Skin Walkers: Monroe (14 page)

His hold on her hair wasn’t rough and his teeth biting into one satiny globe of her
ass wasn’t hurting.  There was no pain, just as he’d said.  It was a dominant warning that if she didn’t acquiesce soon, there’d be consequences and damn her to hell for it, but she wanted to know what those consequences would be.

This had never happened before.  Eden had never wanted a man to fuck her so badly in her whole life.  She wanted to cave to his demands, to whimper, and beg, and writhe, and let him
take all the liberties he wanted to take…all that he’d promised to take.  Yet, she was holding back.  She was too damn proud to give in so easily and she hated herself for it because she knew that the pleasure to be found with this man would be found nowhere else.  He wasn’t just a god, he was her god!  Still, she needed to show him, to prove to him that she was worthy of him.  The realization renewed her determination.  She slackened her body and stopped struggling.  When she did, Monroe slowly withdrew his teeth and his hand on her hair loosened.  He thought he’d won.

Fool
!
  Eden rolled.  She’d nearly slid her leg free when the weight of his hips pinned her to the bed with the hard ridge of his cock nestled against her weeping sex.  One hand collared her throat and the other pinned an arm over her head.  She felt the tip of him slide into her and he adjusted to pull out, settling where the threat was there, but not yet being followed through on.

She bit her lip hard.  Fuck she wanted hi
m!  She wanted him so damn bad it hurt.  She felt empty in her heart, her soul, and her womb.  She needed him and she didn’t want to fight him.  She wanted to beg him to take her hard and deep and to do it now!

Tears blinded her.  She’d wanted to fight harder.  She didn’t want to be so easy to take
down; she wanted him to be proud of how hard she’d fought.  She’d let him down.  Of course she had.  A man this savage, this self-assured, this distractingly handsome, and lethally virile was bound to be unsatisfied by any mere woman.  He was created to birth self-consciousness and disappointment in women.

“Angel,” his voice was soft, “there’s no shame in
submission.”  His hand stroked hair back from her face, “Do you know what it means to be my submissive?”  He bent and kissed her cheek.  “It means
you
have the power to control
me.
  You are my angel, Eden.  I would kill for you.  I would die for you,” his imploring eyes held hers. “I would do anything for you and only you.”  He studied her face and when a tear slipped free, he pulled back and cursed under his breath.  He’d scented no fear.  He must have been too caught up in his own desire.  How could he have not known that his angel was afraid?  Self-loathing swamped him. 

He was lifting off her when she clamped a hand around his halo
, dragging his eyes back to hers as she held him in place.  Her soft voice was tentative.  “I’m not ashamed.  I-I just…wanted to be more for you.”

It took him a moment to understand her meaning, and when he did his eyes closed
as emotion overwhelmed him.  Pride surged and he couldn’t help but wonder at the gift of her.  Was she truly his?  He admired her for the fight and respected her for understanding his need for it, but he loved her for her fear that
she’d
somehow let
him
down.  She was afraid he’d think her weak, and it told him all he needed to know about her.  She was his true and rightful mate.

H
e was still silently approving of his angel when his eyes slammed open.  Eden had braced her feet on the bed and pushed upward with her hips, devouring his cock with the mouth of her pussy until he was fully seated inside her before she relaxed back down, licking the length of him with her wet channel as she retreated.    

Gods
, she’d been worth it!  The wait, the uncertainty, the fear, the fight, it had all been worth this!  His hands gripped her lean hips and he rammed into her, tunneling in and out as the sound of flesh slapping flesh filled the room.  She was the greatest prize he’d ever taken down and now that he had her, he’d never let her go.

Satiny arms wrapped around him and
lean legs did the same.  She did more than accept him.  She greeted him.  Hips thrusting up to match his tempo, back arching to brush sensitively budded nipples against his chest.  Like the relief felt at breaking a wild stallion, Monroe rode his now tamed beauty in a steady, sultry, pace as he beamed in awe at the feat.

She stared up at him, the warm chocolate pools of her eyes swirling in a sea of emotions that were easy to read. 
Confusion, passion, acceptance, trepidation.  Her release on the tight reins of control she’d held for so long meant only one thing.  Trust!  She’d forfeited to him and he’d take up the lead she’d given him and he wouldn’t let her down, but first…

Feeling her body tightening, so close to completion, Monroe stopped and pulled out of her evoking a disappointed moan.

