Lust

by Alyssa Rose Ivy

  “I had no idea that Shadows even existed. It’s a crazy species.” I’d never seen anything like it. I would tell Levi all about it as soon as I saw him. The Shadows could be a real threat to The Society. We needed to develop a defense against them.

  “Isn’t it hard to believe all this exists,” she spread out her arms, “and no one in our world even knows it?”

  “I guess it’s similar to how most humans don’t know that paranormal creatures exist either.” Even Daisy didn’t know about us a few years before.

  “When this is over I want to go away somewhere where we can forget about everything but humans and Pterons.” She smiled.

  I pulled her close. “We can go anywhere and everywhere you want.” I would go anywhere she wanted. I’d never been much of a traveler, but with Daisy any place would be exciting.

  “Do you like the beach?”

  “The beach?” I thought about the beach we’d just been on. I probably would have found it beautiful under different circumstances.

  “Yeah. We’ve never talked about stuff like that.”

  “We do have a lot more to talk about.” Tons. There was so much more I needed to learn about her, and I couldn’t wait to have the chance.

  “Is it strange?”

  “Is what strange?” I ran my hands through her hair.

  “How strong our feelings are for each other considering how little we know of one another?”

  “No, because that’s not how love works. It’s not about the details, it’s the big picture and the feeling.”

  “Have you ever been in love? Before now?” She crawled onto my lap straddling me.

  I rested my hands on her hips. “I thought I was once, but I wasn’t.”

  “How did you figure out you were wrong?” She shifted on my lap, moving her chest even closer to mine.

  “When it ended. She hurt me, there was no question about that, but it wasn’t because I loved her. What about you? Have you been in love?”

  “Before you?” She shook her head. “Never.”

  “Good.” I smiled.

  “Glad to be my first love?”

  “Glad to be your first, your last, and your only.” I brushed my lips against hers.

  “That line has several meanings, you know.”

  “Everlasting.”

  “That’s better.” She ran her hand up and down my bare chest. I wasn’t sure where I was going to find another shirt, but at the moment I didn’t care.

  “I agree.” I left tiny kisses up and down her neck.

  She moaned, and it urged me on.

  “I know we’re going to fix this, but I don’t want to waste a minute.” She moved back and pulled off her t-shirt.

  “We should never waste a minute.” I reached around and unclasped her bra. I tossed the bra and immediately claimed her breasts with my hand and my mouth. She rewarded me with a moan and she wriggled on my lap.

  She unbuttoned my pants and took me in her hand. I groaned, and bit down lightly on her nipple.

  “I need you,” she breathed against my neck.

  “No rushing this.” I unbuttoned her jeans.

  She moved off my lap and slid her jeans off.

  Before she could follow with her panties, I took care of them myself as I stepped out of my own pants and boxers.

  “I could stare at your naked body for hours.” My eyes moved over every inch of her.

  “You could do a lot more than stare.”

  “Oh yeah?” I closed the space between us, returning my mouth to her breast as my hand slid down between our bodies.

  “I will never get enough of your touch.”

  “That’s a good thing, because you’re always going to get it.” I moved my hand between her legs, slipping one finger inside of her.

  She moaned and took me in her hand again. Her touch was strong yet gentle, and I couldn’t get enough of it.

  She thrust her body against mine, and I slid in another finger.

  She gasped. We were both struggling to stay standing, but neither of us were eager to change that yet.

  “Owen,” She moaned my name, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I lifted her up and laid her down on the bed.

  I moved beside her and left kisses up and down her entire body while she watched me with wide eyes. “I am going to worship every inch of you.”

  Her eyes met mine. “It’s all yours.”

  “Forever?”

  “Forever.” She reached up and pulled my head down to hers. Her lips crushed into mine, and I responded immediately. I needed more of her taste.

  I moved over her while continuing the kiss. My tongue tangled with hers as I thrust inside of her, returning to my favorite place. She opened up to me, as I continued to move in and out until my entire length was inside.

  She raked her nails down my back, and I continued to kiss her, loving the combination of being inside her body and mouth. She moaned against my mouth, urging me on. I sped things up, making it harder and faster. She wrapped her legs around me, and I pulled her closer.

  “Owen,” She moaned. She was getting close, but close wasn’t good enough. Her breathing picked up and she panted. “Owen.”

  I held myself back until she was going over the edge, and then I shuddered as I reached my own release. I relaxed, remaining inside of her.

  “Don’t move,” she ordered.

  I kissed her lips gently. “If it were up to me I never would.”

  “I love the feeling of you pulsing inside of me.”

  “That makes two of us.”

  She bit down on my lip, and I groaned before returning the gesture.

  “And I still want you.”

  “Now?”

  She nodded.

  I moved my mouth to her breast. I’d never done foreplay while still inside a girl post sex. It was such a crazy backwards thing, but it worked. Too well. I was hard again within moments.

  She grinned. “Now that’s a great sensation.”

  I laughed. “Was that your plan all along?”

  “Maybe,” she smiled coyly.

  “Well, it worked.” I ran my lips down her neck while I prepared to start all over again.

