Guardian’s Bond Read online

  Or she was until she met his gaze and her smile slipped.

  He braced for the sharp scowl he’d gotten irritatingly familiar with, only to be greeted by something else. Not an open welcome, but not a rejection either. More of an alertness mingled with confusion. As if a war was going on inside her head and who the winner would be was a toss-up.

  One of his oldest warrior elders, Garrett, turned from greeting Alek and held out his hand to Priest. At 163, his hair had finally turned silver and his skin reflected the amount of time he spent outside, but his eyes were still as sharp as Alek’s. “You must be happy.”

  Just as Garrett’s words trailed off, Priest’s gaze locked on the base of Kateri’s neck.

  No medallion.

  A flash fire ignited beneath his skin. His cat bristled and the darkness surged with a nearly overwhelming push to take action. To mark her any and every way he could.

  Priest forced his attention back to his elder. “Hard to question the Keeper’s choices, but yeah. Alek’s a strong pick, the same as his grandfather.” He glanced at Alek practically wedged between two younger women who’d yet to take their soul quests. From the coy looks they were giving him, they were both interested in offering more than simple congratulations. “Do me a favor. Stick with Alek while I handle something.”

  Garrett chuckled and his gaze slid to Kateri. “Don’t suppose what needs handling is standing over there with Jade and dressed for her high priest’s attention, is it?”

  Whether or not her sexy attire was for him, was up for debate. But the shirt she’d picked was a wraparound style that made a sharp V at the neck and all but cast a spotlight on his missing mark. Although, the fact that she’d gone with a clinging fabric and faded but stylish jeans that molded her body was another shock. While he’d had ample time to appreciate her curves in her running gear, not once had he seen her dress to accentuate her body the way she had tonight.

  Dressed to attract.

  Blending in with and participating with the clan.

  Making a statement.

  She wants the hunt.

  The thought came from his cat. More a feeling than actual words, yet confident and sure.

  And his cat was right. She did want it. Though, she likely didn’t realize it. Or didn’t want to acknowledge it. But it was there. The thrill and anticipation rippling just beneath the surface, trapped beneath the crumbling control she fought to maintain.

  “She needs handling all right,” Priest said, not taking his eyes off her. The brass chandeliers overhead were dimmed enough to give a relaxed pub vibe, but were bright enough to highlight she’d slept for shit the same as he had. He hoped like hell she was ready for the reaction she’d earned, because his fatigue was gone. Obliterated in a handful of seconds by a fresh surge of adrenaline.

  He wove through the crowd, taking his time and only breaking his stare when unknowing clansmen stopped to greet him. Those who stopped him didn’t stay unknowing long, though. Not with the way his attention kept drifting back to Kateri and the electric charge that pulsed between them. No one mentioned the lack of his medallion, but there was no doubt they’d all noted it. And those that hadn’t would’ve heard through their rampant grapevine. Priest’s mate—the woman who’d walked for days among them with his medallion around her neck for all to see and who always sat on his left, closest to his heart—had thrown down the gauntlet.

  The band shifted to a slow and sultry blues tune just as Priest rounded a couple locked in a heated discussion. He slipped up behind Kateri and palmed her hips. “You haven’t been sleeping.”

  She startled at his voice and tried to face him, but he tightened his fingers and held her in place. Even then, she craned her head enough to shoot him a sharp “I’m fine,” then snapped her attention back to the dance floor.

  “You’re not fine. Far from it.” He dipped his head and smoothed his temple against hers. Her jasmine scent whispered through him, soothing his tension even as it urged him for more. To have it imprinted on his skin. “You’re miserable and I’m done letting you suffer.”

  Gripping one of his wrists with more strength than he’d expected, she shoved his hand away and jerked out of his grip—an act he allowed, but only barely. The only other option was to yank her against him, devour her mouth and give everyone watching the show they wanted. “You’re done letting me?”

  “That’s what I said.” He prowled closer, snatched her wrist before she could gain further ground. “You’re edgy. Tired. Ready to lash out.”

  She tried to yank her hand free, but quickly realized it was a fruitless task unless she wanted to gain more attention. “We haven’t talked to each other in two days. What makes you think you know what I’m feeling?”

  “Because I feel the same.” He plucked her drink from her free hand, set it on a nearby table and guided her to the dance floor.

  At first, she followed, but as soon as she figured out where they were headed she dug in her heels.

  He went with the action, using the counterweight to spin her around and off balance so she landed flush against his front. He banded one arm around her waist and the other around her shoulders, guiding her head so it rested against his chest. “You need my touch,” he murmured beside her ear. “Literally. Mates stay close for a reason, namely because distance is painful. Now wrap your arms around me and let me give you some relief.”

  The hands she’d braced against his chest fisted and a shaky desperation threaded her voice. “I can’t. People are watching.”

  They were. The weight of their stares pressed him on all sides, but he didn’t give a damn. He cupped the back of her neck and fought the need to fist his hands in her soft hair and tug her head back for a blistering kiss. “They’re watching because my mate decided to take a stand and give me a challenge. One I’m happy to answer. But not until you’re more grounded and ready to do battle. Now wrap me up and take what you need.”

