by Paloma Beck
Gage looked at her, eyes locking on eyes, and delivered a face-splitting grin. “Yes, tidesidero. I want you too.”
Amelia began working the buttons on her nightshirt when suddenly, she sat naked on the countertop. She laughed, quirking her eyebrow at Gage who just shrugged. “I couldn’t wait.” He’d used his powers to strip her and damn her but she thought it was sexy.
His eyes surveyed her before he dipped his head to resume his teasing kisses. He found the mark of the Magdalena Circle, the sign that marked her as one of their members. Clearly knowing its sensitivity, he suckled the spot, pulled the warm skin into his mouth, and licked it with his tongue. Goddess, she couldn’t sit still. She reached out her hands to stroke his skin—each place she could find it—and wondered why he wasn’t naked yet.
Gage kneeled, placing his head between her legs, and gently stroked her inner thighs. Lightly, he skimmed her core and ran his fingers through her bare folds. “I adore that you wax this. It’s so open to me.” His breath against her warm flesh sent tremors racing through her body. Knowing he was pleased by her made her feel happiness. Happiness, not anger, felt good.
“Does it feel good when I do this?” Gage separated her folds and blew lightly against the newly exposed flesh, her most private of places.
“Yes.” Amelia groaned at the sensation of his breath. He did it again and she shuddered.
“And this? Does this feel good too?” Gage ran his tongue along that same flesh.
Amelia jumped and lifted her bottom from the countertop.
Gage snickered. “I’m taking that as a ‘yes’ but try not to move, sweetheart. It’s very distracting.” Then he ran his tongue back in the other direction.
“Oh Goddess. Distracting?” Amelia gripped the countertop to hold herself steady.
“Yes. I’m trying to learn you. How can I do that while you’re moving around?” Again, he drew his tongue along her center. When he looked up at her, she could see the moisture on his lips and bit her own lips in want.
“Let’s try this.” Gage nipped softly at her folds. “Did that feel good?”
“You know it did,” Amelia snapped. “Goddess, I can’t sit still. You’re torturing me. Come on, Gage, please.”
“Please what? Am I not making you feel good?”
“Yes but you’re going too slow. Stop asking me if I like it. You know I do. Just do it. Just…” Amelia was beginning to shout and a sharp sting to her leg made her stop.
She looked stunned at Gage. “You bit me.”
“It got you to stop.” He shook his head. “That’s one. Now, we’re doing this at my pace this morning. Mornings are supposed to be lazy. Morning sex is slow sex. So, you tell me. Do you want to have sex with me this morning, sweetheart?” His fingers were running up and down her center as he talked and she was stuck somewhere between pure fury and desperate desire.
Amelia threw her head back and pushed against him. “Yes.”
“And you’ll play nice?”
“Yes.” Amelia begrudgingly agreed.
“That’s two.”
“Two what?” Amelia asked, confused and certain she would do better slipping into the bathroom by herself for a few minutes.
“Two spankings. You’ll get one every time your anger rears its ugly head.”
“No,” Amelia insisted. Gage looked so certain, but she’d never agreed to this. What the hell was he thinking?
His fingers pulled away, his hands resting on her thighs. “Should I stop for us to talk about this?”
“No.”
“Then we’re good. I’m not going to let you live with the anger anymore so we’re going to nip.” He paused to nip at her inner thigh. “it.” He nipped further up. “in.” Again. “the.” Another bite, sharper this time. “bud.”
Amelia heard herself saying “yes” even as she pulled him in with her calves behind his back.
Gage didn’t hold back anymore though. He bent his head and lapped at her naked folds. Swollen with a rush of desire, she was sensitive to his touch. All she could feel was his touch. All she could smell was his scent. All she could hear were his thoughts, his thoughts of loving her. He filled all her senses.
She felt him touch her more firmly, using his fingers and tongue. Finally, he pressed a finger inside and she nearly growled. Her body bowed off the counter, but his strong hands kept her in place. Small bursts of colored light released from her body, especially those places where they touched. It was her magic and it was amazing. Her body recognized him. It was calling to him, her mate.
Gage spread her legs wider, squeezed, and rose up between her legs ever so slowly. His cock was perfectly placed to enter her channel, but he waited and watched her reaction. Purposefully, Amelia took a few deep breaths and waited. She could do this. She could be patient, not demanding, and wait him out. Then her reward came when the head of his shaft pressed inward and Gage leaned down to kiss her at the same time. Their tongues danced as Amelia tilted her hips and Gage pressed his shaft fully inside of her.
Amelia gasped in pleasure and rolled her head before she kissed him again with more fervor. She needed the deep contact. She needed him inside her everywhere. She nipped at Gage’s lip until she tasted his blood. Then she lapped at it and sucked it into her mouth to savor his essence. An escaped moan told her he wasn’t immune to the feeling of her drawing blood from him.
Then before she could do any more, Gage put his arms on either side of her and set a bruising rhythm of thrusts. Their eyes stayed connected as they watched the emotion swirling inside and around them through her powers. His grunts and her squeals filled the sex-scented air. Over and over again, he filled her, pushing her so close, so close. She was so very close and was reaching.
