Authors: Lia Slater
So damn good.
But not enough.
The wolf inside him begged for more. Her kiss, the taste of
her mouth, had twisted something inside of him and he was losing control. A
growl ripped through his throat and he found himself jumping to his feet,
holding her tight to his body.
She wrapped her legs around him as he turned and pushed her
against the wall. "Mace, what are you doing?"
Hot blood pounded against his temples and in his groin,
making him crazy. What was wrong with him? It didn't matter. He'd give in to
his wolf side. He had no choice. He only hoped he wouldn't lose Nayla's trust,
if he ever had it.
And the chance to visit his pack.
* * * * *
The cold brick wall scraped against Nayla's back but she
didn't complain. She'd gotten her wish. A kiss. A heart-stopping kiss. His
taste was much like his alluring scent, wild and magnetic. It reminded her of
her walks through the forest and the rush of the creek. Crisp and fresh and
untamed.
She pressed her lips to his again and pushed her tongue inside.
She could drink from him if he let her. Nibble on his lips, suck on his tongue.
Now that she knew how he tasted from his mouth to his delicious cock, she would
never let him go.
He groaned as she devoured him with her desperate kisses.
Mercilessly, he began thrusting his hard length into her pussy. His hips ground
into her and his steel chest crushed her against the rough wall.
She tightened her legs around him and tried to meet his
thrusts, ignoring the pain in her back. One of his hands gripped her bottom and
the other clawed at her breast, ripping at her fabric. Yes. God, yes. She
wanted to be free of her clothes so she could feel him against her, bare and
exposed for his touch.
Like animals. Yes, just like an animal. He could have her
that way. He could have her any way.
He wrenched away from her mouth and dipped his head to her
beaded nipple. His teeth were sharp as he took her flesh into his mouth. Nayla
watched him, unable to tear her eyes from his beauty as he sucked, then
nibbled, then scraped his teeth across her flesh, nicking her skin.
A drop of blood ran down the curve of her breast and he
licked at it. "Sorry," he murmured and lapped his tongue over the path again.
"I'm losing control. You make me lose control."
"It's fine." She constricted her pussy walls. "Keep going. I
can take it."
He groaned again, but this time the sound rumbled through
his body, coming from somewhere deep inside him. His pupils blackened, eating
away any trace of blue.
Then, deep inside of her, she felt his cock swell,
stretching taut against her channel. She bit into her lip and grasped his rigid
shoulders as warmth shot through her belly and down her thighs. "Ah," she
gasped. "What's happening?"
She didn't hear if he answered her. Her mind could only
concentrate on the rush of pleasure surging through her body. She closed her
eyes and reveled in the way he began to slowly move his thick length inside of
her. Her thighs and pussy pulsated with heat. A cry stuck in her throat and
finally broke loose when he quickened his pace, ramming her into raw oblivion.
"Yes. Yes! Oh, oh, Mace. Oh, God!"
Control was no longer an option as she dropped her head on
his shoulder and released every balled-up nerve in her body. They all sang and
tingled and then gushed with bliss.
He held her up as her legs went limp, his hands clasping her
thighs. Then he grunted and drove into her two more times before giving in to
his own release with a fierce, painful-sounding growl. His hot liquid shot
inside of her, causing her to shudder again.
"Ah," she moaned and pressed her lips to his neck.
Her mind was in a haze as he carried her to the bed and laid
on top of her, his swollen cock still inside of her.
"You're hard," Nayla whispered against his ear. "But I felt
you come."
A devilish grin cut across his lips. "I thought you could
take it."
"I can. It's just I thought men needed to rest afterward. My
ex-lover always--"
"I don't want to hear about another man." He avoided eye
contact while making quick work of ripping the torn dress from her body.
Was that jealousy? She bit back a grin. Was it possible that
this Were was starting to have feelings for her? Or was this simply his
dominant nature? Saul had said he was the alpha of his pack. The leader. Always
in charge and never anyone's second.
