by Gina Kincade
The frustrated sigh the maid expelled wasn’t lost on Ava. A small part of her wished she could just follow the instructions Mia gave her, but was it so wrong for her to want her first real experience to be with a man—her mate—and not a glorified ointment applicator? Sure, she’d touched herself and even brought herself to orgasm before, but even at the peak of her heat, she’d resisted the urge for penetration.
“Is there no other way?” she finally asked, not daring to look up at the woman who now stood with her hands on her hips for fear of melting under the heated glare.
One floor below, the muted sound of the door opening and closing rose to meet them.
“We’re out of time. Your mate has arrived. I’m leaving this here. It’s cocora cream. You can either put it in or not. It’ll take a few minutes to start working. There’s nothing more I can do to help you,” she said in a rush as she gathered the rest of her supplies and dashed for the stairs.
Chapter Six
WHEN DAMON HAD left Ava to deal with the rising tension between Axton and his rival for his new mate, he hadn’t expected the hoops he’d have to jump through to make it happen. The entire ordeal had taken way too long. The male who’d challenged him for the blonde woman, Bonnie, Axton had told him, had been a prince. Under different circumstances, the prince would have won for the simple fact that he was of higher social ranking than Axton was. Thankfully, Axton wasn’t the one footing the bill for Bonnie’s securement. Otherwise, things would have ended much differently.
The only reason it had ended as it had was because he’d already asked Edmond to process the new contract, and the transaction had been in progress. He’d have to thank the man for his efficient ways. Certainly, the bonus he would receive had prompted his actions, but the result was the same. And if Damon’s suspicions were right, Bonnie was Axton’s fated mate, just as Ava was his.
Not wanting to seem too eager, Damon didn’t run back to the tower, but damn, did he want to. His mate’s scent lingered in his nose. The memory of her tight sheath around his fingers had his cock throbbing to life. As much as he’d reveled in the pleasure he’d brought her in the arena, it was mild—stunted even—compared to what they’d experience together in the privacy of the tower and later, in their home. He couldn’t wait. Every second apart from her was like an hour. More than an hour, an eternity.
He entertained the idea of having a drink before climbing the stairs to the bedchamber, leaving her wanting for a few minutes more, knowing he’d make it worth her while in the end, but the moment her scent curled around him, the idea dissipated in a haze of lust. Her arousal permeated the tower, making his mouth water and his body hum with need.
A shuffle of feet came rushing down the stairs just as he reached the bottom. A body maid dashed into the room, her cheeks flushed, her gaze downcast. “I’m so sorry, Your Highness. I’m afraid your mate isn’t quite ready. Perhaps giving her a moment more would be advisable.”
Wasn’t ready? His sensitive dragon’s nose said otherwise. “Why isn’t she prepared?”
The woman’s mouth gaped, and her fingers shook as she twisted them before her. “I’m not entirely sure, Your Highness, but I suspect that she may not be as experienced as others in her position might be. She was a little reluctant to do as I asked. I tried my best—”
Inexperienced? A wolf shifter? It was hardly believable, yet the maids were trained to deal with any issue that arose, and if she assumed as much, he had to give the notion some credence. “You base this supposition on what, exactly?”
His heart rate leaped at the possibility. Ava’s experience—or rather, what he’d assumed his mate had—hadn’t deterred him in the least, nor had it made her any less appealing, but the idea of her not having shared that part of herself with anyone else was almost too much to hope for. Dragons didn’t like to share their treasures, and he was no exception.
The maid, still looking at her feet, took a shaky breath. Was he that intimidating? It wasn’t like he was growling or anything. Still, he kept his mouth shut, waiting for her to gather her courage to speak.
“She’s very shy. Didn’t want me to touch her to prepare for the arena, and not here in the bed chamber, either. Not that she refused, Your Highness. She was very amenable, just uncomfortable. I could tell,” she finished, wincing as though he would reprimand her.
