by Tigris Eden
Nerina remembered those last moments. The lack of air, the crushing weight of her chest as her ribs collapsed. It had felt like a boulder had been dropped on her. Her life hadn’t flashed before her clouded vision and there was no white light. There had been darkness. Over reaching darkness that clouded not only her sight, but her consciousness. It felt like a door was closing shut permanently as she lay limp against the tree. Yet, now she felt as if she could run a marathon. Why was that?
“Wouldn’t you rather fuck first?”
Her body of course was all on top of that, but her mind knew better. Victor loathed her.
“I’d rather you explain what in the hell is going on, Vic.”
“Women who’d rather talk are a direct hit to any male ego.”
Oh the hell well. He’d just have to get over it.
She tried untangling herself from his body, but he held tight.
“We’ll talk like this. You’re still weak no matter how stubborn or sassy that mouth of yours is. Your body isn’t fully healed.”
And she wouldn’t expect it to be. How long was she out for? Days? Longer?
“How long have we been stuck in this cave and why am I naked?”
Victor didn’t say anything, so she asked again. When he still didn’t answer, she squeezed the cock in her hand, and realized…Shit! I still have his cock in my hand! Quickly she released him, feeling his body sigh.
“Thank you for that. Couldn’t think straight with your hand wrapped around my dick.”
Nerina grunted.
“Now, to answer your question. We’ve been here a few hours. There is a storm out there and until it’s finished its song and dance with Mother Nature, this is where we’ll stay. I saved you from the bear—”
Nerina tried to interrupt him at that point but his hand around her neck tightened slightly so she wasn’t able to do more than take a breath. “You’re naked because you were freezing and since my temperature runs higher I used my body heat to warm you up.”
Victor kissed the back of her neck then, eliciting more chills and more deep body sighs. She wasn’t supposed to be attracted to him. He didn’t like her, and she quickly reminded him of that when she reached out with her scared hand to get his attention. Only her hand wasn’t scared anymore.
What the hell is going on?
Maybe she was dreaming. She knew where every single solitary burn mark was on her body. She knew it like she knew the back of her hand. She even had names for some of the nastier ones. But her hands were smooth, soft, and free of any burns. Forgetting about Victor, she concentrated on the rest of her body. He was letting her move as she inspected her leg first. She twisted, running her other hand down the side of her hip and reached over to touch her back.
Gone.
Not one scar.
The skin that was normally raised forming thick lines of battered skin, was now smooth and absent its tell-tale sign of disfigured flesh.
It was like the fire never happened. She couldn’t believe it. The scars that had haunted her for the last two years were gone. Actually gone. She didn’t know whether to be happy or scared. Those scars defined who and what she was now.
Damaged.
She’d always been a hard ass on the outside and a softie on the inside. Her armor had been taken from her. She felt naked, bare. Exposed in a way that made her very uneasy.
“How?” She whispered.
His chest vibrated with what could only be described as an annoyed grumble.
“Can’t we just take advantage of what lies between us? It’d be an awful great way to say thank you for saving your life.”
Nerina turned to face him and realized her mistake. The light from the fire danced against the cave walls, at the same time showcasing all that Victor was. And there was a lot of him. He had a soft pelt of hair that covered the expanse of his chest, smooth as silk as it rubbed delicately against her skin making her hyperaware of their situation. They were alone, in a cave with no barriers between them.
Don’t look down. Don’t do it. It will be game on if you do.
She couldn’t resist. She had to look down. When she did, she let out a small involuntary gasp as she followed the dark line of hair that lightened as it outlined the contours of his abs. The trail of hair darkened and thickened to cover the area that surrounded his erection, that could no longer contain his cock as it rested heavily against his thigh. Her eyes were glued to his shaft as her mind thought back to how it pulsed in her hands. The weight of him heavy, the pleasure it promised, unmistakable. Her eyes roved over his well-muscled thighs and back up to the defined shape of his hips. Her body immediately warmed to the idea of spending her time in a cave with Victor another way. The answers to who and the how could wait till later.
Her eyes trailed up past his chest to focus on his emerald green eyes, and there she saw hunger. A desperate hunger she knew matched her own. Her hands fisted against his chiseled abs during her visual exploration. Nerina’s fingers stretched, digging into his hard flesh. It made Victor’s muscles jump beneath her palms.
“I’ll answer all of your questions later. Right now, I need to…” his hands, now on her hips brought her flush against the heat of his body. Nerina inhaled sharply as the reality of what was about to happen sunk in. She was about to have sex, in a cave, with a man, that in all honesty, she really didn’t like.
What happens in the cave, stays in the cave.
That was her story and she was sticking with it. She’d get this over with. Get Victor out of her system and move on with finding out what really happened.
“Close your eyes and listen to my voice.” His words brooked no argument, something in the way they were ground out let Nerina know that Victor was on edge. It excited her and worried her in equal amounts.
Chapter 9
There was a reason for everything, and Victor honestly believed he’d wound up stuck in a cave with Nerina Simpson, not only to save her from a bear, but also to pleasure her in ways that were meant to satisfy and drain them both dry.
Gods she’s lovely.
