Fae Captive (The Mage Shifter War Book 1)

by Elle Middaugh

  His eyes narrowed slightly and his lips puckered just a touch, but it was enough for me to notice he was irritated. So, I was probably right.

  I sighed and pushed myself to keep talking. We could stop and argue about Triton now, but I'd rather get all the shit off my chest first. Pile it all on the ground between us like a bag of dirty laundry, then sort through the mess after.

  "And I'm sorry about Easton."

  "What about him?" he asked. He never glanced my way, but I could tell he was listening intently, waiting with bated breath.

  I swallowed hard, studying the dark water rather than his face, trying to buy some time while I thought up a response that made sense. What about Easton? What drew me to him? What broke my heart when I saw him hurting? We hadn't connected on some undeniable spiritual level like Bodie and I had, but on an emotional level? I related to the bear shifter. I felt for him and cared about him. He’d made me see things differently.

  "I'm sorry for... making you jealous of your pack mate."

  He smirked, leaning back on his palms as he gazed into woods beyond the pool. "Look, I… I know Easton saw you first. And I know I kinda just rode in balls-blazing, helicoptering our mate bond around like an unsolicited dick pic. I was so ready to sweep you off your feet, I hadn't even bothered to consider if you two had caught feelings. I know now. Goldilocks has it bad for you. And… I know you have some sort of a crush on him in return, so…" He bit his lip and shook his head. "So, I'm sorry, too."

  My brows furrowed as I turned to look at him. What was he apologizing for? For nature doing its thing? I knew he couldn't control the mate bond any more than I could.

  He turned toward me, and our eyes locked as if our souls had reached out to one another through our pupils. "I'm sorry because… no matter how much you like him, I can guarantee you that I love you even more. And no matter how much you want him, I will never fucking let you go."

  He leaned closer and took my face in his warm palm, caressing my skin more delicately than I thought he knew how.

  "You're mine, Butterfly."

  His possessiveness sent a shiver through me that made my heart kneel and my nipples pebble.

  Bodie’s smile was full of warmth and promise. "I will spend the rest of my life making sure you're the happiest woman in the world, but I will not share my mate."

  God, he'd gone straight for the jugular. Breaking my heart just as fast as he'd wooed it. I loved the way his words made me feel—warm and fuzzy, hot and ready. But I hated the thought of hurting Easton. Or more precisely, the thought of not having Easton. This wouldn't just hurt him, it would hurt me too.

  "Easton…" Bodie continued, gliding his thumb across my bottom lip, "he's like a brother to me. I'd give my life for that man. Take a bullet for him. Give up a kidney for him. Even share my gummy bears with him, the damned bottomless pit."

  I giggled, accidentally leaning my cheek into Bodie's hand as my eyes started to water.

  He continued, "Wolves are born into packs. We’re used to sharing. I have eight damn brothers and sisters for god’s sake. I couldn’t even get a glass of milk to myself growing up. There’s only one thing in life that wolves don’t have to fucking share. Our mates. I won't share you."

  I nodded, pulling my face away to stare down at the rock beneath me. Damn it. Why did I feel elated and distraught? As much as Tee might have said I couldn’t blame my parents, there was something fucking wrong with me if I couldn’t just be happy with my mate’s possessive declaration. It was twisted and unhealthy that a little piece of me ached at how Bodie cut Easton out of the equation.

  "You admitted our bond was real," he said softly. "Are you willing to give it a real chance?"

  I glanced up at him, my eyes searching for... something. Anything I could cling to to keep from going under in the sea of my fucked up emotions. I took a deep breath, and calmness slowly leaked into me as I gazed into his green-gold stare.

  I am not defined by my goddamned parents. Their dysfunctional relationship does not have any effect on me. I will not fuck up my one true chance at happiness because of them—the assholes who clearly never gave a shit about me, anyway. Whatever I was feeling for Easton, it came from their shitty self-sabotaging ways. I needed to bury those feelings and weep at their grave site, then walk away without looking back.

  Finally, I nodded in response to Bodie’s question.

  His eyes twinkled in the moonlight, lighting up with a happiness that his stoic features couldn't entirely contain.

