Gifted Curse (Curse Trilogy) (19 page)

My lips find their way to his without my permission, and his grip tightens against me as he gives me the closeness I need right now.  He scoops me up, and I feel the air against us as he carries me back to the room.

My back finds the bed, and I snuggle into him as he joins me.  His hand strokes my hair, while his eyes still pity me.

“I went years without a glitch, and now I’ve gone crazy twice - technically three times - in a matter of weeks,” I sigh out, and he pulls me even tighter to his body.

“I know.  That’s why it’s important you stay with me.  You’ve had a lot thrown at you, and on a subconscious level, you’re feeling attacked.  Just stay with me so that I can keep you safe.”

I sigh as I lean back, and the effects slowly start to subside.

“It’s not your place to have to care for me.  I’ll be fine, and I know you’d probably like to have your life back.  As of tonight, my savagery crossed a line.  I’ve never let someone get to me the way that… whatever it was did,” I grumble.  “Then you got attacked.”

He snickers lightly, and then he stands to his feet to find a more relaxed set of pants to wear.  I try to turn away as he peels off the destroyed shirt, and then I feel the torture of my body still wanting his without the effects there to blame.

“Are you okay now?” he asks softly while pulling his pants over his boxers, and it’s all I can do not to attack him of my own free will.

No I’m not okay.  I love you again, you son of a bitch.

“I’m fine now, really,” I lie.

“I’ve got some research to do right now.  I’ll be in the living room if you need me,” he mutters, and then he ducks out of the room.

Why can’t I just tell him how I feel? 
Because he’s finally over you, and it would be cruel to force him back now.

I don’t fight the sleepiness overtaking me, and I stare at the beautiful man in the other room as he studies the facts of the craziness that has evolved all around.  His eyes never look for mine at all.

He’s really over it.

Chapter 6

Reconciliation

I wake up to see the sun is still in hiding, so I know it’s either really late or really early.  I’m still wearing the dreadful dress, and Hale is still not in the bed with me.  The dim light of the living room allows me to see him as he grips his head and stares at a board that has descended from the ceiling.

I stand up and drop my dress to the floor before walking to his closet which is out of view from the living room.  I pull out one of his shirts, and I close it with my hands rather than buttoning it up.  I’ve spent too long worrying about rejection, and now I’m just ready to take my chances.

I slowly walk into the room, and he barely stirs when he hears my footsteps.

“Couldn’t sleep?” he asks softly while sighing in frustration.

“I think I got used to you being in bed with me.  I suppose I didn’t scream for you tonight,” I say with flirting intentions.

“No screams tonight,” he mumbles, and it’s rather obvious he didn’t notice or didn’t care about my flirting.

“Oh.  You want some coffee or something?” I ask softly while walking toward the kitchen.

His eyes stay glued to the screen, refusing to even offer me a glance.

“Coffee sounds great,” he exasperates.

I turn on the brewing beast, and then I slowly strut to the couch to join him.  He still refuses to look at me, and the only thing holding this shirt together is my hands.

“Have you figured anything out?” I say while my nerves collect themselves.

“Nothing of any real value.  These attacks look sporadic, random, and completely unorganized.  Your suspect made it sound as if there was a method to the madness.” he grouses, and then he tosses his ink pen and paper to the table as if in disgust.

“Thanks for being there when I needed you,” I murmur ambitiously.

“He couldn’t have broken through your invincibility.  I just didn’t want to take any chances,” he murmurs while burying his head in his hands.

“Thanks for that too, but that’s not what I was referring to,” I murmur softly, and then I very slowly stand to lower my body on top of his.

My legs straddle his waist, and my hands feel his smooth, pristine upper body as my lips fold over his.  His hands slide up my back, and he moans lightly before jerking me back.

Fuck!  I knew he was over me.  What the hell was I thinking?

His eyes search mine, and I almost laugh when I realize what’s going on.  I pull my hands over his, and then I kiss one before easing his worry.

“It’s me.  Just me,” I murmur softly.

His eyes show immense relief as he exhales, “Oh thank fuck.”

His lips consume mine instantly, and he pulls me tighter against his body as I let the shirt go.  His hands reach inside the shirt to wrap around my bare body, and I feel his passion oozing into my mouth.

“Fuck,” he breathes.   “This was premeditated,” he says while pulling back to view my ensemble.  “I hope this means you’re tired of being friends.”

