Heartless Read online

The fervent vow pleased her, the next stroke tapering into the gentlest caress. “I think you just topped ninety-eight percent.”

  His nostrils flared. Cupping her nape with a trembling hand, he bent his head and pressed his forehead to hers. “I pleasured myself to thoughts of you. Did you pleasure yourself?”

  “I did,” she replied with a smile. “I thought of you almost every time.”

  “Minx,” he said, and nipped at her bottom lip. “I want inside you. Tell me you’re ready.”

  Their problems hadn’t been fully solved, but she couldn’t deny him the truth. “I’m ready, Kaysar.” She’d decided to win him. So Cookie would have him. All of him. “I want to take you deep.”

  “Yes,” he hissed. “I will pour myself into you, and you will love it.” His fingers closed in her hair as he backed her into the nearest wall, where he ground against her. “Does my sweetling want to come all over me?” he asked, grinding harder. Faster.

  “Kaysar,” Cookie rasped, hit by a lightning bolt of lust. She clutched his shoulders to remain upright. “Yes, I want to come.” Every night without him, she’d tossed and turned, angry and aroused and nearing desperation. “Want to come so bad.”

  A harsh sound left him as he smashed his lips against hers.

  She met his tongue with a hard thrust, his ferocity kindling her own. In mere seconds, he worked her to a fever pitch.

  Cookie kissed and clawed at him, ripping at his pants. Need him naked.

  Before she succeeded, Kaysar tossed her onto the mattress. As she bounced, he undressed, watching her. A powerful tower of strength and desire. Aggressive, his every motion a marvel of soft, violent seduction.

  He flittered on top of her, his naked body ruthlessly pinning her down. His gaze made demands. “You are mine. My one and only.”

  Heat spread low in her belly, and she groaned. “Yes.”

  “I am yours.” Kaysar’s face hovered over hers, candlelight dancing with shadows over an expression etched with pure menace. Danger emanated from him, yet she’d never felt safer.

  “You are, you are. Kiss me.”

  He brushed the tip of his nose against the tip of hers instead. “Do you want to know how I would murder the goblin leader, were he still alive?”

  Shivers rocked her against him. “I do,” she told him with another moan, the excitement of his words leaving her breathless. “He dared to hurt your woman. How did you hope to repay the insult?”

  “I had a particularly gruesome end in mind,” he replied with an evil smile, easing to the side to open her robe’s sash the rest of the way. He ran her bottom lip between his teeth. “After I sliced him open from nose to navel and emptied out his entrails, I would have donned his body as a coat. A mantle of victory.”

  “That is so...hot.” She panted as he dragged a claw along the left edge of the robe, parting the material, baring her breast. Her nipple beaded tight, the ache almost unbearable. “Did you enjoy watching me skewer him with a vine?”

  “I nearly came from the sight.” He kneaded her plump mound and licked his lips. “Are you hungry for me, Chantel?” Growling again.

  The truth spilled from her. “I’m starved for you, Kaysar. And I’m going to have every bit of you.”

  * * *

  KAYSAR BLINKED AND found himself flat on his back, Chantel a grinning, confident queen above him. Had she flittered them into a different position?

  He knew the ability should bother him. At the moment, he couldn’t rationalize why. “Your power grows.”

  “It does. Daily.” On her knees, situated between his legs, she pushed the robe from her shoulders. The material whooshed away, fully baring those plump breasts topped by their coral-pink nipples. She might as well have a tattoo saying Kiss Here. “I learned during yesterday’s lesson. I have to concentrate and really, really want to relocate, but I can do it.”

  And he’d missed the excitement of a new accomplishment. Kaysar nearly howled.

  “Shall I tell you more about what I learned,” she purred, “or shall I continue?”

  Beyond speech, he gave an imperious wave of his hand. What would she do?

  When she wiggled to position her mouth mere inches from his throbbing shaft, he nearly howled for a different reason.

  Anticipation seized him. Would she suck him off? Was he to know this pleasure?

  “Oh, dear,” she said, drawing those beautiful lips away from his length. “This is what I had planned for you before your trip.”

