When Eli lifted her off her feet, Saskia wrapped her legs around his waist as she rubbed her pussy along the hard ridge of his cock through his jeans. Swinging around, Eli walked down the short hallway and pushed open the door to his bedroom. This time he didn’t bother turning on the lights. He continued to kiss her as he walked the short distance to his bed. He climbed onto it and lowered her down onto the mattress. They both moaned as he came to lie on top of her between her legs.

  Eli released her lips and kissed a trail along her jaw to the side of her neck. He tugged her blouse out of her jeans and shoved his hand inside to cup her breast. Saskia shivered as his tongue swirled inside her ear before he took her lobe between his teeth with a small tug. She panted as she took hold of the bottom of his shirt and lifted it so she could run her hands along the smooth skin of his back.

  Removing his hand from her breast, Eli swiftly undid the buttons on her blouse. He parted the material and ran the flat of his tongue across her tight nipple through her pale pink lace bra. With nimble fingers, he undid the front clasp. He brushed the straps over her shoulders and down her arms until she was free of it.

  Saskia arched off the bed as Eli swirled his tongue around one taut nipple before he greedily sucked it deep inside his mouth. With each pull of his mouth, she felt the corresponding pull in her pussy. Wetness leaked into her panties. Needing to feel Eli’s naked skin pressed to hers, she yanked his shirt over his head and threw it to the floor. As he suckled at her other breast, Saskia rocked her hips against the large bulge in his jeans.

  When he shifted so he laid half on top of her, she reached down and undid Eli’s pants.

  Shoving her hand inside, Saskia wrapped her hand around his thick shaft and squeezed.

  Eli moaned, but gently pried her hand off his erection. “If you keep that up you’ll make me come. I want to taste you first.”

  He shifted down her body before he undid the button and zipper of her jeans. Saskia gasped as he licked and kissed every inch of skin he exposed as he pulled her jeans down past her hips. She kicked them the rest of the way off, leaving her only in her pale pink lace thong.

  Positioning himself between her spread thighs, Eli dipped his head and dragged his tongue along the crotch of her thong. With a finger, he hooked the material that covered her pussy and pulled it aside. Saskia’s hips rose off the bed as his tongue licked against her naked flesh. A low growl left her lips as he licked her from bottom to top before he circled her clit with his tongue. Holding him to her, she rocked her hips against his mouth. Eli shoved first one then a second finger inside her pussy as he sucked on her clit.

  Saskia clamped her strong inner muscles around his fingers as he pumped them in and out of her.

  She wanted to wait until he was inside her when she came, but Eli wouldn’t allow it.

  “Come for me, Saskia,” he breathed against her. “I want to taste you while you come against my mouth.”

  Eli removed his fingers and jabbed his stiffened tongue inside her core as he rubbed her sensitive clit. It was enough to send Saskia over the edge. With a keening moan, she pressed her head back against the bed as her release tore through her. Eli continued to lap at her sex until the last ripple of pleasure faded away.

  It had felt good, but it had only whetted her appetite for Eli. She wanted the hard length of his cock as it filled her wet pussy. As Eli rose up on his knees, she yanked his jeans down. His stiff cock sprang free as soon as she had the material down past his hips.

  Before he could stop her, Saskia moved to sit up. She wrapped her hand around his thick shaft and licked him from base to tip. Eli moaned. She looked up to find his heated gaze watching her as she licked his cock. Returning her attention back to his member, she held him tight as her tongue came out to circle the broad head. His hips jerked as she took the tip into her mouth and sucked.

  Eli’s moans filled the room when she opened her mouth and took as much of his cock as she could handle inside her mouth. As she sucked, she felt him harden even more. She would have continued to pleasure him this way until he came in her mouth, but Eli had other plans. He pulled away and pushed her down onto her back. He kicked off his jeans before he grabbed her thong and yanked it off her body. Saskia spread her legs as he came down on top of her.

  The head of his cock brushed up against her wet core. Eli took her lips in a hard kiss as he surged forward, fully seating himself deep inside her. Saskia sucked his tongue into her mouth and moaned. When Eli pulled back and then surged back inside, she felt another orgasm start to build.

