Not enough, he shot back. His lips settled on her collarbone and sucked. Lower still. He licked a nipple, finally making good on his promise to kiss her there, and she moaned. His other hand moved to her neglected breast and massaged. I dont think a shield of armor would protect me from your appeal.
Such a sweet admission.
We should slow down.
What? No! Speed up. She twisted his ear, earning a growl.
Again he sucked on her other nipple, and the sting made her gaspthen she moaned as he licked where hed nibbled. She arched into him, rubbing just the way she liked.
Im going to get you all wet.
And thats a bad thing? he asked.
Bad thing, bad thing. The words were an echo in her brain, and she remembered how shed tried to lick his penis the last time theyd kissed like this, but he hadnt let her. Had thought her too pure.
She dropped her legs, feet hitting soft carpet.
He frowned. What are you
She sank to her knees, tugging at his pants until his shaft broke free. Thick, long, so magnificently hard.
Olivia A moan, as if she tortured him. You shouldnt.
Her mouth watered as she pressed her cheek into the satin-smooth flesh. Hot, imprinting. His fingers tangled in her hair. She pulled back only slightly, opened wide, then sucked him in. His girth stretched her jaw, an uncomfortable fit, but the salty-sweet taste of him thrilled her.
I was wrong. You should, he croaked out. You really should.
Up and down she rode him with her mouth, hands playing with his heavy sac. She enjoyed him, enjoyed doing this, destroying his reluctance, spurring him into enthusiastic abandon. But he didnt let her take him all the way. All too soon, he gripped her shoulders and yanked her up.
No more. Sweat glistened on his face as he swung her around and crowded her against the wall. Without a word, he next dropped to his knees. His strong hands parted her legs, and then he was there, licking at her, sucking on her, devouring her.
She needed an anchor, but couldnt find one as her hands clawed up and down the wall behind her. As her head thrashed from side to side. As her hair tickled her back. Everything was a stimulant. And she was closeso closejust needed
He stormed to his feet, panting, lapping at the moisture shed left on his face, eyes at half-mast, liquid. Want to take youcant take youtaste so goodneed morecant have more
More. Yes. Aeron.
He shook his head, all hint of his resistance fadingonly to be replaced by determination. He reached between their bodies and stroked his erection. The other hand gripped her waist. Cantcanthave to remember
What? Remember what? Are you going toare we going to Please, please, please.
Cant. He stilled. Their raspy pants were the only sound in the room, tangling together wildly, just as she wanted to be with him. Cant. Were going to Another growl. He tore his hand away from her to scrub down his face. As that hand descended, revealing his features, she saw the change in them. From determined to enraged. Most humans have to walk around unfulfilled. If you want to be a human, you should know how that feels.
Unfulfilled? Shed rather die. Teach me next time. Please, Aeron. Too badly did she need him now. Please. She arched her hips, back and forth, this time fitting her moist core against the hot steel of his freed shaft, a shaft shed tasted. Down she slid, up, down again. Oh, Deity. The pleasureincomparable. Searing, thrillingforbidden.
Must have been the same for him because once more he shot into action. He cupped her bottom and slammed her into that shaft. Over and over, again and again. Not once did he penetrate her, but that didnt matter to her weeping body. What he was doing was too good, electrifying, and soon they were both groaning, panting more heavily, trembling.
Even their kiss spun out of control, their tongues dueling, rolling together, their teeth banging, scraping. Her nails clawed at him, at his hidden wingstoo wild? Gideon had said that Aeron needed a wild woman, but this might be too much, too fast for her warrior and she didnt want him pulling away.
Though it nearly cost her the last remnants of her sanity, Olivia tempered her touch, easing her nails out of his back, away from those sensitive slits.
What are you doing? he snapped.
Enjoying you, she replied. Or I was, until you opened your mouth.
He frowned, pulled his face away from hers so that he could peer into her eyes. Well, start enjoying again.
Id love to. She bit her bottom lip and arched into him. But I want your penis inside me first.
A strangling sound left him.
