Would they decide to walk away without mating, or would they do the deed, to get it over and done with? And if they did mate, the repercussions were enormous, given the circumstances.
He ran his fingers through his long hair and sighed deeply. Carter looked at him again, a frown on his face.
“Is something wrong? Is there not enough there for you to go on?”
Hunter gave him a closed smile. “No, it’s good. It’s just, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“What?” Carter sat on the bed opposite him, his eyes fixed on Hunter’s. “What is it? Is there something else you need? I can’t risk trying to access anything else after copying all this data. They keep a close eye on everything after what happened at Graham’s mansion.”
“No, it’s not that.” Hunter closed his eyes and breathed deeply for a few seconds before opening them again and staring at his mate. “It’s something else we need to talk about. I know you can feel something. I can see it in the way you look at me.”
Carter’s cheeks stained red, and Hunter smiled. He looked good with the blush on him.
“Yeah, so I find you attractive. I can’t be the first person to do that?” Carter mumbled.
“You know I feel the same. I’ve already told you that, but that isn’t what we need to talk about.”
“Then what is it? I’ve already told you I can’t get anything else just yet. Getting that out was hard enough. They’re watching everything, monitoring all systems. You need to be careful, all of you. They are always watching, no one is safe.”
Hunter nodded. “I expected as much. The information you’ve been able to give us is stuff we wouldn’t have been able to gather ourselves... I mean, are they planning to take over?”
Carter opened and closed his mouth a few times before sighing, and saying, “Yeah, I think so.”
“You think so, or you know so,” Hunter pressed.
Carter abruptly stood and when Hunter reached for him, he shoved him off and walked over to the motel door.
“Carter, stop.”
Carter spun around and jabbed a finger at him. “Why? You’ve got what you wanted, what else can I give you?”
“We need to talk.”
“I’ve seen the looks you’ve been giving me. Why can’t you just tell me what it is?”
“Carter–”
“No, no more excuses. I’ve lived with vampires long enough to know that something is going on. Tell me what it is.”
❊❊❊
Carter stared into Hunter’s gorgeous hazel eyes, waiting for him to tell him what was going on. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know—with everything else going on inside the mansion and with the vampires preparing, he had enough shit to deal with as it was. People he knew were changing in front of him, and he didn’t know if he wanted to hear what Hunter had to say.
He wasn’t sure how much more pressure he could put himself under. He didn’t know how much more of this he could take. Everything was piling up on top of him, the weight of it becoming almost too much to bear. The secrets, trying to keep his family safe, knowing that his every move was being watched, and now this, trying to help Hunter free the slaves. It needed to be done, there was no denying that those people needed to be set free, but he wasn’t sure how much more he could or was willing to do. He’d had enough.
All he wanted to do was save his family and himself and go somewhere far away from it all until the whole mess was sorted out. He just wanted them all to be free and safe, away from vampires. If he never saw another vampire again, it would be too soon, and yet, in front of him stood one of the most gorgeous specimens he’d ever seen. Damn karma was laughing so hard at him right now. It was having a good time at his expense, that’s for sure.
The first guy he’d been attracted to in a long time was a vampire, the very species he’d had enough of, couldn’t wait to get away from. He was sick of being told they could do whatever they wanted to, that he was there to do their bidding whenever they’d ordered him to.
Hunter grimaced, and Carter took a hasty step back. It had to be bad to have put that look on Hunter’s face, and Carter didn’t want to be the one who took the fallout.
“Okay, I’ll tell you what it is but there is no easy way to say this, so I’ll just get it over with.” Hunter rubbed his hand over his face, sighing. “We’re mates.”
Carter blinked and stared at Hunter. “We’re what?” That was the last thing he expected to hear coming from Hunter’s mouth. Mates?
“Yeah, I knew as soon as I stepped into the room and caught a whiff of your scent.”
Carter nodded. Of course, the eyes made sense now. “I see.”
