Heart of Stone - Book 2: Hearts Collide

When they returned home, they barely made it inside the front door without tearing each other’s clothes off. Assured that Aubree would take control this time, Stone let her, relishing in the feel of her body against his before he pleasured her the same way he had the night before. She did the same for him before he pulled her naked body against his as their heartbeats slowed.

Confidence mingled with bliss radiated off Aubree’s soft skin as he stroked her shoulder. Her head pressed against his chest as she snuggled into the curve of his body. She handled herself better this time, as did he, and he allowed himself this moment to bask in her satisfied scent as her fingers traced over various scars on his chest.

“How did you get this one?”

“Vampire.”

“And this one?”

“Vampire.”

“This one?”

He smirked as her finger swirled around the small circular scar about the size of a nickel in the middle of his torso, under his ribcage. “That one, I tripped over a root and landed on a log with a broken branch. It wedged itself in there almost three inches deep.”

She winced. “Ouch.”

Closing his eyes, he tilted his head down until his nose brushed against her tousled hair. He wanted to stay like this forever, and never let her go.

“Would you like to join me on some errands tomorrow? We can bring Guinevere along and show you the ropes of being a luna.”

“Okay,” she murmured, sleepily.

His heart swelled. Just a few more times, he told himself.

Just a few more times of practice and he thought he’d be strong enough to connect with her the way they both craved. His only concern was whether he could handle the sensations that would surge through him when he came inside her.

As he ran his fingers through her hair, he listened to her breathing grow even and steady with sleep. Closing his eyes, he opened his mind and connected with the rest of the pack out hunting.

The sun had been setting when they got back home. The night was still young, and the weather clear. The vampires were sure to be out and the hunt successful.

Alistair and Gunner were in the city with the slayers, while Gwen and Gavin were patrolling the borders. Even though he knew Gwen and Gavin could handle themselves in the city, he still wanted his stronger lycans in the danger zone. It put him at ease since he couldn’t be out there with them.

His eyes soon grew heavy and he let himself drift off to sleep with Aubree.

Until pain shot through his back.

Thrown forward into the realm of consciousness, he roared as he jumped to his feet.

Aubree tumbled from the bed as he called out to everyone through the mind-link as fight-mode kicked in. Rage clouded his senses. Someone would dare harm one of his own? Absolutely not.

“Where are you going?” Aubree cried as he stormed out the door and down the stairs.

“Hector. Rose,” he barked as Aubree hurried after him, but couldn’t keep up. “Guard the house. Stay inside, Bree.”

She was halfway down when he reached the front door and a scream of agony pierced through his head as pain slashed across his stomach. He doubled over, his hand on the doorknob as dread sank into his bones and turned his blood cold.

No! Not again!

[Papa!] Gwen’s voice rang through his head. [Papa, help!]

He couldn’t lose another one of his precious treasures to those monsters.

He had to get to her before it was too late.