Forbidden Claim

by R. L. Kenderson

  He’d only felt the vampire’s mouth on him once. It was the most amateurish yet best blow job he’d ever received, and he wanted to feel Hunter’s mouth on him again. And, if he shied away from this, then Quentin would know he wasn’t ready to have sex.

  Hunter cupped Quentin’s balls in one hand and took his cock in his other. Hunter licked the outside of his head and then sucked it into his mouth.

  Quentin groaned at how good it felt.

  This must have encouraged Hunter to go further because he swallowed more of Quentin, and when he hit the back of Hunter’s throat, he thought he might bust his nut early.

  He gently pushed Hunter away. “Lie back and scoot up the bed.”

  The sight of Hunter splayed out on his bed like that was something Quentin hoped he’d never forget.

  He put one knee on the bed and crawled halfway up, stopping when he reached Hunter’s shaft. He licked the spot where Hunter’s balls met his dick and then moved up his cock until he could take all of him in his mouth. Quentin was hungry for the vampire and didn’t waste any time in taking all of him.

  Hunter’s shaft jumped in his mouth as Hunter moaned, and it was a beautiful sound. “Oh God, I don’t think I’m going to last long.”

  Quentin loved on Hunter with his mouth a little longer and then released him. “We can’t let that happen yet.” He got up on his knees in between Hunter’s legs and stroked himself. “Have you ever done this before?”

  It was funny because, the other night, he remembered thinking he didn’t want Hunter’s first time to be when Quentin was mad, but he’d never even asked. He’d just assumed that he’d be Hunter’s first.

  “Had sex?”

  Quentin nodded.

  “With a female. This will be my first time with a male.”

  A smile took over Quentin’s face. “God, I love knowing I’m your first.” Quentin grabbed the lube, squirted some on his cock, and rubbed it all around to make sure he was coated.

  Hunter started to roll over, and Quentin stopped him with a hand on his hip.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Getting on my hands and knees. Isn’t that the way?”

  Quentin held in his smile. “It can be. But it doesn’t have to be. I want to watch your face the first time I push into you.”

  Hunter lay on his back again, and Quentin moved closer, pushing Hunter’s legs up.

  “Are you nervous?”

  Hunter nodded. “A little.”

  “Scared?”

  This time, he shook his head. “No.”

  “Good.”

  Quentin took more lube and rubbed it on Hunter’s entrance. He pushed a finger into him. Then, he put another in and then a third when he felt Hunter was ready.

  He knew it was still going to burn a little, but there was nothing to prevent that, and hopefully, it would be a good burn for Hunter.

  The moment came, and Quentin placed himself at Hunter’s entrance. He slid his hands down Hunter’s chest and gripped on to his thighs. With one strong thrust, he pushed into Hunter.

  Hunter exhaled a big breath.

  “Are you okay?”

  Hunter nodded.

  That was a relief because Quentin was ready to come from the tightness of Hunter’s body. He couldn’t believe they were really doing this.

  He waited for Hunter to relax before he started to move. He went slowly at first and gradually began to pick up speed. Quentin grabbed Hunter’s cock in his hand as Quentin stroked in and out of his body.

  Quentin wanted them to come at the same time, and he shifted his body so that he could hit Hunter’s sweet spot better. When a long moan escaped from the back of Hunter’s throat, he knew he’d accomplished his goal.

  “Are you going to come soon? I want you to come with me,” Quentin said.

  Hunter touched Quentin’s chest and was now rotating his hips on Quentin’s shaft. “Yes, I want that, too.”

  Quentin stroked Hunter faster. Just as the vampire’s orgasm hit, Quentin pulled out, and they both came on Hunter’s stomach.

  It was the best good-bye present Quentin had ever received.

  ZANE WOKE UP from the hardest sleep he’d ever experienced. He was groggy as shit and felt like he’d been run over by a truck. It felt an awful lot like when Gerald had shot him.

  He lifted his head and looked down to see his bandaged chest. “Fuck me,” he said, his voice raspy.

  He’d been shot again.

  Stupid fucking Bram.

  At least the fucker was dead. He did remember hearing that.

  Oh no!

  “Isabelle?”

  “I’m here. I’m here,” she said.

  He looked over his shoulder to see her sitting in the corner of his infirmary room. “Come here.”

  She hesitated.

  “Please.”

  She took a deep breath and came to his bedside.

  She seemed like something was bothering her. He should talk to her about it, but right now, he was going to be selfish, so he pulled her down to lie beside him.

  He nuzzled her hair, her ear, and her neck. Her smell comforted him.

  “I’m so glad you’re here. I don’t know if I could take getting shot again and not seeing you.”

  She got up on her elbow so fast, she bumped him in the nose.

  Ow.

  “You were shot before?”

  He rubbed his sore sniffer. “Yeah.” He cocked his head. “You mean, you didn’t know?”

