Authors: Crystal Jordan
Prowl the Night (22 page)
She let him slide out of her mouth, but gave a last lick as he popped free. “Well, we can't have that.”
“No, we can't have that.” He kept tugging on her hair until she was upright. “I have other ideas in mind.”
“Oh? Care to share?” Her scalp stung, and her body throbbed with unquenched longing.
“Absolutely.” The flash of his white teeth was the only indicator she had before he shoved her forward. She landed on her hands and knees, and he urged her down into a prone position with her cheek pressed to the mattress.
“Grab your ankles.”
Her eyebrows drew together and she twisted a bit to look back at him. “Why?”
“Because it's fun.” He bent forward and nipped at her ass cheek, making her jolt. “Let loose a little, Teresa. Have fun with me.”
The wicked delight in his gaze was irresistible. She wanted to try whatever put that gleam in his eyes. So, she complied with his request, wriggling around until she could reach back and wrap her fingers around her ankles. It stunned her how exposed she felt in the position, her face against the bed, her thighs opening until she knew he could see all of her. Her swollen, slick lips, the pucker of her anus. Everything.
A shiver passed through her when he circled one finger around her clit and drew it up her slit to her ass, teasing every millimeter of her aroused flesh, allowing cool air to touch her most intimate places. He purred softly. “Don't you like this, Teresa? Giving me everything? Letting me pleasure you?”
She shouldn't enjoy the lack of control, shouldn't admit to anything. “Yes.”
“Good girl.”
Before she could retort, his mouth was on her. She screamed as rapture hit her in a swift rush. He sucked her clit between his teeth, bit down on it lightly, and flicked it with the tip of his tongue.
His mouth moved up until he could feast on her sex, drinking her juices. Her breath clogged in her lungs when he slid upward and teased her anus, pressing his tongue into the tight hole. No man had ever done this to her before. Dark, wicked pleasure twisted through her. It was so forbidden, and that made it even more decadent.
“Rafe,”
she cried. Her hands tightened on her ankles, pulling her legs wider for him.
she cried. Her hands tightened on her ankles, pulling her legs wider for him.
Every inch of her skin tingled, and her breath burst out in ragged gasps against the sheets. His fingers teased her sex and manipulated her clit, while his tongue continued to torment her ass. The blood pumped so fast through her veins that she could feel the beat of her heart in her face. Little whimpers spilled out of her, a desperate, needy sound she didn't even know she was capable of making.
Orgasm beckoned, close enough that she could feel it quivering through her muscles. “More, Rafe. I want more.”
He pulled his hands and mouth away from her body, but before she could protest, he slid his cock into her soaking pussy. She arched at the full sensation. He was so big, he stretched her so perfectly. Her fangs extended and she hissed into the mattress as he began thrusting into her. The glide of his sex in hers made goose bumps break over her limbs.
Dios,
it was good.
Dios,
it was good.
Then he worked his finger into her ass, which was still wet from his tongue.
“Rafe!”
He just laughed, the sound wild and free. Sliding his finger deep into her ass put pressure on his cock to hit her in just the right place with every rough thrust. The double penetration meant she could feel every inch of himâhis cock, his finger, and the thin wall of tissue that separated the two. She screamed when the head of his cock made hard contact with her G-spot.
Her back bowed, every muscle in her body clenching as she came. “Oh, my God!”
The only response he gave was to groan and hammer himself into her pussy until they were both screaming in orgasm. Her claws dug into her ankles as her sex fisted again and again, milking his length. He hilted his cock inside her, flooded her pussy with come, and shuddered over her.
She let go of her ankles and collapsed to the bed, his cock slipping free of her body. Sweat streaked down her skin, making her shiver. Sleep beckoned, euphoria fizzing through her veins. She yawned, more relaxed than she remembered being in her life.
He sprawled beside her, dragging in ragged breaths. “See? Didn't I tell you it would be fun?”
The smug grin on his face cracked her up. “Yes, dear. You were so right.”
He rolled to his side facing her, his chin propped in his hand. “I'm right about us, too, you know.”
The pain hit so fast it made her head spin, slicing through her heart. “Don't.”
“Why won't you bond with me, Teresa?”
“Have you even thought about what that might mean for
you?
” She closed her eyes, unable to look at him as she pushed him away. Again. “Your career isn't conducive to a Pride leader's mate.”
you?
