by T. A. Grey
“I hurt you before. I’ve never been a gentle lover, Cassie. You were a virgin. You didn’t deserve how I took you. Especially since I started to take you while we both were sleeping. That was even more dangerous.”
She scowled and crossed her arms. “First, you didn’t hurt me. Second, I think you took me just fine considering I’ve never come so hard in my life.” He rinsed himself off, trudging back to her. She took an instinctive step back from the lykaen giant. When he didn’t immediately start pulling back on his clothes, she took that as a good sign.
Her eyes couldn’t help themselves as they traveled down over his hard chest. The sight of his cock had her eyes widening.
“You want me,” she whispered.
He sighed. “Of course I do. You’re beautiful. Stunning. But that doesn’t mean I have any right to your body.”
“I say what goes on with my body, and I’m saying I want you. What the fuck,” she said, throwing her hands up in the air. “What did you mean by all that talk of finding me at the right time and taking care of me? No offense but if your way of doing that is to ‘hang out’ with me on occasion and never touch me, then no thanks. I’ll just be going.”
She spun on her toes and started towards the cabin. What was wrong with this man? Or was it her? She’d never been in a relationship before. Unless you counted what her and Daniel were as a relationship—she shivered in disgust, surely not.
She was halfway to the house when suddenly something hit her shoulder, sent her spinning around.
“You hit me,” she said accusingly. Darien crowded her, backing her up until her back met with tree. His gaze bore into hers.
“You have a decision to make, lumara. If you want me then say so now because there is no turning back. I don’t date, Cassie. I don’t have casual sex. When I want something I get it, and I keep it. I’m a possessive son of a bitch like that. If you really want to be my woman, say so right here and right now because I won’t give you another chance.”
Of all the things she could say, were the right things to say, and the wrong things to say, she made a choice she could never undo. Every worry over her future faded so easily. She knew deep inside what she wanted.
She opened her mouth, but he stopped her. “Be sure, Cassie. There is no turning back, no matter what your decision is.”
She nodded, meeting his beautiful brown eyes. “Yes.”
His mouth came down as she was still saying the word and stole the breath from her.
This kiss definitely counted.
His lips commanded her, possessed her, and had her clinging by his tongue like a lifeline. She was wrapped up in sensation, in a dizzy motion whirring around in her head. He pulled back too soon. Her lips searched for his.
He turned her away, taking her hands and settling them above her head.
“Don’t move,” he warned. She didn’t. She couldn’t. She was shivering, waiting for him to touch her, to take her. Her nails bit into wood and she arched her hips back at him.
“Darien.”
The first touch seemed to come a millennium later. The anticipation of it sent pleasure zinging through her body from her nipples to her core then all the way out to her toes. His hands cupped her ass cheeks. Gripped them, learned her, squeezing then spreading her wide. She gasped at his touch, never had she felt anything like this, his touch was possessive. Like he owned her. And he did.
His thumbs slid into the crevice of her cheeks and stroked her flesh, rubbing closer and closer to her wet center. She whimpered as his hand dipped down then she was being filled with his fingers. She was so wet she knew she was coating him. He growled and she heard the beast riding him hard.
His fingers pulled out and then she felt the hard, wide press of his cock. Crying out, she gripped the tree for support and waited as he pushed the head of himself into her. Her pussy closed around him, gripping his wide girth.
“You’re mine, Cassie.”
Yes, yes! She realized she couldn’t talk so she nodded furiously. His hands trailed up her body, reached across her front, and grabbed hold of her breasts. She’d never had much in the way of breasts, but the way he touched her made her feel womanly and sexy as hell.
He tightened his scratchy palms over her, then thrust hard inside. He landed deep but just stayed there as his fingers moved to capture her nipples. He rubbed them, circled them softly, then tugged on the turgid peaks. Slowly, he dragged his cock back out of her. Where was the rough sex he kept going on and on about? That she could take, this was driving her mad. She let out a long, husky moan as he squeezed his entire length back into her to the hilt.
