Wild Lands (Savage Lands Book 2) Read online

  “No.” I held up my hand. “I need a moment.” I headed for the bathroom, hearing Opie and Ash mutter to each other. I stepped into the room, falling back against the door. My emotions went so many ways. I didn’t know if I was going to cry, scream, hyperventilate, or laugh.

  Automatically, I reached out for Warwick, feeling a solid barrier there. I understood. This was a lot to take in. We hadn’t even gotten into the hows and whys.

  What was I? How was it possible?

  I had no idea of anything, except I had been there. I had brought Warwick to life. Some way, somehow. I was there.

  Sötét démonom.

  I was his dark demon.

  The shower water cascaded gently down from the spout, tapping the stone floor, begging me to step under the stream. I itched to be clean, to wash everything away. Forget the world for a moment.

  “Brexley?” A knock tapped at the door. “I have the clothes for you to change into. Plus, I want to wrap your side so it doesn’t get wet.”

  “Oh, of course,” I replied. “Come in.”

  The door glided open, Ash’s stunning face poking in like he still wasn’t sure if he was allowed. He moved in cautiously, smiling warmly at me.

  “You probably want to soak for hours, but you need to keep it dry.” Ash set down the clothes Warwick brought me, strolling to me with a sheet of sticky film to cover my wounds. “I know this must be a lot right now.”

  I snorted as he lifted up my shirt, covering the dry, clean bandages with the film, his touch tingling my skin. His sexual nature was always there, pulsating under the surface.

  “We’ll figure it out.” His green eyes met mine with determination. “I promise. And you know fae don’t make promises unless they mean it.”

  A promise was a bond in the fae world. They didn’t throw them around or break them as humans often did.

  “Thank you,” I croaked, biting on my lip, not able to think of all the things I wanted to say. He had only known me for a day and already treated me as a friend, once again blowing to shreds the notion that fae were evil and less than humans. “You have been beyond kind to me.”

  “It’s what family does.” His fingers pressed into my skin, making sure the film stuck around the edges of the gauze.

  “Family?”

  “You saved someone I consider a brother; that makes you family to me.” Ash continued to work, not realizing the effect of his words. I tried to fight the tears sliding down my cheek, my emotions from the day, hell, the past few months, hitting me. “I can’t explain it, but the moment Warwick brought you in, I felt as if I’ve known you forever, like you are part of us.”

  I wiped at another stray tear.

  “And if tonight tells us anything, in a way you have been.” He winked cheekily at me.

  A dry chuckle twisted in my throat, several more drops escaping down my face.

  “Hey.” Ash straightened, noticing them, cupping my face. “You’re not alone, okay? We’ll figure this out.”

  My lids closed briefly, the warmth of his comforting words washing over me, driving up my emotion. His energy filled the room, coating my body, making me inhale.

  “Sorry,” he muttered, his mouth only inches away. “I’m trying to suppress it as much as I can, but it’s difficult. Especially around you.”

  “I don’t want you to not be yourself.” My gaze went to his. He was so calm, caring, and sensual. I wanted to wrap myself up in him, let him take away the pain and feel wonderful for a moment. He would be easy to fall for… if I were another girl.

  Or at least a smart one. But I seemed to be drawn to the dickheads.

  “Don’t let Warwick’s mood bother you. He’s always been a bullheaded, cranky asshole.” Ash’s description brought a slight smile to my lips.

  “And egotistical,” I added.

  He laughed, nodding. “He is certainly that too.” Ash’s expression went serious. “For twenty years, he’s held revenge and death in his heart. Vacant of life. But with you? I haven’t seen him this way in a long time.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He was almost a machine before. Only killing made him feel alive. But with you…?” Ash’s eyes tracked mine. “You have a power, Brexley. Something I can’t explain… it pushes all the death and ugliness away. It’s like he can breathe again.”

  His proximity rattled my nerves, forcing my head to look down and step back. Ash’s compassion, sexual nature, and honesty were difficult to fight.

  “You need help getting undressed?” Ash grinned playfully. “Hair washed? Body scrubbed down?”

