The Bridal Hunt (Brides of the Hunt Book 1)

by Jeanette Lynn

  As he gently pressed us together, firmer this time, skin to heated skin, I could feel his erection, hot, hard, and thick, pressing against my leg.

  Panting slightly, I tensed. "I don't... I don’t know if I want to have sex with you," I blurted, nervousness truly setting in. “At least, not yet.”

  "No sex." Pulling back until inches separated us, Veck smiled and nodded. Crawling back, he got up off the bed.

  Sighing gustily, I let myself relax a little, though part of me was thoroughly disappointed, because, uhm, yeah, there’s obviously something wrong with me.

  "Just claiming," he added quickly, and before I could say anything else, he parted my legs and dove at my sex.

  His face pressed flush against my welcoming heat, growling at my scent, he began eating at me voraciously, his lips and tongue lapping at my sensitive flesh hungrily.

  "Veck!" I cried his name out on gasp, then moaned out loud, my hands gripping the inside of the blanket I was trapped in as he mastered me, body and soul.

  Feeling an orgasm coming on, my sex tightening reflexively, I cried out. As my insides coiled tight, preparing as I began to slip over that sweet precipice, he stopped and pulled back. Nuzzling my thigh, he growled viciously, his chest rumbling when I whimpered at the loss.

  Examining my pussy thoroughly, he played with my labia with his fingers, teasing me just a tiny bit, until my impending climax abated and I was left with the throbbing ache of incompletion.

  “Veck, I-”

  Just when I thought he was done he dove in again, lapping at me eagerly, purring even louder when I bucked, pushing my hips into his face. Mindless, I writhed, my body rising closer and closer to that elusive climax he was inciting in me. I knew it would prove to be mind-blowing.

  Veck stopped again and I whimpered louder, thrashing about on the bed, my breath catching on a gasp as he started to insert one of his long, thick fingers, careful of the thicker, sharper tips that made up his fingernails.

  I tried to pump myself on his slicked up digit, tried to rub my clit against his knuckle, but he pinned me down with his other hand and proceeded to tease and play.

  "Meanie want Veck?" He purred the words, glancing up, grinning evilly when I didn’t answer right away. His head dipped again and he lapped at my clit slowly, taking his sweet assed time, his fingers resuming their gentle teasing.

  "Not fair." Throwing my head back, I arched and moaned, those pleasurable little sparks starting to build, rocketing through me as they shot straight to my core. My body began to tremble and I knew it would be soon—so soon.

  I should have known better—this was Veck, after all, and he wasn’t going to relent until I did. While he could be patient at the best of times, at others he was hard and adamant, unyieldingly determined—like right now. Right... now, I thought, crying out in pleasure at the feel of his roughened tongue stroking my clit.

  "Ah. Veck!" I groaned when he added another finger and purred, the sound vibrating against my sensitive flesh, his thick lips sucking at my pleasure button insistently.

  He kept this up, his exquisite torture, taking me to the brink, again and again, to let me fall down, unsated, then bring me right back up there again.

  This went on and on until I couldn't take it anymore, my body aching with unfulfilled need as he repeatedly brought me close, so close to orgasm, to deny me at the last possible moment, my tender parts swollen and throbbing, yearning to be filled.

  "Veck! Please! Enough! You win! I give! Oh god- I-I give!"

  "Meanie want Veck?" He purred the words out so sweetly I didn’t buy it for a second, peeking up at me with a hopeful look on his fur-lined face.

  "Yes! Yes! Yes!" I shouted, arching up, jerking my hips and thrusting myself onto his thick fingers.

  He pulled his fingers away after two more sex clenching passes, almost reluctantly, and studied them before licking them slowly.

  Sucking my dripping juices off his thick digits, he growled viciously at the taste, eyes half lidded and heavy, full of lust and male heat as they met mine. And then his eyes slid closed and he purred, the sexiest sound I’d ever heard.

  "Now! Before I change my mind and ask some other poor bastard to put me out of my misery!" I demanded, glaring malevolently.

  Gaze snapping to meet mine, his lips pulled back, baring one too many pointy teeth, and he growled. "My Meanie." He snarled as he crawled up my length, his eyes glowing an unearthly, bright white-blue as he laid himself over me.

