Captiva Capitulation (12 page)

It really hit her then. “I’m taking you in your….what are you seven or eight feet when turned fully werewolf?”

“There about,” he said solemnly. “I can’t change what I am, or what you are to me. If given the choice, I would refuse to change and I certainly wouldn’t give you up. You stay calm. I’ll stay calm. And as far as this goes.” His hand skimmed between her thighs, ratcheting her need. “We have intrinsic ways of assisting females in taking our size.”

What could she say to that? “And tonight’s our official wedding night,” she whispered, closing her eyes although the flashing continued. A breeze rustled her hair, swirled, and then settled. Opening her eyes again, she realized he’d misted back and forth. Before she knew it, he held a glass of water under her nose, put two tablets in her hand.

She shook her head. “Thank you, but it doesn’t hurt.” She placed the items on an end table next to them. “How did you…never mind. About mating, it doesn’t bother you that we don’t love each other.”

“In a way, you love me, Blythe. We’ve known each other since you were what, seventeen or eighteen?” His hand came over his heart, centering that ink-covered chest of his. “A form of companionate love exists between us.”

“Yes,” she agreed, her eyes following tribal markings along his rib cage, “we’re friends.”

“A good place to start,” he said confidently.

“You don’t start
marriage
that way.”

“You can start most anything with friendship and deep-seated attraction.” He curled his fingers around her wrist, his thumb brushing her frantic pulse point. “Wedding night is loose terminology - a term to explain things better, since you were raised in the mortal world. Blythe,” he stopped, glancing down at their joined hands before meeting her eyes again, “you have to realize mating is beyond marriage. Short of death, it can never be broken.”

“And you want to do this with someone you don’t love.” When he opened his mouth, she amended, “Someone you don’t love
passionately
.”

“Do you love Kash?”

She felt her chin drop. “The dream? You really saw that dream?”

 
I have my ways, remember this way I communicated with you?

“Oh, how can I forget?” She rubbed her temples, his voice echoing inside her head. “Could we skip the mind thing for tonight?”

“Anything I can do to make you more comfortable, I will.”

“That also goes for discussing Kash, and my kinky dreams.”

He wasn’t deterred regarding Kash. “True Species Vampires are rumored to fall in love with their Brides instantly. The unmated are always attracted to power. But do you wonder what they’re attracted to beyond the power, most of all?”

“I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”

“The pretty, remember what I told you earlier? They’re enamored by beauty. And if you’re
extraordinarily
beautiful, look out. Your life won’t be yours for long.” 
When she flinched, he asked, “You don’t like being extraordinarily beautiful, do you, Blythe?”

No, Blythe didn’t like men obsessing over her, especially powerful vampires, enough to lock her away inside makeshift dungeons. Then, a shiver crawled over her when she remembered those mixed-bloods calling out to her in the orange grove, wanting to taste her addictive blood. Drink her until she would die from their gluttony. “I’ve figured that I can walk through hell and pretty much laugh about it now. I have grown up all over again. And one thing’s for sure,” she said, staring straight into the eyes of a werewolf. “I don’t want to discuss my physicality or my addictive blood. Not when the combo packs a wicked punch equaling an immortal’s pleasure drug of choice, but that’s not who Kash is. He doesn’t want me in that way, not that he even wants me.”

“I agree, he doesn’t want you in a superficial way. I’m glad you see the difference. So if anything changes between you, keep a level head, okay? And since I want no un-truths between us, I will tell you that you just went through ‘rights to mate’.”

“They were scenting me…the way you did?”

He nodded.

She felt her blood literally boil. “I cannot tell you how many times I've been on display, from one immortal to another.” Shooting up, she rolled by him, heading to the bathroom where she had changed earlier. “I was adamant about that.” When she made it to the shower, her reflection peered back from sea foam green mirrored tiles. Her mouth swollen, her eyes dilated, her skin darkened by the sun, Blythe looked wild. Hungry. “Jayce knew this. Bane knew this.
You knew this!
”

“Most of those males out there saved your life in the orange grove, Blythe.” He neared her slowly. “Even if they hadn’t fought, risking
their
lives, they would have freed you from the Dynasty Vampyr. And although I’m not saying you owe them, this is our way. I lead them. If I don’t follow the rules then they won’t follow the rules.”

