HerMatesEmbrace (32 page)

Cami rolled her eyes. That was simple. Allesse wanted them.
No need for explanations. Even full bonding wouldn’t deter her. Cami wrapped
her arms around Linc the moment she got within reach. His hands smoothed over
her back. He held her tight against him. She moved against him until finally
the
tiron
was satisfied any single woman would be able to tell that Colm
and Linc weren’t free.

“Better?” Linc’s hand stroked down her back. His fingers
touched the curve of her buttocks, but he didn’t cup them.

She pushed back against his hand in silent urging. When his
hand swept up her back, only to return to the curve of her buttocks, she knew
he was teasing her. She dug her nails into his back in a bit of retaliation.
Now really wasn’t the time, but each touch drew her closer. She wanted to
deepen the embrace and find some privacy so they could really enjoy it.

“A little. Something about it this time drove my cat wild.”
She leaned back in his loose hold. She didn’t know what it was about this
incident that was so different from the other times. If any of them should have
set the
tiron
to roaring, the time when she’d been attacked from the
back should have done it.

“My guess is the timing. It’s close to the time of claiming
and that concoction is finally clearing your system. You may have known that we
were your mates, but it’s different when the
tiron
can sense its mates,
but is held back from the instinctual claiming.” Linc’s lips twisted. “In the
last few days, I’ve felt more possessive and protective of you. Letting you out
of my sight for even a small period of time hasn’t been easy.”

He could be right. Now that she thought about it, most of
her feelings had been more intense with concern to them. Maybe it was natural,
but she hoped it would settle down once the claiming was completed. She didn’t
expect the trouble with the women to completely fade away, even after the
ceremony. Their desire for the position seemed to be too entrenched.

“Don’t worry. We’ll take care of this. It’s not going to
happen again. They’ll realize that there’s no hope for them with us.” Linc
dropped a kiss on her forehead.

She didn’t believe that for a moment. Linc and Colm had
already made a blatant declaration. That hadn’t changed a thing. She didn’t
think having yet another talk with them would work. She wished she knew what
would stop them. She’d do it without hesitating.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Cami strolled down the hallway. She felt relaxed and happy
for the most part. Two days without a comment from the single women. That alone
relieved her. She didn’t know if she’d be able to hold back right now if
another woman made a claim on Linc and Colm. Maybe those women finally accepted
the truth. On the other hand, frustration clawed through her. The promise of
being with both Colm and Linc had kept her body on fire, but it hadn’t happened
yet.

Either Colm or Linc had been called away on every night
since that day. It was the same in the morning. She woke with only one of them
by her side. She was ready to tie one of them to the bed. At least he’d stay
there while she went searching for the other one.

They still hunted Kynar. From the intensifying search, they
drew closer to cornering him. At times, she could care less about that. She
needed to be with her men. The drive pumped through her. They felt it too. Both
of them growled anytime another male drew near her. They’d growled at Vin
yesterday for merely being in the same room with her.

The frustration at not being able to claim them and be claimed
ate at her.
When was the last of the herbal medicine going to fade?
She
growled and shook her head. It shouldn’t be too much longer, but she’d been
assuring herself of that for days. It didn’t reassure her anymore.

When she’d started taking the herbs, she never envisioned
that she’d want the effects gone so badly. In a way, the time to be with them
before they fully mated had been a good thing even if it left her frustrated.
It gave her time to get to know them. She knew she could trust them.

She strode for the double doors where Tynan waited for her.
A smile crossed her face. Thoughts of getting outside had teased and distracted
all morning. A stroll within the walls of the
Thent
normally didn’t rate
as a thrill, but she needed a little time in the sun. She wanted to feel the
wind on her face. Energy bubbled inside her. She’d love to be able to shift and
go for a run, but knew she wasn’t going anywhere until they caught Kynar.

She hoped they actually caught him. As protective as Colm
and Linc had been lately, if Kynar decided to leave, she wouldn’t get ouside
the walls until someone did catch the
tamaurg
. She didn’t know if she
could handle that kind of confinement.

She didn’t know why Kynar remained in the area. He had to
know he wouldn’t be able to free Laed much less get to the crystal, even if she
still had it. Meanness and viciousness ran through their veins, but she’d never
thought them stupid.

When she was with Colm or Linc, she forgot to ask about
that. Still, she doubted the conversation would get far. She had brought up
Laed a couple of times. They became growly and tense. They assured her that he
wouldn’t escape, but she never managed to get very far in the conversation. She
knew they would protect her. That wasn’t in question.

“Hi, Tynan, it hasn’t started raining, I hope.” She could
smell the moisture in the air. When she’d peeked out earlier, she’d noticed the
dark clouds hanging low in the sky.

