by A. Mashburn
“It is—please, tell me why you exerted so much energy on me when you know that I would have healed just fine.”
“I shouldn’t have to explain myself, Jade. But, for the sake of your thick skull, I will. I’ve told you before, I love you, you big dummy.” She felt him smile into her hair and her heart skipped a beat. When they were like this, she could almost imagine they were already mates and he accepted her. His embrace was so warm she snuggled further back into the curve of his body and felt him stiffen. “Sorry,” she mumbled.
“You shouldn’t have done that.” He tightened his arm around her, his voice thick with emotion.
She shrugged and turned in his arms to look at him again. “I was cold and you’re like my personal heater.”
A look of amusement flashed across his face at her analogy. “That’s not what I meant, Scar, and you know it.”
She rolled her eyes. “If the shoe were on the other foot and it was me being punished at the hands of your brother—” his deep growl interrupted her momentarily and she cupped his chin in her hand. “See? Just the thought of it angers you. What if you aren’t here one day and our training sessions got out of hand and he seriously injured me? If you had the power to help me heal and the cost was a day or two of sleep, what would you do?” His eyes began shifting from his usual emerald to the forest green of his wolf and back again. He let out a deep breath and tucked a stray hair behind her ear, lightly tracing her jaw.
“Sleep, Scar.” He placed a kiss on her forehead and pulled her to his chest. She heard the rapid beat of his heart and knew how upset he was. She wanted nothing more than to soothe him and began to caress his arm, the motion coaxing him into a deep slumber. Finding peace in the moment, soon after, she followed.
Jayce paced in his office, listening to the voices in his mind. Talon, his vampire side, edged him to kill Jade.
He’s lying to us. He’s trying to overthrow you and take our rightful place. He always wanted Gretchen for his own.
While Nyx, his wolf, was of a different mind, killing their blood was the equivalent of damnation. Wolves were loyal to a fault, especially to their kin. You know he would never betray us. The fucking fanger shouldn’t even be a part of us. Too many souls in one body will cause us to go mad.
Talon hissed at Nyx from the opposite side of Jayce’s mind. No one knew the turmoil he was in daily, just trying to fulfill his dual personalities' basic needs. Blood, murder, mayhem from Talon battling with Nyx’s need to protect, be noble and just, was slowly driving him insane.
One wanted to fuck constantly and the other wanted to bleed the poor female dry. This was why the Moon Goddess would never bless him with a mate. Fucking Hunters; Both of his companions growled in his mind in agreement. The one thing the three of them agreed upon was that the Hunters needed to die.
He knew he could never kill his little brother but torturing him at least appeased Talon’s bloodlust. Although, typically, days after, Nyx would recede to the back of his mind and not speak to him at all. Nyx had been with him since he was a boy but their bond had been tested since their stay at the Hunter’s compound. Nyx was not the kind, just wolf he once was. Although those things were high on his priority list, he was easily angered and quick to kill when the need arose.
Jayce put his hands against the wall and braced himself, trying to clear his mind. He just needed a little peace and quiet to get his thoughts in order. He needed his treatment. Growling, he pivoted towards his desk and grabbed his cellphone. After one ring, the woman picked up, and he was met with a sultry voice.
“You need me again, so soon?” She practically purred into his ear, the sound causing his stomach to roll and his dick to harden at the same time. How he could be so revolted and aroused simultaneously was beyond his comprehension. He just knew he had to appease Talon before he killed someone.
“You have ten minutes; bring the pet.” He ended the call knowing she would be there in less.
He took off his coat and slung it over the back of his office chair and mind-linked his pack. Do not under any circumstances disturb me tonight or I will kill whoever passes my threshold.
Yes, Alpha, the chorus of voices replied and he cut off the link.
The echo of high heels clacked down the hardwood hallway and he unbuttoned the top of his white dress shirt. The sound came to a halt just outside his office door. She knew better than to knock and waited patiently for him to grant her permission to enter. He could smell her natural arousal through the door—and it sickened him. Rage began to bubble beneath the surface. At his core, he was Lycan and yet the vampiric side of him stirred to awareness in anticipation of her arrival.
