Phoenix (8 page)

“Holy shit,” she yelped as he straightened his body while still holding onto her legs. Her hips rose from the bed, giving him a much better angle to penetrate her as he held them tight to his body still. Without waiting for her approval he began to move his hips once more, thrusting slightly deeper with each return, teasing her with only partial lengths of his shaft.

“Fuck me, dammit,” she snarled in frustration, wanting to feel him buried to the hilt within her.

“If you’re sure,” he said softly, then slammed his cock fully within her.

Sydney tried to gasp in shock, but he began to move like a piston, fucking her as hard as she could have wanted, and then some. His powerful form used his strength to full advantage, his hips slapping into hers hard enough that the sound echoed throughout the entire room, mingling with her cries and his grunts of effort.

“Sydney,” he groaned out, his pace slowing slightly and she felt him begin to tremble.

“Yes!” she cried. “Do it! Cum for me! Cum right now!

His groan grew to a yell as she felt her walls tighten around him at the same time his cock swelled. Another orgasm thundered through her, amplified by the white-hot eruption she felt spurt from his cock as he shot his seed deep within her. Her hands splayed out wide, stretching the width of the bed as she held on for dear life while Uriel began to slow the pace, eventually lowering her hips as well.

“Come here,” she managed to get out, pulling him down on top of her.

He resisted at first, using his arm to try and hold himself above her, but she felt him tremble almost immediately.

“All the way,” she urged, letting him rest on top of her. “I’m not that dainty,” she assured him as he tentatively lowered himself until their bodies were pressed together.

There they lay, shuddering and trembling as they both basked in the glow that always came after sex. It infused them with happiness and peace. Sydney felt her eyelids grow heavy and she stifled a yawn. Her hands came up from the bed and she sunk her fingers into the muscles of his back, holding him tight to her.

If she was going to fall asleep, it would be with him next to her.

Uriel

Beautiful orbs of hazel brown met his blurry gaze as he blinked awake.

Mere inches from his face, they startled him until his vision focused enough to realize they belonged to the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

“Hi,” he whispered muzzily, his body still fighting off the last vestiges of sleep.

“Good morning,” she said equally softly.

He dipped his head to her and kissed her softly but firmly, without hesitation.

“Is it morning?” he asked, just now beginning to be aware of the environment around him. For the majority of the evening his sole focus had been her, and he had ignored everything else, wanting nothing more than to lose himself within her world.

And he had. Over, and over again.

“It is,” she said with a smile, giving him a brush of her lips in return.

“Thank you,” he said abruptly.

Sydney frowned. “For what?”

He grimaced, feeling embarrassed, but forged ahead nonetheless. “For being with me the way you were yesterday. For keeping my...” he hesitated over the proper word to use, “limitations, in mind, but not caring nor showing frustration. I—” His voice failed him momentarily.

“Hush,” she said, leaning closer, her hand touching his face as she kissed him, and then again, and again.

“No, I need to say it,” he said with more force this time. “Losing an arm gives you a few insecurities in the whole looks and confidence game,” he said, managing to smile as he said it. “I know that what’s going on between us isn’t just about that, but I’m not sure I could tell you how at ease you make me feel because of it.”

“Oh Uriel,” she whispered, pulling his head to hers. “I’m sure I’ll never be able to truly understand what it’s like, but rest assured, it’s not the end of the world to me. There’s more to you than just two arms. Besides, with your strength, you don’t really need it,” she said, her voice becoming feisty at the end. Without warning her hand shot out and caressed his cock once more.

Uriel’s phone beeped rapidly in quick succession, an identifiable pattern.

He swore softly. “Shit, that’s the sign for a pickup.” All thoughts of intimacy were banished as his brain clamored at him to report for duty. Part of him wanted to remain in bed with Sydney, but he knew that was selfish of him. He had a responsibility, and it was high time he started fulfilling it. She would understand that.

“I thought you were on leave?” she asked. There was no judgment in her voice, only curiosity.

“I am. Technically I don’t have to go, but I still get the notifications.”

“Would you even get there in time?’

“Probably,” he said, thinking about it. “It’s not a rush thing; it’s usually fifteen to twenty minutes before they leave the complex. I could be back there in ten considering how close you live. Even with the snow I would likely be okay.”

