Pure Claim

by Marie Johnston

  His hands were digging into her sides, but he released one, almost collapsing on top of her, maintaining his unrelenting pace. She was moaning, panting, the pleasure divine. With one hand bracing the bed, he let go of her waist and wrapped his arm around her middle, holding her while he pounded into her from behind.

  Just as her orgasm crested and she cried out, his mouth descended to the junction of her shoulder and neck. The strike of the bite marking her increased the intensity of the orgasm. The cry of his name on her lips turned into a steady, wordless wail.

  How could an orgasm have so much power? Her body shook with the force. Sometime during her peak, Rhys found his release, his thrusts slowing as he emptied within her.

  His hot mouth disengaged from her, and he leisurely licked along the bite. They both collapsed at the same time, and he pulled out of her. He rolled onto his side and drew her into him.

  Putting up no resistance, content for the moment, her need for him temporarily sated, she rested her head on his arm. “For the record, I get to bite you next.”

  His cock twitched against her. It had been at half-mast until she spoke.

  “God, yes.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Alex was his.

  She let him claim her. Then she claimed him.

  She was his. He was hers.

  Rhys was damn near giddy. After meeting his mate, finding out she worked for the bad guys, then finding out she wasn’t evil, then worrying Madame G would kill her, and, worst of all, six months with total radio silence from her, he finally had her. Her body was a paradise. He wanted his mouth on her at all times, he wanted to be buried inside of her any chance he could get. She was addicting, and she was all his.

  Oh, he knew, he knew, she still planned on taking off if things with the council didn’t end satisfactorily. No, she wouldn’t be used as a pawn anymore. No longer a weapon at other’s discretion. Rhys knew her too well. She would leave before that happened. She would sacrifice herself. Again. Only she didn’t know that he wouldn’t let her. Wherever she went, he would follow. As much as his duty was to his people, they’d had him for three centuries. It was his turn now. She was his mate. He didn’t even mind waiting until after the mess with the council was settled to have a ceremony to make their mating official. As long as he had her, he didn’t need a dagger and blood bond to eternally bind them together.

  Rhys stretched over her and pushed forward, her body rose to meet his. All night, into the morning, they only paused in their lovemaking for a couple hours of sleep here and there. Right now, he was lazily stroking within her hot, tight channel, while his mouth tasted as much of her skin as possible.

  She liked hard and fast and, with her, it was exhilarating. What she really seemed to enjoy were the sessions where they took their time, like they were doing right now. He soaked in the rapture on her face when she came, and he could feel her studying his features, watching his body as he spent himself inside her.

  Alex sighed into him, he kept up his slow rhythm. Stroking them both to their peak, their tongues tangling until they crested together, easy ecstasy.

  He caught his breath and murmured against her lips. “We should flash and meet the rest,”

  “All right.”

  She gave him a gentle shove. He hated to leave the cocoon of her body.

  “I need to shower first.” She rolled off the bed and stood up. Before she disappeared into the bathroom, she threw a coy glance over her shoulder. “Are you going to join me?”

  Hell. Yes.

  During their shower, they scrubbed each other down, and delayed a few more minutes as he took her in a frenzy against the flimsy shower stall until the warm water ran cold. They rinsed off in a hurry and climbed out. Drying off, he tried not watch her knowing it would cause another delay.

  The fangs marks in his neck throbbed with an erotic beat that he treasured, knowing they would be fully healed soon. In companionable silence, they each got dressed and checked their weapons.

  “Ready?” She held her hand out to flash them to the cabin.

  No. He wanted to stay in this cheap, quaint motel room for another week. Maybe two. Never leave the room and order in nothing but pizza and soda.

  “Totes.” His use of her term made her mouth twitch and her eyes light with humor. He wanted to spend the rest of his life trying to accomplish that…when he wasn’t immersed in her lush body.

  Rhys took a deep breath to ready himself for the flash and the accompanying feeling that his intestines were trying to climb out of his stomach through his throat. When his hand touched hers, she latched on and the room disappeared.

