Lure of the Jaguar: Hades' Carnival, Book 7 (6 page)

“Ah, Toni.” Stavros leaned in close and nuzzled her neck and her ear. Tingles raced down her arm and her pussy began to throb. She could feel the heat pouring off his big body and smell his unique masculine scent. “Hades knows what you mean to me.”

“What I mean to you?” She knew she sounded like a parrot, but it was impossible to assimilate everything coming at her so quickly.

He nipped her earlobe and then laved the small sting. Toni’s breathing increased and she clutched at his shoulders, scoring them with her short fingernails.

“Ah, Toni. Hades has discovered my biggest weakness. You. There is nothing I won’t do to protect you, to make you mine.”

Then he kissed her.

Chapter Six

Stavros knew he should slow down. He’d thrown a lot at Toni, including how he felt about her. But he couldn’t help himself. He needed to kiss her, to touch her, to reassure himself she was still alive and safe. He’d almost lost her tonight.

At first, she didn’t return his kiss. She was motionless beneath his touch, not responding but not pushing him away either. Just when he decided he needed to pull back and give her time, her lips moved beneath his.

He caught her soft moan in his mouth and pushed his tongue between her parted teeth. She tasted sweet and warm and welcoming. He was quickly becoming addicted to her kisses.

He placed his hands on either side of her hips to keep from dragging her down onto the couch and ripping off her clothes. A pounding need to claim her raged inside him. The jaguar part of his nature wanted him to get on with things. But the human part knew he had to take things slow. Toni had been through a lot tonight. It was a miracle that she was letting him kiss her at all.

Her tongue tangled with his. Her breathing quickened and the rapid pounding of her heart echoed in his ears. He inhaled and the spicy scent of her arousal tickled his nostrils.

Toni wanted him.

In spite of everything he’d told her, the entire shocking story, she wanted him. He wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d pushed him away and tried to run. That would probably be the most sensible thing to do.

Maybe he should take her somewhere else, somewhere safe and leave her alone. Maybe Hades would forget about her if he did so.

But deep in his heart, Stavros knew there was nowhere in the world that was safe from Hades’ far-reaching grasp. And he could not leave Toni even if he wanted too. She was his heart.

He was no longer acting intelligently, but going totally on instinct. He slanted his mouth over hers, tasting and teasing until it was no longer enough. The others had told him he’d know when he met the woman meant to be his mate. He hadn’t believed them.

He did now.

Stavros wrenched his mouth from hers. Toni’s eyes were half closed and filled with passion. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. Heat rolled off her silky skin. She was wearing a tank top, which showed off her strong, slender arms to perfection.

“Yes or no.” His cock pounded in time to his heartbeat. He wanted Toni more than he wanted his next breath, but it was her choice. “If you say yes, you’re mine.” He knew he should explain it better than that, but it was taking everything inside him not to throw her over his shoulder and drag her into the bedroom. It was the closest thing he had to a lair. Clichéd, yes, but that didn’t lessen the intensity of his feelings.

Toni belonged to him. Was his to protect. And he would do so, no matter the consequences. Walking away from her was no longer an option. He knew what he had to do.

Toni swallowed the lump in her throat that threatened to choke her. The way Stavros looked at her made every cell in her body stand up and sing. Oh, she wanted him. More than she’d ever thought it possible to want a man.

But he wasn’t a man. He was a shapeshifting immortal warrior. And she was human. That couldn’t work. If she slept with him, he’d eventually leave her like everyone else in her life had.

For once in her life, she didn’t care. Sure, there was heartbreak in her future, but she knew that making love with Stavros would be more than she could even imagine.

He was staring at her, his bare chest covered in a light sheen of sweat. The muscles of his shoulders were bunched, his body tense. His eyes were black pools of myriad emotions. She couldn’t read all of them, but the one she recognized was need. He wanted her and she wanted him. It would have to be enough.

“Yes.”

Toni didn’t know what she expected, but his slow smile wasn’t it. And wow, was he hot when he smiled. It made him look younger. He had an ageless quality about him, but there was something old in his eyes. Of course, he’d lived longer than she could even imagine.

Stavros stood and stared down at her. “You won’t regret this.”

