Bound By Vengeance Read online

  Her heat sank through his jeans, scorching his thigh as she rubbed against him. The sharp bite of her fingernails against his bare back drove him wild, sending the last bits of coherent thought spiraling away.

  He had to feel more of her. He needed her skin against his—as much as he could get.

  Liam distracted her with another kiss while he shoved her loose T-shirt up, exposing her belly and breasts.

  The smooth heat of her naked skin against his abdomen sent a sizzling hiss of electric current through him. His muscles locked up as the wave of intense pleasure passed.

  Dakota had also gone still. She let out a breathy sigh, and goose bumps rose along her skin.

  “Do that again,” she whispered.

  “I didn’t do it the first time.” At least he hadn’t done it purposefully.

  Liam felt a quick tug of power rip from him, and a second later, Dakota used a burst of strength to flip him onto his back.

  “Maybe I did it.” A wicked smile warmed her mouth and promised him things he could hardly wait for.

  Without so much as a blush, she pulled the shirt off over her head, revealing her body to him.

  Beautiful didn’t begin to cover her. She was all smooth curves and damp skin. Her breasts were made for fantasies, her nipples hard and begging for attention. A needy flush darkened her skin, making the luceria stand out in contrast.

  She was his. The proof of it was right there for all to see. He didn’t know for how long, but right now, she was as much his as he was hers, and he wasn’t letting this moment pass by without reveling in it. Even in a life as long as his, moments like this were rare and fleeting.

  Dakota sat straddling his hips, and he could feel damp heat sinking through her panties and his jeans. His cock throbbed, jerking toward her in an effort to get closer. He grabbed her waist, though he wasn’t sure if he did so to hold her still, or to pull her tighter against him. All he knew was he needed more.

  Her hands splayed on his chest, her fingers digging into his muscles. The look on her face was one of enjoyment and hunger, and her posture was that of a woman on a mission.

  She closed her eyes. He felt her pull power through their link. Hot current sank into his skin, riding along his nerves until it lived within his spine and wound around it. Pleasure wasn’t the word for it. The sensation felt too good for such an inadequate description.

  Dakota arched her back and moaned. Her breasts thrusting toward him was more of an invitation than he could stand. His fingers slid up over her ribs, reveling in her smooth softness. The curve of her breasts fit his hand just right.

  Liam’s hands looked huge against her delicate frame. It reminded him to be gentle with her. Savor her.

  He sat up so he could kiss her neck. His tongue and teeth inched over her throat until he reached the luceria. Its living heat shocked him. The vibration of it, humming in time with his ring, reminded him of just how precious she was. He still couldn’t believe he’d found her. Even harder to believe was the desire he felt flowing from her, heating their link.

  He had to find a way to keep her at his side. If her vow to him couldn’t bind them together forever, then maybe the heat flaring between them now could somehow weld them together. If he could make her feel good, then maybe she’d stay.

  Liam was determined to give her the kind of pleasure that Dakota would never forget.

  Chapter Seven

  Dakota had never felt want like this before. She’d never been consumed with need for something the way she was now. Lust was a living, hungry beast thrashing inside of her, and if she didn’t feed it soon, it was going to drive her mad.

  Liam wasn’t moving nearly fast enough. He was taking his time, lingering over every inch of her skin when not nearly enough of his was bared to her.

  “Take off your pants,” she said, the command ringing clearly in her voice.

  He ignored her, drawing her nipple deeper into his mouth.

  Arcs of electric sensation zinged through her, collecting in her belly. Heat poured from her body so fast she was sure it would lift her from the ground at any moment. Her hands slid over his damp skin, kneading and clawing at his heavy, hard muscles.

  She kept trying to take control of the pace, but Liam refused to let her rush. Each lazy swirl of his tongue on her skin coiled her tighter until she was sure the tension would kill her.

  She reached for his waistband. His hands caught and held hers, stopping her from getting what she wanted.

  That burst of power she’d used earlier had left her weak and shaking. Or maybe that was all Liam’s doing. The man had a kiss so good it could make a woman go boneless.

  Still, her need to have him inside her could not be ignored. If he wasn’t going to listen to words, then maybe there was another way.

  She’d been catching fleeting glimpses of his thoughts for the past few hours. The longer she’d tried to see into his mind, the better at it she got, but so far, all she’d been able to sense were little bits and pieces. A flash of something here, a wisp of feeling there. All the pieces built on top of one another, sketching an outline of the man he was on the inside, but so far it had been a one-way street. She hadn’t tried to show him how she felt.

  Until now.

  Dakota bundled up her need for him, her clawing, aching desire to be as close to him as possible. It was more than just a physical need. There was something driving her forward, pushing her to strengthen the bond between them.

  She let him feel the way his touch made her skin tingle, the way her blood burned through her, hotter with every kiss. She focused on the empty ache gnawing away at her, bundled it up and shoved it at him as hard as she could.

  Liam sucked in a shocked breath and let it out as a heavy, growling moan. His pale blue eyes went dark as his pupils flared. His mouth tightened and a muscle in his jaw bulged. He looked angry. If she hadn’t been tied to his thoughts and felt his own lust answer the call of hers, she would have thought he was furious. Instead, she saw his expression for what it was. His lust, her victory.

