The Hunted (Guild of Assassins Book 1)

by Shannan Albright

  “You’re the most beautiful female I ever beheld, tasa meela.”

  She swayed on her feet as his words stroked her, winding her tighter. A small whimper escaped her lips as expectation raced through her veins. In that moment, she knew she was his.

  Forever.

  Chapter Eight

  Taren soaked in Leigh’s beauty as she stood before him naked and confident in her own skin. The sight was sexy as hell, and in that moment, he let go of the rage which had fed him throughout the bitter years.

  Warmth spread through his chest as he drank her in. Her hair hung about her in a dark, silken cloud. The tight peaks of her full breasts peeking out between the strands teased him. His mouth watered, ravenous to take those dark nubs into his mouth and nip.

  Her trim waist accentuated the roundness of her hips, the shapely length of her legs and the small patch of dark hair at the apex of her thighs. Bathed in the moon’s rays, framing her in a soft silvery glow, her smooth skin appeared nearly translucent. She looked ethereal, a goddess come to earth to take mortal form.

  Her heated gaze stroked over his body, so intense he could feel it over his skin. His cock grew even harder, a continuous throb. Her eyes darkened to a deep forest green as she took in the proof of his desire. His body shook with the fury of it hammering at him, ravaging him, churning and detonating into a fireball turning his blood to lava as it blasted a path through his bloodstream, his sac drawing tight and hard.

  Dark thoughts rose to the surface of his mind, coating him in icy fear, stealing the air from his lungs. She was human and not used to the rough mating of his kind. What if he hurt her when he claimed her? And there was no doubt he would claim her and bind her to him.

  The thought dampened his arousal. “I am Demosian. We are a passionate race. I may be too rough for you. If we do this, I will claim you as my own, but I do not want to hurt you.”

  “I am not as fragile as you seem to believe. You will not harm me. I trust you not to.”

  The gift of her faith humbled him, and he swore to himself he would be gentle even if it killed him to do so. He would not abuse this woman who’d put her safekeeping in his hands.

  “Should I do anything you feel uncomfortable with,” he said, “or hurt you in any way, you are to tell me.”

  She flashed him a sexy grin, nearly undoing him then and there. “I will always tell you what I like and don’t. And you will do the same.”

  Command resonated in her tone, one he would be more than happy to comply with. He gave a nod of agreement and, with a soft half-smile, crooked his finger at her, beckoning her to come closer. She moved with a sensuous sway of her hips, which started him burning all over again. Her grace was a thing of beauty to behold.

  Stopping only a breath away from him, she rose on her toes, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. Heat jumped between them as he cupped her delectable ass, holding her against his aching cock. He relished the silken glide of her soft skin against his rigid length as her hot, moist sex rode him boldly. She nipped at his lower lip then soothed it with small kisses.

  His body went into meltdown, nearly driving him to the brink of sanity with the need to bury himself deep within her right then. Only the desire to see to her pleasure proved stronger, giving him the strength to resist his primal urges.

  For the moment.

  He gently laid her down on the soft soil near the hot spring. A knee on either side of her hips, he gazed down at her.

  Mine.

  The possessive word rang in his mind, and he surrendered all to her, his fierce avenging angel. She’d fought for him in the arena just that morning. His woman, so fiery and passionate.

  His.

  He lowered his head and nuzzled her neck. He trailed kisses down to her right breast and nipped at the stiff peak before taking it into his mouth and suckling it with strong pulls. Her back arched, forcing more contact, and she moaned her pleasure. She ran her hands over his horns, sending a surge of pleasure to sizzle a path directly to his aching cock.

  He tended to her other breast in the same manner. Her hips bucked between his knees, seeking him. Delighted by her responsiveness, he splayed his hands over her hips, holding her in place as he left a trail of kisses and nips along her flat belly to the dark curly hair covering her core.

  “Spread your thighs for me, tasa meela.”

