Pursued (58 page)

Oh yeah, the bonding fruit I ate.
Kat had given it to her after their get-together, just as she’d promised. Despite all of Olivia’s jokes about her redheaded friend being a “bonding fruit pusher,” Kat had actually warned Elise to be careful with the fruit.

“Just a few bites at a time,” she’d told Elise, giving her several of the fruits. “After you eat it, you
will
need help getting over the effects.” She winked. “And by that I mean you’re going to need a
serious
boink-fest with your man. So don’t eat it if you don’t think Merrick is willing to give it up.”

“I’ll be fine,” Elise had said confidently as she cupped the fragrant triangular fruits in her hand. They smelled so good they made her mouth water. Merrick wasn’t due back for several hours—he was working in the docking bay to duplicate more of the wormhole ships for the Kindred. Elise knew she ought to put the bonding fruits away and leave them alone until later. But she hadn’t been able to resist taking just one tiny nibble…

As it turned out, that had been a mistake. It was like opening a big box of chocolates and promising herself she would only try one. Five minutes later, all the bonding fruit was gone and Elise’s chin and hands were dripping with juice.

She’d had a moment of deep trepidation, but when she didn’t immediately fall into some kind of lust-crazed seizure, she decided that she would probably be okay. The entire time as she cooked supper—she and Merrick usually took turns and she loved playing with her new Kindred kitchen appliances—she waited for the fruit to kick in. But…nothing.

By the time they were getting ready for bed, Elise had pretty much decided she was immune to the effects of the bonding fruit. It was disappointing, but…and that was when she’d begun to feel it. First as a tingle in her nipples and between her legs, and then as the full-fledged throbbing ache that filled her body with desire.

“Merrick?” she said in a slightly strangled voice.

“Baby, please…” He sat down on the bed beside her and ran a hand over his skull-cut hair. “Please,” he said to Elise. “Don’t keep making me tell you no. I want it as much as you do—
believe
me, I do. Especially when you’re dressed like
that
.” He nodded at Elise’s sleep outfit, which was a pair of skimpy red satin shorts and a lace-edged red tank top to match. “I mean, I can see how hard your nipples are right through that thin little top,” he went on, his voice dropping to a soft growl. “But I can’t—
we
can’t—risk it.”

“Why not?” Elise insisted. Despite the throbbing heat, which was spreading throughout her entire body, she still tried to keep up a rational conversation. “I feel ready, Merrick, honestly I do. I know we can’t reform our bond, but don’t you think we could at least try to make love?”

He shifted uncomfortably. “I’m just afraid that making love might lead to other things…things that might frighten or hurt you.”

“You mean bonding sex?” Elise asked, as calmly as she could. “I know all about that, Merrick and the idea doesn’t scare me.”

“Well maybe it should,” he growled. “Baby, you’ve seen my mating fist and you’ve seen my fangs. In order for us to try bonding sex, you’d have to have both inside you for a long,
long
time. And it’s not something we could stop in the middle if you didn’t like it. I mean, I could stop biting you, of course, but once the mating fist swells inside you, it stays there until we’re finished. And—”

“I know,” Elise interrupted him. “And it takes a
loooong
time to finish. Isn’t that right?” She leaned closer to him, rubbing her breasts against his arm. Just the idea of having him in her like that, so thick and hard, was making her feel so hot and needy she wasn’t sure what she was going to do.

“Uh, yeah.” Merrick frowned and gave her a strange look. “Are you feeling all right tonight, Elise? You’re acting kind of…strange.”

“I’m fine!” she protested, sitting back in a hurry. In fact, she felt like she was going to go insane if she didn’t get some relief soon but she didn’t want to admit she’d overdosed on bonding fruit when Kat had specifically warned her not to. “I, uh…I’ll be in the bathroom,” she said, jumping up.

She closed herself in the bathroom and leaned against the door, trembling. A quick glance in the viewer showed her a girl with tousled black hair, wide eyes, and shaking hands. God, she was like a woman on a drug trip!
Have to get this out of my system,
she told herself and plunged her hand into her silky red shorts. Surely an orgasm would take the edge off…

Her pussy was so slick and wet and swollen just a few light strokes with the tips of her fingers were enough to send her flying over the edge. Elise moaned in surprised pleasure. Her therapist had been urging her to do this—to “reclaim her body” as she put it, but so far Elise had resisted. Now that she had no choice, she was relearning for the first time since her adolescence how pleasurable her own touch could be.

