Souls (Runes series) Read online

“What is it?” I asked.

  He ran a finger down my chest, leaving a heated trail, past the swell of my stomach, and found me. “I can’t lose you.”

  “You won’t.” I ran a hand along his chest, past his taught sculptured abs, and found him. He sucked in a breath. I squeezed and a shuddered rocked his body. “You’re mine.”

  “You unman me, Cora-mio.” He joined me, legs intertwining with mine, skin speaking to skin. “The feel of you. Like warm silk.” He took my hand from my favorite play toy and trapped it with the other above my head. Then he ran the tips of his fingers down my arm, stroking my face and my shoulders, while his legs moved up and down mine.

  “The taste of you,” he whispered against my lips then kissed me, focusing first on my upper lip, then the lower one, which he trapped with his teeth. My entire body trembled at the sharp nip. Then he proceeded to take away the sting, his hand scuttling down to my chest to play and torment. He moved lower and his lips replaced his fingers. I writhed and bucked, as he strummed me like a fine-tuned guitar.

  “The essence of you,” he whispered against my skin when he moved even lower and my skin quivered in response.

  His enthusiasm and utter joy in driving me a little crazy with his mouth and lips triggered so many responses I cried out his name more than once, but it wasn’t enough. It was never enough until we were one.

  He crawled up my body, kissed me long and hard, then ordered, “Look at me.”

  I did through a haze.

  Eyes locked, he carefully joined us, taking my breath away. It was always the same. Getting used to the feelings that simple act churned inside me was going to take a long time.

  Taking his time, he rocked, watching my every expression. I felt vulnerable, like everything about me was there for him to see. He knew what to do to make me tremble with anticipation, gasp with pleasure, and cry out in frustration.

  Rolling us over so I was on top, he whispered, “Love me, Cora-mio. Make me yours.”

  I did, starting slowly, watching the play of emotions on his face. Picking up tempo as runes exploded on his skin and starting that crazy reaction where I couldn’t tell where his feelings ended and mine began. He pulled me down for a gut-wrenching kiss as the heavens burst open and stars exploded around us, my name a victorious yell from his lips.

  Still wrapped in each other’s arms, bodies glistening with sweat, we rolled to our sides and floated slowly back to earth.

  “I’m an ass,” he whispered.

  I wasn’t arguing with him on that, but at the moment, I didn’t see the relevance. He’d just rocked my world. Again. “What did you do this time? Other than cut the circulation on my poor leg?”

  He rolled on his back, taking me with him. Blood rushed in the leg he’d trapped under his, and it tingled as sensations returned.

  “I use your body instead of dealing with whatever crap my screwed-up head can’t deal with.”

  I stroked his back and smiled. Nothing grounded him like connecting with me. When he got scared or pissed, he craved contact in any form to calm down. I was beginning to anticipate his moods. I knew when he wanted me to love him. Knew when he needed to wrap himself around my body and absorb my essence as he called it. I never knew the power of skin-to-skin contact until I fell for this man. It was insane, but it was Echo.

  “You don’t hear me complain,” I said.

  “You should if you’d like. I’d feel like the lowest worm, but I’d bounce back. I’m tough like that.”

  My heart squeezed. I’d never do that to him. I lifted my head and studied him in the dark, the blazing runes providing enough light. It might be around six in Kayville, but it was nine in Florida.

  “I’ll always want you, silly. No matter how messed up your head is, I’ll always be here for you.”

  He stroked my lower lip. “I know I don’t always say this, Cora-mio, but I don’t deserve you.”

  I hated it when he put himself down. Too often I’d play along and tell him in excruciating detail why he was right. Not tonight. He’d had enough of a scare. “Why?”

  “You’re loving, sweet, and selfless, everything I’m not.” He ran his fingers down my back then up again. I trembled, but I doubted he noticed. “My greatest fear is one day you’ll take a really good look at me and decide you could do better.”

  I was done. First he tells me I should fight him when he needed me, or used me as he put it, and now I could do better? I sat up and touched the lamp on top of the bedside chest. I wanted to kick him from here to next century.