He made an approving sound. “So wet, soft and tight. You’re so beautiful. Presenting your luscious backside like some virgin temptress.” He moved, then she felt his heat at her back, his voice near her ear. “Get used to my cock, Cassie, because when you’re ready I’m going to take you hard.” He punctuated his words by a sudden thrust that slapped his hips against her ass and made her cry out.
Oh, she wanted more of that. Now. He hit something in her, some button that only he seemed to reach, and each time it sent her spinning into a world of pure pleasure.
“Take me,” she whispered raggedly. He growled behind her, then several things happened at once. His hand swept the hair at her neck to the side then his cock started fucking through her tight muscles as he bit down at the back of her neck. His teeth sank into her neck and shoulder muscle on a growl, and she cried out blissfully.
He’s marking me. For the whole world to see, he was leaving his mark on her.
He kept her from falling into the tree by holding her breasts like handles. Then he was hammering into her, stretching her, and filling her again and again.
Sexy sounds graced her ears. His hips slapping her ass, his ragged breathing in her ear, and then her own moans that she couldn’t stop.
Finally he tore his mouth away from her shoulder. She was so close. The pleasure was so intense it tormented her. She struggled to breathe while her heart threatened to explode in her chest. She felt the blooming heat spread across her chest, up her neck, then across her face and knew she was close.
“Let me feel it. Come for me, Cassie.”
Her head fell back as all-consuming pleasure swallowed her up. She screamed his name to the sky as her body burned red-hot in an explosion that blinded her. She didn’t have time to come down from it, because he was turning her, pushing her back up against the tree.
She barely managed to open her eyes to ask why he stopped, because he palmed her breast with a hand and started stroking his cock with the other.
He groaned a sound that wasn’t human, and then started coming in long, hot white spurts. It splashed onto her breasts, her stomach, her nipples. He kept stroking as more hot, thick seed landed against her belly button.
Finally he slowed his strokes to a passing caress. Leaning forward, he kissed her for a long time. He cupped her head and for the first time in her life she wondered if this was what love felt like. This feeling he created inside her was new and different from anything she’d ever experienced before. He made her feel protected, cared for, and wanted all at the same time. Was this love?
He pulled back and looked down at what he did on her chest. She looked at it too and couldn’t help but ask, “Not that it wasn’t sexy, but what was that for?”
His lips curled into a smile so dark and sexy, her toes curled into the dirt. “To mark you. You’re mine, Cassie. In every way. Come on.”
He took her hand and led her back to the lake. The water was cold but he held her close, warming her as he gently washed his semen from her body. It was soothing, almost sweet. He moved her hair aside and kissed where he marked her. Then her shoulders were being rubbed in sensuous, relaxing circles that had her body turning into melted butter.
She moaned gruffly when he stopped. But he didn’t stop there. His hands traced down her arms, then over her stomach to her core. He palmed her, wiping away her own essence but drawing forth a n
ew ache with his touch. He reached down and rubbed the muscles of her thighs, her bottom, her lower back.
She was mass of aroused, putty woman when he turned her around and lifted her legs around him. He held her hips as he pressed his cock to her entrance and slid smoothly inside her.
He loved her with hard, long pumps of his hips. It wasn’t rushed. She came to her peak slowly, sweetly clinging to his wet back as he held her tightly, gushing hot and thick inside her.
He carried her back to the cabin, which was good because she was certain she couldn’t move after all that, and laid her on the cot.
After he laid down the logs for the fire he said, “It’s time you told me about your past. You’re mine to protect now.” He turned to her with the most serious, beautiful brown eyes she’d ever seen. “And I won’t let anything or anyone hurt you.”
All the joy from their time together vanished as if it’d never happened. She couldn’t tell him about Daniel, could she?
Chapter 9
Cassie quickly weighed her options. Tell him and risk his life in the process or lie, which sent her stomach in knots. She didn’t know what she was doing now. In less than an hour’s time, he’d manage to completely usurp her previous plans of leaving.
