumbled in that instant.

His
arms came around her waist and he lifted her from the floor, pulling her up to
his height. She wrapped her legs around his waist and clasped her hands around
his neck, anchoring herself against him. She pressed her lips to his in an
urgent fervor.

There
was nothing holding him back. His tongue met hers in a wild tangle. She tasted
of the sweet herbs from the tea that left him wanting. Her mouth wasn’t enough,
he wanted to savor every inch of her. When her tongue retreated, he nipped at
her full bottom lip and pulled the plump flesh into his mouth.

He
gripped her ass through the thin flannel of her pants, cursing that there was a
barrier between his hands and her skin. He held her against him as tightly as
he could without hurting her, his cock straining against his pants. Her lithe
body warmed him to the core, but it wasn’t enough. He didn’t know if he would
ever be able to get enough.

“I need
you,” he groaned against her neck when she pulled back to suck in a much needed
breath. He kissed her skin, his tongue tracing the contours and hollow of her
throat.

“Yes.”
The word came out on a moan as she dug her fingers into his shoulders, her head
falling back.

That
was all he needed to hear.

He
turned and set her on the counter that separated the kitchen from the dining
room. He moved his hands from beneath her and slid them under the thin cotton
of her tank top, pushing the shirt out of his way. He couldn’t stand anything
between them. Each layer acted as one more barrier. Gabriel wanted to shred
them all.

Eager,
she helped him pull the shirt over her head, her arms stretching above her as
he pressed her back against the cool tile of the counter. She kept them there,
her breasts high and inviting. He leaned down, the tip of his tongue coming out
to flick the small pebbled tip.

She
arched her back as he latched on, drawing her breast into his mouth and sucking
hard. Her moans filled the room as he ran his tongue in a slow circle. He
palmed her other breast, loving how sensitive she was to his caresses.
Gooseflesh erupted on her skin and she shuddered.

When
his mouth released her breast and replaced where his hand had been on the
other, his fingers curled into her waistband. He jerked the pants and panties
over her hips before reluctantly releasing her nipple and standing up to pull
the fabric down her legs and tossing them aside.

Nude,
she was stretched out before him like a goddess, her heavily lidded eyes taking
him in as he sucked in a harsh breath between his teeth. The delicious scent of
her needy cunt wafted up, teasing him and driving him mad. He was going to fuck
her. He was going to fuck her until she couldn’t stand it. And then he would do
it again.

He
pushed her thighs open and almost embarrassed himself when he caught sight of
her glistening cunt. She jumped as his index finger trailed over her slit,
spreading the moisture and pushing the delicate folds apart. His mouth was
watering. He leaned down, the stubble on his cheeks scraping the inside of her
thigh. She squirmed beneath him but he held her still, his palm pressing firmly
against her stomach.

His
tongue toyed with the swollen lips before dipping into her core. His fingers
plucked her nipple and her muscles relaxed, a low moan escaping her mouth.

“Fuck,
you taste good,” he groaned against her clit. A sweetness he couldn’t get
enough of.

Her
cries rose in intensity, her nails digging into his hair, as he pushed and
twisted his middle finger inside her. She was so hot. So wet. He sucked on her
clit until she was bucking against his mouth. He slid another finger insider
her, stretching her. Readying her for him.

When
her body stiffened and her pussy pulsed against his fingers, he pulled them
out. He replaced his fingers with his tongue, swallowing her release when she
flooded his mouth.

Lila’s
body went lax and he stood up. She was staring at him through heavily lidded
eyes, her face and chest pink. A small smile played at her lips.

“That
was—” He swooped down and covered her mouth with his, interrupting anything
that she had been about to say.

He let
her taste her own orgasm on his mouth as he kissed her, stroking her pussy with
the back of his knuckles, not giving her a chance to recover. Within minutes,
she was moaning against his kiss.

Pushing
down his sweatpants, he kicked them to the side. His cock sprang forward, a
bead of liquid seeping out from the head. He was so hard it was painful. He
released her mouth, stood up and slid his hands under her ass. Lifting her
bottom from the counter top, he slid his cock over her pussy, searching for the
source of her scorching heat. His cock probed her opening. Watching her
reaction, he buried himself inside her in one hard, smooth stroke.

