To Tame His Mate (9 page)

Damn, she was quick! He was barely to the porch when he saw her delectable little tail disappear into the trees. Erik was pretty sure where his lovely mate was headed and took a shortcut in hopes of beating her there.

When he reached the clearing, his poor wolf stumbled to a halt on legs like jelly at the sight of Sarah. She stood near the water completely nude and bathed in moonlight like some ancient goddess. Her blonde hair and satiny skin gave her an ethereal look that stole his breath.

Quickly shifting, he approached her on legs that were still rather unstable. Damn, he felt as if he were an untried boy around her! She completely destroyed his confidence and composure with a simple smile, making him want to drop down and beg for her affection.

Sarah looked up into his face, and his heart gave a painful thump at the emotions that were so plain to see. She cared for him. He felt it as clearly as he saw it on her lovely face, and his wolf howled.

He was determined to do this as well as his addled mind could think to, and he dropped to one knee before her. “Sarah, will you please be my mate? Will you accept my unwavering devotion to you and be mine forever?”

She smiled a dazzlingly bright smile that lit up his world and tackled him to the ground. “Of course, I will!” She cried, “Erik, I’ve been trying to find a way to show you how I feel, but I’m not exactly great at being affectionate.” She ducked her head, and he waited patiently as she seemed to struggle with what she had to say. “I’ve never done this before.”

“Done what? Taken a mate?” He chuckled. “Well, I should hope not.”

“Of course not, but that’s not what I’m referring to. I’m a virgin, Erik, so I really am a little nervous.” She couldn’t have shocked him more if she’d punched him in the face. His eyes were so wide he was sure she could see the whites of his eyes shining in his face, and the devilish grin he felt split his lips.

“So, I’ll be the first to show you the pleasures of a man and a woman? Perfect.” He rolled her beneath him, loving the feel of her soft body against his. “I plan to love you so well that no other man would stand a chance of impressing you.”

“You already do.” She lifted her head and kissed his lips tentatively, and he met her with a growl, sweeping his tongue across her lips.

Sarah was lost. Erik’s kisses had the ability to shut down her brain until the only thing she was capable of was feeling. And oh did she feel! She was burning up. Her breasts were ultra-sensitive and caused her to shiver as his thumbs grazed the tips.

She clutched his shoulders, writhing beneath him then stilling at the feel of his long, thick erection pressing on her belly. He groaned and pulled his lips from hers, only to trail them down her neck as he slid down her body.

“You taste so good,” he whispered. “I remember how sweet you taste, Sarah. The memories have been torturing me.” He gently suckled each nipple in turn as his hands lazily explored the rest of her. “I want to see if you’re still as sweet as I remember.”

“It’s only been a week!” Her breathless reply made him chuckle, sending his warm breath over her belly as he continued his journey to her core.

“I know. But it was a long, torturous week.”

Sarah couldn’t help the small giggle that escaped her or the gasp that followed as his tongue parted her folds. His long, firm strokes quickly had her panting, and her hands buried in his hair. He certainly believed in doing a thorough job, as he gently worked her body into a frenzy. She teetered on the edge of ecstasy, and he still teased her.

Just when she thought she couldn’t take any more, he thrust one thick finger into her. Sarah cried out at the sensation of being filled as her inner muscles clenched around his digit. After a moment, he eased in a second finger, stretching her, filling her, preparing her for him. And when he latched onto her clit, sucking and giving his tongue a little flick, she ignited. Her entire body seemed to spasm with the force of her release. Head flung back, she cried out as the waves crashed over her.

When he moved over her, she opened her eyes to behold the image of a warrior. His broad, muscled chest and well-defined shoulders, his flat, chiseled abs as he prepared to claim her. But his face captivated her above all else.

Erik looked at her with such passion evident in his eyes, those beautiful silver-blue eyes of a wolf.

Her wolf.

He dipped his head and gently kissed her, and she felt him at her entrance. “Are you sure?” he rasped.

“Positive.”

Erik was so gentle with her, easing in at an agonizingly slow rate. His body shook with his fight for control. Sarah knew he was trying not to hurt her, but he was killing her nonetheless.

