Redemption (12 page)

“I wanted to share more about him with you, but I made a promise. He didn’t want anyone to know about him, the fact he was a Paraspecies,” she whispered as she pulled back to look up at him. Warmth settled in her belly and fluttered southward into a splay of tingles that made her legs weaken for an entirely different reason. “I missed you.”

He squeezed her waist and drew her forward until all she inhaled was him. Her pulse quickened. “I’m thinking we need some alone time, sweetheart.”

“Can you get away? Is it safe enough?”

He feathered her lips with a kiss. “I’ll always keep you safe. They’ll never touch you again.”

Pleasure swirled in her and she hummed her approval when his hands roamed her body. A gasp escaped her when he squeezed along her rib cage.

Darkness settled in his gaze as he pulled away. “What’s wrong, Mira?”

“I was hurt at the facility.” A feral growl escaped him. “I’m sure it’ll be okay.”

“How?”

Mira looked around, suddenly aware they weren’t alone. Embarrassment crept up her cheeks. Oops. Rubbing against their Alpha probably wasn’t the wisest course of action. Oh well. He cupped her face and dragged her gaze to him.

“Tell me.”

Licking her lips, she leaned into him. “The dead guard in the open area on the lower level.”

“He hurt you.”

“Started to, but Camryn showed up and handled him.” Mention of the succuba mage made Peyton and Ren growl. “He got a few hard kicks in so I’m a little sore. It’ll be okay.”

“I’ll take you to Marek. He’ll look at your injuries.”

“No.” Mira shook her head and squeezed Adrik’s arm. “He’s worked with Deimos all day. He’s bound to be exhausted. Besides, he can’t heal me and all I want is you.”

Adrik picked her up. She clung to him as he exited the bus and headed toward the second fire. He settled her on a blanket.

“I shouldn’t have left you alone. How bad is the pain?”

“Don’t. It’s fine, Adrik. Kiss me.” She swept her hands through his hair and dragged him toward her. “I ache for you.”

His mouth claimed hers.

Their tongues dueled, but she ceded control over to him, hungering for the primal grind of his body against hers. Pleasure beaded along her skin, exploding beneath his fingertips as he swept her shirt up over her head and pinned her arms above her head.

“Keep them there,” he growled against her lips.

“I want to touch you.”

“Later.” He trailed kisses along her cheek, down her neck.

She hissed her frustration and wound her legs around his waist, rubbing herself against him.

He nipped her throat where her pulse raced in anticipation as he cupped her breast. A deft thumb flicked her hardened nipple until the sensation swept through her. Each sweep of his fingertips along her skin, from across her nipple to the swell of her breast and then downward to her bruised rib cage, cast a pulsing charge through her system and fired her need.

She groaned and rubbed against him. “Adrik, please.”

“My little beast is impatient. She needs to learn the beauty of savoring one another,” he whispered against her lips. His mouth descended, drawing her into a whirlwind of pleasure.

She tugged and squirmed until her hands fell free from the confining shirt bunched around her wrists. She trailed her fingers in his hair and nipped his ear. “And my beast likes to tease me. He needs to learn the beauty of a primal fuck.”

“I guess we’ll have to see who wins.”

Heat spread through her nipple. She writhed upward, pressing her nipple against his tongue. Warmth seeped through her core and pooled between her legs. He sucked her gently.

Agitated need panged through her. She pulled his hair. “Harder, please.”

His fingers teased her other nipple, pinching lightly until she emitted a soft rumble of delight. “So responsive. Your arousal is an aphrodisiac. You smell so good when you want me, Mira.”

She shivered as he gently lifted her ass and tugged until she was fully exposed to him. A smug grin spread on his handsome face when he reared up on his knees and ran his hand along the swell of her ass cheek. He swatted her.

She yelped in shock as warmth settled where he’d spanked her. He rubbed the area, leaning down to kiss it away. Moisture pooled between her legs.

“You liked that.”

“No,” she denied even though every synapse in her brain fired yes.

He chuckled and wrapped one arm around her waist as the other snaked along her lower abdomen and plunged beneath her panty. Pleasure engulfed her as his fingers slid across her wet slit, pausing to rub her clit.

“Still want to say no, sweetheart?” His breath fell along her shoulder. He nipped it firmly as his finger plunged into her pussy. “Fuck my fingers, Mira. Show me how you want my dick in you.”

