Crimson Moon (22 page)

We reached the spot and he removed the tote on my shoulder, pulling it from my arm. I watched as he plopped the satchel onto the ground and dug inside, removing a thick blanket and then carefully spreading it out.

I sat down when he finished, laying on my back and lifting my arms over my head. The sky above was gray with heavy clouds, the sun barely visible. Amazingly, the temperature wasn't as hot, the air far less humid.

"I could spend an entire summer out here,” I murmured, closing my eyes and basking in the serenity of this heavenly warm place.

Caleb nestled next to me, an arm coming around and fingers brushing against my stomach. I opened my eyes and he was leaning over me, weight balanced on his elbow.

"Emma.” He breathed my name like a caress, a promise, face descending and lips brushing tenderly against mine.

I knew then that my surprise wasn't the quarry but something else all together. This was the last time we would have before I was sent away, the only time we could be completely alone. My heart began to race and my body began to tremble.

"Are you afraid?” he whispered, lifting away.

"I am.” I nodded, swallowing. “But only because I don't know what to expect."

"Is it your first time?"

Embarrassed, I murmured, “Yes."

"You don't have to be afraid, Emma. I'll be as soft as moonlight with you.” He seemed torn, playing with the hair at my temple. “I want everyone to know the bond has been consummated. No one can keep me from you once that happens. It's our way, our law."

I licked my bottom lip nervously and asked, “How would they know?"

"When we make love to our bonded mate.” He brushed his lips against my eyelids. “A portion of ourselves—our scent—is affixed to them permanently. All of my kind will know I've taken you as my own and that you've accepted the bond."

"W—what about,” I stammered, blushing, “birth control?"

He smiled at that and nuzzled my nose. “You're fine."

"How can you possibly know that?” I asked breathlessly, mind going blank when his fingers moved under my shirt and touched the skin at my navel.

He moved his head to my shoulder, pressing kisses to the hollow of my throat. “We can tell when a female is near her cycle."

"Oh,” I groaned, swamped with his presence, his nearness. The smell of the forest was stronger, combined with Caleb's own masculine scent.

His fingers moved in a direct path, a large palm finding and cupping my right breast. I moaned, arching into his hand. His thumb gently brushed the nipple beneath and my body responded, tingling and heating.

"I want you so badly, Emma.” He breathed against my skin, lips returning to my mouth. “I've never wanted anything so much. Will you make love to me?"

I couldn't think, left only to feel and want in turn, and I responded with the only word that made sense.

"Yes."

He growled, hand vanishing from underneath my clothes. He sat up and made quick work of his shirt, tanned skin glowing warm in the sun. He sat me upright and helped me with mine, pulling it over my head.

He stopped and his eyes traveled along my body. “You're so beautiful, absolutely perfect."

The embarrassment fled, replaced with a fierce and uncompromising intensity. I traced my fingers along the smooth skin across his chest and murmured, “So are you."

He returned to me, kissing my forehead, lips trailing down my nose, stopping at my mouth. His body settled over me and I relished the nearness, urging him closer.

His lips were rough when they ground against mine but his hands were ever so gentle, mere fingertips brushing against my bare skin. He pressed me back into the blanket, settling between my legs. His velvety warm tongue lapped at mine, moving in perfect harmony with his hips as he grinded against the unrelenting heat building between my legs.

My hands wound beneath his arms, fingers cupping and then digging in to the smooth skin at his back. I met each of his frenzied thrusts with my own, wrapping both legs around his waist and rotating my pelvis.

"I'm taking this off,” Caleb rasped thickly, lifting my body and unclasping my white cotton bra.

I started to protest the loss of his lips until his mouth brushed against my chin and throat, moving lower. His hand cupped my right breast and then his mouth surrounded the nipple, tongue tenderly flicking against the sensitive flesh.

A wet surge of molten heat erupted at the very center of my body and I cried out. “Oh, Caleb,” I whimpered, arching my back and raking my nails into his warm and giving skin. Nothing had ever felt so wonderful, so erotic.

He released the nipple and shifted to the left, bestowing the same ardent attention to the other side. The scents engulfing me were as overwhelming as the new impulses I was experiencing. I had the insane urge to bite at his skin, to encourage him to bury himself so deeply into my body he would always remain a part of me.

