Viviana understood. “Because of my ancestors’ blood curse cats are now overridden with our baser desires.”
“You’re a very perceptive woman and you understand how this need and addiction to the blood of his best friend, his prince, affects him. And Alek’s definitely an alpha male.”
“What the hell have I gotten myself into?”
“Alek will never see you hurt and he’ll never let you go.” Tres reached across the table and took her hand. “Can you understand his pain at knowing if he completed the mating with you he’ll have to leave you regularly to take the blood of a man because yours will not satisfy him? What he’s most afraid of is his love and sexual desire for Nikol.”
“Thanks for telling me. How do I make him know I don’t give a shit? Not as long as he comes back to my bed each night.”
“Ah, you’ve thought of completing the mating.”
“I can’t have him any other way, and I will have him.”
“If you change will your cat, whichever it will be, let him go to a man so easily?”
“He’s both cats now.”
“Shit, it’s true then?”
“How did you know about him?”
“Case, he can’t keep me out of his head.” Tres chortled. “He doesn’t even try anymore.”
Viv had only met Tres tonight and didn’t want to get too personal but she wondered how she and Case handled the private rooms. What she really wanted to know was if she’d be able to really enjoy being with Alek, or would he balk at someone watching her. “We watched a couple last night but Alek’s a performer.”
“How did you know?”
“He can’t hide every thought from me.” It was Viv’s turn to grin. “I like showing off my sexual prowess too. We tend to spot it in others.”
“Oh girl, we’re going to have a ball. Come on, let’s go feed the beasts.”
After they’d all finished their meal Viv poured a glass of wine and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. Tonight she wanted to perform and she had no problem with Alek’s friends watching. Vampyres were many things but they weren’t bashful about their bodies.
Alek’s long legs stretched out in front of him as he talked with Case at the table. Tres stood behind her man, massaging his shoulders.
Viv fluffed her hair and watched him. When his eyes turned to her she smiled and wet her lips with her tongue. A bulge sat in the front of his slacks and God, she could still taste him on her lips. The steak was filling and good but it couldn’t hide the musky, sweet taste of Alek’s cock.
Case moved with Tres to the sofa.
She nudged Alek’s mind and rejoiced at finding it open to her.
You sure you want this? His emerald eyes held the red glow of a vamp.
I want you.
He stood and his clothes vanished. His big cock bobbed up and down as he crossed the room. It waved in front of her and the aroma drew a rivulet of cream from her. When her clothes disappeared, another spurt of liquid escaped. Alek wasted no time.
“Feel it, honey.”
Viv raised her hand and ran a fingernail across the moist tip. Her nipples hardened and tremors flashed through her pussy when he hissed.
She rubbed her finger over her lips and into her mouth. Viv’s tongue lapped his essence from the tip. “Fuck me, Alek, don’t make love to me. Not tonight,” she whispered, looking up at him.
I can only love you.
I know. She felt the same way.
He shoved her back across the bed, spread her thighs wide and looked at her nether lips.
You’re beautiful all over. He reached down and stroked through the wet creases. Alek penetrated her with one then two fingers. They moved deep inside her. Touched places no one else ever had.
Raising her hips, she strained to get more.
He pulled his fingers out and stooped between her outstretched legs. When his tongue brushed her clit Viv bowed from the bed.
She could hear the other couple’s bodies slapping together and she lifted her head to see Case driving into Tres from behind. Her channel convulsed.
“Alek, give me more.”
His tongue rolled and rubbed her clit before he took it in his mouth. Sucked it hard. He pushed his tongue through her folds and thrust into her canal over and over with long, sure strokes. Grasping her hips, Alek raised her legs higher.
I want to have you in every way I can. His quiet voice rasped across her nerve endings, sending shivers down her spine.
“Then have me,” Viv cried out. “Have whatever you want.” If it meant Alek would have Nikol too, she’d deal with that when the time came.
Keeping her legs wide, Alek rose up and climbed onto the bed. He pushed his cock through the crevice of her pussy, wetting it in her cream. When his broad head stood at her entrance, she lurched up to capture it.
He drove all the way in and she screamed in his mind. Yes!
Take my cock, Viv. Every inch of it.
He slammed his shaft inside her, ground into her pelvis. Easing his cock out, he thrust back in—again and again. The muscles in his arms quivered on each side of her. Viv wanted to feel his arms around her, have them hold her always.
Case grunted somewhere behind them and Tres yelled, “I’m coming, baby.”
Their voices spurred Viv on, helped to drive her into Alek. Like an airplane gathered speed to rise in the sky, her orgasm lifted, reached a pinnacle and spiraled down and out. Tears of joy and love slipped into her hair. Arching up, she said, “Never let me go.”
Never.
