CHAPTER TEN #2
Catching the curve of her neck between his teeth, he bit lightly at the same moment he plunged a finger inside her, slowly imitating what he truly wanted to do. A fierce tremor shook her, a short sharp scream erupting before she cut it off. He halted his rough movements within her sex.
"I want to hear you, Thora."
A shuddering breath racked her shoulders and she gave a low moan. The need in the sound jolted his cock. He resumed his torment of her sex and sucked hard on her neck. Her cries came continuously now, and with great reluctance, he withdrew his finger and pulled his mouth from her throat.
"Wh-what? Ari…?"
The confusion in her hoarse voice added another layer of hunger to his desire. Still, if he wanted to hear her beg, he had to maintain his control, no matter how tenuous his hold.
He rested his hand against her sex, not stroking, not penetrating. A few moments later, Thora began to thrust her hips, pushing her groin into his hand, as if trying to spur him to continue. Her sharp, frustrated gasps drew a smile.
"What is it, Thora? What do you want?"
She gave a low groan of frustration. "You're heartless. How can you… do such things and then stop?"
"Tell me what you want."
She stiffened against him. He sensed the clearing of her desire. He would give her a moment or two of clarity before sending her into that lustful state once more.
"I know what you want me to do." Her voice grew stronger, and a little colder.
He held back a grin, forcing his expression to sober when she twisted around to meet his gaze.
"I will not beg."
Her declaration rang out among the trees around them. At that moment, he once more slipped inside her, this time with two fingers. She wiggled against him, her eyes widening before hazing over with desire once more.
"Won't you? You want this, Thora, don't you? Me touching you, making you feel things you never knew before. Things only I can make you feel."
Passion and anger warred in her gaze. He let his thumb brush against her clit for the barest moment. Her mouth fell open and she sucked in a deep gulp of air. Once again, he ghosted over the hard bundle of nerves and her head fell back, a long low moan echoing around him.
"You like that, don't you?" He didn't do it again, just kept his fingers sliding gently inside her.
She remained silent, her body still. He sensed the struggle within her, her pride refusing to give in to his demands, her lust screaming to yield. She didn't push him away, despite her hands maintaining their ever-tightening grip on his arm.
He gave her clit another stroke and her fingers clenched again, yet she still made no effort to fend him off.
He continued the steady rhythm inside her, gently pushing her against his needy cock.
Soon her hips began to undulate against his hand, now her grasp on his arm changing, this time to aid his efforts.
He once more lowered his mouth to her neck, giving her a little nip and caressing her clit again.
He forced himself to focus entirely on pleasuring Thora, in an attempt to ignore his own desperate need.
Each movement sent her rubbing against his cock and he offered a small prayer of thanks to Odin that the trousers muted some of the fiery desire her motions spurred.
He'd never known such wanting, such need.
It threatened to overpower him until another soft cry from Thora drew his attention back to her.
He ground his teeth to force his yearning back.
For a few moments, he succeeded in ignoring his lust. The tempo of her cries sent birds rushing from the trees.
Ari barely noticed, too caught up in the taste and feel of her, savoring each sound she make as he waited for the words he wanted to hear.
He teased her clit again, then once more before sliding his fingers from her pussy.
"No!"
Her voice, filled with frustrated anguish, accompanied more thrusting against his now motionless hand. Her eyes shone with tears. The sight roused all sorts of emotions he didn't recognize. Or perhaps he chose not to.
"Damn you, Ari! Why did you stop?"
He chuckled. "What do you want Thora?"
He held her gaze, daring her to refuse him again. To his surprise, and also his delight, she actually did, giving him a short shake of her head. He studied her, trying to discern what he read in those dark eyes. Did she actually enjoy the way he tormented her? So be it.
He leaned over and devoured her mouth, sweeping his tongue deep inside. Her moans echoed into him, sending his passion even higher. He forced it back. She wanted this, he would give it to her. Later, she would repay him in the most delightful ways, over and over.
He didn't want to relinquish her sweet mouth, but he needed to concentrate both on their journey and making Thora beg. For she would, he had no doubt.
Several moments passed before he made another attempt to touch her pussy.
The moment his fingers slid along her moist flesh, the mad quivering began anew.
This time, he kept his touch light and teasing, avoiding her clit entirely.
The music of Thora's cries urged him to keep up the torment, giving her a respite only after she'd called his name.
Close to what he wanted to hear. Soon.
Without any warning, he plunged his fingers into her tight sheath, extracting the most delightful squeal that evolved into a breathy moan. He continued to thrust harshly into her for a little longer, then withdrew. This time, anger intensified her shout.
"Damn you! I call upon Odin to strike you down for this!"
The laugh escaped before he thought to contain it. "Odin would do the same, if he had you in his arms."
This time, she did attempt to dislodge his hand, but he held fast. She was strong, but he was stronger.
He bit her earlobe. "Stop fighting. I will bind you if I must."
"Filthy mule!"
He laughed and bit her lobe once more, scraping his teeth against the soft flesh.
A moment later, his fingers once more slid deep into her, the barest brush of contact against her clit at the same time.
She fell back against him, once more meeting his rhythm.
When he stilled inside her, she let loose a sob of frustration.
"Tell me what you want, Thora." He crooned the words softly into her ear, drawing another tremor.
"I want more."
"More what?"
Several panting breaths later, she opened her lust-glazed eyes. "More of you. More of what you were doing."
"You want me to make you come?"
Her cheeks reddened, but she held his stare and gave him a single nod.
"Then tell me."
A deep breath shuddered through her. "I want you to make me come."
