Authors: Katie Reus
welcome? I don’t need your pity.”
“I don’t pity you. You almost
died
.” There was a note in
his voice she didn’t recognize, but it jarred her bone deep.
She stared at him, surprised by the change in subject
and unsure what to say. Owen stared right back and she felt
herself drowning in those blue eyes. Damn him, why was he
making this so difficult?
He pushed out a ragged breath. “I want you so bad I ache
for it. For the past week I’ve kept my distance because I
don’t trust myself not to take you the way my body
demands. Rough and wild. I want to mark and claim you so
that no one else ever looks at you again. As I sink my
canines into you I want to feel yours piercing me. I want
everything from you, Gabriela, and I don’t think you’re ready
for me.
That’s
why I’ve been keeping my distance.” He was
breathing hard now and his hands slowly slid down her
arms, settling on her waist in a proprietary grip.
Oh, my.
Her entire body tightened in anticipation of
feeling him sink deep inside her. “So you want me as your
mate?” He’d basical y just told her that but she wanted it
spel ed out, to hear the words.
“Yes. I want you as my mate. I always have.” His
expression was so open, raw and vulnerable at that
moment and it pierced her with its intensity.
Warmth spread across her chest in a kind of joy she
couldn’t put into words. She wanted to tel him the same
thing but first she needed to show him how much she
trusted him. “I put in my official notice at work earlier this
week.” Heat flashed in those eyes and his hands flexed on
her hips but he didn’t say anything so she continued. “A few
government entities know about shifters and vampires, and
we work with them in a clandestine manner. I work—
worked for the CIA as a ‘retrieval expert’, which basical y
means I gathered information that no one else could get. In
my jaguar form I used to sneak into various compounds in
South and Central America and retrieve physical data or
just do plain old information gathering by eavesdropping.”
She was already tel ing him too much by admitting she
She was already tel ing him too much by admitting she
worked for the CIA and couldn’t go into more detail just yet.
Maybe one day, though. But she had to tel him about what
she’d been doing the last few years. Opening up this way
was the only way to show him she trusted him. “I lost my
team not too long ago. I thought I could cope but was having
a hard time so I came back home. I never planned to stay
and I never planned to see you, but I…love you, Owen. I
can’t walk away from you again and I—”
He crushed his mouth over hers, stealing her breath and
whatever train of thought she’d had. As his tongue invaded
her mouth, his hands slid down to the hem of her top.
Warm, cal oused fingers lifted her shirt and stroked her
bel y, but suddenly he paused, drawing his head back. “Am
I hurting you?”
Frustration skittered through her as al her muscles drew
tight. He was hurting her but not in the way he thought. She
grabbed the back of his neck and pul ed his face close to
hers. “I’m
healed
and I don’t need easy right now.” Hungrily,
she met his tongue stroke for stroke, savoring his sweet
taste. She briefly wondered if he’d had something
cinnamon earlier.
In a flurry of movement, he removed her top and pants
and she plastered her body to his, wrapping her legs
around his waist as he carried her to a pile of blankets and
pil ows in front of the dwindling fire. The blankets were soft
against her back as he stretched out on top of her.
One of his hands cupped her breast possessively while
he wrapped his other hand around her long hair, pul ing her
head back. The tug wasn’t exactly gentle and she couldn’t
move as he stared down at her. “I love you, too.” The words
seemed to be wrenched from his throat.
Her heart turned over. When he’d told her he wanted her
as his mate she’d known, but hearing the words made
something primitive inside her flare to life.
Rol ing her hips against him, she groaned at the feel of
his rough jeans rubbing her clit. She didn’t want anything
physical between them right now. “I don’t think I’m in heat
anymore,” she said quietly, a little unsure. He’d be able to
scent if she was, but she didn’t feel like it.
“You’re not. Something to do with your injuries and
healing process that cut it short. The doc told me.” He
gently ran his teeth along the column of her neck.
“I don’t want any barriers when you’re inside me.” She
lightly nipped his ear, tugging his earlobe between her
teeth, loving the way he groaned as she did.
His hips jerked against her, the feel of his hard length
unmistakable. Unable to wait, she reached between their
bodies and unzipped his pants. She shoved them down his
body until he kicked them off.
Nestled between her open thighs, he didn’t make a move
to push inside her like she expected. Just continued kissing
down her neck and across her col arbone, leaving a fiery
path of heat in his wake. It was as if he branded her with
each stroke of his lips.
As he continued that hot trail, she reached between them
once again and wrapped her fingers around his hardness.
He seemed to grow even bigger in her hand and when he
groaned against her breast, the sound sent a pleasant
vibration through her body.
Very slowly she began stroking him as he teased her
with his tongue and teeth. It was obvious he was taking
great pleasure in driving her crazy. He flicked his tongue
over her hardened nipple, then gently blew on it before
repeating the action on her other breast. The erotic action
made her inner wal s clench with the need to be fil ed.
Stil holding on to him, she slid her legs down until her
feet were digging into his upper thighs. Using his body as
an anchor, she arched her back, pushing her breast farther
into his mouth. As he moaned against her and tugged on
the sensitized bud with his teeth, she guided his cock to her
entrance and pushed down on him.
