Page 31 of Hope Forged
“I would prefer to go first,” Illan said, halting Brac from connecting her to the anchor.
She opened her mouth to argue, glanced into the hole, then stepped aside.
Illan studied her while Brac latched him to the anchor before he dropped through. Pitch black engulfed his vision in an instant. His senses roared, panic simmering. His instincts went on high alert. He skidded down with steadiness, hand over hand as he lowered himself. What awaited him, he couldn’t say. How far he had to go was also an unknown.
“Amet?” Coll’s voice echoed yet was distant.
Peace settled over Illan’s mind. He wasn’t alone. And with Ziamee following him, he had to remain calm and in control. The ropes jiggled with movements not his own, straining his arms as he fought for stability.
“How far?” he yelled down.
Coll called, “Keep going.”
Illan scowled. To be fair, Coll couldn’t know how far up Illan was. Still, the vague instructions didn’t help, not with Ziamee above him. A bright light forced him to blink. Then another way off came into focus. Coll had thrown out flares. All landed on ledges. Illan pursed his lips. He should’ve remembered that Etterians had preternatural eyesight in the dark. That the older medic had thought to distribute flares said much of his and Brac’s consideration for a species with weaker vision.
“Halt at the next chance,” Coll yelled. “A lake is below. I am tracking the male’s life signs.”
As a ledge approached, Illan threw out his foot to hook it, then step by step, pulled himself onto it. He raised his gaze, still keeping the rope taut. It whipped in his hand when Ziamee took the ledge above him.
“What is it?” she asked, peering at him, her face in shadow.
“Coll says there is water everywhere.” Illan inched back until he bumped into the rock. “Come to me.”
She hesitated, then lowered herself. A yank from above sent her swinging wide. She cried out even as he lunged for her, catching her just as her grip failed.
Her foot touched his ledge…
Then she tumbled off.
He dove for her, plastering himself across the rock, and caught her hand.
An explosion of need flashed in front of his eyes, flickering images of her arched in ecstasy, her mouth parted, her eyeshooded. A breast filled his mouth, his focus on her eyes. A sweet moan ricocheted in his ears. He shook his head.
His kok hardened with lust throbbing along the length. His core tightened, and breathing was a distant hope. A shudder shook him, but he fought it, trying to secure her before his body betrayed him.
Gazing off the edge at her wide eyes, he should’ve expected an erotic reaction with how he felt about her. Palm to palm was to be avoided if a male liked a female unless she consented to a mating.
Pulling her up to clasp her forearm broke the connection.
With her feet touching the rock, he spun and pinned her to the wall, groaning when he pressed his chest to hers. Her scent filled his nose, her warmth bathed his skin, and his mind reeled.
“What… What was that?” she rasped, her touch at his elbows sparking a new pulse of need.
“The Durn way,” he muttered, squeezing his eyes shut. They’d been moments from sharing their pleasure.
“It was incredible. Can we do it again?”
Illan opened his mouth to speak, but she stroked his jaw, stealing his voice. Durns mated telepathically, yet her touch invoked a more visceral response. He wanted to do both, to mate with her in their minds while he thrust his kok into her like Cyndy had taught Iddan.
He swallowed a growl.
This wasn’t the right place and time. But what was possible… Despite his better judgment, he caught her lips with his, though not sure what to do. She angled her head, meeting his onslaught without fear.
His knees shook. The taste of her… Elorach, he’d never encountered anything more addictive. While grinding his kok into the juncture of her thighs, he thrust his tongue into her mouth, soaking in her silky warmth. She garbled something,then sucked him in deeper. His mind blanked. All thoughts abandoned him as every muscle locked in place. She was liquid heat in his arms. He laced his fingers with hers, pressing their palms together.
The visions were immediate, impressions of everything he yearned to do to her. She whimpered, sliding her other arm around him even as she hooked her leg over his hip. Desire lashed at his control, weakening it until he gathered her close to shift her, taking her to the ground. Tugging registered at the edges of his mind, but fiery bliss shot down his kok, keeping him engrossed on the goal—the pleasure between her legs.
Solid weight nudged him, and the familiar stink of a beast snapped him from his lust-filled haze.
