Allister, J. Rose - Discarded Cowboys [Lone Wolves of Shay Falls 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (16 page)

“More,” she breathed. “Harder.”

He shoved his fingers deep inside her, and she wriggled herself to press her clit against his tongue. Pressure built inside of her, threatening to blow her world sky high. His fingers pulled out for another smack on her ass, leaving her slick juices behind before plunging inside of her again.

“Which do you want?” he asked, pulling out for another slap and dipping inside again. “My fingers spankin’ your hot ass, or slidin’ inside that tight, wet cunt?”

She could barely think, let alone respond. Her entire body was clenching now, sweat prickling from nearly every pore.

The next slap came harder. “Which?”

“Both,” she finally managed. “I want it all.”

He laughed. “My mate is a hot, greedy wench. Thank the heavens. Hope I can keep up with you.”

The brush handle sank deep in her ass, and he left it there while using his hands to slap her ass and finger fuck her. She fisted the base of his cock with one hand and sucked him for all she was worth. She wanted to bring him release before her climax hit, but the constant stimulation from his tongue and hands proved too much. She threw her head back and cried out, groping and working his cock with her hand while waves of orgasm shuddered through her. He tensed and came moments later, shouting as jets of hot cum hit the breasts jiggling beneath her. By the time they were through, her ass cheeks were on fire and throbbing, and her cunt spasmed for several long minutes after she collapsed beside him.

He stroked her hair while they lay there, panting and slick with sweat. To her amazement, all she could think of was climbing on the cock that had gone half limp but was still twitching.

“I never thought sex would be like this,” she said after some time had passed. “I was always so panicked about letting a man touch me. Now, well, I think I quite like it.”

His sexy laugh nearly prompted her to show him just how much she liked it. “Sex for a were’s mate can’t never be the same with any other man,” he said, lightly stroking her cheek. “They have an instinctive aversion to any partner other than the one they were destined for.”

She felt her cheeks burn. “But what about Drew? I mean, we seem compatible, too.”

“That’s different. He and I are bonded, just like you are bonded to me now. Your sexual pull to pack mates will be the same as it is to me. Well, almost.” He winced as he leaned over to kiss her forehead.

“Still, we shouldn’t have,” she said with a bit of self-recrimination. She should show better restraint where her newly awakened urges were concerned. His health was at stake. “I’m sorry.”

“I ain’t sorry. Sex aids healin’ for my kind. I can tell the wound is already on the mend. Itches like a mother.” Still, he lay back down with a heavy sigh. “But I confess you done wore me out a touch.”

She had to admit she was feeling a bit exhausted herself. She nestled her head on his shoulder and reached down to lace her fingers in his. Her limbs and eyelids grew pleasantly heavy.

“Talaitha?”

“Yes?”

“I’m glad you stayed. After the way we snatched you up, I didn’t blame you for tryin’ to run off.”

A smile touched her lips and stayed there, even when her eyes fluttered closed.

Chapter Seven

Urgent words and a less-than-gentle tug on her shoulder brought Talaitha around later. This time, Russell was the one doing the waking. “Open your eyes, darlin’.”

As always, the velvet sex of his voice flowed over her like honey, but there was a sharp edge to it that cut into the erotic dream she’d just been having about him and Drew.

“I have to go,” Russell went on.

“Go?” That snapped her eyes open, where she found Russell standing by her side of the bed, fully dressed. She sat up, rubbing her eyes. “What do you mean? Go where?”

“Drew never came back.”

She looked around the room. “Well, he probably had quite a ways to go find where his clothes were, right?”

“It’s still been too long.”

A glance at the red-curtained window was dim enough to see that morning had come and gone—and most of the afternoon with it.

He went to a small closet and poked around. She noticed his movements were tentative, and when he reached for a pair of Drew’s boots, he hesitated and bent over slowly.

She swung her bare legs over the side of the bed and got up. “He ordered you not to follow him. And you’re still injured.”

Frustration poured off of him palpably. “I’m mendin’ fine. And if he needs my help, he’ll get over me goin’ after him.” He dropped the boots in front of the rocking chair and made a face while he sat himself gingerly down on it.

“How can you go after him if you can barely walk? Besides, are you sure something’s wrong? Wouldn’t you sense it if he were in trouble? You said mates feel each other’s strong emotion.”

He pulled on a boot. “I would sense it. So would you.” Her eyes widened at that. Then she realized he was right. That was why she could feel Russell’s urgency, the near touch of fear around him. But she felt nothing from Drew.

“Then he must be fine. I don’t sense anything.”

He grunted. “Unless he’s too cocky and stubborn to believe he’s in any danger, even if it’s nippin’ at his heels.” He glanced at her. “Or he’s deliberately blockin’ his emotions so I won’t come after him.”

“Can he do that?”

“It can be done, but it ain’t easy. I sure as hell can’t control my feelin’s that way, and I ain’t been with Drew long enough to get a full grip on the way his twisted mind works.” He stood up, towering even more with Drew’s boots on.