What more could he say? He knew about mates, having lived with vampires. He’d seen a few mated vampires, understood the bond they had between them, but he never thought he’d be one of them.
“That’s all you’ve got to say about it?” Hunter asked.
Carter shrugged. “What more do you want me to say? We’re mates. I knew I felt something when you stepped in the room, and you saying that we’re mates explains it to me.”
“What do you want to do about it? If we mated, it would make staying in contact a lot easier, but the downside is I would need your blood.”
Carter nodded, scuffing the heel of his shoe against the carpet. “I know.” He knew all about the need for blood, the telepathy. Knew all about the benefits of being mated to a vampire, and even though he found Hunter incredibly attractive, he was still a vampire. One of those species that he abhorred.
“And that’s it? I tell you that you’re my mate, and nothing? What do you want to do about it? Should we mate, or not? I need to have some input from you because we’re both involved in this.”
“I know. It’s just all running through my head right now. Look, Hunter. Yes, I find you attractive, but honestly, I’ve had enough of your species. You’ve made my life and that of my family’s a living hell. Why would I want to tie myself to you?”
“Because I’m one of the good guys? I didn’t know when you walked through the door that we would be mates. I came here to get information to save people’s lives and to stop this from happening again. I can’t help the fact that I was born a vampire, just like you can’t help that you were born human.”
“I know that, I’m not stupid,” Carter snapped. “It’s just a lot to take in right now, after everything I’ve gone through.” Carter stormed over to Hunter, jabbing him in the chest with his finger. “You think it’s easy doing what I’m doing? Lying to the vampires I’m forced to live with, hiding information from them, sneaking out to meet you? I’m scared stiff, Hunter. Terrified that one day they’ll come bursting through my door and torture me.” Carter stepped back, dropping his face into his hands. “I’m scared,” he mumbled, before dropping onto the bed.
“I know, and I’m so sorry. I’m not trying to make life harder for you, I just thought you should know.” Hunter sat next to him. “I’m here for you. You’re my mate, you know how important they are. I’m blindsided by this too, and knowing what you are to me, the thought of you going back there terrifies me. What happens if, now that I’ve found you, something happens, and it takes you away from me? What will I do, knowing I’d lost you?”
“If we did this, then we could communicate telepathically.”
Hunter nodded. “But then I’d need to see you more often.”
“Look, Hunter, just give me a few minutes to think this through. You can’t just drop this bombshell in my lap and expect... I just need a minute.”
“Me too.” Catching the look on Carter’s face, Hunter added, “What? You think this is easy on me? The repercussions of what we decide here I have to live with.” Hunter shook his head. “Either way, I have to let you walk away and go back in there, knowing the dangers that you’re facing. What kind of mate does that make me that I would just let you go after finding you?”
“We need to save those humans, don’t we? The other blood slaves. That’s the bigger pict
ure here, not just us, Hunter. We need to do what’s best for them.”
They sat in silence, and all Carter could think about was the fact that his mate was sat next to him. So close, he could reach out and touch him, so close he could smell him. The bond, the connection, the sex. But still, Hunter was a vampire and Carter had sworn off them. He’d made a promise to himself that if he ever got away from them, he would have nothing more to do with them, but that would mean leaving his mate behind as well.
He’d given so much of his life over to the vampires, maybe it was time he took something for himself. And god knows he wanted Hunter. The vampire was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen, and Carter wanted to take a bite.
“If we do this, promise me that if anything happens, you’ll be there,” Carter said.
Hunter reached over and held his hand, staring into his eyes. “I will always be there for you, Carter. I’ll drop anything and everything for you. You’re mine, mine for eternity, and I protect what is mine.”
Nodding, Carter blew out a breath. “Okay then. Let’s do this.”
Chapter Three
“Wow, I never thought I’d have to bargain with my mate to seal the deal.” Hunter smiled, and Carter gave him a small one in return.
“Difficult circumstances,” he muttered, shrugging and looking away.
“So, why don’t we start from the beginning?”
