Cage
I watched her sleep, her features relaxed peacefully. My mind spun over the events of the day. I had planned to kill her only a few hours ago.Now, she was asleep in my bed and I had declared my intention to mate with her.
What the fuck was I doing?
Abruptly, she rolled toward me,resting against my side. For a moment, I wondered if she had woken, but her breathing remained steady. I moved my arm out from between us and she curled tighter into me. I could feel her bare breasts against my chest as her arm slid across me. My dick jumped in response.I listened again to see if she was awake. She wasn't.
I let my fingers wind into her hair and then down her back, pulling her even closer. That was innocent enough.
The movement caused her to sigh contentedly.She suddenly wrapped one of her legs over me,her thigh brushing across my now rock solid hard-on. Lust shot through me at the contact. She had to be awake. There was no way she couldn't know what she was doing.
I listened intently again.
Still nothing.
I groaned softly and couldn't stop myself from grasping her knee and pulling it higher on my stomach. She moaned and the scent of
her arousal filled the air combined with her already unique bloodline scent, intoxicating my senses. That damn little moan of hers was going to be the death of me.
I had told her I wouldn't touch her unless she asked,but she was now naked and draped over my body. It took everything in me not to roll her over and climb on top of her.I could still vividly recall how tight she was when she came around my fingers. From our earlier conversation, I suspected it was a new experience for her...At least at the hands of a man.
I wondered if she ever got herself off. The image came easily to me...Her writhing and panting softly, with her little fingers between her legs,pleasuring herself. That thought did nothing to slow down the fire building inside of me.
As if of their own accord,my fingers left her knee and slowly trailed up her thigh. She was high enough on my body, al I had to do was reach around her ass, and I could feel the heat between her legs. My hand twitched painfully.Finally,I could resist no more and barely stroked her center.
She whined softly and I could feel her moisture on my fingertips.
Fuck me.
I had to get out of there or I wasn't going to be able to stop myself from taking her. I removed her limbs off of me quickly but carefully not to wake her. I walked to the bathroom,and barely shut the door before I fisted my
throbbing cock, biting back a grunt as I used my thumb to spread a bead of pre-cum around the tip and vigorously stroked up and down the shaft.Images of Raine writhing beneath me flashed through my brain. I could still smell her scent on my fingers. It only took a minute before the tension in my body exploded,granting me profound relief.
I cleaned myself,washed my hands and threw on a pair of dark jeans, before slipping out of the suite into the main living areas.I suspected either Talia or Kieran would be out and about. As expected, I rounded the corner and found both of them relaxed on one of the couches. They both startled when they saw me. Before I could even sit down, Kieran hissed, "What the fuck, man? Is it true?"
His question had more than one answer. "Is what true?"
He narrowed his eyes while Talia didn't hesitate to fill in,"Did you really declare your intention to mate with her? You just met her today and if I recall correctly...and I always do...you planned to kill her. How the fuck did you go from that plan to risking everything by bringing her here?"
I sighed and explained what happened earlier at the Chalet, and what occurred during out meeting with the High Council,leaving out Vladimir's sick attempt at dominating her.When I finished, they both stared at mein disbelief. Kieran said pointedly, "You don't owe her this. I know she saved your life,but you cannot repay her like this."
"She didn't just save my life, she gave her life
2. -
in exchange for mine," I growled.
Talia's eyebrows furrowed. "It still doesn't matter! Mating with her is unchangeable.It cannot be undone. And you don't even know who the fuck she is!"
"I had limited options at the time! It was either that or claim her as a pet," I hissed.
Her eyebrows shot up and she snapped, "Why the hell didn't you? You could have kept her alive as a pet. Shit you could have fucked her all you liked and not committed to this nonsense!"
Fury rolled through me hard and strong.My eyes flashed crimson and I snarled viciously,"She will never be degraded in such a manner and you will not fucking speak about her in that fashion!"
Both of them recoiled back from my anger in shock. Talia's mouth was stuck in a surprised 'o'. Kieran breathed slowly as understanding spread across his features, "You care about her..."
"Yes...No...I don't know!" I growled in frustration.
"Okay," Talia recovered and soothed,"That obviously changes things. Let's just talk this through."
"I've already told you everything," I snapped.
"I know. I meant let's talk about what you plan to do now," she clarified.
"What do you mean?"
Kieran interjected, "I think she means Kaitlyn and Vladimir."
I cringed.
Kieran continued, "Kaitlyn is going to hear the rumors soon enough if she already hasn't. And when she hears you have claimed another as a mate,she is going to be pissed."
"I was never exclusive with her. I never made her any promises!"
He shot back bluntly, "True, you didn't promise her anything, but you fucked her,frequently, and out of all of the women you fucked, she was the one with the highest station. You may never havetold her,but it is what she expected at some point in the future."
I shook my head, not wanting to deal with this ridiculousness when I had such more important issues to work through.
Talia commented, "Shit Cage, you never even let Kaitlyn or any of the others, spend the entire night with you. Is it true, that you have-what is her name again, Raine?"
I nodded.
She continued,"- that you have Raine staying in your quarters? Fuck, there are even rumors that you are having clothing and supplies delivered to your suite tomorrow for her."
When I didn't deny it, Talia's eyes grew round."It's true? Fuck! I do not want to be around when Kaitlyn learns the truth."
I growled again in frustration.
Kieran grew serious again. "Cage, what happened with Vlad?"
My eyes flashed crimson. I remained silent,not wanting to recall how he had looked at Raine and what he tried to force her to do.Kieran's concerned expression transformed into alarm when I refused to respond. He whispered,"Is it that bad?"
I waited another minute longer and then sighed heavily. "They had her strip to look for birthmarks of an Immortal."
"Yes,you told us that part," Talia commented.
I clenched my teeth. "Once she was naked,Vlad decided he would personally inspect her."
"No..."Talia whispered,already knowing where this was going.
"Yes.He fondled her breast. And she slapped him."
Kieran inhaled sharply. Neither said anything,knowing there was more. I ground out the words, "In retribution, he tried to compel her to her knees while he undid his pants."
Kieran immediately picked up on my choice of words. "What do you mean,tried to compel her?"
"Exactly that. He ordered her to her knees.And she replied with, 'No, you perverted fucker!'"
Both of them gasped. "How is that possible?"Kieran asked.
Before I could answer, Talia murmured in appreciation, "Shit, she's got some balls. He is a perverted fucker."
Kieran interjected, "That or a death wish. Still,how was she able to resist his compulsion?"
Rather than respond to his question directly,I added, "She is immune to my compulsion as well."
Stunned silence filled the air. Finally, Kieran spoke,"What does that mean?"
To keep Raine's secret, I clarified, "Armand's compulsion was effective on her."
"Still," Kieran stressed pointedly.
I didn't have the answer for him. "We don't know yet. Armand commanded for a hunter
--to be captured, so we can determine what they know. He has also ordered Felaern to be located."
"Felaern, King of the Faeries? Shit, what makes Armand think he can get Felaern to do a damn thing for him?"
Again, I shook my head.We would cross that path when the time came.
Talia spoke quietly, "Vlad killed two humans earlier in his anger. He isn't going to let this go.Especially now that you have declared her."
I clenched my fists. "I know."