Prologue
BRONN
“Hold on to something.”
I plunge my tongue deep into her tight cunt. My mate pulses around me, her hot, sticky sweetness coating me. I need more. I flick my tongue over the sensitive clit, teasing it until she produces more slick.
She throws her head back. Her chest heaving so that her glorious breasts quiver above me. The neckline of her dress is riding low. I pull it down, baring her, nipples puckering, asking for attention.
I palm the sexy mound pinching it until she gasps. Sweet honey pours from her and I swallow all of her down. I want the taste of her, the scent of her claiming me.
Soon, I will be able to claim her completely. Until then, I need to protect what’s mine. I won’t allow her to be hurt in any way. And right now, she is not ready to take me fully, especially not my ring, the knot that forms at the base of my cock that will connect us during her heat.
Some males wouldn’t think twice about rutting inside a female in heat. I would die before harming Karis. She is my mate–or will be–and the future mother of my children. She will be treated with the utmost care.
I gently nip and suck at her swollen clitoris as I plunge my fingers into her depths. She writhes beneath me and I reach further inside of her. I know when I find her spot because she gushes all over me.
Her cries are muted behind the dampening field that I placed around us. After all, they are meant for me and not outsiders.
I love seeing her this way. Her hair is a crown of tangles. Cheeks flushed a dusky shade of rose. Breathless, her chest rising and falling. She trembles, and I drag a finger over her seam. The pressure hits her just right as she undulates once more for me.
“Take all the pleasure I give you,” I croon. “That’s my good girl.”
Her back arches as if by control. She loves being praised, and I will make sure to lavish her with it.
I rest on my haunches, surveying my handiwork, gently caressing her skin. The feel of her is addicting, and I find I must always touch her. She lifts herself onto her elbows, her half-lidded eyes smoldering as she surveys me.
My balls tighten as my cock swells to attention. There is no amount of illusion that would hide how hard I am for my Karis.
She takes control of my position. First kissing me, exploring and tasting herself on my tongue. Then she expertly pulls on my waistband. My dick falls out, nearly smacking her against her cheek. She greedily swallows me down.
I hiss at the sensation. I rest my hands on her shoulders, not really pushing her away, and not gathering her to me as I want. My only concession is thrusting my hips to meet her strokes.
I gather her hair back so I can view her lovely profile. Her hollowed out cheeks are gorgeous, and shower praise upon her skill and beauty.
And then she takes me deeper, She nearly gags, and I instinctively shift so I can move away and give her space. I would have, too, except she grasps my thighs and pulls on me so I had nowhere else to move. She ends up taking me deeper into her throat, her muscles convulsing around me as she swallows. A satisfied hum vibrates around me, and I grow harder, my sac filling with seed.
My fist tightens in her hair. “Good girl. Such a talented mouth and a well-taught throat. Swallow for me again, my sweet girl.”
She draws out a pretty melody, humming in the affirmative around me. I groan when she swallows again. And then again.
I need to thrust inside of her mouth. The urge to claim her in some way a primal need as vital to me as breathing. I dig my fingers into the cushions of the seat next to me. I will not hurt her.
She swallows one more time, this time the hand on my thigh traveling up to grab my balls and squeeze. The hand in her hair holds her head still, my other hand clamping down on her shoulder for leverage as I thrust my hips up into her. I piston myself into her until I unload with a growl through clenched teeth.
“Suck me clean, my good girl.”
She moaned, sucking, slurping, swallowing me down. She licked her lips when she was done as if hunting down every last bit of me. I lift her and crush her against my body.
“You taste like vanilla sweet cream,” she says against my lips. There’s a lilt in her speech as if she fights off some drug. I shouldn’t be surprised. Being in heat is like being in the grip of an aphrodisiac-haze.
“And you are honey and berries in the middle of summer.” I rake my hungry gaze over her, brushing my thumb against her pillowy lower lip. She chases my finger with her tongue, lapping after me before claiming me into her mouth. My cock hardens and pulses in time to her sucking. Chemically-induced heat be damned. “Let’s find you a semblance of a nest for the next few days.”
