PARKER couldn’t get enough of Angel. He’d nearly come in his pants just smelling her arousal in the other room. Up close, wow, he’d be lucky if he lasted five minutes. As it was, the little mewling sounds she made in the back of her throat were enough to make him lose all lucidity and feel like a madman.
“Okay, big guy, how is it fair that you are still dressed and I am totally naked?”
“Maybe because you haven’t undressed me yet.” Technically, that wasn’t true. She had made him take off his shirt. But it was too much fun to taunt her and she reacted so passionately when he did.
With a raised eyebrow, she looked so adorable he wanted to tweak her nose. He wouldn’t because, well, that would be ridiculous, but he had the urge. She, by contrast, seemed to have taken his statement as some kind of challenge.
Seconds later, her hands were on his pants, ripping them from his body. Parker jerked backwards. The little vixen had just torn up his favorite pants. He stared for a second, realizing he must appear like a landed fish, at the two halves of his jeans now sprawled out on the floor.
He didn’t know what was more shocking to him—that she could do that—or that she had.
“What’s a matter, Parker, did you forget I’m a wolf like you? You might be super strong but I’m tough as nails too.”
Like he could ever forget, not when she smelled like the breeze through the trees, the sun hitting the ground after the snow melts, and, gods help him, home. It had been two decades since he’d smelled another of his kind and she was his to claim if he wanted, which only made her even more incredible to his senses. There was nothing about Angel that didn’t appeal to him.
Even if he might have preferred she not destroy his clothing.
He pushed her on the bed, forcing some of his weight on top of her while holding the majority of himself off the bed using his forearms. They were nose to nose now and he could feel how her chest went up and down as she breathed beneath him.
“Do you sew?”
She shook her head. “No, and I don’t think I could do anything to fix your jeans anyway even if I could. I pretty much destroyed them.”
He growled even though he felt no real anger. Maybe he was in shock. All he knew was that he’d never expected to be with a woman who harbored such strength and zest for living. And it made him hot as hell.
There was no holding back with Angel. He was part wolf and he didn’t have to pretend to be anything else. That was a big turn on too.
Staring at her black hair and dark eyes, she looked like some kind of mythical goddess come to life to seduce him in his bedroom. As she pulled, more gently this time, his underwear down his legs, she stared up into his eyes taunting him with boldness and making him so hard he was afraid he was going to come instantly.
What was it about Angel? Was it because of this so-called mating thing their wolves kept talking about or was it something more? He blinked as she touched his hard shaft and all reasonable thoughts left his mind.
More, he wanted more of her hands on him. His mouth took on a mind of its own as he kissed her everywhere he could reach. Her skin was smooth and soft. He wanted to smell himself on every part of her body.
She rewarded his efforts with the most delicious sounds and movements as her fingers dug into his hair. He touched her mound, pressing his hands to that sensitive part of her body, anxious to know what she felt like on the inside.
Inserting his fingers, he realized just how tight the little woman beneath him really was. The last thing in the universe he ever wanted to do was to cause her any pain or discomfort. He was a big man. That wasn’t bragging, it was fact. He needed to go out of his way to make sure she was ready for him.
The idea made him smile.
She opened her eyes. “Does that grin mean you’ve found something you like down there?”
“You might say I like the whole experience.”
Being able to communicate with her was an amazing thing and he would dwell on that fact. Later.
For now, all he wanted to do was to continue to pet the soft curls that hid her most private parts from view. He stroked her until he could feel her muscles clench around his fingers.
Angel bit down lightly on his shoulder and he hissed not from pain, but from the surge of pleasure that threatened to make his cock spill way before it was time.
“I’m going to memorize you, Angel; I’m going to know your body in all the ways possible tonight.”
Seriousness gripped her gaze as she leaned up to kiss him softly on the mouth. She tasted like cherries and mint. Intoxicated, he let himself get lost in her mouth for a while. Their tongues met stroking, plunging. He grabbed the back of her head, hauling her upwards so she was even closer.
He wanted to possess her, to make her part of him, and those emotions scared the hell out of him. This wasn’t a permanent relationship. They had these feelings for each other. They were acting on them, but in no way had anyone said one thing about forever. This was now. He needed to get his head out of the owning zone and back into the fucking one. That was safer.
Finding the small bundle of nerves he hoped would send her over the edge, he stroked her in a circular motion until he felt her muscles start to move.
“That’s it, Angel. Come for me like a good girl.”
She gasped, her head falling backwards onto the bed. She seemed to explode from the inside out, and it made him feel powerful, strong, fulfilled in a way he hadn’t known possible. She’d come because he’d told her to and that was fucking fantastic.
Inching towards the headboard, he slipped himself up against her warm core wanting to plunge right inside of her but holding back instead. Little by little, he inched his way in. Pushing forward just a smudge, he felt her stretch slightly to accommodate him.
