Bound to Blackwood (41 page)

He kept looking at the open door, waiting for that familiar footfall. Waiting for the boys to move aside so he'd see the flash of blue in that raven hair. But it never came. Lena wasn't there.

All at once it was hard to breathe. A sense of loss overwhelmed him and he was glad he was sitting down. He risked a glance at Kaden whose face grew tense with concern.

Kaden frowned at him, rising from his chair, and mouthed "
Are
you
okay
?"
 

Thorn couldn't answer, his throat tight and dry. He just nodded, wobbled to his feet and walked with slow, deliberate steps towards the door. If he rushed, Kaden would see him stagger rather than walk and then he'd try and help him. Thorn couldn't have that. Not in front of the boys who were all currently pretending to read various bits of parchment.

He just needed to get the fuck out of there.

Against all reason, all logic, and all rational thought, there was only one place Thorn wanted — no,
needed —
to be.
 

Chapter 27

Lena smiled for the first time in what felt like a millennium. Soraya may insist on wearing pink every bloody day, which was idiotic, but even Lena had to admit the Princess was a frigging genius.

She slurped down the last of the blood boxes Soraya had given her and felt instantly better. She had no idea what the additional supplements Soraya had mentioned were, but frankly she didn't care, and she'd stopped listening anyway. There was no pain. Not even a dull ache.

Lena didn't realise how tense she'd been until she felt her muscles relax. Bit by bit, like a tightly wound coil unfurling, her body went lax. Lying on her bed, she felt like a cat; languid and fluid. Rather than the drug induced haze she experienced the last time Soraya had helped her, this time she was fully content. It was the best she'd felt in forever.

So good in fact, that she decided to head down to the Command Centre. She was Steward of the Watch after all; she ought to get back in the game. Quickly.

If she knew Skylar and Mercury, they were already bitching about her recent no-shows. Yeah, well, she'd show them. Grinning to herself, she pulled on her uniform, complete with new epaulettes, and went in search of her boots.

Without any real clue as to how he got there, Thorn found himself outside Lena's room. Again.

He could sense her through the antique wood, moving around. To his surprise, he couldn't feel any of the pain he'd sensed yesterday. She was like a new woman.

Without having to think about it, he realised she was completely relaxed. Happy even. He couldn't help but smile at the thought. The involuntary action confused him for a second until he realised that he really cared whether Lena was happy or not. His own happiness relied on hers.

Holy fuck!

The new revelation put him in two minds whether he should stay or go. He hovered in the hallway like some school boy, wondering what he should do. He made up his mind to go in and then changed both the conviction and his direction of travel so many times, he was effectively just pacing the corridor.

What the hell are you doing, Thorn?

In the end, his heart ruled his head. He turned back and headed to Lena's door. This time, he didn't hesitate and reached for the handle.

Lena found a pair of boots. She had no idea where her beloved Doc Martins had got to, but she was in too much of a hurry to look any more. The pair she had now took an age to get on.

Lena grinned at the thought. The twenty buckles up each boot were totally worth it. With a chunky heel and the last buckle just below her knee, they looked amazing. They were definitely her second favourite pair. More than ready to face the music she pulled open the door and marched straight into a brick wall.

As she bounced back into the room, she realised she hadn't actually walked into a wall. Not literally at least, though it was easy to compare six-foot-seven-inches of muscle with solid brick.

"Thorn!" As she said his name, she felt a liquid heat within her, a wetness pooling between her thighs.

"Lena," he started to reply, but his words seemed to fail him. He looked lost.

Lena stepped closer. "Is everything alright?"

Thorn's golden eyes shone as they searched her face. A small smile spread across that beautiful mouth, as if he'd found the answer to his question. Those eyes bore straight into her, but she saw nothing but pure delight in them. She found herself smiling back at him.

Lena was truly beautiful when she smiled. All the harshness of the warrior in her disappeared and left behind a stunning woman. As she smiled, Thorn closed the door and took another step towards her. His heart rejoiced when she echoed the gesture.