  Slowly, she slid her arms around his neck, her body tense against his. As if she desperately wanted what he offered, but didn’t trust either of them enough to let go and accept it. Only when the muscles in her back and shoulders began to relax did he move, gently swaying them with the music.

  Her response was uncertain. Timid, the same as her kiss had been before she’d come to life beneath him and eagerly opened for his mouth.

  He smoothed his hand along her spine and pressed her hips more firmly against his. “Relax, kitten.”

  “Easy for you to say,” she grumbled against his chest. “You’re not the one winging it with everyone watching.”

  The comment brought his thoughts up short. “Winging what?”

  “Nothing. Forget I said it.”

  Like hell he’d forget it. He cupped the side of her face and urged her to look at him. “Have you never danced with a man?”

  The glare she shot him answered almost as effectively as a sharp no would’ve, yet instead of confirming it vocally, she went another route. “I’m not sure what we’re doing is dancing.”

  So, she hadn’t danced with anyone else. As firsts went, it was an innocent one, but immensely pleasing. A simple pleasure to help lure his kitten out of her dark cave. “Oh, we’re dancing. A long, seductive dance that I have no intention of ending.”

  Her lips parted and she ducked her chin, but not before he caught the flash of excitement in her eyes.

  His chest expanded, a lightness that was nearly uncontainable pushing his shoulders back from the inside. His beast paced and growled with anticipation. “Look at me.”

  She shook her head.

  “I need your eyes, Kateri. Give them to me. Show me what’s burning behind them.”

  Her chest rose and fell. Once. Twice. A third time. Then, slowly, she looked up.

  And the space behind his sternum swelled.

  Pure desire. It filled her blue-gray eyes, mingled with a guilel
essness that nearly knocked him over. His arms tightened instinctively around her. As though part of him sensed the need to shield her even as another sought to horde her for himself. “You’ve never danced with a man.”

  “That doesn’t mean anything. I’ve just focused on school more than socializing. And before you ask, no, I’m not a virgin, so don’t think about adding that to your list of firsts.”

  There was his kitten, doing her best to claw through the intimate moment, even when it only made her that much more adorable. “No, I don’t imagine you are. You’re too curious. Have too much passion locked inside you to avoid experimenting.” He grinned even as his cat considered tracking down those who’d taken her and whittling their spines with its teeth. “But you didn’t like it.”

  She scowled and pursed her mouth like it was all she could do to hold back a long string of profanities.

  So. Fucking. Cute.

  He probably should have backed off. Should have simply eased her deeper into the dance and pet his kitten back to a playful mood. Instead he set the chuckle building inside him free and nuzzled her neck. “You’ll like it with me. Love it. Even crave it.”

  Her fingers dug into his shoulders and a delicate shudder that had nothing to do with another escape attempt worked through her torso. When she spoke, it was obvious she tried to inject displeasure in her voice, but there was too much rasp behind it to hide another far more tangible, telling response. “Contrary to what you think, me hopping in bed with you isn’t a forgone conclusion.”

  “Yes, it is.” He pulled away only enough to run his nose alongside hers and traced his fingers from her collarbone to the hollow of her throat. “You can refuse my mark, but it doesn’t change anything. You’re my mate. Nothing ranks higher for me than winning you and I won’t quit until you accept me.”

  Oh, yes. She wanted the pursuit. The need and hunger radiating off her licked against his skin. Potent. Addictive. Dangerous. Fighting its way free and fully grasping the attention of man, darkness and beast.

  He smiled against her lips. “By all means, though. Take all the time you need getting there. Make me work for it however you see fit.” He ghosted a teasing kiss across her mouth, drawing her shaky exhale into his lungs like the prize it was. “I love a good hunt.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Take what’s yours and trust me to keep you safe.

  You didn’t know what you were missing.

  I won’t quit until you accept me.

  I love a good hunt.

  Four phrases. All of them swirling in an endless loop through her head, buffeted nonstop by more emotions than she could process. Her whole life, she’d stayed on track. Focused on her studies. Her career. Always put responsibility and logic over whims and instinct.

  And now look at her.

  Planted on the back of Priest’s bike with the wind in her hair and a pleasant buzz humming beneath her skin. Granted the cocktails she’d nursed throughout the night contributed to part of the latter, but Priest had already proven he was capable of making her drunk without a drop of alcohol. It was like her mind switched to off and her body took over in his presence.

  But if she was honest, there was more going on than just Priest and the very carnal response he created when he put his mind to it.

  Her control was slipping.

  Several times tonight, she’d gone with her gut and acted impulsively. The first being when she’d taken his medallion off. At the time, she’d thought it was a statement. A declaration and a refusal to be pushed into something she didn’t want. But maybe it had been something else. Maybe Nanna was right and it was just a subconscious ploy to prod him into action.

  If so, her instincts might not be highly experienced, but they’d been deadly accurate. The second he’d laid eyes on her and noted the missing medallion, his whole demeanor had shifted.

