Hearts of Ishira (Hearts of Ishira Saga) (47 page)

She cried out as sensation thundered through her. It was such a delicate touch, but she was already almost at her peak, so even the lightest touch was incredible. He growled his approval, using the spasm that followed his caress to gain a bit more of her. She panted, loving the feel of him, and relaxed so that he could push a bit further into her. She ignored the ache as she lifted her legs and widened herself for him, wrapping them around his waist. When he stopped moving, his fingers began to torture her again. He bent and took her nipple into his mouth once more. The combination of his fingers against her clit and his mouth at her breast were too much. Crying out, she held him to her as his hips shoved forward once more. He rocked back, dragging himself almost out of her, and she whimpered at the sudden emptiness. She tightened her thighs, clamping him to her even as her arms tightened around his head.

“Hunter,” she whispered brokenly, pleading. His mouth moved to torture her other breast as his fingers danced against her clit, rubbing and tickling, plucking and twisting, urging her toward a peak she’d never imagined. With each delicate spasm that shook her, she grew wetter, slicker, and he gained more ground. When she felt his hot length pulsing against her g-spot, she cried out in exultation and held him as tightly as she could, her body throbbing toward completion. She needed him, fully within her, and it needed to happen soon.

“Hunter, now! Please!” she sobbed when she could take no more of the exquisite torture.

Without questioning her, he reared up enough to slide his arms beneath her once more. She held a breath, waiting. For a long moment, he just held her gaze, letting her see the roiling passion within him, then he groaned and slowly slid all the way home.

Her world exploded. Spasms more powerful than she’d ever known gripped her walls, tightening and releasing around him, pulling and pushing against the large intrusion at the same time. He held still for her, waited for her shivers and shaking to ease, then pulled back slowly and urged her to open her eyes. When she did, she found him grinning down at her, his eyes wild and smoldering. Locking gazes with her, he slammed into her fully with one powerful thrust. Her whimper of combined pain and pleasure spurred him on, and he delved in and out of her, slow, then fast and hard, never the same pace, building her quickly to another peak and holding her there for long moments.

Finally, when she was thrashing beneath him and he could sense how close she was to a last climax, he could take no more. He thrust himself as deeply into her body as he could go, captured her scream of pleasure with a deep kiss, and pumped, fast and hard, until his own orgasm tore through him, ripping a triumphant cry from his throat. He emptied himself into her, barely aware that she was coming again, too, her thighs tight around his hips, her head thrown back in a silent, breathless scream of ecstasy, her body shuddering and shaking beneath and around his, her inner muscles milking every drop of his seed and wringing every ounce of sensation from him. Energy spiked, a brilliant flash that moved through both of them as she came. Taken by surprise, Hunter jerked against her, his own orgasm more powerful than he’d ever experienced before. His energy joined hers and enveloped them both, crackling and whipping through them as their bodies bucked and shook against each other.

Finally, as though his orgasm had drained all of his life force from him, he collapsed on her, too weak to hold himself up any longer. She breathed heavily, sighing his name against his ear and stroking his sleekly furred back. When they could breathe again, he levered himself slightly off to her side, and, still joined to her, wrapped her in his arms. They fell asleep like that, entwined and still connected, her face buried in his chest, his hands buried in her hair, holding her to him as though he was afraid to let her go.

When they awoke, minutes or hours later - neither was sure- he smiled down at the warm, snuggly bundle in his arms. She was so soft, so… substantial. The women she had been captured with were so tiny. Like older children, really, more than women. They had yet to gain the stores of womanly fat that would provide cushioning for their men and warmth for them both during the long winter months. And so many of them were far skinnier than Hunter would have liked. Jace had even verified that most were malnourished. They needed to be fed, encouraged to build up the needed protection against winter’s cold and hunger that was sure to come. He wondered at a society that could see almost child-like forms like those of the girls, as preferable over the curvy, soft form of one such as his Arianna or Trey’s Beverly. She had obviously been subjected to ridicule for her extra weight, her natural, womanly curves, and he wished that he could wring the necks of those who’d made her feel so inferior. She was perfect as she was, beautiful and delightfully plump, just as a woman should be.