She looked at him curiously, then threw back the covers, revealing her nakedness. Although she hadn’t put any clothes on after he removed them the night before, he was still struck by the sight of her exposed skin, and he felt himself begin to stir. Sydney must have noticed the reaction because she removed her hand from his cock and shook it at him. “Later,” she admonished. “For now, get up, let’s go!”

“Wait, let’s?” he asked.

“There’s only one vehicle here silly, and I need to get in to work too. So you’re taking me with you. Move it!”

The two of them got up and dressed as quickly as they could. She helped him with his shirt and he helped her with her pants. She put on a pair of black leggings that would stretch easily over the wound.

“They aren’t as professional,” she told him. “But my only appointment today is you, so I think I’ll manage.”

He grinned and carried her easily to the front door. It was almost like a race, and they challenged each other to be ready as quickly as possible.

She’s perfect for you.

He knew, and Uriel hoped the look on his face told her how crazy he was for her. The past evening had cemented his desire for her. Now he knew he would have to look inside and talk to his bear, to see if it was on the same page. He dreaded that moment, but until they spoke, he wouldn’t know for sure if she was his mate or not.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked as the truck made its way through the snow-covered streets under his control.

“Doing what?” she asked, not understanding.

“Getting me to go?”

She shrugged. “Is there any danger?”

He considered the question. “Not terribly. There’s been the odd incident, but nothing major.” He declined to mention when Gabriel had been attacked by two Diamond Crew shifters. One of them had almost taken his head off with a pickaxe, but the leader of the Stone Bears wasn’t taken out that easily.

“If there’s no danger, then it will help you get back on track,” she said firmly.

He sat back in the seat and considered her as he drove. Sydney was certainly an interesting woman, and she seemed to know him as well as he knew himself. She could clearly see the longing within him to join his friends on a pickup, to do the job they were trained for. He hadn’t been out since the injury. Gabriel had forbidden him to do it.

“Convincing Gabriel to let me come along could be a challenge,” he said with a smile. “But I think for once I’m up to arguing with him over it.”

She smiled. “Good.”

He caught her eye and his lips curled upward in an answering smile of delight. They hadn’t discussed what was going on between them at all. He knew it and so did Sydney. He could see it in her eyes that she wanted to know what it all meant. He wanted to tell her how he felt, and what worried him, but the truth was he didn’t know if he could. He knew he cared for her deeply, in a way that both awed and terrified him of the strength of his feelings. In just a few days he had come to believe that this woman was the one. His mate. The woman he wanted to stand beside him from here on out.

But until his bear and he were united again, he would never be able to know for certain. That held him back, and he wasn’t sure she could understand. Oh, he knew she would intellectually. She was as smart as they came, probably a good deal smarter than him, at least on the academic side. But it wasn’t her brain he was worried about. It was her heart that he knew would never be able to fully comprehend his situation.

His own mind and heart were heavy with distress at the knowledge he carried within him as they pulled up in front of the LMC office at last. It had taken them twenty minutes to get there, but they hadn’t passed any of the armored trucks on their way up the mountain either, so he knew there was still time.

“I’d love to have a better line here,” he said, turning to humor to ease the situation as best he could, “but I don’t. I’ll see you later?” he asked, flashing her his best grin.

She nodded, leaning over to give him a peck on the cheek. “I’ll lock the truck up. Go on, go catch them.”

“You’re amazing,” he said and meant it, all but flying out his door and racing across the thickly packed snow to the ramp that led down into the Stone Bear cavern.

The sound of engines rumbling to life reached his ears, and he put on an extra burst of speed, rounding the corner just in time.

“Uriel?” Gabriel asked, pausing mid-step as he prepared to climb into the cab of the lead vehicle.

“I’m going with you today,” he said.

“No you aren’t. Not until you’re whole.”

“Yes,” he said firmly, not budging as he had before. “I am. I’ll stay in the truck and be a lookout, but I’m going today. You aren’t going to deny me that any longer.”

Gabriel looked uncertain at the prospect, but he clearly recognized the determination in Uriel’s voice. “All right, but you’re not driving. You ride with Raph and stay with the truck. That’s an order,” he said, his command hitting Uriel like a brick wall.

“Got it boss,” he acknowledged, meeting Gabriel’s eyes squarely, letting his boss know he would be good.

“Get in then,” Gabriel said with a roll of his eyes and a smile. “It’s good to have you back.”