In any case, he demanded respect. Which posed a huge
problem. How would she ever keep him here with her, as her companion, as her
WereSlave lover if he couldn't be tamed? There wasn't a submissive bone in his
body.
She gulped down the question as he spread her naked thighs
and thrust his hips forward. Her pussy quivered with aftershocks. He felt so
good. So right.
He slid his slick cock out halfway before driving himself
back in. Then again and again. He was unquenchable and she so very much wanted
to please him. Anything to make him realize he'd be happy here with her.
Grabbing her knees, she pulled up her legs and opened wider
for him. The movement made her passage exceptionally taut. More important, it
made him moan with pleasure.
His body trembled and with a jerk and one last thrust, he
released and collapsed on top of her.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and combed her fingers
through his silky dark hair. His body was warmer than usual, which was a nice
comfort in the nippy room.
"Thank you," she heard herself say before she could stop.
Gratitude for sex? How pathetic was she?
"Did I hurt you?" he mumbled against the mattress.
"No." She smiled. "Were you trying?"
"Trying not to kill you, maybe." He rolled over onto his
back and off Nayla. "I try to show you I'm like any other man and the wolf in
me laughs at my attempt."
She sat up and looked into his now-blue eyes as they
glistened from the soft oil lamp light. Her heart fluttered but she reminded
herself again that he wasn't what he appeared. "You didn't change into a wolf."
"No, but he's still here, lurking. And he's angry that he
hasn't been freed. Hell, I'm angry."
"Why?" What a stupid question, Nayla. Of course he's angry.
You're keeping him captive. And for good reason.
He didn't answer her. And she was glad. What was the point
in debating?
Instinctively, she turned toward him and admired his
handsome profile as he stared up at the ceiling. With strong bone structure and
powerful lips, he was any woman's dream man. But he was hers. She'd never allow
that fact to change. Hearing him talk about the wolf inside him should have
terrified her. But he hadn't made an attempt to pull the boards from the
windows and transform. Maybe he wanted to be here with her. Just a little. It
was all she could hope for.
Mace passed through the dungeon gate, looked out among his
pack and stifled the urge to smile.
Two weeks had passed and they were rapidly gaining back
their energy. Nayla had allowed him to visit them an hour each day. With guards
present, of course. Even if the woman was somewhat naive, she wasn't stupid.
But he could tell her attitude toward Weres was changing, slowly but surely.
She'd ordered her servants to bring in cots with blankets
and down pillows. Most of his pack still slept on the floor. A hard surface was
what they were used to, but her actions weren't overlooked. She'd also kept the
pack fed with three large meals a day, including fresh-baked desserts. And
wine.
He grinned at the thought. Would they ever want to leave
here?
Kaige, his second-in-command, had informed Mace that Nayla
had even stayed to chat with them during a meal or two. His friend had told him
she'd asked questions about Mace. Of course, Kaige hadn't answered. He was
loyal to Mace. Always had been. And Kaige had always been a bit of a roguish
flirt, as well, so Mace was sure he'd been interested in other topics of
conversation with his Nayla.
He wouldn't blame his friend if that was the case. Nayla's
beauty was undeniable. His weak heart deceived him by thumping in his chest as
he pictured her vivid image in his head. Wild golden hair to run his fingers
through, large green eyes to bore into his soul and rosy lips sweet enough to
nibble on. And a soft, innocent voice that could convince him to forgive her of
any crime. Almost.
Each moment he spent with Nayla, she gave a little more of
herself to him. In the privacy of her bed chambers, they were equals, enjoying
each other's bodies. Giving each other boundless pleasure. He'd grown
acquainted with every inch of her body as she had his.
Outside her chambers, she kept her distance. Probably afraid
of what her precious country would think of her if they saw her give an ounce
of respect to him. To her WereSlave.
To hell with it, he thought. Why did it matter what her
actions were? As long as his pack was taken care of. They'd soon be free of
this bondage and of this country.
And Mace would be free of Nayla.
He tightened his jaw and reminded himself, yet again, that
she was the enemy.
Saul, the guard who smelled curiously like wolf, stood
beside him. "I'm afraid your hour is up for today."
