Ulyssa realized she begged, but she couldn’t help it. His mouth kissed too perfectly. His body felt too good. She trembled in anticipation.
His lips tore from her and he stood to meet her eyes. “And I want to bury myself inside you.”
Before she could protest, he slid his hands around to her backside and lifted her off the ground, gliding her back along the stall wall. Kirill was going to get his way first, not that she minded one bit. Ulyssa grabbed at his neck, holding on. Without even flinching, he delved forward, slipping his erect shaft between the lips her moist opening. He let the tip dance just inside the entrance, teasing and testing her.
Her body was wet, more than ready. She wanted him. Her hips bucked in offering and he grinned.
With so much control that it drove her mad, he pushed into her slick passage, filling her body by small, agonizing degrees. He watched her face closely, taking in every one of her reactions. Her eyes rolled in her head. Her lips parted, as she gasped for air. The shower hit their bodies, caressing them like millions of fingers, heightening the pleasure.
Ulyssa nearly swooned as he finally pressed fully into her body. Seating himself to the hilt, he paused. She kicked him with her thigh in protest. Kirill chuckled and shot her a confident grin.
“Is this what you want?” he asked, low and hoarse. His fingers gripped into the cheeks of her backside, spreading them ever so slightly. Holding her up with ease, he began to move. He licked and teased her throat as his hips pulled back only to thrust in shallow strokes.
“Yes!” Ulyssa cried, beyond caring that he had all the control. He felt too good, too right. “Yes! Oh, my, yes! Please, yes, more. Give me more, Kirill.”
At her words, he gave her more. He stroked up into her tight passage, hitting harder against her core. Ulyssa screamed in mindless pleasure. Her back hit the shower wall, but she didn’t care. She twined her fingers into his long black hair, liking how the wet length blanketed her skin. His grunts joined hers as he thrust, hard and fast and deep inside her.
Ulyssa wrapped her legs around him, urging him on. She could feel the strong muscles of his backside beneath her calves. He rocked himself into her with a violent force, conquering her depths. The tension built inside her hips. She was close, so close.
Slipping her hand between their bodies, she tweaked her center nub with a finger, rubbing it in small circles. Instantly, her body twitched. Ulyssa screamed. Kirill growled in approval. He moved faster, harder, deeper, seating himself until he had no more to give.
Her body convulsed around his hard shaft as the strong force of her orgasm hit her. Tears came to her eyes from the pure intensity of the moment. As her passage clenched down on him, Kirill let loose. He yelled, the sound that of a true savage. He delved one last time and released his seed deep inside her.
They stood frozen in time, her back helpless against the wall. His body stayed buried deep inside her. Slowly, he let her slide down, pulling out at the same time.
Confidently, he said to her, “See, it’s not so bad to be controlled by a man.”
He moved to kiss her and she jerked back. “What did you say?”
“I said you didn’t mind my dominance over you,” he stated more clearly. He moved to kiss her lips again, and again she jerked back.
“You don’t control me!” Ulyssa pushed him hard. He was caught off guard and his foot slid. She stormed past him, out of the shower. Grabbing a towel, she wrapped it angrily over her body.
His eyes were dark with challenge. “Do you need me to prove to you who controls whom again? I saw your plan, Lyssa, but it can never work. You won’t command me.”
“You bastard!” she hissed, gripping her towel tighter to her chest. He’d screwed her to teach her a lesson? The very nerve! She looked at his features. He thought he was bending her to his will? He thought she was a simpleminded little female ready to fall over at his feet? Well, she’d show him just how serious she was. Holding up her hand, she said, “I no longer wish it.”
Kirill froze in mid-stride, feeling as if she’d kicked him. He looked at the woman before him. He knew she’d reached fulfillment and yet she did not look pleased. In fact, she looked livid. Wisely, he kept his distance.
“You don’t mean that,” he stated. He looked down his body, forcing her to do the same. His shaft was beginning to lift anew, readying for her. “I can smell that you want me again.”