  Trembling all over, I shivered in anticipation as he pressed closer, rubbing himself against me, sliding his shaft between my legs, slicking himself up on the wetness he found there. Shuddering, his chest brushed up against mine through the blanket, the mating fur still tightly bundled around my torso.

  "Undo this damned thing! I want to touch you!" Writhing beneath him, I pushed myself against him, into him, struggling futilely to get closer.

  "Meanie." His chest rumbling, he purred against my ear, tugging the blanket off and pulling me up to remove my top. For a beast so desperate to fuck me, he sure was taking his sweet assed time.

  Licking my lips, I dropped my arms to his shoulders as the dress top slid free, smoothing my hands over his wide chest. Running my fingers through the soft, white fur matting his body, I marveled at all the thick muscles outlined just beneath.

  "We shouldn't be doing this." My breath caught as I put up a puny excuse for a halfhearted protest, moaning when he pushed me back. Cupping a breast in his huge mitt of a hand, his shaggy head bent and his lips latched onto one of my nipples.

  As I clutched at his head, his talented tongue and lips payed homage to my breasts, torturing them slowly, one and then the other, plucking at my nipples with his lips, careful of those crazy chompers filling his mouth.

  One of his long fingers made its way down my body, caressing my skin softly, slipping between my legs to play at my entrance. The thick digit circled around slowly before slipping inside, testing, tempting. His finger came away slick with moisture and he growled at how wet I was. I was more than ready

  Dipping in to pull out shallowly, he played there for a minute, pumping his finger inside my pussy, in and out, in and out, teasing my already primed body beyond reason. When everything built up he didn’t stop, suddenly bringing me to climax. Flying over the edge, I threw my head back and gasped.

  Not two seconds later his finger slipped free, causing me to cry out at the loss. My sex convulsed around nothing, throbbing at the emptiness, and then he was there, hip to hip, hot and hard, the head of his shaft trying to make entry. His hands gripped my hips as he slid a little but then suddenly felt resistance. Veck grunted and groaned, growling out in frustration at the tight fit.

  My body was still coming off of my first orgasm, swiftly heading towards another as he steadily but carefully plowed his way inside my tight, hot depths, one eager, surging pump at a time.

  "Veck!" I bawled, gripping the hair on his chest, tugging as my hips lifted to meet his and he surged forward, completely uniting us as one, sending me over again.

  Veck roared, hips jerking back before he slammed into me, his body stiffening, rearing up. My beastie was about to give over, his cock jerking along with his hips. Growling my name, he fucked me hard into the bed, grinding our sexes together, and then it happened, and he was riding m, as well as my orgasm, into his own. Grunts and gasps of fulfillment filling the air, we sated ourselves on each other.

  Trembling in the aftermath, his face buried in my neck, he continued to pump into me. Chest to chest, his heartbeat thumped as wildly as mine as we lay intertwined, the last remnants of our joint orgasm fading slowly. Our encounter left me feeling breathless and weak.

  When our bodies had settled enough, he rolled over, nuzzling my hair, taking me with him. Rumbling happily, his hands ran soothingly over my back, his engorged erection continuing to throb deep inside me. Draping me just so across his chest, he tugged my head down.

  "I thought you said no sex?" I mumbled breathlessly,
but added quickly, "Not that I'm complaining or anything.”

  I knew I'd technically said no at first, and call me turncoat but I was definitely willing to be persuaded into camp Yes, please, may I have another. Round two, anyone?

  "Not sex. Claim my Meanie. Make love,” he corrected. Rising up with me in tow, his cock still buried deep, he grinned, wiggling his eyebrows playfully.

  Snorting, I raised an eyebrow, giving him an Oh, really? stare.

  Clearing his throat uncertainly, his smile suddenly faded. "Meanie's not mad at Veck?" Shifting uneasily as his eyes tracked my every move, every twitch and twinge, he grunted.

  "Oh, you jerk." I tried to affect an injured tone, ruining it when his face fell, his lips turning down as his brow drew down low, and I chuckled.

  He’d looked so upset, worried even, it hurt to see him like that and think I was the cause of it. Letting out a short breath, his shoulders relaxed and his lips kicked up in relief. My beastie cares.

