Heart of Stone - Book 3: Souls Entwine

Aubree tried not to wince as she walked the next morning because a pained expression would cross Stone’s face every time and he’d apologize for being too rough.

Although it hadn’t been painful at the time (more of a delicious, “Oh my god, harder!” painful), she was definitely feeling the effects of it in the morning, along with a few slight bruises on her hips and shoulders from where he gripped her too hard.

She was a little more tender down there than she was used to.

“Stone, stop looking at me like that,” she said as she washed her plate in the sink.

A sigh escaped her as his gaze left her back.

“I should have been more gentle...”

Turning the water off, she spun around and leaned back against the counter in the kitchen.

Stone was sitting fully clothed and showered at the table behind her, staring down at the huge half-eaten steak, lightly browned and salted on the outside and oozing blood from the raw inside—exactly the way he liked it. His hair was still damp and slicked back into a ponytail. He shaved his face as well, looking ready to face a day of business meetings with the alpha and luna.

Aubree was wearing one of his white T-shirts since he destroyed her nightie last night. Flung the pieces across the room, just as he promised.

While he got ready for the day, she got up to make breakfast for them.

It was her turn to get ready now, knowing fully well that she smelled of sex—as if the entire house hadn’t heard their multiple romps last night.

She wasn’t sure how she was going to face the Rosmi Maana Pack now after all that—even if she did scrub her skin raw.

On the bright side, it was a good thing they packed a mountain of condoms with them.

“If you apologize one more time, I’m going to smack you,” she scolded.

His eyes turned back to her, snaking up her exposed legs, over her T-shirt clad upper body, before finally catching her eyes. The corners of his lips quirked up.

“Will you be wearing that, or can I take it off first?”

Crossing her arms over her chest, she scowled at him, despite grinning uncontrollably afterward.

“What am I going to do with you?” she said as she pushed off from the counter and walked around the table to his side.

He watched her closely as she pressed her lips together, refusing to wince from the slight ache between her thighs.

God, why did the sex have to be so freaking amazing?

Maybe it was because he could feel everything she felt, so he knew just how to stick it to her. Hard or soft, fast or slow, he adjusted his pace and tempo with the skills of a sex god and left her gasping and begging for more.

“I can think of a few things,” he said as he reached for her hips and held her there before him.

She gazed down in his deep blue eyes and smiled, loving the feel of his hands on her hips—even if he had bruised them last night. His hands belonged there, on her body, and she couldn’t help but crave his touch.

“I can’t wait to hear them,” she said as she rested her hands on his shoulders and tugged the hem of his collar over to reveal the scar she had given him the night before.

She brushed her thumb over the pink flesh, remembering the pain she felt shoot through him as she plunged the paring knife into his skin.

“It’s okay, Röslein,” he said as her gaze returned to his. “I’m proud of you for taking control when I needed you to.”

“I almost didn’t though,” she murmured, allowing her fingers to trail over his shoulder—the opposite one that held his sensitive mark. She avoided touching it, knowing that it would set him off.

She remembered it fondly, the moments leading up to plunging the knife into him.

His head was in the curve of her neck, his breath hot on her skin as he grazed his teeth over it, sending fireworks to explode within her as his rhythm increased, thrusting harder and faster into her.

She gasped his name, and he growled in response, low and deep within, and a flash of primal desire surged through her. She wasn’t sure if it was the feeling that she got, that he wanted to bite her, or whether it was because she wanted him to bite her. He continued to growl, his teeth starting to nip her a little harder, but still not enough to break the skin.

"Stone, stop,” she managed to say, but it made no difference. He either didn’t hear her or couldn’t hear her. And when she pushed against his shoulders, he only growled more.

She had to use the knife. It was her only option then.

“It’s getting harder to maintain control,” she said, as she pushed the rest of the memory to the back of her head.

“I know. Walking into a room filled with your scent is enough to set me off. A look from you, a touch,” he slipped a hand under her shirt and groped her ass, “and I’m losing control.”

Desire flared up in her. She dug her fingers into his shoulders as she inhaled sharply. She cursed under her breath. “I hope we can get this under control soon.”

Stone pulled her down on his lap so she was straddling him.

An involuntary whimper of need crept up her throat as his hands held both of her ass cheeks. Moisture was already building up within her and drenching his pants as she began to rock her hips over his swelling member underneath.

Despite being sore down there, her body didn’t care. It demanded more.

His hands slid up over her hips, her waist, and cupping her breasts while rubbing his thumbs over her pebbled nipples.

Control was slipping as she moaned. “God, Stone, I can’t take this anymore.”

“I can’t help myself, Aubree,” he groaned as his nose trailed down her neck, inhaling deeply. “You smell so fucking good. I want you all the fucking time.”

She whimpered again as he pawed her breasts. Her skin tingled with his closeness as his breath blew over the sensitive skin between her neck and collarbone.

