Pleasured By The Dark & Damaged (7 page)

When I woke up, I opened my eyes to see a pair of gray ones staring back at me. I gulped and sat up. Looking around, I noticed I wasn’t in the warehouse any longer. My hackles rose, and even my wolf panicked. “Where the hell am I?” I scented the air and all I could smell was that damned dragon.

He shrugged, unaffected by my icy glare. “You’re safe.”

I laughed. Right, like I would believe that. He was able to take me from the warehouse, and now I had no fucking clue where I was. It was unsettling how I didn’t wake up during that time. “How long was I out?”

Humor danced in his eyes. “A while, actually. I was surprised I was able to get you out of that building without getting my ass kicked.”

“Okay, well, now it’s time for me to go.”

He stood to his full height and shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

As he walked towards me, I reeled back from him. Something in his eyes said I was about to get pissed off. “WH—what do you mean?”

He sat on the arm of the couch and shrugged again. This guy really needed to stop acting so unaffected. I couldn’t read him like I could other shifters.

“Well, you were sent after me, correct?”

“Yes.”

“And your asshole Alpha uses you to what? Take care of his dirty work?”

“Yes,” I replied, wondering where this was going.

“And you hate him.” He wasn’t asking, but it was like he knew everything already.

“With a fiery passion,” I replied. I saw no reason to lie.

“Why do you do it then? Why not just petition to leave the pack?”

The tips of my ears burned with the anger that bubbled inside. Who was he to ask me questions? He had no idea what my life had been like for the past few years. “I can’t walk away. It’s not that simple for me.”

“I see.”

I sat up and slid my feet to the floor. “I don’t think you do. Now I have to get back and let him know I messed up.” I went to stand, but the dizziness pulled me down. “What did you do to me?” My words slurred.

“Nothing more than a little magic trick my mother taught me. You’ll be useless unless you are honest.”

I glared and then groaned. “I can’t tell you, and it’s really not your business.”

He tsked and tapped his foot impatiently. “Oh, but it is. Our beasts are telling us that, and you know it. You’re mine, which means it is my business to know—everything about you.”

“My wolf is wrong, and I don’t fucking know you so I won’t tell you shit. You don’t have the slightest clue as to what my life is like.”

He growled. “Your wolf is not wrong, and get out of that denial now. I don’t have a clue—yet, but you’ll tell me eventually. You won’t be able to resist me forever. I can sense your wolf. She’s in heat.” Then he slid on the couch and softened his tone. “I would know what your life was like if you told me.”

“I don’t even know who you are.”

“Your Alpha didn’t tell you who you were after?”

“Nope, just that you were a dragon and at the warehouse. I don’t ask questions.” I looked away from the intense gaze and held back a tear. I was stronger than that, but I was worried about Levi.

He tensed when he sensed my emotions. “Why are you so upset?” When he scooted closer and peered into my eyes, I wanted to punch him in the face. “You’re crying.”

“No,” I said as I wiped away a tear. I wasn’t going to fall apart. There would still be a way to save my brother.

When I tried to stand this time I was able to. It seemed he had let up on the magic. “I have to go.”

“Why?”

I growled and paced away from him. I felt trapped, and I needed to run. He gripped my shoulders, holding me in place before he spun me around to face him. I narrowed my eyes. “You’ve really got to stop touching me.”

“You like it.”

“No.”

“Lier,” he replied, and leaned in close. I should have backed away, but before I really knew what was happening his lips were on mine. Hot, liquid desire swarmed through my veins when the tip of his tongue licked along my lips. He wasn’t demanding, he was asking permission. I sighed and parted my lips. The moment his tongue found mine I was lost. My world spun, and I was lost in the feel of his body against mine. He slid his hands to my hips and pulled me tightly against him, and moaned when I let go of my denial long enough to wrap my arms around his neck, holding myself against him as tightly as possible.

Then I was on my back and he was over me on the couch. His eyes changed to a smoky gray and his pupils were tiny slits. I gasped for breath, staring at him. He smiled, but it wasn’t a cocky smile. I wasn’t exactly sure what it was, but my wolf urged me forward. She wanted to know him.

“What’s your name, beautiful?”

I chuckled. We hadn’t even taken the time to exchange names. “Rae,” I replied.

“It’s nice to meet you Rae, I’m Abel.”

I nodded and kissed him again. The feel of his mouth on mine was slowly becoming my favorite thing in the world.

