Ecstasy Claimed (The Guardians Of The Realms Series) Page 16

  Chapter 25

  Gregoire’s Home, Tetartos Realm

  Alyssa woke up in his arms, cradled into his chest. At first she felt content and safe, snuggled up in his warmth, then she remembered what had led them there, and her heart ached. He hadn’t felt like he’d done anything wrong, maybe he hadn’t. The only thing that she did know was that his reasons hadn’t repaired her damaged heart.

  She took a deep breath and was assailed with his scent, which only made things worse. She still wanted him. His answers may have eased some of her fury. Making him suffer had also helped. Allowing him to think she wanted another male in their bed wasn’t a move she was proud of.

  She’d spent the night immersed in him. He’d started off seducing her slowly, then moved to ravishing her as if he was trying to show them both just how much she belonged to him, and maybe proving to her that he was more than capable of rendering her senseless without another male there. He’d sent her over the edge countless times with his hands, his mouth and cock. He hadn’t stopped until she’d passed out with him still deep inside of her.

  She tried to move out of his hold, but his arms tightened. She looked up to see his green eyes shining under heavy lids.

  “I want coffee.”

  He released her from his grasp, and she watched as he stretched his arms high over his head before getting up. Her breath caught at the sight of his muscles moving with the motion. He was truly magnificent. She shook herself out of those thoughts.

  “I also wanted to see if there is somewhere I can work here. Is there a spare room?”

  He grunted at her as he moved around the bed toward the stairs. “Come with me.”

  He headed down the stairs gloriously nude. His ass was a work of art, and she followed it past the kitchen to a doorway that was set at an angle, giving it a hidden effect. When he moved aside so she could finally see around him, her breath caught in her throat, and she almost choked.

  The room was huge, set inside the mountain but with a large floor-to-ceiling window that matched the living room and let in a lot of natural light. She stepped deeper into the room, her fingers sliding over soft fabrics set inside shelves designed to fit them perfectly. There were hundreds of bolts from delicate silks to denim. She saw tables for cutting, sewing machines and soft fabric-covered mannequins. A huge rack held every bobbin and needle or trim her imagination could come up with. It was a seamstress’s dream. She wasn’t sure how long she stared at the contents of the room, finding more and more she hadn’t seen until she set her sights on the machines she had no idea how to use. She was too overwhelmed to look at him. She couldn’t believe he’d done something so thoughtful. This had taken time and a considerable amount of coin, she was sure of it.

  She turned to him. He had been still and quiet, stalking her with his eyes as she rounded the room. She felt his gaze on her skin as she stole glances of him leaning against the doorway. She cleared her clogged throat. “Thank you. I don’t really know what to say. It’s amazing. When did you do this?”

  When he spoke, it came out gravely. “It’s stayed empty until five days ago.” She walked to him, comfortable with her nudity but at a loss with how raw she felt. She wanted to love him with everything she was, wanted to get lost in him and chase away the flicker of sorrow she’d seen when he hadn’t guarded against it fast enough. She also wanted him to pay for making her love him when he’d hurt her so much.

  “When I built the house, I wasn’t sure why I put this room here. There are bedrooms on the other side of the stairs and ones inset in the mountain for the young I hope we’ll have. There is also another master bedroom set behind the loft for that same reason.”

  Her mouth dried up. He’d planned for her, for the children they’d one day have… She’d never given much thought to having young. Children necessitated having a mate, and the chances had been slim of ever having one. The fairy tale had always ended with her mate finding her and romancing her pants off. Then, when she’d learned about him, she hadn’t thought past the rejection to what their future might be.

  The first time they conceived wouldn’t likely be for at least a decade, she knew that much of matings. All she could visualize now were small children climbing all over her strong Guardian mate. Him holding them in the safety of his big arms as they slept. She wanted that more than she ever imagined, and it made her angry. She pictured wild little boys with piercing forest eyes running all over their home while she sewed them tiny clothes. Shit, she needed to find a way past what happened. She wanted the good there could be in finding her mate. She took a deep breath.

