Faking a coughing fit I quickly excused myself. Ivan gave me a strange look as I apologised to the room of serious-faced men. As I ran through the corridors Alexander mind-linked me.
/Where are you going? /
/If Ivan is here, she is, and I want to catch her snooping in our room//Okay, return soon if she's not there/Heading up the stairs my black cloak with its ruby-red inner lining shimmered, catching the light from the stain-glass windows. My long grey tunic dress hampered my speed, inwardly cursing Fyre and wishing for some leggings. However, as I approached our suite I slowed to a cat-like crawl, taking steadying breaths.
I felt ridiculous as I sneaked, but there were no locked doors in the castle, trust was valued. However, on this occasion, a bodyguard and a rottweiler would have been handy. Creeping towards the door I slowly turned the handle and leapt in preparing to yell "gotcha!"
Instead, an empty room greeted me. Mocked by silence I
The revelations from Padgett shook me to my core, making my motorbike driving even more suspect. My hands shook and my focus was all over the place. After only a few minutes on the winding roads, slowly descending into the dry, arid valley of wheatgrasses where Winterfell was based Lucien pulled up. Motorcycle tyres skidded in frustration as he ripped a helmet from his head, his eyes narrowed and fierce, his huge legs between the bikes. I pulled up beside him, taking off my helmet and looking at the floor. There was too much to process to even start trying to talk to him. The idea that I had to abandon everything from Bram was impossible. His thinking, his morals and his beliefs had become my security blanket. I wouldn't have survived prison without being able to recall those happy times. “What’s going on, have you forgotten how to drive? You almost spun off back there?” “I…look I’m trying my best, can I have a bit of time to get my head straight?”
I let out a futile scream as I abandoned my scattered possessions and bolted into the field. Clearing the fence like a steeplechase, the tall wheatgrass was soon above my shoulders as I pushed my way through the stiff reeds. With Gitte hibernating my scent was considerably weaker. I had to hope that this could offer enough protection from detection. My heart raced and I wondered how far away Lucien would be now. He hadn't looked back at me when he took off into the horizon, there was no chance he heard my feeble scream. Crouching, I decided to try and wait it out, gently moving when the breeze shook the rest of the grass. Like a crab, I manoeuvred on all fours, low to the ground. The three men shouted back and forth. The lean one had stayed on top of the open truck, using its height to help find me. The two others had left the car and were combing the area for me. "Which way Grigor?" a frustrated older voice shouted, accompanied by the swishing sound
Launching myself at him like that I had no idea what response I'd get. There was just no way I was waiting alone on a roadside again. I wasn't ashamed to admit I was scared, or that I wanted him near. My kiss was loaded with a dozen different emotions all of which evaporated on impact with his soft lips. His body might have been rock solid but his lips were soft and yielding as I lunged myself towards him. As though waking from a dream Lucien took a few seconds before he responded hungrily to my embrace. I lost my breath as his arms swooped around me, wrapped me up tightly against him. His kisses were urgent, harsh and greedy yet I couldn’t get enough. Sparks crackled as my bare arms rested against his, wrapped around his neck, inadvertently massaging his scars. He broke away from my mouth to kiss my collarbone letting out a deep breath and a soft shudder. It was as though all the tension left him and I wondered if killing three men weighed heavier on him tha
Clutching my stack of notes I joined Alexander for a working dinner. Sat together eating fabulously rich steak, potatoes and vegetables we each combed through a stack of papers. Contentment hummed between us. It might be fairly mundane and boring, especially today where the briefings had lasted forever but we were together. Certain we were finally alone after the last servant cleared away our plates, I could finally tell Alexander what had happened with Azalea. I gave him my notebook to read and he went through our conversation. "She said all of this? She was that emotional?" he said after studying it for a while, "it doesn't sound like Azalea." "I know, I think she must be under a lot of stress. Maybe hiding things from Ivan or not comfortable with what Alpha Francis asks of her?" "How long do you think the assassin will be? Do you even think he will come back?" I searched my thoughts and came up with nothing. Fyre had nothing to offe
Thundering down the road whilst clutching Lucien's six-pack was the best therapy anyone could wish for. Forced to inhale his burnt citrus scent and nuzzle into the muscles of his back as he zipped down empty highways. When he went too fast for comfort I found myself gripping him tighter and I was certain he was doing it on purpose by the end. It was dark by the time he finally pulled up alongside another anonymous wheat field. Pointing to a clump of trees a few hundred metres he gestured over to it and grunted "I'll push the bike through the field, we will camp there tonight. It's warm enough." Reluctantly peeling myself from his muscular back and shoulders I instantly missed the sensation of his skin. That scent was so comforting even though most would find a burning scent alarming, I had been so close to him even though we now stood apart there was a trace of him on my clothes and it made my heart flutter a tiny bit. I knew if I had Gitte she would tell me
