Cracked (4 page)

“Long story short?” Fionn grinned. “Annie and Mo got in a fight about something stupid, said really mean things to each other, and Annie left to sort out her feelings.”

“What were they fighting about?” Sarita asked. She had noted the absence of the cat-shifter from the compound, but Annie often took off for weeks or even months at a time.

“What was the fight about, Mo?” Fionn teased.

“I don’t remember,” she confessed.

“And my tough Alpha mate is not going to be the first to apologize, so…” Fionn shrugged. “That’s why we are one cat-shifter short of a full nuthouse.”

“
Entendido.
Some things never change.” Angelo snorted. “I need to run.” He turned to Sarita and smiled, “Will you join me,
querida
?”

She nodded shyly.

“I’ll join you,” Fionn smiled.

“Me too,” Gerard rumbled.

“I’m meeting Rose at the airport, so I need to go. Enjoy your run.” Monica dismissed them with a wave.

Sarita followed the other wolves toward the field at the edge of compound property. She was still new to shifting, but she already enjoyed the thrill of letting the animal side of her surface and take over for a time. It was a heady, addictive feeling, because the wolf left all the human bullshit behind and just
felt.
What would it be like to run with her mate? She shuddered in anticipation.

She pushed a quiet thought out toward Mac, inviting him to join them, and she wasn’t surprised to find him waiting for them. She watched with a smile as Gerard walked into Mac’s arms and kissed him, hard and sweet, silently declaring his feelings in front of everyone. She laughed out loud with glee as Fionn stopped walking and stared at his son.

“Did you know?” he asked Sarita.

“Since this morning,” she whispered.

“That explains the tattoo,” Fionn smiled as he gestured to the Ursa Major tattoo that Chandra, the Amazon tattoo artist, had placed above Mac’s heart over a month ago.

“And I thought he had a newfound love of astronomy.” She giggled, a sudden rush of joy working through her. She knew it was coming from her Guide, a giddiness and relief that he wasn’t keeping a secret any longer. Quickly, she began shedding her clothes, folding the borrowed dress into a neat square. When she turned to look at her mate, her breathing grew shallow.

Angelo was not a big man, in fact, with Bear nearby, even six-foot-and-then-some Fionn Murphy looked smallish. But every inch of his compact body seemed honed with a purpose. Spare and sinewy, he looked ruthlessly efficient. His expensive suit was neatly folded, and he reached for her dress, placing it on top of his own clothing before setting them aside. His body was mostly hairless, a surprise to her after spending so much time with the rest of the Murphy clan and the rather hirsute Bear. She blushed as she realized she was analyzing him like a piece of art.

“As long as you like what you see,
querida
,” he whispered, winking at her. She felt the change in the air that she had grown to recognize as others shifting, saw Fionn and Mac, two big black wolves, start loping away with her Bear following behind. For a moment, she and Angelo were alone and she grew shy.

“Are you worried you won’t be able to shift so soon?” Angelo cocked his head to the side as he looked at her.

She nodded. It was all new to her, and shifting was as exhausting as it was exhilarating. That morning, when she’d shifted-and-shredded, she hadn’t thought beyond getting as far away from Mac and Gerard as possible. That shift had been effortless. Now that she needed to consciously bring the wolf forward, it was different.

“Hey,” he whispered, pulling her into an embrace. “You can do this. Don’t overanalyze everything. Just—just let her out.” He buried his hands in her hair, and she felt his lips brush over hers lighter than air before seizing them hungrily. She gave in to the waves of heat washing over her and shuddered at the sharp pleasure of her teeth shifting. The sensitivity racked her body as his hands skimmed low over her back, and he pulled her tight to his body, letting his aroused state speak for itself.

“Feel her? Your wolf in there—she wants to come out and play. Just…” Suddenly Angelo groaned.

Sarita looked down at where her hand played across his nipples. Stifling a giggle, she looked up and saw his teeth had lengthened.

“Let her out,” he gasped, taking a step back.

