by Jessi Gage
It felt impossibly grand. Was it because she’d given her heart? Because Riggs was wolfkind? No matter. She would not wonder at something so beautiful. Rather, she would rejoice in it together with her love, her pledgemate.
Waves of climax turned to gently lapping currents. Her body trembled. Riggs’s chest heaved as though he’d run leagues.
He rubbed his beard over her head, roughly, sweetly. Was it her imagination or was his scent thicker than usual?
Her mind was too addled to find words, but she petted his back and shoulders, feeling his perspiration through his shirt, assuring him he’d pleased her greatly. More greatly than she’d ever imagined a man could.
“By the moon,” he said at last, touching his forehead to hers. “Is it always like that with a woman?”
* * * *
Anya’s mirthful purr rumbled through Riggs’s chest. “I was about to ask if it was always like that with a wolf-man.”
He pulled back to look at her. In the darkness, her skin took on a blue edge, like a sapphire reflecting moonlight. Her heavy-lidded eyes shone like onyx. Her lips curved in a sated smile. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
He could hardly believe it. He’d mated a female.
Everything he’d ever heard about how to please a woman had flown out of his head the second he’d seen her breasts. He’d known only the urge to brand himself upon her. Mine, mate, mine... The litany pounded through his head as he’d pounded into his female. He should have been slow and gentle, should have made it go on much longer, should have seen to her pleasure before his own.
But she’d found her peak despite his distraction. No mistaking that. His chest swelled with pride at the memory of her cries and her clutching hands.
“What was that at the end?” she asked, her voice soft and alluring. She traced a finger down his clothed arm, causing his body to respond to her even though he’d just had her. “It went on and on. Is that what wolf-men do?”
So it had been unique for her too. “It’s never happened before. But then I’ve never been with a woman before. Maybe we should try it again. See if we can repeat it.” Still seated, he gave an experimental thrust.
“Aye. A grand idea.” She grasped his arse and squeezed, urging him to continue.
He shook his head. This time, he’d do it right. He’d show her what a worthy pledgemate he would be. Ignoring her whimper of protest, he slid himself free and took his time undressing her.
Unclothed she was more striking than the full moon. He sat back on his heels and drank in her appearance. Her shape reminded him of an hourglass, small in the waist, generously curved above and below. Her thighs were pale as cream and soft, so soft. No experience in his life had matched the thrill of those thighs cradling his hips. Best of all were her breasts, smooth as rose petals and large enough to overflow his hands. He placed a reverent kiss in the tantalizing valley between them.
She writhed and said something that began with “Och.” He didn’t understand the rest. Her gemstone. It was in the pocket of her trousers, no longer on her person.
“I don’t know what you just said, lady, but I vow to bring you as much pleasure as you can bear tonight.” He set to keeping his word. Speech wasn’t needed for this communing of bodies.
While the rain fell upon their shelter, he explored his pledgemate. He played with her. He loved her with hands and mouth until he had her intoxicating scent and taste memorized.
Mine.
Her fingers curled in his hair, and she guided him up to kiss her.
He went.
After leisurely sipping at each other for long minutes, she pulled his shirt up and over his head and urged him onto his back. A submissive pose. He gave her his trust and did as she wanted, exposing his chest and wounded stomach to her. He allowed her to caress and kiss him there, exploring him as he had her. He watched until the pleasure of her touch made his eyes flutter closed.
They flew open again with a well-placed flick of her tongue on his chest. He found his pledgemate’s gaze glittering with playfulness.
“Do that again,” he warned, “and I won’t be able to lie here passive a moment longer.”
She did it again, the sparkle in her eye telling him she’d understood his meaning even without her stone.
His breath caught in his throat at her boldness, at her sensual teasing. He rolled her beneath him, and he took her again. He took what was his, and she gave. They gave to each other until they were coated with sweat and utterly spent. And like before, the ending went on and on, impossibly, wonderfully.
