A Wolf's Obsession (16 page)

Unconvinced by her words, Wyatt spotted a simple ruby necklace and grabbed it. It was one of the first things he’d bought when Dylan had convinced him to start this whole undertaking and it reminded him of the brilliant vibrancy of Kass’ flaming locks. Maybe that was why he’d bought it, maybe at the back of his mind he’d known that one day she’d come back to him in her new form. He quickly dismissed his thoughts, there was no way of knowing why he’d done what he had and while he was grateful for it now, their time underwater had come to an end. He could feel her disappointment as though it was his own and he wished he’d thought this better. Next time he’d make sure she had the right equipment so she could explore more thoroughly and choose something she liked for herself. Kass was running out of air which meant they’d run out of time. His precious cargo clutched tight to his chest Wyatt swam hard for the surface.

Breathe Kass.
His voice was fierce, the expectation that she follow his instruction clear.

If she wasn’t so light headed Kass would have laughed. It took a special kind of person to think that they could command another person’s body with no more than a few words. Wyatt was definitely proving himself to be in that category of special. Though her lungs were burning she kept breathing drawing heavily from the seemingly endless supply of air Wyatt was keeping in his chest. She should have been terrified or at the very least annoyed with herself for letting him talk her into getting in the water. She was neither. As her head broke the water’s surface and she drew in deep, she’d never felt more alive.

“Wyatt,” she gasped, her grip on his wet skin unrelenting. “That was….incredible! Have you ever seen water so blue? Of course you have,” she scoffed. “You’re the one that brought me here! But did you see the fish? I’ve never seen so many colours in my life. My heart is racing.” She grabbed his hand and shoved it against her chest. “Feel it! It’s going so fast but I don’t feel like I’m dying. I’ve never felt so alive.” And she’d never felt more aroused either. She shouldn’t have done it, she should never have lifted his hand to her heart but the excitement of the moment had washed away all reason. The minute his hand had touched her skin, heat had filled her and shot straight between her thighs. She could feel her skin flushing red from excitement and for the first time in an age she felt like throwing caution to the wind. Recklessness made her bold and she placed her hand over Wyatt’s. He stiffened automatically but she wasn’t going to be deterred. She moved slowly, testing the waters to see just how much she could get away with. Her heart had survived intimacy before but Wyatt was nothing like the few men she’d let touch her in the past. Everything about his screamed intensity. Just watching him touch himself had aroused her beyond belief. Her heart had staggered out of that incident, teetering on the brink of collapse and yet even though she knew the dangers, was well aware of the risk, she was going to go through with this madness. There was something happening between them and the longer she ignored it, the stronger it became. It was time to take the bull by the horns and damn the consequences.

Her eyes locked with his and it was empowering to see the effect she was having on him. His whole body was taut, the warm brown of his eyes consumed by the dark pupils, his breathing choppy but he waited silently. His eyes blazed with passion, silently urging her on until with a shaky breath she pulled his hand over her breast. The heat that had been steadily building erupted into a raging inferno. His large hand consumed her breast, her nipples immediately standing to attention when his warm flesh slid over them. A whimper started at the back of her throat and she pushed closer wanting to feel more of his touch.

“Kass.” His voice was like thunder, rumbling over her with the promise of dangerous sensuality. If she hadn’t let reason pass away so long ago, she’d have been frightened of the desperate need in his voice but a beautiful haze of desire had settled firmly over her. Nothing was going to frighten her out of doing this. Her body throbbed with need. She was going to be fulfilled, it didn’t matter what the cost was.

“What are you doing?” he managed to get out.

She peered up at him from beneath thick eyelashes and he felt his shaft throb in readiness. He’d never seen her look so sexy. If she was planning on having him break his word not to make love to her then she was well on her way. The corners of her lips twitched before the sexiest grin he’d ever seen appeared on her lips. He felt it like a kick to the gut. There was no way they were leaving here until he’d tasted every inch of her. He couldn’t claim her now, the instinct would stop him despite how long he’d waited and how much he’d suffered and there was still her heart to deal with but that still left them with plenty of options. He might not be able to sink his throbbing shaft into her wet heat to gain relief but he’d do everything but.

“I’m touching you Wyatt.”

“No, what you’re doing is testing my willpower. You seem to have forgotten who you’re dealing with,” he growled. “I’m not the sort of man you can tease.”

“Who said I was teasing?” she purred. She gripped his hand and squeezed it over her breast. Her knees buckled and her eyes rolled as pure pleasure slammed into her body. She’d been right. Being with Wyatt was nothing like being with other men. Wyatt was a force of nature and she was merrily bracing herself for impact.