  “Explain exactly what you mean so I can go out there and find someone opposite you.”

  Surprise flickered in his eyes. He sat, his expression serious. “I’m mean and ruthless. I like to win and will do whatever it takes to do it. I don’t forgive a slight and get a great deal of pleasure from punishing those who’ve hurt me or those I love. I, uh, I…”

  So far he hadn’t said anything I didn’t already know. Know and not particularly care about, except for the last part. I planned to teach him the power of forgiveness if it was the last thing I did. Could take centuries. Didn’t care. He was perfect, damn it. He must see that.

  “Yes?” I urged, my stance softening.

  “I don’t know how to love.” His brow crunched up, his eyes darkening. “I don’t think I can the way you deserve to be loved. I said I wanted to court you, starting with dinner. Yet here we are instead of sitting at some restaurant.”

  Dinner was overrated. “Echo—”

  “Love is sharing, yet I don’t want to share you with anyone.” He growled, his eyes brightening in intensity. “Not with the dying people in that stupid Mortal nursing home or gawking idiots in restaurants. I hate sharing. Don’t know how. Love is putting your needs above mine.” He shrugged. “I’m a selfish bastard. Maybe I’ve been alone for too long. But…” He sighed and I waited even though it was killing me. I wanted to tell him I didn’t mind his way of doing things, but I knew he wouldn’t believe me. “But I’m willing to learn and become a better man for you. So if I promise to do something, don’t let me distract you with this.” He indicated the bed.

  I didn’t know if I could ever tell him no. I loved the way he shared himself even though he didn’t see it. And yes, he could be selfish, but he always put my needs first. Always. Even when he yanked clothes off us like a demented fool, his touch was always gentle.

  “Cora?” he asked and peered at me.

  “Okay. We’ll learn together because I don’t know how to share either. I’m an only child. Spoiled. Never learned to share. And let’s be honest, I distract you too, so we’re even.” I gave him a toothy grin.

  He glared. “Don’t compare yourself with me, Cora-mio. You are perfect the way you are. I’m trying to tell you I plan to change. I promise.”

  I sighed. Hel’s Mist. Time to play along. “And I promise to be patient as you learn to love me.”

  “Good.” He swung his legs to the side of the bed and stood. “We’re going to dinner. Then I have a surprise for you afterwards.” He pulled on his pants. “I’ll pick you up in an hour.”

  I didn’t feel like going to dinner, but if it made him feel good, who was I to argue. I wasn’t good with the few speed runes I had, so he was done before me. He watched me finish with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

  “We could always skip dinner,” he said, helping me button the front of my dress.

  Was he testing me? I narrowed my eyes, wanting so badly to call his bluff. “Nah. I’m hungry.”

  “We could order takeout.”

  I smacked his arm. “Cut it out. You’re not distracting me. I want to be courted.”

  He grinned with approval. Clueless man. Oh well, he was going to find out soon enough he couldn’t control me. He picked up his duster from the floor, pulled out an artavus, and created an air portal to my car. I planted a kiss on his lips and walked through it.

  “One hour,” he warned before the portal closed.

  6. FINALLY A DATE

&n
bsp; Halfway home, Dev appeared in the seat next to me. I didn’t even blink. “Use the radio.”

  He chuckled and slithered through the CD slot. “Where did you two disappear to?”

  “None of your beeswax,” I retorted.

  He chuckled. “Same ol’ same ol’ Echo. Acting first and asking questions later.”

  I wasn’t sure whether he meant the incident at the nursing home, so I tried to contain my annoyance. “If you don’t cut out that mocking tone, mister, I’m so not going to help you.”

  “I’m starting to think you can’t, gorgeous. Echo hasn’t changed. He’ll ditch you the way he did Nara.”

  I smiled. “You don’t know anything, Smokey.”

  “Was that a smile I heard in your voice?”

  “Yes. And I plan to prove you wrong. I will help you.” It meant helping Echo too, which was more important.

  “As long as you don’t call me, Smokey.”

  “Too bad. It suits you.”

  “It’s insulting. Okay, I’ll play. Surprise me. Show me Echo has changed.”

