Ronan stood beside a sweeping cedar tree, blocking the way down a narrow trail.
Twenty seconds to go.
She skidded to a halt and pivoted, rushing for another rocky trail.
He caught her from behind with an arm around her waist, lifting her high and swinging her around like she weighed absolutely nothing.
Before she could catch her breath, he had her up against the rough bark of a tree, and his mouth was on hers. He kissed her hard and fast, his mouth unrelenting. Her head swam, and her mouth was kissing him back before she could think.
Need rippled through her, so intense she clawed his shirt, trying to get closer.
He bit her bottom lip and released her, letting her slide down his impossibly hard body. Lightning burst above them and she jumped. She breathed out hard, her gaze focusing on him.
The vampire was every bit as ferocious as the storm whipping around them. His eyes were a hard blue, his jaw a devastating line. His soaked shirt empathized the raw and deadly strength in his immense chest. The muscles in his arms bunched and jumped as if he, and he alone, held himself in check. “I caught you in time.” The words were clear.
She couldn’t move. Her body ached and deep down, she felt him. Needed him. They could save Grace together. This…this was for Faith. He was for her. “I know.”
Satisfaction mixed with arrogance as the rain slid over the hard planes of his face. “Good.” He ducked his head and she found herself over his shoulder, her forehead resting against the hard ridges of the back of his rib cage.
He moved easily, gracefully—at home in the forest. Her brain awoke seconds later and she started to struggle, her legs kicking out. He responded by securing one arm against her legs, pressing them to his body.
She punched his legs as hard as she could, but he didn’t falter in his strides. Not even a little. Lightning sparked again, and then thunder cracked from every direction.
Before she knew it, they were back inside the rock. If she’d expected him to put her down, she was wrong.
They reached her bedroom, and he paused.
She lifted her head to see Adare coming out of Grace’s room.
He lifted an eyebrow. “Everything okay?”
She swallowed, feeling slightly ridiculous being soaking wet and over Ronan’s massive shoulder.
Ronan shoved the door open. “It will be. Don’t interrupt us unless the fucking mountain is being blown up.” He paused. “Forget that. Even if the mountain is blowing up, stay away.” He stepped inside and kicked the door shut, leaving a boot print this time.
The world tilted as he dropped his head and put her on her feet. A second later, her white sweater flew across the room. Her lungs just up and left her body, refusing to even bother working. What had she done? Challenging an immortal warrior had felt so good. Now, vulnerability swept over her along with a need—a craving—too painful to be considered arousal. It was so much more.
The look on his timeless face was indescribable. A primitive combination of intent, power, and…danger. A warning and a promise. He reached for the button of her rain-soaked jeans. She trembled, unable to break his gaze.
The scientist in her urged her to back away, seek self-protection. The woman… well, now. The most primal part of her, the deep femininity she’d kept locked away for so long, awoke. She stretched and roared.
Her jeans hit her ankles and caught on her sopping tennis shoes.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Ronan slid sideways, wrapped an arm around her waist, and spun her head over heels. When she landed, her wet hair swinging wildly, her legs and feet were bare. Her lips parted and she wobbled on suddenly unsteady legs.
His easy grace in the move should’ve surprised her, but the logical doctor inside her had already realized she’d underestimated the strength he possessed.
He was more powerful than any storm. Somebody, some thing, totally out of her realm of experience.
And she’d challenged him. For this. For her.
He reached for her face and even desperately in need, she flinched.
His eyes flickered and then softened. Gently, he pushed damp hair away from her cheekbone, caressing down to cup her chin, his touch spreading tingles through her body. “Don’t fear me.” His words were a command more than a reassurance, and his grip firm rather than soothing.
She’d be a fool not to fear him a little. “I don’t think you’d harm me.” Physically, anyway. But she was a smart woman, and this was a male you respected. If they mated, it wouldn’t be what she’d planned when she’d thought about settling down with a man. For one thing, he wasn’t a man. This edge, this inhuman aspect of him, was more animalistic than civilized. She could sense it.
