Mating Instinct (The COMPLETE Ridgeville Series)
Page 7
Unease wormed its way into her blood, flooding her veins with a new nervous tension. The cat grumbled and growled, not liking the direction of her thoughts, but there wasn’t much Maya could do about them.
Her mate suddenly breathed deep, his nostrils flaring and then his eyes lost some of their golden hue.
“Maya,” his expression was so tender she almost cried.
Well, she almost got teary. She was not a pretty crier.
“Come inside.”
“Alex.” She shook her head. “I don’t think—”
“Lemme show you our house. If you hate it, we’ll find something else.”
The lion inside her craved to follow his lead and she was powerless against the beast. Instead of locking the doors, hiding, when he came around to get her she allowed him to help her exit. She allowed him to lead her forward. She allowed him to tug her into the massive house. Hell, mansion.
The marble floors shone, the sun shining through the windows and glinting off the slick tiles. Colors decorated the stone, the stained glass window filling the area above the front door throwing off a rainbow of colors. She looked up and up and found a chandelier hanging high above her.
Dear God, this was way too high class for her. Give her a beer, ice cream, and cookie dough—not necessarily in that order—and she was happy.
They probably drank wine with their raw meet. Not the cheap stuff, either. No, it was probably four hundred dollars a bottle. She bet they had a wine cellar.
She was so out of her depth, it wasn’t even funny.
“Alex…” More panic assaulted her. Who the hell had she been kidding? This was so not her.
He tugged her close, wrapping her in his arms, comforting her with his embrace. “Shh… Lemme show you the rest and then you can freak out on me.” He rubbed his cheek against the top of her head and his scent surrounded her, covered her.
Immediately some of her anxiety eased. Her lioness padded forward, chuffing and whining, urging her to relax. The beast knew—even if the human didn’t—they belonged in the Ridgeville pride house.
Taking a deep breath, she nodded. “Okay, show me this mansion.”
Alex snorted. “That implies it’s fancy.”
Now it was her turn to snort. Between the ginormous pillars, the huge stained glass window and the sparkling chandelier, she knew that “fancy” wasn’t a good enough word to describe the house. Hoity-toity worked as well.
She needed ice cream. STAT.
Maya shuffled over the polished tiles, her heels dragging across the smooth surface. He tugged her past the first arch, waving toward a decidedly formal dining room. A long, solid wood table able to seat over a dozen people stretched from one end of the room to the other, large chairs encircling the piece of furniture.
Damn it, there were two chandeliers in there.
“I don’t think…”
He didn’t listen, the jerk, and kept drawing her along.
The next entryway revealed what could only be a living room. It looked so posed and untouched. The carpet was free of foot prints and she was afraid to even step into the space.
“Yeah, my mother never let anyone in there and it’s stayed that way.” Alex’s seductive voice filled her ear.
“Your mother? She’s…”
“Dad retired and they moved to Florida. You won’t have to deal with them for a while yet.”
Thank God.
Then they were on the move once again, his hand not releasing her as they continued. She spied a set of sweeping stairs and gulped. The house was huge.
They approached the next room and Maya held her breath. What would this one be? Probably another one where she couldn’t touch anything out of fear of breaking something. Hell, she wouldn’t be able to wear shoes in the house. If she stayed, no one would wear shoes in the house. She had half a mind to kick hers off and demand Alex do the same.
“And this is the family room.” He tugged her close and she willingly went into his arms, snuggling close against his side.
Maya waited to stare into the room as long as she could, not looking forward to facing another fancy-schmancy space. She slowly turned her head, anxious about what she’d find, and then the air left her lungs in a speeding whoosh.
“Oh. My. God.” She couldn’t hide the awe in her voice.
“I know.” She heard, rather than saw, his cocky smile.
Carefully, uncaring of her shoes now, she stepped into the huge space. It held stained carpets, sagging leather furniture, and the biggest flat screen television she’d ever seen.
