“Obsidian?”
“Yes. Good.” Some of the tension left his features. “Call me that. No more numbers. Mercile no longer controls my life.”
Obsidian.
She tried to think of the definition. A lot of Species preferred to take a name that had meaning to them. “Isn’t that a lava rock or something along those lines?”
He growled. “It fits me. I am burning inside and hardened by the life I was given. Darkness was taken as a name already. So were a lot of the names I wanted. This fits me. Do you question it?”
“It wasn’t an insult.” She hadn’t meant it that way. “You’re burning inside?”
“I feel rage.” His voice turned into a snarl. “Humans took my life away.”
“I didn’t,” she quickly reminded him, suddenly feeling very vulnerable and small pinned under him.
“They killed 46.”
His mate.
She swallowed hard and her hands rubbed his skin in an attempt to calm him a little. “Obsidian,” she whispered. “Please take a deep breath. I just asked a question. I’m not your enemy.”
His gaze lowered to her still-bare breasts where her shirt had been pushed up. “I am not so certain.”
It hurt. Deeply. Alli blinked rapidly to hide the tears that filled her eyes. How could things go so wrong so fast? She’d been sleeping and then she’d woken to his mouth. It had all been a haze of passion and need until they faced the aftermath of what they’d done together. He regretted it and worse, he seemed not to even like her much if he were comparing her to Mercile.
“Your swelling should be over. Will you please let me up?”
“No.” He settled more of his weight over her, pinned her tighter to the bed. His temper did seem to dissipate somewhat as his tone turned from gruff to husky. “Explain responsibility and why you feel it.”
“It means this is my fault. What happened between us just now is something I should have avoided. You’ve gone through a lot and I don’t want you to feel bad for having sex with me.”
“It felt really good.” He inched his face closer to stare deeply into her eyes. “I woke to your scent and I wanted to taste. I did this. You didn’t manipulate me, Alli. You have no power over what I do.”
“You are wrong. I—”
He suddenly thrust into her deep, making her moan. His cock was still hard but the swelling had subsided enough that he could move inside her again without the intense pressure. His mouth parted to flash his sharp fangs at her as he withdrew almost from her before he drove back into her again. He froze.
“You don’t tell me what to do, Alli. Can you stop me? Force me to move from your body? Who is responsible? Tell me.”
He meant to show her who was in control and she knew it.
“I could take you again for hours and you’d be powerless to stop me. Your body would have to take mine as long as I want.”
She was going to go to hell. A small part of her mind admitted that because it didn’t sound bad at all if he fucked her over and over. She’d be sore later since she’d not had sex in such a long time but he felt so good she didn’t care about consequences. It was all about the here and now to her. She wanted him.
His hips rolled and he found the spot inside her that made her breath catch. His nose brushed hers as he drew even closer. “Who is responsible?”
“You.”
Something flickered in his eyes before he pulled away and lifted his chest from hers. He separated their bodies slowly, almost regretfully, and it forced her to release his waist from the grip of her legs. She glanced at his cock and couldn’t help but appreciate the sight of how aroused he still seemed to be.
“Go shower.”
She met his gaze as he backed away from her on his hands and knees until he slid off the end of the bed to stand.
“Now, Alli.” He looked angry again. “Otherwise I will lose what control I have left.”
She sat up and shoved her shirt down to hide as much of her body from him as possible. “What does that mean?”
He stepped to the side to clear a path from the bed to the bathroom. “Go,” he demanded.
Something in the intense way he looked at her made her inch down the bed. There was a hint of danger in the air that she could sense. She just wasn’t sure why. He looked angry though. The floor of the room was chilly to her bare feet after having them pressed against his warm body. Her legs were shaking as she took hesitant steps toward the open doorway to the shower.
A hand shot out and gripped her upper arm. Alli stared at him with dread and fear. He closed his eyes as he deeply inhaled. A soft, animalistic sound came from his parted lips and he licked them. The hold on her forearm eased until he let go.
“Keep the door open. Go wash quickly. Your scent is driving me insane.”
She fled. The reason behind his mood swings was a mystery to her but she was grateful he hadn’t hurt her physically.
