“Up you go, little girl.” A pinch to her cheek made her jump off his legs and nearly fall on her face. She scowled up at him before she could stop the frown. A momentary flash of panic had her scrambling to school her face, but he just grinned at her. “Oh, no you don’t. I want every little scowl and smile. No lying to me, Rella, and that includes your facial expressions.”
She was lifted with ease from his lap and placed gently on her feet. She almost whined at the loss of contact, but the erection pressing against the front of his pants told her loud and clear that they’d be touching again soon. She felt the creeping blush as it warmed her cheeks and looked away from his crotch. His chuckle pulled her eyes back to his.
“You are so beautiful when you blush. Come. I have your medallion. I want it on you so you are fully claimed, and then we are going to chat about your fears while I taste you.”
She nearly fell. The image of Sabar between her thighs and his tongue sliding across her swollen clit buckled her knees. She whimpered when his hands wrapped lightly around her arms. Could she actually melt into a puddle at his feet? Her belly flipped, and warmth pooled between her legs.
Rella trailed behind him as he stalked through the hallway and entered the kitchen. She loved to watch the play of muscles in his back and ass as he walked. Predatory was the only way she could define the way he moved. He was like a sleek cat, smooth and silent. Her heart raced when the table finally came into view. On it sat a small cloth pouch that she knew held the medallion. For her entire life she’d dreaded wearing a male’s mark, swearing to herself that she’d never take a mate, but the small plush sack made her giddy with relief. He was going to really show the world that she was his. He’d protect her and shelter her from others. He was going to do more for her than anyone else ever had. How sad she had to take a mate to find safety.
* * * *
Sabar watched tears well in Rella’s eyes as she stared at the medallion in his palm. He hoped they were happy tears and not something bad. He so wanted her to be ecstatic about their mating, but he understood her fears. She’d obviously known only pain and emotional suffering at the hands of her sisters. The thought of what her one sister had done made his blood boil. He couldn’t have her punished because Bana had been following Tannard’s orders, but he would find some way to pay her back for the torment she’d wrecked on Rella.
“Sabar?” Her voice shook him from the angry thoughts. He looked into her grinning face and forgot to worry about her sister or his servant. His thoughts slowed and softened until he could smile back.
“Are you ready?”
She nodded and blinked quickly. He wasn’t going to stretched it out. He wanted her wearing the piece of metal that contained his signature. A deep satisfaction flowed through his heart. She’d be carrying his mark always. Rella was his on paper, but in moments she would be his physically as well. Something so simple gave him such contentment.
Quickly he removed the tracking band from her arm, rubbing at the marks it had left. He picked the medallion up and held it suspended from the intricate chain that would circle her neck. He smiled when she moved her hair over one shoulder and turned. One moment her skin was naked, then next it supported the metal necklace. He sighed and tamped down his own rising emotions.
“Turn. I want to see my mark nestled between your breasts.”
Slowly she spun. A wide grin graced her lips and silent tears glistened on her cheeks. He couldn’t keep his eyes off the small disk now settled between her perfect mounds. Nothing had ever looked so beautiful. He pulled her to him, engulfing her in his arms. He reveled in the feel of her hands grasping him just as tightly.
“Can we go celebrate?” Her quiet question stoked the fire in his loins. Gods, she was perfect for him. He backed away from her just enough to see her face. Happiness shone like a light from her eyes.
“Oh, we will definitely celebrate, my dearest Rella. You will feel me everywhere on you, in you, around you. After tonight, you will never question my desire to have you as my mate.”
Her eyes dilated and widened, becoming deep, dark pools. Her heart rate increased enough that he could feel it pounding against his chest. Something feral and completely primal flared to life in his chest. He growled, “Run. Little Rella. Run to my room. I’m taking you wherever I catch you.”
She stared at him for a moment before fear and excitement stole across her face. “Really?”
“Oh, yes.”
She took off like a flash of lightning, racing around the corner and into the hallway. Watching her run from him flipped a switch he didn’t even know he had. He tried to keep himself from chasing her down, but he wanted it, could already see her pinned against the wall, or on the floor under him on her knees. With a groan he took off after her, following the slight sounds of scurrying feet.