“I don’t care what you smell.” Her chin lifted and she pried her eyes away from his erection. “I no longer wish this.”
“Is this... how you play?” he asked, thinking it might be a game.
“No, I’m deadly serious, your highness.” The title was spat from her lips.
“We had an agreement,” Kirill said. He tried to keep his tone level, but it was hard. “You must remain as my mistress for three months.”
“Oh, I know what I agreed to,” she answered, scornfully. “And I’ll behave in public. But in private, you aren’t getting another thing until you beg me for it. It’s about time you learned a little humility you savage jerk!”
“A King doesn’t beg,” he roared, losing his cool. He knew he was only repeating his father’s words. But that didn’t make them any less true. His eyes swirled with dark passions. His tense body shook. “A King cannot beg!”
“Then this mistress no longer pleases,” she growled.
Kirill swiped his hand at her and she flinched, recoiling back as if he meant to strike her. His eyes rounded and he was hurt that she would assume such a thing. Giving a single, curt nod, he whispered softly, “It will be as you wish, Lyssa. I won’t touch you.”
Ulyssa watched him leave her alone in the bathroom. When he was gone, she ran to the door and slammed it shut. Instantly, she fell to the floor—weak. She didn’t know what happened, but she felt branded by him and she didn’t like it. Somehow, when they came together, the very savage Var King had managed to touch her soul. And the very idea of it terrified her.
Chapter Seven
Ulyssa stayed huddled in the bathroom like a coward for all of five minutes. Then, taking a steady breath, she assured herself she was in control of her emotions. The force of her orgasm had taken her by surprise—that was all. That’s why she got all emotional on Kirill. But, the force of his words still stung. No man would ever control her.
Her heart leapt at the challenge he put forth. If he’d have just left well enough alone, they’d have spent the entire three months doing incredibly sinful things all over his home—probably even all over the palace. She was a woman confident in her sexual appetites. But his royal highness wanted to play dominance. Well, no man had ever dominated her before and she’d be damned if he’d be the first. She’d just have to make his life torture until he couldn’t stand it any longer.
Walking tall into the living room, gripping her towel regally around her body, she was surprised to find the fireplace had heated the room to a pleasant temperature. She looked at the bedroom and swallowed. Kirill came from within, holding a black dress over his arm. He stopped, his eyes still dark as he looked at her, but they were guarded now.
He was dressed in his usual dark attire. The studded armbands around his biceps gleamed in the firelight. Her eyes roamed unbidden over his body, more familiar now with it since she’d had a chance to explore it for herself. Her body heated even as her mind rebelled.
“We go to Reid’s home tonight to dine so that you may meet my brothers.” Kirill lifted the dress toward her. “You can wear this.”
“No thanks, I prefer pants.”
“Lyssa,” he began, exasperated. Then, sighing, he shook his head. “You must wear this tonight. You are a woman and this is tradition.”
“Your tradition sucks,” she grumbled, stomping across the marble floor to snatch the dress from him. She pushed past him into his room and slammed the door behind her.
Kirill sighed and didn’t move. The tension was back in his body. His head throbbed with renewed force. He didn’t know what he’d done t
o make her so mad. He’d explained his position to her. He could not, would not beg her to sleep with him. Kings just could not beg. It was simple.
Then, with a shrug, he assumed she would come around. If she didn’t, he’d just have to make her life torture until she couldn’t stand it any longer. A devious smile came to his face. He was sure he could make her so hot for him that she’d soon forget her words and submit again—and again, and again, and...
* * * *
Little, unevenly winding trails worked through the thick fold of colossal trees. Strange yellow ferns grew over the red Qurilixen soil. Ulyssa trampled them with her feet as she walked.
Prince Reid’s home was deep within the forest, north of the palace, near what Ulyssa assumed would be Draig territory. She was surprised to find that Kirill walked alone with her. There were no royal guards behind him, no entourage of soldiers—just them and the wide open forest. She wondered if she could make a run for it.
