Lycan Heat

Chapter Four

He was dreaming of her again, but this time, it was something was different. Her features were clear to him. His heart nearly ceased beating in his chest at her beauty. Her red hair was thick, and shined like a copper penny. Her nose was small, her mouth was adorned by kissable pink lips, and her petite frame supported surprisingly full breasts that led to a tiny waist and gently flared hips.

“Who are you?”

Her soft, angelic voice nearly brought him to his knees. Her green eyes were wide as if she was scared—of him. A fierce wave of protectiveness followed by anger that she would be afraid of him slammed through his chest. Didn’t she know he was the one person that would never hurt her? He’d give his life for her, and if anyone else dared to hurt her, he’d take theirs.

“I’m Piers.” He kept his voice even and calm while his heart beat fast and hard.

“What is your name?”

“She-erry.”

The joy of hearing her name warmed him and made his cock twitch in anticipation of claiming her. A shudder of pure, unadulterated lust shot through him, but he had to go slow. She was tiny, and his size alone must be intimidating to her. God, she was beautiful.

He ached to reach out and touch her, tangle his fingers in all that glorious hair and tug her to him. Instead, he held his arms rigid at his sides.

“There’s no reason for you to be afraid of me, Sherry.” Her name was like heaven on his lips, and her flowery scent mixed with the mating scent that was for him alone teased him.

She looked around. They were in the cave, and he knew she’d be confused as it was the first dream connected to him that she would remember. It would seem so real to her—it was real…almost. There connection was strong, and whatever they shared in their dreams would seem as if it had really happened upon waking. Their souls were in tune to one another even if their bodies, their minds, had never met.

She was his and he was hers. Nothing on earth could change that. He took a step toward her, and she backed away from him, her eyes warily watching his every move. He took several deep breaths to calm the raging urge to take her. He wanted her to come to him willingly, without hesitation, and that would take time.

“Where am I?” she whispered.

“You’re dreaming.” He decided to keep it simple. If he explained that she was his destined mate and they were actually connecting through their minds while sleeping, she’d probably flip out and wake up. He wasn’t ready for the connection to be lost.

“Oh.”

He moved slowly and sat down on a big rock just inside the mouth of the cave, and patted the flat surface beside him, beckoning her to join him. He watched the hesitation play over her face and was relieved when she’d obviously decided to accept his invitation and began to come toward him. Her movement was graceful, and the subtle sway of her hips made his fingers itch to touch her. She was made for loving, and he doubted she was aware of her allure or the effect she was having on him.

Her feminine movements were an unintentional seduction. They came natural to her and made him think of long, sweaty nights, silk sheets and the sound of her voice crying out his name over and over as he filled her, claimed her, gave her pleasure.

She sat next to him, careful to keep some distance between them, as if she could escape if need be. He’d give her that small measure of comfort, no matter how misguided it may be.

His cock twitched again when he saw the perfectly painted red toenails that peeked out from under the bottom of her sweats. Holy hell. He’d had women over the years, but not one of them had come close to driving his body to the brink of desire that now stirred in him. And all because of her dainty toes.

“Why are you watching me like that?” She looked around the cave once more before settling her gaze on him.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Just intense or something.” Her voice trailed off.

“You’re beautiful.”

His body flamed hotter when he saw the lovely shade of red that stained her cheeks.

She was embarrassed by his compliment. She was so young, so innocent. She deserved much better than him. He’d grown to be a hard man over the years, and she shouldn’t have been destined for him. He was not gentle or romantic. He’d never hurt her, but he was a man of experience and had grown weary of all the feuds and fighting amongst his kind.

Yet, he’d do his best to make her happy and to treat her with the respect and tenderness she deserved. Would it be enough? Where she was soft, he was rough. Where she was gentle, he was a warrior. Where she was innocent, he’d seen the selfish, deprived acts of others that were carried out for the simple pleasure of hurting others. Why would fate bring someone like her into his world?

But he knew the answer to that. She was the light that would show him the way to his redemption. She was the only one that could save his damaged soul, make him whole once again. Simply sitting here by her soothed him, calmed him, put him at peace. And the turmoil she would cause inside him when he finally touched her would be ecstatic turmoil born of desire, not of anger or regret at the monsters his race was slowly becoming.

“No. I’m not, but thank you.” She reached out tentatively and scraped shaking fingers through his hair as if silently thanking him for his compliment.

