Beckoned (The Brazil Werewolf Series) (16 page)

“You can’t leave me after this, Aurora,” he whispered. My heart clenched at the fear in his voice, “If you do, I will die.”

I reached up and traced his brow, “I won‘t leave…ever.”

His breath quickened as a look of pure fear crossed his face, “I love you, Aurora.”

Everything stopped for a moment as I stared up at him, shocked, “I love you too,” I whispered as my voice came back to me. Being able to admit those words not only to Andre but to myself was freeing.

Relief flooded his face as he kissed me again, “You have no idea how happy it makes me that you said that,” he said, against my lips.

“Yes, I do, because I feel it too” I said, kissing him deep and long. He groaned against my lips.

“I don’t think that I can wait any longer,” he said, sounding strained again.

“Then, don’t,” I whispered, looking into his eyes, “Make me yours and only yours forever.”

He pulled back and looked into my eyes as he reached down guiding himself into my entrance. Sweat marked his brow as he slowly pushed inch by agonizing inch into me. I gasped as he reached the evidence of my virginity, feeling the very tip of him pushing at the barrier. He swallowed looking down at me with so much tenderness and love that there was no doubt of his feelings for me.

He kissed me, leaning up and looked into my eyes, “You’re mine, Aurora,” he said, before kissing me once more. I could feel every bit of him as the kiss deepened and then, he thrust through the barrier, swallowing my cries. Sharp, hot pain sliced through me and he halted his movements, continuing to kiss me. Finally, the pain vanished and I kissed him back as a tear slowly made its way down my cheek. Slowly, he began to move and after a few moments, my hips began to move in sync with his. I could feel that tension build again and he began to thrust into me harder and faster. Sweat covered our bodies as we moved hurtling each other toward pleasure…toward becoming more…toward becoming truly joined. I screamed out his name as release came, causing hot tears to fall down my cheeks. A few more thrusts and he cried out my name, shooting his hot seed into me. His head fell onto my chest as we lay there waiting for our breaths to return to normal.

Finally, he looked up at me, kissing me again, “You are mine now,” he whispered tenderly.

I smiled, “And you are mine.”

“Always,” he promised, “And forever.”

Chapter Fourteen

Bliss and Blood

“Aurora, it‘s time to get up,” Andre whispered into my ear. I moaned and then, snuggled closer to him, not ready to get up.

He laughed and then, nuzzled my ear, kissing it softly before whispering,“Aren’t you hungry?”

I groaned, not wanting to admit that I was and he chuckled. He nuzzled my ear and gently took the lobe into his mouth, making desire lance through me and I moaned, “Aurora, you have to eat,” he whispered, kissing my neck, “As a matter of fact, so do I. You don‘t want me to starve to death, do you?”

I groaned again as I leaned my head back against him. He laughed and I felt it reverberate through his chest, “Oh no you don’t,” he said, “If I stay here, we’ll never get anything done.”

I opened my eyes, giggling as he rubbed his his morning stubble against my neck, “Okay,” I whispered, narrowing my eyes as I turned onto my back to look into his beautiful face, “I’ll get up.”

He kissed my forehead, rising unashamed of his nakedness, “No,” he grinned, reluctantly shaking his head, “I’ll go to the diner and get something. You can stay here and rest.”

My eyes widened as I thought of the last time he had said that. I had found him with Katie. Bitterness entered me as I thought of it and I narrowed my eyes. Andre frowned as if reading my thoughts, looking troubled as he looked into my face.

“I told you that she kissed me,” he said and then, grinned widely, “I also told you that I don’t want her as I believe that I showed you last night.”

I blushed and then, sighed. He was right. I was being ridiculous, “I know,” I said and then, gave him a fierce look, “It doesn’t stop me from wanting to draw her blood.”

“Spoken like a true werewolf,” he said, grinning as he grabbed his pants and pulled them on before picking up his shirt off the floor. He cocked an eyebrow at me, “Maybe I should keep you away from her for a while. I wouldn’t want you to do anything you would regret.”

He pulled his shirt over his head and I narrowed my eyes, “I don’t think that I’d regret it,” I smiled, wickedly, “I think that I would enjoy it…immensely.”

