Chapter 3
Therian Palace, Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Luca waited as patiently as he could for the frenzy of Ash’s Therian admirers to fade, but his possessive tendencies and the raging hard-on he’d had since the moment he saw her in that spectacular dress drove him to action. He held her firmly on his lap, not willing to let her separate from him, but her perfect ass had tormented him for the past three hours. It was almost dawn, and his patience was exhausted.
The need to get Ash alone overwhelmed him, and he decided the best thing about being the king was not having to make excuses. He stood up with her in his arms, grinning at her startled yelp, and turned to the crowd with a happy expression. He knew they could see the evidence of his need for her, and he didn’t give a damn.
“If you’ll excuse us, you’ve had her long enough. It’s my turn.” He carried her through the side corridor, ignoring the protests and requests for more of their time.
Ash snuggled into his embrace as they left the crowded room. “I should tell you to put me down, but this is my favorite place in the world.”
He looked at her in confusion. “The palace?”
Ash laughed. “Your arms.” She tsked. “You’re the genius professor.”
A wave of love and appreciation for the woman in his arms shook him. She didn’t want him for the things he could give her or for protection. She wanted him. Luca stopped walking to kiss her tenderly, breaking the contact before the passion overwhelmed him. It was unbecoming for the king to fuck his mate in the corridor. “I love you.”
Her smile sent light into the dark corners of his soul. “I love you, too.”
His balls throbbed as he carried her into his chambers. He kicked the heavy door shut behind him and set Ash on her feet. Using her vampiric speed, she whirled and captured his mouth in a burning kiss. This was their first moment alone in longer than either cared to remember.
Luca broke the kiss and framed her face with his hands, looking at her with relief and love. “I keep reassuring myself that you’re okay, and this isn’t a fucked up torture dream Nadya sent me.”
Ash pinched his ass hard.
“What the hell was that for?”
She grinned. “To convince you that you’re awake and I’m here and so eager to get you inside me that I might break. I’ve got much to live for, my love. I won’t go down that easily.”
Luca’s smoldering gaze traveled over her, and his cock screamed at him to stop looking and start touching. “I will. Take off your panties, Ash.”
The playful expression on her face made his cock twitch. “What if I told you I’m not wearing any?”
His growl of approval made her grin when he backed her up against the door. He pressed his body against her, the evidence of his arousal against her belly, and held her gaze for an intense moment. “I would say marry me, but you already said yes.”
“You already have my heart and soul. I might as well let you put a ring on it.” Her words were shaky and breathless.
Luca laughed, delighted that his mate brought such humor and life into his world. He’d never thought laughter had much to do with good sex, but she was changing a lot of his preconceived notions.
Luca gripped Ash’s waist and shot her with a predatory grin. “I’ve wanted to do this since the moment I saw you in that dress. You take my breath away.”
He kissed her lips and dropped to his knees, parting the high slit in her dress to reveal that she was indeed wearing nothing underneath. Luca groaned and lifted one of her legs over his left shoulder. Her folds glistened with the evidence of her desire, and Luca couldn’t resist tasting her pleasure. The ragged moan that tore from her throat when he laved her sensitive flesh shot straight through him.
I want to spend the rest of my life making her utter that sound, he thought, enjoying the ripples of pleasure reverberating through their bond.
“You taste amazing,” he growled. He could never get enough of her.
Ash’s responses came in the form of panting breaths, blissful moans, and the tightening of the fingers she wound into his dark hair. Luca didn’t mind. He could read her body, and as she got close to an explosive orgasm, he drove two fingers inside her as he sucked her clit into his mouth.
She came screaming his name, and the force of the pleasure coursing through her turned her legs to jelly. Luca supported her weight as he stood to smile at her. Her eyes were glazed with contentment, and she gave him a wicked grin as her breasts rose and fell with her rapid breathing.
“That was incredible,” she wheezed. “What’s gotten into you?”
Luca gave her a sexy grin. “Today is a good day. My people love you, Ash. It’s not mere acceptance. We don’t have to be apart anymore, even if you keep trying to be noble and protect the immortal shapeshifters.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but Luca silenced her with a kiss. When he pulled back, she was lucky to remember her name.
“Now, we are both still fully clothed, and I believe you mentioned some fantasies involving this suit.” Luca’s voice was low.
Ash grinned at the bulge in his pants, and she slid her hand down to stroke his length through the fabric. “Indeed, I did.” She sent a graphic mental scene to him with an innocent expression.
His eyebrows rose in surprise, and then he grinned. “We’re about to make that fantasy a reality, my love.”
“You’re sure it’s not too much? I’ve never done it, but I saw it in a book, and I’ve always been curious?—”
He pressed a finger to her lips. “Shhh. There is no ‘too much’ between us, Ash. Nothing you should ever be afraid to ask me for. I will enjoy this very much, so stop rambling and turn around.” His last sentence was an order.
