Talon (Rise of the Pride, Book 1) (16 page)

“Not here,” he ordered, reaching around and
cupping her ass. He hauled her up against his chest, wrapping her
legs around his waist. She moaned when he rotated his hips,
pressing his heavy erection against her mound. “Where’s your room?”
He asked as he took the steps two at a time.

“On the right,” she mumbled, nibbling at his
neck. The moment she bit his earlobe, Talon had to suppress another
roar.

It took him only five steps to reach her
door, kicking it closed with his boot. Her thin shirt shredded when
he released his claws from the tips of his fingers. Her hands
grasped at his jeans, snatching at the buttons. Thankfully, each
one released with ease.

“What?” she breathed when he stopped
undressing her, a soft pink dusting the top of her cheeks.

Talon didn’t speak, he just raised the corner
of his mouth in a predatory smirk. He’d retracted all of his
panther’s claws except one. With that one, he slid it between her
breasts and caught the material of her bra, slicing it in half with
no resistance. Liberty gasped, but it quickly turned into a moan
when he leaned down and captured one rosy nipple between his teeth,
circling it skillfully with his tongue.

“Talon,” she whimpered, reaching for his
jeans. “Please?”

“Is this your first time?” he asked, his
voice completely alpha. He knew she felt his powers surge, but she
didn’t back down.

“No,” she replied shyly, casting her eyes to
the side.

“Never look away from me in shame, Liberty,”
he ordered, reeling in his power so as not to scare her. “Were you
hurt?”

“No,” she admitted, shaking her head
slightly. He felt her soft hair brush against his arm that was
still wrapped possessively around her back. “It just wasn’t very
pleasant the last time.”

“I won’t hurt you,” Talon promised, slowing
down his need to take her like an animal. There would be enough
time for that later. He had to concentrate to keep from rutting
into her as if she were a panther. Having a go at her wasn’t the
best way to do this. She’d obviously had a bad experience in the
past. The thought of another man touching what was his made Talon
want to find the fucker and tear him to shreds, but he knew that
she’d had a life before him. He couldn’t fault her for that.

“I know,” she smirked, freezing him for just
a moment.

“I don’t think I’ve ever told you how
beautiful you are,” he admitted, raking his eyes down her luscious
body. Her nipples were hard and had darkened from his attention.
The muscles in her abdomen quivered slightly under his watchful
gaze as he used his thumbs to trace her cute belly button.

With a sly grin, he unzipped her jeans,
sliding his hand around the back. He used his other hand that had
been around her waist to help divest Liberty of the tight denim. As
he knelt at her feet, his nostrils flared from scenting her
arousal.

And just like the predator he was, Talon
buried his face against her white lace panties with a growl. Her
knees started to buckle, but he pushed her back against the edge of
the mattress, following her down onto the plush bedding. Hooking
his fingers in the last scrap of material left as a barrier, he
yanked her panties down, exposing her sex to his view. Granted, it
was dark in the room to human eyes, but his enhanced sight showed
him everything he needed, and wanted, to see. She was stunning.

“Talon, please?” she begged, reaching for his
jeans. He quickly stood, undressing as he watched her writhe on the
bed.

“Open for me,” he demanded, dropping to his
knees. She hesitantly dropped her legs to the side, her feet
planted on the edge of the bed.

Liberty let out a curse when he buried his
face in her sex again. The first pass of his tongue was heaven, her
taste equivalent to the finest honey. Talon purred as he nibbled,
licked…worshiped her body. At one point, he had to throw his arm
across her stomach to hold her still.

“Talon,” she panted, repeating his name as if
it were a prayer. “
Talon.
”

His cock jumped, straining for the woman that
he knew now more than ever was to be his mate…to love, cherish, and
protect above all else. His knee hit the bed as his arm wrapped
around her waist, lifting her higher up on the soft blanket. Her
nails scored his back as his lips captured hers in a heated dance.
He relished in her scratches. A little part of his mind rejoiced in
knowing that she’d make an excellent panther.

“Wrap your legs around me, baby,” he
whispered, looking into her beautiful brown eyes, memorizing every
feature of her face. She looked content and very trusting of him as
she complied. His hand clasped onto the outside of her left hip,
lifting it slightly before thrusting into her warmth.

“Oh, God,” Liberty moaned, her hips
undulating beneath him.

“Liberty,” he purred, feeling his canines
erupt from his gums.
Fuck! I can’t mark her now. I’m not ready.
She’s not ready.

When she lifted her head to kiss him, Talon
pulled back, instantly feeling her still beneath him.

“What did I do?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he mumbled.

“I did something…oh,” she stopped. Talon felt
tiny fingers at his jaw, but didn’t move away. Her touch settled
him…settled his panther. He felt his cat relax as her fingers
traveled to his lips, one finger pushing inside to touch his
canine.

“Careful,” he warned, pulling back slightly.
“They’re sharp.”

“They’re beautiful,” she responded, raising
her face again to kiss him. Talon at no time stopped thrusting
inside her, the act slow.

“My panther wants to claim you.” He paused,
running his hand from her hip up to cup her face. “I can’t do that
now.”

“You want to…bite me?” she asked, her eyes
wide.

“More than you could ever know,” he admitted,
kissing her bottom lip. “But if I do, it would connect us.”

“We’ll be mates?” she asked, her voice a
little unsure.

“It will mark you as mine,” he said, kissing
the spot on her neck he’d dreamed about sinking his canines into
for the past few nights. “When we mate…there will be a blood
exchange.”

“Oh!” She smiled. “So, if you bite me, then
I’m marked to be your mate?”

“Yes.”

“Make love to me, Talon,” she urged, shifting
her hips. She didn’t agree to be marked, nor did she agree to be
his mate. The one thing he intentionally left out was how the blood
exchange actually worked. She would have to become just like
him.