He laughed as he sat on the bed and slipped his socks and shoes on before kissing me again, “As much as I like you jealous,” he grinned, rubbing the back of his fingers down my cheek, “I think I’d prefer that you stay out of jail.”

He stood only to bend down again to kiss my forehead, “I’ll be back,” he said, grinning as he looked into my eyes, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” I whispered as my heart quickened. I wondered if he would always have that affect on me.

He smiled tenderly, “I’ll never get tired of you saying that.”

“Good,” I said, truly happy, “I’ll never get tired of saying it.”

He rose with that crooked grin that made my heart race, “I’ll be back,” he said and then, frowned as he looked at the door,“Don’t let anyone in.”

I nodded and then, he was gone. Slowly, I rose, finding my toothbrush and some clean clothes and made my way to the bathroom. I needed a shower…badly. I smelled like sweat and sex. I stepped into the tub and showered as quickly as I could. I dressed, hearing the door open and close. A smile lit up my face. Andre was back. I quickly finished brushing my hair and teeth before I opened the bathroom door.

I stepped out into the hotel room and froze as I took in the scene. Andre was nowhere in sight. Instead, Katie stood in front of me with her face twisted cruel and menacing. On either side of her stood my father and Garridan.

“She’s no longer pure,” Garridan said, sniffing the air. He tilted his head studying me, frowning as if the discovery had made him realize something that he hadn’t before.

My father stepped forward, looking into my eyes. Anger caused his face to redden, “It doesn’t matter. She can still be yours,” he said as I stepped away from him, shaking my head. Garridan’s frown deepened as he looked into my eyes as if sympathetic for once.

“Emilian,” Garridan said, uneasily, “I can’t take her from her mate. That is cruel and she‘ll mourn him until she dies. You wouldn‘t do that to her, would you?”

“He’s not her mate!” My father yelled, stepping quickly toward me. My back hit the wall and I looked at Katie.

“He shouldn’t have chosen you,” she said, sneering her explanation.

I looked back at my father in time for him to grab my wrist. I trembled as I began to fight, hitting him in the face with my fist. He rose his hand in warning but still I fought not caring if he hurt me as long as he didn‘t take me away from Andre.

“I had hoped that it wouldn’t come to this,” he said, angrily. His fist came down painfully against my temple. Blood trickled from my head and onto the floor as I fell, catching myself with my hands. My father hit me again, causing the pain to explode once again. A moment later, darkness engulfed me as my eyes closed. The last thing I remembered was being lifted and carried away from the man that I loved. My heart cried out his name… then, I sank fully into darkness.

**********

Pain shot through my temples causing me to wince as I tried to open my eyes. The hope that I had just had a nightmare dimmed as I smelled the scent of animals and the sweat of man. My nostrils twitched as I realized that the smell of werewolves were all around me.

I moaned as I slowly, forced my eyes opened. My stomach flipped and heaved as I struggled not to throw up. I squeezed my eyes closed once more, finally opening them when my stomach seemed to calm. I tried to look around as everything swirled and came back into focus.

I trembled as I remembered everything that had happened. Katie had brought my father and Garridan to the hotel where Andre and I were staying. Then, they had taken me. Tears burned my eyes as I struggled to sit up. I had to get back to Andre.

My stomach turned again as I finally managed to pull myself up so that I was sitting with my back against the headboard of the bed. I closed my eyes, holding my stomach and waited for it to calm again before opening my eyes and looking around.

I squinted into the darkness and found that I was in an ordinary bedroom on a large bed placed in the center of the room. There were shadows of a dresser and nightstands and perhaps, an armoire. A chair sat beside the bed and the shadow of someone sitting within it, proved that I was not alone.

“You shouldn’t sit up,“ the shadow said, in a pleasantly, deep voice, “You’ll just make yourself sick. You have a concussion“

I looked at the shadow, studying its form. Finally, light hit the darkness as he reached forward and turned on a bedside lamp and I was able to see the identity of the person sitting with me…Garridan.

I opened my mouth to yell…to scream at him to let me go but he seen my intention and lifted his finger to his lips telling me to be quiet. For some reason, I listened to him.