“Enter.” The door crept open, and Rebecca walked over the threshold. She was tall, about five-foot-eleven. Her slender body was encased in a floor-length, burgundy, lace dress that had a slit up to the curve of her hip. She had long, jet-black hair that flowed past her waistline. Her red eyes were downcast but bright with excitement and framed with long thick eyelashes. Talon vibrated with excitement inside him while Nyx growled with rage at the intrusion of this vampire female. Jayce’s eyes raked over her body as he looked for the one thing he knew would make this scenario complete; the slender black leather leash wrapped securely in her fist.
“Where is she?” Rebecca kept her eyes downcast as she tugged at the leash in her hand. The female walked forward with her chin held high. “Laria—” He breathed out. Nyx perked up at her arrival. To everyone else, she was Rebecca’s pet and what a beautiful, unique pet she was. The scent of amber hit his nose, causing Nyx to growl in his mind.
This one, she was no submissive. She stared directly into Jayce’s eyes as if daring him to say something. He drank in her appearance like the desert in a storm. Today she was exactly who he wanted her to be and by the glint in her eyes, she knew it, too; she was beautiful.
“Come.” He pointed towards Laria and she looked up to her owner for approval. “Dare to defy me, little one?” She waited a moment longer for some inclination as to what to do. When none was given, she strode forward. She stopped in front of him and he looked down at her. She had to tilt her head back to look up at him because she was, in fact, just as his nickname for her suggested, tiny; she stood only to his chest. As she peered into his eyes defiantly, her emerald orbs glittered, her long blonde hair curled in wild ringlets and hung freely down her back. She wore an emerald studded collar that matched perfectly with her eyes. She donned nothing else but an emerald green, lace thong. Not that she would need anything more. Her naked body was indeed a small package, but her hourglass figure, voluptuous breasts and round ass made his cock throb behind the zipper of his pants.
They stood a moment before she tilted her head to the side for him to drink. She knew he was the only one besides her mistress who could remove the collar. “Not today, little one; today, you watch.” he grinned wickedly at her; his eyes flashed between his wolf and vampiric sides as each tried to take control. He pushed them back in his mind and clasped her hand in his as he led her to a chaise lounge and laid her back. He kissed each one of her pulse points before adding, “For a time.” He knew he would need to appease Talon before he and Nyx could sate themselves. As he stood and watched her settle, he noticed a red lash mark on her thigh and his eyes went black. His wolf, Nyx, growled, “What happened?” Laria’s eyes flitted towards her mistress just for a moment, then to the floor and shifted so the marks weren’t visible.
His menacing gaze moved dangerously towards Rebecca, promising retribution. She immediately cast her eyes downward as he stalked towards her.
“Kneel,” he demanded in a low voice.
“Jayce, I—” He smacked her hard across her face and she fell to her knees. Talon purred in his mind at the cruelty while Nyx howled with retribution for the tiny female. Today, it seemed Nyx would revel in the abuse this abomination would endure.
“I said—kneel.” He removed her hand from her cheek and caressed the red welt. “What happened?” He smelled her
fear-filled arousal as it permeated the room. No matter how Jayce detested this female, she was necessary and so was her punishment.
“She was defiant.” He backhanded her again. “And you left marks without healing her, why?”
“Again, she was defiant. She did not deserve to be healed.” He kicked her backward from her kneeling position; she landed on her back with her legs curled under her. Her eyes glittered; he knew she was baiting him—she was dangerous tonight.
He knelt over her placing his large, calloused hands around her slender neck and began to apply pressure. His eyes glittered with menace as he asked, “Do you wish for me to kill you? Is that what this is? Do you wish for me to end your miserable existence?”
She shook her head frantically from side to side, feigning terror. Her eyes gave her away though, the ruby orbs glittered with excitement; she was enjoying this too much, almost as much as Talon.