  “I’ve got it.” Deep, raspy, and vibrating with ire, Warwick’s voice snapped over Ash’s shoulder. He filled the entire doorway, leaning against the jamb, his glare set on the back of Ash’s head. “You can get the fuck out.”

  A huge smile curved on Ash’s face, stepping away. “Guess I will go see what I can gather up for dinner. Take a long walk to my vegetable garden a really long walk.” He winked at me before heading out, patting Warwick’s arm as he squeezed past him, shutting the door, leaving us alone.

  “You’re back.” Captain Obvious reporting for duty here.

  His gaze crawled over my skin, heavy and intense, his face void of emotion.

  “What?” I tugged on the ends of my hair with aggravation. “I’m too exhausted to deal with this right now. Get to it or get out.”

  He pushed off the wall, taking a step toward me, his eyes never leaving me as he tugged his shirt over his head, his abs rippling as he moved, ink rolling over muscle.

  Oxygen filled my lungs, my eyes locking on his sculpted torso. Marred and inked, it was even more beautiful because of its scars. The stories it told, the battles it won. Fuck… This man’s physique. He needed to warn me before he did shit like that.

  He kicked off his boots, his hands moving to his trousers, yanking them off, his boxer briefs following…

  Holy mother of all that’s massive. I was never prepared for this man clothed, but naked, he flipped my entire world off its axis, emptying my brain.

  “What are you doing?” My voice came out small and flimsy, reminding me of the first time he stepped into the shower room at Halálház with me.

  He strolled toward me, hard, feral, and confident, smashing the energy Ash held into smithereens. Everything about Warwick was unapologetic, raw, and severe.

  My thighs clenched, my eyes darting away as fierce desire lit my nerves on fire. Naked, this man was a sin. One I wanted to commit over and over.

  He gripped the bottom of my T-shirt, gently pulling it from my frame, my body responding to his, need coursing from my head to my toes. The cool air licked over my skin. “Warwick…?” My chest heaved, feeling his presence coating me, invisible hands sliding down my thighs, over my arms.

  “No talking,” he rumbled, turning me around to face the shower, tilting my head under the spray. His fingers paused at the top of my knickers, I could feel him searching for an answer, waiting for some kind of no, but he wouldn’t get one.

  His hands glided down my legs as he pulled off my underwear, my back arching as heat scored up my spine. He reached over, grabbing the homemade shampoo, and poured it into his hand. His fingers tangled through my hair as he massaged my head.

  This reminded me so much of the first time we showered together, when I first felt the pull to him and the strange sense of him touching me without physically doing it.

  Little did we understand then what was ahead.

  I could no longer deny it or pretend it was all in my head. I leaned into the solid feeling of his spirit hands running across my stomach and over my legs, as his real hands washed my hair. There was no difference between either kind of touch. The connection between us seemed only to be getting stronger.

  Water cascaded down me as he washed the soap from my hair, careful to keep my left side mostly out of the water stream. He pushed in closer to me, his hips pressing close enough for me to feel him hard and pulsing against my ass. I bit back a mo
an, invisible hands caressing and sliding over my figure, my nerves humming to life, and stilting my breath.

  Pain was gone. Only lust and desire raked through me, my head floating away as I gave in to the sensations.

  His hands coated the ends of my hair in conditioner before grabbing a bar of soap. I sucked in as he glided the soap between my breasts, then slid it slowly over one nipple. With a soft groan, I tilted my head back into his shoulder, his free hand wrapping firmer around my waist. Soaping up my breasts, nonexistent hands traced and pinched at my nipples, leaving my entire body on fire. Need throbbed my core, my ass curving back into him.

  A noise vibrated from his chest, the soap slipping down my torso, stopping right at my pussy, making me ache with need. His cock throbbed against my back, and I spread my legs, needing him.

  “Warwick,” I whispered his name, pushing back into him.

  He drew the bar of soap up, cleaning the dry blood around my wounds. His real hands stayed up higher, but I felt his phantom hands continue down, the sensation of fingers slipping through my folds making my breath hitch. He held me firmer against him as he fitted his enormous length between my ass cheeks, letting me feel every vein and pulse.