  “It hurt… Knowing I’d been kept a virgin for you while you were out fucking the world’s female population. I get your reasons, and I get that I was not able to fulfill those needs, but remember this, I feel possessive of you too. Think about how you would have felt if I’d fucked Drake last week?”

  His eyes narrowed, and he growled deep. His muscles had tensed. “Point made. You touch no one, I touch no one. That means you will never ask me for another male to join us.”

  “I’m not sure that’s enough… It felt like my heart was ripped open, and now I have to face Alex, Uri and everyone else that knew. I have to be around a powerful female that no matter what you say, I will feel insecure and inadequate in comparison to. Help me to not hate you for this.”

  His jaw was tight, and she saw the frustration in his eyes, but she also saw understanding and a kind of resolve set in.

  “Come here… Fuck, if I’d had any idea you would feel like that, I would have declined to participate in Uri’s ceremony, no matter how big an insult that would have been.” His voice was full of emotion. Something needed to be done, or she’d continue to feel ripped open. She walked toward him.

  “I never would have intentionally hurt you. Your parents never explained the ways of Immortals?” He searched her eyes, and he seemed thoroughly unhappy with the situation. She felt marginally better, knowing he hadn’t intentionally dismissed her feelings.

  “My mother was a Mageia before mating my father. My parents kept me close, and I didn’t have much interaction with other Immortals. I participated in the Emfanisis when I was older, but other than that had no cultural instruction except what my mother told me of the races in my childhood lessons, but I also learned about Earth and read books from there. I knew the races were sexual, and I had my own needs. She gave me snippets of what to expect in the frenzy, but nothing about the ceremonies.” His eyes flashed with heat, and she felt and answering flush to her skin.

  He leaned in and took her lips in a sweet caress that left her breathless before breaking away. He stood there for a moment before asking, “So your mother didn’t explain. Your father…” He looked off for a second before rubbing his short beard. “I guess Adras wouldn’t have been the one to discuss the needs and customs of Immortals to his only daughter. Shit, I can’t believe I never thought about you being raised so much like a human.” He searched her eyes, and she saw regret shining back. “Things have started out badly between us. Misunderstandings were made because we don’t know each other. I was furious finding out that you sought out the touch of others when you could have come to me. It’s going to take time to get through some of this.”

  He touched her cheek and looked into her eyes. “Why didn’t you come to me?”

  She shook her head. The whole situation was messed up. “If I’d come to you, we would have gone through the frenzy. I would never have known if you would have chosen me. I wanted for once in my life to be picked because I was what my mate wanted most.” She was being completely honest even though it was painful to admit. She really needed to find her way through it.

  “If we had met after you’d hit your majority, it would have been the same.” His brow was furrowed.

  “But we hadn’t, so I wanted you to choose to come for me. Whether it was logical or not didn’t matter.”

  His brow furrowed some more, and he stood there staring at her as if he were searching for
something. Probably understanding. Finally, his jaw hardened as he seemed to come to some kind of decision.

  His strong hands shot out and grabbed her to him. He was frustrated.

  “Son of a bitch. I’m going to open my mind to you. I can’t think of any other way for you to understand how I feel about you without you second-guessing my words. It goes against everything in me to be open like this.” He nearly growled those last words before she was hit with it.

  She felt the minute he opened to her; she saw herself through his eyes. Such intense, overriding emotion assailed her, and it was almost too much. He lifted her into his arms, fisted a hand in her hair and devoured her lips. Her legs wrapped around his hips, and she lost herself in him, mind and body. Felt how he loved the sensation of her breasts against his chest, her nipples hard and tight. He couldn’t get enough of her taste; his tongue tangled with hers, taking all that he could. He wanted so many things. He wanted her laid out as he ate her pussy. Wanted his tongue to plunge deep inside and lap up all her juices while his fingers probed her ass and made her ready for his cock. She was more than anything he’d imagined she would be.

