Hunger Untamed (Feral Warriors #5)(48)

And she wanted him now. She hooked her arm around his neck and pressed her forehead to his jaw.

"What do you need?" he asked quietly, as if he knew.

"The mating bond . . ." She looked up.

" . . . is going to do what it does." His eyes turned warm and serious. "There's little we can do to stop it. Unless Paenther and Skye get lucky in their search, our only chance of beating your Hookeye may be through reclaiming the knowledge you've lost. I'm not worried about the mating bond, Ariana. Tell me what you need from me, and it's yours."

They watched one another for long moments, their gazes holding one another, caressing. Connecting. She slid her hand over his healed cheek.

"Strengthen me, my warrior."

A low growl of agreement sounded in his throat. "Here or below?"

"Below. Within the circle of the pillars is where the knowledge will come to me, if it comes. That much I've remembered. I need to be there."

"All right." He brushed his cheek against her hair, a tender caress that made her chest ache.

Goddess, she'd missed him. For so long she'd lived with an emptiness only Kougar had ever been able to fill.

As he strode toward the lower stairs, she tightened her hold on his neck, leaned forward, and kissed his jaw, just behind the spot where his beard ended, then flicked the lobe of his ear with her tongue.

The shiver that slid through his hard warrior's frame sent a flow of warm power sinking into her veins. A surprising amount given the simplicity of the touch. But she'd always reacted to Kougar as to no one else. A light bite to his earlobe earned her another shiver and a low growl.

As they passed through the door and began the descent to the lower chamber, she began to sing the soft Ilina chant to seal the door behind them in case the Mage managed to break through to the upper chamber. The temple's magic shouldn't allow any to pass through, but Kougar had. And the Mage were apparently far more powerful than they should be.

As Kougar carried her down the twisting steps, she slid her fingers into his hair again, watching the play of light over his strong features. "I love the feel of you," she said quietly, absorbing the touch of his soft, springy hair between her fingers. "I love the way you smell."

"You like the smell of sweat and blood?"

She smiled, marveling that she could, given the circumstances, but being in his arms made their situation seem not quite so dire. Leaning forward, she placed another kiss on his jaw.

"You couldn't smell bad to me."

His hold on her tightened as he stepped off the bottom step into the chamber and she knew he worried that the temple would attack her again. He carried her across the stone floor slowly, as if they had all the time in the world, then set her down beside the pool, close enough that she could reach out and trail her fingers in the water.

Kougar knelt at her feet, his gaze drifting down her still-naked body with hot deliberation, slowly stealing the air from her lungs. He grasped her knees and lifted them, then pulled them wide, spreading her to his gaze. His fingers trailed down her calves to her ankles as he sat back on his heels, his gaze hot between her legs, heating her with eyes that had turned silver. Deep inside, she began to tremble with need and anticipation.

His grip tightened, his neck muscles cording, and she sensed he fought an inner battle. A battle for control.

"You're not going to take me." She could see it in his eyes. "Not fully."

"No."

Disappointment plucked at her, hurt trying to wedge its way in. He'd claimed the mating bond didn't matter, that what happened with it, happened. Clearly that wasn't true.

It occurred to her that he must fear making love to her fully would only open the bond further. That twinge of hurt disappeared, washed away in a rush of warmth as she realized what his hesitation really meant.

He feared he couldn't make love to her without his heart opening to her more.

He moved on her like a cat on prey, sliding his broad hands beneath her hips and lifting her to his mouth. Thoughts scattered, wild sensations shooting through her body as his tongue stroked her upper thighs, then moved directly between her legs to that throbbing, sensitive flesh.

As he stroked her and played with her body, she cried out, flinging her head back. She'd forgotten what a talented tongue this cat had. He stroked her nether lips inside and out, one after the other with long, languorous strokes, flicking the nub of her clitoris at the end of each one, just enough to elicit a gasp from her. Then his tongue moved, circling her clit, teasing without touching, yet driving her up all the same.

A flick of his tongue directly on the spot had her crying out, but then he returned to circling.

"Kougar . . ." Goddess she wanted him inside her, deep, driving. One. But it was too dangerous.

He did enter her, though not in the way she craved. His tongue slid down into her opening, deep inside, delving and fluttering and licking until she was a writhing mass of need.

Then his mouth closed over her as he tugged on her, flicking her with his tongue until she was writhing beneath him, rising, cresting. . .

She came in a screaming rush of fire and pleasure. And still it wasn't enough.

"More."

His finger dove inside her, and a second, thrusting in and out in a fast, hard rhythm. A sudden pain tore through her skull, a burst of agony that radiated outward like flares of light, leaving her gasping for breath and all but blind.