Amber Flame (The Flame Series Book 4) (16 page)

I need you Fergus. All of you.

He used his hand to position the head of his cock. She whimpered, but it was a hoarse wolf sound.

He began to push, easing his way inside, deeper and deeper.

The more he pushed, the stronger the internal tug became as though a hand inside her was reaching for his cock. She couldn’t explain it. Yet in a burst of fae insight, she knew this was the alpha-bonding mechanism by which she could become his alpha-mate.

The idea thrilled her yet repelled her at the same time. She was fae, and he belonged in the most violent territory in Five Bridges.

But her body responded against her will, with a flow of shivers and chills that traveled from her shoulders, down her torso and all the way to her toes. She trembled with pleasure and need.

She’d never felt anything like it.

He kissed her again, driving his tongue and matching his movements between her legs.

She arched with each thrust, pushing back into him, pulling away, then returning. He kissed her cheeks and drifted his lips down her neck until he was licking her throat repeatedly and huffing against her skin.

She took her breaths in long slow crawls of air. She knew what he wanted and her sex tightened in anticipation.
Do it, Fergus. Take hold and don’t let go.

She felt him open his mouth. She sensed that the wolf part of him had elongated his jaw. He gripped her throat in a clamp of his teeth that sent a drive of pleasure straight through her body and into her sex. She couldn’t move, except to rock her pelvis against his. Yet in no way did he injure her throat. She was safe, but he kept her firmly in his control. He thrust heavily now, curling his hips and slamming against her sex.

In that moment, the dreamglide began to move once more, only this time it raced through Savage Territory. In the dream-world, she shifted fully and became a wolf as did Fergus and suddenly she was running beside him, all four paws hitting the dreamglide streets and dirt roads of his land.

In real-time, she felt Fergus as he made love to her as a man, alive and dynamic, his hips pumping into her, his cock thrusting in and out. Ecstasy began to build. He released her throat in real-time and rose up howling.

Yet in the dreamglide she ran beside him as her climax roared through her. Pleasure cascaded in a series of intense waves as their wolves ran and ran.

She joined her voice with his and howled.

But the pleasure didn’t stop. Instead, the sound of Fergus’s wolf-cries, so beautifully loud in the small room, drove her quickly toward the pinnacle all over again. He pumped into her hard and fast. The bonding sensation pushed on her sex again, driving her into another profound orgasm so that she howled with him once more.

The sounds blended and became a thrill that added to the pleasure now pouring in hot waves over her sex.

Fergus’s voice pierced her mind.
Look at me, Mary.

When she met his gaze, she could feel him release into her. He slowed his rhythm but angled his hips in hard, exquisite thrusts. He continued to pump until every drop had pulsed through his cock, filling her full of his seed. The whole time, he stared into her eyes until finally he slowed his hips, then stopped.

She howled softly and appreciatively in response.

Within the dreamglide, she shifted from wolf to woman as did Fergus. Gradually, she let the dreamglide go and felt herself sinking back into herself as it vanished.

It would take some time before she caught her breath completely.

He breathed heavily, too, but he’d closed his eyes. His back was arched, his hands planted next to her shoulders, his arms stiff. He was still connected low and his cock felt firm inside her. A soft wolf sound, very guttural, came out of his throat in small jabs, fading and slowing until at last he fell silent.

Mary lay beneath him, waiting for him to come down from the heights completely. She felt as though Fergus somehow held the moment with his body and the force of his wolfness. She couldn’t have moved if she’d wanted to.

Finally, his hips relaxed against hers, then his eyes opened, and he looked down at her. He searched her face and lowered himself enough to kiss her right cheek, her forehead, then her other cheek.

He placed more kisses on her lips.

The tenderness of these actions made her eyes burn.

She’d never known a man like Fergus before, so strong and powerful, yet careful with her at the same time.

“You’re beautiful, Mary, every bit of you. Not just your lovely light brown eyes, or your perfect features, but your soul and your thoughts. Thank you for the dreamglide. When I was racing through Savage, I’d never felt so sexual in my life. It was an amazing experience. You’re amazing.”

