Eternal Envy (The Seven Sin Sisters 2) (7 page)

“Thanks for coming so quickly,” Lucas spoke to them even as he opened the door. “I briefed Madden quickly and he agreed for us to handle this. Of course, we all understand he’s somewhat busy.”

Snickers erupted and the air seemed lighter for a few minutes as the men relaxed. They each took seats around the table.

Lucas focused his gaze on Caedon. “You’ve claimed your mate. I know that means now isn’t a good time for you to be away
,
so I’m recommending the four of you go to Italy on a little recon.”

“The four of us?” Caedon asked.

“Seamus and Donovan will provide backup to you and Eloise who
will
simply
be
there for your Acclimation period
.
” Lucas explained.

“No, absolutely not. Are you out of your mind?” Caedon slammed his fist on the table, “You would have me put her in the middle of potential danger?”

“Would you not go? I imagined you would insist on being on the next jet out of here,” Lucas raised his eyebrow and waited.

Caedon looked
toward
each man. None gave any indication what they were thinking. Was Lucas right? He couldn’t stay here if there was a chance his parents were alive. Shit, he needed more facts.

“What do we know?” He’d focus on the facts. Then he’d make a decision.

“We got information that there’s a stronghold in the back hills. CIA heat sensors pick
ed
up weakened signals consistent with the look of our own. We’re assuming there are Breeds in there. That wasn’t enough for us to make a move,” Lucas paused, running his hand over his jaw, “
b
ut
when you put it together with the intel on Andreas and Angelica Pisano, pieces start to shift.”

The mention of his parents’ names caused Caedon to stiffen his back. He’d become accustomed to knowing he’d lost them. He’d found himself another family here with the TEU and the men he worked with. That still didn’t mean he didn’t wish like hell he had them in his life. And now with a mate, what he wouldn’t do to introduce them to Eloise.

“You know we were never clear on how their deaths went down, Caedon,” Seamus was talking. Caedon was sure he missed some of what
Seamus
said but he caught the edge in
Seamus’s
voice and knew he wanted in on this mission. Seamus
had been
at the site when his parents were supposedly killed. Their deaths had been hard on
Seamus too
and this was his chance at redemption.

The room was silent for a long time. Caedon needed the
chance
to shuffle through his mind
and
sort out his emotional reactions from the facts. He’d nearly made
the decision
that he was going to Italy when Donovan spoke up.

“Caedon, you have a mate now. We get it. We all saw what it did to Madden. That protective instinct is a killer, bro. If you can’t go, Seamus and I will check it out. We’ll get them out if it’s them.”

“You don’t have to go,” Seamus added.

“Yes I do. We’ll go. Eloise is tough and if I explain this to her, she’d want in anyway,” Caedon resolved. He turned to his computer and began looking through the latest report on the supposed intel
about
his parents.

“Okay then. We’ll get you out of here by tomorrow morning. Let me tell you what we’ve got,” Lucas got down to business. The men spent another few hours going over schematics, building plans, equipment lists and firming up a mission strategy. It felt strange as hell to do it all without Madden.

As Caedon was getting ready to leave, Donovan snickered. “You gonna be okay, bro? I mean, you know how you’re going to tell Eloise?”

“Yeah, cause I know her so well,” Caedon bled sarcasm into every word.

“You need back up?” Seamus asked. Caedon assumed
Donovan ha
d been joking until he looked up to see his
friend’s
serious
and maybe
even slightly
scared
expression.

“No. She’s not a damn terrorist. She’s my mate,” Caedon answered him, exasperated.

“Don’t get mad at him. We don’t have a clue about this mating thing. Seriously, I don’t know how you’re so calm. I’d be freaking.” Donovan backed Seamus up.

Caedon just shook his head at the two of them. He knew why he was so calm, so accepting. He’d craved his own family since losing his parents and now, with Eloise, he had it. She was more than he’d hoped for. The only thing that scared him now was losing her because he knew they were only immortal to an extent
. There were a few ways to terminate a Valendite Breed. The standard beheading and burning, of course, but the simplest way for those already mated was to withhold the blood of their mate. Even unmated Breeds were
not nearly as invincible as they’d all once believed.
Mortality was still in the hands of God and the Goddesses.

“So what can we do to help?” Leave it to Donovan to get them back to business.

“Make sure everything is ready. I have a feeling the only thing I’ll have time for is getting Eloise ready for this. I have to start by telling her about my parents and then spring the mission on her.” Caedon wasn’t sure how she’d take it. She seemed fierce at times, timid at others and he wasn’t sure how she’d react to anything yet. They were so new to each other.

He broke from Seamus and Donovan as they turned towards their car and he went around the corner to his private entrance. He held the file tight in his hand. He was about to tell a story he’d never told before.

*
*
*
*

When Caedon walked in the door, Eloise set down the coffee mug she’d been holding. Her hands suddenly trembled
as
Caedon’s emotions
clearly
roll
ed
through her. She knew whatever he had to say to her was not good.
Goddess, she hoped
this
wasn’t
too good to be true
after all.
It was possible that h
er happily
-
ever
-
after was never meant to be.
Had a Claiming ever not been seen through to the Pronouncement?

She suddenly felt bare. She’d not bothered to get dressed in her own clothes
;
rather
, she’d
tugged on her panties and one of his shirts. It was large on her but still didn’t cover enough to help with the insecurity rushing through her. What had happened to the Caedon who made love to her only hours before? What had she done wrong?

