She released her treat and worked her way up his body. “Mmm… I tried to keep my lustful side a secret so you wouldn’t run away.” She murmured the comment against his chest, trailing butterfly kisses over the smooth muscular surface, while stroking his shaft with her hand.
“I never run from a challenge.” Melody noted that Ryne had closed his eyes and a blissful smile was playing over his lips. Gently, she pushed him down onto his back and straddled his legs. Running her hands up his chest, she flicked his nipples, moulded his shoulders, and then slid her hands downward again, enjoying the feel of his warm skin and hard muscles.
As she leaned forward to kiss him, she felt his erection pressing hot and hard against her stomach. The sensation made her own body respond, warmth pooling between her thighs. Instinctively, she rocked her hips and Ryne growled in approval.
He slid his hands up her arms to her shoulders, then down her back, finally cupping her ass and squeezing gently. “I love your body, Melody.” Ryne moved his hands lower still, his fingertips barely skimming her feminine folds as he reached for her thighs then slid his hands up to her butt cheeks again. Back and forth, back and forth, he ensured that his hands never actually touched her where she wanted it the most. Melody felt herself growing even wetter in anticipation.
Nibbling at his neck, then his chin, she bit his lower lip, sucking it into her mouth before releasing it in favour of exploring him with her tongue. Meanwhile, she ran her fingers over his ears and through his hair, tugging at the silken strands, her nails gently abrading his skin. Soon they were both panting, a sheen of sweat beginning to dampen their bodies.
“Ryne… ” She murmured against his lips.
“Yeah?”
“If you don’t touch me there soon, I’m going to scream.”
She felt his breath puff against her mouth as he chuckled. “Well, you’re going to be screaming sooner or later, anyway… ”
Melody lifted her head and stared down at him. “You sound pretty confident about that, Taylor.”
“I am.” He smiled up at her and then grabbed her waist. Suddenly, Melody found herself face first on the mattress, with Ryne straddling her.
“What just happened?” She sputtered.
Ryne worked his hand under her and cupped her breast. Massaging the soft globe, he whispered in her ear. “I said you’re going to be screaming soon, and we don’t want to disturb the others now, do we? This way, you can just bury your face in the mattress instead of biting my shoulder like you did the other night. Not that I minded.” He laughed evilly and Melody felt her face growing warm as she recalled that particular event.
Experimentally, she pushed upwards trying to lever her body, but Ryne was using his weight to keep her in place. A shiver of excitement ran through her as she realized that she was trapped.
“Do you like this?” He asked, brushing her hair aside and biting gently on her neck.
“Mmm. It’s different, but yeah… I like it.”
“Good.” Ryne removed his hand from her breast and grabbed her around the waist. He removed his weight, lifting her hips up and leaving her shoulders down. She squirmed a bit, thinking of how exposed her most intimate parts must be, but then Ryne stroked her slick folds with his fingers and she lost all inhibitions.
“Oh my gosh, Ryne that feels so good!” Her body was quivering in anticipation. He bit at her butt cheek then lapped her juices with his tongue. When he invaded her with his fingers, she was sure she’d come right then and there. “Oh yes, oh yes… ” She panted her approval as he massaged her inner walls, stimulating the sensitive nerves within.
Just as she felt a telltale coiling in her lower belly, he suddenly withdrew his fingers. She whimpered in disappointment only to gasp as she felt his hot, thick flesh invading her body. Slowly, he pressed forward, parting her flesh, retreating, then pushing in deeper. With him behind her, it was a totally different feeling than any of the other times they’d been together. When she was sure she was filled beyond capacity, he paused.
“Are you still okay?” Ryne’s voice sounded tight, as if he was exerting great control over himself.
“Not if you don’t start to do something about this real soon.” She rocked back against him, desperately needing release.
“Your wish… ” Instead of finishing the statement, he took hold of her hips and began the rhythm they both craved.
