by Khloe Wren
He ran his fingers over my face and through my hair again as I looked into his eyes, at the pain he was somehow now holding back from me.
“Will it always be like that? Feeling each other’s emotions?”
He shook his head a little. “No, baby. Once you accept my claim on you, it’ll lessen in intensity. We can also block the emotions from leaving us. It’s what I should have done earlier, but I was too overwhelmed to remember to do it. I don’t ever want you to hurt because of me, Jolie. Forgive me?”
He was melting me down to my soul. Now that the emotions had lessened considerably, I could think somewhat clearly. Think about all this man had done for me, even though I’d done nothing to deserve any of it. I’d been horrible to him really, and I could understand why he hadn’t bothered to pull his emotions back earlier. I’d deserved to feel what I was putting him through.
I reached a palm up to cup his jaw. “You weren’t the only one overwhelmed and lashing out, Neo. I didn’t mean to hurt you either. It’s been an eventful day, and you dropped one hell of a bombshell on me. I guess what I’m trying to say is, we’ve both acted rashly today. Let’s just forgive, forget, and move forward, yeah?”
“Not forget. We’ve covered a lot today, some of it was shit, but I need you to remember what I told you about shifters. I need you, Jolie. Need to claim you as mine, for you to move in here with me. I want you here building a family with me. Kicking my ass when I screw up and loving me even when I drive you nuts.”
Tears pricked my eyes again, but they weren’t out of misery this time. I wasn’t entirely sure what was involved with him claiming me, but I could take a guess. With his earlier confession that he’d killed for me today, I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about my foster father ever again. That meant I was free to settle down, to actually live my life. I hoped like hell he hadn’t been lying earlier when he’d said I wasn’t sterile. That he could impregnate me. Although that wasn’t why I was choosing him. Not at all.
It didn’t take long to think over everything Neo had done for me, over everything I’d learned about who he was, to know he’d make a solid partner. I still wasn’t sure about the whole bear shifter thing, but if it made me stronger, more able to fight off anyone who thought to hurt me in the future, I was happy to take it. Neo was everything I could wish for, really. He loved his family, was always happy to help out anyone he could. He had a wicked sense of humor, loved nature. It didn’t hurt that he was damn easy on the eyes, and he was a spectacular lover.
Wriggling until his grip on me loosened, I shifted so I straddled his thighs once again, ignoring the twinge of pain in my ankle. Then I cupped his face between both my palms and leaned in to kiss him softly on the lips. I pulled back before he could deepen it. “Neo, I’m sorry I’ve pushed you away all these months. I didn’t think I could have you, not fully, and I wanted you so badly. Every time you touched me, or even spoke with me, you drew me a little more under your spell. I honestly can’t imagine living anywhere else, with anyone else.” I paused to take a deep breath and pull back enough I could focus on his eyes. “You gave me freedom earlier. When you took that bastard’s life, you delivered me the greatest gift I’ve ever been given. And, babe? There’s no one else in this world I’d rather spend that freedom with than with you. I love you, Neo. Take me, I’m yours.”
The sheen of moisture in his eyes, the spark deep within his gaze, the wide grin that spread over his lips cemented within my heart that I’d made the right decision. This man, shifter, whatever he was, was mine and after tonight, he always would be.
****
Neo
I could barely believe my ears. After all these months, she was finally accepting my claim on her. “You’ll move in with me?”
“Yes.”
“Tomorrow. In the morning, we’ll go pack you up and move you here. You’ll sleep beside me in this bed for the rest of our lives.”
She leaned in and brushed little kisses down my cheek and over my jaw. “Yes, Neo. Although, we need to deal with the lease on the house. I don’t have much. It’s not going to take long.”
It had broken my fucking heart at how little she could call her own. “I’m going to spoil you, sweetheart. Give you everything you should already have had.”
She groaned a little and dug her fingers into my shoulders as she wriggled on my lap. “This is that mating burn you told me about, isn’t it?” Her voice had gone a little husky with her arousal.
“Yeah, baby, you’re burning for me. You gonna let me claim you? Leave my mark on your skin for all shifters to see?”
“Mmm, yeah.”
She’d said yes. She’d given herself to me, and I planned to take her offering and cherish it for-fucking-ever. I made quick work of stripping her shirt and bra off before I flipped her over on the mattress. Slipping her shoes off, I ran my fingers lightly over her swollen ankle. I leaned down and pressed a light kiss to it, knowing within minutes of claiming her, it would be completely healed. Lifting up, I focused on tugging her pants and panties off and throwing them aside. Then I paused to watch her. Fuck, she was sexy, and she looked perfect in my bed. Naked and horny, waiting for me.
“Perfection.”
She reached a hand out to touch me, but with a growl I pulled back out of her reach. I had other things I wanted before I took her with my cock. Before she could move, I was between her thighs. Pressing my nose against her folds, I took a couple deep breaths, filling my senses with the scent of her arousal. Then I took a swipe up her pussy, gathering the honey she’d already made for me and swallowed it down before going back for more.
Holding her hips, I made a meal out of my mate. Sucking and licking at her until she was trying to wriggle away from me.