He tried and failed to restrain his ever-growing reaction to her. Chaos and lust warred inside his mind as he tried to figure out the best way to go about pleasuring her without causing her to run screaming into the night. His wolf refused to be controlled. It made Victor work that much harder to control his urges. Gritting his teeth, he slowly rolled away from her and tried to think. She lay there on the ground. Her slick skin splayed out on the dirt floor made her look primitive and carnal. Wasn’t there a heated spring in this cave? He used to come to the cave as a boy and play with his brothers. He also brought girls to this cave when he responded to their heat. So many options, and very little time to pull it all off. The storm would soon pass, and with it, his only opportunity to work her out of his system for good.
He needed rope. Hell, what he really needed was patience. She was there for the taking and he didn’t want to fuck it up by turning into a rabid beast.
“Ummm—,” her voice was quiet. Hesitant. “We doing this, or have you decided you’d rather talk instead?” She was just as nervous as he was. No, he wasn’t nervous. Never that. He was anxious. He wanted to mark her. Tie her up and watch the rope dig into her skin leaving behind a beauty that very few people understood. His control was faltering and what little bit of sanity he had left was slowly seeping through his pores.
“We’re doing this,” his voice dropped lower and he had to clear his throat before he could continue. “Give me a minute.” Victor trailed a hand down the side of her hip. He liked the contrast of their skin tones. How they complimented one another. Up her torso, his hand traveled, goose bumps dotted her flesh. Yeah, she wanted him. The air was laced with a deep, sultry scent that was unmistakable to his wolf. Arousal. Potent and so thick Victor could almost taste it.
“Stand up.”
She didn’t react right away but he could be patient. She was new to this form of stimulation. He'd watched her at the club. Saw how her bod
y swayed as the woman on stage was being bound and played with. She wanted to submit to a man. But not just any man. It would be to someone with a strong hand and even stronger will. She was too standoffish. She needed someone to be direct and forward with her. Not someone she could boss around, and Victor was up for the challenge. He didn't have rope, but he had something that would do for now. The impressions wouldn’t be deep, but there would be enough of a mark on her flesh to accomplish the beauty he knew her skin could display.
Nerina stood. Victor slowly rose to his feet so that they were chest to chest. He watched the vein at her neck pulse rapidly in time with her breathing as she pulled in air. With every breath, her beautiful breasts rose and fell seductively, calling to his inner beast. He wanted to control everything about this woman. Wanted her to share her deepest and darkest secrets. Victor couldn’t come to terms with the reality of what it all meant. He wouldn’t. They were in this moment, in this present time that lacked the formality of a true courtship.
All he cared about was the feeling their coupling would evoke.
Placing a steady hand on her hip, he pulled her forward until her nipples brushed his chest. She didn’t speak, didn’t react, but her eyes widened at their contact. He could see the uncertainty in her eyes as she too waged a war inside her own mind. She wasn’t an easy person to read. From what little she did let peek out from underneath her mask, Victor could see her confusion, and her fear. What rang true for both of them was the undeniable attraction they had for one another.
“I’m going to touch you Nerina. Do things to you that may seem…” He hesitated for a moment trying to find the right words. “That may seem different. I promise you, you’ll enjoy every minute of our time here. If there’s something that bothers or concerns you, ask me. If I’m able to answer you, I will. But understand, this is about pleasure and only pleasure. I may even say things that you don’t understand, but none of what I say or do will cause you any displeasure.” His eyes were firm as he held her unflinching stare. Willing her to understand what he was asking of her.
“Do you always talk before you get down to the fucking?” She asked bluntly. Clearly she thought he was joking.
Before he knew what he was doing, Victor squeezed her waist, applying just enough pressure to make her squeak. Not in pain, but in shock. Good. He had her attention now.
“Say another word and I’ll take you over my knee.”
She was about to speak. Thought about it, and then closed her mouth.
“Good girl.”
They were both naked, something that had him at a bit of a disadvantage. There was nothing normal or even staged about what was going to happen, and Victor found that although this put them on equal footing, it wouldn’t for long. Soon, he’d have the upper hand. He would control the situation and her pleasure. Kneeling, he quickly picked up the underwear he’d removed from her earlier. They were boy shorts, made of microfiber, so they stretched and would accommodate what he had in mind.
“Place your hands behind your back, Nerina.”
She quickly turned, no words, no hesitation. All action.
Deftly, Victor bound her hands, nipping the sides of her hips as he worked to make sure she was tied securely. It was firm. There would be a mark on her wrists where the fabric dug into her skin. Not a beautiful pattern like hemp or nylon would make, but a mark all the same. Victor stood admiring his work. Her breasts jutted forward, plump and firm. Her nipples an inviting chocolate, waiting to be suckled and pinched. He gently tapped her shoulder with a finger, making her stand straighter. It would have to do. His time was limited as were his resources. She didn’t make a sound as his hands roved up her thighs, and over her belly. That would change too. Her breasts were heavy in his palms and as he toyed with a nipple between his fingers. Victor bent to taste one nipple while rolling and tugging on the other. The taste of her skin was unmistakable. Her lust overwhelmed his senses, making him high. All he could taste was the sugary confection of her arousal. It was addictive. His balls became heavy with seed. The weight of his erection reminding him of his purpose. Victor let go of her nipple with a loud pop and burrowed his head in her neck. He soaked up her scent where it was the strongest. His wolf making him anxious and uneasy as he tried to control his urges. A small mewl escaped Nerina’s lips as he ground his erection into her belly. The tip leaking pre-cum that he rubbed into her skin.