She kind of was already. The sex would be hot, but she was afraid he’d ruin her for any other man. Before she could think to change her mind, he pulled her to her feet and swung her into his arms. He kissed her again, and she forgot all her doubts. Rational thought didn’t stand a chance against his kisses.

She knew he was walking, could feel the play of the muscles in his chest as he carried her into another room. She glanced around when he laid her on a bed. The bedside lamp was on and illuminated the space. The room was sparse, but the bright yellow paint on the walls and the pretty lamp and vase on the nightstand gave every indication that this was a woman’s bedroom.

“Who lives here with you?” The question came out sharper than she intended. She wasn’t jealous. Not at all. But she didn’t want to be the other woman.

“I don’t live here.” He took off her shoes and dropped them to the floor. “This place belongs to Arand’s woman. It was her grandmother’s home.” Stavros rolled off her socks and tossed them away.

“Oh.” Really, what else could she say? Glad you’re not a cheating bastard would certainly upset the mood.

He reached for the opening of her jeans and slowly pulled the zipper down. “I do not have any other woman,” he assured her.

It was a good thing she wasn’t afraid of him, or his dark scowl would scare the pants off her. She almost laughed at her turn of phrase when he pulled her pants down her legs and tossed them aside.

She blinked and he was naked again. That was some trick he did, making his clothing appear and disappear on command. She licked her lips as she gazed at his perfect form. He growled low in his throat and it was so much like a jaguar it startled her. It was a little frightening, and if she was being honest, sexy as hell.

He knelt on the mattress by her feet and crawled up the bed until he was hovering over her. Heat radiated from his big body. They were inches apart but not touching. “I want you naked. I want to see your bare breasts, to cover them with my hands.”

She felt like fanning herself. It was growing hotter in here with each passing second. Reaching down, she grabbed the hem of her shirt and dragged it up and off. She wasn’t wearing a bra, hadn’t bothered with one after her shower earlier this evening.

His eyes narrowed and he licked his lips. He looked dark and dangerous looming over her. Her pussy clenched in response. Stavros inhaled deeply and slowly smiled as if he knew how her body reacted to him.

Stavros cupped her breasts with his large hands, plumping the mounds. “Beautiful.” He rubbed his thumbs over her distended nipples, wringing a moan from her throat. She arched up, wanting more of his touch.

He growled again, leaned down and lapped at one pebbled tip. His tongue was slightly rough, and the stimulation sent a stab of pleasure racing to her pussy, making it throb. Toni moaned, threaded her fingers through his hair and dragged him closer.

He purred. Honest to God purred. She cried out, unable to stop herself. It was like having a warm, wet vibrator attached to her nipple.

Her eyes practically crossed when she imagined what that might feel like if he explored her pussy.

As if he could hear her thoughts, Stavros released her breast and began to kiss and lick a hot path down her torso. He tongued her belly button, flicking in and out of the small indentation. He nipped at her hipbones, letting her feel his teeth. Not enough to hurt, but enough to drive her arousal level through the roof.

She writhed and moaned beneath him, trying to encourage him to hurry, but he would not be rushed. By the time he knelt between her thighs and spread them wide, she was ready to throttle him.

He inhaled again and she had to ask. “Can you smell my arousal?”

He licked his lips and her pussy clenched in response. “Oh yeah.” The way he said it left her no doubt he was telling the truth. Toni had no idea just what he could do. He was immortal and a jaguar, but what did that all mean? Enhanced senses obviously.

And then he dipped his head between her legs, and she no longer cared. All she knew was she wanted more of the way he was touching her. He stroked that amazing tongue of his over the slick folds of her pussy. She forgot to breathe when the tip flicked the tiny nub of nerves at the apex.

And when he closed his lips over her clit and sucked, she lost her mind.

Toni grabbed fistfuls of the covers beneath her to anchor herself in the sensual storm engulfing her. She’d never felt anything near this before. Stavros owned her body, playing it like a master.

Her breasts ached for his touch. Her mouth yearned for his kisses. Her skin craved his caress. But there was no way she wanted him to stop what he was doing. He teased her clit with his tongue and then gently sucked on it.

Toni thrashed her head from side-to-side as she struggled to breath. She was so close.

When he rimmed her opening with his finger, she went wild, arching upward. Stavros gave her what she wanted, pushing not one but two thick fingers inside her. Her pussy clamped down around him. God, that felt incredible.

