Chapter 12
“Here,” Lambda said, pointing out a small divot in front of a large oak. “This is a good spot to sleep. It’ll keep you warmer.” He pulled his coat off and laid it on the ground, then motioned for Vallie to join him.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep,” she complained. Even now, her heart raced.
“You don’t have to sleep. We’ll rest for one hour, if we’re both still awake, we’ll walk again. If not, let’s try to sleep at least a couple hours. It’ll be good for both of us. We need the rest.”
Vallie surrendered and slid beside him, nestling her back against his front. Damn. He was the warmest being on this earth.
Lambda wrapped one arm beneath her waist and the other around her, his forearm resting between her breasts. She groaned.
“What’s wrong?”
“You’re not the only one who wishes Verona was already safe in Luven and we were trying out that bed of yours.” Vallie had never had sex in a proper bed before. She bet it was fun. And cozy.
It was Lambda’s turn to groan. She felt his cock press against her ass, then pull away. “Try to fall asleep,” he commanded.
“You think I’m going to be able to fall asleep now?”
Lambda breathed a laugh. He pressed a kiss against the back of her neck. “Would you fall asleep faster if you came?”
“Lambda, I said no fucking until we’re back in Luven,” she chided, but wiggled her butt against him for good measure.
“I’m not talking about fucking,” he said lazily, his hand shifting to cup her breast. “Do you want me to touch you?”
“Touch me how?” she asked, arching against his hand. Damn, she wanted him. Desire pooled between her legs, begging for release. Hell, between Balaur and the hospital, Vallie hadn’t had a conscious orgasm in over eight years. Every couple of months, her mind and body gave her the gift of a spicy dream, but, oh, to be awake.
“Hm.” He slid one warm hand under her shirt and found her already pebbled nipple. The other hand skimmed the skin below her navel.
“Touch me how?” she repeated, parting her legs and hooking her top leg back and over him.
“I’m trying to show you,” he murmured and nipped her neck. He dipped his hand beneath the waist of her pants, teasing her curls with devastating caution. She tried to move her hips, use her body to slide his fingers where she wanted them, but she was trapped beneath his arms. He moved overwhelmingly slow, both above her core and over her breast. She let a moan escape, but bit back at the end.
“Fuck, Lambda. I’m dying here,” she panted.
“Me, too,” he groaned. “Do you want me to get you off with my fingers?”
“Yes,” she gasped. “Now.”
He growled against the back of her neck and finally slipped his hand lower, his finger immediately sliding between her folds to find her slick center.
“Fuck,” she breathed. “At last.” She couldn’t keep her hips from gyrating, chasing a release with Lambda. It had been so long, so damn long. And now, with her body locked against his, the spring night air against her skin, she couldn’t help but race to the finish.
“You feel better than I ever could have imagined,” Lambda groaned against her ear. He scraped his teeth against her neck, just hard enough to send prickles down her spine. His fingers moved against her so softly she thought she might scream.
Lambda dished out exquisite torture.
“Right there,” she moaned. “Don’t stop.”
“I’ll never stop,” he threatened. “I’ll never, ever stop touching you, making you come, driving you mad,” he growled. “My Vallie. My mate. You want it harder?”
She nodded, trapping her bottom lip between her teeth.
He increased his pressure, and immediately Vallie could feel that familiar, missed coiling in her low belly, a heat spreading from her center to every inch of her body. Lambda bit down on the space between her neck and shoulder, throwing her over the cliff. She thrust her palm against her mouth and bit down, swallowing her screams as she shook beside him.
“Fuck, Vallie. You are amazing.” Lambda covered her neck with kisses, soothing every tender spot he had bitten. His hold on her loosened, but he kept his fingers against her clit, slowly stroking as she twitched through the end of her orgasm. “I can’t wait to get you in our bed, undress you slowly, kiss every inch of you.”
“Hell, now you come out with the dirty talk?” she mumbled. She stretched against him. “Now, I feel like I could actually sleep.” Lambda moved his hand out of her pants, then tidied her clothing so her skin was completely covered. Then, he tucked her arms under his and slid his leg over hers.
“Warm enough?”
She nodded. “Will you talk to me until I fall asleep?”
“Sure.” He kissed her cheek quickly. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Tell me a story,” she asked, her mouth quickly overtaken by a yawn.
“All right, then.” Lambda settled against her. “Have you heard the story of the wolf in the sky?”
She shook her head and closed her eyes. Hell, it was good to be in his arms. It felt warm and right and like exactly where she was supposed to be, even if they were in the middle of dragon territory facing certain death tomorrow.
“Well, a long time ago, before the collapse, before the world that collapsed, there was a young wolf named Dagma. He was a wild spirit, racing around the woods like the packless do now in the Emptylands. He had no care for a pack or other wolves, took what he wanted, left what he didn’t. So, one night, he’s running around the woods, and he sees a shimmering of silver light, almost as if the moon had come down to earth. Being who he was, Dagma ran at the light, sniffing out what it might be. He hears a booming voice that says ‘turn back’, but he keeps going, undeterred.”
Vallie snuggled a little closer to Lambda, feeling heavy sleep come across her eyelids. His voice was extremely soothing.
“But, he goes on. He hears the voice again, and then for a third time, telling him to turn back, but Dagma does no such thing. Finally, he comes upon the light. It is the Moon Goddess, come down to walk the woods. He catches her eye, and an evil grin comes across his face. What better mate than the Moon Goddess herself, he thinks. He bolts to her, thinking he could take a goddess and bend her to his will. With a flick of her wrist she sent him flying out of the woods, up into the sky. She cursed him to live among the stars, but only in the hot summer months when the wolves were miserable.” He hummed a laugh. “The rest of the year, the quiet, cold nights, he is flung into never-ending darkness.” He pressed a kiss against the back of her head. “Good night, Vallie.”