His lips attack mine with more of a savage need.

“I thought you liked being friends,” I mutter as I pull back with a wry smile.

“I fucking hate it.  It’s torture,” he grumbles, and I smile bigger before returning to the kiss.

My bareness leaves me ready for everything, and he picks me up to carry me back to the bedroom.  He hovers over me after he lays me on the bed, and his expert lips caress my neck before rolling down to my chest.  His teeth lightly graze my stomach on his downward journey, and I gasp when he reaches the destination he seeks.  His tongue swirls over my most sensitive spot, and then he attacks with more of a vigorous need.  It feels so incredible it almost makes me sick.

I begin squirming when the sensations become almost overwhelmingly surreal.  I grip the headboard behind me as moans erupt.  He grabs my hips to force me to stay still until I reach my climax far too soon and scream out.

He lightly kisses the insides of my legs before trailing back up, and then I feel his bare firmness pressing against the quivering piece of my body when his mouth returns to mine.

“I’ve been dying to do that,” he murmurs against my lips.

“I’ve been dying for you to do that,” I almost giggle out, and he smiles against the appreciative kiss.

His hand guides his erection’s journey inside me, and then I gasp as the filling feeling clashes with my sensitive internals.  He takes his time at first, drawing out each elongated stroke, and then he begins to quicken his rhythm.  His perfect lips feel like heaven against mine, and the empty void I’ve felt since I lost him is suddenly overflowing.

He wraps me up tighter, as if he can‘t get close enough.  I grip his hair as he surges into me harder, the heated center of our bodies dampened.  I feel him swelling inside me, and my body is forced to hurry once more when it’s my undoing.  His warmth spreads inside me, and I gasp loudly as I begin convulsing from the second climax.

“Fuck,” he gushes, and then his body crashes to mine.

I smile as I run my fingers through his hair, and he pants into my ear to prove he just did all the work.

He rolls over to his side, and then he pulls me to be against him as his lips press against mine.

“I really hope you plan on staying now,” he breathes.  “If not, I’ll follow you to Hershian.”

I laugh a little, and then I snuggle into him.

“I was worried you were finally over me,” I say to explain my reasoning behind the location change I had embarked on.

“Never.  There’s never going to be anyone else for me, Araya.”

“You wouldn’t look at me, touch me, and you acted ill with me all the time,” I murmur pitifully.

“I was trying to be your
friend,
which sucked.  It’s hard to look at someone you love and not tell them the truth about how you feel, so I kept my eyes away because I knew they would betray me.  I was worried you would leave.  I couldn’t touch you without physically hurting to be with you.  As for acting ill, well, you kept wearing short shorts, slinky tops, and every other thing that you know damn well drives me crazy,” he grouses, and I can’t help but snicker.

“Sorry.  I regretted issuing the friendship proposal right away.  I wanted you to want me again because I wanted you,” I explain.

“Well, fuck.  You should have said something,” he exasperates while shaking his head.

“I wanted to, but I thought you were finally moving on.  The only time it felt like you still wanted me was when I would wake up in your arms.  I’m glad I had so many nightmares, even though I can’t remember them.”

He smirks a little, a blushing color stinging his cheeks.

“I have a confession.  You only cried out for me the first three nights.  After that you slept fine, but I needed a reason to hold you.  So, I just let you think you were still screaming for me.  Besides, it felt incredible those first three nights when it was my name you were calling, especially since it has been three years since I was the guy you were with.”

I smirk a little and roll my eyes, and then I grimace lightly.

“It’s always been your name,” I mumble.

“What has?” he muses casually.

“Anytime the nightmares strike, it’s your name I call out.  Brazen thought I was having a different sort of dream for a while, and he finally confronted me about it.  I lied and told him it was about the incident, but it wasn’t.  They’re always different dreams, but the one I need is always the same,” I murmur out with more honesty than I had intended to share, and his lips envelope mine instantly.

“I’m really glad I didn’t know that sooner,” he breathes into my mouth, and my leg wraps around him as I scoot in even closer.  “Though, I wish I had known how you felt.  I’ve been going crazy without you, baby,” he coos so softly, and then I pull back a little sadly.

“I told you I loved you earlier,” I almost whimper.

“I thought it was just the effects of the savage or the blood or both.  I never dreamed it was really you, or I swear I would have returned it.  Tell me now,” he whispers, and his lips dare mine to move as they strum across them gently.

