Unholy Cravings Page 14
“There’s more, isn’t there?”
Tara hesitated before responding. “If we continue and become full spirit-mates, then your life span will lengthen to match mine. You will also take on some of my magic. I think that’s why Darien is able to control his deahman.”
“I see.” Donar thought for a moment before continuing. “Even though we aren’t fully bonded, I could still feel your power trying to break through Nergal’s hold. I don’t think he liked it.” He smiled at her. “I think you scare both him and Urian.”
Tara shuddered. “I don’t know why. They are much more powerful than me.” They knew that her wings were the source of her power. If her wings ever got clipped, it would be the equivalent to losing an arm or leg. She didn’t know if she’d be able to survive it.
“They may be more powerful, but you hold the key to breaking their hold over us.”
“Yes, but becoming spirit-mates has consequences.”
Donar frowned. “Like what?”
“If something happens to one of us, the other will feel it. If one of us dies, the other will also die in a matter of days.”
“Even if they are not hurt or sick?”
“Yes.”
He thought for a moment. “I would like to test out this bond. If just blending our emotions could give us enough strength to break Nergal’s hold, then imagine what the blending of minds could do.”
Tara couldn’t help the sliver of sadness that speared her chest. Ever since she was a little girl, she had dreamed of finding her one true spirit-mate, the one she would share her life with. Never had she imagined that her joining would be done to save a guy from destroying her home and family. It seemed so cold, so superficial.
“Once we are bound, it cannot be undone. We will be bound forever,” she reminded him.
“Yes.” He leaned back and offered her a soft smile. “I like the sound of that.”
“But—”
“No buts my dear.” Crimson flashed through his gaze. “We will blend our minds and weaken the hold Nergal has on me. If it works, you will do the same for Soren.”
He didn’t understand. There was an excellent chance that she wasn’t strong enough to bond with both of them completely. If she finished the ritual with Donar, then Soren would forever be damned.
Tara crawled out of his lap, desperate to put some distance between them. She stepped a short distance away into the kitchenette, then leaned against the counter.
Donar wanted to do this for all of the wrong reasons. It was so cold and clinical. And yet, there was no denying her lust for this man. Even now, with him sitting there and his eyes turning more crimson by the minute, he looked sexy as hell. Iatros didn’t feel attraction unless it was with their destined mate.
They were meant to be together, that was for sure. So what if their original joining was cold and clinical? They’d be bonded for a lifetime. There’d be plenty of time later for him to learn to love her, to feel genuine affection toward her.
And if he never felt that affection, Tara would survive. She always did. Donar was right, this would help weaken Nergal’s hold on him and that was a good thing. It seemed like Donar was cursed with the stronger deahman. She remembered his dominant commands. The presence was used to being obeyed, which meant at one point it probably had more slaves than just Soren’s deahman. If she could offer Donar some peace, he and his strong deahman could become a powerful ally for her clan. With him, they could stand a chance against Urian and the others. Since Donar had such a firm control over Soren’s deahman, he could help Soren learn to live with the presence inside of him.
It could work. Joining with Donar could benefit all three of them. And yet, she had hoped for something more…romantic, she supposed. Tara wanted to be swept away like the heroines in the romance novels she read. She wanted love and laughter and…
Donar rose from the bed and approached her. “You’re unsure of this.”
His eyes were fully crimson now, and his voice sounded raw, as if he had a sore throat. She could feel his rising lust and possessiveness.
He stopped in front of her and hooked a finger under her chin. “Do you not want to bind to me?”
“It’s not that, it’s just…”
He lifted her head until he met her gaze. “You’re unsure.”
“Yes.” She sighed, relief seeping out of her. He understood.
“Well then, I suppose that I shall have to convince you.” He pressed his firm lips against hers. The kiss was commanding and possessive. Tara’s thoughts scattered and the world around her faded away and desire took control.
Chapter Twelve
Tara tasted fantastic, better than anything else he had ever tasted in his life. She was soft and womanly and sweeter than honey. Donar could lose himself in her forever.
He pressed his hands on the side of the counter, trapping her before him as if she were a small animal. He continued to plunder her mouth, trying to inhale her essence. She calmed his deahman, and made him feel almost human again. It was like a breath of fresh air after being imprisoned for so long.
Donar could feel her hesitation slipping away, as well as her fear. That meant that the distraction was working. Good.
He leaned forward, pressing his body up against hers. He felt her breasts rub against his chest and his inner deahman purred with approval. Mine. She slipped her arms up around his head and threaded her fingers into his hair. He felt her body give, felt her mind go blank and succumb to the erotic emotions rolling through both of them. With each passing moment, his thoughts became more muddled as desire rose up and took control of his body.
He removed his hands from the counter and ran them down her sides, outlining her curves. She had nice curves. It was one of the things that he liked about her. He also liked how she wasn’t afraid to take risks, and how she could stand on her own two feet. So many women he had met were weak-willed and fragile. Not Tara. No, she was fiercer than any deahman and much more attractive.