In and out, in and out; each thrust was exquisite torture as it stroked her inner walls. She clutched at the sheets, panting; her eyes squeezed shut as she concentrated on the feeling building within her. It coiled tighter with each stroke, her breathing grew more rapid, his balls slapped against her with each thrust, providing an added stimulation. Never had she believed it could feel this good…
Just when she thought she was going to explode, he stopped and pulled out. “Ryne!” She was near panic. It was so close, he couldn’t stop now!
He flipped her over and knelt between her legs. His quivering erection was gleaming with the juices from her body. A drop of his seed poised near the tip. She forced her gaze away from his manhood and looked up at his flushed face.
“Why did you stop?”
His faced was flushed and he was breathing hard, yet he answered her question with a question. “Remember when I told you about blood bonding?”
She forced herself to think beyond the clamouring need of her body and nodded. “Weres become connected with their mates, forming an almost telepathic bond.”
“It’s permanent, for life, until one of the pair dies.” He drew in a shuddering breath.
“Like a marriage, but with no chance of divorce.”
“Right.” He paused and licked his lips. “Would you… Would you blood bond with me?”
Mel half sat up. “Are you proposing?”
He gave her a lopsided grin. “Yeah. I guess I am.”
She gave squeal of delight and launched herself at him, completely knocking him over. “Ryne, I thought you’d never ask.” Before he could answer, she was kissing him soundly.
After a few minutes, he pushed her away and sat up. “So I take it that’s a yes?”
“Of course, you big dummy.” She smacked him lightly. “So when? And how?”
“What about right now?” His face was suddenly serious and Mel sobered too.
“Really? Here? Right now?” Mel looked around nervously.
He nodded.
“I’d have to bite you?”
“And I’d bite you. Then we’d drink a bit of each other’s blood.”
She grimaced at the idea, but then stared at Ryne. She really did love him. And this was the way of his people. Well, they were her people now, too. “Okay. So, how do we start?”
Ryne chuckled. “Well, we were half way there a few moments ago. Basically we have great sex and then your wolf partially emerges and we bite each other.”
“So it’s animal sex? Eww!”
“No! Your canines lengthen, your eyes might glow, but your body stays human.”
“Oh, that’s good.” She took a deep breath and then smiled at him tremulously. “I guess I’m ready then.”
“You’re sure?” He cautioned her once more. “A blood bond is forever.”
“I’m sure.” She reached up and cupped his face, tracing his cheek bone with her thumb. “I want to be with you for the rest of my life.”
“Same here,” he whispered as he pulled her close and kissed her reverently.
Lips slid over lips. Tongues tangled. Mel stroked Ryne’s muscular back while he caressed her breasts. Soon she was sinking back onto the mattress, Ryne’s weight pressing down on her as he lay between her thighs. He nuzzled her neck, then ran his teeth over her collar bone. Moving lower, he sought her pink tipped breast, licking at her nipple before suckling until it was engorged and red. Turning his attention to its twin, he repeated the process. Each pull of his lips shot down to her womb. Mel moaned and shifted restlessly in response.
She combed her fingers through his hair, ge
ntly scraping his scalp and tugging on the strands. He murmured in appreciation then let out a soft sigh as she traced the indent of his spine reaching down as far as she could to squeeze his taut buttocks.
Ryne lifted his head from her breasts, his mouth moist and red. He sat back on his haunches and ran his hands down her stomach, then traced the crease where her thighs met her body. Cupping his hands under her knees, he spread her legs wide and then stared at her moist, swollen folds.
“So hot and wet,” he murmured as he gently traced the soft flesh. Gently, he pressed a finger to her entrance, sliding it in easily. He smiled up at her as he instinctively found her g-spot. “You like this, don’t you?” Ryne teased her as her hands clutched the sheets, her back arching. Stroking her clit with his thumb, his finger worked its magic inside her. When her hips were flexing against his hand, he stopped and pulled out. Shifting so he was on top her, he carefully tucked the head of his shaft inside her and slowly sank into her welcoming depths.
