by Alyse Zaftig
The feeling of James’s hard erection was no illusion, though. She groaned and reached out to him, wanting to feel him closer, deeper. She had just gotten out of a bad relationship and didn’t think she was ready to get into another one, but the smell of James’s cologne and the bright glow in his eyes hypnotized her.
She wanted to be under his spell. She wanted to surrender to him. She wanted it more than she’d wanted just about anything else in her life. In that very moment, her desire for James was greater than anything she’d ever felt. It was so stunning for a second that she squeezed her eyes closed and threw back her head.
James kissed her deeply as he began to pull off her clothes. He wasn’t holding back. He wasn’t taking his time. All she could do was hold on for the ride. She wanted this. She didn’t regret it, and she didn’t want to say no.
She barely knew him, but after cleaning for him for two days, she had quickly learned some intimate details of his life. She had seen into the depths of his isolation. There was something mysterious behind James’s dark expression. She wanted to solve the mystery. She wanted to delve deeper and uncover the darkest corners of his mind. The undeniable attraction she had felt for him at the first instant they’d met had been growing ever since.
James slowly pulled off her maid uniform and kissed her revealed flesh with heated fervor, and Matilda felt as if everything was finally falling into place in her life. Sure, it was totally irrational, but nothing was ever truly rational. She’d given herself to Tim, and that been a childish crush on a bad boy. Now she’d discovered she was the fated mate of the baddest bear billionaire on Fate Mountain.
Whatever happened tomorrow, she knew that right now, she wanted to be in James’s arms.
He slid down to her lacy red panties and unfastened her bra. He stood above her in his black clothes, his erection tenting the fine fabric of his pants. She bit her lip and reached up to grasp it. He threaded his fingers through her hair and held the back of her head. Matilda gripped James’s pants and began to slowly push them down over his thighs, taking his underwear with them. His cock popped out of his clothing, almost knocking her in the face. Her mouth started to water at the sight of it. Long and thick, throbbing for her. She leaned forward and slid her tongue over the small slit in the head of his cock, lapping up the tiny beads of precum that gathered there.
James growled and pulled her closer. Her mouth dropped open, and she sucked down the head of his cock. The smell of him filled her nose and the taste of his body drove her insane. Her mouth filled with saliva as she took him deeper. He slid down her throat. He growled above her, slowly pulling back and thrusting forward, deeper and deeper into her mouth.
She gushed moisture between her legs, wanting to take him so badly she thought she would lose her mind if she had to wait another second. James pulled out of her mouth and she finally got a full breath of air, the lack of oxygen only making her more excited.
He pushed her down on the bed and without a word, he dove into her pussy. He slid his tongue all the way up her slit, focusing on the tight little bud of her clit. Her nipples were as hard as divots and pointed toward the ceiling.
He twisted his tongue around and around, pushing her closer to the brink with every motion. She gasped and arched her back, feeling the sensation of orgasm growing deep in her core. She knew she was going to come at any second. She wanted him inside her so badly, just the thought of it made the orgasm grow closer.
James slid his tongue down to her opening and pushed into her. All at once she came, screaming. James held fast to her thighs, holding her in place as he continued to dip his tongue in and out of her pussy.
As her body clenched and the pleasure radiated from her core into her painfully hard nipples, James climbed over her and pushed his tongue into her mouth. She could taste the flavor of her pussy on his lips and feel his cock slide over her slick slit.
The head of his shaft pressed against her opening and slowly pushed inside. Matilda groaned as he slid into her, stretching her body around his thickness. Every centimeter sent a thrill of pleasure through her body that expanded her mind until she felt like her entire consciousness might burst open.
With a growl, he thrust hard and sank balls-deep inside her. He wrapped her in his arms and held her tight as he rested against her, buried in her softness.
Slowly, James began to pull back, the ridges of his cock sending thrills through her body. When he was almost all the way out, he thrust hard again, pushing her back slightly on the bed. Matilda groaned and clung to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his hard-muscled body.
“Oh God James, I’m going to come again.”
“Good girl. Come for me, baby. I want to feel your sweet cunt grip my cock.”
His words drove her crazy and her eyes rolled back in her head as he thrust harder and harder into her soft, wet core. Her orgasm finally burst through, gripping her pussy so hard it was almost painful when the pleasure began to radiate through her. James held her tight, the pleasure almost unbearable.
“I am going to claim you, my little mate,” he growled.
“Yes,” she breathed, not caring about the consequences.
All she cared about was what was happening between her and James, right here and now. From the very moment they’d met, she had known there was something between them, something she couldn’t place. Now she knew what it was.
They were meant to be together. And although Matilda had never believed in love at first sight before, she definitely believed in it now. As the orgasms rolled through her body, she knew she was falling deeply in love.
James pressed his teeth against the soft flesh of her neck, his thrusts growing more deliberate and forceful. She gasped and began to cry out as the tips of his teeth broke her skin. He bit down so hard, it cut off the sound of her voice, leaving only a muffled gasp.