  "Are you willing to take a leap of faith?" he asked, standing and offering me his broad hand.

  His palm was warm and soft and his fingers zapped energy into my skin like lightning, heating my blood until I wanted to slide more of my flesh across his.

  I stood and glanced down at the small pool of water below us. My lips tugged at the corners. "You're not talking about a literal leap of faith are you?"

  He grinned and pulled off his shirt. Holy mother of sweet baby unicorns, I would never get tired of that view. His skin was a dark tan, but the moon illuminated the rise and fall of his muscles with delicious contrast. My fingers ached to rove up and down his chest and abs, but I held myself back, waiting to see what he would say.

  He unbuttoned his jeans and dragged them down his legs before tossing them onto the pile with his shirt. "What do you think?"

  I bit my lip and squeezed the hem of my tank top. An adrenaline rush and a challenge? Hell yes. If this crazy wolf wanted me to jump twenty feet into a tiny-ass pool, then damn it, I would. I'd fucking go first.

  I slid my shirt up over my head, putting my heavy breasts and hardened nipples on full display. "That's right, asshole. No bra. Wonder who made damn sure that didn't happen?"

  He grinned devilishly, clearly pleased with himself and his moronic wet dreams.

  I slid my pants and undies off, but it left that insidious iron chain directly touching my ankle. Hissing, I did my best to grit my teeth and bare it. I wasn’t a fucking pussy. I could handle a little burn if it meant getting my rocks off.

  But to my surprise, Bodie bent down and unlocked the cuff around my ankle, adding the chain to my pile of clothes. "Don’t make me regret this, Buttercup. Remember, if you run, I will catch you. And I love the chase."

  I grinned while he distractedly admired my body with his heated gaze.

  Now or never.

  I launched into a short sprint and leapt from the edge.

  Wind tangled through my long silver hair as the sensation of weightlessness hit me. My pulse quickened. I tucked my wings so I’d fall fast and straight. The pool rose up to meet me and I'd barely taken a deep breath before I crashed through its inky black surface. My body went into instant shock. What the hell? Was this pond fed directly from the Arctic?

  As my brain drifted out of shock and back into reality, I realized I needed to swim. Kicking my feet, and pulling with my arms, I broke through the surface just as Bodie crashed through it a few feet away.

  Gasping, I smoothed my hair back and rubbed the water out of my eyes as he resurfaced with a wild and sexy grin on his face. God, he was entrancing when he smiled. I couldn't look away. All I could do was tread water and stare as he glided closer to me.

  "You’re not running," he said, surprise crossing his face for just a moment. "You took the leap."

  I rolled my eyes, my chin bobbing beneath the water for a moment before rising back up. "Nice assessment, Captain Obvious. I can see why you're the best of the best. You literally asked me to jump."

  He bit his lip and his eyes darkened at my taunt. I tried to glide away backwards, but his hands gripped my hips and held me firmly.

  "If we're gonna do this," he said, staring down at my lips as his hands squeezed my ass, pulling me right up against him until my legs wrapped around his waist, "then we’re going to set some ground rules."

  Mmm. Rules. That made me so fucking excited, when a normal girl might've been freaking out.

  "First of all, let's address this sassy
mouth of yours." Bodie leaned in and bit my bottom lip, tugging on it with his teeth before sucking and stroking it with his tongue. "I like your fiery attitude, it makes for some intense foreplay. But I don't ever want to hear you putting me down or questioning my skills in front of anyone else. Understand? Teasing me is one thing, insulting is another—one I won't tolerate."

  I couldn't help myself, I slipped into submissive mode and lowered my gaze as I nodded. I wasn't ashamed or anything, though, just extremely turned on. Which he probably knew, considering my nipples were pressed into his chest like marbles.

  "If you want something acceptable to do with that sassy mouth," he continued with a grin, "I have a cock with your name—and your name only—on it."

  I glanced up, briefly meeting his hooded gaze before looking back down at where our skin pressed firmly together. A big part of me wanted to drop to my knees and suck him off like he'd just suggested, but I'd probably freaking drown, so that was a no-go for now. The other part of me wanted to roll my hips until he was positioned just right, then allow him to make good on his 'screaming at the moon' promise from earlier.