Pleasurable, but not enough, she realized, after the fifth time she brought herself over the edge. What the hell was wrong with her? When was this stuff ever going to wear out? Suddenly, Kat’s words echoed in her head…
“You
will
need help getting over the effects,”
she’d said. Elise cursed under her breath. She was going to have to tell Merrick—there was no way around it.

As though her thoughts had called to him, she heard him knocking on the bathroom door.

“Elise, are you all right?” He sounded worried. “You’ve been in there a long time.”

“I…I’m fine.” Elise smoothed her hair and tried to look normal as she stepped out of the bathroom, even though she felt so horny she could scream.

Merrick frowned at her, his nostrils flaring. “You’re sure you’re all right?”

“Uh-huh.” She looked down. “Only, well…I may have done something…something I shouldn’t have done.”

“What?” He smoothed a tendril of hair back from her face and looked at her anxiously. “What is it, baby? Just tell me—I won’t be mad.”

“Well, I…” When it came down to it, she found it hard to admit. “I got some bonding fruit from Kat.”

He frowned. “Why would you do that? I told you if we ever had bonding sex the compounds in my precum would help you stretch to take me.”

Just the thought of taking him inside her sent a fresh rush of lust through Elise and she shivered helplessly. “I…I know,” she murmured, crossing her arms over her breasts. “But I was hoping we would make love tonight and I thought it couldn’t hurt to have a little extra help. You’re really, uh, big—you know? And I don’t just mean your mating fist. All of you is pretty much extra-extra-large.”

“Yeah, well…” He shrugged. “But you still didn’t have to eat bonding fruit.” He frowned. “How much did you eat, anyway? You’re only supposed to take a few bites, aren’t you?”

Elise bit her lip. “Um, well, yes. That’s what you’re
supposed
to do. But Kat gave me three of them and they smelled so good, well…”

Merrick’s eyes widened. “You ate
all
of them.
All three
of them?”

Reluctantly, Elise nodded. “At first I didn’t feel anything so I thought I was immune. But now…” She gestured helplessly at herself. “I feel…God, Merrick, I feel like I’m burning up inside.”

“I’m not surprised.” He looked angry. “I’m going to have a word with Deep and Lock about this. That damn bonding fruit is fucking dangerous.”

“Not if you help me.” Elise put a hand on his arm. “Please, Merrick…”

He groaned softly. “Gods, baby, you’re putting me a really difficult position.
I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t,” she promised softly. “Please, just…I need…need
something
.”

“I know what you need.” Abruptly he scooped her up and carried her to the bed.

Elise looked at him uncertainly as he laid her down gently in the center of the huge bed, with her legs dangling off the edge. “What are you doing?”

“Taking the edge off.” Merrick knelt between her legs and began to caress her thighs gently with long, slow strokes. “I’ll get you through this, baby, I swear it,” he murmured.

“Thank you, Merrick.” She moaned softly as he kissed the inside of her knee. “I promise I didn’t mean to eat so much of that fruit. It just tasted really good.”

“I know something else that tastes good.” He raised an eyebrow at her and kissed the inside of her knee again. “Need to taste you, baby, need to eat your sweet, creamy pussy to try and help you feel better. Can you let me do that?”

Elise gripped the covers on either side of her. She’d never stopped thinking about how good having his tongue on her—inside her—had felt that last time he’d tasted her. But back then, she had been on top. Now she was lying helplessly on her back with Merrick between her legs.

“It’s okay,” he murmured, as though sensing her thoughts. “I’ll stay down here on the floor the whole time. Just spread your legs and let me taste you.”

“All…all right,” she whispered, her stomach fluttering with excitement and apprehension. She watched as he slowly pulled the red satin shorts down her legs and spread her thighs.

* * * * *

Merrick didn’t dive right in, though the Gods knew he wanted to. Just the sight of her soft little pussy, all open and bare for him, her plump cunt lips glistening with her juices, made his mouth water. But he wanted to be gentle, wanted to take things slowly.