  “Just remember my rule—no coming to my home.”

  “I heard you the first time.” He slithered out of the radio.

  For the rest of the drive, I tried to think of a way to bring up Dev with Echo. I’d have to be subtle, starting with the importance of forgiveness, and take it from there.

  “I’m home,” I called out, but my parents weren’t in the kitchen. The scent of pot roast hung in the air. Mom was probably in the barn collecting eggs from the chicken coup. Dad could be anywhere since he wasn’t in his writing cave.

  I left the house and headed toward the barn. I heard their voices before I entered. “I don’t know, honey,” Mom said. “Rushing into something that big can be disastrous, but at the same time, she’s eighteen now, an adult.”

  “She’s a child,” Dad said, not sounding absentminded like he often did. “She will listen to us.”

  Okay, I was obviously the subject of discussion. “Hey, Mom. Dad.”

  They turned toward the barn entrance, both looking guilty.

  “Hey, hun,” Mom said.

  “Pumpkin,” Dad said at the same time. “Did you just get home?”

  I nodded, my cheeks warming. “Mrs. J was in one of her moods today.”

  Mom sighed. “Her daughter is still not visiting her?”

  “No. I tried to make her become more involved with the other residents, but…” I shrugged. “You need help with that, Dad?”

  He was too happy to give me the basket of eggs, but he didn’t leave. I wondered which one of them would bring up whatever they’d been discussing. What big thing was I rushing into?

  “How’s Echo?” Dad asked.

  I hid a smile. Dad for the win. “Good. He’s picking me up for dinner in,” I glanced at my watch, “less than an hour.”

  “Why didn’t you say so this morning? I’ve already made dinner,” Mom piped in.

  Mom hated serving leftovers, but this morning my head had been elsewhere. “Sorry, I forgot.”

  “He can join us for dinner. Right, dear?” She glanced at Dad for support.

  Dad’s eyes volleyed between me and Mom. He shrugged. “Why not? The more the merrier.”

  “I’ll ask him, but he wants to show me something tonight, a surprise.”

  My parents exchanged a glance, and Mom said, “Okay, but we’d like to have him over for dinner. Maybe next weekend?”

  “Sure, Mom.” I turned to leave.

  “Not so fast,” she added, and my stomach dropped. She exchanged another glance with Dad, and I braced myself. I wasn’t going to like this. Silent communication between them usually meant bad news.

  “I’ll be at the house,” Dad said and escaped.

  Definitely bad news. The big mistake I was about to make. Of course, she had to be the one to talk to me. She’d given me the pep talk about boys and sex just before I started middle school. Then there was the botched up talk about pills and other forms of contraception. I had stared at her with wide eyes, my face hot. That was two years ago when I’d turned sixteen.

  We left the barn together. Mom looped her arm around my right one, forcing me to cradle the basket of eggs in my left.

  She picked up my hand and studied the ring. “This is such a beautiful ring.”

  Echo had given me a promise ring a couple of months ago. It had Druidic writings and had been in his family, like, forever. It had belonged to his great grandmother and been passed down to the eldest daughter. With his sisters dead, Echo had inherited it.

  “Thanks. Echo said he’d replace it, but I really love it.”

  “Me too.” She patted my hand. “Do you think you’re ready for contraceptives now?”

  Heat rushed to my face. When I’d turned sixteen, she had told me to tell her when I was about to be sexually active, so she could put me on the pill. My mother was practical. Sometimes too practical.

  “Mom,” I protested weakly.

  Mom stopped walking, and I did too. “You’re eighteen now, Cora. A woman. If you and Echo are ready to hook up, I want you to be prepared.”

  My jaw dropped. That was just wrong. “Hook up?”

  Mom chuckled. “I can be hip. I was a teacher, and I read comments on your vlog.”

  I closed my eyes, totally beyond mortified. If I said I didn’t want the darn pills and ended up pregnant, I’d look like a moron. If I said I did, she’d know that Echo and I were hooking up.

  “Mom…” Then I thought about Echo and his wish to be a better man for me even though he didn’t need to be. “Yes, I’ll go see your doctor. Just promise me one thing.”

