by Rie Warren
“It’s not about us.” My arms banding around his back, I held onto him hard. “What kind of a fucking monster sets about to kill babies?”
I’d never encountered this Truda nor had I heard of her. But the fact she’d turned Khalon into a traitor and threatened little X and Fallon’s lives testified to her evilness.
“We’ll find out tomorrow. Then we’ll end this threat once and for all, but tonight . . .” Dex separated from me and set down the pack he’d been carrying on his back.
He seemed enormously calm, unlike the wild weather clashing outside.
He was the eye of the storm, the center of my world. Him and Laurel.
“Tonight?” My voice turned gravelly, emotion weighing it down.
“Tonight we’re together, meehra.”
Something uncontrollable settled deep inside me when he called me his beloved.
I love him. I love Dex and Laurel.
I watched him closely as he opened the pack from X while outside the storm raged on. He reached inside then tossed a pile of glowing rocks into the center of a circle he’d made on the ground.
The stones heated from within, adding glowing warmth and light to the cave that appeared carved from precious minerals.
Spinning on his haunches, Dex peered up at me. The blue of his eyes had never seemed more vibrant.
“Tonight I want you.”
The warmth of the stones joined a new heat climbing inside me from the look in Dex’s eyes, from the idea of taking him—taking his cock—inside my body.
“Let’s get you warm.” Crouched beside the heat-emanating stones, he held his hand out to me.
“I can think of a better way you can warm me up.”
“That’s completely my intention.” He tugged me next to him then planted his cool lips over mine.
Our mouths quickly heated, our skin too as hands roamed and touched, pulled and stroked.
When he drew away, one of his fangs nicked my bottom lip. Eyes heavily hooded, he watched me lick up the bead of blood.
He returned his attention to the pack, rummaging through it. Then he emitted a low chuckle, a sexy noise that stroked chills along my flesh.
“What?”
“You’ll never guess.” He pulled a glass vial of the best Zenithian oil from the satchel. “I think our king knows how we’d really keep warm if we got stranded out here.”
The sight of the oil in Dex’s palm made my hole clench and release.
I couldn’t believe how much I suddenly needed him to fuck me. And I knew he could tell because a slow wicked smile curved right across his lips.
In a flash, he was on top of me, driving me flat on my back. The heat of our bodies merged, only the clinging leather pants keeping us apart. Between our groins, our hard cocks grinded together, the sensation of his stiff meat rubbing mine short-circuiting my brain.
Dex licked once across my lips before plunging deeply inside. His tongue thrust in time with his pelvis, and I opened my thighs to pull him tighter against my cock.
“I can’t wait ’til you come with my dick so deep inside you.” His words were as rough as his beard tingling against my lips.
I grabbed his ass, humping into him. “Keep this up, and I’ll come in my pants.”
He rose up on his arms, massive shoulders straining, swiveling his hips. “You mean this?”
I groaned. “You’re killing me, Dex.”
“Never that.” His mouth ran down my throat I craned to give him more access. “But I’m going to fuck you real good.”
He kissed my pecs, flicking at the flat discs of my nipples, fingers sliding all over my skin. He licked down to my abs, his tongue rough, his touch hot.
Palming the solid rod of flesh between my legs, he murmured in a harsh tone, “Still worried about coming too quickly?”
“You’re a bastard.” I almost gasped when his fingers traced the hard-ridged helmet of my cock, blood rushing to swell the shaft even more.
“But a sexy one.” Rising to his knees, he peeled the leather from his lower half.
Kicking everything off in one deft move, he used a fist to push his hard naked cock against the tightly packed flesh inside my leathers.
My fingers quickly jerked through my own lacings, and I shucked the pants to my thighs.
I did gasp when my cock slapped against his, precum already welling from the tip.
Dex planted a hand on the ground near my head, and I turned to lick his wrist and the inside of his strong straining forearm. He took both our pulsing rods in one rough fist, jerking us slowly together.