He fell asleep with deep contentedness filling his heart and with his pledgemate naked in his arms.
Anya. Beloved.
The cooing of pheasants in the grass woke him after a peaceful night. Dawn brightened the horizon with a lavender glow. The rain clouds had rolled away. The sky would be blue and clear today.
He nuzzled his pledgemate not to wake her, only to enjoy her. No longer was he in a rush to get to Chroina. Though it was still the safest place for her, their arrival was bound to be awkward. He’d done nothing wrong in pledging himself to her since she was barren, but that wouldn’t be readily apparent when they entered the city. Their mating scents, however, would be.
It was a problem for later. For now, he drifted back to sleep with his hand splayed over her smooth stomach. Had any man ever known such bliss?
As he reentered the land of dreams, he found himself thanking the goddess he hadn’t acknowledged in decades for the gift she’d given him. He could have sworn he heard the morning wind whisper, “You’re welcome.”
Chapter 18
After an hour on the plain, Riggs brought Anya two hares, the best two from a well-populated den. It was past midday. They’d dozed most of the morning, mated upon waking, and now they talked by the fire as the scent of cooking meat rolled over them.
Anya lifted a stick of cubed hare from the small blaze and blew on it. She glanced at him, and her lips curved into a secretive smile as she cooled the meat. He knew her secret. It was theirs. Theirs alone.
Mate. Mine.
He still couldn’t believe it. He tucked her against his side, smelling her hair while she ate.
“What’ll happen when we get to Chroina?” she asked.
“I’ll take you to see my uncle first.” Anyone else might think to arrest him when they recognized his mating scent all over her. His uncle would give him a chance to explain how she couldn’t be the one the king had been waiting for. Then Neil could explain it to King Magnus. The king was fair and wise. He’d listen. He’d understand.
He also had to tell Neil his suspicions about the Larnians holding women captive and Ari being a traitor. “The king will want to meet you, I’m sure, but I’ll bet the news about the human women will take precedence.”
“Where will we live?”
“The women in the lottery all live at the Fiona Blath.” The five-story house was part of the castle grounds and was more heavily guarded than the castle proper. “But you won’t be in the lottery. Women past their time of breeding are welcome to stay at the common house, but the ones who’ve taken lovers or pledgemates usually live in private homes. Under guard, of course.”
Anya had stopped eating. She had a faraway look in her eyes.
“What is it, lady?”
She looked up at him. Her mouth quirked. “You still call me lady,” she observed.
“Mmm. It’s how I think of you. Lady. Sometimes Anya, but usually lady.” Or simply mine. He stroked wisps of hair off her cheek. “You went somewhere when I mentioned the ladies’ living arrangements.”
She shook her head. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s something. Tell me.”
She ate some more meat. “It’s just, you called the common house Fiona Blath. That was my mother’s name. Fiona.”
“Tell me about her.”
“No’ much to tell. She left when I was six. Seona was eight.”
“Seona?”
; “My sister.”
“Sisters.” Two females born to the same sire. Incredible. But she’d already told him females weren’t rare among her people. He couldn’t imagine a world with equal numbers of males and females, let alone two females in the same brood.
Anya nibbled some more hare, but unenthusiastically. It took him a minute to realize why. Sisters. Male siblings were common for his people. He had two younger brothers, Garryn who served in the king’s army and Jonoc who was still young enough to be a ladies’ servant at the Fiona Blath. But to have a sister was highly uncommon. Most of Marann’s esteemed ladies were the only children born to their parents. Everyone knew who Hilda and Neil were because they were born to the same sire and dame. They were one of three sets of mixed-gender siblings still alive in Marann. And they were close companions. If they were to experience a permanent separation like Anya had with her sister when she’d come here by magic, they’d mourn bitterly. It would be like having a loved one go to Danu’s breast.
“You miss her,” he said.
She nodded, picking at her meat. “I think I’ll pack this so I can have it for dinner.”
