A Long Walk Home Ch. 16

He turned from the puzzle and crawled into her lap reaching up for a hug which she gave him with no hesitation. She cradled him gently and knew that if she could make him happy then she could make a child of her own happy too. She could be a mother and give Dayton what he desired most in the world, a complete family.

"I love you, Liam," she whispered, painfully aware that she'd never said the words to him before. It made her sad that she'd held them back from this beautiful little boy.

"Don't be sad, Aunt Freya. I know you love me. I can feel it in here." He pointed to his chest. Then he placed his hand on her chest and smiled shyly. "You don't hurt here anymore. That makes me happy."

She swallowed hard and cuddled him closer, gently caressing his cheek. She knew about his abilities now, knew that this precious little thing had sensed her pain and tried to help her. It awed her as well as made her feel guilt that she had unconsciously subjected him to her negative emotions. She hadn't done it deliberately but he had still felt it.

"It makes me happy too, Liam," she whispered softly. "You are such a special little boy. I am honoured to have you as my nephew."

He beamed up at her. "I love you too," he smiled giving her another hug before he clambered back down to finish his jigsaw.

Freya helped him, lying down beside him as he worked through the remaining pieces and laughed in delight when it was finally completed. Her eyes shone with love as he clapped his hands and did a little victory dance, so proud of himself. In that moment she knew that she could do this amazing thing. She could give Dayton the children he desired and she could love them just as much as she loved Liam. The thought made her heart thump wildly in her chest but it was excitement that rushed through her and she found herself laughing as her nephew taught her just how easy it was to love if she really wanted to.

Freya went looking for Dayton. She felt like a child herself, full of hope and excitement. She wanted to tell him what she'd discovered about herself, wanted to see his eyes light up with happiness that she was letting down another barrier that held her emotions so rigidly in place.

Following his scent, she found him outside talking with his sister beside her house. Other wolves stopped to glance in her direction but looked away almost instantly, as if they had determined she was not a threat. It gave her a sense of belonging to know the pack expected to see her among them.

That feeling paled into insignificance when Dayton's head turned suddenly and their eyes met. The warmth in his deep blue gaze was undeniable, his pleasure at seeing her written across his handsome face. The smile he gave her faltered minutely before he turned back to Cedar and said something to her.

The blonde wolf's pale blue eyes met Freya's for an instant and then she answered her brother in an equally low tone and headed back into her home. Dayton turned and strode across the compound towards her.

Freya met him half way and immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to hers. Her kiss was almost desperate in its need. It appeared to surprise him but he recovered quickly, wrapping one arm around her waist to drag her bodily against him while his other hand slid under her hair to grip the nape of her neck firmly.

He met her kiss with a hunger that matched hers. He didn't appear to care they were standing in the middle of the compound with people watching them. He took control of the kiss, his tongue hot and wild inside her mouth. She could feel the hard ridge of his erection pressing against her, the tension in his body as he literally devoured her mouth with his.

It was wild, frantic and so incredibly delicious she moaned into his mouth and tried to pull him closer. She wanted to growl her disappointment when he pulled his mouth from hers, firmly holding her back when she tried to protest. His eyes were almost black in colour, his jaw clenching hard as he looked down at her.

"Kiss me like that again, honey, and some of the more vulnerable members of the pack are going to get an education they most definitely are not ready to receive yet," he said hoarsely, his voice thick with need.

His words startled her and she glanced around to see a handful of teenagers watching them avidly. She growled loudly in their direction and the group of boys vanished in an instant. Dayton's loud laughter filled the morning air.

"Well I suppose that's one way to get rid of them," he chuckled lightly. "We're usually a little gentler on them than that, might be something to remember for the future."

Freya flushed and leaned her forehead against his chest. She'd fucked up again. "I'm sorry."

"Hey." Gentle fingers tilted her chin up until she met his eyes. He was smiling at her, affection in his gaze. "They'll dine out on that for at least a month. The sexiest female vampire ever growled at them. The simple fact you actually noticed them at all will give them kudos in the pack."

