Protected by Artemis (Gods and Beasts #3)

7. Cade

Chapter 7

Cade

T he wolf stalked its prey, hiding behind the sparse vegetation. The heat of the tropical, salty air, and warm breeze felt alien on its thick fur, the coarse sand under its paws an irritation.

It let out a low snarl as it spied the target, crouching low, ready to attack.

No , Cade commanded his wolf. We have to stay hidden.

It was a challenge, trying to remain stealthy as he followed the tour group all over the north end of the island, as there was very little cover, and he had to stay downwind lest any of the other wolves scented him.

And many times, he just wanted to say fuck it and let the wolf loose on that asshole, Daniel Philipps.

“My hero,” Artemis cried before she hopped on the back of Daniel’s ATV, her body sliding up against the other man’s as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

His wolf roared in protest, and it took all his might to pull the animal back, though this time, he was truly tempted just to let go.

He counted to ten—slowly—waiting for the ATV to speed off and the redness in his vision to fade. Still, the stab in his chest wouldn’t go away, his stomach burning with jealousy at the thought of Artemis being skin-to-skin with another man, having another’s scent all over?—

Go! He commanded his wolf, and the animal sprang forward, massive paws pounding the sand as they ran in the opposite direction of the group.

Cade knew Artemis could handle the rest of the trip, and he didn’t need to torture himself anymore by watching them flirt with each other as he had the entire tour.

At first, he told himself she was just trying to get close to Daniel; he did acknowledge her effort. But as the tour went on, it was obvious there was no other way for her to remain within a foot of Daniel for thirty minutes except to enact her original plan. Still, the image of them together…

He ran faster, pushing his wolf to its limit, making the return trip back to where the tour started in no time. As he shifted back into his animal, he dove straight into the ocean, hoping the waters would cool his rage. He swam in the clear turquoise sea, trying to think of anything except Artemis’s arms around Daniel, the things she whispered in his ear as they rode together.

His beautiful, sexy Artemis, who had asked him into her bed the night before, with another man.

Not his. Not completely.

They had done everything else but the deed. Fuck, he would give his left nut to be inside her, to feel her clasp around his cock as she came over and over again. To spill his seed inside her and mark her.

Cade dove out of the water and stalked toward the shore. By the time he retrieved his clothes and circled back to the tour meeting point, all the ATVs were lined up and the group gathered to where the buggies waited to bring them back to their villas.

“Cade!” Artemis called, waving her hand excitedly at him. “You’re here!” She jumped up into his arms and pressed her cheek to his. “It’s done,” she said, the excitement in her voice barely contained. “I did it!”

Cade’s nose wrinkled, the stab in his chest burying deeper as he smelled Daniel’s scent all over her. His wolf, too, gnashed its teeth in fury. “Good,” he managed to croak out.

“Let’s get out—hey!” she protested when he unceremoniously dropped her back onto her feet. “Cade?—”

He sidestepped her and strode over to Daniel, who was chatting with the tour guides. “Heard what you did for Artemis.”

“Cade, man, I—oh.” He scratched at the back of his head. “She was in quite the pickle. I was just telling the guides here that they need to take care of their ATVs. Funny though,” he chuckled. “They assured me that their mechanics keep the vehicles in tip-top shape. Must have been a fluke or something.”

“Yeah.” He curled his fists at its side. “A fluke.”

“So, you ready to go back up north? I’ll sure miss the sunshine when I’m back in our territory.”

“I’m ready,” Cade said. “I have lots of business to attend to, as I’m sure you’ve heard.”

“Business? Oh yeah.” He whistled. “Mother told me about what happened—and during your sister’s mating ceremony too. I hope you find whoever’s responsible.”

Daniel’s good boy act grated on his nerves. “Me too. But maybe you could tell me?—”

“Cade!” Hands tugged at his forearm. “There you are,” Artemis said. “Come on, I want to go back to the villa and enjoy our last night. Oh, hey, Daniel! Thanks again for your help.”

“Wait, I—” He didn’t anticipate Artemis’s strength and determination as she hauled him away from Daniel. “What the hell are you doing?” he hissed once they were far away enough from the group.

“What am I doing?” Letting go of him, she placed her hands on her hips. “What were you doing? I told you, I already have the data and Hephaestus is working on it as we speak. You didn’t have to start interrogating him.”

“And did you ask him if he knew anything about the bombing?”

“And when was I supposed to ask him that?”

“Oh, I don’t know…how about when you were taking selfies overlooking the bay or when you were licking his ice-cream cone?”

“Licking his—” Her jaw dropped. “Were you following us? Spying on us?”

“I was. And so what?”

“I already told you, I was able to scan his phone with the app and Hephaestus is working on the data as we speak.” Her pretty face scrunched up in anger. “Don’t you believe I can do this by myself? I told you, I made a promise, and I mean to keep it. Do you think I’m incompetent?” Her beautiful blue eyes turned stormy. “Don’t you trust me?”

“It’s not you. It’s him I don’t trust!”

“Daniel?” She laughed out loud. “He’s a boy scout. He wouldn’t even look at my tits for more than a second.”