He pulled her arms from him and reached back to unhook her ankles.

“What…” she sat up as he got to his knees, cock pointing straight out as he tapped the mattress. 

“Hands and knees, angel.”  When she just stared at him in shock he growled, “Now!”

It was
her final test and from the flash of understanding in her eyes he recognized her knowledge of it.

Planted on his knees, praying she wouldn’t fight it, Monroe could only watch as Eden slowly got to her hands and knees then cautiously backed up until her dripping cunt was lined up with his protruding cock.  He waited a moment, wondering what she’d do when he refused to move.  To his absolute fucking delight, Eden peeked timidly over her shoulder before—of her own volition—lowering her chest to the mattress.  Her head turned to the side, her brown eyes huge and
curious.  One deep breath and she settled her palms flat on either side of her head.  Her back was bowed and her ass was thrust high.  Finally, she shifted her hips and let her weight settle in absolute and complete submission before she whispered, “Take me.”

If he was capable
of it, he’d have grinned like a fucking idiot.  As it was, he satisfied himself with gently palming both her ass cheeks and spreading her as he leaned forward and slowly entered her.  He felt her shudder and eased out just as slowly.  He repeated the action, spearing her with languorous intent.  He knew what she wanted, and this wasn’t it.

She thrust back impatiently and he slapped her ass.  She jerked and lifted her head to frown at him.

“If you want something angel, ask me.”

He continued his lazy assault and could feel the tension in her body mounting.  Again, she tried to push back only more slowly this time as if she hoped he wouldn’t notice.  Again, he smacked her ass.

“Don’t try to take.  Ask!”

“Faster,” she demanded
in a frustrated growl.

Monroe slowed his pace, “That’s not asking.”  He saw her curl her fists in the
comforter.  She was fighting both her natural verbal and physical response.

She wanted to challenge him, but fought against the urge. 
“Please,” she ground out through clenched teeth.

“Please what?”

She turned to bury her face in the mattress and he heard her cursing into the bed as he stifled an outright laugh.

She groaned when she finally lifted her head. 
“Faster,
please
!”

He quickened his
pace, knowing it still wasn’t what she wanted.  She’d learn to be more explicit if it fucking killed her.  He smiled.  At this rate, it just might.

Moaning, Eden arched her back and mewled in sexual frustration.  She knew her relief would be given if she asked.  She just had to swallow her pride.

Sweat beaded her forehead and she needed to come so bad it literally hurt.  She tried to clamp on his dick with her vaginal muscles, but he pulled back out.  One of her small hands left the side of her head and slid between her legs, but when it found her clit, Monroe slapped her ass hard.

“You don’t get to touch what’s mine without asking.”

She growled and he could see the frustration in her eyes when she scowled over her shoulder at him.  Then she caved.  “Please, Monroe.  Fuck me fast and hard!”

He drove home and it was exactly what she’d wanted.  Her sex
swallowed him up as he pummeled her.  It was sexual fucking bliss!  Eden had never dreamed that she’d be turned on by male domination, but she was more then turned on right now.  She was on fucking fire and to her disbelief she realized she was his slave.  She’d do anything, say anything, be anything to get him to keep fucking her until she died.

“MINE!” he snarled behind her
.

She couldn’t take anymore.  It was an emotional and physical sensory overload. 
She buried her face in the bed and screamed as her sex clamped down on the last invader it would ever welcome.  Seconds later, she felt searing heat shooting deep into her womb and Monroe unleashed a deafening roar.  Eden shivered and moaned as a second orgasm gripped her before the first one had even subsided.  She fisted Monroe so tightly with her channel that she wondered if he’d ever be able to pull free or if he’d remain locked inside her like his wolf brethren claiming their life-long mates.

Eden
had never been so filled in her heart or in her cunt and when her release tore through her, she knew it was more than an orgasm.  It was a release of her need to ever be alone, to ever have to make all the decisions, to ever yearn for a mate to share her life.  Her time of loneliness was gone.

