Freya's Mates (4 page)

His fingers drifted beyond her hair, down her back.  Her body
fired hot, his simple touch scalding her moist flesh. Should she stop him?  She
knew she wouldn't be able to if she tried.  Darius smoothed his fingers along
the curve of her back, lower, lower, in a slow, sensual drag.  When he cupped
the side of her ass in his big palm, she gasped, then held her breath.

"Shhh." He reached for the soap on the ledge near her
head.  "Let me wash you, Freya."  His lathered hands started at her
sides, reached around to her stomach, and then rose to her breasts.  When he
squeezed her, offering careful attention to her sensitized nipples, she leaned
back against his chest. She drifted—absorbing his touch and desire, savoring
the companionship and attention. When her fangs began to emerge, she opened her
eyes, the air suddenly too difficult to breathe.  Darius was human.  If things
got too far, which they would, she could hurt him, or in the least,
inadvertently reveal her wolf.  She knew her sister, Carna, had been with human
males in the past, but she never had, and doubted her level of control.

She summoned all her will and whirled around in the tight confines
of the shower stall.  When she came face to face with his chest, t-shirt soaked
and clinging to every deliciously defined muscle, she lost her courage. 
"Darius.  I can't…"

If she didn't know better, she'd swear he was a shifter.  The
feral need in his eyes made her pussy throb. He said nothing, only leaned down
to her level and kissed her lips.  Kissing was something she wasn't accustomed
to. It was so intimate and addicting, and she needed to remain cold and
neutral.  Her lust was leading her astray.  She should be running, leaving
town, continuing the pact she made with her sisters—to remain unmated until she
found males of her own choosing. Would she choose Darius?  Every minute with
him made her surer she would, and her wolf already decided from that first
sight in the alley.  But he was human, not a potential mate.

"I won't hurt you."  He kissed her again. "I'm not
a monster."  But maybe she was.  To a human she was a monster, everything Hollywood depicted as sinister, dangerous, a freak of nature.  Her white wolf would have
him running in seconds.

"I'm not who you think I am," she whispered.  Darius
ignored her, peppering kisses along her jaw.  Rather than push him away, she
tilted her head to give him better access.  Would it be so bad to give in?  The
gods knew she needed companionship, any companionship.  Just being able to talk
with another person was a blessing when she'd be on her own for so long.  He
pressed his hard body against hers until her back hit the cool tiles behind
her.  "I'll hurt you."

Now he paid her heed, pulling his head back with a smirk.
"You'll hurt me?  Freya, if you want to get freaky with me, I promise I
won't complain."  He nearly growled as he grabbed a thigh in each hand and
hoisted her up against the wall.  She gripped onto his shoulders as he heaved
her up effortlessly.  Her wolf hummed within, reveling in his male strength.

Carna could go through with this, she had to.  She had to try
because leaving her body so pent up would be cruel.  By the time the full moon
came around, she'd be down right dangerous to the opposite sex. With her luck
she'd get herself mated with some cad she could barely tolerate.

"You might."  She wrapped her legs securely around him
and gave in to his assault.  Carna trailed her tongue along the tan plane of
his neck.  He tasted all male, completely addicting.  The one taste wasn't
enough. She wanted more, craved for him to fuck her as much as she wanted to
sink her teeth into his flesh to mark him.  She'd have to settle for sex alone.

He wrestled with his belt and damp jeans.  Her pussy felt void
and achy, pulsing deeper as she anticipated Darius filling her. 
"Ready?" he asked.  She nodded, surprised he asked.  Not many men
would be able to turn back at this point, certainly not a shifter.

She felt the smooth, swollen head of his cock nudge her slick
folds.  The water continued to shower down over them, steam rising to blanket
their illicit act. She lapped at the water collecting on his face and neck,
suckling, and nipping. He pushed his cock into her waiting heat.  As he
penetrated her, stretching her pussy with his steady advance, she gave a drawn
out moan.  Was she that needy?  That deprived?  The sound seemed to echo around
them, spurring on her lover.  He began to pull out before slowly thrusting. 
She loved the fullness, the way he quenched her deep seated need.