“Look at me,” he ordered her. When she did, she saw the red bleeding into his eyes as Talon surged forward. His fangs peeked out from his full lips and her breath hitched as the tips of her fangs began to protrude from her gums. He reached between her thighs with one hand while still applying pressure to her neck with the other as he plunged a thick finger into her core. She let out a raspy groan and her back arched—her eyes never leaving Jayce’s intense stare.
“So wet for me.” The thick Romanian accent from Talon broke free of his lips. He removed his large hand from her wetness and grabbed her by the hair as he plucked her from the ground as though she weighed nothing, throwing her into the side of the desk. As she folded over the edge, she looked behind her with a wicked smile and bared her fangs, bracing herself against the solid oak.
He stalked towards her, unbuttoned his shirt and let it fall to the floor. “Touch yourself,” he commanded her. She pouted a little but reached between her legs as she eyed the hard length in his pants. He grasped at his cock through the fabric and she began to pant in anticipation. As he watched Rebecca beg him with her eyes he turned suddenly and grabbed the black leather strap off the wall.
Her eyes widened with realization as he pushed her upper body flush to the desk. He held her immobile by the nape of her neck as he looked to Laria, who was watching him wide-eyed. Laria nodded once and he ripped open the back of Rebecca's dress and began her punishment. He whipped her back over and over again leaving behind the same angry red welts that she had left on Laria.
“Please—Please, Alpha—” Rebecca begged, sawing her thighs together.
He gripped the back of her hair and pulled her back against his chest as the tattered dress fell to the ground. Her hard nipples peaked with arousal. “You ever punish her without healing her and I will fucking kill you. Do I make myself clear?”
“Ye—Yes, Alpha.” He clutched her breast and roughly pinched her nipple, causing her to moan, her head falling to the side as he snaked his other hand around her waist and plunged two fingers between her dripping folds. He pulled at her clit roughly, earning him a scream filled with pleasure and pain. She whimpered for him as his fingers continued their assault and his thumb stretched the rim of her ass. “This will not be a pleasure for you tonight, Rebecca,” he growled into her hair. She whimpered when she heard his zipper going down and she felt the blunt tip of his cock against her tightness.
He rocked his hips back and forth a few times, her throaty whines getting louder as he continued fingering her and rubbing her clit. He shifted his hips forward again and she let out a scream as he entered her with one powerful thrust. He gripped her hair and growled into her neck, thrusting hard and deep. “Fucking whore—” he growled as she ground against him. He pulled her head to the side baring the long column of her neck and he buried his teeth into the rapidly pulsing vein buried there. He dug his fingers into her hips as he moved roughly inside her, groaning in pleasure as he felt the tight ring of her ass clamp and release around him. His fangs in her neck held her immobile as she moaned against him.
He held her hips in place as she moved her hand down to the apex of her thighs and she began to rub herself, frantically chasing her release. Her body began to tremble against him. He released her neck and pushed her back to the desk slapping her rounded cheek none too lightly, earning him a cry of frustration as he pulled out of her. He spun her around and tucked his arms under her as he lifted her off the ground and pinned her to the nearest wall.
Her legs instinctually wrapped around him as he plunged inside of her again. She threw her head back in ecstasy as he drove in and out of her with angry thrusts. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders as he pulled back on the long length of her hair that trailed down her back. She dug her nails into his skin and as his body began to quake, she knew he was about to reach his climax. She reared back and buried her fangs into his thick neck and mewled as she took him inside of her again, and again.
Energy pulsed through his body and the erotic tension coiled in his belly with each deep gulp she took. He penetrated her relentlessly, like a piston, in and out of her tight sheath with reckless abandon as stars formed behind his eyes. With one final thrust his body convulsed and with a roar of blissful anguish, he emptied himself inside of her.
His larger body pinned her to the wall as they caught their breath and the tension in their bodies uncoiled as they sagged against each other. She languidly lapped at the open wound, closing it as he placed her on the ground and did the same. She grinned at him seductively, kissed him on the cheek and waltzed out of the room, sated and relaxed, leaving Laria for him.