Chapter 1
Bronn
The conclave of ursos meets inside of a discreet hollow that was once a public transportation hub for Terrans. The hollow itself is behind a veil, yet the route that leads to it is circuitous and dank. The dregs of humanity shuffle along among the sublevels of the train tunnels, waiting for an opportunity for petty crimes.
Of all the planets in the universe, I don’t know what it is that makes Terra Prime such an ideal location for natural portals. It’s both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because of its uninitiated status, Earth is considered a neutral zone. The lack of regulations makes entry easy for us. On the other hand, that same ease is what attracts the lowlife scum of the galaxy to conduct their shady business dealings here.
The worst part is that Terrans are ignorant of the greater universe at play. I think of Karis, safe with Adalyn as she shops in the city with my protection detail. She was once as the rest of the Terrans here, oblivious to what may be lurking in shadows. Camouflaged. Watching. Waiting.
Her ignorance made her vulnerable to attack. She will not be so any more.
A snarl escapes my lips, startling a group of young males. They scuttle back to the stairways leading to the upper levels. Tag’s low laughter follows their exit.
I lift my brow at him. Even despite the camouflaging technology that allows me to pass as human, I know he sees the Taurine beneath glowering at him. “Something amuse you?”
Despite my best efforts, the younger bull is unfazed. His eyes gleam with pent up mirth. “Yes. You.”
I remind myself that it is beneath the urso of House Nighthold to beat his second in command. “I am happy to be so entertaining.”
The younger bull cracks a rare smile. “It’s different to see you rattled. Once you are properly mated with Karis, I am sure you will be back to your old self.”
“I don’t need to return back to my old self. I am perfectly capable creating a new version of myself. One that is happily mated.” Reverting back to my old self means reverting to who I was before Karis. I want no part of that.
“A less murderous-looking, stab-first-question-later self, then,” Tag amends.
“That I can agree with.”
We stride the length of the platform in a mutually agreed upon silence. The hollow is near enough to connect a comm channel to my gauntlet. If that is the case, there are more than a few listening devices in the area. I refuse to allow my house and especially personal business be fodder for gossip.
Though Taurines work together to better ourselves, we are not above competing with other houses. That includes, competing for better positioning for Nexus resources and security for our stables.
It is the pride of any urso that females choose to nest in his stable over others. The fact that Adalyn, the Prime Aurochs’s daughter has chosen House Nighthold has allowed for a boon in resources and favor from the rest of the galaxy.
I won’t risk that, especially not when I am about to take a mate.
Tag and I pass through the edge of the optical deflection field. Scanners light up and approve our passage in less than a blink. If anyone—or anything—lacked the correct genetic markers, they would be gently pushed away with help from a sublim message suggesting the interloper go elsewhere quickly.
The hollow here took on the look of a clean room. All white walls, clear glass, and pristine accommodations. Though this is a naturally-occurring wormhole, a team of technicians maintains the connections to this space to accommodate the ursos from various part of the Nexus.
Not all hubs connect to Earth as mine does, and so I’m not surprised to see the viewing orbs floating atop various platforms that signify a Taurine House.
What does surprise me is the few ursos already in attendance. One of which is Xandros of House Grimmere. His house is in the outer reaches, and openly challenged me for House Nighthold. We were so young, we barely had our horns in. Though I defeated him easily enough, he did not take his loss gracefully and has created friction for each conclave over the years.
I’ve been able to tolerate his presence via viewing orb, but in person…
I take Xandros’s measure. The burly Taurine has grown thick in the middle, with some heft in his haunches. Though he has grown a layer of fat, it is a protective layer over dense muscles, making his armor appear boxy.
He gives the appearance of slow and lumbering, but I know better. He is faster than he looks, and packs the strength of a tank behind each punch.
Xandros lifts his arm in greeting. “Hail, Bronn. Tag.”
We return his greeting, and acknowledge the other ursos as well before moving toward our assigned table.