“More.” Angel’s voice was a command he wanted to give in to.
He shook his head. “Slowly.”
She grabbed his chin forcing him to look her straight in the eyes. “I said more, now. Don’t baby me. I want to feel you full up inside me.”
Well, there was something to be said about having a woman who knew what she wanted in bed. Even if he suspected she’d never been intimate with anyone before based on how tight her passage was.
He moved inside her and for a second lost himself in the sheer pleasure that was Angel. She was soft, hot, wet, and clenched around him like she’d been made to fit him, which he supposed she was.
Closing his eyes, he let himself go. In and out. In and out. Yes, over and over. Beneath him, Angel moaned and closed her eyes. Her teeth bit into her lower lip. It was the sexiest scene he’d ever seen and even though he wouldn’t have believed it, he got even harder.
He was going to come, he knew it, but so help him by everything that was holy in the universe he wanted her to come first.
“Oh gods, Parker, yes, more of that.”
Happy to oblige, he pushed harder. She arched off the bed as she screamed, her body grasping him as her core poured warmth all around him.
Seconds later, he gave one last push and followed her into that dark, carnal place. Screaming her name inside because he couldn’t speak a word, he saw stars as the world turned into only Angel and nothing else.
He collapsed on top of her, trying to hold off his weight but not succeeding. She gasped, and he internally swore as he tried to wriggle away. He must be crushing her.
“Oh my gods.”
“I’m getting off.” He promised. She was tall but small boned; he hoped he hadn’t hurt her…
“Parker, look.”
He opened his eyes as he lifted his tired muscles off Angel’s body. Colors filled the room, bright and dynamic. They swam in front of his eyes, anchored by what appeared to be a steel cord.
“What’s going on?”
Angel’s eyes were huge as she sat up shoving him off her. She pressed up against the headboard as he watched the first wave of color connect with her chest.
She gasped. Shit! Was it hurting her?
“What is it?”
“Your soul, Parker. It’s giving me part of your soul.”
“What?”
Suddenly he was hit with it. A bright red light consumed him before plunging into the center of his chest. He sucked in a hard breath, not because it hurt. No, by contrast it was incredibly filling, like warm apple cider when he’d been freezing all day. He realized it was her—it was Angel’s soul, filling him with heat.
Color after color entered his lonely insides and filled them up with her. At first it was simply a feeling of being hot but then he could make out the individual sensations for what they were. Love: Angel had a capacity for it beyond that which he’d ever understood. Loyalty: she’d been betrayed practically since the moment she’d been born and she was searching—desperately—for someone to share her gift of trust with. Happiness: even amongst all of her pain and trauma, Angel was happy and joyful, finding life delightful and funny. Kindness: she was nice to everyone until they betrayed her. Vengeful: like Parker, her wolf side knew how to get even for evilness.
He smiled. Yes. He closed his eyes. This felt as good as anything ever had. This was mating. Yes. His eyes shot open.
This was mating. He glanced at Angel. Her eyes were filled with tears and he wondered if the gifts she’d gotten from him were not as wonderful as the ones he’d gotten.
He shook his head. He couldn’t dwell on that. His heart pounded fast.
Angel…
“I know.” She reached out and touched his face. “We’re connected now.”
He swallowed. To him, it didn’t seem like such a bad thing. He’d really loved having sex with her. She was filled with so much goodness, it would be nice to have her around.
“Is that a bad thing?”
She sniffed. “No, I mean, yes, I mean I don’t know. Didn’t you have a life to live before you met me? Now you’re stuck with me. Plus, I know what happens to mated couples. The man ends up killing the woman. If I’d known having sex would do it…”
She wouldn’t have done it. He didn’t need her to say the rest aloud. Her words sunk into the pit of his stomach. She wasn’t wrong. He knew all about the violence that male wolves could do to their mates. He’d seen it too.
The memories flooded his mind like a dam breaking and even as he tried to shove them back, there was no stopping them.
He’d been ten years old standing on the dock with his father. It was early in the morning. The sun hadn’t even come out yet but they’d planned to go fishing for weeks and afterwards his father was going to show him how he could shift again. Some day soon—maybe in the next three years if he was lucky—he would get to it himself. His father was everything to him. Strong, capable, and loving, he took care of their small family. He wasn’t sure but he thought they were important pack members.
Before he had left the island, Kendrick Kane—the Alpha who scared the hell out Parker every time he saw him—called at the house all the time to speak to his father. He wanted to be just like his dad when he grew up.
They’d left his mother sleeping in the house. Dad had said it was important she occasionally had a break and even though he wasn’t sure what that exactly meant, he knew his father always spoke the truth.
