The love she felt for this male overwhelmed her. Once, so long ago, Lucia had dreamed of a hearth, a husband, and children. Now it struck her that she'd always been waiting on this Lykae to help her realize those dreams.
"There," she murmured. "This isn't so bad, now is it?" His body was tense, thrumming. "Let's just calmly - "
Like a shot, his huge hands wrapped around her waist, and he tossed her down to the pallet on the floor. As he loomed over her, an animal intent burned in his blue eyes.
When he reached for her to claw her jeans from her body, she cried, "Scot, wait!" But she knew he wouldn't. The beast was in control, its image so pervasive, overlaying Garreth's face. The sight unnerved her, but if she loved Garreth, then she had to accept this facet of him.
So she didn't resist as he sliced her shirt and bra from her, nor when he bit away her panties in a frenzy. Her reflex was to close her legs, but he overpowered her, shoving her thighs open. He gazed at her naked sex for long moments, until she was squirming in his grip, surprised at how aroused she'd grown.
He slowly licked his lips, making her whimper. Then his hot mouth descended to her flesh. Licking, suckling... hungry. The beast was ravenous for its mate.
Her exhaustion, her worry for him, and the constant dread she'd been battling all were no match for his mouth's furious taking. Her legs fell wide, and she dug her fingers into his hair, gripping him tight.
When the pleasure hit her, she screamed, "Ah, Garreth, yes!" As he growled and licked, she rocked to his wicked tongue again and again until her orgasm finally subsided.
Once he tore his mouth from her, he ripped his own jeans away. Naked and crazed, he knelt before her. His swollen shaft strained toward her, pulsing, the broad head moist as it prepared to enter her.
He gripped her waist once more, positioning her on her hands and knees. She twisted around to lie on her back, but he shoved her right back the way he wanted her. Spreading her sex with his thumbs, he mounted her from behind with one swift thrust, bellowing with pleasure. After her orgasm, she was more than ready for him.
Clapping his palms under her shoulders, he drove into her with all his strength, seating himself so deep.
"Garreth!" She gave herself up to him. For now...
51
Long hours of frantic sex had passed, sweating bouts of animalistic pleasure as MacRieve had taken her from behind repeatedly. But now at last, by dint of her coaxing - and biting - Lucia had gotten him positioned above her, with his hips wedged between her thighs.
Finally, they faced each other. Yet even as he moved over her, languidly rocking inside her, he still hadn't met her gaze. "Look at me, Garreth."
Without ever increasing his savoring pace, he thrust deeper, growling as he kneaded her br**sts.
She bit her lip, fighting to keep her eyes open. "Please come back to me." The act was not as crazed - measured strokes instead of writhing bodies - but it was just as intense. Already she was on the edge. "I'm here, and I need you." When she tried to kiss him, he buried his face against her neck, licking her heated skin.
His sweat-slicked chest slid across her ni**les, his rigid shaft plunging relentlessly. Her claws dug into the taut muscles of his ass as he worked to pleasure her. Tension stole through her, coiling tight. Head thrashing, she undulated beneath him -
"Garreth!" she screamed, coming around him, bucking wildly.
At once, he yelled out, the sound reverberating off the walls around them. She could feel his spurting seed, his shaft pulsing with each forceful wave. Rising up on straightened arms, he arched his back sharply, grinding his hips between her spread legs, groaning as he poured hotly inside her....
When he collapsed atop her, his heart thundered over hers.
Still panting, she grasped his face, tugging him to look at her. "Garreth, I'm here." He'd made love to her. Surely he'd return now! "Come back to me...."
Instead, he averted his eyes and pulled out from her. Settling on the pallet to sleep, he dragged her to him, tucking her back against his front. Though fatigued from her earlier trials, and now exhausted by his merciless attentions, she lay tense under the weight of his arm.
While he slumbered, she strove not to cry. I've failed. She couldn't bring him back. He would've been better off if he had never found her.
When she carefully slid out from under his arm, he gave a chuffing growl in sleep, but he didn't wake. Sitting with her back against the cool stone, she gazed up at the ceiling, eyes watering. Her efforts not to cry - and not to give up - continued, but she waged a losing battle.
She'd just been so certain that Garreth would recognize her, had been so sure that the reason no Lykae came back from this beastly state was that they'd never had a new reason to. Mourned mates never came back from the brink - but she had.
Yet Garreth lay unaware. I couldn't save him.
She drew him closer, cradling his head in her lap. When he emitted another soft growl, she gazed down at him. His brows were drawn, his eyes darting behind his lids, his muscles jerking in sleep.
Was he remembering killing her? Would he relive it over and over again?
She loved him so much. But it hadn't been enough to bring him back. Lightning struck outside as a tear fell, followed by another and another. She couldn't stem them, stopped trying to. "I w-want you b-back, Scot," she murmured as she wept. "I need you so much. And I c-couldn't save you." Soon she cried too hard to speak, sobbing with her mouth open, lips parted around stammering breaths. Rocking him, her teardrops fell -
"Lousha?" he rasped.
She stilled, every muscle in her body going tense. "G-Garreth?" She stared down at him; her tears had been spilling onto his face, wetting his cheek.
Now he frowned. "Canna have you cryin'," he vacantly muttered.
"Just stay with me," she pleaded, swiping the back of her hand over her face.
"Want you, Lousha. So much."
"I'm h-here!"
Turning his head, he gazed up, finally meeting her eyes. His irises flickered from blue to gold and back. "My Lousha. Dreamin' you?"
"No, y-you're not dreaming me!"
He stiffened against her. "What is this?" He sat upright, separating his body from hers, leaving her feeling cold, bereft. "You're... dead," he bit out, his eyes tormented.
"I'm not! I'm safe here with you." She sidled up to him on the end of the pallet.
"You're no' real." He ripped at his chest again. "You died."
She clutched his arm. "Please stop hurting yourself! I'm real, Garreth. I'm here."