Mating Instinct (The COMPLETE Ridgeville Series)

by Kyle, Celia

  Now she was completely bared to his gaze.

  “So pretty. So pink.” He pet the juncture of her thighs, stroking the very edge of her lower lips and a tremble shook her. “Elise? You okay? We don’t have to do this. If you’re not ready…”

  Oh, her sweet mate. He must have thought her shiver was based in fear, not arousal. She was quick to reassure him. “I want you, Brute. Take me. Mate me. Make me yours.”

  Growling, Brute lowered further, mouth hovering over her heat once again. He rubbed his cheek along her warm flesh, stroking and marking her with his scent. “Mine.”

  “Yours.” She watched, rapt, as his tongue snaked out and flicked the seam of her nether lips. A new burst of arousal and want filled her with the second touch of his tongue. Another teasing of her slit, another gathering of her juices.

  “Mmm… So sweet. S’good, sweet fox. I could get drunk on you.” He settled more comfortably between her spread thighs then, easing down until he was nearly eye level with her weeping pussy.

  That nimble muscle returned, sliding between her folds and slithering over her aroused flesh. He started at the center of her heat and then traveled north, ending his journey with a rapid flick against her needy clit. Elise groaned.

  Brute repeated the caress. He once again started at her wet opening, circling the center of her desire before tormenting the bundle of nerves at the top of her slit.

  “Oh, god, Brute. Please.” She kept her gaze locked on his, hopefully projecting her level of desperation.

  Her mate groaned, vibrations adding to her desire, and then gave her a little more of what she needed. He circled and teased her clit, round and round, sending her arousal burning hotter. He pulled her lips apart with his fingers, exposing her soaking pussy to the cool air and then got back to tormenting her once again.

  Brute lapped, licked, nipped and sucked her clit as she writhed and moaned beneath him. He teased her with rapid flicks and then tortured her with slow, sweeping strokes. He kept her on edge, bringing her high and then helping her float back down.

  Elise rocked her hips, chasing the pleasure that her mate promised. But the lion wasn’t having it. Brute held her hips still and ceased stroking her with his tongue until she settled. The moment she relented to his silent demand, the pleasure was rekindled.

  “Brute,” she whined.

  Her mate hummed against her and she moaned in response. So good. So hot and wonderful and…

  “Please.” She gasped when he gently scraped his fang over her clit.

  That earned her another hum, the vibrations adding to her arousal. That hum then turned into a deep purr that filled every inch of her body. She felt the quivering shakes from head to toe, the sensations then centering on her nipples and pussy.

  “Oh, shit.” Elise arched, aching to follow his movements and drag herself to the edge of orgasm.

  Brute purred louder then, harder until she felt like a tuning fork as wave after wave of his sounds danced along her nerves. Her mate was going to purr her to climax.

  His tongue centered on her clit, circling round and round in a steady rhythm, the move joining with the steady tempo of his cat’s purrs.

  And still his focus was on her as they shared this intimacy. He lapped and licked her juices from her most private place, giving her more pleasure than she’d ever experienced. And she could feel her orgasm building.

  It darted in and out of reach, nimble like her fox, making her body work for the elusive pleasure of release. Her nipples hardened and tingled, pinpoints of need in the maelstrom of ecstasy that Brute created.

  And he continued.

  “Brute. Gonna…” She gasped the words, syllables rising above the low hum of his purrs.

  Brute seemed to take her words as a challenge and he doubled his efforts, going faster, harder, and their sounds grew louder in the room.

  Elise cried out, overwhelmed by the level of bliss coursing through her veins. Her pussy tightened and pulsed, aching and begging to be filled by her mate. But that was to come…

  The bubble of pleasure built within her body, stretching and filling her from head to toe. It stroked and plucked pleasure-tinged nerves, snatching at bits of bliss and hoarding them. Only they were soon to be released…

  It grew and grew, larger with every breath and beat of her heart until she could barely stand the feelings swamping her. She stood on the edge, balancing on the razor sharp ledge that bordered unimaginable joy.