  A curse welled up, and he found his voice. With a gravelly tone, he said, “Do not tease me, sweetling.” He reached back and clasped the wrought iron headboard. “Tell me you’ll be good and drink every drop I can give you.”

  “I want to tell you...but I don’t know if I should.” She lowered again. Almost...

  He held his breath. Would she...?

  She glided her tongue over the head of his shaft, capturing a bead of pre-cum. A hoarse sound left him, the pleasure unfathomable.

  Her eyelids went heavy. “Suck you off—reward you—after you abandoned me for days and days and days?” She blew where she’d licked. “Tsk-tsk. This mistress doesn’t play that way.”

  He trembled, the severity of his need making him desperate. “Another taste then.” The sight of this woman and her big silver eyes glittering with excitement kept him teetering on a blade’s edge. “Just one. Because I learned my lesson so fast.”

  “Just one? I suppose I don’t see the harm in that. You did learn your lesson, so you did earn a reward. Oh, all right. You talked me into it.” Watching him, she dragged her tongue from his base to his tip.

  His control frayed, base desire clawing at him. A piece of the headboard bent. “One more taste,” he rushed out. “Three licks in total is hardly a reward. Some might call it a punishment. Yes, you should punish me more.” He was panting, his heart thundering. “Nothing less than twenty licks. Twenty would be excruciating.”

  “Perhaps you’re right.” The cruel temptress offered a languid nod. “Twenty tongue lashes does seem like a fitting punishment for your great crime.”

  He was to experience this fully?

  She smiled at him—then she devoured his length.

  He did howl this time. There was nothing better than this. Sweat dotted his face, his nape, and a bead trickled between his shoulder blades. The searing heat. The dizzying need and wet pleasure and, and, and... “Yes, sweetling. Yes. Just like that.” He rocked into her eager mouth, careful, so careful.

  Another rock, a little less careful.

  She didn’t accept his length—she demanded it. He couldn’t think...had never had this. Had never wanted it from another. But this...he loved. Chantel sucked and laved him, and he was losing his mind. No sweeter torment.

  “It’s good, sweetling.” He braced his heels on the mattress and lightly pumped his hips. “So good. Your mouth is...my heaven.”

  She did things with her tongue and teeth, forcing him closer to the edge.

  “Don’t stop. Please, don’t stop.” He begged? He didn’t care. Bliss beckoned. One arm moved of its own accord, his fingers weaving into her hair and fisting. Panting graduated into heaving, breath sawing in and out of his mouth. Heat built at the base of his spine, pressure increasing.

  He tried to stave off his climax, to savor this. The sensations escalated, until one bled into another. His entire body became a live wire electrified by the slightest touch. He chanted her name. Moaned and groaned it.

  Focus consumed by Chantel, Kaysar lost sight of everything else. For the first time, he had no troubles. War had no meaning, and vengeance had no place. Satisfaction had filled him, soon to overflow.

  “Yes!” With a roar, he poured his pleasure down her throat. Loving it. Instantly addicted. Robbed of thought and breath, ready to throw the world at this woman’s feet.

  She swallowed every drop,
humming with the power of her conquest. After giving his rod a final suck, she released it and eyed him with sultry demand. “I think someone enjoyed his punishment.”

  Already hard again, Kaysar cupped her nape, gripped her outer thigh, and flipped her to her back. “My first taste of such a pleasure has obsessed me for eternity. I’ll want your mouth on me every day.”

  “What do you mean, your first? No other woman has...” When he shook his head, she offered him a sultry smile and pinched her nipples. “I’m glad I was your first.”

  Carnal and wanton. Mine. “My only.”

  Her eyelids dipped the way he adored. “Do you have me where you want me, Kaysar?”

  “I have you where you belong, sweetling. With me.” He settled his weight on his knees and slid a finger into her core. A groan parted his lips. Soaking wet. Blazing heat. Tight. “You’ve ruined me for others.”

  “That’s right. You’re mine, and only mine?” She spread her legs further, arching as he pumped the finger into her. Then two. Slowly working and stretching her. Preparing her body for his invasion.

  “All yours.” He dipped his head to stroke his firm tongue against her clit, and she moaned.