Xandros sidles over and I work to keep my expression mute. “The servers will return with some refreshment.”
“I had breakfast recently. No refreshment is needed.”
He tilts his head back as he inhales in an exaggerated manner. “I see. If I had a delectable meal as you for your breakfast, I wouldn’t need a refreshment either. Perhaps House Nighthold should open its stables for sampling if even the urso cannot resist a taste. It is worth noting who has caught your favor.”
The idea that Karis and Xandros would breathe the same air is abhorrent to me. I lick my lips, reveling in Karis’s flavor. Thoughts of her keep me balanced and give me the fortitude to weather this insufferable bastard. As he has yet to meet Karis, I don’t have to break his jaw for his crude tone in referring to her. “As you know, Xandros, the stables are set apart for house members and invited guests only.”
Mrs. Roads and the entire stable know that any guest from House Grimmere needs my direct approval. None have asked me for it.
“Ah, well how will anyone garner an invite when you keep your females locked away? You never know. Perhaps they would prefer a different stock of Taurine.” The smile he shows me is as welcoming as a knife’s edge.
“Only in your wildest wet dreams, which I would advise you to keep those fantasies to yourself.”
Tag looks upon him with barely veiled disdain more out of loyalty to me than actual ill feelings toward the other bull. After all, Tag never had to work with Xandros, and so wouldn’t know of his propensity to cut corners and connive to better himself at the expense of others.
The only reason he is tolerated is for his prowess in battle. Otherwise, a leader like him tends to cripple a unit rather than help.
I am saved from hearing any of Xandros’s comebacks when the delegates from the other houses arrive. Another point in my favor, since Xandros just loves to hear himself talk. Watching him sulk away rather than throw out another veiled insult has made my mood brighter.
The Prime Aurochs arrives. Niall’s stride takes up the space easily as he strides up the length of the meeting space. I appreciate him as a leader for he is decisive and lets us have free reign over our own hubs.
“Gentlemen, this won’t take long. I appreciate the time that you have shown to be here. Please be seated.”
He looks at each of us in turn, face impassive until he reaches me. There is something in his gaze that is inscrutable. Something between expectant and apologetic. I don’t like to speculate, so I will allow the bull some space. After all, I did just pluck his daughter from a flesh market. Though I didn’t file an official report about it, nor do I plan to, Adalyn isn’t one of my soldiers. She doesn’t have the same compunction to follow orders and obey my non-disclosure sentiment.
Perhaps she told him about what happened to her? Maybe that’s the reason he looks so strange. No matter. If he does confront me with the information, I won’t deny it. I just won’t broadcast it.
“First I want to extend my sympathies to your newly acquired ward, Bronn. Her ordeal must have been stressful indeed to be lost in the Minotaur’s Labyrinth. House Remu Primi extends aid and shelter to her if she wishes to take it.”
A flick of my ear is the only sign of surprise I display. The protection of Niall’s house is high praise indeed considering he is prime. My intellect acknowledges this but my inner self wishes to throttle the Prime Aurochs for even suggesting it.
Damn this mating frenzy for taking the edge of cool logic away from me. “I acknowledge your words, Prime Aurochs, and will relay them to Karis to consider. Until then, she is enjoying the comforts of House Nighthold.” It is on the tip of my tongue to blurt out that Karis is more than my ward. She is my intended mate.
However, there is something here, something that I’m missing that keeps my words to myself. Though he is prime, he doesn’t rule over any of us. Ursos hold their title through prowess in combat, and in this room, I am the only that’s been undefeated in any of my challenges.
Prime Aurochs Niall finally nods to confirm that he heard me. “House Nighthold is a valued asset and secure stable. After all, I would not have entrusted my daughter’s well-being there were it not so.” A shadow of an emotion that I can’t quite name flickers over his face. He rarely shows any outward emotion, and so I stow away this information for later to examine. “Speaking of which, this brings to mind the reason I gathered most of you together here.”
Prime Aurochs Niall, Xandros, and two other ursos, along with our senior officers, are present in body. The rest are present via holo. Even so, there is a pal
Everyone else in the room was surprised. That was the last thing I would expect, however I could not fault him for his logic.
