by Jessica Sims
Hugh’s teeth sank into my lip. He then grazed his tongue along my lower lip, licking away any pinch.
That gave me an odd thrill. His bites and nips—despite his enormous teeth—didn’t hurt me. I could thank my changeling hide for that. He continued to shower nipping kisses on my face, moving up my ridged cheekbones and even up to the horns on my forehead. When he licked the base of each one, I was surprised at the moan of pleasure that escaped me. Who knew that horns were such pleasure centers? There were so many things left to explore, and we didn’t have to worry about hurting each other. Hugh didn’t have to be gentle with me. I loved that.
His hand dragged at my ass, and he thrust against me. I felt his cock push at my stomach, felt the slick trail he left against my skin. “Ryder,” he groaned. “Can you take me?”
I quivered at that, opening my eyes and looking up into his tight, concerned face. My thighs ached from my recent release, and I felt drenched between my legs. I felt good, so good.
But Hugh looked worried. He was big, and we’d just proven that I was small. This would work, of course—everyone had sex—but it was going to hurt like the dickens.
Even as I hesitated, he continued to kiss and caress me, his mouth moving to my throat. He licked at my skin, then raked his long fangs against it, dragging new shivers of pleasure from my throat. His hand moved to cup and caress my breast. “I’ll be gentle,” he whispered.
I felt a bit selfish in that moment. “Of course you will,” I told him, breathless when his thumb rubbed against my nipple. If he was determined to get me all worked up again, he was doing a good job of it. His frantic, insistent touches were making my own desire rise again, his need a palpable thing in the air. I clung to him, loving his touch. “How do you want me?”
I could see the gleam of his eyes as he considered my words. “Turn around for me.”
Oooh. I felt a surge of excitement at that. He was going to take me from behind? I slid out of his arms—not without a little protest, a little kissing, and a lot of rubbing my body against his. Then I obediently presented my back to him, and he gave my shoulders a little nudge, urging me forward. I leaned forward until I was propped up on my elbows, my hips in the air behind me. It was a good thing I was facing forward, because I was blushing furiously. I felt exposed, open, and excited at the pose he had me in.
His hand brushed over my hip and I jerked, anticipation making me tense. I was aching and wet all over again, and the empty feeling had returned between my legs. Suddenly I didn’t care that Hugh was going to be too big. I just wanted that gnawing ache filled. I leaned forward a little more and spread my thighs, then rolled my hips encouragingly at him.
Hugh groaned behind me. “Ryder, you drive me wild.”
“Good,” I said breathlessly. “Now come drive into me.”
He growled low in his throat, pleased by my words. I felt him shift on the furs behind me, and then his big, warm body was pressing against the backs of my thighs. I felt his cock slide against my sex once more and I arched, trying to rub up against him.
His fingers sought my wetness, and he rubbed through my folds. I cried out in surprise at the touch, then moaned when he guided his cock against my sex and began to stroke through my wetness, back and forth. He was lubricating his cock with my own juices. Smart Hugh. Delicious Hugh. Teasing, maddening Hugh. The whimpers in my throat rising, I began to push against him, needing more.
Then one big hand went to my hip and pinned me in place. “Be still, Ryder, so I do not hurt you.” And I felt him shift his weight again.
I nodded. My hips were spread wide, and I felt his cock drag against my flesh one more time, then settle at my entrance. I moaned even more loudly at that sensation. God, he felt so good, and he wasn’t even inside me yet.
The head of his cock fit right at my core, and then he pushed in, just a little. I winced, feeling a tight pinch, even as Hugh’s growls increased. He was clearly enjoying this, so I just needed to be patient. Unfortunately, the pinch increased as Hugh continued to press forward, and I dug my nails into my palms, no longer enjoying this. It hurt. I’d known it would hurt, but knowing and experiencing were two different things. I tensed, bracing myself for more of the pain.
“Ryder,” he rasped after a long, painful moment. “How do you feel?”
