In Heat: Mating Call (In Heat Shapeshifter Romance Series #2) Page 18
He went to grab her but she dodged him. He growled and then smiled as he turned to face her. She glanced at the door. It was still too far away. She wouldn't make it. He'd already proven that he was a lot faster than her.
“But I love you,” he said in a broken whisper that had her attention. How did he do that, suddenly turn from mean to sweet in the blink of an eye?
He held his hands out to her.
“I mean it, Kim. I love you. What about if Erik doesn't come for you? Could you grow to love me then?”
She shook her head. “No. You just don't get it do you? I love Erik. I know that he'll come for me. He'll find us and when he does, I wouldn't want to be you.”
He just raised a brow at her thinly veiled threat.
“Kristian, please? This has gone far enough.” Her brows furrowed as she thought about everything. She didn't want there to be a fight. She didn't want either man to get hurt. “Let me go.”
“I can't,” he said. “You're my mate.”
“It's a glitch!” Her patience snapped and frustration got the better of her. If it took getting angry to make him understand, then she was going to unleash hell on him. “Were you dreaming of me for twenty seven years like Erik did?”
He looked a little stunned. “No.”
“Exactly! If I mate with Erik like I want to, then maybe your true mate will show up. We're not destined for each other. I've never had a vision of you before now. They've only ever been of Erik. It's just a glitch and it might go away if you just let me go. I don't want to be with you and I'll never love you. I love Erik with all my heart. He's my mate.” She sighed and her shoulders slumped as she looked at him.
His expression was pensive as he stared at her. He looked as though he was seriously considering what she'd said.
“Please? With a few more manners and less insanity you could make some lucky girl a great catch... but I'm not that girl.”
He sighed heavily and looked at his boots for a moment before raising his eyes back to meet hers. “I understand. This was foolish of me. I have acted the cad while Erik has been the gentleman. I haven't behaved as I should have. I cannot stand between you and your mate, the man you love, and I only hope that you do not hate me for what I have put you through.”
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was seriously going to let her go. She'd been expecting him to put up a little more fight than he had. She looked into his eyes and felt bad when she saw all the hurt in them. He really did love her. He loved her and he was still letting her go. Whoever destiny chose as his mate, she was going to a very lucky girl to have someone like him love her. She got the feeling he'd be as attentive and protective as Erik.
She smiled and couldn't stop herself from hugging him. “You will make a girl very happy someday, Kristian.”
She kissed his cheek and froze when the door burst open.
“Kim!” Erik's voice filled the whole room and a split second later she'd been pulled into his arms.
She tried to grab his arm as he took a swing at Kristian but was too late. It connected solidly with Kristian's jaw and he stumbled backwards. She was thankful that he didn't retaliate. He merely glared at Erik and growled.
Erik went to push her aside to hit Kristian again but she flung her arms around his neck and smothered him so he couldn't. She raised her brows she felt bare skin. She really hoped he wasn't totally naked. Her surprised look turned into a frown of concern when she realised how cold he was.
“I'm fine,” she said, stroking his hair and hoping to soothe him. “It's too late for heroics. I've already rescued myself. Kristian is sorry and has agreed to let me go with you.”
Erik pulled back and she rolled her eyes at the disappointment on his face. Clearly he'd been gearing up for a good fight for her.
She stepped away from him and looked at Kristian as he straightened and rubbed his jaw.
Her eyes flew wide when Erik punched him again, sending him to the ground this time.
“That's for good measure... keep away from Kim in the future,” Erik said, voice low and dangerous.
Kristian just shrugged and looked at her. “And you said I was uncouth?”
Erik growled.
She held him back and blushed when a pulse of desire settled in her belly and heated it up. Erik looked at her, eyes bright and yellow, and so intense that she had to look away.
“It's time we left.” He grabbed her hand.
She flipped Kristian a smile and the last she saw of him was him smiling back at her and then sighing. She wondered if she'd ever see him again. Could ex-vision lovers become friends? She'd love to know when he found his own mate, and when he wasn't trying to kidnap her or make her his, he wasn't a bad person.
“It's time for something else too, isn't it?” she said and Erik looked at her.
He nodded. “You can feel it too?”
“Like I'm being pulled apart inside and I'll die if you don't put me back together.”
He smiled and raised her hand, pressing a kiss to it.
“It's time.”
CHAPTER 18
The moment they were safely in the car and on their way to the airport, Erik pulled Kim into his arms and held her tightly. He closed his eyes, feeling a rush of mixed emotions when her hands pressed against his back and her cheek came to rest against his. He was so relieved to have her back, to feel her in his arms again, and so happy that things had turned out so well. At the same time though, there was a part of him that was angry with himself for believing that she would have left him. He should have had faith in her feelings for him, but it had been so impossible at the time. He'd thought that he'd lost her, had lost everything. Having her back only made him realise even more just how much he loved her and that he truly couldn't live without her by his side.
