He lifted her legs to his shoulders and bent his dark head, his tongue stroking, caressing, and probing until she was writhing on the bed, unable to hold still. His fingers inspected, explored, probed deep, only to be replaced by his tongue. She cried out then, shuddering with pleasure, closing her eyes as he lowered her body to his hips and surged forward, taking her, filling her as she fragmented, catching her at her most sensitive.
He plunged into her hard and fast, as hungry and ferocious as she was for their joining. He wanted her like this, craving him, needing him, her body glowing with pleasure, her sheath a tight hot home for his own engorged body, relieving the ever-present raging need in him. He wanted it to last forever, riding her hard, her hips rising to meet his, his body and hers coming together in perfect union, her breasts full and firm and quivering with each hard thrust, her hair spread out around her, and her eyes fixed on them. Together. As they should be.
When the release came it swept both of them up into the flames, hard and long, an endless spiral, an earthquake with strong aftershocks. They lay in each other’s arms, kissing, their mouths melding together, expressing a fierce need and hunger they couldn’t seem to assuage. It was Gabriel who floated them to earth, still entangled together, his mouth dominating hers, his hands holding her close.
They settled to earth and still couldn’t stop. He took her a second time, harder and faster than the first, and even then he couldn’t quite let go. He lay beside her for a long time, his hands in her hair, his mouth at her breast. They lay together until the light in the sky made it impossible to stay awake. Reluctantly, Gabriel set the safeguards on their chamber and covered their resting place. Their bodies needed the rejuvenating sleep of the earth during daylight hours. Sometimes they slept in chambers above ground, but they needed the benefits of the healing soil for rejuvenation.
She curled up in his arms, feeling secure and protected. Feeling as if she was not alone anymore. Francesca snuggled closer, breathing in his masculine scent. His body was made for hers. Perfect. The way she fit against him, the way he seemed to shelter her, making her feel so much a part of him. Inside her was their child, living, growing, developing, warm and safe, a gift from her lifemate so precious, no treasure could ever surpass it.
“Sleep, my beautiful lifemate, rest while you can,” Gabriel said softly. She felt his mouth brush a kiss in her hair. His arms tightened around her and they both allowed the breath to leave their bodies and their hearts to cease beating.
* * *
Chapter Eight
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When Francesca pushed open the door to Skyler’s room, she was carrying the package of clothes and the stuffed animal, the blue-eyed wolf she’d bought the night before. The teenager was lying on her back staring up at the ceiling. Her long lashes fluttered once in acknowledgment that she was no longer alone, but she didn’t turn her head. Francesca could see that her small, battered body had tensed. The child’s fear permeated the room.
“Skyler.” Purposely Francesca used her softest, gentlest voice. “Do you remember me?”
The girl’s head turned slowly, and her large soft gray eyes fixed on Francesca’s face as if she were clutching at a lifeline. “I could never forget you.” Like Francesca, Skyler spoke in French, yet Francesca had the feeling it wasn’t her first language. There were several heartbeats of silence before the girl forced herself to continue. “Is it true? Is he really dead?”
Francesca glided across the room, her movements as fluid and graceful as those of a ballet dancer. There were no sharp edges to Francesca, only a whisper of sound as she moved. She dropped the package of clothes on the end of the bed. More carefully, she tucked the stuffed animal close beside the girl and took Skyler’s hand in her own. Gently. Lovingly. “Yes, my dear, he has passed from this life and can no longer touch you. I am hoping you will want to come and live with me.” With her free hand she stroked back Skyler’s wild hair. “I very much want you to live with me.” There was a trace of compulsion in the silvery purity of her voice.