  And she’d nearly come just by watching it. By the time he’d circled the bar and moved in behind her, her sex was not only damp, but throbbing. How she’d managed to keep from grinding her hips against his when they danced, she still couldn’t fathom, but those instincts had kicked in again and she’d held herself back. As if her body knew what to do even when her head was clueless.

  She’d also danced with Jade and her girlfriends. Had given way to her inhibitions, closed her eyes and surrendered to the music, moving without any worry of who watched her.

  Of course, Priest had watched. About five minutes after she’d cleared the dance floor, he’d stood and all but dragged her from the bar, then promptly informed her he was taking her home.

  The Harley’s insistent rumble ebbed and Priest leaned them into a sharp curve.

  No, not a curve. His driveway.

  A thirty-minute drive that had passed in the blink of an eye.

  She smiled into the night, the sharp spring chill leaving her cheeks tight and tingly. If Priest had any clue how close to the edge she’d been at the bar, he’d have driven her home hours ago.

  He killed the engine, and Katy hopped off the back, the loss of the bike’s vibrations, his heat and his summer storm scent a cruel punishment. She tucked her hands back in the pockets of his thick leather jacket and ducked her face partially beneath the collar. True the air was nippy and her cheeks were cold, but the action was more about affording her some semblance of cover while she watched him lean the bike to rest and dismount.

  That was the thing about Priest. Everything he did, he did with grace, his feline side guiding everything from the way he walked—or more like stalked—to the way he chewed his food. She could watch him for hours. Actually she’d done exactly that and too often got caught in the act.

  He grinned as if he’d heard her thoughts and splayed his hand low on her back. “Let’s get you inside and warm.”

  Warm. Right. Because she wasn’t already running about a thousand degrees hotter than normal, the bulk of her overloaded temperature centered between her legs.

  Inside, only one lamp in the vaulted living room and a hallway light had been left on, the soft glow a comfortable welcome after a rollercoaster night. Although, just about the time she neared the stairs, the quiet pressed in and reminded her she wasn’t just home for the night. She was home with Priest.

  Alone.

  She paused at the bottom of the stairs, clenched the banister in a death grip and glanced over her shoulder at Priest. Given his languid strides as he moved toward her and the devilish glint in his eyes, the lack of other occupants in the house was a tactical advantage he’d counted on.

  Her heart kicked, each beat growing heavier the closer he got. “So...” She cleared her throat and forced a smile that was probably as shaky as her voice. “Thank you for bringing me home. It was a good night.”

  Priest moved in as her words trailed off, unzipped his jacket and slid it off her shoulders. “It’s about to get better.” Not giving her time to process the remark, he tossed the jacket on the couch behind him, palmed her hip and guided her up the stairs.

  Oh, boy.

  Her stomach swooped and her breath caught, but her traitorous feet fell right in line. Though how she managed any coordination at all with the onslaught of adrenaline flooding her bloodstream was the miracle to end all miracles. God knew, her brain wasn’t working right. Where her thoughts were usually ordered and logical, it seemed like a swarm of drunken trolls had taken over the controls and were scrambling fifty different directions without a clue on how to operate the machinery.

  Before she knew it, they’d reached the landing, the door to Priest’s room closing in too fast. And what was she supposed to do when she got there?

  Priest answered the question before her mind could, loosely grasping her wrist, pulling her to a stop and crowding her against the wall just beside the bedroom door. “Breathe, kitten.”

  “I am breathing.”

  Liar.

  The quick
grin he shot her said he agreed with her conscience, but rather than press the point, he gripped her hips and obliterated all but inches between them. His heat was all-consuming. His presence pure temptation licking against her skin. “We need more reasons for you to dance.”

  What? He wanted to talk about dancing? Now? Because with the way his hard pecs felt underneath her palms all she really wanted to do was find a way to ditch his T-shirt and explore every ridge and valley underneath skin to skin. “Why would we need that?” she whispered.

  “Because it makes me want to feel you move the same way against me.” He dipped his face close enough his exhalation gently brushed her face and skimmed his nose alongside hers. “Or better yet, beneath me.”

  He seized her mouth, capturing her gasp even as his arms stole around her torso and crushed her to him. This wasn’t the same kiss as the one they’d shared in the cove. This was a possession. A claiming that plundered and demanded her submission. An unrelenting storm that battered and bombarded her defenses, wiping all but the last of her shields out of his path and leaving her raw and exposed.

  This was the something she’d missed in other encounters. The chemistry and connection she’d craved. The burn and sweet abandon that made the world around her utterly irrelevant.

  And his taste...it had been addictive before, but accented by the lingering bite of Scotch he’d nursed all night it was bolder. Richer and pure male. So delicious she groaned in frustration when he relinquished her mouth and painted wicked kisses along her jawline.

  His voice rolled low and dark as rumbling thunder. “Are you ready, mihara?” He palmed her ass and ground his hips against hers, the insistent press of his formidable cock driving home exactly what he meant. “Do you want what I can give you?”

  What he could give her physically? Absolutely. It was what came after that scared the hell out of her. She tilted her head, giving his questing lips and teeth more room to work along the column of her neck. “I’m afraid of what you’ll give me.”