Again she arched. The tip of his shaft rubbed her clitoris, and she gasped. He hissed. So good. Soooo good. Her head fell back, and her wet hair swung, once more tickling her skin. So close, she thought. So close to that pinnacle of pleasure hed propelled her to the last time theyd kissed like this. The pinnacle that would ease the pressure still building inside her, still torturing her.
Aeron, Aeron. Just a little more, she rasped, and I can
No. No! He released her, suddenly and without warning, and she fell off him. She hit the ground and lost her breath. That didnt dull her passion. Or ease her aches. Cant.
He wiped his shaky hand over his mouth, as if washing away the taste of her, briefly hiding the lines of tension banked there. Then he was refastening his pants with trembling fingers.
No climaxing, he said in that harsh tone she so despised. Angry, rather than desire-filled.
II dont understand.
His narrowing gaze settled on her, his expression like granite. I told you. Humans often experience unrequited yearnings. You want to be a human so badly, you can endure them, as well. Now get dressed. Like I also told you, we have somewhere to be.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
STRIDER HIT THE GROUND as a bullet whizzed past his shoulder.
Sorry, Gwen muttered with a grimace. Her red hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her silver-gold eyes were gleaming. Im having trouble channeling my dark side her Harpy so I thought Id better carry a gun.
A gun that shed never worked with before. A Dead Hunter special hed augmented himself.
Damn, thatd been close. Nearly taken out by friendly fire. And then things really would have gotten bad. Even though she wouldnt have meant to hit him, his demon would have seen it as a challenge. Gwen would have won, and he wouldve been writhing on the ground for days, lost to the agony.
As hed lost a challenge a few weeks ago to Huntersbecause Gwen and Sabin had let her father escape, something he was still trying to forgive them forthe consequences of failure were vivid in his mind, and he wasnt eager to repeat the experience.
Just take your finger off the trigger, he told her. We dont know where the Hunters ran off to and hid, and they dont know where we are. Gunshots could give away our location.
Done.
Shaking his head, Strider straightened. Glanced around. Lush, thick trees surrounded him and most of the others whod been at the temple with himand who, like him, had been whisked towherever the hell they were. Close to water, like before, that much he knew. He could hear the lull of the sea a few yards away, and golden sand sparkled at his feet and clung to his skin.
Amun and Maddox were currently scouting for signs of the enemy.
Evidently the Unspoken Ones idea of a gift had been to whisk them and sixteen armed Hunters to a mysterious location. Theyd all been here twenty-four hours, had endured one full-on shoot-out, one scramble to safety to figure things out, and now this. Waiting. Searching. It was like the boxing matches Strider liked to watch on TV: the Lords in one corner, the Hunters in the other. So when was the freaking starting bell going to ring?
Soon, if he had his way.
His phone beeped, drawing his attention and signaling success. In one area at least.
Yes! he said, punching a tree trunk in excitement. My text finally went through to Lucien. Hed been trying to contact his friends in Buda for most of the twenty-four hours with no luck. Either the powerful creatures had refused to let him make contact or cell towers were few and far between out here. His money was on the creatures. He needed Lucien to flash them more weapons and ammo. No way theyd leave this place until every Hunter was captured. Or dead. He wasnt picky.
Now that the text had gone through, communication lines open, did that mean the Unspoken Ones were taking their hands out of the battle?
Only a few seconds later, his phone beeped again. He raised the screen to read Luciens reply. Tried to flash to you. Somethings blocking me.
Damn. Hands still in, just not as restricting.
He relayed the bad news to the others, scattered around him, and they groaned.
Well be fine, Sabin said. If nothing else, Gwen can rip through them like a knife through silk.
Strider knew the statement wasnt a besotted husbands exaggerated boast, but the truth. When her dark side overtook her, Gwen could immobilize an immortal army on her own. Humans would be childs play.
Only if my Harpy decides to show, she grumbled. Wait. No only about it. She will. Ill make her. When it came to Sabin, shed do anything to protect him. A fact everyone in this little camp knew intimately, having been shredded by her Harpys claws a time or two during training.
Dont worry, he typed, returning his attention to the phone. Weve got this.
Good news is, Galens here in Buda and not among the group.
