STORY EXCERPT

“Brennen, stand down,” Jerric said, leaning down so only I would hear. “Your mate is safe. Nobody is going to take him away from you.”

It took a minute for his words to register, and even longer for me to force my demon to calm back down. Once my hands and teeth returned to normal, I turned to face Aribel, who stared at me with wide eyes.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” I said. “Sorry.”

“Scare me?” Aribel repeated.

At the same time, Nico yelled, “That was awesome!”

“What?” I asked, confused. I glanced to my friends, questioning, but they just shrugged. Yeah, they were no help. “I don’t understand…you’re not afraid of me now?”

“Are you crazy?” Nico responded. “Nobody has ever wanted or tried to protect us like that. I thought you were going to rip Kane’s throat out.”

Aribel winced at that, and I replied hastily, “Oh, only if he made a move to attack. I’m not a murderer or anything.” Jerric raised a brow at me while Bishop and Skylar covered their laughs—the bastards. I would kick their asses later.

“He would have deserved it,” the third brother, Rossi, said, eyes filled with hatred.

Nico wrapped his arms around his brother and squeezed. “I know, little brother. That’s why we’re leaving. They can’t hurt you ever again,” he said with anguish written all over his face.

“What are you talking about? What is he talking about?” Aribel asked his brothers, but Nico just shook his head.

“This is probably a discussion we should have later, once we’re out of this place,” Skylar suggested, and I could have kissed him—you know, if I hadn’t just found my mate.

They all agreed, and we moved to the cars. I didn’t know who had the foresight to bring two cars, but I was grateful. I stopped, pulling my mate aside to speak with him away from the others. “I know you want to be with your brothers, but would you ride in my car with me? So we can talk,” I explained. He didn’t immediately say no, but he threw worried glances at his brothers. “They won’t be alone. Bishop and Skylar will be with them and will protect them with their lives. Nothing is going to happen to them ever again.”  

“I’m sorry. It’s just…we’ve never been separated. I always knew where they were, but it seems I couldn’t keep them safe anyway,” he mumbled.

“I understand, but this might be the only time we can talk alone, at least for a while. I’m sure you and your brothers will want to get settled in, and my home can be a bit…intimidating for someone who isn’t a demon,” I said, lifting one of his hands in mine. He stared into my eyes as if searching for something, before nodding.

I held back my grin as I told Jerric the plan. Aribel and I slipped into the back of one car while Skylar and his brothers hopped into the other one. Jerric and Bishop drove. The drive back to the palace took about an hour, depending on traffic, which meant the first thirty minutes sitting in silence was excruciating. I had planned on taking my time to explain everything, giving Aribel a chance to ask questions, but when we sat down, alone, in the back of the car, my mind froze.

“Are you guys actually going to speak, or do you want me to turn on the radio?” Jerric called from the front seat, and I grimaced.

I almost told him to do just that when Aribel spoke. “You said you would explain when we were alone,” he prompted.

I nodded. “You’re right. I am going to explain. I just don’t know where to start.”

He seemed to consider my words. “Why don’t you start with whatever’s easiest to talk about?”

“Umm…” I met Jerric’s gaze in the rearview mirror, and he rolled his eyes. So, I didn’t know how to talk to my mate. There wasn’t a how-to manual about these things.

“Have you ever heard of mates?” I asked, and to my surprise, Aribel’s face morphed from curious to absolute rage. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen anyone get that angry that quickly.

“No,” he snarled, pushing away from me. He yanked the hand I’d held since we got in the car out of mine and moved down to the farthest seat.

“I don’t understand,” I said as I reached toward him.

He screamed, “Don’t touch me!”

“I’m sorry, did I do something to upset you? I would never hurt you,” I said quickly, heart breaking in my chest. I knew it was a long shot that I’d find the one person destiny chose for me, but I never would have dreamed that I’d find my mate only for him to deny me so vehemently…and I didn’t even know what I did to deserve it.

“I’ve seen the way mates treat each other, trapping the person they are supposed to love and cherish in a relationship built on lies and abuse. I refuse to ever be put in that situation again. You want my help? Fine, I’ll do what needs to be done to heal you for my brothers’ sake and because you bought me, but I refuse to be your mate,” he said, and that was when my heart shattered.

