Cross (8 page)

C
ross groaned
.

Ariadne’s eyes rolled to the back of her head.

She dropped to the floor before Doc or Cross could get to her.

Cross leapt from the bed, ignoring the aftereffects of the hibernation, pushing the weakness of expending so much energy to heal his body.

“Jesus.” He shook his head. He’d been in a hibernating heal. Essentially like a bear-induced coma while his body recuperated from the rounds he’d taken.

“You seem to be recovered.” Doc joined him on the floor checking on Ariadne. “She got a nasty bump on her head, said she couldn’t remember how.”

“Yeah, that was while she was in the cabin.”

The events flashed through Cross’s mind. The second explosion. Hiding her in the bunker.

Tasting her blood.

Damn his bear.

Doc was watching his face. “Is it what I think it is?”

“We didn’t couplebond, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Yeah, but… something happened.”

Cross nodded.

“I thought I saw that in her eyes. She’s connected to you. She’s been thinking you were dead. I could see it. But I couldn’t ease her mind by telling her the truth.”

“Guess she knows it now,” Cross shook his head. She would hate him. She’d run away as fast as she could now that she knew the truth about him, about his bear.

“I know what you’re thinking. You need to stop that. She’s stronger than you realize. And her bond to you is stronger than you know. I saw the pull between the two of you the first time I met her. Mae saw it too.”

Cross scratched his jaw. His beard had gotten thicker and scruffier than even he could tolerate it.

“She’ll hate me.”

“Cross?”

Ariadne!

“You need to talk to her.” Doc slipped out the door. “I’m going to go check on Mae. Call if you need anything.”

Cross nodded. He’d healed fine. He didn’t need Doc to keep watch over him.

And he had some talking to do with Ariadne.

He took a deep breath.

Yeah, he had a lot of talking to do with her.

“Hey.” He leaned close, his eyes taking in her face. He’d dreamt about her during hibernation. He’d felt her sadness. Felt her desolation, but there was nothing he could do. His bear wouldn’t let him come out of the deep sleep, it knew it would kill both of them.

He drank in her face, noticing her paleness. Damn her face looked gaunt. Her golden-green eyes had lost their luster.

“You’re alive.” Her gaze was locked on his face. “I thought you…”

“I know. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

“You knew? That I thought you were dead?” Her eyes grew wide. “How did you know?”

Aw man.

He knew what he should do. Send her away. Tell her a lie. Being a shifter’s mate wasn’t always what it should be. The danger of territorial wars, old grudges, new enemies…

Compound that with his job. This would never work.

She frowned, waiting for his response.

Fuck it. He wasn’t about to let go of Ariadne. No way. No how.

He pushed a loose lock of hair back from her forehead, studying the spot where she’d hit her head. Still not fully healed of course, because she wasn’t a shifter. If he bonded with her, she’d heal faster.

But did she want that? Did she want to be his?

He vacillated—back and forth, back and forth.

Be honest.

Lie.

Tell her what you are.

Don’t tell her shit.

Over and over, he won and lost the battle to reveal himself to her fully.

“Cross?”

He clenched his jaw. He had to give her the choice.

“Yeah.” He squared his shoulders. “Telling you the truth could mean losing you.”

“Never.”

She said never, but she had no idea—did she?

Ariadne lifted herself upward, moved slightly, leaned against the wall next to him. She laced her fingers in his.

“I never thought I could trust someone the way I trust you.” Her voice was husky.

He realized that was because of the emotions—she had to be thinking of her father and the betrayal at Ben’s hands.

“I know you’ll never do anything to hurt me, Cross. I know it. And remember your promise, no lies.”

“I think you know the worst there is to know. You saw my bear.”

She nodded, then leaned her head against his arm. “I did. At first I thought I was seeing things, but after that day, when you took me to the bunker, things changed. I felt like there was this invisible bond between us.”

“There was. I created a bond when I took your essence in me.”

She looked confused.

“Your blood. From the cut on your temple.”

“Wait. Hang on.” She stood up and began to pace the room.

His eyes followed her silhouette as she made loose circles in front of the bed.

Her hips moved temptingly, her breasts swayed, her curves tantalized him with every step.

Cross felt a stirring in his pants. With each step Ariadne took, the stirring grew, stronger, deeper.

She paused, chewed her lip, then began the pacing again.

“I get that I saw the bear. And I haven’t even wrapped my head around that yet. I know I should be freaked out. Why am I not?”

“Because, when I took a part of you in me, it opened up my soul to yours. Deep down, what I am couldn’t shock you because you knew already.

Though it’s not quite as strong as a couplebond.”

She froze. “Tell me more.”