He absently stroked her smooth back as he thought about the love they’d just made. It was, perhaps, the most incredible experience of his adult life. She was remarkable… giving and sensual, uninhibited once he got her going, and so very sweet. He worried a bit about her leg. She hadn’t made any noises to indicate he’d hurt her, but then again, they’d both been a bit distracted. He worried that he could set back her healing, but when he delved gently into her mind, all he found was contentment, happiness, and a deep satisfaction that was a surprise to her. He grinned rather smugly to himself and kissed the top of her head, closing his eyes and breathing in the scent of her.

His embrace tightened as he thought of her pain, her obvious desire for a family of her own, the incredible amount of love she had to give. He’d seen her with the younger ladies of her people, watched as she quietly taught them the various arts she knew. She was patient and kind, not mocking or mean when she needed to correct them. And he’d felt it when she’d sent waves of reassurance to the few who were having trouble grasping simple concepts to make yarn and clothing.

He wondered if she was even aware of doing so, of helping them let go and relax enough that their hands could remember how to do the basic tasks that were apparently known throughout the universe, at least to humanoids. If she wasn’t doing it on purpose, he would teach her how. It was one of the reasons battalion commanders were always Readers. They were able to send out reassurance or strength to their men when needed, to help them get past mental walls or to overcome fatigue or pain.

She shifted against him, breathing deeply of his scent as she stirred to wakefulness. He looked down at her as she opened her eyes and glanced shyly up at him. His tender smile was apparently all the reassurance she needed. She reached up and cupped his jaw, memorizing the details of his face. He let her, enjoyed watching her, as well, and reveled in her admiration of him. He opened his mind, allowing her to sense his feelings toward her. She sucked in a soft breath then let it go as she leaned up to plant a soft little kiss on his chin. It was as far as she could reach. He chuckled and met her for the next touch of her lips, drawing her into a kiss that was more tender than passionate, more lips than tongue. A kiss of joy, instead of rising heat.

“Hunter,” she sighed, laying her head back down against his chest, rubbing her cheek over his muscled pec. He gathered her closer, drawing the blanket up over them both. “That was… amazing.”

“You are not hurt?” he asked gruffly, thinking of his size, her lack of it, and her leg. She grinned up at him, her eyes brilliant green and dancing with happiness.

“I feel wonderful. My leg and ribs ache a bit. I’m afraid I wasn’t paying much attention to being careful.”

“Nor was I,” he said apologetically. He couldn’t seem to stop touching her, sliding his hands up and down her smooth back, rubbing the soft muscles there, exploring her spine and the dimples at the bottom of it. He nipped her lips once more, then shifted so that he was resting on one elbow, able to look down and take in more of her.

“Hunter… I’m falling in love with you,” she admitted, her voice soft, a little scared, a little hopeful. He started in surprise, his heart thundering fiercely as he grinned at her.

“I think that is a very good thing, little one,” he breathed, leaning down to kiss her. This time it was hungrier, deeper, and turned into something hot and carnal. After a few moments of delightfully energetic tongue-dancing, Ri shoved at his chest. He immediately pulled back, breathing heavily.

“What is it?” he asked. She grinned up at him, then kept pushing at his shoulder until he rolled off of her. Before he could ask what she was doing, she sat up. Her warm gaze moved over his naked body, the late-morning sun gilding his olive-toned skin and burnishing it with gold. Realizing that she wasn’t putting an end to their play, Hunter relaxed and smiled up at her, tucking one arm up and behind his head.

