York (15 page)

Chapter 28

York stalked into
StoneCrow manor with a fierce determination.  Sky watched his jaw clench and felt his shoulders bunch under her arm. 

“Am I heavy?  You can put me down.”

“No!” he didn’t look at her.  “I’m getting you to our suite as quickly as possible before anything else can prevent my claiming.”

She smiled at the fierce possession in his growl as his arms tightened beneath her shoulders and under her legs.  She wanted to say something to soothe him, but wasn’t quite sure what would do the trick. 

He carried her to an elevator and waited until the doors slid open before entering.  The car was lined with mirrors all up and down the back and side walls while the front doors were  clear glass.  

Peeking up at York she watched him scowl at the numbers that pinged their ascension. 

“Leto said you haven’t eaten or slept.”

His response was a low growl as he continued to watch the panel. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.  “If I’d have known…”

He dipped his head to stare at her.  “I wanted you on your terms, not coming to me out of pity.”  His body suddenly tensed.  “That’s not what this is…is it?”

She hid a smile at the worry she read in his eyes. 
Awww! 
“No, York.  I want you just as much as you want me.”

He snorted and lifted his eyes to the doors as they slid open with a muttered, “Impossible.”

He carried her down a hall and stopped at a door.  Without putting her down he pulled a key card from his pocket and held it to the lock before it beeped and the door clicked open.

“This will be our temporary home until our cabin is finished.  I requested a home near Sky but only because I knew you’d want to be near her.”  He carried her through the suite without stopping.  “We’ll go see the progress tomorrow and if you’d like a new location, it can be done.”

Her eyes quickly scanned the elegant suite and she smiled at his consideration even as butterflies flitted to life in her belly.  This was it.  She was about to be fully claimed by her Walker.  There was no going back.  From here on out she’d be York’s.  She was ready.

York carried her to the bedroom and kicked the door closed behind them.  Gently placing Sky on her feet her reached for his own shirt and ripped the front of it open.  “Get undressed,” he growled.

Sky backed up but didn’t remove any clothing.  When she took another step away from York, his eyes narrowed on her.  Bending to jerk off his boots, York finally stood and reached for the front of his jeans.  “Do you know what happens to prey that runs from a predator?”  He dipped his head and smiled wickedly.  “She gets caught.”

Sky was tempted to test him, but that wouldn’t be fair.  She’d made him wait long enough.  Besides she wanted him too badly.  Watching as he hooked his thumbs in his jeans and shoved down, she felt her heart accelerate at the thick erection that popped free and pointed straight at her.  She bit her lip and moaned, which caused his eyes to jerk to hers.  She smiled demurely and nodded with her head toward the bed, “Unbraid your hair and get on the bed.”

He didn’t move.

“York,” she grabbed the hem of her shirt and ripped it over her head.  “If you want to claim me, then listen to me.”  Again she jerked her head toward the bed.  “Get on the bed.”

She saw the lines of his frame go rigid with tension.  He stared at her for long moments before he reached up and unbound his hair, ran his fingers through it, then walked to the bed and sat on the edge watching her. 

Not exactly what I had in mind, but...

York’s hands gripped his knees and his knuckles shone white under the pressure.  Clearly, he was having trouble restraining himself.

Sky didn’t smile triumphantly as she wanted.  Instead she copied him and pulled off her shoes before unfastening her jeans and shoving them down, taking her panties with them.  She stepped out of the pool of her clothes and reached back to unfasten her bra before dropping it to the floor.

Slowly, she approached the bed with intentions of straddling his lap.  He didn’t need to lay down for her to be in charge. She didn’t get the chance.  As soon as she was within reach, he grabbed her around the waist and stood, spinning her and pushing back until she was pinned beneath him on the bed.  His knees separated hers and she was spread wide beneath him, his rigid cock nudging her entrance, but he didn’t enter her.  He lowered his head and claimed her mouth in a powerful kiss that grew in intensity.  Sky met his intensity as the need within her swirled into a raging inferno.  She writhed beneath him, trying to get him to slide into her. 

