by E A Price
“Mary,” he mumbled gathering her into his arms.
“No,” she groused.
“I’m sorry,” he breathed into her hair. “My Mary, I’m sorry.”
He felt her hot tears on his neck. “It’s okay; it’s not your fault.”
“My Mary,” he mumbled as he held her tightly.
Twenty-Three
Mary told him everything. It was easy. She wasn’t sure why she had ever held back. It felt nice to tell someone who wasn’t Elise or Detective Hotsler.
“They have no idea who?” growled Tomas. His eyes were dark and his face drawn.
“No. Whoever it is, he’s been very good at keeping his distance.”
She wasn’t even completely sure it was a he; it just felt natural to think of him as a ‘he.’ She supposed it could be a she, though according to the detective, that was doubtful.
“To be honest, I haven’t even heard from him in a while.” But then, she had practically stopped leaving her apartment. She had hidden herself away, slowly withdrawing from the world. Maybe he had been too happy to send her threats.
“Maybe he died?” she suggested brightly.
That would be wonderful. Hey, fair’s fair – they were talking about someone who had terrorized her for a decade – dying would be fine with her.
“We can hope, but we can’t rely on that.”
“I know,” she sighed. “Wait, what do you mean, we?”
“We’re going to find him, and I’m going to…”
“How can we find him? The police have been looking for years.”
Tomas harrumphed. “We will find him.”
Mary was grateful for the support, for the effort, but she wasn’t convinced that Tomas would find this guy just because he really, really wanted to.
“I don’t think…”
“I’m coming to Los Lobos with you.”
“You are?”
“Me and two other enforcers. We’ll find this guy one way or another.”
Mary didn’t say anything, just relaxed into Tomas’ embrace, enjoying the way he stroked her hair. She wasn’t sure he would find him, but she wouldn’t say no to him trying.
*
Going home to Los Lobos was strangely dull. The last few days in the leap had been pretty exciting – what with a leap member murdering another, trying to run off with a load of money and kidnapping a cub. Phew – exhausted her just thinking of it. But that was over now, and she was back home – back to her drab, little life.
Tomas and the others – the awful Elvis and nice enough Sam – had arrived at her apartment. The three males were quite pumped to find her stalker, but Mary felt certain they wouldn’t.
Maria confided that Tomas’ father wanted Mary gone because he believed her stalker may pose a threat to the leap. She couldn’t deny that may be a possibility. She wasn’t sure what this guy was capable of, and it was one of the reasons she didn’t feel able to commit to Tomas. How could she commit to anything with this hanging over her head like a freaking guillotine? How could she ask anyone to share this crappy life with her?
Mary cast a sad little look in Tomas’ direction. He was gazing out her window – which had bars of course – on the street below.
Tomas could easily find a new female who would welcome the chance to be kidnapped by him. He would find someone better than her. But she would never find a new Tomas.
“Hey, Mary, how about some food, we’re starving.”
Elvis rudely burst through her thoughts. Tomas gave him a growl.
“I don’t have anything in. I’ve been away, remember?” she said a little peevishly.
Sam clapped Elvis on the shoulder. “We’re going to go grab a bite to eat.”
He gave Tomas a significant look. He was leaving them alone and taking the idiot with him.
“This is a nice place,” commented Tomas as the door closed behind them.
“You sound surprised.”
“No.”
He was disappointed. Perhaps if she lived in a terrible apartment, moving to the leap would be much more appealing.
She moved to collect her bag, and he did it for her, easily clasping it in his large hand.
“This place is so neat,” she murmured as she moved to her bedroom.
“Yeah, I uh, left it tidy.”
“So it wouldn’t look like the scene of a kidnapping?” she teased.
“No.”
Heavens, the whole kidnapping thing felt like it was months ago rather than a couple of weeks.
She pushed her way into her bedroom. Of course, he had seen her bedroom before so she skipped the part where she would usually feel embarrassed. He dropped her bag to the floor, and she marveled at how tidy her bed looked.
