Maybe distance was the only way though. The more distance he put between them, the better it would be for them both. He’d just have to deal with Thrax first and then worry about how to heal his heart.
They arrived at her house and stepped up on the porch. He waited for her to unlock the door. As she entered inside, Grace turned to look at him for the first time since leaving the store.
“You’re not coming in?” she asked softly.
“Maybe it’s best this way,” he said quietly. “Maybe it was always meant to be you inside your house and me standing guard.” He looked down at her as she stepped back onto the porch.
“Maybe it doesn’t have to be,” Grace whispered.
“You’ve already seen it.” Vitus shook his head. “My world is fucked up,” he said with a quiet laugh, and turned to look off into the distance. “I’m not sure it’s ever going to not be. You deserve better than that. You deserve the safe routine.”
A soft hand landed against his face, and he turned to find Grace now standing in front of him.
“Maybe both our worlds are fucked up. Maybe what we know isn’t what we should be living,” she said quietly. “I’m not going to lie. You scare me.”
Vitus tried to turn his head again, not able to listen to how his beastly side made her really feel. He stopped when her other hand found his opposite cheek.
“Not who you are but what you make me feel,” she said, and smiled at him. “But maybe it’s time I stopped letting my parents dictate my future. You’re right. I am my own person, and I deserve to live my own life.” She stood on her toes and placed a soft kiss against his lips. “I would rather spend everyday not knowing what’s next than spend one second without you next to me.”
Vitus stared down at the small woman before taking her into his arms.
Chapter Fifteen
Grace’s heart hammered in her chest as Vitus backed them up into the house, his mouth against hers. He closed the door with his foot.
How had it come to this? She hadn’t planned for this to happen. If anything, she’d meant to push him away. All day long she’d spent thinking about how he made her feel and each time, Grace felt her heart race with worry.
Vitus represented the opposite of how she’d lived her life. She was supposed to be careful and follow a routine. If she had a problem, she needed to think it through with deliberation, not given in flights of fancy or her racing heart.
Grace knew what the next step with Vitus was and wasn’t sure she could go there. Being surrounded by the place her parents had built, it was hard to see anything but how they would have felt knowing what she was doing with such an unusual man.
Allison often scolded her for the way she was. Grace’s sister just couldn’t understand that they were two different people.
Grace understood that her parents hadn’t been the easiest people to like. For someone like her sister, defying them and turning against what they wanted was all second nature. Grace, on the other hand, felt like she was straining against invisible chains.
She had never really learned to find her voice over the years. When her parents had died in the car accident, as awful as it might sound, she was relieved more than anything. Just not having them standing over her was more freedom than she’d ever had before. She might not have used it, but she at least liked having the option.
But this situation, with Vitus, it was going against everything she’d ever known. He wasn’t just some man, but a hybrid, and a special kind at that, different than even the ones they’d all heard about on the news.
Maybe that was the point though. When she was with him, she felt more alive than she’d ever felt before. Scared, too, but alive.
Maybe taking the easy way out wasn’t the best option if Grace ever wanted to have any true happiness of her own. And with Vitus, that’s what she had. She accepted that now, even if it still scared her.
Vitus’s mouth slanted over hers as he delved in deeper, tasting, probing. Thoughts of how he’d used that tongue earlier still played in the back of her mind, and she moaned against him. It had been amazing. She’d never come before like that in her life.
Grace blinked a few times when he pulled away from her. His hands moved to the top button on her blouse and hovered. He was clearly waiting for her to let him know she was ready. She covered his hands with her own and pulled them away.
Vitus stepped back, dropping his hands to his sides, and she could see the disappointment in his eyes.
For a moment, she thought about just heading into the bedroom and telling him goodnight. The whole thing was a bad idea. She could think of tons of reasons why she shouldn’t be doing this with him.
No. Grace took a deep breath and decided she wasn’t going to talk herself out of it. One button at a time, she opened the blouse and let it fall to the floor. When she reached for the zipper on her skirt, Vitus brought his hand to hers.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
Grace stared into his sweet blue eyes, and it suddenly struck her. He wasn’t asking because he thought he needed to. Vitus cared. He wanted to make sure that this was her choice, and she knew that regardless, he would be there for her.
She no longer had any doubts. This was the man she wanted to spend her days and her nights with. She pulled down the zipper and stepped forward out of the skirt and into his arms.
“I’m sure,” she said quietly.
His mouth crashed back down to hers, this time with a ferocious force that nearly knocked the breath out of her.
Grace sighed as Vitus reached up and freed her hair from the tight bun she had it in, and it cascaded into soft waves around her shoulders.
A loud gasp escaped her when his large hands landed on the bare cheeks of her ass and lifted her into his arms. Her legs instantly wrapped around his body.
In his chest, she could feel a low, deep rumble as he carried her back into the bedroom where he gently placed her on the bed.
Grace scooted back and watched from where she lay as he stripped out of nearly all his clothes. All but the boxer briefs.