Her
loud cry filled the room. She was so fucking tight, he was scared for a moment
he had hurt her with his abrupt entry. He ground his teeth to keep from
pounding into her and waited for her tight cunt to adjust to his size. Sweat
beaded on his brow as he struggled to control himself. He had waited too long
for this chance to fuck it up now.

When
she reached for him, he started to move. Slowly at first, he pulled all the way
out before burying himself to the hilt again, his hands moving out from under
her ass to grip her hips.

Bracing
herself with one arm, she sat up and wound her other arm around his neck as she
pushed against him, meeting his thrusts. Her thighs gripped him as she kissed
his chest, her tongue rasping over his nipple. When her head fell back, her
eyes closed and her face red, he knew she wasn’t far off. He fucked her until
she was gasping, his thickness stretching her, the head of his cock hitting her
back wall.

Gabriel
didn’t know how long he could last. With every thrust, her body gripped him.
His stomach coiled in a tight knot as he struggled for control.

He
nuzzled her neck. “You’re so tight, so fucking wet,” he growled, his teeth
scraping the tender flesh of her neck. “Christ, I’ll never be able to get
enough of you.”

Her
internal muscles strangled his cock, milking him with her release. She screamed
his name, and he buried himself fully inside her. Unable to hold back, his own
release erupted in hot jets. Growling, his teeth dug into her shoulder as he
came—a second away from clamping down and breaking the skin.

She
grasped his hair and pulled his mouth against hers as his cock jerked inside
her. He met her ravenous tongue as she quivered against him. Picking her up
from the counter, he carried her out of the kitchen to her bedroom, his lips
never leaving hers.

Chapter Six

Lila
clung to Gabriel as he carried her into her bedroom. He left her door open, the
fire that roared in the living room warming the slight chill that was in the
air.

She
unwound her legs from around him when he stopped next to the bed, her body
sliding down the front of his. She didn’t know what had come over him, what had
made him change his mind about the status of their physical relationship, but
she wasn’t going to complain. She just hoped that he didn’t have any regrets in
the morning.

She
knew she wouldn’t.

Never
in her mind could she have imagined something as powerful as what she had just
experienced with him. Her body was physically exhausted, yet she wanted him
again. She didn’t think she could ever stop wanting him.

Gabriel
was a dangerous man. If she wasn’t careful, she could easily see herself
falling in love with him. And where would she be in a couple weeks when he went
back home and back to his life? He could have a girlfriend waiting for him, for
all she knew. She didn’t think that he did, but it was possible. Anything was
possible where he was concerned.

When he
stepped away from her to sit on the edge of the bed, she bounced off toward the
bathroom.

“Where
are you going?” he asked when she turned her back to him.

“To
clean myself up.” She closed the door gently between them and flipped on the
lights.

When
she looked in the mirror, it made her want to turn the lights back off. She was
a mess. Her hair was standing on end and she had what she swore was a hickey on
her neck. That was all okay with her except for the giant bruise that was
forming on her cheek from their run-in with the warlock earlier that night.

“Ick,”
she muttered, leaning closer to the mirror to get a better look. The blue color
was spreading across her cheekbone. By morning it would darken and be the only
thing that stood out on her face. She’d have to get out her heavy-duty
concealer to cover up that bad boy.

Sighing,
she grabbed her washcloth from the shower stall and washed herself off the best
she could. She pulled her brush through her hair a couple times to tame the
wild strands. Satisfied, she went back out into the bedroom, flipping off the
lights behind her.

When
her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw Gabriel lounging back on the bed,
his hands behind his head. He was stretched out on the sheets, the blanket
pushed down at his feet, which nearly hung off the end of the king sized
mattress. His dark eyes took her in from head to toe, his hunger for her clear.

Grinning,
she watched as his cock twitched and steadily grew. She loved the effect she
had on him. One well-placed jiggle and he was all but drooling. It felt
empowering to know that she had that effect on him.

Slowly,
she sauntered over to him. He came up on his elbows, a grin on his face.

“Feel
any cleaner?”

