Tainted Souls: A Shadow Creek Novel Read online

  Madeleine sighed at the heat of his mouth on her skin. “Jared, I want you. I need you in me now, please...” With her fingers knotted in his hair, she coaxed him back to her. A tear tumbled down his cheek, and she wiped it away with the pad of her thumb. “I'm yours, Jared… take me,” she demanded, her throat tight with emotion.

  Jared's dominance rolled off him like an electrical current as he lowered his head and kissed her. His hand slid between them and under the thin cotton of her panties to her hot, wet entrance. Madeleine's body bowed as he thrust two fingers into her, his mouth lowering to her breasts. Lower over the planes of her stomach, his tongue a brandishing whip against her skin. Reaching her thighs, he growled and ripped her panties clean off with one tug.

  Taking her swollen nub into his mouth, Jared sucked and lapped at her. His hands reached up and explored every groove of her body until he found the tight buds of her breasts. Her body rocked beneath him, her core clenching with sensual demand. Just as she was about to come undone, he moved quickly. His hands gripped her waist as he pulled her up and re-positioned her into his lap. She gripped onto his thick shoulders as he lifted her and settled her onto his erection. Sinking down the length of him in one, unhurried move, he filled her core, and she moaned with ecstasy at the fullness of him inside of her.

  Madeleine's fangs inched into her mouth as he tilted his head to one side, exposing the strong corded muscles in his neck.

  “Take me, my she-wolf. I'm yours.”

  She struck without hesitation and began to move up and down as the sweet nectar of his blood filled her mouth. He roared as she climaxed, his body trembling with restraint as she took her greedy fill of him. Losing all his control, Jared lunged forward with a feral growl and her mouth broke contact. With their bodies still joined, his hips pumped harder, faster into her as his magnificent body arched over her.

  Another wave crashed inside of her as he threw back his head. The taste of him still fragrant on her tongue, his blood lacing her veins, making her body hyper-sensitive to him. Madeleine accepted him and as she felt the initial, magical bond begin to form.

  She felt his body rock and shake, his fangs at their fullest. “Drink… from me… mark… me,” Madeleine panted between his thrusts. His mouth found the fleshy curve between her neck and shoulder and bit down making her cry out at the blissful assault. She exploded as he released his seed within her, taking her higher and higher and over the edge until she was flying.

  With their bodies entwined, together they descended into a heavenly oblivion as Madeleine and her rogue become one.

  §

  Cade thought he'd seen just how beautiful Kit could be in every possible way. From the very first time he'd seen her in her aunt's café. The first time he'd touched the perfect planes of her body below the lighthouse. Waking up beside her, all sleepy eyed and natural in the morning, to the seductive, sexy, and strong woman she'd become since their mating.

  Even so, he stood before her now completely awestruck.

  “Don't you like it?” she asked, smoothing the front of her ivory silk gown.

  He swallowed the swell in his throat as he drank in the sight of her. Her hair was pinned up loosely with stray tresses falling over her bare shoulders. His eyes skimmed down the column of her slender neck and over her collarbone to the bodice of her dress. The corset accentuated her small waist and the full length skirt oped into a fishtail at the bottom, fanning out slightly as she spun around and gave him a twirl.

  He was speechless, standing in his black tux that suddenly felt too restrictive. Slipping a finger into the top of the shirt, he tried to loosen it so he could at least try to breathe.

  “Cade?”

  Closing the gap between them, he fingered the sapphire resting in the hollow of her neck on a platinum chain. He'd had the engagement ring made into a necklace so Kit could leave it on when she shifted. Finding his words, he cleared his throat and met her gaze.

  “You look exquisite.”

  She smiled, and damn, his heart stood still in his chest.

  “I quite like you looking all dapper,” she said, before kissing him with a feminine softness that defibrillated his heart and got the blood pumping into all the right places again.

  “Hey, you two!” Nevada called out from down the corridor. “We can't have a mating ceremony without the mated couple.”