  Eagerly, she did as he asked, leaving herself open to his perusal. Her arousal perfumed the air, an erotic scent which made his mouth water. He drew lazy swirls with his tongue on her inner thigh and tasted his way up to the honey waiting for him, her vanilla scent and musk nearly driving him wild with lust.

  He raised his head to look at her. Eyes closed, back arched, her breasts bounced with each panting breath. “Watch me as I devour you. Do not take your eyes away.”

  Her dark lashes fluttered open, revealing eyes glazed with desire, dutifully watching him.

  With deliberate slowness, he lowered his head and took his first taste. His eyes nearly rolled back in his head, her juices exquisite on his tongue. He ate at her core like a man starved. He held her hips firmly in place as he devoured her. With his shoulders wedged between her thighs, he kept her at his mercy. Her ragged breath turned to whimpers and then to moans, adding to the heavy ache in his cock.

  “You taste so good. You must give me more,” he ordered against her sensitive flesh before pushing his tongue past her slick folds and into into the heart of her. Her belly quivered, and she cried out his name, her cream spilling into his mouth in a rush of heat.

  Only after he drew the last of her juices from her orgasm did he rise to his knees above her. His cock strained toward her as he slipped a hand behind her neck and lifted her to him. “Take me now,” he nearly growled.

  He wrapped the fingers of his free hand around his cock, leading it to her mouth. He rubbed the pearly beads weeping from him across her lips, and her tongue darted out taking that small drop into her mouth. She hummed in pleasure, opening her mouth to take him into her moist heat, and with slow, measured thrusts, he moved in and out, the erotic sensations exquisite as she took him deeper. She licked the pounding vein running the length of his erection and lightly stroked her fingers over his sac, sending a blast of sensation so intense it bordered on pain.

  “I want to come in your mouth.” His order sounded on a harsh growl.

  With each thundering beat of his heart, pressure built at his toes and flared up to the base of his spine. Leigh worked him, those delectable lips wrapped firmly around his girth, taking as much as she could. Her gaze never left his as she pleasured him. The sight sent him tumbling over the edge.

  Throwing his head back, he bit back a shout, his release spilling down her throat in hot jets. When she’d milked him of every drop, she released him, her lips curling into an impish grin. His heart skipped a beat, lost in her mesmerizing beauty.

  “You also taste very good,” she said.

  The sharp edge of desire was eased with his orgasm, but he’d far from sated the fire burning in his veins, his cock still rock hard. He smiled at her surprise, remaining fully erect in her hands.

  “I told you, tasa meela. We are a very passionate race. Our drive is not satisfied that easily.”

  ~*~

  Leigh still held the flavor of Taren on her tongue, a sharp, addicting tang she knew she would always crave.

  Seeing his cock straining toward her sent another wave of warmth spiraling through her belly. Moisture gathered between her legs as she glanced up at him. Moonlight played across him in light and shadow, enhancing his masculinity as it sharpened the high slash of his cheekbones. His pale hair looked almost silver and black as it curled around his horns. He stood over her like some primordial god of old, ready to claim her as his own.

  “Turn around,” he said, “and stay on your hands and knees.”

  His order sent a spike of excitement through her, her heartbeat quickening as she obeyed. He caressed her back, her ass, hands dipping between h
er legs and parting her folds. One finger entered her core, and her inner walls tightened around him. He wrapped his other arm around her waist, drawing her back against his erection before moving up to her breasts. He pinched and tugged on the sensitive buds until they stood out hard, aching for his mouth on them. With each pull of her sensitive nipples, a bolt of pleasure shot to her center, making her wet and ready.

  He plunged another finger into her, mimicking what his cock promised to do to her, and her muscles quivered around them.

  “Please, I need you now.” Her plea was rewarded with a hard pinch to her nipple. She gasped at the pleasure and pain radiating out from her breast and whimpered when he removed his hand from her breast.

  “And you will have me. First, you must learn patience.”

  His words were followed by a harsh sting as he slapped her hard on her ass. She gasped at the burn, which only served to ratchet up the growing tension coiling within her. He slapped her again, then again, the pain turning to a sharp edge of need. Her mind shattered under the tidal wave of pure sensation, leaving only primal instinct in its wake.

