twelve
"Where is she?" Lukyan pushed through the door only seconds after Dimitris. Norah watched him from her place on the couch. When his emerald eyes met hers, she melted. There had been a look of absolute fear on his face. Fear for her.
Lukyan's hands clasped the doorframe tightly before he let out a relieved sigh. "I was so worried." Quickly he moved to the couch and scooped her into his lap. His mouth landed on hers in a hard kiss. "You have no idea the terror I felt not knowing what happened to you." Norah was both surprised and pleased by his kiss. She and Lukyan often kidded about how freely Dimitris and Cate touched and kissed one another. Neither she nor her mate was keen on public displays of affection. Lukyan seemed to have forgotten that he preferred private moments because his kiss was thorough. His tongue caressed hers before sucking her bottom lip between his teeth. Shivers of pleasure zinged from her mouth right to her core. She wanted him.
Norah pulled away and placed her hands on each side of her mate’s face. "I'm fine. Nothing happened. The little bean and I are safe and sound." Lukyan angled his head for another kiss.
“What do you mean you let them go?" Norah turned her face from the green gaze of her mate and looked at Dimitris, who stood towering over Mylo. The alpha was furious.
"Are you seriously telling me that she let those two motherfuckers go— the two ass holes that stole mine and Lukyan's mates?" Mylo sat slumped in his chair, a look of frustration on his face.
"I had to. Norah made me." Dimitris turned his furious gaze on Norah causing her body to tense. Lukyan’s hold on her tightened.
"Dimitris, watch yourself. Don't look at my mate like that." Lukyan’s voice was a low growl. Norah turned to look at him again. Was he really willing to argue with the alpha over this?
"I need someone to tell me now why Norah decided to let the men go, and how she managed to convince Mylo." Dimitris was barely containing his anger. Cate stepped forward and put her hand tentatively on his bicep. Dimitris looked down at his mate.
"Norah didn't decide, I did. Norah, however, was the one who convinced Mylo to let them go." Dimitris looked from Norah to his mate.
"What do you mean Norah was the one who convinced Mylo?"
Cate looked from Dimitris to Norah, then back to Dimitris. "Norah, it seems, has been given a really cool gift by the Goddess."
"Cate," Dimitris' voice was menacing. Norah flinched at the sound, but Cate stood strong. "I'm going to need you to be a little more specific. Tell me exactly what happened."
Cate sent her mate a dazzling smile. "Norah can compel shifters. I asked her to compel Mylo to let those men go." Dimitris threw up his hands in exasperation.
"That’s absolutely ridiculous. No one can compel shifters. Humans, yes, but not shifters."
"No, it's true." Cate pointed to Norah. "She can compel shifters. That's how we got the two men to leave. She told them they wanted to. Otherwise, they would have taken me somewhere and forced me to have an ultrasound."
Lukyan turned Norah's face away from Cate and Dimitris so that she looked at him once more. "You can compel shifters?" Norah nodded her head. Suddenly she felt shy and unsure of her gift. It was strange and apparently uncommon, if not unheard of, but yes, she could compel shifters.
"It's how I got the men to put Cate down and leave. They were going to take her. I don't think I was ever in danger. I'm not the one they wanted." Lukyan hugged her tightly to his body.
"I don't care if you're the one they want it or not, they still threatened you by coming here. I want to kill them." Norah put her hands back to Lukyan's face and ran her fingers up his cheeks and then through his short hair.
"I don't want you to kill anyone. I just want to be safe and sound and happy with you and our baby." Lukyan wrapped his arms around her body and crushed her close to his chest.
"Then that's exactly what I want, too." He looped one arm underneath her knees and stood. She grabbed quickly onto his shirt to steady herself as he made his way toward the stairs. "Dimitris, you figure out whatever it is that you need to figure out. I'm taking my mate upstairs."
Lukyan turned toward the main bedroom. "Not that one." He grunted, indicating that he heard her, and turned toward the next bedroom. Norah looked around. This room was smaller, but it was bright and clean, plus nothing bad had happened to her in this room.
Lukyan laid her on the bed. "Robe off. Now."
Norah had never seen Lukyan so desperate to have her. It was like he absolutely needed to be inside her at this moment. Her body responded as she knew it would. She was already wet and ready for him, but seeing him like this, desperate to be near and inside her, it made her head swim with the power.
"Norah, I can’t be slow this time. I need you too badly. I have to be inside you." Lukyan's words caused Norah's body to clench in anticipation. She loved seeing him like this. Loved knowing that he was desperate for her.
"I need you too. Now.” Quickly she shucked off the purple robe Cate had given her earlier. She laid back on the bed. Her long, blonde curls flowed past her shoulders and tickled at her breast. Lukyan let out a low growl of approval.
“You are so beautiful. When I think of what those men did I want to kill them.” He clenched his hands in anger. She reached out and grabbed one.
"No thinking. Clothes off.” Lukyan wasted no time in removing his shirt and pants. He dropped them without ceremony to the floor before crawling onto the bed. He laid on his side next to her and pulled her close. Capturing her mouth in his, he conveyed his longing for her. Norah used her mouth to express the same emotions.
He ran one hand down her side to her hip before running his hands to the curve of her ass. He pulled her close and ground his cock against her. She pulled her leg over his hip, angling her body so that his shaft rubbed against her slick folds.
"You are so wet, so ready for me." Norah nodded her head.
