The Love Goddess Brands Her Cowboys

by Raven Knights

  His father’s loud voice seemed to echo against the walls and hit Norris hard, right in the heart.

  “I can’t believe you! I can’t believe you, Norris! The Love Goddess is furious that you tried to rape her daughter, and I’ve never been this ashamed of you! None of my sons have ever had trouble wooing a woman the normal way except for you. You’re a pervert!”

  “Damn it!” Norris stood up, his jowls and large belly shaking as he did. “I did not try to rape her. I told you, I smelled her love scent and I know she wanted me!”

  Shaden Pratt stopped walking and turned to his son, his eyebrows slashing downward. “Does slapping your face seem like desire?”

  “She was just playing hard to get,” he said, sulking. To him, who had never smelled a woman in heat before, he had honestly thought he’d finally gotten that special scent to mate him. Obviously he had been wrong. Well, if he couldn’t get her powers the normal way, why not force the issue? Although he had never been handsome or suave like his brothers, he was just as ambitious and he wanted to mate a love princess and gain her powers. “I will have her,” he said, staring his father in his bulging brown eyes. “In fact, I sense her scent on earth.”

  Shaden smirked. “Earth. Smart of her. If she beds a human, you will lose track of her. Yet they are too primitive to hold a bond with one of us. She will find a human to use…and you will not be able to locate her.”

  Norris felt all the anger inside of him exploding. “Oh, yes I will. See if I don’t. And your loser son will suddenly be a Love God with powers enough to punish you and all my perfect brothers.” He laughed meanly.

  “Love Gods do not use evil magic!”

  “I can change the trend.”

  As Norris watched his father shake his head, he felt self-satisfaction.

  “You started out with so much promise,” Shaden mumbled. “My biggest sire…my most handsome of all. And smartest. Yet you return to our primitive roots, eat like a savage human, refuse to work out, and, worse, adapt a vile character.”

  “Fuck all that!” Norris wanted to punch him. One day, he would. “We evolved from humans and are much like them in body function. I do have a human’s appetite, but so what? I don’t have to be handsome or slim to get what I want. If I mate with Star, I am immortal.” He lowered his eyebrows. “Nobody can stop me, old man.”

  “Star can stop you. She’s smarter than you!” Shaden shot at him.

  Norris laughed, although he was hardly in the mood for mirth. His adrenalin was rushing through his body. “I’m going to visit earth now.” He snapped his fingers and a red and gold flying carpet appeared before him, swaying back and forth. “You’ll see. I’ll find her and succeed this time. And you know what? I still think she wanted me. I am not into forcing myself on women who don’t!” Of course, he was a virgin. No woman had wanted him, but he had to believe that Star really was sending him her sex scent and that she had just chickened out at the last moment. Some women, especially the various goddesses on the Golden Planet, sent mixed signals. They wanted sex yet didn’t want to ruin their virtue unless they were sure…

  Well, he’d pour on the charm to make her sure, with a love trick or two.

  “Norris, please, don’t do this,” Shaden said, in a quiet voice.

  Norris jumped on his magic carpet, sitting Indian style, his fat thighs making it hard. “See you later, pops!” he said. Then he snapped his fingers again and his magic carpet took off, faster than the speed of sound, whizzing through the darkness of the universe in no time.

  Shaden got up and poured a strong drink as his younger sons walked into the office. Darin was on his way to becoming a Love God and his brightest son, although all three of them were exceptional.

  “Father, isn’t it about time to tell Norris about his origins?” Darin asked, shaking his head. “I know it’s nothing to be proud of, but you had an affair with that little troll before you bonded with Mother and he needs to know that he is half troll with not half the powers the rest of us have.”

  “We can shut down most of his magic,” Julius, the youngest son, put in. “He is just a bit more magically oriented than a human once he is shut down. You need to do that, Father, or he’ll hurt Star. You did all you could to plant goodness into him, but he is actually worse than a troll…there is nothing good in his dark soul.”