His head ducked and he took her lips, coaxing.
She breathed into him, opening, taking him in. He tasted like the storm. Wild and free, passion lurking beneath the surface.
Finishing the kiss too soon, he leaned back, his hand still in control of her chin. “Don’t ever run from me again.”
She blinked, the words taking a beat to sink in. “I’d do anything to save my sister.” His grip kept her from backing away to make her point. “Even scary as hell, this feels right. But you have to promise my sister is safe.”
That veil drew down over his eyes for a moment, and then they cleared. “I give you my word—I’ll never harm your sister.”
That wasn’t quite good enough. She opened her mouth to protest, but he lifted her up, his lips on hers. He kissed her hard and deep, his hands cupping her butt. Fire lashed her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing her aching core against him.
He growled and set her on the bed. Then he stood back and yanked off his wet clothing.
Everything inside her settled. He was perfect. Hard muscles, long lines, sleek angles.
Her many years of education hadn’t taught her about this. A hunger, a primitive instinct, flowed through her. Inside her. She was hot and wet—ready. Not being one to wait, she reached for him. While she’d always been cautious about anything she didn’t fully understand, she banished all concerns. Nothing mattered but right here and right now.
He dropped his head to her neck, kissing and nipping.
Manacling his arms, she pulled him back, falling onto the bed. The second his dick rubbed against her clit, electricity zapped through her, and she gasped. “Now, Ronan.” She couldn’t wait. Not a second. They’d been interrupted way too many times. This time they had to complete the act.
He kissed her, taking over, pressing inside her with deliberate slowness. Never had anything in her entire life felt so good. She widened her thighs, kissing him back, scraping her nails along the incredible planes of his chest and around his rib cage.
With one final, hard push, he was imbedded inside her. Pain and pleasure mixed. He was so big—so full. Yet somehow gentle as he withdrew and pushed back in. It was too much. Nerves flared and sparked. He increased his speed and reached between them, plucking her clit.
She arched and cried out, thrown into an orgasm out of nowhere. It bore down on her and she exploded, panting through the deliciousness. He continued to thrust until she went limp.
A sigh escaped her. She reached up and pushed his damp hair away from his face.
His eyes had changed to a burnished gold. No green, no blue…just darkened gold.
She gasped.
His gaze was beyond intense. He was still rock-hard inside her, and his biceps visibly undulated above her. Slowly, he withdrew from her. She gave a sound of protest. Then he levered himself up on his knees, grasped her hips, and flipped her onto her stomach.
She landed with a surprised moan. He grabbed her hips and pulled her up to her hands and knees. His powerful thighs bracketed the back of hers.
Warning trilled through her, but he reached between her legs and palmed her sex. Tingling warmth radiated from it and she
shut her eyes, need climbing in her again. Sharp and real. His hand moved and his dick pushed inside her again, this time going even deeper.
She dropped her head, baring her neck. From head to toe, she vibrated in anticipation. Of what, she wasn’t certain. He reached around her and palmed her neck, pulling her up and elongating her back. She swallowed, barely, unable to move.
Then he started to thrust. Harder than before, deeper than she’d thought was possible. He hit a spot inside her, and wings of pleasure flew out in every direction, careening her into an orgasm that had her whimpering at the end.
But he didn’t stop.
Faster and harder, he took her. All of her. In total control, his body behind her, his hands on her. He was everywhere.
She started to climb again, her body taken over by forces she could barely comprehend.
His five-o’clock shadow scratched her shoulder. Then his lips. The hand on her hip shifted to her lower back. She tensed, her eyes closing, her breath panting.
He struck deep, his fangs piercing through muscle and tissue to embed in bone. Agony took her. She screamed, fighting, but he held her tight.
Hammering harder, he held on. The pain was excruciating, but gradually, the need in her body began to overtake even that. The feeling of him inside her sent her toward a fall she’d never survive.