Obsidian breathed through his mouth but Alli’s arousal taste was still there. His dick throbbed to take her again. The memory of being inside her would torment him. So soft, so tight and wet. It also angered him deeply.
A stab of pain pierced his heart. The memory of his mate filtered through his mind and how long they had been forced to live together. It had felt really good when 46 had allowed him to touch her when she was in heat but it seemed mild compared to the sex he’d shared with Alli.
A human female had taken him to heights of passion he’d never known existed. Frustration fisted his hands at his side and the urge to punch something became almost unbearable. A howl of rage caught in his throat but it only came out as a fierce grumble. His eyes opened when water came on in the next room and he took a step before he could regain control of his body. He wanted Alli again.
He moved to the side enough to gain a clear view of her profile in the stall. The sight of her wet, slick skin caused his dick to harden to the point of pain. It would be easy to haul her out from under the water. He turned his head to stare at the bed. He’d take her on her knees beneath him next time.
He allowed the astonishment of what they’d done to cool his desire just a bit. He’d never taken his mate with her facing him. It had been strange but really good to see Alli’s expressions and have access to her body with his mouth while he’d driven his cock into the snug confines of her sex. He’d also really enjoyed the feel of her legs around his waist and her fingernails digging into his skin. It hadn’t hurt but he’d been aware of them. She’d clung to him as if he were saving her and she’d desperately needed to hold him.
He wanted to share sex with Alli again.
Now.
His chin lowered to glare at the erect shaft betraying his lack of self-control of his own body functions. 46 would goad him if she were alive to see the day he allowed a human to get the better of him. He shifted his gaze higher to watch Alli wash her hair. His lips parted to reveal his fangs and he took a few steps closer to her and kept going.
She spun to stare at him when he jerked open the flimsy, transparent shower door. He paused, noted the shampoo in her hair, and hesitated.
“Wash it out now.”
The fear in her eyes almost made him wince but she didn’t argue or refuse his demand. Her head tilted back into the spray of water to do his bidding. He watched until he didn’t see any of it in the pale, wet strands. His arm shot out to hook around her waist and he lifted her. He paused and suddenly stepped into the tight space with her. Hot water sluiced down his body and he turned to present his back, adjusting her higher in his hold against his chest. His interested dick couldn’t be hidden from her since it nestled tightly against her ass.
Her head twisted and she stared at his face, fear still showing in her blue gaze. A part of him hated to see it. The soft sound she made—almost a whimper—caused him to gentle his hold around her waist.
“I won’t hurt you, Alli.” He partly regretted assuring her of her safety because she was human. Fear was good for them to feel. It reminded them that he was dangerous to their well-being but she wasn’t comparable to the ones he’d grown to hate. “Don’t fight me.”
He used his free hand to twist off the flow of water and stepped out of the stall. The shower had soaked the floor but he didn’t care. He stormed back into his room and didn’t stop until they reached the bed. He paused there to study it. His gaze finally met her worried blue eyes.
“You will collapse. You aren’t strong.”
“8—Obsidian,” she whispered. “What are you doing? Please put me down.”
He noticed how she corrected herself after almost using his number. He considered the bed again. Her hands gripped his forearm at her waist but she didn’t dig her nails into his skin to inflict pain or struggle.
A growl rumbled from his chest. “You aren’t strong enough.”
“I know I can’t make you lower me to the floor.”
He frowned. “Your arms aren’t strong enough to brace to take me. How do your males mount you?”
Her tongue darted out to wet her lips. “You want me again?”
“From behind. You will enjoy it.” He eased his hold more, just enough to allow her to slide down his front. The feel of his cock rubbing against her ass and lower back made him want her more.
She turned in his hold and chewed on her bottom lip. He knew that telling sign of her emotions. She was unsure of what to do but the trepidation wasn’t there anymore when he studied her closely. A small hand lifted timidly to rest near his heart. It trembled but he wasn’t sure if she was chilled or nervous.
“Why do you insist on doggy style?”
“What does that mean? Is it an insult to my heritage?”
