Jill felt extremely nervous. She had showered, dried off as quickly as possible, and then climbed into the middle of Aveoth’s huge bed. There was a pile of pillows behind her where she sat, leaning against them. At first she’d thrown the covers back, exposing her nude body, but then she’d flashed to the memory of Winalin—the bitch. That flawlessness she’d seen had her under the covers and drawing them to her breasts.
“Not a competition and I’m better. I’m not a conceited cunt.”
“Who are you talking to?”
Jill jumped and turned her head. “You didn’t make any sound. I didn’t hear you coming.”
Aveoth walked to the side of the bed. His eyes were doing that swirling thing, turning mostly silver. They were sexy as hell.
“Who called you a conceited cunt?” He looked angry.
“No one. I was thinking about Winalin.”
“Why?” He scowled.
“She might be a horrible person but she’s got a seriously rocking body.”
“I didn’t notice.” His gaze lowered to her chest, where she clutched at the bedding to hide her breasts. “There’s no need to hide yourself.”
“I like honesty in a man, Aveoth. There’s no way you didn’t notice that Winalin is perfect. She’s got that supernatural beauty going for her. Porn producers would kill to get her on their payroll. Guys would pay a fortune to watch her getting bent by some plumber.”
He laughed. “I am ashamed to say I understood that. She’d do it for humans, huh?”
“Yes.”
“Good thing I’m not one.” He moved over to the night table and set down a big box of condoms. “She only annoys me.” His gaze swung to her. “Don’t compare yourself to her. It’s an insult that I won’t allow. You’re a thousand times more attractive in every way.”
She glanced at the condoms. “You got them.”
“Of course.” He turned toward her. “What would make this more comfortable for you, Jill?”
“Kiss me.”
“I plan to.” He suddenly spun away and strode across the room. “Mood lighting.”
She watched him as he bent near the fireplace in the corner and lit it. The flames grew as the logs caught fire, and then he stood, quickly moving to turn off most of the lights in the room. He went to a cupboard along one wall, opened it, and took out candles. She smiled as he lit them, placing them on various surfaces near the bed.
He was a romantic. That surprised and delighted her.
He finally came back to the bed. She could see him well enough but had to admit the dim lighting helped her relax a bit.
“Better?”
“Yes.”
“Relax, Jill. You almost look frightened. I promise you pleasure.”
“All guys say that.”
“I’m not a guy.”
He was her badass GarLycan. A lord of his clan. Her Wings. She nodded. “Strip.” She pushed the covers down to reveal her breasts.
He growled low, his fascinating gaze fixing on them. “Beautiful.”
“I’m pretty attached to them,” she teased.
“I am as well.” His voice deepened as he almost tore his shirt off.
She admired his bare chest. The guy had a lot of muscles. He was total eye candy, and the sight of him turned her on. He bent, tearing at his boots. He just tossed them aside, then straightened, both hands going to the front of his pants. Then he was the one teasing, as he very slowly unfastened them.
She glanced up, his heated, silver and blue flashing gaze locked on her face. He pushed them down and she broke eye contact.
The guy was hung. She’d seen it before, when he’d flashed her that morning, but he looked even bigger now, thicker, and she swallowed hard. There was that saying about bigger being better. She really hoped that was true.
He kicked away his pants and bent again, putting his hands on the bed. She stared into his eyes as he crawled to her.
“Don’t be frightened,” he rasped. “We’ll take things slow.”
She licked her lips and shoved the covers totally out of the way so they weren’t between them. “I’m not afraid. Remember what I said about the first time being awkward?”
“How can I remedy that?” He stretched out beside her, the mattress dipping with his weight.
She had to lean back a little to not fall against him. “Kiss me. That should do it. You’re really great with your mouth.” Her memory flashed to his face between her legs. That helped turn her on more. The man had nearly licked her into a coma of climaxes.
“I’d like to avoid that in case the ravage hormones are still present. I want your mind clear when I make love to you, Jill.”