Suddenly he broke the kiss.  “Wait!”

“What?   Wait!   Why wait?  What’s…” her voice was breathless.

York cupped her cheek and leaned in to stare deeply into her eyes.  “I want to say this before anything else, that way you know I’m not just caught in the moment.”

She wiggled her hips impatiently.  “Fine.  Tell me!  Hurry…what is it?”

“I love you, Sky.”

She stopped wiggling and sucked in a breath.  Tears pricked her eyes, and her heart contracted and she recognized the sweet ache of emotion.  “I…I love you too, Big Red.” 

He frowned with a growl.

“York.”  She amended.  “I love you,
York
!” 

She was rewarded with a beaming grin and then it was her turn to frown.  “But if you don’t move those hips in two seconds, I’m going to
friggin’ scream!”

He leaned forward and pushed into her with a slow hiss.   

He worked into her slowly, and it wasn’t as he’d expected.  He’d heard from the other mated Walkers that they’d struggled to hold back their beasts.  Hell, with his claiming of Aries, Conn Drago had even admitted that he’d fought the urge to out-right shift, but there was none of that for York.  His inner beasts were calm, content to allow the man to do the claiming.  Perhaps they sensed his need for this moment.  They were gifting him the first taste of his angel’s love.

His pace was slow and sensual as his hands glided over warm, velvety soft skin.  He cupped Sky’s breasts and let his hands taper down her waist to knead her tummy.  She was soft and so fucking beautiful.  His eyes didn’t leave hers.  He wanted to watch his angel as he made love to her and claimed her, and he was overjoyed that her eyes stayed connected with his even as little gasps left her parted lips and small shudders wracked her body.  She lifted her hips and met his thrusts as they quickened.  The sensual sounds of sex filling the room.  His chest began to rumble with a contented purr as he felt her channel tighten around him and then loosen before she tightened again. She was getting close.

Bending over her, she hiked her legs up and locked her ankles together just above his ass.  His pace was frenzied now and her moans had turned to cries that bounced off the walls. 

“York! K-kiss me!”

His lips found hers and his tongue darted into her mouth.  He felt her body jerk and knew she was barely hanging on.  He had intended to pull back to tell her to wait, but when her lips wrapped around his tongue and sucked, he lost all rational thought.  His body seized as her pussy trembled around him with her orgasm even as he shot his seed deep inside her, marking her, claiming her,
mating
her.

Sky continued to suck on his tongue with slow erotic tugs of her mouth that mimicked the clenching of her pussy as it milked the remainder of his seed from him.  After long moments, he rolled to the side and pulled her until she lay sprawled across his chest, both of them struggling to slow their breathing.

When Sky finally caught her breath and peeked up at York, emotion shown in his eyes.  “Don’t ever leave me again!”  It wasn’t a command, it was a plea that had Sky’s own raw emotion clogging her throat.  She’d remembered his words.  He’d told her that his parents had abandoned him that they hadn’t wanted him either, implying that she didn’t want him. 

“
Never!” 
The word left her with a vehemence she hoped he felt.  “I am yours, York.  Now and always.  I carry a child…
your
child!  And I love you more than I’ve ever loved anything in my life.”  She watched him tilt his head back and close his eyes.  His throat convulsed as he swallowed hard and she watched him bask in her words as if they’d meant more to him than she’d ever know.  Perhaps they had, but she’d meant every word.

Drawing in a breath he opened his eyes and lowered his forehead to hers before speaking softly.  “Forever then.”

“Forever,” she repeated. 

Exclusive Excerpt

Skin Walkers: RedKnife

By

Susan A. Bliler

The bar was empty tonight, so Cindy Sambrano wiped down the already clean tables and used the remote to flip on the large flat screen TV that sat just behind the bar.  She scanned the channels until she found a hockey game then made herself a cherry coke before taking a seat on the other side of the bar.  She’d done it often because she knew she’d be able watch for customers in the mirror that stretched the entire expanse of the wall behind the bar. 