The sensation was exquisite, feeling his thick flesh parting her, filling her aching void until she was sure she could hold no more. Once he was fully encased, he leaned forward to kiss her. “I love you, Melody Greene.”
“And I love you, Ryne Taylor.” She blinked at him through the tears in her eyes. This was it. They were going to be joined for the rest of their lives.
He grasped her hand, entwining their fingers as he started to move, setting a rhythm that soon had a coil of tension growing inside her once again. There were long slow strokes, that had her sighing with pleasure, then short fast thrusts that drove her wild. Mel bit her lip, panting, reaching… Above her, Ryne was breathing heavily, his movements become harder, more forceful. He was hammering into her now, each stroke bringing her higher. Rivers of sweat trickled down his neck and she watched the path of the droplets, suddenly fascinated by his throat, by the vein throbbing wildly as his heart pumped blood to his straining muscles.
There was a pain in her jaw, but she barely registered it at first. When she licked her dry lips, she realized that her canines had dropped. Shocked, she quickly looked up at Ryne. His eyes were glowing, his mouth open, exposing wickedly long teeth. Mel gave a start as a momentary flutter of fear passed through her. “Ryne? It’s starting!” Barely had the words passed her lips, when a tingling sensation washed over her.
Her body strained and trembled; she felt energy gathering inside of her. She was on the brink of shifting! Then somehow the energy refocused, turning in on itself and entwining with the twisting need inside her until she was balanced on the very edge of orgasm. Her whole body started to shake, her fingers tightened on Ryne’s, her toes curled.
His hair brushed her cheek. She felt his hot breathe on her neck, his tongue licking her skin. At the same time, she began to hear a thrumming, a swishing sound… She could smell his blood, imagined its coppery taste on her tongue, running down her throat. His body possessing hers, his skin pressed to hers, his sweat blending with her own, but it wasn’t enough. She needed more… She needed to taste him, to know that they were one in every way possible. And then, without even realizing it, her mouth latched onto the side of his neck, her teeth piercing his skin as she felt a sharp but almost pleasurable pain on her own neck. Greedily she lapped at the wound, lost in an ecstasy she couldn’t begin to describe.
Ryne was surrounding her, possessing her, his life force feeding her as she fed him. Her mind opened, his thoughts and feelings seeping in, mixing with hers. She felt his need, the way his scrotum tightened to his body, the rhythmic stroking, and squeezing on his sensitive shaft as he moved in and out of her, as her body milked his. There was a tingling in the base of his spine as he neared his release. It matched the unbelievable levels of desire in her. The way her heart was pounding, the aching need inside her, the tension that was so high, so tight she thought she’d die. It was close, so close… growing… heightening. Another thrust and then one more. She couldn’t believe anything could feel like this; she didn’t want it to end.
Faster… harder… Frantically, they moved together in a wild, untamed dance moving ever closer to the approaching the precipice. Straining… She couldn’t breath… everything tightened… and then her body clenched in an orgasm so hard, she was sure she was break into a million pieces
Her vision blurred as she lost all control. Limbs shaking, she was free falling through space, jolts of pleasure wracking her body over and over, compounded by the waves of ecstasy that shot through Ryne as his seed spurted within her. Again and again her pleasure fed off his until she was screaming her release.
Sometime later, she realized she was sprawled on the bed, arms and legs spread in complete abandon. Ryne’s head rested between her breasts, his leg wrapped over hers.
“Hey,” she whispered to him.
Hey yourself. His voice echoed in her head and she gave a start before giggling. So this was the mental bond he talked about. Pretty cool.
“Yeah it is, isn’t it?” He murmured against her still heated flesh. “Apparently, it’s always strongest after sex.”
“Well, I guess our bond will be pretty strong then, since I plan on having lots and lots of sex with you.”
“Mmm… I like how you think Melody. I like how you think.”
