I focused my attention back to Blaze and leaned over the table to really study him. “Why won’t you just admit it?”
Blaze rolled his eyes and shifted his positioning on the bench. “All right, fine. I fucked her.”
I felt my mouth hang open in stunned response. That was not what I was expecting him to say at all.
“You fucked her?” I asked. We had only met her a day ago.
“I don’t know what happened.” Blaze scratched his head contemplatively. “One thing just led to another…”
“Was it consensual?” I gave him a combative glance.
He met my gaze. “Of course. Absolutely. I would never take advantage of her like that.”
“So, she willingly had sex with you?” I asked.
I needed to see him nod his head for confirmation before I would be willing to believe it.
“Everything just happened so fast,” he said, a perplexed look on his face as if he were just as confused about the situation as I was.
“Did this happen last night?” I probed.
Blaze glanced at me and nodded right before Sophia, James, and Cameron wandered back over to the table and I wasn’t able to question him further.
I couldn’t help but wonder what Sophia was willing to do if she was okay with having sex with Blaze last night. I wanted to get to know her too. I craved intimacy with a beautiful woman, a mysterious black swan shifter like herself.
I was an extremely competitive guy. I wanted to know what it felt like to see her naked, to run my hands all over her body, to push my hard cock inside of her wet pussy. My manhood began to throb and pulse between my legs as I vividly imagined the dreamy fantasy.
Everyone at the table was talking to her and asking her questions about how she slept last night, how her leg was feeling today, if she liked the breakfast, and what her general comfort level was.
I was only partially paying attention to the flow of conversation that floated around our table. My wandering brain had a mind of its own. My intuition kept telling me to pursue her, to get her alone so that I could experience that intimate time as well. I would respect her wishes, but at the same time, if she came on to me, I wouldn’t say no.
The fantasies about being with her in a private setting like that continued to spread like wildfire through my mind. I could imagine anything and everything I wanted to. I just needed to manifest it into my reality.
After I noticed that Sophia was finishing up her bowl of oatmeal and glass of milk, I looked at her intensely enough that she gazed up at me with curious intrigue. My heart raced and my hands felt clammy.
“Do you want to take a tour through the bunker?” I asked her. “I can show you where everything is so that you can get more familiar and comfortable with the place as a whole.”
Sophia’s eyes were kind and brimming with gratitude. “Thank you so much. I would love that.”
I noticed Blaze glaring at me from my peripheral vision, but I ignored him. Sophia wasn’t his conquest. She wasn’t a slave anymore, which meant she wasn’t anyone’s property here or anywhere else. She belonged to herself and could move about of her own accord. I just wanted to be there to help her and watch her blossom and grow.
“Great.” I tossed her a charming smile and hoped that she saw the sparkle of charisma that came along with my personality. I pointed to her tray. “Are you finished with your oatmeal?”
Sophia glanced down at the bowl. “Oh…yes.” She smiled up at me.
I picked up the tray. “You don’t have to do that,” Sophia said in protest.
I gave her a saucy grin. “Please, I insist.”
“Okay.” She gave me a look of admiration and gratitude as she stood up along with me. “I guess I’ll see you guys later?” She glanced at my friends who nodded begrudgingly as they gave me a glower.
“We’ll be around,” James said.
“This way,” I said and helped coax her along by gently placing my flattened palm on the small of her back while I carried her tray in my other hand.
I placed the tray in the drop off center where the volunteers of washers would clean them once the breakfast crowd had dwindled down.
“Where should we start the tour?” I asked her as we wandered out of the kitchen and into the hallway together.
“I think we should stick to an indoor tour,” she said.
I nodded in approval. “I completely understand your reluctance to go outside.”
She gave me a hopeful look. “Will it ever get better?”
I shrugged. “In time, I suppose, but you will always have that sense of wanting to look over your shoulder. I wish that I could say the paranoia went away, but it really never does.”
Sophia gave me a heartfelt smile. “I appreciate your honesty.”
“One day at a time, right?” I gave her a sideways grin.
“Right.” She nodded as we continued to stroll down the hall in the direction of the main living and recreational space.
“It’s really cozy in here,” Sophia mentioned.
I noticed how she was moving around easier with the aid of the cane, but I still did my best to walk slowly so that she would be able to keep up with my pace without difficulty.
“It’s home,” I said with a contented sigh.
“It’s much better than the cold, dark cells I used to live in,” Sophia said.
“I know. Trust me.” I stopped walking and turned to give her a serious glance. “We have all been there. Each and every one of the shifters living in this bunker was once a slave. You are not alone.”
“That’s consoling to hear,” Sophia said as she held my gaze.
“I admire your strength and courage,” I said.
She glowed in response. “Sometimes that’s more of a reflection on the outside than what’s really going on inside my head.”
I gave her a warmhearted smile. “I love how honest you are. You are so genuine.”
“There’s no other way to be,” Sophia said with a shrug.
“Do you want to see where my sleeping quarters are?” I asked. “I share a room with Cameron, James, and Blaze.”
Sophia gave me a curious glance. “Is that how you guys became best friends?”
