Tainted roots

After leaving the others, I followed the river as it wound through town, trying to keep my mind blank and the swirling thoughts at bay. I passed several elementals, giving a polite nod when they greeted me. Even though elementals mainly lived here, they didn’t question seeing me, or stare. After a polite greeting, they continued on their way. That wasn’t always the case in some courts. The Dark Moon district in the sorcerer and sorceress territory was full of assholes.

I kept following the river, even when the light-colored buildings became less frequent, as did the bridges crossing the river. The path of stones running parallel to the water had stopped, but I kept going. Lush trees full of white and blue flowers started appearing several yards away from the water, becoming more frequent in their numbers as I continued. I didn’t stop until I was surrounded by these tall and beautiful trees, filling the air with a nice floral scent, pairing well with the fresh smell of the water.

Finding a gap in the purple, yellow, and orange wildflowers along the river bank, I carefully sat down, not wanting to crush or disturb any of the flowers. The river curved around a bend, the water flowing rapidly over the shallow and rocky riverbed. The only sounds were the rushing water, birds high in the trees, and small animals.

The beauty of the late afternoon sun reflecting off of the water, and the line of trees on the other side of the river could only occupy my thoughts for so long. The swirling chaos in my mind began catching up with me, and the quiet serenity of this place couldn’t stop them.

If the woman was fighting, whatever the hell those things were, shouldn’t that mean she was on our side and we should be working together? I had a feeling she knew what was briefly infecting those Mythics—now the term infected was beginning to make a lot of sense—and could help figure everything out. Shouldn’t we at least consider an enemy of my enemy type of thing?

The memory of the sharp pain of Koa getting stabbed raced through my mind. He never said who stabbed him, and I couldn’t dismiss the possibility that it was her. Anger rushed through me like a tidal wave. His being hurt shouldn’t have affected me. I shouldn’t have cared that he bleed. I should care as little about him as he did me, but somehow my dumbass emotions hadn’t gotten the memo.

This past month, I tried not to imagine what it would be like to see him again, and how he’d react. Sometimes those thoughts would slip past my defenses late at night. I thought he would be indifferent and cold. That he’d refuse to even look at me. That he’d be angry he had to be around me and treat me the way Ander treated Starling. Never once did I consider, that he would act the same as before, as if nothing happened. I don’t know how long I sat here, contemplating this whole bizarre situation, but eventually, I felt the bond solidify in my chest. Faint at first, but steadily gaining in strength as the seconds ticked by. Excitement and dread raced through me as I waited for Koa to appear. I didn’t know if I was surprised, happy, or annoyed he came looking for me. My emotions when it came to him have always been a mess, more so now than before.

The bond was thrumming wildly, but I still didn’t see Koa along the river bank. Tingles raced down my spine as I felt unseen eyes watching me. When I whipped my head around to the trees behind me, I found Koa leaning back against one, watching me in that intense way of his.

“How the fuck did you sneak up on me?” I asked, not knowing what else to say. A hint of a smile played on his lips and my stomach somersaulted at the sight. He better not fully smile or laugh, my willpower wouldn’t be able to handle it. My fucking kryptonite.

He didn’t respond as I knew he wouldn’t. Our gazes were locked onto each other. The memory of the way he looked at me in the shower flashed through my mind, and instead of feeling desire and heat, a chill worked its way through my body as I remembered the detached way he stared at me only hours later. The way I felt when he left, and I realized how wrong I’d been about everything. I couldn’t let myself forget, even though I wanted to. My anger was the only shield I had against him, and I held it tight against my chest.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, not even trying to hide my anger as I turned back to the flowing water.

He didn’t answer right away as he joined me on the river bank, and sat a couple of feet away, resting his elbows on his knees. “You’ve been gone for hours,” he answered after several minutes of us staring at the river.

My stupid heart leaped at him checking up on me. While the rational part of my brain shoved down the stupid hope. “As you can see, I’m unharmed. Not that you even needed to follow me to know that.” I rubbed the center of my chest between my breasts, where the bond still buzzed.

A blast of anger shot through the bond, stealing my breath. The only outward sign of anger from him, was the way he clenched and unclenched his hands. He must’ve realized he was projecting his emotions because a couple of moments later the anger vanished.