“That’s sweet. Really.” She reached up and slid her hand along his cheek, then into his hair. His skin was warm and his black hair silky to the touch. “But it was hot in more ways than just my body feeling as if I were burning alive inside. My mind is clear right now when I say I want you, Aveoth. Please kiss me. I’m not one to do drugs, but I could get addicted to the one you produce. I want it…and you.”
“I can’t resist you, Jill.” He sat up a little, leaned closer, and stared deeply into her eyes. “Are you certain?”
“Yes. Just remember the condom. I couldn’t put a sentence together last night. It was all about my body craving for you to touch me. I wanted you inside me so much. I might actually beg, but take that minute to protect me, okay? No bat baby.”
A smile ghosted his lips. “You have my word.”
He leaned in and Jill closed her eyes. His lips lightly brushed hers. She reached up, clutching his shoulders, and parted her lips. He slid his tongue between them, deepening the kiss. He also wrapped his hand around her waist and tugged her down the bed a little. He put her flat on her back and moved her farther, off the mound of pillows. Then he came down partially on top of her.
Sensations swamped her. His chest was hot, firm against her breasts. Her nipples grew taut and sensitive. He shifted his weight and she was pretty sure he’d used his free arm to shove the pillows away from them. The telltale signs of the drug hit fast. Her body became inflamed from the inside, as if she had a fever. Her clit began to throb and she spread her legs, aware that the feeling would just increase. She moaned against his tongue and slid her hands to his back, raking her fingernails along his supple skin.
He growled, his chest vibrating against hers.
She turned her body a little, throwing one leg over his ass and trying to tell him she wanted him fully on top of her, not just partially pressing against her. He seemed to understand and broke the kiss, lifting up. Jill opened her eyes.
Aveoth’s eyes were pure silver now, glowing, and they reminded her of liquid being melted in a pot. The light and darker silver swirled, as if being stirred.
“You’re amazing.”
“The drug is still present. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not.” Staring into his eyes helped her focus on them instead of her body’s reactions. “I’m aching for you. We won’t need foreplay if this keeps happening.” She arched her hips, spread her legs wider. “I’m ready.”
He put his hand on her thigh and lightly trailed upward. “Let me see.”
She moaned but kept staring into his eyes. He hesitated before cupping her mound…but he just rested his hand over her pussy, not doing anything else.
“Please! Don’t make me beg, Wings. That will piss me off.” She bucked her hips.
He smiled. “I would never want that, my beautiful Jill.” He rubbed, sliding his hand over her clit and slit. His expression changed in an instant and a deep rumble came from his chest. “You’re not ready for me yet.”
“I’m soaked. I ache. I need you!” Panting, she closed her eyes. The second she did, her body burned hotter. She dug her nails into him, pumping her hips against his hand in desperation to come.
He growled and slid his hand higher up her mound, then down. One of his fingers entered her and drove in deep. She moaned louder. It felt wonderful. She squirmed, wanting more. Aveoth gave it to her. He moved his hand, fucking her with his finger and using the pad of his palm to press against her clit. He quickened the pace until she arched her back, crying out his name as she came hard.
He tore his hand away and suddenly wasn’t on her anymore. She panted, trying to catch her breath. She opened her eyes and turned her head, seeing his back to her. He was fumbling with the box on the night table. She heard him curse, the sound of cardboard ripping, and then he was back. She opened her body to him as he moved back over her. His eyes were still silver, alive with all those swirls, and bright blue flashed too. Streaks of them flared through. He caged her under him and she lifted her legs, wrapping them around his hips. He was such a huge guy. She might have found that more alarming if the need to be fucked wasn’t so strong.
He slid a hand between them. She didn’t look down, unwilling to break eye contact. Those eyes of his were mesmerizing. Beautiful. Magical. Amazing. He could be one of the wonders of the world, all because of his eyes.
“You’re mine, Jill. I won’t bite—but you’re mine,” he rasped.