Plunging into my darkest, most hidden memories was like uncovering the worst kind of buried treasure. "I remember it but it's like watching a film with the sound off. It's happening and I was the one doing it but it's like an out of body thing to replay it. She settled onto the bed and lay down, I jumped out of my hiding place and slashed her throat. I did it again and again, not allowing her any chance to heal." I wrapped my arms around my waist and looked to the skies. "The aftermath was horrendous. The guilt made me sick for weeks, I cried constantly and both myself and Bram lost our wolves. I was devastated and even though there was no suspicion my way at all everything about me changed." "Did you not get what you wanted?" Lucien quietly asked. "In what sense? I turned eighteen the year after and we weren't mates. I was crushed but Bram swore he still loved and adored me. He said my devotion was enough even if we weren't mates. His brother
Another night, another dream of landing in the black pit of guilt and failure. Instead of headbutting a log, I jerked myself awake, quickly remembering I was in Lucien's arms. He woke up a little, stirring only to wrap his arm tighter around me. His huge arms formed a deliciously warm blanket around me once more However this time he wasn't completely asleep. Whether he was aware or not I felt him stiffening underneath his shorts as he pulled me closer towards him. Slowly pulsing against my legs, dangerously close to my core his length was pulsing into life. Quickly I tried to work out what I wanted from this. I already knew the answer. I steeled myself, perhaps he was dreaming of another woman, this Natasha, but maybe, just maybe he liked holding me? Like he said we were going our separate ways soon, why couldn't I be a bit selfish? He was quickly getting harder against my thigh so I gently shifted my legs, innocently encouraging him. Heat and longing p
When I'd enjoyed the roughness of his hands on my arms the other night I had no idea what it felt like to touch me at my most intimate places. Slowly he massages his palm deep inside me and I found myself lifting my leg a little higher, arching my back into his torso. He was so gentle it was torturous. Slow sweeping motions against my aching clit with those rough fingers were sending explosions up and down my body. My head was on his other arm as a pillow and I found myself nuzzling into it to stop myself headbutting him with my twitches. He toyed with me for some time, like I had done to him watching me rise and fall on the crest of a wave. I placed my free arm behind and grabbed his hair, pulling his face near my shoulder. I had imagined grabbing that hair many times now. I would never have guessed it would happen with me panting into his arm whilst his hand explored me. "Bella, you're so wet," he murmured and started planting kisses along my neck making me
FOUR YEARS LATERThe softly lapping river is a constant source of joy. It gives the small family within all they need. Fresh drinking water cleans their clothes and bodies. Little Zena, a black-haired bundle of energy loves creating boats out of anything she can get her hands on, green eyes with a cat-like tilt sparkling as she works.Her little brother Finn is more reserved, he can spend hours laid beside the river, the gentle sounds of the brook helping his imagination wander into the far-off lands of adventure he hears his parents talking about.Their parents were doting and kind. At night they would pack them into their big, shared bed, the duck feather mattresses and pillow cushioning them softly, and tell them tales of daring adventures. How on their motorcycles they had travelled hundreds of miles to the very
The familiar little cottage with the bent chimney soon came into view. My stomach churned but I tried to clamp down on my worries for Lucien. He knew what he was doing, my sending him waves of panic was hardly going to help.We pulled up outside the cottage and he sat for a minute with his head down breathing deeply. Hopping off the bike and taking my helmet off I slowly wandered down the crooked path towards the door. I had last knocked on this door living under Bram’s shadow, Gitte hiding in the wings. Padgett and whatever it was she could do was our best chance at getting some closure on the pain Lucien was suffering.The door slowly opened, and that familiar face reappeared. The chunky, clanging jewellery and grey eyes were the same. Her Wispy auburn hair scattered around her face like a misshapen crown and if anything she had become even plumper. She