White-hot lightning shot to his groin when she touched him. Her fingers were like magic on him. He closed his eyes for a moment, reveling in her touch, and slowly opened them as her hand fell away from him, as if in slow motion, to her side.

She studied him. Her eyes dropped down his body as she perused him from head to toe, and when her eyes settled on his groin, his erection jerked in reaction. Her cheeks flamed bright red, and her full lips formed a small “o.”

“You’re so big. I mean, you’re body is…” She hid her face in her hands in embarrassment. “I didn’t mean, oh! Just forget it.”

Her innocence was endearing to him, and he couldn’t wait to show her how they could appreciate each other’s bodies without embarrassment. He reached out and pulled her hand to him, placing it flat against his chest and then covering it with his own, the action done without thought. She gasped when she came into contact with him and electricity sparked between them.

“Don’t ever be ashamed to tell me anything. You can always be yourself with me.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze of reassurance when it trembled against him.

“I don’t know you.”

“Yes, you do.”

She shook her head in denial and he gave her hand another squeeze.

“Close your eyes.” He didn’t think she’d do as he asked, but after a few moments, her lids fluttered shut, and her dark, amber lashes rested against her pale skin.

He scooted closer to her, and her breath hitched. He kept her hand firmly over his beating heart. When he reached out and lightly stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb, he barely kept a groan from escaping.

“Can you not feel the fire that burns between us, Sherry? Can you not feel how my heart beats for you under your fingertips? You and I are kindred spirits.”

He couldn’t resist any longer and leaned in toward the slim column of her throat. He breathed her scent deep before his lips gently grazed her skin. She jumped, but didn’t pul away from him, and he cupped her nape with his free hand to coax her against his mouth.

As he continued to kiss her neck, her taut body began to relax and she melted into him.

He kissed a trail along her jaw line and to the corner of her mouth. Every instinct screamed at him to claim her, but he held on to control by a mere thread.

“Can I kiss you?” His voice shook with desperation.

Her eyes opened, and the passion that burned in their depths scorched him, matched his own desire. The slight nod of her head was all the response he needed, and unwilling to allow her the time to change her mind, his mouth crashed down on hers. A low growl clawed its way from his chest, and she moaned in response. She tasted like the sweetest honey, the forbidden apple in the Garden of Eden. She tasted like…his.

When she moaned again, he took advantage of her parted lips and slid his tongue into the recess of her mouth. She drove him crazy, mindless with wanting her. One kiss, one simple taste, one stroke of the tongue, and he was lost. He deepened the kiss, and his control snapped. Every urge, every demand that insisted he claim her roared to the surface.

He released her hand against his chest, and her fingers trailed up and over his shoulders, lightly massaging his tense muscles. He tangled his fingers in her hair and held her tight against him as his other hand snaked up the hem of her shirt. When he covered her breast, need so strong coursed through him that it blinded every last shred of common sense.

He pushed her to the ground. The breath that whooshed from her lungs as he covered her and wedged one knee between her thighs only made him burn hotter. He massaged her breast and rolled the peaked nipple between his fingers, aching to taste her…all of her. By the time he realized she was pushing against his chest, she’d disappeared.

His eyes flew wide, and he stood. His breathing came in ragged pants, and he dug his fingers through his hair. There was only one explanation why he had finally been able to see her so clearly, talk to her—she was near. His mate was close, and his heart beat in rapture. Every muscle in his body clenched in anticipation while his cock strained against his jeans, almost screaming for her. No, not her... Sherry. Her name was Sherry.

He wanted to find her right this instant, wanted to claim her and never let her go. She could bring so much joy to him. Joy he thought he’d never find, and love. While he’d prayed that she’d been out there somewhere, he had very little hope of ever finding her. She could be anywhere in the world, and the probability of him finding her had been infinite. It had been the worst, gut wrenching feeling he’d ever had, knowing she was out there and being unable to protect her. He turned and punched the cave wall, welcoming the pain that shot through his fist.

He’d felt useless. Rogues could have gotten her, and he’d never be able to stop it, but no more. She was close now, and he would find her. As soon as he took care of the business concerning his brother tomorrow, he would search for her to the ends of the earth if he had to. He would never stop until he found her, and he would find her, and he’d never let her go once he did.

The problem now? She’d remember him from the dream, and he had frightened her. He had no one to blame but himself. He had lost control.

He’d taken things too fast. But she had responded to him, and that gave him a small amount of hope. Dusk would be here soon, and he could get business taken care of. Afterwards, he’d be able to focus his full attention on her.