Tales Of The Sazi 05 - Moon's Fury (36 page)

It didn't sound
too
horrible…and it wasn't like he was the first Sazi male to have it happen. Hell, even Lucas was mated. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, tracing the shadowy shape of pink poinsettia leaves in the light from the twin lamps next to the bed. They made a much more interesting pattern of intertwined images in the predawn darkness than if they'd stayed in his room all night. But after Cara had complained that her bed was more comfortable than his, well…they had to test the theory. And she'd actually been right.

The shower shut off and the sudden silence pressed against his ears. Part of him wanted to get out of bed, go into the bathroom and wrap himself around her—hear her moans as his magic inevitably sought hers out and teased her. But the larger part of him was utterly exhausted…happily so, but still, he could barely move.

A small smile curled his lips as the blow-dryer came to life behind the closed door. If he'd had this same night when he was younger, he'd probably have wanted to crow about his prowess. How many times had he taken her—and in how many ways? The scent that shut off his brain, that maddening smell of her readiness, had pushed them both far beyond human limits and each successive time inside her had increased the struggle to hold on to his humanity— and tightened the mating ties to her. The door to the bathroom opened, the light from inside chasing away the shadows overhead. He turned his eyes and watched her walk back into the main room. She was wearing that flimsy little robe that revealed all her curves again, and it made her skin look all the more golden in comparison. Her thick, auburn mane of hair flowed around a face he couldn't tear his eyes from. Adam felt his body start to stir again. Yeah, he was a goner all right. "Hey.”

"Morning." Her voice sounded almost painfully shy— probably getting the morning after guilts. He couldn't really blame her, since he wasn't in much better shape.

He held out his hand. It was probably time to tell her. She was going to find out soon enough anyway. "C'mere for a second.”

She shook her head and turned her back to open the shopping bag on the chair. "We probably need to get dressed and get started.”

His eyes flicked to the alarm clock on the night stand and he picked up his watch to confirm it.

"It's only five. Nothing's open yet.”

She didn't stop, her agitated movements matching the scent of rising panic. With one smooth movement he pulled the covers away and stood up. He was across the room with his arms around her shoulders before she could take a single step. Her whole body was shaking and the distress tore at him.

"Shhh," he whispered, and kissed her hair softly before resting his cheek against the back of her head.

"What's wrong?”

She tried to pull away, but only half-heartedly, so he didn't let her go. Eventually she leaned into him and tightened her own arms around his. "I couldn't stop." The words were a harsh, desperate admission that had deeper meaning than they first appeared. The scents of sorrow and fear were nearly equal.

"Did you
want
to stop at some point?" What was she saying? That some of what happened…had she felt
forced?

"I…I don't know. Some of the things—I've never done them—never even
considered
them before. But I couldn't stop …even when it…
hurt.”

He felt his breath still and a rising horror clench his stomach. "I hurt you?" He stepped back and spun her around, raising her chin so he could see her eyes. But, that wasn't
possible!
He couldn't harm his mate. "Talk to me, Cara.
Did I hurt you?”

She shook her head, but there were tears in her eyes. "They were things
I
suggested, things I started and …it felt really, really
good
at the time. I wanted them or, at least, my wolf did. But this morning—I'll heal, but…why couldn't I stop, Adam? And what in the hell are we going to do if it happens again—when there are other alphas down here? Bobby threw away all my tea.”

He pulled her against him, wrapped his arms around her, and held her tight. It was a good question, especially because of…him. He kissed her hair again and took a deep breath. "I'm mated to you, Cara. I won't be
able
to let anyone else touch you. I'll protect you, or die trying."
Mated,
is that what he just said? Cara pushed against his chest and raised her eyes to his incredulously. He nodded seriously as she felt her jaw drop. "How do you—I mean, how can you know that?”

He sighed, lifted her hand, and led her to the bed where he plopped down on the edge. He patted the mattress next to him and she sat, just before her suddenly rubbery legs gave out. "You remember telling me about the truck hitting you?" She nodded and he let out a small chuckle. "I was walking up from the basement of our pack headquarters when that happened…remember I asked what time it happened? Well, at that instant, a wave of exhaustion hit me, like all the energy had been sucked out of my body. I blacked out and fell down the stairs. I nearly broke my neck." He paused. "Lucas is the one who suggested being mated. The guys were trying to figure out why I looked like…well, like a truck hit me.”

