Toni leaned forward and gripped the wooden slat, knowing that her position gave him the perfect view of her ass and her pussy.
His growl sent goose bumps racing over her skin. The jaguar was close to the surface. She glanced over her shoulder and gave him her most sultry smile. “What are you waiting for?”
Stavros’ hands trembled. He who had fought battles since the dawn of time, had faced gods and goddesses and other mythical creatures, was shaking over the thought of claiming one human woman as his own.
No, not human, not any longer. She was immortal now. His.
He used his knees to widen her stance, making a place for himself behind her. Her hair was hanging forward over her shoulders, leaving her back bare. Her spine was so delicate. He dragged his index finger over it, fascinated when goose bumps appeared on her skin.
He could smell her arousal and inhaled deeply, taking it into his lungs. He’d never get enough of Toni’s unique perfume. He teased a trail up the back of her thighs, drawing a startled laugh from her. She was ticklish there. He filed that away for another time.
He cupped her full ass and squeezed. Toni moaned and pushed herself more firmly into his hands. Goddess, how he loved this woman. In spite of her fears, she’d given him her love and trusted her body into his care. He would take care of both.
Her love was a treasure he would guard in his heart for all time. And her body, well, he was more than ready to give her the pleasure she deserved.
His cock was so full, his balls so heavy he hurt. But it was the best kind of ache in the world. It meant he was alive, not trapped or imprisoned.
More than ready, he pressed closer, allowing his dick to slide between her thighs, rubbing it over the slick folds of her pussy. Her cream coated his shaft and she shimmied her hips so it touched her clit.
Stavros kissed her nape and nipped at the tender curve of her shoulder. He deliberately stroked his cock over her pussy, making sure to rub against her clit. “I want you. Now.”
She moaned and shoved her behind toward him. He knew that was her way of giving consent, that she wanted this as much as he did. He gripped his dick in his hand and angled it until the head was positioned just right. He eased inward until the broad head pushed past her initial resistance. Her inner muscles closed around him, and he swallowed hard and gritted his teeth to keep from coming. Damn, she felt so amazingly good wrapped around him, and he was barely inside her.
He braced his hands on the headboard beside hers and flexed his hips, driving himself home in one hard thrust. She gasped his name. She was panting hard, but so was he.
“I love you.” He withdrew and then drove back in again, filling her. Every time was like the first, like there was no way she could feel as good as he remembered. And she didn’t. She felt even better.
His motions became faster and more out of control with each thrust. He wanted her. Goddess, how he wanted her. Had to claim her. Inside him, his jaguar roared in triumph. Stavros knew time was short. Yes, he would recover quickly, but he wanted Toni with him, needed her pleasure to complete his own.
He wrapped his arms around her, slid one hand up to cup a full breast and the other down until it dipped between her damp thighs. He fucked her hard and fast while fingering her clit and her breast.
“Stavros.” He loved the way she screamed his name, the way her pussy tightened around his cock.
“Yes,” he roared as he came, his orgasm ripped from the very depths of his soul. Her wet heat continued to milk him as he filled her with his seed. She was his now.
Toni sucked air into her lungs in great gulps. Her body trembled and shook as Stavros pumped into her, his cock stretching her pussy in the most delightful way. She felt the heat of his orgasm and the flood of his semen as he came.
She curled her fingers around the headboard slat and held on for dear life. The bed bucked against the wall, pounding a hard rhythm as he rode them both into heaven. Her body was slick with sweat, but she didn’t care. All she wanted was to be close to Stavros.
Another wave of pleasure hit her and she cried out. Her body trembled until it was impossible for her to remain upright, and she leaned forward, resting her head against her hands.
Maybe it was the whole immortality thing, maybe it was because she loved Stavros, but whatever the reason, she’d never experienced sex this intense before. Every sense was heightened to new levels. The puff of his breath against her neck, the rhythmic slap of their damp skin, the musky smell of sex and sweat combined to amp up the experience.
Stavros collapsed, leaning heavily against her back. She started to buckle under the pressure. He swore and pulled her back against him. Somehow, he managed to get them flat on the bed with him still buried deep. Even though he’d come, he didn’t seem to be getting any smaller. If anything, he felt even larger.
She felt safe in his arms. That was a new sensation for her, but one she could get used to. Toni turned her head so she could see him. His eyes were closed but they snapped open the moment she moved.
Suddenly, she felt unaccountably shy. “Hey.” She almost slapped herself in the forehead. That was the best she could come up with?
“Hey,” he returned her greeting. Then he brushed a soft kiss across her lips. He still had one hand between her legs and teased her clit with his forefinger. She jumped and her pussy clenched. Stavros groaned and his shaft flexed inside her.
As much as she wanted to make love again, she also wanted to talk. “So what happens next?” Duh, that was even less intelligent than the last thing she’d said. With her pussy squeezing his cock, there was only one thing he’d be thinking about—more sex.
But Stavros surprised her when he eased away, pulling his erection from inside her. That made her entire body spasm and tremble. He eased onto his back and pulled her into his arms so her head was pillowed on his shoulder.