I found myself growling, nipping at his skin and breathing headily. When I caught myself biting at his shoulder I froze, groaning. “What's happening to me?"

"It's all right, Emma,
"
he assured me, lifting away despite my protest. “It's perfectly normal, trust me."

He removed his shoes and then mine, working at the button on my jeans and pulling them from my hips. He groaned when the material slid free and he saw my panties. “How did I know you'd choose those?"

My modesty resurfaced as my body cooled and I blushed, quickly averting my eyes. The white cotton panties with cherries were the most adorable of the bunch, not the sexiest.

"I would have thought you'd have liked the red lace,” I whispered, completely embarrassed.

"No, nothing with lace, I pictured you wearing
those
,” he confessed, returning to me and kissing my belly button. “How did you know?"

His warm and experienced tongue silenced my answer. His mouth descended on my breasts and his heated skin caressed mine as he came over my body, pressing down. His hands didn't remain on my breasts, exploring every surface of my body, putting every valley and crevice to memory.

I mimicked him, trailing my fingers along his spine and then bringing my palms to his chest, hands lingering against the corded muscles. He lifted himself as I worked my fingers down his stomach, toward the thin trail of hair that disappeared into his slacks.

When I stopped at the barrier he balanced himself on one arm, working at the button of the pants and then focusing on the zipper. He slid the material down his hips and our lips separated as he kicked them free of his legs along with his black boxer shorts, leaving nothing behind.

He returned his bare body to mine and I felt all of him, eyes growing wide as his swollen erection pressed into the softness of my belly. His blue eyes were there, watching me. The irises swirled, the inner edge a beautiful ice blue, the center deep indigo. I felt a flutter of nervousness return.

"Don't be afraid,” he whispered and kissed me tenderly, tongue brushing past my lips and then dipping inside.

His hands danced over my body, his fingers flickering across the sensitive skin, rotating around each hardened peak. I stopped breathing correctly, drawing in ragged gasps when I could, my body constantly moving. His mouth replaced his fingers and then his hand went lower.

I jumped and tensed when his fingers went beneath my panties and he touched the sensitive mound softly, cupping lightly with his hand and urging my legs apart with his hips. “I would never hurt you, Emma,” he soothed, brushing his finger gently along the outside of my sex.

He parted the folds carefully and slid a finger inside slowly, pressing forward until I took the entire length. Then he began shifting his hand back and forth, gauging my response as he watched my face. The warmth spread, enveloping me completely, a hot haze taking over everything as his mouth returned to my breasts.

"What are you doing to me?” I rasped, devoid of something I needed—unsure of what it was.

With each sweep of his tongue across my nipples, first left then right, I gasped. I cradled his head, wiggling uncontrollably. I felt hot but shook as if I were on ice. My body trembled violently inside and out, yearning for something I didn't fully understand.

Caleb's hand stilled and he placed another finger beside the first, gliding into my slick heat as I shifted, bucking and lifting my hips. Each thrust was too much yet not enough, and I began whimpering pitifully. He groaned and brought his free hand around to grasp my bottom and reach under, cupping and lifting.

"Please,” I breathed the plea, shivering uncontrollably. “Please, Caleb."

"Not yet. I want to taste you first,” he said, chest quaking and voice heady. He pulled my panties off with the hand lifting me, gliding the slip of cotton down my legs.

His mouth moved to my stomach, lips pressing against my hips and then descending further below.

The world disappeared with the first stroke of his hot tongue against my sex. I couldn't concentrate, couldn't focus. All I could do was feel and smell. Forest scents overtook my senses, drowning out everything but the man touching me, tonguing me, tasting me. His throaty growl was one of possession, as if he were marking me permanently. Each long and deep lap of his tongue grew bolder, until I relaxed completely and gave myself over to him entirely.

My body began to heat as I started climbing a pinnacle, each swipe of Caleb's wicked tongue bringing me nearer to the edge of it. His fingers moved in a deliberate and unhurried rhythm, combined with the continuous lapping as he sucked and licked at the center of my sex, and my body erupted.

