Shadow Revealed (The Enlightened Species Book Two) (15 page)

“Ya canna let go till I get a kiss.” His hands tightened around her, his erection pressed tighter to her stomach. Why was he teasing her now?

“Like I can reach.” Pointing out her size, she subtly reminded him that he wasn’t attracted to her in this form. Her voice trailed off when he uncrossed his ankles, effectively forcing her straddled legs wider. With small steps away from the wall, he slid his back downward until he was eye level with her, his thigh a hairsbreadth from her core. Innanna caught her breath. Liquid fire pooled into her womb, and her nipples hardened against the thin fabric of his shirt. The heat of his hands where they sat at the flare of her hips spread throughout her entire body. “What are you doing?” she whispered.

“I wanna kiss ya.” Gil didn’t push her. He waited. Was he serious? She wanted to kiss him so badly. She just didn’t know how to take that final leap.

Innanna stared at her hands where they rested against Gil’s chest. His cotton T-shirt-covered pectorals proved irresistible. In fascination she watched her hands rub over the fabric. His heavily muscled chest rippled beneath her palms. She was single-minded in her focus to touch him, the same focus she had in every aspect of her life.

“What if I don’t know how to kiss you, Gilgamesh?” The huskiness of her voice shocked her. She’d spoken with a slight lisp from desire-erupted dentes. She raised her eyes to meet his, instinctively licking her lips.

Gil leaned in to slowly follow the path her tongue had just taken with his own. Her internal debate ended with the first taste of him. He nibbled her lower and then her upper lip before planting against them fully, prodding, touching his tongue to the seam of her lips. She was swept away by his mastery of her mouth. She opened to him in abandon, and he plunged into her offering, exploring her mouth thoroughly the way she wished he’d explore her body. Swaying into him, she moaned, and he swallowed the sound. Tentatively she met his tongue with hers and he groaned. Encouraged, she tangled her tongue with his. Gil’s erection twitched against her. Swept away, she met his kiss stroke-for-stroke, exploring the depth of his mouth as he’d done hers. This kiss was worth the wait.

Innanna’s desire to run her fingers through Gil’s hair—one of the many Native American traits he’d gotten from his father Sargon—became a single-minded obsession. Like her, he wore his hair long, braided to his lower back. She only seen it unbound once. Breaking free of the kiss Innanna reached over his shoulder, frantically unbinding his hair. She had to feel it. Her mind was filled with dreams of the silky, dark brown-black length curtaining around her. Gil’s doe-brown eyes were eclipsed by the light-brown starburst pattern around the center when he met her gaze with surprise.

Heavily muscled arms like tree trunks hindered her efforts. His fingers worked to release the buttons she’d just done up when her mother entered. Gil kissed down her neck, pausing to suck the pulsing vein at the curve of her shoulder, harmonizing her moan with his groan.
Oh, Fates, not yet, they couldn’t have that yet
. She managed to free the silken mass, and her fingers plunged into his hair. Over and over she lifted the long strands, letting it flow through her fingers like water.

Gil tore the final button of her shirt and lifted his head, meeting her gaze. Raw hunger unlike any she had ever imaged radiated from him. His heavy breath sawed past the glistening dentes in his mouth. Innanna resisted the urge to pull the material closed. Some part of her knew that, even in his current state, Gil would never push her past her comfort zone. If she hesitated now, he would stop. That was the last thing she wanted him to do. Trembling with passion, she pushed her insecurities back. His eyes dropped to her body and she squared her shoulders, as Gil looked his fill. She watched his reaction through her half-closed eyes, and when he met her gaze, the intense lust she saw took her breath away.

Shifting, he bent first one then the other leg till he knelt before her. “Exquisite.” His melodic voice was a whisper. “I’ve dreamed of ya forever.” The sincerity was real. His was the face of yearning. She had seen it from him before, never accepting it for what it was, never believing that what she saw was really for her.

He began to slowly peel her shirt open, building her anticipation. His eyes continued marauding her body. She wanted him to see her, all of her. His deeply tan hands were the perfect complement to her ivory skin. Heat radiated where he touched the inside of her knee, and slowly his hand slid upward, blazing a path toward the apex of her thighs.

Her moan echoed through the room as his fingers explored her folds. Her womb clenched as his gentle touch found her tiny nerve bundle, circling it with soft, teasing circles meant to drive her mad. Sensations ripped through her and her eyes fluttered closed as she cried out softly with his sweet torture. “Yer so soft.”