  Brute sucked on her clit, let loose a loud purr and that was all it took. Elise was shoved over the cliff, falling into pools of bliss, and the sensations welcomed her. She screamed out her completion, Brute’s name on her lips as her body convulsed and twitched. She no longer controlled her muscles, her orgasm having snatched away every ounce of power she possessed.

  In minute degrees, Brute brought her back to earth, slowing his ministrations until she was a sated pile of bones.

  But still she wanted.

  Elise held out a hand for her mate, beckoning him. “Make me yours.”

  Trepidation etched his features, worry and fear filling the lines of his body as he remained kneeling. “Elise, I don’t think…”

  “I want to be yours, Brute. More importantly, I want you to be mine.” She pushed herself into a sitting position and grabbed his face between her hands. “I don’t want any other woman to try and take you from me.” She stroked his shoulder, fingers ghosting over his skin. “I want to sink my teeth into you and mark you as my mate.” Eyes on his, she begged. “Please, Brute?”

  When she heard him groan, she knew she’d won. Even more so when he tugged on her shirt and helped her pull it over her head, leaving her bared to him. Worry niggled the back of her mind, anxiety that her curvy body wouldn’t satisfy him. But one hard look at his features revealed the truth. She aroused him. The desire and need in his gaze was for her. And only her.

  She eased back down to the mattress, smiling wide. “Come to me.”

  Brute slid from the bed for a moment to remove his boxers, then returned to kneel between her legs. She got her first look at his cock.

  Oh, shit.

  He was long and thick and, as she’d assumed, more than enough to stretch her. He’d fill her like no one before and his touch would banish her memories.

  Brute stroked his dick from root to tip, tugging his shaft as his focus remained intent on her. “Are you sure, sweet fox?”

  Elise gave him the only answer she had. “Yes.”

  “If you want me to stop…”

  She shook her head. “I won’t. I want my mate to claim me. Want you to claim me. So, get to the sexy times and bite me, kitty.”

  With a growl, Brute leaned over her, one hand still on his cock as he placed the tip at her entrance. Slowly, much slower than she liked, he eased his thick shaft into her heat. Inch by inch he entered her, stretching her almost to the point of pain as he slid deeper into her slick pussy.

  More and more he fed her until his hips met hers in an intimate embrace and he groaned deep. “Perfect.”

  Elise arched, rocking her hips. “Yes.”

  “S’good.” He sounded more animal than man. “So wet and tight.”

  “Need.”

  Brute eased his cock from her sheath and she whimpered at the loss, only to moan when he returned and filled her once again.

  “So mine,” he growled.

  Again, a gentle glide out and a slow slide back in.

  Elise picked up his tender rhythm, rocking her hips and meeting his teasing thrusts. With every joining of their hips, his body brushed against her exposed clit, stoking the fires of her arousal.

  She gripped his shoulders, holding him as he claimed her body, branded it with his scent.

  With each collision, his pace increased. In slow increments, the intimate glide of retreat and advance matched the beating of their hearts.

  Brute gave and gave, handing her pleasure on a silver platter, and she gifted in return. They fed each other’s need.

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nbsp; Elise’s fingers became tipped with her fox’s claws and she dug them into her mate’s shoulders, tugging him toward her in a silent plea for more. Brute lowered, brought their chests together and she wrapped her arms around him. She was surrounded by his scent, his very being, and she’d never felt more safe, more cherished.

  They shared their breath, panting as they worked toward release. Elise’s body was responding to his increasing ministrations, pussy tightening and milking his shaft with his every entrance. The wet slap of their bodies filled the room along with the heavy scent of their combined musk.

  And still her pleasure rose higher. Her moans and groans mingled with his, her bliss mirroring her mate’s.

  Brute’s pants grew deeper, heavier, and she knew he was racing toward the edge of control. His pace increased yet again. The rapid tattoo of his hips meeting hers now overrode every sound in the space. The rhythmic meeting of his body to hers shoved her to the edge as well, and she couldn’t hold her desperation at bay.

  “Gonna…”

  “Come on my cock. Gonna fill you, Elise. My mate.” He grunted and she took his words as the ultimate permission.

