Andromeda's Reign

by K. S. Haigwood

  Phoenix… Something else was building in her chest besides the warm fuzzy feeling. Fear.

  Andra brought her hands to her face and screamed into her palms. What have I done? What’s wrong with me?

  Two strong arms wrapped around her, and, as comforting as they were, she just wanted to get away, to be alone, so that she could figure this out on her own.

  She had a pack to tend to. And she was ignoring them so she could come to Vegas and… what? Kiss the Alpha lion shifter she’d bonded with to save the pack she was completely ignoring? Even as she was in love with Phoenix? She’d already managed to break his heart and throw it away in the few days she’d been here.

  Pathetic.

  She knew Roel and Alex were perfectly capable of handling the moonrising wolf without her, especially since Roel understood it better. But she would never learn about her own pack here, with Ace. Debilitating guilt crushed her.

  She was failing the Montgomery pack.

  Andra looked at Ace, and saw the anger clear in his amber eyes as they narrowed on her.

  “What?” His voice sounded menacing, and Andra took a step back, pushing against Ace’s chest so hard he stumbled back and fell to his butt on the carpet. “What’s holding you back this time? What do I have to overcome now?” He shifted and rubbed his butt, like that would help the pain in his voice. She watched as his expression softened. “Andra, please,” he pleaded, but she was already shaking her head as hot tears sprang to her eyes, his image wavering as the moisture clouded her vision.

  “What have I done?” she said, and then remembered Roel’s text. Phoenix had let her go, and then destroyed his phone. “Oh, God,” she cried as her hand came up to cover her mouth. Shaking her head, she backed toward the door. “I’m so sorry, Ace. I can’t—”

  His fist pounded against the floor several times as he let out a tortured yell.

  Andra watched in shock as he leapt to his feet in a single bound, and then started toward her, each step full of purpose and determination. He had no plans of letting her leave. Frantic, her feet began back-stepping until her back was against a wall. Her thoughts raced around in her head so fast she couldn’t latch onto a single one.

  Ace’s palms landed on each side of her head with a loud thud, and then his face was instantly in front of hers. “Don’t you dare tell me how you felt all day about me wasn’t real, Andra.”

  How could she possibly know? She had been through so much in the last two weeks, and her responsibilities had faded under the attraction of the bond. Her pack needed her, and now that was all crystal clear. If he would just give her some time to think things through.

  She shook her head. “It wasn’t. I—I—the meditation—”

  He slapped the wall with his hand. “We were under the meditation when you wanted to kiss me, Andra! It might not have been as strong, but we were under the meditation when you called Phoenix to tell him that you wanted to kiss me. What you’re feeling now is a moment of clarity of everything that happened today and it’s overwhelming you. Everything you did or thought today was with a sound mind. It only feels more potent now because you were the one who did the meditation.”

  She blinked a few times as she averted her eyes from his face. Ace kept bringing up Phoenix, probably his biggest threat, but he didn’t understand. “No. I have responsibilities, and I’m just—”

  One of his hands left the wall to guide her face back to look at him. “You’re of sound mind now, Andra,” he said in a low voice. “If you can kiss me and still leave me, I’ll let you go to your room. He has broken it off, Andra. You aren’t breaking any rules or cheating on him. He even gave you permission. Just do it. Kiss me. You have blocked the bond from us, and I am one hundred percent sure that I still want you. Go on. Prove to yourself once and for all that you want nothing to do with me and we’ll go back to your original plan of only touching when we have to.”

  Suddenly angry, Andra clenched her fists. “This isn’t about Phoenix and you. This is bigger than us. I have a pack that I’ve been neglecting. An entire compound of people who are depending on me and what are we doing? You haven’t taught me anything about being Alpha. I need to be doing something, Ace. Don’t you understand? This bond is messing with everything inside me. I’ve forgotten my duties, my responsibilities, everything!”

  A peace settled over Ace, relaxing his posture and softening his features. Dread pooled in Andra’s chest as she realized he didn’t see this as a problem at all.

