spill on those other women?” Did not rub it into their skin as he had done with hers.
“No. I never wanted to.”
“But—”
“To do so would have been to claim them for my dragon, for my raven. That I would not do.”
The full import of his words sank in and she shook her head, refuting their meaning, but knowing there was no way to undo what had been done. Had known since their first touch this night.
Nevertheless, she said, “I’m not taking you for a mate.” The words came out hollow and even she could not believe them, regardless of how hard she tried to.
“You already have.”
“No.” He had claimed her, but she had not claimed him back. Had she?
“Your wolf knows.”
“No.” It was as good as done, but it was not done. Not yet. Was it?
“Tomorrow.”
“What?”
“We can argue tomorrow. Right now, let me have you. Please, Ciara?” The pleading in his voice touched her like nothing else could have.
She was certain he’d never begged another woman.
She reached up and touched his lips with wonder. “Do princes say please?”
“For you, this prince will.” He thrust his hardness against her hip, making her aware of the desire driving him. “Only for you. My mate.”
“Tomorrow.” She knew that one word promised far more than she wanted it to, but she was helpless to deny him.
Or herself.
He began kissing her again, his mouth demanding she submit to the claiming. She kissed him back with aggression, telling him with her lips that she was not the only one who would be submitting to a claim this night.
He rumbled against her and she smiled at his dragon making his presence known, but when Eirik broke the kiss to rub neck to neck, she knew that was his raven giving its approval of their joining. And tears of inexplicable joy pricked her eyes.
Allowing her wolf its own desires, Ciara pushed against him with her body, writhing against him, mixing their scents, and reveling in the joy of skin on skin. And the kiss continued, their lips nibbling at each other, his tongue invading her mouth, hers pushing back to taste his.
His hands started moving over her, big warrior’s hands that caressed with a gentleness that should not have been possible. He brushed his fingers down her neck, over her collarbone, across her shoulder, down her arm; and everywhere he touched, he left a firestorm of pleasure in his wake.
He cupped her breast, his thumb brushing over her turgid nipple and she keened in delight. She could no more help herself than she could stop breathing. That small caress went clear through her body and landed in her womb with a convulsion of desire.
And Ciara felt an emptiness in her core that she knew only he could fill.
Her hips moved restlessly, her thighs falling apart in an atavistic invitation she could not have prevented if she had tried.
One big hand slid down and accepted the invitation, fondling that place no one had ever touched before.
“You are wet,” he whispered into her ear.
She did not know what to say to that. The fragrance of her desire for him was undeniable and she could feel the moisture between her legs as surely as she could feel the beat of her own heart so fast in her chest.
“Soft, silky…so hot.” Each word accompanied another soft caress to the oh-so-tender flesh. Then his thumb hit a spot that made her cry out with the sharpness of the pleasure.
“That’s right, faolán. Sing for me.”
She gasped. “Wolves don’t sing.”
“Don’t they?” He brushed that spot again, this time with a swirling motion that prolonged the intense pleasure.
And she keened.
She moved against his hand, wanting something, not sure what. “Please, Eirik…”
“What do you want, sweet one?”
“I don’t know.”
“I do.”
She nodded desperately. She was sure he did.
One blunt warrior’s finger breached her body, slipping inside and claiming her on another level.
“Yes…more…I want that…” she babbled as he moved that finger, making her body shake with delight.
He pressed deep, hitting something inside her that hurt and she flinched away. He pulled his finger back, but not all the way out. “That is your maidenhead, faolán. My cock will breach the barrier and you will be mine.”
She did not argue. What would be the point? They would both know the words for the lie they would be.
And she wanted it. Him inside her where no other man would ever be allowed.
He came over her, his straining arousal rubbing between her thighs and pleasuring that spot he’d found so unerringly