It was hard to complain though when the thought of leaving him had her heart pulling tight in her chest.
“I can’t,” she finally said.
He finished lighting the fire and crossed the room to her. She flinched when he reached for her, which only made him scowl. She hadn’t meant to, but he looked so angry. He pushed the hair out of her face and pressed a kiss to her temple. The act was so sweet, so heartwarming that she had to blink back tears.
“Yes you can. Don’t you trust me to protect you?” She shook her head; she didn’t doubt his physical strength. Yet, she’d known Daniel since she was a child. He was an old vampire and had incredible strength.
“Yes, I do.” It was an honest answer. Her heart told her the truth--that this lykaen was stronger than Daniel. Logic told her that was impossible. Yet she believed it all the same.
“Then tell me,” he encouraged. His voice was so lovely, and the way he said the words were as if he had all the time in the world to listen to her talk. Fine, she’d tell him. He deserved to know after all he admitted to her.
“Daniel—”
“Shh!” Darien pressed a palm over her mouth and cocked his head to the side. “Stay here,” he ordered and vanished out the front door.
Panic set in fast. Oh, no, oh no. He’s here. He found her. He said he would. Cassie drew her knees up to her chest and rocked back and forth.
She heard a sharp snap, and then an agonized cry pierced her ears. Was that Darien? She ran to the cabin door, her eyes darting out into the night looking for some kind of movement. She wanted to collapse when Darien burst through the trees. He ran to her. She saw the blood a second before she smelled it. The smell made her want to gag.
“It’s not your blood,” she said dumbly.
“No, it’s not. Come on, honey. We have to get out of here.” He grabbed her hand and started pulling her. He started to run but shock had her legs dragging slowly. She tripped over the ground and started to fall. He caught her in one quick move, ducking down and picking her up in his arms. He carried her the rest of the way; the trees moving by so fast they were a blur.
They reached the thicket where his truck was parked but two men were there. No, not men. Two vampires. She jumped out of his arms, tugging on his hand to go back. She recognized them.
“Please,” she heard herself saying. These were Daniel’s guards. Some of his best. She’d felt the pain of their anger many times. “Let’s go now.” Her eyes frantically shot around looking for the face of her nightmares. He was nowhere to be seen. The coward.
“Stay here, and don’t move, Cassie.”
Cassie cried out just as he exploded into action. He jumped, leaping into the air and landing on the first man’s chest with his feet. The vampire fell down hard to the ground, his body bouncing on the dirt.
The second vampire attacked without hesitation. He landed a blow to Darien’s side that must have cracked ribs. But Darien never made a sound. Darien used the vampire’s closeness to his advantage and snapped his elbow back into his face. The vampire howled, his hands flying to his shattered nose.
Darien lifted his knee and slammed his boot into the vampire’s chest. The vampire flew back like he’d just had a bomb go off in front of him. His back wrapped around a tree trunk with a nasty crunch and then he slumped down to the ground, unmoving.
Then Darien was in front of her, picking her up in his arms and carrying her to the truck. He took her to the driver’s side with him and held her close as his truck started with a roar.
“They’re not dead,” she whispered raggedly.
They wouldn’t stop coming after her either. They would tell Daniel they’d found her. It was all over. Her fun little fantasy with Darien was finished.
“No, they’re not dead. How do you feel?”
She snorted and rested her cheek against his shoulder. With him near, she felt safe. “Been better. Where are we going?”
“To my brothers. I need to talk to him about this.” She went stiff as a board.
“What do you mean?” His eye cut to hers. For a moment, she thought he’d figured out her secret.
“We’ll protect you. I’ll protect you, Cassie.”
“Why?” she asked softly. She had to know. Even as her gut tightened and her heart constricted in her chest, she had to know why.
“We had sex. Even now you could be pregnant. I protect my own, Cassie.”
Whatever answer she wanted or was expecting she was certain that wasn’t it. Stiffly she moved off his lap and sat in the passenger side.
