A Hell Hound's Fire (5 page)

Alex wanted more, had to have more. Had to
sink his teeth into her sweet shoulder and bind her to him so he’d
never be alone again.

What the
—

True Mate. Mine.

His Brother surged to the forefront of his
mind and Alex stood, shucking his jeans and boxers before he
realized he’d moved. His heart raced as he gazed down on her body.
She still trembled with the aftereffects of her release, but his
Brother scented her continued arousal and a possessive growl echoed
in the room.

Sarah’s eyes opened and she looked back at
him with a sensuous, satisfied smile as she slid one hand up her
side to cup a heaving breast.

“Mine,” he growled.

“Am I, now? Come show me, then.” She pinched
her nipple between her fingers and gave a seductive wiggle. “Prove
to me I'm yours for the taking.”

The challenge in her voice and in her
expression ignited his lust and his cock jerked with renewed
interest. She jerked her chin up and he snarled, both delighted and
determined in the face of her dare.

He launched himself onto the bed, landing on
all fours with his arms and legs caging her beneath him. He dropped
his head beside hers and licked her neck below her ear.

“Oh, I’ll prove it to you, little wolf.
There’ll be no doubt when I’m done with you.”

He lowered his hips to hers and ground his
aching cock on her mound. Sarah moaned and spread her legs,
cradling him against her hot core. Her heat soaked into his shaft,
hardening it more, and Alex dragged the head of his cock down her
wet slit.

Oh shit! Condom.

He stifled a groan and suckled her nipple as
he shifted to search in a drawer beside the bed, unwilling to let
her go for a second.
Please, please, please let there be one
here.

His fingers closed around a foil packet and
elation suffused his chest.
Expiration?
He could barely
focus on the little numbers printed on the foil. They had two
weeks.
Hot damn!
He tore it open and slid the latex over his
straining shaft, returning to Sarah’s lovely body as fast as
possible. Thirty seconds and he already missed her.

“You’re mine, Sarah.”

“Prove it, Hell Hound.” Her eyes sparkled
with mischief as her smile turned defiant.

Alex snarled with lusty excitement and
thrust inside with one quick move. Scalding pressure enveloped him
and he moaned, closing his eyes.
Holy Goddess, she’s pure
heaven.

“Mine,” he said.

“Not yet, but I will be.”

****

Where in the world had those words come
from? Sarah swore her Sister must have taken over and taunted Alex
when she’d been distracted with the pleasure of his cock in her
pussy. Holy First Canid, he filled her to bursting, and lust flared
in his eyes with her challenge.

“Damn right, you will be.”

He dragged his cock out of her tight grip
and slammed back into her, heat exploding through her with his
thrust. Sarah dug her nails into his shoulders as she threw her
head back, her pleasure erupting in a joyous wail.

Alex sealed his lips to her throat, planting
nippy kisses along the column as he settled into a continuous
rocking motion. Sarah drowned in the sensations of his cock sliding
along her inner walls and the scrape of his teeth at her neck. Her
release coiled at the base of her spine, roiling as it slowly built
into a conflagration of pleasure. Sarah cried out and arched her
back, trying to take more of him.

“Oh, Goddess, Alex, faster please.”

He rumbled a groan and sped up his thrusts,
chafing the insides of her pussy with his satin flesh. The pleasure
ignited, pinging off her nerves as it tore through her, and boiled
up her spine until she shot into the star spangled sky. Alex
stiffened and growled so low, the vibrations rattled her world. His
cock rammed into her a few more times, setting of a fireworks
display of aftershocks behind her eyes.

At the last moment, he sealed his mouth
around her shoulder and sank his teeth into the muscle, catapulting
her into another hard orgasm. Her canines itched and she snapped at
his shoulder, her jaws finding flesh. New waves of pleasure and
ecstasy flooded through her, swamping her mind.

Alex came again, his pleasure ricocheting
inside her until she couldn’t tell where he ended and she began.
Something clicked and locked in place, pushing away her worries and
fears until only sweet silence cradled her.

“Holy Goddess.”

