35. Thirty-Five
THIRTY-FIVE
THEO
H unting her had revitalized my soul. Watching her pupils dilate with fear when she’d first seen me wearing my mask and then again when I’d found her in the clearing. She’d practically salivated when I’d ripped her shirt, exposing those perfect tits of hers. Her breathy whispers had only excited me more as I’d fucked her like the queen she was. I’d given her exactly what she’d craved, and while doing so, I’d satisfied the beast inside me.
My cock was hard thinking about how her body had writhed beneath me, back arching as I thrust deeper.
A moan escaped her lips, primal and urgent. I gripped her hips tighter, digging my fingers into her flesh. She was mine, utterly under my control. I felt the rush of power surging through my veins.
With a snarl, I flipped her over, shoving her face into the flat, dirt-covered rock. She gasped as I entered her again from behind, the new angle making her quiver and clench around me. My eyes rolled back in ecstasy. Her submission was exquisite, fueling my darkest appetites.
I reached forward, fisting my hand in her hair and yanking her head back. She cried out, a delicious mix of pleasure and pain. Leaning down, I nipped at her earlobe with my teeth.
“You’re my prey,” I growled. “I’ll devour you.”
She shuddered and bucked back against me, craving more. I obliged, hammering into her willing body with savage need. We were animals in heat, rutting wildly, lost to our basest instincts. Nothing else existed but our carnal dance.
I could feel her climax building, her muscles tensing and fluttering around my throbbing shaft. With a few more brutal thrusts, I sent her over the edge. She wailed in rapture, screaming my name as her pussy clamped down on me like a vice, milking my cock as I continued to pound into her.
Now, she lay here in my bed, sprawled out on her stomach with dirt on her naked skin, her hair splayed across the pillow in a wild tangle. I traced a finger down her spine, admiring the marks I’d left on her flesh—bruises and bite marks that branded her as mine. She stirred slightly at my touch, a soft moan escaping her kiss-swollen lips. She rolled onto her back, and my fingers found the curve of her hip before my hands moved across her stomach. I paused, resting on the subtle swell of her belly as realization dawned.
The way she’d held her stomach during dinner, the change in her breasts—fuller now—and she hadn’t drunk any wine last night. Come to think of it, I didn’t remember the last time I had seen her drink. The night she’d been shot, maybe?
A rush of possessive pride surged through me. My little bird was carrying my child. The evidence was there, and the knowledge thrilled me to my core. She would be the vessel for my legacy, nurturing the life we had created. I splayed my hand across her abdomen, imagining I could feel the tiny heartbeat within.
She opened her eyes, meeting my gaze. “What is it?” she asked, her voice husky with sleep.
When I didn’t answer, she looked down at where my hand still rested on her stomach, and her eyes widened. I thought I saw fear flash across her features for a moment, but I quickly realized it was more awe and wonder than fear.
She placed her hand over mine, her eyes shining with tears. “I was going to tell you,” she whispered. “But I didn’t want you to be distracted and get hurt if you were focused on this. I wasn’t sure how you’d react . . .”
I silenced her with a bruising kiss, pouring all my love into it. When I broke the kiss, I cupped her face, my thumbs brushing away the tears. “I am the luckiest man in the whole world,” I murmured reverently. “Nothing is more important than our family. You and our baby are my everything now. Anyone who tries to harm either of you will beg for death before I’m through.”
She shivered at the dark promise in my words, but I felt her lips curve into a smile against my skin. My savage queen knew the lengths I would go for her.
I nuzzled into her neck, inhaling her scent. “You’ve given me the greatest gift, little bird. Love, devotion, and a legacy to carry on my bloodline.”
I kissed her once more before sliding down her body, trailing kisses over her creamy skin until I reached the gentle swell of her stomach. I pressed my lips there, worshipping the life growing inside her. She threaded her fingers through my hair as I whispered promises and declarations of my undying love against her belly.
My mind raced with visions of our future together—her belly growing round and full, heavy with our child. I pictured her nursing our baby at her breast, a Madonna and a gift of our own making. She would be a fierce and protective mother, and our children would inherit her strength and our darkness.
I lifted my head to gaze at her, this incredible creature who had ensnared me completely. “Marry me,” I said. “Be mine in every way, now and forever.”
Her eyes widened at my unexpected proposal, but then a brilliant smile broke across her face, radiant as the dawn. “Yes,” she breathed, happy tears spilling down her cheeks. “Yes, I’ll marry you. I’ve always been yours.”
I knew she spoke the truth. Our fates were irrevocably intertwined, a bond forged in blood, lust, and now, new life. I had hunted her, claimed her, but in the end, she had snared me just as surely. She had burrowed beneath my skin and invaded my every thought until she’d consumed me. We were a matched pair, predator and prey, lovers and soulmates.