” She closed her eyes, unable to look at him as she pushed him away. Again. “Your career isn't conducive to a Pride leader's mate.”
She expected him to stiffen, to get angry. He didn't. “Are you asking me to quit?”
“No, I would never do that.” She opened her eyes and sighed. “I want you to have a life that makes you happy. You're content in the career you have now. I just don't know how that would work out if you mated with me. I don't think you're considering all the consequences.”
“You do that enough for both of us. And I
have
considered it, I've just decided that if we can both compromise, everything will work out. So, if that's not holding me back, it shouldn't hold you back. Now, let's try this again . . . why won't you bond with me?” He ran a finger down her arm, his touch gentle. “You want to, I know you want to.”
have
considered it, I've just decided that if we can both compromise, everything will work out. So, if that's not holding me back, it shouldn't hold you back. Now, let's try this again . . . why won't you bond with me?” He ran a finger down her arm, his touch gentle. “You want to, I know you want to.”
Yes.
No
. A picture of the last time she'd seen her brother exploded through her mind. His eyes blank and dead, rocking and humming to himself in a chair in his suite. She shook her head wildly, covering her eyes. “No, I
don't
. I don't want to bond with anyone ever. I was hoping I didn't have a mate.”
No
. A picture of the last time she'd seen her brother exploded through her mind. His eyes blank and dead, rocking and humming to himself in a chair in his suite. She shook her head wildly, covering her eyes. “No, I
don't
. I don't want to bond with anyone ever. I was hoping I didn't have a mate.”
“Everyone wants a mate.” Rafe's tone remained quiet, but the edge of hurt that was there made tears burn her lids.
“Not everyone. Not me.”
“Why not?”
“Because . . . because of my brother.” A sob caught in her throat and she swallowed to stop it from escaping. Her jaw clenched so hard she thought her teeth might crack.
“That's not the same as us at all.” She heard him sit up, and forced herself to look at him. Then she wished she hadn't when she saw the pain she felt reflected in his dark gaze. “We
both
sense this. We're both sane and cogent of what we're doing. Your brother was definitely not.”
both
sense this. We're both sane and cogent of what we're doing. Your brother was definitely not.”
“You don't know
anything
about my brother.” The words exploded from her, a dam that burst within.
anything
about my brother.” The words exploded from her, a dam that burst within.
His words were still gentle, but relentless in their insistence. “He attacked Isabel, a member of his own Pride. Tried to force her to mate with him and claimed they were mates despite her denials, despite her mating into the Cruz family. He's mad, Teresa. Everyone knows it. He showed it during the confirmation ceremony for Cesar Benhassi's leadership.”
She shook her head. “That's not what I'm talking about.”
“Then what are you talking about?” He made a frustrated gesture. “Just
tell
me why you fear mating so much. Help me understand why you're refusing to do what we both want.”
tell
me why you fear mating so much. Help me understand why you're refusing to do what we both want.”
A tear streaked down her cheek, and she swiped it away. “Enrique is mad.
Now
. He wasn't always.”
Now
. He wasn't always.”
“I've heard these things aren't always apparent in childhood, that they grow over time.” He ran a hand through his hair, leaving it in furrows. “You can't know that this wasn't an inevitable outcome of an unbalanced mind.”
“Yes, I
can!
He wasn't always mad, he wasn't destined to be mad.” She bolted upright, angry words of defense she knew she shouldn't say pouring from her mouth. “You all think you know so much, but you don't. You only know how it ended, not how it began.”
can!
He wasn't always mad, he wasn't destined to be mad.” She bolted upright, angry words of defense she knew she shouldn't say pouring from her mouth. “You all think you know so much, but you don't. You only know how it ended, not how it began.”
A muscle in his jaw flexed, and he took a deep breath before he spoke. “You're right. No one knows that story. Tell me.”
Her mouth worked for a moment, her mind telling her to keep her family's confidences, her instincts insisting she could trust this man with everything. “He had a mate.”
“Isabel was
not
his mate.”
not
his mate.”
“No, Isabel wasn't his mate.” She shut her eyes, another tear slipping free. Sadness crashed through her, and guilt followed on its heels. “But she looked like her.”
“What?” He straightened, his gaze sharpening.