Sarita could feel her then, the wolf inside her. She let the shift happen, and it sucked the air out of her with its immediacy. It didn’t take strength to wrestle her wolf to the surface this time. Nor did she need the anger that had coursed through her this morning. She felt her body shudder, then she was staring at her mate from within her wolf form. He dropped to his knees, smiling wickedly at her. Her tongue lolling out, she nipped at his hand, feeling again the sweet, tense heat of being close to her mate. When his hands stroked into her velvety fur, she felt a whine of impatience slip through. Throwing his head back, Angelo laughed—a sound of breathtaking joy. She watched from within the animal as his own change took hold. Efficient and ordered, he shook his head once, and his body seemed to lengthen. The next thing she knew, they were nose to nose. With a playful nudge to his flank, Sarita took off at a run.

To say the run filled her with peace was an understatement. Every sound in the forest, the feeling of Mac and Fionn at the edges of her consciousness, her handsome mate feinting and playing as he ran alongside her, it all settled into this feeling of necessity. Yes, necessity—this run, this shift, it had been necessary to build her faith in herself, and her mate had known just what to say and do. She threw her head back, a howl of majestic ecstasy tearing through her throat. She heard the other wolves join her, then an ursine bellow joined them all. Angelo nudged her face, stroking the side of her muzzle with his. She rolled her face into his for a moment before spinning and ducking into a crouch, her tail wagging as she teased him to follow her.

Though it didn’t seem possible that a wolf could look bemused, Angelo did as he swatted at Sarita with one large paw. Delighted, she spun and crouched again. This time, when he started toward her, she ran as hard and as fast as she could. She wasn’t as fast as the others, but she was pretty fast for such a petite wolf. Grinning, she felt her mate running beside her, keeping her pace easily.
Her mate
.

Another joyful noise ripped from her throat as she celebrated the glorious run.

Chapter Four

“A
lone at last,” Angelo whispered as the door closed behind them. Sarita shuddered, turning to face him. Wordlessly, she traced the planes of his face with her fingertips, then sank her hands into his hair. She leaned forward to press a kiss to his lips, and he absorbed her smoky scent as she nibbled at him. Finally, when he could stand no more, his hands circled her waist and pressed her hard against him as he took her mouth with his tongue and teeth. She whimpered against him, trying to squirm closer. Without breaking the kiss, he slid his hands up to her breasts. He’d seen them when they were in the woods, but now he explored them with his hands, knowing he’d be the only man to touch her like this, the only one to hear that breathy noise she made when he pinched her like that, the groan she made when he cupped her whole breast under his palm. She was perfection to him in a way only his mate could be.

“
Querida,
” he whispered. Wide indigo eyes met his, and she smiled languidly, a softness that belied the edge to her movements.

“I’m impatient,” she admitted. “But I’m also scared.”

“Tonight, perhaps we shouldn’t have sex.” He stroked the side of her face. “I don’t want you to be scared when we join together.”

“I want you,” she whined, the lupine noise slipping from her.

“I want you too. But I want our mating to be the most beautiful, sacred experience of your life. I don’t want you afraid, not when we have all the time we need.” Another gentle kiss, then he was nibbling along her ear, making her shiver and growl. She tugged him through the little living area to the bedroom, pushing him down on her bed.

“Show me,” she said, dropping her dress to the floor, standing naked before him. He closed his eyes. Goddess, she was so young. Only the one tattoo along her sternum.

Her lip caught between her teeth. “Please, mate. Show me how…”

He groaned and reached for her, tugging her down beside him and taking her mouth in another heady kiss. The little minx had her hands under his shirt, and he wasn’t surprised to hear fabric ripping and buttons pinging across the floor as she wrenched it from him. He smiled against her lips, feeling her tongue tracing the lines of his shifted teeth. She was reaching for his belt, trying to release his cock, and he wanted her hands on him so much he was finding it hard to breathe.

“Stop.”

