Authors: Jenika Snow
“You’re hurt,”
Thorque
said and moved closer to her. He grabbed her hands and looked at them, and then
looked at her head. When he touched the back of it she winced. “Let me get you
something to heal them.” He was gone and moving toward the cooking area to grab
a few vials off of a ledge. Brawn took another step, and she held her hand out,
placing it on his warm chest.
“I understand why you’re mad—”
“Do you?” Brawn clipped out the word, his anger
evident. “If he would have let us know, we could have gone together. It is even
more dangerous during the night, and we would have not wanted you out there
with only
Lukin
to watch over you.”
“I can watch over our mate just as well as the two
of you.”
Lukin
sounded enraged. “She fell, and I took
care of the Hellion that came after us.”
“There was a fucking Hellion that came after you?”
Brawn was positively shaking now, and she moved back an inch.
Thorque
had her in his arms and was leading her into the sleeping chamber seconds
later. When she was sitting down she heard flesh hitting flesh, of things
breaking, and of the clear fight that she should stop.
“No, you’re not going out there when they need to
get this out,”
Thorque
said determinedly. “He
shouldn’t have taken you out in the first place, and especially not without
letting
us
know. You are all of ours,
Minka
.” He grabbed a hide rag and poured some of the gel in
one vial on it. When he grabbed her hand and placed the rag on it, the pain
instantly vanished. He held it there for a few seconds, and then placed it on
the other one. She looked at her palms once he removed the hide, and was amazed
that the open cuts were now sealed.
“That’s amazing.” The sound of something else
crashing in the other room prompted her to stand. “What if they kill each
other?”
“I assure you they will not, but they need to get
this out or they will be huffing and growling until they do.” He handed her the
vial. “
Drink,
and it’ll heal the wounds from the
inside out.”
She grabbed the small black piece of rock, removed
the wax-like lid, and then took the substance. It didn’t taste like anything,
but warmth filled her as it traveled down her throat. The pain in her head
might have faded, but she was left with the memories of that horrid beast.
Brawn and
Lukin
were out there right now fighting
over this situation that she had put herself in, and she didn’t want that, but
she didn’t know them well enough to understand why they did the things they
did. They were a species that was strong and feared by many, and so it was only
natural, she supposed, that they needed violence to ease their energy.
“Do they fight like this often?” She looked at
Thorque
, who was cleaning up the supplies.
“When the tension is high, or
Lukin
acts before thinking.”
Thorque
stared at her and smiled.
“Why aren’t you out there releasing that energy,
too?” She stared at him, not wanting him to fight, but surely he had the need
as well?
“I may be a Hades warrior, but I tend to use my mind
more than my muscles when the time calls for it.” When he was finished putting
the supplies away he sat beside her. Taking her hand in his, she stared down at
the different tone of their skin color. She was a pale, peachy shade compared
to his dark red tone. She lifted her gaze to his face, to the sharp angles of
his square jaw and strong nose, and looked at his black yet soulful eyes. This
male used his brain to figure things out, to solve his problems. It may not be
what was in his chemical make-up being a superior species, but for him it was
what he knew. It was so strange being able to look into their faces, and know
what these men were about. Could the mating and breeding heat be reflecting
from them and onto her?
“Our desire for you, and the things we want, can be
transferred to our mate. It’s a chemical reaction that ensures we procreate and
will always be connected to you,
Minka
,” he said
softly, deeply, and then stared at her mouth.
“I said that out loud.” She didn’t phrase it like a
question.
He shrugged, and his massively broad shoulders moved
slightly. “I’ve noticed you tend to do that, or at least you have been while
with us.” He smiled, and she stared at the twin points of his fangs. “But don’t
mistake the fact that I think rather than act on first impulse, because I am
still a male that was born and trained to kill.” He reached out and brushed a
finger along her cheek.
A shiver moved through her as she stared into his
eyes. The sound of more things breaking in the next room was even louder. “We
should make sure they really don’t kill themselves. Besides, it wasn’t
Lukin’s
fault. I insisted on going with him.”
Thorque
stood, reached out and cupped her nape, and pulled her close. The air left her
on a
whoosh
.
“Right now everything inside of us is heightened
because of the breeding need that has awoken, but now that we have you it is
even more intense,” he said and leaned down an inch. “Every day that you are
here with us is a temptation that drives our inner beasts wild. It is an
instinct to take you, mate with you, and make you ours.” The sound of his voice
became more guttural, harsh even, and she watched as his pupils dilated. Gone
was the male that had healed her, thought about her instead of fighting. And in
its place was a male intent on having her. She could see that on his face, hear
it in the change of his breathing, and feel it in the way he held her neck in
an ironclad hold.
“
Thorque
.”
She said his name on a breath, and before she knew what was happening he was
kissing her. The taste of him was intoxicating, and right now her body and
emotions were heightened. With the threat to her life again, and these men
saving her, fighting for her, and to want her so intently that they couldn’t
control themselves was an aphrodisiac as well as it was frightening. She didn’t
know what the future held for her, but she did know these males had shown her
the lengths they would go to save and protect her.
The kiss lasted only a few seconds, but she had
gotten so wrapped up in it that it felt like forever.
Thorque
pulled away, and the flavor of him stayed on her lips, increasing her need. She
shouldn’t want this, shouldn’t want to have any sexual contact after everything
that had happened. But she couldn’t help it. Maybe it was because of everything
that made her
need
this from them.