  He smiled, as he leaned his forehead against hers. “That’s the bond, Andra.” He reached for a tendril of her hair, feeling around until he got what he wanted between his fingers. He twirled it, tugging gently. The tickle on her scalp sent a tingle of awareness across her skin. “It’s the bond, helping us to build a relationship, which will make us the best Alphas in the United States, maybe the world. The meditation is muddying your emotions.” His voice was soft, coaxing, making her muscles go weak. She was so damned confused.

  Memories of them laughing and talking flooded her mind. Had that been real or had it been the bond? She didn’t remember thinking of Phoenix much throughout the day. Was the bond making her forget about him? She didn’t want to forget about him. Forgetting Phoenix would break her heart, because she was positive that part of her belonged to only him. Or was she positive still? She didn’t know anymore. Life had been so much less complicated before she knew anything about vampires and werewolves. A little dull maybe, and she’d definitely been unhappy, but it had been less complicated for sure.

  Ace’s voice made her jump. “Kiss me, Andra,” he demanded. “Prove to both of us that it’s not real and I will leave you alone. I… will… be… done. I’m so damn tired of this cat and mouse game you’ve been playing.”

  As her eyes shifted to look at his mouth again, a familiar tingling sensation started between her legs. The anticipation of having those perfect lips touching hers overwhelmed her, and she nearly chickened out. How could this be turning her on? She didn’t really want him. It wasn’t possible.

  “If you don’t kiss me by the time I count to three, I’m going to tie you to my bed until Phoenix gets here. After he arrives, I will tell him everything that happened between us. I’m sure he will be more than eager for you to kiss me in front of him, so that he can witness how much you do not want to be with me. The choice is yours, but you only have three seconds to make it. One…”

  “Ace,” Andra said, instantly panicking as she glanced toward his bed again, knowing he would go through on his word. If he tied her up until Phoenix got here tomorrow night, and Phoenix agreed that it was a good idea that she kiss Ace, without the influence of the bond shadowing over them, in order to prove that her attraction toward Ace was fake, and then it turned out to be not so fake after all… it would crush Phoenix. She couldn’t bear to see that shattered look in his eyes.

  “Two…” he continued, his voice lilting on the end of the one-syllable word. His eyebrow quirked at her, and memories of all his other ultimatums flashed through her mind. With a sudden clarity, she knew without a doubt he would make good on his threat.

  “Shit,” she said, and then crushed her mouth to his. She’d only meant to give him a quick peck then pull away, but his mouth felt like heaven under hers. Nothing had changed from the previous times she’d been kissed by him, like she hoped it would.

  An involuntary, soft moan escaped her lips as they parted to kiss him deeper. When her tongue met Ace’s, his arms wrapped around her, pulling her off her feet and against his solid body. Her fingers parted his hair, desperately and hungrily trying to take more from him. He groaned against her mouth, igniting a powerful aching at her core. Any doubts that she really wanted this man slipped away.

  Not breaking the kiss, Ace turned and walked across the room, away from the wall and the door she’d just threatened to go through. He didn’t tell her ‘I told you so’ or laugh at her because she’d been wrong. He simply laid her down on the edge of his bed and pulled her knees up
so that he could rest in between her legs.

  He slowed the pace, kissing her deep and without haste, making her hotter with each stroke of his tongue. Just when she thought she wouldn’t be able to take any more without combusting with need, Ace pressed his erection against her and rotated his hips.

  The orgasm came on so fast and hard that she didn’t have time to prepare. She broke away from his mouth and screamed out her release.

  “Jesus, Andra,” Ace panted against her neck. “Just hearing you come makes me want to. You’re driving me crazy, woman. If you run from me now, I swear I’ll hurt anyone who gets in my way as I’m chasing after you. I can’t let you go. Tell me you’re done running.”

  Andra laughed as she ran her fingers through his hair, gripped it and pulled his head up, so she could look at his face. Even though he couldn’t see her, she needed to see him as she said what he needed to hear. “It’s your pretty mouth, Ace. I find it simply irresistible. I’m not running anywhere unless you’re running with me.”

