Laurann Dohner: Fury

That human smiling at him, the sound of her laugher, and his hand caressing her cheek flashed through his confused memories. He knew her well, even though he couldn’t think clearly. He sniffed again, her scent filling his nose, and more flashbacks replayed inside his mind.

His gaze lowered and pure lust slammed him. He wanted to grab her, throw her down and take her. He hesitated though. He knew he’d hurt her and it mattered to him for some reason that he not do that, shouldn’t want that. She was important to him somehow. He fought to push back the haze that dimmed his ability to think. He struggled to remember who she was, why a human would mean a damn thing to him, since they were all his enemies.

More images surfaced in a confused montage. Her smiling while she ate at a table across from him, her sitting on his lap with her arms around him. They were sharing a shower together while she washed his chest with her pale, small hands, and he leaned down to kiss her. Her name was there just on the tip of his tongue and then as he fought with the pure scalding-hot pain, his brain burst with knowledge.

Ellie had become his entire world, the woman who made him happy, and he stumbled a foot closer to her, fighting the rage that threatened to consume him and the painful stabs of agony that threatened to take him to his knees. He needed to hold her, to touch her, and he knew her name. He loved her. Her scent helped him and he needed to get closer to her.

“Ellie,” he growled the word.

Something finally flickered inside Fury’s eyes, a hint of recognition and real emotion. Ellie smiled. “It’s me, Fury. Come to me easy. You don’t want to hurt me.”

He took big stumbling steps forward and suddenly paused in front of her. She reached for him slowly, wanted to comfort him, and then he had her. His arms wrapped around her waist and her back slammed into the wall hard enough to knock the breath from her lungs. Fury shoved his face into the cradle of her shoulder and neck to breathe against her skin. Ellie sucked in air. Breeze stood in the middle of the room watching them with a worried expression.

“I’m fine,” Ellie whispered. “You can leave.”

Breeze hesitated.

“Ellie,” Fury growled.

Ellie wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, hugging him. “Yeah, baby. It’s me.”

He growled again but then licked her neck. He panted. His hand around her waist moved to cup her ass, one large hand gripped her soft flesh in a near-bruising hold. Ellie nodded assurances at Breeze over his shoulder. Breeze nodded, backing up. Ellie watched her exit the bedroom and close the door.

“Ellie,” Fury growled.

“I’m here.”

He shifted his stance. He pressed his chest against hers and one of his hands left her hip. Material tore. Ellie closed her eyes. She tried to calm her breathing.

“Fury? Can you hear me? Talk to me.”

He growled. One of his arms wrapped almost painfully around her waist. The other hand gripped her thigh. He forced them open by pressing his hips between hers. She gasped in pain. Fury viciously growled but stopped crushing against her so hard.

“Fury?”

He instantly released her and stumbled away. Ellie trembled as she struggled to gain her balance after he suddenly let her go. Fury dropped to his hands and knees and made a horrible sound filled with pain and misery that make Ellie wince. She lowered to her knees behind him and didn’t hesitate to curl her body over his back and wrap her arms around his waist.

“I’m here, Fury. You’re going to be fine. Can you hear me? I love you.”

He moved suddenly, turned his big, strong body, and it sent Ellie from a bending position to landing on her ass sitting on the carpet. Fury ended up pressed against her in a heartbeat. He curled onto his side facing her, using her thighs for a pillow, and curved his legs around her back. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and clung to her. His face pressed into her stomach and a soft whimper came from his throat.

Ellie looked down, seeing him that way that tore her up and tears filled her eyes. She blinked them back. The look of fear and confusion on his face broke her heart. She trembled slightly as she combed her fingers through his hair with one hand while she rubbed his back with the other one.

“It’s okay, Fury. I’m here. We’re both going to be all right.”

“What’s wrong with me?” He groaned and held her tighter.

“They think one of the healing drugs you were given is making you a little nuts. It’s going to be fine.”

He shook his head. “No. They are wrong. I have been on those drugs before but this is different. Sudden.” He shivered hard, his big body quivered around her. “It’s hard to think and I feel so much rage.”

“It’s going to be all right,” Ellie promised softly. “We’re together and I’m going to sit here with you for however long it takes for you to feel better. You aren’t going to hurt me. I know you won’t because you love me as much as I love you.”

His face brushed against her stomach. His tongue came out and he licked the underside her breast. It tickled. Ellie jerked away so he couldn’t do it again.

“That tickles.”

“You’re naked.”

“Well, yeah. I needed to get your attention.”

“You always have that.”

Ellie’s gaze ran down Fury’s body and noticed that he’d torn open the front of his jeans—the source of that ripping sound when she’d heard material tear when he’d pinned her to the wall. She shivered. If she hadn’t calmed him down, hadn’t reached him emotionally, he would have taken her against the wall aggressively without care or regard to her pain or his injuries. Ellie continued rubbing him as her fingers brushed through his hair.

“Talk to me. I’m fighting to stay with you but the blackness is so near.”

Ellie peered down at Fury’s head resting on her lap to discover him staring at her. His dark gaze was filled with confusion when their gazes met.

“I’m right here, Fury.” She forced a smile, trying to hide her alarm and worry. “I’m going to hold you until you feel like yourself again.”

“Did I hurt anyone? I’m having a difficult time thinking and remembering.”

“Everyone is fine.” She hoped Breeze wasn’t too hurt but she wouldn’t bring that up.

He squeezed his eyes closed. “I want you.” He growled softly.

Ellie tensed. “Fury? Let me go put some clothes on.”

He shook his head. “It distracts me from my rage and it wouldn’t matter. I’d still scent you no matter what you wore. You’re bleeding. Did I hurt you?”

“No. I got some cuts and scrapes from climbing the back fence to reach you.” She turned her foot until she could view it more easily. The cut looked bigger than she thought and she saw a smear of her blood on the carpet. “My foot is bleeding. If you move a little I think I can reach something to put under it. Otherwise I’ll get blood on the carpet.”

“I don’t give a shit.”

Ellie laughed. “You say that now when you’re not feeling like yourself but wait until tomorrow when we’re trying to find a piece of furniture to put over the stain to hide it.”

Fury groaned. “I love you, Ellie.”

“I love you too. How are you feeling?”

“Rage,” he growled. “So much rage and pain. My skin feels on fire.”

“Just hold me.”

“I don’t think I could let you go. Are you sure I didn’t hurt you?”

“I’m sure. You didn’t hurt me. You just scared the”

The bedroom door cracked open. Ellie glanced over to the door. Fury tensed, growling.

Trisha’s face appeared as she peeked inside. “Are you okay?”

Ellie rubbed Fury’s back, trying to calm him. “We’re good now,” Ellie spoke loudly for all of their benefits, hoping it was true. Her voice softened. “Relax, Fury. It’s just Doctor Trisha.”