Carter twisted on the bed to face Hunter. “No, why don’t you just kiss me. I’ve wanted to touch you since I first saw you walk in.”
“That’s really clinical,” Hunter muttered dryly. “Maybe we should both stand and strip, then you can lie on your front on the bed and we’ll do the deed.”
Carter arched a brow. “Who said I was bending over for you? No, no, no, no, no. I’ll be doing the driving, thanks.”
Hunter chuckled, shaking his head. “I don’t think so.”
“Really? So, because you’re bigger and stronger than me, oh, and a vampire, you think you get to be in charge?”
Hunter’s eyes glowed as he stared at Carter. “You want me to be in charge.”
He heard Carter suck in a breath, saw his pupils widen, and the flush cover his cheeks. “It’s been a long time,” he muttered.
“I won’t hurt you. I couldn’t, you know how important mates are to each other. I won’t do anything to hurt you.”
“I know, it’s... I’m... Nervous.” Carter shrugged.
Hunter reached forward, tracing his fingers along Carter’s jaw and turning his head towards him. He leaned closer until there was barely any gap between their lips and whispered, “I’ll make it good for you. Trust me.”
He slid his lips over Carter’s, once, twice, and then a third time before fully leaning in and kissing him. He kept his touch soft and gentle, knowing how nervous Carter was, but if he was honest with himself, he was struggling, as every cell in his body was urging him to take him, make him his and complete the mating, but he had to put his mate first. Carter was more important than that, more important than his need to fuck.
He continued kissing Carter softly, until Carter opened his mouth and sneaked his tongue out, licking across Hunter’s lips. Hunter growled, tilting his head and deepening the kiss, his tongue moving into Carter’s mouth and sliding along his whilst still keeping the kiss slow and gentle, making sure Carter felt safe and letting him take the lead.
Hunter turned them, laying them down on the bed without breaking the kiss. His hand ran down Carter’s chest and as he reached the bottom, he slid his hands under Carter’s T-shirt, seeking his bare chest, desperately needing to feel his warm skin beneath his palms. Their tongues moved together as they learned each other’s taste, and Carter moaned, a sound which Hunter quickly echoed.
Hunter wasn’t sure how long they lay there kissing and touching one another before Carter broke the kiss and sat up to pull his T-shirt off. Hunter did the same, and they stared at each other for a moment, taking each other in, before they were drawn back to each other, like magnets. Carter ran his hands along Hunter’s back and tangled them in his long hair, his fingers gripping the strands tightly.
Hunter groaned, enjoying the small bite of pain and pushed Carter down on the bed again, moving between his legs and rubbing his dick against Carter’s. Carter arched up, grinding them together, causing them both to groan.
Hunter rested his weight on one elbow while his hand tugged at the belt on Carter’s jeans, unbuckling it and pulling the buttons free. Hunter kicked his shoes off and with Carter’s help, Hunter pulled Carter’s jeans and underwear down over his hips, freeing his hard dick. Carter twisted and turned on the bed, helping Hunter as he kicked his own jeans and boxers free.
Hunter broke the kiss, staring down into Carter’s flushed face. He leaned back, his eyes wandering all over Carter’s body, and his breath shuddered. God... Carter was simply beautiful. His pale, gorgeous skin shone and even though he appeared slim, he clearly worked out as Hunter could see his muscles rippling as Carter moved on the bed.
He stared down at Carter’s leaking dick and moved over him slowly, licking at the precome oozing from the slit. Carter’s hips arched up and Hunter let more of his dick slide into his mouth as he sucked the head, humming his pleasure when he heard Carter cry out above him.
“Please, Hunter... Please,” Carter begged.
Hunter felt Carter’s hand in his hair pushing his head down and he went willingly. The smell of his mate was stronger here than almost anywhere else of his body and Hunter inhaled deeply, groaning as his scent pushed his own arousal higher. Gripping his hand around the base to hold his dick upright, Hunter took as much of it into his mouth as he could, wanting to pleasure his mate.