"You feel amazing around my cock.  So tight."  He
increased the tempo until he was slamming in and out of her cunt with stamina. 
The sound of wet flesh on flesh was erotic music to her ears.  Her body began
to coil tight, heat radiating towards her pussy from all her extremities. 
Would she be able to maintain control once she reached her peak?  Keep her
secret in check when all she wanted to do was scream out the truth and pray he'd
accept her for what she was? 

The frantic throbbing stopped, replaced by an eerie calm where
all her pleasure felt magnified and glorious. She wanted to stay in this sweet
zone for the rest of her life, but as suddenly as it overtook her, it vanished.
 Freya writhed as her pussy exploded and pulsed around Darius's cock.  She
clenched around him in deep waves, barely able to keep from screaming out as
her body took control. Sex had never been this good, this intense, not that
there had been many experiences to compare it with.  When her breathing eased,
and she settled down from her high, she came face to face with the darkest,
most beautiful eyes. What now?

****

"Better?"

She nodded.  He never wanted to set her down.  Her soft body
molded perfectly to his. Along with her orgasm, she'd gone wild, thrashing and
moaning as if possessed.  It did wonders for his libido, and he'd never come so
hard and fast. The world vanished for those priceless seconds as he peaked. Now
that the heat of the moment had passed, she appeared shattered, ashamed. There
was no need, not when he could judge her character with ease.  She wasn't one
of the many bar-trolling women he had to deal with every night at the club,
certainly not a gold-digger.  He learned a long time ago how quickly he tired
of loose women with little in their heads. This blonde-haired beauty was way
out of her element, lost in a world she didn’t belong. 

He gently lowered her to the tiled floor and shut off the water. 
The resulting hush was deafening.  "I didn't hurt you," she whispered
as if surprised.  Darius could barely make out her words as she trailed a light
finger against the cord of muscle along his neck.

"Guarantee you, I'm fine."  He used both hands to brush
the moist hair from her face, then leaned down for a kiss.  "After you get
dressed, we should talk."

Freya wasn't a one-night stand in his mind and he wanted to be
sure she knew that.  He wanted to help her out, find out everything about her,
and hopefully not watch her run out of his life again.  Darius would love to
spend some of his money on Freya—buy her clothes he'd seen in downtown shop
windows, and take her to some of the great, little Italian restaurants he'd
discovered over the years.  According to Vincent, the woman could eat.

With their lust tamped down, clothes on, and level heads back in
place, Darius and Freya sat on the small sofa in uncomfortable silence. He had
so much to say, so many questions to ask, but felt awkward.  He wasn't one to
be shy, quite the opposite, but he feared saying or doing the wrong thing and
losing favor in her eyes. Whatever her story was, she was scared and needed
help.  He wanted to be the person to offer that help. From her point of view,
she probably saw him as a predator, a man only out to use her body.

The silent anticipation was killing him.  He bolted upright and
paced the small room, digging in his back jean pocket for his smokes. As he lit
his cigarillo, he felt her presence behind him. He took a drag, the sweet scent
surrounding him, easing his tension.

"Do you want me to leave?" she asked.

He spun around, holding his arm outstretched and the smoke away
from her. "Leave?  I told you I wanted you to have this room.  I know
you're in trouble, Freya.  But you'll tell me when you're ready.  Until then,
you're my responsibility."

"I'm no one's responsibility."

He cupped her face with his free hand. "A wolf in sheep's
clothing…" He chuckled. "You don't have to be on guard every second. 
You can let others help you out once and a while, you know."  She was a
slip of a woman trying too hard to play the bad-ass chick. He respected her independence,
but also wanted her to accept his assistance. Gideon had been there for him
when he hit rock bottom, and Darius wanted to do the same for her. 

She grabbed handfuls of his shirt and held herself close.
"Why do we always want what we can't have?"  Freya took a breath and
slowly exhaled, her eyes closed. "That smell reminds me of you now."

"It's a nasty habit."

"I like it.  The scent, I mean."  She let her hands drop
down along the hardness of his body before stepping back with a defeated look
in her eyes.  God, what would he have to do to prove himself to her?  He
supposed giving in to his impulses on the first night they met had not worked
in his favor.