“I’m . . . hanging in there,” I said, though the pinching had led to burning and my entire insides felt as if something way too large had been shoved into something way too small. Which, I supposed, it had. “Are you in all the way?”
His breath exploded from him and he pulled back. “I am not in hardly at all. This will not work.”
All that pain and he hadn’t made any progress? I felt a twinge of worry.This was what came of two virgins trying to de-virgin each other, I supposed. We were both really bad at this. “Did you push hard?”
“I know how to push, Ryder.” He sounded exasperated and frustrated.
“Do you think it’s because I’m a changeling?” I was suddenly worried that my parts wouldn’t mesh with his parts. “What if changelings are too small?”
“I think I am just too big.” He made an irritated growling noise in his throat. “I do not want to hurt you.”
“Hugh. I’m a virgin. It’s going to hurt anyhow.” I sat up and reached backward to caress him, and my hand brushed over his erect, straining cock. His breath hissed out at my touch, and I felt guilty. “You’re hurting, too.”
For a moment, I hated that we were both virgins, dammit. One of us should have known more about what we were doing. The hesitation on both sides was probably making things worse than they were.
“I do not want to hurt you, Ryder,” he said raggedly, and I felt his hand reach for me. He caressed my belly, then slid lower, brushing over my mound again.
I moaned, leaning back against him as he touched me. “It’s going to hurt me a lot more if we don’t get rid of my virginity, Hugh. Please. Let’s just go, all right? I promise I’ll be fine.”
He kissed me fiercely atop my head, just above my horns. Then he released me. “Go back down again, Ryder.”
I did obediently, trying not to tense as I got into position once more. Resting on elbows, hindquarters in the air. Ready to get this over with.
His hand stroked over my hips and thighs, and then I felt him seek between my legs. I sucked in a breath as his fingers brushed over my clit, teasing it.
“Hugh,” I cried out, rocking my hips. Instant desire raced through me, and I moaned, spreading my hips wider and rocking them as he continued to rub at my clitoris. Already sensitized, it was sending skitters of pleasure racing through me.
I felt him brace behind me, felt his cock press at my entrance again. I stiffened, but he continued to rub at my clit, and it distracted me. Now the press of Hugh’s cock against my entrance made me ache for more, and I rolled my hips, butting back against him.
He hissed out a breath. “Ryder . . .”
“Just go,” I moaned. “Sink deep. Get it over with. Please, Hugh.”
He surged forward, burying himself to the hilt.
I cried out in surprise at the sensation. That earlier flash of pain was quickly gone, followed by an indescribable feeling of being . . . filled. So gloriously filled.
“Ah,” he sighed, and I could hear a wealth of emotion in his tone.
I felt stunned. The feel of Hugh deep inside me was fascinating and deeply satisfying. I remained utterly still, trying to make sense of the feelings rushing through my body. How could it be so intensely pleasing to have another person stick a body part inside you? And yet . . . damn.
I’d been missing out.
Hugh’s fingers remained on my clit, continuing to coax my body, and my surprise just as quickly turned back to pleasure. The feeling of Hugh buried deep inside me added an entirely new layer to the sensations, and after a moment of his teasing fingers, I moaned again
.
“Ryder?”
His words were a soft question. Was I okay? Was I in pain?
“Keep going, Hugh,” I breathed. “I’m fine.”
He drew backward, and I felt him push forward again. Again, my pelvis twinged with an ache, but it was less than before. When he stroked in the third time, I felt nothing but the curious sensation of being utterly filled.
“Okay?” he asked, his voice full of tension.
“Better than okay,” I agreed, lifting my hips when he stroked again, letting my actions speak more than my words.
He brushed his fingers over my clit again, and I cried out, feeling pleasure racing through me. My toes curled, and I was close to another orgasm. Oh, God, the feeling of Hugh buried inside me while he played with my body was driving me crazy. I sucked in a breath and it exploded out of me in the next moment, when the orgasm peaked once more. I felt my entire body tighten around him, the pleasure rippling through me again.
