Unleashed by the Defender (Brides of the Kindred #25) - Evangeline Anderson Page 0,71
in her pussy. And as he did, Imani felt as though something had opened inside her—some inner mouth that was thirsty for what he was providing. Her body drank it in eagerly, taking everything he had and asking for more.
The pleasure became too great and she began to see patches of blackness eating into the fabric of her vision.
“J’are…” she moaned unsteadily. “Too much…too much.”
In answer, she felt his teeth in the back of her neck, biting her, marking her as an animal would its mate. The sharp little pain brought her back to herself for a moment and she cried out in protest.
The big Nightwalker let go of her and then she heard his voice rasping in her ear.
“Mine,” he growled in her ear. “MINE.”
“Yours,” she whispered. “I’ll always be yours, forever now.”
Slow tears slipped down her cheeks and a sob escaped her lips.
Then darkness ate the world and Imani knew no more.
Thirty-Seven
J’are woke with a strange feeling of connection the next day—a feeling that for the first time in his life, he wasn’t alone in the universe.
Ever since he had been orphaned at the age of five cycles, he’d had the feeling that it was him against the world—that he had no one to get his back, to watch over and protect him. Even after old Mother Hownow had adopted him and brought him to live with her in her luxurious mansion, he’d still had the feeling that he was, essentially, alone.
He didn’t feel that way anymore.
He felt…connected. Like there was someone with him—holding his hand. Someone who would never—could never—leave him.
It was the feeling of being Claimed—connected—owned. It felt right.
“Oh good, you’re up. We have to get to court soon.”
Opening his eyes, he saw Imani looking down at him. She looked lovely in a deep red dress that showed her full breasts and panties—the usual Yonnie Six attire.
What wasn’t usual was the look on her face—it was deeply unhappy.
“Imani?” He frowned up at her, realizing that he was lying in bed—a hotel bed. The hotel they’d checked into yesterday after being kicked out of the Luxx.
But how had he gotten here? He had vague memories of attending a party at his old home—Mother Hownow’s mansion. But after that…nothing.
What had happened? And why was Imani so sad?
“Imani?” he asked again. “What happened?”
“You mean you don’t remember?”
“No, I d—” He broke off suddenly, realizing that her voice had come from inside his head. “Imani,” he said carefully. “How did you do that? How did you speak inside my head like that?”
“What’s the last thing you remember?” she asked, aloud this time.
“I…” J’are frowned and put a hand to his head. “I remember going to the party at my old home—Mother Hownow’s place. And then…nothing.”
“So you don’t remember the two of us going to look for clues? And Lady Bittlebum catching us? And then putting us into the simulation room?”
“The simulation room?”
J’are began to get a vague, uneasy feeling that something bad had happened—something wrong.
“Let me jog your memory,” Imani said tartly and suddenly his head was full of images.
He saw the two of them in the simulation room, saw the three moons, the Water Twins and Blood Brother, converging overhead—only he saw it from outside himself.
From Imani’s point of view, he thought, feeling dazed. She’s showing me her memories of last night.
He saw himself as she must see him, tall and muscular and frightening, with eyes that glowed in the dim moonlight. Then he heard himself repeating the ancient warning poem…
“Water above leads only to Love
Water above and below, Claiming in the moons’ glow.
But Blood over water, get ready to flee
If you enter the jungle, it’s Bonded you’ll be.”
After that, he saw her running—watched through her eyes as she fled in terror, trying to get away from him.
But I wouldn’t let her go, J’are thought. I couldn’t—I hunted her down.
“Yes, you damn well did.”
It was Imani’s voice in his head again and this time he saw what he had done to her. The way he had caught her when she fell out of the tree and then laid her on the ground, the way he had lapped her nipples and pussy and then forced her to her hands and knees and pushed himself inside her…
“Gods, no! I didn’t—did I?” J’are growled hoarsely. “Please tell me I didn’t do that to you!”
But it appeared that he had. He had taken Imani against her will—taken her and filled her with his seed and bonded her to him, all without her consent.