by Aline Hunter
“Do you want to come, t’keeira?”
At first, she thought he’d asked the question aloud. Then she realized the thought had echoed through her head and not the room. But she wasn’t telepathic. She’d never been able to read or hear anyone’s thoughts.
How could she possibly hear his?
“We are establishing a mated connection. Soon you’ll know everything about my past, my present and our future together. Open your mind and your heart, give yourself over to me.”
His tongue slid into the moist depths of her core, leaving her empty and aching. Images of Wolfe sliding into her from behind, his teeth lodged in her shoulder as he pinned her down and fucked her hard flashed through her head. He would be rough yet gentle, demanding but giving.
“I want you like that, Arden. Helpless and completely open to me. I want you to trust me enough to do whatever I wish. Do you trust me not to harm you?”
“Yes,” she thought back. “I trust you. Don’t make me wait.”
He slid two fingers into her pussy and scissored them apart. “You’re so tight. I have to make sure you’re ready.”
“I am,” she wailed, meeting the spears of his fingers. “Stop torturing me.”
He kept tormenting her with his fingers and tongue, giving her a tiny sample but not enough. Suddenly his fingers brushed a sweet spot inside her, the jolt of pleasure unlike any other. She mewled and twisted on the bed, curling her toes into the mattress. She was so close. All she needed was just a little more.
“How about this, baby?” His lips settled over her clit and he sucked the pulsating pearl into his mouth.
The world vanished, taken over by a fiery lash of heat. “Wolfe!”
It was more of a detonation than a climax, so damn explosive there was no way to properly describe it. Prickles shot over her skin, radiating from her pussy to her stomach. Her body thrashed uncontrollably, taken over as she came. Her muscles tensed, fueling the sensation as wave after wave of pleasure streamed over her flesh. She basked in the exquisite release, trembling from head to toe.
A single thought—one she hadn’t anticipated—brought tears to her eyes.
There was no bloodlust to go along with her desire.
The relief she experienced took her from the high of climax to the splendor of her reality. She could enjoy a relationship with Wolfe without marring it with her deplorable need for blood. She didn’t have to fall back on her base instincts. There was no need to worry about what might happen if they didn’t take precautions.
With him, she could finally be free.
“Beautiful,” Wolfe murmured, slipping his fingers from her. She opened her eyes and he was there, looking at her. “I’m going to give you so much more than this. If you’ll let me, I’ll put the world in the palm of your hand.”
Damn.
With the way he was staring at her, she didn’t doubt him for a moment. He’d give her anything and everything she asked for, just as he’d promised he would. Her life was about to change in a lot of ways. Not that she was arguing. If he’d love her like this every single day, she’d do anything he said. Why should she argue when the reward was so fucking sweet?
Of course, so far it’s been all talk and no action. Actual fucking hasn’t commenced.
He ran his finger over her mouth and a mischievous grin spread over his face, as though he’d caught the thought. When she started to ask if he had, he pressed his finger over her lips.
His grass-green irises brightened, taking on a hint of yellow.
“What do you think?”
That he’d heard everything she thought and then some. “I think you know.”
“You’re right,” he whispered, dipping his head, nuzzling her nose. “I do.”
Oh shit. Now I really am fucked.
Chapter Fourteen
Wolfe shifted his body and cradled Arden against his chest, fighting to keep his lust in check. He moved her into position—so that she straddled his waist—and pressed his back against the headboard. He could see the curiosity in her gaze, was able to her hear the confusion in her thoughts.
“I want you to be in control for as long as I can stand it,” he rasped, grinding his teeth as his cock slipped over her moist slit. “When the heat hits, I won’t be able to control myself entirely.” To reassure her, he stroked her arm and added, “I won’t hurt you, but I won’t let you go once I’m inside you. You’re officially mine when that happens.”
He fisted the base of his cock and gave it a harsh squeeze. Taking his time, he brought the head to her soaked folds and swiped the tip over the crease, getting it good and wet. Arden groaned and drew her lower lip between her teeth, watching him through hooded eyes. His control slipped, the mere thought of how good she’d feel around him nearly shattering his restraint.
“Relax,” he instructed, working the tip into her pussy. “Let me in.”
She placed her hands on his shoulders, the tiny bite of her nails piercing his skin as he slid past the welcoming entrance of her sex. He released the base of his dick and grasped her hips, carefully easing her down his length. Beads of perspiration dripped along his temple, his muscles and bones aching with the effort not to shift and claim her under the heat of the moon.
Her slick cunt was incredibly tight and snug, difficult to penetrate even as she parted and made way for his body. To accommodate her, he moved her up and down, priming his cock. He slid into her scorching core inch by slow inch, experiencing the most pleasurable kind of agony. Once her soft bottom rested against his thighs and he was balls deep inside her, he released a harsh breath.
My female. My mate.
Mine.
Arden’s eyes slid closed and she purred, “You feel so good.”
“So do you, t’keeira. I want to stay inside you forever.”
His hands drifted from her hips to her breasts. He marveled at the nipples that peaked and pebbled as he rotated his thumb in light circles over them. Arden’s head fell back, granting him access to the creamy globes. He made a direct path from the hollow of her throat to her breasts, swiping his tongue over her soft skin.
