Taste of Darkness (24 page)

He’d buy her another, a whole store’s worth of lingerie. She let out a soft gasp as the silky pieces fell open to reveal her breasts. For the span of a heartbeat he stared at them, his mouth watering, but he held onto the last bit of his restraint.

Barely.

As he went down on his knees that addicting scent of hers intensified as he crouched lower to skim down her taut abdomen, barely grazing his nose and lips along her soft skin on a single-minded mission. Later he’d come back and rake his tongue and teeth over every single inch of her body, taking his time, but he was walking a razor thin wire now, the need in him pushing and demanding. With her scent only intensifying it.

Demanding he taste her.

She spread her legs wider, her breathing harsh as she revealed how damp her panties were. The scent of her need was almost enough to knock him on his ass. When he looked up at her, her long, black hair tumbled over one breast, the hard nipple peeking out through the thick strands and her full lips were parted a fraction as she watched him. “What are you going to do?” She had to realize his intentions, but maybe she needed words.

He’d read about modern sex and watched some videos and sometimes humans liked to say what they were going to do before they did it. The idea of saying those words to Victoria now made him so damn hot.

“Taste you.” He tried but couldn’t force any more words out.

A little shudder raked through her, her eyes going even more heavy-lidded as she watched him. Keeping his gaze on her face, he used the claw to slice through the thin band of material on either side of her hips. When it fell to the floor with a whisper of sound, he ran his palm down one leg until he reached her ankle.

Lifting it, he guided her foot up and over his shoulder, opening her fully to him. The sight of her so open to him like this made him completely freeze for a moment. Her soft pink folds glistened with her wetness, her scent making every primal part of him flare to life.

When her hands landed on his shoulders, her fingers curled into him. She was strung just as tight as he was, wanted him just as badly as he wanted her. With the exception of the male she’d mentioned to Vega, Drake wasn’t sure if Victoria had been with other males before. He immediately discarded that thought. If she had, he was going to make her forget all of them.

He couldn’t tear his gaze from the perfect triangle of dark hair covering her mound. Nothing he’d read or seen had prepared him for this. Going with his instinct he leaned forward and flicked his tongue over the hard, little bud peeking out from her folds.

The moment he made contact her fingers dug into him and she let out a soft, mewling sound that punched right though him. He wanted to hear it again. But louder. Her sweet taste coated his tongue, making everything inside him pull taut.

With his thumbs, he slowly parted her folds, enjoying how slick she was against him, how soft she was and knowing he was the one who’d elicited that response. Using control he didn’t know he had, he licked her again, this time moving lower and dipping inside her so he could taste more. Her taste was beyond addicting.

Her hips jerked and another moan tore free from her, this one louder, harsher. He repeated what he’d done before, dipping inside her before stroking upward and centering on her clitoris. From what he knew, this was one of the most obvious erogenous zones for women and he planned to tease it until Victoria found her pleasure.

Stroking and teasing, increasing the pressure the louder Victoria moaned, he used her clear and loud responses to guide him. Each time she shuddered, her whole body moving from a stroke, he understood the exact pressure she needed. He finally found a rhythm as he focused on that tight, pulsing bundle of nerves. He wanted to slide a finger inside her, but wasn’t sure she was ready and didn’t want to ruin things by asking.

Not when her hips were rolling against his face and her taste coated his tongue, her body quivering until finally she clutched onto his shoulders, her nails digging into him until she pierced through his shirt and skin. He liked that she was marking him, especially as she shouted his name in a purely possessive way.

“Drake.” Over and over, she said it until her grip loosened, her leg going lax over his shoulder.

Though he could drown in her taste, he pulled his head back, the sharpest sense of triumph humming through him as he looked up at her. Her eyes glittered a bright emerald, her expression sated and beautiful. He’d done that.

Perhaps he had more to give her than he’d originally thought.

When her leg fell from his shoulder completely, he went to stand, to pull her close to him, but she sank to her knees in front of him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her breasts to his chest. He wanted to burn his shirt off right then, to get rid of all form of barriers between them.

“That was amazing.” She looked a little dazed, her eyes still heavy-lidded as they watched each other.

Leaning forward, he brushed his mouth over hers, dipping his tongue between her lips and wondering if she liked the way she tasted. She hummed in enjoyment, giving him his answer.

As their lips danced, she reached between their bodies and worked the button on his pants free before tugging the zipper down. He wanted to claim her more than he wanted anything, more than he’d wanted free from Hell, but he didn’t want to do it in the pantry. She deserved a bed, a—

When she wrapped her long fingers around his hard length, he forgot to breathe. His abdominal muscles tightened along with his balls, everything in him going still at the feel of her touching him like this. No female had ever touched him so intimately. To have Victoria’s soft hands on him, his mate, it was almost too much to believe.

She pulled her head back, her eyes gleaming. “Let me please you too.” Her voice was husky, her erotic scent even stronger. She wanted this; it turned her on to do this.

Which got him even hotter. Unable to form a response he just stared at her, trying to keep his eyes open as she began stroking him in long, even pulls.

Looking down between their bodies, he watched as her hand moved along his hard length, up and down, stroking him until he wanted to explode in her grip.

“Harder,” he rasped out. The pleasure was a molten ball deep in his abdomen, growing hotter with every second.

Instantly her grip tightened and her strokes increased in tempo as his breathing jacked out of control. He needed…
Fuck.

He buried his face in her neck, breathing her in, letting his canines descend and rake against her neck then shoulder. Wolf shifters marked their mates, but he wasn’t sure if this was normal for a dragon shifter.

