by Gina Kincade
She gasped and pulled away. Yeah, no. She wasn’t ready for that. In a month, she’d have to leave. She couldn’t give up all that she’d worked so hard for. Not even for the most amazing sex of her life.
When he pulled away again, she let him go. He shook out the T-shirt he still had fisted in his hand and drew it over his head, hiding the body she wanted nothing more than to lick all over.
“This is going to get worse, isn’t it? The mating craze?” she asked when he ran his fingers through his hair and then held his hand out to her to help her from the table.
“Yeah. It’ll keep growing until we’re mated.”
“What if we never mate?” she asked, her heart pounding. She couldn’t live the rest of her life in this perpetual state of lust.
He shrugged. “I guess we’ll figure that out when the time comes.” Draven handed her the helmet and strode back to the bike in silence.
“I guess so.”
Chapter Seven
Even through the helmet, raucous noise greeted him the moment Draven cut the engine. He parked the bike in the garage next to his car. If Kirk wanted his bike back, he could come and get it. Cortney handed him her helmet and stretched. Damn. All he wanted to do was pull her into his arms, and forget everything except getting lost in her body, and she wasn’t making it any easier by putting herself on display like that. Not that he’d complain. He loved everything about her body even if it did make his cock twitch and ache with need.
He’d spent the entire last leg of the trip reining his phoenix in, pulling it under control so that he could be with her and still keep his word of giving her the time she needed. It wasn’t going to be easy, but he’d do it. He’d spent many lifetimes without her. Another day wouldn’t kill him. It would be damned uncomfortable with all of his blood taking residence in his cock rather than in the rest of his body, but he’d manage.
“I wish I could save you from this,” he told her as he hit the button to close the garage door.
“Save me from what? You?” she asked as she reached behind her and rubbed her ass.
He groaned and stuck his hands in his pockets to keep from replacing her hands with his. “No, there will be no saving you from me. I meant from the people about to converge on us. Kirk will have told everyone that you’re on your way. They’ll want to meet their new Mistress.”
“What?” she screeched. “I’m not sold on having sex with you, I’m sure as shit not having an orgy with the rest of the clan,” she said, her hands up as though to ward Draven off.
It took a moment for her words to sink in. When they did, Draven threw his head back and laughed. The more he laughed, the deeper her frown became. If only she knew how adorable she looked when she was angry. He wouldn’t tell her so. He valued all his body parts too much for that, but it just made him want to cuddle her closer rather than run from her fury.
“You won’t be having sex with anyone other than me. Ever again,” he assured her. “Mistress is the title you hold as my mate, but for the most part, people will just call you by name.” He thought that would make her happy, but from the scowl she gave him, that wasn’t the right thing to say.
“That’s not been decided yet, now has it?”
“No, it hasn’t. You’re right,” Draven agreed, more to appease Cortney than because of his conviction. “I’m going to take you through the castle, but we’ll have to go outside and greet the Odyssey. Otherwise, they’ll come to us, and we don’t want that.”
“Why not?” she asked, the fight leaving her features, only to be replaced by worry.
He held his hand out to her, and to his amazement, she took it. “Only because it’ll be easier for us to get away when you’re ready for some quiet time if everyone isn’t inside.”
“So, they’re going to want to have a party?”
He shrugged. “They’ll want to get to know you. That’s all. At least you’ll have someone you know in the group,” he offered. Bringing Trista to the Odyssey had been a fantastic idea. Not only did they get to see if she was a match for any of their males, but Cortney wouldn’t feel so alone. It was a win-win in his books.
At the mention of her friend, her eyes brightened. “Okay, let’s go. I’m sure Trista is feeling a little out of her element out there by herself.”
He led her through his home, stopping at his bedroom door only long enough to drop her bag inside before taking her out to the front. They hadn’t made it two steps outside before Jasmine rushed over, getting a little too close for comfort.
Cortney took one look at her and then glared at him. What had he done now? He hadn’t even said a single word.
“Hi, I’m Jasmine,” the bubbly blonde announced and put her hand out for Cortney to shake. “Trista tells me that you’re Draven’s mate. Maybe now he won’t be so crotchety,” she continued to say.
Cortney looked at him again, her eyes narrowing, before turning to Jasmine. “I’m Cortney.”
“I know. Trista told us all about you. We’re thrilled to have you join us. I run the store down the street, so if you need anything, just let me know, okay? I’m sure Draven will let you put everything you want on his tab, right, Draven?”
As always, he had a hard time keeping up with the speed of the woman’s conversation. She was a whirlwind at the best of times, and it became almost ridiculous when she was excited as she obviously was right then. “Yes, of course. Anything she wants. Trista, too.”
He hadn’t even noticed Ry standing to his left until his second grunted and shook his head. His jaw worked as he ground his teeth and crossed his arms over his chest.
Draven looked at him, awareness of the tension radiating from the man seeping into him. “So where is she?” he asked.