She felt the thick tip of his cock press against her pussy. He pushed forward, entering her with care. She closed her eyes, moaning. He was so big. She could feel her body taking him but it was a tight fit.
Aveoth had broken out in a sweat. Jill felt so fragile under him, and he was terrified he’d hurt her if he went too fast. He pushed his dick in a little more and groaned. She was small but she sheathed his shaft perfectly. He was careful to keep most of his weight off her, using just enough to keep her pinned. He needed to be in control of her movements and his own.
He withdrew a little and pushed in deeper. She was so wet, hot, and welcoming. All those Lycan instincts he kept leashed beat at his insides to be freed. My mate. Bite. Mark her so everyone knows she’s mine!
Her moans and the way she wrapped her legs around him, combined with the pleasure of being inside her, almost snapped his control. His gums ached as his fangs lengthened and the skin over his wing seams swelled, threatening to split open to allow them to come out. Every inch of his skin tingled as he worked his way inside her pussy deeper, fucking her slowly. Inch by inch her body adjusted to him, until he was fully seated inside her snug confines. He froze there.
“Yes!” She dug her nails into the skin along his back, near his shoulders. She bucked her hips, urging him to move. “Aveoth!”
He withdrew and began to thrust in slow, long lengths. She was perfect, pure pleasure, and his seed threatened to spill at the sound of her moans growing louder. Her short fingernails were kneading his skin, her hard nipples rubbing against his chest as he rocked a little faster against her.
Her muscles clenched even tighter around his shaft and she cried out, climaxing. He stopped trying to hold off his own release and let himself follow her. He lost his mind in the blinding, hot ecstasy that ripped through his body.
All control slipped, good intentions gone.
The haze lifted when he stopped shooting his seed into the condom protecting his Jill from pregnancy. The delectable taste of her blood was on his tongue…and he realized his face was buried in the crook of her throat.
Aveoth was horrified, and he gently withdrew the tips of his fangs from her skin. He licked frantically, hoping like hell he hadn’t damaged her, and that he was healing her skin. He lifted his head enough to glance down at the wound, relieved it was just two puncture marks and that he hadn’t done worse.
He bit his tongue, not caring how it hurt, and licked at her again to cover the bites with his blood. It had worked on her forehead. He pulled back again, watching them closely.
Jill stroked his hair with one hand, her legs still locked around him, and she was breathing heavily under him. She made a slight noise but it didn’t sound pained. He dared to look at her face then. Relief swept through him a second time when she smiled. Her pupils were a little dilated, her skin flush, and her other hand brushed against his wing, her fingertips caressing the area where they connected to his body…
Fuck! He broke eye contact with her to glance at his arm. His skin was a little grayish in color but he hadn’t shelled overly much. He panicked further until he remembered the condom. Jill was at least safe in that regard.
Instincts won’t be denied, no matter how strong-willed you are.
His mother’s warning, one she’d told him countless times, echoed inside his head.
No shit, Mom. He’d tried to mate Jill, despite planning to put that off until the timing was right.
Jill rolled her hips and moaned. “More.”
She was under the influence of the ravage hormone he was secreting. That was probably why she wasn’t raging at him for biting her or fucking her with his wings out. He stared into her eyes. Lust and desire were there. She clawed at him with her fingernails and tightened her hold around his shoulders, grinding her pussy against him.
“Please, Aveoth.” She struggled under him, frantically trying to urge him to keep fucking her.
He wanted to, but fear that the condom would break and release the mating chemicals that would be present in his sperm had him withdrawing his dick from her body.
She protested, fighting him. He was afraid to bruise her if he had to manually force her to unwind her limbs from him. He stared into her eyes, using his gifts in a way he rarely did. He focused hard on her and pushed toward her mind to reach her.
“Let me go, Jill.”
She went still under him. Slowly, she opened her legs so they weren’t tangled with his, and her arms fell back so they were splayed on the bed next to her head.
He hated the way her breathing slowed as she peered into his eyes, all emotion wiped from her face.
