“Lower,” he urged. “I want to feel your lips lower and I know you wish to taste me. I can see that you do.”
Mina crawled back. Her hands shook slightly as she lifted the tunic from his lap and pulled it up. His erection stood proudly before her. She brushed her lips over the tip. Larus moved his hands to her back, pushing the cloak off her naked body so she was fully exposed. Mina started to pull up, but his hand on her shoulder stopped her.
“No,” Larus breathed. “Just like that. I like looking at you.”
Mina felt empowered. Larus’s hands were on her body, tangling in her hair. The locks were almost dry as they fell over her hands on his thighs. She kissed the tip of his shaft, only to feel him press her head lightly down. She opened her mouth, moving her tongue to taste him and he pressed again. Finally understanding, she took him into her mouth. It was like nothing she’d ever experienced. Her body shook, becoming aroused beyond measure.
“Ah,” Larus said. “Oh, yes.”
Mina drew back, kissing her lips off him. He pressed her head again, and she again took him into her mouth. He kept pressing, urging her to take him deeper before letting her back up. He did it several times until she learned what he wanted. Her tongue rolled along his mass and her teeth scraped lightly against the sides.
“More,” he urged, his tone rough as if pained. “Harder. Suck me in.”
Mina sucked and his whole body tensed. She glanced up to see his head back on his shoulders. She loved the raw, primal sounds he made, the way he shook and tightened. Pulling her lips harder against him, she sucked, bobbing her head up and down. When he came, it took her by surprise. The salty-sweet taste of him filled her mouth as his whole body went rigid. Mina swallowed, lifting off him to study his face.
“That was good?” she asked.
Larus groaned. “Very good.”
“Do you want me to do it again?”
“Yes,” he moaned, only to chuckle when she smiled and moved as if to take him back into her mouth. “Ah, but not yet.”
“Do you need to recover?”
“No, being lycan, I don’t take long to recover.” As if to prove his point, his shaft filled with his desire, lifting tall. “I want to be buried inside you.”
Mina bit her lips with pleasure and crawled forward into his arms. Larus pulled her hips up and began massaging his tip against her wet folds. She was ready for him, so hot and needy. When she gasped weakly for more, he gently pulled her body down on top of him. Her mouth came down to cover his, as his thick mass pried her apart. He moved her slowly, kissing her breathless as he built the tension in their bodies with slow thrusts.
Mina learned his rhythm, willingly lifting herself along his arousal. He let go of her hips to explore the rest of her body. He massaged her breasts and pinched her nipples, rolling them into erect points.
“Ah,” she gasped, breaking her mouth away.
She detected Larus’s control starting to slip. He kissed a trail down her throat, licking her heated flesh. A growl sounded in the back of his throat. Amber flecked his eyes as the beast took over.
“Turn around,” he ordered, his tone hoarse. “I want to be deeper. I want to ride you.”
Mina moaned softly. When she took in his expression, she gasped. For the most part, he looked the same, still handsome, powerful. His eyes flickered dangerously. Firelight glinted off his extended teeth. Not understanding, she didn’t move, but sat impaled upon his lap.
Larus lifted her off him with eager hands. Within moments he had her on her hands and knees before him. Her swollen folds were still wet with need as he drew himself once more to her opening. Wildly, he grabbed her hips, thrusting inside. Mina cried out in surprise and approval.
Larus rode her, pumping his hips wildly inside her, sliding in her body’s natural cream. He told her of how he liked watching himself enter her, liked seeing her body swallow him up. The words were wicked and sinful and they served to arouse her more.
Reaching around he tweaked the sensitive clit buried in her folds, causing an instant spasm of release to hit her. She shook, crying out softly as her hands clutched the dirt. His release followed hers as he stayed buried to the hilt, every thick inch of him quivering within her.
Larus growled a loud, possessive sound as her body milked the seed from him. He let her have it all, wanting her thoroughly marked as his. With this moment, he knew that no one would ever touch this woman again. She belonged to him. There was no escaping it.
