Xander (A Dark Assassins Novel Book Three)

by Valerie Ullmer

  He hadn’t wanted to pressure her by moving their relationship into an area that she might not be comfortable with, and tried to keep his hands to himself, but his Frost was pure temptation. With every brush of her lips and the touch of her hand on his skin, and he wanted to carry her upstairs and love her until they were too sore to move. It was as close to torture as he’d ever experienced. But when she paused at his hips and her blue-green eyes flashed at him, he realized how much he’d been craving her touch.

  Soon, the trail her mouth had taken had pushed him straight to the edge. It was pure heaven when she wrapped her mouth around his cock, and he found it sexy as hell that she had taken him deep in her mouth without any hesitation. But he would embarrass himself before they even started if she continued.

  When she landed gently on the bed, he knew that he needed to taste her and the desire roared through his veins. It was sexy as hell that she trusted him as he settled between her thighs. Her reactions to his touch pushed him to explore her further, until the rush of her orgasm had her pass out from the pleasure.

  Pulled from his thoughts when she moaned against his chest, he pulled back and couldn’t help the concern he felt for her. She had been out for a good five minutes, and all he used was his tongue and lips. And, okay, his fingers, too. But there was a smile of satisfaction on her face as she opened her hand on his chest and roamed every inch of skin she could touch. Soon, touching wasn’t enough, and she crawled on his lap.

  When her wetness brushed against his cock, he stifled a moan and threw his head back on the pillow. Nothing had ever felt so good in his life.

  “I want to hear you, Xander. I want to know that I’m making you scream with pleasure.”

  She lifted herself off him before she pressed her hips forward, brushing her lips against his cock and covering him with her wetness that he’d tasted only minutes before. She sat back, placing herself farther out of his reach, and he fisted his hands by his side so he couldn’t reach for her and pull her on top of him.

  He let out a choked sob when she reached for the base of his cock and squeezed. A moan tore out of him when she used her come to easily slide her hand up and down his length, using the perfect amount of pressure in order to drive him out of his mind.

  “Please, sweetheart. I need—”

  With quick, sure movements, she raised herself on her knees and before he could finish his plea, she sank down onto his cock. He flinched slightly when he could feel her muscles as they clamped down on the head of his cock. It was too tight, too warm, too pleasurable, too everything. And he groaned when he realized it was only the beginning. He thought that he would hurt her if he made any movements, so he held his hips still and allowed her to set her own pace and take her own pleasure.

  “Touch me, Xander.”

  His hands clamped around her hips, loving the soft skin underneath the rough skin of his fingers and palms, and she moaned when he squeezed. He couldn’t help but run one hand up the soft skin of her stomach, until they were close to her beautifully rounded breasts. Using his forefinger and thumb, he added a slight pressure to her nipple and was rewarded with a low and dirty moan.

  She sank down slowly onto his cock, never showing any signs of discomfort. He hadn’t realized that curses left his lips until she paused and smiled down at him.

  “I’m trying to fuck you.”

  She bent down and kissed him. The movement pressed him deeper inside her as she moved closer, and he felt surrounded by her tight, warm heat. He breathed deep, loving her scent that surrounded him.

  “Xander,” she breathed.

  His name on her lips had a groan emerging from his throat and he darted up to thread his fingers through her hair as he captured her lips in a searing kiss. He loved when she moaned into his mouth and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Her hips drove forward, small movements that sent tremors of bliss throughout his body, as she searched for friction.

  He released her lips and lay back down. His thumb reached toward her clit and rubbed circles around the sensitive area, until she clamped down on him and moaned.

  “Take what you want from me, sweetheart.”

  She lifted her hips a fraction, hissing at the sensations, before driving back down onto him. She tried a couple more times, but she shivered as the sensations overwhelmed her. Her chest was flushed, along with her beautiful face. “I don’t know how.”

  “You’ve…never, before?”

  She shook her head, her hands pressed against his chest as she squeezed him.

  “I never found myself attracted to anyone, until you, so I didn’t care to gain any knowledge with someone else. Remember, I’m awkward around people.”

  He kissed her hard and flipped her onto her back, never removing himself from deep inside her. He deepened the kiss, and shivered as he drew another moan from her. His chest swelled with pride whenever she reacted to his touch. When they broke the kiss, she gasped for breath as he buried his face into her neck, loving her scent and the salty taste as he pressed his lips to her skin.

  “Show me.”

  The small plea made his heart ache and at that moment, he wanted her to remember every touch, caress, and pleasurable sensation that he could give her. With one hand on her hip and the other pressed against the pillow near her head, he pulled back until the head of his cock was seated just inside her and angled her hips before he thrust deep inside.

  “Oh, oh. More, please. Xander. More.”

  He moved his hips forward, changing the angle and the speed of his thrusts, finding what Frost needed from him. Each stroke set her afire, her moans almost unraveling him and soon, her movements matched his. She thrust her hips up to meet his, driving him even deeper inside her. She squeezed him each time he moved back, as if she wanted to keep him inside her for as long as possible. With her hands roaming over his chest and back, a growl rumbled through him and continued as she cupped his ass and drove him harder against her.