“More.” She gripped his hair and pulled him toward her. Her breasts, still hidden behind the edges of his shirt, begged for his attention. His free hand slid from her narrow waist up her rib cage, shaping the contour of the underside of her breast. Capturing her gaze, he paused. Innanna was on fire, swamped with the sensations rolling through her. Her need for release bordered on pain, her body cried out for him, wanting release, yet savoring every minute.

“Sinfully beautiful.” The breath of his words wafted across her breast. Innanna had never felt so female, so desired and empowered. The feelings lent a renewed rush of pleasure through her.

“Please, Gilgamesh,” she cried out. She was so close, just a little … “More,” she whimpered, peered down into his face.

His eyes brightened and his nostrils flared at the scent of her arousal, strong, swirling. His hand captured her breast. She arched her back into the heat of his palm, gasping when his thumb brushed across her nipple. Holding her gaze, he used his chin to nudge the shirt aside. She was spellbound, watching the tip of his tongue peek from between his full lips, drawing a lazy circle around her nipple. Then he nipped the peak while rolling the other between his thumb and finger, never deviating from the slow, building pace his fingers worked at her nub of sensitive nerves.

She felt the crest of her release. He held her to the line as her fingernails raked his scalp. She arched into the overwhelming wave of pleasure. He drew the hard, peaked nipple into his mouth as his finger slid into her tight, wet entrance. Innanna exploded, crying out as her legs went weak, impaling his finger deep within her. He released her breasts, tenderly guiding her descent to the floor. His hand anchored her hips while the rest of her body thrashed. His mouth came down on her and he lapped at her release with his tongue, sending her into another wave of soaring paradise. Her womb clenched. Her inner walls pulsed. His tongue darted in and out of her entrance before rising to suckle the inflamed nerve bundle. She rode the waves of sensations as his growls vibrated into her core.

After what seemed like forever, her orgasm finally began to abate. Her cries subsided to mewling whimpers. Gil’s body still lay between her trembling legs. He placed feathering kisses across her stomach and his fingers gently kneaded her hips as Innanna floated in sated splendor. Her breathing and heart rate slowed. Gil’s hair touched her legs, blanketing her. Her eyes opened slowly, gradually focusing on the sight of him.

“Most beautif … amaz … unfuc … believ … heaven.” He was speaking … sort of, broken words between nuzzled kisses to her belly.

Burying her fingers back into his hair, she finally asked, “What are you saying?”

His chin on her belly button, he looked up, meeting her gaze. “Yer living fire. Great Fates, Innanna, seein’ ya like this … it’s like watchin’ art in motion.” Tucking his chin to circle her belly button with his tongue, he tickling her before he met her gaze again. “In all the
many
times I’ve imagined bein’ with ya’, I ain’t never come close to achievin’ yer passion. Hell, I donna think I knew that level of passion existed.” He smiled up at her, his eyes still bright with his own lust along with admiration, adoration, awe.

Innanna had no idea how to respond to Gil’s declaration. “Well, to be fair, that was a hell of a kiss.” Her cheeks colored under his praise.

Gil laughed, his eyes twinkling. He rose up to his elbows, leaned forward, and swiped her lips with a quick kiss before swooping her up as he stood, carrying her to the bedroom. A thrill ran through her. Was he taking her to bed? Instead he turned and stepped into the bathroom. “What are you doing?” she asked.

“Not what I wanna be doin’.” He winked at her. “Mom’s been doin’ the nag thing in my head fer that last few minutes. Uncle En’s sitting’ on some rock waitin’ fer that Morsdente ta wake up. She’s wants ta know ‘bout yer vison. She’s comin’ ta interrupt my fun right now. An’ well Darlin’ ...” He turned her so that she could see her reflection in the mirror.

In Gils arms she didn’t look delicate, she looked feminine, her hair mussed and partially freed from her braid, her cheeks flushed. Light marks marred her skin where he’d nipped at her. Gasping at her appearance, she raised her fingertips to touch her swollen, tender lips, bright red from his kisses and a stark contrast to her fair skin. She watched the pink blush steal up her neck and infuse her face.

“Oh, hell. I’m a mess.” Slipping out of his arms to stand before the mirror, she pulled the rest of her braid free, the shirt sagging open.