Chapter Nine
Sophia sat on the bed, staring at the fireplace. Two trails of blood dried on her neck, running from two very distinct puncture marks where Lord Devlin had bit her. She didn’t notice them, didn’t care that they were there.
Devlin was gone. He left her to wait, sitting in the burgundy gown he’d given her to wear. Sophia wondered if Larus would like the gown on her. Now that she was clean, she was sure he’d propose to her. She loved him. He was her very air. She sighed, happy in the fog of her dream world.
“Pitiful, pitiful, such the fool!”
Sophia blinked, unafraid of the awful, raspy voice. She looked around the castle bedchamber with a smile on her face.
“Ignorant human woman, don’t understand what’s happening. Poor, poor fool.”
“What did you say?” Sophia asked, her voice mild. “Who are you?”
“A friend, child, a friend.”
“Oh, good evening, my friend,” Sophia answered. Her eyes drifted off, but the irritable resonance of the voice continued, nearing a cackle as it spoke.
“Aye, and deceived by her own flesh. Sent here to rot so that her sister can steal her true love.”
Sophia blinked, tilting her head to the side. An awful smell wafted around her, but she didn’t really notice it. Larus’s scent was in her head. His voice was in her brain. His face clouded her eyes until every breath was meant for him. “You know of my lord, Larus? Please who are you? Show yourself, my friend. I would hear of him.”
She blinked in surprise as a little creature appeared before her place on the bed. With great effort, the foul smelling troll walked over the soft mattress, wobbling on his short legs. His fat, crinkled lips stretched wide, nearly encompassing his whole face. Beady black eyes stared out at her, so small they looked like tiny buttons. An overlarge nose hung down. He hit his neck as a gnat bit him. There were several of the little insects swarming around him. He licked his fingers, saying, “Come with me.”
Eyeing his dirty brown tunic and pants, Sophia wrinkled her nose as his smell finally penetrated her senses. The foul odor broke through the spell enough to let her notice it. She pulled back. “You smell, my friend. Would you like for me to draw you a bath?”
Cupid grinned as if she’d complimented him. Picking his overlarge nose, he shivered and looked at her in contemplation. He eyed her rosy cheeks and blonde hair, but couldn’t seem to think of a way to repay it.
“Please, friend, tell me of Larus,” Sophia said, softly. “You sound as if you have news of him.”
“Come, I will take you to him,” Cupid said.
“You will?” Sophia smiled, moving to stand by the bed, ready to follow him wherever he led her. “My heart misses him so. Thank you, my friend, thank you.”
* * * *
Mina lay wrapped in Larus’s arms, folded in his green cloak. He was behind her, curled around her body. The fire had burned out sometime in the night, but his heat kept her more than warm as she slept.
She picked absently at the gold embroidery along the edge. It was morning. The sun peeked through the tops of the trees. Her legs were stiff, her insides a little sore from Larus’s deep touch, but she didn’t feel like moving from their spot. She liked the feel of his strong arm protectively along her waist.
What has happened? she thought in awe. Larus had made love to her for hours, showing her things she would never have dreamt possible.
Finally, feeling as if she must move, Mina squirmed out of his hold. His grip instantly tightened. His voic
e was soft, steady, and without the remnants of sleep, as he said, “I like you here.”
“You’re awake,” she gasped in surprise.
“Yes,” he said, and she felt him brush his nose along the back of her ear.
“I have a confession to make,” Mina said, not turning to face him. She liked the feel of his body curled to her back. “Last night, when I was in the stream.”
“Yes?” he asked, kissing her neck lightly.
“I didn’t really feel anything beneath the water.” Mina’s voice became so soft with embarrassment, it was barely audible. “I don’t know what came over me, but I wanted to... be close to you.”
Larus’s chest jerked violently as he laughed. “I already know.”
Mina gasped, sitting up. She turned, hitting him in the arm. “You knew?”
“I could sense nothing was in the water.” He only laughed harder as she hit him again.
“Why didn’t you say something?” Mina demanded.
Larus shrugged, a completely incorrigible gesture. Giving her a lopsided grin, he stated honestly, “I wanted to see what you would do with me once you had me.”