With Talon finally satiated, he receded to the back of Jayce’s mind in a post feed-and-fuck slumber. Jayce and Nyx were now able to focus on the woman in front of them. His gaze rested on her luscious form and he found Laria’s emerald gaze glued to him. He walked towards her and held out his hand. She placed her small hand inside of his much larger one and smiled up at him but he couldn’t miss the depth of the sadness in her eyes. He dropped his forehead to hers and let out a sigh that seemed to come from his very soul. “I’m sorry it has to be like this.” The sorrow he felt and the deep timbre of his voice sent a chill up her spine and she knew in her heart how true his statement was.
She gently squeezed his hand. “I know; let’s get you washed up.” Laria pulled him to the bathroom and started the shower. He watched as she held her hand under the stream checking that the temperature was to her liking and then turned to him. She reached forward and pushed his pants down his legs. “Lift,” she said, as she removed them, one foot at a time.
Goddess, he felt filthy. He hated what he had to do to be with her. He hated what the Hunters turned him into. As if knowing where his mind was going, Laria stood and looked into his eyes.
“Stop it, she doesn’t matter—it doesn’t matter. Do you hear me?” she said as she grasped his biceps and shook him.
He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. This was the only time when he could be himself, the man he once was; he wouldn’t waste it.
He allowed her to pull him into the shower, the feeling of the water from the ceiling running over them both was soothing and his shoulders slumped with relief. Laria grabbed the loofah, lathered it with the body wash and began to wash his body. She ran her hands over the hard planes of his chest, down his arms and to his back. Every caress of her hand sent goosebumps over Jayce’s skin. A stark contrast between the filth he had just endured and the caring caress from the woman in front of him. Nyx growled with pleasure, but his human side felt tainted and dirty—no amount of washing could cleanse his soul.
“Be still,” she giggled as he shifted uncomfortably. She dropped the loofah and slid her hand between his thighs, paying particular attention to his manhood. She stroked the length of him while rolling his large sack in her hand, the slickness from the soap allowing her to glide her skin against his freely. Jayce groaned and reached forward, bringing Laria closer to him, her full breasts flush against his stomach. He curled down and captured her lips with his. They both groaned as their lips sought ea
ch other and their tongues brushed together. She nipped at his lower lip and pulled back from him.
Jayce gazed down at her with love in his eyes as the corner of his mouth tipped up in a small smile. “Laria—” He didn’t have the words to express himself but she saved him yet again.
“I know,” she smiled sweetly, “Jayce, I know.” She stood on her tiptoes and cupped his face in her hands. “One day, we will find a way. But for now, let’s just take advantage of the time we have, okay?”
Jayce dropped to his knees in front of her. He wrapped his arms around the curve of her waist and kissed her tenderly. He could never tell her what she meant to him but, damn it, he could show her. He poured all he had, all he was into the kiss and she deliberately rubbed against him. He moved her hair to the side, removed the collar and kissed her neck where he pretended his mark lay. Laria trembled against him and ran a hand through his hair as she gently scraped her nails against his scalp. He moved down to her breast and latched on; he lapped at her nipple and gently tugged as he showed her all the love he had for her. Her nails trailed down his back and he continued his journey south as he gently set her on the bench behind them.
Jayce kissed the curve of her hip, nipping at her skin while his hand ran up her curvy leg to the juncture of her thighs where her core already wept for him. He inserted one finger, gently probing at her center while he kissed his way to her soft mound. Her breath hitched as he dipped his tongue inside of her and massaged her clitoris. Laria let out a low throaty groan as he continued, gently inserting a second finger as she parted her legs farther to make room for him.
Laria’s back curved, her breath came in soft pants and her nipples pebbled, peaked by pleasure as she began to grind her hips against his tongue and hand. The water from the shower beat against her fair skin and trailed down her body, making her look like a goddess. He buried his face in her loveliness, lapping at her clitoris as he curled his fingers and continued devouring her. Her lips parted on a silent moan when he curled his fingers. Moments later, her body shook against him, and she came apart in his arms. He helped her through the last of the waves of pleasure as he gently brought her down from her high. He slowly withdrew his fingers from her, and she brought their lips together in a slow and passionate kiss.