Yet he continued to power into her. “Faith. Come now.”
As if her entire being had just been waiting for his words, she detonated. Her eyes closed and brilliant light flashed hot and bright. Inside her, he swelled even more. Then a piercing pain, one much hotter than in her shoulder, spread across her lower back.
It catapulted her into another orgasm that stopped her breath. She rode out the waves, her mouth open in a silent scream, pleasure so intense inside her she’d never be the same. With a soft sob, she went limp.
He ground against her and came, his low groan vibrating throughout her body.
Then. Silence.
She opened her eyes and blinked several times. His fangs were still inside her shoulder, and his cock was still inside her core. Her heart rate sped up even more, probably to a dangerous level.
His fangs retracted and he licked the wound. A healing balm spread across her shoulder. The pain dissipated. “I’ll always take care of you, Doc.” His voice was a low rumble. Then he withdrew and she winced, feeling tender and somehow empty.
He turned her around and flattened himself over her in a huge mass of protection. Balancing on his elbows to keep from crushing her, he kissed her so gently, tears gathered in her eyes.
She swallowed. “Your eyes. They’re a dark gold.”
“Yeah.” He kissed her again, the glowing eyes making him look even more primitive than usual. “Are you all right?”
She ran her hands over his thick chest. Her mind was blown and her body was on fire. She couldn’t grasp a thought. Not a one. What had just happened. “Are you?”
His gaze was tender and his jaw firm. “Yes. I’m finally whole.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
A sense of possession flowed through him as he stared down at Faith’s lovely face. Her eyes had turned the color of dark honey, sweet and dreamy. Her lips were rosy and her nipples were still hard beneath his chest. He wanted to find the right words for her, but there were so many, he couldn’t grasp just one. “You’re beautiful,” he said.
Her smile was lopsided and unguarded. Incredibly cute. Her hands on his chest were serving to arouse him again. “Am I immortal?” Curiosity and a little wariness filled those eyes.
He grinned, amusement taking him by surprise. “Not yet.” He’d read some current reports from the Realm scientists the previous night. “It’ll take a little while for your chromosomal pairs to increase to those of a mate.” Before she could ask more questions, he kissed her. Then he leaned back. “You can study all the data we have on it. Vampires have thirty pairs and demons thirty-two. As a hybrid, I probably have thirty-one.” He didn’t really care about chromosomes.
Her eyebrows drew down very slightly. “So compared to vampires, humans are like, what? Plants compared to humans?”
He loved how her mind worked. “Sure.” Why not? “I’ll get you all the data.” The brand on his hand no longer throbbed, and he lifted his arm to look at his palm. The marking would remain, dark and full. But it had stopped hurting. He’d branded her lower back and his hand was so big he’d spanned the entire width. “Do you feel any different?”
She pursed her lips, obviously thinking. “I feel warm. Kind of bubbly, like my blood is popping. An adrenaline rush of sorts, but that could just be post-climax.”
Yeah. He loved her analytical brain. “Forget the ‘post’ part. We’re just getting started.” He’d never get enough of her.
A knock sounded on the door. Not a chance. No way. “Go the fuck away,” he bellowed.
“Sorry, mate,” Benny said, not sounding sorry in the least. “The earth isn’t just moving in there.”
Ronan snarled. “I’ll kill him. Just slice off his entire head and rid the world of a lunatic.”
“I can’t be killed, buddy,” Benny said cheerfully, his voice slightly muffled through the door. “Logan and Garrett are back, and Ivar wants to harness the storm to do the ritual. We have two hours before dawn arrives.”
Yeah, it was the perfect time for the ritual. “We need to get our own damn mountain.” Ronan sighed. “I’m sorry.”
She blinked, rather sleepily. “That’s okay.” Then she yawned.