“Give it to me, mate. Fill my mouth with your honey.”
She whimpered and thrashed her head. Poor baby was sitting right on the edge. I thrust two fingers deep insider her core as I wrapped my lips around her clit, giving the little nub a gentle nip with my teeth before suckling on it. That was all it took. With a keening cry, she came, giving me the treat I’d demanded from her.
Once I had my fill, I slid off the bed and striped down, never taking my gaze off her as I did. Her eyes were hooded, but I knew she was watching me as I revealed my body to her.
She was sprawled across the bed, her legs spread, her arms out wide. Her chest was rising and falling with her rapid breathing as she came down from her high.
Once I was naked, I went back to her, running my palms over her, pressing kisses to her warm, silky smooth skin as I made my way up her body. Once she was caged under me, I paused for a moment to take her in. She arched under me, pressing her breasts up against my chest. The tight points of her nipples scraped against me and just like that my control snapped.
With a growl, I took her mouth in a fierce kiss as I thrust up, entering her fully in one thrust. The feel of her core rippling around me, her warmth welcoming me, left my head spinning. I broke the kiss and pushing myself back. I took hold of her hips and got serious about taking my mate. With a thumb running circles on her clit, I slid my other palm up to tease at her nipples and breasts as I continued to pump into her. The very thought of claiming her had my balls drawing up tight already, but I wouldn’t allow myself to let go until she came again. Once she was again reaching for the stars, I’d let go and claim her.
“Neo!”
I moved the hand that had been working over her nipples to the bed and leaned forward, letting that arm take all my weight. “Let it go, baby. Fall over that edge and take me with you to paradise.” I gave her clit a pinch on my next thrust in and her eyes went wide, her mouth gapped open, before her pussy tightened around my cock and she screamed out her pleasure. My own climax ran down my spine before slamming through my balls, causing my cock to jerk within her as I filled her womb with my seed.
When my cock gave a final twitch, giving her the last of my orgasm, a flash of pain cut through my mouth as my teeth lengthened. I didn’t waste a m
oment. I grabbed her hair, shifting it out of the way, and she tilted her head, baring her throat to me.
“Utter perfection, and all mine.”
I leaned in and after pressing a kiss to the tender skin at the base of her neck, I bit deep. Power washed through me as I swallowed a single mouthful of her blood, taking a touch of her life force within me. It was done. We were bonded. She was mine and I was hers.
With a lick over the wound, I sealed it up before moving to take her mouth again. It wasn’t enough. I needed her again. The mating had brought my spent cock back to life, and I was ready to go again. I pulled out of her body, enjoying the way she arched as I slid free. Then before she could complain about the loss, I flipped her over and lifted her ass in the air, pressing a kiss to each sexy cheek. Then, caging her beneath me again, I thrust back in. With a palm on her tummy, I held her as I took her deep. I would never get enough of her, never be able to take her enough times.
“Love you, Jolie, my mate.”
She pushed up onto her hands and turned her face up to me. I took the hint and managed to catch her mouth with mine without losing my rhythm. With a gasp she broke the kiss, panting her breaths as she came apart for me again, once more taking me with her.
I fucking loved how wild her gaze was right then as she came for me and I filled her womb with more of my seed. I wanted our cubs so fucking bad. I’d done my mate right and she was in pleasure overload. I silently vowed to her that this was how we’d end every day. In this bed with me showering her with pleasure. It was also how we’d spend many of our days. I planned on getting real creative with ways to get her alone and naked during daylight hours.
About half an hour later, we lay in a tangle of limbs in the bed. I was running my fingertips over her skin, drawing little patterns, learning all of her sensitive spots, when she broke the comfortable silence between us.
“So, when do I turn into a bear?”
I barked out a laugh. I loved how direct my mate could be.
“Tomorrow night, as the sun sets, she’ll come out to play. We’ll go out into the forest. Just me and you, and I’ll help you through it. It’ll be fine. It doesn’t hurt, and you’re still you when you’re a bear. You’ll just be a little more primitive than you are normally.”
“Is that your way of saying I’ll want to fuck you in the woods?”
“Oh, baby, we’re definitely gonna fuck in the woods. But it’ll be when we’re human, not animals.” My dick stirred back to life at the thought, twitching against her hip where it rested. It earned me a chuckle from my mate.
“Hmm, what’s this? Someone likes the idea of going au natural, huh?”
Before I could confirm it, she rolled me onto my back and crawled over me, taking my erection into her mouth and sucking me in deep.
“Ah, fuck. That feels so fucking good, babe.”
Damn, but this woman truly was perfection. I ran a hand through her messy hair, holding it away from her face. I watched her watch me while she took me as far as she could. I flexed my hips, thrusting gently up into her mouth. I didn’t want to push her too far, but damn, I wanted to take control so bad. “Take it all, Jolie. You got me so close already. You take me to the back of your throat and swallow, and you’ll get the gift you’re looking for.”
Heat and lust flashed through her eyes. Then she shifted her hand and while cupping my balls she ran her lips all the way down my length, taking me all the way to the back of her throat. Then she swallowed and blew my fucking world.
