Fear the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #9)(19)

Curious, she skimmed down his shaft, finding the heavy sack at the base. He jerked beneath her touch, and tilting back her head, she met his wild gaze. “I’m sorry, did I hurt you?” she husked.

“I . . .” He clearly struggled to swallow. “No, it didn’t hurt.”

“Ah.”

He’d enjoyed her stroking his arousal. A lot.

With a wicked chuckle, she skimmed her fingers back to the tip of his cock, finding a tiny drop of moisture. She rubbed it lightly, circling the broad head before returning downward.

She repeated the caress twice more before he released an explosive sigh. “For the love of God, Cassie, don’t torture me.”

Although the thought of making Caine plead for release was tempting, she sympathized with his desperation. They’d been hurtling toward this moment for weeks. Later, she would enjoy the heady power of making him wait for hours before she gave in to his pleas.

She lifted herself on tiptoes to press her lips softly to his mouth.

“Show me.”

With a choked groan, Caine reached to wrap his hand over her fingers, pressing them tight against his cock. Then, slowly he urged her to stroke up and down the shaft, his breath hissing through his teeth as his hips surged forward.

Cassie could feel the blood pulsing beneath the velvet skin and smell the rising musk. Instinctively, she quickened her pace, pleased when Caine gave a low growl of approval.

“Yes . . . that’s it,” he ground out, his hand cupping the back of her head and urging her face toward his neck.

Her wolf knew exactly what he wanted and without hesitation she sank her teeth into the side of his neck, the raw male taste of him on her tongue sending another climax pulsing through her.

At the same time, Caine gave a shout of joy as he pumped his erection in her hand, the warm spray of his seed covering her stomach.

“Hmm. That was nice.” Cassie licked the trickle of blood her teeth had drawn. “Can we do it again?”

Several hours later Caine lay with Cassie wrapped in his arms on one of the wide beds. Predictably, she had fallen fast asleep the moment her head hit the pillow, while he’d remained wide awake, watching her in stunned amazement.

He was a fool.

No surprise there, of course. He’d worked so hard to keep his hands off this beautiful, all-too-vulnerable Were. Cold baths, long runs across the desert, hours of patrolling the sixty-story hotel for the least hint of danger.

But one soft touch of Cassie’s hand and all his good intentions went flying out the window. Or rather, flying out the shower. He swallowed a harsh groan as he recalled the afternoon in vivid detail. Every kiss, every tentative stroke of her hand, every soft groan.

His only consolation was that while he might have stolen her innocence, he hadn’t committed the ultimate sin of taking her virginity.

Why was that so important?

Caine grimaced, not wanting to consider the dangerous question. It was easier to tell himself that he was simply being noble. That he wanted to wait until Cassie was out of danger and capable of considering the consequences with a clear mind.

He didn’t want to acknowledge the tiny voice that warned taking her virginity would somehow tie him irrevocably to the beautiful Were. And that once he’d truly made her his lover he would never, ever be willing to let her go.

No matter what she wanted.

Mate . . .

With a low growl, he fiercely squashed the terrifying word.

Nope. Not going to go there. Things were bad enough.

As if to emphasize the point, Cassie turned in her sleep, her slender body snuggling into him with a trust that made his heart shift in his chest.

Hell. He should never have allowed her to climb into bed with him. Not just because he was a full-blooded male not a damned saint, and the feel of her warm curves covered by nothing more than the tiny teddy he’d been stupid enough to buy was destined to keep him hard and aching throughout the long night. But because the sheer intimacy was touching him places he didn’t want to be touched.

Of course, it wasn’t as if he’d had a choice. One pleading glance from those big emerald eyes and he’d been a lost cause. Pathetic. With a rueful smile, he buried his face in the silken softness of her hair. What was a poor man to do?

Absently running a soothing hand down her back, Caine was near the point of drifting off when he abruptly felt Cassie’s muscles tense. He frowned, lifting his head. Was she dreaming or had his slight touch wakened her?

He had his answer the moment her eyes opened to reveal the beautiful green was already veiled by a disturbing white film.

“Cassie.” He grasped her shoulders, ridiculously attempting to shake her awake. “Cassie.”

Oblivious to his presence, Cassie shrugged off his hands and scooted off the bed. Then, with mechanical movements, she headed out of the bedroom.

“Shit.” Leaping to his feet, Caine rapidly pulled on his jeans and a sweatshirt that had been tossed on a nearby chair. A loaded Glock was tucked at his lower back, then, yanking a robe hanging on the back of the bathroom door, he hurried in her wake.

There was no use trying to stop her. Lost in the power of her visions, she wouldn’t halt until she’d reached her goal. Whether that goal was standing in the sitting room to weave one of the strange, shimmering glyphs that revealed a foretelling. Or dragging him halfway across the country.

All he could do was keep her from hurting herself. He entered the sitting room only to find it empty with the door standing open. With a curse he jogged into the hallway, at last catching up with her as she stepped into an empty elevator.