She glanced up to his face and found his glowing eyes staring back at her. They had been here before. Nearly every night that week. One more barrier of clothing, and they would be treading in territory they hadn’t been in before. At least not while she was awake.
Grace could see the hesitation in his eyes. She knew her words earlier still played in his head. If they were going to move forward, she would need to be the one to make the move.
Still not quite sure of herself, she climbed onto her knees and made her way over to the side of the bed. At this height, she came to his chest with its firm chiseled lines like he was some sort of Greek statue.
Grace reached out and traced the lines there, her fingers brushing the blue tattoo on his side. They both jumped as a jolt of electricity shot through them, only spurring on the excitement of it all.
She continued moving her fingers to his stomach and stopped at the band of his underwear. She glanced up to him and found his glowing blue eyes blazing as he watched her. Taking a deep breath, she pulled down the fabric between them.
His cock sprang out as she pushed the underwear down until it slid off the rest of the way on its own.
Nibbling on her lip, Grace stared at the large appendage. The head of it was thick and red. Already a bit of precum had leaked out the tip.
Grace moved forward a little, swallowing. Her hand wrapped around the base. She was inexperienced, but she wanted to do for him what he had done for her. Not letting herself back out, she moved her mouth closer to the tip and swiped her tongue along the top.
Vitus was salty. Something she hadn’t really expected. He growled loudly as her tongue came into contact with his cock. She glanced up toward him and found his eyes closed.
Heat swept through her. She liked that she could make him feel as out of control as he made her feel.
This time as she leaned in, Grace opened her mouth wide and slipped him in as deeply as she c
ould. He bumped the back of her throat, and she pulled back again, still keeping her lips around him.
Vitus groaned loudly, and she moved forward again, loving that the muscles along his stomach tightened as she did so.
She bobbed her mouth over him now with ease. Each time it got easier and easier. The more she did it, the more confidence she gained. Another deep push and she felt him reach the back of her throat. This time she kept him there for a moment.
“Fuck,” he grunted loudly.
Quickly Grace glanced up to where he was and found his eyes on her, just as she had watched him with his mouth on her core. A shiver swept through her, and she could already feel her panties were soaked with excitement.
“Not yet,” he groaned, and pulled his cock from her mouth.
Grace pulled back and stared at him. “Did I do something wr—”
“Not even close,” he said with a grin. “You did something too right.”
She watched as he moved onto the bed, his shining blue eyes locked onto her own. When he was just a breath away from her face, he leaned down to whisper in her ear.
“I want the first time I come to be deep inside you as your sweet pussy squeezes me with your own release.”
A deep blush spread across her face at his words before his mouth was on hers again.
Vitus ached to be inside her now. His body screamed for some sort of release after her little mouth had sucked on him so well. He reached down between them and growled loudly at how wet she was.
Not caring now, he ripped the fabric off her. The sound of it tearing filled the room.
Grace gasped and reached around her back to get her bra. “You tore it,” she said.
Vitus stared down at her.
“I thought it was for me,” he grumbled.
Grace opened her mouth and closed it again as his fingers found what they really wanted.
He spread her open to him and slipped his fingers along her slick folds. Grace moaned and bucked her hips into his hand. Over and over he circled her tiny nub before pressing his fingers deep inside her.
She gripped his shoulders as he moved in her. Her hair fanned out under her.
“Vitus,” she panted against him. “I need you.”
He let out a loud grunt. Those three words were all he needed. He climbed between her spread legs and nudged her folds with the head of his cock. He groaned as he slipped along her wet pussy lips.
Damn, how he’d wanted this for so long. Still, he wanted her to need it just as badly.
“Do you want me?” he asked.
Grace stared up at him and licked her lips. “Always,” she whispered.
She reached up and pulled his face down to hers. Her tongue explored his mouth as he lowered himself on top of her. Grace reached around and placed a hand on his ass as his thick cock spread her wide.
With a deep breath, Vitus slowly slipped inside of her. Her insides squeezed him the farther he pushed. All the while, Grace continued to kiss him, pressing him in.
When he was fully rooted in the woman, he pulled back from her lips to stare down at her.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Grace nodded and shifted a little under him. “You’re big,” she huffed. “But it’s a good big.”
Vitus smiled softly down at her. “Flattery will get you everywhere.” He grinned.
Grace laughed, and he saw the worry ease from her face. He liked seeing her laugh. It wasn’t something she did often, and he liked even more that he was the person that could make her laugh.
She shifted again under him and gasped loudly.
Vitus started to pull back a little. Maybe he had pressed in too fast. He stopped when her nails bit into his ass, pulling him back inside her again.
This time a low, deep moan came from her parted lips.
He tested again, pulling out just a little farther and moving in just a little faster. Grace rolled her head back and panted there.
When he did it again, Grace glanced up to where he was.
“I need more,” she said between pants.
Vitus chucked.
