Hunted By Firelight by Krista Street

Chapter 19

~ WYATT ~

Dim sunlight slipped past the curtains’ seams. Avery’s warm body pressed against my side, her soft puffs of breath even and deep.

I stared down at her as the night returned to me in vivid details.

Her gasps.

Her moans.

The feel of her stroking me, tasting me, riding me.

My dick was hard again. It had been since I’d woken up.

My wolf growled in contentment, and for the first time since I’d claimed her at the Bulgarian libraries, he wasn’t itching and clawing at me to shift or to claim her again. He still wanted a claiming, but the fact that Avery continued to grow closer to us and wanted to be with us, physically at least, quieted his soul. For now.

But I knew that wouldn’t last forever.

I lay on my side, propping myself up on my elbow and cupping my head so I could watch Avery sleep. I trailed a hand softly up her hip, marveling at the smooth feel of her skin, the curve of her waist, the swell of her breast.

Gods, she’s beautiful.

She stirred a few moments later. I dipped down, kissing her softly on the neck. “Good morning, Little Flower.”

She murmured something, still not fully awake, but she rolled onto her back, her breasts completely bare for me to admire. Her toned yet soft stomach called to me, and her womanly mound which was still concealed by the sheets taunted me.

Not being able to help myself, I ran my finger along the shape of her breast again.

She shivered, her lips parting before she murmured something sleepily.

I trailed my finger down her stomach. Goosebumps sprouted on her skin, and my cock was so hard now it pulsed.

She sighed, and her body stretched languidly.

I moved the sheets down more, little by little, until her womanly mound was exposed.

“Gods,” I said in a hoarse whisper. Already I could scent her. Her sex was moistening, her lips swelling. My mate’s body was readying for me again, even though she was still half asleep.

Mine. The savage possessive thought seared my thoughts. My mate.

And it was true. She was mine. The way her body responded to me proved that. Only a true mate could become so ready so easily with only a few touches. And even though she was half asleep, she still responded, which cemented what my wolf and I already knew. She was our mate. Our true mate.

“I want to touch you.”

Her lips curved up in a sleepy smile. “Yes.”

Her monosyllabic response was all the encouragement I needed. My hand dipped, my fingers gently parting her folds until I was playing and stroking her in a way that I knew drove her mad.

Within minutes, she was panting and writhing, becoming more awake by the second, yet she still seemed somewhat lethargic from the fucking we’d done during the night.

I rolled her so that she was on her side again, her ass against me, then lifted her knee so her sex was easily exposed.

She gasped when my tip parted her lips from behind, then she arched her back to allow me to enter her inch by inch.

“Gods. So wet.”

She moaned softly, arching more before wiggling to get me deeper inside her.

My breath hissed. She gripped me like a glove and already my cock was pulsing in anticipation.

When I was fully sheathed, I clamped a hand on the curve of her hip and began to move. Breathy gasps and little moans escaped my mate. Her sounds of pleasure only made me harder.

I moved deeper and rougher, rubbing her in the way I knew she loved.

“Wyatt,” she whispered. Grasping the bed sheets, her fingers curling into them as the musky tint in her scent increased.

I inhaled, my nostrils flaring, then I nipped her earlobe and rocked my hips harder, increasing my tempo as I thrust into her.

Her channel grew slicker, gripping me even tighter as she arched again, moaning deeply.

I locked onto her hip, anchoring her in place, and her moans increased.

She gasped when my pace sped up even more, until I was slapping into her from behind, fucking her in every sense of the word.

“Don’t stop!”

My hand slid around to play with her taut nub, and she shuddered and panted when I pinched and fondled that bundle of nerves.

“Wyatt!” she called out, and in that one word, I could sense she was close.

I tapped her, then lightly swirled, and it was enough to send her over the edge.

She screamed my name as her channel convulsed and tightened. With a guttural roar, I slammed into her one last time, and we climaxed together.

She moaned over and over as her orgasm refused to release its grip. The entire time I stayed buried inside her, letting her ride the waves on my dick and loving that I could pleasure her so intensely that her releases all but consumed her.

And when we both came down from our highs, she turned to me, my dick slipping out of her while she pushed hair from her face. A mischievous, sleepy smile tilted her lips, and that one look let me know that my mate had finally, fully accepted my courtship.

My wolf rumbled in pleasure.

Mine.

“Good morning,” she said shyly.

I grinned, my smile lazy and content since she and I were in the place I’d always dreamed of—fucking and loving each other every day and multiple times per day. How long had I fantasized about this?

Leaning down, I kissed her softly. “Morning, mate.”

Her cheeks blushed at that declaration, but I could tell from the happiness tingling her scent that she liked it.

I nipped her neck, my teeth grazing her skin. Every time I fucked her, my canines elongated, but I knew she wasn’t ready for that yet. But in time she would be.

