“It’s not a risk I’m willing to chance.”
“I understand. But what if I told you we could try it, and if you didn’t like it, you could break the Claim?”
“Really? How?”
He shrugged.
“There are several different ways. The point is that we could try.”
I thought back on Bethi’s conversation. She’d said mating was the only permanent bond.
He watched me as I thought it over. We’d already kissed, and he’d been fine each time. I could bite Carlos and know what he was feeling. If the connection made me twitchy or took over, I could say I wanted out. There didn’t seem to be a downside, nothing to lose. A thread of excitement filled me.
“So do I need to light candles for you or something? Or just pounce?”
His pupils dilated and a shudder ran through him.
“Pounce.” The word was already rough with his slipping control.
It amazed me that I did that to him. With a grin, I knocked him back onto the bed.
His shaking grew more pronounced as I set my hands on his shoulders and buried my face in his neck. I inhaled deeply, smelling Carlos. The urge to nibble at his skin gripped me.
A small, happy noise escaped me as his hands settled on my waist. He pulled me over him, so I straddled his stomach. It made it easier to run my lips over his skin, trailing kisses. His hands moved from my waist to my back, pressing me closer, until we were chest to chest. My pulse pounded with the need to bite him. I opened my mouth and scraped my teeth along his skin. He groaned.
I grinned at his response then gave him what he wanted, a nip on the neck. It wasn’t as satisfying as I’d thought it would be.
He shook as I pulled back.
“Well?” I said, looking at him.
His arms tightened around my waist.
“More.” The word came out a broken growl.
He wanted me to bite him more? I looked at the red mark I’d left on his skin. It was already barely visible, even though I’d bitten him pretty hard.
“Whatever floats your boat,” I said, bending down to nibble his skin again. I trailed little nips down to his collarbone. Without a doubt, I was enjoying what I was doing and so was he. His shaking grew worse with each pinch of my teeth.
“Isabelle.” The drawn out syllables of my name sounded pained. “Break the damn skin.”
I pulled back in surprise.
“You want me to what?”
His arms wrapped around me, and he slowly drew me back to his neck.
“Bite me. Bite me like you’re mad at me. Bite me like it’s the only way you’ll get free. Because it is. I’m not letting go until it’s done.”
I tried pulling back again, and he didn’t budge. Instead, I turned my head so I could see him.
“You really want me to hurt you?”
“It won’t hurt. I promise.”
I continued to stare at him, doubting his words, even as the urge to bite him like he’d asked rode me hard.
“Please.”
The begging won me. I turned my head and bit hard enough to draw blood.
His yell shocked me.
“You said it wouldn’t hurt!” I jerked back from him, wiping my mouth while looking at him with concern.
He exhaled heavily and closed his eyes.
I felt relieved and relaxed and very turned on. I wasn’t that turned on a minute ago. I wanted to kiss him but held myself back, waiting. What was I waiting for? My heart swelled with love for him. He was perfect. Everything I wanted. And so beautiful. Whoa, what? Carlos was handsome. Hot. Rugged. Intense. Nowhere in there did I think him beautiful. It was way too girly a term for him.
“What the hell is going on?” I said, staring at him.
Emotions continued to tease me, but not in the way I was used to. They weren’t filling me. They were just in me.
“How do you feel?”
“I wouldn’t know. You’re in my head.”
“I mean, is what I’m feeling causing any problems?”
“Yes, you’re so horny I can’t think straight.”
He grinned. A full, show-me-your-teeth grin. It was sexy as hell.
“Is there a volume control for this?” I asked.
He closed his eyes again and some of the feelings gradually mellowed. The love didn’t. That emanated with an intensity that made it hard to breathe.
I eased out of his arms, slightly overwhelmed by the new experience. He let me go and sat up, watching as I grabbed my plate. I began to eat the cold eggs while I considered what I was feeling from Carlos. I was used to sorting through a whirlwind of emotions, but this was different. The emotions were strong but not in a way that brought me to my knees. Instead, they wrapped around me like a warm blanket on a cold day.
His love was the easiest to feel and know. Then awe and pride. Because of me. Because I’d found him worthy enough to Claim him. He humbled me with those emotions. But behind them hid a layer of anger and pain so thick that it took me by surprise. Was he feeling that way because I’d messed up the bite? How was I supposed to know I had to bite that hard? I ate another mouthful of eggs as I blushed, thinking of all the unnecessary nipping I’d done. A slow heat crept up my neck.
“Why are you worrying?” Carlos said once again looking at me.
“Why are you mad?”
The anger melted away, but the pain remained.
“The bite didn’t hurt, right?”
“The bite was perfect.” He leaned toward me and kissed my forehead. “Do you need more ice? Biting didn’t hurt your cheek further, did it?”
I shook my head, still trying to puzzle out the anger and pain.
“We need to meet up with the others,” he said. “It’s almost time.”
I nodded and watched as he stood and walked out the door. He was more complex now that I could feel his emotions, not less. If I hadn’t screwed up the bite, then why was he in pain? What had hurt him that much?
Forking the last bite of eggs into my mouth, I stood and made my way to the kitchen. Carlos was by the dryer, taking out our clean clothes. I’d forgotten about them.
I left my plate on the kitchen counter and went to the bathroom. Only my hairbrush and toothbrush waited by the sink. He’d already packed up his things. We were obviously not staying longer.
Brushing my teeth hurt. A few of my molars protested, and I eased up on the scrubbing. When I spit, there was pink in the foam, and I got angry all over again at the man who’d hit me. Blake had so much to pay for. I wished I could be a fly on the wall when the crap-storm we were about to create hit home for him.
After running the brush through my hair, I packed up my things and opened the door. Carlos was waiting with my jacket, shoes, and our bags.
“Everyone is waiting for us by the cars.”
“We’re not staying?”
“We’re packed just in case. We don’t know if Charlene’s contact will be able to get us on the air or not. If she doesn’t, we’ll need to wait until she can. If she does, it would be better to leave the city.”
“More long car rides...sounds fun.”
A wave of love washed over me.
“Was that a mental hug?”
“Something like that.”
My insides warmed, and I tried to send what he made me feel back to him.
“All right, big guy, let’s roll. If we’re lucky, I’ll get to hit someone today.”
* * * *
“This time, Charlene will get us in,” Grey said as we stood outside the news building.
I nodded, more than willing to let someone else take the lead.
People moved around us, keeping up with their everyday chaotic rush. Since leaving the apartment, I’d maintained my balance of near emptiness by siphoning and draining. In those brief moments when I inhaled the emotions of those around me, I got a read on our group. Anticipation was heavy, but trepidation was a close second.
Carlos stood behind me, his hands wrapped around my arms. I wasn’t sure if it was a loving embrace or restraints. Either way, his touch helped calm some of the storm as did the gentle surges of love I felt from him.