Immortal Heat (The Guardians of Dacia Book 1) (14 page)

She snuggled closer into him, burrowing like a kitten against his chest. Her sleepy sighs and warm breath tickled but in a good way. Holding her like this, he felt at peace.

#

The sound of light snoring roused her from sleep. She'd been lying so relaxed that she hadn't remembered how she got here.

Skin met her hand. It moved beneath her fingers. Marilyn looked up to see Draylon sleeping, his head at an odd angle propped up on the pillows as if he'd fallen asleep in a half lying-half sitting position. He was naked, except for a throw blanket covering his hips.

Leaning up on an elbow she watched him sleep. The shadow of facial hair gave him a dangerous look. But the curve of a smile on his lips and the dark fan of lashes against his angular cheekbones made him appear child-like. Combing her fingers through the neat forest of dark hair on his chest, she trailed it with her eyes all the way down to his manly sculpted "V" where his pelvic bones met.

Never had a man affected her so. As much as she'd wished for Daniel and her to work out, she knew before they'd even had sex that it would never last. She'd offered herself in a last ditch effort to hold onto a sinking ship. She'd wanted to be loved for the sake of love, and yet, she'd had no idea what love was. She'd given herself to the wrong guy for the right reasons, though the reasons were a bit askew now. She only wished she knew back then.

Marilyn didn't want to make the same mistake. There was so much mystery and unknown to Draylon. She couldn't deny that. But what she felt with him, around him, demanded her to open her heart and soul, more than physically. She didn't think it had anything to do with needing to understand the mystery…it just was. The situation freed her and frightened her in a good way. Being with Draylon was like her first time white water rafting, that excitement of the unknown waiting around the bend and when it hit, the thrill and exhilaration took your breath away.

Her fingers drifted over his chest. She didn't want to wake him, she wanted to explore him. Firm muscles, a six-pack she could drink from all day…she smiled, brushing the soft, dark curls. Her smile faded and her brows bunched as she noticed the tail end of a silvery mark across his chest. Separating the furred mat, it trailed across his chest at an angle. It was a huge slash of an old scar, hidden mostly under cover, bisecting his torso nearly in two.

Tracing it, her memory connected to another scar…a recent one. She struggled to remember where she'd seen it. They'd been similar. The rhythm of the chest movement stopped, and she looked up to see Draylon staring down at her. She felt like a child having climbed the cabinets to get a cookie she wasn't supposed to have.

"You're awake," she greeted.

"So are you."

His voice rumbled with sexy sleepiness. Had she woken him up with her touch?

"Where did you get your scar?"

"A battle. A long time ago."

"I thought you were immortal. Wouldn't the scar have disappeared?"

"There are some scars that never go away, Marilyn, even for immortals."

Sitting up, she continued to trace it. "I like it. It makes you more human."

"I'm not human…"

"I know. You're a dream, a fantasy. One I don't want to wake up from." She lay back down and snuggled into his side once more. She felt comforted, secure, and safe nestled against him like this.

Her memory lit on him saying,
only when you feel you can trust me
.

"I trust you, Draylon."

#

Days of waiting were wearing thin on her. She hadn't seen Draylon since the day he'd lain with her, just sleeping on the bed. It had been more intimate than giving herself to someone. She'd even told him she trusted him. Had that scared him? It wasn't like she'd said she loved him. Most men didn't take to that sentiment in a non-commitment relationship.

Marilyn wasn't sure what kind of relationship she was in, or if they even had one. He ran hot and cold and right now the silence from him froze. She'd been allowed to go running in her wolf form as long as she stayed out of the deep woods. She spent much of her time near the slopes of the high mountain edges waiting and watching for something but not quite sure what. She'd return in the late hours to a light dinner and a game of chess or backgammon with Donovan.

With her limits just about tested, she sat with him drinking a cup of herbal tea. "Why won't he see me?"

"He's been busy with work. Something came up and it's been a pressing issue. He won't leave his office." Donovan shook his head. "I don't think he's slept in days, but then he'll go through times like that when there are major projects due."

"He does know that I am capable of helping. I do have top secret clearance with Livedel. I was an intern until I moved back there permanently in December. Now, I'm a full-time employee."

"I'm sure he knows, miss. Sometimes he just prefers to be alone to work."

"What about getting in touch with my mother? Have you asked him that?"

"I have." He took a careful sip of his tea.

"And?" Marilyn waited for his reply.

"Until Rick gives him the go ahead—"

"Rick! Rick! That's all I hear. I don't care if he is the head of Livedel, what does he have to do with my life? He can't continue to keep me prisoner here. I have no sense of time or even what day it is. And my mother is probably out of her freakin' mind with worry."

"I'm sure Draylon will have answers for you soon." He tried to soothe her ruffled feathers.

"I gave him my trust and this is what I get in return? I want answers, Donovan." She stood up, nearly knocking over their unfinished game of backgammon.

"Where are you going, Marilyn?"

"I'm going to get those answers if I have to break down his damn office door." She seethed.

#

Hanging up from his conference call with an international colleague, Draylon felt the weight of days of fatigue hitting him. He hadn't slept because gods forbid he'd end up dreaming of making love with Marilyn. Trust. She trusted him. He snorted. If she only knew how difficult that one word, that phrase hit him when all he could think about was taking her six ways to heaven and back.

He'd had Donovan keep her at bay, but he wondered if she knew the power she had to push past the man and do whatever she damn well pleased. No, she wouldn't do that. She wasn't that kind of woman. She'd wait until it was time. When was that? Hell if he knew, he still waited for Rick to inform him. He could understand her frustration—he felt it on this end. Still, there was only so long someone could wait.