  "Second of all," he said, and I realized he was slowly walking us toward the smooth boulders along the shore. "No more cozying up to Easton. I know he's attractive—we all are."

  Conceited much? I fought hard not to smirk and roll my eyes.

  "I know he's cuddly," Bodie continued, sinking his fingers into my hips, "he's like one of those giant, over-sized teddy bears, for fuck's sake. But I can't be worried about my mate cheating on me with my brother. Because that's basically what he and Drake are to me, brothers."

  I nodded once more, but that didn't seem to be good enough this time. Bodie took my chin and lifted my face, staring deep into my eyes. Could he see the sadness there? The trepidation at having to give Easton up? The fear that I might not truly be able to commit because of how fucked in the head and heart I was?

  "I want to hear you say it, Butterfly," he murmured, reaching down to roll one of my nipples between his thumb and forefinger. "Tell me I can trust you. Tell me you'll be loyal to me and only me. Tell me Easton isn't an issue."

  Pleasure rocketed through me at his touch, sending an explosion of heat straight to my core. My lips parted and my eyes fluttered shut as his clever fingers short-circuited my brain. His hand drifted lower, skimming my stomach before gliding past my pelvic bone and dipping into my heat.

  "You want me to keep going?" he asked seductively as he stroked me.

  Fuck yes, I did.

  He seemed to hear my non-response loud and clear. "Then tell me what I want to hear."

  He lifted me up sat me down on a boulder behind me, leaving my exposed sex just inches from his face. Heat rushed everywhere, lighting my entire body up with need and anticipation.

  "I..." I could barely fucking think straight as his fingers delved even deeper inside of me. "I can't help what I feel, but—" He suddenly stopped moving, watching me with a dark glower that told me I needed to finish that sentence very carefully. "But, I can at least promise to put some distance between us. I won't actively seek him out. If he's the only one in the room, I'll leave. I won't let us be alone together."

  Bodie glared at me for a moment longer as he considered my words. Then slowly, his fingers began to move, stroking until he found my g-spot, making me moan. I took that as a yes, that I'd told him what he wanted to hear. Thank fuck. I could hardly wait for him to take me.

  He strode closer, water raining down his pecs as he nestled between my thighs. "This pussy, is mine now." He bent down and gave it a long hot lick from bottom to top, pausing briefly to flick my clit before continuing.

  "Any man who's been here before me is officially gone. I'm going to eat you so good it erases any signs of them ever being down here, any memory of them ever touching you."

  He licked me again, his tongue slipping between my folds and dragging so maddeningly slowly up to my clit that I thought I might burst.

  "There will never be another man but me down here ever again," he said. I wasn't sure if it was a threat or a promise, but I could feel the heat in his words. "And if, for some godforsaken reason there ever is, they'll be officially gone, too. Because I'll fucking kill them. Understand?"

  Goddamn it, why were homicidal maniacs so fucking hot? I shouldn't be turned on at the prospect of him murdering someone over me, and yet...

  Yep. I really am fucked in the head. There's no denying it at this point. Doms had threatened me during scenes before, with dark, delicious things. And at the time, those had made me hot. But knowing Bodie actually meant it, knowing he would take someone out… that was beyond hot. It made me molten.

  Bodie suddenly bit my inner thigh, making me yelp. "I said, do you understand?"

  Mmm. More delicious desire coursed through me as his dominant side took over. "Yes, sir."

  His lips twitched slightly as he looked up at me. "I know you're a sub. But mate bonds are different. They’re deeper than sex games. I don’t mind playing that way sometimes, but when you're coming hard with my fingers, head, or cock between your legs, I want you to scream my name. None of this sir shit. Got it?"

  I nodded. "Yes." I had to swallow the ‘sir’ down. But even doing that felt good. Because I was submitting to what he wanted, whether he knew it or not. That thought brought on a grin. And I slipped just the tiniest bit into sub space.

  His lips spread into a satisfied smile. "That's good, little Butterfly. Now let's see how my name sounds when I make you come."

