Chocolate Damsel

by A. C. Mason

  That would go over well. Damn it. What had Griselda been thinking when she’d sent such a ripe beauty into his den? He hoped his sister hadn’t tried to lead them into an entanglement.

  He arrived in Brunoy and got out at the bridge on rue Soullins. Even with her dead weight slung over his shoulder, he made it through the forest at a brisk pace until he reached the southern tip of the Bois-Le-Roi, the King’s Woods.

  So what if he did leave the pretty thing right away? If he didn’t he’d take her innocence, then break her heart, delaying the inevitable. Handing her over before he went too far was for the best. No messy emotional connections. After all, he’d soon be dead. But what if she chose to stay with the pack? What if she was the one meant for Cathen? Why would the man have agreed to send her to him? How would he deal with that? His beloved had told him choosing Alexia would seal his death. He did not fear the afterlife, but the power this witch held over him touched a part of him long gone hollow--his heart. A wound better left undisturbed. So what was he to do? Pain, misery, or both would follow no matter what he did. He had to keep her at arm’s length. That was how he’d prevent this from getting messy.

  Morning light fast approached as he trekked into Courtenay. He wanted to be farther along before he sought shelter for them, but the smell of approaching troops and their tracker left them too exposed for his liking. If he did not take cover now they might be discovered. A small abandoned trench would be their resting spot for the day.

  He lowered himself into the tight space and sat her on his lap with a leg on each side of him. Then he pulled the plank cover over them both. The space was dark and cold, but once the sun beat down on them, they’d be in an oven. The heat from her caused his loins to throb with the memory of her pink mouth as she’d sucked him to relief, a pleasant and unexpected pleasure he’d relished.

  It would be easier to keep her asleep, but she wouldn’t be happy if he did. He exhaled, moved into her mind and woke her.

  Her breasts pressed into his chest as she stretched, and her silky mouth skimmed his skin all the way up to an ear. “Did you miss me?”

  The question pleased him. The why, he didn’t want to examine too closely, given over the more than three hours he’d been carrying her she hadn’t seemed far away and he’d been considering how to part with her. “Would you like me to have?”

  “Yes.” She snuggled in close and wrapped her arms around his neck while her dreamy eyes stared at him.

  “I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” His words were factual. He pushed back the cap and her black curls tumbled, caressing her cheeks.

  “What about me?” An eager smile graced her face.

  Shouldn’t he stop whatever this was? This banter would only encourage something he refused to be involved in. “That you ask too many questions.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said, sounding strained. She pouted.

  Why had he been harsh with her? “Don’t be. I’m tired and grumpy.” Having had a hard-on since she’d drained him didn’t help his disposition. “Let me get some shut eye. Try and be very still and quiet for me, please.”

  “Okay.” She nuzzled into his form.

  He ignored the ache in his pants. Not easy to drown out the light strum of her fingers on his chest or the scent of excitement collecting in her panties. Another round of relief would only double his hunger. But without release, he grew more dangerous, increasing the likelihood he’d mark her.

  Chapter 10

  Alexia struggled to breathe. Small spaces didn’t agree with her. High in the sky, the sun beat down. Streaks of light fell between the boards and dirt covering them. The small space closed around her like a coffin. A continuous parade of marching soldiers moved overhead. Fear chattered her teeth. VanWolf’s hands pressed to her back, pushing her into him. The slow rise and fall of his chest brought a measure of predictability to the situation. Sweat trickled down her face, but her discomfort came from the heat between her legs. The bulge in his pants beneath her pressed between her thighs, adding to her anguish. This was madness.

  “Be calm.” He swirled his fingers against her back. “Nice slow, deep breaths.”

  “I can’t.” She gulped for air.

  “You must. Match my speed.” He breathed, allowing his large chest and lean abdomen to set the tempo.

  The warmth of him didn’t help. She closed her eyes and relaxed against him. As he filled his lungs, so did she.

