With Everything I Am (22 page)

He gave her what she asked for, fast and rough, then faster and rougher and the harder he took her, the higher she went until he knew it was overwhelming her.

Her neck bent sharply, her eyes sought his and he saw the panic just as her body tightened all around him.

He lifted his hand to cradle the back of her head.

His control of his own orgasm was slipping but he assured her in a hoarse voice, “It’s all right, baby doll, I’ve got you.”

Her dazed eyes focused on him a scant second before she gave him her trust and let go.

Her head reared back, slamming his hand against the wall just as it cushioned her head from the blow. Her body bucked. Her sex convulsed, sucking him deeper inside her hot wetness. And, finally, he heard her release yelped in loud, sharp, almost feral cries.

The sound of her climax was his undoing. He surged into her one last time and joined her in a brilliant explosion with his own claiming animal roar.

When he came back from the beautiful place Sonia took him, the most beautiful of his life (and considering he was three hundred and eighty-three years old, that was fucking saying something), he felt her breath evening out against his neck.

She still held his body tight in her limbs, his cock still snug inside her and she had pressed her face into his neck. All of this he thought was, as Sonia could very much be, sweet.

And the realization hit him suddenly like a crushing weight that he wanted her limbs around him, her breath to stir his skin and their beautiful connection to last for eternity.

Which heralded the unwelcome knowledge he’d lived with for thirty-one years. Knowledge he’d worked time and again with Mac to come to terms with. Knowledge that, when he met Sonia as a little girl, felt their connection and discovered she was his, he’d raged against. Knowledge that he’d buried deep until that moment.

It was the knowledge that she was a mortal human and he was an immortal werewolf and they didn’t have eternity.

Instead he’d enjoy his mate for decades, not millennia.

Then he’d watch her grow old.

Then he’d watch her die.

And destiny had chosen to make her perfect which Callum thought was a fucking cruel tease.

His arms tightened around her and he dropped from his knees to his back, taking her with him, careful to keep their connection.

When he had her settled on top, she nuzzled closer. His fingers found his chain and trailed along it and he pulled in a breath, taking in the gorgeous scent of her hair, the beautiful scent of them mingled between her legs and the scent of…

His body froze and his head, at the same time as Sonia’s, twisted to look at the man standing in the door.

The scent of fucking
vampire
.

Chapter Ten

Vampires

“Who would have thought, Sonny, that when you fuck you sound like an animal?” Yuri noted blandly, standing in the door, gaze locked on Sonia.

Belying his tone, his eyes were blazing.

Then Callum watched those eyes narrow on the claiming chain Callum’s hand had arrested toying with when Yuri appeared in the door and Callum bit back a wolfish howl of elation.

Before he reached out to throw the blanket folded at the end of her bed over their bodies, Callum had thoughts he was certain, if Sonia knew them, she would greatly dislike (and likely have no problem sharing that opinion).

Yuri, who so very much wanted to get his cold, vampire hands on her, had walked in on them naked, still connected, her claiming chain glinting in the lights of the room, the cries of their orgasms practically still ringing in the air.

And Callum fucking loved it.

He loved that Yuri had seen everything he saw and heard everything he heard and was right now
smelling
everything he
smelled.

Thus he couldn’t stop himself from aiming at Yuri a very fucking satisfied smile to which Yuri aimed back a very incensed scowl.

“What… what are you…?” Sonia stammered and, hearing the horror in her tone, Callum smothered his chuckle and his arms tightened around her under the blanket. “
Doing here?
” she screeched.

“Father wants to speak to you,” Yuri answered.

“
Now?
” she shrieked.

Yuri leaned in the doorway and stated, “When we arrived, we noticed you were busy. Therefore we waited until you weren’t. So, yes, now, if you’d be so kind.”

Callum was surprised he hadn’t sensed them or smelled them.

Then again, he was entirely wrapped up in his pretty little mate so perhaps it wasn’t that surprising.

And he thought that this just got better and better.

They’d been there awhile.

Fucking brilliant.

Callum felt Sonia’s body jolt, taking him from his thoughts but Yuri casually pushed away from the door and disappeared from sight.