That made her frown, she had no idea what he meant by that.

"I'm reliably informed that our youngling males have had a long standing competition going to see which one of them could catch your eye first," Dayton laughed. "Granted, they were probably hoping for something a little less aggressive but they'll take what they can get."

"They're idiots," she snorted, finally catching his meaning. "They're children and wolves at that. Why would I even look at them?"

"They're horny youths who see an unattainable beautiful woman in their midst. They can't help dreaming big. The fact you're unattainable is what makes you so alluring to them. You do know that you've been around this compound for years and probably haven't even spared a glance at the majority of the pack. You belong and yet you don't. You're an oddity, something to be curious about."

Freya considered what he said. He was right, she solely concentrated on what happened within the Alpha's house because that was the only place she spent any time when at the compound. She ignored everyone else. It was surprising to find she was noticed by the others. She had just assumed they had ignored her as she had them.

"They're still idiots."

Dayton laughed again. "They are that. I will be having a word with them about what's appropriate though they may still look until we're mated. I can't very well blame them for that because it is such a delicious view." He leaned down and kissed her again, only this time it was more tender; the heat of the first kiss nowhere in sight.

He broke away but kept a hold of her hand, tugging her towards the trees. She went willingly, anxious to get some breathing space from all the eyes she suddenly felt were now on her. Was everyone watching so they could see her fail?

"Why the sudden need to be with me?" Dayton asked, stopping just into the trees and unbuttoning his shirt.

Freya swallowed hard as he stripped it off easily, her heart kicking up a beat at the sheer perfection of his hard, muscled chest. She couldn't help herself, she licked her lips.

"I missed you." Her words trailed off as he unsnapped his jeans. She swallowed again. Her mouth was unaccountably dry at the moment.

"I like the sound of that. I missed you too, honey. I thought you were spending time with Liam though. That should have kept you occupied."

Her eyes met his, the reluctance with which she looked away evident on her face. "What are you doing?"

Dayton's lips curled in a slow smile, his eyes glinting with laughter. "I want to go for a run with you. I'd prefer to have clothes to change into when we get back. You haven't answered my question."

She groaned loudly. "You're stripping naked in front of me and you want to have a conversation?" She kept her eyes on his. If she watched him peel his jeans off she would probably go insane and pounce on him. "And it wasn't a question, it was a statement."

"Semantics, vampire. Did something happen with Liam?" He sat down and tugged his boots and socks off as he watched her carefully. He knew he was teasing her mercilessly. If she only knew just how much this was crippling him too.

From the moment he'd scented her coming out of the Alpha's house he'd been hard and aching for her. Keeping his distance was driving him crazy but he wasn't going to rush her. Taming his vampire had to be done slowly and very carefully. He stood up again and pushed down his jeans. Like most wolves he didn't bother with underwear.

"I was thinking over your words about having babies, examining my interaction with him so I could decide if I had the capacity within me to be a mother," Freya choked out, her eyes following his movements, taking in the male beauty of his body.

Heat engulfed her, warmth spreading downwards to pool between her thighs. He was beautiful, so strong and vital. His erection pulsed to the beat of his heart and she wanted to taste it, feel it in her mouth as she licked and sucked until he cried out with pleasure.

"Stop thinking naughty thoughts and tell me what conclusion you came to." Dayton's voice had dropped an octave, a husky note whispering through his words. It brought her eyes back to his and she could see he was struggling just as much as she was. It somehow made her feel less feral.

"I think I can do it, be a mother," she confessed, her cheeks suddenly burning hotly. "If that is what you want."

Dayton almost choked but managed to contain himself. When he'd talked with her earlier he had worried he was moving too fast for her. Now she was standing there calmly telling him she wanted to have babies with him. Granted, she had a unique way of discussing parenthood but he wasn't complaining. Just the thought of his child growing inside her was enough to make his cock twitch hard.

"What about what you want, Freya?" he asked gently moving towards her. He gathered her into his arms and tilted her head back so he could look into her eyes. "Becoming parents is a joint decision. Both partners should want a child so it's conceived in love."