Epilogue
Back in Chicago…
Leon Aldrich lay in a hospital bed, his eyelids half open. A ventilator pumped air through the breathing tube in his newly repaired throat. The pain medication made him groggy and the room kept going in and out of focus. In his hand he held a crumpled copy of Greyson’s will. He couldn’t believe he never knew about Cassandra Greyson and that she’d inherit everything. Hazily, he thought that changing the will in his favour would have been an easy thing to do, if he’d still been able bodied. Even though Greyson had added a note warning that two other copies existed, he could have searched the estate and found them.
He needed to find the girl. But how?
The sound of the door opening caught his attention and he slowly shifted his eyes to observe the newcomer. It was a nurse.
“Hello, Mr. Aldrich. And how are we today?” She chatted as she checked the ventilator and peered at his bandages. “Nasty wounds. I must say I’ve never heard of a wild dog attack in Chicago.”
Aldrich tried to speak.
“No, no, no. You can’t try to talk. Your throat can’t stand the strain. If you need something, press the call button and use this whiteboard.” She held the objects up for him to see and then placed them on the tray in front of him.
He blinked twice. It had been his main means of communicating until today. Two for yes. Three for no.
The nurse smiled and applied cream to his dry chapped lips. “You must be exhausted after that police interview. It was so brave of you to step between Mr. Greyson and that attacking dog.”
Aldrich blinked twice again. That was the story he’d painstakingly scrawled on the white board.
Straightening his covers the Nurse continued. “I heard the police talking as they left. They agree it was an unfortunate accident; the dog jumped at you just as you fired the gun and the bullet hit Mr. Greyson by mistake. You’re so lucky the beast ran off before it killed you.”
Two more blinks.
She squeezed his hand. “Your secretary is here to see you. She’s such a sweet thing. When I said I just needed to check your bandages and medication, she told me she’d go downstairs for a few minutes and browse the gift shop until I was done. I’m sure she’ll be back in just a moment or two.” With a final pat to his hand, the woman left.
If nothing else, the woman’s chatter had helped clear his thinking. He found it easier to concentrate on the problem of Cassandra Greyson. He wanted to get his hands on Greyson’s money, but the girl stood in his way. As long as she was missing, the estate would be tied up. Mind you, that would give him time to heal, but once she was found, then what? She wasn’t yet eighteen. Possibly, he could have himself appointed her guardian, worm his way into her confidence and then…
But how to contact her? A gleam entered his eye as he noticed a newspaper lying on the chair by his bed. That might work. Slowly, he grabbed the white board and began to write.
By time he was finished, he was wet with sweat from the exertion, but a satisfied look covered his face. He ran the message over in his mind. ‘Place a personal ad in all major papers around U.S.A. It should read Cassie, please come home. You’re in grave danger from the wild ones. Only I can protect you. – A.
He frowned then added one more line.
There was a light rap on the door and Ms. Matthews walked in. He assessed the temporary secretary carefully, knowing she was the person who had caved in to Greyson’s demands that she snoop in his appointment book. She wasn’t exactly trustworthy… Damn Ms. Sandercock for still being away! Well, Ms. Matthews seemed biddable enough. She’d have to do. And she had brought him Greyson's will, after all. Not having any other choice at the moment, he made his decision.
“Hello, Mr. Aldrich.” Ms. Matthews set a magazine down on his bed table. “I brought you something to read, in case you’re bored. Is there anything I can do for you?
He gestured at the white board and she picked it up.
When she was finished reading, she gave him a puzzled look. “This is the girl mentioned in the will?”
He blinked twice.
“All right. I’ll have a personal ad put in the papers for you and get some extra guards posted outside this room, though I can’t think why. The police were here all week… ” Her voice trailed off as she copied the message down on a sheet of paper. “Oh, by the way, Ms. Sandercock called, and she’s taking an extended leave. Some family business about the relative that passed away. Richardsons Temp Agency is willing to give me the position until she returns, if that’s all right with you.”
He blinked yes, knowing he really had no other choice. It wasn’t like he was able to interview for the position.