  When Rhys blinked next, he was surrounded by the smell of pine and a subtle scent of lake water. His vision was wonky, his guts twisted, but he sucked in deep breaths until the sensations passed. To help stabilize himself, he concentrated on the logs that made up the wall he was facing.

  Alex waited for him to settle before she did anything. He finally nodded. They both cocked their heads, listening for sounds coming through the cabin. He heard amenable conversation and smelled a scent that made his mouth water.

  Bacon. A lot of it. It had been months since he’d had bacon.

  “Yoo-hoo? Ladies, we’ve arrived!” Alex opened the door and sauntered out from the empty room.

  The conversation died as he followed Alex down the hall to the open dining room and kitchen.

  “We grabbed extra bacon out of the freezer last night.” Malcolm stood next to the table. “Have you eaten yet?”

  Alex was already snatching a fistful of bacon off the heaping pile on the counter and handing some to Rhys. It was gone in two seconds, and he reached around her for more.

  At the table, Sylva sat rigidly, her eyes downcast, her body language suggesting she was severely uncomfortable in a room full of males. Alex’s female presence probably wasn’t reassuring since she was strapped with as many weapons as the males and her height put her at least six inches taller than Sylva.

  Damon and William flanked her on each side. Rhys guessed they must have become quite protective of the timid shifter during their captivity. The males were rested and fresh, but lines of tension marred their features.

  “What now, Boss?” Malcolm crossed his arms and waited for Rhys to finish chewing.

  “I’m not your boss anymore.” Alex handed him some milk that he sucked down.

  Malcolm snorted. “We all know Bennett is acting commander under duress. Dude hasn’t quit bitching since you left.”

  For some reason, that made Rhys feel better. Bennett was a worthy leader, just because he didn’t feel ready for the position didn’t mean he didn’t perform his duties admirably. Would Rhys jump at the chance to get his old post back? Of course. But only if it meant Alex was at his side.

  “What does Bennett know?” Alex asked between mouthfuls of bagel.

  “Commander Young is insanely difficult to get information to. Dani keeps finding bugs hidden in the damn walls, clogging up our phones. It’s ridiculous.” Malcolm sneered in disgust while Harrison shook his head. “The newbs Councilman Seether sent to us are quite the spies. The way Master Bellamy rides ’em all day, they should be too sore and tired to lift their arms to plant listening devices.”

  That was a complication. His Guardian pack was the only one they could trust. Surely there were others out there who weren’t corrupt and full of deceit. Time was too critical to find out. For now, it was just them.

  “So it’s us against the council?” Rhys’ mind spun, searching for solutions. Eventually, they would need to get to Bennett. He would be the one to officially launch a complaint and demand an investigation into the council’s actions.

  “Yeppers.”

  Alex reclined back against the counter and crossed her feet and arms, looking pointedly at Damon. “But we need to find his Lily first or no one will believe us.”

  Damon’s jaw clenched, his fair hair shadowed his eyes. “I’m not endangering her.”

  “I get it, I
do,” she replied. “But what if we aren’t the first to get to her?”

  He swept his hair off his face, his expression defiant. “What if we fail?” He shook his head. “No. My testimony, or nothing.”

  Alex narrowed her eyes at him, but Rhys recognized the burgeoning respect their green depths. “Lily is in danger regardless. If we can find her, we can get her to a safe place.”

  “Which is where?” Damon countered.

  The room went silent. Lily could stay with them and be protected by Rhys, Alex, and the twins. They were already guarding and protecting the other three, although Damon and William could fight if needed. Mostly, the three former prisoners needed to be watched and prevented from doing something stupid that would put them all at risk.

  “I have an idea, but you might not like it.” Even though Alex was talking to the entire room, she looked directly at him. “Demetrius Devereux.”

  She was right. He hated the idea. Biting back a “fuck no,” Rhys forced himself to consider her suggestion. “Is he solidly established as the leader for the vampires?” Please say no.