“Not yet. It will soon. I was just waiting for you and for
Colm.” He returned her smile and straightened away from the wall.

“Colm? Is he walking with us?” She felt her spirits lift a
little more. She’d love to spend some time with him.

“I don’t know. He told me to wait for him to get here before
we went walking.” Tyson smiled.

She frowned. It was a little strange, but she brushed it
aside. Whatever the reason, she wanted him with her. She waited, expecting him
to come through the doors any moment. She couldn’t stand still. She fidgeted.
Her hands brushed over her green skirt and straightened her shirt.

As time passed, she began pacing, first across the hallway
and then down the length of it and back. Periodically, she’d lean against the
wall and stare at the door.
What is taking him so long?

When the door finally opened, she’d once again taken a rest
against the wall. Her eyes narrowed and she watched it swing wide. Annoyance
simmered through her at the delay. It was probably going to start raining and
then they’d find a reason to keep her inside. She’d get cold, the rain would
limit vision or some other plausible impediment. They’d always be
overprotective, but now she’d almost reached her limit. She needed these small
tastes of freedom. The continued confinement made her ready to bolt.

Colm strode into the hallway and stopped midstep. His eyes
swung to her and locked. She saw them shift to
tiron
gold. Stunned, she
straightened against the wall. A predator watched her and she didn’t dare make
any sudden moves.
What had happened?

“Into the gathering room. Now.” Colm’s voice rumbled low and
rough and so close to a growl that she blinked at him for a moment. “Now,
woman!”

She moved. Without a word, she walked to the gathering room.
With every step, she felt as if she was about to be pounced upon and taken to
the ground. Pushing the door open, she stepped into the room.

Colm’s body pressed forward, suddenly crowding her into the
dimly lit room. At that moment, his scent surrounded her. The deep, spicy
essence hit her with the force of a physical blow.
Mate!
The door
slammed shut. Colm’s hands clasped on her arms and guided her to the closest
wall. Although she’d known the herbs were fading from her system, she’d thought
it would take another day or two to be gone completely.

One of his hands left her arm and swept her hair to the
right side, bringing the mass over her shoulder and baring her neck and left
shoulder. With each breath she took, his scent seemed to wash through her.
Hunger flared low in her belly and slick moisture began to ease from her pussy.
It surprised her. He had barely touched her, but already her body began to
ignite with desire.

“Finally, I can smell
you
.” Colm growled the words
against her neck. His teeth scraped across her neck. “Unbutton your shirt or
it’s going to get torn.”

She didn’t care about the shirt, but knew she’d need
something to wear after he finished with the claiming. Her fingers fumbled on
the oval fastenings, but managed to push the last one through the hole before
he took matters into his own hands. He pulled the shirt down her arms and
tossed it.

She didn’t see which direction it went before his hands
firmly turned her to face the wall. At the moment, she didn’t care. Her heart
thudded against her chest as excitement tore through her body. She pressed her
hands against the wall to brace herself. Slick moisture eased out of her cunt
onto her thighs.

His hands shook and, at times, his touch was a little firm,
but she could almost feel the restraint he was using. He hadn’t taken her to
the ground and mounted her. Not that she would object. Her own
tiron
stirred inside her. The animal wanted his possession even if she had to incite
it a little. She wanted him as wild as she felt.

She pressed her hips back, but realized she still wore her
skirt. Reaching down, she started to unfasten it. His hands caught hers and
pressed them to the wall. A low growl rolled against her neck.

The sound sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine. She
froze and didn’t resist as he guided her hands back to the stone. His fingers
tugged and pushed at the fastening of her skirt. A light ping off the wall announced
the fate of one of the recalcitrant buttons. The skirt loosened and fell to her
feet.

“Step out. I want you open for me.” Colm’s hands slid down
her back, around and over her belly.

The warmth of his palms seared her. She arched into his
touch wanting to feel his hands everywhere. She stepped out of her skirt and
widened her stance a bit in invitation. His hands swept up her belly and over
her ribs. She trembled as his fingers lingered over the
trika
. When his
palms cupped her breasts, she drew in a hissing breath. Fiery sparks radiated
from the light pressure. She hadn’t expected such a fierce reaction.

Part of her wanted to push, to incite a fiercer dominance,
and the other part wanted to soothe and submit. Her fingernails scraped against
the stone. She didn’t know what to do or what she wanted more. His fingers slid
up and over her nipples, drawing a moan from her. He trapped the nipple between
two fingers and squeezed gently.

She moaned and looked over her shoulders, meeting his
intense stare. “Give me what I need.”