Her hands stopped; she pulled away, looking hurt. He kissed her quick and hard, then laid her back on the bed and knelt over her. “Like this,” he whispered, leaning over to take one hard nipple between his lips. He worshiped her with his mouth, sliding his tongue in circles around the peaked point of her breast while she moaned and clasped his hair in her hands.

“Yes,
querida,
” he whispered. “And like this.” He took her other nipple between his teeth, scissoring it between them. She shuddered, and her hands tightened in his hair. “And like this.” He kissed along her ribcage, tickling down to her navel. He blew on the soft flesh before nibbling at it. He watched the texture of her skin change as goosebumps broke out across it and a breathy wail burst from between her lips.

“Let me show you,” he whispered as he moved lower, spreading her legs wide. “Let me show you…oh Goddess, you’re beautiful,” he said, staring at her pussy, pink and pretty and wet for him. With one finger, he traced the delicate folds, making her groan her urgency.

Again he pulled away to look at her. Smoothing the hair from her face, he smiled and pressed a swift kiss to her forehead.

“
Querida
… I have to know. You said you were inexperienced, I don’t want to hurt you. Have you ever done anything like this before with a boyfriend or a lover?”

She shook her head, blushing. “No, I mean, there’s never been…I’ve tried to get myself off, but I usually just got frustrated. Once I thought I came close, but no. And with Bear hanging around, nobody was interested in…well.” She sighed. “I guess I’ve just not had an opportunity.”

“You’ve never had an orgasm?” he asked incredulously. Her blush spread down her body, making him feel like an ass for embarrassing her. “Shh…no…love, don’t be embarrassed, there’s no shame in what we’re doing, and no shame in what you have or haven’t done before.
Querida
, let me…” His words bit off in a growl as he started kissing his way down her body, suddenly wanting more than anything to show her what her own body could do. He smiled fiercely against her breast as she arched up to meet his lips, and then he was trailing a heated path down her abdomen once more.

Her sighs became a gasp as he slipped one finger inside her. She was wet enough to take his finger easily, but she was very tight. He felt her stiffen against the invasion, and he shushed against her, pressing his lips to her swollen clit.

“Ah!” she shouted in surprise, and he smiled.

“That’s right, love. Tell me what you’re feeling. Tell me what makes you hot, needy.”

“Please, touch me there again,” she begged. He slipped his thumb up to circle her clit as he explored her with lips and tongue, preparing her body with slow, sensual movements. He paid attention to the way her body tensed and rolled as her hips thrust against his finger and thumb. He saw the way she rolled harder into his thumb as he pressed the underside, so he switched to rubbing the underside back and forth.

He felt her climax building as she rocked against him, and he pressed his tongue where his thumb had been, flicking and rubbing, listening to her cries grow more uneven and hoarse as she reached for the peak. Knowing she was right there, and he was the one that brought her there, he felt a fierce pride work through him. He sucked her clit between his lips and caressed her breasts with his free hand. She exploded around his finger, a desperate noise coming from her throat as she bucked and leapt in his arms. He rode out the passion of her climax, pressing kiss after kiss to her heat.

When she collapsed, limp against the bed, he slipped his finger from her with a final kiss. He stretched out next to her on the bed, loving the taste of her in his mouth, the smell of her on his skin. The Goddess had seen fit to give him a second chance, and it threatened to overwhelm him with joy, even as his own desires remained unfulfilled.

Slowly, Sarita turned onto her side and looked at the man lying next to her. She kissed him, tasting herself on his lips and shuddering with the intimacy. “Angelo…” she breathed his name. “Please, make love to me. Bite me. Make me yours in every way,” she whispered. “I’m not afraid.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.” He hesitated, caressing the side of her face. “You’re so small.”

“You won’t hurt me.” She smiled at him, “I trust you. I need you.” She reached for the button on his pants, pushing them down his legs. She grasped him in her hands and stroked him, exploring the hard shaft between her hands with questioning fingers.