Somehow, he felt connected to her. He could sense her emotions better than ever and was relieved at the lack of fear she showed. She felt only concern for him. Yet, beneath the concern, her body betrayed her true feelings, feelings that sent his own body into overdrive.

She wanted him.

Sweet cinnamon and exotic spices overwhelmed him as he closed the distance between them. Staring into her midnight-blue eyes, he reached for her dark hair. She'd tied it in a messy pony-tail, but he tugged at the band and released her raven tresses so he could run his fingers through them.

Lena stood amazed at the look on Thorn's face as he untied her hair and ran his hand through her locks. Somewhere, at the back of her mind she was grateful that for once her hair was clean and shiny and tangle-free so he could enjoy it all the more.

Her heart soared as he buried his hand in her hair and bought it up to his nose and inhaled. The groan he let out as he dropped the lock sent shivers through her. She was almost undone altogether when he spoke, his voice like gravel. "Holy Mother of Fae, Lena. You have no idea what you do to me."

Lena flashed him what she knew was a wicked grin. She felt more connected to him than ever. She felt his presence more keenly, felt his emotions as if they were her own. She could feel his courage within her and all her paranoia and years of worry disappeared. His words just confirmed what, in her heart, she already knew; his need was just as great and as painful as hers.

And the knowledge empowered her.

Thorn waited.

That grin of hers gave him hope, but he knew he had to let her take the lead. The next move had to be hers. A dangerous lioness, Lena couldn't be coerced, couldn't be forced. Which was why Thorn thought his heart might actually explode when she stepped into him, ran her hands up his washboard abs, over his pecs and into the curls at the nape of his neck.

Mischief sparkled in her blue eyes as she gazed up at him, that wicked grin still planted on her lips. "Tell me what I do to you," she demanded.

Momentarily stunned, his mouth flapped about in amazement at her brazenness. Lena's grin just broadened, showing her amusement at his total lack of finesse.
You're an idiot, Thorn Blackwood.
 

He took a deep breath. He had a feeling he was only ever going to get one chance at getting this right. Without saying a word, he grasped her hips and pulled her against him. He had been in a state of almost constant arousal for days, but now he was with her, he was rock hard. Lena responded with a gasp as their bodies made contact.

Holy Mother of Fae!
In the haze of the past days and weeks, Lena had almost forgotten what Thorn felt like. Now, pressed against him, she knew. She could feel his hard cock against her belly, revelled in the way her breasts felt crushed against his immense chest.
 

When Thorn leant down to whisper in her ear, the shiver that went through her was so profound it nearly sent her over the edge. "Would you like me to show you what you do to me, Lena?"

"Oh God, yes!"

His hands moved from her hips to clutch her backside. He squeezed and Lena shivered again. His right hand continued its journey to her thigh, where he hooked her leg up and settled his palm behind her knee. The movement served to widen her stance and when he pushed himself closer, Lena almost shouted his name.

They fit together perfectly. Thorn swivelled his hips, rubbing his erection against her core. The seam of her trousers added extra friction so that her clit felt each delicious movement and Lena couldn't help but whimper.

Thorn revelled in Lena's reaction to him. She clung to him, her hands still buried in the hair at the nape of his neck. He relished the little whimper she gave as he moved against her, felt privileged as her grip tightened.

He kept one hand behind her knee but moved the other up her body. His fingers danced along her ribcage and traced the side of her breast. It took all of his self-control not to linger there, but he couldn't, wouldn't, rush this. He continued his journey up her trembling body, stopping to run his fingers over her collarbone.

He marvelled at how feminine and delicate the curve of her neck looked against his broad hand. He smiled as she leaned into his palm and her raven hair flowed over his fingers. He traced her jaw with the rough pad of his thumb as she looked up at him.
By all that's Seelie, she's beautiful.
 

Romance mixed with pure need as he felt her heart skip a beat, reminding him that her very life force flowed beneath his fingertips. The thought both thrilled and terrified him.