“If you think that would make me less angry, you are sorely mistaken.”

“What’s the matter then? Why are you so furious?”

“Because I can smell him all over you!” he yelled. “And all I want to do is erase it and cover you with my scent.”

A flash of panic crossed her face—which was swiftly replaced by lust. “Then do it.”

He blinked. “What?”

“Do. It.” Raising her hand, she snapped her fingers, and the sand beneath his feet disappeared, replaced by the plush carpet. They stood toe-to-toe at the foot of the massive bed of their villa. “Well?”

With a deep, guttural growl, he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. But instead of throwing her on the bed, he marched toward the bathroom.

“Cade?” Artemis sounded panicked. “Where are you taking me?”

“Need. To. Wash. Him. Off!” He placed her onto the floor of the shower, then reached for her clothes. The bra top proved to be difficult to remove, so he simply ripped it down the middle, the scraps of Lycra shredding in his hands.

Artemis gasped. “Cade!”

He did the same with her yoga pants and underwear, turning them to ribbons around her feet. Reaching behind her, he turned on the tap, hot water blasting at them both. Before she could protest, he cupped her chin then melded his mouth to hers. Her hands reached up to grab at his shoulders, and he lifted her up so she could wrap her legs around him.

The tightness in his chest eased as the water cleaned away Daniel’s scent. When he tried to pull away, Artemis refused to let him go, her arms and legs locking around him like a vice.

“No,” she said against his mouth.

“Artemis—”

“I’m ready,” she breathed. “Please, Cade.”

His heart stuttered. “Ready? Are you sure?”

“Yes. Please, Cade, don’t make me beg,” she said, the ache in her voice evident. “I want this. Need this. Need you.”

He let out a hiss as her hips undulated against the growing erection in his shorts. “If you’re sure.”

“Yes.”

That was all he needed as he pushed her back against the wall. Prying her legs away, he put her back down on her feet, then trailed kisses down her body until he was kneeling before her. “I’m going to taste your pussy again, and this time I’ll want more than a minute.” Grasping her thighs, he slung one over his shoulder and pushed his face between her thighs.

“Cade!” Her fingers dug into his scalp as he feasted on her. She tasted even better than he remembered, and he couldn’t get enough. He licked at her seam, up and down, the slit opening up for him. She panted as his tongue slipped in and out of her, fucking her, sending her the not-so-subtle message that this was just a taste of what was to come.

She screamed his name as her body convulsed. His grip on her thigh tightened, and he pushed his mouth harder against her sweet little cunt, tasting her juices as they flooded his mouth. Not satisfied, he splayed his hand over her pubis, and his thumb found her hard clit, stroking it until she was coming into his mouth again.

“Oh,” she panted as she lay back against the slick tile, her body limp and pliable.

Rising to his feet, he kissed her again. “Don’t tell me you’re done. We’re just starting.”

“S-starting?” Lust-clouded eyes gazed up.

“Yeah.” His hand crept over the curves of her hips, her flat stomach, and over her nipples, until it settled around her neck. “You’re gonna keep coming until I tell you to stop.” His fingers gripped around her delicate neck, and her pupils blew up with desire. Interesting ? —

His thoughts were interrupted as he felt a firm hand cover the erection over his shorts. “Naughty girl. You know what to do with that?”

“Is that a challenge?” The corner of her mouth tugged up. With a snap of her fingers, his clothes disappeared, and she gripped him, her hand sliding up and down the length of his engorged member. “Is this how you like it?”

“I–uh! That’s it,” he breathed.

“I loved watching you stroke yourself,” she said. “Couldn’t take my eyes off you. Wanted to make you feel good too.”

“You’re a quick study.”

“I am.” Her thumb swiped on the tip, making his hips jerk into her hand. “And I have a few tricks up my sleeve too.”

“Christ,” he said through gritted teeth as he closed his eyes. He let the pleasure wash over him, driving him to the edge as she continued to stroke his cock with her soft, small hand. As he inched toward the precipice, he yanked her hand away. “Stop…not yet.”

Using his supernatural speed, he quickly turned her around and pressed her against the wall again. His hand snaked between her legs, fingers thrusting into her without warning. She seemed to enjoy it, however, as she began to move in time with his hand.

She was warm, slick, and so tight. He worried, for a moment, that he would hurt her. He’d never been with a virgin before, not that he ever cared about that. It didn’t matter to him now, of course, but his only thought was to make sure she would enjoy the act too.

“Come for me, Artemis.”

Another orgasm quickly ripped through her, one that had her clinging against the wall. “Such a good girl.” Turning her head around, he caught her mouth in a deep kiss. “Let’s head to the bed, shall we?”

They exited the shower stall and bathroom and made their way toward the bed. “Lay down,” he commanded.

She did as he asked, sitting at the edge and then inched upward until she was in the middle of the bed. His cock twitched at the sight of her naked, curvy body on display just for him. Her breasts full, and her nipples like hard little berries, the inward curve of her waist and the flare of her hips, the tiny blonde patch of a landing strip that barely covered her delicious pussy.

