Through dinner, I debated asking Felix back to my bed. But I quickly vetoed that since he and I had struck a decent relationship of boss and protector. In the end, when I had decided King Fergus’s advice just sucked, it came down to dancing that night at the bar where many had come to celebrate King Nelson’s birthday.
Ezra and I weren’t speaking to each other, which was half a blessing since it meant we weren’t fighting — most Mysticals had gone back to watching us, waiting for a sparring match to occur. No, tonight he was firmly ignoring me, and I was trying my hardest to ignore him as we all drank a birthday toast to King Nelson, who was busy trying to make sure his mate, already two sheets to the wind, didn’t drink all of the alcohol in a whiskey bottle.
The place was packed full of kiss asses, so I didn’t notice when Elder Merrick slid behind me. His arm circled my waist as he pressed his lips lightly to the side of my neck. I jolted in surprise but laughed at his antics, never one to miss an opportunity when Ezra was near and still boggling my mind.
“Would you like to dance?” He nibbled at my throat again.
I tossed my drink back, more than ready to get out of Ezra’s evasive sight. “Why not?”
He grinned, pulling me from the King’s table. “It’s about time you quit telling me no.”
“You caught me on a good night.” I pointed against his chest, which was just too muscular for his own good. “You know, a little ugly within the Mys could go a long way.”
He laughed, pulling me to the edge of the dance floor, which had been constructed after Ezra and I had started a brawl that had resulted in a clean slate of space to work with. “Lily Ruckler, you’re something else.”
I bowed. “Why, thank you.”
“Now, dance with me,” he growled low, grinning like the devil. He pulled me flush against him. My eyebrows rose at the action, but I went with it, feeling just tipsy enough to enjoy myself. Lord almighty, the man could dance, making the act more sexual than two people on a crowded dance floor had a right to be. I chuckled as he lifted my leg over his hip, dipping me backward to place a line of hot kisses down the center of my chest, only just missing what cleavage I had.
“You’re dirty.” I grinned when he lifted me. “Watch out or my wolf might wake.”
His lips tilted. “That could be interesting.” His hands ran down my sides and gripped my hips, his fingers long enough that he was skimming a hold on my ass. “I’ve never had an alpha wolf in my bed before.”
My grin grew, and I leaned up, whispering at his ear, barely heard over the beat of the music, “Just stay away from the birds.”
He choked, coughing and laughing hard. He shook his head at me, and then bent, placing his lips against my ear. “Have you ever heard a more inappropriate sound when you’re supposed to be sexually aroused?”
I chuckled, moving with him to the music. “Like fucking prey in the end.”
“I went and had duck afterward, I craved it so bad,” he chuckled, dipping me again. He held me there, staring down at me. Right as I scented Ezra close by, his lips landed on mine. The way he had me positioned, I couldn’t exactly break free of him unless I wanted to fall on my head, so I held on tight as he firmly kissed my lips, careful not to slip his tongue inside my mouth, which I didn’t miss, but he damn near took my breath away. It wasn’t a bad kiss, by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, it made me think of him a little differently — much less as a teacher, and a bit more as a possible lover, but…he still wasn’t Ezra.
Gradually, as the beat changed to the next song, he lifted me, his mouth not leaving mine until I was fully upright. I heard a few catcalls around us, and I blinked open my eyes to raise questioning eyebrows at him. His grin was pure mischief, reminding me very much of the animal he had inside him. I scented the air, and realized Ezra’s scent was no longer close. My head cocked. “What game are you playing?”
That grin didn’t change. “The only one worth a damn.”
“Elder Merrick, you’re a strange one.” I thumped his chest, stepping back from him as the Shifters began to descend on us, wanting to be close to the alphas. “I can’t quite figure you out.”
He followed me, quickly evading the Shifters’ clinging hands. “It’s part of my mystery.”
“Hmm.” I eyed him as we left the dance floor. “And most women fall over themselves for it, don’t they?”
He chuckled, nodding. “You caught me.”