  “Not all. Not yet. Soon.”

  Will never get enough of her sweetness. When he thrust his tongue in her, mimicking sex, she moaned louder.

  “Kaysar,” she cried. “So good, so good, but I need something bigger. Give it to me. Give. Please.”

  Can’t resist her. He set the head of his shaft at her opening and gently pushed, breaching her tight, slick walls. “Don’t want to hurt you.”

  Groaning, she melted around him. “Hurts without you.”

  He delved deeper, his eyes nearly rolling back in his head. “Never felt...anything like this.”

  “Give more.” The way she moved her body... She owned his.

  As he gained another inch, sweat sheened his brow. His breaths shallowed. Halfway in, he stilled, letting himself go no farther. With the pad of his thumb, he stroked her clit. “Tell me you need me.”

  “I do, I do.”

  “Tell me you can’t get enough of me.”

  “I can’t. Only want more.”

  He brought his thumb to his mouth and sucked, then gripped the headboard once again to hold himself steady. “You want all of me?”

  “Yes. You promised everything.” She clutched at his back and rocked her hips, maddening him. “I waited so long, Kaysar. Don’t make me wait anymore.”

  “No. No more waiting,” he croaked. No one had ever wanted the real, flawed Kaysar. Until this female with her wide eyes and vulnerable heart changed his life forever.

  With a hoarse cry, he thrust deeeeep, impaling her on his length.

  Their cries crashed together as her inner walls gloved him, tighter than any fist, hotter than summer honey and softer than rose petals.

  By sheer will, he remained motionless. “Hurt?”

  “Perfect.” Wrapping her limbs around him, she bucked against him, commanding, “Do it again. You can’t hurt me. You can’t be too rough. I’ll like it.”

  Kaysar obeyed, pulling out and surging in. A frenzy took hold then. He pumped inside her again and again, slamming in, shaking the bed.

  She mewled and thrashed, lost in the throes. Every thrust, sight and sound propelled him higher. Pleasure stacked upon pleasure stacked upon pleasure.

  He would have more than her mouth every morning. He would have this—he would have her—every day in every way for the rest of eternity.

  “Right there, right there, right there.” Chantel ran his earlobe between her teeth. “It’s so good, baby.”

  “Who makes you feel this way?”

  “Only you.”

  “That’s right. Only me.” He did this. Him. Kaysar de Aoibheall. Scraped raw, he vowed, “But I will make you feel better.”

  He reared up to his knees, spread her legs wide—wider—and thrust with all his might. Bliss beckoned with more strength than before...

  Spine bowing, she threw back her head and screamed. Her sheath squeezed him, milking every rock-hard inch, forcing his release.

  A suspended moment as he fought it...before his body broke, ceding his pleasure. Kaysar roared, his voice tearing at the edge, rapture pouring through him, overwhelming his senses.

  After the last lash of his climax, he collapsed atop her. He heaved as though he’d battled an army of hundreds. Defenses he’d built for centuries crumbled. Triumph expanded, an unstoppable force. Unimaginable. Nearly unbearable. Waiting in the center of it all...contentment. Because he’d pleased his mate. He’d satisfied her. He’d satisfied her well. Because, with his Chantel, he had no hate to bridge his past to his future. He had only here and now and tomorrow, pleasure his for the taking.

  And take it he would.

  “That was amazing,” she said, her voice slightly slurred. “Think I’m gonna take a little nap now.”

  He rolled to his side and fit her boneless body on top of him. Their favorite sleeping position. As if she were his shield, his pain no match for her. As if he were an anchor for her, preventing her from slipping away.

  Confidence surged. He could make this relationship work and enjoy his vengeance. From now on, he simply had to take better care of both.

  All would be well.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  THOUGH COOKIE AND KAYSAR had gone to bed only hours ago, the weather had changed drastically, a storm brewing on the horizon.

  She stood on the master suite balcony, surveying her kingdom. Below her, across from the castle, was a bustling market, fae and an assortment of mythological creatures buying, selling and hustling everything from fresh baked breads, to swords and unicorns.

