Midnight Falls: Children of the Goddess, Book 4 Page 4

  His fingers slid around her coated sex, circling her clit teasingly. The other hand cupped her breast, pinching her nipple. She felt his grin against her jaw. “Ride me…please.”

  Goddess his voice was sexy. And he did say please. She tensed her legs, hands gripping his arms as she picked up her rhythm, pressing back against him, filling herself with his thick shaft. He growled his approval, full lips open on her skin.

  Her mind reached out to him, searching for the intimacy that the blood connection brought, but all she found was darkness. His feelings were powerful, his thoughts all focused on her. Who he was, on the other hand, was impossible to see. Like trying to make out images through a moonless midnight.

  “Midnight.”

  “What? Midnight? Is that your name?”

  “No questions. No questions. Only pleasure. Only this.”

  His fingers increased their pressure, circling faster against her clit. He slid one finger down to where they were joined, pushing it inside her with his next thrust. “Fuck!”

  He dragged it out slowly, lifting the soaking finger up to her lips. “Taste.” She sucked his finger in her mouth, and he groaned. “My turn.” He pulled his hand away to gather more of her juices, licking his own fingers with a purr of pleasure that made her want to turn, to see him. To kiss him and taste herself on his tongue.

  “No.” He cupped her chin with damp fingers, keeping her from looking over her shoulder. She was far too aroused to fight him. Speeding toward another orgasm, and she desperately wanted him to come with her. He was close, she could feel it in the tightening of his muscles, his rough breathing, the heated smell of his skin. She craved his release, wanted it more than she wanted her own. It made no sense. She didn’t know him, couldn’t see into his mind. But some part of her knew him. Knew what he needed, and wanted to be the one to give it to him.

  “Yes.”

  She tilted her pelvis, her hips circling even as she rose and fell against him. Her hand dropped between her legs, caressing herself. She knew he could feel her fingers pressing against her clit, sliding down to circle his cock where it met her sex. A rumbling sound of need came from the man behind her.

  “Turn about is fair play. You like that, don’t you? Like the way it feels.”

  “Yes. More.”

  She tightened around his cock, her sex massaging him with squeezing pulses as she rocked against him. His body jerked against her, and then she was falling forward, on her hands and knees once more as he lost any semblance of control.

  “Mine. Mine. Mine.”

  The mental chant echoed through her head, pounding into her brain to the rhythm of his hips pounding against hers. Deep. Full. Right. He felt…right. Great Mother she was coming. Again. So hard she nearly blacked out with the strength of it. Her body was on fire, soul shattering into a thousand pieces at the same time he shouted with the power of his own release.

  His cock throbbed inside her with his climax, filling her until she thought he’d never stop, until their combined arousal soaked her thighs. He left her slowly, and she could sense his need rising again. His regret at separating from her, even for a moment.

  He rubbed her back and she pressed her forehead into the dirt, trying to breathe. Trying to think. Her head hurt, a strange ache in her bones, like she’d bruised herself during their passionate tussle.

  What in the hell had just happened? She was all for meaningless sex with strangers, but that wasn’t what this was. This was like nothing she’d experienced. It was more.

  I believe you’ve just met your match, my love.

  Don’t be silly. You can’t mean what I think you mean.

  Grathita…

  She was whirled around onto her back, the large, shadowed figure who’d just given her so much pleasure looming over her. “Who do you speak to?” She watched him flinch at the question, but he pressed on. “I heard a male in your mind. Who?”

  Liz pushed up on her elbows, her mouth opening and closing, seeking air like a fish that had been ripped from its watery home. She studied the strong jaw line, the sharp cheekbones…a pair of unbelievably blue eyes with a few entrancing flecks of violet. Indigo. Her brow furrowed at the deep, curving scar that ran from the outer edge of his left eye to his chin, and she shook her head.

  Her shock must have showed on her face. His expression softened and he lifted her up in his embrace, soothing her with gentle caresses. It couldn’t be true. It couldn’t be. But apart from the scar… “Malcolm?”

  Bright spots filled her vision. She felt like she was going to faint. But she never fainted. It was the last thought she had before darkness consumed her.