  Logic evaporated into the steam, my body rolling back into him. The ghost fingers prodded my legs to open more as they found their way inside.

  “Baszd meg!” Air rushed through my teeth, and I parted my lips. His head didn’t move, but I could feel his mouth skating up my neck, drawling out a louder moan. I could feel the intensity as he pumped his fingers into me, then a tongue slid through me. “Oh, gods… don’t stop.”

  His tongue flicked and nipped so powerfully I started to tremble. Pleasure hit so deep in my bones, I no longer felt I was tied to anything real, losing all track of when and where we were. A loud cry broke from my lips, and my teeth drove into my bottom lip. Warwick was everywhere; his mouth, teeth, and fingers touched, nipped, kissed, and licked my skin as a pressure rubbed over my core.

  “Oh, gods… fuck… Warwick.”

  I lost all control of myself as he moved quicker, building the friction, my climax racing toward me. His ghost fingers curled as his thumb worked the sensitive part. I felt his warm mouth consume me, sucking on my clit. Then he nipped down.

  A guttural cry sprang up my throat as everything shattered, my body violently thrashing as my climax consumed me, everything in me going limp.

  Warwick clutched me to him, holding me up, his palm pressing into my chest like he wanted to feel me gasping for air, feel every ounce of life throbbing through me.

  I wheezed and heaved for oxygen, slowly coming back to myself. “Fuck,” I muttered, my limbs feeling like jelly.

  “And think… I didn’t even actually touch you.” His voice was thick and rough in my ear.

  Shit. I didn’t know if I could handle the real thing.

  Rinsing us off, he shuffled me out of the shower, wrapping a towel around me and gently drying the places near my wounds. Wordlessly he dressed me in a tank and fresh underwear before ushering me into the bedroom.

  “Get some sleep,” he muttered, helping me crawl into bed, my body boneless and my mind empty of thought or worry, as if he knew exactly what I needed to sleep.

  Warwick grabbed some of his clothes out of the bag he brought, pulling on sweatpants, outlining everything he was trying to cover underneath. His erection tented his pants so sinfully, heat pulsed through me again.

  Fuck. Me.

  I curled onto my good side, away from temptation, wanting him to stay, but my mouth wouldn’t open to ask.

  The bed dipped with his weight as he crawled in, scooting behind me. “Just tonight.” He answered the question I never asked.

  A truce for the night, nothing but him and me before everything tangled and weaved into knots again. We could deal with all this in the morning.

  His massive frame curled behind me, blanketing me in warmth and security. My insanely unbelievable orgasm only took the edge off the desire building back up as his body wrapped around mine, his cock still pressed into the back of me.

  “Sleep, princess,” he muttered in my ear. Sighing deeply, content and relaxed, I let go.

  Darkness took me quickly, but right before I went under, I felt his lips brush my temple.

  “Te valodi vagy… sötét démonom.”

  You are real… my dark demon.

  Chapter 25

  A tickling in my nose stirred me awake, my lids opening to Bitzy’s fingers.

  Chirp. The noise sounded like “good morning.”

  “Bitzy.” I batted away her hand, noticing a lazy smile on her face. “Oh shit.” I peered around. For once, it was just her; Opie was absent. My gaze drifted over the bed, finding myself alone, the bed and pillow still imprinted with Warwick’s outline, suggesting I hadn’t dreamed he slept next to me.

  Exhaling, the feel of him still throbbed through me—the memories of what happened in the shower, the images of this huge violent man washing my hair… my body.

  Chirp.

  My attention returned to the imp, her hand holding something as she munched.

  “Bitzy, what are you eating?”

  She peered down at the item, then peered up at me innocently.

  “Is that a mushroom?”

  She rolled in her lips coyly, her eyes huge, her ears lowering to the side, and she giggled.

  “Oh hell, Bitzy.” I groaned, palming my face. “Are you high again?”

  Her smile showed the few teeth in her mouth. How could she be so adorable and unsettling at the same time?