“Oh, Goddess,” Amelia cried out as a barrage of sensations bombarded her. She shook and pulsed. He was holding her on the edge of something great and she wanted so badly for them to go over that cliff together. “Please.”
Gage continued his unrelenting rhythm. The smacks of sweaty flesh and the throbbing in her clit were nothing she’d experienced before. This was more than she could have with a human male. She was destined for this, destined to be with a Valendite Breed. How could she ever have thought there could be another way for their species to exist? It was so much more than biology. Amelia fought for breath as her back arched with each of Gage’s thrusts, meeting him with each motion.
Then without warning, he pulled her into him, continued his thrusts in shorter strokes, latched onto her neck and sucked. It was too much. The desperate rush of need pulsing through his veins was too delicious. He bit down hard, directly into her life’s vein, and drew out her blood. The groan that escaped his lips curled her toes. His desire for her matched her own.
When Gage’s fingers found her nipples and pinched, everything crashed down around her. The pounding of his cock, the rough pinch of her nipples, and the sucking on her vein coalesced into a piercing scream that vibrated inside her and rumbled the room around them. She delighted in the moment when her inner muscles squeezed him deep inside her and she took him over the edge with her.
* * * *
Breakfast had to wait until after a long hot shower and a quick stop in bed. They sat in a large window seat that was part of the breakfast nook.
“You know, overall, I think we’ve got this Claiming down.” Gage spoke up first after several minutes of silence while they both ate hungrily.
“You mean, once we got over you shooting me?” Amelia quirked her eyebrow at him.
“You’re really not going to let that go?” Gage tested her with the question.
“You have been rather convincing.” Amelia grinned. Ah, so she was remembering the last few hours too. Gage was glad he wasn’t the only one.
“See, you weren’t nearly as hard to crack as I thought.”
“Are you calling me easy?” she sounded affronted and then caught herself, “Maybe then you can give up this idea of spanking the anger out of me.”
�
�No way. That is way too much fun to resist.” Gage winked.
“Fun? My ass still hurts from yesterday.”
Gage laughed, spewing coffee. He liked Amelia. She wasn’t going to be a pushover though—on the contrary, he suspected spankings would be a regular thing—the challenge she presented would be worth the life they’d have together.
Once he stopped laughing and realized she sat stoically waiting for his laughing to end, he said, “But you’ve been much better, not so angry.”
“True,” she reluctantly agreed. He’d have to give her credit for honesty even though she rolled her eyes.
Gage smiled, satisfied they seemed to finally agree on something. He took another sip of his coffee and watched Amelia poke at her omelet. He couldn’t take his eyes off her, still amazed she belonged to him. Despite her clothing, he could still see her naked and flushed body moving underneath him. He was lost in thought when he heard her question.
“Are you picturing me naked?” she asked.
He quirked his eyebrow in question as he contemplated. “What made you ask that?”
“Right now, with how you were staring at me, it felt different somehow.”
“Hmm. Different how?” He was stalling. They both knew it, but he wasn’t ready to admit to being caught.
“You answer me first.”
He considered her, licked his upper lip, and answered, “yes.”
“Oh My Goddess. Don’t do that. It felt like my clothes were going to fly off! What if you do that in public without knowing it?”
“Whoa. Whoa. I won’t. I’ll be careful. I was just relaxed now because we’re at home.”
She nodded and went back to her breakfast.
“And that’s three,” he added and then watched her back straighten. Still, she said nothing.
“Can I ask a few questions about your Breed abilities? I know my mother always said it was rude but you’re my mate. I think I have a right to know.”
Gage shrugged, “Sure. You don’t need to convince me. I’ll tell you anything you ever want to know. But when we’re done, I have to get back to work for a bit.”
She nodded, swallowed her bite of toast, and asked her first question. “Well, you’re aware of all my powers so I want to know yours.”
“You don’t already know? Did you not observe your father growing up?”
“He didn’t have need to use most since he’s a scientist. I know senses are heightened but how exactly? What can you do?”
He raised his eyebrows at the suggestion and then replied seriously. “Yes. All my senses—smell, taste, sight, hearing and even intuitive sense—are heightened. Part of working with TEU is honing those senses so I can use them to protect others.”
“Can you really block my mindreading if you want? Layla says sometimes Madden can close her out…”
“Yes, I can block any witchy mindreading you try on me,” Gage cut her off with a hand on her arm. “But I promise you that I won’t. There will be no secrets between us.”
“Telekinesis?”
He nodded, “I can use telekinesis on inanimate objects, not people.”
“Is it handy?”
“Sometimes.” Gage moved his coffee cup closer with his mind and then picked it up to take another sip.
“I’m impressed,” Amelia taunted.
“Your powers are much more impressive. Mostly, Breeds are strong, durable and very difficult to harm physically. We don’t have the fun magic of the Magdalena Circle.”
“But what about that seeing me naked thing you were doing?”
“Oh, I was visualizing, as you might say, which is what we use for telekinesis. I think that’s why you sensed it,” Gage felt almost guilty, “but it was your fault. I can’t help wanting you even after I’ve just had you.”
