Soul Bonded

chapter SIXTEEN



She didn’t know how long she’d slept. All she knew was that she’d woken up refreshed, in Rafe’s arms, every bit as horny as she’d been before falling asleep. Best of all, her mind was clear and the panic that threatened to carry her away the night before was strangely absent. She was still frightened about the prospect of an all-out werewolf assault that night, of course, but lying there with Rafe, it was as though nothing could touch her.

Beneath her, Rafe sighed. Katie picked up her head, half-expecting to find him awake, and smiled when she saw him dozing with his mouth hanging open slightly. He was so beautiful. She placed her hand on his chest, pleased to find his skin still warm where she’d slept. Biting her lip, she tried to decide whether to wake him. She didn’t want to deprive him of much-needed rest, but she wanted him inside her again—and she didn’t know how much time they had left. The twinge of anxiety brought on by that thought made the decision for her.

Rather than shake him awake, she carefully peeled the comforter off their lower halves. Her breath caught at the sight of his cock, thick and still rock-hard in slumber. Checking his face again, still finding him asleep, Katie slipped out of bed and padded toward the bathroom. Shilah lifted his head and watched from his spot on the floor near the closet, but she shushed him by holding up her hand. Determined to make it a quick trip, she opened the bedroom door and tiptoed down the hallway to the bathroom. Once inside, she relieved her bladder and washed up. Then she soaked a fresh washcloth in warm water and made her way back to the bedroom.

She’d imagined Rafe would be a light sleeper, but apparently not. Whether it was the impending full moon or simply exhaustion brought on by the best sex she’d ever had, he was out cold. She crept back to bed and slipped beneath the comforter. Careful not to startle him, she brought the wet cloth between Rafe’s thighs and used it to grip his cock. He moaned and twitched in her hand. She stroked him lightly, washing last night’s passion away. He twisted his hips and pumped into her fist, but showed no sign of waking.

Not wanting to push her luck, Katie tossed the towel aside. His cock glistened with water and pre-ejaculate, triggering a Pavlovian surge of naughty, decadent hunger. Last night she’d tasted him for only a minute before asking him to f*ck her. Now she wanted to return the favor for the incredible oral worship he’d given her. Single-minded in her desire to please him, she crawled down the bed and hovered over his erection, lips inches from the bulbous head. She bent and pressed a light kiss to the tip, then followed up with a slow lick.

Rafe stirred, then groaned.

Thrilled by his unconscious reaction to her touch, she wrapped her hand around the base of his cock and squeezed gently. His groan turned into a strangled noise of anticipation. Sensing that he was about to come crashing into consciousness, she abandoned the idea of teasing him any longer. She opened her mouth wide and brought it down on his thick shaft, taking in as much of him as she could.

Rafe awoke with a gasp. “Katie…”

She grinned and slid her hand down to cup his heavy balls. His hips bucked slightly, forcing her to swallow another inch or so of his cock. She took it willingly, and with a contented moan. He tangled his fingers in her hair and tried to push her away.

“Katie, I—“ He cried out when she stroked her thumb over the sensitive skin of his testicles. “Wait.”

She’d been optimistic to think that he’d gotten over his unnecessary concern for her virtue. Determined to make him understand that she was a grown woman who knew what she wanted, Katie drew back and let his cock slide from her mouth. The expression of sheer relief on his face quickly dissolved into a mixture of joy and panic when she licked a path down the underside of his shaft, then laved her tongue over his balls.

“F*ck.” His fingers twined in her hair and pulled hard. The twinge of pain from his rough handling swiftly turned into ecstasy. “Katie—“

She sucked him, moaning, then dragged her tongue back up his shaft. Making eye contact for the first time since he woke, she murmured, “Good morning.” Then she took him into her mouth again.

An almost inhuman growl rumbled up from deep in Rafe’s chest, startling her. More jolting was the tug he gave her hair as he yanked her off his cock. She looked up at him, concerned, and then he was rolling her onto her belly and pinning her to the bed. His hands smoothed over her back and her sides, then gripped her buttocks and spread her open. With another growl, he lowered himself onto her body. He forced his erection between her thighs and positioned himself at her entrance.

“Tell me to stop,” Rafe said in a rough whisper. She turned her face to the side, gasping at the intensity of her desire to be taken. His fingers curled around the back of her neck and pushed her down. He had her immobilized. “Unless you want me inside you, tell me to stop right now.”

It took her a moment to remember how to speak. “Don’t sto—“

Rafe didn’t let her finish. He drove into her with one hard thrust, sliding home with a strangled groan. Katie cried out in surprise, then moaned as an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction rolled over her. She was soaking wet and accommodated him easily, despite the lingering ache from their first lovemaking session. Rafe snaked a hand beneath her chest and cupped her breast in his palm. He gave her a firm squeeze and withdrew from her p-ssy, then pounded into her again without restraint. Sharp teeth ghosted over her shoulder, hinting at the primal strength atop and inside her. A delicious shiver crawled up her spine, and her nipples tightened into painful points.

Another growl tore from Rafe’s throat as he set a frantic pace, no longer the tender and vocal lover he was only hours ago. This morning there were no naughty, whispered words and gentle caresses—just primal, guttural noises amid relentless f*cking. He’d become the animal he’d feared.