“As much as I want to think you were talking about sex, I know you weren’t,” he teased. He reached out with one long arm, snagged the discarded blanket and pulled it over her. She placed one hand over his heart. The steady beat anchored her. She tilted her head back so she could see his face.
“No. I meant what do we do from here? Where do we go?” A thought occurred to her. “Where will we live?” There were so many details, so much she didn’t know about his life.
“We go wherever we want and live wherever we chose.” He rubbed her back in a soothing manner. “Time is something we have plenty of.”
That was a hard concept for her to wrap her head around. “But where do you live?” She really wanted to know.
“I really don’t live anywhere. For five-thousand years, I was imprisoned. Before that, we wandered the earth with the Lady of the Beasts, stopping wherever we chose.”
“We can stay at my place in Maine,” she assured him. After all, the guy couldn’t have much money. When would he have earned it?
He smiled and played with a lock of her hair. “I have an apartment in New Orleans.”
She perked up at that. “I’ve always wanted to spend some time in the city. I’d planned on a few days there once I’d finished my photo shoot.”
Stavros looked more relaxed than she’d ever seen him. The tension that usually surrounded him was gone. Because the curse was finally done. She couldn’t imagine thousands of years of being cursed. She shuddered and he frowned.
“Are you cold?”
She shook her head. “No, I was just thinking about the curse.”
That quickly the tension was back. She absently began to rub his stomach, wanting him to relax once again.
Stavros didn’t speak of the curse but continued their conversation. “We can go anywhere in the world you desire. I can take us there in the blink of an eye.”
“Really?” Toni sat up and grabbed the blanket when it fell to her waist. Stavros grabbed the edge of the blanket and tugged until she released i
t. She tried to be mad with him but couldn’t. He looked so pleased with himself when her breasts were bared once again.
“Really. I am an immortal warrior. Now that I have all my powers back and you are a part of me, I can transport us both wherever we wish to go.”
“That will certainly cut down on airfare.” She’d have to cut corners where possible, at least until they figured out a way for Stavros to earn a living.
He frowned. “Is that a problem?”
“Ah, no. Not a problem.”
He caught her face in his hand and stared at her until she caved. She couldn’t resist the plea in his dark eyes, and if they were going to be together for eternity—and how weird was that—then honesty was important.
“I have enough money to support us until you figure things out. I mean, you’ve been imprisoned for thousands of years, are used to running around as a jaguar.” A strange expression crossed his face, but she forged onward. “Face it, you don’t exactly need money to survive as a big cat. You could catch your own meals, sleep in the trees. And I’ll shut up now.” Damn, in her experience, men didn’t like being called out on their work, or lack of it. And she’d practically accused the guy as living like an animal. But he was one, or at least partly.
Nervous butterflies fluttered in her stomach and she clenched her hands. Why hadn’t she kept her mouth shut?
Then Stavros did the most amazing thing. He threw back his head and began to laugh. Not a light chuckle, but a deep-down belly laugh. He laughed so hard tears began to roll down his cheeks.
Okay, now she was starting to get annoyed. She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her fingers on her upper arms. He noticed the gesture and swiped at the tears. It took him several tries and some throat clearing before he could speak.
“You think that was a joke?” Toni admitted to herself that she was a little hurt by his attitude. She’d been offering to support him and he’d laughed at her.
Stavros immediately sobered and caught her hands, bringing them to his lips. “No, I don’t think it was a joke,” he said in between kisses. “I think you are the most amazing woman in the world.”
That made her feel marginally better.
“The world has not changed so much since time began. Men are meant to take care of their women.”
“Hey.” She pulled her hand away and thumped him lightly on the chest. “I can take care of myself.”
“And me.” He smiled and squeezed her hand. “But you don’t need to worry about money. I can take care of you.”
She narrowed her gaze. “It’s not illegal, is it?”
He chuckled again. “No, it’s not illegal. The short version of the story is that one of my brethren was released decades ago. He started a company and made us all shareholders. He invested in oil and minerals because we know where to find all the world’s wealth. He also invested in computers and technologies.”
Toni knew her mouth was open, but there was no containing her surprise. It had never occurred to her that immortal warriors would adapt so well to the modern world. She’d underestimated him. And she wouldn’t do that again.
“So you’re doing okay?” That was probably an understatement.
He nodded and smiled. “There is an account in my name with millions.” He frowned. “Or is it a billion?” He shrugged. “I haven’t paid much attention to it. Mordecai handles the details.”
Toni felt lightheaded and swayed. “Millions?”
“At least.”
Stavros didn’t seem fazed by that amount of money, but she was practically hyperventilating. “You’re rich.” It came out more as an accusation than a statement.
“Does that matter?” He lifted her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her. “What is mine, is yours.”
“I can’t contribute that much.”
Stavros shook his head. “You give me something more valuable than money—love and acceptance.”
Her heart ached and her insecurities melted away. How did he always know the right thing to say to ease her worries? “You’re one in a million, you know that?”
He gave her his sexiest grin. “More like one in a billion.”
