Claimed

Fyre stood in the doorway, his eyes meeting hers as she descended the stairs. He was handsome, devilishly so, in his blue jeans and black tee. His white blond hair was spiked, standing a good two inches off his scalp. A silver hoop hung from his right ear, and against his golden skin, it seemed especially bright. But it was his smile that caught her attention. Perfectly white teeth sparkled between kissable lips. It was lopsided, boyish. As if he had a pair of aces beneath his sleeve and he was the only one who knew it.

“Are you going to be able to get us beyond the all-seeing eyes?”

He nodded, “Of course, Princess.”

She cocked her head as she stepped off the final landing and stood in front of him, “And are you here because you want to be, or because you have to be?”

She didn’t want to be married to someone who couldn’t stoke her fire, who didn’t want to. She didn’t want to be mated to someone she didn’t love. But in her society, in the Immortal world, they each had a Mate, and Fyre was hers. Well, at least, he was the Mate fate and her father had chosen for her. Being alone with Fyre was exactly what she needed, and if she were honest with herself, what she wanted. She had to know if there was anything between them before she vowed to love him for the rest of her life.

He laughed, the deep baritone tickling her stomach, “I don’t do anything I don’t want to do, Princess, best you figure that out early.”
“Then I suppose we should be on our way.” She stepped towards the door, her hand reaching for the handle.

He grinned at her and his hand snaked around hers, pulling the door open. He ushered her out, his hand burning through her blouse at the small of her back, “We’re going to take my car. It’s parked at the end of the drive.”

She looked out, her eyes searching the grounds for the Watchers, “It’s a long way.”

“When I say run, run.”

Nodding, she prepared herself for his word. When he finally spoke it, softly, she broke out in full speed, headed straight for the cherry red mustang convertible. Behind her, she heard footsteps – she guessed Fyre was pounding the pavement behind her, but it sounded more like an army was following them. And she knew it was… the Watchers would be following them, trying to do their jobs. Trying to protect her.
Her hair whipped out behind her, the breeze tickling her neck as it lifted the golden curls. She giggled, her legs stretching and pulling as she urged her body to move faster. He laughed behind her, the echo following her as she hopped over the door of the convertible into the passenger seat. He’d started the car and put it into drive, the tires slipping over the pavement as he squealed out of the lane, before she’d had time to buckle her seat belt.

Turning in her seat, she watched as the Watchers slowed, staring after them as they sped off, leaving behind a trail of smoking rubber. She felt giddy, her heart was racing, her adrenaline pumping. Turning back around, she flashed Fyre a smile, “So, where are we headed, Mate-Mine?”

He cracked a grin, “Now that, Princess, I can’t tell you.”

“Because?”

His eyes widened, “Because it is well known that the Watchers are able to read your mind. If I tell you where I’m taking you – they will know where to find us.”

“Oh.” She hadn’t known. “Damn.”

“You didn’t know?”

She shook her head, “No. No one told me.”

“Guess they wouldn’t.”

They drove in silence. She watched him from the corner of her eye. He was focused on the road, his left arm hanging over the side of the door, his right hand gripping the steering wheel easily. He looked at ease, his eyes never wavering from the road.

Finally, he pulled into a long lane, his eyes searching the acreage around them as he braked, slowing as they kicked up dust behind them. She watched as well, wondering if the Watchers would be waiting. They weren’t. The place felt empty. She couldn’t feel a thing in the world around them except the beating of his heart.

“Where are we,” she asked.

He shook his head, “You’re just going to have to trust me.”

She nodded, opening her door as he did, she climbed from the car and stretched. A small cabin sat in front of them, the wooden structure solid and welcoming.

“Yours?”

He nodded and took her hand, pulling her towards the cabin, “Come on, I got a surprise for you.”

The cabin was neatly decorated, small but cozy. It had the earthy smell of a man; the spicy scent infiltrated her nose and she closed her eyes, breathing him in as she stood in the doorway. With a silent sigh, she opened her eyes. He stood across the room, the blue of his eyes burning into her. He said nothing, just looked at her, searching her face.

“Nice place.” She smiled at him.

He didn’t smile back, instead his chin tilted up and he inhaled deeply, “What do you want from me, Princess?”

Closing the door behind her, she stepped toward him, “I’m not sure. I want to make sure you and I can be Mates.”

He stepped closer, his huge body looming over hers, “You doubt?”

“I have to know.”

His hand snaked out, catching her by the nape of her neck and wrapping smoothly around it. Shock flowed through her body and her breath caught. He leaned into her, pulling her flush against his body, “What is it you want to know?” He bent his head, his lips a mere breath from hers, “Is it a question of chemistry?”

Her heart hammered at her ribs and she couldn’t breathe. He was so close. She could smell his Mating scent, the sweet smell the male Mate excreted when he was about to claim his Mate. It filled her, her body tingling as goose bumps raised her skin.

His head lowered and his lips crowded hers. She exhaled slowly, and he inhaled, filling his lungs with her. Her arms arced up, circling his neck as heat laced its way through her. She touched her tongue to his, slowly pushing into his waiting mouth and he groaned. She could feel the restraint in him, knew he was holding back.

She pushed on, her tongue dancing across his as her fingers tangled in the short hair at his nape. She teased him, nipping his lower lip before sucking it into her mouth. When his hand tightened around her neck she knew she was getting somewhere and dropped one arm to the finely contoured plane of his chest.

Fyre stopped breathing. His Mating scent so strong she was nearly drowning in it as his free arm wrapped around her waist and he lifted her. He strode across the cabin, lowering her slowly to the plush bed that sat in one corner of the cabin’s main room.

He let himself cover her, his lips never leaving hers. His hands roamed her body, tracing the lines of her body as he lowered his head to the curve of her neck, nipping and licking. She arched into him, her body smoldering.

Reaching for the bottom of his shirt, she pulled, jerking it over his head. His chest rumbled and she chuckled before raising her hips into him, grinding against him. He moved like lightening. She barely had time to register what he was doing before they were skin to skin, his fiery flesh rubbing sensuously against her own.

“You pushed too far,” he growled, taking one pert nipple into his mouth.

Izabella gasped. His mouth was hot, and the wetness of his tongue against the sensitive bud shot streaks of desire through her body. “Fyre, for hell’s sake, Claim me!” She cried as his head lowered even further, his lips leaving a cool trail over her navel.

“I can smell your need.” He pulled her legs apart as he flicked his tongue over her most hidden jewel. “You’re Mating scent is screaming for me.”

“I can’t take it, Fyre, please…” She trailed off as he licked and suckled her, his mouth doing magical things to her.

She cried out as her body accepted him as her Mate, her orgasm rocking her body. He rose over her, his eyes blazing, “Tell me that you accept me.”

“Yes! I accept you as my Mate,” She whispered as he slowly began to nudge himself into her, “I accept you for all eternity. I will love and honor you, and Claim you as my own. Your pain becomes my pain, your joy mine. For the remainder of my Immortal life, my Soul shall be bound to yours.”

He surged inside her, filling her, Claiming her.