And yet she loved this Rafe every bit as much as the one who’d made love to her last night. This Rafe wasn’t burdened with tentative, unnecessary concern for her virtue. He was sating his own needs—and she was enjoying every second of it. Each aggressive stroke caused her to tighten and contract around him. Unrelenting waves of pleasure exploded deep within her, stealing her breath and leaving her limp beneath his heavy weight. All she could do was lie there, completely at his mercy. She closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip, tears streaming down her cheeks as she contended with the most intense ecstasy she’d ever felt.

Rafe tightened his grip on the back of her neck and pumped harder. The sound of her ragged breathing, Rafe’s animalistic grunting, and the slap of his lower body against hers filled the room, all of it pushing her closer to the edge. She fisted her hands in the sheets above her head, hanging on tight as her climax crescendoed. Overwhelmed by the riot of sensation that lit up her body, she stiffened and sobbed quietly into her pillow. Rafe released her neck and planted his hands beside her head, rocking against her in a final series of short, hard thrusts. He gave a hoarse shout as he emptied himself into her, then collapsed heavily onto her back.

Stunned, Katie could only lie boneless beneath him. She knew she ought to say something, but spoken language eluded her.

“Shit,” Rafe croaked in a broken whisper. “Katie…” He withdrew from her with excruciating slowness, inhaling audibly when she whimpered. “Oh, no. No.”

She didn’t want him to regret what had just happened. Not when he’d given her the most intensely gratifying ride of her life. “Please don’t—“

He scrambled off her, choking back a sob. “Oh, f*ck.”

Clearly he misunderstood her reaction. With effort, she rolled over and sat up. “No, Rafe—“

He knelt at the foot of the bed, pale and stricken and still erect, and stared aghast at the blood-stained sheets beneath her legs. “You’re bleeding.”

Confused, she looked down at her calves. The larger bite wound had reopened and was trickling a steady flow of fresh blood. “It’s no big deal. I didn’t even feel it.” She raised her knee to examine the area, then frowned at the mess she’d made. “I’m sorry about your sheets.”

“I don’t care about the f*cking sheets.” Rafe grabbed the comforter and wrapped it around his hips, covering himself. “F*ck.” He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them and regarded her soberly. “I hurt you.”

Damn it. “No, you didn’t. We just aggravated the wound. It happens.”

“You’re crying.” He swallowed hard.

“These aren’t tears of pain. I promise.”

Rafe dismissed her words with a shake of his head. “I held you down. Like you were an animal.” He deflated, suddenly looking so very small. “I raped you.”

“Whoa.” She put her hand on his arm and gave him a reassuring squeeze. “You definitely did not do that. I didn’t say no.”

“You said, ‘Don’t.’”

“I said, ‘Don’t stop.’”

“Did you?” He stared at her with haunted eyes. “I don’t remember giving you a chance to say that much.”

“You knew I wanted it,” Katie said. “I refuse to believe that you would have done that if you hadn’t.”

“Why are you defending me?” Rafe looked totally disgusted—with himself or with her, she wasn’t sure. “Don’t.”

“I’m telling you that you just gave me the most intense sexual experience of my life. I’ve never come like that before.” She rubbed her thumb over his arm, playing with the fine hairs that covered his skin. “It may have been rough, but it was completely consensual.”

Rafe shrugged away from her touch and stood up. He brushed past Shilah, who had jumped up to greet him, and hurried to his dresser. “It was disrespectful and degrading and it will never happen again. I promise you that.”

Katie got off the bed and crossed the room to stand at Rafe’s side. He pulled on a pair of loose linen pants without meeting her eyes, his movements stiff and controlled. She wanted so badly to touch him, but his body language made it clear that the contact wouldn’t be welcome. “Please don’t do this. Not after we just found each other. Not today.”

He handed her a T-shirt without looking at her. “Put this on. You need to get cleaned up.”

She took the shirt but didn’t cover her nudity. Instead she inhaled deeply and stepped closer to him. “If you’d raped me, do you think I’d be standing here telling you that I love you?”

“What choice do you have?” Self-loathing twisted his handsome features. “We’re bonded.”

“Rafe—“

He edged around her and walked to his bedroom door. Opening it, he paused and stood with his back to her. “Put on the shirt and go take a shower. I’m going to let Shilah outside for a minute and then I’ll clean your wounds again.” He hesitated. “If you want me to.”

Clearly he wasn’t going to be talked out of his self-flagellation so easily. Fine. She would just have to be persistent. “I was hoping you’d shower with me.”

His shoulders tensed. “I can’t.”

A nauseating wave of sadness rolled over her. “I hope you don’t mean what you said. About it never happening again.” Her voice wavered. “I need you, Rafe. I sure as hell need you today, but I need you after today, too. I need you.”

“You need to get cleaned up.” Rafe glanced over his shoulder. “We’ll talk about it later. Okay?” He fled the room before she had a chance to answer.

Numb, Katie pulled the shirt she was holding over her head. The familiar smell of Rafe shattered her tenuous hold on her control, and she sat down on the bed and cried.