“Did you make my bed?”
Tomas shrugged. “Yeah. Couldn’t help myself. Always do mine and my brothers.”
Mary smiled fondly. He had some surprising little habits and quirks that she was starting to adore. She sat on the edge of the bed and patted the place next to her. He slumped onto the bed, his large frame making the mattress dip so much she fell on him.
“Mary,” he rumbled.
“I know, the rules,” she muttered trying to climb off him. But he grasped her arms, stopping her from getting away.
“I want you, more than anything.”
Happiness fluttered in her chest. “I want you, too, but… I just don’t know if I can agree to go back with you.” She wouldn’t drag her problems to the leap.
He nodded, his eyes dimming slightly. He pushed his face into her neck, inhaling deeply, rubbing his chin over her skin.
“Tomas,” she moaned. “Please.”
“Mary, I… ughhhh…”
She bit his ear and then licked the skin, and then bit him again.
“Damnit, Mary.”
He scraped his fangs over her shoulder while his hands pulled at her shirt, pulling it out of her jeans and pushing his hands under it, so he was touching her bare back.
Heavens, she liked feeling his hands on her skin. Liked his rough digits trailing searing paths over her flesh.
“I haven’t done this in a while,” she admitted.
“I’ve never done it.”
“What?!”
Mary pulled away from him in shock, though his hands anchored her by the waist. “You’re a virgin?!” she squawked.
“Yes,” he said slightly bashfully.
“How can you be a virgin?”
“I haven’t had sex before.”
“No, no, no – how can you,” she gestured her finger up and down, “be a virgin. Have you never seen you?!”
Tomas looked mildly bemused.
“I can’t imagine no women ever being interested in you.”
“Maybe a few were, but I didn’t want any of them.”
“But you want me?” she asked incredulously.
“Yes.”
Mary was flustered. She was honored and terrified and still kind of stuck in disbelief. Tomas was… heck, he was one in a freaking million. She wasn’t sure there was anyone else on the planet quite like the man in front of her.
“If you’ve changed your mind…” Tomas started to withdraw his hands.
“No!” she cried, grasping his hands, keeping them in place. “I just… well, I…”
Screw it. She pressed her lips to his and his arms eagerly wrapped around her. He alternated between kissing her mouth and fluttering his lips over her neck. Each time he returned to her neck, but each time he left to explore he went a little further south, undoing one of her shirt buttons each time. It was when he started licking the tops of her breasts that she stopped him. For a second he looked hurt and disappointed.
Mary swallowed, summoning up reserves of courage that hadn’t been seen in years. “We should take our clothes off.”
Tomas’ face exploded with excitement, and he bounced off the bed, nearly sending Mary tumbling in his eagerness. His shirt was tossed aside, and jeans, underwear, and socks quickly followed unti
l she was faced with a very large, completely naked god of a man.
“Oh my,” she murmured.
His manhood was large, and already hard, pointing towards her with intent. It was… beautiful. The thought surprised her. She certainly wasn’t brought up to think things like that. In the past she hadn’t considered them to be things of beauty – far from it, she tried to avoid looking with her previous partners. But this was, and it was all for her. This gorgeous man wanted her as much as she wanted him, and knowing that was thrilling.
“Now you,” murmured Tomas, almost licking his lips.
Mary nodded. She hoped he wouldn’t be disappointed, though really, he had nothing to compare her to – it was perhaps for the best that neither of them had much experience. They could fumble and muddle their way through and find out what they liked together.
She unbuttoned her shirt and slowly allowed it to slip off her body. Tomas was breathing heavily, his chest vibrating as his hardness twitched impatiently. Just as slowly, as teasingly, she pulled her socks off and pushed her pants down her legs. Before him, in only panties and bra, she felt more naked than she had ever been with anyone else. Which was probably true. With all her previous partners she had been wearing more clothes than this. A couple of times it had happened too fast to take more than her panties off. They had been quick fumbles, and she hadn’t been able to undress, not that she really wanted to. With her college boyfriend, she had felt self-conscious and insisted on keeping a vest on. He hadn’t minded – he was getting to have sex, he wouldn’t have minded if she had asked if she could dress up in a squirrel costume.
