Hunter Deceived

by Nancy Corrigan

  He eased back. “The second I sense a redcap or a sluagh, I will hunt it down.”

  A long moment passed where she searched his gaze before finally nodding. The sign of her trust brought a smile to his lips. Unable to resist her sweetness, he brushed his mouth against hers. He eased back and swept his hand to the entryway. Eagerness rushed up. He hadn’t been able to connect with his animals while chained. “But first, greet my loyal companions.”

  His three favored hounds trotted into the room on silent paws. As tall as his waist, the white animals with red ears and eyes looked exactly as they had the last time he’d seen them. When the Hunt rode, they turned as black as night, but this was their true form.

  He dropped to his knees and welcomed the ferocious creatures to him. Licks to his face and nuzzles from the female mutt to his chin showed him their affection. He returned it, rubbing their sides and petting their heads.

  As one, they backed up, sat on their haunches and turned their intelligent and insightful eyes to Harley. Their noses twitched, their ears lowered, and a low growl crawled in unison from their throats. Although they wouldn’t smell the taint she carried because of his partial tie to her, they’d see the evidence of it on her aura, the same as he could.

  Their snarls confirmed his guess that the conflicting clues concerning Harley’s true nature had left his hounds distrustful, not a state he wanted the deadly beasts to be immersed in. They were animals, after all. No matter how much they obeyed his command, their instincts could still be triggered. He needed to make sure they understood without a doubt what role she played, how very important she was to him.

  “Harley?” He cut a quick peek over his shoulder and found her staring at the dogs with wide eyes. “Slowly lower your hand and allow them to sniff you. No matter what, don’t jerk away.”

  She did, palm out and fingers loose. The incomplete mate symbol stood out starkly on her pale skin. The dogs would know the significance of it. His protective stance in front of her along with his scent clinging to her skin would tell the hounds all they needed to know—Harley was his, fairy or not. The alpha male approached first, sniffed and gave her hand a small lick. The others followed suit. Calan’s pent-up breath escaped in a rush.

  They’d accepted her and offered her the same loyalty they’d given him.

  As one unit, they turned and trotted across the room, fading before they reached the stairs.

  “Beautiful. They’re beautiful.”

  He glanced at her. “Yes, but not nearly as lovely as you.”

  He lifted her into his arms and strode for the bed. The time had come to claim his mate. He swept the thick quilts to the side and laid Harley in the center of the massive bed. The feather mattress dipped slightly under her. Her eyes fluttered closed on a sigh. The small sign of her comfort pleased him.

  “I have never taken a female in my bed, Harley.” He leaned over her, one knee next to her hip and his palm splayed over the soft sheets by her head. “Nor will I after you.”

  The words weren’t necessary, but he wanted her to feel the significance of what they’d do here, even if the room they stood in wasn’t his home.

  She blew out a shaky breath. “I don’t know what to say.”

  He kissed her, slowly and tenderly, when all he wanted to do was strip her out of her clothes and fuck her as she’d asked him to do earlier in the day.

  Lips a hairbreadth away, he whispered, “Nothing. Say nothing. Remember, I’m not asking for anything in return beyond your passion.” But he wanted more.

  All of her.

  For an eternity.

  “Oh, okay.”

  The confused lilt to her words would’ve torn a chuckle from him if he hadn’t been so aroused. The years without a female had heightened the need riding him, but it was the act itself that tightened his groin and left him desperate for Harley.

  He could take only one mate.

  He’d made his choice and couldn’t wait to complete his half of the bond.

  He gripped the hem of his shirt and tugged it over his head. Her gaze dropped to his stomach. He waited for her to meet his eyes. “And now I’m going to get drunk on you. Your passion and your body will be mine tonight.”

  “Yes, Calan. Please.”

  He undid the knot on the tie holding his pants up but held the material over his cock. “Do you accept me?”

  “Yes.”

  No uncertainty, no doubt, only eagerness. He held the knowledge close and pushed for more. Not her devotion—that had to be freely given—but her acknowledgment of exactly what she was allowing into her body. It’d be the first step in gaining her love.

