One week after arriving, I held my arms out, face—I was sure—priceless, as I eyed my Lajaks who had just entered my room that morning. I stated in exasperation, “I look like a fucking virginal offering.”
Bless them…their faces stayed—mostly—blank.
But King Zeller’s lip twitched, and he drawled slowly, “I believe to be a virginal offering…you’d have to be,” black arched brows raised, “a virgin.”
“Not the point.” I waved a hand up and down my scantily clad body. Roselle had arrived early with the attire I was to wear on our journey to the first city we were headed to in an effort for my people to approve of me. But my clothes—if you could call it that—consisted of a thin white satin piece of cloth tied around my breasts, the tie dangling down my bare back, and a white satin flowing skirt that hung low on my hips down to the tops of my bare feet, slits up each of my thighs, nails free of color, and my hair unspelled, no pink streaks—only white…and more white. “I feel damn ridiculous, not to mention, naked.” I scowled, pissed off, and spread my legs wide, the slits baring my legs all the way up, and I threw my hands down, pointing between my legs. “And I’m going to be riding a damn horse like this.”
And dammit, half my Lajaks faces cracked, some chuckling, some choking, putting fists in front of their mouths and coughing gruffly, trying to contain it.
“It’s not funny!” I damn near shouted, shaking my widespread fingers down. “A big, damn horse between my bare legs.” My tiger growled. “Roselle wouldn’t even let me wear underwear.” That…produced more choking.
Sin’s lips pinched together, doing his best to remain in control, but he was staring at my breasts. “And there’s the discomfort,” he flicked a finger to said breasts, “you’re…cold.”
“Jesus, Sin,” King Collins muttered, slapping him upside his head, then turning his back to me, head dipped and shoulders shaking, but silent in his mirth.
“What?” Sin asked innocently, still staring, and his pointed finger made a small circular motion. “It’s like you can see exactly,” He shut up when Elder Merrick knocked him upside his head, much less friendly than King Collins had while I crossed my arms over my chest.
Although, Elder Merrick’s expression was utterly blank, lids hooding his gaze, after that rough action, he asked, “It’s not bareback riding, right?” I ignored the few snickers, and shook my head, so he continued. “Just bring a soft and thin, but sturdy blanket to put between you and the saddle.”
I nodded once, humiliation quickly adding to my anger as my face dipped to view my attire again, but still…”It’s not just embarrassing.” I waved a hand at my attire, but quickly folded my arms over my chest again. “I can’t even carry a gun.”
Back still to me, King Collins lifted a finger in the air, choking, “That’s my Prodigy.”
Sin blinked, still rubbing the back of his head, not glaring at Elder Merrick, but still staring at me, then his eyes gleamed for a moment. “Shit.” A small smile. “I need to take a picture of this.”
“Sin.”
“Oh, come on.” He was already darting to where he had stashed some of his stuff in my room. “I’ll be in it with you, and you know I won’t show anyone.”
I rubbed a hand over my face. “Whatever.” I did have a particularly interesting shot of him and I at the circus, so fair was fair. “But, we’re even.”
“Not even close,” he muttered, slamming the white drawer closed, shaking the camera at me. “That elephant shot is worth, at least,” camera waving up and down my frame, “nine more of these moments.”
Maybe, but I wasn’t going to let him know that.
King Collins stared wide-eyed at Sin over his shoulder, mumbling under his breath in a mantra, “Not going to ask, not going to ask, not going to ask.”
Leric…liked…my outfit.
And that was an understatement.
I was currently sitting on his lap in his study, his arms wrapped around me tight, and any time I tried to get up…the tiger in him growled at me. His scent was so damn heady and spiced, most of the elite Guardians kept itching their noses, not even glancing our way at the early morning breakfast meeting we were having before leaving, and they kept stuttering in whatever they were going to say when his scent spiked further when I moved to, at least, eat something, or when he growled.
“Leric,” I pushed through our bond…and tried really hard to ignore the impressive rising erection I felt growing under my ass, “you’re making them feel uncomfortable.”
His tiger growled through our connection.
“Hush,” I continued our private conversation, crooning softly. “I’m not moving. I’m just eating. But you need to try to calm down.”