“You’ve made your opinion on our bond pretty clear,” I muttered, looking back at the rapids while ignoring the clenching in my chest and burning at the back of my throat. It was clear he was angry because he never wanted the bond in the first place.

His gaze burned against the side of my face as he stared at me without speaking. I tried to ignore his heavy stare, I really did. It couldn’t have been more than a couple of minutes of tension-filled silence when I snuck a peek at him. It was only meant to be a quick look to gauge his expression since I couldn’t feel his emotions. However, I found myself ensnared by his hypnotizing eyes, unable to look away.

His eyebrows were drawn together, broadcasting his confusion. My teeth sank into my bottom lip, and his eyes dipped. Liquid heat pooled low in my stomach and dropped even lower. Bringing with it a throbbing and insistent need. How could such a simple look have me near ready to climb into his lap?

He captured my bottom lip between his thumb and forefinger, freeing it from between my teeth. “And what opinion would that be?” He asked, his voice soft as he swiped his thumb over my lip before pulling back.

It took my brain a couple of seconds to register his words. A derisive scoff passed through my lips as I stared at him, waiting to see if this was one of those rare moments he made a joke. It wasn’t. I dropped my gaze unable to look at him anymore. A move my wolf didn’t like, she pressed closer increasing my hearing and sight more than necessary in the process.

His warm fingers gripped my chin and tilted my head up, forcing me to maintain eye contact. “What opinion.”

“Don’t make me say it,” I whispered, my voice breaking.

He nodded, clenching his jaw as he looked away, all the while still holding my chin in place. “Is that why you kept trying to fuck someone else?” Icy shock shot through my veins, cooling down my heated blood.

My mouth opened and closed, but no words came. How did he even know? Yes, he probably sensed my emotions several times over the past month, but emotions didn’t always reveal the context of the situation. Despite trying to fuck other men, I hadn't felt any desire or lust. It was more of a desire to get it over with. Not really the typical emotions one felt when they were about to have sex.

“I felt the panic and nausea. After a couple of times, it wasn’t hard to figure it out,” he finally said when I still hadn’t answered. A rumble accompanied his words and a spike of anger snuck through the bond. Of course, he would know what those symptoms meant. Unlike me, he wasn’t an idiot who couldn’t pay attention to their lessons. He turned his piercing stare back to me, tracing over my shocked expression. “Who is he?”

I didn’t think I could be more surprised than I already was, but I was wrong. The realization that he thought I was trying to start a relationship with someone else nearly knocked me over. Laughter shook my body, even though I tried holding it back. His fingers slid off my chin as I continued laughing so hard I started crying. Is that why I felt that intense rage in the alley outside the club? Because he thought I was trying to fuck a guy I liked?

“You think I’ve been trying to fuck the same guy?” I wheezed out between laughs.

Only after my sides and stomach cramped, and I could barely breathe, did I stop and wipe the tears from my face. Pure confusion shrouded Koa’s expression as he stared at me. “You’re claiming the symptoms I felt, weren’t from you trying to fuck someone else?”

“That’s not what I’m saying,” I whispered, pausing when his expression shuttered. “But it wasn’t the same guy the two times I tried, and the last two times were from a guy that was a little too handsy at the club.”

I felt another burst of anger, that disappeared just as quick. I didn’t speak as his hands clenched into fists, knowing he was teetering on the edge, trying to rein in his temper. Like I’ve always said, summoner men were possessive as hell.

“Why?” He asked in a calm and quiet rumble. Too calm.

“Well, I can’t say for certain why he randomly tried playing grab ass with a stranger, but my guess—”

“You know what I meant,” he cut me off with a slight growl to his voice.

A surge of fury that was all mine, burned away the guilt that had been gnawing at me for the past couple of minutes. While my actions were stupid and had some serious consequences, I had nothing to be ashamed of regarding how it made Koa feel.

He left me. That made his claim on me and my body null and void. He didn’t have the right to be all growly and possessive. He gave up the right the night he left me. “Why? Because fuck you. That’s why.”

If he was taken aback by my comment or the growl I added to it, he kept it well hidden. Instead, he raised an eyebrow and laced his fingers around a knee. “You did this to try and hurt me?”