My eyes ran over his face. “No, I don’t think I have.” I paused, my grin slow. “Yet.” I kissed his cheek, and moved through the crowd, grabbing my glass from King Nelson’s table and barely keeping from rolling my eyes when King Kincaid gave me that smile meaning, seriously nice pick. The man was going to drive me up the wall.
After weaving my way through the crowd, I ducked behind the bar when the bartender looked the other way, and snuck through the back door, heading for their supply closet. That one time Finn and I had been in there, I had seen a collection of wines that were dusty with age, the bottles so old they had discolored, which meant…I was going to nab one and fill my glass tall with it. And hoard it the rest of the evening while everyone else drank regular beer.
Sneaking on quiet feet, I crept in a hunched position below the bar level, since the place where the hard liquor was stored was only open shelving, seeing plainly into the back room, and then slipped into the store closet, shutting the door swiftly behind me. It blocked some of the noise of the bar, but it was still pretty loud back here. I moved into the depths of the long, thin room, going straight for the section I had seen.
Humming quietly to myself, singing along to the music with my god-awful voice, I perused the different wines, sneezing a few times as dust blew up at me when I set one down too hard. Having finally decided, using the age of the bottle since the labels were no longer readable, I plucked the oldest looking one from the back and turned to leave. And squeaked, utterly startled, and shot straight up into the air, the bottle falling from my hand to crash open all over the floor. Red wine, appearing almost like blood, splashed all over my legs, pooling at my feet where I had landed from my Shifter-induced jump.
I rubbed my nose, dislodging any dust, and his scent invaded my senses. “What the hell?”
Ezra stood inside the supply closet, his back against the door, the hood of his robe up and creating a shadow across the top half of his face, but his green eyes were slightly glowing, peering out of the darkness straight at me. His hands were behind his back and his ankles crossed, so nothing about his position was really frightening, but he had snuck in here without me even hearing the difference in the noise levels or scenting him or making a sound himself. That, in itself, freaked me a bit. Well, not to mention his eyes, which weren’t blinking.
When he stayed silent, I asked again, “Ezra?”
He pushed off the door, and began a deliberately slow stalk toward me. “You and Merrick?”
My arms crossed. “Not that it’s any of your business, but we were only dancing.”
His arms spread wide, fingers brushing the metal shelves on either side of the thin room. “I didn’t realize dancing involved dry humping, his hands all over your ass, and his mouth on your breasts and lips.” That was his angry voice. I didn’t need his grin full of fang to tell me he was pissed off. “You won’t lack for partners if that’s your version of dancing.”
I almost took a step back, but instead locked my legs, holding my ground. “Who I choose to dance with, and how I choose to dance, is none of your fucking business.” My nostrils flared in indignant anger. “And besides, at least I don’t walk around smelling like fucking roses.” My nose crinkled. “Seriously, what kind of woman smells like that? What does she do, roll around in them?”
He stopped, toe to toe with me. “She sprinkles her bed with rose petals.”
I’d stuck my foot right into that one, but it didn’t stop my anger from flaring that much higher, picturing this ‘Rose’ and Ezra rolling around on a bed full of red rose petals.
/>
His Vampire took voice, growling low. “It’s better than groping someone in fucking public.”
My breathing was coming in pants, I was so furious. “Go fuck yourself, Ezra. If I want Merrick’s hands on my ass, then they’ll be there, just like if you want to smell like damn flowers, you’ll jump in Rose’s bed.” I shoved at his chest, pushing past him toward the door I could see he had locked.
Only to be jerked back. Ezra’s grip was unbreakable on my arms as he started shoving me backward toward the far wall. My breath caught at the action, my back slamming against the cold wall. Shocked at the rough treatment, my gaze shot to his. “What are you doing?”
“What I fucking want,” he muttered, his voice deep and guttural. I jolted in surprise when he blurred and bent to press his mouth brutally against mine. And…yeah, it took me a few seconds to understand I was getting what I wanted. King Fergus’s advice was spot on, even if I hadn’t really had a damn thing to do with it. Ezra’s lips ate at mine, and right when I snapped out of my shock, he leaned back the barest bit, groaning, “Tell me you want this too, sweetheart. Please tell me you want this.”
