“I’m going to enter you now, sweetness. Relax and let me in.” He saw her quick nod, and he pushed inside. He hit the tightest muscles and stopped to let her adjust.
“It’s so good, Skylar. Relax, baby. Let me pleasure you. We’re almost there. Settle your breathing. That’s it, sweetness, you got it. I’m in a little more. Ah, gods, that feels so good.” Bracing himself on one arm, he reached back, slipped her heels off, and gently rubbed her belly as he cooed to her.
“Pull your legs up and brace your feet on the bed. Perfect.” He slid a little further in, and warmth flowed through his groin. “Are you okay, baby? Talk to me.”
She sucked in her breath and moaned. “I’m fine. It feels good, Maxim. Move, please move. It’s better when you’re moving.”
When he felt her muscles release, he slipped the rest of the way in and hooked his forearms under her knees, spreading her wide. Looking down to where they joined had him groaning in bliss. He watched his cock slide slowly in and out, slick with the lube, and stretching her opening.
“You’re so beautiful. You have no idea. I’m going to move faster, Skylar. I need to go harder.”
“Do it. I’m ready.”
Maxim started a steady, quick stroke and couldn’t stop his head from lolling back against his shoulders. Over and over he glided in and out of her tight heat, ramping higher with each push forward. Her channel milked his flesh, and he rode the fine edge of losing his mind. It was time.
“Here it comes, baby. Don’t get scared.”
Maxim’s core exploded outward as cum erupted from his balls and pulsed deep inside of her. He shouted to the ceiling and crashed down to the bed, catching himself before he crushed her. Shoving his arms under her body, he braced himself on his elbows and hung on as wave after wave of excruciating pleasure inundated his senses. He couldn’t stop the insistent roll of his hips against her pelvis. He prayed to Dii that he wasn’t hurting her. His essence reached out, found Skylar, and blanketed her body. He forced his eyes to open, not wanting to miss a second of their joining. She was mumbling incoherently and writhing beneath him, but he felt her open her senses and welcome the energy. He groaned his approval.
“Ah, sweet, baby. That’s it. Let me in. You’re mine.” He lost his voice when everything she felt slammed into him. He could feel her ass taking his cock, the nerve endings firing with pleasure as his hard, pulsing flesh scraped along them. The shots of electricity running through her groin and up her spine joined with his, and he shouted her name. Repeatedly, streams of cum coated her insides, marking her, claiming her for all eternity. He’d never come so hard in his life. It rode the fine line between pain and brutal ecstasy. She clamped her arms around his shoulders and held on. He could barely make out her strained words.
“Look, Maxim. The colors…so beautiful.”
Swiveling his head around, he watched a multitude of vibrantly colored streams weaving around their bodies, joining, melding, and making them one. He felt his skin ripple as the newly formed energy sucked back into his body and slammed hard into his core.
Maxim felt a building wave of tiredness wash over his senses. He fought for breath, barely able to comprehend that he’d reached the saturation point. His vision grayed, and his hands went numb. Shoving hard against the bed, he slid from her moist channel, flipped over to his back, and gasped for air. He wanted his mate, wanted her wrapped in his arms so he could smell her skin, kiss her soft lips, and protect her. He cried out at the unfairness of it all. He needed to watch over her, and now he was helpless. Soft hands brushed over his forehead. He latched on to the husky, sweet voice whispering against his ear.
“I got you, baby. Don’t worry. I love you, Maxim.”
Chapter 22
Maxim glanced to the bathroom mirror and grinned. His necklace was screaming out his mated status. It glowed with a soft blue sheen, and his chest tightened at the multitude of feelings running throughout his mind. He took a deep breath and looked down his naked body. Water from the shower still ran in rivulets down his skin and he patted it dry as he marveled at his muscles. Every single place he touched vibrated with vitality. He scrubbed his hair with a towel and quickly put it in a braid.
