“All of me, Harley. My wildness, the rage that comes from the Hunt, and my need to protect the humans. You cannot have only my cock.”
Rough breaths heaved her chest. “Yes, yes, all of you.”
He let his pants drop, and his erection pointed toward her. “Then you can have me, my mate. I am yours. Forever.”
Chapter Twelve
Harley wavered between disbelief and hope. Calan elicited both emotions within her, but in this moment neither could take hold. His scent, his touch, and his words ignited an unquenchable hunger within her, leaving her focused on him alone. And why not fixate on Calan? He’d just promised to not only save her from turning into a monster, but he’d also vowed to protect her family. After years of living in a constant state of looking over her shoulder, what Calan offered was irresistible.
She wanted to get down on her knees and thank him for giving her a chance at life. The look of stark lust on his face let know exactly how he wanted her to express her gratitude.
Harley would deliver it, worshipping him until he felt the depth of her appreciation. First, she wanted to memorize every delicious inch of him so she could deliver it with her eyes closed.
His thick thighs captured her attention. He could probably carry her all night if he wanted. Or stand in one position for a millennium. The thought brought back the cruelty of what her father had done to the amazing man. She let the reminder of the life Calan was saving her from settle over her and accepted the respect and growing affection for him because of it.
Her noble ghost man.
She shifted her focus to his broad chest. Muscle upon muscle betrayed his strength. Never had she seen a more perfect body. Desire flared, flooding her sex with more welcoming arousal. She fisted her hands to stop herself from tugging him down on top of her and continued her visual perusal. A few dark strands marked a path from his bellybutton and lower. Instead of following it, her gaze drifted to the intricate tattoo on his shoulder. Swoops and swirls of black acted as a border for the dual-faced image on his pec.
One half depicted a black hound with a red eye, the other the skeletal face of a horse. Movement caught her attention. She blinked, and the horse’s eye contained a mini-landscape. Another blink showed a dark fortress in the cloudy orb.
She sucked in a breath and pushed to her knees. Her boots dragged over the mattress. She reached down and tugged them off. They landed with a clunk on the ground. Her racing breaths added to the sound, but not a peep came from Calan. He stood completely still. She glanced at him. Patience and heat warred in his expression. He wanted her but made no move to stop her visual exploration.
She wanted to say something. Maybe thank him, she couldn’t be sure. The living symbol stamped on his chest ensnared her. In minuscule detail, her image drew itself exactly as she’d appeared yesterday. The look of slumberous rapture on her expression reflected what she’d felt when she’d first seen Calan’s body.
“What is this?” She ran her fingertips over the mark. Smooth skin met her, no raised edges. “It’s not a tattoo, is it?”
He covered her hand and lifted it, twining their fingers. “It’s the mark of the Hunt. All riders wear it.”
“It’s alive.” She leaned close and examined the hound. Although the red eye focused on her, it didn’t move or show her snippets of images as the stallion had. “Why is the dog different?”
“There’s nothing close it wants to hunt.” He grasped her chin and turned her face toward him. “There’ll be more nights to explore my body. Let me love you. I grow impatient.”
Harley flashed him a smile, one she knew would bring him to his knees. Calan responded to her sultry promise. His breath escaped in a rush, and his fingers fell from where he’d held her. A low groan rumbled from deep inside his chest. She’d seen the reaction often. She knew how to use the body genetics gifted her. The sight of lust, however, had never looked so damn good on another guy.
With his full attention on her, she tossed her hair back so her curls swayed. Intrigued and captivated, the man focused on her. His gaze darted between the mass of white-blonde and her mouth. She painstakingly dragged the tip of her tongue along her lower lip. A husky sound escaped her, one she hadn’t planned on releasing. Damn if she could stop it. She hungered for Calan.
“Not until I’m done with you.” She splayed her palms on his pecs. “I get to love you first.”
A shuddered groan rumbled the chest under her hands. He dug his fingers in her hair and tipped her head back.
“Be careful, my mate. Words are powerful. I told you that.” He bent his head and licked her bottom lip. “If you say those three words humans seem to have no problem tossing around, you’ll complete our circle and find yourself bound to me for all time.”
She repeated his statement in her mind. Realization struck. The symbol—it signified their bond. The knowledge didn’t frighten her, but she wanted to know what to expect.
She put space between them and held up her hand. “What is this exactly?”
He traced the complete design, two overlapping circles. “A mate bond. I’m completing my half tonight.” She opened her mouth, but he pressed a single finger to her lips, stopping her words. “Listen to me. It’s the only way to save you. I give myself to you freely. Do you understand what that means?”
Calan didn’t give her a chance to answer. On a groan, he bent