Alex’s mumbled exclamation pulled Sarah back
into the present. The room’s scent had changed from musty disuse
and Alex, to something richer, earthier, and sexier. She recognized
her own scent in the air, not just the sex, but a mixture of her
and Alex’s hot rock flavor. She tried to lick her lips and found
her tongue sliding across his salty skin.

Alex groaned and his cock flexed inside her
pussy.

I’ve bitten him.
Her breath hitched
and she released his shoulder in a rush. Alex groaned again around
her shoulder.
He’s bitten me!

The enormity of their shared actions slid
down her spine and she gasped for breath while her Sister wolf
yipped with glee.
True Mate.

Bloody hell in a kettle! What am I going to
tell Liam?

“Alex?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you get up now?”

Alex released her shoulder and scanned her
face with his eyes. “Am I hurting you?”

“No, I’m fine, I just…”

He rolled off her as if on fire and she
missed his warm, solid weight. His expression creased with concern
as he slid his gaze over her body, and her pussy spasmed with the
delicious perusal.
Sweet Goddess, I’m impossible. I just made
love to him. How can I be interested again?

“You’re not burned?”

That stopped her. “Why would I be
burned?”

“Uh, well, it happened a time or two with my
previous mate, but she was a Hell Hound too, so I never worried.”
He bit his bottom lip and still managed to look sexy.

Unease slid through her at the mention of
his previous mate. “What happened to her, Alex? You said she
left.”

Profound sorrow swirled through his golden
gaze and Sarah wanted to take the questions back.
But if we’ve
True Mated, I have to know.
Alex settled onto his back, staring
up at the ceiling.

“I think so.”

“You
think
so?”

He grimaced. “She was the only other Hell
Hound I’ve ever met. She told me Hell Hounds go off by themselves
to die when their time comes. She said it was her time and at her
age, she was ready.” His hands balled into impotent fists. “She
left and never came back.”

“But if you were mates, wouldn’t you know if
she’d died?”

“We never True Mated. I think that was part
of the reason she decided it was time. She’d said she wasn’t likely
to find her True Mate if she hadn’t already.” Sorrow pulled the
corners of Alex’s mouth down.

Sarah settled her hand over one fist, her
heart aching. “I’m sorry.”

He grunted. “She left eight years ago
today.”

Bloody hell, could our timing be worse?

“But once I met you, the ache hasn’t
bothered me so much.” He rolled onto his side, his gaze fixed on
Sarah. “It’s like the hole in my heart closed to make room for
you.” Alex stroked her side and he frowned a little. “So, you’re
sure you’re okay?”

Sarah wanted the lingering sorrow gone and
offered him her best winning smile with a hint of sass. “I don’t
know.” She wiggled her hips. “You’d best take a closer look. Can
you kiss it to make it better?”

Alex blinked at her, caught off-guard. Sarah
wriggled and winked. A brilliant grin cracked his startled façade
and he leaned over her, sniffing her belly close to her mound.

He groaned in appreciation. “Ambrosia.”

“Nothing singed, then?”

“Not in the least.” He trailed his fingers
over her breasts, tracing them as if they were small countries on a
map yet to be explored. Sarah shivered as she clutched the
bedclothes tight in her fists.

“Making love to a Hell Hound sounds
dangerous.” She hissed when his scalding tongue settled around one
nipple. “O’ course, I could use a little burn from you.”

His dark chuckle rumbled over her skin,
pulling up goose bumps. “Be careful what you wish for,
sweetheart.”

“Can I count on you to keep me warm at
night?”

Alex grinned. “I guarantee I’ll do more than
keep you warm.” He dipped his head and dropped an open-mouthed kiss
on her nether lips. “Starting right here.”

Sarah squealed and grabbed Alex’s head,
holding him where she wanted him. “Oh sweet Goddess, more,
Alex!”

His hot tongue seared her sensitive folds
and Sarah squirmed, begging with her hips for him to send her
careening back into the black. He moaned in approval and increased
the pressure of suction, flicking her clit with his tongue.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah!” Sarah rocked hard
against him and streaked like a blazing comet into bliss.

Alex kept feasting on her intimate flesh,
extending her orgasm until she collapsed to the bed weaker than a
newborn. Pleasure rippled through her with each caress and
satisfaction pulsed after it.
Thank the Goddess he’s mine.
The fear she was wrong tried to edge its way into her contentment,
but the scents of her release and his satisfaction pushed it
aside.