His tiger huffed. “It has been a very long time since I’ve had sex.” His face tilted and he nuzzled against my neck, breathing deeply, his voice a deep growl in my mind. “I have been patient, but I want what is mine.”
Oh…boy. “Leric…” I ran my hand threw his soft rolls of white hair, then grabbed tight, yanking his face back a bit, tilting my head so those at the table couldn’t see, holding his gaze steadily. “Calm down. This is not going to happen in here. Act like the One. We have business to take care of before we leave.”
His jaw clenched, nostrils flaring. “Promise me you’ll sleep with me tonight.” His eyes flicked between mine. “I know you have Sin in your bed, while night after night I have no one, jealousy and envy eating away at me, all while waiting for you to just look my way.” Silver eyes gazed back at me, a humble, quiet expression. “Please, even if only to sleep.”
Oh…my chest heaved as I realized what I was doing to him. A decent, caring, intelligent man, the man I was forever connected with…how I would feel if the roles were reversed. Alone every night, praying he would knock on my door, as I had once done with the Walker, waiting patiently while burning inside, all while he slept with another woman wrapped in his arms. I felt not only immense guilt that seared my throat, but also tenderness for him that brought stinging tears to my eyes. “I’m sorry,” I blinked hurriedly, “I will…sleep…with you tonight.” I was going to have to figure this shit out in a hurry, but for the time being, I could give him the connection he wanted…and, maybe, I wanted, too.
Soft in my mind. “Thank you.” His chest lowered, the breath he was holding slowly exhaling.
“Welcome.” I leaned forward, pressing my lips to his warm forehead…and my glistening eyes met cold, simmering navy blue’s, fire barely banked from under dipped, hooded lids. His body appeared relaxed but vigilant in his duty as Lajak…but those hidden eyes…I exhaled, closing my own against the furious hatred and boiling jealousy he didn’t bother hiding from me, right here, right now, and I finished kissing Leric’s forehead gently before turning my head, and barely hung on to my control as I made myself eat.
As we entered my room, Lajaks following from their rooms with their own duffels already over their shoulders, just making a pit stop for my own bag, half filled with my normal clothes, half with outfits Roselle had given me. I slammed the door shut behind me, privacy spell firmly activated, and ordered gruffly, “Nobody says a damn word.” I was on the fringes of balling like a girl and pulling a damn gun just to hear the sound it made when fired I was so furious, my emotions on a damn roller coaster ride…for both men.
Sin cleared his throat, ignoring my mandate, and flicked a finger absently in the air, stating, “Perhaps you should find a jacket. A long one.” Wide hand motions. “And puffy.”
I…lost…it.
Picking up a lamp, I hurdled it at his head. He ducked, so I grabbed the small crystal bird statues, and started chucking those. Then, anything else I could find, items crashing and breaking as he dodged each one, taunting me merrily, the sound of tinkling glass and porcelain shattering.
Sin ducked a picture frame, waving his hands at the wide-eyed Elders and Kings. “Everyone out.” More hand waving, then a quick pivot and jump from the wooden chair I heaved at his feet. “Really, give us a moment.”
“At least she doesn’t have a gun,” Brann murmured quietly, then ducked the book I threw at him, hurrying out of the room, most of the Elders, and both Kings, leaving as I threw a glass and platinum clock at Sin…dammit…almost hitting him.
But, Elder Farrar shut and locked the door, placing his back to it, appearing damn amused, tilting to the side absently when a shard of porcelain flew at his shoulder. “Ms Jules, you’re ruining perfectly decent decorations…and none of them are hitting their mark, anyway.” A head tilt to Sin as he spun from the hairdryer I threw. “Nice feet work.”
I froze in surprise when massive warm arms enveloped me from behind, wrapping around my arms tightly, lifting me straight off my feet, the scent of a forest before a rainfall, shadowy and invigorating filling my senses, and I instantly began beating at his strong legs with my fists, shouting, “Let go of me, you fucking prick.”
A wolf growl sounded low, and furious, at my ear.
Elder Farrar rapidly moved when Sin started forward, grabbing his shoulders and twisting him in the other direction, herding a quickly turning furious Sin toward the balcony, the door opening with the flick of his hand before he shoved Sin outside it, stepping out with him, the door and white curtain shutting, effectively leaving me alone in a spelled privacy room with…Elder Merrick.