My hips twisted. I bit his wrist then licked the blood oozing from the gashes—lust making me crazed.
His dick pulsed against mine, and I cursed when two thick drops of precum dripped down my cock.
“Gods, I want to pound you until you can’t walk tomorrow.” Dex swiftly released both dicks.
He ripped my pants all the way off, managing my boots too.
He looked like an animal, long wild blond hair drying and flying around his head, the big beard framing his tasty red lips. Strapping muscles standing out all along his huge body, and his cock lurched.
Roughly flinging me to my stomach, he didn’t have to ask me to raise my ass, my ass he slapped with a hot stinging blow.
The blow reverberated down to my gonads—and Gods—I’d be lying if his harsh treatment didn’t turn me on even more.
“You look sexy as fuck with that tight wanton ass.” His words rumbled across my skin like a fire I’d never extinguish.
He introduced his tongue to my tight ring, and the first warm wet touch made me howl. I felt the fucker smile against my ass.
Then he was loudly slurping, savagely eating out my ass, quickly reaming my inner tunnel with his exploring tongue. He kept grunting, licking, and the rasp of his beard had me knocking back to him as he rimmed me for all he was worth.
Had there been a fur beneath me I’d have shredded it in my fists already.
“This sexy little asshole’s going to feel so good on my cock, Jedrek.”
I wanted to damn near whimper. Instead I thrust back for more, always more.
And he gave it to me. Next with slickened fingers. He wasn’t gentle. I hadn’t expected him to be. I didn’t even care if he hurt me, bit me, made me bleed—he’d already broken straight into my heart.
While he worked his large fingers into me—one then two—he bent beneath me and treated my balls to the tongue-bath of their life.
Sweat broke out across my forehead, a forehead I kept stamped to the ground beneath me. I kept rocking back. Dex kept sucking and licking my nutsac, fingering my greedy, opening trench.
Finally, strung out like a notched arrow on a bowstring, I snapped up to my hands, wagging my ass further against him.
His free fingers ran between my legs and curled around my aching cock.
Breath stilled in my chest, and hard words eclipsed my mouth. “If you don’t get that dick inside me now I’m going to lose it.”
I no longer heard the storm or the thunder. I no longer saw the flashes of lightning. It was just Dex when he rolled me to my back and slicked up his highly engorged cock already leaking copious amounts of clear jizz.
My dick leaped and lurched from my groin, throbbing with excitement. He pressed my thighs open and back, and I held them there while he used one hand to part the cheeks of my ass.
While I watched, Dex poured more oil, letting the liquid drizzle from the shelf of my cockhead all the way down the swollen underside, over my heavy balls. When the oil ran beneath my dam and pooled against my hole, I groaned, sweating.
“This is what you need?” He pushed his fat leaking tip against my pucker.
“Yes.” I shuddered.
“What you crave?”
“Fuck.” My head beat back. “Yes, dammit. Dex . . . you, you and Laurel.”
“I know.” A kiss landed on my mouth, so soft and gentle my eyes flew open.
Then I was staring straight int
o my beloved’s eyes when he started to burrow straight into me.
“I’m giving you me now.” His gaze bored into me, his cock drilling deeper. “Giving you all of me.”
With every inch he delved into me, I stretched and took it. I strained and pushed back and . . . wanted it. Dex lowered his torso, curled his hips, and glided completely inside. He hit a space never inhabited, never touched, and I bucked up as his thick pressure pushed a button deep within me.
My thighs rolled up against his wide ribs when he dropped down onto me. I clasped my arms tighter around him, hands falling to his hard-flexing ass. And I squeezed my eyes shut because I’d never been this close, this open, to anyone.
“I didn’t know it felt like this,” I murmured against his lips.
His heat filled me everywhere, especially my hearts.
“It feels just like this.” Dex rested on top of me, fully embedded, and his cock twitched inside me. “Now I’m gonna fuck you as hard as I want.”
