Chapter Eighteen

Ragnar

The evenings and nights Ragnar spent working with Gunnar made him acutely aware of how much he craved his mate. He felt Natasha’s absence keenly, thinking about her constantly and hungering to hold her in his arms and to finally claim her.

That night he came late to their room and found her asleep. He knew she’d spent much of the day with his mother and would most likely be exhausted. The air on Jaegar was thinner than Andromeda’s atmosphere and that alone tired Natasha. In addition to that, his mother had changed from a frail, ailing convalescent to a spry, energetic woman. She was so pleased that one of her sons finally had a mate. The prospect of grandchildren had revived her spirits and she wanted to spend as much time as possible with Natasha.

Ragnar moved stealthily across the room. The only light came from the fire in the fireplace and shadows danced across the walls. He stood at the foot of the bed and watched Natasha as she slept. She wore a pale gown of Jaegarian lace that clung to her breasts. His wolf snarled and began to pant.

If he were a sensitive, decent man, he’d let her sleep. But not tonight. Tonight, he wanted to persuade her to give herself to him. He needed to sink into her warm, tight body. And most importantly,  he had to bite her. Mark her.

He shed his clothes, keeping his ravenous gaze fixed on her, watching the rise and fall of her every breath. When he prowled the length of the bed, she moaned softly and her eyelids fluttered as she looked up at him. Her lips parted as she drew a sharp breath of surprise to find him crouched over her.

His kiss was hard, possessive and when she whimpered, he responded with a savage growl. There was little time for sweet words and seduction. Someone wanted to take Natasha from him and he was desperate to make her his. Savage need clawed at him. His wolf starved for something only Natasha could give him.

He stroked her mouth with his tongue. The movement was wicked, one he meant to mimic the carnal act he intended to complete with his One. How long had he dreamed of savoring her sweet body as she lay beneath him, open to him and submitting to him?

Pulling the gown from her, he felt her arms circle his neck. She wanted this too even though she didn’t understand the threat that lurked. Red rage filled his vision as he imagined a man coming to Jaegar and trying to take her from him. He kept her locked in a kiss as he tugged the fragile gown from her.

When she lay naked beneath him, he broke the kiss and moved to her breast. The sight of her lush, full breast fanned his burning lust. Her nipple, small and pink and taut, drew a low growl from him as he laved it with his tongue. He cupped her other breast, stroking the tip with his thumb.

He sucked her tight bead. She writhed beneath him and made small sounds that varied between pleasure and worry. Her hands moved across the span of his shoulders and she threaded her fingers through his hair.

“I want you. Now.”

She drew a sharp breath. “Now?”

He moved lower and nipped her flank. She squealed and jerked beneath him.

“You like this, Natasha. You screamed with pleasure when I made you come with my tongue. Tell me I can have this again. Your pussy. I want to taste your arousal and make you wet and then we’re going to fuck.”

“Ragnar,” she whispered. “This seems fast.”

“It is fast. Let me. Tell me yes, Natasha.”

He nudged her thighs apart. In the glow of the firelight, he could see she was wet. His cock, already hard as steel, throbbed almost painfully. He stroked the length as he settled between her knees. Her scent made him wild with need. His control slipped a little more.

“Tell me I can taste you again.”

“Yes, Ragnar. Please.”

He thought about getting her to agree to what he really wanted, but decided to wait. Soon he’d have her begging for him. Slowly and with deliberate gentleness, he traced his tongue along her swollen folds. The taste of his mate made a shudder roll down the length of his back. His thoughts spun into a savage blur with the thought of what would unfold that night. Finally, he’d be one with the woman he’d searched for since he could remember.

She writhed beneath him as he licked her. His body was so attuned to hers that he felt her arousal climb. He could sense her coming closer and closer to her climax. Her need was his own. Thrashing beneath him, she begged and pleaded.

He paused and lifted to offer his bargain. “Tell me I can fuck you after this. That you’re mine and I can mark you.”

Trembling, she looked at him wide-eyed. “Mark me?”

“With my teeth. I’ll bite your neck.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. I’m afraid.”

He rose onto all fours. Gritting his teeth, he tried to tamp down the savage lust that burned inside him. “Of what?”

“Those teeth look a little sharp. I’m afraid.”

He heard the words plainly but couldn’t fathom what she meant. She was afraid? Of him? Of not giving him what he wanted?

“Don’t be afraid of me. Never be afraid of me.”

“And what if I can’t give you a child?”

He scrubbed a hand down his face. “Natasha, I want a child with you, but if we can’t have one, we’ll take in a child. We’ll give an orphan a home.”

“An orphan,” she murmured. “I was an orphan.”

He smiled, happiness blooming inside him. He loved imagining a family with her. “And you were a twin. Imagine if we could take in two children who needed a family.”

She shook her head and gave a breathless laugh. “Twins are considered wrong on Andromeda. Sinister.”

He frowned. “Not here. Every birth is celebrated on Jaegar. We might take a baby in or we might make our own. Or both.” He let his gaze wander down her naked body. “If you don’t let me fuck you and breed you, you’ll never know if my seed would take.”

“I need to think it over,” she said softly.

He fisted the bedding in his hands, wishing he could tear it to shreds. Maybe that would alleviate some of his frustration. She lay beneath him, naked and perfect and practically trembling with the same arousal burning through him and yet she denied him.

“Natasha,” he said, his voice rough with desire. “I could make you scream with pleasure, cry out my name in ecstasy.”

“You said we could take it slowly.”

He had told her that. It was true. But now he wished he hadn’t made any promises. He could wait. He could and would do anything for Natasha, but now that there was a threat lurking, he wanted to forge their bond so nothing could come between them.

“We could take it slowly tonight,” he said. “I will always be gentle with you and treat you like you were delicate and fragile and precious, because that is what you are to me.”

His heart thudded heavily in his chest. He feared the unknown pirate, the man who threatened to steal Natasha away, to destroy his life.

She bit her lip and the look in her eyes was so fretful and vulnerable, he felt an immediate pang of regret for pushing her.

Slowly, he lowered and kissed her lips. “We’ll wait. I don’t want to make love to my mate while she’s trembling. I’m going to make certain you’re as needy and as ready as I am. You’d better watch out, sweet Natasha. I’m going to tease and entice you every minute of the day. And night.”