Hector: Outback Shifters Book One

by Chant, Zoe

“Oh, stop it. Flattery will get you… well, it’ll get you quite a lot of places, actually,” Myrtle said, as his fingers slipped down her throat and over her chest. She leaned up, kissing him again.

  Hector grimaced. “God, as much as I want to do this, I need to get out of this fucking suit, and wash the stench of bureaucratic bullshit off me.”

  Myrtle laughed, kissing him again. “Okay, then. But don’t be long.”

  * * *

  “By the way,” Hector said when he emerged from the shower a few minutes later, a white fluffy towel sitting low on his hips. “What about your younger brothers? Do they worry about the same kinds of things you do?”

  Myrtle shook her head. “Thorn and Rowan? Not really. Maybe because they’re boys, or maybe it’s just because they’re talented in the same way my sisters are, all gorgeous and athletic. Thorn’s on a football scholarship, and there’s already a lot of buzz he’s going to be a star. Rowan’s still in high school, though – he’s still got Taylor Swift posters on his wall.”

  Hector frowned, sitting down on the bed. “Taylor Swift? Really?”

  “Not a fan of TSwift?” Myrtle asked. “I think she has some catchy tunes.”

  “It’s not that,” Hector said, shaking his head. “I’m sure she’s lovely. It just reminds me of how old I am. All the pop singers these days – I can hardly keep them straight in my head.”

  Myrtle laughed. “Well, maybe. So who was your fantasy girlfriend as a kid, then?”

  Hector looked up at the ceiling, a dreamy look crossing his face. “Chrissy Amphlett.”

  Now it was Myrtle’s turn to frown. “Who’s that?”

  Hector looked aghast. “No – really? You have to know. I refuse to believe you don’t know. The Divinyls. No, c’mon, you do know.” Hector stood up, threw a sultry glance over his shoulder, swiveled his hips, and started to sing. “I don’t want aaaaanybody else, when I think a-bout you I touch myyyyself –”

  “Okay, okay, okay! Yeah, I know that song!” Myrtle cried out, laughing and covering her face with her hands to hide how red she’d gone. Who knew she’d find an impromptu rendition of a ’90s hit such a turn on? “Oh my God! Really?”

  “Hard not to like a woman who knows what she wants,” Hector said, flopping back down on the bed beside her. He rolled over, the water from his shower still glistening on his chest. “And speaking of, is there anything you want?”

  Myrtle swallowed, feeling her throat grow tight. Hector’s gaze was intense, his expression suddenly serious. As much as she’d learned to relax around him – and to be bolder than she’d ever imagined she could be – it still made her heart flutter when she thought about actually telling him what she wanted when she looked at him.

  Go on, she urged herself. He just said he likes it when a woman knows what she wants.

  “A lot of things,” she said, her voice soft.

  “What things?”

  Myrtle felt herself blush anew. Hector’s voice was a throaty rumble, and it sent sparks of heat straight through her.

  “Things like this,” she said, reaching forward, running her hand over his chest, the tips of her fingers brushing lightly through his hair and over his glistening skin.

  Hector groaned as her hand delved lower over his abs, brushing against the edge of his towel. Myrtle took a deep breath, licking her lips.

  Their first time out on the mountain had seemed so natural – she hadn’t had to think about anything. Her body had guided her, showing her what to do. She’d always been self-conscious during sex, which was probably why she’d never really enjoyed it that much. She had never been able to stop herself from thinking that her boyfriend at the time had to be thinking about someone else, or imagining that her body looked different, felt different. That she was different.

  Looking up into Hector’s face now, she felt her self-confidence strengthen. Between the way he was looking at her now and the steadily growing bulge beneath his towel, there was no way she could doubt how desirable he found her.

  His brown eyes seemed to be lighted from within, his arousal almost making them glow. The golden flecks around his pupils made his irises look almost caramel-colored, and his forehead creased as her hand wandered lower, brushing between his thighs.