Callum looked from the door to Sonia and found she was still staring across the room.

“Honey,” he called, giving her a squeeze.

“Tell me I’m dreaming now,” she whispered, her voice still filled with horror, as was her face. Her eyes were dazed and unfocused and at the look of her, Callum had to bite back another chuckle. “No, this isn’t a dream,” she stated, her head slowly turning to face him to breathe her finale. “This is a
nightmare
.”

“Sonia –”

“They heard us,” she whispered.

They did. They not only heard their orgasms, they probably heard a great deal more. Even if Gregor and Yuri weren’t vampires, who had exceptional hearing, in fact all their senses were exceptional, they still would hear them. Fuck, the neighbors probably heard them.

“Sonia –”

“We’re loud,” Sonia went on.

“Yes, baby doll, but –”

“We were having sex,” she breathed this fact as if he hadn’t participated fully in the event, her eyes widening and Callum was losing his fight with his amusement and felt his body start shaking.

“Sonia –”

“He said…” she cut him off, her dazed eyes clearing and beginning to flash. “He said… he
actually said
that I sounded like an
animal
.”

“Son –”

She disengaged from him and rolled angrily away.

Callum rolled to his side, got up on an elbow and watched as, clumsy in her fury, Sonia struggled with her nightgown.

The material was caught helplessly around her arms and her head was hidden by it but she still ranted on.

“I can’t
believe
what just happened. What he just
said.
My brother!” she tugged the nightgown down with effort and then glared at Callum. “Well,
essentially
my brother saw me naked and… and…” she leaned toward him and hissed, “
fastened
to you.”

“Fastened to me?” Callum repeated, the thread of humor in his tone impossible to miss and Sonia didn’t miss it.

Her eyes narrowed and she snapped, “Nothing about this is funny!”

Callum thought everything about this was the height of hilarity, especially her reaction.

He didn’t share that.

Instead, he said, “Baby doll, calm down.”

She leaned back and her eyebrows went up. “Calm down?”

Callum exited the bed and pulled her rigid body into his arms.

“Yes, calm down. It happened. It’s over. Let’s get dressed and go down and see what we’re dealing with.”

“Oh, we’ll do that, all right. We certainly will,” she told him, pulling free from his arms and then jumping around on one foot trying to tug up her underwear.

Callum grabbed his clothes and pulled them on as she yanked up her panties and smoothed her nightgown down. Then she ran her fingers through her hair while walking to her chest of drawers. She pulled something out of a box on the top and twisted a holder in her hair, fixing a ponytail.

Callum had on his jeans, was shrugging on his shirt and, seeing her makeup free, in a nightgown and ponytail, her lips bruised from his kisses, her face flushed with sex, he thought she’d never looked more adorable, never prettier, beyond beautiful.

Perfect.

Without buttoning his shirt, he strode to her and yanked her in his arms. His head descended and his mouth claimed hers in a kiss so thorough, the bruising of her lips wouldn’t disappear for days.

When his head lifted their hearts were both beating faster and Sonia looked like she was emerging from a delicious dream, a fact which made him want to kiss her again.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t.

“All right, baby doll,” he called softly and he saw that, with effort, her eyes focused on his and he grinned, which made her eyes focus on his mouth, which made him want to laugh but he kept speaking. “Remember I told you that you have family now and they wouldn’t want you to struggle, no matter what you’re struggling with?”

She blinked and then she nodded.

He dipped his face close to hers, looked her in the eye and said quietly, “You’re about to see what I mean.”

Her eyes grew wide but he ignored her look, took her hand and guided her down the stairs.

Gregor was lounging on one of Sonia’s clean-lined, pristine couches by her Christmas tree.

Yuri was fuming while leaning on the mantel above the fireplace.

They both came to attention and watched as Callum led Sonia down the stairs and into the room.

Callum’s gaze went to Gregor and he demanded, “I’ll want to know the meaning of this.”

Gregor slowly closed his eyes, visibly seeking patience and when he opened them, he said in his cool, refined voice, “Remember who you’re speaking to.”

“I know exactly who I’m fucking speaking to,” Callum returned.