He arched an eyebrow. He wanted her to say more, and from her expression, she knew it as well. Her lids lowered briefly before she stared almost defiantly at him once more.
"Make me, come. Please. Ari, please make me come."
The husk of her plea undid the hold he had on his body and he drove his fingers into her again, this time using his thumb to firmly caress the hardened bud of flesh, taking her mouth in a bruising kiss at the same time.
It seemed as if she screamed into him, her body bucking furiously beneath him, her long-denied release rolling through her with a force he'd never witnessed.
Her juices flowed over his fingers, and he had to tighten his hold, lest she fall from the horse, such was the violence of her release.
He kept up his steady movement in her pussy, drawing out each ripple that drove her against his cock.
After what seemed hours, Thora finally quieted in his arms. He pulled his mouth from hers and she leaned her head weakly against his shoulder. He gently slid his hand from her sex, drawing another round of gentle trembling, echoes of her climax.
He lowered her dress, succeeding in only arranging the wool around her hips and upper thighs.
With a hand under her arse, he lifted her, carefully sweeping the back of her dress under her bottom.
When he settled her back down, he shifted her so she nestled snugly against his chest, her head cradled in the crook of his arm.
He lifted his other hand to his mouth at the same moment her eyes fluttered open.
Hesitating only an instant, he licked his fingers, tasting her musky sweetness.
For a moment, her eyes widened, then darkened with passion once more.
"You will be very busy tonight."
She said nothing, but the delightful way her body tensed then eased sent another shard of fire to his cock.
"You begged, didn't you?"
More silence. He laughed, a brittle sound forced out between clenched teeth when she shifted against his excruciatingly hard shaft. Several moments passed before he breathed steady once more, the painful need settling back to a dull throb.
"I liked hearing it." He whispered the words beside her ear, causing another tremor, igniting his lust to the earlier pitch.
Finally she lifted her gaze, annoyance sparking in her eyes. "You are cruel, but I am too tired to punch you as you deserve."
He chuckled. "Then rest up, Thora. We have a long way to go before we make camp."
She remained silent, but little quivers still passed over her, remnants of the ferocious orgasm he'd drawn from her.
When she quieted for the last time, leaning heavily against him, a heavy sigh of satisfaction escaped her.
Resting his chin atop her head, he smiled.
Holding her as she snuggled against him was as close to Valhalla he'd ever gotten here on Midgard.
He anticipated the coming days with eagerness.
***
Thora opened her eyes, the gait of the horse jolting her from the warmth of sleep.
The feel of Ari's hard chest supporting her soothed her momentary disorientation.
His arms around her, holding her near, the steady thump of his heartbeat, brought a comfort and sense of belonging she hadn't felt since fleeing her village.
She could barely recall the time when Ari hadn't been a part of her journey.
A moment later, the memory of the pleasure he'd given her before she'd drifted into sated slumber slithered heatedly along her veins.
Already, her breasts ached with the need to be touched once more.
What had she done to anger the gods that they would torment her this way, just as Ari did, to make her crave such passion?
Her sex clenched, the recollection of his hands sliding within her rising through the cacophony of memories.
"Did you sleep well?"
His low voice rumbled through her, adding to the tumult in her senses. At this rate, she feared she'd never gather her wits again. She forced her arms to move and shifted away from his embrace, stretching in a way she hoped appeared casual.
"I've had better rest while laying on rocks."
His bark of laughter exploded around her. "Why must you always be so stubborn? There is no shame in admitting you are comfortable with me."
She remained silent, holding herself away from him. She didn't want to admit his embrace felt more right than it should. Odin must have given him the power to ensorcel her, leaving her helpless against his passionate assault, rendering her normally sharp faculties dull and confusing.
"We'll stop to rest soon. I must tend Gyllir."
Good. She needed to be off this horse, away from him, so she could regather her wits. She must keep her guard up around him. In an effort to focus on anything but the heat simmering under her skin, she looked down at the steed beneath her.
"He is a fine animal. How long have you had him?"
"I raised him from a foal."
She wondered what he was like as a child.
Here was a way to learn more about him, perhaps gain some insight on how to use him to her advantage.
He'd taken her innocence, no, she'd given it to him, and that worked to lessen the success of her father's plan.
Having Ari with her as she traveled also offered an additional protection, though once Kata healed completely, she knew her wolves would keep her safe.
She leaned over and patted Gyllir's neck. "Where were you raised, Ari?" She bit her lip, keeping her face turned away, hoping she sounded casual.
Several moments passed before he shifted behind her. He gave a heavy sigh.
"North. Though my mother has family near Uppraka."
"You are very far from your home."
"It's not my home. I have no home."
What did he mean by that? "Why not?"
"It's a complicated tale."
Warnings that he might be more dangerous than she'd first imagined rose again in her thoughts. Even so, more questions formed, ones she wanted answers to.
"Tell me. We have plenty of time."
"No. It's not your concern."
"Yes, it is. I am indebted to you. I'd like to know more about the man who holds my fate in his hands. Are you an outcast?"
Several heavy moments passed in silence before he answered.
"In a way, yes. But I won't be for long."
His vague answers roused her frustration.
"Why is that?" Somehow, her voice sounded calm and even, casually curious. She raised her eyes to the skies in a silent show of thanks to the gods for the strength.
"Not for you to worry about. Just know I will keep you safe."
"After what we've… shared, I want to know more about you. You know my reasons for traveling alone. I still don't know yours."
The arm around her waist tightened, as did his entire body. What was so terrible he couldn't tell her?
"When the time is right, Thora, you will know everything."
A healthy portion of doubt reigned in her thoughts. When would that right time be?