“Good. You may leave,” Damon said, anxious to get to his mate. Ava was aroused. There was no question about it, but if what the maid was saying was true, he might have to slow things down.
The woman swallowed hard and took a couple of steps toward the door before stopping. Her free hand fisted at her side while the other gripped the basket handle so hard the wicker dented.
“Say what you have to say, woman,” he finally said, swallowing the urge to bark at her. He’d already been inside the seating area for several minutes, and he hadn’t had the pleasure of seeing his mate, much less touch or taste her, something he planned on rectifying the moment the maid left.
“She hasn’t applied the cocora cream.”
“May I have it, please?” he asked her. Without the help of the cream, his mate wouldn’t be able to take him without pain, and possibly even damage—especially if she was an innocent.
The woman exhaled, and her shoulders relaxed a tiny fraction. “I’ve left it with her, Your Highness, along with the applicator.” Then without saying another word, she left, closing the door behind her.
He’d have to get her name the next time he saw her and make sure to praise her to her superiors. There had been no requirements for her to divulge the information she had to him other than to ease his mate upon their joining.
Taking a deep breath, he reveled in the scent coming down the stairwell from the room above. Time to get better acquainted with his mate.
He found her on the bed in the lovely gown he’d purchased, but sitting as she was—with her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them—it could have been a cotton sack rather than the finest silk in the world for all he could see.
“What’s this?” he asked as he crossed the room, not stopping until his knees hit the mattress. He swiped a finger down Ava’s cheek, capturing a tear.
She glanced next to her, her cheeks flaming red. “I couldn’t do it,” she said. Her husky voice slid through him. It was just as sensuous as he remembered.
On the bed next to her was a smooth, carved cock made of wood, and next to that, a red jar. So, she hadn’t used it. “Is that the cocora cream?” he asked as he sat next to her.
She nodded and tipped her chin up but didn’t say a word.
“Why didn’t you? I’m sure your maid must have told you its importance.”
She turned her head to face away from him. “I didn’t want to have that inside me for my first time,” she said so softly he barely heard.
His cock jerked. “First time for what?”
She faced him again, her eyes moist with unshed tears. “I’ve never been with a man. I’ll understand if you want to return me for another—for someone with more experience,” she said, her bottom lip wobbling.
Return her? Hell no. “You’re not going anywhere, Ava,” he assured her with a smile.
She sniffled and nodded before unfolding her arms from around her legs. “Do I have to use it? Mia said it would make things easier.”
“Mia was right. We won’t always have to use it, but for the first few times, it would be wise. I don’t want to hurt you.”
Not lowering her gaze, she swallowed and nodded. “Okay.”
Agreeing and being happy about it were two different beasts. The trepidation in Ava’s eyes gutted him. He wished he had more time to ease her into mating, but the rules were clear. They had to consummate their mating before the celebratory dinner. It wasn’t that either of them could easily back out of their contracts, but if the Chosen bore injury, the Citadel retained the right to dissolve the pairing.
Standing, he held his hand out to her. She looked at it, then u
p at him before reaching out and taking it. He helped her stand. “I haven’t had a chance to see my new queen yet,” he said in the way of explanation.
Ava gasped, and for once, he wished the weight of his responsibilities didn’t come at such a high price. What he wouldn’t give some days to be a regular dragon chasing treasure with his mate at his side. There was nothing he could do about being the King of Tarakona, but he could do something about the need still coursing through her.
He turned so that they faced a long mirror, standing behind her. “Are you still feeling the effects of the stimulant in the soap?” he asked her, meeting her gaze in the glass, knowing she was.
Licking her lips, she nodded. Damon wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against him. Her soft curves hugged his body, cushioning his cock, making him impossibly harder.
“Let’s see, shall we?” He skated a hand over the silk, stroking from her belly to her rib cage, enjoying the swell of her breasts under the soft fabric as she sucked in a quick breath. Beneath the silk, her nipples peaked. Soon, he’d see her again. Taste and touch her. Not only there, but everywhere. But first, he had to get her ready. Traditional as it may be to have the maids prepare the Chosen, he was glad he’d be the one to do it. Her pleasure would be at his hands alone.