  “Anything.”

  “Don’t ever use the expression ‘hook up,’” I said. She laughed and I joined her.

  ***

  An hour later, Dad was talking to Echo when I came downstairs. They stopped talking when I appeared, both of them got to their feet and turned toward me. The two most important men in my life. Together. I had a girly moment and got a little emotional.

  Echo had changed into jeans, a gray shirt, and a navy blazer. I loved him in jeans. He looked hot. His eyes flashed with heat even though I wore jeggings, boots, and a flirty red top.

  “Sorry, I took so long.” I walked to his side.

  “It’s okay.” Echo intertwined our hands and turned to face Dad. “Thank you, sir. I’ll definitely take what you said into consideration.”

  “That’s all I ask, son.” Dad shook his hand.

  Son? I almost giggled. I kissed Dad on the cheek and waved to Mom. I was dying to find out what they’d talked about. Echo was driving the rental SUV he often used whenever we went out. He waited until I was in the passenger seat, closed the door, rounded the hood, and slid behind the steering wheel.

  “So, what were you and Dad discussing?” I asked.

  “Where’s my kiss?”

  I rolled my eyes. “You’re hedging.”

  “Not when it comes to kisses.” He turned and cocked an eyebrow, runes flaring on and off. I leaned in and kissed him, making it brief. Then I sat back in my seat.

  “Tease,” he murmured.

  “About you and Dad?”

  “He wanted to know when I’ll finish college. I told him next year, which makes me about twenty-one.” He gunned the engine, grinning. “What exactly am I studying at Walkersville?”

  “Um, I don’t know. Business? What did you say when he asked?”

  “I managed to redirect the conversation to his work.”

  Close call. Then I saw Echo’s smug smile. I bumped him with my shoulder. “We agreed. No runing my family.”

  He chuckled. “Totally forgot. Old habit. We still haven’t come up with plausible background information for me.”

  I sighed and stared ahead, my mind racing. The first night I’d brought Echo home for dinner, Dad had only asked Echo what he did. A transfer student from back east to Walkersville University had seemed like a perfect answer. Major? Echo had directed the conversation to hi
story, Dad’s favorite subject, and the night had gone smoothly. Echo needed a Google-proof fake background.

  I peered out the window. We were on the wide road splitting two of the largest vineyards in the county. A few souls wandered out of the rows of vines and stared after us. Echo didn’t even acknowledge them. It seemed so long ago I had to worry about Grimnirs attacking me on this very road. Echo had leveled some of the vines and trees while fighting a couple of Grimnirs who’d come after me. Now there was Rhys and Nara.

  Her pretty face flashed in my head, and I pushed down the green monster.

  “What backgrounds did you use before we started dating? I mean, you did date Mortals before.”

  “Ones who cared more about what we did behind closed doors, or in public places, and the expensive trinkets I bought them.”

  Public places? How like him. And how come he’d never tried it with me? Now I was jealous of faceless women who were probably long dead. Or maybe not. “Any of them alive?”

  “A few here and there. Why?”

  So I could check them out. On the other hand, I’d met Nara and she was hot. “They must be really old, right?”

  Echo brought the car to a halt at the stop sign and glanced at me. “You never have to worry about my exes. I runed those who asked too many questions, so they don’t remember me. The rest are long dead.”

  The bitch Nara was very much alive. I really needed to let my obsession with her go, but darn it. She’d said terrible things about Echo and I couldn’t bring her up without Echo knowing about our meeting.

  “How about the Immortal, Valkyrie, and Grimnir girlfriends?”

  Echo completely ignored the car that pulled up behind us, and he took my hand. “Listen, Cora-mio. You want me to tell you I never hooked up with my kind? I can’t. I did. Will my exes cross our paths? Possibly. Would they want a repeat of history?” The owner of the car behind us backed up, honked, and gave us the finger as he shot by.

  Echo’s eyes narrowed on the car.

  “Don’t,” I warned.

  “A blown out tire should teach him to respect other motorists.”

  “You stopped at a stop sign, Echo, and didn’t move. You started it.”