“Goddess, woman, you’ll kill me,” he gasped, sitting up. Leaning over her, he nipped at the soft skin of her neck, the feel of his teeth making her hum and writhe. He kicked his pants off his legs and moved over her. Settling himself between her thighs, he cupped her breast and kissed her, sweeping his tongue through her mouth until she was rocking against him. The slip of her heat against his caused them both to groan. He reached between them, teasing her clitoris until great gasps were racking her body, then slid himself inside. She flinched at his entry, and he slowed, teasing her clit again until she relaxed and pushed herself against him, her eyes clenched shut.

“
Querida
, open your eyes,” he whispered. He saw the tension hovering about her face, and he kissed each eyelid, pressing them closed again. He held still, kissing her face and teasing the nub of her clitoris while she relaxed into the steady heat of his embrace. When she began rocking her hips against his, he smiled and let her set their tempo. The heat and tension built slowly until he couldn’t help but thrust into her, baring his teeth. But now she was ready for him, and she growled deep in her throat as her body accepted his.

“Yes, love,” she whispered. “Give me everything,” she demanded. He felt the dam burst in his soul at her words, and he drove into her, pressing a fevered kiss to her shoulder. His wolf instinct took over, and he bit, hard enough to break the skin, taking a feral pleasure in the way she cried out as she shattered in his arms, her body racked with spasm after spasm of bliss. Then, with a ferocious surge of surprise and joy, he felt her teeth sinking into his own shoulder, and he was lost to the sensation, his cries as hoarse and fierce as hers while his climax tore through him like an electrical storm, and he collapsed in his lover’s arms.

Mated.

It was a feeling he had stopped hoping to feel again. He had relegated it to a little box in his soul, one he’d open and explore in moments of weakness or self-pity. Her happiness, her vitality, had flooded into him as his teeth broke her skin, his long-broken heart healing and swelling to life one tremulous beat at a time. What a gift he’d been given. She hugged him tighter. Cradling his head to her shoulder, she shushed and crooned, kissing against his forehead, and he realized she was feeling the rush of emotions swirling about him.

“It’s amazing,” she whispered. “I feel your joy, but it’s bittersweet, isn’t it? Loving me isn’t making you unfaithful to her, darling. She’s still there, in your heart. And I love her for making you the man you are.”

“I know. I feel it. You’re a treasure, little one. I love you.”

“I don’t know how it’s possible I love you already, but suddenly I am surer of it than anything in my life.” She pressed a kiss to his knuckles, licking and nibbling at his fingertips. He smiled a dreamy smile, feeling the warmth of their bond forming around them….and something else in the back ground. He sat up suddenly.

“What the hell is that?” he asked, startled at the sensation rippling in his head.

She laughed. “That feeling like thunder rolling in the background? That’s just Bear. You’ll get used to him.”

He can feel us?
Angelo asked in her head.

Sort of. Oh hey, this is cool! It’s different with your mate, isn’t it?
Joy burst over her face as she touched his mind.

What about Gerard? Is he connected with us?

He won’t get in your head without permission unless you need him. We have all the privacy we need. But he’s there. It’s always been sort of comforting to me to feel him there.

Hi, Gerard.
Angelo tested the theory.

I’m busy. We can get acquainted later.
He felt Gerard push back at him with annoyance, and he laughed. He also felt the gentle indulgence Bear was showing because of Sarita.

Thank you.
He pushed a little feather of thanks toward Gerard before turning back to his mate.

“Are you sore?”

She shook her head, her smile broad, the tip of her tongue stealing between sharpened teeth.

“Good. Because I want to make love to you again in the morning.” He kissed her shoulder where his mark had healed to a shiny, white scar. The sight of it there on her skin filled him with pride. His first mate had worn his mark on the back of her neck, and he’d never tired of seeing it. Seeing it again on Sarita’s skin made his wolf content.

“Do we have to wait until morning?” She grinned up at him. Murmuring thanks to the Goddess, he pressed his lips to her throat and went about showing his impatient mate just how much he needed her.