* * * *
He was really chasing her. She could hear him behind her, and it spurred her to run faster. She skidded into his room and tried to make it to the bathing room. The slight fear from being pursued made her scream when a hard arm wrapped around her waist. She kicked out and fought even knowing that Sabar owned the muscled hands that clamped on her hips.
Cool air breezed over her heated skin when he tossed her toward the bed. She hit the mattress and scrambled off the other side. Her heart beat furiously in her chest, pounding in her ears. She caught a glimpse of animalistic need in his eyes and yelped when he lunged for her over the bed. She knew running and fighting would get her in trouble, but the need to be caught spurred her on. She rounded the bed and dashed toward the doorway again, hoping to make it to one of the other rooms she’d seen. If they had a lock on the door, she’d employ it until they both came back to their senses.
Her feet pounded on the cold floor, jolting up her legs. Her head whipped back and forth, looking for a way to put something solid between her and Sabar. Throwing herself through a doorway and behind a large chair was the best she could do. She’d run out of rooms and not a single one had a lockable door. Air wheezed in and out of her lips. She tried to catch her breath, but the adrenaline made it impossible to slow her breathing. She sucked in and held a lungful of air, listening for his approach. The house was silent. Had he stopped chasing her?
A jittery giggle lodged in her throat. She was excited by the game, wet and hot between her legs, but fear still gripped her chest, squeezing it. Even with her mind telling her to stay down, she found herself peeking over the arm of the chair. Nothing moved in the hallway. Confusion and a hint of disappointment surged through her. He’d given up. Maybe she’d made it too hard for him.
Shaky legs held her up, but she wobbled slightly when she left her hiding place. She tiptoed to the door and looked out. Nothing. She couldn’t hear him, didn’t see him. A sigh escaped her lips when she stepped from the room and headed back toward the bedroom. Maybe he’d injured himself jumping after her. That thought sped her feet. She’d feel horrible if she’d hurt him in her struggles.
A small surge of fear crept through her when she was near the bedroom door. She stopped and leaned against the wall for a moment. Still no sound could be heard. When she went to move into the room and take whatever she’d earned, she squeaked. Her hands and one ankle were stuck to the wall. He’d turned on the magnets that were imbedded in his walls. She was trapped, easy pickings now that she was held by her bracelets.
Sneaky, very sneaky.
She couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
“You find this funny, mate of mine? Hmm? I had to resort to using my home as a trap to catch you because you were too fast for me.”
She swung around and found Sabar standing in the hall behind her. He hadn’t made a sound while stalking her. She grinned. “You cheated, you know. Using the walls isn’t very nice when your prey was trying to come check on you and make sure you weren’t injured.”
“Oh, is that what you were doing? If I am hurt, will you kiss it for me? Make it feel all better?”
She liked this side of him and found herself really enjoying the play of words. Something about bantering with sexual meanings was arousing and made her belly warm with need. “If that is what my warrior mate would like me to do. I am here to please you.”
He moved so quickly she only had time to gasp. His hands were everywhere, touching, moving, stroking. She tried to reach out and grasp his shoulders but found her hands held against the wall near her head. He’d repositioned them. His mouth descended on hers before she could voice her concerns. Warm lips tasted hers, moving in a slow sensual slide from one corner to the other. His tongue flicked against her bottom lip, each one sending a shot of fire to her clit. Gods, how he could cause such fire to burn her with just a touch. She moaned against his lips.
A quiet click echoed through the house a moment before he urged her to wrap her legs around his hips. He pushed her hands up the wall until she was suspended with only his body to anchor her. His talented lips continued to stroke hers. He deepened the kiss, delving between her lips with his tongue. He stroked hers to the same rhythm he rocked his pelvis against hers. The dual assault left her gasping for air and muttering his name on whispered moans.