  He spoke in her mind. I’m laid bare for you, Angel. Now you know how much control you have over me? I’ve wanted you every damn minute since your majority. I wouldn’t even watch you until then, fearing I was such a sick bastard that I would come for you even before you were old enough. The first time I saw you, I watched as you ran in the hills; I knew then that you were too young, even without your father pointing it out, but just the fucking sight of you almost brought me to my knees. I felt peace for the first time. From you. Not any other female. You, love.

  The raspy words in her mind made gooseflesh rise along her skin. He lifted her higher and pulled her hair back to lick and suck her neck. Tingles ran down her body; she shivered wanting his lips on her swollen breasts as he spoke to her. His emotions were raw, untamed, and she was getting blasted with them. It was taking everything in her to hold onto him.

  I’ve fucked too many humans imagining it was you. Your pussy, your mouth as they took the edge off my need. It was your beautiful green eyes I saw every fucking time in the last five years. You were a hunger that ate at my gut every fucking day. Now that I have you, it’s even more intense. It’s not enough to have you. My beast wants the world to know you’re mine. It’s making me obsessed with showing the world you’re mine.

  She moaned as he splayed her out on the cutting table, her bottom was at the edge, and he spanned her legs wide. He was mesmerized by the sight of her bare pussy glistening and begging for his cock; she knew his thoughts, loved hearing them.

  “What if I wanted to claim you like that? Tie you up and let everyone see that you are mine,” Alyssa asked. The thought had come, and now that it was out there, she felt how much she wanted it. She wanted to lay him out and take him. He was so dominant she wasn’t sure he’d be able to do that. He stilled and stared at her.

  She felt his thoughts before he spoke them aloud. “That would fix this? Letting you bind and claim me?” She was surprised that he hadn’t protested the idea outright. “Let me inside your mind, Angel.”

  His hands caressed her thighs, and she felt odd emotion mixing in his mind. His knuckles pet her labia and clit. He planned to tease her, coax her into letting him inside her mind. He loved her. The words weren’t in his mind, but the emotion was.

  “Let me in, Angel. I need to know what you’re thinking.”

  Allowing him to see her pain was asking a lot.

  I need to know.

  She watched him for a few moments. He was letting her feel his emotions, how much he needed to know what she was struggling with. He wasn’t going to let it go.

  Let me see how to make it better.

  She lifted the shield and moaned when she felt him slip inside. It was intense sharing minds like they were. He knew all she was feeling or thinking in that moment. His fingers tempted and teased as she gasped. He stared at her, and she felt how overwhelmed he was. There was so much; the pain had lessened with understanding just how strong his feelings were.

  If you want to tie me up, Angel, I’ll let you. He lifted her back in his arms, still in her mind, feeling her roiling emotions. Her legs wrapped back around him. His cock was hard and heavy between them. I’d let you tie me up in the middle of Lofodes if it’ll make your pain go away. I hate that I hurt you so much, love.

  It was a whirlwind as he carried her to the bed and followed her down. I’m going to try to make it better. Let me stay in your mind. His big body cradled between her spread thighs.

  He licked and sucked at her bottom lip as he ran the head of his cock over her slit until she was panting and gasping beneath him. His mind caressed hers as his body blanketed her. She loved when he gave her his weight, let her feel him. He was so warm, and the caress of his mind, seeing such heavy, intense emotion, set her on fire. It was hot and crazed, and she loved it, loved him. Her strong and possessive Guardian saw her as special.