“No! Mounting from behind is called that term.”
“Taking a female bent over in front of a male is how it is done.”
Her eyes widened. He glanced away from her to glare at the bed. He could put her in the center of it and brace her under him by caging her with his legs and arms. One arm around her waist would help support her to keep her from falling forward. His dick jerked with the promise of doing just that.
“Um, Obsidian?”
“Yes?” He glanced back at her.
“Have you only had sex in that position?”
“No. I just shared sex with you facing me. You refused to release me or I would have taken you the right way.”
Alli paled slightly and she leaned against him when she swayed a little on her feet. Alarm shot through him. Had he harmed her? His arm hooked tighter around her middle again to make certain she didn’t fall. Perhaps sharing sex with him once had worn her out. She looked a little pale and he was pretty certain her legs wobbled.
Weak humans.
Anger surged. She was too frail to take him. He should have known better but his talk with Moon had given him hope she could handle a Species male.
Chapter Ten
Alli swayed a bit from the shock of his statement. “Are you saying you only mounted other women from behind? On your knees? Always?”
Obsidian tilted his head. “I only had a mate. I took her that way. It is how it is done.”
“Oh shit,” she gasped, taken aback. He had to be over thirty years old by her calculations and clues from his body. Species were harder to estimate but she was sure she was in the correct age range.
“What is wrong? Do you need rest?”
“You never experimented during sex? Did other things with her in different positions?”
“I used my mouth on her to get her interested in sharing sex. She enjoyed my tasting her.”
He suddenly shifted his stance and lifted her off the floor into the cradle of his arms. She didn’t know why he spread her out over the mattress until he tucked the covers around her body.
“I will give you time to recover.”
Her hand snagged his. “We need to talk.” She struggled to sit and tugged him closer. He perched grudgingly on the edge of the mattress.
“Rest for a short time. I want you again soon.”
He glanced down at his cock and she followed his gaze. He remained hard. An array of emotions passed through Alli as her thoughts raced to accept the personal details of his sexual history. It was limited at best and she felt guiltier. She took slow breaths to calm her dismay until she was ready to speak. Giving someone Obsidian’s size and age “the talk” wasn’t the easiest thing she’d ever contemplated.
“Not everyone has intercourse doggy style. Um, mounts women—females—only from behind. What we did, facing each other, is normal.”
His gaze narrowed.
“There are many positions during sex that are perfectly acceptable and encouraged.”
“What positions?”
“There are a lot of them.” Her mind blanked in the face of his grim expression. “Cowgirl. Reverse cowgirl. Sixty-nine.” Her cheeks warmed.
“Cowgirl? Who is sixty-nine?” His voice deepened. “My name is Obsidian.”
“It’s not a who but a what.”
He stood and jerked out of her hold. “I am going for a walk.” He stomped to the dresser, yanked open a drawer and swiftly put on sweatpants in jerky, furious motions.
The angry expression on his face left her mute. She’d managed to make him angry or perhaps he was experiencing regret over what had happened between them. Neither emotion alleviated her guilt.
“Obsidian?”
He paused by the door when his hand gripped the handle and his head snapped in her direction.
“We need to talk. Please come back here.”
“We don’t.” He yanked open the door and closed it loudly behind him.
Alli winced at the loud noise and shoved off the cover. Her body ached in a few places as she entered the bathroom to finish her shower. She needed to go home. It had been a huge mistake staying with Obsidian. He was confused at having been thrust into a new world. His mate had been murdered and he probably felt guilt at what had transpired between them.
“Damn it,” she muttered, blinking back tears. She’d had time to become a bit obsessed with Obsidian but she was just a distraction to him and a physical release for some of the frustration he had to be suffering.
* * * * *
Obsidian glared at the new guard at the end of the hall. The male arched dark eyebrows as he stood from his chair. “May I help you? I am Jericho.”
“I want to take a walk outside.”
The male’s nostrils flared. “I see.”
“What does that mean?”
The large male tilted his head to peer over his shoulder. “Where is the doctor?”
“I put her in bed.”