Taken. That was the feeling coursing through her. His hands played across her stomach and cupped her breasts, pulling lightly on her distended nipples. His hips rubbed his hardened cock against her engorged clit, and his tongue invaded her mouth. She couldn’t move as he took what he wanted, forcing her to accept his ministrations. Every surge, flick, lick sent heat to her pussy. She was already wet and could feel her slick walls rubbing her cream into his pants when he rocked against her.
“Do you see what you do to me, Rella? Gods, I need to be inside you.” His growled words puffed against her neck as he nibbled the spot below her ear. Just his voice sent tendrils of heat to her clit.
She could feel an orgasm building with each shift of his hips against hers. The feel of his mouth skimming her skin, his hands on her breasts, and the intense pleasure of his cock gliding against her clit had her at the precipice, waiting with bated breath for the stroke that would send her sailing. A litany of “please, please, please” sang from her lips. She couldn’t find it in herself to feel self-conscious, not with the impending release so close. She wanted to feel free, implode with sparks of light. Her body wanted the languid feel of sensual fire as it burned through her veins.
He bent forward and sucked a nipple between his lips, and she soared. That single touch of his hot mouth to her flesh was enough, too much. Her head banged against the wall, and a strangled cry left her lips. She shook with it. White lights flickered behind her lids.
Sabar moved back, forcing her to drop her legs from his waist. She whimpered and opened her eyes enough to find him staring at her with unadulterated need. His cock pushed against the fabric of his pants enough that she feared they’d rip from the pressure. She wanted to be free of the wall, to touch him. Twisting did nothing but remind her that she was restrained. Her feet barely touched the floor.
“I’m going to take you standing.” His hands ripped his pants down, allowing his cock to spring free. It looked angry, red, and swollen. She knew her eyes widened with fear-laced appreciation. How had he gotten that inside her before?
“Look at me, Rella. Look in my eyes. I want to see your reactions as I push my cock inside your dripping pussy. Oh, yes, you are most definitely dripping. Don’t shake your head at me.” He dipped two fingers between her legs, even as she clamped them tight, and showed her the slick moisture on his hand. She closed her eyes and hung her head in embarrassment.
“Oh, no you don’t. Look at me. I love how wet you get for me.” Callused fingers stroked down her face and tilted her head up. She met his eyes and was surprised to find affection shining there. “Good girl. Now, wrap those lovely legs around my hips again.”
He moved between her thighs and helped her hook her legs around his waist. She watched with rapt attention as he moaned and gritted his teeth. She felt like laughing. There was something powerful about how badly he wanted her. Even strung up, hanging from the wall, she still had some control over him. She flexed her hips and begged with her body for him to penetrate her. She wanted to feel him powering into her, stretching her vaginal muscles, pouring his seed deep inside her.
A groan made it through his clenched teeth when he positioned the head of his cock at her entrance. All she could do was tilt her hips and encourage him to enter her. She pulled his body to hers with her feet and whispered her plea, “Please, Sabar. I want you inside me.”
* * * *
He’d tried to keep from ramming into her, but the breathy request cut through any control he had. With a single thrust of his hips he impaled her. Fluttering muscles wrapped around his shaft as she threw her head back again and shook through another orgasm. The feel of hot slick skin almost was enough to pull his release from his balls. He fought for control. He wanted to stay buried in her heat forever. The feel of her body wrapped so tightly around his shaft was perfect. If he never experienced another sensation he would die a happy male. Slow breathing gave him the edge he needed to push his release back enough that he could start moving within her tight channel.
“Gods, Rella. You are so tight and hot.”
Rocking back was torture, blessed torture. He glanced down and was captivated by the sight of his slick cock slowly spreading her pussy lips as he slid back inside her body. The view did him in. He couldn’t hold back. Even as he gritted his teeth he could feel the orgasm rolling through him. His balls tightened, and a shiver worked up his spine as his seed shot from his cock, coating the inside of her. His hips no longer took orders from his brain as they jerked against hers, forcing jet after jet of sperm from his body. When he thought he’d regained control, she came again, milking his cock and throwing him into another round of spasms. A groan, pulled from the depths of his soul, filled the air. His legs tried to buckle from the force of his orgasm, and only his will to remain standing kept him upright.