Deep grunts had her breathing out and turning to head toward the sitting room.
She moved out of the sleeping chamber and felt
Thorque
right behind her.
Lukin
and Brawn were throwing
punches, and there was an array of broken items scattered around. They were
breathing heavily, had blood marring their faces, but as if they sensed her
they stopped and turned to face her.
Right at this moment they seemed so amped up and
dangerous. Her pussy became wet, her nipples tightened to hard points beneath
her shift, and she started to sweat.
Thorque
placed a
hand on her shoulder, and she held back the need to moan. This was insane, her
feelings were ludicrous, but she didn’t know how to stop it.
Minka
didn’t want to stop it, though.
Brawn moved closer to her, cupped her cheek and
searched her face with his gaze. “
Thorque
healed
you,” he said.
She licked her lips, and nodded. “He did, while you
two were beating each other.”
Brawn smirked, shook his head, and then breathed
out. “You shouldn’t have seen that, but sometimes it’s hard not to let our
basic needs overcome us.” He moved his thumb along her cheekbone. The scent of
blood, sweat, and male aggression still filled the air.
Lukin
moved closer as well, smoothed his hand down her arm, and held her hand. “I shouldn’t
have taken you out without telling
Thorque
and
Brawn.” “I wanted to go out. If you were in the wrong so am I.” She looked at
all of them. “But I won’t lie and say that up until the whole freaky creature
attack I felt free and loved you taking me out,
Lukin
.”
He smiled, leaned in, and kissed her softly. But
right when he pulled away she wrapped her hand around his neck and deepened the
kiss.
Lukin
groaned. She pulled back and then started
kissing Brawn. It was like something broke inside of her, and all this need and
desire washed through her. She turned away from
Lukin
and Brawn and started to kiss
Thorque
again. Her lust
was a hard, violent creature inside of her, and there was no desire to tame it.
Chapter Eight
“Are you sure about what you’re doing right now,
Minka
?”
Thorque
murmured against
her mouth.
She nodded, not able to think clearly as her actions
were purely instinct right now.
Lukin
grabbed her again, turned her around, and took her mouth in a hard, almost
brutal kiss. She was so far gone that she liked it rough, needed it that way
even. Being with them was freeing, made her feel alive and open, and she was
not going to fight or hide from her arousal any longer. Spearing her hands in
his short hair, she kissed him just as frantically.
Knowing
that
Thorque
and Brawn were right there with them,
watching it all, and just as aroused, turned her on even more.
Minka
was wet, needy, and wanted all of them. She wanted
this life, was prepared for what it offered, and just had to accept that things
would always be different. They could have hurt her ten times over by now, left
her in that forest on that horrid planet for the
Razzora
to finish her off. But they hadn’t, and she knew they wouldn’t hurt her. When
she listened to them talk about her being their mate, about them wanting to
cherish and protect her, and make sure she never wanted for anything, there was
solid truth in their words. She heard it, felt it, and wanted to live it. Never
in her horrible life had she ever felt the smallest amount of desire to have a
family. The fear of the world they lived in was not just her emotions playing
with her, but a fact and reality. This world, planet, galaxy, whatever it was
all made up as, was not how it had been for her ancestors. Humans no longer had
a safe haven to grow and prosper, to have families and thrive. They were all
but wiped out, and the ones that were still alive were in hiding, running for
their lives, and trying to survive each and every day.
These deep, growling noises came from
Lukin
as he kissed her. He stroked her tongue with his, and
the heat from his body seeped into her. Sweat beaded her brow, adrenaline
pumped through her veins from the situation they had just gotten out of, and
she was so aroused she couldn’t even think straight.
Lukin
pulled her head back with a hand in her hair, looked down at her lips that felt
so swollen and wet, and made another deep, needy sound. “You’re ours,
Minka
. Only ours, and we are about to claim you right now
because we can’t wait any longer.”
She felt Brawn and
Lukin’s
body heat fill her, surround her, and make her even hotter with lust. Licking
her lips and nodding, she knew that she wanted to be theirs as well. She
reached up, not able to eve stop herself as her lust consumed her, and ran the
pads of her fingers along one of
Lukin’s
dark,
eyebrows. A shiver worked through his massive body, and he tightened his hold
on her hair, as if it were an involuntary action.
“If you only knew what your touch does to me,
Minka
,” he said harshly, and claimed her mouth again. She
had her hand wrapped fully around his bulging bicep now, and felt herself grow
wetter.
“We need you,
Minka
,”
Thorque
said, and she broke the kiss and glanced at him and
Brawn who stood only a few feet away now. Even though they wore their dark
leather pants she could see how hard they were, and how thick and big their
erections were as they pressed against the material of their pants.
She swallowed and then nodded, needing them as much
as they needed her. The time hadn’t been very substantial since she had been
with them, but it felt like an eternity. With her life hanging in the balance
twice now in the last couple of days, she felt like she needed something to
make that negativity fade away.
Minka
glanced over
her shoulder toward Brawn’s room, which when she had been walking around the
cave and becoming familiar with everything she had realized was the largest
room. When she looked at the men again, she knew they would want her to tell
them she was ready. They hadn’t been shy or discreet when telling her she would
be theirs or that they wanted her, but they also had not pushed her into
anything sexual.
“I’m ready,” she said softly, and the noise that
came from the three of them, vibrations that were masculine and powerful,
strong and alpha, seeped into her body. Before they could respond she turned
and led
them
into the sleeping
chamber.