  She was going to get exactly what she wanted.

  Liam gripped the side of her panties and ripped the seam free. His fingers slipped along her labia, sending a hot, electric current streaking through her core. She parted her legs, trying to encourage him to deepen his touch. Instead he continued to tease her with slow, tantalizing strokes.

  Dakota kissed him again, letting him feel her desperation. She left stinging bites along his jaw and neck, then soothed them with her tongue. Her lips vibrated with his throaty growl, so low she couldn’t hear it, only feel it.

  One thick finger slid inside her, gliding easily. She froze and held her breath, in awe of the raw sensation that single stroke sent flying through her. It was almost too much, but at the same time not nearly enough.

  “More,” she breathed against his neck.

  But instead of giving her more, he pulled his hand away, leaving her aching with emptiness that gnawed at her.

  He wrapped one arm around her bottom and stood in a single, powerful movement. Her back hit the wall, the chill of it driving the air from her lungs. He pinned her there while he unfastened his jeans.

  Pressed against him like this, she could feel the power of his body radiating out. Each rigid bulge of muscle delighted her, not only because she found his body wickedly tempting, but because that strength meant safety. Shielded by such power, she knew nothing bad could ever touch her.

  Liam shifted her weight, lifting her until he could kiss her mouth. The wall was cold behind her, his body a furnace at her front. Sweat beaded between them, making their bodies slip against one another. She gripped his hips with her legs and felt his erection hard and hot, right where she wanted it.

  He lifted his head and stared into her eyes while he let her slide down onto his cock. Like the rest of him, it was big. Her body accepted him, but the stretch was intense, sending so much pleasure through her it was almost pain. She shuddered, trembling as she stared into his eyes. H
is breathing was labored. His cheeks were dark with lust. The expression on his face was one of challenge, as if he was daring her to tell him to stop.

  Never. This felt too good for her to ever ask for that.

  Her body was bathed in electric sparks of pure pleasure. She could feel the stinging little jolts arching between them. His long hair lifted from his shoulders, making him look like some kind of wild beast. She wanted to keep watching him, but the pressure inside her was overwhelming, sucking her in and taking over.

  Her eyes fluttered shut as Liam filled her as deep as she could take him. Surrounded by him like this, filled by him, she could think of nothing else. No worries, no fears. The world beyond them no longer mattered. All that mattered was their merged bodies and the pleasure they could give each other.

  He stayed still for so long she began to wonder if he was okay. She reached for his mind, finding it easily. There was no effort this time. The connection between them had widened to the point that she wasn’t sure she could survive accepting the flow of so much energy if he flooded her with it.

  “Don’t think about that now,” said Liam, his voice strained. “Just feel.”

  He began to move and Dakota’s thoughts were washed away by that single, gliding stroke.

  She clung to his shoulders, unable to do anything else. She wasn’t normally the kind of woman to let the man set the pace, but Liam needed no help to get it right. Each thrust was timed perfectly to drive her higher, pushing her hard and fast toward orgasm.

  Her mind flooded with new sensations that were as foreign as they were compelling. It took her a moment to realize that he was letting her feel what he felt—the way her body hugged his erection and how good that slick grip felt, the press of her hard nipples against his chest and the sweet sound of her breathy cries.

  Sharing that with him heightened her senses, blurring the lines between where her body stopped and his began. It was incredible, intoxicating.

  Dakota wanted him to feel that, too, so she followed his lead and tried to give him her own experience.

  Liam’s hands tightened on her hips and he pressed her harder against the wall. His hips sped their pace until it was no longer lazy, but demanding.

  Every nerve ending in her body began to light up and sizzle with a buildup of current. Her orgasm bore down on her, hurling toward her fast and hard. She held on tighter to him, both eager for and afraid of what was happening.

  “Look at me,” growled Liam.

  She forced her eyes open, unable to stop herself from obeying his command.

  His face was tight, his jaw bulging with power. Tendons in his neck stood out. Sweat beaded over his brow. His eyes were nearly black with lust. Sparks arched through his hair and dribbled down over his body in a brilliant display of blue and white. She’d never seen anything so beautiful in her life.

  Pressure grew inside her. Or maybe it was inside of him. She could no longer tell. The line between them was gone now. She felt everything. Too much. Her mind struggled to make sense of it all, but there was no room for thought. She was too full of sensation and pleasure.

  His voice was so rough she could barely recognize it, but the command pulsing inside it was undeniable. “Come,” he said. And she did.

  Her body exploded with pleasure so fierce she was sure it would tear her apart. Sparks danced between them and sprayed off into the surrounding air. She cried out, unable to stop herself from screaming as her body was consumed by sensations that went beyond physical.

  Liam let out a growling roar and gripped her tighter. His cock swelled and the heavy pulse of his semen filled her, pushing her to the limits of pleasure. She felt each wave of his climax in time with hers, and gave up trying to stay quiet.

  Slowly, the cataclysm eased. The sparks dribbled and fell to the floor. They went quiet except for their labored breathing and their galloping hearts.