A soft growl was the only warning he got before he was pushed out of the way violently and his shoulder hit the wall. He turned, stunned, watching Jericho rush down the hallway. It sank in quickly that the other male was going after Alli. Protective instincts burst forth and he snarled. Obsidian didn’t want anyone near her.
The door hit the wall hard and the uniformed male disappeared out of sight before he could catch him. He snarled again and lunged, attacking the male by launching at his back. They both crashed to the floor in a tangle of limbs. He was thrown when the male under him rolled, shoving back an elbow that dug painfully into his ribs. He grunted and twisted to kick out a leg to strike.
His bare foot made contact with a thigh and the male made a sound he’d never heard before. It was alarming in a primal way. It was a roar of sorts, part high scream. He dared to glance away, only to see the empty bed. Motion in the bathroom drew his focus as Alli stepped into view, clutching a towel in front of her body.
A heavy body hit him in the chest and drove him flat. Pain shot through his shoulder blades from the harsh contact with the floor and the air left his lungs. Rough hands grabbed his wrists in an attempt to pin him but he recovered quickly, rolling to his side, and tore out of the male’s hold. Alli was practically naked and the male was too close to her. A growl tore from him as soon as he could draw breath. He didn’t have time to avoid the fist that smashed into his cheek. The taste of blood instantly filled his mouth.
“Stop it!” Alli demanded and more weight crushed down on him.
His eyes flew opened when something wet touched his nose and he realized it was her hair falling over the shoulder of the male between them. She must have tripped to land on Jericho’s back but then her hands wrapped around the male, one of them covering his mouth while the other one gripped his throat.
“Don’t bite him,” Alli yelled.
The male had drawn back his fist to hit Obsidian again but hesitated as he turned his head slowly to stare at Alli’s face nearly touching his. She seemed to lock gazes with the one who’d struck him before her hands released him.
“What are you doing, Jericho? Have you lost your mind?” Alli panted the words. “Get off him right now.”
Pure rage flooded through Obsidian when the other male noticed she’d dropped her towel. He was staring at her exposed breasts. She remained sprawled over Jericho’s back.
“This is awkward.” The other male cleared his throat. “I thought he’d harmed you.”
“Do I look hurt to you?”
“No.” Jericho stated slowly, still staring at her breasts. “You look really good.”
Alli’s chin dipped to follow his gaze and she gasped. “Shit!”
Some of the weight eased off Obsidian as she scrambled off the male’s back and bent, flashing her naked ass to both of them while she tried to hide her body by retrieving the towel. Obsidian struck fast and hard with his fist, plowing it into the male’s jaw.
“Fuck,” Jericho snarled, the punch sending him rolling in the opposite direction. “What the hell was that for?” He ended in a crouched position to glower at his opponent.
Obsidian sat up and wanted the other male to keep his attention on him instead of watching Alli straighten and wrap the towel tighter around her form. He flashed his fangs in warning. The male had caught him by surprise but it wouldn’t happen a second time.
“Obsidian? What are you doing?” Alli stepped closer. “Don’t.”
He didn’t spare her a glance. Another male was too close to her and had seen her bare. Jericho had dared look upon her breasts and he’d pay for that. “Go in the bathroom where you will be safe from the violence.”
She disobeyed him when she purposely came closer, putting herself between him and the enemy. “Stop it. Don’t attack Jericho. You both need to calm down right now. You just woke from a coma and you can’t fight.” She whipped her head around, spraying water from the damp ends of her wet hair. “And you—what are you doing in here?”
Jericho gracefully straightened to his full height and puffed out his chest. “He said he put you in bed and I could smell you all over him. I believed he forced you to share sex. I came to your aid.”
Obsidian noticed the way Alli’s features paled but she didn’t speak for a moment. “Oh, crap. I forgot about your sense of smell.” Her cheeks became red. “Um, that’s not what happened. Stand down.”
The other male’s gaze narrowed. “All right.”
It wasn’t over for Obsidian. He climbed to his feet, took a step around Alli and lunged for the male. A soft gasp came from Alli and he was stunned when she released her towel to grab at his chest. Her body slammed into his with the forward motion he took, trying to punish the other male and he stepped on part of her towel. It hit the floor, baring her naked form again.
