by Riley Storm
Don’t do it.
“Thinking about what?”
“Everything. What we’ve been through the past few days. How it’s changed me. How I…feel, about it.”
I said don’t do it. That means stop increasing the tension and mood between you two.
Kirell was the one staring now, the azure of his eyes growing more intense. The attraction between them was undeniable. Natalia knew, she knew that she could cut it off now, nip it in the bud before she did what she’d vowed not to do, but it was so hard. There was just so much to like about Kirell. Why shouldn’t she let herself indulge a bit for the last few days that she was going to be around him?
Because the further in you sink, the harder it is to come out. You need to maintain your distance from this guy. This isn’t your life. You don’t belong here.
The last thought was like a cold bucket of water tossed over her. It was true, she didn’t belong here. And that’s why she was going to leave as soon as she could. This was not her world. Despite the history lesson earlier, Natalia still felt completely lost living in a house full of shifters.
“I hope none of the changes is for the negative,” Kirell said, reaching out to lay a hand on her forearm. “I know it must be tough for you.”
The warmth of his touch spread slowly, creeping up her arm inch by inch the longer he kept his hand there, long fingers wrapping a large part of the way around her arm. He was so big. So strong. Anytime he was around, she felt safe on an instinctive level she hadn’t experienced before.
“I can’t see how I would see them as negative,” she assured him. “I have no regrets.”
Their eyes locked as she said those last words, and Natalia knew it was of no use fighting. Her free arm, the one with the wine glass, found the side table by sheer luck, and she pushed the glass into the center.
“None at all?” Kirell asked breathlessly, finishing his own glass with a gulp and setting it aside, never looking away from her.
“None,” she agreed, mirroring him as they leaned in closer to one another. “Not a single one.”
“Good.”
Kirell came the last distance, locking his lips to hers as they fell into each other’s arms in a flurry of touches and grabs. The dam burst inside her, and she let it go, riding the wave of lust that filled her body as she felt herself be picked up and placed on his lap with a casual display of his strength.
Moments later, she was lifting her arms as he stripped her of the shirt, tossing it to the side carelessly. She barely noticed through the sensations he unleashed by kissing her neck and running his fingers down her back. The haze of arousal settled firmly over her, prompting her hips to grind back and forth over his.
When his mouth closed over her breasts, she shivered, goosebumps running down her back, tightening the skin as it went. Arching forward into him, she ran her fingers through the short hair on his head, feeling each strand brush against the underside. Strong fingertips dug into her waist, gripping her tightly, like he never wanted to let go.
Through the loose shorts, she could feel him hardening, pressing against the thick fabric of her jeans. All at once there were too many layers between them and she stood up, stripping herself bare in a matter of seconds. Kirell did the same, though he only had the shorts to lose, making his job that much easier.
This time when she sat, he pressed firmly between her legs, allowing her to grind her increasing wetness up and down his shaft, something they both enjoyed, if Kirell’s groans were anything to go by.
One of his hands slipped over the curve of her rear, cupping her cheeks one at a time before giving each a loving spank that sent chills rocketing up her spine, reversing the goosebumps from earlier.
Without warning, she slid too far forward on him and he slipped inside of her while she was still grinding against him. Natalia gasped in shock, while Kirell just grunted, his fingers digging in a little tighter, providing a powerful pressure that reminded her of just how strong he was, and how much she was at his mercy just then.
“You feel so good,” she moaned, leaning forward to gently suck on his ear and kiss his neck, both arms wrapped around his shoulders for leverage as she slowly rode him, taking in more and more as her body adjusted to him.
“So warm. So tight,” he agreed, clearly trying to maintain control.
It felt good to know he was having to fight against the pleasure she was inflicting upon him, that he so enjoyed it he was close to losing control. She almost pushed the limits, seeing how quickly she could finish him. In the end she slowed, wanting to prolong the moment, to enjoy it.
This wasn’t the frantic fucking of their first few times. This was something else. More sensual and tender. She almost wanted to use the word loving, but that wasn’t something she was willing to associate with Kirell. Was she?
“Don’t read anything into this,” she told him, forced to pause several times as the pleasure of having him inside her stole the words away.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he groaned, dragging his fingers down her back.
“Good.”
Sinking lower into his lap, she drew in a ragged breath, suddenly unsure of how much longer she could last. Craving more, she rode him faster, feeling her body respond. She needed that release, that explosive blast that came with just the right touch.
Kirell was looking up at her, his face gone slack as he thrust up, matching her movements. One of his hands slipped around her waist, his thumb bent at an awkward angle. It found her center though, slowly circling around the sensitive nub, applying the perfect amount of pleasure.
“Yes!” she cried out, the unexpected noise bouncing off the walls.
Her insides tightened around him as the moment approached.
“I can’t,” Kirell grunted. “I have to stop or I’m going to lose it.”
“Just go,” she said, lost in her own world. “Don’t stop, whatever you do. Please.”
He groaned, and her own moans rose to match, the noises rising around one another in a swirling helix.