  She wreathed against him, rubbing against his cock, the need for release the only thing driving her. The gnawing tension wound brutally in her belly. She cried out his name as he gripped her hips firmly and thrust deep. She gasped at the flash of pain as her body stretched to accommodate his size.

  He stilled, giving her body time to adjust. “Did I hurt you?”

  “Don’t…don’t stop. Don’t you dare stop!”

  He chuckled at her fierce demand and moved within her at a slow, leisurely pace, making her clit pulse with pressure the span of a heartbeat. She met him thrust for thrust, demanding everything he could give, and he answered her, picking up the pace, ramming deep, the force sending her breasts swaying with each thrust.

  Her release gathered, promising to burst through her with the strength of a tsunami. Just as she reached it, he bit her shoulder, his teeth sharper than she remembered. Her thoughts flew in all directions, pain searing through her and adding to the pleasure already perched at the edge of ecstasy.

  She swallowed a scream as she pitched over the edge, her inner walls clamping down hard on him as he followed her over, spilling his seed deep within her. She rode wave after wave of pleasure, her body trembling from the force of her brutal release. Relentless, it held her in its unending grip.

  Easing back after what seemed like forever, the aftershocks lessened. They left her limp and sated, and strong arms held her close. Taren pulled out of her and lied down with her tucked close to his chest. The thundering of his heart lulled her to sleep, nestled in her lover’s arms.

  Chapter Nine

  Leigh awoke abruptly to a glittering night sky full of stars. The moon had changed positions and cast long shadows where there were none before. Strong arms held her tightly, her back pressed against a hard, warm body. Smiling as memories filtered in, she basked in the decadent soreness of her body.

  “Are you all right?” Taren’s warm breath caressed her ear.

  She turned in his arms and looked at him from beneath her lashes. “Oh, yeah. I’m sore, but it’s a very good kind of sore.”

  “Then you are not afraid of me?” There was a guarded quality to the question which had her looking at him closer. Lines of tension had formed around his eyes and mouth.

  “Why would I be?” she asked. “I loved what you did to my body, how you made me orgasm. I have never experienced anything like it. Never knew it could be like that.”

  “I have claimed you. You are mine to protect and cherish.”

  “Does that mean I have also claimed you? After all, it seems one-sided if you are doing all this protecting and cherishing, and I’m not.”

  Her words seemed to take away his tension, and his lips quirked up into a small smile. He brushed his hand over her hair and then stroked her cheek with such tenderness she wanted nothing more than to melt into his arms.

  “So consider yourself claimed, protected and cherished as well,” she said.

  He chuckled, his smile growing wider, and he tweaked her nose. “The females of our race announce their intent when they allow us the claiming bite. They do not do the claiming. Only the males of our race have canines. We can administer either a fast-acting poison or a bonding agent which adheres to the female’s DNA.” He gave her a rueful smile. “In the heat of the moment, I gave you the bonding bite. Once we recognize our mate, it is instinctual to the male to bond the female to him.”

  “Wait. Are you telling me when you bit me I really did feel fangs?” At his reluctant nod, she laughed. “Okay, fang boy. What happens to us females when we bond?”

  He raised one eyebrow at her. “Fang boy? I think you just insulted me.”

  “Ah, poor baby.” She cooed at him. “Want me to kiss it and make it better?” She wagged her brows at him until the seriousness eased from his dark eyes, and he laughed.

  “Mouthy, female. I see I will have my hands full with you.”

  “Darn right, you will. Now, tell me what is supposed to happen with this bond bite thingy.”

  He released a long-aggrieved sigh, eyes shining with amusement. “The bond bite. Not thingy. And it binds us to each other. If you concentrate, opening your inner eye you can see it in the form of a golden cord connecting us. In time, we can read each other’s thoughts, share our powers. In every way, we’ll be a perfect complement to each other. Each bonding is different and unique to the pair. I am not sure what the outcome will be between a Demosian male and druid. Chances are they will be quite different, but we won’t know until we are out of these damnable collars.”