She tried to look away but his gaze was mesmerising. She realised she couldn't hear him breathing and knew her answer had to be so important to him if he was holding his breath. The heat of his body so close to hers was distracting and she had to bite back a moan as she felt his harness pressing into her.

"I would like to have children with you one day," she whispered. "I want to be a family with you, to have what Nors and Ashleigh have."

Dayton's breath sighed out and he leaned down and kissed her gently. "And I will gladly give them to you, Freya. Anything your heart desires I will give to you. All you have to do is tell me what you want and if it's in my power then it's yours."

He kissed her again, a little more lingeringly this time but nothing too passionate. If he gave into his desire he'd be taking this exquisite woman who made his blood boil with a crippling need. But that wasn't what he wanted for her right now.

She had made a big decision today. He was under no illusions of just how huge a leap it was for her to consider becoming a mother. That decision meant she was accepting him as her mate. The emotions she would be dealing with at the moment would most probably be overwhelming her. He wanted to show her how to relax and embrace those emotions.

"Run with me, Freya," he breathed against her lips. "Feel the wind in your hair, the earth beneath your feet; the sheer joy of being free to race through the trees. Let the forest into your soul; embrace the sounds and textures all around you. Let your spirit fly."

He shifted into wolf form, growled softly at her once and took off into the trees. She stared after him and then she began to run, following his scent, staying behind him as she let him guide her through the forest. She listened to the bird song on the air, the rustle of creatures in the underbrush. The scent of the forest filled her and it smelled of Dayton. This was who he was, what he loved and had lost for so long.

It didn't escape her that the last person he'd probably run with like this had been his first mate. Inviting her to run with him was another way of opening his heart to her. He would be remembering Faith, remembering the consequences of that last run with her. He was offering every single piece of himself, trusting her to protect his heart.

Freya knew she was going to accept everything he offered her. He was in her soul now, buried so deep in her heart that she would cease to exist the moment he did. She ran after her wolf and her heart soared as the freedom he offered her embraced her completely.

A tinkling sound filled the morning air and she realised it was her laughter. Tears filled her eyes and joined with the laughter as she flew through the trees with her wolf as her guide. Finally she'd found a place to belong. Nothing and no one would ever force her to give up this feeling. She was keeping her wolf forever, secure in the knowledge that he would never let her go.

Dayton circled back towards the compound coming to stop on the wide flat rock where he'd talked to Ashleigh as few days before. He needed to spend some time with her, talk with her about David and her family. He knew it was what she needed and he needed it too.

Part of him would always feel guilty about not being there when they died. There was probably nothing he would have been able to do to stop it happening but that didn't ease his guilt any. He owed Ashleigh for not being there for her when she needed him. He owed her for bringing Freya into his life. He would never be able to repay her for that.

He rumbled deep in his chest as the scent of cherry blossom assaulted his nostrils and his vampire leapt gracefully onto the rock beside him. Her multi-coloured hair was wild around her head, her eyes sparkling with life as she inhaled deeply and then dropped her gaze down to him.

He stayed in wolf form, curious to see her reaction. She appeared more accepting of wolves now and he wanted her to accept this part of him. He rumbled deeply again as she sat down and rubbed her face against his side. It was unexpected but pleasantly so.

He lay down and curled himself against her, his head resting in her lap. She smelled so good, so tantalising that he knew he'd have to stay wolf for a while so he could control his need for her. If he shifted anytime soon all his good intentions would be done for.

He ached for her. All her talk about having babies made him almost desperate to be with her. Their run had certainly worked wonders for his vampire. She was the most relaxed he had ever seen her but he was still painfully hard for her.

"Move," she sighed, pushing at his head until he growled his reluctance. She pushed at him again. "Don't force me to show you just who is the stronger of us. It will only dent your fragile male ego."

He shifted to human form, rolling onto his back as he laughed at her idle threat. He knew she wouldn't do as she said. He was curious to know why she was so insistent he moved. He didn't think it was an aversion to his wolf. She had been comfortable enough with him lying against her.