“Take it all off,” he rumbled.
“Okay,” she squeaked.
Mary tugged her underwear off and gazed up at him. Her body was hardly everything she wanted it to be, but then whose was? Well, Tomas’ – he was already perfection.
Tomas stared down at her with darkening eyes for a few moments until he surprised her and his hands lunged for her breasts. Instead of flinching, she giggled as his massive hands cupped them and started kneading them. His hands massaged the flesh, alternately slowly and then a little roughly, as if he was testing them, finding a rhythm he liked. She found herself liking it. No man had ever paid attention to her breasts before, and she was surprised at the darts of desire that having them caressed sent down to her sex.
Mary’s small hand gripped his bobbing sex, and he stilled, his lips parting. She gave him a slight squeeze, and he let out a low growl. Emboldened, she stroked her hand up and down, enjoying the way he trembled at her touch and the small groans that escaped his lips.
She dropped back on the bed, so she was at the perfect height for him, and she pressed her lips to his hardness.
“Mary,” he rasped.
His skin was silky smooth beneath her lips. She licked her lips, savoring the taste of him. Tomas tangled his fingers in her hair, gently holding her, but not trying to force her movements. She kissed her way up and down his length, and enjoying the way he reacted she licked him. His hips twitched, and she liked the way he was struggling to control himself.
Mary took the head into her mouth, swallowing the drops of his essence, marveling at the taste. She used her hands to massage the length while she sucked on the head. Tomas snarled. Mary vaguely knew what to do – from the romance novel she had been reading and had to hide under her pillow every time it got too raunchy, but knowing he enjoyed it sent her confidence soaring. Her hands started moving more quickly. He was a little too large for her to take more of him in her mouth, so she concentrated her effort on swirling her tongue around the head.
His hips started swaying slightly, and his breathing deepened. Her own sex throbbed with need as she enjoyed his moans and growls.
“Mary, I need…” he hissed.
He seemed to grow even harder, even larger and Mary twisted her hands, redoubling her efforts. He stared down at her with unabated lust. A look no man had ever given her before, a look she never felt possible. She’d never felt so wanted, so needed, so powerful.
Tomas stiffened and threw back his head in a roar. His climaxed exploded, and she swallowed his sweet essence down.
“Mary,” he purred. “That was amazing.”
Feeling smug, she pulled away from him, grinning like a cat. She wasn’t sure she had ever felt so proud as she did at that moment. It was perhaps a strange thing to feel proud for, but she did. She slowly stroked him as he softened slightly.
Carefully, he grasped her hands, removing them and leaned down to pull her into his arms. He put her in the middle of the bed and lay on his side next to her. He ran a hand up and down her body.
Tomas hesitated. “I… I want this to be good for you.”
Mary cupped his cheek and smiled. “Don’t overthink it.”
He scoffed. “I never do.”
“Oh, Tomas.” She kissed him and placed her hands on his shoulders, guiding him over her.
“You’re beautiful,” he murmured.
Mary’s heart blossomed. “Thank you.” She leaned up and kissed him.
Her insides fluttered as the blunt head of his sex pressed against hers. She gripped his hardness and guided him inside. She made him go slow, allowed herself time to adjust to the huge intrusion. Tomas stared down at her with a mixture of awe and concentration.
He growled as he finally filled her, breathing her name as he shuddered around her. His thrusts were slow at first, uncertain but he soon became surer of himself. Encouraged by her moans and whimpers, he managed to find a steady rhythm to suit them both. She ran her hand down his face. There was no hurry, no desperate need to get to the end. There was just tenderness as he stroked in and out of her.
