Primal Song (13 page)

While all that sounded great, he hadn’t mentioned how
he
felt. Daisy knew some shifters followed their animal instinct no matter where it led them, but she never had. She didn’t want to be one of those people who did something stupid and immediately blamed it on the beast. She was completely cognizant while in her animal form. She did listen to her bear but she didn’t let it rule her.

Ram shifted against her, one of his hands sliding through her hair to cup the back of her skull. “But the lion’s wants are nothing compared to my feelings,” he rasped, drawing his lips over her cheekbone and the bridge of her nose. “The minute I saw you, the instant I smelled you, I knew you were mine.” Her scalp stung when his fingers tightened in her hair, but the fire in her blood turned even that slight pain into pleasure. “You’re mine, Daisy. I never thought about taking a mate, never wanted to until I saw you.”

His words and the scent of his arousal combined with the fire he stirred in her body to wipe all doubts from her mind. She knew they’d come back, she thought too much about everything, but for now she’d let it go.

“That’s good enough for me,” she muttered and grabbed his slightly longer mane to tug his face closer. “Fuck me.”

Ram dipped his head and kissed her with all the strength of ownership he could muster. She made him so hot, so ready to mount her at every chance, he could barely think straight. He’d purposely stirred her anger, diverted her from the pain he’d scented and this was his reward.

I’m a fucking genius.
He slid his tongue against hers, delving deeper into the honeyed recesses of her mouth. He wanted to crawl inside her, merge his whole self with her until they couldn’t be separated again. He admired everything about her, from her stubbornness to her five-alarm temper to the curve of her cheek. She was amazing and she’d turned him into a sap.

A sap about to fuck her on the sofa. Again.

He reluctantly pulled away from the scorching kiss, his body burning, his cock twitching with the need to release into her. She protested when he levered himself off the sofa but he turned a deaf ear. If he listened to his mate, he’d have her here. He was determined to prove he had a little more restraint even though he hadn’t displayed much in any of their encounters.

She pouted her kiss-swollen lips. “Where are you go—” He cut her off by scooping her into his arms. She let out a startled gasp before she threw her arms around his neck. “God, don’t drop me!”

Ram laughed, hoisting her higher. “Not gonna happen, baby. Now which way to the bedroom?”

“Down the hall, on the left.”

He started across the living room, heading for the narrow hallway. He didn’t even glance at the pictures lining the walls but promised himself he would when he didn’t have sex on the brain. That might take about five years, he figured, maybe longer if she always nibbled on his neck the way she was doing now.

By the time he found the bedroom and staggered in, his cock was knocking on the zipper of his slacks and his breath was coming out in loud pants. She had a wicked tongue, one he well remembered from earlier in the day. She flicked his ear, his neck and the edge of his jaw while the scent of her arousal wafted to him.

Her room was on the small side, but it smelled strongly of her, the mixture of bear, woman and flowers he’d come to associate with Daisy Picou. The bed had no headboard and looked as if it was only a little bigger than a twin, proof that she didn’t share it on a regular basis. It would be hell staying on the tiny mattress, but he couldn’t contain a pleased rumble at the idea she had no need for a larger one.

The springs protested when they landed on the bed. Ram propped himself on his elbows to see his female better. She looked ready to rip his clothes off. As though she’d read his mind, she sprang, her mouth plastered against his as if she couldn’t contain herself any longer.

On board with her aggression, Ram kissed her back as fiercely. Fabric tore beneath sharp claws, fangs pressed and nipped, beads of blood welled against lips, clothing flew in every direction and the air filled with the sounds of dangerous, animal attraction.

She felt silky smooth against his rougher skin, the soft swells of her breasts pillowing his chest as the kiss continued. Her thighs parted for him, her long legs wrapped around his waist and pulled him to her. It was only as he found the hot, wet folds of her pussy with the head of his cock that her earlier words came back to him.

That’s good enough
, she’d said. He pulled back to look in her lust-dazed eyes. She blinked up at him in confusion, but it was as if Ram finally saw the light. She didn’t believe him when he said she was his mate. She didn’t think this was for forever.

“You’re mine,” he rumbled, paying more attention to her face than her body.

The lust was still there, but a flash of disbelief flared before she hid it behind a smile. “Okay.”