In a way, he felt like Elise was a beautiful, delicate flower he’d found growing in a secluded meadow. If he wasn’t careful, he could easily trample that soft little flower beneath his big boot. He didn’t want to do that—he wanted to nourish it, to make it bloom. And that would take time and patience.

He stroked her legs first, getting her used to the feeling of his hands on her skin. It was a long time since he’d dared to touch her so intimately. He wanted her too badly—needed her too much—and he’d told himself there was no way he could have her.

Not taking her now, either,
he told himself sternly as he stroked closer and closer to her inner thighs.
Just going to take the edge off for her, help her get over that damn fruit she ate.

Elise moaned as he stroked the top of her mound, petting her soft nest of neatly trimmed curls. Gods, he loved her little pussy. It was so soft and warm and inviting. And her cunt honey was so sweet and salty and delicious. Merrick could go down on her all night if only she’d let him. And that might be exactly what he needed to do, if he was going to get her over the effects of the bonding fruit. He just hoped eating her would be enough because he was still determined there was no way in hell they were going any further than that.

“Easy now, baby,” he murmured as he pulled her a little closer to the edge of the bed. “Gonna kiss you now, just a little. Try and relax.”

“O…okay,” Elise whispered and he could hear the tension in her voice. Gods, he hoped she wasn’t reliving anything awful from her past. If only he could feel her emotions again, as he’d been able to back when they had the bond, he would have been able to tell. But he couldn’t—he just had to go slowly and hope he wasn’t scaring her.

“Just a little,” he whispered again and placed a soft, delicate kiss at the apex of her sex, right where her tight little slit began. Elise moaned softly as his breath stirred her curls and Merrick allowed himself a moment to breathe in her warm, feminine scent, rubbing his cheek against her mound, before kissing her again.

He went a little lower this time, placing a hot, open-mouthed kiss in the center of her glistening pussy lips. He could see just a hint of her little clit peaking out from between her pink folds and he let his tongue flick out, just barely caressing it in mid-kiss.

“Merrick!” His name on her lips was like a prayer. The desire in her voice sent a surge of lust straight to his cock. Gods, he wanted her
so damn much,
but he had to take this slowly.

“A little deeper now, baby,” he murmured, stroking her inner thighs, spreading her wider for him. “Need to kiss you a little deeper.” Gently, he parted her pussy lips with his thumbs, baring her inner cunt completely. He nearly groaned when he saw how hot and swollen her little clit was. Gods, the bonding fruit was really working on her—she needed this
badly
.

Carefully, he sucked her clit into his mouth and bathed it gently with his tongue. The warm wetness of her pussy juice coated his lips and the flavor of her honey exploded across his tongue. Merrick growled softly and licked deeper, spreading her folds with the tip of his tongue, lapping her sweet juice straight from the source.
Fucking delicious.
But he wanted more—
needed
more—and he sensed that Elise needed more too.

“Need to taste inside you, baby,” he murmured, looking up at her. “Need to put my tongue in your pussy.”

“Yes,” she whispered, her eyes meeting his. “Yes, Merrick—God, please!”

It was all the encouragement he needed. Pressing his face against her sweet mound, he slid his tongue deep into her tight, wet channel and began to thrust as hard as he could.

He wanted to simulate the feeling of a cock inside her, at least in part, because he knew that the bonding fruit would make her long for penetration. But when Elise began moaning and scratching at his shoulders, he knew she wasn’t far from the edge.

Just need to make her come,
he told himself, increasing the speed of his thrusting, loving the feel of her thighs wrapped around his head.
Just need to make her come and then she’ll be okay.

He hoped.

* * * * *

Elise couldn’t help herself—she was drowning in pleasure. And still it wasn’t enough.

Gasping, she grabbed at his shoulders as she felt his warm, wet tongue invade her, pushing even deeper into her channel. God, she was so
close.
But even though the feel of his mouth on her pussy was amazing, she still felt like she needed
more.

As though sensing her need, Merrick withdrew his tongue and slipped two thick fingers deep inside her as he went back to lapping her clit. Elise cried out as the sudden change in sensation finally pushed her over the edge. Yes, this was what she needed—to be filled, to be fucked. But deeper. Thicker.
Harder
.