Page 26 of His to Hunt

He delivers a few more scorching swats before stopping. My thrashing settles and I just sob softly, feeling a cascade of emotions flooding through me. But the arousal has never been stronger, and after a few seconds, I begin grinding against his length, my core fluttering desperately.

“Pull your pants up,” he growls, nudging me off his lap.

Drowning in a confusing soup of humiliation and desire, I catch myself and stand, grimacing when I pull my panties and pajama bottoms up. I’ll definitely be feeling that tomorrow, but if that’s my only penance for this monumental fuck-up, then I will not complain. I’m glad we never got any of those spells to work during our goth phase. We were in way over our heads.

He pulls the burlap bag out of his pocket, along with a lighter. Once the lighter is ignited, he looks at me across the flame. Everything inside me wants to beg him not to light it. To give in to whatever this is.

But the lighter moves to the burlap bag and it sparks into flames. Pungent black smoke rises from it.

“Breathe it in,” he orders sternly.

He leans in and takes some of the smoke into his lungs. I don’t want to, but after this, I won’t care. The arousal will be gone. I’ll be back to normal, and so will he. Whatever normal is for him.

“Okay,” I acquiesce, leaning closer.

Smoke curls my way and I inhale, my head spinning from the fumes. I can’t hold it more than a second. It feels and tastes like death. I cough it out while he blows it out in a steady stream. Apparently, he doesn’t mind the taste of death.

Then my whole being suddenly shatters. It feels like my body goes in every direction at the same time and I begin shaking uncontrollably. He jumps up, concern in his dark gaze.

Lights flash around me, and something inside me that feels ancient breaks open. I collapse, but he catches me before I can hit the ground, his strong arms lifting me, cradling me to his chest. I think his legs give out too because he is suddenly sitting on the couch again with me in his lap.

“Fuck,” he snarls. “I don’t know what the hell that was, but it definitely didn’t break the curse.”

“No,” I cry out, my lips trembling. I want him. Every cell in my body wants him. “It didn’t work at all.”

His lips are on mine in an instant and I moan into his mouth. Something’s different, but I don’t know what it is. I don’t feel sick or exhausted. I feel almost radiant. It’s like every burden is gone, yet I know they’re still there. They just don’t matter.

He is the only thing that matters.

CHAPTER 9

Taryn

I’ve been kissed before, but never like this.

His lips move against mine, then his tongue is in my mouth. Our tongues intertwine, wrestling for control. I groan into his mouth and he grunts in response. His hands move against my skin, sliding under my pajamas and squeezing my right breast. My nipple pebbles against his calloused touch.

When our lips finally part, I’m dazed, but it feels like I’m seeing the world in a whole new light. Like part of the world was permanently shrouded, and someone finally ripped the veil away.

My body is on fire. My core clenches and unclenches spasmodically. I can feel the pull toward Victor and it’s so strong. I can’t fight it. Don’t want to fight it.

“When I first got your scent, there was a bitterness because of the magic,” he growls, staring into my eyes. “Now the bitterness is gone. Your scent is as pure as fate itself.”

“What does that mean?” I whisper, unsure if I really care, because my lips are still tingling from the kiss, and I want more.

“The curse was broken, but it didn’t stop the mating bond,” he groans. “It just seems to have made it stronger. This isn’t magic, Taryn. This is real.”

“So real,” I breathe, my hips moving against him. “I don’t understand why, but I want you. More than I’ve ever wanted anything or anyone in my life.”

“It’s not just a want, it’s a need. The strongest need you’ll ever feel,” he is panting. “We should be able to fight it. The frenzy hasn’t started.”

“Please! I don’t want to fight it,” I whimper, kissing him again.

Our second kiss is more intense. Victor’s hands move to my wrists, and he rolls us to the floor, pinning me under his massive body while he ravages my mouth. My hips keep moving until I get a leg free. I wrap it around his waist, trying to pull him between my legs, but it’s like trying to move a boulder. He finally pulls away with a gasp, then he starts kissing my neck.

“I thought Mother Fate forgot me. That I would never find my mate,” he speaks frantically, his lips moving against my ear, but there is joy in his words. “But it’s you. Every instinct says you were made to be mine. The spell… it must have just opened the door. Tainted something with bitterness that is supposed to be beautiful, sweet and pure.”

“You’re sure it’s not just magic now?” I groan, desperate for him.