“Come,” she murmured, trapped beneath him. She melted each time his hard body hit against hers, each time his cock plunged in and out of her wet pussy. “Come for me, Alek.”
Her heels pushed into the bed, she leveraged herself up, taking more with each stroke he delivered. Another orgasm whirled to life, on the verge of erupting, but he stopped.
“Come here, honey.” Pulling her into a sitting position, he flipped her around and pushed her onto the bed on her knees. “I want to fuck you right.”
His hands swept the length of her back and he ran one finger dead center down her spine. Viv arched up in reaction. It felt as if he’d touched every nerve in her body with one stroke of his finger. Alek slammed his cock deep into her pussy.
“Unhh yes. More,” she crooned.
Reaching between her legs, she slid her fingers over her clit and let her fingernails scratch his penis each time he pulled from her canal.
“Harder, babe. You can’t hurt me enough.”
Reaching farther, she gripped his balls and squeezed tight, scraping them with her nails.
“Oh yeah, that’s it.”
His hands had a grip on her hips and each time he pushed in he dragged her back to meet his onslaught. Alek pummeled her pussy until she couldn’t stand it.
Her vagina convulsed around his thickness as she neared the point of no return. Liquid tumbled down like a landslide, crashing from her pussy, drenching his already wet cock.
Alek, she slashed into his mind, I’m yours.
He jammed his length quicker, farther with each shove until his hips jerked hard and ground against her ass. He tensed, his back arched and he grunted, spurting cum deep inside her.
Viv shuddered under him when she felt the turmoil and anguish bounding through his thoughts.
“I can’t keep you,” he growled. Collapsing over her back, he buried his face in her hair. “I’m so sorry.”
The anguish in his voice cut through Viv like a knife. Everything in the room stopped. No noise, no voices, just his heavy breathing. Turning her head to look for the others, she found they were alone.
“It’s too late. I won’t let you go.”
He rolled off her and lay on his back, his arm across his eyes. “You don’t understand.”
She lay on her side and glared at him. “Understand what? That you desire a man? I don’t give a shit, Alek. You wanted me, you got me and I’m not letting you go.”
He turned to ma
ke eye contact. How could he explain it? “You don’t know what you’re saying. You’ve been in my mind, you know I can’t stay away from him.”
“We’ll deal with that when and if the time comes.”
“This thing with Nikol, I don’t understand it so I don’t know how to make you.” Looking away from her, he mumbled, “I can’t live without his blood.”
After a short while he rose from the bed and dressed. “Come on, I’ll take you home.”
Viv threw her legs over the side and, standing, she dressed in leather. Her hair slid into a neat braid down her back. Disappointment settled over him seeing her lovely thick mane pulled severely behind her in a plait. Gone was the pretty dress that showed her delicious thighs.
She stared at him and said, “I’m ready.”
Pulling her against him, he dematerialized, taking her back to the basement of the mansion.
Leaving her by the bed, he strode to the door and she stopped him.
“Don’t go, Alek.” Her blue eyes shimmered with tears.
Goddamn it. Those were the words she’d said when he laid with her while she healed. It was him she thought about.
He loped back across the room, took her in his arms and held her tight. Moving his hands over her shoulders, stroking her back, her ass, Alek engraved the feel of her, the scent of her, in his memory. Stepping back, he ran his fingertips down her face and, using his thumbs, he wiped her tears away and brought them to his lips. He sucked each one, savored her flavor.
“Honey, there’s only one person in this world I’d change for if I could. You.” Leaving her hurt him to the bone but that’s how it had to be. “I can’t change what I feel, Viv.”
He envisioned a vise wrapped around his heart and he closed it.
Alek turned and walked away.
Why lead her on when nothing could come of it? His steps were heavy as he climbed to the second floor. Snatching the door open, he went into the office. He ended up on the balcony staring across the arena into the desert. The moon was slipping over the horizon. Sunrise wasn’t far off.
Both cats clawed mercilessly at his insides. At least they weren’t battling each other and that was worth something.
His nails dug into the railing, leaving fresh gouges. How would he feel when she left? With her gone his life would go back to the hell it had been, or be even worse.
His heart would go with her.
“You know, you’re more of a jackass than your prince is, chasing around the countryside like a maniac looking for his mate.”
Alek jumped so high he damn near tipped headfirst over the rail.
“What the fuck are you doing back here?”
Phoenix sat behind the desk. “Waiting for you.”
“You are one sick fuck. You stripped her of the ability to vanish and leave her here for me to deal with. Why?”
“With both of you polluting the air with mating scent I couldn’t breathe. I thought it’d be good to leave you alone for a while.”
“What did you say?”
“Boy, she’s your mate.” Phoenix rose from the chair and came out on the balcony. He leaned on the wall in the far corner. “What is it with you?”