He sighed against her hair and savoured the way her fingers lightly stroked his back, drawing out all of his tension and anger, and replacing it with peace and love. He pressed a kiss to her neck, nuzzling it slightly in the process. He wished that he could tell her how it felt to have her back, to feel her against him again and hold her close, but he couldn't put it into words. It was something he could only feel, and he hoped that she felt the same.
When she pulled back a little, he looked at her, studying her face as though it had been years since he'd seen her. It had felt like that.
She smiled at him, bright and beautiful as always. His chest warmed to see it, to see her looking more like she had done before this had all begun. He could sense the underlying nerves in her and knew it was about the mating. He couldn't imagine how frightening a prospect it was for her, but he was going to make sure it was as painless and as pleasurable an experience as possible.
He smiled back at her when she brushed the backs of her fingers against his cheek. Her eyes dropped to his body and he swore he saw her cheeks colour a little.
His eyes fixed on her lips as she teased them with her teeth and he reached out to her, catching hold of her shoulder and drawing her to him. Her eyes closed, lips parting as though she knew what he wanted. He dipped his head and brought his mouth to hers, barely grazing it. She leaned forwards a little more, pressing into him, and he deepened the kiss until he was pouring into it everything he felt inside. It was desperate, heartfelt and a little rough, but she responded with the same ferocity and fervour, and it melted him to the core, making him purr.
When he drew her closer, she broke the kiss and giggled at him, her hands pressing firmly into his chest.
“Calm down, I'm not going anywhere,” she said and he wondered if she knew what magic those words held. They were so reassuring and were exactly what he needed to hear right now.
She shuffled further away and sat sideways, leaning her head against the back of the leather seat and smiling at him. She was grinning so much that she looked a little insane and he felt like teasing her by saying that out loud, but knew it wouldn't be a wise move at a time like this. She was liable to take it the wrong way or start prodding h
im in the chest like she normally did when he was being annoying.
He slipped his clothes on and by the time he was buttoning his shirt, she was pouting.
“What's wrong?” he said.
“I thought it was time,” she said, a little sulky sounding.
He smiled and slid across the seat until their legs were touching. Smoothing her hair back, he sighed.
“It is,” he said and then lowered his voice to a whisper. “But I didn't think you'd want an audience.”
She looked towards the blacked out panel that separated them from the driver and then back at him. He could see in her eyes what she was thinking. Sex in a public space where they weren't really likely to get caught was one thing. Being watched by a man they didn't know was another.
She slipped her arm around his and cuddled up to him. “So how are we getting home?”
Her voice was full of hope but it was small enough to let him know that she wasn't just worried about the mating.
“I'm sorry, I couldn't get a boat at such short notice... but I do have an idea for a great distraction method that we could try on the jet.” He grinned at her, narrowing his eyes on hers and turning up the heat a notch. He leaned over, brushed his cheek against hers, and whispered into her ear, “How would you like to join the mile high club with me?”
She giggled and he could almost feel the heat burning her cheeks as she blushed.
“Sounds good,” she whispered back, nipping at his ear lobe.
“We can complete the mating too.”
“Mmm, even better.” She kissed down his neck and he wondered if he'd be able to wait until the jet. If she kept doing that, teasing his flesh as her fingers worked their way over his chest, sneaking into his shirt, then he wouldn't be able to stop himself from reacting.
Still, it wasn't as though they had to go all the way and as long as he didn't bite her, they could make out all they wanted without completing the bond between them and turning her into a lycan.
He growled and tackled her onto the seat, trapping her beneath him.
“Eri—!” she started.
He cut her off with a demanding kiss.
* * * *
Kim ignored the voices at the back of her head that spoke of twisting metal and mid-air explosions as the small private jet took off. It wasn't the first time she'd been on a plane. She'd been on one once and she'd decided pretty shortly after take off that she never wanted to go on one again. The journey back from Paris had petrified her, but it had been necessary in order for her to get home.
Just like this was necessary.
She wanted to be away from Denmark and back home at the country house where she felt safe. Once they were there, she was going to speak to Erik about her plan to become his personal legal counsel and to make him work from home more, especially during the first few months of her being a lycan. She didn't know how different she was going to feel, but she was sure it was going to take her a while to get used to her new life.
She looked out of the window at the disappearing lights of Copenhagen and then realised it wasn't such a good idea when her stomach turned. She swallowed and then looked across at Erik where he was sitting opposite her. He smiled reassuringly and she read the silent question in it. She returned the smile, showing him that she was all right.
The seatbelt lights flicked off and Erik moved over to sit next to her. He looked so concerned and the sight of it touched her deeply. She'd been so scared when she'd woken up to find herself in a strange place but she'd never doubted that Erik would come for her. She wondered how panicked he'd been and if he'd really believed the text message that Kristian had sent to him from her phone. She wished that he hadn't, but in her heart she knew that he probably had, if only for a few seconds. She knew she would've believed it if someone had sent a message to her from Erik's phone.
She would've been devastated.