  Chapter Three

  “Welcome to my own personal Hell. Make yourself at home.”

  Liz groaned, rolling onto her side toward the man sitting with his back to the cave wall. Cave. How did she get here? And where was here? She moaned. Her head was hurting. She ran a hand down her hip. At least she was clothed. Though she distinctly remembered being naked before she passed out. “Jasyn?”

  He chuckled, but it sounded a little hysterical. “The jury’s still out. You okay? When the Wildman brought you in here I thought you might be dead. You look pale. Paler than usual.”

  Liz sat up too quickly, grabbing her head as a wave of dizziness crashed over her. “Malcolm.”

  “No, darling. That man is not Malcolm.”

  Liz stilled, looking at Jasyn in confusion. “Darling?” She noticed the Shadow’s handiwork, a small black mark on his temple matching Nicolette’s. Mysha had been right. “Why would you call me that?”

  Jasyn grimaced. “I didn’t. I told you. This is Hell, and I’m being punished for my sins.” His expression changed before her eyes into a sarcastic, feminine smirk that looked eerily familiar to Liz. “He’s being punished. I, however, am having a delightful time.”

  Liz crawled closer to the Were, wincing at the bruised, aching feeling in her limbs. Had that sexy vampire dragged her here? “Nicolette is…in your head? But how is that possible?”

  Jasyn shrugged. “They knocked me out. Took us by surprise. I know we must have traveled a long way, but I’m not sure how far. When I woke up, I was chained to this wall.” He lifted his wrists, jangling the silver metal. “And the lovely dulcet screams of my favorite prostitute were ringing in my ears.”

  “I was a courtesan. Not a prostitute. I believe we’ve had this conversation before, Jasyn. It’s comparative to the difference between the words civilized and Were.”

  Liz put a hand to her temple at the unusual argument. “If this is a nightmare I’d love to wake up right about now.” She came closer, touching the heavy chains. “Jasyn, you could get out of these. Why don’t you just shift?”

  He made a face. “Another side effect. I can’t. Been trying for days. Neither can Nicolette. We seem to null out each other’s abilities. Either that or these chains are made from get-on-my-last-nerve-anium.”

  “Oh, good, your sense of humor is returning. Lucky us. Liz, darling, you really aren’t looking well. I think you need to get out of here. Bring Regina and Sylvain. Tough as you are, I don’t think you can handle this beast alone.”

  It was strange, hearing Nicolette’s voice, seeing Jasyn’s face. Liz shook her head. “He’s no beast. How can he be? He looks just like—”

  “But he’s not, darling. This is why I don’t think you should be here alone. As soon as I saw him, saw how much he looked like the painting of… Elizabeth, you saw Malcolm’s body. You told me you watched it burn. Malcolm is dead.”

  Jasyn nodded. “Whoever this guy is, the Shadow Wolves fear him, none of them have come near us since they left us here. I’m not sure what they were hoping he would do. Maybe we were just supposed to be Wildman’s dinner. Whatever the case, we definitely need to get out of here. And find a way to bring him with us.”

  None of this was making any sense. Liz bit her lip as she tried to pull the anchored chains from the wall. Even with all of her strength, she couldn’t move them. W
hat were they made of? “Has he hurt you?”

  Jasyn shook his head. “He hasn’t hurt us. Hasn’t answered any of our questions either. In fact, from the look on his face whenever we ask him something, your guy doesn’t give interviews. He just feeds us, makes sure we’re warm, empties our…necessity pot, and checks in to see that we’re alive. Other than that, nothing.” Jasyn’s blush had Liz fighting a smile, in spite of the circumstances.

  With five brothers in a one-room cottage, she could still recall how intolerable the lack of privacy was. But to have someone who never left, who was in your head every minute of the day, that had to be hard on a guy. She reached out to squeeze his shoulder in commiseration. “Why do we have to take him back to England?”

  A loud, threatening growl froze them in place. Liz turned her head slowly, her gaze stopping on those striking indigo eyes. Malcolm’s eyes. He made sure she was watching before his unblinking glare moved to the point where her hand was touching Jasyn. Understanding had her lifting her hand, leaning away from the Were.