“You ever stop to think maybe you’re the jackass? I cannot have a mate.” Alek faced back to the desert and hills beyond.
“How you like having your cats all buddy-buddy?”
Alek whipped around. “Christ, it was you in my head?”
“Shit, I had to nudge you along. You would have been an old-ass man by the time you got around to bringing them together.” Phoenix sucked at the breeze that blew across the desert. “They will still live separately in you but they are one on the outside. You’ll get used to it.”
He should have known. This cat could probably read God’s mind.
“Yeah, you should have known and no, I’m not that good. Alek, you’re special, embrace it.” He looked toward the door. “Your woman’s coming.”
“She’s not my woman.”
“Good God, am I going to have to change her for you?”
Growling, Alek bristled, his hands clenched into fists. If he’d been in his cat his hackles would be up. “Don’t ever touch her again.” Aww hell, this was not a battle he wanted.
Viv stepped through the door. The sight of her had him gulping air. Damn he wanted her. Forever.
Phoenix’s green eyes nailed him to the railing. “When is the last time you thirsted for Nikol’s blood?”
Alek’s mouth opened and closed, opened again but no sound came out. How long had it been? He’d drunk from the prince early in the morning the day he met Viv. That night was when he first tasted her blood. Three nights ago. He’d never gone so long.
“Three days, almost four.” There had been no sexual urges for Nikol, no desire rode his back like a monkey except the desire to have the woman standing in front of him.
Viv’s head moved back and forth, finally resting on Phoenix.
“What are you saying?” she asked.
“You’re his mate, the answer to his prayers. His only thirst is for you.” Phoenix spun past her and stepped in the door. “First and foremost we are cats but we’re also vampyres, so we lust for whatever feeds us. Nothing says we gotta fuck it unless we want to.” He grinned wide. “You guys can handle it from here, right?”
“Hey!” Viv yelled as Phoenix flickered out of sight. “What about my powers?”
His form shimmered back into the room. “The ping in the arm was a booster shot to speed up the mating that would have happened anyway. Your power to dematerialize is fine.” He smiled at them both. “She didn’t want to leave so she couldn’t. You didn’t want her to go so she couldn’t.” Phoenix vanished in a shower of white light.
“Goddamn him,” Alek said. “Maybe he is the fucking devil.”
You’re getting closer but don’t push it, boy. I don’t like you that much. Laughter surrounded the arena.
Thanks, man.
My pleasure.
“Alek, what the hell just happened?”
He couldn’t wrap his arms around her fast enough. His mouth slammed into hers so hard, he drew blood. Running his tongue over her lips, he moaned.
“What happened is now you’re mine, baby.”
“That works both ways,” she purred. “I’ve been yours since the day I touched this.” She ran her nails up the front of his pants. “And I still like how it feels Mr. Got-a-helluva-package.”
His cock throbbed under her hand.
“Viv, there’s so much I need to tell you. I don’t care if you walk on all fours or wear fur ever. Law and Dace hardly ever change, you can be like them if that’s what you want.” He lifted her chin up to gaze into her sparkling blue eyes. “Don’t you want to see the sun again?”
“Yes. I want to see everything the way you do, I want to run with you, play with you in the desert sun.” Her fingers brushed his cheek and stopped on his lips. He sucked one into his mouth and wrapped his tongue around it. She looked at him with so much love in her eyes. “I want to be with you all the way no matter what it means.” She peered at him. “Are you okay with the Nikol thing? I don’t care one way or another.”
“As my true mate you would but trust me, all I need is you, honey. Since the day I first tasted you.” Now he knew it was true, he understood why he hadn’t thirsted for Nikol’s blood, which was what caused his overriding desire to be with him carnally. Phoenix had been right—it was his choice.
Alek lifted her in his arms and twirled around the small space. Taking her to the railing, he placed her ass on it and stood nestled between her legs. The sun began to peek over the horizon and his beasts settled down quietly inside him.
Waiting for Alek to create their mate.
Vanishing with Viv in his arms, they tumbled into the bed in the room below the mansion. He still needed to protect her from the sun until she decided if she really wanted to be what he was.
“I want you so bad right now. But there’s something I need.”
>
She nibbled on his earlobe. “What?”
“Quench my thirst.”
The End
About J. Hali Steele
J. Hali Steele wishes she could grow fur, wings or fangs so she can stay warm, fly or just plain bite the crap out of... Well, since she can't, she would much rather roam where her fictional big cats live—in the high desert of California. She enjoys spending time with her sisters and friends who willingly listen to her ramblings about the paranormal world and anything else that goes bump in the night. They're a captive audience, but she promises to untie them soon!
A multi-published author and a member of RWA (PAN), when J. Hali's not writing, she can be found snuggled in front of the TV with a good book, a cat in her lap and a cup of coffee.
Hali welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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