Born Of Night

Chapter Seven

Someone was at the tent opening. The soft sound of a zipper sliding slithered through the tent, evoking terror as if a snake glided toward her. Fear flashed through her, pumping her adrenaline until she verged the line of panic. Her breath came harsh against the gag, puffing her cheeks, flaring her nostrils. Her heart thrashed, threatening to beat through her ribs. She tried to get a hold of herself, to think clearly so she could escape, so she’d have some chance rather than none. She’d been here so long, and instead of time dulling her apprehension, it had only increased with each agonizing minute.

The tent flap opened. She jerked against her tethers, desperate to free her hands before they could come inside and kill her....

It was Gabriel.

She knew him the instant he entered, though his head was bowed and his hair fell down, obscuring his face in thick wet locks. She wanted to scream in relief, rail against him for giving her such a fright ... and throw her body against his until the tremors racking her ceased. The dizzying race of her blood abated to a dull roar.

The door flapped down behind him. He stood up once he passed the shallow entrance, standing straight and jerking his head back to toss the cloying strands away from his face and eyes. He froze as though pinned when he saw her. He looked at her. She looked at him.

He was naked.

The information filtered through the chaos of her thoughts to that one coherent whole. She didn’t know why he was--didn’t care. The relief alone of seeing him was enough to make her feel giddy. That he was naked changed everything, heightened senses that had been blunted previously by unease.

She was scared, yes, but it didn’t stop her brain from functioning, stop her eyes from taking in every glorious inch. She wanted to tell him to get her the fuck out of there, but she hadn’t moved past her initial shock at seeing him nude. It was her first time seeing him with nothing to bar her view. The adrenaline pumping through her system, the fear of before, it rushed in her head, made her careless, intoxicated. He’

d looked good before. He was devastating now. So much skin, so bronze and beautiful. Muscles, everywhere, gleaming with droplets of water running in beads down his skin like liquid gold.

She wanted to feel him against her. Cold shock chilled her, made her shudder with appalling weakness. She’d never felt so needy in all her life. She should’ve been outraged, horrified at the turn of her thoughts, but all she wanted to do was feel his heat inside her, until it thawed every pore and banished the chill seeping from her marrow.

She wanted to look down, see all of him, but she couldn’t. She wasn’t ready, knew she should die on the spot for daring to think of sex at a time like this. She tore her gaze away from his belly up to his face. Hair clung damply to his neck and cheekbones. What captured her attention was the expression on his face--drawn, hard, his jaw clenched until the muscles stood out. Black stubble shadowed his face, lending him a rough, untamed look she hadn’t seen before.

But his eyes ... they were hunted, wild and fierce. His black eyebrows were drawn down to two hard, straight lines. He looked ... haunted.

Fear shot through her once again, more potent now than ever before. What gave him that look? What had he done? What had they done to him? It terrified her to even think of it. The charming rogue of before looked vanished, wiped away and replaced by a savage stranger with hungry eyes that saw too much.

He dropped suddenly to his knees before her, kneeling at her feet as he untied her ankles. The binding came free and she rotated the joint, drawing her legs up as he moved forward between her legs.

Her breathing grew harsher the closer he came. Heat radiated off of him, until it felt like he touched her, pressed intimately against her skin. She flinched as he drew closer ... could practically feel the head of his cock looming close to her sex. A spasm seized her cleft, drenching her with sudden, liquid lust. God, she wanted it so badly. She was tired of fighting, tired of running. Her clit throbbed with aching need so fierce, she thought she would die from it.

He stopped a moment, his nostrils flaring as his breath quickened, as though he could smell her arousal. He held her gaze steadily heart stopping seconds. She saw war in his eyes, a battle that waged for control. His face went tight with need, his jaw tense. His lids lowered, heavy with carnal appetite. Lust glittered in his eyes, quickly masked as he dropped his gaze.

She’d seen it, knew that he sought to hide his need, but he couldn’t hide the potency of his desire from her. Danger had heightened her senses, until she could feel the hunger emanating from him, practically hear the blood rush to engorge his length.

He said nothing as he leaned close and reached around her head. She felt like she would melt into the pole at that heated flesh so close to her own. Her skin tingled, her nipples tightened, like buds seeking the warmth of his skin. He removed the gag before moving to her hands, acting as though nothing had changed, that he couldn’t sense the begging of her body.

“Oh god, Gabriel,” she whispered, trying to find the strength of her voice. Her lips felt numb, her throat and mouth dry. His arms slid against her arms, raising the hair with delicious goosebumps on her skin. She shivered at the sensation. “I thought you’d never come.”