“See what you do to me. You make me anxious like a teenager.” He grunted against her collarbone as he rubbed his nose back and forth in her scent. His inner beast basking in her scent. His wolf watched for tell-tale signs that what he was doing was pleasing to her.
Nerina groaned in his ear, her breath, a summer breeze against his skin. She tried freeing her hands, but quickly stopped struggling when Victor nipped the underside of her jaw.
“There is no escaping me, Precious.”
“Who says I want to escape?” Her words were a rushed whispered.
Victor used his left hand to grab her bound hands. His other hand threaded into her hair tugging the strands sharply. Nerina peered up at him, her eyes dilated. The black drowning out the brown and swallowing the white. Her chest rose and fell rapidly with every breath she took, and Victor knew he had her full attention.
“My Little Neri.” He smirked and watched her eyes widen at the play on her name.
Their breaths mingled as his nose brushed hers slowly. He travelled to her jaw, stopping at her lips. Inhaling deeply, he noted the scent of mint and amaretto. The promise of her kiss was more than he could stand. Victor couldn’t wait any longer. He had to taste her. His mouth descended fast and hard. His hand tightening in her hair as he brought her closer. He knew his growls and grunts were nothing civilized as he devoured her lips. Their tongues clashed and her own moans fueled his beast into a frenzy that took him by surprise. He felt her knees shake a moment before she slumped forward in his arms. Unable to hold herself up, he gripped her tighter. He couldn’t tell if she was still healing from the ordeal with the bear, or if he literally made her weak in the knees. He wasn’t sure but he was going to go with the latter, because he knew his kisses were that good.
Their teeth clashed. His arm at her hands tugged her closer as he lifted Nerina. She didn’t need instruction, her legs immediately wrapped around his waist where she clenched his sides. Victor tore his mouth away, breath sawing in and out of his chest as he tried to fight off what was overpowering them both. He practiced control in all things. With her, his control faltered and became unbalanced. He was on the edge.
His wolf wanted to mount her, the man wanted to mark her, and right now the two parts of him were not seeing eye to eye. Placing his forehead against hers, he gave his omission.
“You make me lose control.”
“Good.”
“No, not good.” She didn’t understand what that would mean for either of them. Talking was starting to sound like the best course of action. She needed to know about him and what he did to her in order for them to continue and move forward. “I think we should talk first. I want to make sure you understand that if we do this, what this will entail.”
The look in her eyes said it all. She was disappointed. But she also wanted to know what he was talking about. Slowly she took a deep breath, untangled her legs from around his hips, and slowly slid down his body.
“Untie me.”
Victor released her hands and returned her boy shorts. Quickly, she slid into her underwear and then went about the task of putting the rest of her clothes on. They were ruined, but did the job of covering most of her up. When she looked up and realized he was still naked, she tilted her head to the side eyeing him in curiosity.
“Your clothes?”
“Don’t wear any during the change.”
“Huh?”
He had a lot to explain.
Could women get blue balls? She’d heard him say something about no clothes during a change, but once again she was dazzled by all t
hat was him. He was hot with clothes on, but damn, he was hotter without them.
Head in the game.
Right. They were supposed to be talking. He wanted to talk. They would talk.
“How long is a few hours? You said we’d been here a few. Two hours? Three—”
“Just a little over nine hours. Demon and Daar are back at your cabin.”
“How would you know that?” The last thing she remembered before the bear attack was Demon and another wolf playing in the woods, or chasing each other in the woods. “Never mind, don’t answer that. Let’s go with the million dollar question instead, how is it that I’m alive, healed, and well?”
“Long story,” Victor said stretching his arms behind his back and then rolling his neck on his shoulders until she heard a distinct pop.
“Well, we’ve got time. Explain.”
“What I’m about to say is a Pack secret. If you let on that you know about us to the outside world, well there’s no other way to put this,” he stepped closer, his large body crowding hers. “Death would be the least of your worries.”
He was serious. Nerina could see it in the way his eyes flared and his jaw tightened as he said the words. They stared at one another in silence before he began speaking again.
“This is going to be hard for you to understand. You’re human. All your life you’ve been led to believe that the unexplained is in no way supernatural. Humans always try and find a logical explanation to things they either can’t or won’t understand.”
That wasn’t too hard to believe.
“I did ask you for an explanation. Regardless of what I’ve been taught to believe, obviously you’ve given me all the proof I need just by this,” Nerina waved her hand in front of his face. There wasn’t a single mark on her skin. Not one.
“I’m a werewolf. I’m part of an ancient clan of werewolves who are direct descendants of Enil. He was the first ever turned Werewolf by the Egyptian God Anubis.” He stopped speaking then, and she figured it was his way of giving her a chance to truly digest what he had told her.