“You’re so… beautiful,” she murmured, tentatively reaching out to trace the small valley between muscle groups on his stomach. Her touch was electric, sending sensation through his body and stealing the air from his lungs. With a fierce hunger, he recalled that incredible moment of shared ecstasy, when their energies combined and soared, and his body hardened in a nearly painful rush. But Ri was being playful. Sensing that she wanted to explore, feeling her curiosity and her desire to caress him, Hunter stayed still. It was a monumental effort when all he wanted to do was to grasp her hips and shove himself into her. She choked out a laugh at that, narrowing her eyes on him.

“Just chill, big guy,” she chuckled. “I want to see you.”

And she did. Her hand smoothed over his bare flesh, dragging goose-bumps from his skin. When her fingers delicately explored his hips, she found a tickle-spot that made him gasp and squirm. Delighted, she tickled him again, then again, until he reared up to his knees, grabbed her shoulders in his big hands and growled, “Enough!” at her. She grinned impishly up at him, her hair a sexy tangle over her shoulder, her eyes a pure, sparkling green. Hunter stilled, staring down at her. His finger traced over the line of her eyebrow.

“So very green this morning,” he murmured. She blushed.

“They do that when I’m really happy or… aroused,” she admitted shyly. She was adorable when she got flustered.

“Do they change to other colors?” he asked curiously. She met his gaze, nodded once.

“They become a mossy green when I’m thinking really hard, a lighter green when I’m tired.”

“What about when you’re sad?” he asked softly, remembering the night before, and how they had gone almost blue.

“Blue. Very blue.” She chuckled, her hands moving to rest on his hips, her fingers moving restlessly, as though she couldn’t help but touch him. “When I’ve been crying, they’re almost sapphire.”

“What is ‘sapphire’?” he asked, drawing her closer, bringing her breasts to brush lightly over his belly. Her breath stuttered out in a way that made him feel very much like a conquering hero.

“It’s a jewel, a gemstone, back home. It’s my birth-stone.”

“Ah,” he said softly, leaning down to kiss her eyes shut, to trail little kisses down her nose, nibble on her lips a bit. “I would like to see a picture of these sapphires sometime. They sound beautiful.”

“Yes,” she whispered, her head falling back to give him greater access to her neck. Her arms slid around him, her fingers tunneling through the fur on his back, massaging him. He nearly purred.

“Ri,” he breathed, taking her mouth in a hot, slow glide of tongue against tongue, satiny lips, and full contact between their torsos as she tightened her hold on him, and he gathered her closer.

He made love to her slowly, taking his sweet time and bringing her to peak after peak before finally filling her. They napped again for a bit, but woke to the sounds of Jace moving around in the kitchen. Hunter shifted her a sheepish look, then helped her to the bathroom so they could both clean up a little.

When they were dressed once more, he scooped her up and carried her out to the living area. Jace turned, watching them, his eyes narrowing for a moment then growing hard with anger.

“You idiot!” he thundered at his brother, stomping over to Hunter. “You could have hurt her!”

“Does she look hurt?” Hunter demanded, grinning. Jace threw her an urgent look. His anger died when he saw that she looked better, rather than worse. She had color in her cheeks, and a flush of happiness that only came from one thing. He rolled his eyes and she grinned at him helplessly. It was an impish little grin that tugged at his heart.

“Gods, you two are crazy.” He swung back toward Hunter. “You really could have hurt her, brother. What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that she still thought we wouldn’t want her because she couldn’t have children,” Hunter told him pointedly, his voice growing serious. “I was thinking about her emotional well-being, about showing her how much I desire her, no matter what. Legs can mend, twice if they have to. Hearts are much more fragile and do not heal with an injection. I was thinking of her heart, not of her injuries. I’ll not apologize for that.””

The brothers glared at each other for a long moment, before Jace turned soft eyes on Arianna.

“All right. But at least let me make sure my big oaf of a brother didn’t do anything to hurt you further?”

She nodded tentatively and shifted on the couch so that he could examine her leg, her ribs, and anything else that he thought he should check. Her leg did hurt a bit, more than he thought it should, but neither of them thought it was due to Hunter’s or her own passion.

For a moment after his examination, Jace let his gaze linger on her face.