“I made a promise, petite,” he murmured, his fingers brushing against her as they worked on the binding.

Jessica worked her jaw muscles, stretching them. The rope on her hands came loose and her arms fell forward, her shoulder joints pinching with a dull ache. The pain didn’t matter. She had to touch him herself, know that he was real, whole and unharmed. She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him fiercely. “I thought you were dead.”

He went rigid all over, stopped breathing. “Don’ touch me,” he said, his voice hoarse and rough, as though he were in agony. They’d hurt him somehow. The knowledge spread an ache through her chest.

He sat back on his heels, hooking his hands under her arms, trying to push her away.

She tightened around him, refusing to let go. “No,” she said, kissing the side of his neck, breathing against his ear, breathing in the clean scent of him that was so familiar when everything else seemed to have changed. She needed this. Her body tightened all over, needing to feel him touch her all over.

He shuddered, his breathing loud in the sudden silence, harsh and ragged. Against her chest, she felt the race of his heart, beating hard and fast. He pushed again, with less force this time--resolve weakening. “Stop. Don’ touch me, chere, please.”

“I can’t not touch you. I don’t want to let you go.” She ran her tongue up his neck, reveling in the subtle tremor that raked through him. She didn’t know what was happening to her, instincts guided her. An inner impulse wanted to taste him, smell him ... touch him ... everywhere....

He growled suddenly, thrust one rough hand in her hair and pulled her head back.

Jessica gasped, her eyes wide, her mouth open and waiting for him. Like a storm, he descended, giving her no chance for retreat. He kissed her violently, his mouth savage, so hungry and rough alarm shot through her veins. Hot need welled the instant his bruising mouth touched her, blooming heated and wet between her thighs.

Something was different, something had been unleashed.

God help her, she liked it.

The fingers gripping her hair hurt, burned her scalp. Her skin prickled from the abrasive stubble around his mouth. Jessica flinched at the pain, making a soundless cry into his mouth. His tongue thrust inside with a sharp growl, stroking wet against her limp tongue, coaxing and commanding until she was helpless but to join him. He missed nothing, encompassed, wouldn’t let her withdraw.

Her tongue eagerly mated with his, stoking the arousal that gripped her body. Her stomach contracted with a hard spasm, reverberating deeply in her womb. Lust so intense it hurt lanced through her pussy, pulsing wildly in her clit. Jessica sucked his tongue hard, taking him deeper, as though it would satisfy the sudden aching emptiness of her core.

Rough excitement rumbled in his chest at her capitulation. He jerked with it, crushing her against him. The bruising pressure of his body, the molten sweep of his tongue spiraled through her body, drenching her sex with lust.

Jessica whimpered into his mouth, clawing at him for more, wanting so badly to feel the pleasure.

Her movement startled him awake. He tore away from her as though he’d been bitten, releasing a strangled, frustrated groan. His chest heaved, his eyes were black with violent longing. His face was hard with barely repressed desire. The intensity of his look frightened her, made her insides clench with fear and hunger. Her heart struggled in her chest.

They were inches apart. He devoured her with his eyes, drew them down her body as though he would eat her. Her sex spasmed at his heated look.

He closed his eyes suddenly as if pained. He shook his head.

Jessica allowed him no respite, closed the distance and locked around him. He stiffened again. She hated and delighted in his resistance.

“No. No. Sweet Jesus.” His voice broke. He closed his hands around the underside of her ass, fingers digging into her flesh, drawing a ragged groan from her. She squirmed, brushing her breasts against his chest, her nipples hardening more than she’d ever thought possible.

He groaned, long and deep and pulled her without warning, hard, sliding her so suddenly up his lap she had no time to react. And then the heat of his cock was there, tight against her parted lips, slick against the wet heat of her cleft. Jessica jerked at the probe, tightened her knees around his thighs, gasping as the unyielding ridge of flesh slid through her soft lips across her clit in one agonizing motion. Her wet cleft jerked with pleasure against the silky smooth thickness of his erection.

Every rigid, engorged vein tormented, sent pleasure soaring along taut nerves. Her muscles contracted involuntarily, wanting what he wouldn’t give.

“They’ll kill me for dis.” His hoarse whisper into her hair sounded tortured. He shuddered, tightening his hands on her ass.

“You’re killing me,” she managed, hating the desperate need that held her in thrall.

Jessica clenched, tremors of pleasure working through her. She rocked, unable to sit still, needing to move on him.

“Oh god. Don’ move. Don’ move!” he ground out.

She rocked again, unable to stop herself.

He sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes squeezed tight. “Stop. I’m gonna cum all over your preddy body if you don’ stop!”