“You deceived me.”

“Initially,” he whispered, pressing his front to her back, wrapping his thick forearm around her middle. “Although the Pack was unaware, I
knew
there wasn’t another male werewolf out there for you. Hardly any Beast has this ability, but I do. I was
in
your dream, remember. There was only one werewolf chasing you in the marsh. Me. Rights to mate was a formality, though only you and I know.”

“I’m humiliated.”

“No, you’re barely embarrassed.” He cupped her breasts, rolling his thumbs over her nipples. “Besides, I kept you covered.” Her head went back, dropping on his shoulder. “Blythe,
I’ve
been avoiding rights to mate for so long.”

“Because you didn’t want a mate?” she asked.

“I wanted
you
,” he whispered. She tried to turn, but he wouldn’t let her. “You love me like a friend, but I love you the way a male loves a female. I have for months now. I knew you loved Sixten, but I tried. I tried to move on to other females, yet couldn’t stomach them anymore. Then I tried to get you away from him. How many times did I try to convince you, Blythe, to leave Sixten?”

“Too many to count,” she whispered, stunned by his revelation.

“The night we found you running from Gianni, do you remember your throat inside my Beast’s jaws, Blythe?”

Before she could stop herself, her hand reached her neck, stroking the arc. Rock hadn’t even scratched her skin, carrying her away with his mouth from the werewolves fighting the vampires. “I remember.”

“The next time I do that, I’ll be
inside
you.” His erection pressed against her back. “I. Love. You. We’ve waited long enough. The sun finally dropped and the moon is high. We have to start. Walk out of this bathroom in fifteen minutes.” Misting away, he whispered, “You’ll know where to go.”

Rock fisted his hands, standing in a pair of sleek leather pants, nothing else. “I didn’t expect you to come out in anything. Lose the towel.”

Going prickly numb, she glanced around Rock’s playroom, had been in similar rooms with Gianni, though his were on a grander scale. On the heels of that thought, rage rushed her. Not due to memories of Gianni, far from it, Blythe realized she was jealous. “You brought all your women here, or a select few?”

“This was Bane’s place before he mated. I’ve brought no other female here. Everything pertinent is new, recently purchased. You will use no one’s leftovers.” Cerulean eyes dropped to the swells of her breasts, where she gripped her towel. “You are set apart from all.”

She took three steps and the door closed behind her by his mental will, the lock clicking ominously. Inside now, Blythe examined her surroundings more thoroughly. Mirrors covered two walls. Typical. On the other two, she found hooks and shelves loaded with erotic toys and various restraints. No bed centered this room. In fact, there wasn’t a bed anywhere. The main attraction appeared to be a padded table with restraints anchored at four corners and working gears beneath it. To her amazement, when she glanced at everything else, she didn’t see whips or canes, only an assortment of small paddles.

A flash of color, her ocular migraine once again threatened, and then…
Wrists cuffed, chained from the ceiling, a whip brandishing her thighs until welts pebbled with droplets of blood. A warm tongue feeding from the marks, he breathed raggedly as he supped. Moving up, panting against her nape, words from an obsessed Vampyr, “Why can’t you love me the way I love you?” Gianni’s naked body, sliding around her front, he opened her thighs with his powerful hands. “Only wet for me, that’s all I deserve from you, is that it?” His mouth dripping with her blood, he pushed his tongue over hers when his thick cock entered her body, delivering a scarlet kiss while moving inside her. She wanted this. She hated this. And over his golden velvet shoulder, Blythe caught sight of onyx eyes watching her.

Rock was closer now. “Second request made. Lose the towel.”

“I don’t need your
show
of dominance.” Swallowing thickly, she added, “When I can feel it.” Fortunately, the flashing stopped, the images disappearing.

“This isn’t for me, though I’ll enjoy it immensely, it’s for you. I know what you crave, and that’s
my dominance
. Let’s go.” He pointed at the towel. “I want to see what’s mine. Or do you prefer I undress you? As your mate, I will learn your preferences and make you happy in every way. Choose.”