Donar felt his cock thicken as he dragged his fingers down her waist. He looped them around her hips, surprised at how much he could span. She was a tiny thing, but had so much energy, so much spunk. He liked that about her. The woman was full of attitude and life. After being half dead for so long, she was a refreshing change, one that he wanted to make permanent.
Donar didn’t tell her that, mostly because he didn’t want to scare her. He wanted to make what was going on between them permanent, he wanted it for life. Donar had only known her for a short time, but already he was falling hard for her. There was the instant attraction yes, but this was more than lust, more than the physical. It was mental and spiritual as well. Every part of his being cried out to be a part of hers. She was his.
Donar swept his hands around to her front and undid her pants. He wanted to get close to her, feel her skin on his. A sense of urgency overcame him as his deahman roared with frustration. Too slow.
He dropped her pants, revealing the same purple, lacy thong he had observed back in the alley. He loved how she was so hard and calculating on the outside, but underneath she chose to wear something so feminine. It was incredible sexy.
He slipped his fingers in between the thong and her skin. She felt warm and soft, perfect. Donar forced himself to inch away from her body and work on her shirt. He wanted to see more of her, but looking wouldn’t be enough. He wanted to touch every inch of her soft skin, then sink himself deep inside.
He undid the buttons, one by one, and slipped the cool fabric from her shoulders. Then he stepped back to admire his handiwork.
Goddess help him, he had forgotten about her bra. It was neon purple, a perfect match to her panties. It was soft and padded, with a little bit of lace trim along the top. The bright color was a sharp contract to her ivory Irish skin, and it pleased him.
“What are you staring at?” She looked at him with apprehension in her gaze.
“It’s just…I wasn’t expecting anything so beautiful.”
“You’ve see
n it before.”
“I know, but before my deahman was in control and I was looking through a haze. Now…now I can see it clearly.” He heard the roar in his head and tightened his jaw. His deahman wanted control, but Donar wanted a little more time with Tara, just her and him.
Mine.
His hands began to shake and his temples hurt. His inner darkness was fighting him for the upper hand. He held it in check, but barely. Donar was determined to have her. Him, not his deahman.
She covered her breasts with her hands. “Yes, well, I saw it in the store and…”
He reached out and eased her hands away. “I love it.”
“You do?”
“Yes,” he smiled. Mine.
Donar stepped back and pressed his hands to his temples. Oh goddess, the pain. Make the pain stop.
Mine.
“Are you okay?” Tara asked.
Donar felt Tara’s hand on his shoulder, but was helpless to do anything about it.
He fell to his knees and bent over until his head touched the floor. Sweat beaded at his temples.
Tara knelt down next to him and put her hand on his back. “Donar? I feel your pain. What’s going on?”
“Deahman. Wants. Control.” He ground his teeth as another blast of pain covered his body. “Must control it.”
“It’s hurting you.”
“Let it go.”
“But—”
“It’s okay, Donar. I can take it.”
Her words were so soft, so compelling.
“No, you’re mine.” His deahman roared with frustration, creating a pounding in his skull. He fell over on his side as he battled his inner darkness.
“Donar, listen to me, you’re killing yourself. Let the deahman take control.”
“Can’t let him win.”
“Let it go. Once we are bound in mind and soul, I will be able to help you keep him at bay.”
Was that acceptance? Did she agree that they should be bound forever?
Mine!
Donar’s control slipped slightly, but he had to be sure. He looked up into Tara’s eyes and saw them bright with unshed tears. “You’d do this for me?”
“Yes, Donar.” She brushed a stray hair from his temple. “I want to help you.”
Donar thought back to their time in the alley. “Even if I might hurt you in the process?”
“You won’t hurt me.”
He doubted that. He had no control over his actions while his darkness possessed his body. He had to be sure, beyond a doubt, that she was willing. “Say it. Say that you want to bind with me.”
“I want to bind with you.” A tear slipped down her cheek. “Now let your deahman come.”
Share.
“What?” The new word confused Donar. Up until now his deahman had been very possessive when it came to Tara.
Share.
The darkness wanted Donar to share. How can I trust you?
Trust. Share.
Okay, Donar said. Just this once, but if you hurt her—
No hurt, share.
He reached out with a shaking hand and brushed away the tear. “Okay, I’ll stop resisting.” Then he relaxed his mind.
His deahman howled with glee as he rushed to the surface of his consciousness. Donar buckled over as another blast of pain raced through him.
“Donar?” Tara eased away. “Donar? What’s happening?”
He wanted to soothe her fears, but his deahman wouldn’t let him form his words. He stiffened his jaw as another round of pain tightened his muscles.
Then there was darkness. Donar lay still and let the nothingness crawl through his body. He felt cold and alone and…hungry.
When he opened his eyes, he knew that the transformation was finished. “Turn around.”
“What?” Tara straightened and inched back to the counter.
“You heard me.” He stood.
Tara moistened her lips. “It’s him, isn’t it?”
“Do you want to be punished?”