  Shaden took a long drink then set his drink on his desk. “It is a pity he does not use his intelligence for good, but you boys are right. As soon as he gets back, I shall tell him the truth about his origins. And until then, we must monitor him on earth and, at the first sign of trouble, I will personally shut off all his magic that I can. I hate to do it, but I have no choice.”

  Darin blinked and held out a crystal ball. “This will show you what Norris is doing on earth, Father,” he said and handed it to Shaden.

  Shaden nodded and sighed as he sat down. “I wish I could cut off every bit of magic he has.”

  “Just do your best,” Darin said. “He is a little bit one of us so he does have some of our powers that can’t be shut down, but he is weak.”

  Shaden smiled at his sons, grateful for their wisdom and goodness. “I shall do what is necessary,” he said, then he thought of Marnie, the benevolent troll he had bedded while drunk, and wondered what had happened to her. But it was a fleeting thought. He was madly in love with his soul mate, a Love Goddess, and Marnie had not resisted his advances that night. He really had done nothing wrong, since he had not been bonded yet.

  However, he did regret that Norris had been a product of their wild and crazy days because no good would ever come of Norris.

  As he rode, Norris thought of many ways to torture his father and brothers after he bonded with Star. His mother had always treated him like he was a leper…she would get hers too. No way was he going to leave her out. They all thought he was the loser. They’d see who got the last laugh.

  Chapter Six

  Star let out a languid sigh as she sank into the comfortable mattress. She had been snuggling in Chad’s arms for at least an earth hour, falling asleep on and off, not really wanting to sleep at all because he felt so good and smelled so sexy. But their brand of sex had tired her out and sometimes her eyes flew open, and she realized she’d been drifting. His gentle fingers had not stopped smoothing her hair and rubbing her body. His kisses were tenderly placed all over her face and, because of her unusually graphic dreams, somehow she knew he had not stopped caressing her even when she had been sleeping. Or when he had been sleeping.

  “Are you awake enough to talk a little, sugar?” Chad rose to his elbow and she could feel his white-hot aura radiating heat and affection down at her. “If not, we can do it in the morning.”

  She reached up to touch his jaw, feeling his five o’clock shadow and she wanted to make him glow in the dark again, but felt that right now it was good for them to be in the dark, touching rather than seeing. A sliver of moonlight through the almost shut drapes allowed her to see enough of him anyway, and he looked so sexy shrouded in its gold. “I haven’t been sleeping too much,” she said, surprised at how soft her voice had come out. “We can talk, Cowboy.”

  He grabbed her hand and held it tight in his work-roughened palm and she experienced his imposing presence as his aura. It enfolded her, warming her. She felt safe. But why? In the long run, no human could keep her safe. “What is it, Chad?” she asked, sensing urgency.

  “Look,” he said, “If I ever do anything that you don’t want me to do…or if you are concerned about my intentions…just say no. I want to please you, not harm you.”

  She couldn’t help smiling in the dark. “I know. I have had fantasies all of my life about, what humans call, kinky sex. The teachers taught us about it in Love Goddess School.”

  He stared at her, looking befuddled, as if he didn’t know whether to believe it or not.

  Shit, she wanted to fuck him again. She wanted to fuck him all night. She let out a contented mewl. Her mother had warned that that their specie
s was insatiable once they experienced the sexual experience. It must be true. But she had no idea if humans were the same. To distract herself, she decided to change the subject. “Tell me about your girlfriend. Why would she cheat on you? We don’t cheat on Venus. Once we bond with somebody, we are only able to have a sexual relationship with that person, unless a Love God breaks the bond.”

  She could feel his muscles tense and his hold around her loosening a little. “I don’t care anymore,” he said, and she could feel the lie. “I always stand alone anyway.”

  “Really? Always?” She couldn’t imagine it, having always been doted on by all of the Love Gods and Goddesses of her world. It made her want to cry for him. “Why is that?”

  “I don’t know.” His voice sounded far away now, and she was afraid she was losing him. His aura was fading. “My mom ran off with some guy before I was two years old. My father never paid much attention to me beyond teaching me how to run the horse ranch. I was a loner at school…suppose I intimidated some folks who know who my daddy is. Even when I played sports, I sort of kept to myself. The women…forget it. None I’ve been with have cared for me beyond my money. If it weren’t for Diego, who I grew up with…Dad sort of took over his upbringing…I wouldn’t be close to anyone. But that’s all right.” He grew silent.