  On a relieved sigh, he stretched up and covered her mouth with his again.

  Chapter 37

  Friday, February 6th 2015 5:48 a.m. PST

  Las Vegas, Nevada

  Ace

  I’d had thousands of fantasies of being with Andra in the last week: in my bed, on the floor, on the grand staircase, in the pool—wait, never mind that one, too fucking cold—in the shower, with hot water, and in every position Kamasutra had up her short skirt.

  My point is, at no time in the last week did I imagine us having sex without being able to see her. It was killing me! Touching her just wasn’t enough. I had wanted this since the first time I’d laid eyes on her, and now that it was finally happening, now that she had finally come to her senses and realized what I’d known all along, I couldn’t fucking see the look on her face as she gave herself to me for the first time. It was almost a boner killer. Hey, I said almost. My cock was still standing proud.

  Andra placed her hand on my cheek, and I turned into it, kissing the soft skin of her palm and inhaling the sweet scent of vanilla and cinnamon that lingered in the air around us.

  Blind or not, it would be the best sex of her life. Mine too. I would make sure of it. I’d had sex in dark rooms before. Same thing, right? Not exactly, but I was going to make it work. No way was I telling her that we needed to wait to do this until after I got my sight back. I wasn’t fucking crazy.

  Rising up on my knees, I took her hand and flattened her palm against my thigh. “Keep that there,” I said.

  She snickered through her nose. “Okay.”

  Crossing my arms over my torso, I gripped the hem of my t-shirt and slowly pulled it up until it was over my head. Her breathing hitched a little, so I flexed my pectorals a few times, making her laugh out loud.

  “You are so blatantly conceited, Mr. Keller,” she said, laughing.

  I grinned. “Never conceited, baby. I’m confident. Conceitedness is unflattering. Confidence is sexy.”

  “Well…” She hummed against her lips. I moistened mine, craving to taste hers again. “…you are definitely not unflattering.”

  Her hand that was on my thigh inched up a little. I casually placed my hand over hers and moved it back to its original place. “Keep that there,” I repeated. “No touching, unless I say so.”

  She laughed. “I can’t touch you? That’s not fair, Ace!”

  I tilted my head to the side, quirking a lazy eyebrow at her. “You get to see. I get to touch. I think that’s fair.”

  “In that case, I’m definitely leaving the lights on this time,” she said, her voice laced with amusement.

  I shrugged. “Fine by me,” I said, and then popped the button on my jeans. I knew her eyes were glued on my fingers. She wasn’t even breathing. But I wanted her to tell me she was watching me. “What am I doing, Andra?” I said as I slowly unzipped my jeans. “I want to hear you say it.”

  The faint sound of her pulse picked up dramatically and her breaths came quicker and shallower. I bit my lower lip to keep from smiling. “Ah… um…” She swallowed audibly, and then drew in a deep breath and blew it out before replying. “You’re, uh… You are unzipping your jeans.”

  I allowed the corner of my lips to turn up slightly, and then I slid my hand down my pants and gripped my cock. Her heartbeat quickened even more, and then her hand moved again. “Put it back,” I said. “Only I can touch it right now.”

  She huffed, but did as I said. I chuckled.

  “Ace—”

  I stroked myself once.

  “—shit,” she whispered.

  “What am I doing now?” I said.

  “You’re, ah…” I felt the mattress shift under me, and then I heard the button on her jeans being freed.

  Oh, hell no! I can’t keep this up, knowing she is touching herself, too. I swiftly reached out with my other hand and caught her wrist before she could go any further with her plan, and then I gently placed her arm on the mattress beside her.

  “That’s not allowed. You see. I touch.” I raised an eyebrow as I sat back on my heels and resumed my original position. She blew out a long breath. “Now, what am I doing?”

  “You’re driving me crazy, that’s what,” she said, but there was humor in her voice still, even though it warred with need. I didn’t want there to be humor in her voice. I wanted there to be desperation in its place. I’d have to work harder.