  “As much as he can be while some of the old timers fight against the change in regime. It was a long time coming, though, and he has solid support in most of the population.”

  William shifted in his seat, sensing unease from his son. “We can’t trust Lily with her own kind any more than we can trust her safety to shifters.”

  “You can trust her with D.” Alex was right. Rhys grudgingly respected the male. If it hadn’t been for him, Rhys wouldn’t have gotten Alex out, and she wouldn’t be here today. The male orchestrated the revolt against his own council and was intent on leading his people in the right direction.

  “What if this Demetrius Devereux keeps Lily away from me?” Damon still held hostility in his gaze. “Or what if we have kids, then what about them? They would be hybrids, targets.”

  “He said he’d expect the same out of hybrids that he expects out of his vampires.” Alex’s fingers tapped rhythmically on her arm.

  Rhys watched her fidget. Her nervous energy offset his calm demeanor.

  “That’s great for hybrids under his command.” Damon was shaking his head. “We know what the current Lycan Council’s view on hybrids is. What will the new council’s view be?”

  Alex tensed next to him. That question had been weighing heavily on her mind, too. Demetrius may have promised her amnesty, but it would do her no good if the shifters didn’t do the same. Both species would want her to pick one to side to obey.

  William filled in where his son left off. “Will either side be truly content with an individual, much less an entire family, choosing sides?”

  Rhys’ mind started formulating a plan. A tentative plan, one that might meet with great resistance. From both sides. Or as Alex was proof of, there were now more than two sides.

  “We’re planning too small scale. We need to think bigger.” Rhys got the attention of everyone in the room. “We won’t need Lily, but we need to get Demetrius here.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Holy shit!” Bennett hissed and sat upright at Alex’s sudden appearance in his office. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Before she could speak, he held up a hand and turned on a white noise machine. “Fuckers think they’re clever.”

  Alex smirked at the male’s scowl. “Thought I’d drop in for a visit since it’s been a few days.”

  “The council’s pissed. Fucking Seether has been breathing down my damn neck.” Bennett kept his voice low, but Alex’s sensitive ears easily picked out his words. “Did you get Fitzsimmons out?”

  “We did. Along with some witnesses we can use to prove the council is hunting my kind. I can explain more, but first you need to come with me.”

  Bennett’s handsome face blanched. “You mean like that flashing shit?”

  “Mmm-hmm.” She kind of enjoyed his discomfort. Yes, he could be called her nephew since he was mated to Sarah, but that didn’t mean it was any less fun to mess with him. “I’m almost sure I can get you back okay.”

  He gave a curt shake of his head. “Almost sure? What would happen if you couldn’t?”

  She casually shrugged and lied. “Dunno.” Too bad she couldn’t stop her wicked grin. “Nah, we’d just get dumped somewhere between here and the lake house.”

  “That’s like five hundred miles away.”

  “Chill. I just fed from Rhys, so I’ve got the power.”

  Bennett held his hand up again. “TMI, dude.”

  Alex couldn’t help but grin again, feeling the surge of Rhys’ blood coursing through her veins. “C’mon, Benji. Let Auntie take you on a trip.”

  The blond scowled hard at her, but finally stood up to come around his desk and grab her hand. “We’ll be back soon, right? If Sarah finds out I left without telling her, she’s going to not-cuss up a storm at me.”

  Sarah’s aversion to swearing was well known around the lodge. It didn’t mean anyone watched their mouth, just that she preferred not to swear herself. Alex figured Bennett did enough for both of them.

  “You’ll get the pleasure of telling her you left and came back, all without her knowing.”

  A frown marred Bennett’s handsome face. “Damn. I’m not going to win either way.”

  Alex latched onto the newest member of her family and flashed them back to the lake cabin.

  Whoa. As Bennett staggered next to her, her heart beat like a jackhammer. Long distance flashing was only for the powerful vampires. Alex might only be half, but her mother had been a fierce creature in her day. That, combined with Rhys’ blood, gave her enough of a boost to transport with a passenger. She’d need to feed again before she brought Bennett back and got stuck at the lodge.