ADULT EXCERPT

“That was so hot,” I groaned as I pulled my achingly hard cock out of my pants, pumping it once, twice, before I lifted my mate’s shirt off over his head, leaving it around his hands. Aribel trying so hard to chase the orgasm I denied was the hottest thing I’d ever seen. “Keep them there,” I said as I pushed him to lie back on the couch, hands above his head. He could easily release himself, but I didn’t think he would.

I bent down, starting at his right nipple, licking and sucking until it was a beautiful ripe cherry color. He arched into my mouth, and I obliged by taking the tortured nipple between my teeth and biting. He screamed. I switched to the left nipple, wanting it to look the same. His poor nipples were swollen and hot to the touch. I continued teasing them until my mate was a beautiful sobbing mess. Aribel’s breathing increased in intensity, and his hips rocked against mine as he tried his best to get friction. Switching back to his right, I reached down and undid his pants, pulling out his hard length. His body undulated, and he screamed when I squeezed his balls.

“It seems my mate is into a little pain with his pleasure,” I said with a smirk.

Aribel breathed heavily, humping into my hand. “Just the good kind,” he panted.

My smile softened. “Of course, I would never do anything that wasn’t fun,” I assured as I returned to his left nipple. It was looking a little unloved compared to the deep purple of the right one. My cock twitched at the sight. They had to be sensitive.

“Please, please, please,” he chanted, and I bit back a laugh.

“Please what? What does my gorgeous mate want?” I asked around bites.

He didn’t respond, so I moved down his stomach, giving his poor nips a break. I thought about trying to make him come that way, but it could wait for another time. Right then, I wanted something else in my mouth. When I swallowed that irresistible cock whole, Aribel screamed, hot cum pulsing down my throat.

“Mmm, that’s one. Think we try for three?” I asked.

“Three?” my mate squeaked.

“Oh yeah, I think that’s a wonderful idea,” I answered myself as I swirled a finger around the head of my mate’s cock then brought it down to his crease. His hole pulsated as I circled my finger around it. Quickly adding lubricant to my hand, I watched his face for any sign of pain as I slowly pushed in one finger. I licked one nipple gently before lifting his spent cock with my other hand. He hissed at the overwhelming stimulation. I grinned as my grip tightened on his cock, and he gasped.  

“Oh god…” he hissed. I took that as a sign and quickly pushed in a second without warning. His cock twitched in my hand as I began scissoring my fingers inside him. He would be ready soon.

“Are you ready for a third?” I asked once he’d relaxed.

“Yes…no…please…I’m ready,” he said. The fact that I made my mate incoherent with pleasure filled me with satisfaction.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” I said before I pulled out and pushed back in with three. I twisted my fingers around until I found my mate’s prostate. I knew I succeeded when he cried out, his cock roaring back to life. 

After a few moments of Aribel riding my fingers hard, I pulled out and lifted him from the couch, ignoring his protests as I carried him to the bed. I set about divesting him of the rest of his clothes. Each inch of skin revealed felt like a gift. He was gorgeous. I could spend hours just worshipping his body. One day I would, but tonight was about us being together.

I quickly undressed myself and grabbed the bottle of lubricant from the bedside table. I spread a generous amount onto my dick and poured some onto my hand before pushing two fingers back into his hole, scissoring them to make sure he was read and well lubricated. I wanted our first time to be without pain. There was time to explore that later.

“Please hurry,” Aribel cried as he grabbed behind his knees and lifted wide, exposing himself to me.

I groaned at the sight and used my hand to guide myself to his entrance. We both cried out as I sheathed myself in one thrust. His ass felt like a vice grip on my cock, making it hard to move without cumming instantly. Aribel wrapped his legs around my waist, holding tight, and I bent down to kiss him. It was all frantic movements and grunts, both of us desperate to be as close as we could, closer even.

When I was about to shoot, I reached up and pinched Aribel’s right nipple as I flicked the left, needing him to come first. I grabbed both rings and twisted, hard. My mate screamed, he shot so hard. It only took one, two, three more thrusts and I followed him over the edge.