  She’d been here, what? A week? Ten years? Since the change in management, this was the first time Dusklands citizens had come out of hiding to continue living. Progress was slow but sweet.

  Evening had come, the descending sun setting storm clouds ablaze as they gathered. Lighting flashed, announcing a clap of thunder. In the market, people raced for cover to avoid the first light splatter of rain. Wind blew in, damp and fragrant with smoke and sandalwood.

  As people congregated under the tents, standing still as they crammed together, a large group noticed her high in the castle. In the silence between booms of thunder, she heard, “Lulundria.”

  “Summer Court princess.”

  “Prince Jareth’s bride.”

  She blew a kiss, smiled and waved, hoping to curry favor. They didn’t smile, but they did wave. At least she looked her best. She wore a gown of poisonvine, pink flowers woven throughout the leaves. Pink locks of hair danced in the breeze.

  She drummed her thorn claws against the metal rail as her audience lost interest in her. In the bedroom, Kaysar slept like the dead in bed. She doubted he’d rested more than thirty seconds at a time during his hunt. Or in the years before her arrival.

  Low-grade arousal heated her body as she remembered every action responsible for his coma of bliss. That man knew how to move. How to render her desperate but also delight her. He made her feel like the predator—and the prey.

  Sex with him was out-of-this-world good. Mind-blowing. The best she’d ever had. His touch had been reverent but demanding. Perfect. He’d concentrated the full measure of his intensity on her pleasure.

  Control? She’d had none. Defenses? Gone. He’d stripped her in every way imaginable, and she’d reveled in it, hungering for more. She was overjoyed with him. She was...worried.

  Falling fast. With no safety net.

  The girl afraid of being ditched fought to win the man who loved another. Vengeance.

  The word alone made her want to destroy something. How did you win against a concept?

  Kaysar materialized behind her, pressing his bare chest into her back. He braced his hands beside hers, caging her
in, and nuzzled her cheek. “I didn’t like waking without you in my arms.”

  Past rational thought, she nuzzled him in return, leaning into his strength. The sky chose that moment to open up, rain pelting the land. In seconds, red dirt appeared black, becoming a sea of gleaming obsidian.

  The muscles in his arms flexed, as if he braced for a blow. “What thoughts plague you, sweetling? Tell me what’s wrong, and I’ll fix it.”

  Desire me more than your revenge. “Sometimes I don’t seek fixes, Claw Man. I just want to talk or vent or share,” she replied with a small smile. “How about you, right this second? Would you like to talk, vent or share? You could tell me about your hunt.”

  He frowned. “A disappointing venture. I pared their army down a mere hundred soldiers or so.” With a gentle brush of his fingers, he smoothed her mass of hair to one shoulder and rested his chin on the other. “Your turn. Tell me what troubles you.”

  She decided to go for it. To discuss the big bad. She would start off easy, though. “Earlier you called me your one and only. How do you know for sure that’s what I am?”

  A relieved breath seeped from him. “I know because I know.”

  “But how?” she insisted. Most guys kept close-lipped about their feelings. Kaysar put everything out there, and it was screwing with her head. “You probably never noticed this, since you’re so besotted with me and all, but I can be a brat sometimes. Expect to be annoyed by me repeatedly. What if I’m ever too much to handle? You’ll talk to me, right?”

  He chuckled softly. “Do you think my wanting ever goes away, sweetling? There’s a clawing right here, every time I think about you. See you. Breathe you in.” He slid his arms around her more fully and lightly tapped her sternum. “There’s also a sense of incredible peace here.”

  Her next inhalation burned her lungs. “What kind of future do you envision us having together? I mean, we’ve only known each other for a short while. What if I don’t fit into your life long-term?”

  “We will fit into each other’s lives because we will make it so.” Anticipation fizzed in his voice, reminding her of champagne and celebration. “I see a bright future for us. I will tell you what I need, and you will do the same. Sometimes I’ll strike at the Frostlines alone. Sometimes you’ll come with me. We’ll spend countless hours in bed, of course.” He rubbed his erection between her cheeks. “I never knew such pleasures existed, and now that I do, there’s so much more I wish to do with you.”