Cross ground his teeth. His attraction to this woman was too much. Now she wanted him to tell her that he’d have to couple bond her while his cock was buried deep in her body and she was in the middle of a climax?

“God.” He groaned the word out, dropped his head in his hands. “You’re killing me woman.”

A surge of adrenaline followed the tingle and drove through him like a locomotive. The adrenaline was more powerful than anything he’d ever felt before. More powerful than the adrenaline on the most dangerous mission he’d ever been on. Though he couldn’t even remember it, he could barely remember his own name, that’s how wrapped up he was in this woman.

His mate.

If she’d have him.

“So, this couple bond…?”

“Happens when we…”

Goddammit.

He was never tongue-tied around women. Then again, he’d never had these feelings before.

It was clear she had a lightbulb moment. Her greenish-gold gaze showed understanding. A flush kissed her cheeks.

That blush didn’t help—his cock responded with a twitch.

Cross scented her arousal, and it awakened both the bear and the man in him. It heightened his sexual drive. His cock strained, pushing, needing her. Wanting to possess, own, take, and brand himself deep within her.

Wanting to be sure she never had any reason not to trust him.

He’d have to bond her.

“Do you want to…?”

Ariadne cocked her head to the side, a glint in her eye. She swiveled to face him. “I do.”

A frown creased Cross’s forehead. “You do what?”

“I do want to.” She placed a hand on his stomach then her fingers crept their way up over his chest, wandering through the sprinkle of hair, up, over, then around his neck. Her eyes gleamed, locked on his, her cheeks flushed.

Without taking his eyes off of hers, he reached for her top, took it by the hem, and raised it over her head. Her low-cut bra left the upper halves of her creamy breasts exposed for his viewing pleasure. Her chest moved with each breath, as if offering her body to him.

“Ariadne.” His voice rumbled from deep within, part his, part his bear’s.

They’d gone too far. He couldn’t push his bear back anymore. The fever to make her his forever was too strong.

He picked her up and set her on the bed, then reached behind her, unhooked her bra, and pulled it off, setting her breasts free, her nipples at attention, dark pink pebbles, waiting for his touch. He lowered his head, blew a breath on one, watching it swell and harden.

Ariadne gasped, threw her head back, her legs spreading, probably unaware of the vision of sexiness she made. Certainly not aware of the depths to which his need ran.

Cross took her nipple in his mouth, drawing it in, sucking on it, letting his teeth graze it as she moaned and dug her fingers in his scalp. Her nails bit into his flesh. He reached for her other breast, weighed its fullness in his hand, squeezing it while his thumb and forefinger plucked and rolled its hardness as Ariadne squirmed on the bedspread, her hands fisting the fabric, pulling it up.

Her moans took him to a place he wouldn’t be able to leave. His body yearned to have her slickness wrapped around his shaft, milking his lust, pouring hers over his flesh.

While his mouth pulled on her nipple, his hand drifted down, unbuttoned and unzipped her pants, and tugged them over her hips. She raised her ass, and he slid them off. Her aroma rose, searing his senses with the essence of her flavor, pushing all inhibitions aside.

Fuck being gentle.

He shoved her legs apart, lowered his head into her trimmed patch and drew her scent in, filling his lungs with the essence of her.

A
riadne held her breath
, her fingers entwined in Cross’s hair, pushing him lower, wanting his mouth to take her the way he’d conquered her very soul.

His tongue touched the top of her slit and slid through the folds.

Ariadne gasped.

Then his tongue touched her clit. A cry escaped her, one of desperation—she had to have him, to be had by him.

“Cross.” She couldn’t control the sharpness of the need that drove her forward.

“I need you.”

She spread her legs, putting her heels on the edge of the bed, opening herself to him.

He spread her lips with his fingertips.

“Fuck, I love your body. It’s beautiful.”

He blew warm air on her.

Its hotness turned cool as it passed over her lips. He spread her even more, unhooding her tiny button, touching his tongue to the sensitive little bud.

Ariadne jumped as if an electric surge had touched her clit. The sensation journeyed to her nipples, and then, rather than stopping, it sent a bolt of desire straight to her head. He slipped a finger in. “So wet for me already.”

Ariadne moaned, heard the sound of his zipper, felt heat and fullness against her entrance. She reached down, touched his velvety steel shaft, its mushroom head throbbing against her fingertip. She wiggled, trying to get him to enter her channel. She wriggled even closer to the edge of the bed.

Cross took her ass in his hands. She grabbed his hips, if he didn’t do it soon, she would pull him in her with a fierceness that was bound to hurt deliciously. With a thrust and a stretching, he filled her, pushing her to a place she’d never been before.

Powered by desire, he pulled back, his head almost completely out, and drove back in, a groan on his lips.

In and out, he thrust in the same way several times while a fierce feeling built in Ariadne.