  “Myrtle…”

  The sound of her name slipping out from between his lips made her groan. No one had ever said her name like that before. She’d always hated it – but she thought she could grow to love it, if she heard it said like that a few more times.

  “You’re really driving me crazy here,” Hector said, his voice strained as she continued to tease him, her fingers playing over his skin. “Any more of this and I’m not going to be responsible for my actions.”

  Myrtle laughed, her hand slipping down his thigh again – before she quickly pulled it away. “Maybe you should just go crazy then.”

  She heard the low growl in his throat, and saw the gorgeously wicked flash in his eyes before she suddenly found herself on her back on the bed, the long t-shirt she was wearing whipped away, and Hector above her, his hips between her thighs.

  He’d moved so fast she’d barely seen him do it, and she gasped now, arousal flooding through her, wetness growing between her thighs.

  His lips were on hers before she even had time to think – hard and hot and demanding, his hands on her waist, his erect cock sliding against her stomach. Myrtle writhed beneath him, crying out into his mouth at the feeling of his hardness against her, and knowing that it was all for her.

  Never before had she felt so aware of herself – so aware of the tingling of her skin, of her panting breath, of the droplets of sweat that collected between their bodies. Hector’s hands slid up her sides, his thumbs brushing gently over the sides of her breasts. Myrtle shivered, her arms winding around his back, her thighs parting around him.

  He lowered his head, kissing his way down her jaw, her neck, her throat. Myrtle cried out when his mouth at last dipped to her breasts, teasing her nipples with his lips and tongue, sending ripples of pleasure through her body. She arched up, gasping, her hands caught in his hair as he took his time over her, bringing her again and again to the brink of release.

  Never before had she felt this way. Hector seemed to know just what to do to make her curl her toes and cry out. But it wasn’t only the physical sensations that were pulsing through her, bringing her such desperate pleasure. It was the sense that he knew her, the way no one else in the world possibly could – that their souls knew each other, and that they were growing closer and closer with every single beat of their hearts.

  “God, Hector,” Myrtle gasped, her breath hitching. After everything they’d been through together, she knew it was natural for them to feel close – but it was more than that. She had believed him when he’d spoken of the mated bond, of the way their fates and souls were intertwined. She’d felt the spark between them when their hands had touched.

  But it was only now that Myrtle thought she could truly feel their bond as it grew inside her, wreathing her heart with a golden glowing light that seemed to flow from her chest and into his.

  Of course, everything Hector’s hands and teeth and tongue were doing to her felt amazing, but what it meant was even more important: the affirmation of their bond, of what they truly meant to each other.

  The scent of Hector’s sweat was heady and utterly masculine. His arms around her were stronger than anything she’d ever known. Need for him swelled within her.

  “Please, Hector. God, please…”

  His response to her plea was a low rumble of a laugh. Myrtle shivered as the sound vibrated through her. She was wetter than she could remember ever having been before, desire racing through her veins.

  She opened her mouth in a silent cry, writhing on the bed as his fingers brushed against her opening, teasing her gently. Her body jerked up, feet slipping on the sheets, her nails digging into his back as his fingers slipped inside, his thumb circling her clit as they did so.

  Myrtle closed he
r eyes, panting as he moved his fingers inside her. It was all too much and not enough at the same time, her desperation for more making her whine out loud, her muscles clenching and shaking every time he moved.

  “Please, God, don’t stop,” she gasped out. “Please…”

  She whimpered as she felt Hector’s hand leave her, and she wondered what he could be thinking. She’d been so close, so close to climax, and –

  Oh!

  Myrtle twisted on the bed, shuddering as his tongue brushed against her. His strong hands pushed her thighs apart, giving him greater access, as his mouth found every part of her, sending wave after wave of pleasure through her body. Myrtle was helpless against them, her body jerking, heat building in her belly. She both wanted to reach her climax and for this to never end – she wanted to go on feeling this way for ever and ever, these sparks of ecstasy racing along every nerve in her body, stars swimming across her vision.