Liberty raised her hips to match him thrust
for thrust. This was all he could give her and she didn’t want it
to end. He’d thrown her head into such a tailspin, she didn’t know
what was happening. All she knew was that she wanted him.

Talon was holding back and she knew it. He
wanted to bite her, and she was okay with the fact that he didn’t
ask her to become his mate. She wanted to fall in love with him.
Was that a stupid thing to wish for?

“How will you bite me? Mark me?” she asked,
her voice not her own. It was deep, husky from their slow love
making.

One moment, she was on her back, Talon on
top. The next, he’d flipped her over, pulling her knees up so that
her ass was on display for him. One large hand pressed between her
shoulder blades, causing her arms to buckle. She started to protest
when her face smashed into the blanket, but she was able to turn
her cheek so she could breathe normally. “Talon?”

His large body covered hers, his cock sliding
back into her sex. He was long, thick, and fit her perfectly. There
was minor discomfort at first, but when he started to move, all she
felt was pleasure.

“My kind mates as our panthers mate,” he
growled, his voice muffled, possibly from his canines making a
reappearance. She felt a rush of wetness at the thought. Talon
inhaled deep and she blushed into the darkness at knowing he had a
heightened sense of smell. “When we are ready. I will take you like
this.”

“Mmmm,” she mumbled, unable to speak when his
thrusts became faster.

“When you agree to let me mark you as my
intended mate,” he growled sinfully, wrapping his hand into her
hair and pulling her so that she was forced upright. Liberty’s back
met his warm chest and his free hand wrapped under her breasts. “I
will sink my teeth into your neck, leaving a scar of my bite.” He
demonstrated by nipping at the spot above where her shoulder met
her neck. Bumps raised on her arms and her body quickened; her
orgasm was on the brink.

“I need…Talon, please,” she panted, rocking
her hips back against him.

“I know, love,” he purred. Releasing her
hair, his hand slid down between her legs. His finger found her
swollen nub, rubbing it in time with his thrusts. “Let go, Liberty.
You are mine. Give it to me.”

That scent that came from him, the mating
scent, wrapped around her senses, calming Liberty. Her climax hit,
and all she could do was cry out his name. The strength of the
orgasm paralyzed her to the spot, allowing Talon to take the reins.
He called out her name, just as she’d done his, a second before she
felt him pulse inside her. And that was the last thing she
remembered.

“Liberty,” he chuckled a short time later.
She’d checked out for a few minutes and found herself laying in the
bed, her head on a pillow. “Hey.”

“Hi,” she answered and smiled shyly. God,
she’d been so close to asking him to claim her…to mark her with his
teeth. She shivered from that idea alone. How would it feel when he
bit her? Would it hurt? Would it feel good?

“Let me clean you up,” he said, rolling to
the side. She watched as he entered her bathroom. He was still
naked, and Liberty’s eyebrows rose when she got a good look at his
ass.
Damn! Mmmhmm, now that’s nice…very, very nice.

“Let me,” he said, bringing her back. He
knelt on the bed, a washcloth in his hand.

“I can do it,” she blushed, reaching for his
hand.

“No,” he scolded, moving the cloth out of her
reach. “It is my job to provide for you in all ways.”

“We didn’t use protection,” she panicked
before allowing him to clean his seed from between her legs.

“You won’t get pregnant, and we are immune to
human diseases,” he offered.

“You can’t impregnate humans?” she asked,
trying to keep the disappointment and sadness out of her voice.
What the hell is wrong with me?

“Not unless we are mates,” he replied,
looking at the clock. “It’s late and your sister will be home
soon.”

“So, that’s it?” she snapped at him, gritting
her teeth. “You’re just going to leave?” Wasn’t that just like all
men? Get what they wanted and head for the door!

“I have to go,” he replied, grabbing for his
jeans.

She rolled over, giving him her back. She
should’ve known better. Just like the last guy she’d been with.
Fuck her and take off at the first chance. All of that mating talk
was probably bullshit just to get a piece of ass. No! She wasn’t
going to let him do that…not without speaking her mind. She was a
different woman than she had been two years ago with what’s his
name.

“You know what?” she shouted, jumping out of
the bed. Liberty had her fists clenched tightly at her sides as she
rounded the end of the bed, her naked body on display. Any other
time, she’d have probably grabbed for something to cover herself.
She wasn’t stick thin like men seemed to like, but she was strong
and had a temper to boot. “I’m not a conquest.”

“I never said you were,” he backpedaled,
looking confused and a bit angry.
Men! Animal or human…they are
all the same!

Her thoughts had been a whirlwind of back and
forth over him the last few days. She wanted him with a passion she
didn’t even know she possessed. Even with all of the talk of mating
and panthers, she was still human. She wanted him to love her for
her, and not because of some hormone that ruled his kind. Was she
being selfish? Maybe. Was she crazy for letting him fuck her? Most
definitely. Did she want to shake some sense into him? You had
better believe it!

“Was I that horrible that you have to bolt as
soon as you got what you came here for?” she snarled, pointing at
his bare chest. She flinched when he took a step forward, her
finger pressed against his abs.

“You were amazing,” he professed. “Don’t say
that about what we did.”

“What did we do, Talon?” she snapped.

“We made love, Liberty,” he informed her, his
eyes sparking with glowing amber. She knew she was pissing him off,
but she was even
more
pissed off.

“No, we didn’t,” she scoffed.

“Yes, we did,” he replied, taking a step
forward. She took a step back, trying to keep some distance between
them. He was putting off that mating scent again and it was driving
her crazy with lust. His nostrils flared, and she knew he’d scented
her arousal. How the hell was this making her hot again?