Part 16 (2/2)

He tensed, his hand stopping mid-thrust. Tammy wriggled against him, needing him to keep going.

”Not a f.u.c.k!” Thunder growled. ”They will not take you.” He crushed his mouth to hers, more urgent. His finger was more insistent. Maybe it was two.

Oh G.o.d! She was going to come soon.

”Hold on,” he growled, against her lips. ”Legs around me,” another low growl.

Tammy hooked her ankles around his back. He began to walk, taking huge, quick strides. Then her back touched against something hard. A tree. Its surface was rough through her t-s.h.i.+rt.

Thunder sheathed himself inside her in one hard stroke that took her breath away. He didn't wait for her to acclimatize or to catch her breath, he began to move in hard, rough strokes. She was very wet, so it didn't hurt. His facial expression was tense. His eyes even more intense. His hands were still clasped around her a.s.s. The bark dug into her back with each hard thrust.

She groaned loudly, the sound just as raw as their lovemaking. It was just as raw as the sound of his body slapping against hers. As the greedy sucking noise her body made as he pushed into her. Repeatedly. She couldn't take her eyes off of his. The coiling sensation had already started. Her c.l.i.t throbbed, he was rubbing against it as he pushed into her. Over and over. Fast, deep, hard.

Thunder's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched tight. His frown deepened as his body began to jerk against her. His eyes never left hers. He f.u.c.ked her harder. So intensely beautiful as his jaw tensed, as he o.r.g.a.s.med. He groaned her name and all she could do was let go. Rus.h.i.+ng to meet her own release.

She dug her nails into his shoulders and tightened her legs around him as blinding pleasure rushed through her. Thunder leaned forward, leaning his head into the crook of her neck. She cried out when something stung her neck. An even more powerful o.r.g.a.s.m took ahold. She felt her eyes roll back and her back bow. It felt like the world slowed as her blood rushed.

Too. Much.

Too. Good.

Her body jerked with each hard spasm. Thankfully, the intense pleasure slowed as Thunder released her neck. He was biting me, she thought with a start. Thunder kept his head buried in her neck, his thrusts slowing. They were both panting heavily.

He finally pulled back slightly, using one hand to cup her face. ”Are you okay?”

”Yeah,” a pant.

”I'm sorry.” He planted a kiss on her lips. ”I was too rough with you.”

”I won't break.”

”You're human.” He put her down, pulling out of her as he did. Then he lifted her s.h.i.+rt, inspecting her back. ”f.u.c.k!” he said harshly. ”You are going to have bruises.”

”I'll heal. It's not a big deal.”

He swept the hair off her neck and shook his head. ”I marked you. I'm sorry.” He ran a hand through his hair. ”I need to be more careful.”

”Bulls.h.i.+t. That was probably the best s.e.x I've ever had. So what if I have a bruise or two, or a hicky on my neck,” she shrugged.

”A hicky?” He shook his head. ”I bit you. I'm sorry, it's just that I got a little crazy at the thought of you leaving.” He scrubbed a hand over his face.

”We'll convince Blaze. It will all work out.” She could see by the look in his eyes that he wasn't convinced. Tammy put her fingertips against the tender spot on her neck and winced. It stung a little.

”I'm a d.i.c.k. I'll be more careful in the future.”

Tammy was reminded of something Roxy had said, that biting was mating behavior. The queen had also warned that s.h.i.+fter men could get really intense and possessive when they were experiencing mating tendencies. It was just a little bite in the heat of the moment. They were good. It was too soon for mating behavior. Far too soon. He had promised that they would take it slow. She needed for them to take it slow. There was no other way. One small step at a time.

”It's fine.” She put her arms around his waist.

Thunder hugged her back. ”Let me get you fed and then we can head out. The rest of your clothing should be dry.”

”You washed my stuff?”

He nodded. ”Yeah, it's much colder higher up in the mountains.”

”You're incredibly sweet. Do you know that?”

Thunder kissed her softly. ”Sweet on you,” he winked.

Chapter 19.

The Air Castle The hall was enormous, both in width and in height. Fire blazed in all three hearths. There was a vast window looking out onto the mountain range. The sky was blue. The higher mountain peaks were snow covered. Painted with whites, blues and even purples. The valleys below were thick and green.

It had only taken an hour and a half to make it back, give or take a couple of minutes. They showered and changed. Thunder had checked to make sure she wasn't too tired before inviting her to attend a debriefing. He said that he needed to meet with his second in command. She had a feeling that he would've stayed with her if she had been too tired. He hadn't so much as left her side since they arrived here. Then again, that wasn't true. He'd left her for all of ten minutes but had positioned an army of warriors outside the entry points to his apartment. Needless to say, he was really protective of her.

Even now, he clasped her hand firmly in his. They sat at the middle of one long side of a huge table. Tammy was excited to be in the Air Kingdom, in Thunder's castle. So far, she had only seen a few of his people. They had all been polite. They'd refrained from staring, even though she had looked awful and had probably smelled even worse.

Her hair had taken half an hour to brush out. She'd tried hard to keep it under control but there was only so much you could do using fingers as a brush. It felt so good to wash with actual soap and to condition her hair. The absolute best was brus.h.i.+ng her teeth, instead of having to use ash from the burned out fire on her finger. Nothing beat the spearminty goodness of actual toothpaste or the bristles of a good ol' toothbrush.

The far door opened. A really tall, really built guy walked in. It was Thunder's second in command. Tammy noticed that his chest was golden. The guy strode towards them, his mouth broke into a smile as his eyes locked with Thunder's. ”Brother. I heard of your troubles and am glad you are well. If I had known, I would've sent a search party.”

Thunder nodded his head, he also smiled back. ”It's good to see you, Storm. You could not have known. This is Tamara. Her friends call her Tammy.”

Storm turned to her, his smile instantly evaporated. His eyes seemed to harden. They were the same color as Thunder's. ”h.e.l.lo, Tamara. I am Storm, Second in Command to the king and runner up to the Air throne. I am royal.” He gave his chest a knock with a closed fist and then turned back to Thunder. ”I am here to give you feedback on all that has happened in your absence.”

Thunder nodded. ”Yes. Take a seat. What are our reserves looking like? Winter is about to hit. I have a feeling it's going to be a bad one. Also, have we made quotas since-”

Storm looked at her and then back at Thunder. ”Have you mated this female?” He didn't look happy.

Thunder frowned. ”We are not here to discuss my love life. You may begin,” his voice was clipped and in a tone she had never heard before.

”With all due respect, my king,” Storm bowed his head. ”I would prefer to give feedback to you and to you alone. This female is not Air ... she is not even a dragon.” It was probably her imagination, but his voice seemed to be filled with disgust.

Thunder dropped her hand and then he was on his feet. She hadn't even see him rise. ”You will do as I say,” his voice was soft yet delivered a punch all the same.

Storm took a small step back and then squared his shoulders. He narrowed his eyes. ”I must insist. The messengers you sent have returned, Blaze has called for a meeting. This human will be made to return to ...” Storm made a flourish one hand, ”wherever it is she came from. Do you want her to have the information I'm about to impart? It's bad enough she knows of our existence.”

Tammy got the distinct feeling that Storm didn't like her. She wasn't sure why. It couldn't have been something she did, or didn't do. The guy didn't even know her. She wasn't going to take it personally. ”It's fine.” She touched Thunder on the side of his leg. He was wearing a pair of cotton pants. They were black and rode low on his hips. Probably not something she should notice at a time like this, but hey ... she couldn't help it. She had eyes. ”I'll go back-”

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