I nodded, staring into his glowing gaze, my hands instantly going to his belt. “Yes, I want this. Now, kiss me and shut up.”
“Fuck yes,” he moaned, his lips obeying and melding with mine. I groaned, pressing against his lips harder, greedily sliding my tongue inside his mouth, which was instantly met with his, his growl overriding my own. I felt his belt break in my hasty, fumbling hands, but I just yanked it out of his pants, dropping it on the ground. Ezra’s hands were quickly lifting the long linen skirt I had worn for the festive occasion, tearing the slits in the sides up to my thighs in his haste.
I felt like I couldn’t move fast enough. I wanted to touch him all over, lick and bite every inch of his gorgeous flesh. My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump completely out of my chest, sounding in rhythm to his. His hand cupped me between my legs just as I finally got his pants unbuttoned and unzipped. “Ezra…” I grabbed the back of his head, holding his mouth close to mine as I snuck my hand down his boxer briefs and gripped his cock tight.
His groan was more growl, and I heard, and felt, my underwear rip. His fingers slid through my folds, and I jerked, my core throbbing deliciously at the touch, my lower stomach churning into an open flame. I started pumping him as quickly as I undulated my hips against his touch. I shouted into his mouth when he slid two of his fingers into me, instantly pistoning them in and out as his hips thrust against my fist.
“Oh Jesus, sweetheart.” He pulled back from my mouth. “I need inside you.”
I nodded brokenly, my head thumping against the wall. “Hurry.” I groaned as he pulled his fingers away, but I yanked his pants and boxer briefs down his hips, right before my vision blurred as he spun me with his speed, pressing my front to the wall. He raked my skirt up over my hips, ripping off my underwear the rest of the way.
Bracing my hands on the wall, I spread my legs and tilted my hips out, presenting myself in blatant animalistic fashion, and barely felt him place his cock at my entrance before he was shoving inside me. Both of us shouted at the instant friction, his cock spreading me wide as my slick channel gripped him tight. Gripping my hips with bruising force, he brutally thrust once more before he was balls-deep inside me, shouting on a groan, “Sweetheart.” He pulled back, slamming inside me again, making me choke on a scream from his possession. “Perfect.”
His hands slid around my stomach and skimmed up under my shirt, ripping my bra to grab my breasts as he started thrusting into me, pulling back only to slam in repeatedly. I screamed in pleasure as my world tilted from his possessive thrusts and at his dominance. He fondled my breasts, squeezing hard, and shouted, “Fucking shit! The best…fucking best, little wolf.”
“Ezra!” I screamed, pushing back on the wall, my hands fumbling for a grip as I pressed my core against him, tilting my hips further and my voice high and breathless. “Ezra, baby!”
One of his hands disappeared from my breasts, his hips still pistoning and building a raging fire inside me, and he grabbed a fistful of my hair, yanking my face to the side. He slammed into me, making me scream as he growled, “Have you ever called anyone else that?” His cheeks were flushed bright pink, his eyes glowing, appearing like a man bent on ravaging.
“No, baby.” I shook my head inside his hold. “Only you.”
“Fucking right,” he rumbled, his lips landing on mine unbreakably, even as he thrust into me viscously, making me gasp. His tongue pillaged the cavern of my mouth just as his cock owned my core, thrusting into me so fiercely my body shook against him and warmth began to transfuse my limbs from my core outward. He pulled back, eyes on mine, and panted against my mouth, “I’ve only ever called you sweetheart.”
A whimper escaped, and I pressed my lips back to his. “Baby…”
He grinned against my mouth, running his tongue along my bottom lip as his hands slid down to my hips, and he whispered, “I’m going to fuck you now.” His teeth latched onto the crook of my neck in clear possession, his cock repeatedly driving into me so forcefully I went on tiptoe, screaming his name. Unrelenting pleasure consumed my body and mind at his nonstop, merciless dominance, his groans and growls rocketing my craving, knowing he was just as affected as I was by this possessive joining. My elbows hit the wall as I lost my grip, but Ezra only grunted, his teeth biting in harder to hold me in place as he hammered in and out of me.