I snorted derisively and rolled my eyes. “You can’t hurt someone who doesn’t care.”

“I see.” His eyes tracked over my face, as his expression remained neutral.

“Glad we’re on the same page now,” I muttered, not knowing what else to say. He continued staring at me with a piercing gaze. Uncomfortable with what he may have been reading from my face or emotions, I shifted my body so I was facing the river again.

“Do you remember what I said to you in the creature’s realm?” He asked softly after several minutes had passed.

“You said a lot of things in their realm.” I tried and failed to keep the bitterness from my voice.

A low sigh had me wanting to face him, to see if the frustration showed on his face. Instead, I forced myself to stare at the trees in front of me, pretending I found them more interesting than this conversation. “In the bedroom.”

A rush of memories invaded my mind. Mainly of our heated kiss, and how incredible it felt being touched by him as he brought me toe-curling pleasure. My body heated in response, and I subtly tried squeezing my legs together, in an attempt to stop the rush of dampness. “That you wanted to kill any man who laid a hand on me?” My words were breathy as my pulse raced.

“Well, that too.” I could hear the smile in his voice. “But that wasn’t what I was referring to.”

Faster than my eyes could track, he grabbed my hips and effortlessly lifted me onto his lap. Pressing my dampening core against his hard cock straining against his shorts. A low whimper escaped before I could stop myself. Heated golden eyes held me in their thrall as he traced his thumb over my parted lips. “If you want pleasure, you come to me. No one else.”

His words and growling dominance turned me on more than I liked to admit. All logic was being thrown out the window as I straddled his lap, feeling his heat seep into me. With his fingers digging into my hips, fingers that had given me several orgasms before. This was the effect he had on me, the ability to make me forget everything else, but the here and now. No worries about the future or what it held.

“You weren’t around,” I challenged, unable to help myself. I needed to push back and push against his boundaries.

“I am now.” To punctuate his words, he threaded his fingers through my hair and pulled my face to his, where our lips crashed together. Moving against each other’s as if it had been years and not a month.

Like with everything else when it came to Koa, my memory paled in comparison to the real thing. His tongue swiped against my bottom lip and I opened my mouth allowing him access. I didn’t fight him as he took control of the kiss.

My hips rocked against his, and I despised the fabric between us. I dragged my hands down his chest and abs, relishing in the heat and the hard muscles. Gripping the hem of his shirt, I yanked it up over his chest, stopping when I reached his arms. In one smooth motion, Koa broke the kiss and pulled his shirt over his head. He didn’t give me the chance to admire the muscular expanse of his rich brown skin, his lips recapturing mine in a searing kiss.

Groaning, I tangled my fingers through his soft and wavy hair. Pressure built low in my core, but it wasn’t enough. Nowhere near enough. Untangling my hands from his hair, I dragged them down his torso, stopping above the waistline of his shorts. Using a light teasing touch, I traced my finger under the waistband, relishing in his sharp gasp. A smile lifted my lips as I did it.

Koa grabbed my hands and pulled them away from where he was straining against his shorts, earning a low growl from me. “Patience,” he murmured, chuckling lightly when I growled again.

I dropped my forehead against his, closing my eyes. “I swear, if you try that don’t move bullshit on me again, I might actually kill you.” I was way too wound up, and it had been way too fucking long since my last orgasm.

He chuckled again, and it was almost like he wanted me panting and soaked before he even touched me. “Life your arms for me, baby.” Rather than argue, I did as I was told and lifted my arms. Wasting no time, he pulled off my tank top and had my bra unclasped and thrown to the side within seconds. His eyes drifted down my body, taking a moment to give my naked torso a slow and heated perusal.

With anyone else, I would’ve been creeped out and pulled out of the mood, but not with Koa. Not when he looked at me like this, with pure unadulterated desire, making me feel like I was the only woman in the world to him. That I was more than enough for him, and he would never desire another.

He lifted me off his lap and onto my back, the soft grass tickling my back as he grabbed my hip and cradled the back of my head. His body hovered over mine, his chest several inches away, and that was just too damn far. As were his hips, which were barely touching my aching and soaking pussy.

His fingers traced over my face before cupping my cheek. “You are so damn beautiful, so fucking perfect,” he whispered, his voice holding traces of awe.