Chapter Seven
AVA WANTED TO move. With Damon’s chest pressed against her back, his cock nestled against her bottom, and his hands closing in on her breasts, her body throbbed and pulsed, demanding release. She’d managed to keep her climax at bay—except for that one orgasm Damon had given her in the arena—since the stimulant was applied, but with him so close, denying it was next to impossible. His pheromones permeated the air, driving Ava’s wolf mad with want.
“Look at me, Ava,” Damon commanded as he cupped her breasts, the heat coming from his palms making her nipples ache.
She brought her gaze to his in the mirror’s reflection, blinking back the overwhelming desire rushing through every part of her. She sucked in a breath and swallowed her sigh.
“You don’t need to be quiet anymore. When we’re alone, I want to hear you.” He chose that moment to stroke his thumbs across her nipples. She couldn’t have contained her moan if she’d wanted to. Pleasure zinged from her breasts all the way down to her clit.
He rolled the tight peak between his thumb and finger, continuing the onslaught until she arched her back, wordlessly begging for more. Between her legs, the throb pounded, deep and steady. Ava squeezed her thighs together. Whether it was to add to the sensation or to keep herself from tumbling over the edge into bliss, she couldn’t be sure.
The last thing she wanted was to come right then. Damon had barely caressed her, and she hadn’t touched him at all, but her traitorous body continued to climb that steep slope, taking her closer to the edge with every breath she drew.
“Why didn’t you let yourself come today, mate? After the bath, when the other women had enjoyed several orgasms already, you held back.”
Did he expect her to think when he fingered her flesh, plucking and strumming her body beyond distraction? Whatever was in that cream she had applied, it worked. Her breasts had never been so sensitive. Pleasure swept through her with each tender pinch and roll. He tugged her right nipple a little harder, and she gasped.
“Why, Ava?” he insisted.
“I didn’t want anyone else to see me do that...or hear me,” she finally managed, her voice raspy with the desire coursing through her.
A soft growl rumbled from him, vibrating against her back. “Good. Your pleasure is mine. Only mine. I will not share you. But you have no reason to deny your body now.”
Keeping his gaze on hers, he brought his lips to her neck. The gentle scrape of his teeth against her skin sent white hot pleasure whipping through her. A small whimper rose from her throat as she fought the inevitable.
Damon wrapped one arm around her waist, pressing his cock more firmly against her as he thrust forward. There was no mistaking his size or the fact that he was massively erect. Along with a sliver of fear, a shiver of anticipation rushed through her.
“Come for me, mate,” he growled against her skin as he plucked both nipples at once.
Unable to deny the need filling every cell in her body, Ava yielded to his demand. Her pussy clenched and released in hard spasms around nothing, the pleasure of her climax making her knees weak, but Damon held on, keeping her upright when she would have otherwise crumpled.
When Damon thrust his hips forward again, she pressed back, wanting the contact as much as he did. The orgasm had been wonderful, but she needed more.
“That was the sexiest damned thing I’ve ever witnessed,” he murmured against her skin as she came down from her climax. “Now, let’s see what we can do about getting your body ready for me.”
Stepping out of his arms, she turned to face Damon.
“May I?” she asked as she cast him a quick glance. There was no mistaking that Damon was an alpha through and through, which pleased her wolf to no end, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t chase what she desired. Still clothed only from the waist down since he’d given her his shirt to wear back to the tower from the arena, he looked good enough to eat, but she wanted to see him as he’d seen her.
Hard ridges defined every muscle in his chest and abdomen. Thick, and strong, his arms bulged with his movements. If the rest of him was anything like what she could already see, she might pass out from the sheer beauty of him.
His eyebrows quirked up. “Do as you wish, Ava. I’m yours.”