She couldn’t pinpoint it, but somewhere, in her mind or in her body, or both—everywhere—a wave crested.

She shoved it away, overwhelmed and confused by the intensity of it.

Cross pushed her thighs farther apart, driving deeper then pulled out completely, leaving her with an empty desolation.

Pulling her to her feet, he turned her around, and pushed her against the wall, her body flat on its surface. He spread her legs with his knees. She felt his cock against her lips and shimmied backward, needing its promise of pleasure.

She moaned.

Cross thrust, pushing her open while encasing his shaft deep within her. She grunted as he hit the back wall of her pussy and began a rhythmic, fast pumping. Grabbing her hips, he pulled her tighter to his body.

He raised a hand, brought his palm down on her ass.
Smack!

She flinched, her muscles tightening around him, grabbing his pulsing cock as he pushed it in deeper. A flash of light behind her eyelids was followed by a sizzling sensation in her veins as she climaxed. Her muscles tightened even more, milking him as he roared and leaned forward.

“Now.” His voice was a hiss, spiked with lust and need.

“Yes. Yes. Yes. God yes.” She panted, the words torn from her throat.

Another orgasm started, and she pushed back on him.

He pulled her backward, grabbed her breasts with both hands while his cock was still firmly buried in her. At the base of his cock, surrounded by her lips and pulsing muscles, she felt him swelling. With a bellow, he bit into her shoulder and released his essence deep within at the same moment. A pulsating jet of heat hit the back of her channel then traveled downward, coating her walls and his cock.

“I love you.” His voice was low, a whisper as his breath traveled over the back of her neck. “My mate.”

A sigh passed over Ariadne’s lips. She wiggled against him, safe in the comfort of his love.

A
riadne stretched
, pulling her shoes back on and smiled at a patiently waiting Cross.

He reached for her hand, pulling her toward the front door. “Let’s go for a walk.”

He held the door open, then exclaimed, “Well, I’ll be damned.”

Little Buck was waiting by the front porch.

“He was here when I pulled up,” Ariadne said.

“Ben shot his mother. I heard him tell one of his men.” The idea of it still made Cross burn with a renewed fury.

“I ruined his life.” Her voice was hoarse.

“No, you didn’t make Ben evil. His brand of evil is born that way. But he won’t hurt any other innocents.”

Buck approached, tucking his head into Cross’s palm.

Cross leaned down, ran his fingers over the little deer’s neck and body. “Glad to see you made it. I should let Mac know he’s here. She texted me to say he was missing before—hell broke loose.”

“Think he’ll stay?” Ariadne reached out.

Buck nuzzled her fingertips.

“I’m pretty sure he will. As long as we do.”

She gave Buck a gentle pat.

“Hey.” Cross touched her shoulder. “As long as
we
do.”

“I heard you.” She smiled at the expectant look on his face.

“That includes you.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“I guess I should tell you about my job.”

“Does this have something to do with the high-tech room?”

“Yeah.”

He didn’t know how much he should overwhelm her with.

“I’m in a military group of sorts. We go on missions to bring evil-doers in check.”

“Ooooh-kay.” Confusion colored her voice.

“We serve four years, then take one year off to recharge. Then we can re-up.”

“My brothers enlisted shortly after I did. I expect we’ll be seeing them in the next few weeks.”

“That’s what you’re doing now? Recharging?”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “That’s one way to describe it. I’m taking the year and spending it with you. Then we can decide if you want to stay here or go with me wherever I’m assigned.”

“So I get a whole year to decide if I want to be with you?”

A twinkle in her eye got her a smack on the ass.

Buck studied them with an interested gaze.

“No woman, you’re stuck with me for good.”

“That’s exactly what I wanted to hear.”

She rubbed her ass. “Don’t make that a habit, mister.” She reached for the locket, rubbing it.

“That’s special to you isn’t it?”

“It was my mother’s.”

“It’s bugged. That’s how Ben found you.”

“Oh my God.” She jerked on the locket.

Not wanting her to break the chain, Cross took her hands in his.

“Hold your hair back.”

He unfastened the locket, popped it open with his thumbnail and moved the photo of a woman and her baby aside.

“See?”

Tiny. Black. Almost her death warrant.

He removed it, crushed it between his fingers and let it fall to the ground.

“Hard to believe. Something that small could have tracked me.” Ariadne stomped on it, then ground it into the dirt.

“Hey, he’s not coming after you. No one is. Montez and Ben aren’t threats anymore. He put his arm around her, buried his nose in her hair, inhaled her scent.

She smelled delicious.

Like sex.

Like Ariadne.

Like forever.

Keep reading for an excerpt from Lance: Book Two of Barely After Dark