  Star threw her arms around his neck and held his head, stroking his soft, thick hair. “I don’t know you very well, but your aura is…that of a good soul.” She wondered if that mattered to him.

  He held her tightly again, placing his cheek on her head and chuckled. “Thanks…I think.”

  “You won’t be alone forever.” She knew this, yet it made her sad. Star, you just met him and he’s human. Stop this sentimentality. You are using him for the protection he can give you.

  “Tomorrow morning I’ll show you around the ranch,” Chad said into her ear, his breath caressing her skin. “You can meet my old man. Please don’t tell him where you’re from.”

  “I won’t. I’m surprised you bought it so quickly.”

  “I am too,” he said, shaking his head. He let out a breath that warmed her, then he said, “I kind of feel like I know you.”

  She lifted her lips to kiss his temple. “Not possible, but I feel the same,” she said. Lightheartedly she added, “This is spooky. Maybe I should just get out of here now.”

  “If you try, I’ll have to spank you again,” he said, and clapped a big hand on her ass, making bells ring in her head. “Let’s go to sleep now, sugar. It’s almost morning already.” He pulled her down on the mattress and kept her close in his arms. But she didn’t fall asleep this time. She tried to contact her mother to ask her why she felt so strongly toward the human. Usually her mother answered her right away.

  Mother, can I love him? Is that possible? After so short a time and him being a human?

  When her mother didn’t answer, Star snuggled up to Chad, holding him tight. Her mother’s silence meant she had to learn what this meant herself, without any divine help.

  With a little tug at her heart as she kissed Chad’s warm cheek, shut her eyes and settled in to sleep for a few hours.

  Chapter Seven

  Chad woke up slowly, his head hurting from his hangover, but his arms around soft, warm skin and a mating scent that pleased and aroused him. Last night seemed like a dream, yet he could feel her, she was still in his arms. And he felt a strange possessiveness toward her that he’d never experienced before. But…Chad shoved the strange thoughts out of his mind. He had to meet with his father early today, never a pleasant prospect.

  Just as darkness threatened to steal Chad’s mood, Star stirred as he looked at her, and the sun shone in his soul again. His lovely brown sugar greeted the world as she rubbed her eyes with her fists, then smiled up at him. “Good mornin’, sunshine,” he said, knowing she could feel his hard cock against her naked body.

  “Howdy, good lookin’,” she said, pretending to mimic a cowboy. Then she nuzzled into him and added, “My mother was right. It’s nice to wake up next to a naked man. Even a human.” She giggled into his neck.

  His breath caught. “Happy to oblige. I’m going to show you around today. You’ll be here a while…right?”

  She pulled back and batted her pretty, dark eyes at him. “Right.”

  “I have something to show you before we go to my father’s office,” he said, and his own words shocked him. But he couldn’t seem to stop them. “I built a special room. Nobody is allowed to go there except for me… and sometimes Diego has used it.” Or both of us together with a girl, but maybe she’s not ready to know that we do threesomes.

  “I…I think I know what you mean,” she said and he noticed she was playing with herself.

  Oh, my god! If I keep looking at her masturbating…”Don’t do that right now, Star. I will let you know when the time is right.”

  “Bossy!” she said, her voice a little shaky.

  “In some ways. But if you want more sex, then you’ll obey me.”

  “I…I do. I sense next time…it will be even better…and not as tame.”

  Could she know? She had said she had powers. Maybe she could tap into his thoughts. Well, if she could, he really didn’t want to know. “Let’s wash up and we’ll go,” he said, pushing off the bed, knowing he had left her disappointed, feeling disappointed himself. He walked to his window and looked outside at the quiet ranch and the fiery rising son. “Hurry, please. I’d shower with you, but we’d never get out of here if we did that.” His balls jerked.

  “All right.” She sounded disappointed.