The door burst open, shattering their intimate bubble.  Gideon's
large frame filled the doorway. "Boss?"

"What's going on in here?"

"You said I could use the room." 

Gideon strode in, his eyes riveted on Freya.  "And
her?"  He stopped in front of her, his hands clasped behind his back.

"She's my responsibility."  Darius wasn't sure why he
gave a fuck, but he did.  He'd take care of much more than her dinner tab if he
had to.

"Is she now?"  Gideon raked his eyes up and down her
body.  Darius had never seen that look in his friend's eyes.  Gideon wanted
her.
Bad
.  He wasn't sure how he felt about that, but only a fool
wouldn't be attracted to Freya.  The pink dress clung to her shapely curves,
her long, damp blonde hair brushed neatly down her back.

"I should just leave," she said, backing away from his
friend and inching toward the entryway.

Darius snagged her arm, torn between keeping her with him and not
pissing off his boss by telling him to fuck off. "You don't have anywhere
to go, Freya.  Stay here."  He may be able to buy the club with just the
weekly interest from his bank account, but nobody knew that.  He kept his mouth
shut time and time again because he'd grown accustomed to his new life.  Never
again did he want people looking up to him, friending him just for what they
could gain. He enjoyed being invisible, normal, being accepted for who he was. 
Club Frenzy embraced him.  The party-goers and staff never looked twice when he
fucked up, had two dates in a night, or had a little too much fun.  But for the
most part, he played the responsible one, helping Vincent keep Gideon's patrons
in line.

Gideon narrowed his eyes. "Don't have anywhere to go,
princess?  That seems unlikely."

****

"Do me a favor, Darius. Tell Vincent I want a bottle of his
best.  I need a minute alone with your…guest."

Darius lowered his brow, appearing ready to refute, but complied,
slipping out the door. 

"I thought you were going to leave me alone."  Freya
put distance between them as soon as the door slammed shut.

Gideon could scent what he'd missed when he first came in. 
Sex.
 
Darius had moved fast, but what surprised him was the fact the little wolf
obliged the other man.

"Tell me.  What are you doing indulging a human?  From what
I know you're expected to mate with shifters—to carry on the lines."

Her mouth gaped open, but she recovered, crossing her arms in
defense.  "That's none of your business."

"Darius is a good man. Best human I know." He took
measured steps toward her as if dealing with skittish prey. "But you don't
know what you're missing, Freya.  With me you could let loose, let your wolf
out to play. I'd love to meet her, by the way."

She licked her lips and he could sense the turbulent mix of
desire and irritation coming off her in waves. "At least with Darius I
know he's not using me for status."

"So you don't mind being used for a quick fuck?"

The she-wolf was on him in a flash, fangs and claws bared. She
growled as she attempted to sink her teeth into his shoulder.  The only reason
she'd be so passionate is if she had real feelings for the human. 
Not
possible.

Earlier, when she'd left his office, Gideon couldn't stop
thinking of her.  He'd blame it on the pull of her royal blood, but he knew
better.  The gods must have a sense of humor after everything he went through
with the royal family, but there was no doubt—she was his mate. Seeing her
fury, her feral side unleashed, only cemented the fact he had to have her.  The
shifters in his life were so humanized, ignoring their beast until the full
moon brought it to the surface. Freya was refreshing.

He held her back with ease.  "Are you trying to hurt me,
sweetheart?  I'm not one of your human toys."  Damn, but he loved pushing
her buttons.

"I don't care what you think of me."  She continued to
struggle and bare her sharp, little incisors.

"And what do I think of you?" 

"You think I'm a whore, but I'm not.  My wolf's just
confused.  She thinks Darius is her mate."

So she did have feelings for his friend.
"But you and
your wolf are one."  He knew his features were set as hard, just as his
muscles had gone rigid.  After just realizing Freya was destined to be his, she
informs him she's falling for another, a human to boot.

"Look, I should go.  It was a mistake coming here.  Tell
Darius…"  Then she shook her head. "Never mind."  She released
her tight hold of his shirt, but he wrapped his arms around her waist before
she could pull away.