by R. E. Butler
“I’m perfectly fine. If you’d be nice enough to tell my guards that I’m okay and to head on home in the limo. We can figure things out later.”
The trio left, and when the door shut, he spun and caged his mate in the corner with his hands on either side of her, his palms flattening on the wall. She said she was fine, but he was still struggling with his beast not to shred her dress and mate her. He didn’t want to scare her. He only ever wanted her to be happy with him.
Her hands were trembling as she cupped his face. She swallowed audibly and licked her lips. “Damn, you’re sexy,” she whispered. Then she gasped as her cheeks turned scarlet. “Okay, wow, that was embarrassing.”
He leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers. “Mine.”
She wrapped her hands around the back of his neck and linked her fingers. Her lower body tilted in invitation as her lips parted. Following the line of her jaw, he kissed his way to her neck, opening his mouth over the throbbing pulse in her neck. He felt it flutter under his tongue, and he bit down lightly, just enough to leave a slight mark. Her nails dug into the back of his neck, and he crowded closer, licking the mark he’d made and savoring the taste of her skin on his tongue.
Their bodies touched and their lips met and parted, their tongues sliding together as if they’d been kissing for years and not this first, precious time. His beast roared in pleasure as her sweet taste crested his tongue. He worried his passion would be too great for her, so he refused to let go of his grip on the walls, even as his claws lengthened and imbedded into the sheetrock.
Their tongues danced, sliding and tasting. He could have kissed her forever, even as he wanted so much more from her.
She wrenched from the kiss, her panting breaths filling the air. “Not here.”
“I wouldn’t think of mating with you here,” he said, his voice a barely contained growl.
Smirking, she dropped a hand to his crotch and squeezed lightly. “This says otherwise.”
He snarled. “It’s not nice to tease sabers.”
She leaned back and stared up at him. “Why do I feel so connected to you?”
“Because we’re truemates.”
“I’m human.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Her beautiful brown eyes were flecked with gold, and he felt the connection deepen. “Damn, you’re beautiful.” He extracted his claws and willed his beast to settle. Taking a deep breath, he stepped back, catching her around the waist and drawing her close. “I don’t have a place to take you. I’m sharing an RV with my two brothers and sister. It’s not exactly a five-star hotel.”
“I live at the Belle Terra Supernatural Hotel.”
“You live there?”
“My brother owns it, and I’m the manager.”
His gums tingled as the thought of mating her filled his mind. He could be noble and offer to woo her, like human males did with their females, but he didn’t want to give her the chance to leave. She was his, and he wasn’t about to let her out of his sight.
“We’ll take our SUV.”
“Your family can come.”
His brow rose, and she laughed. “No, I mean there are plenty of empty rooms in the hotel. I’m sure they’d like to get into their own rooms and relax, especially your brothers after the fight? I’ll call my assistant and she can set it up and meet them.”
He glanced at the clock on the wall. “It’s after midnight. Won’t she be asleep?”
“Nah, she’s a night owl. Well, not literally because she’s a wolf, but she stays up late reading romance novels with sexy, shirtless guys on the covers.”
“She and Lia would get along great.”
He linked his fingers with hers and pushed the door open. His family was waiting down the hall, and he said, “My mate is letting you stay at the supe hotel in town. Get your shit and get in the SUV. We’re leaving in ten.”
His family scrambled ahead of him, their excited voices blending together as they talked about not having to listen to Galen’s growling snores or share the tiny bathroom with Lia.
“I guess they like the idea,” Aubrey said, chuckling.
He pulled her to a stop and drew her close once more, kissing her lightly. “Thank you.”
“They’re part of my family now.” Her eyes glistened suddenly, and he cupped her face.
“What is it, sweetheart?”
“It’s just been me and Caleb for a long time now. I just…it’s nice to have family again.”
He was glad he could give her his sister and brothers as an extended family. Someday, soon he hoped, he and Aubrey would have cubs of their own, and their family would be even bigger.
He purred, and she smiled broadly. “I like that sound.”
Nuzzling her neck, he purred louder, and she sighed happily. “I need to grab my things and we can leave,” he said, releasing her from his tight embrace.
“The sooner the better.”
He liked the way she thought.
Chapter 5
It took just a few minutes to leave the arena and walk to the RV that Alaric was sharing with his family. The rusted vehicle had seen better days, but she tried her best not to make a face at their living conditions.
The two-bedroom RV had bunk beds in both bedrooms. She stood in the miniscule kitchen as Alaric bodily extracted one of his brothers so he could get into the bedroom.
The brother turned and smiled at her but seemed to be keeping his distance. “I’m Slade, the second oldest. I’d shake your hand to welcome you to the family, but Alaric would probably throw me through the wall.”
“You better believe it,” Alaric called from the room.
She chuckled. “You sabers are possessive, huh?”
“Just with truemates. If you have any questions, I can maybe answer them for you, unless you just want to wait for Alaric.”
She liked that he was willing to answer questions. She had some of the intimate variety and more suitable for Alaric. But she did have some that were innocuous. “Where are you from?”
“California. Have you always lived in Belle Terra?”
“Yes, my brother and I grew up here.”