It was over. He’d tried to be a gentleman, he’d tried to control his impulses but with five simple words Kass had destroyed any chance that they could end this like civilised people. He was a predator and he had his eyes firmly set on his prey. He swept her into his arms with a quick flex of muscle and captured her lips in an instant. His control a thing of the past, he consumed her lips. Teeth clashed as he invaded her mouth, devouring the sugary sweet taste that belonged only to his mate. Electricity filled his veins as all the blood in his veins flooded south. The sound of Kass’ pleasured moans filled his ears and the scent of her desire lodged deep in his brain leaving him dumb to anything that wasn’t her. He’d gone through hell to have his mate so surely this piece of heaven was his reward. Even if he didn’t deserve it, he wasn’t going to let it slip through his fingers.

His shaft ached for relief and when Kass wrapped a leg around his hip he could have wept for joy. The searing heat of her wet sex clung to his body, calling to him and he growled imagining what it would feel like to sink into her tight sheath.

“Wyatt.” Kass pulled away, struggling to catch her breath after wantonly sucking on his tongue. Her chest rose and fell rapidly drawing Wyatt’s attention and he licked his lips in anticipation. His hands moved by themselves, lifting her off her feet until she was held up only by the strength in his arms. Her sex felt hot, the evidence of her desire dripping through the thin material she wore until it coated the front of Wyatt’s boxers. Unashamed of her need, Kass moaned deep in her throat, hungry for more.

“Wyatt...that was….incredible.” She panted heavily, sinking her hands into the thick strands of his hair to better secure herself. The simple motion didn’t end as she’d thought it would. The thickness of his shaft pressed hard against the swollen nub of her clitoris and send tremors of pleasure throughout her body. Her head fell back exposing the slender column of her neck to Wyatt’s now dripping fangs.

The urge to remark her flesh rose hard and fast and Wyatt was unable to resist. His fangs sunk deep but the sweet scent of her arousal didn’t fade. She moaned hungrily, her body demanding more as she writhed in his arms. Lapping at her soft skin made her body tremble and Wyatt couldn’t help but smile. Kass had a body made for sex, designed for him to pleasure and he fully intended to put it through its paces. A quick snap of his fangs made her bra a distant memory. The world stopped, the air in his lungs stilled and noise filled his ears when he got his first unimpeded look at her bare breasts. Rose coloured nipples sat atop cream coloured flesh. The tight nubs reminded him of lush strawberries as they hardened further under his heated gaze. His mouth watered and he licked his lips before he fell upon her, ravenous for a taste. His tongue swirled over the turgid peak, immersing the sensitive flesh in the heat of his mouth. He sucked hard, dead to all but Kass moaning above him. Hands hard on her arse, he pulled her closer to his shaft and ground hard against her. Her pleasured scream was his reward.

So close,
Kass panted. Rocking her hips against Wyatt’s hardness she felt her inhibitions fly away. Locking her fingers around his neck she let her body slide down his. “There!” she cried in triumph.

Her thighs spread wide, she gripped his shaft directly at the centre of her sex. The building pressure was intense and it didn’t help that she felt one of Wyatt’s hands moving along her hip
, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. His mouth left her breast and she whimpered in disappointment. The cool air against her hard nipple was almost unbearable after the furnace of Wyatt’s mouth.

“You taste delicious.” He flashed his sharp fangs and Kass trembled, not in fear but anticipation. When his mouth had been against her neck and his fangs sunk deep into her throat she’d almost erupted. His fangs might be dangerous to other people but not to her.

“Wyatt, please,” she begged. “I need -”

“I know exactly what you need mate.” A flick of razor sharp claws destroyed the last of her clothes, her panties floating away on the water. “I’m going to make sure you get it.”

The temptation to shed his boxers was strong but his desire to see this through was stronger. Holding her up with one arm, Wyatt rocked his hips furiously. Strangled gasps left Kass’ swollen lips as he pushed her closer to the brink with each thrust. Groaning in desperation he drew her neglected nipple into his mouth and sucked hard. His teeth nibbled and his tongue lashed wildly against her skin.

I’ll never get enough of this,
he groaned. For years he’d denied himself a woman’s touch and this was why. There was no one who could come close to inspiring this level of passion in him. Eyes rolling to the back of his head, Wyatt slipped a hand between them and slid a thick finger into Kass’ searing sheath.

She shattered.

