CHAPTER 15
RueWhat do three shifters and a witch do at night with too much time on their hands?
Watch Twilight, obviously.
Every step of the way, one of the three interrupts with corrections or groans at how awkward Bella and Jacob’s relationship is during the second movie. Normally, this much commentary would annoy me, but I’m actually enjoying it. Not to mention I’ve seen it a hundred times at this point. It’s interesting to see their perspective on the entertainment industry’s version of werewolves.
Rhys and Caylix went all out rearranging the living room, making a cozy pallet on the floor complete with pillow backrests against the couch. They have enough blankets around here to warm an entire pack. I’m definitely not complaining.
To be honest, I think the gesture is partly to make up for the memory erasing scenario. And I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t cute and thoughtful.
I stretch out my legs and yawn. My body may be fully healed but my mind is still reeling over everything that’s happened recently. I lean against the pillows, trying to get comfortable. Rhys notices and shifts, tucking me against his side. I take advantage of the invitation and lay my head on his shoulder, sliding my hand innocently up his bare chest. Warmth radiates against my palm and his abs contract under my touch. “Do shifters’ body temps run higher like in Twilight?” I ask, trying to ignore the sizzle between us.
“Hell yes we do,” he responds, his tone confident with a cocksure smirk. “We’re steaming hot.”
“In more ways than one,” I quip, only to earn three deep chuckles. “What about vampires? Are they frigid with porcelain sparkly skin?”
“As if.” Kathan snorts and I glance at him. He’s lounging to the side, his muscular legs taking up a lot of space. Honestly, he makes our comfy little fort seem tiny and that’s saying something with the relatively open floor plan of their living room.
“No, little witch. Sparkles aside, that’s something most of Hollywood gets wrong. Vampires don’t feel any colder than humans,” Caylix adds when his grumpy brethren doesn’t elaborate.
Huh, I guess that makes sense, considering I can still feel the echo of Slade’s warm wrist against my mouth as his hot blood slid down my throat…
Edward ’s face flashes across the screen, looking pained as Bella does something reckless to continue getting his attention. “I swear men are their own worst enemy at times. Who throws a love like that away?”
A silence follows my words and I glance curiously at them, only to meet three heated gazes. My pulse jumps, feeling like a butterfly in my throat. There’s a resounding echo of feeling in my chest and I reach up to rub it absentmindedly.
Sheesh. I clear my throat and return my focus to the movie. Little good it does though. My skin is on fire and there’s need pulsing low in my belly.
Kathan suddenly stands, rubbing his palms down his low-slung jeans. His eyes are a golden yellow when he flicks them over to glance at us. “I’m going to do a perimeter check,” he announces gruffly and takes off toward the door, which they somehow fixed amidst planning our movie marathon. His large hands rip it open and in the next instant there’s a majestic gray wolf where a hulking man once stood.
I stare after him as his lithe wolf bounds into the darkness, his gait easily eating up the distance until he disappears from view, the door still wide open. Caylix notices my line of sight and sighs. “He won’t be long,” Caylix explains. “Probably needed some fresh air.”
“If you say so.”
“I do say so,” he quips back and scoots in closer to my other side. His yellow eyes find mine in the semi-darkness. Poor guy. His wolf is still riding him hard. So much so I can almost see the predator lurking beneath the surface, watching me. A shiver racks down my spine that Rhys mistakes for me being cold and tucks me further under the blankets.
Too bad it’s not from fear.
The second movie is almost over when Kathan’s giant gray wolf comes bounding back inside, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. The massive wolf plops down directly in front of me and shoves his head onto my lap. My fingers automatically find the warm fur of his neck and I bury them into it. Kathan’s wolf really seems to like it, melting into my touch. When I stop running my fingers through his fur, he turns to lick my hand with his wet tongue.
“Huh. Guess I can say I’ve been licked by a wolf now,” I mutter, not really thinking it through.
Caylix leans in close to my ear. His gaze dips to my lips and my tongue darts out to wet mine automatically. Holy crow, when did he get so close? “Trust me, little witch, you’ll know when you’ve really been licked by a wolf.” And with that statement he returns to how he was sitting before like he didn’t drop that lit cauldron like it was nothing.
Rhys chuckles on the other side of me in agreement, but I’m too busy thinking about all the ways their tongues could bring me over the edge. Twilight, who? My imagination is so much better at this point. I think I’ll dive into it and get lost.
We stay like that for a while. Me curled into Rhys, Caylix cuddled into me, and Kathan in wolf form on my lap. By the time the movie ends, all of us seem wired, which is the opposite effect you’d think would happen. It’s as if we’re all feeding off each other’s energy, dipping into this strange bond between us. Which is something else I’m doing my best to ignore.