He rocked into me, and I gasped when I felt his erection. My panties dampened and I groaned. It had been far too long since I’d been with a man. I liked to play, but the men in my pack didn’t satisfy me—or my wolf. But this wasn’t the time to seek out my own release. “I can’t,” I said shaking my head, but oh how I wish I could. I had a feeling this dragon would change me forever.

He kissed me again, and I pulled back. “No, really, I have to go.” This time I shoved him off and he relented, but I could tell he wasn’t happy.

“Well, why the hell not?  You want me, I want you. It’s that simple. Besides, you’re mine Rae, and I intend to claim you.”

“I have other obligations that are a little more important than fucking.”

His smile dropped. “It’s not fucking when it’s with your mate.”

I shook my head. “I don’t believe we are mates.” Liar, liar.

He smirked as if he knew. “Okay well, what’s so important that it can’t wait for a little while longer?”

I fisted my hands. “My brother.”

Then out of nowhere I broke down and sobbed. I wasn’t a crier, but apparently when the mating call took over I lost control over all of my damn emotions. I covered my face with my hands as my cheeks burned with embarrassment.

He sat next to me and pried my hand from my eyes. “What about your brother?”

“It’s why I do this.”

He sighed and held my hand in his. “Help me out here sweets, I don’t know what you’re saying. I need more than vague responses.”

“Julius has him, and he gets punished if I don’t do what he wants. He’s held over my head so I don’t ask questions and so that I do his dirty work. I don’t have a choice if I want my brother alive. He can’t handle the pain like I can. He’s not even old enough to shift yet.”

Fire burned in Abel’s eyes, and his fingers tightened on mine until I gasped. He loosened his hold and rubbed the ache away. “So you’re telling me the Alpha is holding your brother to get you to do his bidding. For what? Does he have something on you?”

“My father sold us to him to pay his debt, but Julius killed him anyways.” I shrugged. “All I care about is keeping Levi safe, and right now, because I haven’t brought you in, he’s not safe.”

He stood pulling me with him. “Then take me in Rae. I’ll think of something.”

I was amazed at how easily he folded as soon as he knew a kid was involved. He wasn’t like the rumors said he’d be—mostly.

“I can’t let you do that. You know why he wants you?”

Abel shook his head. “I don’t care why. You’re my mate, that means your brother is mine too.”

“You’re rare, he wants to keep you.”

He chuckled and his eyes glowed. “He couldn’t keep me. He has no idea how fucking powerful I am.”

“I don’t know… I can’t ask you to do that.”

“You’re not, sweets. I’m telling you this is what I’m doing. So take me in. Get your brother, and then we’ll go somewhere together.”

He was unbelievable. We’d just met and he was already taking charge, trying to fix things.

‘See, I told you, he’d take care of us,’ my wolf taunted.

“You’re not responsible for me or my brother. It’s my job to protect him, and I’ve done a pretty damn good job on my own.”

He softened. “I didn’t mean that you weren’t Rae, but you have me now. That’s what mates are for.”

“But—”

He put his finger to my lips. “Shh. Damn, woman, is it that hard to accept help? You’re my mate, my queen. That means I do anything for you, period. It’s a dragon’s way. We take care of our mates. Nothing or no one will ever hurt you again, and if they do they have to face me, and not to sound too cocky, but they don’t want to deal with a pissed off white dragon.”

For the first time in my life I was stunned silent. No one had ever said anything like that to me, ever, and with such conviction that I actually almost believed it. Maybe, just maybe, things would start looking up.

I shook my head when I could finally speak. “I don’t feel right about this.”

Abel chuckled. “Please, woman, I’m a dragon. We have more power than your average shifter. I know you don’t know me, but shit, I need my mate to have a little faith in my ability to protect her.”

Something inside of me broke. Lust bubbled over and the mating call filled my soul. Suddenly all I could see was this sexy man. A man who was putting himself on the line to protect my brother. That was all it took to win me over. I stood and stalked toward him with heat in my eyes. If he was going to put himself on the line for me and my brother…well, I needed to do just one little thing in case it backfired and we all were slaughtered. I licked my lips and his eyes flared. Levi would be fine for a bit longer, and now that I’d stopped denying that this stubborn dragon was mine, I was ready to mate. Hell, I was ready to mate. My panties were soaked, and I needed him more than I’d ever needed anything in my life.

He stood still as I came toward him. I knew he wanted to throw me down, but he handed the reins to me—for now. I put one hand on his shoulder and shoved him back against the wall, and then, standing on my toes, I kissed him like I had never kissed a man before. Every pent-up emotion I ever held back went into that one moment. I wanted him to know I was on board. He was mine, and I was going to put my mark on him.