  She threw herself off the cliff and dove into the pleasure that awaited her. She embraced the fireworks that burst through her body and danced among the sparks of bliss that peppered her nerves.

  The fox rushed forward amongst the waves of ecstasy and forced her canines to emerge. A single word occupied her mind and she followed the beast’s urgings.

  Claim…

  Elise raised her head, opened her mouth and sunk her teeth into the vulnerable flesh of Brute’s shoulder. His blood burst from the wound and filled her mouth. She suckled the wound, savoring the delicious flavors. Her saliva mingled with his life’s blood, tying them together for all eternity and finally the fox within relaxed, secure that Brute belonged to them.

  A sharp sting of pain laced her shoulder and she felt the final string of their connection fall into place as Brute claimed her. His saliva slithered into her and she was comforted by their new connection.

  Her orgasm was still soaring high, dancing through the clouds as gentles bolts of pleasure strummed her veins and then began floating back to earth. Brute’s hips slowed his blissful assault, bringing them back from their haze of ecstasy in slow waves until she felt grounded once again.

  Sated fully, filled with emotions she had no interest in exploring, Elise released her bite on Brute’s shoulder, wincing as her mate did the same. Her mate. He was well and truly hers now.

  They’d shared something she hadn’t ever dared hope to experience, yet she had. Those men hadn’t taken her life. They’d beaten and battered at her soul, but with Maddy and Brute, it’d been repaired.

  Her mate nuzzled and lapped at her wound while she did the same, easing his pain and savoring the masculine flavors of his blood on her tongue.

  Mate… Ours…

  Yes.

  She relaxed and let satisfied lethargy overtake her. “Mmmmate…”

  A deep, vibrating purr traveled through her and she smiled. Apparently his cat was satisfied, too.

  Brute rolled them until she was settled against his side once again, her body curled into his. With a sigh, she let her eyes flutter closed.

  Of course, hours later, their delicate peace had to be destroyed by a sudden pounding on the bedroom. “Hey, Brutus! Before you start boinking again, Mom wants you.”

  Elise stiffened and pushed away from Brute’s chest, staring down at him, horrified. “Where are we and why is your mother here? Who was that?”

  The man blushed. “At my parent’s. Because she lives here. My sister Honor.”

  Elise swung her leg over Brute and rolled from the bed. She ignored the wet squishy feeling that came from condom-less sex and glared at her mate. She took a deep, cleansing breath. Then a few more, ‘cause one just wasn’t cutting it. “So, you brought me to your parent’s house because it was safe—”

  “Dad was a guard before Mom forced him to retire and Grayson lives across the street. Neal and Carly have a house one block over.” He rushed out the words as if they could save him. “I’ve just got an apartment.”

  “Shut it. I can’t believe we mated in your parent’s house.” Her heart thundered and blood rushed to her face. “Oh, god. I’m a screamer. Your parents and your sisters heard me didn’t they? Oh god, oh god, oh god.” Brute rolled from the bed and took a step toward her, but she backed away. “No touching. I already want you and we are not having sex in this house, never, ever again. Hell, I don’t know if we’ll ever have sex again. Period.”

  “Hey! Now that we have the no boinking thing established, are y’all coming to breakfast or what?” Honor’s voice cut through the room and Elise prayed the floor would open up and swallow her whole.

  Any time now.

  25

  “It sounded like a good idea at that time. And I figured I could apologize later. Apparently that only works in theory.” – Brute Mauer, Prima guard, now wondering if there’s a mate handbook.

  Sitting in his parent’s living room with just his dad, Grayson and Neal, Brute was realizing that bringing Elise to his childhood home might have been a mistake.

  Strike that. Listening to his mother, sisters and Carly carry on in the kitchen made him realize he’d really fucked up. He probably would have been forgiven for bringing her to his parents for safety’s sake. If that was all he’d done. But following through with the mating even when he knew his family was down the hall…that had probably been the nail in the coffin.

  And Honor hadn’t been any help.

  Tearing his gaze from the hallway, he returned his attention to the others in the room. It’d been too much to hope for that his mate would abandon the women and come to him.