A pulsating energy coursed through me and I cried out, whimpering and writhing in pleasure. The sensations were unimaginable, perfect—blissful.

"That's right. Just like that,” Caleb encouraged, moving his hand quickly against me. “God, you're beautiful."

My breathing was shallow and uneven as I descended from what felt like heaven, the cloudy sky above slowly coming into focus. Caleb's face reappeared and I reacted, reaching for him, pressing his mouth to mine. He kissed me tenderly, pulling away only as he moved against me.

"Do you want me, Emma?” he whispered hoarsely. “If you want to stop, tell me now."

"Don't stop, please.” I shook my head, voice husky. “I want you."

He guided my hand to his erection, groaning when my fingers wrapped around the shockingly warm but silken length.

"Touch me, feel me. Learn my body. I don't want you to be afraid."

I moved my hand as he instructed, stroking the satin flesh that became slick and heated. He was long and hard, rounded and thick, impossible to sheath with just one hand. My fingers rotated around the broad head, a thumb tracing the swollen crown and then the thin slit in the center.

He kissed me deeply, mirroring the thrusts of his hips with those of his tongue. The scent of forest returned, bringing my body to a fever pitch. I lifted my hips to meet the motions of his thrusts, groaning with the emptiness I could no longer bear.

"Please,” I moaned in agony, pressing my lips into his shoulder and gently biting down. I murmured wantonly against his skin, “Make love to me, Caleb. Make me yours."

His fingers wrapped around my wrist, stilling the movement. I let go, wrapping my arms around his waist, hands grasping his hips.

His body shook as he spoke, his arms trembling, “I'll be gentle."

He gazed into my face and guided the rounded head of his engorged length against my damp sex, wetting himself with my arousal and pushing forward to carefully merge our bodies. His shaft stretched me, notably thick and heavy as we slowly came together. The invasion was pleasant initially, becoming intrusive, and I could feel every inch of him as he moved deeper.

His eyes stayed locked with mine, the irises shifting like a kaleidoscope. The stretch turned to a slow burning, painful but not overly so. I trembled as the pain intensified, biting my lip.

"Relax, Emma. You have to relax for me.” He stopped moving, kissing my neck and nuzzling my ear. “You're so small and tight, and when you tense up, I'm afraid to move. I don't want to hurt you."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, doing as he asked and trusting him implicitly. His lips brushed over my eyelids and I opened them, meeting his gaze. His mesmeric indigo eyes shifted color, prismatic and gorgeous. I focused on the beauty of his swirling iris, blocking out everything else.

He rocked his hips, moving the tip of his shaft in and out of my body. I grew accustomed to the shallow thrusts, relaxing and going soft beneath him, and he lurched forward. A sharp pain caused me to gasp audibly and cry out as hot tears burned my eyes.

He stopped, burying his face inside the crook of my neck, his body trembling even harder as he struggled for control.

"It won't hurt anymore,” he whispered against my throat, brushing his fingers along my face, “I promise."

After a moment, he lifted onto his elbows, gazing down with concern and worry. “Are you okay?"

Unable to speak, I nodded instead.

He kissed away the tears in each eye before his lips covered mine. The easy laps of his tongue were soothing and comforting, until pain faded and pleasure returned. He moved his hips experimentally, bright blue eyes focused on my face, ensuring I wasn't in any pain.

I gasped at the new sensations, encouraged by the pleasure wrought from his movements. The hands wrapped tightly around his waist relaxed, fingers changing from gentle to harsh as the warmth I experienced before returned. The smell of cedar and grass intensified with this newfound ecstasy, creating an insatiable frenzy.

"Caleb,” I moaned his name, shocked by the intimacy of having him inside me, reveling in the unison of our bodies moving so perfectly together. I matched each thrust of his hips, rising up to meet them.

"Christ,” Caleb lifted his head as he continued to drive his hips forward, taking all I offered to him, peering into my face with total adoration. “You feel so good, Emma."

Caleb's movements remained slow and even, pushing me forward, bringing me to that blissful place. As I neared climax he brought his hand down, brushing his fingers against the swollen center of my sex, and everything shattered.