Her voice held a hint of skepticism. She didn’t believe him. He’d have to make sure she did because there was no way in hell Ram was going to let her go. He admired her stubbornness but it was a roadblock to the future he wanted with her.

He’d have to prove to her, somehow, that he wasn’t going to hurt her like Monk or the other lion had. That he wasn’t going to choose other females over her, and that he wouldn’t just walk away when he was finished with her. It was a long list of things to show her, but he swore to himself she would never doubt where she stood in his life.

In a short time she’d become the focus of both the man and the lion. Both sides of his psyche wanted her like nothing else and he knew he’d never want anyone else. He just had to show her. Somehow.

“What’s wrong?” she asked with the softest hint of vulnerability.

He shook his head. “Nothing,” he sighed as he lowered himself over her again. “I just realized I haven’t done half the things I wanted to with you.”

Gold-flecked black eyes studied him. “Like what?”

Ram couldn’t fight his smile at her suspicious tone. He glanced over at the belt she wore with her uniform, his gaze drawn to the clip holding her handcuffs. Maybe it was time for him to fulfill the fantasy he had concerning this confusing bear he called mate.

“I’m going to do everything I’ve wanted to do since the day I first saw you,” he promised, enjoying the way her gaze followed his.

Her eyes widened in alarm. “What?”

He gave her a hard, quick kiss. “Don’t worry, baby, you’re gonna love every minute of it.”

Daisy didn’t know what caused the sudden change of plans and she wasn’t sure she liked it. In fact, she was downright uneasy when Ram leaned over her to snag her work belt. He took the gun out and carefully placed it on the nightstand. She didn’t worry he would hurt her. She’d done enough shit to enrage him and he hadn’t resorted to violence. No, her concern came from the wicked gleam in his lazy, amber eyes.

He slid the belt around her naked waist and tightened it carefully so it was snug against her skin. She glanced down. It looked weird without clothes on. She looked back up in confusion.

“You want me to wear the belt?” she guessed.

He shook his head, his warm hands stroking the soft swell of her stomach. “I have something else in mind, mate.”

Her womb clenched at the word mate but Daisy forced herself to hide her reaction. He didn’t mean it. Well, maybe he did. Now. But it wouldn’t last. She’d decided to simply enjoy what she could with him and thinking about tomorrow would only ruin what she had now.

She forced a flirtatious smile. “Oh really?”

“Oh really,” he purred.

In the blink of an eye he had her wrists caught in both of his hands. The brush of cool steel and the distinctive click of metal was her only warning that she was about to experience Ram’s idea of different.

She lifted her arms and sure enough, her handcuffs encircled her wrists. “You do realize these are parish-issued handcuffs? This is like…in violation of my office.”

Or something. She really couldn’t think straight. Her heart pounded hard enough she thought it might pop out of her chest. She’d always wondered what it would be like to be handcuffed and at the mercy of a male, but it’d seemed like such an impossible dream. None of the males she knew had the balls to do something like this. Except for Ram.

“You can write yourself a ticket later,” he hummed in satisfaction as his big hands stroked up her stomach to her breasts. “Do you think the scent of your arousal will stick to the metal and every time you use them from now on, you’ll remember this moment?”

Think? He honestly thought she could do that now? With his fingers plucking and teasing her nipples? “Uh.”

“Probably not. I’ll just have to make sure you can’t forget this,” he murmured as he pressed her arms over her head, leaving her vulnerable to whatever he wanted to do.

His breath feathered over her nipple seconds before he took her into his mouth. He tugged with his teeth, a slight sting that made her melt into the mattress. She wanted to touch him, pull him closer or redirect him to her other nipple, but with the cuffs and his strong hold on her arms, she couldn’t.

She couldn’t control this. The realization sparked a fever in her blood. “Ram,” she panted, squirming beneath him. “Please don’t tease me.”

He released her nipple for a moment. “Do you believe you’re my mate?”

“Huh?” What kind of question was that?

“Do you believe you’re my mate, the only female I’ll have for the rest of my days?”

Daisy barely held back a snort. Yeah, right. She nodded. “Sure.”

His lips firmed, disappointment darkening his eyes. “Wrong answer.”