She moaned in pleasure, the sound setting off his most primitive nature. Instinct drove him to pierce her skin, his teeth sinking into her shoulder, just beneath the surface. He wanted to go deeper but feared hurting her, not so far mindless with pleasure that he couldn’t hold back. She shuddered, her grip becoming harder and faster and he lost it, releasing himself in her hand and over her belly. His climax seemed to go on forever, just the feel of her touching him making him want to mark her everywhere.

As he came down from his high, his cock was still half-hard in her now loose grip and something told him he’d be hard again soon. When he withdrew his canines from her tender skin, she let out a soft gasp and remorse immediately filled him. Holding her hips lightly, he gently nuzzled the wound, licking it even as it was already healing.

He looked down at her. “I’m sor—”

She smiled softly, almost shyly. “Don’t be. That was amazing.” She looked between their bodies, and, stunning him, she rubbed her hand over the remnants of his release, rubbing it into her stomach.

That sweep of raw possessiveness surged through him again at the sight, the glow from within him turning supernova in the small room.

“I like your scent on me,” she whispered, the tone of her voice almost hesitant, as if she was asking whether what she was doing was okay.

“I like marking you that way.” His voice was hoarse, as if he hadn’t used it for an eternity.

His cock started to harden again so he kissed her, drawing her tight against him as he ran a hand down her spine and clasped her hip tightly, his declaration clear. She was his. Not tonight but very soon he would be making her his in every way possible.

Chapter Twenty

Drake finished scanning the file on Bran Devlin and set it aside next to the stack of others on the oversized desk in Conall’s library. Something about being in the library and the files he was reading triggered something deep inside him. Victoria was sitting across from him in the library but for a moment everything around him shifted as another sharp memory slammed into him, transporting him to when he was just a boy.

Drake stood outside his father’s study and stared at the door. He knew his father was in there because his mother had told Drake to come see him. But he didn’t want to.

He started to leave when his dad’s voice boomed out, “I can scent you. Come in.”

Swallowing hard, he opened the door and stepped inside. Tapestries hung on the stone walls and the big fireplace blazed with a low fire. Not that his dad needed the warmth. The hundred plus candles on the chandelier created a soft glow around the room. Normally he wouldn’t even pay attention to this stuff but it was better than looking at his dad. Because Drake knew he was going to be in trouble and didn’t want to see his dad’s disappointment.

“You just going to stand there in the doorway?” his dad asked without looking up from the map he was poring over on one of the desks. His parents created their own maps from their aerial flights. Eventually humans would catch up with them but he didn’t think it would be anytime soon.

The door shut behind him with a heavy boom. Instead of going to the desk, Drake silently headed for the fireplace and sat on the fuzzy, bear rug. Seconds later his dad sat next to him. Drake hadn’t even heard him move. Dragos, his dad, was a huge man but moved with a supernatural stealth he’d never seen anyone else do. Everyone said Drake would look like him one day but he didn’t think he’d ever be that big.

His father’s long, dark hair was pulled back in a leather tie, his expression calm as he stared at the fire. He didn’t say anything for a long moment, making Drake’s panic swell even higher. He was so going to get into trouble even though what he’d done had been in self-defense.

“Babies are time consuming the first year,” his father finally said into the relative quiet.

Drake didn’t understand what he was trying to say. He frowned, watching the flames flick higher. “I know.” His sister was barely a year old and kept his mom busy because she was already shape shifting. It was funny to see such a tiny dragon flying around. She wasn’t much bigger than a baby pig in her animal form.

“Eventually things will return to normal and your mom will have more time for you.” Taking him by surprise, his father put his arm around his shoulders and pulled him close. He wasn’t affectionate. Not like Drake’s mom.

Drake’s frown deepened even as he leaned into the embrace. He still didn’t understand what his dad was trying to say but he liked the hug even if he would never say so. “Mom’s busy with Keelin and I love my sister. I don’t mind sharing Mom.” Besides, he had his own friends and his younger brother. At eight years old Drake was busy. “I…punched Cody today. Hard. And I kicked him and breathed fire at him, but I was careful not to burn him. It was just a warning.” Normally he didn’t let his cousin’s taunting bother him but today Cody had been picking on someone weaker than him and Drake hadn’t liked it.

His father was silent which meant he was weighing his words. But he didn’t drop his hold. Finally he spoke so softly Drake almost didn’t hear him. “Good.”

Drake blinked, sure he’d heard wrong. “What?”

His father heaved a sigh. “I’m glad you stood up to him.”

Drake straightened at the note in his father’s voice. It sounded like pride. “I’m not in trouble?”

His father snorted and pinned him with an intense silver gaze. “No. You don’t go out of your way to hurt others so if you punched your cousin I know it was in self-defense.” His jaw tightened for a moment and his gaze flashed molten silver before returning to a duller gray. “You’re from a strong line and you’re naturally bigger than most of the other boys your age. Some males feel the need to prove themselves and want to start fights. It’s a natural thing, but I’m glad you’re not like that. True leaders know how to control themselves. They earn loyalty and respect by leading by example, not by bullying.”

This was not at all what Drake had expected. “But we’re family. Shouldn’t we stick together?”

A ghost of a smile pulled at his father’s normally hard lips as he nodded. “We should. And when you grow older things will be different between you and Cody. Better. Until then, always stand up for yourself without fear of repercussion from me or your mother. But never hurt someone if you don’t have to.”

“Okay, but I don’t like fighting. I’ll probably just walk away if he bothers me.” He still didn’t understand why his cousin liked to fight and tease him. It didn’t matter anyway. He’d recently made a new friend. A secret friend. One he wasn’t going to tell even his parents about. If Cody tried to antagonize him, he’d try to find a way to ignore him. Unless his cousin picked on others.