“You’re seriously trying to tell me, a grown woman, that I have two choices. Either you undress me or I undress myself.” Sure, she desired Rock, knew she was mating him tonight. However, matters had significantly escalated. He was expecting her to trust him in this particular room, a place where she could trust no one. Gesturing to the four walls, she said, “Don’t you think this is too intimate an act for the first go around?”

“I’m all for intimate acts, Blythe. Our Beasts start with any intimate acts necessary. Do you really think we can hold back and court a female for weeks without learning her body? Impossible feat. And I would shake the hand of any male who could pull it off. Don’t confuse me with a human. I’m not one. As far as your two choices go, it would be sexy as hell to watch you undress for the first time, strip naked for me. Still, there is a shared intimacy when I put my hands on you, slowly undressing my female. But tonight that would go rather quickly, considering you’re wearing a towel.” Another step forward and moonlight touched his face, exposing his Beast. “Decide.” His voice dropped to a gravely pitch. “Now.”

Blythe dropped the towel.

A sharp groan left him, his eyes razor-sharp as he raked them over her breasts, the juncture between her thighs, and ever-so-slowly back to her face. “No wonder,” he rasped, wiping his mouth with a shaky hand.

With a deep breath, she kept her eyes steadily on his. “No wonder…what?”

“You are stunning, easily a male’s obsession. Though I love you, I can see it clearly, Blythe. Not that it’s right. An unscrupulous male risked everything to own you. Years ago, Sixten chanced his heart to protect you,
letting
you go. Now he risks everything, fighting every day just to love you.” Another step, he dropped to his knees, pressing his face against her stomach. “I’ve waited centuries for you, my mate.”

Blythe knew a male like Rock didn’t bow down for anyone, he was pleading for her to allow him hope of her acceptance. She knew this. Slipping her hands around his head, she held him there. “Should we begin before you turn into a raging Beast?”

Raising his head, he propped his chin, staring up between her breasts. “Don’t think to run from me.”

“There’s a big difference between asking and demanding, Rock.”

His tongue dipped into her navel, swirling, before he stood. “Then let me clarify.” His hand shot out, palm up, waiting for her to take it. “That was a demand.” Narrowing her eyes, she placed her hand in his. Instead of rendering a tender kiss to her palm, he nipped it with his growing canines. “Inside these walls, you will speak when spoken to. You will embrace the pleasure I give you. You will accept punishment for your infractions.” He walked her to the center table, lowering her on her front. Taking her left hand, he placed it inside the restraint, tightening it. “Accepting punishment means that you do so without complaining.”

Okay, now she was really wet. “What if I don’t agree with what you see as a fit punishment?”

“If I gag you, you cannot disagree.” A fingertip plowed through the crevice of her ass before his other hand secured her free wrist.

Gagging? What was he up to? Her chin came up when her ass did, his hands moving underneath the table, angling her until her bottom was high and her head and legs lower. In the mirrored wall, Blythe watched his reflection, the long lines in his back moving. Beast and man beneath his skin, she wanted to trace every flourish of tribal ink with her tongue.

“By your smell” – one ankle inside a fleece lined cuff followed by the other – “I’d say you’re ready for me.” With her legs more than shoulder width apart, Rock ran his tongue all down her back, over her ass, his palms slowly spreading her cheeks. “You are so beautiful here, so pink and flushed.” He sniffed her in an inhuman way. “Are you glistening for your male?” Flushing, her nipples hardened against the leather table. She needed him filling her. “Answer me.” He pulled away, saying, “If you want my touch.”

“I’m ready for you,” she blurted.

“Refer to me as your mate. Say it. I’m ready for you, my mate.”

“I’m ready for you, my mate,” Blythe echoed.

“Anal, you’ve been taken this way.”

Not a question, Rock somehow knew the answer, but he was looking for confirmation. Though she wanted anal, she didn’t want to talk about the past. However, in the present while positioned for Rock in this way, she clenched furiously for him. “Please…just give me release. Now!” Another touch - even a simple one - she would lose it
hard
.

“There’s no need to yell. I’m not yelling at you. And I’m afraid that on our first night, I will have to punish you.”