  I fought the grin curling my own mouth, trying to sound angry. “Give it here.” I held out my hand.

  Chirp. She shook her head, tucking the piece of mushroom away.

  “Bitzy. Now.” My hand opened for her to put it there.

  Her brow furrowed.

  “Noooow.”

  She drew the piece out again, but instead of giving it to me, she shoved the whole thing in her mouth, her cheeks stuffed like a squirrel as she chomped on the huge piece.

  “Oh, just you wait, young lady. When you come down from your high, you won’t be looking so proud of yourself then,” I chided.

  “Phhhfffttt.” She stuck her tongue out at me, bits of chewed mushroom flying out.

  “Nice.” I pushed back the covers, climbing out of bed, still stiff and sore, but I was starting to feel much better. I swore the orgasm was a miracle cure. Knowing Warwick, it probably was.

  I still felt the aftermath of him, and now I craved more. Soon I’d become an addict like Bitzy, but it wouldn’t be mushrooms I was stuffing into my mouth.

  “Come on.” I nodded to her, and she scaled my arm up to my shoulder, not flipping me off once. Her pleasant side felt all wrong, as if my day was already starting off upside down. “I need coffee.”

  After going to the bathroom, I headed for the common room, sensing the man my body ached for nearby.

  “Fuck, Warwick. You can’t leave. Not with everything going on.” Ash’s voice stopped me, stilling me in the doorway.

  Bitzy made a small sound, and I put my finger up to my mouth to quiet her. She mimicked me, her long finger at her lips, her eyes wide.

  “She needs you. This is some crazy, scary shit, and you want to walk out on her?”

  My gut dropped, terror, hurt, and anger bubbling in my belly like a cauldron.

  “I’m not walking out on her. I just need to deal with some things. I won’t be long.” His voice was like a drug, washing over my skin, leaving me high and hooked. “I need to move them, make sure they’re safe. After what I did, Killian will have men searching for them.”

  Searching for who?

  “Warwick…”

  “Ash, I will do everything to protect them. He deserves to grow up happy. Safe. The opposite of what I had.”

  “I know, but what am I gonna tell her?”

  “For fuck’s sake, you act as if this is some horrendous burden.” A wood bench squeaked as it slid over the
wood floor. “I’ve seen you around her, so don’t act like you wouldn’t mind me staying away permanently.”

  “Screw you, man. You know I’m a flirt, and I won’t deny there is something about her that draws me, but you made your position pretty clear last night. In my bed, may I add.”

  “Nothing happened.”

  A strangled laugh broke from Ash. “You’re an idiot and a bad liar. I could feel you guys from over two miles away. I kept having to go out farther, trying to find a distance where I could no longer feel the intensity between you two. You know what that kind of energy does to a tree fairy? I was so tense, I had to go to Kara’s to take the edge off.”

  “Kara? You two still fuck buddies?”

  “It’s convenient. River fairy-tree fairy sex exchange.” Water fairies were another group who were constantly sexually charged, not that many fae weren’t, but I guess the current of the water, the energy and life in it, riled them up. “But you’re missing my point.”

  Bitzy started to sway in my hair, humming to herself.

  “Shhh,” I tried to shush her.

  Chiiiirrrpppp. She batted at the air, falling over and hitting the ground with a thump.

  A strange giggling chirp burst from her, her little legs and arms kicking as if she was swimming.

  “Thanks, Bitz.” I frowned as Warwick and Ash turned in my direction, forcing me to step out.

  “Is she high again?” Ash’s look went to a jar on the table, his mouth dropping. “That little shit! She stole my mushrooms again!”

  “There are pieces on your pillow if you want some.” I motioned over my shoulder, progressing farther into the room, my gaze running over Warwick. Dressed in dark cargo pants, T-shirt, and boots, his expression was detached, but his attention traced every inch of my skin, covering the tight tank and stopping on the tiny knickers I didn’t bother covering up. Everybody here had already seen me naked.

  The feel of his energy landed right between my legs, causing my pussy to pulse in response, like it knew where his focus stopped and was screaming out for more attention.