The world exploded. She cried out, pressing into his mouth, stars exploding behind her eyes. Her entire body short-circuited. The only thought in her head was his name. She rode out the waves and slowly lowered back to the bed. Her heart thundered so loud it echoed through her ears.
Dage maneuvered up until he hovered, poised at her entrance, his inhuman gaze piercing hers. Her thighs grasped his hips, pressing inward. More. She needed more.
His hand clasped her hip. “You’re mine, Emma. The sooner you accept that the better.” Heat engulfed her mouth as his lips devoured her, and he drove inside her with a force that shook the bed. Maybe the room.
She locked her ankles around his truly suburb ass, one hand fisting in his hair, the other digging into his hip as he started to move, his mouth busy on hers.
Sensations ripped through her—the fire at her mouth, the heat at her core. She met him thrust for thrust, so many feelings crashing into her that her mind shut down. Raw hunger had her returning his kiss, sweeping inside his mouth to duel with his tongue. She took.
Spikes of fire whipped inside her, bearing down an orgasm that rippled through her entire body until her ears rang. She rode it out, clutching to Dage, all sanity gone. He caught her cry in his mouth, his fingers bruising her flesh as he growled his release against her skin.
Her thighs released his damp hips as the ripples slowly subsided. Dage shortened his thrusts until he remained motionless inside her. For one brief moment, his heartbeat echoed throughout her body, so full of emotion she had to blink away tears.
He rolled to the side, spooning her into his large body and grabbing the bedspread to cover them. “Are you all right, love?”
She stretched like a satisfied cat, forcing all emotion into a box. “Fantastic.” A tingling set up through her veins as if carbonation mixed with her blood. Nerves flared to life in her extremities.
No. Anger and dread pooled near her solar plexus. “Did you mark me?”
He stiffened behind her. “Of course not. I said I wouldn’t.” Thick arms tightened their hold around her waist and his breath stirred her hair. “Tonight, anyway.”
She ignored the not-so-veiled threat as well as the renewed desire beginning to hum throughout her pores. “I feel different. Powerful.” What the hell had he done to her?
He shrugged. “You’re my mate, love. Your body knows that, even if you don’t. The marking is only one part of the process.”
The mattress dipped and she found herself on her back, her gaze held captive by his. “I told you I won’t be forced into this by fate.”
He nodded and his lips whispered against her. “Yes, you did. But I’m not fate.” Slowly sliding inside her, he nipped her lip. “I’ll give you time, Emma. But if you think I’m letting you go, you’ve misread me.” His polite, matter of fact tone did nothing to hide the determination in each word.
A chill wound down her spine even as a warm hum set up in her core. Her eyes rolled back in her head as he started to thrust. Gently at first, then with a strength that had her nails digging into his skin.
She’d argue the point with him later.
Chapter 5
Controlling his irritation with the two feuding leaders, Dage finished his third meeting of the day. How in the hell had these assholes become leaders? He rested his elbows on the small conference table and nodded to Felix, the head witch of the New Jersey coven who sat to his right. “You’ll agree to the new boundaries?”
The young witch flashed black painted nails and bit his lip, his bloodshot gaze sliding to where Conn leaned against the door of the makeshift office, a muscle ticking in his large jaw. Dage fought a grin. Conn hated diplomatic shit and would probably solve the problem by shooting both jackasses.
Dage stamped down on his own basic need to do just that, forcing diplomacy to the surface once again. He took a drink of his grape energy drink, rolled his shoulders against the feeling of being trapped in a cage, and pierced the witch with a hard gaze.
“Um, yes.” Felix shifted back to face Dage. “We’ll agree to the new boundaries.”
Ignoring the hotel’s lemon cleanser scent, Dage turned toward Niles, the shit-kicking cowboy vampire who’d been trying to retake land lost by his uncle centuries ago. “Niles?” The dumbass had sat with his back to Conn and the door. Not smart.
Niles perched his battered Stetson farther back on his head, his dilated eyes narrowing. “Ah, I guess.”
What a couple of morons. Dage stood. “The papers will be ready for signature after the tea today. Gentlemen”—he allowed his canines to drop—“if either of you break this contract, I’ll come after you myself.”
Both men made a hasty exit and Conn slammed the door shut. “I hate this shit.”
Dage ignored the shredding pain in his hand from the unused marking. “I know. But Talen’s with Cara who isn’t feeling well, Jase disappeared with some redhead, and Kane is on a jet heading this way.”
Conn’s eyes narrowed. “Cara’s still sick?”
Dage shrugged. “I guess she had morning sickness with Janie, so she isn’t concerned. Though Talen ...”
Conn grimaced. “I’ll keep my distance.”
“Good plan.” Dage stood and straightened his dark suit coat before striding toward the door. “We need to get to the tea. You’re sitting with the prophets.”
Conn hissed out a breath. “Seriously? Damn it. Milner’s on me to retrieve Moira and procreate. I can’t stand that guy.”
Dage paused. “I have a feeling you’re preparing to do just that.”
Conn nodded. “I am. I’ve waited long enough. She’s a full witch now and it’s time—after we get things settled here.” He yanked open the door. “But why do I have to sit with him?”
Dage stalked into the hallway. “It’s either the prophets or the Bane’s Council. Considering we’re keeping something from them, I thought I’d face that challenge.”
“Maggie,” Conn breathed.
Yeah, Maggie. A young wolf shifter who’d been infected with the virus, and was hiding in Dage’s Colorado headquarters. Hiding from the Bane’s Council, whose job it was to hunt down and kill werewolves. “During the full moon, Maggie managed to turn into a wolf and not the werewolf trying to get out of her. Hopefully the virus will run its course and fail.”
Conn nodded. “The virus will fail. If the Kurjans were able to turn immortal creatures into werewolf slaves, well ...”
It would be a disaster. Dage paused in the middle of the hallway. “Do you think the law requires us to inform the Bane’s Council about Maggie?”
Conn shook his head. “No. I think you were right. The law requires notification if we suspect a werewolf so the council can investigate and destroy. Maggie isn’t a werewolf. She’s a wolf shifter.”
Who might become a werewolf. Dage started walking again. “Besides, Jordan has put her under the protection of his pride. All I need is his going to war with the council.”
“We stick with Jordan.” Conn threw open the double doors to the ballroom, nicely set with floral tea cups. “Whose fucking idea was it to throw a tea every ten years at the symposium?”
Dage shrugged, waving a hand to Terent Vilks, the head of the Bane’s Council. Time to dance.
Exchanging pleasantries as he maneuvered between tables, Dage’s gaze kept returning to the dark haired beauty chatting with Jordan at the head table. His mate—whether she liked it or not. A polite smile slid across Dage’s face as he gave a nod to Jordan. “Where’s Katie?” While the young lioness and Jordan weren’t a couple, she usually accompanied him on business issues.