  He wanted to take her right now, but decided to make her wait. If she really wanted him, then the sex would be better than ever once he allowed it. He didn’t fool himself that he was a Dom, like his father, but he did like to take charge in the bedroom. “We have to hurry. We won’t have much time before I have to meet Dad in his office. You can wear my clothes if you have to. Some of my jeans are cut off…they may not look that great on you and you’ll need a belt, but…”

  “Turn around, Chad.”

  He did. And froze, certain that he looked shocked.

  She had already dressed and she looked so hot his knees grew weak. She grinned at his reaction, which only made him hotter. “How…how did you do that?” he asked, gulping as she twirled around to show off her clothes. She had somehow put on a red sleeveless cowboy dress with a low V-neckline and an empire waist. When she kicked up her foot, he saw brown western boots with pink butterfly inlays all over them. Her dark hair hung long and shiny in too many braids to count. Even her lips had a shimmery gloss covering them, making them more kissable than ever.

  “I guess that’s part of your magic,” he said, heavily, but he was enchanted.

  “Yes,” she said, “but I can’t always do it when I’m under stress.”

  He nodded, lifting his chin. “I suppose that’s why you were only wrapped in a towel last night. You were stressed.”

  “Partly,” she said, not avoiding his gaze, “but I also wanted to make you fuck me quick. Easier to do without clothes. Do you agree that a girl wrapped in a towel is sexy?”

  He didn’t answer. She had looked sexy then; she looked sexy now. “You got what you wanted, right?”

  “And you got what you wanted.”

  He didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. She was maddening, but utterly intoxicating. “Can you dress me too?” He crossed his arms. His voice had dripped with sarcasm.

  “Easy as pie.” She blinked and he was dressed. She blinked again and a full length mirror appeared before him so he could see what she’d chosen. He wore a plain blue button western shirt, tight, worn blue jeans and his own brown boots and suede cowboy hat. “I see you rummaged through my drawers,” he said in a dry voice.

  The mirror disappeared and she ran up to him, hugging him, bumping against his already hard cock. “Are you angry with me?” she asked.

  “Yes.” His cock swelled bigger.

  “Why? I hurried us along!�
�� She pulled back and tilted her head to one side and he had to laugh.

  “I guess I don’t like that you can do things I can’t,” he said. “I like to be in charge.”

  She went up on tiptoe and kissed his lips and he smelled her mating scent. It was an exotic puff from the orient and it drove him nuts. His cock started its painful act again as she said, “Look, Cowboy, in the bedroom, you will always be in charge. I like a dominant man. Outside of it, we will be equal.”

  He felt another strange twinge in his gut. Another wave of familiarity toward her that he shouldn’t have. “I can live with that,” he said, pretending to be cross. “Come on,” he mumbled. “It’s time for you to see my secret room.” As they left, he grabbed his keys off a hook.

  He loved the feel of her tiny hand in his big one and found his thumb caressing her skin as they stepped into a sunny, humid Texas morning. She turned to the horses, and he knew she wanted to check them out, but he said, in a low voice, “Later, sugar. I promise.”

  Then he pulled her to a silver metal door leading to an outbuilding at the back of the house. He saw her glance at him and wondered if she already knew exactly what was inside of it. She’d hinted that she did, but either way, he was going to show her. He found the right key, then unlocked the door and shoved it wide open. Since he cleaned the unused room every week, it smelled good and he held it open for Star. “Let me go in first.” He stepped inside the quiet den and turned on the lights. Warm sunlight slanted across the hardwood floors and he smiled, his dick warming up again as his belly grew weak. “Come,” he said bracing his hand against the door to hold it open.

  She stepped inside she looked beyond the outer room containing his office/den and into his party room in back. Heck it was as if the sunbeams were leading her there. “Well?” she looked up at him, her delicate eyebrows raised.

  He went all mushy inside and hoped he had read her right. If not, this could be too much for her and she could leave him, disgusted. That’s what Bella would have done. They locked gazes and he felt a slight shock from her eyes, as if electricity had sealed them together. Taking her hand as he assessed how hot she looked in her dress and boots, he said, “Come with me.”