“With the others,” I nodded. “But I already knew James. We fled the same castle together.”
Sophia’s eyes grew large. “You did?”
“Yes.” I smiled proudly. “We made it out together and then we found this place. We stumbled upon it really. I like to refer to it as a miraculous accident.”
“What kind of shifter are you?” she asked.
“I’m a lion,” I said.
Her expression reflected that she was impressed. “I would be willing to bet you look magnificent in your shifted form.”
“You can see it someday,” I said to her with a grin. “I won’t hurt you. I’m not aggressive with those I care about. My brain doesn’t shift with my body. I always stay in my right mindset to protect those in need.”
“That’s reassuring,” Sophia said softly. Her eyes sparkled with feminine sensuality that made my heart pound.
Because of her injured leg, we took the elevator to my second-floor bedroom. I kept sneaking subtle glances of her. She certainly had the body of a dancer. I hoped that I would witness her elegance and grace after her leg had healed.
I wanted to explore my softer side when it came to Sophia. I wanted to show her that my cocky exterior was more because I had to overcompensate for the torture I’d been subjected to by my former Master. I rarely let down my guard, but there was something about Sophia’s demeanor that reeled me in like a fish on a hook.
“James and I broke free because one of the idiot guards accidentally left the gate open and we just happened to be nearby and notice it,” I said. “I guess the joke’s on that idiot.”
“Wow,” Sophia said with a look of astonishment. “That is an incredibly lucky story.”
“And I will never forget how lucky it actually is,” I told her and tapped m
y temple.
I had to stay grounded and humble because as much as I hated to admit it, freedom wasn’t always a guarantee in the world we lived in. I didn’t mention that to Sophia. I wanted her to cling to the dreamy hope in her mind that she was now going to be immune from pain and suffering forever.
“Here’s my room,” I said and found myself feeling relieved to notice that it was empty. We were alone. I wanted to take this opportunity to get to know her better in a one-on-one setting.
“It’s so charming in here,” she said with a look of awe as her eyes scanned the room.
“You will get a room like this too,” I told her.
“Will it have an amazing stone fireplace in the center?” she asked and pointed at the crackling fire.
“It sure will.” I nodded proudly. “Each bedroom has one, along with the bunk beds.”
“It’s very warm and inviting,” Sophia said and traced the wood of the bunk bed with her fingertips.
“This is mine.” I pointed to the bottom bunk to the left.
Sophia plopped down on my mattress with a contented sigh. “I love it. Very sturdy.” She bounced up and down. I wondered if she was driving me sexually crazy on purpose.
“May I?” I asked and pointed to the empty space beside her.
She patted it and gave me a convivial smile. “Of course. It’s your bed, after all.”
I chuckled. “I suppose that is a valid point.”
There was a moment of silence between us. I had to resist the temptation to reach out and cup my hand over her slender thigh. She was so enticingly beautiful that it made my insides sizzle with desire every time she made eye contact with me.
“I’m broken too,” I told her. I didn’t know what it was about her, but I felt like I could shed my toughened exterior when I was alone with her.
Sophia lifted her chin and gazed at me with admiration. I leaned in on a whim and pressed my lips to hers, intense chemistry burning right through me. Much to my surprise, when I pulled back to gauge her reaction, she was smiling. She placed her hand on my cheek and gently stroked it with her thumb.
“Everything is going to be okay,” she told me.
Who was this magical woman? Why was I so enthralled by her? She had a hypnotizing effect over me that was hard to ignore and even more difficult to escape. I wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. I was addicted to her now. Her kiss was compelling, still lingering with a tingle on my lips. I was just thankful she hadn’t resisted me.
I had been led down the path of alluring temptation and there was no turning back now.
23
Sophia
There was a lingering after effect from Ayden’s kiss that was like a sparkling haven to my senses.
I gazed sensually into his eyes. He had a blissfully contented expression on his face and his mouth was spread into a relaxed grin of serenity.
He leaned back and propped himself up on his elbows. Ayden was irresistible eye candy. There was no denying that. His shirt was partially raised, and I looked at his flat stomach. It was exceptionally satisfying, a feast for my eyes. I didn’t know what was happening with me and all this spontaneous attraction to Ayden and his friends, but I was enthralled by him in that precise moment.
His skin was wonderfully bronzed. It looked like he had spent a significant number of days on a beach resort on some magnificent island somewhere, soaking up the rays of the sun and getting a golden tan.
His hair was cut short and was as blond as the sand would be on that fantasy beach that I wished we were on. His eyes were a twinkling ocean of blue and his teeth were lined in a row of perfect, pearly whiteness. The smile on his face was a mixture of mischief and lust. I didn’t know why I was so drawn to him and his friends, but I couldn’t resist his allure.
“Thank you for giving me a chance,” I said. “It won’t go unnoticed. I promise you won’t regret anything.” I was referring to the fact that they allowed me to take refuge in their amazing underground bunker.
