The Fire Inside (14 page)

Awareness slowly descended. For a moment Tyra wondered if
she had died. Would she see her parents again? But slight aches and pains were
the next thing her subconscious picked up on. If she felt pain then she surely
wasn’t dead. Then she noticed the warm, heavy weight across her abdomen. Heat
also radiated along her back. Her lids began to flutter and she stared out
through blurred vision. It took a moment to focus, but then the familiar room
came into view. That wonderful scent filled her nose as she took in a deep
breath. She was home. Tyra rolled slightly and stared at Konrad’s face.

He stroked a stray strand of hair away from her face with
the tip of his finger. “You came back to me.”

She smiled. “Always.”

Her eyes closed as his lips moved to hers. The kiss he
placed on her was sweet, tender and filled with more emotion than she’d
received from him before. When he pulled back, she stared into his bright amber
eyes that seemed to shimmer with unshed tears. “What’s wrong?”

He gave a short laugh. “Do you want the long list or the
short?”

She tried to sit up but his arm banded around her and he
moved his upper body above hers to keep her down.

“Not so fast. This is the first time you’ve been awake in
two days.”

“Two days?” She squirmed and realized that most of her
injuries had healed thanks to genetics. “How bad was it?” she asked, although
she was afraid of the answer.

“You had a severe concussion and a broken arm. The rest were
more bumps, bruises and cuts.”

She’d pretty much remembered her own inventory of injuries.
Some ached slightly still, but that wasn’t what concerned her most. “How bad
was the pack harmed?”

Konrad sighed. “You really shouldn’t worry about this right
now.”

“Just tell me.”

“Fourteen of ours.”

She closed her eyes as tears began to burn them. It wasn’t
as bad as it could have been, but those were still loved ones. Fathers,
mothers, sons, daughters. Her heart ached. Liquid pearls traced down her
cheeks. Anger rose inside, directed at the one wolf that had caused her so much
pain. “Thanasis?” The name burned her throat like fire.

“Dead. Your grip on his neck ended up ripping his throat out
as I knocked him from your body.”

The anger lacing his words made them sharp. But she could
tell that some of it was self-directed. She opened her eyes to look up at him.
“Why are you angry with yourself?”

He kissed her cheeks and stroked her tears away with his
thumb. “I should have gotten to you sooner. I should have protected you
better.”

“Shhh. You got there in time. You saved me in more ways than
you know.”

“Did he?” Konrad swallowed hard and ground his teeth.

She knew he wondered if Thanasis had succeeded in raping
her. “No. You got there in time.”

A breath whooshed from his lungs as he gathered her close to
him and held her tight. “I’m so sorry.”

She ran her hands down the smooth skin of his strong back.
“You have nothing to be sorry for. It was my fault. If I hadn’t been so damn
stubborn and hormonal, I would have been inside the den. You wouldn’t have had
to worry about splitting defenses so that you could come for me and Cole. It’s
me that should be sorry.”

“If I would have only told you that I realized Thanasis was
the same wolf who attacked your family. If I would have explained the reason I
wanted you here safe instead of using your heat cycle as an excuse.”

“Konrad, we’ve both made mistakes. And if you would have
told me that you knew the identity of the man who took my family from me, I
most likely would have set out to hunt him down. You were trying to protect me
and I get that. But from here forward let’s make a deal. No more hiding things
from each other. We’re a team from here on out.”

He pulled back to look down at her face. “You’re my heart.”
He cupped her cheek in his hand. “You are more to me than you could ever know.
You’re my partner, my friend, my mate and the love of my life.”

“And you are the love of mine.” She sighed when he kissed
her, parting her lips when he demanded entry. She loved him. No one could ever
bring her the happiness he did. She hadn’t meant to fall so completely and
totally for him, but how could she ever resist him? He was destined for her.
And who was she to fight destiny? Especially when it had brought her such a
wondrous healing to her heart in the form of the wolf in her arms. This was who
she was. This was who she was meant to be. For the first time in a long time,
she felt whole. Safe. Loved.

The kiss turned hotter and she moaned into his mouth as
pleasure began to spread through her body. Konrad’s arousal pressed against her
leg, hot, hard and demanding. Her fingers trailed down his side until they
reached the marble smoothness of his cock. She caressed it from tip to base and
he released a growl as his hand fisted around hers, staying her movement.

He pulled his mouth from hers and rolled away from her. “You
tempt me too much.”

She rolled toward him, coming up on her elbow to look down
at him. “That’s a good thing.”

He arched one brow. “You were severely injured and only woke
for the first time a few minutes ago. I’d be some sort of shitty mate to take
you right now as I want to.”

“No. You will never be a shitty mate. And I want you too.”
She squeezed his erection and he groaned. “I need you,” she whispered.

He pressed his nose against her neck and inhaled her scent,
darting his tongue out to taste her flesh. “You still carry the scent of your
heat cycle. It’s faint but there. If I take you now, you could become
pregnant.”

The thought of having his baby brought only happiness with
it. She pulled back from him until she could hold his gaze. “Do you want a
baby?”

He cupped the side of her face. “I want you. And I would
love to make a child with you, but only if you’re ready. The chance right now
is slim, but there.”

She kissed his lips lightly, a mere grazing of skin against
skin, then whispered, “Make love to me.”

