Kept By Her Obsessed Minotaurs

9. Mara

9

MARA

M y heart thrums in my chest, a wild, frenetic rhythm that matches the flickering dance of the firelight. Lazir's gaze is a physical weight, pressing against me with an intensity that steals my breath. The air between us is charged with tension.

"Then prove it. Prove that I can't handle you, Lazir." I whisper, the words escaping my lips before I can second-guess them. His eyes, those amber pools of simmering heat, narrow slightly, and I see the muscle in his jaw twitch.

I'm playing a dangerous game, I know. But if there's even a sliver of a chance that this could bind him to me, make him an ally, I have to take it. The stakes are too high for me to falter now. I need them on my side, and if that means using my body as a bargaining chip, then so be it.

Lazir takes a step toward me, his movements deliberate and predatory. My breath catches in my throat, a heady mix of fear and a dark, untamed excitement coursing through my veins. He's an alpha male in every sense of the word, from the broad expanse of his muscular chest to the confident set of his shoulders.

He doesn't speak, and somehow, his silence is more intimidating than any words could be. His eyes roam over me, taking in the flush of my cheeks, the rise and fall of my chest with each rapid breath. I'm acutely aware of my state of undress, my shirt half-discarded to tend to my wounds.

"You really think you can handle me, human?" Lazir's voice, when it finally breaks the silence, is a low rumble that seems to resonate deep within my core.

I lift my chin defiantly, meeting his gaze with as much bravado as I can muster. "I don't just think it. I know it."

A ghost of a smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth, and he takes another step closer. I can feel the heat radiating off his body, a stark contrast to the cool, damp air of the cave.

"You're playing with fire, Mara," he warns, his voice a husky growl that sends shivers down my spine.

"Maybe I like the burn," I retort, my heart pounding so loudly I'm sure he can hear it.

He smirks and says in a low whisper, "We'll see about that."

My back hits the uneven stone of the cave wall as I stumble backwards. He looms over me, a dark silhouette against the glow of the fire. His grin is feral, exposing the predator lurking beneath his stoic facade.

"You're going to learn what it means to challenge a minotaur, Mara," he growls, his voice a low thrum that vibrates through my core. "I'm going to devour you, and you'll beg for more."

His words should terrify me, but instead, they stoke a fire deep within my belly. I'm playing with forces I barely understand. Yet, I can't deny the intoxicating allure of this dangerous game.

Lazir's hands grab and pin my wrists above my head, his grip unyielding. "I'll start with your little clit," he purrs, his breath hot against my ear. "I'll eat you with such fierceness, you'll forget your own name."

I squirm beneath him, my body betraying my shock at his crass words. His knee nudges my thighs apart, and I'm powerless to resist. The cool air of the cave kisses my exposed skin, and I'm acutely aware of the wetness already pooling between my legs.

"You'll fuck me hard?" I challenge, my voice barely above a whisper. "Bend me over and spread my legs until I scream?"

His laughter is a deep, throaty sound that sends a shiver through me. "Oh, I'll do more than that. I'll ravage you from head to toe, leaving no part of you untouched. I'll fuck you like crazy until you're hoarse from screaming my name."

As he speaks, his free hand roams over my body. His fingers skim the curve of my breast, and I arch into his touch, my nipples hardening to peaks. He chuckles at my response, the sound dark and seductive.

"Please," I beg, though I'm not sure what I'm asking for. More? Less? For him to stop this maddening dance of pleasure and pain?

In response, he pinches my nipple hard, the shock of pain lancing through me and mingling with the growing ache between my legs. I gasp, my back bowing off the wall as I struggle against his hold. But Lazir is relentless, his touch cruel and exquisite all at once.

"You'll take what I give you, human," he says, his voice a guttural growl. "And you'll love every second of it."

His breath is hot against my neck, his stubble scratching my skin as he buries his face in the crook of my shoulder. His tongue darts out, tasting me, and a shudder runs through my body. The sensation of his lips, his teeth, as he sucks on my jugular sends a jolt of electricity straight to my core. I can feel the hard length of him pressing against me, insistent and unyielding.

"Do you feel that, Mara?" he murmurs, his voice a low, dangerous purr. "That's what you do to me. But if we continue down this path, I won't be able to control myself. You're fragile, and I'm... not."

His words should be a warning, a clear signal to put an end to this madness. But instead, they ignite a fire within me, a desperate yearning that I can't quite understand.

He pulls away abruptly, his amber eyes blazing with a primal hunger that sends a thrill of fear and arousal coursing through my veins. He looks at me with a savagery that speaks of his struggle to maintain control, to keep the beast at bay.

"We can't do this," he growls, his voice raw with restraint.

He snarls, a sound that seems to echo off the cavern walls, and then he's moving away, leaving me cold and aching. I watch him go, my body still trembling from the intensity of his touch. My heart races, a wild, untamed rhythm that threatens to consume me.

What the hell is wrong with me? I should be terrified, repulsed by the thought of being with a minotaur—with any man, especially under these circumstances. But instead, I find myself longing for his touch, for the heat of his body against mine. The thought sends a blush creeping across my cheeks, and I hastily pull my tunic over my head, eager to cover my nakedness.

As I fumble with the fabric, my mind races. I've heard stories of human women taken by minotaurs, of the pleasure they find in the arms of these powerful beings. But I never imagined I'd find myself in a similar situation, caught between the fear of the unknown and the intoxicating allure of the forbidden.

I take a deep, shaky breath, trying to steady my racing heart. Lazir's scent still clings to me, a heady mixture of leather and earth and something uniquely him. It's intoxicating, and I can't help but inhale deeply.

I sit down heavily on the makeshift bed, my thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and desire. Lazir's words echo in my mind, a stark reminder of the power he holds over me. He's right; I am fragile compared to him, a fact that should terrify me. And yet, there's a part of me that yearns to explore this dangerous connection, to see just how far I can push him—and myself.