Part 49 (2/2)

Phury looked around and seemed startled to find himself where he was.

Rhage stepped in front of him. ”My brother?”

Sh.e.l.l-shocked eyes focused. ”Hey.”

”You want to go upstairs? Hang out a little?”

”Oh, yeah, no. I'm fine.” His eyes skipped to Mary. Glanced away. ”I, ah, I'm fine. Yeah. Really. Party's ended, I guess?”

Rhage took the bag. Phury's pale pink s.h.i.+rt was sticking out of it, caught in the zipper.

”Come on, let's go up together.”

”You should stay with your female.”

”She understands. We go together, my brother.”

Phury's shoulders sank into his torso. ”Yeah, okay. Yeah, I don't... I'd rather not be by myself right now.”

When Rhage finally got back to his and Mary's room he knew she'd be asleep, so he closed the door silently.

There was a candle burning on the nightstand, and in the glow he saw that the bed was a mess. Mary had pushed the comforter off and scattered the pillows around. She was lying on her back, a lovely cream nightgown twisted around her waist, riding up on her thighs.

He'd never seen the silk before, knew that she'd worn it because she'd wanted tonight to be special. The sight of her cranked him up, and even though the vibration made him burn, he knelt by her side of the bed. He needed to be close to her.

He didn't know how Phury kept going, especially on nights like this. The brother's one and only love had wanted to bleed, had demanded pain and punishment. So Phury had done what he'd been asked to do, accepting the transfer of misery. Z was no doubt sleeping it off. Phury would be rattling around in his own skin for days.

He was such a good male, loyal, strong, devoted to Z. But working off the guilt over all that had happened to Zs.a.d.i.s.t was killing him.

G.o.d, how could anyone deal with beating the one they loved because that was what the person wanted?

”You smell good,” Mary murmured, curling onto her side and looking at him. ”Like a Starbucks.”

”It's the red smoke. Phury lit up something fierce, but I don't blame him.” Rhage took her hand and frowned. ”You have another fever.”

”It just broke. I feel much better.” She kissed his wrist. ”How's Phury?”

”A mess.”

”Does Zs.a.d.i.s.t make him do that a lot?”

”No. I don't know what set it off tonight.”

”I'm so sorry for both of them. But mostly for Phury.”

He smiled at her, loving her for the way she cared about his brothers.

Mary sat up slowly, s.h.i.+fting her legs around so they hung off the bed. Her nightgown had a lace bodice, and through the pattern he could see her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. His thighs tightened and he closed his eyes.

It was h.e.l.l. Wanting to be with her. Being scared of what his body would do. And he wasn't even thinking just about s.e.x. He needed to hold her.

Her hands rose to his face. When her thumb brushed over his mouth, his lips opened of their own accord, a subversive invitation she accepted. She bent down and kissed him, her tongue penetrating, taking what he knew he should not be offering.

”Hmm. You taste good.”

He'd smoked some with Phury, knowing he was coming back to her, hoping that the relaxant might take him down a little. He couldn't handle a repeat of what had happened in the billiard room.”I want you, Rhage.” She s.h.i.+fted, opening her legs, pulling his body against her.

Swirling energy condensed along his spine and radiated outward, punching into his hands and feet, making his nails sing with pain and his hair tingle.

He leaned back. ”Listen, Mary...”

She smiled and swept the nightgown over her head, tossing it so the thing fell to the floor in a swirl. Her naked skin in the candlelight tangled him up. He couldn't move.

”Love me, Rhage.” She took his hands and put them to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Even as he told himself not to touch her, he cupped the swells, thumbs smoothing over her nipples. She arched her back. ”Oh, yes. Like that.”

He went for her neck, licking up her vein. He wanted to drink from her so badly, especially as she held his head in place as if that was what she wanted, too. It wasn't that he needed to feed. He wanted her in his body, in his blood. He wanted to be sustained by her, live off of her. He wished she could do the same with him.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled back, trying to take him down on the mattress. G.o.d help him, he let her.

She was under him now, smelling of the arousal she had for him.

Rhage closed his eyes. He couldn't deny her. He couldn't stop the rush inside of him. Trapped between the two, he kissed her and prayed.

Something wasn't right, Mary thought.

Rhage was staying out of reach. When she wanted to take his s.h.i.+rt off, he didn't let her get to the b.u.t.tons. When she tried to touch his erection, he moved his hips away. Even as he suckled her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and swept his hand between her legs, it was as if he were making love to her from a distance.

”Rhage...” Her voice broke as she felt his lips on her navel. ”Rhage, what's wrong?”

His big hands parted her legs wide, his mouth going to the inside of her thigh. He nipped at her, his fangs teasing, never hurting.

”Rhage, stop for a minute...”

He put his mouth on her s.e.x, pulling her between his lips, sucking, moving back and forth, savoring. She bowed off the bed at the sight of his blond head dipped low, his bunched shoulders under her knees, her legs so pale and thin against the ma.s.sive backdrop of him.

She was going to be totally lost in another second.

Grabbing a hunk of his hair, she yanked him away from her.

His teal blue eyes s.h.i.+mmered with s.e.xual power as he breathed through open, glossy lips. Deliberately he took the lower one between his teeth and sucked on it. Then his tongue did a long, slow lick of the upper one.

She closed her eyes, swelling, melting.

”What's the problem?” she croaked.

”Wasn't aware there was one.” He brushed her core with his knuckles, rubbing sensitive skin. ”You don't like this?”

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