  17

  Daisy

  “We’re crazy.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “We’re on a boat going who knows where, driven by Allures who may or may not be on our side, yet we’re down here naked.” I ran my hand down his bare chest to emphasize my point, and because he was too irresistible not to touch.

  “Yes, we are naked, aren’t we?” He pulled me on top of him.

  I giggled. He was the only man to ever make me giggle. “That wasn’t a cue that we should have more sex, Owen.”

  “Then what was it a cue for?” He kissed my neck. He was acting so different. So relaxed. Maybe sex had an effect on him too.

  “Unfortunately, it was a cue to get dressed.”

  “Very unfortunate.” His lips moved further down my neck, and I knew I had to put on the breaks.

  I rolled off of him. “It’s time to get dressed.”

  “I suppose it’s the responsible thing to do.” He pulled me to his side.

  “It’s the only thing.” I reluctantly detangled myself from his arms.

  “After we stop the change, we’re spending an entire day in bed.”

  “What about food?”

  “You’ve never cooked naked?” He handed me my clothes from the floor.

  “No.” I stepped into my underwear and clasped my bra. “Can’t say I have.”

  He sighed. “And I lose my favorite view.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Your favorite view?”

  “Yes. Is there a problem with that?”

  “There are plenty of other better views out there.”

  He shook his head as he buttoned his jeans. “Nope. None. ”

  “Not even from the sky?”

  “No.” His eyes bore into mine. “Nothing beats the view of you.”

  “Now I don
’t believe you.” I slipped back into my shoes.

  “Why not?” He looked adorable standing there half dressed with his hair disheveled. It was messy because of me, which made it so much better.

  “Because for you nothing will ever be better than flying.”

  “That’s not true. That,” he gestured to the bed, “that beat flying.”

  I smiled. “So it wasn’t just amazing on my side?”

  “You knew it was amazing on my side too.” He put on his shoes.

  “Ok, I did.” I grinned. “You made your enjoyment known.”

  He ran a hand down my back. “Exactly.”

  “All right, let’s do this.” I unlocked and pushed open the door.

  He wordlessly took my hand as we headed up the steep stairs to the deck. I wasn’t looking forward to seeing the Allures again, but we didn’t have a choice. We had to face reality before we spent any more fun time together.

  “Get some sleep?” Violet grinned.

  “No.” Owen entwined his hand with mine.

  “Not even going to pretend?” she asked.

  “There’s no point.” I wasn’t embarrassed about what Owen and I did. I was done taking life for granted, and if that meant having mind blowing sex with Owen while others knew it, that was fine by me.

  “Put this on.” Hugh tossed a shirt at him.

  “Thanks.” Owen pulled on the t-shirt.

  I leaned in. “Now you ruined my view.”

  Hugh smirked. “You’re ridiculous.”

  I shrugged and looked out at the seemingly endless water. We were surrounded by the calm blue water all around us, with no land in sight. “It’s peaceful out here.”

  “I’m surprised you noticed.” Violet nudged me. “Ready to focus now that you slept?”

  “It wasn’t sleep I needed.” It felt freeing to stop caring about what others thought. Fear of disapproval was one feeling I didn’t need.

  “Where are we?” Owen walked over to the railing.

  “On a boat.”

  “Let me rephrase that. How much farther do we have to go?” Owen rested an elbow on the railing.

  “Not much farther. We’ll be there soon.”

  “We timed that well.” Owen winked at me.

  I laughed. “So what now? Want us to take over?”

  Hugh shook his head without stepping away from the wheel. “No thanks.”

  “Don’t you want rest?”

  “No, we don’t rest together often.” Violet’s eyes twinkled with amusement. Clearly she was talking about sex.

  “Often?” I was also done feeling embarrassed by my questions. I wasn’t getting answers any other way.

  “It’s not all that important.”

  “Sure it is. Do makers usually sleep with the Allures they create?” I couldn’t imagine Violet and Hugh sleeping together. I had so many questions about Allures, but I hoped I’d never need answers to them.

  “Not always, but often.” Hugh remained at the wheel. I couldn’t imagine him sleeping with his maker, Violet.

  “Did you sleep with your maker, Violet?” I decided to ask. She still hadn’t told me much about him.

  A surprised expression crossed her face. “What do you think?”

  “Why would you throw a question back at me?” I wasn’t letting her off the hook that easily. I was asking her an easier question than many of the others I could ask.

  “Because I can.”

  I leaned back against the railing. “Yes. I think you were.”

  “I’m curious what you’ll think of him.”

  “Of who?” Had I missed something?

  “My maker.”

  “Will I meet him?” I knew nothing about him.

  “Yes.” She smiled lightly.

  “Oh. When?”

  “Later on. You’ll meet some of our other friends first though.”

  “Other friends?” Owen asked suspiciously. “I think we’ve met plenty of your friends already.”

  “These aren’t Allures. I’m curious what you’ll think of them.”

  “What are they?” Owen shifted his weight.

  “Dragos.” Violet studied her nails. “Ever hear of them?”

  “Dragos?” Owen’s eyes bugged out. “I guess I should have known they were still around too.”

  Violet grinned and dropped her hand to her side. “Of course.”