“Isabel
looked
like his mate, Lupe. Their coloring was very similar.” Close enough that there might have been some relation between the two families way back in their bloodlines. It wouldn't be surprising considering the size of the Panther population.
looked
like his mate, Lupe. Their coloring was very similar.” Close enough that there might have been some relation between the two families way back in their bloodlines. It wouldn't be surprising considering the size of the Panther population.
Rafe shook his head. “Then why the hell did he claimâ”
She lifted her hands. “Because Lupe died just after he mated with her. Isn't it obvious?”
“Shit.”
“Yeah.” Her hands wilted to her sides as the confusion and terror of that time pummeled at her. “They say Panthers can go insane if they lose a mate, and he did.”
“I'm sorry.”
A laugh straggled out, more tears sliding unchecked down her cheeks. “So am I.”
“Why didn't you tell anyone?”
“Father didn't want it. Neither did Enrique. It's family business, and there were no excuses we could make for his behavior that would make it better. The Prides had vilified my brother, and there was no making up for what he did. He was wrong, I know it.” She shook her head, wishing things were different, but knowing it could never be. That past couldn't be undone. “He did horrible things to Isabel, and he is insane. I don't deny any of that. What I do deny is that he was a festering time bomb of insanity just waiting to go off. He was a good man, a wonderful brother. He was so
happy
when he found his mate, and she was happy with him. He wasn't always the way he is now.”
happy
when he found his mate, and she was happy with him. He wasn't always the way he is now.”
Rafe caught her hand in his. “Why did you try to hide it after she died?”
“We hoped that he would recover. We hoped that he would eventually come to grips with the pain of his loss. Grief is a natural thing.” She sighed and looked away, unable to bear the thought that her mate would think less of her for her complacency in what happened. “And in the end, it was denial on my father's part. On all our parts. Father was wrong, and he should have protected Isabel. I think he even hoped that she
was
Enrique's mate, that she could bring him back from the edge.”
was
Enrique's mate, that she could bring him back from the edge.”
“But he already had a mate. No one has ever had a second mate.”
“Except Isabel, with her twins.” The irony of that had never escaped her.
“Those are
at the same time,
not a replacement of a dead mate.”
at the same time,
not a replacement of a dead mate.”
“I know.” Her shoulder jerked in a helpless shrug. “I make no excuses for any of us. I was as much to blame as anyone else. None of us wanted to admit Enrique had lost his mind, and by the time the Benhassis' ceremony debacle took place, it was far too late to save him.”
“I'm sorry. Sorry for Isabel, sorry for your brother, sorry for you and your family. I'm so sorry.” He squeezed her hand until she looked at him. The sympathy in his gaze was her undoing, and a sob bubbled up in her throat.
“He's not a bad man, no matter what anyone says. I know it's hard to make the distinction for other people, but that madman is
not
the brother I knew. The Enrique I grew up with would have been a great Pride leader.” She shook her head, pushing away those thoughts. Nothing would stop her guilt over reaping benefits from her brother's pain, her shame over not stepping in to force her father to take action when Enrique spiraled out of control. She met Rafe's gaze. “So, now you understand why I don't want to mate. If I lost you . . . I'd end up like Enrique.”
not
the brother I knew. The Enrique I grew up with would have been a great Pride leader.” She shook her head, pushing away those thoughts. Nothing would stop her guilt over reaping benefits from her brother's pain, her shame over not stepping in to force her father to take action when Enrique spiraled out of control. She met Rafe's gaze. “So, now you understand why I don't want to mate. If I lost you . . . I'd end up like Enrique.”
He brought her fingers to his mouth and kissed them. “You're assuming you would lose me.”
“Everyone dies.”
“Eventually, yes.” He turned her hand over and kissed her palm. “You're assuming I would die first. You could just as easily leave me alone.”
“Don't you see? If we never mated, that wouldn't happen to us.” Her tone went pleading, and she hated herself for weakening on what she knew was right, but everything in her cried out for this man. Woman and Panther both wanted him, and only the woman held back. “We could avoid that fate.”
He squeezed her hand between both of his. “Do you really think it would be that simple, now that we've met each other?”
“It could be.”
“No. No, it couldn't be, Teresa.” His mouth flattened into a line. “Maybe if we had never known about each other, and mating had always just been a theoretical concept you avoided, it would have been simple, but we
know
each other now.”
know
each other now.”
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