She couldn’t think. The world ceased to exist beyond Adrik and his talented fingers as they glided along her entrance, taunting her with promised delights. “I c-can’t.” Brazenness wasn’t her style, she hadn’t ever done something so bold. Then again, she hadn’t ever been overly sexual.

“You can, Mira. You will. Show me how you want me to fuck your hungry pussy. Let me see how you’d ride my dick and I’ll make it mine. I’ll fuck you so hard and deep you’ll feel me long after we’re done.” He rubbed her clit. Pleasure shot through her and she groaned. “Do this and next time I’ll spank your delectable ass.”

She ground against his hand. She shouldn’t want what he promised, yet she wanted everything he offered. And more. She craved the sensations he awoke within her, the way he alone made every cell in her body ignite with awareness.

Closing her eyes, she surrendered to the primal embers he stoked with his words. “They’ll hear us. Someone could see us,” she whispered.

“I’ve got you, Mira. Let go. It’s just us. I’ll keep you safe.”

The huskily uttered promise slid through her as he wrapped her in the security of his embrace. His name tumbled from her lips as she grasped his arm and sank down onto his fingers, thrusting her hips and taking what he offered. Complete abandon.

Her pulse pounded in her ears, heat spread through her. His thumb flicked, rubbed and toyed with her clit. She found a steady, mind-numbing pace that worked his fingers deep into her, but also rubbed her ass against the hard length of him pressed against her.

“You’re a naughty little beast,” he growled. “Think it’s time to make you fly.”

She gasped as he took control, working his fingers in and out in a rhythm she craved. Her labored breathing became moans of wantonness only he could sate. His name rumbled from her throat again and again until fiery bursts of pleasure exploded within her.

“Whose pussy is this, Mira?”

“Yours. Always yours.”

He growled and shifted her until she knelt on trembling limbs. She blinked to a semblance of awareness as he returned, a fiery presence pressed along her back as he kicked her legs apart gently and thrust into her.

Fractured memories cut through her mind. Tears trekked down her cheeks as tension coiled in her limbs and she sank into the insidious bleakness she’d drowned in for two painful years. Years where she’d longed for this moment.

“Mira,” he whispered in her ear. His arms caressed her, wrapping around her as he brought her upward to lean against him. “It’s okay. I’m here. You’re safe.”

“Adrik.” She clung to him, inhaled him. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the fullness, the rightness of their coupling. All the horrors she’d experienced melted away. “Make me yours, take it away. Please.”

“Never again, Mira. No one but me will ever touch you. I’ll kill anyone who tries to take what’s mine.” He growled and moved inside her. “Mine.”

The fierceness in his voice fractured the inky tendrils oozing their toxic stench into her mind. All that mattered was here, now. The past held power only if she allowed it to.

He tugged her hair and she half turned until her mouth glided against his in a slow, sensuous stroke. Pleasure coursed through her veins and all thoughts of the past disappeared. “Adrik, touch me.”

“Never again,” he whispered, as though haunted by the past she’d descended into moments ago.

“No, never again. I’m yours. Only yours,” she promised. “Fuck me, Adrik. Make it go away.”

She clung to him as he moved, thrusting into her in a frenzied need that matched her quickening breaths. She leaned forward, bracing herself on her hands and thrusting backward onto his cock.

“Mine.”

Yes. Waves of desire swept her into nirvana. She crashed, drifting in a sea of pleasure as Adrik howled his release. Collapsing, she sighed her acceptance as his weight settled alongside her.

He dragged her closer, until she was pressed into his side. Wow. She could get used to this. Her wolf was a cuddler. Who knew?

Her wolf. She grinned into his shoulder. Yep, she could totally get used to this.

Reality trickled into her thoughts. As awesome as it’d be to move forward, forget about the past, things were still unsettled—seriously intense shit she didn’t fully understand. It all surrounded Deimos.

She had to protect him, even if it meant violating her promise. Adrik was strong, fierce. He could protect Deimos. All she had to do was trust him with another piece of her.

Adrik’s wolf hummed in contentment as Mira settled against his side. The soft warmth of her skin beneath his fingertips made him calm. It’d been a shit day, but his pack had rescued the Impures and destroyed the facility. And his woman was safe.

Her passion blew him away. The terror he’d sensed for a few moments made his wolf snarl. He’d destroy everyone who harmed her. She was his.