“Let me go,” I screamed, jerking inside his hold.
His arms only tightened as he growled against my ear, “Did you like being on his fucking lap while he was aroused? Did you feel his cock hard for you? Was it fucking pressing up against your soft flesh?” His wolf snarled loudly as he dipped his head, running his nose along my throat, inhaling heavily. “I can smell him on you.” A long snarl dipping into a drawn out growl. “Tell me, spirit bitch, did it feel good? Is that why you squirmed on his lap? Were you fighting to keep from becoming wet?”
“If you could scent him, then you know I wasn’t aroused.” I trembled inside his hold, furious with loathing for how he played me, but a simmering heat was building low in my gut, wetness heating between my thighs, but I went for anger, hissing, “And you have no right to ask me any of these questions.” I jerked inside of his hold, his scent spiking, spicing with the evergreen.
Fingers digging in to me, voice furious with rage, he shouted against my ear, “I can’t stand it when he touches you! It took all my fucking willpower to keep from ripping his fucking head off!” With incredible speed, my arms were suddenly free, but I was still inside his hold, off the floor, one of his arms unbreakably wrapped around my stomach, his other hand palming a tender, swollen breast brutally, squeezing possessively, a gasp of air rushing past my lips in a yearning fury. “Forty years…forty fucking years I couldn’t get your breasts out of my mind. A damn spirit Elemental who could annihilate us all.” My chest heaving as I sucked in oxygen, his power intoxicating and wild, beginning to build around us, weighing heavily with his need as his hand dropped, dipping below my waistline and delving down to my wet core, palming me possessively. “And the goddamn fucking pussy from heaven.” He bit my neck sharply, my head pressed to the side, neck bared to his lash of teeth sinking into my flesh, his wolf growling loudly, shaking the very air around us with his vehemence.
I choked on a scream as he pushed off with his legs, and we were airborne, his teeth unlatching from my throat. Dizzy, I was damn dizzy when we landed next to my bed, my chest being shoved down onto the mattress, bent over the edge. He gripped the back of my neck hard with one hand, keeping me prone while he flipped my skirt up over my hips, cupping me again, rubbing his warm palm back and forth over my wetness, his voice half wolf as he growled harshly, “I don’t want him fucking touching your cunt.” Releasing his hold on my neck, he dropped to his knees behind me. “This is my heaven to pleasure and loathe.”
“Fuck you, Cain.” I gripped the bedspread, panting down into it, heart rate flying with a feverish need for him, my body on fire. “You haven’t done anything since I first went into the Barren.”
“There hasn’t been an opportunity,” his wolf huffed as he nipped the back of my thigh, his slick, warm tongue taking a slow lick up my flesh, edging toward my heat, making my legs tremble. “He has others watching you at night, plus Sin’s in here, and during the day, I’m too busy making sure you stay alive.” He grabbed my thighs, growling so loudly it shook the bed under me. “Fuck, you’re glistening for me, honey. Spread your legs. I want to eat your pretty pussy.”
Groaning as I felt his panting hot breath brush over my needy flesh, I spread my legs, widening my stance for him.
He groaned gutturally. “That’s my spirit bitch.” My knees went weak, and I grabbed on to the bedspread tight, moaning as his hot slick tongue ran in an unhurried stroke between my folds, a pleasured groan vibrating against my swollen flesh, his fingers digging into my thighs, and murmuring against my throbbing flesh, “He touches you here,” his tongue flicked my clit making me jolt, pressing back against his mouth, “and you’ll get to see that battle, honey.” He moaned as I undulated, needing more, and he drove his slick tongue into my gripping channel, fucking me with his lips and tongue. “Fuck, yes. Press harder. I want to lick you while you come.”
I did press harder, shouting as his thumb started rubbing my clit, his talented mouth eating my flesh in hungry, ravenous strokes. His loud groans of pleasure joined my own moans, the air around us swirling with his power, wild and animalistic, the spiced evergreen forest before a rainfall filling my nostrils, my senses, a dizzying head rush. And he pressed my clit hard, faster, the movements pulling me toward…I screamed, glowing brightly, stars flying as a heady rush of warmth took me over the edge, my body working against him, his wolf huffing a purr vibration against my clenching flesh as he licked in greedy, long strokes as I came against his mouth.
