He brought me up against him. Smashing all that softness against me as he lifted me off my feet and carried me backwards, deeper into the woods.
Is he trying to make me lose my way?
I had an excellent sense of direction and knew I could find my way back the moment he let me go.
“Why are we going further into the woods?”
“So, no one will hear you screaming.”
That sounded terrifying.
He tossed me over his shoulder and gave my backside a swat as he walked further into the trees. Coming across a dark cave concealed by high boulders.
“Alaric!” Objected. Hammering his back with my fists and kicking wildly.
“Woman, you best cease unless you want to lie in the dirt with me, right here.”
I clenched my teeth and twisted trying to glower at him, but he wouldn’t turn around. I was quiet as I watched warily as we wove deeper into the trees. I don’t like this.
How far are we going?
He held my hips to him and hooked his arms under my knees as he rolled onto his back. Pulling me over him so I sat astride his head. I yelped. Afraid he’d be smothered. But he wasn’t objecting. Instead, my own body worked against me. Bringing me down further on him so he could plunge that hot tongue in and out of me in a gesture I was sure would mimic what he intended to do with his thickening cock. I was weakening. Turning into a wanton creature that wanted nothing else. Could think of nothing other than him and what he was doing to me. He’s turning me inside out. His animal behavior was causing an equally wild response in me. I was leaned over. Balanced over the dirt floor. Letting him have my center. My knees reflexively tightening along the sides of his head until I could no longer take the tightening overwhelming me. I lurched upward tossing myself backward and having to balance my hands under me, on each side of
He slowed enough to find that spot, stroking more lightly so he didn’t push past it. Instead, he probed directly against it. It was like lightning struck at the base of my spine and vibrated up it. I screeched. Gripping his wrists holding my hips, because it was all of him, I could reach. My breasts bounced as I bucked against him. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Then I erupted in a swell of heat that slicked over him. Only then did he push beyond it. Rolling his tip over that spot a final time and then curling himself in against the mouth of my womb to spill his pleasure into my core. He gave a long male groan of relief and slumped over me. Sweating and lava hot to touch. His flat chest was hard against mine. And he was still in me as he dropped his forehead to my shoulder. Catching his breath. I wrapped my hands over his head. Wondering what had just happened. What have I done? I’d completely surrendered to him
He wasn’t about to let me go to town without him going with me. And when I sought to argue, he reminded me that someone was still out to kill me. Which persuaded me to relent. He is right about that. I summoned the carriage, and he rode astride in pace with me. The window was down as I glared at him. Making clear my annoyance at his presence. “You know who it is, don’t you?” “A rival kingdom?” “Hardly.” He snorted. “All the goods, your beloved king sends out to his people is circumvented by carriages bearing the Bartholomew coat of arms and rerouted to Malaise City. His city.” “You’re saying Bartholomew is stealing from us?” I nearly laughed aloud. “He’d never need to. My King gives him all that he desires.” “And he’d have no reason to need me dead. As it stands, he would be the regent until his children are of age to assume the throne.” “I’m no obstacle to that.” “You would be
I was announced into the ballroom and saw all eyes turn. Men wearing their dark, masculine, masks. Women wearing pearled or feathered garments and matching masks. Wanting to cause a stir. Each trying to be unique. But it was a rather pitiful attempt since in the end they all looked the same. Indistinguishable from each other. I wandered further into the room. Trying to pinpoint the faces of those I might know. Watching for Alaric. A little voice in my head insisted on bringing him up. The allure of the mysterious wafted through the room. Every face hidden. Candle flames dancing. Creating jerking movements that mimicked those dancing. Jerking. More like wraiths than real people. For a moment I wondered what my dear king would’ve looked like down here. Years ago, when he’d been young... He would’ve it the Ballroom. I could envision him with some rogui
The rest of the evening was pleasant. Alaric seemed to have dissolved into the crowd. But when I searched for him, he was easy enough to spot. Surrounded by women. They flocked around him. Clearly drawn by his beast, without ever being aware. A predator is all the more dangerous if he can coax his prey to him. That immediately made me think of myself. Am I any less prey? The immediate answer was ‘no.’ Much time had passed since Alaric, and I had become secret lovers. He wasn’t always vicious and possessive. Much of the time. But not always. Sometimes he was painfully sweet. And in many ways, that was even worse. It was so hard to remember he was my enemy when we were connected at the stem and center. Warming each other. Finding pleasure in each other’s bodies. Without even meaning to, I could picture his sleek body nude. Smooth, bronzed skin. Muscles
He’ll kill them. I realized. If I called for help and anyone came, he would shred them. His meaning was clear. Anyone getting between him and mating me would be in grave danger. Including me. He threw up my skirt and stepped next to the bed. He adjusted his footing on the dais in the chamber, so he was level with me. The back of the pretty dress ripped in his grip. The skirts going next. Until I was bare save for the corded belt wrapping my waist. He quicky gripped himself and aligned with me. “I only join with you because I need an assassin to protect me from the other ones.” I snapped. Defending that I wasn’t fighting him. Not because you don’t want to? A tiny voice in my mind asked. I stamped down the fact that my heart was racing. That my breath was ragged. And that I already ached from his nearness. He emanated power like a fireplace burning hot. He wasn’t fooled.
Never. I told myself. Even as I watched Alaric slowly easing toward me. His belly hardened and his arms flexed as he massaged along my belly. Stroking along the insides of my thighs. Eventually reaching down between us to pinch his thumbs along the outer edges of his cock. Pressing my soft lips against him a bit harder and intensifying the sensations inside me. I cried out and writhed over my bedding. Trying to escape me. “Oh no, Sweetheart. There’s no escaping me.” I tossed my head. Staring at a tapestry on the wall in an effort to hide from the fact that everything he was doing was more pleasing than any attempt my sweet old king had ever made to satisfy me. Any of Alaric’s simple touches set me on fire. The way he smelled was pure sex. Making me want him every time I caught a whiff. All of which made me hate him more. All wolf temptation would be gone if he wasn’t here. I believed I could truly separate myself fro
“I won’t ever go back to the pack!” I shouted. Jerking back from him and collapsing onto my back. Without missing a stroke, he framed my hips with his hands and began yanking me down to meet each stroke. “I didn’t say that.” He growled. I could see the tension moving through him and knew he was close. So was I, despite all my bitterness, hatred, and fury. The pleasure rippling through me would soon become impossible to hide. It was going to spill out of me. I wailed in frustration, self-pity and surrender. Clutching around him and slicking him with my lubricants as I vibrated inwardly. My muscles were flexing so hard they nearly hurt. Then quaking rhythmically until I’d sucked from him his climax. He gave a masculine shout that had to have been hard down the hall before he jammed into me to the hilt. Holding me down against him. Freezing there as he jerked raggedly. His arms twitching and his chest bulging with muscles which we