  Pursing my lips, I slapped his chest playfully. Fingers smoothing over the thick shock of white hair atop his head, I tugged on a lock. "No, I'm not mad. Though I probably should be."

  Face flushing, I smiled, peeking up at him through my lashes almost shyly as my hand fell away. Purring, Veck nuzzled my neck, tugging me close to hug me to his chest.

  Sighing in contentment, he told me, "Veck's mate, never letting Meanie go. Veck's forever." And then a moment later he spat, “Mine, not Kirch’s Meanie. Mine.”

  I didn't say anything, snuggling into my mate’s embrace, glad I’d just dodged the Kirch bullet. I began to wonder, though, thinking back to the conversation by the pond, if I’d ever be able to leave Veck, should the opportunity to go back home arise.

  What did I really have waiting for me back there anyway?

  Chapter Nine

  O

  n the last day of their work week—they work for seven days and then take the eighth day off—everyone gathers around big fire pits with spits of roasting meat on them, talking and catching up, basically shooting the shit.

  Generally, this was the time to hang out, a time for talking and eating, laughing, dancing, or—as I’d witnessed some do the last time—get drunk on the fruity, sour, fermented drink they brew and make complete asses out of themselves.

  Humming along to the beat of the drums thrumming through the crowd, my eyes darted around surreptitiously, trying to spot Candy. Unease slithered through me, much as it had off and on lately. I was starting to get really worried when I hadn't see her all week, no sign of her whatsoever. And none of the ladies had ever heard of her, I discovered, or so they all said. If they had, they certainly wouldn’t have forgotten the woman—it’s kind of hard not to—she kind of leaves an impression.

  I was actually kind of concerned for the bleached blonde puff brain. Whatever’d become of her, it’d become my mission to find out.

  And also on the subject of mission Find Candy, I guessed one might say I've become a bit of a stalker lately, following Kirch around whenever possible, in an attempt to solve this mystery.

  Seriously, where the hell is the whiny headache? How did she vanish without a trace? Somebody must know something?!

  Ugh. Shaking my head in disgust, I grimaced. Where's a talking Great Dane and his gang of meddlesome kids, riding around in their psychedelic shag wagon solving mysteries, when you needed ‘em, eh?

  Is Candy sick? Did she get hurt? Did Kirch harm her? That last thought didn't sit too well with me, but for all of Kirch's grumbling, stomping about, and all over sour disposition, I'd never seen him so much as raise a hand at anyone, or intentionally act cruel towards another—bride-knapping and humans-for-food threats aside.

  All I'd managed to figure out so far was that the shaggy headed brute was not all that bad of a beastie, despite everything pointing otherwise, and tended towards the quietly brooding sort, often keeping to himself. His surliness seems to be more inwardly directed, I reflected. And what does he do in his hut with his free time, holing up like he does, I wondered.

  Erm... eh, maybe I didn't wanna know. He could be tuggin' his rug in there, all by his furry lonesome. Lips quirking up at the corners, I snorted. Hah.

  As my eyes darted around, I spotted him easily in the crowd. Long mane thick and wild, the most lion-like one of all the beasties in the village, permanent scowl on his face, grumbling and growling under his breath as he moved, he was kind of hard to miss.

  Alert, yellow eyes narrowed searchingly, Kirch looked around avidly. Searching for someone or something, he waded through the throng. Pushing his way through to the center, standing just off to the side of a giant fire pit, his nostrils flared and he froze before swinging around. His eyes found mine, those scary, bright yellow irises locking on.

  My stomach jumped and butterflies started banging around in my gut, a nervousness with him I chose not to delve too deeply into taking up residence in my poor insides. He kidnapped you, Mina. If anything, you should be sickened by the sight of him! But... I wasn’t.

  Maybe I’m broken.

  My thoughts were interrupted as he strode over, his steps long and lithe, gracefully predatory as he prowled straight up to me.

  Grunting under his breath, Kirch threw his arms up, thrusting something big and bushy directly in front of my face. "Here."

  "Uh..." Spitting as bits of green smacked my lips, I pushed at his wrist, lowering the clump of flowers and weeds he had fisted in his huge paw out of my nose.

