“Thank God he did,” I muttered, closing my eyes again. “He was getting annoying as hell.” I shrugged a shoulder. “But I’d rather not get in a fight now, so make sure to wake me.”
Three long, oh Christ, long weeks later—after my surgery for my cuts on my stomach and back, my sword having sliced clean through me, I was released from the hospital with a regiment of pills I had to take to fight off infections, plus, a shit load of sedatives for when the pull to the Barren occurred, since I was unable to fight, Leric having to do it all in my absence. Elder Farrar took me through the golden mist of nonentity, so I could travel easier back to the hotel. When we landed inside the airy hotel suite, no real partitions in this hotel room unlike the others we had stayed in, I blinked, wondering how he had done that, but I tilted my head and saw Cain sitting on the recliner, reading from a book, wearing only a gray t-shirt and a pair of worn jeans, feet even bare, understanding Elder Farrar had used him as a reference guide. Elder Farrar practically dumped me on the bed I shared with Sin, muttering to Cain, “No one will be here for an hour, so you have some time alone. And for the love of God, make her less cranky, since we’re stuck here for another three weeks until she’s fully recovered.” My eyes widened enormously as the suite’s walls suddenly shimmered with a Mage privacy magic before he grouchily slammed the door shut behind him.
I blinked slowly, fully comprehending this set-up, sitting up on my elbows, my gut instantly warming, because it had been bone fucking dry in the sex department ever since my bedroom back at the Temple way too many weeks ago. Cain and I hadn’t found a damn time to do anything sexual, the sharing of the room with the Lajaks not seeming like a wise idea now, plus, my overly extended time in the hospital debilitating, so with my body humming in warmth, and anticipation, I watched as Cain put the book down, and stood fluidly, moving to the door, locking it, and I murmured, “I haven’t been that bad.”
Cain’s shoulders shook the barest bit as he turned to face me, his red lush lips trembling. “Honey, you have been enough that the sedate Elder Samson is now carrying a flask of vodka he chugs heavily on while you’re asleep.”
I eyed him as he began a slow stalk toward me. “You never complained.”
He chuckled quietly, staring at me from under his hooded lids, head dipped the barest bit, appearing like a hungry wolf stalking his prey, his voice a deep rumble. “I guess you could say I’m partial to the patient.” My breath caught in my chest as he slowly removed his gray t-shirt, revealing lots of lovely, muscled olive flesh. “And I’m going to make it my duty for the next hour to make sure the patient is well cared for.” My heart started pounding as he dropped his shirt, continuing his slow stalk, undoing his pants slowly. “God knows, my last,” his wolf huffed as he slid his zipper down, “caring of you was too damn long ago.”
“Agreed.” My voice was throaty as I watched him lower his pants, and I groaned quietly, seeing he had gone commando, and was already hard and heavy. I spread my legs for him, and his gaze instantly flared brilliant navy blue as he stopped at the end of the bed, not really hating the hospital gown I wore right now so much. “Maybe I can take care of you, too?”
His pink tongue peeked out, gliding over his bottom lip, gaze avid between my thighs, inhaling heavily. “I could definitely use some of that.” He flicked a finger, glancing to the gown, kneeling on the foot of the bed. “But first, we need to get rid of that.”
Instantly, I held a hand over my stomach, feeling apprehensive. “Actually, could we leave it on?”
Black brows slammed together when he saw I was serious. “No.” He grabbed my ankles, the action gentle as he spread my legs further, moving up between my legs. Navy blue eyes held mine steadily. “I want to see you and touch you and feel you under me.” He slid his fingers under the gown, holding the bottom of it. “I don’t want this between us.” My lips pinched, but I let him lift it, but quickly placed my hand over the incision’s small thin mark above my belly button before and after my hands were free from the gown. The mark would eventually disappear as it finished healing, the surgeon having done a wonderful job, but it was still red right now, a blemish I didn’t care for.
“Caro…” Cain dropped my gown off the side of the bed, his expression patient, but his eyes were fierce with desire, glowing down on me brightly. “Don’t.” He placed a gentle hand over mine, leaning over me with his other, his heat penetrating, his scent all I could smell, both equally potent. He shook his head softly, black curls dangling on either side of his handsome face. “I don’t think you’re too small a woman or malnutrition or lopsided or have overly large hips or think this,” he squeezed my hand gently, “is hideous. All those things I said before were to hone you into a killing machine, doing my job to keep you safe.” His gaze ran down my body like a flame touching every part of my naked flesh, making me want to bow to its touch, my body beginning to tremble, his tone guttural, and breathy. “In fact, much to my dismay, I much prefer your body over anyone else’s.”
Even with my body warming like a kindling flame under him, nipples hardening, aching for his touch, I still needed the added confirmation, asking quietly, “Promise?”
“I give you my word I prefer your sweet body over any others.” His wolf huffed quietly, even as he tugged at my hand gently. “Although, I still wish you were a Shifter.” My lips lifted a little, still seeing that banked simmering hatred in his gaze, and I let my own show for his unscrupulous, bastard self, knowing that hadn’t changed for either of us, both of us too stubborn, and troubled, for that quick of a change with something we truly reviled. Another tug on my hand as he placed gentle kisses around the edge of my slightly parted mouth, nibbling the barest bit, and he murmured, “I want to see all of you, my spirit bitch, so don’t try to hide from me.”
“Cain,” I whispered softly, a needful echo to the yearning inside me, as I let him pull my hand away from my stomach, his fingers intertwining with mine to hold it against the bed by my head. One hand still free, I ran it through his silken soft curls, tugging a bit as he teased me gently with his soft caresses. “Kiss me.”
His wolf sounded quietly, a soft purring growl as he only continued to nibble the edge of my bottom lip, taking a long lick of it, his tongue moist and warm, whispering, “Say please.”
I grinned softly. “Screw you.”
“You can, if you,” another long swipe of his tongue over my top lip, his dangling black curls tickling my face, “say…please.”
I moaned quietly, bowed a bit—still not able to move as much as I liked—and rubbed my aching nipples against his chest, the soft black curls there an added abrasive, but he only raised his chest, not letting me touch him, just out of range, and I glared up at his hooded eyes. “Fine.”