Shadow Wolves: Rise of the Phoenix (Book 7)

Chapter 9 - Making love and biting.

Rudi was champing at the bit to grab her and kiss her, but they had to take it slow. They agreed to this before they came over tonight. She was human and might run if they took things too fast. When they were finished with dinner, Luc helped her clean up and pack away her new dishes, which was fun because she had no idea what to put where, and they ended up treasure hunting in her kitchen to find out where the girls packed her new things.

Finding her coffee by accident in their search, she made them coffee while he finished packing away the last of the dishes. Their discussions were light, and she seemed to like hearing about the pack and the way things worked. Meg mentioned something about her interest in the traditions.

“Enough about the pack. Tell me about you.” Luc smiled.

“Dammit! Everything was going so well then, he had to turn the tables!” She thought to herself. “What do you want to know? I work for the agency. Well, I work for you guys now. My cover for years has been that I’m an assassin for hire. I’ve always worked alone, as you know. Uhm… What else?”

“Do you have a family?” That was the one thing she had learned in her job. The closer you stick to the truth without telling the entire truth, the better, so why hide anything from him?

“No, I grew up in an orphanage. I was left there as a baby. I never knew my parents, and I never had any interest in finding them. Never have and never will.” Sarah shrugged.

“Hmm. Yeah, most of the Shadow pack are either orphans or runaways.” His answer threw her a little. She didn’t think that he would speak so honestly about it. “My pack was… Well, let’s just say they weren’t the nice kind, so when I found Ant and Matt, they saved me.” He shrugged, and she started feeling more at ease.

“Did you ever go back to find out what happened to your pack?” Sarah frowned.

“No, as you said. Never did, never will. Some things I guess are best left in the past. Sometimes it’s better to look to the future.” He winked at her and smiled. “Now, coffee?” He slid his arm around her waist as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and she handed him his mug, walking through to the living room. Meg bought her one of those smart TVs and put it on a screen saver that looked like a fireplace of all things. He laughed when he noticed.

“Meg?” Luc raised an amused brow.

“Yeah.” She giggled and sat down, curling her legs up on her new couch.

“Do you at least like what they bought? I know those two can really steamroll a person.” Luc didn’t look very happy about that.

“At first I was completely overwhelmed, but yes, I like it.” She looked around her flat at all the new things that made the place look completely different.

“Sarah, I…” Luc started and Sarah felt the butterflies starting to flutter in her stomach. This time of the evening she was usually on round two or three or telling a guy, thanks, it was nice, and then telling them good night. But now she didn’t know what to do. Did this count as a first date? Do you do it on a first date? He leaned in and, while she was still struggling to figure things out, placed a soft kiss on her lips. Something inside her woke up screaming.

“Mate.” She whispered, and her eyes popped open.

“What did you just say?” He let go of her. She was shocked at her own response when suddenly everything stopped. Even the ticking of the clock on the wall. A puff of blue smoke appeared and Moon was standing there grinning at her.

“YAY!!!!” Moon clapped her hands together, putting them in front of her face.

“What? What just happened?” Sarah looked frantic.

“I stopped time, don’t worry, he won’t know, he can’t see me or us talking. You just found your mate, sweetheart!” Moon exclaimed. Sarah stood up, still seeing him sitting there with shock in his eyes.

“What do I tell him? You said not to tell anyone?” She was pacing the length of the couch, carefully stepping over his feet each time, her hand on her forehead and her mug on the table.

“Don’t worry, I’ll fix it. I’ll take you back in time one second before you say it. But Sarah, you needed to know that you had found him. You are bound to him, just as much as he is to you.” She looked at Moon, standing with her hands on her hips.

“What if I don’t want this!” Sarah felt like crying.

“Then you tell him, and it’s all over, but something tells me you are going to want this. Honey, just give it a try.” Moon pleaded.

“URGGHHHH!! What about training tonight?” She threw her hands in the air.

“I think we are going to skip training tonight… And maybe tomorrow night, just in case. Have fun.” Moon winked at her. She waved for Sarah to sit down, and she quickly sat down before Moon disappeared. Hearing the clock slowly starting to move, she put her lips on his.

“Oh, hell, I hope this works!!!” Sarah thought to herself as he pulled back.

“I’m sorry, I just couldn’t wait anymore.” He blushed bright red, and she searched his eyes for any trace of recognition of what happened, but there was nothing. She felt her body responding to the pull of wanting him, and this time she couldn’t wait. Sliding her one leg over his lap, she straddled him, taking his face in her hands, she kissed him, softly biting his bottom lip, wanting permission to enter his mouth.

He gave it without hesitation, and she felt a rush of passion. Actual passion that she had never felt before and laughed at when she saw girls on TV wish for. His hands were on her bottom, pulling her in closer, they explored each other hungrily until they were out of breath and had to break apart. Luc looked deep into her eyes, searching for any sign of hesitation or reason that she might not want this, but he couldn’t find any.

“Are you sure?” His voice filled with emotion.

“Yes.” Her voice was a whisper. He got up, still holding her in his arms, and carried her off to bed. This was not the plan for tonight, but he couldn’t stop it from happening either. Putting her down on her bed softly, trying not to crush her with his weight, he drank in her beauty. Her skin was so soft, and she still smelled like cherries and ice cream! Snuggling his nose in the nape of her neck, she giggled, and he sniffed as much of her scent as his lungs would allow.