Without guidance, she started moving. At first she experimented, lifting her pussy away from his cock, seeing how far she could retreat before the tip was all that remained within her. Then she lowered herself, taking his full length until his sac rested against the plush curve of her ass. Once, twice and a third time she repeated the movements. A blissful sigh echoed in his mind, a voice so quiet he had to focus to hear.
So hungry.
Her bloodlust had returned and she was fighting to suppress it. The connection that flourished between them told him what she refused to openly admit. His mate was so thirsty her gums pulsed. His cock swelled as he recalled her hot little mouth drawing sweetly on his skin. Her feeding on him was beyond erotic. He was providing for and nourishing her, something he was born to do.
The wolf inside him reveled in that fact.
Releasing a breast, he slid his arm around her back and followed the arch of her spine, his fingers skimming over the delicate crevice. She righted herself with the guidance of his touch, looking up as he cradled the back of her head until they were face to face. Her irises were incredibly dark, a breathtaking shade of midnight blue.
“Drink,” he whispered and pressed a kiss to her lips. “I enjoy it as much as you.”
“You do?” she asked with a perplexed frown.
“Your bite makes me harder than a diamond.”
Her vaginal muscles flexed around his cock. “I don’t think that’s a problem.”
He returned her smile, rolling his hips. “I think you’re right.”
“What if I can’t stop?” She shook her head, took a shaky breath and said, “The last time…” She glanced away. “I lost control. I couldn’t help myself.”
“When the time comes, you’ll stop. Trust me.”
For a moment, he worried she might refuse. Then she leaned forward. Pieces of her long, thick hair tickled his chest
and trailed down his stomach. The cock-rocking wisps of her tongue over his throat sent shivers up his neck. He shifted beneath her, fighting the urge to buck his hips and force his cock deeper into her body. She struck carefully, sinking her fangs tenderly into his throat. The first tiny draw of her lips had them groaning in unison.
“That’s it, baby. Take what you need.”
She suckled his skin, moaning after each swallow. Bringing his hands to her waist, he lifted her up and down his cock. She writhed against him, rocking her ass against his thighs.
“Good girl,” he murmured, driving his hips up to greet her. “Fuck yes.”
She rode him hard, taking the nourishment she needed. He felt her muscles tense, could hear her scream his name in her mind as she came. Her thighs quaked, her pussy fisting like a glove around his cock. He forced her to ride each wave of pleasure, bringing his hand down to rub her clit. With a final shudder, she pulled away from his throat and lapped at the small punctures left behind.
“I love the way you taste.”
“After tonight, you’ll never drink from another.” Possessiveness slithered through him and he growled at the thought of her taking sustenance from someone else. She started to argue and he cut her short. “My blood is enough to sustain you. It’s my duty and privilege to see to your needs.”
With a simple maneuver of their bodies, he changed their positions and placed her on her back. He gazed down, thinking his mate resembled a fallen angel against the black pillows and sheets. She reached out to him but he stopped her, sliding his cock free from the haven of her pussy. He sat back and flipped her onto her stomach. The sight of her firm little ass—the skin perfect and soft—consumed him with lust.
“Lift up. Get on your knees.”
She brought her knees up and spread her legs. Her pussy lips glimmered in the lighting, the folds swollen and red. He palmed her mound, touching her gently, making sure she was ready for him.
“Christ,” he groaned, sliding two fingers in and out of her cunt. “You test me like nothing else. I want to take you so hard you won’t be able to move after.”
Her next words broke his resolve. “Then do it.”
All of his good intentions were thrust aside. The beast under his skin demanded nothing less than her total submission. One hand went to his cock, and the other went to the back of her neck. He pressed her face into the pillows and fed his entire length into her tight heat. When he was completely sheathed, he released his cock but not her.
“Trust me,” he thought, grinding his teeth.
“I do,” she whimpered into the pillow. “Take everything you want. You won’t hurt me.”
With a loud snarl, he slammed into her. He kept his fingers firm but loose around the base of her neck. She didn’t move, remaining utterly passive, giving him total control.
“You’re my mate, Arden,” he snarled, spearing into her.
“Yours,” she repeated, her voice breaking.
“Only mine,” he thought. “Say it.”
“Only yours.”
Skin slapped against skin, his thrusts frenzied. His cock swelled, becoming hard at the crown, a pain that was its own kind of pleasure. He released her neck, giving her a measure of freedom. She lifted her torso, raising herself to all fours. He fed her erotic images, using the connection of their minds. She trembled beneath him, undoubtedly nervous of what was to come.
“You need to relax for me, t’keeira. It won’t hurt if you relax.”
Brushing aside her hair, he revealed the elegant curve of her neck. He caressed the soft skin with his lips, waiting until just the right moment to pin her in place. His teeth penetrated her flesh and he trapped her beneath him, ensuring she took all of his seed as his cock swelled and the knot at the tip of his shaft expanded in her pussy.
Locked together, they came.
Their combined pleasure washed over them, as did memories of the past and present. He saw what it meant to Arden to be orphaned by a mother who was never around, just as she saw how devastating it had been for him to leave everyone and everything he loved in order to protect them. Their emotions and heartaches merged, shared between them until they knew each other inside and out.