“Ah!” Mina began to yell at him only to blush. She giggled lightly and tried to hide her face behind the veil of her hair. It was one thing to do what they did, another completely to talk about it the next morning.
Larus sat up. Pulling her hair back, he kissed the curve where her neck met her shoulder. He tried to snake his hand around her side, but she stood, taking the cloak with her.
“We need to get dressed,” she said, moving to take her dried clothes down off the limb. She pulled them to her chest. “We should start walking to get Sophia.”
Larus nodded. Mina walked into the forest, away from his eyes to get dressed. Thinking of Sophia, guilt assaulted her. She believed Larus when he said no harm would come to her sister, but Sophia did seem to be very in love with him. Even if she was cursed, did it make it right for her to take Larus?
Mina quickly bathed in the stream, hoping to wash his smell from her skin. Then, drying off with the cloak, she quickly dressed. Her gown had seen better days, but at least it was cleaner than it had been. The blue was still faded and drab, but it was the best she could do.
Mina walked back toward the campsite, watching her feet, when she heard Sophia shout, “My love! I knew that it wasn’t true. I knew my sister wasn’t in your arms. Mina would never betray me. I told him as much.”
Relief and regret hit Mina at the same time. She stood, stunned, just out of view of the campsite. Larus cleared his throat, sounding uncomfortable. Before he could say anything about them, Mina ran forward.
“Sophia!” she called, running to hug her sister. Meeting Larus’s eyes over her sister’s back, Mina shot him a look of warning. “How did you escape?”
Sophia’s blue eyes looked almost wild when she pulled back to study Mina. “I knew you’d never betray me. I told him that. I told him you were good. He said no. He said that you wanted my Larus, that you were trying to take him for yourself. But I knew you’d never betray me. Because we both know what happens to traitors, don’t we?”
Mina gasped. There was an underlying threat to Sophia’s words. She pulled away. “Of course nothing happened.”
“I told him. I told him,” Sophia repeated, nodding emphatically. “He didn’t want to listen. He talked all night about it. But I knew my sister would never betray me. She’s not a traitor like our father. For I would have to hang you, too, Mina, should you take my Larus.”
“Sophia?” Mina asked, frightened by the unnatural look to her. Suddenly, she noticed the bite marks on her sister’s neck. She wore a new gown. “What did he do to you?” Turning to Larus, she demanded, “What did that vampire do to her?”
“Lord Devlin?” Sophia asked. “He did nothing that would be unseemly. He gave me a gown and fed me. He was very kind.”
Mina shivered. Larus’s eyes were hot on her, livid. She didn’t have time to deal with his anger. Sophia needed her. Whatever was happening to her sister, she couldn’t drive her further over the edge. For now, whatever she felt for Larus would have to remain hidden.
“So Lord Devlin let you go?” Mina prompted, when Sophia frowned at Larus’s possessive stare directed at Mina.
“No,” Sophia answered absently, watching Larus carefully and with great suspicion. “That was my friend. He helped me away.”
“Your friend?” Larus interrupted. “What friend? Where?”
“He was small,” Sophia simpered, smiling prettily now that he looked at her. “And he smelled wretched if I recall--like foul milk and rotted animals.”
“Long mouth, big nose, small black eyes?” Larus demanded, his face stiff.
“Yes,” Sophia said thoughtfully. Then, holding out her arms, she began swaying back and forth, “Larus, my knight, do you like my dress?”
“Yes,” he said, distracted.
Sophia giggled and clapped her hands. “I knew you would! I told Lord Devlin as much.”
“You know this foul creature she speaks of?” Mina asked him.
“Yes. Cupid. If that troll helped to free Sophia from Devlin’s keep, then he’s behind her spell as well.” Larus roared in anger. Mina gasped.
Sophia stopped giggling to watch him with wide eyes. “No, my love, it’s your spell I’m under. I don’t want the troll.”
