Page 18 of The Huntress (The Blood of Legends #1)

Chapter Eighteen

EARTH SHATTERING

C allie kissed Gabe’s chest, unable to resist the temptation to do so. Her body hummed with contentment. Lethargy tugged at her, beckoning her to close her eyes and enjoy being in his arms. The euphoria from his previous feedings was enticement enough, and now, with her new knowledge, she could understand why folks went crazy when they weren’t getting laid.

As lovers went, she couldn’t have asked for a better one. Not that she had any experience to judge, but her deflowering had been less painful than she’d expected. He’d been attentive and gentle, even when he’d bitten her.

She trailed her fingers across his skin,. He twisted to kiss her temple. Something cinched her heart. She drew in a shuddering breath. It felt as if she stood on a cliff, a tempestuous wind pushing her toward the edge.

So much had happened that she struggled to process it. Val’s healing was forefront, but a huge part of her couldn’t believe she was well, almost as if she needed x-rays to prove it.

And here she lay, in the arms of her future husband .

She stilled, shutting her eyes, hoping to hide her inner turmoil from Gabe’s observant gaze. She couldn’t fall apart. She wasn’t ready yet. No, not to face the loss of Dad or what she’d smothered during Val’s sickest days.

She drew in a slow, soft, and long breath. Was she accepting her fate too easily? Had there been a way to avoid it all? Had she been impatient to comprehend the ramifications of her decisions?

His arms tightened around her, one hand caressing her back to grip her hip. It felt incredible to have someone hold her, as if she was no longer alone and facing the world with fists raised. Would Dad be proud of her, of her choices? She fought the tears, cursing herself for her weakness. But she couldn’t stop them from slipping past her lashes, her defenses.

Sharp pain speared through her, and she gasped. She squeezed her eyes closed, but he shifted. She peeked at him through her lashes. He brushed his fingers along her jaw, then gathered her tears with the pad of his thumb. He said nothing, just engulfed her in his arms. His warmth, and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her cheek where he trapped her against his chest, offered more comfort than he could ever know.

Since the floodgates opened, she let the tears flow but smothered any sobs welling up her throat. A huge part of her wanted to cry like a toddler, but she was still Callie—still the strong one. His little fortress, Dad had called her.

She threw her arm around Gabe and clung to him. One day she’d thank him for stroking her back, for the sweet kisses he gave her temple and hair.

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” he asked when her tears subsided.

“No, you were wonderful.” She twisted to kiss his palm still cupping her cheek. “I didn’t mourn my dad’s passing, and with Val’s illness, I needed to be strong for her.”

“I’d tell you that you have me now, but I suspect I’m part of what overwhelms you.” He buried his fingers in her hair and tilted her head to meet his gaze.

His gray eyes swirled with an intensity that snatched her breath. He brushed his lips across hers, and she moaned, loving the tingles that spread from his touch, his taste. Trailing kisses down her neck gave her a chance to breathe.

“I won’t lie to you, Gabe. I’m drowning here. Why me?” She shook her head, not wanting him to spew platitudes. She didn’t expect love confessions or tokens of an affection he shouldn’t be feeling. Not yet. “Please, no words of flattery, or promises of devotion. I’ve committed myself to you, and if love grows between us, I’ll be content.” She tugged him up to look at her. “As a suckblood, I anticipate many years for us to get to know one another.”

“All right, but I will tell you again—I wanted you when I saw you,” he said. “Trust me, this is stronger than lust.”

“That’s good, right?” She flashed a teasing smile before kissing his chin.

“Callie,” he said, his voice hoarse. He tightened his fingers on her hip, tugging her closer. “It’s better than good.”

His lips claiming hers zinged heat through her body, and she succumbed, more now than earlier since she knew what to expect. His arousal rested on her belly, and the promise of it had her meeting his kiss with her own ardor. She scraped her fingernails down his back to cup his tight backside. He growled and flipped her over, pressing the length of his body to hers and trapping her beneath him.

With his hips pinning her in place, he plundered her mouth, his hands stroking across her eager, pebbled nipples. She whimpered, burying her fingers in his hair, clinging to him. Stars shimmered behind her closed eyes, and the scent of him engulfed her. Hot skin, velvet heat, and decadent promises lingered between their needy bodies. He trailed his fingers lower, and as scintillating as his touch was, she needed him inside her. A compelling ache pulsed from her core with an urgency bordering obsession.

“Please,” she said, her voice husky. “Gabe, please.”

“So greedy,” he said with a chuckle, feathering kisses along her throat to her collarbone.

She wriggled until her legs were free to wrap around him, nestling him between her thighs.

He sucked in a sharp breath. “That’s playing dirty.” He gyrated his pelvis.

“I call it fair play,” she said on a breathless moan, gripping his hips with her thighs to yank him closer.

He rose, tilting his hips until his erection pressed at her entrance. With excruciating slowness, he slid in, a smirk curling his top lip upward. “Making demands of me?”

But she didn’t care what he said, or thought, as long as he filled her. She gasped in awe. The sensation of him stretching her raked shivers across her skin, sharpening her nipples before settling in her lower belly. Yes, she was tender from her first time, but he felt too good to deny.

“Callie,” he said, his voice hoarse, as a pained expression crossed his face.

She scraped her nails over his nipples, and he groaned, his eyes fluttering shut—long ebony lashes brushing his cheeks. He thrust in hard, and she cried out, gyrating her hips until she found the perfect angle. He hooked her leg over one shoulder then pistoned out and in.

She thrashed her head from side-to-side, as wave after wave of intense sensations burst outward. She screamed and arched off the bed, tossed over the orgasmic edge without fanfare. Floating in a sea of languor, she expected to see fireworks and hear a philharmonic orchestra, but none of that compared to the roar of pleasure wrenched out of Gabe as he orgasmed. A fine sheen of sweat coated them. He collapsed on top of her.

She smiled. If she could spend an eternity in this blissful state, she wouldn’t complain.