Aveoth moved fast, sliding down her body, and he knew the moment the thrall was broken, when he looked away from her. She tried to sit up, grabbing at his arms.
He gripped her legs in his hands and pinned them open on the bed, burying his face between her thighs. She cried out as he placed his mouth against her clit and licked. Her hands tangled in his hair and she moaned loudly.
He made her come over and over, until she went lax in his hold.
Aveoth lifted his head, licking his lips. Her taste was addictive as hell. He was almost sorry that she’d passed out. He studied her peaceful face while she slept, and then sat up. The condom was still on since his dick hadn’t softened. The sight of it made him grimace as he reached down to carefully remove it. It was messy as hell, since he’d filled the damn thing with his seed.
He climbed off the bed but took a moment to cover Jill, since her legs were still splayed open. She looked vulnerable without him over her, and he couldn’t walk away, even just into the bathroom with her in that state. He hurried in there to throw the condom in the trash and wash off his stiff shaft. He could smell the difference in his semen, needed to remove all trace of it from his body. There was no doubt now that he’d secreted the mating chemicals.
He sheathed his wings inside his body and wet a towel to wash the blood from his back, from his wings ripping out in the first place.
He hurried back to the bedroom to check on Jill’s throat. The only evidence of the bite left was his bloodied saliva drying on her skin. He studied her completion, sure he hadn’t taken much of her blood, since her coloring was good. He adjusted her body under the sheet he’d thrown over her, then lay down atop the cover, rolling her onto her side and curling around her, holding her tight.
He could have hurt her. It dampened his lust and his throbbing dick calmed, eventually softening. “I’m so sorry, baby. I promised not to bite.”
She slept peacefully, breathing slow and steady.
He kissed the top of her head. She felt small and fragile curled into his arms. He probably should clean her while she slept so she’d be more comfortable, but he just needed to hold his mate. It bothered him that material was between them so he carefully pulled it out, plastering his skin against hers. He wanted to keep her warm and safe. He also hoped the hormone stopped being produced every time he kissed her.
The phone on the nightstand vibrated a while later and he rolled, reaching for it. A quick glance at the caller ID revealed it was Kelzeb. “What?”
“I just beat the shit out of Elco. I thought you’d want to know.”
Aveoth sighed. “What did he do to piss you off?”
“He came to me about you denying his sister over a human, since I’m your advisor. I kept calm until he started throwing out threats and mentioned the Gargoyle Council is on his side. The prick has been talking to them.”
Aveoth wasn’t surprised. “How angry were you?”
“He’ll live, but he won’t be leaving his quarters for a few days. Your little chat with the council didn’t do much good.” Kelzeb sighed. “They are plotting trouble, Aveoth. They might be close-lipped, but Elco is a loudmouthed idiot. He implied they’re going to force you to step down in public. And Tork’s newly birthed son is being introduced to the clan tomorrow…”
Aveoth ground his teeth together. “I forgot about that with everything that’s been going on.”
“I figured. I’ve handled all the last-minute details. It’s at three o’clock. I hope you don’t mind, but I stopped by Renna’s home earlier and gave her a general description of your Jill. A gown will be ready for the event, but she’d like to actually measure her. Can you take her there now?”
He turned his head, staring at Jill slumbering. “No. I will first thing in the morning.”
“Now would be better.”
“She’s sleeping beside me. I’m still giving off the hormones when I kiss her. I’m hoping it stops, now that my body believes I’ve mated her.”
Kelzeb hesitated. “What does that mean?”
“Use your imagination. I was wearing a condom, though, so the bond didn’t take.”
“Shit. That good, huh?” Amusement laced his voice. “I’ll assume you got carried away, since I doubt you wanted to go mostly Gargoyle during sex with her. Did it frighten her?”
“No. The hormone helped. She was focused on other things.”
His friend chuckled. “Bond with her. Shit is already hitting the fan. Make it official tomorrow after the ceremony for the baby. We’ll have two new clan instead of one. That way, no one can whine about her anymore. It will be a done deal.”