Marked. Finally I had everything I ever wanted.Lucien's eyes went to the sky as he struggled to contain his pleasure. The base of his cock had swollen like a plug clamping us together. Every tiny movement rubbed my clit against it.After all the pleasure he had given me the tables were suddenly turned. Now knotted he was the one who could be pleasured no end. His eyes shot to mine as I rocked my hips. I think he thought I'd have nothing left.To be honest three earth shattering orgasms and I should have been out for the count. But that mark, being given that seemed to be a recharge and now all I wanted was to watch that handsome bastard lose it all over again."Bella," he said in a warning voice."What?" I said innocently, c
I had her right where I wanted her. Naked, the firelight bouncing off her immaculate body and all mine. She fully deserved this, all afternoon my cock had been in agony against the saddle of the bike.I'd sped up, swerved, slowed down to let her overtake me trying to think of anything to get her mind off my dick. The past few days have been unreal. It's a strange sensation allowing all this love and adoration to seep into my bones. She was everything, her grey eyes sparkling and laughing as she whizzed by in the sunshine.But right now, here in the moonlight she was all mine. Her quivering, shaking body was already wracked with pressure. Just my fingers probing inside her gave me fireworks, watching her jerk to my command made my dick twitch harder with every gulp of air she swallowed in.My dick didn't need any mor
Our first job was to get back to the gold. I kind of enjoyed having to live rough on the road again. I really am not made for the high end luxury life in a castle it turns out. The days were long but the views were stunning.Long open roads, winding valleys, lakes and the back of Lucien. I blamed the bikes, the vibration and the pebbly path but really, the reason I joyously leapt onto him and showered him with kisses every time we stopped was because I was that attracted to him.Three days staring at his back on the roads meant I knew the outline of his body better than my own. His soft boyish curls of short brown hair that softened his appearance. The wide, humongously muscled shoulders that looked as though they could rip trees from the ground.The very best thing was pulling up alongside him every so often and ca
My eyes fluttered open after a huge splash of water hit my face.A terrifying thought struck me as I spluttered back into consciousness that I was back in the river and that everything between Lucien and I had been a coma dream. Thankfully the first thing I saw, same as back when he first rescued me were those eyes. Kind, full of love and concern and for the first time, brimming with tears.“Lucien, they said I could go,” I whispered, placing my hand on his cheek softly brushing away his tear.He didn’t say a word, just held me closer to him, squeezing me as though I might fly away if he loosened his grip. “Lucien, we can be together,” I whispered again, this time placing a soft kiss upon his cheek.He stroked my hair softly, although
Beta Jackson was sent on his mission before the sun rose this morning. We had found out their location yesterday to be honest but I pleaded with Alexander to give them one more night.“If had been us, possibly separated forever, what harm would it do?” I had said.“Your faith in them still being there is staggering,” he grunted, kissing me and playing with one of my long brown curls as we sat on the bleachers together once more. We were finding ourselves outside of the castle more frequently.Almost as though the castle had become a place with too many associations, too many awful things had happened. Murder, devastation and plots had spoiled it for a while. Being amongst the gardens, watching the defence training taking place whilst taking deep lungful’s of air, that made us happ
I had imagined every possible scenario for how this meeting would go. I remembered her parents from some of the Full Moon Balls. They were fairly plain but both shared Grace’s pale blue eyes. They had lived in Silver City then, as soon as Grace had been mated to Bram they had been allocated a town house in the centre. Apparently Grace had been a regular visitor to them. I once saw them walking around the market square just outside the castle and felt a wave of guilt. Of course the times she went for these visits were the same times Bram visited me. I often dreamed that Bram encouraged her visits, so desperate to spend time with me, it made me feel special. From my room I could see the castle courtyard and I would watch her head off, blonde hair bouncing and flowing as the crowds gave way for her. It was my prompt to make sure I was ready, knowing any second B
We held hands tightly in silence all the way there. Entwined together like ancient tree branches. There was nothing to say that we hadn't covered last night. It is not a word I use but it was perfect. It made confessing the stains of my life, my savage destruction of my own family feel like it was worth it. Airing out the poison in order to create a clean, fresh start. My mind buzzed with the possibility that perhaps this medicine woman might be the one to finally reconnect me with my family. My mother in particular. I got my greeny eyes from and nothing else. She was a small dark haired woman with a sparkling laugh and a constant need to be in contact. As I told Bella last night you couldn't move in our house, neither me or Felicia without being swept into a cuddle, a squeeze or a hair ruffle by her. I didn't tell Bella that she was exactly the type of