“I kept her safe for you for thirty-one years,” Gregor rejoined, Callum heard Sonia gasp and felt her hand tighten spasmodically in his.

He curled her hand up, drawing her nearer, and tucked it under his arm.

“You kept her safe for Lassiter for thirty-one years,” Callum returned. “You vowed it, you did it. Your work is done.”

“He’s already claimed her,” Yuri announced hostilely. “I saw the chain.”

Gregor looked to his son and murmured a warning, “Yuri.”

Due to Gregor’s position amongst the vampires and Callum’s royal standing, Callum had known Gregor all his life. However, recently, linked by the Arlingtons, primarily Sonia, Callum had grown to know Gregor and Yuri very well.

Gregor was tall, black-haired and lean. His son was blond, like his mother, and had more bulk to his tall frame.

Gregor was also quite like Mac, without the warmth. Patient and thoughtful about his actions.

Yuri was quite like Callum, as much as Callum hated to admit it. Impatient, quick to anger and when he wanted something, he fucking well got it and he’d consider the consequences later.

Except, for Yuri, he wanted Sonia.

And he would never have her.

Not only because she had been Callum’s before she existed but most especially now but also because the vampire culture didn’t allow vampires to mate with mortals.

Yuri didn’t heed his father’s warning and his gaze narrowed on Callum. “Four days. You had her four days and you’ve already claimed her. Tell me, Cal, did you whisper your people’s secrets in her ear as you were thrusting inside her or did you simply boggle her mind with your legendary dick and she still doesn’t even fucking know?”

Callum heard Sonia’s indignant intake of breath, his triumphant elation evaporated and his temper rose.

“Do you
want
me to challenge you?” he asked Yuri and Yuri pushed away from the mantel stating he did indeed. Callum’s skin prickled, he so wanted to transform to take on the challenge. But he didn’t reckon Sonia, no matter how angry she was earlier and now, would like to watch her beloved “puppy” ripping her “brother” apart with his teeth.

Not to mention, he hadn’t yet told her that he
was
her puppy and that her puppy was a werewolf.

“Control your son,” Callum clipped to Gregor, not taking his eyes from Yuri.

Gregor sighed and noted, “You aren’t helping, Yuri.”

“No,” Sonia stated flatly, her eyes on Yuri and they were cold. “He isn’t.”

“Sonny –” Gregor started but Sonia cut him off.

“Callum took me to the cabin, Gregor.”

It surprised Callum to see Gregor flinch but he recovered quickly, stood, faced her and said again, “Sonny –”

“You told me it had burned down.”

“My dear.”

“You tore them away from me, not piece by piece but fast and painful, like ripping off a Band-Aid,” she snapped. “Is that what you thought? If you took it away quickly, it’d hurt less?” She didn’t give Gregor the chance to answer, she went on, “Well, I’d already lost them quickly once so it fucking well didn’t!”

“Sonny, give me one moment to explain,” Gregor said.

Sonia obviously didn’t feel in a magnanimous mood for she proclaimed, “Callum gave them back to me. He took me to the cabin and he introduced me to Regan. She even has
pictures
. Do you know who doesn’t have pictures of my mother and father?
Me!
”

“Lassiter and Cherise made me promise I’d erase your old life so you could live your new one,” Gregor returned quietly. “I didn’t like it but there were a great number of things Lassiter and I didn’t agree on. But he was your father. That’s what they wanted. I vowed to do as they asked and I did it.”

Callum stared at the vampire.

The different immortal beings on earth all had uneasy relationships with each other. The relationship between vampire and werewolf was the uneasiest. However, Callum had always respected the vampire vow.

Any vow a vampire took he or she would never break it. They’d die to keep it and vampires enjoyed their immortality and most held it sacred. Unlike werewolves, who often skirmished and felt losses, sometimes numerous, amongst their own, vampires had only warred once in all of history. They didn’t reproduce as easily as werewolves (who were quite prolific) and they had a variety of edicts that governed them which were pure lunacy but had been put in place to protect their species. Lastly, they couldn’t procreate with humans, which werewolves could and did, frequently, which was one reason why Yuri would never be allowed Sonia as his mortal mate. Vampire law forbid it.