Mate Bond(35)

The Goddess be blessed for making this instinct pure joy.

Bowman held her. "Kenzie, love . . ."

Kenzie answered with wordless cries, their love ringing through the  woods. Nothing mattered in the world-not the Collar that gleamed on  Kenzie's throat, not the threats outside Shiftertown, not even the  problem of the mate bond.

Only this mattered, joining with Kenzie, loving her, being one with her.  And at the same remaining two, because no way could one single being  feel This. Damn. Good.

He was coming. Bowman heard words leave his mouth. "You're beautiful,  Kenz. You've got the finest ass, the hottest . . ." More phrases, from  poetic to filthy came in time with his thrusts. She was hot and slick,  and embraced him with her whole body. "I want to be inside you, and  never . . . come . . . out."                       
       
           



       

Kenzie's hips rocked with his, her strong arms steadying herself and, at  the same time, him. She was Bowman's anchor, his reality. His  necessity.

He loved her, and the hell he'd ever let her go to some asshole who  claimed he had a mate bond with her. Screw the fucking mate bond.

Bowman's cries turned to howls. Kenzie's joined his. Their wolves,  buried deep within them, rejoiced in the moonlight, for this mating,  this joining of bodies and twining of souls.

Bowman found himself on the ground, still inside Kenzie, tears stinging  his eyes. Kenzie's face was wet too, but her smile was wide.

She put up her hand and wiped a tear from Bowman's cheek, then they  collapsed together into the soft pine needles with warm kisses and  touches, murmuring things to each other that weren't really words at  all.


* * *

Bowman often left Kenzie directly after loving, especially when they  shared an intense coupling. She lay quietly under him now as he stilled,  and braced herself for him heaving to his feet and walking away.

She was surprised, then, when Bowman remained on top of her, gently  kissing her neck, licking where he'd bitten her. Kenzie didn't want to  move much, in case it reminded him to go, but she couldn't help running  her fingers through his short hair, liking the silken buzz of it.

Dappled light touched Bowman's shoulders, brushing the sculpted beauty  of his back, his legs, the rise of his buttocks. Kenzie thought she  could lie here under him forever, his strength surrounding her.

He raised his head and kissed the tip of her nose, then her lips, with  slow tenderness. The sweet kiss led to something deeper, going on for  some time.

Bowman lifted his head. His eyes were the same color as the moonlight, his Collar a black streak against his sun-kissed throat.

"We're good together," he said in a soft voice. "You and me."

Beyond the darkness, Shiftertown was lit up, music blaring, Shifters  yelling and carrying on. Kenzie couldn't see them from where she lay,  but she could definitely hear them. Probably half the county could.

"Yeah," Kenzie answered, smiling up at Bowman. "We are."

She touched his face, feeling the burn of whiskers, and traced his lips.  Bowman caught her fingers with his teeth. He drew her forefinger all  the way into his mouth, working it the same way he would her nipple. He  did so for a time, until Kenzie moved beneath him, fires stirring like  the leaping flames of the bonfires.

"The Goddess made us for each other," he said when he released her  finger, licking it one more time. "I knew when I first saw you. I looked  past all those scared Shifters, and you were standing there, straight  up and take-no-shit, helping the cubs, getting in the face of the human  guards who tried to mess with you. I never wanted to look away."

"I couldn't look away from you either." Kenzie sent him a grin. "But we had to, or we'd still be there."

"When I knew I had to take a mate, there was no question who it would be."

Kenzie drew her hand through his hair again. She knew he'd come to her  to keep Uncle Cristian off his back, but Cristian had other nieces.  Bowman could have made a different choice.

"I'm glad you picked me," Kenzie said softly.

Bowman started to laugh. The sound was warm, low, and made her shiver.  "Seriously, Kenz, if I'd tried to mate-claim anyone else, you'd have  come after me and killed me."

"Possibly." True, Kenzie had never bothered to hide her interest in  Bowman. She hadn't chased him, but when she'd seen him around  Shiftertown, or at the roadhouse, she'd made sure he looked at her.  She'd flirted, swayed her hips, contrived to be wearing the tightest  clothes she could when she knew he'd be at the bar. When she'd danced  with other men-human or Shifter-she'd look over at Bowman and give him a  challenging look.

