Chapter Eight

Everyone had welcomed Cortney with open arms. She’d expected at least some of the women to be bitchy or resent her for being with the head of the Odyssey, but she didn’t get a bad vibe from anyone. Had it not been for the constant sexual need inundating her entire being, she would have enjoyed the gathering and subsequent barbecue by the lake.

Trista hadn’t left her side, and Ry had stayed glued to Trista, which had left her friend all smiles and giggles. Between the heated stares the two of them shared, and the sexy vibes Draven was casting her way, she could hardly breathe.

When Trista had grinned and announced she was tired and wanted to get settled, and Ry had jumped up to accompany her, Cortney was almost glad. Within moments, Draven had informed the people still hanging around that they were heading home. He took her hand as he led her away from the crowd.

It wasn’t until they rounded the corner that Cortney caught her first good look at the huge home that was Draven’s. The castle was a lot bigger than she’d originally thought. There was a whole section she hadn’t seen when they’d first arrived that curved away from the lake front. Two tall towers rose above the treeline.

Draven followed her gaze. “The castle was built by my ancestors. Back then, for safety purposes, the whole Odyssey lived under one roof. Over the centuries, as our species became accepted and the hunting of phoenixes was outlawed, the heads of families chose to build homes of their own. Most stayed close, but some left and started their own Odysseys in the neighboring communities. Now it’s just like any other town, except my house is huge—and very empty.”

“Does that bother you? Being alone, I mean?” she asked. The tingling heat started in her palm where he held her hand, and climbed her arm, tickling at her neck.

He grinned at her, and her heart melted a little. He couldn’t possibly be lonely with all those people around him all the time. It was obvious that his people cared for, and respected him. Even the half dozen or so children she’d seen had come running to him for hugs and to share stories with him when they’d first arrived.

He gave her a long look. “I’m not going to lie to you, Cortney. People surround me, some are blood-related, the others are family by choice. I care for each and every one of them, but that doesn’t mean I’m not lonely. I’ve waited a long time to find my mate—to find you. Lifetimes, in fact. And I won’t give you up without a fight.”

She opened her mouth to deny him, but she couldn’t. The fact was, she liked Draven. The sexual pull was intense, and a little overwhelming, but it was more than that. He had an easy smile that reached his eyes when surrounded by his people. And she couldn’t ignore the fact that he’d been considerate of her from the moment he’d realized she was his mate. Even when the craze had hit them both hard, he’d taken care of her needs, and ignored his own. If his body ached just a fraction of what hers did, he had to be more than a little uncomfortable. At least she’d had an orgasm to ease the tension a little.

When they entered his home, he led her up the stairs, then hesitated at his bedroom door. “I’m to stay in the same room with you, aren’t I? Sharing the same bed?” she asked. If her memory served her right, that’s what the PMAC stipulated. Her nipples tightened at the thought of being pressed up against him, skin to skin.

“According to the PMAC, yes. We’re supposed to be getting to know one another on every level. That includes the bedroom. If you don’t want to stay in my room, I’ll make you a deal,” he told her with a devilish grin that had her heart pounding and her palms going damp.

“What kind of deal?”

“Since we’re supposed to be getting to know one another, both in and out of the bedroom, I’ll leave it up to you when you start sleeping in my room. For now, you can have the guest room right next to mine.”

“Okay. What’s the catch?”

He opened his bedroom door and stepped aside. “Since you won’t be sleeping in here with me, then I get to give you an orgasm each day. I get to choose when, where, and how. No holds barred. I can touch, taste, and do whatever I want, as long as it leads to your climax.”

“I don’t think that’s a compromise at all,” she said as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other to ease the throb between her legs.

“How long do you think we could keep our hands off each other if we’re lying in bed together for an entire night? And the next morning? I think one orgasm a day is a reasonable request. Plus, it’ll take the edge off the craze,” he offered as if his proposal made all the sense in the world.

She had to admit, it did. She’d been aching for Draven for hours, and there was no end in sight. There was no way she was going a whole month like this. “Okay, I agree. We’ll start now.”