Blood of Eden

Chapter 17

The night air was crisp but their bodies knew nothing but unadulterated heat. Together they ran over hills and through rough patches of thick forest, continuously challenging each other for the lead.

Katherine knew that Quinn would give her no quarter in any race, be it for fun or for the gold. It was just another aspect of his personality that Katherine loved.

When they finally stopped, drinking in gulps of oxygen, their bodies gave off such heat that, combined with the cold, created a small contained world misted in fog.

Katherine stood with her head raised to the full moon. It was clichéd beyond belief to howl at the moon but that is exactly what she felt like doing, so she did.

Beside her, Quinn watched with gleaming eyes as she threw back her head and gave into the primal pull of nature.

Katherine could feel his appreciative gaze on her. It made her feel bold and wild.

Quinn pressed his nose into her neck and nuzzled, bringing her back to the moment. She looked at him, noticing the gleam in his eyes as he brushed the tip of his nose against her fur and took a playful nip at her ear.

The quiet sounds of the forest settled around her and one word filled her mind with complete domination.

Finally.

The thought was so loud that Quinn had no choice but to hear it inside his own mind. He lowered his head and bumped her neck, then threw himself bodily onto her, rolling her to the side and down a slight mossy incline.

Katherine felt all the sensations she'd felt in her human body as they groped on the ground, playing with all the urgency she'd felt during their previous tussles.

When she could finally take no more play, she bit deep into his shoulder. His eyes previously filled with heat and laughter, now lost the laughter. He trembled and bit her back.

The pain and pleasure that coursed through her body turned the ache that had been building in her chest into a ferocious storm of animalistic need. She wanted hands to grasp him with and a mouth to press to his.

The change was painless, or the pain didn't register. She didn't stop to let it happen but rather threw herself into Quinn's embrace. She didn't want to be separated from his body, whichever form it took, for even a second.

Her bones shifted as they rolled together, consumed with passion, and she felt her face become human even as the rest of her worked overtime to catch up.

His change was occurring simultaneously but not as quickly as hers. Her mouth searched for his and found only fur and canines, her hands pulled his still lupine body closer. Her claws scored his back and his teeth drew small traces of blood along her neck as he tried to get closer to her, be one with her.

The feel of fur and sinew was replaced with hot skin and gripping fingers and Katherine finally found the mouth she had been looking for.

"Finally!" The word burst from Quinn's lips, voicing the urgent thought that still filled both their minds.

In between biting and licking Quinn's naked chest, Katherine growled her approval and kept moving lower. Quinn moved his fingers into her hair and grasped hard, getting a gasp of pleasured pain from her, and then pulled her slowly upwards until she lay completely on top of him.

Their bodies moved in synchronization, hers rising in time with his heavy breathing. The fog generated by their body heat and the cold of the night brushed around them, cutting them off from the world around.