“At this rate, you will leave no more perfume to smell.” Sarah teased.

“That will never happen. You will always smell the same to me. I will find you in a crowded room with just one sniff of the air.” Softly biting the sensitive skin behind her ear, a moan escaped her mouth, and it made Rudi growl in anticipation.

“Patience, Rudi, we can’t rush this. She might run!” He started leaving soft kisses down her jaw until he found her mouth again, but this time it was Sarah who became impatient and pulled him on top of her, pinning him between her legs before rolling them over on her bed. She was stronger than she looked, and she started unbuttoning his shirt while his hands ran over the warmth of her back, feeling the heat radiate through the thin material of her outfit. He sat upright, so she could pull his shirt off his back.

The warmth of his skin against hers was overwhelming her senses, and she couldn’t wait any longer. Quickly climbing off his lap, she slid the one-piece jumpsuit off her shoulders and let it drop to the floor, hearing a slight growl escape from deep within him.

“Sarah, you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen in my entire life.” He sat there studying her as if she were a piece of art, and she was suddenly thankful for the new lingerie the girls insisted she get. Deciding to reveal it all, she unhooked her bra and let it drop to the floor, and finally took off her panties.

It was as if she was standing there waiting for him to claim her as his own. Standing up, he pulled her close to him and started to move his hands across the soft skin of her back. His hands started shaking slightly and…

“I have to tell you something…” Luc looked serious and she smiled at him.

“You can’t be a virgin because you have kids.” She teased and he couldn’t help but laugh at her free spirit. This woman who held back so much and was so open and honest with him now.

“No, I’m definitely not, but I haven’t been with anyone since my late wife. You are the first.” He searched her eyes for any kind of reaction, but she gave him nothing.

“I guess then it’s high time we solved that problem.” Talking off his belt, she didn’t break eye contact with him once while she took the initiative to undress him. This was a completely different Sarah to the girl who wanted to leave, but also the same confident Sarah that was working on the case with him. She knew what she wanted, and she took it. Luc was at a loss for words, and when she kissed him again, he was drawn into her world and lost. Picking her up, he put her down on the bed and the sweet smell of her wanting hit him like a ton of bricks.

“Now, Luc, please.” She begged.

“What? No foreplay??!!” Rudy felt confused.

RUMMAGING THROUGH THE FRIDGE for something to eat and drink, she suddenly felt his heat behind her.

“Where did you disappear off too?” Sarah giggled.

“Sorry, did I wake you?” He smiled.

“No, my growling stomach did.” She frowned, and he laughed, picking her up and putting her down on the counter, kissing her until she felt completely dizzy. He turned around and started looking through the fridge.

“Ah, leftovers and some wine should do the trick.” He pulled it from the fridge, and she giggled like a schoolgirl.

“This isn’t me!! I don’t giggle!!!” She thought, rolling her eyes at herself. He warmed up the food, and she jumped off the counter to pour some wine and took it to the table. While they were eating, she had a serious question to ask him that had been bugging her.

“I need to ask you something, and I kind of... don’t know how.” Sarah frowned.

“Sweetheart, you can ask me anything.” He smiled.

“So, the girls have explained to me that a wolf marks his mate with a bite. The burning sensation that I get on my skin… Here, you know when you breathe on it?” She pointed at the spot.

“Yes?” He started looking concerned. “Which, by the way, isn’t supposed to happen. Humans usually don’t feel anything. We are still trying to figure out why you feel it.”

“Okay, but if you do bite me. Will I become a wolf, like you?” She saw him hesitate for a second.

“In most human-wolf relationships, the human isn’t bitten. It’s too great a risk because you will become a wolf. Most humans don’t survive the transition. So, no, I won’t, no matter how much I would like you to be one of us.” He sounded disappointed, but at the same time serious about his decision.

“And if I ask you to?” She frowned, but he looked up suddenly, his mouth slightly open.

“I mean, isn’t that the final stage of a mate bond? If I understand correctly, tradition requires that you bite me to show that we are mated.” She insisted and he sighed.

“Yes, but as I said, that tradition is only for wolves. My bite is very dangerous for you, sweetheart, and I’m not willing to do it just because of some tradition. Not even if you ask me.” Luc frowned.

“What if I ask someone else to bite me, somewhere else, of course?” Sarah kept pushing.

“NO! You won’t, and that is the end of this discussion!!” He slammed his fist on the table, which gave her a huge fright and made everything rattle. His eyes had changed to black, and this must be the part the girls explained, where his wolf came out. Suddenly, she didn’t feel safe anymore. Not at all!

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…” Sarah started to apologize as his eyes slowly changed back to green as he took deep breaths.

“No, I’m sorry, Sarah. I shouldn’t have lost my temper like that. Please, forgive me. I just can’t stand the thought of anything happening to you. Especially not because I’m a wolf. Please, forgive me.” His kindness returned in his eyes. He hesitated for a second, but when he looked at her, and she saw the green in his eyes, she nodded.

“I better get back home before those boys wake up and ruin my kitchen with their ideas of what constitutes as breakfast.” He walked to the bedroom and came out fully dressed, kissing her on her cheek. He was out the door before she could even catch her breath after what just happened. Dammit! She should just have kept her mouth shut!!