  “That sucked,” Bennett wheezed.

  She slapped him on the back. “You took it like a man. Like a two-hundred and thirty pound shifter male who can’t flash worth a damn.”

  He shot her a dirty look, but a faint smile touched his lips. They might not be besties, but they were getting there.

  “Let’s go join the party.”

  He followed her out of the room Alex fondly began to think of as “the flashing chamber.” Conversation drifted from the dining room. Mainly from Demetrius, who must have arrived right as she left to get Bennett. The vampire was interrogating Damon about the night his mate, Lily, had been attacked. Damon and his father sat at the table, flanking Sylva. Malcolm and Harrison stood at one end of the dining room, while Rhys stood on the other. Demetrius remained standing, across from the three shifters he was questioning.

  Demetrius paused as Alex and Bennett walked into the room. His nostrils flared and his eyes warmed in her direction. “Ah. I thought I smelled your mark on the brooding shifter in the corner. I see you only need to make it official now, love.”

  Malcolm’s eyebrows shot up when he heard Demetrius’ endearment. Harrison scowled at the vampire. Both males were extremely loyal to her mate.

  “It’s official enough,” Rhys smoothly replied.

  The vampire broke out in a grin, his fangs flashing, and Alex was relieved to see that Rhys no longer seemed to despise the male. They weren’t drinking buddies or anything, but the two males were very similar. She thought of Demetrius as a friend and would be glad if Rhys could more than tolerate his presence.

  “Don’t babysit your mailbox waiting for an invitation to our mating ceremony,” she teased.

  Demetrius put his hands over his heart. “You wound me.” The smile dropped from his face and he was back to business. “Other than helping with this Lily that Damon’s been telling me about, what did you drag me here for?”

  She had called Demetrius the previous day to persuade him he needed to drive out to the cabin. Flashing would’ve been faster, but since Demetrius had never been there before, Alex would have to flash with him. If they could convince Demetrius to come to them, she could save her strength to flash to Bennett and bring him to the cabin.

  Rhys was the first to
speak. “Tell us what your mission is in leading your people.”

  “Like shifters, vampires need a more modern government. One less concerned about hiding and keeping secrets, and one more concerned about protecting and guiding their people into the future. We’re integrating, like it or not.” Demetrius nodded toward Damon, his pale-green eyes grim. “The species are mixing. I aim to see that my people survive and incorporate themselves into the human world without spilling our secrets, or getting themselves killed keeping them.”

  “What about hybrids?”

  Demetrius shrugged his powerful shoulders. “Don’t care. They’ll need to follow the same rules.”

  “That sounds amazing,” William spoke, his tone sounding like he had just heard a fairy tale. “Shifters need the same out of their government. But I fail to see how either council can adequately protect any of my future grandchildren, which will be hybrids.”

  “If they follow me, I’ll protect them,” Demetrius said, arrogantly.

  “Why do they need to choose sides?” Rhys stepped forward, he had everyone’s attention. “Our species are at the point where our paths are converging. Our governments should converge with it.”

  Malcolm’s eyes went wide. “Are you talking about blending the councils?” Alex knew the twins had grown up with their councilman father. This train of thought was way outside of the box for them.

  Demetrius’ gaze was speculative. “Do you think any seats on your current council would be willing to work with me?”

  “Hybrids still wouldn’t have representation,” Damon pointed out. “But it sounds better than two separate entities trying to govern populations that exists side-by-side.”

  “A hybrid would sit on the council,” Demetrius suggested, his eyes lifting to her. “Are you up for the job?”

  “Fuck no.” Alex didn’t even have to think about that. “I’m not a politician.” She smiled. “But maybe I know someone who would be good for the job.”

  Rhys didn’t ask who she was thinking of. The population of hybrids was small. He would figure it out. “We need to sit and figure out how a new government would work, then show up tomorrow before the council convenes.”