Her whole body quivered as she flew over the edge. Her sex gripped his finger hard, muscles desperately trying to milk him of his seed. Her heart stuttered, skipping a beat as pleasure, more intense than she’d ever known washed over her. Boneless, her arms slid away from Wyatt’s neck. It was a struggle but she managed to open her eyes long enough to meet his gaze. “Going to pass out now,” she said. Her words were slurred but her smile widened. “Totally worth it.”
Felt amazing. Can’t wait to do it again.

Her eyes slid shut as her pounding heart took her away from him but the come-hither smile never left her lips. Looking down at the distinct wet patch at the front of his boxers Wyatt couldn’t help but agree. He’d come hard and should, at the very least, feel embarrassed that he’d soiled his boxers like a teenager but he was smiling. It had taken over fifty years but he’d finally given and received pleasure from his mate and it had been worth the wait. He slipped his finger out of her still spasming sex and popped it into his mouth. He groaned in pleasured torment. She tasted divine. Only a gift from God could taste so good. He sucked hard until all traces of her essence had been consumed by his greedy mouth.
Next time I’m going to feast from here.
He reached down for another taste and a predatory grin came to his lips as her taste exploded in his mouth, his shaft leapt to life despite the fact he’d emptied his balls mere moments ago. “I’ll definitely be doing this again Kass.” He pressed a tender kiss to her wet locks and began moving back to the shore.

Heat poured through him and he pressed the hardness of his body against the softness of hers. His shaft was rock solid, throbbing painfully with the need for relief that was no where in sight but he’d never been happier. His mate was finally in his arms where she belonged. She was warming up to him, slowly but surely letting him into her heart and as soon as they’d dealt with the pesky problem of her faulty heart she’d be letting him into her body too he wouldn’t accept anything less than her full submission. He groaned against her lips and pulled her closer. There was nothing that could stop them from being together. They were destined. He’d lost her once and the fact that she’d managed to come back into his life proved his thinking. The phoenix from Kass’ tale might have lost his life and his beloved mate but the same wasn’t going to happen to him. He was keeping Kass. Now and forever.

Chapter Eleven

Emily’s heart was pounding from fear and her body trembled with it but she put those feelings to the back of her mind. There was nothing more important than escape. If she didn’t manage to outrun her pursuers there’d be nothing left of her. Her hands gripped the steering wheel even tighter and she risked a glance back over her shoulder. Nothing was there. Just because there was nothing she could see didn’t mean that he wasn’t there. Ethan was relentless and he’d been chasing her for her whole life. There were times that she thought it would be simpler just to end the whole thing. Her life wasn’t worth living like this. What sort of life was it when she had to look over her shoulder every second? She couldn’t make friends, couldn’t even entertain the idea of being in a relationship with someone just in case they lead Ethan to her doorstep. She was twenty five years old and had only had one friend in her whole life. It was ridiculous.

She let her grip on the steering wheel tighten.
Just another two years and then I’ll have made it. I’ll be able to do whatever I want. Friends, love….a life, I can have it all. Just another two years.

Peace settled over her at the thought of finally achieving her freedom.
I wonder how Wyatt is doing?
The little boy had been the one friend she’d been allowed to have. She laughed to herself remembering their friendship. Even if she hadn’t been allowed to have a friend she doubted that would have stopped him. For an eleven year old he’d been remarkably driven when it came to her. He’d followed her around like her shadow and she’d loved every minute of it. She’d been devastated when she had to leave him behind but staying in one place for so long had brought Ethan straight to their doorstep, running was the only way to save her life. She scoffed at the thought.

And look where that running got me.
Years later she was no better off than she’d been as a child. She still spent every day looking over her shoulder and every minute prepared to run. It was at times like this that she thought maybe it would have been better to stay where she’d grown up. She’d never been happier than when she’d lived in the cabin in the woods with Wyatt as her neighbour. Sure her life might have ended but she’d have been happy for the short time she had left. She wouldn’t have had to suffer over a decade of terror and loneliness.

Taking a deep breath, Emily shook her head to remove her sad feelings. The past was the past, there was nothing she could do now to change it. She hadn’t stayed behind with Wyatt, she’d chosen to live and she owed it to herself and to him to make sure she lived as long as possible.
Maybe when this is all over I can go back. I can see him again. I can tell him that I’m sorry for just disappearing in the middle of the night.

Emily relaxed in her seat confident that Wyatt would forgive her when she explained the situation to him. Her smile widened.
He’d probably forgive me even if I didn’t explain a thing.
Forcing herself to focus on the road ahead of her, Emily tried to think of where she could go next. Despite how appealing it was she couldn’t just drive along this deserted road forever. She needed to make a choice and soon. It wouldn't take Ethan long to find her, especially not if she didn’t have a clear plan of action.

