Page 26 of Another One Bites the Lust
Claim.Mine.Those words resonated with my jaguar and me as I bent her back and kissed down her soft body. “Mine,” I rumbled.
“Yess,” she purred. “Yours.”
The scent of her desire drove me almost feral. I could barely restrain myself as I wanted to devour and claim her, but I forced myself to slow down and draw out her pleasure with my mouth and hand until she shattered and cried out my name.
I slid up her body as she recovered. The sharp points of her fangs were visible between her lush red lips. Mine had alreadyextended, but when I fixed on the smooth pale skin near her shoulder, they extended completely. An insistent thrumming beat in my veins to mark her, claim her as mine.
“Are you ready for me?” I asked as I rubbed back and forth in between her slick folds.
“Yes,” she rasped out. “I need you inside me, Van.”
I was just as desperate to sink in. As I slid the tip inside her tight flesh, a low rumble spilled from my lips. Slowly, I drove in, her exquisite tightness enveloping me in such bliss.
Mate.
Soon I was driving in and out of her, near feral with the instinct to claim her. She grasped onto me, letting out small cries as she met each thrust. Harder, faster, we were both barely on the shred of control.
“Your fangs,” she gasped out. “I’ve never seen them like that.”
I could barely mutter words to explain, but managed, “Want to mark you.”
Her eyes, dark with desire and tinged with red, gleamed brighter. “Do it.”
Dear gods, that’s all I wanted. Every instinct inside insisting I do so. But she didn’t know what that meant, and that wasn’t fair.
“No,” I murmured as I slowed down my urgent thrusts. “It’s more than just a bite,” I uttered. “It’s a claim. Marking you as my mate.”
She held up her dainty hands to the sides of my face and stared into my eyes. “I know.” She bent her head to the side, exposingmore of her sweet flesh. “I’m yours, Van.” With a sigh, she added, “Always.”
Every sense inside me lit up, every inch primed with awareness. I extended my fangs as I bent down, the salty scent of her skin calling me. The moment my fangs brushed her skin, she braced herself. When I pierced her flesh, she cried out and held onto me.
Her blood—like sweet ambrosia on my tongue. I was in heaven. A blissful moonlit haven. I rocked into her harder, thrusting faster, as the magic flowed. It wound between us, connecting us, as we lost ourselves in each other’s bodies.
She clung onto me so tightly as she shattered that I thought she might have broken my bones. But it would be worth it, so worth it.
She pulsated around me, so tight, so wet, and I didn’t stand a chance of holding back. Volcanic pressure built as blood rushed through my veins, and I erupted with a fierce growl.
I lost all sense of our surroundings as I floated back to the earth in a million pieces, settling back to bliss in my mate’s arms.
We were bonded. Connected.
Mates.
The next night,Celeste and I met up with the band and their mates after our show. We were sitting at an outdoor table near the dragon pool beneath the stars.
When I spotted Maribelle walking toward us, my muscles tensed. Oh no.
“Maribelle…” I began as she reached our table, about to beg her not to hex me in front of Celeste.
“Relax, Van,” Maribelle said with a placating gesture. “Word on this ship spreads fast. Is it true?” She glanced at Celeste and then back at me with one eyebrow raised.
I put a protective arm around the back of Celeste’s chair, still wary of what the witch might do. “Maribelle, this is Celeste, my mate. Celeste, Maribelle works in the spa on board.”
Every nerve was heightened with awareness as I anticipated a flick of her wrist turning me into a neighing horse. What she did surprised me even more.
She laughed. “I never would have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.” She motioned to my mate. “Celeste, you must be quite a remarkable woman. I’m ever so pleased to meet you.”
Celeste nodded. “The pleasure is all mine.” She gazed at me with her brows drawn tighter in question.
