Read Online Elemental Desire by Denise Tompkins - Free Book Online
Authors: Denise Tompkins
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ever happen. Not for him. He simply hadn’t been programmed that way. The darkness in him was too much for one woman to bear.
Shifting in his arms, a particularly hard tremor rocked through her. A tear breeched the lower dam of her lashes. Even though he understood the how and why of it, the sight gutted him. The instinct was completely at odds with his personal standards. Aftercare was important, but it was also impersonal. This? This wasn’t impersonal. Still, he pulled her closer.
“Slow your breathing and ride it out.” The command, though soft, left no room for disobedience. He wasn’t sure whether or not to let her completely surface from subspace or keep her there a while longer. Slipping a hand under the blanket, he traced heated skin and brushed the flat of the butt plug.
“Green,” she whispered, voice husky.
He froze.
Green? Surely she didn’t mean…
Her face lifted to him. Eyelids at half-mast, she considered him with slow blinks, the trembling receding. “Green.”
Clearing his throat, he looked across the room. “I heard you, but I don’t take commands.”
“I know,” she whispered.
“Disappointed?” The sneer in his voice wasn’t intentional, but it was absolutely there.
“I think you actually could take commands. You’re just afraid to.” She tried to lift the bottle of water to her mouth but only managed to spill it.
Seth took the bottle and lifted it to her lips. “Small sips.” When she followed the directive, he considered her. “No one tops me, beautiful, so let the idea go.” He ran a hand through her hair and massaged her scalp, softening toward her when she hummed her approval. Her chin dipped to her chest, eyes drifting closed as he continued to pet her. When her breathing slowed and sleep stole over her, he slipped her to the table and tucked the blanket around her.
So lovely
, he thought, stroking her forehead. Without thinking, he leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. Her response did him in. The tiny smile sent him lurching toward the bedroom.
Grabbing the phone as he flopped down on the bed, he dialed downstairs.
Griff answered on the first ring. “What’s the news?”
“Nothing good.” Seth drew a clammy hand down his face. “I didn’t get it back.”
“Shit.” The vehemence behind the single word radiated through the phone. “What now?”
“Unless I can get her to give it up willingly, I’m done.”
“Not happening.”
“Yeah, well, if you and our resident Nancy Drew haven’t come up with a way to make my element come home, there’s nothing else left.”
“I’m telling Dominic you called him Nancy Drew.”
Griff’s attempt to keep things light meant a lot. The last thing Seth wanted was for his friends to get all morose and emotional. If this were the end, he’d face it head-on.
“What do we need to do to get your element back?” The other man’s voice was so wrought with tension a musician could have plucked at it and achieved a harsh, out-of-tune chord.
“Not sure there’s much left to do, Griff. We more than recreated what occurred, and my element showed no interest in separating from her.”
“What does that make her, then?”
“No idea. But so long as she has my flame? She’s immortal.”
“And you’re not.”
“Nope. I’m not.” Seth leaned forward and propped his elbows on his knees, one hand dangling between his legs while the other clutched the phone. “I’m fading, my man.”
“You have to try again.” Griff’s stubble raked over the phone in a harsh rasp that did nothing to hide the catch in his voice. “Just…try again.”
“Every time I try will wear me down and carry me one step closer to final death. I think I’d rather just hang out and enjoy the time I have left.”
“You’re not giving up, damn it.”
“You should probably, uh, grab Dominic and head up. Don’t bring the women. Goodbyes are hard enough without tears.” His throat tightened. “I wish it was different.
Shifting in his arms, a particularly hard tremor rocked through her. A tear breeched the lower dam of her lashes. Even though he understood the how and why of it, the sight gutted him. The instinct was completely at odds with his personal standards. Aftercare was important, but it was also impersonal. This? This wasn’t impersonal. Still, he pulled her closer.
“Slow your breathing and ride it out.” The command, though soft, left no room for disobedience. He wasn’t sure whether or not to let her completely surface from subspace or keep her there a while longer. Slipping a hand under the blanket, he traced heated skin and brushed the flat of the butt plug.
“Green,” she whispered, voice husky.
He froze.
Green? Surely she didn’t mean…
Her face lifted to him. Eyelids at half-mast, she considered him with slow blinks, the trembling receding. “Green.”
Clearing his throat, he looked across the room. “I heard you, but I don’t take commands.”
“I know,” she whispered.
“Disappointed?” The sneer in his voice wasn’t intentional, but it was absolutely there.
“I think you actually could take commands. You’re just afraid to.” She tried to lift the bottle of water to her mouth but only managed to spill it.
Seth took the bottle and lifted it to her lips. “Small sips.” When she followed the directive, he considered her. “No one tops me, beautiful, so let the idea go.” He ran a hand through her hair and massaged her scalp, softening toward her when she hummed her approval. Her chin dipped to her chest, eyes drifting closed as he continued to pet her. When her breathing slowed and sleep stole over her, he slipped her to the table and tucked the blanket around her.
So lovely
, he thought, stroking her forehead. Without thinking, he leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. Her response did him in. The tiny smile sent him lurching toward the bedroom.
Grabbing the phone as he flopped down on the bed, he dialed downstairs.
Griff answered on the first ring. “What’s the news?”
“Nothing good.” Seth drew a clammy hand down his face. “I didn’t get it back.”
“Shit.” The vehemence behind the single word radiated through the phone. “What now?”
“Unless I can get her to give it up willingly, I’m done.”
“Not happening.”
“Yeah, well, if you and our resident Nancy Drew haven’t come up with a way to make my element come home, there’s nothing else left.”
“I’m telling Dominic you called him Nancy Drew.”
Griff’s attempt to keep things light meant a lot. The last thing Seth wanted was for his friends to get all morose and emotional. If this were the end, he’d face it head-on.
“What do we need to do to get your element back?” The other man’s voice was so wrought with tension a musician could have plucked at it and achieved a harsh, out-of-tune chord.
“Not sure there’s much left to do, Griff. We more than recreated what occurred, and my element showed no interest in separating from her.”
“What does that make her, then?”
“No idea. But so long as she has my flame? She’s immortal.”
“And you’re not.”
“Nope. I’m not.” Seth leaned forward and propped his elbows on his knees, one hand dangling between his legs while the other clutched the phone. “I’m fading, my man.”
“You have to try again.” Griff’s stubble raked over the phone in a harsh rasp that did nothing to hide the catch in his voice. “Just…try again.”
“Every time I try will wear me down and carry me one step closer to final death. I think I’d rather just hang out and enjoy the time I have left.”
“You’re not giving up, damn it.”
“You should probably, uh, grab Dominic and head up. Don’t bring the women. Goodbyes are hard enough without tears.” His throat tightened. “I wish it was different.
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