He remembered the day his father had spoken about the leveling of energy as soon as the final mating cycle completed. He’d been correct. There was no way to describe this feeling to another. It had to be experienced. The most his mind could find to comprehend the sensation was that of a car with a souped-up engine mainlining nitrous oxide. He chuckled and threw the towel aside. Nah, that extra kick wasn’t nox, it was from the amount of love zipping through his chest for that precious female he’d left in the bed with the covers pulled up to her cute nose. Dressing quickly, he smiled when he placed the necklace on the outside of his shirt. It would remain there for all Insedi to recognize his most cherished status.
Maxim walked out of the bathroom and stared at the lump under the comforter. She’d probably pulled it over her head when the sun finally peeked through the curtains. He knew she had to be exhausted from taking care of him. When he’d finally pulled out of his stupor, he’d realized from the twisted sheets and the washcloths on the nightstand that she’d dragged him up the bed as far as she could, cleaned every inch of his flesh, and tucked them both under the covers. When he’d finally opened his eyes, he’d found that he had her clamped in a death grip and stuck as close to his body as he could without actually absorbing her through his skin.
Kneeling next to the bed, Maxim slowly peeled the blanket back and suppressed a chuckle. Her hair was a snarled mess and she had a crease line running down her cheek. She’s so fucking cute. Lowering the sheet, he leaned in and snuggled her neck. He placed small kisses down her creamy skin and nibbled at her shoulders until she began to stir. When her eyes opened, he ran his fingers along her jawline.
Skylar smiled and stretched her arms above her head.
“Hey, you look much better now. You sleep okay?”
He nodded and leaned over to kiss her sweet lips.
“Best night of my life. How you feel?”
She sat up and scooted back against the pillows. Her brows furrowed, and then her eyes widened.
“I feel fantastic. What’d you do to me?”
“You’re Insedi now. You have the same powerful energy flowing through you that I have. When I said we mate for life, I wasn’t joking.”
Grinning, she rolled to her side and threw her arm around his neck. “I like the sound of that. Are you supposed to spoil me rotten, too?”
Maxim chuckled and pulled her close. “Absolutely.”
“Good. I need food, lots of food.”
He smiled and tapped her on the nose.
“That’s why I woke you up. I’m heading out to get us something to eat. By time you get out of the shower, I’ll have it ready for you. After that, I’m going to teach you some new tricks.”
She waggled her eyebrows and smiled. “Oh, I’m liking the sound of that.”
Laughing, he reached over and popped her on the butt. “Plenty of time for that later. First priority is to teach you to mind talk with me.”
“Mind talk. What’s that?”
“Insedi can read each other’s minds. Uh-oh, I saw that look of panic on your face. Don’t worry. I can’t go creeping through your thoughts unless you invite me in.”
“Good to know. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to surprise you with some of my wild ideas.”
“Ah, hell, no. I wouldn’t want that to stop. That’s half the fun.”
“Tell me about it. So, how does that work, you know, getting into someone’s head?”
“It’s like picturing yourself opening a door and letting me in. I knock, you visualize me standing on the other side, and then you open. Simple.”
She snorted. “Yeah, right, maybe for you. Will I be able to disappear like you did?”
“Yep, that’s a little harder, but I know you’ll catch on fast.”
Skylar leaned over, gave him a qu
ick kiss, and leapt out of the bed. He enjoyed watching her walk across the room as she headed for the bathroom. She waved over her shoulder.
“Food, mister. I study better on a full belly.”
He caught her before she could get inside. Whirling her around, he lifted her from the floor, and hugged her tight against his chest.
“Have I told you how adorable you are? Thank you for trusting me, Skylar. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you had turned me away.” He felt her arms tighten around his neck, her words muffled against his shoulder.
“Not a chance, Maxim. I love you.”
“Love you, too, baby. I’ll be right back.”
Minutes later, he walked through the hotel breakfast area shaking his head. “Oh, hell, no. I’m not feeding this crap to her.” The eggs were runny, the waffles were nothing more than decorative Frisbees, and there wasn’t a strip of bacon in sight. He’d seen enough. Stepping outside, he located the Hummer and set out to get his female some real breakfast.