“Come on Detroit!”  she yelled at the screen, deflated that the Colorado
Avs had just scored on her team.  “Dominick Hasek would’ve never given up that goal!”  She shook her head in disgust, “Amateurs.”

Cindy jumped at the sound of a chair being pulled out.  Her hand flew to her chest as she spun to what had only moments before been an empty bar.  Her eyes locked on
RedKnife as he slowly sat, the wooden chair creaking under his weight. 

“Jesus!  You scared me.”  She noted that instead of decelerating, her heart actually quickened in pace.

RedKnife watched her curiously without responding. 

Okay not much of a talker. 
Cindy grabbed the remote and turned the TV off before walking to the other side of the bar and grabbing a dry towel before throwing it over her shoulder. 

“What can I get you?”  She was fighting the blush that crept over her.  Just a few short minutes ago she’d lied about having sex with him and then she’d kissed him unabashedly, pretending to be his girlfriend. 

When he didn’t respond, she dropped her eyes and pulled the towel from her shoulder to swipe at a non-existent spot on the bar. 

“Did you want something to drink?”  She was trying to play it cool.

“Beer,” he answered in a low rumble.

She couldn’t help but wonder if the deep timbre of his voice was natural or if he was intentionally pitching it low to intimidate her.  She didn’t ask for specifics, she just reached in the cooler and retrieved a cold beer before twisting the cap off and setting it on a napkin in front of him.  “Two seventy-five.”

RedKnife handed her a fifty and she made change quickly before returning and laying his money the table.  She still refused to meet his gaze even though she knew she’d been under his careful scrutiny since he’d walked in.  When she went to pull her hand back, his much larger one caught her wrist.

“Why did you lie?”

Her eyes slid up to his.  Christ, he was hot!  Full lips set in a square jaw, perfectly tanned skin stretched over sharp features.  She watched as his eyes seemed to darken even further.  His long straight black hair was pulled back into a braid that hung down to his waist.  God what she’d give to see that hair unbound. 

She tried to pull her hand back, knowing her pulse was thundering under his touch.  “A lie deserves a lie,” she stated simply.  Her brows furrowed when he refused to release her.

“Meaning?”

Cindy frowned at him.  “They were wrong, lying to try to prosecute you.  I just fibbed a little.”

His voice smoothed over her, “You said we slept together.”

She didn’t even attempt to hide the flush that singed high on her cheeks at the statement.  “Do you mind?”  She glared down at where his hand held hers trapped.  When she looked back up, his eyes drifted down to her lips then back up to her eyes before he released her.

She wasted no time in turning her back on him and retreating behind the bar to open the dishwasher.  She worked furiously at pulling out clean dry glasses and stacking them on the back bar.  “The lie was a favor,” she couldn’t help the annoyance that edged her tone.  “You’re welcome.”

“Why?”

Fuck, I wouldn’t have if I’d have known it would turn into this.
  Exasperated, she faced him, planting both hands on her lean hips.  “Did you kill that missing man?” 

When he didn’t answer she crossed her arms over chest.  “Well…did you?” her brows hiked with the last two words.

“No.” 

“Then why should you pay for something you didn’t do.”

“You didn’t know.” 

“What?  That you were innocent?”  She uncrossed her arms and turned back to her glasses.  “Brock and Mason knew.”

“You trust them?”

“They’ve never given me any reason not to.”

She turned when she heard his stool scrap on the wood floor, and watched as he paced to the end of the bar then came behind it, stalking her. 

“So you don’t
truly
know if I’m a killer or not, you just trust that Brock and Mason know.”

Her heart slammed into the wall of her chest.  He was right!  She’d gotten him off without being certain he wasn’t the murderer the police were looking for.  She took a step back as he slowly approached.  “C-customers aren’t supposed to be behind the bar,” she asserted weakly.