“Come,” Larus grumbled. “We need to get off Devlin’s land before nightfall. He wanted her until dusk tonight. He’ll be upset that Sophia is gone without his permission, but can only travel at night.”
Larus stormed angrily away from them. Mina shared a glance with her sister and moved to follow. None of them said a word.
* * * *
“My lord Devlin was really quite sweet,” Sophia said, eyeing her sister as they walked behind Larus.
Mina nodded. She couldn’t help but notice Sophia’s words were tinged with a strange insistence. Her sister had been talking nonstop about Lord Devlin for nearly an hour. At first, Mina thought it another ploy to make Larus jealous. But, as Sophia directed all her comments toward Mina, she realized her sister was trying to get her to like Devlin.
“Sophia, I don’t--” Mina tried to interrupt. Sophia turned to her, stopping her comments with an angry glare.
“He’s really quite kind,” Sophia insisted through clenched teeth. “He’ll make a fine husband for you, Mina. Look at this gown he gave me. You will have many like it, I am sure. Now ask Larus to take you there and leave you. Trust me. I am your sister.”
Mina paled. Husband?
Larus stopped at that, stiffening. The sisters were too busy staring at each other to notice and Mina collided with Larus’s back. Before she even had time to register she’d hit something, Sophia was screaming at her. Mina gasped, stumbling backward in surprise. Sophia lurched forward, shoving her in the shoulder just as she found her footing. Mina gasped again and fell to the ground.
Looking up at her sister, Mina stared wide-eyed at Sophia’s contorted face. She gasped for breath. Her sister’s eyes were glazed and her lips shook violently with outrage. Larus automatically moved to help Mina up, not having seen Sophia’s attack. Sophia growled and slapped his hand. He turned to her, stunned.
“He is mine,” Sophia hissed down to Mina. “Touch him again and I’ll take off your limbs!”
Mina couldn’t move. She glanced at Larus in confusion. Sophia screamed and jumped in front of him so they couldn’t make eye contact.
“Look at him again and I’ll burn out your eyes!” Sophia warned, her features full of venom. Very clearly, she stated, “He... is... mine!”
Mina couldn’t move. She didn’t dare look at Larus again, not with Sophia acting so irrational.
“This is how it will be, sister. Larus is my husband. I will marry him. You will marry Devlin. We will get together for afternoon walks and twice a week to dine. We will both have children and they will play and you will never look at my Larus again!”
“Soph--” M
ina began.
“No!” Sophia screeched at the top of her lungs. “Say he’s mine!”
“He’s yours, Sophia, he’s yours,” Mina rushed. The words twisted at her heart. She felt pain seizing her, jealous raw pain. She didn’t want Sophia to have Larus, and though she knew Larus didn’t want her sister, just saying it hurt terribly. Then there was her sister’s sanity. It had truly slipped.
“Besides,” Sophia said, spiteful. “Look at yourself. You’re dirty and thin and he cannot want you.”
Mina’s eyes swam with tears.
“Sophia,” Larus inserted softly.
Sophia’s face brightened and she turned to smile up at him. “Yes, husband?”
Larus flinched at the words. Sophia didn’t even notice. Mina slowly stood from the ground, dusting off her skirt in an effort not to look up.
“We should go,” Larus said. “We need to find Cupid. He can help us.”
“Oh, he’s already helped.” Sophia giggled as if nothing had happened. “He brought me back to you, my love.”
Larus didn’t turn. Sophia grabbed his arm and Mina felt jealousy anew when she looked at them walking together. She balled her hands into fists and she had never wanted to hit her sister so much in her life.
* * * *
Larus frowned, looking down to where Sophia clutched his arm. She held him so tight that the blood had stopped flowing to his hand nearly an hour before. Stretching his tingling fingers, he tried to flex his bicep to get her to loosen her hold. He felt Mina behind them and wanted nothing more than to turn and pull her close. He’d been angry that she refused to tell Sophia about them, but now he had to agree it was the best course of action. If he thought Sophia was close to the edge before, she was definitely falling over it now. Cupid’s curse was building at an alarming rate.
Naughty Cupid Trilogy Page 24