Under normal circumstances, this would not faze me . However, this time around, I will be expected to bring Karis.
I eyeball all of the other Taurines in this room with me thinking about how they would be able to see her and be exposed to her.
I have no doubts about her loyalty. It isn’t about her. It is about me.
Having Karis around all of these bulls while I had yet to claim her…
Already, I can feel the tethers of my control stretch around the awakening tension within me. Knowing the source of my anger doesn’t help it go away. The protective urge to cover and mark my intended mate is a primal instinct that is as much a part of me as my horns.
I do not have a real enemy. There is no reason for me to be this way.
I am lying to myself. Karis is the reason I can be this way.
At least there is warning. If we are going to go to this event, I will go prepared and bring every able-bodied male I can to the gathering.
And perhaps Adalyn will surprise everyone and she will find her mate and will be able to and will be able to settle down before the amount of males trigger the season in Karis.
Though it pains me to be apart from Karis today, I am happy that I don’t have to bring her anywhere close to these others. All the other ursos present are strong and capable leaders, and all are single. I’m not doubting Karis’s loyalty; more that the thought of her around other males irritates me to my very soul.
That’s the main reason why the idea of a mating season irritates me. It can possibly trigger a true heat cycle for Karis. It also means that I can’t fully claim her until that time.
With her heat will come the biological changes needed for her to accommodate other Taurines. Until then, all I can do is learn her body as well as I can and trust that our first claiming dance will be as pleasurable for her as it will be for me.
Chapter 2
Karis
I wake pleasantly sore and achy. It was the type of sore that was deeply satisfying because it was the result of good, hard work.
Or, in my case, being drilled into the mattress of this fine, four-star bedroom.
Thanks to my phone, I see over the last 72 hours was spent either preparing to fuck, actual fucking, and the aftermath of the fucking.
I’m starving. After three days of being a “fuck first, food later” heat haze, I have to believe that my heat is finally broken. Bronn must feel it, too, since this is the first day he hasn’t greeted me with his large cock in my face.
I lick my lips thinking about it. I may not be in the grip of lusty pheromones any longer, but I can still get aroused by Bronn’s hot and eager body.
The hotel room door opens and closes. Bronn’s heavy footfalls are obvious as he strides across the room. We are in a suite where the bedroom is set in the back, and it takes a few moment for him to make an appearance.
When he does, he is in his camouflaged state. I call it billionaire-chic. Gray slacks with a pristine fold down the length of the front. Black belt and black leather shoes complete his look. Crisp white collared shirt, with two buttons open to reveal the hollow of his neck. His sleeves are rolled back to his elbows, revealing the intriguing dance of muscles along his forearms.
A watch adorns his left wrist. It looks like a luxury timepiece, but I know it to be his gauntlet which disguises the fact that under his GQ appearance is a Taurine–a minotaur–complete with a pair of horns atop his head.
That he went through the trouble to put on this disguise tells me that he spent some time outside of this room. Which meant that he had enough guards to make sure that he felt comfortable leaving me alone.
“Are your men here?” I ask by way of greeting.
I must have surprised him, because he looks confused at first, as if I interrupted his train of thought. His expression changes from introspection to fully alert. “You’re awake.” Bronn’s expression warms to a simmering gaze as he appraises me. I like it when he doesn’t wear the weight of his title as urso–leader–of his House. “I didn’t expect you to be awake so early.”
He changes course from the table to my side. He slides his watch off, and his camouflage disappears. Before me stands my Bronn’s real form: nearly seven feet from boots to the top of his head, not including his impressive horns. “You’re so beautiful.”
He kisses me, leaning into me so that I topple backward in bed. His body covers me better than any blanket. I giggle, trying to push him off. “I’m still gross and sleepy-smelling.”
I shriek in laughter as he nuzzles my neck. “I do not know what you mean by this. I only smell the delicious scent of my mate. And did I not state that I do not want you speaking ill about yourself?”