  “All of me, Harley. My wildness, the rage that comes from the Hunt and my need to protect the humans. You cannot have only my cock.”

  Rough breaths heaved her chest. “Yes, yes, all of you.”

  He let his pants drop, and his erection sprang free. “Then you can have me, my mate. I am yours. Forever.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Harley had never been so aroused in her life. Calan’s scent, his touch, and his words ignited the unquenchable hunger within her. She followed the slow descent of his pants down the length of his legs with her gaze. He deserved her worship, and she wanted to memorize every delicious inch of him so she could deliver it with her eyes closed.

  His thick thighs captured her attention. He could probably carry her all night if he wanted. Or stand in one position for a millennium. The thought brought back the cruelty of what her father had done to the amazing man who’d saved her, despite her unfortunate tie to the fairy he hated. She let the reminder settle over her and accepted the respect and growing affection for Calan because of it.

  My noble ghost man.

  She shifted her focus to his broad chest. Muscle upon muscle betrayed his strength. Never had she seen a more perfect body. Desire flared, flooding her sex with more welcoming arousal. She fisted her hands to stop herself from tugging him down on top of her.

  Don’t rush, don’t rush. Worship him as he promised to do for me.

  She continued her visual perusal. A few dark strands marked a path from his bellybutton and lower. Instead of following it, her gaze drifted to the intricate tattoo on his shoulder. Swoops and swirls of black acted as a border for the dual-faced image on his pec.

  One half depicted a black hound with red eyes, the other the skeletal face of a horse. Movement caught her attention. She blinked, and the horse’s eye contained a mini-landscape. Another blink showed a dark fortress in the cloudy orb.

  She sucked in a breath and pushed to her knees. Her boots dragged over the mattress. She reached down and tugged them off. They landed with a clunk on the ground. Her racing breaths added to the sound, but not a peep came from Calan. He stood completely still. She glanced at him. Patience and heat warred in his expression. He wanted her but made no move to stop her visual exploration.

  She wanted to say something. Maybe thank him, she couldn’t be sure. The living symbol stamped on his chest ensnared her. In minuscule detail, her image drew itself exactly as she’d appeared yesterday. The look of slumberous rapture on her expression reflected what she’d felt when she’d first seen Calan’s body.

  “What is this?” She ran her fingertips over the mark. Smooth skin met her, no raised edges. “It’s not a tattoo, is it?”

  He covered her hand and lifted it, twining their fingers. “It’s the mark of the Hunt. All riders wear it.”

  “It’s alive.” She leaned close and examined the hound. Although the red eye focused on her, it didn’t move or show her snippets of images as the stallion had. “Why is the dog different?”

  “There’s nothing close it wants to hunt.” He grasped her chin and turned her face toward him. “There’ll be more nights to explore my body. Let me love you. I grow impatient.”

  She flashed him a smile, one she knew would bring him
to his knees. Calan responded to her sultry promise. His breath escaped in a rush, and his fingers fell from where he’d held her. A low groan rumbled from deep inside his chest. She’d seen the reaction often. She knew how to use the body genetics gifted her. The sight of lust, however, had never looked so damn good on another guy.

  With his full attention on her, she tossed her hair back so her curls swayed. Intrigued and captivated, the man focused on her. His gaze darted between the mass of white-blonde and her mouth. She painstakingly dragged the tip of her tongue along her lower lip. A husky sound escaped her, one she hadn’t planned on releasing. Damn if she could stop it. She hungered for him.

  “Not until I’m done with you.” She splayed her palms on his pecs. “I get to love you first.”

  A shuddered groan rumbled the chest under her hands. He dug his fingers in her hair and tipped her head back.

  “Be careful, my mate. Words are powerful. I told you that.” He bent his head and licked her bottom lip. “If you say those three words humans seem to have no problem tossing around, you’ll complete our circle and find yourself bound to me for all time.”