Her hips jerked at the rough growl of his voice, the harsh promise.

He was hard all over, tension bleeding from every pore, muscles standing at attention, ready to break control at any moment. She felt that he was on the edge, his hold tenuous. His cock throbbed against her, scalding her flesh like a red hot poker.

She ached to feel that rigid heat inside her. Her entire body whimpered with need.

She couldn’t stand it. She had to move, couldn’t stop herself. She rocked against him again, and an anguished moan tore from his throat.

Gabriel was dying. His mind raged with lust. Every muscle screamed with pain, screamed with the need to ram, to lay waste and conquer. The cream of her body felt like hot oil on his cock, making the nerves jump. He was engorged to the point that the slightest movement, the softest brush of her labia had him groaning in agony.

Time meant nothing to him now, when it should. Each second near her felt like an eternity of sensual torture. He could see nothing but her, feel nothing but her skin, smell nothing but her musky, sweet desire. Her cunt promised ecstasy, liquid fire that would devour his soul. A hard shudder wracked his body. His beast raged, his cock spasmed to be inside her. She consumed him in every possible way ... and they would die because of it.

He had to let her go. He commanded his hands to release her, to thrust her away ...

commanded his legs to move, to run and not come back. Touching her was madness, stretched his sanity to the brink.

She moved on him, sliding her pussy up his shaft, drawing out the torture until he was near mindless with the urge to ram inside her. His control slipped a notch every second. Her breasts rubbed against his chest, her body pulled against the burning rings in his nipples. Pleasure and pain raced through him, mingling, racketing through his body out of control.

He sucked in a sharp breath, willing his cock to lay still, his hands not to move. His fingers dug into her cheeks, palms sensitized with the woman’s flesh filling them. He couldn’t be gentle. He’d hurt her before, knew he had. He hadn’t been able to stop.

The hunger raged in him now, unleashed by the beast and the fights. He was close to turning, anything could push him over.

If that happened, he could kill her.

He fought the beast back, felt it hovering beneath the surface, always there, always waiting for any sign of weakness.

The musk of her sex intoxicated him, heightening the danger.

Oh god ... just one thrust inside her, it was all he wanted, all he needed. He knew it wasn’t enough, that he had to have her completely, fuck her again and again until his body was dry of its juices. And then he would fuck her again.

The thought rang savagely in his soul, burning him alive. He wanted more than that, wanted her to surrender herself in every way.

“Please, Gabriel,” she whispered, begging, her voice seducing him out of his wits.

They’d smell it, know what he’d done, know that he’d fucked her without the right of a mate. “I ... can’t.”

“You can,” she breathed, kissing his jaw, running her fingers through his damp hair.

“Please, if we’re going to die anyway, I want to have you inside me, just once.”

His cock throbbed unbearably at her words. The selfish impulse grew, wresting control. He wanted to be her first Lycan, the first to mark her in their way. He couldn

’t fight it, not any more.

An anguished growl escaped him and he went down with her, crushing her against the ground, her legs still wrapped around him. Her feet dropped to the ground as they landed, and the breath fled her lungs. He kissed her, long and hard, moving one hand between her legs, guiding his cockhead to her pussy.

She was so wet for him, he thought he would explode.

His fingers slipped against her wet folds, smoothing her cream against his flesh as he nudged her opening.

Jessica whimpered into his mouth, spreading her legs wider, squirming under his touch, unable to bear it ... unable to move away. The huge head of his cock touched her entrance, burrowing through her swollen folds. The edges of her cunt tingled, burning with the hard press of his cockhead. Pressure built, climbing higher, anticipation an agony in her womb. The fiery sensation was almost more than she could bear. Jessica sucked his tongue as though she would eat him alive, incapable of restraining the hungry pull of her mouth, the rapid stroke of her tongue.

He broke from her mouth suddenly, bracing above her on his arms. His biceps bunched with power, veins bulging, climbing over his forearms as he held above her.

She looked up at him, a tremor of fear and excitement rippling through her. His eyes were dark, unreadable. His arms shook as though he could barely contain himself.

She wanted that loss of control, wanted him to love her with no restraint. The wildness thrilled her, banished the guilt that always ate away at her.

Jessica arched, begging with her eyes and body. He shuddered violently, arching his head back as he thrust his hips forward and drove to the hilt deep inside her, ripping past the barrier of her body. Pain lanced through her. A cry ripped from her throat at the invasion. Tears stung her eyes.

Her body bucked, muscles clenching as they fought to accommodate the thick length of him. She hadn’t expected him to be so big, so thick. She hadn’t expected it would hurt. She hadn’t even realized it had still been there--not at her age.

