“God, your pussy is so fucking wet.” His words are so dark, they’re nearly a growl. “My sweet little bad girl…will you let me fuck you with my fingers?”
“Yes…” My word is a dark, moaning plea for him to continue ravishing my body. Reaching behind me, I tunnel my fingers through his hair. “As long as you promise you won’t stop there.”
He groans in approval as his fingers swirl over my most sensitive flesh. I shudder uncontrollably, gasping, fighting for air. Helpless to the sensations rocking through me, I lick at his upper lip and moan loudly into the night. Snow falls into my mouth, but he laps it up, plunging his tongue past my lips once more. And then, when he slides his fingers through my heat slowly, teasingly, my breath hitches.
“I’m going to make you come against my hand.” He pushes his fingers into my core, stretching my flesh, and curls his fingers inside me. “And then I’m going to bend you over this bench and slide my dick inside you.”
But I’m already tearing apart, shattering into a thousand pieces and clawing toward ecstasy as his fingers massage the inner walls of my sex. The climax roars through me as his mouth finds mine. I swallow a piercing scream, my core clenching and pulsing against his fingers.
When he finishes milking the climax out of me, I’m left trembling on weak knees, falling back against him. Bringing his hand to his mouth, he sucks the evidence of my pleasure from his fingers.
“You’re delicious.” His tongue swipes out over his lips as if savoring the flavor. Raking his hand over my stomach and breasts, he grips me forcefully as if he’s going to burst apart if he doesn’t get inside me. “And now, my precious Ivy, you’re going to take every last inch of my dick until—”
“Reaper?” a voice booms into the night, interrupting him.
“Knox,” he says flatly, tightening my robe around my shoulders to cover my body. “What are you doing out here?”
Wait—Reaper?
“The Alpha is demanding the women line up for his choosing. He was missing one—and what do you know, here she is.” Knox’s black eyes study me intently, and then he shifts his attention back to my lover. “But I see you already found her. Just bring her inside when you’ve finished. I won’t tell Lukas you had her first.” He winks. “Your secret is safe with me.”
Knox strides away, hands in his pockets as he starts to whistle.
“You’re—” I can hardly speak, and blame it on the lack of blood flow to my brain. “Reaper? The Omega’s grandson?”
“In the flesh.” He backs away with a hiss and scrubs his hands through his hair. “Shit, this could have ruined everything. He’s supposed to welcome me back, but if I had you first—damn, I’d be out on my ass.”
“The pre-shifters at the rehearsal were talking about you. They said you left and that no one has seen you in—”
“Years, I know.” He paces a tight circle, keeping his attention locked on the snow-covered ground. “I just got back, and haven’t been formerly introduced to the new pack members yet.” He stops pacing and stares me down. “Why didn’t you tell me you haven’t stood in front of my cousin? I thought that part of the process was already finished.”
Why did it matter?
As if he can read my mind, he says, “Lukas Black has first pick of the women to be pledged into the pack. No other male is allowed to touch them until he’s made his choice.”
“But I’m hardly a virgin,” I blurt out, coming closer, needing his hands on me again. “I’ve slept with non-shifters.”
“This is different.”
Shadows flit from his face and for the first time, I see his strikingly sharp features. Eyes black as night, high cheekbones, wide jaw. He’s hardened and masculine, and the gleam in his eyes is cunning. I nearly come again from the sight of him alone.
“You can’t be with any other packmates before him.” His tone turns grave. “He has first choice. It’s pack law and cannot be overridden.”
He marches toward the castle, cursing with each step.
Confused about what had just happened and how quickly it’d ended, I follow, my footsteps sinking into the imprints he leaves behind. “So what now?” I ask. “I’m not one of those naïve girls who might think what happened back there was love or something, but what happens if the Alpha chooses me?”
Reaper whirls on me, his onyx eyes blazing bright. “He will have you tonight before the ceremony. And if you make an impression on him, he’ll keep you longer, preventing you from bonding with another until he’s had his fill.”
“But what if I don’t want him?”
