Maverik's Ashes

by Sandra R Neeley

  She clamped her hand around his thigh, preventing him from pulling away from her and started swallowing in rapid succession, purring even louder. He wrapped one hand in her hair, threw his head back and roared as he came. He came so hard he thought surely he must have drowned her. He immediately tried to pull back, remove his cock from her throat, but she refused to give him any chance to pull away from her. She’d already swallowed most of all he’d given her, so she moved her head back just a bit, enough to allow him to lay across her tongue, and she continued to suck him until he was completely spent. Then she licked him clean, relishing the taste of her Mate. The moaning that he was now constantly offering in response to her attentions was the best sound she’d ever heard.

  He dropped to his knees beside her, wrapping her in his arms, holding her close. His breathing was still labored. He was going to need a minute to recover; then, he was going to fuck her senseless. “Valerie, baby, do not ever tell me where you learned to do that. I will kill the fucker that taught you that. Nobody should ever experience that, but me.”

  She laughed, helplessly losing her breath she laughed so hard.

  “Not kidding, darlin’. I will kill the bastard.”

  Still laughing, she barely managed to get out, “Books!”

  He pulled her head away from his chest where he held her, “What?”

  “Books,” she said again, “I learned it from books; then, I bought, let’s call them educational tools, and practiced, so I could learn to relax my throat the right way.”

  “You're shitting me,” he told her.

  “No! Truth, I swear! I learned it by reading. Then I practiced ‘til I could do what the girls in the romance novels could do.”

  “Thank fuck I won’t have to kill anybody,” he said as he laid back on the floor, pulling her down on top of him.

  “And those books, baby? I will buy you as many books as you want. Without question, just buy em and send me the bill. That was fucking amazing.”

  “Deal!” she said.

  He lay there, stroking her back with one hand as he held her close with the other. He could feel himself getting hard again.

  Valerie gasped, “Already?!” she said as she ran her hand down to caress his cock.

  “With you, it will never be enough,” he told her and pushed her over onto her back, settling himself between her thighs.

  “I want to be inside you, Valerie,” he told her as he stared intensely into her eyes.

  “Me, too, I want that, too,” she answered.

  He sat up, straddling her thighs, his knees braced on the floor holding himself up off her so his weight wouldn't hurt her. He reached for the snap on her jeans, and liked to jump out of his skin as somebody pounded on her door hard enough to shake it.

  “The fuck is that?!” he snarled.

  Then he knew, “Maverik? Is that you in there?” Vince yelled through the closed door.

  “Yes, it’s me in here. Who the fuck else would be in here?” he answered, his irritation clear.

  “I’m coming in,” Vince called back.

  “No the fuck you’re not!” Maverik yelled back at him.

  In the meantime Valerie had pulled herself out from under Maverik and reassembled her clothing. “Come in, Vince.” She called.

  “Aw come on, darlin’. He’ll go away!” Maverik pleaded.

  “No, he ain’t going away,” Vince said as he let himself inside.

  “What the hell was all that noise?” he asked as he came in and made himself at home on the couch.

  Maverik grinned at him evilly as he buttoned his jeans, “Really want to know?” he asked.

  “Naw, forget I asked. I’m good.”

  “You coming to work this evening, Val?” Vince asked her.

  “Yes, I’ll be there. I’m gonna take a nap before work, then I’ll be right down.”

  “Where is your car? That’s the main reason I came up, no car but roars coming from in here.”

  “It’s at Maverik's. He drove me into town on his bike. We had lunch and picked out some furniture for his house.”

  Maverik took offense, “I’m sorry, for whose house?” he snapped.

  She smiled, looking down at her lap bashfully, “For our house.”

  “Yes, Ma’am. And don’t you forget it!” He got up from the couch and leaned over her where she sat across from her brother, “I’ll be back before you get off work, darlin’. You make sure ever’body in there tonight knows you’re mine. You hear?” he kissed her and headed toward the door.

  “She ain’t wearing a ring. Ain’t nothing says she belongs to anybody,” Vince said, more to torque Maverik than anything.

  Maverik, shooting daggers at Vince, reached into his back pocket, pulled out a small deep-purple velvet drawstring bag, pulled it open, and poured a single, cushion-cut 3 carat solitaire diamond ring into his palm. It was obvious there were other rings in there, but Valerie sat there too stunned to even ask about them. He stepped back to where she sat, dropped to both knees in front of her, putting his hands together, palms up in front of him, just above her lap, the ring resting in them, “Valerie, you are my world. You have all of me. I will love you, honor you, cherish you, protect you and provide for you for the rest of our lives. Please, make me the luckiest male alive. Marry me. Be my Mate. Be my wife. Let me see your smile first thing every morning when I open my eyes, and every night when I close them as I hold you in my arms.”

  Valerie lunged forward, wrapping her arms around his neck, sobbing, “Yes! Yes! I’ll marry you. I’ll be your Mate and your wife. I love you, Maverik.”

  He held her tightly, so tight that had she been human, she’d have been bruised. “I love you, Valerie. So much. So fucking much!” and when his eyes met Vince’s, there were tears in Maverik's eyes.