With my orgasm, Hugh became unleashed.
His fingers left my flesh, and suddenly both hands were on my hips. He rocked into me, his hands anchoring me in place. Then, as if he couldn’t stop himself, he continued to push into me faster with each stroke. My body was shaking with the recoil from each thrust. And I wanted to protest, but the slam of his body against mine was making an entirely different and new sort of pleasurable ache between my thighs. In moments, I was screaming his name, needing another orgasm—this one fierce and wild—as my primordial lover made wild love to me.
My orgasm exploded through me like a supernova, and I gasped for air, the scream lodging in my throat even as my forehead pressed to the furs. I felt Hugh shout and tremble as he gave another enormous thrust inside me, then he collapsed on top of me as he came. I felt the wash of his release inside my body and heard his long, extended exhalation.
And then he rolled onto the furs next to me.
Which was good, because I didn’t think I could move at the moment. To think that I’d been worried the sex wouldn’t be any good? If it had been any better, it would have killed me.
I laughed into the furs.
Hugh exhaled deeply and pulled me close to him, cuddling my smaller body against him. “Any regrets?”
I pressed my face against his hard pectorals, breathing in his wonderful scent and loving the feel of his skin pressed to mine. “None whatsoever. You?”
“That I did not take you for myself sooner.”
Sweet man. I snuggled closer and sighed with contentment.
Chapter Seventeen
I awoke sometime later to the sound of a large body snoring and a clawed hand protectively placed on my breast. I smiled even with my eyes closed, cuddling closer to Hugh. It was nice to wake up next to a man, to have his big body pressed against my back. I didn’t even mind that I was a little stiff and cold from the damp.
Unfortunately for me, my bladder and my stomach both protested being ignored, and I knew I’d have to get up soon. I slid a bit closer to Hugh and found that he had morning wood. Maybe I could help him take care of that. Sneakily, I tried to turn over.
And a groan of pain escaped my lips.
Everything below my waist was stiff and aching. I knew some people got sore after vigorous sex, and I’d figured I would be, too, but this was more than I’d expected. Guess we’d been rough with each other.
Hugh immediately woke up at the sound of my voice, and his hand reached for my cheek. “Mmm, Ryder? What is it?”
“Just stiff,” I told him with a wince. “Nothing too surprising.”
He sat up next to me, and I realized I could make him out a bit easier in the low light of the cave. The sun had to be up outside. “Did I hurt you?”
“I’m a little tender. I think we were overly enthusiastic. It shouldn’t be a problem in the future, though, and I wouldn’t change a thing about last night.”
Hugh kissed me fiercely. “I love you, Ryder.”
“I love you, too,” I told him, feeling warm and delicious at his words. “But can we go find a bush or something? I hate to ruin the moment, but I really need to pee.”
Hugh chuckled. “As you wish.”
A short time later, we had climbed down from our waterfall cave and discreetly taken care of our bladders behind separate bushes. I was eyeing the water of the pool with longing; I was thirsty and felt achy and dirty, and a soak in a pool of water sounded great. Then I remembered Hugh’s words about fish with teeth, and I decided that cleaning off could wait until I got home.
A big arm wrapped around my waist from behind, squishing my wings and trapping my tail. Hugh nuzzled my ear, making me squirm at the ticklish sensation.
“You should be walking around. Stretch out your legs.”
I gestured at a nice, leafy plant near the water. “I was just wondering if that was edible.”
“Not unless you want to be violently ill.”
“It’s not high on my list of things to do,” I said cheerfully. My stomach growled under his hand, and I patted his arm. “I don’t suppose there’s a drive-thru around here?”
“No. The only food here is either foraged, caught, or hunted.”
“Sounds delicious,” I said, wrinkling my nose. “I think I just might wait until we get home to eat.”
His face was unreadable. “Do you want me to come home with you? Do you regret this?”