He tickles my ribs and I writhe beneath him. “Yes, okay, I get it. Please stop!”
“I guess my instinct was correct. The chemical fueling your heat has finally left your system for you to form the word, ‘stop’.” Bronn stops tickling me long enough to plant another kiss on my forehead. “I cannot wait until you are truly in your season, and I claim you fully.”
I run my fingers through his tuft of hair atop his head, before caressing the base of his horns like I know he likes. “I can’t wait, either.”
I feel my cheeks ignite into flame. I don’t think I can ever get used to how Bronn and other Taurines speak so openly about sex. I mean, I agree with him in spirit, but it will take more than a few days to get my conservative middle-American upbringing out of my system.
Not that I can complain. What we do still ends in many, many orgasms. Yet, it’s only half-satisfying when all I want is to be filled with him. His dick, his tongue, his seed…speaking of which. I skim his body to slip my hand beneath his waistband to grip his rock hard cock. His tip is already slippery with pre-cum, which I glide over his length.
He rewards my shy confession and intrepid hands with a growl that’s almost a purr vibrating through his chest. “Are you sore at all? Remember that I can tell if you’re hiding the truth from me.”
I bite my lip down to keep from whining. I am honestly sore, but it’s no worse than any intense workout. Bronn doesn’t see it that way, though. He removes himself from my grasp to which I pout. “Come, we shall avail the use of the spa downstairs. But first, a certain dirty girl needs to be clean.”
My heart soars. That means he’s not completely going to make me abstain until I am no longer sore. “And then after, a certain workaholic urso will tell me where he was earlier.”
A flicker of bad tidings mars his face for one moment before it’s gone once more. “Do not worry, my sweet mate. It’s not as bad as I make it seem.” He places me on my feet so he can adjust the temperature of the water and the stream. When he approves, he carries me inside the shower, which is more like a partition in the bathroom. The tub is separate so there is plenty of room for benches.
“Oh? You looked troubled and camouflaged yourself in your businessman persona, yet I’m not supposed to worry?”
Bronn fills his hand with way more soap than I ever need to cleanse myself. “No. Because I’m sure the news won’t upset you at all. In fact, I’m sure you will be extremely excited for the news.”
He rinses me off, taking special care to make sure he gets all the bubbles.
“Okay, you can’t just leave me hanging. What am I supposed to be excited about?”
“The Prime Aurochs has decided to reinstate the mating season in light of certain events. He feels that it can accomplish two major outcomes. One, his daughter, Adalyn, might be able to find her mate and two, it might draw in any conspirators in league with the Viper’s Nest.”
I suppress a shiver. Though the satyr that auctioned me off is dead, there were plenty of other hands that helped get Adalyn and me trafficked into the Minotaur’s Labyrinth. He hasn’t said it outright, but I have a suspicion that he and his men already have suspects and persons of interest.
And now that I’m free of the chemically-induced heat they forced upon me, Bronn is free to hunt them down and bring the horrible people to justice. Except, it seems he is needed elsewhere. “That’s good, right? You might not have to hunt when the perpetrators come to you?”
Bronn’s eyes flash red. “I refuse to use you as bait.”
Ah, that’s the heart of the matter. I place both my hands on either side of his face. “As far as I see it, it doesn’t seem to be a bait situation. If it’s a seasonal ball, then many will be invited. More houses, more higher-ups being paired off so they can mate. I wouldn’t be alone, and to target me in such a public venue would be less realistic.”
“Of course, this is wise, and yes, I know all that. It’s still not comforting to know that part of the reason the Prime does this is to root out the conspirators.”
“I’m sure he is as eager to neutralize any future threat against Adalyn as you are regarding me.”
He gathers me in a bone crushing hug. I love how fiercely he claims me. “Yes, which is why you will forgive me when I make you ride my tongue. I need the taste of you on me, the scent of you around me especially since we will be traveling with other males on my team. They need to know that you belong to me and I you.”
Bronn wastes no time to drop to his knees and flick his tongue across my seam.