He stopped in an instant, but it was too late to go back, too late to stop the destruction. She didn’t want it, she wanted him to use her ... wanted to use him, keep him deep inside her forever. He cursed in French, his voice harsh and strained.

Jessica weakly opened her eyes, looked up at him past the watery blur. He looked accusing, angry. The lines of his jaw and shoulders were taut, muscle clenched with repressed passion.

His shaft jerked inside her, a rod of heat and pain. Waves of mingled agony and pleasure rippled through her, enticing. She wanted more, she had to have more. If this was their one chance, she would have it--consequences be damned.

“Damn you,” he ground out, voice thick, his gaze penetrating, seeking the depths of her soul.

She shuddered uncontrollably. “Don’t stop. Please, don’t.” She wrapped her legs around his hips, digging her heels into his firm cheeks, urging him on.

He held her gaze, his eyes shadowed by heavy lids. Slowly, he pulled back, drawing his thick length from her depths. White hot bands of pleasure twisted inside her, writhing through her veins. He pulled until only the thick, mushroomed head of his cock remained inside. Emptiness gnawed her insides. It was unbearable torture.

“No,” she gasped, moving her hips, trying to force him back inside her. “Don’t leave.”

“I couldn’ if I wanted to,” he said through gritted teeth, then forged a hot, raw path deep inside her core, stifling her scream with the crush of his lips.

Swift, sweet pleasure exploded through her body like fireworks. Jessica felt like she was melting, burning alive. He anchored her, stoked the flames, thrusting heavily into her until she was panting into his mouth. She drew her arms up around his shoulders, desperate for his support. He stretched her to overflowing, exciting her with a burning stroke that forced the muscles of her sex to flex and clench in blissful response.

He shuddered as she gripped him, groaned fiercely into her mouth, thrusting his tongue inside as he withdrew his cock and pushed forcefully into her again. He couldn’t control himself, she knew she’d pushed him too far. She was wild for it, kissing him back, locking her legs around his hips to keep him there, moving inside her.

He moved again, setting a rapid stroke that had the tissue of her pussy quaking with desire, creaming in abundance. Every thrust had her jerking in response, had the nerves of her pussy screaming with scalding pleasure, begging for release.

Pleasure and pain traveled through her body, closing her in warmth until sweat dampened her skin. Her hips bucked with his thrust, moving higher, tilting up for the thick, glorious intrusion.

Her body sucked at him, screaming, pleading. The rhythm of his strokes had her heart tripping over itself. Her thighs tensed around him. Her blood sizzled in her veins, tightening her chest until she could barely breathe. It was too much, not enough. Too hot. Too fast. She was going crazy, mindless, undulating against him, trying to melt against his skin. Lights danced behind her eyelids as she fought to hold onto consciousness.

She bucked against him, fighting to drive him harder, deeper, knowing if she didn’t climax she’d die. Her clit throbbed with every grinding stroke. The hair of his body rubbed with rough abrasion, making her skin tingle in response. She whimpered, wanting to scream, dug her nails into his back as the pleasure engulfed her body in agonizing wave after wave. Her kegels contracted with the rapture, sucking his cock deeper inside her.

He groaned into her mouth, his muscles gone rigid, his heart beating so hard and fast, she felt it in her bones. His hips jerked involuntarily as her bliss forced him over the edge. He swallowed her cries as the rapture swelled. His orgasm ruptured inside her, jerking with echoing force in her pussy. Hot cum jetted into her, so slick and delicious inside her. She milked the cream of his body, his heated release exploding in the depths of her core until her every nerve centered on the rippling vortex of ecstasy swirling through her flesh and pulsing in her clit.

Gabriel tore his mouth away from hers, heaving for air, collapsing on top of her, shaking with the explosive force of climax. Her body was melting, dissolving into the hard ground. Jessica sobbed with relief and fading pleasure, quaking as he pulled away from her, his cock breaking the suction of her body with an erotically wet sound.

She closed her eyes, trying to reform the pieces of her body. She was so weak ...

bruised ... raw ... satisfied. She should’ve been ashamed--she wasn’t.

He recovered while she was still gathering herself, trying to think of something she should say or do. He gently kissed the slope of her shoulder before moving away.

The loss of his heat and presence resonated through her.

She lay still, knowing he watched her expectantly, waiting for her excuses. Jessica couldn’t look at him. She felt the heat of his gaze on her, knew he was pissed. His anger crackled in the air, as palpable to her as a slap. If she opened her eyes, she’d see it for certain. She couldn’t take condemnation now, not after what they’d done, what she’d begged him to do.

