Awakened (House of Night #8)(83)

"Not much. The sun just came up. He's a bird. Hey, did Stevie Rae say she was going to put him in a cage, or what?"

I smacked him. "She didn't say anything like that and you know it!"

"Makes sense to me." Stark yawned hugely. "But whatever she does, you'll have to wait till sunset to hear about it."

"Past your bedtime, little boy?" I asked, grinning up at him.

"Little boy? Are you sassing me, girl?"

"Sassing?" I giggled. "Yeah, of course. Heehees!"

"Come here, wumman!"

Stark started to tickle me like crazy and I tried to retaliate by pulling the hairs on his arms. He yelped (like a little girl) and then the whole thing turned into a wrestling match where I, somehow, ended up being pinned. "Do you give?" Stark asked me. With one hand he had both of my wrists and was holding my arms over my head, tickling my ear with his panting breath.

"No way; you're not the boss of me." I struggled (futilely). Okay, so I admit I didn't struggle very hard. I mean, he was pressed against me and totally not hurting me--like Stark would ever hurt me--and he was super hot, and I loved him. "Actually, I'm going easy on you. All I have to do is call my mega cool element powers and your cute butt will be kicked."

"Cute, huh? You think my butt is cute?" "Maybe," I told him, trying not to smile. "But that doesn't mean I won't call the elements to kick it."

"Well then I better keep your mouth busy so you can't do that," he said.

When he started kissing me I thought about what a strange and wonderful thing it was that something so simple, just a kiss, could make me feel so much. His lips against mine were soft, and an amazing contrast to his hard body. As he kept kissing me I quit thinking about how wonderful it was because he made me stop thinking. All I did was feel: his body, my body, our pleasure.

So I hadn't really been thinking about the fact that he was still holding my arms by my wrists, trapped over my head. I didn't think about it when his free hand slid up the extra-large Superman T-shirt I was using as pj's. I still didn't think about it when his hand moved from under my shirt to the top of my panties. I only started to think about it when his kiss changed.

It went from soft and deep to hard. Too hard. It was like he'd suddenly become starving, and I was the meal that ended his famine. I tried to pull my wrists from his hand, but his grip was solid.

I turned my head and his lips left my mouth to make a hot trail down my neck. I was trying to get my head together--trying to figure out what was bothering me so much--when he bit me. Hard. The bite wasn't like before, like our first time on Skye. Then it had been something we'd shared. Something we both had wanted. This time he was rough and possessive and it was definitely not something we were sharing. "Ouch!" I jerked my wrists and managed to break one hand free of his hold. With it I shoved at his shoulder. "Stark, that hurt."

He moaned and ground his body against me, like I hadn't spoken or pushed him. I felt his teeth against my skin again and this time I yelled and, with my emotions as well as my body I shoved harder at him--channeling lots of Seriously! You're hurting me!

He lifted himself up on his elbows and his gaze met mine. For a flash that lasted less than a second, I saw something within his eyes that made my soul shiver. I flinched back, Stark blinked, and looked at me with a total question mark that turned into shock. Instantly he let go of my wrist.

"Shit! I'm so sorry, Zoey. Jesus, I'm sorry! Are you hurt?"

He was patting my body down a little frantically and I batted away his hands, frowning at him. "What do you mean, am I hurt? What the heck's wrong with you? That was way too rough."

Stark wiped a hand down his face. "I didn't realize--I don't know why--" He broke off, took a deep breath, and started again. "I'm sorry. I didn't know I was hurting you."

"You bit me."

He rubbed his face again. "Yeah, it seemed like a good idea at the time."

"It hurt." I rubbed my neck.

"Let me see." I moved my hand away and he studied my neck. "It's a little red, that's all." He bent and kissed the sore place uber-gently, and then said, "Hey, I really didn't think I bit you that hard. Seriously, Z."

"Seriously, Stark, you did. And you wouldn't let go of my wrists when I told you to."

Stark blew out a long breath. "Okay, well, I'll be sure that doesn't happen again. It's just that I want you so much, and you turn me on so much--" He paused and I finished his sentence, "--that you can't control yourself? What the hell?"

"No! No, that's not it. Zoey, you can't think that's it. I'm your Warrior, your Guardian--it's my job to protect you from anyone who might hurt you."

"Does that include yourself?" I asked.

His gaze met mine and held. In his familiar eyes I saw confusion and sadness and love--a lot of love. "That includes myself. Do you really think I'd actually hurt you?"

I sighed. What the hell was I making such a big deal about? So, he'd gotten carried away, grabbed my wrists, bit me, and not jumped the second I told him how high. He was a guy. What was that old saying? If it has tires or testicles, it's gonna give you problems.

"Zoey, really, I would never let you be hurt. I gave you my oath, plus I love you and--"