Part 5 (2/2)

”Declan, I-”

”No,” Eli said, interrupting her. Her wide blue eyes swung his way and he shook his head, silently backing up his friend.

”I'll feed you,” Declan offered, casting him a silent thank-you when Tori turned away and walked to the window to sulk. She hated when she wasn't able to help. Pulling a knife from his pocket, Declan made a neat little cut in his wrist, just deep enough to provide a decent feed, and offered his wrist to Eli.

Eli accepted gratefully. As weak as he was, he didn't feel up to feeding from a female. The s.e.xual call a vampire exuded was always stronger when he or she fed, but only if he or she was feeding on their particular s.e.xual choice. Eli, having no h.o.m.os.e.xual tendencies, could feed from men from now to doomsday and never feel aroused. Oh, he could raise l.u.s.t in men, if he was so inclined...but the inclination wasn't there. The only inclination he had right now was to collapse in exhaustion. He did not feel up to the drain it would put on his system to fight the s.e.xual arousal that would come with the women, no matter that he was near death's door.

And besides, if he had to take blood again, it would have to be from Kelsey or one of his people-m ostly werew olves, some humans. Kelsey seemed too much like a kid sister to him. He couldn't feed from her.

And between an Inherent wolf, like Declan, and a werewolf...well, h.e.l.l, that was like choosing between French wine and wine that cost two dollars. No contest.

Closing his mouth over Declan's wrist he fed, groaning silently when Tori decided to return at that moment and curl up against his side, bringing her scent and her sweet body.

”Little b.i.t.c.h,” Eli thought fondly as her hand slid down to stroke his thigh.

Sarel felt like she was watching a f.u.c.king peep show.

Well, no. Not exactly.

They weren't exactly putting on a show. The brunette was curled against Elijah Crawford who sat at the edge of the bed feeding from the long, lean blond who had tackled Sarel outside the house. The blond, Declan, didn't seem the least bit disturbed when his wife-at least, Sarel thought it was his wife-started to stroke and caress Eli's chest, his arm, his face, not s.e.xually, really, more as though rea.s.suring herself.

They cared. All three of them. About each other.

And not one of them gave a flying f.u.c.k if anybody knew it, or saw it. Finally Eli pulled away from Declan and said softly, ”Thank you.”

Declan smiled and nodded, holding out his wrist to Kelsey who had come over to bandage it. Once that was done, he sat down behind his wife, pulling her into the curve of his body and Eli dropped down to lay his head on Tori's thigh, his pale face lined with exhaustion. ”I could sleep for a week,” he said, thickly.

”Then do it,” Tori said quietly, stroking his head with a gentle hand. ”We'll watch over you.” Over his head, she stared at Sarel who had climbed from the bed and stood watching them.

Sarel squashed down the fear this woman caused.

Meeting those wide, deceptively sweet blue eyes, she stared at them unflinchingly as Tori said, ”Declan and I will be here when you wake. Nothing will happen, I promise.”

Nope. Nothing was going to happen. Cuz Sarel was outta here.

”The girl?” he muttered, his eyes flitting in her direction.

Kelsey piped up, ”She's not going anywhere.”

”s.h.i.+t. So much for that idea,” Sarel thought morosely.

To back it up, she felt a distant snick-a spell felling into place in the distance. She imagined that if she tried to leave, she'd get maybe a half a mile. And then she'd be stuck and could go no further.

Tori s.h.i.+fted from one foot to the other.

She wanted, desperately, to follow Declan to their room, rip his clothes off and tumble him to the floor.

But she didn't want to leave Eli alone.

Declan grinned at her and lifted her chin with his index finger, pressing a soft, easy k iss to her mouth. ”I love you, darlin',” he said, his voice soft and musical with the faint sound of Ireland. ”And I know you like I know my own hand. Stay. I do not trust the girl myself.”

The door closed behind him moments later and Tori curled up in bed after shucking her jeans, wrapping her arm around Eli's waist, who slept obliviously. She lay so that she could see the door. Outside, she could hear and smell one of the wolves. Declan had posted a guard.

With a smile, she gave into the urges of her own body and slept.

Chapter Four.

Eli's eyes closed in bliss as the hot water pounded over him. Nearly a week's worth of grime and dirt and blood washed away down the drain as he washed and soaped. Long fingers worked shampoo into his hair three times before he was satisfied.

When he climbed from the shower, finally clean, he felt almost like himself again.

He still hadn't seen the girl.

Sarel.

He knew she was there.

He could smell her, hear her. But he hadn't seen her. That was probably best. Until he could be certain he had his control back he didn't want to see her.

The door opened, steam escaping past Tori as she slid inside, her eyes hot and gleaming, her long slim body naked. Eli groaned as she plastered herself against him, her lush b.r.e.a.s.t.s straining against his chest as she kissed him hungrily.

Fangs nipped his lip gently, then she kissed the erotic little pain away as her busy hands closed over his naked a.s.s.

”You're wet, naked. Have I ever told you how much I appreciate the body of a wet, naked man?” she murmured as she pulled back to kiss her way down his neck.

From the doorway, Declan laughed. ”Careful, darlin'.

You'll make me jealous. I thought I was the only one you liked wet and naked,” he said.

Eli's eyes crossed when Tori closed her hand over his rigid c.o.c.k, moving in sure, certain strokes as she smiled flirtatiously back at her husband. ”You're my favorite, of course. Come over here,” she ordered, flipping her curls over her shoulder. Once Declan was within reach, she clasped one hand behind his neck and pulled him to her, kissing him greedily, sucking his tongue into her mouth, biting down gently and then laughing when he pulled away and positioned himself behind her, pumping his c.o.c.k against her naked b.u.t.t.

Tori squirmed away and dropped to her knees in front of Eli, watching him from under her lashes as she licked a wet trail up his throbbing c.o.c.k before taking him in her mouth.

Eli muttered, ”Aw, f.u.c.k,” when she took his length almost all the way down her throat, the walls of her throat closing around him, vicing over his invading flesh and driving him insane as she slowly pulled off and then slid back down. Behind her, Declan was stripping out of his unb.u.t.toned s.h.i.+rt and jeans, tossing them aside, and tossing a familiar bottle on the bathroom counter.

Eli muttered absently, ”Carry that everywhere you go, Irish?”

”With Tori as my mate, how much choice have I got?”

he replied easily, dropping to his knees and then turning to lie on his back, squirming down and under until he had his face between Tori's thighs. ”She's always so ready for a three way any time we are in your territory.”

His voice was m.u.f.fled now and Eli groaned as Declan put his mouth on his wife's p.u.s.s.y, which caused her mouth to tighten to the point of pain on Eli's c.o.c.k. Eli pulled his c.o.c.k reluctantly from her mouth as she arched back, crying out.

”Lucky b.a.s.t.a.r.d, he is,” Eli muttered, glancing down to see Declan's head between Tori's thighs. He tumbled her down, dislodging her from Declan's hold. Declan growled at him, but Eli only settled himself at her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, catching one nipple in his mouth and suckling hungrily so Declan again lay between her thighs, lifting her a.s.s in his hands and burying his face against her.