Mace nodded to Kaige. It was a silent assurance that the
pack wouldn't be forgotten. No, Mace would die a thousand torturous deaths
before he allowed his pack to perish in this god-forsaken dungeon.
He followed Saul up the dark, cavernous stairway, through
the servants' quarters, the kitchen and into the main foyer. There was an
unusual bustle around the castle today. Mace stepped out of the way while large
flower arrangements were carried through the door and into the grand ballroom.
Saul looked to him. "The Harvest Ball is tonight. It's a
grand affair."
"I see. Nayla hadn't mentioned it." Mace used her given name
freely, refusing to call her his Queen. The formality was ridiculous
considering she'd sucked his cock just that morning and every day since he'd
taken residence in her chambers.
Saul didn't seem to care. "I'm sure the Queen would have
liked for you to attend the Ball. Though, the council would never agree to
something so daring."
"Really?" He hardly believed it. "Because I'm a monster?"
Mace continued to follow the guard's lead through the castle.
After a pause, Saul looked back at him and smiled. "I know
better than that."
"You would. Does Nayla know you're part wolf?"
The middle-aged man stopped at the end of the hall and
glanced around to make sure no one was listening. "No one knows," he said in a
low voice. "How did you figure it out?"
"Your wolf scent is weak but I can still smell it when
you're near me like this. Where did you come from, brother?"
Saul shook his head. "I'm no one's brother. I'm the bastard
son of the late Queen Beatrice and her WereSlave. She gave birth in secret and
handed me to the servants."
Mace's jaw twitched. And Weres were considered the animals?
"Have you ever changed with the moon?"
"A few times when I was a boy." He looked around the room
again. "I've learned to control it."
"You should tell Nayla. She respects you and might think
differently of me and the other Weres if she knew her own guard is one of us."
Saul smiled. "Do you want her to think differently of you?
Is it important to you?"
"Of course. It would mean my pack could have a home. With
your country's acceptance we would no longer be vagrants." Mace smirked,
realizing how ridiculous he sounded to his own ears. "But that would be asking
for a miracle." He slapped Saul's shoulder. "Were brother, your secret is safe
with me."
Saul nodded. "The country's hatred runs deep, especially
after the war. I'm not sure peace among humans and Weres is possible." He grinned.
"Well, I wasn't until I noticed how you've affected the Queen. Look what's
happened in the short time she's known you. Your pack is treated as if you're
guests to the castle and you're without chains."
Mace remained silent for the rest of the trek to Nayla's
chambers. It was foolish to hope for peace. Even more foolish to entertain the
idea that Nayla would ever want him to be more than her WereSlave. He clenched
his fists at his sides as renewed anger built inside of him. If only he didn't
crave the woman's touch.
* * * * *
Nayla had greeted each of the castle's guests as they made
their way into the ballroom. Everyone, including Stephen. He looked as good as
he did when he'd been her lover just over four years ago. Broad shoulders, a
lean waist and a smile that could flatter any woman. Though, oddly, her heart
didn't pitter-patter like it usually did whenever she was around him.
He'd always held a special place in her heart, as the only
man she'd ever given herself to before her bloodlines forced her into being the
Queen. He'd courted and pursued her for months and she hadn't seen a reason to
deny him. Her destiny of solitude had inspired her to be a little naughty while
she still could. And it had been worthwhile at the time.
She looked at her ex-lover, who stood amongst the other
bachelors. Rightfully so, she thought. No woman would ever be good enough to
claim his heart. That was why he'd been such a fine choice back then. There'd
been no chance of either of them falling in love. Sure, Nayla had come close
and it had hurt to say goodbye. But Stephen had made it easy. He'd moved right
on to the next woman without a complaint.
Across the room, he met her gaze and flashed her an intimate
smile that told her he remembered every minute of the wicked nights they'd
spent together. Nayla averted her attention away from Stephen and to the
elaborate food table. Somehow the memories of him weren't as exciting as they
used to be and she had no desire to fantasize about what could have been.