“Glad to be here,” Uriel said over his shoulder as he sprinted to the next vehicle in line. His ability to run still felt wobbly and awkward, but he was getting better at it by learning to compensate.

He arrived at Raphael’s vehicle, noticing one of the Sentinel trainees was sitting in the passenger seat. Frowning, he looked at the last vehicle, the one that had been his for three years. There were two more trainees seated there, one of whom was Jared, who sat in the driver’s position.

That was odd. He looked up at Thom, the shifter in front of him and hooked a thumb over his shoulder, ordering the trainee out. “Sorry T, not today,” he said without truly meaning it. He was too happy to be back on the job.

The shifter grudgingly gave up his seat and moved to the side of the cavern as the vehicles rumbled to life and ground their way out into the snow, heavy tires gripping easily.

“What’s with the extra muscle Raph?” he said by way of greeting as he finally got himself buckled in. “I thought things were pretty quiet lately.” Normally only the Stone Bears dealt with Dragon Stone retrievals in the mountains. The Sentinels were tasked with a more generic security duty around the LMC office and in the town of Origin itself. Or at least, that was the plan once they finished their training.

“They are,” his driver confirmed. “That’s the problem though.”

Uriel thought about it for a moment, before settling on what he thought the most logical answer was. “Things are too quiet,” he said. It wasn’t a question.

“Exactly. Plus, the last two runs, both Gabe and I have felt like we were being watched. Never could spot anything, but the feeling has been nagging us both.” He turned to look at Uriel. “Something is happening. They’ve regrouped now, whoever they are.”

Uriel sat back into his seat, contemplating what that meant.

“Damn,” he said softly. “Things were just beginning to settle down.”

Raphael nodded, concentrating on taking them through a particularly tight turn with the large vehicle.

“Did either of you two spot anything amiss in your groups?” he asked.

The three Stone Bears had each taken a group of four Sentinel trainees up to Gabriel’s cabin, trying to see if they could isolate or identify anything that might give away who their mole was.

“Nothing, same as you,” Raphael said. There was a note of frustration in his voice.

“We’ll find him,” he said, reassuring his friend.

“I’ve been beginning to wonder if it’s just one,” Raphael said softly.

“You think there’s more than one?”

“The entire other platoon was working for Nash,” Raphael spat. “There’s no reason to think that Jared and his team couldn’t be doing the same, but playing the longer game.”

Uriel swore. “That would be just like them, wouldn’t it?”

Raphael didn’t answer that question. They both knew the answer to it, and neither of them liked what it would mean.

“Who found theirs today?” he asked instead, wondering which crew they were going to see.

“Silvertips.”

He nodded, thinking of Ajax and his crew. They were ones that could be trusted. Part of the good guys.

“Park over there,” he told Raphael as they entered the Emerald Crew landing zone several minutes later. He pointed off to the left. Raphael looked at him and shrugged, reversing the vehicle so it was pointed back down the road they had come. That was standard procedure, to ensure they could leave faster if it became necessary.

“Any particular reason over here?” Raph asked as he prepared to disembark.

“It hides me from view of a lot of people, and gives me a chance to look out into the forest without anything blocking my view,” he said, nodding his head in direction of the trees they were parked alongside.

“Well, back soon then,” Raphael said, and then he was gone, leaving Uriel alone in the truck.

He began to scan the nearby surroundings, identifying various objects both in the clearing in front of the mine shaft and also things in the forest nearby. He mentally marked various boulders, fallen trees, and thick bushes, making notes of how they looked in case something changed. Uriel wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but no more than a couple of minutes after the others disappeared down the shaft, he felt it to.

Someone was out there.

Fighting the instinct to begin looking around wildly, Uriel sank back into his chair, using the mirrors to look around him and trying to keep his head from moving as much as possible. He slowly tilted it from one side to the other and back, his eyes scanning the forest as he did. The less movement, the less chance whatever was out there might see him.

“I’ll be damned,” he cursed softly as a shape moved in the forest. It was far in the distance, barely visible to him at that range. He thought it looked humanoid, but he couldn’t be positive. “Come closer,” he whispered, encouraging it to get within range of him, so that perhaps he could identify it.

The shape moved slowly, but it continued to get closer to the mine and the truck that contained Uriel. He caught himself holding his breath more than once, but knew it would be useless to do so. The person, if that’s what it was, was moving far too slowly for him to hold his breath the entire way.