Mind in a haze as I floated in carnal euphoria, my limbs, and body spent with heavenly warmth, I only faintly heard his belt buckle and zipper being undone as he rose behind me, or felt the heavy, possessive hand against the back of my neck again, but my eyes shot wide, a scream of mixed pleasure and pain choking in my throat when his other hand gripped my hip and his massive cock was thrusting into me. I braced my shaky hands on the bed again as he groaned, “We don’t have much time, honey.” He pulled his hips back to drive forward, his cock sliding in further, his wolf huffing on a pant. “This’ll have to be quick.”
I moaned as he continued filling me, voice breathy. “Hard and fast, darling. Fuck me hard and fast.”
He chuckled deeply behind me on a breathy moan. “Definitely doable after staring at you in this outfit all morning.” His cock slid deeply as he thrust, voice guttural. “Dress like a virginal offering any time,” another hard thrust, and I shouted in pleasure, his cock filling me completely, his hips flush with mine with a heavy groan, “as long as I reap the rewards.”
Breathing on a pant, his cock like heated steel, and massive inside my gripping, slick channel, I ordered, “Fuck me, my manipulative asshole.”
“Certainly, my spirit bitch,” he purred, hands tightening, bruising on me, tone low. “Now let me hear you scream my name.”
With unbelievable speed, he pulled his hips back and started slamming his hips against mine, driving his steel cock into me masterfully, fucking me as I had wished, and my mouth opened on a keening cry, “Cain!”
“Again,” he barked harshly, his wolf growling furiously, our skin slapping loudly. “Fucking scream it again.”
His cock ramming deep past my cervix, I choked as he pumped into me even faster, harder, mercilessly, a deep, guttural shout flying past my lips, “Cain!”
“Fucking…right,” he growled, his cock stretching me in unbelievable pleasure as he drove into me, again and again. “My name on your damn lips.” He rotated his hips, another piercing scream from my lips, his wolf riding his tone. “My fucking name.”
“More…more…” Voice breathless, my eyes closed in pleasure. “Give me more, Cain!”
His wolf growled, and he hips started pistoning rapidly, both of us shouting at the rough pleasure, a perfect blend of need and fulfillment, our bodies fitting seamlessly, his massive cock to my tight channel. I tilted my hips up for easier penetration, and he hissed breathlessly, “Christ…so damn perfect.” Sounds of our joining had me groaning into the mattress, but when he slid his hand from my hip, down over my stomach and beneath my skirts waistline, I jerked against him, grinding against the two fingers he pinched my clit with, and he shouted, “Fuck, yes. Again, honey. Again.”
Dizzy with pleasure I rocked my hips against his pistoning ones, riding his fingers against my clit as he filled me completely, and my body began to tremble fiercely, the tiger in me sounding, purring in huffs, and he tilted his hips just right, the tip of his cock rubbing frantically, and I screamed, loud and long, my body glowing, hundreds of tiny stars shooting from my body as I was rocked into the warm bliss of ecstasy, my mind blowing as I convulsed under him. His wolf growled furiously as he slammed into me so hard the bed shifted under us, a loud and deep resounding shout echoing in my ears through my haze as he jerked against me, his grip vicious as his cock pumped deep inside me, his scalding cum spurting pleasurably. I groaned, my channel pulsing against his cock, keeping him snug inside, both of us trembling and jerking in slowly relinquishing aftershocks. His body fell over me before he caught himself, leaning heavily over me, his sweet, hot panting breaths brushing my cheek in time to mine.
Fingers slowly releasing the bedspread, my body went slack under his, utterly sated as my heart rate slowly started coming down, the beat less heavy against my chest, feeling damn sleepy, ready for a nap now—a long one.
“Come on,” he rumbled softly, bending the barest bit to dip his head, brushing his nose gently across my temple. “We need to get cleaned up.” He rose slowly, gently running his hands on my bare hips as he slowly pulled his semi-hard cock from me, eliciting another groan from me, and his tone was gentle and coaxing. “Let’s go…get up.”
“Ugh…don’t want to,” I waved a hand, “go without me.”
“While that would interesting, it wouldn’t be very effective for why we’re here at the Temple in the first place.” He chuckled quietly, sliding a warm arm under my stomach, slowly lifting me against his back. “You’ll need to change your skirt. My cum’s all over you and it.”