Caedon locked his eyes on her, scanned down her body and paid great attention to her bare legs. He licked his lips and Eloise instantly became warmed. Gone were the terrible thoughts Caedon had been having
;
instead
,
now his desire for her was radiating from him. She’d been wrong. Whatever was bothering him didn’t seem to have anything to do with her. Then Caedon’s eyes found hers and he became concerned. He noticed her apprehension.

“Oh, baby, what’s wrong?” Caedon asked in a soft voice as he moved quickly to Eloise and drew her into his arms.

“You came back so upset. I thought I’d done something wrong,” Eloise admitted in a quiet voice.

“No, baby, I’m not upset about anything with you. Or you and I. This, us,” Caedon gestured between them, “This mating is the only perfect thing in my life,” Caedon assured her. He put his hand behind Eloise’s neck and tilted her head back to kiss her lips.

His lips were soft, a gentle touch against her mouth with no insistence, none of the exploration she’d become used to with Caedon. It was an incredibly tender and reassuring kiss that told Eloise just how much he cared for her. The relief washed through her in waves as she melted against him and soaked in everything Caedon had to give.

When he pulled away, the furrow between his eyes deepened. “Why would you question us?”

“I’ve never, never had everything I wanted. It all suddenly seemed too good to be true.” Eloise kept her head turned down, embarrassed to confess her insecurities. She preferred
the
confident armor she wore in public. She watched him through her lowered lashes for a reaction.
She was shocked to see him grin from ear to ear. She hadn’t seen him smile like this yet. Caedon was beautiful. The smile transformed his face into such soft gentleness.

“I can tell by the look on your face you have no idea what a compliment you just paid me, baby.” Caedon stroked his fingers through her hair, massaging her head before using his grip to tilt her face up to him again. He growled out a warning onto her lips and she opened to him. Slowly, he explored her lips, her mouth, and their teeth scraped as Caedon’s grip on her hair
grew firmer. He nipped her lips and then used his tongue to soothe the sting. There was no holding back her moans of pleasure. Eloise gave herself over to this man.

He lifted her off her feet and scooped her into his arms. He was magnificent. His muscles bulged as he used his strength to carry her to the bedroom. Caedon lowered her to the bed and then removed his clothes with nothing but a thought. His
intuitive
power
s
and
physical
strength combined felt unstoppable. He looked down on her with those coffee-tinted, lust-filled eyes and her body quivered wondering what was to come. Despite having him just a few hours before, she needed this man already. She needed to feel connected to her mate.

Perusing his body as he stood drinking her in,
Eloise locked
her sight on his thick cock. It was already leaking pre-cum and she couldn’t fight
the
urge to lick that single glistening drop. Eloise moved down the bed towards the end where Caedon stood. She slipped easily onto her knees before him and balanced her hands on his firm thighs.

“Eloise,” Caedon sighed and stroked her hair. “You don’t need to do this, baby. I didn’t mean for you to…”

Eloise cut off his words as she used her tongue to lick the drop from the tip of his straining cock. Then with the slightest movement, she took just the head into her mouth and gently sucked, licked and tasted. Caedon was a delicious blend of male musk and the salt of a margarita. She ran her tongue along his shaft from root to tip. Eloise could feel his muscles coil and his balls tightened close to his body. She knew he would soon explode if she didn’t pace herself better. This power she had in holding his cock in her mouth was simply too good not to savor. Her tongue slowed and the suction she used gentled.

“Mmmm,” she hummed as she brought him deeper into her mouth, nearly touching her throat.

“Damn, baby, I won’t make it long if you do that,” Caedon’s deep voice rasped out.

Sweat formed along his body. As she stroked along his legs, she felt the glistening layer of sweat and wanted to roar in victory. Eloise smiled up at him. She knew through their bond the effect she had on him in this moment. They were both ready to explode.

Eloise winked at Caedon and then set back to work, focused on finding his completion. She opened her mouth wide and took his cock completely, sucked it in all the way to her throat and held it there, swallowing around the head. Her eyes remained locked on him. She hummed and he moaned. Clearly, he had felt the vibration. Could he feel her soul deep like she could feel him? This man—this one person in all the world—had the ability to save her
,
and she absolutely loved him for that.

Her fingers moved to stroke the length of his cock that didn’t fit into her mouth. Desire seemed to overpower everything else. Eloise no longer wanted
to go
slow
ly
. She no longer cared about control. Eloise wanted to show Caedon she could please him. The building wisps of air around them grew thicker and hotter as her desire raged out of control. She pumped him, sucked him, and licked up and down with her tongue as she moved him in and out in rapid movements.

Without missing a beat or slowing her rhythm, Eloise cupped his balls, fondled them as she felt them lift and tighten. Her tongue lashed and stroked Caedon firmly along the underside where it was more sensitive. His cooler skin was warmed by her touch until they felt nearly hot. His cock grew even harder, slightly larger and then spasmed against her tongue. Caedon cursed as he arched his back, pressed his cock as deep as she could take him and filled her with his release. She was overwhelmed by the gift of her labors. Eloise smiled around her full mouth. Yes, this man belonged to her. Her body convulsed as she had an orgasm on her knees before her mate without a single touch. She had found her pleasure in his.

Caedon sunk to his knees and held her against his chest. After a few minutes of silence
when
the only thing that could be heard
was
their breathing, Caedon chuckled, “Eloise, I do think you loved this. I’d say you may like control as much as I do. Aren’t we the perfect pair?” She laughed
,
but mostly she just tried to get her breathing under control while he stroked along her back, her shoulders, and her arms.