Page 73 of Shaken Knot Stirred

Gasping, I fumbled with the locket that was tucked into my bra. I struggled with the clasp, my finger shaking too much.It flew open, the tiny blue pills raining down like sprinkles. I gathered them up from the filthy floor, saving as many as I could. The five second rule was firmly in place. I pulled a hair off one of the pills and blew away some grit. Since I had cut them into quarters, the five pieces I had managed to retrieve were just more than one full pill. I had no idea what their effectiveness was or how fast it would take to work. Would it even work at all once rut started?

Nico was shivering now, not from the cold. He was burning up. His skin was blotchy in places. I could see waves of hormones, or whatever, sweep through his aura. His muscles twitched with the overwhelming need to move.

“Nico, open your mouth.” He shook his head out of my grasp. “Swallow them Nico, they’ll help.” I fought him to get the little pills in his mouth, snatching my fingers back just before he bit them. I couldn’t tell if he chewed them, spat them out or swallowed. Only time would tell if they worked.

“Omega auras are supposed to be healing, right? Alphas with an omega in the pack rarely go into rut.” I started to talk out loud, hoping my words would be comforting. I needed the comfort, too. I couldn’t just sit here and watch Nico suffer. I stretched out alongside him. “Close contact should help.”

His aura felt as awful as it looked. The texture had gone all sandpapery. Was it softening where we touched? I couldn’t tell. I slipped an arm around his back and he jacked-knifed in a howl of pain. When I slid my hand across his stomach, his hips jerked, thrusting up. His growl shifted to a moan.

“Fighting or fucking.” I whispered to myself.

I stood up to undo my jeans. I rubbed at the indent the button had left. They were a size too small, but they were the only jeans in Lana’s closet that would fit. I peeled them down, kicking off my shoes and stomping on the legs to get the tight cuffs off my heels.

“Lana, no, don’t do this.” Nico looked up at me, shaking his head. His legs were scrambling to move but couldn’t get traction on the floor.

Maybe this wasn’t a good idea, but it was the only thing I had. I kept my top on, there was something about being fully naked with Nico this way that seemed wrong.

Nico writhed under my touch. I tried to be quick as I wasn’t sure if touch was painful. I struggled with the belt but the button fly was surprisingly easy. His cock burst out, fully hard, his knot already huge. I yanked his jeans down and tossed them in a pile with mine.

“Nico,” He didn’t respond to my voice. I sat next to him and stroked his inner thigh.

“Don’t do this, please. I don’t want to be like him.”

I pulled his chin up to look at me. His eyes were glassy and unfocused. I tapped his cheek and said his name again. Then I crushed my lips to his, forcing my tongue in his mouth. I pushed my aura out to wrap around him.

“Moxie,” my name was a guttural moan.

“Hi. There you are.” I saw some recognition in his eyes.

“I’m so sorry. I couldn’t think of another way. You weren’t supposed to be at work tonight. If I got caught, I didn’t want them to catch you, too. I was really mean.” He nuzzled in to my cheek, living out an apology that had never happened.

“I’m sorry too. I just took the money and ran. I came back, but you were gone.”

“Knightbridge.” He started kissing my jaw. I arched into him, giving him all the access he wanted. “Knew you took the money. He put me in a hole.”

He thrashed suddenly, trying to buck me off.

“He has you. He’s going to put you in the fight tonight. Anything. Anything he wants.”

I kissed him again fiercely and stroked a finger up his inner thigh, hoping to distract him.

“Nico, come back to me.”

I trailed my fingers under his shirt and across his abs. “Do you remember taking me to Pantheon for my birthday?” I kept my voice low and soft, hoping to shape the images floating through his head. “What was I wearing?”

“That blue dress. It matches your hair. With all the laces and bows in the back. I fucking love taking it off you.” I could hear the stress in his voice lessening just a little.

“Hmmm. The beach themed room. You remember it?”

“Better than the real beach because there is no sand.”

“Catch my scent, Nico,” I invited him.

He nuzzled into my neck, leaving a trail of kisses up to my ear. I shivered under his touch. My body would always respond to his touch.

“Peaches. You smell like summer.”

“And then what happened?” If he was going to fall into memories, I wanted it to be a good one.

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