Stuck at yet another red light, Maxim reached out to Kallon.
Hey, doc. Thanks for answering. I hope I didn’t wake you.
No, Ulixes and I are on the deck drinking coffee and enjoying the sunrise. I take it your Occasio isn’t in the room. Everything okay?
It’s perfect. She’s my mate now. I’m so happy I’m about to bust. I had to share my news with someone. She’s back in the room while I hunt us down some decent breakfast. I guess I should’ve contacted you when I woke up. I’ll try when I get back.
That’s great news, Maxim. I’m happy for you. Yeah, give me a shout when you get close to her again. Hey, Cato told us that you two had some trouble at Skylar’s apartment.
Yeah, it followed us to Texas, but we got away last night.
You have any idea who it is and what they want?
No clue on who, but I definitely know what they’re after. Skylar’s been lugging around an emerald the size of a lap dog. She found it at a dig site in Rome. My girl’s not Insedi, but definitely psychic. She got herself seriously visited by one of our ancestors. I think it’s mine, but not for sure. They want her to bring it to Insedivertus. No idea why, but I guess we’ll find out. Don’t tell Cato when you see him. I’m making him suffer. He heard Kallon’s laughter drift through his mind.
An emerald? No shit? I can’t wait to see that thing. I promise not to spill to Cato. When you coming home?
As soon as we finish eating, I’m switching the vehicle out and then we’ll head in for the festival. We’re in El Paso right now. Cato said you’re leaving later this evening. Maybe I’ll catch you at the vortex.
Yeah, Sotarios is flying us in. I’ll see you there. I can’t wait to meet the female that finally snagged your ass. She’s got to be rare.
Maxim snorted. You have no idea. See yuh, doc.
Later.
Maxim looked up and grinned. “Oh, hell yeah. I found me a Denny’s. Sweet! Meat Lover’s Special, here I come.
* * * *
“Damn, Lina. This is unbelievable. I’ve never seen so many tents in my life. They’re huge! I’m glad you finally made it out before it got too dark to see them.” Cassie glanced over her shoulder and watched as her best friend rounded the line of chairs set up just a short distance from the palace gardens. This spot offered the best view of the vast Great Plains below them and was close enough to run back in when she tired of watching the setup of the festival grounds. She was glad to see Lina show up. The slow flapping of the tent cover from the fragrant breeze had almost lulled her to sleep.
Lina plopped into the chair next to hers and heaved out a sigh. “My legs are killing me. I’ve run up and down the stairs and over to the east wing about a hundred times. I’m going to pass out before my head hits the pillow tonight.”
Cassie popped her on the leg. “What in the hell you do that for?” She laughed when Lina rolled her eyes.
“Did you forget? Senator Linus volunteered me to coordinate the clearing of the dignitary quarters. I had no clue it’d been years since they last used it. I should’ve started sooner.”
Cassie snorted. “You have to learn to quit making eye contact with them, Lina. They see that as a sign of willingness. Shifty eyed, that’s the only way to go around here.”
Lina chuckled and shoved her on the arm. “That’s what you do best, Cassie. You’ll need to teach me.”
“Done. Now fill me in on what those huge round things are that they’re dragging into the festival grounds. I need to get some binoculars.”
Lina leaned forward and squinted. “Oh, those are the drums.” She flopped back against the chair and stretched her legs out.
“So, there’s going to be band? Good, someone finally listened to me.”
Lina snorted. “You’re such a dork. Those are the drums used to signal the beginning of the pompa and each major activity that follows.”
Cassie raised her brows. “A pompous what?” She grimaced when Lina shook her head and gave her one of those “I’m disappointed in you” looks.
“Really? Come on, Cassie. I’ve heard Severus try to school you on the culture here. Are you still pretending that you’re listening? You’d better watch out, Miss Smarty Pants. One day he’s going to ask you to repeat something and you’ll be busted.”
Cassie gave her the best sassy grin she had. “Oh, yeah, I’m counting on it.” She laughed when Lina’s cheeks flushed and she looked back to the grounds.