  Dakota was too weak to open her eyes. She laid her head on Liam’s shoulder and snuggled against his neck, uncaring of what happened next.

  She felt him wake. He laid her on a bed and left her body. Wetness cooled along her front and between her thighs. A moment later, the bed dipped and Liam was at her back. He held her close and stroked her skin with lazy swipes of his wide hand.

  Exhaustion bore down on her. She tried to fight it. She didn’t want to sleep through this glowing haze or miss a moment of their time together.

  “Sleep,” he told her. “Regain your strength. You’re going to need it.”

  Just the thought of another round like that with him sent a thrill racing through her limp body. But then another thought encroached on her bliss. There was another reason she was going to need her strength. Something important. Something that had nothing to do with sex or pleasure.

  Something dangerous.

  Liam tugged Dakota into sleep before her mind could wander too far into dark territory. They only had one more night left to find the trail and kill the demon. After that, his luceria would fall from her neck and he’d be back to where he’d started. Alone and without hope. Even worse, he now knew what it was like to fulfill his purpose in life, and now that he’d had a taste, he’d know exactly what he was missing.

  This connection, this closeness . . . it was incredible. At least it was with Dakota.

  He held his hand up and studied his ring. Vibrant blues swirled within the band, though much more slowly than they had only a few hours ago.

  The intimacy they’d shared had sped the process and lowered his chances of survival if they separated, but he couldn’t regret it. Still, it proved how little control he had when it came to Dakota.

  Sex alone wouldn’t have made such a difference. But she’d touched his mind, shared space with him in a way that was more than physical. He’d felt things through her in a way he hadn’t even known was possible. There were stories, of course, but not one of them lived up to the vivid beauty and depth of reality.

  His body hummed pleasantly. Physically, he was tired, but his mind was racing. Her passion blew him away and left him reeling. He’d never met a woman like her before. She was fierce but fragile, wounded but determined to move forward. Her family had seemingly abandoned her, but she didn’t let that become the focus of her life. She moved forward. Kept trying despite fear and past failures. Perhaps because of them.

  She thought her brother’s death was her fault. It wasn’t, but that wasn’t the kind of thing that she would believe simply because he told her so. She had to find her own path to forgiving herself, and the one she’d chosen was vengeance.

  He didn’t agree that it would ease her guilt, but he was determined to help her see this through. Whatever she needed, it was his duty to see that she got it.

  Liam watched her sleep as the day spun away outside. She was so pretty. He couldn’t stop himself from touching her. Her strawberry blond curls were a total mess, but soft against his fingers. He stroked them away from her face, reveling in this chance to simply be with her. Night would soon come and they’d have to leave the safety and isolation of this place to hunt the demon, but until then, she was his, and he wasn’t going to miss a moment of it.

  He kept his touch light so as not to wake her, but he couldn’t keep his hands to himself. He stroked her skin, soaking up as much of her as he could. Even though she slept, minute sparks of power seemed to cling to her. Wherever their skin touched, he felt that tingling vibration he’d come to associate with Dakota.

  He couldn’t get enough. Not before dark. Maybe not even before they parted ways. Hell, he wasn’t sure he could ever get enough of her. He’d seen inside of her—her thoughts and feelings. He’d lived inside her memories for a brief time. Even now as she slept, his connection to her was growing, giving him the ability to experience little flickering bits of her dreams.

  The more of her he saw, the more he liked. He tried to hold back his growing feelings, knowing that they could speed their bond and his possible death, but it was like trying to hold back a river. No matter how many ba
rriers he erected, her sweetness seeped into him, warming him and filling up all the lonely spaces that had been carved from him over the years.

  She was a part of him now, and whatever happened, he’d be altered by her presence forever.

  Dakota stirred in her sleep, rolling into his embrace. She tucked her head under his chin and snuggled against him. Her breath fanned gently across his chest. The branches of his lifemark arched toward her as if needing to be closer. Just like Liam needed to be closer.

  The urge was relentless, driving him to tear down the barriers he’d erected to protect himself. Tying himself to her any further would be dangerous, but his instincts didn’t care about the danger the way his intellect did. Instincts wanted him to claim her and never let her go. Intellect knew that he had no control over such things. It was her choice.

  The battle exhausted him until the pull of sleep was irresistible. With Dakota held tight in his arms, he tumbled into sleep and into dreams that were not his own. They were hers, and they were filled with yearning for what she’d lost and fear she’d lose more. He tried to comfort her and reassure her that she’d never lose someone she loved again, but they both knew that was a lie.

  When he woke it was dark outside. It was time to wake her and take her into danger. No more quiet moments together. No more holding her in his arms. The night ahead would likely take him into battle, and with any luck at all, he’d slay the demon that had killed her brother.

  And if he didn’t, he’d have to find a way to give her up. Perhaps she’d give one of his brothers a chance. One thing he knew for sure, whether he was bound to her or not, he was going to make sure she was safe, even if he had to tie her up and carry her back to Dabyr by force. He wouldn’t leave her alone to face the beasts that would doubtlessly come after her.

  Liam stroked her face one last time before he woke her. He wanted to memorize how she looked right now, safe and content, lying next to him with complete trust.