“Fuck, you’re gorgeous.” Unable to help himself, he crawled over her, covering her with his body. “I need to taste you again.”

This time, he was determined to taste every inch of her delectable body, and he did, taking his time as he began with her mouth, down her slim neck, over her shoulders. He laved each breast with attention, sucking on her nipples until she was squirming under him. He grazed his teeth over her stomach and hip bones, then once again ate her pussy until she was screaming with pleasure.

“Cade,” she sobbed. “Don’t make me wait any longer.”

He looked up from between her legs. “Then tell me what you want.”

Her cheeks bloomed with heat. “I…I want you inside me.”

“What do you want?” he repeated as he crawled over her. His cock was so hard it was painful, and he was tempted to just enter her. Patience, he told himself. He had to be patient and take it slow. Artemis was a virgin, and he wanted her to feel good. “Say it.”

“I want…” She swallowed hard as his face hovered over her. “Cade, I want you to fuck me. With your cock.”

Blood roared into his ears at her words. “Oh, I will, don’t you worry.” He planted a kiss on her mouth before reaching out to the bedside table and retrieving the items he had placed there last night while she was asleep.

“What—oh.” Her face grew even redder when she saw what was in his hands—a condom and a bottle of lube.

“I wanted to be ready, just in case.” Ripping the edge of the wrapper with his teeth, he removed the condom and slipped it on. “The lube will help.”

“Won’t I…I mean, I’m pretty wet.”

“Yes, but it’s your first time.” He flipped the top of the bottle open and placed some of the slick liquid on his fingers. “This will help make you more comfortable.” His fingers entered her, spreading the lube all over. Already, he could feel her tense. “You need to relax, Artemis.”

“I’m…trying. I’m just nervous.”

He frowned. “You can still change your mind.”

“No!” Her head shook vehemently. “I’m not changing my mind. I want this. I want you to be my first. I’ve wanted you since that first day.”

A strange warmth spread over his chest at the admission, making it difficult to breath or even speak. So instead, he lowered his head and kissed her, softly this time. His cock ached—demanded—to fill her now, but he ignored his body’s needs and focused on the moment. Their mouths moving against each other. Her breath against his. Her delicious scent mingled with his, proclaiming that they were intimately connected. That she belonged to him.

He reached down between them as he positioned himself, cock pointing at her entrance. They both tensed as the tip pushed against her. Cade grit his teeth, feeling the tightness and resistance. The waves of anxiousness coming from her were palpable, but he couldn’t stop.

“I’m sorry, I have to—” He gave one strong thrust that made her cry out. “I’m sor?—”

“No, no,” she murmured against his shoulder. “Don’t be sorry. It’s… ahh …don’t move.”

He didn’t dare make a move, not even an inch. A bead of sweat formed on his brow, but he remained still. They lay there, joined, for what seemed like an eternity, until she let out a sigh. Her hips shifted upwards.

“I think…I’m good,” she sighed. “I…you feel good.”

He nearly lost it when she clenched around him. “Artemis.” He buried his face into the crook of her neck, breathing in her mesmerizing scent. His cock pulsed inside her, and she pushed up with her hips again, urging him to move.

“I…slow.” He took a deep breath as he eased out, then pushed into her. He expected her to flinch or cry out in pain, but instead, her fingers dug into his biceps.

“More. Don’t hold back,” she moaned.

He repeated the motion, faster this time. And again, his stroke slowly becoming steady. His worry that she might not enjoy herself ebbed away as she began to meet his hips. So he moved faster, each stroke hitting her just right that she made a needy groan that only fueled his own desire.

Reaching down, he gripped her thigh, pulling it up so he could push deeper into her. She let out a cry, her pussy squeezing him so tight that he almost came right then and there. He adjusted his hips so that as he began to thrust into her, he hit her clit with each shallow stroke.

“Faster,” she urged. “More.”

Her voice was like a siren song, and he was unable to deny her. He pushed hard into her, each thrust making her moan louder. Her fingers clawed at his back, the pain and pleasure mingling in his brain.

“Come, Artemis,” he commanded as he slammed into her over and over again. “Come for me.”

“ Unnghh !” Her hips pushed up as her muscles gripped him. He didn’t want to come yet, but it was too much. She was too much. This gorgeous, frustrating, and utterly enchanting creature that had somehow gotten under his skin.

He let go, spilling into her, bucking into her, trying to coax another orgasm out of her even as he filled her with his come. When the final pulse came, he grunted and gave one last thrust, their bodies freezing like marble statues, locked together in an eternal dance of lust.

At some point, he felt the feeling return to his body, and he slipped out of her, then collapsed on his back beside her.

“That was…” The words wouldn’t come to Cade’s brain. Actually, he didn’t have much of a brain left—it was all a pile of mush right now.

“Amazing,” Artemis finished. “Oh…” she rolled over to face him, then placed a quick kiss on his bicep. “Thank you for volunteering to be my first.”

A laugh escaped his throat, and he reached out to brush a lock of stray blonde hair from her face, caressing her soft cheek with his thumb. “I should thank you. For letting me be your first.”

She turned her head so she could kiss his thumb. “Fine, we’re even.”