  He moved his mouth down her neck, lightly biting her collarbone, but staving off the need to claim her. He needed time to fully explain what claiming meant to him, and what it would mean for her. She moaned and angled her neck toward him, but he continued his exploration until he reached one of her pebbled nipples and drew it into his mouth. He swirled his tongue around her several times, savoring her taste, before sucking the bud deep in his mouth and moaned against her skin. Soon, he moved to the other, not wanting to neglect any part of her body that would add to her pleasure.

  Sensations melded together, overwhelming both of them, and soon he could feel the tingle in his spine that signaled his impending release. But he wanted her pleasure first, so he reached down and rubbed his thumb along her clit.

  She moaned and gripped his shoulders, anchoring herself to him as she moaned his name.

  He forced open his eyes, wanting to see her flushed skin and her reactions this close to their orgasms, but it took him by surprise when her skin, all over her body, glowed.

  He increased his thrusts, feeling close to the edge and slowly losing control. When she blinked up at him, she gasped as she caught the glow on her forearm, her hands gripping Xander tightly.

  “What?” She met his gaze.

  But before he could answer her, even if he could explain it to himself, pleasure surged through his entire body as she clenched down on his cock. He felt the flood of her wet heat as it covered his cock and he lost all control. With her name on his lips, repeating it over and over again, he drove in once, and then again, before he pressed himself deep inside and released. A roar ripped through his throat and his cock continued to pulse for long minutes.

  When he could focus past his pleasure, he pulled her close and noticed that the glow that had been so prominent before was now slowly fading. He pressed kisses on her forehead, cheeks, and lips as he stroked her hip as they came down from their high. She shivered as their bodies slowly cooled, and he rolled to his side and gathered her close before he reached for the comforter, pulling it over them
, and smiled against her hair when she snuggled closer.

  “You’re mine now, sweetheart. I won’t ever be able to let you go.”

  She kissed his chest. “I don’t want to be apart from you. I’m so glad that you found me.”

  Xander kissed her gently, unable to stay away from her.

  “When did I stop glowing?”

  “Not too long ago. We should sleep for a few more hours, before Ghost orders us back to our search. He wants me to find the money trail between Nightfall and the government.”

  She nodded, and her soft hair brushed against his hot skin. He squeezed her, enjoying her being in his arms, and before long, he heard her breathing slow as she settled into sleep.

  His arm tightened when he realized how happy she made him. She had told him that she felt the same way, and she wasn’t afraid to express it. He felt guilty for not claiming her. He wanted her to make the decision on her future with all the details he could provide. Although he loved that she dove into everything with abandon, forever was a long time and she needed to make an informed decision, or he would always feel as if he pushed her into being his mate.

  And soon, he would explain everything, before he would find those who truly threatened her and his family, and he would destroy them.

  With one last press of his lips to her forehead, he closed his eyes and listened to her breathing until he was pulled into sleep.

  Chapter Eight

  Frost

  Frost woke up and without looking at the clock, stumbled in the darkness toward the bathroom as the fullness of her bladder made itself known. She caught sight of the clock on the nightstand as she closed the door behind her and groaned at the time—three a.m. She had woken just two hours before, and two hours before that, having to pee each time.

  They had to be up in a few hours to investigate the lead that Xander had found between Nightfall and the mercenaries. They were having the others over for breakfast before the sun rose so the vampires could be there.

  She tried to clear her head enough to think about why she had been getting out of bed so often, and other than a stupid infection that she hoped she couldn’t get now that she was a shifter mix, but nothing suggested itself to her. All she knew was that she usually slept like the dead, but after waking up so often, she felt groggy and her mind slow. She loved sleep, even though she didn’t need as many hours as a shifter mix, but when she lay in Xander’s arms, she never wanted to leave the bed. Now, the more she thought about it, the more irritated she grew. She would ask Liv about it later when she saw her for the meeting.

  She flipped on the light, not willing to take the risk of falling if she blinked too slowly or, heaven forbid, she nodded off to sleep while sitting up. She squinted as she made her way across the room, and only stubbed her toe once on the side of the cabinet and managed not to curse aloud. As she finished, she felt a bit more awake. Her mind flashed back to the moment she noticed that her skin had glowed, right before her orgasm struck and left her breathless and shaking. The first time they’d made love. Each time they had loved—and if she were honest with herself, it had been every few hours when they were awake and a couple of times during the night—every day since the first time, her skin hadn’t glowed, even though her feelings for Xander grew more intense. She thought, like the rest of her that was different than everybody else, that it was an anomaly that wasn’t anything to worry about and she brushed it off.

  Grateful that she could head back to bed, she glanced up and noticed the circles under her eyes and shook her head. She wondered whether she would even wake up before the other’s arrived. She washed her hands and splashed water on her face, feeling the cool calming her, before she reached for a towel and dried her hands and face. Pulling the towel away, she blinked her eyes at the harsh light from the bathroom and caught a glimpse of her stomach. Her eyes widened, before she blinked again, and still her brain was slow to understand.