She
smiled at him as she stopped next to the bed. “Yes.”

“Want
me to dirty you up again?”

“Hell,
yes.” She laughed as his arms shot out and grabbed her by the waist, pulling
her on top of his solid chest.

“You’re
sexy as hell, you know that?”

“I can
tell you feel that way.” Her hand reached down between their bodies and stroked
his cock.

He
groaned. “You’re toying with me.”

Straddling
his thighs, she continued to run her hand up and down his cock while he watched
her, his hands kneading her hips. He watched her through heavily lidded eyes as
she hovered above him and glided his cock through her slick folds.

“I can’t
believe you’re hard again so fast.”

He
shrugged. “How can I not be with you around?”

Smiling,
she pushed the head against her opening and sat down, fully sheathing him
inside her. Moaning at the sudden fullness, she rocked her hips back and forth.
She didn’t want anything separating them.

His
tight grip on her hips stopped her teasing motions, but she wasn’t having it. She
wanted the control, unwilling to relinquish any to him. Grabbing his wrists,
she pulled them from her and jerked them above his head, holding them there.

 
Her breasts tickled his chest as she rode
his cock in slow, steady motions that were pure torture for him and absolute
bliss for her. She ground herself against him, wanting every inch she could
take from him.

“You’re
killing me,” he complained, but allowed her to continue what she was doing.

Smiling,
she circled her hips and watched the frustration cloud his face. It was obvious
that he wanted to thrust into her, but she wouldn’t let him. At least for the
moment. She was content as she moved in a slow, tantalizing rhythm.

Hunger
flared in his eyes. She was driving him crazy and she loved it.

She
finally took pity on him and let go of his wrists. She leaned back, her hands
on the bed between his legs.

“Thank
God,” he muttered. He grasped her hips again, his fingertips digging into her
skin. He thrust up into her, guided her movements on his cock.

This time
she let him show her what he wanted and complied. As he moved inside her all
thoughts were wiped from her mind, her only focus was on him and how good he
felt. Stretching her. Making her ache, sweat forming on her skin as she came
closer to falling over the edge.

When
his thumb found her clit, she cried out.

“That’s
it,” he growled, his thumb rubbing vigorously against her flesh.

Seeking
her release, she picked up speed, bracing herself on his thighs. Reaching
around, she cupped his balls, delighting in the animalistic sounds he made when
she touched him. They only served to heighten her own pleasure.

He
pumped into her, his thumb working her, and she screamed her release. Another
thrust and he was right there with her. Hot bursts spewed from the tip of his
cock, coating her insides.

Thoroughly
exhausted, she laid on top of him, reveling in the feel of him still inside
her. She relaxed, loving the feel of him silently stroking her hair and back.

She
didn’t want to go to sleep yet. She wanted to spend time with him, to drag out
the night. When she realized that even though she knew him socially, she knew
very little about him personally.

“Tell
me about your family,” she asked, propping her chin on his chest.

“My
family? You’ve met some of them already.”

“I know
that Kaleb’s your brother and that the both of you own the bar together. I also
know that Declan is your cousin, but other than that I’m clueless. What about
your parents?” She propped her chin on his chest and looked at him.

“My
parents died when Kaleb and I were pretty young. My mother died in a pretty
horrible car accident and my father, being without his mate, died a few weeks
later.”

She
frowned. “He just died?”

“Once
mated, one cannot live without the other. As soon as she died, he fell into a
depression so deep no one could get him out of it. He stopped eating, he
stopped sleeping. He had enough time to bury my mother and make arrangements
for us. After that he just went downhill fast. He ended up in the hospital and
dead before Kaleb or I were really able to comprehend what was going on.”

She
could see the sadness in his eyes as he talked about his parents and as much as
she ached for him, she was jealous that he had parents who loved each other.
Who cared about and needed each other.

“Where
did you and Kaleb go after he died?”

He
twirled a strand of her hair around his finger. “Declan’s parents. My father’s
brother, Malcolm, and his wife, Paula, raised us. It couldn’t have been easy
for them raising four kids.”

“Four?
I only know about Declan. Who’s the fourth?”