I saw stars as I came hard. She took it all, swallowing down every bit I gave her. Then she moved, sliding up my body. I wrapped my hands around her biceps and lifted her faster. I needed to kiss her, but before I could press my mouth to hers, she pressed two fingers over my lips. Freezing, I cocked an eyebrow at her in question, unsure what she was about to do.
“I love you, Neo. Have for months, and I’m so glad I’m now free to enjoy the rest of my life with you.”
Warmth radiated from my heart, heating my entire being at her words. When she moved her fingers to trace my jaw, I took the opportunity to speak. “I’ll never make you regret giving us a chance, Jolie. I promise. I’m going to love you so well for so long, you’ll never even think of leaving ever again.”
Then she kissed me, shutting me up, but not ending our night. Not by a long shot. She was about to learn that male bear shifters were insatiable when it came to making love to our mates.
The End
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Other Books by Khloe Wren:
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BONUS SAMPLE CHAPTER
DANIIL
Kings of Sydney, 1
Khloe Wren
Copyright © 2017
Chapter One
Daniil strolled through the Bondi Markets with his relaxed façade firmly in place, despite the fact he was anything but. Even though it was Sunday, he was working. Just like all these stall holders around him. Although, he was actually earning enough to warrant him leaving his home. He glanced at the cheap jewelry on the table he was passing. He couldn't work out how some of these people made any money at all. So many stores selling the same shit, and there were only so many tourists to go around. With a mental shrug, he kept moving, gaze roaming as he looked for his target.
As he strode past a clothing stall, he caught his reflection and winced. Fuck, he was such a cliché. Wearing black tailored dress pants together with a black button up shirt, he looked like what he was, a Russian mercenary. He didn’t have a tie on. He rarely did. He hated how they made him feel like he was choking. Of course, if the job called for it, he'd throw one on, but only if he had to.
As the day was warm, he’d rolled the sleeves part way up his forearms. That meant some of the tattoos that covered his arms were visible. Unlike his arms and chest, his hands were ink free. He'd often thought about adding ink to them but figured it would limit his ability to stay hidden in plain sight. It was simple enough to wear dark glasses and a long sleeve shirt, and no one thought anything of him. No one remembered what he looked like, because he looked like so many other men. Add in his blue eyes and the ink, he became memorable. His job was so much easier when he wasn’t forced to pay off, or blackmail, cops that ended up with an accurate description of him.
Stepping around the end of a lane, he caught sight of his target. Stupid bastard was strolling around like he owned the joint. No way did that piece of shit realize what was about to happen to him. That made Daniil grin. He loved what he did. Especially jobs like this one. Taking out a man who was so convinced he’d made himself invincible enough to get away with whatever bullshit he wanted to pull.
Over the years, Daniil had discovered very few men were truly invincible. Most men had a weakness, like this asshole Daniil was currently trailing. The man’s wife and son were with him, the woman stopping to look at trinkets as they moved along. While she was looking down, he was checking out the legs on the young woman running the store. Daniil rolled his eyes. He never could believe how many men would settle down and get married, only to sleep around on their wife. Daniil had zero interest in getting married or having a family. That would give him way too much to lose. It would also stop him from being able to simply fuck whoever caught his eye, and move on. He never slept with his lovers, he never brought them to his home, and he never, ever fucked a woman twice.
In the week Daniil had been studying this particular target, he'd learned the asshole had several mistresses. Hell, Daniil was doing the wife a favor by taking him out. Maybe he should contact her, see if she'd pay him as well as the original client? He shook his head and moved away from them. He didn't need his target to see him, at least not yet. He had a plan forming in his mi
nd on how to get this one to play out. Because rarely was a job simply about killing. No, most clients wanted something. Money, information … always something. This was no different. And the way the target kept his palm wrapped around his young son's shoulder, made it perfectly clear what, or rather who, Daniil needed to use to get what the client required from this target.
Daniil had worked long and hard to gain his reputation, both in his legitimate business dealings and his illegal ones. When it came to his dirtier work, like this current job, he was known as the soulless one. He would, and did, just about anything for money. There were very few things that he wouldn't do. One of those things was hurting an innocent. So, even though he intended to use the boy against his father, he wouldn't hurt one hair on the lad's head. Nope, he was confident he could make the target believe he intended to hurt the child. Because even though he’d never hurt an innocent child or woman, he’d cultivated enough rumors about himself that others didn’t know he had that rule. So, he hoped the threat of harm to his son would be enough. If not, he would indeed kidnap the boy, but he wouldn't be hurt.
A stall caught Daniil’s eye, and he stopped to take a better look. The photography was stunning. Both black-and-whites and colored images from around Bondi and Sydney all neatly showcased in professional looking black frames. One in particular caught his attention. It was of an old warehouse a few suburbs away. His head nodded as his plan formed in his mind. After he delivered the threat to the son, and got the information his client required, he would grab his target as he left for work in the morning. Take him to that abandoned warehouse to finish the job. It wouldn't be the first time he'd used it for this purpose.