Surprising, since hed seen Galen in that vision. You guys good to go?
Well be fine. But I should warn you, that bastard somehow got his hands on the Cloak. He could be in the fortress, and wed never know it.
Shit! This just got worse and worse. Galen had an artifact, and a powerful one at that. Soon as this was over, Strider would do whatever was necessary to steal it. Meanwhile, it was his turn to drop a bombshell. Looks like Hopes been a busy boy. I should warn YOU that Galen managed to merge the demon of Distrust with one of his soldiers. A female. We think hell be out for blood now.
At first, Lucien didnt reply. Was probably battling shock as Strider and the others had. Distrust, the only thing left of Baden, was now in enemy hands.
Did Galen even need Pandoras box anymore? he wondered now. With the box, he could gather all the demons at once, without having to search for them later. So yeah, probably.
Finally, a new text came in. This is bad. Really bad. And I think its only going to get worse. Aerons called a meeting. Found something out. More from me when I know what that something is. Meanwhile, be careful.
You, too.
A twig snapped. Everyone stiffened, half immediately pointing their weapons in the direction of the noise and half aiming in the opposite direction, just in case. Amun and Maddox strode through the bush, and everyone relaxed. Amun was dragging a man, a human, behind him. Expression grim, he tossed the motionless body in the center of the camp.
As Maddox tied the man up, Amun signed what theyd learned.
Strider had always admired Amuns ability to absorb memories. Sure, it left him with a new voice in his head each time he did so, but that seemed like a small price to pay for knowing the thoughts of everyone around you. As hed just taken a new crop of memories, though, Strider knew it would be a long time before he heard his friend speak again.
Hunters set up camp about a mile north of us, and this guy was on guard duty. Their plan is to wait for us to attack them on their turf, where they can more easily injure us while remaining barricaded themselves, Sabin said, interpreting. Then he laughed without humor. We all saw Distrust merge with that female. They wont just try to injure us. Theyll be out for our heads.
Gets better, Strider said, pocketing his phone. Galens back in Buda, and he has the Cloak of Invisibility.
For several prolonged seconds, silence dominated their circle. Then he felt the vibrations of their anger as they considered the consequences. Then he heard their muttered curses.
Obviously we cant stay here much longer, but just as obviously, we cant let these men go. Maddox can lead us to their camp, and well fight them on their turf just like they wanted. Sabin stood, hands clenched into fists. Only, they wont like the results. We show no mercy. Take no prisoners.
Amid murmurs of agreement, Strider and the others pushed to their feet. Knives were palmed by Kane and Reyes. Guns were clutched by Gwen and himself. No, no, no. He crossed the small distance to stand in front of her and plucked the modified Sig Sauer from her fingers.
Ill take that, he said.
Fine. She smiled sheepishly, then waved her clawed fingertips. Ill do better without it, anyway.
We all will.
Sabin hugged her tight. Ill help you summon your Harpy after Maddox gives us some direction. Maddox?
Maddox walked to the center of the group and knelt in the sand. He drew a misshapen circle. Were on another island. Were here, and theyre here. His fingertip danced through the golden grains. The Unspoken Ones must have given them extra fortifications, because I found steel traps here, here and here.
Amun signed.
Again, Sabin translated for Maddox and Reyes, who hadnt spent the last few thousand years with the silent warrior. Sleepy there, he said, pointing to the motionless Hunter, was patrolling the perimeter of their camp with three others.
If we split up, we can surround them and close in, a different warrior taking out each of the remaining guards while giving the others no room to run and hide. Strider would love nothing more than to pick them off himself, one by one, but there wasnt time.
Excellent, Sabin said with a nod. He outlined who was to go where. I dont care if you have to scoot on your stomach. Dont let them see you. Theyre expecting us, as Sabin said, so the greater a surprise we manage to be, the better our chances of success. And once you spy their camp, dont move until you hear my signal. I want to let my demon at them before we attack. Doubt could turn even the bravest of warriors into thumb-sucking babies. Move as swiftly as you can. Lets reach them before they realize weve already eliminated one of their own. If they havent already.