Ash obeyed, enjoying the thrill of excitement it sent down her spine. She should have known her mate wouldn’t balk at spanking or submission, and she trusted him to help her explore her desires, even if she didn’t understand them.
Ash felt the heat of his breath on her neck, and she shivered. When he finally touched her, she jumped before melting into it.
“I have been as hard as granite, undressing you in my mind all night. You grinding your perfect ass into my cock for hours was teasing, for which you will receive punishment. My palms are itching.”
Luca fell into the role she wanted him to play without effort since he was the alpha of all Therians. He knew how to play dominance games. He wasn’t a sadist, but she hadn’t asked for that kind of spanking. This? He could do this and enjoy every second of it.
He stepped closer and spun her, then kissed the spot on her neck that drove her wild, darting his tongue over the sensitive flesh. With painful slowness, he slid the zipper down her back, pausing every few inches to kiss the exposed skin.
Ash trembled at his touch, and the soft, almost inaudible moans she let out made his balls ache for relief. He had never wanted anyone the way he wanted her. He hadn’t thought that kind of connection existed.
She vibrated with the need to be touched when he finally pulled the sides of the dress apart to expose her back. He let the garment slide down her body to pool on the floor. The graceful arch of her smooth skin called to him, but he grabbed a handful of her ass and pressed his lips to her ear. “You’ve been a bad girl, Ash. Go stand by the bed and wait for your punishment.”
“Yes, sir.” Her voice was sultry with arousal.
Luca crossed the room slowly, moving with a predatory grace that conveyed his absolute mastery. She would never know that his steps tried to falter when he saw the still-healing wound in her chest. He paced around her, admiring her naked perfection as she stood for his inspection, and he kissed her breastbone before he claimed her lips. He examined the furniture to find the right place for their scene, settling on the chaise longue at the foot of the bed.
After removing his suit jacket, he laid it on the back and held Ash’s gaze as he unbuttoned his shirt sleeves and rolled them up to the elbow. “Are you going to be a good girl and take your punishment, Ash?”
She swallowed, watching him with ravenous hunger. “Yes.”
“Yes, what?” he demanded.
“Yes, sir.”
He smiled. “Good girl. You learn quickly. Stand in front of me and bend over. Present your ass to me so I can inspect my property. Make no mistake, you are mine, Ash.”
She whimpered at his commanding tone. The order he’d given sent tingles to her clit, igniting her desire into a blazing inferno. Ash assumed a position that would have been humiliating with anyone but Luca.
His groan of pure lust when she bent over and displayed herself for him served another purpose. What she felt was not humiliation. She felt free. Ash had given her mate access to her soul, so trusting him to take the lead for some kinky fun time was beyond safe. As life piled responsibilities on her, why shouldn’t she revel in the solace her mate offered? In the bedroom, she could relinquish control.
Luca caressed her and growled possessively. “Whose ass is this?”
“Yours, sir.” She struggled to hold back her moan. She was so worked up that it was hard to think, but Ash wouldn’t have traded the experience for anything. She’d never been so turned on. Her thighs were slick with the evidence of her desire.
“Mmm. Good answer.” He leaned back and squared his knees. “Come here and find a comfortable position. I’m a patient man, but your ass is entirely too tempting.”
Ash’s body tingled as she draped her naked form across his clothed lap. Being nude while he wasn’t thrilled her, and having a fantasy come to life with the man she loved made her knees weak.
He finally slid his palm over the curves of her ass. “I’m going to give you ten strikes, and you’ll count them out loud. Do you understand?”
Ash nodded, and he gave her ass a playful tap. “Say it.”
“Yes, I understand. Ten strikes, sir. Counted out loud.”
“Good girl. If at any point, this isn’t what you wanted or it becomes too much, your safe word is ‘red.’ I will stop immediately if you use it. If you’re getting close to your limit, say ‘yellow’ or talk to me. I will not lose control, so you are safe with me.”
I know that!Ash grumbled, impatient for him to deliver on the tension he’d built. She burned with desire and thought she might go up in flames if he didn’t touch her.
Satisfied that he’d set the scene to her specifications and eager to get his hands on her, Luca brought his palm down on her ass hard enough to sting. He smiled at the sharp slap and the red palm print that marked her pale skin.
Ash gasped and let out a soft moan that made his breath catch. He could listen to her make that sound forever. “O-one.”
Fuck! I like that a lot more than I expected. Goddamn, that’s sexy. As the mark faded, he massaged the flesh before bringing his hand down sharply on her other ass cheek.
“Fuck!” she cried.
Luca spanked her again. “Fuck’s not a number, love. That one doesn’t count.” Her wetness had dampened the leg of his pants, and his cock twitched with impatience, eager to be buried in her.
