She clutched the hay in her hands, and thrashed her head from side to side, as her breathing grew more ragged with each stroke of his tongue. When he eased two long fingers inside her, she cried out as the tension and pressure in her body threatened to explode outward. He relentlessly fucked her with those beautiful fingers while his tongue teased her to the edge over and over, refusing to let her tumble into the free fall awaiting. She was a puppet, and he knew exactly what strings to pull.
“Please, Galen!” she sobbed as her impending orgasm repeatedly intensified and receded, growing stronger each time.
“Come for me, angel.” The low rumbling of his words vibrated against her clit.
“I want you inside me! Please!”
But it wasn’t meant to be because one more wicked stroke of that tongue and deep slide of those clever fingers pushed her into that free fall she’d been barreling toward. Her orgasm ripped through her, and she screamed as every muscle in her body clenched and unclenched wave after wave. She sobbed as he continued to coax every last spasm, every last ripple from her with his mouth. When the waves finally died down to a sporadic body-racking shiver here and there, he gave her one last lick before pulling her into his arms.
“Why?” she asked breathlessly.
“You have no idea how much I want you, but I can’t. Not until we talk.” He nuzzled her hair, kissed her head, and breathed deeply.
“Then talk, because I want to make love with you.” She sat up and turned to face him.
He sighed before sitting up, and she blushed when he tucked himself back into his jeans. He was still hard, and had trouble buttoning the buttons. Served him right, she thought, but instantly felt guilty thinking that. He didn’t want to be with her until he confessed this big secret of his. He was obviously trying to be a gentleman. Or was he?
God, she was confused right now. She had no idea why Galen wouldn’t make love to her, but it definitely had something to do with whatever he needed to tell her. What could be bad enough that he couldn’t make love to her before confiding in her? She refused to speculate on it all night.
She stood, and nearly fell over before getting her jelly-like legs under control. “Tell me.”
He got up and held his hand out in invitation. When she hesitantly took it, he led her outside to the bench in front of the barn. She plopped down before he slowly sank to the seat beside her.
“There are things about me you need to know, but I’m not sure how to tell you this.”
“We’ve all done stupid things in our lives. We all make mistakes. I won’t think any less of you. Unless, of course, you’re a serial killer or something.” She giggled nervously. When he didn’t answer, her stomach clenched in one big knot. “Oh my God! You aren’t, are you?”
“No. I’m not a serial killer.” He chuckled. “You are safe with me.”
“Whatever you have to tell me, I promise I won’t go running off like some terrified dumb blonde in a bad horror flick.”
“You sure about that?” When he turned to face her, his eyes were glowing once again.
“Why do they do that? Your eyes? Why do they glow? How is that even possible?”
“I was wondering when you would ask.”
“All the other times, I was a bit preoccupied.”
“I’m not like you. I’m different.” He frowned.
“We are all different. That’s how it is.”
“No. I’m really different. Damn it. I don’t want to frighten you, but I have to tell you for your own protection.”
She was getting scared, and truthfully, the thought of running off like the dumb blonde in the horror flick was beginning to look appealing. Stop it. Whatever it was it couldn’t be that terrible. Lots of people who thought they had big, bad secrets who were afraid to tell anyone for fear of being rejected or ridiculed, found out that whatever it was was not so bad after finally saying it out loud. Maybe Galen was simply turning a molehill into a mountain. Although he didn’t strike her as the overdramatic type.
She fidgeted with her dress. Suddenly her previously dampened instincts—probably due to the overwhelming orgasm she’d had—kicked in hard. The knot in her stomach grew tighter, and she had to fight to keep her breathing calm to avoid hyperventilating. Dread descended upon her in the form of an invisible black cloak that draped over her entire body. She fought the need to run, somehow sensing running would be the worst thing she could do.
He was watching her with those mesmerizing eyes as if he could read every emotion, every thought going through her brain. Her muscles tensed as her body prepared itself for a quick getaway. But why? Galen would not hurt her. That had not changed. Maybe not physically, but what he’s about to tell me will change me forever.
She stood, walked to a section of the wooden pasture fence only a few feet from the barn, and leaned against it before doing something ridiculous like breaking out in a fit of hysterical laughter. He came up beside her and leaned his arms on the top rail. She had to settle for the middle rail with her shorter frame.
“It’s quiet out tonight. I don’t hear crickets or anything,” she said, trying to distract herself from the foreboding thoughts assaulting her.
Suddenly he froze. He was so close she felt his muscles tense. He stood straight and gripped the top rail before cocking his head to the side and staring into the darkness of the tree line yards away. He sniffed at the air, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.
“Myka, I want you to slowly turn from me and go to the house. Lock the doors and windows, turn out all of the lights, and find a place to hide.”
“Wh-What are you talking about?” She backed away from him slowly.
He turned to her, and she nearly tripped over her own feet. His eyes shined brighter than she’d ever seen, and pointy teeth peeked from below his top lip. His fingernails appeared to have grown longer as well. No. No! I’m imagining things. I’ve gotten so worked up over, over. . . whatever, that I’m seeing things that aren’t there.
He grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a not-so-gentle shake.
“Snap out of it,” he snarled.
She winced. The teeth were definitely real. “What the fuck is going on?” She rarely cussed, but this was the perfect time for it if there ever was one.
“Listen to me!” he said in a low, commanding voice. “Do what I said. Go inside. Lock the doors and windows. Turn off all of the lights, find a hiding place, and don’t make a sound.”
She turned to do what he said because was it really worth arguing with him at this point? He obviously thought something was wrong, and her warning bells were clanging like Sunday church bells as well. The shit-was-about-to-go-down fog in the air was so thick it nearly choked her, and she was pretty certain she didn’t want to be caught in the middle of it. She gasped when he grabbed her shoulder and spun her back around to face him.
“Iron. That is our only weakness. Find something with iron in it. If you are found, use it. It may save your life.”
“Your only weakness? What the hell are you talking about?” She scrambled backward toward the house when he released her.
“Lycan, Myka. I’m a Lycan. More are coming.”
Her brain screamed that it wasn’t possible, but her feet didn’t care to argue or listen to reason as she ran toward the house full speed, not caring that he’d told her to go slow. She reached the front door, slammed it shut behind her, and locked it. She hurriedly checked the windows in each room before shutting the lights off and bolting the back door.
Iron? Where was she going to get iron? She hurried to the fireplace and grabbed one of the antique pokers before running down the hallway to the bathroom. She locked the door and climbed into the tub before pulling the shower curtain closed. It was probably one of the first places someone would look, but she didn’t have many options in the old farmhouse.