***

Eden slept and as was happening too often lately, another foreign emotion flooded Monroe as he studied her.  He watched her sleep and brushed tendrils of hair back from her sweat-dampened face attempting to define what he was feeling.  He winced when he realized what it was.  Tenderness.  The Dominant Skin Walker wasn’t supposed to feel such useless emotions was he?  He stared at Eden and tried to fight the emotion back but she mumbled his name in her sleep and the damn emotion intensified. Hell, it was too late!  The feeling was there and couldn’t be ignored or changed.  He’d simply have to do what he’d always done, accept what he couldn’t change or fight and learn to adapt.

A strong hand lifted to the halo that collared his throat.  It seared the flesh as he removed it and he felt guilt at what he was about to do.  While Eden slept in his arms, he’d bind her, knowing that when she woke the halo would be gone.  He’d be sure to rise before her and reclaim it.  He was going to attempt to cheat the affliction.  He was going to borrow his angel until such time that she was ready to accept him freely
.  He’d claim her no other way, but he’d need strength and endurance to win her. 

The halo locked in place and Eden sucked in a sharp breath and arched her back before her body
sagged in his arms.  Curling beside her, Monroe pulled her into his arms as exhaustion swamped him.  He fell asleep knowing a peace he’d never experienced before.

Chapter
15

Eden woke to deliciously sore muscles.  She smiled a
s she remembered her dream but it swiftly left her lips when she realized Monroe’s passionate lovemaking had been real.  Her eyes snapped open and for some odd reason her hand flew to her throat.  There was nothing there and it left a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach like some part of her was missing.  She eyed the large bed and Monroe wasn’t there either.

Soft light filtered in through the closed blinds and
she sat up to bury her face in her hands, long tresses cascading around to veil her humiliated state.  How could she have acted like that?  And how in the hell was she ever supposed to look Monroe in the eye ever again.

The scent of food caught her attention and her gaze jerked to the source.  A cart sat next to the bed.  A fluffy looking omelet with toast and fresh strawberries sat on a plate in the center of the cart while a large mug of coffee and a little caddy of cream sat in the corner.

She was starving but the thought didn’t incite her to dig-in.  Instead, it had her shooting up from the bed and searching frantically for her clothes. 
The children!
  She snatched up her skirt and panties from where Monroe must have placed them, neatly folded, on a chair in the corner.  She was hopping on her good leg, quickly trying to get into her lacey thong when her eyes finally found a clock and some of the panic left her. 

It was only seven and the children typically all slept until about seven-thirty.  She had a little time.  

Dressing quickly, she snagged the mug of coffee off the cart and was about to leave when she wondered if Monroe was in his office.  She’d have to do the walk-of-shame to get back to her own suite. 

Pressing an ear to the
door, she strained to listen.  Silence!

She took another large gulp of the coffee before setting it on a nearby table and inching the bedroom door open.  Peeking out into the
office, she was elated to find it empty. 

Quickly, she crossed the office and was nearly to the door when
it opened and Monroe entered

“Good morning beautiful.”

She felt her cheeks flame as she struggled to remain composed.  She hated that he looked like a million bucks and she felt like an old mop.  “Morning,” her eyes darted to the door.  “I need to check on the kids.”

“They’re fine,” he
closed the door and leaned back against it, crossing massive arms over an equally impressive chest.  He slid his gaze up and down her frame with aching leisure.  “Aries has them making pancakes in your suite.

Indignation flared to life.  She liked Aries, but didn’t want the other woman always picking up where she was failing.  It was infuriating.  “Well, they need their mother.”  She took a step toward the door but Monroe didn’t move.

“We have something to discuss, angel.”  He glided away from the door to wrap her in his arms. 

She tensed.  If he wanted to discuss what happened between them, she would scream.

“Those children belong here Eden.”

Thank God! 
She’d never been so relieved to argue about something in her whole life.  “
My
children belong with me!”

“They’re not yours Eden.  They are Walkers
.  They belong here where they can be trained and taught to use their gifts.”