His hand moved to the nape of her neck, gripping her in a
firm hold as he took possession of her mouth. Her tongue stroked his and she
gloried in the connection that fused between them. He set her body on fire.
Desire licked her nerve endings as he rolled them and the delicious weight of
his body pressed her into the soft mattress. They were both naked and she
spread her legs, welcoming his lower half into the vee of her thighs. His other
hand found her breast and he teased her hardened nipple, pinching it between
his thumb and forefinger.

She moaned into his mouth as her lower lips grew slick with
need. She arched her hips, rubbing her wet flesh against his cock. He broke the
kiss on a hissed breath then moved his lips to her neck, laving the mark he’d
given her on the full moon.

“Yes, my love,” she panted as she rocked her hips and
pleasure coursed through her clit.

He moved down and she whimpered at the loss of contact
against that bundle of nerves that would bring her ecstasy. His lips closed
around her breast, tongue and teeth taunting her puckered nipple. She moaned,
gripping the back of his head and holding him to her breast. “Feels so good,”
she sighed.

His body resumed its downward track and he released her
nipple and ran his tongue down her chest and over her belly, stopping for a
brief moment to nibble her hip bone. She knew what he was up to, and just the
thought had her core tingling and creaming, begging for his passionate kiss.

She sucked in a sharp breath as his tongue traced her from
anus to clit, his warm breath caressing the sensitive flesh of her pussy. Her
teeth sank into her lower lip as she brought her hips up, seeking more of the
wondrous contact. Her hands fisted in his hair as he gave her a tongue lashing
she’d never forget. “Please don’t stop.”

His answer was a growl that vibrated against her clit in an
awesome way. Sensation flooded her body as she ground her core against his
warm, wet mouth. His tongue dipped inside her cunt and she cried out as he
began fucking her with it. Her breaths became rapid. The things he made her
feel were astounding. When he returned his attention back to her clit she
called out his name as she teetered on the edge of a glorious climax. The
tightening of her sheath, followed by the low pulses, had her screaming as she
came. Her back bowed and her muscles spasmed as her orgasm rocked through her.

He sucked her clit into his mouth and drew out every spasm
of ecstasy. Her body tingled, every nerve ending sensitized, ready for the next
round of stimulation he would give. Her core swelled and ached to be filled by
him. She felt the bed dip as he crawled back up her body, grazing his teeth
over her breasts before he claimed her mouth once more. Her cream on his lips
made her hunger for him grow. The head of his cock probed her pussy and she moved
her hips, seeking out greater contact.

Konrad released her lips as his dick stood poised to enter
her. “I love you,” he said as he slid every wondrous inch of his cock inside
her.

“Konrad!”

He set a maddening slow pace. Each insertion and retreat had
her core tightening around him. Her heart filled with a joy she never thought
possible. He claimed her lips and made love to every inch of her body. She
wrapped her legs high over his hips, digging her heels into his muscular ass.
The rhythm of their love was like none other. He played her body like an expert
musician. Each stroke brought out a new melody inside her. Tears burned her
eyes with the beauty of it all.

Her nails sank into his strong shoulders as her quim
tightened and pulsed, fisting his erection with each wonderful spasm her orgasm
created. Moaning deep into his mouth, she let her pleasure be known to him. Let
him know that it belonged to only him.

His arms moved until his hands gripped her ass. He pulled
her close to him and held her tight. She moaned again as his cock jerked inside
her, warm cum cascading through her.

The tightness in his muscles eased and he rolled them,
keeping their bodies joined as she lay on top of him. They continued to caress
and kiss each other, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

A new beginning. Life no longer looked bleak. Tyra no longer
had to worry about her heart. Konrad had given her the freedom to love again
and she could trust him to protect her. She was no longer a lone wolf.

Virginia Cavanaugh is a multi-published author of erotic
romance. Her work covers many sub-genres as new characters present themselves
to her every day. After working for years as a nurse in pediatrics, her love of
the alpha hero sparked her desire to bring her own stories to life. When not
playing housewife, mother, maid, laundress, taxi driver or just general
all-around slave, she enjoys finding a quiet corner to read or work on her next
story.

Virginia welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website
and email addresses on her
author bio page
at
www.ellorascave.com
.

Tell Us What You Think

We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You
can email
the
author
directly or you can email us at
[email protected]
(when
contacting Customer Service, be sure to state the book title and author).

Mixing
Business with Pleasure

Seductive
Reunion

Ellora’s Cave Publishing

www.ellorascave.com

The Fire Inside

ISBN 9781419942532

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

The Fire Inside Copyright © 2012 Virginia Cavanaugh

Edited by April Chapman

Cover design by Irene Adler

Photos: Fotolia.com

Electronic book publication September 2012

The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of
Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not
be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written
permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home
Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.

Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this
copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or
distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without
the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including
infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is
punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. 
(http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print
editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of
copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons,
living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The
characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

The publisher and author(s) acknowledge the trademark status and
trademark ownership of all trademarks, service marks and word marks mentioned
in this book.

The publisher does not have any control over, and does not assume
any responsibility for, author or third-party Web sites or their content.

Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the
multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Be sure to visit EC on the web
at www.ellorascave.com to find erotic reading experiences that will leave you
breathless. You can also find our books at all the major e-tailers (Barnes
& Noble, Amazon Kindle, Sony, Kobo, Google, Apple iBookstore, All Romance
eBooks, and others).

www.ellorascave.com