She’d neglected her breasts and didn’t know the enjoyment that could be had from touching them. He’d come to that conclusion the first time a jolt of pleasure whipped through her body when he’d sucked on the buds. The look on her face had been one of pure wonder. Whether he was the first male to worship them or the first to do it right meant little to him. She found his attentions satisfying. That was the knowledge that made him want to spend a part of every damn day suckling at her flesh, making her come from that alone.
Her nails bit into his back and she writhed under him. Faster, deeper she kissed him as if she wanted to crawl inside him. His fangs descended as his excitement grew. Blood flavored the wild melding of their mouths. With a guttural moan, she sucked on the cut tongue, dragged as much as she could free before it healed.
He considered biting it again so she could get more of what she craved, but she didn’t give him the chance. With a rough shove, she pushed him to his back. He fell willingly. The intent on her face was clear. This time she wanted to worship him and his breath turned ragged as he wondered how she’d do that.
She knelt next to him and perused his body, the slow visual caress as satisfying as if she’d used her hands. Languidly, she reached for his shaft and danced her fingertips along the length, paying special attention to the ridge around the swollen head and the slit that leaked pre-cum. She stroked the pink tip of her tongue along her lip and bent her head toward the crown, but his possessive nature demanded he join their bodies, mark her womb again.
He grasped her shoulders, stopping her before she put her mouth on him. Her lips turned down. The sight bothered him. He didn’t enjoy the disappointment etched into her features. He wanted to change it back to lust. Hands on her waist, he lifted her over his hips. She gazed at his penis standing tall and a smile replaced the frown. He would’ve traced her lips as she had done to him earlier, maybe tease her about the naughty grin. He did neither. The eagerness to feel her sheath massaging his dick directed his hands.
Knowing his female wasn’t used to taking him in all at once, he carefully guided her hips and lined the mouth of her core to his erect cock. He dropped her slowly, inch by inch, until her wet lips met his groin and the head kissed her womb. Her sheath molded his shaft perfectly. Wet silk gripped his length and her inner muscles stroked him as she squirmed.
She stretched her arms above her head, the sensual curve of her torso a lovely sight, all softness and strength. Her head fell back and a rough groan spilled from her lips.
“God, Devin, you’re so damn hard. You fill me up.”
“I agree, love. You fit me perfectly.”
She leaned forward. Her hair slid over her shoulders and tickled his stomach. It was the best damn sensation. Little shivers raced straight to his balls and the smile flirting her lips made his chest squeeze tight.
Beautiful.
She was the most beautiful woman the gods ever created. And she was his.
She skimmed a finger down between his stomach muscles. “It’s as if you were made just for me.”
He mimicked her and caressed her belly, enjoying the definition of muscle and the slight swell of her lower belly under his fingertips. His earlier thought came back to him. He didn’t know how she accomplished the feat, the firmness accentuating the softness. Maybe she’d answer him truthfully, not tell him it was one of those feminine secrets, but it wasn’t a topic he cared to discuss now.
He traced the center crease of her abs until he reached the hairs covering her mound. “And you were made for me, Lena.”
She smiled again and he could tell his words made her happy. She literally glowed from the inside out. He opened his mouth to say…he wasn’t sure what but she lifted herself, exposing his wet dick to the cool cabin air. The words faded away.
He fisted the sheets and watched Lena’s fluid body sway. With her hands in her hair, she rose up until just the head of his cock remained captured inside her core. She held perfectly still before rolling her hips on a downward slide, squeezing those petal-soft muscles as she circled her hips—screwing herself on his shaft. So slow, so controlled. So damn hot.
“Gods, baby.”
The sight of her pleasured abandonment added to the experience. Entranced, he watched her, rapture stamped on her features. Stomach muscles bunched with the sliding grind. He let his gaze linger on the scars there. Guilt rose. He let it fill him before letting it go. Never again. From this moment onward, he’d keep her happy and safe. He’d make up for hurting her if it was the last damn thing he did.