  As he pumped his hips between her legs, Saskia gripped Eli’s cock with her inner muscles. The slow pace he had set increased. He released her mouth as he lifted his upper body off her, supporting his weight on his hands. Saskia wrapped her legs around his waist as he pounded into her. Her orgasm crept ever closer.

  Eli pumped his hips faster. He groaned as he angled his hips so his thick shaft rubbed her clit. The friction caused her body to coil even tighter. She was so close. Lifting her hips, Saskia met Eli’s strokes as she squeezed down on him harder.

  A vision slammed into her. She saw Eli and herself as they were now, making love.

  What made her gasp was what happened once they both reached their climax—their souls joined, mating them together as one.

  Unaware of what she had seen, Eli rode her harder, faster, pushing her climax to the point of almost no return. Saskia dug her fingernails into his arms. “Eli, stop.”

  Eli lowered himself down on top of her and cupped her bottom in his hands as he angled her hips in just the right angle to send her flying. “Too late,” he moaned.

  He moaned again as her inner walls fisted his cock in a tight grip. Saskia whimpered as intense waves of pleasure ripped through her. She felt Eli’s cock pulse deep inside her core as he came. While he emptied himself inside her, she felt his soul reach out to hers.

  Unable to stop herself, her soul reached out to him and wrapped itself around his. They both gasped as their souls joined.

  Out of breath, Eli panted, “Was that what I think it was?” He pulled her close and nuzzled the side of her neck.

  Saskia stared up at the ceiling. She’d gone cold inside. This couldn’t be happening.

  She couldn’t be mated. Long ago she’d made the decision to never take a mate. She had her duty to protect the foretold one. There wouldn’t be room in her life for a mate, especially for a mortal mate. Feeling as if she suffocated, Saskia pushed Eli off her. She curled her upper lip and growled when he tried to pull her closer.

  A look of confusion flashed across his face. “Talk to me, Saskia. Something happened between us. I felt it. It felt like what Finn described when Jocelyn and he became mates.”

  “I have to get out of here.” Saskia searched the bedroom floor for her clothes. She moved off the bed to gather them up.

  Eli sat up. “We’re mates now, aren’t we?”

  She jerkily pulled on her clothes. “Yes.”

  “Then where are you going?” Eli got off the bed and came to stand gloriously naked beside her. “I know this is a bit unexpected, but I’m not unhappy about it, surprisingly enough. We can make this work. I can feel you inside me. You’re a part of me now.”

  And she felt a part of him inside her as well, but that didn’t stop her from snapping her teeth at him when he tried to reach for her again. “Don’t touch me.”

  Eli took a step back. “Look, we have to discuss this.”

  Saskia yanked on her blouse. “There is nothing to discuss. I’m leaving.”

  “I don’t understand what has you so pissed off with me. It isn’t as if I forced this on you. Christ, I didn’t know anymore than you did that this would happen. I’m not a male werewolf who recognizes his mate from the first whiff of her scent.”

  “Exactly.” Now dressed, Saskia scowled at Eli. Feeling trapped, she said the first things that popped into her head. She didn’t care what they would do to Eli. “You aren’t a werewolf. I never wanted a mate. Not ever. What makes this even worse is that you’re a mortal. I thought we would have our fun then go our separate ways.” The look of hurt that Eli gave her almost made her stop, but her emotions were too jumbled for her to rein herself back. “I thought I would have an enjoyable night of sex. Instead, I now find myself tied to a mortal.”

  “I can understand you being a little out of sorts about being mated when you never wanted one. I wasn’t exactly looking for one, believe me, but what’s done is done. We can’t go back. You need to calm down, Saskia.”

  “No. I need to leave.”

  Saskia turned to go, but Eli grabbed her arm to stop her. “You can’t leave. We need to be near each other or it’ll mess with our heads. I’ve seen both my brother and sister go through it when they were too long apart from their mates. It isn’t pretty.”