The hairs on the back of Emily’s neck rose in warning before she saw them but the warning did nothing to stop the inevitable. The brightness of the headlights almost blinded her as the car gained ground on her. She swerved, hoping to slow the car’s pursuit but it gained no ground, speeding up despite the dangers of the curving road. When she risked a glance in her mirror at the passenger she knew exactly why the dangers did nothing to deter the people chasing her. Ethan sat perched in the passenger seat, shaking the driver hard clearly demanding that he drive faster so that he wouldn't lose sight of her. Heart pounding in her chest, Emily’s grip on the wheel tightened and she slammed her foot hard on the accelerator. The nearest town wasn’t far, if she could just reach it before she ran out of gas she could lose Ethan in the crown. Freedom made her desperate and she sped round sharp turns, uncaring that she should be taking the hard corners carefully.

“Oomph!” Her head smacked into the dashboard as the car behind her grew bold and crashed into her as it tried to force her to slow down. Unwilling to give Ethan what he wanted, Emily refused to relent. Her foot stayed pushing hard against the accelerator and she barely blinked as blood ran into her eye.

Unrelenting the car hit her again. Shoving strands of hair out of her face Emily refused to slow down. Eyes glued to the road, she forced her body to ignore the constant crashing coming from behind her. It didn’t matter if the bumper was damaged beyond all repair as long as she made it out of her
e free. Now that she knew the bumps were coming it was relatively easy. Holding her body as rigid as a statue, Emily took the impacts in her stride and only moved her body a fraction to turn corners.

It’s working!
She cried in triumph. The distance between her and the men behind her was getting bigger with every second. For the first time that day Emily smiled. She’d done everything her guardian had told her to do when confronted with danger. She’d used her head, thought calmly about how to get free and followed her plan to the letter. His advice had driven her crazy with the number of times he’d told her the same thing but it was working. She’d stayed calm under pressure and this round was going to her and pretty soon the war would be over.

She relaxed, loosening her grip on the steering wheel and rolling her shoulders. It was a fatal mistake. The car behind her sped up and hit her hard. Her car spun out and she couldn't stop it. The wheel slipped out of her loose grip and the slick surface of the road made the spinning car go faster. The air left her lungs in a rush when she slammed into a guard rail and tumbled over the edge.

The falling car was as damaging as any weapon Ethan had wielded against her over the years. With no seat belt she was thrown about like a rag doll. Her head slammed into a window, the glass blinding her instantly as it cut through her vulnerable eyes. The metal shell caved in as it hit the hard ground and was forced to change its shape. Sharp spikes lodged into her body and sliced through bones and organs like a hot knife through butter.

The car finally stopped at the bottom of the hill but strangely Emily felt nothing. She’d expected to feel bumps, bruises and the agonising pain of broken bones but there was nothing but a blissful numbness. When she heard Ethan’s frustrated scream she knew why. She was dying and judging by Ethan’s anger her heart wasn’t salvageable. She tried to twitch her lips and smile. She might be dead but at least Ethan wasn’t going to benefit from it. It was a small victory but with only seconds left to live she’d take whatever joys she could get.

I’m sorry Wyatt, looks like I’m not going to get to see you again.

********

Kass shot up in bed clutching her hand over her chest. Her heart was beating madly as though it had been her who had died.

“Kass, what’s going on? I heard you screaming.” Wyatt filled the doorway, his eyes glowing and his claws out at the ready. His whole body was tensed for a fight that had already been lost. There was nothing he could do to help Emily now.

“I saw her die. I
felt
her die Wyatt.”

“Who?” He stepped into the room, his eyes flitting about the space searching for the enemy that had threatened his mate. His fangs sharpened in agitation when he saw nothing but Kass in the room. How was he meant to make things better without a clear target?

Her mind struggling to escape the intense emotions of the past, Kass barely heard Wyatt talking. Her body shivered with cold even thought the summer air was warm and the room more than hot enough to ward away the occasional draft of cold air. The bed dipped as Wyatt sat down beside her and the heat of his body beat back the worst of the chill.

“I felt her die.” Tears began to roll down Kass’ pale cheeks and Wyatt moved fast, pulling her against his body. He might not know what had happened but he’d have to be an idiot not to see that Kass had been deeply shaken by the things that she’d seen. “I didn’t think it would happen like this.”

His hands never stopped stroking her, the steady motion done as much to calm him as to reassure her. “Tell me what happened and I promise I’ll take care of it. You don’t need to be scared. I’m here. I’ll always be here.”

“I’ve never met any other phoenixes….I’m sure they would have warned me if we’d ever talked.” She knew she was rambling, her disjointed words barely made sense to her ears let alone someone else’s, but she couldn't stop herself.