  “Tasting you only whet my appetite.” He caressed her neck below her ear. “If I can restrain myself, you can control your breathing.”

  Why did he? She wanted him, and the same was true for him. Was her innocence the barrier? How she wished to be rid of the obstacle, just to have him.

  He palmed her cheek and guided her lips to his, planted soft kisses on her mouth. “I don’t want to hurt you in any way.”

  But already her heart ached with sadness at the idea of being apart from him once they rejoined the pack. He cupped the weight of her breast in his palm. How delicious the delight of his touch felt.

  She pressed her lips to his ear. “I’ll take once in a lifetime over wondering.”

  “My carelessness has caused this new hunger,” he grumbled. “Let me relieve you.”

  Did he feel duty bound for having shown her how wonderful sharing her body with another was? “And who will pleasure me when you are no longer there?”

  He shifted. The corner of his mouth tightened. “The man you choose to be your mate.”

  Just like that. “What if a male of the pack is interested? Will you give your blessing?”

  “Why? Has one of my betas shown interest? Should you be saving yourself?” He cocked an eyebrow.

  The single males of the pack each had appeal. Serafin was playful and charming. Francko was strong and shy. Then there was Cathen with his amber eyes, perfect straight teeth and a protective manner.

  “How long have you been among my charges?” He lifted her chin. The lone blue eye gazed into her.

  Did he doubt her devotion to the others? “Griselda and Cathen rescued me the night the troops marched into Paris.” Others weren’t so lucky. None of them believed Paris would be taken.

  He wrinkled his brow. “You seem to need frequent saving.”

  “I just have great luck.” The story of her life. She was blessed with the kindness of others. “The next day, I was out on my own, on the grounds of the chateau and a man grabbed me, but Cathen came out of nowhere. When we returned, Griselda told me to never be alone with the males until I’d decided if I wanted to remain with the pack. And then they argued.” Why the harsh warning from Griselda? Had Cathen not been there…she shuddered to think what might have happened. He remained a hero in her book.

  “My sister has given you wise counsel. Once a male has the Alpha’s approval he won’t ask you, just possess. When a Shunu marks a female, there will be unrest until he performs shainu. If another male challenges his claim, they will fight ’til the death.”

  “What is shainu?”

  “Since you are human, a male would first infect you, making you a werewolf. Shainu is not usually a female’s first sexual encounter. When we pair with our chosen, our spirit forms also become one. It is beautiful.”

  The image of him with two perfect bright blue eyes flashed in her mind. He lay between her legs naked inside her, gazing at her. He spoke, and she repeated aloud, “Being with you is like the first awakening of the beast beneath the full moon.”

  “Why did you say that?” He growled.

  “I don’t know.” She pulled away from him. Why was she seeing these things? What were these memories haunting her? VanWolf had loved this other woman with his entire being. She hoped he would tolerate her companionship. Even with his anger, she’d take that.

  “Where did you hear this?” He grabbed her shoulders.

  Casting her gaze down to the dirt wall next to her, she forced the words out. “From you.”

  “I would never speak such things to you. Am I clear?”


  She nodded. The pain in her throat made swallowing difficult. Whatever these visions were, she wanted them to stop. They only drove him away. “I just keep seeing and knowing things, but I don’t know why. Like when I was in the garden. I began to sing Aem y teo ova maya emous. Griselda said it is in the old tongue most of the young ones do not speak. A song young female Shunus would sing when seeking love.”

  “If that is what you are looking for, your efforts are wasted on me. I won’t love you. Do you understand?”

  Perfectly. “Yes.” So why didn’t it matter? She closed her eyes. All she wanted was to feel alive as she did when he touched her.

  The tension in his hands eased as he lowered her to his chest. Only his scent in the putrid space made being there bearable.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be so coarse with you.” He stroked her back with his palm in small circles.

  “I don’t need you to love me.” The words were lies, and she was willing to rationalize herself to him if he gave her the chance. “Only the pleasure we share matters.”