He growled low in his throat and stepped close. She felt the
heat of his cock and the warm brush of his thighs against her buttocks.
When
had he found time to undress?
She rocked her hips back against him in
silent demand. His fingers at her breasts tightened a little, pulling her back
against him. His cock slid between her legs, brushing over the wet folds of her
pussy. She wanted his shaft driving into her, filling her cunt.

“I’m going to ride you hard. My cock’s going to pound into you
as my teeth sink into your shoulder, finally marking you as mine.” His breath
feathered over her neck and shoulder as his lips brushed back and forth there.
He seemed to be trying to decide where he wanted to place his mark.

She almost purred. That’s what she needed. “Now.”

“Demanding
rah’ki
.” He nuzzled her neck and she felt
the scrape of fangs and the wet swipe of his tongue.

His hands slowly released her breasts and swept down her
stomach. She groaned at the loss of the warmth and touch of his calloused hands
on the aching mounds. He gripped her hips, the pressure tight, almost as if he
thought she might try to slip out of his hold. His hips rocked against her
buttocks, rubbing his cock back and forth against the swollen lips of her
pussy.

“You’re so wet for me.”

“I’ve been aching for you to claim me as much as you wanted
to do it,” she whispered and reached down to glide her fingers over his arm.

He drew back a little as his cock nudged her entrance before
driving deep. His tongue swirled over her shoulder once more. She arched her
neck to the side, giving him room. His teeth clamped down onto her shoulder.
Sharp canines sank into her flesh as he thrust hard. She gasped. Her hand
slammed back to the wall to keep her balance.

Pain mixed with rising pleasure as his hips drove against
her buttocks. She pushed back into the thrusts, wanting more. One of his arms
curled around, drawing her back more fully against him. Her pelvis rocked back.
She wanted more, deeper, now.

His hand cupped her pussy. A single finger pressed between
the lips and circled her clit. His hips drove against her faster and harder. A
low growl rumbled through him. Fiery sensation shot straight from where his
mouth gripped at her shoulder down to her pussy. Her inner muscles clenched and
shivers racked her body as the wave of pleasure slammed through her.

His hips surged against her. The growl became a low groan as
she felt him come. His arms tightened and held her close. His body shook as she
tried to regain her breath. His mouth loosened and his tongue swiped over the
punctures from his teeth. When the air hit the bite, it stung. She savored the
small tinge of pain. Finally. Fear had held her back at first, but she’d wanted
this.

“Mine, finally. I was getting close to trying to do something
about your scent with magic.” Colm nuzzled her cheek and a purr rumbled against
her back.

“Mine too.” Linc’s tight voice rolled through the room.

Cami stiffened. She hadn’t realized that anyone had come
into the room. After Colm began touching her, her focus had locked on Colm, the
feel of his body, and the scent and sound of their mating. She looked over and
found Linc leaning a shoulder against one of the doors. The muscles of his
cheek flexed. She saw his hand clench. Desire immediately began to rise again.
She lifted her hands from the wall.

“Leave them there. I want you exactly as you are.” Linc’s
voice roughened as he straightened away from the door.

Colm pulled back. His hands stroked over her arms and then
her back. He dropped a kiss on her shoulder, following that with a quick kiss
to the cheek. “I’m not finished with you yet, but Linc needs to claim you as
badly as I did.”

She smiled. She wanted to spend the rest of the day with
both of them. She wasn’t sure if it would happen, because they were still
looking for Kynar. They wanted to catch him quickly before he could cause too
much damage.

Colm backed away as Linc stalked over to her. Linc’s eyes
narrowed on her and he looked ready to chase her down if she moved. Not a bad
thought. She’d love to get caught by him. The animal within him was too much in
control to play and tease right now. Not that she was afraid he’d hurt her, but
she knew Linc. He wouldn’t want to chance losing that last hold on his wilder
side.

If he lost control of that and accidentally hurt her, he
wouldn’t trust himself for a long time. She remained still, but let her eyes
travel appreciatively down his body as he approached. His bare chest gleamed in
the low light. Muscles rippled with each step he took. He’d loosened the ties
at the front of his pants, but the cloth still obscured his cock from her
hungry gaze.

“I didn’t want to leave you this morning. I’ve never been so
tempted to lock myself in a room with someone and forget my duties.” Linc took
the last step up behind her. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close.
“Your scent was so close to right that it was hard to let you out of my sight.”

“I wouldn’t have minded staying in bed with you all day.”
She rested her hands over his briefly before returning them to the wall.

“I would have loved to stay with you, but we knew we
wouldn’t want to leave you for a while after we fully mated.” He swept her hair
to the other side baring her unmarked right shoulder. His head lowered and he
drew in a deep breath. His purr rumbled against her back. “So we’ve been making
sure that we won’t get interrupted unless there’s a crisis.”