But my core is pulsing, and my thighs are soaked. God, I would kill for a release right now. My gaze travels over Caylix and Rhys and they’re already staring at me, completely affected by my scent. Before anyone else can make a sexual innuendo and I find myself saying screw it and pounce on them, I scoot out from underneath Kathan and hop to my feet. “I’m, uh, I’m going to take a shower.”
And I bolt from the comfort of their arms and into the safety of the bathroom.
[image file=image_rsrc44S.jpg] Evidently not even a cold shower is enough to douse the heat in my veins. And I’ve had the temp turned over to freezing for at least five minutes. Flipping it over to warm, because it doesn’t matter anyway, I glance at their array of shampoos and conditioners. Thank the cauldrons they’re not two-in-one kind of guys. That’s the thing deal breakers are made of.
Picking one at random, I flip open the lid and am instantly surrounded by the woodsy forest scent reminding me of Kathan. It wraps around me much like I wish his—no. Stop thinking of that, Rue… Of course, I’d choose the one that smells like him.
Once my hair is well and thoroughly clean, I flick the water off, and remember I didn’t think to grab a towel in my haste to get in here. Yeah, that one is on me. Great. The question is do I yell out for one or get the floor wet searching for one?
Both sound awkward, but thankfully, I don’t have to do either because there’s one sitting on the counter. I wrap myself in the fluffy warmth and it frees my hands to find a brush. After rummaging through their drawers, I find a comb which will have to do because my hair is way too wild to use my magic on.
Something else I didn’t consider is a fresh change of clothes, and I cringe at the thought of putting my dirty panties back on. Ultimately, I decide to wash them in the sink for now because I’ll need them tomorrow. They can dry in Kathan’s room overnight. I slip his T-shirt on, loving the way it fits on me, and open the door. I peep my head out into the hallway, finding the coast is clear. The lights are off, and the guys aren’t in the living room, so I make a break for my room.
Except I’m intercepted by someone and smack into a very warm, very muscular body. My eyes instantly snap up to his. “Oh!” I exclaim, putting my hands up to brace myself on his chest. He wraps his arms around me to keep me steady which only further presses me into his nakedness. “You’re naked,” I point out unhelpfully.
Kathan’s nostrils flare as he takes in my scent, and I swear he shudders. “And you’re still wearing my shirt,” he replies gruffly, his lips pulling into a frown. Perfect. I smell like him on top of wearing his clothing. Oh, well. I’m owning it.
“It’s mine now.”
His hand shifts on my waist, the heat radiates through my shirt and fire blazes inside me. It hits him at the same time, and he drops his arm, taking a step backward, which only draws my focus to his huge cock standing at attention. Like the appendage has a mind of its own and senses me staring, it bobs upward, and I gulp. I thought Caylix was huge, but Kathan might take the cake in girth. “Careful sunshine. Keep staring at my dick like that and I might throw you over my shoulder and take you to bed despite my reservations.”
I glance toward the roof of the cabin, cheeks flaming, and question the universe why I keep ending up in these situations.
“It looks better on you anyway,” Kathan comments, snapping me out of my thoughts.
“Huh?” I parrot like a broken record.
“My shirt, sunshine. It looks better on you,” he repeats, and our eyes lock. His turn golden and in a blink, his nose is against my throat. He takes a deep inhale of what I’m assuming is me combined with his body wash. As quickly as it happened, it’s over, leaving me feeling tingly all over. Yeah, that shower didn’t do anything for me whatsoever.
Kathan leans back and his head tilts in confusion. “Sorry,” he apologizes and takes off down the hall, heading into the last door on the left. It’s one I haven’t explored yet but I’m assuming it’s another bedroom.
With my mind spinning, I escape into my room. A heavy sigh slips past my lips as I place my head against the door. This witch found a whole ladle of trouble and not only the kind that wants to kill me.
My thighs shift, seeking friction with a need I’m practically desperate to get. All right. That’s it. I can’t take it anymore. I stomp over to the bed and dive onto it with a frustrated huff.
Sometimes you have to do things yourself.
After getting the pillows situated under me exactly the way I want them, I trail my fingers up the inner part of my thigh. My heated skin is almost clammy from the pent-up lust swirling through me. I’m not in the mood for slow and teasing right now though, so I spread my thighs and dip a finger into my wet core, dragging the slickness to my clit. Kathan’s huge cock flashes to mind as my finger swirls around my sensitive nub, and I gasp from the sensation.
I think about the way Caylix pressed me into the doorframe, the way Rhys licked my throat at The Growl, the way I rode Slade’s knee. My pulse quickens as I slide my fingers inside my pussy, needing something more, something stretching me open. One isn’t enough, so I add a second, desperately reaching for that spot inside that will make fireworks shoot through my body.
My other hand glides along my stomach, reaching for my nipple where I pinch and tug on it, imagining one of the guys doing it instead. It’s not my hands on me, it’s their rough ones. I wish I knew what it felt like to have their hands on me this way, it would help so much in tricking myself it’s them.