He slid his attention lower and swallowed hard. A soft nest of glistening auburn curls accepted his penis, the length shiny from her arousal. He cursed as his rod was swallowed up by his female’s sheath, a glove that felt as if it were custom fit for him.
“Devin.”
Her husky moan wrapped around him. He shifted his gaze to her face. Plump, pink lips parted with breathy pants that matched the faster pace she embraced. She cupped her breasts, pinching the erect nipples while groaning his name.
The woman was a sexual goddess, a damn sweet sight to behold. He watched the pleasure playing with herself while riding his cock brought. Gods, it was the thing fantasies were made of, but this was reality. He had the hottest woman alive writhing over his cock.
He watched her a few moments more, but the need to take her pleasure to the next level beat at him. He wanted his soon-to-be mate to experience heaven every time she took him into her body. It was only right. She brought paradise down to him, gave him peace.
He bent his knees to give him better leverage and took the control from his woman. Holding her hips, he lifted her and slammed her body down to meet each powerful thrust. Her breasts bounced with the movement, her hands abandoning them to cover his.
The tingle of an impending orgasm built at the base of his spine. He fought the imminent release, eager for more of Lena’s cries. When she came screaming his name, he bit his cheek and rode her pleasure out, thrusting through the clenching of muscles. Sweat slickened his grip and made Lena’s skin glow. He relished it and every delicious second of having their bodies joined, but when his female’s second orgasm hit, he followed. He arched his back and held her tightly to him. His cock jerked, spilling his release inside her womb, claiming it as his.
She collapsed on top of his chest, lost to the unconscious state many female mates experienced. He wrapped his arms around her relaxed body and kissed her flushed cheek. “You are my mate, Lena. I’m never letting you go. Keeping you forever.”
And never had he said truer words. Nothing would take her away from him, not even his female’s own stubbornness. He’d break through whatever convictions she held that made her deny belonging to him. How he’d go about accomplishing that was still a mystery. Hell, so was Lena. He knew little of her. No matter. His decision had been made the moment he first cradled her beaten body in his arms back in those woods. The stubborn female who held his sanity and his life in her hands would soon learn her mate was persistent.
And this was one prize he refused to lose.
Chapter Seventeen
Gwen had never been more afraid in her life. They’d been walking for hours and she had no idea where they were. She stopped and rubbed her hands together. While the sun had pushed temps into the sixties, the lack of its warmth and the breeze that had picked up left her chilled. Molly didn’t seem to mind the cooler temps. Not surprising really, considering her nonhuman status. Shifters could withstand a lot. Molly could attest to that fact.
Gwen pushed those unsettling thoughts aside before they took hold, and peered up at the night sky. Under the blanket of darkness, she was able to use the stars to guide her. Who knew all those youth groups and scouting trips she’d been forced to go to would actually come in handy? She picked out the grouping of stars she’d chosen as a marker and turned left in the direction she hoped Maggie’s lodge was located.
Her toe smacked into a rock. She bit her lip to stem the cry of pain. Blinking to clear the t
ears away, she glanced at her little sister to make sure she was okay. She’d jerked on her hand trying to stem her fall. Molly watched her with the same blank expression she’d worn for days. The only change had been when they were with the hyena. After that, the empty look had returned. So maybe that was a response. Or maybe it was just a damn coincidence.
“I’m okay,” she whispered, needing to say something. The silence was wearing on her nerves. “It’s hard for me to see where we’re going. My eyesight isn’t as good as yours.”
Molly tilted her head and Gwen’s breathing quickened at the sign of acknowledgment. White-blonde brows pinched.
“Your lioness heightens your senses. I don’t have an animal spirit to help me.”
Molly took her hand and tugged.
Gwen grinned. “Thanks, sweetie.”
They walked for a few more minutes in silence before the little hand holding hers tightened. She swallowed a yelp as panicked eyes locked onto hers. Gwen’s pulse sped. She didn’t hear or see anything but she trusted Molly’s instincts. Her cat fed her info no mere human would pick up on.