“It’s…” She counted the blemishes in the carpet, and the holes in the leather cushions. She turned her head, spotting something in the corner. “Is that a refrigerator?” She strode to the appliance and tugged the door open. Beer. Row after row of beer bottles and cans. “It is.” She bent down and peeked into the space, spying familiar brands and one or two she’d never heard of. And then… “Light beer?” She popped up. “Ew. Do I need to take away your man card?”
Alex snorted. “Nah, those are Deuce’s.”
Maya let the door swing shut and returned to his side. One last glance at the room, at the haphazard arrangement and the obvious lack of cleaning, and then turned to him.
“What do you think, Prima?” His voice deepened as he said her title.
“I think I could live here. I won’t ever step foot in the front rooms, but if this is the real you, I can live here.”
“With me.” His narrowed eyes told her how she better answer.
“With you.” She stroked his chest. “Only you.”
“And your guards. And the house’s guards. And our cubs.”
“I’ll grant you the cubs though we need to talk about that number. I’m thinking twins since I won’t have to do the whole pregnancy thing twice.” She narrowed her eyes. “What’s this about guards?”
A ripple of fur slid along his jaw, there and gone in a blink. “Cubs.”
“Yes. And guards.” She poked him. She was not being followed around.
“I think we should focus on cubs.” He leaned down and nuzzled her neck.
Damn it, she couldn’t get turned on now. Focus. She had to focus. “Guard—”
Crap. His teeth came into place, scratching and scraping her. Then he lapped at her mating mark and all was lost. Dear lord, he had a wicked mouth.
She figured she’d try one last time. “Alex, the Queen of Booblandia demands—”
Oops, that gave him ideas because then his hands were on said boobs and all thoughts of trying disappeared.
“Need you.”
With a growl, he pulled away and grabbed her hand, twining his fingers with hers. He tugged her along behind him, pulling her down the hallway.
“Alex?”
Her mate didn’t respond, but did wave at different parts of the house as they traveled along. “Kitchen. Laundry room. Backyard.” He drew her up the steps. “Guest rooms. Guard’s rooms. Eventually the cubs’ rooms.” He towed her to the last set of double doors, pausing long enough to flash her a feral smile. “Our room.”
Maya followed him into the large space, taking note of the dark furniture, the warm colors and decidedly masculine pieces. This was his sanctuary.
She wondered if he’d mind her painting it pink. Or purple. Maybe a nice blue that said it was blue on the swatch but actually looked purple. There, he could pretend to be manly while she got her way.
Movement to her left snared her attention and then Alex flicked on a light, filling the room with the glow.
She took in the man who stood before her and he was just as gorgeous as the night before. With sex on her mind, her arousal sparked to life. His skin-tight shirt and formfitting jeans outlined his muscles, and saliva gathered in her mouth. I will not drool.
All thoughts of “good enough” vanished with their trip through the pride house. Two rooms out of a gajillion were pretty and perfect. The rest looked lived and loved in. Loving… She wanted to love all of him from head to tail.
Maya took a step forward and he retreated. She took another, and once again, Alex stepped back. She stalked him, a delicate dance between new mates.
“Alex…” The lioness needed him to stop. Not wanted, but needed.
“Come along, mate.” He smirked at her, making a “come here” motion with his fingers as he moved away.
Oh, how she’d love to have those skillful digits inside her again. Damn, the idea of being filled by him and rubbing her G-spot, sent a shiver of arousal shooting down her spine.
She playfully growled as he continued to move away from her, as more and more space separated them. The cat was getting tired of waiting, and wasn’t against using her newly acquired speed to her advantage. Maya shot forward and threw her weight into the pounce, forcing Alex to the ground with a heavy thud. Sprawled atop him—a knee on either side of his hips—she now had her man exactly where she wanted him.
A motorboat-like purr filled her chest. “Maya…”
She nuzzled his neck, drawing his scent into her lungs and stoking her need. She ached to have her mate inside her, pleasuring her, while they claimed each other once again. Yes, the bites were exchanged, but their mating ritual hadn’t exactly gone down the normal route. At least, that was what her lioness told her. And it was high time they made it right.