She stretched, her glorious body rubbing against me, and before I knew what was happening, I was hardening again, wanting her all over again.

Except this time, unlike under the dome, she didn’t show any hesitation or fear. If anything, excitement danced in her eyes, followed quickly by lust.

I rumbled in awe when my mate spread her legs, her womanly lips open and dripping, still wet from our fucking only a few minutes ago.

She giggled when I sank into her again, but when I began to move, all laughter died from her lips as her need became as great as mine.

“My mate,” I whispered into her ear as I began to plunder her sex again.

She gasped and arched, tilting her hips to meet my thrusts. “Yes,” she whispered.

I shuddered, my wolf purring in pleasure as our mating bond grew.

∞     ∞     ∞

We fell asleep again and didn’t wake up until mid-morning. The fact that I didn’t have to get up, that I could spend all day in bed with my mate since I was technically still on rest duty, made my wolf purr.

Avery pushed up onto her elbows and glanced toward the desk. “What’s that?” Her long dark hair tumbled down her back, and her lips were swollen from all of my kisses.

I slid an arm possessively around her waist and followed her gaze. A flashing light came from my tablet.

“It means I have a message, but that can wait. I’m off duty, and I have no desire to get up when I have a vixen like you in my bed.”

She giggled, trying to muffle her laugh behind her hand but to no avail. She playfully slugged my shoulder. “I’m not a vixen.”

“Really? ’Cause from what I’ve seen, you’re entirely a vixen. You suck my cock better than anything I’ve ever dreamed of, and you’re insatiable even though I’ve already pleasured you three—”

“Wyatt!” she hissed, and slapped a hand over my mouth, but laughter danced in her eyes. “What if somebody hears you?”

I nipped at her palm, then slid my tongue along it. Her eyes darkened. Before she could utter another word, I rolled her beneath me and had her pinned to the sheets.

She gasped, her legs automatically parting.

My chest rumbled with pleasure at how readily she accepted me. I sank between her thighs and began kissing her neck. “Nobody can hear,” I said between nips and kisses. “Cloaking spell, remember? You can scream as loud as you want.”

She tilted her head to the side, giving me better access to the perfect curve just below her ear.

My tablet buzzed in quick succession. I froze.

“What was that?”

Dammit. “A high-priority message, which means I have to answer it.” Sighing, I paused my downward journey.

Naked, I swung off the bed and swaggered to my tablet on the small writing desk. I knew my mate watched me. I could feel it. Just as I knew her gaze crawled up my legs, over my ass, and traveled the width of my shoulders.

The muskiness in her scent increased, and I felt like strutting around, giving her a full view of my body since her scent let me know how much she found my physical form appealing.

But, despite feeling like a cocky ass who wanted to puff around like a peacock, I didn’t.

As always, duty called, and I’d never been one to hide from duty, even if my mate was naked in our bed with her sex ready for round four—as tempting as that was.

I picked up my tablet and saw who the message was from. Nicholas.

“What’s it say?” Avery asked.

I glanced her way and immediately forgot what I was doing. She was toying with her hair and the sheet on our bed had fallen to her waist, giving me a full view of her bare breasts. Her nipples were peaked, those tempting buds taut and protruding.

For a moment, I simply held my tablet immobile as my attention fixated on those two perfect globes.

She curled another piece of hair around her finger. “Well? What does it say?”

Shaking myself out of my daze, I glanced down at my tablet and finally read Nicholas’s message.

Permission granted to bring a copy of the documents to you. Departing now.

“Shit. He’s traveling by portal key. He’s probably already here.”

She cocked her head. “Who?”

“Nicholas Fitzpatrick. He’s coming here with documents from the Bulgarian libraries.”

When she continued to look at me quizzically, I added, “Nicholas Fitzpatrick is the vampire who was with me when you woke up in the field.”

“Oh, that blond guy.”

“Yeah, that blond guy.” With a regretful sigh, I eyed my mate’s naked breasts one last time. “I need to shower and dress. Do you want to stay in here or come down with me?”

“I’ll come down. I wouldn’t mind hearing what he’s found, and I’m hungry.” She stood from the bed, and for the first time in my history at the SF, I actually considered saying fuck it to everything and throwing her over my shoulder and dragging her back to the mattress. We could have the servants bring us food in bed.

“Your eyes are glowing.” She sauntered past me bare-assed, her perfect tits begging for my attention as her toned legs glided across the floor. “And your, ahem”—She glanced down at my cock—“looks like it needs something.”

Of course, I was rock-hard again. “Do you want to join me in the shower?” I practically stepped on her heels since I was in such a hurry to follow her into the bathroom.

She gave me a cheeky smile over her shoulder, a twinkle in her eyes. “I thought you’d never ask.”

