Reborn (Shadow Beast Shifters Book 3)

Shadow never let me go. His promises were as solid as his fucking biceps, one of which was under my head. Normally, I’d expect a hard surface like that wouldn’t really be conducive to sleep, and yet the moment he wrapped me up in his arms, one leg between mine as he spooned me, I’d basically passed the fuck out.

It was the best sleep I’d ever had—to the point that when I was jarred awake sometime later by a raging mist, it took me a moment to orientate myself. At first, all I could see was Inky, swelled up into a huge sparking cloud over our heads. “Are we under attack?” I rasped, looking around the near pitch-dark room.

Shadow lifted his head, looking sexy and sleepy. One thing he didn’t look was concerned, though, so it had to be something else that had Inky all ragey.

“A shifter is trying to break into the lair,” he said, leaning down to press his nose against my shoulder, drawing my scent in as his hands cupped my breasts. “Should I kill her?”

I groaned because he was doing illegal shit to my body with just that light touch on my skin, but then his words registered, and I tried to sit up. “Fuck, it’s Sam. She’s probably worried you murdered me and she’s here to avenge my death.”

She seemed like a solid friend, who would always try and save those she cared about. “I just need to let her know I’m okay,” I told him, patting his arm.

Shadow rumbled, in his usual beast way, tugging me into him again. “She can wait.”

I wiggled to no avail, and when his teeth attached to my shoulder, in both warning and tease, I found myself rubbing against him rather than trying to get away. Need exploded inside of me, and I wanted him so badly that my core actually throbbed. I wondered if there would ever be a time when the mere touch of his hands and zap of his power didn’t make me want to climb him like a damn tree.

“Can you be quick?” I murmured, breathless. “Like, really super quick. Because you know I can orgasm in one minute—”

Shadow pulled me closer, burying both hands into my long hair, as he tightened his fingers to tug on the strands. In the same instant, he leaned in to claim my mouth.

“Only because the damn world needs saving,” he murmured, his tongue sliding across mine, allowing me to taste his dark spice. Thanks to our genetics, morning breath wasn’t a thing, but I wondered if I’d truly mind it from him. Nothing about this beast was a turn-off for me. At least nothing I’d discovered so far.

When Shadow was done thoroughly devouring my mouth, he moved over the top of me, pulling me around so I was flat on my stomach beneath him. He slid up over me, and as his long, hard length pressed into me, I found myself backing my ass up and biting my lip. Because… damn, I was about to get a good dicking. And I wasn’t even mad about it.

“Shadow, you need to stop playin—”

My words were cut off in a jumble of moans as he pushed into me, his cock stretching me as he slid inside in one smooth motion. Because I hadn’t really been prepped, it hurt, but at the same time, the pain was so fucking good that I was already rocking back.

Or at least attempting to because he was being the alpha again, controlling the rhythm, pace, and pleasure. The angle we were at was another new one for me. Being flat on my stomach made the strokes feel shallower, the head of his cock running right along my G-spot.

It took about five of those strokes until I was basically dead.

How did he do this to me? Every. Damn. Time.

One of his hands landed on my spine as he thrust in and out, moving just fast enough to drive me insane, but too slow for me to come yet. His hand started to trace along my skin, all the while pressing me firmer into the mattress. Our scents were mingled strongly, and as I inhaled it deeper, my pleasure shot up.

“Holy fuck,” I said in a breathless rush. “Please don’t even stop. I will pay you good freaking money to just keep doing this forever.”

He chuckled, and it was lighter than usual. “You’ll never pay me for this or anything else between us, little wolf. It’s my job to ensure your pleasure and never leave you wanting.”

I came, hard and violently, my body attempting to literally jerk off the bed. If it wasn’t for Shadow’s solid weight holding me down, I’d have no doubt ended up on the floor.

He picked up his pace, and I came again within seconds because I’d already been so worked up. Shadow followed suit, thrusting inside me a few more times to finish us both off.

My name was a whispered caress on his lips as he turned me over, and even though our bodies were no longer physically joined, I felt our connection lingering below the surface.

“Thank you for remembering us,” he whispered, the intensity in his gaze holding me captive. “There’s no way I’d ever truly forget you, but I was so lost in my rage that it might have been a hundred years before I brought myself back. Too long for us to be apart.”

“This is real, right?” I said breathlessly. “This shit between us is actually real. Not just me wanting to jump your bones because you’re hot.”

His lips twitched as the corners tilted up. “I’m starting to understand Len and Lucien’s fascination with humans. My life was an endless night before you came into it, but now there’s fire everywhere I turn. You know how I feel about fire.”

It was my turn to grin. “Some might say you love it?”

There was more lip twitching, but he just shook his head. “To answer your eloquent question from before, yes, this shit is very real between us. My beast has claimed you. I have claimed you. You belong to me, Sunshine.”

“Until such a time you say I don’t.”

We’d played this game before.

Shadow’s biceps tensed on either side of my head, and when he lowered himself down, my breath caught in anticipation. “No, Mera,” he murmured. “There’s no such out available to you any longer. You’re mine. End of story or end of life.”

I swallowed hard. “My life?”

His lips were almost on mine. “No. The life of anyone who attempts to take you from me.”

Jesus. Fucking. Christ. Both of us were about to find out if sexy words spoken in a rumble of Scottish brogue was enough to bring a shifter to orgasm, because damn.

He kissed me, and I gave him every part of myself, holding nothing back. There were no more barriers between us, no protections around my heart, no cynicism about this being a short-term thing that I could walk away from.

I’d been kidding myself from the start. There was no walking away from Shadow.

Only death would tear us apart, and we were ready to fight it every step of the way.