Lucani Lovers: Shades Of Moonlight Part 10

"Everything's going to be fine." He'd make sure it was.

She smiled, just a bare curve of her lips, but it was enough to make him breathe a short sigh of relief.

"Can I see Arin?"

"s.h.i.+t, of course. Just let me-"

"Here he is, dear."

Selvans walked into the room, as if on cue. Arin was already reaching for Mara and she took him and hugged him to her, whispering in his ear. Arin's entire focus was on Mara as she spoke to him, his eyes wide. Then he began to giggle, which made Mara's smile widen.

"Race. Mara. We need to talk."

Sal's quiet statement cut through the room, causing Mara to clutch Arin a little tighter and Race to move closer to Mara.

"We're pretty sure when the spell broke, it alerted Veive to your location," Selvans said. "And since we're pretty sure he's working with the Mal, we're just going to a.s.sume that he'll tell them where you are."

Sal and Selvans exchanged a look that raised Race's hackles.

"Why would they care?" Mara's voice sounded weak and he didn't think it was a side effect of the spell breaking. "Arin wasn't born Mal."

"No, he wasn't." Selvans shook his head, his gaze transferring to the baby. "But he was born to be my replacement."

Mara stared out the window of Race's truck, an odd sense of relief warring with nerves as Race drove home.

Finally. An explanation. A reason. Something that made sense.

Okay, yes, her son was going to grow up to be a G.o.d. And yes, that should freak her out completely.

But it was so far out of the realm of real life that it didn't seem real.

Turning from the window, she focused on Race, who hadn't looked surprised at the news. Actually he'd looked rock-steady. As he always did.

It was why she'd been drawn to him from the first minute she'd seen him. But it wasn't the only reason she'd fallen for him.

The rest was pure chemistry, at least on her end. It was a combination of the way he treated her and the way he treated Arin. In the way he'd made love to her last night and the way he'd stood beside her for the past six months. Even if he hadn't said a word, she'd known he'd been by her side and on her side at every turn.

But this...

She had no idea what was going to be required of her. And she wanted to be up to the challenge. Needed to be for Arin.

"You're going to hurt yourself thinking that hard."

She smiled and automatically raised her hands to answer before she remembered.

"I don't think that's possible." It felt almost weird to have her voice back again. The raspy quality was receding with use but it was almost as if she were regaining the use of her lips. "My son is going to be an Etruscan G.o.d. It's not something you hear every day."

Everything was topsy-turvy in her world but she'd realized she might never be able to get off the roller coaster.

"No, but you heard Selvans. It means nothing right now. Arin's going to have a normal childhood. Except for the fact that he can communicate with animals. That might take a little getting used to. But he's going to have you by his side. And he's going to have the lucani at his back. And when the time comes and he needs to know what's expected of him, we'll handle it."

She liked the sound of that. "We" instead of "her". Liked the sense that she wasn't alone against the world.

Though she knew she should probably learn to stand on her own, to take care of herself and Arin on her own...just knowing she didn't have to allowed her to breathe easier.

"And what if the Mal find out?"

That was the thing that most worried her because it was the most immediate threat. Selvans was still powerful, more so than many of the other deities, so he wasn't in danger from anyone who they knew of. Not like the G.o.ddesses who'd been targeted by Charun in the past year.

Thesan, G.o.ddess of the Dawn, and Lusna, G.o.ddess of the Moon, had given up some or all of their powers in order to save themselves. Lusna had transferred hers to Cat. Mara a.s.sumed that's what would happen with Arin and Selvans. Later. Hopefully much later in his life.

"The lucani won't allow the Mal to get close to Arin." He paused and shot her a look. "I won't allow it."

That look promised so much more than his protection of Arin. And it made her want to wrap her arms around him and kiss the h.e.l.l out of him. Made her think of getting him alone in a dark room and showing him just how much she appreciated him.

As if he'd read her mind, he shot her another look, this time his gaze narrowed and glittered.

By the time they got home, she couldn't wait for Arin to go down for the night. He'd been cranky on the drive home. He hated to be confined for long periods of time and he'd been in the car seat more than he'd ever been before.

After she'd fed him and bathed him, he'd practically fallen asleep in her arms. Laying him out in his crib, she stood by the side for several minutes just watching him breathe.

With a final brush of her fingers through his dark hair, the same color as her own, she walked back into the living room. Back to Race.

He stood in the kitchen, staring out the window.

"He's asleep?"

That deep voice always did such warm and wonderful things to her insides. She wanted to walk up to him, wrap her arms around his waist and just hold on. Let him hold her.

She nodded, stopping a few feet away because she still wasn't sure what this meant. What they meant.

Then he turned and leaned against the sink, holding out one hand. She took it and found herself pressed against him from breast to hip to thigh. Her nipples peaked at the contact, her p.u.s.s.y tightening with an ache like she'd never known. His erection burned against her lower belly, hard and hot. Making her want to slide her hand beneath his jeans so she could wrap her hand around his c.o.c.k.

"Mara."

"Yes."

He released a rough breath, as if he knew exactly what she was saying yes to.

Still, he put one hand beneath her chin and tilted her head back until he could see her eyes.

"I want you to know I'm here, for as long as you want me. No pressure. No commitment. Just know I'll be here whenever you need me."

That sounded like a commitment to her. And she was okay with that. Before she could tell him so, he dropped his mouth over hers and kissed her with enough force to put everything else out of her mind.

Since there was too much crowding her brain, she let it all go. For this time with him, she wouldn't worry about tomorrow or Arin or anything else. She'd let herself enjoy the moment.

And when tomorrow did roll around, she'd let him know how she felt.