But he needed to keep his passion on a firm leash until she was ready for the full extent of his need. He’d been too dominant with her. That must’ve been why she’d had the flash of fear, the moments of terror he’d sensed.

His feral side had no place in the bedroom with Mira for a very, very long time. His inner wolf growled at the thought, but Adrik intended to do anything needed to help her heal. As long as she was safe and happy, he’d handle not being anything but gentle and cautious with her from this point forward.

When she was ready for more she’d let him know. He’d sense the shift in her need.

Hopefully.

When they returned to Redemption he’d claim her. He had some things to handle first, because he didn’t want anything interfering with the moment he took a mate. The flyers had to get gone. Deimos needed to get gone. The latter made jealousy rise within his blood.

Then there were Jarvis and Bessa. Jesus. Guilt swelled in him. He’d forgotten all about the sweet mate to his Alpha Commander.

“You okay?” Mira placed a hand on his chest.

“Yeah, just thinking about Bessa, wishing there was something we could do.”

“Doc can’t heal her?”

“Not so far. We’re hoping he’ll figure something out, but she’s out of time.”

“That’s so sad. Isn’t there anyone who could do something?”

“Bredon could’ve probably done more, or helped Doc somehow figure out the problem, but he’s gone so we’ve got no one.” He calmed beneath her tentative touch gliding along his chest, down his stomach. “Fuck, sweetheart. Her loss is gonna undo him. Us. She’s the mate every Alpha, every male wolf, longs for. She made him the man we followed into the bowels of hell.”

“She’s the glue.”

“Yeah, and I’m afraid we’ll fall apart without her. And him.” Admitting his darkest fears to someone seemed a weak move, but so right. Mira relaxed deeper into his side. “Never trusted this shit with anyone else, sweetheart. My thoughts and stuff. Pretty new to it.”

“I am too.” She smiled and peppered kisses on his chest. “We’ll figure it out.”

“Yeah, we will.” He squeezed her, then stilled. “Your ribs okay?” Self-loathing had consumed him most of the night as she’d slept. He’d watched, worried. He shouldn’t have abandoned her at the facility. “Being back there must’ve been tough on you.”

She shrugged away his concern. “It wasn’t too bad. I knew I’d be safe because you were there.”

The confession made his wolf howl. “I never realized you’d been taken. We turned over every rock and scoured the area for damn near a year. I had three packs to lead. Ren, Peyton, Marek and the other sentinels finally forced me to accept you were gone.”

“I’d given up, you know,” she whispered. “I wanted to die so the pain would stop. Then I couldn’t imagine not seeing you again. I remembered your smile, you voice and our sexy as hell first kiss that left my toes curled.”

“It was a hell of a kiss,” he admitted.

“Then I couldn’t remember. It’s as if the pain made you fade because it seeped in every crevice of my memories and burned them away.”

A tear fell on his chest. He wanted to kiss away the hurt, fuck away the terror she’d lived, but as much as it pained him, she needed this offload more than he needed to not hear it. Once she shared the shit she’d endured, he’d obliterate it. Somehow he’d make her never, ever remember those two years.

“I still remember the first time I heard him in my mind. They’d taken me to the table in the room where Camryn ended Hank. Nothing they did made sense, but I knew I wasn’t supposed to survive it. I did because of him. Somehow he made the pain disappear. I felt nothing, heard nothing beyond his voice.”

Fuck. “It should’ve been me there with you, sweetheart. I never should’ve let you leave Redemption alone.”

“I’d done the trip alone a thousand times, Adrik.” She kissed his chest and hugged him closer. “I’m free, everyone from there is, because of you. You saved them. You helped me fulfill the promise to save Deimos.”

“I’m glad he was there, Mira. Really, I’m thankful as fuck you survived and returned to me. But I gotta admit. I don’t like that he was there for you, protected you. Actions like those mean something to my people. You’re someone he’s vowed to protect with his life. It’s a bond, a part of him now. You don’t feel it because you’re an Impure, but he damn sure does. Fuck, I don’t even know who or what he is and he’s tied to you now.” He buried his face in her hair and inhaled.

“Adrik, I want to trust you with something.” She shifted until her gaze collided head-on with his. His protective instincts woke. “I need to tell you because I think it’s important, but I swore to say nothing.”