A Dangerous Fury (The Sentinel Demons Book 3) (11 page)

A
thena sobbed openly with relief, practically crying a river—or at least a small pond—on Hunter’s muscular chest. She cried for the pain he’d suffered, for the mental anguish he’d been put through for his entire existence because he’d been a
stabilizer
. He’d been elementally changed through no fault of his own when he was only a newborn, forever a tool for the gods’ convenience. She knew the Fates had never given a thought to what they were doing to a human life. Hunter had been considered disposable once he’d served his purpose to the gods. Not a moment’s consideration was given to the fact that his life was valuable.

Her mother had quickly given Athena instructions before restoring her power and sending her back to Earth. Most of the information Metis had given Athena was things she already knew. The most vital thing she’d relayed to Athena was that Hunter wouldn’t die, that if Athena got to him before he took his last breath, he’d live.

Her mother had spoken the truth. Hunter’s breathing was becoming more even and she could hear his heartbeat speed up to a normal rhythm, but he remained unconscious.

After pulling herself together, she swiped the tears from her face, and got to work. She climbed up on the bed, careful not to hurt Hunter. She knelt by his side and gently put her lips to his mating mark. Her body shuddered as she willed some of her power into Hunter’s body. When she finished, she sat back on her heels and watched his face gain color and his eyes flutter open. She didn’t think she’d ever seen anything as beautiful as the amber glow of his eyes.

“What the hell did you do?” Hunter asked warily, sitting up and flexing his limbs. After testing out his improved condition, he said gruffly, “I feel almost normal again.”

“It’s a temporary fix, but it won’t last unless we mate. You need your own powers back, too,” she warned him.

“What did you do?” Hunter repeated insistently, locking his gaze with hers.

Athena shrugged. “I infused you with some of my magic, enough so you can get it up to mate.”

Hunter’s expression turned indignant. “I don’t have a problem getting it up, Princess. All I have to do is be in the same room with you.”

“You were unconscious,” she reminded him reasonably. “I hardly think you can mate like that.”

“So you lost some power temporarily?” His voice was getting stronger, and more demanding.

“I’ll explain later,” she told him hurriedly, healing her injuries and cleaning herself up with her magic now that she was certain Hunter had the power he needed. “Say the mating words, Hunter,” she pleaded desperately. “Trust me.” She knew he’d be bound immediately after uttering the oath.

“Trust isn’t the issue, Athena,” Hunter grumbled. “It will never be an issue with us. I told you I’d be willing to die for you.” His voice grew lower, hungrier.

Athena wanted to tell him that he almost
did
die
because
of her and the gods, but her focus was completely single-minded at the moment: seduce and bond with Hunter Winston.

Desperate to know Hunter was safe, Athena stood and unbuckled the belt of her gown, removing her clothing the human way. Hunter stopped talking, and she could feel his eyes riveted to her body as she slowly lowered the single shoulder of her long dress and it slid down her body as she lowered her arms. The material caught for a moment at her hips and she shimmied to make the gown fall to the floor with her belt.

Before Hunter could use any of the valuable magic she’d transferred to him, she pulled back the sheet, discovering that although he was bare-chested, he was still wearing jeans. She removed them impatiently with a wave of her hand.

“I told you I have no problem getting it up when you’re around,” Hunter said hoarsely, glancing at his erect and beyond-ready cock.

Her core clenched as she surveyed his gorgeous, naked body, every muscle rippling with power. Her eyes stayed fixed on his enormous member for a moment before she finally broke her stare.

Athena cleansed the bed and then Hunter, taking away all of the signs of his illness. Then, she climbed as seductively as she could onto the bed and pushed him back onto the pillow. “Mate with me, Hunter. Make me yours.”

His eyes flared as he eyed her hotly. “Jesus, there are times when I’m so damn happy you don’t wear underwear.”

She gave him what she hoped was a sensual smile. “I’m assuming now is one of those times?”

“Yes,” he grunted, grasping her around the waist and wrapping a large hand behind her neck. “At least kiss me before you fuck me,” he said, amused, his lips starting to form a tiny smile.

Athena was lost at that moment, her body catching fire as her belly fluttered just from seeing his naughty smirk. She straddled him as he pulled her mouth down to his and devoured her lips with a hunger that she answered immediately. Their tongues entwined and fought for dominance, neither one of them really caring who won. All Athena cared about was getting close to him, absorbing his essence into her being.

Athena came out of the embrace panting, her core slick against his rock-hard abs. “I need you,” she entreated, not caring if she begged him to mate them.

“Tell me the words again, Athena. I want to hear them. Say them over and over again,” Hunter demanded in a guttural voice.

“I love you,” she said in a breathless rush. “I love you.”

His eyes fierce, Hunter relinquished his hold on her reluctantly as he said solemnly, “I love you, too, my beautiful goddess.”

Athena’s heart didn’t have a chance to totally absorb his words. With his next breath, he started the mating chant in the ancient demonic language, his voice strong and urgent. Athena gasped as his arms flew above his head and were fixed in an outstretched position that looked almost painful. His legs were bound in the same manner by the invisible, unbreakable ties of the mating ritual.

He loves me. He really loves me.

Her heart was slamming against her chest wall, her entire being flooding with happiness and light. “I want to make this pleasant for you. I don’t know how to seduce a man,” she told him hesitantly. “I want to touch you.”

“This body is fucking yours. Do whatever you want, but please do something,” Hunter snarled in an anguished voice.

Athena knelt beside him and ran a covetous hand along his hard chest, relishing the feel of every sculpted muscle. He was such a miracle to her that she could hardly breathe.

Slowly trailing her hand down, she wrapped her fingers around his cock, savoring the rigid feel of him, and the velvety covering that stretched along his length. Leaning down, she licked the droplet of fluid from the silky head, twirling her tongue around it as she moaned. “You taste so good,” she whispered against his cock.