  Two sets of eyes were focused on him and him alone. His father looked disappointed in him. Neal was smirking. The ass. And Grayson’s attention was firmly fixed over Brute’s shoulder and the hallway beyond.

  Brute had to deal with Grayson first. He reached out, making sure his hand was within the Second’s line of sight, and snapped his fingers. “Hey, over here, buddy.”

  Grayson bared his fangs and hissed at him.

  Okay then. “Dad, are you aware that Grayson thinks he’s Honor’s mate? Honor, your totally underage daughter who has yet to experience her first heat.”

  That comment seemed to wrench a snarl from Grayson and his father just frowned at him. “Yes. He came to me the moment he recognized their relationship, but that’s not the issue right now, Brutus,” Brute winced. “The problem we’re facing is who’s threatening your mate and how we’ll deal with the situation.”

  Brute’s dad grabbed an envelope from the end table and twirled it in his hands, watching the spinning the packet. “Son, this was sitting on the porch when I went to get the paper this morning. I’m not gonna lie, I’ve looked at what’s inside, but I didn’t show it to anyone else. That’ll be your call. If I give you this, I need you to stay calm. You hear me?” His father’s attention turned to him. “No roaring. No shifting. Nothing to disturb the ladies in the kitchen, is that understood? Find your beast and put a leash on him. Harder than you ever have before.”

  Oh, god. His dad knew better than anyone that his cat was fierce and ready to shove forward at the blink of an eye. It’d taken years upon years and countless mentors to get him to the point that a bout of road rage didn’t turn into a blood bath.

  So, yeah, he had a tiny control issue.

  Doing as his father asked, Brute ducked into his mind, found his lion and built thick steal walls around the cat. He added layer after layer, rising higher within his head until he could barely feel the beast prowling beneath his skin.

  Task done, he blew out a slow, cleansing breath. “Okay. I’m good.”

  With those few words, his dad handed the envelope over. Hands shaking, he lifted the flap and pulled out the contents. Pictures. The first showed a frightened Elise, dirty, bare and curled into a ball in an empty cel
l.

  He flipped to the next: his naked mate tied to a bed.

  Then the next: a nude male hovering over her, his cock almost fully embedded in his mate’s body.

  He flipped through the rest: image after image, male after male, violating his delicate Elise. Rage filled him. The cat roared and the pressure of the beast’s fight for freedom forced a harsh breath from his chest. By the time he came to the end, he’d seen twenty men in all, but he had no delusions that the number was significantly higher. With his emotions running high, he wasn’t even sure he could trust his mind any longer. One of the bodies seemed familiar…that birthmark, a tattoo… The memory poked at his mind, but he couldn’t grasp the thought.

  Then, the last image came and his heart froze. A sleeping Elise, her perfect bow-shaped mouth curled in a tiny smile, her body snug beneath a flowery quilt. A closer look at the image showed him things he recognized, furniture that was known to him. Yes, it was a picture of a fully-clothed Elise…in her apartment above the Drool and Dine.

  Breath stilled in his lungs, Brute aligned the pictures, edges straight, and then slid them back into the envelope with infinite care. Focus equaled strength. He had to busy himself with minute details while he held the cat at bay.

  Ease the pictures in. Lower the flap. Press the crease. Slide the flap into the envelope. Set the packet on the table. I can do this…

  “No one else sees these.” His voice was harsh, torn and wrecked. “No one.”

  Brute’s father grabbed one of his hands, covering his fingers and squeezing. “There are a few with faces, Brutus. Those should be shown to Sheriff Corman, Ricker and Alex. They may be able to identify them and hunt them down.”

  “No.” No. No one could see his mate that way.

  “Elise, then. See if she could give us names.”

  Tears stung his eyes. And why did his chest hurt? Breathing. He wasn’t breathing. “No.”

  Grayson spoke next. “Brute, we can all protect her. She’s part of the pride now. But we need to know what we’re up against.” Brute forced his attention to the Second. “None of us caught a scent from her apartment. The cow’s blood overpowered everything else. So, we need whatever information we can get.”