Carter moaned again, his body shuddering as he twisted and turned as Hunter worked his dick. His hand caressed Carter’s balls, feeling the weight of them as he rolled them between his fingers and caressed them with the palm of his hand.
He released Carter’s dick and glanced up at him, giving him a feral grin before moving between Carter’s spread legs and pushing them up.
“Hold these up,” he commanded and watched as Carter reached down to hold his legs up at the back of his thighs.
This position exposed his hole to Hunter’s greedy stare, and he licked his lips as he watched the hole pulse in front of him. Not wasting any time, Hunter leaned forward, his tongue licking across his hole and sucking it. He needed to get his mate nice and wet. He needed to taste him.
Glancing up at Carter, he saw how much he was into this. His whole body spoke of his pleasure, his chest was raised off the bed and his head pushed back into the pillow as moans and groans fell from his lips. He couldn’t wait any longer, he had to have him now. He pushed his tongue in whilst working a finger in at the same time, stretching his body, widening him to take his cock, as soon one finger became two, then three.
Throughout it all, Hunter heard how much Carter was enjoying it, his mumbled words telling him of his need.
“More... please... I need you.”
Hunter pulled his tongue and fingers free and reached for his jeans, grabbing the lube he always kept in his pocket. Quickly opening it, he got his dick nice and wet, rubbing the rest around Carter’s hole.
He crawled onto the bed, moving over Carter, and leaned down to kiss him. The kiss was greedy and dirty from the start, all teeth, tongue and lips. Carter threw his arms around Hunter’s shoulders and wrapped his legs around his waist, desperately trying to pull him closer. Leaning on one arm, Hunter grabbed his dick, guiding it into the one place he wanted it to be buried.
The significance of the moment suddenly hit him, and he stopped—oh my god, he was about to have sex with his mate and bind them together forever. He dreamed of this since he’d first heard about mates and now the moment was finally here, and he was staring down into Carter’s flushed face, he wasn’t sure if he could do it. But Carter had other ideas. “Do it. Make us one.”
“I want to, but things are so complicated–”
&n
bsp; “We’ll manage, this is what we were made for and at least this way if there are any problems I can get in touch with you straightaway and I know you’ll come for me, if I need you, if I’m in trouble. I know you’ll save me.”
Hunter’s eyes flickered to Carter’s, and when he saw the truth of his words reflected there, he made the decision to stop fighting it and slowly pushed in.
Carter groaned, the sound hoarse and filled with longing, and Hunter trembled as Carter’s hole clamped around him, holding him in tight.
Tight, warm and wet, Hunter never wanted to leave because sliding into his mate was the best feeling he had ever experienced.
Oh, of course, he’d had sex before, he was in no way a virgin, but this, with Carter, his mate, was so different. The connection between them was immediate, and the feeling of being home where he belonged was there straightaway, and quite frankly, it terrified Hunter. Even though he was doing what he’d always dreamed about, he was terrified that when this was over, he would have to let his mate go and watch him walk away, not knowing if it would be for the last time.
“Shh. Don’t think about it. We’ll work it out”, Carter whispered before sliding his lips over Hunter’s and biting his lip.
Hunter moaned, opening his mouth, sucking Carter’s tongue in and deepening the kiss as he began to slide in and out of Carter’s body. Carter’s hands tightened in his hair and Hunter groaned and slid his hands under Carter shoulders, pulling him closer.
He let his body take over, his hips driving into Carter’s body again and again. He couldn’t get enough of him and the way he made him feel. He was surrounded by him, completing him in a way he hadn’t experienced previously, and for the first time in his life, Hunter finally felt whole, like he was the person he was meant to be.
His body began moving faster, his hands tightening on Carter’s shoulders until he was fucking Carter hard and deep. Carter cried out with every thrust, his body tightening around Hunter and he knew that his orgasm wasn’t far away. He broke the kiss and nuzzled behind Carter’s ear before moving down his neck and over the pulsing vein that his fangs throbbed to pierce.
Mine for Eternity Page 2