Her head was swimming and she started to shake her head, tiny little movements that didn't clear her mind at all. "But that could be anything. Coinciden—”

Adam raised his hand and put his fingers against her lips. The mixture of emotions that rose from him was just too confusing for her nose to sort. "How about that punch in the jaw that sent me flying ten feet? Ever been able to do that before? You're drawing on
my
power, my abilities. Strength is my biggest ability. And just now, while you were in the shower, I could
see
you. See you inside my head. I
watched

you drop the shampoo bottle, like I was standing next to you. And I knew you were worried in there, before your scent ever could have reached me." He let out a nervous chuckle. "Trust me, if I could delude myself into believing it was
anything
else, I would. No, I'm mated to you.”

She put her hand on his and pulled it away, wrapping her fingers around his while he gave her a sad smile. "But that means you won't ever be able to—" She couldn't even finish. Mated was
forever
for a Sazi male. He would never be interested in another woman, Sazi or human. He'd never be able to have sex with anyone else, ever again. And it was just a few days ago she'd wondered what it would feel like to have a powerful Alpha mated to her. It felt…odd.

"I know." He chuckled again, and this time it was amused. "I guess you were just too much woman for me." He gave a great, heaving sigh that was filled with mock resignation.
"Qué mujer fatal.”

She couldn't help herself. A giggle escaped her.
"What
did you say?”

Dry, sandy embarrassment rose from him in a flash and he blushed. "Did I say that wrong? What did I say?”

Another fit of giggles overcame her. "You said, 'What a femme fatale.' I've just never heard Spanish spoken with a Minnesota accent.
Dios Mio!
That's
too
funny—say it again." Wetness began to fill her eyes, but not from sadness this time.

He wiggled his eyebrows this time and did a bad Sam Spade impression.
"Qué mujer fatal…

sweetheart." The twitching, curling lip started her laughing again and now she was really wiping tears away.

"You have
got
to say that to
Abuela
Carlotta—my grandmother. You'd make her whole day!”

He raised his brows with a hint of mild insult. "Why? So she can laugh at me? You're asking a lot there.”

Cara nodded. "She'll laugh, but in a good way. She doesn't speak any English and if you take the time to say
anything
to her in Spanish, she'll think you're terrific— even with that accent. All of my pack can speak English, but a lot of the older, fringe relatives don't. And Gloria's Quinceanera will have a
lot
of fringe relatives. You can't imagine the size of my
familia
—my family. There will probably be twenty-five or thirty cousins who'll be walking under that balloon arch …oh, you'll just love my
Prima
Carmen, and José! Oh, he's—”

She was babbling but couldn't seem to stop herself. Sweet Jesus, she was starting to think of him as
part
of the
familia …
and she wanted him to fit in. She wasn't at all upset when he put light fingers over her mouth again and then caught her gaze. "I'll be honored to meet your family, and your grandmother. If she's anything like you, she probably
is
a femme fatale." Then he moved his fingers, easing them down the line of her jaw and behind her neck to rub gently. "And you don't have to worry—

I won't let anyone bother you on the moon,
mi amor.”

My love. If he was mated, he really meant that. Did she love him back? She just didn't know. It was still so damned early, and she barely knew anything about him. But she didn't stop him when he pulled her closer and her hands reached for him just the same. The kiss was slow and soft, and his magic eased around her, lulling her into languid bonelessness. But when he started to roll her over onto the bed, she stopped him. "My turn.”

His scent spoke his amusement. "I didn't know we were taking turns." With fluid grace that took her breath away, he stretched out on the bed. His arousal was becoming evident as she let her eyes roam over his muscled chest and firm abdomen. "But please, don't let me stop you.”

She rose to her knees and leaned over him, letting her hair dangle in his face for a moment. His stomach muscles twitched when she ran a light finger across his skin. He breathed in her scent with flared nostrils and rubbed his cheek against the strands as she whispered. "No wolves. Is that possible?”

He met her eyes seriously and nodded before reaching for her waist. "No wolves. Just a man and an utterly, devastatingly beautiful woman.”

