Roaring Up the Wrong Tree (28 page)

Beautiful. Deadly. Hers.

More of her strength returned with each passing second, her body drawing on his power, her soul reaching for his. Trista leaned toward him, rested her front against his, and merely breathed in his scent. His pure flavors mixed with the crisp water surrounded her in comfort and love.

“Tris…” His voice was nearly drowned by the raining water.

“Hmm…?” She nuzzled him and breathed deep.

“You can’t…” He sounded as if he were being strangled and she dragged her attention to his face.

Want warred with need and fought against emotional torment. His cock stirred, hardening against her hip, and she knew what plagued him.

“I told you I want you.”

He grimaced. “You’re covered in blood, Tris. My God, she almost killed you and I couldn’t get to you.”

Guilt wasn’t something she’d tolerate.

Her hands traced the lines of his body, running up his arms, across his shoulders, and down his chest. So much strength, so much power… And it was hers, all hers.

She spied the mark she’d placed on his shoulder, the lines of her teeth barely visible beneath the dirt. That was unacceptable. The water washed some of it away, but not fast enough.

She focused on that spot and brushed her fingers over the small divots that represented her teeth. A shudder went through Keen with the contact and his cock hardened further, warm and stiff against her.

“Baby, don’t.” He twitched as if to move away, but she repeated the action.

Instead of backing up, he eased forward as if searching for another touch. His movements were in complete contrast to his words and she knew the bear had taken control. Her mate’s human half was much more considerate while the bear acted on pure emotion and cravings.

“You’re mine, Keen Abrams.” She scraped her nails over the spot.

“You’re hurt.”

Trista nipped his chest, digging her teeth into the flesh, but not drawing blood. She knew it’d bring the animal out even further. “Not too hurt.”

“Trista,” he growled.

She sucked on his skin, nibbling once again. “What?”

“You need to stop.”

No, she needed to continue, needed to show him that despite everything that’d happened, she was strong enough to be his mate.

“I need you.”

“Damn it, Tris.”

“Damn it, Keen.” She reached for his neck and gripped the back, digging her nails into his skin. “When we mated, we washed away the past. Now I need you to remind me that I belong to you, that I’m yours. After everything, after the pain and Reid’s words, I need to know it doesn’t matter. Whatever he did…” She wasn’t going to cry, not for Reid’s mother or her father’s actions. “Whatever he did, it wasn’t me. You need to remind me of that. Remind me that I belong to you.”

Keen’s gaze softened, more of his human side easing forward. “You do. You always will.”

He showed her then, showed her by easing her hands from his body and then encouraging her to carefully step beneath the tinkling water. The heat stung for a moment and then spread through her body, easing the lingering aches.

He stroked her skin, pressing kisses along one healing gash after another. At some point, the gentle kisses became more urgent, determined as his tongue slid over her. Her body reacted to the change, to the gradual shift from soothing to passionate.

Keen knelt at her feet, water raining on him, plastering his deep brown hair to his head. But those chocolate eyes gazed at her, hints of black encroaching on the brown hue. There were no wounds on her hips or lower stomach, no scrapes on her thighs. And yet that’s where his mouth was intent. He scraped a fang over her hip bone, sending a blossom of arousal through her blood, and then laved the small ache away.

“Yes,” she hissed, wanting more from him.

His gaze remained intent on her, eyes entirely focused on her face, and she knew he was weighing her expression for himself. He cared for her, loved her, and he refused to do anything that would cause her harm. She loved and hated him, a little, for that.

“Show me it doesn’t matter.” She reached down and ran her fingers through his soaked locks. “Show me you love me despite it all.”

Keen snarled, glaring at her yet still gently laving her with his tongue. He rained kisses from one side of her stomach to the other, tasting her skin, forcing her to burn for him. Her nipples pebbled and hardened, quietly begging to be touched, while her center heated further. Her pussy grew heavy and hot, clit twitching, and she wanted to force him to where she desired him most.

His nostrils flared, chest expanding and brushing her legs with his deep inhale. He expelled the breath in a rapid gust and growled a single word against her skin. “Mine.”

