"You agreed, Cassie. Do you want to eat first or..."
"There can't be any stipulation--"
Leidolf smiled again. "No more clauses. I agreed. Now, eat first or... hell, I'm not risking you changing your mind."
He winked, and she managed a small smile. She'd definitely made a deal with the devil. Whatever happened, she hoped they could work things out to both their satisfaction.
She grabbed his arm and pulled him toward her. This was her fantasy. She was the huntress, and she'd caught her sea god. She licked a droplet of water off his nipple. He smiled and ran his hands through her hair, his hot hard body pressed against hers, his legs between hers, just working up to the moment to make her his.
She momentarily forgot about the way his arousal poked against her mound as he covered her mouth with his, tongue thrusting, ravishing, conquering, all-consuming. Like a man who'd been love-deprived for eons. And she craved his rabid touch, enjoyed responding back just as passionately, her tongue teasing and tasting his, her teeth nipping at his lips, her mouth sucking on his tongue. He groaned low, a sound that said she was pushing him beyond the outer limits.
He shifted a hand to her side, his thumb brushing the side of her breast, and his mouth moved lower, sweeping over her throat, her breastbone, and then lower to her breast. His tongue licked the rigid nipple, his heated breath making it even more sensitive as the cool air in the cabin mixed with the wetness. She swept her hands down his back, lower, taking hold of his buttocks and squeezing, thinking back to the way she'd first seen him swimming in the lake. What a great ass. And now? The sea god was all hers. She'd captured him on the hunt, just as she'd intended.
With his mouth latching onto her other nipple, he reached between them and began to rub her sensitive nub, slowly at first. Yet she felt as though he was holding back, as taut as his whole body was, wanting to get on with the real business but wanting to pleasure her first. And it was killing him to do so, his heavy arousal drumming against her body with need.
"Hmm, Leidolf," she whispered, not able to say much else the way he was stroking her, his wicked fingers quickening, rubbing her nub harder, his tongue encircling her nipple, his lips grasping and pulling gently. But his actions propelled her to arch against him, wanting more of his touch, just as she frantically caressed the skin of his muscled arms and back to his delectable ass, wanting to touch every part of him, too.
This time, she moaned, spreading her legs farther, wanting him inside of her... now. The ache between her legs begged for release, for satisfaction, the sexy smell of him, their pheromones mixing like a sensuous wolfish aphrodisiac spurring them on, compelling them to finish what they'd begun. Her actions spurred him on as well; every time she squeezed his buttocks, his arousal jumped. When she licked his shoulder, nipped it, and kissed and then twisted again, arching into him, wanting to scream at him to take her now, he nearly entered her. Almost. He wasn't through torturing her yet with his exquisitely masculine touch.
He reached up and held her face with such loving care and looked into her eyes, his own cloudy with lust, as if asking her one last time if she wanted this, and she knew then that she loved him. She smiled. "If you don't hurry, I'm canceling the contract," she whispered, her voice strangely husky.
"That won't do, Cassie. I told you that you were all mine."
"Then..."
She didn't have time to tell him to do it before he centered himself between her legs, her knees spread and readied, and eased himself inside her. Then he was thrusting fully into her, their bodies joined like two primal beings as one, horny, without reservation or regret, and destined to be. The feeling of exultation filled her as his deep thrusts enhanced the climax rippling through her, a heated wave washing over her again and again. He kept his gaze on hers, watching her expression, the awe, the buildup, the culmination, only leaning down once to kiss her lips.
There was a ragged cry from him and a gasp from her as he came and warmed her inside with the heat of his seed, thrusting still with the last of his power, her own orgasm filling her with aftershocks, and she swore she had to be glowing like the full moon on a clear, cold night, as glorious as she felt.
Still inside her, he slowly moved onto his back and pulled her with him at the same time so she was on top of him, his penis still connecting them like a steel lifeline. She was his, but he was hers also. For the first time in a century, she felt at home. Not here in a cabin with pine needles for a bed. But with Leidolf, her mate and her lover. Who looked to have the kind of stamina she needed in a man.
He was already stroking her back, and she folded her arms over his chest and rested her chin on her arms, looking down at him. His eyes and lips smiled like the devil. "Don't tell me you want to eat now." His voice was still husky with need.
"Something tells me you have something else in mind." Her voice sounded just as intrigued.
"Yeah, Cassie, and I'm not easily dissuaded."
She grinned. "So... what are you waiting for?"
The sexual festivities lasted only another hour when they heard something moving about the forest beyond the cabin. The dark had enveloped the woods and it would have been time for them to shift and search for the two female reds, but the untimely arrival of unwanted guests gave Cassie's heart a start.
Leidolf pointed to the corner of the cabin where she guessed he wanted her to wait for him.
She wouldn't leave him.
"Cassie," he whispered, "if they're hunters, we don't dare shape-shift. Wrap the mattress around you, and stay out of sight in the corner over there on the other side of the fireplace. If they're trouble, whoever they are, we can always shape-shift and take care of them."
"You can't face hunters alone, Leidolf."
His face dark, Leidolf escorted Cassie to the other side of the fireplace. "Stay," he whispered, and she scowled back at him.
She was not a wilting damn wallflower.
Whoever moved around outside the cabin grunted, and Leidolf looked back at Cassie with raised brows. "Bear?" she whispered.
Little squeals of mild distress followed, and Cassie smiled. "Bear cubs and the mother," she whispered. But a mother being protective of her cubs could be dangerous if Leidolf or Cassie ventured outside in either their wolf or human forms.
"Probably smell our fish. I'll cook it once she moves away," Leidolf said, moving away from the door. "After we eat, we can track the female wolves."
"And then?" Cassie asked, tossing some more twigs on the fire.
"I'll need to let our pack know we're fine." He glanced at Cassie. "Your shoulder, is it all right?"
She smiled. "After ravishing me for hours, now you ask?"
His eyes sparkled, and he gave her a devious smile back.
But now their relationship had truly changed, Cassie realized. She'd have to meet his family, and even though she didn't intend to stay with the pack always, they were also her new family with problems like all families had. But worse, the niggling fear that Leidolf couldn't give her up when it was time for her to go on her next mission... that's what really bothered her.
Look at what happened when the bear came around.
She watched Leidolf poking at the fish in the pot over the fire and feared the worst-case scenario--he'd use every excuse he could to always keep her at his side.
Chapter 22
When the day had turned completely to darkness, the clouds blocking any hint of stars, Leidolf and Cassie left the relative security of their timber cabin and headed out on their mission of searching for the two female reds.