Bowman's laugh went low, as though he remembered the same things. "No  ‘possibly' about it. You drove me frigging crazy. I remember once, you  mooned me in the roadhouse parking lot. I thought I was going to die. If  we'd have been alone, I'd have grabbed you and taken you right there."

"Yeah?" Kenzie slanted him a smile. "I remember you shaking your head and walking away with Cade and Jamie."

"And keeping Jamie from running after you like the horny Feline he is.  Of course I wanted you, Kenz. You have the best ass I've ever seen. And  being Shifter, I've seen a lot of naked asses. Trust me, yours is the  prettiest."

"Are you trying to get into my pants, Bowman O'Donnell? Thinking you have a right to any female you want?"                       
       
           



       

"Your pants are way over there, Mrs. O'Donnell. The only female I want  is you. You and your great ass." He looked down at her chest, her skin  pearlescent in the moonlight. "Your tits aren't bad either."

"Watch it," Kenzie said. "My evil uncle will make you mate-claim me."

Bowman's voice went low, all teasing gone. "Way too late for that."

He growled as he kissed her, hungry, savage. Kenzie tried to kiss him  back, but Bowman broke away, seized her by the hips, and rolled her  facedown.

Kenzie pretended to try to scramble away, but she shivered in happiness when Bowman caught her and dragged her back to him.

Bowman plunged inside her from behind, thrusting with the power that  would join them, body and soul. Kenzie laughed into the cold, crisp air,  loving him, until her laughter wound into joyous cries.


* * *

Bowman walked with Kenzie back to the heart of Shiftertown later that  night, hand in hand. Kenzie was sore, her knees scraped raw. Bowman  moved a bit stiffly himself.

They found Ryan at the cub slumber party, watched over by Afina and  other older Shifters, including Cristian. Ryan begged to stay the whole  night, and Bowman gave the okay. As long as he didn't go to the zip  line, not at night-and not without him or Kenzie.

"You mean because they're all starkers up there," Ryan said. "It's only  unmated Shifters, Dad." He made a face. "They're just trying to have  sex. Like you and Mom. Not interested."

One of the girl cubs laughed, but she looked sublimely uninterested as  well. Cubs had no hormonal urges until their Transitions in their  twenties, and then-watch out. Kenzie would have about another fifteen  years before she had to deal with Ryan going through his, but she knew  those years would fly by.

Kenzie kissed Ryan good night, then Bowman did, and they walked out into the darkness.

"I'd better go up to Cade's and make sure there's no mate Challenges,"  Bowman said, sounding regretful. "They're drunk on beer and frenzy. I  don't need Shifters trying to fight each other to the death while  hanging from a zip line."

Kenzie laughed, but she understood his worry. Shifter rules said no  Challenges on mating ceremony night, but when feral needs flared, rules  got flushed.

Bowman stuck his hands in his jacket pockets, looking like a wild animal  trying to wear civilized clothes. Whiskers were stark black on his  face, and his was hair rumpled, his eyes slightly bleary with all the  lovemaking they'd enjoyed.

"Check on the Shifters not trying to get some tonight," Bowman said. "Make sure they're all right."

"That won't be many, but I will."

Kenzie should turn and walk away now, businesslike. They both had jobs  to do, keeping Shiftertown safe. They'd meet up later at home, compare  notes. Like always.

Tonight, Kenzie didn't want to look away from Bowman. She kept her gaze  on him as he stood a few feet from her, his breath steaming in the cold.  His eyes caught hers, the silver gray piercing her to the heart.

Finally, Bowman gave her a nod, turned around, and walked up the street,  heading for the end of the zip line. His boots crunched in the loose  stones on the asphalt, then darkness swallowed him, and he was gone.

Kenzie sighed, wishing they didn't always have to be Shiftertown  leaders. If they were ordinary Shifters, they could lock themselves away  and continue what they'd enjoyed in the woods, not emerging for days.