A Hunger Like No Other (Immortals After Dark #2)(101)

But Lucia had “gone on walkabout,” as the Valkyrie called it, or “fled,” as Garreth more accurately termed it, and Lachlain had completely understood when Garreth had set out after her. Bowe had accepted, but after absently congratulating him that night, he’d spent an hour huddled in a corner with N?x. Afterward, he’d been cryptic and preoccupied and had flown out early.

Casting looks that dared anyone to nay-say him, Wroth had audaciously shown up with a laughing Myst by his side. But the coven seemed to treat Wroth with the same indifference they showed Lachlain, who’d mostly been shrugged at as if he’d always been a fixture. Except for Annika—after she’d spotted Wroth, her chin hadn’t been lifted quite so proudly, and Lachlain had heard her mumble, “Furie’s going to kill me….”

Lachlain shifted restlessly. He thought he was finally strong enough for them to leave tomorrow. He was physically ready to resume relations with his wife, and wasn’t eager to do it under this roof.

He stood and offered his hand, and with a shy smile she slipped her hand in his. As they crossed in front of the screen, they barely dodged a volley of popcorn.

He didn’t know where he was taking her, maybe out into the night fog. He just knew he wanted her, needed her, right then. She was too precious to him, too good to be true. When he was inside her, with his arms tight around her, he felt less like she’d slip away.

But they only made it to an empty hall before he pressed her against the wall, cupped her neck, and demanded once again, “You’ll stay with me?”

“Always.” Her hips arched up to him. “You love me?”

“Always, Emmaline,” he grated against her lips. “Always. So damn much you make me mad with it.”

When she moaned softly, he lifted her so she could wrap her legs around his waist. He knew he couldn’t have her here, but the reasons why grew hazy with her breaths in his ear.

“I wish we were home,” she whispered. “Together in our bed.”

Home. Damn if she hadn’t said home. In our bed. Had anything ever sounded so good? He pressed her harder into the wall, kissing her more deeply, with all the love he had in him, but suddenly they were falling, his balance somehow lost. He clenched her to him and twisted to take the impact on his back.

When he opened his eyes, they were tumbling into their bed.

Eyebrows raised, jaw slack, he released her and levered himself onto his elbows. “That was…” He exhaled a stunned breath. “That was a wild ride, lass. Will you no’ warn me next time?”

She nodded solemnly, sitting up to straddle him, pulling her blouse over her head to bare her exquisite breasts for him. “Lachlain,” she leaned down to whisper in his ear, brushing her nipples over his chest, making him shudder and clench her hips. “I’m about to give you a very…wild…ride.”

Yet after everything that had occurred, his need for her was too strong, and he gave himself up to it, tossing her to her back and ripping her clothes from her. He made short work of his own, then covered her. When he pinned her arms over her head and thrust into her, she cried his name and writhed beneath him so sweetly. “I’ll demand that ride tomorrow, love, but first you’re going to see wild from a man who knows.”