“Two,” Ash moaned.
He chuckled as she squirmed on his lap. I am the luckiest man alive.
He gave each cheek another slap, waiting for her to count the strikes before he offered her the soothing touch that amplified the feelings on her sensitized skin.
After the fifth, he slid a hand between her legs, eliciting a ragged moan. When she counted the sixth, he slid a finger inside her, groaning as her inner muscles eagerly gripped him. Her breath came in ragged gasps, so Luca knew she was so close to the ecstasy she sought. Now the real fun could begin.
As he brought his palm for the seventh strike, Luca pinched her clit with his other hand, and Ash let out a series of gasping moans as an orgasm more intense than anything short of their mating bond tore through her mind and body, electrifying every nerve. Luca let her ride the waves of pleasure, enjoying the sight of his palm prints on her ass as she writhed on his lap. He could get used to this, and his mate had more than a passing interest.
He dipped two fingers into the drenched heat at her core and traced gentle circles over her clit, triggering another orgasm with the eighth slap of his palm on her ass. Luca wanted to extend their play through the last two strikes, but he needed to be inside his mate more than he needed his next breath.
From the frantic tone she used to call out the numbers, Ash was ready for him. He gently kissed each cheek, then ran his hands all over her body. It wasn’t enough.
“Stand up, Ash.”
She was slow to move, and her legs were shaky, but she did as she was told. The waves of pleasure hadn’t stopped when the mind-blowing orgasm receded. She felt light as if her body floated on a cloud of bliss where nothing existed but the two of them, and she was made for only one thing—to join with this man. She felt a ravenous hunger for her mate, and her body ached with a gnawing emptiness only Luca could relieve.
The raw need in her gaze stole his breath, and hunger slammed into him with the force of a wrecking ball. Luca wrapped his arms around her and claimed her mouth in a possessive, passionate kiss that left them both panting for air. “You were perfect,” he groaned against her lips as his questing hands touched her everywhere.
“Luca…I need…” Ash muttered between kisses.
“What do you need, baby girl?” His voice was rough with restrained lust. His control was impeccable, but there were limits to what he could endure. Going another moment without plunging his cock into her slick heat to the hilt was torture of the highest magnitude.
“Fuck me,” she moaned. “Please. It’s you. I need you.”
His willingness to extend their game crumbled at the desperate desire in her voice. He settled her on the bed and stripped in record time. Luca parted her legs, his cock twitching at the sight of her glistening core, swollen and eager for his length.
“Hold your knees,” he commanded, and she obeyed without hesitation. “Fucking hell,” he muttered, sliding a finger over her clit and grinning when she jumped. Luca lined his cock up and watched as he slid into her, groaning at the sensation of tight heat as her body enveloped him.
His first thrust was slow and deep as he gave her body time to adjust to his size. When he was confident he wouldn’t hurt her, Luca shifted Ash’s legs so her feet rested on his shoulders and plunged into her with the passion he’d held back. She screamed her pleasure loud enough that he was certain the entire palace heard, but he didn’t mind. Let them all know he could please his woman into oblivion. She begged for more, and Luca gave her everything he had. His thrusts became erratic as they chased bliss together, growing closer to tumbling over the edge each second.
Luca fought to hold back his orgasm so Ash could reach her peak first, but when he felt her inner walls contract, he lost the battle. He cried out as the soul-shattering pleasure of a shared orgasm reverberated through their mating bond. Breathing hard, he let her legs relax and leaned over to kiss her. As the aftershocks of their bliss faded, Luca noticed that his mate looked tired and hungry.
“When was the last time you ate?” he asked, concerned.
She looked away sheepishly. Luca gently turned her head back. “I’m fine. I can get a blood bag from Zia later,” Ash grumbled.
The idea that she was hungry bothered him more than her craving for blood. She was his mate, and it was his joyful duty to provide what she needed. A long-ingrained part of him rebelled at the taboo thought, but Luca realized he wanted Ash to feed from him. The idea of the intimate exchange didn’t feel abhorrent or unnatural when he examined his feelings.
“Let me feed you.” His voice was soft, unsure of how she would feel about the idea.
Ash looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “I will do no such thing! What the hell are you thinking?”
He held up his hands in defense but maintained his position, confident about the decision. “I want to take care of the woman I love. Why does the idea bother you? Of the two of us, I should be offended by the thought.”
Ash looked confused, and Luca forced himself not to read her thoughts. There were some things they needed to work out as a couple who didn’t live in each other’s heads.
“Why doesn’t it bother you? I’m a vampire.”