“Now, Erik. Please,” she begged, wrapping her legs around his lean hips and digging in her heels. If he didn’t get on with it…

His growl was followed by a surge of his hips, which brought him in to the hilt and dragged a sharp cry from her lips as his thick shaft stretched her virgin sheath. He stilled for a moment until her body’s grip relaxed then he began to move again.

It amazed Sarah how her body quickly climbed toward that peak once more. His thrusts were long, powerful, and, oh, so wonderful. She felt her womb tightening again, her inner muscles rippling as her release neared.

“Come for me, Sarah.” His gruff command was all her body needed as his loving became even more urgent, his body driving into hers with enough force to bruise a human. But Sarah was no human and relished his rough loving.

This time when her orgasm took her, he sank his teeth into her shoulder, marking her. She splintered apart, soaring high and meeting Erik somewhere in the clouds. His soul had merged with hers, giving them the ultimate bond. She felt his emotions as if they were her own and would always know how he felt from now on. He would feel hers, as well.

She basked in the love they shared, reluctant to let go of him.

“That was amazing,” she whispered. “I love you, Erik.”

“I love you, too, Sarah. I think I’ve loved you since the day I met you.” He smiled, and Sarah felt more content in that moment than she could ever remember feeling.

All too soon, though, she felt a shiver run over her body. They’d both been so caught up in their desire the chilly air hadn’t been able to touch them, but with their bodies spent and sated, it was time to go back to the house. They both shifted and ran home, eager to hold one another again.

* * * *

The next few days were spent in the house, making love in every room, on every available surface.

Sarah had insisted that Erik go out and purchase some protection. She refused to get pregnant while there was still the danger of the other alphas to deal with, so Erik had returned with a bag full of condom boxes.

They’d gone through about half already. He was insatiable, and Sarah was no better. And she wasn’t even in heat!

Stephanie was due to pick up Sarah any minute now so that they could go shopping for costumes, but Erik seemed to have other ideas.

“Erik,” Sarah growled in warning, “if you don’t stop, Stephanie’s going to see your tight ass as soon as she opens that door.”

“Then lock it,” he suggested. “I can’t help it. You’re in a skirt, and all I can think of is lifting it and bending you over this couch.”

“Behave.” The mental image he’d conjured caused her reply to come out breathless and far less demanding than she’d intended.

“Only until you get home,” he replied. He was still nibbling on her neck when the doorbell sounded. “Damn.”

“Sorry, babe. We’ll be back in a little while.” She kissed him and darted out the door as he made a grab for her.

Stephanie raised an eyebrow at Sarah’s rumpled appearance. After quickly straightening her skirt and top, Sarah shrugged.

“Things are getting a little heated, I see,” Stephanie teased.

“You have no idea.” Sarah blushed. “I swear that man must run on batteries. He never seems to run out of energy.”

“We should all be so lucky.” There was absolutely no sympathy coming from Stephanie.

“Well, have you spoken to Abraham?”

“He’s called a few times, and we’ve talked on the phone. I’m just a little leery of getting involved with someone again. My last relationship was a complete disaster.”

“How so?” Sarah asked. She hoped to get the other woman talking and maybe steer the conversation toward whomever she was hiding from. The way Stephanie continuously checked her mirrors made Sarah wonder even more about the woman’s past.

“I got pregnant, and he split,” she confided. “He acted like it was my fault. I mean, hello? It takes two to make a baby, and I’m no saint, so immaculate conception is
out
.”

Sarah was momentarily stunned. “You have a kid? How old?”

Stephanie just shook her head. “I lost my baby six weeks before my due date.” She took a deep, shuddering breath before she added, “I barely survived the car accident, but my daughter was killed instantly…or so they said.”

“I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine what that must be like.” Dear God. To lose a child while still carrying it must be the single most painful experience a woman could go through in her life.

“It was horrible, I won’t lie. I’m still getting over the loss, if that’s even possible, but she’ll always be a part of me.” Stephanie gave a delicate sniff, trying to conceal her tears. “So, have you and Erik decided on costumes?”

Sarah decided to let the depressing subject go. She wasn’t accustomed to comforting the grieving. It was just another life experience she lacked due to her constant running.