Dayton's breath caught as she rose gracefully and slid off her top of in one smooth move. She was bare beneath it and the sun glinted off her skin, showcasing her utterly perfect breasts with their rosy pink tips. If he'd thought he'd been hard before he was wrong. His body pulsed at the incredible sight, his erection becoming so stiff it was painful.

"Freya," he managed to choke out but then his voice died as she kicked off her sandals and stripped her jeans and panties off just as smoothly. He really couldn't breathe then, his eyes fixated on her sleekly muscled thighs, the curve of her hips and that sweet juncture between her legs with a very fine layer of neatly trimmed brown hair.

She was a Goddess standing there in the sunshine, completely unashamed of her nakedness, her eyes a deep, smoky green that spoke of her arousal. He didn't need to see it in her eyes; her scent told him just how much she wanted him. He could only stare at her, afraid to move in case this was just a dream and he'd wake up to find himself alone in his bed.

Freya watched his face carefully, her heart thumping wildly at the naked desire she saw there. She had seen that expression on many faces before but she hadn't seen it quite the way Dayton looked at her. He wanted her body there was no denying that, but beneath the lust was a look of such adoration that she knew his need was more than just carnal.

She had acted on impulse and she was glad she had. She wanted him and he was being so careful of her, sweetly protective as he denied himself his sexual pleasure. He was driving her insane. He strode around naked showing her his wonderful body and then he denied it to her. She would be denied no longer.

Smiling she moved to his feet and slowly sank down to her knees. Her hands touched his ankles and he flinched slightly and let out a low groan but he held his position, waiting to see what she would do. Her smile widened and she slowly stroked her hands up his well muscled calves and along his inner thighs.

There was something so incredibly erotic about the way he lay there and let her discover the textures of his body, her hands moving closer to his long, thick cock which twitched in anticipation. She wanted to devour him with her mouth, instead she took her time and fisted him in her hand as his head dropped back and he let out a deep groan.

Slowly she traced the length of him, gently moving her hand up and down as his hips rose involuntarily and his groans continued. The muscles in his thighs trembled and she delighted in the power she had over him even as she was awed at it. She gripped him tighter and stroked him more vigorously, increasing his pleasure and the sounds issuing from his throat. It was so heady, so exciting that she couldn't hold back any longer and bent her mouth to him.

He groaned harshly as she took him her mouth and began to suck on him. He tasted divine, his skin so soft around the hard steel of his shaft. His hands fisted in her hair and he pressed her head down even as his hips thrust up gently. She could feel him trying to be careful with her and it made her laugh softly as she took her mouth from him for a moment.

Freya was a vampire and a very old one. She had learned the techniques of giving pleasure with her mouth long before he was ever born. She didn't need him to be careful, she needed him to be wild with need, to let go and forget everything but the bliss she was giving him. Her hot mouth once more took his cock but this time she gave into her own needs and slid him relentlessly inside her mouth.

His next groan was primal as she took his complete length, sliding him easily into her throat where she held him prisoner as his hips jerked wildly. She did it again and again, building the pressure until he lost all coherent thought and was driving wildly into her mouth. Pleasure hummed through her body as she sucked and swallowed, teased and licked until she felt him ready to release in her mouth.

He roared loudly, pulsing deeply as his seed raced from his body and filled her eager mouth as she swallowed all he had to give her. The sound of his ragged breathing filled the air as she licked leisurely, soothing him down from his erotic bliss. Then she crawled slowly up his body, her mouth trailing a lazy path over his taut abdomen until she reached his tight, hard nipples and nipped at them gently.

Dayton fisted his hands in her hair and pulled her mouth to his, taking her in a searing kiss. He couldn't believe what she'd just done to his body. The level of pleasure she'd given him had been mind blowing and yet he felt a moment's unease too. He had been totally out of control. He could have hurt her. He pulled his mouth from hers to stare into her extremely smug face and had to laugh. She looked so damned pleased with herself.