Dimitri (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 6) (24 page)

“Ilsbeth is bringing in a sorcerer. We’ll have to go to them…see what he recommends. She thought he’d have to meet me in person for it to work.”

“What’s the deal with you and her?” Gillian hated asking but she’d seen how close they’d been, the beautiful woman’s hands on her wolf.

“She’s a friend.”

“No…she’s more,” she challenged.

“It’s not what you think.”

“I saw it in her eyes last night. Are you dating?” Gillian held her breath, waiting on his answer.

“She’s a friend,” he sighed. “Was she more than a friend at one time? Yes. But I’d always told her that we couldn’t be more. I’m not goin’ to lie to you. I’ve lived a long time, and I’m not exactly celibate.”

“Okay,” she said, pensively balling up her hands. The admission punched her in the gut. She knew she shouldn’t be jealous. Of course he’d dated, but hearing him say the words pained her.

“Every wolf knows that he or she is going to meet their mate. And when it happens, the chemistry…the call of it…it can’t be ignored. It’s not fair to lead another person to think that they can be your partner, your spouse or whatever, when you know at any moment you could be walking down the street and bam, it’s over. I told her…” Dimitri went quiet, scrubbing his hand over his brow, uncomfortable with the conversation. He didn’t want to hurt Gillian but if she was going to meet Ilsbeth, there was no knowing what the witch would tell her. “I told her that we couldn’t date. She’s been around a long time, too. It’s not as if she didn’t know. She, uh, isn’t my biggest fan right now.”

“That’s not what it looked like last night,” Gillian responded.

“She doesn’t know what she wants. Believe me, Ilsbeth is all about Ilsbeth,” he mused.

“Are you sure she’s the right witch? Maybe she’s not helping you on purpose.”

“I don’t think so. Don’t get me wrong, she was pissed at me big time, but she didn’t even know about you until last night.”

“She didn’t know when she did the spell?”

“No…she didn’t.”
But she asked me to move in with her and tried to kiss me.
Guilt tore at him but disclosing those facts didn’t seem in either of their best interests. Ilsbeth knew he had a mate and that was all that mattered.

“We’re meeting her tonight?”

“Yeah. So, uh, what about you? No boyfriends?” He smiled, changing the focus.

“Me? Not really. I dated humans. I’ve only met a few tigers, none were my mates. Avoided wolves.”

“Not anymore.”

“And look where that got me.” She shook her head, lifting her eyes to his. Her lips couldn’t help but curl upward despite the unpleasant conversation they’d just had about the witch.

“On my lap, that’s where.” He laughed. “And the problem is?”

“Are you always so…I don’t know…funny? Optimistic?” she asked.

“Is there any way else to be? I may be immortal but I’m not wastin’ this life in misery or fear.”

“Hence driving your motorcycle cross-country? Single-handedly almost killing an Alpha? Jumping into hell pits with dangerous vampires? What else do you do for fun?”

“Tiger taming…it may be the scariest gig I’ve taken on.”

“Tiger taming, huh?” She laughed, rolling her eyes. “I didn’t realize you worked for a circus.”

“Oh, no, no. I don’t believe in caging animals, darlin’. Wild animals should be free,” he proposed, spreading open her robe.

“No ringmaster?”

“I may be a master but only in the bedroom. No circus here.”

“I’m impressed with your bravery,” she said, tracing a small circle on his chest, “but if you’re in the tiger taming business, what makes you think you’ll come out unscathed? Tigers are deadly, you know…ferocious.”

“Indeed.”

“You may get scratched…we like it rough.”

“Aw cher, I plan on earnin’ a few scratch marks along the way, but my cat, she’s going to be purrin’ like a kitten when I’m done with her.”

“You may get bitten, then what?”

“A few bites never hurt anybody.” He glided his hand down her forearm, teasing her inner wrist. “I can take care of myself.”

“So you plan on using a whip?”

“Only if she likes it. But you’ve gotta be gentle when taming tigers…coercing them only makes them more aggressive.” Without warning Dimitri lifted her up onto the piano, her bottom hitting the keys. The ping of the notes sang into the air. “Careful, calculated attention…now that’s what trains a tiger. You must get close to her…earn her trust.”

“Sounds dangerous,” she gasped as his palms glided up her inner thighs. Off balance, she held onto the rim of the fall board.

