He tried telling himself that he shouldn’t have to lie about who he was for the sake of keeping his place in their society, but he sadly was not there yet. There was a large chance the Council wouldn’t do anything anyway, and he should just let it go, but there was that nagging doubt in the back of his mind that wouldn’t shut up.
“How are you?” Quentin asked.
Despite his reservations, Hunter couldn’t help but feel almost giddy inside about getting to spend the night with Quentin. “Good, now that you’re here. And you?”
Quentin smiled. “Same.”
The bartender approached them, and Quentin looked at Hunter.
Hunter shook his head. “You can help me finish mine.”
Quentin turned back to the bartender. “Nothing for me. Thanks.”
The two of them took turns sipping on Hunter’s drink. They made small talk and tried to act relaxed, but anyone around them had to feel their excitement and anticipation.
Hunter knew he was dying to get up to the hotel room he’d reserved, and he was pretty sure Quentin felt the same way. They hadn’t done anything intimate together since that night in the park. It seemed rather ridiculous that two grown males couldn’t find quality time to be alone together, but when both of them lived and worked in large groups, it made things harder than it should have been.
They’d had moments alone, but Quentin had insisted they were going to take their time being together and take things slower. He’d said there would be no more rushed blow jobs in an empty park while they were supposed to be working.
Instead, Hunter had made do with rushed self-hand jobs while he pictured the first moment Quentin had put him in his mouth.
After they finished the drink, they slowly got up from the bar and walked casually to the elevator. As casually as possible when it felt like they both wanted to bolt through the lobby and up the stairs, taking them two at a time.
The elevator doors opened, and a mother and daughter exited before Hunter and Quentin got on. Hunter thought they’d have the elevator to themselves, but a man in a suit got on after them while he talked on his phone. He immediately turned his back to them and went into the corner, too busy with his conversation to even nod hello.
Quentin smiled at Hunter when he met his eyes. The shifter put the back of his hand against his and rubbed his index finger along Hunter’s. It was such a minor intimacy, but he was growing hard, and his jeans began to tent out.
Quentin smirked as Hunter adjusted himself. He looked over and saw that Quentin also had an erection. Despite being able to smell their arousal with his advanced sense of smell, it was nice to be able to see physical proof, too.
The elevator opened to their floor, and the pair of them went to the room. Hunter slid the key in the slot and felt like it took forever to turn green. He turned the handle, and the second the door was open, Quentin pushed him inside and against the wall and kissed him.
Hunter opened his mouth to Quentin’s tongue, wanting to devour the wolf. He wanted things he had never felt with another being before. Hunter opened Quentin’s pants and shoved his hand in, wanting to feel the evidence of Quentin’s desire for Hunter, and he noted Quentin’s lack of underwear.
Hunter enveloped Quentin’s cock in his hand and made a fist around him. Hunter swallowed Quentin’s groan and squeezed again. He could die happy right now, knowing he made this male feel this way.
Although he really hoped he lived for a long time because they had a lot more exploring to do.
Hunter pushed Quentin just enough to get the shifter’s feet moving. Hunter then maneuvered them over to the single king-size bed in the room. He broke the kiss and pushed back on Quentin until he sat on the bed.
Hunter got on after him and straddled him, wanting to be close. In the past, when he’d been with females, Hunter had been the one straddled, and his mind played a trick on him for a second, like he’d somehow done a role-reversal thing. Hunter respected females, but he didn’t want to be one. Hunter had to remind himself that there was no male or female situation in this room. It was two people who wanted to be together, and that was all that mattered.
Hunter kissed the side of Quentin’s mouth and worked his way down the wolf’s neck. Quentin’s short beard was also something Hunter had to get used to. He was used to soft, flowery skin. But Quentin was rough and woodsy. Masculine.
Hunter wouldn’t have traded it for the world. It was such a turn-on.
He hit the collar of Quentin’s shirt, so he sat back enough to drag the shirt up and off the male, and his eyes went to Quentin’s now-bare neck.
