Page 16 of Heat Lightning
His words drifted away, carried on a current of warm, calm waters. They weren’t important. Feeling his skin against mine was the only thing that mattered from now on.
Another wave of need pulsed in my belly, and I moaned, pawing at his chest. More slick pooled in my underwear. My cock was hard, tenting the light fabric of my shorts, and I ached to grind against him for relief. My fingers dug into his sweatshirt to pull him closer, tears tracking down my cheeks.
Why hadn’t he taken me already? Didn’t he see how ready I was for him? How desperate I was to be filled?
My omega purred in delight when he swayed forward into my space even more, as if equally affected by the heady blanket of our combined pheromones, and tucked his nose into the crook of my neck for a deep inhale.
“Fuck,” he cursed, nuzzling his nose into my throat. “I’d kill them for you all over again, if I could. I’ll never let anyone touch you again. I swear it.”
A fierce burst of affection swelled in me at his words. Yes. Kill anyone that ever tries to hurt me again, and then stretch me wide on your knot. I’ll give you as many pups as you can put in me. You’ll keep me ready and open for you any time you want.
He tangled his fingers in my hair and dragged his covered cheek across mine, scenting me. Claiming me.
Mate, that needy, desperate voice inside me croaked. I dropped my head back, exposing my throat for the sealing bite. I was his. It was so clear, so simple. We were meant to be. It didn’t matter how he’d found me—I wanted him to keep me, always.
A whine escaped me at the thought of my alpha bending me over to be stuffed full whenever he wanted, or pulled from sleep with his knot lodged deep inside because he hadn’t been able to make it through the night without me.
“Yours,” I breathed. The ache in my belly built into a cramp. If he didn’t knot me soon, the heat wave would sour and turn painful, swallowing me whole.
My sanity completely left the building. There was no more shame—that was a feeling Max had. I wasn’t him anymore. Not really. I was only an omega, who desperately needed to be filled by his alpha.
But apparently, he wasn’t as convinced. The alpha tensed, ripping his face away from my throat with a jerk. “That can’t happen,” he growled.
“Nooooo,” I slurred. We were right there, surrounded by all the people he’d killed for me—all the people who couldn’t hurt me anymore, because he came for me. Of course we should be together. What other option was there? “Please.”
He lifted me so I was no longer resting against him, and panic gripped my throat and squeezed.
Alpha doesn’t want us, my omega howled. Alpha is leaving us!
My breathing turned shallow and quick again. Suddenly, I felt myself slipping from that hazy, cotton-candy headspace into something even deeper. My eyes grew heavy, and I stopped trying to keep them open.
I heard someone calling my name, but it was so far away there wasn’t any point in answering. I’d been upset a few minutes ago, hadn’t I? Now, I couldn’t even remember why.
How silly to be upset, when the darkness was so peaceful and inviting. Drifting into its warm embrace was easy, like sliding between soft bedsheets. This was where I wanted to be. This was safe.
And in the darkness, I dreamt.
I was in a place that smelled very much like that man in a mask who’d saved me—of burning and heat. His pheromones wrapped around me, keeping me close. Visions of fluorescent lights cast a halo around those bright blue eyes.
How silly of me to think they could’ve belonged to a demon. They were far too beautiful; they were his.
My alpha. My mate.
In my dreams, he wasn’t snarling anymore, and he didn’t look scary anymore, either.
He looked afraid.
PART TWO
FIVE
MAX
Two Years Later
“Hey, Max, how long until dinner’s ready?” Gwen called, bustling into the kitchen with an armful of clean dish towels.
“Not long,” I answered, cutting off the gas range and pouring a generous amount of mustard sauce into a warmed serving dish. “Just need to plate the chicken. Everything else is done.”