The pain and pleasure of his bite sent her into another spiral of orgasm. She felt him growing thicker and harder inside her. In that moment, with his teeth buried in her neck and his cock deep inside her pussy, she could feel the bond between them tightening. It came into clear focus and suddenly her entire life up until now made sense.
She could feel him, all that was James Hill, inside her. It was as if there was a place for him there that she had never known about before. It filled the void of loneliness she’d felt for so long.
With three more quick thrusts, James burst inside her, the hot jets of his cum pumping against her cervix. It made her orgasm fire off again and her entire body quivered with the knowledge of her mate. He was truly inside her now, and she was truly inside him.
It had all been so unexpected, but as he released her neck from the clamp of his jaws, Matilda didn’t regret a thing. On the contrary, all she wanted was more, more, more. James slid from inside her and they held each other tight on the bed as the moon peeked out from behind the clouds out his window. The moonlight glowed down on the grounds below, illuminating the strange lifelike statues that populated the garden. There was so much mystery in this place and in this man who she now held in her arms. If she could, she would spend the rest of her life trying to solve it.
“Are you all right?” he asked, holding her close as he pulled the covers up over them.
“That was unexpected,” she said breathlessly.
“It was for me as well. Do you regret it?”
“How can I regret being your mate?”
“I can feel you so close to me now, Matilda. But I sincerely cannot believe I’ve brought you into my life. For that, I must apologize.”
Matilda pushed up on her elbow and stared at James deeply in the eye.
“Why would you say that, James? I am your mate.”
“There is much you don’t know about me, my dear.”
“Whatever it is, I could never regret what we just did. I had no idea that you were Bad Bear from Mate.com. Ever since we met, I’ve been undeniably attracted to you and had no idea why. It all makes sense now.”
“I tr
ied desperately to keep you away, but it didn’t work. They say fate works in mysterious ways. I guess that’s true. But I wish I could’ve protected you from this.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You know, like most male shifters my age, I served in the Great War.”
“Yes. Why?”
“I’ve seen many things. Many disturbing things. They left my bear broken, and when I returned to my company after the war, I wasn’t able to hack it. My bear was too wild, too crazed. I had to sell the company and move to Fate Mountain. Ever since, I have been slowly descending into madness.”
“Madness? What do you mean? You seem perfectly normal to me. A tad messy, but ultimately normal.”
“The solitude has not been good for my PTSD. I told you the mansion can play tricks on the eyes. I have been living here for several years now alone and I fear my mind is gone.”
“I don’t understand, James. I’ve seen the same weird things. There must be an explanation. You know, when I was a kid, everyone said this place was haunted. Did you know that before you bought it?”
“I did. But I don’t believe in that kind of thing.”
“Maybe you should. Maybe there’s something to the whole haunting thing.”
“Insanity is the only rational explanation.”
“Maybe they’re robots,” she said, feeling as if she’d had an epiphany.
“I don’t think they’re robots. Most of the trinkets here are antiques,” he said, kissing her forehead.
“It has to be something,” she said, tapping her chin with her forefinger, her curiosity piqued.
“Whatever it is, let’s figure it out in the morning. For now, I want to spend the night in a warm bed with my mate on the first day of our claiming.”
“Mmm. That sounds nice. I want exactly the same thing.”
Chapter 10
James and Matilda woke the next morning to the warm yellow sunlight streaming through the windows of his bedroom suite. It flowed over the stuffed leather couches, Oriental rug, and onto the king-sized bed covered in fluffy black blankets. James pushed the comforter aside and swung his legs over the bed, resting his feet on the floor. The shaggy white rug was warm and soft against his toes as he stood and stretched.
Matilda sat up and yawned. He turned to look at her and enjoyed the smile curling on her lips. She gazed up into his eyes, the bedsheet resting over her bare breasts while her green eyes gleamed in the morning sunlight.
“I’m going to cook you breakfast,” he said.
He could feel the mate bond between them flowing and circulating like cords of energy that would connect them together for eternity. Now that he had finally found her and claimed her, he knew the true meaning of what it was to be a man. With his complement, Matilda, he knew he could accomplish anything. Maybe he could even figure out what was going on in his own home.
“The kitchen is still clean,” she said with a laugh.
They pulled on matching red plaid flannel robes and fur lined slippers and made their way down to the kitchen. The coffee pot had already brewed the morning coffee and James poured them both big cups of rich brew. Matilda liked hers with cream and sugar and he liked his black.
While she sat at the counter and sipped her coffee, James pulled the necessary ingredients out of the refrigerator to make Matilda his signature breakfast.
This morning he was inspired. He planned on a full spread. Eggs, bacon, waffles from scratch, fresh squeezed orange juice, and fresh fruit. As he put the ingredients on the counter, Matilda’s eyes grew wide.
“I’m good at cooking, but I never said anything about being good at cleaning,” he said.
“That’s for sure.”
He could feel the burning of her eyes on him as he started to crack the eggs into a bowl.
“I suppose I could learn to clean now that I have a mate,” he said.