His skin was stunning. Hunter had the complexion of a pasty-white, well, vampire, while Quentin’s was a beautiful golden brown. Hunter slowly brought his hands to Quentin’s neck and caressed him.
“What are you thinking? You have the most serious expression on your face,” Quentin said.
Hunter looked into his lover’s eyes. “I was thinking of how gorgeous you are and that I’m afraid, if I kiss you again, I won’t be able to resist tasting you.” Hunter subconsciously licked a fang.
“Open your mouth.”
Hunter did as he had been asked.
Quentin used his thumb to feel along Hunter’s fangs. “They’re so sharp.”
He then pressed his thumb hard against one fang. Hunter felt the pressure, and then the taste of Quentin’s blood dripped onto his tongue.
“Suck,” Quentin said.
Hunter did, his eyes practically rolling back in his head. He had never tasted anything as good as Quentin. He didn’t know if it was because he was a shifter or if it was because he was male, but at the moment, the why didn’t matter.
Quentin pushed his cut against Hunter’s tongue and then dragged his thumb from Hunter’s mouth. “That’s enough for now.” Quentin put a hand on Hunter’s hips. “You can put yourself inside me,” the wolf used his other hand to finger Hunter’s fangs, “when I can put myself inside you,” Quentin said as he thrust his erection against Hunter’s ass.
Hunter kissed Quentin again, and the two of them fell back against the bed.
“You are such a tease,” Hunter told him.
Quentin smiled. “I’d like to think of it as foreplay.”
“You’re very good. You should write a book.”
“I can see it now. How to Turn Your Vampire Lover On. National best-seller.”
Hunter laughed and sat up. He smiled at Quentin and moved down his body until he was at Quentin’s feet. He grabbed the wolf’s pants and pulled them down his legs.
Quentin stopped him before he got to his knees. “I want you naked, too.”
Hunter grinned at Quentin. “Okay, but I’m warning you. I’m not nearly as sexy as you.”
Quentin smiled, but he growled at Hunter. “I’ll be the judge of that.”
Hunter stepped back and stripped off his clothes, putting on a show. His skin might not be as gorgeous as Quentin’s, but Hunter knew he had a nice body. He was in fighting form for his role as a Guardian, and he took pride in his physique.
Quentin growled again—this time, with hunger in his eyes. “Get your ass over here.”
Hunter’s dick bobbed as he stepped closer to Quentin, and once again, he pulled on the shifter’s pants. This time, Quentin didn’t stop him.
Hunter knelt in front of the bed and grasped Quentin behind the knees, pulling his cock closer. Hunter took Quentin’s hard-on in his hand and studied it. Quentin was slightly larger than him. He would be intimidated, except he already knew his own dick was big. Quentin was just bigger.
Hunter leaned forward and kissed the tip, slightly sucking it into his mouth. Almost immediately, he tasted Quentin’s pre-cum. This was definitely a first. Hunter had had no idea what to expect and was surprised at how salty Quentin tasted.
Quentin groaned and thrust his hips up.
Hunter looked at Quentin, who had his eyes closed. “I just want to warn you; I’ve never done this before, so…you know…I might not be any good
.”
Quentin blinked at Hunter, his eyes turning wolf, and said, “If you keep doing what you’re doing, I’ll be in heaven. But it really doesn’t matter, baby. Just knowing that I’m the first guy you’ve blown and that you want to do this has already made my night.”
And those words made Hunter’s night. He leaned forward and took Quentin in his mouth. He had assumed that having a dick in his mouth would be awkward and uncomfortable, but Hunter didn’t feel that way in the slightest.
He thought about what he liked when getting head and tried to do the same to Quentin. He sucked on him, creating friction that had Quentin groaning and clutching his hair. He alternated this with kisses that he placed on each side of his penis. The hardest thing was he really wanted to take Quentin all the way down, but his gag reflex needed some work. Quentin didn’t seem to mind though. Everything Hunter did had him reacting in one way or another.