  Although she hadn’t noticed it a few minutes before, there was a definite roundness to her stomach. It now hung a little past her waistline. She felt surprisingly calm when she lifted her shirt and tucked it underneath her breasts to expose her stomach completely. Her hands opened over her belly and she closed her eyes, straining to listen. Waiting several minutes, she learned the sound and the rhythm of her own heartbeat before she tried to find another that would be softer, quieter.

  There. The faint beat of another heart, muffled, almost indistinguishable.

  The realization woke her faster than anything else could have. She bit her lip to hold back a gasp that wanted to escape and she listened to the tiny heartbeat in her womb. She was mesmerized for several minutes as pure joy surged through her. But her joy faltered as she thought about her mate, sleeping on the other side of the door in the bedroom.

  Would he be happy?

  Angry?

  Would it be the end of their relationship?

  For the past few weeks, she’d known that she loved Xander, but during the same time, he’d never indicated that he felt the same way about her. Sure, he cared for her, treated her as though she was the most important person in his life, but he hadn’t claimed her. Each time his teeth scraped against her skin, she would hold her breath and hope that he would do exactly as she wanted, but he pulled away as if the thought stopped him cold.

  She wondered how being pregnant was even possible. She knew that Liv, Ara, and Aubrey couldn’t conceive because, according to Liv, they were in a form of stasis after their transition. Although blood still pumped in their veins, it was for the purpose of keeping them alive, not to procreate. And she had gone through the transition, having the exact same aches and pains as Ara had described hers to be. But the one main difference was that Ara shifted after she came out of it; Frost hadn’t. It never really bothered her that she couldn’t, because she had the other attributes of being a shifter and had been ecstatic with her new mate to care very much.

  What if I’m not his true mate? That could be a reason for him not to claim me.

  He doesn’t want me, does he?

  With those confusing thoughts swirling around her brain, she sat down on the floor near the tub and rubbed her belly.

  Her body sagged and for a few desperate minutes, she welcomed the feeling of numbness as it washed over her, leaving her thoughts surprisingly quiet as she processed the pain. But then her practical side kicked in and realized that she would have to figure out what to do. Despite her own feelings, all that mattered now was her son.

  Xander might not want her, but he would want his child, and she would never deny him access to his son. Just because he didn’t want her didn’t mean that he wouldn’t want their son. She would never accept anything less than love. Xander would try to be noble about it, force himself to do the right thing because he was old-fashioned like that, but time with their son would be different than time with her. She would accept it, no matter how much her heart might be broken.

  But right now, she would have to learn all about her pregnancy and how to protect her son, and she knew the one place she could go. She knew that they would support her, but Frost wouldn’t come between his family and Xander. So, she decided that she would go to Liv for advice and then from there, she would figure it out.

  Pushing herself off the floor, she walked toward the door and flipped the light off. She quietly dressed and headed downstairs. She found her coat near the door and wrapped it tightly around her body. With numb fingers, she unarmed the security system before rearming it and stepping outside into the cold January morning, locking the door behind her.

  Silently, she made her way toward the copse of trees, making sure she was far enough away from Xander’s house, before she started to run full speed toward her destination.

  Barely out of breath after the seven-mile run, she reached the perimeter of the property and hesitated, knowing that anyone in the house would be alerted once she tripped the alarm. Although she didn’t want a crowd around when she explained that she was pregnant, and silen
tly thought about the fact her mate didn’t want her, she took a deep breath and walked toward the front door.

  The flood lights illuminated her clearly from the driveway. She could already see Kai standing on the porch by the front door and her steps faltered. Kai ran forward and pulled her into a hug. She let the tears that she’d been holding back flow.

  Kai opened his mouth, but quickly snapped his teeth closed when she knew he detected the same small heartbeat that she had minutes early. Without hesitation, he lifted her in his arms and carried her into the house. Liv was waiting inside.

  Liv appeared in front of her the moment the door closed behind Kai, and she took Frost from Kai’s arms and gently set her on the couch.

  “How far along, sweetie?”

  Frost felt a pang of hurt, but pushed it down and smiled at Liv. Of course, Kai would communicate with Liv the moment he learned about her condition. Her smile faltered seconds later when she remembered that she wouldn’t have anything close to the love they shared. Instead of wallowing, she concentrated on the question Liv posed.

  “Two weeks. When we made love for the first time, my skin glowed. It was the first and only time it had happened. I’m guessing I conceived then.”

  Liv was so familiar with her that she placed her hand over Frost’s stomach without asking. She felt a sense of calm as it washed over her from Liv’s touch, and she felt as though she could breathe for the first time since she spotted the bump.

  “Where’s Xander?”

  “I discovered the little bump on my millionth trip to the bathroom tonight.” She rolled her eyes, she couldn’t help it. “I didn’t want to disturb him because he’d been sleeping so soundly.”

  Liv softened her gaze, sensing there was more to it and Frost cracked. “I don’t know if he wants me. He hasn’t claimed me, despite ample opportunities to do so, and he hasn’t told me how he feels. He keeps reminding me that we’re mates, but I haven’t shifted, so why would he want a defective mate in the first place?”