He closes the distance between us, lowers his mouth to mine, and says, “Then make sure you’re not the woman he takes to bed tonight. I’ll come for you later.”
Sweet vibrations of pleasure rumble through me as he turns on his heel, storms into the castle, and then disappears from sight.
My night had been one hell of a roller coaster. I’d gone from spinster status to being finger-banged in the Omega’s garden by Reaper—officially the sexiest man on the planet—in about an hour. And now, all I had to do to nail the former Alpha was avoid being chosen by the new one.
“I can do this,” I tell myself, retying the ribbons of the cloak around my neck. My skin burns where Reaper’s touch scorched my body, and my lips are numb from the sweet viciousness of his kiss. “As long as no one sees through me.”
Chapter Two
Reaper
She’s one hell of a distraction—the most beautiful woman who has ever stepped foot in my castle. Even though I know I shouldn’t, I have to get one last look at her before she meets my cousin, before he has the chance to claim her.
My stomach sours from the thought and I glance back, taking in the full force of her beauty.
Our time in the garden has left her cheeks pink and her lips swollen from the force of my kiss. Her hair escapes her crimson hood and falls over her breasts in a silky fall of blond. And even though the cloak drapes over her shoulders, masking her luscious curves, her nipples press against the heavy fabric, begging for the flick of my tongue or the stroke of my fingers. She moves quickly, taking small steps, her hands clasped in front of her and her gaze lowered to the floor. She doesn’t know how gorgeous she is, how she draws the attention of men around her, and it only adds to her appeal. As she shuffles up the grand staircase, she glances at me over her shoulder.
I’ll come for you.
She can’t hear my projected thought, not until she pledges her loyalty to our pack, but she smiles nervously, taking her place at the back of the line of pre-shifters.
If Lukas chooses her, if he touches her…
Rage tears through me, rattling my bones, as I slip inside the nearest restroom and wash my hands. Twice. Don’t want to chance having the Omega smell Ivy’s arousal on my fingers. After cleaning up, I steal into the Omega’s private chamber and shut the door behind me. The room is dim, lit only by a few candles and a roaring fire in the stone hearth, but my eyes adjust quickly. Attendants wander about, straightening blankets on the four-poster bed, tending to the crackling fire, and refilling her lemon-scented tea. In the corner, my grandmother sits in front of the fogged window, a hand-knit blanket draped over her lap.
“Reaper,” she says, her angelic voice echoing through the large room. “Come closer. Let me have a look at you.”
The attendants nod as I walk by, but I don’t miss their sideways glances. Most of them have heard my name, but never met me. For years, I was dead to the pack, a dark shadow that lived and breathed for vengeance. I must seem like a ghost as I slide closer and kneel in front of my grandmother, taking her hands in mine.
“It’s good to see you.” I kiss the gold ring on her left hand, pledging my loyalty to her and the rest of the pack. “I don’t know how it’s possible, but you look younger than when I saw you last.”
“Oh, stop.” She pulls her hand away and smacks me in the chest. “Save your lines for the women. From what Knox tells me, you already have your eye on a few?�
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I glance around the room at the attendants skating about, taking care of business. They’re undoubtedly beautiful, with hourglass figures, full lips, and bright eyes, but beyond that, where it truly matters, they’re plain. There is nothing striking about them, no spark in their eyes or passion in the way they move. Out of fear that they’ll be out of line, they never speak up about things that bother them and they’d certainly never let themselves be carried away by ecstasy in the garden.
They aren’t Ivy.
I’m intrigued by her beyond rhyme or reason, and won’t settle until I know why.
“Ah, Knox was mistaken,” my grandmother says, drawing my attention back to her. Her dark eyes narrow over the thick rim of her glasses. “It’s not a few women, but one in particular. I can sense her in your thoughts, even now as you kneel before me.” She kinks her neck to the side as she studies me. “Who is she?”
I swallow down her name. “I’m not here to talk about my sex life, Grandmother. Why did you call me back to the castle?”