When Monroe woke that morning and carefully removed his halo from his angel, he’d been revitalized.  It had worked!  He’d fooled the affliction and—unfortunately—used his mate to do so.  Once she accepted him, he was certain she’d forgive him for the transgression, but for now, he had to convince her to stay at the estate.  He couldn’t ask her outright, or confess how much she meant to him
.  He didn’t know how to do either one of those things.  His only recourse was to force her to make the choice for the safety and welfare of the children.  She was a good mother, she’d choose what was best for them, and ultimately Monroe and her as well.  She had to stay!

Tears flooded
Eden’s eyes before she looked away, and Monroe felt guilt bite hard when he watched her struggle to keep her lip from quivering.  Her pain was like a douse of ice water.  Worse!  It was nearly intolerable.  With her defenses finally down, he was able to see the true Eden and it broke his heart because he felt the weight of the burden she had been carrying.  He knew the struggle she’d endured, his hadn’t been much different.  The difference for them was that he’d had the luxury of dealing with adults, fully mature Walkers, that at the end of the day could take what he offered or walk away and it was no skin off his nose.  Eden however, wasn’t granted that luxury.  She was dealing with children who not only relied on her, but had nowhere else to go. Looking at her, holding her, he felt how weary she’d grown.  The secret she carried on behalf of her children would have been exponentially more difficult because she herself didn’t know what was happening.  She’d had no way of knowing what they were, and therefore no means to teach them to accept their differences.  Still, she’d tried. 

Looking up at him with wounded eyes, Monroe stifled a flinch as she bit out with agonized emotion,
“You are
not
taking my kids!”

“I don’t want to take them, angel
.”  His expression softened.  “I want you to give them up.”  It too was a lie.  He wanted her to realize they needed to remain here and the need for her to stay with them.  He wanted them all, and if he had to play dirty to keep her, he would.

“Never!”  The word was backed by such vehemence that Monroe couldn’t help the spike of pride he felt that a human female would fight so hard for his kind.  The feeling was quickly chased away by jealousy.  What would he have to do to get her to regard him with such undying loyalty?

“Have you asked them what they want?”

“I’m good to my kids,” she challenged.

“I’m certain you are, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not confused.  That they wouldn’t understand better if they had someone like them to teach them what they are.”

The comment gave Eden pause. 
Am I not doing right by them?  What if they want more than I can give? 
Fear struck hard followed by regret.  What if her children needed more than she was able to offer them?  What if she couldn’t teach them what they needed to know to survive being…different.  For one brief second she considered giving the children up and that was all it took.  Her heart actually ached and her resolve crumbled on a sob. 

Monroe caught her when her knees gave out.  He lowered her to the floor, folding his knees underneath her so that they ended up with her on his lap as he held her.

“Oh God, Monroe!”  She looked at him, her eyes swirling with a storm of recognition and complicated acceptance.  Her tears fell freely as she shook her head.  Emotion clogged her throat and made it difficult to speak.  She wanted to give him what he sought, but she simply couldn’t.  “I-I can’t!  I just…
can’t
!”  Sobs wracked her body as she wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him needing something solid and stable to anchor her in the violent tempest that threatened to overtake her. 

The thought of life without Micah, Cole,
Ransum, and Peyton was more than devastating, it was impossible to accept.  How many nights had she lay awake in bed and wondered if she was doing right by them, if she was good enough and strong enough for them.  She fought to be.  God only knew how hard she’d fought to be everything those kids needed, but she’d failed.  If Monroe knew and he wanted them because he could do better, then she had clearly
failed
!

Strong arms wound around her
and held Eden tight.  Silently Monroe cursed himself for having made his Eden cry.  He opened his mouth to console her but didn’t get the chance.  The door to the room was pushed open and the timing couldn’t have been worse.  With her back to the door Eden wailed, “I can’t do what you want, Monroe. I’m sorry, but I won’t.”

Cole and
Ransum, who’d been smiling when they entered, stopped just inside the door.  Both little faces quickly cleared of their grins before Cole’s face twisted into an adorable scowl.  “Let go of my mama!”

Following suit,
Ransum shouted, “Yeah, you’re hurting her!” 

Eden’s head snapped up in time to watch the two
boys race to her aide.  Cole slammed into Monroe’s shoulder and began pounding with both tiny fists while Ransum, quick on his brother’s heels, arrived to fist two little hands into Monroe’s hair and yell, “Get away from our mom!”