“You aren’t making any sense.” He chuckled, trying to lighten the sombre mood. “And if I’m saying that then it has to be bad. I’m the crazy one in this relationship. At least one of us has to be sane and that’s you.”

The worst of the tremors stopped and Kass finally felt her mind start to break free of the horrific past. “Charlie always told me that I’d remember my past lives when I was twenty-seven. He made it seem like it would all happen at once.” Her eyes were vacant, focused on the future and its potential problems. She couldn’t imagine how many more times she’d have to go through nightmares of her dying and she prayed that Emily had been her only previous existence. “He was wrong. I dreamed of Emily. I saw how she died.” She shook her head. “No. I didn’t see how she died. I was her, I felt what she felt, knew what she knew. I died her death.” The arms around her tightened to the point of pain but Kass did nothing to escape Wyatt’s iron grip. The pain reminded her that she was still alive. Now that she knew what death felt like she was never going to take anything for granted again.
One, I’m alive. Two, I’m fucking alive. Three, Wyatt is here with me. I’m not alone.

Perspective restored, Kass felt calm radiate through her body. Wyatt deserved to know what she now knew. He’d mourned for Emily and had been driven mad because of grief. If anyone needed to know what had happened to her it was him. She took a deep breath and prayed for strength. “He ran her off the road. She thought she’d gotten away from him but Ethan caught up to her. He hit her car, trying to make her slow down but it was dark and the road wasn’t straight. She crashed into a road barrier and tumbled down the side.” Kass sucked in a sharp breath when his claws erupted from his nails and sunk into her flesh. Tempting though it was to pull away, Kass stood her ground. He needed to hear this. “The car was completely destroyed. Mangled beyond recognition with her inside of it. By the time it stopped, it had killed her. A metal beam straight to her heart.”

Wyatt said nothing and his silence unnerved her almost as much as the memory. Wyatt was never this quiet or this still especially not when it came to Emily. His mind was strangely blank so she rushed to finish the tale. The first half hadn’t been good news but maybe the other half would put him at ease.

“She was thinking about you.” His body became even more tense, the muscles hardening so much that it was easy to think that she was pressed against a statue rather than a person. “She was hoping to go back and find you when she was safe, when Ethan wasn’t a threat to you anymore. You must have been a really good friend to her. You were the last thing she thought of before she….” Kass trailed off unwilling to voice the words again. “Wyatt?” She tried to turn, to look at him and see for herself what he was thinking but his iron grip meant she couldn't move. “Wyatt, are you okay?”

*******

If there was one thing he was not at the moment it was okay. Okay was the furthest thing from his mind. He was at war with a bewildered wolf and Wyatt wasn’t entirely sure that he was going to win.

This is your fault,
the wolf snarled.
It’s your fault that our mate died alone on the side of a road. It’s your fault that she isn’t with us any more. You killed our mate.
Foaming at the mouth, the wolf was clearly losing control and Wyatt tensed. He could feel that a battle was going to be coming soon and he wasn’t looking forward to it.

There was nothing I could do. Emily left us and I couldn’t follow her.

The wolf leapt at him, fangs bared and ready to do violence.
You chose not to go with her. This is your fault.

I was a kid. How was I meant to go with her? I had to stay with my family.

She was our family. I found her, I found her so that you could protect her. You had one job to do and you failed. You killed her.

Guilt built up quickly inside Wyatt. The wolf was right. He should have known that there was something wrong with Emily. Her father had been even more protective of her than he was. No human parent was so concerned about their child without a reason. He should have known that there was someone hunting her and because he hadn’t, she’d died. She’d died alone thinking about him. His heart began to race, his control and humanity slipping away until his mind was nothing but vengeance. She’d died but the man responsible was still alive.

The wolf howled.
Not for long. Kill him. Sink your fangs into his throat and tear his heart out. You killed her, you need to make this up to her. Avenge our mate!

The murderous urges racking his body were strong and Wyatt could feel himself giving in to the wolf’s desires but he made a fatal mistake. He took a breath. The fragrant scent of candy floss wrapped itself around his brain and refused to let go.
So sweet….Kass.
Though his heart was still racing, he felt the worst of his anger slip away. He might have lost Emily but now he had Kass and he couldn't be saddened by that fact. The woman in his arms was perfect, more than he could have imagined and he was lucky to have her. Emily was gone, there was nothing he could do to change that but he could make sure that the same thing didn’t happen to Kass and to make sure that he could protect her properly he couldn’t have his wolf mourning a dead woman.