“Bullshit, yer stunnin’.” Gil remained looming behind her, watching her in the mirror, arms folded across his chest. Unlike her messy hair, his hair was silky smooth and lying perfectly straight. Innanna’s became more and more tangled the more she tried to gain control of it. Her thick, naturally curly white-blonde hair was unruly. Gil’s face lit up with a grin at her growing frustration.

Muttering she stepped over to the shower and turned on the water with frustration. She removed the shirt hanging from her shoulders and threw it at Gil’s grinning face. “What was that fer?” he asked with a chuckle, catching the shirt out of the air before it could hit him, holding it up to his nose. “Ya smell like night jasmine. Kinda druggin’.”

“You suck.” Innanna declared, stepping under the spray. He looked perfect while she looked like … okay, she had … but still, couldn’t he at least have a hair out of place? She began lathering her mass of hair, and then a movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She pivoted in time to see Gil tug his shirt over his head, kick off his sandals, and unbutton his shorts, the Hawaiian print crumpling at his ankles.

Oh sweet universe. Gil strode toward her in all his nude glory; his erection large, intimidating, mouth watering. Heavily veined, it was a tribute to the perfectly defined male. Innanna’s breath caught. His focused intent was evident in every step he took closer.
Yes!
Her body cried out for him.

“Gil.” Ninlil’s voice sounded from the living room. Instead of reaching her, Gil reversed to kick the bathroom door closed, leaning his head against it. “Fffuuuckkk,” he gritted out, his breathing loud, his dentes fully erupted.

Innanna realized immediately that this would be her last chance to tell Gil what she needed to. “Gil, you need to come here.” Quickly rinsing off any remaining suds from her body, she wished she could be about to do anything with him other than what she was about to.

“I … can’t. Yer killin’ me here, Innanna.” He banged his head against the door, his breath sawing from between his clenched jaws.

Innanna stepped out of the shower, clasping a towel to her breast as she extracted her wings. Fluttering onto the counter next to where Gil stood, she looked down at him. His forehead still to the door, he swung his chin up to look up at her in question. “I was going to show you the full prophesy, the one I had the night Etana was killed.” Her tears threatened to overflow.

Gil let out a long sigh, still hearing his mother call to him from the living room. Innanna could well imagine that she was angry. Innanna had asked Ninlil to accompany her to Gil’s, telling Ninlil she would share the vision with her once she’d fulfilled her promise to tell it to Gil first. She hadn’t told Ninlil that the promise was one Innanna had made with herself, not him.

“She’s gonna give us a half hour. That ain’t near enough time ta do what I got in mind. Hell, forever probably ain’t long enough.” His eyes traveled her body like a caress. “Show me, Darlin’.”

Placing the towel she held on the counter, Innanna knelt on it completely naked. Gil stepped up to her, bringing them eye-to-eye. He wrapped his arms around her waist. The wet ringlets of her hair chilled her back as she pressed her breasts against his chest.

Innanna placed her hand to his forehead. “In case I am too weak when I am done, I need to explain a few things. The reason I couldn’t warn Enlil or you about Etana’s death was because, you see …” Innanna’s tears ran down her face. What if telling him this made him remember that he hated her?

“I’m not mad at ya any more Darlin,’ that was long ago,” Gil tried to sooth her. “I dinna have a right ta be mad at ya in the first place. I’m truly sorry fer that.”

She shook her head. “I promised myself after that night that I would never withhold anything from you involving your family again, no matter the risk, but sometimes knowing is worse. What if my telling you makes it harder for you? I mean do you want to make a decision that could change the course of history for our entire species?” She had to ask him before she burdened him with her knowledge.

“Yer doin’ it again. Bein’ confusin’. I canna answer a question I donna understand.” Gil wiped her tears from her cheek.

Where was she supposed to begin explaining a concept that maybe a handful of people outside the Oracles grasped? Even then it was usually long-term scholars. Gil was a warrior; he understood death, probably better than most. That isn’t the same as understanding the fragility of
life.
Even the life of immortals was fragile. A small, seemingly insignificant action today could and did impact the future.

“Have you ever heard of the ripple effect?” Innanna asked him

Gil thought for a minute. “Sorta like when ya drop a stone in a pond an’ ripples travel ‘cross the whole body of water?”