She caressed his face and ran her thumb over his lips. “I remember it all now, how many times we had dreamglide sex together. You’re a powerful lover, but so tender. I can recall all the times we talked as well. There’s no one like you in the entire world. I’m sure of it. I want to stay like this with you forever, to remain in this den until the world folds up and disappears.”

He kissed her again. And again. Until it really did feel as though the world vanished and it was just the two of them.

~ ~ ~

Fergus felt changed in the depth of his soul. He loved Mary’s spirit. She was all in, nothing held back and the dreamglide had been an incredible experience.

He’d savored all the previous dreamglide sex, but this was a thousand times better because he’d taken her in real-time as well.

He wanted more and the alpha wolf in him almost felt appeased. He knew then this was the closest he’d come to finally having an alpha-mate since Sharon’s death.

When at last he pulled out of her, he left the bed, then returned with a washcloth. He’d released so much of his seed inside her that a few tissues wasn’t going to cut it. His wolf loved that he’d covered her so thoroughly.

He returned to the shower and cleaned up.

He looked forward to crawling into bed beside her and sleeping for several solid hours. He still wasn’t a hundred percent after his near-death. Rest would be welcome besides the fact he had a dominance battle to face at nightfall.

As he left the bedroom, he opened the soundproof door to let fresh air flow into the room.

He turned out the light and finally stretched out next to her.

When she shifted to lie on her side, her back to him, he spooned her, then settled his arm over her waist and held her tight against him. He felt her sigh deeply and knew she was drifting off to sleep.

He wasn’t far behind.

His last thought was a measure of relief that tomorrow night he’d take Sydon down in a legal dominance battle and kick him out of the Gordion Compound for good.

He didn’t sleep well, however, and woke up several times throughout the day. His dreams were full of Savage Territory and wolves moving back and forth restlessly from one end to the next, hungry, growling, anxious.

It wasn’t good for wolves to live outside their packs, ever.

Each individual community grounded them, gave them purpose and eased the constant unresolved need to run through the forest for tens of miles on end.

He finally awoke sweating. He’d been running through the Arizona White Mountains, free, his tongue lolling, his heart pounding hard with each stretch of his forearms, reaching for another mile and another and another.

He leaned up on his elbow and used the pillowcase to wipe his forehead.

The room was still dark, though a dim light flowed down from the upper ground level living area. He checked his internal clock, that odd gift of a long-lived life, and knew it was late afternoon. He might have awakened from a series of disturbing dreams, but he’d still slept through most of the day—a good thing.

Though Mary wasn’t in bed, he touched the sheet next to him anyway. His heart swelled. He’d loved sharing a bed with her. He wanted more of this, more of being with her.

He listened to the house and could hear her moving around upstairs. He could smell coffee brewing.

He went into the bathroom and pulled out his shaving gear. He lathered up and took care of his stubble. He showered afterward, but as the hot water beat down on his shoulders, his thoughts kept circling back to Savage, and to his dreams of wolves moving restlessly through the pine forest and through all the neighborhoods of his territory.

He accessed the part of him becoming fae. He extended his senses, reaching beyond himself and into the immediate future. Mary had said something to him recently, about the future in Savage. He could feel it now, as though a dark cloud lay suspended over the entire territory.

What was coming felt evil as though Savage was in for a world of hurt. If he wasn’t careful, he’d lose not just his pack, but his life and Mary’s as well.

CHAPTER SEVEN

AFTER HIS SHOWER, Fergus dried his hair and with years of experience created the three-part braid Sharon had once designed for him. He then tied the end with a narrow strip of amber leather. In previous dreamglides, long before last night, Mary had enjoyed taking the braids apart and running her hands through his hair.

He heard Mary coming down the stairs and wasn’t surprised when she came into the bathroom. “I brought you coffee.”

He met her gaze in the mirror. “Thank you. Much appreciated.”

When he turned to her, she smiled at the braid. “I remember now. You told me in one of the dreamglides that Sharon had experimented for the longest time on this particular design and that it took you a solid month to get it right.”

