Page 40 of Fire Bear

Ash nodded, setting aside his glass. He stood, offering her a hand. She rose from the chair and stepped into his arms, feeling the steady beat of his heart. He led her to the bedroom. The soft light illuminated the fresh linens that were scattered with rose petals. She inhaled, a tremor of excitement coursing through her.

When Ash leaned in for a gentle kiss, she answered with her growing excitement. She pressed closer, hands sliding up his arms, relishing the warmth of his skin through his clothes. The quiet pop of a burning log accented the soft sounds of their breathing.

He helped her out of her clothes, placing light kisses along her collarbone. His touch lingered, reverent and steady, mapping each curve as though memorizing her. She returned his caresses, unbuttoning his shirt and feeling the ripple of his muscles under her palms.

Every sense sharpened as they settled onto the bed. The fragrance of rose petals mingled with the smoky scent of the fire. The flickering light etched shadows along Ash’s torso, revealing the strong lines of a firefighter. She traced a path down his chest, and her body gushed in anticipation.

They kissed with renewed intensity, tongues meeting in a slow dance that sent pulses of heat through her wet core. Time seemed to blur. As his hands roamed her body, exploring and coaxing, she lost track of everything except the building tension coiling within.

“I want this,” she murmured, cupping his cheek in her palm.

He lowered his head to press a tender kiss against her neck, right where he had claimed her months ago. She shivered, overwhelmed by the sensations racing along her skin.

Ash slowly caressed her body, first cupping her face, then sliding his hand over her chest, cupping her breast before moving down between her thighs. She gasped with pleasure as his fingertip slipped between her folds. Her body responded instantly, gushing with desire when he pressed his fingers to her clit. Eliana called out, lifting her hand to cup his face and draw him into a deep kiss as his fingers sank deeper inside her. Wet and slick with need, he slipped into her channel, caressing her inner walls with a gentle touch. Ash leaned down, sucking her nipple into his mouth as his fingers withdrew, then pressed in deeper.

She ran her fingers through his hair, groaning as she caressed him while he built her pleasure. Fire tingled down her spine when he found her G-spot and stroked it. His tongue teased her nipple as he guided her toward a mind-shattering release. Pleasure coursed through her, and she wrapped her quivering thighs around his waist.

Ash settled between her legs, angling the head of his cock against her wet, throbbing entrance. He darted his tongue into her mouth as he pressed inside, his shaft hot and bare against her flesh. She groaned at the sensation of his ridges sliding along her inner walls.

Eliana cried out and trembled as her body clenched and spasmed around him. Ash groaned, claiming her mouth in a passionate kiss. She ran her hands down his back and cupped his ass, squeezing hard as he thrust deep into her.

“Oh, Ash…” she breathed, her eyes rolling back in her head as she came again. In that ecstatic moment, he burst inside her, his sharp canine teeth pressing against her mating bite. She groaned as his release flooded her channel, sending her into another wave of ecstasy. His fangs pierced her flesh, releasing the changing venom into her blood. She tried to scream, but no sound escaped as she raked her fingernails down his back.

The changing venom was pure fire in her veins, surging from the bite mark throughout her limbs. She clutched him, eyes squeezed shut, chest heaving as that jolt mingled with pleasure. She felt her mind float in a haze of blinding heat. Then the world snapped back into focus, sharper than ever as he withdrew his fangs.

She was gasping. Her skin prickled, every inch hyperaware. She stared up at him, pupils dilated, trying to wrap her mind around the roaring that filled her senses. It sounded like a wild creature calling from inside her. Her inner grizzly had been born.

He brushed her hair back, concern laced with relief. “How do you feel?” he whispered. She opened her mouth to reply, but a growl that did not sound entirely human rolled in her throat. A flush of energy thrummed, compelling her to move, to stand, to experience the night air on her bare skin.

She pressed a palm against Ash’s chest, then pulled away from him with a force she did not know she possessed. Disentangling from their union felt abrupt, yet she could not stop herself. Something in her demanded the open sky.

“Eliana,” Ash said, worry flickering in his eyes.

She paused only to cast him a reassuring glance, eyes wide, before her body moved on its own. She stumbled toward thecabin door, snatching the handle and stepping out onto the porch. The night air slapped her skin, a cool caress that heightened every nerve ending. She realized she was naked, but modesty felt meaningless beside this overwhelming primal call.

Chapter

Thirty

Moonlight bathedthe clearing around the cabin. The glow spilled over fallen pine needles and the edges of the driveway. Eliana inhaled deeply, marveling at how vivid the scents were. She detected moss, damp earth, and the distant hush of water trickling somewhere beyond her sight.

Her breath caught, and her knees threatened to buckle under the intensity. She knew she had to shift, to let her new bear form take over. Ash appeared behind her, naked in the moonlight.

He nodded, giving silent support. She closed her eyes, surrendering to the raw force that coursed through her veins. Pain and ecstasy mingled as her bones began to reshape. She let out a cry that turned into a deep-throated snarl as her throat elongated.

The transformation surged through her muscles. Her arms and legs contorted, her torso expanded, her skin rippled with thickening fur. The sensations slammed through her in a rapid pulse. She clenched her teeth as they elongated and sharpened. The world swam before her eyes as they adjusted to her new world.

Her ears twitched, capturing every subtle sound of the forest, and her breath filled massive new lungs. She blinked, trying to steady herself against the swirling excitement.

Instinct guided her to step forward, and her large paws padded across the ground. A flutter of triumph rippled up her spine. She was a bear now, and it felt magnificent. Eliana heard a low rumble behind her. Turning, she saw another bear stepping into the moonlight. Ash’s form was broad-shouldered, his fur darker than hers under the silver glow.

Their eyes locked, and she sensed her bond with him on a primal level that transcended words. It was as if they could sense each other’s thoughts, feel each other’s feelings. The sensation did her in. They were in perfect unison in a way she’d never experienced before. It only added to her growing certainty that her decision to become a shifter was right.

Ash rumbled in greeting, lumbering closer until they were nose to nose. The gentle bump of his muzzle against hers radiated comfort, love, and a sense of adventure. She inhaled, absorbing the complex scents from Ash’s fur and the forest. The rush of awareness threatened to overpower her, and their mate bond blazed between them.

They set off into the trees, side by side. Each step spurred a deeper thrill in Eliana’s chest. She felt unstoppable. The ground beneath her paws seemed to pulse with life, resonating through her bones.

Every snap of a twig and shift of leaves penetrated her consciousness in vivid color. She caught the scent of a small critter, perhaps a rabbit, scurrying away. She had no desire to chase it, only to rejoice in the shared energy of the forest and being in perfect union with Ash.

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