Cruel Union (Brutal Universe #1)

35. Aurora

35

AURORA

“ O h , Slade …” I moaned weakly at last as the pleasure ebbed. “ Oh , that felt incredible! How did you know I needed…”

“ Needed to be fucked?” he asked bluntly, finishing my thought.

I blushed but nodded.

“ Yes . That .”

“ Because you were going into Need Fever , baby,” he told me. “ Listen , from now on if you start feeling feverish or overheated and your pussy feels empty and achy, please come get me!”

“ I will,” I promised, dropping my eyes. “ I didn’t know… I fell asleep in the tub and when I woke up I just felt wrong.”

Slade frowned.

“ No more taking baths by yourself. Not until I can Breed you and get The Need completely under control. From now on, I’ll bathe you every night.”

“ What ? But that’s ridiculous,” I protested. “ I can take care of myself.”

“ No you can’t—not until I can Breed you,” he growled. “ I almost lost you tonight— I won’t risk it again.”

“ Well how is Breeding going to help?” I asked, beginning to feel exasperated.

“ Because my seed has more compounds in it than anything else—even my saliva,” he told me. “ Once I Breed you and do a Deep Seeding , your womb will close to hold my seed inside for a long, long time. That will help keep you safe from Need Fever .”

I didn’t know what to say to that—or how to refute it.

“ Well when…when are you going to Breed me then?” I asked, hoping my voice wasn’t shaking too much.

“ Not until you can take the last spreader in the pack,” he said, nodding at the dark purple one that was almost as big as his shaft. “ Until then, you’ll need to wear one inside you all the time to help your pussy start to open.”

“ What ?” I exclaimed. Now I really was upset. “ You want me to wear this thing up inside me all night?”

“ And the next day too,” he agreed. “ For however long it takes for you to open up for me, baby. I’m going to keep licking you, too,” he added, his eyes flashing. “ Not just to stem The Need , because I fucking want to.”

“ What if…what if I don’t want you to?” I asked, trying to sound defiant and failing.

Slade gave me a knowing look.

“ Come on, Princess —we both know that’s not true. You love having your little pussy licked—you love it so much you came all over my face. Twice .”

I could feel my cheeks getting hot with a blush again, but I couldn’t refute his words. I did enjoy it. In fact, I was surprised at how comfortable I felt lying there with Slade between my thighs with his face right next to my cunny.

Maybe it was because I felt weak and wrung out from coming so hard or maybe it was the way he had tasted me so deeply and thoroughly. He hadn’t just licked me—he had made love to my pussy with his mouth, kissing me there every bit as eagerly and tenderly as he kissed my lips.

It was hard to believe that the ruthless Enforcer I’d seen cutting off Lord Hornsby’s fingers was the same man who had tasted me. I could sense the sexual need in his big body, coiled inside him like the Darkness he kept tucked away. But he hadn’t forced me or rushed me—he’d allowed me to take my time opening to him, and that made all the difference.

And later, when he’d fucked me with the stretcher rod, he still had been careful not to hurt me—he had given me exactly what I needed and no more. He never lost control and went too far, never scared me. I felt I was safe in his hands, even though we hadn’t been married a week yet.

But Slade was my enemy—why was he so careful and tender with me?

Because he loves you, whispered a little voice in my head.

I pushed the thought away. Surely that couldn’t be right! Slade only wanted me so I could give him an heir—that was all.

Then why hasn’t he Bred you yet? whispered that same little voice. Why is he taking his time with you, going so slow? Why is he being so careful not to hurt or scare you? He said he wanted you under him every night and he’s waited years to claim you, but now he’s taking things easy—not rushing at all because he wants to be sure you’re comfortable. Why would he act like that if he didn’t love you?

I didn’t have an answer for that—nor did I need one, I told myself. I just had to get through this for six months and then I could go home to L’Crist .

But go home and do what? Be my brother’s hostess again? Listen to the nasty rumors that Duke Hornsby would no doubt spread about me as soon as he got his fingers reattached and went back to Court ? Gossip with Pansy and help in the kitchen and plan feast days that meant nothing to me because they were always just the same thing over and over?

I pushed those thoughts aside. I was going to go home, I told myself stubbornly. And I wasn’t going to have Slade’s baby.

I was almost sure of that.