One thing he noticed was that, whether or not he was enjoying going down on Quentin, his jaw was no longer interested because it was getting sore. Also, fangs were a bitch, as he tried to avoid scraping Quentin’s cock, much less with the rest of his teeth. The next time some male complained about not getting head from his female, Hunter was going to smack him. BJs were a lot of work.
Hunter could tell Quentin was getting close, and he could feel his own arousal spiking. He really wanted to make this orgasm good for the shifter. Quentin was driving his hips up in small thrusts, as if he couldn’t control himself, and Hunter had to fight not to smile and to keep doing what he was doing.
Quentin said something above him, but Hunter was unable to make out the words. He continued to suck Quentin in as far as he could take him.
Quentin spoke again, “Fuck, I’m going to come. If you want to back away, you’d better do so now.”
The sun beating down directly on his head wouldn’t be enough to drag Hunter away.
Hunter had been warned about the knot that would form in the wolf’s penis. He knew his mouth couldn’t handle that much girth, so he moved his lips to the tip and sucked.
Quentin arched up one last time and poured himself into Hunter’s mouth. He couldn’t quite swallow fast enough, and he felt some of Quentin’s seed escape his mouth. The wolf was briny and woodsy, like his scent, and Hunter loved tasting him.
PHOENIX STOOD IN front of the Guardians’ compound again, there to feed Dante, like she had a little less than a month ago. But so much had changed since then.
She rubbed her thumb over the key Dante had given her, staring at it. It didn’t seem right to use it to go in. She and Dante hadn’t talked much since her failed heat, and it seemed like a violation for her to walk into his home, unannounced.
The truth was, she was early to feed Dante. It hadn’t been a month yet, but she was afraid that Dante would feed from someone else if she didn’t get there first.
It probably made her sound like a crazy person since she’d been blowing Dante off for the last week. After all, why would she want to feed him if she was evading him? But she just couldn’t stomach the image of him feeding from another female. And, now that she’d had these encounters every month, it had satisfied her cat’s need for skin-to-skin contact that all shifters required. She didn’t want that with anyone else.
And what about picturing him having sex with another female, Phoenix? her stupid brain taunted.
That was just something she was going to have to not think about.
Phoenix pocketed the key and raised her hand to knock on the door.
Dante smelled her before she even rapped her knuckles on his bedroom door. The scent of sunshine and female cat-shifter tickled his nose and hurt his heart.
He threw his book on the bed as he stood and said, “Come in.”
The door opened, and the sight of Phoenix walking into his room caused him to close his eyes and hold his breath for a second. She’d been all but avoiding him since he confronted her a week ago after her heat. He’d thought that she just needed time, but he could see now that the old Phoenix was back. He had tried to prepare himself to see her again, but he realized it was going to be harder than he’d thought.
Dante opened his eyes, met Phoenix’s eyes, and sighed. “Why are you here, Phoenix?”
Phoenix thought that was obvious. “I came here to feed you.”
“It’s not time for me to feed yet.” Dante’s eyes were hard.
She had never seen him like this. At least, not toward her.
She lifted her chin, trying to not let his mood affect her. “I know I’m early, but I figured, why not?”
He lifted an eyebrow, clearly not believing her bullshit.
“So, that’s it? You came here to feed me, and then you’re going to go back home and hide?”
She scowled. “I’m not hiding.”
“You’re not, huh? Okay then, tell me what happened to you when you were younger, Phoenix. Why don’t you like your breasts being touched? Why don’t you even like taking off your shirt?”
It took all of Phoenix’s strength not to flinch at his words.
Dante shook his head in disappointment. “I can feel your panic. It’s so thick.”
What did he mean by feel?