Pushing his gut-wrenching need for her aside, he pulled her hips closer whilst bending over her so she released her grip on him and fell backwards. Still supporting her neck, Lena stretched out before him like the lioness he knew her to be. She never took her eyes off him, not for one second.

As Lena stared up at Thorn's white-hot eyes, a sort of borrowed courage settled within her. It felt different to her own, but she was grateful for it. This new connection between the two of them strengthened her, made her bold.

She wiggled her hips and delighted in the hiss Thorn gave in return. His strong arm pulled her upright again and his lips claimed hers. He pulled on her bottom lip, his fangs scraping on the delicate flesh there. She waited for the fear to descend, but it never came. The delicious sensation of Thorn's kiss took over, demanding she give it her full attention.

Lena closed her eyes and sank into Thorn, giving herself over to the need within her. Her tongue danced with his, and sweet, masculine spices enveloped her; she moaned against his broad mouth. The kiss deepened and Thorn's strong fingers speared through her hair. She met him with everything she had, tasting, exploring. She felt his fangs again and ran her tongue over the razor-sharp tip of one. Thorn hissed and broke away.

Lena felt bereft.

Thorn breathed hard and heavy as he nuzzled Lena's neck.
Jesus Fucking Christ
. That thing she did with his fangs knocked him for six and he needed time to breathe. And wasn't that just the problem?
 

Exquisite cinnamon laced every breath he took and his mouth was now just millimetres away from Lena's carotid. He could feel the thump, thump, thump of her heartbeat against his lips, beating out an irresistible song, just for him.

He laid a chaste kiss on her neck, not daring to linger there any longer. He pulled back and looked into her hooded eyes.

She smiled back at him. "Don't stop now."

She was playing a dangerous game, yet he couldn't resist playing it with her. "I don't intend to," he growled as he released her leg. Placing both his hands on her derriere he pulled her up his body. His heart skipped a beat as she rewarded him by wrapping her strong legs around his waist.

Lena felt small and feminine wrapped around this male. His strong hands held her with no effort at all. He moved towards her bed and adjusted his hold on her to free his right hand, pulling her in for another kiss.

This time he didn't hold back. His lips slammed into hers, hard enough to bruise, but she didn't care. When he sat down on the bed, her legs bent with him so she sat straddling his narrow hips. She speared her fingers into his unruly locks, balled her hand into a fist, and tugged on his hair. She felt his cock jump against her and a fizz of electricity shot through her as she remembered the feel of him inside her.

Strong hands pressed her closer before hot fingers made their way under her shirt. He traced the lace of her bra before pinching her nipple through the fabric. Heat coiled within her and she moaned into Thorn's unrelenting kiss. He pulled back, both of them struggling to breathe. His white-hot eyes stared at her as he tugged at her shirt.

"This needs to go." His was voice hoarse as he lifted her shirt over her head and threw it away.

Lena knew she should feel exposed but the look of adoration on Thorn's face made her heart swell. All other thoughts just disappeared, the borrowed courage still empowering her. Without taking her eyes from Thorn, she reached around and unhooked her bra. Thorn's beautiful eyes widened as she held the fabric for just a second before letting it fall away.

Her nipples pebbled under his intense stare. She arched back, aching for him to touch her.

Thorn dipped his head and flicked his searing tongue over one pert bud before sucking it into his mouth. Lena gasped as he teased her, rolling, sucking, nibbling.

Yet still she needed more.

She rolled her hips, rubbing her core against his rock-hard erection. The pressure against her sweet spot was almost enough. Almost, but not quite. Holy Mother, she needed him.

Thorn sensed the change in Lena. Her need for him threatened to overwhelm him. And it made his own all the more difficult to ignore.

She continued to rock against him as he moved to tongue the breast he had neglected. He rolled her other nipple between his fingers whilst his teeth paid close attention to its twin. A growl rumbled deep in his chest as Lena moaned his name. She tugged at his shirt hard enough that he released her taut nipple with a pop and brought his head up. His cotton tee-shirt ripped as she tore it from him and Thorn chuckled.