“Your brother, the master vampire?”
Nodding she said, “He’s been master for three years. Do you have any other family members?”
He leaned against the wall. “It’s just us. Our parents died when Lia was in high school. They were killed in a car crash.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Your parents?”
“My parents were killed when my brother was turned. They didn’t like supernatural creatures, and my dad hunted down the vampire who turned my brother and killed her. Her kiss killed them in retaliation, but I was spared because Caleb made me a non-vampire part of his kiss.”
“Kiss?”
“That’s what the group of vampires who hang out together is called.”
“I thought it was a coven?”
“I think that’s witches, but I’ve never asked one, so you’d have to ask the witches. Vampire groups are kisses. What are saber groups?”
“A pride. There used to be other kinds of sabers – saber-wolves, saber-lions, and even saber-bears – but they died out ages ago, and it’s just us four. Well, there will be more eventually as we find our mates. I get the next mate.”
“How do you know?” she asked.
“Because it goes in age order. I’ve been waiting for Alaric to find you so I could have my own dreams.”
“You’ll have to leave? To find her?”
“Probably. It depends on what the dreams tell me.”
“I hope you find your truemate soon.”
“Thanks.”
Alaric, dressed in faded jeans and a tight T-shirt, grabbed Slade by the back of the neck and shoved him into the room. He slung a bag over his shoulder and said, “Into the SUV, sweetheart.”
Something about the look in his eyes told her that he was walking a fine edge of keeping his hands off her. “I need
your phone.”
He looked surprised but handed it to her.
“I left mine in the limo,” she explained as she dialed Gretchen’s cell. She wasn’t shocked when her friend answered on the second ring.
“So you found your mate, huh?”
“How did you know it was me and who told you?” she asked as she followed Alaric out of the RV and to an SUV. He opened the cargo door of the big, black vehicle and tossed in his bag. Then he opened the passenger door and pulled the seat forward and pointed to the third row.
“Lance and Gabe called me when they got to the hotel, and this is a private number. The only people who call my cell are you, my parents, and my alpha, so it was just a good guess.”
“You’re so smart. You should ask your boss for a raise.”
Snorting, Gretchen said, “Why are you bothering me when you should be wiggling around on a bed naked with your new mate?”
Alaric must have enhanced hearing because he purred. “I need you to get your butt out of bed and get three suites for Alaric’s family ready. The rooms should be next to each other, on the eighth or ninth floor.”
“Connected suites or the regular VIP ones?”
“VIP is fine.” She pulled the phone away and said to Alaric, “I’m guessing you guys are hungry? I can have room service send some of their meat-filled platters to each room.”
He nodded. Pointing to the third-row seat again, he said, “I’m also hungry for other things. Wrap it up, sweetheart.”
She really did like how he called her sweetheart. Winking, she put the phone against her ear and said, “Did you get that?”
“About them being hungry or your mate wanting to eat you?”
Her mouth fell open, and for a moment, she lost the ability to say anything as Gretchen laughed. “You’re fired.”
“You can’t live without me. I’ll get it ready. And a tray for your room, too. I’m going to block out your schedule tomorrow. I’ll handle anything that comes up.”
“Thanks, babe. Their names are Slade, Galen, and Lia. I’ll have them meet you at the front desk.”
“You got it. Congratulations on finding your mate. He’s a lucky male.”
Ending the call, she squeaked in surprise as Alaric grabbed the phone, lifted her into his arms, and climbed into the SUV. He sat on the leather seat and settled her on his lap. He pulled the door shut. She wrapped one arm around his neck as one of his big hands settled high on her thigh where the split in the dress revealed her skin.
His mouth – that she hadn’t been able to stop fantasizing about since he bit her neck earlier – found that same place. She closed her eyes and buried her fingers in his thick, short hair. Her whole body warmed and everything tingled, from her toes to the top of her head, as he kissed and nibbled her neck. His hand inched higher on her thigh, and she was perfectly fine with that until the SUV rocked as his siblings got into it.
She stiffened, but he didn’t seem to care, and neither did his siblings.
“I just need to know the address for the hotel,” Slade said from the front seat.
Alaric lifted from her neck and stared at her. His hand slid between her thighs, and his thumb pressed against her satin panties. It took considerable effort to keep her knees together, but she managed.
Giving the address to Slade, she buried her face in Alaric’s neck as his thumb rubbed against her panties, moving the material over her clit. Someone turned on the radio, and she felt a little less exposed in the vehicle with the loud music coming through the speakers. She opened her mouth and gasped softly, her teeth scraping against his shoulder.
She couldn’t hear the purr, but she could feel it as his chest vibrated. He pressed more firmly against her, and she squeezed her knees together. Lifting her head, she whispered in his ear, “Please don’t make me fall apart in front of your brothers and sister.”
His hand slid slowly out from under her gown. She wanted to kick herself for having him stop. It had felt so good. Except she really didn’t want to scream Alaric’s name in front of his family, not to mention that she knew once she did come, that she’d be consumed with getting Alaric naked and returning the favor.