She didn’t get to ask because he continued on, “I thought I’d made it clear that you could trust me. That I was here for you. That I would do anything for you. But, no, one failed pregnancy attempt, and you have raised that wall you erected around you back up. I spent a lot of energy trying to tear it down, and now, I think it’s higher than it was before. But then it was never truly down, was it? I just found a small hole in it and wiggled my way in. But, now that I can’t give you what you want, you’ve pushed me out and sealed that hole with reinforced steel. For one of the bravest people I know, you sure are a coward, Phoenix.”
She clenched her fists. “What the fuck do you know about it?”
Dante threw his hands up in frustration. “Nothing. Because you won’t tell me. That’s what I’m trying to get across to you.”
She hated being called a coward, but she just couldn’t go back to the way things had been before. She couldn’t handle the hurt and disappointment, which had only doubled when she started bleeding—the shifter equivalent of a period—a few days ago. It had been light, but it was still another blow she hadn’t needed.
“Well, maybe I’m not as strong as you. I can’t get my hopes up, only to have them thrown in my face.”
Dante closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened them, he looked at her. “You just don’t get it. Don’t you think I’m disappointed, too? I know this was all your idea, but I wouldn’t have gone along with it if I hadn’t wanted a child with you. I’m sad, too, that you didn’t get pregnant.”
Phoenix was shocked.
“I see that you didn’t think of how I might feel. You only thought about yourself. I never took you for selfish, Phoenix. What you don’t realize is that we could comfort each other. We could be in this together. But you have your heart so hidden, I don’t know if you even know how to find it.”
“That’s not fair,” she said in a low voice.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Dante roared. “What’s not fair is you giving yourself to me, only to take you away.”
She took a step back. “I didn’t do that.”
“Oh. So, you used me then. Everything we did together was fake on your part? Great. You’ve succeeded in making me feel worse.”
She held on to the one thing she could give him. “But I want to feed you, Dante. No one is making me. I want to do that for you.”
Dante’s brown eyes filled with anguish, and Phoenix shook her head.
No. Please.
It was as if all the anger had left his body, and he had given up. “Phoenix, I can’t feed from you any longer.”
She knew it wasn’t what he wanted. She didn’t understand why they couldn’t at least have that together. “Why?”
Dante collapsed back to sit on his bed and put his head in his hands. “Because I ca
n’t do it anymore. I can’t…I just can’t do it anymore, okay?”
“But…”
Dante dropped his arms to his thighs and looked at her. “I’m not saying, we’ll never see each other. We have to work together sometimes, and we’ll see each other at social functions. I would like to think we are friends. But I can’t go back to the way things were. It’s over.”
Another female might have curled up in a ball and cried but not Phoenix. She was getting pissed. She didn’t understand why they couldn’t have the feeding thing. It had worked for them before.
“I don’t get it, Dante. I can’t isn’t a reason. We had a good system down. There is no reason we can’t do that again.”
“No.”
“Just no?”
“Yep. No.”
“Why? I came here to be honest with you. I think you can do the same for me. You talk about hiding. Who’s hiding now?”
Dante jumped up from the bed and charged toward her.
Furious, Dante got in Phoenix’s face. “Why? You want honesty?” he yelled.
Phoenix narrowed her eyes. “Yes.”
“Because I can’t just pretend like nothing happened,” he roared. “When my fangs are inside you, I want to be inside you. I know what it feels like to come inside you. I know what it’s like to feel you come so hard around me. I want you so fucking bad. I want you under me, your legs wrapped around my waist, while I’m pumping inside you. I want to hear you scream as I feel you come around my cock again and again.”
He took a step back, and his whole body seemed to sag.
His voice now soft, he said, “You’re like an addiction to me. Your blood has become like an addiction to me. Now, I know how good I feel when I’m inside you, and I can’t go back to just drinking your blood. Because, after it’s over and you leave, I’ll be alone. You’re telling me I can have you, Phoenix, but not the way I want you. That’s why I can’t do this anymore. Addictions aren’t healthy, and this half-assed being with you will only make it worse. You can’t give me what I need, and I guess, in the end, I can’t give you what you need.”
Forbidden Addiction (Forbidden, Book #4) Page 20