Page 29 of Her Dark Powers

I nodded. “But you don’t have to, it’s not like I’m ordering you to or...”

He shook his head and stripped off his shirt. “Be quiet, Tory.”

I shut up as he removed his socks and trousers, climbing into my bed wearing nothing but his boxers. I reminded myself I was exhausted and needed sleep.

“Yes, you do,” he agreed, pulling the covers over himself and moving close so our forearms touched.

I blushed, realising I’d said that out loud. His eyes were closed, but he smiled.

“Go to sleep. Tomorrow is another day, and more cats.”

I laughed and closed my eyes, allowing myself finally to drift off to sleep.

Chapter fourteen

WEST

Itwasthesamedream as always. I heard the sound of sand being thrown onto the wooden box, and I watched as the tiny amount of light that filtered through the cracks slowly disappeared as the sand blotted out the sun. I tried to move, tried to fight, but I couldn’t. The pain in my broken bones ricocheted through my body, and I’d lost too much blood to even consider shifting. Funnily enough, the pain of my broken nose seemed to hurt the worst. They had broken me body and mind, but not soul. I looked at my goddess, the remaining light showing me a darkened version of her. They could never break my soul, that belonged to her forever, as did my heart. Her breathing was erratic and laboured, and I could smell her blood, causing the hunger to burn inside me. They had broken her bones as well, and I felt her pain as I knew she felt mine. I reached out to touch her hand, but at the movement, she opened her mouth and screamed.

“Austin! Austin, wake up!”

My eyes flew open and met hers as she leaned over me. I wrapped my arms around her, crushing her to my chest in a desperate embrace. I couldn’t catch my breath, but I couldn’t let her go either. I ran my hands over her body, telling myself she was safe, whole, and unharmed.

“Austin, I’m fine. I’m here.” She ran her hands over my hair and face and pressed her lips to mine. I kissed her back, revelling in the taste of her. At any other time, the feel of her mouth on mine would have sent desire raging through my body, but I still shook from the memory and pain of losing her, and I just needed to know she was here. I buried my face into her hair, taking deep breaths as I forced myself to calm.

You idiot, I thought, suddenly tensing.What must she think of you? Hardly the behaviour of the man who’s supposed to be protecting her. I pulled away, but she placed her hands on either side of my face and forced me to look at her.

“Oh no you don’t. I am not letting you pull away like that again,” Tory stated firmly, her eyes blazing gold.

“Well... I have to pull away. I need to get up and get ready. I want to call a few more people, see if they have any information on—” She kissed me again. I paused, surprised, and then I kissed her back. It only lasted a few moments before she pulled back and looked at me.

“I don’t mean physically pulling back, I mean emotionally. You always do that. You show me a hint of something real and then you freeze and pull away, and all I’m left with is the arsehole.”

I laughed at that, but a small voice inside me told me she was right, and she deserved better. My smile faded, and I sighed. “I’ve spent so long trying to be strong, and it’s just hard to be weak, even with you.”

“Connecting with someone doesn’t make you weak, it makes you stronger,” she told me. “It took me some time to learn that too, but now I’m all in, and I need you to be too.”

I reached out and stroked her hair, twisting a wayward curl around my fingers. “It was a dream, a nightmare.”

“Well, I didn’t think you started screaming for the fun of it,” she replied dryly.

“It was something that happened... in another lifetime. It just felt so real, everything was so real, and I...” I trailed off, and she wrapped her arms around me and snuggled in, laying her head on my chest and pushing me back down onto the bed. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close.

“You don’t have to tell me the details if you don’t want to,” she murmured. “I trust you, but I need you to trust me and not try to pretend that something hasn’t upset you when it has.” I nodded, and she felt it, because she added, “This has to go both ways, Austin, trust and reliance, or it can’t work. That’s where we’ve been going wrong for so long. I need you, and you need me too.”

She lifted up, crossing her arms and resting them on my chest as she looked down at me. Her crazy hair formed a dark halo around her head, tipped with gold in the morning light. The pale blue silk pyjamas she wore crushed softly against me, mimicking the feel of her smooth brown skin, and I smiled up at her, the tightness easing in my chest.

“I do need you,” I admitted. I glanced to the side to see that Jack had actually left. His early morning runs were becoming a habit again. They kept his head clear, and right now I was really appreciating the routine. I looked back up at her, my goddess, resplendent in the sunshine, and I slid my hands down her back and over her delightfully rounded ass, pulling her tighter against me. “I need you,” I whispered, pressing my hardening cock between her legs.

Her mouth fell open, and I did it again, watching as her eyes closed and she pushed herself against me. I pressed my lips against her neck, brushing her hair away so I could trail my mouth down her tempting throat.

“I need you,” I whispered again into her ear, rocking her against me. She let out a breath and opened her eyes to look into mine. Hers blazed gold with desire, and I rolled over, pinning her under me. I moved between her legs, rubbing against her, knowing that she could feel how hard I was through her thin pyjama bottoms and my boxers.

“Austin,” she whispered, pushing against me.

I took her mouth, swallowing her sighs as I kissed her deeply. I wanted to go slow, to take my time remembering and discovering every inch of her body. I was hers completely, and I wanted to make her mine again. I slid my hand up over her ribcage, cupping her breast lightly in my hand. It was perfectly shaped and just the right size for me to cup in my hand. I pushed her top up and broke the kiss, leaning down to take her dark nipple into my mouth. She gave a small cry, her hands running through my hair as I sucked hard, loving the way it hardened to a point inside my mouth. My fingers trailed down her front and slid between her legs. She moaned as I found the junction between them. My cock jerked in my boxers as I found she was already wet for me. The silk of her trousers was soaked through, and I pressed the heel of my hand against her clit, rubbing in gentle circles. She arched her back, pushing up to meet me, wanting more, and I obliged.

“I need you, Tory,” I murmured, releasing her nipple to whisper in her ear again. “I need you in my arms. I need your fangs inside my skin as I make you come. I need my cock buried so deep inside you that you scream my name over and over...”

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