He eased her back, crowding her until her back rested against the cool, slick tile. The low temperature offset the sting from the pressure and she relaxed against the solid wall. The moment she was settled, he went back into action. He nudged closer, prodding her legs until they were spread wider, until he could ease between them.

“Mine.” He growled and leaned forward, his gaze intent on the juncture of her thighs.

“All yours.” His and his and his again. Forever.

He brought his mouth to her heat, nose nuzzling her short curls while he blew a heated breath over her moist flesh. Then… He lapped at her slit, tongue teasing the very top and she shuddered, unable to suppress the involuntary movement. Pleasure unfurled, blossoming, and spreading from her pussy to sink into her body.

He slid his hands along her legs, skimming her inner thighs and finally resting them beneath her ass. Then he shifted his shoulders, forcing her to spread her legs even farther.

“Lean back,” he growled against her lower lips. “Got you,” he rumbled. He pushed again and she knew she was two seconds from tumbling to the shower floor, but he caught her, his massive hands gently cupping her ass and giving her a seat. She was unsure of her balance, simply waiting to see if he’d buckle beneath her weight, but she didn’t have much time to ponder. His tongue was back, sliding between her labia and flicking her clit.

“God, yes.”

Keen hummed against her flesh, licking and tasting, doing evil, wicked, wonderful things to her pussy. He savored every inch of her core, flicking here, gently laving there, and sucking on the tiny bundle of nerves.

With each pass, she gave him more of her weight, relaxed into his hold and let him do what he would to her body. She didn’t care. She had pleasure coursing through her veins and her mate giving her more with each passing second. Life, despite the remaining aches, was good.

“Keen,” she gasped, sucking in a harsh breath when he scraped her clit with his fang. “Yes,” she hissed.

Keen growled and repeated the action, gifting her with more and more bliss.

He shifted his hold, forcing her to spread for him completely, and she rested one leg on his shoulder, searching for leverage. She found it, pushing her heel against his back as she sought to ride his tongue. Hands buried in his hair, she took what she desired.

Trista rolled her hips, aching for his tongue to be
there
and then it needed to be
there
and one more second
there
and… She moaned and trembled, enjoying when he tongued her clit and loving when he circled the very center of her pussy. Then he’d repeat the action, flick, circle, lap…

The pleasure of his touch gathered, coalescing and growing within her. It formed a small bubble surrounding her clit, increasing with each bliss-inducing touch until it spread. The joy slid along her veins, stroking her nerves, forcing her muscles to tremble and twitch with the sensations.

“Keen, please…”

He growled against her, drawing a deep moan from within her chest and adding to the ecstasy that threatened to overwhelm her.

“Need you…” She did, more than anything she needed him stretching and filling her, claiming her again. Once wasn’t enough, it’d never be enough.

Keen sucked on her clit, the move rough and hard, and she jerked with the overwhelming pleasure that bombarded her. He released her with an echoing pop and his gaze bore into hers. “Come for me. Come on my lips and then I’ll give you whatever you desire.” His tongue flicked out, the pink disappearing between her sex lips and stroking her sensitive clit. “Give it to me, Tris.”

When he returned to his ministrations, his mouth moving over her, his growls and moans adding to the sensations, she found it wasn’t hard to follow his instructions.

One lap became two became twenty and each one forced a whimper and moan from her lips. She arched and rocked against him, taking what she could and gathering each snippet of pleasure he gifted her. But it wasn’t enough. She wanted more and more and she didn’t think she’d ever be satisfied.

He settled into a seductive rhythm, drawing her pleasure forward with every recurring stroke and circle. It was exactly what she needed, exactly what would push her nearer to release once again. The familiar tingles started in her toes, crawling through her flesh, leaving rolling waves of pleasure in their wake. Her pussy clenched and tightened, releasing more of her juices in preparation of his possession.

He alternated hard sucks with gentle licks, pushing her toward the edge, and she was more than ready to leap off the precipice. It was close, her orgasm rushing nearer and nearer with each second that passed.

“Close…” She pushed the words out with her next panting breath.