The air was fresh and the sky, from what she could see peeking in through the shelter of branches above, was of a clear greenish-blue. The green leaves of the surrounding foliage were overlarge due to the excessive heat and moisture they received. Ulyssa had seen the three suns peeking from the clouded sky—two yellow, one blue—when they passed through the back way of the palace from the Var city.
The city surrounding the palace looked to be a large one that rolled down the countryside from the front gate. The homes were constructed of gray bricks, contrasting to the red earth, with the same beautiful workmanship seen within the palace—though more simplistic and rectangular in design. From what she could tell, the city thrived.
Kirill briefly explained that the royal family only used the front entrance for ceremony—usually when leading the troops to war. Otherwise, it was much faster just to take the side stairs out of the palace directly into the forest. When Ulyssa asked about palace security, he merely roared and two very large mountain lions were summoned to their side. Even in shifted cat form, they bowed their heads before sprinting back to disappear into the trees.
Ulyssa looked around, wondering how many Var warriors watched them. Maybe they weren’t as alone as she had thought.
“We’re not being followed,” Kirill said at her side, without even glancing at her. Her head whipped forward and they continued on in silence.
The air was surprisingly warm for the evening hour. Birds sang beautifully in the distance. Little noises of insects came from all around. Various woodland critters shuffled away in fright, strange creatures she had gotten closer looks at when she camped.
Suddenly, remembering the rustic campsite, she wasn’t in such a hurry to run from the palace. Besides, she was going to thoroughly enjoy bringing Kirill to his knees. She looked over at him and smiled. He tensed, his eyes narrowing in suspicion as they turned to her direct attention. She couldn’t blame him. She’d been rather cold to him since the shower.
“Mm, so beautiful out,” she murmured in her sultriest tone. She let her lashes sweep over her blue eyes. “Does your planet always look like this?”
“This season is the longest,” he answered, seeming to relax. “But there’s also a short winter. The Draig get hit worse, as they have the larger mountain range.”
“Why are you fighting the Draig? Because they are different than you?” Ulyssa was truly curious. Both seemed like proud, strong races. After discovering the first species of aliens, humans had put aside their petty interracial issues and they’d became simply human. That had been centuries ago. Could it be the Var and Draig simply had primitive race issues? It seemed a silly thing to fight over, but it happened often enough.
Kirill opened his mouth to answer and then hesitated. He stopped walking to turn to her.
“What?” Ulyssa asked.
“I’m not sure you’re to be trusted,” he answered truthfully.
“Why? Because I refuse to sleep with you again?” she demanded.
“Ah, so you haven’t changed your mind. I thought maybe since you were again speaking to me...” His dark eye searched hers, before he shrugged.
“There’s no reason not to be civil. So, what’s going on with you and the Draig? What do you have against them?”
“In truth, I have nothing against them. The battle I fight now was my father’s war.” Kirill hesitated. He didn’t know what made him confess such a thing, but he did feel better having said it aloud. He looked at Ulyssa. Her wide blue eyes stared back at him—not judging, not assuming. It was rare that anyone looked at him anymore in such a way. He realized she was the only person he could say such a thing to, for she was the only one around him who had no vested interest in peace or war.
“Listen, I’ve been meaning to tell you something.” Ulyssa’s hands wound nervously together before she let them fall again to her sides. “I didn’t mean to insult your father.”
Kirill merely nodded and she said no more about it. They walked in silence. He reached out to touch her shoulder and pull her to a stop next to him.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t change your mind?” he asked. “We aren’t due at Reid’s for awhile longer.”
Ulyssa turned to him, not needing to be told what he meant. The same thing had been on her mind since she declared she wouldn’t submit to him again. She stayed strong. Artfully manipulating her cleavage as she again walked, she asked, “Are you ready to beg for it, your highness?”
“You know I won’t.” As he spoke, his gaze was predictably on her chest.