His arms wrapped around her and he spun, blocking the view of the male by shielding her with his body. He twisted his head and snarled. “Leave.”
Jericho’s hands slowly lifted, wide open. “Okay. Easy.”
Obsidian’s heart pounded and he wanted to attack but he couldn’t without releasing Alli. Her hands gripped his shoulders and she clung to him, flattened against his front. Her wet skin was chilled and her pebbled nipples were a distraction, shoved against his chest where he held her firmly.
“Are you sure you want me to leave you with him?”
“Go!” Alli’s voice shook. “Get out, Jericho. You’re obviously agitating him.”
“He wants to kill me,” he corrected, inching closer to the door. “Calm down, Obsidian. I was just checking on her. I’m not here to hurt her in any way.”
He snarled again, debating whether Alli would be harmed if he threw her toward the bed to land on the soft mattress in order to free his arms so he could hit the other Species male. Her fingernails dug into his skin as if she could read his intentions.
“No fighting,” she whispered. “Look at me, Obsidian. Please?”
He refused to stop glowering at the male until he disappeared out the door. His arms lowered Alli and he snapped his head around to glare at her instead. She refused to release him, kept her body tight against his.
“Release me.”
“No. You look as if you want to go after him.”
“I do. Let go.”
She stunned him by wrapping a leg around his, hooking him behind his thigh. “No way! You could get hurt. One blow to the head and you could be killed or become comatose again. What is wrong with you? Why would you start a fight?”
“He came after you.”
“He was checking on me,” she argued. “Jericho wouldn’t ever hurt me. I know him well.”
Rage swept through him. “How well? Do you tempt him with your food scent, hoping he will mate you? What is he? He has strange eyes and makes bad noises.” The idea of her wanting another male to touch her drove him insane.
“He’s primate and his eyes aren’t strange. They are unique and pretty.”
He snarled before he could stop it, losing his battle with his temper fast. “You want him for a mate.”
“I do not!”
“You said his eyes are pretty.”
“They are. So is the color blue or a sunset. I don’t want to get physical with them.”
He was taken aback by her odd statement.
Her hold eased slightly but she didn’t release his shoulders. “Take deep breaths now. In.” She drew air into her lungs enough to press her breasts firmly against his chest. She exhaled. “Out. Breathe with me.”
“No.” He glanced at the bed while judging the distance and he strained to hear Jericho, attempting to track the male’s retreating footsteps. His arms tensed to throw Alli on the soft mattress but the leg she had locked around him prevented him from following through. “Let go.”
“No way.” She shook her head, wet hair dripping between them. “You’re not fighting with him again. I forbid it.”
That made him glare at her. “What?”
She didn’t back down as he stared deeply into her blue eyes, although it seemed clear that she realized he wouldn’t take orders from her or anyone. He could feel her heart rate spike when his free hand gripped her throat. He didn’t squeeze but instead gently kept his hand there to keep her still.
“You could die,” she whispered. “Please calm down. I’d rather you fight with me than him. I couldn’t hurt you the way he can.”
“You don’t think I could win?” It injured his pride. The female must think him weak.
“I think you could die.” She took a shaky breath. “I don’t want that. I couldn’t stand it. Do you understand?”
She confused him as his temper finally subsided. Her words soothed his injured pride but he wasn’t about to forget that the other male had seen her bare. It angered him. Alli seemed to want a mate and the idea of someone else touching her made a snarl catch inside his throat.
His gaze dropped to his hand and he released the slender column of her neck. He needed to remember she wasn’t 46. His mate would have fought him until he had no choice but to subdue her to prevent the guards from coming into their cell with their drug darts. No danger lurked for Alli.
She continued to stare into his gaze as he slowly shifted his leg to get hers untangled from it. Her hands were pressed against his chest and they trembled. He suddenly felt really bad for handling her so roughly.
She’s just human.
He needed to remember that.
“It is bad to attack me.” He hoped that warning would be heeded by her. “Stay back when I am angry.”