“Ah,” he murmured, his lips nuzzling the back of my neck, “but I’m the man who intends to ravish you senseless.”
And I couldn’t imagine a better way to greet a new day—even if that new day was already half over. “And just how did my would-be ravisher get into the room? I don’t believe the hotel staff would have let you in.”
“Oh, they didn’t, but after living on this world for as long as I have, you tend to learn a thing or two about picking locks. Even electronic ones.”
His hand slid upward from my waist, and my breath caught in expectation. His palm lightly brushed my nipples and I shuddered, arching a little into his touch, wanting—needing—more. He chuckled softly and kissed my earlobe.
“You seem overly eager this afternoon, my dear.”
“You have no idea,” I said, and twisted around to face him.
In the shadow-wrapped confines of the hotel room, his beautiful jade-green eyes glowed with a ferocity that was both otherworldly and yet very human. It spoke of ruthlessness, power, and, in the deeper depths, an almost chilling lack of emotion. But it was also a gaze filled with lust, and it was the combination of all four that had desire surging. Female wolves tended to gravitate toward the strongest male, and there was enough wolf in me to be bowled over by not only the sexuality of this man, but the sheer unyielding force of him, too.
Only he wasn’t actually a man, but a being of energy just like Azriel. Whom I totally didn’t want to think of at a time like this.
I ran a hand up the muscular length of Lucian’s thighs and hips, feeling the tremor that ran through him and rejoicing in the way his cock leapt, as if eager for my touch. I let my fingers slide teasingly around his belly, almost, but not quite, touching the sensitive tip. He groaned, thrusting against me even as his mouth claimed mine and he kissed me fiercely. As ever, his kiss quickly transcended heat and passion and desire, sweeping me beyond such human emotions and into a world that was all fierce and electric ecstasy.
But as good as that kiss felt, I wanted more. I wanted a connection that was flesh if not emotion, and I was never going to get that with his kiss. I broke away and pressed my hand against his shoulder, forcing him down onto his back. I quickly straddled him, then lowered myself onto his cock, watching his eyes, watching the anticipation burn ever brighter and feeling its echo deep within me. I was so slick and ready for him that he slid in easily—yet still I took it slow, descending inch by torturous inch. He groaned again and reached for my breasts, teasing and pinching my engorged nipples, sending pleasure rippling across my body. I thrust down hard, until the thick length of him was buried deep inside of me. For a moment neither of us moved, and I simply enjoyed the pleasure of being so intimately and intensely connected.
Then he caught one nipple in his mouth and began to suck on it fiercely. I groaned in sheer delight and began to move, rocking back and forth, my movements becoming faster as pleasure intensified, until I couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, and it felt like everything was about to break.
Then everything did break, and I was shuddering, shaking, and moaning. He came a heartbeat later, groaning fiercely as his body stiffened against mine and his juices flooded deep inside.
I collapsed against him and rested my forehead against his. For several minutes, neither of us moved. Then he kissed my nose and gripped either shoulder, pushing me back a little.
“As foreplay goes,” he said, his grin wicked, “that wasn’t half bad.”
I laughed softly and sat fully upright. He was still deep inside me and already half erect again. Werewolves had nothing on this man when it came to stamina. “You haven’t exactly explained just what you’re doing here at this hour of the morning.”
He began to move his hips again. “I thought it was rather obvious.”
“Besides that, I mean.”
“Ah, well.” His expression became slightly distracted as he ran a finger up the inside of my thigh. “You may not be too pleased about the answer to that particular question.”
His finger met the junction of our bodies. I shifted slightly and his touch slipped between us, finding my clit then brushing it teasingly. A moan escaped me and I closed my eyes, enjoying the sensation even as I tried to concentrate on the conversation.
“Meaning?”
“Meaning,” he murmured, rubbing his finger back and forth through my slickness, “that I sensed through our connection that you were about to attempt to find the keys, and I wished to be a part of it.”
Alarm stirred. I stilled my movements and opened my eyes. His expression was still distracted, and he didn’t seem to notice my sudden lack of participation. “Why?”
“Because the priests will not ignore such an attempt, and I wish to offer my help. I am, after all, Aedh, even if a maimed one, and I know more than a little about fighting them.”
“But if we do as you suggested and create a void, they will not even know we’ve accessed the book, let alone retrieved the key.”
His gaze rose to mine, studying me for several heartbeats. Then he gripped my arms and expertly reversed our positions, pinning me underneath him with the full length of his body.
“The Raziq will feel it the minute you touch the keys, because they are part of the process that created them—even if it was the blood of your father that provided the building blocks.” Despite his words, there was little in the way of concern in his expression, only a fierce determination. He wanted this fight badly, but it wasn’t for the reasons he was stating. “They will go to any length to retrieve those keys, and one lone reaper will not be enough to keep you safe.”
“Azriel can call on others—”
Lucian snorted softly, and it was a disparaging sound. “If that were possible, don’t you think he would have done it earlier? How many times have the Raziq attacked you now?”
“There was no need before now—” I started, but again he cut in.
“Was it a question of need, or is the real truth the fact that there were no resources?” He shifted his weight onto one elbow and lightly ran one finger down my cheek before circling my lips. Though the caress was light, it felt heavy, as if the weight of the conversation were bearing down on it. “The Mijai are few, and they are kept busy hunting the demons who slipped into this world during the brief time that the three keys were tested.”