Mating did take a toll. The woman should sleep for hours. He kissed her again. “We’ll be several miles beneath here. It’s not safe for you there.” He brushed his knuckles across her pink cheek. “You’re to stay either in here or in Grace’s room. But I want you to get several hours of sleep first. You’re changing on a cellular level.”
Her eyelids snapped open. “You’re not going to start issuing orders just because we mated.”
Of course he was. Time was ticking down, and the need to perform the ritual was pulling at him. But he’d be unreachable during the interim, and he had to know she was safe. “Promise me, Faith. You’ll stay here.” If she wouldn’t make the promise, he’d have to lock her in somehow. He truly didn’t want to start his matehood by pissing her off. “I have to concentrate on the ritual, and I can’t be worrying that you’ll put yourself in danger again.”
She sighed, her eyelids half-closing. “Fine. I promise I’ll stay here until your ritual is concluded.”
It wasn’t much, but it was enough for now. “Good. I didn’t want to have to bind you.”
Her head snapped back. “You’re joking.”
He nipped her lip and stood, searching for his clothing. “This should take no more than two hours.”
She partially sat up, her pink nipples enticing him. “What does it entail? Is it dangerous?”
His heart warmed. “Are you worried about me?”
“Yes,” she said simply.
Every once in a while, she showed a sweetness that kicked his legs out from under him. “It is dangerous, but I will be fine.” At the moment, he could take on a legion of attackers and win. His blood was changing too. For the better. “Please sleep.” He found the clothing Adare had brought back for him in the corner and quickly yanked on faded jeans and a black T-shirt. After giving her a quick kiss on the forehead, he strode for the door.
Benny waited outside, amusement sparkling in his eyes. “Have a good night?”
Ronan breathed in and shut the door, instantly sobering. Strength, new and vital, rushed through his veins. “We have to make sure they understand what’s about to happen. Which of them is bonding tonight?”
“Dunno.” Benny lost the amusement and started down the hallway, turning into the kitchen area next to the control room. Even though there were stools set strategically along the counter, nobody sat.<
br />
The tension in the room prickled over Ronan’s skin.
Adare and Ivar stood near the stove, tall and broad. Logan and Garrett, their hair wet from the storm, were near the marvelous invention of a microwave.
“We waited for you,” Ivar said.
Ronan nodded. “All right. The actual ritual takes a couple of hours, but the bonding process takes more than twenty-four hours. It’s excruciating and you might not make it. We’ll do everything we can to help you, but odds are, you’ll die.” He wouldn’t tame his words for them. They had to know the chance they were taking.
“Understood,” Garrett said, his gaze determined.
“We’re ready,” Logan said, the world in his green eyes. That kid had seen some shit.
Ronan hesitated.
“There’s no backing out once we begin,” Adare murmured, his eyes bloodshot. Was he still intoxicated?
Ronan gave a short nod. “Did you say good-bye to everyone you needed to?”
The males nodded.
“All right. Who’s enduring the ritual this morning?” he asked.
Garrett’s chin lifted. “We both are.”
“No,” Benny said. “We can only do one at a time. It’s physically impossible to do otherwise. Decide who goes.”
Garrett and Logan exchanged a look. With a shrug, Logan drew a silver coin from his pocket and spun it into the air. “Call it.”
“Heads,” Garrett said.
Logan caught the coin, spun it, and slapped it on the table with a hard smack. His hand remained over it. “I want to go first.”
“So do I,” Garrett said.
Man, these young vampire-demons were tough. An odd pride filled Ronan. “Lift your hand.”
Logan lifted his hand, and the coin had a man’s head on it. “Fuck.”
Garrett stepped forward. “Let’s get this done.”
* * * *
Garrett Kayrs settled his mind and tried to relax his shoulders. He had planned to fight to be the one to go through the ritual. Logan wouldn’t admit it, but he was still sporting a couple of injuries from a run-in they had with a squad of werewolves the previous week. Oh, he was a tough bastard, but top form was probably needed for this ritual.