They were in danger.
Not wanting to draw attention to their location by firing off a shot, she dug out a hunting knife that had been a gift from Vader. She knelt and Molly threw herself into her arms, nearly knocking her over.
She pressed her mouth to Molly’s ear. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”
Determination steadied the trembling in Gwen’s limbs. Molly needed her. Gwen wouldn’t fail her. She scanned the area and strained to listen for clues. Other than the hooting of an owl and their sawing breaths, all was silent.
Minutes passed without any sign of the hyena she knew had to be stalking them. Her mind went over all the horrible scenarios that could befall them if they were captured. Fear rose. She wasn’t naïve. She knew exactly what those shifters would do—rape her and kill Molly. Hyenas in the wild hated lions. She couldn’t imagine it’d be much different in the shifter world. If they didn’t kill her sister, they’d sell her to those depraved lions who’d attacked them, a fate possibly worse than death.
How they ended up here, she didn’t know. Alaska was supposed to be the damn neutral zone. It was where the Council met with the human government because it was too far from any one animal group’s stomping grounds. Canada boosted mainly bear families and wolf packs, but those shifters had moved from American soil when Alaska had become a state.
Those were the facts she based her decision to come here on. And they were fucking wrong. She cringed at the curse in her head. Rarely did swear words pop up in her speech. The damn expletives seemed to have become a part of her thoughts since she’d found her beloved parents dying. The explicit phrases helped her focus her rage, another first. She was not an angry person. Or a violent one. She’d wrapped both emotions around her like a cloak. Necessary, she reminded herself.
If she hadn’t, that leering lion shifter would’ve taken them from the grocery store’s parking lot. And the hyena today? That bastard would’ve simply driven away with them, delivering them to whatever fate he’d planned.
Not happening. She might not be tough, not like Lena, but she was the only one here now and she’d made the fucking mistake of getting in a Jeep with a shifter. It was her fault they were wandering around these godforsaken woods to begin with. She had to find a way to save Molly. The consequences of not doing so were ones she refused to accept. But how was she going to fend off a wild animal or a man? She wasn’t in very good shape. The only thing she had going for her was the self-defense lessons Vader had given her before she went off to college. That and desperation. It had to be enough.
She slipped from under her sister’s tight grip and crouched protectively in front of her. Molly’s arm snaked around her waist and pointed. Gwen followed the direction she indicated but didn’t see anything. It was too damn dark.
The leather hilt slipped in her sweat-slickened grip. Movement in the brush up ahead caught her eye. She squeezed the handle harder. An animal poked its head out of the scraggy bushes, the light from the moon seeming to spotlight it. Big ears rose up from a small, narrow face. Dark fur on its muzzle helped it blend into the night. Gleaming white teeth showed as it snarled. Her worst fear confirmed.
The hyenas had found them.
Gwen dropped a hand to the ground to steady herself and held the knife loosely in front of her. Hyenas hunted in packs. She waited for more to show their faces. None did. The one who’d spotted them approached in a slinking crawl. Time stood still. Ever so slowly, it closed the distance, glowing eyes locked onto her.
Halfway across it stopped for a heartbeat then rushed forward. Caught off guard, she didn’t move fast enough. It smacked into her chest. She crumbled under its weight. Her head hit the hard-packed earth. The thump sent pain radiating down her spine, momentarily blinding her, but she raised an arm in an attempt to protect herself. An elbow connected with its throat. It yelped.
She used the distraction to shove the knife into its belly. A wash of warm liquid coated her hand. Gwen pressed deeper when resistance met the blade, then yanked upward. The hyena’s pained cries rang out through the night. It snapped at her face and she used her free hand to hold its muzzle back. Even with its guts spilling out, the shifter was incredibly strong. Too strong. Her arm quivered. A fanged mouth filled her vision. Oh god, she was going to fail. She pushed harder, everything she had. It screeched, its body jerking. She scrambled out from under it and slammed the bloody knife into its neck. It stopped moving.