He seemed to sense the change and growled into my mouth as he lifted me from the ground. I wrapped my legs around his waist and whimpered when I felt how hard he was.

“You won’t regret it,” he whispered, and somehow I knew he would do everything in his power to make sure I didn’t.

I plastered my mouth back to his and wrapped my tongue around his.

In a move faster than your average shifter he sped from the room and I was suddenly on a giant bed. It was soft, and I sunk into the mattress. He hovered over my body and kissed me like I was his lifeline.

“God, you’re beautiful,” he said ran his finger along my jaw.

I smiled and ignored the belly flops. No one had ever called me beautiful—ever. It shouldn’t have mattered, but it did. “I want you, now.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He lifted off of the bed and then his clothes all but disappeared. I sucked in a breath when I saw him. He was lean and muscular. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on his body, and as I allowed my gaze to travel down his body and take him in my eyes nearly crossed when I came to his erection. My body clenched and I sat up, stripping my shirt from my body, but I didn’t get far before Abel was there.

“Let me,” he said in a husky voice.

I gulped, but allowed him to unclasp my bra, and he slid the straps off of my arms. He pushed me back against the pillows and then his fingers grazed below my waistband. I stopped breathing as he unsnapped the button. He didn’t take his eyes from me, and with each step he made his eyes burned with fire. So much passion was locked inside of him. No man had ever treated me as anything more than a quick lay, and it hadn’t bothered me, but now I realized that there was more to sex than I ever knew. My heart thumped wildly, and my breathing sped up.

He had both hands ready to strip me. “Lift up,” he ordered, and I did. He slid my jeans and panties down my legs. When they were off he threw them to the side carelessly.

The way he looked at me sent a shiver down my spine. I had no words. For once in my life I wanted to let go of the control. I wanted to put my trust in him. He didn’t move as his eyes slid down my body. He took in every inch of my skin and heat rose to my cheeks under his perusal.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he looked at me again they pale gray was back, and he curled his lip up into a sexy smile. “I have no words to express how perfect you are.”

I gulped with the amount of emotion I heard, and instead of responding I held my arms out to him and spread my thighs wide. When the scent of my arousal filled the room he kissed my lips and slid inside of me. I felt the first thrust from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. It shot electricity through my body. His magic wrapped us in a cocoon, and the warmth of his magic seeped into my skin. His beast came forth and I felt him. He ran a claw between my breasts and down my stomach all the way to my pussy. I felt a new pressure on my clit while Abel rocked into my body. I gasped.

“How?”

It was like both he and his beast were working to bringing me over the edge, yet not.

“It’s magic, sweets,” he replied, and his eyes were completely that of his beast. It triggered my wolf, and she rushed forth. My eyes turned gold, and then our beasts nuzzled one another, getting to know each other. We were literally becoming one. The scent of our mating filled every sense, and the room glowed as the mating bond formed. My canines elongated, and I needed to mark him. He was mine, and no one would ever touch him. My wolf growled in agreement and then Abel tilted his head to the side, submitting. I wanted to howl as my wolf bit into his neck. My teeth slid into his neck and as soon as his blood touched my tongue I felt it. We were one. When I had thoroughly marked him I pulled my teeth out and licked the spot where I’d bit. It would heal in a matter of minutes, but a scar would forever mark his skin.

He growled and then he was all fangs. “Dragons don’t usually mark their mates, but I—I have to,” he said in confusion, and pushed my head to the side. Then he struck.

I screamed, and my body pulsated as I climaxed. Every muscle in my body spasmed and clenched his cock tightly. I felt his body stiffen as he drank from me. When he licked my neck and drove into me I knew he was almost there. I lifted my hips to meet his powerful thrust and sobbed over and over again as he triggered one release after another. I had no fucking idea what was going on, but I had never gotten off so much in my life.

“What the—” I yelled and arched off the bed. The headboard slammed against the wall and I bounced below him. He rode me hard and fast. Sweat dripped off of his skin and his jaw was clenched. Then he roared.

My eyes rolled back with the power of his climax. He came and I felt it settle inside of me. The room lit up, and when I looked at my hands, they glowed.

He saw my fear and chuckled. He was breathing heavily when he said, “My magic.”

He slowed his movements and then rolled to the side. I could hear the pounding of his heart in my ears. I looked to see him with his eyes closed and taking deep breaths.

After a few minutes the glow from my skin disappeared. When Abel turned toward me I saw myself in his eyes. His already adored me, and even if I didn’t want to admit it, I had fallen—and hard. He was my mate. Now we had to figure out a way out of my damn trouble.