“Hannah,
his sister. She’s ten years younger than I am and still living in Boston with
her parents. Paula was pregnant with her when we moved in.”

“That’s
a full house.”

“I
loved my childhood. We may not have been their children, but they treated us as
if we were.”

Even
after losing both his parents, his childhood sounded like it had been better
than hers had. She was happy that he had people who loved and cared for both
him and his brother when they were younger.

“What
about your parents?”

She
snorted. “I don’t have parents.”

He
raised a brow. “So you sprung out of the ground?”

A sad
smile on her face, she shook her head. “I had genetic donors, but I’d hardly
call them parents. Andrea and I were raised outside of Caribou.”

He
nodded. “I remember you saying something about that.”

“Well,
no one knows who Andrea’s father is and her mother died when she was little.
Got run over by a semi after a night of partying. So, Andrea came to live with
me and my father. My mother left around the same time. She went to go ‘see the
world’, whatever that was supposed to mean. The last time I heard from her was
fifteen years ago when I got a postcard from Australia telling me that she had
married and was excited to start a real family with her new husband.”

“That’s
fucked up.”

“Tell
me about it. My father had custody, but he didn’t really raise us. He gambled
what money we had and we would go for days without eating and weeks without
heat, but we pulled through just fine.”

“I
think you turned out all right.”

“I like
to think so. Andrea and I knew our way out was through education, so we
studied. Both of us got full rides at U. Maine and never looked back. Now I’m
here. With you.”

He
leaned up and kissed the tip of her nose. “Yes, you are.”

* * * *

Gabriel
didn’t know when he finally drifted off to sleep, but it was long after Lila.
They had talked for a while longer until he could tell that she was beginning
to fade. She had laid her head down on his chest and listened as he spoke to
her in soft tones, telling her stories of the adventures he, Kaleb and Declan
had had when they were little.

When he
heard the slight change in her breathing, he rolled her over and covered them both
with the thick duvet. He laid on his back, staring at her ceiling, and when she
snuggled up next to him he couldn’t help the satisfied grin that crossed his
face.

He
loved being with her. In her bed, in her arms, and just with her.

The
urge to claim her had been there when they were in the kitchen, but he had
relaxed since then. The second time they had sex the instinct had faded and he
had been able to just enjoy her without needing to mark her. He had been able
to control himself and for that he was grateful. Convinced he’d be able to
control the instinctual need to mate with her, he drifted off to sleep,
content.

When he
woke up the next morning, she was still sound asleep. Silently, he slipped from
the bed and went into the living room, grabbing his cell phone from where he
had left it on the coffee table.

Heading
straight for the coffee pot, he dialed his uncle’s phone number.

“Gabriel!”
Malcolm’s voice rang clear on the other end of the connection.

“Hey,
Mal.”

“How
have you been, my boy?” He hated that he was going to have to be the bearer of
bad news and ruin his uncle’s day, but it was unavoidable. He should have
called him last night instead of waiting until morning, but he had been
otherwise…distracted.

“I’ve
been all right. Listen Mal, there’s a reason I called you. I stumbled across
something that I don’t know how to handle and want your input,” he said,
careful to leave Lila’s name out of the conversation.

“And
what is that?” Malcolm asked, genuinely interested, as Gabriel dumped the
ground coffee into the filter.

“It’s a
bainise
bracelet.”

“A
bainise
bracelet? Where did you find it?
In our territory?”

“Yes,
but—”

“What
the hell are those fae doing in our territory?” His uncle sounded pissed and
Gabriel couldn’t blame him. Other factions rarely crossed into the werewolves’
territory. Even then it was with direct permission and after checking in.

“Uncle,
listen,” Gabriel said with a sigh. “It wasn’t purely fae. It was from a bond
between a warlock and a fae.”

The
other end of the line was silent for a full minute while Gabriel’s uncle
processed what he had been told. “Are you sure?”

“I
could smell both the warlock and the fae who made it. And if that wasn’t enough
proof, it was obvious when the warlock returned to fetch it.”

“Damn it.
Keep those warlocks out of our territory!” His uncle was livid. Malcolm had
always mistrusted the warlocks, as had most of the werewolves Gabriel knew.