She snaps, and every attendant leaves the room. Once we’re alone she turns to me and says, “Something is unsettled in the pack. I’m unsure where the disturbance comes from exactly, but I started to sense it last month. It’s gotten more extreme the last few days. I fear…”
“What?” I place a reassuring hand on her knee in the wake of her silence. “You can trust me, Grandmother.”
“Oh, my dear Reaper,” she says, brushing her weathered hand against my cheek, “I know I can. But I fear my telling you this could put you in danger.”
I laugh at the absurdity of her statement. “You don’t have to worry about me. I can handle myself.”
“But we’re not fighting an enemy from the outside this time. Our enemy is here, working within the pack, forging my signature to overseas investments, moving accounts, siphoning money, and impersonating me in emails sent to foreign packs. I fear someone is weakening the pack and waiting to overthrow me. I don’t know who to trust anymore.”
“You can trust me.” My words escape as a growl. “I’ll find whoever is doing this and secure the safety of your leadership. You’re the oldest of us all, and the most deserving to rule.” I pause, thinking of my plan of attack. “Who else have you told?”
“Lukas is the only other one who knows of my suspicions. He’s spent the last month following the trail of documents, contacting banks and foreign packs, trying to find the source of the deception, but with the wolf moon ceremony coming up, he’s been too preoccupied to dive into the investigation fully.”
The ceremony had never been overwhelming when I was Alpha. And if the threat to the Omega was legit, shouldn’t Lukas be postponing the pre-shifter selection process tonight? Maybe I simply want him to delay so Ivy won’t have a chance to step in front of him.
“I’m safe now that you’re home,” she whispers, patting my hand. “I know you’ll take care of this.”
I can’t speak the truth haunting my heart.
Years ago, I swore I’d find my parents’ murderer. I traveled through all of Europe on the killer’s scent, from London to Athens before losing it in Prague. Although it kills me to admit it, I’m no closer to finding him now than I’d been the day he left Arcana Castle. My grandmother feels safe with me at her side, yet I can’t even figure out who killed my parents, when I’ve made it my life’s mission. I’ve failed them.
“I won’t let you down,” I hear myself say with a hard pang of my heart. “I swear it.”
As I leave my grandmother’s room, shutting her chamber door behind me, someone shouts from the second floor. The name of another pre-shifter—the next in line—rumbles through the castle. A brunette in a sky-blue cloak disappears into his chamber and the line moves forward. Ivy is one step closer to meeting Lukas.
Would she be taken with him? Would she let Lukas touch her as freely as I had in the garden? I can’t even think about it without a sharp pain lancing my temples.
A sense of urgency whips through me. I have to see her up close and personal. I need to hear her voice one more time before she stands in front of Lukas. Pack law forbids me from touching her, and I can’t violate that again, but I’m drawn to her as I’ve never been drawn to another. I can’t explain it, but the sensation scorches through my middle, hollowing me out the longer we’re apart. It’s an insanely primal feeling—no, an instinct—I can’t ignore.
Trudging up the grand staircase, I eye the lineup of pre-shifters. They’re young, most of them in their early twenties, with big doe eyes and innocent stares. Their cloaks are the same long square shape with a wide hood and ribbon tie in front, but the colors are every shade of the rainbow, as vibrant and unique as the women wearing them. Four packmates stand guard on either side of Lukas’s chamber doors, and a few others linger around the open balcony, staring at the setup process below.
Privacy in a castle this size was non-existent. After being on my own for the last five years, I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like to have eyes on me every second of every day. If I stay in Arcana, if the Omega wishes me to replace Lukas as Alpha, it’s one of the first things I’ll change. There’s no need to keep such a large staff.
As I march alongside the women, garnering a few flirtatious smiles, I feel the weight of someone staring at my back. One of the guards is watching me, probably wondering what I’m doing so close to the Alpha’s women.
But they weren’t his. Not yet.
If I have my way, one in particular will never be.
As I approach Ivy, she lifts her head. I’m so taken aback by the flicker of relief in her eyes that I almost forget my plan. She’s happy to see me, and something inside my chest stirs at the thought.