Panting hard, she fell back on her ass. Gwen turned her head and cursed. Molly stood on the other side of the dead animal with blood dripping from tiny clawed hands she shouldn’t have, not for another fifteen years or so. Single-shifters didn’t shift until maturity. Well, they shouldn’t. Those that did were put down as they were unable to return to their human form.
Fear tightened Gwen’s chest. Her sister stared at the hyena, the blank look on her face chilling. The sight of violence didn’t faze the little girl.
“Molly.” When her sister didn’t respond, Gwen dropped the knife and rounded the body. She grabbed her arms and shook her. “Molly Elizabeth Burnett. Look at me.”
Completely blue eyes, no white, met hers.
Her heart pounded hard, fear turning her insides to jelly. “Stay with me, Molly. Your cat cannot come out. You remember what Vader said. If she emerges too soon, she’ll take over and you’ll fade away. I don’t want to lose you. You’re all I have left.”
Blonde brows furrowed. She took that as a good sign.
“That’s right, Molly. I need you. Who’s going to make sure I don’t fall? I can’t see very well in the dark. Remember?”
White bled into the blue until normal eyes met hers again. Gwen let out a relieved breath. “Good girl. Now let’s go back to the creek we passed earlier. We need to wash this blood off, or it’ll draw more of those nasty men. Okay?”
The indifferent mask was back on Molly’s face. Still, it was better than the emerging lioness. Gwen stripped off her bloody coat, took Molly’s hand and allowed the small child to lead the way.
* * * * *
Devin still wanted her. He trailed his fingers down Lena’s spine as he pondered that. The demand to join their bodies wasn’t just a reflection of his intense desire. His cats needed her. Each orgasm opened her soul to them and teased them with a glimpse of the heaven they’d experience once they could move freely within her body. They loved what they saw, their respect and affection for the fiery human growing with each shared interaction, whether sexual or not.
Sheer will kept him from finishing the bond. Once their souls shared that link, she’d know all of his failures. What would she think of him then? He grimaced. He never wanted to see disdain in her lovely brown eyes when she looked at him. He couldn’t atone for his weaknesses, for not saving Mira from Edmund, for not convincing her she wasn’t ruined afterward. He’d tried, failed over and over.
Even taking Mira’s pun
ishment hadn’t cleared her name. The shifter community despised her. Murderer, they’d called her. Whore. Bitch. Slut. You name it, his beautiful baby sister had been called it. She’d committed the worst possible crime—killed her mate. It didn’t seem to matter to them that she’d been a teenager at the time and forced into the mating.
Somehow Devin had to make up for his sins so Lena wouldn’t hate him.
She shifted in her sleep, rolling to her side and pillowing her cheek on her folded hands. A slight grin played over her lips and the rapid movements of her eyes behind the closed lids made him wonder if she dreamt of him. She did enjoy his touch. He could keep her sated. Would it be enough to make up for the fact that she’d mated a worthless, broken male whose cats were as messed-up as he was?
Could she ever love him?
He’d never given much thought to the romantic aspect of matings. His mother despised his father and so did the mates of his older brothers. He’d accepted that as the norm until he’d seen Rafe and Jasmine interact. He’d begun to realize how disillusioned he’d been. Love made them stronger. They were better together, rather than apart.
His longtime friend was happier than he’d ever seen him now that he’d taken a mate. Just mentioning her name brought a smile to his friend’s rough face. And Jasmine didn’t snap and snarl at him when Rafe reached for her. She went willingly into her mate’s arms. Much like Lena had done minutes ago.
Devin smiled as the solution became clear.
Love.
Not only would he keep his female, she’d love him in the end. He had his goal now and nothing could deter a stubborn cat.
Beautiful Mistake: 2 (Royal Pride) Page 23