“Look at me, chere,” he commanded. His voice was deadly soft.

Slowly, she opened her eyes and saw him standing above her, studying her with an expression that had her quaking inside.

He narrowed his eyes. “Why didn’ you tell me you were a virgin?”

Her heart thumped hard in her chest. “I didn’t think it mattered that much.”

Gabriel bit off a curse, his French unable to soften its rough violence. His hands shook as though he meant to touch her again. He ran them savagely through his hair, his jaw knotted, his muscles tense.

Jessica swallowed hard, sat up and immediately saw the blood on her thighs. It was pink with the mixture of semen and her own creamy juices. She felt ill all of a sudden, raw inside. She pushed her dress down before he had a chance to see it.

He did. He looked more angry than ever. “I would never ha’ touched you--” He broke the words off with a furious growl, as though too pained to utter them. He rubbed his face, shielding his eyes from the sight of her.

Jessica stood on her knees, reaching for him, ignoring his semi-soft erection and smeared groin. “I don’t regret it, Gabriel.”

He flinched away from her, grabbing her wrist before she could touch him. Warning glittered in his eyes, roughened his voice to a growl. “If you don’ wan’ me to fuck you senseless, don’ touch me.”

The coarse hue of his voice made her tremble, rubbed against her insides like the hot, hard stroke of a tongue. Oh god, even now, surrounded by danger, aching inside, she wanted him again. The explosive climax had fried brain cells. She felt like an addict, in need of a fix, desperate to have it again. She withdrew her hand from his hold as though burned. The intensity of feeling frightened her, set warnings to ringing in her head.

He turned his head, sniffing the air. “You have t’go. Now. I can hold them off long enough for you to escape.”

Jessica stood, alarm heightening her reflexes and lending speed to her muscles. She wouldn’t do it--he didn’t deserve to face this alone, though she had no idea how she could help him, or how many foes they would face. She shook her head, resolute.

“No. I can’t leave you here to die.”

“They won’ kill me, petite. They will if you’re here to confirm what we done. You can’ erase my mark on you.”

He was lying. The bastard wanted to protect her. He was crazy. She was crazy.

“Why is this happening? What do they want?”

He was quiet a long moment. She could see he battled himself, striving to contain something, some secret. Curiosity burned in her, stronger than her desire to flee.

He grabbed her chin, forced her to look straight into his eyes so that she couldn’t escape what he was going to tell her. She flinched at his hard grip. His eyes softened and he eased his hold.

“You’re Lycan, as I am....” He drew in a hard breath, continuing on before she could respond, “Werewolves, Jessica. I didn’ want to tell you before. I knew your father.”

She slapped his hand away, feeling sudden, immense betrayal. “What? Stop lying to me!” She wanted to scream, kick something, rip something--anything to shreds to satisfy the hurt searing her mind.

He grabbed her, halted the violence shimmering inside as he hugged her fiercely. He forced her to feel the comfort of his body. He laid kisses against the top of her head, moved through the tangle of her hair to her ear, speaking in a soft, strained voice. “It

’s no’ lies. He didn’ want dis life for you. Your mother died in the birthin’. He sent you away in secret that night, to keep you from changin’, to keep you from bein’ our whore. The pack found out, imprisoned him. He killed himself to protect you, so no Lycan cou’ ever find you.”

Gabriel shuddered against her once the words had spilled out. He breathed brokenly behind her ear, ragged against her neck--her pain his own.

Anguish, raw and severe, grated her mind. She closed her eyes, swallowing past the lump in her throat. Suicide...? It couldn’t be true. None of this could be true. Gabriel couldn’t be much older than she was, maybe thirtyish, he couldn’t possibly have known her father. It wasn’t possible. He was insane ... or a liar ... or both.

“I don’t believe you,” she whispered, pushing away from him, missing the heat of his arms already. She was weak, too needy, too vulnerable to him. She didn’t want to believe him, couldn’t. It was too hard to stretch her imagination so far, no matter how much her conscience told her he spoke the truth.

The look he bestowed on her was hurt, radiating regret. The anger had seeped from him, leaving the haunted man she’d seen briefly before. Guilt assailed her, twisting in her gut. She felt as though she’d plunged a knife into him, as though it wasn’t she who’d been delivered devastating news, but a reversal. What fate had conspired in her life to deliver such agony, such fierce desires and aching loss?

“Believe wha’ you will,” he said softly, painfully. “D’ truth will come, soon enough.

Now you mus’ go.”

Gabriel turned his back on her, striding from the tent. She knew he was going to his death, and there was nothing she could do to stop him.