Suddenly, it was all she could think about. Tugging on his collar, she kissed his shoulder. He slipped his hand through her hair and fisted it gently, drawing her to face him. Even in the darkness she could see he was smiling. “It goes both ways, sweetheart. If I can’t touch you, then you can’t touch me.”
“I was kissing your shoulder. You were exploring parts south. They’re totally different.”
“Even the simplest touch from you turns me on, so nothing you do is innocent.”
She kissed him. “I’ll be good.”
“Well for fuck’s sake, don’t do that,” he said, chuckling.
“Can you tell me what’s happening between us? I don’t really understand everything, and I want to.” She felt as if it were safer to discuss their connection than to keep trying not to turn each other on more. She had a feeling that once they arrived at her suite, the clothes would come off and the time for talking would be done. Not that she minded. In fact, she didn’t think she’d had a better idea in years.
He exhaled and released his hold on her hair, resting his hand on her hip. “I know you’ve heard about the dreams.”
She nodded. “Did you really see me?”
“Not all of you,” he said, settling back against the seat. “The dreams were hazy at times, but we were having sex in them. It wasn’t like watching a video. It was just a feeling.” He traced her jaw with his fingers. “Your creamy skin, your pretty hair, your beautiful eyes – those are the things I remembered when I woke. And a bone-deep need to find you.”
“What happens now?”
He growled softly. “You know what.”
“No, I mean after that. Are you going to bite me? Like the wolves do when they get mated? I’ve seen the mated couples in the pack with marks on their necks.”
His fingers stroked down her neck, and she shivered as he stopped at the place where her neck and shoulder met. “When our ancestors – the non-human sabers, that is – would mate, the male would mount the female from behind and sink his teeth into her shoulder so she couldn’t get away from him. Our were-kind has continued with that tradition. When we mate tonight,” he brought her close so he could whisper in her ear, “I’m going to hold you tight, fuck you hard, and mark your pretty neck. I’m going to come so deep inside you that I’ll mark you with my scent from the inside out.”
Goosebumps erupted on her skin, and she closed her eyes as images filled her mind. He was a big guy, and she bet he was big all over. Hell, she’d grabbed his dick through the linen shorts he wore when he’d been only half-aroused, and she’d been surprised at the feel of him. Big probably didn’t cover it.
The vehicle stopped, and the doors opened. The overhead lights illuminated, and she squinted until her eyes adjusted to the brightness.
Lia, who had been sitting in the second row, pulled a lever to slide the seat forward. Aubrey climbed off Alaric’s lap and got out and he followed. After everyone had grabbed their things, she said, “There’s a private entrance for the floor I live on. You can go in through the front door. My friend, Gretchen, is waiting for you at the front desk and will get you settled. She’ll give you my room number so you can reach Alaric.”
“Don’t call me,” Alaric snarled.
She laughed. “Be nice.”
His teeth snapped together. “I’ll only be nice to you, sweetheart.”
Lia rolled her eyes as his brothers made gagging noises.
Galen said, “Dinner tomorrow? We’ll need to talk about Jonathon.”
“Dinner? We can meet for breakfast. The hotel has a great breakfast buffet until eleven,” Aubrey said.
“No, we’re not meeting them for breakfast or lunch. Dinner is fine, and we’ll come down to Lia’s room at seven,” Alaric said, and his tone brooked no argument.
They said goodnight to his family
, and he looked at Aubrey. “Where is the private entrance?”
“To the side,” she said.
Alaric held her hand and shortened his stride so she didn’t have to run. She was only five-foot-three, and he was at least a foot taller. Up close, she was amazed at just how big he was all over. Thick muscles, broad shoulders, and a tapered waist. She couldn’t wait to get him naked.
He stopped walking suddenly and inhaled slowly. When he looked down at her, she could see his eyes were golden and glowing. “If you don’t want me to mount you against the wall, then you need to stop thinking about whatever is turning you on. At least until we get into your home.”
Her cheeks heated with blush. “You can smell when I’m turned on?”
“Absolutely. You smell amazing. I want to crawl under you skirt and lick you for hours. I’m pretty sure you’ll taste as good as you smell, if not better. Sweet cream and honey.” He licked his lips, and her knees went weak.
“Alaric,” she said, biting her lower lip. “We should get to my suite.”
They hustled to the private entrance. Next to the security door was a thumbprint pad. She pressed her thumb to it and watched as a green light flashed on the screen. The door clicked, and Alaric pushed it open. They entered a small foyer and she lifted her face to the security camera in the corner.
“Aubrey Night, Access Code 117 and guest.”
There was a brief pause and then Robert, a human security guard, said, “Welcome home, Miss Night. Have a pleasant evening.”
The second security door slid open, and they walked through to the private elevator bay. After taking the second elevator on the right she pressed the button for the fourteenth floor and then pressed her thumb to another scanner. When the scan had completed, the elevator began to move.
“The fifteenth floor is the penthouse and belongs to my brother. On my floor, there are several empty suites that he uses for out-of-town masters or guests. The floors are for different supernatural creatures – big cats on one floor, wolves on another, witches on another, and so on. We discovered early on that shifters can be especially sensitive to scents left behind, even though our cleaning crew is really amazing.”