This time he moved faster in and out of her, her insides squeezing him with each movement. Her other hand came to rest on his ass, pushing him to go even faster.
Soon Vitus was pumping into her as fast as his muscles would let him. Their bodies slapped together as they panted and groaned into the darkness.
Grace was amazing. Their bodies seemed to fit as if they really were intended for one another.
Vitus climbed up onto his knees and shifted Grace’s hips up further. From this angle, he could see her breasts as they bounced with each thrust and his glistening cock as it slipped deep inside her.
She gripped the sheets. He could already feel the first waves of her orgasm as it started to make itself known. His own balls tightened in response, eager to come deep inside of her.
He moved even faster now. His abs burned with the speed as Grace thrashed around on the bed.
She came hard around him. Her muscles clamped down so hard he had no choice but to let loose his own release. He came deep inside her, her muscles milking every last drop from his cock before he pulled out and collapsed on the bed next to her.
Still breathing hard, Vitus leaned over and kissed her hard on the mouth. “I changed my mind.”
Grace frowned slightly as she stared at him.
“You are mine,” he said firmly then leaned down to kiss her lips again. “And I am yours.”
A small smile played on her lips as they climbed under the covers, and she snuggled into his side. They lay quietly like that for some time as she traced the lines across his stomach before she spoke again.
“I think I can live with that,” she whispered as she wrapped her arms around his middle.
“Now,” he said, “we can go again.”
Grace gasped, then smiled.
Chapter Sixteen
Grace shifted in bed. She was bone tired, but she couldn’t wait any longer or her bladder was going to explode. She carefully shifted her weight on the bed and slipped out of the warm embrace of her lover.
It was strange to think about. Not all that long ago, she’d not been sure she would ever even have a man, and now she had a hybrid lover.
She glanced back over to where Vitus slept. It wasn’t often she saw him like this. His face was so relaxed as he lay sleeping. Usually it always seemed like he was waiting for something to happen. Even when he was smiling, she could sense he was never truly letting go. She was glad he was able to, if only for a little while.
Her cheeks heated as she thought about the reason he was sleeping so soundly. They’d come together over and over. Despite the fact that there had been a little discomfort in the beginning, she was surprised with how quickly that went away. Even now, she was slightly sore but still wouldn’t say no if he wanted to have yet another romp session.
Grace shook her head and turned away from him. Nothing was going to happen unless she went to the bathroom first. Practical realities had a way of intruding on fun.
Quietly she slid out of the bed and slipped on a set of pajama pants by the bed before making her way to the bathroom.
Once finished, Grace stepped out and shivered. She’d been keeping the thermostat a little lower than normal, but with the temperature drop, it was just a tad too cold to ignore.
She wrapped her robe around her and made her way into the living room. There she turned the temperature up a few degrees before grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge. On her way back to the bedroom, she noticed a light off in the distance.
Tilting her head, Grace frowned as she stared out into the night. After a second, she realized the light was coming from down the street, most likely from her store.
She groaned to herself. Distracted, she had likely missed it when they were leaving. If she didn’t turn it off now, there was no telling when she’d get over, especially with the next day being a holiday. She might be living a slightly more carefree life, but
she didn’t want to annoy people with a light on at night nor did she like the idea of wasting electricity like that.
Grace grumbled to herself as she slipped on a coat over her robe and tucked her pajama pants into her boots. This was not what she wanted to be doing.
She sighed loudly and stepped over to the door, better to just get this over with than wait any longer. It’d only take a few minutes if she hurried.
The cold night air greeted her as she opened the door and slipped outside. They hadn’t had snow in about a week, but the bitterly cold temperatures they were getting made it stick longer.
The world around her was quiet aside from the crunching from her boots as she made her way over to the store. It was still too early for the deliveries to be out, and most people slept in on holidays, especially one that didn’t land on a Sunday.
She stomped her way to the door and took out her keys but was surprised to find glass shattered there.
Her eyes widened, and she sucked in a breath. She’d never stopped to think that it might be something other than her forgetting to turn the light off.
Her heart hammered in her chest as she looked around the place. Someone had broken into her store.
Already Grace was feeling like being there was a bad idea. Someone desperate enough to break into her store wasn’t someone she could talk out of doing something dangerous. Instead of going in and trying to be a hero, she decided getting Vitus would be the smart option.
Grace turned around and gasped loudly. Again, her imagination had failed her. She’d imagined some sort of teen high on drugs had broken in, not the huge bestial man standing before her.
Thrax’s red eyes glowed in the darkness. He stood in the middle of the street.
“You came,” he rumbled.
Grace broke into a sprint. Maybe she would get close enough for Vitus to hear her. Something. Anything.
She panted as she ran, but behind her, she could already hear Thrax catching up to her. He slipped in front of her with ease, blocking her way back. As if she weighed nothing, he scooped her up in his arms.
Vitus: #9 (Luna Lodge: Hunters of Atlas) Page 8