I love when she’s feisty. Sliding my hand up her thigh, I respond. “Is it wrong that the thought of you making her bleed turns me on?”
“We can hear you,” Sable cuts in, voice sharp.
I’m thankful when Graven lifts a finger, tilting her chin back to him. “Then why don’t you focus on me instead?” His gaze flicks Jess’ way, then settles on Sable. “You know I’ll keep you entertained.”
That’s all it takes for Sable to finally shift her attention as she leans into him, a smug smile on her lips.
Jess coils the demons’ tail around her fingers, her smile a little dimmer than usual.
The mood around the table changes as the others draw closer to one another, their movements slower, more deliberate. Frankie leans into me, and that’s all it takes for my hand to slip higher, brushing the damp heat between her legs. My voice lowers. “Ready for me so soon?”
Her fingers run through my hair. “Always,” she purrs, gently tugging as my eyes sharpen. I need to get her out of here before I pin her to the nearest wall and tear through anyone stupid enough to watch.
The urge to trace her away is too strong. I can taste her already, imagining her cries echoing in the dark. I wrap an arm around her waist, but she plants a palm on my chest. “What are you doing? I want to stay.”
My eyes cut straight to a demon who's been watching Frankie since we sat down. Despite the female grinding on his lap, he doesn’t look away. Not even when she slips her shirt over her head and lets it drop to the ground.
Ha! Not a fucking chance. These guys can fuck out in the open all they want, but not my mate. The look on her face tells me she’ll fight every step of the way if I drag her out. And fuck if I don’t want exactly that, but somehow I find enough sense to remind myself that I need to compromise. “Shadows then. You can watch, but don’t forget who’s making you scream.”
CHAPTER 19
Frankie
At first, I thought joining all of them might excite me—the moans, the bodies moving together, the sheer thrill of it all. But when he slams me against a tree, his eyes already lit with flames, I know I’m wrong. His claws slice into the deadwood, sending a vibration through my back as splinters fall to my feet. He doesn’t mean to scare me, but my pulse jumps anyway.
He rips his belt free and uses it to bind my wrists behind the trunk. His wings shudder the way they always do when he’s on the verge of losing control, making my stomach knot. Fingers squeeze my jaw, tilting my head, until naked demons grinding on one another come into view. “Is this what you wanted to see, little mate?” His voice is so low I can’t tell if he’s truly angry.
I close my eyes, shaking my head. His grip tightens, then slowly slides down my neck. “Are you lying to me, little mate?” His face is so close now, I can feel his words on my lips.
I swallow, trying to get the lump down. I want to tell him the truth, but I’m not sure how stable he is at the moment. Inhaling through mynose, I remind myself that he would never hurt me…not really. I nod my head this time, hoping it doesn’t push him over the edge.
He circles me, slowly, not uttering a word. Sweat drips down my face while I fight to steady my knees. Taking a deep inhale, he shuts his eyes, a low rumble vibrating out of him. “I can smell the fear on you.” His eyes snap to mine when he leans in. Heat radiates from his skin, a reminder of the fire lurking below the surface. “Are you scared of your own mate?”
I shake my head, not hesitating this time. It’s true, there’s a survival instinct somewhere deep inside my body telling me to run when he’s like this, but I know with every inch of my soul that he would never hurt me.
The flames in his eyes turn black, revealing a different type of hunger—the kind I so desperately want to feed. “I want to hear you say it.”
I drag the tip of my tongue across my lips, not to steady myself this time, but to bait him. I’ve come to crave the thrill of what he does when I challenge him. “You don’t scare me, though I like it when you try.”
A wicked smile spreads across his lips, dark enough to make my stomach flip, while he works to remove the belt from around my wrists. Maybe baiting him wasn’t the smartest move. He studies me for a moment, then takes a step back. “Undress.”
I slide the tunic over my head and let it fall to the ground, revealing my bare breasts. He wets his lips, his gaze roaming over my body. “Good, now your pants.”
My eyes drop to my leather boots.Shit!I crouch, my face heating while I fumble with the laces, tugging them off. Pulling off my pants, I glance over. I hope he doesn’t see how clumsy I am. But he just stands there, patiently waiting while I bare myself piece by piece.
I stand before him, completely naked. The belt stretches between his hands, his eyes darkening. “On your knees.”
I do what he says, anticipation clawing through me. I can’t wait for the fiery taste that belongs only to him. He steps closer and I reach for the top of his pants. He catches my wrists with one hand. “Did I ask you to touch me?”
I immediately bow my head, trying to hide my smile. “No…sir.”
His chuckle tells me that he likes it when I tease him with the ridiculous title. “What a fast learner you are.”
He scoops up my discarded clothes. “Keep your hands tucked between your thighs,” he orders, laying them in a bundle not far from my knees. I listen, wondering what he has planned. He guides me forward, making sure I don’t fall on my face, as he rests my cheek on the clothing, protecting my skin from the ground. My ass is straight up in the air, just the way he likes it.
I expect him to spank me for wanting to watch earlier, but he doesn’t. Instead, he crouches behind me, looping one end of the belt around my wrists, pulling it tight until the leather bites. Then he threads the length down to my ankles, cinching me together until I’m completely restrained.
The ground crunches under his boots. “You wanted to watch them fuck? Watch their bodies writhing as they lose control? I don’t think so, little mate. You’re the one being watched now.”