She’d tasted him before, but never for very long. Hunter always lost his patience and flipped her onto her back and buried himself inside her. Not that she’d ever complained about
that
, but having him restrained was an erotic experience, one that she wanted to use to pleasure him.

Athena took her time, opening her mouth wider and taking as much of his shaft as she possibly could, sucking him like a lollipop as she pulled back. He tasted like Hunter, and he was intoxicating. She lost all sense of time and place as she took him deeper and deeper, his groans of pleasure urging her on.

“Athena, stop or I’ll come,” Hunter commanded, yanking at his invisible restraints. “Goddamn it, stop!” he bellowed when she continued.

His yell jolted Athena back into reality and she slowly let his cock pop out of her mouth. No matter how desperately she wanted to make him come, taste his satisfaction on her tongue, her need to mate was greater.

She moved her leg over his body to straddle him, desperate to feel him inside her. “You’re mine now, Hunter.”

“I’ve always been yours,” he growled. “You need to be ready, Princess.”

“I’m ready,” she whispered huskily, watching his sexy face as his hypnotic amber eyes speared her.

She’d never been with Hunter this way. He put it off, concerned about her taking him too deep in her near-virginal state.

“Show me,” he demanded.

Before she could ask him what he meant, she saw the vision he put in her mind. She was too far gone to hesitate, putting her fingers between her thighs and running them along her saturated folds. She was already wet, and hot enough to self-combust. Like the image, she pulled her hand away and moved it to Hunter’s mouth. He sucked her fingers greedily, his rough tongue laving each finger thoroughly, as though he were desperate for a taste of her. “Fuck me,” Hunter commanded blatantly as he finally finished feasting on her fingers.

His low, deep order vibrated through Athena, and she responded by lifting her body up, positioning his cock, and letting the shaft enter her until Hunter was balls deep inside her. “Like that?” she asked him on a moan, wanting to be as arrogant as he was, but he felt too damn good.

“Oh, hell yeah.” His demands had subsided and his oath sounded almost awed. “That’s it, sweetheart. Ride me hard.”

Her muscles stretched to accept his length and girth in the unfamiliar position, but the sensation rocked her world, having Hunter buried so deeply inside her. She felt so connected to him, so consumed by him. She lifted up again and sank back down, falling into a fast-paced rhythm as she watched Hunter’s face. He was watching her.

“Your eyes are so red, so incredibly hot,” Hunter rasped as he tried to lift his hips to meet her downward stroke. “Touch your breasts, Athena. Make it as good as it can get.”

She gasped as Hunter filled her once again, wondering if she could take it any hotter. But her breasts were rising and falling, and they felt good when she reached her hands up to cup them. Her nipples were hard and sensitive, and she pinched them to try to make the ache in her belly go away. It didn’t. It intensified, and she broke Hunter’s gaze to lean her head back and let out a strangled moan. “Oh God, Hunter. I can’t stand it.”

“Bite me, Athena. Claim me right fucking now.” His voice was both arrogant and pleading at the same time.

“Mine,” she whispered harshly before putting a hand on both sides of his head to steady herself. She leaned down swiftly and found the faded mating mark. Sinking her teeth into his skin hard, she started to come as she marked him.

“Christ!” Hunter snarled, his entire body starting to shudder as Athena clamped down on his shoulder and his cock.

Their positions switched almost instantly, Hunter rolling her onto her back and pummeling into her body as she leaned her head back on the pillow with her eyes closed. Her body continued to pulsate even after she released her teeth from his shoulder, and she screamed as Hunter bit her while he hammered his cock into her over and over.

Completely overwhelmed, Athena rode out the waves of intense pleasure, wrapping her arms around Hunter and sinking her nails into his upper back. Her legs wrapped unconsciously around him, her hips surging up to meet every hard thrust of his cock.

Mine. Mine. Mine.

Athena savored the sound of Hunter’s gruff voice claiming her in her mind. “Yours,” she agreed out loud.

“Us,” Hunter groaned as her climax milked his orgasm and he spilled his warm release deep inside her.

They stayed locked together, and Hunter rolled her on top of him again. Athena came back to reality slowly, her heart slowing as the moments passed. “I love you,” she whispered against his ear.

“I love you more,” Hunter said in a voice cracking with emotion. “I still don’t know how I ended up winning your love, but it will always be my most valued possession.” He stroked her hair gently, tenderly.

“And yours will be mine,” she answered softly, landing a gentle kiss on his neck.

“Let me see my mark,” he requested dominantly, as though he needed proof that she really was his.

She leaned up and let Hunter view the vibrant twin flames, now deep red and throwing orange flames of magic. Her breath caught as she saw Hunter’s shoulder, the mark imprinted boldly there now.

She touched the mating impression gently. “Does it hurt?”

He grinned up at her. “As much as yours does.”

The mating symbol didn’t hurt at all. In fact, her soul was bursting with love, and the tattoo was pleasantly warm.

She grinned back at him like an idiot. “We’re mated.” She sighed and dropped her head on his shoulder.

Athena didn’t need to ask if Hunter was happy. She could feel her warmth radiating in his soul, and his darkness finding a place in hers. It made her strangely content.

Hunter shifted, and rolled onto his side. He wrapped his arms around her and released a masculine sigh as their bodies met skin-to-skin. He placed one leg between hers until their bodies were completely entwined.

“Are you hurting?” he drawled sleepily.

Athena knew he was ready to jump out of bed the moment she affirmed that she needed
anything,
even though she could manifest it herself.

“No,” she denied quickly, hugging him tighter. “All I need is for you to hold me.” The entire mating experience had been emotionally overwhelming. She needed time to get used to being completely bonded to Hunter.