  “Uh, what?” Not for the first time I was lost. I knew so little about the supernatural world.

  “I’ll explain later,” Owen assured me before turning back to Violet. “Are they as bad as I’ve read?”

  “I’m not sure bad is the right word.” Violet turned to look out at the water.

  “Ok, I’m done waiting.” I put a hand on my hip. “What are Dragos?”

  Violet smiled. “It’s going to be easier to show you.”

  I looked at Owen. “Spill.”

  Owen nodded. “They’re a shifter of sorts.”

  “Of sorts?”

  “They are supposedly more like Pterons. Their shifted form is still humanoid.”

  “What animal are they tied to?”

  “Ok, not really animal as much as a creature.” He talked with his hands, something Owen never did.

  “Come on. Spit it out.”

  “Dragons.” Hugh shook his head. “I don’t know why your lover boy won’t just say it.”

  “Uh, what? Dragons?” Were there unicorns too?

  Hugh laughed. “And they are just as much fun as they sound.”

  “Why do we need to see these friends of yours?” I still couldn’t imagine a dragon version of a Pteron or whatever they were.

  “They can help us get in a back way to Energo.”

  “Are they dangerous?”

  Violet nodded without turning around. “Very.”

  I shivered.

  “They won’t hurt you. Dragos like Allures.” Was my fear that obvious?

  “But I’m not a full Allure yet.”

  She finally turned back. “You’re close enough.”

  “And Pterons?” I asked.

  “What, you don’t think your Pteron can defend himself?” She smiled.

  “Of course he can, but I wanted to know if they’ll be friendly.” I watched Owen out of the corner of my eye to make sure I hadn’t unintentionally offended him. He didn’t seem bothered.

  “The Dragos are never friendly.” Hugh opened a bottle of water and took a sip. “It’s not in their nature.”

  “Never?”

  He set down the water beside him by the wheel. “Well, except to certain Allures and a few others on rare occasions.”

  “Do certain Allures include Violet?” Everyone seemed to like Violet. I guess her cheerful personality got her a lot of fans.

  “Yes, how’d you know?” She pulled out several bottles of water from a cooler and handed them out.

  “Just a guess.”

  “They are only male, so they tend to be friendly to females of other creature types.”

  “How are they only male?” I knew enough about biology to understand how rare asexual animals were.

  “They procreate with other species of females. It’s simple really.”

  “What happens to the uh, women they procreate with?” From the way everyone was describing the Dragos I was a little nervous to hear the answer.

  “They settle down with their mate for life.”

  “Oh…” Settling down with a dragon shifter? Hopefully their mates weren’t human. I didn’t know too many girls who would sign up for that life. But maybe they were like me and didn’t have a choice in what happened to them.

  “But it usually takes a Drago years to find a mate. Decades or centuries even. The Dragos we’re seeing are all single. Once they mate they aren’t around much.”

  “Oh…”

  “And no they aren’t having sex all the time.” Hugh laughed.

  “That’s not what I was thinking.” I adamantly denied it.

  “Then what were you thinking?�
�

  “Just. Ok, fine. It’s what I was thinking.” I felt blood rush to my face.

  “And I wonder why sex is on your mind?” Violet nudged me again.

  “Yeah, Daisy. I wonder?” Owen grinned.

  “Changing subjects…” I wrapped my arms over my chest. So much for not caring. I guess my bravado had worn off with the post-sex euphoria.

  “Do you two want to be prepared?” Violet touched my shoulder.

  “Of course we do.” I dropped my hands to my sides and snapped out of my embarrassment.

  “Do you want all the details even if they’ll scare you?”

  “It’s always better to be prepared.” I’d been left in the dark enough over the past few years.

  “Not always.” She hopped up onto the railing. My stomach did flips watching her, but she was calm. I guess taking risks weren’t as scary when you were immortal. But did it really mean immortal? What happened to Taylor then? No one had actually said she was dead, but she had to be. I had her essence inside of me.

  “Are you okay?” Violet looked over at me worriedly. “It looks like you just saw a ghost.”

  “No… nothing like that.”

  Hugh turned from the wheel. “She didn’t mean that literally.”

  “I know. It’s nothing.”

  “You sure?” Owen asked carefully.

  Why did these thoughts and questions have to come to me at the worst times? We were close to reaching Energo, we were getting ready to meet some sort of half-dragon guys, and here I was ready to open up another can of worms.

  “Just say it, Daisy. We know there’s something major you want to say.” Violet hopped down from the railing and stood in front of me.

  “Allures are immortal.” I made it a statement.

  “In theory yes, but of course no creature is truly immortal.” Hugh looked at Owen. “Do you know how to drive this?”

  “Yes.” Owen took the wheel. I was surprised that he agreed so easily, but maybe he wanted Hugh to keep talking.

  Hugh strolled over to me. “We are called immortal because our life spans last indefinitely, and we are immune to most means of death, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t be killed.”

  “Taylor.” I let her name slip from my lips.

  “And now we get to the real reason you asked.” Hugh started to pace.

  “Yes.” I fought to keep my composure. I didn’t want to appear more interested than necessary.