As much as I pump my fingers and grind against my palm, it’s not enough. I’m close, so damn close, but something is missing. They’re missing. I lift my hips from the bed, using my feet for leverage to hump against my hand. I’ve never had to work this hard before to find satisfaction.
The window in Kathan’s bedroom slams open, startling me, but not enough to make me stop as a familiar vampire phases inside. I’m steadily climbing a hill I don’t want to retreat from. A gasp escapes me when there’s suddenly a pair of swirling ice blue eyes hovering so close to mine his breath feathers my lips. The light coming in through the window highlights the sharpness of his jaw. His lips are tilted in a dark smirk as his gaze dips to where my fingers are.
Slade. The mere sight of him watching me has my pleasure edging past the plateau I found myself on.
“Well, you’re certainly up to something naughty, aren’t you?” he asks, his tone seductive. My pace quickens as I circle around my clit and my head tilts, eyes rolling back in pleasure. That earns me a growl from Slade. “Don’t you dare rob me of the view of you coming apart, ma douce goutte.”
The word flows off his tongue beautifully and my attention snaps back to his. His eyes are hooded as he watches me and for some reason, I can’t make myself stop. Even though I know I probably should, considering I only know him for his reputation and nothing else.
But I don’t because the way he’s staring at me… like I’m absorbing all his attention and there’s nothing else in the world that matters more right now, it’s enough to keep my fingers exactly where they are. He leans back, kneeling between my thighs. In the same movement, I spread them open even more to give him a better view. He rewards me with a beaming grin. “That’s it. Good little witch.”
I don’t know where this brazen vixen—as Rhys would call me—is coming from, but I can’t say I mind it. A mewl escapes me as the pleasure continues to build and build inside of me. But it’s still not enough. It’s like the peak is right there behind my eyelids, but I can’t cross the distance I need to get to it. Am I cursed to hold in all this pent-up energy forever? I growl in frustration and Slade senses the shift. “What’s the matter, mon amour?”
“I can’t—I need—fuck,” I breathe, my eyes welling with tears.
Fire ignites in his eyes and his tongue flicks out to wet his lips. I catch a glimpse of his fangs and all I can think about is what would happen if he sank them into my thigh. Would it feel erotic? Would it hurt like the feral? Something tells me it wouldn’t. “May I?”
I stare into his ice blue eyes, sizing him up. It’s a terrible idea to let him touch me, let alone pleasure me. Especially with this undeniable connection between us. Even now the phantom strings tug at my heart and my mouth pools, remembering how his blood tastes. That’s not to mention all the complications my blood makes and the consequences of letting the vampire leader into my life, but something tells me I won’t get my release without him, and I’m desperate at this point.
“Yes.” The word zings between us and he breathes a sigh of relief.
His hands graze along my inner thighs, the touch barely there, but still leaves trails of heat behind. Gently, he places his hand over mine, before nudging it out of the way. “Keep your eyes on me, Rue.”
And so I do. I stare deeply into his bright blue eyes as he replaces his fingers with mine. They glide over my slick clit in the barest tease of a touch before stretching me open. He finds my G-spot instantly like he already had a map of its location. My eyes threaten to roll back into my head as a moan escapes me, but I don’t allow myself to get lost in it because I want to see his expressions. He’s doing me a favor… and yet, the way he stares at me gives me the impression I’m the one doing him a favor.
It doesn’t take him long to send me hurtling over the edge. It’s fast and hot because of how wound up I am, like a wave battering into a boat. My body acts as if it was simply waiting for his touch all this time. His other hand covers my mouth to muffle my scream. “That’s it, ma douce goutte, come all over my fingers,” he whispers against my ear.
His fingers continue stroking me, drawing out my release as aftershocks flutter through me. His hand pulls away as I suck in a gasping breath. “Wouldn’t want the wolves to come running with stakes in hand, would we?” he asks in amusement.
It takes me a few moments to come back down to earth, but once I regain my composure, I ask, “What are you doing here, Slade?” I couldn’t think through the haze of lust earlier, but now I’m wondering why he’s on pack territory so late at night.
Is it possible he was thinking of me like I was thinking of him? Could he sense something was up? Or is there an entirely different reason he’s here?
“Ah, now you’re questioning things? After all that?” I flush which makes him grin, once again flashing me his sharp fangs. “It’s fun to make you so red.”
I clear my throat. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“I came to check on you,” he responds, but doesn’t elaborate on why. “Heard your little heartbeat racing and thought something was wrong. Imagine my delicious surprise when I rushed in and found you with your fingers in your pussy.”
A yawn escapes me and for the first time tonight I feel as exhausted as I am. “Why do you care?” The question slips past my lips before I can think it through. The silence drags on so long between us, my eyelids flutter closed and I’m positive he won’t answer me.
“Because I do. Now sleep, ma douce goutte. I’ll be here.”