His lips tilted in a mocking smile but he continued his approach.

“I could lose my job.”  She was trying to appeal to his sense of decency.  She’d done him a favor.  He should be happy about it.  She took several steps back, talking as she went.  “Monroe won’t like that you’re behind the bar.”  When her back hit the furthest end of the bar her heart fluttered.  She was trapped.  Her eyes darted to the door praying for a customer.  Nothing.  She was alone with a man that the police had under surveillance for murder.

“I do not fear Monroe.”  His eyes pinned her in place as he approached, towering over her.

Cindy shook her head, but didn’t respond, her mouth falling open.

“I fear
no
man.”  His expression hardened.

Seconds away from screaming for help, Cindy swallowed hard and drew in a deep breath.

“Why did you help me?” RedKnife demanded, now inches in front of her.

Cindy lifted her eyes, trying to tamp down her fear of him.  He was so close that she had to tilt her head far back just to meet his eyes.  “B-because I don’t think you’re guilty.”

He lifted a hand to touch her cheek.  The gesture was done awkwardly, like he’d never stroked a woman’s cheek before.

Cindy flinched involuntarily then cursed herself as a growl rumbled from his chest before his free hand gently—yet firmly—collared her throat to hold her in place as he once again lifted fingers to her cheek.

“You give me the benefit of the doubt?”

Taking a steadying breath, she looked up to meet his eyes determinedly, blinking back the fearful tears that pooled there.  “Yes.”  It was said with conviction and she shuddered as she watched his eyes darken.

“It’s not your place.”

She didn’t move, afraid the slightest gesture could set him off.  “If I’ve offended you…I-I apologize.” 

RedKnife’s fingers slide down her cheek until his thumb eased over her bottom lip.  “Not offended.  Something else.”

Cindy tested a cautious step back, but the hand around her throat tightened marginally as
RedKnife tilted his head and stared down at her, studying her.  Then he leaned in and inhaled deeply and his chest rumbled. 

Fuck!  What have I done?

Cindy lifted both hands, placing them firmly against his chest and she pushed.  “I…I have to get back to work.”

His lips peeled back from perfect teeth in a snarl as he growled his displeasure.  At first, she’d thought she’d angered him with her words, but then she saw his gaze jerk to the side.

“RedKnife?”

Cindy shifted her eyes, startled to find Monroe standing just inside the door.  Relief washed over her as
RedKnife loosened his grip by a fraction.  His eyes came back to her, roving over her features as if taking in every detail as he ignored the CEO. 

“Ms.
Sambrano needs to get back to work.  I’m not paying her to stand around.”

Something in the way Monroe made the statement let Cindy know that
RedKnife shouldn’t be forced.  The CEO wasn’t commanding as he typically would have.  No, he was cajoling the larger Walker.  It was terrifying even if the man was sexier than any she’d ever seen in her life.  She kept her hands on his chest and was about to push at him again when Monroe shook his head imperceptibly.

She stilled and lifted her eyes to slowly meet
RedKnife’s and whispered, “I-I have to get back to work.  My boss is here.  I need this job.  I don’t want to get in trouble.”

RedKnife’s
features contorted into a sneer.  “Do you fear him?”  RedKnife looked at Monroe, anger and challenge evident in his scowl. 

“No,” Cindy answered quickly, “I just have a lot to do before I get off.”

He turned his eyes back to her, “When?”

She shook her head, “When what?”

“When are you off?” he demanded impatiently.

Cindy swallowed hard. 
Why does it matter?
  Her eyes flitted to the clock that hung behind the bar.  “Two.”

RedKnife
leaned in again and Cindy’s heart stuttered to a halt.  For a fraction of a second she thought he’d intended on kissing her.  Instead, he again inhaled deeply, his cheek brushing over hers as his nose brushed over her hair, another growl rumbling deep in his chest.

“Two,” he repeated before releasing her and walking out from behind the bar, brushing past Monroe and leaving the Crow’s Nest without another word.