Talaitha found her clothes and pulled on her skirt. “Then I’m coming with you.”

“Hell no, you ain’t. It’s too dangerous.”

“You’re hurt. What if you keel over on the way?”

“I told you, I’m fine.” He took hold of her arm, barring her from getting her blouse over her head. “And it’ll be much faster if I go on my own. You wouldn’t be able to keep up, and I’m sure you can understand why I’d rather not carry you this time.”

“Either you’re fine, or you’re still hurt too bad to carry me. Which is it?” She pulled away from him and finished getting dressed. “I might be able to help. I’m not completely helpless, you know. I have my magic. You saw how I handled that hunter woman.” It just wouldn’t work on her clan, if they were even the ones responsible for Drew’s absence. But she didn’t mention that fact.

He sighed. “My brave little Gypsy. It ain’t that I don’t appreciate your offer, but the answer is no. Don’t argue with me on this.” He bent to kiss the top of her head, and with a little groan, moved to claim her lips briefly. “Stay here and wait for me. I won’t be long.”

Her lips were still tingling when he left the room. He was out the door and out of sight before she knew it. Maybe he was feeling better, after all.

For a brief moment, she considered going after him. There was no way she’d catch up, though, even if she did know which way he’d gone. All she could do now was wait and hope everything was all right.

Turning from the window, she closed her eyes and tried to sense him. He was there, all right, out in the woods with waves of worry and determination tumbling around him. What now? Maybe she should at least get cleaned up.

Stripping off the garments she’d barely put on, she headed for the shower and turned it on lukewarm. The men liked the water blazing hot, too scalding for her taste. Living a traveling life as she did, tepid was what she was accustomed to.

It wasn’t until after she was dressed again and nibbling beef jerky scrounged from Drew’s sparse kitchen that realization hit her like a speeding train. What on earth was she doing? She couldn’t stay, not even another minute. By now the clan would be spread out in force, searching for her, and yet here she sat, all nice and showered and taking in a leisurely meal. Guilt made the next bite of chewy beef even tougher to swallow, and it would probably serve her right if she choked on it.

She hastily searched the cabin until she found matches, paper, and a pen. She scratched out a simple note and headed into the waning afternoon. She may have lost some of her bearings, but she had seen one landmark for certain. That’s where she needed to go.

Daylight was perilously dim by the time she reached the highway. She had to hurry if she wanted to use the clan’s signal to let them know her location. Then she could wait for them to find her, rather than the impossible task of trying to make her own way back.

Another wave of guilt washed over her at the knowledge that they had surely been scouring the mountain searching for her. She would have to tell her father the truth—she was leaving the clan. It was clear to her now that she would not be leaving Shay Falls with them. Fate had seen to that.

As it turned out, she didn’t have to bother with the signal. She was walking along the shoulder of the highway, searching for some stray wood, when a familiar, beat-up red pickup bounded along the winding road. She waved her arms to flag it down, though her Gypsy attire probably caught his attention before her flailing motion. Relief flooded her when the truck veered off the road, kicking up a cloud of dust around her as it stopped.

“Vanje,” she said through the open window. “I’m so glad I found you. I was just about to make the signal smoke.”

He started to say something, but his eyes hooded over. Before she knew what had happened, the dramatic sight of a shotgun pointed her way froze her in place.

“What are you doing?” she asked, taking a step forward.

He aimed the gun straight at her. “Stay right there. I know what you are, Talaitha. And you’re not getting in this truck.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re one of them now, don’t try to deny it. I see the bite mark.”

She glanced at her shoulder, and she saw that he misread the guilty look she shot back at him. He clenched his jaw and lowered his head to sight along the barrel, which was quivering slightly.

“That isn’t what you think it is,” she said. “I’m not a werewolf.”

“Don’t take me for a fool. You were seen being carried off by those vile creatures, and now you have the bite wounds.”

She leaned closer. “Look at my eyes, Vanje. If I were one of them, I couldn
’
t lie about it even if I tried. My eyes would give me away.”

He hesitated, but met her gaze. His dark eyes churned with anger and uncertainty, but as she watched, they softened into acceptance. The gun barrel lowered. “
It’s true, then. Y
our eyes don’t have the yellow stain.” He heaved a sigh. “Forgive me. I spent so much time since you went missing thinking the worst that I assumed it must have happened.”

She sighed in relief and approached the truck. “It’s all right. I’m sorry I caused you worry.”

Before she could reach for the handle, Vanje had vaulted out of his seat and rounded the front to pull the door open for her. He had a noticeable limp leftover from their first encounter with Drew, but besides
th
e ring
s
of shadow beneath his eyes
and a stubbled jaw,
he was the same Vanje.
Features s
moothly carved
, r
ugged hands that managed to appear delicate and capable at the same time
, and d
ark eyes that normally held a merry twinkle
regarding her from
beneath a mop of curly black hair. Beneath the long sleeves of his shirt, she pictured the web of scars he bore from years of working with animals they encountered in the wild.