Page 30 of Tucker's Strike

Tucker goes still. His body tightens. Still, he doesn’t take his gaze from mine. I can feel him inside me as he can feel me inside him. His beast is raging inside him, fighting for control to be able to reconfirm the bond between the two of us. What’s going through him can only be described as feral. A part of me wishes for him to lose all control and take me. Force me to submit in ways that I won’t ever allow another person to control me.

Tucker jerks back, snarling, eyes narrowing. “You want the beast, Lake?” he demands, voice graveled rough. Nearly animalistic.

“Yes,” I answer honestly. Somewhat breathy-like.

“You want to fuck a beast?” he asks, lips curled back, baring his teeth.

“Yes.” My answer is barely loud enough to be considered a noise.

With a growl, Tucker wraps his arm around me. His mouth slams down on mine, tongue spearing in and taking control.

None of his other kisses have been like this. It’s different, and my body instantly reacts to it.

Twisting us so that I’ve got my back to the wall next to the door, he lifts me by my bottom. Fingers digging in, and his hardened cock presses into the most sensitive area. Even with the barrier of my jeans and his, I can feel just how hard he is.

He feels good, and I want more. I want to scream for him to do more. Take more. Force me to accept more.

But in a split second, everything goes from heated passion to full-on terror as I feel the dark energy of the enemy wash over me. Calling to me. Demanding I come to them.

I swear I hear the words whisper in the air of complying with what they want, or they’ll kill Tucker and everyone within the walls of the clubhouse. How could they get through the barrier? Get this close.

Dread replaces the lustful thoughts, and without meaning to, I reach for those strands of time, and in a moment of fear, I take not just myself through but Tucker as well. I won’t let them get me. Nor will I let them harm the man who is my mate. This shifter who has always been the one I’ve dreamed of as mine. My tiger prince. I can’t let them strike at him and destroy the last only hope I have at finally feeling something more than loneliness and despair.

Chapter Nineteen

Tucker

“What the fuck did you just do?” I demand, fury raging through me, realizing we were no longer in the clubhouse.

“I . . . I’m sorry, Tucker, but I couldn’t let them hurt you. Or anyone else.” Tears stream down Lake’s cheeks. In the little time I’ve known her, not once have I seen her cry or felt her anguish.

Still, neither breaks through my anger.

Pulling away from her, but keeping a hand on her waist, I glance around to see where she’s taken us. Standing in the middle of a red and black haze. The ground looks charred, and the trees burned. The air was thick with the smell of sulfur.

Fuck.

She’s brought us right to the realm of the Drakon King. What was she thinking?

I get her fear, but it doesn’t give her the fucking right to take us away in the midst of danger springing up around us. She sure as fuck shouldn’t have brought us here to the very damn place that holds the creature that wants to take her from me.

“You need to get us the fuck out of here, Lake,” I tell her.

Lake nods and glances around, her brows drawn together. “They’re close.”

“Who’s close?” I demand and reach out with my senses, smelling only that of the fires burning and sulfur.

“My dad and uncles,” she answers. “I can feel them.” She presses her hand to her chest, right above her heart. “I don’t know how to explain it. I just feel it.”

Nodding, I focus on the other scents, the ones the stench of sulfur and fires cover. She’s right. Not far, I can smell the scent of shifters. Granted, I can’t say for certain that it’s her family.

With us this close, we could go ahead and at least see just how close before we get the hell out of the place. It’s bad enough that the very air is going to absorb into mine and her skin. We aren’t going to be able to get the stench off us for a while. It’s already singeing my nostrils with its pungent scent.

I take Lake’s hand, holding a finger up to my lips, giving her the sign to keep her mouth shut. She nods and does just as I do. I’m surprised at the fact she can move without making a noise. I guess her dad and uncles at least taught her something.

Together, we make our way about a mile before coming to a tower of sorts that was broken and charred. I draw Lake to a stop when I spot the dragon sitting perched up on a large boulder, not on the other side of the tower. The three-headed beast looked as disturbing as the one I’d seen the other night. What the fuck is up with these ugly creatures? I thought dragons were supposed to be mystical and beautiful. These beasts are just plain ol’ ugly.

“Tucker,” Lake murmurs so quietly, I’m lucky to hear her call my name.

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