“Lethal,” he agreed. Locking his eyes on hers, he skimmed his hands over her knees until they fell wide, exposing her sex.

“You’re very confident.” The heat grew between them as Dimitri’s sensuous mouth approached her abdomen.

“I can be commanding when I need to…my tiger knows she can trust me to take care of her,” he said. Pressing his lips to the soft skin below her breasts, Dimitri smiled.

“Yes,” she breathed. Her pussy ached as it brushed against his chest. She began to pant as he placed small kisses on her skin, dipping underneath her belly button but never going any further.

Dimitri lay his cheek flat against her stomach, letting her cradle his head with her hands. His fingers glided beneath her robe, caressing the small of her back

“Have I successfully demonstrated my technique?” he asked softly.

“You scare me,” Gillian admitted, her lips brushing the top of his head. Dimitri’s erotic touch seared her senses, eliciting arousal through every cell of her body. But it was his flirtatious banter, laced with a hint of truth, that had touched her heart. The more she got to know him, the man behind the wolf, the more she realized she’d never be the same. It wasn’t just about her not shifting; it was about caring for someone so much that she could barely breathe. She was falling for him.

“You terrify me,” he replied, hiding his expression from her.

“This thing between us…it feels so…”

“Yes it does.”

“How do you know what I was going to say?” She laughed.

“I care about you, Gilly,” he said, not quite answering her question. “I’m not a fool. I know there’s this physical thing that draws us together. Whatever that magic is that give us our mates.”

“Chemistry.”

“I never thought I’d find someone…it’s been a long time.”

“I haven’t lived as long as you, but I know what it feels like to be alone.” Gillian rubbed her cheek into his hair.

“No more.” Dimitri lifted his head to look deep within her eyes.

“No more.” Gillian’s heart raced. It wasn’t as if they’d declared their love for each other, but the intimacy around their fears and optimism allowed them to share the vulnerable nature of their feelings. A new beginning for them both.

As Dimitri leaned forward, Gillian took his face into her hands, cupping his cheeks. His eyes fell to her lips and then caught her gaze again. Slowly, he leaned into her embrace until his mouth claimed hers. Gently his tongue slipped between her trembling lips. Gillian’s fingers tunneled up into his wavy brown hair. Fisting his locks, she hungrily kissed him back.

Gillian’s hands fell to Dimitri’s waistband, tugging down his shorts, freeing his erection. Her smooth pussy grazed his belly, and she struggled to get leverage, to alleviate the ache. Dimitri sensed her need and bent his knees so that his hardness pressed against her entrance. Using a hand to guide himself, he eased himself into her, inch by inch, gingerly joining their bodies as one. Never breaking contact, Dimitri built a slow rhythm.

Gillian absorbed the way he moved inside her and moaned in pleasure. It was only a matter of time before her beast submitted completely, marking him in return. By doing so, she’d fully accept her fate. Like an all-consuming force of nature, Dimitri destroyed every last preconception she’d held about wolves mating. His intoxicating presence in her life had become a delicious necessity.

“Always,” she spoke into his lips as he surged within her, unsure of whether she was talking to him or herself.

“Goddess, yes. You’re everything,” he breathed. The physical attraction was banging hard, he knew. But the more time they spent together, the more he emotionally committed to Gillian and he started to believe that it’d be possible for him to find love.

The piano keys chimed as he delved deeper into her core, rocking into her body. Her staccato breath told him she was close, and he could no longer hold back the release they both sought. With slow, forceful thrusts, he stimulated her clitoris with his pelvis, throwing them both over the edge of ecstasy.

Gillian screamed against his lips as Dimitri heaved against her, matching his intensity. Merged together, she contracted, shaking as the rush of her orgasm tore through her body. Holding on for dear life, she wrapped her legs around Dimitri’s waist, encouraging him to go deeper.

Dimitri felt her inner muscles fist around him, and he no longer fought his impending climax. With a grunt, he came, pouring himself into her. He kissed her again, wishing he could say all the words that lay hidden in his heart. She’d slay him, he knew. Yet the taste of her was like lifeblood, pulsating into him with explosive passion.