He stil ed over her, laying his head between her breasts
and shuddering. “I don’t think this wil ever get old.” His
voice was hoarse.
She clenched her inner wal s, earning another shudder
from him. “I hope not.”
He lifted his head to look at her, his expression fil ed with
so much warmth and love it made her toes curl.
Even though she knew he’d want to be on top when he
claimed her, she desperately wanted to ride him now. “Rol
us over,” she whispered.
She could see the indecision in his eyes, knowing his
dominant nature was fighting the urge to please her so she
waited until he final y did as she’d said. In this position she
felt powerful as he stared up at her with such raw heat in his
gaze.
Slowly, she rol ed her hips. Once, twice, she continued
with a steady rhythm that had his eyes glazing over with
pure lust. While he cupped her breasts, teasing and flicking
them with his fingers, she slid a hand down her bel y.
Continuously stroking her nipples, he stil tracked the
movement of her hand. When she began lightly rubbing her
clit, he jerked, throwing off their perfect rhythm. Not that she
minded. She wanted to see him lose control.
Holding back right now wasn’t in the equation for either of
them. Matings between shifters went one of two ways. The
male took the female from behind, marking her as she
climaxed. Later, the female would mark the male,
completing their bond forever. Or they could both mark
each other as they climaxed. She knew what she wanted.
Leaning forward she placed her hands on his shoulders
as she increased her speed. His hands fisted around her
hips, holding her so tight she knew she’d bruise. In that
moment, she didn’t care. The feel of his hardness fil ing her
was perfection and when he reached between their bodies
and began stroking her sensitive bundle of nerves the
same way she’d been doing moments before, she
tightened even harder around him.
Need hummed through her body and even though part of
her wanted to lean down a little farther and kiss him,
Gabriela loved the way he was looking at her. It was
addicting, seeing that kind of devotion on his face. He
looked at her as if she was the best birthday and Christmas
present ever al rol ed into one.
Her inner wal s began to contract in faster successions
and she knew she was close to climaxing. Could feel it in
the way even her toes clenched.
Owen let out a low growl and taking her off guard, flipped
her onto her back while remaining inside her. His strokes
inside her were rough and uneven and exactly what she
wanted. Gripping onto his shoulders, she met his mouth
with her own.
She felt as if she could crawl right out of her skin, she
was so tense. Her canines pulsed with the need to unleash
but she held back. Wanted the timing to be perfect. Shifters
were so damn superstitious and bonding had to be just
right. That notion was probably outdated but she didn’t
care. She’d only be bonding once.
When Owen not-quite-lightly pinched her nipple, she
arched off the blankets and let out a shout. Throwing her
head back, she didn’t even try to hold on to the pretense of
control. Her orgasm was sharp and intense, punching
through her entire body like a physical body blow—though a
lot more erotic and pleasurable.
Her canines extended and without thinking, she opened
her eyes and searched out the side of Owen’s neck. As she
pierced his skin, he shouted out and slammed into her. He
found his own release and with a growl, he buried his face
against her neck. A sharp sting was fol owed by a sharp
burst of pleasure pushing out to al her nerve endings.
She clenched around his cock even tighter as he
continued to release himself inside her. After shouting out
his name, she fel back, completely limp.
Unable to lift even her arms, she stared at him as he
propped himself over her. A slight grin lifted his lips as he
stared at her neck. “You’re mine now.”
“Right back at ya,” she said, her eyes trailing to the two
punctures on his neck.
The marks on his neck had already started to fade and
while they would heal, they wouldn’t completely disappear.
They’d remain there faintly, almost like very faded bruises.
As if Owen’s scent covering her wasn’t enough—and vice
versa—now everyone in the supernatural community would
know on sight and scent that they were both off-limits. Her
inner feline flexed its claws, very happy about that. She
wanted the whole world to know he was taken.
Hers.
Owen settled down next to her and pul ed her tight
against his body as he wrapped a leg over hers. “You’re
moving in here permanently,” Owen said softly against her
ear as he began to nuzzle her. “My brother wil be out by
next week. He’s moving in with another pack mate.”
For that she was glad. She stil harbored some
annoyance at his brother since he’d kidnapped her—even
if the gun hadn’t been loaded. She was sure she’d
eventual y get over it, but it wouldn’t be today. “Hopeful y
you’l let me sleep in your bed and not the guest room
anymore,” she murmured against his chest.
He lightly pinched her behind and she laughed. Then he
sighed, the soft sound reverberating through her.
She pul ed her head back so she could see his face.
“What?”
“Your parents aren’t my biggest fans.”
Gabriela bit her bottom lip. “Wel , my mom isn’t your fan.
My dad is actual y okay with you.” Her father had told her a
few days ago that if she decided to settle down with Owen
then not to worry about her mother because she’d
eventual y come around. Considering her father hadn’t told
her he planned to maim or kil Owen, that was pretty much
giving her new mate the stamp of approval. Of course
Gabriela had thought that was a moot point a few days ago
considering Owen’s emotional distance. “She’l come
around, though so don’t worry. Speaking of moms…How
does yours feel about me?” Owen’s mom had been out of