She lapped at his neck, gathered his sweet-sweat taste on her tongue, flicked over the now-healing bite of his shoulder. A shudder wracked Alex’s body and Maya realized the wound must be his hotspot. Interesting.
Placing her hands on his chest she levered herself up until she sat up on his groin, the hard line of his cock nudging her from beneath. Oh, yes. With one hand she pulled at the center of his shirt, slicing down the front with a single claw, baring her mate’s torso to her gaze. Inch-by-inch the hard planes of his chest were revealed, and she found herself desperate for another taste. She wanted to bite and nibble every part of him, mark him from head-to-toe to warn others away from her mate.
“Maya,” he growled as he gripped her hips, pushing down as he ground his cloth-covered cock against her. “I’m trying to be patient, baby. But I’m hanging on by a thread. Please… please… can you just give me a little something?”
She could certainly get used to his begging.
Most definitely.
With a wicked smile she rose to her feet, stared down at her man’s fierce gaze. With quick, efficient movements, she whipped her shirt off, and then used her claws to shred her new skirt and panties from her body. He seemed desperate to have her and she was just as needy.
She wasn’t sure where this newfound bravado came from, but she wasn’t second guessing herself now. Though she had curves upon luscious curves, Alex looked at her like she was a goddess and he wanted to worship at her altar.
Maya tugged control from her cat, forced her hands to resume their human shape, then cupped one her breasts, kneaded the flesh and plucked and pinched her hardened nipple. The hint of a sting inched her arousal higher, causing her pussy to clench, tighten and release more of her musky scent into the air.
Alex licked his lips, staring at her like his first plate of food after rescued from a deserted island.
“Like what you see, Lion-o?”
He nodded slowly, his gaze transfixed on her bared mounds.
Maya stepped back, feet still straddling him, and crouched. She traced the line of his hard dick, the long shaft held captive within his jeans. Poor baby. She palmed his cock, delighting as it throbbed and twitched in her hand.
“You ready for me?”
He growled, but didn’t utter a word.
She wasn’t sure she could keep the lioness back any longer. The damned bitch wanted to wrench control from her, and claim the lion properly.
All in good time.
With a flick of her fingers she popped the button on his jeans, and then tugged the zipper down, ever-so-slowly. More and more of his flesh was exposed, causing her mouth to water, aching for a taste of him. Damn, it’d only been hours, but she wanted him again. And again. And again.
Alex snarled and she stroked his rippling abdomen, petting and soothing him. “Soon, mate. Soon.”
He settled, but kept his narrowed eyes trained on her. She admired the level of control he exhibited. Her she-cat recognized Alex’s dominance, but also appreciated his passive behavior.
Hooking her fingers beneath the waist of his pants she stood and eased them down his legs, stopping only long enough to rid him of shoes, before working to get him completely nude.
She then crawled over his bare body, rubbed and nuzzled her way along his legs, pausing when her face met his groin. His dick was hard for her, standing tall with a tiny droplet of pre-cum shining at the tip. Part of her, the horny, cat-slut side, wanted to lap at his cream. But the other part wanted him inside her pussy first.
Maya continued her travels along his body until her hips hovered over his, the tip of his dick teasing along her soaking slit, petting her with his spongy head, making her shudder on contact.
“Oh, Alex…” She really did purr—a vocal representation of absolute contentment.
“Maya, it better be soon…or you’re going to get fucked hard, whether you like it or not.” A thrill raced through her then, filling every inch and then some. But even her lioness recognized the “threat” in his aggressive words.
She reached beneath her, grasped his heated shaft and positioned his swollen crown at the entrance to her heat. With infinite care she lowered herself, let him fill and stretch her, touch her electrified nerves, inch-by-pleasurable-inch.
Alex slid his palms along her thighs, not rushing her, touching and stroking her skin. She slowly fell, as more and more of him spread her pussy wide. Her hips rested against his, her cunt throbbing and pulsing around his satisfying invasion.
