Rise of the Phoenix (Return To Avalore #2) (17 page)

She couldn’t stop the tremble in her fingers as she reached for the tab. The soft rasp of the zipper whispered in the quiet surrounding them. Nothing would stop her from taking what she wanted this time.

“Touch me, Brienne.” Not waiting for her to respond, he took her hand and guided it to him, stroking it up and down his shaft through his trousers. “I’m yours, do what you will.” Her toes curled at the huskiness in his voice.

He
was
hers. Torn between the luxury of slow exploration and the burning need throbbing within her, Brienne took a shaky breath. “I want to see you.” Biting her bottom lip between her teeth, she stepped back, giving him enough room to move.

Hooking his thumbs into the waistband, he quirked one eyebrow and then lowered them an inch. The sculpted muscles of his lower abdomen and pelvis peeked at her, teasing her, making her mouth water. She wanted to lick and kiss every dip, every line. A small trail of dark hair pointed the way to what she yearned for, and she couldn’t keep her eyes from following where it led.

“More.” Holding her breath, she watched as he brought them lower, and then let them slide to the moss-covered ground. His energy, hot and inviting, surrounded her, sliding over her like a silken glove. His hard cock sprang forward, determined, inviting.
Mine.
Closing the gap between them, she took his mouth before sliding her hands down his back, then circling his waist so that her fingers hovered just above the object of her fascination.

“You’re going to kill me.”
His raspy tone slid into her mind, sending her synapses into overdrive.

“I need you.”
She poured everything she had into the kiss. Unable to resist, she shifted her hips, swaying against him. Lost in sensation, she hadn’t noticed his hands moving until they rested on her hips, stopping her from moving. She tried to move again, but he held her still. He couldn’t stop, not now. Her heart thudded.
“Evan.”

His soft growl vibrated against her.

“Please.”

He brought his hands to her waist, making quick work of the button and zipper before pulling her pants all the way down to her ankles.
“Step out of them. Now.”

More than ready, she kicked off her shoes, and did as he commanded.

“Wrap your legs around my waist.”
One strong hand cupped her bottom, while the other came up to grasp a handful of her hair, tugging to turn her face up to his.

She didn’t think to resist, didn’t want to.
“Please, Evan…”

With her legs wrapped around him, every breath, every movement brought her hot core into tight contact with him. She couldn’t stay still, not when every part of her wanted him inside her. Instinct took over, driving her closer and closer to the edge. Shifting her hips up and down in time with each ragged breath, she revelled in the moans each glide elicited from her mate.

“Reach up with both hands and don’t let go.”
Sensual heat flooded her mind.

Overhead, a branch large enough to hold her weight, yet small enough to fit in her grasp was just within reach, the smooth bark comfortable in her palm.

The position left her vulnerable to his ravenous gaze. His hands slid to cup her ass, holding her weight from her arms while positioning her where he wanted her.

His hungry kiss stole her breath as he rubbed his length up and down, teasing her throbbing flesh.
“Are you ready for me, little spitfire?”
Reaching beneath, he found her moist entrance, circling lazily, gathering her moisture.

Pleasure raced up her spine, spreading out until she thought she would burst.
“Yes…”

“Tell me what you want.”
His lips found his mark again, nipping at the tender flesh before he dipped one finger partway into her heated core.

It was all she could do to stifle the scream wanting to tear from her as her body clenched around it, greedy for more.
“I want you, Evan. I need you inside me.”
She tried shifting her hips to take what she needed, but he held her steady.

He nipped at his mark again, a little harder this time.
“Like this?”
He pressed his finger in deeper, before pulling out again.

“Yes… no…”
She couldn’t catch her breath. How was she supposed to think when he was torturing her like this?
“More, I need more.”

This time when he brought his finger inside her, he went all the way. The slow in and out pace he set had her throwing her head back, her moans and needy whimpers filling the silence around them.

“What do you want, Brienne?”
His breaths came in small pants, tickling her neck just above the tender bruise.

Her soft, purring growl rumbled between them.
“I want your cock inside me, filling me.”
Heat infused her cheeks at her declaration, but she wouldn’t take it back. In that moment, it was what she wanted and needed most. Nothing else mattered.

His fingers dug into her hips as he positioned her above him. Through the haze clouding her mind, she sensed more than felt his mouth covering her mark. The gentle suckling on her skin made her quiver and her pulse race. Just when she thought she wouldn’t be able to stand one more second, with one quick thrust of his hips, he filled her.

Her loud cry echoed in the forest, but she couldn’t stop it from spilling out. Her whole body was on fire, throbbing and pulsing around him.

Two seconds passed, and he had yet to move. He kept his body rigid, his open mouth still on her shoulder, his tongue lapping at her mark.

Needing more, she tried to raise her hips to take him, but he kept her from moving.

“Not yet. If you move, I’ll be lost.”
His energy melded with hers, swirling madly around her until all she could see was light and color churning in a mad, dizzying dance around them both.

“I can’t… I can’t wait.”
This time, when she shifted her hips, he raised them a few inches, and then brought her down onto him again.

Evan’s low moan vibrated through them both, sending bolts of electricity zinging through her body. Hands on her hips, he pulled back before slamming into her again.
“You. Are. Mine.”
His teeth clamped on her already bruised mark, taking his claim all the way.

Her body quivered, tightening with every thrust as he pounded into her again and again, his long, hard shaft bumping at her base with each stroke.

White-hot pleasure lanced through her, driving fast and deep from her shoulder all the way to her clit, and she couldn’t hold back.