“I love you,” I utter so softly, and his kiss becomes more intensified.

“I love you,” he resounds, and then his lips play lightly across my face as he kisses me all over playfully.

I laugh a little at his amusement and excitement, and then he sighs with elation as he clutches me to his body.

“Don’t hurt me again.  Be there.  That’s all I want, and that’s all I’ve ever asked,” I murmur against his neck.

“I swear I’ll be there for you anytime you need or want me, baby.  I love you so much.  You just don’t know how good it feels to have you again.”

I giggle a little, and I feel the worry being doused by my excitement to be in his arms again.

“Do you want to go back to the interrogation room?” I say with a vixen’s ambition.

“Why?” he muses innocently.

My devious gaze catches his eyes, and I rise up to pull his shirt back on.

“We can play with the chains some more now that I’m not under the effects of anything,” I seduce, and his eyes teem with menacing excitement.

“Fuck yes,” he declares, and he jerks on his pants with haste.  “Damn, I almost forgot how fucking incredible you are,” he snickers out, and then he pins me against the wall.

I smirk a little and my lips stroll over his chest before I almost pierce the skin.

“I suppose it wouldn’t be so bad to be under the effects of something,” I smolder out, and he swallows hard against the seductive knot I’ve forced into his throat.

“You’re fucking killing me,” he breathes.

“I’m yours now.  Do whatever you want,” I tempt, and slams my back against the wall as his lips claim mine without mercy.

This is going to be one Hale of a reconciliation.

His arms are still clinging
to me as his steady breaths rattle softly against my forehead.  I’ve always loved watching him sleep for some reason.  It’s the only time he seems so at peace.  The rest of the time he’s forced to endure the same struggles we all are.

A knock at the door forces me to climb out from under the gentle hybrid, and I close the door of the bedroom behind me while securing his shirt onto my body.  I open the door to a grinning Clay, and I cover my face in embarrassment.

“So, should I have stayed to watch?” he teases as he gauges my shirt.

I roll my eyes and go to the kitchen to pour out the old coffee we never drank before making a new batch.

“I hate my savage side,” I grumble, and he bursts out laughing.

“It was definitely turned up last night,” he mocks, and then I grab an apple from the counter.

“You have no idea,” I utter with sheer humiliation seeping out.

“I’m assuming you two blood fucked after I left because you weren’t in the mood for games last night,” he asserts far too bluntly.

“You’re an ass,” I scoff.

“Your ass looked pretty damn good in these,” he teases, and he hands me the shards of fabric from my lace panties that were shredded under Hale’s hands and left in the interrogation room for all to see.

“Fuck my life,” I growl, and I grab the remnants from him to toss them into the trash.

He roars out his laughter, and I continue my feverish blushing.

“The chains were out, the underwear remained in tatters, and there were smudge prints all over the glass.  I’m glad the two of you didn’t break the room,” he chuckles out.

The smudges on the glass are from the second time we returned to the interrogation room.  Fuck.

“Please tell me no one else knows,” I whimper.

“Everyone knows, but no one gives a damn,” he snickers.  “Most everyone is just jealous.  Where’s Hale?”

I shrug casually so as not to give anything away to the man who has been dying for us to reconcile.  I dare not let him derive any joy from this moment considering how gravely he has just humiliated me.

“He must still be in bed.  He stayed up late researching and working out,” I murmur misleadingly.

“Oh.  Did he find anything?” he asks curiously.

“I don’t think so.  He was looking for logic in an illogical surge of events,” I mumble, and then I grab a coffee cup to pour in some of the strong brew filling me with aromatic satisfaction.

“Good morning,” Clay chirps with a snicker, and I smile because I know Hale is in the room now.

I keep my back turned, and I grin a larger fool’s grin when I feel his arms wrapping around my waist.  His lips stroke my cheek lightly before he responds to Clay.

“It is a pretty damn good morning,” he smolders, and then he turns me around to offer me a deep, powerful kiss.

“Well I’ll be damned.  It’s about fucking time,” Clay gushes, and both of us smile into the kiss.

“It is,” Hale murmurs against my lips, and then he pulls away to grab a cup of coffee for himself.

“I bet you’re glad I left the room now,” he chuckles out.

Hale blushes, and then his eyes sizzle into mine.