∞     ∞     ∞

We made it downstairs after a quickie in the shower. While we’d been occupied, one of the servants had brought our bags which we’d left in the Bulgarian libraries, so Avery was able to wear her own clothes from earth—jeans and a ribbed shirt that clung to her curves.

I guessed that Nicholas had not only brought a copy of the documents but our belongings too. A flare of gratitude slid through me. The vamp certainly seemed intent on making things right between us.

Squad Three was, of course, already up and probably had been for hours. Nobody commented on our late appearance, but Charlotte did muffle a cough when Avery strolled by her, and Marnee’s gaze followed my every move.

I kept an eye on the siren, nostrils flaring, as I took in her scent. That coating of jealousy still lingered, but she didn’t say anything, and she wasn’t shooting daggers at my mate today.

Still, she needed to return to the sea. It was possible she’d even be pulled from this assignment to do so.

Charlotte hauled Avery to one of the couches, and my mate’s cheeks flushed when Meestry ushered several servants forward who carried hot tea and scones.

She took a cup and a pastry, already falling into conversation with her friend.

When the servant passed me, I grabbed three scones. Famished, I wolfed them down. My high metabolism meant I ate a lot and often, but the buttery flavorful pastry only tasted so good.

Nicholas’s vampire stench carried to me from down the hall along with his and Bavar’s quiet conversation. I slipped out of the door, my footsteps silent as I prowled to one of the seating rooms off the Jeulic wing, about three doors down from where Squad Three lounged.

Nicholas’s scent grew stronger the closer I got to the seating room. The door squeaked when I opened it, giving away my presence.

“Ah, there he is. Joining us at last.” Bavar checked the time. “Hours at it this morning with his mate. Most impressive. You wolves really do have admirable stamina.”

I snorted, knowing full well that fairy males who were enamored with a female were just as prolific in bed. As were vampires—rumor had it they could keep it up all night. My gaze slid to Nicholas.

He stood up gracefully from the wingback he’d been sitting on, his trousers perfectly pressed, his shirt open at the collar as the scent of an expensive cologne drifted my way. I inhaled. While the cologne was strong, it by no means covered up the vampire stench beneath it, which smelled of mothballs and rotting cabbage.

While vampires were perfectly preserved after they were changed, they were still dead—their skin forever holding a hint of aged flesh even though they never actually decayed.

As far as I knew, only male werewolves could detect that underlying odor since it was subtle. I even knew a few wolves who were mated to female vampires. I figured the mating bond made the stench obsolete.

A brief image of Avery dying in the field shot to the front of my mind and how Nicholas had offered to turn her. Thank the Gods he hadn’t. Not because she also would have carried a vampire’s odor, but because I’d never be free of Nicholas if he’d become Avery’s maker.

My thoughts paused. Would that really have been so bad? Nicholas was proving not to be the horrible creature I’d always thought he was.

But then my wolf growled. No, my wolf was right. It would be that bad. Neither of us wanted to share even a sliver of Avery with anyone.

“Major Jamison.” Nicholas inclined his head.

I startled, realizing I’d been thinking about Nicholas for far too long. “Mr. Fitzgerald.” I moved to his side. “Thank you for coming. What have you found?”

He waved toward a piece of paper in a tube that leaned against the couch.

“Shall we?” Bavar waved toward a large table by the far wall. “I thought this room would be best so that Nicholas could roll the parchment out.”

My eyebrows rose. “Only one document?”

“Only one photo.” Nicholas picked up the tube. “The other information we’ve found is here.” He tapped his pocket.

Photo?

The three of us went to the table, and my palms tingled in anticipation since Nicholas had deemed this an urgent finding.

In a flurry of vampire speed, Nicholas had the tube unscrewed and the paper spread out like butter.

“And there you have it.” Nicholas waved toward the picture.

Bavar and I leaned forward, studying the drawing on the paper just as a shuffle of feet sounded behind us.

Avery’s lilac scent danced toward me, along with Nicholas’s sharp intake of breath before a slight hint of the vampire’s arousal wafted my way.

A growl rumbled from my throat, my wolf’s hackles rising just as Avery reached my side.

I was already reaching for her, ready to slide my arm possessively around her waist, in case the vampire needed a reminder that she was off-limits, but her sharp intake of breath and her sour scent of fear stopped me.

Frowning, I turned toward her, but she’d backed away, her eyes wide, violet light flashing in her irises.

Her gaze had glued to the drawing—to the picture of the elf that it held. He had olive-green skin, huge pointed ears that rose above his head, and a cold, terrifying smile.

She pointed at the picture, then backed up more. “Oh my gods, that’s him. That’s the man who tried to take me at the inn. He’s the one in my dreams, the one who’s been searching for me. He commands the Sacred Circle.”