He helped her wrap the hare, wishing he could do more to ease her pain. Together they packed up the camp. He stood near her gelding, ready to help her mount up.
“You’ll trust me to ride on my own today?” Her lips quirked with mischief. She no doubt remembered him commanding she would ride with him after her galloping stunt yesterday. He was glad she seemed over her spell of sadness.
He checked the girth. “If I put you on the horse with me, I’ll end up mating you again. If we want to reach Chroina before the next full moon, we’ll do well to ride separately.”
She pretended a thoughtful expression. “Mating on horseback. I wouldna mind trying that. But I need a rest. You’ve tupped me sore.”
Worry made him look sharply at her.
“Doona fash.” She laughed and patted his chest. “’Tis a good kind of sore. Verra good.”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply before putting her on her horse. They rode at a walk, side by side. He couldn’t stop himself from reaching out on occasion to draw her to him for more kisses or to stroke his hand over her shining hair. She didn’t comment on the fact they weren’t “riding hard.”
It was as if she understood things might be uncertain for them upon reaching Chroina. He would figure it all out, though. Everything would be fine. They were pledgemates. She was infertile. They’d done nothing wrong.
They stopped after a few hours for a meal of dandelion leaves and bread for Anya and just bread for him. He’d tried the mushrooms and leaves she liked, but aside from a garnish of dill weed or rosemary along with the salt he sprinkled on his bread, he didn’t care for vegetation in his diet.
At the leisurely pace they were going, they wouldn’t make it to the eastern forest before nightfall. He’d have to settle for plains hare again for an evening meal. Not much of a sacrifice considering how Anya seemed to enjoy the gamy meat.
They sat on the ground in the shade of a reaching yew tree. Anya leaned against him and traced a finger up and down his thigh. His prick made a tent of his trousers, as it usually did when she was near. Her light stroking crept nearer and nearer, but she didn’t touch him there.
His pledgemate was teasing him again.
Tingles of pleasure followed in the wake of her touch. A woman was touching him playfully. His woman. He closed his eyes, enjoying her enjoying him.
He must be the luckiest man on the face of the Earth to have been blessed with her. Blessed. Hmm. Maybe he was beginning to believe in Danu again. Funny how hopeful he felt for his people even though he knew Anya wouldn’t be their savior. If the goddess could bring one woman to them, she could bring another. She would bring another.
Anya climbed over his outstretched leg and knelt between his thighs.
He opened his eyes and looked directly into hers.
“I’m still hungry,” she said as she unfastened his trews.
Definitely the luckiest man on the face of the Earth. “Far be it from me to let my lady go hungry.”
“Fortunately for me, my pledgemate has provided an incredible bounty with which I may sate myself.” She proceeded to make a meal of him.
His head fell back against the trunk of the tree. He lost himself in pleasure. It was like floating on a cloud, above all his cares.
When it was over, he wrapped a hand behind his lady’s neck and told her he loved her.
Her satisfied grin melted into an expression of sweet surprise. Her eyes glistened.
“Come here.” He dragged her onto his lap, pressed her face to his throat. “I love you, Anya.” He’d tell her over and over again until it no longer surprised her to hear it.
She sniffed. “And I love you.”
They held each other for long minutes, and then he stripped them both naked and laid her down.
“I thought we were to make haste today,” his pledgemate teased. “We should be riding hard. Isna that what you said?”
Truly they shouldn’t tarry any longer. But he couldn’t resist rewarding her for the pleasure she’d brought him. He rewarded her well, causing her to cry out his name so loudly a bird took flight from the tree.
He didn’t want to stop there. It was tempting to spend the rest of the afternoon mating, but he couldn’t justify dallying any longer. She wouldn’t be safe until they reached Chroina. They could make it by tomorrow night if they pressed on and rode ’til dark.
He stretched out beside her as she lay on her back, her breathing gradually returning to normal. “Are you ready to ride, lady?”