A sound in the distance caught his attention. What was it? He turned around trying to identify what his senses had picked up. He didn’t have a wolf yet so sometimes he couldn’t do more than a regular human could do when it came to hearing and smelling.
He spun around to stare at his dad. His father would know what the roaring sound was.
His father stood motionless, his eyes staring off into the distance, a glazed look in his eyes.
“Dad?” His voice was barely a whisper. He couldn’t explain why or what made him feel this way but his hands had started to shake and he was afraid, maybe more frightened than he’d ever been in his life.
His father covered his eyes with his hand and groaned, nearly doubling over.
“What is it, Dad?”
His father raised his head and stared at him. “Son,” that’s what his father always called him. “Run.”
“What?”
“Run away.”
With a growl as he shifted, his father ran back toward the house. For a second, Parker stood motionless. Then, with a sudden burst of energy he took off after his dad. He’d never disobeyed him before but this felt important. Something was wrong with his father.
Maybe he’d need his help.
He ran as fast as his legs would take him and as fast as he was, he reached his house moments later. He was out of breath and he thought his chest might explode. The door to the house hung open and Parker ran through it.
He’d entered his home maybe thousands of times. He’d never bothered to keep track. His feet made the floorboards creak. Stopping his movements, he stood still to try to figure out what was going on.
That’s when he heard her scream. His beloved mother was howling from upstairs. He ran, taking the steps two at time. One after another until he reached the top. Rounding the corner, he reached his parents’ bedroom.
His father stood over his mother on the bed, his hands on her throat. She wasn’t screaming anymore. No, she was making this strange gurgling noise.
“Dad?” He shouted his question. This wasn’t right. He was hurting her. He was causing his mother pain.
His father growled and whirled around. His eyes were wolf but not the way they should have looked. No, they were…what…he couldn’t tell but it reminded him of Kendrick Kane.
Parker backed up two steps. There was something evil in his Dad’s eyes.
His distraction might have been enough. His mother leapt up and pushed at his Dad from behind.
“Parker!” She shouted. “Run! Now!.”
This was the second time he’d been told to run and like the last time, he couldn’t seem to listen.
Instead, he charged at his father, hoping he could tackle him down.
“No, Parker!” His mother’s voice barely registered with him as his struggles did nothing to his father.
No, for all of his effort, his dad didn’t even budge. He screamed as he pounded on him. Seconds later, he was out in the hall on the floor, his arms and legs aching like he’d been beaten.
His father had tossed him through the air like he was a sack of feathers and he’d landed hard on the floor. His eyes filled with tears. Gods, he was so useless and this was like a nightmare he couldn’t wake up from.
He forced himself to stand up. Limping, he made it back into his parents’ room. His parents faced each other, his mother’s face tear streaked.
She raised a hand in Parker’s direction. “Don’t move darling. There is dark magic in here. I can feel it. Your father wants to kill me.” Parker could see her neck muscles clench. “I’m going to try to undo it.”
Dark magic? His father had done dark magic? When? Out by the lake? Why would he want to kill his mother?
She raised her hand. His mother was powerful, he’d heard that all the time. The female wolves in the pack were the ones who controlled all the magic. She taught magic to the other wives. They got together once a week.
Parker took a deep breath. She’d handle this. He knew she would. She would make all of this okay.
Like he could sometimes read words fast on a page without having to really look at them, he could see his father’s intent in his wolf eyes. He was going to kill Parker’s mom. There was no question and his mother wouldn’t have time to work her magic to save them.
Parker was a man…or he would be. And he knew what men were supposed to be. They were meant to save the women of the pack. They were Warrior Wolves. He would stop his father from harming his mother.
Leaping in the air, he pushed at his father just as his mother sent out a wave of magic. His mother screamed as Parker took the hit meant for his father.
He plummeted to the ground hard unable to move, unable to breathe. It wasn’t a killing hit. He knew that instinctually. He wasn’t going to die.
As he watched, unable to do much of anything, he saw his father advance on his mother, her gaze totally focused on Parker as she tried to rush towards him.
He’d done this.
He’d gotten in the way.
His father shifted his hands into their wolf claws as he tore up his beautiful mother’s face. She didn’t even scream. Blood was everywhere. The world went black.
Parker blinked and shuddered as the world from thirty years ago fell away. He was here. He was on the bed with Angel. He was mated.
That meant he was dangerous to this woman. He swallowed. His mother had loved his father. She’d never thought her husband did black magic. That was his father. He could turn out the same.
He stood up, moving off the bed. “Angel, I think you should get far away from me.”
“I can’t.” She blinked, her eyes calmer than they’d been before. “You have half of my soul now.”
“I know but my father killed my mother. I don’t trust myself.”
She yawned. “Are you going to kill me tonight?
“How the hell do I know?”