STORY EXCERPT

“Need to hump. Really need to hump. Hippo need to hump, now,” I chanted as I raced around the stupid, ugly ballroom. The fucking elders spiked the drinks, basically giving us all roofies, and now I was running around like an idiot for two purposes.

Find someone to hump. And make sure that person wouldn’t eat me… In that bad kind of way at least.

I saw a big, hot blond trying to dart out the door when the chaos started and I ran right for him. Why? Fuck if I know. I’d been drugged and I couldn’t get a handle on my brain.

“Hippo need to hump,” I declared as I launched myself onto his back.

“What the fuck?” he shouted and tried to dump me on the floor. I held on tight, thrusting my hips against him to get rid of some of these pheromones. Hippos didn’t claim their mate in sex or with biting. It was like our skin became alive with pheromones and if we didn’t rub them on our chosen we’d lose our minds.

“Humping. Claiming. Need to hump,” I muttered, sounding off my rocker.

“You are not fucking claiming me,” he growled and yanked me around the front of his body. It had the opposite effect of stopping me though because now he was covered with my scent. I kissed along his neck as I rubbed as much of myself over him as I could. He desperately tried to pull me off, not being all that gentle about it.

“Sorry,” I sighed with relief when it was done, collapsing against him like a wet noodle. “I just did.” I yelped as he threw me off of him, landing hard on my ass on the ballroom floor.

“Too fucking bad because I’m not keeping you,” he sneered and stormed in the opposite direction that he had originally been heading. I jumped to my feet and ran after him. I was in awe of the way he smoothly leapt up onto the dais the elders were all congregated on. I, on the other hand, had to take the stairs because if I had tried to do what my new mate just had, I would have looked like a big, fat fool.

“Elder, might I speak with you a moment?” my mate asked smoothly as if they were old friends.

“No, Peyton, you can’t,” the elder practically growled. Well, guess they weren’t. “Go get your mating written down and get lost.”

“No, I won’t be tied to this, this, thing,” Peyton snarled and waved his hand in my direction. “He humped me like a dog and says we’re mated. This is unacceptable. I want it voided at once.”

The elder glanced at me with a look that was so obviously pity, I started to worry about my choice. Then he turned back to Peyton and watched my mate with disgust.

“If I could reverse it, I would but only to save your poor mate because no one deserves being stuck with you, Peyton. You’re mean, you’re cold, you’re selfish, and you’re just all around an asshole. That’s not a thing, he’s a very attractive man. You are one of the reasons we had to resort to such desperate measures. If we don’t start worrying about our community, we won’t survive.

“So pull your head out of your ass, start acting as if you have a soul, and thank all the elders because this is the only way you would ever have gotten a mate.” The elder got right up in Peyton’s face, showing exactly who had the authority there. “And I’m going to give your mate my personal number. If he so much as hints that you’ve mistreated him I will personally see to it that you’re punished to the full extent of our laws. You feel me?”

“Loud and clear, Elder Rice,” Peyton practically spat at the man before turning on his heel and walking over to another elder that was sitting in front of a big book. “Peyton Fahey.”

“And your name, son?” the elder asked me.

“Huckleberry Ike, sir,” I answered quietly. Moments later I felt a searing pain on my lower back and knew I now had a mating seal with our initials on it. I let out a loud yelp and almost fell to my knees at the agony but was able to stay standing. I was pretty impressed with myself given how badly that had hurt.

“Best of luck to you, Huckleberry,” the first elder said softly, his eyes sad, as he handed me his business card and an envelope. “He’s not all bad, but he’s lived a long life filled with a lot of darkness. I hope you’re what he needs.”

“Me too,” I whispered as I watched my mate jump off the stage and head for the door, completely not caring that I wasn’t with him. I thanked the elder and quickly ran after him. Damn, could he move fast for someone who was just walking. It had to be those long legs. By the time I caught up with him, we’d long since left the ballroom and I was out of breath. “What now?”

“Now I guess I’m mated,” he growled at me. He turned towards me menacingly and I quickly took a step back, ready to raise my arms if he struck me. “I’m not going to hit you!”

“Sorry, you’re just really pissed.”

“I can’t imagine why that would be!”