Now, how could a girl not smile at that? So she did, right before lowering her mouth to his for a long, slow taste. It was hard to hold the wolf at bay, especially when his fingers snaked down between her legs to rub her. When his mouth moved to her breasts and started to lick and suck, she nearly lost the battle, so he slowed, bringing her back from the brink.

"We
can
keep your wolf out of it," he said and then pulled her over to straddle his waist and flipped her onto her back. "But you need to let me lead." He slid down until she could only see the top of his head between her legs, past the rise of her breasts. The first slow flick of his tongue inside her put her heart in her throat. Her back arched and her wolf reached out for his magic, but didn't find it. He'd pulled as much of what made him Sazi as he could inside and so the man who was licking and sucking at her was just a man—who happened to be
really
good at what he was doing!

It wasn't very long at all before she was clawing at the bedsheets and screaming his name as another orgasm turned her mind to putty. But when he crawled back up and kissed her cheek the wolf was already satisfied and didn't growl for more. "See? We just need to get you off first. I thought that might work. Nothing to it.”

He reached for another square package from the night stand but she stopped him before he could rip it open. "What happens, happens. There's always families who can't ever have kids." She'd never gotten involved in the breeding program, but there really were so many families where both partners were Sazi…but couldn't bear children. Only Alpha females or humans could successfully have children with a male werewolf. Her guilt at the packet in his hand was probably increased by the fact that her golden Virgen de Guadalupe medallion had wrapped in her hair and was cutting into her neck. Maybe that was a sign that it was time to look, as so many had told her lately, to the future of
all
of their kind.

Adam didn't argue. Possibly he couldn't argue, if he was truly mated. He just began to rain slow kisses on her face and neck, and when he entered her, his groan collapsed him onto her chest. He didn't last long enough after that for her to do much more than moan softly and taste the salty sweat that rolled down his neck as he took his pleasure. She wrapped her legs around his hips and held him to her as he climaxed with a shuddering moan and a whisper of her name. She kept holding him close until he naturally slipped out of her. His breathing was soft against her ear when he spoke. "You're so beautiful…so incredible, Carita. Do you know that? Do you have any idea how good you feel under me?”

She smiled as he threaded his arms under her, and just held her. His scent, like warm bread and cookies baking, told her what she needed to know. It might not be love yet, but there was definitely contentment. It felt good—his warm weight on her, and the thick cool sheets underneath, as the sun began to creep over the horizon and fill the room with soft light.

27

"So? have any bright ideas how I'm going to pull this off?" Cara leaned back into the comfortable wicker chair, grabbed the bottle of Dos Equis beer from the glass-topped end table and used it to salute the incredulous look that greeted her rambling account.

Eduardo Ruiz shook his head and closed his eyes for a moment as she took a deep draw of the amber liquid.
"Jesus bambino,
Cara! This has all happened in a
week?"
When she nodded at his strange but somehow fitting curse, he blew out a slow breath and stood up, frustration and anger overshadowing his normal scent, similar to boiled raisins with oatmeal.

Immaculate and handsome as ever, in polished cowboy boots, a starched western-style shirt and dark jeans that had been pressed until there was a sharp crease, Paco's twin oozed the same Latino style and masculinity as her brother-in-law—despite his sexual preference. Eddie reminded Cara of how Paco looked on the day he married Rosa…young, strong, virile. But then, Eddie actively worked to keep his physique, and Paco's desk job had softened him over the last sixteen years. He took two steps from the living room and was suddenly in the kitchen of the tiny efficiency apartment. Opening a refrigerator that barely reached his chin, he pulled out his third bottle since she arrived. One more and she'd have to suggest switching to coffee. She knew he was trying to cut back since almost getting hauled in for a DWI.
Dying for a drink
had nearly become literal last fall when Will pulled him over after a pack hunt. Sazi who got locked up never reached their trial. Cara felt a small shudder pass through her at what nearly happened. She learned after that incident not to leave a hunt until after she'd seen everyone safely on their way, no matter how big the emergency. Thankfully, they'd still been on the ranch property and Luis had been with him. Will just made Eddie move to the passenger seat before they hit the highway.