“Of course I want you with me. I don’t want to go home without you.” I reached up and caressed his cheek. His face was hard and unyielding, but I sensed the vulnerability underneath. It made me want to give him a hug. “I don’t have anything if you’re not with me.”
He tilted his mouth and kissed my palm. “You are my world, Ryder. Wherever you wish me to be, I will be there.”
“I’m glad,” I told him softly. “The thought of staying here scares me. I don’t know how time passes here compared to home. And it’s dangerous here. You’re cut off from everyone but the fae. But if you cannot leave . . . I will stay. As long as we’re together.”
Hugh pulled me close to him again, dragging my body against his in a tight embrace. I went willingly—this man loved to hug and cuddle more than anyone else I’d ever met, and I was a sucker for it. He pressed another kiss to my hair. “The other primordials are my brothers. My friends and companions. But I have chosen you over them. I do not know how it will affect their hearts. I would not want them to try and take you from me.”
I clung to him, a bit worried by that statement. “I don’t want them to try that either, big guy.”
“I must come with you, then. Back to your world.” He seemed disappointed.
I felt a twinge of dismay at his lack of enthusiasm. “Do you hate my world?”
“Not at all.” He seemed pensive. “I do not like the cold is all.”
The cold? “I live in Texas.” I poked his abdomen. “We don’t get much of a winter at all. Barely any snow.”
He looked down at me in surprise. “What about the ice glaciers?”
Ice glaciers? “In Texas?”
He nods. “Everywhere. Great amounts of ice. It is hard on our kind. The herds fled south, so we followed the herds, and so did humans. But they fear our kind.”
I blinked at him, then gave him a little shake. “Hugh, sweetie . . . exactly how long have you been in this world that the fae created for you?”
He shrugged. “I told you. Time passes differently here.”
“Didn’t you notice that we’ve sort of moved beyond a hunter-gatherer society? Shapeshifters are living amongst humans. The humans just don’t know it.” My hand smoothed along his stomach. “And the Ice Age ended about ten thousand years ago, Hugh. Your kind is long extinct. No one worries about ice ages anymore. We’re actually handling a little problem called ‘global warming.’ ”
He stiffened against me. “Extinct?”
“No more saber-toothed tigers, I’m afraid. You’d be the biggest, baddest shifter on the block.”
He grunted. “We came here under promises from the fae, you know. They would make this realm for us to keep us safe and let us hunt undisturbed in a warm, peaceful climate. They made the offer to us one by one, and we did not realize that the paradise they had created had left us more vulnerable than ever. There are no women here, and we did not realize until too late that they intended to keep them separate from us.”
“More bad deals from the fae,” I agreed. Shifty bastards.
“And time passes here as if in a dream. The only time we interact with the fae is if they demand favors in exchange for a boon.”
“Have they demanded favors before?”
He nodded. “In the past.”
“What kinds of things?”
Hugh frowned. “I . . . do not recall. It is possible there is something in this place that tampers with our memories.”
I believed it. The fae liked to tamper with everything. “And did those who worked with the fae come back?”
“I . . . do not recall that, either.” He didn’t look happy.
I didn’t blame him. It was disturbing to think about. I imagined the jobs the fae must have come up with over time. Who knew how many millennia Hugh and his primordials had been here? How many had disappeared while performing another fae task, never to be seen again? It sounded ominous. The fae liked to play games. Now it seemed that their games had an even more sinister edge than we’d imagined.
I gave Hugh’s arm an encouraging little squeeze. “This doesn’t sound like a safe place after all. So why don’t you all come with me?”
He looked down at me, the worry smoothing into surprise. “All of us?”
I nodded, gaining enthusiasm for my idea. “You don’t have to stay here. You can come with me. You, Artur, all of your friends. The world now is very different from the world you remember. There are a lot of shifters in the Fort Worth area, so you’d have a support network. I’m positive they’d help you all acclimate to modern society. And if the others leave this place, you will no longer be beholden to the fae. More than that . . . the others can find mates. There are shifter women. Not tons of them, but they are there.”