“Count to sixty,” I mumble, pretending to pick something up off the floor beside her. “And then ask one of the guards if you can be excused to the restroom.”
She nods slowly as the hint of a smile curls her kissable lips. I stride away, turning the corner and slipping into the first alcove on the left. Closed doors line the left side of the hallway, while the balcony wraps around the entire floor.
I count to sixty.
And then I start over and reach sixty once more.
My heart thunders against my rib cage as I fear the worst. What’s keeping her? Is she unable to steal away? How much longer dare I wait? Movement catches my eye, startling me. A red cloak. Without thinking, I snatch her by the elbow and haul her around, clutching her tight against my chest. She gasps, but as soon as she sees it’s me, her light eyes widen with awareness.
“What are you doing?” she whispers, and her words somehow tingle down my spine. “If anyone sees us…”
“I know better than anyone what will happen, but I had to see you one more time before you meet my cousin.”
“I don’t have long.”
“I know.”
Ivy breathes hard, her chest rising and falling against mine. She’s so fucking gorgeous—involuntary functions like breathing and blinking seem strained and forced. She’s warm and soft, and her body molds to mine perfectly. My hand skates over her back possessively, drawing her deeper into my embrace. I want to take her right here against the wall, right there on the floor, but hold back.
From around the corner, a guard calls out another name, and although I can’t see the line of women from my position, I know they’ve just moved one step closer to Lukas’s door.
Time is slipping away.
“I thought you weren’t supposed to touch me.” She eyes my arms where they coil around her waist. “Aren’t you breaking pack law?”
“Are you going to turn me in?”
“That depends.” Ivy blinks up at me with gorgeous almond-shaped eyes framed with thick, dark lashes. I’m lost. Focused on nothing but the flicker of heat in her eyes. “What are you going to do now that you’ve trapped me here?”
“I’m not sure. I hadn’t thought that far.”
But I have a million ideas, and none of them are clean. She grins coyly as if she can
read my thoughts, and now I’m studying her luscious mouth.
“We could talk about how I’m not going to be chosen by the Alpha,” she offers matter-of-factly, “and how you’re going to meet me in room twenty-three tonight when this is over.”
“Yes.” My hands roam her back. “We could definitely talk about that.”
“Or better yet,” she whispers, standing up on tiptoe, “we can forget about talking all together and use our mouths for something way better. You could kiss me until I’m dizzy. And then if I can’t stand on my own two feet, you can carry me to your bed.”
“You’re going to damn me, woman.” My cock throbs, anxious for the chance to slide through her heat. “And I don’t even fucking care.”
She smiles as if she’s been victorious, so I kiss that sinful smile right off her lips. Crushing my mouth to hers, I take what she offers, plunging my tongue deep into the recesses of her cavernous mouth. I feed on her whimpers and suck on her lower lip until she moans and rakes her fingers through my hair. Until this moment, I hadn’t realized how empty I was without her in my arms. I’m cold without her blazing touch on my shoulders and neck.
Feeding the hunger raging inside me, I hold her face in my hands and bend her against me. I’m ravenous. Searching every inch of the inside of her cheek. Sucking on her tongue and pulling it into my mouth. I don’t want to hurt or scare her by being too rough, so I pull back. But she makes a dissatisfied sound at my subtle retreat and digs her fingers into my hair, pulling me down over her again.
Her desire only fuels my hunger as my body comes alive with gripping need. I’m in tune with Ivy as I’ve never been with any woman before. I’m hyperaware of everything—the hints of cherry blossom in her hair, the sublime softness of her cheek, the cool taste of wintergreen on her mouth, and the hitch of her breath as her tongue tangles with mine.
She’s everything.
Made only for me.
Mine.
I’m blindsided by the primal urge to claim her as my own, and stagger back against the wall. She presses against me as if she’s eager to eliminate the space between us and claws her hands against my sides.
Desiring Red (A Dark and Dirty Tale) Page 2