She started to laugh, but it was quickly smothered when he kissed her. She was breathless when he finally released her. “Again?” she asked. His cock was pressed hard against her hip and she recognized the gleam in his eyes.
“Again. And again. And again.”
She feigned tiredness and sighed. “If I must.” He tickled her sides and she began to laugh as he rolled her beneath him and slid home. They both moaned and Toni wrapped her arms around her warrior. “I can see you’re going to be demanding.”
“You can’t fool me,” he reminded her. “I can smell your arousal.”
Toni laughed again and arched her hips. “You can’t fool me either. I can tell when you want me.”
“I always want you. I love you, Toni.”
“I love you too.”
Then he proceeded to show her just how much.
Epilogue
Toni sat next to Stavros on a luxurious leather couch that was the color of dark chocolate and stared at everyone else in the room. She’d gotten to know them all over the past few days and liked the women very much. The men were all like Stavros—gorgeous and intimidating.
“Will you be staying in New Orleans for a while?”
Toni turned to Sabrina. It was her living room they were all gathered in. Well, hers and Arand’s. When Stavros had told her he had an apartment in New Orleans, she hadn’t expected it to be one of several in a grand old Victorian in the French Quarter. The group owned two houses that sat alongside one another, and there were enough apartments for everyone, even though some of the group didn’t live in the city but were visiting.
“Probably,” she answered Sabrina’s question. “I want to take some photos of the city, and Stavros and I still have to decide what we want to do after that.”
“Are there any more of those puff-pastry things you made?” Arand asked Sabrina.
“I’ll get them,” Sabrina told him. Arand blew her a kiss and went back to conversing with his friend. Sabrina turned back to Toni. “Excuse me. It’s better to keep them well fed so they don’t get into trouble.” It was said in such a wry manner that Toni laughed.
She took a moment to sit back and stare around the large, comfortable room. There were three sofas creating a cozy seating area and two large wingchairs as well. The colors were all earth tones and the furniture was large to fit such big men. The artwork on the walls was vibrant and beautiful, all created by Sabrina herself.
It was really amazing when Toni thought about it, and she hadn’t stop thinking about it since they’d arrived in the city. That she, Toni Richards, was sitting in the same room as a bunch of immortals and was one of them. Furthermore, some of the women she’d met were famous in their own right.
Aimee was a graphic artist and had created her own graphic novel, which coincidentally was the same one Toni had seen at the comic shop in New York. Her mate was Roric, the white tiger, and he kept a close eye on her.
Then there was Kellsie Morris, who Toni had recognized immediately. The woman was a big star among the horror movie crowd. Toni was a big fan. Kellsie had been very kind to her when Toni had gushed about her movies. And Marko, her bear of a mate, had seemed pleased by Toni’s praise. And that was a good thing, because he was one dude Toni didn’t want to get on the bad side of. He was huge.
And then there was Leander, the lion, who was mated with Araminta, a romance author. Toni couldn’t wait to read her books. Tilly owned and operated a popular coffee shop in New Orleans and she was mated to Phoenix, who was an actual phoenix. That boggled the mind.
But it was Mordecai, the serpent, who was the most dangerous of the bunch. Toni knew that deep in her gut. She also knew that Jessica, a talented jewelry maker, h
ad him wrapped around her little finger. Mordecai was also the one who’d invested and made all the money for the warriors.
They were an incredible group and she was among them. She grabbed her glass of red wine and took a large gulp.
“Are you all right?” Stavros asked.
He looked concerned, so she smiled. “I’m fine. It’s just a lot to get used to.”
“We are all family now,” Roric informed her as he eased down beside her. The rest of the room went quiet and all eyes turned to Roric. “We have beaten the curse once and for all. It is done. It is now time to live our lives.”
Everyone in the room, including Toni, raised their glass and toasted Roric’s pronouncement. Then everyone was talking again and, as the evening progressed, Toni began to relax and really enjoy herself.
“You should drop by the coffee shop tomorrow,” Tilly told her. “Jessica and Sabrina will both be there. And I know the other ladies are planning to do some shopping while they’re in the city. We could all hit the shops together.”
Toni still couldn’t get over the idea that they’d all dropped what they were doing in their busy lives to come and meet her. She’d expected the third degree, after all, Stavros was their friend. But they’d all been nothing but kind and accepting.
“I’d like that,” she told Tilly. “What time?”
“About ten. That way we can get some shopping and sightseeing in before lunch. Plan to be gone until at least supper time.” Tilly seemed to sense some of what Toni was feeling, because she smiled. “We ladies have to stick together. After all, no one else knows what we’re going through or how to deal with an immortal warrior when he’s cranky.”
Toni started to laugh, and that caught Stavros’ attention. He wrapped his arm around her and frowned at Tilly. “Don’t tell me you’re spreading tales about me already?”
Tilly just smiled and sauntered away. Stavros turned to her. “Should I ask?”
Toni shook her head. “Probably better not to.” She took his face in her hands, unable to stop the flood of emotion filling her. “I love you.”
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