That caused him to increase his attentions, give her more, shoving instead of gently encouraging her release. He doubled his actions and she could do nothing but be carried away with the wave of sensations.

She trembled and shook, tensed and twitched. Her toes curled while she involuntarily arched her back, pressing her heat to his lips. Her body was no longer her own. No, it belonged to him, wholly and completely.

The bubble of pleasure swelled to bursting, stretching and threatening to pop at… any… moment…

But then Keen was there. In one fluid rush, he released her and hauled her to him, seating himself inside her pussy in one rapid shift of muscles and flesh. He filled her, stretched her cunt and she screamed with the possession. Not in pain, but in pure unadulterated pleasure as her release overcame her.

Trista lost herself to the joy, reveling in wave after wave of bliss that accompanied his thickness deep inside her. She screamed with her orgasm, shouting his name for all the world to hear and howling with the ecstasy that overtook her body.

The pleasure went on and on and she had only one thing to say to her mate, the male she’d spend the rest of her life with. She opened her eyes, stared into the blackness of his irises, and said a single word that refused to be silenced. “More.”

*

Keen nearly came. Right then, right there, with Trista’s eyes flashing copper and her animal peering out at him, he nearly filled her with his cum. She spasmed around him, baring her teeth with the demand and he refused to spend himself like some kid.

She wanted more? He’d give it to her until she begged for mercy. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for his luscious mate.

He shifted his grip, one palm cupping her ass while he slid his other over her back. His fingers encountered her mostly healed wounds and he was careful as he found a smooth swath of skin. With his new grip, he allowed himself to take pleasure in her body, snatching bits of euphoria while giving her just as much in return.

He slowly withdrew from her clinging heat and then shoved home again, testing her responses. He smiled when she did nothing but gasp and dig her nails into his shoulders. He repeated the action, a slow withdrawal and fierce advance, liking the way her breasts bounced with the movement.

He wanted one in his mouth, his tongue circling a hard nipple that teased his chest. Damn it, what was with him and taking her standing up? And water, what was with the water?

Then it didn’t matter because she was hissing and baring her teeth, small nails digging into his skin and her pussy fluttered around his cock. Each tense and relaxation teased his shaft, milking him and seeming to beg for his cum. He’d release soon enough. As soon as she came again. He wanted that, his beast craved it. They’d tasted her first wave of pleasure and now he was desperate to feel her come apart in his arms.

He withdrew and thrust forward again, working his hips, pushing his cock in and out of her soaking sheath. Each ripple and stroke reached into his soul, pleasuring his body and his very heart. His possession of her body didn’t give them just pleasure, it was physical proof of her trust in him. There was nothing deeper, more profound, than a woman accepting a male into herself.

And he was the last who would have that pleasure with Trista. She was his and his alone.

“Mine,” he snarled, the beast needing to voice the truth aloud.

Copper eyes flared brighter. “Yours.”

No words were necessary then, their bodies speaking for themselves. She fluttered around him, pussy milking his cock with every thrust and retreat. His balls were high and tight and his release was within reach. He wanted to come, wanted to let go and possess her fully. Hell, the bear was in
full
agreement.

But he waited.

He wanted her with him.

So he changed his angle, tilted her hips the tiniest bit and was rewarded with a deep moan followed by a roaring shout. Yes, he’d found the perfect spot. With each entrance he pressed against her clit and stroked that bundle of nerves within her sheath. Now he could relish in the pleasure, now he could allow his body the freedom it desired.

His bear pushed forward, anxious to be a part of their joining, and Keen didn’t fight the animal. They were one and the same, two beings sharing a body and soul.

“Need you…” she gasped. “Need more…” Trista’s hold shifted, hands no longer clinging to his shoulders, but gripping the back of his neck. She tugged and yanked on him, pulling him closer.

And then he realized what she desired.

“Tris,” he grunted and pushed deep, another shudder of pleasure overtaking him. God damn he was close. His balls pulsed, desperate for release, while his cock twitched and jerked inside her. She was hot, wet, and tight, and perfect for him.