  “Oh, I’m not too sure about having someone in my head all the time.”

  “It is not as intrusive as you may think it to be. I have never experienced it, but I have known others who are bonded. They suffer no ill effects from sharing each other’s thoughts.”

  “I guess, I’ll have to take your word for it, but since I am a druid and not human, we will just see what will manifest between us.” Sadness and fear shadowed her eyes. “Right now, we just have to survive until dawn, and we will be home free.”

  “Yes, I have been thinking about this, and I believe the best way to proceed is to stand and fight instead of hiding and run. They would not expect it.”

  Leigh sat up quickly and faced him. “Very bad idea. You said it yourself. Your people haven’t fought in over a thousand years. The Aegis are trained at an early age for battle. What do you expect to do, logic them to death?”

  “Yes, I have never fought, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been trained for battle. After the rule of Jamel Nolls our elders handpicked those who could access the memories of our ancestors, absorb the knowledge needed and train. I was one of those warriors before being forced into the beholden vow.

  “Okay, good to know.” Biting her lip in trepidation, she frowned. “So you want to face them and fight. We don’t even have a clue how many are hunting us, and then there is the small little problem of these collars.”

  “While out foraging and covering our trail, I did a bit of hunting myself. I found only four hunters. Though I suspect there are more.”

  A high-pitched chattering noise interrupted her arguments, and a silver and gray shape scurried through the cavern toward Leigh. Her eyes widened in surprise as Ola scurried up to her lap.

  Taren narrowed his eyes on Ola. “What is that thing? Is it some kind of mutant mouse? If it’s edible, we can eat it for much-needed protein.”

  Leigh gasped. “No, we cannot! This is Ola, my friend. She is a ferret. Haven’t you ever seen one before?”

  He eyed Ola warily. “I would remember seeing something that ugly.”

  Ola bared her impressive fangs before chitterling in an angry tone.

  “Ola is very intelligent and can understand everything we say. It would be best to apologize to my friend before she takes a nip at you.”

  He studied Ola before he nodded, and with great solemnity, he add
ressed the little animal. “I humbly ask your forgiveness for my insensitivity. I hope you can forgive me. I will not eat you since you are my mate’s friend.”

  Ola bent her head in acknowledgment then started up with her chattering.

  “Ola, I can’t understand. I have this collar on which inhibits my abilities. You need to get out of here. It’s not safe for you. We are being hunted by some very nasty people, and I don’t want you being harmed.”

  Ola jumped out of Leigh’s lap and darted the way she’d come, only to return with a small package in her mouth. She dropped it in Leigh’s lap and then curled around her leg, watching, her black eyes filled with expectation.

  Leigh unwrapped the rough brown burlap cloth, and a key landed on her lap along with a piece of folded paper. She opened it and scanned the contents before sharing.

  My Dearest Child,

  I knew you would choose to save the poor soul. If my memory serves me right, they will collar you both, leaving you unable to defend against those who hunt you.

  I have enclosed an item I have held onto for many years. This is the “all key”. There is not a lock it cannot open. I pray this will aid you to come back to me safely.

  Ola will lead you to a stash of weapons I hid away to aid you against the hunters. May the gods and goddesses be with you and keep you safe.

  All my love,

  Your máthair, Amaya

  “Let’s get that damnable thing off you.” Taren urged brushing her hair away from the lock.

  The snick as the lock disengaged sounded loud in the silence of the cavern. The minute it left her skin, the backlash of her restored powers crashed over her, and the world around her grayed out. The electric sizzle of wild magic burned through her body, nearly frying her nerves and making bite back the scream out in agony clogging her throat. Wave upon wave crashed into her in an unceasing barrage. Her nose, ears, and eyes felt wet. She swiped at her face, and her fingers came away red. Only when her magics settled did she become aware of Taren’s arms wrapped firmly around her, her check pressed to the racing beat of his heart.