Ry looked ahead to where a bunch of men circled the petite woman. Holy shit. Trista’s aura vibrated all around her, hues of every different shade of blue surrounded her. Ry’s chest heaved with each breath he took. If he didn’t do something, the bulging veins in his friend’s neck would burst. “Hey, Jas, would you mind getting Trista for us? I’m sure Cortney would like to speak with her.”
The woman smiled. “Of course. I’m very pleased to meet you, Mistress. I hope you’ll be very happy here.”
“Thank you,” Cortney mumbled, her cheeks turning bright pink. “I thought you said they would call me by name,” she said as she watched Jasmine go.
“They will. Right now, it’s too new. Until they’re more familiar with you, they’ll address you according to your station, but that should settle after a while.”
A high pitched scream came from where Trista had been. In a flurry of movement, the woman was rushing through the crowd toward them. “Holy shit, Cort. You live in a fucking castle now,” she said when she got close enough.
“I do?” Cortney grabbed her friend’s hand and pulled her right next to her.
“Didn’t you see it?”
She shook her head. “No, not really, we came in through the back. The trees blocked most of the view.”
Trista made a move to pull Cortney away from him. He had to stop them. Their mating wasn’t complete. Having her so close to so many unmated males without him by her side would infuriate the phoenix. “Hey, Trista, have you met Ryland?”
Trista looked at him for the first time since she’d come up on his doorstep. “No, I don’t think I have.”
Ry came up next to him, his body a lot less tense than it had been moments before. Trista looked over at him, and her mouth dropped open.
“Ry, this is Trista.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Ry answered as he took her hand and brought her knuckle to his lips.
“Well, hello, handsome,” the woman replied with a huge smile.
“Trista was kind enough to agree to spend a month with us to ease Cortney’s transition. I’d consider it a personal favor if you could ensure that her month here is as comfortable as can be. She’ll be staying in one of the guest homes. I was thinking the one next to your house. It has the second best vi
ew of the lake.”
He nodded and the rest of the tension drained out of him. “I’ll be happy to help you get settled once things die down here,” he offered before finally letting go of her hand.
Trista smiled and gave Cortney a wink.
“Great. Now let’s get this party started. The sooner all the introductions are made, the sooner everyone can go home.” He placed Cortney’s hand in the crook of his arm before leading her down into the waiting crowd.
Chapter Eight
Everyone had welcomed Cortney with open arms. She’d expected at least some of the women to be bitchy or resent her for being with the head of the Odyssey, but she didn’t get a bad vibe from anyone. Had it not been for the constant sexual need inundating her entire being, she would have enjoyed the gathering and subsequent barbecue by the lake.
Trista hadn’t left her side, and Ry had stayed glued to Trista, which had left her friend all smiles and giggles. Between the heated stares the two of them shared, and the sexy vibes Draven was casting her way, she could hardly breathe.
When Trista had grinned and announced she was tired and wanted to get settled, and Ry had jumped up to accompany her, Cortney was almost glad. Within moments, Draven had informed the people still hanging around that they were heading home. He took her hand as he led her away from the crowd.
It wasn’t until they rounded the corner that Cortney caught her first good look at the huge home that was Draven’s. The castle was a lot bigger than she’d originally thought. There was a whole section she hadn’t seen when they’d first arrived that curved away from the lake front. Two tall towers rose above the treeline.
Draven followed her gaze. “The castle was built by my ancestors. Back then, for safety purposes, the whole Odyssey lived under one roof. Over the centuries, as our species became accepted and the hunting of phoenixes was outlawed, the heads of families chose to build homes of their own. Most stayed close, but some left and started their own Odysseys in the neighboring communities. Now it’s just like any other town, except my house is huge—and very empty.”
“Does that bother you? Being alone, I mean?” she asked. The tingling heat started in her palm where he held her hand, and climbed her arm, tickling at her neck.
He grinned at her, and her heart melted a little. He couldn’t possibly be lonely with all those people around him all the time. It was obvious that his people cared for, and respected him. Even the half dozen or so children she’d seen had come running to him for hugs and to share stories with him when they’d first arrived.
He gave her a long look. “I’m not going to lie to you, Cortney. People surround me, some are blood-related, the others are family by choice. I care for each and every one of them, but that doesn’t mean I’m not lonely. I’ve waited a long time to find my mate—to find you. Lifetimes, in fact. And I won’t give you up without a fight.”
She opened her mouth to deny him, but she couldn’t. The fact was, she liked Draven. The sexual pull was intense, and a little overwhelming, but it was more than that. He had an easy smile that reached his eyes when surrounded by his people. And she couldn’t ignore the fact that he’d been considerate of her from the moment he’d realized she was his mate. Even when the craze had hit them both hard, he’d taken care of her needs, and ignored his own. If his body ached just a fraction of what hers did, he had to be more than a little uncomfortable. At least she’d had an orgasm to ease the tension a little.
When they entered his home, he led her up the stairs, then hesitated at his bedroom door. “I’m to stay in the same room with you, aren’t I? Sharing the same bed?” she asked. If her memory served her right, that’s what the PMAC stipulated. Her nipples tightened at the thought of being pressed up against him, skin to skin.