“Look at you, James, you’re growing as a person,” Matilda teased.
For the first time in his life, James felt truly connected to another human being. The human part of him longed for that bond as much as the bear inside him craved it. With his newly claimed mate sitting in the kitchen looking up at him with her beautiful round face and doe eyes, James sliced open a melon and reached across the counter to slide it into Matilda’s waiting mouth.
The melon slid over her tongue and she bit the fruit with her perfect white teeth. As she chewed the cantaloupe, she closed her eyes and let out a little moan.
“That’s so good,” she said.
“If you think that’s good just wait until you’ve had the rest,” he said with a smile.
“I can’t wait.”
James continued fixing up his breakfast and when he was done he had freshly prepared waffles with sliced melon and maple syrup. Scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese and shallots, and extra slices of crispy bacon. He set it all down at the table in the breakfast nook. He and Matilda sat in their fuzzy red flannel robes sipping coffee and orange juice while eating their delicious breakfast. Matilda gushed over nearly every bite, as if she had barely ever eaten before.
“Everything is happening so fast with us and I feel as if we have a tremendous connection now,” James said, shoving a piece of bacon in his mouth.
“I feel it too,” she said.
“But we never had the chance to get to know each other that well before. Why are you on Fate Mountain cleaning houses?”
“I’m trying to save money for college. I spent the last two years in the valley working for my boyfriend’s family at a meatpacking plant. It was really horrible work, and I never ended up saving any money. Then I broke up with my boyfriend and had to move back home and work for my mother.”
“What happened with the boyfriend?” James said darkly, his voice growing thick.
“He was terrible. He treated me like crap, cheated on me, and stole my money. I had to put an end to it. I was ashamed to come home because I had nothing to show for the last two years, but I couldn’t go on that way.”
“I’m proud of you.”
“Plus, I think Tim’s family was involved in some shady activity.”
“Shady activity?”
“I don’t know exactly what, but it was part of the reason that I left him in the first place.”
“Well, that’s all over. Now that we’re together, I can protect you. And you can help me,” he said, looking up at a candlestick on a counter across the room.
It was not currently moving, but James knew it was just a matter of time before he saw it again.
“James, I think you’re blowing this all out of proportion. If we’re both seeing the objects move, it can’t possibly be inside your head.”
“We have to find out.”
“Maybe we should just move,” she said, taking another sip of coffee.
Moving had not occurred to James. He had believed that no matter what he did, his growing madness would follow him anywhere he went. He finished his breakfast and for the first time in as long as he could remember, he cleared the table, straightened up the kitchen, and washed the dishes. Matilda watched him with surprise before giggling and hurrying up to the bedroom to change.
When he was finished cleaning up the kitchen, he walked through the house and glanced out the window, looking out onto the front drive. At that moment he saw two black SUVs pulling up into his driveway. He had never seen these cars before and was not expecting any visitors or deliveries. He walked toward the window and stared out at the men who climbed from the car. They were all wearing black suits with a gold stripe down the arms.
Matilda came running down the stairs in a fresh outfit with her hair still wet.
“It’s him,” she gasped, clutching her chest. “Why is he here?”
“I’m about to find out,” James said with a growl.
There was a knock at the door and James flung it open.
“Can I help you?”
A young man with sharp features and a tall, slim build peered through the door and u
p the stairs at Matilda. She stood gawking at the visitors.
“Why are you barefoot and why is your hair wet? Are you screwing this guy?”
“Why are you here, Tim? And why did you bring all of your cousins?”
“We are here to take you home. I heard you were shacked up with this guy, but I didn’t believe it. I had to see it with my own eyes. Now get your things. We’re leaving.”
“I told you it was over,” Matilda said, backing up the stairs.
James felt rage boiling in his gut and he reached out to stop the young man who tried to step into the front hall.
“I don’t believe I invited you inside. The young lady said it is over. She is now under my protection. You will be leaving now. Goodbye.”
James pushed Tim with just enough strength to give the kid the message. The goons behind him frowned and crossed their arms, narrowing their eyebrows at James. He didn’t care. His grizzly was about to lose it, and he was still dressed in his bathrobe and slippers.
He didn’t have patience for this kind of crap this early in the morning. He tried to push the door closed, but Tim’s cousins prevented him from doing it.
The six men stepped forward and pushed into the foyer. James’s grizzly was barely constrained, and he could hear Matilda screaming for the intruders to go away. James growled and gritted his teeth, his grizzly starting to break through. His nails grew long at his fingertips and his canine teeth distended in his mouth. The sound of his growl grew in strength and the men gasped and stared at him.
“You didn’t tell us he was a shifter,” one of the men said.
“What difference does it make? Look at this guy. He’s pathetic,” Tim said.
With that, James lost it. The last thing he heard was the sound of Matilda telling Tim to go to hell. James’s grizzly ripped through his flesh, annihilating his human form in a flash of fur and bone. He landed in the foyer on his huge paws. His body barely had enough room to move, even in the wide space. The men drew their weapons and pointed them at James.