Page 2 of Their UnBearable Destiny

“Going?” She huffed. “You were gone!”

Gone. On opposite sides of the world, okay, but while he was in Santa Biago, he wanted to be able to see her and not end up fighting. At least not like this. If she wanted to fight, they could go into the woods and shed their skin, wrestle until one of them had their teeth dug into the other’s neck. And then sink other things into the other until they were too weak to fight.

Or he’d love to take her dancing. He’d learned a lot of things since he’d left Italy. Seen a lot of things too.

Like his brothers finding their mates. Finding love.

It was a hard thing to admit, even to himself, but the last time he’d seen Emiliana they weren’t wearing anything more than sweat.

“Go back to America, ‘Berto.” She hissed out the words.

Shaking his head, he looked over her beautiful face. “At least you didn’t use your claws on me.”

Her smile was real. A flash of sweet recognition and base pleasure in her eyes. “You remember that too?”

He did. He remembered it all too well.

She’d stalked him through the woods, bear hunting bear. He’d scented her power and her passion, and it made him slow, just a hair too slow.

Emiliana Bruno, the middle child of Alfonse Bruno, the fiercest shifter he’d ever met, had taken him down at the knees, driven him into the grassy floor of the forest and lightly scored his neck with her fangs. A painful nip.

They’d tumbled and twisted, finally coming to rest under a tree, fur receding into their skin, leaving skin slick with sweat, the scent of arousal hanging heavy in the air.

Her mouth was still on his neck, her hands wrapped around his torso. He’d turned the tables on her in a heartbeat, twisting around to cage her luscious body in his embrace. He’d pressed her into the grass, his hands moving over her body. Her breasts molded into his hands, her hips pushed back against his. It didn’t take long before he’d slid into her body, her slick heat welcoming his thick intrusion.

From there it was all instinct and hormones, nature’s pull and the need that rushed through them both.

Her fingers bit into the ground as her tongue swept along the side of his neck, fangs trailing along with it, deep enough to scratch. He felt the sting and prick of his wounds as his sweat made him itch.

She taunted him, made demands, and then begged for his touch. She’d cursed at him with words hard enough to make him bleed, and he’d smiled and given her what she’d asked for… what he’d dreamed of.

He gave her passion and ecstasy. And when she came apart in his arms, her voice mixing with a roar, he sank his fangs into her shoulder and emptied himself into her body. She sank into his embrace, dragging him down on top of her. They ended in a knot of limbs and sated hearts.

Emiliana stirredin his arms as if she was coming out of a dream. Uberto wasn’t any better, struggling to find his footing. The memory was a potent one that had been his constant companion for years.

It felt good to know that she wasn’t immune to the pull of their past. It certainly did a number on him regularly.

She came out of her stupor as if he’d thrown ice-cold water in her face. She sputtered and slapped at his shoulders, her bear receding from her eyes. “Go back, ‘Berto!”

He stepped back, holding his hands up in surrender. “I’m not here to cause trouble.”

Pointing her finger at him, she took a few steps away. “All you do is cause trouble.”

“I’m here for the annual meeting of the elders in the valley.”

She swore, and it didn’t bother him. She could cut a man with her words and he was fine with that if she soothed him with her tongue afterwards. He’d had dreams about that too.

“Stop it!”

“Stop what?” He challenged, answering her back with his bear in his eyes. Two could play at that game. “What am I doing, Ana? Mia anima.”

“You’ve got that look on your face.” She glared at him. “That stupid, stupid look.”

He pointed at his face. “I can’t help the look on my face. It’s the one I was born with.”

She bared her teeth at him, instead of being angry or scared. The look of rage and mayhem on her face made him rock hard. “See? That look!”

“I can’t help it if your anger makes me smile. You are so very lovely when you want to hurt me.”

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