  Vince smiled, knowing in his heart of hearts that his little sister would be forever happy. This was a good male. A very unusual male, a wild male, but one that clearly adored her and knew her for the very special female that she was. “Welcome to the family, Maverik.”

  Chapter 22

  Maverik grinned the entire drive back to the house. He roared to a stop right in front of the porch, jogged up the steps and slammed into the main house, “Hey! Where’s ever’body at?”

  “In here,” Ms. Sadie answered from the kitchen.

  As he came into the room, he saw that she and Goldy were the only ones there. She was already getting dinner started, and Goldy had a giggling, drooling Daisy on his lap. He was pretending to slowly get her with his index finger, and she’d squeal and slap at it, dissolving into fits of giggles each time he feigned injury and pouted. Then he’d start the game all over.

  “They all over at Avaleigh’s getting Remi’s room started. Except Delilah and Janie, they in the bedroom, going over Delilah’s lessons,” Goldy told him.

  “Well, then ya'll be the first to know. You looking at a taken male. I am engaged!” Maverik said, proudly preening, thrusting his chest out, hands on hips, grinning ear-to-ear as he lifted his chin in the air.

  “Oh, that’s wonderful, Maverik!” Ms. Sadie told him, rushing to hug him.

  “Thank you, Ms. Sadie. I think so, too,” he told her hugging her back.

  Goldy immediately whooped and hollered his happy response, which brought Delilah and Janie to the kitchen a few minutes later.

  “What is this noise, Goldy? I am reading words!” Delilah said grumpily as she entered.

  “Maverik! He’s engaged!” Goldy answered, then back to Maverik, “Congratulations, brother. I am truly happy for you. You got a great gal in Valerie.”

  “Yes, I do,” Maverik answered smiling.

  “Oh, Maverik! I’m so happy for you and Valerie,” Janie told him, ever the romantic clasping her hands together beneath her chin, with her eyes getting misty.

  “This is good, Maverik-Ass. You have a good female with a good heart. The gods have chosen well. And perhaps she didn’t do too poorly in the Mate she has acquired, either. At least you are t
rainable,” Delilah told him, looking at him sideways, waiting for his comeback.

  Maverik just smiled at her, “I am the luckiest male alive, and I have no problem admitting it. She’ll never regret she accepted my sorry ass; that much I promise,” he said with a slight smile on his face.

  Delilah inhaled, “But you are not mated, Maverik-Ass. I smell only you!”

  “I gave her her engagement ring,” he said proudly, grinning. “It wasn't exactly the way I planned, but Vince pushed my buttons,” Maverik grumbled.

  “Imagine that,” Goldy snickered.

  “I’m gonna claim her when I get her home from work tonight. Her car’s still out front, so I’m gonna go back and pick her up later,” he explained, “then we’re coming back here, and I’m gonna claim her in our new home. I got the rest of the afternoon to hook up the electricity and make sure ever’thing’s ready. Gotta head into town and get some food and stuff. The furniture should be delivered later on.”

  “Oh! We’ll help, right, Delilah?” Janie asked, turning excitedly to Delilah. “We can go grocery shopping for you, oh, and we can get some flowers and some wine; we can get all kinds of stuff to make it special for ya’ll, and that way you can concentrate on getting the house ready.”

  Delilah nodded confidently, “Yes, we will do this, Janie. Maverik-Ass, you will go work on your home. I will advise my Mate that I am going to buy things for you. We shall return soon,” she announced.

  “Sister Janie, please go advise your male that we will be leaving,” she moved toward the back door, “I must speak with Kaid,” she said over her shoulder as the door slammed behind her.

  Maverik watched her go, “Well, I guess we’ll be doing it her way, then,” he chuckled.

  Delilah walked straight over to Kaid, where he stood cutting support beams with a skill saw. “Kaid! I must speak with you,” she stated emphatically.

  He immediately put the saw down, unplugging it due to the always curious Remi who wandered around the work site excitedly watching his room come together. “What is it, Lilah? You okay?” he asked as he walked toward her quickly.

  “I am well. It is Maverik-Ass,” she said.

  “Aw, hell. What did he do now?” Kaid asked.

  “He has done well, now, actually. But I will make this day his dream. And you will help me,” she handed him his cell phone, and he looked at it questioningly.

  “Okay, what am I doing?” he asked his Mate. He knew better than to even try to discuss anything with her. If she set her mind to something, she was going to see it through, so now when she said she was going to do something, he either had to use coercion to dissuade her, or, he just said, ‘Okay, what do you want me to do?’

  “Myself and sister Janie are going into town, and you will place a phone call,” she said. Then she told him quickly of her plan as she reached for her own phone, dialing a number. She stopped her explanation when the person she called picked up on their end, “Vincent! I am Delilah. You will help me this night,” she stated.

  Kaid could hear him chuckle and his voice on the other end, “Well, hello to you, too, Delilah. What exactly is it you’re wanting my help with?”

  Then the person that Kaid had called answered, so he paid attention to his own phone, “Hello, Preacher Manley. How are you, sir?”