  He lurched forward, digging into me like a starved man eating his first ever dessert.

  This is the real reason they call it 'eating out,' I thought with an uncontrollable moan. Bodie seriously looked like he was trying to devour me, his mouth swallowing up my clit and lighting my girly bits on fucking fire.

  "Pull my hair," he said, briefly coming up for air. "Put my face exactly where you want it, baby."

  I wasn't used to being in control, but since it was technically a command, I did as he asked, positioning him just right to set off a soul-shattering orgasm. Honestly, it was more like a possession and exorcism in one. My body wasn't my own as it bucked and throbbed under his hot tongue. His lips sucked and his thumbs stroked my thighs and my eyes rolled back. My hands acted of their own accord as they shoved his face harder into me. My voice sounded like some kind of demonic succubus as my head tipped back and I shouted his name at the sky.

  God, Bodie was right. He'd completely wiped any of my previous oral orgasms straight from memory. Not a single one of them had been more than a ripple compared to this wave of ecstasy.

  As I came back down from my high, Bodie smirked. "Yeah, I like the sound of my name like that. I think I might have to hear it again with my cock buried deep inside of you."

  He lifted himself out of the water and onto the boulder beside me, water rushing down his hardened body in greedy streams that vied to touch every inch of him.

  "But first," Bodie said, stroking his cock slowly, "I want you on your knees."

  I immediately pushed off my ass and onto my knees as ordered.

  His cock jumped as I complied. He could say whatever he wanted about mate bonds being deeper, but he totally had a dom streak in him, whether he knew it or not. And, as a sub, I enjoyed pleasing him. So this was a win-win, really.

  I made a show of licking my lips, wetting them as seductively as I could before taking the head of his dick in my mouth. The wolf was huge. Relaxing my jaw, I opened wider, drawing him in deeper until I damn near started to gag.

  "Fuck, yes," he groaned as I bobbed my head up and down his shaft, the earthy, rosemary-laden taste of his precum driving me forward with lust.

  I was just finding a rhythm he seemed to like, when he grabbed my face and pulled away from my lips.

  "Bend over."

  Biting my lip, I quickly did as he said, moving around on the uneven surface of the rock until I found a comfortable position. I was so ready for him it was almost painful. Even
though he’d already given me one orgasm, my body was greedy for another.

  But instead of thrusting into me, Bodie paused to stroke my wings, driving me wild. My eyes had just drifted closed when his hand came down hard on my ass. The sting jerked me back into the present moment and caused even more desire to flood my aching cunt. Then he stroked my wings once more, lulling me into a false sense of pleasure before bringing the pain again.

  If my ass was as red as it was hot, then I'd bet there was a ruby red hand print burning there. You could probably pull a fingerprint off of it. I shuddered as those thoughts mixed with the sting of my flesh and the pleasure of his fingers once more gliding up and down my wing. This was the blissful fucking torture I loved and missed so much. This was the punishment my body needed in order to fully let go.

  "Are you sure you’re not a dom?" I whispered. But it wasn’t loud enough for him to hear. Or, if he did hear, he didn’t respond.

  Bodie positioned himself at my entrance. I felt the hot tip of his dick slide over my lips once, eliciting a full body shiver right before he rammed in hard, jabbing his dick all the way to my cervix. The painful punishment stole my breath. I fucking needed more of it.

  But instead, he pulled almost completely out and stroked my wing again, bringing me right to the brink of an orgasm before slamming into me once more.

  "You're wet as fuck, Butterfly," he taunted me. "You're quivering all over." He squeezed my stinging ass cheek with one hand while stroking my wing with the other. "If you want to come, I wanna hear you say you’re my mate again."

  He thrust into me, rubbing my wing between his thumb and forefinger, beautifully mixing the pleasure with the pain. Fuck, I wasn't going to have time to say anything. I was going to come in seconds.

  As if he instinctively knew that, he pulled out, leaving me high and dry, a little frustrated, and a lot turned on.

  "Fuck me, Bodie," I whimpered, willing him to push back inside and drag me over the edge.

  His hand came down hard on my ass. "You were about to come without saying it."