“Fuck, baby,” I hollered, my wolf’s nails piercing through my skin so I could dig into the wall. His predator growled, his thrusts becoming urgent, and one of his hands instantly slid around me, his fingers finding my clit. I jerked against him, screaming, “Harder!”
He pressed more firmly as I undulated my hips, making him shout against my skin. His body started trembling against me just as branding flames shot from my core, licking at my stomach, before an explosion of heat overtook my frame. I screamed his name long and hard, my body jerking against him so fiercely that he shoved me flat against the wall. With his last thrust, his face turned to the side of mine as he shouted my name, his body quaking just as hard as mine, his cock pumping deep inside me while his hot cum adding to my pleasure as he filled me.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure how long we stood like that, wrapped in our pleasure-filled haze. It seemed like forever as I slowly came down, my eyes gradually opening. I tilted my face, my breaths coming in shallow pants, my heart pounding fiercely against my chest. Ezra’s face was toward mine, his cheek pressed against the wall, his arms wrapped tight around me, supporting me since my feet no longer touched the ground. He still appeared out of it, his eyes closed as he breathed heavily against my cheeks.
I tilted my head forward and kissed his lips lightly. Just a gentle brush. He made a noise deep in his throat, the sound hoarse and fully sated. I kissed him again. And yep, got the same response, making me grin, lazy pleasure enveloping me. I whispered against his lips, “I missed you.”
His chuckle was the barest breath, and one green eye opened. “Missed you more.”
“Doubtful,” I mumbled, playfully biting his lower lip. “So…this wasn’t just a one-time deal?” Please, say no. I held my breath, watching as his other eye opened.
He held my gaze steadily, even if his lids were drooped in relaxation. “No, sweetheart. This wasn’t a one-time deal.” He paused, licking his lips. “Not unless you want it to be?” His eyes darted back and forth between mine, his grip tightening.
“No, I want more of this.” I smiled, completely content. “More of you.”
His grin was damn near sweet, with his cheek scrunched on the wall as it was. “More of me, huh?”
“Yeah.” I rolled my eyes. “More of you.” I kissed him again, this time his lips softly molding against mine. “I’ve grown kind of fond of the badass Vampire.”
He hummed, kissing me. “The feeling’s mutual for the little wolf.”
I nipped his bottom lip. �
�I called you badass and you call me little. How is that fair?”
He grinned, again appearing sweet. “Are your feet touching the ground?”
I scowled, but I don’t think it came off as anything but lethargic squinting. “Shut up.”
His eyes danced over my face. “God, you’re cute.”
My breath caught, my heart melting at the innocent words even though I tried scowling again. “That’s like saying a rattlesnake isn’t deadly.”
“To a Mys, it’s not.” He chuckled as he watched my face scrunch up even further. “I’m going to get you a book on general Mystical knowledge.” He was vibrating against me as I bared my teeth. “You need it and you know it.”
I huffed. “Like I said, shut up.” I wiggled my legs in the air, trying to be as dignified as I could, sniffing with the action. “Put me down.”
An eyebrow cocked, even though his grin only increased as he watched my face. “Say please.”
I stared for probably far too long, loving seeing him like this, and I couldn’t help but kiss him once more, missing him that damn much. “Please, baby?”
He blinked, staring right back, his gaze running over my face. His lips found mine. This kiss lasted longer than our previous gentle brushes, one of his hands lifting to thread his fingers through my hair and holding the back of my head as he slanted us away from the wall so he could tilt his head, deepening the kiss. My sigh was profound as his tongue gently slid against mine, curling to slowly retreat, only to repeat it again just as leisurely. The kiss ended just as slowly as it had begun, by gradual increments, as he tilted his head back. And he kissed my nose once before lifting me off him, both of us grunting with the intimate motion, and setting me on my feet.
Pulling my skirt down, I glanced around the room, and jolted, realizing… “Holy shit! When did that happen?”
Ezra stopped in the process of reaching for wet wipes on one of the shelves — he couldn’t go out there smelling like me — his attention shooting first to me, then to where I was staring. Which was the whole room in general. Including the wall we had been against. There was a golden sparkle of protection coating the entirety of the room’s walls.
King Cave Page 22