“I believe you promised me pleasure,” I whispered back, squirming under him.

A real and true smile lifted his lips. My breath caught as flutters filled my stomach. “That I did.”

Kisses were traced down the center of my chest, pausing his route downward to lick, kiss and bite each breast. Each kiss was deliberate, meant to drive me fucking crazy as I writhed under him. I could feel his smile against my stomach as he glanced up at me, before continuing his slow descent to the top of my shorts.

“Lift your hips.” Again, I did as he wanted with no questions. My shorts and panties were discarded, and to my relief, he didn’t draw it out. He took off my shoes and socks with the same efficiency. The quick pace didn’t last long when he returned to his torturous pace, as he gripped my ankle and began tracing kisses up my leg.

At this point my body was practically shaking with my need for him, my pussy throbbing as my desire coated the insides of my thighs. I pulled my leg out of his grip and wrapped both legs around him, trying to drag him closer.

His low chuckle vibrated against my leg, sending delicious shivers up my body. “It seems your patience hasn’t gotten any better,” he said between kisses, still working his way up my thigh.

Whimpers slipped free at the thought of him dragging this out again. As much pleasure as it would bring me, it wasn’t enough. I need him inside me, now. Any patience I used to have, was gone. My legs gave another tug against his body, but his teasing pace continued. In fact, I think he slowed down.

“Please,” I whimpered, clawing at his shoulders. “It’s been over two months since I’ve truly had sex.”

Was it a bitchy move to reference having sex with another man, in order to rile Koa up? Possibly.

He froze, tension rippling through his body. His fingers flexed and then loosened on my thigh as he squeezed his eyes shut. Possessive need coursing through his body and into mine through the bond. Right now he was an open book, and I could see his overwhelming need to erase every touch from all other man on my body. To ruin me for other men, as if he hadn’t already done so.

He was practically a statue with how rigid his body was, throwing off waves of heat as he tried to rein in his dragon’s possessive instincts. If what I felt through our bond was any indication: he was losing the battle.

His eyes snapped open, holding mine as he unwound my legs from around his waist and yanked off the rest of his clothes. I didn’t get a chance to admire his glorious naked body, because the next second his body was hovering over mine. The muscles in his back bunched under my hands as he held himself inches over me, while his focus traced my face. Almost as if he was waiting for my permission. Whether or not that was the case, I was done waiting.

My legs wrapped around his waist, and pressed his cock against my sensitive flesh. A groan mixed with a growl rumbled against me as his eyes flashed with desire, and his restraint snapped. He shifted his hips forward and slammed into me in one smooth motion. My mouth opened on a wordless cry as I adjusted to his size, my nails digging into his back. The bond thrummed in my chest, sending buzzing energy through my body as our desire melded until I was unable to tell where his emotions ended and mine began.

His thumb stroked my cheek and my eyes drifted open, having closed at some point without me realizing it. Blazing eyes held mine as he began moving his hips, pulling out until only the tip remained, before slamming back in. His movements were slower at first but didn’t remain that way for long. His thrusts became harder and faster, lighting up all of my nerve endings as he did so. My hands clawed at his back as my moans and his grunts filled the air.

Coiling pressure built low in my stomach, steadily increasing with every thrust until it overflowed into a soul-searing orgasm, that had me arching up into him as I threw my head back. My screams echoed throughs the trees, but I was too far gone to care.

Koa didn’t stop, even when the crashing waves of my orgasm died down, as well as my screams. He dipped his head down into the crux of my neck and inhaled my scent, his body shuddering slightly. Kisses and nips were placed on my neck as his hips kept up the pace, quickly working me up to another orgasm.

I slid my hands up his back and into his hair as he trailed kisses up my neck and along my jaw. His lips met mine again in a bruising kiss, while he swiveled his hips. One of his hands drifted up my side in a featherlight touch, and roughly gripped my breast, kneading it as the pressure kept building toward another crescendo.

“I will fuck you in every position. Touch every inch of your body until you can no longer remember any other man’s touch. Just mine,” Koa promised between kisses and thrusts.

To punctuate his point, he bit down on the crux of my neck, sending me crashing over the edge again into a mind-blowing release. This time he followed, groaning my name into my neck as he came.