  With the tips of his fingers, he tilted her face up. “I can’t pretend I believe you.” He curved his hand around her thigh and pulled her over the length of his erection. “But don’t mistake me for the noble type, either. I have needs.”

  A light brush of his lips over hers sent flames dancing inside her. The flicker of yellow in his eye was a warning from his wolf. As he nipped the corner of her mouth, she pushed her lips to his, and his hard kisses echoed her body’s need. No one had ever twisted her up the way he did. She grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled.

  “More.”

  He laughed. “Easy, we have a long way to go still. I’ll need this.”

  As he unclenched her hands, she rocked into him. “Relieve me.”

  The spark in his glance penetrated her. He pulled off the belt holding up the oversized trousers, then reached into her panties.

  The heat of his fingers on her clit was like pouring gasoline on her fire. “Ohhh.” She fumbled with the stiff buttons on the shirt. Darn it. Once freed, she lowered her bra. With his tongue, he met her nipple. The strokes on her wet nub and the suckle of his mouth at her breast only made her want more. Every circle of his tongue brought a deeper need.

  A glimmer of the wolf showed as he held her back with his other hand and forced her onto the dirt behind.

  She reached for his crotch. “Take.”

  A nip of his teeth on her breast surprised her.

  “Say it again.” He withdrew his fingers from her pants. “Do it.” He spoke through his clenched jaw. “I’ll mark you, have my fill of you and leave you behind with the pack.”

  She swallowed. Why did she set him off? All she wanted to know was elation with him. So what, if she wasn’t thinking straight. If she had been, she never would have known the pleasure.

  Chapter 11

  VanWolf huffed. From the horror in her eyes, he’d gone too far. But she played with explosives. Didn’t she get that he wasn’t behaving rationally? Of course she didn’t. What did she know of such things? She didn’t understand the madness of lust. Nor his duty to the pack, or the kinship he shared with Cathen.

  Her sudden silence bothered him, killing the mood. The game between them was fine for now. But what would happen when the bleak future he could offer her was revealed. What woman would seek to be a young widow? And what of the other male, Cathen, who was on Alexia’s life path beyond his time with her. Of the males, why did it need to be him? He should never have told Cathen of the vision of his wife. The last thing he wanted to do was to take from him. But a later foretelling dream showed him loving her too. What was he to do? When they joined the others, he’d withdraw, which would send her running to Cathen’s arms for comfort.

  “If one of the males asks for you,” he said, and backed away, smiling, “he can have you.” There, he’d said it. The weight on his chest from the possibility of her with another ripped through him. He wouldn’t be there to see it, so what did he care? And when he came home, he’d avoid the happy couple. Problem solved. He’d be dead soon, anyway. She deserved to be with a male who’d adore her strange ways, hypnotizing eyes and chocolate skin. Not one filled with a depraved compulsion to enslave her will to his.

  “Thank you. At least, I may be with the pack.” The timid note in her voice pained him.

  He’d frightened her. Regret filled him. “Even if you don’t choose one of us, you’re welcome to remain.” Evidently being in a tight space with her on top of him unleashed a dark side of him. Usually he couldn’t be bothered with anyone. At this moment, even with his lustful hunger gone, he wanted to mark her as his. Suddenly he was hot and cold. This didn’t make any sense.

  “We should rest. We have a lot of ground to cover.” Quite possibly, she wasn’t tired. However, as his erection returned, the only way he could keep himself in check would be to shut down. He pulled her curvaceous figure to him and cradled her.

  To think he would have taken her in this dirty place. This wasn’t normal. Being near her affected him. Griselda would be furious at his actions with someone in their care, an innocent nonetheless. He couldn’t help himself. Everything about her provoked the beast inside.

  “I’m sorry.” The movement of her lips on his neck burned. “I caused this negative heat between us.”