She sank into the pillows as the final spasms of her release faded. He rested his chest against her back and lifted his lips from her shoulder, soothing the skin with careful swipes of his tongue.
“Incredible.” Arden breathed raggedly. “That was incredible.”
“We’re not done.” He lowered his head and nuzzled her throat. “Not yet.”
He couldn’t have timed the statement any better. His still-hard cock jerked as another orgasm seared through him, sending her over the edge as well. She cried out, clutching at pillows, panting for breath. Their mutual pleasure merged once again, going on and on. He didn’t fight the sensation, knowing there was more in store. Once his cock stilled, he hoisted himself above her and gazed down.
“Why am I so tired?” Arden complained softly. “I’ve had enough sleep to last me for days.”
“Your body is reserving energy. After we rest, we’ll do this again and again.”
She froze, her body tensing beneath him. “You’re not serious.”
“Yes.” He skimmed his lips over her back, grinning when she shivered. “I am.”
He shared the image of taking her in the claw-foot bathtub in the adjoining room, her pale body straining above his darker one, her blonde hair framing her face and shoulders. He would hold her against his chest when he locked in her body the next time, so he could see the pleasure etched over her face as she came.
His breath caught when she changed his thoughts, using her own against him.
In her vision, he held her captive against the wall, fucking her so hard objects tumbled to the ground. Her hair swirled around them, her pale legs flexing around his hips. She buried her nails in his skin and scored his throat with her fangs, sinking them deep.
“You’d better rest up,” she purred and shoved her hips back, the clasp of her pussy as she flexed the inner muscles ripping a moan from his throat. “You’re not the only one who wants to play.”
Holy fuck.
Seed shot from his cock a third time, lining her womb. Their cries ricocheted off the walls and rang in his ears. He’d never get enough of this woman. She completed him, brought meaning to his once empty existence. Every single day would be a gift he’d cherish, granting him time with the one woman he couldn’t live without. Fate had brought them together, putting pain and heartache behind them. Here and now was all that mattered. The two of them would face the future together, made stronger in each other’s presence.
Lifting his head, he allowed the wolf inside him to release a howl of contentment.
He didn’t give a shit who heard.
He wanted everyone to know he was the luckiest fucking bastard in the world.
Epilogue
Six Months Later
Cosby, Tennessee
Must run faster.
Arden’s springing footsteps were absorbed by the warmth of the earth, allowing her to move in silence. She breathed in the cool autumn air, eyes sharp and focused in the dark. Trees came and went as she traveled through the dense foliage, the scent of Cosby Creek just ahead. Patches of green and brown blurred as she forced her legs to move at a rapid pace. The steady pounding of her heart keeping in harmony with the feet that carried her closer to her destination.
Faster, faster, faster! You’re almost there!
She pictured the wide creek with mossy slabs of stone and rock only yards away. This was the first time she’d made it this far. If only she could keep the same speed. The trees thinned and she stared at the shiny sliver of water right out of her reach. She launched herself toward her goal, basking in her soon-to-be victory. Tonight she was finally going to win. She would make it to her destination and tell the big bad wolf where to stuff his pride.
“So long, bow-wow,” she sent out the thought, laughing in her head.
&
nbsp; A pair of strong arms snagged her from behind, catching her by surprise. “Not so fast, hellcat.”
The trees whirled around her, the stars shimmering overhead as she lost her balance. She braced herself, waiting to hit the ground. Wolfe prevented the fall, catching her as he landed on his back and held her to his chest.
“No fair,” she grumbled, squirming against him. “You’re too quick here.”
“We can’t play like this at home, t’keeira. Running along rooftops is all well and good until someone snags a camera and takes a picture.” He flipped them over, his dark messy hair falling over his brow as he looked down at her. “Besides, if we were in the Quarter, I couldn’t do this.”
When his face lowered, she parted her lips in welcome. Her legs slid open as he settled against her, his weight familiar and comforting. His frame molded to her as if they were designed for one another, an interlocking puzzle of two as their mouths met. His tongue danced with hers, darting away only to return for more.
“I’m going to claim my prize right here and now,” he murmured against her lips and reached down to cup her ass.
“And I’m going to let you.” She giggled, placing her hands over his biceps.
A soft vibration against her inner thigh made them both groan. Sadly, it wasn’t in pleasure. Releasing her ass, he shifted and rummaged inside his jeans for his cell phone. He removed the device and shot her an apologetic look
Smiling at his expression, she lifted a hand to cradle his cheek. “It’s all right. It comes with the job.”
He lifted the phone, flipped it open and snarled, “This had better be important.”
Arden glanced over Wolfe’s shoulder, gazing at the stars. She tried not to listen as Luke’s voice blasted from the speaker.
Wolfe was officially the alpha of the Bacchus pack until Adam returned, with Luke as his beta. She respected the responsibility that came with the role, since it ensured she could live out the remainder of her life without fear. Even though she was a former bounty hunter, she still had enemies. As word of her relationship with Wolfe had spread, however, she no longer had a price on her head.