“What do you mean?” He frowned and sat up, touching the tip of my cheek lightly with the back of his thumb knuckle.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged and sighed heavily. “I just feel like I need to pinch myself right now.” I gestured around the room and at the cozy stone hearth with the warm, orange fire crackling inside. “Almost like if this is just a really intensely great dream.” I glanced down at my intertwined hands. “If that’s the case, I never want to wake up.”
“It’s not a dream.” Ayden was sitting so close to me that I could hear his breathing and the pounding of his pulse. “I promise you. I am as real as they come.”
I gave him a sultry smile. “I guess it just seems too good to be true.”
That’s when I glanced down at my leg and the reality of the situation really hit me. I didn’t want to cry or show any kind of vulnerability in front of Ayden. I glanced at the ceiling of the bunk bed and willed the tears in my eyes to dissolve and disappear.
“I’m right here,” Ayden said in a soothing voice. He stroked my back with his fingertips. He was relaxing me and turning me on at the same time with the way he was talking to me and touching me.
I was still new at this whole ‘consensual’ sex thing. I wasn’t used to getting positive attention from men that didn’t end with one of them beating me senseless until my ears bled or my head started spinning in the earth-shattering aftermath of a blow to the face.
There was something different about these guys. Sure, they were shifter slaves too, but that didn’t always necessarily mean that they could be trusted. I didn’t trust any of the male shifter slaves that had gone on the caravan trip with Thom after his castle was set on fire.
These four men that I had been blessed to meet were special on an intellectual and physical level. They didn’t antagonize me or belittle me. I saw something pure about them. I felt like I could relate to them on a spiritual and emotional level because they too had suffered pain and loss and knew what it was like to feel their lives spiraling out of control.
“Can I ask you something?” I asked as I stared deep into the blue depths of Ayden’s eyes.
“You can ask me anything you want,” he said with a hypnotically handsome smile.
We were sitting almost nose-to-nose now. I felt his breath on my cheek.
“Do you believe that sometimes fate works in your favor?”
“Yes.” Ayden didn’t skip a beat, nor did he pause to even reflect on an answer first before responding to me.
I decided to make things interesting and really pick at his brain. “Do you think it was fate that I met you all?”
Again, Ayden didn’t falter. He kept his gaze locked on mine. “Yes.”
His eyes danced with seduction.
“That makes me feel reassured,” I told him.
“I like how honest you are,” he said and stroked my hair delicately.
“You do?” I looked at him.
“You aren’t like the other women that I’ve been exposed to, whether that be in the castle under the Master’s tight grip or in this bunker.”
“People didn’t like me in my Master’s castle,” I said.
“Why is that?” Ayden frowned as if that seemed like an impossibility.
“They envied me because I was the Master’s favorite.”
Ayden chortled as if that was preposterous. “Why would anyone strive to be the Master’s favorite?”
I gave him an agreeable nod. “Right?”
“Well, you don’t have to worry about that anymore. If anyone is jealous of you here, it’s only because they wish they’re as gorgeous as you are.”
I felt myself blush. “Thank you.” I glanced down at my cradled hands again. “But what about you?”
“What about me?” Ayden shrugged.
“Well, you seem like a confident guy…” I trailed off.
Truth be told, Ayden seemed borderline cocky to me, but the demeanor suited him. He was certainly handsome enough, but I could tell that be
hind closed doors he let down some of his walls.
Ayden flashed his perfectly white teeth again. “Is that a bad thing?”
“Of course not,” I blurted, trying to recover.
I decided that since he was giving me the benefit of the doubt despite being a lowly black swan who had nearly drowned like a rat in the river, I would give him and everyone else the same kindhearted treatment.
“You know you can be yourself around me, right?” I asked. “I have never had a critical bone in my entire body.”
I was mainly telling him that so he would know he didn’t need to put on a show that he was in control of his life in order to hide the true magnitude of his pain.
“I’m glad to hear that.” Ayden leaned in and planted a sensual kiss on my neck. He trailed a pattern of soft kisses down my neck and shoulders, pausing to nibble on my ear lobe.
I let out a sexy sigh of contentment and allowed my body to relax somewhat. I wanted to yield to the pleasure. It was like sensory overload with the guys over the last twenty-four hours. I just wanted to feel wanted and maybe even loved.
I wanted to feel adored because aside from my parents, no one had ever showed me positive attention before. I had never received unconditional, true respect and compassion until now. It was almost as if I had to soak up the glory of the moment because I was afraid that it would slip through my fingers in an instant.
We began to slowly undress each other. Our breathing quickened as we kissed and tugged on each other’s lips, grazing each other’s bare skin with our fingertips. Blood rushed to my throbbing clit and my swollen pussy lips throbbed and pulsed between my legs.
Every fiber of my being wanted Ayden in that moment. I was powerless to stop myself. It was like a freight train of desire and I couldn’t do anything but follow the intensity of my own impulses.
“I just have one thing to confess,” Ayden groaned into my ear as I wrapped my hands around his thick cock and began stroking it up and down with my fist.
“What?” I breathed into his ear as the rush of the sensual moment flooded me. I was fueled by seduction and adrenaline.
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