She may be young. She may be emotionally damaged and have trust issues. She probably wasn't anyone's idea of a dream date.

But she knew what she wanted. And she'd take him for as long as she could have him.

Because she knew, at some point, she wouldn't have him.

As if he'd sensed her thoughts, he caught her around the waist and lifted her until her feet hung inches off the ground and her eyes were level with his.

And the tip of his c.o.c.k rubbed against her c.l.i.t.

She sucked in air but he covered her mouth with his again, grinding his lips against hers. Her mouth opened to his insistent tongue but this time instead of letting him have the lead, she took it.

With her hands cupped around his nape, she tilted his head and let herself attack his mouth.

She kissed him with no restraint, let her tongue dart into his mouth, mimicking his movements from last night.

Groaning low in his throat, he wrapped one arm around his waist to hold her in place then let his other slowly work its way from her waist to her breast.

He cupped her, kneaded her while she kissed him, let her tongue tease and torment. He tasted hot, his lips soft against her.

Her hips began to grind, needing more pressure.

"Put me down."

He released her so fast, she thought she might actually stumble but she should've known better.

"Sorry-"

"Don't you dare." She slapped her hand over his mouth before he could apologize. "I'm not afraid of you. I just can't do what I want when you're holding me way up there."

He blinked, as if she'd said something he didn't understand. Then his eyes narrowed as her hands moved to his waistband. He wasn't wearing a belt, thank the G.o.ds, so her hands slipped into his pants without impediment and she pushed them down.

She brushed over the tip of his c.o.c.k, heard him suck in air as he cupped both b.r.e.a.s.t.s. He played with the nipples, tugged on them until they were hard and aching for more.

She wanted his mouth there but she'd have to stop what she was doing and she didn't want to stop. She had her hands around his erection, loving the feel as she stroked him. Loving the way he began to thrust into her hands.

"Yeah. Tighter."

He didn't have to explain, she knew what he wanted. She tightened her grip on him, feeling his pulse beat beneath the skin. Then she used her hands to make him even harder.

She discovered again what made him groan, what made his hands tighten on her, what made his head drop forward and rest on the top of hers. And when she bent and touched the tip of her tongue to the crest of his c.o.c.k, she knew how to own him.

"Mara."

He grabbed her shoulders, but she wouldn't let him stop her.

This relations.h.i.+p wasn't just about her. She had to let him know this was about him as well.

He'd been taking care of her from the moment she'd gotten here. h.e.l.l, he'd been taking care of her since the day she'd been rescued from Florida.

Now she wanted to take care of him. Pleasure him. Every way there was.

Opening her mouth, she took him in, settled her lips around the head of his c.o.c.k and tasted him.

Above her, she heard him groan, felt his fingers dig into her shoulders.

She really had no idea what she was doing but he seemed to like it. She understood the general concept and he was so hard and so warm that she felt no inhibitions as she sank lower on his shaft each time.

Losing herself in the rhythm, she settled her hands on his hips and let her mouth do the work. Her lips slicked over his iron-hard erection down to the root. She took him in until she literally couldn't then she worked her way back up.

When she looked up at Race, his head had dropped forward, his eyes closed and his expression slack with desire. Blessed G.o.ddess, the man was gorgeous.

His eyes opened as she released him and, in the next second, he had her in his arms again and was walking her back toward the living room.

His mouth covered hers for a drugging kiss, which she returned with every ounce of desire she had in her. They made it as far as the couch, where he sat, pants still around his thighs.

Ripping at her jeans, he stripped them down her legs as she stood in front of him. While she toed off her sneakers, he put his hands on her hips and drew her closer.

When his lips touched her stomach, she sucked in a breath. And held it when his lips blazed a trail from her bellyb.u.t.ton to the top of her mound.

His tongue drew wicked lines of heat to her c.l.i.t. He flicked the little bundle of nerves then used his teeth when she shuddered. She had to reach for his shoulders to hold steady because her knees were in danger of giving out.

One of his hands moved to cup her a.s.s. The other worked its way between her legs, found her entrance and filled her with his fingers, starting a slow, steady caress that made her want to melt.

Instead she absorbed every sensation. The roughness of his fingers moving inside her, the way he squeezed her a.s.s every time he thrust.

She wrapped her hands around his nape, drawing him closer. He tilted back his head and she found herself trapped in that dark gaze.

When she couldn't hold it any longer, she leaned forward to kiss him. She cupped his jaw, loving the roughness of his whiskers. Then she set her hands on his shoulders and pushed him back. He didn't go right away. He smiled, just a slight curve of his lips, before he leaned back.

But he didn't go alone. He grabbed her by the hips and settled her over him, one knee on either side of his thighs.

With a little s.h.i.+mmy, she moved herself into position while he stripped her s.h.i.+rt over her head. As she began to sink down his shaft, he leaned forward to suck one nipple into his mouth.

The dual sensations threw her into an immediate rush of pleasure. She dropped her head to press her lips against his head as he used his mouth to drive her higher.

And filled her aching p.u.s.s.y.

She moaned and started to move, unable to stay still. She needed friction, needed more. Harder.

Race helped her, rocking her back and forth as she moved up and down. Her body sizzled at each point of contact, desire overwhelming her. Leaning back, her hands on his knees, she changed the angle of penetration, making him groan and s.h.i.+ft beneath her.

"Ah, f.u.c.k, Mara."

She thrilled to hear the growl in his voice, the way it caused her p.u.s.s.y to tighten around him. When he leaned back and thrust harder, she dropped her head back and rolled her pelvis.

G.o.ddess, she could do this forever. Wanted to hold on to this sharp edge of pleasure while she watched Race. Felt his barely leashed l.u.s.t as he watched her.