“I noticed.” He aimed a cocky grin at her and tapped his canine teeth. “The pointy teeth are a dead giveaway. You became a vampire to save my life, Ash. I know what you are, and I love you more for it, not less. We don’t need to work around this. I don’t love you even though you’re a vampire. I simply love you. My dragon is throwing a fit, knowing you are hungry. Alphas protect and provide, and that instinct is never stronger than with our mates. Let me take care of you. You need blood, so please let it come from my veins.”
“I’m afraid,” she whispered, looking ashamed. “I’ve never fed from anything but a bag outside of battle. What if I can’t stop?”
“Oh, my love.” Luca sighed as he pulled Ash into his arms. She handled things so well that it was easy to forget she was only twenty and still discovering who she was. She didn’t let her vulnerability show with anyone else. “That’s not going to happen. First, the only time you ever lose control is during sex, and anything that threatens my life will put you on high alert, so forget about that.
“Second, you are nothing like Nadya. I’m not saying you should feed from people all the time. That’s not who you want to be, and I don’t want that for you either. We can work it out so you always have blood bags available, but here in our chambers where it”s just us, let me feed my mate. You can trust me to keep things under control as I trust you.”
Ash could no longer ignore her thirst. Her parched throat burned, and apparently, the emptiness she’d felt earlier wasn’t only a desire for her mate. She wanted to object on principle, but what Luca had said made sense. Even so, she hesitated before nodding. “Promise that you’ll stop me before I go too far?”
“I won’t let that happen, but more importantly, you won’t. You’re stronger than anyone I’ve ever known.”
Ash leaned on his confidence and kissed him. Her lips left his mouth, trailing kisses across his jaw and throat. Her tongue darted out to savor the taste of his skin before continuing down his body, and she stopped to kiss the spot where a curved black and cobalt marking curled over his hip bone. She looked up at him, worry and doubt in her expression.
“Are you sure?” Ash purred, her eyes darkening from copper to crimson as her vampiric instincts took over.
The image of her naked, ass marked with his handprints in the air, her core still wet from their lovemaking and the light glinting off her fangs as she prepared to feed from him was sexy as hell. Luca nodded and waited to see what a vampire bite would feel like. It was the ultimate taboo in his culture, but with his mate, the forbidden was just erotic.
She smirked, her ruby eyes sparkling with amusement. “Say it.”
Luca grinned. “I’m sure. Bite me, Ash.”
He hardly noticed the quick sting as she bit into the femoral artery in his thigh since a rush of bliss the likes of which he’d never experienced followed. The venom in Ash’s bite sent desire flooding through him, and his cock stood to attention as she drank. He felt her smile against his skin when she noticed his reaction. She held his gaze and stroked his length as she fed.
Luca committed every moment of the experience to memory. He would want to revisit this later. Ash pulled away long before she took enough blood to harm him, and she barely had time to lick the last drop from her lips before he pounced on her. He took her mouth in a frenzied kiss, tasting his blood on her tongue. It should have disgusted him, but it excited him instead.
When she saw his reaction and felt his desire through their bond, Ash stopped fighting her instincts. Using her vampiric strength, she rolled them so she was on top. Her eyes glowed crimson as she sank onto his cock and sighed with pleasure as she finally felt full.
“It’s going to be fast and wild,” Ash warned, swiveling her hips and moaning from the friction. “I won’t last long.”
Luca captured one of her nipples and bit, savoring her hiss of pleasure. “Neither will I. Take what you need, Ash.”
She rode him hard, her hips angled to take him deeply into her body. Each thrust was designed to drive his cock to the end of her. She was right. After thirty seconds, she let out a low moan and contracted around his cock, sending him into blissful oblivion moments after her.
Ash sagged against him, dropping her forehead to his chest and breathing hard. “Mmm, thank you, my love. Without a shadow of a doubt, that was the best meal I’ve ever had.”
“I am happy to provide it any time. Your personal all-you-can-eat buffet.”
Ash laughed and kissed his chest. “As much as I would love to fuck your brains out all night since vampire stamina is truly a gift, we have to plan some things if you’re not going to let me take care of my wayward children on my own.” She gasped at the flash of sensitivity as their bodies separated when she slid off Luca and collapsed bonelessly on the bed.
Luca also regretted that he wasn’t free to indulge his whims, but she was right. They needed to make plans, and if they didn’t get dressed, he’d bury himself to the hilt in her again. He sighed and got up. “I can’t tell you how much it pains me to say this, but you’d better get dressed. It’s taking all my willpower not to dive back into bed with you.”
He looked pained when she rolled over and stretched, arching her back and thrusting her breasts into the air. “Damn it, woman!”
Ash laughed and got up, swinging her hips as she looked for something to wear. “You’re one to talk, standing there naked like a Greek god, tempting my virtue,” She gestured at him.
Luca smiled at the appreciation in her voice and expression. He loved that she craved him as intensely as he did her. “The sacrifices we make for duty,” he muttered as she disappeared into the closet.