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  Maverik walked outside to find most of his clan working on Avaleigh’s house. They’d already removed the siding and sheetrock from the side of her cabin where they were going to put the addition for Remi’s room. Then movement near his own house caught his eyes, and there he found Riley sitting atop the mobile home roof as he secured the vent cap in place for the heater and vent for the master bath. He couldn't see the back of the mobile home, but from the looks of the power lines leading from the electrical pole in the center of their property, it looked like Riley already had them connected to the breaker box at the rear of the double wide. He walked over, calling out, “Riley, you do that all by yourself?”

  Riley looked up to see Maverik coming toward him, “Hi, Pops!” he grinned down at him.

  “Pops? Really?” Maverik asked with a smirk.

  “Yup, You’re my Mate’s daddy, and my daughter calls you Puppy,” Riley grinned at the intentional slip, “I mean, Poppy. So, Pops it is,” Riley finished with a megawatt smile.

  “Yeah, anyway, thanks for the help with the house,” Maverik told him.

  “No problem. It wasn't just me; they been chipping in when they see I need help,” Riley indicated the rest of the clan swarming over Avaleigh’s place with a thrust of his chin. “Me and Bane put the skirting around the bottom, and he helped me pull and connect the power lines. We about done, now,” Riley added.

  Then a truck was heard coming up the drive. They paused to see who it was, and Maverik broke out into a big grin as the truck that came into view had the logo of the furniture store on the side of it. He jogged over to where they came to a stop to show them where to park so that they could get everything unloaded and moved into the double wide. Riley finished tightening the vent cap, and hopped down off the roof to help move the furniture in. Kaid, Bane, Bam and Daniel came to help. Avaleigh and Maia came out of her cabin where they’d been in the kitchen. The guys had hung heavy sheets of plastic sheeting to protect the rest of her cabin from dust and debris while they built Remi’s addition, and they’d been visiting with Delilah and Janie in the kitchen along with Cristie, who’d been busily coloring. When Delilah told of her plans for the night, they immediately wanted to help and all got down to planning. Once it was all laid out, only Maia wasn’t completely happy. “What is wrong, little Wolf. Do you not wish for a new mother?”

  “Yes, I do. I really do. But I’m just a little sad that I won’t be able to be there,” Maia explained.

  “Why will you not be there?!” Delilah exclaimed.

  “I’m not even seventeen, Aunt Delilah. I can’t get in,” she answered.

  “Ridiculousness!” Delilah stated, waving her hand in the air as had become her trademark move to dismiss anything she didn't particularly agree with, “You will be there. I will take care of it.”

  “Really? Are you sure?” Maia asked, now getting excited.

  “Absolutely.” She looked to the ladies, “Now do not speak of this to any others. Maverik-Ass must not be aware,” Delilah instructed them all.

  The women grinned and squealed and giggled as they finished planning Maverik’s great surprise.

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  The furniture truck backed into place, the rolling door was lifted, and the guys started grabbing pieces and taking them in the house. Maia hurried to place herself at the front door of the new double wide, where she stood back and held it open as they moved furniture through. When they moved her bedroom set in, before she even knew it was hers, she was oohing and ahhing over how pretty it was. Maverik stopped as he got in front of her, carrying her headboard to better let her look at it, “This one’s yours baby girl,” he said, leaning over to kiss the top of her head.

  “Oh My God! I love it! Thank you, Daddy!” she gushed as she ran her hand over the top of it.

  “You’re welcome. Valerie helped me pick it out,” he told her.

  She looked around, “Where is she? I thought she’d be here, too,” Maia asked.

  “She’s going to work tonight; I’m going to get her when she gets off,” Maverik answered.

  Across the way Janie and Delilah got into Delilah’s new Camaro. It was a shiny charcoal color, with light grey seats and interior that she had personally chosen. She loved it and was very proud of it. As she cranked the 6.2 liter Vortec engine, the corresponding rumble and growl from the engine made Kaid smile. He knew how much she loved her new car, and the rumble reminded both him and Delilah of her Dragon’s rumble. He called out to her, “Monster, don’t you be speeding! You be careful, baby!”

  She called back, “I do not speed! And I am always careful!” as she slammed her foot down on the gas pedal, spraying gravel behind
them as they sped away.

  Kaid snickered, shaking his head, loving that his Mate was discovering more and more freedoms every day, and reveling in each. He was not worried; he knew she was very careful and protective of both herself and her clan. Not to mention that she now had a cub or dragonling to think of.

  The guys made quick work of getting all three bedroom sets moved in, assembled and the mattresses in place. Then they got the washer and dryer moved in and hooked up. The women moved in all the sheets, blankets, comforters, towels and such that Valerie had picked out earlier that day. The windows were already covered with the curtains that came with the trailer, but Maverik had no doubt that Valerie would want to replace them with her own choices later.

  As they set up the living room furniture, Maia went to every bedroom, making the beds, and putting light bulbs in the lamps on each of the bedside tables.

  It took hardly any time at all with everyone helping. Pretty soon, all that was left was to put a centerpiece on the dining room table, along with some place mats, and to fill the pantry and fridge with food and the kitchen cabinets with dishes, cookware and silverware.