Mary pulled him down closer to her. He lowered himself, wrapping his arms around her shoulders as his thrusts became shorter, harder. It was all so perfect, so beautiful, she wanted it to go on forever, but she could feel him trembling in her arms, wanting to wait for her to feel pleasure. She would not deny him, would not keep him on edge.
She pushed her hips up to meet him, gasping as her clit brushed against him. Her body must have tightened, must have clutched him harder because he snarled and quickly pumped himself inside her.
Her moans turned to cries as her body didn’t so much climb as leap to her release.
“Tomas,” she moaned.
He let out a growl and gave one last, hard drive inside her before he burst. He roared, and she screamed as her body shattered with ecstasy. She cuddled her lovely Tomas to her, kissing his chest as they calmed. At that moment there was only the two of them, and it was bliss.
Twenty-Four
Mary and Tomas were freshly showered by the time the other jaguars returned, but given Elvis’ smirking expression, he knew what they had been up to. Tomas snarled at him but that was it – he was far too relaxed to be angry at the other male. His jaguar was virtually purring like a kitten.
Elvis and Sam had picked up a few groceries and set about putting them away in the kitchen while also making coffee and devouring a cake they bought. Jaguars never seemed to get full.
Tomas caught Mary’s eye, she smiled and blushed, and he beamed at her. She had been worth the wait. He couldn’t imagine it being the same with any other female. He only ever wanted her, and there was the problem.
He sensed she wasn’t planning on coming back to the mountain. If she was, he might have delayed the physical stuff until they officially mated. Rawr! Well, okay he probably wouldn’t have delayed it any longer, but he wanted to be with her because he feared this might be his only chance. He was glad they had taken the plunge. None of his imaginings or expectations prepared him for how wonderful it was, how amazing it had felt. He and his beast were on cloud nine. Now if only he could make sure he felt this way forever.
Mary checked her mail, mewling as she discovered letter after letter from her stalker. Tomas and the other jaguars pored over them, trying to scent them, trying to find a clue as to who wrote them. They couldn’t detect a particular scent;
the paper had been sprayed with noxious perfumes – probably to deter shifters like them.
The threats weren’t particularly inventive. Some of them were short.
Where are you bitch?
How dare you leave, you bitch. You will pay for this.
No matter where you are, I will find you and teach you a lesson, bitch.
Her stalker liked the word bitch.
I will kill any male you even look at.
Mary sighed. “I need to show these to the detective on my case.”
Tomas huffed. The same detective who had been working on her case for ten years – hardly seemed worth it.
Mary gave him a patient look. “He’s tried but as I say – this guy is like a ghost.” She chewed on her lip. “I don’t know how we can hope to find him when the detective hasn’t.”
Tomas reread a letter over and over, the one threatening graphic violence to any man she dated. An idea clicked into place. His jaguar chuffed in agreement.
“I have an idea.”
Elvis rolled his eyes.
“You’re not planning on playing detective, are you?” asked Mary.
“No.”
“Then you want to try and flush him out,” she guessed correctly.
“We’ll go to a restaurant together. Sam and Elvis will follow and look for him. You won’t be in danger.”
“You will be!” she exclaimed, grabbing some of the threats and throwing them at him. “Read the freaking letters!”
Tomas snorted and inflated his chest. “He won’t get near to me.”
No, the only one who was in danger was the asshole that had interfered with his mate’s life for far too long now. That ended now.
*
“Mary, come in, sit down.”
Detective Hotsler’s smile faltered a little on seeing Tomas looming over her, but he was polite as always.
Tomas pulled out a chair for Mary and waited for her to sit, before dropping into the seat next to her. In spite of Tomas’ assertion that he would be ‘fine,’ Mary insisted they take the threats to the detective. She wanted to keep him in the loop at least, and hopefully get him to talk some sense into him. Tomas may be big, and strong, and hunky and gorgeous… darn, she forgot her point… ummm… oh right! He may be all those things, but he was not invincible. She wanted Hotsler to tell him ‘hell no’ on his idea to lure her stalker out.