My neck ratcheted farther back with every inch he withdrew, my ass rising to keep him inside.
“Greedy fuck.” His gravelly voice caused my nerves to sizzle, and his next harsh thrust made my body buck up and take him deeper.
Lips sucking and biting my neck, Dex grinded inside me every time he bottomed out. His hands scored my skin, and he stayed close, hips lifting and dropping. Cock withdrawing and ramming deep.
Immersed in his scent, held down by his muscles, I let myself go.
I just wanted.
Wanted him.
Each slam of his dick dragging into and out of my ass held me captive.
Every groan in his raspy voice held me captured.
I craned up to crash my mouth against his, blood drawn from our fangs, our chests beating together, his cock entrenched and trapped inside me.
I came the moment he reached between us and wrapped a forceful fist around me. Huge ropes of cum shot up to our chests, and my climax spurred his. He forced himself inside until his balls slapped my ass. Then he bowed back with a roar loud enough to compete with the thunder outside.
I felt his release, every hot liquid pulse of seed spouted inside me while he continued to thrust. The small cave bathed in the scent of our semen—male musk and sweaty virility.
He collapsed on top of me, but I was more than strong enough to take his weight. More than capable enough to take him into my body.
With a smug grumble, he rolled over, tugging me along with him.
His cock stirred inside my ass, and I snorted, rising up to my arms. “Again?”
“Probably.” He smiled, eyes closed.
“Are you trying to wreck me?”
His palms skimmed down my back, powerful fingers massaging loosened muscles. “Just your ass.”
****
The morning looked dark as night. I only knew it was dawn because of my internal clock, which made me wake early. X had contacted us during the night, a battle plan formed to take down this female called Truda and any troops she may have with her.
I untangled myself from Dex’s long-limbed embrace and rose. The stones still glowed, giving off light and heat inside the sanctuary of the cave we’d spent the night in.
I was hungry. My ass twinged. And I wanted Dex inside me again, desperately, even more than I wanted food in my belly.
But always mission first no matter how hard Dex’s long thick cock looked when he rolled to his back, sleepily smacked his lips, and slowly woke up.
“Coming back to bed?” He patted the space beside him.
“You mean the ground?”
“You weren’t complaining during the night.” One hand moved to the gloriously stiff cock stretching up from his groin.
“And I’m not complaining now. But job to do.” I worked my way into my pants, a difficult task with an erection the size of an obelisk.
“Okay.” Dex rose and came up behind me.
His lips—warm and wet—roved up the back of my neck.
Then he was gone, his heat receded. I heard him rustling into his pants and boots, returning items to the pack, his battle-ax to the straps of leather crossed over his back.
I spun and laid a hand on his bristly jaw, and he stilled.
“What is it?”
“Before we do this, I have to tell you something.” Even if my hearts crashed right out of my chest.
He nodded, eyes gone dark and serious. “Okay.”
Trailing my hand lower, over the upper left side of his chest, I asked, “You’ve noticed this?”
“Yes.”
This was the growing marking that glowed like the sun beneath my palm. A similar design was developing on me, only this time on the right side. Three interlocking rings that had to represent the relationship between him, Laurel, and me.
“I love you.” A small smile flitted across my lips when his irises brightened. “I’m so in love with you, meehra.”
A grin split his lips. “Didn’t I tell you the same thing last night?”
I scowled. “No. More like you were going to fuck me as hard as you wanted and you couldn’t wait to have my ass, etcetera.”
He leaned back to bark a loud laugh. Then he squinted at me, shaking his head.
He pulled my hand to his lips.
My heartbeat raced.
“And when I was inside you I told you . . . this is how it feels . . . how it feels to love you, Jedrek.”
My breath held, and our lips met. We drew new unforeseen pleasure from one another.
Just that kiss.
Just those words.
Just this feeling.
I bent my forehead to his. “And if I don’t survive the fight . . . I need you to tell Laurel I love her too.”