“I’ve got more.” I waved a hand as he held me against his chest, but was making us move toward the bathroom, his belt buckle jiggling, pants still open, my head tilting back on his chest as my feet grudgingly moved. “Roselle gave me lots.” I twirled a finger, saying tiredly, “Yay!”
He hummed quietly. “I can’t say that’s a bad thing.” Maneuvering us through the doorway of the bathroom, he tilted once inside, turning the shower on and started undoing the tie around my breasts. “Don’t get your hair wet. That’ll be too obvious. And you’ve got, maybe, five minutes before they start knocking for us to leave.”
“Mmm.” I stretched my arms over my head, my muscles relaxed and tired. “Fine, fine. I’ll hurry.”
He draped my scrap of a top over the toilet while I took the skirt off, stuffing it in the laundry basket, and grabbed a washcloth, stepping into the shower, pulling the curtain shut a bit, being careful not to get my hair wet, but I saw his hand reach for his own washcloth before he started cleaning himself off—a Shifter, Brann, would smell sex on him…but no animal scent—at the sink, and he asked casually over the shower’s spray, voice gravelly, while I scrubbed my skin furiously with the lavender soap, “So…what did your mate,”
“My One, not my mate.”
“—what did he say to you through your bond at breakfast that had you looking at him like that?”
Ah. My lips pinched as I debated my choices. Some things were…private, while other things had been obvious. “I’d rather not say. He is a man, and I imagine he wouldn’t like his private thoughts voiced, and I respect that. But I will tell you,” I cleared my throat, not sure where we stood, but it felt like I should tell him, “I promised him I’d sleep in his bed tonight.”
Instantly, I felt a flare of Shifter magic, wild and animal, as his wolf growled loudly, and he yanked the curtain back, navy blue eyes narrowed, rumbling, “You’re doing what?”
“I promised him I would sleep in his bed tonight.” Oh…another flare of furious magic…and an expression that would have definitely told me he was violent without any added flare ups. I kept scrubbing, pretending I didn’t notice. “I’m not going to sleep-sleep with him. I’m just going to comfort him. Give him the connection he needs right now.”
His nostrils flared with a heavy inhale. “You do realize you just fell for the oldest trick in the damn book men use to get into a woman’s pants?”
I blinked. “What?”
“Sympathy.” His tone was growly, but he wasn’t yelling…yet. “If he asked you to sleep in his bed with him because he needs comfort, he will undoubtedly try to fuck you while you’re holding him.”
I snorted. “No, that wasn’t what he did.” My brows slowly scrunched as I washed my stomach. “I don’t think so, anyway…” More scrubbing. “He’d better not have used my fondness for him like that…” Scrubbing my right leg, I felt a shot of anger I might have been one-upped by him. “If he tries anything, I’ll slap him silly.”
He grunted, and left the curtain open as he turned to the sink, his wolf growling quietly while he finished cleaning off. “I don’t like it.” He resituated himself in his black boxer briefs before grabbing a spare toothbrush out the drawer, lathering it with toothpaste and started scrubbing his teeth—which, belatedly, I realized was damn smart. He flicked me a glare. “He will try to touch you.”
Rinsing off as he spat, then starting to wash his face, I asked carefully, “Does that mean you’re putting some kind of claim on me?” My heart was in my throat with nervousness, and I undoubtedly still hated him…but possibly with the option of forgiveness in the far future…and not minding so much if he did want to “claim” me, riding an utter hate-your-fucking-guts-but-can’t-get-enough-of-you roller coaster pull to this man. I washed my arm off, studying my work…my shit sorting a bit in my mind…but it didn’t mean he felt the same. “Like…being exclusive, or something?”
I peeked over when he didn’t instantly answer. He was drying his face off slowly, staring at himself in the mirror, his expression stony and guarded. Gradually, he lowered the towel, placing his hands on either side of the sink, staring down into it, his posture stiff, but his voice was steady when he asked, “Is that something you would like?”
I hesitated, already having taken the plunge to ask the question in the first place, but with him having that damn nose I couldn’t exactly backtrack because of nerves, so I stated quickly, and quietly, “Yes.”
He was silent for long moments. “Alright, I…would like that, too.” He nodded once, straightening. “We’re exclusive.” Hooded, cautious eyes flicked to mine. “However, I still hate you.”