“BOYS!
”  Eden shrieked, scrambling from Monroe’s lap as he sat, with regret in his eyes, and allowed the boys to attack him.  He was horrified that they thought he’d intentionally harm Eden, but he was also so damn proud of the fact that they’d defend her without hesitation.  They were going to be magnificent Walkers.

Eden circled Monroe and picked up
Ransum, reaching down to force one hand then the other from Monroe’s hair.  With a kicking and flailing Ransum pinned to one hip, she bent and grabbed Cole around the waist and hauled him up as well.

“Boys, stop!”

Monroe was halfway to his knees when a growl from the doorway had Eden spinning. 
Shit!
  Her eyes locked on Micah as he stood with his feet and shoulders braced as if prepared for a fight.  His hands were fisted at his sides, and his lip curled back to revealed elongated canines.  Eden knew from experience what was coming.

“He hurt mama!”
Ransum wailed and it was all the incitement Micah needed.

“MICAH NO!”

Too late!

The teenager shifted and the small gray wolf sped toward Monroe.

Eden quickly set both Cole and Ransum down and spun just in time to throw herself in Micah’s path.

“EDEN
!”

Monroe’s shout was too late.  She felt claws
and teeth sear her chest and neck before she was thrown back with savage force.  Her body collided violently with Monroe’s and he caught her as they both crashed to the ground with Micah’s wolf from landing on top of them.

Pain
burned in her chest and Eden kept her eyes clamped tightly shut against the agony as she felt herself being rolled.

“Get Jenny!
”  Monroe shouted seconds before Eden heard Peyton’s wail pierce the air.  When the little girl had entered the room, she wasn’t sure.

Eden forced her eyes open and struggled to sit up. 

“Stay down!” Monroe demanded.

Eden saw Micah kneeling over her, his face was ashen and he was shaking his head,
his mouth gaping open “Eden, I’m…I’m…”

She smiled weakly, “
It’s okay.  It’s nothing.  I’m…fine.”  She attempted to sit up again and bit the inside of her lip to avoid wincing at the pain the action caused.  Monroe’s hands held her pinned to the ground and she tried to look around his crouching form to smile at Peyton who was crying uncontrollably.

“I want my mommy!”  The cry was joined moments later by both Cole and
Ransum who erupted into hysterical tears as they approached to stand over her, one child frowning at Monroe while the other frowned at Micah.

“You hurt her!”
Ransum accused.

“Micah hurt mommy,” Cole cried.

“Shhh, boys!”  Eden reached up and grabbed Ransum’s hand because he was the closest.  “It’s okay.  I’m okay.”

“You’re bleeding,”
Ransum started crying harder and it became difficult to hear with all three of the youngest children crying uncontrollably.

“Christ,” Monroe growled under his breath. 
“Aries!  Get them out of here.”

“NO!”
Ransum and Cole cried in unison.  “We want our mom!”

“I want my mommy,” Peyton shrieked.

Exhaling, Eden let her head fall back and thump against the floor. 
How in the hell am I going to fix this?
  The thought was quickly replaced by the realization that she was suddenly very tired.  She blinked and her eyes opened too slowly.

“Aries
, get them out now!”

The sudden calm in Monroe’s tone was shocking.  Eden wanted to loo
k at him to see if he was okay but when she blinked again her eyes refused to open.

“Eden?” Micah’s whisper sounded scared
and when he spoke again there was a tremor in his voice.  “Mom?”

Eden felt herself being lifted from the floor and her head lolled back as her arm flopped
bonelessly to her side. 

“Tell Jenny we’re coming to her
!”

Unsure who Monroe was talking to Eden no longer cared as the pain from her chest slowly eased and she was enveloped in a warm blanket of peaceful and quiet sleep.  The last thing she hear
d was Micah’s horrified question. 

“Did I kill my mom?”

***

The instan
t Monroe stepped into his study Micah sprang to his feet.  Cole, Ransum, and little Peyton slept huddled together on the leather sofa in front of the roaring fireplace and Aries and Conn quietly approached.  King came forward as well while his Lilly stayed close to the children.