He pulled his fingers almost all the way out and then thrust them deep again. Toni pumped her hips, encouraging him to finger fuck her. He growled and the vibration shot through her clit.

Toni screamed as she came. Her entire body spasmed, and she felt the hot release deep in her pussy. Her cream coated his fingers, but he kept pumping them in and out until she was completely wrung out. Only when she collapsed against the mattress, totally spent, did he stop.

He withdrew his fingers, brought them to his mouth and sucked. She shuddered and he immediately stretched out beside her and pulled her into his strong and warm embrace. It felt incredibly right to snuggle up against his hard chest.

Stavros knew his cock was going to explode any second now. He could smell Toni’s sweet arousal on his fingers, taste her sweet and spicy flavor on his lips. She was perfection.

But she wasn’t quite his. Not yet.

He brushed his fingers through her hair, frowning when he realized it was still braided. Taking his time, he pulled off the elastic band holding it together and slowly unwound the braid. He purred with satisfaction when he threaded his fingers through the thick mass. Her hair fell below her shoulders in a thick curtain. He could spend hours playing with it.

But another time. If he didn’t get inside her soon, he was going to disgrace himself. He started to turn her so he could finally get inside her, but she pulled away from him. He missed the warmth and weight of her body immediately. She fit against him like she’d been made especially for him.

She shook her head and he froze. Was she telling him no? As much as it might kill him, he would never force her to do anything she didn’t want to.

Toni placed her hand in the center of his chest and rose up on her knees beside him. “My turn.”

Stavros was surprised the top didn’t come off his head when he realized her intent. A small, sultry smile played at the corners of her lush lips. And when she brushed a kiss against the center of his chest, he thought his heart might burst from his body.

“Just lie there and relax.”

Was she crazy? There was no way he was going to relax. Not with her tongue flicking his flat nipple. He groaned and curled his hands into fists to keep from reaching for her. He sensed this was important to Toni. She needed to assert herself, and it was up to him to let her have her way.

Yeah, he was a giver all right. It was such a hardship to lie here and let her touch him. She grazed her hands over his broad chest and then moved lower. Her mouth followed. She kissed a path down the center of his chest, following the thin line of hair all the way to his belly button.

He moaned when she nipped at his flesh. His jaguar roared inside him, the creature stretching and preening beneath her arousing hands.

His cock was engorged, the head purple and damp. His hips jerked when her lips traced the turgid length from tip to base.

“Toni.” Her name was little more than a growl. He couldn’t take much more of this. His balls were heavy and tight and practically ready to crawl inside him.

“Mmm.” The little humming sound she made drove him crazy. He wanted her to make it while her mouth was sucking his cock. Every muscle in his body was stretched tight with the effort it took him not to grab her and roll her beneath him. Or better yet, put her on her hands and knees and fuck her from behind.

Yeah, that would work.

He roared when she closed her warm lips around the head of his dick. He reached for her, unable not to touch her any longer. He clutched her hair and pulled her closer. She laughed and opened her mouth wider, taking him deeper.

Heaven. Surely if such a place existed, this was what it must be like. Toni licked and sucked his hard length, using her tongue to tease the sensitive underside when she pulled back to the tip. She gripped his shaft and dragged her tongue around the sensitive head before flicking it over the slit.

He growled again, unable to stop himself. The animal part of him wanted his mate and wanted her now. No more waiting. But he also didn’t want to stop her. What she was doing to him was incredible.

Toni wrapped one small, strong hand around him and pumped. At the same time, she took the head of his cock into her mouth and sucked hard.

Stavros’ breath was coming in ragged gasps. He wasn’t going to be able to stop. “I’m coming,” he warned her.

She sucked him harder. He felt his eyes cross and his balls clench. Then his release rocketed up his shaft and out the tip. His entire body convulsed with pleasure as he came. And Toni, sweet, sexy Toni, sucked and licked and took everything he gave her.

Stavros lost all sense of reality, lost in his own personal heaven. His big body shuddered and then relaxed. Toni released his cock, looked up at him and smiled.

If he didn’t already love her, he would have fallen hard for her in that moment. She looked like the cat who’d gotten the cream. The image made him smile.

A sense of foreboding hit him like a sledgehammer. There was no time to waste. He had to protect Toni and he had to do it now.