  “I think we'd better go,” Kit suggested with a giggle. With a wry smile, Cade held aloft his arm for her and together they made their way out of the lair.

  The compound had been transformed. Rows and rows of hanging fairy lights lit the way from the lair though the trees and around the training area which was now a makeshift dance floor. The scent from the wildflower arrangements filled the night air and everyone that mattered to Cade was there. He glanced at Kit. Her happiness filled his heart with joy and his chest puffed out with pride as he felt all eyes turn to look at her.

  “I'm sorry your mom and Jo couldn't be a part of this,” he whispered. He'd finally met Kit's mom, who, after questioning him for over an hour regarding his intentions for her daughter, seemed to accept him. He was only sorry that he couldn't have met Kit's father, too.

  She turned to look at him, her palm reaching up to cup his cheek. “Don't be. We'll have the chance to have a small wedding for them later. This is for us. For you and me.”

  As Snow struck soft chords on his guitar, Cade walked his mate over to Fleet and his grandfather standing in between the opening of the forest. It was tradition for every family member to receive their identifying mark. As a soldier, Cade had two strikes on his shoulder. Kit would receive one strike of the Overseer's claw, the same as all maternal females.

  Fleet took their hands and joined them with an embroidered cloth bearing Cade's lineage. “We are here to witness and to celebrate the sacred mating bond between Kit and Cade,” he began. “Let anyone who see's this mating as unjust step forward now.”

  There was a long silence and Cade looked around at his comrades, at his grandfather, and back to his beautiful mate.

  After he and Kit declared their eternal vow to one another, he added a platinum band onto her necklace. To honor her human tradition of exchanging wedding rings, of which he now wore one Kit had given him on a thick corded chain, too.

  “Will you receive the mark from your Overseer?” Fleet asked Kit, as Murphy, and Ryker stepped up either side of Cade.

  “You okay there, buddy?” Ryker asked him as he took a firm grip on Cade's bicep.

  A growl rippled up from his chest. He was about to witness his mate being marked. She would bleed, if only momentarily, and he sure as shit knew he wasn't going to like it no matter who the hell did it. “I will be… and I don't want any of your mind bending Murph. You got that?”

  “Your choice,” the big shifter said with a shrug as he took a hold of Cade's other arm.

  Kit glanced at him a final time with a reassuring smile before she turned back to Fleet and the Overseer. “I'm ready.”

  “Then step forward.”

  Cade's fangs skewered his gums as he watched Nevada hold a white cloth in place beneath Kit's arm.

  Ryker cleared his throat. “I don't want to interrupt or anything… but could we hurry this part along?”

  All Cade could focus on was the razor sharp claw of his grandfather as it edged closer to Kit's shoulder. His roar filled the silence as it struck her skin, the scent of her blood causing his eyes to ignite and flame hot in his head.

  “Yeah, we need another pair of hands over here!” Ryker yelled as he tried to restrain Cade form lunging forward ripping the Overseer's head off.

  To Cade's relief, Kit barely flinched and accepted the mark with her head held high and a determined grit. The cloth was wrapped around Kit's arm and she came to him at once. “It's done. Cade, look at me.” It took a few attempts, but her voice finally calmed him. “It didn't hurt much,” she smiled. “See, it's already healing.”

  He shrugged free of Ryker, Murphy and Fleet's hol
d, and peeled back the blood soaked cloth with a snarl. The laceration was deep but healing fast. Lowering his head, he lapped the wound then came back to take her mouth in a possessive kiss, showing everyone she was his mate.

  “Welcome to the family,” the Overseer bellowed and everyone clapped and cheered.

  “They're a beautiful couple,” Eve said as she came up close beside Murphy, her arm brushing against his and sending a delicious ripple through her body. She expected him to move, but he didn't. His body stiffened. Eve smiled, realizing her presence had an effect on him, too.

  “Why don't you go and hang out with the other youngsters, Eve.”

  Eve stared up at him, his face remaining static and his covered gaze faced forward. “When will you get it through your thick skull that I'm not a child?”