“Then, I’m afraid I’m famished and wish to get to your brother’s early.” She shot him a brilliant smile, blinking as innocently as she could muster.
Ulyssa just smiled. The Var King was hot-blooded, though he hid it well. It would take no time at all before he caved to her. Her smile turned into a full grin. Her plan was working a lot faster than she thought it would.
Kirill’s expression darkened. He watched her from the corner of his eye. Sacred Cats! She was beautiful. The black gown hugged her slender frame, pulling tight and low across her breasts. Cross lacing worked up the side of the gown, exposing hints of flesh. The skirt flared around her hips to her knees. On her feet, she wore thigh high boots that disappeared beneath the hem of the skirt. Kirill wanted nothing more than to follow the boots up with his hands. He wasn’t fooled by her play of innocence and they both knew it. He walked faster. Under his breath, he muttered, “By all that is Sacred, you are a stubborn briallen!”
* * * *
Reid’s home was built aboveground, in the colossal trees of the forest. At first, Ulyssa didn’t see it from the forest floor. Kirill led the way in moody silence, only to stop beneath a thick overhang of leaves near a large stone bolder. Pushing the branches aside, he revealed a narrow staircase carved into the stone side of the rock. The rock was pressed flat to tree trunk, which was much wider than the old redwoods back on Earth.
“After you,” he said, quietly.
Ulyssa hesitated, looking up around the trunk.
“I assure you, it’s perfectly safe.”
Ulyssa shivered. He stood very close to her back. She could feel his heat, the tickle of his breath on her neck. A momentary wave of lightheadedness passed over her, causing her to sway on her feet.
“Something wrong?” he asked in a tone that had dipped to a low timbre. She felt a hand whisper over her hip, skimming down along the top of her thigh, dangerously near the bottom curve of her backside. The touch was light, but it was enough to remind her how good his hands felt against her flesh. Every nerve lurched to attention.
“No,” she whispered, trying hard to control herself. She stumbled forward, climbing around the steps.
Kirill walked behind her, enjoying the soft sway of her hips as she moved. He was almost positive she did it to tantalize him. He could smell her desire for him, teasing his senses almost as badly as her nearness did. It was a wicked game they played, but he found he much enjoyed their battle of the wills. He wouldn’t give in first, couldn’t give in, but it’d be a
grand thing to watch her try to make him.
They climbed the steps around the base of the thick tree, making it half way around until they came to a door carved into the trunk. A small window was fitted into the wood, but Ulyssa couldn’t see through the dark drape that hung over it on the inside. She looked curiously at Kirill.
“Your brother lives in a tree?” She tried to hide her amusement.
Kirill reached from behind her and knocked on the intricately carved entryway.
“The King knocks?” Ulyssa mused, whispering over her shoulder.
Kirill’s face had come close to hers. He didn’t pull away as her mouth turned to his. Leaning slightly closer, so that when he spoke his lips whispered against hers, he commanded, “Behave yourself, Lyssa.”
A roar sounded from the inside followed by laughter. Kirill gave the door a light nudge and it soundlessly swung open. Ulyssa’s breath caught in her throat. Inside, the tree had been hollowed out, forming polished wood floors with gorgeous natural swirling designs, and walls carved to look like rustic planks. The ceiling, also of wood, spiraled high revealing the home had at least two levels carved into it.
Kirill took her arm and led her up two stairs from the small opening of a front foyer to the main living area. The main level was circular, except along two flat sides were walls were left and rooms carved out behind them. An intricate door was carved into one of the flat walls, leading to a bathroom on one side. The other wall had an opening in it with a bar and barstools, revealing a large kitchen behind it.
Light filtered in from outside from little holes in the ceiling, reflecting off a small glass and mirror dome. In the center of the first floor was a comfortable living area adorned with thick, red couches and matching chairs, throw rugs woven in the same designs popular in the palace.
Shifter Fated Mates: Boxed Set Page 43