Breathing heavy, she leaned forward, changed the angle of penetration and caressed his chest with the palms of her hands, sifted her fingers through the downy fur that’d formed during her playful torture. Oh, her fierce lion was already nearing the edge.
Alex gripped her hips, fingers digging into her plump flesh, the pinpricks of pain telling her his digits had become claws. Her she-cat purred and rolled onto her back from within, thrilled that she’d pushed her mate that far.
Deciding to give her lover some relief she raised her hips, heat dragging along his shaft, yanking a groan from inside his chest. Vibrations traveled along his cock, transferring to her, through her, intensifying her need to heights she’d never reached before.
“Fuck, Maya,” he hissed. The pain at her hips increased, and at the same time, the burning ache in her pussy caused her to clamp down hard on his dick. “Fuck me, sweet lioness.”
She giggled, smiling down at him. “That’s what I’m doing.”
Rising, her pussy lips reached the tip, then she quickly reversed course. She took him back into her, nice and slow. Then she moved up and down again, repeating the motion of her hips, her body loving each of his pleasure-filled invasions. She flexed her re-formed claws and pierced his skin, the scent of their blood misting the air.
God, the hint of his essence called to her cat, causing her canines to elongate, piercing her gums as they grew. Maya increased the pace of her fucking, shuddering with every meeting of their hips, his pelvis hitting her clit just right. Her pussy twitched as it milked him, the tremors of her impending climax dancing wildly through her.
Panting, she moved quicker still, the sounds of their flesh meeting filling the room, mingling with their heavy pants. Alex used his grip to increase the force of her movements, his hips meeting her descending thrusts.
One of her hands abandoned his chest, moving to her breast to massage it, tugging on her nipple just hard enough to feel a pinch. Her pussy responded, and her clit thr
obbed with the thunderous beating of her heart. She moaned, her gaze intent on Alex’s, imagining the color of her eyes mirrored his fiery gold, their arousal a palpable presence in the room.
At some point Alex had snatched control from her, as he now held her hips steady, furiously pumping his cock, pounding her aching pussy while giving her the pleasure she so desperately craved.
“Yes, yes, yes…” She needed him, desired him like no other before, and her she-cat was readily in agreement.
The man loving her from below was hers. Hers. No other lioness would dare steal him if they cared for their lives.
“Come for me, kitten. Come on my cock and I’ll claim you again.”
She growled, the idea sending her excitement soaring, her orgasm running toward her, swift, like a lioness chasing her prey. She bared her teeth at Alex, answering him with the primal sound of her beast. The cat was annoyed by his order, regardless of the fact—more than anything—she wanted to come.
“Quit your bitching, she-cat, and come.” He growled at her, and the lioness inside accepted his dominance.
Maya panted and purred as her climax was nearly within reach. Seconds passed as her approaching orgasm abruptly brought her to the precipice, trying its damnedest to hurl her over the edge.
“Claim me again, my she-cat. My beautiful lioness.”
With a fierce, explosive snarl and roar her pussy convulsed, until one spasm melted into the next, faster as she tiptoed on the edge. Her climax was so close. Right there, and yet…
Then, Alex shifted his hold, brought a finger to her clit and strummed the sensitive nub, the tip of his claw gently scraping against the bundle of nerves. That was all she needed to find her release.
Her orgasm overtook her, slammed into her like a thousand explosions, a wild eruption that stole what was left of her control. Maya let go, gave in, doing the only thing that would surely make her beast happy. She leaned forward, snarl on her lips, and she struck like lightning, sinking her teeth into her mate’s flesh, biting into his pec until blood filled her mouth.
An answering shot of pain hit her like a sledgehammer when Alex’s teeth sank deep into her shoulder, the bit of hurt intensifying her bliss tenfold. Wave after wave of rapture coalesced, exploding within the confines of her skin, her she-cat roaring as ecstasy filled her from head-to-toe. The bitch reveled in their renewed, proper claiming.