  “No. Where?”

  “My upper chest.” He pointed to it. “It healed really well.”

  “Wow. I noticed the scar, but I had no idea it was from a gun. When did this happen?”

  “Two days after you left.” He looked away. “I kept hoping you’d come back once you heard I was injured.”

  “I didn’t know,” she whispered.

  He met her eyes. “You would have if you had known?”

  “I have no idea.”

  He laughed. “At least you’re honest.”

  “Did you want me to?”

  Zane lifted his head. “Isabelle, haven’t you figured out that I’m crazy about you? Yes, I wanted you to come back.”

  “I don’t understand. Why me? You’re…” She gestured with her hand at his feet to the top of his head.

  He didn’t get it. “I’m what?”

  “You’re…gorgeous. You’re a sentinel.” She looked down. “And I’m me. I’m just a plain schoolteacher. You could have anyone you want.”

  Zane tilted her chin up, so she would look at him. “I never took you for someone who lacked confidence.”

  “That’s because I am confident. But I’m also a realist. I know I’m a good catch, and Bram didn’t deserve me, but I also know you can do better. You could have someone beautiful, like Payton.”

  “Payton’s taken.”

  She gave him a look. “I know that. And you know what I mean.”

  “You forgot one thing.”

  She raised her brow. “And what’s that?”

  “I don’t want anyone else. I want you.” He pulled her down to him and thoroughly kissed her. “You think I go around, volunteering to marry every mate with an abusive boyfriend?”

  “Well…no. But—”

  He shook his head. “There is no but. I love you, Isabelle. No one else.”

  Her lower lip quivered. “You love me?”

  He nodded his head and smiled. “Oh, Isa. I have for over two years.”

  She dropped on top of him and cried.

  He winced as she hit his gunshot, but he didn’t say anything.

  Zane felt like he was out of his element, but he just rubbed her back and said soothing things. When he’d told Isabelle he loved her, he hadn’t thought she’d bawl her eyes out.

  No wonder she’d left two years ago without giving them a chance. He was horrible at this romance stuff.

  Her body stopped shaking. Her hiccups slowed, and so did her sniffles. She shifted, so she could look down on him again
. “You really mean it?”

  “Yes,” he said with a laugh of disbelief. “You know I’m telling you the truth right now because you look like shit from crying, and I haven’t kicked you out of bed.”

  She smiled and rolled her eyes. “Oh, Zane.”

  “Why the tears?”

  “Because it’s too good to be true.”

  He laughed. “You realize, we are lying in a hospital bed after your ex-boyfriend shot me, right?”

  “You know what I mean.” She leaned down and kissed him. “I love you, too.”

  “Then, why do you look like you ate a sour grape?”

  “Because it was kind of scary to say out loud. I think I was scared to let myself love you.”

  “Ah, Isa, don’t be scared.” He grabbed her arms. “I won’t—”

  She winced.

  He knew that wince. She was in pain.

  “What’s wrong?” Please don’t say the baby, he prayed.

  “My arm,” she said, pulling it back. “It’s nothing.”

  “Isabelle.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She lifted her shirt, and she had a white bandage wrapped around it. “I might have gotten shot, too.”

  “What? How did I miss this?”

  “You were kind of bleeding out.”

  He put his arm over his head. “I failed you.”

  “Zane.” She pulled on his arm. “Zane.”

  He looked at her. “What?”

  “You didn’t fail me. It was just my arm. I’ll have a scar, but it was just skin and muscle. Unlike you. They had to save your lung.”

  He touched his lower chest. “Is that why it hurts so much?”

  She chuckled. “Yeah.” She ran her finger over his chest. “So…you weren’t worried about me yesterday, knowing Bram could show up?”

  That was an odd question.

  “Of course I was. That’s why I took as much backup as possible.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me what you had planned?”

  “Because I had no idea if Bram would show up. And you needed some time away from everyone. I didn’t want to ruin our picnic by worrying you, especially if he never showed up. I wanted you to enjoy the day.”

  “So, you weren’t using me to lure Bram out?”

  A light dawned on him. He remembered her pulling away from him yesterday by the lake. And she’d been a little distant when he first woke up just now. She’d thought he’d used her.

  “Well, Isa, I suppose I did a little, if I’m being honest. But I knew I would do anything to protect you. And something had to give. We couldn’t leave Bram out there to strike when he felt like it. He needed to be taken care of. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

  “It was probably a good thing,” she admitted. “My surprise led him to thinking we were alone and him blabbing his big mouth. His ego and overconfidence were what got him in the end.”

  The door to his room opened then, and a female walked in with a stethoscope and a name tag that said Dr. Gordan. Behind her walked in a male with his own stethoscope and a name tag that read Dr. Leed.

  “You’re awake,” Dr. Leed said.

  Isabelle slipped off the bed. “I’m sorry. I should have come to get you.”