“We’re going as Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf.”

Stephanie laughed, easing the depressing vibe that had entered the vehicle. “That will be cute.”

“It was actually his idea. He wants me to pick up a wolf mask for him and a dress and cape for myself.” Sarah fished out a credit card and flashed it to Stephanie. “Who the hell ever heard of a small town farmer having a black card?” she exclaimed. “I’m supposed to buy us lunch and buy the costumes as well.”

“That’s nice of him. I’ll have to remember to thank him when we get back.” Stephanie turned left and headed toward the freeway.

“Where are we going?” Sarah glanced around nervously. An uneasy feeling crept up on her. What if she was heading right to the very wolves she’d been running from? She had no idea if they were anywhere nearby.

“There’s a huge party store about fifteen miles from here, and they have some really cool costumes.” Stephanie glanced over at Sarah. “Is that all right with you?”

Stephanie had opened up to her about some of her past, so Sarah felt safe in doing the same. Besides, it was better to go into a situation prepared…just in case.

“Yeah, that’s fine, but if I tell you that we need to leave, don’t argue. Remember that I told you I
am
hiding from some people, and if I even think the men looking for me are around then we bolt. Got it?” Sarah kept her voice firm, ensuring that her point came across.

“That bad?”

“That bad.”

“So why do these guys want to find you so badly?”

It was a fair question. Stephanie just might not be able to accept the answer…well, the whole answer. “They’re just a couple of guys who can’t seem to take ‘no’ for an answer. I’ll admit things got physical, and I got the best of them. Needless to say, their pride was wounded, and now, they want to teach me a lesson.”

Stephanie’s jaw dropped then abruptly snapped shut.

“That’s horrible,” she all but growled, “So you mean to tell me that since you told them ‘no’ and they failed to listen, you had to defend yourself against these guys?”

“It’s hard for you to understand, I’m sure, but I come from a different culture. We have a way of life that borders on medieval. Arranged marriages and a hierarchy that’s positively archaic are just a few of the reasons why I left. Nevertheless, I’m a somewhat sought-after prize. I’m strong and an excellent fighter, so they feel I’d be better suited if I were married to a certain type of alpha male and give birth to an even stronger generation.” Sarah looked over at her newest friend and the frown marring her pretty face. “So if I say we need to go, you’ll understand?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely! I would love to get my hands on a few of the men in your culture, though. It seems like they could really stand to learn a few lessons on how to treat women.”

Stephanie was really getting worked up, so Sarah felt the need to change the subject.

“This may seem like an odd question to you, but have you ever ridden a motorcycle?” The abrupt change in the conversation must have startled Stephanie because she cast a confused look in Sarah’s direction before shrugging.

“I’ve ridden before, but it’s been a while.” She peeked at Sarah from the corner of her eye. “Why are you smiling?”

“Because I’ve seen Abraham’s vintage Harley. It’s black and chrome, and the way that big beast vibrates between your legs when you’re flying down the road…” Sarah sighed. “Let’s just say Erik and I had a fun time taking that bike for a spin.”

Laughter erupted in the cabin of the little red sports car, and a pleasant stream of conversation continued all the way into town.

Chapter Nine

“So, are you just going to surprise her and show up on the Harley without seeing if she can ride?” Erik asked as he watched Abraham polish the bike for a second time.

“Sarah’s checking on that for me today. She’ll let me know, but I think Stephanie would be fine if I just told her what to do,” Abraham rumbled. “Do you think they’ll be gone long?”

“I’m sure they’ll be gone for most of the day. Why?” Erik knew why. He just wanted to hear his brother admit it. Abraham was falling for this woman hard. He’d drive by the clinic, often eating his lunch in the diner across the street then drive by her home in the evenings just to see that she’d made it home safely. It was hilarious to Erik and his brothers, who never thought to see the immovable mountain, Abraham, crumble under the gaze of one small woman.

“I just worry about her and Sarah. They were heading over to that party store about fifteen miles or so out. I think Sarah could take care of herself if anything came up, but Stephanie isn’t like us. I don’t think I’d handle things well if she were hurt.”