“What’s wrong?”
His eyes cut to hers again. She turned and smiled at him as she buckled herself in. It wasn’t because she was afraid of getting into an accident and flying through the windshield but because the secure belt around her helped her to feel stabilized.
“I just don’t want to get your family bothered with my problems.” That was putting it lightly.
“Don’t worry about it. You’re mine now, and we take care of our own.”
What was the point of being his if he didn’t even...? No, she couldn’t let herself think like that. Don’t be stupid, Cassie. The man loved once in his life and that particular emotion wasn’t saved for her. It had long been spent and buried under six feet of dirt.
So what was she to him now? Some sort of breeding mare that he felt inclined to protect because she might be pregnant. A wave of hysteria must be building up inside her because she just had the craziest thought. After she got the latest beating from Daniel, she should have run upstairs and gotten a package of condoms—not that she actually had any anyways—but then at least they wouldn’t be in this predicament. He’d be safe from any and all involvement with her.
Honestly, she couldn’t help but wonder what the lykaen giant would do then. If they’d somehow magically been able to use condoms while they had sleep sex and fantastic, outdoor wood sex and then later in the water....
Sighing, she pressed her temple to the cold window and stared out at the dark woods.
The urge to cry wasn’t even there. No, now she was onto a deep sadness that bypassed tears and settled deeply into her heart. Was it so crazy that she wanted this lykaen to just like her? To want her for herself? Obviously it was and that hurt so much worse than any physical pain Daniel ever caused.
She was really stupid too because even that was a lie. She didn’t want Darien to like her, she wanted so much more.
The drive to Darien’s brothers took two hours. It went by silently, tensely. He pulled to a stop in front of a big cabin surrounded by woods. What’s up with these lykaen and the woods? She’d always pictured her dream home as a typical suburban two-story. Okay or maybe a fancy loft in the city with an elevator for a front door. Sweet.
&nbs
p; Darien got out of the truck and walked around to her side. Suddenly she had a hard time breathing. She didn’t want this. She didn’t want any of this. These people could get hurt. And they were going to for someone they didn’t even know or care about. No matter what, she couldn’t let that happen. Especially not to Darien.
“You ready?” he said opening her door. She nodded mutely and let him help her down from the big truck. The walk to the front door felt like she was going to the electric chair. Each step sent her anxiety soaring higher and higher. Darien knocked and she flinched. He looked down at her, a frown on his face.
“You okay?” Just smile. There. She smiled at him, nodding. He cupped her cheek and stared into her eyes. “Don’t be scared. I promise nothing will happen to you.”
It’s not you I’m worried about, she wanted to say.
Instead she nodded with a tight-lipped smile. The door whipped open a second later.
* * *
She had to give it to the Kategans—they could move quickly. Within twenty minutes the entire gang was cornered in Darien’s eldest brother’s living room.
Vane was an imposing man with hair even thicker, darker, and longer than Darien’s. He stood behind his mate on the couch who had a belly happily full with a baby. Cassie felt an odd pang inside her at the thought of a baby. What would a baby with Darien look like? Pale with red hair like her or dark and handsome like Darien.
His other brother, Rome, sat with his wife in his lap. He’d clapped Darien on the back so hard when he first saw him she wouldn’t be surprised if there was a cracked rib back there. He had shaggy, dirty-blond hair and incredibly, good looks—most of which he used to send his mate winks and kisses with.
She’d always wanted something like that. She was going to embarrass herself in front of these people if she didn’t stop thinking about these things. She was definitely going to get a version of what she was seeing with the mated couples, just minus things like smiles, happiness, and love. Daniel was not exactly sentimental.
The last to arrive at the cabin was Darien’s sister, Vera. She was beautiful in a classical way with short hair and a set of straight bangs. The scent in the air changed as Vera and her mate—God were they all mated— came in. Vera shook her hand with a big, lovely smile and introduced her man as Jacks, the former human turned vampire. The man Jacks discreetly squeezed his mate’s ass as they walked away.