  Purple stemmed flowers with green petals of various shapes and sizes—soft and fuzzy looking, as if velvety to the touch—were all squashed together to make an interesting assortment.

  He’d been doing this all week, ever since I’d started trying to snoop on him, bringing me things, trying to approach me in the middle of a large group, like today. It was unsettling.

  "Take, Meanie," he demanded, and shook the wild bouquet, reddish grey dirt shaking all over me from soil covered roots still attached. "Like Meanie's eyes."

  "Like my..."

  He pointed to my eyes, then the light green petals. Grunting, he looked to me pointedly, then wiggled the bouquet again. It was all actually kind of sweet.

  Oh, noooo, Mina. Don't even go there. No. No. No.

  Just like all the other gifts he's tried to give me, I shook my head in refusal, clutching my hands behind my back. No way in hell. I knew what it would mean to him, and I was not taking that prickly road with Kirch of the grumpy asses. Nuh-uh. No way, no how.

  I don't care how many women have multiple mates around here, let them have a million if it suits them—good for them, hope they're happy—just leave me the heck out of it.

  Kirch growled and bent lower, leaning in towards me, his warm breath hot by my ear as he growled again.

  Flushing as my pulse kicked up, I backed away, ashamed at my body's response, gooseflesh covering me instantly at his second, more meaningful growl.

  "I'm with Veck. I'm Veck's mate," I blurted, willing the twin flames in my cheeks to abate.

  Other beasties started to take note of us quietly arguing, Kirch adamantly insisting I take his gift, my stubborn refusals sending him growling and grunting loud enough to draw a small crowd.

  Nose to nose as the big beastie took a huge step forward, Kirch snarled in my face. Someone gasped and Kirch pulled back, finally noticing our audience. Frustrated and angry, he shoved the flowers into my hands and stomped off, grumbling loudly in his own beastie language, headed off towards the huts.

  I couldn't be positive, but I was pretty sure the things he was barking out, fairly shouting to no one in general, weren’t particularly complimentary to my kind or my gender. There might even have been a few cuss words thrown in there somewhere too, just for effect, but I really couldn't tell ya.

  As the group dispersed and I was left standing alone holding a fat handful of shaken up flowers, I acted as if nothing was amiss.

  Sneaking covert glances at the thoughtful gift, I pulled them to my nose to take a whiff when I
thought no one was looking. Like lavender and jasmine mixed together, it was wonderful. My heart panged as the scent filled my nose. They smelled like home.

  Kirch didn't know it, had no clue, but I’d kept all of his other gifts too, hiding them wrapped up in a bundle in my old clothes, shoved in the back of the closet. I just couldn't bring myself to get rid of them. They were thoughtful and beautifully handmade... And I'll just keep telling myself that it has nothing to do with him. Nothing.

  Maybe that was what he did with his free time—the wood work.

  Exquisitely made pieces, he'd created little trinkets and figurines out of wood, all painstakingly put together by the look of the craftsmanship. I’d seen other males doing something similar with their downtime, carving and staining them with naturally made dyes.

  The detail was so intricate and meticulous it made them appear almost life-like, the little wooden creatures practically reaching out towards me. I found myself struck by some new detail I’d yet to notice the time before, whenever I found a chance to sneak a peek, unearthing my hidden treasure trove from its hiding spot, eager to admire each piece.

  As far as I knew Veck didn’t know what I was on about, looking for Candy, or the weirdness with Kirch, or my hiding his gifts to keep them, though he has been rather preoccupied lately.

  Popping out of my thoughts as I heard a familiar growl of greeting, I glanced up, spotting Veck making his way towards me.

  A wide grin spread across his face as he stomped his way over, frosty eyes twinkling mischievously, his head bobbing above everyone else's in the crowd by at least five inches.

  Yep, Mina, you just had to go and mate the biggest bastard they had, didn't you?

  Giving a small wave in greeting, I smiled warmly as Veck lumbered closer, his excitement obvious in his features as the light from the fire danced across his face. No more surly scowls for my mate, I thought, grinning. He's been smiling like that all week.

  Hmmm, wonder why? My nipples hardened just thinking about it.

  "Hey, sweet cheeks, what are you up to?" I purred saucily, hugging him affectionately as he scooped me right up, lifting me right off my feet to nuzzle my neck.