“I’m not talking about getting your butt smacked, silly.”
“I am.”
“I’m choosing to ignore you. Now listen up and maybe you can impress Severus and pick out a reward.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Okay, this entire festival is called the ludi Romani, meaning Roman games. According to the legends, the original ancestor, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, taught the Insedi about the festivals established by his father, Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, in honor of the god Jupiter. Since he’s the deity of the sky and thunder, the majority of the festival is outdoors. The drums are used to simulate the thundering approval of Jupiter with each new activity.”
“Damn, so there really isn’t going to be a band?”
“Cassie!”
“Okay, okay. Go on.”
“They incorporated the different festivals into their culture, and Lucien makes sure that they adhere to the traditions. He says it keeps them focused on their beginnings and tempers the Insedi from thinking they’re superior to others. If not for that accidental meeting, they’d be nothing more than an energy cloud with the mountains as their home. You following me?”
“Yup.”
“What’s the name of the festival?”
“ludi Romani. You gonna pop quiz me at the end? I’ll need some paper to take notes.”
Lina chuckled. “Nah. I was just checking.”
“Continue please.”
“I think I will. The pompa is the formal procession that starts it off. It’s fancy and has a certain sequence that happens, but I’ll save that for later. I know your saturation level. Since this is an annual festival, the emperor decided to use it as the celebration activities for Tana becoming his empress consort.”
Cassie snorted. “That sounds like she’s his mistress or something. I’d demand a different title.”
“I swear, Cassie. Sometimes I want to pop you on the head. That just means she’s his wife and will carry all of his titles, but she doesn’t rule the empire. Should anything ever happen to Lucien, she’d become the empress regnant and then she’d be the ruler.”
“Ah.”
“Anyway, you see the largest tent in the middle? It’s the red one with the gold trim.
“Yes. It’s opened at the top.”
“That’s where the chariot races will be held.”
“You’re shitting me. Actual chariot races like the gladiator days?”
“Yup.”
“Are they going to use Tana’s horses? I don’t think she’s going to like that.”
&nb
sp; “No, silly, Insedivertus has its own horse equivalent. They’re quite beautiful. Their official name is Equus ferus caballus, but the Insedi use the shortened version of Equus, mostly. Drusus showed me a hologram image. They remind me of the Clydesdale back home, except they’re all black. Their feet are made of five padded toes instead of hooves. Each one shoots out a claw type appendage that gives them excellent traction. The body resembles a horse and their heads are similar, but instead of pointed ears, theirs are rounded. The mane and tail look sort of weird, but overall, they’re spectacular.”
“Why haven’t I seen any around?”
“They’re bred in the western region. One of the tribes is bringing them in. Lucien said they live for this festival and put on a good show. There’s a whole group that travels from city to city called the desultores, and that’s all they do.”
“Okay, I’m getting excited. What else they got?”
“You’re going to get some music, but it’s going to be more in the line with wind instruments, tambourines, and lutes. Plus, they’re going to have performers putting on plays, boxing competitions, and mock battles.”
“This is sounding more and more like a Renaissance Fair. I like those.”
“Sort of, but it’s more realistic and steeped in ancient culture. There’s going to be this cool animal exhibition and mock hunts called the…uh…crap, I forgot how to say it. I know it starts with a—”
“Venationes.”
Cassie squealed and leapt from her chair. “Damn it, Cato! You scared the shit out of me!”
Lina burst out laughing and almost tipped her chair over. Cassie felt her face flush and glared at her friend’s pointing finger.
“You haven’t screamed like that since that rat ran out of the closet when we lived over on Bowmen Drive with the Norman’s. Do you remember that?”
Cassie shuddered and sat back down. “Vividly. Don’t remind me. That thing was huge.” She glanced over to Cato who was failing to suppress a grin. She smirked at him and then smiled at his sweet mate. “Hey, Luna. When did you guys get here?”
Fueled by Lust: Maxim (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 19