My lips lifted a bit in relief I hadn’t been the only one wanting—or willing—to do this. “Same to you.”
He grunted, staring at me for long moments. “This should be interesting.”
“It usually is with me.” I grinned cheekily, turning to wash my back off. “Us spirits are just so much fun.”
He choked on a chuckle. “I’ll reserve the right to my opinion on that.” A slow blink, then his lips twitched. “Although, against my own good judgment, the “Castrator” filled many an evening for me.”
My eyes widened. “You did not.”
His wolf huffed. “You were drunk. Wearing damn near nothing. Slathered in mud. Fighting equally scantily clad women.” His brows lifted. “Yes, I did.” A roll of his finger, appearing ticked. “Multiple times, instead of finding a Shifter bed partner.”
I blinked. “I’m glad.” And…I was.
A black brow lifted, but he didn’t comment, and started fixing his black cargo pants, hand on his zipper when suddenly Sin’s voice could be heard not far from the bathroom, and coming closer, “Love?”
Cain froze for a moment, going predatory still, his head cocking like he was listening to something, nostrils flared, then he glanced to me, eyes flying down my naked frame. He pivoted, placing himself in the doorway, shoulders damn near as large as the wide entrance, and he zipped his pants in full view of the room, the sound cracking, then stated on a gravelly rumble, “She’ll be out in a second.” Reached a hand, stepped back, and slammed the door shut.
His wolf huffed quietly as I blinked slowly, watching him stare down at his work on his belt.
A confident knock on the door, two raps. “Love, Elder Farrar’s fixing the mess you made from your temper tantrum, and I’ll put the bed back to rights and air the room out.” A pause. “And I won’t shred him as long as he doesn’t hurt you.” Soft footfalls as he walked away.
I turned the shower off gradually, even as Cain’s wolf huffed again, grabbing me a towel and handing it over, then he started cleaning up his mess on the sink, the action appearing to keep his hands busy since he had never been the tidying type, and he stated gruffly, “Farrar obviously knows about us. I’m pretty sure he did in the past, too, since he asked to speak to me that day at the boxing ring instead of Jacobs, and you’ve said Sin knows,” another huff from his wolf as I dried myself off, trying to remain casual since he seemed…irked, “and,” another huff, “I know you and Sin are close, and mean a lot to one another, but exclusive to me does not mean other men seeing you naked.”
Oh. “Alright. I can do that.” My lips twitched. “Can you?”
He blinked slowly, and navy blue eyes turned to me with a careful expression, stopping his cleaning. “That…I hope was a joke?”
I grinned. “Yes, it was joke.” I waved a hand. “Shifter, naked, normal. It goes hand-in-hand.”
He hummed, his shoulders instantly relaxing, resting a hip against the counter. “What is this shredded business you two keep speaking of?”
I shrugged, stepping out of the shower. “He shredded a Shifter who abused us, and used his bits for fertilizer in our garden one year.” I waved a hand grandly. “Big, damn beautiful flowers came up, too.”
His brows raised a smidge. “As hard as I keep trying to hate the man who sleeps with you every night, I keep ending up liking him.”
“He has that effect on most everyone.” I dropped the towel and tried tying the top around my breasts. “You should know, King Zeller also knows about us.”
Instant. “How?” He moved behind me, and started quickly tying it for me when I couldn’t.
“He was right down the hallway with the other Rulers that evening we had sex. He hasn’t said a word, but I could tell he heard us.” I shook my head. “I don’t think he’ll say anything.”
“I don’t either.” His palms landed on my bare hips, and he bent, pressing a gentle kiss where he had bitten me earlier, making goose bumps pebble on my flesh. “But considering the risks, our Laws, it would be best to be more careful in the future. We weren’t exactly discreet that night. That shouldn’t happen again.”
“Agreed. Wholeheartedly.”
“Good.” Another gentle kiss in the same place, silken lips brushing softly, then he smacked my hip lightly, and moved toward the door, ordering gruffly, “I’ll get your bag.” And I swear, he easily, and deftly, moved out the door, but he didn’t open it very far to squeeze out…so absolutely no one could see inside, then I waited half naked for my bag, feeling damn good about the decision we had made, even in our love to hate situation.