  He grunted, making the anger simmering in her gut begin to boil anew.

  “For such a dominant shifter, you sure are a pussy,” she spat. “Of all the things you could be afraid of… you're afraid of being with me? Of actually feeling something?” She watched his jaw suddenly start to tick. Ah, was she was finally touching a nerve? Eve wanted him to look at her. She knew she looked good tonight. She'd taken extra effort to choose a backless dress that fell just below her knees, the deep blue fabric clinging to every curve of her body. Her hair was swept up high exposing her neck and her back. Down to the base of her spine flashing a hint of her own tattoo she had done just a couple of days ago.

  “Won't you say something?” Her frustration with his silence had her seething. After a beat, it was clear he was going to remain arrogantly silent and ignore her.

  “Fine,” she finally said jutting out her chin when he refused to answer. “If you're too much of a coward to act on your feelings, I'll go find someone who will.” She spun around on her high-heeled sandals and pinned her gaze on Snow, but a large hand gripped her wrist before she could storm away.

  “Don't...” Murphy said, his body brushing up against her back and making her inhale sharply. His hot breath was at her ear, sending shivers down her spine as his voice dipped lower, “Don't do anything stupid, Eve.”

  “Are you going to give in… to your feelings for me?” she asked in a whisper, her heartbeat pounding in her throat. His lips were feather light against the shell of her ear where they lingered over several beats of her pulse.

  “No.”

  Her nostrils flared in anger and she pulled her arm free from his hold. “Then I'll do what the hell I like.”

  She marched away exaggerating the sway of her hips, feeling his burning glare on her back as she grabbed Snow's hand.

  “Oh, ah, Eve—”

  “Shut up and dance with me… and put your hands on my ass.”

  “What?”

  God, what was the matter with the guys around here? “Snow,” she said hooking her arms around his neck as they began to move to the music, “I want a good time. Can you show me a good time or not?”

  A light flared in the depths of his eyes amidst his confusion, his hands resting on either side of her waist, fingertips skimming her bare skin. “Eve, you know I am the good time guy. Just what exactly are you suggesting here? 'Cause I gotta tell you, you're one of my best friends an all, but I'm still a guy, and you're like… damn hot.”

  She huffed. “Nice of you to notice.”

  His eyes grew bigger as his brows bowed up. “Are you kidding me? Any guy would need to be out of his mind not to notice a knockout like you.”

  Eve lowered her gaze. She didn't want to use her friend or abuse his feelings. She wanted to feel desired, touched, loved… was it wrong to take comfort in the arms of her friend? She wanted Murphy. Her wolf wanted Murphy, but it also demanded she satisfy its sexual hunger.

  Snow coaxed her chin up with a finger so she'd look at him again. “You know how bad I would love to share skin privileges with you...” He looked at her more closely. “What's all this about, Eve?”

  Why did he have to be so understanding? So damned nice and such a good friend?

  “Just dance with me, okay?” she asked in a small voice, “and look like you're enjoying it.”

  He smiled and brushed a knuckle over her cheek. “I can do that… Do I still get to put my hands on your ass?”

  Murphy skulked into the shadows from where he watched.

  He stared with his eyes burning white hot in his head while Snow touched her. Danced with her. Laughed with her. Got all up close and fucking personal with her… in that dress. He zeroed in on the curve of her neck, the loose strands of hair stroking her skin. Lower still, down to the dip at the base of her spine. Was that a… tattoo?

  Ah, shit.

  His cock throbbed painfully behind the confines of his jeans and he groaned in complete agony. It was worse than any kind of torture he'd experienced in his life.

  And the worst of it?

  She knew.

  Eve knew exactly what she was doing. She was rubbing his face in his own, stupid fucking self-preservation. She was right. He was a coward. Too scared to let anyone in. Not because they might hurt him, it wasn't about pain. No, it was the vulnerability. The moment you let someone in, you're done.

  Screwed.

  Fucked.