  Simply and accurately put. “You don’t,” he lied, and held her face to his chest. A tear met with his stroking thumb. No doubt, she cried to relieve tension his erratic behavior created. Being with her stirred his insides to the point where his behavior shamed him. “I’m the one who should repent for my aggression toward you.”

  She nodded. The warmth of her fingers on his chest and the rocking of her sex as she rubbed his did little to help his self-control. After all, he was a filthy animal, as she’d called him on the street when they’d met. And he wanted to show her just how dirty he could be. A few more hours of this torment and he might turn himself in, or bury his cock into her senselessly. The tip of his cock grew wet. This woman. Sleep would come or he would. He slid his hand into her pants and panties, over her plump bottom. The image of her on all fours sparked in his mind. He parted her slick lips, past the dip of her opening as he continued to her pulsating nub. She trembled in his arms.

  “Be still.” As he teased her clit, he assaulted her mouth, demanding access with his tongue. The sweet surrender of her lips, a taste of divinity. She wrestled with his pants, then pulled his cock free and stroked him. “Oh yes.”

  The scent of her excitement conjured the flavor of her release on his tongue and made him salivate. Her creamy labia furthered his agony, and even the dry pump of her hand created delirium in his frantic mind. Her inner thighs quivered alongside his.

  “Good girl.” He gazed into her eyes, which had become pools of devotion. The constant ache in his every muscle from withholding his instinctual desire to impale her with his length was a reminder of his need. The twitch beneath his touch stoked the wildfires in his core. He increased the pace of his caress.

  “You want release, don’t you?” He swooped in and sucked her hard nipple.

  “Yes.” The edge in her voice furthered his own desire as did the motion of her digits on him. By the sharp gasps escaping her, she might have agreed to near anything.

  “Tell me you’re mine,” he growled.

  As she hesitated to answer him, her bottom lip quivered.

  Beneath his finger, her fleshy bead pulsated. “Say it.” He skimmed her swollen nub.

  “I--I am.” A tear slid from her widening eyes.

  Once more, he pressed to her wet clit. The gush from her clenching muscles ran onto his hand. The erratic strum of her fingers on his shaft brought his climax.

  “That’s my girl.” Never should those words have been spoken, and yet they were. He rested his face on her neck. The tangled mess of their body parts in the tight space gave him peace, something he didn’t deserve. “No more words.”

  Her heavy exhalat
ion hung in the air. Leaning into the dirt wall behind him, he held her to him and shut his eyelid. He stroked her back lazily and listened to the slowing of her breath. The beauty of her feminine form relaxed into his. Something told him that just as this had begun in tears, it would end much the same. He kissed her forehead, causing her to stir. Sleep came easy.

  Chapter 12

  Alexia awoke to find that her shirt still gaped open, her aching buds were pressed to VanWolf’s stiff jacket and he clutched her to his chest. Stubble lined his defined jaw. At midday, he’d asked her to be his, and right after, she’d felt his regret. What misery this was! Physically he wanted her, but beyond that their exchanges weighted him with guilt.

  “You need to drink.” A morning gruffness deepened the octave of his voice. She didn’t want to note how much he drew her in, yet couldn’t help but feel his pull.

  He grabbed a canteen from the leather bag he’d brought, removed the lid and pressed the rim to her mouth.

  Something about her behavior had him treating her like a child, an unruly one at that. She gulped down the refreshing liquid as the feel of him in her mouth replayed.

  “Already thinking of such things?” He chuckled, his chest rising and falling sharply. “You just woke.” Not even his playful mood could douse the pain of knowing he disliked wanting her.

  “Please don’t read my thoughts.” She hid her face in the harsh material of the Nazi jacket.

  “I’m not.” He strummed her cheek with the back of his hand. “I can smell the arousal between your legs.”

  Her cheeks burned. She needed away from him. Her every reaction was scrutinized.

  A deep rumbling rose from his chest. “Aren’t you just precious? You even have the God darn blush of an innocent.” Despite his mocking words, she heard tenderness in his tone.