Stopping abruptly, he stiffened. His hands gripped her waist firmly, but gently, as he pushed her away from him.

“Eramis is coming. Go shower.”

She nodded and he helped her off him.

Her eyes fell to his crotch and the evident wet spot she left on him. Heat rushed to her face before she scampered off to the stairs.

A knock of the front door made her pause and listen.

Stone’s chair scraped the tiled floor as he rose to his feet with a groan. Maybe he noticed the present she left on his lap?

She giggled helplessly to herself.

“You’re so getting it later,” he said in a low voice that was still loud enough for her to hear.

She was about to hurry up the stairs when Stone opened the door and there was an exchange of growls.

“Is she still human?”

“Of course, Alpha.”

“The whole damn pack could hear you two last night!”

Eramis’ voice was low, but that didn’t mean it didn’t pack a punch.

“My apologies. We’ll try and tone it down tonight.”

Eramis growled. “How in Goddess’ name do you manage to mate her and not claim her?”

Stone didn’t answer right away.

“Carefully. Very carefully.”

“Does she know?”

“About what?”

“The dangerous position she’s in?”

“Yes, she knows.”

“And still, she willingly... participates?”

“Yes.”

Another growl.

“I don’t like it,” Eramis said.

“What, if I may ask, Alpha?”

"This. It’s not right. It’s against the law. Against nature.”

“Do you question the Goddess? If you are questioning anything here, then you are ultimately questioning Her,” Stone said.

Another growl.

“What is the purpose of your visit here?” Eramis asked.

“I believe I already told you that.”

“You can’t be serious. I don’t believe it.”

“I don’t know why exactly we have been summoned, or what message we will receive, but it can only hold answers that we are seeking. Otherwise, why would we have to come here together? Why not tell me over the phone?” Stone said. “No, there is something Otherworldly going on here.”

A pause. A shuffling of feet before Eramis cleared his throat.

“What if she’s a witch? What if this is all a trick on you? A spell? Have you thought of that?”

“No, I haven’t. But I know she isn’t a witch. A witch wouldn’t have willingly gone through the pain and suffering she endured because of me. That she will still endure because of me if we cannot seal the bond.”

There was a note of hesitation when Eramis asked, “What kind of suffering?”

“That is her story to tell if she wishes. Not mine. I only regret the pain I caused her that I otherwise could have avoided if I had been more upfront and honest with her instead of trying to protect her from the truth.”

Another pause.

Aubree chewed on her bottom lip.

“Where is she now?”

“Hiding behind the staircase, listening to our conversation.”

“What?” Eramis sounded both stunned and embarrassed.

Swallowing, Aubree poked her head around the corner of the wall shielding the staircase from the living space. She caught Eramis’ wide eyes and waved a little self-consciously to him, her face hot with embarrassment.

Stone didn’t turn to her, but instead kept himself firmly planted in front of Eramis. He crossed his arms over his chest now.

“Alpha, with all due respect, anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of her. Even though she is human, it doesn’t make her any less of a luna and my mate. I will not disclose anything without her knowledge of it. I will not make more mistakes with her.”

There was silence before Eramis began speaking in a foreign language.

“This discussion is over, Alpha,” Stone said. “I will say no more until our meeting in half an hour. And you will all speak in English to me at all times. I will not respond to Lykostroya. My mate has a right to understand everything being said.”

Eramis’ jaw clenched despite his best efforts to appear cool, calm, and collected. “Very well.” He turned his steel-gray eyes to Aubree. “My apologies, Luna. I didn’t know you were standing there. We built our house with soundproof walls, but it seems some sounds can’t be muted.”

Aubree’s face flared up even more as he turned to leave.

“Alpha,” Stone added before Eramis left.

Eramis turned back to Stone and raised an eyebrow in question.

“I believe it is my turn to apologize again,” Stone said. “I left the bedroom windows open. I needed the fresh air.”

The wide-eyed look on Eramis’ face was priceless before it disappeared behind the door as Stone closed it.

Stone stood there, his back to her and his hand still on the door. “Aubree, please go shower now. Don’t make me chase after you. It will only end up with me taking you from behind and hurting you even more.”

“Okay,” she squeaked before turning and climbing up the stairs.

Her heart was racing, her face still flushed, and her thoughts now roamed to him following her into the shower and taking her from behind like he said.

Damn, when did she become such a sex fiend all of a sudden?

She locked the bathroom door and stared at her reflection in the mirror when she took his shirt off.

He had bruised her worse than she thought.

Sighing, she bunched his shirt up in her hands and held it to her nose, inhaling his scent, feeling even hornier than before.

She shook her head. Clear your head, girl, she told herself. Get yourself under control. You’re going meet with Gwen’s mate and in-laws. You can’t be jumping Stone’s bones every time he looks at you.

She turned the shower on and hopped in, not even bothering to wait for it to heat up.

Chill girl.

Chill.