  Turning away from her, I sat on the side of the bed then put my feet on the floor and stood up. With the toe of my boot at my heel, I pried one boot off, and then the other swiftly followed. Tucking my thumbs in the waistband of my jeans, I slowly shoved them down until they pooled around my feet. I kicked out of them then raised each foot to remove my socks.

  Her eyes were on me; I could feel them burning a hole in my backside. Her heart began beating so rapidly that I thought she might start hyperventilating soon. Yep, she was definitely looking at my ass. I turned toward her, letting her get a good look at me for the first time since she’d lost the battle with her heart for who its rightful owner should be. I may not have that part of her completely, but I had a better chance of getting it now than I did yesterday.

  It was a good ten seconds before she said anything, but I’d been willing to stand here all night until she did. My way. My pace. “You’re beautiful, Ace,” she said.

  That was almost as bad as pretty, but I could tell there was awe in her voice. If she thought I was beautiful or pretty, I wasn’t about to put up an argument with her about it now, not when I finally had her on my side of the fence and out of that vampire’s grasp.

  I groaned as I palmed my cock again and moved my hand up the shaft until my index finger could slide over the blunt head of my dick. A bead of semen seeped out, making the tip slippery to the touch. I wondered if Andra was wet for me yet. From the sweet and spicy scents filling the room, I was willing to bet a lot of money that she was soaked.

  “I need to touch you, Ace,” she said, and then I heard her moving on the mattress, coming nearer to me.

  The energy in the air changed the closer she came. I still couldn’t see shit, but it was like I knew exactly where she was and what she was about to do just by listening, smelling and feeling. “Stop,” I said, just before she touched my abdomen with the tips of her fingers.

  There was a small electric current, almost like a heavy static feel, in the space between her skin and mine.

  “Lie down, Andra. I’m going to show you how an Alpha takes care of his mate.”

  “Hmm…” she mused, “… since I am the only one who has ever been your mate, I’m wondering how you’d know how to do that.”

  Placing a knee on the mattress and a hand to her chest, I slowly pressed her down until she was flat on her back. I straddled her waist then took her hands in mine, lacing our fingers together. Bringing them up, I kissed the back of one of her hands, and then the other, before leaning forward and positioning them above her head. “Keep them there, Andra.”


  Her breath was hot, heavy and delicious on my face, making me want to taste her lips again. I decided I’d start there first. The pull was just too strong to ignore.

  “If you do as you’re told, you’ll get what you want sooner. If you don’t… well,” I said as a slow grin spread across my face, “I can keep this up all night long, baby.” That was a total lie. I was surprised I wasn’t deep inside her already. I felt like I had been waiting an eternity for this moment to happen.

  She sniggered. “And what is it exactly that you think I want, Ace? We need to be clear about this. I’d really hate to have a misunderstanding at this point.”

  The woman was a devil. It was clear she thought she still had the best hand in this game. She didn’t, because I knew I held the winning hand, and I was going to prove it. She could bluff all she wanted, but I was going to make her fold. I wasn’t answering her question. She would answer it for herself in just a few short minutes. Not only would she tell me what she wanted, but she would beg me for it.

  I lowered my head to her neck, breathing in the delectable scent of her skin. So sweet. A guttural purr emanated from my throat, and she sucked in a sharp breath when my tongue slipped out to lick along her collarbone. “You make my inner kitty purr, baby. He wants you almost as much as I do.”

  “Ace,” she said on a sigh, and then she arched into me, touching her breasts to my bare chest.

  “Be still,” I said, and she dropped back down, obediently, but huffed out her frustration. I smiled. “Good, Andra. I’ll reward you for that one. Tell me something you want.”

  “Kiss me,” she said, breathlessly. “Please…”

  I grinned. “Under one condition: you can’t kiss me back. You can’t move your tongue or your lips, and you can’t react in any way. Think you can do that?”

  She groaned, wiggling underneath me. “This is torture.”