Chapter 97 Chapter 97
Shae paced to the window. This was insane. She couldn’t do this. Please wake up. It had to be a dream, this sort of thing didn’t really happen. Turning, she looked back to her mother and Nona, they didn’t look so sure now either.
“Hope Marilyn gets here soon and enlightens us with her brilliant plan.” Nona said with an edge to her voice.
If Nona was having second thoughts, Shae was sure she should put a stop to it.
The door opened and Aunt Marilyn came in looking excited. She held up a bag. “I’ve got everything we need right here.” She went over to the table and set it down, then pulled out some material. She held up a black skirt. “This is for you Shae…”
“Its not a date, Mari.” Nona said getting up and going over to look in the bag.
Her aunt frowned. “No. I know that. I just thought…” she waved a hand up and down her body, “you know easy access and all that.” She glared at Nona. “Can’t be wrestling jeans off then pausing to get dressed after…”
Shae huffed out a breath. “I didn’t think of that.” Which was true, she hadn’t been able to think, period. Going over quickly, she grabbed the skirt and spun on her heel to go to her room. “I’ll be right back.”
“I’ve got enough spiked wine in this bag to knock the guard out for a week, baby Shae, so don’t you be worrying.” She called down the hall.
Shae’s hands were shaking so bad as she got changed, she was glad there were no buttons or zips to contend with. “You have to do this,” she whispered, “or mate with Brock.” She paused. As pep talks went, that did it. “Okay.” She went over to the mirror and looked at what she was wearing. Black t-shirt, long black skirt. Well, at least it matched, not that it mattered. Grabbing the brush, she quickly ran it through her long chestnut hair. “Okay,” she whispered again, then took a deep breath and went back out.
Clutching the small bag her aunt had given her to her chest, she walked quickly down the hall toward the door the green-eyed prisoner was behind. Her aunt gave her home-distilled whiskey, water, a pouch of stink weed and then snuck her into the building. Shae wasn’t sure, but the way she’d done it seemed too practiced, and she had to wonder how often her aunt came here to drink and play cards with the guards.
Her mind froze when she realized she was standing at the door. She stared at the handle. She debated drinking the whiskey. What was she doing? She hadn’t really kissed a boy in her life, she’d always been too busy with learning for that. A few pecks when she was thirteen didn’t count, and she’d only done that on a dare with Billie.
Her aunt’s boisterous laugh echoed down the hall, causing Shae to jump. Now or never. Her mind was saying never as her hand opened the door. Once inside she closed it quietly and leaned back against it. Chin still down, she looked at the floor in front of her. It was darker in here than she remembered, must be power down and time to regenerate the storage. Dark was okay, meant she didn’t feel so… on display. Exhaling slowly, she moved only her eyes to him. He sat there, his green-eyes locked on her. He could definitely see in this low light and he looked angry.
Forcing her legs to move, she pushed away from the door, trying to remember how to breathe at the same time. “I brought whiskey and water, i-if you want either…” This is insane.
“Whiskey.”
His voice was low and rasping and she honestly didn’t know if his tone was a good or a bad thing. Nodding, she set down the bag and pulled both out then went over to him. His arms were still down as she’d left them, so she realized he hadn’t been a problem for the guards. Kneeling a few feet away, she uncapped the whiskey and held it out to him. Her hand was visibly shaking as he looked at it for a few seconds before he took it.
He took a big mouthful of it and then gasped after he swallowed it. “Water,” he croaked. She handed it to him. He took a few mouthfuls. “What’s that, three hundred proof?”
She had no idea what he was talking about. Never being much of a drinker, she decided now was as good as any time and took a big swallow. It burned a trail all the way to her stomach. She coughed and he held out the water to her. Taking a sip, she lowered it and nodded. “Thanks. That stuff is awful.” She set the whiskey aside and stared at the bottle of water in her hands. “I don’t…” she glanced at him quickly, then back to the bottle, “know what to do.”
The clank of the chains startled her as he moved his arm and placed his hand under her chin, lifting with a gentle pressure so she’d look at him. She swallowed and looked into his eyes. Her whole body was shaking, she didn’t know if it was from fear or the way his eyes were searching hers.
“You could start by coming closer.”
She nodded nervously.
“I won’t hurt you,” he whispered.
Setting the water down, she moved over until she was beside him. The hand that had been under her chin now rested against her shoulder, as his fingers played with her hair. She licked dry lips and watched him. He applied a gentle pressure to the back of her neck with his fingers, so she would lean closer.
“Shaelan?”
Eyes wide that he knew her name, she nodded again. Their faces were close enough, she could feel his breath on her cheek.
“How far do you want to take this, Shaelan?”
His voice was low and sent shivers across her skin. “I don’t know how it works.” She glanced at his mouth then back to his eyes. “This scent thing.” She clarified. His eyes didn’t leave hers and that caused her insides to shake.
“Need to get hormones heated for it to be effective.” He brushed his mouth over hers, then stopped, their lips barely touching.
“Oh. I don’t…” His mouth covered hers this time, kissing her gently.
“Kiss me back,” he demanded softly. He grasped the back of her head and waited for her to move.
Bracing a hand on his warm bare shoulder, she leaned closer and moved her mouth over his.
His hand in her hair tightened as he tipped her head to kiss her harder. When his tongue plunged into her mouth and moved against hers, her stomach felt giddy.
Moving closer, Shae ran her hand into his soft, thick hair as she tried to return his kisses. They were dizzying. He groaned in the back of his throat when she nipped his tongue, the sound sent heat through her.
“Straddle me,” he growled against her lips.
Raising up onto her knees so she could move over his legs, he grasped her waist and lifted her into his lap. Her insides began to clench when he ran his mouth roughly over her throat. All these new sensations were drowning her. He nipped her neck gently and she moaned and hugged his head to her body.
When he pulled her shirt up, she shivered with excitement from the feel of his palms on her skin. Her bra was undone and his mouth was on her breast before she could think. As he sucked a nipple into his mouth, she hissed out a breath and rocked her hips into him.
He pulled his mouth away and licked across the puckered flesh. “I’ll mark you here so no one can see.”