Ignoring the tremble in her fingers, she reached for his waistband. The button slipped from its hole without issue, but with his cock pressing so tight into the front of his pants, she couldn’t get the zipper down without fear of hurting him. The more she tried, the hotter her cheeks became.
“Let me,” he finally said, his voice a deep caress she felt all the way to her soul. It only took a moment for him to manage what she hadn’t been able to and get rid of his pants, but as soon as he did, she stepped back.
He wasn’t just big. He was massive, both in length and in girth. There was no way that was fitting inside her. He’d split her in two. She swallowed hard and forced her gaze back to his.
“That’s what we have the cocora cream for, love. I know you had reservations about using it, but it is necessary.” Damon remained where he was, waiting.
She had little choice in the matter, and even if she did, she was determined to fulfill the agreement she’d made. The contract was clear. They had to consummate the mating before the gathering that evening. Her heart raced, and breathing was a chore burning her lungs, but she nodded and went closer.
He brought his hands up, cupping her cheeks, and covered her mouth with his. The tender kiss melted her fear, stealing the panic consuming her, leaving behind a simmering heat.
With his lips on hers, he slid his hands down her back to her hips. As smooth as the silk in his grip, he slid the gown up to her waist, then to her chest, only breaking the kiss long enough to pull it over her head, leaving her bare in his arms.
Goose bumps raced across her heated flesh. When Damon lowered his hand to her hips and stepped back, he brought her with him to the bed. She hissed out a breath at the cool satin sheet on her back when he lowered her to the mattress. It was as though every part of her was hypersensitive.
Damon followed her down, caging her with his weight resting on his elbows. He settled between her parted thighs, and a whimper slipped past her lips. She may never have had sex with a man, but her body knew what it wanted—what it needed.
With a roll of his pelvis, he ground his hard shaft against her.
“Yes, please,” she whispered, barely loud enough to be heard.
Damon repeated the move, making them both moan. “We have to get you ready first, little wolf.” He reached for the wooden phallus next to her.
Ava gasped. She had forgotten about the stupid thing.
“Will you let me do that? Will you allo
w me to bring you pleasure as I prepare you for my cock?”
With his face so close to hers, there was nowhere for her to hide. His green eyes brightened with the magic of his dragon, the pupils going from round to elongated as his beast assessed her. He took a slow breath, his nostrils flaring. Her nipples tightened, and her pussy clenched at the display.
She still didn’t relish the idea of the phallus going inside her before her mate did.
“Yes,” she finally agreed.
“I’d warm you up before doing anything like this, but you’re already hot, aren’t you?”
He thrust his hips again, and she moaned as the sensation washed over her. She’d just had an orgasm, but her body wasn’t appeased. “Please, I need more,” she begged, not caring that she sounded desperate. She was.
Damon rolled off her, taking his steady weight from her body. “We’ll do this together.”
He twisted the lid from the red jar and flung it aside, the lid bouncing off the mattress to land on the floor, before handing her the container.
“Dip your fingers in,” he instructed. Ava’s heart rate spiked at his gravelly tone.
She pressed two fingers into the cream, coating their tips in white.
“More,” he demanded.
She did as he asked, then glanced at him. He shook his head, and she went in again, this time, getting a generous dollop before retreating.
“Now, spread it over the head. That’s where you want most of it. Apply a thin layer to the shaft.” Each word he uttered was deeper than the rest. Against her thigh, his cock jerked, and a moist warmth spilled onto her skin where the head rested.
Damon might be more experienced, and certainly more knowledgeable, but he wasn’t as unaffected as she’d expected he might be.
She licked her lips as she brought her fingers to the phallus. His gaze followed the path of her tongue. With a boldness she hadn’t known she possessed, she applied most of the cream she’d collected, coating the wooden cock head. She took her time, twirling her fingers first one way around the ribbed base, then the other. Damon didn’t say a word—didn’t utter a sound—but his body was as taut as a bowstring against her, and his breaths shortened. She stroked the tip of one finger across the top, caressing it more so than spreading the cocora cream.