A roar broke from her. Her body clenched and released as wave upon wave of pleasure tore through her, sending her entire being spiralling out of control until all that mattered was the man pounding into her, and even he faded as her body splintered and fell apart.

Releasing her mark, Evan threw his head back as he drove into her one last time. With one long moan, he stilled buried deep inside her. His cock pulsed as he came, filling her, sending her body into an avalanche of smaller explosions.

Unable to hold on any longer, she let her arms fall around his shoulders as she nuzzled his neck. She had known being with her mate would be powerful, but she had never imagined just how much.

Like it or not, short of being joined, she was mated, and she would be damned if she’d regret it.

Nothing had prepared Evan for the all-encompassing passion he would share with Brienne. Her lithe body had writhed against him, making him lose control when he should have been more careful with her, more tender. A small trickle of bright red blood inched its way down toward her breast from the bite he had given her.
Damn. Did you have to take her like a rutting animal?

Unshed tears made her eyes glisten in the dusky light, but her smile lit her face. How could she not be upset at his rough treatment of her?
“Are you all right?”
He reached for her mind, not wanting to break the silence cocooning them. Even in the dim light, he could see the pretty pink blush rushing across her skin.

“That was amazing.”
Her overly bright eyes shone up at him.
“How about you?”

He couldn’t contain his laughter. Here she was, a goddess in his arms, his body satiated yet begging for more, and she was asking him if he was okay?
“Never better.”

Her smile faltered, and she stiffened in his arms, scrambling to put her legs onto the ground. Turning to look into the forest, her eyes widened. “We have to get dressed. My pack is near.”

He didn’t smell anything, and his phoenix was slumbering, but he didn’t question her. If she said they were near, they were. He couldn’t stop the grin from splitting his face as he watched her scramble around in search of her clothes. They had left them scattered where they had fallen. When she came close again, he wrapped his arms around her waist, halting her mad dash to dress, and pulled her against him.

When she didn’t resist or push against him, he brought his head down to her neck to kiss her mark. “I’m sorry I wasn’t gentler.”

“Don’t be.” The breathlessness in her voice had his body tightening again. “Anything less and
she
wouldn’t have been satisfied.” Her cheeks flushed scarlet again. “Not to rush you, but unless you want all the males in the pack seeing me in the nude, you’d best help me locate my clothes.”

Just the thought of anyone else seeing the perfection of her body had his shoulders knotting and his jaw clenching. “Let’s find them. I don’t think it wise to allow any other males around you, much less see your naked body.”

Her Coalition pants lay in a heap where they had left them on the ground in the center of the clearing. The sight she made as she wiggled, shirtless, to get back into them had him stifling a groan and wanting to take her in his arms again. “I… uh… I got a little careless with your shirt.” Evan plucked it from atop a nearby shrub. Torn from neck to hem, it was useless. But try as he might, he could not bring himself to be sorry for it. He held it up for Brienne to see, bracing himself for her reaction. Even if she was furious, it had been worth it.

Her soft laughter reached him at the same time as the metallic taste coated his tongue. “Damn.” No other had, or would ever have, the pleasure of seeing her body.

“Remind me not to let you undress me too often.” Stepping close to him, she gave him a saucy grin before seizing the shirt and putting it on backwards, tying the back in a knot, effectively covering the parts needing covering. “You might want to get your own clothes on.”

She had him so entranced that he had yet to dress. He had barely pulled his pants on when Drake came walking through the brush toward them.

With eyebrows raised, Drake nodded to Evan’s shoulder. “Nice bite.”

Evan’s glower only served to make his friend smirk before he turned to Brienne. “Welcome to the family. Maybe he’ll be less surly from now on.”

“Thanks. We can only hope.” She held her head high, a sweet pink flush creeping up her neck. Her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, and she nibbled at her lip.

He refused to be sorry for claiming his mate. Tension mounted, tightening like a coil in his core. If she had regrets about their mating, she would have to overcome them. He would be damned if he’d give her up again.
“We’ve done nothing wrong or shameful.”

Her gaze shifted from Drake to his, a small smile lifting the corners of her mouth.
“Of course we haven’t.”
She walked around Drake to stand by his side, head held high, taking his hand in hers.
“I’m just not sure how I’ll be received by our people now that I’ve been in the Dark Lands and working with the Erritrols. I fear many will think poorly of me.”
She blinked up at him.
“Some may even think me a traitor.”

He was about to tell her he didn’t give a damn what Drake or anyone else thought, but she wouldn’t easily dismiss other people’s opinions. She would need to see for herself that they held nothing against her. He could only hope he was right. Had he not until recently thought the same? And she was his mate.
“We’ll face them together.”

“So what’s going on? Why aren’t you with Argram and his mate?” Evan addressed his Second, taking the pressure off her.

“The female and cub are safe and well protected for the time being. I was returning to the place I’d left them when I spotted a heavily guarded Erritrol camp.” He glanced over at Brienne, but then continued. “The camp is well hidden and has many guards. I suspect it’s where they’ve got the scymin hidden.”

“How far?” Evan glanced around, half expecting an attack from the forest.

“It’s a few miles at best. Brienne’s pack, minus those guarding Miga and the baby, are on their way. We need to figure out how we’re going to do this before they move the camp again.”

As if on cue, Argram and Wesken rushed into the clearing. Another half dozen Erritrols followed close behind.

Argram’s gaze found Brienne’s. He glanced at their joined hands, then caught site of the deep red bruise poking from beneath the collar of her shirt. The glare he threw Evan’s way would have melted him on the spot had he not been expecting it. “You are well, Brienne?” The gravelly voice breached the clearing.