“Wh—”

He flipped her with as much effort he would a pancake, making her bounce on the mattress. He slapped her ass. “That’s for lying to me.”

She arched her back and shot him a surprised look over her shoulder. “What?”

“You don’t believe me when I say you’re my mate, that this is forever,” he growled at her as he straddled her hips, disappearing from her sight. “You think this is some game for me? That I’m indulging in a little fuck with a local before I leave?”

Daisy had retained enough brain cells to know answering in the affirmative was a bad idea, but she wouldn’t lie to him either. She didn’t think this was going anywhere. In fact, she knew it wasn’t. He didn’t belong here any more than she belonged in his world.

Sharp fangs nipped at her shoulder, startling her out of her thoughts. “You’re mine, if I have to mark every inch of your body. If I have to drench you in my scent until I seep into your pores, you’ll accept me,” he rasped in her ear.

Her eyes widened in shock at his words. He couldn’t possibly think she’d just let him…what, bite every inch of her skin and come all over her? It should have disgusted her but her thighs tensed against a wave of uncontrollable lust.

“You’re mine, Daisy,” he whispered as his mouth coasted down her spine.

The slight rasp of his rough tongue combined with the soft abrasiveness of his barely there beard shot electric jolts of desire through her. Her pussy clenched on nothing, moisture gathering along her channel for his thick cock. He made another pass from the cleft of her ass to her nape, causing her back to arch for more. She dropped her head on the pillow and panted through the pleasure he forced on her. She’d never known how sensitive her back was, but under Ram’s careful touch she became a walking erogenous zone.

He paused next to her ear, letting his breath wash over her. “I smell how ready you are,” he murmured softly. “Say you’re mine and I’ll end this now.” Daisy promptly opened her mouth, but shut it when he said, “And mean it.”

She shook her head. “I can’t.”

The baby-fine hair on her nape danced under the force of his sigh. “I’m actually a little glad you’re not ready to submit,” he stated huskily. “I want to play with you, see how high I can bring you before you give in. And you will give in.”

She promised to detest herself for letting out a little whimper of need and fear. Later. Right now her body felt too big for her skin as Ram slid down, separating her legs as he went until he was right between her thighs. Teeth scraped over one ass cheek before nipping the other. Daisy jumped, her face burning at the husky chuckle that wafted over her slick folds.

“Now this is pretty, but hmm, something isn’t quite right.”

Daisy’s head popped off the pillow. Ignoring the strain of her muscles she craned her neck to see what he was talking about. He shifted on the bed, doing something she couldn’t see. He returned, one of his arms sliding under her hips and lifting up. He stuffed something soft and cool beneath her. A pillow, her brain processed. A pillow that propped her ass in the air and forced her legs to sprawl open.

“
Cher bon Dieu
,” she whispered, dropping her head down.

His chuckle sent a shudder of dark pleasure through her. “Now that’s perfect.”

Lightly calloused hands skimmed up the backs of her legs, tickling the tender spot at the backs of her knees before sliding higher. His thumbs caressed her inner thighs until he framed her ass with his hands. More heat poured through her, embarrassment and arousal warring for dominance as she pictured what he was looking at.

A stream of warm air blew over her slick sex, making her shift uncontrollably. She grew wetter at the delicate touch. Daisy couldn’t help but squirm, enjoying the abrasion of the comforter rubbing against her aching nipples.

“Your scent is intoxicating,” he murmured behind her. “And look how wet you are for me, like a pretty flower glistening with dew.”

It was such a corny line but it made her hotter. She panted into the pillow but didn’t want to give away how close she was to submitting. Her brain knew he wouldn’t stick around, but God, the rest of her wanted to believe, to grab this chance to claim a male for her own. She kept reminding herself it was a stupid, gut-clenching reaction to the sexual power he had over her. This wasn’t love, this wasn’t mating, it was sex. Just sex.

She chanted those words over and over in her mind while Ram’s thumbs found the lips of her sex and spread them wide, his breath washing over her in new spots. She chanted them when he murmured erotic words about how beautiful she was, how perfect for him, how he would make her his forever. But when his mouth pressed against her, when his tongue swept over her slit to circle her clit, all thought ceased and she became a beast at the mercy of her mate.