Strong hands roamed over my back, and Dex took me against him. “Don’t talk like that.” He pulled back. “I love her as well, so I guess the last question is how she feels about us warriors, huh?”
“Promise you’ll be careful today, Dex.”
His eyes flashed. “If you do the same.”
We left the cave, weapons primed, bodies ready for the fight.
Dex shouldered the pack.
I took in the lowered skies.
And hoped both of us made it out of this battle.
Alive.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Dex
JEDREK AND I headed to the meet point, a thick fog rolling in . . . visibility near nil.
Choosing my footing carefully over ground uprooted by last night’s storm, I muttered, “This shit’s thick as—”
“Your cock?”
“Maybe a little bit thicker.”
“You being humble. That’s a new one.” Jedrek snickered, but he fell into a tense march beside me.
The only thing that wasn’t murky this morning were the feels—as Prairie would say. What had happened between Jedrek and me last night couldn’t have made my emotions any clearer except for a vow of love.
Like the one we’d exchanged in the cave.
Glancing over at the man whose face was stern as ever, I clasped his hand, threading my fingers through his as we trudged along. Maybe it was the love, maybe it was the fact we weren’t being drowned by hail or chased by lightning crackling near our feet.
Maybe it was that superhot fuck last night . . . but I felt buoyed despite the battle we were about to face.
We were Valkrane.
We were warriors.
Someone might die.
I wouldn’t let it be Jedrek.
We ranged toward the coordinates outlined by Khalon—a destination deep in the malp woods. Close to where Truda had ordered him to deliver the babes to her and her traitorous troops, our hands slowly withdrew until just our fingertips touched.
I wanted to kiss Jedrek again.
I wanted to have him by my side always.
I wished we didn’t have to witness any more death.
But I still wanted to avenge Prairie, Astrid, Baby X and Fallon, even Laurel, though she’d never been harmed.
> When we reached our intended location, I hefted my battle-ax, dropping the pack soundlessly to the ground. Jedrek lowered to the balls of his feet in a crouch, camouflaged by the giant feathery foliage of the cyamii plants. Right next to us a huge tree stood—burnt open straight down the middle—the insides charred black by one of last night’s lightning bursts.
Jedrek tugged me beside him. As soon as I hunkered down, his hand tucked around my long beard and he drew me into a kiss.
A last kiss.
The best kiss.
Savoring the sleekness of his mouth, taking my time drawing my tongue alongside his, I let him command me. Hold me in place. His thumb caressing the corner of my lips.
I broke from him when awareness of others in the vicinity prickled up and down my spine.
Blending further into the murky cloud cover and thick greenery, we remained hidden from sight until huge booted feet filled our vision.
X loomed above, sword strapped across his back, black brows drawn down over his changeable eyes.
Magnar, Kerta, Cozmo, and Khalon formed a half circle around us.
With a nod to the others, X hunched down. Magnar followed suit, whip coiled at his side. Khalon prowled ahead along a path strewn with debris from the first nusoon storm. Also heavily armed, he almost disappeared in the blanket of mist. Cozmo, the only human among us, balanced the heavy-spiked head of his maul across his knees when he dropped to his haunches near us. Kerta alone joined our forces without a weapon.
She didn’t need bullets or blades because her special arsenal was borne of a deadly innate ability.
“Have a good night?” X lifted one brow in a sardonic expression.
“We made do,” I answered, Jedrek shifting beside me.
Hoped it wasn’t because I’d drilled his ass so hard last night he was in discomfort. Actually, I hoped he was uncomfortable because I’d done just that. I couldn’t help feeling smug at the idea.
“I’ll bet.” Magnar winked.
“Looked like you were walking a little stiffly, Jedrek, when we watched you marching into the glade.” Kerta sucked in her cheeks as she rubbed her hands together, throwing in an obscene gesture for good measure.
Saving us from further questions regarding the night’s activities, Khalon punched a fist to the air up ahead, barely visible.