Kirell broke first, but the instant she felt his warmth erupt inside her, Natalia’s body let go, and she shuddered violently atop him, unable to control herself as the orgasm ripped through her, stealing all response to her brain’s commands as she was overwhelmed with ecstatic pleasure.
Under her, Kirell bucked and heaved, not stopping until he was completely spent, sinking back into the couch.
She slouched atop him, still, barely responsive, and in complete and utter heaven. Why had she resisted this? It was just physical satisfaction. Nothing more.
Even as she tried to convince herself of that, Natalia knew it wasn’t so.
Not anymore.
32
“Got everything?”
“I think so.”
Natalia knew the answer. She’d had everything ready for nearly an hour now. It wasn’t like she’d brought much stuff with her, so it was easy to pack up. The truth was, she was stalling, trying to buy herself more time. But she couldn’t, not anymore. Kirell was ready to go, and unless she spoke up, told him what she wasn’t ready to acknowledge herself, then she had no other choice.
She had to leave.
Three days had passed since the ceremony confirming his position as Captain of House Ursa, and in that time, Natalia had noticed the changes. The guard were more prominently seen around the House again, more so than she’d ever noticed even in her brief time there.
Kirell had changed too. Not with her, but in respect to the other members of his House. Many of them were coming around to him now, beginning to accept his appointment. She received fewer glares when she moved about the building, though the outwardly friendly ones were still few in number. It would take more time for them to come to like her, to know her, but they weren’t going to get it.
Today, Natalia was heading back to the city. They would go and drop off her stuff at home, then proceed to the town hall so they could get married civilly. Then it was just a matter of documents to be sign
ed and she would legally be allowed to work in the country. It had excited her to no end to be able to tell the hospital she could start work shortly.
Everything was going exactly the way Kirell had promised. Her bank account was now looking much healthier thanks to his five-figure deposit, with a bonus added that she hadn’t asked for, or expected.
Not that I’m going to give it back either. He made that choice, and it’s not like he’s hurting for money.
Despite the fact that it looked like she was going to succeed, Natalia couldn’t shake a feeling of sadness. The time she’d spent with Kirell had taken on an almost dreamlike quality to it. A brief moment in her life spent in a world completely beyond her, and one she’d never get back again. There was a lot she would miss. Including him.
“Is everything okay?” Kirell came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her cautiously.
They’d continued to sleep together, neither one able to deny the pleasure they got from such acts, but ever since she’d woken up that morning, Natalia had taken steps to try and curtail that, from changing in the washroom to mostly avoiding any physical contact with him. She needed to start cutting him off as soon as possible, to ease the transition back to her real life, in place of the fantasy she’d been living out there in the country.
“Yeah, it’s fine,” she said, slipping from his grasp politely. “It’s just going to be different. Going back to living among humans, knowing everything I know now, and having to forget that this ever happened, you know?”
Kirell smiled. “It’s not like you’re never going to see me again you know. It’s not the end-end.”
Was that sadness in his eyes? She couldn’t tell. Like her, he’d been guarded that morning as well, the pair of them keeping apart from one another.
“I know. But a couple of weekends here and there for a few months isn’t much compared to all the time we’ve spent together the past week or whatever it’s been.”
“It’s for the best,” Kirell said, though it sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as he was her. “This is what we agreed upon. You’re too stubborn to stay here, you need to keep working among humans, so we’re living apart for a bit.”
Natalia knew all about the details, they’d worked them out. A few weekends over the next couple of months she would return to Ursidae Manor to be seen as his mate, to spend time with him, but after that, she would supposedly suffer an accident. Then she would have to start a whole new lie, one where she pretended not to remember Kirell or any of the events that had happened between them.
So many lies, not including the ones I’m telling myself.
“I know.” She was saying that a lot, but the more she said it, the less Natalia began to believe she agreed with it. “You don’t need me long-term. If I can see the changes, I’m sure you can see them even more. The guard respect you now, Kirell. They are beginning to truly see you as their Captain, and that’s only going to get better as time goes by. It worked.”
“Thanks to you,” he said softly, moving to stand closer to her. “You did a phenomenal job of acting like you were my mate.”
She looked away. “I always enjoyed acting.”
Was that what I was doing? It felt so easy.
Lifting her head, she met his gaze. Immediately she regretted doing so, noticing the different emotions swirling in the blue circles flecked with black. He might be able to curtail any physical interaction between them, but she’d learned how to see past the defenses he put in place over his face. To see the tumultuous thoughts he truly felt.
Kirell didn’t want her to go. Not yet at least.
Is the sex that good?
She knew it was more than that, but Natalia forced herself to remain strong, to not dwell on it any deeper. That would only lead to confusion and trouble.
“I’m going to head down to the car,” she said lamely, zipping up her bag and tossing it over a shoulder.
“Yeah, probably a good idea.” Kirell stepped away, trying to resurrect his non-caring attitude with little success. “I’ll grab the rest of it and meet you down there shortly.”
She smiled. “Thank you.”
