Avenging Angel (The Fallen #4)(36)

And now that she knew what pleasure waited . . .

She wanted to feel that rush of release again.

“Remember that, would you?” His voice roughened as the SUV leapt away from the curb. “I tried, but I was too weak.”

Weak? Not Tanner. He was the strongest man she’d ever met.

And it looked like the shifter would also soon be her first lover.





“What the hell happened to you?”

Paul tried to open his eyes. Couldn’t. He heard sirens and voices, and he wanted to talk, but it was just too hard.

Someone lifted him up. Put him on something soft. The world started to move. Or maybe that was just him. A sharp pain jabbed in his arm. Needle?

“Just hold on. We’ll be at the hospital in five minutes.” Another jab. Somewhere, machines started beeping.

An ambulance. Understanding sank in slowly.

Help had finally come. He tried to open his eyes once more, but he still just couldn’t do it.

“Someone did a real number on him. Poor SOB.”

Paul fought to swallow. He had to tell them what had happened.

“He’s a fighter. I can’t believe he’s still holding on. Jesus, look at his legs!”

Paul coughed, choked, but managed to say, “T-Tan . . . ner . . .”

A hand grabbed his arm. The fingers curled tight around him. “What is it? What are you saying?”

“Ch-Chance . . .” A whisper was all he could manage. “T-Tanner . . . Ch-Ch—”

“You want us to call someone for you? That a friend?”

No. Not a friend.

The machines began to beep louder. Wilder.

“He’s seizing!”

The sirens were screaming.

Something pounded against his chest.

And Paul managed to whisper, “He . . . k-killed . . . me.”

Then he couldn’t talk at all.





CHAPTER EIGHT

He couldn’t make it back to his house. Too far. Tanner needed her, naked and beneath him, needed to be in her, so badly that his whole body shook.

But her first time wouldn’t be in a vehicle. Or up against some dirty alley wall. She deserved better.

He’d give her everything that he could.

He parked the SUV near the river. She followed him out of the vehicle, asking no questions. Just staring at him with eyes that reflected his own hunger. Tanner caught her hand and led her inside the old building and up the winding stairs. Up higher, higher, to the small apartment that he kept as an escape in the city.

He’d never taken anyone else here. Before, he’d wanted to be alone. To be able to stand above the city. To look out at the river.

Freedom.

“Tanner?”

He led her into the bedroom. Threw open the balcony doors and let the sunlight pour in.

She was beautiful with the sunlight on her. As beautiful as she was in the moonlight.

Always so perfect to him.

Don’t f*ck this up.

The panther was snarling inside of him. As desperate for his mate as any predator could be.

He took a breath. Tasted her. “Get on the bed.” He had to give her pleasure first. Had to make sure that she enjoyed what was to come.

But his angel wasn’t looking shy and innocent. Her cheeks were flushed. Her eyes bright. As she headed for the bed, her perfect ass doing a little roll that he hadn’t even realized she could do, Marna stripped.

She kicked her shoes away. Tossed her T-shirt to the floor. Slid out of her jeans in a move that had his cock twitching.

Clad in her underwear and bra, she slid onto the bed. Big, king-sized, the bed was positioned to face the river.

The view of the river was amazing. It was nothing compared to the view he had of her right then. Damn, she looked good enough to eat.

And he did like to bite.

Tanner yanked off his own T-shirt and began to stalk toward her.

“Do I get to . . . taste this time?” she asked him, her voice a mix of sin and innocence.

The beast inside snarled.

If she put her mouth on him—f*ck, yes—he was done. “Me first.” Then he caught her ankle. Pulled her legs apart. His nostrils flared as he inhaled her scent.

Nothing had ever smelled as good. Sex and flowers. Sin and temptation.

Paradise.

He climbed onto the bed. Settled between those long, silken legs, and put his mouth right between her thighs.

She whispered his name, and he kissed her through the thin silk of her underwear.

The panties were getting wet. Good. He wanted her wetter. He needed her wetter.

Marna had to be ready for him. She had to want this as much as he did.

Want me more than your next breath.

The way he wanted her.

His fingers slid under the panties. Found the tight entrance to her body. Thrust inside. She squirmed beneath him. Not trying to get away.

Closer.

He tore away her panties. Put his mouth against the flesh he wanted to taste. And he tasted. His tongue slid over her. Into her. Her hips arched and her breath panted out.

He licked. Learned every curve of her body.

She whispered his name.

He kept tasting. More. More.

She came against his tongue.

The first time.

The second time, he’d make sure she came when he was buried deep in her.