“If I apologized again would that help?” I asked hopefully. The look of disgust on his face said it clearly wouldn’t. “I’ll figure out a way to make this up to you, Peyton. I didn’t want to mate anyone either but when I had the drink it was like I couldn’t think.”

“Because you’re young and probably weak so you don’t have control,” he sneered. He wasn’t as attractive when he was jerk. “Get your shit and meet me at the front door in ten minutes or you can find your own way to Omaha.”

ADULT EXCERPT

“I like a bit of oral before I have sex.” He glanced at me and then at the floor right in front of him.

“That’s not seriously how you ask for a blow job, is it?” I blurted out, my eyes wide as his meaning sunk in.

He narrowed his eyes at me as he pulled off his own towel. “I would think it was the least you could do after mating me without my fucking permission.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” I conceded. I knelt in front of him and ran my hands up his thighs. “I don’t have much experience at this but if you just tell me what you like, I can learn.”

“Fuck, how young are you?” he asked as he shook his head. “You’re at least legal, right?”

“Yeah, I turned twenty-one a few months ago.”

“Virgin?”

“No, but I’ve only been with a few men and they were more onetime deals,” I admitted, my face heating up in shame. They hadn’t been onetime deals by my choice, more that I’d never heard from the person again after I had sex with them.

“Are you a sub?” He looked at me curiously then as if I might be of use to him after all.

“I don’t think so but I like to bottom.” He nodded and then gestured to his dick as if saying get on with it. I took him in my hands, amazed with how big he was. I didn’t think I’d stretched out enough for this slab of meat. Licking under the head of his cock, I smiled when he got fully hard.

I took him into my mouth, moaning at the taste of him. Peyton grabbed onto my short hair and pushed more of himself until he was down my throat. I gagged and started to pull back.

“Breathe through your nose and relax,” he ordered. I tried to do what he wanted but my nose was stuffed up since I’d been fighting the need to cry. When he realized this he let go and backed off. “Fine, suck hard on just the head then and we’ll work on your gag reflex later.” I nodded and did what he wanted. “I really can’t believe I have to play teacher with my permanent bed partner.”

I felt hot tears burning in my eyes as I closed them and did the best I could. He started to get into it, making quiet noises when his dick started leaking pre-cum in my mouth.

“That’s enough for me to be able to fuck you,” he said as he pulled out of my mouth. I glanced up at him, unsure of what to do next. He sighed and pointed to the bed. “On your hands and knees. I thought you knew how sex worked?”

“I didn’t know how you wanted me,” I mumbled and scampered up onto the bed. I got into position as I heard the snick of a cap and then felt cool, slick fingers testing my hole.

“I told you to get prepared.”

“I didn’t know how fucking huge you were,” I defended. “I’m stretched for a normal-size man.”

“Fair enough.” He quickly opened me up for someone his size and I was surprised he cared. “I have a hungry appetite for sex and if I’m stuck being mated at least there is that perk so I can’t have you getting torn our first time together.” He pulled his fingers free and moved behind me.

Wow, and here I thought maybe he was showing he wasn’t quite the bastard he came off as. My mistake.

I gasped when his cock pushed into my hole. Damn! I’d never been with anyone this big before. He went slowly, adding extra lube when he pulled back out a bit.

“Are you into a little pain?” he asked once fully inside of me, as if trying to distract himself while waiting for my body to adjust.

“I don’t know but I’m willing to try,” I panted.

“Take care of yourself because I don’t know how long I’ll last. It’s been a while for me and you’re really damn tight.” I nodded, glad at least he gave me the warning if he wasn’t willing to do it himself. Then he started thrusting, rubbing my prostate each time he pulled out or pushed in. He was that big that he couldn’t help but hit it.

“Oh my gods,” I cried out, pushing back to get more. “So fucking good. So fucking full.”

“Tell me I can go harder,” he grunted and then slapped my ass. “You’ve got more than enough padding here where I shouldn’t hurt you if I do.”

I was experiencing too much pleasure to focus on his comment. Later I was sure I’d be mortified though. I nodded, wanting more as well. Peyton pounded into me, grabbing my hips firmly and taking me to new places. I let my shoulders drop to the bed so I could not completely collapse as I fisted my dick.