  She cried out when she at last tumbled over the edge, her fingers clutching at his hair, thighs shuddering around his head. Heat coursed through her again and again, seeming to lift her off the bed, until she fell back, senseless and sweaty, against the sheets.

  Myrtle still felt utterly breathless when Hector’s face reappeared above her, his eyes dark with desire, hair sweaty and tousled.

  God, he looks good.

  She leaned up to kiss him, opening her mouth to let his tongue twine with hers. His hand came up to cup the back of her head, his fingers tangled in her hair, his lust for her undeniable.

  “That was – that was –”

  She felt too breathless to get the words out.

  Amazing. Incredible. The best I’ve ever felt in my entire life, she thought, but her head was a mess with a weird combination of post-orgasm lassitude and renewed desire. She could feel heat gathering in her belly again already – she already wanted more.

  “Do you need to go to sleep?” Hector’s voice was hoarse, and she could still feel his hardness pressing against her, his towel discarded. The sensation sent a shiver through her, and she knew that sleep was something for some indefinable far-off point in the future.

  “Not yet,” she said, playing her fingers through the damp hair at the nape of his neck. She reached her other hand down between them, curling her fingers around him, filling her palm with his length and hardness. Hector groaned, his eyes fluttering shut, his head flung back, as she worked her fingers over him.

  “Come on,” she whispered, watching, entranced, as sweat beaded over his throat. “Please. I want it.”

  Evidently, Hector had been telling the stone cold truth when he said he liked a woman who knew what she wanted, because a soft groan left his lips at her words, and he looked down at her, his face flushed.

  “God, I love it when you say things like that.”

  Myrtle smiled as she lifted her head, her lips next to his ear. “Please. I want it. Now.”

  She didn’t have to tell him again. Hector shifted his hips, positioning himself between her thighs. The next moment, she felt him, hot and achingly hard, pressing against her opening.

  Heat coursed through her, filling her veins. Myrtle closed her eyes, holding her breath – only to let out a long, breathy moan as he slid into her, filling her to perfection. She tightened around him and heard his desperate gasp in response, his mouth buried against her neck.

  “Fuck, Myrtle…”

  She let out a cry as he thrust into her and reached up, winding her arms around his shoulders. She wanted to hold him as close as she possibly could, to feel every inch of him – and yet, she knew that it would still never be close enough.

  Physical closeness was only secondary, though. She knew that even now, it was their souls that touched each other – the deepest parts of themselves mingled together, bound to each other, never to be torn apart. She could feel the golden glow of their bond in her chest, enveloping her heart and drawing them together, forging an unbreakable connection.

  Myrtle opened her mouth, teetering on the edge of climax, every movement Hector made pushing her closer and closer to the brink. She could feel that he was close, his body tense, his muscles clenching, his hoarse cries growing louder and louder.

  At last, at last, Myrtle felt the white-hot rush of heat over her body as her orgasm took her over, shuddering irresistibly through her body. Sweeping ecstasy whited out her vision and she cried out, unable to stop herself. Her spine arched, and she instinctively clenched her walls around Hector’s hard length inside her, as if trying to draw him even deeper into her body.

  Hector’s own ragged cry came only a moment later, his muscles twitching, his hands buried in her sweaty hair. She felt him pulse within her, heat filling her, as they rode the waves of their climax together.

  Mine. Mine. Mine.

  Myrtle could feel the words as well as hear them in her mind – beating through in time with her heartbeat.

  He’s mine. And I’m his.

  She had never been more sure of anything before in her life.

  Hector lowered his head, dropping kisses against her lips, hand cupping her jaw, thumb stroking over her cheek.

  The kiss became slow and languorous, and Myrtle let herself fall into it. Every muscle in her body felt deliciously relaxed – and she knew that this time she wouldn’t be able to hold off sleep for long.

  Hector eventually rolled slightly away from her, though he immediately wound his arm around her shoulders, drawing her into his chest. Myrtle happily snuggled against him, curling into his side, waiting for her breath to slow.

  “Mmmm.”

  She closed her eyes. Happiness coursed through her. Hector’s lips pressed against her forehead.