But everything was all right again now. She cupped his cheek and made him look at her, memorising every dark fleck in his golden eyes. They were back together again and that was all that mattered. Kristian had been out of place, but he'd listened to what she'd had to say and he'd let her go. He loved her and she couldn't imagine how hard that must have been for him. She'd sensed loneliness in him tonight, and even before tonight. There had been a quiet desperation about him, like there had been about Erik when she'd first met him. It was as though neither could live without her. She hoped that Kristian found his true mate and that he would love her with the intensity that Erik did for herself, and that he would be loved in return. Regardless of the things he'd done, she wanted him to be happy. She'd been lonely for so long that she knew how terrible it felt. Finding Erik had brought new meaning to her life. She wished that for everyone.
She closed her eyes when Erik's fingers grazed her cheek and her focus came back to him. He looked even more worried and she knew it was because she'd been so far away in her thoughts. He could've spoken and she wouldn't have heard him.
“Would you like something to drink, sir?” A young man stopped beside them. She figured he was a flight attendant. She'd also figured out that this was Erik's jet. He'd never mentioned it before.
He looked at her.
She shook her head.
“No drinks, but a little privacy until we reach London,” Erik said and she stared at him as his deep melodic voice sent fire to her belly.
She knew why they needed privacy and it was both exciting and frightening at the same time.
The man left them and Erik pressed a little button. The lights dimmed until there were only a few dotted around the cabin. She wriggled to get more comfortable on her seat as Erik looked at her, his eyes intense in the low light, setting off a hum inside her as her body begged for his touch.
He lifted the arm of the seat so there was nothing between them and slid closer until their sides were pressed together. She swallowed and tried to breathe steadily. Her heart was jigging about all over the place in her chest, making her feel a little sick with nerves.
She looked around the tiny plane, trying to figure out in her head exactly how this was going to work. There wasn't much room at all. When she'd heard about the mile high club it had sounded glamorous and exciting. This was going to be exciting but she got the feeling it was going to fall very short of glamorous.
Her thoughts were swept away from her as Erik's fingers trailed down her neck and along her collarbone. She looked at him as he slowly lowered the zipper on her black hooded top, peeling it apart when he reached the bottom. Her mouth and throat went dry, her body crying out for his touch as he ran his hands back up and over her breasts, stopping a moment to palm them before moving up to her shoulders. He pushed the top off her shoulders as he moved to kneel in front of her. She shifted on the seat to face him and watched as he removed her top.
He licked his lips and her heart fluttered against her ribs as she thought about what they were going to do. It wasn't just the mating that was exciting her now, it was everything. It was the hunger in his eyes, the fact they were again about to have sex where people could walk in on them, and the fact that by the end of it, she'd be a lycan like him.
She arched her back as his hands pressed against her breasts, fingers kneading as his thumbs circled her nipples through her t-shirt. She sighed, wanting to be skin on skin with him, desperate to feel his warm hands against her overheated flesh. Her stomach tightened, twisting and squirming as desire wound itself up inside her. She had to have him.
Her breath caught in her throat as he skimmed his hands across her stomach and under her top. Before she knew what was happening, he was pulling it off over her head and was removing her bra. Her sigh became a moan as he flicked her right nipple with his tongue and then pulled her towards him as he wrapped his lips around it and sucked it. Sparks of pleasure shot through her with each suckle and she wrapped her legs around him. He ground against her but her jeans made it impossible to feel him. She whimpered and pouted, and then pushed him away.
He sat back on his heels, a confused look on his face until she stood and undid her jeans. Her hands were shaking as she tried to undo them as quickly as possible. She needed to feel him against her. It was a desperate need, one that made her feel as though she'd explode if it wasn't sated soon. He tugged on her jeans and she fell back into the seat with a squeak. She lay there as he pulled her shoes and jeans off and then he stood and removed his shirt and trousers. He didn't even bother to undo all of the buttons on his shirt. Once the first few were open, he tugged it off and threw it onto the seat behind him. He was out of his trousers before she could blink and she ached inside at the sight of his erection pressing against his boxers.
He knelt before her again and pulled her back to him, his lips claiming hers as he ground the full length of his hard cock against her pussy. She moaned into his mouth and nipped his lip, kissing him desperately as her stomach heated through and moisture pooled in her knickers. She wanted him in her. The tightness inside her was getting worse to the point that it was hurting now, and she could sense the mating calling out for completion.
She didn't care if it was rough and hard, she just had to have him inside her now.
He lowered his head to her breasts again and she pressed her feet into his chest, pushing him backwards before he could touch her nipples. She hooked her thumbs into her knickers and pushed them down to her knees. Erik took over, pulling them down to her feet. She took her feet away from his chest and he tossed her knickers onto the rest of their clothes. She breathed hard with anticipation as he took hold of her ankles and slowly spread her legs. She wanted him, needed him so much she felt as though she was going to die if he didn't hurry.
Forcing her legs down, she caught the waist of his boxers with her toes and pushed them down to his knees. She leaned back in the seat and groaned when Erik's cock was revealed to her hungry eyes. It looked so good, so hard and ready for her. She mewled and tried to bring Erik towards her with her feet. He smiled, a sexy little one that tugged at the corners of his mouth, and she noticed how yellow his eyes were.