  She repeated his statement in her mind. Realization struck. The symbol—it signified their bond. The knowledge didn’t frighten her, but she wanted to know what to expect.

  She put space between them and held up her hand. “What is this exactly?”

  He traced the complete design, two overlapping circles. “A mate bond. I’m completing my half tonight.” She opened her mouth, but he pressed a single finger to her lips, stopping her words. “Listen to me. It’s the only way to save you. I give myself to you freely. Do you understand what that means?”

  He didn’t give her a chance to answer. On a groan, he bent close and kissed her. He kept working her in a gentle, drugging stroke of tongues until the worry faded on a surge of passion. Her knees weakened. He didn’t steady her, though. She linked her arms around his neck and held on. After a long moment, he eased back.

  “It means I am yours forever, but”—he closed his eyes on a sigh—“you cannot complete this bond, no matter how much I want you to.”

  The words stabbed her open heart. “Why not?”

  He pressed kisses to her eyelids, her temples, the tip of her nose. “Because eternity is a long time, and I’m not a simple male. I’m the bastard son of Arawn, Lord of the Underworld.” He brushed his lips over hers. “Here, between us, I am your devoted mate and lover. With you, I will always be gentle. Once I walk out of this prison, however, I will be the male who’s been chosen to lead the greatest, most vicious Hunt of all time.”

  His unspoken promise hung between them. She voiced it. “A Hunt that will include all members of the Unseelie Court.” Including my half brothers and half sisters, if they’ve survived. “Except me.”

  He held her face between his large hands and stared deeply into her eyes. “Yes, and that is the male you must love, not this one.”

  He kissed her once more, sharing his devotion with her. She felt it in each thrust and stroke of his tongue with hers. She clutched him tighter even as he broke the kiss. With their breaths mixing, he asked, “Do you understand?”

  She nodded, and he moved his fingers to the hem of her shirt. He jerked it up. She automatically raised her hands. Her top fluttered to the floor.

  He dropped his gaze to her breasts. The bra she’d worn barely contained them and just covered her nipples. He ran his thumb over one point. It pebbled. A circling pass around her areola hardened it more. She squirmed and would’ve pushed his teasing finger away, but he covered her breast with his mouth a moment later and sucked. The tug connected with her womb. She moaned from the clenching, the rough pulls and her instantaneous response. One touch, and she hovered on the edge of paradise.

  He settled his hands on her hips, massaging them, and suckled on her breast as if he had all the time in the world to worship her. He pulled her closer. She cried out with the slam of her body to his, but not in pain. Anticipation and excitement ramped up her desire.

  She arched her back and pushed her needy flesh into his mouth. The wet material of her bra sensitized the tip. Each swipe of his tongue skipped electric tingles over her skin. Her other neglected breast begged for the same, but he made no move to release the one he’d latched on to. The ache grew unbearable. She covered her abandoned breast with her hand and squeezed the nipple. The pinch added to the sensations taking over her body.

  He brushed her fingers away and kneaded the plump flesh in tandem to the tugging of his mouth.

  “Calan.” She shivered. “That feels so good.”

  His rumble of approval ignited the tingles skipping across her skin. A shudder raced down her spine. He switched his attention to her other breast and gave it the same loving kiss as the first. She dug her fingers into his hair and yanked, needing his mouth on hers, needing the passion and the release she knew he’d give her. He growled around her breast and sucked harder, throwing her into paradise.

  Waves raced through her body. She moaned his name, and her body trembled and shook with the intensity of her orgasm. The gentle motion of his thumb brushing over her wrist added to the experience.

  She held on to Calan and let go, reveling in the endless release. Finally, it eased. She grabbed the short locks of his hair and tugged his mouth from her breast, capturing his lips and kissing him.

  She nipped him when he tried to take the lead and pulled back when he demanded more. It was his turn. He would feel her passion. If he didn’t want the words that reflected the emotion she felt growing inside her, she’d show him how she felt.