  She pulled her arm free with a rough yank. “I guess we’ll see how bad it actually gets, because I’m still leaving and there is nothing you can do to stop me.”

  Moving at a speed Eli couldn’t match Saskia hurried to the apartment door and flung it open. After she slammed it shut, she hurried over to the elevators. As luck would have it, the doors to one slid open as soon as she pushed the button. As they slid closed, she took a deep breath. She closed her eyes as she thought of all the hurtful things she had said to Eli. What was the matter with her? A part of her wanted to go back up to his apartment and tell him how sorry she was, but she didn’t. The thought of going back to Eli, to her mate, made her gasp for breath. Until she got her head screwed on straight, she would have to stay away from him. She had already hurt him enough. He didn’t need her to make things any worse than they already were.

  ———

  Feeling as if someone had just sucker punched him in the gut, Eli sat down on the bed as his apartment door slammed shut. He made no move to go after Saskia. The things she had said, and the way she had acted, told him she wouldn’t listen to him even if he did manage to catch up to her. His mate had not reacted well to their mating. He snorted.

  That could only be described as an understatement.

  His mate. He shook his head. He never thought to have that one word—mate—

  connected to him in any way. Finn must have been right after all. He’d told Eli that once he found the right woman there wouldn’t be any others for him. That was how Eli felt about Saskia. Even though she didn’t like the fact, she had turned out to be the one for him. Making love to her had been beyond anything he had experienced with any other woman. His cock stirred just thinking about how good it had felt to be inside her. He wanted her again. The one time hadn’t been enough.

  “Damn.”

  Eli punched the mattress with the flat of his fist. Already he felt Saskia’s absence.

  Right now he could handle it, but he had no idea what he would be like hours from now.

  With no way to contact Saskia, he had to hope when it got bad for her she would seek him out. If she didn’t, he would be a walking mess.

  Chapter Six

  He was living in hell. Eli couldn’t describe it any other way than that. Hours had gone by since Saskia had run out on him. The need to be with her, to touch her, seemed almost too great at times. It felt as if a piece of him had gone missing. He felt empty and out of sorts. How the hell had Finn and Billie survived this? Being separated from one’s mate could only be described as excruciating.

  Unable to fall asleep, let alone relax, at five in the morning, Eli decided he couldn’t stay in the apartment any longer. He needed something to distract himself. Knowing the gym wouldn’t be opening for at least a couple of hours, he made the decision to go there.

  A couple hours of lifting weights should help, or so he hoped.

  He threw on a pair of old sweats and a t-shirt with the sleeves cut off. Before he left, he put a clean dark blue t-shirt that had York Fitness in white across the front and a pair of grey warm-up pants in a backpack. Grabbing his keys, he then headed down to the parking garage.

  The birds had started to chirp to the new day when he arrived at the gym. Eli parked his car in the lot and headed for the front entrance. He unlocked the door and made sure to lock it behind him after he stepped inside. Once he had the security alarm disabled, he flipped the lights on in the darkened gym.

  Eli put his backpack inside his locker in the men’s change room before he headed for the main gym floor. First thing he did was turn on the sound system. Grateful the gym didn’t sit next to any homes, he turned the music up louder than they normally played it.

  The deep base of the rock song that blared through the speakers thumped through him.

  Crossing the gym floor to the rack of dumbbells that ran along the mirrored wall, Eli grabbed two forty pound dumbbells and went to one of the benches that sat in a row in front of the mirrors. He sat down, fixed his grip on the dumbbells, then stood up. Holding them perpendicular to his body in front of his waist, he swung them up in a fly. He did two more sets of flies before he moved on to the shoulder press machine.

  The weight lifting took the edge off his need for Saskia, but only enough so he didn’t feel as if he would start to climb the walls. He worked out for an hour before the music that blared out of the speakers suddenly cut off. Eli looked up to find his older brother, Keegan, headed his way. His chest rapidly rose and fell with each breath he took. Soaked in sweat with his hair plastered to his forehead, he nodded to his brother.