She hesitated for a second, considering. Then she did as she was told. He could feel the rise in her libido. She liked being ordered around. The knowledge made his deahman purr with approval.
Tara turned and gave him a wonderful view of her backside. Things were different this time. His inner darkness was powerful, but not so powerful that Donar couldn’t see clearly, couldn’t touch.
Share.
“Do you like what you see?” Tara glanced over her shoulder.
“Yes, very much so.” The deahman made Donar reach out and smooth his hand over her ass. His hand trembled as he realized that his beast was sharing the feel of her skin with him. He might not have a lot of control, but he was present in the moment, experiencing things right along with his deahman.
“So lovely.” Donar noticed that his voice had gotten lower and more gravelly, just like Tara had said it did when his deahman took over.
“Bend over.” His voice was even lower now and it had this weird echo.
She did as she was told. His inner deahman growled. She shivered under his palm.
He slipped his hands up and hooked his fingers under the thong.
Yes. Donar’s deahman cackled with glee.
“You should not cover something as beautiful as this.” He snapped the string of the thong against her hip. It wasn’t hard, but enough to get her attention.
“I can’t walk around naked in public.”
“Why not?”
She glanced over her shoulder and gave him an “are you serious?” look. “This is the deahman talking, isn’t it? Here on earth you can’t walk around naked in public. I could be arrested.”
Donar knew that, and yet he felt it was such an unfair law, at least where Tara was concerned. “That’s too bad. Maybe I’ll just have to keep you locked away so that you won’t need to wear things like this.” He slipped his fingers under the straps and eased both her jeans and her panties down her thighs. Her hip-hugging jeans and delicate underclothes were feminine and beautiful, but her naked body was so much better.
He continued to work until all of her clothes were off except for her bra. He found that he liked having part of her concealed. It added a little mystery to the moment.
Donar stood and leaned over her. He loved how they fit together. It felt so perfect. Like it was meant to be.
He resisted the sudden urge to tear off his clothes and plunge his cock deep inside her heat.
Not yet, he told his deahman. She wasn’t ready and he needed her to be ready. He could feel her temperature rising, her need beginning to take control. He wanted her desperate for him however. And that could mean only one thing—pain.
“You look so good, do you know that?”
“Hmmm,” Tara arched her back and pressed her ass against his cock. Donar closed his eyes and groaned as she rubbed her soft globes against his erection. This little woman was going to be his undoing. A new need grew inside of him. To fill her channel would be exquisite, but to fill her backside would be like heaven on earth.
He slid his fingers in between the cheeks of her ass and worked his way down until he found the small hole. She gasped when he touched it, then relaxed in his hands. He ran his finger around the opening until he felt her need rise once more. She started to groan and wiggle in his hands.
“Have you ever been taken there, Tara?” he asked.
“Yes, once. I didn’t like it.”
“Then it wasn’t done right.”
“No, it was too fast. It hurt.”
“Believe me, if I take you here, you will be good and ready for me. I will bring you more pleasure than your body can stand.” He slid the tip of her finger just inside her opening, causing her to moan.
“I believe you,” she said.
“Good. If I take you there, will the binding ritual work?”
She paused. “I don’t know. It’s not something we ask of mated Iatros.”
“Better save it then.” He considered the possibilities. “Still, I want to m
ake sure you are good and ready before I take you.”
“You do?”
“Yes. I know what you need, Tara. I can feel it.”
He saw her hand tremble on the counter. “And you need to give it to me.”
“Yes.”
Mine.
Donar hesitated. You said you’d share.
Too slow. Mine.
He felt a dark hole open up in his chest, and his deahman surged to the forefront of his mind. Donar growled. It was a rough and primal sound. He reached into the drawer just under Tara’s hand.
“Donar, are you okay? What are you doing?”
Donar growled again, unable to speak. He fought his deahman, but it was too strong, too determined. He felt around and pulled out the first thing that he touched—a spoon.
He pulled out the long, black spoon and straightened. “Yes, this will do nicely.”
“What did you take?”
He touched the handle to her tailbone and slid it slowly up her spine. “Never mind, little one.” Donar could feel his deahman’s intent now. It needed pain and pleasure and he was helpless to do anything about it.
Just don’t hurt her.
Mine!
The spoon reached her bra strap. He slid the handle of the spoon underneath it then tugged up. The strap pulled against her skin, pressing her breasts against her chest.
“Remove this.” He slipped the spoon from under her strap and pulled away. The loud slap of fabric on skin filled the room. Tara stiffened.
She started to straighten, but Donar slapped the round end of the spoon against her ass. “I didn’t say you could stand.”
Tara hesitated, his command rippling through her system. His deahman must be fully in control now. His darkness was much more forceful and commanding than Soren’s. She reached behind her and undid the clasp and let her bra fall to the floor.
“Good, now put your hands back on the counter.”
“What are you going to do?”
Tara winced as pain exploded across her backside. It quickly eased, giving way to a surge of pleasure. Tara’s nipples hardened, and her lower abdomen clenched as desire ran through her veins.
“Say my name.”
“Master.”