Amelia blushed—she actually blushed—at his words.
* * * *
Madden told him to stay home. He knew he should. He should stay with his mate, but he needed to be there. Gage was also aware that Amelia knew. She knew he didn’t have to go, that he was choosing to go. And she was handling her anger much like a tea kettle, the steam escaping a bit at a time. He planned to be gone before the full power of the steam was released.
Once in the safety of the TEU main meeting room, Gage settled in. Everything made sense here. There were no unknown variables when it came to his work. He marked a target and shot. That was just the way he liked it. Having a mate was not so easy.
“Doing okay, little brother?” Madden patted him on the shoulder on his way into the room to take his seat.
Gage nodded. “So far, so good. I’ve got the specs on the lab and found the best locations for marksmen.”
“Good but not what I was asking. I’m wondering about you and your mate.”
“Oh, well,” he paused as the other men filled the seats around them. “I suppose so far, so good for that as well.” Gage shifted uncomfortably. He would never admit to this group that getting a handle on his mate was not as easy as everything else in his carefree life.
He scanned the men around this table. Most had mates now. Madden, of course, was the first when he found Layla. Next to mate were Caedon and Seamus who now lived overseas with their mates. Donovan mated with the fourth Sinster sister and then surprising everyone, Lucas found his mate. She wasn’t a Sinster. In fact, they’d found her on a rescue mission. She was as timid as a little country mouse, but his momma was working on her. So, no way was Gage admitting he was having troubles when each of these men had pulled it off.
“That why you look so beat?” Donovan asked.
“Give the kid a break, Van,” Lucas spoke up, his eldest brother was always prepared to defend him. Sometimes Gage was sure he still saw the little boy who used to run after him growing up.
“What?” Donovan put his hands up in surrender. “I gave him some advice. If he’d taken it, he might be looking happier right now.”
“I took your advice,” Gage mumbled and then kicked himself when the surprised looks of both Van and Madden landed on him.
“You did?” They both asked at the same time.
“What advice?” Lucas asked.
Gage shook his head at Lucas and rolled his eyes before answering. “Yes. But instead of sitting around talking like a bunch of pansy girls, could we focus on the mission instead?” Gage redirected the conversation before he sunk under the table at the stares he was getting.
A ping came through the room indicating the Italy office had joined the meeting via phone. Now Gage really wanted to shift the topic. No need for everyone to hear the details of his Claiming.
“Ok. Little brother is right. Caedon, everyone there on your end?”
“We’re all here.”
“Good. Pop the screen up for visual.” Madden nodded when the wall lighted with mission data. “Here’s what we know.” He turned to the screen and began the briefing. “We now know they were successful at extracting blood samples and using it to create at least one batch of positive serum.”
“They created another Breed?” Granger asked.
Madden nodded. “That they did, I’m afraid. And it seems when they couldn’t create any more successful subjects but one, they changed tactics. That man in Turkey we were to aid a few months back is part of the operation. He’s a Breed. Links have been discovered between a potential arms deal with a terrorist faction in the US and this man. We suspect they’re using his abilities to aid in the negotiations.”
“Which means this man, the terrorists and Nassir’s group are all in this,” Gage deduced.
“You’ve got it. Now, we’ve been able to work with our government counterparts to get as much information as we can. There are currently four main target locations to be taken out.”
“How many men?”
Madden shook his head, “We don’t have a count on this new terrorist organization but we imagine it’s big. Why would he have chosen this one if not for the strength of many men?”
“Do we have help?”
“No. No back up. This needs to be dealt with quietly. We’ll be taking them out on the ground with no military counterpart. It could turn into a world war if governments were involved.” Madden shook his head. No one wanted to consider that option.
“I’ve used satellite to tell us when the heaviest times at each of these locations are. We’ll not be able to ensure every person associated with the group is eliminated but we’ll concentrate on the heaviest volume times,” Caedon spoke through the intercom as the visuals on the screen changed to the different locations.
“What’s their goal here?” Seamus asked.
“Idiots think they can infiltrate the government facility, retrieve information on the Breeds and create their own army of indestructible soldiers.” Gage could hear Caedon shaking his head from across the continents.
He snorted and shook his head in agreement with Caedon’s assessment. “Idiots.”
“Roll out the plan, Lucas,” Madden motioned to their oldest brother who had just returned from his own Claiming.
Chapter Five
Gage was exhausted. After the meeting and getting his mission assignment, he’d put in a few hours in the shooting range before heading home. He could feel his own need to feed and knew it meant Amelia was feeling the same effects. He jogged into their house happy to see his mate, and walked right into a lion’s den.
Without even so much as a greeting, Amelia rounded on him, “You didn’t tell me you were going away. How could you even consider this? We need to be together now. You know that. You know and you’re still leaving. I mean, I thought just this morning was bad but now you plan to be away for days…”
Gage cut her off. “Amelia, I won’t have you shouting at me. Calm yourself down and we’ll talk.” It took every bit of restraint for Gage not to yell back at her, for him to keep calm.
“I will not calm myself down. You are leaving me!”