Wearing only a towel around his hips, he pivoted a little more to face her. “You look beautiful, Mary. And I’m grateful you’re here with me tonight.”

“I never thought I’d be in Savage like this, but last night was incredible.”

He smiled. “Yeah, it was.” He held her gaze for a long moment, then sipped his coffee.

She returned the smile. “I have a favor to ask. I know we’re meeting up at Warren’s for steaks, but I’d really like some fresh clothes. Could we zip back to my house so that I could pack up some things?”

“Of course.” He glanced toward the stairs. “But it’s not quite dusk, is it?”

“No, not yet.” She frowned slightly. “Fergus, is anything wrong? I mean, you don’t look very rested. Were your wounds bothering you while you slept?”

He looked away from her and took another sip of coffee. “I had disturbing dreams. They weren’t violent, but I felt as though all the wolves of Savage had become desperate and restless. The territory verged on something, but I couldn’t pinpoint what it was.”

“You mean like a pack war?”

He shook his head. “This felt different to me. Bigger. Broader. We need more physical room in Savage and not just the extra couple of miles we’ve recently acquired to the south.”

“Is this something you’re detecting with your fae senses or your wolf abilities?”

He looked at her again, settling his gaze on her light brown eyes. “Both, I think. You know, ever since I held you in my arms in Roche’s jail cell, things have been changing. With you. With me. And here.” With his free hand he covered his chest. “You’ve changed everything, Mary.”

“I feel the same about you, yet I still don’t know where all this is leading.”

“I know.”

“I mean, you’re an alpha in one of the strongest packs in Savage. How can I ever have a place beside you? I don’t belong here, not by a longshot. Yet, I don’t want to leave, either.” She chuckled. “Can’t see myself returning to Revel just to treat dogs for hives and cats for molting fur. But how can you and I truly build a life together? I guess that’s what I don’t see.”

“I understand. We’re both mystified. But I’m sure time will settle things soon enough.”

She smiled. “So, is that the wolf or the fae?”

He laughed, then suggested he get dressed and they finish the conversation upstairs.

After he put on a clean black tank and leathers, he climbed the stairs to the living room. She refilled his mug, then sat chatting with him easily, the same way she had in the dreamglide for the past several weeks. He had a third mug of coffee while waiting for darkness to fall.

When the sun disappeared completely, he armed himself with his Glock. He then left the cabin with Mary, rising into the air beside her. The trip to her house only took a few minutes after which he waited in the living room while she packed. The cats milled around his ankles, encouraging him into the kitchen just like they’d done the last time. As though he’d been doing it for months, he picked up the dishes, washed them and refilled each one with fresh canned food.

He contacted Mary telepathically.
I’m feeding your cats, but what about later?

I’ve already made arrangements. My assistant will be here shortly. She’s going to take over the practice as well as a few household chores until the whole situation with Sydon and your pack is resolved. I told her I didn’t know how long it would take. I trust her, but thanks for taking care of the felines.

You’re welcome.
He looked down at Mary’s five cats, all lined up and hunkered over each bowl. He smiled. Once again, he thought how strange it was for a wolf to be caring for cats.

Leaving the kitchen, he called Warren who said all was well at the Caldion Compound and that he’d be grilling steaks soon.

When he hung up with Warren, his thoughts turned to Sydon. He’d gotten word from his lead beta, Harley, that Sydon was all healed and ready to fight.

Reports of Sydon’s behavior however, disturbed Fergus. The incarcerated wolf hadn’t paced or howled or exhibited any of the usual reactions to confinement. Instead, he’d soon shifted back to his human form and had sat in a corner with his back to the wall the entire time. He’d refused to answer questions put to him, his attention focused inward.

Fergus wanted more information and got Harley on his cell. “What’s he doing now?”

“He’s just sitting there,” Harley responded, with a wolf grunt. “Like a fucking statue. And he won’t talk, not a single word.”

“Which is odd for Sydon who loves to flap his gums.”

Sydon was a powerful mix of educated and fucked-up. Any wolf who would rig up a skewer for a dominance match, then use it on a powerful alpha, worked on a different plane than everybody else. Fergus felt in his gut the man was psychotic.