  She turned her head to the side, breaking the back-and-forth kiss. He refused to give her the control she wanted. He would, though. She knew exactly how to garner it too. Before he could make the next move, she gripped his cock. A squeeze of his thick rod froze him. A rough tug, and he moaned.

  Oh yeah, she’d been right. Calan wanted to be worshipped too. He just thought he had to give it to her first. Well, he’d pulled a mind-blowing orgasm from her. It was his turn, and she knew exactly what they both wanted.

  With her hand on his ass and his cock as a handle, she gently guided him onto the bed. He sat, spreading his legs and giving her a perfect spot to kneel.

  “Harley—”

  She swiped her thumb over the slit already glistening with precome. His warning turned into a moan. Liking the sound, she bent and kissed the swollen head. His flavor hit her, and her shuddered breath escaped. He tasted as smoky and rich as his scent implied. She licked, suckled and teased more of his essence from him. The moans reaching her ears were hers, but the curses belonged to Calan.

  Hands gripping her hair, he urged her closer. The silent demand reflected her wants. She opened her mouth and drew him deep, as far as she could. She groaned around the thick cock stretching her lips. The unique flavor of her Huntsman had the potential to intoxicate her. Already, lightheadedness threatened. She grabbed his thighs to steady her swaying body. Poised above him, she had him right where she wanted him. She wouldn’t let the opportunity pass.

  She curled her tongue around him, licking the head she held grasped in her mouth. Another swirl, and more of his smoky, rich flavor overloaded her senses. It wasn’t enough. She widened her mouth and sucked until he hit the back of her throat. Her gag reflex kicked in, something she’d never experienced before, but no man she’d ever had in this position had been as large as Calan.

  Slow, deep breaths through her nose eased the automatic response to the thick cock lodged deep.

  He massaged her scalp. “That feels good, but ease back. I’m too much for you. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  Not if she could help it. She wrapped her hand over the length of his erection and stroked from its base to where her lips held him. His groan encouraged her, and she fisted him, working the section of his exposed cock. More of his delicious taste flooded her mouth. The m
uscles of her throat relaxed. With the next push of his hips, she swallowed him.

  Her eyelids fluttered on a guttural moan.

  So. Damn. Good.

  She let his length slide over her tongue until only her lips held the head. A peek at the man watching her, and she grinned around the silken-steel rod in her mouth. Wonder and lust created an awed expression on his face. Seeing it cracked her heart open. Love rushed up, reaffirming what she’d already suspected she’d felt for him.

  She fisted his shaft near his balls. He followed her with his gaze, waiting on what she’d do—exactly how she wanted him. She dragged her mouth off his cock. His shudder encouraged her to slow her movements. Inch by inch, she released him. His head fell back on a groan.

  Eager to savor every last drop, she licked her lips. Never had she tasted anything like Calan’s precome. As unique as the man, it promised to captivate her. Since she didn’t plan on walking away from him unless he refused to help her, she didn’t mind the addiction he posed.

  Actually, she wanted to get as drunk on him as he promised to do for her. She forced her thoughts from her dreams of waking him every morning with her mouth on his cock to the erection she held and what they were doing.

  The veined length glistened from where she’d sucked him deep. She bent her head and licked, root to head, and all the way around until not an inch remained untouched. She continued to explore, licking and sucking, nibbling and nipping. He rewarded her efforts with vulgar curses that only excited her more. The rough tugging of his hands in her hair, the quicker thrusts of his hips and the swelling of the shaft in her mouth clued her in easily to the state of his excitement. Much more, and she’d get his release.

  She pulled her mouth free and climbed off the bed.

  “Harley.” Not a warning. No, the command in the roughly spoken word demanded her obedience.

  She grinned and moved several feet away. A glance over her shoulder found Calan propped on one elbow watching her. Perfect. She popped the button on her pants and shimmied out of the too-tight jeans she hadn’t worn in years. She’d developed a healthy dose of curves since her teenage years. Going by the lustful gazes she’d gotten, the guys around her appreciated them.