  The growling stopped.

  He was naked. Goddess, he was almost too sexy. A dark haired demigod, leaner than Mal had been, harder. And he had a deep, curving scar from the edge of his left brow to his chin. But there was no mistaking the resemblance. The strong jaw, those long lashes, that full lower lip. It was uncanny. Her heart ached for the face she hadn’t seen in so long. Her body ached for what they’d shared only hours before.

  His brows lowered and she quickly cleared her thoughts, remembering they were connected now. She looked down at his hands. He’d found her knapsack, as well as the rabbit and what looked to be most of its relatives. She held out her hand for her pack. “Thank you. I thought I’d lost it.”

  He walked past her, still holding her things, and headed to the small fire pit located in the center of the cave. She watched the smoke rise in a steady stream as he skinned and cooked the small animals with fascinating efficiency. The smoke made her think that there must be an opening somewhere above their heads. Another exit.

  It smelled incredible. Maybe that was what was wrong. She just needed to eat. It had been a while. She tried not to look at him as he walked over to Jasyn, placing a hunk of charred meat in each of his fists. Jasyn muttered his thanks and strained against his bonds, the chains long enough for his hand to reach his mouth.

  They ate in silence. Liz nibbled at her food. It tasted good, but her queasiness hadn’t abated. Maybe she was coming down with something. She watched as he tossed the bones into the fire and then leaned one arm behind him, picking up her knapsack to place on his lap. “Who said you could look through my things?”

  He was digging into the bag, pulling out her mini travel cooler of synthetic blood, her cell phone and her husband’s dagger. He held the last to the firelight, his dark brows lowering at the intricate design. He shook his head, dropping it carelessly on the floor before reaching in to grab something else. The carved, ivory box she’d taken from Malcolm’s suite.

  She’d handled the beautiful piece a dozen times on her journey, studying the images. On the lid of the box, a carved out thistle made her believe that perhaps it had been a present Malcolm had made for her—his prickly, Scottish flower. The half moon, one of the symbols of the Mother Mal worshipped, seemed more evidence she was right. But how to explain the forms covering the rest of the fragile box? What Liz had originally believed were lovely vines or Celtic knots, were actually snakes, coiled one with the other, waiting to strike. Not exactly a lover’s token.

  More interesting was this wild man’s reaction to it. It fell from his hands, tumbling down his bare legs as he stood up and backed away, as though the snakes had come to life before his eyes.

  “Familiar. I know…No! Don’t care. Don’t think.”

  “What is it? Do you recognize that?” Liz watched as he closed his eyes, leaning against the wall of the cave without answering. The firelight licked the muscle and sinew of his body like a lover. She wet her lips with her tongue and his cock jerked, hardening before her eyes. She knew he was reacting to her less than innocent thoughts. She looked away, toward Jasyn, who was wearing Nicolette’s knowing smile.

  “Praise to the Mother, he is a handsome devil, isn’t he? It’s been cruel, having to watch him walk around naked these last few days.” Jasyn grimaced at the words leaving his mouth, and Liz turned in time to see their captor roll his eyes comically. She couldn’t help it. It was the first normal reaction she’d seen from him. She laughed.

  Midnight, the only name she could think of when she looked at him, opened his eyes wide in surprised wonder.

  “Again.”

  “What?”

  “That sound. Do it again.”

  That sound? “You mean laughing?” Was he so unfamiliar with laughter that it surprised him? What kind of life had he been living here? And for how long? “I’ll laugh when I find something funny again. Which, uncomfortable as I’m sure the situation is for my two friends, shouldn’t be that long from now.”

  She walked closer to him, her mind filled with questions. But first things first. “You understand don’t you? That there are two of them”—she tapped her head—“inside?”

  He nodded, and she smiled. She felt as if she were soothing a wild animal. In many ways, it seemed that was exactly what he was. Though the way he’d made her feel when he’d taken her…she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She had to stay focused. “Good. Well, they are my friends. I came here to find them and bring them home so we can heal what’s been done to them. Why did the Shadow Wolves bring him here? Can you release them?”

