Page 78 of Total Eclipse of the Moon
He didn’t give in to her eagerness. "You’re not ready yet."
"Everything’s sensitive, but I’m ready. Beyond ready. Just be you."
He trailed his lips back to her mouth and then lifted his hips up a few inches. Her light eyes went wide a second before he pulsed his hips.
He captured her moan in a deep kiss and ran his tongue along her lips, parting them. Her legs dug into his back as if trying to help control the pace, depth, or simply spur him on. He moved his hand to scoop under her pelvis and angle her upward to hit the one magical spot.
"Oh," she whooshed out. She contracted tight around him. "How’s it possible? It’s coming on hard."
"Holy schnikes." His mind faded as everything around him began to blacken.
He felt her tighten around him. His hips spiked forward faster, harder. She stiffened and cried out as her hands anchored onto his back.
Euphoria hit hard. Instinct kicked in and just as he came he bit into her shoulder. At the last minute he held back, focusing not to break skin. Just a nip.
She spasmed beneath him, contracting tightly.
Shane might’ve blacked out, but somehow, he’d managed not to fall on top of her. He was on his side facing her and back to his humanoid self, no longer in primal form. It required significant extra energy to remain in primal form due to its constant call upon all the senses.
"I didn’t think we could beat last time," she whispered. "But you like that was incredible. I feel like there could be more."
"You’re exhausted." He kissed her gently. "We can explore more another time."
How could it be better every single time? He’d been with a lot of women over the years. All willing partners. But nothing compared to this. Her laughter, her confidence, her wildness…and she was all his. For tonight.
She was dozing as he took off the pendant of Archangel Jeremiel and put it around her neck. "May this protect you when I can’t."
Chapter Twenty-Three
Shane’s mindwasn’t on their rushed departure this morning from the island nor on where they were going, which was against his better judgment. Shane was lost on last night. How everything could be so explosive. Life-altering. And at the same time, heartbreaking to the point he felt as if they were both in mourning for something that had soured long before its expiration date. He wished he could’ve spent the entire day today with her. He liked her wrapped up next to him. But that moment was as gone as the full moon.
She’d become all business today, erecting walls that he figured were her way of staying safe with the looming prospect of her dying to free them from the curse. Her dying? There had to be a way around it. He’d figure it out before the time came.
He pulled their car into a parking spot near the airport hangar mere seconds before a sedan slid in next to them.
He had nowhere safe to leave Madeline while he dealt with the FenCor facility. Going there was the least safe option possible, but he had no choice. He’d asked his mom to watch her, but she had a prior engagement to which she couldn’t take Madeline. Couldn’t leave her with Antonio since Shane needed at least one person to be with him for this insanity.
"Wake up." He shook the blanket-covered Antonio in the back seat.
"Indecent hour," Antonio mumbled. He rubbed his eyes beneath his sunglasses. Every inch of Antonio’s skin was covered from head to toe given that it was still daylight with the sunset at least a few hours away. He’d been irritable since they woke him up while trying to dress him for the move. He mentioned something about not risking deep sleep in the lycan den.
A dark sedan pulled next to them. From the driver’s seat, a tall, elegant lycan in a vest and button-down shirt emerged. Efrem? What was his mother’s right hand in all manner of mischief and mayhem doing here? Efrem came off deathly polite and gracious but could turn tyrannical in a heartbeat when necessary to ensure Evie’s bidding was done. This meant…
Things were about to spiral way out of control.
"If the three of you would please get in." Efrem said in his rich British accent while waving them to enter the back seat of the sedan.
"Why is he here?" Madeline asked.
"I don't like him." Antonio sneered as he pulled his hat lower and ducked his head away from the sun.
Shane nodded at the lycan. "Efrem. Where is she?"
"At her plane. We will depart as soon as you are on board." The reply came as if of course he should’ve known that. This also meant his mother was one chess move ahead of them. Maybe ahead of FenCor.
Efrem opened the back seat of his car. "Get. In."
Madeline said, "But we—"