His thick mahogany door smashed off of its brass hinges and there stood the object of his greatest fear and greatest desire. Had she changed in the past few days? How long had it been since he'd seen her. She was the image of fire. Her small spark had spread into a glorious riot worthy of a forest fire at its best.

"No more games, Draylon. I want answers…now." Her voice growled with energy and vim. The low tones were deadly soft, contrasting with the wild fire blazing in her golden eyes.

"I can't give you answers I don't know myself." He glanced at the door dangling from one hinge still screwed into the wall.

She stalked him, waiting to pounce. "Well you better make some up then. I've had it. I'm not even where I was supposed to be when I started out…"

"No one ever is," he stated.

Glaring at him she had his full attention. Their eyes locked and he saw everything, the frustration, the anger, the insecurity of not knowing who or what she was—but he also saw the woman she'd become in the past weeks and days.

The weak college girl holding on to old ideals was gone. There wasn't any scrawny, freckled faced geek stumbling along to find her way. In her place, a fierce woman made of the very fire he saw in her had emerged. She would be a flame that no one should smother. She may still be looking for answers but by damn, she had the gumption to get them.

"Damn you are beautiful." He breathed, her face mere inches from his, ready to do battle. "You are standing too fucking close for your own good, Marilyn. You have two seconds to back away or gods help you, I won't be held accountable for my actions."

Draylon didn't know what possessed him to admit his desire for her. He wasn't one to be so open in his needs, but then no woman left him so physically raw. Her rounded eyes reminded him of a wary doe and then her pupil's dilated from their perfect orb shape to long narrow vertical slits filled with liquid fire.

A normal man would flee at such an odd occurrence, but he didn't. Her chest heaved with every breath she took, exhaling heat from parted lips that left moisture across his face. The intensity of the moment went on for an eternity. Her mind opened and all he sensed was how damp she was, the tremors of want rippling through her womb, the ache in her breasts.

One of them growled in a deep, low, seductive whisper that ended in a slithering hiss of need. The other answered in kind. In a flurry of motion, Draylon ended up against the hard edge of his desk with Marilyn's body pressed against him, her leg wrapped around his, holding him captive.

Deft fingers fumbled with the front buttons on his black dress shirt until she seethed in frustration and ripped the shirt the rest of the way down his arms. Those damn eyes of hers glanced up at him, sending a message of things to come. He swallowed hard, taking in the torture of her fingernails trailing red marks along his chest, followed by the tip of her tongue soothing the fiery sting in their wake.

His cock pressed painfully against the front placket of his slacks, growing larger, thicker by the second. As if that wasn't enough the deeper ache of change demanded to be set free. He would let her feel his arousal. Fighting against the tide of change he let his human, baser needs take charge, hopefully counteracting what he didn't want her to see.

Marilyn lowered her leg along with the rest of her body so she was level with his blood engorged shaft. Draylon held his breath, waiting to see what she had in store for him. He closed his eyes. He could hear the clink of his buckle and the raspy hiss of his belt being stripped from its loops in one smooth motion. Her fingers, sure and steady and in full control, unlatched his slacks, releasing the aching part of him to full view. His eyes opened as the cool air touched the heated skin of his cock.

His unusual, fully erect length and girth didn't shock or frighten her as she took him in hand, caressing it from hilt to tip, all the while keeping her eyes fixed on his. The imagery and sensation of sharing what he knew to be her thoughts heightened the whole sensual experience. He'd never had a woman be so bold with him. As ancient as he was, Draylon found himself entering his own virgin territory. He smiled down at her as she explored the length of him. The curiosity behind those eyes and sudden uncertainty of what to do…Draylon gasped, nearly choking as the searing warmth of her mouth engulfed him.

Sweet heavenly gods! Clutching his desk he dug his nails into the under-edge, fighting three urges at once, each one struggling for dominance. He tried spouting ancient Dacian proverbs for control and battle statistics from tribal conflicts. Her hand trailed down his pant leg to tug the material off further, delving in to cup his sac in her other hand.

Marilyn's mouth swallowed him whole. She tongued the smooth underside of his shaft as she sucked and pulled. Her other hand joined in, holding onto the base as she moved up and down, at first a slow but steady pace, making it difficult to stand without the aid of his solid wooden desk. The ache building inside of him made his jaw clench. He had to stop this fantastic torture or face hurting her permanently.

"Marilyn…" he breathed as he twined her glorious mane of hair around his fist. "You must…stop…before…it's too…late."

Fuck! It was too late! Had she assumed his hand in her hair meant for her to go faster, take him deeper? He could feel his balls draw up within her hand. She gave them a playful tug, causing him to look down at her. Those deep gold eyes, laced with fire turned up to gaze at him, his cock circled by those blood red lips of hers, her nostrils flaring as she took in air. He lost control and shoved himself in, to the hilt. He felt the smooth back of her throat and her tongue flattened out along the length of his shaft, curling itself around him as he came in violent bursts, releasing not only years of pent up seed but sexual frustration. He drove into her. Each sight of her swallowing what he gave her only forced him to give her more until he was physically drained.

Exhausted, Draylon leaned back on his elbows, trying like hell to keep himself in check as he pumped his hips one final time. He could feel Marilyn's tongue lick him clean. Her hands came up to his sides, shimmying up his torso like a panther stalking its prey. Those damn eyes of hers held him enthralled. Her hair trailed like feathers across his damp skin.

She balanced, knees on either side of him and reached up, crossing her arms and lifting her t-shirt top over her head. Divesting herself of the bra, she sat there straddling his naked lap, the friction of her jean clad sweetness over his semi-erect cock had him rock hard instantly.

She knew what she was doing, her hips undulating against him, her fingers trailing across his sensitized chest and abs until she pushed him flat against his desk blotter. Down on all fours, her face mere inches from his, she licked his lips.