  The effect she was having on him was proof of that. He'd already allowed her an inch. Had already done too much. A touch. A kiss. Anymore and there would be no going back. Eve meant too much to him now to be just a quick and meaningless fuck. She was way too good for him to take advantage of like that. Besides, he was a pledged soldier for fuck's sake. He needed to stop thinking with his prick and sort his head out.

  Good luck with that.

  I didn't ask for your opinion.

  The angel on his back was his conscience. The voice of reason, normally, and also the root of his ability of controlling and manipulating emotions. One couldn't survive without the other. Most of the time, Samil remained quiet. Why he suddenly had something to say came as a surprise to Murphy.

  You never do.

  Murphy grunted, making sure his defenses were up, blocking his comrades voices and keeping his conversation between him and his angel private. Why open up your pie hole now?

  In case you've forgotten, I've seen her too, and everything you feel, I feel it too.

  I haven't forgotten. I choose to ignore the weird part of our biology… or whatever the fuck it is that ties the two of us together.

  She's beautiful.

  I know. Murphy replied with a roll of his eyes.

  Take her.

  No.

  If you don't… I will.

  Murphy wanted to reach around and grab his angel by the throat and drag him the hell off his skin… if it were only possible. What?

  She's attracted to you… to me… we are one after all. But I can break free. If I choose to.

  Murphy straightened up. What the fuck are you talking about? You're attached to my skin, linked to my mind, heart, and soul. You've been apart of me since I was born and now you're coming out with all this shit?

  Samil laughed. The sound reverberating in Murphy's head.

  I've never had the desire to, before.

  Murphy's eyes narrowed as he refocused on Eve. What? And you do now?

  I want her as much as you do. I'm not afraid to act on our feelings if you can't.

  This isn't happening.

  Yes, my brother, it is, and it will if you do not make a choice.

  Murphy's jaw clenched. You're my brother, Samil, and by some weird voodoo shit our father had some healer perform on us in our dying mother's womb, you ended up a goddamned angel on my back instead of a dead young. I might have to put up with that, but I warn you—

  You blame me for our mother's death? Samil cut him off.

  Murphy cursed, his lips lifting in a snarl. If anyone was to blame, it was him. He had been too big, too strong for his mother to birth. No. Our father chose to go against our laws and love a descendent of the Nephilim. Her body was too weak to birth our kind. There was a deep silence that sud
denly filled his ears. The sadness of never knowing their mother was and had always been a hollow space in their hearts. He had grown up lying to everyone. No one knew of his mother's heritage. Their father had sought comfort with a maternal at Silver Skies, who cared for Murphy as her own. Murphy's anger ebbed as he searched among his comrades, all laughing and having fun until he found her once again.

  Eve is…

  Is about to give herself to another if you don't take her, and I don't mean me.

  He watched her flirting with Snow. It was innocent. They were friends, young, and it wasn't unusual for youngsters to share skin privileges. He remembered just how his own wolf had demanded to be satiated; it didn't matter who with.

  Turning, he walked into the forest, away from the temptation of going to her and claiming her.

  You're a fool, Samil said.

  Yes, I am. But better that, than to be the one to break her heart, Murphy replied, knowing full well, the one he desired and wanted above anything else, would be lying in the arms of another before the night ended.

  Twenty-Eight

  The Overseer didn't need every member of the Society witnessing his Alex's execution. Christopher had been humiliated enough by his brother's actions. And while justice was normally carried out before the Society, this, he decided, was no ordinary situation. So, he would take his deceitful brother with him to Silver Skies where he would go into the wilderness to carry out the task with just one or two witnesses.

  The burden was his to bear, and it was a heavy one. Despite never being close with Alex, blood was blood. Christopher's own hand would carry out the death sentence, and that was a colossal weight on his shoulders. One which left his heart bereft and his soul as desolate as the desert.

  The thought of explaining it all to his parents, now elders at the colony, was a sickening emotion that roiled around in his stomach like a snake crushing a rodent. He could imagine the way his mother would look at him. And to top it off, finally allowing them to meet Cade, the secret he'd regret keeping for the rest of his days.