Natalia hadn’t intended on taking any of the gifts given to her by others in the House to celebrate their mating, but it seemed that Kirell wasn’t going to let her go without them. From the formal gown she’d worn to the ceremony, to several pictures and a beautiful hand-carved jewelry box that had to be worth a fortune, they were all wonderful—well perhaps not the dress—but she felt wrong taking them. She didn’t truly deserve them.
The journey down to the massive underground garage didn’t take too long. By now, she knew much of the layout of the house, having spent numerous hours wandering it alone or with Kirell when he was available. There was so much history in the structure, both in its actual construction and the numerous paintings and displays depicting scenes from the history of House Ursa.
She found it fascinating, and although books had never held a particularly strong place in her heart, she found herself spending a lot of time in the library learning all about the real history of certain major events in humanity’s past.
Patting her pockets, she cursed in irritation. She’d forgotten to take the keys from Kirell. Dropping her luggage, she sighed. Now what was she supposed to do? Her eyes ranged over the multi-million-dollar supercar. Then to the one next to it.
Oh. That’ll do for a way to kill some time.
Her mood immediately improved as she wandered the rest of the garage, admiring the smooth lines of the McLarens, Ferraris, and more esoteric brands such as Koenigsegg and Lotus, European imports rarely seen on the streets of the U.S.
Fifteen minutes later, despite her love for combustion-fueled speedsters, she was starting to get irritated again and made her way back to his area. There was still no sign of him.
If this is some sort of plan of yours to get me to come back to you, it isn’t going to work.
She was just about to pull out her phone and send him a snippy text when she heard footsteps pounding into the concrete as someone came out of the elevator.
They’re moving awfully fast, she thought, the footfalls coming one after another in rapid succession. Glancing over at the entryway she saw someone running. Right toward her.
Immediately she knew something was wrong.
33
Whistling to himself, he made his way through the storage areas. Buried on the same lower level as the garage but separated entirely, he headed past room after room. Every resident of the House was given a room down there where they could store all manner of things. From furniture they didn’t want to use, to treasures, paintings, statues, important documents, it was all kept in climate-controlled zones.
He was headed to his to get something for Natalia, a present that he hadn’t told her about, because he wasn’t sure how she would react.
And because you have no idea why you’re giving it to her.
“Not true. We said we were getting married. She’ll need some proof of that, won’t she?”
He was arguing with himself, which wasn’t a good sign, he was sure. If anyone knew the truth between the two of them, they would call him insane. He was about to give away a bloodline heirloom to a woman he was never going to see again after a few months’ time. There was no rhyme or reason to it.
But it felt right. She would need a ring to make their civil marriage believable. Sure, he could go out and just buy one, but he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she would like this one. He wasn’t sure how he knew, but he did. There was no doubt in his mind.
He didn’t get a chance to ponder why he was giving someone who wasn’t his mate such a precious item. Before he could do that, one of his guards came racing down the hallway toward him. It was one of Klaue’s, assigned to the inside of the House itself.
“Report,” he snapped, knowing there was no reason for the rush if something wasn’t up.
“This way,” the guard said. “Hurry! No time to explain.�
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“Let’s go.” Kirell carefully put Natalia’s stuff down, but as soon as it was on the ground he was chasing after the guard who hadn’t waited around.
He hated to make Natalia wait, but she would understand. She would have to. After all, what was she going to do if she didn’t? Leave him?
“Where are we going?” he asked.
The guard just shook his head, already breathing heavily. He must have come from far away. They left the storage area behind and headed down the steps a landing at a time. There were more subfloors than most members of the House were aware, but they didn’t venture that deep. The guard shouldered open the door to the prison level, nearly ripping it off the hinges as he went.
Kirell was frowning. Why the hell would they be down there? To his knowledge, there were no prisoners, nothing important going on.
“In there. We have him, sir,” the guard said triumphantly.
Kirell slowed but didn’t stop, hoping to make a dignified entrance despite the fact he was positive everyone had heard their footsteps as they came. “Have who?” he asked, looking over his shoulder curiously.
“You,” a muffled, unidentifiable voice sneered, a moment before something slammed into Kirell’s face just above his nose.
He crumpled, blood spurting everywhere. Blows rained down upon him. Kirell tried to fight back, kicking out, but his attackers dodged the attacks which grew more and more feeble. He wasn’t being beaten with fists, but with metal pipe and mailed fists.
Bones cracked. His blood seeped out, covering the floor in a thick puddle while above him, the masked men attacking him hissed and laughed evilly to themselves. The pain grew and grew, nearly blinding him with the intensity.
Then suddenly, it all went cold. His mind retreated to somewhere, detached from his physical body.
So, this is what dying feels like.
The attacks kept coming, crushing the life from his mangled body. He wondered just how many more it would take before the light went out entirely.
Strangely enough, his only thoughts were of Natalia, and his sorrow that he hadn’t been able to give her the ring, to get her the Green Card that would allow her to stay in the country. She deserved it after all she’d done for him, and now he wouldn’t be able to repay her properly. That ate at him, made him angry.