Garridan cocked his head to the side as if listening and then, allowed his silver gaze to fall once again on me. His lips pressed together and then, he rolled his shoulders back.

“I want you to know… I didn’t expect for him to hurt you,” he said looking troubled, “I am sorry you were hurt.”

For a moment, I remembered his look of sympathy as he had stared at me…and he had told my father that he didn’t want to take me from my mate…that it was cruel…that it would kill me. I narrowed my eyes as I studied him, confused. Still, as I looked at him, I realized there was a kindness to him that I did not see in my father. Maybe it was best that he was the one who watched me. At least I knew that he had an aversion to hurting me.

I trembled again as I looked at him, “Please,” I whispered, “Let me go. I don’t love you. I love Andre. I want my husband back.”

He looked at me as his face twisted. Tears swam in his silver eyes, “I know that,” he said hoarsely, “As much as I wish that I didn’t see it, I do.”

I stared at him as he leaned forward, tilting his head to the side, “Garridan, I am sorry,” I whispered, feeling my heart clench because of his pain, “I don’t know you but I am sorry…for your pain.”

“I think you mean that,” he said, frowning, “But it doesn’t matter. I had already decided to help you, Aurora.”

My eyes widened in surprise, “You’re going to help me?” I asked, frowning as suspicion twisted its way into my mind, “Why?”

“Because maybe I don’t want someone who will never want me,” he said, and then, shrugged, “I know that you’ve already mated with him. Your pheromones were high. There is a good chance that you’re pregnant.”

I swallowed hard as I thought of a child growing within me and then, looked at him as the irony of the situation nearly made me laugh, “So, I’m tainted goods to you.”

“More than that,” he whispered, “I wouldn’t give up my family for just that. I need to be free from your father.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, confused. How did he expect me to help him do that? I had no power over whether he was free or not.

“You know what we are,” he said, frowning.

“Yes,” I said and then, bit my lip, still trying to understand, “We are werewolves.”

“Yes…werewolves. However, there are still some things that you must learn. The first is every wolf pack has an alpha. Some families…like Andre‘s have an alpha that does not weild his power over them,” he said, “This family has an alpha…your father, who expects us to bend to his will. It doesn‘t matter what it is, he wants us to do everything his way.”

My heart clenched as I looked at Garridan feeling true remorse. My father was definitely a cruel and merciless tyrant who would expect Garridan or anyone else under his rule to do as they were told. Garridan must be tortured everyday with my father’s demands.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered as I pursed my lips, “I wish there was something that I could do.”

He looked at me puzzled, “There is,“ he said, raising his brows, “Only someone from his bloodline can free me.”

I raised my brows, feeling the pain in my head thrumming dully as I realized what he meant, “You’re talking about me,” I breathed, suddenly tense from this admission.

He nodded and then, took a deep breath, “You are the only one that I know who can break this bond with me.”

I laughed shortly, thinking this was a joke but Garridan’s face darkened, “I can’t help you until it’s done.”

I lost all hint of a smile and pressed my lips together. Finally, I sighed, “What do I do?” I asked, resigned. Even if this was a trick, I still had to take the chance. I had to be back with Andre.

“It’s simple for you,” he said, smiling as if relieved, “Order me to be free me from your father,” he whispered.

I grinned, crookedly, shaking my head, “It sounds too simple,” I whispered, skeptically, “That can not be all there is to it.”

He scoffed, “It wasn’t so simple for me. I had to wait until you were old enough,”

My mouth dropped open in shock as his reasons for wanting me for a wife slid into place, “You chose me because of what I could do.”

He shrugged, “It doesn’t matter why I chose you, does it?”

I shook my head, frowning, “Not really.”

He smiled, bitterly as his silver eyes darkened, “Good.”

“And you’re sure that just speaking the words will work?” I asked, pursing my lips.

He grinned, “Does everything have to be so magical? Should I get candles or some incense to make you feel better?” He asked and then, laughed. I narrowed my eyes at him and his face fell in seriousness, “The words will be enough.”

“Okay…I demand that you be free of my father,” I said, feeling absolutely ridiculous, “You do not have to do anything else he says.”