  “Sleep?” he asked her.

  “Sleep,” she agreed – and a moment later, she was there.

  Chapter 16

  “Thanks for doing this, Callan. I really appreciate it.”

  Hector watched as Ruby cautiously sniffed her way along Callan’s dining room table, nostrils twitching, tail swishing. She clearly wasn’t yet sure what to make of this new environment.

  “No worries,” Callan said, watching as Ruby inspected the fake potted plant in the middle of the table. “I just hope she likes me.”

  “Well… we’re trying to get her used to being around more people.” Hector glanced up at him, raising his hands a little helplessly. “Don’t mind her if she’s a little standoffish at first. Oh, and don’t let her bully you. She knows the rules – one bottle of apple puree per day, for dessert. She has to eat some other stuff first.”

  Callan laughed. “She looks so sweet. I’m sure she won’t –”

  At that moment, Ruby glanced up, fixing Callan with a steady stare. Hector watched as Callan blinked, his fingers twitching. Then, he shook himself and frowned.

  “What the –”

  “That’s what I’m talking about,” Hector said. “She’ll try it if she thinks she can get away with it.” He turned to Ruby. “You know that’s not allowed. We’ve talked about this – repeatedly. And you also know it doesn’t work anymore, so just cut it out. All right?”

  Ruby snorted, tossing her head, before spreading her wings and fluttering up to perch on the ceiling fan.

  “She’ll come down when she’s ready,” Hector said.

  “Oh. Right.” Callan looked up. “When you asked me to babysit, this was not what I had in mind. What the hell was that just now?”

  “She tried to, uh, mind-whammy you,” Hector said.

  Callan turned to him, raising an eyebrow. “She tried to what? Mind-whammy?”

  “That’s what Myrtle called it, and it seemed like a good way to describe it,” Hector said. He glanced up to where Ruby was sulking by the ceiling. “She still likes to try it out, every now and then. But it’s not as effective as it used to be.”

  Hector frowned a little as he looked up at Ruby. No one was sure whether her full powers would ever return to her, or if, in putting all her energy into healing him, she had burned them out for good. Ale
ta and Tassos hadn’t seemed to know either, and Hector couldn’t help but feel at least partially responsible.

  If she hadn’t had to heal me, she’d still have them, he thought. She’d grow up to be the powerful alicorn she was meant to be.

  He’d voiced this thought to Myrtle before, and Myrtle had told him to stop thinking like that – that if Ruby had to make the same choice knowing the consequences, she’d do the same thing again.

  And besides which, we can’t turn back time. We’re together. You, me, Ruby. And that’s the only thing that matters, isn’t it?

  Hector was forced to admit it was true. And aside from a few sulks when her attempts to sway people to her point of view didn’t work, Ruby didn’t seem terribly fazed about the loss of her powers.

  Hopefully, she just knows something we don’t, Hector thought, and she can still feel them inside her, waiting to come out again.

  On second thoughts, he realized, he wasn’t sure if that was a comforting idea or not.

  “We should be back in three days,” Hector said. “If there’s any issues, just give us a call.”

  Callan nodded. “No worries.” He paused, cocking his head, and Hector braced himself for what he knew was coming. This was the first time he’d really gotten to talk to Callan since he’d returned from the mission that had been half disaster, half the best thing that had ever happened to him in his life. Callan had been in the debriefings, so he already knew all about the disaster part: how Hector had misread the signs from the egg, had almost allowed Cecelia to take Ruby away from them, and had very nearly lost his own life fighting her in a rooftop garden on the Gold Coast.

  Speaking of…

  “I don’t suppose Cecelia’s had anything to say, has she?”

  Callan shook his head. “She still doesn’t remember anything. It’s the most complete case of amnesia the doctors say they’ve ever seen. She can’t remember anything about who she is, or why she came here.”

  Hector couldn’t help but frown. “That’s a little convenient.”

  “If it’s a front, it’s a good one,” Callan said, shrugging. “Either way, she’s in custody.”