  “You want me to let him go because he’s yours. The man you speak to in your mind.”

  “I’m speaking to you in my mind, Midnight.”

  “Not only me.”

  He towered over her, his fingers gripping her shoulders to pull her closer to a snarling Jasyn. Liz shook her head at him, her caveman didn’t need any further riling. Not by anyone but her. “Let me go.”

  Midnight ignored her. Curling his lip at Jasyn. “You are safe because you aren’t Shadow. I don’t kill without reason.” He pulled Liz closer to his side. “She is my reason.”

  “Well, well, well. He talks.”

  Liz shook her head. “Hush, Nicolette. She is a grown ass woman, you big beasty. Let. Me. Go.” His erection was pressed against her hip. Her face heated as she met Jasyn’s gaze and saw Nicolette’s interest pique. No doubt Jasyn could scent her body’s instinctual arousal at his claiming, regardless of her protests. And Nicolette knew everything Jasyn did. Lovely.

  “I don’t see any stamp of ownership on her, beautiful. Although it’s obvious from all that mental chatter that you’ve…shared something. Are you saying she belongs to you?”

  Liz glared. What was her old friend doing? Playing matchmaker while her body lay in the pub loft starving to death? “I thought I told you to hush. Don’t give him any ideas, Nic.”

  “I already have ideas.”

  “I know, but mine are better. My friend is sick. Please let them go.”

  “I’ll let them go. After.”

  Her clothes disappeared, and Liz shrieked. Malcolm used to delight in blinking her clothes off at the most inopportune moments. It had driven her batty then, and she wasn’t too thrilled about it now. But she was a different woman than the one she’d been. Independent. In control. A bitch. “Don’t ever take my clothes off without asking again.”

  He dragged her body against his, his hard cock hot against her belly and she had to admit control was just an illusion when it came to this wild man. There was no denying the power of her feelings, the rightness of his body against hers. She moaned, leaning into him and clutching helplessly at his hips.

  “I will not beg you this time.” As if he had before. “You are mine. Tell him.”

  “Oh, you bastard.”

  “Tell him.”

  “I belong to no one.”

  He was too strong, she couldn’t resist as he placed her arms be
hind her back, gripping her wrists with one hand. He looked down, and she watched a long strip of leather appear in his other hand. He tied her wrists together, and she was too shocked to stop him. Not even Kit, her most aggressive lover, had dared this.

  “Do not think of another lover again.”

  His hands moved to her shoulders, and with gentle but unrelenting pressure, lowered her to her knees. He smiled. Dark and wicked, utterly male. It did nothing to ease her discomfort, or her arousal. The warmth of his thighs heated her cheeks, the sight of his cock filling with blood, thickening before her eyes made her mouth water. Her desire for him was a fever that burned rational thought away. Burned her anger away. Without that as her shield, what was she?

  “Mine. If you won’t tell him, show him.”

  Jasyn growled at the word. “She doesn’t need to show me anything, you son of a bitch.”

  “The only dog I see here is you.” Indigo eyes flashed a warning at the chained Were, before returning to Liz. “I still smell of you, of us. I know you want. Taste me. Take what you want.”

  She tightened her thighs against the wetness gathering. How could she want him? A stranger who’d pinned her in the forest and taken her like a cat in heat? A man who took away her power? How could she be tempted to do as he asked? And yet, she was. More than tempted. His commanding presence, his expectance that she obey him, turned her on far more than she’d like to admit. His smile faded, but the determination in his gaze intensified.

  “Yes, mArjara, my wildcat. Take what is yours.”

  She leaned forward, spreading her legs to keep her balance as she buried her face in the dark curls surrounding his shaft. The smell of his skin, like rich earth and rain soaked forests and him, had her nuzzling closer, making him groan. “Don’t tease.”

  No. She wouldn’t. She couldn’t. He was her drug. She had to taste him. Her mouth opened and the flat of her tongue glided along his cock, savoring the salty taste, until she reached the tip. She wrapped her lips around the flushed head, glancing up at him from beneath her lashes and leaning forward again to take him deep into her mouth.