Desperate to own their feelings…for each other…for their future, they succumbed to the delicate intimacy that had begun to weave itself into their hearts. As their kiss slowed, they continued to seek each other, not wanting the moment to end. Eventually, their lips stilled, their breath softening. Gillian and Dimitri drew closer, cheek to cheek, eyes closed, lost in the surreal sensation. An intense state of intimacy existed, one neither of them had ever experienced. Danger would come. It lurked outside like an evil cloak waiting to suffocate them. But for the moment they relaxed into their newfound relationship; never again would they be alone.

Gillian sat at the black metal table, tracing her fingers over the small diamond grate. Her face was frozen with anger, glaring at the witch sitting across from her. After making love and eating breakfast, she’d had a leisurely shower and then taken some photos of the bayou abutting Dimitri’s home. The slow-moving stream teemed with wildlife and she’d snapped some amazing shots of an egret in flight. A snake swam across the surface of the water and she squealed but still managed to capture its image.

Her relaxation came to crash when Dimitri told her that it was time to go see Ilsbeth. No matter how many times she told herself that the witch was going to help Dimitri, her intuition told her otherwise. As soon as they entered the tiny bricked courtyard of the private café, her stomach knotted in consternation.

There was something about Ilsbeth that bothered her. While she’d been cordial, shaking Gillian’s hand, introducing her to the handsome sorcerer she’d brought to help Dimitri, the petite angelic-looking woman gave her the chills. It wasn’t lost on her how the witch had kissed Dimitri’s cheeks, lingering seconds longer than necessary. Gillian tried to shake off the feeling that something was wrong. She tried to blame it on their impending mating; her cat would resent any female touching her mate. It was natural to distrust others, especially a woman who’d been in Dimitri’s bed. Despite the nagging concerns, Gillian sucked a breath, resolving that she’d give her the benefit of the doubt. Her first priority was Dimitri and she didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize their chances of finding a spell, a cure for his affliction.

The waitress set their drinks on the table and Gillian nodded, giving thanks. She immediately picked up her diet cola, wishing she’d ordered rum to go in it. Having restraint she hadn’t known she possessed, she forced herself to calmly listen to the discussion as if the woman sitting across from her hadn’t fucked her mate a half dozen times. She glanced to Dimitri, who had his eyes pinned on Ilsbeth and the sorcerer. Jake sat on her left side and when she turned to him, he gave her a sympathetic smile. Logan, the Alpha, sat next to Dimitri, but she could tell he planned on letting his beta handle the situation. The tension was so thick she thought it’d wilt the ferns hanging from the balconies.

“Marcus has told me of a spell that can reverse the taint on your soul,” Ilsbeth began.

“Reverse? Don’t you mean remove?” Dimitri asked.

Gillian resisted the urge to reach for him. The tone of his voice, low and dominant, called both to her need to comfort and the desire to submit. She coiled her fingers around her tall glass, ensuring she’d keep her hands to herself. There was no room for mistakes. She refused to allow her impulsivity to distract him.

“Remove, reverse. Whatever,” Ilsbeth repeated. “It’s not as if this happens every day. I’ve lived almost as long as you have and I’ve never met one shifter who’s lost his wolf. Marcus, on the other hand, has experienced it.”

“In the 1960s, I worked a case,” Marcus said.

“He offers his services to hire for humans,” Ilsbeth interrupted with a note of disdain.

“Yes, Ilsbeth is correct,” he agreed, visibly annoyed with her assessment. “Supernaturals aren’t the only ones worthy to receive our gifts. But I digress…in the case I’d worked, the shifter had become involved with a human, one who’d suffered from possession. As you can imagine, the Church was involved. After the cleansing, the man, let’s call him John for the sake of our discussion. Within weeks of the exorcism, John was unable to shift.”

“Were you able to use a spell to resolve the issue?” Dimitri asked.

“Yes, we were, but it was a nasty demon who’d metaphysically leapt from one soul to another. I understand from Ilsbeth that your entity is more parasitic in nature. Given that it’s non-intelligent, technically, it should be easier to oust.”

“Surely it has an instinct to survive?” Dimitri challenged.

“Like any parasite, it’s deriving benefit without a true symbiotic relationship. Unlike the demon, which seeks to kill its host, it seeks only to exist without motivation. If it kills its host, that would result in its own demise.”

“But it is killing my wolf. I mean, the stuff Ilsbeth’s given me has helped. Between that and Gillian…” Dimitri looked to her, as if to ask for her permission to tell them what she’d done to help him. Her ability to heal was a gift, one she hadn’t shared with many people.