“Oooohhhh.”

“I’m going to take that as a
compliment.”

His wry comment made her laugh. “Yes, it was
definitely a compliment.”

Alex chuckled and licked his lips as he
settled himself beside her on the bed. He gathered her to him, the
heat of his body flooding into hers as the rain beat against the
windows of the house. They didn’t speak for a long moment and she
settled her head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his
heart. Contentment filled her until worries bullied their way to
the forefront of her mind.

“What about tomorrow, when the morning
comes?” She hated to ask the question and ruin the perfect
connection they’d made.

“Tomorrow, we’ll run into town and get some
real food for this place.” His voice sounded tired and amused.
“Hell Hounds, and Moon Singers I suspect, can’t live on chicken and
pasta alone.”

“That’s not what I meant, Alex—”

“I know, little wolf.” He squeezed her
gently. “Just rest right now. Let’s tackle tomorrow when it
comes.”

“But what about…this?” She waved a hand
lazily in the air as exhaustion stole over her. She fought it. They
had to talk about the biting. Biting during mating meant the Mating
Bond and True Mates.

“Just sleep. You’ve had a rough time. It’ll
keep until tomorrow.”

He sounded so confident and she didn’t have
the energy to fight him on it.
I just hope he’s right.

Chapter Five

Alex woke to an unusual sensation. Heat,
satisfaction, and the sweet scent of woman,
his
woman. His
Brother growled in contentment as Sarah sighed and slid an arm
across his chest. Unexpected joy obliterated all the old sorrow and
despair, and he wondered how he’d ever managed to get up in the
morning without it.
How can one woman make it all go
away?

True Mate.

Yeah, yeah. You always think you’re so
smart.

His Brother only grunted in smug amusement
as Sarah nestled closer and her delicious scent flooded his nose,
making his cock jerk.
Down, boy. She needs her rest.
He
wanted to give into the urge to slide his aching shaft into her
seductive heat, but he reminded himself they had no food for
breakfast.

Sighing, he eased himself from her warmth
and dragged his ass into the bathroom. His cock twitched in
frustration, but he refused to allow it to rule him today. He
couldn’t ignore the threat chasing the Flanagans and making love to
Sarah wouldn’t save them from it.

Besides, he didn’t relish the idea of facing
Liam while curled up naked with his mother.

Yeah, just a little awkward.

The shower helped wake Alex up, though the
soap smelled like a dust cake and almost disintegrated when he used
it. He added it to his mental grocery list along with food and
toiletries. At least the towels were still clean.

He didn’t relish the idea of dressing in
yesterday’s clothes, but he hadn’t lived in the River House in
years and had nothing else. He pulled on his jeans and grabbed his
shirt before returning to the bedroom. The sight in his bed stopped
him and stole his breath.

Sarah stretched lazily and the morning light
caressed her strawberries-and-cream skin with an ethereal glow.
Alex swallowed hard and his cock flexed with demand.
Want, want,
want.

When she rolled over and spread her legs, he
thought he’d faint as the scent of their shared pleasure hit his
nose. His Brother demanded he lick her sweet pussy, drowning in her
delicious flavor again, but he gritted his teeth and held back.
There’s a demon after her, moron. Focus on making her safe, not
satisfied.

But satisfied is more fun.

Alex forced himself to kneel beside the bed
and run a hand over her shoulder. Only her shoulder.

“Sarah, sweetheart, what do you say to
breakfast in town?”

“Hmm?” She opened her seductive green eyes
and gave him a sleepy smile. “Mornin’.”

“Good morning.” He answered her smile and
ignored his Brother whining to kiss her. “There’s no food in this
house. We pretty much used up everything last night. What do you
say we head into town for some groceries and breakfast?”

“That sounds lovely.” But her body stiffened
and she lost her smile. “What about the demon? You said water helps
confuse it. Shouldn’t we stay here?”

He shook his head. “We don’t have anything
to eat, and a hungry werewolf isn’t pleasant company. Three?” He
whistled with mock concern, making her smile return. “Don’t worry.
I’ll be with you and Liam. We’ll be all right.”