“They’ll still whine.”
Kelzeb laughed outright. “True, my friend. But I won’t have to hear anyone asking me to make you rethink having Jill in your home. I’ve warned our trusted to expect some trouble. We stand with you if the council decides to challenge you.”
“I appreciate it.”
“Nobody wants Kado and his group in charge. One more thing.”
“What?” Aveoth rolled, watching Jill sleep. She looked peaceful.
“Hawk stopped me in the hallway on my way home from beating Elco’s ass. It seems Gorzak was approached by the council to challenge you for leadership.”
Aveoth felt sadness. The Gargoyle had lost his Lycan mate some years ago, and had become remote. They’d taken him off work rotation. “That was low of them to go to a man who feels he has nothing to lose.”
“Hawk was pissed. They are good friends, and he felt they were trying to take advantage of his grief. Gorzak ordered them to leave his home.”
“He doesn’t care enough to fight for anything. Did they approach Hawk too?”
“He thinks they knew better. He says he would have challenged whoever approached him…and would have handed you their head as a gift. I see where Chaz and Fray get their twisted sense of humor. He appeared disappointed that they didn’t pull him into their plotting so he could kill someone.”
“He’s still dealing with his own grief of a lost mate.”
“True. I’ll let you go. We’ll speak in the morning.”
“Thanks.” Aveoth hung up. He went to put the phone on the night table but then made another call. His mother answered on the fifth ring.
“I hate this invention. Couldn’t my son speak to me face to face?”
He smiled but his humor faded fast. “You came to see my Jill. Why?”
“You hadn’t brought her to me. I approve of her. Not that it would matter, but I do. She’s sweet and brave.”
“She is so much more than that. The time wasn’t right for you to meet her though.”
“You’re wrong. My timing was perfect. She needed a woman to speak to.”
He would concede to her wisdom. “Thank you. She’s giving me a chance to show her we’re right for each other.”
“I’m glad, my son. Renna and I are sewing a dress for her right now for tomorrow’s welcoming event. We’re making it extra special, in case you announce her as your mate.”
He couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you. I need to go. I love you.”
“I love you too, but we need to discuss one more thing before you end this call.”
“What?”
“Tell her the truth about you, my son. All of it. I know her secret. She should know yours as well.”
His heart sped up and he gently eased out of bed, striding to the bathroom. He closed the door. “She told you who her father is?”
“Yes. It came out in conversation. She promised me that she wouldn’t tell anyone else. I explained Gargoyles hate anything with even a drop of Vampire blood. Did you choose her because you feel real emotions for her, or are you using her?” Her voice grew cold. “Tell me you’re not like Abotorus.”
“I’m nothing like him.” Rage tightened his chest enough to make it difficult to breathe. “How could you ask that? Even think it?”
“It’s something he would have done. He would have used her to hide his own secrets.” Her voice softened. “I apologize but I had to speak my concern. She’s a tender woman who has seen a lot of pain. Protect her heart. It’s delicate.”
“I would never hurt her. I treasure Jill.”
“I’m glad. Some will challenge you. Kill them all, and be brutal enough to spread fear throughout the clan to anyone who even thinks of using your mate against you. They respect savagery. In that regard, I encourage you to be similar to my mate where the clan is concerned. You must survive and thrive. You’re my heart, Aveoth.”
He closed his eyes and his anger dissipated. “I know. You’ve done everything to protect me and sacrificed so much.”
“I wanted us both to live. You need to mate her and tell her everything, Aveoth. All of it. Make it a true mating of the heart. She’ll protect your secret. In order for her to love all of the man, she needs to know who you truly are.”
“I know.”
“Go be with her. Show her how amazing my son is.”
The line clicked and the call ended.
Aveoth returned to the bedroom, placed the phone on the night table, and got back into bed to hold Jill. Tomorrow they’d talk. His mother was right. He needed to tell Jill everything.