  Dr. Leed smiled. “Let’s just take a look at you, okay?” he said to Zane.

  After a thorough examination, Dr. Leed announced that Zane looked good.

  “You can probably go home tomorrow.”

  “That’s a relief.” He didn’t want to be there any longer than necessary.

  “You’re going to have a bigger scar than your last wound. This one needed surgery.”

  “That’s okay. Scars are sexy, right, Isa?”

  She smiled at him. “Whatever you say,” she teased.

  “Isabelle, I wanted to talk to you about your test results,” Dr. Gordan said and gave a wary look toward Zane.

  Isabelle grabbed his hand. “It’s okay. You can talk in front of Zane. He’s my mate.”

  The doctor looked back and forth between the two of them and then said, “Your test came back positive. We won’t know if everything is okay for a few more months because the baby is too small right now. But that’s also the reason the baby will probably be fine. It’s cushioned inside you, being very protected.”

  Isabelle’s free hand flew to her mouth. “I’m pregnant?”

  Dr. Gordan smiled. “You are.”

  Isabelle started crying again, and Zane pulled her down to him.

  “Isa, this is good news.”

  “I know. That’s why I’m crying.”

  Zane looked at Dr. Leed, who shrugged.

  Zane was never going to understand women, but he’d try his best to understand this one for the rest of his life.

  TEGAN WAS JUST finishing up breakfast when she felt it.

  She ran to the bathroom, and there was the evidence right in front of her.

  She wasn’t pregnant.

  She had known there wasn’t a guarantee, but a part of her had thought that she was going to have a baby.

  She got in the shower and watched the evidence of her empty womb go down the drain.

  It was kind of silly to be so upset. Two weeks ago, she had been a single female, going along, doing as she pleased. Now, she had a mate whom she loved more than anything and a sadness that she wasn’t pregnant.

  Go figure.

  Life was strange.

  Tegan got out of the shower and toweled off. Thankfully, she had work to do today. She needed to keep busy and her mind off of things.

  She went to her room to get dressed.

  After coming home from Vegas, the cats had stayed with the wolves a few nights until Bram was caught. After they’d come home, she’d been sleeping with Reid. All her stuff was still in her room though, and she was grateful she didn’t have to face her mate at the moment.

  Along with being a sentinel, Tegan worked at L & L Construction. And, due to her being out of town and trying to capture Bram, she was behind on her work. She had a full day ahead of meeting with clients.

  After getting dressed, Tegan walked silently down the hall and past Reid’s room. His door was ajar, and she heard the click-clack of his keyboard going. She should say good-bye to him, but she couldn’t face him right now. He’d be so disappointed.

  Work did take her mind off her failed heat, especially with a couple of difficult clients who consumed all her mental energy. But, by late morning, when she was chatting with one of the polite ones, a cramp had her wincing.

  “Are you okay?” her client asked.

  Mrs. Auch was about Tegan’s age, and her husband had already stepped out of the room to take a phone call.

  Tegan found herself telling the truth. “Just cramps.”

  “Ooh…those are the worst. I have some ibuprofen or Midol if you need it.”

  Tegan held up a hand. “No, that’s okay. Thank you, but I do have some in my drawer.”

  Mrs. Auch smiled. “It helps to have that stuff on hand, doesn’t it? I keep hoping I’ll grow out of them, yet every month, they nearly have me in tears.”

  Tegan paused in horror. “You go through this every month?”

  Her client laughed. “Yes, don’t you?”

  Uh…

  “No, they usually aren’t this bad,” Tegan lied.

  “Count yourself lucky. Mine always are.”

  Tegan was grateful she was a shifter and only had to endure this every six months, although she had been honest when she said it wasn’t normally this bad. At least, it felt worse than usual.

  “Well, I’d better get going. Thanks for everything,” Mrs. Auch said, standing.

  Tegan got up from her chair and held out her hand. “Thank you. Call if you have any questions. I don’t work every day, but I’ll try to get back to you as soon as I can.”

  The client shook her hand and left.

  It was lunchtime, and Tegan wouldn’t have another client for over an hour. She picked up her phone for the first time since she’d come i
nto work. Truthfully, she’d been avoiding it and put it on silent the minute she arrived at her office.

  Reid: You left without saying good-bye. Everything okay?

  Reid: It’s been a couple of hours. I haven’t heard from you. Are you alive?

  Reid: All joking aside, please call me when you get this. I need to know you’re okay.

  The last text had been twenty minutes ago.

  But there was no way she was calling him. She’d didn’t want to lie and tell him everything was fine, and she didn’t want to tell him there was something wrong and leave him hanging about the details until she got home.

  She took the chickenshit way out and messaged him back.

  Tegan: Sorry I left without saying good-bye.

  Tegan: I’ve been super busy, playing catch-up all morning. We’ll talk when I get home.