  He growled above her. She knew her thoughts were setting him off. She writhed as he stroked her. She felt his determination. Her big strong mate was set on seduction, planned on using everything in him to ease the hurt inside her. She melted at his thoughts. He kissed and touched, gliding his lips and hands over her skin. She felt cherished. The hurt slid away, desire and love slipping into its place, at least for the moment. She moaned as he spread her wide and ate at her, first gently, then more demanding. Her hands were in his hair, tugging at the soft strands, wanting more of him. She felt how much he wanted to impale her with his cock, ride her hard and fill her with his come. He looked up at her smooth stomach, and she felt how much he wanted her to give him a child. She gasped as his mind conjured pictures of her stomach full and round as he used his mouth to bring her off. A climax hit her hard and rode her as his lips gentled, slowly bringing her down. She felt just how much he loved her taste as he used his tongue to clean her. The pain was temporarily forgotten.

  He spent hours loving her. Taking her with his mouth over and over and then finally his cock. She was dizzy and spent by the time he curled her into his side to drift off.

  She was still snuggled into his chest when she opened her eyes again. She felt warm and secure in his arms. She lifted her head from his big chest and saw his forest gaze watching her. She instantly felt the loss of his mind.

  “It’s a struggle for me to keep it open.”

  She lifted her own mental shield, knowing he’d heard her emotion. His eyes narrowed. “I liked hearing your thoughts.”

  She grinned up at him. “I liked hearing yours too. Any time you want in, I’ll ask that you do the same.”

  He growled a little, and she laughed. She felt lighter. Felt cherished. She refused to think about any of the rest. She would do her best to move forward. Only time would tell how she’d react with his brethren and Alex.

  “Are you okay?” he asked before kissing her temple.

  “Better. I’m not sure the hurt won’t hit me again at times, but I feel a little lighter. Let’s just leave it at that for now,” she said, not wanting to get hit with the stifling pain again.

  “Okay. Coffee?”

  “That sounds wonderful.” She moved to get up but was lifted into his arms again. “I can walk.”

  “I like carrying you.” She liked it too. His hands caressed her butt as he moved, and she snuggled her cheek up against his big chest. He smelled so damn good.

  All too soon, she was settled onto a towel on the island. She watched as his muscles rolled as he moved around the kitchen, setting the coffee up to brew. The grounds alone smelled amazing.

  “I’d like to take you running down and around the lake,” he said while selecting a couple of mugs out of the cabinet. “I’ve never seen your animal.”

  She cringed internally. Most Immortals needed to allow their beasts free on a weekly basis, but she’d thankfully been able to keep hers locked up for much longer before it beat at her to be free.


  “I’d rather just run in my human form. I’m pretty fast.”

  He cocked an eyebrow at her in challenge. Damn.

  His eyes gleamed with amusement as she ground her teeth in frustration, trying to find a way around showing him her animal. She felt somewhat confident he wouldn’t laugh at her, but she’d never allowed anyone but her parents to see it. He poured their coffee and pulled the creamer out of the fridge as she stewed.

  “Which one?” he asked pulling out the creamer options.

  “Thin Mint, a lot.” He grinned in amusement as he poured until she nodded.

  Her cup was so full it nearly spilled as she brought it to her lips. He shook his head and drank out of his own cup.

  “I’ll run with you, but one word about my other form, and I won’t be responsible for the chunk taken out of your ass.”

  He nearly choked on his coffee. His eyes lit with mirth, and his mouth kicked up into a stunning grin. His beauty made her breath catch, and she lost track of what she was saying.

  “Why would you say that?”

  “I’m small in all my forms. The other Hippeus would have had a field day with that knowledge, so I’ve managed to keep it secret. I look ridiculous. Chuckle all you want, I’m not kidding.”

  “I have no doubt you are small, and I won’t laugh. I’ll let my animal out as well.” He grinned at her as he took another drink.

  “That’ll make me more comfortable… I’ll be the pony standing next to what I imagine is your huge-assed warhorse. That’s so much easier, thank you.” She infused the words with as much sarcasm as she could manage. She was dreading the experience, but at the same time she looked forward to seeing his beast.

  Meeting now. No battle, but all five cities have breaches. Drake’s angry voice sounded in her mind, and she jumped.

  “You heard him?” he asked, his gaze assessing. The beautiful grin was gone, leaving his normal stoic features fully in its place.