  Keegan looked him up and down. “Don’t you look like shit? What the hell brought you to the gym so early? You look as if you’re trying to work out until you drop.”

  Eli wiped the sweat from his forehead. “You could say that. So far it isn’t working.”

  “It still doesn’t explain what you’re doing here so early. I thought you had a date with Saskia last night.”

  He gritted his teeth at the sound of his mate’s name. “Just stop talking, Keegan. I really need you not to talk about Saskia right now. Okay?” He took off one of the plates from the barbell he’d been using.

  Keegan shook his head. “Holy shit. You mated with her. You’re acting like Billie and Finn do when they’re separated too long from Royce or Jocelyn. How did that happen?”

  Eli brushed past his brother and headed for another machine. “I don’t know. It just happened.”

  “Where is Saskia?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “What do you mean you don’t know? If you’re this bad, she can’t be any better.”

  “Keegan, please. I’m not in the mood for this right now.”

  “Who isn’t in the mood for what?” Billie asked as she and Royce came to join them.

  Eli swore under his breath. “Can all of you just please leave me the hell alone?”

  Of course that only caused Billie to get right up in his face. “I don’t believe this. The confirmed bachelor became mated.”

  “What do I need to do to get you to go away?” Eli snapped.

  Billie backed off. “Sorry. You’re in rough shape there, Eli. Where’s Saskia?”

  “I don’t know. She ran out on me before I got a chance to ask for her cell phone number and address.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me. She’s gone.”

  “What do you mean she’s gone? You’re mates now. She knows what the separation does to mated couples.”

  Eli sat down at the machine and scrubbed his face with his hand. “I don’t think she cares. Let’s just say she wasn’t pleased to have me for her mate. I guess she never wanted a mate, and she sure as hell didn’t want one who also happens to be a mortal. Does that answer your question?”

  “Why didn’t you call Billie earlier?” Royce asked. “She could have found Saskia for you.”

  “Yeah, why didn’t you call me? I can look for her now if you want.”

  Eli sighed. “I don’t think that will be a good idea. You didn’t see how she looked once our souls joined. She couldn’t get away from me fast enough. She even growled and snapped her teeth at me when I tried to touch her. I don’t think she would take too kindly to me just showing up.”

  Billie’s brows drew together in confusion. “So you would rather sit here slowly going insane from missing Saskia rather than go track her down and end the anguish you both are going through?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you nuts? What happens if she doesn’t ever come back? It will only get worse.”

  “I’ll take things as they come.” Eli stood up. “Since you have interrupted my workout, I might as well go take a shower.”

  Once inside the men’s change room, Eli stripped out of his sweat-soaked clothes and threw them on the bottom of his locker. He would have to take them home at the end of the day to wash. After he grabbed his shampoo, conditioner and the bar of soap from the top shelf, he headed for the showers.

  Standing under the spray, he let the water pound on his back for a few minutes before he washed his hair. Eli had just started to soap his body when he felt another pair of hands run down his back. He spun around to find Saskia standing naked behind him.

  She took the bar of soap from his hands and started to run it across his chest. His cock became instantly rock hard. He had to bite back a moan as he fought the urge to pull her to him and devour her mouth with his own. Instead, Eli looked around to make sure no one else had come in.

  “Saskia? What are you doing?” He groaned as her soapy hand pumped up and down his shaft.

  “I’m putting us both out of our misery.”

  As Saskia fondled him, Eli found it hard to think straight. “I thought you didn’t want a mate. Plus I don’t think this is a good idea. It isn’t as if there are any doors in here.”

  In retrospect, Eli didn’t really care so much if someone walked in on them. He wanted to be inside Saskia so bad his body shook with intense need. He didn’t think he could ignore the longing another minute.

  Saskia dropped the bar of soap and moved him under the spray to rinse the soap off his body. “I have to apologize for the way I acted earlier. I shouldn’t have said what I said about not wanting you because you’re mortal. I intend to make it up to you, but this will have to tide us over until we can be alone together. Your older brother said he would give us ten minutes, so I think we had better spend what time we have left doing other things besides talking.”

 

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