She rolled her head to give him an incredulous look. “You expect me to stay upright upon a horse after that? I think all my bones have turned to water. Better you drape me over my mount’s back and let him carry me like a sack of grain.”
Chuckling, he nuzzled her neck. He’d hardly ever laughed before meeting her. Not since his sire went to Danu’s breast. Now, he laughed daily. He was happy. By the smile on Anya’s face, he could tell he made her happy too. Of all he’d accomplished in life, he was most proud of that. He had a pledgemate, and he made her happy.
Anya drew circles on his chest with her finger. Despite knowing they should mount up, neither of them moved to get dressed. “Your peak was brief today, not like last night and this morning,” she said.
He’d noticed. Wonderful as his finish had been this afternoon, when his pledgemate had used her mouth to please him, it had been over in seconds. When he mated with her in body, it took much longer and felt even more wonderful.
“Why is that, do you suppose?” She fondled his prick, examining it as though it held the answers she sought.
“I don’t know. I’ve never experienced anything like it before. But I do know if you keep touching me like that, I’ll need to have you again before we mount up.”
“Hmm.” She abandoned her exploration and straddled him. “Mayhap we should try to make it happen again.”
Her hair fell around her face in chestnut waves. With a twinkle in her eye, she seated herself intimately upon him.
Ah. Yeah. So lovely.
She wound her arms under his to grip his shoulders from behind.
“Yeah. Yeah, hold on to me, lady. Just like that.” He held on too. He gripped her hips and, mindful of her soreness, he took his lady for a gentle afternoon ride he hoped she’d never forget.
* * * *
Sitting astride a cantering mount after a night and a day of tupping was the cruelest sort of torture. Anya’s privates burned with chafing. Her hips ached from spreading her legs around her pledgemate. Her lips felt bruised from their kissing. Mayhap she was mad, but she cherished every ache and pain. Never before had a man been passionate enough about her to take her so forcefully and so many times in such a short period.
Never before had a man told her he loved her.
She was wed.
She’d asked about pledgemating during the first l
eg of their ride that day. He’d told her there would be documents to file in Chroina, but that verbal pledges were honored among his people.
“But there were no witnesses,” she’d said.
“Danu was our witness,” he’d told her.
“You doona believe in Danu.”
“Maybe I’ve changed my mind,” he’d said with a smile so genuine the sight had tattooed itself on her heart.
“Leave it to a man to rediscover his goddess after a good tup,” she’d said.
They’d both laughed. She loved the sound of his laughter, deep and full-throated, his eyes crinkling at the corners just so.
She’d never felt as alive as she did with Riggs, as free, as cared for. Her deepest desire, to be truly wanted by another, had been granted. Fate had finally smiled upon her. She could even think of her mother leaving without the usual worm of bitterness boring into her heart.
Riggs made her happier than she’d ever been. She was determined to do the same for him. He’d left his home for her. He’d called her his home. She would ensure he never regretted the decision.
She didn’t care how sore she was. She would seduce him into tupping her every chance she got. Nothing she’d ever known in life was better than the look of helpless abandon on his face when he came for her. Nothing was better than kenning she was the first he’d given himself to. And she would be the last.
’Twas almost too good to be true.
Ahead of her, Riggs directed his mount up a gentle slope to scout the plain. She urged her horse to follow, appreciating the powerful line of his shoulders. Even wounded and dressed in a stained and torn shirt, he inspired her confidence. ’Twas in the way he held himself, posture straight, chin confidently raised, eyes alert for danger.
Pride filled her. He was her pledgemate. Hers.
She drew up alongside him. The sun was behind them, dropping in the sky as they faced eastward, gilding the rolling plain that stretched for leagues. A dark patch far on the horizon must be the eastern forest Riggs had told her about. Kept stocked with prey, the forest served as hunting grounds for those who provided meat to Chroina.