“According to the PMAC, yes. We’re supposed to be getting to know one another on every level. That includes the bedroom. If you don’t want to stay in my room, I’ll make you a deal,” he told her with a devilish grin that had her heart pounding and her palms going damp.
“What kind of deal?”
“Since we’re supposed to be getting to know one another, both in and out of the bedroom, I’ll leave it up to you when you start sleeping in my room. For now, you can have the guest room right next to mine.”
“Okay. What’s the catch?”
He opened his bedroom door and stepped aside. “Since you won’t be sleeping in here with me, then I get to give you an orgasm each day. I get to choose when, where, and how. No holds barred. I can touch, taste, and do whatever I want, as long as it leads to your climax.”
“I don’t think that’s a compromise at all,” she said as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other to ease the throb between her legs.
“How long do you think we could keep our hands off each other if we’re lying in bed together for an entire night? And the next morning? I think one orgasm a day is a reasonable request. Plus, it’ll take the edge off the craze,” he offered as if his proposal made all the sense in the world.
She had to admit, it did. She’d been aching for Draven for hours, and there was no end in sight. There was no way she was going a whole month like this. “Okay, I agree. We’ll start now.”
Chapter Nine
Draven opened his mouth, ready to argue his point. Of course, he had every right to have Cortney in his bed for the entire thirty days, and if he wanted to, he could push the issue, and there would be a hell of a lot more orgasms than once a day, but he wasn’t an idiot. The last thing he wanted was for her to resent him.
He blinked as her words finally registered. He’d expected her to argue the fact that he’d already made her climax today, but she’d said now. His mind wasn’t playing tricks on him. She’d agreed to another. “Now is perf—”
She stopped him with a long, hard kiss that left him—and his phoenix—reeling. When she pulled away, her eyes were bright, her lips puffy, and she was the most deliciously stunning woman he’d ever seen.
“You didn’t think you and those sexy flames of yours would be off the hook after teasing me all day, did you?” Her gaze dipped to his lips, so when she brought her hands up and pulled him in for another kiss, he was ready.
With a single swipe of his tongue, she opened up for him, deepening their kiss. Fingernails digging into his shoulders, she clung to him, demanding more. Too soon, she was pulling away again.
“So, I guess the when has been decided,” she said between panted breaths. “Now you just have to figure out the where and how.” She shifted from side to side, teasing his cock with the sweet friction of her body. Even clothed as they both were, the heat between them made his cock twitch.
Unable to think past the need pounding through him, he cupped her ass and lifted her so that his cock was lined up with her pussy. “Right here. However you want it.”
Cortney moaned and wrapped her legs around his waist, grinding herself on him. She reached behind and tugged his shirt up his back, scraping her fingernails along his spine as she did.
He took her deeper into his room, not stopping until his thighs hit the edge of the bed, then lowered her onto her back. “Don’t move,” he ordered. If she touched him, he’d blow like a fucking rocket. The need pulsing through him was too deep, too tense. One stroke of that dainty little hand of hers over his cock and he would be done. He had to get out of his clothes. The constriction was long past uncomfortable.
Cortney lay there, watching him. When he pulled his shirt off, she didn’t avert her gaze. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips, and she gripped the bedspread on either side of her, clenching her fists. “Can I move now? I want to touch you.”
He shook his head and lowered his hands to the snap of his jeans. “Not yet.”
Her eyes widened with the soft rasp of his zipper. She took a deep breath and held it, not letting it go until he yanked his jeans down, taking his boxers along with them.
His cock throbbed at the sound of her soft moan. Nudging his way between her knees, he helped Cortney sit, b
efore pulling her shirt up and over her head. She wiggled against him, lifting her arms, helping him as much as he’d allow, but when she reached for him, he took her wrists and brought her hands back down to her sides.
“Don’t move,” he ordered again. “If I’m to sleep alone, I want to memorize every moment so I can fantasize about your beautiful body. I’ll imagine your gorgeous breasts as I stroke myself.” He pulled the cups of her bra down, releasing the objects of his fascination before licking first one, then the other tight bud. “I’ll remember the taste, and feel of your nipples on my tongue.” He leaned in again and sucked one between his lips, moaning when she lifted her hands to his head, pulling him closer.
“You won’t have to stroke yourself. We can both have orgasms,” Cortney offered as she fisted her hands in Draven’s hair.
He grinned against her soft skin, then released her with a pop. “It won’t be enough. One orgasm will never be enough. Not for me, and not for you,” he warned. And it wouldn’t. The craze would only get worse. The only way to calm the phoenix, and ease the craze was to mate. That meant filling her with his seed and allowing the phoenix full rein on her body. None of that would happen until she allowed it. If she thought today was bad, she had no idea what she—what they both—were in for in the days to come.
He trailed his fingers down her body, caressing her soft skin, relishing in the goosebumps that rose in the wake of his touch. Her jeans came off next, and he tossed them aside, not caring where they landed, leaving her in nothing but a skimpy pair of pink lace panties. They covered nothing. So fucking sexy. He leaned forward, stopping just short of touching the soft material with his nose.
